RTHK: Sex Pistols re-releasing 'God Save The Queen'

Sex Pistols' punk-rock classic "God Save The Queen" is to get another airing to mark Queen Elizabeth's upcoming Platinum Jubilee, 45 years after it first scandalised the pop charts.

The anti-royalist anthem, whose acerbic lyrics were written by front man Johnny Rotten, was released in 1977 as the queen celebrated her silver jubilee for 25 years on the throne.

The lyrics famously reference the queen's "fascist regime", while declaring that the monarch "ain't no human being", leading it to be banned from BBC radio and television.

But that only added to its notoriety, helping it to hit number two in the charts, although many punk fans still believe it was deliberately kept from the top spot, which went to Rod Stewart instead.

Thousands of physical copies of the song are to be re-pressed for release on May 27, including both the version released on Virgin Records and that released by A&M Records.

"One of the most sought-after vinyl records in history returns to the shelves. Get your hands on a repress of both the A&M & Virgin God Save The Queen 7" vinyl, limited copies available of each," the band's official account tweeted.

The band signed to A&M in March 1977, but were dropped six days later, with a young entrepreneur called Richard Branson swooping in to sign them for Virgin.

They famously performed the song on jubilee day on a boat sailing down the Thames, with various members of the band arrested when they reached dry land.

Lydon's feelings towards the monarch have since softened, telling music website Quietus in 2017 that "I would sorely miss her as a human being on planet Earth.

"It's not her fault she was born into a gilded cage," said the now 66-year-old veteran hellraiser. "Long may she live. I don't know about the reign part, but long may she live."

Lydon, who went under the stage name Johnny Rotten, recently lost a court battle with former band mates Steve Jones and Paul Cook to prevent the group's songs being used in a television series. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-05-03. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.




TAIYUAN/LHASA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Sitting in a self-designed, ancient-style courtyard, Liu Kai, 30, draws Chongfu Temple, a cultural structure steeped in history and now under state protection in north China's Shanxi Province.

Hailing from a farming family in Zhuge Village, Shanxi's Linfen City, Liu has a passion for ancient China's awe-inspiring architecture, especially the buildings in the culture-rich province.

Over the past eight years, he has recorded over 50 historic structures on paper, depicting himself in front of each old building. "It is me, like countless others who have looked up to the heritage through the ages," Liu said.

On April 21, China released its first white paper centered on its youth, "Youth of China in the New Era." This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC).

China's youth draw nutrients from the best of China's traditional culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture, and gain strength from the time-honored Chinese civilization, said the document.

Young Chinese identify more and more with the splendors of Chinese civilization. They are deeply proud of the Chinese nation, and are more active in promoting traditional Chinese culture and boosting cultural confidence across society, according to the white paper.

Over the years, China has placed great emphasis on the passing on and promotion of its culture, with a raft of guidelines and proposals launched to fuel the nationwide protection, innovation and spread of its invaluable culture.

Liu is not alone in his passion for China's past. After posting his paintings online, his artworks have wowed netizens and attracted collectors across the country.

China has pledged to go all out to preserve and develop its excellent traditional culture, eyeing a "marked boost" in the international influence of Chinese culture by 2025.

According to the guidelines issued by the central government in 2017, major achievements are expected to be registered in traditional culture-related research, education, protection, inheritance, innovation and exchanges by 2025.

China's top design to rejuvenate its fine culture has received an enthusiastic echo from the public.

At a Virtual Reality (VR) exhibition hall in Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, an eight-minute video introduces visitors to the history and development of Zhentang Sherpa dance, a form of national intangible cultural heritage.

The videography and translation involved the efforts of 23-year-old Sidar, who is of Sherpa descent. His hometown Zhentang, deep in the Himalayas and bordering Nepal, is home to more than 2,600 Sherpa people.

The young man's mother is a practitioner of Zhentang Sherpa dance. When Sidar was a child, he used to watch his mother teach locals of all ages the ancient steps of the dance.

Scholars have frequently visited the sleepy town to conduct studies of the unique local culture. "The Sherpa culture is diverse and rich. Scholars make academic achievements, but the responsibility of real cultural inheritance falls on the shoulders of local youths like Sidar," said Tarring Namgel, an associate professor at the College of Art of Tibet University. He traveled to the region to research Mani Drama, another time-honored form of Sherpa cultural heritage.

Increasing participation in such trips inspired Sidar to record local culture through his lens. Old gadgets of the Sherpa people, dancing and vibrant festival celebrations have since become the subjects of his videos.

"Our culture is like an ancient river that flows inside us from history to today," Sidar said. It is his dream to make a documentary and establish a museum of Sherpa folk culture.

More and more young Chinese people have joined efforts to preserve cultural heritage thanks to China's blockbuster documentaries and television shows such as "Masters in the Forbidden City" and "National Treasure."

When Zhu Xiaocong, now an ancient calligraphy and painting conservator, landed his job at Shanxi Museum seven years ago, he only had three or four colleagues. But now, the team has expanded to about 30 people, with its members mostly born after 1990.

Zhu's studio may seem like a kitchen to the untrained eye, as a variety of brushes hang on the walls, knives rest in drawers and pots of different sizes litter the counter. Lying on his workbench is a piece of calligraphy dating back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), spoiled by faint stains and cracks.

Zhu is "performing surgery" on the delicate artwork. He scrapes off the stains with a knife and sticks thin white strips to the back of the paper on damaged areas.

"It can take days to merely open the frames of articrafts using tweezers, as ancient Chinese people used to write and draw on fragile materials," Zhu explained.

"Young people are energetic, but they can lack experience when it comes to artifact restoration," said Guo Zhiyong, deputy director of the museum's cultural artifact conservation and research department. "However, their techniques can be greatly improved through training, teaching guides from their seniors, and field trips."

Over the past seven years, Zhu has single-handedly restored over 100 ancient paintings and calligraphy works. "All my efforts are worthwhile when I see the artifacts restored to their former glory and appreciated by museum visitors," he said.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service




Starbucks sales climbed to record levels in its fiscal second quarter, but its profits took a hit from climbing labor costs.

And those costs are set to grow even higher in the coming months as Starbucks introduces new pay raises and other benefits to improve its employee experience  and head off a growing unionization movement.

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The Seattle coffee company  which welcomed back former CEO Howard Schultz last month as its interim leader  said revenue rose 15% to a record $7.6 billion in its 13-week quarter, which ended April 3. That was in line with Wall Streets estimates, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

But net earnings rose just 2% to $674 million. Starbucks adjusted earnings of 59 cents per share fell short of analysts forecast of 60 cents.

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Starbucks noted that it faced higher employment costs during the quarter. Last fall, the company announced a $1 billion investment in employee wages and benefits in an effort to lift U.S. workers pay to at least $15 per hour by this summer.

On Tuesday, after a series of meetings with workers around the country, Schultz unveiled $200 million in additional investments in worker pay and training. That includes raises for employees who have been at the company for at least two years as well as a near doubling in training time  from 23 hours to 40 hours __ for new baristas and shift supervisors. Starbucks is also reintroducing a coffee mastery program for employees and considering other benefits like increased sick time.

But theres a catch: Workers who have voted to unionize or stores that have petitioned to hold a union election wont be eligible for the enhanced benefits announced Tuesday. Instead, Schultz said U.S. labor law requires stores to negotiate their own contracts with Starbucks.

We do not have the same freedom to make these improvements at locations that have a union, Schultz said.

Starbucks Workers United, the group behind the unionization effort, disagrees, and said it filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board against Starbucks on Tuesday. The group said the company is violating labor law for threatening to exclude unionized stores from receiving the new benefits.

These benefits, including ones weve demanded since the beginning of our campaign, are a response to our organizing efforts and we should celebrate the hard work that partners who stood up to Howard Schultzs bullying put in to make this happen, the group said Tuesday in a statement.

As of Tuesday, workers at more than 250 U.S. stores have filed petitions with the labor board to hold union elections, labor organizers said. At least 50 of those stores have voted to unionize with Workers United, a branch of the Service Employees International Union.

Last week, Starbucks locations in Cary and Peoria became the first two stores in Illinois where workers have won union elections.

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In Chicago, six stores have filed for elections, according to Grace Easterby, an organizer with the Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board of Workers United. Three of those stores  in the Loop, Logan Square and Hyde Park  have election dates set for June 7, with ballots going out to workers in early May. A Starbucks location in suburban La Grange will have its election Friday.

The other Chicago Starbucks that have filed for union elections are in Bucktown, Edgewater and Edgewater Beach.

Starbucks worker Rachel Simandl attaches a button promoting unionization on her coat while standing outside a location in the 100 block of North Wabash Avenue Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Chicago. Simandl, who works at a location in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago, has helped file for a union election. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Schultz opposes unionization. But he noted that employees are under tremendous strain due to strong customer demand and pandemic-related changes in the business, including a surge in mobile and drive-thru orders. Stores are built to serve hot drinks, for example, but 80% of U.S. orders are now cold drinks.

These young people have completely valid concerns given todays uncertainty and economic instability. They look around and they see the burgeoning labor movement as a possible remedy to what they are feeling, Schultz said. But compare any union contract in our sector to the constantly expanding list of wages and benefits we have provided our people for decades, and the union contract will not even come close to what Starbucks offers.

Schultz said the new investments will improve employee recruiting and retention. Starbucks also plans additional changes it will outline at an investor meeting in September, including adding credit and debit card tipping in its stores and accelerating the rollout of new ovens and espresso machines.

If we want to exceed the expectations of our customers, we have to exceed the expectations of our people, Schultz said.

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Schultz bought the Starbucks chain in 1987, led it until 2000 and then led it again between 2008 and 2017. He returned as interim CEO and rejoined Starbucks board in April after former CEO Kevin Johnson announced his retirement.

Schultz said the board is interviewing candidates and expects to name its new CEO in the fall. After training that person, Schultz said he plans to leave the company  but not the board  in early 2023.

Investors seemed glad to have him back. Starbucks shares were up 5% in after-hours trading Tuesday.

Schultz said customer demand for Starbucks remains strong despite several price increases over the last year.

Starbucks same-store sales  or sales at stores open at least a year  rose 7% globally in the second quarter, surpassing Wall Streets estimate of 6.5%. That was largely on the strength of the business in North America, where same-store sales rose 12%.

International same-store sales fell 8%, largely due to coronavirus restrictions in China. China, which is Starbucks largest market outside the U.S., saw same-store sales plummet 23% in the quarter, the company said. Roughly one-third of stores in China were closed or offering mobile ordering only at the end of the second quarter.

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Chicago Tribune reporter Talia Soglin contributed.
As per Variety, the annual celebration of movies won't be testing attendees, as it did last year, and will not institute a mask mandate at screenings and events.

"Since the health pass is no longer in application in France, guests will not have to show a proof of testing or vaccination to enter the Palais," Cannes general secretary Francois Desrousseaux informed.

He added, "Most participants will likely be vaccinated anyway, because France has made it very complicated for non-vaccinated travelers to enter the country."

He also pointed out that roughly 95 per cent of the adult population in France has already received two shots of the vaccine.

"We're in a very different situation than last year because the curve of COVID-19 infections is going down, instead of going up," the Paris-based executive said.

Another change from last year is that masks will not be mandatory indoors, but will instead be strongly recommended. However, Desrousseaux said Cannes staffers will be wearing masks.

The 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival will take place from May 17 to 28, 2022. (ANI)
The wait is finally over as Tom Cruise's long-delayed 'Top Gun: Maverick' is about to hit the theatres later this month. However, days ahead of the release, an old interview of Cruise has surfaced where he labelled the making of follow-up to his classic 'Top Gun' as "irresponsible". Cruise had given the interview to Playboy magazine in 1990 during the publicity tour for "Born on the Fourth of July". It was then that the actor had labelled the idea of making a sequel to Top Gun as irresponsible, reported Variety. "Some people felt that 'Top Gun' was a right-wing film to promote the Navy. And a lot of kids loved it. But I want the kids to know that that's not the way war is -- that 'Top Gun' was just an amusement park ride, a fun film with a PG-13 rating that was not supposed to be reality," Cruise said in his interview in 1990. "That's why I didn't go on and make 'Top Gun II' and III and IV and V. That would have been irresponsible," he further stated. Top Gun sees Cruise playing a young naval aviator who is training at the US Navy's Fighter Weapons School at Naval Air Station Miramar in San Diego, Calif. "They are two different things. Top Gun' is a joy ride and shouldn't be looked at beyond that. 'Born' is about real people and real events. 'Top Gun' should be looked at as going on Space Mountain -- it's like a simple fairy tale...Let's look at the reality of what I am saying -- where my beliefs lie. I didn't have anything riding on 'Top Gun.' The fact is, I really want people to see 'Born on the Fourth of July '-- it's a movie that had to be made," Cruise had further said in his interview, as per Variety. In the sequel "Top Gun Maverick" which will hit the theatres on May 27, sees Cruise's character playing a mentor to a group of younger Top Gun graduates played by Miles Teller, Glen Powell and more. (ANI)
Kailia Posey of the American reality TV series 'Toddlers and Tiaras' fame has passed away at age 16 after tragically committing suicide, her family revealed. Posey's family shared a statement regarding the incident with TMZ, it read, "Although she was an accomplished teenager with a bright future ahead of her, unfortunately in one impetuous moment, she made the rash decision to end her earthly life." The heart-breaking news of the teen's death was initially shared by Posey's mom, Marcy Posey Gatterman, in a Monday night Facebook post. "I don't have words or any thoughts. A beautiful baby girl is gone. Please give us privacy as we mourn the loss of Kailia. My baby forever," she wrote. Posey, who first found fame on the popular TLC show had even become a viral GIF known as 'Grinning Girl'. As per TMZ, her family has set up a fund in her name with the goal of providing resources to help students in crisis. (ANI)
At a time when India is commemorating its 75th year of Independence by launching the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', India and France are also celebrating 75 years of their association. Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Singh Thakur has announced that India will be the official 'Country of Honour' at the upcoming Marche' Du Film, which is organized alongside the Cannes Film Festival, in France. This is the first year that the festival has done so and this special focus will continue annually with different nations in the spotlight at future editions. Among the highlights of this year's festival will be the world premiere of R Madhavan's film 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect', a biographical drama film based on the life of Nambi Narayanan, a former scientist and aerospace engineer of the Indian Space Research Organisation who was falsely accused of espionage. Produced by Madhavan, the movie will be showcased on May 19. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Paris and meeting with President Macron takes even more significance in this context. It is in this significant diplomatic backdrop that India has been chosen as the 'Country of Honour," said Thakur. At the festival, India will be establishing an Indian pavilion that will provide a platform and a forum for the world to connect with India through its films, culture and heritage. This year the pavilion's theme will be 'India- The content hub of the World'. "This year the pavilion carries the theme 'India the Content Hub of the World'. It would be inaugurated on the morning of May 18, 2022. It will showcase Indian cinema across linguistic, cultural, and regional diversities of the country and will serve as a networking platform for delegates from across the global community, aiming to establish international partnerships in film shooting, distribution, production, script development, technology, promoting film sales and syndication, Thakur added further. The opening night of Marche Du Films, being organised at the Majestic Beach will focus on India, its cinema, its culture and heritage. This night would be elucidated by special performances from Indian Choir bands along with Folk Music and Fireworks. The cuisine served would be Indian as well as French. With India being the 'Country of Honour', five new start-ups will be given an opportunity to pitch to the Audio-Visual Industry. Ten professionals will participate in Animation Day. India has also been given an opportunity to pitch five selected movies at the 'Goes to Cannes Section'. These movies are part of the WIP lab under the Film Bazaar: 'Baghjan' by Jaicheng Zxai Dohutia - Assamese, Moran 'Bailadila' by Shailendra Sahu - Hindi, Chhattisgarhi 'Ek Jagah Apni (A Space of Our Own)' by Ektara Collective - Hindi 'Follower' by Harshad Nalawade - Marathi, Kannada, Hindi 'Shivamma' by Jai Shankar - Kannada Further, a cinema hall called the Olympia Screen will be dedicated to India on May 22, 2022, for screening 'Unreleased Movies'. There are 5 Movies which have been selected under this category. A remastered Satyajit Ray classic, 'Pratidwandi', will be screened at the Cannes Classic section. This is to mark the filmmaker's centenary celebration. This year's Cannes Film Festival will take place between May 17 to May 26 and the organisers will be axing COVID-19 curbs ahead of its 75th edition. They won't be testing attendees, as it did last year, and will not institute a mask mandate. (ANI)
With the Cannes Film Festival celebrating its 75th edition this year and India being the Country of Honour, the festival will screen Satyajit Ray's acclaimed movie 'Pratidwandi' (1970). 'Pratidwandi' has been officially selected for a special screening in the Cannes Classic section this year. Based on a novel by the same name by Sunil Gangopadhyay, the film unfolds the story of Siddharta, an educated middle-class youth caught in the turmoil of social unrest, dealing with his struggles to find a job. The film is known for experimenting with specific techniques such as photo-negative flashbacks. It bagged three National Awards, including Best Direction, in 1971. It also won a nomination for the Gold Hugo Award at the Chicago International Film Festival in 1971. Last year on the occasion of Ray's birth centenary, NFDC-NFAI kickstarted a project of digitally restoring his films in 4K resolution. 'Pratidwandi' was one of the first films selected for the purpose. Ravinder Bhakar, Managing Director, National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), said, "Ray set out many firsts in the world of cinema. 'Pratidwandi' is known for experimenting with techniques such as photo-negative flashbacks, among others. The NFAI (National Film Archive of India) has been diligent about this while restoring the original negative. We are pleased to roll out the first of the 'Calcutta Trilogy' of Ray at the Cannes Film Festival." Seemabaddha (1971) and Jana Aranya (1976) were the next two films directed by Ray that formed his 'Calcutta Trilogy'. The 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival will take place from May 17 to 28. --IANS aru/arm ( 276 Words) 2022-05-04-22:40:01 (IANS)
The Director of Medical Education, Tamil Nadu, Narayana Babu, said on Tuesday that the Madurai Medical College had violated two instructions in the medical oath row of fresh MBBS students at the institute. Speaking to reporters after conducting an inquiry into the oath row at the Madurai Medical College, Narayana Babu said, "The Madurai Medical College violated two instructions regarding administering oath to the freshers. It violated instructions from the state health department and the Director of Medical Education (DME) to get clarification on any new/fake circular from the department and to follow a routine process of admission issued in February." The official said that the recommendation by the National Medical Commission to use 'Charak Shapath' while administering oath to medical students was only a circular, and not an order. He also said that the Tamil Nadu health secretary had issued an instructions on February 10 to all the Deans asking them to get clarification on all the new circulars from the department, stating that some fake orders in the name of NMC were also getting circulated on social media. Narayana Babu clarified that the Parliament had also clarified that 'Charak Shapath' cannot replace 'Hippocratic Oath'. He also said that the Madurai Medical College had failed to get clarification from the DME and health department on this issue. He also said that a full inquiry would be conducted and appropriate action will be taken against other medical college Deans where students have alleged to have taken 'Charak Shapath'. It is to be noted that the students' council of the Madurai Medical College has taken up the responsibility of the first year MBBS students taking the 'Charak Shapath' instead of the traditional 'Hippocratic Oath'. --IANS aal/arm ( 297 Words) 2022-05-03-21:34:03 (IANS)
It's time to accept that as the presence of Covid will remain inevitable, the need for annual vaccination may be the new norm to "blunt future outbreaks", according to officials at the US Food and Drug Administration. Writing in a paper published in the medical journal JAMA, the officials said the US needs to update its Covid-19 vaccines each year, which may also include an annual Covid vaccine alongside a seasonal flu shot. While many people are hoping that the worst of the pandemic is over, "it is time to accept that the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid, is the new normal," Dr Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Dr Janet Woodcock, Principal Deputy Commissioner, and new FDA Commissioner Dr Robert Califf wrote in the study. "It will likely circulate globally for the foreseeable future, taking its place alongside other common respiratory viruses such as influenza. "And it likely will require similar annual consideration for vaccine composition updates," they noted. Covid-19 vaccines, developed and deployed in record time based on foundational scientific and clinical research conducted over the preceding decade, have conservatively saved tens of thousands of lives in the US and many more across the globe. Studies from several countries including the US and Israel have supported the need for third and fourth booster doses of Covid vaccine. Meanwhile, the FDA last week announced plans to convene its vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee on June 28 to discuss whether the composition of the current Covid-19 vaccines should be modified, and if so, what updates should be selected for the fall. By this summer, "decisions will need to be made" on who should be eligible for additional Covid shots in the fall, and by June, the composition of the vaccines will need to be determined, the officials wrote. The composition of the current vaccines must be updated to target circulating coronavirus variants. The officials noted that this coming fall and winter, three factors may increase the risk of Covid: waning immunity, seasonal waves of more coronavirus spread, and the further evolution of the virus, leading to the birth of new variants. "With the plan for implementation of this year's vaccine selection process, society is moving towards a new normal that may well include annual Covid vaccination alongside seasonal influenza vaccination," they said. Vaccines, as public health interventions, have been responsible over the past century for reducing an unimaginable amount of morbidity and for saving millions of lives. The eradication of smallpox and near elimination of several other infectious diseases are an unambiguous triumph of modern medicine, the officials said. --IANS rvt/sks/bg ( 455 Words) 2022-05-04-19:16:03 (IANS)
What makes her even more special is the fact that her success was appreciated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who not only appreciated her efforts but even met her family to congratulate them.

Aiman was born in Khoonipur locality in Gorakhpur and she did her schooling from Carmel Girls School and then went to St Andrews Inter College from where she did her graduation in science.

In 2006, Aiman did a diploma in human resources from Annamalai University through a correspondence course.

She was selected in Bihar Civil services but she did not join and went on to get selected in IPS.

Aiman's father is a businessman and her mother is a teacher.

Aiman has been quoted as saying that there is no shortcut in the UPSC examinations.

Her advice to aspirants is to study with a time table and write descriptive answers so that they can brush up their writing speed and correct grammatical and spelling mistakes.

--IANS amita/pgh

( 187 Words)

2022-05-03-20:04:02 (IANS)
Former Punjab Chief Minister and President of Punjab Lok Congress (PLC), Amarinder Singh, said on Tuesday that the 2024 general elections will be crucial for the country as there is a need for a stable and strong government. Speaking at a meeting of the PLC candidates who contested the recent Assembly elections in Punjab, he said given the geopolitical situation previaling in the world in view of the Russia-Ukraine war, the country needs a stable, mature and strong leadership, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is providing. State BJP General Secretary Subhash Sharma also attended the meeting. Amarinder Singh also said that the PLC and the BJP will jointly fight the municipal corporations elections in Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar and Jalandhar. The meeting took stock of the prevailing situation in the state and also reviewed the performance of the party candidates in the last Assembly elections. Amarinder Singh said that while the people of Punjab voted overwhelmingly for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with great expectations, there is already a strong sense of disillusionment against the state government. The former Chief Minister claimed that not only has the AAP government backed out on several promises and commitments, it is also hurting the pride of Punjabis by usurping their power and rights. He said Punjabis would never tolerate an outsider like Arvind Kejriwal running the government from Delhi, pointing out how Kejriwal is conducting meetings of Punjab officials in Delhi and issuing commands to them. It is unconstitutional and unacceptable, he said. Addressing the meeting, Subhash Sharma said although the BJP-PLC alliance could not win many seats, a strong foundation has already been laid. He said while the immediate focus will be on the municipal elections which are due within less than a year from now, the alliance will be a formidable force in the 2024 general elections. --IANS vg/arm ( 317 Words) 2022-05-03-20:08:03 (IANS)
People greeted each other on the occasion of Eid to spread the message of peace and harmony.

Last month, clashes broke out between two communities during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in Jahangirpuri.

After the violence on April 16, an anti-encroachment drive was undertaken in the area on April 20.

During the drive that was termed a "routine exercise", many shops and houses in the area were bulldozed.

Meanwhile, adequate security arrangements have been ensured in the area on the occasion of Eid to avoid any untoward incident. Heavy police deployment in the area was also seen.

"We all want to live here with each other with peace and harmony together. We hope the full normalcy returns soon in the area... and it has started to return in the area," said a person from the Muslim community who did not want to be named.

He also said that the situation is improving in the area now.

A week after violence erupted in the area, both communities took out a 'Tiranga Yatra' to send out the message of peace and harmony.

--IANS avr/pgh

( 219 Words)

2022-05-03-20:34:07 (IANS)
Ready-to-drink cocktails have proliferated in recent years, but Tip Top Proper Cocktails stand out.

Most striking about Tip Top, which arrived in Chicago earlier this year, is its charming package: a wee 3.4 ounces, just about right for cocktails as boozy and full-flavored as these.

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The presentation is also attractively retro, inspired by a 1920s-era French cocktail book and harks back to a simpler, less frilly era. Its not hard to imagine Ernest Hemingway downing a couple of these at the bar.

[ Canned cocktails taste test: From Big Star margaritas to summery G&Ts, here are our 35 best and worst ]

But the key, of course, lies inside those handsome, little cans, and at its best, Tip Top is among the greatest things happening in RTD cocktails. The brand is well aware of what makes it work, and its printed on either side of its mascot, a giraffe wearing a monocle and top hat: Always balanced ... Never too sweet.

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Tip Top cocktails, featuring Negroni and the Bee's Knees. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Tip Top generally follows through on that simple holy grail of cocktail construction across six classic offerings, some of which succeed better than others: Old Fashioned, Manhattan, daiquiri, margarita, Negroni and Bees Knees.

It was the inclusion of a Negroni that caught my eye and which arguably underscores Tip Tops ethos. Negroni is a delicious cocktail built of three ingredients  gin, vermouth and Campari  but its one that ready-to-drink brands generally avoid due to the muscular bitterness just below the fruity sweetness.

Tip Tops Negroni pulls no punches; a lovely herbal sweet-bitter duel is followed by a long bitter walk off. Its far from an obvious crowd pleaser. But that was the intention, Tip Top co-founder Neal Cohen said.

Tip Tops ethos, he said, is not to replicate what many of its competitors do: bubbly backyard refreshment or overly sweet, dumbed-down takes on the classics. Tip Top aims to be the classic cocktail  just in adorably cute canned form. Simple as it sounds, its disappointingly rare in the ready-to-drink space.

Cohen, a former Chicago resident who worked at the late, great Pastoral cheese and sandwich shop, launched the brand with childhood friend Yoni Reisman in 2019, just as the ready-to-drink space was heating up. Canned cocktails were rare when they began writing a business plan four years earlier. That changed quickly  the market officially went into overdrive when Anheuser-Busch bought Cutwater Spirits in 2019  but Tip Top still offers a unique point of view by favoring authenticity over accessibility.

None of its six canned cocktails are duds, though three stand out: the aforementioned Negroni; the daiquiri, which boasts outstanding rum depth with a sweet-limey bite; and the Manhattan, which is simply a spot-on take of a classic cocktail.

Cohen and Reisman became interested in RTD cocktails while producing and marketing music festivals, where there was always plenty of beer available, but rarely quality cocktails. They launched with three classic stirred cocktails  Old Fashioned, Manhattan and Negroni  to signal the audience they were after, which is more cocktail fan than casual shopper.

We knew for discerning cocktail drinkers, seeing those were the ones we started with was meaningful, that this wasnt another overly sweet, cheap type of canned cocktail offering people were writing off at the time, he said.

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Last year, they added three stirred cocktails: a margarita (which is a bit out of balance and my least favorite of the six, though Cohen said tweaks are forthcoming), that splendid daiquiri, and a Bees Knees I wish was less honey-forward (tweaks are coming to that one too, Cohen said). New offerings are planned for later in the year.

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The cocktail recipes are developed by Miles Macquarrie of Kimball House, a restaurant in Decatur, Georgia, with a renowned cocktail program, and made at Temperance Distilling in Temperance, Michigan. Tip Top has no plans to open its own bricks-and-mortar operation, Cohen said.

Tip Tops bourbon, rye and gin are sourced from MGP distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, which has also supplied spirits to brands that include Templeton, Angels Envy, Bulleit and the Gold Fashioned, a $150 bottle of Old Fashioned released last year. The tequila comes from Mexico (of course) and the rum is Caribbean.

Tip Top Proper Cocktails (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Illinois is the sixth state where Tip Top is sold; it is available at dozens of stores, including Sunset Foods and Foxtrot markets, plus liquor stores including Bitter Pops, Rogers Park Provisions and The Wine Goddess in Evanston. Theyre sold as single-flavor eight-packs ($40) or as individual cans (usually $3.99 to $5.99), often as a cash register impulse buy. This summer will see the introduction of a mixed eight-pack, featuring two cans each of the Bees Knees, Daiquiri, Negroni and margarita.

Cohen said he hopes to take the brand national, including getting into hotel chains. Tip Tops Old Fashioned and margarita are already sold on domestic Delta flights.

Growth has become challenging as more ready-to-drink cocktail brands emerge, Cohen said. Thats where Tip Tops adorable little package comes in.

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Retailers are resistant to new prepared cocktails, but the second we pull out the can and they recognize this is different, it allows us to find our own niche within the category, he said. The idea of taking the mythology and history in these cocktails and making it available to the public is a challenge we were excited to take on.

jbnoel@chicagotribune.com
Having made several attempts to get back Trinamool Congress leader Binay Mishra, the prime accused in coal and cattle smuggling case in West Bengal, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has decided to approach the Ministry of External Affairs to get him brought from the Pacific Ocean island country of Vanuatu. Although his brother Bikash Mishra is currently in CBI custody, Binay Mishra somehow managed to escape to Vanuatu and is currently residing there. Highly-placed CBI sources said that as per information available with the agency, Binay Mishra has taken the citizenship of the island country and that too, in all probability, with a different identity. As per preliminary findings of the CBI, Binay Mishra acted as chief collection agent for the money earned illegally from coal and cattle smuggling. His brother's task was to transfer the shares to the agents of the different beneficiaries. "However, Binay Mishra has detailed knowledge of the chain of operations in the entire coal and cattle smuggling rackets as well as the actual beneficiaries from this illegal trade , many of whom are really influential people from the state. So, getting Binay Mishra in our custody is really very important," said a CBI official, who did not wish to be named. A CBI court has already declared Binay Mishra absconding after he repeatedly avoided summons from CBI. The CBI court has also ordered that the Trinamool leader should appear before the court on or before June 20. Binay Mishra, since the beginning, had been claiming through his counsel that he is unable to travel because of the Covid-19 pandemic situation and instead, wanted to appear for CBI questioning online. His earlier appeal for quashing of the CBI enquiry against him was already quashed by the Calcutta High Court. --IANS src/vd ( 311 Words) 2022-05-03-20:58:01 (IANS)
The National Green Tribunal has directed the District Magistrate of Uttar Pradesh's Banda to verify the value of the material illegally mined and asked to review the Rs 1.45 crore environmental fine imposed earlier. The NGT's principal bench, headed by Chairperson, Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, noted that according to the report, the fine amount includes the value of the illegally-mined material in terms of the 2017 judgment of the Supreme Court in Common Cause vs. Union if India & Ors. "However, it is not clear how the value of the mined material is calculated when lease money is Rs 20 crore per year, as noted in the order of the Tribunal. The District Magistrate may thus look into this aspect and verify the value of the mined material. If the value of the mined material is found to be more, further action be taken as per the law," said the order dated April 29. As per the complaint filed by applicant Haidar Khan, company, R.S.I. Stone World Ltd is involved in sand mining, violating environmental norms and without consent from the state PCB in Naraini tehsil of the district. On the NGT's intervention, the state PCB had on September 22, 2020, found violation of norms by the company. The committee had found mining down to six metres against the maximum permitted depth up to three metres with the use of Pokland machines, use of lifter machines, part of which were found inside the Ken river. Accordingly, the Banda District Magistrate cancelled the lease and blacklisted the project proponent and also slapped an environmental compensation of Rs 1.45 crore. An FIR was also lodged on March 15, 2020, apart from other action. --IANS jw/vd ( 300 Words) 2022-05-03-22:28:03 (IANS)
A Border Security Force (BSF) personnel was injured due to accidental firing from his own refile after he fell on the floor of a floating Border Out-Post in the Bhuj area of Gujarat due to turbulences in high sea. The incident took place on Tuesday when the official was depositing his weapon in the outpost after the patrolling. "On May 3, 2022, at 1230 hrs, a Creek patrolling party of BSF Bhuj returned to floating BOP deployed in the creek area. While depositing the weapon in Kote, due to extremely high turbulence caused by the high sea state, Constable Pratap fell down on the floor of the floating BOP and, accidentally one round got fired from his service rifle piercing the right side of his abdomen causing serious injury," said the BSF Gujarat frontier officer. The Constable was immediately given the first aid and was evacuated to shore for his treatment. "He was evacuated to shore and from there by an Indian Air Force helicopter to GKG hospital in Bhuj." His health condition remains critical. (ANI)
A minor change has been made in the schedule of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to West Bengal at the last moment. Shah was scheduled to arrive in Kolkata on Wednesday night. As per the revised schedule, the Home Minister will reach Kolkata on Thursday morning (May 5). However, the rest of his schedule will remain the same. On Thursday morning, he will first go to Hingalganj in North 24 Parganas district to attend a function organised by the Border Security Force (BSF). From there, Shah will head to Siliguri in Darjeeling district where he will address a public rally at the Railway Institute Ground. There is also a possibility of the Home Minister holding a meeting with the representatives of different political and non-political organisations based out of Darjeeling on the same day. On May 6 morning, he will go to the adjacent Cooch Behar district to attend a government programme in Tinbigha. He will return to Kolkata on May 6 afternoon and is expected to hold meetings with the top BJP leaders from the state. Shah will then attend a government programme at the Victoria Memorial, which will also be attended by Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar. He will fly back to Delhi on May 6 night. "This is the changed and tentative schedule as of now. There might be some minor changes in the schedule later also," a state committee member of the BJP said. --IANS src/arm ( 253 Words) 2022-05-03-22:36:03 (IANS)
Eight vehicles of the Fire Department were rushed to the spot which successfully doused the fire.

"The fire broke out in the 1000-meter square area of the MCD office. We have successfully controlled the fire with the use of eight vehicles. The rescue teams were rushed to the spot immediately after we got a call at 5:30 pm," said Paras Kumar, a Fire department official.

The cause behind the fire has not been ascertained yet, however, no one has been injured in the incident, confirmed fire department official.

The MCD personnel informed that goods which MCD used to seize during their anti-encroachment drives are destroyed after they got engulfed in the fire.

"Everything MCD seizes in encroachment drive used to kept here including vehicles. We will ascertain the loss after going through records," said Lalit Kumar, Store incharge, MCD office. (ANI)
At least 97 people have been arrested in connection with the clashes that broke out between two groups in Rajasthan's Jodhpur on Monday night and continued on Tuesday following which Internet services were suspended while curfew was clamped in 10 police station areas. The Divisional Commissioner on Tuesday suspended Internet services in the entire Jodhpur district (including Jodhpur Commissionerate) with an aim to maintain peace and cordial atmosphere and curb rumours. According to the order issued by the Divisional Commissioner Himanshu Gupta: "2G/3G/4G/data (mobile Internet), Bulk SMS, MMS/WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and other social media (Voice calls, Broadband Internet, Lease through Internet Service Provider) Internet services, except lines, have been suspended. This restriction will continue till further orders." The clashes had first erupted late Monday night. The violence began after some people were raising flags at the Jalori Gate intersection around 11.30 p.m. on Monday. A person making a video of this was beaten up by some youth. When some people came to his rescue, they beat them also. After this, the other group started throwing stones. Deputy Commissioner of Police East and Udaymandir SHO were injured in the stone pelting. The violence erupted again on Tuesday morning at the Jalori Gate over the unfurling of a flag. The police cane-charged the miscreants, fired tear gas shells and dispersed the mob. In view of the tense situation, curfew was imposed in 10 police station areas. Meanwhile, the Police Commissionerate has issued a partially amended order which says that students appearing in various school examinations, competitive examinations, teachers and staff engaged in examination work will be allowed to move during the curfew. Medical emergency services, medical staff, bank employees, officials related to judicial services, employees, journalists and media persons would require to show identity cards or documents. If necessary in special circumstances, the concerned Assistant Commissioner of Police would be able to grant permission to go out in the curfew. Rest of the orders will remain the same. ADG Law and Order Hawa Singh Ghumaria told that strict adherence to curfew in Jodhpur is being maintained. Around 1,000 police personnel have been deployed in the district and every incident -- small or big -- is being closely monitored, he added. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot directed the police and the administration to identify the anti-social elements responsible for the incidents that disturb communal harmony and brotherhood, and take stern action against them. He termed the incident in Jodhpur unfortunate. Addressing a high-level meeting at the Chief Minister's Office on Tuesday, he said that a criminal, irrespective of religion, caste or class, must not be spared if found to be involved in criminal activities and appealed to the general public to maintain peace. He directed Home Minister Rajendra Singh Yadav, Minister in-charge of Jodhpur Subhash Garg, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Abhay Kumar and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Hawa Singh Ghumaria to immediately rush to Jodhpur. --IANS arc/pgh ( 498 Words) 2022-05-03-23:02:01 (IANS)
BJP chief J.P. Nadda said on Tuesday that the safe evacuation of 23,000 Indian nationals from war-hit Ukraine under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi shows that India is changing. Nadda was addressing party workers in the national capital after inaugurating the South Delhi district BJP office on Tuesday. "An empowered India under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi safely evacuated 23,000 Indians from war-hit Ukraine, which shows that India is changing. Not just Indian students, but people from other countries were also evacuated by India from Ukraine, when other nations failed to evacuate their citizens," Nadda said. He told the party workers that when the Indian government was ensuring the safe evacuation of students from Ukraine, the BJP workers kept in touch with their parents and visited them multiple times to offer support. "Not just this. Didn't Modiji talk to (Ukraine President Volodymyr) Zelensky? Didn't he talk to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin? Didn't he arrange for the safe evacuation of our people," Nadda asked the gathering. He also said that the officials of the External Affairs Ministry had reached the borders of Ukraine and arranged visas overnight to bring back the stranded Indians. "This is the changing India. Modiji has empowered India," the BJP chief said. He also talked about Covid vaccination and other welfare measures of the Modi government like free ration, Kisan Samman Nidhi etc. Taking a dig at the Aam Aadmi Party, Nadda said, "The AAP contested 377 seats in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls where all its candidates lost deposits. Similarly, in Uttarakhand it lost deposits in 68 seats it contested." Nadda informed the gathering that so far, 215 district offices of BJP have been built out of a total 512 planned across the country, and work is in progress in the 165 offices. "In Delhi, 14 offices were to be built of which the 10th one is being inaugurated today," Nadda added. --IANS ssb/arm ( 331 Words) 2022-05-03-23:14:02 (IANS)
Stalin also announced that his party -- DMK -- would contribute Rs 1 crore to the Chief Minister's public relief fund to support the people of Sri Lanka.

Stalin said that the Tamil Nadu government would be sending 40,000 tonnes of rice, milk powder of around 500 tonnes, and life-saving drugs to the island nation.

He called upon the people of Tamil Nadu to contribute well to supporting the people of the neighbouring country who are staring at an acute financial crisis.

The Chief Minister in his appeal called upon the people to visit https://ereceipt.tn.gov.in.cmprf/cmprf.html for sending contributions.

Sri Lanka has been under acute financial crisis for the past couple of months and people are in the streets against the policies of the government there.

India has already supported the neighbouring nation with money, oil, and other essentials.

--IANS aal/pgh

( 195 Words)

2022-05-03-23:20:03 (IANS)
"There is huge religious belief among people of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Nepal, West Bengal, Odisha in Maa Kamakhya. A large number of people from north Bihar go to Kamakhya temple every year. Hence, we want the participation of people of Mithila in the temple trust," Shivnath Jha said.

Jha, who started as a newspaper vendor in Patna and worked in several prominent and prestigious publications in the country and Australia, has requested every person, prominent or common, in Bihar to help his cause.

Terming it an "ambitious assignment" for him, he said: "People support is key here."

--IANS ajk/vd

( 139 Words)

2022-05-03-23:24:02 (IANS)
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday distributed the financial assistance of Rs 800 crore directly to the bank account of 40 lakh small and marginal farmers of the state. The transfer was made under Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme on the occasion of Akshay Tritiya and Krishak Diwas. On the occasion, Chief Minister advised farmers to utilise the money for the cultivation of crops and use it for agriculture purposes only. "Development of Agriculture and farmers' welfare is the most important programs of the state government. This year more than Rs 20,000 crore has been provided in the budget for Agriculture," said Chief Minister. According to the state government, as many as Eight new agricultural development programs were launched on the occasion including the Jackfruit Mission and ReWARD (Rejuvenating Watershed for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development) program, the Millet Mission and the Special Program for the Promotion of Integrated Farming. A total of Rs 97 crore has been allocated for the promotion of Jackfruit cultivation in nine districts under the Jackfruit Mission and Rs 500 crore has been allocated to increase the productivity of farmland through a scientific watershed program under the ReWARD scheme. Similarly, Rs 2,808 crore has been provisioned for farmers in 182 blocks of 19 districts under Odisha Millet Mission, while Rs 239 crore has been earmarked for the special program to promote integrated farming among 1.8 lakh farming families in 8 districts. A total of Rs 3,644 crore will be spent on these four programmes. Chief Minister added that the "state government is stressing on capital investment in agriculture and they will continue with their efforts to develop farming a profitable occupation." On this occasion, Chief Minister inaugurated the new 'Krishak Odisha' portal for the farming community of the State Farmers can get required services and advice by updating their data on it. In addition to this, Chief Minister also launched the Go-Sugam portal for farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs. This is the first of its kind single Windows platform for farmers in the country. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was also signed between the International Food Policy Research Institute and the Department of Agriculture, Odisha to formulate a realistic policy to increase farmers' incomes in agriculture and allied sectors. (ANI)
Maxine Hong Kingston, appearing virtually at the American Writers Festival in Chicago on May 15 (in conversation with celebrated fiction writer Viet Thanh Nguyen), never has done many interviews. But now at 81, with a handsome new Library of America edition of her earliest stories for posterity, and a cemented role as not only an Asian American literary pioneer but a canonized chronicler of the American Experience, she has less to explain. She is, in a sense, everywhere. A 2020 New Yorker profile described her as, for a while, one of the most frequently taught living authors in American schools. But Kingston was almost too influential, her blend of memoir and imagination now a default for generations of younger writers. We spoke on the phone from her home in Hawaii:

Q: I was reading your essay The Coming Book, about a book not yet written ...

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A: I dont even remember! What did I say?

Q: Well, lines like If I could finish it, I would never have to write again .... And lines like the book would exclude me as first-person narrator and the Chinese American heroines who have interested me may disappear .

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A: I dont remember! But I am always saying this is it  I will not do more. I have done that with every book. In my last couple books, I have even announced that. I recently wrote (for The New York Times) that, at 81, there is no drive to write, its done, and I am done.

Q: Youre really done.

A: Actually, no. Im working on the next draft of a work, a thousand single spaces-long, a diary I kept 10 years ago and had in mind I would not publish, so I could write anything. It was when that Mark Twain autobiography came out. It was not to be published for 100 years. So, posthumous. I thought, I could do that! I would call it Posthumously Yours and let it sit for 100 years. But then I started reading and thought, this is not bad! Maybe I should publish. And then I thought of the privacy of the people I wrote about, so I have to contact them. I dont own their stories. I adopted a code of ethics after writing (her classic first book) The Woman Warrior. I had written all kinds of private things about real people. It didnt occur to me until years later those people owned their stories. It had felt like they belonged to me because they were part of my life, so it felt like they were mine.

Maxine Hong Kingston, here in 2014, is the author of several novels. She's appearing virtually at the American Writers Festival. (Los Angeles Times)

Q: So when you wrote about your parents, who entered the country illegally from China, how cautious were you?

A: Cautious. They were worried about being deported. So I changed the form of what I wrote. I would write what happened, then say This couldnt be what happened, let me tell you what really happened. The story of my father being a stowaway is so adventurous it sounds like fiction, so I would write a story like The Legal Father, which would make the real story seem like fiction. I would imagine someone from immigration reading my books, so I wrote in a way to fool them. At the same time, I got at what really happened.

Q: Were you OK then that you were writing a memoir yet it was considered fiction?

A: Yes! But publishers, critics, librarians had a hard time. There is an edition of The Woman Warrior that says nonfiction on the cover, and on the back cover, fiction!

Theres a new lit fest in town: American Writers Festival:

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cborrelli@chicagotribune.com
"I got the opportunity to visit Patanjali Research Institute. The rebirth of our traditional forms of medicines is being done here," Piyush Goyal said to ANI.

He further added that "India is recognised in the world for its joint technology solutions of new medical science and traditional medicines."

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Goyal also visited Har Ki Pauri to attend Ganga Aarti.

"It is my good fortune that I got the opportunity to come to the holy city of Haridwar and attend the aarti of Maa Ganga. I feel re-energised after attending the Aarti. I prayed for happiness, peace, prosperity, and healthy life for all the countrymen from the Goddess Ganga," he tweeted. (ANI)
"State government should ensure that no one can play with the sentiments of others, and all efforts be made to ensure communal harmony. In the last two months, there have been instances of communal clashes in Rajasthan, and necessary steps should be taken for peace," Thakur told ANI.

The minister's remarks came following the Jodhpur and Karauli violence that erupted in Rajasthan over the past two months.

The clashes started on Monday night between two communities over hoisting different flags at Balmukand Bissa at the Jalori Gate intersection circle in Jodhpur, resulting in stone-pelting after Eid prayers. Police resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the mob.

A total of 97 people have been arrested in connection with the stone-pelting incidents in Jodhpur.

As a precautionary measure, the Jodhpur district administration suspended all mobile internet services in the area till further notice along with the imposition of curfew from 1 pm on Tuesday to May 4 midnight, according to an official order.

While in Karauli, violence broke out after the stone-pelting incident took place at a religious procession in April this year. (ANI)
The West Bengal Police have arrested the accused in the brutal murder of a girl student of the Berhampore college in the Murshidabad district of the state. The student was allegedly stabbed to death by a sharp object in full public view allegedly by her jilted lover. The state police said that the third-year student was killed outside the college mess by her ex-boyfriend on Monday. The accused has been arrested and police have seized a gun from his possession. "A Botany Honours third-year student of Berhampore College, Murshidabad, was assaulted by a sharp cutting weapon by an unknown assailant at around 6.30 pm (on Monday) outside the college mess," Superintendent of Police, Murshidabad, Sabari Raj Kumar, said while speaking to reporters. He further said that the student was immediately shifted to the medical college by the police where she was declared brought dead. In less than four hours' time, the police nabbed the accused from a mini truck he was hiding in from Shamsherganj in the Jangipur police jurisdiction. "1 Accused, 3 District Police, 4 Hours. With effective blockades along NH 34. Malda, Jangipur and Murshidabad police coordinated excellently to nab the accused in a case of assaulting a woman," Bengal police tweeted. The incident triggered a war of words between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Opposition parties, with the latter questioning the law-and-order situation in the state. The incident was condemned by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Suvendu Adhikari who said that easy access to weapons along with deteriorating law and order situation paints to lawlessness in the state. Terming the incident "horrific", Adhikari, in a tweet, said, "In an unforeseen and shocking incident, yesterday, a student of Berhampore Girls' College was murdered in public view, in Berhampore. The assailant stabbed her multiple times and also slit her throat. When bystanders tried to apprehend him, he brandished a gun and threatened to fire." "This horrific incident has generated fear & insecurity amongst public, especially women. Easy access to weapons, combined with deteriorating law & order situation, paints a perception of lawlessness in WB, which is propelling such crimes. Won't women ever feel safe in Bengal?" he said in another tweet. Questioning Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee whether she will send a "high-level" fact-finding team to Berhampore, the BJP leader tweeted, "Accept responsibility and tender your resignation because law and order situation is in a perpetual free fall since you took over last year." TMC state spokesperson Debangshu Bhattacharya claimed that the accused is a BJP worker. (ANI)
After a political slugfest erupted over the viral video of former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in which he was seen at a nightclub in Kathmandu, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT department head Amit Malviya on Wednesday questioned "why he has ties only with those who are challenging India's territorial integrity". Taking to Twitter, Malviya said, "Rahul Gandhi was supposedly at the wedding of Sumnima Udas, a Nepali diplomat's daughter, who actively supports Nepal's claims over regions of India's Uttarakhand. From China to Nepal, why does Rahul Gandhi have ties only with those who are challenging India's territorial integrity?". Malviya's tweet came in response to Congress' counter-attack on the BJP after the slugfest over Rahul Gandhi's viral video. Yesterday too, while the BJP leaders grabbed the opportunity to hit out at Rahul Gandhi, Congress had sharply reacted and said "it has still not become a crime in this country to attend a marriage celebration". "Rahul Gandhi went to a friendly country Nepal for a marriage function of a friend who also happens to be a journalist. It has still not become a crime in this country to attend a marriage. Maybe after today, the BJP may decide (if) it is illegal to attend a marriage and a crime to have friends," said Randeep Singh Surjewala, the Congress media department head. The BJP, incidentally, took a potshot at the Rahul Gandhi by referring to the "leadership crisis" in the Opposition outfit. Congress had been in an intense discussion with the poll strategist Prashant Kishor over revamping the organisation. However, Kishor opted out of the exercise. Woes for the Congress refuse to die down as the party's working president in the poll-bound Gujarat Hardik Patel on Monday removed the name of the organisation from his Twitter profile. Later on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi reached out to the disgruntled Gujarat Congress Committee working president Hardik Patel to sort out differences in the party unit ahead of state Assembly polls, said sources. Party sources claimed that Rahul Gandhi has himself sent a message to Patel, asking him to continue in the party. He has also asked the party in-charge and other leaders to reach out to Patel to sort out the differences. (ANI)
Activist and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi on Wednesday demanded the implementation of the Article 370-like provision in Assam for the "Constitutional safeguard" of the indigenous people of the state. "We have demanded the Center to implement (provisions like) Article 370 or 371 (A), 371 (F) 371 (J) in Assam to give Constitutional safeguard to the people of the state. The indigenous people of the state will not be safe until Article 370 or 371 (A) like safeguards are implemented," Raijor Dal president said. Article 370 acknowledges the special status of the state in terms of autonomy and its ability to formulate laws for the state's permanent residents. Until a few years back, Jammu and Kashmir enjoyed this special status. Article 371 states that no act of Parliament shall apply to the State of Nagaland in respect of the religious or social practices of the Nagas, its customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law and ownership and transfer of land and its resources. Opposing 100 per cent revision of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the lone MLA said that it should happen on partial revision instead. "The 100 per cent revision of the NRC is undemocratic, unconstitutional. The NRC is just an issue for the BJP. They have no agenda to give safeguard to the indigenous people of Assam," Gogoi said. He also said that the BJP and RSS are working only for creating a Hindu Rashtra. "Their agenda is against the Constitution of India, diversity of the country. Repeated attack on the minority people is not good for the country or the democracy. There should be a debate before implementing Uniform Civil Code," the MLA said. Further, Gogoi said that the government should work for the development of indigenous Muslims of the state, and "not divide the Muslims". "Everybody knows who are the indigenous Muslims and who are the migrated Muslims. We don't want any division," he added. Meanwhile, on May 1 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stressed the need to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and said that the law should be implemented in the greater interest of Muslim women otherwise polygamy would continue. (ANI)
Communist Party of India (Marxist) Politburo Member Brinda Karat slammed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh- Bharatiya Janata Party (RSS- BJP) without taking its name after the Jodhpur Communal Clashes and said that religious festivals have become a weapon for communal politics. While talking to ANI Brinda Karat said, "It is a matter of great concern that where people of all religions used to celebrate festivals on the basis of respect for the culture of our country, today religious festivals have become a weapon for communal politics. This is a very dangerous thing and Jodhpur is a living example of this." "If such incidents can happen in the name of a flag, it is a matter of concern for the country and in the name of religious polarization, the forces which are trying to spread unrest are succeeding in their agenda. This is very dangerous," Karat added. The Former Rajya Sabha MP (Brinda Karat) further slammed Union Minister Anurag Thakur for his statement on the communal clashes in Jodhpur and appealed to the state government for ensuring communal harmony in Rajasthan. She said, "Anurag Thakur, who is the ambassador of hate speech, who himself caused a communal divide in almost every public utterance he made... is targeting a particular community." Karat said that she believed it was the job of Sangh Parivar to divide communities on the communal lines, which is extremely dangerous for the country. "I just wish that BJP and its leaders get to practice what they preach," she added further. "More than 50 people have been arrested in connection with communal clashes in Rajasthan's Jodhpur," said Rajasthan Home Minister Rajendra Yadav on Tuesday. He also assured that stern action will be taken against the administration if any negligence is found on their part. (ANI)
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials has reached the residence of Maharashtra MP-MLA couple Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana for investigation over "illegal construction" at their place in Mumbai's Khar. The BMC had already sent a notice to the couple recently arrested over the Hanuman Chalisa row under Section 488 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888, according to which, officials can visit any building and ascertain whether any illegal alterations have been undertaken. Earlier today, the Rana couple got bail by the Mumbai sessions court with several conditions in the Hanuman Chalisa row. "Court has granted bail to Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana. Some conditions have been imposed. They've been asked to cooperate in the investigation and interrogation. Police have also been directed to issue an advance notice of 24 hours to them," Rizwan Merchant, an advocate of Navneet-Ravi Rana told media persons. Describing the bail conditions, the advocate added, "No hammering or tampering to be done with evidence. They are not allowed to give any sort of interview to the media. Hopefully, they will be released by today's evening." The couple was arrested on April 23 from their Mumbai residence after declaring that they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's home in Bandra. They were booked in two FIRs lodged on charges of sedition, promoting enmity, and assaulting a public servant to prevent discharge of duty. (ANI)
After Osmania University declined permission to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to conduct a physical interaction with the students, Telangana Rashtra Samithi MLC K Kavitha on Wednesday slammed the former Congress chief, saying that he is only coming to the state for politics. Addressing a press conference here, Kavitha said, "Congress leader Rahul Gandhi never talked in favour of Telangana. I do not know why he is coming to Warangal and Osmania University now." She also said that the Congress leader has never talked in favour of Telangana, even when the TRS requested him to raise the paddy crop issue in the Parliament. "During the paddy crop issue, we urged him (Rahul Gandhi) to raise the issue in Parliament and to support the farmers of Telangana but he did not. But now he is planning something in Warangal, coming here to do politics only," Kavitha said. The vice-chancellor of Osmania University reiterated that he will not allow Rahul Gandhi to conduct a physical interaction with the students in the university premises after Telangana High Court asked him to take a decision on the matter. "Our decision not to allow Rahul Gandhi into University premises will be the same. He will not be allowed to conduct any face-to-face interaction with students. The decision taken earlier will be the same," VC Ravinder Yadav had said. In the plea filed by some students seeking a direction to the Vice-Chancellor to accord permission for Rahul Gandhi's event, Telangana High Court asked the VC to consider the plea of students and take a decision. Earlier on Monday, Telangana Congress chief Revanth Reddy said that Rahul Gandhi will meet the members of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) in the Chanchalguda jail who were detained for staging a protest outside the administration building of Osmania University in Hyderabad. The NSUI members protested outside the University seeking permission for Rahul Gandhi's visit to the campus on May 7, following which the police detained them and registered a case for 'obstructing the public servant in conducting their duty'. On Sunday, Ramesh Naik, Circle Inspector said that 18 people who were protesting were taken into custody. "Eighteen people who were protesting in the administration's building have been taken into custody. When we tried to stop the agitators, they pushed our staff including lady constables. Agitators pelted stones to break the glasses on the window and went inside the building. A case has been registered under obstructing the public servant in conducting their duty," said Ramesh Naik, Circle Inspector. Rahul Gandhi will visit Telangana for a two-day visit on May 6 and 7. (ANI)
Former chief minister of Karnataka HD Kumaraswamy, on Wednesday, said that the Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) examination scam, which has caught the attention of the entire country, has been exposed by the police department itself. Speaking to the media persons at Channapatna, he said, "Information has been leaked from the police department itself. The investigation is linked to the developments that followed the murder in Bangalore's Chamarajapet." The developments in the murder case of a young man named Chandru have exposed the illegality of the test (PSI test scam). A BJP spokesperson had accused police commissioner Kamal Pant of lying about the murder. The police had said that a youth was killed after a two-wheeler collision caused a commotion, but the BJP leaders, however, tweeted that the young man was murdered because he was unable to speak Urdu. "The BJP leaders had insulted Kamal Pant, an honest officer of the police department. That is why some of his admirers in the department took up the scam to teach the government. It is not exposed by the government, got revealed by the department itself," said Kumaraswamy. "The BJP leader, who accused a loyal and honest police officer, has connections with Kingpin, who is currently under arrest. The police have kept a track of it and put everything out before the people," he added. "The Congress leaders have blamed Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan for the PSI Scam. But, do they have any record against the minister? Where is the record against them?" he questioned. He further alleged that the Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Bengaluru, that's why their own BJP leaders made it and brought Dr CN Ashwath Narayan's name in the media so that Amit Shah knows about it. "There is a conspiracy within the BJP to bring down Ashwath Naryan's wicket. BJP in the state is setting fire to their home, we don't have to burn it. Why would I need to take petrol to burn it? Congress leaders do not have the power to fight on real issues," he said. (ANI)
According to the officials, the person arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 had arrived in India from Abu Dhabi's Johannesburg on April 26, and have been taken in the judicial custody.

"When enquired, the passenger admitted that he had ingested capsules containing 'Heroin'. Immediately, the Passenger was produced before the Magistrate, and after obtaining its permission, he was admitted to a hospital and was kept under Medical Supervision for six days," said the officials.

In total, the accused had 108 capsules containing 'Heroin' wrapped in adhesive transparent tape.

The officials further stated, "During the investigation, it was revealed that he swallowed the capsules in Tanzania."

On opening the capsules, Heroin weighing 1389.100 grams, worth around Rs 11.53 crore in the international grey market, was recovered.

The passenger was arrested yesterday under NDPS Act, 1985 and remanded to judicial custody by the court.

Further investigation is in progress. (ANI)
Most presidents of most democratic republics come to entertain a pernicious and thus secret thought: this would all be so much easier if only I were king, or queen, instead.

But King Christophe, the fascinating one and only monarch of the self-styled Kingdom of Haiti, actually put that notion into practice. After first ruling as president of the State of Haiti, the formerly enslaved Christophe declared himself king of that Caribbean nation in 1811, and then set about building a kind of shadow version of a European monarchy, replete with castles, palaces and a bunch of court hangers-on including dukes, counts, princes and chevaliers. He then tried to protect all of that from the French colonialists, against whom the people of Haiti had rebelled in a battle lasting from 1791-1804 that ultimately resulted in Haitian independence.

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Things did not end well, alas, for Christophe, the subject of the play The Tragedy of King Christophe now at House Theatre, as adapted and directed by that companys artistic director, Lanise Antoine Shelley.

The actual script here is not a new work, but a 1963 piece by the French Martinique writer Aime Fernand David Cesaire, an important literary figure and an early and highly influential denouncer of racist colonialist thinking.

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I remember reading the play in a post-colonialist drama class in college, although Ive never before seen it staged. Cesaire admired William Shakespeare (he also wrote a Black adaptation of The Tempest, which I have seen performed), and he embraced the Bards rich characterizations and epic sensibility.

Franco de Medina (Chris Khoshaba) toasts Madame (Leslie Ann Sheppard) and King Christophe (William Anthony Sebastian Rose II) in "The Tragedy of King Christophe" by House Theatre of Chicago at the Chopin Theatre. (Michael Brosilow / HANDOUT)

King Christophe is a heady and complicated work, to say the least, and yet for anyone interested in the fervent history of Haiti, a fascinating piece. The play is structured somewhere between a history play and a tragedy. As played here by William Anthony Sebastian Rose II, the title character variously puts you in mind of Shakespeares Henry V, Sophocles Oedipus and Eugene ONeills Emperor Jones, trying to reconcile populist obligations with a desire for personal power. What makes Cesaire so unlike those other writers, though, is his explicit exploration of how colonialist practices made Christophes original aims impossible, thus condemning him and his people to the very journey the play explores.

So. This is one ambitious production, wholly unlike anything House ever has produced before and more what you expect to see at a classically oriented theater, if they were up for broadening their repertoire. The production certainly makes the case that the American theater should look again at Cesaire, a guy who achieved so much in the literary and political fields that his drama often gets overlooked.

I found the staging at times to be anticipating its own ending and, more specifically, the production needs to pay more attention to the sharp dividing lines in the main characters trajectory: the point when the revolutionary gives up at least part of his idealism; the moment when the monarchal rot ruins all he has achieved; the impact on the ordinary people whose fate is intertwined with their leader. All of those turning points are crucial places for the audience to enter, and turn with, the story.

William Anthony Sebastian Rose II as King Christophe in "The Tragedy of King Christophe" by House Theatre of Chicago at the Chopin Theatre. (Michael Brosilow / HANDOUT)

That said, I was greatly intrigued throughout: the show features live drumming from Eric Thomas, rich choreography from Sadira Muhammad and an expansive set from Michelle Lilly that combines both the exuberance of the title character with the skewed nature of the circumstances into which he is thrust. A large cast, which includes Leslie Ann Sheppard, Keith Illidge, Matthew Lolar, Mondisa Monde, Jyreika Guest, Chris Khoshaba and Christian Bufford, throws itself into a genuinely immersive project with authenticity and passion. And the hugely difficult central performance is impressive: Rose rises to fit Cesaires linguistic and theatrical demands.

This really is the kind of project youd normally see on college campuses with greater resources. In Wicker Park, Shelley has pulled off something notable, in service of the resilience of the country of her birth and of what remains possible in Chicago theater if an audience is willing to take a risk.

Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.

cjones5@chicagotribune.com

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Review: The Tragedy of King Christophe

When: through May 29

Where: House Theatre of Chicago at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St.

Running time: 2 hours

Tickets: $42-$50 at 773-769-3832 and thehousetheatre.com
The Supreme Court on Wednesday in an interim order stayed the Haryana Judicial Services (Mains) examination 2021 scheduled for May 6 to May 8 while taking note that it clashes with the Madhya Pradesh Civil Judge Examination. A bench of Justices Vineet Saran and JK Maheshwari passed the interim order to postpone the Haryana judicial services exam.The apex court now posted the matter for hearing on May 9 while asking the Punjab and Haryana High Court to either inform the re-scheduled dates or assist the Court in fixing the dates. The exams are conducted by the Haryana Public Service Commission and are overseen by a selection committee headed by a High Court judge. The order of the top court was passed in a petition filed by 40 candidates who had applied for both the Haryana and Madhya Pradesh exams, seeking postponement of the dates due to the clash. The Preliminary Exam of Madhya Pradesh Civil Judge, Junior Division (Entry Level) Exam-2021, is scheduled for May 6 while the Mains Examination of Haryana Civil Service (Judicial Branch)- 2021 is scheduled from May 6 to 8. The petitioners contended that the Haryana exam was originally fixed from April 22 to April 24, however, the same was postponed to May 6 to 8 in view of the clash with the dates of the Delhi Judicial Service Exams and now sought direction that the High Court should postpone the present dates as well in view of the clash with MP exams. (ANI)
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday took suo motu cognizance of the incident in which a 13-year-old girl was allegedly raped by the in-charge of a police station in the Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh when she went to register an FIR about her gang rape. The Commission observed that the incident amounted to the victim's human rights violation. Accordingly, it issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police, Government of Uttar Pradesh calling for a report within four weeks. A case was registered against six people, including a station house office (SHO) for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur district on Tuesday. The officer concerned has been placed under suspension and an FIR has been registered against him. The relevant sections of the POCSO Act have been applied. Other police officers posted at the police station have also been removed from the duty and a DIG level officer will be investigating the case. The matter was registered under Pali police station, where the minor was lured by four youth and was taken to Bhopal on April 22 and allegedly gang-raped. The teenager somehow escaped and reached her home and went to the police to register a complaint where the station in-charge allegedly raped the teenager before handing her over to the Childline Welfare committee, the police said. (ANI)
The Central government on Wednesday filed an application in the Supreme Court that seeks one more week to submit its response to a batch of petitions challenging the Constitutional validity of the offence of sedition under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code. The application was filed as the bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justices Hima Kohli and Surya Kant are scheduled to hear the petitions tomorrow. On May 2 also Centre sought an extension of time to file its response to the pleas saying it needs to seek approval from the competent authority. On April 27, the apex court had posted for May 5 for the final hearing of the pleas as it granted time till last week's end to the Centre to file its response after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, sought two days to file a reply. The bench posting the matter for final hearing on May 5 also had made it clear that no adjournment would be granted in the case. Earlier, the top court issued notice to the Centre on the plea filed by former army officer Major-General SG Vombatkere (Retd) challenging the Constitutional validity of the sedition law. Former Union minister Arun Shourie, NGO PUCL, Editors Guild of India, Journalists Patricia Mukhim and Anuradha Bhasin had also approached the apex court against sedition law. Last year, CJI Ramana questioned the Central government on the requirement of sedition law even after 75 years of independence and observed that it was colonial law that was used against freedom fighters. While pointing out that sedition law was used against freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the apex court had asked Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, why it can't be repealed. It had observed that the Centre has repealed many stale laws and enquired why the government is not looking into repealing Section 124A (which deals with the offence of sedition) of the IPC. The Bench had asked AG, "It's a colonial law, it was meant to suppress the freedom movement, the same law was used by British against Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar Tilak etc. Is this law still required to exist after 75 years of independence?" It had further said that the court was concerned about the misuse of such laws. Chief Justice of India had also said that the apex court will look into the plea challenging the Constitutional validity of section 124A while adding that 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." Attorney General had told the bench that section 124A need not be struck down and only guidelines are set out so that section meets its legal purpose. CJI had said, "use of sedition is like giving a saw to the carpenter to cut a piece of wood and he uses it to cut the entire forest itself". The top court had further told Attorney General that the conviction rate under Section 124A is very low. Major-General Vombatkere (Retd) challenged the Constitutional validity of the sedition law on the ground that it causes a "chilling effect" on speech and is an unreasonable restriction on free expression, a fundamental right. Arun Shourie sought direction to declare the sedition law unconstitutional arguing that it is "heavily abused". Shourie in his plea had said that cases are being filed against citizens for "exercising their freedom of speech and expression". Section 124-A (sedition) under the IPC is a non-bailable provision. Earlier, a different bench of the top court had sought a response from the Centre on a plea challenging the Constitutional validity of sedition law, filed by two journalists -- Kishorechandra Wangkhemcha and Kanhaiya Lal Shukla -- working in Manipur and Chhattisgarh respectively. (ANI)
The second squadron of these choppers will further boost the security of the western seaboard and enhance India's search and rescue capability, Pathania said.

The commissioning of the Squadron by Director General VS Pathania, PTM, TM, Director General Indian Coast Guard at Kochi has provided a major boost to the maritime security and safety on the Western Seaboard. The commissioning ceremony was graced by various civil and military dignitaries also.

The commissioning of this squadron earmarked a considerable leap towards self-reliance in the field of helicopter-mounted SAR and long-range maritime surveillance, in line with the government's push towards "Aatmanirbhar Bharat". (ANI)
In a move that will benefit nearly 10 lakh construction labourers in the national capital, the Delhi government on Wednesday announced that it will provide free bus passes to them. Speaking to ANI, the Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, "All construction labourers earlier had to spend somewhere between Rs 1000 to Rs 3000 per month for travel. Now the government has decided to make bus travel free for such labourers. This will benefit about 10 lakh labourers in the state." Taking to Twitter, Deputy CM said, "It is the effort of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that the labourers including masons, painters, welders, carpenters, electricians, guards and other workers should be given maximum assistance." "Free bus pass scheme launched today for construction workers in Delhi. Welders masons, carpenters, electricians, guards and other workers working on the construction site can take advantage of this. It is the effort of the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that the labourers should be given maximum assistance. He is the creator of Delhi," tweeted Sisodia. When the Deputy Chief Minister was asked whether the rest of the development works of Delhi would not be affected due to these free schemes, Sisodia said that if the government is honest then there is no shortage of money for welfare schemes. "Leaders should get everything free and the labourers should not get anything free, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) does not do this kind of politics," he added. Under the 'Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board', 10 lakh workers including both men and women are registered in Delhi. However, women already have the facility of free bus travel in Delhi. (ANI)
The absconding Station House Officer (SHO), one of the accused in the gang rape of a teenager in Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur district has been arrested from Prayagraj on Wednesday, said police. A case was registered against six people, including an SHO for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur district. The matter was registered under Pali police station, where the minor was lured by four youth and was taken to Bhopal on April 22 and allegedly gang-raped. The teenager somehow escaped and reached her home and went to the police to register a complaint where the station in-charge allegedly raped the teenager before handing her over to the Childline Welfare committee, the police said. When the teenager was questioned by the ChildLine officials, the victim narrated the whole incident, after which the ChildLine welfare committee reached out to the Lalitpur Superintendent of Police (SP) about the crime. Following this, the SP immediately filed a case of gang rape against six people including SHO Tilakdhari Saroj. SP Nikhil Pathak said that the SHO has been suspended and a team was constituted for the arrest of all the accused. "One accused has been arrested and he is being interrogated. The SHO including the others accused is absconding. They will be arrested soon," the SP had said. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing loudspeaker row in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday termed May 4 a 'black day for Hindus' and alleged that the BJP is 'using' Raj Thackeray to create fissures among Hindus in the state. "BJP is behind the loudspeaker row in Maharashtra. They're using Raj Thackeray to create fissures among Hindus in the state". said Sanjay Raut. According to him, Hindus and temples are suffering because of the loudspeaker controversy. "SC decision is the same for all. Now our temples also have to bear the brunt of it. It's a black day for us Hindus that people couldn't hear Aartis because of BJP's politics in cahoots with Raj Thackeray", said Sanjay Raut. "It's just not about loudspeakers in mosques, in Maharashtra, 'Aartis' are being conducted early morning and people often hear them through loudspeakers as not all of them can enter temple premises, but that can't happen today, which's unfortunate", added Raut. Raut while speaking to ANI said, "Bal Thackeray and Veer Savarkar are the ones who taught Hindutva to the country. Shiv Sena's school of Hindutva is original." Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday said that playing Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques will continue till the time the government acts and address the issue in accordance with the Supreme Court guidelines on loudspeakers. "As far as I know, there are over 1,140 mosques in Mumbai. Out of these, 135 mosques played azaan at 5 am violating the guidelines. We want peace in the state. I want to ask the police you are taking action only against our workers. My point is that all illegal loudspeakers should be removed from mosques, until they are removed we will continue our agitation," Raj Thackeray said addressing a press briefing here. The MNS chief further said: "It's not only about mosques, there are several temples where illegal loudspeakers are running. I have already made it clear that it's (illegal loudspeakers) not a religious issue but a social issue." Maharashtra Home Department earlier today said that are a total of 1,140 mosques, out of which 135 went against the Supreme Court orders and used loudspeakers before 6 am today. "I have to see what Supreme Court is doing if the government is not following its order," Raj Thackeray added. The loudspeakers row started when the MNS chief on April 12 gave an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, failing which, he warned, MNS workers will play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers. A case was filed against Raj Thackeray on Tuesday when he appealed to people to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers in the areas where loudspeakers are used for 'Azaan' from today. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday disagreed with the Central government's suggestion that the court should wait till the President's decision on the mercy plea of AG Perarivalan, one of the convicts serving life imprisonment in connection with the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai also disapproved of the Governor's action of sending the mercy plea of Perarivalan to the President saying it cannot shut eyes to something against the Constitution. It said the Tamil Nadu Governor was bound by the aid and advice given by the Tamil Nadu Council of Ministers under Article 161 of the Constitution, on the release of AG Perarivalan. The bench said, "We will pass the order to release him from jail as you are not ready to argue the case on merits. We cannot shut our eyes to something that is happening against the Constitution and will have to go by the Bible which is the Constitution. There is nobody above law. There are certain powers conferred to dignitaries, but the working of the Constitution should not come to a grinding halt." "It is a matter to be decided by the court, the decision of the Governor was not even needed, he is bound by the decision of the council of ministers. We will have to look into this," the bench said. The apex court refused to agree with Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, suggesting that the court should wait till the President decides on the issue. When Natraj said that the file on mercy petition has been referred by the Governor to the President, the apex court said, "If the President refers it (mercy plea) back to the Governor, there is no need to discuss this issue at all... The President himself will decide if the Governor could have referred the file to him or not. Whether the reference is right or not, that call must be taken by the President first." The bench also declined to accept the submission of the ASG that the file of the mercy plea recently came to them and said there had been ample time for the Centre to return the mercy plea file to the Governor. "The Governor decided to send the file to the President on January 27, 2021... It is May 5, 2022 today. And you are saying it came to you only recently? This is a matter concerning personal liberty," it said. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for Perarivalan, said every time the Governor came up with an "excuse" not to decide the issue. Nataraj objected to the statement of Shankarnarayan saying a convict could not criticise the Governor for his actions. Earlier, the Supreme Court had asked the Centre to clarify its position on the release of AG Perarivalan and also pulled up the Central government saying that it "will release" Perarivalan if the government does not take a stand on the convict's mercy plea within a week. The apex court took strong exception to the action of the Tamil Nadu Governor for sitting on the Cabinet's release recommendation for more than three and half years and then forwarding it to the President. On March 9, the apex court granted bail to Perarivalan while taking into consideration his conduct, ill health and the fact that he has spent more than 30 years in prison. The bench had noted that there were no complaints about his conduct when he was released thrice before on parole. Perarivalan was ordered to be released on bail for the first time since when he was arrested. The bench had taken into note that Governor is yet to decide on Perarivalan's plea seeking release from prison. The apex court had granted bail to Perarivalan despite the Centre opposing his bail plea vehemently. Perarivalan had approached the top court seeking release from the prison based on the recommendation made by the Tamil Nadu government in September 2018. The Central government had earlier apprised the apex court that the Tamil Nadu Governor, after considering all the facts on record and relevant documents, said that the President of India is the "appropriate competent authority" to deal with the pardon plea of Perarivalan. The top court by its January 21, 2021 order had asked the Governor to decide the Perarivalan's remission of sentence plea. It had earlier expressed unhappiness over the fact that the recommendation made by the Tamil Nadu state government for the remission of the sentence had been pending before the Governor. Gandhi was assassinated on the night of May 21, 1991, at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu by a woman suicide bomber, identified as Dhanu, at a poll rally. On February 18, 2014, the apex court commuted the death sentence of Perarivalan to life imprisonment on grounds of a delay of 11 years in deciding the mercy pleas by the Centre. (ANI)
Lok Sabha MP Navneet Rana and MLA Ravi Rana, who got bail by the Mumbai sessions court with several conditions on Wednesday in the Hanuman Chalisa row, will not be released from jail today as their release orders could not be obtained from the concerned magistrate court in time. Their team will obtain release orders on Thursday morning from the court and then move to Byculla and Taloja Prisons. The Rana couple has been brought back to Byculla Jail after a medical checkup. MP Navneet Rana and her husband Ravi Rana, who is an independent MLA, were arrested on April 23 from their Mumbai residence after declaring that they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's home in Bandra. Earlier today, Navneet Rana who was arrested on charges of sedition and promoting enmity was shifted from the Byculla Jail to the JJ Hospital for her spondylosis treatment. Rana's lawyer provided details of her health and wrote a letter to the Superintendent of Byculla Jail on Monday stating that the BJP leader has spondylosis which is increasing due to continuously sitting and lying on the floor in jail. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials have reached the residence of Maharashtra MP-MLA couple Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana for investigation over "illegal construction" at their place in Mumbai's Khar. (ANI)
"BSF Bhuj patrol, patrolling near Harami Nala area, noticed the movement of a Pakistani fishing boat with three to four Pakistani fishermen. The party reached the spot immediately," Gujarat BSF said.

Pakistani fishermen saw BSF patrols coming toward them and took advantage of the marshy area and fled into Pakistani territory, the officials said.

BSF patrol chased them and seized one engineless country made Pakistani fishing boat in Indian territory near Harami Nala area.

A thorough search of the seized boats was carried out and nothing suspicious was found from the boat apart from fish, fishing nets and fishing equipment.

Search has been started in the area, nothing suspicious has been recovered from the area, BSF said. (ANI)
Abortion rights protesters march through downtown to James Weldon Johnson Park then back to the Duval County Courthouse on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in Jacksonville, Fla. Protesters voiced their opinions after a draft opinion suggests the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide, according to a Politico report released Monday. (Bob Self/The Florida Times-Union via AP)

The Supreme Courts apparent intention to abolish a nationwide right to abortion, spelled out in a draft opinion leaked this week, will expand the battlefield of the nations most highly charged culture war, taking it to states where abortion access has long been assured.

Democrats in blue states are bracing for a wave of legal attacks and other maneuvers seeking to undermine access, and some are even taking steps to enshrine the right to abortion in their constitutions, making it much more difficult to impose a ban in the future.

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Republican states are expected to ban or restrict abortion, but tactics also could include an aggressive effort to go beyond their borders to sue abortion providers and find other ways to punish those who assist a woman in securing an abortion.

The potential to roll back established abortion rights already has emerged in states with divided political control, including Pennsylvania and Virginia. California and Colorado are pushing to protect abortion access in their constitutions, a stronger step than passing a law. Connecticut and Washington state have already taken steps to shield providers from possible lawsuits as they anticipate women seeking abortions would cross state lines.

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We will not allow the tentacles of Texas to get into Washington state, said Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, who vowed to make Washington a sanctuary for those seeking abortion.

Oregon lawmakers included $15 million in their state budget to help pay for people to travel to the state to get abortions and California has a similar bill.

The rhetoric on both sides points to a growing fight over access, with anti-abortion advocates hoping to shrink the number of states where the procedure remains legal if Roe is overturned. Roughly half of U.S. states are expected to move quickly to ban or greatly restrict abortion if that happens.

A new law in Idaho, currently blocked by the state Supreme Court, would allow family members of all involved to sue abortion providers, an example of the tactics to come.

The next chapter of the conflict is really going to be about essentially what happens with interstate conflicts, said Mary Ziegler, a legal historian at Florida State Universitys law school.

Many states with one-party control of government already have chosen their side. The handful of states with divided politics are up for grabs.

In Pennsylvania, abortion is legal under state law for the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. The laws survival is on the line in this years race for governor.

Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat who has vetoed recent legislation restricting abortion, is not running because of term limits. The race to replace him is between a similarly minded Democrat, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, and a primary field of nine Republicans who all say they would sign restrictions passed by the Legislature, which is likely to remain under GOP control.

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One Republican candidate, state Sen. Doug Mastriano, supports a ban at six weeks of pregnancy without exceptions for rape, incest or saving the life of the mother.

There is one way and one way only for us to ensure that women have the legal right to continue to make decisions over their own bodies in Pennsylvania and that is winning this governors race, Shapiro said during a conference call with reporters this week.

In North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper and other state Democrats have framed the November election as one in which they must prevent the GOP from winning back veto-proof majorities in the Legislature. With every seat up for election in November, Republicans need to gain five seats to restore that control.

Republicans in our state are on the verge of gaining veto-proof supermajorities in Raleigh. If they succeed, you can add North Carolina to the list of states that will ban abortions, Cooper, who has vetoed efforts to limit abortion since 2019, said in a recent fundraising letter.

Campaigns for two state Supreme Court seats are expected to be even more intense because the court could hear challenges to any new abortion restrictions. Democrats currently hold four of the seven seats, including two on the ballot this year.

Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley said in a release that the balance of the General Assembly and the Supreme Court has never been more important to ensure that pro-life majorities are in charge in a post-Roe future.

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The potential to undermine abortion access also is surfacing in Virginia, where Democrats lost their total hold on state government last November when Republicans flipped the House of Delegates and won the governors office. Democrats control the state Senate by only one vote and have one caucus member who opposes abortion and has indicated an openness to new restrictions.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin describes himself as pro-life, though he has said he supports exceptions in cases of rape, incest or to save a womans life. He said this week that it was premature to speculate on what the Supreme Courts final decision would be or how he and lawmakers might proceed.

In Minnesota, where control of the legislative chambers is divided between the parties, two anti-abortion amendments to a health and human services bill narrowly failed on procedural votes in the Democrat-controlled House. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz vowed in an email to supporters this week that no abortion ban will ever become law as long as hes governor; the Republican candidates vying to challenge his re-election bid all support a ban.

Michigan and Wisconsin, states with Democratic governors and legislatures controlled by Republicans, have pre-Roe abortion bans in state law. Michigans governor already has filed a legal challenge to the law, while Wisconsins attorney general, Democrat Josh Kaul, said he expects litigation as well.

(The) ban wasnt just dormant, he said. It was unconstitutional for 50 years.

Some deeply Democratic states are moving quickly to try to shore up abortion rights. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and top Democratic leaders in the Legislature committed to asking voters to enshrine the right to choose in the state constitution, steps also in the works in Vermont and Colorado.

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California already has some of the most expansive abortion protections in the country. But legislative leaders say the amendment would make it much harder to repeal those protections should the political winds change and future lawmakers seek to impose restrictions.

Democrats also believe it would shield the state from any adverse state court decisions or federal abortion bans if Republicans were to win control of Congress.

The unimaginable can happen, said state Sen. Nancy Skinner, a Democrat from Berkeley. Unless we are explicit about what we are protecting  some day some court could interpret privacy as not including my right to an abortion. And thats what were trying to protect against.

Colorado Democrats and advocates say they will seek a ballot measure in 2024 to enshrine abortion access in the constitution and repeal a 1980s constitutional amendment that bans public funding for abortion.

Democratic House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar said an amendment is needed because state legislatures can change, and depending on who has the majority, they can write into law their ideologies. This is fundamental for Colorado women, no matter whos in charge.

Whitehurst reported from Salt Lake City, Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire, and Kruesi reported from Nashville, Tennessee. Associated Press statehouse reporters around the country contributed to this report.
Lok Sabha MP from Amravati Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana who were granted bail on Wednesday morning, were not released from jail today as their release orders could not be obtained from the concerned magistrate court in due time. The Rana couple is likely to get released from jail tomorrow. The lawyers of Rana's said that they will obtain release orders on Thursday morning from the court and then will be moved to Byculla and Taloja Prisons. Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana on Wednesday got bail by the Mumbai sessions court with several conditions in the Hanuman Chalisa row. MP Navneet Rana and her husband Ravi Rana, who is an independent MLA, were arrested on April 23 from their Mumbai residence after declaring that they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's home in Bandra. Earlier today, Navneet Rana who was arrested on charges of sedition and promoting enmity was shifted from the Byculla Jail to the JJ Hospital for her spondylosis treatment. Later she was taken back to the jail in the evening. Rana's lawyer provided details of her health and wrote a letter to the Superintendent of Byculla Jail on Monday stating that the BJP leader has spondylosis which is increasing due to continuously sitting and lying on the floor in jail. He said that Rana needs to undergo a CT scan so that the doctors can understand the seriousness of her condition, adding that the jail authorities denied permission for the same. "Navneet Rana has a problem of spondylosis which is increasing due to continuously sitting and lying on the floor in jail. In view of this, she was taken to JJ Hospital on 27 April. The doctor of JJ Hospital has specifically written that it is mandatory to do a CT scan of Rana so that they can understand how serious the problem of spondylosis is, but the concerned authorities did not allow for the same. Until this does not happen, it is difficult to decide what medicine or treatment should be given to Rana," the lawyer said. The two were booked in two FIRs lodged on charges of sedition, promoting enmity, and assaulting a public servant to prevent discharge of duty. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda held a meeting with all the national office bearers of the party on Tuesday through video conferencing. According to top BJP sources, the agenda of the meeting was to strengthen the booths across the country. Every MLA of the party has been given the responsibility of 100 booths to further strengthen the party. BJP will also form booth committees in each state. Further, the outline of the programmes celebrating the completion of 8 years of the Modi government was made. The party has decided to hoist the national flag across the country on August 15. Pertinent to mention here, BJP formed a four-member "Weak booth Committee" headed by party national vice president Baijayant Jay Panda. The other members of the committee include BJP national vice president Dilip Ghosh, national general secretary CT Ravi and party's SC Morcha president Lal Singh Arya. The party is working towards strengthening its support base in the booths where BJP is weak. The party is working on chalking out a strategy to strengthen 73,000 booths across the country. On the completion of 8 years of the Modi government, BJP is preparing for the grand celebration. In this regard, a high-level meeting of the 12 senior leaders took place on April 25. The party is planning to launch outreach programs to people about the policies of the Modi government. The meeting was attended by Anurag Thakur, Arun Singh. CT Ravi, Rajdeep Roy, Rajiv Chandrashekhar, Shiv Prakash, Aparajita Sarangi, D Purudeshwari, Raju Bishta, Lal Singh Arya and Vinay Sahastrabuddhe. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday participated in the second India-Nordic Summit in Denmark, where discussions were held on multilateral cooperation in post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change, sustainable development, innovation, digitalisation, and green and clean growth. The summit, with his counterparts Mette Frederiksen (Denmark), Katrin Jakobsdottir (Iceland), Jonas Gahr Store (Norway), Magdalena Andersson (Sweden), and Sanna Marin of (Finland) provided an opportunity to review the progress of the India-Nordic relations since the 1st India-Nordic Summit, which was held in 2018 in Stockholm. Discussions were also held on cooperation in maritime sector with a focus on sustainable ocean management. Modi invited Nordic companies for investing in the Blue Economy sector, especially in India's Sagarmala project. He also invited the sovereign wealth funds of the Nordic countries to invest in India. India's partnership with the Nordic region in the Arctic region was discussed and he noted that India's Arctic Policy provides a good framework for expansion of India-Nordic cooperation in the region. The leaders also held discussions on regional and global developments. During the Summit, the Prime Ministers pledged to continue to deepen cooperation between the Nordic countries and India and focused their discussions on key issues related to international peace and security, including the conflict in Ukraine, multilateral cooperation, green transition and climate change, the blue economy, innovation and digitalisation. The Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of free trade as a driver for achieving inclusive growth and realising the Sustainable Development Goals. The Nordic Prime Ministers reiterated their strong condemnation of the unlawful and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine by Russia, and expressed their serious concern about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Unequivocally condemning civilian deaths in Ukraine, they reiterated the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities. They emphasized that the contemporary global order has been built on the UN Charter, international law and respect for sovereignty and the territorial integrity of states. They discussed the destabilizing effect of the conflict in Ukraine and its broader regional and global implications. Both sides agreed to remain closely engaged on the issue. The Prime Ministers affirmed their strong commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation. The leaders agreed that pressing challenges such as tackling climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, biodiversity loss and increasing food and energy insecurity across the world required international cooperation, a collective response and global solidarity. India and the Nordic countries were committed to doing so and to working together in multilateral fora to promote international cooperation and promote human rights as well as equal opportunities for all people without prejudice --IANS sk/vd ( 439 Words) 2022-05-04-21:08:02 (IANS)
Bihar Minister Jama Khan on Wednesday said that he will welcome Prashant Kishor if the poll strategist, who has been hinting at a political career, joins his Janata Dal-United (JD-U). Khan said that Kishor was associated with the party in the past and his personal relation with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is also well known. "We would welcome Prashant Kishor if he comes to our JD-U. If he joins the JD-U, the party will become stronger in Bihar and other states too. He worked with the party in the past and he is having good relations with our Chief Minister Nitish Kumar," he said. Earlier, Nitish Kumar refused to comment on PK, saying that he has nothing to do with it. Kishor, in a series of tweets on Monday, hinted at starting a new innings from Bihar. "My quest to be a meaningful participant in democracy and help shape pro people policy led to a 10 years rollercoaster ride. "As I turn this page, time to go to the Real Masters. The people to better understand the issues and to path to Jan Suraj - People good governance starting from Bihar," he said. Following his tweet, the BJP and the RJD had expressed sharp reactions. Deputy Chief Minister Tar Kishore Prasad, of the BJP, said: "Prashant Kishor has no base in Bihar if he starts his own political party. He is unnecessarily talking like this to attract media attention." --IANS ajk/vd ( 253 Words) 2022-05-04-21:14:02 (IANS)
The West Bengal BJP hopes that Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the state will help the party to put the house in order. The saffron party feels that Shah's visit will boost the morale of the cadre and re-energise them. Shah will be on a two-day visit to Bengal from May 5. This will be his first visit to the state after the last West Bengal assembly polls. On May 6, Shah is expected to meet with elected representatives and office bearers of the party in Kolkata in the afternoon. Sources said Shah would discuss strategies to strengthen BJP in West Bengal ahead of next general election 2024 by forgetting differences. "Shah will discuss in detail the ongoing infighting in the state unit between old guards and newcomers which have been intensified after recent defeat in by-poll of Asansol Lok Sabha. West Bengal is crucial for mission 2024 as last time, the BJP won 18 seats from the state," they said. The Home Minister is expected to have detailed discussions with state leaders about the functioning of the party and ways to address the concern of cadres who are constantly under attack from the ruling Trinamool Congress workers after declaration of last year's assembly polls on May 2, 2021. Shah will also meet RSS leaders in West Bengal to discuss the state of the affairs. Another party leader said that one of the main challenges for the West Bengal BJP unit is to keep its cadre intact as many have resigned from state to block committees in the last three weeks. "The state leadership has failed to act to keep everyone together. We hope that after Shah's visit, it will act to control the damage caused to the party in the last one year after assembly polls by addressing the concerns of the cadre who built the party to keep our fight on against Trinamool Congress," another party leader said. In the last year's assembly polls result declared on May 2, the BJP emerged as the main opposition party by winning 77 seats. However, few of its MLAs left the party and joined Trinamool Congress. The BJP also failed to win any by-polls or local bodies polls in West Bengal after assembly polls. --IANS ssb/pgh ( 391 Words) 2022-05-04-21:18:02 (IANS)
RJD President Lalu Prasad on Wednesday hit out at the BJP and the RSS for trying to instigate people on the loudspeaker and Hanuman Chalisa row. Lalu Prasad, who was granted bail recently by Ranchi High Court in fodder scam case, was admitted in AIIMS Delhi due to illness. He was discharged on Wednesday afternoon and reached his daughter Misa Bharti's official residence in the national capital. "It is extremely unfortunate... wrongful things going on in the country. It is just like breaking the country. Why are you going near the mosques to read Hanuman Chalisa? If you want to read Hanuman Chalisa, read it in the temples. They (BJP and RSS) are trying to instigate people of a particular community to react to it so that they could do riots. Such a situation is very bad for the country," he said. On a possible alliance with Nitish Kumar in Bihar, Lalu Prasad said that there was no such political scenario appearing before him. Asked to react on the claim of Tej Pratap Yadav who said that he had secret talks with Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad said: "Tej Pratap is my son and I am the chief of the party so I would take the decision and not him." Lalu Prasad, who looked healthy and in a pleasant mood while interacting with media persons, also said that he will go to Patna after one week. --IANS ajk/vd ( 251 Words) 2022-05-04-22:30:04 (IANS)
Taking to Twitter, Scindia said, "India is working towards making its airports carbon neutral in the near future so as to emerge as a responsible player in the international civil aviation industry."

"The way Indian civil aviation has bounced back post #COVID19 with all protocols in place shows its resilience & determination. With a robust and holistic plan for the future, we are sure, we will set new milestones in air, soon" - at the Reception of the Indian delegation at @icao (International Civil Aviation Organisation)," he added.

Upon reaching the ICAO office headquarters in Montreal, Scindia was received by the High Commissioner of India, Ajay Bisaria and the Representative of India, Shefali Juneja.

Earlier today, he participated in the roundtable discussion, organised by the Canada-India Business Council and spoke about the opportunities available in the civil aviation market in India.

"Participated in an engaging roundtable discussion organized by the Canada-India Business Council, along with industry players from across the aviation spectrum. Spoke about the opportunities available in India, one of the fastest-growing civil aviation markets globally," Scindia tweeted.

Scindia arrived here on Tuesday on the last leg of his visit to North America. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday attended a dinner hosted by the Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark, Margrethe II at the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen. The official dinner was the last item on the agenda of PM Modi on the second day of his visit to Europe. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister arrived in Copenhagen and held a bilateral meeting with his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen, where the two leaders discussed bilateral issues including trade between the two countries and cooperation on environmental action. The two leaders also held delegation-level talks in Copenhagen to review progress in the Green Strategic Partnership between the two countries. PM Modi and his counterpart also discussed Ukraine, with PM Modi reiterating India's stand of early cessation of hostilities and a diplomatic resolution of the ongoing conflict. The two leaders went on to address a joint press conference, where a number of agreements were formally signed between the two countries including a Declaration of Intent (DoI) on Migration and Mobility, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of skill development, Vocational Education and Entrepreneurship and the launch of energy policy dialogue at ministerial level between the two countries. A total of nine agreements were exchanged between the two countries. In the evening, PM Modi also addressed the members of the Indian diaspora in Copenhagen with the Danish PM also accompanying him. More than 1000 members of the Indian community in Denmark consisting of students, researchers, professionals and business persons, participated in the event according to an MEA statement. Prime Minister appreciated PM Frederiksen's warmth and respect for Indians and emphasized that both countries can work together in finding innovative solutions for green growth. He lauded the positive role played by the Indian community in Denmark, MEA said. PM Modi is scheduled to take part in the second India-Nordic summit on Wednesday, before departing to Paris where he will meet the newly re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron. (ANI)
Afghans who sought refuge in Iran in the wake of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, are increasingly facing a risk of deportation by the Iranian authorities, amid the rising tensions at the desert border between the two countries, a media report said. Following the Taliban takeover of Kabul last year, the 960-kilometre long border with Iran became a lifeline for Afghans who piled into smugglers' pickups in desperate search of money and work, Frontier Post reported. In recent weeks, however, the desert crossing, long a dangerous corner of the world, has become a growing source of tension as an estimated 5,000 Afghans traverse it each day, the report said. In past weeks, skirmishes have been reported between Taliban and Iranian border guards, who already were not on good terms to start with. Recently, Afghans in three cities rallied against Iran with demonstrators hurling stones and setting fires outside an Iranian Consulate, the report said. A fatal stabbing spree, allegedly by an Afghan migrant, at Iran's holiest shrine, sent shockwaves through the country. Even as both nations do not want an escalation, long-smouldering hostilities risk spiralling out of control, the report said citing political analysts. "You have one of the world's worst-simmering refugee crises just chugging along on a daily pace and historical enmity," Andrew Watkins, senior Afghanistan expert at the United States Institute of Peace was quoted as saying. "Earthquakes will happen," he added. However, the perils are personal for Afghans slipping across the border, the report said. Since the Taliban takeover, Iran has escalated its deportations of Afghan migrants, according to the UN migration agency, warning that its sanctions-hit economy cannot handle the influx. In the first three months of this year, Iran's deportations jumped 60 per cent each month, the report said, citing Ashley Carl, deputy chief of the agency's Afghanistan mission. Many of the 251,000 who returned from Iran this year bear the wounds and scars of the arduous trip, Carl said, surviving car accidents, gunshots and other travails. Roshangol Hakimi, a 35-year-old who fled to Iran after the Taliban takeover, said smugglers held her and her 9-year-old daughter hostage for over a week until her relatives paid a ransom, the report said. "They would feed us with polluted water and hard, stale bread," Hakimi said, adding, "We were dying." The lucky ones land in the jumble of Tehran, squeezing into dank and crowded alleyways of the city, the report said, adding that, Iran estimates at least a million Afghans have sought refuge in the country over the last eight months. These Afghans, who are now in Tehran are stuck in limbo, the report said, citing the example of Husseini, who had fled to Iran with her two small children, trekking by foot, motorcycle and truck until reaching Iran. Husseini lives in legal limbo, vulnerable to harassment and exploitation, her boss at the tailor's shop refuses to pay her salary while her landlord threatens to kick her out. Husseini can barely cobble together enough cash to feed her children, the report said. "We have nothing and nowhere to go," she said from a cramped room in southern Tehran, furnished with just a donated gas heater, chairs and a few velour blankets. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh lamented last month that "waves of displaced Afghans cannot continue to Iran" because Iran's "capacities are limited," the report said. Iran's youth unemployment hovers over 23 per cent. Iran's currency, the rial, has shrivelled to less than 50 per cent of its value since 2018, the report further said. Iran has grown more anxious as a string of bloody attacks in Afghanistan targeting the country's minority Hazara Shiites makes clear that extremist threats proliferate despite Taliban promises to provide security, the report added. The neighbours nearly came to blows last week when Taliban guards tried to pave a new road across the border. Iranian guards went on high alert and the vital crossing was closed, the report said, adding that, aware of the stakes, the countries are vigorously pursuing diplomacy. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the second India-Nordic summit in Denmark, before departing for Paris to meet the newly re-elected President Emmanuel Macron on the final day of his 3-day Europe visit on Wednesday. The second India-Nordic summit will see the participation of the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway, and will follow up from the first summit that took place in Stockholm, Sweden in 2018. "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," PM Modi had said in his departure statement before embarking on the three-day visit on Sunday. "On the side-lines of the Summit, I will also meet the leaders of the other four Nordic countries and review the progress in India's bilateral relations with them," PM Modi had said. Following the summit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to make a brief stopover in Paris for a meeting with Emmanuel Macron, the newly re-elected President of France. During his ongoing visit, PM Modi has held bilateral engagements with the leadership of Germany and Denmark, as well as addressed Indian diaspora events in both Berlin and Copenhagen. PM Modi also held interactions with the business leaders in both Germany and Denmark during the course of his visit. PM Modi arrived in Berlin on Monday where he held bilateral discussions with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, before participating in the sixth India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations. The Prime Minister said the Inter-Governmental Consultations were productive. A total of nine agreements were signed between India and Germany, including a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) on Green and Sustainable Development Partnership under which Germany agreed to make an advance commitment of 10 billion euros of new and additional developmental assistance to India until 2030. The Indian Prime Minister also addressed the Indian community in Berlin where he talked about the achievements of his government, especially in the area of integrating technology with governance. On the second day of his visit, the Indian Prime Minister arrived in Copenhagen, holding talks with his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen and discussing bilateral issues including trade between the two countries and cooperation on environmental action. The two leaders also held delegation-level talks in Copenhagen to review progress in the Green Strategic Partnership between the two countries. PM Modi and his counterpart also discussed Ukraine, with the former reiterating India's stand of early cessation of hostilities and a diplomatic resolution of the ongoing conflict. The two leaders went on to address a joint press conference, where a number of agreements were formally signed between the two countries including a Declaration of Intent (DoI) on Migration and Mobility, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of skill development, Vocational Education and Entrepreneurship and the launch of energy policy dialogue at ministerial level between the two countries. A total of nine agreements were exchanged between the two countries. In the evening, PM Modi also addressed the members of the Indian diaspora in Copenhagen with the Danish PM also accompanying him. More than 1000 members of the Indian community in Denmark consisting of students, researchers, professionals and business persons, participated in the event according to an MEA statement. PM Modi also attended a dinner hosted by the Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark, Margrethe II at the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen which was the last item on the agenda of PM Modi on the second day of his visit. (ANI)
BELFAST, Northern Ireland  Ever since Northern Ireland was founded as a Protestant-majority state a century ago, its governments have been led by unionist politicians who defined themselves as British.

But if opinion polls are right, an election Thursday will see Sinn Fein, an Irish nationalist party that seeks union with Ireland, become the largest group in the 90-seat Northern Ireland Assembly. That would give Sinn Fein the post of first minister in the Belfast government for the first time.

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It would be a milestone for a party long linked to the Irish Republican Army, a paramilitary group that used bombs and bullets to try to take Northern Ireland out of U.K. rule during decades of violence. And it would bring Sinn Feins ultimate goal of a united Ireland a step closer.

But its not what the party  or voters  want to talk about in a campaign that has been dominated by more immediate worries: long waiting lists for medical care and the soaring cost of food and fuel.

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I now ration my heat to one hour a day, said Sinead Quinn, who set up the group Derry Against Food Poverty to press politicians to act on the cost-of-living crisis.

My entire circle of friends is affected by this. I dont think you can throw a stone in Northern Ireland and miss a community that being affected by it.

The economic crunch  driven by the war in Ukraine, COVID-19 pandemic disruption and Britains exit from the European Union  is also dominating election debate elsewhere in the U.K. Votes Thursday to elect local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales are a test for beleaguered British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose popularity has been battered by scandals over lockdown rule-breaking.

In Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein has downplayed talk of a united Ireland in its campaign to focus on bread-and-butter issues.

The things that the public want us to respond to is trying to put money in their pockets to help them deal with the cost-of-living crisis, Michelle ONeill, the partys leader in Northern Ireland, said Tuesday during a televised election debate. She said she was not fixated on a date for a unification referendum.

A Sinn Fein election poster hangs from a lamp post in West Belfast, Northern Ireland, May 3, 2022. (Peter Morrison/AP)

Even so, Katy Hayward, professor of political sociology at Queens University Belfast, said Sinn Fein taking the top spot would be a very significant moment.

And we know that nationalists will recognize it as being so, even if they dont necessarily want an imminent border poll, she said. And of course unionists will also see it as being a significant, critical moment.

In terms of what the election outcome will mean, its very much about how the other parties respond to this scenario.

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Many voters simply hope the election will produce a functioning government, but that appears unlikely in the short term.

Under Northern Irelands power-sharing system, created by the 1998 peace agreement that ended decades of Catholic-Protestant conflict, the jobs of first minister and deputy first minister are split between the biggest unionist party and the largest nationalist one.

Both posts must be filled for a government to function. The Democratic Unionist Party, which has been the largest in the Northern Ireland Assembly for two decades, has suggested it might not serve under a Sinn Fein first minister.

The DUP also says it will refuse to join a new government unless there are major changes to post-Brexit border arrangements, known as the Northern Ireland Protocol, that are opposed by many unionists.

The political institutions must be sustainable. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said during Tuesdays debate. And that means we have got to deal with the big issues that are in front of us, not least the harm that the Northern Ireland Protocol is doing to undermine political stability in Northern Ireland.

The post-Brexit rules have imposed customs and border checks on some goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the U.K. The arrangement was designed to maintain an open border between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland, a key pillar of the peace process.

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But unionists say the new checks have created a barrier between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K. that undermines their British identity.

The instability has led to rising tensions and sporadic violence, including a week of rioting in Protestant Loyalist areas a year ago. Last month, police were pelted with petrol bombs after a dissident Irish Republican parade in Derry, also known as Londonderry.

The British government is pressing the EU to agree to major changes  scrapping most checks  and is threatening to unilaterally suspend the rules if the bloc refuses.

Negotiations have reached an impasse, with the bloc accusing Johnson of refusing to implement rules he agreed to in a legally binding treaty.

Meanwhile, politics in Northern Ireland is changing. More support is going to parties that identify as neither nationalist nor unionist, with young people increasingly rejecting the traditional labels. Polls suggest the centrist Alliance Party is vying for second place with the DUP, another potentially seismic development.

Full results of the election, which uses a system of proportional representation, are not expected until the weekend at the earliest.

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The new legislators will meet next week to try to form an executive. If none can be formed within six months, the administration will collapse, triggering a new election and more uncertainty.

Quinn, the anti-poverty activist, said that would be a dereliction of duty.

Both communities  all communities and none  are struggling here, she said.

Im really hoping that the politicians are listening.

Jill Lawless reported from London
The Chinese criminal syndicates active in areas on the border between Cambodia and Thailand are turning out to be a major problem for law enforcement and other public agencies in Southeast Asian countries, a media report said. The scale of the illegal activities of these groups has increased since the emergence of COVID-19, as many organized groups started taking advantage of vulnerable youth rendered unemployed due to the pandemic, The Irrawaddy reported. The rise of Chinese-run scam operations is closely linked to the increasing economic integration between China and Southeast Asia over the past decade, which has seen a surge in Chinese investment in the region, the report said, adding that, as they grow in scale, these operations increasingly resemble an industry. Such operations have been aided by weak legal frameworks and corrupt local elites in parts of the region, providing favourable conditions for illicit activities, the report added. In a cross-border operation on April 10-11, the Thai and Cambodian police rescued 68 Thai workers from Chinese scam gangs that were running call centres in Sihanoukville in western Cambodia, the capital Phnom Penh and Krong Bavet on the border with Vietnam, the report said. Similar operations have been exposed in the past as well. In November 2021, Cambodian police rescued 99 Thai workers from a building in Phnom Penh where they were held and forced into illegal work by a Chinese gang. Chinese gangsters direct their victims, mostly poor workers, to scam at least 500,000 Thai baht (nearly USD 15,000) every month, failing which, they face the threat of being sold to another gang, the report said. Those who refuse are subjected to various forms of violence and mistreatment including being whipped, electrocuted, beaten up or locked in dark rooms without food, the report added. Hundreds of Malaysians, Filipinos and Indonesians have also been lured to Cambodia by organized crime groups based in and around Sihanoukville, a city notorious for lawlessness, casinos and Chinese criminal gangs, the report said citing, media reports from Southeast Asia. Most of the kingpins are in China but they employ people down the line in neighbouring countries to run their wider Chinese transnational criminal activities, the report said. Thai police estimate that over 1,500 Thais are still working in scam call centres in cities like Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville and Poipet, held against their will by the scam gangs, the report further said, adding that, They have already rescued 800 Thai nationals from criminal gangs in Cambodia since October 2021. The exact workings of these rackets remain unclear, but there is mounting evidence that they are regionally coordinated and linked to other nodes of illicit activities, such as the massive drug-trafficking syndicates that operate in eastern Myanmar, the report said. Many see it as a by-product of China's economic boom and increasing connectivity to once-remote parts of mainland Southeast Asia. But the biggest cause of such activities is poor law enforcement in border areas, both by Chinese authorities and the host countries, the report concluded. (ANI)
Washington [US], May 4 (ANI/Sputnik): US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and his Japanese counterpart Akiba Takeo agreed in a recent telephone call that President Joe Biden's trip to Tokyo later this month will be an opportunity to take steps to strengthen deterrence in the region and to advance their mutual interests in the Indo-Pacific, the White House said in a press release. "The two agreed that the meeting between the President and (Japanse) Prime Minister (Fumio) Kishida is an opportunity to affirm the strength of the US-Japan alliance, take steps to strengthen deterrence in the region, and advance our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific," the release said on Tuesday. Moreover, Sullivan highlighted that the second in-person Quad Leaders meeting will be key in demonstrating that the group is serving an important role in the region, the release said. Biden is scheduled to visit South Korea and Japan from May 20-24 to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts on security and trade matters. While in Tokyo, Biden will also participate in a meeting with Quad leaders, which will include his counterparts from Australia, Japan, and India. (ANI/Sputnik)
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that general elections must be held in the country under the supervision of a neutral chief election commissioner (CEC), reported local media. Claiming that the "selected" government has been imposed on the masses through planning and plotting, he said that an election must be held as soon as possible, otherwise, democracy will suffer a huge blow, reported Geo News. Khan, however, added that the polls should be conducted under the supervision of a suitable chief election commissioner (CEC). Notably, this comes after last week he called CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja PML-N's agent. Dismissing the allegations of his government being incompetent, he said, "We had been hearing those remarks for three-and-a-half years. My only demand is to conduct the election under the chairmanship of a neutral CEC. Let the people decide [the country's fate]." Further, reiterating that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) government was toppled through a conspiracy, he said that a commission should be formed under the chairmanship of the chief justice of Pakistan to probe the matter. "A sitting prime minister has been ousted through a conspiracy, therefore, all state institutions should look into the matter as it has turned out to be a huge setback for the country," the media outlet quoted him as saying. Speaking on the involvement of the US in ensuring his ouster through the no-confidence motion, he said that he is not anti-America or any other country. "The United States often instigates regime change for its own benefits, not for the benefit of the countries involved," he said, claiming that he knows every character involved in the conspiracy. "I have proof against people who had been frequently visiting the US embassy in Pakistan. Hussain Haqqani had a meeting with Nawaz Sharif in London where they hatched this conspiracy," he added. Notably, PTI has staged several protests across the country against the United States for an alleged "foreign conspiracy" to oust Imran Khan from power who has been unseated after the no-confidence vote initiated by the Opposition was carried in the National Assembly. (ANI)
On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on Tuesday, the Afghan media community expressed concern over the lack of access to information and the uncertain fate of media in Afghanistan. The media community raised concern over increasing restrictions against them and the lack of a Commission of Media Violation (CMV), reported ToloNews. "We are celebrating May 3 as more than 40 per cent of our media outlets have been closed. Around 80 per cent of women and 60 per cent of male journalists lost their jobs. The situation has also affected the content of our media organization," the media outlet quoted Hujatullah Mujadid, Head of the Afghan Independent Journalists Association, as saying. "Access to information and the formation of the Commission of Media Violation could reduce the problems with which the journalists are struggling right now," said Meer Ali Azghar Akbarzada, a member of the Afghanistan Journalists Federation. Notably, this comes as World Press Freedom Day has brought attention from the international community to the concerning situation of Afghan media. The United Nations Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in a statement on World Press Freedom Day, said that they "deplore the erosion of rights for journalists and media institutions under the Taliban." German Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Jasper Wieck in a tweet said that "Press Freedom is key for Afghanistan and Afghans. Restrictions on national and international media outlets must stop." Taking to Twitter, US Charge d'Affaires Ian McCary said, "On World Press Freedom Day, we should reflect on both the importance of free media and the sacrifices journalists make. We honour their sacrifice by protecting press freedom wherever it's under attack." Meanwhile, refuting the allegations of imposing restrictions, the Taliban's spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said they support the activities of the media in Afghanistan. "The main reason that (the) number of media outlets have stopped their operation(s) since the withdrawal of US forces was their reliance on foreign funding. We assure media outlets in Afghanistan, that we will do our best to help them solve their financial problems," the media outlet quoted him as saying. Notably, the ever-increasing restrictions against media in Afghanistan have also drawn widespread criticism globally with the United Nations (UN) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) decrying the arrests, demanding the Taliban stop harassing local journalists and stifling freedom of speech through continued detentions and threats. With the consistent arbitrary arrests of journalists by the Taliban, the media in Afghanistan faces several restrictions. In the last seven months nearly 140 incidents of harassment of Afghan journalists and media workers have been recorded, ToloNews reported citing figures of media-supporting institutions. (ANI)
Amid the leaked draft opinion of the Supreme Court to overturn the Roe vs Wade judgment that gave individual abortion rights, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt on Tuesday signed a controversial bill, modelled after the Texas rule, banning abortion beyond six weeks of pregnancy into law. Slated to take effect this summer, 90 days after the legislative session ends, the law would punish health care providers who perform an abortion with up to 10 years in prison and up to USD 100,000 in fines. It makes an exception only in the case of a threat to the life of the mother. This comes amid protests in the US after the apparent leak of a US Supreme Court order overturning a ruling on abortion rights which the court said is authentic but does not represent the high court's final decision. Oklahoma is only the latest among Republican legislatures that have appeared to move with haste to pass a wave of contentious legislation, reported US News. After signing the bill, Stitt tweeted, "I am proud to sign SB 1503, the Oklahoma Heartbeat Act into law. I want Oklahoma to be the most pro-life state in the country because I represent all four million Oklahomans who overwhelmingly want to protect the unborn." Oklahoma joins Texas in banning abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can occur as early as six weeks of pregnancy. Since the Texas law banning abortions came into effect, Oklahoma's abortion landscape has changed. According to a recent study from the University of Texas at Austin, Oklahoma has since been inundated with patients from Texas seeking abortions. Oklahoma has provided around 45 per cent of all abortions for Texans who have travelled across state lines to evade the new restrictions, as per the media outlet. The Oklahoma Governor said that this new legislation will curb the trend. However, this restriction is in variance with Roe vs Wade verdict. The US Supreme Court voted to strike down the landmark Roe v. Wade verdict that guaranteed the right to abortion for nearly a half-century and allow each state to decide whether to restrict or ban abortion, reported New York Times, citing a leaked draft opinion from February, published online on Monday night by Politico, the US-based media publication. The law, pioneered by Texas, deputizes private citizens to enforce its restrictions and has proven difficult to challenge in court. A protest was seen in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington DC late Monday night. Barricades were up around the building, just minutes after reports from Politico were leaked regarding the court overturning Roe v. Wade ruling. According to the draft opinion, written by Justice Samuel A Alito Jr, a majority of the court voted to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade verdict. Further, Justice Alito called it had wrongly been decided and said the contentious issue, which has invoked political debates in the US for more than a generation, should be decided by politicians, not the courts. Though the court's holding will not be final until it is published, likely in the next two months, the ruling according to the draft would be a seismic change in American law and politics, coming a few months ahead of the congressional midterm elections that will decide who controls power on Capitol Hill. (ANI)
The three-year tenure of Reza Baqir as the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is set to expire on Thursday as the government decided not to extend his term. Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail on Tuesday announced that no extension has been granted to the SBP governor. Taking to Twitter, Finance Minister Ismail, wrote, "Tomorrow Governor SBP Dr Reza Baquir's 3-year expires. I have spoken to him and told him of the government's decision. I want to thank Reza for his service to Pakistan. He is an exceptionally qualified man & we worked well during our brief time together. I wish him the very best." The News International, citing sources, reported that the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government was earlier considering an extension until a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is finalised. The sources by the Pakistani media outlet, before the government's revelation of its decision, had said that efforts were underway for securing a second term for Dr Baqir. According to the sources, the government was likely to consider, "a few months" extension in his tenure as a "stop-gap arrangement", reported Geo TV. Dr Baqir was appointed as the governor of the central bank by President Arif Alvi on May 4, 2019, for a period of three years from the day he assumes the office of the Governor. He assumed his responsibilities on May 5, 2019. Prior to this appointment, Dr Baqir had 18 years of experience with the IMF and two years of experience with the World Bank. He was the Head of the IMF's Office in Egypt and Senior Resident Representative since August 2017. He had also held positions as IMF's Mission Chief for Romania and Bulgaria, Division Chief of the IMF's Debt Policy Division, Strategy, Policy and Review Department, overseeing IMF's work on debt relief and sovereign debt restructuring, head of the IMF delegation to the Paris Club for four years, and Deputy Division Chief of the Emerging Markets Division overseeing IMF's loans and policies in emerging markets, amongst other roles. Dr Baqir represented the State Bank of Pakistan on the Board of Directors of the Asian Clearing Union, the Board of Governors of the Economic Cooperation Organization Trade and Development Bank, the Council of Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), the Financial Stability Regional Consultative Group for Asia, and the IMF's Board of Governors. He was appointed as Chairman of the General Assembly of the prestigious Islamic Financial Services Board for 2022. (ANI)
Canberra [Australia], May 4 (ANI/Sputnik): Australia has put 75 Russian State Duma lawmakers, as well as a number of key ministers of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), on the sanctions list, according to data on the website of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). According to the document, the list includes more than 20 DPR ministers and 15 LPR ministers. Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24 in response to calls from the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics for protection against intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defense Ministry said the special operation, which targets Ukrainian military infrastructure, aims to "demilitarize and denazify" Ukraine. Moscow has said it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. Western nations have imposed numerous sanctions on Russia. (ANI/Sputnik)
The citizens said that they are struggling to withdraw their money from the banks as the ATM machines in several parts of the city are deactivated, reported ToloNews.

"All the ATM machines are closed from which we used to take our salary," the media outlet quoted Mohammad Safeer, a resident of Kabul, as saying.

"There has never been such a crowd. Now the problems are a bit high. The banks cannot distribute it properly and the ATM machines are closed," said Abdul Sabir, another resident of the city.

The citizens called for the reactivation of the machines.

However, dismissing the complaints, the Central Bank said that ATM machines are now active across the country.

"Da Afghanistan Bank (Central Bank) issued a statement to all private banks to reactivate their ATM machines and therefore, all ATM machines are active now," the media outlet quoted Mohammad Sabir Momand, a spokesman for Da Afghanistan Bank, as saying.

Notably, the Taliban's swift accession to power occurred in mid-August last year. After the fall of the former government, the Afghan banking system faced severe problems.

However, restrictions on withdrawing and transferring funds were recently lifted, reported the media outlet. (ANI)
They marched on highways through the press club carrying placards, banners and pictures of the missing persons.

After the march, the protestors staged a sit-in at the Shaheed Fida Chowk.

The protestors brought Eid clothes and shoes of their loved ones who are now disappeared or have gone missing.

They said that while people were celebrating Eid, Baloch mothers were crying and hoping to have their children back.

The enforced disappearances of students from educational institutions across the country have made it increasingly clear that the ruling elites and Pakistani agencies want to push the Baloch further backward. Force is increasingly being used by Pak agencies to intimidate the youth in Balochistan.

Balochistan has long demanded independence from Pakistan, and the multi-billion-dollar China-initiated One Belt One Road (OBOR) Project has further inflamed passions.

The Baloch, who are opposing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as part of OBOR, are facing oppression and genocide by the Pakistan Army.

There are numerous incidents of enforced disappearances and killings of Baloch political activists, intellectuals, and students by the Pakistani security forces and secret agencies. (ANI)
On the occasion of Eid on Tuesday, families of Baloch missing persons held a protest against the Pakistan government and security agencies at Karachi Press Club, demanding the safe release of their loved ones. The protesters led by activist Sammi Baloch said that their near and dear ones had been picked up by Pakistani security agencies but their whereabouts had not been declared. Sammi Baloch criticized the role of the Human Rights Organisation and the media that didn't participate in the protest, nor did cover it. She said, "The media shows you how people are celebrating the Eid, but the same media won't be able to cover our Baloch protest". She criticized Maryam Nawaz Sharif who once tweeted about her father Nawaz Sharif who was in Jail and thus would not celebrate the Eid, but Maryam is now blinded to the cause of Baloch people who don't even know the whereabouts of their family members who have been abducted by Pak security agencies. Sammi Deen Baloch is the daughter of Dr Deen Muhammad Baloch who was abducted by Pak security forces 11 years ago and remains missing to date. Dr Deen Mohammad was affiliated with Baloch National Movement (BNM), a political party. He was a Central Committee member of the party when he went missing. According to his family and BNM, the Pakistani forces and intelligence agencies abducted him while he was on duty. Sammi also represents the Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) organisation. Another protest was held in Turbat city of Balochistan where students from various educational institutions marched on highways through the press club carrying placards, pictures of the missing persons and banners in their hands. After the march, the protestors staged a sit-in at the Shaheed Fida Chowk. The protestors brought Eid clothes and shoes of their loved ones who are now disappeared or missing. They said that Muslims are celebrating Eid but Baloch mothers are crying hoping to have their children back. The enforced disappearances of students from educational institutions across the country have made it increasingly clear that the ruling elites and Pakistani agencies want to push the Baloch further backwards. Force is being used by Pakistani agencies to intimidate the youth in Balochistan. (ANI)
A soldier pays his last tribute to volunteer soldier Oleksandr Makhov, 36, a well-known Ukrainian journalist, killed by Russian troops, during his funeral at St Michael cathedral in Kyiv, Ukraine, May 9, 2022. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

LVIV, Ukraine  Complaining that the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line targets across the country, as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war Wednesday by proposing a ban on oil imports.

Heavy fighting also raged at the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol that represented the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined southern port city, according to the mayor. But a Russian official denied Moscows troops were storming the plant, as Ukrainian commanders claimed a day earlier.

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The Russian military said it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of resorting to the missile terrorism tactics in order to spread fear across Ukraine.

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Air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country on Wednesday night, and attacks were reported near Kyiv, the capital; in Cherkasy and Dnipro in central Ukraine; and in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. In Dnipro, authorities said a rail facility was hit. Videos on social media suggested a bridge there was attacked.

There was no immediate word on casualties or the extent of the damage.

The flurry of attacks comes as Russia prepares to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, marking the Soviet Unions defeat of Nazi Germany. The world is watching for whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will use the occasion to declare a victory in Ukraine or expand what he calls the special military operation.

A declaration of all-out war would allow Putin to introduce martial law and mobilize reservists to make up for significant troop losses.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the speculation as nonsense.

Meanwhile, Belarus, which Russia used as a staging ground for its invasion, announced the start of military exercises Wednesday. A top Ukrainian official said the country will be ready to act if Belarus joins the fighting.

The attacks on rail infrastructure were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons.

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagons assessment, said that while the Russians have tried to hit critical infrastructure around the western city of Lviv, specifically targeting railroads, there has been no appreciable impact on Ukraines effort to resupply its forces. Lviv, close to the Polish border, has been a major gateway for NATO-supplied weapons.

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Weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces thwart Russias initial drive to seize Kyiv and seems certain to play a central role in the growing battle for the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Moscow now says is its main objective.

Ukraine has urged the West to ramp up the supply of weapons ahead of that potentially decisive clash. Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which had been slow at first to help arm Ukraine, said his government is considering supplying howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment it has agreed to send.

The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which lies in the Donbas, said Russian attacks left 21 people dead on Tuesday, the highest number of known fatalities since April 8, when a missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk killed at least 59.

In addition to supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. have sought to punish Moscow with sanctions. The EUs top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to ban Russian oil imports, a crucial source of revenue.

We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The proposal needs unanimous approval from EU countries and is likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they wont take part in any oil sanctions. They could be granted an exemption.

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The EU is also talking about a possible embargo on Russian natural gas. The bloc has already approved a cutoff of coal imports.

Russias economy is heavily dependent on oil and natural gas exports. Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, said European purchases of Russian energy produce billions in revenue and support the Kremlins war machine.

Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russias largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.

In Mariupol, Mayor Vadym Boychenko said that Russian forces were targeting the already shattered Azovstal plant with heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft, warships and heavy bombs that pierce concrete 3 to 5 meters thick.

Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult, he said.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian fighters said Russian forces began storming the plant. But the Kremlin said that was not true.

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There is no assault. We see that there are cases of escalation due to the fact that the militants take up the firing positions. These attempts are being suppressed very quickly, Peskov said.

Over the weekend, more than 100 people  including women, the elderly and 17 children  were evacuated from the plant during a cease-fire in an operation overseen by the U.N. and the Red Cross. But the attacks on the plant soon resumed.

The Russian government said on the Telegram messaging app that it would open another evacuation corridor from the plant during certain hours on Thursday through Saturday. But there was no immediate confirmation of those arrangements from other parties, and many previous such assurances from the Kremlin have fallen through, with the Ukrainians blaming continued fighting by the Russians.

It was unclear how many Ukrainian fighters were still inside, but the Russians put the number at about 2,000 in recent weeks, and 500 were reported to be wounded. A few hundred civilians also remained there, the Ukrainian side said.

Mariupol, and the plant in particular, have come to symbolize the misery inflicted by the war. The Russians have pulverized most of the city in a two-month siege that has trapped civilians with little food, water, medicine or heat.

The citys fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops to fight elsewhere in the Donbas.

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Anna reported from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yesica Fisch in Zaporizhzhia, Inna Varenytsia and David Keyton in Kyiv, Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and AP staff around the world contributed to this report.
Amid the ongoing economic crisis, the underway Sri Lankan parliamentary session stands crucial as the two no-confidence motions against the President and the government by the opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) are likely to be taken up. This comes at a time when Sri Lanka's main opposition party SJB on Tuesday handed over two no-confidence motions against the government and the President to the Speaker. Sajith Premadasa, the leader of Opposition, and Samagi Jana Balawegaya, handed over the two no-confidence motions to the Speaker at his official residence, reported Colombo Page. "It will now become clear who is betraying the demands of the people," the Opposition leader said. As the ongoing economic crisis continues to fuel unrest in the Island country, the protests at 'Galle Face' in Colombo in front of the Presidential Secretariat continued for the 24th day on Monday even as the government faces the prospect of a no-confidence motion in the upcoming parliamentary session. A large number of people from various parts of the island were present at the protest today as well demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Colombo Page reported. The protests are being attended by religious leaders, youth, civil activists, artists, university students, journalists, disabled war heroes, trade union representatives, scholars and people from all walks of life from various parts of the country, the report added. The protestors have also set up supporting facilities including libraries, first aid units and media units at the site. Meanwhile, the protesters have launched a Public Campaign requesting the public to ask the parliamentarians to vote for the no-confidence motion against the government and impeachment motion against the President by posting the following message on their social media profiles and posting with #GotaGoHome2022 #GoHomeRajapaksas, the report further said. Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices and power cuts affecting a large number of the people, resulting in massive protests over the government's handling of the situation. The recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a fall in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as reckless economic policies, like the government's move last year to ban chemical fertilizers in a bid to make Sri Lanka's agriculture "100 per cent organic".Due to an acute shortage of Foreign exchange, Sri Lanka recently defaulted on the entirety of its foreign debt amounting to about USD 51 billion. The economic situation has led to huge protests with demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. (ANI)
Brussels [Belgium], May 4 (ANI/Sputnik): The European Commission will provide a European Commission entailing massive investment to meet the country's needs, President Ursula Von der Leyen said on Wednesday. "Today, I am proposing to you that we start working on an ambitious recovery package for our Ukrainian friends. This package should bring massive investment to meet the needs and the necessary reforms. It should address the existing weaknesses of the Ukrainian economy and lay the foundations for sustainable long-term growth," Von der Leyen said at a plenary session of the European Parliament. (ANI/Sputnik)
Minorities like Kazakhs, Tajiks, and Uyghurs inside China's detention camps are constantly subjected to violence and constantly monitored. According to Just Earth News, Ovalbek Turdakun was held captive as a prisoner in one of China's renowned detention facilities for ten months in 2018. He was tortured, subjected to awful circumstances, and constantly monitored. Turdakun was not allowed to speak in a makeshift courtroom within the detention camp where he was being kept and was forced to sign paperwork he had no time to read. Turdakun is a Chinese resident and a Kyrgyz, one of a few ethnic gatherings - including Kazakhs, Tajiks, and Uyghurs - who has been accused of fake, while possibly not altogether bogus, charges and kept in large confinement camps across Xinjiang, an area in northwest China where most of the ethnic gatherings reside, reported Just Earth News. Turdakun is an example of the rare group of persons with direct information within China's detainment camps, including private information on how the Chinese government utilizes innovation, observation, and facial recognition to persecute several Xinjiang inhabitants, which the U.S. officials will involve to investigate human right violations in China and the Chinese organizations that supply reconnaissance innovation to the camps. Turdakun revealed the conditions of his confinement, severe interrogations, and forced medical treatments in a series of video interviews filmed by Conor Healy, government director at video surveillance news site IPVM before he arrived in the United States. According to UN watchdogs, China is suspected to have imprisoned at least a million of its own people in detention camps in recent years, but the total is likely to be higher. Despite Beijing's continuous denial of human rights violations, China's treatment of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities has been labelled "genocide" by the Biden administration. Turdakun can only share this story because he and his family were granted advanced parole, a temporary legal status that allows them to enter the United States after congressional members pushed on their behalf. Turdakun recounted the cells where he would be imprisoned alongside two dozen other detainees for months in an interview with TechCrunch, claiming the cameras, all emblazoned with Hikvision logos, were "always on and watching," reported Just Earth News. If someone spoke in front of the cameras, a loud voice would urge them not to. He described how the detainees would be forced to spend hours in silence by the cameras and that they would have little other human contacts outside of their cells for long periods; the door would frequently remain shut for long periods, and food would be pushed through an opening in the entryway. Turdakun was freed in November 2018 under conditions equivalent to home arrest, with a GPS tracker on his wrist that could only be opened with a unique key. Although he was permitted to leave his home and go around his little city, he said that the authorities constantly harassed him. Turdakun's claim is consistent with previous, if uncommon, accounts from survivors of Xinjiang detention facilities, which TechCrunch could not independently corroborate. Turdakun displayed a diagram detailing the structure of the detention camp during the interview, which corresponded to satellite photos of the camp where he was detained. Human rights advocates think the former detainee's testimony will be crucial to the case instituted at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, reported Just Earth News. (ANI)
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio will pay an official visit to India from May 4-6, 2022 to strengthen the relationship between the two countries. This will be Di Maio's first visit to India and he will be accompanied by a high-level official and business delegation, the Ministry of External Affairs announced in a press release. During the visit, External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, will hold bilateral talks with the visiting Foreign Minister on 6 May 2022 and will review the progress in implementation of the Action Plan 2020-24 launched at the Virtual Summit in November 2020 and also exchange views on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest, added the release. Di Maio will also meet with Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal and co-chair a business round-table. Before reaching Delhi, he will visit Bengaluru where he will be meeting with the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai. India and Italy enjoy long-standing, friendly relations which have witnessed a fresh momentum in recent years with the successful Virtual Summit in November 2020 and the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Italy in October 2021 where both countries announced a Strategic Partnership on Energy Transition. The Foreign Minister's visit will provide an opportunity to discuss the entire gamut of the bilateral relations and further expand and deliver on our close partnership, especially in priority areas like trade and investment linkages, defence and security, clean and green energy, and science & technology cooperation, said the release. (ANI)
The incident took place at the site of the construction of an embankment at Mathbaria in Pirojpur district.

According to the sources, the incident took place at Badura village of the Upazila when locals opposed the construction by the Chinese company. The injured Chinese nationals are Manager Majimao (31), Supervisor Chang Dew (28), and Supervisor Lei Bo (38).

The local workers injured in the incident include Muhammad Zillur Rahman, Muhammad Elias, Nizam Sikder, Manik, Bahadur Ukil and Zakaria Khan.

Among them, seriously injured Zakaria Khan has been shifted to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital and Bahadur Ukil has been admitted to Bhandaria Hospital. Others have been released after initial treatment.

Bhandaria Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Kamal Hossain Mufti said that 3 Chinese nationals and 6 locals were treated at Bhandaria Hospital in critical condition. Among the injured, two Chinese nationals sustained minor injuries to their arms and legs, and one sustained minor head injuries.

Police said locals went to cut the soil with a Vepu machine to build the embankment. At that time, local people clashed with the workers of the China project.

Pirojpur District Superintendent of Police Mohammad Saidur Rahman said all the injured, including three Chinese nationals of the China project, were injured in the attack as a result of a misunderstanding between the landowners concerned over land ownership and pond filling. Legal action is being taken in this regard. (ANI)
The protest has rattled the opposition party Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and Yameen himself.

Within a week after they launched the movement in the name of Maldives Youth Force MYF, the opposition party PPM has come out with a series of press releases and press conferences against this young movement.

All these days Yameen and PPM have been running the India Out campaign unopposed since the ruling party Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is busy with their internal rivalry politics.

This young movement has activists from MDP and supporters of former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb's party Maldives Third-Way Democrats (MTD) that has publicly opposed the "India Out" campaign.

But Yameen and PPM have been organizing protests all over Male, creating hate against Indians with hate speech, and racist remarks. They have been repeatedly protesting outside the residence of the Indian High Commissioner in the Maldives and harassing high commission staff with false propaganda with personal attacks on their owned media with so many lies and threats every day.

Yameen and PPM have created so much hate against Indians that even Indians who are working in the Maldives are harassed, threatened and they don't feel safe anymore in the Maldives. (ANI)
On the sidelines of the 2nd India-Nordic Summit in Copenhagen, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held talks with his Swedish counterpart Magdalena Andersson where both sides reviewed the progress made in the bilateral partnership. This was the first meeting between the two leaders. Both leaders also discussed possibilities of deepening cooperation in areas like innovation, climate technology, climate action, green hydrogen, space, defence, civil aviation, Arctic, polar research, sustainable mining and trade and economic ties. Discussions also took place on regional and global developments. India and Sweden have had longstanding close relations based on common values; strong business, investment and R&D linkages; and similar approaches to global peace, security and development. Innovation, technology, investment and R&D collaborations provide the bedrock of this modern relationship. During the 2018 visit of Prime Minister Modi to Sweden on the occasion of the 1st Nordic Summit, the two sides had adopted a wide-ranging Joint Action Plan and signed a Joint Innovation Partnership, said the Ministry of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar. In the meeting, the two leaders reviewed the progress made in our bilateral partnership. They also expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the lead IT initiative. This was an India-Sweden joint global initiative to set up a Leadership Group on Industry Transition (LeadIT) in September 2019 at the UN Climate Action Summit to help guide the world's heaviest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting industries toward a low-carbon economy. Its membership has now grown to 35 with 16 countries and 19 companies. Ahead of the India-Nordic summit set to take place on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on the final leg of his 3-day Europe visit, holds bilateral talks with Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Store. Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister's Office wrote, "Boosting friendship with Norway. Prime Ministers @narendramodi and @jonasgahrstore meet in Copenhagen. They are taking stock of the full range of bilateral relations between the two nations and ways to deepen developmental cooperation." PM Modi will also hold bilateral meetings with the Prime Ministers of Iceland and Finland. "On the side-lines of the Summit, I will also meet the leaders of the other four Nordic countries and review the progress in India's bilateral relations with them," PM Modi had said. Following the bilateral talks, PM Modi will participate in the India-Nordic summit in Denmark, before departing for Paris to meet the newly re-elected President Emmanuel Macron on the final day of his 3-day Europe visit on Wednesday. The second India-Nordic summit will see the participation of the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway, and will follow up on the first summit that took place in Stockholm, Sweden in 2018. "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," PM Modi had said in his departure statement before embarking on the three-day visit on Sunday. Following the summit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to make a brief stopover in Paris for a meeting with Emmanuel Macron, the newly re-elected President of France. During his ongoing visit, PM Modi has held bilateral engagements with the leadership of Germany and Denmark, as well as addressed Indian diaspora events in both Berlin and Copenhagen. PM Modi also held interactions with the business leaders in both Germany and Denmark during the course of his visit. PM Modi arrived in Berlin on Monday where he held bilateral discussions with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, before participating in the sixth India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations. The Prime Minister said the Inter-Governmental Consultations were productive. A total of nine agreements were signed between India and Germany, including a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) on Green and Sustainable Development Partnership under which Germany agreed to make an advance commitment of 10 billion euros of new and additional developmental assistance to India until 2030. The Indian Prime Minister also addressed the Indian community in Berlin where he talked about the achievements of his government, especially in the area of integrating technology with governance. On the second day of his visit, the Indian Prime Minister arrived in Copenhagen, holding talks with his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen and discussing bilateral issues including trade between the two countries and cooperation on environmental action. The two leaders also held delegation-level talks in Copenhagen to review progress in the Green Strategic Partnership between the two countries. PM Modi and his counterpart also discussed Ukraine, with the former reiterating India's stand of early cessation of hostilities and a diplomatic resolution of the ongoing conflict. The two leaders went on to address a joint press conference, where a number of agreements were formally signed between the two countries including a Declaration of Intent (DoI) on Migration and Mobility, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of skill development, Vocational Education and Entrepreneurship and the launch of energy policy dialogue at ministerial level between the two countries. A total of nine agreements were exchanged between the two countries. In the evening, PM Modi also addressed the members of the Indian diaspora in Copenhagen with the Danish PM also accompanying him. More than 1000 members of the Indian community in Denmark consisting of students, researchers, professionals and business persons, participated in the event according to an MEA statement. PM Modi also attended a dinner hosted by the Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark, Margrethe II at the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen which was the last item on the agenda of PM Modi on the second day of his visit. (ANI)
Moscow [Russia], May 4 (ANI/Sputnik): Moscow has prohibited the entry of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi to Russia due to an unprecedented anti-Russian campaign launched by Tokyo, the Russian foreign ministry said on Wednesday. "Tokyo is taking practical steps aimed at dismantling good neighborly ties, damaging the Russian economy and the international authority of our country ... Taking into account the above mentioned, as well as personal sanctions imposed by the Japanese government against Russian citizens, including the top leadership of the state, a decision was made to permanently ban the following Japanese citizens from entering Russia," the ministry said in a statement. Kishida and Hayashi top the list of sanctioned individuals, attached to the statement. In total, it targets 63 Japanese citizens, including Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa. (ANI/Sputnik)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met his Iceland counterpart Katrin Jakobsdottir ahead of the 2nd India-Nordic Summit in Copenhagen. Both leaders discussed boosting ties in areas like trade, energy, fisheries and more. "Prime Minister @narendramodi held talks with PM @katrinjak of Iceland. They discussed boosting ties in areas like trade, energy, fisheries and more," tweeted the office of the Prime Minister of India. Both leaders discussed ways to further strengthen economic cooperation, especially in the sectors of geothermal energy, Blue Economy, Arctic, renewable energy, fisheries, food processing, education including digital universities, and culture. Geothermal energy, in particular, is an area where Iceland has special expertise, and both sides stressed collaboration between universities of both countries in this sector, read the Ministry of External Affairs press release. Prime Minister lauded Prime Minister Jakobsdottir's personal efforts at promoting gender equality and briefed her on India's advances in this regard. Discussions also took place on expediting the India - EFTA trade negotiations as well as on regional and global developments, added the release. Earlier, PM Modi met his Swedish counterpart Magdalena Andersson where both sides reviewed the progress made in the bilateral partnership. This was the first meeting between the two leaders. Both leaders also discussed possibilities of deepening cooperation in areas like innovation, climate technology, climate action, green hydrogen, space, defence, civil aviation, Arctic, polar research, sustainable mining and trade and economic ties. Ahead of the India-Nordic summit set to take place on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on the final leg of his 3-day Europe visit, holds bilateral talks with Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Store. Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister's Office wrote, "Boosting friendship with Norway. Prime Ministers @narendramodi and @jonasgahrstore meet in Copenhagen. They are taking stock of the full range of bilateral relations between the two nations and ways to deepen developmental cooperation." PM Modi will also hold bilateral meetings with the Prime Ministers of Iceland and Finland. "On the side-lines of the Summit, I will also meet the leaders of the other four Nordic countries and review the progress in India's bilateral relations with them," PM Modi had said. Following the bilateral talks, PM Modi will participate in the India-Nordic summit in Denmark, before departing for Paris to meet the newly re-elected President Emmanuel Macron on the final day of his 3-day Europe visit on Wednesday. The second India-Nordic summit will see the participation of the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway, and will follow up on the first summit that took place in Stockholm, Sweden in 2018. "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," PM Modi had said in his departure statement before embarking on the three-day visit on Sunday. Following the summit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to make a brief stopover in Paris for a meeting with Emmanuel Macron, the newly re-elected President of France. (ANI)
Domestic flights have resumed at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu after a hoax bomb threat call allegedly from Pakistan created panic, forcing authorities to vacate the premises. As per the Nepal airport officials, two calls were made to the Terminal Duty Office (TDO) warning about a possible bomb blast inside the terminal within two hours of the first call. "TDO was called for the first time at 9:40 AM (local time) followed by another call from an international number. The same person made the second call claiming 6-7 bombs has been implanted inside the domestic terminal that would explode within two hours which prompted us to inform airport authorities, security forces and a thorough search of all the areas of the terminal was done by the bomb disposal team," Tek Nath Sitaula, Spokesperson at Tribhuwan International Airport told reporters. "All the areas were searched and looked into but nothing was found and since 11:10 AM (local time) we have operationalized the airport," Sitaula added. As per the official, the caller started the conversation by saying "Salam Walekum" and spoke in Nepali warning the authorities. The suspect has been identified to be a male. The official informed said that the phone call was made from Pakistan. Authorities closed the airport and launched a search operation this morning after an unidentified man claimed over the telephone that a bomb had been planted. Nepal airport authorities had earlier evacuated the Tribhuvan International Airport after a phone call claiming a suspicious object planted inside the terminal was received. They have launched an investigation into the issue. (ANI)
With the state expected to unveil a new standardized testing program in the coming months, educators, union leaders and parents have joined forces to oppose more frequent interim assessments, which they say would waste valuable classroom instruction time and offer no benefits to student learning.

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We have a testing regime that has gone too far and is not helping children learn, its not helping educators teach, especially right now, post-COVID, when the needs of our students recovery are great and pressing  especially for our more underprivileged students, Dan Montgomery, president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, said at a union-sponsored virtual discussion last week.

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Montgomery said during the unions recent tour of Illinois schools, teachers across the state said they are grappling with helping students through crisis recovery, And the testing has to stop. Its getting in the way of teaching.

Illinois State Board of Education Superintendent Carmen Ayala was not immediately available for comment Tuesday.

Earlier this year, the state hired the New Hampshire-based nonprofit Center for Assessment to analyze the results of a statewide survey about how to make the state assessment more useful to families and educators, including the possibility of halting the annual Illinois Assessment of Readiness and testing students several times a year, to better gauge learning gaps.

An ISBE spokesperson said in a Tuesday email that officials have asked the State Assessment Review Committee, which includes parents and educators from around the state, to evaluate the Center for Assessment report.

Once we receive their feedback and recommendations, the Board will consider that input and assess how to move forward, ISBE officials said.

ISBE officials are considering replacing the states annual student assessment with interim testing throughout the school year, including an option to test children as young as kindergarten.

Dual language teacher Sara Balbas Altes teaches math to fourth graders at Lords Park Elementary School on March 24, 2022, in Elgin. Fourth graders enrolled in the dual language program at Lords Park would need to sit for state assessments at least three times a year under an Illinois State Board of Education proposal that is facing opposition from educators, including some at Elgin-based Unit School District 46. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

There is not yet a specific proposal under consideration, and any changes to the current IAR would have to be allowed by federal law and approved by the U.S. Department of Education, ISBE officials said.

Among the foes of expanded testing is Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey, who said Tuesday that the standardized assessments deny qualified Black and brown students access to a fully adequate education, disinvest in and close schools in communities of color, and dismantle Black and brown neighborhoods anchored by long-neglected schools.

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Instead, our students need the resources to unpack and recover from the trauma of the pandemic and the decades of inequity that preceded it, Sharkey said in a statement. Replacing costly, harmful standardized testing with truly nurturing and supportive classroom learning time is a step in the right direction.

Paul Zavitkovsky with the Center for Urban Education Leadership at the University of Illinois at Chicago said Illinois school districts are spending $50 million in local revenues each year on interim assessment systems even though theres no independent evidence that these systems are making any positive contribution to improved teaching and learning.

On the contrary, in larger urban districts around the state, theres growing evidence that commercial interim systems may actually be having a negative impact on achievement growth over time, Zavitkovsky said.

Educators, researchers and parents are united in their belief that there is a distinction between a federally required standardized test and the kinds of assessments that can actually improve teaching and learning, Zavitkovsky said.

The state survey also found a strong interest in minimizing the amount of time for testing, and increasing the quality and timeliness of the reporting on spring assessment results, which typically arrive too late for teachers to use the data to support students, who are by then no longer in their classrooms.

We dont get any useful information out of this stuff at all, and it takes an enormous amount of time out of instruction for us to do it, Zavitkovsky said.

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The state is paying Pearson  the multinational publishing and education company that provides the IAR test  about $55 million for three years of assessments. That includes $18.6 million for 2020, when only about a quarter of students took the exams before they were halted because of the pandemic, ISBE officials said last year.

Chicago Public Schools teacher Aaron Bingea expressed alarm at the prospect of the state moving to an interim student testing model that would replace annual exams with testing three times a year, in the fall, winter and spring. In his experience at city schools, frequent, through-year testing  which the district has since eliminated  was disruptive and ineffective, he said.

Students lost art, PE, science and social studies to test prep, Bingea said, adding that the districts focus on tracking data and aiming for maximum growth in reading and math ended up hitting hardest for schools deemed underperforming.

The stress cannot be overstated  at elementary schools, everything comes to a grinding halt, Bingea said.

Any momentum developed in your learning community that you work so hard for as a teacher is immediately broken every time you have to give a state standardized test, he said. To think the state is considering doing this three times a year is something that really worries me.

After the frequent testing was halted, Bingea said he was able to know where students are based on the curriculum assessments Ive been trained to give.

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John Essington, a professor of teacher education at Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois, and a father of three children, said he had his children opt out of state testing because after years of teaching, I know its not actually helping my kids at all.

And as the parent of a child with text anxiety, Essington said he knows that standardized test scores offer a snapshot that does not accurately reflect a students academic abilities.

Its all about accountability; its not about growth for the students, Essington said.

A longtime critic of standardized testing, state Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas, a Democrat from Chicago, said high-stakes testing has an adverse impact on children, as well as the educators who have to stop teaching their students to administer the tests.

This is a racist relic of the past, said Pacione-Zayas, sponsor of a Too Young to Test bill, which was recently passed by the General Assembly and is currently awaiting Gov. J.B. Pritzkers signature.

If signed into law, the measure would prohibit standardized tests for Illinois youngest students, except for the case of diagnostic tests, including determining eligibility for special education services, bilingual services, dyslexia interventions, observational tools like the federally mandated English Learner assessments and the Kindergarten Individual Development Survey.

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(Standardized testing has) served to keep groups out of institutions and we know that the value, the validity in our education system of using these assessment systems is highly questionable, and we know its highly profitable for a $7.6 billion industry, Pacione-Zayas said.

While the State Board of Education was slated to vote last June on a request for proposals to design and deliver new interim assessments for elementary school students, the plan was put on hold to give educators and parents more time to weigh in, officials said at the time.

For decades, educators and parents have been critical of the annual, federally required assessment of students math, reading and language arts skills, which is delivered statewide to children in third through eighth grades near the end of the school year, with the test results posted each fall on the Illinois Report Card.

ISBE officials have said the interim assessment plan is being considered in an effort to improve the oft-criticized IAR testing program and to enhance equity for students and school districts.

In a recent survey of 5,000 teachers and parents, when asked, Do you support a state assessment system characterized by multiple short tests throughout the year instead of a single, long end-of-year test? approximately 60% said yes, 20% said no, and 20% were undecided, ISBE officials said.

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In addition, 75% of respondents said they are not satisfied with the current state assessment.

ISBE officials said the majority of the states more than 850 school districts are already doing interim assessments for students and paying for the programs themselves.

Offering the assessment to districts for free from the state would save districts money, allow underfunded districts the same opportunity to access student growth data prior to third grade, and ensure alignment to the assessment for grades three through eight, ISBE spokeswoman Jackie Matthews said earlier this year.

A common complaint about the IAR, held in spring, is that test results are not released to teachers until fall, when their students are no longer in their classrooms. ISBE officials have said interim testing would yield more timely and actionable results to families and teachers.

Monique Redeaux-Smith is the IFTs director of union professional issues and led the recent educators discussion about standardized testing and the future of the states student assessment program. She said many parents and teachers across Illinois in the throes of the pandemic were horrified to learn the state board was considering an interim assessment plan.

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It goes beyond what is federally required and increases high-stakes testing, again placing an even heavier burden on Black communities, Redeaux-Smith said.

A Teach not Test campaign, launched by the IFT, CTU, researchers and education groups across the state, is opposed to ISBE increasing testing in Illinois schools in grades three through eight. The campaign is not merely to push back against interim testing, but to really put forth a vision for the kind of balanced and humane assessment system that we do want to see, she said.

Now is the time to reimagine our current testing system and move to an actual assessment system, Redeaux-Smith said. For us, an equitable assessment system is not every district getting access to the same test, but its about every student having the opportunity to see themselves and their knowledge and expertise reflected in the curriculum.

kcullotta@chicagotribune.com
Pakistan has fallen by 12 places to 157 out of 180 countries, according to the RSF report released on the World Press Freedom Day.

In 2021, Pakistan was ranked 145 on the list of the Paris-based media watchdog.

Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) expressed concern about the worsening press freedom in the country, Geo News reported.

CPNE President Kazim Khan said that one can disagree with the editorial policy, however, no one can impose their decision on an institution.

Karachi Press Club President Fazil Jamili said that freedom of expression will be protected by putting personal interests above everything.

World Press Freedom Day falls on May 3 every year. (ANI)
In the face of an adverse economic crisis in Sri Lanka, Finance Minister Ali Sabry raised concerns over the declining liquid reserves in the island country which have currently plunged below USD 50 million. Addressing the Parliament of Sri Lanka, Sabry stated that if the economic crisis is not curbed, it could pose a serious threat to the country, reported the Colombo Page. According to the Finance Minister, the decision to reduce the tax rates was a grave mistake. The Finance Minister even agreed that Sri Lanka should have approached the International Monetary Fund sooner and the rupee should have been properly depreciated. "All governments acted on a dependency mentality. This is the result of debt burden for a long time. Wrong policies in our time also helped to create this situation," said Sabry, as reported by the Colombo Page. The Finance Minister urged the parliament that income tax rates must be increased in the future. A new budget will also be presented. He also asked working individuals to share a part of their earnings. "People who earn must share some money, or society will collapse. Tax revenue will have to increase by about 15 percent over the next two to three years," Sabry said. Further, the Finance Minister stated that the progress report of the International Monetary Fund negotiations has been distributed to all Members of Parliament, as reported by the Colombo Page. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's economy has been in a free fall since the COVID-19 pandemic due to the crash of the tourism sector. The country is presently facing a foreign exchange shortage which has led to a food, fuel, power, and gas shortage, and has sought the assistance of friendly countries for economic assistance. In addition, Sri Lanka is also witnessing at least 10-hour daily power cuts. Its's currency has been devalued by almost SLR 90 against the US dollar since March 8. (ANI)
On the sidelines of the 2nd India-Nordic Summit in Copenhagen, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met Finland PM Sanna Marin and discussed ways to further cement this partnership in trade, investment, technology and other such sectors. This was the first in-person meeting between the two leaders. "Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Sanna Marin met in Copenhagen. The developmental partnership between India and Finland is rapidly growing. Both leaders discussed ways to further cement this partnership in trade, investment, technology and other such sectors," tweeted the office of the Prime Minister of India. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the progress made in the implementation of the outcomes of the bilateral Virtual Summit held on March 16, 2021, read the Ministry of External Affairs press release. Both leaders noted that areas like sustainability, digitalization and cooperation in science and education were important pillars of the bilateral partnership. They discussed opportunities to expand cooperation in the fields of new and emerging technologies like AI, quantum computing, future mobile technologies, clean technologies and smart grids, added the release. Further, PM Modi invited Finnish companies to partner with Indian companies and take advantage of the enormous opportunities that the Indian market presents, particularly in telecom infrastructure and digital transformations. Discussions also took place on regional and global developments, and on greater cooperation in international organizations. Following the bilateral talks, PM Modi will participate in the India-Nordic summit in Denmark, before departing for Paris to meet the newly re-elected President Emmanuel Macron on the final day of his 3-day Europe visit on Wednesday. The second India-Nordic summit will see the participation of the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway, and will follow up on the first summit that took place in Stockholm, Sweden in 2018. "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," PM Modi had said in his departure statement before embarking on the three-day visit on Sunday. Following the summit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to make a brief stopover in Paris for a meeting with Emmanuel Macron, the newly re-elected President of France. (ANI)
Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai on Wednesday met Dmitry Zhirnov, Russia's ambassador to Afghanistan and discussed further strengthening ties between both countries. Karzai said that both of them discussed the current situation and the need to strengthen bilateral ties, TOLOnews reported. The meeting comes amid the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations in Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Moscow. These countries have also promised to help Ukraine with military aid to fight Russia. Earlier, Hamid Karzai had raised concerns over the closure of schools for girls, above grade 6, by the Taliban regime, stating that the people of Afghanistan want their girls to return to schools. "There is no way... that the country can live without our girls going to school. It can't be. The Afghan people will not allow that and I am sure the schools for girls will reopen because that is what the Afghan people want and want clearly," Karzai said as cited by Tolo News. The Taliban has received constant backlash from other countries as well owing to its decision to shut schools for girls from grades 7 to 12 and it has been several months since Afghan girls have been barred from going to school. Several Afghan clerics, notable politicians and members of the civil society have urged the Taliban to consider the reopening of schools for the female students and grant them access to education, reported Tolo News. Meanwhile, the situation of human rights in Afghanistan has also worsened since the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's return to power in August last year. Although the fighting in the country has ended, serious human rights violations continue unabated. (ANI)
The India-Nordic Summit will go a long way in boosting India's ties with the region, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday after he participated in India-Nordic Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark. The second India-Nordic summit saw the participation of the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. This meeting came shortly after PM Modi held bilateral meetings with the Nordic leaders. "The India-Nordic Summit will go a long way in boosting India's ties with the region. Together, there is much that our nations can achieve and contribute to global prosperity and sustainable development," PM Modi tweeted. Addressing a press special briefing, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said three clusters that ran common to the Nordic Summit. "One, need to combine the skill capability of Nordic countries with the scale of India. Two, clean and green growth solutions and three, to forge new innovation partnerships," he said. Kwatra said that discussions during the India-Nordic summit were held in three clusters. "One, relating to multilateral cooperation in the context of COVID aftermath. Two, the climate and sustainable development and blue economy. Three, the innovation segment," he said. Listing out the key points which came up during the summit, the Foreign Secretary said Prime Minister Modi appreciated the Nordic countries as very reliable partners in the last 75 years of India's journey of growth and economic development. "It was noted that Nordic countries in India have shared values of freedom, democracy and the rules-based order. And also share perspectives on various global matters," he said. "The areas of board cooperative partnership essentially focused on: One, the urban renewal. Two, river cleaning. Three is the entire domain of renewable energy. Four is skill development." PM Modi also said that there is a need for temporary TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) waiver for vaccine production globally with the view to ensuring vaccine availability for the needy countries, Kwatra said. The Foreign Secretary said PM also reiterated the five commitments that India made during the COP26 summit. This summit was a follow up to the first summit that took place in Stockholm, Sweden in 2018. The Stockholm Summit was the 1st time India engaged with the Nordic countries as a group on a single platform. (ANI)
"Strengthened bilateral ties with Denmark. Enhanced collaborations with the Nordic countries and the region. PM @narendramodi's visit to Copenhagen concludes. PM Modi now leaves for Paris to hold talks with the French President @EmmanuelMacron," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson said in a tweet.

The Prime Minister said his Denmark visit was productive and covered different spheres ranging engagements.

"The programmes covered different spheres ranging from diplomatic meetings, boosting cultural and commercial linkages and engagement with the Indian community. I thank PM Frederiksen, the Government and people of Denmark," PM Modi tweeted.

He said the India-Nordic Summit gave a great platform to discuss ways to boost ties with the Nordic nations.

"The bilateral meetings with Nordic leaders were also productive. I look forward to working with them in various sectors aimed at furthering prosperity," he said.

This visit to Paris comes after days after French President Emmanuel Macron was re-elected.

Earlier, PM Modi had said that this visit will not only allow him to convey his congratulations to Macron but also reaffirm the close friendship between the two countries.

"This will also give us the opportunity to set the tone for the next phase of the India-France Strategic Partnership," he added. (ANI)
At least 12 persons were arrested for protesting near the Parliament in Colombo for supporting the no-confidence motion against the government and demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, reported the Daily Mirror. The group of protesters were engaged in a protest along the Jayanthipura Road near Parliament holding banners, supporting the no-confidence motion against the government. A tense situation also prevailed at the location after police arrested the protesters claiming that they had caused damage and were violating the rights of the MPs, reported the Daily Mirror. Amid the ongoing economic crisis, the Sri Lankan parliament met today for a crucial session, a day after Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) handed over to the parliamentary Speaker motions of no-confidence against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the government for mishandling the country's worst economic crisis, reported Colombo Page. "It will now become clear who is betraying the demands of the people," the Opposition leader said. As the ongoing economic crisis continues to fuel unrest in the Island country, the protests at 'Galle Face' in Colombo in front of the Presidential Secretariat continued for the 24th day on Monday even as the government faces the prospect of a no-confidence motion in the upcoming parliamentary session. A large number of people from various parts of the island were present at the protest today as well demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Colombo Page reported. Meanwhile, the island country witnessed another protest by the Grama Niladhari Trade Union Confederation at the Galle Face Green, reported the Daily Mirror. They extended their support to the ongoing protests against the government. The union walked from Colombo Fort Railway station to the Galle Face Green as a means of protest. The recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a fall in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as reckless economic policies by the government. Sri Lanka recently defaulted on the entirety of its foreign debt amounting to about USD 51 billion. In addition, the economic situation has led to huge protests with demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. (ANI)
Addressing a special briefing on PM's Visit to Denmark, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said the leaders also discussed the Indo-Pacific.

"Both in the bilateral conversation and in the summit meeting also, the leaders did exchange views on matters of regional and global interest that naturally included Ukraine also. There were also discussions on the Indo-Pacific," he said.

PM Modi and Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway participated in India-Nordic Summit at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark on Wednesday.

The summit was held shortly after PM Modi held bilateral meetings with the Nordic leaders.

The first India-Nordic summit took place in Stockholm, Sweden in 2018. The Stockholm Summit was the first time India engaged with the Nordic countries as a group on a single platform.

After the Denmark part of his visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to make a brief stopover in Paris for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. (ANI)
In the Masjid-e-Nabawi incident in Saudi Arabia, protesters had raised slogans against Shehbaz Sharif and his delegation.

Irked by the non-production of case property, a judicial magistrate in Attock on Wednesday rejected a plea by the police for an extension in the physical remand of Rashid Shafiq but instead sent him on a 14-day judicial remand, Geo News reported.

According to the Pakistani newspaper, the magistrate asked the police officials why did they fail to recover Rashid Shafiq's mobile phone. In response, police said that "Rashid Shafiq left behind his mobile phone in Saudi Arabia."

Meanwhile, the police sought an extension in the physical remand of the suspect which was rejected by the judicial magistrate. At this, the judge said, "First present case property (mobile phone) in the court," Geo News reported.

The judicial magistrate ordered the police to trace the phone. Moreover, the court subsequently adjourned the hearing till May 18.

At the outset of today's hearing, Rashid Shafiq was produced before the court following the completion of his two-day remand granted on May 2.

On May 2, a district and sessions court in Attock had granted the police a two-day physical remand of Rashid Shafiq.

Sheikh Rashid Shafiq had been arrested at the Islamabad International Airport upon his arrival from Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia police arrested five Pakistani nationals for "abusing and insulting" members of PM Shehbaz Sharif's delegation at the Masjid-e-Nabawi in Madina. (ANI)
In his statement, the current Prime Minister of Pakistan said that last year Pakistan plunged 12 points on the World Press Freedom Index during Imran Khan's government. While the score dipped by 18 points during his tenure, reported the Geo News.

Further, PM Shebaz even criticized the former Imran Khan government for imposing restrictions on the media. Taking to Twitter, he said, "It not only earned him the shameful title of 'press freedom predator' but also placed our democracy in a bad light."

Meanwhile, during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's tenure, headed by Imran Khan, Pakistan has dropped further on the list of countries in terms of protection of journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

In 2021, Pakistan was ranked 145 on the list securing a score of 53.14. As per the RSF report, Pakistan has fallen by 12 places to 157 out of 180 countries with a score of 37.99, reported Geo News.

Further, the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) also expressed concern about the worsening press freedom in the country. World Press Freedom Day is observed on May 3 every year. (ANI)
Students and activists rally outside the DePaul University Loop campus on May 3, 2022, in reaction to the leaked draft decision from Supreme Court that showed their intention to overturn Roe v. Wade. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

Chicago Abortion Fund Executive Director Megan Jeyifo was at a comedy show when a rapid-fire series of news alerts and text messages lit up her phone: A draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion leaked Monday indicated the majority of justices plan to overturn Roe v. Wade, threatening abortion rights throughout much of the nation.

The nonprofit leader was at first outraged and then sorrowful. But suddenly, also on her phone, she saw that donations were pouring in from donors who were just as angry and terrified at the prospect of waning abortion access around the country.

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Weve been preparing for this, said Jeyifo, whose organization funds abortions as well as transportation, lodging, child care and other costs associated with travel for the procedure. Our language has been when Roe falls, not if Roe falls.

The landmark 1973 Supreme Court case has established the right to an abortion nationwide for nearly 50 years. But if Roe were to be overturned, the matter of abortion rights would be decided by individual states.

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While abortion will still be legal in Illinois  which has ensconced reproductive freedoms in state law  experts anticipate that more than half the states in the nation would ban or significantly chip away at the right to terminate a pregnancy. This includes every state surrounding Illinois.

It felt like a gut punch, said Planned Parenthood of Illinois President and CEO Jennifer Welch. I was stunned that the Supreme Court appears poised to ignore 50 years of settled law.

[ [Dont miss] If Roe v. Wade is overturned, whats the impact on abortion access for Illinois and its residents? ]

Welch predicted that anywhere from 20,000 to 30,000 additional patients could travel to Illinois each year to terminate a pregnancy if abortion rights are overturned.

This is on top of the ever-increasing number of patients who already cross state lines to come here for the procedure. Nearly 10,000 people came from out of state to have an abortion in Illinois in 2020, according to the latest data available from the Illinois Department of Public Health. This was a 29% increase over the previous year, when about 7,500 patients traveled here for the procedure from another state.

Students and activists rally outside the DePaul University Loop campus on May 3, 2022, in reaction to the leaked draft decision from the Supreme Court that showed the majority of justices intend to overturn Roe v. Wade. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

The number of abortions here for out-of-state women has risen every year since 2014, according to state health data.

While the news of Roes potential demise was shocking, Welch said her agency has been preparing for this possibility for the past five years by increasing the number of health centers, expanding access at facilities, creating a new telehealth program and launching the biggest fundraising campaign in the agencys history.

We are proud to say that abortion is still safe and legal in Illinois, Welch said in a written statement. This is a devastating blow for the millions of people who will suddenly find themselves in an abortion desert; facing a daunting dilemma  travel hundreds of miles to access an abortion, seek an illegal alternative or carry a pregnancy to term against their will. We will continue to fight so that everyone can access the fundamental reproductive health care they need and deserve  no matter what.

In Chicago, officials were considering ways to make the areas around abortion clinics safer for women walking in and out, Northwest Side Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa said Tuesday.

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He said options might include strengthening city ordinances that create protected zones around clinics where anti-abortion protesters arent permitted, or organizing community groups to escort patients to and from the clinic doors.

With many neighboring states now likely to outlaw abortions, we need to make sure Chicago remains a safe place for women to turn, Ramirez-Rosa said. Weve seen extremists outside these clinics  so its incumbent upon us to make certain were doing what we can to ensure that safety.

[ [Dont miss] Potential end of Roe v. Wade becomes election-year call to action in Illinois for both sides of volatile abortion issue ]

As for the Chicago Abortion Fund, Jeyifo said her organization already faces a huge increase in need, as many states have in recent years enacted more burdens on abortion access including restrictions on clinics, gestational limits and mandated waiting periods before a patient can have an abortion.

Our callers have been living in a post-Roe world for decades, she said. This is the reality so many people already face.

In 2018, the organization provided funds for roughly 180 people seeking an abortion; in 2022, more than 500 people on average are calling for financial assistance each month, she said.

In March, those calls for assistance came from 25 different states, she added.

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So far, the fund has been able to help every request thats come in for the past three years, Jeyifo said. But if Roe falls, she worries that demand might start to exceed their budget.

The thought that some patients could be turned away brought tears to her eyes.

We are already strained, she said. Im thankful for the outpouring of support. But Im wondering how we sustain it.

Protecting preborn life

As local reproductive rights advocates prepared to battle more restrictions, anti-abortion activists in Illinois rejoiced at the prospect of Roe crumbling.

Kevin Grillot, executive director of March for Life Chicago, applauded the rollback of abortion rights protections, which have led to the deaths of millions of preborn children and caused irrevocable harm to their families.

Now is the time to return decision making back to the states, he said in a written statement. The majority of Midwesterners support protecting preborn life and should have the right to do so.

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The Supreme Court draft opinion, which was obtained by Politico, states that Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. The draft majority opinion was signed by Justice Samuel Alito, and the Supreme Court on Tuesday confirmed its authenticity.

The case at hand was Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which tested the constitutionality of a Mississippi law that banned abortion after 15 weeks. The draft decision would essentially overturn both Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, another landmark Supreme Court decision affirming abortion rights.

The court is expected to rule on Dobbs v. Jackson over the summer.

Assuming the draft decision stands, Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League Executive Director Eric Scheidler said he was thrilled at the prospect the people will soon be granted freedom of choice when it comes to setting abortion policy in their state.

Eric J. Scheidler, executive director of the Pro-Life Action League, is seen with a portrait of his father, Joe Scheidler, right, in the group's office in Aurora on May 3, 2022. Eric Scheidler's parents, Joe and Ann, were both active in the anti-abortion movement. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

The impact on Illinois, though, will be indirect, Scheidler said.

In 2019, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the Reproductive Health Act, establishing abortion as a fundamental right for women statewide. The state has among the most permissive abortion laws in the nation and serves as an oasis for the procedure in the Midwest, where almost all other states are far more restrictive.

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But Scheidler expects most adjacent states  particularly Indiana, Wisconsin and Missouri  will enact near total bans on the procedure if given the option.

The already climbing out-of-state abortion rate in Illinois will skyrocket, he predicted.

Soon, in many states, unborn children will be welcomed back into the human family, recognized as our brothers and sisters and protected by law, he said. In other states, like my home state of Illinois, these children are under constant threat. Our task now is to bring this expansion of human rights  the fundamental right to life  to every state.

Richard W. Garnett, law professor at the Notre Dame Law School, said that if Roe and Casey are overruled, the matter of abortion regulation will shift to political and legislative contexts.

He added that he expects this would result in laws that better reflect the complex views of Americans on this topic.

It is important to remember that the Roe and Casey decisions imposed on all 50 states one of the worlds most permissible abortion-law regimes, he said, and that those decisions prevent reasonable regulations of abortion that most Americans  including many who support abortion rights  support.

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If Roe and Casey are overturned, Geoffrey R. Stone, law professor at the University of Chicago, said many women who up until now had a right to an abortion in their own states no longer will.

While the number of women traveling to have an abortion would rise, so would illegal abortions, he said.

Which is terrifying, because the world of illegal abortions was a nightmare for women, said Stone, author of the book Sex and the Constitution: Sex, Religion and Law from Americas Origins to the Twenty-First Century.

Massive influx

Dr. Erin King is an abortion provider and executive director of Hope Clinic for Women in Granite City, Illinois, a few miles from the Missouri border.

Just last week, she saw patients from Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Alabama. All journeyed to southwest Illinois to have an abortion due to various restrictions in their home states, she said.

They had to travel, stay a few days and travel back for me to hand them some pills that are safer than most over-the-counter medications, she said. Their travel to and from my office was exponentially more dangerous and the expense astronomical to access abortion.

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Even though reproductive rights are generally well protected in Illinois, she predicted the influx of patients from other states will make appointment times and providers more difficult for in-state patients to access.

Pro-abortion rights activists rally in Federal Plaza on May 3, 2022, following the leak of a draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion that would strike down Roe v. Wade. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

The current providers that focus on abortion care have been preparing for years, but there is no way any of us will be prepared for the sheer number of patients that will be trying to access care, she said. Patient traffic is already increasing this year and we are seeing patients traveling from much farther distances and with ever increasing funding and travel support needs.

A few months ago, Hope Clinic and Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region partnered to open the Regional Logistics Center, a centralized location in southern Illinois where patients can get assistance with travel needs like finding transportation, booking lodging and setting up child care.

Case managers there arrange travel, connect patients with funding, help them find a place to stay and overcome other common barriers to accessing abortion care, especially those that come with traveling long distances.

We knew this opinion was coming and while its not official, it brings us one step closer to an impending public health crisis, said Yamelsie Rodriguez, president and CEO of Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region. No matter what, with our partners, we will fight for what little is left of abortion access in Missouri and push forward to expand in Illinois where abortion access is protected beyond Roe.

In downtown Chicago, a small group of protesters stood on the wet ground of Federal Plaza on Tuesday, beating drums and waving flags whipped by the wind.

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Some held signs saying, Abortion on demand & without apology.

I am heartbroken that this is where we are, said Caitlyn Hana, 27, of the Hyde Park neighborhood. I am scared for the future. Not only for women but everyone in this country if we go backward.

Chicago Tribunes Stephanie Casanova contributed.

eleventis@chicagotribune.com
Amid nationwide protests and growing calls for the resignation of the Rajapaksa government, the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court has issued an order for the removal of protestors and structures that cause inconvenience to the public at MainaGoGama near Temple Trees. On the request by the Kollupitiya police, the Court had issued the order on Monday, reported the Daily Mirror. The police claimed that the protesters were causing obstructions to pedestrian movement. They were also reported to be interfering with the regular vehicle movements after installing temporary structures in the area. A countrywide 24-hour railway trade union action will begin from midnight tomorrow in solidarity to the nationwide hartal on Friday (6), Railway Trade Union Alliance (RTUA) Co-Convener S.P. Withanage said. Meanwhile, S.P. Withanage, co-convener of the Railway Trade Union Alliance (RTUA) announced that a 24- hour countrywide railway trade union action will start from midnight, to show solidarity to the nationwide hartal on Friday. The strike will begin at 12 midnight on Wednesday and conclude at 12 midnight on Friday, cited Withanage as reported by the Daily Mirror. Reportedly, over 40 railway trade unions will join the strike while above 1000 trade unions will join the railway trade unions. In addition, there will be zero trains running in the island country during the strike as well, said the Co-Convener. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is struggling with acute food and electricity shortages, forcing the country to seek help from its neighbors. The recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a clampdown on tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic. The country is unable to buy sufficient fuel and gas, while the people are being deprived of basic amenities as well. The economic situation has led to huge protests with demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. (ANI)
Indo-German Science and Technology Centre (IGSTC) is all set to propose a joint "Artificial Intelligence" ('AI') initiative on healthcare and sustainability, the Ministry of Science and Technology said on Wednesday. This was stated here by Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, during the luncheon meeting hosted by President, DFG (German Research Foundation) Prof. (Dr) Katja Becker, who also happens to be a veteran Medical professional cum researcher. Dr Jitendra Singh expressed satisfaction that India and Germany science and technology relations have made great strides in recent years and have become truly multidimensional, spurred by a significant convergence of interests, mutual goodwill and high-level exchanges. DFG has been playing an important role and we value longstanding partnership with DFG. The Minister talked about the recently concluded MoU to support the International Research Training Groups (IRTG) program towards capacity building targeting the training of Indian and German students for pursuing the PhD program. A call for inviting proposals from Indian and German research groups has been launched. Both of them agreed that this agreement is truly remarkable for achieving greater objectives in the projects and addressing larger problems. Dr Jitendra Singh mentioned that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Government of India in recent time has initiated several new mission mode programs like Cyber-Physical System, Quantum Technologies, Future Manufacturing, Green Hydrogen Fuel, Deep Ocean Mining etc. Govt. of India and DFG can explore working together in solving such issues of societal challenges. Both of them agreed to explore opportunities for bilateral cooperation between India and DFG in the form of funding research projects and to initiate and intensify long-term Indo-German cooperative relationships in research. They also agreed to consider initiating International Research Training Groups (IRTG) programs with other scientific departments. Both of them expressed happiness that a joint call for proposals in toxicology would be coming up in September 2022. Dr Jitendra Singh mentioned that India has taken several steps to harness the power of Quantum computing for societal benefit. The Govt. of India has launched the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) to make India a leading player in the Cyber-Physical System. Both of them discussed the new initiatives taken by their respective governments at gender equality and the programs to address the inequalities. Both the leaders expressed optimism that a common mechanism can be worked out to harmonise the Data protection regulations for scientific research funding between the countries. Dr Jitendra Singh expressed optimism at the suggestion of starting the Collaborative Research Centres between the research communities of both countries, with a special focus on urgent and high-end science topics. (ANI)
This statement was issued after Prine Minister Narendra Modi attended a summit with prime ministers of Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, and Denmark.

During the Summit, the Prime Ministers pledged to continue to deepen cooperation between the Nordic countries and India and focused their discussions on key issues related to international peace and security, including the conflict in Ukraine, multilateral cooperation, green transition and climate change, the blue economy, innovation and digitalisation.

The Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of free trade as a driver for achieving inclusive growth and realising the Sustainable Development Goals.

"The Nordic Prime Ministers reiterated their strong condemnation of the unlawful and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine by Russian Forces," the joint statement read.

According to the statement, the Prime Ministers expressed their serious concern about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. "They unequivocally condemned civilian deaths in Ukraine. They reiterated the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities," it added.

They discussed the destabilizing effect of the conflict in Ukraine and its broader regional and global implications. Both sides agreed to remain closely engaged on the issue.

Moreover, the Prime Ministers affirmed their strong commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation.

"The leaders agreed that pressing challenges such as tackling climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, biodiversity loss and increasing food and energy insecurity across the world required international cooperation, a collective response and global solidarity," the statement read. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bilateral meeting with the counterpart of Nordic countries - Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway will boost partnership in blue economy, clean technology, geothermal energy and 5G. In a special briefing by Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on PM Modi's visit to the Nordic countries held at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark, he said, "PM's meetings with Nordic leaders started with his meeting with his counterpart from Norway, Jonas Gahr Store, where the principal focus of discussion and partnership was on - 1) Blue Economy and its various facets; 2) Renewable energy-in particular, cooperative possibilities in hydroelectric and green hydrogen; 3) Technology and investment ties-in this context PM invited Norwegian Pension Funds to partner in India's growth story; 4) In the health sector in which the two leaders talked about cooperation relating to joint research in vaccines and development of health infrastructure and 5) Cooperation in building and restoring water bodies in India. "They also talked about continuing cooperation and coordination in the UNSC as well as bilateral, cultural cooperation, including in Yoga between the two countries," he informed. PM Modi engaged with Nordic partners on the sidelines of the 2nd India-Nordic Summit. He met PMs of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway. Prior to that, he held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway today. PM Modi's second meeting was with the Prime Minister of Sweden, Magdalena Andersson where the principal focus of discussion and cooperation was on Clean Technology and Sustainable Solutions. "This was discussed broadly under 2 rubrics, one relating to the investments by Sweden in India in Clean Technology & Sustainable Solution and Partnerships in research and innovation in this field, drawing on very successful partnerships of the lead IT programme which is related to industrial transition," said Kwatra. Later in the day, PM Modi met Iceland's counterpart Katrin Jakobsdottir and the two PMs also spoke about cooperation in the blue economy, including fisheries and food processing. "This year India-Iceland are celebrating the 50th year of our bilateral relations. Discussions between them focussed on cooperation in the field of geothermal energy and its various aspects including research, training, skill development and innovation in this space," said the Foreign Secretary. Today's last bilateral meeting of PM Modi was with Finland's counterpart Sanna Marin were the focus of the conversation was to build on the existing strength which India and Finland achieved in the entire ecosystem of digital partnership. "More specifically, they talked about cooperation in the field of digital innovation, digital goods and platforms including infrastructure like 5G and 6G. We recently established a joint centre of excellence in the field of quantum computing and lastly the investment in the technology sector by the Finnish countries- already have a strong presence - like Nokia, Errickson," added Kwatra. The two leaders talked about women empowerment and also noted the bio-refinery project in Assam which is nearing completion. (ANI)
Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina on Wednesday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India's leadership in promoting climate and disaster resilience and said it is crucial to invest in the resilience of infrastructure systems. Speaking at the inaugural session of the 4th International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), Rajoelina said that his country has recently joined the CDRI and is honoured to be part of this global partnership. The CDRI was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019. "We are determined to bring our active participation and to share with other countries our experience on climate-related disaster management," Rajoelina said. The session was also addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, President of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida. Rajoelina noted that Madagascar, a very low polluter, is among the most vulnerable countries to climate change. "Today, we are the fourth most exposed and affected country in the world to the effects of climate change," he said. "Our big island suffers from both repeated floods due to meteorological cataclysms and intense drought causing chronic famine for the population of the south of my country. On average, 15 cyclones hit Madagascar every decade," he added. Talking about extreme weather events, the Madagascar President said that in recent years it has led to a decrease in agricultural production, destruction of infrastructure, loss of human lives, degradation of natural resources, making food security precarious, as well as public health and drinking water supply. He noted that because of climate change, cyclones are becoming more frequent and more violent and this happened recently at the beginning of this year. He highlighted that in only 25 days, Madagascar underwent a series of major weather events; the passage of the tropical storm ANA, the cyclone BATSIRAI - one of the most violent cyclones in the last ten years; the tropical storm DUMAKO and tropical cyclone EMNATI. These cyclones damaged not only more than 8,500 homes, but also schools, health facilities, offices and administrative buildings, and affected the lives and livelihoods of thousands of people, he added. "Madagascar has seen nearly 200,000 hectares of agricultural land devastated andflooded. And yet, our objective is to increase the rice-growing area in Madagascar by 100,000 hectares in order to achieve food self-sufficiency," he said. He said that for Madagascar and all countries vulnerable to climate change, it is crucial to invest in the resilience of infrastructure systems. "They are not only the lifelines of our economy in normal times, but also essential for rapid recovery after a disaster." Madagascar President hoped that in the coming year, specific programmes and projects of the CDRI will be launched and will include Madagascar. "Madagascar is committed and determined to work for our common cause of promoting disaster and climate change resilient infrastructures, not only in our country but all over the world," he added. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday invited Nordic companies to invest in the Blue Economy sector, including the Sagarmala project and asked the sovereign wealth funds of the Nordic countries to invest in India. As a part of Sagarmala Programme, more than 800 projects at an estimated cost of around Rs 5.48 lakh crore have been identified for implementation. Sagarmala projects include projects from various categories such as modernisation of existing ports and terminals, new ports, terminals, inland waterways, lighthouse tourism and skill development, etc. PM Modi made this pitch at the 2nd India-Nordic Summit. This summit saw the participation of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, 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. PM Modi and his counterparts from Nordic countries agreed to work together to fight and address climate change and protect the natural environment in accordance with the Paris Agreement. The Summit provided an opportunity to review the progress of the India-Nordic relations since the 1st India-Nordic Summit, which was held in 2018 in Stockholm. "Discussions were held on multilateral cooperation in post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change, sustainable development, innovation, digitalization, and green and clean growth. Discussions were also held on cooperation in maritime sector with a focus on sustainable ocean management. Prime Minister invited Nordic companies for investing in the Blue Economy sector, especially in India's Sagarmala project," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release. The Prime Ministers agreed to work together to fight and address climate change and to protect the natural environment in accordance with the Paris Agreement, according to a joint statement. The Summit noted that the acceleration of the global green transition to combat climate change is one of the greatest and most imminent global challenges. "At the same time, successful transition to sustainable economy offers huge opportunities including new jobs. The need for setting ambitious goals for reducing emissions and concrete implementation plans was underlined, which will facilitate business actors' contribution to accelerating the transition," the JOINT statement read. The Prime Ministers welcomed the international agreement at COP26 on the need for accelerated climate action for holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degree above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degree above pre-industrial level. According to the statement, India and the Nordic countries are committed to ambitious cooperation on renewable energy, energy diversification, smart grids and energy efficiency. The leaders furthermore discussed collaboration on environmental sustainability including clean water, clean air and circular economy, which is critically important, not only to maintain and support biodiversity, water and wildlife, but also as a basis for food security, human health and prosperity. The statement said that India and Nordic countries are also committed to adopting the ambitious Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework in the upcoming 2nd Part of COP15 of Convention on Biological Diversity to be held at Kunming, China and work together in its implementation. The Prime Ministers agreed that the blue economy can deliver economic growth, new jobs, improved nutrition, and increased food security, if managed sustainably. "As leading ocean nations, India and the Nordic countries agreed on the benefits of partnering on transforming the shipping industry towards a low carbon future through exchange of good practices and technology transfers," the statement read. (ANI)
According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Prime Minister's office, both Pakistan and the UAE have mutually agreed to boost and strengthen their bilateral economic cooperation in the sectors of trade, infrastructure, energy, petroleum, and other fields, reported the Dawn newspaper.

The two nations further decided to remain in close contact for the "implementation of the investment and trade decisions made at the leadership level".

Further, the statement revealed that Shehbaz Sharif was keen on strengthing the bond between Pakistan and the UAE by taking it to a higher level, "especially on the economic front", reported the Dawn newspaper.

In the statement, it was also mentioned that the visit of the economic experts to Pakistan during the holy month of Eid showed the willingness of the UAE Government to invest in the country.

Earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embarked on a three-day official visit to Saudi Arabia post which he visited UAE. During his visit, Shebaz had an interaction with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, accompanied by the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

The two parties reviewed several regional and international issues of common interest, reported the Dawn newspaper. (ANI)
Sexual violence against women is rampant in Pakistan, with a large number of cases going unreported while others are being mishandled by the police. The Pakistan Human Rights Ministry report stated that over 14,456 Pakistani women were assaulted in the country in the last four years, as reported by Pakistan Today. In 2018, 4,326 rape cases were recorded, followed by 4,377 cases in the following year and 1,866 cases in the previous year. However, the report mentioned that only a mere 4 per cent of the rape cases resulted in a conviction. Reportedly, when such cases are presented before the court, pressure tactics accompanied by other manners all result in an abysmally low conviction rate. Earlier, assailant Usman Mirza and his 4 accomplices were held for harassing and thrashing a couple in a room in Islamabad, reported Pakistan Today. The video was widely circulated on social media. The female victim even stated that she was "threatened with gang rape if she didn't have sex with her friend while they filmed it". The case reached the ears of ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan as well while the police arrested Mirza and the 4 assaulters. However, in a sudden turn of events, the female victim refused to proceed with the case anymore by submitting an affidavit in court. Further, she stated that "police itself created this case, neither I have recognised any accused nor have I signed any papers." The sudden stop in the case caused an uproar on social media, reported Pakistan Today. Journalist Salman Masood expressed his disapproval of the justice system, calling it "rotten" where it is "easy to manipulate, and where the powerful always escape accountability." Meanwhile, rights activists are of the opinion that female victims must be provided robust security while there ought to be good policing as well. They further insisted that society must be taught that reporting cases of violence are not shameful. It is in fact, the only way to get justice. (ANI)
In the letter, the former human rights minister of Pakistan claimed that the newly-elected Primer Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif has appointed an "ally of terrorist groups" in his cabinet accompanied by an alleged killer as Pakistan's interior minister, reported the Dawn newspaper.

Meanwhile, Musadik Malik, the State Minister for Petroleum has said that Marzari has appealed to the UN in a bid to "save" the PTI.

"US is conspiring and a request has been sent to the United Nations. Wow, what a conspiracy," stated the minister as reported by the Dawn newspaper.

Earlier, when Shehbaz Sharif was elected as the new Prime Minister of Pakistan after the ouster of Imran Khan through a no-confidence vote, Shehbaz appointed 33 people in his cabinet including Rana Sanaullah. Post Sanaullah's oath-taking ceremony, he was declared the interior minister of Pakistan.

Reportedly, since Sanaullah became Pakistan's interior minister, the PTI has argued that the present government would launch a campaign against them. However, the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) has denied the claims of the PTI, reported the Dawn newspaper. (ANI)
Anas Haqqani, a senior member of the Taliban has addressed a gathering in Khost on Wednesday to discuss the prevalent problems pertaining to the ban on secondary girls' schools. Addressing the gathering, which was attended by members of the Afghan government as well, Haqqani asserted that an assembly of attendees, including religious clerics and experts, will be called upon soon to discuss the problems relating to girls' schools, reported the Tolo news. Although he refrained from naming groups or individuals, Haqqani stated that the issue will be resolved with negotiations and not fighting or "bloodshed", reported the Tolo news. The Taliban member assured that some "good news" is on the forefront as well. He even accepted the fact that many people were quite disappointed in them. "You will hear good news. It will make everyone happy. We should understand that the foreigners are undermining us in this regard. A lot of people have been disappointed. And they have the right to be disappointed. It was a major (issue) for the people," said Haqqani as reported by the Tolo news. Further, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shafay Azam stated that "There is a chance this time. If we lose this chance, we will face misery," The worldwide condemnation of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan had heightened after the Taliban decided to close all secondary schools for girls. Several activists and political parties have urged the Taliban to reconsider the ban on secondary schools for girls. Earlier, the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) expressed their concern that the closing of secondary and high schools for girl students is a serious issue. However, the Taliban's Ministry of Education has assured that the schools for girls in grades 7-12 will be reopened in the near future. (ANI)
Luis Eduardo Sanchez, 18, a freshman at the University of Illinois at Chicago, appears on his show "Radio Fuego" at the campus studio on April 27, 2022. He was talking to musicians Gabino Montalvo and Alfredo Valdez. Sanchez created the show to showcase young Mexican American talent creating regional Mexican music in Chicago. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

Spanish was rarely spoken at home while Luis Eduardo Sanchez was growing up in the early 2000s. He attended a predominantly white elementary and middle school in suburban Illinois. Despite being a son of a Mexican immigrant father and a Chicana mother, he recalls not feeling comfortable embracing their roots. I was kind of ashamed of my culture, he said. Growing up in spaces that didnt celebrate his Mexican heritage pushed him away from it.

In high school, everything changed. When Sanchez participated in a talent show his senior year at Morton West High School, he sported a traditional Mexican outfit and held the Mexican and the Chicago flags up high while he sang an ode to his Chicano identity.

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It was at Morton West, a predominantly Latino school in Berwyn, where Sanchez was finally exposed to the beauty of his Mexican roots, he said. There, he was surrounded by the music, the colors and the language like never before. It was also there where he discovered his special appreciation for rancheras, banda, and norteno, traditional Mexican music that his father and grandfather listened to.

[ Para leer en espanol, haga clic aqui ]

Now in college, the 18-year-old, who aspires to be a radio personality and announcer, created a radio show in English that aims to showcase and celebrate other Mexican American youth creating regional Mexican music in Chicago and its surroundings. Every Wednesday, Sanchez broadcasts and records his show, Radio Fuego, live from the University of Illinois at Chicago campus. The show features live music and interviews with members of new groups and bands made up of other first- and second-generation Mexican Americans like himself.

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Young Mexican Americans are no longer ashamed, and instead want to uplift and embrace their music, Sanchez said. Its a newfound identity, he added: While they are proud to be born in the United States, theyve learned to encourage and empower each other to be proud of their Mexican roots and find a way to also make it a part of their American identity.

Were the No sabo kids, Sanchez said, laughing. But even if we dont speak perfect Spanish, the music makes us feel connected to our family and it helps us to appreciate the beauty of our culture.

The phrase no sabo was popularized on social media to describe Latino youths who speak broken Spanish. Instead of saying no se, meaning I dont know, some would say no sabo.

Music speaks to me, Sanchez said. Listening to old-school music, Pedro Infante and Jose Alfredo Jimenez remind me of my grandpa. I close my eyes and imagine myself in Mexico.

Luis Eduardo Sanchez, left, 18, a freshman at the University of Illinois at Chicago, hosts musicians Gabino Montalvo, center, and Alfredo Valdez in the campus studio on April 27, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

Sanchezs father, Jose Luis Sanchez, is from a rural town in Guanajuato, Mexico, and immigrated to the Chicago area nearly 30 years ago. Here, he met his wife, a second-generation Mexican American whose parents are from Sonora, and eventually raised their three children, including Sanchez, in Lyons Township.

Though Sanchezs father, a carpenter, would listen to the traditional music and often had live music for family celebrations, he acknowledged that his son was being raised in a very different country  and he didnt expect his son to ever create a show dedicated to promoting Mexican music for an Anglo audience.

It makes me feel very proud and happy that he found this appreciation for our music within him, he said.

Like Sanchez, many of his guests on the show get a sense of nostalgia from creating the music. Most, he said, are self-taught, learning to play instruments by hearing the music or watching videos of the groups and bands their fathers and grandfathers used to listen to. Others grew up with family members who play music.

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For Jesus Antonio Garcia, 20,member of Los Primos del Crucero, it is a family affair. All of the members of the norteno band are his cousins and he was inspired by his father, Jesus Chuy Garcia, the accordionist and vocalist for Los Huracanes del Norte, a renowned norteno band.

After Sanchez posted a TikTok sharing his vision and asking new and young groups and bands to contact him if they wished to be featured on his radio show, Garcia was one of nearly 200 that reached out.

During the hourlong show, Garcia told Sanchez that he mastered playing the accordion during the pandemic and his cousin learned to play the guitar at the same time, after returning from the military. After learning a few songs, the two decided to dedicate more time to their newfound passion and create their own norteno band.

My whole life I had been surrounded by norteno music, but I really never had an interest in it; it was just something my father did, Garcia said. He was raised in Carol Stream with his two other siblings and never intended to play an instrument, let alone sing like his father.

As a child, only speaking English, he had a hard time understanding the lyrics of the music his father made. In high school, he set out to learn more Spanish to make sense of the songs.

Sometimes, he said, being born here to Mexican parents and not speaking the language pushes people away from their culture. Some are ashamed for not speaking Spanish, but its also something to be proud of.

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Its awesome to be Chicano because I can have the best of both worlds, Garcia said.

New regional Mexican music has emerged from young groups mostly in California and Texas, said Alvaro Obregon, founder of the Chicago Mariachi Project, a not-for-profit organization that implemented the art of mariachi in Chicago schools nearly a decade ago.

But in recent years, in Chicago, he has noticed that first- and second-generation Mexican American teens are not only embracing the beauty of mariachi, but many have also discovered that any type of regional Mexican music is an art and want to continue creating it.

When I was a kid, you would get called names if you were playing Mexican music. Now you see quite the opposite, Obregon said. Even before with the Chicago Mariachi Project, there were some young people that were no longer ashamed to wear their botas and tejana.

Spaces such as Sanchezs radio show can help other young Latinos to feel encouraged to create their own music and bring others onto it, Obregon said.

Obregon said this new generation of Mexican Americans has rediscovered and redefined their identity in this country by choosing to proudly uplift part of their roots  like the very traditional music  that had been judged and stereotyped.

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Unlike their parents, these teens and young adults no longer feel the pressure to acculturate, but rather want to uplift their Mexican roots and make them a noticeable part of their American roots, Obregon said.

larodriguez@chicagotribune.com
"We are aware of the DPRK's ballistic missile launch today and are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan, as well as other regional allies and partners. The United States condemns these actions and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further destabilizing acts," the statement said.

The US remains committed to the defence of South Korea and Japan, the military said.

"While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, territory, or that of our allies, we will continue to monitor the situation," it concluded.

Earlier today, North Korea fired an unidentified projectile toward the Sea of Japan at about 3:10 GMT.

The Japanese Defense Ministry estimated its maximum altitude at 800 kilometres (497 miles) and range at 500 kilometres, noting that it fell outside the exclusive economic zone of Japan, Sputnik news agency reported.

Media reports said that it was the 14th missile launch conducted by North Korea this year.

Tokyo has lodged a protest with Pyongyang via diplomatic channels in Beijing. (ANI)
Almaty [Kazakhstan], May 4 (ANI/Sputnik): The new constitution of Kazakhstan is proposing to exclude provisions on the status of former President Nursultan Nazarbayev, State Secretary Erlan Karin said on Wednesday. He added that such a proposal was made by the members of the constitutional working group. Karin also said that the Sonstitution Souncil positively assessed the draft project on amendments proposed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. "Also, taking into account the proposal of some members of the working group, an additional appeal was sent to the Constitutional Council on the exclusion of the rule regarding the status of the first president," Karin wrote on his Telegram channel. "According to the members of the working group, the historical role of the first president is well known and does not require a separate provision in the constitution," Karin added. (ANI/Sputnik)
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday announced that he will hold a public gathering in Mianwali in Punjab province on May 6 to kick off his campaign for "real freedom", local media reported. Khan said that the Mianwali public gathering is part of the movement he has begun to rid the country of the "imported" government and "most corrupt people", Geo News reported. Last month, Khan announced a huge march toward Islamabad in the last week of May to protest against what he termed a "corrupt and imported government". Khan further said that he was coming to the people of Mianwali to give a boost to them before he gives the call for a long march to Islamabad, according to the Pakistani newspaper. Khan also asked the residents to show up in large numbers so that the rest of Pakistan gets the message that "Mianwali is standing" with him. He also claimed that the people of Mianwali were ready to support him when he gives the call to come to Islamabad this month, Geo News reported. Notably, PTI has staged several protests across the country against the United States for an alleged "foreign conspiracy" to oust the country's former Prime Minister Imran Khan from power who has been unseated after the no-confidence vote initiated by the Opposition was carried in the National Assembly. (ANI)
Amid a slew of draconian laws introduced by the Chinese in Hong Kong, an annual report on press freedoms across the globe published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) indicates that Hong Kong, once a bastion for free press, has plummeted in the rankings. The dismal performance has been mainly attributed to the Chinese government's implementation of the National Security Law (NSL), which was enacted in June 2020 and has been wielded to prosecute and jail journalists, Vision Times reported. According to the 2022 report, Hong Kong now ranks 148th out of 180 countries measured placing Hong Kong between the Philippines and Turkey, the report said. The People's Republic of China ranked 175th and North Korea ranked the lowest at 180. Last year, Hong Kong ranked 80th in the index meaning Hong Kong has plunged in the rankings considerably in one year. Due to the NSL, "In 2021, two major independent news outlets, Apple Daily and Stand News were forcefully shut down while numerous smaller-scale media outlets ceased operations, citing legal risks," the RSF report reads. "The Hong Kong government takes orders directly from Beijing and openly supports its attempts to impose censorship and spread propaganda," the authors of the report said, Vision Times quoted. The organization cites public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), which was previously renowned for its fearless investigations, but has subsequently been placed under pro-government management which does not hesitate to censor the programs it disapproves of. Despite Hong Kong's Basic Law enshrining "freedom of speech, of the press and of publication" the NSL serves as a pretext to silence independent voices in the name of the fight against "terrorism", "secession", "subversion", and "collusion with foreign forces". Hong Kong was once a safe place for journalists to operate until 2014 when journalists who covered the Umbrella Movement were targeted by the police and pro-Beijing factions, Vision Times said. However, most large-scale media outlets in China are state-owned and parrot pro-Beijing talking points, the publication added. (ANI)
Concluding his three-day jam-packed visit to Europe, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (local time), departed for India after his short stay in Paris during which he held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. In France, the Prime Minister held talks with the newly re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron, discussing a range of bilateral issues including defence, space, civil nuclear cooperation and people-to-people linkages, as well as regional and global issues. "My visit to France was brief but a very fruitful one. President @EmmanuelMacron and I got the opportunity to discuss various subjects. I thank him and the French Government for the warm hospitality," the Prime Minister tweeted before his departure. PM Modi held several high-level engagements with the leadership of Germany, Denmark and France, during the course of his visit, while also interacting with the Indian diaspora in all three countries. The Prime Minister also held interactions with the business leaders in Germany and Denmark during the course of his visit. PM Modi arrived in Berlin on Monday where he held bilateral discussions with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, before participating in the sixth India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations. The Prime Minister said the Inter-Governmental Consultations were productive. A total of nine agreements were signed between India and Germany, including a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) on Green and Sustainable Development Partnership under which Germany agreed to make an advance commitment of 10 billion euros of new and additional developmental assistance to India until 2030. On the second day of his visit, the Indian Prime Minister arrived in Copenhagen, holding talks with his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen and discussing bilateral issues including trade between the two countries and cooperation on environmental action. A number of agreements were formally signed between the two countries including a Declaration of Intent (DoI) on Migration and Mobility, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of skill development, Vocational Education and Entrepreneurship and the launch of energy policy dialogue at ministerial level between the two countries. On the third day of his visit, PM Modi attended the second India-Nordic summit with the Prime Ministers of Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, and Denmark. During the Summit, the Prime Ministers pledged to continue to deepen cooperation between the Nordic countries and India and focused their discussions on key issues related to international peace and security, including the conflict in Ukraine, multilateral cooperation, green transition and climate change, the blue economy, innovation and digitalisation. (ANI)
Emphasizing the strong strategic and defence partnership between India and France, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Wednesday (local time) said that the defence cooperation between the two countries is in line with "our own domestic policy of Atmanirbharta (self-reliance)". The Foreign Secretary made the remarks while addressing a press briefing at the conclusion of the bilateral and delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron. Answering a question of possible agreements during the talks on further upgradation and orders of the French fighter aircraft Rafale, Foreign Secretary said that the talks did not necessarily cover individual platforms. "I think what you need to realise is when the two strategic partners speak, it covers the discussion in a format which is not necessarily focused on transactions on individual platforms," Foreign Secretary Kwatra said. Talking further about the defence cooperation between India and France, the Foreign Secretary reiterated that the two countries "are very strong strategic partners, and also have a very strong defence partnership". The context of defence partnership is defined in the case of our two countries by not just trade in different platforms, but it also extends to co-development, co-designing, co-manufacturing," Kwatra said. "This is also very much in sync and in line with our own domestic policy of Atmanirbharta, which also ofcourse extends very strongly in the field of defence," he added. The joint statement released by India and France at the end of the Prime Minister's visit also talked about the greater involvement of France in "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India). "As seen in the timely delivery of the Rafale despite the pandemic, the two sides enjoy synergy in the field of defence," the joint statement read. "Taking forward this momentum, and based on their mutual trust, both sides agreed to find creative ways for France's deeper involvement in the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-reliant India) efforts in advanced defence technology, manufacturing and exports, including through encouraging increased industry to industry partnerships," the statement added. Both sides also welcomed the "ongoing intense cooperation across all defence domains" in the joint statement. Answering another question, on the possibility of co-production of Rafale aircraft with France in India by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Foreign Secretary Kwatra said that he could not comment specifically on that, but highlighted that there are many possibilities. "With regard to the co-production, possibilities... look, it's a very broad scope, and it's a very broad field of substance, and anything can be discussed and is possible in terms of what two countries can eventually agree to co-produce," Kwatra said. "So, I don't have a very specific answer to give you on that, but I think, it includes many possibilities," he added. The comments came on the final day of the three-day Europe visit of PM Modi, during the course of which the Prime Minister visited Germany and Denmark, before making a brief stopover in Paris. "Delighted, as always, to meet my friend President @EmmanuelMacron. We talked at length about bilateral as well as global issues. India and France are proud developmental partners with our partnership spread across different sectors," PM Modi said about his interactions with the French President. PM Modi emplaned for India after the conclusion of his engagements in Paris on Wednesday (local time). (ANI)
* Pope took the wrong tone - Russian Orthodox Church

* Kremlin says: no agreement on pope meeting

* Pope said Kirill should not be Putin's altar boy

* Patriarch Kirill: my flock is divided (Recasts with Russian Orthodox Church)

By Guy Faulconbridge

LONDON, May 4 (Reuters) - The Russian Orthodox Church scolded Pope Francis on Wednesday for using the wrong tone after he urged Patriarch Kirill not to become the Kremlin's "altar boy", cautioning the Vatican that such remarks would hurt dialogue between the churches.

Francis told Italy's Corriere Della Sera newspaper that Kirill, who has given the Ukraine war his backing, "cannot become [President Vladimir] Putin's altar boy".

The Russian Orthodox Church said it was regrettable that a month and a half after Francis and Kirill, the patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, had spoken directly, the pope had adopted such a tone.

"Pope Francis chose an incorrect tone to convey the content of this conversation," the Moscow Patriarchy said, though it did not explicitly mention the "altar boy" comment.

"Such statements are unlikely to contribute to the establishment of a constructive dialogue between the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches, which is especially necessary at the present time."

Kirill, 75, a close ally of Putin, sees the war as a bulwark against a West he considers decadent, particularly over the acceptance of homosexuality.

The Russian Orthodox Church is by far the biggest of the churches in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which split with Western Christianity in the Great Schism of 1054. Today it has about 100 million followers within Russia and more outside.

Ukraine has about 30 million Orthodox believers, divided between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and two other Orthodox Churches, one of which is the autocephalous, or self-governing, Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Francis, 85, has asked for a meeting in Moscow with Putin about Ukraine but the Kremlin said on Wednesday there was no agreement on this.

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Russia and the West frame the conflict in Ukraine very differently.

Moscow calls its actions a "special military operation" to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. Kyiv and its Western backers say the fascism claim is absurd and say Russia is waging an unprovoked war that threatens Ukraine's continued existence as a sovereign, democratic state.

The Moscow Patriarchy quoted Kirill as telling Pope Francis on March 16 that the Western media had failed to accurately report the situation in Ukraine - a frequent Russian complaint.

'DIVIDED FLOCK'

Kirill said the conflict in Ukraine had begun in 2014 when protests toppled a pro-Russian president. Kirill noted what he said was the persecution of Russian speakers in Ukraine's port city of Odesa. Ukraine denies any such persecution.

But Kirill also expressed sorrow over the conflict.

"Of course, this situation is associated with great pain for me. My flock is on both sides of the confrontation, they are mostly Orthodox people," the Patriarchy quoted him as saying.

"How can we foster the pacification of those fighting with the single goal of achieving the consolidation of peace and justice?"

Putin has also cited NATO enlargement to Russia's borders as a reason for the conflict in Ukraine despite what he says were assurances given as the Soviet Union collapsed that the alliance would not expand - an issue Kirill touched on.

"Patriarch Kirill further recalled that at the end of the Soviet era, Russia received an assurance that NATO would not move one inch in the eastern direction," the Moscow Patriarchy said. "However, this promise was broken."

The United States and NATO deny such assurances were given but say countries are free to apply to join an alliance they say is purely defensive and poses no threat to Russia. (Reporting by Reuters Editing by Gareth Jones)
Gregg has 41 million TikTok followers. Kevin Mazur/MG22/Getty Images

Avani Gregg is a 19-year-old TikToker and former member of the Hype House.

She attended her first Met Gala this year, wearing a red dress designed by couture brand, Bach Mai.

This is how Gregg rose to fame and became the 25th most followed TikToker in the world.

On May 2, 19-year-old TikTok star Avani Gregg attended the Met Gala for the first time, wearing a red chiffon dress designed by American couture brand, Bach Mai.

On social media, where Gregg has over 41 million TikTok followers alone, fans said they were "proud" to see one of their favorite influencers at the event, and short videos made to praise Gregg's brightly colored dress now have hundreds of thousands of TikTok views each.

Gregg wore a red chiffon dress designed by Bach Mai. Cindy Ord/MG22/Getty Images

Gregg was one of a handful of influencers at the Met Gala this year. TikTokers were invited to the event, which is typically attended by A-list celebrities, for the first time in September 2021. According to NBC, event organizers hoped that their presence would attract interest in the event from a younger audience.

Here is how Gregg rose to fame, from posting lip-syncing videos on TikTok to becoming the 25th most followed creator in the world and walking down the Met Ball red carpet.

Gregg has been consistently posting on social media since 2016

The 19-year-old TikToker was raised in Brownsburg, Indiana, and moved to Los Angeles, California, in 2019. She was training to be a gymnast but pivoted to social media when she was 13 after developing a stress fracture in her back, according to Forbes.

Gregg started posting on the video-sharing platform Musical.ly in April 2016, years before the app was acquired by Bytedance and merged into its sister app, TikTok, in 2018. Within a month, Gregg posted a video saying she had gained 1,000 followers.

The teenager initially posted lip-syncing videos  a format where the user moves their lips to the words of a popular song or sound  as well as make-up tutorials and transformations.

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Gregg started to become well-known on the app in 2016 when she began posting distinct make-up looks that resembled Harley Quinn from the movie "Suicide Squad." In 2020, she told HollyWire that her fans started calling her by the nickname, "Clown Girl," and has recreated the now-iconic looks in more recent videos.

Gregg joined the 'Hype House' TikTok collective, filming with Addison Rae and Charli D'amelio

When "Hype House," a group of TikTokers who filmed daily videos together, formed in December 2019, Gregg was one of the original 21 members, alongside Addison Rae and Charli D'Amelio, who are both listed in the top five most-followed TikTok accounts in the world. However, in February 2020 Gregg told Today that she did not live in the shared house with the other stars.

Gregg filmed TikTok dances and lip-sync videos with other Hype House members, but in May 2020, the group appeared to have a disagreement which lead Charli D'Amelio and her sister, Dixie, to separate from the collective. According to Dexerto, fans soon began to speculate that Gregg might also leave the group, as she began to appear less frequently in videos with the other members.

Gregg has not publically made a statement about her involvement with the group, but she did not appear in the Hype House reality show that aired on Netflix in January of 2022 and is not listed as a group member on the Netflix website.

Despite appearing to distance herself from the group, Gregg remains popular on the TikTok app, and is currently the 25th most followed creator in the world, according to analytics website insiflow.

Gregg wore a red couture dress to the 2022 Met Gala

On May 2, Gregg attended the Met Gala for the first time, and was one of six influencers at the event, according to Teen Vogue. Other influencers at the ball were TikToker Addison Rae and YouTuber Emma Chamberlain.

Gregg wore a red dress made of chiffon strips that was designed by New York-based American couture brand, Bach Mai.

In a video uploaded on May 2 to her Instagram account, Gregg told her fans she had arrived in New York for the Met Gala and said, "I love fashion, so this is a dream come true."

On Twitter and TikTok, Gregg's dress has gone viral, as fans said they loved the outfit and were happy to see her at the event. The hashtag "Avani Met Gala," where fans have edited together short video clips of Gregg wearing her dress, has two million TikTok views.

For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here.

Read the original article on Insider
Greg Gards first offer in the 2023 recruiting class went out to center Gus Yalden all the way back in July of 2020. Today, the junior center began whats expected to be a three-day official visit on UWs campus.

Per 247Sports, Yalden is the nations No. 16 ranked center in the class of 2023 and the No. 93 ranked player in the country.

The 6-foot-8, 240-pound center currently holds offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Butler, Iowa, Illinois, Florida State, Louisville, Marquette, Nebraska, Rutgers, Stanford, Utah, Wake Forest, West Virginia, Xavier, and a host of others.

Yalden is a high priority recruit for the Badgers, and for good reason. Hes a stretch big man with impressive footwork, and floor vision. This is your prototypical Wisconsin big man.

Madison, WI  gusbus (@gusbus2023) May 3, 2022

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.
Well over half of the Americans questioned in a new poll released one day after a bombshell leak showed the Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade said they hope justices support abortion rights in the U.S.

The poll out Wednesday from Morning Consult and Politico found that 57 percent of respondents said they hope the high court supports abortion rights compared to 28 percent who hope the justices oppose them and 15 percent that said they do not know or have no opinion.

When asked how likely the court is to overturn the landmark 1973 case, 26 percent said very, 31 percent said somewhat, 18 percent said not too likely and 4 percent said not likely at all. Twenty-one percent either didnt know or have no opinion

More generally, 56 percent of respondents said they believe abortion should be legal in most or all cases while 35 percent said it should be illegal in most or all cases.

In terms of their response to the news about the Supreme Court potentially overturning Roe v. Wade, 45 percent of participants said that they would strongly or somewhat support donating money to provide aid to women seeking abortions.

The poll included a sample of 1,955 registered voters and has a margin of error of 2 percentage points. It was conducted on May 3.

It comes after Politico reported that the Supreme Court had drafted an opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, that would overturn Roe vs. Wade, the landmark case that established the right to an abortion.

The opinion was in response to the courts consideration of a case regarding a ban in Mississippi on virtually all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
News  Vietnam

Bad weather diverts Tan Son Nhat fights
Carmen Navarro Gercone, candidate for Cook County Sheriff, listens to members of the Cook County Electoral Board during a hearing at the Cook County Administration Building on May 4, 2022, in Chicago. The electoral board voted 2-1 to leave Navarro Gercone's name off the June 28 election ballot. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

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A top political rival of Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart was thrown off the Democratic primary ballot Wednesday due to a controversial new law that requires anyone running for sheriff to be a certified law enforcement officer.

The removal of Carmen Navarro Gercone from the June 28 ballot leaves Chicago police Officer Noland Rivera as Darts sole remaining primary opponent, though Navarro Gercone vowed to appeal the case in the courts. The countys electoral board voted 2-1 to uphold an objection to her candidacy by Darts campaign.

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Navarro Gercone rose to the rank of first assistant executive director in the sheriffs office under Dart, overseeing 1,300 employees in courthouse security, evictions and other operations. Now a top official in the Cook County circuit court clerks office, she previously was a sergeant, a lieutenant and an assistant chief at the sheriffs office.

Carmen Navarro Gercone drops off her nominating petitions on March 7. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

But she never has worked as a certified police officer, as defined in a little-known provision in Illinois sweeping criminal justice reform legislation that provided Darts campaign with enough room to challenge her qualifications in its effort to get her knocked off the ballot.

Tucked into the end of the 700-page reform bill, signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in 2021, was a new requirement that all candidates for sheriff be certified law enforcement officers, starting this year. Sitting sheriffs such as Dart were exempted.

The electoral board that made the ruling was staffed by designees from three countywide officeholders  Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx, Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough and Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Iris Martinez, who has endorsed Navarro Gercone. The designees for Foxx and Yarbrough voted to have Navarro Gercone removed while Martinezs designee voted to have Navarro Gercone remain on the ballot.

Jessica Scheller, Foxxs electoral board designee, argued the board must follow the rule of law as written in the SAFE-T Act. Scheller said her decision also will uphold the authority of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, which decided Navarro Gercone did not meet the new laws qualifications for sheriff.

While the candidate through her counsel has argued that the act should not be applied here as it is vague, we as a board are governed by state law and must endeavor to give effect, Scheller said.

Cook County Electoral Board member Jessica Scheller is shown on a projection screen as she attends a hearing virtually at the Cook County Administration Building on May 4, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Edmund Michalowski, Yarbroughs designee, agreed but did not elaborate.

Gloria Chevere, Martinezs designee, said Navarro Gercone should remain on the ballot because she had received FBI National Academy certification, which Chevere said should suffice under the law.

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Electoral boards in Illinois courts have always favored ballot access, so that deference must be given to the candidates right to run for public office, Chevere said.

Martinez had drawn criticism from Darts campaign for not recusing herself or her designee because in addition to endorsing her she also is Navarro Gercones current boss.

After the vote, Navarro Gercone castigated state legislators for changing the law in the middle of the night. She also criticized Cook County Democrats, who are backing Dart, for instilling a party loyalty pledge back in December that tilted the odds against her.

In the 191(-year) history of the sheriffs office, there has never been a woman, and all the stops have been pulled to prevent one from being on the ballot in this case as well, she said.

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Darts campaign has said previously that it was not involved in crafting the provision and didnt even know about until the legislation passed. Still, on Wednesday, Dart campaign spokesman Joe Ryan said, The law is clear. Candidates running for sheriff must meet certain law enforcement qualifications. After challenging the law and presenting her qualifications Carmen Gercone was ultimately disqualified.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, shown last year, has been in office since 2006. As an incumbent, he's grandfathered in to a new state law on sheriff qualifications but records show he recently got his law enforcement certification. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

One of the chief sponsors of the legislation, state Rep. Justin Slaughter, a Chicago Democrat, told the Tribune in February that the controversial provision was added to the SAFE-T Act at the behest of the Illinois Sheriffs Association. But he did acknowledge there have been several questions, which I think to be honest with you need to be sorted out.

Jim Kaitschuk, executive director of the sheriffs association, said in February he thought the new rule was fair because most people have the expectation that a sheriff is a cop, while declining to comment on the specifics of the Cook County sheriffs race.

According to state records, it wasnt until late last year, after the new law was signed, that Dart received a law enforcement certification, despite being grandfathered in under the new measure. Dart has been sheriff since 2006. He previously was a prosecutor, state lawmaker and chief of staff to former Sheriff Michael Sheahan.

Besides Navarro Gercone, two other Democratic sheriff contenders also have been knocked off the ballot following challenges to their nominating petitions: Kirk Ortiz, a deputy sheriff, and LaTonya Ruffin, who has worked as a police officer in various south suburbs, according to her campaign website. Another candidate hoping to unseat Dart is sheriffs office Sgt. Brad Sandefur, who is running as a Libertarian.

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ayin@chicagotribune.com
BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD  Several schools around Baltimore County have reported outbreaks of COVID-19, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

Every Wednesday, the state health department releases a list of K-12 schools with outbreaks of COVID-19. The data does not include child care facilities or higher education institutions.

To be reported in the list, a school must have a classroom/cohort outbreak or a school-wide outbreak, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

A classroom/cohort outbreak is defined as at least three confirmed cases of COVID-19 within 14 days that are epidemiologically linked, and are not household contacts.

A schoolwide outbreak is defined as at least five classrooms or cohorts with cases from separate households in 14 days; or 5 percent of unrelated students, teachers or staff (at least 10 who are unrelated) having tested positive for COVID-19 within a two-week period.

These schools have COVID-19 outbreaks, state health officials reported Wednesday, May 4:

Al-Rahmah School  3

Franklin High School  4

Garrison Forest School  26

Immaculate Conception School  8

Jemicy School (lower campus)  5

Park School of Baltimore  19

Sacred Heart School of Glyndon  4

Sheppard Pratt School - Hunt Valley  3

St. Joseph's School - Cockeysville  8

St. Paul's School for Boys  8

Villa Cresta Elementary School  3

Westchester Elementary School  3

Coronavirus metrics in Baltimore County Public Schools are also updated on a rolling basis on the BCPS COVID-19 dashboard, which drills down into how many cases are at each school.See Also:

94 Outbreaks Of COVID-19 Reported In Baltimore County Schools originally appeared on the Owings Mills-Reisterstown Patch
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
PROVIDENCE -- Hundreds of abortion rights protesters, aided by tools that ranged from old-fashioned picket signs to projectors and even a hot air balloon, created a spectacle at the State House on Tuesday night, rallying for a defense of the longstanding U.S. Supreme Court decision that has enshrined abortion as a constitutional right in the United States for decades.

"We are strong," said Rhode Island General Treasurer Seth Magaziner, who is running for Congress. "We are powerful. We are determined and we will win."

Magaziner was among a gaggle of state officials and lawmakers to speak energetically from the steps.

"In 2022, abortion access is on the ballot in Rhode Island and across the country," said Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, a candidate for governor.

'I will not stand for this': RI reacts to news that Supreme Court is prepared to overturn Roe v. Wade

On Monday night, a draft opinion by the Supreme Court was leaked. The opinion showed that the high court may overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade.

The rally drew an all-ages group, from older people who read news reports when the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in 1973 to a large procession of younger college-level students who marched from the Brown University campus.

Dr. Katie Ellis, a 31-year-old obstetrics and gynecology resident at Women & Infants Hospital, arrived with a group of other residents. Their white coats made them easier to see in the dark.

"The bottom line is we should just be making these decisions with our patients," Ellis said. "No one else should be involved. It's important to us."

Ellis hails from Connecticut.

The issue: Explosive leaked draft in abortion case reveals Supreme Court on verge of overturning Roe

A gathering of people supporting abortion rights for a Tuesday evening rally at the RI State House in reaction to the leaked Supreme Court memo hinting a possible overturning of Roe vs Wade.

One of her colleagues grew up in Texas and went to medical school in the state, where lawmakers have banned nearly all abortions after around six weeks of pregnancy.

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Dr. Lauren Murphy, 28, said she came to Rhode Island -- to Brown's residency program at Woman & Infants Hospital -- to learn the "full scope" of obstetric and gynecological care for woman. That includes abortion, she said.

Just then, Murphy's colleague, Dr. Megan Smith, took the microphone on the State House steps. She listed things that scare her.

"I'm scared for my colleagues who will be persecuted for providing basic health care," she said.

Are LGBTQ rights next?: How Supreme Court abortion ruling could threaten gay marriage, contraception

Dr. Benjamin Brown, a member of the faculty at Brown University's Warren Alpert Medical School, told the crowd that he strives to meet patients' needs, to "hear their values and provide the care that they need based on those values, based on where those patients are coming from."

A woman joins others as she holds up a signs supporting abortion rights at a Tuesday evening rally at the RI State House in reaction to the leaked Supreme Court memo hinting a possible overturning of Roe v Wade.

Analysis: Leaked abortion opinion shakes trust in Supreme Court and puts Roe in center of midterm fight

Across the country, abortion rights protesters mounted similar rallies.

By Tuesday evening, Katharine Quinn, 51, of Barrington, was setting up a machine that projected images onto the sides of the State House.

"Controlling My Body, Controlling My Future," said one of them.

The political opposition, which argues for the rights of the unborn, was not visible or vocal at the rally.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Roe v. Wade: RI abortion rights protesters converge on State House
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Airbnb said Wednesday it will impose new rules regarding parties over the Memorial Day and July 4 holidays, bringing back measures that the company claims worked last summer.

Renters who don't have a history of positive reviews on Airbnb will be barred from making one-night reservations for houses, and there will also be limits on who can make two-night bookings, the company said.

Airbnb said it will require renters to confirm that they understand the company's ban on parties and that Airbnb could take legal action against violators.

The company said guests who have received positive marks in the past won't be affected by the changes.

San Francisco-based Airbnb said similar measures prevented 126,000 people from renting properties over the July 4 holiday last year because they lacked positive reviews from hosts.

Airbnb has long faced criticism over large parties, some of which have turned violent, at properties listed by its hosts.

Last month, two teens were killed and several others injured by gunfire during an Easter weekend party at an Airbnb in Pittsburgh. Airbnb has said it plans legal action against the person who booked the house. The company banned parties after five people were shot dead during a Halloween party in 2019 at a rental in Orinda, California, a San Francisco suburb.
Like religious congregants all over, the people of historic Brown Chapel AME Church turned off the lights and locked the doors at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic because it wasnt safe to gather for worship with a deadly virus circulating. For a time, the landmark church that launched a national voting rights movement in Selma, Alabama, was off limits.

What members found when they returned was heartbreaking: Termites had eaten so much wood that parts of the structure weren't stable anymore, said member Juanda Maxwell, and water leaks damaged walls. Mold was growing in parts of the building, where hundreds met before Alabama state troopers attacked voting rights demonstrators on Bloody Sunday in 1965 at the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

It's in horrible shape, said Maxwell. It's a tough time. Because we were closed for a year it exacerbated the problem with water coming in.

The red brick church, with distinctive twin bell towers and a domed ceiling, tops this year's list of the nation's most endangered historic places, according to the Washington, D.C.-based, National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit organization which works to highlight and preserve sites that are in danger of being lost. Other places on the list include:

 Chicano/a Murals painted on the sides of buildings in Colorado and inspired by the human rights and cultural movements of the 1960s and 70s.

 The Deborah Chapel, a Jewish mortuary building established in 1886 in Hartford, Connecticut.

 Francisco Sanchez Elementary School, the closed centerpiece of the town in Umatac, Guam.

 Minidoka National Historic Site, where more than 13,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II in Jerome, Idaho.

 Camp Naco, a base for Black Buffalo Soldiers dating back to 1919 along the U.S.-Mexican border in Naco, Arizona.

 Picture Cave in Warrenton, Missouri, which holds indigenous artwork dating as far back more than 1,200 years by the Osage Nation.

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 Brooks Park Art and Nature Center, the home and art studio in East Hampton, New York, of James Brooks and Charlotte Park, who were important in the abstract expressionism movement in American art.

 Palmer Memorial Institute, a boarding school built in 1902 for Black youths in Greensboro, North Carolina.

 Olivewood Cemetery, an African American burial ground in Houston, Texas, dating to 1875 and containing more than 4,000 graves.

 Jamestown, the site in Jamestown, Virginia, where enslaved people first arrived in America and where the first publicly elected assembly in the United States met.

Brown Chapel, the first African Methodist Episcopal church in Alabama, was the site of preparations for a voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery on March 7, 1965, when police beat marchers led by the late Rep. John Lewis, then a young activist. Weeks later, thousands gathered there before the Selma-to-Montgomery march led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Maxwell is part of a group of Brown Chapel members serving on a foundation that's trying to raise money for repairs estimated to exceed $4 million, she said. The church, located in a public housing community, has only a few dozen members in regular attendance, so it's relying on grants and outside donations to fund the work.

The National Park Service already has provided a grant of $1.3 million for restoration of the church, which was constructed in 1908 by a formerly enslaved Black builder, A.J. Farley, and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1997.

Our goal is to try to receive over $3 million in grants to do the foundational work. After that we hope to get in more private donations, Maxwell said.

With members unable to gather in the building since repair work began in October, Maxwell said, the few who still attend continue meeting online.

Were Zooming. The pastor is searching for a place, she said.
Amazon said on Wednesday that it aims to export locally produced Indian goods worth $20 billion by 2025, doubling its initial goal of $10 billion set for the same time frame as the e-commerce group attracts over 100,000 exporters in the key overseas market.

It took the company -- which launched its exports program, called Amazon Global Selling, in India in 2015 -- three years to clock exports of $1 billion from the country, it said. The firm added the last $2 billion in just 17 months, it said at a virtual event Wednesday. In total, the company said it is on track to hit $5 billion in cumulative exports from India.

"We are excited to build a strong foundation for MSMEs to realize their export potential, help them become globally competitive and contribute towards honorable Prime Minister's vision of making India an export powerhouse," said Amit Agarwal, SVP of India and Emerging Markets for Amazon, at the event.

The company has enabled merchants from India to sell to customers worldwide through Amazon's 18 international websites including in countries such as the U.S., the UK, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Spain, Australia and France, it said.

At an event in New Delhi in early 2020, headlined by the firm's founder Jeff Bezos, Amazon pledged to export $10 billion of goods produced in India by 2025. At the time said, Bezos said, "our hope is that this investment will bring millions more people into the future prosperity of India and at the same time expose the world to the Make in India products that represent Indias rich, diverse culture."

At the event, the company also announced an additional investment of $1 billion in its India operations over the next five years. Amazon has unveiled an investment of over $6.5 billion in India to date, aggressively betting to turn the world's second largest internet market into its next major region.

But the company's ambitions have seen several roadblocks in the country. It has been the subject of multiple investigations, an antitrust probe in the country and has had to lock horns with Reliance Retail, the largest retail chain in the country that is run by Mukesh Ambani, one of Asia's richest men.

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The American firm spent over two and a half years across multiple courts fighting to stall the merger between Reliance Retail and Future Retail, the country's second largest retail chain. (Amazon is an investor in a unit of Future Group.) Its wish came true, kind of, last month after Reliance called off its $3.4 billion merger deal with Future Retail. However, the country's most valuable firm has succeeded in expanding its network of stores with Future assets by cleverly brokering deals with landowners and storeowners who had leased the facilities to Future.

In a newspaper ad earlier this year, Amazon accused its estranged partner and Reliance of indulging in fraudulent practices and attempting to "remove the substratum of the dispute."

MSMEs are the backbone of Indias economy, contributing to around a third of Indias GDP and driving nearly half of the countrys exports," said Narayan Rane, Union Minister of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, said in a statement today.

"Enhancing the export potential of Indian MSMEs is a key government priority and efforts are being made to support Indian MSMEs for their success in international markets. Amazons continued efforts towards enhancing the share of MSME exports is commendable, and their commitment to enable $20 billion of exports by 2025 is very timely. I would like to congratulate Amazon and all the MSMEs for playing an important role in driving export-led growth to help realize the vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
The chunky silver rings Johnny Depp is fond of wearing made it hurt more when he allegedly slapped Amber Heard, she told a Virginia courtroom on Wednesday as part of a weekslong defamation trial.

Through a $50 million lawsuit, Depp is accusing his ex-wife of lying about her abuse allegations, made over the course of the couples acrimonious split in 2016, when she sought a restraining order against him.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star testified last month, alleging that Heard had actually abused him during their relationship, in one incident by throwing a glass bottle that shattered and severed his fingertip. He has repeatedly denied all accusations of abuse.

Wednesday was the first time the court was able to learn directly from Heard how Depp allegedly used his money and charm to cover up shocking behavior.

Heard described a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde scenario where Depp  who has spoken candidly about his struggles with alcohol and drug addiction  would sometimes show warmth, but sometimes be this other thing.

And that other thing was [an] awful, awful thing that would come out and take over, and it was hard to see the Johnny I loved underneath it. And no one told him. No one was honest with him, Heard testified, referring to the people who managed Depps career.

Hed pass out in his own vomit, hed lose control of his body, and everybody would clean up after him. I cleaned up after him, she said, adding that she once saw Depps bodyguards change him out of soiled pants.

Heard told of a bizarre situation in which she was driving with Depp to an event and, along the way, the actor allegedly grabbed a teacup Yorkie and held it out the window of the moving vehicle while howling. Despite there being other, unnamed people in the car, Heard said, no one reacted.

Actor Amber Heard testifies in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Court on May 4. (Photo: via Associated Press)

Actor Amber Heard testifies in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Court on May 4. (Photo: via Associated Press)

She became emotional during her hours of testimony, at times speaking haltingly. Depp looked down at the table in front of him much of the time; he appeared to be writing.

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The actors were married briefly in 2015 and 2016, having met on the set of the 2011 film The Rum Diary, which starred Depp.

Asked to describe the first time Depp struck her, Heard began by telling the court that Depp had been drinking and, she suspected, using cocaine, since there was a vintage jar of the drug nearby.

He slapped me across the face, and I laughed. I laughed. Because I didnt know what else to do. I thought this must be a joke. This must be a joke because I didnt know what was going on, Heard testified.

He said, You think its so funny? You think its funny, bitch? You think youre a funny bitch? And he slapped me again, she said. Depp allegedly struck her a third time, causing her to lose her balance. Earlier in the trial, recordings were played of Depp screaming at Heard and calling her names.

I knew it was wrong, and I had to leave him, Heard said of the alleged assault. And thats what broke my heart, because I didnt want to leave him. Then Depp started crying, Heard testified, and assuring her on his knees that he would never hit her again.

Depp spoke about his addiction issue as if it were a monster that he killed, saying he thought he had put that fucker away, according to Heard.

Actor Johnny Depp returns to the courtroom after a lunch break at the Fairfax County Circuit Court on May 4. (Photo: via Associated Press)

Actor Johnny Depp returns to the courtroom after a lunch break at the Fairfax County Circuit Court on May 4. (Photo: via Associated Press)

At various times, she said that Depp hit her and broke things near her, appearing upset about the idea that Heard could be seeing other people. Heard said Depp took issue with low-cut clothing, commenting: Thats really what youre wearing, kid? She described a pattern in which Depp would blow up and then disappear, returning after he had sobered up.

Later in their relationship, Heard said that Depp started hiding his alcohol and drug use from her, leaving her to make educated guesses about the state he was in.

Johnny on speed is very different from Johnny on opiates. And Johnny on opiates [is] very different from Johnny on Adderall, and Cocaine Johnny, which is very different from Quaaludes Johnny, Heard said.

In one particularly horrific episode, Heard alleged that Depp became irate one night, ripped her dress partially off, groped her body and proceeded to do a cavity search.

He said he was looking for his drugs, his cocaine, his coke, she said.

The alleged incident took place at an isolated trailer park retreat that had been rented, and when the manager took a look at the damage Depp had supposedly done to the place, Heard said he was angry  until speaking to Depp, who smoothed things over.

She is expected to resume testimony Thursday.

Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

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Amber Heard is set to take the stand this week in the defamation trial brought by her ex-husband Johnny Depp.

The trial involving the two actors, who were married between 2015 and 2017, has shifted Hollywoods attention from California to Fairfax, Va., where the Pirates of the Caribbean star and his witnesses have amassed an enormous amount of media attention.

The Law & Crime Network reported they hit 330 million viewers since the trial, expected to last about six weeks, first began.

Heards testimony, which sources told The Hill could start this week after a Virginia judge rejected her motion to dismiss the case Tuesday, is likely to be one of the most dramatic and pivotal points of the courtroom drama.

The case rests on Heards 2018 op-ed speaking up against sexual violence, which Depp claims harmed his reputation. Witnesses have outlined in great detail how he was shunned from major production companies and film franchises that revolved around his characters.

Much of Depps testimony focused on him being the victim of Heards physical and mental abuse despite the fact that Depp lost his defamation suit against the publisher of the Sun Newspaper, which labeled him as a wife beater.

Dawn Hughes, a forensic psychologist, took the stand Tuesday as Heards first witness. She diagnosed Heard as having post traumatic stress disorder because of abuse from Depp.

The testimony appeared to be a clear contradiction of Depp-hired psychologist Shannon Currys evaluation of Heard. Curry had testified that Heard did not suffer from PTSD but instead had two personality disorders.

Focusing on Heards claim of sexual violence, Hughes  who spent a total of 29 hours evaluating Heard  outlined patterns of domestic violence, power dynamics and manipulative behaviors of men following episodes of abuse.

Love and normalcy are almost always in these relationships, Hughes said. When youre in a lull and the violence isnt happening, youre back with the man you fell in love with.

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Hughes also testified that Depp performed a cavity search on Heard, manually searching her private areas with his fingers, in addition to penetrating her with a bottle.

Having to do damage control from Depps testimony about Heards physical abuse, Hughes testified that women can become violent when defending themselves and pointed out that Heard may have yelled at Depp out of anger from suffering abuse.

Heards ex-nurse Erin Falati also testified that she suffered from anxiety, insecurity and substance abuse and had a history of bipolar disorder and ADHD.

The crux of Heards defense rests upon her allegation that Depp abused her physically and emotionally throughout the relationship.

Youre going to see who the real Johnny Depp is, behind the fame, behind the pirate costumes, Rottenborn said at the beginning of the trial. I am sorry Amber will have to relive it, but that is the case Depp chose to bring, and were not going to stand by and let them sling mud and make inflated, false statements.

Depp in testimony denied ever striking any woman. Heard has previously accused Depp of assaulting her in Los Angeles on May 21, 2016, which led her to file for divorce two days later and obtain a restraining order, according to documents obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.

A photograph of Heard  six days after the alleged assault  showed her with a black eye, sparking questions about Depps abuse. Heards lawyer Elaine Bredehoft said in her opening statement that she used makeup to cover her bruises throughout their relationship.

Depp testified that he was the victim of abuse. Backing up his allegations were audio clips of Heard admitting to hitting him and witness testimonies of fights that damaged the inside of their home in Australia, including one that also resulted in a severe injury to Depps finger.

You didnt get punched, you got hit. Im sorry I hit you like this, but I did not punch you. I did not fing deck you. I fing was hitting you, Heard says in an audio clip Depps team presented, detailing just one of multiple alleged explosive fights.

During the trial in London, Heard admitted to punching Depp, but she said she acted instinctively to prevent him from pushing her sister down a staircase, according to Guardian.

Heard never named Depp in her op-ed, which was titled I spoke up against sexual violence  and faced our cultures wrath. That has to change. But he says it hurt his reputation.

Depps lawyers claim that the 2018 article clearly references Depp when she said two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse since she raised abuse allegations against Depp in 2016.

But in a preview of what Heard will argue, her lawyer Ben Rottenborn said during opening statements that it is her First Amendment right to comment on a matter of public interest: This article is about the social change she is advocating and which the First Amendment protects.

Judge Penney Azcarate ruled in March that Heard can use an anti-SLAPP provision in her defense, as reported by the Associated Press, meaning that she will argue that she should be protected from a defamation lawsuit because preventing domestic abuse is in the publics interest.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Andy Murray, pictured, beat Denis Shapovalov in three sets (Manu Fernandez/AP) (AP)

Andy Murray is through to the third round of the Madrid Open after defeating Canadas Denis Shapovalov in three sets.

Murray upset world number 14 Shapovalov 6-1 3-6 6-2 in two hours and nine minutes to set up a last-16 match against old foe and world number one Novak Djokovic.

The 34-year-old Scot, who marked his return to clay for the first time in two years with a straight-sets win against Dominic Thiem in the first round, proved too strong for Shapovalov in the deciding set.

Murray raced into an early lead, breaking Shapovalovs serve twice on his way to taking the opening set in 36 minutes.

The British number three, behind Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans in the domestic rankings, heaped more pressure on Shapovalovs serve in the fifth game of the second set.

But Murray squandered two break points and was broken for the first time in the match in the next game to trail 5-2 before Shapovalov served out to level at one set all after one hour and 25 minutes of play.

The deciding set went with serve until the fifth game, before Murray seized on his first break point of the set to edge ahead 4-2.

The Scot, currently 78th in the ATP rankings, held again for 5-2 and went 40-0 ahead on Shapovalovs serve before sealing another impressive win on his third match point.

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Murray reversed his decision to skip the entire clay-court season after being handed a wild card for Madrid and four weeks of training on the surface appears to have paid dividends.

Murray has not played Djokovic since the Qatar Open in January 2017, when the Briton was world number one. The Serbian won in three sets.

Djokovic beat Frances Gael Monfils 6-3 6-2 in his second-round match after being handed a bye in the opening round.
Anthony Smith had 12 teeth smashed out after two men attacked him with socks filled with tuna tins. (Kent Police)

A man serving a 10-year jail term for abusing his own baby so badly his legs had to be amputated was held hostage in his cell and tortured by two fellow inmates.

Anthony Smith had 12 teeth smashed out after two men attacked him with socks filled with tuna tins in a two-hour ordeal at HMP Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent.

Smith was jailed for child cruelty in 2018 after he and partner, Jody Simpson, abused their son, Tony Hudgell, when he was just four months old at their flat in Maidstone, Kent, in 2014.

Tony, now seven, lost both legs as a result of the injuries and his campaigning with adopted mum Paula Hudgell led to a recent law change, dubbed Tony's Law, could see abusers jailed for life.

Smith, now 51, was attacked in jail by Michael Stewart, 31, and Nathan Odgers, 36, who pushed him into his cell after collecting his breakfast and beat him up.

Anthony Smith was attacked HM Prison Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. (PA/Getty)

The pair struck Smith repeatedly with their improvised weapons after tying him to his cell bed.

During the attack the inmates shouted threatened to "chop off his legs"  a reference to the violence Smith inflicted on his son.

They told him to go along with their hostage plan, staged in protest at being at the notorious category B jail dubbed 'Stabside' in the hope of being moved jails.

Both defendants later claimed Smith volunteered, but he denied this.

A wardrobe was pushed across the door and the observation panel blocked with toilet paper as the pair demanded to speak to a governor.

Nathan Odgers received an extended sentence of nine years and six months. (Kent Police)

Initially Stewart and Odgers did not know of Smith's crimes until another inmate shouted out who he was.

Stewart, who was serving 10 years for serious violence, and Odgers, who is serving 10-and-a-half years for a string of armed robberies, then barricaded themselves in after tying Smith to the bed.

Smith was left needing hospital treatment for multiple teeth fractures and bruising after the brutal assault left the tuna tins "heavily dented".

The two-hour ordeal happened in August 2018  just six months after Smith and Simpson were jailed over their abuse  but it would take another 19 months before the CPS would authorise charges.

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Tony Hudgell lost both legs after he was tortured by dad Anthony Smith when he was a baby. (SWNS)

A judge at Maidstone Crown Court said this week that the delay was "extraordinary and unconscionable" and cut their sentences by a year.

Stewart, who had links to Bedford, was given an extended jail term of eight years and five months and father-of-four Odgers, from Hastings, East Sussex, received an extended sentence of nine years and six months.

Both men admitted charges of false imprisonment and assault causing actual bodily harm.

Tony's suffering at the hands of his parents caused national outrage as his injuries were so horrific, including a hip dislocation and head trauma, the youngster had to have surgery to amputate both legs at the knee.

He has since learnt to walk on prosthetic legs and during lockdown raised over 1.2m for the NHS and the hospital that saved his life.
Mobile home parks along Western Avenue in Dixmoor, between two railroad tracks residents say are sometimes blocked for hours overnight. (Daily Southtown staff / Daily Southtown)

Suburban residents are no strangers to dealing with train tracks. But for residents in Dixmoor, freight train delays at crossings can go from inconvenient to day ruining, as freight trains have stopped and parked for hours at a time.

I grew up in Calumet Park and was aware of the train situation when I moved here over 20 years ago, said Dixmoor resident Steve Bechtel. I knew there were a lot of trains and accepted that. My problem isnt the frequency of trains, its the amount of stopped trains and the fact that some areas you are literally a prisoner when the trains stop.

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Bechtel and other residents said the problem is worse along Western Avenue, where tracks intersect the road in the 139th and 145th blocks.

If both trains are stopped and you live or work in between them, you have no way in or out, which also means if there is a medical, police or fire emergency, there could be no way to get help, Bechtel said. I wont exaggerate the situation, but I can honestly say at least twice a month Im not only stopped by trains, but completely trapped by them when they park at both crossings.

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Bechtel is not the only resident complaining about a problem some residents say has increased in recent years. Many residents, particularly those who live in the two mobile home parks between the tracks, have taken to the Facebook group Dixmoor Deserves Better to voice concerns, including complaints that reports to the railroads and other authorities have gone unanswered.

LaRaye Brown, a spokeswoman for the Federal Railroad Administration, said there is no federal statute or regulation regarding how long trains may block crossings or any restrictions on train length, so there is no penalty which can be imposed on the train operators.

When asked what residents should do if they find themselves trapped between trains or unable to get home, Brown said they ask residents to report blockages using via a blocked crossing incident reporter web portal, or call a phone number listed on the emergency notification system signs posted at the crossing.

Some residents, however, have said theyve reached out and been ignored.

I live between the tracks and got stuck going home today, resident Cynthia Mossuto wrote in a message to the Southtown April 8. I called the number posted at the tracks on 142nd and Western, unfortunately, they did not pick up.

Mossuto said she has gotten through before, but was told a crew wasnt available to move the train.

I asked why block the crossing if the train isnt going to move, and they tell you to report the blocked crossing on their website, she wrote. Then why am I calling?

Others reported submitting complaints online but never receiving a response.

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The Federal Railroad Administration has assisted communities and railroads in jointly identifying solutions, Brown said, especially in cases where emergency response access is a concern. But she directed other questions to the railroads which operate on the tracks, CSX and the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Company.

Railroad crossing on Western Avenue in Dixmoor. (Daily Southtown staff / Daily Southtown)

Neither railroad returned calls for comment. CSX issued a system notice about blocked crossings April 8, telling employees to be reminded of system rules that state when a parked train will block a crossing for more than 10 minutes, employees must notify the dispatcher and, if unable to clear the crossing, make a train separation and notify the dispatcher when the crossing is clear.

The system notice also advised employees to anticipate the potential for blocked crossings during their tour of duty and when approaching hours of service, noting such considerations serve to strengthen relationships with local communities.

The Federal Railroad Administration does mandate train employees, including drivers and conductors, rest for certain periods of time after a shift.

U.S. law stipulates that train employees cannot work longer than 12 consecutive hours without receiving at least 10 consecutive hours off, and cannot work more than six consecutive days without receiving at least 48 consecutive hours off.

Theyre like truckers, said Dixmoor deputy police Chief Lionel Smith. They have to stop after so many hours. Its an inconvenience for a lot of the suburbs they pass through, but it does seem to happen a lot here. Theres nothing we can do though.

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Smith provided a report from January in which an officer reported being unable to reach their patrol location due to a train which had been stopped in the crossing for about eight hours, while residents have reported blockages lasting more than 10 hours.

Smith also said an officer responded Dec. 8 to a call for emergency assistance at a mobile home near the intersection of Seeley Avenue and 139th Street, where a woman was suffering from chest pains. Emergency medical technicians took her in an ambulance to UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial, but were rerouted seven times due to gridlocked trains which had stopped for about 2 1/2 hours, he said.

The ambulance and officer needed to detour through residential portions of Dixmoor and Harvey to reach the hospital, where the patient was pronounced dead, Smith said.

Dixmoor Mayor Fitzgerald Roberts expressed his frustration with the lack of action.

We used to be able to ticket them, but it went through the courts and we cant do anything about it anymore, Roberts said. Its higher than us. Weve called the train companies and sometimes they move them, but then it happens again the next day.

Fitzgerald said the village sought federal funding from U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush.

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Rushs spokeswoman confirmed the congressman was able to add $4.5 million to the House infrastructure bill, passed in July, to fund grade separation along Western Avenue in Dixmoor. However, the appropriation, along with all other House member projects, were struck from the version of the bill passed by the Senate in November.

The congressman was very disappointed in the decision as the project was a top priority for him, the office said.

With federal funding for an overpass or other remediation efforts blocked, and authorities unable to take meaningful action, the path forward for frustrated residents is unclear.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Ive lived here for seven years now and its been an issue the whole time, said Pat Engle, Jr., who lives in the Smith mobile home park just two blocks from the train tracks. Ive been late for work multiple times because of it. Between this and the water problems, Im getting to the point of wanting to move.

Engle said it isnt just a matter of personal inconvenience, but real fear for community safety.

Theres a lot of senior citizens who live in the mobile home communities and ambulances need to come in and out, he said.

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Bechtel agreed.

Mark my words, one day a tragedy will happen where someone needs an ambulance and dies waiting for one, or a fire will break out at one of the mobile home parks in that Bermuda Triangle of trains, and theyll have homes lost because the fire department couldnt get through, he wrote.

The Harvey Fire Department, which serves the area, could not be reached to comment on any complications they have experienced due to the trains.

Jessie Molloy is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
A South Carolina judge has denied bond for former "American Idol" contestant, Caleb Kennedy, after he was accused of killing a man by barreling into him with his pickup truck after using a marijuana vaping device.

The musician, 17, was arrested for a felony DUI that resulted in a death, according to online records in February.

Per records, the singer was arrested on Feb. 8 at 7:21 p.m. local time. The accident occurred earlier in the afternoon.

The country music singer will remain in jail after his arrest on a charge of driving under the influence resulting in death. Police say Kennedy drove his truck up a private driveway in Spartanburg County and struck Larry Duane Parris, 54, driving Parris into a building.

AMERICAN IDOL' FINALIST CALEB KENNEDY EXITS SHOW AFTER ALLEGED KKK VIDEO SURFACES

Circuit Judge Grace Gilchrist Knie ruled Friday that Kennedy would present a danger to himself and the community if he was released from jail. Knie said she might reconsider bond for Kennedy following a psychiatric evaluation in 45 days, news outlets reported.

Prosecutors at a Thursday hearing sought the bond denial and referred to a toxicology report showing Kennedy had marijuana and Prozac in his system at the time of the crash.

Kennedy competed on the 19th season of "American Idol" but abruptly left after a video surfaced depicting him standing with someone that appeared to be wearing a KKK hood. Christopher Willard via Getty Images

Kennedys attorney, Ryan Beasley, had asked the judge to set a $20,000 bond, citing Kennedy's remorse and cooperation with law enforcement, according to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal.

Beasley told news outlets he was disappointed in the judge's decision.

"A 17-year-olds mental health is much better at home than in a jail," Beasley said.

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Beasley has said previously that his client had been placed on suicide watch at the jail.

Kennedy competed on the 19th season of "American Idol." He abruptly exited the competition after a video surfaced showing Kennedy standing next to someone who appears to be wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood.

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The singer allegedly crashed into a building in South Carolina, resulting in a death. ABC/Eric McCandless

"Hey y'all, this is gonna be a bit of a surprise, but I am no longer gonna be on American Idol," Kennedy wrote in a statement on Instagram at the time. "There was a video that surfaced on the internet and it displayed actions that were not meant to be taken in that way. I was younger and did not think about the actions, but that's not an excuse."

The teen continued: "I wanna say sorry to all my fans and everyone who I have let down. I'll be taking a little time off social media to better myself, but saying that, I know this has hurt and disappointed a lot of people and made people lose respect for me. I'm so sorry!"

Kennedy concluded by saying he will "pray that one day" he will regain the public's trust and thanked viewers for their support.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: Tom Clancys Jack Ryan, starring and executive produced by John Krasinski, has an end date in sight, I hear. Season 4 of the Prime Video action series, which is currently filming, will be its last, sources tell Deadline. But that may not be the end of the franchise, produced by Amazon Studios, Paramount TV []
The top law official in Arkansas has defended the states law that would ban abortion even in cases of rape and incest  even in regard to children  claiming that God intended for life to begin at conception.

A day after a draft of a Supreme Court judgement was leaked, suggesting the court would overturn Roe v Wade, officials in Arkansas and other states were preparing to enact near total bans on abortions, the moment the 1973 ruling is formally overturned.

A total of 26 states are likely to ban abortion once that happens, and Arkansas is one of 13 that have already passed so-called trigger laws, which mean the ban would come into effect immediately, without the need for for further action by the state legislature or governor.

Of those 13 states, Arkansas is one of 10 that make no exceptions if a person  even a minor  becomes pregnant as a result of rape or incest. The only exception is to save the life of the mother, if she is deemed to be suffering a medical emergency.

Arkansass Attorney General, Republican Leslie Rutledge, was asked during an interview on the PBS Newshour, to clarify whether exceptions were made for children who had been raped.

So, only in cases of life endangerment, that would be the only exception? Not in the cases, say, if a minor is raped and impregnated, that person cannot legally get an abortion, correct? she was asked.

She replied: Correct. The total ban is for simply saving the life of the mother in a medical emergency.

We are prepared  we were prepared in 2019 when we passed this law in Arkansas in the event that the court did. Like so many Americans, we are hopeful and prayerful because many of us thought for the last 50 years that we would never see this day.

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Asked about the fact that one in five children in Arkansas lived in poverty and that the foster system has become overwhelmed in the last few years, Ms Rutledge rejected the suggestion her state could not afford to pay for such services, saying those children would receive love and great educational opportunities.

I have worked in the foster care system. What those children need is our love. What they dont need is someone putting a price tag on their life, she said.

What is their life worth to them? Absolutely everything. What is it worth to God? Absolutely everything.

She added: God intended for that life to begin at conception. He didnt intent for that life to have a nominal price tag on it, put on that childs head from some liberal who says it costs too much for that human life.

The refusal to include an exception for cases of incest and sexual assault places women in Arkansas and nine other states  Kentucky, Utah, Louisiana, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Tennessee  on a par with people in nations such as Guatemala, an overwhelmingly Catholic country.

Leslie Rutledge said other states were looking to places such as Arkansas (AFP via Getty Images)

It was previously completely illegal there, but it changed its laws in 1973 to permit abortions in cases where a womens life is threatened. Abortion remains completely illegal in several other Latin American and Caribbean nations, notably the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.

The majority of countries worldwide allow abortion in cases of rape and/or incest, either through laws enumerating these grounds or by permitting abortion on request, says the Center for Reproductive Rights, a global health rights advocacy group based in New York.

In the light of the leaking of the draft judgments, activists in the US have been rallying to fight for reproductive rights at the state level, where religious conservatives have in most cases seized the momentum.

Amanda Brown Lierman, Executive Director of the campaign group Supermajority, said the nation was at the most frightening crossroads in the history of womens reproductive justice and our ability to make decisions for our own bodies.

In a statement she added: Now is the time for women to fight for abortion care and reproductive justice, to organise for abortion care and reproductive justice, and to vote for abortion care and reproductive justice.

Ms Rutledge did not immediately respond to inquiries from The Independent.
A 23-year-old man has been booked into jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after authorities say he tackled Dave Chappelle onstage while carrying a replica handgun that contained a knife as the comedian was wrapping up his performance at the Hollywood Bowl late Tuesday night.

After wrestling with the attacker, Chappelle broke free and continued the show as security and others sprinted from across the stage, cornered the attacker, and began beating him while members of the crowd watched, stunned.

"I am going to kill that motherfucker," Chappelle said before walking closer to the scuffle, adding, "Wait, I got to see this."

Returning to talk to his riled audience, the comedian joked, "Thank god he was clumsy," and told the crowd the attacker was "back there getting stomped."

"Where the fuck did he come from?" Chappelle wondered.

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that Chappelle was not hurt during the incident but that the suspect was injured during the scuffle, which occurred around 10:40 p.m.

Police have identified the suspect as Isaiah Lee, who is being held on $30,000 bail. He was booked on suspicion charges of assault with a deadly weapon at 3:36 a.m. local time, Officer Alba Mendez told BuzzFeed News, nearly five hours after being treated by medical staff outside the Bowl's entrance as fans crowded around the scene.

Mendez said authorities still do not know the motive of the attack and do not have information as to whether he has any prior offenses. LAPD also did not have any information as to how the suspect got the weapons through metal detectors.

When asked about security at the venue, the Hollywood Bowl told BuzzFeed News that they are unable to comment due to it being an ongoing investigation.

Later Wednesday, police released photos of the replica handgun, which contained a knife blade. In a statement, LAPD revealed that the suspect pointed the weapon at Chappelle during the attack.

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Lee is a rapper who goes by NONAME_TRAPPER on social media, Spotify, and other platforms. He has released several albums, including one from 2020 titled "born and die in the trap," which includes a song called "Dave Chappell." In the two-minute song, he repeats life with you niggas is a joke." On his Instagram account, which has nearly 40,000 followers but no posts, the suspect posted a story on Tuesday of him walking with a devil filter on his face. YouTube has already removed the artist's videos from its site.

The Daily Beast reported that Lee lives in Redondo Beach, about an hour away from Hollywood. In an interview with Rolling Stone, the suspect's brother said Lee was not a violent person and doesn't think he would "lash out" at Chappelle for any reason. However, Aaron Lee said his little brother has a history of mental illness and being unhoused since the age of 11.

I dont have anything negative to say about Isaiah. Hes a performing artist who tries to stay as positive as possible. He does have a history of mental health issues. He does take medicine. Maybe he missed out on taking his prescription. But hes not the type to just lash out. I dont understand, Aaron Lee told Rolling Stone.

When asked about the song named after Chappelle, Aaron Lee said his brother did it just to get search engine hits so that more people would find it.

Carla Sims, a representative for Chappelle, said the Emmy-winning comedian "refuses to allow last nights incident to overshadow the magic" of his historic, record-breaking performances during the Netflix Is a Joke festival.

"Dave Chappelle celebrated four nights of comedy and music, setting record-breaking sales for a comedian at the Hollywood Bowl," Sims said in a statement. "As unfortunate and unsettling as the incident was, Chappelle went on with the show."

Chappelle is also fully cooperating with the investigation.

This reporter attended Chappelle's show Tuesday night and members of the crowd had to go through security and put all phones and smart wearable devices in sealed bags.

Other big stars, including Jon Stewart, Chris Rock, Leslie Jones, and Michelle Wolf, performed before Chappelle took the stage.

Just came out of the Hollywood Bowl where a man charged and tackled Dave Chapelle on stage and got his ass kicked by at least 10 people. LAPD and LAFD are now loading him into an ambulance 06:12 AM - 04 May 2022

Before the onstage attack, Chappelle, who has faced fierce rebuke for comments he made about transgender people during a Netflix special, joked about having more security onstage because of the danger comedians now face after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock, who also performed at the show. Toward the end of his performance, Chappelle told a story about how a man showed up at his house while he and his wife were home.

The attack was stunning to watch, and at first, it was difficult for the audience to discern what was going on. Chappelle had just ended his set and the crowd was moving toward the exits when the comedian came back onstage for an encore. He started to introduce musicians Talib Kweli and Mos Def when a man suddenly leaped up from the pit on the left side of the stage and charged at Chappelle with his head down. The comedian tried to dodge the tackle but was knocked over. The two scuffled while security sprinted from across the stage.

Once free, Chappelle moved back to the center of the stage as a crowd of people cornered the attacker in the back. The group then started kicking and punching him while he was on the ground as Chappelle, stunned, looked on and kept going with the show. At one point, Chappelle walked up closer to see the confrontation and mentioned a few times how the attacker was getting "stomped." What was jarring was how heavily people, including what looked like security, were beating the attacker. On Wednesday, LAPD said that it was "Hollywood Bowl uniformed security officers, who witnessed the incident, engaged the suspect and removed him from the victim and took him into custody."

The shocking incident brought a swarm of people on stage, including Jamie Foxx, who then took the mic and said, "Nigga, I thought that was part of the show," before trailing off. He then went on to tell the cheering crowd that Chappelle was "an absolute genius," adding, "We have to make sure we protect him at all times."

Here is a video of the aftermath. #DaveChappelle handled this like a champ! #HollywoodBowl 06:17 AM - 04 May 2022

Chris Rock also came back onstage, and the two comedians joked about the attacker potentially being "Will."

In the past, Chappelle has faced severe criticism for a Netflix special in which he repeatedly joked about trans people. Netflix employees walked out and demanded that their employer remove the special. The media giant has refused to do so.

At the beginning of his set, the comedian addressed the issue, saying that he originally had nothing against trans people and wished that they had watched the entire special until the end instead of taking specific jokes out of context. But after the community tried to cancel him, he joked, that now he does have an issue with the transgender community.

As security was wrangling the man off the stage, Chappelle continued his riffs on transgender people, which he had woven into his entire set."It was  it was a trans man," he joked about his attacker as the crowd laughed.
Exactly one year after Austin residents voted to reinstate a camping ban that makes it illegal to camp around downtown, the city's Homeless Strategy Division gave an update on how Texas' capital city has faired.

"[We hear from] folks that would like to see enforcement occur more rapidly, and we hear daily from folks who are very concerned about the impacts of enforcement of the camping ordinances on people experiencing homelessness, many of whom don't have anywhere to go when they do face enforcement," Dianna Grey, who was named Austins homeless strategy officer in December 2020, said in a virtual community meeting on Monday.

The Austin Police Department has handed out 242 citations since the camping ban was rolled out, through Grey said that they have tried to emphasize voluntary enforcement and not be overly punitive.

LA CLEARING HOMELESS CAMPS AHEAD OF SUPER BOWL WHILE POLITICIANS OFFER 'BAND-AID SOLUTIONS': VENICE RESIDENT

Another initiative approved by Austin's city council last year, the Housing-focused Encampment Assistance Link or HEAL, has been used to clear eight encampments across the city and move 247 people into shelters.

The Austin City Council is also currently accepting public feedback on how to spend $11.4 million in funds the city is eligible to receive through the American Rescue Plan, which set aside $5 billion to assist people who are homeless.

Homeless men and women are gathered outside of the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless in downtown Austin, Texas, on August 14, 2019. Tamir Kalifa for The Washington Post via Getty Images

As of now, the city plans to allocate $8 million to non-congregate shelters, $1 million to affordable rent housing, $1.7 million to administration, and $725,064 to supportive services.

Housing costs have surged in Austin in recent years as the population has boomed, contributing to the homeless crisis.
(Reuters) - China's capital will extend COVID curbs beyond the May Day holiday, including closures of entertainment venues and gyms as hidden community-level transmission has been discovered through screenings, state television said on Wednesday.

Authorities will continue to cap people flows at public venues at 50% and restaurants will continue suspending dining-in, the report said.

(Reporting by Brenda Goh in Shanghai; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
New York State Attorney General Letitia James. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

Eight state attorneys general urged Biden to cancel federal student debt for every borrower.

They wrote that in their roles, they have seen the consequences falling behind on payments can have.

Biden said he will make a decision on debt relief in coming weeks, but it will likely be limited by income.

State attorneys general have joined the fight for broad student-loan forgiveness.

On Wednesday, attorneys general from New York, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Washington wrote a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to cancel federal student debt "for each and every borrower."

They wrote that, in their roles, they have seen the burden student debt can have for borrowers who fall behind on payments. This includes wage garnishment and seizure of federal benefits, which Biden can ensure permanent relief for by forgiving that debt.

"Restarting federal student loan payments, rather than permanently forgiving them, will only make matters worse," they wrote. "While pushing out repayment restarts and attempting to tackle past forbearance abuses are helpful, they are not enough.

Related video: College is wasting time and money, according to GMU economics professor

"Now is not the time for half measures, extensions or patchwork solutions," they added. "Now is the time for decisive action."

NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) May 4, 2022

State attorneys general have previously fought for protections for student-loan borrowers. In January, 39 of them reached a $1.85 billion settlement with major student-loan company Navient over accusations the company misled borrowers and steered them into deeper debt, which Navient denied. And now, with Biden saying he will make a decision on student-loan relief in the coming weeks  before student-loan payments are set to resume after August 31  they are joining Democrats in Congress pushing for broad relief for every federal borrower.

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Based on recent reports, it looks like not every borrower will access the relief Biden might implement. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Tuesday that Biden is looking at helping student-loan borrowers making under $125,000 a year, and while that would help the majority of borrowers, lawmakers have pushed back on capping the relief.

"I don't believe in a cutoff, especially for so many of the front-line workers who are drowning in debt and would likely be excluded from relief," New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told The Washington Post.

And while Biden has not yet commented on an amount for forgiveness, he said he is not considering $50,000 in relief, which progressives were pushing for. Recently released data from Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren's office found that while every amount of forgiveness will make a different, the more the better  while $10,000 in relief would wipe out debt loads for a third of borrowers, and 2 million Black borrowers, $50,000 in forgiveness would zero out 30 million borrowers' balances.

"Cancelation of federal student loan debts will reduce stress and mental fatigue, free families to invest in new homes and new lives, and provide countless opportunities," the attorneys-general wrote. "And because student loan debt exacerbates the racial wealth gap, widespread cancelation of student loan debt is not merely a matter of economic justice, but of racial justice as well."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Joe Biden has warned of new attacks on civil rights as the supreme court prepares to strike down the right to abortion, telling reporters at the White House that LGBTQ+ children could be the next targets of a Trump-dominated Republican party he called this Maga crowd and the most extreme political organisation  in recent American history.

Related: Contraception could come under fire next if Roe v Wade is overturned

What happens, the president asked, if a state changes the law saying that children who are LGBTQ cant be in classrooms with other children? Is that legit under the way the decision is written?

Bidens remarks, at the end of a brief session on deficit reduction, referred to a leaked draft of a ruling by Justice Samuel Alito. One of six conservatives on the supreme court, Alito was writing on a Mississippi case which aims to overturn both Roe v Wade, the 1973 ruling which guaranteed the right to abortion, and Casey v Planned Parenthood from 1992, which buttressed it.

The Mississippi case is expected to be resolved in June. The leak of the draft ruling to Politico, which reported that four other conservatives on the nine-justice court supported it, caused a storm of controversy and anger.

In a statement and remarks on Tuesday, Biden condemned Alitos reasoning and intentions and called for legislation to codify Roe into law.

But the president has faced criticism within his own party for seeming reluctant to contemplate reform such legislation would require, namely abolishing the Senate filibuster, the rule that requires 60 votes for most bills to pass.

A lifelong Catholic who nonetheless supports a womans right to choose, Biden has been eclipsed as a strong voice against the attack on abortion rights by high-profile Democratic women including the Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren, who spoke angrily outside the court on Tuesday, and the vice-president, Kamala Harris.

Harriss struggles as vice-president have been widely reported but on Tuesday night, speaking to the Emilys List advocacy group in Washington, she seemed to hit her stride.

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The former prosecutor and California senator said: Those Republican leaders who are trying to weaponise the use of the law against women. Well, we say, How dare they?

How dare they tell a woman what she can do and cannot do with her own body? How dare they? How dare they try to stop her from determining her own future? How dare they try to deny women their rights and their freedoms?

She asked: Which party wants to expand our rights? And which party wants to restrict them? It has never been more clear. Which party wants to lead us forward? And which party wants to push us back? You know, some Republican leaders, they want to take us back to a time before Roe v Wade.

At the White House on Wednesday, Biden took brief questions. He was asked about sanctions on Russia over the invasion of Ukraine and about the next step on abortion once this case gets settled.

As I said when this hit, as I was getting on the plane to go down to Alabama, this is about a lot more than abortion, he said. I hadnt read the whole opinion at that time.

The 79-year-old president then gave a lengthy, somewhat rambling answer about the debate with Robert Bork. Bork was nominated to the supreme court by Ronald Reagan in 1987. Biden was then chair of the Senate judiciary committee. The nomination failed.

Related: US supreme court justices on abortion  what theyve said and how theyve voted

At the White House, Biden said Bork believed the only reason you had any inherent rights was because the government gave them to you, a stance with which Biden said he disagreed.

Biden also said Bork had opposed Griswold v Connecticut, the 1965 case which established the right to contraception  a right many on the left fear may be left open to rightwing attack once Roe, another case concerning privacy, has been overturned.

In her speech the previous night, Harris said: At its core, Roe recognises the fundamental right to privacy. Think about that for a minute. When the right to privacy is attacked, anyone in our country may face a future where the government can interfere in their personal decisions. Not just women. Anyone.

The vice-president also said: Let us fight for our country and for the principles upon which it was founded, and let us fight with everything we have got.
Tinley Park police Chief Matthew Walsh announces at a news conference Wednesday that a Tinley Park man is charged with murder in the death Sunday of his 17-year-old daughter, Mia Maro. (Brian OMahoney / Daily Southtown)

The father of 17-year-old Andrew High School senior Mia Maro, found dead in her Tinley Park home Sunday afternoon, has been charged in connection with her death, police said Wednesday.

Mohammed Almaru, 42, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Mia Maro, whose death the Cook County medical examiners office ruled a homicide, saying she had suffered multiple injuries.

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Read the new story: Tinley Park man went out of control before beating 17-year-old daughter to death, court filing contends

The girl had serious bruising throughout her whole body, Tinley Park police Chief Matthew Walsh said at a news conference about 200 feet from where Maro and her father lived.

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The dad apparently tried to take his own life, and when first responders arrived found him with self-inflicted wounds to a wrist and his throat, although the wounds were superficial, police said.

Mia Maro, 17, was found dead inside her home in the 7800 block of 167th Street in Tinley Park Sunday evening. The girl's father, 42-year-old, Mohammed Almaru, was charged with first-degree murder in her death. (Brian OMahoney / Daily Southtown)

Almaru had also taken several narcotic pills and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Walsh said. He said Almaru is not yet able to appear in court for a bond hearing.

Its an absolute tragic loss, Walsh said. People are traumatized by this.

Paramedics arriving at the home, in the 7800 block of 167th Street, initially tended to Almaru then found his daughter in a lower level of the home. She was pronounced dead shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday, according to the medical examiners office.

Walsh said he did not know how many people were in the home at the time or if anybody tried to prevent the apparent attack. He said Almarus sister called 911.

Police said they were unable to interview Almaru until late Monday, that he is still under medical care at the hospital and has not been cooperating with investigators.

Walsh said police have had just one call at the home, and that was for a medical issue involving the girls mother.

Maros friends are trying to come to grips with her sudden death.

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Elyana Aldabbagh said she had been friends with Maro since sixth grade, when they both attended Grissom Middle School in Tinley Park.

Mia was amazing, Aldabbagh said. She was the sweetest, kindest and most genuine person Ive known.

At Andrew, where Aldabbagh is a senior, the two took advanced placement classes and helped each other through them throughout our four years and it was fun, she said.

I truly believe that Mia was going to go very far and make a big difference in this world and would have an impact on many individuals she wouldve come across in her life, Aldabbagh said.

She and Maro were preparing for Andrews graduation ceremony May 21.

The remaining few weeks of school will be very hard without Mia and graduation will truly not be the same, Aldabbagh said.

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Counselors at the school have been available this week to talk to students, and Walsh said Orland Park police lent the use of their therapy dog to the school.

Its working out very well, Walsh said.

The chief said he had no information regarding possible past physical abuse of Maro. He said Almaru has no prior criminal history.

Hes not talking, I dont want to speculate, Walsh said.

Tinley Park police Chief Matthew Walsh speaks during Wednesday's new conference with updates about the homicide investigation. (Brian OMahoney / Daily Southtown)

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

He said it was not clear how soon Almaru might be able to participate in an initial court appearance, saying hes not been totally conscious.

He said police officers, many of whom have daughters the same age as Maro, along with the community as a whole have been trying to cope with the tragedy.

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Walsh noted that the Maro was a kid getting ready to get out of high school, move on with her life. Now its not gonna happen.

The fire station where the news conference was held is almost directly across the street from the home Maro shared with her father.

Around a tree in the front yard is a growing memorial of flowers, stuffed animals and balloons.

Just before the news conference, a vehicle would pull up every minute or so, and somebody would get out and add to the memorial.

mnolan@tribpub.com
By Elizabeth Howcroft and Mathieu Rosemain

LONDON/PARIS (Reuters) -Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has registered with France's market regulator, Chief Executive Officer Changpeng Zhao said in a tweet on Wednesday, advancing the company's plan to make Paris its European base.

"It's a real stamp of quality," said Binance France's General Manager David Princay, referring to the registration with the regulator, AMF.

"The perception is changing. It allows us ... to move to a new phase, which is educating (the French public) to the blockchain."

Blockchain is a shared record of information maintained and updated by a computer network rather than a central authority. Major cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin rely on the technology.

Princay said Binance France was now seeking a formal licence from the French markets regulator to open a regional headquarters in France. Binance claimed it was the country's top cryptocurrency exchange even before the registration.

France is the first European Union country to register Binance, which is also seeking registration in Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal and Austria, Princay said.

In March, Binance gained licenses from Dubai and Bahrain.

Last year Binance received warnings from more than a dozen national regulators, including those in Germany, Italy and Britain. Some said it was operating without a licence in their jurisdictions.

Binance's CEO, widely known by his initials "CZ", last month pledged to invest 100 million euros ($105.51 million) in France and said he would grant 2 million euros for the restoration of a room at Chateau de Versailles. He also tweeted in support of French President Emmanuel Macron's re-election bid.

Since its 2017 launch in Shanghai, Binance has aggressively expanded worldwide.

A Reuters investigation published last month showed that in Russia, where Binance dominates the crypto market, the exchange expanded its business while building ties with Russian government agencies.

($1 = 0.9478 euros)

(Reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft and Mathieu Rosemain; Editing by Richard Chang)
Police in New Jerseys Egg Harbor Township have released surveillance images of individuals who allegedly broke into the residence of an Asian business owner last month  a case they say is part of an increasing pattern targeting the same victims.



They target the residences of those either employees or business owners, Detective Michael Santoro said, according to WPVI.



The latest burglary involved three suspects, one of whom appeared to pose as a food delivery worker. Its unclear if the same group was responsible for all the break-ins, but police said the incidents typically involved three to four people.



Five incidents were reportedly recorded in Egg Harbor Township in the past year, while two were documented in Absecon and Hamilton Township.



They typically case out the business itself, establish times when they are at the business and not at the business. And typically they follow those individuals home to determine a pattern, Santoro added.



All reported cases involved Asian victims. For this reason, police said the suspects may also be charged with bias crimes when they are caught.



Trinny Huynh, a manager at a nail salon in Northfield, was among those whose homes have been targeted. She said she was upset over the incident.



We work hard for our money, Huynh told NBC10 Philadelphia. Why do you take that from others? Its not yours.



Police are urging the public to be vigilant of their surroundings when heading to and from work. They also warn against keeping large amounts of cash, jewelry and luxury purses at home.



Nowadays I dont believe we have cash at home, Huynh said. At the business, mostly now we do credit cards.







Featured Image via Egg Harbor Township Police

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Ten Burundian peacekeepers were killed in a ferocious attack by Al-Shabaab jihadists on an African Union base in Somalia, Burundi's army said Wednesday, the deadliest targeting AU forces in the country since 2015.

Twenty-five soldiers were also wounded in Tuesday's assault on the camp in central Somalia and five are still missing while 20 Al-Shabaab militants were killed, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

It was the first such strike on a peacekeeping base since the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) replaced the previous AMISOM force on April 1.

"This attack was carried out using car bombs, suicide bombers and heavily armed men," the Burundian army said. "Fierce fighting took place, causing losses on both sides."

AU forces sent in helicopter gunships after the pre-dawn attack on the camp housing Burundian troops near Ceel Baraf, a village some 160 kilometres (100 miles) northeast of the capital Mogadishu, military officials and witnesses said.

A high-ranking Burundian military officer told AFP that 400 Islamist fighters stormed the base, forcing the soldiers to retreat to a nearby hillside where they continued to fight, supported by drones and helicopters.

Two Burundian military sources told AFP on condition of anonymity that 45 peacekeepers were reported as dead or missing, with 25 others injured.

Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had taken control of the camp and that 173 soldiers had been killed. Its claims could not be independently verified.

The Al-Qaeda-linked Islamist militants have been waging a deadly insurgency against Somalia's fragile central government for more than a decade.

- 'Heinous' attack -

Somalia's government condemned the "heinous" attack and appealed to the international community to do more to support Somali forces and ATMIS "in effectively combatting terrorism."

AU Commission chief Moussa Faki Mahamat said on Twitter he spoke to Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye to pay his respects for the "sacrifice" of the peacekeepers who lost their lives.

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The United States, Britain and the regional bloc IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development) condemned the attack, with the US embassy in Mogadishu vowing to "stand with ATMIS and Somalia's security forces as we partner to achieve peace".

"Our thoughts are with ATMIS, Burundian National Defence Force and all those affected. The UK stands with Somalia and partners in the fight against terrorism," the British ambassador to Somalia, Kate Foster, said on Twitter.

IGAD executive secretary Workneh Gebeyehu said in a statement: "These attacks will neither deter nor alter the determination of IGAD and international partners to support the people of Somalia in their search for a lasting peace and stability."

The European Union "strongly condemns the attack" and expresses support for the African Union mission in the country, according to a statement by the bloc's foreign policy service.

The attack is the deadliest since September 2015, when Western military sources reported that at least 50 AU troops were killed as Al-Shabaab fighters overran a military base southwest of Mogadishu.

The latest bloodshed highlights the security woes in the troubled Horn of Africa country, which is also embroiled in a deep political crisis over delayed elections and faces the threat of famine due to a prolonged drought across the region.

- Election delays -

ATMIS -- made up of troops from Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda -- is tasked with helping Somali forces take primary responsibility for security in a country that has been mired in conflict since 1991.

According to a UN resolution approving its creation, ATMIS is projected to gradually reduce staffing levels from nearly 20,000 soldiers, police and civilians to zero by the end of 2024.

Somalia's security issues have been exacerbated by an ongoing political crisis which has delayed elections by over a year, with its president and prime minister locked in a bitter power struggle.

On Wednesday, parliament nominated a committee to prepare for the presidential vote, which must be completed by mid-May. A crucial IMF financial assistance package is set to automatically expire if a new administration is not in place by then.

"We have a huge task to undertake as you know and therefore, we have to accelerate the election of the president," lower house speaker Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur, better known as Sheikh Adan Madobe, told legislators.

Somalia's international partners have warned that the delays distracted from the fight against Al-Shabaab, whose fighters controlled Mogadishu until 2011 when they were driven out by AU troops.

But the militants still hold territory in the countryside and frequently attack civilian, military and government targets in Mogadishu and elsewhere.

str-amu/txw/lc/gw
A crowd gathers outside the Supreme Court on Tuesday after a purported leak says that Roe vs. Wade will be overturned. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Talk about shooting the messenger.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has ordered the Supreme Courts marshal, its internal police, to investigate who leaked to Politico a draft opinion overturning Roe vs. Wade and a half-century of abortion-rights precedents.

Congress Republican leaders likewise decried the leak, not the trashing of a longtime constitutional right. Sen. Mitch McConnell suggested criminal charges might be in order for the whistle-blower, er, leaker.

Roberts in his statement Tuesday said the leak was a betrayal of the confidences of the Court  intended to undermine the integrity of our operations.

The courts integrity has been undermined, all right, but not by the leaker.

Blame should go to the five Republican-appointed conservative justices  Samuel A. Alito Jr., the opinions author; Clarence Thomas; and Donald Trumps three appointees, Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett  who dissembled their way through their Senate confirmation hearings. As nominees they each dismissed, under oath, the idea that they would overturn Roe and other rulings upholding that 1973 decision.

Yet safely on the bench, unelected and life-tenured, they reportedly are seizing power to do just that, fulfilling the decades-old dream of antiabortion activists and a central plank of the Republican Party platform.

The five justices have embarked on a crusade of judicial activism against a raft of precedents, not just on abortion, now that conservatives have a 6-3 conservative majority, including Roberts, who has been trying to preserve the courts image as a nonpartisan institution. His lone effort to keep the court from straying too far from public opinion has been blown apart.

Six in 10 Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, that women should make the life-altering decision whether to have a child. One in four women have had abortions, most of them long before the fetus is viable.

It stinks, this ideological radicalization of the court. As Sonia Sotomayor, one of the courts three liberals, fumed during oral arguments in December in the pending case concerning Mississippis law banning abortion after 15-weeks pregnancy, Dobbs vs. Jackson Womens Health: Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the Constitution and its reading are just political acts? I dont see how it is possible.

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Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a rare Republican who supports abortion rights, said the draft opinion rocks my confidence in the court right now.

Even Sen. Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, has gone beyond expressing her usual concern. Her vote was decisive in putting Kavanaugh on the bench after hed assured her, she said, that he believed Roe was settled law. On Tuesday, she accused him and Gorsuch of misleading her and other senators during their confirmation process.

If this leaked draft opinion is the final decision and this reporting is accurate, it would be completely inconsistent with what Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh said in their hearings and in our meetings in my office, Collins said.

Alitos 98-page draft is dated Feb. 10. Draft opinions are typically circulated and redrafted to reflect other justices edits and views. But there is nothing to suggest that a more polished version wont come to the same conclusion, representing the unshakeable anti-abortion views of the conservatives. Why should we have to wait to know the final decision until the end of the courts term in late June, when the justices unload their most controversial opinions and disperse for the summer?

After all, the courts direction has been clear since the Trump justices arrived. Collins was perhaps the only person persuaded by Kavanaugh or Gorsuch in their misrepresentations about respecting precedents on abortion rights. After Kavanaugh became the courts fifth conservative in late 2018, red-state legislatures rushed to pass plainly unconstitutional abortion bans, expressly to invite the newly friendly Supreme Court to overturn Roe.

Senate confirmation hearings long ago became charades. Nominees have often dodged questions about how theyd decide cases, since Robert Borks candid testimony confirming his extreme conservatism got him rejected in a bipartisan Senate vote in 1987.

Yet the current five anti-abortion justices were particularly artful dodgers when it came to senators questions about Roe. Once confirmed, their opposition was quickly apparent.

Thomas testified in 1991 that hed hardly thought about the landmark ruling, yet months later dissented on an abortion-rights decision and called for striking down Roe. Alito, in 2006, told senators repeatedly that he respected Roe as the courts precedent, but became its foremost foe on the court.

Nominee Gorsuch said of Roe in 2017, Thats the law of the land. I accept the law of the land, senator, yes. Kavanaugh suggested a constitutional right to abortion had an especially strong claim to respect because it had been affirmed many times, with precedent on precedent. Barrett said Roe was no super precedent, given some ongoing public opposition, yet quickly added, That doesnt mean that Roe should be overruled.

Now it will be.

Forget the leak. The opinion is what matters to tens of millions of American women who will lose their constitutionally protected right to decide whether they will give birth.

@jackiekcalmes

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans (Adam Davy/PA)

Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans helped create British history at the Madrid Open on Wednesday.

Norrie and Evans both joined Andy Murray in the third round to make it the first ever ATP Masters 1000 event on clay where Britain has had three players at that stage.

Murray booked his spot  and a meeting with old rival Novak Djokovic  on Tuesday night and Norrie and Evans followed suit the next day.

British number one Norrie beat big-serving American John Isner in three sets, winning 6-4 6-7 (5) 6-4.

The 26-year-old, ranked 11th in the world, was able to find decisive breaks at key moments of the first and third sets to make it through and set up a date with rising star Carlos Alcaraz.

Evans, who has been short of wins lately, posted an impressive 6-3 5-7 7-6 (2) success over home favourite Roberto Bautista Agut and will next play world number eight Andrey Rublev.
The CIA has posted instructions in Russian on how to access the Tor browser and contact the agency via its dedicated channel. Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The CIA made an Instagram post on Monday teaching Russians how to contact them with information.

The Russian-language posts show viewers how to obtain a Tor browser and access the CIA's channel.

According to an official, more Russians have tried to contact the CIA since the Ukraine war began.

The CIA is tapping on social media to recruit potential new Russian informants who disagree with President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

On Monday, the agency's official Instagram account posted a set of instructions in Russian on how to make "secure virtual contact" with the CIA. The post said it was targeted "those who feel compelled by the Russian Government's unjust war."

The post teaches Russians how to access the Tor browser to "guarantee the highest level of safety." Tor is an anonymous web browser that provides access to the Dark Web or websites not indexed by search engines like Google.

The CIA's post said that, to get Tor, any would-be informant should not use their personal or work computer and instead use an internet connection or computer not associated with their identity. The post added that they should also make sure their browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari are updated and in private browsing mode  such as the Chrome browser's "Incognito Mode."

As an alternative to Tor, the CIA said it is "imperative" that Russians use a VPN network if they want to get in touch with the agency.

"Do not use a VPN whose provider is based in Russia, China, or any other countries that are considered unfriendly to the United States," it warned. The agency also recommended using a paid VPN over a free service.

Russian demand for VPNs has skyrocketed since the Kremlin started blocking social media networks and news sites in March after the invasion of Ukraine commenced. Analysis sites such as AppFigures have reported an up to 4,375% increase in daily downloads for the country's top 10 VPN apps in March.

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The CIA's Instagram post also provided a link to a dedicated channel to the agency asking informants to send their full name, job description, and the kind of information they possess.

"We urge you to take all the proper precautions to keep yourself safe. Your safety is of first priority," the post read.

According to a CIA who spoke to The Washington Post, more Russians have tried reaching out to the agency since the war in Ukraine began.

"Concerned Russians are trying to engage CIA, and we wanted to provide a way to safely contact us," the official said, per The Post.

Read the original article on Business Insider
SANTA FE, N.M.  The smoke emerges, like a white veil draped across the sky, on the drive up from Albuquerque to this picturesque city of 84,000.

Historically, New Mexicos wildfire season begins in May or June, but this year, wildfires sprung up in the drought-parched New Mexican desert in April. By April 23, more than 20 wildfires were burning in 16 of the states 33 counties. Last week, two of them merged into one megafire, the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire. By Sunday, the New York Times reported, it had burned nearly 104,000 acres  more than 160 square miles  and smoke from it and another wildfire had blanketed most of northern New Mexico.

A satellite image shows a color-infrared view of the Hermits Peak wildfire, east of Santa Fe, N.M., on Sunday. (Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters)

About 6,000 people from 32 communities in the area have been ordered to evacuate, and 1,100 firefighters have been working to contain the blaze.

Scientists say that this is not just a freak occurrence but rather the new normal caused by climate change.

Were really seeing an increase in these fires outside the normal summer season, the normal warm season, really across the West, Kaitlyn Weber, a data analyst at the research organization Climate Central, told Yahoo News.

The McBride Fire burns in the heart of the village in Ruidoso, N.M., on April 12. (Ivan Pierre Aguirre/USA Today Network via Reuters)

Warmer temperatures, which cause more evaporation, dry out the landscape and create the conditions for wildfires to break out. In addition, climate change causes more extreme weather, such as unseasonably warm days in winter, and may even be causing stronger winds  another risk factor for fire  due to jet-stream disruption.

We had the big Marshall Fire in December in Colorado, we had the Big Sur fires here in California in January. [Fires] have just been happening throughout the year, Weber said.

Our risk season is incredibly and dangerously early, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said on April 23, by which time 200 structures in her state had already burned.

An aircraft dumps fire retardant near the Hermit Peak Fire and homes in Las Vegas, N.M., on Tuesday. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal via ZUMA Press Wire)

In August 2021, Climate Central released a report showing that the number of fire weather days  hot, dry, windy days that are ripe for wildfires  has increased dramatically over the last few decades. Analyzing data from 225 weather stations in 17 states across the West since 1973, Climate Central found that these days have become much more common, especially in New Mexico.

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Parts of New Mexico, Texas, and Southern California have experienced some of the largest increases in fire weather days each year, the reports summary stated. Areas of New Mexico are now seeing two more months of fire weather than was the case nearly a half century ago.

A member of the Martinez family prepares the horses to evacuate as the authorities battle the nearby Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon wildfires, in Las Vegas, New Mexico, U.S., May 2, 2022. (Adria Malcolm/Reuters)

As climate change continues to warm our Earth, it increases temperatures across the landscape, Weber said. It causes this drying trend thats really happening throughout the Southwest. So were seeing warm temperatures, drier days and, if the winds pick up, really dangerous conditions.

The drying out of New Mexico  a February study in the journal Nature Climate Change found that the last 20 years were the driest two decades in at least 1,200 years  is largely responsible.

As it gets warmer, then it increases evaporation, things gets drier, plants get drier, basically setting up fuels for these big fires. So when they happen, they burn longer, more severely, Weber said.

Smoke rises from the nearby Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon wildfires, at Storrie Lake State Park near Las Vegas, New Mexico on May 2, 2022. (Adria Malcolm/Reuters)

Along New Mexico State Road 518, part of which runs along the scenic route High Road to Taos, one can see the pale, dead grasses and pine trees, sitting like kindling along the roadside. Some stretches of intersecting roads are blocked, to keep traffic from getting too close to the ongoing blazes.

Living near nature, with the desert in sight, is central to the charm that has drawn tourists and new residents to the state. As a result, Climate Central estimates that more than 1.4 million people in New Mexico, approximately 70% of its population, lives in an area at-risk from wildfires, the so-called wildland-urban interface.

Right now, smoke comes and goes from Santa Fe and other nearby towns, depending on the winds. At best, the sky overhead is clear and the smoke to the west creates a startlingly magenta sunset. At worst, the smoke settles in around you, creating a fog-like haze, and it can be smelled and tasted in the air. On those days, the Air Quality Index (AQI)  the Environmental Protection Agencys measure of air pollution  spikes well into the unhealthy range. Taos experienced those conditions on Sunday, and Santa Fe did on Monday.

Smoke is seen at sunset in Sante Fe, New Mexico on April 30, 2022. (Ben Adler/Yahoo News)

This morning, I couldnt see anything, I couldnt see the mountains, when I left my house. I couldnt see any of the vistas, or any of the landscapes, so there was no point in going hiking today, Whitney Joiner, a resident of Taos, N.M., told Yahoo News on Sunday. Not only could you not breathe  it hurt to breathe, and people were wearing masks  and then a friend of mine who I go hiking with, she has asthma and she said she was inside with the air purifier and she was still coughing.

The Air Quality Index was 159, and when I looked up should go outside at 159? it was like, No, Joiner added. I dont really know anything about AQI, but thats a new way of looking at my life.

Climate change also makes it harder to perform the long-neglected forest maintenance, in which overgrown areas are deliberately burned with controlled fires, that is necessary to reduce the risk of wildfires that can spin out of control and threaten communities.

David Lopez hoses down his property as the authorities battle the nearby Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon wildfires, in Las Vegas, New Mexico, U.S., May 2, 2022. (Adria Malcolm/Reuters)

One of these fires was actually a prescribed burn fire that actually burned out of control when the winds picked up, Weber noted. As we see more of these fire weather days, were going to see a decrease in the number of days where you can do prescribed burns, which is really helpful, but you need the right conditions to do that.

Other states throughout the West have also been with megafires in recent years. A 2016 study from Climate Central found that, Across the Western U.S., the average annual number of large fires (larger than 1,000 acres) burning each year has more than tripled between the 1970s and the 2010s. Last summer, wildfires ravaged Washington state, Oregon and British Columbia, Canada.

An American Flag on a fence blows in the wind along NM 22 as The Cerro Pelado Fire burns in the Jemez Mountains in the distance on April 29, 2022 (Robert Browman/Albuquerque Journal via ZUMA Press Wire)

In February, a United Nations report declared a global wildfire crisis is developing due to climate change, pointing to recent extreme fire outbreaks in countries such as Australia and even in Russian towns north of the Arctic Circle.

As long as we keep emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, we can expect that we are going to keep seeing this warming trend, we are going to keep seeing this drying trend  at least out here in the Southwest and the West, and so were going to see more of these fire weather days per year, Weber said.

_____

Global temperatures are on the rise and have been for decades. Step inside the data and see the magnitude of climate change.
Footage of Dave Chappelle being attacked on stage and the wild Will Smith joke Chris Rock made in response has been shared online.

Chappelle was performing at the Netflix is a Joke festival in Los Angeles when a man ran on stage and lunged at him. Footage shared by those in attendance shows security detaining the man and taking him away.

The real surprise came when Rock, who was also performing the event, came on stage and asked Chappelle: Was that Will Smith?

This was a reference to the controversial incident that saw Smith slap Rock while he was presenting an award at the Oscars, after Rock cracked a joke about Jada Pinkett Smiths shaved head.

A number of attendees at the event confirmed on social media that Rock had made the joke, with TikTok user @rebhorn stitching footage of the stage attack and Rocks joke together in one video.

Author Julissa Natzely Arce Raya called the moment the wildest s***, I have ever seen.

Twitter user @walkgoodetienne added: Seeing Dave Chappelle get attacked by somebody from the audience then seeing the dude get jumped by Dave Chappelle and his crew gotta be the wildest live show Ive ever seen. Chris Rock even came on stage, embraced Dave, grabbed the mic, and said Will, was that you?!

Jimmy Finn commented: Yes Dave Chappelle was attacked by a man on stage tonight, yes Chris Rock grabbed the mic and joked that it was Will Smith after, yes I was there to witness it all thats just a typical tuesday night here in LA.

Twitter user @dwannb added: I got my moneys worth tonight at the Hollywood Bowl.

Audience members couldnt believe what happened a the Netflix event (Twitter)

Many couldnt quite believe the incident had happened, with @EzraCeleste commenting on the footage: I thought this was a joke, it actually happened.

Immediately after, Chappelle made another joke about the attacked being a trans man, which has attracted criticism on social media.

This was the third time Rock has publicly commented on the Smith incident.

Days after it happened, he told the crowd at a stand-up set that he was still processing what happened to him druing the live broadcast. Smith apologised for his actions, and has since been banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years.
You are here: China

Nine people have been arrested for their roles in the recent collapse of a self-built residential building in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, authorities said on Tuesday.

The people's procuratorate of Wangcheng District in Changsha said that four of the individuals arrested were charged with causing a major liability accident, and the other five were accused of providing false documents.

The collapse took place at 12:24 p.m. on Friday in Changsha's Wangcheng District.

Further investigation is underway.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, shown in 2021, is running for reelection. Most of the leading candidates for mayor won't say whether they support him. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Four years ago, Los Angeles Countys progressive voters got mugged.

They met a candidate who called himself a reformer and welcomed him into their home, throwing down a red carpet.

But it was like inviting the popular new guy to your house party and then watching him set fire to the curtains, puke into the punch bowl and chuck furniture through the windows.

L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva is still lobbing grenades at his once-rabid supporters, acting more like a militia commando than a professional law enforcement executive.

So now that the so-called progressive has turned out to be the exact opposite, arrogantly presiding over a string of outrageous scandals in a department with a long history of corruption, I expected a different response Sunday at the mayoral debate when candidates were asked whether they endorsed Villanuevas reelection.

Not a trick question, right? Along with his embarrassing record, Villanueva had poked city officials in the eye with a stick when he mounted up a posse and rode into Venice last summer, claiming to have answers to the citys homelessness challenge. Nice stunt, but aren't hundreds of encampments strewn across the sheriff's county turf to this day?

Only Karen Bass said, flat-out, that she would not back Villanueva. Rick Caruso, Joe Buscaino, Kevin de Leon and Mike Feuer wouldnt commit.

With spines that mushy, how do they even stand up straight?

The question now is, will voters give Villanueva the boot in the coming election?

I dont know, but lets try another question:

How many of his eight challengers can you name?

Can you name even one?

Dont feel bad if the answer is no, because in a crowded field, money and name recognition are hard to come by, giving the incumbent gasbag a big advantage. (By the way, in alphabetical order, the names are Karla Carranza, April Hood, Robert Luna, Cecil Rhambo, Matt Rodriguez, Britta Steinbrenner, Eric Strong and Eli Vera.)

Its possible Villanueva will grab 50% of the primary vote next month and avoid a runoff, and the circus will be in town at least four more years. Unlike four years ago, when the L.A. County Democratic Party got fleeced and backed Villanueva, there is no endorsement from the group this time around.

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Mark Gonzalez, the party chair, said the group does not officially back a candidate who doesnt win 60% support in its endorsement process, and none of the candidates hit the mark. Of the 188 votes cast, Rhambo (chief of Los Angeles Airport Police and a former officer in the Sheriffs Department) led the field with 65, and Luna (chief of police in Long Beach) came in second with 59.

If Villanueva gets less than 50% in the primary, Gonzalez said, and runs against a Democrat in the general election this fall, the party is likely to make an endorsement.

After four years of watching a guy who thinks hes Rambo, it might be fun to see him get ambushed by a guy named Rhambo.

Sheriff Allex Villanueva is the Donald Trump of L.A. County, Rhambo says in a campaign ad, adding that the incumbent has eroded public trust and used fear to consolidate power, making us good cops look bad.

I dont know about that. Villanueva has, however, made one cop in particular look bad.

I can remember sitting in the audience at a county Board of Supervisors meeting in January 2019, thinking Villanueva might wise up and reverse his move reinstating a deputy fired for alleged physical assault and harassment of a female deputy. Instead, he doubled down, blathering on about a truth and reconciliation commission that would clean up the department.

I shouldnt have been surprised, because Villanueva had by then pushed back against requirements for reporting minor uses of force, he wanted to bring back metal flashlights that had served in the past as clubs, and he had opposed former Sheriff Jim McDonnells attempts to give prosecutors a secret list of deputies disciplined for dishonesty and misconduct.

None of us is so independent that we can do anything we damn well please, Supervisor Sheila Kuehl told Villanueva.

She might as well have been talking to a fire hydrant.

Villanueva has stayed the course, feuding with critics including my colleague Gustavo Arellano for calling him out, and recently attacking another colleague, Alene Tchekmedyian, for reporting on a department cover-up involving a deputy who was seen in a video kneeling on the neck of a handcuffed inmate.

So how could such a bully ever have looked attractive to lefty libs, and how did he pull off his victory?

McDonnell is partly to blame. His record of reform wasnt perfect in four years as sheriff, but hed made progress. And yet he barely showed up at campaign time and seemed to take his reelection for granted, says Jaime Regalado, former director of Cal State L.A.s Pat Brown Institute.

McDonnell didnt help himself at all, and Villanueva ran what turned out to be a smart campaign, said Regalado, with the candidate convincing voters he was someone other than his true self.

In the nonpartisan election, Villanueva called himself a Democrat while McDonnell, an independent, had ticked off the left by refusing to support a state sanctuary bill aimed at preventing federal officials from taking custody of immigrants in the country without authorization upon their release from custody.

Villanueva is very charismatic, using that sort of charisma now in a very negative way, but he was progressive in our interviews, said Damian Carroll, one of the party members who endorsed Villanueva and later felt conned.

Gonzalez said that, ironically, support for Villanueva was driven in part by the backlash against President Trump and his anti-immigrant policies.

For us at the time, it was related to [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and children being in cages  and we were not going to let a Republican administration implement those polices, Gonzalez said. We needed a sheriff willing to get ICE out of the jails and create criminal justice reforms, and there were a number of [Villanueva] platforms and promises  that we coalesced behind.

A lot of people jumped on that bandwagon, as Villanueva scored big among young voters, women, Spanish speakers, liberals, moderates and older white conservatives.

Whats the line?

Fool me once, shame on you.

Fool me twice, shame on me.

steve.lopez@latimes.com

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
President Clinton applauds after announcing Ruth Bader Ginsburg as his Supreme Court nominee in 1993. Did she stay on the high court too long? (Associated Press)

The Supreme Court's now-confirmed intention of overturning the half-century-old protection for abortion rights in Roe vs. Wade is energizing the debate over how to rein in the court's extreme conservative slant.

Expanding the court beyond its current complement of nine justices has long been the most widely discussed option.

Another idea may be gaining traction, however: eliminating the justices' right to lifetime appointment by imposing a term limit. This option, which has been discussed for decades, received its most recent airing in March at a roundtable among law professors sponsored by Sanford Levinson of the University of Texas School of Law.

"Life tenure today means a significantly longer tenure than it meant in 1789."

Steven G. Calabresi and James Lindgren, Northwestern University

"It is telling that all of us seem to be fully comfortable with the idea of term limits," Levinson wrote after the event. "It is getting harder and harder to find anyone who genuinely defends either as 'necessary' or even 'proper' the truly exceptional national American practice of 'full-life' tenure that allowed John Paul Stevens to serve for 34 years until he turned 90."

Levinson is correct. The Founding Fathers almost certainly did not expect Supreme Court justices to serve that long, and for most of American history they didn't.

The average tenure on the court was 15 years until the 1970s, when it shot up to nearly 26 years. By 2005, the average age of justices at death or resignation was nearly 79, a record.

"Life tenure today means a significantly longer tenure than it meant in 1789," Steven G. Calabresi and James Lindgren of Northwestern University observed in 2015. The average has plainly risen since then  Ruth Bader Ginsburg died in office at 87, Antonin Scalia at 79. Stephen Breyer retired this year at 83 and Anthony Kennedy in 2018 at 82.

The trend is an artifact of improved healthcare. The average age of Supreme Court justices at the time of their appointment has remained stable since the late 1700s at about 50 to 55, but life expectancy since then has soared.

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Life tenure for judges doesn't only make the U.S. an outlier globally, Levinson wrote, but sets the federal government apart from the states, only one of which (Rhode Island) grants its supreme court judges life tenure. In all other states, the high judges either have fixed terms or are required to step down at age 70.

Pros and cons exist for both options for reshaping the court. Term limits appear to be more popular than expanding the court: Among respondents to a Morning Consult/Politico poll, 66% favored term limits for justices versus 21% against them, while only 45% favored expanding the court versus 36% against.

The poll was taken after the leaked disclosure Monday of a draft opinion by Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. that would overturn Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 decision that guaranteed abortion rights nationwide.

On the negative side, imposing a term limit on the justices may be legally more difficult than expanding the court. The constitutionality of subjecting Supreme Court justices to fixed terms via legislation rather than through a constitutional amendment is open to question, and the amendment process is inherently more complicated than congressional action. Changing the number of justices, on the other hand, unmistakably falls within congressional authority.

Before delving into how to fix the Supreme Court, let's examine how it's broken.

It has become clear in recent years that the court has moved well to the right of American political sentiment.

Legal experts Nancy Gertner and Lawrence Tribe, who were members of a commission established by President Biden to weigh options, wrote last year that "the anti-democratic, anti-egalitarian direction of this courts decisions about matters such as voting rights, gerrymandering and the corrupting effects of dark money" made reshaping the court imperative. (They favored expanding the court "as soon as possible.")

A gulf plainly exists between what appears to be a court majority restricting abortion rights and public opinion, which overwhelmingly favors access to abortion in some or all circumstances. Only 20% of Americans think abortion should be banned entirely.

The reasons for the divergence of public opinion and court actions aren't hard to find. One is the increasing politicization of the appointment process, in which a justice is nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

As has been pointed out by Erwin Chemerinsky, a constitutional scholar and dean of the law school at UC Berkeley, from 1960 through 2021, Republicans held the White House for 32 years and Democrats for 29, almost an even split. But in that period Republicans have appointed 15 justices and Democrats only nine.

That count includes conservatives Neil Gorsuch, who was the beneficiary of the Senate GOPs dishonest maneuvering to withhold consideration of Barack Obamas nomination of Merrick Garland to succeed the late Antonin Scalia, and Amy Coney Barrett, whose nomination was rushed through to confirmation to give Trump instead of Biden the opportunity to appoint a successor to Ginsburg. It also includes Ketanji Brown Jackson, appointed by Biden.

Life terms for the Supreme Court have led to this uneven distribution of appointments. To some extent this is the luck of the draw.

Following the 12-year tenure of Franklin Roosevelt, who appointed eight justices, Democratic presidents were consistently shortchanged  Democrats Bill Clinton and Obama got only two appointments each during their eight White House years and Jimmy Carter none, while Republican George H.W. Bush got two in his sole term and Trump three in his sole term. No Democratic president was able to appoint a justice in the 26 years between Lyndon B. Johnson's appointment of Thurgood Marshall in 1967 and Clinton's of Ginsburg in 1993.

The prospect of open-ended service on the court encouraged justices themselves to try gaming their retirements. Typically they tried to hang on until they could be assured that a like-minded president would appoint their successor (not that this invariably worked). The result was the continued service of justices who were plainly impaired mentally or physically.

That has prompted concerns about what legal scholar David J. Garrow labeled "mental decrepitude" on the court. The best known example for Supreme Court aficionados is probably that of William O. Douglas, whose 1974 stroke left him so debilitated that his colleagues on the bench secretly agreed to hold over any cases on which Douglas would cast the deciding vote to break a 4-4 tie.

Douglas retired in 1975 and died in 1980, at age 81. (As a personal aside, Douglas gave the keynote address at my college commencement the year before his stroke, and he was already incoherent.)

The dangers of open-ended Supreme Court terms are illustrated by the case of Ginsburg, a liberal icon who hung on through repeated bouts of cancer until she died in 2020 at age 87, long past the point when her retirement would have allowed Democrat Obama to name her successor.

"Some of us remain truly angry," Levinson wrote, that Ginsburg "chose to roll the dice with the countrys future for no good reason other than her own vanity."

That brings us back to the question of a term limit for Supreme Court justices. The most common version of this proposal is for a term limit of 18 years, combined with a permanent fixing of the court's size at nine. The goal would be to provide an opening on the bench every two years, or two in every presidential term.

Fixed terms for justices would offer at least three virtues. It would help make the Supreme Court more reflective of contemporary political mores  justices in their 50s and 60s would surely be more attuned to the ebb and flow of social movements than those in their 80s.

It would reduce the political stakes for any nomination, because the prospect of using an appointment to affect the partisan tilt of the court into the limitless future would vanish.

It would also reduce the likelihood that political extremism would take hold of the court. At the Levinson roundtable, Lori A. Ringhand of the University of Georgia estimated that had the 18-year rule been in effect starting with Bill Clinton's term in 1993, the court would comprise "four strongly liberal justices, three strongly conservative justices, a moderately conservative justice, and a moderately liberal justice" rather than today's 6-3 conservative majority.

"A court so comprised might well find common ground on many issues," Ringhand speculated. "More fundamentally, it almost certainly would better represent the constitutional preferences of the American people."

To those who might object that this system would pare away extreme liberal as well as extreme conservative leanings, one can merely reply: If only. For most of American history, and particularly recent history, the court has been a bulwark of conservatism.

The liberalism of the Earl Warren court of the 1950s and 60s was an aberration, its image as a beacon of progressivism derived from two major factors  the presence among its members of long-serving liberal lions Hugo Black, William J. Brennan and Douglas, as well as its landmark 1954 anti-segregation ruling in Brown vs. Board of Education.

The remaining question is whether a Supreme Court term limit is constitutional. The best one can say is that expert opinion is divided. The governing language in the Constitution is the "behavior clause," which specifies that federal judges at all levels "shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour."

Some experts say that's the sole condition placed on the term of justices, which means that change would require a constitutional amendment  proposed by a two-thirds vote of both houses and ratified by three-fourths of the states  obviously a politically fraught and time-consuming process.

But some say the Constitution's drafters designed the clause only to guarantee that judges would be immune to pressure from the executive and legislative branches, not that no other conditions could be placed on their terms of service.

Some also assert that even if the clause mandates lifetime service, that requirement can be met by limiting judges to 18 years on the Supreme Court bench and transferring them to appellate or district courts after that, while guaranteeing a lifetime salary.

No one ever said restructuring the Supreme Court would be easy. FDR learned that from the failure of his court-packing scheme, which aimed to produce and solidify a liberal bench, but which almost brought the entire New Deal to a screeching halt.

But with this court now poised for overtly partisan purposes to scrap a legal principle that has protected women's reproductive rights for more than a half-century, the effort is necessary and urgent.

No change could be implemented without a delay of several years at least. But with the abortion ruling now dominating political debate in America, the time to start is now.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Clarence Dixon

A Pinal County Superior Court judge has found death row prisoner Clarence Dixon is mentally competent to be executed. Judge Robert Olson heard arguments Tuesday about whether Dixon's mental state prevents him from understanding why the state has sentenced him to death.

It was one of the final opportunities for Dixon and his legal team to delay or cancel the execution.

Dixon was convicted and sentenced to death in 2008 for the 1978 murder of Arizona State University student Deana Bowdoin. His execution is scheduled for May 11.

Attorneys for Dixon contend he does not comprehend why he is being put to death, making his execution unconstitutional. The attorneys presented his requests for a commutation of sentence or a reprieve to the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency in late April. They described how Dixon has suffered from schizophrenia from an early age, experienced auditory and visual hallucinations, and displayed delusional thoughts.

But members of the Board of Clemency didnt buy the argument, found Dixon to be mentally competent and denied his requests for mercy.

On Tuesday, Dixons attorneys presented their case to Pinal County Superior Court Judge Robert Olson, in a hearing to determine Dixons mental competency to be executed.

In an order issued late Tuesday night, Olson acknowledged that while Dixon has schizophrenia, he displays "sophistication" as well as "coherent and organized thinking."

"The court finds that Clarence Wayne Dixon has not met his burden  to show that his mental state is so distorted by a mental illness that he lacks a rational understanding of the State's rationale for his execution," Olson wrote in his order.

Case centers around standard of competency for executions

Citing the Supreme Court case Panetti v. Quarterman, assistant federal public defender Amanda Bass said the Eighth Amendment test for determining whether a person is mentally incompetent to be executed asks whether a prisoners mental illness obstructs a rational understanding of the states reason for his execution.

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Dixons attorneys have argued he believes he is being executed due to what he perceives is a conspiracy against him, not the murder of Deana Bowdoin. They say his schizophrenic delusions prevent him from comprehending the true nature of the sentence imposed on him.

Psychiatric expert Dr. Lauro Amezcua-Patino, testifying for the defense, told the court he believed Dixon was delusional and irrational.

Amezcua-Patino said he spent close to 40 hours reviewing documents from Dixons case and visited him five times in Arizona prisons beginning in 2011 to try and understand his delusional thinking.

He diagnosed Dixon with schizophrenia, confirming an earlier diagnosis from the Arizona Department of Corrections, he said.

Amezcua-Patino explained how Dixon was born a blue baby, which is a condition where a lack of oxygen actually causes an infants skin to turn blue. This trauma from birth, combined with years of psychological and physical abuse in his youth, likely contributed to Dixon developing schizophrenia in his early 20s, Amezcua-Patino said.

He said a psychiatric evaluation from Dixons early 20s showed he began manifesting schizophrenic symptoms at the time.

While the state has argued there is no record of treatment at the Department of Corrections for Dixons schizophrenia, Amezcua-Patino said incarcerated patients with severe mental illness sometimes go untreated.

Amezcua-Patino said Dixons delusion of a conspiracy against him is unshakable and Dixon has held this belief since he has known him.

He has this very consistent delusion that there is a plot from the judicial system to kill him, he said.

Amezcua-Patino said he looked at two parameters while evaluating Dixons competency: whether Dixon has a factual and rational understanding of the execution process and whether he is able to draw a rational link between the crime and the punishment. He told the court Dixon was not able to do either.

Judge Olson commented that he had reviewed Dixons prolific legal filings, and quipped that many of them were composed with more skill than some attorneys he knew.

But Amezcua-Patino said knowing the law and having factual knowledge is not the same as having a rational understanding.

If the basis of your pleadings is irrational, he said, it doesnt matter how much you know the facts. The main premise continues to be irrational.

In an attempt to rebut claims from the defense, the state presented testimony from an expert witness who had never conducted an evaluation for mental competency to be executed before.

Despite only spending about 70 minutes talking with Dixon over a video conference, Dr. Carlos Vega told the court he believed Dixon had deluded beliefs, but found him neither delusional nor incompetent.

Vega said he is not a medical doctor, and testified that he had never diagnosed or treated anyone for schizophrenia.

He cited comments Dixon made about his own case, as well as musings on the current political landscape, as evidence of Dixons mental awareness.

There is a tendency of individuals who are schizophrenic, who are not in touch in reality, Vega said. But he believed Dixon was acutely aware of reality.

Vega said he recorded his interview with Dixon, but destroyed the audio recording after preparing his report for the state.

Vega said Dixons insistence of a conspiracy against him was attributable more to a personality disorder than to schizophrenia.

He is completely aware, completely convinced, of the conspiracy, Vega said. Is he misguided? Perhaps. Does he misperceive the facts? Perhaps. But people dont have to be delusional to be arrogant and narcissistic.

Vega called the defenses claim of mental incompetence completely unfounded.

When asked by an attorney for the prosecution if he believed Dixon has a rational understanding of the states reasoning for his execution, and whether Dixon made the connection between the 1978 murder of Bowdoin and his upcoming execution, Vega said yes.

'Fundamentally irrational'

Making closing remarks, assistant federal public defender Bass said the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled it was not enough for someone to simply have an awareness that they committed murder and an awareness that they will be executed to establish mental competency.

The evidence before the court today establishes that Clarence suffers from a long-standing psychotic disorder, namely paranoid schizophrenia, she said. Clarences schizophrenic illness and the delusions that are its hallmark prevent him from rationally understanding the states reasons for executing him.

Bass said under the Panetti ruling, Dixons understanding of why he will be executed is fundamentally irrational, which renders him mentally incompetent to be executed.

Reacting to the ruling Wednesday morning, Eric Zuckerman, an attorney for Dixon, said he would appeal the ruling.

"Although the record clearly shows that he is not mentally competent to be executed, the Superior Courts reliance on the discredited testimony of an unqualified expert who admitted to destroying the only recording of his interview with Mr. Dixon shortly before the hearing and to never asking Mr. Dixon why he believes he is being executed is deeply alarming," Zuckerman said.

"We will ask the Arizona Supreme Court to apply the correct standard and ensure that Mr. Dixon is not executed while mentally incompetent in violation of the Eighth Amendment.

Have a news tip on Arizona prisons? Reach the reporter at jjenkins@arizonarepublic.com or at 812-243-5582. Follow him on Twitter @JimmyJenkins.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Death row prisoner Clarence Dixon found mentally competent by judge
Trooper Brian North, who is free on bail, said nothing during or after his brief appearance in Milford Superior Court.

MILFORD, Conn. (AP)  A white Connecticut state trooper who fatally shot a Black man, Mubarak Soulemane, following a high-speed chase in 2020 was arraigned Tuesday on a manslaughter charge.

Trooper Brian North, who is free on bail, said nothing during or after the brief appearance in Milford Superior Court and did not enter a plea. His next court date was scheduled for June 2.

Connecticut State Trooper Brian North (center), flanked by Andrew Matthews, president of the Connecticut State Police Union (left), and attorney Jeffrey Ment, appears in Milford Superior Court Tuesday in Milford, Connecticut on manslaughter charges in the death of Mubarak Soulemane. (Photo: Sean Fowler/Hartford Courant via AP, Pool)

North fired seven gunshots into the drivers-side window of a stolen car after a chase on Jan. 15, 2020, that ended in West Haven. Soulemane, 19, was killed. An investigation showed Soulemane had a knife but was boxed in by police and unable to drive away.

North was arrested last month after state Inspector General Robert Devlin found the shooting was not justified.

About nine relatives and supporters of Soulemane were in the courtroom, including his mother, Omo Mohammed. Following the hearing, they chanted, Justice for Mubarak outside the courthouse.

Omo Klusum Mohammed (center) speaks outside Milford Superior Court before the Tuesday arraignment of Connecticut State Trooper Brian North, who shot and killed Mohammeds son, Mubarak Soulemane, following a high-speed chase in West Haven, Conn in 2020. (Photo: Sean Fowler/Hartford Courant via AP)

We are here today for justice, justice for my son, Mubarak Soulemane, who has been massacred by a state trooper, Brian North, Mohammed said. I hope justice will be served to convict Brian North to go to jail, to convict Brian North of being accountable for killing my son.

Dozens of police officers, some from as far as Pennsylvania and New Jersey, showed up in plain clothes outside the courthouse before the hearing to show their support for North. They later took up most of the seats in the courtroom, surrounding Soulemanes family and supporters.

Regardless of who it is, when our troopers are what believe to be prosecuted for doing their job, we will defend them, said Andrew Matthews, the executive director of the Connecticut State Police Union.

Mohammed said she believed the police officers who went to court Tuesday were there to intimidate her and her family, something the police union denied. She said she and her relatives will not be intimidated.

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Soulemanes family, the NAACP and other groups said North should not have opened fire because police had Soulemane surrounded and he could not get away. They said North and other officers should have tried to deescalate the situation. Soulemanes mother has a pending wrongful death lawsuit against North and other officers who were at the scene.

A timeline of the events included in Devlins report says North began firing about 43 seconds after Soulemane crashed and officers boxed him in. Before the shooting, police body cam videos show a West Haven officer smashing out the passenger door window of the stolen car and another trooper shooting Soulemane with a stun gun, which didnt work.

The chase, which reached speeds of up to 100 mph (161 kph) on Interstate 95, had begun nearly 30 miles away in Norwalk after Soulemane tried to steal a cellphone at a store and stole a Lyft drivers vehicle, police said.

Soulemanes family said that he had schizophrenia and that his mental health appeared to be deteriorating in the days before the shooting.

The state police union has criticized Devlins findings, saying in a statement that North was forced to make a split-second decision during these dangerous and rapidly evolving circumstances.

We believe Trooper North acted objectively reasonable during this violent encounter and we believe a jury will find reasonable doubt and acquit him of these serious charges, the union said.

North and his lawyer did not comment outside the courthouse. North is on paid administrative leave and his police powers are suspended pending the outcome of the criminal case.

North is the third Connecticut police officer to be arrested for fatal shootings dating back to 1998.

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The post Connecticut trooper arraigned in death of Mubarak Soulemane appeared first on TheGrio.
ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports

After Jarvis Landry was released by the Browns in March, there was word that the team was interested in bringing him back on a different contract. The lack of a new deal over the last couple of months was a strong suggestion that conversations about such a deal were not fruitful and theres now a [more]
Associated Press

The son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos and the daughter of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte are the new leaders of the Philippines, an alliance that ushers in six years of governance that has some human rights activists concerned about the course their country may take with the pair in power. Here is a look at the new president and vice president of the Philippines, who ran in separate races for their posts. A former provincial governor, congressman and senator, the 64-year-old son who goes by his childhood nickname Bongbong has managed to return his family to the presidency 36 years after the People Power revolt ousted his father and sent him into exile for filching billions and mass human rights abuses.
Dave Chappelle refuses to let Tuesday night's physical attack "overshadow the magic" of his four performances, a representative for the comedian told Fox News Digital Wednesday.

"Dave Chappelle celebrated four nights of comedy and music, setting record-breaking sales for a comedian at the Hollywood Bowl," his representative said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. "This run ties Chappelle with Monty Python for the most headlined shows by any comedian at the Hollywood Bowl, reaching 70k fans of diverse backgrounds during the first Netflix Is A Joke: The Festival, and he refuses to allow last nights incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment.

"As unfortunate and unsettling as the incident was, Chappelle went on with the show. Jamie Foxx and Chris Rock helped calm the crowd with humor before Chappelle introduced the last and featured musical guests for the evening, hip-hop artists Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli, a.k.a. Black Star, who performed music from their new album  the first in nearly 24 years  which was released on Luminary. Other special comedic guests last night included Earthquake, Leslie Jones, Jeff Ross, Sebastian, Jon Stewart and Michelle Wolf."

The rep confirmed that Chappelle is fully cooperating with police as the investigation continues.

The suspect in Chappelle's onstage attack was arrested Tuesday around 10:50 p.m. after he allegedly stormed the stage and tackled the comedian. He was subsequently charged with assault with a deadly weapon, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital Wednesday.

Isaiah Lee, 23, was carrying a replica gun with a knife blade inside when he attacked Chappelle during the Hollywood Bowl show, police say. Authorities describe him as a Black male with black hair and brown eyes, who stands 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds. The suspect, who lives in the Los Angeles area, is being held on $30,000 bail.

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Chappelle was performing as part of his "Netflix is a Joke" tour when he was attacked.

Videos of the incident showed Lee jumping on stage and tackling Chappelle. The suspect was injured and taken from the venue in an ambulance.

COMEDIAN DAVE CHAPPELLE ATTACKED ON STAGE WHILE PERFORMING AT HOLLYWOOD BOWL IN LOS ANGELES

He was swiftly taken away by security and other individuals, who repeatedly hit the man just off stage, videos appear to show.

A spokesperson for Netflix told Fox News Digital: "We care deeply about the safety of creators, and we strongly defend the right of stand-up comedians to perform on stage without fear of violence."

Immediately following the attack, Chappelle remained on stage and thanked security, before joking about the incident and describing the person who attacked him as a "trans man."

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The suspect in Chappelle's attack Tuesday night was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon, according to LAPD. Michael Tran/FilmMagic

Chappelle makes several jokes about the trans community in his standup routine and even boasted during Tuesday nights performance that he has been recently forced to increase his security amid new threats.

The attack took place toward the end of Chappelle's stand-up routine. The comedian thanked both Busta Rhymes and Jamie Foxx for helping out following the attack.

"Whenever you're in trouble, Jamie Foxx will show up in a sheriff's hat," he told the audience.

Chappelle was helped by Jamie Foxx, Busta Rhymes and Chris Rock following the incident.

Comedian Chris Rock, who was slapped in the face by Will Smith while onstage at the Oscars, also appeared on the stage. After Chappelle was attacked onstage, Rock joked, "Was that Will Smith?"

Fox News' Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.
Comedian Dave Chappelle was attacked onstage by an armed man Tuesday night as he performed at Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl arena, with videos from audience members' cellphones quickly flooding social media and showing a man appear to run onto the stage and tackle the comic. The Los Angeles Police Department said the 23-year-old man pointed a weapon, later determined to be a replica handgun that contained a knife blade, at Chappelle.

Weapon obtained by LAPD / Credit: LAPD

The suspect, identified as Isaiah Lee of Los Angeles, was arrested and accused of assault with a deadly weapon.

Chappelle was not injured in the attack.

Following the incident, Lee was transported to the hospital "for medical treatment for injuries" before being taken to the police station and arrested. Lee is being held on a $30,000 bail.

Chappelle's representative, Carla Sims, said in a statement that "Chappelle is fully cooperating with the active police investigation into this incident."

A man is transported into an ambulance after comedian Dave Chappelle was attacked on stage during stand-up Netflix show at the Hollywood Bowl, in Los Angeles, May 3, 2022, in this still image obtained from a social media video. / Credit: Theodore Nwajei/via REUTERS

"The performances by Chappelle at the Hollywood Bowl were epic and record-breaking and he refuses to allow last night's incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment," Sims said.

Chappelle, whose unapologetic humor has made him a lightning rod for criticism, appeared unscathed by the sudden interruption and later joked (Note: Linked video contains harsh language including profanity) with fellow comedian and actor Jamie Foxx onstage that he'd taken revenge on his attacker.

#davechappelle attacked at #hollywoodbowl #netflixisajoke pic.twitter.com/oP04S0de90

 abazar  (@abazar) May 4, 2022

Videos posted to Twitter appeared to show the person who charged Chappelle being detained outside the venue by police and then loaded into an ambulance with visible injuries. Witnesses said  and videos appeared to show  that the man was set upon by multiple people onstage immediately after he attacked Chappelle.

The idiot getting beaten down after attacking Dave Chappelle at Hollywood Bowl pic.twitter.com/Ft0FIUyjWv

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 Jed Simon (@JEDSIMON) May 4, 2022

While the entire debacle was captured in multiple videos shot by members of the audience, cellphone use was officially banned during the performance.

The motivation for the initial attack remained unclear.

Chappelle was onstage performing as part of the "Netflix Is a Joke" comedy festival, sponsored by the streaming giant.

"We care deeply about the safety of creators and we strongly defend the right of stand-up comedians to perform on stage without fear of violence," a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement.

Just came out of the Hollywood Bowl where a man charged and tackled Dave Chapelle on stage and got his ass kicked by at least 10 people. LAPD and LAFD are now loading him into an ambulance pic.twitter.com/7SXPe9e8az

 Brianna Sacks (@bri_sacks) May 4, 2022

Comedian Chris Rock was at the show, and jokingly asked if the attacker was Will Smith  who made headlines by bounding up onstage and slapping Rock at the Academy Awards in March.

Chappelle drew a sharp rebuke late last year from the transgender community for jokes at their expense featured in his latest Netflix special, "The Closer," which premiered in October.

Netflix stood by the Washington, D.C., native, continuing to air the special despite hundreds of its own employees staging a walkout over what they deemed Chappelle's transphobic jokes.

The comic later said he'd be happy to meet with any member of the transgender community, but that he would not be swayed by "anyone's demands" to censor his routine.

"To the transgender community, I am more than willing to give you an audience, but you will not summon me. I am not bending to anybody's demands," he told an audience in a clip posted to his Instagram.

The 48-year-old comedian listed three conditions for any potential meeting, and responded to fellow comedian Hannah Gadsby, who labelled Chapelle's Netflix special "hate speech."

"If you wanna meet with me, I'd be more than willing to, but I have conditions: First of all, you cannot come if you have not watched my special from beginning to end. You must come to a place of my choosing and a time of my choosing. And thirdly, you must admit that Hannah Gadsby is not funny."

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

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Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis Police officer convicted of murder for the death of George Floyd in 2020, will be sentenced to 20-25 years in prison on federal civil rights charges.

Senior Judge Paul Magnuson, a Reagan appointee, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota approved the sentence per terms of a plea deal between Chauvin and federal prosecutors. Magnuson released a one-page order on May 4 indicating his acceptance, though he did not set a date for sentencing. Though prosecutors have said they will seek the maximum sentence of 25 years, Chauvin  with credit for good behavior  could serve between 17 and 21 years instead.

Chauvin, 46, had pled guilty in December of 2021 to criminal violations of Floyds federal civil rights to be free from a police officers unreasonable force, in callous and wanton disregard of his life during his restraint and neck-hold on May 25, 2020. Floyd later died in hospital due to cardiac arrest induced by asphyxiation. Three other officers at the scene with Chauvin have also pleaded guilty on similar charges.

Chauvin was also charged for causing a former 14-year-old juvenile  whose name has not been released  bodily injury in his role as a police officer. This incident occurred in 2017, when Chauvin, per an agreed statement of facts, held the juvenile by the throat and struck him over the head with a flashlight multiple times, before placing him in a neck-hold similar to Floyd. Both of the offenses against Chauvin are a violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 242.

In June of last year, Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder, among other charges, for Floyds death by a Minnesota state court. He was sentenced to 22-and-a-half years in prison, which was below the 40-year maximum sentence. Chauvin will serve his federal sentence concurrently with his state sentence.

More from National Review
Elizabeth Olsen has said Doctor Strange 2 director Sam Raimi made several changes to the film at her request.

The actor shot the new film, titled Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, immediately after finishing work on Marvel series WandaVision, which was released in January 2021.

In a new interview with The Independent, Olsen said that there were some parts of the film that didnt really make sense because of certain WandaVision scenes.

Marvels truly a very collaborative space, and were constantly being put with other directors and other writers. So they actually do listen when you go, I dont know, in WandaVision, we did this so I dont think it really makes sense for us to do this then here. And Sam Raimi would just be like, Great, Im glad you explained that to me.

She continued: That happened a lot on Doctor Strange 2 because there was this thread I was trying to pull on WandaVision.

Elsewhere, Olsen revealed that she loved a fan theory about WandaVision so much she wanted Marvel bosses to go back and retroactively add it in.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is released in the UK on 5 May and in the US on 6 May.

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda in WandaVision (Marvel Studios)

Read the full interview with Olsen on The Independent on Saturday (7 May).

Find our two-star verdict on the film here.
As sporadic resurgences of COVID-19 rage across China and the economy faces growing complexities and uncertainties, the country has been sparing no effort to make people's lives easier.

Earlier, a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee stressed the importance of ensuring and improving people's livelihoods.

To ensure the supply of necessities for regions experiencing COVID-19 resurgences, China's commerce ministry has been transporting goods from various locations to the affected regions, ministry spokesperson Gao Feng said.

The ministry has also increased the transport of agricultural products from neighboring provincial-level regions to help areas facing tightened COVID-19 prevention measures, Gao said.

With an eye on the long run, China has rolled out a slew of measures to help people live easier lives.

Employment is fundamental to people's well-being and social stability, and thus job creation has been put high on the policy agenda.

The job market cooled in March after a heady start in the first two months, with the urban unemployment rate edging up 0.3 percentage points from February to 5.8 percent.

Facing the more severe employment situation, the central government allocated 61.76 billion yuan (about 9.33 billion U.S. dollars) of employment subsidies this year, an increase of 5.17 billion yuan from a year ago.

To assist job seekers in better preparing for the labor market, China will provide them with no fewer than 1 million internship openings this year and allow localities to use the balance of the employment insurance funds to support vocational training programs.

Moreover, subsidies to aid people in need and ease the impact of the epidemic have increased to 154.68 billion yuan.

The country will continue to issue unemployment subsidies for all urban and rural unemployed people who are in the scheme and provide temporary living allowances to unemployed migrant workers while stabilizing the supply and price of necessities.

In enhancing people's food security, agricultural departments at all levels have been advancing spring farming and ensuring the supply of farm produce, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said.

Meanwhile, the smooth transportation of farm produce will be guaranteed.

Grain output is expected to reach 688 million tonnes in 2022 thanks to the country's preferential policies, according to a report released earlier.

In addition, China also vowed to improve the quality of medical and health services, securing the supply of medicine and ensuring quality supervision.

To this end, the per capita financial subsidy standard for residents' medical insurance and basic public health service funds will be raised by 30 yuan and 5 yuan, respectively.
Dolly Parton has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame after rejecting first nomination. (FilmMagic)

Country legend Dolly Parton has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame despite first turning down the nomination.

On Wednesday, the Hall announced the inductees for 2022, which also included performers and first time nominees: Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Lionel Richie and Carly Simon.

The criteria for nomination is that acts must have released their first record 25 years before induction.

Read more: Dolly Parton dons bunny outfit to recreate Playboy cover for husband's 79th birthday

Parton had been nominated in February, but turned it down in March when she wrote in an Instagram post: Even though I am extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I dont feel that I have earned that right.

I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out.

Last week, however, the Jolene singer changed her tune and revealed she would now accept the induction if she made the list.

After the Rock Hall confirmed that she could still be inducted despite her statement, she gave an interview saying: Well, Ill accept gracefully.'

Read more: Dolly Parton thrills fans by sharing rare snap of husband Carl Dean

The 76-year-old star added to NPRs Morning Edition: When I said that, it was always my belief that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was for the people in rock music, and I have found out lately that its not necessarily that...

"Ill just say thanks and I will accept it because the fans vote.

Parton pictured with fellow upcoming Rock & Roll Hall Of fame inductee Lionel Richie, left, and the late country music singer Kenny Rogers back in 2010. (Getty Images)

While rapper Eminem, who recently shared that he is celebrating 12 years of sobriety, joins Parton in the Class of 2022 this wont be his first time at a Rock Hall ceremony.

Last year, he performed Rock the Bells with LL Cool J at the 2021 induction ceremony. In 2009, he gave the speech inducting Run-DMC into the Rock Hall.

Judas Priest and producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis will receive the Musical Excellence Award.

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That gong is awarded to artists, musicians, songwriters and producers whose originality and influence creating music have had a dramatic impact on music, according to the Hall of Fame.

Rapper Eminem will also join the Hall Of Fame Class of 2022. (REX)

Veteran singer and actor Harry Belafonte, 95, and the late US blues musician Elizabeth Cotten will also be honoured with the Early Influence Award.

The Hall said of the latest artists: This award shall be given to a performing artist or group whose music and performance style have directly influenced and helped inspire and evolve rock & roll and music that has impacted youth culture.

A view of the stage at the 32nd Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony in 2017. (WireImage for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

Parton, who is an actor and singer/songwriter, has had 110 career-charted singles over the past 40 years.

She's also composed over 3,000 songs, including I Will Always Love You, Jolene, Coat of Many Colours, and 9 to 5.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2022 induction ceremony will take place on 5 November at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Watch: Dolly Parton honours 'sister' Naomi Judd with emotional tribute
I guess were making more news! Dolly Parton says with a delighted giggle as she hops on the phone for an exclusive interview with Billboard to talk about her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Earlier Wednesday (May 4), the Rock Hall announced she would be part of the Class of 2022, along with Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Lionel Richie and Carly Simon.

More from Billboard

Following her February nomination, Parton told Billboard that she never considered herself a rock n roller in any sense of the word, but she says shes gleefully willing to reconsider now. People usually [say] Dolly rocks or you rock or youre a rock star. I thought they just meant that I was cool, and I took that as a great compliment. But now Im going to have to take it literally!

Its been a bit of a zigzag for Parton since she was announced as a nominee on Feb. 2. She initially seemed delighted but a little perplexed by the perception that she was a rock act. Then on March 14, she posted to her 5 million Instagram followers that she was respectfully bowing out of the nomination because she did not feel she had earned that right and didnt want to split the votes. The ballots had already been mailed out and the Rock Hall ruled she would remain on the ballot. Just six days ago, on April 29, she told NPR that she would accept gracefully if she was inducted.

The honor comes in a particularly rich time in the 76-year-old icons career. Her book with James Patterson, Run, Rose, Run, is a New York Times best-seller. Her companion album of the same name debuted at No. 4 on Billboards Top Country Albums chart dated March 19, making it her 47th top 10 album  the highest tally among all among women. Earlier this year, she received 47 global gold and platinum certifications from countries including the U.S., Australia, U.K., Canada, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway. The Guinness World Records recognized her as the only artist to celebrate seven decades of top 20 hits.

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Parton tells Billboard she doesnt know if shell attend the Nov. 5 ceremony in Los Angeles, and she certainly hasnt thought about whom shed like to induct her, but she did indicate she already had a few tricks up her sleeve if she is there.

The following interview was edited for clarity and brevity.

How did you find out that you were going to be inducted?



[My manager] Danny [Nozell] called me from the office and said, Youre going to be inducted. I said, Really? I said, Well, I guess Im a rock star now, jokingly.

This has been a bit of a roller-coaster ride for you. How do you feel now that the voters have spoken?

Well, I feel great. I feel honored that all the people that voted for me did. And I appreciate the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame people for staying there with me. I never meant to cause trouble or stir up any controversy. It was just always my belief  and I think millions of other people out there too  always thought the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was just set up for the greatest people in the rock n roll business, and I just didnt feel like I really measured up to that and I dont want to take anything away from the people that have worked so hard. So I just wanted to go pull out before it got started good. I found out later that its far more than that, obviously.  Im very honored and humbled by [the induction], and so Ill try to live up to it.

There are a number of artists who are both in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, including Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Chet Atkins. But you are only the second woman to be in both after Brenda Lee, whom you have very wonderful feelings about.

Yes! And I think Brenda Lee has some great songs that would be considered rock. She was such a crossover artist. I love Brenda, she was a great, great artist. She should be in there. I found out later theres more people than I knew are in there, and I found out more about what the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame really stood for.  I even have a lot of my rock n roll friends and people that are, you know, to the point of being bitter about the fact that theyre not being nominated or in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. So its like, If theyre not able to be recognized in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, where do they go? I was trying to be nice and good about not trying to take something away from somebody that had truly earned it.

Are you going to the induction ceremony?

I dont know. If I do, Im going to sing the hardest style rock n roll song I could ever muster up just to show that I can do it.

I think we all want to hear you sing Enter Sandman by Metallica.

[Laughs] I dont know what Ill do.  But Ill do something to make it fun and to be forgiven for my mistake. To earn my title.

Musicians, historians and the music industry vote on the inductees. What do you think they saw differently in you than you saw in yourself? Because youre also getting in on your first-round nomination, which doesnt happen to a lot of nominees.

I think they were smarter than me. They knew what it was all about and I didnt.

When you first got nominated, you told Billboard you were going to have to put out a rock album immediately. When are we getting a rock album from you?

I had actually thought about that before I even got nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Ive always wanted to do a great rock album, and Im going to do that. I dont know when, but I will do one.

Youve covered artists like The Beatles, Neil Young and Led Zeppelin. Who were some rock artists that influenced you?

I love The Rolling Stones. Ive always wanted to do the song Satisfaction. Thats one of my husbands favorite songs. And I may have to drag Micks guys up there to help me sing it. I thought about writing a song called Rock of Ages, where I get all the great old rock nrollers, the people that I have always admired and respected. I didnt follow rock music that much, but my husband is a rock n roll freak. He loves all the groups and all the great stuff. I just liked certain records. I may do up a version of something like [Lynyrd Skynyrds] Free Bird and do my own versions of some classic things that I think would make good rock n roll songs.

You posted a great photo a few weeks ago on your Instagram of you hugging Mick Jagger from the 70s.

Yeah, I loved him and I love Satisfaction. Im hoping were both around long enough when I get to doing this record that hell come sing with me, and I may have to use The Rolling Stones to play behind me. I might do something like that  try to get some different rock bands, some of the classic bands, to back me on some of the songs I do and then do two or three or four originals. Id like to get in with some of the great rock groups and do some things, [but] Ive been working so hard on so many things and Ive got to overcome this so-called controversy, which I never meant it to be that. So now Im in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. So Im going to have to do a rock album at some point.  Now I may have to call my album Rock Star!

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Abortion would remain legal in Minnesota, at least for now, even if the U.S. Supreme Court votes to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and allow states to outlaw the procedure.

Many conservative states would likely outlaw abortions if the court ratifies that decision. But not Minnesota. Not on my watch, Gov. Tim Walz wrote in a Tweet when the Politico story broke.

But abortion, already a hot issue, almost certainly would become an even hotter one in campaigns across the state this fall.

All the leading Republican candidates for governor have pledged to ban abortion in Minnesota if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade this summer, Walz wrote. I wont.

To protect abortion rights across Minnesota, we need to win in November.

Walzs campaign issued a news release citing votes or statements by three leading Republican gubernatorial candidates  Dr. Scott Jensen, state Sen. Paul Gazelka and Kendall Qualls  pledging to ban abortion outright if they unseat Walz in November.

PROTECT THE LIFE OF THE UNBORN, Jensen said in a Tweet Monday night.

STATE, NATIONAL COURT DECISIONS

Roe v. Wade currently allows states to regulate but not ban abortions before fetuses become viable, at about 24 weeks. The state of Mississippi has asked the court to rule there is no constitutional right to an abortion.

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But Minnesota has a 1995 court ruling, Doe v. Gomez, guaranteeing the right to an abortion that is stronger than the federal law. Overturning it would require either a constitutional amendment ratified by Minnesota voters in a statewide referendum or the state law would have to be overruled in the courts.

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Anti-abortion groups acknowledge repealing the state law would be difficult.

Even if Roe v. Wade is eventually overturned, Minnesotas 1995 Doe v. Gomez decision ensures that abortion will not disappear immediately from our state, Minnesota Family Council CEO John Helmberger said in a statement. We call on all pro-life Minnesotans to work with us to protect women and children in Minnesota from abortion at the legislature, in the courts and through elections.

Abortion rights advocates also are gearing up for legal and political battles. At Planned Parenthood we are very, very prepared for the fight, Sarah Stoesz, the organizations north central states CEO, said in a video news conference. We know that elections matter, we know that mobilization matters, we also know that the majority of people in this country stand firmly on the side of an individuals right to make a decision about abortion.

ABORTION ON THE BALLOT

For years, Minnesota Republicans have firmly opposed abortion rights while the states Democrats have staunchly defended them. The release of the Supreme Courts draft opinion heated up their debate.

Make no mistake, abortion is on the ballot this November in Minnesota and across America, state DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin said in a statement. As we prepare to enter this grim new chapter of American history, the DFL Party will do everything in our power to defend access to abortion and the rights and freedoms of all Minnesotans.

A leading Republican state lawmaker on the issue, Senate Human Services Licensing Committee Chair Michelle Benson of Ham Lake, said: Republicans support women facing challenging and unplanned pregnancies and will continue our efforts to give unborn babies and pregnant women every opportunity at a healthy, happy life.

Overturning Roe v. Wade puts the decision about abortion into the hands of Minnesotans, while Doe v. Gomez, the Minnesota version of Roe v. Wade, remains in place. If Roe is overturned, we will work to build a consensus for the strongest possible protections for unborn children and support for women, moms and families in Minnesota.

U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., aimed her fire at the Supreme Court justices. When I worked at Planned Parenthood in Minnesota, I saw firsthand how women had the capacity to make the right decisions for themselves. How dare Justice Alito and other Supreme Court justices think they know better, she said in a statement.

There is nothing more American than the right to freedom, autonomy and self-determination. Yet the Supreme Court is preparing to strip that away for half the country.

But Republican Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach of Paynesville said striking down Roe would empower voters. If the Supreme Court does decide to overturn Roe v. Wade, it will put the laws back in the hands of the states to be debated and decided by the American people and their elected representatives, not by unelected judges, she said.

Thats not how Democratic Congresswoman Betty McCollum of St. Paul sees it. If the Supreme Court overrules Roe, she said in a news release, women in America will continue to be treated as second class citizens. Their reproductive choices will be dictated by Republican lawmakers, not decided by themselves in consultation with a health care provider.

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A driver of a car that crashed into a utility pole on Route 51 was rescued after being trapped Wednesday morning.

Photos: Car crashes into utility pole along Route 51 in Whitehall

Emergency crews responded to the scene at 7:18 a.m. along Saw Mill Run Boulevard near Stewart Avenue in Whitehall.

Units arrived on scene to find the driver pinned between a utility pole and the vehicle. The front seat passenger was able to get themselves out of the vehicle.

Duquesne Light crews also responded to stabilize and move the utility pole away from the driver. First responders were able to get the driver out of the vehicle.

The driver and passenger of the vehicle were both taken to a hospital. The driver is said to be in critical condition.

The Whitehall Police Chief did tell Channel 11 that the crash was weather-related and that the car hydroplaned.

According to Whitehall police, the portion of the road that was closed for the crash was reopened around 10:30 a.m.

UPDATE: The operator was extricated from the vehicle and transported to a trauma center by Medical Rescue Team South... Posted by Whitehall Borough Police Department on Wednesday, May 4, 2022

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There may be a "slight cost" for commercial and government accounts on Twitter in the future, the platform's presumptive new owner Elon Musk tweeted on Tuesday.

While it's unclear when or if the new price tag would begin, Musk maintained that the app "will always be free for casual users."

Announcements about potential changes to Twitter come after the Tesla CEO and billionaire struck a $44 billion deal to buy the company last Monday. Once the deal is complete, which is expected this year, the social media platform will become a privately-held company.

In a statement, Musk wrote that he wanted "to make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features"  including making the platform's algorithms publicly accessible, ending spam bots and authenticating all real users. He also previously shared plans for changes on Twitter's subscription service Twitter Blue, including reducing the price and working towards an ad-free experience.

Twitter will always be free for casual users, but maybe a slight cost for commercial/government users  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 3, 2022

Video: Ten things Elon Musk could have bought instead of buying Twitter for $44 billion

Some note that Musk, who is a self-proclaimed "free speech absolutist," calls for policies that might favor leaving up most tweets and some extremist accounts on Twitter  bringing into question what his new ownership will mean for previously suspended users and hate speech on the platform.

In a letter sent to brands Tuesday, 26 civil rights organizations called on Twitter's top advertisers to demand the platform retain critical policies, such as keeping hateful content and misinformation off the platform, and pull advertising spending if the new ownership does not comply.

Story continues

Less regulation: Will free speech mean more hate speech on Twitter under Elon Musk?

Twitter's future: Could an Elon Musk-owned social network thrive with a subscription-only model?

"Elon Musks takeover of Twitter will further toxify our information ecosystem and be a direct threat to public safety, especially among those already most vulnerable and marginalized," the letter read. "While the company is hardly a posterchild for healthy social media, it has taken welcome steps in recent years to mitigate systemic risks... Musk intends to steamroll those safeguards and provide a megaphone to extremists who traffic in disinformation, hate, and harassment."

Prior to his tweet about a potential, "slight cost" for commercial and government accounts, Musk also shared a CNN article about the letter on Tuesday  calling for an investigation into the funding of "these organizations that want to control your access to information."

Twitter did not immediately respond when USA TODAY reached out for further comments.

'Last tweet': Which celebrities are leaving Twitter, and which ones are returning after Elon Musk's takeover?

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Musk: Twitter may see 'slight cost' for commercial, government users
EWlon Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Twitter's incoming new owner says the platform will remain free for "casual users"  but for some others, it could be a different story.

Elon Musk, who is in the process of purchasing Twitter, on Tuesday night suggested some commercial or government accounts could be charged to use the service in the future.

"Ultimately, the downfall of the Freemasons was giving away their stonecutting services for nothing," Musk tweeted. "Twitter will always be free for casual users, but maybe a slight cost for commercial/government users."

Musk didn't provide details about what this "slight cost" might look like. But this was the latest look into the kind of changes he's eying should he gain ownership of Twitter. Recently, a report from Reuters said Musk was looking at new ways to monetize tweets, such as possibly charging websites a fee to quote or embed tweets from verified accounts.

Musk entered into an agreement to purchase Twitter late last month, though he doesn't yet officially own the company. When he made his offer, the Tesla CEO said Twitter "will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form," and it "needs to be transformed as a private company." But The Wall Street Journal reports that Musk has told investors he could take Twitter public again "in as little as three years of buying it."

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An employee at a hotel on South Hosmer Street in Tacoma shot and injured a 45-year-old man Tuesday night who police say pulled a knife and attacked a man and two women.

Police said hotel employees called 911 immediately after the shooting to report what occurred. The man was taken to an area hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Police said no one else was injured.

Tacoma Police Department officers were called about 11:49 p.m. to the Quality Inn & Suites at 8810 S. Hosmer St. Spokesperson Wendy Haddow said a 911 caller reported that an employee had just shot a man.

Haddow said police have trespassed the man from the property before. On Tuesday night, he returned to the business. Employees asked him to leave, but he refused.

Police said the man, 45, then attacked two employees and a bystander while armed with a knife. Haddow didnt have details of the attack. She said a 32-year-old woman shot the man once.

A front desk employee who asked that their name not be used told The News Tribune that the incident began at the beginning of the night shift. They said the hotel has dealt with difficult situations in the past, but this was a first.

Nothing like that has ever happened that drastically, the employee said. The street is wild. We try to handle it as best as we can.

The employee worked through the night and was still on shift Wednesday morning.

Haddow said after the man who was shot is released from the hospital, he will be booked into Pierce County Jail for investigation of three counts of first-degree assault.
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British scientists have trained a robot chef to taste ingredients during food prep  with the long-term goal of streamlining and even improving future meal production.

The development of robotic chefs will play a major role in busy households and assisted living homes in the future, Muhammad Chughtai, senior scientist at Beko plc appliances, said in a statement.

The discovery marks a big step toward automating culinary tasks, which could be transformative to both household and global sustainability initiatives, but could also cut jobs for human cooks.

This result is a leap forward in robotic cooking, and by using machine and deep learning algorithms, mastication will help robot chefs adjust taste for different dishes and users, Chughtai said.

Chughtais company worked with University of Cambridge researchers to help their robot chef understand whether food is sufficiently seasoned at various stages of the chewing process, according to their study, published in Frontiers in Robotics an AI.

As people chew and release both saliva and digestive enzymes, their perception of a foods flavor changes  and the robot chef is now imitating this human sensibility, the authors explained.

Welcome to Equilibrium, a newsletter that tracks the growing global battle over the future of sustainability. Were Saul Elbein and Sharon Udasin. Send us tips and feedback. A friend forward this newsletter to you? Subscribe here.

Today well examine the ongoing litigation and settlement efforts regarding the Flint water crisis. Then well look at why Volkswagen probably isnt quitting coal, as well a look at the affordability of rooftop solar installations.

More time for Flint victims

Residents of Flint, Mich., may get more time to join the $626 million water crisis settlement that seeks to compensate victims who suffered from widespread lead poisoning in 2014.

While roughly 50,000 people submitted preliminary applications or a share of the settlement with the state of Michigan, the city of Flint, McLaren Flint Hospital and Rowe Professional Services, thus far, only 13,000 official claims have been filed, Michigan Radio reported.

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And time to do so is quickly running out, as the deadline to file a claim is May 12.

What was the Flint water crisis?

In April 2014, the city of Flints drinking water source changed from Detroits water network to the adjacent Flint River.

That resource was not properly treated, and corrosive river water damaged the citys pipes, causing the release of lead and other pollutants into Flints drinking system.

A year and a half later, Flint returned to Detroits water system.

Hundreds of millions earmarked for children: U.S. District Judge Judith Levy gave final approval for the $626 million settlement in November.

About 80 percent of the settlement funds were earmarked for plaintiffs who were children during the time of the water crisis, because children are particularly at risk of enduring long-term health impacts from lead exposure, Michigan Radio reported.

Risks and expense: The complexity and volume of this litigation present significant risks and potentially great expense to all parties if the cases were to be tried, Levy wrote in her opinion in November, cited by the Detroit Free Press.

TRIALS AND TRIBUNALS

Levy is presiding over a federal lawsuit whose trial began in February, Michigan Live reported.

The families of four children are suing two engineering companies for alleged negligence in the citys water crisis, according to Michigan Live.

Trouble focusing, bouts of rage: On Tuesday, the parents of one of these children  Riley Vanderhagen, who was an infant at the time of the crisis  described their daughters trouble focusing and her alarming bouts of rage, Michigan Live reported.

I worry about her anger, her father said of her now eight years old. She goes from super happy, and then she doesnt get something she wants, and her head pops off.

Criminal proceedings are also ongoing: Cases are underway against several defendants, including former Gov. Rick Snyder (R), who was charged with two counts of willful neglect of duty, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Nine people have been charged in connection with the Flint Water Crisis, announced by the Michigan Solicitor General in January 2021, local NBC affiliate Mid-Michigan Now reported.

The Michigan Supreme Court began hearing the arguments of three of the defendants on Wednesday, according to Mid-Michigan Now.

And as for the settlement? Extra time may be on the horizon. During a Tuesday court hearing, Special Master Deborah Greenspan  who oversees the claims process  said she may submit a recommendation to Levy for an extension in the coming days, Michigan Radio reported.

It will likely be helpful to the entire process to provide a bit more time for individual claimantsand for the lawyers to finish compiling all the information, Greenspan told Michigan Radio.

BURN, BABY, BURN?

Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess announced on Wednesday that the scarcity of natural gas supplies  owing to tensions with Russia  might force his company to keep powering its factories with coal for longer than expected, CNBC reported.

Really a threat: Diess had been asked how concerned he was about gas supplies from Russia being shut off, CNBC reported.

Thats actually really a threat  because its very hard to predict whats going to happen, he said.

Sudden hesitation: Here in Wolfsburg [Germany] we still have coal-fired power plants which we wanted to  and we are  converting into gas, Diess told CNBC.

Its all prepared but now we are a little bit hesitating, and we will look and see how the situation is going to develop, he added.

Delaying the shift: Volkswagen can deal with the uncertainty by slowing its transition, according to Diess.



We can, [for] a little bit, prolong our coal-fired plants  hopefully its not for too long, he said. Then we would like to change to gas once the supply is secured.

Rising tensions: Diess spoke against the background of a new proposed E.U. boycott of all Russian oil  though not of natural gas  by the end of 2022, as our colleague Zack Budryk reported.

While Congress passed legislation last month to ban energy imports from Russia, the European Union has been more hesitant to do so, as the bloc relies much more heavily on Moscows oil and gas supplies.

Rooftop solar leaps ahead

While much of the discussion over clean energy tends to focus on consumers, rooftop energy is also becoming increasingly appealing to big investors, according to energy investment expert Chaim Lubin.

Lubin told Equilibrium that investors see solar as beating out traditional energy sources and even large-scale solar and wind  creating an investment cycle that increases solar panels availability and affordability.

Investors see an opportunity: Lubin runs the renewable energy mergers and acquisitions program at Chicago-based investment bank Lincoln International, helping solar companies get private equity investments.

Last month Lubin helped Utah-based rooftop solar installer ION Solar secure an investment from Blackstone Credit and Energy Impact Partners, according to a statement from his bank. Lubin said ION represents an emerging middle market of solar companies doing rooftop installations.

These are from $50 million to $1 billion per year in revenue  companies in the sweet spot for big investment deals, and that didnt exist before probably three or four years ago, Lubin added.

Some of the rooftop advantages: Rooftop panels are appealing to investors because they require no additional investment or infrastructure, Lubin said.

Utility-scale solar or wind, by contrast, requires investors to install a whole bunch more new substations into our additional grid infrastructure for a lot more costs, he explained.

He also noted that theres much more diversity in the size of rooftop companies, offering more affordable options for consumers.

STATE-BY-STATE AFFORDABILITY

With home energy costs rising, and the break-even point for rooftop solar at between 11 to 12 cents per kilowatt hour, Lubin argues solar panels now make financial sense across much of the U.S.

The U.S. average is 13 cents per kilowatt hour, and even the least expensive regions have averages within the break-even zone above 11 cents, according to the Energy Information Agency (EIA).

States where solar makes the most sense: In California  where on average, a homeowner is paying 25 cents per kilowatt hour in electricity bills  of course it makes sense to put up solar, Lubin said.

New England is also particularly ripe. Its energy costs average a whopping 24 cents a kilowatt hour, based on EIA data.

In Hawaii, with the EIA charting average costs at 38 cents per kilowatt hour, residents are paying almost three times the solar break-even price.

The widespread convergence of rising electricity prices and falling solar installation costs has helped convince big investors to pour more money into the sector, Lubin said.

Changing perceptions: Solar suffered for decades from the perception  among both buyers and investors  that it could only succeed if homeowners get enough of a rebate or enough of a tax credit, Lubin said.

And the perception that rooftop solar is a fragile business, dependent on easily-revoked local incentives, also made it very difficult for installation companies to secure the loans or investment necessary to grow, he noted.

Those views have shifted: Investors are now able to look at it and say, OK, this is a sustainable business model, and thats when you start to see the capital flow in, Lubin said.

Wednesday Worries

Forever chemicals in childrens toys, more heart attack deaths for black and poor people and wind powers expansion means more danger for migratory birds.

Some eco-friendly childrens products contain toxic forever chemicals: study

Many childrens products, such as upholstered furniture, clothing and pillow protectors, including those with green certifications, may contain harmful forever chemicals that were not listed on the labels, a new study has found.

Black, low-income patients dont benefit from lower rates of heart attack death

Black and low-income patients are continuing to die at the same rates after heart attacks  even as the population at large sees their 10-year survival rates climb, according to a study in JAMA Cardiology.

Danger at the intersection of migration paths and wind power

Ideal spots for wind energy tend to correspond with ideal pathways for migratory birds  with often deadly results, particularly as they descend into the rotor-swept zone to rest for the night, according to a study in Conservation Letters.

Please visit The Hills Sustainability section online for the web version of this newsletter and more stories. Well see you tomorrow.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
China has started a new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak on the China-Nepal border.

Weather factors such as temperature, wind speed and humidity will directly affect the completion of scientific research tasks and the safety of research personnel at high altitude. Therefore, a meteorological support team has been launched in safeguards of the scientific expedition.

The team is composed of staff members from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, and the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, etc.
(Bloomberg) -- The European Union plans to ban Russian crude oil over the next six months and refined fuels by the end of the year as part of a sixth round of sanctions to increase pressure on Vladimir Putin over his invasion of Ukraine.

Most Read from Bloomberg

This will be a complete import ban on all Russian oil, seaborne and pipeline, crude and refined, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in remarks to the European Parliament. We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets.

https://t.co/DU4A92QCWC pic.twitter.com/XLa2Xp45MO

 Bloomberg UK (@BloombergUK) May 4, 2022

Hungary and Slovakia, which are heavily reliant on Russian energy and had opposed a sudden cut-off of oil, will be granted a longer timeframe -- until the end of 2023 -- to enforce the sanctions, according to people familiar with the matter.

EU diplomats discussed the sixth package of sanctions Wednesday, which require unanimity among the 27 members. Hungary objected to the oil phase-out timing, with Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto saying that current proposal would undermine its energy security. Slovakia, meanwhile, is asking the EU for a three-year exemption, Economy Minister Richard Sulik told reporters after a government meeting Wednesday.

Greece, Malta and Cyprus raised questions about banning transport of oil between third countries, saying the move will just help Europes competitors, according to two diplomats. The bloc aims to conclude the package by the end of the week, or by May 9 at the latest, the diplomats said.

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Germany threw its weight behind the proposal, with Economy Minister Robert Habeck telling reporters on Wednesday that the transition period is sufficiently long that we can take all precautions to create alternatives to Russian oil in Germany.

The EU is also proposing to cut off Sberbank from the international SWIFT payment system, von der Leyen said. Credit Bank of Moscow and the Russian Agricultural Bank will also be included on the banned list, the people said.

The package would also ban property transactions with Russian citizens, residents and entities, with exemptions for EU residents.

The U.K. also announced new sanctions moves on Wednesday with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss saying shell cut Russia off from accessing U.K. management consultants, accountants and public relations firms. That move is in line with a key component of the new EU package as well.

Implementation of the new sanctions plan would dramatically increase the stakes with Moscow as the EU, the single largest consumer of crude and fuel from Russia, seeks to pressure Putin. In 2019, almost two-thirds of the blocs crude oil imports came from Russia.

The proposal also bans European vessels and companies from providing services -- including insurance -- linked to the transportation of Russian oil and products globally, the people said. About 95% of the worlds tanker liability cover is arranged through a London-based organization that has to heed European law.

Without such insurance, Russia and its customers would have to find alternatives for risks including oil spills and mishaps at sea that can quickly run into multibillion-dollar claims.

The EU also proposed banning the broadcasters Rossiya RTR/RTR Planeta, Rossiya 24/Russia 24 and TV Centre International from EU airwaves, according to the people. The EU already banned RT and Sputnik in March. RT has fought the ban in EU courts.

Von der Leyen said the sanctions would target high-ranking military officers and other individuals who committed alleged war crimes in Bucha and who are carrying out the siege of Mariupol. One proposed target is Patriarch Kirill, the head of Russias Orthodox Church, according to documents seen by Bloomberg and people familiar with the matter. The list, which still needs to be approved by European governments and could change, also includes family members of Putins spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov.

The package would also include banning the services of accountants, consultants and spin doctors from Europe to Russian companies, von der Leyen said.

European nations have long agonized over whether theyd be able to withstand being cut off from their top energy suppliers. The EU last year got 27% of its oil imports from Russia -- paying it 99 billion euros ($104 billion) for supplies of fossil fuels as a whole.

Terminating oil flows is seen as more manageable than disrupting natural gas because alternative sources of crude are easier to find. Gas, by contrast, mostly flows through pipelines. Sea deliveries of liquefied fuel from other countries couldnt cover the shortfall.

The EU gradual embargo on Russian oil is a risky bet, as in the short term it might leave Russian revenues high while implying negative consequences for the EU and global economy in terms of higher prices -- not to talk about retaliation risks on natural gas supplies, said Simone Tagliapietra, a research fellow at the Bruegel think tank.

Diesel, supplies of which were constrained before the war even began, will be a particular pinch point. Now, a record-shattering premium to crude oil and extremely bullish forward curves point to a market thats screaming for fuel. At the center of the global crisis is Europe, a region heavily reliant on imports from all over the world -- but most notably, from Russia.

Economists have put forward several estimates of how badly Europe would be hit if it were to lose all Russian energy imports. Silvia Ardagna at Barclays said a full embargo on Russian natural gas may reduce euro-area activity by 4% compared to a baseline scenario, with Germany and Italy more badly hit than Spain and France. According to the IMF, EU output in 2023 would be about 3% lower without Russian oil and gas imports.

For Germany in particular, the Bundesbank has said activity is at risk of shrinking nearly 2% in 2022 if an energy embargo leads to restrictions on power providers and industry. Some analysts have argued that the impact would be lower than that, and that the economy would be able to handle the shock.

Habeck has said his nation has already cut its reliance enough to make at least a full oil embargo manageable. The share of Russian crude in German imports has fallen to about 12% from more than a third before the invasion, he said.

Berenberg economist Holger Schmieding says Europe could phase out Russian oil by year-end without causing shortages and dramatic price increases. Investors are already anticipating such a move.

A ban on Russian oil would still leave the world economy with less supply as it faces growing challenges. Inflation is the fastest in decades in the U.S., Europe and other advanced economies, while wilting confidence among firms and households is sapping growth.

For Russia, an oil embargo would limit the inflow of foreign currency and make difficult spending cuts necessary, according to economists at the Institute of International Finance.

(Updates with details on closed-door talks starting in fourth paragraph)

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By Peter Graff and Alexander Tanas

CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova sees no imminent threat of unrest spilling over from the war in Ukraine despite "provocations" by pro-Russian separatists in recent days, but has been making contingency plans for "pessimistic" scenarios, President Maia Sandu said on Wednesday.

Fears have grown in the past week that Moldova could be drawn into the conflict in neighbouring Ukraine, after pro-Russian separatists in a breakaway region reported a number of attacks and explosions there, which they blamed on Kyiv.

Sandu and her pro-Western government have blamed incidents in the breakaway region on "pro-war" separatist factions. She has also denounced comments by a Russian general that one of Moscow's war aims was to seize Ukrainian territory to link up with the separatists in Moldova.

Kyiv has accused Moscow of trying to drag Moldova into the war. The Kremlin has expressed "concern" over the situation in Moldova's separatist region, where Russia has stationed hundreds of troops since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Asked on Wednesday whether she was worried about unrest in coming days, Sandu said through an interpreter: "We see no imminent threat for the nearest future, but of course we have contingency plans for such scenarios, which are less optimistic or which are pessimistic."

She repeated her description of the unrest as "provocations" by separatists, and said Moldova's police were doing what they could on their side of the Dniestr river to ensure stability.

She was speaking at a press conference alongside Charles Michel, president of the European Union's council of national leaders, who visited to express solidarity with a country on the frontline of the Ukraine war.

Michel said the EU was considering additional military support to Moldova this year, although he declined to provide details.

'NO PROVOCATIONS'

"We will help Moldova to strengthen your resilience," said Michel. But he added: "We do think it's important to avoid any escalation. It's not intelligent to express provocative statements about the situation in Moldova."

Story continues

Moldova, a country of around 2.6 million people wedged between Ukraine and Romania, has taken a decisive pro-Western political turn since Sandu took office at the end of 2020, defeating a Moscow-aligned incumbent.

The country has an ethnic Romanian majority but a large and influential Russian-speaking minority, and close economic ties to Moscow. A brief war in the early 1990s saw separatists declare an independent state in a Russian-speaking area along the Dniestr river, a conflict that has never been resolved.

Sandu's government applied to join the EU on March 3 this year, a week after Russia invaded Ukraine. Russian TV news broadcasts are banned in Moldova, and in recent weeks it banned the orange and black ribbon worn by supporters of the Russian invasion, after a parliamentary vote boycotted by the pro-Russian opposition.

Michel said the EU was working hard to evaluate Moldova's application to join the bloc, although he described the procedure as "complex".

(Writing by Peter Graff; Editing by Toby Chopra)
BERLIN (Reuters) - The European arm of Sberbank, Russia's biggest lender, is to be wound down by the end of the year and creditors will be paid back, Austria's national bank, the OeNB, and the Financial Market Authority (FMA) said on Wednesday.

Sberbank Europe AG, based in Vienna, was closed by order of the European Central Bank in March, after the ECB warned that the bank faced failure due to a run on deposits after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The Austrian deposit insurance fund, which paid out 926 million euros ($974 million) in secured deposits, will receive back all funds from the lender, OeNB and FMA said.

Sberbank, which serves more than 100 million individual customers in Russia, confirmed that all deposits would be paid in full and that it was continuing systematic work on exiting the European market.

The European Commission on Wednesday proposed removing the lender from the international SWIFT transaction and messaging system, the latest sanctions to target the heart of Russias financial system over Moscows actions in Ukraine.

($1 = 0.9504 euros)

(Reporting by Riham Alkousaa and Maria Sheahan;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
A former Leavenworth police officer accused of involuntary manslaughter in the 2017 shooting death of a 47-year-old man will be retried next month after his first trial ended in a mistrial, the county attorney announced Wednesday.

Matthew Harringtons new trial will begin June 6, said Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson.

On July 11, 2017, Harrington fatally shot Antonio Garcia, Jr. Harrington was indicted in August 2018.

Court proceedings leading up to the first trial were held to determine whether Harrington would have legal immunity under Kansas law. At the time, a Kansas Bureau of Investigation agent testified as an expert witness that Harrington should have stepped away from the situation and called for backup instead of opening fire. The agent testified that Garcia did not pose a threat to Harrington.

Garcias family filed a civil lawsuit against the city of Leavenworth alleging wrongful death and violation of his civil rights. It settled for $1 million in 2019.

Last month, a Leavenworth jury was unable to reach a verdict in the criminal case.

The day after the mistrial, the Leavenworth Police Department announced it was going to release body camera footage from the fatal encounter.

Harringtons defense attorneys filed a motion, arguing the release would be inappropriate and make it harder to empanel enough prospective jurors who have no previous knowledge of the specific facts of the case.

The Star filed a motion to intervene saying the public has a right to view the recordings. A judge ruled that the body camera videos could be released and the Leavenworth Police Department published more than two hours of body and dashboard camera footage.

Police shooting

Harrington was called to investigate a domestic dispute involving a stolen vehicle at Garcias home in the 1700 block of Rose Street. Family members were reportedly having an argument at the house.

Garcia encountered Harrington after returning to the home. In the video, Harrington is seen walking up to Garcia as he is parked in the driveway in the SUV.

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Prosecutors have said Garcia had a knife in his lap but did not threaten Harrington. In the audio, Harrington was heard saying Put that knife away as Garcia shut the door and the two men struggled.

Harrington fired several gunshots into the SUV as he backed away.

The shooting happened 32 seconds after Harrington first approached Garcia, according to earlier testimony.

Harringtons body camera shows Garcias wife, Heather Garcia, rush out to the SUV after the shots were fired.

Im a nurse, she yells after Harrington tells her to get back. Hes dead.

A couple minutes later, she is escorted away from the vehicle by other officers who had arrived at the scene.

In the dash cam recording, Heather Garcia is heard saying she has been handcuffed.

I just saw him shoot my husband in the head, she says.

This is not right.

In the body camera video, Harrington tells another officer, I dont wanna be here, man.

Several minutes later, Harrington says, Man, I wish that never hadve happened.
TACOMA, Wash. (AP)  A former Nigerian government official arrested in connection with massive fraud against Washington states pandemic relief efforts plead guilty Tuesday in federal court, prosecutors said.

Abidemi Rufai, 45, of Lekki, Nigeria, acknowledged in U.S. District Court in Tacoma that he used stolen identities to receive more than $350,000 in pandemic-related unemployment benefits from Washington state.

He also admitted earlier frauds: Since 2017, he had obtained identifying information for more than 20,000 Americans, submitted $2 million in claims for disaster relief and other federal benefits, and received more than $600,000, prosecutors said.

Rufai was the special assistant to the governor of Nigeria's Ogun state when he was arrested at New York's JFK Airport on his way to Nigeria in May 2021.

The case against him helped illustrate how Washington's Employment Security Department had succumbed to widespread fraud  paying out some $650 million in bogus claims before recovering about $380 million  as it tried to distribute benefits designed to help people financially weather the pandemic.

Rufai employed a feature of Gmail, Googles free email service, that let him use a single email account, altered by the addition of periods to the address, to file multiple unemployment claims in Washington and elsewhere using stolen Social Security numbers and other personal data.

Rufai faces up to 32 years in prison for wire fraud related to a presidentially declared disaster and aggravated identity theft. Prosecutors agreed to recommend less than six years, Seattle U.S. Attorney Nick Brown said in a news release.

Rufai also agreed to pay restitution to the agencies he defrauded, though his ability to do that remained unclear.
By Anshuman Daga

SINGAPORE (Reuters) -HSBC and Ping An executives plan to meet in mid-May to discuss the Chinese insurer's proposal that the bank should explore its options, including spinning off its Asian business, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Ping An, London-headquartered HSBC's biggest shareholder, called last week on the bank to look at ways to boost returns.

The source declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the situation.

Ping An did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. HSBC declined to comment.

HSBC has not commented on Ping An's proposal but defended its structure last week, saying in a statement that it believed it had the right strategy and was focused on delivery. [L2N2WR21M]

HSBC shareholders have grappled with the idea of a break-up several times in recent years, as disappointing earnings from UK, European and U.S. businesses weighed on its share price and management's promises of double-digit shareholder returns.

Some HSBC investors gave the break-up proposal a lukewarm response on Tuesday, however, voicing concerns a split would prove complex with no guarantee of boosting returns.

(Reporting by Anshuman Daga; Additional reporting by Selena Li; Editing by Sumeet Chatterjee, Carmel Crimmins and David Clarke)
The Recount

Piers Morgan, the English broadcaster, and journalist said that though sentiments were high on both sides regarding Roe v. Wade, it was not the right way to behave. While speaking on Fox & Friends, the English writer discussed the relevance of the demonstrations outside Supreme Court justices homes and churches as a fallout of the draft opinion leak last week. Morgan criticized the arson attack on the anti-abortion building in Wisconsin.
By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will meet Wednesday with telecom and airline industry officials on a push to retrofit and ultimately replace some airplane radio altimeters that could face interference from C-Band 5G wireless service.

The altimeters give data on a plane's height above the ground and are crucial for bad-weather landings, but airline concerns about wireless interference from a planned 5G rollout led to disruptions at some U.S. airports earlier this year.

The FAA wants to use the meeting to establish "an achievable timeframe to retrofit/replace radar altimeters in the U.S. fleet," according to a previously unreported letter from the FAA's top aviation safety official Chris Rocheleau reviewed by Reuters. It also asked aviation representatives "to offer options and commit to actions necessary to meet these objectives."

Major airlines group, Airlines for America, declined to comment ahead of the meeting.

AT&T and Verizon Communications voluntarily agreed in January to delay through July 5 switching on some wireless towers and depowering others near airports just hours before the planned Jan. 19 deployment, averting what airlines had warned would cause a potentially "catastrophic" aviation safety crisis.

The delay did not prevent dozens of countries from canceling flights to the United States, casting the U.S. regulatory system in an ugly light.

The planned three-and-a-half hour roundtable meeting will also include a discussion on prioritizing retrofits with antenna filters, which mitigate potential interference from 5G.

Antenna filters are currently in production, officials said. A key question is how to determine which planes are most at risk of interference and should therefore get retrofitted first.

The meeting will also look at what is set to happen after July 5 and outline "changes to U.S. national airspace operating environment as a result of future 5G C-band deployment in the coming months."

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The FAA has been holding daily meetings with AT&T and Verizon that it said have "enabled us to closely tailor the areas requiring mitigation while aviation stakeholders take the necessary steps to retrofit existing radio altimeters with antenna filters."

The FAA, which did not comment on the meeting, and others have conducted extensive testing of altimeters this year.

The FAA in January said it had issued approvals for altimeters that allow about 90% of the U.S. commercial aviation fleet to perform low-visibility landings at airports where 5G wireless is deployed.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has been holding at least weekly meetings on the issue and told Congress last week they were making progress but said the issue "won't be completely resolved by this summer."

(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Richard Pullin)
Instagram posts: Images show the Ukrainian flag being replaced by the Soviet Union flag in Mariupol in 2022.

PolitiFact's ruling: False

Here's why: A series of photos shared on social media appears to show a man in Mariupol, Ukraine, swapping out a dilapidated blue and yellow Ukrainian flag hanging from an industrial building with the red flag of the former Soviet Union.

"Illich, steel factory, Mariupol. Victory is Red. For the motherland," reads the caption of an April 18 Instagram post that shared the collage. Similar posts have also spread on Twitter.

Fact-check: Is viral TikTok of Russian warship exploding?

The photos are real, but theyre outdated and do not appear to have been taken in Mariupol. The social media posts were miscaptioned.

The post was flagged as part of Facebooks efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)

A reverse-image search shows that the collage has been around since at least 2015. The four images appear to be screenshots taken from a YouTube video posted on March 3, 2015. (The images can be seen around the one-minute mark).

"Prizrak Brigade, Communist militiaman raises the Soviet flag on freed Debaltsevo," the videos caption read.

The brigade is a separatist group in Ukraines eastern Donbas region. The region includes the city of Debaltseve (also spelled Debaltsevo), which pro-Russian forces seized in February 2015.

Fact-check: Is White House presenting commemorative coins for Ukraine's president?

Visegrad24, a group that aggregates news from various European countries including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, shared the collage on Twitter, saying "this is what the occupying forces did in Debaltseve in 2015 after taking control of the city." The city appears to still be in their control.

News reports from 2015 describe the Prizrak Brigade as having taken part in "some of the heaviest battles in Ukraines pro-Russia east" since the start of the conflict in 2014.

Story continues

Around 100 civilians were recently evacuated from the steel factory in Mariupol, seen as one of the last Ukrainian strongholds in the city, which has otherwise come under Russian control.

Our ruling

A collage shared online claims to show Russian forces replacing the Ukrainian flag with the Soviet Flag in Mariupol in 2022.

Iterations of the collage have been online since at least 2015 and appear to feature screenshots of a video that shows pro-Russian forces taking control of the eastern Ukrainian city of Debaltseve.

Its unrelated to Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

We rate this False.

Fact-check: Putin didnt free 35,000 children from Ukraine

Sources

Instagram post, April 18, 2022

Tin Eye, reverse image search, April 30, 2022

YouTube, Raising the Soviet flag on Donbass, March 3, 2015

Visegrad24 tweet, April 18, 2022

The Guardian, Separatist commander killed in Ukraine, May 24, 2015

The Ukrainian Weekly, Looking back at the Battle of Debaltseve, March 8, 2019

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Fact-check: Was Ukrainian flag replaced with Soviet Union flag?
Orlando Police Officer Kevin Valencia was one of the heroes honored Tuesday evening for making the ultimate sacrifice while serving Central Florida.

The Fraternal Order of Police hosted the Annual Orange County Law Enforcement Memorial ceremony Tuesday at the Orange County Courthouse.

READ: Deputies: Wife arrested in deadly Orange County shooting

The event recognizes the lives and legacies of all of the areas fallen law enforcement officers.

I ask our community to continue working in collaboration with officers to help us achieve our mutual goal to keep the @citybeautiful safe by reducing crime & maintaining livable neighborhoods. We will always make sure our officers sacrifices are never forgotten.@OrlandoPDChief https://t.co/UYtSL94YT6 pic.twitter.com/34ElvCGmLT  Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) May 4, 2022

Officer Kevin Valencia died in March of 2021 from complications due to gunshot wounds he suffered while responding to a domestic disturbance in 2018. He had served with the Orlando Police Department for three years and is survived by a wife and two children.

READ: Controversial Lake County gun range allowed to use flamethrowers, denied longer hours

Our community will never forget the sacrifice made by Officer Kevin Valencia, and the many other fallen heroes we lost in 2021, Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon said in a statement. Heartache remains for the family members, fellow officers, and friends. As we continue to mourn the loss of our communitys heroes we must do everything possible to support their families and to forever honor the legacies and lies that were taken from us so soon.

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The ceremony also honors law enforcement officers who have suffered serious injuries or who died of natural causes in the last year.

READ: Make the call: Florida schools in need of referees

It began with a memorial parade to the courthouse grounds followed by the memorial ceremony where stories of the fallen officers were shared.

Those stories can be found on the Officer Down Memorial Page.

Orlando Police Officer Kevin Valencia was one of the heroes honored Tuesday evening for making the ultimate sacrifice while serving Central Florida.

The annual memorial ceremony recognizes the lives and legacies of all of the areas fallen law enforcement officers.

Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon gave remarks at the ceremony honoring the heroes lost in 2021.

The event began with a memorial parade to the courthouse grounds followed by the memorial ceremony where stories of the fallen officers were shared.

Ceremony attendees included elected officials, dignitaries, community leaders and representatives from 28 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies operating in Orange County.

Officer Kevin Valencia died in March of 2021 from complications due to gunshot wounds he suffered while responding to a domestic disturbance in 2018.

Our community will never forget the sacrifice made by Officer Kevin Valencia, and the many other fallen heroes we lost in 2021, Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon said in a statement.

The Fraternal Order of Police hosted the event Tuesday at the Orange County Courthouse.

The ceremony also honors law enforcement officers who have suffered serious injuries or who died of natural causes in the last year.

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.
Members of a Chinese scientific expedition team conduct scientific research on Mount Qomolangma on May 4, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese scientific researchers on Wednesday established an automatic meteorological monitoring station at an altitude of over 8,800 meters, making it the world's highest of its kind, on Mount Qomolangma on the China-Nepal border.

It has replaced the station sitting at an altitude of 8,430 meters on the south side of the mountain, set up by British and U.S. scientists in 2019, to become the world's highest, according to the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (ITP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Including the new weather station, eight elevation gradient meteorological stations have been set up on Mount Qomolangma -- one of the main tasks in China's new comprehensive scientific expedition on the world's highest peak at a height of 8,848.86 meters.

Zhao Huabiao, a researcher with the ITP, said the monitored meteorological data will support scientific research and mountaineering activities.

Also on Wednesday, 13 members of the expedition team reached the summit of Mount Qomolangma. At the summit, the squad measured the thickness of the ice and snow using high-accuracy radar for the first time, and collected samples for further research.

Taking research to new heights

The new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, as part of China's second scientific research survey of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is the country's first scientific research above an altitude of 8,000 meters on the peak.

More than 270 scientific research members from five teams are participating in the expedition.

The glacier and pollutant research team led by Kang Shichang, a researcher with the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources under CAS, will spend a month monitoring pollutants, the Rongbuk glacier and ice lake changes, as well as the greenhouse gas emissions from rivers and lakes covering the high-altitude area from the Mount Qomolangma base camp to the East Rongbuk glacier.

Kang said studying the changes to the glacier aims to clarify the impact of global warming, which is beneficial to mounting a global response to climate change.

"Through the study of glacier changes and glacier air pollutants, we can see the impact of global and regional human activities in the Qomolangma area," Kang said.

Feat of humanity

Zhu Tong, head of the College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering of Peking University, led his team to explore the impact of an ultra-high altitude environment on human health.

The team of 27 scientific researchers is monitoring the health condition of 50 volunteers positioned at varying altitudes: 5,200 meters, 5,800 meters, 6,350 meters and 8,848 meters.

"As you rise in altitude, your body will change accordingly, which makes this intuitive data valuable," said Zhu, 59, who is also an academician at CAS.

The team will collect blood, urine, saliva, feces and other samples, measure blood pressure, and monitor the pulse wave velocity of the volunteers, including Zhu himself, to provide samples for follow-up research.

With the most disciplines covered, the highest number of scientific research participants, and the most advanced equipment utilized, the expedition is the largest since surveys of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau started in 2017.

"The ultra-high altitude comprehensive scientific expedition in the Qomolangma area is a feat of humanity," said Yao Tandong, an academician at CAS and team leader of the second scientific research survey of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Following the team's summit on Wednesday, scientists and researchers cheered and clapped inside the expedition's headquarters at the Mount Qomolangma base camp. Outside the camp, Tibetan snowcocks that often visit the camp crowed, reverberating across the valley.




A Middlesex man has been charged with murder in the death of his 3-month-old child, according to the Johnston County Sheriffs Office.

Andrew Chance Weckesser, 27, faces charges of murder and intentional child abuse resulting in severe physical injury, according to a Wednesday news release.

The baby, John Weckesser, died Tuesday from injuries sustained during the abuse, authorities said. The Sheriffs Office did not describe the injuries.

The death came a week after deputies received an assault call around 11:30 p.m. April 26, arriving at a Raleigh hospital to find the 3-month-old child in the pediatric intensive care unit.

Hospital staff told deputies the child had signs of trauma consistent with abuse, according to the news release.

The next day, Weckesser was charged with abuse. He has since been charged with murder.

Weckesser is being held without bail at the Johnston County Detention Center, the Sheriffs Office said.

The News & Observer has contacted authorities for more details in the case.
NEW YORK (AP)  New Academy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Ariana DeBose will host this year's Tony Awards.

The West Side Story star will lead the presentation June 12 at New York City's famed Radio City Music Hall live on CBS and on Paramount+ starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. An hour-long pre-show will stream on Paramount+.

After the challenging last two years, there is no one better to bring the theater community together on this important night honoring the best of Broadway and share the joys of live performing once again than this extraordinarily talented artist, said Jack Sussman, executive vice president of specials, music, live events and alternative programming at CBS.

DeBose is a theater veteran, with roles in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, Hamilton, A Bronx Tale, Pippin, Motown the Musical, Bring It On: The Musical and Company.

The ceremony will he held nine months after Moulin Rouge! The Musical took the best new musical crown at the last Tony Awards, one postponed because of the pandemic. That show also expanded from its typical three hours to four, with host Audra McDonald handing out Tonys for the first two hours and Leslie Odom Jr. hosting a Broadways Back! celebration for the second half with performances from the three top musicals.
EXCLUSIVE: Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida is launching his first ad reservation in his 2022 re-election campaign that's directed towards Spanish-speaking voters.

The popular first-term governor with a strong national conservative following announced on Wednesday that hell spend a massive $5.3 million to reserve ad time on Spanish language broadcast, cable, radio and digital to run campaign ads.

The governors political team, which shared their announcement first with Fox News, said their statewide ad reservations have a focus in the Orlando and Miami media markets. And the campaign noted that media reservation reflects DeSantis "commitment to communicating his "Keeping Florida Free" policy agenda to Spanish-speaking voters.

FLORIDAS RON DESANTIS IS THE $100 MILLION MAN

DeSantis, a former congressman who was narrowly elected Florida governor in 2018, isnt expected to face as challenging a re-election fight. Florida used to be the nations biggest general election battleground, but it has increasingly trended red over the past couple of cycles. And DeSantis has seen his political stature dramatically soar over the past two years.

U.S. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, U.S. February 24, 2022. Reuters

An average of recent public opinion polling indicated DeSantis holding a nine-point lead over former governor and current Democratic Rep. Charlie Crist in a hypothetical general election showdown, with the governor up by double digits over two other leading Democratic gubernatorial candidates  Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and state Sen. Annette Taddeo, in potential November matchups.

And DeSantis has a huge fundraising advantage over his potential Democratic challengers. The governor  through his re-election campaign and Friends of Ron DeSantis, his political committee  by the end of March had hauled in over $100 million so far in the 2022 cycle.

DESANTIS VOWS HES ONLY BEGUN TO FIGHT

The DeSantis campaign appears to be using their new ad reservation to signal their strategy to further court Floridas important and growing pool of Spanish-speaking voters.

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Republicans have made gains with Spanish-speaking voters in recent elections cycles and are optimistic about making further gains this year. DeSantis won 44% of the Latino or Hispanic vote in his 2018 gubernatorial election victory, according to a Fox News Voter Analysis, which also indicated DeSantis narrowly edging Democratic nominee Andrew Gillum 50%-48% among Latino men.

And recent polling indicates DeSantis favorability among Hispanic voters in Florida on the rise while President Bidens numbers have declined.

TRUMP WINS CPAC 2024 STRAW POLL, WITH DESANTIS SECOND

"As Joe Biden and the Democrat Party continue to lose their footing with the Hispanic community, Republicans are gaining and growing, the DeSantis campaign touted in an exclusive statement to Fox News.

"Spanish-speaking Hispanics in Florida and across the country are moving towards Governor Ron DeSantis because of his emphasis on economic opportunity, education, public safety, and other family-focused policies," the campaign argued. "This is our first media investment of the campaign, proving the importance we are placing on sharing our freedom agenda with Spanish-speaking voters across the state of Florida."

DeSantis has seen his popularity surge among Republican voters in his state and around the nation over the past two years, thanks in large part to his combative pushback against COVID-19 restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic as well as his aggressive actions in the culture wars.

While pundits see DeSantis as a likely 2024 GOP presidential contender, the governor has repeatedly deflected talk of a 2024 run, saying hes concentrating on his gubernatorial re-election and telling Fox News that the next White House race is "way down the road. Its not anything that Im planning for."

But the governors massive campaign war chest sends a signal to the rest of the potential 2024 Republican presidential field of DeSantis popularity, influence, and strength should he launch a White House campaign. And he consistently polls second to former President Donald Trump  who repeatedly flirts with making other White House run  in early 2024 GOP presidential nomination polls.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex photographed at Trooping the Colour 2019. Samir Hussein/Getty Images

Former royal bodyguard Simon Morgan shared the likely reason behind Prince Harry's security issues.

The prince previously said he had been barred from paying for police protection in the UK.

Morgan said that since it is publicly funded, Harry would be setting a "difficult precedent."

A former royal protection officer spoke about the likely reason why Prince Harry isn't allowed to pay for his own police protection while in the UK.

Speaking to the "Today" show in April, Prince Harry said he wants to attend the Queen's Jubilee celebrations in June which mark the monarch's 70 years on the throne, but security issues could prevent him from doing so.

Harry and Meghan Markle gave up their right to publicly-funded police protection when they resigned from royal duties in April 2020. In September 2021, the prince appealed for a judicial review of a government decision that barred him from personally paying for police protection while in the UK.

Simon Morgan, a former royal protection officer who worked for the Queen from 2007 until 2013, told Insider that the decision was likely made so not to set a "difficult precedent."

"When you get to a point where you can pay for it, that would set a difficult precedent. Because if you can pay for it, it can effectively go to the highest bidder," Morgan told Insider.

"Anyone with a certain degree of wealth could pay for it... you're looking at needs versus wants for protection," he said. "And also, it comes down to something quite simple, there probably aren't enough protection officers to fulfill that want."

The Met Police declined to comment when contacted by Insider.

While representatives for the Duke of Sussex did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, a legal spokesperson for Prince Harry said in a statement obtained by Omid Scobie in January that while the Sussexes have a private security team in the US, "that security cannot replicate the necessary police protection while in the UK."

Story continues

The spokesperson added that Harry's security was "compromised" during a visit to the UK in July 2021 due to the absence of police protection.

Morgan, who set up his own private security firm, Trojan Consultancy, after leaving the royal household, told Insider that it's not surprising that Harry's preference is police protection over a private firm.

"The Duke of Sussex has grown up with cradle to grave police protection, and he clearly values that skillset," Morgan said. "But when you step outside of that, there aren't a lot of teams that have experience with dealing with such high profile principles."

Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Insider
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After being cooped up inside for much of the last two years, most of us are champing at the bit to travel this summer. Google is aware of this, which is why the company is doing what it can to help make travel planning easier. On Monday, Googles VP of Travel Products Richard Holden shared a blog post revealing four new travel-centric features.

Don't Miss: Tuesdays deals: 99 Echo Dot, #1 mosquito & fly trap for $28, rare iPad mini deal, more

Today's Top Deals

Google announces four new travel features

One of the most convenient features on Google Flights is the ability to track prices with the click of a button. As an incredibly indecisive traveler, I constantly use this feature in order to keep track of flights that Im not quite ready to book.

This week, that feature got upgraded. You can now track a flights prices for any date rather than a specific time frame. If Google detects lower fares within 3-6 months, youll receive an alert. This is especially useful for planning potential vacations when the price of your flight is prohibitive. For example, you might want to visit Japan this year, but youre willing to go any time between now and Christmas for the right price. Track prices for any dates and then plan your trip around any discounted flights that might pop up.

If you arent sure where you want to visit, Googles Explore tool could be incredibly helpful. You can start to plan a trip based on a number of filters, including the number of stops, the length of the trip, and the price of the flights and hotels. But if youre not looking to go far from home, Google recently added a new Explore nearby feature.

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If you head to the Explore page, youll see a pink dot and a bubble prompting you to explore nearby your current location. Click on the bubble and Google will offer suggestions for trips that you could take within a few hours of your home. Pick a destination to see how long it would take to get there and fun activities to check out when you arrive.

Other additions debuting this week

Know where youre going, but arent sure where to stay? Googles got a new feature for you as well. If you visit Google Travel, you will now see interest layers on the map. These layers show which parts of a city have the most options for dining, shopping, sightseeing, or public transit. This might make it easier to pick the right hotel.

Finally, if youre planning the vacation months ahead of time, you will probably want to take advantage of the new feature that allows users to bookmark hotels and vacation rentals. You can see your saved properties at any time from the Saved tab on mobile or in the right panel on desktop. Much better than trying to keep it all straight in your head.

You can check out all of these features and more at google.com/travel.

More Pixel coverage: For more Pixel news, visit our Pixel 6 guide.

Click here to read the full article.

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
May 4With the evacuation of more than 15,500 households in Northern New Mexico and hundreds of homes likely destroyed by the still spreading Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fire, the governor Tuesday requested a presidential declaration of an emergency in the state.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said at a news conference the declaration would prompt the federal government to send funds to help fight that wildfire and others burning throughout New Mexico and to aid residents who have been affected.

Lujan Grisham said she was confident the state will get that declaration "forthwith."

Officials estimate 277 structures, including at least 166 homes, were destroyed earlier in the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fire. But updated numbers of burned homes have not been made public.

San Miguel County Manager Joy Ansley said the blaze has been too hot for a team to go in and assess further damage since high winds late last week began pushing the fire into new communities. It now stretches between Cleveland and Mora to the northwest and Las Vegas, N.M., to the southeast.

Lujan Grisham also said it remains unclear how many structures have burned. The fire almost certainly will lead to "additional losses of houses," she added in Tuesday's news conference. "One house lost for one New Mexico family is too many."

She said the federal government must be held accountable for the wildfire  a complex blaze of more than 147,000 acres created when two separate fires merged  because it was caused in part by a prescribed burn by U.S. forest officials that spread out of control when unexpected gusts kicked up.

"This is not the first situation where the federal government has put us in harm" in terms of fires, Lujan Grisham said, referring to the 2000 Cerro Grande Fire, which also was caused by a prescribed burn ignited by federal crews. That blaze destroyed 235 homes in Los Alamos.

"This cannot occur again," the governor said of prescribed burns raging out of control.

Story continues

Milder-than-expected winds Monday enabled crews to make progress in building containment lines to curtail the Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak Fire ahead of fierce winds forecast for the third weekend in a row, with gusts of 50 mph or more.

Combating the wildfire grew more challenging Tuesday as winds increased to as much as

35 mph during the afternoon, with gusts up to 45 mph.

There are now 1,085 personnel involved in fighting the sprawling fire. Crews focused on removing flammable debris and vegetation and building control lines in areas where the fire could threaten structures.

The fire was especially active south of Mora. Strengthening winds later in the day increased the risk of embers blowing into dry areas and igniting spot fires closer to residential areas.

Teams are receiving help from two newly arrived air tankers that are dropping retardant on the flames or on areas near the fire to curb the spread.

One tanker unloaded some retardant on a ridgeline west of Las Vegas as a backup defense in case the winds drive the fire across containment lines, said Todd Abel, an operations section chief for the incident management team at the site. "So, if this does want to make a hard push and actually try to get over our line ... we wanted to be able to make a stand on that retardant line to catch that fire from moving into Las Vegas," Abel said during a Tuesday briefing.

On Wednesday, 25 mph winds are forecast to blow from the west, gusting up to 35 mph, which again will push the fire east toward Las Vegas, according to National Weather Service says. The winds are predicted to let up Thursday and be more in the 20 mph range, helping firefighting efforts.

The U.S. Forest Service has barred public access to the area within the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District. The agency also has increased fire restrictions within the Santa Fe National Forest.

Meanwhile, the Cerro Pelado Fire, which had burned about 25,000 acres east of Jemez Springs by Tuesday, has destroyed three homes and was still only 10 percent contained.

Personnel on scene swelled to 566 in an effort to keep the fire away from residential areas. Crews worked to improve containment lines along N.M. 4 and to protect structures in the Sierra de los Pinos community and on the northeast side of the fire. Evacuations remain in place for the Cochiti Mesa and Peralta Canyon areas as well as for four homes near Cox Ranch.

Farther north of Las Vegas, crews were getting a handle on the Cooks Peak Fire, which has burned 59,359 acres and is

72 percent contained.

Colfax County's evacuations were lifted, with some affected areas remaining on standby.

The governor said state officials are working to find satisfactory shelters for those who are displaced by the fires. She said shelters have been set up in Las Vegas, Penasco and Taos.

The state is planning another shelter in Santa Rosa, one that also will provide medical resources, accommodate seniors and offer more privacy, she said.

She said she is aware there are families caught up in fire zones "who don't know what the next day will be like. This must feel to them like they are out there on their own."

But, Lujan Grisham said, they are not. Still, she said it's clear many people may be forced to seek refuge with friends or family members far "away from their home community. ... It's hard on them."

Lujan Grisham said the public can help by respecting bans on fireworks and open fires. "I need people to be extremely cautious," she said. "I need folks to be clear about the risks."

Brig. Gen. Miguel Aguilar of the New Mexico National Guard said during the news conference there are 111 Guard members working in support roles at fire sites, delivering food and water and participating in water drops on the Cerro Pelado Fire, among other duties.

U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, who represents Northern New Mexico, said a presidential declaration of emergency requires a certain threshold of damage, which the Federal Emergency Management Agency determines in the aftermath. But she said she was assured by the White House bureaucracy wouldn't stand in the way. "They have already put FEMA people on the ground to help start calculating that damage, start calculating those assessments so that we can hit that threshold, and we can send it in to the president," Leger Fernandez said.

Once President Joe Biden signs the emergency declaration, it will unleash additional resources, she said.

"What we were told today is that the president wants the full force of the federal resources available to New Mexico," Leger Fernandez said. "Right now, the fires in New Mexico are the number one priority of the federal government in terms of putting resources in here."

Reporter Daniel J. Chacon contributed to this story.
Rangers James Tavernier looking for Ibrox backing in Euro tie (Andrew Milligan/PA) (PA Wire)

Rangers captain James Tavernier hopes a packed Ibrox can unnerve RB Leipzig in their Europa League semi-final on Thursday night.

The Bundesliga outfit have a 1-0 advantage from the first leg in Germany last week which the Light Blues will have to overcome if they are to reach a European final for the first time in 14 years.

Tavernier believes a raucous home crowd on a European night in Govan can help the Gers get off to a flyer, as they did against Braga in the previous round when he scored an early goal as Rangers came back from a 1-0 first-leg defeat to win 3-2 on aggregate after extra time.

The full-back said: I hope our atmosphere can affect them.

You saw the Braga game when we got an early goal and that really kicked us on.

Wed obviously like to replicate that with an early goal and really get after them.

We have seen really good teams come to Ibrox and struggle sometimes. I hope that is the case tomorrow night.

As a team, we just have to try and make it as hard as possible and do everything we can to get the right result and limit their chances, because we obviously know they are going to be a threat.

I think there will maybe be a little bit of nerves, but we are playing at home in front of 50,000 fans.

Its another good team being put in front of us. Another team of 11 players.

The boys will soak it up. We know the fans will be right behind us. Thats what we want and thats what well need.

All we can do is give it our best, give it our all and leave everything on that pitch to have no regrets.

If we do that then we have every fighting chance to get into a final.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP)  A Kansas man has pleaded guilty to his role in a hoax call that led to a fatal shooting of an innocent bystander by Wichita police in 2017.

Shane Gaskell, 23, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to wire fraud in case that drew national attention to swatting, during which a caller falsely reports a crime that is dangerous enough to send a SWAT team to the location, The Wichita Eagle reported.

The swatting call on Dec. 28, 2017, led to the death of 28-year-old Andrew Finch, who was shot by Wichita police as he opened the door of his home to see why police were outside.

In his plea Tuesday, Gaskell said he got into an argument with another online gamer, Casey Viner, of North College Hill, Ohio, and gave him an old address. Viner recruited another gamer, Tyler Barriss, of Los Angeles, to falsely report a shooting and kidnapping at Gaskell's old address. A Wichita officer shot Finch after responding to Barriss' call.

After hearing about the fatal shooting, Gaskill suggested Viner and Barriss alter or destroy their communications with him and deleted his message threads, his plea agreement says.

Federal prosecutors initially agreed to an 18-month pretrial diversion program for Gaskill that would have allowed several original charges to be dropped. But prosecutors resumed prosecution in September 2021 after they said Gaskill violated the terms of his diversion.

Gaskill will be sentenced July 21.

Barriss is serving 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty in April 2019 to 51 counts associated with the Wichita swatting and other hoax emergency calls across the U.S.

Viner was sentenced in September 2019 to 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

The officer involved in the shooting was not charged.
The King County Regional Homeless Authority gave an update on investments in homeless shelters to the Seattle City Council Public Assets & Homelessness Committee Wednesday afternoon.

At the committee meeting, KCRHA discussed recent requests for proposals, which resulted in three organizations receiving funding to operate non-congregate shelter options.

The regional authority says they aim to invest in options that will offer a place where people experiencing homelessness can stay safe from communicable diseases while having access to behavioral health resources and supportive services to assist with the successful transition to permanent housing.

Chief Seattle Club received an award of $1.9 million, with $1 million going towards development and $900,000 going towards operations and services. The funds will be used to build 25 tiny house units.

The Public Defender Association received an award of $1.5 million for operations and services. The funds will be used by PDA to continue operating 84 hotel rooms for unsheltered people as part of their JustCARE program.

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Catholic Community Services received an award of $471,550, with $310,500 going towards development and $161,000 going towards operations and services. The funds will be used to build 25 pallet shelters.

The authority also discussed a proposal, made in partnership with King County, for expanded shelter and behavioral services in Seattles SoDo neighborhood.

A 5-year lease was approved by the King County Council on May 2 and the existing 270-bed Salvation Army shelter, which has historically been funded by the city of Seattle, will be preserved.

$5 million of the Seattle City Councils 2022 budget will be used to support homeless individuals with behavioral health needs at the site, adding enhanced shelter and services for up to 150 additional people, including 40-60 beds for individuals with acute behavioral health needs.

New safe parking and services for individuals living in RVs are also planned and a pre-existing sobering center will be relocated to the SoDo site.
Good Morning America

Alabama murder suspect Casey White has been interviewed extensively since he was apprehended on Monday, ending an 11-day, multistate manhunt, and is cooperating with the investigation, authorities said. After escaped inmate Casey White, 38, and Lauderdale County Assistant Director of Corrections Vicky White, 56, were spotted at an Evansville, Indiana, hotel on Monday, they led police on a car chase in a Cadillac, Vanderburgh County Sheriff Dave Wedding said. The crash ended in a wreck and Vicky White was hospitalized for injuries from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials said.
May 3NEW LONDON  Nurses and other staff at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital have rallied behind a co-worker who launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking to defray the cost of her relatives' relocation from war-torn Ukraine to western Massachusetts.

For Madalyn Izoita Circosta, a registered nurse who works on an L+M cardiac unit, the response has been life-affirming.

"GoFundMe signs are posted all over the hospital," she said last week as she carried a box full of donated household items from the unit. "They've collected three garbage bags of kids' clothing, toys, a stroller and a crib, gift cards to Walmart. ... I'll take anything."

Circosta said her dad, Victor Izoita, spent $11,000 on airfares alone to fly his cousin Vika Prilutska and Vika's three children  Karina, 12, Kamila, 10, and baby Kristina, 16 months  to the United States.

"My family's not rich," she added.

Circosta and her family are planning to bring as many as 10 more relatives to the states, some of them displaced by recent shelling in Odesa, Ukraine. Two relatives are en route, awaiting a flight out of Poland.

"We need to figure out where they can go," Circosta said. "They're leaving Ukraine, but we don't know if they're coming here or to be with other relatives in Missouri."

Vika's husband, Alex, a police officer, had to remain in Ukraine because of a government edict requiring adult males to stay and fight the Russians who invaded Ukraine in February. Millions of Ukrainians have fled the country since then. Thousands have traveled to America.

Circosta, 24, married Geoffrey Circosta in November, having taken the job at L+M 10 months ago. Her husband works at Electric Boat and the two commute to southeastern Connecticut from Enfield, which is on the western Massachusetts border. They grew up in Agawam, Mass.

Circosta said her relatives' "long journey" began with them huddling in a bunker in Ukraine until a supply truck could take them to Poland, where they were able to stay for four nights at no cost. They stayed in a gymnasium until Circosta's father could get them flights out. They flew to Mexico, crossed the U.S. border into California and flew to Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks.

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The family of four carried all their worldly possessions in two suitcases.

Circosta is the oldest of eight children, all born in the United States. She has never been to Ukraine. Her father, his four siblings and their mother immigrated from Ukraine in the 1990s in search of a better life. Her father met his wife in the United States.

Since their arrival, Circosta's cousins have taken to American ways, marveling at what they consider the "lap of luxury" in which Americans live, Circosta said.

To them, she said, shampoo is liquid gold.

A cellphone video captured Karina, the 12-year-old, struggling to release whipped cream from a can, then succeeding, joyfully spraying the cream into her mouth and passing the can around.

The kids can be "sobbing messes  they miss their friends," Circosta said. "Ukrainians have a different mentality. They don't talk about themselves and don't like being complimented. There's no such thing as boasting."

There's no asking for help either, she said.

Sometimes there's no need to.

To contribute to Madalyn Circosta's GoFundMe campaign, log on to https://www.gofundme.com/f/ukrainian-refugee-mother-3-children.

b.hallenbeck@theday.com

Editor's Note: In an earlier version, the hyperlink at the bottom of the article was incorrect.
Larry David had the most Larry David response when asked why hes yet to be cancelled.

The Curb Your Enthusiasm star, who will return for a 12th season of the HBO show next year, reflected on the shows legacy while appearing at the Netflix is a Joke festival in Los Angeles.

According to Consequence, he was asked why he is yet to be cancelled for his controversial jokes.

I dont know, David responded. Its a very good question. I dont know why. I dont like to think about it too much.

He added: Well, heres the thing. There were fans of the show, they liked the show. And they have a good sense of humour. The fans of the show dont care about political correctness.

Robert Weide, the shows executive producer, continued: Youre just the idiot who didnt get the memo, and I think that buys you a lot.

David agreed, stating: Yeah, I think idiots can get away with a little bit more than the more intelligent brethren.

Larry David has explained why he thinks he hasnt been cancelled (Getty Images for The New Yorker)

Curb Your Enthusiasm began on HBO in 2000. It took a break after its eighth season in 2011, before returning in 2017. Season 11 aired in 2021.

On Tuesday (3 May), the Netflix is a Joke festival was thrown into chaos after Dave Chappelle was attacked on stage during his set at the Hollywood Bowl.
Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Thousands of reproductive rights advocates are protesting across the United States after an initial draft of the majority opinion was leaked and revealed that the United States Supreme Court has will be voting to overturn the landmark case, Roe v. Wade.

The drafted opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, would strike down the 1973 decision that guarantees women the federal constitutional right to safe abortions. It also mentioned Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a 1992 decision that reinforced that right.

"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled," Alito writes in the draft, obtained by POLITICO. "The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision."

He adds, "Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division."

Among other statements made in the document, he stated that it is "time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives."

The high court confirmed the leak on May 3 and has stressed that the decision is not final and can be modified. However, those responsible for the leak will be held accountable.

Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

"To the extent, this betrayal of the confidences of the Court was intended to undermine the integrity of our operations, it will not succeed. The work of the Court will not be affected in any way," Roberts said in a written statement. "This was a singular and egregious breach of that trust that is an affront to the Court and the community of public servants who work here."

Roberts added that the opinion on the draft "does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case."

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The court's drafted decision has raised concern among reproductive rights activists who fear the severe impact on women's health this decision will have as it would allow each state to decide whether to restrict or ban abortion.

Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images

"Abortion is still legal in the U.S. People should keep their abortion appointments and continue to seek the services they need because this is not an official decision," said Nancy Cardenas Pena, Texas State Director for Policy and Advocacy for the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice.

"Until the Supreme Court hands down its imminent ruling, people should continue to exercise their fundamental right to determine for themselves whether they want to become a parent, instead of being forced to remain pregnant against their will," Cardenas adds. "In my home state of Texas and a growing number of other states where the legislatures are controlled by anti-abortion extremists, we have been living under a constant wave of attacks on our fundamental human right to control our own reproductive lives for many years."

According to the Latina Institute, there are 22 states that are ready to outlaw abortion. However, until the final decision has been made by the court, abortion will continue to be legal in the U.S.

Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

"Today, we're calling on the federal government, again, to take immediate measures to ensure that everyone has access to safe abortion care so they can decide for themselves how to build and grow their families," said Lupe M. Rodriguez, Executive Director at the Latina Institute.

"We're also calling on communities across the country who support our right to abortion to sign up today and join this fight. We must all take actioncall, write, get out on the streetsto protect our fundamental human right to access abortion care," she concluded.
Lee Westwood has requested a release to play in the first LIV Golf Invitational Series next month (Anthony Behar/PA Images). (PA Wire)

Lee Westwood has broken his silence on the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit and confirmed he has requested a release to play the first LIV Golf Invitational Series event next month.

Westwood revealed in February he had signed a non-disclosure agreement regarding his possible participation in what was then a proposed league of 14 events.

LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman claimed on Monday that the league was ready to launch in mid-February until Phil Mickelsons explosive comments about the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia were published and led to some players to back out.

I've asked for releases for tournaments for as long as I've been on Tour

Lee Westwood

The ones who wanted to get out because of the pressure of the PGA Tour gave back their money and got out. Guys had money in their pockets, Norman told ESPN.

Speaking during last years US PGA Championship, Westwood said it would be a no-brainer for him to sign a multi-million pound contract at this stage of his career, despite the threat of bans from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, which would rule players out of the Ryder Cup.

And on Wednesday the 49-year-old confirmed that he has asked both Tours for the release required to contest the $25million event at Centurion Club from June 9-11.

Ive asked for releases for tournaments for as long as Ive been on Tour, Westwood said. Not heard anything back yet. Ball is in the European Tours court and the PGA Tours court for that matter.

I think some of my mates I grew up playing with in Worksop, if I went up to them and said Ive been given an opportunity to play in a tournament, a 48-man tournament for $25million, they would probably pull me to one side and say what is it youre actually thinking about?

Lee Westwood, pictured at Wentworth, is waiting to hear if his release request to PGA Tour and DP World Tour has been accepted (Steven Paston/PA Images). (PA Archive)

This is my job. I do this for money. Its not the only reason for doing it. But if anybody comes along and gives any of us a chance at a pay rise, then you have to seriously consider it, dont you?

Ive supported the European Tour for 29 years. Ive hosted events on this Tour.

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Its being portrayed as an us and them (situation), whereas the people from LIV Golf have said that they want to stand side-by-side; they are not going up against any of the really massive tournaments.

They want everybody to be able to play, have options. They are not forcing anybodys hand, so I believe.

People always have a problem with change, dont they? They are sceptical about it and people like continuity, whereas change in competition is good in any walk of life I think. It shakes things up and keeps everybody on their toes and keeps everybody trying to improve and improve their product.

In his interview with the author of a forthcoming biography, Mickelson acknowledged that Saudi Arabia has a horrible record on human rights but he was happy to overlook that in order to have leverage over the PGA Tour and reshape how it operates.

But asked if the source of the money  Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund  was an issue for him, Westwood insisted sport and politics should not mix.

The first time I ever played in Saudi Arabia was on the European Tour, he said. The first three times I played there, the European Tour sanctioned it so they had no problem with where the money came from.

I think Saudi Arabia are trying to become more westernised and make changes and they are trying to make changes quickly, and thats probably worrying a lot of people and scaring a lot of people. But they are just trying to improve, arent they?

Im of a belief that sport and politics shouldnt mix, as we have seen it doing in Wimbledon with the Russian players not being allowed to play there. I happen to disagree with what they have done there, as a lot of people do.

So I dont think they should mix. A lot of the times, they do. It all comes down to opinions at the end of the day, doesnt it?
SEA CLIFF, NY  Prosecutors have proposed a plea deal that would dismiss a misdemeanor charge against a Long Island teacher who purportedly gave a teenager a COVID-19 shot without his mother's permission, Patch has confirmed.

The Nassau County District Attorney's Office extended the deal to Laura Parker Russo, 54, on Tuesday, according to Newsday, which first reported the story.

Russo, a biology teacher at Herricks High School, was arrested on New Year's Eve after authorities said she administered a shot of what appeared to be the vaccine to a teenager in her Sea Cliff home. The 17-year-old boy later returned home and told his mother, who then called the police and said she never gave consent.

Russo was charged with the unauthorized practice of a profession. She pleaded not guilty to the charge.

However, under the plea deal, Russo would admit to the misdemeanor charge and a disorderly conduct violation, a district attorney spokesperson told Patch.

She would also be required to perform 50 hours of community service before sentencing. Once completed, Russo would have her misdemeanor plea vacated and receive a conditional discharge on the disorderly conduct violation.

Nassau District Attorney's Office spokesperson Brendan Brosh says a violation is not a crime and does not go on your permanent record.

The violation, which Russo cannot appeal, will not be sealed, he added. In this instance, the judge will also sign an order instructing Russo not to harass the 17-year-old boy.

If Russo fails to perform all 50 hours of community service before sentencing, she will be sentenced to three years' probation.

In a statement to Patch, Brosh said prosecutors extended the deal to Russo based on her "long-standing ties to the community and her lack of a criminal record."

Russo's attorney, Gerard McCloskey, told Patch that he expects his client to take the plea deal.

"I think that the D.A. took my client's past and her character into consideration in making this offer," he said. "She is a woman who offered her life to community service. She was involved in the Peace Corps... I think all of that was taken into account."

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Russo is scheduled to appear in Nassau County's First District Court on June 13, 2022.

SEE ALSO:

LI Teacher Offered Plea Deal In Teen COVID-19 Vaccination Case originally appeared on the Glen Cove Patch
Lili Reinhart (L) has criticised Kim Kardashians crash diet for the Met Gala (Getty)

Lili Reinhart has criticised Kim Kardashians comments about losing 16 pounds in one month in order to fit into her Met Gala dress, calling it so wrong.

The Riverdale star took to Instagram to condemn the reality stars restrictive diet, which involved cutting out all sugar and carbs and wearing a sauna suit so that she could fit into a historic dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in 1962.

Reinhart, 25, wrote on her Instagram Story: To openly admit to starving yourself for the sake of the Met Gala. When you know very well that millions of young men and women are looking up to you and listening to your every word.

The ignorance is other-worldly disgusting.

The actor added that the SKIMS moguls diet was so wrong and so f***ed on 100s of levels.

Kardashian detailed the lengths she went to so she could lose weight in an interview with US Vogue ahead of the Met Gala on Monday night.

I would wear a sauna suit twice a day, run on the treadmill, completely cut out all sugar and all carbs, and just eat the cleanest veggies and protein, she said, adding that she didnt starve myself, but I was so strict.

After the event, Kardashian posted a video showing a private pizza and doughnut party in her hotel room and said: OK guys, so after the Met, I am starving!

She added: You guys, I havent had carbs or sugar in almost a month. Definitely three weeks. This pizza Im so excited.

Her weight loss regime, which many have described as a crash diet, has been widely criticised throughout social media and slammed as damaging and extreme.

Reinhart continued in another Instagram Story: Please stop supporting these stupid, harmful celebrities whose entire image revolves around their bodies.

I am not generally an angry person but I swear to god, the toxicity of this industry sometimes really gets to me.
Liverpools Luis Diaz admits it is a dream come true to play in a Champions League final (John Walton/PA) (PA Wire)

Liverpool winger Luis Diaz says he treats every game as a chance to seek revenge for the difficulties he has endured to get him to this point in his career.

The 25-year-old, who arrived at Anfield in January from Porto for an initial fee of 37.5million, has already made such an impact there is every chance he will start in the Champions League final in Paris later this month.

It is a remarkable rise from his humble beginnings in La Guajira  one of Colombias most neglected areas, where in 2019 the official death rate from malnutrition for children under five among the indigenous Wayuu people, of which Diaz is one, was nearly six times the national rate.

Luis Diaz scoring Liverpools second goal of the game at El Madrigal (Adam Davy/PA) (PA Wire)

One of his hobbies as a malnourished child himself was to watch trains pass by his small village of Barrancas carrying coal, much of which was destined for Europe.

He could surely not have imagined then that years later he would head to the same continent and set the football world alight.

Diaz, watched from the stands by his younger brother Jesus, was in tears at the final whistle of Liverpools 3-2 Champions League semi-final second-leg win over Villarreal after coming off the bench at half-time to put in a man-of-the-match performance and secure a 5-2 aggregate victory on Tuesday evening.

Asked where he got his self-belief from, Diaz told UEFAs YouTube channel: From La Guajira. It comes from my roots. I always played football in my town, in my homeland.

Each game is a revenge for always going out to look for more, I know what it costs and I have to take advantage of every moment, every minute I have.

Luis Diaz

They are my characteristics, they have instilled in me several things that I have today and now I have grown much more. Thats my game.

Each game is a revenge for always going out to look for more, I know what it costs and I have to take advantage of every moment, every minute I have.

The rest is very important for what is to come.

Diaz has played more matches (64) in 2021-22 for clubs and country than any other professional in world football, and could feature in a further six as Liverpool chase an unprecedented quadruple.

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When we reach an instance of these, like a final, what has already happened is erased, he added.

We know what a final is. In a final you forget fatigue, you play, you run and you fight.

The South American had been on the clubs radar for a while, having left his homeland in 2019 to move to Portugal.

And when Tottenham made a move in January, after Everton had failed with a James Rodriguez swap-plus-cash offer in the summer, the Reds sprung into action and had the medical in South America and signing wrapped up within 48 hours.

His integration into what was already a high-performing and high-achieving team has been impressive, aided by the confidence with which he arrived and the support of Liverpools coaching staff.

Liverpool are heading to Paris for the Champions League final (Jose Breton/AP/PA) (AP)

Im very happy and glad what is happening, of course. Im going to play in a Champions League final, its like I always dreamt, he said after his second-half introduction in Spain helped changed the direction of the game.

The most important thing was that I managed to help the team.

In the second half we all did well, the players that came on helped as well and supported us in order to get the result.

That was really important, so Im content and happy with all that went on.
An abortion rights protest in downtown Los Angeles escalated into a clash with law enforcement after officers were called to disperse the crowds, resulting in the injury of at least one officer on Tuesday night.

Photos and videos online showed officers mostly monitoring the crowd, which grew from a peaceful gathering of about 30 people outside the federal courthouse building to over 250 people flooding the streets and blocking traffic. But, then some protesters began throwing objects at the officers.

LA police issued a citywide tactical alert during the heat of the clash.

"We attempted to communicate, clear, and provide dispersal order to the group," Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore said, but then the "crowd began to throw rocks and bottles at officers."

Moore also reported at least one officer has been injured.

Some videos showed the officers pushing back on protesters.

PROTESTERS GATHER OUTSIDE SUPREME COURT BUILDING FOLLOWING LEAKED DRAFT OPINION TO OVERTURN ROE V. WADE

Protests have been reported in major cities across the country, seemingly following the lead of protesters in Washington, D.C., who gathered outside the U.S. Supreme Court building Monday evening after the draft opinion suggesting the court could overturn Roe v. Wade was initially leaked to the public.

In LA, people in the crowd could be heard chanting things like, "No more shame, no more silence. Forced motherhood is fascist violence."

DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS, ATTORNEYS GENERAL 'HORRIFIED' BY SUPREME COURT DRAFT, VOW TO DEFEND ABORTION

Pro-abortion demonstrators taking to the streets despite the fact California officials have already committed to codifying abortion rights at the state level.

On Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom released a statement calling the potential decision an "appalling attack on the rights of women."

"This draft opinion is an appalling attack on the rights of women across this country and if it stands, it will destroy lives and put countless women in danger," he said Monday. "It will be the end of fundamental constitutional rights that American women have had for nearly 50 years."

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Pro-life and pro-choice demonstrators during a protest outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images Getty Images

The Court "does not value the rights of women," Newsom added, vowing to protect abortion rights for California citizens.

"We have a Supreme Court that does not value the rights of women, and a political minority that will stop at nothing to take those rights away," he said. "This wont stop with choice and the right to privacy. They are undermining progress, and erasing the civil protections and rights so many have fought for over the last half-century."

SUPREME COURT SET TO OVERTURN ROE V. WADE, LEAKED DRAFT OPINION SHOWS: REPORT

"We have to wake up. We have to fight like hell. We will not be silenced," Newsom said.

"We cant trust SCOTUS to protect the right to abortion, so well do it ourselves," he later tweeted. "Women will remain protected here."

The Supreme Court has yet to confirm or deny the validity of the draft.

Fox News' Tyler O'Neil and Lorraine Taylor contributed to this report.
The popular travel hotspot La Digue is Seychelles island resisting overtourism and urbanization at all costs. The paradise island where bikes outnumber cars is the most accurate description for this African destination. Being only a 10-sq-km island, it is taking extra measures to preserve its pristine island and one rare bird species.

Of all the 115 islands in Seychelles, it is fair to say that La Digue is the most well-known. Anse Source dArgent is even hailed as the most photographed beach in the world, it has all the elements to make it a haven for tourists and Hollywood filmmakers alike.

The true wonder though, is the lack of cars and the incredible way in which those local to the island have worked hard to resist a huge increase in traffic and urbanisation in general.

The islands vehicle count currently stands at 60. This admirable small count is even a sizeable increase from the 1980s when the island had only 10. For many, traveling by bike has always been a way of life and so a car truly is unnecessary.

The minimal car count is largely down to the fact that it is illegal to own a car unless it provides a public service. The rise in tourism does correspond quite obviously to the rise in cars on La Digue.

With more vehicles on La Digue, that aspect of tranquillity, quietness, relaxation will no longer be there. And that will definitely have a great impact on La Digue itself, its tourism, its environment, and its ecosystem, shared Patrick Andre, the Seychelles Principal Secretary of Transport.

Protecting Tradition and Natural Resources in La Digue

Conservationists have also warned that potential further development could impact the natural habitat of endangered species on the island, such as the Seychelles Black Paradise Flycatcher, known as the Vev in Seychelles Creole.

La Digue has even instituted a moratorium on building new tourism establishments until 2023, in an effort to preserve the natural resources throughout the island. If we really want La Digue to remain one of the gems of Seychelles, we have to be able to, at this point, start controlling, monitoring development on the island, said Sherin Francis, Chief Executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board.

There are even conversations to further efforts to make the island the eco-capital of Seychelles by leaning into more traditional forms of transport such as ox-cart operator; there is currently only one left on the island.
The George H. Mahon Federal Building in downtown Lubbock.

A Guatemalan man accused of taking a 14-year-old attempted murder suspect from Kansas to Texas to continue a sexual relationship with her faces a 10-year prison sentence after pleading guilty this week in federal court.

Marcos Jacobo Morales-Jose, 25, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge D. Gordon Bryant on Monday in Lubbock and pleaded guilty via an interpreter to a count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual conduct.

The offense carries a punishment of 10 years to life in prison. However, in exchange for his guilty plea, the government agreed to a 10-year prison sentence.

Read more: Veteran's sister confronts brother's killer in Lubbock Court

Bryant accepted Morales-Jose's plea and filed a recommendation to U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix that the defendant be found guilty and the sentence be imposed.

Bryant told Morales-Jose that if Hendrix rejected the plea deal, he could withdraw his plea and go to trial.

Morales-Jose, a citizen of Guatemala who is a legal permanent resident, admitted to bringing the teenage girl from Dodge City, Kansas to Muleshoe to continue a sexual relationship with her, court documents state.

The girl told forensic interviewers that she met Morales-Jose in September in Dodge City and communicated with him through Facebook. She said Morales-Jose knew that she was 14-years-old and he told her that he was 20, but later admitted he was actually 24.

She told interviewers their relationship became sexual at the end of September and in December, the two had unprotected sex and she became pregnant. In January, the girl, who was out on bond for an attempted murder charge in Dodge City, fled to Muleshoe with Morales-Jose.

More crime coverage: Woman accused of buying gun for Lubbock murder suspect

Morales-Jose admitted to staying with a relative in Muleshoe where he continued the sexual relationship with the girl, the documents state.

In January, the girl was reported missing and police in Dodge City learned that she could be in Muleshoe. Muleshoe police traveled to a residence where they believed the girl was staying and found her and Morales-Jose, who was arrested and booked into the Bailey County Jail where he remains.

A sentencing hearing has not yet been set in the case.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Man faces prison time for bringing 14-year-old girl to Texas for sex
By Lisa Pauline Mattackal

(Reuters) - Animation app immi launched in Apple's App Store on Wednesday after securing investments from billionaire Mark Cuban, singer Pitbull and Paris Hilton's 11:11 Media, the latest in a spate of celebrity investments in companies focused on the metaverse and non-fungible tokens.

The app, which creates animations that can be used on social media or in the metaverse, will allow select owners of the popular Bored Ape Yacht Club and My Pet Hooligan NFTs to animate these characters.

The company's seed round of fundraising valued immi at $50 million, a spokesperson said. Other investors include Tony Robbins, Zoom founder Eric Yuan and musician Steve Aoki.

NFTs are digital assets that use blockchain technology to record who owns a digital file, which could be an image, a video or a text.

Venture capital investments into NFT-focused startups have ballooned over the past year, with over $2 billion worth of capital invested across 331 companies, according to data provider Pitchbook.

Paris Hilton, who has bought and created NFTs and invested in multiple cryptocurrency companies, posted a video of an animated Bored Ape NFT character to her Twitter account on Sunday.

Immi plans to launch its own characters as NFTs, in addition to animating more existing NFTs in the future, the company said.

(Reporting by Lisa Mattackal in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)
Congressman Matt Gaetz was instantly condemned and mocked online after he suggested women protesting against Roe v Wades possible revocation by the Supreme Court were under-loved millennials with no Bumble matches.

The Republican, who remains under investigation for possible sex trafficking of minors  something he denies and says is politically motivated  tweeted on Wednesday morning after protests sprang up throughout the US in opposition to Roe being overturned.

How many of the women rallying against overturning Roe are over-educated, under-loved millennials who sadly return from protests to a lonely microwave dinner with their cats, and no bumble matches?, asked Mr Gaetz.

Many afterwards accused the congressman of being a misogynist, while others ridiculed Mr Gaetz for turning away younger voters.

Just when you thought he couldnt be more of a pathetic despicable loser he says this, one Twitter argued. He is a menace to a functioning democratic society. And what a fool. He just got every millennial to vote against Republicans. Buh bye.. loser.

The very concept that a woman can be over-educated tells me all I need to know about this, another wrote. And the idea that the only women who want rights must be unattractive and frigid is the oldest misogynistic trope in the book. This is a sitting member of Congress.

He says this like its a bad thing, a third person added. Ill take my cats over a man like this ANY day. Because they arent trying to take away my rights.

He says this like its a bad thing. 

Ill take my cats over a man like this ANY day. Because they arent trying to take away my rights. https://t.co/r8QQ0fowJx  AnnonyMouse (@MothballerM) May 4, 2022

Many others pointed to the ongoing Justice Department investigation involving Mr Gaetz, who denies claims he paid for a 17-year-old to travel with him for sex through Venmo payments allegedly processed by accused sex trafficker Joel Greenberg, as The DailyBeast reported last year.

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Although no charges have been made against Mr Gaetz, one person wrote:Wow. Thats not at all sexist or misogynistic. Hard to believe youd have to pay for sex.

Congressman Matt Gaetz was mocked for his recent comments on Roe protesters (EPA)

A leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court on Monday suggested the conservative-majority court could soon overturn Roe, the landmark 1973 ruling on abortion access in the US, sparking protests across the US in support of abortion.

Police in Los Angles said one officer was injured on Tuesday after 250 people marched peacefully in support of Roe. Another 1,000 people gathered outside the Supreme Court in Washington DC and smaller gatherings were held across the US, with no reports of incidents.
A man in New York state killed a woman, according to prosecutors, and then brought her body 570 miles to Alamance County where he buried her with the help of a Mebane relative, who now faces charges of accessory to murder.

Dwayne Doc Pulliam, 59, spent 24 years in prison for murder and got out in December of 2020, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York. By January 2022 at the latest, he was engaged in a conspiracy to sell crack cocaine and traveling between New York and Connecticut to do it.

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Pulliam, according to a release from the U.S. Attorneys Office, suspected a woman, Lori Lynn Campbell, stole drugs from him. He confronted her, held her against her will and killed her when she screamed. On March 29, Pulliam asked a co-conspirator to help him move Campbells Honda Accord. When the man got to Pulliams apartment, he saw Campbells body wrapped in a sheet. Pulliam allegedly threatened the man and his family if he did not help Pulliam get rid of Campbells body.

2022 Election: Alamance County early voting starts Thursday

Crime news: Graham officer draws fire over Pines Apartments arrests

They put Campbells body in her own car and drove it to Pulliams mothers house in North Carolina. Pulliam and the co-conspirator met up with Pulliams brother, Ronnie Pulliam in Mebane, according to a release from the Alamance County Sheriffs Office. The three of them made a plan, according to the U.S. Attorney, to dispose of Campbells body. Pulliam took a shovel, plastic and a bag of lime from a shed by his mothers house, and the three of them dug a shallow grave in a cul-de-sac where they buried her.

The Putnam County Sheriffs Office contacted the Alamance County Sheriffs Office about Campbells disappearance on April 4, saying she was last seen with Pulliam. The North Carolina investigation included the Orange and Caswell county sheriffs offices, and the New York investigation included the FBI, DEA, Connecticut State Police and Putnam County District Attorneys Office.

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Investigators found Campbells body on April 19, according to the U.S. Attorney.

Dwayne Pulliam is charged in New York with using a facility of interstate commerce to sell drugs, committing murder to further that enterprise and conspiracy to distribute crack. He potentially faces a life sentence.

Ronnie Pulliam was charged in North Carolina with being an accessory to murder after the fact. He was held on $500,000 bond.

This article originally appeared on Times-News: Alamance County used as disposal site for New York murder victim
An East St. Louis woman was sentenced to 11 months in federal prison Wednesday for her part in a carjacking and shooting that resulted in the death of a man in downtown St. Louis.

Surrayah Hill, 24, pleaded guilty on Jan. 26 to a felony charge that she aided in the deadly carjacking that occurred shortly after 9 p.m. on March 18, 2019. She was driving the car that transported the shooter to the Cherokee Street location where the crime occurred and away from the scene when the carjacking failed.

According to the federal complaint filed in the U.S. Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, James Sapone, 48, had used the remote start on his 2013 Ford Escape to take his fiance to dinner. As he began to open the drivers side door, Sapone was confronted by Demario Hunter, who wielded a loaded handgun and demanded the car.

As a third person, Keombra James, 28, approached the passenger side of the Ford, Sapone began fighting with Hunter, who fired his gun once, hitting Sapone in the torso.

Hunter had a grip on Sapones clothing, and tried to keep Sapone from getting close enough for Sapone to punch Hunter, the federal complaint said. Sapone repeatedly grabbed at and swung towards Hunters face. After a few seconds of Hunter and Sapone struggling with each other, Hunter shot his handgun once, striking Sapone in the torso. Sapone immediately lost consciousness and fell to the ground.

He was later transported to a St. Louis hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Security camera footage from Cherokee Street captured images of Hills car at the scene, and cellphone location data corroborated that Hunter was with her at the time of the shooting, court records state.

Sapones fiance, identified in court records as A.S., identified James during a police department lineup. James hand print also was found near the drivers side door of Sapones car.

As part of her plea, Hill admitted she knew Hunter and James intended to commit a robbery and that Hunter was carrying a weapon.

Co-Defendant James and Co-defendant Hunter had previously met and spoken about robberies at Hills residence in the past, court documents state. On March 18, 2019, Hunter called James and asked if she was still willing to participate in a robbery. They picked up James from her apartment in southern St. Louis City. The three defendants then drove, in Hills vehicle, to Cherokee Street in St. Louis, a spot known for bars and restaurants where the defendants knew they would find robbery targets.

On Dec. 15, Hunter pleaded guilty to shooting Sapone and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. James, 28, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 years.
A Missouri man charged with fatally shooting his best friend in the head at a Wichita apartment in 2019 has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and aggravated battery, according to Sedgwick County District Court records.

Brandon C. Craig, 25, of Independence, Missouri, entered the plea on April 27, ahead of his jury trial, which had been scheduled to start Monday.

His sentencing hearing is set for June 15.

Wichita police said previously that Craig and 21-year-old Justin Lane were visiting a friend at 815 S. Emporia in Wichita when they got into a fight shortly before 8:30 a.m. on April 12, 2019. Lane, a Grain Valley, Missouri, resident, died from a single gunshot wound.

Craig gave conflicting accounts of the shooting, telling police first that the gun went off as Lane handed it to him, the affidavit says. He later claimed Lane wasnt touching the gun when it accidentally discharged and also told police that Lane had been intimate with the mother of Craigs child, the affidavit says.

He told others Lane had shot himself while he wasnt in the room, the affidavit says.

But the gun, a .40-caliber XD Springfield, was equipped with two safety mechanisms, including one that must be depressed by the shooters hand, when naturally grasping the gun in a firing position, the affidavit says police found.

Prosecutors originally filed a second-degree murder charge against Craig alleging he shot Lane unintentionally but recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.

He remained in the Sedgwick County Jail on Wednesday.

Craig could face 55 to 247 months in prison for manslaughter and 11 to 34 months on the count of aggravated battery when he is sentenced, his plea agreement says. He also has agreed to pay at least $5,319.96 in restitution, according to the agreement.
Three workers were injured in a collapse at a construction site in South Boston.

Boston Fire Commissioner Jack Dempsey said emergency crews were called to the Edison Power Plant building around 1:40 p.m. Two of the injured workers were able to be removed immediately.

A third person was trapped, prompting a rescue operation with about 100 firefighters in support roles, Dempsey said.

Dempsey said the worker had part of a wall leaning on his lower legs. He was freed after more than three hours and taken to the hospital.

Boston Police Sergeant John Boyle confirmed with Boston 25 News that the injuries of all three victims, whom authorities havent named, are now considered non-life-threatening.

Demolition drops are very dangerous. Probably more dangerous than putting buildings up, Dempsey said.

Dempsey said that the building at 776 Summer Street is old and has experienced other problems over time.

Weve had a lot of serious problems with this building over the years, he said. I recall way back, we had a nine-alarm fire here, so this is nothing new to us.

Suffolk Construction, the company responsible for the demolition, said the collapse involved a catwalk.

Our thoughts are with the individuals who were injured, along with their families, a spokesperson for the company said. We are currently on-site working closely with OSHA, our subcontractor and the local authorities to determine the cause of this incident and confirm the safety of the site. Safety on our job sites continues to be our number one priority and we will continue to do whatever it takes to ensure our workers return home safely at the end of every workday.

Hilco Redevelopment Partners, which owns the site, thanked first responders for their quick response.

The safety of the workers on-site and in the surrounding areas is our top priority, a spokesperson for the company said.

The construction site is being developed by Hilco as retail, housing, and commercial space called L Street Station.

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This 1.68 million square foot mixed-use development project will bring new energy to the Boston Harbor waterfront, adding jobs and creating new community open space for the South Boston neighborhood. The project includes new retail, housing and commercial space using best-in-class environmental sustainability standards and incorporates a resilient site design that will create nearly 6 acres of open space throughout the site, including a new 2.5-acre public park along the waterfront, according to the companys website.

Mayor Michelle Wu said the city is pausing permits and making sure there is a full investigation.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has opened inspections with three employers at the site, including Suffolk Construction, Northstar Contracting Group, Inc, and TRC Companies.

The investigation remains ongoing.





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Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Tuesday on retaliatory sanctions against individuals and entities in response to their "unfriendly actions" over the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The measures will be taken in retaliation to "the unfriendly actions of the United States, foreign states and international organizations ... which aimed at illegally depriving Russia, Russian citizens and Russian legal entities of property rights or restricting their property rights," and with the aim of "protecting the national interests of Russia," according to the decree.

The document prohibits fulfilling obligations with foreign individuals and entities under sanctions, concluding deals or carrying out transactions with them. Moreover, Russia will ban the export of raw materials and products from Russia to those it has sanctioned.

The decree does not provide any details of which individuals or entities may be affected by the measures. The Russian government was ordered to compile a list of individuals under sanctions within 10 days.
LAMBERTVILLE, N.J.  Gov. Phil Murphy and Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) on Tuesday stressed the need for Democrats to maintain control of Congress in the midterm elections in order to uphold abortion rights, as Murphy assailed a "right-wing" Supreme Court that appears poised to overturn Roe V. Wade.

The comments from the two Democrats came in reaction to POLITICO's publication Monday night of a draft opinion that indicated the high court's intention.

Murphy called for Congress to pass a nationwide abortion rights law and for the Senate to reform the filibuster if need be.

If this Congress wont protect reproductive freedom, America needs to elect a Congress in November, including Tom Malinowski, that will, Murphy said at the beginning of an unrelated press conference in Lambertville about flood control that included the congressman.

Malinowski faces an uphill fight for reelection in November, likely against former state Sen. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Union), who supports abortion rights with restrictions but voted against New Jerseys recent abortion rights law. Democrats have been widely expected to at least lose their slim majority in the House.

New Jersey enshrined abortion rights into state law during the lame duck session, with Murphy signing the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act into law in January. The state already has established case law protecting abortion rights.

I also want to issue a warning that our law is not necessarily safe, Malinowski said. Yes, the Supreme Court decision will not overturn New Jerseys law, but the same people who have been pressing for the Supreme Court to do this are also at the same time pushing for the United States Congress, trying to elect a majority to the United States Congress that will enact a nationwide abortion ban. And if we allow them to do that, our law will become moot.

The Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act was pared down from a previous bill, the Reproductive Freedom Act, that included insurance mandates for abortions, with no out-of-pocket costs, among other measures.

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It is unclear what steps, if any, New Jersey's Democrat-controlled Legislature will take to expand abortion access ahead of a potential Supreme Court ruling. Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin said in a statement that we will keep working to maintain confidence in a womans right to safe and accessible reproductive healthcare. A spokesperson for Senate President Nick Scutari did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Murphy, in remarks after Tuesday's press conference, was noncommittal on new legislation.

Are there steps we can take in New Jersey? Im open-minded. But I think the big action has to be taken in Congress, Murphy said.

While the anticipation of a Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe could gin up support for Democrats in Trenton to act on abortion legislation, it could face obstacles. Insurance provisions in the Reproductive Freedom Act had been met with resistance. The compromise legislation that largely codified existing case law had six Democrats in the Assembly abstaining or not voting for the bill and state Sen. Fred Madden (D-Gloucester) voting against it in the upper chamber. With a loss of seven seats in the legislature after the 2021 election, Democrats have less room to lose votes.

No determinations have been made by lawmakers to one again begin debate on abortion access measures, though some involved in abortion legislation efforts wanted to revisit provisions that were excluded in the final compromise bill.

I think insurance mandates, making sure insurance coverage is there [for abortion] is important. I think we should look at the other pieces that were taken out in the compromise [legislation]  Protecting a womans right to choose has never been a Democratic or Republican issue, state Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth), who sponsored the Reproductive Freedom Act and the ensuing compromise Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act, said in an interview. I am 100 percent [on board] that we should revisit this. To say that insurance companies need to cover protecting a womans right to choose? Absolutely.

While the Legislature passed the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act, it was narrower in scope than what some abortion advocates had hoped for. Provisions to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for abortions on state-regulated plans and expanding financial coverage for abortions regardless of immigration status were cut from the final bill.

We know there were a lot of thing left out of that bill like mandating insurance coverage without co-pays or ensuring that folks who are undocumented also have coverage for abortion care, Kaitlyn Wojtowicz, vice president of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey, said in an interview. We would welcome working with the legislature to ameliorate that and make sure these really key pieces of that legislation are enacted and put in place to protect the people of New Jersey and allow for greater access.

The bill Murphy signed did include a provision that could establish an insurance mandate for abortions on state-regulated plans, but only if the Department of Banking and Insurance completes a study finding that it is necessary. The public comment period for the DOBI study launched late last month and will continue until May 26.

It is also unclear what the scope of insurance coverage would be, as many state-regulated plans provide some level of coverage.

While cost provisions were excluded from the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act, other measures were enacted to expand contraceptive insurance coverage and who could provide abortions.
In this article:

(Reuters) - Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Tuesday Twitter Inc may charge a slight fee for commercial and government users.

"Twitter will always be free for casual users, but maybe a slight cost for commercial/government users," Musk said in a tweet.

Twitter did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for a comment.

(Reporting by Shivani Tanna in Bengaluru; editing by Uttaresh.V)
STORY: Devotees in several cities, including New Delhi, gathered in large numbers early in the morning to offer their prayers, after the coronavirus pandemic muted such celebrations for the past two years.

"This is very important because we didn't think we could come and offer Eid 'namaz' (in mosques) (due to coronavirus). By god's will, the prayers took place nicely," said a devotee, Firoz.

Muslims embraced each other and exchanged Eid greetings after the prayers.

During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours for about 30 days. At the end of the fasting month, Muslims celebrate the religious holiday with early morning prayers and then family visits and feasts, often featuring a lavish spread of traditional delicacies.
By Hyonhee Shin

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea's office workers and factory labourers have been dispatched to farming areas around the country to join a fight against drought, state media reported on Wednesday, amid concerns over prolonged food shortages.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had called for measures to improve a tense food situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic and typhoons, despite slight improvements early last year.

Drought and floods have long posed a seasonal threat to North Korea, which lacks irrigation systems and other infrastructure, and any serious natural hazards could cripple its reclusive economy already reeling from international sanctions and a near halt of trade.

The North's Rodong Sinmun newspaper said government officials and company and factory workers joined hands with farmers nationwide in distributing pumping equipment and developing water resources in drought-prone regions.

It did not specify any damages so far, but said those efforts are aimed at countering an ongoing dry spell and bracing for an upcoming drought.

"Systematic, aggressive efforts are under way to raise public awareness and mobilise all available capabilities to prevent crop damages from drought in advance," the paper said.

North Korea's weather authorities on Tuesday warned of prolonged dry weather across the country until early next week, according to the official KCNA news agency.

The weather agency said last week that the average temperature for April was 2.3 Celsius (36.1 Fahrenheit) degrees higher than usual, with just 44 percent of its average rainfall nationwide.

In Anju and Kaechon, north of the capital Pyongyang, people created ponds, added fertiliser and growth enhancer to crops, and sent tractors, trucks and cultivators to carry water to farms, Rodong said.

Another dispatch said young labour units, which are called dolgyeokdae or youth brigades and usually mobilised in major infrastructure projects, have recently built waterways in the eastern port city of Hamhung as part of efforts to modernise and expand irrigational facilities.

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In March, the United Nations urged Pyongyang to reopen its borders to aid workers and food imports, saying its deepening isolation may have left many facing starvation.

North Korea has not officially confirmed any COVID-19 cases, but it had closed borders and travel restrictions, before briefly resuming trade with China early this year.

The World Food Program estimated that even before the pandemic hit, 11 million, or more than 40 percent of the population, were undernourished and required humanitarian assistance.

(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Michael Perry)
The Daily Beast

Russian authorities in Ukraines occupied city of Donetsk are tossing the bodies of their dead soldiers in a secret dump by the thousands and charging their loved ones money to find them.Thats according to a new audio recording released by Ukraines Security Service on Tuesday, which is purportedly an intercepted telephone conversation between two Russians discussing how one of their missing friends was finally found.In the two-and-a-half minute recording, an unidentified man tells his
Wooden barricades have been added to the base of Vance Monument.

ASHEVILLE - With a request for an appeal pending before the N.C. Supreme Court in the fight over a downtown confederate monument, the court issued a temporary stay on any further demolition of the Vance Monument on April 22  further stalling an already lengthy process.

On May 2, the city submitted its response to an April 20 petition for discretionary review, which was filed by Edward Phillips, lawyer for the Society for the Historical Preservation of the 26th North Carolina Troops, which brought the challenge against the city.

The original petition attempts to take the issue to North Carolina's highest court but does not ensure the court will actually hear an appeal.

Previous coverage:

In its 11-page response, the city reiterates the arguments that have driven much of the case over the last year  that a 2015 donation agreement with the society did not obligate the city to maintain the Vance Monument in place.

Further, it states that the society's argument that the matter is "of significant public interest" is undermined by on ongoing case in the N.C. Supreme Court  United Daughters of the Confederacy v. City of Winston-Salem  which presents legal issues almost identical to those raised in the Vance Monument case.

City Attorney Brad Branham said the temporary stay issued by the Supreme Court was not unexpected, as it just "maintains the status quo." Branham and Phillips noted there is no specific time frame for the court's decision on whether or not to take up the appeal.

Even before the stay was issued, Branham indicated that the city would pause any efforts to complete the removal while the petition for discretionary review was pending.

"It is the City's opinion that claims being pursued by the historical preservation group who initiated the original lawsuit are without merit, and have been properly decided by both the Buncombe County Superior Court and the North Carolina Court of Appeals," Branham said in a May 3 emailed statement to the Citizen Times.

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"We have, therefore, urged the Supreme Court to reject the request for additional review."

The deconstruction of Vance Monument continues on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 - one year after the death of George Floyd.

An April 5 opinion from the N.C. Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the city, affirming a lower court judgment to dismiss the lawsuit and allowing removal of the monument, but this subsequent request for an appeal will delay any movement forward.

The case surrounds the 75-foot-tall granite Vance Monument, which stood in Pack Square Plaza in the heart of downtown Asheville since 1898, all but its base taken down as of June 2021 after Asheville City Council voted 6-1 March 23 to remove it.

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The historical preservation group is seeking to stop and potentially reconstruct the monument to former Civil War-era Gov. Zebulon Vance.

Vance opposed rights for Black people, and his family enslaved people before the Civil War. As a U.S. congressman, Vance wrote denigrating things about Black people, saying their blood contained "a putrid stream of African barbarism."

While the city argues the pending Winston-Salem case is another reason to reject the request for an appeal, Phillips argued the opposite in a May 3 phone interview with the Citizen Times.

What were saying is, put the brakes on, take our case, stop them from acting to destroy the Vance Monument, and then once youre at a position where the court moves forward with the (United Daughters of the Confederacy) case, it will have an impact on this case," Phillips said.

My client and its members actually donated money from their own pockets to restore the Vance Monument. If they dont have standing to fight the issue in terms of the Monument Protection Act, then who does?

The deconstruction of Vance Monument continues on Thursday, May 27, 2021. Project manager Dustin Clements estimates the project will be finished by the weekend.

The initial lawsuit, filed by the 26th North Carolina Troops in March 2021 as City Council voted to remove the monument, alleges a breach of contract between the two, after the group raised more than $138,000 in 2015 to restore the monument.

The Monument Protection Act is at the center of the Winston-Salem case and will clarify if the act applies to only state property or all public areas.

The Winston-Salem case reached the court nearly a year and a half before the Vance Monument case would, if the petition for discretionary review were to be granted.

Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. News Tips? Email shonosky@citizentimes.com or message on Twitter at @slhonosky.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Vance Monument: N.C. Supreme Court filings continue as city responds
A neo-Nazi prison gangster who changed his name to Filthy Fuhrer and four of his subordinates were convicted Monday of conspiring to kidnap and kill a low-level gang member.

Fuhrer, 45, founded the 1488s while serving a 19-year sentence in a maximum security prison in Alaska for the attempted murder of an Alaska state trooper.

In 2017, Fuhrer coordinated two different kidnappings in April and July, the Justice Department said in a press release. However, his commands to Roy Naughton, Glen Baldwin, Colter ODell and Craig King on Aug. 3, 2017, reached a new level.

Naughton, Baldwin, ODell and King were convicted of murdering 1488s member Michael Staton at a house in Wasilla, about 40 miles north of Anchorage. King was a Hells Angels member helping out the other three, who were 1488s, according to the feds.

The men warmed up a knife and then cut Statons identifying gang tattoo off his body before fatally shooting him and burning his body, the feds said. Two other men, Nicholas Kozorra and Dustin Clowers, flipped and pleaded guilty to Statons murder.

Though Fuhrer, whose legal name used to be Timothy Lobdell, and the other 1488s were explicitly racist and white supremacist, the convictions were all related to violence against other 1488 members.

The gangs name refers to a white nationalist 14-word credo and the eighth letter of the alphabet, H, for Heil Hitler. The gangs symbol is an iron cross on top of a Nazi swastika.
More than 75 people gathered in front of the federal courthouse Tuesday to Rally for Roe in protest of a draft Supreme Court opinion that would throw out the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion rights ruling that has stood for nearly a half-century.

Chants for the government to get its bans off womens bodies could be heard down Granby Street as the crowd amassed.

One protestor said she cant believe she is still fighting for womens reproductive rights more than 50 years after she made her first sign and marched her first march.

I have been doing this since before most of them were born, said Bobbie Fisher, of Norfolk, as she motioned to the chanting crowd.

Rally for Roe was organized at federal courthouses in Norfolk and Richmond by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia. The rallies come as activists organize pro-choice marches across the country in response to a copy of Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.s 98-page draft opinion on Roe v. Wade that was obtained and published Monday night by Politico. Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the documents authenticity in a statement Tuesday, but noted it is not a final decision by the Court.

The 1973 federal ruling legalized abortion nationwide, allowing states to regulate  but not ban  abortion before 24 weeks. If the leaked decision holds, the authority to determine abortion laws would return to individual states.

Fisher stood in front of the growing crowd, holding a sign that read: We will not go backwards. A wire coat hanger was taped across the poster.

This is not going to result in less abortions. This is going to result in more dead women, Fisher said.

According to Fisher, her mother attempted an abortion with a wire coat hanger, a practice she said was common prior to the 1973 federal ruling.

Knitting needles were also a big thing. Back alley abortions is what we called it, Fisher said.

Fisher said she advocates for women of the past, present and future  including herself, as she had an abortion due to an ectopic pregnancy that threatened her life.

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If I had not had an abortion, my child would have died and I would have died. I did not have a choice, Fisher said. But this is what we are now talking about. No exceptions for rape, no exceptions for incest, no exceptions for someone like me.

Virginia law allows abortions up to 26 weeks, which marks the end of the second trimester of pregnancy. Exceptions can be made for abortions after 26 weeks if three doctors determine that continuing the pregnancy will substantially impair the mental or physical health of the woman or will likely lead to the death of the woman.

As protestors continued to gather, organizers spoke about local abortion services and what it would mean to them if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Ammie Pascua of the Hampton Roads Reproductive Justice League helped organize Norfolks Rally for Roe. She said she hopes to normalize abortion and end the stigma.

The pro-choice movement is very close to Pascuas heart. She said she has had two abortions and grew up being told that if given the choice, Pascuas mother would have aborted her.

It sucked growing up without that motherly love. I did not understand that for the longest time, Pascua said. But when I was ready to have my second abortion, I called my mom filled with gratitude because I had the choice and the access and the support that she did not have.

Ruth Osorio, a mother of two young children, said Roe v. Wade has helped women have safe and legal abortions since its ruling. She said she is shocked the decision is at risk of being overturned and that she expected it would be a gradual erosion.

Everyone knows someone who has had an abortion and everybody loves somebody whos had an abortion. And those people that have had them that we love so very much had access to safe and legal abortions because of Roe v. Wade, Osorio said. So when I hear that thats being threatened, I think about the people I love  and their future  who need abortions. Im scared and Im angry and Im ready for the fight.

Protestors held signs above their heads, chanting The courts dont protect us  we protect us, as the phrase took hold of the crowd.

As the sun set and a chilly wind picked up, Fisher brushed her white hair out of her eyes, muttering that her hands were freezing. Still, she stood in front of the courthouse chanting loud with the crowd.

If the Supreme Court ultimately decides to overturn Roe v. Wade, Fisher simply said, It will mean that I am not done marching.

Caitlyn Burchett, 727-267-6059, caitlyn.burchett@virginiamedia.com

Staff writer Gavin Stone contributed to this report.
"I just want to fight," the Oath Keepers leader said after failing to get through to Donald Trump.

The group's leader, Elmer Stewart Rhodes, spoke about the potential need for force on January 6.

The new details emerged as a third Oath Keeper pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy.

On the night of January 6, 2021, the leader of the far-right Oath Keepers armed group tried to speak with President Donald Trump and directly implore him to call on groups to help stop the certification of President-elect Joe Biden's electoral victory, according to court records.

In a court filing Wednesday, prosecutors said Oath Keepers leader Elmer Stewart Rhodes gathered with members of the far-right militia at a Washington, DC, hotel and placed a call over speakerphone to an unidentified individual. During the call, "Rhodes repeatedly implored the individual to tell President Trump to call upon groups like the Oath Keepers to forcibly oppose the transfer of power," according to the court filing.

After the recipient of the call declined to connect him with Trump, Rhodes told the group, "I just want to fight," according to the court filing.

The court filing came in the case of William Todd Wilson, an Oath Keeper who pleaded guilty Wednesday to seditious conspiracy and obstruction of a congressional proceeding  a pair of felonies each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison  in connection with the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Wilson on Wednesday admitted that he entered the Capitol on January 6 and later gathered with Rhodes just blocks away, in a suite at the Phoenix Park Hotel, where he overhead the Oath Keeper founder's phone call.

Prosecutors said Wilson, 45, conspired with Rhodes and other Oath Keepers to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power in January 2021. The plan included a cache of weapons stored in a hotel just outside Washington, DC, and so-called "quick reaction force" teams prepared to forcibly halt the certification of Biden's victory.

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Wilson agreed as part of the plea deal to cooperate with the Justice Department's ongoing investigation into the January 6 insurrection and, if necessary, testify before grand juries and at future trials.

His lawyer declined to comment Wednesday.

The revelation of Rhodes' attempt to contact Trump offers insight into ties between the Oath Keepers and members of the then-sitting president's orbit. On the morning of January 6, Trump's longtime political ally Roger Stone appeared outside a hotel in Washington, DC, flanked by members of the Oath Keepers militia.

In previous court filings, Rhodes indicated himself that the Oath Keepers were awaiting some official action from Trump in the aftermath of January 6. Rhodes' lawyers said in a February court filing "that there was a belief that President Donald Trump would invoke the Insurrection Act, necessitating a need for militias and other groups to defend that declaration" ahead of the inauguration set for January 20, 2021.

"When that invocation did not come, Rhodes took no action, before or after, that could be considered seditious by any rational observer," Rhodes' lawyers said.

The Insurrection Act allows the president to order the US military and National Guard troops to respond to rebellions inside the US, and does not pertain to armed civilian groups like Oath Keepers.

With his guilty plea Wednesday, Wilson became the third Oath Keeper to admit to engaging in a seditious conspiracy.

Brian Ulrich, 44, pleaded guilty last week to seditious conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding, as part of a deal requiring him to provide "substantial assistance" to the Justice Department. Ulrich had been indicted in January along with 10 others, including Rhodes, on charges they coordinated a wide-ranging plot to forcibly impede the certification of the 2020 election results.

In March, Joshua James pleaded guilty as part of a similar deal with the Justice Department requiring him to cooperate with the January 6 investigation.

The seditious conspiracy charge is perhaps the most significant prosecutors have brought in the nearly 800 criminal prosecutions stemming from the January 6 attack on the Capitol. In the months since the insurrection, multiple members of the pro-Trump mob have pleaded guilty to charges related to the Capitol siege, and prosecutors have secured guilty verdicts in each of the four jury trials related to January 6.

In the new court filing, prosecutors said Wilson heard Rhodes discuss on multiple occasions the potential need to s to "engage in force, up to and including lethal violence, in order to stop the transfer of power."

Prosecutors have alleged that Rhodes and other Oath Keepers began plotting to oppose Biden's victory shortly after the 2020 election. Rhodes communicated directly over an encrypted messaging app with Wilson, whom prosecutors described as a "military and law enforcement veteran."

In one phone call, Rhodes confirmed Wilson's hotel accommodations and urged him to "come prepared," prosecutors said in the court filing. Based on that directive, prosecutors said, Wilson drove from North Carolina to Washington, DC, with an AR- 15-style rifle, a 9-millimeter pistol, about 200 rounds of ammunition, body armor, a camouflaged combat uniform, pepper spray, a pocketknife, and a large walking stick intended for use as a weapon."

Weeks earlier, on November 9, Wilson dialed into a "national call" Rhodes organized in which he outlined a plan to stop the certification of Biden's victory and urged other Oath Keepers to join him.

"You're from Oath Keepers. You got a responsibility and duty. You raised your freaking right hand. You swore that oath . . . You got to fight," Rhodes said, according to the court filing.

On Wednesday, Wilson raised his right hand as he was placed under oath and admitted to the facts laid out in the court filing.

"Are you pleading guilty because you are, in fact, guilty?" Judge Amit Mehta asked him.

"Yes, your honor," he replied.

Read the original article on Business Insider
KNXV - Phoenix Scripps

Colonel Heston Silbert, the director of Arizona Department of Public Safety, was taken to a hospital Monday evening after being involved in a crash, according to officials. The crash, involving at least two vehicles, occurred just before 6 p.m. Monday on the eastbound Interstate 10, just west of the SR-143 interchange.
First lotus festival to feature 200 lotus-made dishes in Vietnam

A lotus festival, the first of its kind in Vietnam, is scheduled to take place in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap between May 19 - 21, which is expected to set a record of 200 lotus-made dishes.













Illustrative photo



Pham Thien Nghia, chairman of the Dong Thap provincial Peoples Committee, said the festival will provide an opportunity for the locality to introduce its tourism potential and typical lotus products, whilst simultaneously calling for greater investment in local socio-economic development.



During the three-day festival, a wide range of activities will be held, including an exhibition of lotus products, a photo exhibition on President Ho Chi Minh, as well as a photo and song contest about Dong Thap province.



There will also be performances on lotus tea tasting, lectures on the lotus in Vietnamese culture, and calligraphy on lotus leaves.



The highlight of the festival will be performances by artisans who are to create 200 lotus-made dishes to be decorated in the shape of a giant lotus flower. Visitors will be invited to try these dishes.



Local authorities are set to hold a Famtrip which will introduce tourism products to guests, as well as an auction on the first lotus silk fabric of the Mekong Delta region created by Kinh and Khmer artisans.
 Flash

Greece on Tuesday started construction of its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) terminal in the northern city of Alexandroupolis.

The project, which is expected to be completed and operational by early 2024, was hailed by European Union (EU) officials as a significant step in strengthening Europe's energy security and independence.

"This project that we inaugurate today sends a clear signal: we are taking our destiny into our own hands," European Council President Charles Michel said, addressing the event that was carried live by Greek national broadcaster ERT.

The new terminal is a geopolitical investment that will help Europe diversify its gas imports and phase out dependence on Russian fossil fuels in the wake of the Ukraine-Russia crisis, he said.

"Within the next 20 months, Greece will be able to receive significant, much-increased quantities of liquefied natural gas. Greek LNG stations will be able to fully cover not only the national market, but also to replace a significant part of the supply of Russian gas to the Balkans," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.

He also described the terminal as a new energy gateway for Greece, the Balkans and southeastern Europe.

Once completed, the terminal, which is a key part of the Alexandroupolis Independent Natural Gas System (INGS), will have an annual capacity of 5.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year, according to data provided by the Greek government.

Some 166.7 million euros (176 million U.S. dollars) out of the total 363.7 million euros allocated to the project are EU funds, according to a Greek government press release. (1 euro = 1.05 U.S. dollar)
Abortion rights advocates protest outside the state capitol in Oklahoma City after Governor Kevin Stitt signed a law banning abortions at six weeks of pregnancy on 3 May. (AP)

When Governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law making abortion care a felony in the state of Oklahoma, he vowed to outlaw the procedure entirely, pledging to sign any piece of legislation that reached his desk that promised to do just that.

A few weeks later, on 3 May, he signed a bill banning nearly all abortions at six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. Like the Texas law it was modeled after, it empowers residents to sue anyone who aids and abets an abortion. There are no exceptions for rape and incest. The law went into effect immediately, effectively undercutting abortion rights overnight.

All of this happened while constitutional protections affirmed by the US Supreme Courts landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v Wade were intact. But abortion providers in Oklahoma and across the US have known what was coming. Republican state legislators have introduced more than 200 bills to restrict access to abortion in 40 states within the first few months of 2022 alone, emboldened by the Supreme Courts expected decision to eliminate abortion rights, ending reproductive healthcare protections for millions of Americans.

When Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed legislation outlawing abortion after six weeks of pregnancy last September, people seeking abortion found refuge across state likes in Oklahoma, where abortion providers field dozens of calls each hour for appointments.

Between September and December of 2021, Planned Parenthood centres in Oklahoma saw a nearly 2,500 per cent increase in abortion patients from Texas compared to same period in 2020.

We are already living in a virtually post-Roe world in our region, Dr Iman Alsaden, medical director for Planned Parenthood Great Plains, told reporters in a briefing. The organisation operates 11 facilities across four states, including three clinics in Oklahoma, and provides a range of services, from STI testing to cancer screenings and primary care. Five of its clinics offer abortion services.

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If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade, Oklahoma laws and laws in surrounding states and across the South would effectively outlaw abortion care, forcing patients to travel hundreds of miles to the nearest states where abortion access is protected at the state level.

Abortion providers have repeatedly stressed that abortion rights protections under Roe v Wade are still in place, and abortion remains legal and accessbile, while patients navigate a fragile system of care that Rebublican officials have gradually chipped away over decades.

I dont think it really is exaggerating to say were approaching the doomsday scenario. Weve already been living with a crisis because of the Texas ban, Planned Parenthood Great Plains interim president Emily Wales told The Independent.

To get to Oklahomas clinics, patients travel long distances, often overnight and without the support of friends or family, out of fear for their arrest or legal trouble with their help, according to Ms Wales. The drive from Tulsa to Denver, Chicago or Albuquerque, for example  in the nearest states for legal care  is nearly 24 hours roundtrip, not including overnight stays or days spent waiting for appointments. Providers in those states have warned they are not equipped to meet the demand for care if Roe falls.

And were not meeting the need either, Ms Wales said. I dont feel like we have to be quiet about that, because its a horrible situation to just have more people than we can get in our centres or appointments than we can schedule. But Oklahoma is a smaller state than Texas, and people are trying to stay close to home, and there just are not enough places for people to get care.

The Center for Reproductive Rights and Planned Parenthood Federation of America, on behalf of abortion providers in the state, filed a lawsuit to block Oklahomas anti-abortion laws with the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Without abortion access in Oklahoma, the system that has been strained for too long, with too few providers, will break, and there will be more patients than ever, Ms Wales said.

Dr Shelly Tien hands a patient abortion medication at the Trust Women Foundation clinic in Oklahoma City in December 2021. (REUTERS)

Dr Maya Bass travels from New Jersey to Oklahoma for several days every one or two months to provide abortion care at the Trust Women Foundation clinic in Oklahoma City, where she sees up to 40 patients each day.

Patients come to me and tell me that theyve driven six or more hours to get there, it took them weeks to get an appointment because of the volume increase, or just time for them to raise the money to travel and to find childcare, Dr Bass told The Independent. Its a lot harder to be able to confirm appointments with people because [the clinic] cant promise them that our clinic will be open next week.

Trust Women operates facilities in Oklahoma and neighbouring Kansas, where abortions are legal up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. In August, Kansas voters will determine whether to reject an amendment to the states constitution saying that the state does not create or secure a right to abortion.

Complicating access to abortion care are the growing restrictions against medication abortions, by far the most common form of abortion care in the US. The pills can be purchased online and self-administered at home, and the Food and Drug Administration approved the medication by mail in 2021.

But at least 19 states, including Oklahoma, have blocked access to telehealth appointments for the prescription drugs. Many state laws still require patients to go through the same obstacles to get them  in-person appointments, waiting periods, long-distance travel  as they would for procedural abortions.

Were basically taking what should be a procedure that people can access in their communities and were making them have to jump through hurdle after hurdle after hurdle, just to get to our clinic, according to Dr Bass. Having people drive these distances and go through all these hoops, when we should be able to just do a video call with them and prescribe a medication  its just really frustrating to see how much they have to overcome just to come to see me.

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has pledged to outlaw abortion in the state despite constitutional protections affirmed by Roe v Wade, which abortion rights advocates are preparing to see come to an end. (AP)

Governor Stitt has pledged to make Oklahoma the most pro-life state in the US, though abortion rights advocates have argued that the state has failed to care for people living in it.

Oklahoma ranks among states with the worst maternal death rates in the US, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state Department of Health. Between 2017-2019, the states maternal mortality rate was 23.5 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.

The Independent has requested comment from the governors office and asked how the state will support residents who are not able to receive an abortion.

These laws are being created by people who have no medical expertise. Theyre not being created with patient safety or medical outcomes in mind, theyre entirely created to control bodies, Dr Bass told The Independent. The people who are affected by these laws are already being underserved by our system, are people of color, and  its just very hard to have a politician come into my patient room to make the decision that is really something that should be entirely based on what my patients life is and what their decision is, and just guided by my medical expertise, and thats the only two people that should be involved in that decision. Not a politician.

Abortion providers and abortion rights advocates across the US, preparing for a likely Supreme Court ruling on Roe v Wade and its affirming ruling in 1992 in Casey v Planned Parenthood, are preparing for its fallout  how to perform telehealth visits for patients across state lines, building support for abortion fund groups to assist people traveling for care, and bolstering already-stressed clinics in states preparing for an influx of patients.

This [Supreme Courts] decision is not about patients, its not about lives, its about controlling peoples bodies and futures, according to Dr Bass. The organizations that have been working towards abortion access for years have known that this is a possibility, and that we are working on fighting  and if people want to get involved in the fight, to look to organizations that have been doing the work, join and support them, so that we can do our best to get access to abortion care for everybody who needs it.
Last night at 8:32 p.m., POLITICO reporters Josh Gerstein and Alexander Ward punctured the courts reputation as a leak-proof vessel by plastering the internet with a majority draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito that would reverse 1973s Roe v. Wade decision.

The scoop jolted everybody, especially Supreme Court watchers like Slates Dahlia Lithwick. We have never, ever, ever seen a 98-page draft opinion, she said on The Rachel Maddow Show, or heard about deliberations whos writing dissents. The report put the Supreme Courts sanctity at risk, wrote former Supreme Court reporter Richard Wolf. Whatever the leakers motive, the result is very bad, lamented Harvard Law Professor Noah Feldman. The secrecy breach indicates the court is in disarray, wrote New York Times reporter Adam Liptak. Its impossible to overstate the earthquake this will cause inside the Court, in terms of the destruction of trust among the Justices and staff, tweeted SCOTUSblog. This leak is the gravest, most unforgivable sin.

Although the Supreme Court has leaked before, as Gerstein noted in a sidebar and legal scholar Jonathan Peters tweeted in a thread, those were trickles compared to the torrent of an entire draft opinion, which POLITICO published in all its footnoted fullness. The disclosure is a big deal, big enough for Chief Justice John Roberts to hammer it as an affront to the Court and to order an investigation into the source of the leak.



How has the Supreme Court kept a relatively tight lid on its workings compared to the CIA, the NSA, the Pentagon, the FBI and other government appendages? For one thing, its smaller by multiple degrees. The fewer secrets you handle, the easier the job. But the court has long occupied a sacred and mythic place in the national consciousness, a place that the court itself has cultivated. Although the justices are political appointees, the court pretends to rise above politics. It conducts its work under a veil and depends on the press to fetishize the mysteries of the temple.

It derives its authority not from the people but from the cosmos, the courts deifiers would have you believe. Hence the robes that rival Batmans cape, the courts ban on cameras and the grand edifice from which it hands down its rulings. But this exalted view of the court, we must remind ourselves, is not a part of the natural order. It is of the courts creation. Even the magnificent Vermont- and Georgia-marble palace the Supreme Court calls home is a relatively new addition to its image. Until 1936, the court did its business out of the Capitol, and none but the chief justice kept an office on the premises. Like office workers during the Covid lockdown, the other justices worked from home.

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The late Justice Antonin Scalia became famous for making his clerks pledge silence about what they saw and heard. I only want to say it once, a Scalia clerk remembers him saying. If I ever discover that you have betrayed the confidences of what goes on in these chambers, I will do everything in my power to ruin your career. (A clerk leaked the original Roe decision to Time magazine back in 1973. The article appeared on newsstand a few hours before the decision was released, and the clerk almost lost his job.)

The POLITICO exclusive did the nation a service by ignoring the magic fairy dust that envelops the court to take an overdue look at the courts decision-making process. The story was all the more warranted because if we had a viable Congress, it would have sorted out the legality of abortion by now. Instead, weve shunted to the Supreme Court the job of legislating what the abortion law should be. Viewed from that angle, the POLITICO scoop is less an intrusion into the Supreme Courts sanctified domain than it is an investigation into a piece of evolving legislation. (As noted everywhere, the Alito draft is only a draft, and subject to change.)



Would Congress scream murder if one of its bills under consideration leaked to the press? Of course not. Its draft legislation gets aired all the time. So why the hubbub over the Alito draft? For one thing, it violates the courts mania for secrecy, a mania thats rational. The court has long feared that if the nation knew how its decisions come together  if its members dared to wear human faces, if it appeared as anything but a sacred tribunal  its decisions would carry less weight. Its that easy to lose the mystique built up for centuries. The POLITICO piece reveals a court-decision-in-process as a purely political document that aligns five conservatives against the courts liberals and, presumably, the chief justice. That accurate portrayal might take decades for the courts myth-makers to erase.

The court hasnt had to worry about leaking opinions because its not in the interest of most of its beat reporters to pursue them. The last big examples of a damaging leak came in 1979, when ABC News correspondent Tim OBrien accurately reported a Supreme Court ruling before it was released, and 1980, when Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong published The Brethren, their book about the Supreme Court, and when clerks from the 2000 Bush v. Gore decision spilled to Vanity Fair.



After OBrien published his story, Supreme Court beat reporters lined up to slam him  but from the cowards redoubt of anonymity. It was cowboy journalism, said one. It doesnt get us anything. It doesnt mean anything. And the possibilities for corruption are limitless, said another. Therell be a real shakedown over the next couple of weeks, fretted another Supreme Court beat reporter. Then-reigning establishmentarian James Reston horsewhipped OBrien in his New York Times column, writing that the scoop obviously serves no public interest and is a drop of poison in the whole democratic process. Woodward and Armstrong got similar treatment. Reviewing (negatively) The Brethren in the New York Review of Books, former New York Times Supreme Court reporter Anthony Lewis acknowledged that Woodward and Armstrong had done what no one else, journalist or scholar, has attempted in the nearly two hundred years of the Supreme Courts existence: shown, however partially, its process at work  what happens before the published opinions. But he also bemoaned the way the authors defiled the sanctuary. Reading this book, one yearns for a sense of history, a degree of sophistication.

Chief Justice Roberts issued a statement today bemoaning the betrayal of the confidences of the the court and egregious breach of trust. His histrionics were loud enough to carry all the way down Constitution Avenue to the Reflecting Pool, as he called for an investigation into the leak. Stephen Bates, a journalism professor and legal scholar, thought his complaint was a bit overboard. The court does seem like a pretty frail institution if its legitimacy is crumbling because of one leak. CIA, FBI, NSA, etc. are supposed to operate in secrecy, but nobody screams about lost legitimacy when info gets out. The court can survive just fine when its secrets are aired. Just look at the recent reporting of CNNs Joan Biskupic, who has done spectacular work revealing how the Roberts court stuffs and cooks its legal sausage, and the Republic still stands.

It appears that no law was broken, unless the leak was the product of a break-in or hack. Id be really surprised if it ended up with any kind of criminal charge, University of Texas Law School Professor Stephen I. Vladeck told the Washington Post, speaking for the consensus.

The leak has obviously dinged the Supremes legal supremacy for the moment. They will recover. But the upside of the leak is grand. The public has gained a new awareness of where a court majority plans to take the nation after a half-century of legal abortion. Getting a two- or three-month preview of that plan in a midterm year straight from the horses pen amounts to a journalistic coup of the highest order. The government works to keep you in the dark. The press to shine the light. Heaven bless the press.

******

Disclosure: Joan Biskupic is a friend. Dont send Supreme Court drafts to Shafer.Politico@gmail.com. My email alerts are on hiatus for new subscribers. My Twitter feed fancies Supermans cape. My RSS feed defies all precedents.
Steel smelting

As of today, Ukrainians of various professions are serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other units defending Ukraine from Russian invaders.

Before the war, metallurgical and mining enterprises were among the country's largest employers.

NV Business has learned how many employees from major Ukrainian factories have joined the army.

The Metinvest Group, an international steel and mining group of companies, has the largest number of mobilized employees. At the request of NV Business, the company's press service reported that more than 3,000 workers had been mobilized at their enterprises. However, Metinvest did not specify which factories and plants had workers fighting in the Armed Forces. However, the largest assets of the group are located in Kryvyi Rih, Zaporizhzhya, Kamianske, Mariupol, and Pokrovsk.

Read also: Rinat Akhmetov to sue Kremlin for $10 billion for ruining his assets

The Metinvest Group reported allocating 900 tons of steel to produce approximately 90,000 bulletproof vests for the Armed Forces and the territorial defense units. The company bought another 10,000 bulletproof vests abroad. As of early May, 4,000 bulletproof vests and helmets had been supplied to the military. In particular, it was reported that 300 workers of the Kametstal metallurgical plant, who had been mobilized for the Armed Forces and the territorial defense units, had received level 4 bulletproof vests.

In late April, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, a member of the multinational corporation ArcelorMittal, reported that about 1,800 employees were defending Ukraine from the enemy.

Read also: Russian army has almost destroyed Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, says interior ministry

Workers from other enterprises in Kryvyi Rih are also going to war.

"About 800 of our employees are defending Ukraine with weapons in their hands as part of the Armed Forces and territorial defense units," Serhiy Barabanov, HR Director of JSC Kryvbaszalizrudkom, told corporate media in an interview.

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At the same time, the industrial company Interpipe recently reported that 760 of its employees were defending the country in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and territorial defense units.

"As many as 580 of them have been mobilized since late February," the press service said.

Some 470 of them have already received clothing and equipment from the company.

"First of all, we help our colleagues with bulletproof vests, as well as providing (medical supplies)," the company said.

"If necessary, we provide tactical equipment, such as uniforms, army boots, tactical vests for ammunition magazines, anti-fragment glasses, tactical gloves, sleeping bags, etc."

DCH Steel employees have also been called up to join the Armed Forces and other units.

"Dniprovskiy Metallurgical Plant  215 people. Sukha Balka mining and processing plant  391," the company's press service said.

Thus, about 7,000 employees of the largest metallurgical and mining enterprises are defending Ukraine.

As of early 2022, more than 246,000 people, including 195,000 soldiers, were serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Lacey Fletcher hadnt moved off her sofa for 12 years, a coroner said (Handout)

The parents of a Louisiana woman who was allegedly left to rot away on their sofa in her own waste for up to 12 years have been charged with second-degree murder.

Clay and Sheila Fletcher were arrested and indicted on Monday, four months after their 36-year-old daughter Laceys emaciated body was found fused to the couch at their home in the town of Slaughter.

Lacey was semi-naked and sitting upright in a sunken crevice in the sofa when she was found by a police officer, District Attorney Sam DAquilla said.

She weighed just 96 pounds (43 kgs) and was covered in urine, faces and maggots.

East Feliciana Parish coroner Ewell Bickham believes she could have been sitting in the same position for as long as 12 years, The Advocate reported. She also tested positive for Covid-19.

Lacey had been homeschooled since high school, suffered social anxiety as a teenager, and had a severe case of Aspergers, Mr DAquila said.

Police officers were notified of Laceys death when her mother called 911 on 3 January.

Casey and Sheila Fletcher have been charged with second-degree murder of their daughter Lacey (East Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office)

On reaching the house, deputies found a strong stench emanating. Fletchers body was surrounded by faeces and urine, and there were severe ulcers on the bodys underside.

Coroner Dr Bickham ruled her death a homicide and the cause behind her death stems from at least a decade of medical neglect.

The scene was sickening. Ive seen some horrible things in my life but nothing like this, he told DailyMail.com.

He told WBRZ he couldnt eat and cried for a week after attending the death.

Calling it a horrific episode, Mr DAquilla said: The caretakers just let her sit on the couch. She just urinated and used the bathroom on the couch.

Lacey Fletchers body was found fused to a sofa in her parents Louisiana home (East Feliciana Parish Coroner's)

The underside of Laceys body was covered in ulcers, and appeared rotten to the bone, the district attorney said.

She appeared to have faeces shoved in her face, chest and stomach, he added.

On a murder, you have to have intent, Mr DAquilla said. Did they want to kill her? I want to say yeah, they wanted to kill her.

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A grand jury handed down an indictment for second-degree murder on Monday.

Sheila and Clay Fletcher were longtime residents of Slaughter, a town 20 miles (36kms) north of Baton Rouge. Sheila had worked as a town alderman, but resigned her post in February after her daughters death.

The parentss attorney Steven Moore said they didnt want to relive the pain of losing a child through the media in a statement to WBRZ before they were charged with murder.

They have been through a lot of heartache over the years. Anyone who had lost a child knows what its like.

Disability advocates said it appeared to be a clear case of criminal neglect.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that votes on legislation to provide the embattled Ukrainians with billions of dollars in additional aid to fend off Russian forces could take place as soon as next week.

The Biden administration has already provided Ukraine with more than $13 billion in assistance, and the president late last month asked Congress for an additional $33 billion.

Although the House is on recess this week, Pelosi said bipartisan negotiators are busy drafting President Bidens request, which she expects to pass with broad support from both parties when Congress returns to Washington.

Were writing the bill now, and hopefully we will be able to vote on it next week, Pelosi said during a press briefing in Washington state, where shes campaigning with several Democratic lawmakers.

The Speaker allowed that that timeline might slip. Legislation takes a little time, she said.

Senate Democratic leaders have floated the idea of attaching the Ukraine funding to another Biden request: a proposal providing billions of dollars in COVID-19 relief. Pelosi has endorsed that strategy, but it has received a cold reception from Republicans, raising questions about whether Democrats will abandon the package approach and vote separately on the more popular Ukraine aid for purposes of expediency.

The Speaker did not address those tactical questions on Wednesday.

Pelosi is freshly back from a surprise visit to Kyiv, where she and six other prominent Democrats met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has urged the U.S. and other Western allies to step up efforts to help his country defend itself from the Russian invasion, which has increasingly taken aim at civilian targets.

The bulk of Bidens $33 billion request would go toward providing Ukrainian forces with more weapons and ammunition. The White House is also proposing to direct $8.5 billion of the package to direct economic assistance and another $3 billion to humanitarian aid, including food supplies.

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The cost of this fight is not cheap, Biden said in making the request.

Pelosi on Wednesday echoed that message, framing the conflict as a proxy battle in which Ukraine is fighting on behalf of democracies across the globe.

The fact is democracy is at stake. Our national security is affected by this. And the leadership role that we play in the world is one that is essential to the essence of who we are, she said. Can we afford it? We cant afford not to do it.

Pelosi pointed out that public opinion polls reveal strong bipartisan support for providing aid to Ukraine and, she added, by the same numbers that we should not go in, emphasizing the concern for confronting Russia too aggressively.

Theyre fighting the fight for all of us, she said.

Pelosi said Congresss continued role in the conflict will focus on three areas: tougher sanctions on Russia, more weapons for Ukrainian fighters and more humanitarian aid for embattled civilians, millions of whom have either fled the country or been displaced from their homes.

They need food. They need water. They need so many things, Pelosi said.

The Speaker also praised Zelensky, characterizing him as a hero to the world, and denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin in the strongest terms, saying his decision to target women and children is a barometer of the cruelty and cowardice of Moscows leaders.

If you want to fight a fight, fight a fight, she said. But dont go after the civilians.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Wedding Expert Claire Roche Shares Her Top Spring/Summer Wedding Trends and Tips for Planning the Perfect Wedding

New York, NY --News Direct-- YourUpdateTV

This year, nearly 2.5 million couples are expected to tie the knot in the United States  a record number fueled by the pandemic. 2022 is shaping up to be the Year of the Wedding. Recently, Wedding Expert at Shutterfly, Claire Roche, participated in a nationwide media tour to discuss the top trends for Spring and Summer weddings and much more.

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/qTNZKfpbmiM

Wedding Expert Claire Roche Shares Her Top Spring/Summer Wedding Trends and Tips for Planning the Perfect Wedding

This wedding season, whether planning a big or small celebration, couples are getting more creative and placing extra emphasis on customization and making their day unique.

Brands like Shutterfly can help couples make those customized details easy to implement on the big day. Everything from save the dates, to invitations, to customized napkins, Shutterfly can help elevate your wedding day without having to break the bank.

Couples planning a wedding in 2022 are facing unprecedented challenges, including having to navigate higher prices and limited availabilities. For Claire, the most important thing is for couples to decide what they truly want the focus of their wedding to be and prioritize what is really important to the couple.

For more information, visit Shutterfly.com

About Claire Roche:

As a Southern California wedding planner and owner of Grit and Grace Events, Claire is obsessed with the often forgotten and overlooked details of a wedding. She believes in the unique and customized elements that bring a wedding to life in a beautiful, yet attainable way. Claire has amassed nearly 1.5 million followers on TikTok and was recently named of one of the top people to follow if youre planning a wedding. Shes an authentic voice in the wedding space and can speak to industry trends, products, and everything in between.

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Contact Details

YourUpdateTV

+1 212-736-2727

yourupdatetv@gmail.com

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/planning-a-wedding-heres-what-you-need-to-know-884532553
Police lights

An 18-year-old woman died Tuesday after being shot in Brunswick, with police arresting a man, also 18, who they said is believed to have been her boyfriend.

The woman is believed to be a high school senior in Brunswick City Schools. The district put out a statement saying an unnamed senior died on Tuesday and that it had its crisis response team in place to help students and staff.

The woman, whose name was not released as of early Wednesday afternoon, was found with a gunshot wound late Tuesday night in the 4300 block of Southwick Boulevard, Brunswick police said in a post on social media.

2-year-old dies: Girl, 2, dies in apparent drowning in Brunswick home swimming pool

Police said they responded at 11:02 p.m. for a report of a female with a gunshot wound.

Police arrested Logan James Robertson of Brunswick, and charged him with murder. He was taken to Medina County Jail, police said.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Police say Brunswick man arrested in shooting death of girlfriend, 18
The police department in Kansas City, Kansas, ranked among the worst in a national survey on police transparency.

KCKPD scored 18 points out of a possible 100 on the Police Data Transparency Index, published this week by the Vera Institute.

The study included 94 police departments across the country and looked at the data they release on police shootings, arrests, training and other information.

With little access to information about what police do, the public has trouble evaluating and rethinking policing, the authors of the index wrote.

The department in Kansas City, Kansas, had the seventh-worst score among the agencies that were ranked. The Kansas City, Missouri police department was given 39 points, one point above the national median score.

The report scored each department based on how easy data was to access and understand. KCKPD scored highest in the police contact info category. It also got points for policies, crime reports, traffic stops, use of force and complaints. But it scored zero points on instances officers shot firearms, arrests, calls for service and training.

Last year, there were three fatal police shootings in Kansas City, Kansas, including a former police detective who was killed in November.

Police officials in KCK did not respond immediately to a request for comment sent Wednesday.
A 16-year-old boy was killed and another person was wounded in a shooting Tuesday night in Bunnell, according to a press release from the Flagler County Sheriff's Office.

Keymarion Hall, 16, died from a gunshot wound after being transported to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach, according to the release.

Hall was a 10th grader at Flagler Palm Coast High School. Flagler County School District spokesman Jason Wheeler said counselors are at Flagler Palm Coast High School. Students are taking FSA tests on Wednesday.

"We have a counseling team on FPC campus (Flagler Palm Coast High School). (FSA) testing concerns will be handled on a case-by-case basis," Wheeler said.

The other victim did not suffer life-threatening injuries and was treated and released, the release stated.

The dispatch center received calls just after 10 p.m. Tuesday about gunshots heard near South Pine Street and East Booe Street in Bunnell, the release stated.

Man fatally shot at party: Flagler deputies investigating fatal shooting of Palm Coast man, 19, at party in the woods

Teen charged in man's death: Teen accused of shooting Oak Hill man 3 years ago charged with murder after man's death

Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly stated in the release that the shooting "appears to be a focused incident."

"Our investigators have worked throughout the night and I ask anyone with information to call us," Staly stated in the release.

The Flagler County Sheriff's Office Major Case Unit is investigating the shooting per a contract between the sheriff's office and the city of Bunnell.

The sheriff's office asked that anyone with information call 386-313-4911 or email TIPS@FlaglerSheriff.com or call CrimeStoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS, where you could be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

News-Journal Reporter Nikki Ross contributed to this report.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for more details.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Police: FPC student, 16, shot, killed in Bunnell; 1 person wounded
Ukrayinska Pravda

VALENTYNA ROMANENKO - TUESDAY, 10 MAY 2022, 11:12 According to Ukrainian intelligence, Vladimir Putin's regime has ordered the media, in its propaganda, to bring the Russian public's attention to "the opposition of the Russian army to all the countries of the European Union and NATO".
Associated Press

A lawyer for an alleged extremist accused of involvement in crimes including rape and torture in the northern Malian city of Timbuktu a decade ago rejected the allegations and said Monday that he was just a police officer carrying out court orders who could have been killed for disobeying. Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court had argued that the defendant, Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud, was a key figure in a reign of terror after al-Qaida-linked rebels overran the Malian desert city in 2012. Taylor said that had he disobeyed the court orders, he would have risked being branded a traitor and a spy, and might have been executed.
A man is in the hospital after he was shot by a Tacoma hotel employee.

Police were called to the Quality Inn & Suites at 8810 South Hosmer Street at 11:49 p.m. Tuesday. The area is currently experiencing high crime.

A 45-year-old man got into an argument with three people  two employees and a bystander  and went after them with a knife, the News Tribune reported.

One of the employees, a 32-year-old woman, shot the man once, according to Tacoma police.

She had the right to protect herself at that time, said Tacoma police spokesperson Wendy Haddow.

He was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Haddow said someone called 911 to report that an employee had just shot a man.

Police had trespassed the man from the hotel before, and when employees asked him to leave Tuesday night, he refused, according to the News Tribune.

The man then attacked the three victims while armed with a knife, according to police.

Tacoma police said the man will be arrested for investigation of three counts of assault once he is released from the hospital.

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VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis and the prime minister of Japan, the only country to be hit by atomic bombs, met on Wednesday and discussed their common hope for a world free of nuclear weapons.

Francis and Fumio Kishida met for about half an hour in a receiving room of the Vatican's audience hall just before Francis held his general audience for thousands of people in St. Peter's Square.

"They talked of nuclear weapons and how their use and possession is inconceivable," Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.

A separate Vatican statement said that in discussions afterwards with top Vatican diplomats, particular attention was given to the war in Ukraine, "stressing the urgency of dialogue and peace and expressing the hope, to this end, for a world free of nuclear weapons".

Since Russia invaded its neighbour on Feb. 24, Francis has several times spoken of a possible nuclear conflict resulting from the war.

The two met on the same day that Russia's foreign ministry announced sanctions against 63 Japanese officials, including Kishida, for engaging in what it called "unacceptable rhetoric" against Moscow.

During his visit to Japan in 2019, Francis visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which in 1945 became the only cities ever to be hit by atomic bombs, and appealed to world leaders to ensure that nuclear weapons are never used again.

Francis backs a U.N. treaty aiming to ban nuclear weapons and has said that even their possession for the purpose of deterrence is immoral.

(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with Pope Francis for a private conversation Wednesday, the same day a ballistic missile was fired into the Sea of Japan.

The world leaders met for approximately a half hour at the Vatican, spending the majority of their time discussing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Pope Francis, a vocal opponent of nuclear weapons, has previously expressed sympathy with the island nation's history with the issue. The meeting also marked the important 80-year milestone between Japan and the Holy See.

"During the cordial talks in the Secretariat of State, satisfaction was expressed at the bilateral collaboration, evoking the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations. In this context, the contribution of the Catholic Church in many sectors of Japanese society was noted and appreciated," the Holy See said in a statement.

NORTH KOREA PREPARING NUCLEAR TEST FOR FIRST TIME IN YEARS, INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS SAY

"Attention then turned to issues of an international nature, with particular attention to the war in Ukraine, stressing the urgency of dialogue and peace and expressing the hope, to this end, for a world free of nuclear weapons," the statement continued. The specifics of their discussion were not provided.

North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan Wednesday, according to reports. Japans Defense Ministry and South Koreas military confirmed the launches, South Korea s Yonhap news agency and the Japan Times reported Wednesday afternoon local time.

"Our military is tracking and monitoring related movements and maintaining a readiness posture," South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters, according to Yonhap. The launch reportedly came from the Pyongyang area minutes after 12 noon.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un recently warned he would use nuclear weapons 'preemptively' if threatened. The dictator recently presided over another massive military parade to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of North Korea's revolutionary army.

Kim Jong Un, North Korea's leader, watches an honor guard before his departure to North Korea at the railway station in Vladivostok, Russia, on Friday, April 26, 2019. Kim said the summit will be a starting point for productive talks on cooperation, Vesti TV reported him as saying in an interview. Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images
VATICAN CITY (AP)  His appeals for an Orthodox Easter truce in Ukraine went unheeded. His planned meeting with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church was canceled. A proposed visit to Moscow? Nyet. Even his attempt to showcase Russian-Ukrainian friendship fell flat.

Pope Francis hasnt made much of a diplomatic mark in Russias war in Ukraine, seemingly unable to capitalize on his moral authority, soft power or direct line to Moscow to nudge an end to the bloodshed or at least a cease-fire.

Rather, Francis has found himself in the unusual position of having to explain his refusal to call out Russia or President Vladimir Putin by name  popes dont do that, he said  and to defend his very good relations with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, who has justified the war on spiritual grounds.

While the long list of dead ends would indicate a certain ineffectiveness, it is par for the course for the Vatican's unique brand of diplomacy that straddles geopolitical realities with spiritual priorities, even when they conflict.

And in the case of Ukraine, they have: Francis has sought to be a pastor to his local flock in Ukraine, incessantly calling for peace, sending cardinals in with humanitarian aid and even reportedly proposing that a Vatican-flagged ship evacuate civilians from the besieged port of Mariupol.

But he has also kept alive the Holy Sees longer-term policy goal of healing relations with the Russian Orthodox Church, which like the rest of Eastern Orthodoxy is separated from the Catholic Church. Up until recently, Francis held out hope that he would secure a second meeting with Russian Patriarch Kirill, even while Moscow bombed Ukrainian civilians.

Francis recently revealed that their planned June meeting in Jerusalem had been called off, because Vatican diplomats thought it would send a confusing message. Indeed, on Wednesday EU diplomats said they plan to sanction Kirill in the bloc's next round of measures against Russia, further complicating Francis' relationship with him.

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To his critics, Francis continued outreach to Moscow even amid reported atrocities harks back to the perceived silence of Pope Pius XII, criticized by some Jewish groups for failing to speak out sufficiently against the Holocaust. The Vatican and insists Pius' quiet diplomacy helped save lives.

Francis is doing what he can, with the right priorities, to stop the war, stop people from suffering, said Anne Leahy, who was Canadas ambassador to the Holy See from 2008-12 and ambassador to Russia in the late 1990s.

But hes keeping channels of communication open in every way he can. Even if it doesnt work, I think the idea is to keep trying, she said.

Leahy noted that a pope must have as a top priority this Gospel-mandated objective to unify Christians, and that relations with the Orthodox therefore must remain at the forefront.

Diplomacy is at the service of the churchs mission, and not the other way around, she said in a telephone interview.

At times, Francis words and gestures seem contradictory: One day he sits down for a videoconference with Kirill that is prominently featured on the website of the Russian Orthodox Church with a statement saying both sides had expressed hope for a just peace. Three weeks later, he kisses a battered Ukrainian flag brought to him from Bucha, where Ukrainian civilians were found shot to death with their hands bound.

The Vatican has a long tradition of this dual-faceted diplomacy. During the Cold War, the policy of Ostpolitik meant that the Vatican kept up channels of communication with the same Communist governments that were persecuting the faithful on the ground, often to the dismay of the local church.

Francis decision to continue with the classic Vatican diplomacy of Ostpolitik, of dialoguing with the enemy and not closing the door, is debatable, said the Rev. Stefano Caprio, professor of church history at the Pontifical Oriental Institute.

Those who are upset that the pope isnt defending them more are right, but those from the diplomatic side who say We cant throw away these relations are also right. They are obviously in contradiction, he said.

But since were not talking about an argument of faith  we aren't talking about the persons of the Holy Trinity  you can have opinions that differ from the pope, he added.

In some ways, Francis role on the sidelines of the Ukraine conflict can be traced to his position when Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and the Holy See appeared at least publicly neutral, despite appeals from Ukrainian Greek Catholics, who are a minority in the majority Orthodox country, for Francis to strongly condemn Moscow.

Instead, Francis described the ensuing conflict as the fruit of fratricidal violence, as if both sides were equally to blame and that the conflict was an internal Ukrainian matter.

My experience in 2014 is that the existence of the (Ukrainian) Greek Catholics was seemingly an embarrassment and a frustration with the Holy Father and the Holy See, said John McCarthy, who was Australias ambassador to the Vatican at the time. Their priority was the relationship with the Russian Orthodox and securing a meeting with Kirill.

Francis eventually obtained that long-sought meeting, embracing Kirill in a VIP room of the Havana, Cuba, airport on Feb. 12, 2016, in the first meeting between a pope with the Russian patriarch in over a millennium.

The two men signed a joint statement that was hailed by the Holy See at the time as a breakthrough in ecumenical relations. But it enraged Ukraines Greek Catholics because, among other things, it referred to them as an ecclesial community as if they were a separate church not in communion with Rome, and didn't mention Russia's role in the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Fast forward to 2022, and Francis again upset the local Ukrainian church: The Vatican had proposed that a Ukrainian and Russian woman carry the cross together during the Vaticans torchlit Good Friday procession at the Colosseum. The gesture, which preceded Francis' unheeded Easter appeal for a truce, was an attempt to show the possibility of future Russian-Ukrainian reconciliation.

But the Ukrainian ambassador objected, and the head of Ukraines Greek Orthodox faithful, Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, decried the proposal as inopportune and ambiguous, since it didnt take into consideration the fact that Russia had invaded Ukraine.

In the end, the Vatican compromised: The women carried the cross but instead of reading aloud a meditation that had called for reconciliation, stood together in silent prayer.

Leahy, the former Canadian ambassador, said the outcome was a classic example of papal pastoral care bridging Vatican diplomacy: Francis listened to Shevchuks complaint and modified the ritual, while keeping his broader agenda of dialogue with Russia alive.

Recalling the word pontiff derives from the Italian word for bridge, she said: Its the job of a diplomat, and certainly of a supreme pontiff who has the word bridge written in his name, to keep the channels open.

The Rev. Roberto Regoli, a professor of church history and an expert in papal diplomacy at the Pontifical Gregorian University, said those diplomatic channels with the Orthodox are important now, but also in the future when eventually Ukraine will have to be rebuilt.

The reconstruction of a country ... requires the involvement of all forces, even religious ones, he said. So keeping these channels open is useful for the present but even more for the future, because it will take decades to rebuild.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
May 4The Portland school district will pay $1.2 million to cover unanticipated construction costs from the renovations of two elementary schools, leaving the district with around $2.5 million out of a $64 million bond to pay for school furnishings and any future construction cost overruns between now and the projects' scheduled completion dates in January 2023 and December 2023.

The board voted unanimously Tuesday night to pay for the construction cost overruns with money left over from a previous renovation and funds originally meant for furniture, fixtures and equipment.

Members also discussed a request from Portland city officials that the district shave $1 million off the top of its $133.1 million budget. The board voted unanimously to wait until the City Council votes on the school budget before making any firm decisions.

The $1.2 million approved by the school board Tuesday will pay for cost overruns in the renovations of Reiche and Presumpscot elementary schools. In total, the district has agreed to pay around $2 million in added construction claims related to the renovations of Reiche, Presumpscot and Longfellow elementary schools since the projects began around a year ago, and there are still months of construction to go.

In 2017, Portland voters approved a $64 million bond to pay for the renovation of four elementary schools  Longfellow, Reiche, Presumpscot and Lyseth. Except for Lyseth, securing building permits from the city to renovate the schools took longer than the district anticipated. That initial delay led to increased construction costs for overtime, managing construction through the winter, and construction materials, the cost of which has been rising for years. To cover those costs, the district has had to shift some of the bond money around.

To cover the latest construction claims, the district will use the funds left over from Lyseth, which was completed under budget, and around $1 million from the schools' $2.2 million furniture, fixtures and equipment fund, leaving the fund with $1.2 million. At least some board members are concerned that won't be enough to adequately furnish all the schools.

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"When the time comes to supply the furniture will we have the money for that?" asked board member Abusana "Micky" Bondo.

"We're all frustrated to be at a place where we're needing to look at funds that were allocated for another purpose and repurpose them," said Portland School Superintendent Xavier Botana.

But board members, while admitting they are in tight spot, noted that they were able to get the complex renovations to where they are today while simultaneously responding to the pandemic.

"If we step back and look at what we're accomplishing, it's tremendous," said school board Chair Emily Figdor.

SCHOOL BUDGET

Last week, citing extreme pressure on the city budget from inflation and General Assistance costs, the City Council's finance committee suggested the school district use federal COVID-19 funds to reduce the school portion of the budget's burden on taxpayers.

Figdor said using one-time federal funds for ongoing expenses would be unsustainable, and that the district should use funding for programs and positions that is reliable and can be built upon.

But Botana presented four potential ways for the school district to move forward, one calling for dipping into federal funds. Botana recommended simply rejecting the city's recommendation, offsetting a $1 million decrease with $1 million from the district's fund balance, offsetting a $1 million decrease with federal COVID relief money, or reducing the budget by $1 million by cutting programs or services.

But Botana said each of the four options has implications. For example, he said, if the district rejected the city's recommendations it would "likely would be perceived as uncooperative."

But if the district offsets a $1 million decrease with either its fund balance or federal funds, he said, it would just be pushing the problem down the road. Next year, the district would have to cut programs or figure out how to move programs funded by outside money back into the general fund, likely raising the tax rate. Still, Botana appeared to favor using $1 million from the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, part of the CARES act, to offset the school budget.

The district expects to have around $12 million out of $17 million from a portion of its federal relief fund left in August.

But some board members hope the council will approve the school district budget as is, eliminating the need to cut the budget.

Figdor reminded board members that they were in a similar situation last year, when the city's finance committee rejected the school budget and asked the district to reduce it. But the full council ended up approving the budget.

Others agreed that they should wait until the council vote to make any decisions.

"I just want to let the process run out," said board member Adam Burk.

Money is expected to be tight for the city next year.

Mayor Kate Snyder told councilors Monday night that they were going to have to make some difficult choices  either raise taxes, cut services or both. According to Snyder, the biggest pressure points on the budget are inflation and General Assistance  a state program requiring municipalities to help people who can't cover the costs of basic necessities.

The state pays 70 percent of General Assistance costs and the federal government is currently reimbursing the city for emergency shelter expenses, taking a significant amount of the burden off taxpayers. But the federal funds will expire in June, leaving the city to figure out how to pay for assistance to a record number of people seeking shelter and other services.

The city is considering a $269 million budget proposed by interim City Manager Danielle West last week that proposes a 5.5 percent tax increase. The proposed budget, combined with the school board's $133 million budget, would result in a tax increase of 4.8 percent, or 62 cents per $1,000 valuation, increasing the tax rate from $12.99 to $13.61. That would amount to a $226 tax increase on a $365,000 home.

But as it stands, the city budget has a $2 million shortfall, meaning the city will likely have to either raise taxes, make cuts, or re-evaluate its approach to homelessness and emergency housing, a main factor driving increased costs.

In other news, there has been an uptick in COVID cases in Portland Public Schools. The district reported 98 cases the week of April 24. The week prior, the district recorded 11 cases across the district and two weeks before they reported 44. The increase is consistent with larger community and state trends.
Protesters have taken to the streets following the leak of a draft of US Supreme Court ruling that would overturn Roe v. Wade.

Pro-choice supporters started rallying at Centennial Olympic Park around 6 p.m. Tuesday and then took to the streets around 7 p.m.

The draft ruling was leaked to Politico and was published late Monday night.

The ruling deals with a Mississippi abortion law. In the draft, the Supreme Court voted to strike down the Roe v. Wade decision.

Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the drafts authenticity in a statement he released on Tuesday, also warning that this was not the final ruling by the court.

RELATED STORIES:

Hundreds of abortion rights activists filled the streets of downtown Atlanta Tuesday night and marched to the Capitol, voicing their concerns with this possible Supreme Court decision.

Channel 2s Ashli Lincoln spoke with Sasha Stray, an abortion rights ally, who said this would put the lives of millions of women at risk.

If it comes to pass, theyre going to have illegal and unsafe abortions, and they are going to die, Stray said.

Supporters of this possible decision, including Christian Norman, gathered Tuesday evening at the First Baptist Church of Woodstock to discuss the Row versus Wade leak.

In our church weve seen God move in the lives of so many women who decided to say yes to life, Norman said.

Abortion rights opponents say if the Supreme Court finalized this decision its something they agree with.

By taking this topic out of the hands of the federal government, it forces the states to have dialogue, Norman said.

If Roe versus Wade is overturned, the Guttmacher Institute reports, 26 states have laws aiming to severely limit abortion access.

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Georgia is one of those states. It is already imposing a six -week ban and prohibiting an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.

And at least 17 states have laws protecting abortion rights, in case Roe is overturned.

The Supreme Court plans to make their final decision this summer. Abortion rights activists say they plan to continue to rally leading up to that decision, something were already seeing in states all across this country.

RELATED NEWS:
ROMAN PETRENKO - WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022, 10:59 The Kremlin has sharply reduced the use of the term "de-Nazification", a term mentioned by the aggressor country's president Vladimir Putin along with "demilitarisation" as the reason for starting the war in Ukraine. Source: "Proekt" investigative journalists, quoting sources in the Kremlin Details: "Proekt" notes that in his speech on 24 February, Vladimir Putin referred to the goals of the so-called "special operation" as being the "demilitarisation" and "de-Nazification" of Ukraine. As the statement was prepared in secrecy, experts were not given time to examine these terms in detail. And Russian propagandists had to repeat the term "de-Nazification" endlessly. Almost immediately, it became clear that the term was an unfortunate one. About a week after the war began, the Kremlin asked its sociologists to conduct closed-circuit telephone interviews, including a question about Russians' attitudes to the main propaganda messages. Four sources - a high-ranking media manager, a sociologist and two political strategists close to the Kremlin - claim that respondents were unable to explain what "de-Nazification" meant. In addition, people found it difficult even to pronounce the word, says one of the sources. The source complained to journalists that after this, they [the Kremlin -ed.] made a mess of things - "Every week they were looking for new words, but nothing good came out of their mouths. As a result, the authorities have decided to sharply reduce the use of the word "de-Nazification" on air, but it was impossible to abandon it altogether - " you can't just forget the president's stated aim". "Proekt" reported that this was evident in the broadcasts of the Kremlin's chief propagandist, Dmitriy Kiselev. In the first broadcast after the start of the war, he spent no less than seven minutes explaining the meaning of "de-Nazification". But since the April broadcasts he has either not used the term at all, or only once during the whole broadcast.
OLENA ROSHCHINA - WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022, 15:25 Most employees of the Russian government, the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation and State Duma MPs did not know about Vladimir Putin's plans to start a war against Ukraine; high-ranking officials did not have a plan of action for this scenario. Source: Media site "Proekt" Quote: "Most government and Kremlin officials knew nothing about the President's plans to start fully-fledged military operations, and even high-ranking officials did not have time to draw up an action plan - for example, for the economy or propaganda. In addition, many were shocked by the very idea of a war with a neighbouring state. It was then that one of the high-ranking interlocutors of the "Proekt" in the cabinet of ministers, when asked what he thought about the war, could only squeeze out: "F**k." Those State Duma MPs who, at the beginning of the year, on the instructions of the leadership, signed an appeal to Putin with a request to recognise the independence of the [Luhansk People's Republic] LPR and [Donetsk People's Republic] DPR, felt especially stupid, not having realized that this would be a precursor to war. An acquaintance of one of the parliamentarians recalls: on 24 February, the deputy called him almost in tears: he was very worried because his signature on the appeal was used to start hostilities." Details: According to "Proekt", those who were dissatisfied were later "addressed." A few days later, the aforementioned deputy "in the spirit of the Kremlin manuals" spoke of the need to unite in the face of Western sanctions. After a couple of weeks of the war, a roughly similar thing happened with the high-ranking official who had previously described what was happening with a short obscene word. Now he calls everything that was happening a "window of opportunity" for Russia. Even the MPs who initially decided to publicly oppose the war have fallen silent. In the first days of hostilities, five parliamentarians condemned the Russian aggression. But in April, when the "Proekt" correspondent called all the "dissenting" MPs, they refused to discuss their anti-war statements. When asked why the "dissenting" deputies had fallen silent, a federal official sneered: "There are none who are against it. It's just that someone spoke inaccurately. Otherwise, everyone always supported it." The interlocutor, close to the leadership of the United Russia party, clarifies: 'preventive talks' were held with those who hesitated. During the hostilities, "Proekt" spoke to a dozen interlocutors - officials and contractors of the Kremlin - and they all stated that they do not understand what goals Russia is pursuing in Ukraine. Also, the interlocutors of the journalists admitted: chaos and confusion reign in everything related to the conduct of the so-called "special operation," from propaganda to sending troops to Ukraine. Background: The American news company "Bloomberg" previously wrote that Vladimir Putin had made the decision to start a war against Ukraine with a handful of people, and as the offensive began, his circle of advisers narrowed even more; he does not listen to the arguments "against."
NEW YORK (AP)  Rapper Kidd Creole, who was a founding member of Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, was sentenced Wednesday to 16 years in prison for stabbing a homeless man to death on a New York City street.

The 62-year-old rapper, born Nathaniel Glover, was found guilty of manslaughter last month for the death of John Jolly, who was stabbed twice in the chest with a steak knife in midtown Manhattan in August 2017.

Prosecutors accused Glover of stabbing Jolly after becoming enraged because he thought Jolly was gay and was hitting on him. After stabbing Jolly, who was 55, Glover headed to his workplace nearby, changed his clothes and washed the knife, prosecutors said. Glover was arrested the following day.

Mr. Jollys death was devastating to his family and those who knew him, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a news release after the sentencing. Every life we lose to violent crime ripples throughout our entire city, and we will continue to ensure everyone in our borough can live their lives with the sense of safety and security they deserve.

The New York Times reports that Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Michele Rodney appeared to take issue with arguments made by Glover's lawyer, Scottie Celestin, who said during the trial that Glover had felt threatened in part because Jolly was homeless.

A life is a life is a life, Rodney said, adding as she sentenced Glover that the killing was not somehow justified because the person is homeless.

Celestin said he would appeal the conviction.

Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five formed in the late 1970s in the Bronx. The groups best-known song is The Message from 1982. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, the first rap group to be included.
Conservatives pushing anti-LGBTQ grooming attacks have turned their attention to the Trevor Project, a nonprofit that provides counseling for teens.

In late April, conservatives began to circulate a cartoon from the Trevor Project, the worlds largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention program for LGBTQ youth, according to its website. The cartoon explains that those who want to chat with a counselor can do so with the ability to quickly exit and erase browser history. The feature is meant to help those with anti-LGBTQ parents. Similar protections are provided by domestic abuse services.

But a number of conservatives  many of whom hyped concerns about the teaching of race in school  have recently recirculated it as proof that the nonprofit is engaging in grooming. One of the leading critics has been author and commentator James Lindsay, who published a book criticizing critical race theory (the study of racism in U.S. systems and policies) last year before pivoting to a series of YouTube videos about groomer schools.

A crisis service coordinator at the Trevor Project call center in West Hollywood, Calif., in 2017. (Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images)

Grooming is a relatively new term used to describe tactics that have long been used by sexual abusers, mostly against young children but also vulnerable adults, to gain access to potential victims, coerce them into abuse and then avoid getting caught.

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, Sexual assault is in no way related to the sexual orientation of the perpetrator or the survivor, and a persons sexual orientation cannot be caused by sexual abuse or assault.

Yet the term has recently emerged as a popular buzzword on the political right, where its been wrongly conflated with discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Only a matter of time until solid evidence of serious wrongdoing emerges regarding the Trevor Project. They don't mobilize to protect anything unless there's something really bad going on there that they don't want anyone to find out. Mark my words, wrote Lindsay on Twitter, later adding, Groomer Project posing as suicide prevention.

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The Trevor Project website.

In a now deleted tweet, the Libs of TikTok account  which has more than 1 million followers  called the Trevor Project a grooming organization. The account, run by an attendee of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, has been criticized for attempting to get queer teachers removed from their jobs.

Why is the @TrevorProject encouraging children to keep secrets from their parents? wrote the account Moms 4 Liberty, a right-wing organization thats part of the effort to censor books by minority and LGBTQ authors in public schools and libraries.

Lindsay also shared a February story from the conservative Post Millennial website titled Mother of 'trans' child poses as teen to find out how Trevor Project grooms kids into transitioning, writing, The Trevor Project is a Groomer Project. It needs to be shut down.

The article aimed to attack the organization for not providing more information about how to de-transition but contains numerous examples of a counselor repeatedly asking the parent, who is pretending to be a 15-year-old, about whether she has self-harmed or attempted suicide.

The Trevor Project exists to end the public health crisis of suicide among LGBTQ young people  a mission that transcends political lines and cultural divides, a spokesperson for the organization said in a statement to Yahoo News. We estimate that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ youth seriously consider suicide each year in the U.S., and our counselors hear from youth every day who feel like they have nowhere to turn.

The spokesperson added, The resurgence of anti-LGBTQ attacks that seek to smear adults, including parents, teachers, counselors and doctors, who affirm and support LGBTQ youth, is especially dangerous, as it diverts attention away from the very real, life-threatening issues of child abuse and sexual assault.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), The LGBTQI population is at a higher risk than the heterosexual, cisgender population for suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. A 2017 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that high school students who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual are more than four times as likely than their heterosexual peers to have attempted suicide.

Transgender teens are at even greater risk. According to a 2020 survey published by the Journal of Adolescent Health, Transgender and nonbinary youth were at increased risk of experiencing depressed mood, seriously considering suicide, and attempting suicide compared with cisgender lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning youth.

Trevor Project volunteers in New York City's Pride parade. (Sasha Vorlicky/The Trevor Project)

New data released by the Trevor Project on Wednesday shows that suicidal thoughts among LGBTQ youth have been on the rise in the past three years. The organizations 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, which surveyed nearly 34,000 LGBTQ youths ages 13 to 24 across the country, found that 45% of respondents had seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year  up from 42% in 2021 and 40% in 2020.

Suicidal thoughts were even more prevalent among transgender and nonbinary youth, with 53% reporting that they had seriously considered suicide in the past year.

Marlene Matarese, a clinical associate professor at the University of Marylands School of Social Work, said that in addition to suicidality, LGBTQ youth also have disproportionately higher rates of behavioral health issues including depression, anxiety and substance use.

This is not because they are innately predispositioned to experience these outcomes but because they experience minority stress daily, said Matarese, who is the principal investigator at the National Center of Excellence for LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity, which is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

She told Yahoo News that one example of the types of stressors encountered by LGBTQ youth is hearing from elected officials that people who support and protect LGBTQ+ youth are grooming them.

Imagine the messaging that this sends young people about their identity, Matarese said. Hearing constant comments like this in the media and from friends and family members leads to silence, shame, isolation and fear, which in turn leads to increased rates of behavioral health challenges.

Hannah Wesolowski, NAMIs chief advocacy officer, told Yahoo News that organizations like the Trevor Project provide much-needed support to LGBTQ youth, whose increased rates of mental health conditions and suicidality are tied to the discrimination, harassment and rejection they often face, not just from their peers but also from their families.

There are too many people right now who are telling these kids theres something wrong with you,' said Wesolowski. They need to hear that there isnt anything wrong with them. And they need to have support and hear the message that theyre loved, theyre accepted, theyre respected, and that theyre not alone.

The report released by the Trevor Project on Wednesday found that LGBTQ youth who felt a high degree of support from their families reported attempting suicide at less than half the rate of those who said they felt low or moderate support. LGBTQ youth who live in communities that are accepting of LGBTQ people also reported attempting suicide at significantly lower rates than those who do not, according to the findings.

The term groomer began to spread on the right in March in relation to Floridas controversial Dont Say Gay law, a vaguely worded statute  which prohibits teachers from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity with children in kindergarten through third grade  that critics say targets LGBTQ teachers.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs the Parental Rights in Education bill at Classical Preparatory School in Spring Hill, Fla., in March. (Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times/TNS via ZUMA Press Wire)

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantiss press secretary, Christina Pushaw, said that anyone who opposed the bill was probably a groomer." Days later, grooming began being used in graphics on Fox News, and it spread quickly from there. Lindsay has tweeted the term ok groomer more than 100 times since October, including in a response to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigiegs husband, Chasten, reacting to the news of the Supreme Court's potential overturning of Roe v. Wade.

In addition to Lindsay and Moms 4 Liberty, activist Chris Rufo has pivoted some of his focus from raising concerns about critical race theory to begin targeting LGBTQ teachers. Rufo has said the efforts are part of a larger initiative to dismantle public education as a whole by discrediting it as an institution.

Transgender youth have specifically become targets of Republicans, with a number of states pushing legislation that would charge parents who allow their children to seek gender-affirming care with a felony. At least three Republican candidates have fundraised on transphobia and grooming in recent weeks, with the viral response from one Michigan Democrat who was targeted receiving more than 14 million views on Twitter.

As Yahoo News reported last week, child sexual abuse experts similarly argue that the recent groomer discourse is not only inaccurate, but it also undermines legitimate efforts to prevent abuse.

Anytime that [grooming] is confused with other behaviors that are not sexual grooming, I think, endangers people who are being sexually groomed from understanding that thats whats happening to them, [and] it confuses adults who could prevent the abuse from happening, said Elizabeth Jeglic, a psychology professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York who researches issues related to sexual grooming, sexual abuse and sexual violence prevention. If people get confused about what it is, that then can increase the likelihood that people can get away with perpetrating abuse against minors.
The First Baptist Church of Venice is one of the last remaining resources associated with the history and development of Oakwood, an early African American neighborhood in Los Angeles. Residents fought an effort to turn it into a massive home. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Thirty years ago, the Venice enclave of Oakwood was one of the few residential neighborhoods beset by widespread rioting after four Los Angeles police officers were acquitted in the beating of Rodney King.

No one died, and I find no record of injuries, but dozens of homes were attacked  some with bricks through windows, and one white familys rented luxury home was invaded and torched by Black neighbors, while a babysitter and 5-year-old child cowered in the laundry room.

So much of coastal Los Angeles County is white. African Americans were driven from Santa Monica and Manhattan Beach, but Oakwood was different. For decades, because of racist economic policies, it was the only Westside neighborhood where African American families could buy homes. Many worked for the developer Abbot Kinney, who dreamed of turning Venice into a replica of its Italian namesake, with canals and seaside attractions.

Because of that, until the 1970s, African Americans were a majority of the population of Oakwood. Then came the real estate boom years and a radical shift in demographics.

As home prices rose  especially near the beach  Oakwoods Black families found themselves in a squeeze. Many willingly cashed out and moved away with their equity to far-flung places like the Antelope Valley. Small, original-to-the-street bungalows were demolished to make way for fancy architect-designed homes, often camouflaged behind hedges and walls. The social critic Mike Davis once called these stealth houses that hide their luxurious qualities with proletarian or gangster facades.

By 1992, the Black population of Oakwood had shrunk to 22%; by 2020,10%. (The rest: More than half of Oakwood's residents are white, about a third are Latino, about 4% are Asian and 4% mixed race.)

But even as the mansionization of Oakwood has proceeded apace, and the average home sale price rose to $3.9 million (in 2020), the neighborhood was and is dotted with federally subsidized apartment houses and smaller houses where generations of Black and Latino families have lived.

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If the idea of rich and poor living cheek-by-jowl seems like some kind of utopia, we found out in 1992 that it wasnt. I wrote that the violence visited on Oakwood homes was an indictment of gentrification, the unsurprising result of clashing neighborhood dynamics, resentments and insensitivity.

That column was cited in a Wall Street Journal opinion essay a month or so later accusing The Times of a new kind of yellow journalism. What was our sin in the eyes of the conservative, business-friendly Journal essayist?

The Times, wrote the late Scott Shuger, did what it could to fuzz up the issue of personal responsibility for those actions." When it came to issues of race, he alleged, the Times ranges between confused and gutless.

Hardly.

We tried to explain the source of anger in communities of color in a complex and nuanced way.

We talked to enraged Black Angelenos, to Korean American shopkeepers who had been abandoned by the LAPD and forced to take up arms as their stores came under attack. We spoke to Latinos caught up in the rioting. We explored why then-Mayor Tom Bradley and Police Chief Daryl Gates were not on speaking terms, and how their rift hampered the citys ability to calm the situation.

And now I think that given another just-right spark, it could happen again.

In Oakwood, some of the same dynamics are present, exacerbated by even higher property values, the still-fresh scars of the murders of so many unarmed Black people by police, and Black Lives Matter protests that made the violence an inescapable fact.

When media baron Jay Penske announced in the last few years that he and his wife, former Victorias Secret model Elaine Irwin, planned to turn the First Baptist Church of Venice into a massive family home, neighbors revolted. Under pressure, the City Council voted unanimously in September to designate the church a historic cultural monument.

I was struck last week by one of the interviews in a CNN special, The Fire Still Burns: 30 Years After the Riots.

Host Van Jones examined the repugnant police policies that led to so much rage when the officers who beat King were acquitted (although two of them were later convicted in a federal trial of violating his civil rights). Operation Hammer, for example, an LAPD practice of fanning police out in South Los Angeles to make mass arrests of Black and brown young men, most of whom were never charged with serious crimes. Or the department's vile habit of coding domestic violence calls involving Black people as NHI, or no human involved.

Jones sat down with Henry Kiki Watson, one of the men involved in the brutal attack of trucker Reginald Denny, who was pulled from the cab of his truck at the intersection of Florence and Normandie and beaten half to death as a news helicopter hovered overhead broadcasting live images of the mayhem.

Watson, a military veteran, father and homeowner, was convicted of misdemeanor assault and released after serving more than the six-month maximum sentence for that crime.

In November 1993, he and Denny shook hands on Phil Donahues television show.

Over the years, he has been interviewed, usually on riot anniversaries. I've come to think of him as a kind of bellwether.

His answers have remained remarkably consistent when asked about his actions that day. He got caught up in the emotion of the moment.

In 2012, on the 20th anniversary of the riots, Watson told a PBS reporter that he had nothing personal against Denny, who just represented white America at the time. When asked if it could happen again, he replied, History has a tendency to repeat itself.

Ten years after that, Jones asked him the same question: Why did he attack Denny?

No reason, Watson replied. He was a victim of circumstance, just like any other. Emmett Till, you name it. Theres so many Black victims, I lost count. One ass whuppin as opposed to countless lost lives?"

And he would in all likelihood do the same thing again.

I am a Black man in America, madder than a [expletive], so if you cant understand that, then I dont know what to tell you."

@RobinAbcarian

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Supporters of reproductive choice take part in the nationwide Women's March in New York City, October 2, 2021 REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs

Abortion advocates say communties of color will be most impacted by the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

For decades, women of color have been on the front line of the fight for abortion rights.

"We know that when abortion is criminalized, it is our communitiesLatinas/x's, Black people, immigrantswho are most likely to be targeted and imprisoned," an advocate told Insider.

Abortion advocates say that communities of color will bear the brunt of the overturning of the decades-long precedence of Roe v. Wade.

"We know this imminent ruling will have a dramatic impact on all people seeking to end a pregnancy and its consequences will reverberate nationwide," Lupe M. Rodriguez, the executive director at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, wrote in a statement to Insider.

On Monday, May 2nd, Politico obtained a leaked draft of a Supreme Court majority opinion, which was not expected to be released to the public until June. According to sources that spoke with Politico, five of the nine sitting justices ruled in favor of the state of Mississippi in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case.

"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled," Associate Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the document. "It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives."

Experts and advocates stress that women of color are likely to be most impacted by this decision. According to a Guttmacher Institute report from 2004, Black and Hispanic women are, respectively, three and two times more likely to have an unintended pregnancy than white women. Nationally, Black women had 37% of abortions, white women had 34%, and Hispanic women had 22%.

This is tied to the fact that women of color are less likely to have access to contraceptive care or reproductive services. Women of color are more likely to be uninsured, versus white women, and are also more likely to be incarcerated and thus denied proper maternal health care. Black women are also nearly four times more likely to suffer a pregnancy-related death versus white women. Indigenous womenwho are covered under the Indian Health Service (IHS)have long been restricted from accessing abortion services, due to an amendment that prevents the use of federal funds to pay for an abortion.

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Faye Wattleton, the first Black woman to serve as president of Planned Parenthood, stated on the steps of the Supreme Court in 1989 just after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Missouri in the Webster v. Reproductive Health Services which held that measures that Missouri put into place to prevent abortion access were not unconstitutionalthat the decision to allow the states to choose is wrong and that it puts the most vulnerable at risk.

'This Supreme Court decision once more slaps poor women in the face and says you do not have constitutional protections if your state sees fit to restrict them, and you do not have the resources to circumvent those restrictions,'' Wattleton said, according to a New York Times article from August 1989. ''The court says certain fundamental protections that are part of your human dignity and part of being a respected and decent human being are not yours.''

Hundreds of thousands of activist demonstrated for abortion rights in Washington. D.C., April 25, 2004 Alex Wong/Getty Images

For decades, abortion advocates have pushed Congress to codify Roe.

The initial precedence of Roe v Wade was ruled by the Supreme Court in January 1973. It stated that abortion was not unconstitutional according to the fourth amendment because of the "right to privacy". It was later solidified in 1992 in Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

The right to choose was never legislated into law by Congress, which has prompted some members of Congress to push for the codification of Roe. Codifying Roe would mean affirming the right to an abortion without undue interference.

Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, and Representative Cori Bush stated Monday, May 3rd, that Democrats need to do everything necessary to make the right to an abortion become law.

"People elected Democrats precisely so we could lead in perilous moments like theseto codify Roe, hold corruption accountable, and have a President who uses his legal authority to break through Congressional gridlock on items from student debt to climate. It's high time we do it," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter.

Women of color have alwyas been on the front line of the fight for abortion rights.

Women of color have always been crucial in the fight for the right to choose. In the summer of 1989, 16 black women made history by issuing a brochure advocating for equal access to abortion, "We Remember: African-American Women are for Reproductive Freedom."

"This freedomto choose and to exercise our choices is what we've fought and died for. Brought here in chains, and worked like mules, bred like beasts, whipped one day sold the next for 244 years were held in bondage ... Now once again somebody is trying to say that we can't handle freedom of choice. Only this time they are saying African American women can't think for themselves and therefore can't be allowed to make serious decisions." they wrote.

Since then many Black and women of color-led organizations, such as the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice and New Voices for Reproductive Justice, have sounded the alarm on the urgency to make the right to choose legislated into law.

"The leak of this draft decision is an act of bravery and love, and it expedites our strategy to protect bodily autonomy," executive director of the New Voices of Reproductive Justice Kelly Davis told Insider.

"However, those of us within the reproductive justice movement recognize that sexual and reproductive liberation extends well beyond the constraints of preserving Roe v. Wade," Davis continued. We will be organizing within the community, growing our political power, and asserting our human rights. We will also be galvanizing towards a future wherein Black women and gender expansive people enjoy lives devoid of violence, abuse and neglect in all sectors of society."

"There are 22 states ready to outlaw abortion outright and another 4 likely to do so," Rodriguez wrote in a statement to Insider. "We know that when abortion is criminalized, it is our communitiesLatinas/x's, Black people, immigrantswho are most likely to be targeted and imprisoned."

Read the original article on Insider
Could Michiganders head to Canada for an abortion if it were banned?

A question for some after a draft opinion was leaked this week suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court would overturn the Roe v. Wade decision and make it more difficult to have an abortion is: Could you go to Canada to have an abortion?

Abortion is legal in Canada at all pregnancy stages.

In many ways, the question is a twist on what happened in the 1980s, after the Roe decision, when thousands of Canadian women had abortions in the United States because the procedures were illegal in Canada.

Residents between the two countries cross the border for health care, Canadians, for instance, are still going to America for abortions, according to news accounts. And Michiganders are traveling to Canada for lower-cost prescription drugs, like insulin.

In concept, women could go to Canada for an abortion if it is outlawed in Michigan, or even if it remains legal.

In Canada, anyone over 12 years of age can legally have an abortion in a clinic or hospital without consent or permission of parents, a partner or family doctor, according to the Planned Parenthood Toronto Community Health Centre.

A doctor's referral also is not required to book an abortion appointment.

Women's March: 'Women are getting ready to fight back' over abortion

The Establishment, an online news outlet, began speculating in 2019 that Americans may head to Canada for abortions under the headline, "When Roe V. Wade Is Overturned, America Cant Rely On Canada For Abortion Care."

But it also asked "is the idea of Canada as a hypothetical abortion tourism destination a realistic one?"

Canada replied Tuesday to the Free Press when asked this question with a "no comment," because, the official said, while the question seems simple on its face, the issue is particularly sensitive and more complex.

And just because abortions are legal doesn't mean that they are accessible.

In Canada, just as in Michigan, limited proximity to an abortion clinic may mean in practical terms that having the procedure is more difficult.

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There's also the issue of pandemic precautions at the international border, and the issue of the added cost to travel to the clinic.

Abortions are publicly funded in Canada as a medical procedure under the federal and provincial health care healthcare systems, meaning access to services varies by region and as a practical matter, limits abortions.

But there are private clinics, where Americans most likely would have to go.

Banned for 100 years in Canada, the Criminal Law Amendment Act in 1969 legalized abortions that would likely endanger the woman's life or health. Then, in 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled the existing law was unconstitutional.

Following the decision, the Canadian government made two attempts to enact new abortion laws.

Read more:

Where Michigan stands on abortion if Roe v. Wade overturned

Whitmer moves to protect Michigan abortion rights: 10 questions

But in 1989, in a court case involving Chantal Daigle, who went to Boston for an abortion in defiance of a court injunction that her former boyfriend sought, Canada's Supreme Court decided a fetus has no legal status.

Chief Justice John Roberts said the leaked draft opinion proposing to overturn Roe v. Wade is authentic, but not final, which means that overturning the decision is not a foregone conclusion.

He also said he is investigating how the opinion became public.

"To the extent this betrayal of the confidences of the Court was intended to undermine the integrity of our operations, it will not succeed," Roberts said. "The work of the Court will not be affected in any way.

Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Abortion is legal in Canada  and Michigan women could get one there
Russia's top military official visited Ukraine on a fact-finding and oversight mission as Russian forces fail to make progress in the invasion, according to a senior U.S. defense official.

Chief of Russia's General Staff Valery Gerasimov visited the country late last week and into the weekend. Some Ukrainian reports claimed Gerasimov was wounded in a Ukrainian strike during the visit, but the U.S. has not confirmed that report.

RUSSIAN MILITARY IS NOW STORMING MARIUPOL STEEL FACTORY, UKRAINIAN FORCES SAY

While Russia appears to remain committed to taking Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, Ukrainian forces have succeeded in pushing the Russians 20-30 miles outside the city, according to the official.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, right, and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov attend a meeting with Russian President Putin in Moscow Feb. 27, 2022. Alexey NikolskySPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images

Russian strikes have also had virtually no impact on the West's ability to grant aid to Ukrainian forces and civilians.

Ukraine reported earlier Wednesday that Russia had begun a "powerful" assault on Ukraine's last stronghold in the city of Mariupol. Mariupol has seen near-constant shelling from Russian troops since the invasion began in late February.

Ukrainian forces were holding out in a steel factory for weeks. While the Kremlin denied an assault on the facility Wednesday, Ukrainian officials say they lost contact with the forces there.

The two militaries agreed to a brief cease-fire this weekend to evacuate some civilians from the plant. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boichenko clarified Tuesday that the majority of those evacuated were refugees from other cities, not Mariupol residents.

"The previous evacuation, which took place yesterday, which was presented by a number of media outlets as information that those were the residents of Mariupol who left is not true. These people who were evacuated had nothing to do with the residents of Mariupol. They are from other cities," Boichenko said.
In this article:

(Reuters) - Russia's foreign ministry on Wednesday announced sanctions against 63 Japanese officials, journalists and professors for engaging in what it called "unacceptable rhetoric" against Moscow.

The list includes Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi, among other officials

The sanctions bar the targeted individuals from entering Russia indefinitely, the ministry said.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
"EVROPEISKA PRAVDA" - WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY, 2022, 13:51 Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has warned that Russia is considering arms shipments from NATO countries to Ukraine a "legitimate target" for destruction. On Wednesday, the minister was quoted by the Russian agency Interfax, writes Evropeyskaya Pravda. Shoigu said that NATO vehicles with weapons and ammunition for the armed forces of Ukraine that have arrived on the territory of this country would be destroyed. "The United States and its NATO allies continue to pump Ukraine with weapons. I note that any shipment from the North Atlantic Alliance that arrives in the country with weapons or material for the needs of the Ukrainian armed forces is considered a legitimate target for destruction," Shoigu said. Russian officials have repeatedly threatened to strike at Western arms shipments to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in particular, stated that all cargo brought into Ukraine carrying Western weapons would be the target of the occupiers. Russia also sent an official diplomatic note to the United States warning that US and NATO deliveries of "the most sensitive" weapons systems to Ukraine "were adding fuel to the fire" of the conflict and could lead to "unpredictable consequences."
Valentyna Romanenko - Wednesday, 4 May 2022, 00:03 On the evening of 3 May, Russian troops fired over 20 missiles at various regions of Ukraine, most of them launched from the Caspian Sea. Source: Yurii Ihnat, Air Force Command spokesman, on Facebook Quote: "In the evening on 3 May, an air-raid warning was issued across all Ukraine. Russian Tu-95 or Tu-160 strategic bombers were conducting a missile attack from the Caspian region. Approximately 18 missiles (from aircraft -ed.) were fired, hitting infrastructure facilities in the Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Lviv, Vinnytsia, Kyiv and Zakarpattia regions. Missile strikes were also inflicted on the Odesa and Donetsk regions with other means. According to preliminary data, at least 8 cruise missiles were shot down by the Air Defence of the Air Force and the Land Forces on 3 May. This information is being confirmed. There are also reports of 7 drones and one airborne missile being hit." Details: Ihnat draws attention to the fact that the aggressors are sparing their aircraft and helicopters, and abstain from entering the airspace controlled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukrainian Air Force aircraft conducted dozens of air sorties during the day. Under cover of fighter jets, strike groups carried out about ten missile and bomb strikes at concentrations of aggressor troops, ammunition depots and manpower.
A ground-based intercontinental ballistic missile launching from the Plesetsk facility in northwestern Russia during military drills in December 2020. Associated Press

A Russian propagandist showed a simulation of how the UK might meet its end in a nuclear strike.

"Just one launch, Boris, and England is gone ... Why play with us?" he said on a state broadcast.

The simulation involved a nuclear attack being delivered either by air or sea.

A Russian propagandist has presented on state TV a simulation of a hypothetical nuclear strike that would wipe out the UK and Ireland.

Dmitry Kiselyov, a propaganda figure allied with Russian President Vladimir Putin, was seen in a May 1 broadcast of "News of the World" show narrating how the UK might be destroyed by a nuclear strike delivered either by air or sea.

"Just one launch, Boris, and England is gone," Kiselyov said over a computer-generated simulation, referring to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. "Once and for all. Why play with us?"

"It actually seems like they're raving on the British Isles. Why threaten never-ending Russia with nuclear weapons when you're on an island, which, you know, is so small?" Kiselyov said. He added that "just one Sarmat missile" would be "sufficient to sink it once and for all."

Another way to "put England onto the seabed" would be to use Russia's "Poseidon" underwater drone, Kiselyov noted.

"It approaches the target at a one-kilometer depth at 200 kilometers per hour. There is no way to stop this underwater drone. The warhead on it is up to 100 megatons," he claimed.

Kiselyov then posited that the "explosion of this thermonuclear torpedo" off the UK's coast would raise a tsunami up to 500 meters high.

"Such a water squall is also a carrier of extreme doses of radiation," he said. At the same time, the simulation showed a green "wave" representing radioactive material washing over a map of the UK and Ireland.

"Having passed over the British Isles, it will turn what may be left of them into a radioactive desert, unfit for anything for a long time," Kiselyov said.

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John Everard, the UK's former ambassador to Belarus, told RTE that he did not believe Russia had a weapon that could wipe out the UK and Ireland, per the graphic on Russian TV.

"I would urge everybody just to keep calm. By all means, if you feel strongly about it, make your things clear to the Russians. But can we please remember this is just a television mock-up," Everard said, per the outlet.

"The Russians do not have this weapon. I'll say that again, they do not have this weapon," he added, per RTE.

Johnson met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv in April and promised the UK would send armored vehicles and anti-ship missiles to aid it in its fight against the Russians. In the same month, Johnson also said that some Ukrainian troops are being trained in the UK to use those armored vehicles.

Last week, Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said the possibility of nuclear conflict breaking out due to the war in Ukraine was "serious" and "real." In 2018, Putin also threatened to unleash nuclear weapons if the country were attacked.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Reuters) - Russian forces have entered the territory of Mariupol's Azovstal plant, Ukraine's ruling parliamentary faction head David Arakhamia said in a Wednesday evening comment to RFE/RL.

"Attempts to storm the plant continue for the second day. Russian troops are already on the territory of Azovstal," RFE/RL quoted Arakhamia as saying, adding that as of Wednesday evening contact remained between Ukraine's government and the Ukrainian fighters in the plant.

(Reporting by Max Hunder; Editing by Chris Reese)
VALENTYNA ROMANENKO - WEDNESDAY, 4 MAY 2022, 09:29 The Russians are continuing to strike at civilian facilities in the centre of the Donetsk region. Source: Pavlo Kirilenko, head of the Donetsk regional military administration, on Telegram Details: The Avdiivka and Marinka municipalities have come under attack on the morning of Wednesday, 4 May. The Avdiivka coke plant has come under fire again - this time under mortar fire. One building has been damaged. There is no information on casualties yet. A residential building and a school have also been damaged as a result of overnight shelling in Avdiivka. The Russians shelled Marinka at night with incendiary shells - there are pockets of fire in residential areas. Shelling in the Novomykhailivka area continues practically around the clock. Nevertheless, specialists have managed to restore the power line to Krasnohorivka. Quote: "I urge everyone who is not involved in critical infrastructure to leave the area. Do not expose yourselves to danger." Background: On 3 May, a bus carrying workers from the Avdiivka coke plant was shelled. A direct hit on passenger transport killed 10 plant workers and seriously injured around 20.
Months after a violent incident, the Columbia Police Department continues to search for what it calls an armed and dangerous man wanted on multiple charges.

On Tuesday, police said officers are looking for John Forrest Washington Jr., a 28-year-old accused of sexual assault.

More than seven months ago  on Oct. 1, 2021  Washington broke into a a 21-year-old womans home on Pelham Drive, police said. Thats near Garners Ferry Road, and about a mile from William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center.

After forcing his way into the home, Washington made threats while armed with a sharp object, and assaulted the woman before stealing her black 2015 Nissan Altima, according to police.

The woman suffered a cut to her hand during the attack, which police said was not life threatening. She was treated at a local hospital.

Washington is wanted on charges of first-degree burglary, kidnapping, first-degree assault and battery, first-degree criminal sexual conduct and grand larceny of a motor vehicle, according to police. The arrest warrants have been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database.

Police said Washington should be considered armed and dangerous.

Washington has family ties in Upstate South Carolina, said police.

Anyone with information on Washington, or the incident, is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.
BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S.-German medical device maker Siemens Healthineers raised its 2022 targets on Wednesday due to increased demand for rapid COVID-19 antigen tests, and reported a rise in first-quarter revenue and earnings.

The company said it now expected its diagnostics segment to generate around 1.3 billion euros ($1.37 billion) in revenue with rapid COVID-19 antigen tests, up from some 700 million euros previously.

As a result, it expected comparable revenue growth of between 5.5% and 7.5%, up from 3% to 5% previously, and adjusted basic earnings per share of between 2.25 and 2.35 euros, up from 2.18 to 2.30 euros previously.

"Our business continues to show great resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges. On this foundation, and thanks to high demand for our rapid antigen tests, we are raising our outlook for the current financial year," CEO Bernd Montag said.

($1 = 0.9510 euros)

(Writing by Paul Carrel, Editing by Miranda Murray)
Singapore Army's Star Wars Day 'Stormtroopers' Facebook post on 4 May 2022 (SCREENSHOT: Singapore Army/Facebook)

SINGAPORE  Star Wars fans around the world are marking May the 4th Be With You Day with festivities and even the Singapore Army has jumped on the bandwagon of the beloved movie franchise.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday (4 May), the Singapore Army wrote, Time to step aside Stormtroopers; meet our Armys very own! May the Fourth be with you! with an image of three Singapore Army soldiers firing against a Star Wars backdrop.

Since 2013, The Walt Disney Company, the owner of Star Wars, has officially observed the 4 May holiday by holding various events associated with the iconic franchise. Fans in many countries also mark the holiday with various events including in Singapore, where some of them wearing outfits of Star Wars characters will be patrolling Suntec City later today.

The day was chosen due to the famous phrase uttered in the Star Wars movies, May The Force Be With You, particularly by Jedi masters such as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker.

Stormtroopers  typified by their standard white helmets and armour suits  are the shock troops of the evil Galactic Empire helmed by Emperor Palpatine and his commanders, particularly Darth Vader. They appear in the original Star Wars trilogy (1977-1983), the prequel trilogy (1999-2005) and later in upgraded form in the sequel trilogy (2015-2019), the latter under the leadership of Supreme Leader Snoke and his commanders, such as Kylo Ren.

In recent history, stormtroopers have been associated with Nazi Germanys dictator Adolf Hitler. They were the shock troops under Sturmabteilung (SA), the paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party, who played a key role in Hitlers rise to power in the 1920s and the 1930s. Their functions ranged from fighting the Nazi Partys political rivals before Germany became a dictatorship under Hitler, providing protection for Nazi leaders and at rallies, to attacking Jews living in Germany.

Also known as the Brownshirts, due to the colour of their uniforms, the stormtroopers and the SA began to wane in power after the Night of The Long Knives in 1934, when top SA leaders were assassinated by Hitler and Heinrich Himmler and Reinhard Heydrich, top leaders of the Schutzstaffel (SS), which was previously a branch of the SA. In later years, stormtroopers also referred to the Waffen SS, the combat unit of the SS.

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In the 2013 book Star Wars and History, edited by history professors Nancy R. Reagin and Janice Liedl, and reviewed by George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, Nazi Germany and its sinister history were mentioned as one of the key influences behind the franchise.

Referring to the imperial troops in the Star Wars movies as Nazis, Lucas said in the commentary of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Episode V)", The Nazis are basically the same costume as we used in the first film and they are designed to be very authoritarian, very empire-like.

Star Wars stormtroopers in the scene of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Nazi troops at the 1936 Nuremberg Rally (SCREENSHOT: Star Wars/YouTube and PHOTO: File photo of 1936 Nuremberg Rally)

Star Wars fans would have noticed references to the Nazi era ranging from the SS-like helmet worn by Darth Vader to the victory parade in "Star Wars: A New Hope (Episode IV)" and the gathering of the villainous First Order troops in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Episode VII)", with the latter two movies resembling the 1930s Nuremberg Rallies, one of which was immortalised in the "Triumph of the Will", a Nazi propaganda movie.

Many netizens have commented on the reference to stormtroopers in the Singapore Armys Facebook post. One Abd Azim Halim wrote, But Stormtroopers are bobo shooters. Another netizen, Adrian Kuah, referred to the Nazi era, Really?? Sturmtruppen?? (Stormtroopers in German), Sturmabteilung??

Netizens' comments in the Singapore Army Facebook post on 4 May 2022. (SCREENSHOT: Singapore Army/Facebook)

Others, however, liked the post with a Laurent Huang saying, "Have some fun. Its just a movie. Good job to our army for being able to have fun and produce a nice poster!

Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore reached out to the Ministry of Defence for its response to the post and was referred to a further comment by the Singapore Army on its upcoming Open House.
How to stay motivated to workout (Stock)

With thousands of excuses to choose from, coming up with a reason not to workout is often easier than going to the gym.

Fortunately, lack of motivation is a universal struggle when it comes to exercising - even for the people most dedicated to the gym - personal trainers.

For suggestions on how to remain dedicated to your fitness goals and get moving, we asked personal trainers how they stay motivated - and how they keep clients motivated as well.

Chris Matsui, a performance training specialist at Fusion Performance Training, told The Independent: Personally, I know that if I dont workout my body starts to fall apart and get worse.

Despite being fatigued from [insert excuse] I make it a point to go to the gym a minimum of three times a week.

He also always remembers that any exercise is good - even if it isnt your best workout.

This doesnt mean that each workout is a home run but its enough to build a sweat and make my body feel better, he said.

As for his clients, he told us that he reminds them even a short 20-30 minute workout can be impactful for your long-term goal.

The exercise it takes to burn off high-calorie foods

Not everyone will have the time to workout 90 minutes each time, so make the best of it and do what you can until you have more free time, he advises.

Even two minutes of exercise can make a difference - as researchers from Victoria University in Australia found a two-minute high-intensity workout can be as effective as half an hour of moderate exercise.

Benji Tiger, a personal trainer at OrangeTheory in Florida, uses her physical appearance as her main motivator.

I remain motivated because I like to look a certain way, she told us. I always saw these people with incredible bodies on social media and I wanted to have a similar body.

And although she has achieved her goals, she still uses social media as a motivator to be better.

Social media is typically given a bad reputation for promoting harmful or unachievable body ideals but a 2015 study found that the social influence of online peers can actually motivate people to exercise more.

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To keep clients motivated, Tiger reminds them of how far theyve come and of their increasing strength.

If they dont feel like working out or they feel like theyve hit a plateau, I have them do a workout that they used to find difficult when they first started exercising, she said. It usually works as motivation because it is proof of their progress.

She also recommends clients find someone equally motivated who they can workout with on days they arent working with her.

It can make exercising more fun, she said.

Six workout gadgets to help you train



If youve resolved to spend more time in the gym or train in the great outdoors, here are some great bits of kit to improve and track your workout. (Getty)" />



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Equinox trainer Rob Arreaga told us that he stays motivated by reminding himself to be better than I was yesterday.

Even that little push is enough to get him to the gym, he told us.

And with clients, he encourages them to be their own competition.

I remind them they are fighting to be the best that they can be - and they are the only ones who can do it, he said.

When even that fails, Arreaga tells his clients to take the day off - as the occasional skipped workout is okay too.

This article was originally published in 2018
If youre concerned about dealing with unpleasant remarks about your mask-wearing (or worse), experts we spoke to have advice. (Photo: Malte Mueller via Getty Images)

If youre concerned about dealing with unpleasant remarks about your mask-wearing (or worse), experts we spoke to have advice. (Photo: Malte Mueller via Getty Images)

Caren Gussoff Sumption, a writer who lives in the Seattle area, estimates about half of the people in her neighborhood are still wearing masks.

That group includes Gussoff Sumption and her husband. They both have chronic health conditions and take immunosuppressant medications, so theyre in no rush to remove their face coverings.

Not everyone is understanding. About a month ago, Gussoff Sumption was filling up her gas tank in South Seattle when a man on the opposite side of the pump shouted something at her.

I didnt catch what he was saying at first, but then when I realized he was talking to me, I listened, the writer told HuffPost.

As he gestured at her face, eventually Gussoff Sumption made out his words: Mask mandate is over. You can breathe free!

I just shook my head and kept pumping my gas but he kept talking, and all I caught were snatches, to be honest, she said. But it was obvious he was trying to explain to me, like I was a child  Im 49  that omicron was not as contagious and I didnt have to live my life in fear.

He wasnt necessarily being nasty about the mask, but the comments were unsolicited and Gussoff Sumption felt infantilized and more than a little annoyed because of it. She said shes not generally quick on her toes with comebacks or responses, but this time was different.

I raised my palm, and announced, Unsubscribe, Gussoff Sumption said. It just fell out. He then, finally, backed off, and said something like, Fair enough.

It was a well-played use of internet slang  and, increasingly, an uncomfortably relatable experience on the whole. As we enter the mask optional phase of the pandemic, comments like you know you dont have to wear that in here are more and more common.

Masks have been a political hot topic throughout the country since the start of the pandemic  leading to vocal opposition and sometimes even physical confrontation. As mask mandates have lifted throughout the United States in the past few months, many people who continue to wear a facial covering are concerned their choice may lead to a confrontation  mask harassment as its been dubbed. In March, for example, a video showing Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis telling students at a high school to remove their masks and stop the COVID theater went viral.

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Encounters like these are snide, though often civil enough, but some people have been downright hostile over others wearing masks. In April, novelist Elaine Hsieh Chou tweeted about a troubling experience she had one night in her neighborhood in New York City.

Walking home just now, three men yelled, Coronavirus is over at me because I was wearing a mask and then proceeded to make Chinese sounds, Hsieh Chou wrote. (Throughout the pandemic, Asian Americans have dealt with aggressive harassment and even physical assault regardless of whether they were wearing a mask because of the coronaviruss likely origins in Wuhan, China.)

What hurts even more is, as I turned around to stare at them, they were laughing while they walked away, Hsieh Chou wrote in the Twitter thread. They looked like they were going out for the night. They are probably having a great time as we speak. They have certainly forgotten me.

Meanwhile, she wrote, I am crying, triggered by all the other times people have shouted at me in public for no reason, when I was minding my own business and just EXISTING.

Walking home just now, three men yelled Coronavirus is over at me because I was wearing a mask and then proceeded to make Chinese sounds.  Elaine Hsieh Chou (@elainehsiehchou) April 9, 2022

Why do so many people feel compelled to call out mask usage? During the pandemic, mask-wearing was the norm and the expectation. Now that were tentatively entering the endemic phase of the virus, face coverings are mostly optional, which only makes them more of a loaded topic, said Monica Gandhi, a doctor and professor of medicine and infectious diseases at the University of California, San Francisco.

Thats because the face mask has been the most visible sign of the pandemic, she said.

If youve long accepted that and are eager to move on to the endemic phase of this virus, a mask is an unsettling visual reminder that we may not be out of the woods yet.

Thats when you get people feeling compelled to comment or feeling affronted by others wearing masks, Gandhi said. The reality is, we should all be respectful of each others risk tolerance and choices.

If youre concerned about dealing with unpleasant remarks about your mask-wearing (or worse), experts in public health and de-escalation techniques offer their best advice below for getting through the next few months.

Remember: You dont have to say anything.

First, lets state the obvious: Youre not obligated to explain yourself. If you dont want to talk about your reasons for wearing a mask, its fine to say so, said Meg Stone, the executive director of IMPACT Boston, a violence prevention and empowerment self-defense program.

Using a direct, assertive, respectful tone will give you the best chance of getting your point across without escalating the situation, she said. Keep it simple, say something like, I dont really feel like talking about masks and then end the conversation. Then physically move away if you can.

If you do want to say something, remind the person that its a personal choice.

Some people are still wearing a mask because theyre immunocompromised and are at greater risk of COVID-19, even after vaccination. Some are protecting someone older or immunocompromised in their household or inner circle. Others just dont want to deal with getting sick.

If someone brings up your mask and youd like to respond, any one of those reasons above should be met with respect, said Edward A. Nardell, a professor in the departments of environmental health and immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard Medical School.

Or just tell the person, My assessment is that I am safer and my loved ones are safer if I wear a mask in this setting. Your assessment may be different for you, he explained.

If you want to respond when someone remarks on your mask-wearing, you can practice what you might say in a heated scenario. (Photo: Anchiy via Getty Images)

If you want to respond when someone remarks on your mask-wearing, you can practice what you might say in a heated scenario. (Photo: Anchiy via Getty Images)

If it helps you, practice what you might say in such a scenario.

Theres nothing wrong with mentally preparing for how you might respond in the event that someone says something about your mask. In fact, practice is probably a good thing if your social skills are a little rusty since the pandemic.

We all are tempted to react and stand our ground, but it can be a futile exercise leading to untoward outcomes, said Jagdish Khubchandani, a professor of public health at New Mexico State University.

Your script doesnt have to be too complicated; a simple thanks, but I feel more comfortable this way works fine here, said Ashley Virtue, the external relations director at the National Conflict Resolution Center.

In our workshops, we always talk about how, when it comes to communication, we need to train our brain to respond calmly whenever we are confronted. Otherwise we will naturally fall into fight, flight or freeze, Virtue added.

Practicing out loud what you might say if someone comes up to you is an incredibly useful way to train your brain so youre not unnerved by such an encounter, Virtue said.

If someone is harassing, yelling or getting physical, prioritize your physical safety.

If someone becomes threatening or the conversation is getting tense, prioritize your safety and walk away, Stone said.

In a strong, firm voice, you can say, please leave me alone or dont get closer to me, phrases that are direct and assertive but also about yourself and your safety rather than insulting the other person, she said.

If you see someone being harassed, Vox has a great guide on how to help de-escalate the situation as a bystander. If its safe to do so, one of the easiest ways to help is to document whats happening with your phone, whether its through audio or video. Or you could pretend to be friends with the person being harassed and pull them away from the situation by saying, Hey, there you are! Were late for our dinner reservations  we better get going.

If youd like to feel more empowered personally, Stone recommends this guide from Defend Yourself in Washington, D.C., on how to choose a self-defense class that best suits you.

Its an empowering guide, not victim-blaming, and it will help you learn verbal skills, not just kicking and punching, she said.

Get comfortable saying, I dont have to wear a mask, but I get to do so to keep others safe,' psychologist Valentina Stoycheva said. It may fly over the head of some people, but for those who get it, it may help shift their thinking, even if its just a little bit. (Photo: seksan Mongkhonkhamsao via Getty Images)

Get comfortable saying, I dont have to wear a mask, but I get to do so to keep others safe,' psychologist Valentina Stoycheva said. It may fly over the head of some people, but for those who get it, it may help shift their thinking, even if its just a little bit. (Photo: seksan Mongkhonkhamsao via Getty Images)

If someone says something at work, keep your response brief and professional.

Dealing with comments about your mask can be especially tricky at work. Try to keep the conversation short; make it about yourself and your personal preference rather than turning it into a polemic on public health and responsibility, clinical psychologist Ramani Durvasula told HuffPost in March.

Whatever your reasoning, Durvasula advised against engaging too much with a co-worker: Dont take the bait.

Feel confident in your choice: You dont have to wear a mask, but you get to wear one.

As a psychologist, Valentina Stoycheva often discusses with people the difference between I have to and I get to.

Get comfortable saying, I dont have to wear a mask, but I get to do so to keep others safe, she said. It may fly over the head of some people, but for those who get it, it may help shift their thinking, even if its just a little bit.

Also on HuffPost

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP)  Sri Lankas economy is in dire straits with its usable foreign reserves down to less than $50 million, the countrys finance minister said Wednesday.

Ali Sabry was speaking to Parliament after returning to Sri Lanka from talks with the International Monetary Fund. He said any IMF rescue program, including a rapid financing instrument needed to urgently resolve shortages of essential goods, would depend on negotiations on debt restructuring with creditors and would take six months to implement.

Sri Lanka is on the brink of bankruptcy and has suspended payments on its foreign loans. Its economic miseries have brought on a political crisis, with the government facing a protests and a no-confidence motion in Parliament.

The country is due to repay $7 billion this year of the $25 billion in foreign loans it is scheduled to pay by 2026.

There is a severe risk in front of all of us, said Sabri. He said Sri Lankas reserves stood at $7.6 billion at the end of 2019 and fell to $5.7 billion by the end of 2020 as payments outpaced inflows of foreign currency amid the pandemic.

The reserves declined to $3.1 billion by the end of 2021, and to $1.9 billion by the end of March, he said. With foreign currency in short supply thanks to less tourism and other revenues, official reserves were tapped to pay for importing essentials including fuel, gas, coal and medicines beginning in August 2021.

The bulk of Sri Lanka's remaining reserves  including a $1 billion equivalent SWAP facility from China, are not usable for settling dollar-denominated payments, he said.

Sabris comments came a day after the countrys main opposition party issued a no-confidence motion aiming at ousting Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Cabinet.

The opposition United Peoples Force blames the government of failing in its constitutional duty to provide decent living standards. It accuses top government officials of excessively printing money, hurting farm production by banning chemical fertilizers to make the production fully organic and minimize import costs, failing to order COVID-19 vaccines in a timely manner and buying them later at higher prices.

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A date has not yet been announced for a vote on the no-confidence motion.

The foreign currency crisis has limited imports and caused severe shortages of essential goods like fuel, cooking gas, medicine and food. People must line up for hours to buy what they can and many return home with little, if any, of what they were seeking.

Protests have spread demanding the resignations of Mahinda Rajapaksa, who heads an influential clan that has held power for most of the past two decades, and his younger brother, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. An occupation of the entrance to the presidents office by protesters demanding the Rajapaksas resign was in its 26th day on Wednesday.

So far, the Rajapaksa brothers have resisted calls to resign, though three other Rajapaksas out of the five who are lawmakers stepped down from their Cabinet posts in mid-April.

Sabri said Sri Lanka was in the process of appointing legal and financial advisers for negotiations on restructuring its foreign debt.

This is an economic crisis. The economic crisis has created a political crisis. It is important to resolve the political crisis in order to find solutions to the economic crisis, Sabri said.
May 4JUNEAU  The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed Tuesday a lower court decision against a handful of Alaska college students who sued the administration of Gov. Mike Dunleavy, challenging a decision that drained Alaska's $410 million Higher Education Investment Fund.

The decision means the Alaska Performance Scholarship program and WWAMI, the state's equivalent of medical school, do not have a dedicated funding source and must compete with other programs in the state's annual budget process, but a separate effort by the Legislature may reinstate a dedicated account.

"Although the plaintiffs tried to make this case about supposed policy calls made by the executive branch, the Court recognized that the State was just following the Alaska Constitution," Deputy Attorney General Cori Mills said in a statement released after the court's ruling.

"No one disputes that the performance scholarships are an important program, which is why Governor Dunleavy included appropriations to pay for the scholarships in his budget. But that does not mean that the Higher Education Investment Fund falls outside of the reach of the constitutionally required sweep into the CBR (constitutional budget reserve)," Mills said.

The scholarship programs remain funded through at least June 30, and the budget making its way through the Legislature has money to fund the programs in the next fiscal year.

The Legislature is separately considering a bill that would remove the fund from the state treasury so that it can't be emptied by the end-of-session legislative sweep. That measure, House Bill 322, passed the state House on Monday, and is heading to the Senate for consideration.

"We are not giving up," Pat Pitney, president of the University of Alaska System, said in a statement Tuesday. "We have been simultaneously working to fund HEIF and the programs it supports through legislative action."

The fund "is too important," Pitney said. "Our state's future is inextricably linked to the success of our people and their access to high-quality workforce training and higher education."

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Pitney said the university will dedicate its efforts to "solving this issue by supporting HB322."

That bill would create separate accounts for higher education scholarships and for the Alaska Marine Highway System.

"Ongoing crucial state services such as the Alaska Marine Highway System should not suffer the destabilizing effects that may result from the sweep of the funds," said Rep. Dan Ortiz, I-Ketchikan. The bill would create "needed certainty" both for the ferry system and for the higher education investment fund, he said.

The bill originally applied only to the Alaska Marine Highway System fund and was amended to cover the education fund.

"It's about our workforce. It's about our future engineers, our future business accountants, our teachers. Many important jobs that need to be filled," Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau, said on the House floor, before the House voted 25-15 to pass the bill.

Lawmakers who opposed the measure said that creating separate accounts defied the state's constitution.

In the Superior Court decision that was affirmed by the Supreme Court, Anchorage Superior Court Judge Adolf Zeman said that Dunleavy's administration correctly classified the higher-education fund as part of the state's general fund in 2019. That made it subject to a clause in the Alaska Constitution that requires leftover general fund money to be automatically swept into the Constitutional Budget Reserve, a special savings account.

The Alaska Legislature regularly votes to reverse that sweep, but it failed to do so in 2021 because of opposition by Republican legislators in the state House. That failure, combined with the administration's classification, drained the fund.
May 3About two hours after the fatal shooting of two males outside a northwest Reading convenience store just after sunrise on a Sunday in February, a Philadelphia man with similar facial features as the killer checked himself into a Philadelphia hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound, an investigator testified in court Tuesday.

Testifying at a preliminary hearing, Reading police Criminal Investigator Ryan Crampsie, the lead investigator, said he captured a photo of the killer's face after going through security camera footage on Feb. 21, the day after the killings in the 200 block of West Greenwich Street.

He didn't need to sift through the dozens of potential matches offered by the internet-based program when he saw a photo of NyJee Jefferson among the first few.

He said he was confident the person in the security camera image was Jefferson, and sought help from other law enforcement agencies in the region to find him.

Crampsie was one of three witnesses called to testify by Berks County Assistant District Attorney James Goldsmith during Jefferson's preliminary hearing on first-and third-degree murder and firearms charges in the slayings of Jose Ventura-Jimenez, 18, and Alejandro Gerard, 17.

After the testimony and arguments by the respective counsel, District Judge Alvin B. Robinson held Jefferson for court.

Jefferson was returned to Berks County Prison without bail to await further court action.

In his testimony, Crampsie explained that after concluding the man in the footage was Jefferson, he shared on a law enforcement network the name and photo of the 26-year-old Philadelphian as a person of interest in the double slaying.

He was immediately contacted by Jefferson's state parole agent, who reported that Jefferson had checked himself into Children's Hospital of Philadelphia at 9:20 a.m. on Feb. 20, the same morning as the shootings occurred, for treatment of a gunshot wound to a shoulder.

The timing and nature of his treatment is significant in that the video footage of the shooting incident appears to show the second victim, Gerard, raising a handgun in Jefferson's direction from the grassy area next to Getty Mart at 7:09 a.m., Crampsie testified.

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Gerard likely fired at the suspect after realizing the suspect ran up from behind and shot his friend, Ventura-Jimenez, in the back at point blank range on the sidewalk across the street, he said.

During the gunfire exchange, Gerard suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the neck area, Crampsie said.

Footage from various angles outside Getty Mart was played on a video monitor during the hearing.

It purports to show both victims in the store in close proximity to the defendant when he purchased several Leprechaun Loot lottery tickets shortly after 7 a.m.

Jefferson gave a stack of the scratch-off tickets to the cashier who scanned them and discarded the used tickets in a trash can behind the counter. Jefferson then walked out of the store, followed a short time later by the two victims.

Prosecutors offered no testimony about what happened in the store between the victims and the defendant.

District Attorney John T. Adams previously called it a random altercation, saying investigators could find no evidence that the victims and their killer were acquainted.

Fingerprint evidence rounded out the prosecution's testimony.

A Reading police officer who works on the major evidence team said he was able to get a good fingerprint from one of the tickets that was submitted for analysis at the Berks County Forensic Services Unit. That print was matched to a fingerprint of Jefferson's.

Jefferson's attorney, Berks County Assistant Public Defender Richard A. Joyce Jr. said that only proves Jefferson bought a lottery ticket at the store, and there were other fingerprints on those tickets as well that should be analyzed because they might contain prints of an unidentified killer.

As for the video, he said, "I can't tell from watching the video that that is Mr. Jefferson in the video."

At best, he said, the video shows there was some kind of gunfight.

Goldsmith said the video speaks for itself in that it shows the defendant lying in wait on Ritter Street for the victims as they leave the store and start to walk north on West Greenwich.

"We all see a video of the defendant hiding, lying in wait for his two victims," he said.

He added that Ventura-Jimenez was essentially executed while Gerard appears to have fired but only after seeing his friend shot.
The unprecedented leak of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito's draft opinion in a key case striking down Roe v. Wade (1973) has sparked a heated debate, perhaps drawing new attention to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's opinion on the key abortion precedent.

Although Ginsburg firmly advocated for women's access to abortion as a constitutional right, she criticized the way in which Roe v. Wade established that right  and her reasoning for this nuanced position may shed light on the current debate.

Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed that Alito's draft opinion in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization was genuine  although the draft dates back to February, and it does not represent the current or final opinion of the court. In the draft, Alito strikes down Roe v. Wade, which struck down state laws across the country, and allows states to again make their own laws on abortion.

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg delivers remarks during a discussion hosted by the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, Sept. 12, 2019. Reuters/Sarah Silbiger.

Should the court indeed strike down Roe in this manner, it might vindicate Ginsburg's concerns about the pivotal decision.

SUPREME COURT SET TO OVERTURN ROE V. WADE, LEAKED DRAFT OPINION SHOWS: REPORT

Ginsburg warned against major judicial shifts in a 1992 lecture at New York University, citing Roe as an example.

"Measured motions seem to me right, in the main, for constitutional as well as common law adjudication," she argued. "Doctrinal limbs too swiftly shaped, experience teaches, may prove unstable. The most prominent example in recent decades is Roe v. Wade."

Ginsburg noted that Roe struck down far more than the specific Texas criminal abortion statute at issue in the case.

"Suppose the court had stopped there, rightly declaring unconstitutional the most extreme brand of law in the nation, and had not gone on, as the court did in Roe, to fashion a regime blanketing the subject, a set of rules that displaced virtually every state law then in force," she said. "A less encompassing Roe, one that merely struck down the extreme Texas law and went no further on that day, I believe and will summarize why, might have served to reduce rather than to fuel controversy."

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Ginsburg contrasted Roe v. Wade with a case that never received a full hearing at the court, Struck v. Secretary of Defense. In that case, the Air Force tried to discharge a female Air Force captain because she became pregnant. Although the captain's performance as a manager and nurse was exemplary, Air Force regulations required a woman who got pregnant to leave the service or get an abortion.

The captain refused to get an abortion, for religious reasons, instead arranging to have her child get adopted. The Air Force sought to discharge her, and she challenged the move in court. After the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, the Air Force made an exception and allowed her to remain in the service.

DEMOCRATS CONDEMN SUPREME COURT ABORTION DRAFT AS ABOMINATION, URGE CONGRESS TO CODIFY ROE V WADE

The captain argued "that the Air Force regime differentiated invidiously by allowing males who became fathers, but not females who became mothers, to remain in service and by allowing women who had undergone abortions, but not women who delivered infants, to continue their military careers," Ginsburg noted.

Ginsburg drew two conclusions from the case: first that "if even the military, an institution not known for avant garde policy, had taken to providing facilities for abortion, then was not a decision of Roe's muscularity unnecessary?" and second that if the court had considered this alternate case, it might have concluded "that disadvantageous treatment of a woman because of her pregnancy and reproductive choice is a paradigm case of discrimination on the basis of sex."

Ginsburg went on to contrast the court's landmark decision in Roe with a slew of decisions from 1971 to 1982 in which the court struck down "a series of state and federal laws that differentiated explicitly on the basis of sex."

Rather than creating a new philosophy of law and imposing it on the nation immediately, "the court, in effect, opened a dialogue with the political branches of government."

"In essence, the court instructed Congress and state legislatures: rethink ancient positions on these questions," Ginsburg noted. "The ball, one might say, was tossed by the justices back into the legislators' court, where the political forces of the day could operate."

Alito's opinion effectively reverses what Ginsburg described as fashioning a new "regime" on abortion  a move that would be unnecessary had the court instead proceeded to work with state legislatures and Congress to hammer out compromises on abortion.
Don't miss CoinDesk's Consensus 2022, the must-attend crypto & blockchain festival experience of the year in Austin, TX this June 9-12.

Something like $200 million in various cryptos were stolen, exploited or just plain burned over the past eight days. Given that, is it any wonder that regulators like Gary Gensler want closer oversight of the crypto sector?

Youre reading State of Crypto, a CoinDesk newsletter looking at the intersection of cryptocurrency and government. Click here to sign up for future editions.

Consumer protections

The narrative

Crypto investors lost nearly $300 million to hacks and stratospheric gas fees caused by a project minting a digital land sale over the past week. No friggin wonder regulators are worried about consumer protections.

Why it matters

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission seems to be approaching crypto with an enforcement-first view. SEC Chairman Gary Gensler has said hes concerned with investor protection, and its not hard to see why he may feel justified in giving the agency greater oversight over the sector. The crypto industry may want to look into best practices and a formal system targeted at protecting its users if people want to head off the regulatory agency.

Breaking it down

Heres a look at some prominent headlines over the past seven days:

One of the common refrains weve heard from Gensler, as well as his predecessor Jay Clayton, is that the SEC is interested in protecting consumers from risky situations. The industry has expressed its opposition to recent moves by the SEC to (possibly) establish oversight of the digital currency sector, particularly decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms and projects.

Heres the thing, though: Its hard to argue Gensler doesnt have a point. Crypto users lost millions over the past seven days for various reasons, and they dont have much recourse beyond hoping the platforms can either recover their lost funds or will otherwise make them whole.

Story continues

Its worth asking whether the SEC would be as forward about regulating crypto if these concerns were mitigated through other means. Ive reported on Gensler for the past year and change, and several individuals Ive spoken to say hes sincere when he says hes solely interested in protecting consumers (as opposed to him just conducting a power grab over the cryptocurrency industry for its own sake).

In fairness, the $100 million to $200 million lost in the last week may not seem like that much when compared with cryptos current $1.8 trillion market cap. But thats still someones money that is now irrevocably gone.

Heres the playbook: A project launches. Sometimes the code is audited. Sometimes it isnt. On occasion the project is exploited. A rogue programmer finds an accessible endpoint in the wild or a savvy huckster somehow acquires admin access keys or users are fooled into sending millions of dollars' worth of crypto to a shady address.

At any rate, you now have users who are out some money. For those who have funds in excess (*cough* theyre rich enough that the loss of a few thousand or even million dollars is no big deal), this may be at most an inconvenience. For everyone else, though, this could be catastrophic, and certainly harmful.

There's no consistency in how companies respond right now, either. Some companies offer refunds or find ways of making users whole. If we dig through the archives, exchanges like Bitfinex created their own tokens that they distributed to users. The tokens from Bitfinex were redeemable for equity (or $1 apiece). Others raise funds to distribute to users.

Other companies take completely different routes. Yuga Labs, the force behind the Bored Ape Yacht Club, for example, offered an apology for clogging up the Ethereum blockchain and contributing to high gas prices, and suggested it would simply build its own layer 1 blockchain to support future BAYC-related efforts (some believe the tweet and the network congestion that prompted it were deliberate).

That brings its own risks, as Sky Mavis recently demonstrated with its Ronin hack, in which the company lost over $600 million to North Korean hackers.

The question seems to me to be, Is anyone actually protecting users?

Right now, the answer seems to be people on Twitter, a good intuition and the rare actual audit. But again, there's no consistency here.

Bringing this back to Gensler and the SEC, the industrys taken issue with proposals that seem like they would bring decentralized exchanges and other similar projects under the regulators purview.

Lots of projects dont suffer multimillion-dollar exploits. But the projects that do tend to get the headlines. And Im sure that concern is front and center on Genslers plate.

There's also a growing movement among some lawmakers and industry participants to have the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) act as the primary regulator for crypto, but it doesnt have a consumer protection mandate in the same way the SEC does (the SECs mandate is focused on disclosures). Further, waiting for Congress to take some action here will probably take a while.

The SEC is now nearly doubling the size of its crypto enforcement team, opening 20 new roles. There's been some backlash from the crypto world given that these are specifically enforcement roles, rather than roles for individuals who could write guidance letters.

Bidens rule

Changing of the guard

Key: (nom.) = nominee, (rum.) = rumored, (act.) = acting, (inc.) = incumbent (no replacement anticipated)

No new nominees over the past week.

Elsewhere:

US Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill to Give CFTC Crypto Spot Market Oversight : Reps. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Darren Soto (D-Fla.) have reintroduced the Digital Commodity Exchange Act, which would give the CFTC greater oversight of spot crypto markets that list digital commodities (so bitcoin, ether, things like that) while leaving security token exchanges under the SECs purview. Money services businesses would also remain under state regulatory purviews.

Ohio's Senate Candidates Stake Out Crypto Positions : Crypto isn't a huge voting issue in Ohio's Senate primary race this year, but several leading candidates have staked out positions on it anyway.

What a Mining Moratorium Could Really Mean for New Yorks Crypto Industry: The New York state Senate is considering a bill that would impose a two-year moratorium on new proof-of-work crypto mining operations powered by nonrenewable sources. Here's what that could mean for the state's industry.

Outside CoinDesk:

( Politico ) The Supreme Court of the United States is poised to strike down Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court case that enshrined the right to an abortion into federal law, according to a leaked draft ruling obtained by Politico. The ruling as currently framed would appear to have implications for other rights currently thought to be protected, including a right to contraceptives, same-sex marriage and even privacy.

( Vice ) Facebook has a ton of user data. And the company cant really keep track of who else can access that information or how it gets there.

( The Verge ) The Verges Elizabeth Lopatto recaps Bitcoin 2022 in Miami last month, where she observed something interesting: There seems to be more interest in crypto than in bitcoin right now.

(Bloomberg) Crypto mortgage lenders are letting borrowers put nothing down to buy property.

getting ig ads for everclear. they want me to try things like everclear risotto pic.twitter.com/LG67uoEl4n  neerajs trough (@NeerajKAfood) May 2, 2022

If youve got thoughts or questions on what I should discuss next week or any other feedback youd like to share, feel free to email me at nik@coindesk.com or find me on Twitter @nikhileshde.

You can also join the group conversation on Telegram.

See yall next week!
Sydney Sweeney made it from Spokane, Washington, to success in Hollywood  and how she did it rightfully impressed The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon. (Watch the video below.)

When Sweeney, who plays the much-memed Cassie on the HBO teen drama Euphoria, told her parents that she wanted to pursue acting, they thought it was like wanting to be a princess, that it wasnt real, you couldnt touch it, she said.

But at age 11, Sweeney convinced them it could be done by putting together a five-year business plan in a PowerPoint presentation. All it took was determination and some Googling.

They took me seriously, she said of mom and dad, adding: They listened.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
Susan Montgomery, a consultant on a trauma healing program in Sudan and South Sudan.

Susan Montgomery, a consultant for a trauma healing program in Sudan and South Sudan, addressed a local online audience on the struggles people in those countries have faced and the kinds of programs in which she's worked to help them.

Montgomery is a clinical psychologist in private practice and a consultant on Morning Star, a trauma healing program in Sudan with DT Global, a development company. She previously worked on a similar program in South Sudan. She has helped to develop a curriculum taught in local communities and has trained approximately 45 trainers who take the five-day program to the countryside, stated an Altrusa International of Oak Ridge news release. Montgomery was the guest speaker at one of the local club's meetings.

Susan Montgomery praised medical assistants when talking about her time in South Sudan.

Susan Montgomery talked about poverty in South Sudan during her talk to Altrusa Club of Oak Ridge.

"Decades of conflict there (in South Sudan) have resulted in a traumatized society, and the program aims to restore peace and reconciliation," the release stated.

Montgomery said her father had what would now be diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to being in a plane crash during his service in World War II.

She defined trauma as "an overwhelming experience that impairs your ability to function and cope and may even include the threat of death."

"'Overwhelming' is a critical word there," Montgomery told her audience.

She said people can learn to help themselves through exercise and spiritual life, both things that she said were present among people with whom her program worked. She said both were already a part of the local culture with people getting exercise from walking or dancing and churches for spiritual life.

She also spoke of making sure people can resolve the effects of trauma in society. She referred to the various steps that she hopes people can go through with regard to trauma and society as "villages."

The villages dont have to be in the order theyre presented there," she said of the diagram she showed, which pictured a path leading between these metaphorical villages.

Story continues

The first is the the village of truth, which she said means acknowledging what happened.

The second she listed was the village of mercy, which involves thinking about how others felt, including enemies.

Susan Montgomery, after talking about some of the difficult issues, spoke of a counter story regarding positive experiences including dance.

Susan Montgomery spoke about women's activism in South Sudan.

Third, she spoke of the village of justice, at which she said the trauma survivors try to get beyond the idea of revenge killing and instead look for "a way we can come together as a community to work out the issue. She acknowledged this can be difficult if theres a death or murder involved.

Fourth was the village of peace in which the people involved learn to work non-violently and decide "how far do you go with your own personal freedom and how much does the individual need to acknowledge others.

Learn to work with other people, but not be taken advantage of, she said describing this step.

Fifth is the village of reconciliation. Depending on what's happened, Montgomery said, people do not always reach this step.

The diagram she showed also included two other, worse paths, the village of harm to self and the village of harm to others.

Sources of trauma

Much of Montgomery's presentation focused on issues and sources of trauma in the South Sudan areas in which she's worked. She said the areas' wars had led to displacement of people and a lack of infrastructure.

She said natural events like flooding can cause trauma. In dry season, human conflicts are more likely to happen, such as wars, roofs set on fire and cattle raids.

Human-caused events are a lot harder for us to get over because they often involve betrayal, she said.

She focused on several issues that she saw as a problem in South Sudan: economics, gender and patriarchy, health and education.

They intersect so much its like a plate of spaghetti," she said of these issues.

Regarding economics, she described the people with whom she worked as dependent on growing the food they eat, although she also talked about women selling products at markets. Cattle, she said, are the way people measure wealth. She said there were few opportunities for education or industrial jobs. Many people, she said, live in refugee camps. They are safer than other areas, but often include people speaking different languages, leading to some isolation.

Regarding gender and patriarchy, she spoke about the extent to which outside groups like her own should honor local customs or try to impose their own values.

You see what theyre doing and it makes a certain amount of sense to them. How much do you challenge that, and how much do you just let it be? By law, she said, women have more rights than they do by informal customs.

She said women frequently have early and arranged marriages with grooms paying for brides in cattle. Women, she said, sometimes get pregnant at a young age when their bodies aren't ready. Because older men are wealthier, they are often married to younger women. Younger men, however, she said, resort to cattle rustling to get married, which she said results in violence and revenge killing.

You can see a cascade of problems, Montgomery said. She also talked about poverty driving sex trafficking and rape as a weapon of war.

She said people should "never minimize" the power of women talking together at wells and other places. She also talked about activist groups such as Crown the Woman, which describes itself on its website as " a women founded and women led nonprofit, non-governmental, non-political, humanitarian and national grassroots organization that aims at empowering girls and women to ensure they harness their potential and contribute to nation building economically, socially and politically."

Regarding health, she said, health challenges are numerous. Malaria, clean water and sanitation were health issues she listed.

She said it was difficult to get emergency and adequate care. She said medical assistants, however, were incredibly qualified. She said there were some resources for those with HIV and AIDS. She said she had gotten advice to not dismiss traditional healers, and added they know the people and are able to help. Some of their potions worked while others did not, she said.

Regarding education, she said the government did not provide education in South Sudan, but in the capital city of Juba there were schools run by Catholic and Anglican churches, United Nations Children's Fund and other educational associations. She said there were problems with a lack of female hygiene products preventing some girls from attending schools and physical punishments with canes causing trauma for some students at school.

Positive memories

Montgomery ended her talk on a more upbeat note. She said people can deal with trauma by dancing and walking. She said the people she worked with already knew some of the natural things about healing."

Theres a very rich spiritual life. Theres a good sense of humor, she said of the people with whom she has worked. She also said she appreciated looking at the natural world, showing images in her presentation of a gecko, an elephant and a sunrise.

Ben Pounds is a staff reporter for The Oak Ridger. Call him at (865) 441-2317, email him at bpounds@oakridger.com and follow him on Twitter @Bpoundsjournal.

This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Talking about trauma and South Sudan
A cab ride went awry for a taxi driver after his passenger attempted to rob a bank drive-thru from his back seat in South Carolina, prosecutors said.

Now, the passenger is going to prison.

Angel Luis Masdeu, 59, from Hartsville, about 70 miles northeast of Columbia, was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to attempted bank robbery, according to court records.

Masdeus defense attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News on May 4.

On Feb. 25, 2021, Masdeu took a taxi to the South State Bank in Hartsville, according to court documents.

When the taxi arrived at the bank, Masdeu asked the driver to enter the drive-thru line and pass an envelope to the bank teller, according to a May 3 news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of South Carolina.

Prosecutors said the envelope contained a note demanding all money from all drawers and threatening to kill and/or blow up the bank.

The bank teller immediately activated the alarm, and Hartsville Police Department officers quickly arrived on the scene, the release stated.

Prosecutors said police found several other envelopes matching the one Masdeu used inside the cab. Authorities said the taxi driver was not involved in the robbery.

Masdeu was sentenced to six years in federal prison for one count of attempted robbery to be followed by three years of supervised release, court records show.

Largest robbery: Sheriff offers $10,000 reward for info on Georgia gold mine thief

Cop helped group rob people for years using information learned on the job, feds say

Jack-in-the-Box workers recognize masked robber as ex-employee, California cops say

Man kidnapped, robbed USPS workers to steal packages, feds say. Hes prison bound
Reuters

An Elon Musk tweet saying Japan would "eventually cease to exist" without a higher birthrate set off a flood of sarcasm and anger on Monday - though much of the angst was aimed at a Japanese government many said did little to address the issue. The comment hit a nerve among Japan watchers and in Japan, whose population peaked in 2008 and has declined since due to its low birthrate to about 125 million as of last year despite government warnings and sporadic attempts to grapple with the issue.
ARCADIA, Calif. (AP)  Tim Yakteen has been to the Kentucky Derby with good horses before. Now the trainer is at Churchill Downs in charge for the first time with two top contenders that used to be trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert.

Yakteen worked two different stints earlier in his career as an apprentice under Baffert, who won't be at the Derby on Saturday because he's serving a 90-day suspension imposed by Kentucky racing officials. The six-time Derby winner also has been banned for two years by Churchill Downs Inc.

It may seem uncomfortable to most everyone except Yakteen.

I wouldnt say that I think that theres any awkwardness there, he said. I just feel really lucky and fortunate.

A surprised Yakteen took calls from the owners of Messier and Taiba asking him to train their budding stars.

"I was honored they had the confidence that I could continue to carry the torch, he said, perched on a trunk near Messier's stall in his Santa Anita barn.

Baffert relinquished the colts to serve the punishment handed down after last years Derby winner, Medina Spirit, tested positive for an anti-inflammatory medication that isnt allowed on race day.

Bafferts suspension bars him from Santa Anita and Yakteen said theyve had no conversations since he took charge of Messier, the early 8-1 third choice in the Derby, and Taiba, a 12-1 shot.

Taiba is owned by Amr Zedan, who campaigned Medina Spirit before that colt died in December after a workout at Santa Anita.

Yakteen has about 30 horses of varying abilities in his barn. Adding Messier and Taiba has provided a jolt of positive energy, he said.

"I have never, ever woken up and not wanted to go to work, he said. I enjoy it tremendously.

Yakteens career highlights include four Grade 1 stakes victories, including Taiba in the recent Santa Anita Derby, and an Eclipse Award for champion sprinter Points Offthebench. He has over 250 career victories and purse earnings of over $12 million.

Story continues

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will ride Taiba in the Derby, having successfully teamed with Yakteen in California.

"Hes one of those guys you feel confident when you ride for him, Smith said. Hes been around long enough. I think hell be great.

Yakteen was raised in Germany, where his Lebanese father was stationed with the U.S. Army after becoming an American citizen.

He moved to the U.S. at age 18 in 1982, joining a sister who lived next to Los Alamitos racetrack in Cypress, California. He attended the races for the first time and was hooked.

"That night was electrifying and its been with me ever since, he said.

He got a day job at the track working in publicity, group sales and marketing. At night, hed watch the races.

It wasnt long before Yakteen made his way to the stable area, offering to work for free filling water buckets and mucking stalls. He took up living in a tack room.

"I enjoyed every aspect of it, he said. I had a goal that I wanted to be part of the industry.

After starting with harness horses, Yakteen got hired by a white-haired quarter horse trainer named Baffert, who had left Arizona to chase his own dream. When Baffert switched to thoroughbreds in 1988, Yakteen stayed with him.

A few years later, Yakteen was in the racing office at Santa Anita when he crossed paths with Hall of Fame trainer Charlie Whittingham, who said hello.

"I was like, Wow, the pope spoke to me, Yakteen said. The timing was perfect.

He joined Whittinghams stable as an assistant. By 1994, Yakteen was at his first Kentucky Derby helping with second-place finisher Strodes Creek.

Two years later, he and Whittingham returned with a Derby runner. At the same time, Baffert was finishing second with Cavonnier in his first Derby.

In 1997, Yakteen returned to Bafferts barn and for the next seven years he was part of the team that worked with back-to-back Kentucky Derby winners Silver Charm and Real Quiet and 2001 Derby champion War Emblem.

Having learned patience and the ability to read a horses subtle signs from Baffert and Whittingham, Yakteen opened his own stable in 2004.

By then, he had married Millie Ball, an exercise rider for Baffert. Shes now a host and reporter for digital horse racing network XBTV.

The couples two sons, 16-year-old Sam and 14-year-old Ben, will be at home pouting about missing the Derby because of school, Yakteen said.

What happens after the Derby is up in the air.

Yakteen said theres been no discussions about whether Messier and Taiba will stay in his barn. Bafferts suspension runs through July 2, keeping him out of the Preakness on May 21 and the Belmont on June 11.

Im keeping my fingers crossed that if we have a successful campaign that will be a realistic opportunity, Yakteen said.

At 57, Yakteen knows the huge odds a trainer faces in getting one horse to the Kentucky Derby. And hes got two.

Its like having a lottery ticket sort of fall in your lap, he said. Now were trying to cash it.

___

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
A Toledo, Ohio, man, arrested for a slew of charges including rape and unlawful imprisonment, was arraigned Monday in 2B District Court.

The Hillsdale County Prosecutors Office charged 46-year-old Aaron Matthew Emch with third-degree criminal sexual conduct, unlawful imprisonment, assault by strangulation and domestic violence for an April incident with a woman he was previously romantically involved with.

At the time of the incident, Emch was on a GPS monitoring device out of Ingham County where he has been charged with similar crimes against the same victim.

Authorities were able to track his location with the GPS device and a fugitive team took him into custody where he was lodged in the Hillsdale County Jail.

Emch is tentatively scheduled to appear for a probable cause conference at 10 a.m. May 11 in the 2B District Court where his attorney will have a chance to meet with the prosecutors office to discuss the case and evidence discovery.

A preliminary examination hearing has been scheduled for 2 p.m. May 18 in the 2B District Court. During this hearing the prosecutors office bears the burden of establishing probable cause that crimes were committed and probable cause that Emch is the one who committed the crimes for which he has been charged. If both elements are established the case will then be bound to the 1st Judicial Circuit Court for further hearings.

Emch faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted as charged and remains lodged at the Hillsdale County Jail on a $130,000 bond.

This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Toledo man arrested for unlawful imprisonment, rape
With the end of CDC public health policy of Title 42, an order that allows federal authorities to quickly deport migrants at US borders citing the health pandemic, the Foreign Minister of Honduras warns that it could lead to an increase of migration to the US.

In an interview with Fox News, Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina discussed his recent meetings with officials in the Biden administration, plans on tacking internal corruption and issues of migration to the southern border. Fox News asked Foreign Minister Reina whether there was concern over a mass emigration to the United States when the Biden administration ends Title 42.

DEM TITLE 42 COMPROMISE BEING 'WORKED ON,' HOYER AND SCHUMER SAY, AS MODERATES SEEK DISTANCE FROM WHITE HOUSE

"It will be possible. I think this issue has been a part of the worries and we understand that many people internally and with the different policies that the US has to decide." He said.

Immigrant men from many countries are taken into custody by U.S. Border Patrol agents at the U.S.-Mexico border on December 07, 2021 in Yuma, Arizona. Governors from 26 states have formed a strike force to address the crisis at the border. John Moore/Getty Images

14% of migrants who have been expelled using Title 42 originated from Honduras. The policy was put in place in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic in March of 2020. Already over 100,000 migrants have been encountered from Honduras since the beginning of the Fiscal Year according to CBP data. The Biden administration posted that they would end Title 42 on May 23rd, but a Federal Judge in Louisiana blocked that order earlier this week.

"A main issue that we will have to work together with the Biden administration in order to provide some alternative to develop this possibility of all economic growth in Honduras". He said

Honduras has been a key fixture for the Biden administration in solving the migrant crisis. It is part of the Northern triangle in Central America where over 680,000 migrants originated from in FY 2021. In January, Vice President Kamala Harris attended the inauguration of President Xiomara Castro, head of the left-leaning Libre party, with a focus on combating corruption and irregular migration.

Story continues

Foreign Minister Reina traveled to Washington and New York with a series of White House and State Department officials, including senior director of the NSC department for the Western Hemisphere Juan Sebastian Gonzalez. They discussed the need for more direct aid to Honduras to prevent the flow of migration to the US.

IMMIGRATION NEARS TOP OF LIST OF URGENT ISSUES FOR AMERICANS, OVERTAKING UKRAINE: POLL

"We will really need investment, we need the resources in order to develop our country. And so the people have better social and economic circumstances in their lives, so they will not be obliged to leave the country. And probably that is a main issue that we will have to work together with the Biden administration in order to provide some alternative."

Issues of anticorruption policies and practices were also discussed. Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez was recently extradited to the US on drug trafficking and weapons charges that occurred during his time in office.

Mr. Reina also hoped that Vice President Harris and President Castro could have an additional summit in the United States by the end of the year, expressing confidence that President Castros ambitious agenda will have long lasting change despite being in power for less than 90 days.

"The decision has been taken and the President has a power with the votes of an historic vote of Hondurans. So that what we have to do face and we have this challenge to fulfill all this expect that is that the Honduran people have."
Employees at an Apple store in Towson, Maryland sent a letter to CEO Tim Cook today informing him of their bid to unionize, reported The Washington Post. The group, which has deemed itself the Coalition of Organized Retail Employees, or AppleCore for short, represents the third Apple retail outfit reported to be in the the process of unionizing. One Apple store in Atlanta is scheduled to hold a union vote in June, and another location in New York Citys Grand Central Terminal is collecting signatures. Earlier this year The Post reported that a number of other Apple stores are quietly exploring a potential union campaign, but have yet to make their efforts public.

As our store approaches its 20th year anniversary we think about the history of this company and how we have always been different; because we have always thought differently. Today we are asking you to do the same and to pledge not to use your resources to engage in an anti-union campaign to dissuade us, AppleCores members wrote in the letter. Last month, The Verge reported that Apple contracted the major anti-union law firm, Littler Mendelson, which union organizers saw as a likely attempt to nip union efforts in the bud.

The Towson group claims to have the support of around 65 percent of eligible workers, giving them a supermajority of the stores employees. A workplace only needs signatures from thirty percent of its employees to hold an NLRB union election, but a majority of workers must support unionization in order for a campaign to be successful. As with the other Apple stores which have gone public with their intentions to unionize, Towson workers cited a lack of flexibility in scheduling, concerns around covid safety as well as stagnating pay. Lagging pay seems particularly rankling, as Apple has posted huge gains over the pandemic, even while the economy at large slumps towards a potential recession.

In a statement to The Post, an Apple spokesperson responded to the letter. We are fortunate to have incredible retail team members and we deeply value everything they bring to Apple. We are pleased to offer very strong compensation and benefits for full-time and part-time employees, including health care, tuition reimbursement, new parental leave, paid family leave, annual stock grants and many other benefits.

The Towson store plans to file paperwork later this month with the National Labor Relations Board. Employees at this specific store, located in the Towson Mall, are coordinating with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, a labor union that mostly represents the aerospace and defense industry.
by Burak Akinci

ANKARA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Last week's visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Saudi Arabia, during which the two regional heavyweights vowed to reset their frayed ties, will create a win-win opportunity for both nations, experts said.

This was Erdogan's first visit to the Gulf Arab kingdom since the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 that marred the relations between the two Sunni states.

The Turkish leader was seen embracing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discussed with him regional issues and business opportunities.

After the meetings, Erdogan said Turkey hopes to enhance all kinds of political, military and economic relations to start a "new era" with Saudi Arabia.

Turkey's current diplomatic drive comes amid the country's economic woes which have been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, seeking to attract investments, especially those from energy-rich Gulf states.

The United Arab Emirates, with which Turkey has also taken steps to improve relations, has outlined a plan for a 10 billion U.S. dollar fund to support investments in Turkey.

"There is a general easing of tensions in the Gulf region and the Turkish-Saudi reconciliation should be seen as a part of this drive, and also as a piece of the puzzle in which Ankara is striving to reconcile itself with former regional adversaries," Serkan Demirtas, a Turkish foreign policy analyst, told Xinhua.

Demirats pointed to Ankara's economic motivation for pushing for a detente with Riyadh which also needs a chance to rebuild its international image after the murder of Khashoggi.

"So, putting relations back on track is beneficial for both nations and may have positive consequences for conflicts in the Middle East where they are rivals, notably in Syria," he said.

Ahead of Erdogan's visit, Turkey already made overtures to Saudi Arabia by first toning down its criticism over the Khashoggi case and then in April transferring the trial against 26 Saudi suspects in connection to the case from Turkey to the Gulf kingdom.

"The (Turkish) president's visit to Saudi Arabia is a consecration of improving ties as the two countries are in sync toward a general detente in the region," a Turkish diplomatic source told Xinhua.

"Both nations are aware of economic and political security interests involved behind their efforts for normalization," the source said on condition of anonymity.

For Saudi Arabia, Necmettin Acar, a scholar and expert on Gulf states from Mardin Artuklu University, said security concerns dominate its efforts toward rapprochement with Turkey.

"Currently ... terrorism, conflict, instability and refugee issues are a security threat ... Saudis cannot handle all those issues by themselves," he told semi-official Anadolu Agency.

"Saudi Arabia is seeking the active support of Turkey to cope with instabilities affecting the Arab world, especially the war in Yemen where Riyadh is engaged (against Iran-backed Houthi rebels), and to act as a balancing force regarding Iran," he said.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in early 2016 in protest against the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran following the Saudi execution of a Shiite cleric.

The tensions between the two rivals have shown signs of improvement since they resumed direct talks on normalizing diplomatic relations in April 2021. 
J.D. Vance won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Ohio on Tuesday, emerging from a crowded field with the help of a late endorsement from former President Trump to win with roughly a third of the total vote.

Six other candidates split the rest of the vote, with state Sen. Matt Dolan  who broke with Trump and repudiated his lies about the 2020 election being illegitimate  jockeying for second place. And former state Treasurer Josh Mandel, an erstwhile moderate who took a sharp turn to the right in an effort to win over Trump voters, was likewise projected to finish behind Vance.

J.D. Vance is projected to win the GOP Senate primary in Ohio. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Vance, the author of the bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy and a former venture capitalist, surged to the lead in the GOP primary over the last two weeks, fueled by a Trump endorsement in mid-April. Vance had been stuck in third place prior to receiving Trumps backing.

The result is a boost for Trumps political fortunes ahead of several primaries in other states where the former presidents preferred candidate faces long odds. A big question for Trump is how much credit he gets for Vances victory in the eyes of Republican politicians, donors and activists.

But Vance benefited just as much from someone else: Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel jump-started Vances candidacy and kept it afloat with $13.5 million in funding through a super-PAC.

Josh Mandel, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Ohio. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Vance will face Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan in the fall election on Nov. 8. Ryan easily won the Democratic primary on Tuesday, but will face an uphill battle in Republican-leaning Ohio.

Mandel and Dolan were the closest competitors to Vance, but for different reasons. Mandel has run for statewide office in Ohio three times, and has lost twice and dropped out once. But he had broad name recognition, a preexisting relationship with conservative grassroots voters and nearly $5 million in campaign funds left over from 2018, when he suspended his last Senate campaign citing family issues.

Mandel was aggressive in both seeking Trumps endorsement and in repeating the former presidents false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, despite the thorough debunking of all such claims. Mandel also had robust support from the Club for Growth, a pro-business advocacy group that spent more than $7 million promoting him and running negative ads against his rivals, and the endorsement of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

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In the end, it wasnt enough.

Despite having criticized Trump in searing terms in the past, Vance was able to win the support of the former president. Trumps oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., was one of Vances biggest backers.

GOP contender Matt Dolan speaks to reporters after a rally in Columbus, Ohio on Monday. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

And Thiel is another influential voice in Trumps orbit, as is Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who frequently hosts Vance on his show.

Dolan, meanwhile, was the only Republican to firmly reject Trumps 2020 election lies. Dolan said that Trump was perpetuat[ing] lies about the outcome and that the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol was a failure of leadership by Trump and an attack on democracy.

But he did not reject Trump entirely, saying that he agreed with the former president on many policy issues.

Dolan helped his own cause by spending nearly $11 million on his campaign, with $8.5 million of that going to TV ads. His campaign was originally dismissed by many as a vanity project, but a last-minute surge in polling solidified his standing as a serious contender for the Senate nomination.

Despite his vast wealth, Dolan was not even the leader in self-funding. That honor went to businessman Mike Gibbons, who poured $17 million of his own fortune into the race. Gibbons, who engaged in an embarrassing physical confrontation with Mandel at a debate in March, was projected to finish in fourth place.

The Ohio Republican primary saw a torrent of cash from all directions. Former Ohio GOP chair Jane Timken also spent more than $4 million of her own money on the race. In all, candidates and interest groups spent around $66 million on this primary alone.

Vance and Ryan will now compete to win Ohios open Senate seat, which is being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Rob Portman. Democrats are desperate to hold onto the Senate this November, which they currently control only because of Vice President Kamala Harris tie-breaking vote.
Drew Angerer/Getty

CINCINNATI, OhioJust weeks after former President Donald Trump gave him his tepid endorsement, one-time author and venture capitalist turned Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance won the GOP nomination for Ohios Senate seat Tuesday night, further strengthening the argument that Trump is still the kingmaker in the Republican Party.

The Associated Press called the race for Vance a little after 9:30 p.m. EDT, with Vance holding a decisive lead over the rest of the field. His nearest competitor, former state treasurer Josh Mandel, appeared to be at least seven points behind with two-thirds of the vote in31 percent to 24 percent.

Vances victory shows the weight that Trumps blessing can still have in a red stateTrump defeated President Joe Biden in Ohio by eight percentage pointsboth with voters and with donors.

Trump Praises Imaginary Ohio Senate Candidate J.D. Mandel

Vance spent most of his Senate campaign toiling at the back of the pack of Republican candidates, unable to break through with Ohio voters and lagging behind businessman Mike Gibbons and Mandelthe latter of whom desperately courted the MAGA vote with even more outlandish and overt appeals to Trump than even Vance was willing to muster.

But it was Vance who ultimately secured Trumps blessing. And once he got Trumps endorsement, Vance surged to the front of the polls for the first time in the contest and couldnt be caught.

At the onset, the Republican race to replace retiring Sen. Rob Portman turned into an Apprentice-like contest for Trumps nodwith every candidate issuing bombastic statements, taking trips to Mar-a-Lago, and appearing with friends and allies of Trumpworld.

That race to the bottom manifested itself in months of infighting, cynicism, and increasingly transparent appeals to win the hearts of a determinative MAGA base. The finger-pointing engendered a skepticism among Ohio Republicans, reflected in poll after poll as a persistent uncertainty, with the majority of supporters behind any given candidate signaling that they were prepared to change their minds before Election Day.

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Trumps J.D. Vance Endorsement Looks Flimsier and Flimsier

Trump himself captured that uncertaintyintentionally or notat a rally the weekend before votes were cast by declaring his allegiance to a Vance-Mandel chimera: J.D. Mandel.

When Trump later tried to set the record straight in a joint telerally with Vance, he actually reasserted his apparent political pantheism, admitting to the audience that he liked all of the candidates, congratulating himself for the courage it required to finally weigh in on the mess that the toxic campaign had created.

In testament to the effects of that toxicity, the lone moderate holdout, state senator Matt Dolan, gathered momentum only in the weeks following Trumps endorsement, running second behind Vance with just days to go. While Dolans home-stretch burst ultimately didnt outstrip the velocity Vance gained from Trumps endorsement, it was politically significant, signaling that a not insignificant contingent of the Ohio GOP base was willing to repudiate the former president.

Initially, Vance seemed like an unlikely choice, given his record of insulting Trump both in public and in private. Before it was scrubbed early in the primary race, Vances Twitter feed was full of negative comments about the former president in the lead up to and the aftermath of the 2016 election, even referring to him in one conversation with a former law school classmate as Americas Hilter. But with the help of Trump ally and Vance-backer billionaire Peter Theil, the Hillbilly Elegy author was able to work himself back into the former presidents good graces.

Vance will now face off with Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), in what promises to be one of the more expensive and contentious Senate races of the general election.

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A gobbler in full display struts for his harem of hen turkey.

Gobbler season.

Just the tom and us at sunrise.

Starts May 1 in New York state, and runs through the month. (Though the two-day youth season ran two days first, April 23 and 24.)

But in reality, there is a very good chance that there is another turkey hunter in that same stretch of woods at first-light too.

When that old bird sounds off, more than one pair of ears is likely tuned to that awakening sound.

Chances are great that another camouflaged gobbler seeker is listening, maybe from the other side of the hill or woodlot, drawn by that tom's raucous gobble.

Gobbles carry a long way in the early part of the season before leaf-out.

And they can call other hunters in from afar.

When one "gets going," that is gobbling and gobbling, you can bet your facemask, another hunter is excited too.

So when we hear another turkey caller hit his or her call ... what should we do?

Is it ethical to move in on someone else and try to call the bird away?

Is that part of the sport?

Or should we bail out, go off over the ridge into the next stretch of woods and try to get another one going?

One caution: it is easy to get fooled into thinking that every time we hear a hen call and a gobbler answer, that it's another hunter.

Occasionally, what sounds like another hunter is actually a real hen, yelping to a tom. Some real hens have bad calls. As they say, a real hen turkey couldn't win a Turkey Calling Championship. They don't sound real enough, ironic as that may be.

So, when we hear a call, a wise move is to access the situation first until, 100% sure that indeed, its a real hen.

Setting up and working a bird that someone else is set up on and calling to, and then moving in, is a recipe for a dangerous confrontation.

Our nature may make us nervous when we perceive that someone else is moving in on "our bird."

This anxiety, feeding into our adrenaline-charged competitive natures plus guns is a dangerous emotional soup.

I've been shot at while calling a tom.

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A pair of rookie turkey hunters, a father and his son, tried to bushwhack a tom I was calling.

Luckily, the novice hunters started blasting away at about 75 yards out.

After their shooting stopped, and I stopped yelling, "Stop shooting!" we were all scared. They apologized profusely, admitting they had not seen me and thought my calls were the turkey.

A few years ago I was calling to a tom down in a steep hollow on State land, with two buddies. The bird was with hens and would only sporadically answer.

All of a sudden, from behind us, the sound of crashing brush and breaking branches broke our attention away from the turkeys down in front.

I thought someone's heifers had gotten out.

Three camo-ed turkey hunters on almost a run, or at least a forced march, broke through the thick brush behind us and stopped when they saw us sitting there.

One said, "Boy you guy's sound good. We thought it was a flock of hens."

"What the bleep are you guys doing?" I yelled.

They left quickly with a "Sorry..." muffled and embarrassed without another word.

First of all, never, ever, ever, come in on another turkey caller. It is a good way for an accident to happen.

But why were those hunters coming into hen calls? Just because there are "hens" (actually me) calling does not necessarily mean that there are gobblers there.

The sport of gobbler hunting is to call them in, not stalk or bushwhack the bird.

OAK DUKE

Part of the experience of hunting is the desire to discover that space where we can do our own thing, one-on-one with nature.

Leaving a gobbling tom to another hunter who has obviously been working him first, is not only the ethical and right thing to do, it is the safe thing too.

Oak Duke writes a weekly column appearing on the Outdoors page.

This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Turkey hunting: A safety tip for gobbler season
Getty

It is day 70 of Putins war in Ukraine, but at least in Russia, the war isnt official just yetRussian leadership has continued to tout the invasion as a special military operation.

But that might all change on Victory Day, the day Russia celebrates the Soviet Unions victory in World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing to declare war against Ukraine on Victory Day, May 9, western and Ukrainian officials believe.

Putin will be declaring a full mobilization for war on May 9, Ukraines top military spy, Kyrylo Budanov, predicted this week. U.S. officials are also warning that Russia could declare war as soon as May 9, CNN reported.

Some senior U.S. officials fear Putin will massively escalate attacks on Ukraine in the coming days. Senior Biden administration officials are growing increasingly concerned that Putin is growing desperate to declare any sort of win in Ukraine as Victory Day approaches.

He needs a victory to survive, one senior administration official told The Daily Beast. A repeat of [the Soviet loss in] Afghanistan is literally an existential threat to a regime that is built on the idea that a strongman leader can revive the glory of the Russian empire.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a concert marking the anniversary of the annexation of Crimea, on March 18, 2022 in Moscow, Russia. Getty

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly, said that the pressure to deliver a victory, any kind of victory, could set into motion an unprecedented escalation.

Putin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has denied Russia would announce mobilization or officially declare war on Ukraine on Victory Day.

Some of the days festivities could tout seeming successes of the invasion into Ukraine as a way to bolster support back homeeither just to show off some alleged wins to justify the invasion or to garner support for further escalation.

The pomp and circumstance could include the twisted plan to present 500 Ukrainian prisoners of war during a parade to show Russias military might in comparison to Ukraines, according to a report from Russian human rights project "Gulagu.net. Putin is also reportedly considering holding sham trials of Ukrainians that Russia has claimed have been supportive of Nazis, in an imitation of the Nuremberg trials that worked to hold German Nazi leadership accountable.

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Watch: Troops say Russia's war is falling apart

The warnings of Russias plans come as Russian forces are suffering massive lossesas of Wednesday, Russia has lost 24,500 troops, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. And the Russian military has been struggling to keep its manpower up to the task, working to recruit more people to join up, without much success.

Declaring war more formally would allow Russia to tap into reserve forces to swell its military operation on the ground in Ukraine to reach for a more decisive victory.

The symbolic Victory Day comes at a moment where Putin needs all the help he can get after his forces have been faltering for weeks. After his troops failed to take Kyiv and achieve some of his more ambitious goals in Ukraine, Russian forces have had to retreat and replenish their supplies to go after Eastern Ukraine, in a kind of plan B for Russia. And while fighting continues in Eastern Ukraine, the delay in rerouting plans towards the east has allowed Ukraine to build up its weaponry to try to more effectively thwart Russian attacks, which may put Russia at a disadvantage for some time, Rob Lee, a Russian military analyst, told The Daily Beast.

I dont think time is on Russias side, as Ukraine receives more modern weapons [such as] the howitzers, Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, told The Daily Beast. I think Ukraine is going to be in a stronger position in a few weeks relative to today.

The symbolic nature of Victory Day could serve as the ideal platform for Putin to pepper Russians with more propaganda on the invasion in Ukraine to garner support for a larger scale mobilization. But selling a more full-hearted mobilization domestically might be difficult, given that Russia has been suggesting that the special operation is going well.

Im quite curious, Budanov said. How will they explain this to their own people? Why does Russia, with its, as they say, the first or second army in the world, need mobilization, when, according to their official reports, everything is going according to plan and Ukraine as a military machine is nothing?

The date could, of course, have no bearing on whether Putin declares war. The future of Putins war in Ukraine will depend on what happens on the ground in Eastern Ukraine, not a date, Michael Kofman, the research program director in the Russia Studies Program at CNA, a Virginia-based national security research organization, told The Daily Beast.

The political leadership [will] assess the current situation in Donbas and their likelihood of achieving their goals by this campaign, Kofman said. Right now its still unclear if the Russian offensive is going very slowly because theyre meeting far more resistance than they expected, because their forces are much weaker now, or are they actually prosecuting this more methodically and more carefully to preserve the force.

And Russian forces arent doing so hot in Eastern Ukraine, a senior U.S. defense official said in a briefing Monday.

They still have not solved all their logistics problem, and quite frankly, theres a risk and casualty aversion that we continue to see by the Russians now, not just in the air, but on the ground, the senior U.S. defense official said. The Russians are being very, very cautious, very tepid.

Ukraine Spy Boss Declares War Will End in Putins Death

Pulling out all the stops for Ukraine, in any case, might be political suicide for Putin, warned Lee. After mobilizing for a war, the expectations of successes from Ukraine might be highersuccesses the Russian military hasnt proved it can achieve. And if conscripts die in large numbers, upheaval about Putins decisions might mount.

With volunteers its a bit of a different scenario where Russians can say, ok you chose to join, you chose to serve, Lee told The Daily Beast. If you mobilize it means you need to achieve something more, because then the stakes are raised higher. And if you start sending conscripts to war, they start getting killed in large numbers, that becomes a really big political risk.

U.S. officials have warned Victory Day might not be the endgame for Putin, as well, and have been fuzzy on the date at which Putin might make his next big move in Ukraine. Sometime around mid-May, for instance, Putin will likely try to annex portions of Eastern Ukraine as well as Kherson, Michael Carpenter, the U.S. Ambassador to Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, predicted this week.

The intelligence on the plans is highly credible, Carpenter said.

We believe that Russia will try to annex the Donetsk peoples republic and Luhansk peoples republic to Russia, Carpenter said Monday in a briefing with reporters. I cannot speak to whether Russia will be able to execute on its planning, but this is the planning that we are seeing.

Budanov, Ukraine defense intelligence chief, however, warned that the Russian military is eyeing victory on May 9 in Eastern Ukraine in the Donbas.

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Protestors against Russia's invasion of Ukraine

The European Commission has proposed excluding three more Russian banks from Swift, an international payment system used by thousands of financial institutions.

It comes after the EU and its allies suspended seven institutions from the system in March.

The move aims to hit the country's banking network and its access to funds via Swift, which is pivotal for the smooth transaction of money worldwide.

What is Swift?

Swift is the global financial artery that allows the smooth and rapid transfer of money across borders. It stands for Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication.

Created in 1973 and based in Belgium, Swift links 11,000 banks and institutions in more than 200 countries.

But Swift is not your traditional High Street bank. It is a sort of instant messaging system that informs users when payments have been sent and arrived.

It sends more than 40 million messages a day, as trillions of dollars change hands between companies and governments.

More than 1% of those messages were thought to involve Russian payments.

How will banning Russia from Swift affect it?

In March, seven Russian banks were removed from Swift including Bank Otkritie, Novikombank, Promsvyazbank, Bank Rossiya, Sovcombank, Vnesheconombank (VEB) and VTB Bank.

The European Commission now wants to exclude a further three including the country's biggest lender, Sberbank, which accounts for more than a third of Russia's banking sector.

The package still has to be approved by EU ambassadors and is set to be signed off in the next few days.

Person counting roubles

The EU, US, UK and others have said that cutting banks out of Swift will ensure they "are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally".

The aim is for Russian companies to lose access to the normal smooth and instant transactions provided by Swift, disrupting payments for its valuable energy and agricultural exports.

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Banks now have to deal directly with one another, adding delays and extra costs, and ultimately cutting off revenues for the Russian government.

Russia was threatened with a Swift expulsion before - in 2014 when it annexed Crimea. Russia said the move would be tantamount to a declaration of war.

Western allies did not go ahead, but the threat did prompt Russia to develop its own, very fledgling, cross-border transfer system called the System for Transfer of Financial Messages (SPFS) as an alternative to Swift.

Few foreign countries currently use SPFS, but India is reportedly considering a Russian proposal to use it for payments in roubles.

Separately, Moscow is working with Beijing to connect to China's Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) - another alternative to Swift which processes payments in Chinese yuan.

Swift logo

Why was the West divided over Swift?

Some nations - such as Germany, France and Italy - were initially reluctant to take action against Russia's use of Swift.

There were concerns that companies owed money by Russia would have to find alternative ways to get paid.

There were also fears it could impact the global banking system, although there is no evidence of this yet.

Alexei Kudrin, Russia's former finance minister, has suggested being cut off from Swift could shrink Russia's economy by 5%.

However, there are doubts about the lasting impact on Russia's economy, particularly if banks find sustainable ways to reroute payments via countries that have not imposed sanctions.

Who owns and controls Swift?

Swift was created by American and European banks, which did not want a single institution developing their own system and having a monopoly.

The network is now jointly-owned by more than 2,000 banks and financial institutions.

It is overseen by the National Bank of Belgium, in partnership with major central banks around the world - including the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England.

Swift helps make secure international trade possible for its members, and is not supposed to take sides in disputes.

However, Iran was banned from Swift in 2012, as part of sanctions over its nuclear programme. It lost almost half of its oil export revenues and 30% of foreign trade.

Swift says it has no influence over sanctions and any decision to impose them rests with governments.
Olena Roshchina - Wednesday, 4 May 2022, 11:53 Sergey Shoigu, Russian Minister of Defence, has once again claimed that Russian troops are in full control of Mariupol. Meanwhile, Ukrainian intelligence reports that Russian occupiers are preparing to "celebrate" 9 May, Victory Day, in the devastated city of Mariupol rather than in Donetsk. Source: Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine; RIA Novosti According to the Ukrainian Intelligence Directorate: "Sergey Kirienko, Deputy Head of Russian Presidential Administration responsible for the internal affairs of the Russian Federation, has arrived in the devastated city of Mariupol. He is known to have recently been made responsible for matters relating to the ORDLO [Temporarily Occupied Territories of Donetsk and Luhansk Region controlled by Russia] in the Kremlin. The Putin official's main task is to prepare 'ceremonial celebrations' for 9 May. It has become known that the Ruscists have abandoned the idea of 'celebrating' in the occupied city of Donetsk, including revoking the pretend 'military parade'. No preparations are currently being undertaken in ORDLO to this end. According to the Ruscists' plans, Mariupol is now to become the site of the 'celebrations'. To this end, rubble, the bodies of murdered civilians and unexploded Russian ordnance are being cleared away from the city's central streets." Details: According to Ukrainian intelligence, the Russian propaganda media are preparing to air stories about local residents' "joy" on meeting the Russian occupation troops on Russian TV. Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov and Head of the Donetsk occupation administration Denis Pushylin have visited Mariupol to prepare relevant materials. Meanwhile, the Russian Defence Minister said during a conference call that Mariupol "is under the control of the Russian army and beginning to return to a 'peaceful life'". Shoigu called Mariupol the largest industrial and transport hub in the Sea of Azov. Ukrainian soldiers and civilians remain in the bunkers of the Azovstal steelworks. On 3 May, Russian troops once again stormed Azovstal.
As more than 100 people evacuate the Mariupol steel plant, the European Union has announced its sixth round of sanctions against Russia, saying that Russian President Putin must pay a high price for the war in Ukraine. NBC News Matt Bradley breaks down how the situation in the Mariupol steel plant in unfolding and whats in the E.U.s latest sanctions.
HAVANA (AP)  The U.S. Embassy in Havana has resumed processing visas for Cubans, though on a limited basis, more than four years after stopping consular services on the island amid a hardening of relations. The resumption comes as the number of Cubans trying to emigrate illegally to United States surges.

A State Department official on Wednesday told The Associated Press that for the time being U.S. officials in Havana will only process visa requests from Cubans who are the parents of U.S. citizens, under a category known as IR-5, and that the Biden administration in the future will evaluate expanding the services to others.

The official, who was not authorized to be quoted by name, said the U.S. government decided to process only visa requests from this group because of the unique age, health, and mobility challenges for this category of applicants.

Any other applicants should apply for visas through the U.S. Embassy in Guyana, as they've done since 2018, when the administration of former President Donald Trump withdrew embassy staff from Havana.

Operations at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba started being reduced in 2017 following reports of unexplained health problems among some employees, which became known as the Havana Syndrome and was a major issue during the Trump administration.

Trump increased sanctions against the Caribbean island, from the cancellation of permits to send remittances, to penalties for companies from third countries that operate in Cuba, to limitation of flights and the punishment of oil tankers bound for Cuba.

The sanctions affected the rapprochement between the U.S. and Cuba that had been initiated by former President Barack Obama.

President Joe Biden had promised to relax the tough measures, but so far this has not happened.

The resumption of visa processing in Havana came less than two weeks after the U.S. and Cuba held their highest-level diplomatic talks in four years, focused on migration.

The State Department said the talks covered areas of successful cooperation on migration but also identified obstacles to ensuring safe, orderly and legal migration.

U.S. border authorities reported last month that the number of Cubans seeking entry had doubled from February to March to 32,500 and is now five times the number it was in October.
TASHKENT (Reuters) - Uzbekistan will allow companies to mine cryptocurrencies using solar energy and will exempt all crypto operations by domestic and foreign companies from income tax, according to a presidential decree published this week.

The Tashkent government wants miners to power their farms by installing their own solar panels.

Alternatively, mining companies can be connected to the power grid if they pay double the regular price. However, during peak consumption periods extra surcharges can be levied, according to the decree.

No license is required for mining but the company must be registered by a newly formed Uzbek National Agency for Perspective Projects, the document said.

Some cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin, are created by a process called proof of work which requires computers to "mine" the currency by solving complex puzzles. Powering those computers involves large amounts of electricity.

Uzbekistan legalized cryptocurrency trading in 2018 but only on a domestic crypto exchange. The central Asian nation has also launched a series of renewable energy projects, mostly solar and wind power plants.

Neighbouring Kazakhstan, which became the world's second-largest centre for bitcoin mining after the United States last year, has cracked down on mining after such operations strained its power grid dominated by ageing coal power plants.

(Reporting by Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov; Editing by Robert Birsel)
People stand still in Jerusalem, as a siren sounds in memory of Israel's fallen soldiers and people killed in attacks, May 4, 2022. Israel, from Tuesday evening until Wednesday evening, marks the Memorial Day (Yom HaZikaron) to commemorate the fallen soldiers and civilians killed in hostilities since 1860. (Xinhua/Shang Hao)

People stand still in Jerusalem, as a siren sounds in memory of Israel's fallen soldiers and people killed in attacks, May 4, 2022. Israel, from Tuesday evening until Wednesday evening, marks the Memorial Day (Yom HaZikaron) to commemorate the fallen soldiers and civilians killed in hostilities since 1860. (Xinhua/Shang Hao)
Donald Trump scored a victory Tuesday night in Ohio, where GOP Senate nominee J.D. Vance won the Republican primary largely on the back of the former presidents support.

The nominating contest, which was widely viewed as a test of Trumps power, marked an early win in his effort to solidify his status as a Republican kingmaker now that hes out of office and the 2022 primaries are underway in full force.

Should Trump enjoy more successes after Vances win, his power within the Republican Party will only swell  a big boost for him as he mulls running again for the White House in 2024. But if other endorsees struggle and Vance is a one-off, it could hurt Trumps brand with grassroots voters.

Here are five primaries where Trumps endorsement is on the line.

West Virginias 2nd Congressional District (May 10)

The next test Trump will face is in West Virginia, where redistricting lumped the former presidents preferred candidate, Rep. Alex Mooney (R), in the same district with David McKinley (R).

The race represents a battle between the GOPs two flanks: Mooney is a staunchly conservative member of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, and McKinley is widely viewed as a traditional conservative.

The race has become personal, with Mooney highlighting McKinleys votes for a bipartisan infrastructure bill and the formation of a bipartisan committee to investigate the Jan. 6 attacks. McKinley has shot back by highlighting the fact that Mooney moved from Maryland shortly before his successful 2014 congressional bid.

Trump endorsed Mooney in November, with Mooney specifically saying the support would help propel him to the GOP nomination.

I am honored to receive President Trumps endorsement, Mooney said in a statement at the time. I am a proud America First conservative and will do whatever I can to carry on the Presidents legacy of fighting for election integrity, defeating socialism, and supporting the Second Amendment in Congress. West Virginians are proud Trump Republicans, and I know the Presidents endorsement ensures victory.

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Trump held a tele-rally with Mooney in Tuesday, though he has not put much money or other emphasis behind his endorsement besides that.

Meanwhile, McKinley is running on a bring-home-the-bacon message and is being supported by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). Manchin is the rare Democrat who is able to get elected in deep Trump country and appeared in a 30-second clip last week saying, David McKinley is all about us.

Next weeks contest could serve as a gauge of Trumps power in less prominent races and how much an endorsement needs to be backed up by subsequent involvement for his endorsees to emerge victorious.

Pennsylvanias GOP Senate primary (May 17)

Pennsylvanias Senate GOP primary is the next race with a national profile in which Trump has endorsed.

After Sean Parnell, Trumps original endorsee in the primary, dropped out last year after a lost custody battle, the former president in April endorsed Mehmet Oz, the celebrity cardiothoracic surgeon.

Oz and former hedge fund manager David McCormick are running neck and neck at the top of the polls, and the Trump endorsement has not yet helped Oz break away.

Oz, who Trump said he endorsed in part because of his familiarity with voters from his longtime talk show, faces a number of attacks from the Republican grassroots, mainly over his recent residence in New Jersey and past stances on issues like abortion and gun rights that run contrary to GOP orthodoxy.

Meanwhile, McCormick, who also lived in Connecticut until recently, is casting himself as the true Pennsylvanian candidate and using much of his personal wealth to blanket the airwaves touting his loyalty to Trumps agenda.

Trumps involvement has become the top issue in the primary, with Oz defending his past stances by noting Trumps endorsement.

President Trump endorsed me, Oz said at a primary debate last week. The first point he made about why is Im a conservative, America-first Republican.

Should Oz ultimately lose, Trump could still claim victory by pointing to McCormicks embrace of his agenda and noting to Ozs past policy heresies. But should he be able to drag Oz over the finish line despite his thin ties to Pennsylvania and once-liberal stances, it would speak volumes about the value voters place on Trumps support.

North Carolinas GOP Senate primary (May 17)

Trump endorsed Rep. Ted Budd (R) in a surprise announcement back in June, though Budd did not truly catch fire until recently.

Budds main primary rivals are former Gov. Pat McCrory and former Rep. Mark Walker. McCrory is considered more of a traditional Republican, while Walker is more closely aligned with Trump.

McCrory boasted a substantial polling lead for months, leading Trump to try to get Walker to drop out of the race and run for his old House seat instead to consolidate his supporters behind Budd, though Walker rebuffed his request.

However, Budd has benefited from an avalanche of spending by the conservative Club for Growth.

Throughout the race, Budd has tied himself closely to Trump, indicating he views the endorsement as his ticket to the nomination. Meanwhile, McCrory, who entered the race with significantly more name ID from his four years as governor, has said he supports Trumps policies while not embracing the former president himself.

Should Budd end up winning the primary, Trump would undoubtedly declare victory, though the Club for Growths investment is expected to play a massive role in a potential win.

Idahos GOP gubernatorial primary (May 17)

Trump inserted himself into Idahos bloody GOP gubernatorial primary in November, and his endorsed candidate, Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, appears to be on her backfoot in the race.

Gov. Brad Little and his deputy have been going back and forth for months over the states early handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Little, a more traditional conservative, initially refrained from issuing orders barring mask or vaccine mandates. However, the state constitution allows McGeachin to essentially serve as the acting governor if the sitting governor leaves the state, and last May she banned mask mandates and in October banned vaccine mandates.

Both orders were swiftly rescinded upon Littles return to the state, with the governor accusing McGeachin of grandstanding.

Trump, in his November endorsement, called McGeachin a true supporter of his movement and said she will never let you down!

However, Little has remained in a strong position, holding a 41-point lead over McGeachin in a January poll.

Trump has done little to boost McGeachin beyond his endorsement, an apparent recognition of the stiff headwinds she faces.

Georgias GOP gubernatorial primary (May 24)

Trump is possibly most keen on seeing his endorsed candidate win in this months Georgia GOP gubernatorial primary  a race at the fore over ongoing controversies over the 2020 election.

Gov. Brian Kemp (R), who first won his seat in 2018 and is running for a second term, drew Trumps fury when he rebuffed calls to overturn the former presidents loss in the state in 2020.

Trump, in turn, endorsed former Sen. David Perdue (R) to run against Kemp, with Perdue focusing almost exclusively on casting Kemp as a squishy moderate who caved to Democrats two years ago.

Trump has repeated unfounded claims that widespread election fraud cost him his 2020 reelection bid, and Kemp has found himself persona non grata in Trumps orbit.

However, Kemp continues to hold a yawning lead over Perdue, with a recent poll showing him with a 53-26 advantage over Perdue  a result that, if it holds, would allow Kemp to avoid a runoff.

Such a margin would be an embarrassment for both Perdue and Trump  and the former president is doing whatever he can to make sure it doesnt happen.

Trump held a rally in March on behalf of Perdue and Herschel Walker, his chosen candidate in Georgias Senate race. Trump this week also held a telerally for Perdue.

The former president also transferred $500,000 from his leadership PAC to a super PAC devoted to defeating Kemp, a donation that marked Trumps first major financial involvement in a midterm race.

Besides the election controversies, Kemp boasts a staunchly conservative record and has leaned hard into culture war issues to shore up his right flank, including by expanding gun rights and restricting access to the ballot, setting the primary up to be a test of grassroots voters willingness to rebuke a candidate who falls in line with their values on most issues but doesnt toe Trumps line on the 2020 election.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)  President Nicolas Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelan officials have met with the oil minister of Iran to discuss cooperation in energy matters and efforts to defeat economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and its allies.

Officials from both oil-producing nations ratified agreements in this week's meetings in Venezuela, according to a statement from that countrys Petroleum Ministry. Irans delegation was led by Oil Minister Javad Owji.

Venezuelan Petroleum Minister Tareck El Aissami praised "the position assumed by the Persian nation in the construction of routes and mechanisms to overcome the unilateral coercive measures imposed by the government of the United States and allied countries, according to the statement.

Neither country announced the visit in advance.

Since late President Hugo Chavez won power in 1999 and founded the current leftist government, Venezuela has strengthened relations in the energy, commercial, financial and industrial areas with Iran. In recent years, Iran has shipped gasoline and other products to the country amid a U.S. sanctions campaign.

Venezuela has one of the largest oil reserves in the world, but its industry is facing a crisis that officials associate with the sanctions imposed by the U.S. to pressure the exit of the Maduro government, but which analysts maintain which is due to a fall in production, financial difficulties and lack of investment.

Maduro on Tuesday tweeted that Venezuela has always had the support of Iran. He added that Iran can count on Venezuelas support and commitment to continue advancing along the path of shared benefit and complementarity for our peoples.

Owji also tweeted that the countries have a long history and want to use all capacities to develop mutual relations and cooperation.
Lauderdale County Sheriff

New videos show the lengths Alabama prison guard Vicky White went to in order to abscond with an extremely violent murder inmate who officials say shed previously lavished with extra food.

White, 56, the assistant director of corrections in Lauderdale County, vanished last Friday with 38-year-old Casey White (no relation), an inmate awaiting trial for stabbing 58-year-old Connie Ridgeway to death in 2015. The six-foot-nine White had already been sentenced in 2019 to 75 years for a crime spree that included attempting to gun down his ex-girlfriend, stealing an SUV, shooting and killing a dog, and taking three hostages.

Vicky White had filed for retirement on Thursday after what Sheriff Rick Singleton described as an unblemished and decorated career, but investigators have since found out that she secretly had a special relationship with Casey.

We got information from some of the inmates over the weekend, that they had a relationship, Singleton told WAAY 31. What they were talking about was he had extra food on his trays. He was getting special privileges. She was doing special things for him that other inmates didnt get. That he was getting treated special.

Guard Who Fled With Murder Inmate Was Cashed Up and Eyeing Florida, Her Family Says

The pair, who may have first met in early 2020 when Casey White was brought to Lauderdale County for an arraignment, did not have any physical contact but their relationship extended after Vickys work hours, he said.

New videos released Tuesday show Vicky escorting a shackled Casey White into the back of her patrol car on Friday morning after telling colleagues she was taking him to the courthouse for a mental health evaluation before going to the doctor because she felt unwell. Casey White was supposed to be supervised by two deputies but Vicky told her subordinate that other officers had left for court, and she was the only one left with a firearm, Singleton said.

The pair then drove to a shopping center about 10 minutes away, ditched the patrol car, and jumped into a copper-colored 2007 Ford Edge SUV. A tipster provided information about the SUV but, according to Singleton, the information was prematurely released by the U.S. Marshals before investigators could try to track it down so the couple have possibly ditched that car by now, too.

Story continues

Another short clip released Wednesday shows the pair driving down Huntsville Road on their way to the Florence Square shopping center, where they abandoned the patrol car.

Whites patrol car can be seen in the top right corner of the surveillance footage. Lauderdale County Sheriff

Vicky was a frugal saver and was flush with cash after selling her home recently, the mother of her late ex-husband told The Daily Beast on Tuesday. While Francis White has no idea where her ex-daughter-in-law may have fled, she said Vicky had previously expressed a desire to head to Florida.

Maybe hes got her brainwashed, she said.

Meanwhile, the ex-girlfriend terrorized by Casey White in his 2015 crime spree said shes terrified he will track her down while on the lam.

We are freaking out, she told WAAY 31, without being identified. We dont know if he is going to show up and take us out like he tried to do before.

A warrant has been issued for Vicky White, 56, charging her with permitting or facilitating escape in the first degree in connection with capital murder suspect Casey White's escape from jail: https://t.co/9Lx6DHM6PC pic.twitter.com/hULhU1g1QR  U.S. Marshals (@USMarshalsHQ) May 3, 2022

Casey White is considered armed and dangerous as he would now have access to Vickys firearm.

A $15,000 reward has been offered for anyone with information leading to the pairs capture, and a warrant has been issued for Vicky White for aiding an escape. While her colleagues initially hoped that she may have been coerced into the extraordinary escape, they now believe she was a willing participant.

Personally I think shes already regretting what shes done, Singleton said. The sooner she brings this to an end the better for her.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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A woman was arrested after police say she intentionally set a car on fire in Larimer.

Police said they, along with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire, were dispatched to the 400 block of Larimer Avenue in response to reports of a vehicle on fire just after 11 a.m. on May 2.

Responding units spoke with someone who said a woman was trying to break into her home before trying to set a car on fire that was parked beside the house.

Police said the suspect fled in a white Buick and a witness took a picture of the license plate number.

A little over an hour later, an officer spotted the car at Hamilton Avenue and Nadir Way and pulled it over. The owner of the car was in the passenger seat.

Police took the victim and witness to the scene where the suspect was identified.

Chifawn Jackson, 34, of Pittsburgh was arrested and charged with arson, criminal attempt trespass, criminal attempt burglary and criminal mischief.

Jackson was transported to the Allegheny County Jail.

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A pair of special use permits  for the Blue Mountain Barrel House billboards along U.S. 29 and for a rustic Crabtree Falls-adjacent campground  will head to the Nelson County Board of Supervisors review after the countys planning commission recommended approval for both on April 27.

Its a special place, James McCullough of Virginia Beach said of his 35-acre property along Crabtree Falls Highway. Im blessed to be the steward of this land for a couple of years.

McCullough told the board hed purchased the land about a year ago and is planning to create a very simple outdoor experience, on the property.

According to Planning & Zoning Director Dylan Bishop, zoning in the area is Agricultural (A-1) and Conservation (C-1) because of its location within George Washington National Forest. McCulloughs property is about half a mile west of the Crabtree Falls trailhead and is bordered by the Tye River and Joe Creek. McCullough proposes to construct two platforms for tent camping along an existing logging trail.

McCullough told the board he intends to provide guided fishing, yoga, hiking and forest bathing experiences to registered visitors.

We look forward to partner with local residents and businesses to provide some of these unique experiences, his permit application reads. McCullough wrote he intends to bring existing local guides, instructors, artisans, and more for small, intimate outdoor experiences that anyone living in or visiting the county could enjoy.

West District representative Mike Harman asked McCullough what he meant by forest bathing.

Are we talking about swimming? East District representative Charles Amante also asked.

McCullough explained forest bathing, forest therapy, or shinrin-yoku is a guided forest immersion experience originating in Japan. Participants are invited to experience nature without distractions.

Central District representative Robin Hauschner expressed concern about visitors depleting local trout species. McCullough responded the fishing guide he intends to partner with will only practice and allow catch-and-release fishing.

The board voted unanimously to recommend approval of the special use permit with the condition that only two tent sites be permitted.

Also at the meeting, Taylor Smack, owner of Blue Mountain Barrel House, spoke on behalf of his two trailer-billboards along U.S. 29 in Colleen.

Smack said his business started renting a lot owned by Mary Kim Cangialosi  located between the old BP gas station and Colleen Drive-in  about a year ago. Blue Mountain Barrel House has parked two trailers facing north and south along U.S. 29 with vinyl signs advertising the location of their farm brewery and restaurant on Cooperative Way.

According to Bishop, Blue Mountain Barrel House is required to secure a permit from Virginia Department of Transportation and the county to keep the advertisements.

Smack said of his advertising on wheels: we kind of thought it was a handy little loophole, through VDOT restrictions. He added VDOT indicated to him they would issue a permit if the county first issues a special use permit, which Bishop confirmed.

Smack clarified the billboards are not intended to be permanent. He said his business hasnt been drawing in much of the heavy traffic along U.S. 29 because of its out-of-the-way location.

People dont see it as a tourist spot and were trying to change that. Smack told the board.

Harman weighed in: Most of us have been to your place and its kind of hidden back in a beautiful setting and hopefully people will notice where it is.

The commission voted to recommend approval of the special use permit, which Bishop pointed out can only be used for Blue Mountain Barrel Houses advertising on the property. The board of supervisors will consider the permit application at its regular June meeting.

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A new era for Twitter

Now that Elon Musk has bought Twitter, of course Trump is going to go back on it. The interesting thing is more Republicans are upset about this than Democrats. They fear his tweets will cost them the mid-terms.

So how did we get to the point that a major political partys platform is based on attitudes and events that are demonstratively untrue and in some respects unhinged? A little history then. After the Great Depression and World War II the Republican Party for the most part accepted two basic ideas of the Democratic Party. The first was that government needs to be involved in regulating the economy and the second was everybody has the right to vote.

And then along came Ronald Reagan and government becomes the problem and the Republicans discover that with some aggressive gerrymandering and an updated version of Jim Crow they can win elections. They also discovered abortion, Evangelical Christianity, homophobia and race. The Democrats dont help themselves by falling in love with Wall Street and globalization. Then, Trump brings a final refinement with the idea you dont have to get the most votes to claim that you won.

So, what does our future hold? Myself, I think the Democrats will hold on to the House and Senate. I think Trump, fearing defeat, will not run in 2024. I do think Biden will decide not to run. A ticket of Buttigieg and Abrams will defeat a ticket of DeSantis and Greene. Sounds optimistic but it is going to be a bumpy ride.

Lastly, I need a break. My day job is selling music and I am going to be busy for a while. And besides I am starting to take myself too seriously. But before I take a vacation I have a couple questions for Bob Dewey. Do you really think it has been all downhill since the Articles of Confederation, do you really think the states should decide what civil rights their citizens have?

If a state decided slavery was its desired economic system would that be alright? Unless we had land, an income and perhaps a title we dont want to go back to the 18th Century. Anyway, see you again later in the summer. I hope this doesnt sound too arrogant, but you are on your own. Smoke em if you got them

LOUIS HARPSTER

Shipman

Russias war of lies

Through all of Russian Lavrovs lies and bluster this week we should all remember there was NO war in Europe until Russia started it. Russia was not threatened by NATO or anyone else when Putin elected to sacrifice the youth of his country and the citizenry of Ukraine to the terrors of war. Why he chose to go to this extreme is still not known and I doubt it ever will be. Also, there will be no nuclear escalation unless the Russian leader orders it and his subordinates are stupid enough to follow his orders.

So far the West is content to let the Ukrainians embarrass the Russians while they just supply modern weapons. I long to see the world stop unwarranted aggression no matter who the aggressor is. We have plenty of problems and need to solve them together. Killing each other is not an answer.

Today a bill was introduced in Congress to use money seized from Russian oligarchs and banks to help Ukraine fight Putins lunacy. My thoughts: take every penny. Impoverish the barbarians. At another possible flashpoint perhaps China, a country presently at odds with the US, would be satisfied with a straight up trade. I suggest we trade Texas for Taiwan. That way we dismiss the dangerously ludicrous Chinese claim on Taiwan while ridding ourselves of Gregg Abbot, the Texas legislature, and some desert. Then we build the southern border fence.

I suspect that many Texans wouldnt even recognize the change in their preferred leadership if Xi donned an orange wig and got a partial lobotomy before speaking.

Thanks to Trump the US Supreme Court now leans heavily to originalists. Those justices seem to want a return to the original voting system where only white, Protestant, men of means could vote. In the originalist world he appears to advocate Justice Clarence Thomas couldnt even get in the front door.

On the climate change front, today the Russians cut off natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria so it appears they will learn to live with less fossil fuel. Also this week 6 million Californians were told that they would be under mandatory water restrictions. The Western drought is now the worst in over 1,200 years. These folks will have to learn live with less water and hydropower as their part of the planet dries out. Folks, we have to do better with less.

MIKE TABONY

Gladstone
Hour after hour, day after day, week after week, birds sit on their eggs, waiting for their babies to hatch.

In freezing rain, ferocious wind or baking sunshine, birds protect their incubating eggs from the elements.

Ive often marveled at the patience required for this necessary part of a birds life.

This spring, we have been treated to a birds eye view of a pair of nesting red-shouldered hawks. They first appeared in early March, as the vocal male performed death-defying aerial plunges to impress his mate.

One day, I got lucky and saw them land high in the crotch of a tulip poplar across the street in our neighbors yard. And there it was  a nest built of sticks with soft, green moss spilling over the side.

Just days later, I twice saw the pair mating on the branch of a nearby tree. Twice for insurance or fun?

In the same time frame, the first week of March, we spied a squirrel, unmoving, high in a tree in our yard. A close look with binoculars showed, as we suspected, that this squirrel was dead.

The next morning it was gone. We surmise that one of the hawks stored in there for the next days breakfast.

Michael set up our spotting scope so we could keep an eye on the nest from our bay window, and we watched for six weeks as a hawk carefully, patiently sat on the nest before it seemed there might be babies aboard.

Both female and male take turns incubating the eggs, though the female gets the larger share of this task. We only saw one changing of the guard, when the smaller male flew in with some food in his talons, and the larger female got a chance to hunt and stretch her wings.

We often heard them calling to each other  one in the nest and the other circling above.

It didnt matter when we peered through the scope, there was nearly always a head visible. Sometimes we could barely make out movement, while in bright sunshine, the reddish head and curved yellow beak glistened and a single black eye stared back at us.

Getting the eggs to hatch, which for these birds takes 28 to 33 days, is just the first task that requires extreme patience. The babies usually number three to four and fledge in about six weeks. The male more often hunts for food.

After they leave the nest, the young remain dependent on their parents for food until they are 17 to 19 weeks old.

Despite their parents best efforts, only about 30% of the young survive harsh weather conditions, parasites, predations or collisions with automobiles and electric wires.

As is the case with most birds, habitat loss remains the biggest threat to the survival of red-shouldered hawks. Their role in the world is crucial as they prey primarily on rodents.

To me, however, their importance includes what they can teach us about patience, parenting and fortitude. They are also downright beautiful.

Shannon Brennan can be reached at shannonw481@gmail.com.
RICHMOND  Gov. Glenn Youngkin told reporters Tuesday he hopes the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, but he noted a decision is not final and didnt want to speculate on how hed proceed in Virginia if the court overturns the 1973 decision that declared a constitutional right to abortion.

I believe that the states should be able to take on this responsibility, and I do believe just like in determining what our education budget should be, in determining what our funding for law enforcement should be, how we handle our taxes at the state level  those are state decisions, he said. And I do support the fact that this should be a state decision.

Youngkin said if Roe is overturned, hed work with the legislature to determine how Virginia would handle abortion law. And he criticized the leak to Politico of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alitos draft opinion reportedly overturning Roe v. Wade.

The news boosts the importance of abortion to Virginias legislative elections next year.

Democrats said theyre committed to protecting legal abortion in Virginia if federal law changes.

This report showing the Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade is beyond concerning and will set womens rights back decades, party Chair Susan Swecker said in a statement.

Speaking to reporters after an event at his office building, Youngkin said of the leak:

This leak that came from the Supreme Court is just an unbelievable breach of confidence and it was done in order to create chaos and to put pressure on elected officials, and its just fundamentally wrong that this happened.

Politico reported Monday night the Supreme Court, which soon will rule on a Mississippi law that would halt most abortions after 15 weeks, had voted in conference to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Youngkin said during his campaign he would support banning abortion at the point when a fetus can feel pain  which states with similar bans have defined as 20 weeks. Youngkin supports exceptions in cases of rape, incest or when the womans life is in jeopardy.

Virginia law allows public funds to be used for abortion services in those three circumstances. The Virginia Department of Health is able to use state dollars toward abortion for Medicaid patients following rape or incest or if they have a fetus with a documented incapacitating abnormality.

VDH spokesperson Marian Hunter said in 2022, this program has received and approved 38 applications in cases of anomalies and one application because of rape or incest for a total of $11,338. But should the Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade, Hunter said there wouldnt be a direct effect on VDHs services because those are subject to the Virginia legislature, Congress and guidance from the governor.

Overturning Roe v. Wade would send abortion laws back to the states. That means abortion likely also will play a central role in Virginias next legislative elections, now set for 2023.

Democrats hold a 21-19 edge in the state Senate while Republicans hold a 52-48 edge in the House of Delegates. In the General Assembly session that ended March 12, Senate Democrats in a committee blocked a number of House GOP bills to further restrict abortion.

Reaction in Virginia

State Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, tweeted Monday night: When Glenn Youngkin comes to take away our abortion rights  he is going to run into a BRICK WALL.

In contrast, Del. Wren Williams, R-Patrick, said of the Politico report: This could be the biggest win for life, liberty and limited government that we may see in a lifetime. For the past 49 years, under the Supreme Courts unilateral orders, the murder of 62 million unborn children was legalized and sanctioned  against the will of the American people.

Tarina Keene, executive director of Pro-Choice Virginia said in a statement the news is: a clarion call to Virginians. We must pursue proactive protections. We must pass a constitutional amendment that will forever enshrine our right to bodily autonomy.

Victoria Cobb, president of The Family Foundation of Virginia, issued a statement saying the organization is cautiously optimistic about the early reports.

If this is in fact the final vote of the justices, it is an incredible ruling, she said in the statement. Roe v. Wade had no Constitutional basis and was wrongly decided, and this is our chance to undo bad precedent that has permitted the destruction of life for decades.

A coalition of community groups that support abortion rights gathered Tuesday evening in front of the federal courthouse in downtown Richmond in support of advocates such as RaeAnn R. Pickett, communications director for the Virginia League of Planned Parenthood.

Pickett said several groups reached out to Planned Parenthood when news broke about the Supreme Courts leaked draft opinion. She said the demonstration, which drew more than 200 people, shows Virginias coalition of abortion rights activists have been prepared.

Planned Parenthood was literally built for this moment, Pickett said. This is an organic, grassroots movement that I think is reflective of the anger and shock and confusion that a lot of people are feeling. But weve been preparing for this moment for years.

Speakers at the event included former Del. Lashrecse Aird, whos now seeking the Democratic nomination for a state Senate seat. Aird is vying for the nomination with Sen. Joe Morrissey, D-Richmond, a Catholic who opposes abortion.

We will not let Republicans take Virginia backwards, Aird told members of the crowd as they began a short march on Main Street.

The Politico report came days after Youngkin joined hundreds of marchers at the fourth annual Virginia March for Life and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears addressed abortion opponents gathered at the Bell Tower on Capitol grounds.

In January, Virginias new Republican Attorney General, Jason Miyares, took steps to remove Virginia from a legal brief his Democratic predecessor endorsed that terms the Mississippi abortion law unconstitutional.

Virginia Solicitor General Andrew N. Ferguson wrote to the clerk of the U.S. Supreme Court at the time Virginia is now of the view Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided, that the Constitution is silent on the question of abortion, and that it is therefore up to the people in the several States to determine the legal status and regulatory treatment of abortion.

Youngkin did not stress abortion in his agenda for this years regular General Assembly session, which focused on issues such as tax cuts and school choice.
NANNING, May 4 (Xinhua) -- A newborn Malayan pangolin snuggles in its mother's arms, struggling to open its eyes at the Pangolin Rescue and Breeding Base of the Guangxi Forestry Research Institute. It is a captive-bred third filial generation pangolin and the sixth born at the base.

Chinese scientists have tackled the difficulties of the captive breeding of critically endangered Malayan pangolins to the third filial generation. Study results were published in the journal Communications Biology in October.

Yan Dingyu, an associate researcher with the Guangxi Forestry Research Institute, and his team have been breeding and observing 33 wild Malayan pangolins and 49 captive-born offspring since 2016, and they have recorded the reproductive biological characteristics of the species.

Pangolins are an important species that influences the structure, function and health of forest ecosystems. Due to excessive hunting and habitat loss, wild stocks of pangolins once plummeted sharply. Captive breeding has thus become a hopeful means to protect the species from extinction.

However, captive breeding cannot provide sufficient food and an adequate environment that can meet the long-term needs of pangolins. There also remains insufficient knowledge about the sexual maturity, estrus, sexual cycle and pregnancy of pangolins.

In 2016, Yan's team had 33 wild pangolins and has since produced 49 captive-born offspring spanning three filial generations. These advances provide more comprehensive information for people to understand pangolins, and have implications for the conservation of endangered Malayan pangolins and the provision of scientific guidance for the management of other pangolin species.

Darren Pietersen, a pangolin expert at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, remarked that the study was the first of its kind that he knew of that has been carried out in a systematic way and has reported the successful breeding of the third filial generation.

Yan said that further research will be carried out to maintain the current captive pangolin breeding population and to reintroduce pangolins into the wild according to the IUCN Guidelines for Reintroductions.

The reintroduction of the pangolins includes subjecting them to comprehensive disease screening and genetic diversity analysis, which means more wildlife breeding and rescue professionals are needed.

The Guangxi Forestry Research Institute has begun building a new pangolin center, which will include an imitation natural enclosure, wild training ground, physiological laboratory and other facilities to provide support for further research.

China has upgraded its protection of pangolins to the highest level and intensified a crackdown on harmful actions such as illegal hunting and trading to better protect the species. 
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida wrapped up a three-nation tour of Southeast Asia Monday with an announcement of a new defense agreement with Thailand and plans to improve economic relations between the countries.

The pact, reported by CNN, means a greater transfer of defense technology and firepower from Japan to Thailand. Both nations have a long history of military ties with the United States and large, well-equipped armies.

This will help improve national defense and support investment from Japan in this activity which is an important goal for Thailand, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha said in a joint statement, CNN reported.

The U.S. has courted Japan and Thailand in its campaign against Chinese economic and military expansion. Officials in Washington regularly refer to China as Americas primary pacing challenge.
Russia said Wednesday it will ban the entry of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and many high-ranking officials for an indefinite period in a fresh round of sanctions against Japan, amid rising tensions between the two countries over the crisis in Ukraine.

The entry ban, announced by Russia's Foreign Ministry, targets 63 Japanese citizens, including Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno.

Widely seen as a retaliation for the Japanese government's series of punitive measures against Russia since it started attacking Ukraine in late February, the ministry accused Tokyo of launching an "unprecedented anti-Russian campaign with unacceptable rhetoric" and hurting its economy and international prestige.

Kishida rebutted Russia's announcement, telling reporters in Rome it is "unacceptable" and that Russia is completely responsible for pushing bilateral ties into the current situation.

Japanese officials believe the ban will have no impact on the government as it has had no plan to send a senior figure to Russia.

Executives of major Japanese media organizations, such as the Yomiuri Shimbun and the Nikkei business daily, and university professors were also included in the list released by the ministry. ...continue reading
The Union Pacific Railroad Museum will host model railroad exhibits Thursday through Saturday to celebrate a switch to expanded hours.

Beginning today, the museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, according to a press release from the museum.

To celebrate the increase in hours and kick off National Tourism and Travel Week and National Train Day, the museum will host members of Omaha N-Trak Train Club from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Appearing alongside the Museums Modern Railroad Exhibit will be a fully operational and landscaped train display depicting typical scenes found in the Midwest. Visitors will be encouraged to take the throttle and run a train themselves on the specially designed T-Track layout.

The museum opened on May 10, 2003 in Council Bluffs, where Union Pacifics historic Mile Zero was located. The museum is operated as a partnership among the City of Council Bluffs, which owns the historic Carnegie Library building; Union Pacific, which brought its historic collection; and the nonprofit Union Pacific Museum Association dedicated to sharing American History through the lens of the railroad, connecting generations who have been impacted by Union Pacific.

Almost 20 years later, the one-of-a-kind railroad museum has welcomed more than half a million visitors from all over the world and across the United States, the press release stated. Most recently, the museum was named Best Attraction in Pottawattamie County by the Omaha Metropolitan Area Tourism Awards. The Union Pacific Railroad Museum continues to offer world-class museum experiences reflecting the impact of the railroad on American life today.

The museum is located at 200 Pearl St. in Council Bluffs. Admission is free, and walk-ins are welcome. To maintain accessibility for our most at-risk visitors and their families, masks are required from 10 a.m. to noon each day. More information is available at uprrmuseum.org.

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DES MOINES  Reaction was widespread following a Politico report that the U.S. Supreme Court appears poised to overturn the Roe v. Wade ruling that guaranteed a womans right to an abortion. Here are some of these statements and comments:

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, R-Des Moines:

As we await the Supreme Courts final ruling, our mission remains as clear as it has ever been. We are fighting to defend the most important freedom there is: the right to life.

Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny:

Uncertainty remains about the final decision regarding abortion by both the U.S. Supreme Court and the Iowa Supreme Court. Despite the questions surrounding those decisions, Iowans can be certain Senate Republicans have, and will continue to lead on life.

Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights:

I am angry. I am scared. And Im ready to fight back. Everyone deserves the right to make their own health care decisions, especially when it comes to reproductive health care. These decisions do not belong in the hands of politicians. Iowans support reproductive freedom and access to legal and safe abortion. We will continue fighting every day to ensure every family in Iowa has access to safe, legal abortions.

Iowa Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls, D-Coralville:

Theres no decision more life-changing than the choice to bring a child into the world. Its one of the most sacred, irrevocable, and private choices we get to make in life. For that reason, the freedom to make this choice should rest solely with a pregnant person and their family, in consultation with their doctor. The government has no business making that decision for Iowans.

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Red Oak:

This unprecedented leak is abhorrent, and whoever did it must be found and held accountable, and Im glad the Court is investigating. As someone who is adamantly pro-life, I believe firmly that the Supreme Court must go through its proper and independent processes and deliberations on this case and I look forward to reviewing their final decision.

U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Ottumwa:

If the Supreme Court does in fact rule as the leaked draft suggests, it would be a long-overdue return to fidelity to the text of our Constitution and places this issue back at the hands of the states. As an elected official, I have always voted to uphold the sanctity of life and to protect the unborn. Every life is precious and has value, and I am committed to continuing to fight for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, D-Des Moines:

Depriving a woman of the right to make her own medical decisions is dangerous and shortsighted. We already know laws that restrict access to health care do not result in fewer abortions, but instead force women to risk their lives and seek unsafe care.  Women have been empowered to make their own decisions about their bodies and reproductive rights for nearly half a century, and I will not stand idly by and let decades of progress slip away.

Abby Finkenauer, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate:

Like millions of women across the country, this news makes me scared and it makes me sick  its never been more important to stand up and fight back.  We have to hold (Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck) Grassley accountable, and that starts with defeating him in November, abolishing the filibuster, and codifying the protections of Roe v. Wade into law immediately.

Jeff Kaufmann, Republican Party of Iowa state chair:

The Republican Party of Iowa is committed to defending the unborn and will fight for every persons right to Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness. We must protect the most vulnerable in our society, especially those who have no voice.

Ross Wilburn, Iowa Democratic Party state chair:

Every Iowan deserves to make the decision for themselves if, when, and with whom to have a family. And right now, Iowans still have that right. But with the latest news from the U.S. Supreme Court, the freedoms weve fought for decades to preserve are dangling by a thread.  I know that many of us feel afraid right now, but we have the power to elect champions for reproductive freedoms this fall who will write the protections of Roe into law at both the federal and state level.

Sarah Stoesz, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood North Central States:

First, our doors are open today and our doors will remain open every day for abortion care as long as legally possible.  This leaked opinion is horrifying. We all knew the day could come that safe and legal abortion would be decimated in our country, and now we are facing that reality. It is true that individual Americans may have different moral views on abortion, and this is exactly why the strong majority of people in our country believe that this decision must be left up to individuals themselves.

Matt Sinovic, executive director, Progress Iowa:

Overturning Roe v. Wade wont stop abortions. It will take us back in time and eviscerate access to safe abortions. Banning abortion would only make it more dangerous for marginalized communities and less wealthy individuals to obtain safe health care.  Our lives and the lives of the people we hold dear are at stake. When our loved ones need care, we will do all we can to make sure they have it.
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There is a growing international interest and investors interest in the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project that will be the worlds longest offshore pipeline to transport gas between the two countries, going through 11 other West African countries.

Nigerian Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva disclosed that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia are some of the international sides that showed interest in contributing to achieving the project.

The Minister who was providing an update on the project in Abuja said the pipeline, an extension of the West African Gas Pipeline which already delivers gas from Nigeria to Benin, Togo and Ghana, will run up to Morocco where it would be connected to the European market.

We want to continue that same pipeline all the way to Morocco down the coast. Right now, we are still at the level of studies, and of course, we are at the level of securing the funding for this project and a lot of entities are showing interest, he explained.

As to funding partners, the minister said, we have not totally concluded on the financial arrangement. I have just said that a lot of people are showing interest. There is a lot of international interest, investors interest in the project, but we have not really identified investors that we want to go with.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia are among the international bodies ready to invest in the Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline project, he revealed.

The Russians are very keen to invest in this project and there are many other entities who are also keen to invest in this project because it is a gas pipeline that is going to transport our gas through many countries in Africa and also, to the limit of the African continent where we can have access to the European market, he said.

For now, the two investors in this project are Nigeria and Morocco. We are both ready to unite to develop this gas pipeline, he said.

The Nigerian government has thus confirmed once again that the accomplishment of the gas connection with Morocco is a serious undertaking to which the Nigerian government is committed, just like Morocco.

Last week, the OPEC Fund agreed to contribute $14.3 million to partially fund the projects feasibility study, whose cost is estimated at $90.1 million.

On whether the Buhari-led administration would be able to complete the project, Sylva said this administration cannot finish the Nigerian-Morocco gas pipeline, but we can at least get it at the point of starting before we leave.

The construction of the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline mega-project was agreed upon during the official visit King Mohammed VI paid to Abuja in December 2016, while the related agreement was signed on June 10, 2018, during a trip to Morocco by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.

Nigeria, an OPEC member, has huge gas reserves, the first in Africa and the seventh largest in the world.

The confirmation at the highest level of Nigerias commitment to the Moroccan pipeline deals a blow to Algeria which has for decades failed to build a similar pipeline to channel Nigerian gas to the Mediterranean for security and also as a tactic to prevent competitive Nigerian gas from undermining its and Moscows market share.

The pipeline, to be built off-shore and onshore, is also conducive to enabling not only Nigerian gas to reach Europe, but also Mauritania and Senegal.

Both Senegal and Mauritania are poised to join the list of gas exporters, thanks to their significant offshore gas.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has endorsed the pipeline.

This project will give Africa new impetus at the economic, political and strategic levels and will elevate Morocco and Nigeria as leaders of south-south cooperation in the continent, Moroccos authority for oil and mines (ONHYM) and Nigerias National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said in a joint declaration on occasion of Nigerian Presidents visit to Rabat in 2018.
WASHINGTON, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in the United States on Tuesday rebuked the U.S. State Department's recent false claims that Chinese officials and media "routinely amplify Kremlin's propaganda, conspiracy theories, and disinformation" on the Ukraine issue.

Asked by the press to comment on a statement posted Monday on the U.S. State Department's website, the embassy's spokesperson said "China's position on the Ukraine issue is impartial, objective and beyond reproach."

"When it comes to spreading disinformation, the U.S. side should seriously reflect on itself," the spokesperson said, noting that "Over the years, the U.S. has waged wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, killing 335,000 civilians. This is not disinformation."

"The vast majority of countries in the world stand for resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict through dialogue and negotiation, and none of them wants to see the situation escalate or even get out of control. This is not disinformation," the spokesperson added.

"In the working document submitted by the U.S. to the meeting of the State Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in November 2021, the U.S. admitted that it has 26 biolabs in Ukraine. According to the fact sheet released by the Department of Defense in March 2022, the U.S. is supporting 46 facilities in Ukraine," the spokesperson said. "These are not disinformation."

The spokesperson urged Washington to welcome joint verification by the international community under the UN and the BWC, adding that "blaming and smearing just won't solve the problem." 
The UN Security Council will reportedly appoint an African as the next special envoy of the UN Secretary General in Libya and head of the countrys U.N. political mission, UNSMIL, Italian news agency Nova has revealed citing unnamed western diplomatic sources.

No names have emerged, but the news surfaced as Egypt and Russia press for the replacement US diplomat Stephanie Williams by an African diplomat.

Williams has had rough relations with Cairo. Egyptian authorities, have reached out to several African country to push for the appointment of an African diplomat, according to press reports.

The Security Council has unanimously renewed the mandate of UNSMIL for another three months, until July 31.

Libya has been plunged in chaos since 2011 following NATO-sponsored uprising where former leader Muammar Gaddafi was assassinated.

The country currently has two rival governments, backed by foreign countries vying for influence in the oil-rich African country.
A new scandal appears in the horizon for Algerian diplomacy after Maltese authorities aborted a mission to secretly repatriate Polisario officials, forcing an Algerian airlines plane to return empty, Algerian opposition media reported.

It seems that Maltese authorities had not given their go-ahead for the repatriation. Once it landed on Maltese soil, the crew of Air Algerie was asked to leave by local authorities, the Paris-based Algerie Part Plus reported.

Algeria has by the past falsified passports for Polisario leaders who are wanted by the judiciary on human rights abuses.

The most recent scandal was when Algeria gave the false identity of Benbatouch to Polisario leader Brahim Ghali to enable him enter Spain to receive medical treatment in secrecy, as he he was sued in the European country by Spanish citizens and Sahraouis on charges including rape, kidnapping and war crimes.

Algerian opposition deplores that the military junta has squandered their countrys oil and gas wealth to sponsor the Polisario separatists. Algerie Part Plus says Algeria spends up to 1.5 billion dollars annually on the Polisario leadership.
CURTIS  The Aggie class of 2022 is set to graduate Thursday at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. Associate degrees and certificates will be conferred by University of Nebraska Vice President Mike Boehm. Nebraska 3rd District Congressman Adrian Smith will deliver the commencement address to graduates of two-year programs.
OMAHA -- Last week, for the third week in a row, Nebraska's COVID-19 cases inched up. But the pace of growth slowed, and it's unclear how serious the latest virus wave will become.

Nebraska reported 808 new virus cases, up from 701 and 436 the two previous weeks. The latest Lancaster County dashboard reports 166 cases in the week ending April 30, up from 104 the previous week.

Nebraskas 85% case growth in the past two weeks is the nations 12th-highest. Still, per-capita virus levels remain relatively low: 11th-lowest among the states and less than half the U.S. rate, according to a World-Herald analysis of federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

Nationally, cases increased last week in 42 states.

The CDC reported that the nation's seven-day average of new cases as of Wednesday had increased by 25.2% over the preceding seven-day period, driven by several newer versions of the omicron variant. The seven-day average of people hospitalized with COVID-19 increased by 18.5%.

Health officials have noted that the number of cases being officially reported is an undercount, given that more people are relying on at-home tests. Those results often aren't reported to health agencies.

Whether this more modest increase will become a bigger surge, however, is not yet known. The CDC last week reported that the record number of infections during the omicron wave bolstered immunity within the population.

Between December 2021 and February 2022, the estimated percentage of the U.S. population with infection-induced antibodies increased from 34% to 58% across all age groups. The largest increases were in children and adolescents.

In Nebraska, omicron infected 120,000 people over a seven-week period from December to February  one-fourth of all Nebraskans who have contracted COVID during the two-year pandemic.

Still, health officials continue to encourage people to get up to date on vaccines. For healthy people age 12 and older, that's two shots of an mRNA vaccine plus a booster. People with compromised immune systems and those 50 and older are eligible for a fourth shot.

Meanwhile, health officials internationally are watching two newer omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, that have taken hold in South Africa, which is entering its winter season. BA.4 and BA.5 also have been detected in the U.S., according to the CDC, although BA.2 remains the dominant subvariant.

The monitoring of COVID-19 levels in wastewater in Douglas and Lancaster counties has been showing slightly rising virus levels. But levels have been relatively flat for the past three months.

And hospitalizations actually still are trending downward. An average of 54 Nebraskans were hospitalized with COVID last week, down from 57 the previous week.

Thats even as Nebraskans largely return to normal life, gathering in large groups at sporting events, performance venues and events such as this past weekends Berkshire Hathaway meeting at CHI Health Center Omaha.

Nebraska reported no new COVID deaths to the CDC last week, so the number of confirmed or probable deaths for the pandemic remained at 4,197. The state has recorded just under 480,000 total cases.
As business moves go, Browns Shoe Fit hasnt gone far. And not for very long.

The Canteen District shoe store, a fixture at 502 N. Dewey St. since 1996, opened temporarily Tuesday half a block south in the 1913 Howe/Maloney Building at 413 N. Dewey.

Owner-operator Adam Holt said Browns will operate from there for at least the next six weeks while his stores old home in the former Murphy Modern Music building is remodeled and expanded.

When finished, Browns will occupy that buildings south and middle bays, he said. Microblock, a technology services and web design business, will stay in the north bay.

Well get an extra 2,000 square feet in the expansion, half again as much as the south bays 4,000 square feet, Holt said.

Workers are cutting a couple holes in the (inside) wall so well have a way to walk between the two sections.

Browns hasnt had a full remodeling since it moved from farther north in Deweys 500 block into the old Murphy space, Holt said.

He hopes the store can move back to its old location in time for Nebraskaland Days in mid-June, he said.

The shoe stores temporary home most recently housed CR Rustic, which moved last July to take over Once More With Styles location in the 1917 Twinem Building at 108 E. Fifth St.

The red strip above Browns temporary home also identifies it as one of the two former F.W. Woolworth & Co. storefronts in downtown North Platte.

Those identities made it easy for people to find us and easy to move, Holt said.

Woolworths once occupied both the Howe/Maloney Building and the 1918 Maloney Building at 214 E. Fifth, connected in the back to form an L-shape.

Woolworths old East Fifth storefront, also still sporting a red strip, now holds the Wilkinson Cos. offices.

The Murphy building, a product of North Plattes urban renewal period, opened in 1974. Murphy Modern Music had been in the three-block strip between East Sixth and Front streets torn down for Parkade Plaza, which opened in 1978.

Murphys new building replaced one that housed J.C. Penney & Co. from its 1917 opening until Penneys moved to The Mall in 1972 as an original anchor. Penneys closed there in 2017.

Browns once and future home is best known as the site of North Plattes first school building, a log cabin built in 1868.

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Pianist, composer and jazz prodigy, Matthew Whitaker, is a phenomenon to be heard as was on April 30, 2022, at the beautiful Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. Blind since birth, 21-year-old Matthew Whitaker began playing keyboards at the age of 3. At 9, he began teaching himself how to play the Hammond B3 organ and four years later, he became the youngest artist to be endorsed by Hammond in its 80+ year history. He was named a Yamaha Artist at 15, becoming the youngest musician to join this stellar group of jazz pianists.

Many of the tracks on Whitakers album Connections, released last year, were included in the concert this night including Journey Uptown with its light energetic vibe. But it was the B3 Hammond tunes that really had the audiences heart as is so often the case in Indy. With a tribute to Dr. Lonnie Smith and his tune Pilgrimage and another by the legendary Jimmy McGriff tune, there was no doubt of his command of any keyboard for years to come. The interplay between Whitaker and guitarist Marcos Robinson was also a highlight of this night.

His approach to jazz is that of a distinctive soul. He has that necessary dynamic touch and a penchant for dissonance, but most of all, his imagination seems to know no bounds. He's immersed in the energy and spirit of the music he loves and lives to play.  The Miami Times
San Francisco mayor London Breed has promised a crackdown on the bullshit that has destroyed our city. Photo: Gabrielle Lurie/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

Its been seven or eight years since a wave of illiberal norms around the discussion of race and gender began to hit an expanding array of progressive institutions. The name for this phenomenon kept changing, from political correctness to call-out culture to cancel culture to wokeness, because every time a new label came along, Republicans would slap it on literally anything that wasnt right wing. (Mitt Romney recently blamed President Bidens economic policies on his woke advisers.) What remained of the liberal left would have to clarify that, no, what they were critiquing was stuff that was really far out there: impenetrable jargon, irrational mobs, struggle sessions, creepy forced apologies, absurd firings.

In certain quarters, a deep fatalism set in about the survival of liberal values, articulated by critics including Andrew Sullivan and Wesley Yang, who has described the lefts new thinking as successor ideology  a term that presumes it is destined to displace the old liberal ideology. Michael Lind, a co-founder of New America, claimed that, within the center left, debate has been replaced by compulsory assent and ideas have been replaced by slogans that can be recited but not questioned: Black Lives Matter, Green Transition, Trans Women Are Women, 1619, Defund the Police.

But I dont take the success of the illiberal left for granted. I think it can be halted. In fact, I suspect that the floodwaters are already receding.

The way the illiberal left has been dealing with race and gender is of a piece with the way it has approached a range of debates in the social-media era. Activists reduce nearly every issue to a moralistic binary and cast any dissent as a personal failing. Disagree with the policy activism of the Sunrise Movement? Youre a boomer happy to let the planet fry after you enjoy your remaining time on it. Not sure single-payer health care is the best strategy? You must want people to die on the street.

It is on identity-related issues that this style of thinking has made the most headway. Academia has produced left-wing philosophical challenges to liberalism that treat speech as tantamount to violence and regard political disputes as a zero-sum conflict between oppressor and oppressed. And while these illiberal norms often originated on campus, they have expanded into progressive communities like primary schools (mostly private ones), media, publishing, and political and social-activist organizations.

What has made this all feel so unstoppable is that critics had reasons to be afraid of speaking out against it. When the New York Times forced science writer Donald G. McNeil Jr. to resign for quoting (not using) a racial slur, Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan suggested that anybody who disagreed with his termination was also racist. Its not hard to believe, she wrote, that any White person who would freely utter or defend the most offensive racial slur in English may well be someone with a history of other problems. This is a pure distillation of witch-hunt logic: Anybody who objects to the fairness of the proceedings is presumptively implicated in the crime of the accused.

But a system based on frightening dissenters into submission is a brittle foundation for social change. What appeared to be broad assent within elite institutions was actually enforced silence. It is beginning to give way to careful but firm pushback  on campus, in media, and in politics.

After a Chinese-born professor had to give up teaching his class at the University of Michigan in October for showing students a dated film in which Laurence Olivier appeared in blackface, nearly 700 faculty members signed a letter calling for his reinstatement. The dean of Yale Law School, a staging ground for some of the most notorious abuses of this era, publicly expressed regret after school administrators last year tried to make a student recite a humiliating apology script following a trumped-up outrage (he had sent a jocular party invitation referring to his apartment as a trap house). This spring, after protesters shouted down a Federalist Society event on campus, the dean called this unacceptable and said at a minimum it violated the norms of this Law School. Meanwhile, a growing list of colleges is following the University of Chicagos 2015 establishment of the principle that a campus should be a place for free debate.

The recent Times editorial defending free speech against threats on both sides represents a turning point. The articles rather anodyne free-speech-is-good argument masked its larger significance: Americas most important newspaper was implicitly promising not to let social-media outrage campaigns dictate its decisions. The Philadelphia Inquirer in February published a history of its own blinkered racial past by Wesley Lowery that revealed how angry readers forced its well-regarded executive editor to resign over a column by the papers architecture critic* lamenting the burning of buildings during the George Floyd protests. While Lowery told the story in a neutral, just-the-facts way, it was impossible to interpret its publication as anything but a confession of error.

After Democrats lost seats in Congress in 2020, and nearly lost the presidency, they began to say out loud things they only whispered privately before. Former Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter blamed white wokeness for denying the crime wave in his city. Congressman Ruben Gallego seethed over the lefts use of the word Latinx: When Latino politicos use the term, it is largely to appease white rich progressives who think that is the term we use. San Francisco mayor London Breed, whose city is also facing a spike in crime, lashed out at the bullshit that has destroyed our city.

I can think of three reasons why the PC wave may be ebbing. The first is that many liberals who were uncertain how to respond to these norms have seen enough of them to decide they dont like them, having gone from positive or indifferent to critical. Writers like Matthew Yglesias and Jeffrey Sachs, who a few years ago were dismissing the notion of any rising trend of illiberalism on the left as a myth, have since conceded the trend is very real. Left-wing publications like Jacobin and commentators like Briahna Joy Gray have increasingly criticized the lefts rigid approach to gender and identity.

Second, the cultural changes brought about by these ideas quickly exposed their inherent impracticality. One response to the Floyd murder was a massive surge in demand for workplace racial-sensitivity training, some of which was clumsy and some of which was simply ludicrous. Some anti-racism trainings defined white supremacy to include written communication, a sense of urgency, scientific, linear thinking, planning for the future, and other habits of any viable organization.

The third, and largest, factor curtailing political correctness was the 2020 elections. The defeat of Donald Trump removed an accelerant in the discourse. By rubbing the countrys face in his unapologetic racism, and posing as a transparently disingenuous critic of cancel culture (who was, in reality, trying to cancel his critics all the time), Trump did more to encourage PC excess than a thousand Robin DiAngelos could have.

The Democrats middling performances in 2020 and the 2021 off-year elections, and the lessons they might contain for the upcoming midterms, have brought elected Democrats face-to-face with the consequences of allowing the most militant members of the progressive movement to bully their party into adopting maximalist stances on issues like school closings, immigration enforcement, and crime. Its now much harder for progressives to depict, say, support for enforcing immigration law or opposition to defunding the police as inherently racist when its clear the communities supposedly offended by those positions support them. There is an old saying that politics is downstream from culture, but in this case, culture is downstream from politics. When Democratic elected officials openly blamed their troubles on purity tests imposed by social activists, it gave permission for liberals elsewhere to resist tactics to which they had previously submitted.

It turns out that democracy itself has been the corrective factor. The passions of the past half-decade have shown that, for all its faults, the Democratic Party, with its multiracial coalition that is accountable to the public, is the institution in American life that is best equipped to beat back illiberalism. The Republican Party succumbed completely to fanaticism long ago.

*Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the Philadelphia Inquirers architecture critic resigned over a column published during the George Floyd protests.
Canadian Climate Institute

A bigger, cleaner, smarter electricity system can underpin Canadas climate progress and future prosperityif federal and provincial governments seize the opportunity

Household energy use

How household energy use will change to support Canada's net zero targets.

OTTAWA, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new report finds that modernizing Canadas electricity systems can play a central role in ensuring affordable, secure energy in the face of global volatilitywhile also advancing Canadas climate goals. With co-ordinated federal and provincial action, a big switch from fossil fuels to clean electricity can make energy more affordable while laying the foundation for a sustainable and prosperous future.



The report from the Canadian Climate Institute , The Big Switch: Powering Canadas net zero future , finds that without co-ordinated action from provincial and federal governments to build bigger, cleaner, and smarter electricity systems, Canadas low-carbon transition could be much bumpier. Fortunately, the report finds, the technologies needed are available and affordable, and the policy solutions are readily at hand.

Key findings of the report include:

The big switch will increase affordability for Canadians when its powered by the right policies. Rapidly declining costs of renewables and storage makes electricity more affordable than volatile fossil fuels. Smart, co-ordinated policy can build the bigger, cleaner, and smarter electricity systems that can power this promise.

Aligning electricity systems with net zeroby making them bigger, cleaner, and smarteris both necessary and achievable. These systems can reliably and affordably power Canadas economy and the broader transition to net zero.

The most significant barriers to the big switch are social, political, and institutional. Policy needs to address both the technical and non-technical barriers to the deployment and uptake of key solutions.



Quotes

The big switch from fossil fuels to clean electricity is key to reducing Canadas emissions. Making our electricity systems bigger, cleaner and smarter to deliver on this is completely feasibleand Canada already has a head start. With co-ordinated action by federal and provincial governments, Canadians can power more and more of their lives using clean, affordable, and reliable electricity.

Jason Dion, lead author and Director of Mitigation Research, Canadian Climate Institute

Story continues

Transforming Canadas electricity systems is necessary to achieve net zero. We have much to do, and limited time to do it. The technologies to build bigger, cleaner, and smarter systems are known and cost-effective, but there remain policy and regulatory barriers that are slowing progress. Utilities and other market actors need clear climate policies, and the role of regulators and system operators in the transition needs to be clearly laid out. Governments have a driving role in addressing these challenges and accelerating the big switch.

Francis Bradley, President & Chief Executive Officer at Electricity Canada

Energy security, energy affordability, and climate change are all top of mind for Canadians right now. The big switch to clean electricity can help with all three, if we move quickly and get the policies right. The path is clear, the technology is affordable and available, and the benefits are considerable. Co-ordinated action from federal and provincial governments is how we get there.

Rick Smith, President, Canadian Climate Institute

Increasing our clean energy would support Canadian industrys competitiveness, because relying on fossil fuels leaves us exposed to swings in global commodity cycles. With the cost of wind and solar energy dropping, these technologies represent real opportunities to produce clean and affordable electricity while decoupling energy prices from global commodity prices. Increasing the supply of non-emitting power means unlocking investment at a time when global investors and capital markets are paying increasing attention to greenhouse gas emissions.

Barb Zvan, President and Chief Executive Officer, University Pension Plan

Additional information

About the Canadian Climate Institute

We are Canadas independent climate policy research organization, providing evidence-based policy analysis and advice to decision makers across the country.

CONTACT

Catharine Tunnacliffe

Director of Communications

(226) 212-9883

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5d088836-bb6c-4f8c-a213-3e667d51dc56




Vietnam opposes Chinese unilateral fishing ban

The Vietnam Fisheries Association has protested against Chinas unilateral ban on fishing in the East Sea and urged local authorities to take action against Chinese violations and to protect Vietnamese fishermen.













Vietnam opposes Chinese unilateral fishing ban. Illustrative photo by Dan Viet







Vice-Chairman of the Vietnam Fisheries Association, Nguyen Chu Hoi on May 4 sent a letter to the Government Office and concerned agencies voicing their opposition against China's unilateral ban on all fishing activities in the East Sea from May 1, 2022.



According to the association, the annual unilateral ban announced by China would take effect for three months from May 1 this year on all fishing activities from the northern area of the East Sea to the 12 degrees north parallel, including the Gulf of Tonkin and Paracel Archipelago which belong to Vietnam.



"This act by China violates Vietnams sovereignty over the Paracel Archipelago and sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the waters under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," the association wrote. " It also violates Vietnam's right and interest in its exclusive economic zone."



The association strongly condemned Chinas unilateral ban, saying it is completely illegal and invalid.



"Vietnamese fishermen can continue to fish in the waters that belong to the country," the association stressed.



China has implemented the ban for many years, seriously affecting Vietnamese fishermen's fishing activities, causing them losses.



The association also asked Vietnamese authorities to take actions to deal with Chinas move and deploy law-enforcing ships to protect local fishermen from possible threats by Chinese ships, and create good conditions for them to operate in waters under Vietnams sovereignty.



In a press conference held in Hanoi last weekend, spokeswoman for the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang also said that Vietnam slammed the unilateral fishing ban imposed by China in the East Sea as a violation of its sovereignty and jurisdiction over Vietnamese territory.



"Vietnam requests China to respect Vietnam's sovereignty over the Paracel Islands, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its maritime zones when taking measures to conserve biological resources in the East Sea, without complicating the situation towards maintaining peace, stability and order in the East Sea," Hang said.
ANKARA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Turkey "neutralized" at least 24 members of Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria after a Turkish soldier was killed in a missile attack in the area, the defense ministry said Wednesday.

The missile attack was launched in Turkey's Operation Olive Branch zone in northern Syria,

Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralize" to imply "terrorists" were killed, wounded, or captured in security operations.

The tension between YPG and the Turkish military quickened after the YPG attacked a police checkpoint in Mare settlement in the Operation Euphrates Shield zone with anti-tank weapons on April 22, killing one Turkish police officer.

Turkish forces and the YPG members often exchange fire on the Syrian border.

The Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, Operation Olive Branch in 2018, Operation Peace Spring in 2019, and Operation Spring Shield in 2020 in northern Syria.

Turkish authorities say the operations aim to eliminate terror threats against Turkey and provide a safe zone that will facilitate the return of Syrian refugees to their homes.

Ankara sees the YPG as the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades. 
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Leaders from the Auburn University College of Agriculture and Central Alabama Community College, or CACC, signed an agreement this morning to provide a streamlined pathway into the College of Agriculture for CACC students meeting certain criteria.

Students from Central Alabama Community College and similar schools have found great success in the College of Agriculture and in the careers that followed, said Paul Patterson, dean of Auburns College of Agriculture. We are proud to partner with CACC to create opportunities like these for more students in the years to come.

The pathway program will apply to each of the College of Agricultures 12 undergraduate majors. CACC students participating in the program must be in good academic standing with CACC while achieving at least a 2.5 grade-point average and a C or higher on all coursework. Students also must meet all applicable prerequisites for admission to Auburn and the College of Agriculture.

Our goal at CACC is to provide as many opportunities for our students as possible, said Jeff Lynn, president of CACC. This partnership with Auburn University will provide a direct pathway for students who wish to transfer into the College of Agriculture.

CACC students in the pathway program will complete their freshman and sophomore years at CACC and their junior and senior years at Auburn.

Academic, admission, scholarship and financial aid information from the two institutions are available at cacc.edu and agriculture.auburn.edu.
Poor girls. Men and teenage boys are so entitled.

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Let's call it what it is : sexual harassment

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OP, could you add a cut after the first paragraph or at the very least before the clip? Grazie mille.

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bless their poor manager shielding them with her body

like wtf was the thought process here, it's not an elementary school (and even then!)

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That sounds scary. Im glad their manager protected them because SM clearly didnt care about their safety

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Seeing this post again made me honestly think it happened a second time.



This is just awful. Having students able to just get on stage is just horrible. I said on omona that these things can go south really fast. Glad nothing super awful happened, but the fact that it could have makes me so angry. Hopefully they learn from this, but like....clearly they didn't learn from Taeyeon's incident.

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that's really weird. obviously SM thought they didn't need protection from teenage boys but, other people know their location too tho? like its literally not too pessimistic to think that someone could show up to the location and hurt them going in and out of the building.



ETA: if the aggressors were from another school WHY were the able to get in and out of the school??? why would any parent feel safe sending their kids there if any old person can just come in and out? whet?



Edited at 2022-05-04 08:06 pm (UTC)

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Yeah. The school deleted that apology because theres video. We know that claim aint true.

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The school probably was just trying to cover their own ass, I don't believe them tbh

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SM aint shit what the fuck

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These boys are entitled shits. Their school is a little bit prestigious.

Also the rise of extremely open misogyny in S.Korea by boys and men



This is the high school LEE SooMan's 's graduated from



LSM and other SMEnt higher ups always send idols there



SMEnt notoriously doesn't protect their idols properly. Bodyguards are almost always missing.

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That's scary af. Anything can happen in seconds .ud think after that whole incident with gg they would have better security.

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I do know that this is basically a right of passage for rookies to perform at this school, but was there any reasons in the past that would give SM a reason to think this wouldnt happen? Because I know GG and RV performed but I wasnt into kpop then so are men and boys just worse now or? Because I cant imagine NOT considering that the girls would need security.



But I saw a parent of a student said the backlash is causing her son to have trauma because apparently his identity was accidentally revealed and I does she really think what spa went through wasnt traumatizing? She should raise her child better.

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Sorry about your second paragraph, in dramas they make it seem like mothers are enablers their sweet little angel cant do no wrong and all hell breaks loose if anyone claims otherwise or punishes them. Its such a persistent trope it might be reality? I have never been to SK or lived there so I cant believe it for certain but there must be truth to it.

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I mean, parents all around the world are like this with their perfect angel sons hahaha.

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Koreaboo has the article about the parents response. But I think the no, not my child is universal. But people were calling her out when she acted like her son was the one suffering.

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This is SM. They let fans molest Exo for years. SM are trash.

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These boys started apologizing after receiving backlash and being outed.



Then the school started saying it was outsiders not tbeir students doing all the harassment.



The school had sent out notices to the students to delete apologies and pictures+videos and to say it was outsiders 

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Deeply concerned about these people entering society if this is what your school teaches you. "Circle the wagons when you harass women."

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They care more about saving face/their reputation than doing what's right.



All the slap on the wrist consequences for men doing absolutely horrific things to girls and women in S.Korea send a clear message that boys and men can get away with anything

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I've been seeing stuff about this posted a lot on twitter & reddit, and apparently one of the teachers told the boys not to crowd/touch the girls because they could be accused of sexual harassment and everyone (I'm guessing the teachers & guys) laughed. :/

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wtffff

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whenever i watch dramas and see all the shit about corrupt school officials im just like this is a drama, it cant be that bad. but you know what, it must come from somewhere. and looking at this it must be taken from reality which is really scary and anger-inducing



Edited at 2022-05-04 09:41 pm (UTC)

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NO WAY!!!! Horrifying!!! WTF

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With Brent crude oil still holding above the key US$100.00 per barrel support level, Iraq is looking to optimise its oil output, including from those fields that are regarded as slightly more difficult to exploit than others in the country. Encouraging the development of these fields  including several in the ThiQar province, most notably Nasiriya and Gharraf  also allows Iraq to judge which of the potential foreign suitors for these more difficult oil and gas projects might make suitable partners in other areas of its hydrocarbons sectors. For obvious reasons right now, companies from the U.S. and China are at the centre of the field development plans on ThiQar, with Russia taking more of a backseat. In Nasiriyas case, the original plans to develop the potentially 4.36 billion-barrel oilfield on a standalone basis were shelved in the lead-up to the Iran-Iraq war that began in 1980 and lasted until 1988. The field, discovered in 1975 by the then-Iraq National Oil Company (INOC), eventually came on-stream in 2009 and was listed on the 2009-2010 fast-track development plan that aimed to raise its output to at least 50,000 bpd in the first phase. At that point, Italys ENI, Japans Nippon Oil, the U.S.s Chevron, and Spains Repsol were invited to submit bids to develop the field on an engineering procurement construction (EPC) contract basis. The Japanese consortium led by Nippon Oil  also comprising Inpex, and JGC Corporation - looked set to win the contract before negotiations broke down again.

In 2014, another serious push was made to resuscitate the development of the Nasiriya field within the broader scope of the Nasiriya Integrated Project (NIP), which also included the corollary construction of a 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery. This followed the departure in September of that year of the divisive figure of Shia Islamist Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister, and his replacement by Haider al-Abadi. Although al-Abadi was also Shia, his arrival prompted optimism in the international investor community that a more inclusive government  with a more secure mandate  might emerge. This optimism was bolstered by al-Abadis announcement of his three deputies - Hoshyar Zebari, the Kurdish outgoing foreign minister, Saleh al-Mutlak, a secular Sunni who held the same post in the previous government, and Baha Arraji, a Shia and former MP  which prompted then-U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to say that the new cabinet has the potential to unite all of Iraqs diverse communities.

Related: Buffett Is Betting Big On Oil And Gas Stocks

In terms of the bidding itself, changes to the original technical service contract (TSC) were made that were aimed at addressing the concern of international investors that the TSC model fell well short of the type of production sharing contracts (PSC) that they preferred. Unlike the previous contracts, the new contract offered investors a share in project revenues, but only when production began, and the Oil Ministry would pay recovery costs from the date of commencement of work. This differed from the previous contract in which the costs were only paid when the contractor raised production by 10 percent. This said, investors would still have to pay 35 percent taxes on the profit they made from the Nasiriya project, the same amount as in previous deals.

At that point in 2014, the international engineering and construction firm Foster Wheeler had already completed a front-end engineering and design study for the refinery, and seven of the original potential bidders remained on the list (Indias Reliance Industries, Frances Total, Russias Lukoil, and Zarubezhneft, Chinas CNPC, the U.S.s Brown Energy, and a Japanese joint bidding team from JGC and Tonen General). These had been augmented by Indias Oil and Natural Gas Corp, and Essar Oil, Russias Rosneft, Frances Maurel & Prom, and South Koreas GS Engineering & Construction. Predictably enough, however, given Iraqs history of endemic corruption, sectarianist conflict, lack of real governance, as analysed in depth in my new book on the global oil markets, these potential deals came to nothing.

In 2017, though, China relaxed its directive of the previous two years to all state-owned hydrocarbons companies to cut budgets. From the Iraqi side, this coincided with a fresh impetus for expediting as much production from the south of the country ahead of the chaos in oil supplies from the north that was likely to result (and did) from Kurdistans independence referendum to be held in September, as also analysed in depth in my new book on the global oil markets. These factors led to Chinas Sinopec and PetroChina proposing a deal that would see the NIP being rolled out as part of the broader Integrated South Project (ISP). The ISP aimed to boost output across Iraqs southern oilfields, and also to build out related infrastructure, including pipelines, transport routes, and the construction of the Common Seawater Supply Project (CSSP).

Related: The U.S. Shale Patch Is Facing A Plethora Of Problems



The Chinese said that they would spend US$9 billion on the [NIP-related] refinery and the first phase of developing Nasiriya but under the terms of Iraqi oil contracts the Iraqis would have to pay back this cost to the Chinese from the value of oil recovered, a source who works closely with Iraqs Oil Ministry told OilPrice.com. The initial reaction from the Oil Ministry was to decline the offer, and to say that the development should only cost around US$4 billion, which the Chinese in turn flatly turned down.

All of this has put the U.S. in a prime position to use the development of Nasiriya and then potentially the NIP as a springboard to other development projects in Iraqs oil and gas sector in line with its new softer power policy in the country. According to comments last week from the director of the Iraqi Drilling Company, Basem Abdul Karim, the company has started work on the first of its 20 oil wells at the Nasiriya oil field, in conjunction with the U.S.s Weatherford. He added that the project is to be completed within 18 months. This all feeds in to recent news that the newly resuscitated Iraq National Oil Company has been authorised by the government in Baghdad to directly negotiate with U.S. oil giant, Chevron, for it to more broadly develop the Nasiriya site.

Relatively close by, the Gharraf oil field has seen its crude oil output rise by 20,000 bpd in the past month alone, according to the Oil Ministry, with more production increases to come. With Japex and Malaysias Petronas in lead roles in the sites development, there has been a greater sense of urgency to press ahead on the 1 billion barrel of oil reserves field than has been evident on Nasiriya, despite the relatively small remuneration fee to the firms of US$1.49 per barrel, after the initial output target of 35,000 bpd was achieved.

Initially, they had to placate the local tribesmen who refused to cede their ancestral lands peacefully, whatever the Iraqi government in Baghdad had promised Japex (and Petronas) in the run-up to the bid being accepted. Then they had to construct the initial surface facilities for production, including a degassing facility with two trains of 50,000 bpd each, eight storage tanks, piping, atmosphere flares and other ancillary infrastructure. In just over two years, output from the field hit 60,000 bpd. At that point, in order to expedite further production increases, the development partners  which had budgeted a minimum of US$8 billion for getting the field to its plateau production target of 230,000 bpd  sent a call for tender to engineering companies and contractors to bid for an estimated US$100 million engineering, procurement and construction contract to build the Gharraf Light Oil Transport System.

This allowed for around 300,000 bpd of output to be carried from the two fields of Gharraf and Badra. Phase one of the project  under the jurisdiction of Petronas and Japex  consisted of the construction of a 92 kilometre pipeline moving oil from the central processing facility of the Badra field (managed by Russias Gazprom Neft) - the Gharraf-Badra tie-in area (GBTA) - to a storage depot at Nasiriya, which would then be forwarded to the Al Fao export terminal in Basra. The Russians completed their part of this in March 2014, enabling the second phase pipeline  catering for oil from the Yamama reservoir of the Gharraf field - to come on-stream at the end of 2016/beginning of 2017. By this time, Gharraf was producing around 150,000 bpd, having seen output rise from 60,000 bpd at the end of 2013 to 100,000 bpd in 2014. Subsequently, production at Gharraf rose again and then dipped, due to delays in drilling work.

By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Oil soared to $110 mid-Wednesday as details on the European Unions plans to ban Russia oil continue to be revealed and digested by the market.

Up 4.75% on the day as of 1:53 p.m. EST, just under $110 per barrel, oil prices are responding to additional details on European Union plans to embargo Russian oil, including through sanctions on insurance companies.

In one month, the European Commission proposes to ban all shipping, brokerage, insurance and financing servers related to the import and transport of Russian oil, Reuters cited an unnamed EU source as saying on Wednesday.

There is a global element to the proposed ban related to export of Russian oil in order to make it more difficult for Russia to seek out alternative buyers. However, shipping and financing, specifically, the proposed ban would only be put in place for European Union companies, Reuters reported.

This aspect of the proposed ban represents a severe measure, as some 95% of the worlds taker liability coverage goes through the London-based International Group of P&I Clubs, according to Bloomberg.

The market appears to be assessing the EU moves as far more serious than previous talk, with Bloomberg also noting the Iranian precedent, when the U.S. and the EU managed to stymie Irans oil exports by targeting insurance.

Oil is also responding to rumblings from a meeting earlier today of OPEC+ and the Joint Technical Committee (JTC), which signaled the likelihood that no further oil output increases beyond the previously discussed 423,000 bdp commitment for June would be forthcoming.

These issues are now outweighing fears of demand destruction coming out of China, where COVID lockdowns continue, with no concrete indications of easing in the immediate term.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Years of underinvestment in drilling activity have taken their toll on the offshore industry.

With news that Germany is no longer a hold out on EU-wide Russian oil import restrictions, the oil market supply crunch is looking to get even worse if the EU decides on a full ban. While Hungary remains a potential holdout, sources cited by the Wall Street Journal indicate the 27-member bloc is discussing ways to help the country manage oil supplies without flows from Russia. The EU sends $450 million a day to Russia for oil and $400 million per day for natural gas, with Europe importing 138 million tons of Russias oil last year, good for 53% of its total oil exports. Meanwhile, OPECs production woes never seem to end. OPEC production for March climbed by a mere 40kb/d, badly missing the group's production growth target of 254kb/d. According to a Reuters survey, the miss was largely attributable to declining production in Libya and Nigeria, with serial declines in Nigeria a persistent headwind.

A week ago, Goldman Sachs expressed optimism that the industry has reached a turning point in the oil and gas capex cycle, with seven years of declining activity about to come to an end. Goldman reckons that oil and gas capex could triple from recent lows.

The good news: a production ramp is already underway in the offshore drilling sector.

According to Bloomberg, a new wave of oil platforms is sweeping across the U.S. Gulf of Mexico as oil companies rush to capitalize on oil prices at multi-year highs.

The bad news: A ramp-up in U.S. offshore output is not likely to close the global oil supply gap thanks to years of underinvestment.

Offshore Rebound

Bloomberg has reported that BP Inc.s(NYSE:BP) and Shells (NYSE:SHEL) floating production platforms are slated to start pumping crude off the Louisiana shore later this year. They will join Murphy Oils (NYSE:MUR) another Louissiana behemoth--King Quay, that started producing oil in April. Other platforms by Chevron Inc. (NYSE:CVX), Shell and Beacon Offshore Energy are expected to start production in two years.

Related: The Calm Before The Storm In Oil Markets

Once complete, the six platforms will be capable of pumping up to 560,000 barrels of crude per day.

The Gulf of Mexico has been a U.S. crude hub, with its deep trove of reservoirs responsible for about 14% of the U.S.s crude production. In January, Gulf production clocked in at 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, shy of the pre-pandemic record of 2 million barrels a day.U.S. oil production is currently clocking in at 11.8 million barrels a day, a distance away from the pre-pandemic record of 13.1 million barrels a day.

Unfortunately, the global picture is not pretty, with analysts predicting that it will take many years for the global industry to fully recover--if ever.

The number of new offshore discoveries worldwide has fallen to a 75-year low after oil companies slashed their budgets for deepwater exploration. The oil market crash of 2020 was brutal on major oil producers, forcing global oil and gas companies to cut capex by $100B, or roughly 30%, to 13-year lows. However, its offshore drillers who bore the full brunt of the cuts, with just a fifth of projects earmarked as potentially going ahead in 2021 proceeding on schedule.

Some of the high-profile offshore drilling deferrals included the suspension of ExxonMobils (NYSE:XOM) multi-billion-dollar Rovuma LNG project in Mozambique; deferral of BP Plc-Kosmos Energy (NYSE:KOS) multi-billion-dollar Greater Tortue Ahmeyim gas-condensate project off Senegal and Mauritania, suspension of Equinor (NYSE: EQNR)-Husky Energy (TSE: HSE) Bay du Nord project offshore in eastern Canada and Australias Woodside Petroleum (ASX: WPL) pushing back the Final Investment Decision (FID) for the Scarborough gas project.

Related: Upstream Oil Industry To See Highest Profits Ever In 2022



But even as the industry recovers from the pandemic, offshore investment globally is set to rise only 7% to $155 billion this year, compared with an 18% increase in shale investments, according to Rystad Energy, a consulting firm. The big problem here is that offshore projects cost billions and rarely come online in less than a decade.Worries that todays high crude prices wont last, coupled with the fact that offshore drilling is expensive and time-consuming, makes offshore projects a tough sell.

Regulatory overhang does not make things any easier.

It remains unclear when--or if--offshore producers will be able to secure new Gulf leases from the Biden administration when the current five-year program expires on June 30. According to the National Ocean Industries Association, Gulf production could be halved by 2040 if leases remain suspended.

Gulf producers are, however, changing tack to cope with the new realities.

First off, producers are increasingly shifting to smaller designs and subsea tiebacks, instead of launching megaprojects to explore in ever deeper waters farther from shore.

According to Colin White, an offshore analyst with Rystad, operators are shifting to an infrastructure-led exploration strategy because the Gulf of Mexico already has so much infrastructure in place.

Further, many offshore giants are increasingly looking beyond the Gulf of Mexico: Exxon Mobil and Hess Corp. (NYSE:HES) have made significant discoveries in Guyana while TotalEnergies (NYSE:TOT) and APA Corp. (NYSE:APA) are ramping up development in neighboring Suriname. Meanwhile, Shell has made a massive discovery in the Atlantic in offshore Namibia.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Vitol Group, the worlds biggest independent oil trader, is shipping the first-ever cargo of Russias ESPO crude blend to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing data from oil-flow tracking and analytics firms.

The Kriti Breeze oil tanker loaded 740,000 barrels of Russias ESPO crude at the port of Kozmino in Russias Far East on Tuesday, May 3, per data from Refinitiv, Vortexa, and Kpler cited by Reuters.

According to MarineTraffic tanker positioning data, the Kriti Breeze, traveling under the flag of Liberia, has already departed from Kozmino and is headed to the port of Fujairah in the UAE, with an estimated date of arrival May 25.

Russia usually sells its ESPO crude blend to refiners in North Asia, traders tracking the grades flows told Reuters.

The cargo is apparently very creative and FOB (free-on-board) discounts must be huge for it to work, one of those traders told Reuters.

Some refiners in North Asian countries allied with the U.S. and the EU, such as Japan and South Korea, have joined the self-sanctioning drive of not importing Russian oil, which is most evident in Europe.

Major international traders have already said they would either cut or phase out purchases of Russias crude in the coming weeks. Vitol itself plans to wind down its activities involving Russian crude oil by the end of this year, Bloomberg reported last month, citing a spokesman for the company.

Meanwhile, the European Commission is working on additional energy sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, with an oil import embargo now on the table. The EU could offer exemptions to Hungary and Slovakia who rely heavily on Russian oil, while Hungary has also said it would veto an embargo.

We are working on the 6th package of sanctions which aims to de-swift more banks, list disinformation actors and tackle oil imports, Josep Borrell, the EUs High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, tweeted on Tuesday.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine  The long-awaited effort to evacuate civilians from a steel plant in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol was underway Sunday, as U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi revealed that she visited Ukraines president to show unflinching American support for the countrys defense against Russian aggression.

Video posted online by Ukrainian forces showed elderly women and mothers with small children bundled in winter clothing being helped as they climbed up a steep pile of debris from the plants rubble, and then eventually boarding a bus.

U.N. humanitarian spokesman Saviano Abreu said the operation to bring civilians out of the sprawling Azovstal steel plant was being carried out with the International Committee of the Red Cross and in coordination with Ukrainian and Russian officials.

The evacuation drew praise from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said more than 100 civilians  primarily women and children  were expected to arrive in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia on Monday.

Today, for the first time in all the days of the war, this vitally needed (humanitarian) corridor has started working, he said in a prerecorded address published on his channel on the Telegram messaging app.

Later Sunday, one of the plants defenders said Russian forces resumed shelling the plant as soon as the evacuation of a group of civilians was completed Sunday.

Denys Shlega, commander of the 12th Operational Brigade of Ukraines National Guard, said in a televised interview Sunday night that several hundred civilians remain trapped alongside nearly 500 wounded soldiers and numerous dead bodies.

Several dozen small children are still in the bunkers underneath the plant, Shlega said. We need one or two more rounds of evacuation.

An aide to Mariupols mayor also reported renewed shelling. The cannonade is such that even (on the opposite side of the river) the houses are shaking, Petro Andryushenko wrote in a Telegram post.

As many as 100,000 people are believed to still be in blockaded Mariupol, including up to 1,000 civilians who were hunkered down with an estimated 2,000 Ukrainian fighters beneath the Soviet-era steel plant  the only part of the city not occupied by the Russians.

However, the fate of the Ukrainian fighters still in the plant was not immediately clear.

Abreu said civilians who have been stranded for nearly two months would receive immediate humanitarian support, including psychological services, once they arrive in Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles northwest of Mariupol.

Mariupol has seen some of the worst suffering of the war. A maternity hospital was hit with a lethal Russian airstrike in the opening weeks of the war, and about 300 people were reported killed in the bombing of a theater where civilians were taking shelter.

The Mariupol City Council said in a Telegram post that evacuation of civilians from other parts of the city would begin Monday morning. People fleeing Russian-occupied areas in the past have described their vehicles being fired on, and Ukrainian officials have repeatedly accused Russian forces of shelling evacuation routes on which the two sides had agreed.

A Doctors Without Borders team was at a reception center for displaced people in Zaporizhzhia, in preparation for the U.N. convoys arrival. Stress, exhaustion and low supplies of food were likely to have weakened the health of civilians who have been trapped underground at the plant.

Ukrainian regiment Deputy Commander Sviatoslav Palamar, meanwhile, called for the evacuation of wounded Ukrainian fighters as well as civilians. We dont know why they are not taken away and their evacuation to the territory controlled by Ukraine is not being discussed, he said in a video posted Saturday on the regiments Telegram channel.

Video from inside the steel plant, shared with the Associated Press by two Ukrainian women who said their husbands were among the fighters refusing to surrender there, showed men with blood-stained bandages, open wounds or amputated limbs. The AP could not independently verify the location and date of the video, which the women said was taken last week.

Meanwhile, Pelosi visited Kyiv on Saturday, the most senior American lawmaker to travel to the country since Russias Feb. 24 invasion. Her visit came days after Russia launched rockets at the capital during a visit by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Pelosi told a press conference Sunday in the Polish city of Rzeszow that she and other members of a U.S. congressional delegation met with Zelenskyy and brought him a message of appreciation from the American people for his leadership.

Rep. Jason Crow, a U.S. Army veteran and a member of the House intelligence and armed services committees, said he came to Ukraine with three areas of focus: Weapons, weapons and weapons.

We have to make sure the Ukrainians have what they need to win. What we have seen in the last two months is their ferocity, their intense pride, their ability to fight and their ability to win if they have the support to do so, the Colorado Democrat said.

In his nightly televised address Sunday, Zelenskyy said more than 350,000 people had been evacuated from combat zones thanks to humanitarian corridors agreed upon with Moscow since the start of Russias invasion of Ukraine. The organization of humanitarian corridors is one of the elements of the negotiation process (with Russia), which is ongoing, he said.

Zelenskyy also accused Moscow of waging a war of extermination, saying Russian shelling had hit food, grain and fertilizer warehouses, and residential neighborhoods in the Kharkiv, Donbas and other regions.

What could be Russias strategic success in this war? Honestly, I do not know. The ruined lives of people and the burned or stolen property will give nothing to Russia, he said.

In Zaporizhzhia, residents ignored air raid sirens and warnings to shelter at home to visit cemeteries Sunday, when Ukrainians observe the Orthodox Christian day of the dead.

If our dead could rise and see this, they would say, Its not possible, theyre worse than the Germans, Hennadiy Bondarenko, 61, said while marking the day with his family at a picnic table among the graves. All our dead would join the fighting, including the Cossacks.

Russian forces have embarked on a major military operation to seize significant parts of southern and eastern Ukraine following their failure to capture the capital, Kyiv. Mariupol, a port city on the Sea of Azov, is a key target because of its strategic location near the Crimea Peninsula, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014.

Ukrainian intelligence officials accused Russian forces of seizing medical facilities to treat wounded Russian soldiers in several occupied towns, as well as destroying medical infrastructure, taking away equipment and leaving the population without medical care.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

(THE CONVERSATION) Russias invasion of Ukraine has brought strong Western condemnation and sanctions, but many nations around the world have chosen not to join this united front.

Dozens of governments outside Europe and North America have been reluctant to censure Russia, and many more have refrained from joining multilateral sanctions. China has tacitly supported the Kremlin since its February affirmation of a Sino-Russian friendship with no limits. A few others have backed Russia vocally, among them Belarus, which has served as a staging ground for the Russian invasion.

Meanwhile, other governments have sat on the fence. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said pointedly that his country will not take sides. Indian leaders have reaffirmed their policy of nonalignment, implying that their nation will seek to stay out of the fight. South Africa, Pakistan and numerous other nations are following a similar path.

As a scholar of international politics, I believe responses to recent Russian aggression shed light on how governments throughout what is known as the Global South are apt to behave if a new Cold War takes shape. Unless governments are threatened directly, many appear content to espouse nonalignment  a policy of avoiding strong support for the West or for its principal rivals in Moscow and Beijing.

Nonalignment may be a sensible strategy for individual countries as a way to preserve autonomy and avoid costly choices between major powers. However, I believe international peace and security will suffer if too many states refuse to take sides in cases like Ukraine.

The meanings of nonalignment

The concept of nonalignment emerged in the 1950s. It implied a refusal to join the rival Cold War blocs led by Washington and Moscow. The concept was pioneered by a group of post-World War II leaders including Indias Jawaharlal Nehru, Indonesias Sukarno, Egypts Gamal Abdel Nasser, Ghanas Kwame Nkrumah and Yugoslavias Josip Broz Tito.

Despite representing a broad range of political ideologies, they all saw nonalignment as a way to resist colonial and imperial powers, preserve independence and stay out of the Soviet-American conflict.

These ideas led to the 1961 establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement, a loosely organized group that soon included most of the worlds countries and population. Several core principles guided the movement, including anti-colonialism, anti-imperialism, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, nonaggression and noninterference.

Yet the movement faced a dilemma from the start. When a powerful state violates core principles like sovereignty and territorial integrity, should members of the Non-Aligned Movement take sides to oppose it?

The movements diverse members occasionally took strong unified stands. For example, they joined in opposing colonial rule in Rhodesia and apartheid in Namibia and South Africa. When superpower interests were more directly in play, however, nonaligned states failed to agree on when to take sides.

Leftist leaders in states such as Cuba and Vietnam saw the Western powers as neoimperial threats and sided clearly with Moscow despite joining the Non-Aligned Movement. Conservative states, such as Saudi Arabia and Morocco, tilted consistently toward Washington. Many sought relative neutrality. But all these states remained in the movement, which has no agreed standard for what degree of alignment is acceptable.

The differences among members of the Non-Aligned Movement undermined their ability to exercise collective clout, even when superpowers rode roughshod over norms of sovereignty and self-determination.

In 1979, for example, members were deeply divided over the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Fifty-six voted to condemn the Soviet invasion at the United Nations, but nine supported Moscow and 26 abstained. Those numbers are remarkably similar to recent votes on Ukraine. Divisions over the Soviet war in Afghanistan weakened the Non-Aligned Movement and undercut its ability to enforce international norms and influence Soviet policy.

The movements relevance declined after the Cold War, as its diverse members struggled to define its role in a world no longer shaped by a Soviet-American standoff. Still, the movement has survived, and its 120 members recently celebrated the groups 60th anniversary in Belgrade.

Enduring dilemmas

The Non-Aligned Movement faces new challenges today, as the war in Ukraine continues.

For many governments in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, nonalignment remains appealing. Most depend heavily on trade, aid and investment both from the Western powers and from China (if not also from Russia). Choosing sides could thus be crippling economically. That danger is apparent in Belarus, which faces stiff Western sanctions for aiding the Russian war effort. Countries opposing Russia also risk debilitating energy cutoffs. Taking sides against China in any future scenario, such as conflict over Taiwan, would be even more costly.

Relative nonalignment is also attractive from a security standpoint. It enables governments to obtain weapons from multiple sources and limit dependence on any single power. This is a major factor for India, which remains heavily reliant on Russian arms, and to a lesser extent for countries like Vietnam.

Nonalignment helps keep diplomatic doors open as well. This appeals to governments wary of losing policy autonomy if they rely too much on one powerful state or bloc for political support.

For all of these reasons, nonalignment is likely to continue to be common. In fact, its strategic appeal is arguably stronger now than it was during the Cold War because of greater global integration. Unlike the 1950s, most countries now have strong economic, political and, in some cases, military linkages to both East and West.

Nonalignment may be sensible policy for individual states, but it could spell trouble for international security. Russian President Vladimir Putin has shattered the illusion that territorial conquest and great-power wars were consigned to the past, and in so doing put his fist through the defining principles of the Non-Aligned Movement. Reluctance to take sides in such a clear case of aggression can weaken international norms and undermine global security.

At this stage, most members of the Non-Aligned Movement have condemned Russian attacks. Yet only one, Singapore, has imposed sanctions. Others are passing the buck, making the war in Ukraine a burden for the United States and its core allies to bear.

In doing so, they are making it easier for the Kremlin to sustain a brutal military campaign. They are sending the message that aggression and territorial seizure by major powers will be tolerated. I believe this represents a major missed opportunity to defend the anti-imperial norms at the core of the Non-Aligned Movement. The movements members have profound interests in reasserting those norms on behalf of Ukraine, as they are among the most vulnerable to being next.

[The Conversations Politics + Society editors pick need-to-know stories. Sign up for Politics Weekly.]

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/as-ukraine-war-deepens-great-power-divisions-a-revitalized-non-aligned-movement-could-emerge-181136.

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PHNOM PENH, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian health ministry's secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine has said that China's Sinovac and Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and the jabs are essential to protect lives.

"The vaccines we are using currently include Sinovac, Sinopharm, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and Moderna," she told reporters on Tuesday.

"These vaccines are safe, effective and of good quality because they are in the World Health Organization (WHO)'s list of vaccines for emergency use," she said.

The southeast Asian nation launched a national vaccination campaign against COVID-19 in February 2021, with China being the key vaccine supplier and most of the vaccines used in the kingdom are Sinovac and Sinopharm.

Vandine said vaccines are an effective tool to protect lives from the attack of COVID-19, urging all eligible people to get their booster doses, the third or the fourth shots, when their turns come in order to strengthen their immune system.

WHO's representative to Cambodia Li Ailan said vaccines save lives, protect health and contribute to a long life.

"More Cambodians are being well protected through vaccinations including ongoing COVID-19 vaccination and Cambodia's routine immunization services," she wrote on social media.

The country has so far inoculated at least one dose of vaccines to almost 15 million people, equivalent to 93.4 percent of its 16 million population, the health ministry said, adding that 14.2 million, or 88.8 percent, have been fully vaccinated with two required shots.

With its high vaccination rates, Cambodia has resumed all socioeconomic activities and reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers without quarantine since last November.

Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said vaccines have protected lives, stabilized health system and helped restore the economy.

"The royal government of Cambodia has made the correct decision to choose China as a strategic supplier of COVID-19 vaccines so that's why Cambodia has enough vaccines for its people," he told Xinhua.

Cambodia registered only one new COVID-19 case on Wednesday with new zero fatalities, taking the kingdom's confirmed total cases since the pandemic began to 136,258, including 3,056 deaths. 
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  Oklahoma joined Texas this week to form a region that parts of a nation divided over abortion care might look like if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down its landmark Roe v. Wade ruling.

While abortion providers across the country have been bracing for the possibility that the high court's new conservative majority might further restrict abortion, that has especially been the case in Oklahoma, where lawmakers have passed a half-dozen anti-abortion measures this year.

A bill signed into law on Tuesday by Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt is similar to the law passed in Texas last year that led to a marked increase in women going to neighboring states, including Oklahoma, to get abortions. It prohibits doctors from performing an abortion after fetal activity is detected in the embryo, which experts say is typically after about six weeks and before many women even know they are pregnant. And like Texas' law, it is enforced through civil, not criminal, courts and relies on civilians to inform on one another.

Abortion providers in Oklahoma said they are prepared for the law to take effect and have been helping women get appointments at clinics in neighboring states.

I think something we realized in September (when the Texas law took effect) is that we are already living in a virtual post-Roe world in our region, said Dr. Iman Alsaden, the medical director of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

We have seen people go to extreme lengths to access abortion care: driving all night, doing whatever they can to get the basic health care they need for them and their families. We have been seeing what a post-Roe future looks like in this region of the country already, and its unbelievable.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court declined to temporarily stop the law from taking effect, although the court is still considering a legal challenge.

Stitt's signing of the bill, along with the leaked draft opinion suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court is considering weakening or overturning its Roe v. Wade decision, led more than 100 people to protest on Tuesday at the Oklahoma Capitol.

I honestly and truly never thought we would actually get here," said Sophia Fults, 22, a University of Oklahoma student from Tulsa who held a sign that read: Keep abortion safe, legal and accessible."

Honestly, I was just shocked and I'm still kind of shocked and disgusted. So many women are going to be harmed because of this. It's just horrendous."

The new law authorizes abortions if they are performed as the result of a medical emergency, but there are no exceptions for if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

Like the Texas law, the Oklahoma bill would allow private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion. 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.

Stitt earlier this year signed a bill to make performing an abortion a felony in Oklahoma, but that measure is not set to take effect until this summer, and legal experts say its likely to be blocked because Roe still remains the law of the land.

One of our main responsibilities in government is to protect life, and that has been our deliberate intention," said state Sen. Nathan Dahm, a Republican who wrote the bill to make abortion illegal. I believe here in Oklahoma we'll do everything we can to protect life from conception."

The number of abortions performed each year in Oklahoma, which has four abortion clinics, has declined steadily over the last two decades, from more than 6,200 in 2002 to 3,737 in 2020, which were the fewest in more than 20 years, according to data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health. In 2020, before the Texas law was passed, about 9% of the abortions performed in Oklahoma involved women from Texas.

Before the Texas ban took effect on Sept. 1, about 40 women from Texas had abortions performed in Oklahoma each month, the data shows. That number jumped to 222 in September and 243 in October, according to the most recent data available.

Clinic operators in Texas saw about a 40% decrease in the number of abortions performed there after the law took effect, and Oklahoma operators say they expect similar declines, said Zachary Gingrich-Gaylord, a spokesman for Trust Women, which operates clinics in Oklahoma City and Wichita, Kansas.

In Texas, weve seen that many clinics were able to retain around 60% of their pre-SB 8 patient volume, and it seems reasonable to expect something similar in Oklahoma," Gingrich-Gaylord said, referring to the Texas law by its state Senate bill name. The primary reason to think that we may see far less volume than that is the chilling effect caused by the (Supreme Court) leak that may add to confusion for patients seeking abortions."

According to state health department data, about 47% of abortions performed in Oklahoma in 2020 were for women who were less than six weeks pregnant.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The midterm election season began in earnest Tuesday with primaries in Indiana and Ohio. Ohio's hotly contested Republican Senate race tested the enduring power of former President Donald Trump's influence, as his endorsed candidate, JD Vance, defeated six others for the GOP nomination for the seat held by retiring Republican Sen. Rob Portman.

Trump-endorsed Republicans Madison Gesiotto Gilbert and Max Miller won U.S. House primaries in northeast Ohio. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, also endorsed by Trump, won the states Republican primary over a conservative challenger who questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election results.

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED:

Election 2022: JD Vance wins Ohios GOP Senate primary

Ohio Republican Gov. DeWine will face Nan Whaley this fall

Indiana GOP lawmakers hold off many hard-right challengers

Brown wins Ohio rematch with progressive activist Turner

Primary takeaways: Trump passes test as kingmaker in Ohio

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

COLUMBUS, Ohio  Donald Trump-endorsed Republican Madison Gesiotto Gilbert has won a crowded primary for an open U.S. House seat in northeast Ohio.

Gilbert, a North Canton columnist and conservative commentator who worked on Trumps 2020 campaign, bested six other Republicans on Tuesday to secure the GOP nomination for the Akron-area 13th Congressional District.

Gilbert will face Democratic state Rep. Emilia Sykes, who was unopposed in the primary, this November. Their contest will be one of the years most competitive, with the newly drawn district viewed as a toss-up slightly favoring Democrats.

Among rivals defeated by Gilbert were anti-abortion activist Janet Folger Porter; lawyer and entrepreneur Greg Wheeler; and Shay Hawkins, an attorney and trade association president.

INDIANAPOLIS  Jennifer-Ruth Green has won the Republican nomination in a northwestern Indiana congressional district that the GOP is looking to capture after several decades as a Democratic stronghold.

Green, a Black U.S. Air Force veteran, won Tuesdays primary in the 1st Congressional District to challenge Democratic Rep. Frank Mrvan, who won his first term in 2020 following the retirement of 18-term Democratic Rep. Pete Visclosky.

The 1st District hugs Indianas Lake Michigan shoreline near Chicago. Democrats have typically won there by large margins, but former President Donald Trump closed the gap by appealing to working-class voters in a district with some of the countrys largest steel mills.

Green emerged from a seven-candidate Republican field that included former LaPorte Mayor Blair Milo, who was well connected with Indianas Republican hierarchy after spending four years as a member of GOP Gov. Eric Holcombs Cabinet leading state job-training programs.

Green had a combat deployment to Iraq and is now a lieutenant colonel in the Indiana Air National Guard. She had criticized Milo as not supportive enough of Trump, citing Milos decision to step down as a delegate to the 2016 Republican convention rather than vote for Trump as the nominee.

COLUMBUS, Ohio  U.S. Senate candidate JD Vance struck a unifying tone as he accepted the Republican Partys nomination Tuesday.

He complimented his GOP opponents  including silencing boos for his most bitter rival, former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel -- and pledged to appeal to the states many moderates heading into November.

He said Democratic nominee Tim Ryan, a 10-term congressman, is the very worst of modern American politics for saying he stands for one thing and voting for another. He called Ryan a guy who has spent 20 years failing the people of Youngstown and now wants the people of Ohio to give him a promotion.

Vance made it a point to reach out to Mandels supporters.

Some of the best people in the state of Ohio voted for Josh Mandel tonight. I hope to earn your support, he said.

But Vance called the conservative Club for Growth, which endorsed Mandel early and spent millions in negative attack ads against Vance, one of the grossest organizations in professional establishment Washington.

COLUMBUS, Ohio  U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown has won her Democratic primary in Cleveland, holding off a second challenge from progressive firebrand Nina Turner.

Browns victory in Ohios 11th Congressional District on Tuesday followed Turners loss of some key support she had from the partys left flank during the pairs first faceoff last August.

Turner, a former state senator, was endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, whose 2020 presidential campaign she co-chaired. On the eve of Tuesdays primary, she was also endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. But other members of the squad laid low this time, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus wound up endorsing Brown.

With her win, Brown is expected to hold on to the seat in November in the heavily Democratic district. She is a former member of the Cuyahoga County Council and chair of the county Democratic Party.

INDIANAPOLIS  Former state Sen. Erin Houchin has won the crowded Republican primary for an open congressional seat from a solidly GOP district in southern Indiana.

Houchin emerged Tuesday from a nine-candidate Republican field for the 9th Congressional District seat that opened up when current GOP Rep. Trey Hollingsworth unexpectedly announced in January he wouldnt seek reelection after three terms.

The 45-year-old Houchin finished second to Hollingsworth in the 2016 GOP primary race. This time, she was able to overcome a self-funded campaign by wealthy trucking company owner Mike Sodrel, who attempted a political comeback for the seat he held for a single term after a 2004 election win.

Houchin resigned her state Senate seat in February after seven years to focus on the congressional race. Houchin was the only woman among the Republican candidates, and she also drew on her ties to GOP activists from her previous stints as former U.S. Sen. Dan Coats southeastern Indiana director and the 9th Districts Republican chair.

COLUMBUS, Ohio  JD Vance has won the Republican primary for Ohios open Senate seat, notching a major victory for former President Donald Trump, who had endorsed him.

The Hillbilly Elegy author defeated six other candidates Tuesday to claim the Republican nomination for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Rob Portman.

Trump endorsed Vance less than three weeks before the primary at a time when state treasurer Josh Mandel and investment banker Mike Gibbons were leading in the polls.

The former president has staked his status as a GOP kingmaker on his ability to mobilize his supporters as he eyes another White House run in 2024.

COLUMBUS, Ohio  Republican Max Miller has won a U.S. House primary in northeast Ohio, in an early midterm victory for Donald Trump, who had endorsed him.

Miller, a former campaign and White House aide to the former president, prevailed in a four-way GOP primary Tuesday in Ohios newly drawn 7th Congressional District.

His path to the nomination eased when incumbent Rep. Bob Gibbs dropped out of contention in April, citing the chaos created by Ohios unresolved redistricting fight.

Miller will be favored this fall in the Republican-leaning district, which sprawls west and south of Cleveland. He faces Democrat Matthew Diemer, a Bay Village media entrepreneur and first-time candidate who was unopposed after two challengers left the race.

Miller was initially recruited to challenge U.S. Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump, but Gonzalez retired.

COLUMBUS, Ohio  Nan Whaley has won the Democratic nomination for Ohio governor, becoming the first woman in the states history to receive a major partys backing for the office.

Ohio has never elected a female governor, and the former Dayton mayor figures to be an underdog against incumbent Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who sewed up his partys nomination despite angering conservatives with his aggressive pandemic mandates in a state that has swung to the right in recent years.

Whaley defeated former Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley on Tuesday in a race that drew little attention as much of the state focused on the contentious Senate Republican primary and ongoing redistricting legal battle.

She promised during the campaign to protect abortion rights and wants the state to add a $15 minimum wage, universal preschool and better access to child care.

Ohio hasnt elected a Democrat to be governor since 2006. Despite being a presidential bellwether state for over a half century until 2020, Ohio has become more Republican under the influence of former President Donald Trump.

COLUMBUS, Ohio  Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine won his partys nomination for a second term in office despite angering many conservatives early in the pandemic with aggressive stay-at-home mandates and business shutdowns.

DeWine on Tuesday topped three far-right opponents, including former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, who painted the governor as a moderate not aligned with former President Donald Trump.

Despite some notable splits with Trump, DeWine managed to win a shot at a second term by relying on a huge fundraising advantage and a network of supporters built from a political career spanning more than 40 years.

DeWine will be a favorite again in November against the winner of the Democratic primary between Nan Whaley and John Cranley, two former Ohio mayors who have far less name recognition in a state that hasnt elected a Democrat governor since 2006.

DeWine touted his longtime record of opposing abortion, calling himself the most pro-life governor in Ohio history.

In his first term, DeWine signed a bill banning abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected  at the time one of the most stringent restrictions in the nation. In the past year, he signed a Stand Your Ground law and scored a major win when Intel announced it was investing $20 billion in two semiconductor factories near Columbus.

COLUMBUS, Ohio  Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has won the states Republican primary over a conservative challenger who questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election results.

LaRose defeated former state lawmaker John Adams in Tuesdays primary election. He will face Democrat Chelsea Clark, a suburban Cincinnati City Council member and businesswoman, in November. Clark was unopposed in Tuesdays primary.

LaRose was elected Ohio secretary of state in 2018 and presided over the states 2020 election. LaRose defended the integrity of the vote count in the weeks after the 2020 election, saying, Elections are run better and more honestly than really I think they ever have been. This year, however, while trying to win Donald Trumps endorsement, he changed his tune, saying he agreed with the former president that voter fraud is a serious problem.

LaRose had Trumps endorsement in the race. He had backed Trumps first run for office in 2016 and was part of a team that handled logistics for Trumps 2017 inauguration.

Adams is an Army and Navy veteran and former state lawmaker who had criticized LaRose for his role in postponing the March 2020 primary during the coronavirus pandemic.

COLUMBUS, Ohio  U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan has won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Ohio.

The 10-term congressman from Ohios blue-collar Mahoning Valley defeated progressive Morgan Harper, a former consumer protection attorney, and one other rival to claim the Democratic nomination for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Rob Portman.

Ryans victory was widely expected, given his long history in office and his backing by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, the states highest-ranking Democrat. Democrats see the November election as one of its best chances nationally to flip a seat.

Ryan will face the winner of the crowded Republican primary in the November general election. Hillbilly Elegy author JD Vance, former state treasurer Josh Mandel and investment banker Mike Gibbons are among the candidates competing for the GOP nomination. Vance was endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

Ryan directed his campaign message at working class Ohio residents, promising to increase jobs and boost wages.

Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Methodist Health System is taking a systemwide approach to efforts to boost HPV vaccination rates in the community with the help of a special designation  and some funding  from the American Cancer Society.

Human papillomavirus causes about 34,800 cancers a year in women and men, but more than 90% of cancers caused by HPV can be prevented by the vaccine. It is recommended as a two-shot regimen for kids ages 11 to 12 but can be given as early as age 9.

Vaccination rates for HPV routinely lag the roughly 90% rates for other shots given to kids at that age, even in Nebraska and Iowa, said Dr. Matthew Gibson, a pediatrician with Methodist Physicians Clinic.

Both states typically run ahead of the U.S. completion rate for the series, which was 58.6% in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationally, however, up to 15% of teens who start the series dont complete it.

The more people we can get vaccinated for HPV, the less cancers were going to have down the road, Gibson said.

In late 2020, Methodist was selected by the cancer society as one of six communities of practice sites in the U.S. focused on HPV vaccination. Its participation is funded by two grants from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention totaling $12,000. The cancer society has other sites across the country addressing breast health equity and improving colorectal cancer screening rates.

Methodists focus on HPV vaccination began in 2019 with an internal HPV task force, with a focus on vaccinating children for HPV, standardizing education about HPV among health care providers and normalizing conversations about the vaccine with families. The task force and the cancer society now will work to promote community education and prevention strategies.

We want to help the whole community get better, not just our health system, Gibson said.

Dr. Aru Panwar, a Methodist head and neck surgical oncologist, said a recent head and neck cancer screening, for which 200 people registered, gave providers a chance to talk about risk factors for such cancers, including those caused by HPV.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. Some 85% of people will be infected in their lifetimes. Most infections will go away on their own, but some wont. Those can lead to cancers decades later, including cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal and throat cancers of the tonsil and base of the tongue.

Panwar noted that many people who have heard about HPV still think its a womens health issue because of the viruss link to cervical cancer. But cases of back-of-the-throat cancers related to HPV in recent years have overtaken the number of cervical cancers.

Gibson said patients have been asking more questions about vaccines, although not necessarily refusing them, since the advent of the COVID-19 vaccine. He reminds parents that the vaccine is the only cancer vaccine available. Getting it early, before children are exposed to the virus, protects them before they encounter it years later.

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Many Americans anxiously anticipating the Supreme Court's decision on Roe v. Wade may have been offered a glimpse of what's to come when Politico revealed Monday night what it describes as a draft Supreme Court opinion that would upend the landmark abortion rights case.

Though the unearthing of the draft has no immediate effect on abortion access, the preliminary opinion, which has not been independently confirmed by CNN, would overturn Roe v. Wade if a majority of justices decided to join, leaving state legislators to weigh their own abortion policies.

The 1973 Roe v. Wade court decision affirmed the right to receive an abortion under the 14th Amendment, ruling that abortions were constitutionally protected up until about 23 weeks when a fetus can typically live outside the womb. Last year, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban, setting the court up to examine decades of precedent set by Roe.

Some state legislatures have enacted policies to increase abortion access, including in California, which passed a law in March to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for abortion services covered by health plans, and in Colorado, where Democratic lawmakers codified the right to receive an abortion in the state.

But many Republican-led state legislatures have already moved to limit abortion access and others are poised to enforce restrictive laws that have remained unenforced since Roe was passed. In total, an analysis by the Guttmacher Institute finds that 23 states have laws aiming to limit abortion access, including some states that have multiple provisions in place.

States including Michigan, Wisconsin and West Virginia had abortion restrictions before the Roe ruling that have never been removed. Others have approved near-total bans or laws prohibiting abortion after a certain number of weeks -- but many of them have been blocked by courts, including those in Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Ohio and South Carolina.

Legislators in 13 states have passed so-called "trigger laws," which are bans designed to go into effect if Roe is overturned. In some cases, the law requires an official such as an attorney general to certify that Roe has been struck down before the law can take effect.

These are the states with "trigger laws" poised to go into effect almost immediately if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Arkansas

Arkansas has a law on the books that would ban nearly all abortions in the event that Roe is overturned, except for in the case of a life-threatening medical emergency. A medical provider who violates the law could face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $100,000 or both.

Last year, a federal judge blocked another bill passed by state legislators which aimed to block nearly all abortions and made no exceptions for rape or incest.

Idaho

Idaho's trigger ban would make providing abortions a felony punishable by up to five years in prison if Roe is struck down. Exceptions are provided to prevent the death of the pregnant person or in the case of rape or incest.

In March, Idaho legislators passed a separate bill modeled after Texas' restrictive law, which prohibits abortion once fetal cardiac activity can be detected, which can happen as early as six weeks. The law also allows family members of the fetus to sue the medical provider who performed the procedure.

The ban was temporarily blocked by the state Supreme Court last month after abortion providers challenged it in a lawsuit.

Kentucky

Kentucky's legislature passed a bill in 2019 which would ban abortions and make performing them a felony offense if the Supreme Court overturns Roe. Very limited exceptions would be provided to prevent the death or serious injury of the person giving birth.

Louisiana

Louisiana has a law in place that would ban a medical provider from performing an abortion procedure or providing drugs intended to induce an abortion in the case that Roe is overturned. The ban would not apply to life-threatening or serious medical emergencies, but requires the physician makes "reasonable medical efforts" to preserve the life of the adult and the fetus.

Mississippi

Mississippi law states that within 10 days of the state attorney general confirming Roe has been overturned, abortions are prohibited in the state. Limited exceptions are provided in cases of rape or when the procedure would preserve the mother's life.

Mississippi passed a separate 15-week abortion ban in 2018, which is the source of the case currently in front of the Supreme Court. The court is expected to announce its decision in June, but a draft opinion revealed by Politico suggests a majority of the justices may be poised to strike down Roe.

Missouri

Missouri approved a law in 2019 that would make it a felony for medical providers to perform or induce an abortion except in cases of medical emergencies if Roe is struck down.

North Dakota

A law approved by the North Dakota legislature in 2007 would ban abortion and make it a felony to perform the procedure except in cases when it would save the life of the mother. The law would go into effect "as a result of new decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States" that would make the provision constitutional.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill last month that would make performing abortions illegal in the state, only allowing exceptions to save the life of the pregnant person. The measure makes performing an abortion or attempting to perform one a felony punishable by a maximum fine of $100,000 or a maximum of 10 years in state prison, or both.

A second bill signed into law last week sets a timeline for provisions to go into effect, depending on how the Supreme Court rules.

South Dakota

South Dakota has had a trigger ban on the books since 2005, when a law was passed to set up an almost outright ban on abortions in the event that Roe is overturned. The law would make it illegal to perform an abortion except in life-threatening medical emergencies and would become effective "on the date states are recognized by the United States Supreme Court to have the authority to prohibit abortion at all stages of pregnancy."

Tennessee

Tennessee law contains a provision that would prohibit all abortions except those that would prevent the death of the mother and would go into effect 30 days after Roe is struck down. Medical providers could be charged with a felony for violating the law.

Texas

Texas' so-called trigger ban was signed into law in June 2021 and would make abortions illegal unless the pregnant person's life is threatened or they are at risk of serious injury. The law would go into effect 30 days after the Supreme Court issues a judgment overruling Roe.

Utah

Utah passed a law in May 2020 banning almost all abortions if Roe is overturned. Exceptions include cases of rape or incest, detection of severe birth defects, or prevention of the death or serious injury of the person giving birth. Performing an abortion in violation of the law is a second-degree felony.

Wyoming

Signed into law last month, Wyoming's bill added a provision that would make it illegal to perform an abortion if Roe is overturned, with extremely limited exceptions for cases of sexual assault, incest, or the risk of death or severe injury to the person giving birth.

***

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CNN's Tierney Sneed, Ariane de Vogue, Joan Biskupic, Veronica Stracqualursi, Shawna Mizelle, Paradise Afshar, Caroline Kelly and Rebekah Reiss contributed to this report. The-CNN-Wire  &  2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
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.
Karine Jean-Pierre will become the new White House press secretary when Jen Psaki departs her role next week, President Joe Biden announced in a statement Thursday, becoming the first Black and out LGBTQ person to hold the position.

Get that and more trending news here.
LAGOS, May 4 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed commitment to supporting measures to improve the suffering of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria's restive northeast state of Borno.

Speaking with stakeholders Tuesday in Maiduguri, the state capital of Borno and epicenter of the Boko Haram insurgency, the UN chief showed concern for the plight of the people affected by the decade-long insurgency and appealed to the international community to support Borno State in addressing the humanitarian needs in northeast Nigeria.

Guterres, who had earlier visited Senegal and Niger as part of his "Ramadan solidarity visit" to Africa, arrived in Nigeria Tuesday and visited some camps for IDPs and transit areas of repentant Boko Haram militants in Borno.

He said if the support was given, Boko Haram would disappear even though they were weakened as support from the international community will help the Borno state government by giving hope for development and trust, where the people feel that their future can be trusted.

"I was very impressed in the IDPs' camp to see that what the IDPs want is not food, blankets, but what they really want is the condition for them to be able to go back home in dignity and safety. And that requires (a) big investment," he said.

The UN Chief also said in a post on his official Twitter handle Wednesday that the people affected by terrorism he met in Borno "want above all to go back home in safety and dignity."

"Borno is now a place of hope -- showing that the way to fight terrorism effectively is to invest in livelihoods, reintegration and people's futures," he said.

Babagana Zulum, the governor of Borno, on Tuesday briefed the UN chief on the situation in Borno, lauding the UN for its support to the state and urging for more.

Zulum said many of the displaced persons had stayed for several years in camps and were eager to return to their recovered homes, but the destroyed structures had yet to be reconstructed.

He urged for more UN support for the ongoing rehabilitation, reconstruction, and resettlement of the IDPs.

Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo, the state commissioner for women's affairs and social development, said at the meeting that since 2016, the state has rehabilitated 7,039 women and children affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.

Since 2009, Boko Haram has been trying to establish an Islamist state in northeastern Nigeria, extending its attacks to countries in the Lake Chad Basin, where the group has posed enormous security, humanitarian, and governance challenges. 
A former chief executive of a Denison, Iowa, credit union was sentenced Wednesday to 15 months in federal prison and fined $5,000 for falsifying records to hide embezzlement.

Janine Keim, 69, of Denison, who served as CEO of Consumers Credit Union, pleaded guilty to falsifying financial records to hide the theft of $1.5 million. U.S. District Court Judge Leonard Strand of Sioux City, Iowa, also ordered Keim to pay $1,000 in restitution to Cobalt Credit Union.

Consumers Credit Union became a branch of SAC Federal Credit Union on June 1, 2018, and in August of the same year, SAC Federal Credit Union changed its name to Cobalt Credit Union.

Keim admitted in court to falsifying documents from May 2012 through March 2018. Keim also admitted to taking funds from the credit union and submitting reports she knew to be false to the National Credit Union Association.

In October 2020, Keims sister, Brenda Jensen, 54, pleaded guilty to embezzling from the same credit union and was sentenced to three years in federal prison. Jensen, the former head teller at the credit union, also was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $430,470 to Cobalt Credit Union and $1,031,009 to CUNA Mutual Group.

Keim had faced a possible maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Timmons.

Denison is about 70 miles northeast of Council Bluffs.

Editors note: An earlier version of this article included an incorrect amount for a fine that was listed in federal records.

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BLOOMINGTON  The Pop Up Chicken Shop, 1006 E. Lincoln St., inside VFW Post 454 in Bloomington, is this week's pick for Eats of the Week.

Pop Up Chicken Shop opened Oct. 15, 2018, and is owned by Aaron Francis. Francis is originally from Kentucky, but moved to the Bloomington-Normal area 20 years ago when he was in the eighth grade.

Francis partnered with Chris Bradley to open the restaurant. Bradley used to be the head chef at Rosie's Pub in Bloomington and started Fort Jesse Cafe in Normal.

"I've been cooking since I was 3 years old," Francis added. "I have a family lineage of cooks and it is a staple in my family. It is who I am as a person. We used to have dinner parties four times a week at my house, so I learned what it means to be hospitable. I have a true passion in making people happy with the food I make. My mom taught me everything I know."

Francis and Bradley both wanted to own their own place instead of working for someone else. They chose the VFW as the location for their restaurant because other start-up restaurants had previously had success there. Francis said they have ample space for dining as well.

The two came up with the name to allude to the fact they were literally "popping up" at the VFW, but instead they are here to stay.

"We have high-quality food and a streamlined process; we're the only place you can get hand-breaded chicken in less than five minutes," Francis said. "Our hospitality is above and beyond. We spend an equal amount of time preparing food and taking care of the restaurant; it's the best."

Pop Up Chicken Shop's most popular menu items include the Sando and the Illinois Hot Chicken Horseshoe. The Sando is a boneless breast with cider vinegar, slaw, pop up sauce, dill pickle and a cornmeal bun. The Illinois Hot Chicken Horseshoe is two hand-breaded chicken tenders stacked atop Texas toast, dill fries smothered in smoked Gouda chipotle cheese sauce, and served with pickles.

The restaurant has won Best Fried Chicken for the Pantagraph Readers' Choice awards for the last four years, and Best Chicken Sandwich for the last two years.

The restaurant offers a sandwich of the week special. Francis said people love their specials, and that helps separate them from other restaurants.

"My favorite part is the interactions with customers; many I'm now friends with and talk to them on a daily basis," Francis said. "Money is not my main goal; I want to provide bliss with food."

Francis said he has big things in store for the restaurant. He eventually wants to move the Pop Up Chicken Shop into its own building, and wants to "plug and play" the restaurant into a franchise throughout Central Illinois. He said he wants to be the next Steak 'n Shake and go nationwide.

"Our relationship with the VFW has been amazing; they have helped me grow," Francis said. "We've had a line to the door every day for the last four years; we have a very cult-like following with some people here four to five times a week. I want to give a huge thank you to the community; we are here to stay because of Bloomington-Normal."

Francis also does three catering events a year for the VFW and donates to them once a year.

The Pop Up Chicken Shop is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and closed Sunday. They offer dine-in and curbside pickup services.

Contact Olivia Jacobs at (309)-820-3352. Reach out with questions.

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BLOOMINGTON  A Skokie man was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in prison in a weapons case from August 2020.

Dakane L. Masters, 26, was charged initially with nine weapons charges, including a Class X felony of armed habitual criminal.

As part of a plea agreement entered in March, Masters pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and the remaining charges were dismissed by the McLean County States Attorneys Office.

The seven-year sentence, with associated fines and costs, was a joint recommendation from Assistant States Attorney Mary Koll and Masters attorney, Brian McEldowney.

He received credit for 660 days for his time in the McLean County jail and the life skills program he completed in custody.

During the sentencing hearing, Masters asked Judge Casey Costigan to recommend him for substance abuse treatment during his time in the Illinois Department of Corrections, which the judge agreed to.

Neither evidence in aggravation nor mitigation were presented at the hearing, but McEldowney noted Masters had filed a letter addressed to Costigan.

The judge said Masters seemed focused on moving forward with his life but said after his release from DOC, thats up to you.

Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer.

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CHICAGO - Move aside Aquafina, Evian, Mountain Valley and Fiji.

Chicago is introducing its own brand of water, Chicagwa, sourced from the expansive freshwater body that is Lake Michigan, and processed through the citys water treatment plants.

In other words, Chicago tap water in a can.

A limited run of Chicagwa tap water will be packaged in cans featuring six colorful designs created by local artists, from a hot dog in a boat to a depiction of the Chicagos historic Water Tower, where the unusual branding campaign was unveiled Tuesday. The cans will be given away free at various events throughout the city this summer and at locations including Real Good Stuff, Wieners Circle and Mannys delicatessen.

The idea is not so far-fetched. While brands like Evian and Fiji are sourced from a natural spring and an artesian aquifer, respectively, PepsiCos Aquafina and Coca-Colas Dasani are essentially purified tap water.

The citys latest marketing effort highlights Chicagos access to Lake Michigan  the fourth-largest freshwater lake in the world and an increasingly important asset as climate change exacerbates water shortages in other regions.

Last week, Los Angeles declared a water shortage emergency and imposed unprecedented usage restrictions amid a worsening drought.

Chicago taps into the second-largest Great Lake and abundant freshwater resource with two of the largest water treatment plants in the world  the Jardine plant near Navy Pier and the Sawyer plant in South Shore. The city produces 750 million gallons of water per day, sells its water to 120 suburbs and distributes it across Chicago through 12 pumping stations, according to Andrea Cheng, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Water Management.

The pro bono Chicagwa campaign was developed by Chicago agency Quality Meats Creative, and will also feature digital billboards across the city. The cans were produced by Great Central Brewing Co.

While Lake Michigan is Chicagos greatest natural resource and a source of civic pride, packaging the drinking water as a way to market the city is not without its risks.

A 2018 Tribune analysis found that nearly 70% of Chicago homes that used a free city-supplied testing kit found dangerous lead in their drinking water, with nearly 3 in 10 testing above 5 parts per billion, the maximum allowed in bottled water by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The primary cause of the lead contamination is the aging connections between many Chicago homes and citys water distribution system. Chicago required the use of lead service lines between street mains and homes until Congress banned the practice in 1986.

Were very aware that there are concerns about lead in drinking water, Cheng said Tuesday. And were working diligently with City Hall to create equitable plans that leverage new federal funding to remove the lead service lines that were installed until 1986.

Chicago has beefed up its marketing efforts this year, hoping to rebuild its battered brand as it seeks to recover from the pandemic.

The city, which welcomed nearly 61 million visitors in 2019, fell to 16 million in 2020 and was projected to attract just under 29 million last year, according to data provided by Choose Chicago, the citys official tourism arm.

The citys image as a crime capital has also flared up during the pandemic  fairly or unfairly  as Chicago saw upward of 800 homicides last year, the deadliest total since 1996, according to Chicago Police Department data and other sources.

In January, the city launched the Chicago Not in Chicago guerrilla campaign featuring video of a faux New York City bus tour highlighting the many ways Chicago has influenced the Big Apple. The campaign video tour, which was met with some derision, was supposed to travel next to London, but the planned sequel has yet to materialize.

Whether the new Chicagwa campaign holds water remains to be seen.

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When we heard the incredible news tonight we dropped to our knees and said a prayer as a family in gratitude for all the lives that will be saved. And then we said the pledge of allegiance. The flag looks different after this ruling - it shines even brighter. 
The Food and Drug Administrations move Thursday to ban menthol cigarettes should have been a moment of unfiltered elation for Mignonne Guy. Instead, she was fuming over the gaslighting that followed.

Yesterday, I was on fire, said Guy, chair of the Department of African American Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, who specializes in medical racism and health inequities. She was angry over the misinformation and disinformation on social media and other platforms intended to spark African Americans to defend an indefensible product.

Nearly 85% of all non-Hispanic Black smokers smoke menthol cigarettes; 30% of non-Hispanic white smokers use menthols, according to the FDA.

I want the public to know theyre being targeted again, Guy told me Friday.

She anticipates a long legal fight ahead by the cigarette industry against this proposed ban. But if Black lives truly matter, we need to look askance at cigarettes, which disproportionately kill Black people. African American men have the highest rates of lung cancer in the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The tobacco industry, Guy said, went from forcing us to grow and pick the tobacco to really targeting us to use the tobacco.

In an interview with VCU News, she called the proposed ban  which would also prohibit characterizing flavors in cigars  historic and long-overdue action to protect all of our nations children, advance health equity and save lives, especially among Black Americans and other populations that have been targeted by the tobacco industry and suffered enormous harm from the predatory marketing of these products.

When I committed to studying tobacco as a graduate student, it was solely for this moment, Guy said. I learned very early on that the tobacco industry manipulated menthol products to increase their addictiveness, that they targeted Black, low income White, LGBTQ+, and young people to use these products  that, if used as intended, they would likely die from.

My goal, she said, was to contribute to the body of evidence that would lead to the ban of menthol cigarettes and put a stop to the industry preying on Black communities.

The marketing of menthol cigarettes to Black consumers was made easier by redlining and housing segregation.

I grew up in a household where menthol cigarettes were smoked. Kool  a brand that would have a jazz festival named after it  appeared to be the brand of choice. The cooling effect of the menthol made the cigarettes easier to inhale, making for a more pleasant experience.

My parents managed to quit. But it was too late for my father, Wilbert Williams, who was diagnosed with lung cancer before his death three decades ago.

Stoking Guys ire Thursday was the alliance between cigarettes and some Black leaders, including Al Sharpton, who acknowledged in an article in The New York Times that his National Action Network has received financial support from the tobacco industry.

Sharpton, in a letter to Susan Rice, the Domestic Policy Council director, wrote that the menthol ban would have unintended consequences and severely target and harm African American smokers, who overwhelmingly prefer menthol cigarettes.

A menthol ban would impose serious risks, Sharpton wrote, including increasing the illegal sale of smuggled, black market menthol cigarettes as well as the street sales of individual menthol cigarettes  loosies and in turn place menthol smokers at a significant risk of entering the criminal justice system.

Sharpton knows better.

Yes, Eric Garner, after being accused of selling loosie cigarettes, died from a chokehold by a New York City police officer in 2014. But to cynically turn this tragedy on its head is to ignore tens of thousands of African Americans who die of tobacco-related deaths each year. The targeting and harm of Black people by the cigarette industry is not an unintended consequence.

The FDA ban would apply only to manufacturers and retailers. As the agency states: The FDA cannot and will not enforce against individual consumer possession or use of menthol cigarettes or any tobacco product. And state and local law enforcement agencies do not independently enforce the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act, the FDA stated.

Or as Guy told VCU News: This fearmongering cannot hide the fact that it is the industry itself that preyed on and caused so much harm and death to Black Americans through the targeted marketing of menthol cigarettes. This is not a question of criminalizing Black smokers; it is a question of saving Black lives.

Numerous organizations have endorsed a menthol cigarette ban, including the NAACP, the Congressional Black Caucus and a broad coalition of 77 public health, medical, education and community organizations.

No Black activist should dare defend a product that has taken so many Black lives. Disregard the smoke and mirrors.

Williams: Twitter weaponized free speech. If Musk loosens the reins, he jeopardizes democracy. Michael Paul Williams  a columnist with the Richmond Times-Dispatch  won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in Commentary "for penetrating and historically insightful columns that guided Richmond, a former capital of the Confederacy, through the painful and complicated process of dismantling the city's monuments to white supremacy."

Williams: 'That could be me.' Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation is a supreme moment for the American dream Michael Paul Williams  a columnist with the Richmond Times-Dispatch  won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in Commentary "for penetrating and historically insightful columns that guided Richmond, a former capital of the Confederacy, through the painful and complicated process of dismantling the city's monuments to white supremacy."

Michael Paul Williams is a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist with the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Richmond, Va.; read more of his columns on Richmond.com.

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100 years ago

May 4, 1922: The Illinois Traction System plans to survey a line into the Stevensonville neighborhood. The ITS owns the streetcar line, and doesnt expect to profit from the extension. But it does want it to be self-sustaining. An ITS official says trackless trolley buses might be used.

75 years ago

May 4, 1947: The embattled TP&W Railroad named J. Russell Coulter as its new president, replacing the murdered George McNear. Coulter is a 20-year Frisco Lines man, and has resigned to take the new job in Peoria. He inherits a railroad coming off a bloody 18-month strike.

50 years ago

May 4, 1972: Fire destroyed a Stanford rental home, which the owners believe was the oldest house in the village. The tenants were at work when the blaze was discovered. Firemen got there quickly but were unable to save the house or any of the tenants belongings.

25 years ago

May 4, 1997: Cable rates are rising, not just in town but all over Central Illinois. In the Twin Cities, TCI charges $27.30 monthly for basic and second tier cable service. Peoria, also a TCI market, runs a new center higher at $27.93. (This was in the days before Comcast arrived.)

Compiled by Jack Keefe; jkeefe@coldwellhomes.com.
MEXICO CITY, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Guadalajara are preparing a bid to sign Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa, according to media reports in Mexico.

Las Chivas, as the Liga MX club is known, have been searching for a permanent manager since parting ways with Michel Leano on April 14.

Local newspaper Record said Bielsa was the club's top priority ahead of the Liga MX Apertura season, scheduled to begin in July.

Bielsa has been out of work since being sacked by Leeds United in February. The 66-year-old has also been linked to the vacant positions with the Chile and Colombia national teams.

Chivas recovered from a poor start to the current Liga MX Clausura season to finish fifth in the 18-team standings under interim manager Ricardo Cadena. They will host Pumas in the first round of the Liga MX playoffs on Sunday. 
Zenith Bank (Ghana) Limited is proud to announce the appointment of Mr. Henry Chinedu Onwuzurigbo as the new Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Bank. He takes over from Mr. Anthony Akindele Ogunranti who has been elevated to the position of Executive Director in Zenith Bank Plc.



Mr. Onwuzurigbo, until his appointment, was the Executive Director of Zenith Bank Ghana. Prior to joining Zenith Bank Ghana, he was an Executive Director in charge of Business Development and Treasury at Zenith Bank UK.



He comes into this new role with over twenty-four (24) years broad-based wealth of experience in banking, spanning across various business development functions and has held Senior Management positions ranging from Head of Operations, Head of Marketing, Branch Management, Regional/Zonal Management, Head of Inspection and Deputy Group Chief Inspector in Zenith Bank Plc as well as the Head of Internal Audit of Zenith Pensions Custodian Limited (a subsidiary of Zenith Bank PLC). He was also the Pioneer Head of Internal Audit in Zenith Bank (UK) Ltd.



He is a Chartered Accountant and holds a bachelors degree in Accounting. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), a Member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (UK), an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, Nigeria, a Senior Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Nigeria as well as a Member of the Financial Reporting Council. Henry holds professional certifications and qualifications in Accounting, Taxation Banking as well as International Trade Finance.



He has attended various courses in Leadership, Strategy, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and General Banking Practices at the London Business School, Euromoney, Lagos Business School, Financial Institution Training Centre Nigeria (FITC) as well as other training institutes in the United Kingdom. Prior to joining Zenith Bank, he worked in audit practice and consultancy with Coopers and Lybrands (now Price Waterhouse Coopers).



As an astute banker and a dynamic leader with resilient passion for the Zenith brand, the Bank believes that Mr. Onwuzurigbo will bring to bear his expertise and significantly contribute to the growth of the brand in Ghana. He will also facilitate the replication of the successes achieved in Zenith Plc and Zenith UK in Zenith Bank Ghana.



Mr. Onwuzurigbo comes into this role with great enthusiasm and passion to lead the Zenith Bank Ghana team to another level of exceptional performance in all parameters. He will champion the course to attain the Banks quest of being the market leader in the Ghanaian Banking Industry.



Zenith Bank, since its entry into the Ghanaian banking landscape in September 2005, has differentiated itself from its peers in the areas of product innovation and service offerings, multiple channels for electronic banking and a consistent delivery of exceptional customer service. The Bank will continue to engage with its customers and proffer innovative solutions that cater to their unique financial needs.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Aston Martin Lagonda (AML.L) on Wednesday named former Ferrari NV (RACE.MI) boss Amedeo Felisa as its new chief executive officer as the British luxury carmaker works on emulating the Italian carmaker's success and electrifying its brand.



Felisa will take over with immediate effect from Tobias Moers, who joined the company in 2020 from shareholder Mercedes-Benz's (MBGn.DE) high-performance AMG brand and served as CEO and chief technical officer.



Felisa currently serves on Aston Martin's board and led Ferrari between 2008 and 2016 when it was still part of the Fiat group.



Most recently, Felisa served as a special adviser to Silk-FAW, a joint venture between U.S.-based automotive engineering and design firm Silk EV and Chinese automaker FAW (000800.SZ).



Billionaire Lawrence Stroll drove to the rescue of James Bond's car brand of choice less than two years ago while it struggled after a disastrous IPO.



Stroll has overseen a manufacturing makeover at Aston Martin to lift margins and help it become more like rival Ferrari with more customised car orders. read more



Now the carmaker's largest shareholder and executive chairman, Stroll told Reuters that Moers had stabilized the company when it "needed immediate manufacturing, operation attention" but now Aston Martin needed a CEO to "focus on the bigger picture".



"Nobody knows how to make ultra-luxury performance cars better than Amedeo," Stroll said. "He saw the movie, he wrote the script."



Aston Martin plans to launch its first fully-electric car in 2025.



Aston also named former Ferrari and BMW (BMWG.DE) executive Roberto Fedeli as its chief technical officer.



The latest appointments come just months after the company's former chief financial office also left Aston Martin.



Jefferies analyst Philippe Houchois wrote in a client note that Aston Martin's new CFO and the appointment of Felisa "will hopefully help stabilize management across the company".



On Wednesday, Aston Martin reported a wider pretax loss of 111.6 million pounds ($139.15 million) for the first quarter, compared with a loss of 42.2 million pounds a year earlier, which was largely in line with expectations.

Source: REUTERS









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The Sunyani Technical University last Saturday launched a GH300 million endowment fund to mobilise resources to finance its five-year strategic plan and 40-year master plan.



While the strategic plan spells out the development of the university within a five-year period, the master plan focuses on its long-term sustainable infrastructural development.



It is expected that GH50 million out of the targeted endowment fund will be mobilised by the end of the year.



The launch of the fund was done as part of activities to kick-start the 55th anniversary of the establishment of the institution, which had metamorphosed from a technical institute to a fully-fledged university.



The year-long 55th anniversary of the university is being celebrated on the theme: "STU, 55 years of progress and achievement in TVET and Engineering education: Mobilising excellence for leadership in Ghana's industrialisation agenda".



Weak financial base



Addressing the ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah, said it had become necessary for funds to be mobilised because of the weak financial base due to dwindling government funding, resulting in difficulties in the attainment of efficient operations.



He said the huge infrastructure gap in the faculties and departments had made it difficult for the university to deliver its mandate smoothly.



"The university, therefore, requires an alternative source of funding for its sustainable development," he stated.



Professor Adinkrah-Appiah announced that members of the University Council, as well as management and staff of the university, had voluntarily committed to contributing GH1million to support the endowment fund.



STEM



In an address read on his behalf, the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, said for Ghana to compete in the fourth industrial revolution, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education was not negotiable.



He explained that the governments target was, therefore, to increase the science and humanities ratio at the tertiary level from the current 40:60 to 60:40 in favour of sciences by 2030.



Contribution



For his part, the Chairman of the Governing Council of STU, Dr Kwame Agyeman Boakye, said for the past 55 years, STU had contributed immensely towards the socio-economic development of the country.



"With over 40,000 alumni, STU continues to carve a niche for itself in the training of human resources, especially in the areas of engineering, technology, technical and vocational needs of our dear country," he said.



The Bono Regional Minister, Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, said it was the expectation of people in the region and beyond that STU would not rest on its oars but would continue to work hard to solve some of the challenges facing the country.



During the launch, several individuals and institutions contributed to the fund. They included GH20,000.00 by Dr Boakye, Chairman of the STU Governing Council, GH10,000.00 by the Dormaa Traditional Council and GH10,000.00 by the Bono Regional Coordinating Council.



During the occasion, 1,779 students graduated from the university and were awarded B-Tech, HND and Diploma Certificates in Engineering, TVET, Applied Science and Technology, Applied Arts, as well as Business and Management Studies disciplines.









Source: graphiconline.com









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The Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission has called on the Ministry of Education (MoE) to introduce guidelines to regulate religious activities in public schools in the country.



The Ameer and Missionary in charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana, Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih, who made the call, observed that comprehensive guidelines would be a point of reference to help address future brawls in public schools with regard to faith and religious matters.



His call comes a year after the Wesley Girls High School, Cape Coast, was reported to have refused to grant Muslim students in the school the permission to fast during Ramadan, citing health reasons.



Promote peaceful coexistence

Speaking at the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at Ashongman in Accra on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, Alhaji Salih said the government, through the MoE, should use the guidelines to demonstrate leadership and promote peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians.



We also entreat the Minister of Education to come out with the long-awaited memorandum of understanding and guidelines on religious activities in public schools.



We urge the minister to demonstrate leadership through cognizance of the undeniable fact that the absence of peace is always as a result of the absence of justice, and that, as the adage goes, justice delayed is justice denied, he said.



Tolerating fasting



The Ameer said Christians needed to honour the spiritual tradition and heritage which Muslims shared equally with them by not only tolerating fasting in their schools but also being religiously kind enough to put in the needed applicable measures to facilitate the observance of this act of worship.



He said it should also include other mandatory acts of worship by Muslim students in their schools and see them as a matter of basic human rights.



The Holy Prophet of Islam, on whom be the peace and blessings of Allah, facilitated Sunday service for his Christian brethren from Najram of South-Western Arabia, situated near the border with Yemen, in his own mosque in Medina when they called on him to discuss religion, he said.



Eid-ul-Fitr



Muslims throughout the world on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr, the Festival of Breaking the Fast, which is marked after the Holy month of Ramadan.



Fasting teaches the meaning and pain of hunger and thirst so that people who go through that will appreciate those without food and water.



This years prayers attracted scores of members of the mission from all over the country to the Bustan-E-Ahmad, also known as the Ahmadiyya Muslim Conference Centre, at Ashongman in Accra.









Source: graphiconline.com









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Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
The government and its social partners will roll out the right mix of policies to help protect jobs and incomes.

Delivering the keynote address at the May Day Parade last Sunday, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said the government, with the agreement of the Social Partners, will, shortly, engage Organised Labour, employers and key stakeholders to fashion the right mix of policies to help protect jobs and incomes.



The policies would include rollout of unemployment benefits/ insurance; training and re-training of workers; extension of moratorium in payment of income and corporate taxes, and pragmatism in labour administration and enforcement.



He was speaking on the theme; Protecting Jobs and Incomes in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond.



President Akufo-Addo explained that the measures were among the right mix of policies to help protect jobs and incomes.



Shared responsibility



President Akufo-Addo said Protecting Jobs and Incomes in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond was undeniably the collective responsibility and duty of all social partners.



He explained that incomes earned by workers were a function of the jobs created by employers and the creation of an enabling environment by the government to help sustain enterprise growth.



Protecting jobs and incomes, he said, also required the government to provide adequate support to enable the private sector to retain its labour, saying that private-sector-led economic growth is the most conducive way of sustaining inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.



Single Spine



President Akufo-Addo announced that following the National Labour Conference in Kwahu-Nkwatia, the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and its tripartite partners had, on April 26, this year, set up a technical committee to review the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) and advise the government accordingly.



He explained that the goal was to find out whether the SSPP was living up to expectation, and, if not, find the way forward.



He expressed the hope that the outcome, which was expected in July, would help put an end to most of the unrest on the labour front involving public sector workers.



With respect to emoluments for Article 71 office holders, he said official data put the figure at less than one per cent of tax revenue.



However, he said, issues of equity within the constitutional framework needed to be dealt with and called for the collaboration of the Executive and the Legislature to address them.



The President noted that the government had worked with the tripartite social partners in the past to deal with such issues and urged all to work hard to increase productivity, so we could increase salary levels and provide the basis for paying a living wage.



Conditions of service



The colourful parade to mark workers day at the Black Star Square was the first in three years since COVID-19 restrictions forced the May Day parade to be held virtually from the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).



Organised labour used the occasion to throw light on a litany of challenges and demanded solutions, including the removal of salary inequalities and a 20 per cent cost of living allowance (COLA).



President Akufo-Addo, however, stated that although conditions of service in the public service needed improvement, it should be done within budgetary constraints in order not to put excessive pressure on public finances.



He explained that the payment of compensation alone to the 700,000 public sector workers absorbed 56 per cent of tax revenues last year.



He said the government spent GH31.7 billion on compensation to employees, made up of wages and salaries, pensions, gratuities and social security.



This was paid out of tax revenue of GH56.5 billion, he added.



He explained that the tax revenue to compensation ratio was well above the ECOWAS threshold of 35 per cent and above the sub-Saharan Africa average of 43 per cent.



President Akufo-Addo indicated that the fiscal impact became even more stark when the three largest expenditure items  compensation for employees, interest payments and remittances to statutory funds  were put together.



That amounted to GH81.3 billion, representing 144 per cent of tax revenue as of last year, he said.



This means that the total tax revenue is not enough to meet our commitments on compensation, interest payments and statutory funds, as we have to resort to non-tax revenue and borrowing to be able to meet these obligations, he said.



This shows how rigid the budget is and how fiscal space is non-existent or limited, he explained.



Petroleum price



Touching on petroleum price increases, he indicated that the suggestion of removing taxes on petroleum products would reduce government revenue by about GH4 billion, which was not sustainable.



At this time, when we are determined to expand government revenue in order to increase our capacity to finance our own development, can we afford to reduce tax revenue by GH4 billion? he quizzed.



The government is currently confronted by very tight financing conditions, in the wake of inadequate domestic revenue mobilisation, he indicated.



The President said part of the revenue from the taxes on petroleum products was used to pay the salaries of public sector workers on government payroll.



Permanent solutions



He gave an assurance that the government was addressing the issue of fuel price increases by implementing measures, some of which had succeeded in stabilising the exchange rate, a key determinant of fuel prices.



The government is also working hard to ensure reliable supply and availability of petroleum products, thereby preventing shortages, a phenomenon which was being experienced in some neighbouring countries. By the same token, we are keeping the lights on in Ghana, he added.



The President reminded Ghanaians that even though the country was a producer of crude oil, with a current output of 148,000 barrels per day, it was still a net importer of petroleum products and, therefore, continued to be vulnerable to the price volatilities of petroleum products on the world market.



He said the government was making intense efforts to rehabilitate the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) to enable it to contribute to stabilising petroleum prices.



He said the government was also encouraging private companies to establish refineries in the country, one of which was 80 per cent complete and was expected to be inaugurated before the end of this year.



He said the government could not take ad hoc measures that would give only temporary reprieve and aggravate the situation in the medium to long term.



As much as possible, let us use existing institutions and sustainable measures to address these concerns, President Akufo-Addo said.



Impact



He noted that just as the social partners had worked together to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on lives and livelihoods and grown the economy from 3.4 per cent in 2016 to an average annual growth rate of seven in 2017 before the pandemic struck, he remained confident that they could, in the same spirit, work to sustain the rebound of the economy and thereby help improve the living standards of the citizenry.









Source: graphiconline.com









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The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has urged the citizenry to consciously treasure and protect the differences among them in order to sustain and foster peaceful co-existence.

He described the diversity in the Ghanaian society as a huge resource that we should harness for the growth and development of our communities.



Diversity signifies the beauty of Gods creation and it is not for nothing that God created the world and divided us into nations, tribes and different races as well as languages, he said.



Addressing the 10th annual night of power in the Holy month of Ramadan by the Muslim Caucus of Parliament, Mr Bagbin said It is for us to cherish Gods wisdom, power and authority and glorify Him, and it is also for us to recognise one another and live in peace and harmony so that the society will benefit from the beauty and wisdom of diversity.



The differences among us in terms of religion, tribe, culture etc is, therefore, the manifestation of our strength and we should treasure, enhance and protect it rather than construe it as a weakness, the Speaker said.



The event, which was held on the theme: Sustaining democracy and socio-economic development in post-COVID Ghana: The role of the Muslim communities, brought together a number of people from all walks of life, mainly Muslims and Christians to break the fast in recognition of the Holy Ramadan.



Tolerate



The Speaker noted that the beauty of the country lay in the unity and diversity among its people, a reason that made him proud to be Ghanaian.



He, therefore, emphasised the need for efforts to be made to sustain the countrys democracy and build back better as a necessity for peaceful coexistence and tolerance of one another.



Live in peace



In a speech read on his behalf, the Vice-President, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, advised his fellow Muslims not to allow themselves to be used by anyone or group of people to disturb the peace of the country.



Our peaceful co-existence is a special grace bestowed on us by Allah and we shall all suffer the wrath of Allah if we fail to preserve and pass it on to the next generations, he said.



Lets open to each other



The Chairman of the Muslim Caucus in Parliament, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, highlighted the various factors that had enriched the diversity and peaceful co-existence among Christians and Muslims over the years such as inter-marriages and being each others keeper.







Source: graphiconline.com









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Everybody deserves a second chance to be better and when that is done, it makes the world a better place to live in. This is the personal conviction that motivated young Patience Danso-Baffoe, as she was then known, to enlist with the Ghana Prisons Service immediately after completing sixth form.



At that time, many of her friends tried to discourage her from embarking on that career path as they believed she was better off pursuing a university degree first before building a career.



However, she stood her ground and with the support of her parents, applied and got enlisted as a Second Class Officer, the lowest rank in the service.



After 35 years of service, her decision has not only paid off by rising through the ranks to be a Director of Prisons (DOP), but Mrs Baffoe-Bonnie has built a professional career for herself, after she was called to the bar.



When I decided to enlist for the Prisons Service, many of my friends did not understand why I chose that career path because I was good academically and could gain admission to a university.



Worse of it all, they did not understand why I chose the Prisons Service instead of the Military as the rank at which a sixth form graduate entered the Military was higher than that of the Prisons Service.





However, I chose the Prisons Service because it had initiated a plan to move away from recruiting middle school leavers to getting more educated women, so I was interested in that as it would provide me with opportunities too.



After 35 years of service, I have no regrets of my decision as I have had a fulfilled career in the service, Mrs Baffoe-Bonnie said as she shared her experience with the Daily Graphic.



Among the notable achievements she has earned is the role she played in establishing the Legal and Health Departments of the service, making the James Camp a more vibrant and a model for the modules of the service and helping to re-establish the Prisons in Liberia after the war, when she went on UN Peacekeeping duties in that country.



Responsibilities





As the Director of Prisons in charge of Technical Services and Special Operations, she is in charge of the logistical needs of the service and all related issues that the Prisons Service provides which are not part of the core mandate.



It is a huge responsibility but understanding the system due to the experience gained on the job has helped me greatly, and I have a supportive team who also share in my work ethics and ideals, Mrs Baffoe- Bonnie said describing her current role.



Well-travelled officer



In her career duties with the service, she has worked at almost all the units that serve the core mandate of the GPS, serving with eagerness and determination to be the difference.



From my first posting at the James Fort Female Unit through to Nsawam, Sekondi and Kumasi, the desire was always to discharge my duties to the best of my ability.



This has greatly helped me in my career as I have worked at all the units of the service  reformation, legal, operations, technical services and welfare and that has positioned me to fully understand and effectively play my role in ensuring that the core mandate of the service is always carried out.



Indeed, it has been that and my desire to serve humanity that made me pursue a degree in social work and then followed up with a career in law, she said in an interview.



Having been called to the bar, she worked as the Chief Legal Officer for the service for about 10 years; she was the advisor to the Director-General on policies, issues on legalities from within and without the service, and she might have carried that responsibility well as without much hint, she was given the responsibility to restructure the Legal Unit.



Think prison



Affirming her conviction, Mrs Baffoe-Bonnie said when she set out to work, she did not see it as working for herself, but rather for those who depend on the service.



She explained that for every opportunity she had had, especially leading a team to discharge a role, her mantra had been Think Prison in a bid to get team members motivated and also show empathy towards prisoners in the discharge of their duties.



As officers, we are the only ones who can best tell our stories and get people on board to support; in thinking prison, we also remind ourselves that we can help make life bearable for those whose mistakes overtly or covertly have landed them in trouble with the law, she said.



She is married with grown-up children and she said as a mother, she found it very worrying to see many young people falling foul to the law and being incarcerated. She, therefore expressed the hope that the system would help to transform them as they deserved another chance to be better persons.



She admitted that in the line of duty and having worked closely with prisoners, she was more than convinced that no matter what crime one committed, that person deserved another chance to be a better person.



I remember one time when an 18-year-old male was brought to the facility and as a mother, I was wondering what would have brought him there. During one of the counselling sessions, I found out that he had been brought there because he could not pay the fine imposed for stealing a mobile phone, we mobilised funds to pay the fine and gave him something to put him through a trade; recently, he returned, grateful for the second chance and I was proud of what he had been able to achieve with his life, she said.



Peacekeeping



When she was deployed to Liberia as part of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in 2003, she was attached to the Corrections Advisory Unit to help in re-establishing Monrovias Central Prisons, the highest security facility and then assisted in establishing two more.



From the modules operated by the Ghana Prisons Service, she helped the facility to adopt the innovative way of getting the inmates to farm to feed themselves, as well as learn other skills to help them become self-sufficient.



She said the situation then was dire and it had to take some ingenuity to get the prison officers and the inmates to adapt.



I am happy to note that most of the systems I helped established have been maintained and now form part of the active non-core mandate of the Liberia Prisons, she said.

Source: Graphiconline









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A group of more than 100,000 Kenyans from the Talai clan has written to Prince William to seek an apology, and his support for reparations for human rights abuses they say they suffered during the British colonial settlement.



The letter, a copy of which the BBC has seen, says the British government has declined to engage with the clan's representatives and they're therefore reaching out to the prince "because Kenya is special to him".



A request for comment has been sent to both the Royal Family and the British Foreign Office.



The Talai says the British government has declined to recognise the suffering of its members during the colonial era.



A UN inquiry determined last year that gross human rights violations were committed particularly against the clan, including unlawful killing, sexual violence, torture, and arbitrary detention and displacement.



Five UN Special Rapporteurs then wrote to the British government regarding public apologies, reparations and remedies. In response, the UK said it had already issued a public apology and settlement in 2013 of claims made by Kenyans who lived through the emergency period and the Mau Mau insurgency, from 1952 to 1963 when Kenya gained independence.

Source: BBC









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Senegal's President Macky Sall has said he plans to regulate social media in the West African nation, describing it as "a real cancer of modern societies".



No organized society can accept what is happening here today. We are going to put an end to it, one way or another, local media quoted him as saying.



Political tensions during local elections in January led to fears of widespread violence via online mobilisation.



This followed the case last year of main opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, who was accused of rape. His arrest led to rare mass anti-government protests in which at least 13 people were killed and several others injured.



Journalists also spoke out about receiving online and physical abuse for reporting the rape allegations.



There are fears that legal measures could be used to crack down on youths using social media to mobilize demonstrations against Mr Sall's administration.

Source: BBC









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COLOMBO, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan Finance Minister Ali Sabry told parliament on Wednesday that the country's current useable foreign reserves were less than 50 million U.S. dollars.

Sabry told parliament that Sri Lanka should have sought assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) much earlier and that entering an IMF program would take at least six months.

The government should have floated the rupee earlier too, said Sabry.

The finance minister said discussions with several countries to obtain bridging finance are underway.

The minister said Sri Lanka's foreign useable reserves were at 7 billion dollars by the end of 2019.

Pointing out that the government's tax revenues have decreased to 8.7 percent of gross domestic product, Sabry said the budget 2022 is no longer realistic and the government hopes to present a new budget proposal in the parliament soon.

Sri Lanka has been suffering a shortage of foreign exchange with its reserve assets standing at around 1.9 billion dollars at the end of March, of which foreign currency reserves were at 1.7 billion dollars. 
The Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) has intensified its public awareness campaign on LGBTQ+ and its accompanying bane on the Ghanaian society, emphasizing the need to abhor all such practices in the country.



The LGBTQ+ (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals or Pansexuals, Transgender, Queer) is used to denote a group of persons whose sexual orientation does not match their biological gender.



The Reverend George Bright Gyamfi, Minister in Charge of the Ramseyer Congregation, Baakokrom, Koforidua, said advocates of LGBTQ+ deliberately ignored the negative effects of the issue.



He said this at a seminar on LGBTQ+, hosted by the PCG's Department for Ecumenical and Social Relations in the Nsukwao District of the New Juaben South Municipality.



It was to train leaders from the PCG Nsukwao District's eight congregations, as educators on the LGBTQ+ and its risks to the church and society.



"Those who belong to that community just fight for acceptance because it is their right, but they never emphasised the hazards involved with it, he said.



These people have money and connections. They seek to destroy culture, humanity, procreation and reproduction.



He said perversion of God's purpose, exposure to contagious illnesses, and stigmatisation were but a few of the negative consequences associated with activities of the LGBTQ+.



In order to nip that in the bud, the National Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Values developed and presented a 36-page bill, titled "Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values 2021" to Parliament last year.



Rev Gyamfi recalled that the bill was drafted following the arrest of a group of 21 supposed lesbians and gays in Ho last year, holding a meeting to mobilise members of LGBTQ+ under one recognised body.



While open advocacy against the movement had either minimised or stopped in the country, their activities were being conducted in secrecy, he said.



Ghana is a religious country and none of the religions accepts the LGBTQQIAAP+ as a human right. Our cultural values are also against such practices, he said.



We must, therefore, not be quiet on the advocacy about proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian values. We must sensitise our young ones in the church and at home to uphold the natural sexual relation established by God.



Rev Gyamfi advised participants to inculcate good moral values in their children.







Source: GNA









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Government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has delivered on its promise to secure a safe haven for the displaced victims of Apiate and save them from the torrents of the rain.



Mr Benito Owusu-Bio, Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources said five more structures have been added to the initial 32, bringing the numbers to a total of 37 structures, which he said have all been completely refurbished with roofing, doors and windows, with carpets laid in each room to shelter all the displaced people of Apiate temporarily.



Addressing the media on his unannounced visit to Apiate on May 2, 2022, Mr Owusu-Bio said 800 victims of 125 households are being moved into the completed rooms while reaffirming that the official relocation day of the people from the tents to the completed buildings still remains May 4, 2022.



The Deputy Minister expressed his joy over the citizen's enthusiasm about moving into the newly renovated buildings and hoped that on the actual day of final relocation, all 800 people would have moved from the tents to the temporary structures.



"our visit here today was just to ensure that all the necessary arrangements are put in place for a smooth transition on May 4, 2022 on which we will come with the Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor to officially hand over the buildings to the people. I'm happy with what I've seen today, most of them have moved in and gradually we hope that all will move in before we return on Wednesday," he stated.



He assured that having completed the temporary structures, plans are far advanced to commence work on the main Apiate site, adding that the tendering have been opened and the committee is almost done and soon the work will begin.



Mr Owusu-Bio who is also the Chairman of the Apiate Reconstruction Committee in his submission appreciated the support of his team and the Municipal Chief Executive, Dr. Isaac Dasmani and also thanked Ghanaians for their generosity towards the Support fund and the people of Appiatse.



On the accident which occurred on Monday, 2nd May 2022, and which claimed the lives of a lady and his brother on the Apiate Bogoso road while riding a bicycle, Mr Owusu-Bio sent out some words of condolences to the bereaved family, cautioning them to be more careful.



"Our heartfelt condolences goes out to the bereaved family, we are very sorry for your loss but there is one thing you must realise, you live very close to the high way, whether you like it or not so please be extra careful and do ensure the safety of your children, making sure they don't play by the roadside and outside the camp."



The temporary structures were handed out to the Ministry by the Future Global Resources Company (FGR), to aid government house the people of Apiate temporarily as it gathers efforts and funds to reconstruct the Apiate township which was razed by an explosion some months ago.





Source: class fm









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Sam Nartey George, the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, has suggested that the Deputy Finance Minister, John Kumah, lacks the required knowledge to speak on issues related to the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy).



Sam George in a blatant attack on John Kumah over some concerns birthed from the introduction of the E-levy, opined that John Kumah is not endowed with the knowledge in IT issues.



He therefore asked him to go silent and allow persons with command on the IT space to lead the conversation.



I have told you square pegs have no place in round holes. When we are talking IT deployment, kindly do us a favour and keep quiet. You make more sense that way. Cheers, Sam George tweeted at John Kumah.



The banter between the two parliamentarians is fueled by divergent views on users suffering E-levy deductions for using an electronic platform to pay their tithes or religious commitments.



John Kumah argued that the position by Sam George is disingenuous as the E-levy does not affect the tithe but rather the platform being used to pay the tithe.



@samgeorgegh, you have brains use them. Whether E-levy affects tithe, or not is not an issue of IT deployment, it is common sense. I thought the IT community has cautioned you to tread cautiously when it comes to its operations & not to feign ignorance as you always do.



Your argument is that E-levy is a tax on tithe& offering , this is falsehood because we are not taxing people for paying tithe & offering. We are taxing people for using an online platform and if in the course of paying their tithe, they are taxed for using a platform, John Kumah said in a series of tweets.



If you drive to Parliament and you buy fuel which is taxed does that mean we are taxing your work as a parliamentarian? he further quizzed.



The Ghana Revenue Authority, on May 1, 2022, began implementation of the E-levy amidst some reported challenges, including taxes on the GH100 threshold which is supposed to be exempted.



The GRA has, however, pledged to refund all wrong deductions whiles it works to resolve all the challenges encountered in the implementation phase of the E-levy.





Dear @johnkumah_Esq, I have told you square pegs have no place in round holes. When we are talking IT deployment, kindly do us a favour and keep quiet. You make more sense that way. Cheers.  https://t.co/ZFud971sX1  Sam 'Dzata' George (@samgeorgegh) May 2, 2022

















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Maritime Law and Management expert Kofi Mbeah has called for a comprehensive national maritime policy to guide the maritime industry beyond maritime territorial sovereignty and ownership rights.



Beyond cabotage, we need to have a national maritime policy to guide local content, employment generation, labour, legal issues, oil and gas, clean beaches; and for the life of the mariner or seafarer after retirement from active service. Dr Mbeah said.



Cabotage is the right to operate sea, air, or other transport services within a particular territory.



Dr Mbeah, who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Shipping, said this in a lecture and a panel discussion at a seminar at the Regional Maritime University (RMU), at Nungua, near Tema.



He stressed that Ghana must develop and adopt a comprehensive national maritime policy beyond cabotage, new legislation and review of regulation.



The seminar, organized jointly by the Ghana Merchant Navy Officers Association (GMNOA) and Regional Maritime University Alumni Association (RMUAA) was on the theme Your Place in the Maritime Labour Market; and was attended by industry actors, including retired and serving seafarers, organized labour; students, instructors and lecturers at the university.



Speakers at the seminar about what aspiring mariners and those already in the maritime labour market should know and do to gain a position of competitive advantage.



In the presentation, and during the discussion, Dr Mbeah spoke of a possible massive investment in the maritime industry and value chain activities in the blue economy as he explained that there was the need to take advantage of the marine and water resources of the earth because water covered two-thirds of the earths surface and land a third.



Among the areas, he identified for more investment are research, hospitality and recreation, husbandry, defence and environmental development and protection, which he said should be guided by a national maritime policy.



Dr Mbeah however wondered why many people would not go into research despite the advent of the Internet and other modern research tools, systems and mechanisms.



The oil finds and the nascent gas industry, Dr Mbeah stressed made the development and adoption of a national maritime urgent.



He called for the development of technologies and skills for current and emerging opportunities in the maritime industry. Levels of efficiency must go up, Dr Mbeah stressed.



Mr Alfred Fafali Adagbedu, the CEO, of Seaweed Engineering Limited, called on mariners to look at life beyond active service and retirement.



He said it was necessary to stay abreast with modern trends, especially laws and practices in the marine industry, as he stressed training to get more Ghanaians to be more involved in the maritime industry.



Mr Alock Asamoah, Training Officer, on behalf of Captain Addo Nii Addo, CEO of Bernhard Shultz Ship management urged mariners to lobby parliament and legislators to bring maritime issues to the fore.



He spoke of situations on some vessels that enter into Ghanaian waters without a single Ghanaian working on the vessels and asked, Cant we lobby our MPs for them to see the need for training to allow us to take on jobs on some of these vessels?



In a welcome address, Dr Jethro Brook, the acting Vice-Chancellor of the RMU stressed the need for collaboration between the institution and other industry actors.





Source: GNA









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Russian Soldiers Raping Ukrainian Men, boys As Well As Women - UN war crimes investigator claims



Kyiv officials have accused Russian soldiers of raping Ukrainian men and boys as well as women amid an ongoing investigation into dozens of cases.



Speaking on Tuesday May 3, UN special representative on sexual violence in war Pramila Patten, warned cases already under investigation were just 'the tip of the iceberg.



'I have received reports, not yet verified about sexual violence cases against men and boys in Ukraine,' she said during a press conference in Kyiv.



She urged all survivors of rape to come forward and report any such crimes at the hands of Russian soldiers, while acknowledging how challenging it is to do so amid fears of reprisals or of Moscow's forces returning.



She continued to say the world has allowed sexual violence to be used as a 'cheap' weapon of war for too long.



'Cheap, because it is cost-free. Very effective, because it does not only affect the victim, it affects whole families, the communities. It is biological warfare. It is psychological warfare,' she said.



Ms. Patten warned that there are likely many cases that have yet to be reported. Those that are already under investigation so far 'only represent the tip of the iceberg,' she said.



The UN official also called on the international community to track down perpetrators and hold them to account.



'Today's documentation will be tomorrow's prosecution,' she told reporters.



Ukraine's prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova said on Wednesday that the first stage of investigations into Russian war crimes in the suburban town of Irpin had concluded, having spoken to 228 witnesses.



In one brutal attack, she said a woman with her 12-year-old son and husband were fired at by a Russian tank while trying to evacuate the town in their car.



Earlier on Tuesday, Ms. Venediktova called Russian President Vladimir Putin 'the main war criminal of the 21st century' and accused Russia of using rape as a tactic in its brutal invasion.



Visiting the devastated city of Irpin near Kyiv, Ms Venediktova said Ukraine was collecting information on allegations of rape, torture and other suspected war crimes by Russian forces which occupied the region for a month.



Venediktova said the allegations included the rape of women, men, children and an old woman. Asked whether rape was a deliberate Russian strategy in the war, she told a news conference: 'I am sure actually that it was strategy.'



'This is, of course, to scare civil society... to do everything to (force Ukraine to) capitulate,' she said on Tuesday.



She provided no specific details of the rape allegations, saying some of the victims remained in Ukraine and were afraid of speaking out for fear of Russian forces returning.



UN envoy Patten said she was in Kyiv due to the growing evidence of mass sexual violence carried out by Russian soldiers during the war in Ukraine, and because of the risk human traffickers pose to vulnerable Ukrainian refugees fleeing their homes.



'All the warning signals are flashing red in Ukraine, with allegations of brutal sexual violence emerging,' she said at Tuesday's press conference.



'I could not stay back in my office in New York, in the face of such harrowing reports of sexual violence. I'm here because we must spare no effort to ensure zero tolerance and consistent consequences for these crimes.'



Standing alongside Ukraine's deputy prime minister Olga Stefanishnina, Ms. Patten urged all victims to come forward and to report Russian war crimes.



'It's hard for women and girls to report [rape] because of stigma amongst other reasons, but it's often even harder for men and boys to report,' she said.



'We have to create that safe space for all victims to report cases of sexual violence.'

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk









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The UK will commit 300m of military aid to Ukraine, Downing Street has announced, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson, prepares to become the first western leader to address the countrys parliament since Russias invasion.



Johnson will make a speech to the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament) on Tuesday, May 3 via video link, Downing street said.



He reportedly will say that Ukraines defence against Russias aggression has been the countrys finest hour, echoing language used by Winston Churchill during the Blitz in 1940.



Johnson will on Tuesday announce a 300mn package of defensive military aid for Ukraine including electronic warfare equipment, a counter-battery radar system, GPS jamming kit and thousands of night vision devices, according to Downing Street.



The UKs latest announcement of military support to Ukraine comes amid fresh evidence of tensions in Johnsons cabinet over levels of British defence spending.



UK's Defence secretary, Ben Wallace told the House of Commons last week that the government had given 200mn of equipment.



This comes after Joe Biden said last week that he would seek lawmakers approval for a $33bn package of assistance for Ukraine, including more than $20bn of military aid.



Johnson will talk about the reopening of the British embassy in Kyiv and say the UK is proud to be among Ukraines friends when he addresses the countrys parliamentarians.



This is Ukraines finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come, Johnson will say.















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The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) says it did not expect Ghana's "precipitous" decline on the World Press Freedom index even in the existence of a "confluence of anti-media" factors.



At an event to commemorate World Press Freedom Day in Accra Wednesday (May 4, 2022), the outgoing President of the GJA, Roland Affail Monney speaking on behalf of the GJA noted that the ranking does not sentence Ghana to an irreversible situation, and called for the passage of the Broadcasting Bill to address challenges pertaining to the ownership of media.



He described Ghanas latest ranking on the World Press Freedom Index as "depressing enough to effect dramatic mood swings from one of celebration to that of lamentation".



"Indeed, a drop in ranking had been anticipated due to a confluence of anti-media factors. But never did we expect the drop to be so precipitous- 3rd in Africa to 10th, and 30th in the world to 60th, a 100 per cent decline," Mr Monney said.



Causes



Mr Monney suggested that "arrests and reckless attacks and animalistic disregard for the rights of a number of journalists in the line of duty" had resulted in a sharp deterioration of the safety of journalists in the country.



He said the GJA was also losing hope in the Police with regard to the resolution of unresolved cases of brutalities against journalists.



"Death threats rained on investigative journalists also went uninvestigated, let alone punished, while law enforcement officers who were supposed to protect journalists rather brutalized them," he said.



"Three years on the spin, the assassination of Ahmed Suale of Tiger Eye fame in the most heinous of circumstances has been a stain of Ghanas reputation as a land of freedom and justice, a citadel of media freedom and a beacon of democratic accomplishment in Africa. Assurance upon assurance of arresting the perpetrators have remained a hollow rhetoric.



"Soon after his appointment last year, we received with hope the announcement by the IGP Dr George Akuffo Dampare that a special unit had been established by the police to handle all such unresolved cases of brutalities against journalists. That hope is wobbling".



Broadcasting Bill



He also called for the passage of the Broadcasting Bill which he said would address lingering challenges regarding media ownership in Ghana.



Mr Monney further urged journalists to treat their "survival issues with utmost importance" as the GJA strives to obtain a bargaining certificate after unionization.



"We note with regrets that the Broadcasting Bill designed to address the lingering challenges on the airwaves has been incubating for far too long," Mr Monney said.



"While we urgently demand the birth of the proposed law, either by natural or Caesarian means, we need to orchestrate a national conversation to take a hard look at the ownership structure of the media.



"Ownership confers control on media owners, some whom go to the extent of dictating content to the professionals they employ. We dare say that this issue poses the greatest threat to media freedom in modern memory".

Source: graphiconline.com









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The Founder and General Overseer of the United Denomination Originating from the Lighthouse Group of Churches (UD-OLGC), Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, has described his first child as a very special person whose absence has left us in deep sorrow with a gap not easy to fill.



Captured in his tribute to his late son, the evangelist, who spoke about how proud he was of Dr David Heward-Mills, said his pride was so high that he had even saved his contact on his phone as David the psychiatrist.



The popular evangelist also used his tribute to ask his late son for forgiveness for any wrongs he may have done him.



I was always touched when I saw that your WhatsApp status was continually a picture of me laying hands on you when you were a child. I thank you for supporting my evangelistic ministry, Healing Jesus Campaign every month with your tithe. Please forgive me for anything I didnt say or do right as your father, portions of his tribute read.



Bishop Dag further described his late son as a fun, jovial person who got on well with everybody.



You were my expert on the Ukraine-Russia war because you had lived in Ukraine for so many years. I looked forward to you getting married, we discussed who you should marry on our last phone call.



We will miss your presence; always making fun, always joking, always laughing and fooling with all the other children on the many family holidays we had together, he added.



Here is a snapshot of the full tribute by Bishop Dag Heward-Mills

















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A video shared on Twitter shows the moment the vehicle involved in the horrific accident at Labone Junction on Monday, May 2, 2022, crushed injuring at least four people according to reports.



The video which displays excerpts of a surveillance camera shows a blue-black vehicle suddenly somersaulting at least five times into the inner pavement of the road.



The impact of the crushed caused the bonnet and other parts of the vehicle to be dismantled.



Also, two occupants of the vehicle were could be seen being thrown out of the car as it was somersaulting.



A report by Citinewsroom.com indicated that the four people were in the vehicle that crashed and they are in the hospital receiving treatment.



The Ghana Police Service has also said that the victims who include a woman and three male companions are in critical condition.



According to eyewitnesses, the driver of the vehicle was speeding and an attempt to stop the car caused it to flip.



Around 6:30 this morning, I saw a Range Rover rush past us, I wondered where it was off to with such speed. In no time, I heard screaming from the back. The car had run into a billboard and somersaulted thrice. The four occupants of the car fell off.



I drew closer and to my surprise, I knew one of the passengers. I quickly sought help. I saw a military car approaching and I begged the servicemen for help, an eyewitness is quoted to have told citinewsroom.com.



Watch the horrific accident below:





Screen record am make we see  The Happy MC (@Eddy_Acquah) May 4, 2022



















0 seconds of 1 hour, 2 minutes, 16 secondsVolume 100%























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SEOUL, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired one ballistic missile into its eastern waters, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Wednesday.

The JCS said in a statement that it detected the ballistic missile, which was launched toward the eastern waters from the Sunan area in Pyongyang at about 12:03 p.m. local time (0303 GMT).

The missile traveled about 470 km at an altitude of around 780 km. The intelligence authorities of South Korea and the United States were analyzing further details, the JCS noted.

It marked the 14th projectile launch by the DPRK this year. The DPRK said it test-fired a new type intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Hwasongpho-17, on March 24.

The JCS said the DPRK's repeated launches of ballistic missiles were an act of grave threats that damage the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the international community.

It urged the DPRK to immediately stop such an act that was a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

The JCS added that the South Korean military was tracking and monitoring relevant situations while maintaining a full readiness posture in preparation for possibly additional launches. 
A Senior Research Fellow of the Kumasi Technical University, Dr. Smart Sarpong has disclosed that 26 percent of NPP members "don't believe in breaking the 8"



The New Patriotic Party (NPP) intends to change the norm, set a new record by handing over to itself in 2025; hence agenda breaking the '8'



However, Dr Smart Sarpong contributing to a panel discussion on Kumasi-based Hello FM, said if the NPP is determined to break the 8, they would have to address the concerns of the 26 percent who don't believe in the agenda no matter how little.



"As of now, about 73 percent of NPP members believe in breaking the 8. There are about 26 percent who dont believe in it and they have their reasons"



"If a political party wants to break the 8 and 73 percent of their members are hopeful and willing to work towards it, it is good for them. But..."



Some of the reasons for the '26' not believing in this agenda according to Dr Sarpong are the "imposition of candidates, negative campaign and so on; they suspect the party has not learned their lessons"



Listen to him in the video below





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has admitted that Parliament is not doing much in protecting the public purse laying the blame on excessive partisanship in the legislature.



According to the Member of Parliament for the Tamale South Constituency, the move by some persons to dismiss findings in a recent United States Human Rights report on Ghana was disappointing.



Whiles answering to questions on the report, he cited excessive partisanship as the reason for failure to keep the executive in check and by so doing protect the public purse.



We are not doing sufficiently as an institution and Parliament is bucked down to excessive partisanship. We are not exercising our mandate appropriately to protect the public purse.



"Why will Parliament not be interested in probing into COVID expenditure? Who loses? Who gains? Its the citizens of Ghana. Any matter of probe can only enhance probity, transparency and accountability.



"So if Parliament cannot even probe into a matter like COVID, where donors are concerned about the prudent and optimum utilisation of resources they invested to combat this public health pandemic, then what do you expect of Parliament? he quizzed.



He also admitted other many failings of the legislative arm of government citing specifically times where contracts and loans are approved without value for money.



"That can only occasion and facilitate corruption and the exploitation of state resources for private gain. Look at the number of government contracts we have approved as Parliament without subjecting it to due diligence.



"And even follow up action, when the contracts are approved, do we follow up as an institution so there are some failings that Parliament without hesitation we should accept that that we are not protecting the public purse enough," he added.



The 2021 US Human Rights report on Ghana touched on a number of issues from human rights, governance and issues relating to corruption.





Source: ghanaweb.com









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Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has said that the National Democratic Congresss promise to scrap the Electronic Transfer levy (E-levy) will inure to the party's electoral fortunes.



According to him, the NDC has won a cumulative 100,000 votes with the promise. He did not cite the basis for his claim.



He was reacting to former President John Dramani Mahamas Ghana At A Crossroads lecture during which Mahama reiterated the NDCs commitment to abolish the E-Levy once it comes to power.



NDC promises to scrap e-levyThey just won 100,000 votes!, Kofi Bentil wrote on his Facebook handle.



John Mahama in his May 2 public address buttressed the NDCs position to abolish the E-levy which it describes as draconian.



He insisted that although the NDC was not against taxation, they were opposed to burdensome taxes like the E-levy which forces Ghanaians to reel under more suffering.



Governments desperation to tax Ghanaians to get the nation out of the hell hole it has dumped us will not succeed because Governments own budget proposals show that the e-levy will not make any significant contribution in resolving our problems but would exert an adverse toll on the people of Ghana.



We in the NDC do not oppose taxation as a principle. We will not be pretentious and couch fanciful slogans to condemn the principle of taxation like the NPP did in the past. We are, however, implacably opposed to distortionary and burdensome taxes like the e-levy that only force Ghanaians to endure more suffering.



A new National Democratic Congress Government, God willing and with the votes of the sovereign people of Ghana  in 2025  will repeal the E-Levy Act, John Mahama told the gathering amidst loud cheers.



The Ghana Revenue Authority on May 1 began implementation of the E-levy amidst some reported challenges including taxes on the GH100 threshold which is supposed to be exempted.



The GRA has, however, pledged to refund all wrong taxations whiles it works to resolve all the challenges encountered in the implementation phase of the E-levy.















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The Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwadaso, Dr Kingsley Nyarko, has asked delegates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to demonstrate good sense of judgement in their choice of executives to lead the party for the 2024 General Election.



He said the party needed well-bred executives, whose understanding and commitment to the ideals of the Danquah-Busia tradition were in no doubt.



I want to use this opportunity to admonish all party members to elect competent and credible executives to help the NPP break the eight-year-rule cycle, which has dominated Ghanas political landscape since 1992, he said.



Dr Nyarko, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Kwadaso, on the sidelines of the NPP constituency elections, said choosing a vibrant leadership was necessary to help the ruling party meet the expectations of Ghanaians.



He expressed excitement at the peaceful manner in which the constituency elections went, supervised by the Electoral Commission (EC).



The MP called for unity amongst the rank and file of the party, saying: The elections should help open a new chapter in the activities of the members.



They should be assiduous in their respective party endeavours to advance successfully the NPPs resolve to chalk landslide victory in 2024.



The newly-elected ten-member executive includes: Yaw Bonna Boadi, Chairman, Kofi Konadu Amankwah, First Vice-Chairman, John Amoako, Second Vice-Chairman, Frank Amoako, Organizer, and Silas Konadu Boateng, Secretary.



The rest are Castro Kwame Nkrumah, Youth Organizer, Samuel Donkor, Treasurer, Andrews Idun, Assistant Secretary, Janet Awuah, Womens Organizer, and Ahmed Mohammed, NASARA Coordinator.



Mr Boadi, in his acceptance speech, expressed gratitude to the delegates for the confidence reposed in the executive, saying they would work with all identifiable groups for the growth of the party.





Source: GNA









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As Muslims across the globe mark Eid-ul-Fitr, the Deputy Chief Imam of Kukuom Central Mosque in Asunafo South of the Ashanti Region, Dr. Mohammed Isiah, has made a clarion call on all Ghanaians to disregard suggestions that Muslims and Northerners may not vote for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 elections if Hon Alan Kyerematen is elected as the presidential candidate for NPP.



Dr. Isiah suggested that Alan Kyerematen, is the choice of most Muslims and Northerners and urged the New Patriotic Party faithfuls to unite behind him to push the party to victory in 2024.



Speaking in a self-recorded video after the Eid prayers, the Islamic Scholar said after the constituency delegates elections all party members should come together as one and work for the good of the party and not for interests of individuals.



"As Northerners and Muslims mark this august occasion, we wish everybody Eid Mubarak and my message to all New Patriotic Party (NPP) members, including delegates and constituency executives, is that both winners and losers should work together to break the eight (8) year cycle.



Quoting the Holy Quran, he further noted that its God (Allah) who installs kings and kingdoms, therefore nobody can just get up and install himself or herself as a king or queen. As in the Ashanti Kingdom, people take turns ascending to the throne, so it is with the New Patriotic Party; it is now Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen's turn as he has delicately done his part for the party through hard work and sacrifice. I urge all Northerners and Muslims to vote for him.



Breaking the eight (8) year cycle has been the dream of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) since its return to power in 2016. In pursuit of this, the current government has initiated a lot of projects which will make Ghanaians retain them in government, in the next elections including the 1D1F and a comprehensive industrialization agenda being spearheaded by Alan Kyerematen, the originator of this developmental move.



He believes breaking the 8 can only be made possible if Mr. Kyerematen is given the mandate.



Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, a founding member of NPP, has competed three times for the partys presidential candidate position. Alans presidential ambition as the records reveal, started from 1997. Most party sympathizers believe this is the time for those who have sacrificed and waited for their time and worked hard for the party to hold flag bearer position of the New Patriotic Party for the 2024 general elections.







Source: ghanaweb.com









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The Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has insisted that the Akufo-Addo-led government has delivered on its promises to the people of Ghana contrary to assertions by ex-President Mahama that he has not.



Oppong Nkrumah said that the government achieved its promise of building a strong economy which was evident by the strong economic performance of the country prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, asaaseradio.com reports.



He said that with the effects of the pandemic reducing, there is a strong indication that Ghana is going back to the strong economic performance it witnessed in the first three years of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government.



The campaign was prosecuted on the promise of Free Senior high School, over one million beneficiaries out there, it is something that every Ghanaian who is being honest see clearly in the face, the campaign was prosecuted on the promise of bringing back economic growth.



Average growth in the first three years of the Akufo Addo administration is 7%, last year when we started recovering from COVID 5.4%, it is the COVID year that took us down. This year the forecast is quite clear that we are going to be doing lots of 5% and we will be going back to 7% shortly.



The campaign was prosecuted on the promise that we are going to get Ghana out of the IMF and onto self-sustainability and today the evidence is out there that we got Ghana out of the fund programme on the path of sustainability the evidence is quite clear that a significant proportion of what was promised in the 2016 campaign has been achieved, the minister is quoted to have said on the Asaase Radio Breakfast show.



This follows comments by former President, John Dramani Mahama at the National Democratic Congresss Ghana at a Crossroads event, that after the lofty promises it made Ghanaians, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has driven the country into a ditch.



 Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP pledged to transform Ghana within 18 months, grow our economy at double digits, reduce borrowing, ensure fiscal discipline, bring down the cost of living, lower taxes, and protect the public purse.



They promised also to live Ghana from taxation to production. In effect, none of these has been achieved. Instead, Ghanaians have been subjected to excruciating hardships and deprivation resulting directly from the mismanagement of the economy by a government that lacks the humility to accept responsibility and the capacity to appropriately diagnose the root causes of the challenges that have brought us here, he added.



Mahama also said that the Akufo-Addo government failed to build on the strong foundation his government left it and it has squandered the vast amount of resource it had at its disposal.























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Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has assured of governments commitment to reviving Ghanas economy back to pre-pandemic levels.



According to him, the devastating impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic have eroded the gains made by government between 2017 and 2019.



He also stated that just when Ghanas economy was bouncing back the Russia-Ukraine war disrupted activities leading to severe challenges including the rising cost of fuel and general prices of goods and services.



The Vice President made these comments while addressing Muslims during the year's Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations.



Government lost huge revenue and spent massively to ameliorate the plight of Ghanaians. In effect, the pandemic severely drew the economy back from the massive progress government achieved between 2017 and 2019.



This setback without a doubt made life difficult more difficult for citizens and government as prices of goods have soared across the world due to the abnormal increase in the cost of freight.



Dr. Bawumia said, Government has not reneged on its development commitment to the people of Ghana in the areas of education and infrastructure development amongst others.



He noted that governments flagship free SHS and school feeding programmes are on full course as it plans to continually invest in Ghanas educational infrastructure.



We have also introduced free TVET to enhance technical and vocational education.



According to him, government continues to show great commitment to the health sector, as the National Health Insurance is being made available to solve health issues.



However, the Vice president noted that as part of efforts to address employment challenges, government ensured that no public sector worker lost their job during the Covid-19 pandemic.













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Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for the North Tongu constituency has said he is elated by assurances from former president John Mahama that a future NDC government will cancel the E-levy.



Mr Mahama speaking at the NDCs Ghana at a crossroads event held in Accra on Monday, May 2, 2022, said the opposition party is not opposed to taxation, however, the party is against taxes that burden the Ghanaian people.



The former President said: We in the NDC do not oppose taxation as a principle. We will not be pretentious and couch fanciful slogans to condemn the principle of taxation like the NPP did in the past.



We are, however, implacably opposed to distortionary and burdensome taxes like the e-levy that only force Ghanaians to endure more suffering.



He added: A new National Democratic Congress Government, God willing and with the votes of the sovereign people of Ghana  in 2025  will repeal the E-Levy Act.



Reacting to this, Mr Ablakwa who is one of three plaintiffs fighting the E-levy in court in a Facebook post said I am absolutely elated to hear former President Mahamas firm assurance that a future NDC government will repeal the abhorrent and detestable E-Levy.



This gives me great hope that even if we do not get the justice we deserve in the Supreme Court and on the streets, E-Levy will go!





Source: class fm









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Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, one of the founding members of the governing NPP, has opened up on a discussion he had with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that got him very furious.



The now-suspended member of the party said that during his time as an Ambassador to Serbia, President Akufo-Addo, then a Foreign Minister, visited him at his base and in their discussion, he told President Akufo-Addo to prepare to lead the party.



I said, Addo D, I think you should get and be prepared for leadership. Then, he told me that Nyaho, [it] wont be that easy. I asked him what is the problem [because] you are the next in line. Then he said, oh! Kofi Diawuo [Kufuor] has brought somebody. Then I asked him, who is Kofi Diawuo bringing then he mentioned Alan Kyerematen. I told him that, Alan was not up to the task now.



"I was very furious, Im being frank with you. So, immediately, I called to find out whether that was true and it was confirmed that a young man by the name of Alan Kyerematen is going to contest against Nana Addo," Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe said on Metro TV's One on One show, April 25, 2022.



He added that when the NPP was about having its congress at the University of Ghana, he was on leave and flew into the country but he didnt go to the congress grounds.



He said, it was during a meeting with Francis Poku, the former National Security advisor, that he was then informed that Nana Addo had won the race because Alan was asked to step down.



He then decided to go and congratulate his friend, who had been elected the flagbearer of the party.



Francis told me that when I go, I should let my friend know that he is not a tribal leader, he is now a national leader," he said.



To Dr, Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe doesnt find Alan Kyerematen as a strong for the NPP.



He said, Kyerematen based on his vision to lead the party in 2024, should have resigned from Akufo-Addos government based on his principles.



Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe further stated, "in Alans case, if he will work on merit, he may have sympathy on some people but I dont find him to be that strong



"Alan I expected to have resigned in principle some time ago and if he had done that, I, Nyaho, would have followed him to any place but he didnt have the courage. If Alan had done that, he would have path a way for his political future."



"There are a lot of infractions, and he knows it. I would have taken the opportunity and resigned. I saw Alan as a principle person, because people who have principles, their integrity is on the line and if you have to be a leader, that is the key point," he lamented.

















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Yaw Buaben Asamoa, Director of Communications, New Patriotic Party, NPP, reacted to former President John Dramani Mahama's decision to repeal the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy, E-levy.



According to him, the NDC leader is very desperate to gain credibility but he should abandon his re-election bid as Ghanaians will not vote for him.



Buaben Asamoa explained on Accra-based Citi FM that, so John Mahama is saying he will repeal E-Levy when voted back into power. How is he going to reconcile his manifesto promise to push for uniform electronic transactions? His desperation is showing seriously. You had imposed a 17.5% tax on all electronic financial transfers, the NPP repealed that. The E-levy is 1.5% percent, a difference of 15%.



The entire speech was not about shoring up even the NDC, it was about shoring up John Mahama who is wilting under the heat. This is a desperate measure. He is fighting for credibility within the NDC itself. All in all, I dont think John Mahamas performance has been taken seriously enough to warrant him victory in the 2022 elections.



The governing NPP government commenced the implementation of the controversial levy on May 1, 2022, despite widespread condemnation of the tax policy.



The levy was reduced from 1.75% to 1.5% after several protests led by the opposition party, its Members in Parliament, and some civil society groups.



The opposition NDC had indicated that the levy is a double taxation and it is counterproductive.



Speaking at the 'Ghana at the crossroads' lecture in Accra, former President Mahama promised to stop Ghanaians from paying the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy (E-levy) if his party wins power in 2024.





Source: ghanaweb.com









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SYDNEY, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Three new sub variants of the highly transmissible Omicron strain of COVID-19 have been detected in Australia, adding new uncertainty to the nation's fight to live with the virus.

The new variants have been given the name BA.2.12.1, BA.4 and BA.5. Scientists are racing to find out both the "fitness" and "transmissibility" of the strains believed to have evolved from Omicron BA.2.

Associate Professor Stuart Turville from the University of New South Wales' Kirby Institute told Xinhua on Wednesday that the new strains didn't appear to be "seismic" jumps compared to previous mutations.

"The key thing is that these are small changes in the virus, and not unlike what we have seen before. They may not resemble the large shift we saw with Delta to Omicron," said Turville.

Despite this, it would be critical for Australia to watch closely how these variants develop as the "potential pathways" they may take are still unknown, he said.

"Not only how they transmit, the case loads, but I guess the really important question with variants, is the severity that they cause when they do get in and raise a bit of havoc in our bodies."

Daily case numbers and deaths have been stable over the last several weeks across Australia.

On Wednesday the Australian states of New South Wales reported 11,939 new cases and 21 deaths.

Meanwhile, the second most populous state, Victoria, saw 10,779 cases and 11 deaths.

Turville said that the new variations, while small, could lead to unexpected spikes in case numbers and deaths.

Turville noted that as new variants arise, it also may make people who have already caught the virus vulnerable to catch it again.

"The immune response in breakthrough infections to Omicron is relatively low, it doesn't cross react with a lot of pre-existing variants."

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 7,311 deaths and almost 6 million cases in Australia, according to data from the Australian Government Department of Health. 
The Minority in Parliament has expressed satisfaction with the performance of its legal team in an application for an interlocutory injunction against the implementation of the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy).



The case filed at the Supreme Court by three Members of Parliament from the minority side  MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga and MP for North Tongu, Okudzeto Ablakwa, was on Wednesday, May 4, dismissed by a unanimous decision.



Despite the dismissal, the minority is satisfied that the lawyers have been able to cause the court to direct the GRA to keep accurate records of all the E-Levy transactions until the substantive matter is determined.



But what is refreshing and heartwarming today is the second part of the ruling which gives directives to the Ghana Revenue Authority to preserve and keep the money. At least some people will not be in a hurry to collateralized the money until the matter is determined. For us, we raised this matter because it is of public interest significance, its of constitutional significance and we think that well pursue it to its logical conclusion, so were very happy with the performance of our lawyers, Minority Leader and MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu told the press.



Meanwhile, the Attorney General, Godfred Dame has said the applicants failed to prove that there were irregularities in the approval of the e-levy by Parliament, the reason for the dismissal of the case.



He said there were no irregularities in the approval as available records in Parliament indicated that there were the required number of MPs present when the House endorsed the e-levy.



You do not go to court with speculations and conjecture, you go to court on firm evidence.The applicants were unable to demonstrate any form of irregularity, he told journalists in Accra after the Supreme Court dismissed the application against the e-levy.







Source: 3news.com









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Ghanaian actress Juliet Ibrahim has opened up on being raped by one of her exes.



The actress who didn't name the ex in an interview with Nigerian media personality Chude Jideonwo, disclosed that she was pinned down by the ex and raped even though she never consented to it.



She added that his excuse was they were in a relationship and it can't be considered as "rape". Ibrahim also said that he locked in the house for days and had his way with her until her sister, Sonia, came looking for her.



The actress said;



I told him what he did was rape and he said but we were in a relationship. But was I ready, that was the question, did I say I was In the mood? I kept saying no, stop it, stop it, you pin me down and youre doing whatever you wanted to do and youre smiling saying dont worry and youre kissing whilst Im crying, that means youre a rapist and I had to leave that relationship.



I fought my way out of that relationship because he even locked me up in his house for days until my sister Sonia came to find me.



But ladies you can report it now, go and report. If your husband is forcing you to do when youre not in the mood it is rape and I tell these men that you cannot force a woman.





Watch the video below...

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" " Pro- and anti-abortion protesters clash in front of the Supreme Court May 2, 2022 in Washington, D.C., after news broke that Roe v. Wade is at risk of being overturned. Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Washington Post/Getty Images

Draft opinions circulated among Supreme Court justices are meant to allow for deliberation and editing before a final version is released. They are not the last word, nor ready for public reaction.

But on the evening of May 2, 2022, Politico published a bombshell: a leaked draft of an opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, that overturns Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey  the two rulings that gave constitutional protection to the abortion right.

While the final text of the opinion in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson may be somewhat different, the meaning of the current draft is clear. First, the powers of individual states to determine whether abortions are legally available are increasing. Second, the Supreme Court's barriers for overruling a precedent are decreasing.

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State by State Voting

Under American constitutional democracy, many decisions are made by majority rule, accomplished through elections. This applies to routine regulations like drug laws or speed limits.

But other decisions are beyond the reach of majorities and protected by individual rights guaranteed under the Constitution. Under Roe v. Wade, the abortion decision fell into the category of rights.

But the leaked draft opinion moves abortion from being a constitutionally guaranteed right to an act whose legality is determined by state laws.

That means it falls under majority rule, determined by the citizens of each state through their elected state legislators. Alito is saying that when the Constitution does not recognize a clear right, the people must elect representatives that share their view rather than appeal to courts.

The Alito draft repeats its core holding several times: The right recognized in Roe v. Wade "has no basis in the Constitution's text or in our Nation's history."

The court that decided Roe, Alito writes, "usurped the power to address a question of profound moral and social importance that the Constitution unequivocally leaves to the people." Therefore, "it is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives."

" " An estimated 5,000 people marched around the Minnesota Capitol building in St. Paul Jan. 22, 1973, protesting the U.S. Supreme Courts Roe v. Wade decision against state laws that criminalized abortion. AP photo

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Is There a Constitutional Right?

Roe in 1973 and Casey in 1992 determined the right to an abortion was found in a combination of protections recognized by the Constitution.

These include the Fourth Amendment's protections against state intrusion, and the Ninth Amendment's recognition of non-enumerated rights, or "others retained by the people." The most prominent justification in those rulings is the 14th Amendment's protection against deprivation of "life, liberty, or property, without due process of law." Roe grounded the abortion right in a broader right of privacy, while Casey added an emphasis on reproductive autonomy and bodily integrity.

In Alito's view, Roe "was remarkably loose in its treatment of the constitutional text. It held that the abortion right, which is not mentioned in the Constitution, is part of a right to privacy, which is also not mentioned." His draft concludes that Roe's "message seemed to be that the abortion right could be found somewhere in the Constitution and that specifying its exact location was not of paramount importance."

The standard the Supreme Court has employed to recognize a right not specifically stated in the Constitution's text has been whether it is "deeply rooted in this Nation's history and tradition." Alito's draft demands historical evidence of political assertions, judicial rulings or public laws that demonstrate the existence of the right.

But Alito's review of the history argues that the opposite is the case: There is no evidence of an established right and there are, instead, many examples of public restrictions. A 30-page appendix lists all of the state laws outlawing or regulating abortion passed between 1825 and 1952. He concludes that "until the latter part of the 20th century, there was no support in American law for a constitutional right to obtain an abortion. Zero. None."

An important part of the draft ruling focuses on the question of who has the power to determine prevailing social facts as well as protected legal principles.

At what point a fetus becomes a person  and as such a holder of rights  is a long-standing dispute at the heart of the abortion debate. This is a crucial aspect of the conflict because a woman's rights to autonomy and liberty may be limited if other rights held by other persons are involved. But it has not been clear who has the power to make that determination.

Roe  50 years ago  and Casey  30 years ago  said that the court should set a national standard for recognizing fetal personhood. Casey established viability at around 24 weeks, or the point at which fetal life is deemed to be self-sustaining outside the womb, as the point at which a state could recognize fetal rights and therefore restrict abortion.

But Alito argues that this specific standard "makes no sense" and that the previous rulings "provided no principled defense of the viability line."

So Alito puts the decision about when a fetus becomes a person clearly in the hands of the elected representatives of each state: "In some states, voters may believe that the abortion right should be even more extensive than the right that Roe and Casey recognized. Voters in other states may wish to impose tight restrictions based on their belief that abortion destroys an 'unborn human being.'"

" " At his confirmation hearings in 2006 on Capitol Hill, U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Samuel Alito declined to call Roe v. Wade settled law. David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images

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A Weakened Standard for Overruling Precedent

The Supreme Court is reluctant to discard its previous rulings, following precedent unless there is a substantial reason to repudiate the old reasoning.

For 30 years, the Casey ruling upholding Roe has been considered the "precedent on precedent." It established four considerations for the legitimate discarding of a previous decision: The ruling misunderstood the Constitution; it proved to be unworkable in practice; new facts had emerged; and whether or not citizens had shaped their life decisions grounded in the ruling, what is known as "reliance interests."

In overturning Roe, the draft opinion offers a new and weaker standard for overturning precedent. The most significant change is what Alito calls "the quality of reasoning." Rulings that "looked like legislation," that offered faulty history, or created standards unjustified by the Constitution can be overruled under Alito's reasoning. This new standard leads to the draft's conclusion that precedent "does not compel unending adherence to Roe's abuse of judicial authority."

Alito's draft reverses Roe by weakening the law of precedent. This is likely to open up many other rulings for potential reversal, including on same-sex marriage and affirmative action.

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A Future of State-level Conflict

We know that state legislatures will gain power if the final ruling resembles the leaked draft. What we don't know is what each of them will do.

Some analyses estimate the number of states that will outlaw abortion at around 25. That would effectively divide the nation evenly into abortion rights states and anti-abortion rights states.

This will no doubt increase the regional polarization and geographical sorting of Americans by culture and ideology. It will also likely create long-term conflict in states that are divided by ideology and partisanship  including large states like Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio. It sets up conditions for this one issue to dominate state elections and partisan battles for years to come.

Some states will likely attempt to restrict their own citizens from traveling, and abortion rights states will attempt to aid other citizens to travel to their territory.

How the Supreme Court will react to such laws is unclear. But what is clear is that the Alito draft will return power over abortion and potentially other issues to the state level, raising the stakes and the bitterness of local democracy throughout the United States.

Morgan Marietta is an associate professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. You can find the original article here.
Serpent figure with a round head and diamond-shaped body markings. Note that the base of the engraved glyph joins a natural fissure in the ceiling limestone (3.3m long). Credit: S. Alvarez; illustration by J. Simek/ Antiquity

New details of our past are coming to light, hiding in the nooks and crannies of the world, as we refine our techniques to go looking for them. Most lauded is the reconstruction of the evolution of humanity since our African origins around 300,000 years ago, by analyzing our living and fossil DNA. Replete with the ghosts of African and Eurasian populations of the deep past, these have been resurrected only through the ability of science to reach into the world of the minuscule by studying biomolecules.

Now, digital analysis of rock surfaces reveals how other ghosts of the deep pastthis time from almost 2,000 years ago in North Americahave been coaxed into the light. Writing in the journal Antiquity, Professor Jan Simek of the University of Tennessee and colleagues have published images of giant glyphs carved into the mud surface of the low ceiling of a cave in Alabama.

The motifs, which depict human forms and animals, are some of the largest known cave images found in North America and may represent spirits of the underworld. In the first image above, a drawing of a diamondback rattlesnake, an animal sacred to indigenous people in the south-eastern U.S., stretches almost 3 meters long. The image below shows a human figure just over 1.8m in length.

Human figure (1.81m tall). Credit: S. Alvarez; illustration by J. Simek/ Antiquity

In terms of dating the findings, ancient people rejuvenated a light in the cave (a flaming torch of American bamboo) by stubbing it against the cave's wall. This left a residue that the researchers were able to date with radiocarbon to 133433 AD. This was also in accord with the age of pottery fragments ancient artists left in the cave.

The problem is seeing the paintings. The cave ceiling is only 60cm high, which makes stepping back to view the large images impossible. They were revealed only through a technique called photogrammetry, in which thousands of overlapping photographs of an object or place are taken from different angles and digitally combined in 3D. Photogrammetry is a cheap technique increasingly used in archaeology to record artifacts, buildings, landscapes and caves. It allowed Professor Simek's team to "lower" the cave floor up to 4 meters, enough for the complete motifs to come into view for the first time.

Ancient art in other places

Rock art is found on almost every continent, and the earliest is at least 64,000 years old. It is likely that we know of only a tiny percentage of the rock art created in the past. Pigments can dull and disappear; thin engravings can erode to nothing; and cave walls can crumble or be covered over by crusts of carbonate deposits or mud. Assuming more art does survive, the chances are we may never see it unless we invest in research and new technologies.

Rock art in the dark zone of caves beyond the natural light in cave mouths was only discovered in North America in 1979, more than a century after its discovery in Europe (at Altamira in northern Spain). Some 500 European caves are known to contain rock art from the Pleistocene era between 2.6 million and 11,700 years ago.

One example critical to our own research only came to light through digital manipulation of images that we took of it. Below is a hand stencil in the cave of Maltravieso (Estremadura, western Spain) which was not immediately apparent when we were searching the cave for suitable samples to date its art.

Digital photograph of hand stencil (GS3B) in Maltravieso Cave, unenhanced

Digital photograph of GS3B after image enhancement using DStretch software. The hand stencil is clearly visible (middle right).

The stencil had been obscured by the build-up of calcium carbonate deposits. We photographed the area and then used digital image enhancement software which revealed the hand stencil very clearly. Until it re-emerged on our computer screen, this 64,000 year old hand stencil remained undiscovered despite 70 years of intensive study in the cave.

Light engravingsa very common Pleistocene techniqueare notoriously difficult to see. Parts of them may come to light using light shone at an oblique angle, which we refer to as raking light. But with a technique known as reflectance transformation imaging (RTI), which is similar to photogrammetry, 3D models can be illuminated from any angle. These can reveal far more complete and complex images. It's not easy to show this in a couple of stills, but hopefully the two shots below of an engraved bison in a cave in El Castillo in northern Spain give a flavor.

Digital photograph of the head of an engraved bison from El Castillo Cave, Spain.

RTI image of the same bison head.

Future archaeological searches for rock art will probably benefit from recent developments in airport security. Full body scanners use far infra-red frequency light that safely penetrates clothing to reveal concealed weapons or contraband, and similar techniques have been used to "see through" layers of prehistoric wall plaster to paintings underneath. When these scanners become small and cheap enough to take into caves, who knows what further ghosts will come to light?

Explore further Ancient handprints on cave walls in Spain found to include children's hands

More information: Jan F. Simek et al, Discovering ancient cave art using 3D photogrammetry: pre-contact Native American mud glyphs from 19th Unnamed Cave, Alabama, Antiquity (2022). Journal information: Antiquity Jan F. Simek et al, Discovering ancient cave art using 3D photogrammetry: pre-contact Native American mud glyphs from 19th Unnamed Cave, Alabama,(2022). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2022.24

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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Since 2003, the black hole at the center of the Perseus galaxy cluster has been associated with sound. This is because astronomers discovered that pressure waves sent out by the black hole caused ripples in the cluster's hot gas that could be translated into a noteone that humans cannot hear, some 57 octaves below middle C. Now a new sonification brings more notes to this black hole sound machine. This new sonificationthat is, the translation of astronomical data into soundis being released for NASA's Black Hole Week this year.

In some ways, this sonification is unlike any other done before because it revisits the actual sound waves discovered in data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The popular misconception that there is no sound in space originates with the fact that most of space is essentially a vacuum, providing no medium for sound waves to propagate through. A galaxy cluster, on the other hand, has copious amounts of gas that envelop the hundreds or even thousands of galaxies within it, providing a medium for the sound waves to travel.

In this new sonification of Perseus, the sound waves astronomers previously identified were extracted and made audible for the first time. The sound waves were extracted in radial directions, that is, outwards from the center. The signals were then resynthesized into the range of human hearing by scaling them upward by 57 and 58 octaves above their true pitch. Another way to put this is that they are being heard 144 quadrillion and 288 quadrillion times higher than their original frequency. (A quadrillion is 1,000,000,000,000,000.) The radar-like scan around the image allows you to hear waves emitted in different directions. In the visual image of these data, blue and purple both show X-ray data captured by Chandra.

In addition to the Perseus galaxy cluster, a new sonification of another famous black hole is being released. Studied by scientists for decades, the black hole in Messier 87 (M87) gained celebrity status in science after the first release from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) project in 2019. This new sonification does not feature the EHT data, but rather looks at data from other telescopes that observed M87 on much wider scales at roughly the same time. The image in visual form contains three panels that are, from top to bottom, X-rays from Chandra, optical light from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, and radio waves from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array in Chile. The brightest region on the left of the image is where the black hole is found, and the structure to the upper right is a jet produced by the black hole. The jet is produced by material falling onto the black hole. The sonification scans across the three-tiered image from left to right, with each wavelength mapped to a different range of audible tones. Radio waves are mapped to the lowest tones, optical data to medium tones, and X-rays detected by Chandra to the highest tones. The brightest part of the image corresponds to the loudest portion of the sonification, which is where astronomers find the 6.5-billion solar mass black hole that EHT imaged.

These sonifications were led by the Chandra X-ray Center (CXC) and included as part of NASA's Universe of Learning (UoL) program with additional support from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope/Goddard Space Flight Center. The collaboration was driven by visualization scientist Kimberly Arcand (CXC), astrophysicist Matt Russo, and musician Andrew Santaguida (both of the SYSTEMS Sound project). NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's Chandra X-ray Center controls science from Cambridge Massachusetts and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.

More information: More sonifications of astronomical data, as well as additional information on the process, can be found at the "A Universe of Sound" website: More sonifications of astronomical data, as well as additional information on the process, can be found at the "A Universe of Sound" website: chandra.si.edu/sound/ For more Chandra images, multimedia and related materials, visit www.nasa.gov/chandra
A concrete plinth marking ground zero of the first Totem atomic test in South Australia in 1953. Credit: Andrew Burden

The name Emu Field does not have the same resonance as Maralinga in Australian history. It is usually a footnote to the much larger atomic test site in South Australia. However, the weapons testing that took place in October 1953 at Emu Field, part of SA's Woomera Prohibited Area, was at least as damaging as what came three years later at Maralinga.

The Emu Field tests, known as Operation Totem, were an uncontrolled experiment on human populations unleashing a particularly mysterious and dangerous phenomenonknown as "black mist"which is still being debated.

Operation Totem involved two "mushroom cloud" tests, held 12 days apart, which sought to compare the differences in performance between varying proportions of isotopes of plutonium. The tests were not safe, despite assurances given at the time.

Between 1952 and 1957, Britain used three Australian sites to test 12 "mushroom cloud" bombs: the uninhabited Monte Bello Islands off the Western Australian coast and the two South Australian sites. (An associated program of tests of various weapons components and safety measures continued at Maralinga until 1963.)

The British government, with loyal but uncomprehending support from Australia under Liberal prime minister Robert Menzies, proceeded despite incomplete knowledge of atomic weapons effects or the sites' meteorological and geographical conditions.

A claypan

Emu Field was chosen because of its straight, flat claypan. This natural feature drew the attention of the larrikin surveyor of outback Australia, Len Beadell, who had been charged by the Australian Department of Supply with finding a suitable site for atomic weapons tests.

Beadell ascertained that aircraft could land on the claypan, essential for a terrestrial atomic test site. What he didn't take into account was that this claypan was in the middle of Anangu lands. Aboriginal people lived all around it, on stations and settlements.

The first British atomic test, Operation Hurricane, held in 1952, was a maritime test of a 25 kiloton atomic device detonated below the waterline in a ship anchored off part of the Monte Bello Islands.

Operation Totem was designed to test two much smaller devices9.1 and 7.1 kilotons respectivelyby detonating them on steel towers in the desert.

At the time, Britain was in the process of commissioning a new reactor at Calder Hall in Cumbria (designed to make plutonium for both military and civilian uses) that would produce nuclear fuel containing more plutonium-240 than a previous reactor.

Totem was intended to test "austerity" weapons made from nuclear fuel eked out of this reactor. (Plutonium-240 can potentially make nuclear weapons unstable, in contrast to the fuel of choice for fission weapons, plutonium-239, which is more controllable.)

Totem was a "comparative" test. Its innermost technicalities are still kept secret by the British government.

A greasy black mist

The two tests at Emu Field were fired at 7am, on 15 October and 27 October.

The first test, Totem I, produced a mysterious, greasy "black mist" that rolled over Aboriginal communities around Wallatinna and Mintabie, 170 kilometers to the northeast of Emu Field. The black mist directly harmed Anangu people. Because no data was collected at the time, it is impossible to quantify precisely, however, the anecdotal evidence suggests death and sickness occurred.

The British meteorologist, Ray Acaster, gave an account of the phenomenon, and its possible causes, in 2002:

"The Black Mist was a process of mist or fog formation at or near the ground at various distances from the explosion point  Radioactive particles from the unusually high concentration in the explosion cloud falling into the mist or fog contributed to the condensation process  The radioactive particles in the mist or fog became moist and deposited as a black, sticky, and radioactive dust, particularly dangerous if taken into the body by ingestion or breathing."

The black mist was an horrific experience for all in its path. Survivors gathered at Wallatinna and Marla Bore in 1985 testified to the Royal Commission into the British Atomic Tests in Australia on its effect on individuals and communities.

Among those who testified was Lallie Lennon, who lived at Mintabie with her husband and children in 1953. After breakfast on 15 October they heard a deep rumble, followed by weird smoke that smelt of gunpowder and stuck to the trees. Lallie, her children and the others with her all got sick with diarrhea, flu-like symptoms, rashes and sore eyes. Lallie's skin problems were so severe, it looked like she had rolled in fire.

Another witness, the later tireless advocate for the survivors of the British atomic tests, Yami Lester, was a child at the time of Totem and lost his vision after the tests.

He recalled his experiences in testimony to the royal commission, and elsewhere. Interviewed by two London Observer journalists in a story republished in the Bulletin under the title "Forgotten victims of the 'rolling black mist'", he said:

"I looked up south and saw this black smoke rolling through the mulga. It just came at us through the trees like a big, black mist. The old people started shouting 'It's a mamu' (an evil spirit)  they dug holes in the sand dune and said 'Get in here, you kids.' We got in and it rolled over and around us and went away."

Contaminated planes

The second test, Totem II, took place on October 27 in completely different meteorological conditions and did not produce a black mist. Its cloud rose quickly into the atmosphere and broke up soon after. However, radioactivity from both Totem I and Totem II traveled east across the continent, crossing the coast near Townsville.

Air force crews from both Britain and Australia flew into the atomic clouds. A British Canberra aircraft with three crew aboard entered the Totem I cloud just six minutes after detonation, far earlier than any of the other cloud sampling aircraft.

For a brief period the radioactivity to which they were exposed was off the scale. The aircraft was flown back to the U.K., where it was found to carry extensive residual radioactive dust despite having been cleaned in Australia.

While air crew were exposed to contamination in flight, RAAF ground crew were worse affected, since they were largely unprotected and worked for hours on the contaminated planes. The risk to both air and ground crew was extensively examined by the Royal Commission.

One account by Group Captain David Colquhoun, head of RAAF operations at Emu Field, mentioned a gathering of crew in a hangar at Woomera, where a doctor ran a Geiger counter over those present.

As it reached the hip of one man, "the Geiger gave a very strong number of counts." The young man then said he had a rag in his hip pocket he had used to wipe grease "off the union between the wing and the fuselage." This rag was heavily contaminated.

Abrogating responsibility

After America's McMahon Act of 1946 made it illegal for the U.S. to work with other countries on atomic weaponry, a secret British Cabinet committee made the decision to conduct tests of a British bombbut not on its own territory.

Britain explicitly abrogated all responsibility for those who lived near the Emu Fields site. Britain maintained through to the royal commissionand in years beyondthat it was not responsible for Aboriginal welfare in the face of atomic weapons tests.

The extent of the huge British atomic weapons testing program here is still largely unknown by Australians. The Australian government forced the British government to contribute to the cost of remediation of Maralinga in the mid-1990s, although Monte Bello and Emu Field were largely left untouched.

The story of Emu Field has been forgotten for nearly 70 years. Bringing it back into our national consciousness reminds us the costs of harmful political decisions are often not borne by the decision-makers but by the most powerless.

Explore further 315 nuclear bombs and ongoing suffering: The shameful history of nuclear testing in Australia and the Pacific

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

After being pushed to the brink of extinction, California condors have returned to a slice of Northern California habitat for the first time in 130 years. On Tuesday, four of the big birds flew the coop after being born in a captive-breeding program.

A livestream from the Yurok Tribe and the Redwood National and State Parks went live at 8 a.m. but the birds did not seem too bothered by their schedule.The New World vultures selected for the momentous occasion betrayed little on whether they would take flight from their designated staging area in Northern California near the Klamath River.

On Tuesday morning, Yurok Wildlife Department Director Tiana Williams-Claussen, a Yurok citizen and traditional culture bearer, narrated the event in hushed tones near the birds' pen.

"I am just overjoyed on this day," Wiliams-Claussen whispered to the hundreds of viewers over the livestream.

"I know you love condors as much as I do," she said. "Right now, it's just a waiting game."

In the morning light, the birds stretched their wings, which can reach up to 9 1/2 feet, and groomed one another in an intimate huddle. They dined on a carcass and then perched atop their pen in a staging area.

The chat box in the Facebook feed exploded with exclamation points and emojis as the birds approached a trap door that led to the final pen before their release. Two male birds, simply marked A2 and A3, were the eager ones that made their way to the area. Williams-Claussen stepped away from the stream just after 10 a.m. as the birds were let out. One last time, the birds stretched their wings and without any instruction flew into the air.

"That was just as exciting as I thought it would be," Williams-Claussen said when she returned to her computer. "Those guys just took off."

She added, "I am just so happy and proud to be here today."

The transition to the wild comes after a lifetime raised in captivity for the condors, where they learned to stretch their wings in large flight pens. Biologists refer to the scavengers as social birds that pick up their life skills from elders. This particular group was raised with an older bird, which acts as a sort of lifetime mentor for younglings in captivity.

Similar releases in Arizona have introduced the condors back into the wild. The birds are considered a nonessential, experimental population under the Endangered Species Act.

Four condors, three males and one female, were selected for the California release on Tuesday from a newly built facility within the Yurok ancestral territory. The Yurok word for condor is "prey-go-neesh" and the tribe views the bird's reintroduction as part of its "obligation to bring balance to the world."

"We've been working toward these releases for 14 years," Williams-Claussen said in a statement. "Now, the condor is coming home."

Two more birds will be released at a later date.

Biologists will continue to monitor the birds in the wild to make sure they're adapting to their new surroundings. The birds range between 2 and 4 years old and were raised at a facility in Idaho. They first arrived in California in September and are the product of more than three decades of captive breeding aimed at rescuing the California condor from extinction.

During the Gold Rush in the 1840s, the birds were shot for sport and collected for museums. They were one of the first species placed on the endangered species list and continued to suffer through the 1950s when human-made developments crowded their habitat and the pesticide DDT, now banned in the United States, weakened the condors' eggshells, making them brittle and frail.

By the 1980s, the wild condor population dwindled to just 22 birds. In 1983, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service launched the first captive-breeding programs at the Los Angeles and San Diego zoos. Today there are approximately 300 condors flying in the wild in California and there are several release facilities across the region, according to federal officials.

Tuesday's release marked a special occasion for biologists working in conjunction with the Yurok tribe, the Ventana Wildlife Society and the Northern California Condor Restoration Program.

"The reintroduction of condors into Northern California is truly a monumental moment," said Paul Souza, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Pacific Southwest region. "This effort builds upon the program's collective knowledge and history of releasing condors and showcases the benefit of partnering with tribes and others to implement recovery of listed species. We are proud to support this collaborative to implement recovery of listed species."

2022 Los Angeles Times.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

New research led by Northwestern University can help officials identify hidden networks of officers engaging in misconduct and criminal behavior within police organizations. The study shows that police misconduct is a group phenomenon that contributes to a disproportionate number of arrests in minority communities.

The study, "Identifying Misconduct-Committing Officer Crews in the Chicago Police Department," will be published May 4 by PLOS ONE. The research was conducted by the Northwestern Neighborhood and Network Initiative (N3), the Institute for Policy Research, the Department of Sociology at Northwestern and the Invisible Institute, a Chicago nonprofit for investigative journalism.

In this first-of-its-kind study, the research team used insights from three known cases of police corruptionincluding the ongoing case of ex-Chicago Police Sergeant Ronald Watts whose team ran an extortion racket at a Chicago housing project for more than a decadeto create a statistical model to identify possible crews of officers engaging in misconduct and, at times, criminal behavior. The model was then used to analyze publicly available complaint and arrest data on Chicago police officers from 1971 to 2018.

Using machine learning and network analysis, the researchers reviewed the records of 30,000 police officers to detect groups of officers who tend to share characteristics with known crews and who, the results show, have an outsized share of misconduct complaints.

The study detected approximately 160 potential "crews" of officers, networked by formal or informal work assignments and co-allegations. "Crew" officers comprise less than 4% of all Chicago police officers, yet they account for approximately 25% of all use-of-force complaints, city payouts for civil and criminal litigations and police-involved shootings.

Detected "crews" also contribute disproportionately to racial disparities in arrests and civilian complaints, generating nearly 18% of all complaints filed by Black Chicagoans and 14% of complaints filed by Hispanic Chicagoans.

The project's principal investigator is N3 faculty director Andrew V. Papachristos, a professor of sociology in Weinberg College of the Arts and Sciences and a faculty fellow with the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern.

In contrast to prior studies focused on individual traits and behaviors to identify "a few bad apples" more likely to be involved in misconduct, the study provides evidence that extreme cases of criminal police behavior are a group activity in which officers are influenced by formal and informal structures.

"This paper shows we can identify possible crews of bad cops using historical examples, like the Ronald Watts case, as a point of calibration," Papachristos said. "The Watts case is shaping up to be one of the largest police corruption scandals in U.S. history, and our paper shows what we're learning here can possibly help us find other groups of criminal oriented cops.'"

"We know that more than 200 convictions have been overturned because of the Watts case alone," Papachristos said. "If our results hold, we are talking about possibly thousands of Chicagoans who have been directly subjected to such cop crewsand even more that have been indirectly impacted."

Police violence places a heavy toll on civilians, with those in Black and Latino communities the hardest hit. For every police-involved shooting reported in the media, there are thousands of instances of non-lethal use of force, verbal abuse, demeaning interactions and problematic police behavior.

"Prior research, including some of our own, show that police misconduct and abuse can impact people physically, mentally and emotionally for decades," Papachristos said. "And cases of cop crews that actively conceal their behavior and are protected by their fellow officers continue to undermine the relationship between the community and police, which is crucial to trust and public safety."

Jamie Kalven is founding executive director of the Invisible Institute, which houses the data on Chicago police used in the study. After the Illinois appellate court ruled in Kalven v. Chicago in 2014 that investigations of complaints filed against police officers are public information, the Invisible Institute designed the Citizen Police Data Project to make police profiles readily accessible.

"The study has yielded a tool of immediate utility to police departments and oversight agencies," Kalven said. "It is a critical component of an early warning system that enables supervisors to identify groups of officers that have characteristics resembling those of crews of officers known to be criminal. It is important to be clear: Such patterns do not in themselves constitute proof of criminality. They are, rather, prompts for supervisors to investigate."

How the Crew Index Works

Study co-author Rajiv Sinclair, who led the design team at the Invisible Institute that developed the Citizens Police Data Project and is co-founder of Public Data Works, explains how the case studies and data were used in the study.

Starting with decades of on-the-ground reporting and investigating into the individual harms perpetrated by specific groups of Chicago police officers, the research team set the parameters for a network cluster analysis of the publicly available police data.

"We know that not all discernible clusters of police officers who have been repeatedly co-accused of misconduct can be automatically identified as bad actors or criminal networks within the police department. These types of data can be noisy," Sinclair said.

"But by learning about the specific patterns and particular network characteristics that are exemplified by the known crews, we were able to narrow down the discernible clusters to just those crews that are most similar to these three well-coordinated groups of known bad actors."

After narrowing down the discernible clusters to those crews most similar to the three exemplars, the research team then reviewed each crew by analyzing investigative documents, gathering any available reporting and interviewing people with direct experience with crew members to more fully assess the validity and significance of each identified crew.

Next Steps and Study Limitations

Following the investigative feedback and validation process, the "hot lead" crew clusters will be added to the model as additional exemplars to refine the selection of network characteristics to identify future crew clusters. View a diagram of the research plan on the Public Data Works website.

While the study identifies the presence of crews, it does not answer questions about how crews emerge over time, nor does it speak to the actual culpability of the officers themselves. The degree of police misconduct is likely highly underestimated because of the efforts taken to conceal their behavior. Finally, the insights from yet-to-be-detected networks could differ from the findings generalized by the three most egregious known crews in the study.

The need for future research highlighted by this study includes investigating the types of misconduct engaged in, variance of behavior based on policing assignments, geography, and context, and understanding how such crews can exist even while others in a police organization are aware of their existence.

"Identifying Misconduct-Committing Officer Crews in the Chicago Police Department" will be published May 4 by PLOS ONE.

Study co-authors include Papachristos, Sinclair and Northwestern alum Akshay Jain, a mathematical methods in the social sciences major and former data science fellow at N3.

Explore further Police officers' exposure to peers accused of misconduct shapes their subsequent behavior

More information: "Identifying Misconduct-Committing Officer Crews in the Chicago Police Department", PLoS ONE (2022). Journal information: PLoS ONE "Identifying Misconduct-Committing Officer Crews in the Chicago Police Department",(2022). journals.plos.org/plosone/arti  journal.pone.0267217
Credit: Columbia University Press

When Eli Friedman set out to write his second book, he intended to focus on the segregated education system in China and how it affected teachers' work, but quickly found that the project moved in an unexpected direction.

"When I started talking to teachers about their work, it just brought up so many other problems," said Friedman, associate professor and chair of international and comparative labor in the ILR School. "They talked about normal workplace concerns around wages and working hours, but also the bigger problems that really had to do with a broader social environment and the fact that the government was taking all of these steps to make their lives extremely difficultboth the teachers and the families that they were serving."

"The Urbanization of People," to be released in May by the Columbia University Press, reveals how cities in China have granted public goods to the privileged while condemning poor and working-class migrants to insecurity, constant mobility and degraded educational opportunities.

"In China, the public schools are the good schools and the private schools are the bad ones," Friedman said. "For people excluded from public schools, there is a shadow education systemprivate schools that receive little or no money from the government. They are totally dependent on tuition, but they serve a poor population, so they operate under unbelievably tight financial constraints."

Using the schools as a backdrop, Friedman investigates how the state manages flows of people into the city, often by limiting educational opportunities to the children of "migrants"rural Chinese that move to the large cities for better work opportunities. There are now nearly 300 million such migrants in China who are living outside of their place of official registration, which means they can be denied access to social services.

"In 2014, the government established this 'population redline' of 23 million for Beijing and basically told local government officials that they need to find ways of getting rid of some of the 'less desirable' people in the cities," said Friedman. "And they used all kinds of mechanisms, including relocating labor-intensive industries outside of the city, demolishing whole informal settlements, but also demolishing or closing the schools and making it harder for the children of people who are from rural areas to get into public schools within the city and thereby believing, correctly I think, that if the children can't get into schools, the parents will have to leave."

Friedman conducted roughly 250 interviews with teachers and migrants in Beijing, as well as in the city of Guangzhou in the south, the city of Guiyang in the southwest, and the city of Chengdu in the western part of the country.

Through his research, Friedman found that when private schools shut down, migrant parents are left in a precarious position. If the parents are lucky, they might find another neighborhood school to take their children. The other options are to move somewhere elsewhich can affect their workor to send the children back to the rural area to live with extended familywhich has created the phenomenon of nearly 60 million "left behind children" who are living without their parents.

"You set up your life in a particular way and need it to continue that way," Friedman said. "And if one of legs of that table falls, then everything can collapse."

Friedman's first book, "Insurgency Trap: Labor Politics in Postsocialist China," published in 2014, explored Chinese state-labor relations. Through that book, he first began to hear the concerns of migrant parents.

"In talking to a lot of migrant workers for my first project, their biggest concerns were often not what was happening in the workplace, but about getting their kids into school," Friedman said. "If you have kids, in order for your life to feel stabilized, you need a job and you need enough money to pay the rent, but you also need to feel like your kids have a future in the place that you live. So oftentimes, education was their bigger concern.

"The migrant workers that are the thread that connects these two projects."

Explore further Migrant children less obese due to absent grandmothers, study finds
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

The latest USC Polarization Index reveals that since President Joe Biden was elected, overall levels of polarization in the United States remain dangerously high, spurred on by increasing controversy around reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ issues.

As measured by the volume of discourse on social media, abortion has escalated from seventh to third since the third quarter of last year. The change is primarily due to reaction from the left to the growing number of states passing legislation to restrict abortion. This is particularly noteworthy given the leak of a draft United States Supreme Court opinion indicating the court is leaning toward overturning Roe v. Wade.

Meanwhile, disagreement over Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill has escalated LGBTQ+ rights to the fifth most polarizing issue.

In a recent survey from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, 73% of public relations professionals predicted their companies will increase their corporate activism in the coming year. Previously, the subject of abortion was outside the comfort zone for all but a few corporations, such as Lyft and Uber. Both publicly opposed the recent Texas anti-abortion law.

However, as additional states adopt restrictive laws, more companies are speaking out. This week, Amazon announced that it will reimburse up to $4,000 in expenses for employees who have to travel for an elective abortion or a range of non-life-threatening medical treatments. Yelp and Citigroup have announced similar reimbursement policies. Based on the pending Supreme Court decision, this trend is likely to continue.

Similarly, the passing of the politically charged "Don't Say Gay" law created a communication challenge for employers with a large presence in Florida, such as The Walt Disney Co., which now risks losing its valuable tax status based on their opposition.

Polarization Index: Pressure from employees may force companies to weigh in

Most companies are on the record supporting LGBTQ+ rights, but that may not be enough given the growing number of states passing new measures. Pressure from employees may force other employers to weigh in on specific legislation.

"Our latest results reinforce the premise that polarization has become a constant in our society," said Fred Cook, director of the USC Center for Public Relations, which created the Polarization Index in conjunction with Golin, powered by data from Zignal Labs. "One might assume that the end of the pandemic and the beginning of a war would bring the country together, but the data demonstrates that polarization is being fueled by partisan political forces who benefit from continued conflict, which poses a challenge for American business."

Even though the war in Ukraine has dominated cable news coverage and social media conversation, immigration remains the most divisive issue in America tracked in the Polarization Index in 2022. While the war itself is not particularly polarizing, there has been significant criticism from the right about the Biden administration's handling of it.

Why is America we so divided? Issues that overlap

The recent conversation around immigration was mainly focused on the border with Mexico, but during the period there was growing concern about Ukrainian refugees seeking asylum at the border, illustrating how issues overlap.

Despite a significant drop in the number of cases and reduction of associated restrictions, the dialogue around the COVID-19 vaccine remains highly polarized, ranking eighth on the Polarization Index, and driven by engagement from both the left and right. Many of the stories shared on social media discuss the effectiveness of the vaccines and the Biden administration's authority to mandate it. The contentious ongoing debate around the Jan. 6 Capitol insurgency, a violent manifestation of polarization, landed that topic on the list of controversial issues just below the vaccine. The insurgency will likely remain high on the index until the congressional investigation ends and associated media coverage subsides.

"Expectations for companies to engage on controversial issues that are important to employees and customers continue to rise," said Scott Farrell, president of the global corporate communications practice at Golin. "In a polarized world, corporate leaders need to pay particular attention to the data to ensure their positions and comments are authentic, relevant and actionable."
PHNOM PENH, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand are due to host three important leaders' meetings in the Southeast Asia region this year, according to a joint statement released by the foreign ministries of the three countries on Wednesday.

Cambodia will host the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Related Summits on Nov. 11-13; Indonesia will host the Group of 20 (G20) Summit on Nov. 15-16, and Thailand will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting on Nov. 18-19, the statement said.

ASEAN, G20 and APEC processes share commonalities that provide a unique opportunity for all participants to jointly advance the collective global and regional agenda and efforts to bring peace, prosperity and sustainable and inclusive development to all our peoples, the statement said.

The upcoming ASEAN summit expresses the leaders' determination to strengthen ASEAN resilience in the face of global uncertainties and maintain ASEAN's central role in the regional architecture, the statement said, adding that it is also to accelerate joint efforts to recover from COVID-19 impacts.

The G20 summit aims to facilitate a strong and inclusive recovery for all, it said, adding that Indonesia is committed to ensuring the G20 is relevant not only for its members but also for the world at large, particularly the developing countries.

"Three priority areas have been identified, namely, strengthening global health architecture, digital transformation, and energy transitions, so that the G20 can serve as a catalyst for a strong and inclusive global recovery," the statement said.

As for the APEC summit, a unique forum of the economies in the Asia Pacific, work continues on how to accelerate regional economic integration to achieve shared prosperity, it said.

"It aims at advancing the vision for an open, dynamic, resilient and peaceful Asia-Pacific community," the statement said.

The three ASEAN member states vowed to work with all partners and stakeholders to ensure a spirit of cooperation and to strengthen ASEAN centrality, credibility and relevance in maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world, according to the statement. 
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

After years of severe drought compounded by climate change, the water level in Lake Powell, the second-largest reservoir on the Colorado River, has dropped to just 24% of full capacity and is continuing to decline to levels not seen since the reservoir was filled in the 1960s.

In effort to boost the shrinking reservoir, the federal government announced Tuesday that it plans to hold back water to reduce risks of the lake falling below a point at which Glen Canyon Dam would no longer generate electricity.

"Today's decision reflects the truly unprecedented challenges facing the Colorado River Basin and will provide operational certainty for the next year," Tanya Trujillo, the federal Interior Department's assistant secretary of water and science, said in a statement announcing the measures.

It is the first time that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has invoked its authority to change its operations at Glen Canyon Dam on the Arizona-Utah border. The agency said the plan protects the dam's ability to generate hydropower and the facility's infrastructure and will ensure water supplies continue to be available for the nearby city of Page, Arizona, and a portion of the Navajo Nation.

The federal government's plan aims to reduce the risks of Lake Powell falling to critically low levels. The measures will involve releasing about 500,000 acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir, which is located upstream, and leaving an additional 480,000 acre-feet in Lake Powell by reducing the volume of water released from Glen Canyon Dam this year.

For comparison, California, Arizona and Nevada used 6.8 million acre-feet of Colorado River water in 2020.

David Palumbo, the bureau's acting commissioner, praised the quick response and support by the seven states that depend on the river. He said while carrying out these short-term actions, "we recognize the importance of simultaneously planning for the longer-term to stabilize our reservoirs before we face an even larger crisis."

The federal government last month proposed the plan to combat declines in Lake Powell to the states in the Colorado River Basin.

In a letter, Trujillo asked the states for their input on the plan.

"We believe that additional actions are needed to reduce the risk of Lake Powell dropping" below a level of 3,490 feet above sea level, Trujillo said in the letter.

Trujillo warned that below the threshold of 3,490 feet, Glen Canyon Dam's facilities face "unprecedented operational reliability challenges, water users in the Basin face increased uncertainty, downstream resources could be impacted, the western electrical grid would experience uncertain risk and instability."

The level of the reservoir on the Arizona-Utah border now stands about 32 feet above that threshold.

"We are approaching operating conditions for which we have only very limited actual operating experience," Trujillo said in the letter.

Representatives of the seven states responded in a letter April 22, saying they agreed that "additional cooperative actions should be taken this spring to reduce the risk of Lake Powell declining below critical elevations."

The state officials said they supported the government's plan to release less water from Lake Powell "to reduce the risks we all face."

The Colorado River supplies water to nearly 40 million people in cities from Denver to Los Angeles and to farmlands from the Rocky Mountains to the U.S.-Mexico border. The river has been chronically overused, and its reservoirs have fallen dramatically since 2000 during a severe drought that scientific research shows is being intensified by global warming.

Trujillo said everyone who relies on the river "must continue to work together to reduce uses and think of additional proactive measure we can take."

Explore further US projections on drought-hit Colorado River grow more dire

2022 Los Angeles Times.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Golden-cheeked warbler. Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Researchers have developed and used a model to estimate the density of the golden-cheeked warbler, an endangered songbird that breeds in Ashe juniper and oak woodlands in central Texas. In a study published in the Journal of Wildlife Management, the team created a warbler distribution map that identifies areas important for conservation of the species, indicating places where improvement and restoration of habitat may have the greatest benefit.

The model results indicated that management activities to increase warbler density should promote woodlands with high tree canopy cover, approximately 6080% Ashe juniper composition, and tree heights higher than 3 meters.

"We conducted more than 1,800 point count surveys to determine the distribution of this iconic Texas species that breeds nowhere else in the world," said lead author James M. Mueller, Ph.D., of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "The species is most abundant in areas with mature juniper-oak woodlands, but our model provides an important new understanding of the conditions where the species occurs in lower densities in associated shrublands such as in the more arid southwestern portion of its range."

Explore further Pine woodland restoration creates haven for birds in Midwest, study finds

More information: Multi-scale species density model for conserving an endangered songbird, Journal of Wildlife Management (2022). Journal information: Journal of Wildlife Management Multi-scale species density model for conserving an endangered songbird,(2022). DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22236
Plains mouse (Pseudomys australis) at Mac Clark (Acacia peuce) Conservation Reserve. Credit: Tim Bawden/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

A new study has found the distribution of females in 33 species of Australian rodents affects the evolution of testes size of males in these social species.

The research, just published in Biology Letters, confirms that female availability influences the strength of sperm competition in these rodent species, according to evolutionary biology researchers from the University of Western Australia (UWA), Flinders University and Columbia University, U.S.

Insights into reproduction and male fertility will help researchers to understand and support conservation of Australia's rodent species threatened by introduced predators, habitat clearance and degradation, and climate change, says lead author Dr. Renee Firman, ARC Future Fellow from UWA's Center for Evolutionary Biology.

"We used phylogenetic analyses on 33 species of rodents to understand the link between the spatial and temporal distribution of females and sperm competition, or essentially, male-male competition after mating," she says.

"We found that males of these social species had smaller testes compared to solitary species, suggesting that dominance hierarchies among social males lead to reduced levels of sperm competition."

The study also found that testes size increased with decreasing mating season length, indicating that the "temporal synchrony of female receptivity predicts the level of sperm competition in Australian rodents," Dr. Firman adds.

The results suggest that males may be effective in monopolizing reproduction within social groups, which leads to reduced levels of sperm competition relative to non-social species where free-ranging females cannot be controlled.

"Overall, our results show that patterns of female distribution, in both space and time, can influence the strength of post-mating sexual selection among species," researchers say.

Ultimately, patterns of female distribution will affect the strength of sperm competition by dictating the extent to which males are able to prevent female remating.

"This study helps our understanding of how the spatial and temporal distribution of mating opportunities have shaped the evolution of sperm competition," says Flinders University Lecturer in Terrestrial Ecology Dr. Bruno Buzatto, who is also affiliated with UWA and Macquarie University.

Explore further Competition leads to fathers who produce more male sperm

More information: Renee C. Firman et al, The spatial and temporal distribution of females influence the evolution of testes size in Australian rodents, Biology Letters (2022). Journal information: Biology Letters Renee C. Firman et al, The spatial and temporal distribution of females influence the evolution of testes size in Australian rodents,(2022). DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0058
Stereo-seq dissects the spatial transcriptomic organization of mouse brain at unprecedented resolution. a. Spatial heatmap indicating the number of transcripts captured by Stereo-seq in a mouse half brain section at bin 50. Scale bar 500 m. b. Unsupervised clustering of a mouse brain analyzed by Stereo-seq data identifies different anatomical structures at bin 50. The black square indicates a region of the neocortex selected for downstream analysis. Scale bar 500 m. c. Spatial visualization at bin 50 of cell type annotation (transferred from a published scRNA-seq dataset (24)) for the same area marked in b. Scale bar 500 m. Astro, Astrocyte; CR, Cajal-Retzius cell; Endo, endothelial cell; L2/3, layer 2/3 excitatory neuron; L4, layer 4 excitatory neuron; L5, layer 5 excitatory neuron; L6, layer 6 excitatory neuron; Lamp5, Lamp5+ inhibitory neuron; Microglia, microglia cell; Meis2, Meis2+ inhibitory neuron; NP, near-projecting neuron; Oligo, oligodendrocyte; Peri, pericyte; Pvalb, Pvalb+ inhibitory neuron; Serpinf1, Serpinf1+ inhibitory neuron; SMC, smooth muscle cell; Sncg, Sncg+ inhibitory neuron; Sst, Sst+ inhibitory neuron; Vip, Vip+ inhibitory neuron; VLMC, vascular leptomeningeal cell. d. Spatial expression heatmap at bin 50 of layer-specific genes in the mouse neocortex L2/3, L4, L5 and L6 layers shown in c. Scale bar 500 m. e. Spatial expression heatmap of the indicated genes related to DG-GC in the dentate gyrus (Prox1, Zbtb20 and Rfx3) of the hippocampus and ML-VLMC in the neighboring meningeal layer (Ptgds, Dcn and Igf2) analyzed by Stereo-seq at bin 50. Scale bar 500 m. The scatter plot in the center is a magnification of the area indicated by the black square and highlights single-DNB (500 nm) that captured the indicated genes. Gray dots are DNB that did not capture the depicted marker genes (also in f), DNB that did not capture any genes are not shown. Scale bar 100 m. f. Spatial expression heatmap of the indicated genes related to oligodendrocytes (oligo) from the corpus callosum (CC-oligo; Mbp and Mobp) and CA1-Ex from the adjacent cornu ammonis 1 (Pou3f1, Spink8 and Hpca) of the hippocampus analyzed by Stereo-seq at bin 50. Scale bars 500 and 100 m. Credit: Cell (2021). DOI: 10.1101/2021.01.17.427004

International scientists led by China's BGI-Research today published panoramic spatial atlases of life, examining the cellular dynamics of organisms at different developmental stages and providing potentially significant new information for disease treatment, development and aging as well as an improved understanding of biological evolution.

In a series of studies, STOC members used the spatially resolved transcriptomics technology Stereo-seq, developed by BGI-Research, to produce spatiotemporal cellular maps of mice, small fruit flies (Drosophila), zebrafish and the Arabidopsis plant. The papers demonstrate how Stereo-seq has achieved a major breakthrough in spatial resolution and panoramic field of view, enabling analysis of the distribution and placement of molecules and cells in situ, and over time.

The paper, "Spatiotemporal transcriptomic atlas of mouse organogenesis using DNA nanoball-patterned arrays," is published in Cell. The other three studies on Drosophila, zebrafish and Arabidopsis are published in Developmental Cell. Identifying the characteristics of specific cells within a tissue has significant applications for understanding which cells are causes or indicators of disease, potentially leading to future gains in human disease research.

"In the past, it took thousands or even tens of thousands of experiments to complete a spatiotemporal map. Now, with Stereo-seq developed by our scientists, it can be achieved quickly and comprehensively with one. This is a milestone breakthrough in life sciences technogy advancement," said Dr. Chen Ao, who led the development of the Stereo-seq technology at BGI-Research and is first author of the mouse spatiotemporal atlas paper.

Schematic representation of the Stereo-seq procedure. Step 1, design of the DNB patterned array chip. Step 2, in situ sequencing to determine the spatial coordinates of uniquely barcoded oligonucleotides on the chip. Step 3, preparation of Stereo-seq capture probes by ligating the MID-polyT containing oligonucleotides to each spot. Step 4, subsequent in situ RNA capture from tissue placed on the Stereo-seq chip. Step 5, cDNA amplification, library construction and sequencing. Step 6, data analysis to generate the spatially resolved transcriptome of the profiled tissue. Credit: Cell (2021). DOI: 10.1101/2021.01.17.427004

More than 80 scientists from 16 countries, including scientists from Harvard University, Oxford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Cambridge, the Karolinska Institutet, the University of Western Australia, the Genome Institute of Singapore, and BGI, have so far collaborated as part of STOC, an open scientific collaboration consortium focused on using spatially resolved, cellular resolution omics technologies to map and understand life.

Spatial transcriptomics technology is an emerging technology that resolves previous issues identifying characteristics of single cells within a biological tissue. It builds on the achievements of single-cell sequencing, elevating it to the next level by enabling scientists to track a cell's precise location and how it interacts with its neighbors.

To achieve this, BGI's own sequencing patented DNA nanoball technology, which amplifies small fragments of DNA into larger samples, was combined with its in situ RNA capture technology to create Stereo-seq (SpaTial Enhanced REsolution Omics-sequencing), capable of achieving a subcellular resolution of 500 nanometers (equivalent to 0.0000005 meter) combined with a panoramic centimeter-level field of view.

"The development of single cell analytical approach over the past twenty years has really made a remarkable difference in our ability to understand how cells differ from each other. More recently, it started to be possible to combine that analysis with where cells are in a tissue or organoid tissue section," said Patrick Maxwell, Regius Professor of Physic and Head of the School of Clinical Medicine at Cambridge, and co-author of the mouse spatiotemporal atlas paper. "In my view, this new paper takes this to a new level by combining a substantial size field of view, making it possible to analyze a tissue on a scale of a developing mouse embryo, together with a very high resolution with a very deep transcriptomic read depth."

"This enables us and the users of this data, which will be freely available, to really start to understand some very fascinating questions about how mammalian development works, and how tissues are organized. That will give us insights into developmental processes, normal tissue function, and also diseases," he added.

If we compare the study of cells to the study of the ecosystem, previous technologies allowed scientists to understand which animals or plants are on earth. With Stereo-seq, scientists can understand which country, which area, which habitat, which community all animals or plants belong to. At the same time, scientists can also understand what each animal is doing, their past, family history, interaction with other herd, and how they may proliferate and develop.

The scientists used Stereo-seq to examine the early embryonic development of mice, in particular from 9.5 to 16.5 days during which embryonic development is occurring at a fast rate. Stereo-seq generated the Mouse Organogenesis Spatiotemporal Transcriptomic Atlas (MOSTA), which maps with single-cell resolution and high sensitivity the kinetics and directionality of transcriptional variation during mouse organogenesis.

"Stereo-seq is a transformational breakthrough in spatial transcriptomics technology and is the most powerful technology in this field of life sciences today," said Dr. Liu Longqi of BGI-Research, one of the corresponding authors of the papers. "We now have a technology to map a panoramic atlas of every cell in an organism, according to their individual biomolecular profiles, in space and over time. We have demonstrated its robustness, and successfully mapped both animal and plant molecular physiology at a scale and resolution never before possible."

Advanced in situ RNA capture from a complex tissue by Stereo-seq. a. Stereo-seq achieves a higher number of spots per 100 m2 (left panel) and larger capture area (right panel) than other reported methods. b. Top: DAPI staining of a mouse olfactory bulb tissue section analyzed by Stereo-seq. Bottom: spatial heatmap of the same section indicating the number of captured transcripts at bin 50 (~36 m resolution, 50  50 DNB). Scale bars 500 m. c. Boxplots showing the number of genes (left panel) and transcripts (right panel) captured by Stereo-seq from the mouse olfactory bulb at the indicated resolution in comparison with reported Slide-seqV2 and HDST datasets. Mouse brain data for Visium were taken from the 10x Genomics website. d. Boxplots showing the number of genes (left panel) and transcripts (right panel) captured by Stereo-seq at bin 3 (~2 m resolution, 3  3 DNB) resolution in the mouse olfactory bulb compared with HDST. e. Unsupervised clustering of a mouse olfactory bulb section analyzed by Stereo-seq at bin 50. Scale bar 500 m. f. Left: spatial expression heatmap of the granule cell marker (Pcp4) and the mitral and tufted cell marker (Slc17a7) in a mouse olfactory bulb section analyzed by Stereo-seq at bin 50. Right: corresponding ISH results for these genes taken from ABA (22). Scale bar 500 m. Credit: Cell (2021). DOI: 10.1101/2021.01.17.427004

For the first time, the scientists were able to produce a series of high-definition maps showing the precise location of the roughly 300,000 cells from the day 16.5 embryo. BGI-Research used this information to produce a panoramic atlas of the mouse and gain insight into the molecular basis of cell variation and differentiation in developing tissues of the brain, including the dorsal midbrain.

"The successful application of our Stereo-seq technology for development has significant implications for the future of genomic research on human diseases," said co-corresponding author Dr. Xu Xun, director of BGI-Research. "Demonstrating that this technology can pinpoint certain cells which indicate future disease will be critical for diagnostics and therapeutics for a number of conditions."

For example, Robinow syndrome is a common birth defect. A gene related to this has been found clinically, but how this gene causes defects including cleft lip and palate, and limb shortness, is unknown. The researchers mapped the cleft lip and palate-related gene in the process of mouse embryonic development, and found that the gene was present in the lips and toes of the mouse, and showed high expression. This demonstrated that the gene is very important in the development of lips and toes in mice. If this gene is mutated, the development of lips and toes will be abnormal. This knowledge will potentially help researchers studying Robinow syndrome birth defects in humans.

The BGI-led team carried out similar embryonic research with the zebrafish which has a gestation period of only 24 hours, and also produced a 3-D model of the cellular map of the small fruit fly Drosophila. The spatiotemporal transcriptomic atlas of embryonic development in Drosophila, zebrafish, and mouse has opened new doors for the study of embryonic patterning and related molecular mechanisms during embryonic development, providing important data references for further work as well as for a benchmark for unraveling embryonic evolution.

By applying Stereo-seq research on the leaf cells of the Arabidopsis plant, the researchers were able to overcome the long-term difficulty for researchers to conduct spatially resolved single-cell omics studies on leaves and other plant tissues. BGI-Research was able to demonstrate that Stereo-seq technology can be applied in plant scientific research and crop breeding research. Some key applications include understanding key genes involved in seed development, mechanisms behind drought resistance, mechanisms behind heat resistance, and mechanisms behind salt tolerance, for staple crops from rice to wheat to maize. This could contribute to the cultivation of high-quality, stress-resistant crop strains important for many global sustainability initiatives.

Explore further The Spatial Mouse Atlas: New insights into cell fate

More information: Ao Chen et al, Spatiotemporal transcriptomic atlas of mouse organogenesis using DNA nanoball patterned arrays, Cell (2021). Ao Chen et al, Spatiotemporal transcriptomic atlas of mouse organogenesis using DNA nanoball patterned arrays,(2021). DOI: 10.1101/2021.01.17.427004 Mingyue Wang et al, High-resolution 3D spatiotemporal transcriptomic maps of developing Drosophila embryos and larvae, Developmental Cell (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.04.006 Chang Liu et al, Spatiotemporal mapping of gene expression landscapes and developmental trajectories during zebrafish embryogenesis, Developmental Cell (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.04.009 Keke Xia et al, The single-cell stereo-seq reveals region-specific cell subtypes and transcriptome profiling in Arabidopsis leaves, Developmental Cell (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.04.011 Journal information: Developmental Cell , Cell

Provided by BGI Group
Einar Eg Nielsen with shark jaws. Credit: Einar Eg Nielsen.

Jaws was the only word needed to give the iconic 1970's thriller about a great white with a preference for humans its eerie title. Though a strong and important player at the top of the foodchain, sharks face a range of enemies: overfishing, habitat loss, pollution, climate change and human fear resulting in the use of shark control programs in some locations.

The fear and fascination for sharks have made people collect shark jaws for decades. These collections of shark jaws from museums, national fishery institutes and personal collections, including modern samples from fishery institutes represent a great opportunity for scientists.

Using genomic data retrieved from historical tiger shark jaws, an international group of scientists including Professor Einar Eg from the Technical University of Denmark has found evidence of the disappearance of a local southeastern Australian population of tiger sharks. A disappearance associated with a documented local decline in abundance of tiger sharks, likely caused by the ongoing shark control program.

An international study that highlights changes in genetic composition of tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) and potential loss of a south-eastern Australia population has just been published in the journal Scientific Reports

"Our study shows that tiger sharks can have local and genetically isolated populations at a restricted geographical scalesuch as the south Eastern Australian coastand that these local populations are vulnerable to direct exploitation and shark control programs," says Eg.

Top predator controls the ecosystem balance

The study shows that there are still tiger sharks in the area. However, these individuals belong to an, apparently, more widespread population found across the east/north coast of Australia.

"When we, through genetic analysis, better understand the distribution and migration of shark populations and their responses to human activities over historical time, we are better able to design proper management plans and actions at the appropriate geographical scale. Not only for the benefit of sharks, but for marine ecosystems as a whole," says Eg.

"Sharks are top predators. They control the abundance of other species below them, and sick fish, in the food chain, ensuring species diversity. I.e. they are important for maintaining ecosystem balance. They are generally long lived and slow reproducers, so a healthy shark fauna signals a healthy ocean and ecosystem."

Genetic diversity is the fuel that drives future evolution

Before the new study, it was believed that tiger sharks did not display local population structure. Thus, genetic differences among tiger shark populations were only found at a basin wide scale, such as between tiger sharks in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Accordingly, tiger sharks were expected to display low vulnerability towards local depletion. Therefore management of the species at a large geographical scale was in focus.

"From our samples alone, it appears that the historical local population has been extirpated or significantly reduced. This means that management of the species also has to focus on regional processes and exploitation patterns in order to protect local populations and biodiversity of the species as a whole," says Eg. "Genetic diversity within a species, is the fuel that drives future evolution and adaptation to the environment, e.g. climate change. Without historical genetic/genomic data, there is no way of assessing the loss of genetic diversity within a species."

Fear and factsare sharks moving North?

With regards to the shark control programs having an impact on shark numbers, the obvious question arises How afraid should one actually be to go swimming in Australia or South Africa?

"In 2021, there were 73 cases of unprovoked shark bites worldwide, with a total of 11 fatalities. Most attacks were related to surfing and board sports. In Australia, there were three fatalities and 1 in SA. So, the chance of being attacked and killed by a shark is almost non-existing. One should definitely be more afraid of driving in your car writing txt messages," says Eg.

As climate change causes sea temperatures to rise, some researchers say that we may be looking into a future with large sharks entering Danish/European waters. However, Eg stresses that though changed temperature conditions could allow for more large sharks occurring in Danish/European waters, many other factors determine the distribution of a species.

"The Mediterranean, for instance, is very suitable for large sharks, but we do not see large assemblages of white, tiger, mako sharks there. If they come, it is highly unlikely that this would result in any bather-shark conflicts. As an example, there were no reported shark bites in Europe for 2021," says Eg.

A future for sharks

On a global scale, the tiger shark is near threatened. According to Professor Eg that covers a significant species depletion in some areas, while they're doing ok in other regions of the world: "We need to shift tiger shark management conceptually from an exclusive species view to also include the local population aspect. For example, saving global populations has to go through protection and proper management of local populations," says Eg.

"Now, by having our temporal genetic data, we can study the genetic impact of anthropogenic pressure on marine species, enabling us to improve management in order to secure biodiversity."

So, how can genetic research continue and help improve shark control and hunting in favor of sharks?

"Genetic research can help to elucidate the proper biological units (genetic populations), which should be the target for fisheries management, conservation and biodiversity protection," says Eg. "Studies like ours can illustrate the likely consequences of local over-exploitation in relation to shark control and make us realize what we can lose by not paying attention to the distribution of genetic variation within a species."

Explore further Decline in tiger shark population defies expectations

More information: Alice Manuzzi et al, Retrospective genomics highlights changes in genetic composition of tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) and potential loss of a south-eastern Australia population, Scientific Reports (2022). Journal information: Scientific Reports Alice Manuzzi et al, Retrospective genomics highlights changes in genetic composition of tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) and potential loss of a south-eastern Australia population,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10529-w
An example of the shortest path between two proteins, considering the geometry of the graphing. By defining distances in this way, it is possible to achieve biologically more precise and robust conclusions. Credit: W. Boomsma, N. S. Detlefsen, S. Hauberg.

The biotech industry is constantly searching for the perfect mutation, where properties from different proteins are synthetically combined to achieve a desired effect. It may be necessary to develop new medicaments or enzymes that prolong the shelf-life of yogurt, break down plastics in the wild, or make washing powder effective at low water temperature.

New research from DTU Compute and the Department of Computer Science at the University of Copenhagen (DIKU) can in the long term help the industry to accelerate the process. In the journal Nature Communications, the researchers explain how a new way of using Machine Learning (ML) draws a map of proteins, which makes it possible to appoint a candidate list of the proteins that you need to examine more closely.

In recent years, we have started to use Machine Learning to form a picture of permitted mutations in proteins. The problem is, however, that you get different images depending on what method you use, and even if you train the same model several times, it can provide different answers about how the biology is related.

"In our work, we are looking at how to make this process more robust, and we are showing that you can extract significantly more biological information than you have previously been able to. This is an important step forward in order to be able to explore the mutation landscape in the hunt for proteins with special properties," says Postdoc Nicki Skafte Detlefsen from the Cognitive Systems section at DTU Compute.

The map of the proteins

A protein is a chain of amino acids, and a mutation occurs when just one of these amino acids in the chain is replaced with another. As there are 20 natural amino acids, this means that the number of mutations increases so quickly that it is completely impossible to study them all. There are more possible mutations than there are atoms in the universe, even if you look at simple proteins. It is not possible to test everything in an experimental manner, so you must be selective about which proteins you want to try to produce synthetically.

The researchers from DIKU and DTU Compute have used their ML model to generate a picture of how the proteins are linked. By presenting the model for many examples of protein sequences, it learns to draw a card with a dot for each protein so that closely related proteins are placed close to each other while distantly related proteins are placed far from each other.

The ML model is based on mathematics and geometry developed to draw maps. Imagine that you must make a map of the globe. If you zoom in on Denmark, you can easily draw a map on a piece of paper that preserves the geography. But if you must draw the earth, mistakes will occur because you stretch the globe, so that the Arctic becomes a long country instead of a pole. So, on the map, the earth is distorted. For this reason, research in map-making has developed a lot of mathematics that describe the distortions and compensate for the distortions on the map.

This is exactly the theory that DIKU and DTU Compute have been able to expand to cover their Machine Learning model (deep learning) for proteins. Because they have mastered the distortion on the map, they can also compensate for it.

"It enables us to talk about what a sensible distance target is between proteins that are closely related, and then we can suddenly measure it. In this way, we can draw a path through the map of the proteins that tells us which way we expect a protein to develop from to anotheri.e. mutated, since they are all related to evolution. In this way, the ML model can measure a distance between the proteins and draw optimal paths between promising proteins," says Wouter Boomsma, Associate Professor in the section for Machine Learning at DIKU.

The researchers have tested the model on data from numerous proteins that are found in nature, where their structure is known, and they can see that the distance between proteins starts to correspond to the evolutionary development of the proteins, so that proteins that are close to each other evolutionally are placed close to each other.

"We are now able to put two proteins on the map and draw the curve between them. On the path between the two proteins are possible proteins, which have closely related properties. This is no guarantee, but it provides an opportunity to have a hypothesis about which proteins it could be that the biotech industry ought to test when new proteins are designed," says Sren Hauberg, professor in the Cognitive Systems section at DTU Compute.

The unique collaboration between DTU Compute and DIKU was established through a new center for Machine Learning in Life Sciences (MLLS), which started last year with the support of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. In the center, researchers in artificial intelligence from both universities are working together to solve the fundamental problems in Machine Learning driven by important issues within the field of biology.

The developed protein maps are part of a large-scale project that spans from basic research to industrial applications, e.g. in collaboration with Novozymes and Novo Nordisk.

Explore further Machine learning for damaging mutations prediction

More information: Nicki Skafte Detlefsen et al, Learning meaningful representations of protein sequences, Nature Communications (2022). Journal information: Nature Communications Nicki Skafte Detlefsen et al, Learning meaningful representations of protein sequences,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29443-w
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Girls and women who have been through the care system should be diverted away from custodial sentences into community alternatives wherever possible, says a new report published today.

And, adds the study, moves to prevent the criminalization of girls in care need to be high on the agenda for change.

"Disrupting the Routes between Care and Custody for Girls and Women" is a report by Dr. Claire Fitzpatrick and Dr. Katie Hunter, from the Centre for Child and Family Justice Research at Lancaster University, Dr. Julie Shaw, of Liverpool John Moores University, and Dr. Jo Staines, of the University of Bristol.

Launched at an online event today, the research explores the neglected experiences of imprisoned women from care, as well as those of care-experienced girls and young women in the community with youth justice system contact. As a minority within the justice system, girls and women are particularly likely to have their needs overlooked.

This study reveals how girls in care may experience "over-scrutiny" in some care settings, leading to their unnecessary criminalization, which contrasts directly to the lack of support they may face in relation to experiences of victimization, leaving care support and imprisonment.

Highlighting evidence of the "immense harm" that can come from imprisonment, the report states, "Prison must cease to be a default option when the lack of support in care and the community essentially helps to reproduce the well-trodden routes between care and custody."

It also urges "far greater recognition" of the profound impact of imprisonment across the generations, particularly on care-experienced mothers.

The research team call on local authorities, including Directors of Children's Services, as well as Chief Constables, to renew their commitment to procedures aimed at preventing unnecessary criminalization of children in care.

Despite increased recognition of this problem, and ongoing efforts to prevent it, police call-outs for minor incidents in some care homes remains a risk for some children.

As 18-year old study interviewee "Ellie" said, "There's still this stigma within the care system of you are in care, therefore every minor accident you have is clearly intentional let's get you arrested."

The study found that girls in care who are in conflict with the law may be stigmatized not just because of their care status but also because of negative judgements relating to their gender or ethnicity.

There is also a serious need to recognize the limits of official files that could lead to negative perceptions of individuals. Girls and women felt strongly that they wanted workers to look beyond their official histories, avoid over-reliance on their files, and take time to get to know them and the context of their lives.

Interviews were undertaken with 37 care-experienced women from across three prisons in England and 17 care-experienced girls and young women in the community across England who had also had youth justice involvement.

Many participants described backgrounds of abuse, serious violence and trauma, and had multiple experiences of victimization throughout their lives. Violence and abuse at home was the most common reason reported for entering the care system.

Over a third of care-experienced participants reported their first justice system contact occurred whilst in care. Of these, 11 were in children's homes at the time of this contact, and over-criminalization for minor offenses in children's homes was a common theme.

An escalation in offense seriousness was a feature of many women's lives. For some, offending behavior worsened after the "cliff edge" of support after leaving care.

The research also includes interviews with 40 professionals who work with care-experienced women and girls, with expertise stemming from across a range of professional spheres.

These interviews highlighted a commitment to diverting children from the youth justice system, and a recognition that this needed to involve far more than just avoiding prosecution.

Meanwhile, care-experienced girls and women reported that trusted relationships were key for providing and receiving support. Promoting such relationships requires going beyond the basics of providing accommodation, to being trauma responsive, supporting staff and raising aspirations.

Lead author Dr. Fitzpatrick says, "Too many women in prison today were the girls in care of yesterday, and systemic failings in the wider society perpetuate this problem. We must do more to prevent this, and listening to, and learning from, the stories of criminalized girls and women is a vital starting point."

The Director of Justice at the Nuffield Foundation, Rob Street, says, "There is a persistent over-representation of care-experienced girls and women in the youth and criminal justice systems. Encouragingly, this study presents clear recommendations which could improve the lives of these girls and women by breaking the link between care and custody which can impact care leavers throughout their lives."

Report recommendations include:

Placing a statutory duty on local authorities to prevent unnecessary criminalization of children in care

Recognizing the limits of official care files and moving beyond them

Promoting trusted and consistent relationships and challenging stigma

Diverting girls and women from custody wherever possible

Confronting the intergenerational harms that imprisonment creates

The study is officially launched on May 4 at an online end of project event called "Disrupting the Routes between Care and Custody for Girls and Women."

Explore further How going from care to prison compounds women's trauma
Regulatory floodplain (flood hazard area) as distinct from the geomorphological (natural) floodplain. (A) Extent of dynamic channel movement over time (geomorphological floodplain) vs. (B) extent of area inundated by the 100-year flood as defined with hydrologic and hydraulic models (modified from Serra-Llobet et al., 2022). Credit: Frontiers in Environmental Science (2022). DOI: 10.3389/fenvs.2021.778568

Ecological flood control, i.e., measures that restore floodplains, is effective, technically possible and economically efficient. Yet, this approach is not consistently implemented worldwide because of the high administrative and legal hurdles. This is shown in a study by scientists from the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) who, together with other research institutions, analyzed four projects for the restoration of river floodplains in Germany and the U.S. in which great synergy effects between flood protection and the regeneration of ecosystems were achieved. Based on the results, politicians and authorities are recommended to focus more on ecological flood protection in the future and to develop efficient solutions for providing the necessary areas. In this way, national and European environmental goals could also be better achieved.

"Conventional technical flood protection strongly interferes with the structure of water bodies, is expensive, usually rigid and cannot easily be adapted to increased flooding regimes resulting from environmental change. The measures also restrict the natural functions of floodplains, which include water storage and the improvement of water quality. In addition, habitats for many animal and plant species in and around water are lost and with them a multitude of benefits for us humans. That is why we need significantly more flood control concepts worldwide with multiple benefits for the population and the environment," said IGB researcher Sonja Jahnig, author of the study published in Frontiers in Environmental Science.

Conventional flood control can give a false sense of security

Structural measures such as dykes, dams and artificial canals promote urban and agricultural development in areas that actually serve the purpose of floodingthe floodplains. As a result of these structural measures, the area thus gained is less likely to be affected by small to medium floods. This often gives the impression that the flood risk has been averted. As a result of this false sense of security, the local population underestimates the risk of rare large-scale floods and is all the more susceptible to their consequences. This so-called "levee effect" exemplifies the fact that some human adaptations that are effective in the short term actually increase the long-term vulnerability of the entire system.

Flood protection with multiple benefits scientifically studied

Today, new projects for the restoration of rivers and floodplains emerge. However, only a few of them are planned in such a way that they achieve multiple improvements at the same time, i.e. for example reduce flood risk, restore habitats and increase adaptability to climate change. The research team therefore studied four of these "multi-benefit projects" in Germany and in California (U.S.) and characterized their drivers, chronology and the measures and obstacles implemented. The researchers also analyzed the political framework conditions that promote, enable and sometimes hinder such projects.

Examples from Germany: Dike relocation on the Elbe and large gravel banks for the Isar River

As an example for Germany, the team examined, on the one hand, the dyke relocation on the Middle Elbe near Lenzen. "The scientific confirmation that the flood peak was reduced locally by almost 50 centimeters and the far-reaching spatial protective effect against flooding helped to increase the acceptance of dyke relocations. This has not been measured so clearly before and has refuted the position that dike relocations do nothing for flood protection. Since then, similar projects have been implemented in other rivers in Germany," says Dr. Christian Damm from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, author of the study. The ecological success of the project could be seen in the rapid return of numerous water and other bird species as well as a variety of restored habitat types.

As a second project, the researchers studied an eight-kilometer-long river restoration of the Isar that stretches from the southern city limits of Munich to the city centerthe so-called Isarplan. The project shows that river and floodplain restoration is possible even in densely populated urban areas. The Isarplan had three main goals: Minimizing flood risk, restoring habitats in the river and improving recreational use. "The Isarplan exemplifies the multiple-benefit approach and stands out due to a very cooperative planning process," said Jurgen Geist, researcher at TU-Munich and author of the study. The flood risk was reduced mainly by giving the river more space with at least 90 instead of 50 meters. This also increased the capacity in the urban area to buffer larger amounts of water. Rock walls and concrete embankments that stabilized the riverbanks were removed and replaced by gravel, so that gravel banks could formcreating spawning grounds and habitats for the huchen (Danube salmon) and other endangered fish species.

U.S. examples: Restoration of ecosystems were actually side effects

In the U.S., researchers analyzed flood bypasses in the Sacramento River basin. The Yolo Bypass is a "floodplain bypass," a type of flood diversion with a large surface area, long residence times and high ecological potential. Most of the 240-square-kilometer area is privately owned and is used for agriculture in the dry season, when the floodplain is largely drained, for example to grow maize, sunflowers and rice, as pasture or fallow land. The remaining 65 square kilometers are a protected area, especially for birds and fish. "The Yolo Bypass is considered a model for a well-managed social-ecological system: the public-private partnership works well. Species protection, flood protection and agriculture can be reconciledand all this in the direct vicinity of a large city," Sonja Jahnig explains. The dike reclamation and floodplain restoration on the Bear and Feather Rivers were also successfully implemented to increase local flood protection. An additional low wetlanda floodplain swalecreated additional flooded habitat for native fish.

In the two American cases, flood risk reduction was the primary driver for the projectand restoration of natural ecosystems followed unintentionally in one case, and as a condition for receiving public funding in the other.

Findings from the project comparison: Seven factors that matter

Based on the four case studies, the researchers identified seven factors that, depending on how they are expressed, can either promote or inhibit multiple-benefit projects. These include obvious factors, such as the availability of (undeveloped) land, the integration of research knowledge into planning and decision-making processes, suitable political and regulatory framework conditions, or sufficient funding. But social factors are also crucialthe perception of flooding not only as a threat but as a positive element and essential feature of natural water bodies. The goal-oriented project management and constructive cooperation of all participants also turned out to be indispensable for the success of the project. Even though these projects appear to be very good examples today, they were only the result of an interplay of several favorable factors and all required dedicated perseverance to finally be realized, the researchers judge. "This is also related to the fact that there is still comparatively little practical experience from such multiple-benefit projects, but one is confronted with relatively large obstacles of an institutional and legal nature. Therefore, it is important to analyze successful examples in detail and to prepare the success and risk factors for other actors who want to realize such projects," explained Jurgen Geist.

Recommendations for policy-makers and authorities

Overall, the scientists conclude that ecological flood protection is more cost-efficient than previous approaches, has great synergy potential and such multiple-benefit approaches should therefore be increasingly considered by politics and administration. "Especially in Germany, floods are quickly seen negatively or as a riskbut their value for nature and the population is overlooked. In this context, the lack of floodplains is often a point of discussion. It would be desirable if the responsible political and administrative levels of the federal, state and local governments would develop efficient approaches to provide the necessary land," Sonja Jahnig said.

These efforts would also contribute to European and national environmental goals, such as the European Flood Risk Management Directive, the Water Framework Directive, the Habitats Directive as well as the EU Biodiversity Strategythe latter envisages, among other things, the restoration of 25,000 kilometers of rivers in Europe. The framework "Action Program Natural Climate Protection" recently presented by the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Consumer Protection points in the right direction with the first two fields of action "Protection of intact moors and rewetting" and "Near-natural water balance with living rivers, lakes and floodplains." According to Sonja Jahnig, it is now crucial to design the program in such a way that as many synergy effects as possible can be achieved.

Explore further California leads effort to let rivers roam, lower flood risk

More information: Anna Serra-Llobet et al, Restoring Rivers and Floodplains for Habitat and Flood Risk Reduction: Experiences in Multi-Benefit Floodplain Management From California and Germany, Frontiers in Environmental Science (2022). Anna Serra-Llobet et al, Restoring Rivers and Floodplains for Habitat and Flood Risk Reduction: Experiences in Multi-Benefit Floodplain Management From California and Germany,(2022). DOI: 10.3389/fenvs.2021.778568
Photographs of observations of the comet's dust trail in 2015 taken by researchers. Credit: Arto Oksanen

Researchers from Finland, Canada, and Russia have discovered an unusual, hourglass-shaped dust trail of the comet 17P/Holmes. The particles that formed the dust trail were released by the most powerful of the thus-far documented outbursts by a comet. It happened in October 2007. Astronomers carried out observations of the cometary dust trail using telescopes in Australia, Finland, and the U.S. The first stage of observations lasted from 2013 to 2015, and the second one was from 2020 to 2021. The description of this research is published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

The authors of the study learned for the first time that the orbits of the cometary particles ejected in the outburst form an hourglass shape. On the opposite sides of the trail there are nodes of convergence of orbits along which particles move. One, the northern node, is located at the original point of the comet's outburst; the other, the southern node, is located on the opposite side. The smallest particles have the largest orbits, so they arrive at the nodes last. Particles of medium and large size arrive at the nodes earlier.

"The enormous amount of particles that were ejected from the comet during the outburst spread out in elliptical orbits around the sun. This provides a unique opportunity to study the cometary material and its dispersion in interplanetary space. To understand the physics and scale of this phenomenon, we developed a new model that realistically describes the evolution of the resulting cometary dust trails," says Maria Gritsevich, academic project leader, adjunct professor at the University of Helsinki and senior researcher at the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute and Ural Federal University.

The research results make it possible to predict the location and behavior of the dust trail of comet 17P/Holmes, including its way back to the original outburst point. In addition, research can help in calculating following cometary outbursts or predict the occurrence and intensity of meteor showers.

"Since 2000, I have been modeling well-known meteor showers (such as the Leonids) using modern modeling techniques. In this study, we have developed high-precision models of the outburst of the comet 17P/Holmes itself and the propagation of the resulting dust particles. Moreover, we combined both models for the first time and this resulted in a powerful new model," says Markku Nissinen, a member of the Finnish Fireball Network at the Ursa Astronomical Association.

The uniqueness of the model is that it takes into account the effects of solar radiation pressure, gravitational disturbances caused by Venus, Earth and its moon, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, as well as the gravitational interaction of dust particles with the parent comet.

"We predict that with our published data on the time of arrival and the corresponding coordinates of the dust trail of the comet 17P/Holmes in 2022 it will be visible even in the telescopes of amateur astronomers. We expect that the results of their observations will provide additional information about the number and size of the particles and their geospatial distribution. This information will be useful for developing new models and understanding what happens to the comet and its trail," concludes Maria Gritsevich.

Scientists will continue to study the comet 17P/Holmes to determine the reasons for the periodic increase in brightness, possible secondary and seasonal effects (such as non-gravitational and irregular radiation pressure) on the particles, and the possibility of observing in the infrared wavelength range. In addition, future research plans are to simulate the first observed comet outburst in 1892 and its consequences.

Comet 17P/Holmes was discovered during an outburst on November 6, 1892, by the British astronomer Edwin Holmes. Another powerful outburst occurred on October 23-24, 2007 and lasted for about three hours. The outburst was the largest ever recorded in the history of astronomical observations. Due to release of particles and enormous increase in the size of the surface reflecting the sunlight, the brightness of the comet increased 1 million times. For that brief moment, the comet also became the largest object in the solar system.

Explore further Mysterious comet has been having multiple large outbursts

More information: Maria Gritsevich et al, Evolution of the dust trail of comet 17P/Holmes, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2022). Journal information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Maria Gritsevich et al, Evolution of the dust trail of comet 17P/Holmes,(2022). DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stac822
Different photon paths create layers of light. Credit: George Wong (UIUC) and Michael Johnson (CfA)

Despite decades of study, black holes are still among the most powerful and mysterious celestial objects ever studied. Because of the extreme gravitational forces involved, nothing can escape the surface of a black hole (including light). As a result, the study of these objects has traditionally been confined to observing their influence on objects and spacetime in their vicinity. It was not until 2019 that the first image of a black hole was captured by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT).

This feat was made possible thanks to a technique known as Very-Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), which allowed scientists to see the bright ring surrounding the supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the center of the M87 galaxy. A new study by an international team of astronomers has shown how a space-based interferometry mission could reveal even more secrets hiding within the veil of a black hole's event horizon.

The research was led by Leonid Gurvits, a researcher with the Joint Institute for Very Long Baseline Interferometry European Research Infrastructure Consortium (JIVE ERIC) and the Delft University of Technology. He was joined by researchers from the Institute of Radio Astronomy (INAF), the Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON), the Flatiron Institute's Center for Computational Astrophysics, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), the Black Hole Initiative, and multiple universities and research institutes.

Credit: Astronomy Cast

As they indicate in their study, ultra-high angular resolution in astronomy has always been seen as a gateway to major discoveries. In this process, known as interferometry, multiple observatories gather light from a single object that would otherwise be very difficult to resolve. In recent years, astronomers have relied on VLBI to detect radiation at the millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. Study co-author Dr. Zsolt Paragi, a fellow researcher with JIVE ERIC, said via email, "In general, high angular resolution imaging is achieved in astronomy in three ways: by increasing the size of our telescopes, observing light at shorter wavelengths, and eliminating (or at least compensating for) the disturbances caused by the Earth's atmosphere.

"Radio astronomy pioneered the development of imaging techniques based on interferometry, when the signal from different telescopes at large distances are seamlessly (in our terminology: coherently) combined. In this case, the ultimate factor that determines the resolving power of the instrument is the distance between the telescopes, which we call baselines."

A good example of this is the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), which captured the first image of a supermassive black hole (M87) on April 10, 2019. This was followed in 2021 by an image of the core region of the Centaurus A galaxy and the radio jet emanating from it. However, these images were little more than faint circles, which represented the light trapped within the SMBH event horizonthe boundary from which nothing (even light) can escape.

Nevertheless, the image of M87 acquired by the EHT constituted the first direct confirmation of the existence of SMBHs and was the first time the shadows surrounding one were imaged. This image also provided a view of the infalling matter around the supermassive black hole, distorted by extremely strong gravity. In recent years, said Dr. Paragi, other developments have occurred in the field of VLBI that offer a taste of what's to come:

"Another keystone result in recent years was proving the cosmological origin of the mysterious, millisecond-duration radio flashes we call fast radio bursts. Due to its excellent high-resolution imaging capability, the European VLBI Network provided by far the highest accuracy sky localization of these very brief signals, that are extremely difficult to catch even with the most modern interferometers.

"These centimeter-wavelength images not only show which galaxy the signals come from, but they can also narrow down the position of the signal to small regions within the galaxy which will be crucial for the understanding of the phenomenon."

Simulation of the photon ring for M87*. Credit: Andrew Chael, et al

According to the astronomical community, the next logical step is to capture the photon ring. In this region, the gravitational force is so strong that photons are forced to travel in orbits. In the EHT images, much of the light from this ring was scattered before it reached Earth, creating the relatively blurred images that resulted. To build on their success, the next-generation EHT (ngEHT) will add ten new telescopes while modernizing those already part of the network.

However, through space-based VLBI arrays, astronomers will be able to provide the most detailed images of the photon rings around SMBHs and even the event horizons themselves, according to Dr. Paragi. For the sake of their study, the team addressed the potential of a future VLBI space telescope known as the Terahertz Exploration and Zooming-in for Astrophysics (THEZA), which was the subject of a white paper by Gurvits, Paragi, and many of the team members who authored this latest paper.

This paper was submitted as part of the ESA Voyage 2050, an open call for large-class science mission proposals that will take place in the 20352050 timeline. Like space telescopes that study the cosmos in the optical, infrared, X-ray, radio and other parts of the spectrum, this concept calls for a space-based interferometer to study the physics of spacetime in the vicinity of SMBHs. As Dr. Paragi described it:

"Observing from space at very short, millimeter to sub-millimeter wavelengths will open new dimensions to VLBI. The advantages of a mission based on the THEZA concept are two-fold. On the one hand, being able to go below the wavelengths the Event Horizon Telescope [or the ngEHT], a new population of supermassive black holes would be accessible for resolved black hole shadow imaging, which is obscured for those instruments. In addition, it would allow unique probes of black hole spin and spacetime properties, as well."

The team reviewed all the telescope's elements, including antenna systems, receivers, low-noise amplifiers, local oscillators, mixers, and data transport and processing. They found that an interferometer based on the THEZA concept would achieve the three main goals of an ultra-high angular resolution astronomy mission. In short, it will be free of interference from Earth's atmosphere and observe black holes at higher frequencies and longer baselines than ever before.

Illustration of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. Credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF

"By studying unique systems consisting of close pairs of supermassive black holes, THEZA may reveal processes that led to an accelerated black hole growth at the dawn of the universe, which had a stark imprint on galaxy evolution as well," added Dr. Paragi. "More importantly, THEZA will broaden our horizons for detailed black hole shadow measurement. This will result in a better understanding of gravity, which is important because gravity plays a fundamental role in shaping the universe."

In the coming years, next-generation observatories will rely on improved detectors and data transmission technologies to provide an even more detailed picture of some of the most mysterious objects in the universe. These include proposals like the proposed Spektr-M space telescope, which is expected to launch by 2030. This instrument will be equipped with a 10 m (33 ft) primary mirror capable of observing the cosmos in the sub-millimeter to far-infrared wavelengths.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which reached its orbital destination (L2) in January and was almost cold enough (as of late April) to commence operations, will conduct its own interferometry studies soon. As part of the Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) instrument, the Aperture Masking Interferometer (AMI) will turn the full aperture of JWST's segmented mirrors into an interferometric array.

With NASA's plans to send astronauts back to the moon (as past of the Artemis Program) and other space agencies embarking on programs of lunar exploration, there are even proposals to build VLBI telescopes on the far side of the moonwhere they would be free of atmospheric or light interference.

Explore further EHT pinpoints dark heart of the nearest radio galaxy

More information: Leonid I. Gurvits et al, The science case and challenges of space-borne sub-millimeter interferometry. arXiv:2204.09144v2 [astro-ph.IM], Leonid I. Gurvits et al, The science case and challenges of space-borne sub-millimeter interferometry. arXiv:2204.09144v2 [astro-ph.IM], arxiv.org/abs/2204.09144
KATHMANDU, May 4 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and 19 others injured on Wednesday when a jeep collided with a minibus in Nepal's Kavrepalanchowk district.

The jeep with 13 passengers onboard was heading toward Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, when it ran into the minibus carrying 26 Indian nationals, local police said, noting all the injured, with one in critical condition, were receiving treatment at a local hospital.

"All the deceased are Nepalis who were traveling on the jeep," Hari Khatiwada, a senior police officer in Kavrepalanchowk, told Xinhua.

A preliminary investigation found that the jeep was overspeeding before it lost control and hit the minibus, Khatiwada said.

The minibus with an Indian plate was carrying tourists from the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, he noted, and 11 Indians were among the injured. 
Physicist Lise Meitner helped discover nuclear fission but it was her collaborator Otto Hahn who won the Nobel prize for their work.

French doctor and researcher Marthe Gautier, who died over the weekend, was one of a long line of women scientists who greatly contributed to scientific discovery only to see the credit go to their male colleagues.

Here are just a few of the women scientists whose work was forgotten by history.

Marthe Gautier

Gautier, who died at the age of 96 on Saturday, discovered that people with Down's syndrome had an extra chromosome in 1958.

But when she was unable to identify the exact chromosome with her lower-power microscope, she "naively" lent her slides to geneticist Jerome Lejeune, she told the Science journal in 2014.

She was then "shocked" to see the discovery of the extra chromosome 21 published in research six month later, with Lejeune's name first and hers secondand her name misspelled.

It was not until 1994 that the ethics committee of France's INSERM medical research institute said Lejeune was unlikely to have played the "dominant" role in the discovery.

Rosalind Franklin

British chemist Rosalind Franklin's experimental work led to her famous 1952 X-ray image "Photo 51", which helped unlock the discovery of the DNA double helix.

But Francis Crick and James Watson were working on a similar theory at the time, and their research was published ahead of Franklin's in the same journal, leading many to think her study merely supported theirs.

Crick and Watson won the Nobel Prize for Medicine for the discovery in 1962Franklin had died four years earlier at the age of just 37.

In a letter from 1961 that emerged in 2013, Crick acknowledged the importance of her work in determining "certain features" of the molecule.

Jocelyn Bell Burnell

British astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovered the first radio pulsars when she was a postgraduate student in 1967.

But it was her thesis supervisor and another male astronomer who won 1974's Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery.

Lise Meitner

Austrian-Swedish physicist Lise Meitner was one of the key people responsible for discovering nuclear fission, leading to Albert Einstein dubbing her the "German Marie Curie".

However it was her long-term collaborator Otto Hahn who won the 1944 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery.

Chien-Shiung Wu

Chinese-American physicist Chien-Shiung Wu worked on the Manhattan Project and conducted the "Wu experiment", which overturned what had been previously considered a fundamental law of naturethe conservation of parity.

But again it was her male colleagues who won the 1975 Nobel Physics prize for the research.

Her work earned her the nickname "Chinese Madame Curie".

And so on

The list could goand the women scientists named above are merely those whose contributions have been belatedly recognized decades later.

The contributions of male scientists' wives, mothers and daughters are also believed to have long been overlooked, including that of Einstein's first wife, mathematician and physicist Mileva Maric.

In 1993 American historian Margaret Rossiter dubbed the systematic suppression of women's contributions to scientific progress the "Matilda effect", after US rights activist Matilda Joslyn Gage.

Even today the role played by women in scientific history is under-represented in school textbooks, French historian Natalie Pigeard-Micault told AFP.

"It gives the impression that scientific research is limited to a handful of women," she said, pointing to how Marie Curie was always an "exceptional" reference point.

Explore further UK physicist donates $3 million prize to boost diversity

 2022 AFP
'Forced to choose between their children and their livestock': Herder Abdullahi Gorane tends to his malnourished son in Gode General Hospital.

There has hardly been a drop of rain in Hargududo in 18 months. Dried-up carcasses of goats, cows and donkeys litter the ground near the modest thatched huts in this small village in the Somali region of southeastern Ethiopia.

The worst drought to hit the Horn of Africa in decades is pushing 20 million people towards starvation, according to the UN, destroying an age-old way of life and leaving many children suffering from severe malnutrition as it rips families apart.

April is meant to be one of the wettest months of the year in this region. But the air in Hargududo is hot and dry and the earth dusty and barren.

Many of the animals belonging to the 200 semi-nomadic herder families in the village have perished.

Those who had "300 goats before the drought have only 50 to 60 left. For some people... none have survived," 52-year-old villager Hussein Habil told AFP.

The tragic story is playing out across whole swathes of southern Ethiopia and in neighbouring Kenya and Somalia.

In Ethiopia, the eyes of the world have largely focused on the humanitarian crisis in the north caused by the war between government forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) that has left nine million people in need of emergency food aid.

But the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that up to 6.5 million people in Ethiopiamore than six percent of the populationare also severely food insecure because of drought.

Lack of rain has killed nearly 1.5 million head of livestock, around two-thirds of them in the Somali region, said OCHA, showing "how alarming the situation has become".

Herds provide the nomadic or semi-nomadic populations of this arid and hostile region with food and income as well as their savings.

But the surviving animals have deteriorated so much that their value has plummeted, reducing the buying power of the increasingly vulnerable households, OCHA warned.

Many families have had to move into camps like Farburo 2 after losing their livestock. There they live in branch huts in temperatures of 40 degrees Centigrade (104 Fahrenheit).

Society 'disintegrating'

"We were pure nomads before this drought, depending on the animals for meat, milk" and money, said 50-year-old Tarik Muhamad, a herder from Hargududo, 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Gode, the main town in the Shabelle administrative zone.

"But nowadays most of us are settling down in villages... There is no longer a future in pastoralism because there are no animals to be herded."

An entire society is disintegrating as the loss of livestock threatens the herders' very way of life: villagers forced to leave their homes to find work in the city, families divided, children neglected as their parents focus on trying to save their animals, essential for their survival.

"Our nomadic life is over," Muhamad said bitterly.

The alternating dry and rainy seasonsa short one in March-April followed by a longer period between June and Augusthave always set the rhythm of herders' lives.

"Before this catastrophic drought, we used to survive difficult times thanks to the grasses from earlier rains," the herder said.

But none of the last three rainy seasons have come. And the fourth one, expected since March, is likely to fail too.

"We usually have droughts, it's a cyclical thing... previously it used to be every 10 years but now it's coming more frequently than before," said Ali Nur Mohamed, 38, from British charity Save the Children.

Even camels lose their humps

In East Africa, the frequency of drought has doubled from once every six years to once every three since 2005, according to the latest UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.

A man stands next to the dried-up carcass of a dead cow in the parched village of Hargududo in southeastern Ethiopia.

"Several prolonged droughts have occurred predominantly within the arid and semi-arid parts of the region over the past three decades."

As early as 2012, a study by US development agency USAID found that southern regions of Ethiopia were receiving 15 to 20 percent less rainfall than in the 1970s. And those areas that did get the 500 millimetres of annual rainfall needed for viable agriculture and livestock farming were shrinking.

Drought will be high on the agenda of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), which begins in Abidjan on Monday.

Herders trying to recover from a drought are being "hit by a second drought", said Save the Children's Mohamed.

"So it makes it impossible for them to recover quickly from the previous shocks." The droughts come "so close that these pastoralists are unable to be resilient."

The herders AFP met in the Somali region say they have lost between 80 and 100 percent of their livestock. The few herds of cows or goats we spotted were emaciated.

Even many dromedaries have lost their humps, the vital stores of fat that enable them to survive for long periods without food.

'Walked for five days'

Many herders have moved to camps that have sprung up to house the vast numbers of people displaced by what they describe as the worst drought they have ever seen.

In the morning light in Adlale, not far from Gode, dozens of women in coloured veils emerge from clouds of ochre dust to collect emergency food aid distributed by the UN's World Food Programme (WFP).

"We walked for five days to come here," said Habiba Hassan Khadid, a 47-year-old mother of 10. "All of our livestock perished because of the drought."

People take carts pulled by emaciated donkeys to the Shabelle River in Gode, Ethiopia, to draw water for their parched herds.

Ahado Jees Hussein, 45, a widowed mother of seven, arrived in Adlale carrying her 15-year-old disabled son on her back. She tells a similar story of losing all her goats and pack donkeys.

"I have never before experienced such a drought," she said. "I came here with nothing."

About 2,700 families are living in the camp known as Farburo 2, which was set up three months ago.

Small huts made of branches and patchworks of fabric provide some shelter from the searing heat, with temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

"The living conditions are alarming," said camp coordinator Ali Mohamed Ali, as most of the families scrape by on what they get from relatives or from local residents.

'Way of life can't continue'

In his tiny hut, Abdi Kabe Adan, a sturdy and proud 50-year-old, weeps uncontrollably and prays to Allah for the rains to come.

"Before, rain fell elsewhere in the region, so we moved with our animals to watered pastures, even if it took several days.

"But this time the drought is everywhere... Wells have run out of water, no pastures for animals to graze. I don't think it's possible for our way of life to continue," he sobbed.

"I have seen goats eating their own faeces, camels eating other camels. I have never seen that in my life."

There are few men in the camp. Some have stayed with the last of the cattle in the hunt for elusive grass, but many have left in search of work in town.

The herders' age-old society is disintegrating with some men leaving women in the camps to fend for themselves and their children.

Others have simply fled, unable to face the shame or the questions about the future from their anxious wives.

The drought has also damaged the social structure of these communities.

"Before, the men had honoured chores like milking the animals, buying food and goods for the family. These roles have disappeared along with our livestock," said Halima Harbi, a 40-year-old mother of nine.

Solidarity in the face of diversity has given way to rivalry, she said. "When the water trucks arrive, the old and vulnerable receive nothing because competition is fierce."

'No time to care for children'

Children are paying the highest price as the disaster worsens.

UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell said 10 million children across Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Djibouti needed urgent life-saving support.

As well as a malnutrition crisis, "children are forced to drink contaminated water, putting them at risk of cholera and other killer diseases," said Russell, who visited the Somali region last week.

Another heartbreaking consequence of drought, she said, is an increase in child marriage "as families marry off their daughters in the hope they will be better fed and protected as well as to earn dowries."

"People don't even have time to look after their children," said Ali Nur Mohamed of Save The Children.

"You can understand the magnitude of the problem... (when) a mother forgets to take her (sick) child to the nearest hospital ... because she is preoccupied with her other children or trying to save her livestock."

Thirst: Children queue to drink water at a cistern in the village of Adlale near Gode, Ethiopia.

Save the Children staff do the rounds in the communities, identifying children at risk and taking them for treatment to health centres, such as the hospital in Gode.

In the stifling air of the hospital's nutrition unit, mothers sit on iron-framed beds, using their veils to try to keep themselves and their painfully thin children cool and repel the flies.

Hospital director Dr. Mahamed Shafi Nur said children in the region are already on the verge of malnutrition, so if they get sick, they cross the danger line.

Most are treated on an outpatient basis, given ready-to-eat peanut-based nutritional pastes. Those who suffer complicationsabout 15 percentare hospitalised.

Paediatrician Dr. Mahamad Abdi Omar says mothers often find themselves alone with their offspring as the father hunts for food for their animals. So by the time they are able to bring a sick child to hospital, there are added complications.

Heart-wrenching choices

Baby Samiya had been suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting for a week before her mother Rokiya Adan Mahad, 39, finally brought her into the clinic.

Falis Hassen's son has been suffering from canker sores for two months, preventing him from suckling.

The 38-year-old said she came to the hospital without telling her husband. "He wouldn't have let me leave, there is so much to do."

Abdullahi Gorane's son, his hair discoloured by malnutrition, had been suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting for weeks.

"I was taking care of the livestock, I didn't have time for my child," said 30-year-old Abdullahithe only father presentwho decided to bring in his son only when the drought took most of his herd.

Small comfort: Mother Rukiyo Adan Mahad cuddles her sick daughter Samyia at the nutrition unit of the Gode General Hospital.

Ahmed Nur, a health worker at the Kelafo clinic about 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Gode, said one of the issues is a lack of "exclusive breastfeeding"mothers give their newborns water or sugar instead so the babies do not get enough milk.

But the situation has been aggravated by the drought.

"Every month, the number of malnourished kids is increasing," he said.

Parents like Ayan Ibrahim Haroun, 45, are confronted with terrible choices: treating their child can mean risking the loss of their livestock.

She said her two-year-old daughter Sabirin Abdi had been sick for a monthconstant coughing and swellings on her little body (a possible symptom of severe malnutrition)when she finally resolved to bring her to Kelafo.

"I had 10 goats, but I lost four in the 11 days I was at the hospital," she said.

Explore further 13 million face hunger as Horn of Africa drought worsens: UN

 2022 AFP
Engimmune Therapeutics raises CHF 15.5 million in seed financing to develop novel T-cell receptor therapeutics

Details Category: DNA RNA and Cells Published on Wednesday, 04 May 2022 13:44 Hits: 1146

Financing co-led by Pureos Bioventures and Novo Holdings with incubation from BaseLaunch

Proceeds will be used to develop next-generation T-cell receptor-based therapies for cancer treatment

TCR therapy pioneer and industry veteran Dr Bent Jakobsen appointed as Chairman of the Board

BASEL, Switzerland I May 3, 2022 I Engimmune Therapeutics AG ("Engimmune"), a Swiss biotech company developing novel T-cell receptor (TCR)-based therapeutics, announced today the completion of a CHF 15.5 million (EUR 15.2 m / USD 16.7 m) seed financing round, co-led by Pureos Bioventures and Novo Holdings.

Engimmune is a platform company using cutting-edge technologies to engineer highly potent and specific TCR-based therapies for cancer treatment. By combining genome editing, functional screening, deep sequencing and machine learning, Engimmune addresses major efficacy and safety challenges that currently limit the full potential of TCR-T cell and soluble TCR therapies. Engimmune's lead products are focused on oncology, with potential to expand to autoimmune diseases in the future.

Engimmune is a spinout from the lab of Prof Sai Reddy at ETH Zurich and Dr Rodrigo Vazquez-Lombardi, co-inventor of the company's platform technologies, who is now its Chief Scientific Officer. The company was initially incubated and financed through BaseLaunch, a Switzerland-based incubator and accelerator. The seed round is funded by Pureos Bioventures, a Swiss venture capital fund investing in innovative drug development companies and Novo Seeds, the early-stage investment and company creation team of Novo Holdings.

Proceeds from the financing will be used to further build Engimmune's pipeline, expand the research team in Switzerland and build a foothold in Denmark, with a focus on GMP-certified manufacturing, clinical development, and regulatory affairs.

The Company also announces the appointment of TCR pioneer and industry veteran Dr Bent Jakobsen as Chairman of the Board. Former chief scientist and co-founder of Immunocore, a soluble TCR therapeutics company, and Adaptimmune, an adoptive TCR-T cell therapy company, Dr Jakobsen is a global expert in the field of T cell immunology. As part of the transaction, Dominik Escher and Jrgen Sberg Petersen join as Board Directors, and Ximing Ding and Joao Ribas join as Observers.

Sren Mouritsen, Chief Executive Officer at Engimmune, said: "We are very excited to welcome Pureos Bioventures and Novo Holdings to Engimmune, as well as Dr Bent Jakobsen to the Board with his unique track record in TCR therapeutics. The longstanding support from BaseLaunch together with these industry-leading investors and the in-depth expertise of Bent gives Engimmune the standing to become a leading contributor to this competitive yet promising space. Engimmune, with our groundbreaking technology platforms, is well-positioned to develop next-generation TCR therapeutics that are poised to become future breakthrough cancer treatments."

Dominik Escher, Managing Partner at Pureos Bioventures, said: "We have been following the company since inception, playing a key role in its founding, and were impressed with the progress achieved in such a short period of time. We are very glad to co-lead and support Engimmune and we believe its state-of-the-art technologies offer great promise to discover and develop safer, more potent and affordable TCR-T cell therapies, an increasingly important tool in the fight against cancer."

Jrgen Sberg Petersen, Partner at Novo Holdings, said: "We are truly excited about the prospect of Engimmune's innovative molecular and cellular engineering platforms to develop a new generation of pioneering TCR therapeutics against solid tumours and potentially also autoimmunity. Anchored around unique and powerful technology platforms, we want Engimmune to tap into the top biotech hubs to attract the best scientists, developers and investors to build a well-differentiated company with the potential to disrupt solid tumour therapy."

Stephan Emmerth, Director at BaseLaunch, said: "It was a real privilege to work alongside the team at Engimmune to help build the company from scratch. We are deeply impressed by their quality, speed and rigor in getting the company to this stage. And we are tremendously excited to see the company closing the seed financing with such a remarkable group of investors. This will enable them to continue developing their pioneering technology platforms to deliver truly differentiated TCR therapeutics."

About Engimmune Therapeutics AG

Engimmune Therapeutics is a technology platform and product-based company using cutting-edge technologies to engineer highly potent and specific T cell receptor (TCR) therapies. By applying proprietary platform technologies combining genome editing, functional high-throughput screening, deep sequencing and machine learning, Engimmune addresses key efficacy and safety challenges that currently limit the full potential of TCR-T cell and soluble TCR therapeutics. Spinning out from ETH Zurich and with support from BaseLaunch, the Swiss life sciences incubator, the Company raised a CHF 15.5 million seed series from leading biotech investors, Pureos Bioventures and Novo Holdings. For more information, please visit www.engimmune.com.

About Pureos Bioventures

Pureos Bioventures is a Swiss venture capital fund, which invests exclusively in private innovative drug development companies, with a special emphasis on the next generation of biological drugs and drug formats. The fund's portfolio companies are built on scientific excellence to develop therapies across a broad indication spectrum including oncology, immunology, ophthalmology, rare diseases, and neuroscience. Pureos has built a team with deep investment, operating and clinical expertise, that strives to impact patients' lives by advancing innovative treatments for devastating diseases. For more information visit www.pureosbio.com

About Novo Holdings A/S

Novo Holdings A/S is a private limited liability company wholly owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. It is the holding company of the Novo Group, comprising Novo Nordisk A/S and Novozymes A/S, and is responsible for managing the Novo Nordisk Foundation's assets.



Novo Holdings is recognised as a leading international life science investor, with a focus on creating long-term value. As a life science investor, Novo Holdings provides seed and venture capital to development-stage companies and takes significant ownership positions in growth and well-established companies. Novo Holdings also manages a broad portfolio of diversified financial assets. Further information: www.novoholdings.dk.

About BaseLaunch

BaseLaunch is the Basel Area-based incubator and accelerator that helps scientists and entrepreneurs launch exceptional biotech companies. BaseLaunch helps build companies from inception through to Series A funding, providing financing and supporting all aspects of business development. Since 2018, BaseLaunch-supported ventures have raised in total over USD 450 million. BaseLaunch partners with Roche, Pureos Bioventures, Roivant Sciences, Bridge Bioventures, CSL Behring, Johnson & Johnson and CMS, which also feed into the pool out of which BaseLaunch funds ventures. Operationally run and financed by Basel Area Business & Innovation, its Domain partners include KPMG, SpiroChem, Vossius & Partner, Walder Wyss attorneys at law, WuXi AppTec, Alloy Therapeutics as well as the Technology Park Basel and the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area. Harnessing Basel Area's unique position as a global life sciences hub, as well as its rising popularity among investors, BaseLaunch is looking to attract the next generation of breakthrough companies and is now open for applications. Further information: www.baselaunch.ch

SOURCE: Engimmune Therapeutics
FORT EDWARD  The Washington County Historical Society will sponsor a lecture by Joseph Ferrannini, owner and operator of Grave Stone Matters, at 6:30 p.m. May 12 at the Canal Street Marketplace.

The talk will go along with the theme for this years Cronkite Lecture Series on cemetery restoration in Washington County. Ferrannini will be discussing his work and specifically his work in the North Country.

Ferrannini started the company Grave Stone Matters in 2008 after going to his family cemetery in rural Rensselaer County and finding nothing but rubble. It became a passion for restoring cemeteries to preserve peoples family history.

Ferrannini will speak on his work in the local area cemeteries. The talk is part of the month-long Cronkite Lecture Series focused on cemetery restorations.

For more information, call the Washington County Historical Society at 518-747-9108. More details can be found on the Washington County Historical Society Facebook page.

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QUEENSBURY  A local family-owned construction company wants to construct a mixed-use building in Queensbury, near Northway Exit 18.

Foothills Builders, run by a father and son both named Joseph Leuci, wants to construct a 25,000-square-foot three-story building at 78-80 Main St., across from the Adirondack Trust Company in the Exit 18 corridor.

The building would have 7,000 square feet of retail and commercial space on the ground floor, and 12 apartments each on the second and third floors. Currently, the 20 one-bedroom units would rent at about $1,100 to $1,200 a month, while the four two-bedroom units would be about $1,600 per month.

The one-bedroom units will be 600 square feet, each with a balcony, and the two-bedroom units will be around 800 square feet.

Leuci said the apartments would be considered market-rate housing.

He has filed an application to the Warren-Washington Industrial Development Agency seeking assistance in the form of tax abatements that equal a little under $300,000, for the $3.36 million project.

According to their IDA application, the Leucis are seeking sales tax, mortgage tax and real property tax abatements.

According to Leuci, the son, the downstairs commercial space will create between two and 12 new jobs in addition to local construction jobs during the building process.

Foothills Builders, whose headquarters are located at Mountainside Drive in Queensbury, typically build private residential homes, but Leuci said that his company is in the process of expanding its portfolio.

In response to a question on what prompted Foothills Builders to propose this project, Leuci replied: I like the location. Between Exit 18 and downtown Glens Falls, it is the perfect location to tie the two together.

Queensbury Town Supervisor John Strough agrees.

I think its absolutely wonderful what Leuci has proposed. It is in line with what the zoning  which I helped write  had in mind for the property. Its what Queensbury has been looking for in terms of creating Main Street activity. The parking is in the back; its not the amount of cars that will attract people, its the building and the contents of the building. It will help create a Main Street presence, Strough said on Tuesday.

Leuci said Foothills Builders has had a few meetings with Queensbury town officials, and while they are still awaiting Planning Board approval, he is confident that they have the towns support.

I dont foresee them running into any issues with the approval process, but I cant speak for the other boards. They are independent, Strough said.

The rise in the cost of construction materials is what prompted Leuci and his father to seek assistance from the IDA.

Its a pretty universal issue that other development projects are facing right now, Leuci said.

Before making a decision to approve tax relief for the project, the IDA will hold a public hearing on May 23.

Drew Wardle is a reporter for The Post-Star. You can contact him at 518-681-7343 or email him at dwardle@poststar.com.

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ALBANY  U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado will serve as New Yorks next lieutenant governor, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday.

Delgado, a Democrat, will take on the largely ceremonial role previously formerly held by Brian Benjamin, who resigned following his arrest for federal corruption charges, which he has denied.

The Democratic governor touted Delgados upstate electoral wins and his work on bills addressing veterans, small businesses and student loan debt, and said his electoral record will help Democrats win statewide.

The fact is he could have done anything, and he chose public service, Hochul said Tuesday at a Capitol press conference alongside Delgado, a Rhodes Scholar who briefly pursued a rap career after earning a Harvard law degree. He had campaigned on universal access to Medicare, creating good jobs and eliminating tax loopholes for the rich.

Delgado identifies as Afro-Latino and was first elected in 2018 to represent the Hudson Valley and the Catskills as the first person of color representing upstate New York in Congress.

He told reporters Tuesday he decided to leave Congress to serve as lieutenant governor for the opportunity to meet with New Yorkers statewide and see if governmental policies are working on the ground.

Being home in New York amongst the people I represent is where I have undoubtedly felt more fulfilled and energized, Delgado said.

Delgado had won his swing district and ousted Republican incumbent Jon Faso, but Democrats had hoped to ensure Delgados win this year by drawing up new political district maps that a court later struck down as unconstitutionally gerrymandered. An upstate judge and a researcher are working on new maps that are expected to give Democrats less of an edge than they hoped.

Delgado, a former litigator for a New York City international law firm, won by five percentage points against Faso. GOP ads at the time called him a big-city liberal and attacked Delgados song lyrics that were critical of capitalism and police.

Antonio Delgado was smart and got a jump on the job market before he and the rest of his House Democrat colleagues lose this fall, National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Samantha Bullock said.

Delgado said Tuesday he wants to use his role to restore trust in New York government.

Democracy doesnt happen on its own. The people have to hold leaders accountable and leaders have to want to be accountable, he said.

Hochul said hell take office sometime this month. New York would have 10 days once his office is vacant to announce a special election to be held 70 to 80 days later.

A Buffalo native, Hochul vowed to select a lieutenant governor from New York City and launch a diverse administration last August. She has said her vetting process didnt raise any red flags from Benjamin. Hochul said Tuesday she had a large staff to vet candidates this time.

Benjamin, of Harlem, faces charges including bribery, fraud, conspiracy and falsification of records. He has pleaded not guilty. Hochul said Tuesday she had a large staff to vet candidates this time.

Hochul on Monday signed a law that will allow Benjamins name to be removed from the ballot in the states June 28 Democratic primary and replaced with Delgados.

We are going to continue to work very hard to ensure a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, Hochul said.

In this years midterms, Democrats face the threat of losing their 221-209 majority in Congress.

Democrats hold a strong 2:1 advantage over Republicans in New York when it comes to voter registration. About half of the states 13 million voters are Democrats, while Republicans have roughly 2.8 million voters and the rest are largely unaffiliated.

Republicans hold eight of New Yorks 27 seats in Congress. New York is set to lose a seat following the 2020 Census.

The nixed congressional map passed by the Democrat-led Legislature would have given Republicans an advantage in four out of 26 districts.

Delgados district was a point of contention among commissioners: Republicans proposed a district with 54% Trump voters, while Democratic commissioners pitched giving Biden voters a slight edge.

The Legislatures final maps were more friendly toward Democrats. Delgados Hudson Valley district would have swooped north to include the Democratic-voting city of Utica, while avoiding Republican communities. Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney had vowed to run against Delgado.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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ABSECON  Hi Point Pub is asking the state Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control to reinstate its liquor license in hopes of reopening Friday after the agency suspended its license last month.

As part of the proposal to reopen, the pub would no longer be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week  something for which the establishment is well known.

In a letter to Director James B. Graziano, the Shore Road bar is asking to reopen after addressing concerns the state agency had, according to a letter from Louis Cappelli, attorney for Hi Point, dated April 21.

On April 12, Graziano suspended the liquor license of the more than 50-year-old bar.

The bar's modification request to its liquor license suspension is being considered by ABC, spokesperson Lisa Coryell said Thursday.

The pub has taken all steps, or will take any further steps directed by Your Office, to terminate all personnel mentioned in the Order to Show cause and your police reports, Cappelli wrote in the letter.

Neither Cappelli nor ABC responded to a request for comment on the letter or the appeal Wednesday.

Among the steps the bar plans to take if it is allowed to reopen are retraining all bartenders and security people, a strict six alcoholic drink maximum per patron and closing from 3 to 11 a.m. each morning.

Graziano wrote in his April 12 ruling that several incidents led to the suspension. The pub is accused of allowing a fight at the bar, serving underage patrons, overserving patrons  a practice that possibly implicates the establishment in two fatal accidents  and employing people with criminal convictions who are barred under state law from working at the establishment.

The bar had 14 days from the April 14 ruling to appeal.

The Division has shown, clearly and convincingly, that suspension of Hi Points license is necessary. First, the harm done here has been irreparable, with two fatalities, brawls, and DWIs. The charged violations are of course all very serious, but what is especially troubling is the pattern of conduct and the gravity of the consequences. The offenses must be  can only be guaranteed to be  stopped immediately with suspension, according to the original ruling.

In July 2021, a 58-year-old Massachusetts man was struck and killed while crossing the White Horse Pike after drinking eight beers in two hours at the pub, according to the ruling.

The division also is investigating the bars involvement in a January car accident that left an Absecon man dead. According to the report, a 24-year old Northfield man who had been drinking at the bar struck a car and killed its driver and then fled the scene.

Absecon lawmakers have considered limiting alcohol sale times in the city, having reintroduced an ordinance to that effect at an April City Council meeting.

The ordinance would limit alcohol sales in the city to between 9 a.m. and 2 a.m. each day. A handful of city businesses have balked at the proposed rule, which was, also for a second time, tabled at the meeting.

Councilman Nick LaRotonda motioned to table to the ordinance, advocating for studies on how changing alcohol sale times would affect other businesses than Hi Point.

LaRotonda could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Contact Nicholas Huba: 609-272-7046 nhuba@pressofac.com Twitter @acpresshuba

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Nicholas Huba Sports Editor Started working in newsrooms when I was 17 years old. Spent 15 years working for Gannett New Jersey before coming to The Press of Atlantic City in April 2015. Follow Nicholas Huba 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
Fire Capt. J.D. Morgan was on his way back from a call Tuesday afternoon when he noticed the leaning wall at the five-story apartment building in the first block of South Iowa Avenue, fire Chief Scott Evans said Wednesday afternoon.

After further investigation, the Fire Department determined the wall was separating where the first and second floors meet due to a lack of building maintenance over the years. Water has been getting into the wall through the buildings brick facade, Evans said.

The building owner is responsible for getting an engineer over there, but it has to be fixed immediately, Evans said.

Atlantic City Fire Department getting more equipment, personnel ATLANTIC CITY  The city is spending nearly $2 million more for fire protection services, ra

The Fire Department built an emergency shoring system to secure the wall, Evans said.

A portion of South Iowa was closed Tuesday evening, including along with the sidewalk. The road reopened Wednesday, although the sidewalk where the wall is remains closed and barricaded.

No evacuations were needed at the Lenox building, Evans said.

The city Department of Licensing and Inspections will conduct an investigation, as will construction officials, Evans said.

Contact Selena Vazquez: 609-272-7225 svazquez@pressofac.com

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MAYS LANDING  Those instrumental in centralizing Atlantic Countys municipal courts see the move as a model for other New Jersey counties.

In a packed Courtroom No. 1 at the Atlantic County Historic Courthouse on Wednesday, officials key in consolidating the courts honored three judges  Julio Mendez, Valerie Armstrong and Herbert Jacobs  with plaques bearing their names and courtrooms named in their honor.

The Central Municipal Court of Atlantic County, the first of its kind in New Jersey, opened in January, hearing cases from nine county towns. County Executive Dennis Levinson led the effort to consolidate the courts of the countys 23 municipalities, arguing it would save taxpayers money.

Egg Harbor and Galloway townships are expected to save about $450,000 and $235,000, respectively, under the new court, county spokesperson Linda Gilmore said in November. Its unclear how much the other participating towns could save.

The county is planning to review the savings at the courts six-month mark, Gilmore said Wednesday following the dedication.

Levinson, who couldnt attend the dedication because of a medical procedure, picked county Counsel James Ferguson to thank those who helped contribute to an almost two-year-long process.

Millville man sentenced for role in online romance scam CAMDEN  A Millville man who pleaded guilty to money laundering and other charges will spend

These types of initiatives were, of course, great to save all of our taxpayers money, said state Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic, mirroring Levinsons position on the merger.

Levinson first formed a committee in 2020 tasked with exploring potential cost savings and court feasibility. Efforts in Trenton, headed by now former state Senate President Steve Sweeney, resulted in a legislative amendment package encouraging the regionalization of municipal courts, which was signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in August of that year.

Renovations for the courthouse were made possible through $2.1 million in American Rescue Plan funds, Sweeney said.

Speaking in front of the packed courtroom, Sweeney said the consolidation will make services better for Atlantic Countys residents while lowering their tax burden. He, like others who spoke, said while the cost savings is a plus, the court is intended to improve public trust in the judicial system.

This will be replicated around the state, Sweeney said. It had to take someone who had the willingness to do it.

Consolidation supporters favor the cost savings but also argue it enables nonprofits to better offer help to people with social and emotional problems who end up in court.

In November, before the court opened, Jewish Family Service was announced as operating a pilot social-services program in the central court, assigning three social workers there for its first 90 days. Those workers are tasked with connecting those in need to mental health and drug addiction services as an alternative to traditional municipal fines and punishments.

The central courts critics, however, cite concerns about transportation, having lawyers and court staff unfamiliar with the municipalities they serve, and potential leniency to municipal offenders.

Those concerns are important to Atlantic County Assignment Judge Michael Blee.

Blee, who took over from Mendez earlier this year, said being wary of problems in the courts operation and correcting them will be a priority. He, like Sweeney, knows the publics trust in the countys judicial system is essential, especially as officials see the court as a way to enhance services for the community.

It is our challenge, as a judiciary and staff, to fulfill the goal of this new central municipal court, Blee said. I urge our municipal court judges and staff to work together to serve the public.

Contact Eric Conklin: 609-272-7261 econklin@pressofac.com Twitter @ACPressConklin

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ATLANTIC CITY  Officers investigating a domestic incident Saturday arrested a Newark man police said had a gun and hollow point bullets.

At 12:19 p.m., officers responded to the beach block of Park Place for a report of a domestic dispute taking place inside a vehicle. The 911 caller also reported that the male suspect was in possession of a handgun and had threatened to use it against the victim. Officers arrived to find one of the parties involved, Nasir Sutton, standing near the vehicle. The victim was a short distance away, police said in a news release.

After speaking to the victim, Officers Michael Gunsser and William Palmer learned Sutton, 25, had threatened to assault her and shoot her in the head, police said. The officers searched the vehicle and found a handgun loaded with hollow point ammunition. The gun was later determined to be stolen out of Georgia.

Sutton was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, certain persons not to possess a firearm, possession of hollow point bullets, terroristic threats and receiving stolen property. He was sent to the Atlantic County jail.
HELSINKI, May 4 (Xinhua)-- The Russia-Ukraine conflict has dramatically increased both uncertainty and business risks for Finnish technology companies, according to a survey released Tuesday.

The survey was conducted by the Technology Industries of Finland on the impact of the Ukraine crisis on the operation of export companies, with 580 tech firm CEOs as respondents.

Since the conflict started, the survey said up to 85 percent of companies in the manufacturing sector reported a further weakening in the availability of raw materials.

The main raw material in short supply is steel and its various grades, Petteri Rautaporras, chief economist of the organization, told the Finnish national broadcaster Yle on Tuesday.

According to the Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries, about a quarter of the steel used in Finland was previously from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

Most of the respondents feared that the shortage could worsen in the coming months, with more production interruptions over time.

Meanwhile, a sharp increase in costs is affecting profits, with 53 percent of companies expecting to see profitability weaken year on year.

Seventeen percent of respondents even said they would have to lay off or reduce their personnel.

Jaakko Hirvola, CEO of Technology Industries of Finland, called for quick action to boost investment licensing and export financing, adding that the conflict has made the investment environment more challenging.

The organization urged the government to abolish import duties on steel and provide more guidance on sanctions.

"It is necessary to abolish steel tariffs for certain grades where shortages threaten to paralyze the operations of companies," Matti Mannonen, executive director of innovation and economic policy at the organization, said.

He added that the steel shortage affects companies in Finland and throughout Europe. 
Some Illinois residents say theyre still having trouble getting free at-home COVID-19 tests, more than three months after the White House began requiring insurers to cover them.
Bettendorf resident Maggie Tinsman was the first woman appointed and then elected to the Scott County Board of Supervisors in 1978.

She went on to serve 18 years in the Iowa Legislature as a Republican, where she came to be known as a moderate and an advocate for women elected to public office. And although she says she didn't campaign on the issue, she supported a woman's right to choose an abortion.

She exited the Legislature in 2006, but her stance would make her an anomaly in a Statehouse in which in 2018 no Senate Republicans voted against a bill that would've prevented abortions after a fetal heartbeat could be detected. A ban that would outlaw abortion after about six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant and before the fetus can survive outside the womb.

"I'm opposed to abortion, actually," Tinsman said. "However, I firmly believe that government should not be dictating to women regarding this procedure, and rather, I think the medical profession, the woman's religious beliefs, and the conscience of the woman herself should be involved with what to do in such an extreme situation."

Tinsman entered elected politics five years after Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision the U.S. Supreme Court seems poised to overturn, which affirmed a woman's right to an abortion before a fetus is viable outside the womb, usually about 24 weeks of pregnancy.

At that time, Tinsman had nearly graduated from the University of Iowa with a master's degree in social work while in the thralls of raising three children, volunteering for service organizations and local schools. And the issue of abortion had yet to rise to the level of political prominence, debate and polarization of other seemingly more important issues at the time like the death penalty.

"I don't even remember the words Roe v. Wade in college," Tinsman said.

According to Gallup, opinions on abortion access haven't changed much since 1975. Then, 54% of Americans believed abortions should be legal under certain circumstances, while 22% believed it should be legal under any circumstances and 21% believed it should be illegal in all circumstances. In 2021, those numbers were 48%, 32%, and 19%, respectively.

In Des Moines, Tinsman became known as a moderate Republican who, according to the Lee Des Moines Bureau Chief at the time, "fought Statehouse obesity with a crate of pedometers and believed government could do a lot of good for the young and vulnerable."

Tinsman said she tried not to campaign on abortion access because of its divisiveness.

"When people asked me where I was, I told them, but I never went door to door saying, 'This is what I want to do (relating to abortion),'" Tinsman said. "I went door to door talking about education."

Tinsman narrowly lost a 2006 primary challenge from the right to an opponent who, according to reports at the time, criticized her decision to oppose a ban on gay marriage. Tinsman said she couldn't remember if her opponent had brought up abortion during the campaign.

Despite leaving politics, Tinsman's stance on the issue came up as recently as 2020, in which former congressional candidate Bobby Schilling claimed, without any evidence, that Tinsman "brought Planned Parenthood to Bettendorf." Tinsman supported his opponent, U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Ottumwa.

During Tinsman's time in the legislature, Democrats and Republicans switched or split control over the government's three branches. She said that could be one reason she didn't remember whether abortion came up during her tenure in the Iowa Legislature.

"It didn't seem to me it was on the agenda much," Tinsman said. "If it was on the agenda, I don't know if it ever got up for a vote. I can't remember that. I think I would have remembered if it did.  I think the majority felt that that's not the government's responsibility."

Since leaving office in 2006, Tinsman said she's been largely focused on overseeing advocacy efforts against human trafficking and electing women to the legislature and has not been involved in the abortion debate in Iowa.

But asked to reflect on the issue, Tinsman said on abortion, like other issues, fewer people are willing to buck their party.

"I think the very super conservative Republicans have made it a big deal and brought it up a lot, but I don't think all Republicans are like that, or all Democrats," Tinsman said.

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DURANT  A Durant firefighter remained hospitalized Wednesday after authorities say an intoxicated man crashed a commercial field sprayer into a firetruck responding to a call for service.

Firefighters were heading to a call when Kent Reimers, 31, of rural Walcott, crashed into one of two Durant firetrucks shortly before 8 p.m. Monday in the 1200 block of Vail Avenue south of Durant, according to the Muscatine County Sheriff's Office. Reimers was driving a Terra Gator, a farming vehicle used for spraying fields, according to the sheriff's office.

All five firefighters riding in the firetruck were injured, with the driver needing to be extracted from the mangled fire engine by fellow first responders using hydraulic equipment to cut and pry open the wrecked vehicle. Four were treated and released with relatively minor injuries, while a fifth  firefighter Matt Fisher, who had been sitting behind the driver  was taken by ambulance to Genesis Medical Center in Davenport and was later airlifted to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Deb Hogan Lorenz, Fishers aunt, said her nephew recently underwent the first of what is expected to be a series of surgeries. This first surgery was to repair his left leg, which required the placing of a large pin.

Lt. Mike Schmidt of the Muscatine County Sheriffs Office said the firetruck was totaled with the entire left side of it damaged. The damage was partially due to the crash and partially due to the driver of the firetruck needing to be extracted from the vehicle by mechanical means.

After the crash, Reimers allegedly fled the scene while the crew of the second Durant firetruck stopped in order to tend to their fellow firefighters' injuries. The Wilton Fire Department gave its assistance with both the crash and the call that Durants crew had been heading to. The Durant Police Department, Durant Ambulance, Walcott Police Department, the Scott County Sheriffs Office, the Muscatine County Sheriffs Office and the Iowa State Patrol also offered their assistance at the scene.

The accident remains under investigation and additional charges may be filed, according to a sheriff's office news release.

Reimers was arrested early the following morning in Walcott. The arrest report says Reimers admitted to consuming whiskey prior to driving his vehicle and was charged with first-offense driving while intoxicated after failing two out of three field sobriety tests. Reimers was also charged with leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.

Reimers is free on a $1,300 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on May 10.

Lorenz, Fisher's aunt, declined to provide additional information about her nephew, stating both she and Fishers mother are asking for privacy at this time. She then added that they both appreciate the outpouring of prayers and support from the community.

The Wilton Fire Department posted on its Facebook page Wednesday that it will host a boot drive to collect donations to help Fisher pay for his medical bills. Wilton residents will be able to find boot drive locations at several locations throughout the city. Residents can also contribute via Venmo @Wilton-Fire or PayPal at @wiltonfire.

"Matt is expected to recover, but not without a hard road ahead of him that could span several months," the Wilton Fire Department posted on Facebook. "Wilton Fire asks that our community keep Matt and the rest of Durant Fire in its thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. The accident is still under investigation and we are unable to provide any further details."

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WEST LIBERTY  West Liberty Foods plans to build a new plant and offer its current 23-acre facility to the city in exchange for public financing.

Officials told the city council the company has outgrown the facility that has served as its home since 1943.

West Liberty Foods raises about five million turkeys annually. Iowa ranks seventh in turkey production, and West Liberty Foods provides 40% of the turkeys produced. The West Liberty plant employs about 900 workers, a number that would increase to 1,100 with the new plant. An estimated 393 residents of West Liberty work at the plant, which makes about $659 million annually and has about a $55 million payroll.

At Tuesday's meeting, West Liberty City Council gave its approval for West Liberty Foods to seek a $25 million United States Department of Agriculture meat/poultry processing expansion grant to help offset the cost of the projected $100 million facility with $50 million of additional equipment.

West Liberty Foods president Brandon Achen said the company is looking at several 25-acre lots in and near West Liberty that could be used to construct the new facility, which would be about 200,000 square feet. Construction is expected to take 18 months.

We intend for it to be close to the city of West Liberty so our team members are able to easily get to work in case they need to go by foot, Achen said.

The council approved supporting West Liberty Foods bid for the USDA grant. The deadline to apply is May 11.

Once the grant money is secured, the company will look into additional ways to offset the cost of the new facility. Achen said there has been no discussion to date about a tax-increment-finance district, but the company would ask for some financial assistance to construct the new facility.

Brian Melhus, general counsel for West Liberty Foods, gave a presentation on the plan. He said the companys goal is to create the greenest and cleanest protein facility in the world. He said the plant is currently working to become carbon neutral and the new plant would use an anaerobic digestion process to turn methane created from the turkey production into power. The new plant will include solar panels and a wind turbine to provide green energy.

The project has been in the works for about 10 years.

We are at a crossroads as a company, he said. Our biggest challenge right now is that we have an aging plant downtown. It makes continued growth in that location impractical.

He said there would be many benefits for West Liberty, including increased property values and reducing the wear on streets inside the city from industrial traffic.

Melhus said the hope is to afford the new facility by increasing production. There will be an increase in the number of jobs at the plant, but the number of difficult or hard-to-do jobs will decrease due to increased automation.

During the discussion, Melhus asked people attending the meeting to give ideas of what the city could do with 23 acres in the heart of the city. Some of the ideas included new businesses, park areas and new residences.

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The Davenport Police Association is holding a fundraiser for Project Renewal, 906 W. 5th St., Davenport, which will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2024.

Project Renewal was started by Sister Concetta Bendicente, who came to Davenport from Chicago to serve from her order, the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ.

She took over a condemned house at 5th and Warren streets and turned it into a place to care for the elderly, homeless and children. The focus shifted to children over time. The empty lot across the street was turned into a park and is named Sister Concetta Park.

The house became known to the children as the Treat House.

Today, Project Renewal provides educational and recreational opportunities for children during the school year and summer.

Association President Davenport Police Sgt. Fred Lepley said the association  which hosts and pays for the annual Cops and Cones event at Vander Veer Botanical Park, the Thanksgiving Dinner for the Handicapped Development Center, Boo at the Zoo, and the annual Christmas Toy Drive to make sure that children in domestic violence shelters have a Christmas  said the membership was looking for local charity to help at this time of year.

To do those events, the association relies on fundraisers and donations. But this time, we wanted to just do something that would benefit the youth of Davenport directly, he said.

But they also wanted to be creative, he said.

So, in honor of National Doughnut Day, for the next six days, people can go online to: https://classical-graphics.printavo.com/merch/dpd-donut-day and order a T-shirt or sweatshirt.

Lepley said orders will be taken through May 9 and that all proceeds will go toward Project Renewal.

Each of the T-shirts or sweatshirts ordered will have a doughnut logo with a badge in the middle and the Davenport Police Association over the badge and "National Donut Day" below it.

All orders will be mailed directly to peoples doors.

For more information on Project Renewal, visit the organization's Facebook page or website at www.projectrenewal.net.

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The front doors of Azteca 1 restaurant in north Davenport were surrounded Wednesday by folding tables and chairs. A detective wasn't required to deduce an outdoor event was on the horizon.

That event is Azteca 1's "Cinco de Mayo Party with Purpose." This year, owner Sonia Villalpando and her staff are donating $1 from every margarita to St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church's food pantry. The pantry is one of the few in the Quad-Cities that offers traditional Hispanic food products.

The party starts at at 11 a.m. Thursday at Azteca 1, which is located at 4811 N. Brady St. in Davenport.

"We have a tradition of trying to help people and we have always tied our fundraising to start of Cinco de Mayo. This is something we have done for at least 10 years to help different charities," said Villalpando, who bought Azteca 1 from her father in 2016. "Ken Croken approached me this year about the Hispanic food bank and I thought it was a great idea.

"So we are going to do what we can to help."

Croken is one of five men who serve on the Scott County Board of Supervisors. He became interested in the food pantry after the Board of Supervisors showed no interest in his suggestion to reroute some of the more than $7 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds the county plans to use to partly pay for constructing a new juvenile detention center to help undocumented workers.

"What got me started was the fact that a fair number of essential-but-excluded workers in our county are Hispanic, and some of those workers and their families struggle  not only to find food  but find food made from traditional ingredients.

"We have a lot of good food pantries in this city and county  but most don't offer traditional Hispanic ingredients like beans, rice and masa flour."

Croken connected with St. Anthonys Roman Catholic Church in downtown Davenport, which operates the pantry once a month after the noon Spanish Mass.

Families receive a basket of traditional food products, including staples such as beans, rice, masa flour, chilies and other ingredients commonly used by Hispanic home cooks.

In a news release, Croken said several area Mexican restaurants are supporting St. Anthony's Hispanic food pantry effort.

Azteca 1 has agreed to donate $1 for every margarita cocktail sold to its Cinco de Mayo revelers between Thursday and Sunday and will ask its patrons to consider rounding up their bills to the nearest dollar to help as well, Croken said.

Croken pointed to a few other restaurants that have pledged to help the food pantry, including Los Portales Restaurant, 1012 East Kimberly Road, Davenport, as well as Los Primos Mexican Grill, 1143 East Locust St. and Ganzos Restaurant and Cantina, 3923 North Marquette St.

Croken said other fundraising and food donation activities will be held throughout the summer in order to ensure the Hispanic food pantry is adequately prepared to meet the increased needs the cold weather months will bring.

Villalpando recommended her favorite margarita for Thursday's fundraiser.

"Strawberry. I definitely like the strawberry margaritas," she said. "But people will have plenty of choices."

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Davenport residents may see more fireworks tents or buildings pop up this summer after Iowa lawmakers passed a law curtailing cities from limiting sellers to certain areas.

Iowa legalized fireworks sales in 2017 but allowed cities to put restrictions on use of fireworks, such as when they could be set off.

In response to a rise in injuries and resident complaints, Davenport in 2018 limited fireworks sellers to setting up in industrial areas, which Davenport Fire Marshal Jim Morris told City Council members significantly reduced the number of sellers.

Back in 2017, the Davenport Fire Department conducted 56 fireworks inspections, and if you all remember that was all saturated along the Elmore corridor, down Kimberly, and throughout the city and we were able to get them to the industrial areas, Morris said. In 2020, we did only seven because of those zoning rules.

Under the new law, Senate File 2285, cities cant restrict fireworks sellers in areas zoned for commercial or industrial use.

This is very frustrating, indeed, to hear this, 3rd Ward Alderwoman Marion Meginnis said. This is taking us back to when this mess all started. Its very frustrating, I dont understand what our state is doing.

Meginnis said the first year fireworks were available for sale, the council was flooded with resident complaints of fireworks tents and consumer fireworks being set off. She said in 2017 a teen bought fireworks at a tent at Division and 7th Street, and ended up blowing off part of his hand.

"Those kinds of things are more possible when you have fireworks sold at tents behind convenience stores," Meginnis said.

She added a potential increase in fireworks complaints would mean increased manpower to investigate them, and that's money she believed could be better used.

Cities use zoning ordinances to partition areas to be reserved for different purposes. For example, land zoned for residential use would allow residential homes to be built but would not allow a grocery store.

Davenport can still control the window when fireworks can be set off, and the council agreed on Monday to discuss shortening that time frame before summer. Currently, Davenport residents can set off commercial fireworks within city limits on July 3 and 4 between 2 p.m. and 11 p.m., and on New Year's Eve.

If you give them a window of 2-11 p.m., theyre going to start at 1 p.m., at noon; theyre going to go till 11:30 p.m. 6th Ward Alderman Ben Jobgen said. Theyre going to start playing with the edges of the law. Do we ever want to look at 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.?

Morris stressed that the department would still complete fireworks inspections and market safety information and commercial fireworks rules.

In Bettendorf, the city passed an ordinance recently to ban permanent fireworks sales buildings in the citys downtown. That ordinance, Bettendorf City Attorney Chris Curran said, is specific to the Downtown Master Plan Overlay District, which he said modifies or expands the base zoning regulations described in the law. He said the new law did not address overlay districts.

We are analyzing the new law to determine whether it affects our overlay district, Curran wrote in an email. He said Bettendorf didnt restrict fireworks sales in industrial and commercial districts.

In 2021, Curran said Bettendorf fielded four temporary tent applications and one permanent building application for fireworks sales, as well as an application from Hy-Vee to sell fireworks.

The overlay district is used to govern what types of businesses cant take up shop downtown, as well as rules for what landscaping and outdoor structures look like to make a more uniform downtown. Under the downtown master plan ordinance, prohibited businesses include storage units, pawn shops, tobacco, vape or CBD shops, among others.

Curran told council members in November the ordinance governing the overlay district didnt initially address fireworks sales because of uncertainty surrounding the 2017 fireworks law.

Iowa law allows fireworks to be sold at a permanent building between June 1 and July 8 and again between Dec. 10 and Jan. 3. A memo from Bettendorf city staff argues that the limited window for sales would be inconsistent with the Downtown Master Plan Overlay District. According to the memo, the area in the overlay district is an older part of Bettendorf, built before the citys zoning and building codes, and in general, it says, homes and businesses are closer together than would be allowed under the citys current code.

Additionally, these older structures often lack modern fire prevention and control elements, the memo states. The physical attributes of the area are cause for concern regarding the location of highly flammable products.

In other legislative news local governments are watching:

The Davenport-backed bill that would allow cities the option to sue nuisance bars to revoke their liquor license instead of relying on a state board passed both chambers of the legislature but hasn't yet been sent to the governor for her signature. Sarah Ott, chief strategy officer for the city of Davenport, said the bill shrunk the radius of public safety threats the business could be liable for to just the building and the parking lot, striking a 500-foot radius, to alleviate concerns from some lawmakers and the restaurant and bar association that the scope of the bill was too broad. It also excluded restaurants, applying just to businesses that make more than half their sales from alcohol.

Ott said $500,000 in funding for a high risk unit for the 7th Judicial District is allocated in an appropriations bill that hasn't yet passed the Legislature. According to the 4th Judicial District, in southwest Iowa, its high risk unit is staffed with officers such as sex offender officers, surveillance officers and fugitive investigators. The Legislature also has set aside $250,000 for multi-systemic therapy. Both of those, Ott said, are wins for addressing public safety holistically.

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Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mike Frankens second campaign ad is on television.

Titled Monuments, the ad shows various monuments in the Iowa and U.S. capitals, while Franken talks about the issues he hopes to fight for in the Senate.

Im running for the Senate to take on the big fights, from challenging drug and insurance companies with Medicare for All to standing up for the environment, womens rights and democracy at home and abroad, Franken says in the ad.

Franken was the first Democrat to air campaign ads ahead of the June 7 primary.

Franken, a U.S. Navy veteran from Sioux City, is one of three Democrats seeking the partys nomination in Iowas U.S. Senate campaign. The others are Abby Finkenauer, a former congresswoman from Cedar Rapids, and Glenn Hurst, a physician from Minden.

The Republican incumbent is U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, who faces a primary challenge from Jim Carlin, an attorney and state senator from Sioux City.

FARM, BUSINESS GROUPS ENDORSE GRASSLEY: The political arms of the Iowa Farm Bureau and National Federation of Independent Business endorsed Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley in Iowas U.S. Senate campaign.

Sen. Grassley  has a record of strong support for issues important to farmers and rural Iowans, Kriss Haglund, a Boone County farmer and chair of the Iowa Farm Bureaus political arm, said in a news release. He has been a leader in defending taxpayers, promoting biofuels and fighting back against burdensome government regulations.

Grassley is running for an eighth six-year term in the U.S. Senate. He faces a primary challenge from Jim Carlin, an attorney and state senator from Sioux City.

Sen. Chuck Grassley has been a strong small business supporter throughout his time in the U.S. Senate, Matt Everson, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, said in a news release. Sen. Grassley understands the challenges small businesses are facing and has been a strong advocate in the Senate on the issues most important to them.

Three Democrats are seeking their partys nomination for the U.S. Senate in the June primary. They are former congresswoman Abby Finkenauer from Cedar Rapids, U.S. Navy veteran Mike Franken from Sioux City, and physician Glenn Hurst from Minden.

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Chicago Abortion Fund Executive Director Megan Jeyifo was at a comedy show when a rapid-fire series of news alerts and text messages lit up her phone: A draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion leaked Monday indicated the majority of justices plan to overturn Roe v. Wade, threatening abortion rights throughout much of the nation.

The nonprofit leader was at first outraged and then sorrowful. But suddenly, also on her phone, she saw that donations were pouring in from donors who were just as angry and terrified at the prospect of waning abortion access around the country.

Weve been preparing for this, said Jeyifo, whose organization funds abortions as well as transportation, lodging, child care and other costs associated with travel for the procedure. Our language has been when Roe falls, not if Roe falls.

The landmark 1973 Supreme Court case has established the right to an abortion nationwide for nearly 50 years. But if Roe were to be overturned, the matter of abortion rights would be decided by individual states.

While abortion will still be legal in Illinois  which has ensconced reproductive freedoms in state law  experts anticipate that more than half the states in the nation would ban or significantly chip away at the right to terminate a pregnancy. This includes every state surrounding Illinois.

It felt like a gut punch, said Planned Parenthood of Illinois President and CEO Jennifer Welch. I was stunned that the Supreme Court appears poised to ignore 50 years of settled law.

Welch predicted that anywhere from 20,000 to 30,000 additional patients could travel to Illinois each year to terminate a pregnancy if abortion rights are overturned.

This is on top of the ever-increasing number of patients who already cross state lines to come here for the procedure. Nearly 10,000 people came from out of state to have an abortion in Illinois in 2020, according to the latest data available from the Illinois Department of Public Health. This was a 29% increase over the previous year, when about 7,500 patients traveled here for the procedure from another state.

The number of abortions here for out-of-state women has risen every year since 2014, according to state health data.

While the news of Roes potential demise was shocking, Welch said her agency has been preparing for this possibility for the past five years by increasing the number of health centers, expanding access at facilities, creating a new telehealth program and launching the biggest fundraising campaign in the agencys history.

We are proud to say that abortion is still safe and legal in Illinois, Welch said in a written statement. This is a devastating blow for the millions of people who will suddenly find themselves in an abortion desert; facing a daunting dilemma  travel hundreds of miles to access an abortion, seek an illegal alternative or carry a pregnancy to term against their will. We will continue to fight so that everyone can access the fundamental reproductive health care they need and deserve  no matter what.

In Chicago, officials were considering ways to make the areas around abortion clinics safer for women walking in and out, Northwest Side Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa said Tuesday.

He said options might include strengthening city ordinances that create protected zones around clinics where anti-abortion protesters arent permitted, or organizing community groups to escort patients to and from the clinic doors.

With many neighboring states now likely to outlaw abortions, we need to make sure Chicago remains a safe place for women to turn, Ramirez-Rosa said. Weve seen extremists outside these clinics  so its incumbent upon us to make certain were doing what we can to ensure that safety.

As for the Chicago Abortion Fund, Jeyifo said her organization already faces a huge increase in need, as many states have in recent years enacted more burdens on abortion access including restrictions on clinics, gestational limits and mandated waiting periods before a patient can have an abortion.

Our callers have been living in a post-Roe world for decades, she said. This is the reality so many people already face.

In 2018, the organization provided funds for roughly 180 people seeking an abortion; in 2022, more than 500 people on average are calling for financial assistance each month, she said.

In March, those calls for assistance came from 25 different states, she added.

So far, the fund has been able to help every request thats come in for the past three years, Jeyifo said. But if Roe falls, she worries that demand might start to exceed their budget.

The thought that some patients could be turned away brought tears to her eyes.

We are already strained, she said. Im thankful for the outpouring of support. But Im wondering how we sustain it.

Protecting preborn life

As local reproductive rights advocates prepared to battle more restrictions, anti-abortion activists in Illinois rejoiced at the prospect of Roe crumbling.

Kevin Grillot, executive director of March for Life Chicago, applauded the rollback of abortion rights protections, which have led to the deaths of millions of preborn children and caused irrevocable harm to their families.

Now is the time to return decision making back to the states, he said in a written statement. The majority of Midwesterners support protecting preborn life and should have the right to do so.

The Supreme Court draft opinion, which was obtained by Politico, states that Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. The draft majority opinion was signed by Justice Samuel Alito, and the Supreme Court on Tuesday confirmed its authenticity.

The case at hand was Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which tested the constitutionality of a Mississippi law that banned abortion after 15 weeks. The draft decision would essentially overturn both Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, another landmark Supreme Court decision affirming abortion rights.

The court is expected to rule on Dobbs v. Jackson over the summer.

Assuming the draft decision stands, Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League Executive Director Eric Scheidler said he was thrilled at the prospect the people will soon be granted freedom of choice when it comes to setting abortion policy in their state.

The impact on Illinois, though, will be indirect, Scheidler said.

In 2019, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the Reproductive Health Act, establishing abortion as a fundamental right for women statewide. The state has among the most permissive abortion laws in the nation and serves as an oasis for the procedure in the Midwest, where almost all other states are far more restrictive.

But Scheidler expects most adjacent states  particularly Indiana, Wisconsin and Missouri  will enact near total bans on the procedure if given the option.

The already climbing out-of-state abortion rate in Illinois will skyrocket, he predicted.

Soon, in many states, unborn children will be welcomed back into the human family, recognized as our brothers and sisters and protected by law, he said. In other states, like my home state of Illinois, these children are under constant threat. Our task now is to bring this expansion of human rights  the fundamental right to life  to every state.

Richard W. Garnett, law professor at the Notre Dame Law School, said that if Roe and Casey are overruled, the matter of abortion regulation will shift to political and legislative contexts.

He added that he expects this would result in laws that better reflect the complex views of Americans on this topic.

It is important to remember that the Roe and Casey decisions imposed on all 50 states one of the worlds most permissible abortion-law regimes, he said, and that those decisions prevent reasonable regulations of abortion that most Americans  including many who support abortion rights  support.

If Roe and Casey are overturned, Geoffrey R. Stone, law professor at the University of Chicago, said many women who up until now had a right to an abortion in their own states no longer will.

While the number of women traveling to have an abortion would rise, so would illegal abortions, he said.

Which is terrifying, because the world of illegal abortions was a nightmare for women, said Stone, author of the book Sex and the Constitution: Sex, Religion and Law from Americas Origins to the Twenty-First Century.

Massive influx

Dr. Erin King is an abortion provider and executive director of Hope Clinic for Women in Granite City, Illinois, a few miles from the Missouri border.

Just last week, she saw patients from Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Alabama. All journeyed to southwest Illinois to have an abortion due to various restrictions in their home states, she said.

They had to travel, stay a few days and travel back for me to hand them some pills that are safer than most over-the-counter medications, she said. Their travel to and from my office was exponentially more dangerous and the expense astronomical to access abortion.

Even though reproductive rights are generally well protected in Illinois, she predicted the influx of patients from other states will make appointment times and providers more difficult for in-state patients to access.

The current providers that focus on abortion care have been preparing for years, but there is no way any of us will be prepared for the sheer number of patients that will be trying to access care, she said. Patient traffic is already increasing this year and we are seeing patients traveling from much farther distances and with ever increasing funding and travel support needs.

A few months ago, Hope Clinic and Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region partnered to open the Regional Logistics Center, a centralized location in southern Illinois where patients can get assistance with travel needs like finding transportation, booking lodging and setting up child care.

Case managers there arrange travel, connect patients with funding, help them find a place to stay and overcome other common barriers to accessing abortion care, especially those that come with traveling long distances.

We knew this opinion was coming and while its not official, it brings us one step closer to an impending public health crisis, said Yamelsie Rodriguez, president and CEO of Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region. No matter what, with our partners, we will fight for what little is left of abortion access in Missouri and push forward to expand in Illinois where abortion access is protected beyond Roe.

In downtown Chicago, a small group of protesters stood on the wet ground of Federal Plaza on Tuesday, beating drums and waving flags whipped by the wind.

Some held signs saying, Abortion on demand & without apology.

I am heartbroken that this is where we are, said Caitlyn Hana, 27, of the Hyde Park neighborhood. I am scared for the future. Not only for women but everyone in this country if we go backward.

Chicago Tribunes Stephanie Casanova contributed.

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See photos of the more than 1,000 protesters who marched through Downtown Madison Tuesday evening to decry the potential overturn of Roe v. Wade.
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BUDAPEST, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Hungary's government cannot responsibly support the European Commission's new package of sanctions against Russia in its current form as it would "destroy" the country's security of energy supply, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said on Wednesday.

The European Union (EU) will phase out Russian crude oil imports within six months and refined products by the end of the year, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday, announcing the sixth package of sanctions against Russia.

The new restrictions would involve a ban on crude oil shipments from Russia to Europe with a rather short notice, which in Hungary's case would apply from the end of next year," Szijjarto said in a video message posted on his Facebook page.

Hungary's energy supply is currently secure and stable, but this package of sanctions would "completely destroy" it, making it impossible for the country to procure the amount of oil needed to keep the economy running, he said.

"This is not a question of a lack of political will, not a matter of intent, not a question of timeframe, but quite simply a physical, geographical and infrastructural reality," Szijjarto said.

He recalled that Hungary was a landlocked country without access to the sea and to large tankers transporting crude oil from places other than Russia.

Furthermore, Hungary's refineries can only process Russian Urals crude but not other products such as Brent. The only way oil gets to Hungary is through pipelines.

"The government cannot responsibly vote for the latest sanctions package in its current form," Szijjarto said, adding that in order for the Hungarian government to support the measures, oil shipments via pipeline would have to be exempted from the embargo. 
An author of one of five book titles removed from classrooms and that could be destroyed by the Rapid City Area School district said Wednesday he will provide free copies of the books to any Rapid City high school senior who requests them.

Dave Eggers, author of "The Circle," said beginning Thursday, Rapid City high school seniors can receive any of the titles at no cost to them by emailing Amanda Uhle via amanda@daveeggers.net. Eggers said the books will be shipped to students from independent bookstores.

"The Circle" was deemed to be inappropriate by RCAS school administrators. Thirty copies of "The Circle"  along with 185 copies of "How Beautiful We Were: A Novel" by Imbolo Mbue, 35 copies of "Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic" by Alison Bechdel, 75 copies of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky and 30 copies of "Girl, Woman, Other: A Novel" by Bernardine Evaristo  were pulled from 12th grade English classes.

The school district's collection of the five books were listed as surplus property and marked "to be destroyed." Tuesday, the RCAS Board of Education voted unanimously to delay a decision to destroy the books and will seek the advice of legal counsel before proceeding.

The mass destruction of books by school boards is an unconscionable horror, and the freethinking young people of South Dakota shouldnt be subjected to it," Eggers said. "Every high school student should have unfettered access to literature, so if youre a Rapid City high school senior, email our office and ask for any of these titles. For every copy the school board destroys, lets add a new one to the local circulation.

RCAS Director of Teaching, Learning and Innovation Valerie Brablec Seales told the Board of Education that the books were deemed inappropriate by school administrators shortly after they were ordered last summer. She said the books were requested by teachers who sit on the district's Instruction Council and were planned to be used as possible reading material for a new English 12 course.

Seals said the books were ordered and sent to a warehouse before being distributed to the three high schools. Seales said the first concern on one of the book titles became apparent in August.

"The first question arose when one of the three high school principals sent me an image of a page in one of the books, an excerpt, and expressed concerns about not wanting it in their classrooms," she said Tuesday.

Seales said a second email came from another building administrator shortly after. She said she instructed the high school principals to "pull the books and do a review of them."

In all, the five books listed as surplus were questioned by district administrators and pulled from school inventories. The district then marked the books as "to be destroyed" rather than sold or donated.

Eggers has started and been part of numerous youth education projects over the years. In 2002, with Ninive Calegari, he co-founded 826 Valencia in San Francisco, which inspired more than 60 youth writing centers around the world. In 2018, he co-founded, with Amanda Uhle, the International Congress of Youth Voices.

Recently, Eggers began the Young Editors Project which involves school-aged students in the publishing process, and he's the winner of the Muhammad Ali Award for Education, the National Book Award's Literarian Award, and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize  all honors connected to his work to support young readers and writers.

Eggers has been involved in partnerships like First Book and other programs that donate books to schools, libraries and students.

Contact Nathan Thompson at nathan.thompson@rapidcityjournal.com.

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The West River Area Health Education Center could invest $2.5 million over the next four years into future health care professionals.

Center director Stephanie Mayfield said the nonprofit organization is one of 17 that received the H-1B Rural Healthcare Grant from the Department of Labor. She said the money could help upscale 209 workers looking for a career through 2025 through the Rural Health Works South Dakota initiative, which includes collaboration with the University of South Dakota School of Medicine and eastern South Dakotas need for EMTs.

Mayfield presented the information to the Rapid City Council Monday night at the beginning of the meeting.

The center is a non-profit organization that aims to create collaborations and programs that inspire people to pursue health care careers, and equip health care professionals to serve in rural and underserved communities in western South Dakota.

We knew, West River, we have a huge nursing shortage  from CNA, LPN, RN  huge, Mayfield said.

She said specifically in South Dakota, the center hopes anyone with a passion for people enters the program to begin their journey into health care.

Mayfield said they have enough funds to help 105 people become CNAs and pay 100% of the training and certification. Each person could also receive a $1,000 stipend. The funds could also help 56 participants pursue a practical nursing diploma and 50% of the tuition, and 16 participants and 50% of the tuition for applied health sciences associate's degrees, registered nurse programs and registered nurse bachelor of science degrees.

Collectively, they would make about $8 million in wages annually.

Definitely a good return on investment and were really trying to find people who are looking for a career, she said. We know before they graduate or get their certification, theyll have a job.

The council also heard a presentation from members of the Human Relations Commission-Mniluzahan Okolakiciyapi Ambassadors (HRC-MOA) on their April 7 trip to the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Members said the reservation communities are just an extension of the Rapid City community and should be treated that way. They also said this was opening the door to a partnership and collaboration.

Chair Karen Mortimer said there has been some interest from businesses and agencies on going on another trip to the Pine Ridge Reservation. She also said theres interest in going to the Rosebud and Cheyenne River reservations as well.

During the meeting, the council set a public hearing for May 16 for a Tax Increment Finance District resolution and project plan for the Black Hills Industrial center. The up to $78 million district would span about 900 acres and be developed by Dream Design International. The center would be located along South Dakota Highway 79 and Old Folsom Road, and be home to AEsir Technologies, a Joplin, Missouri-based company that plans to establish its 600,000-square-foot gigafactory.

 Contact Siandhara Bonnet at siandhara.bonnet@rapidcityjournal.com 

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The Bandidos MC, whose clubhouse was raided last week, has approximately a dozen members in Rapid City, according to Special Agent B.J. George with the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation.

Membership can range anywhere from six to twelve, although the club tends to keep their numbers private, for their own reasons, George said.

They do have support clubs that work with them. If you throw their support clubs into it, and sometimes some of the other motorcycle clubs that are around will sometimes align with the Bandidos, then your number starts to get a little bigger, he said.

Los Cuervos and Ghost Dance are the two main support clubs, but some other clubs in the area may not consider themselves support clubs but will spend time with Bandidos members, George said.

DCI served search warrants at the Bandidos clubhouse on Creek Drive in Rapid City and at one on the eastern side of the state. Officials have been sparse with information about the raid and what led to it, what they were looking for or if they found it  but they have said that its part of a larger investigation.

George confirmed there were warrants issued on the eastern side of the state and that they were related to the raid in Rapid City. He did not confirm if law enforcement searched the Bandidos clubhouse in Sioux Falls. Tim Bormann, the attorney generals chief of staff, confirmed the warrants last week.

The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation served search warrants as part of a larger investigation involving the Bandidos. The activity this morning is part of an ongoing investigation which we will not be commenting on any further at this time, Bormann said.

The Bandidos are classified by the United States Department of Justice as an OMG, or Outlaw Motorcycle Gang. The Justice Department defines gangs in general as associations of three or more people who adopt a group identity to create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.

Motorcycle gangs are defined as their own category of gang from their conduits for criminal enterprises"  motorcycles  information from the Justice Department shows. The two other gang categories are street gangs and prison gangs.

The associations primary purpose is to engage in criminal activity and the use of violence or intimidation to further its criminal objectives and enhance or preserve the associations power, reputation, or economic resources, the Justice Department definition of gangs states.

The DOJ has designated more than 300 OMGs, but the organization highlights several specific gangs as the main threat.

The Hells Angels, Mongols, Bandidos, Outlaws, and Sons of Silence pose a serious national domestic threat and conduct the majority of criminal activity linked to OMGs, especially activity relating to drug-trafficking and, more specifically, to cross-border drug smuggling, the designation reads.

The Bandidos' website states law enforcement arrests them for existing and they are judged for their appearance, portrayed by the media as a boogie man, and jailed based on the patch we wear.

The club was founded in the 1960s and defines themselves as a 1% club, a term defined as a resistance to the American Motorcycle Associations statement that 99% of motorcyclists are lawful and ethical.

These OMGs went with that and said, Were the 1%,' George said. Theyre the ones that put this 1% patch on to say we dont follow societys rules that are set by the states and Congress. These are the rules that we as law enforcement have to enforce.

 Contact Shalom Baer Gee at sgee@rapidcityjournal.com 

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For the second time, Ravalli County voters said no to a mill levy to support a new Bitterroot Valley Community College.

The vote to fund the newly formed independent college district failed 7,425 to 5,237 in unofficial results from Tuesdays election.

Voters reelected Bitterroot Valley Community College trustees, Marci Smith (5,451 votes) and Carrie Guarinao (4,424) votes to three-year terms. Challenger Debbie Pope received 4,324 votes.

Paul Ashcraft was elected to a one-year college district trustee position with 3,766 votes. Incumbent Chad DeLong had 2,311 votes and challenger Bryce Bowman received 2,568 votes.

Voters in several of the local school districts were in the mood for change and replaced incumbent trustees with new faces.

Hamilton voters chose to retain incumbent Heidi Apedaile, 1,728 votes and elect challenger Mark Yoakam with 1,441 votes. Incumbent Rebekah Stamp finished a close third in the race for two seats with 1,427 votes. Cyra Saltzman had 649 votes.

In Corvallis, incumbent Cameron Criddle retained his seat with 1,235 votes. Kenneth Lewis won the second open chair with 1,153 votes. Todd Wyche had 1,008 votes and Chris Hale finished with 768.

Florence voted to replace board chair, Kimberly R. Cellan Bauer (603 votes) with challenger Matt Reeves (1,038 votes). Incumbent Matthew Roth won the second open seat with 852 votes.

Lone Rock voters chose to retain both incumbents for two open positions. Paula Short finished with 545 votes and Wayne Stanford had 522. Challenger Kevin Hammons had 323 and Kerry J. Mason finished with 257.

Stevensville voters brought back one incumbent, Stephanie Esch (1,105 votes) and elected two new board members, Billy Donaldson, 1,067 votes, and Tony Hudson, 1,029 votes. Francis Schmitz had 1,019 votes and incumbent Kristopher McCoy received 785 votes.

In Victor, voters reelected incumbent Tommy Dobbenstein with 588 votes and filled the second open seat with challenger Ron Miller with 343 votes. Incumbent Paul Rosen finished third with 339 votes and challengers Ron Wirth had 297 and Daniel Nixon came in with 134.

The school election had a 47% turnout.

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Richmond City Councilwoman Stephanie Lynch pleaded guilty Wednesday to holding a cellphone while driving, stemming from a December crash less than a mile from her Woodland Heights home.

She paid a $125 for a first offense of the traffic infraction, which went into effect in 2020.

Ahead of a trial scheduled Wednesday at 9 a.m., Lynch, along with her attorney, Manoli Loupassi, and special prosecutor, Chris Miller from Chesterfield County, reached a plea deal. All declined to comment Wednesday.

Lynch initially faced one count each of reckless driving and hit-and-run. Both are misdemeanors.

Miller dropped the hit-and-run charge and amended reckless driving down to the traffic infraction she pleaded guilty to on Wednesday.

The crash was reported at 11:15 p.m. on Dec. 20 in the 900 block of West 31st Street, according to Richmond police. The owner of a parked car  a 1997 Toyota 4Runner  reported rear-end damage, police said. WRIC-TV reported that Lynch admitted to crashing her car that evening as she attempted to plug in her phone while driving and waited until the next day to report the collision to police.

The Richmond bench and Commonwealths Attorneys Office recused themselves from the case, so a substitute judge, Reginald Barley, and a special prosecutor, Miller, were appointed to the case.
Lucius Edwards Jr. remembers when Ettrick Train Station was built in 1955. He saw the 7,000-person community in southern Chesterfield County fight against it being torn down and moved to another location. He watched as Virginia State University, a historically Black university down the road from the Amtrak stop, grew while the railroad his father worked on remained mostly unchanged.

But on Tuesday, the 78-year-old sat in front of Rep. Donald McEachin, D-4th, as the congressman gave county leaders a $1 million check to revitalize the station and invest in the neighborhoods surrounding it.

Its been here all these years and its going to stay here, Edwards Jr. said excitedly. Its going to be a booming place.

The funding will go toward improving ongoing work on Bessie Lane, which feeds into the train station, and focuses on pedestrian walkways, complying with the American with Disabilities Act and creating more accessibility for VSU students.

Chesterfield expects to start construction in spring of 2024 that will be completed by fall of that year, said Natalie Spillman, the countys administrator for intergovernmental relations.

Its also expected that federal interest in high speed rails could later result in more money headed toward the county that would help increase ridership and availability.

Norman D. Cooley Sr., an 81-year-old who has lived in Ettrick his entire life, said the influx of money will bring desperately needed economic justice to the community commonly called a village  one that Cooley Sr. said has kind of been forgotten.

County officials noted the Ettrick Train Station is among the busiest stops in Central Virginia with 30,000 to 40,000 passengers annually. A significant percentage of that ridership comes from students and soldiers heading to and from Fort Lee.

Tuesdays check is the latest in a decades-long push to repair the Amtrak stop. In a 2019 Station Needs Assessment from the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, Ettrick was identified as having the greatest need for state of good repair improvements.

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority recommended allocating $4.6 million in the 2022 budget toward addressing lighting and water drainage issues in the parking lot. Amtrak funding has focused on rehabilitating the train platform.

In 2017 and 2018, McEachin sent letters to the Federal Railway Association urging them to support financing repairs in the stations current location. On Tuesday, McEachin said the countys help was critical in convincing Congress that this was a worthwhile project.

These folks here are going to do great things with this money and were really going to some real infrastructure investments here, McEachin said. I have every confidence that yall are going to make this happen. God bless you.
A new regional authority is being challenged to make a financial commitment to help close the gap from an unwidened portion of Interstate 64 east of Richmond, even as the body tries to move ahead with a $276 million spending plan for 30 other high-priority projects in the region.

The Central Virginia Transportation Authority was about to adopt the new plan on Friday, using money collected from regional gasoline taxes imposed in nine localities two years ago, when New Kent County and its allies asked the body to reconsider the plan in order to include the widening of a 29-mile stretch of I-64 from Bottoms Bridge in New Kent to Lightfoot in James City County.

Im here to tell you, in New Kent we need some money, New Kent Supervisor Patricia Paige told the authority. We have become the I-64 gap.

The request  backed by the regions representative on the Commonwealth Transportation Board and two Richmond legislators  failed after Henrico and Chesterfield counties used their population weight to block a motion to return the plan to committee to include a regional commitment toward the $700 million I-64 project without diverting money from other local priorities.

The authority then approved the proposed funding plan without I-64, after Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney joined with Chesterfield and Henrico to support it, he said with the understanding that the regional body would work informally to find a solution on one of Virginias top transportation priorities.

I think its an important project for the commonwealth  I think its an important project for the Richmond and Hampton Roads regions, Secretary of Transportation Shep Miller said in an interview on Tuesday.

The General Assembly is negotiating a new two-year budget that is likely to include more than $100 million in state funding for the project. The Senate has proposed almost $200 million and the House $50 million, with the final figure expected to land on the high end of the range.

Widening I-64 also is likely to include federal money under the newly enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as the state tries to lower the unfinanced balance enough to qualify for state transportation funding under Virginias rigorous Smart Scale process for scoring proposed projects.

All of us are trying to find ways to cobble enough funding together to get it done, said Miller, who noted that the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission also is expected to contribute regional funds to the project.

The transportation secretary didnt specify a dollar amount for the region to contribute to the project, but Carlos Brown, an authority member who serves on the Commonwealth Transportation Board, urged a moral commitment of up to $100 million.

This is a regional body that is supposed to be doing big things, said Brown, who also serves on the board of directors of the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority, formerly known as the RMA.

Initially the motion to approve the overall funding plan appeared to have failed on a 12-3 vote, but the regional planning organization that supports the authority confirmed on Friday that the motion had passed because of weighted votes based on population.

However, PlanRVA Executive Director Martha Heeter said Wednesday that the vote outcome has been challenged and the organizations technical advisory committee could address the issue at its scheduled meeting on Monday.

Henrico County Manager John Vithoulkas said Wednesday that Henrico, Chesterfield and Richmond encompass more than four-fifths of the regions population, which is the threshold for approving a plan that would help win additional state funding for projects that are high priorities in seven of the nine localities in the compact.

Vithoulkas predicted that localities in the region would rally around and figure out some sort of funding mechanism to widen I-64, but he expressed dismay over the last-minute attempt to amend the plan.

You had people get ambushed in that meeting, he said in an interview. Thats not the way regional conversations occur, not successful ones.

The funding plan represents the authoritys first attempt to allocate a new pot of regional funds for major transportation priorities  such as the replacement of Mayo Bridge across the James River in downtown Richmond, widening of Woolridge Road in Chesterfield, and upgrading Woodman Road to a four-lane, divided highway between Mountain and Hungary roads in Henrico.

The plan includes improvements to state Route 288 in Goochland and Powhatan counties, safety improvements to the U.S. Route 1 and state Route 30 intersection in Hanover County, and a rail overpass at Vaughan Road in Ashland.

I know theres always a little consternation in the beginning when you go through the mechanics of it, Chesterfield Supervisor Joe Casey said Wednesday.

Only New Kent and adjoining Charles City County were not awarded projects under the plan. New Kent has been a team player, with the understanding that we are one of the smallest, Paige said.

New Kent had asked for almost $400 million for the I-64 project  about 43% more than the money available  which caused it to score the lowest in cost-benefit of any of the projects proposed for funding.

Even so, Brown led the effort to include the project in the funding plan, which he said would help the region gain additional state transportation funding through the next round of Smart Scale allocations in late summer.

With money from the federal infrastructure act, this will be the largest that weve ever seen, he said, and if we miss the opportunity, then we miss it.

The effort also received strong support from Del. Delores McQuinn, D-Richmond, former chair of the House Transportation Committee, and Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, a member of the Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee, which has made the I-64 widening a major budget priority.

They said the interstate has become a bottleneck between the Bottoms Bridge and Lightfoot because the highway narrows from three to two lanes in each direction. The congestion is especially intense in summer, when tourist travel is high to Virginia Beach and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Paige of New Kent said the widening is important for commerce as well as for safety.

New Kent was fortunate enough to get one of the largest warehouses that AutoZone will probably ever build, she said. However, what difference does that make if we cannot get their product into Exit 211?

I-64 also is a vital artery for traffic serving the Port of Virginia and a cluster of military installations in Hampton Roads, as well as the main evacuation route out of that region during a hurricane or other emergency.

McQuinn said that in the event of an evacuation, the gap would create a bottleneck.

Were going to have a serious problem with that 29 miles that have not been addressed, said McQuinn, who proclaimed, 64 represents all of us.
LOS ANGELES, May 3 (Xinhua) -- A new, highly transmissible subvariant of Omicron is spreading rapidly across the United States, as COVID-19 cases in the country are ticking up again.

The new strain, called BA.2.12.1, made up 36.5 percent of new COVID-19 cases in the country in the week ending April 30, according to data released Tuesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The data increased from 26.6 percent a week before, and 16.7 percent two weeks prior, CDC data showed.

The majority of COVID-19 cases in the United States - around 61 percent - are still caused by BA.2., which has become the country's dominant variant since March.

Some regions, like the Northeast, are seeing more cases caused by BA.2.12.1 than others. The New York State Department of Health first announced the emergence of the subvariant in mid April. It was responsible for 41.6 percent of infections across the state as of April 23, according to the latest data of the department.

"BA.2.12.1 has been noted to be of higher concern, given additional mutations," said the department.

BA.2.12.1 appears to be about 25 percent more transmissible over the BA.2 subvariant, said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, adding that additional evaluation is currently underway to understand the impact of BA.2.12.1 on vaccine effectiveness.

Besides BA.2.12.1, a pair of new Omicron subvariants has emerged, raising the possibility that people infected by earlier Omicron strains can get reinfected.

The pair, BA.4 and BA.5, have gained increasing attention in South Africa as weekly COVID-19 cases tripled in the last two weeks.

The rapid growth of BA.4 and BA.5 in South Africa has drawn concern from health experts for a potential surge in the United States.

"BA.4 and BA.5 are more contagious than BA.1 and BA.2, and have a better shot at evading existing immunity," Zhang Zuofeng, chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said in an interview with Xinhua on Tuesday.

Therefore, unvaccinated people who have been infected by Delta, and earlier Omicron strains like BA.1 or BA.2, have higher risk of get reinfected, Zhang said.

However, as the virus stays in the upper respiratory tract and causes less lung infection, it may have limited impact on severe diseases and deaths, Zhang told Xinhua.

Only a small number of cases of BA.4 and BA.5 have been documented in the United States currently.

Zhang said the pair of new variants are likely to cause an increase in new infections in the United States, but not like the outbreak caused by the original Omicron variant in January.

The United States was now averaging about 60,000 new infections and 320 new deaths each day as of Monday, CDC data showed. The daily case count was up from roughly 25,000 infections per day in early April. 
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FLORENCE, S.C.  A Florence 1 Schools employee was recently named the best school bus driver in the state.

On April 30, Brandi Wetzel, assistant director for the Florence 1 Transportation Department, brought home a first-place win in the South Carolina Association for Pupil Transportation Roadeo.

This annual event tests drivers on the skills that they use every day while transporting students to and from school.

The event was held at Lugoff-Elgin High School. Wetzels win comes in her very first year with the district.

I am beyond excited for Mrs. Wetzel, said Mitchell Washington, director of Transportation for Florence 1. It is an honor to see our assistant director place first amongst all the other districts that competed. We won first place in the 2019-2020 school year and then the Roadeo was canceled due to COVID-19. This is the first Roadeo since then and to win first place again is amazing.

Washington estimates that 15 and 20 districts took part in the 2022 competition. Wetzel competed in the 37 and a half foot bus division. The competition took most of the day Saturday, with participants covering several different areas of competition that included a classroom test and an obstacle course.

Competition categories included:

Knowledge:

- Written Exam

- Pre-Trip

Skills:

- Stop Line

- Alley Dock

- Right-Hand Turn

- Diminishing Clearance

- Curb Drop off

- Serpentine

- Straight line

- Offset Alley

- Parallel Parking

I was very surprised to learn I was the winner, as all the bus drivers were spectacular, Wetzel said. The written portion of the Roadeo had several difficult questions. For the driving portion, obstacles varied greatly, testing many different aspects of being behind the wheel.

Typically, the first-place winner represents the state at the National School Bus Roadeo.

Unfortunately, due to COVID, and the fact that many states have canceled their 2022 competitions, the national competition has been postponed.

The National School Transportation Association Safety Competition Committee plans to implement eligibility standards that will allow this years winners to compete next year, according to a statement issued by the organization.

Superintendent Richard OMalley said that he is proud of Wetzel and the entire Transportation Department team.

Our Transportation Department works extremely hard every day, OMalley said. I am glad to see them being recognized for the time and care they put into making sure that our students get safely to and from school all year long.
FLORENCE, S.C.  Get ready for some Cinco De Mayo fun on Friday.

The Greater Florence Habitat for Humanity will hold its eighth annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta in the 100 block of South Dargan street from 5:30-10 p.m. Friday.

The festival will feature food from King Jefe, live music from the Pizazz band and a family friendly kids fun zone, featuring inflatables, face painting and balloon makers.

Thermofisher, a sponsor of The Greater Florence Habitat for Humanity, also will conduct an chemistry experiment for children.

All proceeds and benefits of the event will go to the mission of Greater Florence Habitat for Humanity, which is to build homes, communities, and hope for the people of Florence.

This is the only fundraiser of the year, Habitat Director Debbie Edwards said. The communitys presence is needed to support this worthy cause. A home is currently under construction for the Chavis family, who will be present at the event. The proceeds will go directly into the building of their new home. All of the proceeds go right back into our building program. We like to call them our Cinco houses.

Edwards said the community looks forward to the annual event. Its the first time in two years that the festival has been held in person because of COVID-19.

We receive so many calls and comments on our Facebook page from people who are looking for this event. This is the first time in two years that we have celebrated this fiesta in person and the people of Florence are ready to come out and celebrate the holiday.

For dog lovers, there will be a Chihuahua race and costume contest with the fastest and best dressed Chihuahua winning the grand trophy and prize. The race is sponsored by Grooming Dales Pet Salon.

Chihuahua race and costume contest registration starts at 6 p.m. The race will begin at 6:30 p.m. Pet vaccination records must be up-to-date and presented at registration.

There are no exceptions, Edwards said.

There will be a VIP area in the Waters Building sponsored by Micky Finns, Party in a Tent, and King Jefe for event sponsors. The top three sponsors of the event include NewSpring, Wells Fargo and Truist,

There will be cultural food vendors and cold drinks available. Food tickets are $1 each.

The vendors are Kona Ice, University Barbeque, Ashley s Yummy Tummy, Wholly Smokin Barbeque, Taco Yeah, Victors, Crescent, Carolina Crescent Cafe and Low Country Kettle Corn.

Admission is free.

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The word turkey has multiple meanings.

Other than being the main course that graces our dinner table on Thanksgiving, the word turkey might refer to a failed Broadway show. Management might say the show is a turkey, meaning it is a flop, and will not be profitable. Another person might request that they and another person should talk turkey. What they mean is that they want to have a frank and honest conversation. Then there is the derogatory definition. Someone might call another person a turkey, meaning they think someone is slow, stupid, or inept.

With that said I am sure you can understand my initial confusion when I ran across a story by Bethany Brookshire, special writer for The Washington Post, about a D.C. turkey sending a jogger to an urgent care facility. My first reaction was to ask myself which of our elected officials has done something foolish in a Washington, D.C., park. There is nothing scarier than a rogue politician.

After reading a little further into her story I discovered that this turkey is a real honest to goodness bird that Ben Franklin once considered a better choice for our national bird over the bald eagle. I could not stop reading this narrative about a bird that once was held in such high esteem. I guess you could say I gobbled the article up.

It seems this tom turkey has decided to relocate himself from the forests surrounding D.C. and set up residence in a park/trail in the District of Columbia. He evidently is a bit self-absorbed and has no desire to share his newfound piece of heaven with the residents and politicians of our capital. Trespassers have been warned that he has attacked joggers and bike riders on the trail. According to the article one visitor threw two telephones, a radio, and finally his bicycle at Tom Turkey to distance himself from this turkeys personal space. According to the park bike rider, the bird was mad and has spurs that appear to be lethal.

Scientists (plural, meaning more than one) and park rangers (plural, meaning more than one) have been tasked to catch ole Tom and return him to the comfort of the nearby woods. So far Tom flies across the border eluding capture into a nearby state until things cool off and then returns to the park where he has staked a claim. This has been going on for a while, it seems. Im not sure what the annual salary of scientists and park rangers are in D.C., but I suspect someone has had to increase their operating budget to cover the cost of this turkey hunt. Talk about a bunch of turkeys, people in the agency that is spending money on the capture of this elusive bird are the real turkeys. I have a nephew who could have ole Tom bagged, tagged and on the dinner table by sundown. I doubt he would charge D.C. for the service and in fact might even invite the scientists and park rangers to a Southern deep-fried turkey dinner.

Our elected officials on Capitol Hill have not chimed in yet. I am quite sure that the Republicans are looking at this and pointing fingers at the Democrats thinking that if they had been allowed to continue building walls this unwelcome bird would have never made it across the border between the forest and urban D.C. They are probably thinking that based on his angry demeanor, and his inability to get along with others, he was most likely considered an undesirable by the other turkeys to start with. They assume the head turkeys governing the woods decided to put him out and let D.C. deal with their problem. Send him back, the Republicans say. The logic is that if the turkeys homeland does not want him, we dont want him.

Democrats, on the other hand, are most likely thinking that this situation is simply unfair and un-American. Their solution would be to grant asylum. They think they can change his situation, by feeding him, providing him with some stimulus checks, sign him up with some Obama Care, and demand that he gets some rent-free shelter until he can get his feet on the ground.

They probably feel this turkey is a victim of circumstances and the best way to deal with him is to throw some money at him.

So, what is my take on this situation? I think its spring. I think he flew into D.C. in search of a mate. He probably heard that there was a bunch of turkeys in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Darlene Atkinson-Moran grew up in Olanta. She always knew she wanted to be a teacher. She is retired from the education profession and now resides in Florence with her husband, Michael. Contact her at citizencolumnist@florencenews.com.
IRVING  The Seguin Gazette staff brought home seven honors  including Star Breaking News Report of the Year  from the 2022 Texas Association of Managing Editors contest this weekend at the annual convention.

Managing Editor Felicia Frazar and Dalondo Moultrie share one of the coveted Star awards for their collaborative efforts during the October 14 weather event that brought heavy rains causing creaks and streams to flood and the failure of Lake Placid Dam.

The moment the calls started coming in Dalondo and Felicia got to work and didnt stop, Seguin Gazette Publisher Elizabeth Engelhardt said. Its reflective of the work they do day in and day out. Their passion for keeping the community informed of what is happening when it is happening is second to none. And thats just the start.

The judge was equally impressed with the effort the duo put forth.

Very comprehensive, moving story of a natural disaster that caused dangerous conditions. Good multiple sources, the judge wrote.

Frazar also earned a first-place award for Headline writing, as well as third-place Star Photographer, third-place Photojournalism and honorable mention Feature writing.

Among the winning headlines, Seguin or Bust and Coffee companys plan for facility grinds to a halt, earned Frazar praise from the judges.

Great job! Keep up the good work! they wrote.

A selection of Frazars photos from throughout the year captured her a third place nod in the Star Photographer category, while the collection of images captured at the CrossFit World Games grabbed her third-place Photojournalist.

This is a nice package that follows along the team as they compete, the judge wrote regarding the Survival of the Fittest collection. I especially love that the photographer has images of their cheering section included, because it helps tell the deeper story of the competition.

Moultrie collected his first recognition into the world of photography for his shot at the Moshiem Mansion fire. Judges gave him an honorable mention for the work.

Nice composition and framing of this to see the water lines, the judges wrote.

+12 Seguin boxer fights his way back into the ring Local boxer Rudy Ruru Santiago Silvas is fighting for something much more. To fully unders

Sports reporter Sye Bennefield also captured his first honorable mention for his Against the Ropes story about a local boxer, prompting the judges to cheer for the local athlete.

Im rooting for this guy after reading this, the judge wrote.

The opportunity to write about a woman reconnecting with her fathers long lost ashes  A memorable reunion  garnered Frazar an honorable mention in Feature writing.

+14 Local organization returns veterans discarded remains to family Ashley Torrez wiped away a tear as it streamed down her face when TAPS started to play in 

Im incredibly proud of this team for the work they do day in and day out, Engelhardt said. For someone else in the industry to recognize them in this way only solidifies what Ive already known  they are the best and we are lucky to have them.
Seguin, TX (78155)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. Near record high temperatures. High 96F. Winds SE at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 73F. SE winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph.
Braquage a main armee a Mbour : les 4 suspects, accuses d'avoir emporte 19 millions, arretes a Dakar par la Surete Urbaine

Une redoutable bande de malfaiteurs a ete neutralisee par la police. D'apres le quotidien Liberation, elle est au coeur de plusieurs agressions armees, dont la derniere en date a eu lieu dans le departement de Mbour.



Sur place, informe le journal dans sa parution de ce mercredi, un ressortissant indien a ete deleste de la somme de dix-neuf (19) millions de FCfa.



En effet, apres cette agression, le commissariat de Mbour avait sollicite le concours de Surete Urbaine (SU), competente a agir sur l'ensemble du territoire national.



Aussi, les recoupements effectues par les limiers ont permis de savoir que le meme gang avait ete identifie auparavant, car il etait cite dans de nombreux cas de vols a l'arrache.



Des soupcons finalement confirmes par les resultats des requisitions qui avaient localise, au moment de l'agression du ressortissant indien, les suspects dans le secteur de Mbour.



D'ailleurs, le 29 avril dernier, deux membres de la bande en question (Mamadou Fall alias Saer et Moussa Toure dit Ndambe) ont ete interpelles, a Wakhinane-Nimzatt, lors d'uneoperation de controle routier.



Mis a la disposition de la Surete Urbaine (SU) et confrontes aux elements glanes par les enqueteurs, les mis en cause ont fini par avouer leur participation a l l'agression du ressortissant indien.



Accompagnes des prenommes Nianga et Issa qui leur ont mis la puce a l'oreille, Saer et Ndambe, apres avoir identifie la "cible", se sont rendus, a bord de leurs motos de marque Tmax, a Mbour.



A l'issue d'investigations rondement menees, les suspects ont ete tous conduits a Mbour. Idem pour les objets saisis sur eux. Quant aux deux motos Tmax qu'ilsconduisaient, ils ont purement et simplement ete mobilises.
Although employment is central to successful reentry, formerly incarcerated people struggle to find work because of criminal stigma, poor education, and sparse work histories. Prison credentials are proposed as one solution to alleviate these challenges by signaling criminal desistance and employability. Evidence regarding their efficacy, however, is inconsistent. In this article, I develop a novel explanation  the prison credential dilemma  highlighting the numerous and contradictory ways employers may interpret prison credentials as positive and negative signals.

Drawing on 50 qualitative interviews with formerly incarcerated men in Franklin County, Ohio, I examine how the prison credential dilemma and the uncertainty it produces shape their job search strategies and pathways to employment. I find that participants concealed or obscured institutional affiliations of prison credentials on job applications to signal employability rather than their criminal records. In job interviews, however, prison credentials were used to divert conversations away from their criminal record toward skills and criminal desistance via the use of redemptive narratives. Participants also attempted to acquire credentials outside of prison and/or pursued temporary, precarious jobs, aspiring for such physically strenuous and poorly paid work to materialize into stable employment. This study has implications for prison programming as well as policies and practices aiming to improve reentry outcomes.






Fisker's lineup of to-be-launched cars has grown again. Shortly after it announced an urban EV codenamed PEAR, the company released a sketch that shows an electric sedan called Project Ronin which will be positioned at the top of its range when it (hopefully) enters production in 2024.

"The aim is to achieve the world's longest range for a production EV, combined with extremely high levels of performance. Project Ronin will be a showcase for our internal engineering, powertrain, and software capabilities," explained company boss Henrik Fisker in a statement.

He stopped short of providing specific figures, but the company explained that Project Ronin  which borrows its name from a 1998 movie famous for its car chases  will be capable of carrying four adults and their luggage. Under development since 2021, the model seemingly takes the form of a low-slung car with four doors, though we're told it will feature "unique doors." The sedan will be built with lightweight materials, it will use active aerodynamic technologies, and it will be powered by a battery that will be integrated into the vehicle structure.

Fisker expects to unveil Project Ronin in August 2023, and production is tentatively scheduled to begin in the second half of 2024. If everything goes according to plan, the sedan will become the third member of the Fisker range when it starts rolling off the production line. Fisker's first car should be the Ocean, an electric crossover that should enter production in Austria before the end of 2022. It will be followed by the aforementioned PEAR, which will be built in Ohio with help from Taiwan-based software giant Foxconn starting in 2024.

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The phones inside an Alabama abortion clinic were ringing off the hook: the callers wanted to know if abortion remains legal. And, if so, for how long?

A leaked Supreme Court draft opinion was ricocheting around the world.

As Dalton Johnson, the clinic's owner, read it Monday night, he was struck by the bluntness of the language that would end the constitutional right to an abortion, closing clinics in about half of American states, including his.

"I'm still in shock," Johnson said Tuesday as he scrambled to reassure his staff and patients they would continue providing abortions as long as they're allowed in Alabama.

People on both sides of the abortion divide have been expecting the Supreme Court this summer to reverse the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade cas e that legalized abortion nationwide. But many said the draft opinion was nevertheless stunning, forcing them to reckon with the reality the nation is likely to enter soon.

"I can't stop crying," said an elated Mississippi state Rep. Becky Currie, who sponsored the 2018 law that is the basis for the Supreme Court case. "I am not quite sure I have the words to express how I feel right now, but God has had his hands on that bill since the beginning."

The leaked draft, published late Monday by Politico, is a 98-page opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which challenged the constitutionality of the Mississippi bill that banned abortion after 15 weeks. If the decision stands as written, it would also overturn Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a 1992 decision that protected abortion services even though it allowed states to add some limitations.

"Roe was egregiously wrong from the start," the draft opinion states. It was signed by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the court's 6-3 conservative majority. According to Politico, four other justices  Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett  have agreed with the opinion.

The draft opinion was written in February, and the language could change before the court issues its final ruling. As written, it would give states the power to decide the legality of abortion. Roughly half, largely in the South and Midwest, are likely to quickly ban abortion.

Abortion clinics in those states opened Tuesday morning, still seeing patients but uncertain about the future.

The daily rituals unfolded as they always do: some protesters screamed at people walking inside while other abortion opponents prayed, clinic escorts tried to shield patients and hustle them in the doors.

"Please overturn Roe v. Wade," said Barbara Beavers, who stood outside the clinic in Jackson, Mississippi, on Tuesday, gently trying to persuade people against going inside. "Have mercy on our unborn children. We're destroying our future, killing our babies."

Inside clinics, the news prompted frantic phone calls, and abortion providers across America rushed to tell their patients that the clinics remained open.

"I immediately felt sick to my stomach," said Tammi Kromenaker, who owns a clinic in Fargo, North Dakota. "And 20 million thoughts started going through my head about what can we do? What does my staff need to hear? What do our patients need to hear?"

She posted a notice on their website: "If you have an appointment at Red River Women's Clinic, your appointment is safe."

At Johnson's clinic in Huntsville, women called to ask whether they can still get an abortion. Johnson said his first call of the morning was from a woman who had an abortion scheduled for Friday and wanted to come in Tuesday instead.

The staff held a meeting, and Johnson says he asked them to focus on those still coming for abortions who need their help. The opinion was just a draft, he told them, and cautioned that it wasn't the final decision.

Some anti-abortion activists were skeptical that the draft would become reality, fixating instead on the fact that it was leaked to the press and whether that implied political posturing.

"I'm hopeful," said Dennis Westover, a 72-year-old retired electrical engineer, a regular protester outside the clinic in Charleston, West Virginia. But he was suspicious that someone leaked it as ammunition in the country's intractable culture wars.

"When our Supreme Court stuff starts to be leaked, it's egregious," he said. "One side or the other did it for a political motive to stir up some kind of stink."

In Louisville, Kentucky, the clinic was closed for a week last month after the legislature banned abortion, until a court intervened. But if Roe falls, it will likely be shuttered again.

"I do anticipate a day with no abortion clinics in Kentucky," said Meg Stern, who runs the Kentucky Health Justice Network and escorts at the clinic. Abortion access will now be an issue of privilege: People with the means to travel will be able to end their pregnancies.

For months now, the nation has had a glimpse of what that looks like. Texas banned abortion after six weeks in September. Planned Parenthood clinics in the surrounding states saw a 2,500% increase in patients, said Dr. Iman Alsaden, medical director for Planned Parenthood Great Plains.

Some groups are working to try to circumvent the law the best they can: mobile abortion units, fundraising for travel assistance, mail-order medications. One online women's health provider reported a significant spike in requests for emergency contraception Tuesday. Democrat-leaning states like New York, California and Illinois are rushing to pass laws to protect abortion access, both for their residents and people coming from out of state.

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WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden on Tuesday blasted a "radical" Supreme Court draft opinion that would throw out the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion rights ruling that has stood for a half century.

The court cautioned no final decision was made, but Biden warned that other privacy rights including same-sex marriage and birth control are at risk if the justices follow through.

Chief Justice John Roberts said he ordered an investigation into what he called the "egregious breach of trust" in leaking the draft document, which was dated to February. Opinions often change in ways big and small in the drafting process, and a final ruling was not expected until the end of the court's term in late June or early July.

The Democratic-controlled Congress and White House both vowed to try to blunt the impact of such a ruling, but their prospects looked dim.

A decision to overrule Roe would have sweeping ramifications, leading to abortion bans in roughly half the states, sparking new efforts in Democratic-leaning states to protect access to abortion, and potentially reshaping the contours of this year's hotly contested midterm elections.

The draft was published by Politico late Monday.

Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One, Biden said he hoped justices wouldn't finalize the draft, contending it reflects a "fundamental shift in American jurisprudence" that threatens "other basic rights" like access to birth control and marriage.

"If this decision holds, it's really quite a radical decision," he added.

"If the court does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nation's elected officials at all levels of government to protect a woman's right to choose," Biden said. "And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November. At the federal level, we will need more pro-choice Senators and a pro-choice majority in the House to adopt legislation that codifies Roe, which I will work to pass and sign into law."

Though past efforts failed, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he intended to hold a vote.

"This is as urgent and real as it gets," Schumer said on the Senate floor Tuesday. "Every American is going to see on which side every senator stands."

Speaking at the EMILYs List political action committee conference Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris said the draft opinion showed womens rights in America are under attack."

Womens issues are Americas issues and democracies cannot be strong if the rights of women are under attack," she added. Let us fight with everything weve got.

The court's ruling would be most acutely felt by women who don't have the means or ability to travel from states that have or stand poised to pass stiff abortion restrictions or outright bans.

Whatever the outcome, the Politico report late Monday represented an extremely rare breach of the court's secretive deliberation process, and on a case of surpassing importance.

"Roe was egregiously wrong from the start," the draft opinion states. It was signed by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the court's 6-3 conservative majority who was appointed by former President George W. Bush.

The document was labeled a "1st Draft" of the "Opinion of the Court" in a case challenging Mississippi's ban on abortion after 15 weeks. The draft opinion in effect states there is no constitutional right to abortion services. It would allow individual states to more heavily regulate or outright ban the procedure.

"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled," it states, referencing the 1992 case Planned Parenthood v. Casey that affirmed Roe's finding of a constitutional right to abortion services but allowed states to place some constraints on the practice. "It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives."

The draft opinion strongly suggests that when the justices met in private shortly after arguments in the case on Dec. 1, at least five  all the conservatives except perhaps Chief Justice Roberts  voted to overrule Roe and Casey, and Alito was assigned the task of writing the court's majority opinion.

Votes and opinions in a case aren't final until a decision is announced or posted on the court's website.

Maine Republican Susan Collins, who supports abortion rights but was a pivotal GOP vote for the confirmations of Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, said if the draft reflects the final opinion of the court, "it would be completely inconsistent with what Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh said in their hearings and in our meetings in my office."

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska told reporters on Capitol Hill that "my confidence in the court has been rocked," and said her proposal with Collins to legislate abortion rights should be reinvigorated.

Polling shows relatively few Americans want to see Roe overturned. In general, AP-NORC polling finds a majority of the public favors abortion being legal in most or all cases. Few say abortion should be illegal in all cases.

Outside the Supreme Court building, anti-abortion rights protesters carried signs that said "Ignore Roe" and "In God We Trust" while their pro-abortion-rights counterparts held placards declaring "Bans off our Bodies" and "Impeach Kavanaugh." Crowds built as the day wore on.

The Supreme Court justices generally spend May and June finishing their writing in cases that have been argued and then issuing the remaining opinions before going on a summer break. On the court's calendar, the next day opinions might normally be expected is May 16.

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LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Complaining that the West is "stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line targets across the country, as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war Wednesday by proposing a ban on oil imports.

Heavy fighting also raged at the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol that represented the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined southern port city, according to the mayor. A Russian official denied that Moscow's troops were storming the plant, but the commander of the main Ukrainian military unit inside said Russian troops had broken into the mill's territory.

The Russian military also said it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of resorting to the missile terrorism tactics in order to spread fear across Ukraine.

Air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country on Wednesday night, and attacks were reported near Kyiv, the capital; in Cherkasy and Dnipro in central Ukraine; and in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. In Dnipro, authorities said a rail facility was hit. Videos on social media suggested a bridge there was attacked.

There was no immediate word on casualties or the extent of the damage.

Responding to the strikes in his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: All of these crimes will be answered, legally and quite practically  on the battlefield.

The flurry of attacks comes as Russia prepares to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, marking the Soviet Unions defeat of Nazi Germany. The world is watching for whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will use the occasion to declare a victory in Ukraine or expand what he calls the special military operation.

A declaration of all-out war would allow Putin to introduce martial law and mobilize reservists to make up for significant troop losses.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the speculation as nonsense.

Meanwhile, Belarus, which Russia used as a staging ground for its invasion, announced the start of military exercises Wednesday. A top Ukrainian official said the country will be ready to act if Belarus joins the fighting.

The attacks on rail infrastructure were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons.

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagon's assessment, said that while the Russians have tried to hit critical infrastructure around the western city of Lviv, specifically targeting railroads, there has been no appreciable impact on Ukraines effort to resupply its forces. Lviv, close to the Polish border, has been a major gateway for NATO-supplied weapons.

Weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces thwart Russias initial drive to seize Kyiv and seems certain to play a central role in the growing battle for the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Moscow now says is its main objective.

Ukraine has urged the West to ramp up the supply of weapons ahead of that potentially decisive clash. Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which had been slow at first to help arm Ukraine, said his government is considering supplying howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment it has agreed to send.

The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which lies in the Donbas, said Russian attacks left 21 people dead on Tuesday, the highest number of known fatalities since April 8, when a missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk killed at least 59.

In addition to supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. have sought to punish Moscow with sanctions. The EU's top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to ban Russian oil imports, a crucial source of revenue.

We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The proposal needs unanimous approval from EU countries and is likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they won't take part in any oil sanctions. They could be granted an exemption.

The EU is also talking about a possible embargo on Russian natural gas. The bloc has already approved a cutoff of coal imports.

Russias economy is heavily dependent on oil and natural gas exports. Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, said European purchases of Russian energy produce billions in revenue and support the Kremlin's war machine.

Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russias largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.

In Mariupol, Mayor Vadym Boychenko said that Russian forces were targeting the already shattered Azovstal plant with heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft, warships and heavy bombs that pierce concrete 3 to 5 meters thick.

Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult, he said.

Ukrainian fighters said Tuesday that Russian forces had begun storming the plant. But the Kremlin said that was not true. There is no assault," Peskov said.

Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Ukrainian Azov regiment that's defending the plant, said Russian forces have broken into the plant's territory.

Prokopenko said in a video that the incursions continued for a second day, and there are heavy, bloody battles.

The situation is extremely difficult, but in spite of everything, we continue to carry out the order to hold the defense, he added.

His wife, Kateryna Prokopenko, told The Associated Press: We dont want them to die. They wont surrender. They are waiting for the bravest countries to evacuate them."

Meanwhile, the United Nations announced that more than 300 civilians were evacuated Wednesday from Mariupol and other nearby communities. The evacuees arrived in Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles (230 kilometers) to the northwest, where they were receiving humanitarian assistance.

Many came with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, and we will now support them during this difficult time, including with much-needed psychological support, said Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.

Over the weekend, more than 100 people  including women, the elderly and 17 children  were evacuated from the plant during a cease-fire in an operation overseen by the U.N. and the Red Cross. But the attacks on the plant soon resumed.

The Russian government said on the Telegram messaging app that it would open another evacuation corridor from the plant during certain hours on Thursday through Saturday. But there was no immediate confirmation of those arrangements from other parties, and many previous such assurances from the Kremlin have fallen through, with the Ukrainians blaming continued fighting by the Russians.

It was unclear how many Ukrainian fighters were still inside, but the Russians put the number at about 2,000 in recent weeks, and 500 were reported to be wounded. A few hundred civilians also remained there, the Ukrainian side said.

Mariupol, and the plant in particular, have come to symbolize the misery inflicted by the war. The Russians have pulverized most of the city in a two-month siege that has trapped civilians with little food, water, medicine or heat.

The city's fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops to fight elsewhere in the Donbas.

Anna reported from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yesica Fisch in Zaporizhzhia, Inna Varenytsia and David Keyton in Kyiv, Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington 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.

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The big movie of the week is obviously Doctor Strange, and we dig into that, but Brue and Jared also have some thoughts on the new Liam Neeson movie Memory right out of the gate.

Plus: Bruce scored a fantastic interview with Disney animator Samantha Vilfort, one of the subjects of the new Disney+ show 'Sketchbook,' who talk about the process of character creation for the movie Encanto. Do they talk about Bruno? You'll have to listen to find out!

We also have some big thoughts about the current state of Netflix's business affairs which could be described, generously, as "troubled."

More from Bruce Miller:

Where to watch:

Links to other fun stuff we talked about in this episode:

Follow the show:

Streamed & Screened is a podcast about movies and TV hosted by Bruce Miller, an entertainment reporter for multiple decades who is now the editor of the Sioux City Journal, Jared McNett, a reporter for the Sioux City Journal, and Chris Lay, the podcast operations manager for Lee Enterprises.

Jared McNett is an online editor and reporter for the Sioux City Journal. You can reach him at 712-293-4234 and follow him on Twitter @TwoHeadedBoy98.

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MEXICO CITY  Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees are camping out in Mexico City and waiting for the U.S. government to allow them into the country.

About 500 evacuees were waiting Tuesday in large tents under a searing sun on a dusty field on the east side of Mexicos sprawling capital. The camp has been open only a week and from 50 to 100 people are arriving every day.

Some refugees have already been to the U.S. border in Tijuana where they were told they would no longer be admitted. Others arrived at airports in Mexico City or Cancun.

The U.S. government announced in late March that it would accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. Hundreds entered Mexico daily as tourists in Mexico City or Cancun and flew to Tijuana to wait for a few days to be admitted to the U.S. at a San Diego border crossing on humanitarian parole.

Giorgi Mikaberidze, 19, arrived in Tijuana April 25 and found the U.S. border closed. He went from being just yards from the United States to some 600 miles (966 kilometers) away in the Mexico City area. He said he traveled to Mexico alone.

Its very difficult to wait. We dont know how the program will work, he said.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:

 Russia storms Mariupol steel plant as some evacuees reach safety

 Debt drama far from over for Russia even though it dodges default

 Biden visit highlights strain on US weapons stockpile

 Pope Francis offers to meet Putin, but hasn't heard back

 German opposition leader visits Ukraine; chancellor refuses to go

Follow all AP stories on Russias war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden's national security adviser met Tuesday with a Swedish foreign affairs officials and committed to continuing close coordination on security issues, a U.S. National Security Council spokesperson said.

NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson said National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Oscar Stenstrom, state secretary for foreign affairs to Sweden's prime minister, discussed the security situation in Europe in light of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The topics included ongoing efforts to support Ukraine and impose costs on Russia, Watson said.

WASHINGTON  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the war in Ukraine has worsened problems in the Western Hemisphere caused by the coronavirus pandemic, such as rising poverty.

Concerns about the war decreasing the availability of food and increasing prices have sparked fears of increasing hunger and starvation in other nations. Blinken told the annual Conference of the Americas Luncheon on Tuesday that the effects of the war are being felt after the pandemic inflicted massive economic harm throughout the region.

Giving the luncheons keynote address in Washington, Blinken said: Now, with the Russian governments brutal war of aggression on Ukraine, many of these preexisting problems, these preexisting conditions, have been made worse, raising the price of essential commodities throughout the Americas, from fertilizer to wheat to petroleum, cutting off key export markets for many industries in the Americas, and forcing households across the region to make very wrenching choices as the cost of living skyrockets.

Blinken plans to chair two United Nations meetings later this month aimed at spotlighting how the war in Ukraine and other conflicts is affecting the availability of food and prices.

KYIV, Ukraine  Ukrainian officials say the Russian military has struck railroad infrastructure across the country.

Oleksandr Kamyshin, the head of the Ukrainian railways, said the Russian strikes on Tuesday hit six railway stations in the countrys central and western regions, inflicting heavy damage.

Kamyshin said at least 14 trains were delayed because of the attacks.

Dnipro region Gov. Valentyn Reznichenko said Russian missiles struck railway infrastructure in the area, leaving one person wounded and disrupting train movement.

The Ukrainian military also reported strikes on railways in the Kirovohrad region, saying there were unspecified casualties.

Ukraines railroads have played an important role in moving people, goods and military supplies during the war as roads and bridges have been damaged.

TROY, Ala.  President Joe Biden on Tuesday credited the assembly line workers at a Javelin missile plant for doing life-saving work in building the antitank weapons that are being sent to Ukraine to stifle Russias invasion as he made a pitch for Congress to approve $33 billion so the U.S. can continue hustle aid to the front lines.

Youre allowing the Ukrainians to defend themselves, Biden told the workers, his podium flanked by Javelin missile launchers and shipping containers. And, quite frankly, theyre making fools of the Russian military in many instances.

The presidents visit to the Lockheed Martin factory in Alabama also drew attention to a growing concern as the war drags on: Can the U.S. sustain the cadence in shipping vast amounts of arms to Ukraine while maintaining a healthy stockpile it may need if conflict erupts with North Korea, Iran or elsewhere?

The U.S. has provided at least 7,000 Javelins, including some transferred during the Trump administration, or about one-third of its stockpile, to Ukraine in recent years, according to an analysis by Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies international security program. The Biden administration says it has committed to sending 5,500 Javelins to Ukraine since the Feb. 24 invasion.

Analysts also estimate that the United States has sent about one-quarter of its stockpile of shoulder-fired Stinger missiles to Ukraine. Raytheon Technologies CEO Greg Hayes told investors last week during a quarterly call that his company, which makes the weapons system, wouldnt be able to ramp up production until next year, due to parts shortages.

UNITED NATIONS  The U.N. humanitarian chief in Ukraine says about 30 people who came out of the besieged Avostal steel plant in Mariupol chose not to leave the city, saying they were horrified at its total devastation and first wanted to find out if their loved ones were still alive.

Osnat Lubrani told a virtual press conference from the Ukrainian-held city of Zaporizhzhia soon after the arrival Tuesday of 127 people evacuated from the plant and the town of Manhush on Mariupols outskirts that she wants to believe the successful operation will be a stepping stone to more such operations from Avostal and other towns and cities being shelled and bombarded by the Russians.

She said there is knowledge that there are civilians still trapped in the Avostal plant, but the U.N. has no numbers.

Some of them may have been afraid to come out, some of them probably couldnt make it, Lubrani said. Its a huge area and some of the elderly people could hardly walk and a broken bus with flat tires was used to help some of them leave.

Speaking of the people who wanted to stay in Mariupol, she said, These are people that have lived their lives and worked in Mariupol and so it was difficult for them to just leave without knowing what the fate of their loved ones is.

Lubrani said the people still trapped underground in the Avostal plant will hear about the safe evacuation to Zaporizhzhia which is very important, so if we do another operation, I think hopefully more will come out.

The Russian military says its artillery has hit over 400 Ukrainian targets during the last day.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Tuesday that the targets included Ukrainian artillery positions, troops strongholds and two fuel depots.

Konashenkov said Russian aircrafts have hit 39 other targets, including concentrations of troops and weapons and two command posts.

He charged that a U.S.-supplied artillery radar, four air defense radars and six ammunition depots were among the targets destroyed with precision-guided weapons over the last day.

Konashenkovs claims couldnt be independently verified.

LVIV, Ukraine  Russian strikes have apparently targeted the western Ukraine city of Lviv.

The strikes happened in multiple directions just before 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday  about about an hour and a half after air raid sirens sounded in the city and reportedly went off across the entire country. At least four distinct explosions could be heard from downtown Lviv.

Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said the strikes damaged three power substations, knocking electricity off in parts of Lviv. Two pump stations were also without power, affecting water supply in the city. Two people were injured in the attack, according to the mayor.

Sadovyi wrote on a social message app that those in the city should take shelter. Trains coming out of Lviv stopped service. Car alarms went off after the blasts, and emergency sirens could be heard.

The mayor on Monday had a news conference with the countrys top U.S. diplomat, discussing how America planned to reopen its diplomatic presence in the city located near the Polish border.

The last major attack targeting the city came April 18, which killed at least seven people. Lviv has become a haven for those fleeing the wars front line in the east.

PARIS  French President Emmanuel Macron, in a phone call Tuesday with Vladimir Putin, stressed the extreme gravity of the consequences of Russias war of aggression in Ukraine, and called on the Russian leader to allow evacuations from the Mariupol steel mill to continue, the Elysee Palace said.

Macron urged Russia to rise to the level of its responsibility as a permanent member of the U.S. Security Council by ending this devastating aggression, an Elysee statement said.

Macron asked Putin to restart evacuations at the Azovstal plant, which has served as a refuge for Ukrainians, in coordination with humanitarian units, while allowing evacuees to choose their destination, as called for under international law.

It was the first time that the French president has had a conversation with Putin since March 29  before the discovery of the exactions in the Ukrainian town of Bucha  after multiple telephone talks. The call came three days after Macron last spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Concerned about world food security, Macron said he was willing to work with international organizations to try to help seek a lifting of the Russian blockade on exports of food goods via the Black Sea, according to the statement.

He also restated his willingness to work on conditions for a negotiated solution to the war, for peace and for full respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and reiterated his oft-stated demand for a cease-fire, the statement said.

KYIV, Ukraine  The Donetsk regional governor said the Russian troops on Tuesday shelled a chemical plant in Avdiivka, a city in eastern Ukraine, killing at least 10 people and wounding 15 more.

The Russians knew exactly where to aim  the workers just finished their shift and were waiting for a bus at a bus stop to take them home, Pavlo Kyrylenko wrote in a Telegram post. Another cynical crime by Russians on our land.

GENEVA  A top Red Cross official helping oversee a dramatic, five-day effort that led to the evacuation of dozens of civilians from the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol to a government-held city said he remains extremely concerned about new clashes between Ukrainian and Russian forces there  with some other civilians still inside.

Pascal Hundt, who heads the Ukraine office of the International Committee of the Red Cross, said the humanitarian agency and the United Nations carried out the evacuation after Russia and Ukraine agreed that it would only include civilians. He said some people simply chose not to leave, and he didnt know why  but suspected fear about continued fighting played a part.

A total of 127 people were evacuated from Azovstal and the Mariupol area in buses that arrived in government-controlled Zaporizhzia on Tuesday.

We are today with a mixed feeling. We have done everything to help these people to basically leave the place where they were  to leave hell, Hundt said in a call with reporters from Kyiv. But we would have hoped that much more people would be able to join the convoy and to get out of hell.

Hundt said about a dozen people taken out in the convoy were sick or injured, but none were in critical condition.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Latvia has summoned Russias ambassador to the Baltic country over Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrovs anti-Semitic statements, the Latvian foreign minister said Tuesday.

The ambassador was to provide explanations on May 5 and receive a protest, Edgars Rinkevics wrote on Twitter.

In an interview with an Italian news channel, Lavrov said that Ukraine could still have Nazi elements even if some figures  including the countrys president  were Jewish, claiming that Hitler also had Jewish origins.

BRUSSELS  The European Unions top diplomat says the blocs executive branch is on the cusp of proposing a new raft of sanctions against Russia, including on oil.

EU policy commissioners have been discussing the new sanctions and are set to send their proposals later Tuesday to the 27 member countries for debate.

The unions foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a tweet that the executive is working on the 6th package of sanctions which aims to de-swift more banks, list disinformation actors and tackle oil imports. Swift is the most widely used international system for bank transfers.

Member countries have been involved in drawing up the proposals, but they routinely take days to endorse them. The sanctions can only enter force once they are published in the EUs Official Journal. Hungary and Slovakia have already expressed reservations about signing on.

EU ambassadors are scheduled to meet on Wednesday. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is also likely to explain the proposals early Wednesday at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

MOSCOW  Russian President Vladimir Putin has told French President Emmanuel Macron that Moscow is ready for talks with Ukraine.

The Kremlin said in its readout of Tuesdays call that despite Kyivs inconsistency and its lack of readiness for serious work, the Russian side is still ready for dialogue.

The Kremlin added that Putin also informed Macron about the course of Russias special military operation. It added that the two leaders also discussed the global food security and Putin underlined that Western sanctions have exacerbated the situation.

ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine  The U.N.s aid coordinator for Ukraine says 127 people have been evacuated from the besieged Azovstal plant in Mariupol and nearby areas to a government-controlled city, in an operation carried out along with the international Red Cross.

Osnat Lubrani, the humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, said Tuesday that those evacuated included 101 people who could finally leave the bunkers below the Azovstal steelworks and see the daylight after two months.

Another 58 people joined the convoy in Manhush, a town on the outskirts of Mariupol.

Today, we brought people safely to Zaporizhzhia, Lubriani said. However, I worry that there may be more civilians who remain trapped.

The evacuees were receiving humanitarian assistance, including health and psychological care, from the U.N, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and partner agencies after arriving in Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday.

Some of the evacuees opted to be dropped off before arriving in the city, which is in government-controlled territory, Lubriani said in a statement.

 This item has been corrected to fix the spelling of Osnat Lubranis last name.

KYIV, Ukraine  The deputy commander of the Azov Regiment that is holed up in the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol has confirmed to The Associated Press that Russian forces have started to storm the plant on Tuesday.

The move comes almost two weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered its military not to storm the plant, but rather block it off.

Asked about the reports in Ukrainian media that the huge steelworks  the last holdout of Ukrainian resistance in a city otherwise controlled by Moscows forces  was being stormed, Sviatoslav Palamar told the AP that it is true.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mariupol patrol police chief Mykhailo Vershinin was quoted by Ukrainian television as saying that the Russian military have started to storm the plant in several places.

The reports come amid a U.N. effort to evacuate civilians from the plant, which helped scores of people escape the sprawling facility.

According to Denys Shlega, commander of the 12th Operational Brigade of Ukraines National Guard who is also currently at Azovstal, 200 civilians including children remain at the plant.

Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk told reporters Tuesday that about 150 civilians have been taken from Azovstal and a few hundred remain at the plant. We need a few more days to continue this operation, Vereshchuk said.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Denmarks Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has urged her visiting Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, to try to influence Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

Putin has to stop this war, Frederiksen said Tuesday, adding immediately, I hope that India will influence Russia.

Indias neutral stance in the war has raised concerns in the West and earned praise from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who lauded India for judging the situation in its entirety, not just in a one-sided way.

LONDON  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told Ukraines parliament that their country has achieved the greatest feat of arms of the 21st century by repelling Russias attempt to capture Kyiv.

Johnson addressed lawmakers in Ukraines legislature, the Verkhovna Rada, by video link on Tuesday. He is the first world leader to do so since Ukraine was invaded on Feb. 24.

Johnson, one of Ukraines most prominent international supporters, announced a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine, including radar, drones and armored vehicles.

Johnson said Ukraine had exploded the myth of (Russian President Vladimir) Putins invincibility, and expressed confidence Ukraine would win the war.

The British leader said Western allies had not done enough to stop Russia after it annexed Crimea and triggered a conflict in eastern Ukraine in 2014, and said Ukraines allies should not press it to give up territory to make peace.

He said you are the masters of your fate, and no-one can or should impose anything on Ukrainians. We in the U.K. will be guided by you and we are proud to be your friends.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Right place, right time.

That's how Neal Dethlefs describes his close call with death just over a year ago.

If he had left the wedding reception early and gone back to his hotel, he's not sure he'd still be here. If he had been in St. Paul, where he's the Howard County Assessor, he might not be alive today, either.

But the 64-year-old was at the Park Banquet Hall in southwest Lincoln when he collapsed from a heart attack. And luckily for him, so was Taylor Arndt.

Arndt, a nurse at Bryan Health, was a bridesmaid in the May 1, 2021 wedding of her fiance's sister. She was at the reception when Dethlefs collapsed about 11 p.m., and she sprung into action, performing CPR for several minutes, keeping him alive until Lincoln Fire & Rescue personnel arrived.

Arndt said she's done CPR at work before, but in those situations, she was part of a team and not the sole person that people were counting on.

"It's just hard for me to believe that I helped him be here today," she said. "I get emotional thinking about it."

Dethlefs gets emotional thinking about it, too.

"I can't really thank her enough," he said.

Dethlefs wasn't just lucky that Arndt was at the reception that night, he was lucky he was in Lincoln, which boasts a rate for saving cardiac patients that's nearly twice the national average.

Just a couple months after his heart attack, he came back to Lincoln to participate in a news conference with Lincoln Fire & Rescue and Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird to announce the statistics released by the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival.

Another statistic from that report shows that bystanders in Lincoln perform CPR in more than 70% of cardiac events. That compares with a national average of 40%.

That's important, because getting immediate CPR can double or triple the survival rate.

According to the American Heart Association, roughly 350,000 cases of sudden cardiac arrest happen every year in the United States. The survival rate is about 10%. However, immediate CPR can double or even triple the chances of survival.

"Without her starting (CPR), Lincoln Fire & Rescue (responding), (going to) the heart institute, I'd be dead," he said.

Dethlefs is now fully recovered, but it's taken a long time.

An ambulance took him to CHI Nebraska Heart that night, where he was stabilized and put into an induced coma, his body temperature intentionally lowered to protect his damaged heart.

A couple of days later, he underwent triple bypass surgery to repair blocked arteries. He spent 11 days in the hospital in Lincoln, then headed to a hospital in Grand Island for about a week of rehabilitation before he was finally discharged.

Even after going home, he said he struggled to do routine tasks such as picking things up and putting on a shirt. It was late July or early August before he could return full-time to work.

Dethlefs doesn't remember anything about that day or the days before and after, but from what people have told him, he exhibited no symptoms of potential cardiac problems.

He said he felt fairly healthy, saw his doctor regularly and was active.

"But you never know," he said.

For her efforts, Arndt was honored in December with the Lincoln Police Department's Citizens Lifesaving Award, which recognizes a significant act by a private citizen that potentially results in the saving of a life.

Speaking of that night, Arndt said, "I was scared, but someone had to do it."

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

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  California, which has a economy larger than all but four countries and where much of the world's technological innovation is born, on Wednesday became the first state to formally begin examining how to broadly adapt to cryptocurrency and related innovations.

Following a path laid out by President Joe Biden in March, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order for state agencies to move in tandem with the federal government to craft regulations for digital currencies. It also calls for officials to explore incorporating broader blockchain computer coding into the government operations.

Evolving blockchain and cryptocurrency technology is potentially an explosive creator of new companies and new jobs and new opportunities, said Dee Dee Myers, a senior advisor to Newsom and director of the Governors Office of Business and Economic Development.

So there are a lot of opportunities, she said. Theres also a lot of unknowns in the industry and so thats another reason we want to engage early.

Newsoms order says the state  home to Silicon Valley and financial innovators like PayPal and Square  should be out front in figuring out how to adapt to new technologies.

Too often government lags behind technological advancements, so were getting ahead of the curve on this, laying the foundation to allow for consumers and business to thrive, Newsom, a Democrat, said in a statement.

California has about 39 million residents and its economy is more than $3.1 trillion, larger than the United Kingdom and India. Newsom said his order is a step toward making it the nation's first state to establish a comprehensive, thoughtful, and harmonized regulatory and business environment for crypto assets.

Cryptocurrencies, which are built on blockchain database technology, have exploded in popularity in recent years. About 16% of U.S. adults have invested in, traded, or used cryptocurrencies and the percentage is much higher among younger men. Biden's executive order in part asks the Federal Reserve to consider whether it should create its own digital currency.

Blockchain creates the underlying transparency of a decentralized but publicly viewable ledger. The technology can also be used to record other types of information, such as property records. The records are held on many computers that together form a global network so that no one and no institution can control them.

There is heavy disagreement about the legitimacy of cryptocurrency, even among some of the world's richest people. Elon Musk is an avid supporter of dogecoin while Warren Buffet recently said he wouldn't pay $25 for all of the world's bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency. Each bitcoin is currently valued at about $38,000 but fluctuates wildly.

Californias approach will help to legitimize the technology and bring it into the mainstream, said cryptocurrency skeptic Hilary Allen, a financial regulation professor at American University in Washington, D.C. But she doesn't think it's the best approach for the state and its residents.

She said private investors are most likely to benefit, while state government should seek simpler technological solutions rather than turning to technology that is by its very nature complex and inefficient.

While this approach will create more of a market for crypto ... it is unlikely to produce the best outcomes for users of public services in California, Allen said.

California may be first to try to develop a comprehensive approach, but Ohio was the first to attempt to accept virtual currency for government services in 2018, though the program was soon discontinued because few people used it.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, also a Democrat, said in February that his state would begin accepting cryptocurrency for government services later this year.

California lawmakers are among many around the the U.S. who have offered related legislation. But a bill by Democratic Sen. Sydney Kamlager to allow California to accept crypto assets for state services failed in its first committee this year and a similar bill by Republican Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham is stalled.

Similar measures have been introduced in Arizona, Wyoming and other states.

Despite the potential pitfalls of cryptocurrency, Newsom's order says California should take the lead in figuring out how to adapt to the technological evolution.

His order builds on a July 2020 report by the California Blockchain Working Group, which examined the use of blockchain along with its risks and benefits.

California that same year created a new Department of Financial Protection and Innovation from what had been the Department of Business Oversight, with a goal of evaluating emerging risks and opportunities while protecting consumers.

Newsom's order calls for the department to develop guidelines for disclosures by companies when they offer financial products and services related to cryptocurrencies. It will also provide guidelines for state-chartered banks and credit unions regarding crypto-related products.

The department will respond to consumer complaints, work with crypto companies to resolve consumer complaints and take enforcement action when needed. It will also publish consumer education materials, including advice on avoiding crypto-related scams and frauds.

Newsom's order directs a separate agency to solicit proposals for how best to use blockchain to help the state and the public.

It is critical that we engage early with industry and start learning the pros and cons of innovative technology early, said Amy Tong, secretary of California's Government Operations Agency. We can take the next steps towards getting ahead of the curve and harnessing potential of these tools to make government better.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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SIOUX CITY -- A Sergeant Bluff man was sentenced Tuesday to 35 years in prison for fondling a girl on several occasions at a Sergeant Bluff home.

Benjamen Mixdorf, 36, pleaded guilty in Woodbury County District Court to two counts of third-degree sexual abuse, which were amended from second-degree sexual abuse as part of a plea agreement, and two counts of lascivious acts with a child.

The prison sentence was spelled out in the plea agreement. Mixdorf also must register with the Iowa Sex Offender Registry for life and will serve a lifetime special sex offender sentence after he completes his prison sentence. If he were to violate terms of the special sentence, he could be sent back to prison.

Mixdorf was arrested in July after authorities were notified that a girl under age 12 had reported being sexually abused.

Mixdorf admitted in court Tuesday that on at least four separate occasions from July 1, 2020, through July 31, 2021, he performed a sex act by force or against the will of the victim or touched her inappropriately.

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The photo attached to this article is of a small church in Solapur, western India, led by Pastor Abraham Gavit. He gave me permission to use this photo. Over the Easter weekend four people from the fellowship were baptized. It was a reminder to me that regardless of the persecution, God is still at work and peoples faith is growing!

Not just persecution, but murder

In Chhattisgarh's Bijapur District, the Communist Party of India (CPI) published a notice listing 22 local Christian 'pastors' who the CPI (Maoists) demanded should leave pastorship of the Christian faith propagating enemy culture', warning that failure to comply would result in action being taken against them. The notice also directed locals to 'Worship the tribal gods and goddesses; Oppose Christian Religion'.

The region is predominantly populated by the animistic Gond tribe which is, with a population of more than 12 million, the largest tribe in India. To win the Gond vote, the Hindu nationalist BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) incites hatred of Christianity and presents Christianity as an existential threat and the anti-conversion BJP as the solution.

It is possible the Gond are using their Maoist/Naxalite contacts to eliminate Christian 'pastors' suspected of 'propagating Christianity'.

The Gond - whose language is Dravidian (from south India) - are spread throughout Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, a region which for centuries was known as the Kingdom of Gondwana. In the last Assembly elections, the BJP recorded its worst performance in a decade in the reserved seats in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.Downtrodden and exploited under the racist Hindu caste system, many Gond have been drawn into the anti-Hindu Maoist/Naxalite insurgency that has plagued the 'Red Corridor' of north-east India for decades. While tribal Christians oppose all forms of violence, they have long been allies of the tribal animists in the struggle against the racist Hindu caste system and Hindu-Aryan domination and exploitation.

On 17 March Maoist/Naxalite militants executed Pastor Yalam Shankar (58). A senior pastor and former village chief, Pastor Shankar's name was second on the list. The killers left a Hindi-language note on Pastor Shankar's body which read: 'The police informer of Angampalli village Yalam Shankar is killed at the hands of our PLGA.' [PLGA: People's Liberation Guerrilla Army, the armed wing of the banned CPI (Maoist).]

Military style

The killing has all the traits of a professional military-style execution, indicating it was indeed the work of Maoist insurgents and not Hindu nationalist thugs. However, the claimed pretext - that the pastor was a police informant - is not credible. The local police chief denied that Shankar was ever an informer. Local Christians also deny it.

Pastor Yalam Shankars death is the consequence of not denying his Christian faith and for propagating Christ in this area. A false veil has been put on Pastor Yalam Shankars murder and calling him a police informer is an eye-wash.

There are areas in Chhattisgarh state where local councils work with Maoists, known as Naxalites, to rid areas of Christianity, a source said after relatives threatened to kill a pastor in 2019. Tribal animists enlist Maoist militants to kill Christians who refuse to recant, the source said. Naxalites shot an Adivasi Christian from Narayanpur District to death in February 2019.

The hostile tone of the National Democratic Alliance government, led by the Hindu nationalist BJP, against non-Hindus, has emboldened Hindu extremists in several parts of the country to attack Christians since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took power in May 2014, religious rights advocates say.

In another incident, Pastor Tirki was leading worship for 25 Christian families, comprising 65 believers of the Kanwar tribe in Bagiya village, Jashpur district, in Chhattisgarh's far north-east, when a mob of Hindu nationalists stormed the service and began assaulting and abusing the congregation.

Agents of the Hindu nationalist VHP reported the situation leading the police to arrest and jail Pastor Tirki and Jyoti Prakash Toppo on the charge of attempting to procure illegal religious conversions. Pastor Tirki denies the charge, insisting anyone who converts does so of their own free will. 'Our work,' he said, 'is to impart the Bible's teachings.'

India ranked 10th on Christian support organization Open Doors 2022 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, as it was in 2021. The country was 31st in 2013, but its position worsened after Modi came to power.

India needs our prayers

Please pray that God will sustain and provide for Pastor Yalam Shankar's family; may they be assured of the eternal presence of the God of all comfort. Pray for Pastor Tirki and Jyoti Prakash Toppo, that they may stand strong in the peace that passes all understanding.

Pray also that God would intervene in the north India tribal belt - to ensure that pastors and evangelists are afforded protection, criminals are brought to justice, and Hindu nationalist lies - in particular the lie that Christians (rather than the BJP) are the enemy - are exposed as political machinations aimed at dividing and conquering the people so as to enable further exploitation of the tribals and their lands.

Continue to pray that God will send his angels to guide and protect the 21 remaining 'pastors' named on that list; may not one be lost, for India needs her missionaries.
SIOUX CITY -- A Sioux City man pleaded guilty Wednesday to possessing child pornography.

Mario Reyes, 22, had been charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child. A new information filed Friday charged him with two counts of possession of child pornography. Reyes entered his plea to those two charges in U.S. District Court in Sioux City.

Reyes pleaded guilty of possessing and attempting to possess visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in September and October 2020.

Sioux City police arrested Reyes in December 2020, and court documents filed in Woodbury County District Court said he met several times with a 12-year-old girl at his home, and they engaged in sexual activity. Reyes was accused of using his phone to record videos of the sex acts and sending videos and photos to other people.

Reyes was initially charged in Woodbury County with third-degree sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of a minor, lascivious acts with a child, indecent contact with a child and dissemination of obscene materials to a minor. Those charges were dismissed after Reyes was indicted in federal court in February.

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SPENCER, Iowa -- A Spencer man has pleaded not guilty of firing a gun during a verbal altercation at an apartment building.

Dilan Bartley, 28, entered his written plea Tuesday in Clay County District Court to charges of felony intimidation with a dangerous weapon and misdemeanor assault with a dangerous weapon, first-degree harassment and child endangerment.

Police responding to calls of shots fired at 600 E. 19th St. on April 12 said that Bartley had fired two shots during a verbal exchange with another man who was outside the building.

According to court documents, the other man was outside the building when Bartley looked out his apartment window and started an argument. The other man ultimately asked, "What are you going to do about it?", and Bartley allegedly pulled out a gun and fired two rounds into the air.

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DES MOINES -- Abortion  for now  likely would remain legal in Iowa up to the 20th week of pregnancy, even if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its landmark 1973 ruling that guaranteed a womans right to an abortion, as Politico reported it is considering.

But the timing of both U.S. and Iowa Supreme Court rulings could complicate matters.

An overturn of Roe v. Wade would return the authority over abortion regulations to the states, and the Iowa Supreme Court has issued multiple recent rulings striking down proposed abortion restrictions including a three-day waiting period and a ban on abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected.

The latter ruling stated that a womans right to an abortion is a protected, fundamental right in Iowa. Which means the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, on its own, would not change Iowas state abortion regulations.

However, the Iowa Supreme Court is currently considering another recently passed abortion restriction, requiring a one-day waiting period. And Iowa Republicans earlier this year filed legal briefs asking the court to overturn its 2019 order striking down the ban on abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected.

If the Iowa Supreme Court overturns its previous ruling, and the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, then Iowa Republicans would be legally clear to pass abortion restrictions.

(The U.S. Supreme Court ruling) would not have a direct impact on Iowa unless the Iowa Supreme Court overturns (its 2019 ruling), said Drake University law professor Sally Frank said Tuesday.

Both rulings could come this summer.

If the Iowa Supreme Court does not overturn its previous ruling, nothing would change in Iowa, even if Roe v. Wade is rejected.

In Iowa, there is a constitutional right to abortion, for now, on the books, Sarah Stoesz, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said Tuesday during a press call.

If the Iowa Supreme Court does not budge, Iowa Republicans are working to change that by proposing an amendment to the Iowa Constitution, which would nullify those recent abortion rulings.

The proposed amendment, which could be put to Iowa voters in 2024, would state that the Iowa Constitution does not guarantee the right to an abortion. That would clear the way for lawmakers to pass abortion restrictions.

Stoesz said Planned Parenthood will be active if the proposed amendment to the Iowa Constitution is put to Iowa voters.

We know that politics are very volatile, and we know that elections matter, Stoesz said. We intend to fight that (proposed constitutional amendment) very hard at the ballot.

Another avenue Iowa Republicans could take would be to pass legislation that would create a ban or severe restriction on abortions, and state that the law would only go into effect if and when the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.

In fact, exactly that type of legislation already was introduced this session. House File 2289 did not receive any legislative attention earlier this session, but it is precisely the kind of vehicle that statehouse Republicans could use to get a tentative law on the books before this years session ends.

When asked Tuesday whether they intend to pass abortion legislation before this years session ends, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, Republican Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver and Republican House Speaker Pat Grassley did not respond. Reynolds and Whitver issued statements about abortions, but they did not address potential legislative action.

Rep. Skyler Wheeler, a Republican from Orange City who introduced the bill, did not respond when asked whether he planned to push for its passage.

Any new law would still have to pass muster with the state Supreme Court.

The Iowa Supreme Court in 2018 struck down a Republican-written three-day waiting period before a woman could have an abortion, and in 2019 struck down a ban on abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, often before a woman knows she is pregnant.

Iowa Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst is prepared to introduce federal legislation that would ban abortions after roughly six weeks, according to reporting from the Washington Post that cited an anti-abortion advocate source. Ernst issued a statement Tuesday about the report that the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, but did not respond to whether she plans to introduce abortion-restricting legislation.

A majority of Iowans  57 percent  believe abortion should be legal, according to the most recent Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll to ask the question, this past September. That was an increase of 8 percentage points from the previous year.

Just 38 percent of Iowans said abortion should be illegal in most or all cases, according to the September poll results.

There were 4,058 abortions performed in Iowa in 2020, a 14 percent increase from the previous year, according to the most recent data from the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Iowa had seen a steady decline in the number of medically and surgically induced abortions over the course of several years, but that trend began reversing in 2019.

In 2017, statehouse Republicans ended federal funding to a state family planning program, and created a new one that does not include offering abortion services.

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SAC CITY, Iowa -- Longtime Sac County Auditor Jim Dowling has been honored with the National Association of Secretaries of State Medallion Award.

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate presented the award to Dowling last week in Sac City.

Dowling has served as auditor for more than 40 years, making him the longest-serving current county auditor in the state and one of the longest in state history. He was appointed auditor on Aug. 5, 1981. He previously worked for the Sac County Secondary Roads Department, starting in 1976.

"I didnt expect anything like this," Dowling said in a news release. "Looking back, I can say the last 40 years went by in a big hurry. Weve enjoyed it. Ive learned a lot and met a lot of good people, and I appreciate this very much."

The Medallion Award honors individuals, groups or organizations with an established record of promoting the goals of the National Association of Secretaries of State in the areas of elections, civic education, service to state government and a commitment to giving.

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Advocates worry other rights at risk if court overturns Roe

WASHINGTON (AP)  Little doubt remains about what the Supreme Court plans to do with Roe v. Wade. But uncertainty abounds about ripple effects as the court nears a final opinion expected to overturn the landmark 1973 case that created a nationwide right to abortion.

A leaked first draft of the majority opinion in the case, authenticated Tuesday by the Supreme Court, suggests that a majority of justices are poised to toss out Roe. The drafts provocative rhetoric also is generating concern that LGTBQ advances and other matters based on the right to privacy could be vulnerable in a newly hostile political environment.

This is about a lot more than abortion, President Joe Biden warned Wednesday, saying the courts draft opinion could jeopardize same-sex marriage, access to contraception and LGBTQ rights.

What are the next things that are going to be attacked? Because this MAGA crowd is really the most extreme political organization thats existed in recent American history, Biden said.

Court opinions can change in ways big and small throughout the drafting process. So while the eventual ruling in the abortion case appears all but assured, the written rationale  and its implications  may still be a hotly debated subject inside the courts private chambers.

AP evidence points to 600 dead in Mariupol theater airstrike

LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  She stood in just her bathrobe in the freezing basement of the Mariupol theater, coated in white plaster dust shaken loose by the explosion. Her husband tugged at her to leave and begged her to cover her eyes.

But she couldnt help it  Oksana Syomina looked. And to this day, she wishes she hadnt. Bodies were strewn everywhere, including those of children. By the main exit, a little girl lay still on the floor.

Syomina had to step on the dead to escape the building that had served as the Ukrainian citys main bomb shelter for more than a week. The wounded screamed, as did those trying to find loved ones. Syomina, her husband and about 30 others ran blindly toward the sea and up the shore for almost five miles (eight kilometers) without stopping, the theater in ruins behind them.

All the people are still under the rubble, because the rubble is still there  no one dug them up, Syomina said, weeping at the memory. This is one big mass grave.

Amid all the horrors that have unfolded in the war on Ukraine, the Russian bombing of the Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theater in Mariupol on March 16 stands out as the single deadliest known attack against civilians to date. An Associated Press investigation has found evidence that the attack was in fact far deadlier than estimated, killing closer to 600 people inside and outside the building. That's almost double the death toll cited so far, and many survivors put the number even higher.

Ukraine: Russia using 'missile terrorism' in wide attacks

LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Complaining that the West is "stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line targets across the country, as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war Wednesday by proposing a ban on oil imports.

Heavy fighting also raged at the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol that represented the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined southern port city, according to the mayor. A Russian official denied that Moscow's troops were storming the plant, but the commander of the main Ukrainian military unit inside said Russian troops had broken into the mill's territory.

The Russian military also said it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of resorting to the missile terrorism tactics in order to spread fear across Ukraine.

Air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country on Wednesday night, and attacks were reported near Kyiv, the capital; in Cherkasy and Dnipro in central Ukraine; and in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. In Dnipro, authorities said a rail facility was hit. Videos on social media suggested a bridge there was attacked.

Fed raises key rate by a half-point in bid to tame inflation

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Federal Reserve intensified its fight against the worst inflation in 40 years by raising its benchmark interest rate by a half-percentage point Wednesday  its most aggressive move since 2000  and signaling further large rate hikes to come.

The increase in the Feds key short-term rate raised it to a range of 0.75% to 1%, the highest point since the pandemic struck two years ago.

The Fed also announced that it will start reducing its huge $9 trillion balance sheet, made up mainly of Treasury and mortgage bonds. Reducing those holdings will have the effect of further raising borrowing costs throughout the economy.

Speaking at a news conference after the Fed's latest meeting, Chair Jerome Powell took the unusual step of saying the central bank's officials understood the financial pain that high inflation is causing ordinary Americans. But Powell stressed that the Fed is sharply raising rates for that very reason  to rein in high inflation, sustain the economy's health and ease the stress that millions of households are facing.

Inflation is much too high," he said, and we understand the hardship it is causing.

AP sources: Donald Trump Jr. speaks with Jan. 6 committee

WASHINGTON (AP)  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, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The interview Tuesday with Donald Trump Jr. comes as the bipartisan House committee moves closer to the former president's inner circle of family members and political advisers.

The younger Trump is of likely interest to the committee because of his proximity to his father on the day of the riot. Donald Trump Jr. was seen backstage at the rally on the White House Ellipse that took place shortly before supporters of the then-president marched to the Capitol and breached the building.

In several social media videos posted at the time of the Jan. 6 attack, Trump Jr. was seen with Kimberly Guilfoyle  then his girlfriend, now his fiancee  and other members of his family as his father prepared to make a speech that investigators believed rallied supporters to act violently that day.

The House committee has also released text messages from Jan. 6 in which Trump Jr. pleaded with the White House to get his father to forcefully condemn the riot.

'Corrupt to core' Caribbean premier gets bond in drug case

MIAMI (AP)  The premier of the British Virgin Islands, whom U.S. prosecutors described as corrupt to the core, was given a $500,000 bond that could see him released from prison as he awaits trial on charges tied to a U.S. narcotics sting.

In a surprise decision, federal court Judge Alicia Otazo-Reyes rejected prosecutors argument that Andrew Fahie may flee the U.S. and possibly engage in criminal activity if he is freed.

Instead, she said he could remain in Miami, confined to the rented apartment of his two college-age daughters, if he and his family surrender their passports and he wears an ankle bracelet monitor in addition to paying the sizable corporate surety bond.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Frederic Shadley said the government would appeal the decision, meaning its unclear when and if Fahie would be released.

Fahie, 51, was arrested last week at a Miami airport during a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration sting after being given what looked like $700,000 in cash, but what was in reality fake bill notes, that were to be flown back on a private jet to the British Virgin Islands on Fahies behalf. Also arrested was his ports director, Oleanvine Maynard.

What's next in the investigation of the Supreme Court leak?

WASHINGTON (AP)  Chief Justice John Roberts, in ordering an investigation into an egregious breach of trust in the leak of a Supreme Court draft opinion on abortion, tasked a relatively unknown court official to carry out what could be one of the most high-profile investigations in decades.

The Marshal of the Supreme Court has now undertaken the investigation to try to identify the source of the leak  a nearly unprecedented breach of protocol that sent shock waves through the Supreme Court and Washington legal community.

This was a singular and egregious breach of that trust that is an affront to the Court and the community of public servants who work here, Roberts said in ordering the investigation.

But many questions remain about how the investigation will be carried out and whether a federal crime was committed. Separately, there are questions about what powers the Marshal may use to find the person who leaked the documents.

To the extent this betrayal of the confidences of the Court was intended to undermine the integrity of our operations, it will not succeed," Roberts said. "The work of the Court will not be affected in any way."

LA hospital sued for racism in death of Black mother

LOS ANGELES (AP)  The husband of a Black woman who died hours after childbirth in 2016 sued Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Wednesday, saying she bled to death because of a culture of racism at the renowned Los Angeles hospital.

Charles Johnson IV said he discovered the disparity in care women of color receive at Cedars compared to white women during depositions in his wrongful death lawsuit that is scheduled to go to trial next week in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Theres no doubt in my mind that my wife would be here today and be here Sunday celebrating Mothers Day with her boys if she was a Caucasian woman, Johnson said at a news conference outside the hospital. "The reality is that on April 12, 2016, when we walked into Cedars-Sinai hospital for what we expected to be the happiest day of our lives, the greatest risk factor that Kira Dixon Johnson faced was racism.

Johnson died about 12 hours after having a scheduled cesarean section that was performed in 17 minutes to deliver the couple's second son, Langston.

This is sloppy. It was butchery, attorney Nicholas Rowley said. It shocked everybody that we deposed, all the health care providers, even the head of (obstetrics) here, the head of labor and delivery, looked at it and said No, Ive never seen one done that fast.

DHS disinformation board's work, plans remain a mystery

WASHINGTON (AP)  There is little credible information about the new Disinformation Governance Board.

And that has made it an instant target for criticism.

The board, part of the Department of Homeland Security, was announced last week. But DHS has released few details on how the board will function and what powers it will have.

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was attacked again Wednesday by Republican members of Congress who have already called for the board to be disbanded. Some civil liberties advocates also worry the group could violate freedom of speech.

With disinformation campaigns working to shape opinions on everything from the war in Ukraine to the presidential election in the United States, the rocky start for the board may undermine its effectiveness and hurt the efforts to staunch the harm that false narratives can cause.

US quietly expands asylum limits while preparing to end them

SAN DIEGO (AP)  The Biden administration has begun expelling Cubans and Nicaraguans to Mexico under pandemic-related powers to deny migrants a chance to seek asylum, expanding use of the rule even as it publicly says it has been trying to unwind it, officials said Wednesday.

The U.S. struck an agreement with Mexico to expel up to 100 Cubans and 20 Nicaraguans a day from three locations: San Diego; El Paso, Texas; and Rio Grande Valley, Texas, according to a U.S. official with direct knowledge of the effort.

The expulsions began April 27 and will end May 22, the official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement has not been made public. They are carried out under Title 42 authority, which was named for a public health law and used to expel migrants on the grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19. Title 42 is due to expire May 23.

The U.S. and Mexico agreed April 26 to very limited expulsions of Cubans and Nicaraguans, according to a high-level Mexican official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. It was prompted by higher numbers of migrants from those two countries coming to the U.S. border.

Another Mexican official, also not authorized to comment publicly, confirmed that up to 100 Cubans and 20 Nicaraguans were being expelled from San Diego under Title 42 under an agreement that runs through May 22.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Advocates worry other rights at risk if court overturns Roe

WASHINGTON (AP)  Little doubt remains about what the Supreme Court plans to do with Roe v. Wade. But uncertainty abounds about the ripple effects as the court nears a final opinion expected to overturn the landmark 1973 case that created a nationwide right to abortion. A leaked first draft of the majority opinion in the case suggests that a majority of justices are poised to toss out Roe. The drafts heated rhetoric also is generating concern that LGTBQ advances and other matters based on the right to privacy could be vulnerable in a newly hostile political environment. President Joe Biden warned on Wednesday that the courts opinion could jeopardize same-sex marriage, access to contraception and LGBTQ rights.

AP evidence points to 600 dead in Mariupol theater airstrike

LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Amid all the horrors that have unfolded in the war on Ukraine, the Russian airstrike on the theater being used as a bomb shelter in Mariupol on March 16 stands out as the single deadliest known attack against civilians to date. An Associated Press investigation has found evidence that the attack was far deadlier than estimated, killing closer to 600 people. Thats almost double the current estimates. The AP recreated what happened inside the theater on that day from the accounts of 23 survivors, rescuers, and people intimately familiar with the theaters new life as a bomb shelter. The AP also built a 3D model based on witness accounts, two sets of floor plans of the theater, photos and video taken inside before, during and after that day, and expert comment.

Ukraine: Russia using 'missile terrorism' in wide attacks

LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Russia is bombarding railroad stations and other targets in an attempt to cut off weapons supplies to Ukrainian defenders. The Russian defense minister complained that the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that his country would respond on the battlefield. Air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country. Attacks were reported near Kyiv, the capital, and in Dnipro, where a rail facility was hit. Heavy fighting continued at a steel mill in Mariupol, the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined port city. The attacks came as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war by proposing a ban on oil imports.

Fed raises key rate by a half-point in bid to tame inflation

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Federal Reserve intensified its fight against the worst inflation in 40 years by raising its benchmark interest rate by a half-percentage point  its most aggressive move since 2000  and signaling further large rate hikes to come. The increase in the Feds key short-term rate raised it to a range of 0.75% to 1%, the highest point since the pandemic struck two years ago. The Fed also said it will start reducing its huge $9 trillion balance sheet, made up mainly of Treasury and mortgage bonds. Reducing those holdings will have the effect of further raising borrowing costs throughout the economy.

AP sources: Donald Trump Jr. speaks with Jan. 6 committee

WASHINGTON (AP)  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.

'Corrupt to core' Caribbean premier gets bond in drug case

MIAMI (AP)  A federal judge in Miami has ruled that the premier of the British Virgin Islands can be released on a $500,000 bond, following his arrest on drug-smuggling charges in a U.S. government sting in South Florida. In a surprise decision, federal Judge Alicia Otazo-Reyes on Wednesday rejected prosecutors argument that Andrew Fahie would flee the U.S. if released pending trial on cocaine charges. Instead, she said he could remain in Miami, at the rented home of his two college-age daughters, if he and his family surrender their travel documents and he wears an ankle bracelet monitor as well as pay a $500,000 corporate surety bond.

What's next in the investigation of the Supreme Court leak?

WASHINGTON (AP)  Chief Justice John Roberts, in ordering an investigation into an egregious breach of trust in the leak of a Supreme Court draft opinion on abortion, has tasked a relatively unknown court official to carry out what could be one of the most high-profile investigations in decades. Despite the Biden administrations curtailing the governments ability to seize records from reporters, the courts marshal operates outside of that chain of command, opening the possibility for an investigation without traditional guardrails to protect journalists sources. Many questions remain about how the investigation will be carried out and whether a federal crime was committed.

LA hospital sued for racism in death of Black mother

LOS ANGELES (AP)  A man whose Black wife died shortly after giving birth to their second son has filed a civil rights lawsuit against Cedars-Sinai hospital alleging her death was the result of a culture of racism. Charles Johnson, whose wife, Kira, died in 2016 after her bladder was cut during a cesarean section said Wednesday he discovered rampant racism during testimony in his malpractice lawsuit against the hospital. The hospital said it was founded on principles of diversity and health care for all and rejected any mischaracterization of its culture and values. It also said it was working to eradicate unconscious bias in health care.

DHS disinformation board's work, plans remain a mystery

WASHINGTON (AP)  A newly formed Disinformation Governance Board remains shrouded in secrecy a week after the Biden administrations announcement of the new effort was met with widespread criticism. The Department of Homeland Security has released few details on how the board will work and what power it will have. Republican lawmakers on Wednesday stepped up calls for the group to be disbanded and civil liberties advocates question whether the board will violate Americans free speech rights. The boards bungled rollout could hurt existing efforts to identify and stop foreign disinformation campaigns from Russia, China and other adversaries, which have long been considered a national security threat by both Republican and Democratic administrations.

US quietly expands asylum limits while preparing to end them

SAN DIEGO (AP)  Officials say the Biden administration has begun expelling Cubans and Nicaraguans to Mexico under pandemic-related powers that deny migrants a chance to seek asylum, expanding use of the rule even as it publicly says it has been trying to unwind it. One U.S. official tells The Associated Press that up to 100 Cubans and 20 Nicaraguans are being expelled daily from three locations. A Mexican official confirms those numbers at at least one location. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the arrangement has not been made public.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Election 2022: JD Vance wins Ohio's GOP Senate primary

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Hillbilly Elegy author JD Vance has won Ohios contentious and hyper-competitive GOP Senate primary, buoyed by Donald Trumps endorsement in a race widely seen as an early test of the former presidents hold on his party. Vances win ends an exceptionally bitter and expensive primary contest that, at one point, saw two candidates nearly come to blows on a debate stage. And it marks a major victory for Trump, who has staked his reputation as a GOP kingmaker on his ability to pull his chosen candidates across the finish line. Democrat Nan Whaley, the former mayor of Dayton, will take on Ohio's incumbent Republican Gov. Mike DeWine in the general election after both secured their parties' nominations.

'Still in shock.' Abortion defenders, foes stunned by leak

People on both sides of the abortion divide have been anticipating that the Supreme Court this summer would reverse the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. On Monday night, a leaked draft opinion that would overturn Roe began ricocheting around the world. Even those preparing for the undoing of Roe said it was still staggering to see the blunt words of Justice Samuel Alito in print, forcing them to reckon with the likely reality the nation will enter soon. The owner of an Alabama abortion clinic, whose phones were ringing off the hook on Tuesday, said he was still in shock.

Primary takeaways: Trump passes test as kingmaker in Ohio

The primary election in Ohio stood as the first real test this midterm election season of former President Donald Trump's status as the Republican Party kingmaker  and he passed. His chosen GOP candidate in the tight U.S. Senate race, JD Vance, won Tuesday after trailing in the polls just three weeks ago. Another Trump-supported candidate, Ohios Republican secretary of state, Frank LaRose, easily survived a primary challenge. In the governor's primary, Republican incumbent Mike DeWine cruised to victory over three far-right challengers. Trump didn't endorse anyone in that race. He had castigated DeWine for his strict coronavirus policies in 2020.

Russia storms Mariupol plant as some evacuees reach safety

ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP)  Ukrainian fighters say Russian forces have begun storming a sprawling steel plant in the besieged port city of Mariupol. Tuesday's onslaught came as scores of civilians who had been evacuated from the plant reached safer territory. The U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine says 101 women, men, children, and older persons left the Azovstal steelworks. Elsewhere, Russian troops shelled a chemical plant in the eastern city of Avdiivka, killing at least 10 people. And explosions were heard in the western city of Lviv, which has been a haven for those fleeing fighting in the east.

Biden blasts 'radical' Roe draft, warns other rights at risk

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden is blasting what he calls a radical leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court is poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. On Tuesday, Biden warned that a whole range of rights are in jeopardy if it holds. The court cautioned that the draft was not final, and Chief Justice John Roberts said he had ordered an investigation into what he called an egregious breach of trust. Biden said he would work with Congress to legislate the right to abortion into federal law. But such efforts have failed in the past.

Ohio Republican Gov. DeWine will face Nan Whaley this fall

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP)  Former Dayton, Ohio, Mayor Nan Whaley has won the Democratic nomination for Ohio governor and will face incumbent Republican Mike DeWine this fall. Whaley is the first woman in the states history to receive a major partys backing for the top office. She bested ex-Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley on Tuesday. Whaley figures to be an underdog in November against DeWine in a state that hasnt elected a Democrat governor since 2006. DeWine topped three far-right opponents, including ex-U.S. Rep Jim Renacci, by relying on a huge fundraising advantage and a big network of supporters.

North Korea launches suspected missile toward sea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to bolster his nuclear arsenal at the fastest possible pace and threatened to use them against rivals. The launch came days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to accelerate the development of nuclear weapons and threatened to use them if provoked in a speech at a military parade. The launch is the latest in a string of weapons tests by North Korea, which experts say are aimed at boosting its weapons arsenal and pressuring its rivals to ease international sanctions.

Even as COVID cases rise, mask mandates stay shelved

NEW YORK (AP)  As mask mandates and vaccination rules kept falling across the U.S., infections from the latest COVID variants have been quietly taking hold in some places, sparking concern among public health officials but stirring a muted response from pretty much everyone else. More cities are now in new high-risk categories that are supposed to trigger indoor mask wearing, but there's been little appetite to do so. Much of upstate New York is in a high-alert category that reflects serious community spread. In New York City, cases are rising again, but it's unlikely Mayor Eric Adams will do an about face just a few months after many in his city shed masks and put away vaccination cards.

EXPLAINER: What's the latest in Russia's dance with default?

Russia's debt drama is far from over. Moscow likely made last-minute overdue payments before the end of a grace period that expires Wednesday. But there is still widespread expectation a default may be in the offing. The finance ministry has flirted with paying with rubles, saying that sanctions have frozen its hard currency reserves but swerved to pay in dollars. Ratings agencies say doing otherwise would be default. A finance industry committee is reviewing the status of Russia's debt and whether creditor insurance should be paid out. And more payments are due in coming days.

New Mexico governor seeking US disaster status for wildfire

LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP)  New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is asking President Joe Biden to declare a disaster as firefighters scramble to clear brush, build fire lines and spray water to keep the largest blaze burning in the U.S. from destroying more homes. The governor signed a request for a presidential disaster declaration Tuesday, while fire managers predicted the battle to protect towns in the state's northeast pine forests and mountains would become more intense later in the week. The fire is the result of two blazes that merged, one of which was a prescribed fire that jumped containment lines. About 6,000 homes have been evacuated and around 170 homes have been destroyed, but officials expect that number to grow.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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With two weeks until Pennsylvanias primary election, Republican candidates running for U.S. Senate and governor continue to sow doubts about the legitimacy of 2020s presidential election. Republicans have made anger over the 2020 election a staple of this years midterm primary campaigns. But such messages could be a liability in falls general election campaign. Democrats appear prepared to revisit former President Donald Trumps baseless election fraud claims, tying them to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and the ensuing armada of Republican-sponsored election legislation that Democrats frame as an attack on voting rights. Pennsylvanias primary election is May 17.
A Missouri man who killed a couple during a robbery at their rural home more than a quarter of a century ago was put to death Tuesday, becoming just the fifth person executed in the United States this year.

Carman Deck, 56, died by injection at the state prison in Bonne Terre. He was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. His fate was sealed a day earlier when neither the U.S. Supreme Court nor Republican Gov. Mike Parson stepped in to halt the execution. Decks death sentence was overturned three times before for procedural issues.

Deck mouthed a few inaudible words as the 5 grams of pentobarbital were administered, then puffed out a couple of breaths before all movement stopped, the process lasting just a few seconds.

My hope is that one day the world will find peace and that we all will learn to be kind and loving to one another, Deck said in a written final statement. We all are a part of this journey through life, connected in every way. Please give love, show love, BE LOVE!

Parson, in a statement, said the couple killed, James and Zelma Long, were innocent victims of Carman Decks heinous violence. Tonight, justice was served.

Just four other people have been executed in the U.S. in 2022  Donald Anthony Grant and Gilbert Ray Postelle in Oklahoma, Matthew Reeves in Alabama and Carl Wayne Buntio n last month in Texas. Eleven people were executed in the U.S. last year, the fewest since 1988.

Court records show that Deck, of the St. Louis area, was a friend of the grandson of the Longs, who lived in De Soto, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) southwest of St. Louis. He knew the couple, in their late 60s, kept a safe in their home.

In July 1996, Deck and his sister stopped at the home under the guise of asking directions. Deck wasnt surprised the couple let them in.

Theyre country folks, Deck told a detective, according to court records. They always do.

Once inside, Deck pulled a gun from his waistband. At Decks command, Zelma Long opened the safe and removed jewelry, then got $200 from her purse and more money hidden in a canister.

Deck ordered the couple to lie on their stomachs on their bed. Court records said Deck stood there for 10 minutes deciding what to do, then shot James Long twice in the head before doing the same thing to Zelma Long.

A tip alerted police to Deck, and he was arrested later that night outside his sisters apartment building in St. Louis County. The decorative tin canister from the Long home was on the floorboard of his car.

Prosecutors said Deck later gave a full account of the killings in oral, written and audiotaped statements. He was sentenced to death in 1998, but the Missouri Supreme Court tossed the sentence due to errors by Decks trial lawyer.

The U.S. Supreme Court threw out his second sentence in 2005, citing the prejudice caused by Deck being shackled in front of the sentencing jury.

He was sentenced to death for a third time in 2008. Nine years later, U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry determined that substantial evidence arguing against the death penalty in Decks first two penalty phases was unavailable for the third because witnesses had died, couldnt be found or declined to cooperate.

In October 2020, a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals restored the death penalty, ruling that Deck should have raised his concern first in state court, not federal court. Appeals of that ruling were unsuccessful.

The clemency petition on behalf of Deck cited abuse he suffered as a child, including beatings that left welts and sexual abuse. It said he and his siblings often were left alone without food. Deck's attorney, Elizabeth Unger Carlyle, said in a statement that Deck also was raped while in prison for theft at age 19.

This experience transformed him from a non-violent thief into the person who committed two terrible murders, Carlyle said. She called his execution unjust and immoral.

The number of executions in the U.S. has declined significantly since peaking at 98 in 1998. The drop has coincided with declining support, falling from a high of 80% in 1994 to 54% in 2021 according to Gallup polls. Since the mid-1990s, opposition has risen from under 20% to around 45%.

Use of the death penalty has become concentrated mostly in a few Southern and Plains states. Last year, Texas executed three inmates, Oklahoma executed two, and one each were put to death in Alabama, Mississippi and Missouri. Three federal inmates were executed in January 2021, toward the end of President Donald Trumps administration.

On Monday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee paused executions in his state for the rest of the year to enable a review of lethal injection procedures after a testing oversight forced the state to call off the execution of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die on April 21.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  She stood in just her bathrobe in the freezing basement of the Mariupol theater, coated in white plaster dust shaken loose by the explosion. Her husband tugged at her to leave and begged her to cover her eyes.

But she couldnt help it  Oksana Syomina looked. And to this day, she wishes she hadnt. Bodies were strewn everywhere, including those of children. By the main exit, a little girl lay still on the floor.

Syomina had to step on the dead to escape the building that had served as the Ukrainian citys main bomb shelter for more than a week. The wounded screamed, as did those trying to find loved ones. Syomina, her husband and about 30 others ran blindly toward the sea and up the shore for almost five miles (eight kilometers) without stopping, the theater in ruins behind them.

All the people are still under the rubble, because the rubble is still there  no one dug them up, Syomina said, weeping at the memory. This is one big mass grave.

Amid all the horrors that have unfolded in the war on Ukraine, the Russian bombing of the Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theater in Mariupol on March 16 stands out as the single deadliest known attack against civilians to date. An Associated Press investigation has found evidence that the attack was in fact far deadlier than estimated, killing closer to 600 people inside and outside the building. That's almost double the death toll cited so far, and many survivors put the number even higher.

The AP investigation recreated what happened inside the theater on that day from the accounts of 23 survivors, rescuers, and people intimately familiar with its new life as a bomb shelter. The AP also drew on two sets of floor plans of the theater, photos and video taken inside before, during and after that day and feedback from experts who reviewed the methodology.

With communications severed, people coming and going constantly, and memories blurred by trauma, an exact toll is impossible to determine. The government estimated early on that about 300 people died and has since opened a war crimes investigation, according to a document obtained by the AP.

AP journalists arrived at a much higher number through the reconstruction of a 3D model of the building's floorplan reviewed repeatedly by direct witnesses, most from within the theater, who described in detail where people were sheltering.

All the witnesses said at least 100 people were at a field kitchen just outside, and none survived. They also said the rooms and hallways inside the building were packed, with about one person for every 3 square meters of free space.

Many survivors estimated around 1,000 people were inside at the time of the airstrike, but the most anyone saw escape, including rescuers, was around 200. The survivors primarily left through the main exit or one side entrance; the other side and the back were crushed.

The AP investigation also refutes Russian claims that the theater was demolished by Ukrainian forces or served as a Ukrainian military base. None of the witnesses saw Ukrainian soldiers operating inside the building. And not one person doubted that the theater was destroyed in a Russian air attack aimed with precision at a civilian target everyone knew was the citys largest bomb shelter, with children in it.

James Gow, a professor of international security at Kings College London, said documenting what happened at the theater is critical to establishing a pattern of crimes against humanity in Ukraine.

This strong witness testimony will be important in establishing that (Russian illegal) conduct was widespread or systematic, said Gow, who also served as an expert witness at the U.N. International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Mariupol has taken on outsize importance as a symbol of the devastation inflicted by Russian forces and of the resistance from Ukraine. The city's fate is now hanging in the balance, and officials say around 20,000 civilians died during the Russian siege. With Mariupol cut off from access, many fear the bombing of the theater presages more war crimes that have yet to be discovered.

The elegant theater had stood in a square in the heart of Mariupol for more than 60 years, a stone building with white pillars, a classical frieze, and a distinctive red roof. It was once called the Russian Dramatic Theater, but local authorities removed the word Russian from the name in 2015. Last July, they ordered all performances to be conducted in Ukrainian.

The Russian siege of Mariupol started in the first days of March. The actors, designers and administrators who ran the theater took refuge there a few days later, on March 5. About 60 people spread out in a building with an audience capacity of 600, according to Elena Bila, who was a stage manager there for 19 years.

The city soon ordered the entire building opened as a bomb shelter, given its size, its unusually sturdy walls and its large basement. On the first day, about 600 people showed up, Bila said.

Every day, more and more people came, and they settled in the corridors. A group of 16 men formed a security committee, taking shifts to guard the front doors.

When people came in, they thought they were safe, Bila said. In fact, they werent safe.

About a week before the bombing, the theaters set designer used white paint to inscribe the word CHILDREN in Cyrillic letters on the pavement outside, in the hope of staving off an attack from above. The signs, painted in both the front and back entrances, were large enough to be read even from satellites.

On March 9, a Russian airstrike hit a maternity hospital just a few blocks away, and two or three pregnant women moved to the theater for safety, according to two theater employees. The women, along with families with small children, were given the most comfortable dressing rooms on the second floor, along a corridor behind the stage. It would turn out to be their doom.

By March 15, around 1,200 people crammed into the building, sleeping in offices, corridors, balconies, the basement. They lined the curved hallways and the warren of backstage offices and dressing rooms. They sat in the auditorium on once-plush seats whose stuffing was used as kindling for cooking fires.

But they avoided sleeping on the stage, which sat beneath a domed ceiling and felt uncomfortably like the bullseye it turned out to be. Only pets  cats and dogs  were kept there, directly under the dome. The cavernous basement prop room beneath it was empty.

By this time, the city no longer had electricity, food and water. The theater became a place where anyone could get food and water supplied by the Red Cross or news about possible evacuations. A water tank stood out front, and the field kitchen operated to one side.

People also flocked to the theater as the most likely starting point for any evacuations, to get near the front of the line. New arrivals registered at the entrance, where the cloakroom used to be. Just past the registration was what served as a warm welcome: A stand with hot tea.

Among those who showed up in the hope of evacuating on the morning of March 16 were the Kutnyakov family and their neighbors.

Any hesitation they might have had about abandoning their home evaporated when the building next door caught fire.

The six of them ran past a Russian tank, past a hospital already destroyed by shelling, then inadvertently toward another Russian tank, whose turret turned in their direction and opened fire. They hid briefly in the ruins of the childrens clinic at the hospital. Then they ran down a side street for the final half-mile (kilometer) to the theater.

We were immediately offered and poured tea, said Galina Kutnyakova, the 56-year-old matriarch. You have to imagine, we had hardly eaten or drunk for six days. Everyone was so happy because of the hot tea.

Lunch was at noon, they were told, and in the meantime, they could find space.

The basement was full already. So were the first and second floors. They saw a spot on the third floor, near enormous windows that everyone knew would surely shatter into knives of flying glass if the building was hit.

It was the only place available, so they took it. They swept it up with a broom and laid out the sheets theyd grabbed from home. It was just before 10 a.m.

Maria Kutnyakova, Galinas 30-year-old daughter, walked through the entire building in search of free space, noting the full rooms. She left her mother to handle the registration and went out by herself to find her uncle, who lived nearby. They hadnt seen him in nine days.

Thats when she heard warplanes flying in from the sea and heading to the Azovstal steel plant. She walked a little further, and heard a single plane, much closer.

Then came the explosion. As she hugged the edge of the nearest building, she thought to herself, So it exploded. Let it explode. Ive heard a million bombs like that, and the bottom line is it didnt hit me.

But she saw smoke rising from the enormous park with the theater at the center. The theater stood bare, with a huge chunk of its red roof on the ground. The meter (three-foot) thick walls by the field kitchen had disintegrated to dust.

Her mind froze. Her mother and sister were inside.

The airstrike hit around 10 a.m., squarely on the stage and field kitchen.

Maria Radionova had laid out a corner for herself and her two dogs just underneath, in the hall of the drama theater with the chandelier. The roof caved in and the chandelier shattered.

Radionova wasn't there. She had gone to stand on the steps at the entrance to the theater.

She heard the telltale whistle from a plane. A man grabbed her by the neck, pressed her against a wall and covered her. Debris and fragments of bricks flew at them.

The explosion threw another man back and face down onto glass. A wounded woman lay nearby in a huge pool of blood.

Radionova went back into the theater and tried to get into the hall. People were running and screaming, and lost children were frantically looking for their mothers. Radionova knew her dogs were dead.

They were all I had, she said, crying. This (was) actually my family.  I cried there for probably two hours.

Victoria Dubovytska, 24, had just folded blankets into a pile in the projection room where she was staying with her 2-year-old daughter, Anastasia, and 6-year-old son, Artem. When the bomb hit, they were thrown against the wall. The blankets tumbled on top of the toddler, shielding her small body from the slabs that fell next.

In the first seconds after the shock, the room was silent. Dubovytska feared her daughter was dead. Then Anastasias voice joined the other screams: Mama!

I understood she was alive, Dubovytska recalled. I dragged her out.It was a miracle she survived.

She took her son, her daughter and any documents she could find and ran out of the theater. Half of it had already crumbled.

As people fled the opposite way, Maria Kutnyakova ran into the hall looking for her mother and sister. She went to the third floor, but the windows were shattered and there was no sign of her loved ones or their belongings.

Hoarse shouts for family members filled the air. At first she too shouted Mom, but she quickly realized that everyone around her was shouting the same word. So she screamed the family name instead.

Someone answered, Masha Kutnyakova! With everyone shouting, she couldnt figure out where the voice came from. It sounded like it came from somewhere in the ground, but only the dead lay there. She thought she was going crazy.

She went to the stairs down to the basement and bomb shelter. There, at the bottom, stood her sister, covered in plaster dust, with a cat. She had been on the third floor and fled to the basement for cover.

Their mother wasn't upstairs but on the ground floor, near the medics office, and escaped out of a side exit. They made their way with a crowd of about 50 people to Mariupols Philharmonic, a nearby auditorium which was also serving as a shelter. That too came under shelling at sunset.

I wasnt killed in the theater, but Im going to die in the philharmonic, Maria Kutnyakova told herself bitterly. God, this is my cultural program for the day.

The shockwave from the explosion also reverberated outside the theater.

March 16 was Dmitriy Yurins 31st birthday. He was headed the 100 meters from his home to the theater, as he had done every morning in the past week, for food and water.

Near the entrance to the parking garage, the force of the blast knocked him to the ground. Yurin, a fisherman, picked himself up and ran to help, moving rubble to drag out those who were alive but couldnt walk.

I looked at my arms, and they were covered in blood up to the elbow, he said. And I was in a stupor, just shock.

He left for about 20 minutes to collect himself and rub off some of the blood, then returned. Most of the bodies were unreachable deep in the foundations, which were now in flames. Anybody they could reach, rescuers moved to the park.

Some of them werent alive, and some of them breathed their last on the street, Yurin remembered, sighing. We said goodbye to them.

One young woman  maybe 25 years old  stood out in his memory. He stuttered as he recalled her face.

They laid her out on a bare winter flowerbed, still conscious. Two women and a child stood by her, trying to reassure her through their tears.

Well live, dont die, everything will be fine, they said. Youll get help.

But she died in front of him.

Yurin left soon after. He numbly pulled on a neoprene suit he used for fishing on cold winter days and wrapped his feet in plastic bags. Then he plunged into the Azov Sea and swam for nearly a kilometer (half-mile) like a dog before emerging outside Mariupol. It took days, but he eventually made his way to safety in western Ukraine.

Yulia Marukhnenko also had been renting an apartment near the theater. When she heard the bang, Marukhnenko first looked to the field kitchen, but she knew everybody there was buried. So she rushed to the basements.

Trained in first aid, with a full kit on hand, she was facing problems no first aid could begin to help: limbs attached to no bodies, bodies with no limbs, bones sticking out. Those were the ones who died, either on the spot or in the days afterwards in a city with almost no functioning hospitals. One woman had her leg amputated but died anyway.

Marukhnenko and the two police officers working alongside her said a dozen people were pulled from the rubble, the last one around 4 p.m., six hours after the airstrike. Her name was Nadia.

Still in shock, Nadia said the explosion pulled her young son and husband away, and they died in the basement. The woman cradled a dachshund that belonged to her son, who had named the puppy Gloria. Nadia begged her rescuers to take the dog.

She asked for a cigarette. She said she hadn't smoked for seven months because her son had asked her to quit. But there was no longer anybody to quit for.

Nadia was taken to the hospital, and Marukhnenko doesn't know what happened to her. The dog is with Marukhnenko still.

If Nadia has survived, tell her that Gloria is fine, Marukhnenko said. She's eating well, she's all right, and she's with me.

The theater now lies in ruins, with its side and center blackened by fire. Russian forces control the neighborhood around it, and AP video shows heavy equipment swarming the rubble to further dismantle it. But the questions remain: How many bodies are there, and what happened to them?

A police officer who passed the theater a week after the airstrike said the smell of death was overpowering. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he still has relatives in Russia-controlled territory. Video taken by Russian state media shows no bodies inside, contrary to the descriptions of multiple witnesses.

The lack of bodies led the police officer and a Mariupol Red Cross official to speculate that perhaps fewer than 500 people died, but most survivors suggested the bodies were either pulverized into the dust or removed by the Russians. With the site off-limits to investigators and the rubble itself taken away, witness testimony and photos and video of the theater before and after it was bombed will be crucial, said Clint Williamson, who served as U.S. ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues from 2006 to 2009.

Without being able to get to the scene, it is going to be difficult to go much beyond that, he said.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has declared the attack on the Mariupol drama theater an egregious violation of international humanitarian law. The organizations mid-April report found that those who ordered or executed it committed a war crime. It also found no dispute that the destruction of the theater was deliberate.

This finding was echoed by two munitions experts interviewed by the AP, who said the scope of the destruction points to a 500-kilogram bomb from a Russian warplane.

Its much too much for an artillery shell, said Mark Cancian, an explosives analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former artillery officer. The fact that it hit square on would lead me to believe thats what they were aiming at.

Russian troops want to take over Mariupol because of its strategic value as a port and a link between territories in the south and east held by Russia-friendly forces. Moscow has declared victory, but Ukraine refuses to acknowledge defeat.

In the meantime, families are desperate for any news of loved ones. A Telegram channel for Ukraines missing has more than 19,000 posts, with photos and other details. More than 9,600 refer to Mariupol alone.

The survivors from the theater attack remain haunted by their memories of what the Russians did.

They came not to capture the city  they came to destroy it, said Maria Kutnyakova, sitting in another auditorium in the city of Lviv where artists recently staged a show to honor Mariupols theater and those killed inside. "They are trying to hide how many people actually died in Mariupol, hide their crimes.

Beatrice Dupuy and Marshall Ritzel in New York, and Cara Anna in Lviv, contributed to this report.

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.

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PHOENIX (AP)  Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Wednesday signed legislation that earmarks $400 million in state general fund cash to add a third lane in each direction to a 26-mile (42-kilometer) section of Interstate 10 south of Phoenix that has long been a congested bottleneck.

The highway section is the last stretch of I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson that is still just two lanes. That has led to slowdowns between Chandler and Casa Grande that limits commerce and impacts commuters traveling the section to and from growing Pinal County.

Ducey said at a signing ceremony attended by state lawmakers from both parties, the mayors of Chandler and Casa Grande and Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community that new manufacturers in Pinal County need the expansion, as do companies hauling freight from Mexico, commuters and tourists.

This legislation ensures that everyone in Arizona can get to their destination safely and quickly, even as our state continues to grow, Ducey said.

Electric car manufacturer Lucid Motors has a new plant in Casa Grande and electric and hydrogen fuel semi-truck manufacturer Nikola has opened a plant in Coolidge.

In addition to the third lane over the 26-mile (42-kilometer) section and extending an existing HOV lane by several miles, the project will improve several bridges and interchanges, replacing an existing bridge over the Gila River, improve a frontage road and make other safety improvements.

The project's total cost is estimated at $990 million, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Prior to Wednesday's $400 million general fund appropriation, $290 million in state, federal and Maricopa County cash had already been set aside for the project. ADOT will apply for an additional $300 million grant from federal infrastructure funds approved by Democratic President Joe Biden last year.

Construction is expected to begin early next year and be complete in 2026. Ducey called for the new spending in his January State of the State address.

Republican state Sen. T.J. Shope of Coolidge sponsored the legislation, which drew only two no votes in the 90-member Legislature. He has been working for a decade to secure the money needed to widen the section of highway.

"First and foremost, let us all remember that this expansion is necessary (for) the safety of the people who travel it on a daily basis," Shope said, noting the tragic accidents that have led to deaths along the highway.

The $400 million in state funds is available because of an unprecedented state budget surplus currently estimated at $5.3 billion, more than 40% of the current year's state budget. Republican lawmakers who hold the majority in the Senate and House have been at a stalemate for the past two months, with some demanding more tax cuts on top of last year's massive income tax cut and others demanding nearly $1 billion in new K-12 school spending.

In addition, Ducey wants $1 billion set aside for new water projects and has proposed raises for state workers and new spending on a variety of K-12 education and social programs.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Democratic U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown beat former state Sen. Nina Turner for the second time since last summer, easily prevailing in an Ohio primary billed nationally as a key showdown between the partys more moderate establishment and its activist progressive wing.

Brown, who had campaigned with South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the most senior Black member of Congress, and as a strong ally to President Joe Biden's domestic agenda, had topped Turner in July's special election primary  and did so again Tuesday. The president called Brown on Tuesday night to congratulate her on the victory and released a statement on Wednesday calling her win an important step forward."

Primaries in Ohio and the neighboring, Rust Belt state of Indiana helped kick into high gear a midterm season that will see Democrats attempt to defend their razor-thin congressional majorities this November.

A former Democratic Party county chair, Brown has only been in Congress a matter of months but came into the rematch with the power of incumbency. Turner, a leading surrogate for Bernie Sanders 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, was endorsed by the Vermont senator and top progressive groups, which had hoped for a second-try upset.

The Cleveland district where Brown and Turner squared off is heavily African American and solidly Democratic, making Brown heavily favored to retain her seat in Novembers general election. Our Revolution, the activist group that grew out of Sanders first presidential run, says it devoted 150 volunteers toward boosting Turner in the race, while the pro-Israeli Democratic political organization DMFI PAC announced spending more than $1 million for Brown.

During Rep. Browns five short months in Congress, she has proven to be a tenacious advocate for the people of her district and a fierce fighter for the Democratic agenda and our partys values," DMFI PAC President Mark Mellman said in a statement. Ohio Democrats sent a clear message that they want candidates who seek to unite the party.

Turner tweeted a video of her chanting loudly with supporters, We gon be alright. She told them that was her enduring message to the progressive movement.

Elsewhere, Republican Rep. Warren Davidson turned back a primary challenge from Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich, son of the famous doctor known for the anti-choking maneuver. Davidson had been endorsed by former President Donald Trump  whose backing helped author JD Vance win the much-watched GOP primary for Ohio's open Senate seat on Tuesday  while Heimlich had criticized the former president.

Trump's support proved valuable in other House primaries in Ohio as well.

Former Trump aide Max Miller locked up the Republican nomination in a new district in the northeastern part of the state despite being accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.

Meanwhile, the Akron-area district where another Trump pick, conservative commentator Madison Gilbert won the Republican nomination, should be one of the likely competitive House seats in November's general election. She'll face state Rep. Emilia Sykes, a former Ohio House Democratic leader and a daughter of a powerful political family in the area.

Conservative activist group FreedomWorks for America vowed that Gilbert would get Congress "out from under the thumb of radical Leftists.

Gilbert is the real deal, a fact that Ohioans have echoed with their votes tonight," Noah Wall, FreedomWorks for America executive director, said in a statement. "We are excited to continue mobilizing our grassroots army on Gilberts behalf as she heads into the general election.

Another tough congressional race could be coming to Cincinnati in November, when Republican Rep. Steve Chabot will face Democratic Cincinnati City Council member Greg Landsman.

Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in the House, has held her seat since 1983 and was unopposed in her primary on Tuesday. Four Republicans  including two sitting state lawmakers  competed to take her on in the fall, however, in a newly drawn district that hugs Lake Erie and could be a toss-up. The Republican primary there was still too early to call.

In Indiana, former state Sen. Erin Houchin topped eight other Republicans, including former U.S. Rep. Mike Sodrel, for the party's nomination in the state's only open House seat and will be heavily favored in November. GOP Rep. Trey Hollingsworth isnt seeking reelection in his southern Indiana district as he hints at running for governor in 2024.

Weissert reported from Washington.

Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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MADISON, Wis. (AP)  For the second time in as many weeks, a judge on Wednesday ordered that records related to the Republican-ordered investigation funded by taxpayers into the 2020 election in Wisconsin not be deleted, saying she was amazed such an order was necessary.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos hired former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman to investigate the election won by President Joe Biden. Vos last month extended Gableman's contract beyond its April 30 end-date, citing ongoing legal challenges to subpoenas he has issued. Vos and Gableman are also defendants in three open records lawsuits filed by the liberal watchdog group American Oversight.

Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington on April 21 ordered Gableman not to delete or destroy any record that is or may be responsive to the groups open records requests. Remington made the order after Gablemans attorney told American Oversight that it routinely deletes documents and text messages that are not of use to the investigation.

On Wednesday, another judge issued a similar order directed at Vos not to destroy records collected during a three-month period requested by American Oversight, saying he has control over Gableman since he contracted with him to do the work.

I dont want any records destroyed, Dane County Circuit Judge Valeria Bailey-Rihn said. Im frankly amazed that I have to say, `Dont destroy records that are subject to an open records request,' order that to occur. All of us know what the law is.

Vos' attorney Ronald Stadler argued that Gableman knows what the open records law requires, and has been ordered by Remington not to destroy records, so it does nothing to order Vos to tell him not to delete records. But the judge said Vos, as the contractor, has responsibility for Gableman and his actions and could be found in contempt if Gableman deleted records.

I just cant believe the explanation is We cant control our contractors," Bailey-Rihn said. "That doesnt seem to be satisfactory to the court. ... They have to control their contractors.

The nonpartisan Legislative Council, attorneys who advise the Legislature, said in October that deleting such records, even by a state contractor like Gableman, is a violation of Wisconsin law.

Gablemans attorney, James Bopp, has argued in court filings that the record retention law does not pertain to contractors.

American Oversight attorney Christa Westerberg argued Wednesday that there is evidence that Gableman deleted records that were in his control for the period covered by the open records request between June and Aug. 30 last year. She said American Oversight has received just 27 pages of records from Gableman.

In response to another lawsuit, Vos has produced roughly 20,000 deleted records related to the investigation. The case on Wednesday pertained to records held by Gableman.

These contractors are run amok with respect to the records of the investigation, Westerberg said. She said that Vos and Assembly Clerk Ted Blazel were "exercising no control over their contractor with respect to these records.

Stadler argued that Vos has produced all of the records he has.

Where are the deleted records?" he said. "Where is their proof of deleted records?

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP)  Ever since Northern Ireland was founded as a Protestant-majority state a century ago, its governments have been led by unionist politicians who defined themselves as British.

But if opinion polls are right, an election Thursday will see Sinn Fein, an Irish nationalist party that seeks union with Ireland, become the largest group in the 90-seat Northern Ireland Assembly. That would give Sinn Fein the post of first minister in the Belfast government for the first time.

It would be a milestone for a party long linked to the Irish Republican Army, a paramilitary group that used bombs and bullets to try to take Northern Ireland out of U.K. rule during decades of violence. And it would bring Sinn Feins ultimate goal of a united Ireland a step closer.

But its not what the party  or voters  want to talk about in a campaign that has been dominated by more immediate worries: long waiting lists for medical care and the soaring cost of food and fuel.

I now ration my heat to one hour a day, said Sinead Quinn, who set up the group Derry Against Food Poverty to press politicians to act on the cost-of-living crisis.

My entire circle of friends is affected by this. I dont think you can throw a stone in Northern Ireland and miss a community that being affected by it.

The economic crunch  driven by the war in Ukraine, COVID-19 pandemic disruption and Britain's exit from the European Union  is also dominating election debate elsewhere in the U.K. Votes Thursday to elect local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales are a test for beleaguered British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose popularity has been battered by scandals over lockdown rule-breaking.

In Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein has downplayed talk of a united Ireland in its campaign to focus on bread-and-butter issues.

The things that the public want us to respond to is trying to put money in their pockets to help them deal with the cost-of-living crisis, said Michelle ONeill, the party's leader in Northern Ireland, during a televised election debate on Tuesday. She said she was not fixated on a date for a unity referendum.

Many voters simply hope the election will produce a functioning government, but that appears unlikely in the short term.

Under Northern Irelands power-sharing system, created by the 1998 peace agreement that ended decades of Catholic-Protestant conflict, the jobs of first minister and deputy first minister are split between the biggest unionist party and the largest nationalist one.

Both posts must be filled for a government to function. The Democratic Unionist Party, which has been the largest in the Northern Ireland Assembly for two decades, has suggested it might not serve under a Sinn Fein first minister.

The DUP also says it will refuse to join a new government unless there are major changes to post-Brexit border arrangements, known as the Northern Ireland Protocol, that are opposed by many unionists.

The political institutions must be sustainable. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said during Tuesdays debate. And that means we have got to deal with the big issues that are in front of us, not least the harm that the Northern Ireland Protocol is doing to undermine political stability in Northern Ireland.

The post-Brexit rules have imposed customs and border checks on some goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the U.K. The arrangement was designed to maintain an open border between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland, a key pillar of the peace process.

But unionists say the new checks have created a barrier between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K. that undermines their British identity.

The instability has led to rising tensions and sporadic violence, including a week of rioting in Protestant Loyalist areas a year ago. Last month, police were pelted with petrol bombs after a dissident Irish Republican parade in Derry, also known as Londonderry.

The British government is pressing the EU to agree to major changes  removing most customs checks  and is threatening to unilaterally stop implementing the rules if the bloc refuses.

Negotiations have reached an impasse, with the bloc accusing Johnson of refusing to impose rules he agreed to in a legally binding treaty.

Meanwhile, politics in Northern Ireland are changing. More support is going to parties that identify as neither nationalist nor unionist, with young people increasingly rejecting the traditional labels. Polls suggest the centrist Alliance Party is vying for second place with the DUP, another potentially seismic development.

Full results of the election, which uses a system of proportional representation, are not expected until the weekend at the earliest.

The new legislators will meet next week to try to form an executive. If none can be formed within six months, the administration will collapse, triggering a new election and more uncertainty.

Quinn, the anti-poverty activist, said that would be a dereliction of duty.

Both communities  all communities and none  are struggling here, she said. Its wider than the usual Northern Ireland flavor of politics, that green and orange tribal dance," she added, in a reference to the colors associated with nationalists and unionists, respectively.

Im really hoping that the politicians are listening.

Lawless reported from London

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  A federal judge refused Wednesday to order New York to hold its congressional and state Senate primaries this spring using district maps declared unconstitutional by state judges, saying a legal effort by Democrats to revive the maps looked unlikely to succeed.

Lets be frank. This is a Hail Mary pass, the object of which is to take a long shot to have the primary conducted on state lines that the court says is unconstitutional, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan said.

A group of voters filed a lawsuit asking federal judges to intervene in New York's redistricting battle after the state's highest court ruled that district maps crafted by the state Legislature had been improperly gerrymandered to favor Democrats. Those maps would have given Democrats a clear edge in 22 of the state's 26 congressional districts.

Replacement maps are now being drawn by an independent scholar at Carnegie Mellon University under the supervision of a state judge. The judge ordered the state's primaries for Congress and state Senate moved from June to August so the redistricting process would have enough time to play out.

A small group of voters, represented by Democratic attorney Marc Elias, asked the federal courts to block that plan, arguing that New York has to hold its primary in June because of a 2012 court order by another federal judge, Gary Sharpe, who is based in Albany.

The lawsuit said that if the state has to hold its primary in June, it is too late to draft new maps, even if the ones crafted by the Legislature were unconstitutional.

Kaplan said forcing the state to use unconstitutional district maps simply to comply with an old court deadline that could easily be changed would trigger chaos.

What are candidates supposed to do? What are voters supposed to do? What are all the people concerned with elections supposed to do? I would be hard pressed to imagine a scenario that would cast into greater disrepute the rationality, the fairness, the consistency of the holding of elections in this great country, than to precipitate that, Kaplan said. Its decidedly against the public interest. And Im simply rejecting the applications.

Kaplan said New York could easily ask for permission to delay primary from Judge Sharpe, who's previously approved New York's requests to tweak its political calendar. State Board of Elections attorney Brian Quail told Kaplan the board would do so by the end of the day Thursday.

Christina Ford, an attorney representing the voters who filed the lawsuit, had argued New York lacks time to craft new maps and meet all voting rights deadlines by August.

New York's gubernatorial and state Assembly primaries are still set to take place June 28.

The state Legislature also retooled Assembly district maps this year, through the same process that the court has ruled was unconstitutional, but Court of Appeals judges said they didn't toss them out because a lawsuit filed by GOP voters didnt specifically challenge them.

On Wednesday, former Democratic candidate Gary Greenberg filed a lawsuit asking a state judge in Steuben County to toss and order new Assembly maps and delay Assembly races until August 23 as well.

Associated Press writer Larry Neumeister in New York contributed to this report.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Stanislav Shushkevich, who steered Belarus to independence, served as its first leader and is reported to have taught Russian to John F. Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald in the 1960s, has died. He was 87.

Shushkevich died early Wednesday, according to his wife, Irina, after hospitalization last month for COVID-19.

Shushkevich was a harsh critic of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who succeeded him as the nation's leader in 1994 and has ruled with an iron fist ever since, relentlessly crushing dissent.

When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, Shushkevich criticized Lukashenko for allowing Moscow to use Belarus as a staging ground for amassing troops and launching the war.

When the occupation of Belarus ends, when peace, the law and sovereignty return to Belarus, streets and monuments to Stanislav Shushkevich will certainly appear in Belarussian cities," Belarus exiled opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, said Wednesday.

Memorializing Shushkevich, she said his journey toward a free, peaceful and independent Belarus were continuing, day by day.

Shushkevich, a university professor, became a lawmaker in Belarus during Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's political reforms. Following a botched hardline Soviet coup in August 1991, he was elected to lead the then-republic as the speaker of the Belarusian legislature.

On Dec. 8, 1991, Shushkevich hosted the leaders of Russia and Ukraine at a secluded hunting lodge near Poland to sign an agreement that declared the Soviet Union defunct and formed a new alliance of the three Slavic republics called the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Two weeks later, eight other Soviet republics joined the alliance, effectively terminating the authority of Gorbachev, who stepped down on Dec. 25, 1991.

Shushkevich spoke about the signing of the agreement with pride in an interview last year with The Associated Press. He called the accord he signed with Boris Yeltsin of Russia and Leonid Kravchuk of Ukraine a diplomatic masterpiece.

A great empire, a nuclear superpower, split into independent countries that could cooperate with each other as closely as they wanted, and not a single drop of blood was shed, Shushkevich told the AP.

We decided to shut the prison of nations, he said. There was nothing to feel contrition for.

Shushkevich argued that he and the other leaders saw no point in Gorbachevs efforts to keep the remaining 12 Soviet republics together.

The Baltic republics of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia already had seceded, and the failed August coup against Gorbachev by hard-line Communist Party members had eroded his authority and encouraged other republics to seek independence.

All versions of the union treaty boiled down to the restoration of the old ways or to Gorbachevs proposal of a new structure where he still would be the boss, Shushkevich said.

As Belarus' first post-Soviet leader, Shushkevich faced daunting challenges amid an economic meltdown and political turmoil that followed the breakup of the USSR. Shushkevich's popularity waned, and when the country held its first presidential election in 1994, populist Lukashenko won by a landslide after promising to shore up the crumbling economy, combat corruption and restore Soviet-era social benefits.

Before his prominent role in the breakup of the USSR, Shushkevich became a footnote in another historic event. He taught Russian to Lee Harvey Oswald when they worked at the same radio factory in Minsk in the early 1960s. Oswald went on to assassinate U.S. President John F. Kennedy.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte tweeted about the news of Shushkevichs death that his signature on the declaration dissolving the Soviet Union will live in history, his memory - in our hearts.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
LA PORTE CITY  The superintendent of Union Community Schools has been disciplined by the state board that licenses educators for alleged failures in an investigation of teacher misconduct.

Travis Fleshner, who was recently hired to begin leading Aplington-Parkersburg Community Schools this summer, received a written reprimand from the Board of Educational Examiners at its April 22 meeting.

He had been under investigation for his handling of the case of former Union Middle School teacher Mark Hookham. The teacher resigned in April 2021 while district officials were investigating allegedly inappropriate email exchanges with two students at the middle school in Dysart. In March, the state board suspended Hookhams license for at least five years.

According to the settlement agreement in Fleshners case, the board investigation led to charges that he created conditions harmful to student learning and, as an administrator, failed to protect the health and safety of staff and students.

I know what I was asked to do throughout this process (of investigating Hookham) and I know what I was advised to do by legal counsel and followed that, Fleshner said in an interview. Settlement documents indicate investigators came to the conclusion that he did follow counsels advice and that Fleshner does not admit to the violations it outlines. He acknowledged, though, if proven they would be grounds for the discipline agreed to.

Theres lots of dialogue back and forth between parties, and it was determined that the reprimand was the best course to go forward, he said.

Fleshner also agreed to complete a course in allegations of child sexual abuse and grooming within one year. Additionally, he will review circumstances surrounding the complaint and statutory expectations with an Iowa Department of Education official.

The superintendent said he is not leaving Union Schools because of the state boards investigation.

There was no correlation between the two, he said, suggesting everything was fine when he applied for the Aplington-Parkersburg job. It was just an opportunity that presented itself.

Randy Strabala, interim superintendent in Aplington-Parkersburg, said every candidates past was looked at and discussed during the Board of Educations superintendent search process. The state investigation into Fleshners handling of the teacher misconduct case came to light through the process.

We were aware of it, he noted. The search company had done the vetting. The board discussed everything, they were aware of it and they explored it all the way around.

The districts board approved a three-year contract with Fleshner on Feb. 21 and a first-year salary of $147,000.

Strabala said the educational examiners reprimand doesnt change anything. It was anticipated that there would probably be some type of discipline, he explained.

The Union Board of Education went through a search process after accepting Fleshners resignation Feb. 21. On April 18, board members approved a contract with John Howard. He is currently the secondary principal at Independence Community Schools.

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In 1972, Shirley Hunter Johnson was a single mother, pregnant with her fourth child. After three difficult pregnancies in which she suffered from severe preeclampsia, a sometimes fatal condition, she decided to get an abortion. Her life depended on it.

Hunter Johnson traveled from her home in Rock Island to New York, where abortion was legalized three years before the landmark case of Roe v. Wade made it legal across the country. But since Hunter Johnson was already past 24 weeks of pregnancy, she was turned away.

Hunter Johnson returned home and died on July 13, 1972, at the age of 33, along with her unborn child. She left behind three young children, ages 11, 8 and 1.

When news broke Monday of a leaked draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court that would overturn the Roe v. Wade decision, two of Hunter Johnson's children reacted with disappointment.

"I'm a little numb about the whole thing. It's really sad that we're going to have to fight this fight again," said Tracy Jones, now 51. "It feels like we're slipping backwards."

Jones said after she was born, her mother was cautioned that if she became pregnant again, she could possibly die. Jones' mother and father divorced in December, 1971. Her mother started dating and soon became pregnant.

"At that time, if you were a single woman, you couldn't access birth control pills," Jones said.

It wasn't until March 1972 that the Supreme Court ruled unmarried couples could have access to birth control.

Jones said by the time her mother had saved enough money for the journey to New York to get an abortion, it was too late. The cause of death on Hunter Johnson's death certificate is listed as "eclampsia." She is buried in Chippiannock Cemetery, Rock Island.

Jones said her mother's death "tore the whole family apart" and wonders how things might have been different had her mother been able to easily access women's healthcare and an abortion.

"It was the 1970s. Now, they would probably get the kids into therapy," Jones said. "No one ever talked about her. We would only see my mom's side of the family on Christmas Eve. This subject is so touchy. No one ever talked about it. I don't have anything personal of hers; I don't have anything I can touch and say, 'this is my mom's.'"

Jones' older brother, Gregg Johnson, was just 8-years-old when their mother died.

Like Jones, he also was shocked to hear women could once again be denied the right to govern their own bodies without interference from the government.

"I'm stunned; I'm still processing it," Johnson said. "We kept thinking this could happen, but we also thought, this can't happen. This does affect me personally. As someone who lost his mother 50 years ago because she didn't have access to abortion, I only knew I had no memory of my mother.

"I was profoundly sad as a child. I didn't want to be here for many years. I thought God would be merciful and take me at some point, because I did miss my mom."

Johnson fears the ramifications the Supreme Court's decision would have on his two adult step-daughters and his 10-year-old daughter should they find themselves in a similar situation.

Johnson is currently running as a Democratic candidate for Illinois state Representative in District 72. If elected, he vows to fight to keep abortion legal in Illinois.

"I think Illinois has done a very good job of protecting women's reproductive rights," he said. "These fights are occurring in so many states. We can't pretend as if Illinois is going to be a Nirvana for women to have their independence and reproductive rights. This is something Republicans are going to push at the national level should they retake Congress.

"I'm willing to tell my story anywhere, anytime in order to prevent that from happening. But this is not my story; it's my mother's story. It is my family's story," Johnson said. "No mother should ever have to worry about what's going to happen to her three kids because she doesn't have the ability to make her own decisions. No family should go through what my family went through."

Jones helped organize a women's rights rally in Rock Island's Schwiebert Park in September to celebrate the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. In attendance was Johnson and their older sister, Kathy Yungen. Jones put a photo of their mother on a poster to make a point.

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, Jones fears for the country.

"We're in a lot of trouble," she said. "Progress is made with little steps and it's the same way with a decline. (Conservatives) start chipping away at things. The next thing could be birth control. There is already no Planned Parenthood clinic in the Quad Cities. It's already not easy to access birth control if you're a teenage girl. Let's say you don't want to tell your parents. Where are you going to go?

"We've made progress, but now it's getting taken away."

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Mutual of Omaha would acquire an additional downtown block as part of its new $443 million headquarters project, while the City of Omaha would purchase the parking garage thats part of the new skyscraper.

Those are just some of the new details spelled out in the development agreement between the city and Mutual that will go before the City Council later this month.

In addition to acquiring the block occupied by the downtown Omaha library, Mutual of Omaha plans to buy the block to the east to ensure space for future growth.

For its part, the City of Omaha would pay $99 million to buy the 2,200-space parking garage thats part of the project, charge the company to lease parking for its employees, and make the parking spots available for other public uses outside the workday.

Similarly, the development agreement calls for the city to acquire and operate for public use the three parking garages on the current Mutual of Omaha campus in midtown.

The 138-page development agreement contractually sets out the rights and obligations of both Mutual and the city in the massive project  not the least of which is the requirement that the city develop a streetcar line linking downtown and midtown.

That provision underscores what Mutual has said since the new headquarters skyscraper was first announced: The streetcar is vital to making the finances work of the project for the Fortune 500 insurance company.

Having the streetcar run by Mutuals current midtown campus enhances the propertys redevelopment value, helping defray the cost of building the new high-rise downtown.

The streetcar really does enable the economics to work, Mutual of Omaha CEO James Blackledge said in a recent interview. This is a very expensive project. So we just want to help people understand that connection, and hopefully provide some encouragement to folks to continue to move that down the road here.

Mayor Jean Stothert in January pledged her support for the $306 million, 3-mile streetcar line, which was announced in conjunction with Mutuals plan to anchor its headquarters in downtowns corporate core by 2026.

Kevin Andersen, a deputy chief of staff to the mayor, said the citys participation in the agreements  including the purchase of the parking garages  will not only help promote construction of the new tower, but also will help spur other future growth in Omahas urban core.

We think not only supporting the Mutual development, but the transactions that take place within the agreements, also helps position the city to take advantage of growth opportunities downtown and around the midtown area, Andersen said.

Blackledge likewise called the projects and the agreements spelling them out a win-win for Mutual and the city.

When it opens in 2026, the new Mutual tower figures to reshape downtown Omaha. Its the first significant addition to downtown Omahas skyline in almost a generation. And there may never have been a bigger single infusion of workers into Omahas downtown core than the move of Mutuals workforce of 4,000.

Blackledge said the exact height of the Mutual building still has not yet been determined. Yet he continues to say it will be on the scale of the First National Bank Tower, Omahas tallest building.

Many aspects of the agreement publicly released last week have previously been disclosed, among them the $68 million in public tax-increment financing dollars that will help fund public improvements and other costs of the project.

Mutuals planned acquisition of the block to the east bounded by 13th, 14th, Douglas and Farnam is new. However, city officials have previously said the block  once part of Gene Leahy Mall  was slated to be redeveloped.

The ongoing reconstruction of Gene Leahy Mall causes the block to be lopped off the west end of the mall by busy 13th Street. The mall had been constructed decades ago as a valley that dipped beneath 13th Street, but the new layout for the revamped mall is set at street level.

During the four-year construction period for Mutuals tower, the block would serve as a staging area for construction. Thats the same role it is now serving for the ongoing Gene Leahy Mall overhaul.

After the tower opens in 2026, Mutual expects to develop the block into a temporary public space pending future growth needs, Blackledge said.

Its not going to just sit there with dirt on it, he said.

If its found over time that Mutual will not need the block, the land will be sold back to the city to ensure it will be redeveloped.

The mayors office understood our need and was helpful in getting that into the agreement, Blackledge said.

While Mutuals initial interest in the block is for expanded office space, Andersen anticipates room for additional development on the property. Whatever is developed must be an aesthetic fit with the tower to the west and the park to the east.

We knew that the development of those two blocks had to be very carefully coordinated, Andersen said.

No sale price has yet been set for the block, which will be based on its current market value.

The agreement obligates the city to purchase from Mutual the 12-story parking garage thats part of the tower project. The $99 million sales price is based on $45,000 for each of the estimated 2,200 stalls, which Blackledge said is the cost per space to build the garage.

The city would be the owner and operator of the garage. The city would finance the purchase with bonds and pay them back over time with parking revenue from Mutual and other users.

Blackledge noted the shared use of the garage  by Mutual workers by day and other community uses at other times  fits with the recent urban core plan released by the Greater Omaha Chamber. That plan emphasizes shared parking as a way to maximize the density of both business and housing development.

Because the city will ultimately own the garage, it has the right to approve final plans for it.

The City of Omaha currently owns and operates six other parking garages, including Park 8, where it leases spots to Union Pacific for its workers. The city previously announced it intends to purchase a parking garage associated with a new development in Blackstone for $19 million.

Similarly, the agreement calls for the city to acquire two parking garages that Mutual owns at its current headquarters near 33rd and Dodge and as well as another it owns at Midtown Crossing. The $53 million price is based on $15,000 for each of 3,552 stalls. As with the downtown Mutual garage, the city would finance the purchase over time with bonds and would charge the public for use.

Once the streetcar is operating, Blackledge said, the midtown garages could become park-and-ride parking for people headed downtown for work or other events.

City officials express confidence in the viability of the parking garage purchases, which they say will aid the citys plans for redevelopment both downtown and in midtown.

The thing I stress is that we look at parking and mobility as a system rather than these stand-alone structures, Andersen said. As a system, were confident in the investment and what that means for the city in supporting these important (redevelopments).

City ownership of the midtown garages will not only facilitate the reuse of Mutuals existing campus, but also help spur other new development in the area, he said.

That is a very important aspect of this, and a really exciting opportunity for the city, he said.

In related move, the city would once again assume maintenance obligations for Turner Park, located just to the east of Midtown Crossing.

Mutual had signed a 25-year agreement to maintain the park when it developed Midtown Crossing more than a decade ago. With Mutual now planning to leave the neighborhood, the agreement would be terminated early, with the city taking over the maintenance obligation sooner.

A public hearing on the redevelopment agreement will be held by the Omaha City Council on May 10 at 2 p.m. in the citys legislative chambers, 1819 Farnam St. Council members will vote on the agreement May 17.

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WAHOO, Neb. (AP)  A jury has found a Nebraska man guilty of first-degree murder and other counts in the stabbing death of his fiance nearly two years ago in their Saunders County home as her two young children slept upstairs.

Kolton Barnes, 27, of Malmo, was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder in the July 15, 2020, death of 27-year-old Kayla Matulka at their Malmo home, the Lincoln Journal Star reported. The jury also found Barnes guilty of animal cruelty, two counts of child abuse, two counts of use of a deadly weapon and evidence tampering.

Investigators said Barnes kicked in the homes locked door after Matulka ended the relationship, then beat, strangled and stabbed Matulka more than two dozen times. Police said Barnes left Matulka's naked, blooded body  with a restraint still attached to one of her wrists  in the home for her children, ages 11 and 6, to find.

Prosecutors painted a picture of a man who changed his story to police repeatedly and told the the jury he had deleted texts he had sent to Matulka saying he would break into the house. Barnes initially told police he was being framed, prosecutors said, then that Matulka had killed herself. At trial, he changed his story again to claim self-defense, saying that Matulka killed the dog and then attacked him.

Barnes faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole when he's sentenced in July.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Lincoln Journal Star.

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BEATRICE, Neb. (AP)  A man who was shot by a Beatrice police officer in a confrontation following a high-speed chase over the weekend has died, Beatrice Police Chief Bruce Lang said.

Lang said Bradley Allen, 35, of Lincoln, died Tuesday afternoon  nearly three days after the Saturday night shooting, radio station KWBE reported.

The incident began when a Gage County sheriffs deputy tried to pull Allen's car over, and a chase of more than 100 mph at times ensued, Lang said.

Once police disabled the vehicle, the driver fled on foot, the chief said. Allen was later confronted by a Beatrice officer, who said Allen yelled that he had a gun. An officer tried unsuccessfully to use a stun gun on Allen, police said. When Allen reached into his waistband, an officer fired several shots, hitting Allen several times.

No gun was found on Allen after the shooting, police said.

Allen was taken to a Lincoln hospital, and police later said he was in critical but stable condition following surgery.

The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating the shooting. Allen had pending arrest warrants from Nebraska and Kansas at the time of his death, police said.

Officials have not named the officer who shot Allen, but say he has been placed on administrative assignment pending the outcome of the investigation.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Black Hills Pioneer. April 30, 2022.

Editorial: Amended minutes cloud governmental transparency

The recent action of the Butte County Commission to slash a portion of its meeting minutes following the objection of a board member flies in the face of governmental transparency.

Initiated Measure 26, which legalized medical cannabis, garnered the support of nearly 70% of votes cast in the 2020 General Election. In Butte County, 61%, or 2,888 residents, voted in favor of legalization.

It required municipality and county governments to offer the opportunity for at least one dispensary establishment license within its boundaries. However, the number of licenses and types of facility licensure permitted falls under an individual governmental entitys discretionary umbrella.

In recent months, a group comprised of more than two dozen Butte County residents have continued a sustained effort to fight the county commissions stance which led to the October 2021 adoption of its amended ordinance regulating medical cannabis establishments within the county.

First amassing at the Feb. 15 meeting, the group has made appearances in each of the five meetings since, sometimes only a handful attended, and others hosted more than two dozen members.

On at least two occasions, the group drew large numbers, necessitating last-minute changes in venue, moving the crowd from the smaller commission room adjacent to the countys second floor register of deeds office to the third-floor courtroom.

The ongoing dialogue between the commissioners and the concerned citizens at times got heated. When peppered with anxieties and queries from residents, the responses from the commissioners frequently turned defensive, reacting with justifications to rationalize their actions on the now six-month-old ordinance.

None of the groups members attended any of the numerous meetings leading up to the commissions adoption of the ordinance.

The collection of county residents often responded antagonistically toward the board, tossing around accusations of rushing the ordinance through its paces and proceeding on the regulation armed with woeful misinformation. In fact, at the March 15 meeting, Butte County Sheriff Fred Lamphere attempted to deescalate some of the residents a handful of times, insisting those participating in misconduct behave in a respectful manner.

On March 15, Buck Casey, a resident who recently moved from California, was placed on the agenda to speak in opposition of the countys medical marijuana ordinance. He spoke for 43 minutes, fielding a handful of questions from commissioners.

With 12 years worth of law enforcement experience under his belt, Casey pleaded with the county about the corrosive effect he believed legalized cannabis had on his home state.

At its subsequent meeting on April 5, Commissioner Karrol Herman, who was not present at the March 15 meeting, protested approval of the portion of the meeting minutes that detailed Caseys lengthy presentation. Alleging the 793-word thorough account of Caseys discussion was inappropriate as she believed his testimony was comprised of his opinion.

We deal with facts here, Herman said, proposing the detailed account be stricken from the countys official record.

Additionally, she declared that publishing minutes of that length in the legal newspaper, the Black Hills Pioneer, as required by state law, constituted a wasteful expenditure of tax dollars. Meeting minutes are recorded in the legal newspaper which serve as the permanent record and an unbiased, third party.

So, what does state law say?

According to South Dakota Codified Law 7-18-3, the board shall publish a full and complete report of all its official proceedings at all regular and special meetings and shall publish proceedings as soon after any meeting as practicable.

So, is publishing the more detailed minutes wasteful?

We dont think so. Butte County, from March 15, 2021, to March 31, 2022, spent $6,992.14 on legal notices with the Black Hills Pioneer. Those legal notices included meeting minutes, notices of hearings, planning and zoning changes, highway bids, and so much more. All these critical informational items add up to 0.0013% of the countys $5.35 million budget. Thats thirteen-one-thousandths of 1%.

Although the specific extent of detail required to be recorded is moderately ambiguous, the law indicates that meeting minutes should give a complete and objective account of what happened at a particular meeting.

On April 19, the commission approved the amended minutes for its March 15 meeting, which contained 764 fewer words. The document was revised to an abridged 29 words, slashing the official record by 96.34%.

Where is the transparency in a 43-minute dialogue summarized by 29 words?

We have questions.

Why would the commission allow Casey to rant for nearly an hour? Especially as his agenda item was not slated as an action item.

Was it the commissions aim to provide Casey a platform from which he anticipated that his concerns would be heard and earnestly considered with open-mindedness, only to find that his passionate and time-consuming communication fell on deaf, unmoved ears?

Why did Herman not seek legal advice from the states attorney as was requested she do?

Were 792 words really necessary to provide a full and complete report of the agenda item? Perhaps not. But 29 words certainly does not present a true account.

Yankton Press & Dakotan. May 3, 2022.

Editorial: Beds For Kids And What We Dont See

How well do you know your own hometown?

That may have been the biggest underlying question that emanated from a story in Tuesdays Press & Dakotan about a generous local action that meets a local need that few people likely knew or dreamed existed locally.

The story profiled the work of a group called Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), which spent part of last Saturday at Yankton High Schools CMTEA/RTEC facility constructing beds to be distributed to local kids who otherwise dont have beds to call their own. The groups motto is simple and, when you ponder it, stark: No kid sleeps on the floor in our town.

Since the fall of 2020, SHP has distributed 130 such beds to kids in Yankton.

Believe me, going into these homes and seeing the children, they are really needing those beds, former Optimist Club President Mary Milroy, who is part of the local effort, told the P&D. Were not there to upgrade (old) beds, but if a kid is sleeping on the floor, couch, on an air mattress, with a parent, anything like that, where they do not have a bed, automatically, they qualify.

This isnt a problem you might expect to see in Yankton, or in any other town or city where you live  a fact that Milroy noted. Oh, my gosh, we have this in our community? This is a need? Thats the remark Ive heard from many people, she said.

Its a reminder not only that we tend to overlook these issues that fall through the cracks, but also that modern communities generally have become quite adept at hiding their problems, such as homelessness and hunger. Its not done out of unfeeling malevolence or indifference; rather, its simply a means of coping with some social issues.

On the other hand, this matter is also a reminder that there are usually organizations, civil groups and volunteers working to address these problems that are otherwise swept out of sight and out of mind.

The local SHP group got its idea from the Brookings SHP chapter, the members of which have their own stories of the needs within their community. The Brookings group has provided indispensable help to Yanktons efforts.

Unfortunately, these efforts are needed.

And that need does give you another view of life in Yankton or Brookings or Sioux Falls or anywhere else where these issues exist.

We can be appreciative of the organizers and volunteers that work to address these needs that we didnt realize were even there.

And realizing that the problem exists is usually the first, best step in the right direction.

END

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Just south of Leighton Avenue, near the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's East Campus, sits a secluded white house.

It's been there for nearly a century and hasn't been occupied for years. It's difficult to spot from the road, but recently neighbors may have noticed more activity on the property.

A new chain-link fence put up around the perimeter. Workers hammering away. And last week, movers hauling in furniture.

Those recent renovations have transformed the once-dilapidated home into a new laboratory for students in UNL's forensic science program.

After years of being crammed into a storage room, those students will now have a bigger space to get hands-on experience with mock crime scene investigations.

It's a facility that program director Michael Adamowicz had asked for since his arrival at UNL in 2016.

Having a crime scene house is a really powerful asset for any forensic science program because it creates a learning laboratory," he said. "That is something you can't get in a normal university building. It's a space that you can't really replicate in a classroom.

The house, which at one point was scheduled for demolition, had fallen into disrepair and needed to be stripped to the studs.

Renovations began in 2018, but COVID-19 halted the project.

Even when renovations resumed last fall, the project faced skyrocketing prices of building materials.

During the time the house was unoccupied, several squatters and animals had come and gone, leaving drug paraphernalia, knee-high amounts of garbage and bodily fluids.

At one point they pulled a piece of drywall off ... and the entire space between two studs was up to about 3 feet high filled with dead roaches. So they pulled it off and all these dead roaches came spilling, Adamowicz said.

The storage room in Filley Hall that previously served as the classroom for mock crime scenes could only hold two to three students at a time. So the house, which is about 1,100 square feet, is more suitable.

"In the house we are able to do much more than just teach students how to analyze a crime scene," UNL lecturer Chuck Murrieta said. "We're able to teach them how to control a scene and gather quality data safely."

Faculty members  from firearms experts to forensic chemists  will set up evidence throughout the house and property.

Although students will spend most of their time finding weapons and bodily fluids inside the house, evidence can also be found outside the house.

The university has placed a junked car filled with bullet holes on the property for use during the mock investigations.

Fingerprints, footprints and tire tracks are spread out throughout the property for students to collect and later examine in a lab.

Murrieta, who was previously with Environmental Health and Safety at UNL, says he plans to use his skills in biosafety to teach students the fundamentals of lab safety.

"With this house we also get to focus on teaching students how to safely transport unknown materials to a lab, making sure no evidence or students get contaminated."

This summer, the university plans to add more furniture  from garage sales and donations  to the house in order to create more realistic crime scenes.

The program is also looking to partner with University Police and the Lincoln Police Department, which might use the facility for their own training purposes.

Reed Knutson, a senior forensic science major, says the house gives them more room for real-life situations.

"You have to carefully look through and examine what you think is evidence," he said, as well as "what needs to be carefully avoided."

Reach the writer at emejia@journalstar.com

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This is your dream home! A home with the original character but modern updates from windows, flooring, and more to compliment. The kitchen has tile floor, quartz counters, and newer appliances. The original charm of the home is showcased in the living and dining rooms with hardwood floors, beautiful woodwork and gorgeous pocket doors. Enjoy evenings on the 3 season porch right out the living room. Up the staircase you will find more charm and originality starting with built-in storage in the hallway. A primary bedroom with walk-in closet and private bath. The bath has Duraceramic tile floors, a tiled shower with glass enclosure and dual sinks. 2 additional bedrooms are located on the second floor with a full bath. One of those bedrooms has a bonus side room with large windows that is currently being used as a sitting room but would be a nice walk in closet as well. The basement is a perfect set up for guests with 2 bedrooms, full bath and family room. Laundry set up is in the basement with a door to access the exterior. Bonus space is found at the top with a finished attic space. Use it as a 6th bedroom, hobby room, gaming, or movie hangout. This home is located close to schools, parks, YMCA, and shopping.
As grocery shoppers know, beef has been getting more expensive these days  up $1.34 per pound over the past four years.

But what you might not realize  unless you read an article last week by The World-Heralds Henry J. Cordes  is that only a tiny fraction of that increase has gone to farmers and ranchers.

Producers received less than 2 cents of that $1.34 rise in beef prices since 2017. Instead, retailers got about 32 cents and meatpackers got the lions share of the increase: $1 or nearly three-fourths.

Cattle producers in Nebraska and other states contend that whats happened to prices in recent years shows a fundamental problem: an overly concentrated meatpacking industry where the biggest companies have too much market power, hurting both producers and consumers.

Some 85% of the more than 30 million head of cattle raised for slaughter each year in the United States are processed by just four leading meatpackers.

As Cordes wrote, packers argue there is nothing inherently wrong with cattle markets, attributing the price changes to natural supply and demand forces and market disruptions like the pandemic. And in fairness, producers did see an increase in cattle prices last year after three years of declines.

But Fischer said the overall trend is a problem, with meatpacking consolidation making it hard for markets to operate properly. Lawmakers have been talking about this long before COVID-19, she said.

You cant blame the pandemic for everything, she said. Its a result of 85% of meat going to four packers. Its the result of continued consolidation.

And with those dominant packers often buying cattle from individual producers through private transactions, that prevents the cattle market from being open, competitive and fair.

Fischers Cattle Market Transparency Act would require more public disclosure of what packers are paying for their cattle and also require the packers to buy more cattle through competitive cash markets.

Her legislation strikes us as a reasonable approach to ensure that the cattle market will operate fairly.

As we said in October: Its in the interest not only of cattle producers but of the general public itself that the market operate fairly, transparently and efficiently. Otherwise, the market can be subject to distortion and possible manipulation, harming producers and consumers alike.

Its a good sign that Congress is taking a careful look at the issue. Fischer says she is pleased with the apparent momentum behind her bill, which now has a total of 19 co-sponsors in the Senate, including nine Republicans and 10 Democrats.

Cattle producers shrinking share of the beef dollar compared to packers was the subject of a series of stories in The World-Herald last year. Fischer highlighted those stories at last weeks hearing, and emphasized how important the issue is to Nebraska.

It is the economic engine of my state, she said, noting that the livestock industry contributes $13.8 billion to Nebraskas economy annually.

Its important for Nebraska and other Siouxland states to have that sector of the economy succeed, and that wont happen if meatpackers are always in the drivers seat.

Producers face a take it or leave it market, Fischer said. That is the reality.

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Nearly four years ago, against the wishes of the majority of her constituents, Sen. Susan Collins cast a critical vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

In a lengthy speech explaining her decision, the Republican from Maine brushed off concerns that Kavanaugh would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. Even among Supreme Court nominees, Collins said, Kavanaughs respect for precedent was exceptionally solid.

In his testimony, he noted repeatedly that Roe had been upheld by Planned Parenthood v. Casey, describing it as a precedent, she said. When I asked him, Would it be sufficient to overturn a long-established precedent if five current justices believed that it was wrongly decided? he emphatically said, No. 

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Of course, the leaked draft of Justice Sam Alitos majority Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe bears out what political observers on both the left and right have known for years: Kavanaugh was lying through his teeth.

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When Donald Trump nominated him to the court, Kavanaugh already had a record of flouting precedent. (He had also written, as a judge on the D.C. Circuit Court, that the governments interest in favoring fetal life justified the Trump administrations efforts to prevent an undocumented minor from terminating her pregnancy.) Collins supported him anyway. She had the same guileless faithor performance of guileless faithin Neil Gorsuch, whom she voted to confirm in 2017. When asked the following year whether Gorsuch, a demonstrably precedent-overruling justice, would try to overturn Roe, Collins objected. He pointed out to me that he is a co-author of a whole book on precedent, she said.

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So, if we take her at her word, Collins was the only person in the world who was surprised to learn on Monday that Kavanaugh and Gorsuch voted to overturn Roe. If this leaked draft opinion is the final decision and this reporting is accurate, it would be completely inconsistent with what Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh said in their hearings and in our meetings in my office, she said on Tuesday.

Collins is no dummy. It seems unlikely that the veteran politician was duped by some slick misdirection from two consecutive Supreme Court nominees. The reality of her situation, now, is clear: She never much cared about Roe to begin with.

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Its classic her: Collins record in the Senate is speckled with ostensibly bold moves that, upon closer examination, function more like feints. She helped save the Affordable Care Act by casting a decisive vote against the Republican Partys attempted repeal, then turned around and voted to repeal the individual mandate. She voted against Betsy DeVos for Trumps secretary of educationbut only after voting to greenlight the nomination in committee and send it to a full vote. She made a strong defense of Planned Parenthood when she voted against the ACA repeal, then defamed Planned Parenthood in her support of Kavanaugh, erroneously accusing the group of mounting knee-jerk, partisan campaigns against previous justices.

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She has taken some seemingly principled steps to protect the country from the worst of her own party, but only once her ineffectuality was guaranteed. Her vote to convict Trump after his second impeachment trial came with the knowledge that the Senate would not meet the two-thirds threshold required to convict. Ditto the bill she introduced in February with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, which would codify the protections of Roe in U.S. law. The Senate does not have a filibuster-proof supermajority in favor of abortion rights, so the bill is going nowhere. Collins knows thatand she only proposed the bill in response to a more progressive, comprehensive abortion rights bill introduced by Democrats.

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[Read: All the Ways Alitos Opinion Might Criminalize Pregnancy]

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In other words, Collins is much more invested in her own thinly sourced image as a plainspoken, even-handed political moderate than she is in any particular policy outcome. Her reasons for this, I imagine, are both personal and political: She likes to think of herself as an independent thinker who stands apart from her peers, and she must studiously calibrate her politics to the peculiar wavelength of the voting public in Maine.

As her party has moved further right and endorsed increasingly authoritarian politics, Collins veneer of contemplative moderation has approached the absurd. She publicly announced that she would not vote for Trump in 2016, writing that he does not reflect historical Republican values nor the inclusive approach to governing that is critical to healing the divisions in our country. Four years later, when Trump ran for reelection, she refused to say whether or not shed vote to keep him in office. What changed? Had he proved her wrong, and shown himself to be an inclusive, healing leader? Or was it simply that Collins herself was up for reelection in 2020, and wary of alienating members of her own party?

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And who can forget her famous claim, stretching all reasonable bounds of credulity, that she believed Trump had learned a pretty big lesson from the impeachment process in 2020mere months before he would attempt to overturn an election and incite a violent coupsuch that there was no need to convict him?

This has long been the Collins M.O.: Purport to expect the best from fellow conservatives who have already shown their worst, then act bemused and disappointed when they behave exactly as theyve demonstrated they would. Collins definition of political moderation is participating in the dismantling of democratic norms and the infrastructure of human rights, then performing mild displeasure when they proceed to fall apart.

For years, this mismatch of action and rhetoric has allowed Collins to have it both ways: to keep her party in powerand the GOP money flowing her waywhile keeping her hands relatively clean enough to maintain the support from independents that Maines elected officials require.

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But what does it say about her position on abortion? Collins appears to be somebody who believes abortion should be legal and would prefer Roe remain intact, but doesnt think it important enough to warrant the risk ofwell, anything. Not the support of her GOP allies, not the possibility of a primary challenger from the right, and certainly not her seat in the Senate. To Collins, the dissolution of the precedent that has saved countless lives and allowed generations of women to pursue lives, careers, and parenthood on their own terms was never going to be an urgent human rights crisis, a worst-case scenario worth setting aside ones personal interests to avoid. It will be, for her, a fleeting disappointment. Or at least the affectation of one.

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The case of Susan Collins should be a warning for political activists in thrall to fair-weather allies. It is now clearer than ever that Collins putative support for abortion rights did a lot more for her than she ever did for it. (Planned Parenthood should soak in its regret for the years it spent promoting Collins, sometimes at the expense of Democratic challengers.) The imminent overturning of Roe v. Wade proves that there is no middle ground between authoritarian, patriarchal, white-supremacist rule and the alternative. If a supporter of abortion rights will not stick her neck out in the final, desperate hour, she never supported abortion rights at all.

For more Roe v. Wade coverage, listen to Slate legal analyst Dahlia Lithwick discuss the Supreme Court leak on What Next.
The unprecedented leak of Justice Samuel Alitos initial draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade has prompted a widespread outcry among Republicans and their media allies. Many appear desperate to focus on the fact of leak, rather than the imminent demise of Roe and its effects on women and children. Some have even demanded an inquest to be followed by swift and ruthless punishment, which Chief Justice John Roberts seems eager to deliver. On Tuesday, he condemned the leak as a singularly and egregious breach of trust and directed the Supreme Courts marshal to launch an investigation into the source of the leak.

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We are confident that the marshal, Col. Gail Curley, is highly competent in her duties, which include overseeing the courts tiny police force, paying out the justices salaries, and shouting oyez. But count us skeptical that she has the tools necessary to conduct an effective probe of the leak. Thats not her fault, but the courts: For decades, SCOTUS has resisted adopting the bare minimum reforms necessary to implement and enforce ethics rules, confidentiality guarantees, and basic transparency necessary for maintaining and ensuring the public trust.

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While the executive and legislative branches spent the last half-century establishing watchdogs to monitor and report misconduct in federal agencies, the Supreme Court did nothing. Having offered up promises that it was examining its internal codes and procedures, it has still done nothing. And when critics in the press and legal academy point to court failures in transparency and housekeeping, from the shadow docket to spousal involvement in cases before the court, some of the justices opt to insult and threaten the critics, as opposed to putting their own house in order.

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The Supreme Courts absolute and unwavering certainty in the sanctity of its own norms and protocols has now blown up in its face in ways that may damage the institution for years if not decades.

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Most Americans, we suspect, assume that there is some procedure to enforce both internal rules and federal laws within SCOTUS. There is not. If a justice commits an ethical breach, including a violation of the federal law mandating impartiality, there is literally no recourse (short of impeachment). There is no way to force a recusal; that decision lies with individual justices. If an employee witnesses malfeasance, there is no mechanism to report itno tip line, no whistleblower protection, no chain of command to ensure that the matter is investigated. If that employee dares to disclose it anyway, they can be fired with impunity, as can other staff who experience discrimination or retaliation.

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The court sets its own standards then prevents anyone, inside or outside the institution, from ensuring that they are followed. It is not subject to FOIA or any other public records laws, and the justices have complete control over the fate of their private papers. (Some choose to destroy them after retirement.) The institution is a black box designed to preempt any possibility of transparency or accountability.

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[Read: What Can the Chief Justice Do Now?]

No other branch of government functions this way. The rest of the federal judiciary is wildly unaccountable, but compared to the Supreme Court, it is a model of integrity: Lower court judges are bound by a code of conduct, which the Judicial Conference administers (with mixed results). This code does not apply to SCOTUS, whose members are, for the most part, above the law. For its part, Congress began placing inspectors general throughout executive branch agencies in the 1970s to monitor waste, fraud, and abuse. There are now at least six dozen inspectors general across the federal government, in executive and legislative agencies both major and obscure. These appointees, who are given substantial independence, continually investigate their own workplaces and workforce to ensure that theyre upholding their legal obligations and statutory mission. The inspectors law enforcement powers vary by department, but many are staffed with special agents who are empowered to conduct criminal probes. They can also receive tips on misconduct and shield whistleblowers from retaliation.

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The system is far from perfect, as Donald Trump illustrated when he purged several inspectors general in 2020. But it is vastly superior to no system at all. As the courts investigation progresses, consider that there is nothing to stop the Supreme Court from setting up its own internal, independent watchdog right now. Or from asking Congress for funds to create a judicial inspector general. The courts current 190-member police force specializes in screening visitors and overseeing protests; its officers are very competent and adept at those tasks but woefully unprepared for any meaningful investigation into their own colleagues. Curley, the marshal, has no background in the kind of massive investigation that the chief justice demands. And since it appears the leaker violated no law, neither the Justice Department nor the FBI has any clear reason to jump in.

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Good faith efforts to understand the courts unique position in the constitutional structure and need for independence, such as the months-long commission on Supreme Court reform, came up with dozens of suggestions about fixes the court could institute tomorrow, from meaningful disclosure requirements to binding ethics obligations. Those straightforward recommendations not around court packing or term limits or jurisdiction-stripping, but the hardening of norms that apply to other public officialsare then characterized as vicious attacks on the independence of the judicial branch by some of the very same conservatives screaming today about prosecuting the leaker to the fullest extent of the criminal law.

[Read: The Most Ominous Part of Alitos Draft Is What It Doesnt Say]

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Guess what? The leak came from inside the house. You wouldnt need to howl and scream about lifetime imprisonment for the leaker if the court had rules and protocols and procedures and oversight and all the enforcement mechanisms to which every other government official is subject. Its beyond ironic that Republican senators screaming that someone must pay for the leak are the very same people who insist that nobody dares police the court except the court.

In his draft opinion Alito is very clear that in his view, we cannot allow our decisions to be affected by any extraneous influences such as concern about the publics reaction to our work. Ironically, no justice is more easily angered when the public comments on or critiques the work of the court. The public reaction this week isnt just shock at the courts work product overruling Roe. Its that a court entrusted with protecting fundamental liberties operates under a set of non-rules that are vaporous at best and easily exploited at worst. The truth is that the court, as it has been doing for quite some time now, served to undermine itself. A handful of simple correctivesmeaningful transparency, ethics and conduct reforms could have been instituted decades ago. The consequences of failing to do so are starting to become too humiliating and dangerous for the court to ignore.

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We take no comfort or joy in the knowledge that the Supreme Court has less public legitimacy today than it did last week, or that the justices trust in one another is eroded yet again by what Justice Sonia Sotomayor characterized as the stench of politics that emanates from the building. But the fact is that the court did nothing in the face of ample evidence that it needed to enshrine mandates of transparency and ethical conduct into its own rules. Did the leaker violate the most fundamental norms of secrecy and privacy? Yes. But wailing that the court should continue to be allowed to police itself as the court utterly fails to police itself is not the answer.

Read more of Slates coverage on abortion rights here.
Welcome to State of Mind, a new section from Slate and Arizona State University dedicated to exploring mental health. Follow us on Twitter. On May 11 at 1 p.m. Eastern, State of Mind and the 19th News are hosting an event titled Prioritizing Mental Health. Register here.

On Tuesday, an Arizona judge declared Clarence Dixon competent for execution, allowing the state to take another step toward what is scheduled to be its first execution since 2014. The rulingwhich will be appealed and comes despite the fact that Dixons lawyers argue his mental illness thwarts his ability to form a rational understanding of the States reasons for his executionprovides a widow into the question of when the government can execute someone with serious mental illness.

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In 1978, two days before he committed the murder for which he would later be sentenced to death, Dixon sat before then-Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sandra Day OConnor, facing assault charges. Dixon had approached a stranger on the street and hit her over the head with a metal pipe, according to court records. Following his indictment, Dixon was diagnosed with severe depression and schizophrenia, determined incompetent to stand trial, and referred to the state hospital for treatment. I have a strong feeling that without presence of the mental disturbance, the act of violence would not have taken place, wrote one of the doctors who evaluated Dixon.

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After Dixon spent a few months in treatment, OConnor found him not guilty by reason of insanity and ordered he be referred to civil commitment proceedings within the next 10 days. Dixon was then released.

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Fewer than 48 hours later, on Jan 7, 1978, 21-year-old Deana Lynne Bowdoin was raped and murdered in her apartment. Bowdoin was in her final semester of a marketing degree at Arizona State University and planned to work in international business after graduating, the Arizona Republic reported at the time. Her case went cold.

Two decades later, in 2001, DNA testing linked Dixon, who was serving a life sentence in state prison for an unrelated sexual assault conviction, to Bowdoins murder. During his trial for Bowdoins murder, Dixon fired his court-appointed lawyers and represented himself. He was convicted and sentenced to death in 2008. After a lengthy appeals process, on April 5, the Arizona Supreme Court set Dixons execution date for May 11.

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I will never stop thinking of Deana, but I look forward to resolution of Dixons criminal matter through the imposition of punishment, Leslie James, Bowdoins sister, wrote in a statement after the Arizona Supreme Courts ruling. Deanas brutal murder, the 23 years of wondering who was responsible, and the 21 years of our involvement in the criminal justice process has been a long road that none of us asked for and none of us deserved.

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Over the past month, Dixons lawyers have mounted last-ditch legal battles on several frontsarguing, for example, that law enforcement officials are overrepresented on Arizonas clemency board; that Arizona has not shared enough information about the drugs that will be used in the execution and that those drugs are likely to cause undue suffering due to Dixons underlying health issues (particularly relevant given the states botched execution of Joseph Wood in 2014, which took nearly two hours and 15 injections, the Guardian reported); and most prominently, that Dixon has no rational understanding of the reason for his execution, making the same unconstitutional.

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According to psychological assessments presented by his attorneys, Dixona member of the Navajo Nation, which opposes the death penaltyhas often suffered auditory, tactile, and visual hallucinations, and is under the delusion that his execution is the result of a wrongful arrest in 1985. Whats more, a neuropsychological evaluator noted in 2012 that Dixon had potential brain damage, which was confirmed by a second doctor.

In a report from March, which Dixons attorneys used in Tuesdays competency hearing, a psychiatrist diagnosed Dixon with schizophrenia and found him disconnected with reality, especially as it relates to his legal case and fixate[d] on an issue that is unrelated to his execution, limiting his ability to abstractly consider why he is to be executed.

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Maricopa County Assistant Attorney General Jeff Sparks, on the other hand, argued Tuesday that nothing prevents [Dixon] from rationally understanding the reasons for his execution. The states psychological evaluator diagnosed Dixon primarily with an antisocial personality disorder and opined he understood the connection between the 1978 murder he was convicted of and his upcoming execution. (The states evaluator spent 70 minutes with Dixon via video conference, whereas the defense evaluator visited with Dixon five times in person.)

Dixons lawyers also argue that Arizonas definition of competency for execution is narrower than the standard established by the Supreme Court, and thus unconstitutional. Under Arizona law, someone is incompetent when they are presently unaware that they are to be punished for murder and that the impending punishment for that crime is death.

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The Supreme Court has addressed the standard for competency for execution in cases including Ford v. Wainwright, Panetti v. Quarterman, and Madison v. Alabama. Put together, the cases establish that it is unconstitutional to execute someone who is legally insane and that the person put to death needs to understand the meaning and purpose behind the execution, and the link between  crime and punishment. In Panetti, which both parties agreed to use as the standard for Tuesdays hearing, the majority wrote, A prisoners awareness of the States rationale for an execution is not the same as a rational understanding of it.

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Not everyone with a serious mental illness and/or delusions is incompetent to be executed. According to Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, the question is, What does the delusion go to?

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Pointing to the way delusional thinking influenced the lead-up to Dixons crime, the crime itself, and his resulting interactions with the court system, Dunham described Dixons case as one of the strongest mental health defenses hed ever seen.

On Tuesday evening, however, Judge Robert Olson determined that Dixon did not prove that his mental state is so distorted by a mental illness that he lacks a rational understanding of the States rationale for his execution.

Individuals with mental illness are overrepresented on death rows across the country. According to an analysis by Frank Baumgartner and Betsy Neill published in the Washington Post in 2017, 43 percent of inmates executed between 2000 and 2015 had received a mental illness diagnosis at some point in their lives, compared with 18 percent of the general population being diagnosed with any mental illness, and 4 percent being diagnosed with serious mental illness. Four percent of people executed had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, compared to 1 percent of the general population. States including Kentucky and Ohio have passed laws to prohibit the execution of people diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Since 2017, similar initiatives have been introduced in 10 other states, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. (Here, its important to make clear the vast majority of people diagnosed with mental illness never commit a crime, nevertheless, those who do get caught in the criminal justice system face significant barriers to treatment and justice, and are more likely to make false confessions, to appear off to juries, and to be unable to assist their attorneys.)

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In a clemency hearing on April 28, Dixons lawyers focused on his serious mental illness at the time of the crime and since, as well as what they identified as significant flaws in his trial process, largely due to the fact that he represented himself. Lawyers for the state, on the other hand, argued that there was no proof that Dixon was legally insane at the time of the murder, because OConnors insanity finding was related to his state of mind at the time of a different crime, the assault, and Dixon had received treatment in the lapse between the assault and OConnors ruling. They argued Dixon was a predator, a threat to the community, and without remorse. Citing their psychological evaluator, state attorneys said there is no reason to believe Dixon is currently delusional or incompetent. The four-person board did not grant clemency.

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Dixons crime is a horrific oneneither that nor his guilt are in question. Bowdoin was not his only victim, either. He sexually assaulted other women and is currently serving a life sentence for one such conviction. There is no evidence he has shown remorse. Even if he had, the harm of his actions is irreversible.

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But we are left, ultimately, with what-ifs. What would have happened if, upon his first interaction with the criminal justice system, Dixon would have gotten the treatment, and follow-up, he needed? If he hadnt been released without treatment and supervision? If there were a more robust public mental health system for people diagnosed with serious mental illness and charged with a crime?

I was found incompetent in court in the past, Dixon reportedly said in a psychiatric interview in August 2021, referring to the court proceedings two days before Bowdoins death. I was ordered to the Arizona State Hospital, and someone dropped the ball.

State of Mind is a partnership of Slate and Arizona State University that offers a practical look at our mental health systemand how to make it better.
Latest attacks as close as 100 km from the Slovak border.

The Patriot air defence system at the Sliac military airport, central Slovakia, on April 27, 2022. (Source: TASR)

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Slovak air defence systems have registered an attack in the western part of Ukraine.

A Russian missile hit the Ukrainian Transcarpathian region on May 3, approximately 100 kilometres from the Slovak border. Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad (OLaNO) admitted the close proximity of the attack has unnerved him.

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The attack was meant to destroy a railway station, Nad said as quoted by the TASR newswire. I must warn people to reconsider travelling from or back to Ukraine, especially by train.

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Read also: Slovakia will repair Ukrainian armoured vehicles Read more

Interior Ministry responded with an urgent meeting on behalf of Minister Roman Mikulec (OLaNO). The government says the situation is under control and there is no reason to panic. Yet, Slovakia should be prepared for such situations with detailed response plans.

Nad has warned the Russian Defence Ministry about the consequences of attacks beyond Ukrainian borders and the overlap of destruction in Slovakias territory. Repeating the similar mistake of an ill-planned attack with such an overlap would possibly trigger the activation of Article 5 of NATO, since attacking one member country is regarded as an attack on all members of the alliance.

Related article:
Quaestor of the European Parliament attended the event where slurs were chanted.

Lubos Blaha and Robert Fico during a protest in April 2022. (Source: SITA)

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Members of the parliaments EU affairs committee called on their fellow MP, Lubos Blaha of Smer, to apologise to President Zuzana Caputova following a public gathering in Nitra that saw the crowd chant sexual slurs against the president.

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The opposition party Smer organised a public gathering to mark May 1 festivities in Nitra. During his address to the crowd of approximately 2,000, according to the TASR newswire, Blaha riled up the crowd, breaking into an obscene chant involving a sexual slur aimed at the president.

The incident was captured on video, widely shared on social networks over the past days and which prompted a highly critical reaction among the public as well as many politicians.

MPs call on Smer to apologise
Lawmakers rejected request for the arrest of former PM Robert Fico.

The charged ex-PM Robert Fico (Smer) cannot be arrested, the parliament decided in a vote on May 4, 2022. (Source: TASR)

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The charged ex-prime minister and MP Robert Fico of the former ruling party Smer will avoid pre-trial custody.

The parliament did not support a request submitted by the General Prosecutors Office, where it asks for approval to arrest Fico, on Wednesday, May 4. During the vote, 74 lawmakers backed the request.

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Fico has been charged with the crime of a threat in relation to a trade secret, bank secrecy, secrecy of correspondence, telecommunications secrecy, and tax secrecy. He is also accused of establishing and supporting an organised crime group and abuse of power by a public official. However, unlike the charged and arrested former interior minister Robert Kalinak of the Smer party, who does not serve as MP, approval for Ficos arrest was needed.

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Read also: The end of democracy, according to Fico Read more

Last week, on April 27, the Mandate and Immunity Parliamentary Committee recommended to greenlight the request from the General Prosecutors Office. Yet, it was not clear until the last moment how the final vote in the parliament, preceded by a debate lasting several days, would turn out in the end.

The consent of an absolute majority of the lawmakers present was required to permit the arrest of the Smer chair. All 150 MPs were present during the Wednesday vote, which does not happen often. Hence, 76 votes were needed for the request to be passed.

Unlike its coalition partners who voted for the request, Sme Rodina, one of the coalition parties, abstained from the vote. Two MPs from the major ruling party OLaNO did not vote or abstained from voting. Economy Minister Richard Sulik of the coalition party SaS said that the vote was the biggest defeat in the political career of OLaNO chair and Finance Minister Igor Matovic, who has long fought against Fico in politics.

Read also:

Read also: Fico's detention may be moot by the time parliament makes a decision Read more

While most of the coalition is disappointed regarding the outcome of the vote, the opposition believes the desire for political revenge has lost in parliament.

Even if the parliament had given its consent to the arrest, a court would have had to decide on taking Fico into pre-trial custody.

Experts said earlier that pre-trial custody would not harm the former prime minister, nor his party.
The West Nebraska Arts Center, with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, announces plans to present Everything is Coming Up Roses: Dorothy Bronson Memorial. The opening reception will be Thursday, May 5 from 57 p.m.

Dorothy Bronson was an amazing teacher of the arts for approximately 5,000 people in this area. The arts center wanted to honor her life and revisit some of the stories she made possible. The arts center will be full of stories, outfits, and pictures for all to see. They hope the memorial gallery gives the public a taste of how Bronson made life sweet.

It is a true honor to learn about Dorothy and all that she did for this community, Executive Director Michele Denton said. Its been a treat to hear her students talk about her in such admiration. Every once in while we like to walk down memory lane and Dorothy did so much for the arts center. We thought it would be a perfect time to celebrate her as spring starts to say hello.

The Everything is Coming Up Roses: Dorothy Bronson Memorial exhibition will be up until May 29.

Gallery hours are TuesdayFriday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1-5 p.m.

WNAC is located at 106 East 18th St. in Scottsbluff. Visit the arts centers website at www.thewnac.com to learn more.

The Nebraska Arts Council, a state agency, has supported this program through its matching grants program funded by the Nebraska Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. Visit www.nebraskaartscouncil.org for information on how the Nebraska Arts Council can assist an organization, or how the public can support the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

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The Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) heard oral arguments Tuesday regarding a complaint made by the holding company of Platte Valley Bank against subsidiaries of Lumen Technologies.

The three subsidiaries include United Telephone Company of the West d/b/a CenturyLink, CenturyLink Communications, LLC and Qwest Corporation d/b/a CenturyLink QC. The complaint states one or more of the telecommunications companies failed to fix service outages for extended periods of time in 2020.

The first outage impacted the entire Panhandle from May 6-9. The second one lasted for 38 hours from May 25-26, and the final one impacted the Gering branch for eight days from Sept. 1-9.

According to Platte Valley Banks executive vice president Zac Karpf, customers could not access their accounts when the outages took place. He told the Star-Herald he felt there wasnt a robust enough backup delivery system in place.

The complaint was first filed in May 2021 and had motions to dismiss it. It was amended in December 2021. The next month, the respondents filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint.

The respondents attorney Kate McNamara argued the PSC should support a motion to dismiss the complaint because the three companies operate independently of one another.

The reason that we believe the commission should grant a motion to dismiss at this time and not allow a full evidentiary hearing to occur is that CenturyLink Communications, LLC ... is the only entity with outages that occurred at or around the dates that are alleged by the complainant, she said.

The three companies may share a parent corporation, McNamara said, but they cant share the blame for the outages.

They (the complainants) have to argue that these companies are essentially instrumentalities of Lumen, she said.

McNamara said the outages happened only on CenturyLink networks, not those of Qwest or United. She said just CenturyLink Communications, LLC provided services to PVB and the PSC does not have jurisdiction over interstate, non-regulated data services.

Commissioner Crystal Rhoades said shed like to see any engineering documents and certification that confirms no network traffic travels over subsidized networks, in this case Qwest or United lines.

However, Tuesdays hearing was for oral arguments, not evidentiary ones.

The banks attorney Andrew Pollock said the complaint was focused more on shared infrastructure and networks as opposed to services.

What it boils down to is, despite the separation between the companies regulatory purposes, the companies essentially operate as one, Pollock said.

The complainants had made the first complaint solely against United Telephone Company of the West. After reviewing briefs and a previous motion to dismiss it, Pollock said he made a legal and strategic decision with Mr. Karpfs OK to amend the complaint. He apologized to the commission for filing the amendment in December instead of earlier.

McNamara said going through the PSC was not the proper way to seek remedy and the bank would need to file a lawsuit in state or federal court instead.

Pollock argued that CenturyLink received more than $100 million from the state to serve rural exchanges in Nebraska and doesnt get that support unless they provide broadband services, so the case would fall under the PSCs broadband jurisdiction.

McNamara said Qwest and United did not receive funding from that source.

Pollock said he could provide testimony as to the structure of the respondents, but that ultimately the merits of the case are up to the commission.

Karpf said the PSCs decision will likely be announced in the next few weeks.

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Regional West is proud to celebrate its nurses, first responders, and health system staff during National Nurses Week, EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Week, and Hospital Week in May.

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6 and ends on May 12, which is Florence Nightingales birthday. Nightingale is considered the founder of modern nursing and is credited with establishing nursing as an honorable and meaningful profession.

We have an exceptional team of nurses at Regional West. We are grateful for their hard work, dedication, and compassion in providing outstanding patient care, said John Mentgen, FACHE, President and CEO of Regional West Health Services.

National Nurses Week is a celebration of nurses worldwide to acknowledge the work they do for others. The week allows people the chance to acknowledge the nurses in their lives and in the nursing profession.

This year marks the 47th annual National EMS Week. EMS Week has been celebrated since 1974, when President Gerald Ford authorized the week to celebrate EMS practitioners and the life-saving work they do in our communities on medicines front-line. Regional Wests Emergency Medical Services crew serves 16 counties in Nebraskas Trauma 4 region and beyond, while Regional Wests Air Link team provides services to a five-state region, including Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota, Kansas, and Colorado.

Our first responders provide exceptional care to our communities. I want to express my gratitude to the commitment of not only our first responders, but to each and every one of their families, said Regional West Emergency Medical Services Director Randy Meininger.

Regional West Emergency Medical Services is an Advanced Life Support ground ambulance service that staffs both Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and Nationally Registered Paramedics (NRP). With ambulances available in Chadron, Gordon, Kimball, Ogallala, Oshkosh, Scottsbluff, and Sidney, Regional West Emergency Medical Services provides emergency and non-emergency 911, hospital to hospital, and critical care transport services. Additionally, Regional West Air Link provides critical care transport on both rotor and fixed-wing ambulatory aircrafts and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS).

Regional West joins hospitals throughout the nation in celebrating National Hospital Week, May 8 through 14. The week honors the entire community of hospitals and healthcare systems for all their hard work. Regional West is proud to honor its physicians, providers, and staff who work to protect our regions health.

We are extremely proud of the work each person does to provide exceptional service to our regions communities. Each member of our health care team is appreciated, said Mentgen. We want to thank our amazing staff and providers for their service.

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Xi congratulates Jose Ramos-Horta on election as Timor-Leste's president

Xinhua) 09:21, May 04, 2022

BEIJING, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday sent a congratulatory message to Jose Ramos-Horta on his election as Timor-Leste's president.

In his message, Xi pointed out that over the past 20 years since China and Timor-Leste established diplomatic ties, the two countries have been continuously deepening their practical cooperation, greatly developed bilateral relations, and brought tangible benefits to their people, which is a vivid reflection of countries, big and small, treating each other as equals and engaging in win-win cooperation.

Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Timor-Leste relations, and stands ready to work with President Ramos-Horta to bring the comprehensive cooperative partnership of good-neighborliness, friendship, mutual trust and mutual benefit between the two countries to a new level.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji)
WAHOO  A jury worked into the night here Tuesday before finding a Malmo man guilty of first-degree murder for killing his 27-year-old fiancee at their home as her two children slept.

Kolton Barnes said what happened early July 15, 2020, was self-defense. That Kayla Matulka attacked him with a knife when he returned home from the bar.

The state said the killing was first-degree murder. That Barnes kicked his way into the house, just as he'd threatened to do in texts later deleted, after she told him their relationship was over and not to come home.

"She wanted out and he refused to accept that, and because of that Kayla Matulka is dead," Assistant Nebraska Attorney General Sandra Allen told the jury in closing arguments earlier Tuesday.

She said Matulka, who was found naked on the floor with a restraint system attached to one of her wrists, a black eye and purple, finger-shaped bruises on an elbow, was fighting for her life.

"He beat her, he strangled her and he stabbed her," Allen said.

Not once or twice, but 27 times.

"You cannot tell me you aren't thinking about what you are doing," she said. "That is premeditation."

Addressing the jury, Matt McDonald of the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy said the state had to prove to them without hesitation that Barnes wasn't acting in self-defense.

"They have not done that. They haven't even come close," he said. "Based on the evidence there's a lot more than hesitation about what happened that night."

McDonald said Barnes admitted he tampered with evidence, one of the seven felony charges he faced, but argued the state overcharged the case, throwing the book at Barnes to see what would stick with the jury.

* Two counts of child abuse for leaving Matulka dead with her 6- and 11-year-old children alone to find her.

* A count of animal cruelty and use of a deadly weapon for stabbing his dog to death. (On the stand, Barnes said Matulka had done it.)

* And by alleging the murder was either premeditated or done in the perpetration of a sexual assault or attempted sex assault despite the pathologist saying there was no evidence of sexual assault.

McDonald said there was no evidence Barnes had been jealous or abusive to Matulka, he said. The state was trying to paint a picture of him "that doesn't exist."

He pointed to testimony of one of Barnes' ex-boyfriends who said Barnes, who had been diagnosed with mental illness, once tried to stab him and his dog.

"They're just hoping that you will say well she's dead, he must have done this and it had to happen this way that they're speculating about," the defense attorney said. "Isn't it much more likely that what Kolton said is the truth?"

Barnes said he went in the bedroom and saw his dog, Diesel, on the floor. Then, in the light of the TV, he saw Matulka coming at him with a knife in her hand. He said he put his hand up to block her and punched her three times and they struggled, falling to the floor with him on top of her, the knife in her chest.

"We're never going to know exactly what happened ... because Kolton told you he can't remember everything," McDonald said.

That doesn't mean he's lying, he said.

Allen said Barnes' story continued to evolve. First he said he had no idea what happened, that someone was setting him up. Then, for months, he said Matulka had killed herself, until it was clear two of the stab wounds came after she was dead.

Finally, at trial, he said for the first time that Matulka attacked him.

"What's happening is Mr. Barnes is receiving bits and pieces of information from the evidence, and what he's doing is he's taking that evidence and he's trying to conform a story to match that evidence. To try to get away with the murder of Kayla Matulka," she said. "That's what he's doing."

The jury of 11 men and one woman got the case for deliberations at 2:46 p.m. Tuesday and returned with guilty verdicts on all counts shortly after 7:30 p.m.

Sentencing is set for July.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSpilger

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A Barren Springs man pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter on Wednesday morning in the 2020 shooting death of his stepson.

Facing a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison, 63-year-old Joel Perries Hosey will be sentenced on Sept. 22.

Arrested in September 2020, Hosey was first charged with second-degree murder and using a firearm while committing a felony in the slaying of 30-year-old Chad A. Norris.

On Wednesday, though, the commonwealth dropped the firearm charge and amended the murder charge to voluntary manslaughter to which Hosey pleaded guilty. There was no plea agreement.

According to police and the commonwealth, Hosey shot Norris, who was unarmed, once in the chest outside of Hoseys 176 Vineland Drive residence.

Hosey, who called 911 to report the crime, said Norris charged at him on the porch following an argument with Hoseys wife.

Mr. Hosey stated that he shot Mr. Norris due to his past history of domestic violence towards him, an investigator wrote in court documents.

Police found Norris body in the front yard.

Jailed since his September 2020 arrest, Hosey, who has no criminal record and was listed as disabled in court records, was scheduled for a jury trial, but opted instead for Wednesdays plea.

His attorney asked the court for a presentence report that will assist a judge in setting Hoseys punishment.

Hosey is being held in the New River Valley Regional Jail in Dublin.

Contact Jeffrey Simmons at 228-6611, extension 572, or jsimmons@wythenews.com.
GLADE SPRING, Va.  A local teachers misfortune has brought about a grassroots volunteer effort from students, faculty and staff where she teaches.

As many as 34 volunteers from Holston High School gave up a morning to sleep on a recent April Saturday to come to the aid of their beloved English teacher, Christine Mitten, who lost her Glade Spring home to a fire in August of 2019.

Students and teachers worked alongside each other, removing the charred remains of the demolished house that stood as a painful reminder to Mitten of her loss.

The volunteers sifted through ash and debris, separating wood, shingles, concrete and other trash during the morning, completing the job in only a few hours.

Mitten said she is amazed by the kindness shown to her, especially since shes taught at the high school for less than a year. She worked 25 years in elementary and early childhood education before returning to the high school classroom.

Im so overwhelmed by the amount of care shown to me by teachers, the administration and students, some of whom I have not even taught, Mitten said. Im hugging all of them in my heart right now. I cant express my gratitude for them adequately.

Chlowe Taylor, a senior at the school, asked for a day off from her work at Fisher Hollow Veterinary Clinic, just so she could be there to help.

When the opportunity arose, I didnt blink an eye. Anything to help her, Im all about it, said the student.

Noah Tweed, a freshman at the school, said he was in Mittens class during the first semester this school year. Shes a very sweet lady. Shes always been there for us. It was an immediate reaction that we need to give back to her.

Jacob Bott, a junior at the school, agreed with his classmates. We get so much help from people around us. It feels good to come out here and give back.

Arrangements made by Mitten to remove the badly damaged house on Grace Street two years ago were interrupted when the pandemic left many workers unavailable.

Just recently, the town of Glade Spring notified Mitten that a lien would be issued against the property located within the town limits if the cleanup was not completed by May.

If Id had the financial ability to get the job done, I would have a long time ago, Mitten said.

The teacher, who also works two other jobs, was using any spare time she had to come to the site after work to pull out a few boards and throw out trash.

Im only one person, and it was taking me a long time. I really felt like it was hopeless.

Things went from bad to worse when Mitten recently discovered that a shed on the property had been stolen. It didnt contain valuables  only keepsakes that meant a lot to us, Mitten, who has two adult daughters, said. That just sent me over the edge.

When Mitten went to school the next day visibly shaken, many of her colleagues knew they wanted to help somehow.

Rarely do I talk about things outside the school, but they could tell I was upset. I was overwhelmed, and I couldnt figure out a way to get past this, she said

Steve Ahn, a biology teacher at the school, Lawrence Cox, the horticulture teacher, and Michael Reid, the schools resource officer, put a plan into action, recruiting students, staff and teachers to volunteer for a work day at the site of the demolished house.

This just pulled at my heart strings, Cox said, who called the service project a blessing.

Donated money helped to pay for a rented dumpster for the debris. Ryan Davidson, who owns C&S Construction, volunteered his time and machinery to excavate the property.

We didnt expect to even come close to finishing, Ahn said only a few hours after the work started on Saturday.

People from the school who couldnt be there donated money for snacks and drinks for the volunteers.

Ive worked at other schools, and I never would have thought wed have such a large turnout, Gabe Long, the principal at the school, said. This community has come together to help one of our own.

Mitten, who has since relocated to another house in Glade Spring, said rebuilding at the site is not an option for her now.

But I will be forever grateful they took this huge weight off my shoulders, she said. That doesnt happen very often in todays world.

Carolyn R. Wilson is a freelance writer in Glade Spring, Virginia. Contact her at citydesk@bristolnews.com.
Domanick Lee Mecham, 26, of Longview is charged with six felonies involving child sexual abuse. His trial is scheduled for June 21 in Cowlitz County Superior Court.

Mecham pleaded not guilty April 28 to first-degree child molestation, two counts of second-degree child rape, two counts of second-degree child molestation and first-degree voyeurism involving a child.

Kelso police arrested Mecham on April 19 after the mother of the two alleged victims informed officers of the alleged abuse, according to police records. The two minors also detailed the alleged abuse, which they said took place in Oregon, Kelso and Longview, to staff at the Children's Justice & Advocacy Center in Longview.

The mother also found lewd photos of one of the minors on Mecham's phone, according to a police report.

Mecham was in Cowlitz County Jail as of Wednesday afternoon with bail set at $50,000.

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Online retail giant Amazon.com took a firm stance Monday pushing against a prevailing Republican-led push to restrict access to abortion, telling its staff that it would pay up to $4,000 in travel expenses for non-life threatening medical treatments that include abortion.

The move comes as a leaked Supreme Court opinion suggests the conservative-leaning court may op to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark law that makes abortion legal.

In a message sent to employees, obtained by Reuters, Amazon told its employees that the new work benefit would apply to an employee if an operation could not be done within 100 miles of their home and virtual care is not accessible. That will be put in place for all corporate and warehouse employees or covered dependents enrolled in the company's Premera or Aetna health plans, according to the memo.

Amazon's benefit would kick into place in January of 2023. It applies to all non-life threatening treatmentsnot just abortionincluding cardiology, cellular gene therapies and substance-abuse disorder services.

Yet the move comes on the heels of other major companiesCitigroup and Yelp most recentlyto create work benefits that combat state laws adjusting legal changes in employees' health benefits.

Other companies have taken firm stances, too. Lyft and Uber said publicly they would cover legal fees for drivers sued under Texas' new law limiting access to abortions, which went into effect in September 2021.

Will Roe v Wade be overturned?

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule by the end of June on a case that gives a Republican majority a chance to adjust abortion rights and even overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized the procedure nationwide. Several U.S. states currently have laws poised to limit abortion access should the Roe v. Wade ruling be overturned.

Amazon recently stopped offering paid time off for U.S. employees diagnosed with COVID-19, opting to give them five days of excused unpaid leave instead. The Amazon Labor Union, a group of current and former workers, has regularly pushed for better pay and job security.

(c)2022 USA Today

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

On April 25, 2022, Twitter's board of directors accepted Elon Musk's US$44 billion hostile takeover bid. Twitter's statement announcing the deal included comments from the Tesla and SpaceX CEO: "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. 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."

The problem with Musk's statement is that it fundamentally misunderstands speech, algorithms and bots and human authentication. As a researcher who studies social media, I believe that if anything is cause for concern about this transaction, it is this misunderstanding.

Digital town square?

Despite Musk's comments, Twitter was not designed or intended to be a digital town square. While many platforms tout community-building, Twitter has not to date made such a claim. Instead, Twitter has prioritized information-sharing over community, making it a space for millions of town criers, but not a town square for people to come together and debate.

Twitter has been a notable epicenter of online vitriol in the past, so much so that when the company was up for sale previously, potential buyers, including Disney, were scared off by the harassment and hate on the platform. A 2017 study found that women were harassed every 30 seconds on Twitter, with Black women being the most frequently abused.

Additionally, the ease with which people can create and tweet images of doctored news articles and generate fake tweets helps spread misinformationessentially, tools that help amplify the voices of malicious town criers. These are examples of how Twitter is about information-sharing first, community-building second. Someone can shout harassment, hate or misinformation, and then others pile on.

Also, arguments for free speech raise the question: Free speech for whom? Law and lived experience do not always alignask any person of color, woman, LGBTQ person or disabled person who has experienced harassment online, particularly on Twitter. Long-standing conceptions of the public sphere, or town square, feature a romanticized conception of white men debating issues, while others are relegated to the margins.

Furthermore, Musk, who has over 90 million Twitter followers, has himself engaged in harmful behavior on Twitter. In 2018, in now-deleted tweets, Musk referred to a diver who was helping rescue children from a flooded cave in Thailand as "a pedo guy." At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Musk tweeted erroneous claims that children "are essentially immune" to the coronavirus and promoted chloroquine, which is not recommended as a COVID-19 treatment.

Open algorithms

Musk's pledge to open Twitter's algorithms to public scrutiny sounds good.

Twitter's algorithms have been a source of controversy. For example, many conservative politicians claim the algorithms silence them. Research from inside and outside Twitter has routinely shown this is not the case, and Twitter algorithms actually amplify conservative tweets over left-leaning ones. Transparency, in theory, could address these concerns.

But transparency doesn't get at the root of the problem. Algorithms are popular targets in debates about social media platforms, political bias and misinformation because it's easy to blame opaque technological systems. It's harder to offer solutions for the political and personal motivations some people have to manipulate algorithms.

While algorithmic harm is a real problem, algorithms are always programmed by people. Understanding the human decision-making processes that go into algorithms is a more worthwhile inquiry than simply revealing code.

Bots and humans

Like algorithms, bots are often blamed for many of Twitter's ills. And like algorithms, bots are always programmed by humans. They do not act of their own accord, which means a productive line of inquiry is why people program bots to spam in the first place.

Musk has pledged to eliminate spambots by requiring all Twitter users to be authenticated as real people, but this would eliminate all botseven the good ones.

Bots can serve important organizational purposes, given the immense amount of information on the internet. They also provide humor and whimsy when programmed for funsuch as journalism pitch bots, which make up fake headlines for news outlets. There are also amusing bots such as Emoji Mashup, which tweets out novel emojis remixed from existing ones.

While conversations about bots and human authentication often go hand in hand, the latter often involves considerations of multiple accounts and anonymity. Facebook has been a proponent of the Real Name Web, or the push to have one singular identity online that can be tied to one's offline identity. But platforms like Twitter and Instagram have allowed users to assume multiple identities and mask their identity by having multiple accounts, often referred to as Finstas or alts.

On these accounts, the identity of the person behind the screen is not always straightforward. And while some argue removing anonymity would help solve online problems, research has shown time and time again that removing anonymity does not stop hate speech, vitriol or racism.

Fixing Twitter

At the end of the day, Twitter's problems are first and foremost human problems. The technological issues are only buttressed by the people who design or misuse them.

In Musk's statement, he proposes that essentially more TwitterTwitter as a digital square, transparent Twitter algorithms and Twitter solutions to bots and authenticationis the solution to all the platform's problems. History shows that simply would not be the case.

If Musk is serious about making Twitter a healthy, vibrant component of the digital public sphere, he'll need to engage with all users to understand the myriad experiences on the platformespecially those who have faced the most harm.

And I believe he should understand Twitter not as an online microcosm but a symptom representative of larger social and political ills.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
More than 130 graduating seniors from the Bryan school district received thousands of dollars in scholarships during Tuesdays Bryan ISD Scholarship Night.

The 49th annual celebration held at the Bryan ISD Performing Arts Center recognized 131 seniors who earned 220 scholarships, totaling nearly $240,000.

I dont have any words, Bryan High School senior Linda Vazquez said, thanking God for the gift. Its exciting to receive a scholarship. And to tell my mother also that I received it; it means a lot to her because she came from Mexico, and I did everything for her.

Fellow Bryan High senior Joy Wells said she is just thankful to have received the multiple scholarships she did Tuesday night.

A lot of hard work went in for all four years of high school, so Im really happy that it happened, she said. Im just very happy, very blessed to have received this. I cant say enough, thank you.

Wells said it is really amazing to have people in the community recognize her and other students work and reward it.

One of the scholarships Wells received was a $250 scholarship from 2016 Rudder High School graduate Amber Chambers, who established her own scholarship, the Chambers Collegiate Scholarship Foundation.

Chambers presented her first 10 scholarships and said she hopes it can grow to become 10 $2,000 scholarships in the future.

Unlike other scholarships that may have a grade point average or higher education requirement, Chambers said she wanted to create a scholarship that encouraged more minority students like her to receive recognition.

When I was a senior, I was kind of disturbed by the fact that there werent that many minorities in the room, she said.

Chambers first thought was to raise awareness and get more minorities to apply, but decided instead to create a scholarship to help facilitate more applicants.

The GPA of the 10 recipients range from 2.7 to 4.7 and not all plan to attend a four-year university, one saying he plans to attend a trade school to become a plumber and own his own business.

Success doesnt have to be one path, Chambers said. You dont have to go to a four-year university to be successful. If you want to go to a trade school and be a plumber and have your own business, you can do that. It doesnt have to be going to a big-name university just because you feel like thats the best. Its not always.

Chambers said she did not realize the importance of the scholarships until she sat in the donor section and realized she was the youngest and one of few people of color represented.

It means the world to see these high school students, to let them know I left and Im back, she said. Even though I live in New Mexico, I came back to give back. Hopefully my recipients can do the same in a few years.

Chambers said her goal for each of the recipients is that they are happy, do what they feel is their purpose in life and live their life for themselves.

When she graduated from Rudder, Chambers said she wanted to be a doctor or a lawyer, but as she began her pre-med track at the University of Texas at Austin, she realized she wanted to pursue a career in the U.S. Air Force. She now serves as a second lieutenant and is pursuing a masters of business administration.

Chambers described Tuesday as a full-circle moment, sitting in front of representatives from St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Bryan, from which she received one of her scholarships in 2016.

Six years ago I was in this seat and now Im here giving back, and now the same people that gave me scholarships get to see me again, she said. Its kind of like a pay-it-forward type of thing. That was a beautiful moment.

The Rev. Daryl T. Hay, of St. Andrews, said scholarships night is one of the most inspirational events he gets to attend each year, recognizing all the students hard work and success.

While some students did not learn of their earned scholarships until this year, Hay said, the students who received a St. Andrews scholarship found out when they were in fourth or fifth grade at Neal Elementary School.

Hay said it gives the students something to look forward to as they continue through Bryan schools, leading to graduation.

Doug Lyles, BTU executive director of business and customer operations and president of the Bryan ISD Education Foundation, said he enjoys seeing all the scholarship donors come together to support the students.

Its just the whole gamut of a community thats giving back to the seniors, trying to give them a chance to succeed at the next level, he said. I think all of us know we all had a little help to get to where we are today, and so its great that we can kind of pass that along.

He called it gratifying to be part of helping students continue toward their dreams and goals after high school.

It truly is about the students, he said. Theyre the ones walking across the stage tonight. Theyre the ones that did all the hard work. Were just there to help get them along the way and, figuratively, help them get across the stage.

Of the 131 students who received scholarships, 71 were awarded a Bryan ISD Education Foundation scholarship, totaling nearly $131,000.

Harry Francis thanked the donors, saying their support for students through the foundation has not waned, despite any setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of those students who received the support of donors was Bryan Collegiate High School senior Christian Navarro. He received a $5,000 scholarship from the foundation that will help as he pursues a degree in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M University.

Im just really glad that Im fortunate enough to get money to go to school and not have to worry about my financial situation, he said. He said it feels good to know people support him and to see his hard work in high school pay off so he can now focus on getting a good education.

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The owner of an Alabama clinic was flying home from a conference for abortion providers Monday night when a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion began ricocheting around the world.

As Dalton Johnson read it, he was struck by the bluntness of the language that would end the constitutional right to an abortion, shuttering clinics in about half of American states, including his.

Im still in shock, Johnson said Tuesday.

People on both sides of the abortion divide have been expecting the Supreme Court this summer to reverse the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. But many said the draft opinion was nevertheless stunning, forcing them to reckon with the reality the nation is likely to enter soon.

I cant stop crying, said an elated Mississippi state Rep. Becky Currie, who sponsored the 2018 law that is the basis for the Supreme Court case. I am not quite sure I have the words to express how I feel right now, but God has had his hands on that bill since the beginning.

The leaked draft, published late Monday by Politico, is a 98-page opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which challenged the constitutionality of the Mississippi bill that banned abortion after 15 weeks. If the decision stands as written, it would also overturn Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a 1992 decision that protected abortion services even though it allowed states to add some limitations.

Roe was egregiously wrong from the start, the draft opinion states. It was signed by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the courts 6-3 conservative majority. According to Politico, four other justices  Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett  have agreed with the opinion.

The draft opinion was written in February and the language could change before the court issues its final ruling. As written, it would give states the power to decide the legality of abortion. Roughly half, largely in the South and Midwest, are likely to quickly ban abortion.

Abortion clinics in those states opened Tuesday morning, still seeing patients but uncertain about the future.

The daily rituals unfolded as they always do: protesters screamed at people walking inside, clinic escorts tried to shield them and hustle them in the doors.

Please overturn Roe v. Wade, said Barbara Beavers, who stood outside the clinic in Jackson, Mississippi, on Tuesday, trying to persuade people against going inside. Have mercy on our unborn children. Were destroying our future, killing our babies.

Jean Folsom stopped by the clinic on her way to work, to thank the volunteers who help pregnant people pass protesters like Beavers.

I really appreciate their efforts, and obviously based on the news last night, Im worried that this is one of the last times Ill see them, Folsom said.

Folsom said she felt devastated when she read the news Monday night.

I kind of cant believe that I live in a country where things seem to be moving backwards, she said.

At Johnsons clinic in Huntsville, the phone was ringing more than usual. Women called to ask whether they can still get an abortion. Johnson said his first call of the morning was from a woman who had an abortion scheduled for Friday and wanted to come in Tuesday.

The staff held a meeting, and Johnson says he asked them to focus on the women who are still coming for abortions who need their help. The opinion was just a draft, he told them, and cautioned that it wasnt the final decision.

Some anti-abortion activists were skeptical that the draft would become reality, fixating instead on the fact that it was leaked the press and whether that implied political posturing.

Im hopeful, said Dennis Westover, a 72-year-old retired electrical engineer, a regular protester outside the clinic in Charleston, West Virginia. But he was suspicious that someone leaked it as ammunition in the countrys intractable culture wars. When our Supreme Court stuff starts to be leaked, its egregious. One side or the other did it for a political motive to stir up some kind of stink.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts likely wont decide whether to call a special legislative session focused on abortion until the U.S. Supreme Court releases its official opinion on the issue, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.

The Republican governor has said Nebraska needs to be ready to outlaw abortion, and he strongly supported a bill this year that would have automatically done so if the high court gives states that option. The bill ultimately failed, however, after opponents blocked it with a filibuster, and it's questionable whether a special session held this year at extra taxpayer expense would produce a different outcome.

The Legislature will return for a regular session in January with some new lawmakers.

This draft opinion is a promising sign that the gross wrong of Roe will be righted and abortion decisions will return to the states, Ricketts said in a statement. I'm praying for our Supreme Court justices as we await their final decision.

Ricketts spokeswoman Alex Reuss said that, if the court gives states the option to outlaw abortion, the governor would work with Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers, a fellow Republican, to determine how Nebraska can better protect preborn babies.

Ricketts has the power to call a special legislative session, and lawmakers can as well if 33 senators agree to do so. It's unclear whether enough senators would vote for a special session.

A draft opinion leaked to Politico suggests that the court could be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the draft's authenticity on Tuesday, but the court said the draft isn't an official ruling.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Local leaders from the Bryan-College Station area joined business leaders from Matica Biotechnology, Inc. in celebrating the grand opening of Maticas Brazos Valley GMP facility on Tuesday.

Matica Bio is part of growing list of biotechnology companies that have established themselves in the Bryan-College Station area. It is a contract development and manufacturing organization that specializes in cell and gene therapies that use live cells, viruses and DNA to produce medical drugs called therapeutic agents to treat diseases and viruses. The company was established to support a high unmet need for drug production, according to Mike Stewart, Matica Bios chief technology officer.

Company CEO Dr. Yun Jeong Song said Matica Bio will contribute to the growth of the biopharmaceutical industry in a special way since it is well positioned to breach different geography, sectors and stages of medical innovation.

It is truly transformative when you can cure cancer, when you can cure genetic disease that is inherited, its a true revolution. We will help innovators and therefore the patients as their trusted manufacturing partner with an efficiency and quality they deserve, Song said.

College Station was a remarkable place for a startup company such as Matica Bio due to the combination of the academic system, research institutes, local government and private enterprise, said Dr. Jin Kim, Matica Bio board member and advisor.

You see all the new people that have joined us as a new startup; its an exciting place to work, so College Station was a great selling point, Kim said. Were located in such an integral part of Texas between all the different corridors and were excited to be here.

Manufacturing entities such as G-Con Facilities in College Station and Sartorius have partnered with Matica Bio. A research collaboration agreement also was made between Texas A&M University and Matica Bio.

We now have therapy and we have hope; we were stunted for maybe seven years and that will be solved through cell therapy and gene therapy, said Dr. Scott Lillibridge, vice president for global health at Texas A&M.

College Station Mayor Karl Mooney said through the presence of Matica and other biotechnology companies and with the help of Texas A&M, Bryan-College Station is poised, ready and able to increase biomedical research, development, processing and seeking the approvals that are now necessary in the world.

If weve learned anything in the past two years, its that we need companies like Matica to step forward, Mooney said. We need companies like Matica to figure out what the new battlefield is going to look like in healthcare for us to have a healthy world.

Bryan-College Stations biomedical corridor has continued to bring new jobs to the community and Matica will only add to the job creation, Bryan single member District 3 councilman Bobby Gutierrez said.

We have cancer, we have heart attacks, we have all these different things obstructing our lives and to have something here thats state of the art, Gutierrez said. I look forward to the expansion. This is needed, we have to have this not only here in Bryan-College Station but across the world.

Next steps for Matica will be establishing itself as a customer service organization that supports clients by developing a manufacturing process which will process critical drugs and therapies to human clinical trials, said Andrew Arrage, Matica Bio chief commercial officer.

Part of our journey is as our clinical clients progress and mature into leading commercial production, youre going to be there for them, Arrage said. Most of our clients are confidential, but what youll hear from us will be expansion, new capabilities, and things like that.

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A growing number of threat actors are using the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war as a lure in various phishing and malware campaigns, even as critical infrastructure entities continue to be heavily targeted.

"Government-backed actors from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia, as well as various unattributed groups, have used various Ukraine war-related themes in an effort to get targets to open malicious emails or click malicious links," Google Threat Analysis Group's (TAG) Billy Leonard said in a report.

"Financially motivated and criminal actors are also using current events as a means for targeting users," Leonard added.

One notable threat actor is Curious Gorge, which TAG has attributed to China People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force (PLA SSF) and has been observed striking government, military, logistics and manufacturing organizations in Ukraine, Russia and Central Asia.

Attacks aimed at Russia have singled out several governmental entities, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with additional compromises impacting Russian defense contractors and manufacturers as well as an unnamed logistics company.

The findings follow disclosures that a China-linked government-sponsored threat actor known as Mustang Panda (aka Bronze President) may have been targeting Russian government officials with an updated version of a remote access trojan called PlugX.

Another set of phishing attacks involved APT28 (aka Fancy Bear) hackers targeting Ukrainian users with a .NET malware that's capable of stealing cookies and passwords from Chrome, Edge and Firefox browsers.

Also implicated were Russia-based threat groups, including Turla (aka Venomous Bear) and COLDRIVER (aka Callisto), as well as a Belarusian hacking crew named Ghostwriter in different credential phishing campaigns targeting defense and cybersecurity organizations in the Baltic region and high-risk individuals in Ukraine.

COLDRIVER, also called Gamaredon, Primitive Bear, Actinium, and Armageddon, has been linked to multiple phishing attacks targeting government officials in Ukraine, besides striking military, non-government organizations (NGO), judiciary, law enforcement, and non-profit organizations in the country for espionage purposes.

Ghostwriter's latest attacks directed victims to compromised websites, from where the users were sent to an attacker-controlled web page to harvest their credentials.

In an unrelated phishing campaign targeting entities in Eastern European countries, a previously unknown and financially motivated hacking group has been spotted impersonating a Russian agency to deploy a JavaScript backdoor called DarkWatchman onto infected computers.

IBM Security X-Force connected the intrusions to a threat cluster it's tracking under the moniker Hive0117.

"The campaign masquerades as official communications from the Russian Government's Federal Bailiffs Service, the Russian-language emails are addressed to users in Lithuania, Estonia, and Russia in the Telecommunications, Electronic and Industrial sectors," the company said.

The cyber activity update comes as Microsoft divulged that six different Russia-aligned actors launched at least 237 cyberattacks against Ukraine from February 23 to April 8, including 38 discrete destructive attacks that irrevocably destroyed files in hundreds of systems across dozens of organizations in the country.

The geopolitical tensions and the ensuing military invasion of Ukraine have also fueled an escalation in data wiper attacks intended to cripple mission critical processes and destroy forensic evidence.

What's more, the Computer Emergency Response Team of Ukraine (CERT-UA) revealed details of ongoing distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks directed against government and news portals by injecting malicious JavaScript (dubbed "BrownFlood") into the compromised sites.

DDoS attacks have been reported beyond Ukraine as well. Last week, Romania's National Directorate of Cyber Security (DNSC) disclosed that several websites belonging to public and private institutions were "targeted by attackers who aimed to make these online services unavailable."

The attacks, claimed by a pro-Russian collective called Killnet, come in response to Romania's decision to support Ukraine in the military conflict with Russia.
This has absolutely nothing to do with climate change, but the Rocky Mountains are taller than they were a year ago.

For the second year in a row, Newell Elementary fourth-graders covered a little more than three miles on foot Tuesday, pretending they were pioneers from 1849. For the purposes of their journey, Tornado Hill at Grand Islands Ryder Park, serves as the Rocky Mountains.

Newell fourth-grade teacher Danielle Dudo had students go a little higher on Tornado Hill this year. So from their perspective, the Rockies were higher.

About 60 students took part in the event, which is meant to duplicate the Oregon Trail. The students break into groups of three or four, pushing about 15 shopping carts that are outfitted to look like covered wagons. The fourth-graders pushed the carts up the Tornado Hill path that sledders use during winter months. They then pull the carts down the hill, using a rope.

Dudo decided to send the students to a higher elevation this year just to make it a little more of a challenge. We felt like last year they were too successful. So we wanted them to struggle a little bit more, and work a little bit harder as a team.

The organizers opted for a little harder challenge to see if they were up for it, Dudo said.

This year, students were restricted to using only ropes to pull the carts down the hill. Last year, some of the students attached bandannas and clothing to the shopping carts. Because of the new rule, It definitely was more of a challenge getting down the mountain, Dudo said.

The students, from all three of Newells fourth-grade sections, departed from Newell shortly after 9 a.m. During the course of the day, the students were meant to be traveling from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon.

After descending the mountain, the kids had lunch and took a break at Ryder Park, which was meant to be Fort Laramie. Earlier, they stopped at Walnut Middle School, which served as Fort Kearny. At the fort, the kids played old-fashioned games, sang, danced and did pioneer-era chores.

The teachers also introduced students to about 15 locations and landmarks along the way.

For instance, we went through the sandhills of Nebraska, which was an alleyway, Dudo said. CHI St. Francis stood in for Chimney Rock.

Thirteenth and Faidley streets also had major significance. Each of those streets portrayed one of the major rivers that the pioneers would have crossed, Dudo said.

Newell students spent the past month and a half learning about the Oregon Trail  why people made the trek and the hardships they endured. They learned that about one in 10 people didnt survive the trip. The students experience firsthand what the pioneers actually went through to get to Oregon, Dudo said.

The kids love the project, which also wears them out.

We get back and theyre tired and exhausted, Dudo said. But theyre also super-excited, she said.

Dudos son, a fifth-grader, took part last year and he still talks about it today, she said.

When the fourth-graders returned to school Tuesday, they were welcomed back by Newell second-graders. Those students will look forward to taking the trip themselves in two years, she said.

Newell brought the idea to Grand Island after Dudo saw the idea on Twitter. She then talked to two Kearney teachers whod done the same thing.

A couple of years ago, the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation awarded the school $850 to buy supplies, which Newell plans to keep using every year. Developer Ray OConnor provided the shopping carts, formerly used at Shopko, at an attractive price.

Even though rain and snow fell Monday, the Newell group knew they were making the trip Tuesday.

The adventure was originally scheduled for last Friday, but was postponed because of a gloomy forecast.

This time of year, school days are limited.

So, as bad as the weather looked Monday night, Dudo knew they were going Tuesday, no matter what.

We told the kids to bundle up, dress warm, she said.

The kids were cold Tuesday morning, but the temperature warmed up by the afternoon.

Besides, they were pushing covered wagons, which provided a handy place in which to throw unwanted clothing.

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For the next few months, Grand Island will have only one Runza Restaurant.

The longtime location at 1812 N. Webb Road will be demolished this week. A new Runza location, to be built in its place, is expected to open early this fall. Demolition may begin today.

The other Runza Restaurant, at 2004 S. Locust St., will remain open.

Runza has been part of the Grand Island community since this store opened in 1979. We are excited to bring an updated look to the area, said Donald Everett Jr., president of Runza National, in a news release.

Employees of the Webb Road location have the option of working at the Locust Runza location.

The two Grand Island Runza restaurants are owned by Runza National. Miguel Sandoval is general manager of the Webb Road location. His sister, Becca Bragg, is general manager of the Locust store.

Customers will see our Webb Road team members working at the South Locust store and other area locations during the rebuild. We are really excited about this unique opportunity, Sandoval said in the news release.

Runza operates and franchises 85 restaurants, 80 of them in Nebraska. The other locations are in Longmont and Loveland, Colorado, Clarinda and Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Lawrence, Kansas.
Voters will decide Tuesday which of three candidates in the Grand Island mayoral race will proceed to Novembers general election.

Incumbent Roger Steele is being challenged by business owner Julie Wright and veteran Doug Brown.

As of Tuesday, 2,234 ballots for early voting have been issued, said Tracy Overstreet, Hall County Election Commissioner.

Early voting started April 11, and continues through Monday.

The primary election will be held on May 10 in Hall County. The election will determine which candidates for a party will appear on the ballot for the general election on Nov. 8.

A primary election pares down races that have candidates two times in excess of the number of open seats, explained Overstreet. In the mayors race, there is one seat open. Two times the one seat is two, so two candidates can advance to the general election. There are three candidates, so next weeks primary will simply pare the mayors race down to two finalists.

Hall County will decide which candidates it wants to see in state-level races, as well.

Sample ballots for the May 10 primary election are available for viewing on the website Nebraska Voter Check, at ne.gov/go/votercheck.

In the governors race, there are nine candidates on the ballot for the Nebraska Republican Party: Michael Connely, Brett Lindstrom, Donna Nicole Carpenter, Lela McNinch, Theresa Thibodeau, Jim Pillen, Troy Wentz, Charles Herbster and Breland Ridenour.

For the Nebraska Democratic Party, Carol Blood and Roy A. Harris are running for governor.

Scott Zimmerman is running for governor as the Libertarian candidate.

Voters may need to go to a new polling place, Overstreet warned.

Roughly 40% of Hall County voters have a different voting site for 2022s elections, a change that will affect more than 13,000 voters.

Voters south of Shimmer Drive are now in Precinct 23 and now vote in Alda, for example.

The polling site changes are a result of census numbers for Hall County and state redistricting, Overstreet said.

Districts can be found at Nebraska Voter Check, www.votercheck.necvr.ne.gov/voterview.

Maps showing the new precinct boundaries are available online on the Hall County website, with precinct lookup feature, under Election Commission.

Nebraska Voter Check also shows voters polling sites.

New polling sites have also been added because of substantial growth in Grand Island.

These include: Resurrection Catholic, Abundant Life Church and Southern Public Power office.

Some polling places were moved to benefit voters with disabilities and for greater accessibility and curbside voting.

These include First Faith Methodist, St. Pauls Lutheran and Resurrection Catholic.

Other changes:

-Seedling Mile Elementary is no longer a polling site due to school security and school traffic issues. Those voters will go to Grace Lutheran Church.

-People who voted at St. Leos Catholic and live south of Stolley Park Road will still vote at St. Leos, but people who live north of Stolley Park will now vote at Abundant Life.

-Fonner Park Cafe hosted two precincts, but those have been separated. People who live in Grand Island city limits still vote there, and those living outside voter limits will now vote at St. Leos or in Alda.

-Northridge Assembly of God is no longer a polling site. About two-thirds of those voters will go to First Faith Methodist and one-third will go to Resurrection Catholic.

To receive an early voting ballot, registered Hall County voters must complete a signed application.

We need a signature from everybody, said Overstreet in April. Its not any different really than voting from a polling place where you have to sign into the roster book. Theyll sign it and well process it.

For more information on voting in the Hall County 2022 primary election on May 10, visit www.hallcountyne.gov.

Interviews with the candidates can be found here:

-Mayor Roger Steele

-Julie Wright

-Doug Brown

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YORK  Whitney Haack, 35, whose address has been listed as Fairmont, Albion and Crescent, Iowa, has been sentenced to jail time for possession of methamphetamine in York.

Her sentencing comes after she failed twice to show up for court proceedings and a bench warrant was issued for her arrest.

According to the affidavit filed with the York County Court, the case began when a deputy with the York County Sheriffs Department was on regular patrol on South Lincoln Avenue where he saw a vehicle without license plates. A traffic stop was initiated and the driver was identified as Haack.

While the stop was underway, a county drug dog alerted to the indication of narcotics in Haacks vehicle.

During a probable cause search of the vehicle, deputies found a glass pipe with meth inside a sock in the center console of the vehicle. They also found a bag in the trunk, in which contained one gram of methamphetamine. They also found a red tooter straw and tin foil pieces which contained burned methamphetamine residue, weighing a half gram. They also found 11 pills of Cefdinir prescribed to someone else.

She was charged with possession of a controlled substance and sentenced to a term of six months in the York County Jail with credit for 37 days already served.
Student Data Breach

Illuminate Education Data Breach Impacted At Least 24 Districts, 18 Charter Schools in NY; Investigation Launched

New York State Education Official Says 'At Least' 1 Million NY Students Impacted

Editor's Note: This report has been updated with additional details: 565 Schools, Over 1 Million Students Impacted By Data Breach, NYSED Says; 2nd Colorado District Notifies Parents It, Too, Was Impacted.

At least 24 school districts and 18 charter schools in New York  totaling at least a million students in the state  were impacted by the breach of private student data that occurred during a January cyberattack on Illuminate Educations systems, and the New York State Education Department has launched an investigation into the data breach, a NYSED official told THE Journal.

The breach compromised the student data of at least 24 school districts and 18 charter schools in New York, plus one Board of Cooperative Educational Services, according to the information received thus far by NYSED, Deputy Director of Communications J.P. OHare told THE Journal via email. Each of New Yorks 37 BOCES includes numerous school districts serving dozens of cities and towns, allowing all but the states largest five districts to share educational services and realize cost savings in purchasing software and equipment.

The exact number of New York students impacted by the data breach was not readily available, OHare said: According to the information that NYSED has obtained to date, at least 1 million New York State students have been impacted. THE Journal filed a Freedom of Information request for the list of impacted schools and districts but has not yet received a response.

OHares email came in response to questions from THE Journal about a data breach notification letter template that NYSED posted on its website to guide New York schools in telling parents about their students private data being compromised during the Illuminate cyberattack.

The districts previously known to have been impacted by the Illuminate Education data breach included three: New York City schools, which said about 820,000 current and former students data was compromised; Coventry Public Schools in Connecticut, with enrollment of about 1,650; and Mesa County Valley School District 51 in Grand Junction, Colo., with enrollment of about 21,000.

Because districts and BOCES schools make decisions locally about which software to use in their schools, NYSED is not yet certain how many schools use any of Illuminate Education solutions  all of which were offline for a week or more during the January cyberattack, according to its service status site. The companys website states that its K12 ed tech solutions  including IO Classroom (previously named Skedula), PupilPath, EduClimber, IO Education, SchoolCity, and others  serve over 5,000 schools with a total enrollment of about 17 million U.S. students.

New York law requires any third-party contractor with access to student data to encrypt the student data at rest and in motion, OHare said, citing Education Law 2-d and Commissioner of Education regulations 8 NYCRR  121.3 (c)(6) and 121.9(a)(7).

When a breach of student data occurs, state law authorizes NYSEDs Chief Privacy Officer to investigate and potentially impose civil penalties; order that a third party contractor be precluded from accessing student data from the educational agency with which it contracted, or the state of New York; determine that a third-party contractor is not a responsible bidder; and/or require the third party contractor to provide training, OHare explained.

NYSED privacy office has undertaken an investigation of the Illuminate Education breach, he told THE Journal. As part of that investigation, NYSEDs privacy office has asked all school districts and charter schools to complete a survey providing information as to what Illuminate Education products, if any, were or are used by the school.

The investigation began on April 1, OHare said.

What New Yorks Law Says About Disclosure & Why It Matters

New Yorks Education Law 2-d, strengthened to protect student data privacy in 2019, states that if a civil penalty is levied against a third-party contractor following an investigation by NYSEDs privacy office, the civil penalty will be up to $10 per affected student, teacher, and principal. The law also requires that affected schools must be notified of any data breach without unreasonable delay but no more than seven calendar days from the date of discovery of such breach. After a third-party breach notification, or after independent discovery by the school itself, the affected school must notify (NYSED) within 10 calendar days. Regardless of where the breach or unauthorized release was discovered, the school must notify affected individuals without unreasonable delay but in no case no more than 14 calendar days from the date of discovery.

For months after the cyberattack took its school software off-line, Illuminate remained quiet; then in March, the company notified New York City Schools that the personal information of about 820,000 current and former students had been compromised back in January. New York school officials told the New York Post at the time that they were asking state and federal authorities to investigate, accusing Illuminate of failing to encrypt student data kept on its servers  even though the company had previously told the district it was meeting such legal requirements for data protection.
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The American Red Cross is encouraging donors who are eligible and available to give blood donation now, then give again during the summer.

Joe Zydlo, regional communications manager for the St. Louis Area Red Cross, said donors stepped up in January and February after the American Red Cross declared a national blood shortage. Donations in February were also slowed by three snowstorms.

The need is constant. We are concerned as more people get out, will they remember to come back and donate blood? Zydlo said.

It is not unusual to see blood donations drop in the summer and from Thanksgiving to the end of the year. Last summer brought a considerable drop, as people took vacations after being home during most of 2020.

If you are healthy and eligible, donate now and come back and donate in the summer, Zydlo said.

He added that blood products have a shelf life. While whole blood can be stored 42 days, platelets only last five days. Zydlo said platelets are used for a variety of medical conditions, such as trauma, cancer and more.

The Red Cross has added a little incentive for anyone who donates this spring. Donors who give blood, platelets or plasma through May 19 will be automatically entered to win a travel trailer camper that sleeps eight. Plus, those who give will also receive a $10 e-gift card.

Zydlo said they are always looking for blood drive hosts, as well as volunteers to help at local blood drives. Volunteers, known as Blood Drive Ambassadors, who help welcome and register donors, man the snack station and do other tasks. He added that volunteer opportunities can be in-person or done virtually.

Local opportunities to donated blood, include the following blood drives.

Today, May 5: 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Murphysboro High School, 50 Blackwood Drive; 10 a.m.-2 p.m., John A Logan College, 700 Logan College Road, Carterville

May 6: 2-6 p.m., Du Quoin High School, 500 E. South St., Du Quoin

May 9: 12:30-5:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, Monroe and Jefferson streets, Golconda

May 12: Noon-5 p.m., Marshall Browning Hospital, 900 N. Washington St., Du Quoin; 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Jackson County Health Department, 415 Health Department Road, Murphysboro

May 13: 1-5 p.m., De Soto Village Hall, 210 W. Lincoln St., 4:45 a.m.-5 p.m., Penn Aluminum, 1117 N. Second St., Murphysboro

May 15: Noon-6 p.m., Fellowship Baptist Church, 890 Senior Ave., Vienna

To schedule an appointment to donate blood, platelets or plasma or to find other blood drives, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

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Illinois voters will go to the polls June 22 to cast their votes in the Primary Election. Before they do, The Southern Illinoisan wants to tell them about the candidates asking for their votes.

If you are running for office, The Southern Illinoisan wants to hear from you during the next few weeks.

We want to know a little about you, why you chose to run for office, what you think the issues are and how to contact you.

We will use your responses in planning coverage of primary and general election races.

Please visit https://thesouthern.com/forms/illinois_primary_election_candidacy_form/ to fill out the firm.

-- The Southern

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A 35-year-old Orangeburg man is accused of firing his gun into a Jeep Cherokee, shooting another man in the chin.

Branden Julius Brooks, of Mimosa Drive, Orangeburg, is charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count each of possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a violent felony.

A man and woman reported the shooting occurred at 4 p.m. Friday after they left the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles, located at 1720 Charleston Highway, in the Jeep Cherokee, according to an Orangeburg Department of Public Safety incident report.

When the Cherokee reached the 200 block of Broughton Street, Brooks allegedly pulled up beside the vehicle and shot into it.

The man in the Jeep allegedly returned fire.

The woman then got into the drivers seat and drove the man to the Regional Medical Center for treatment. The woman wasnt physically injured.

The woman and Brooks were in a relationship with each other previously, the report said.

When investigators searched Brooks vehicle, they allegedly found a .380-caliber black Ruger LCP firearm that was reported stolen out of Colleton County.

Officers also served Brooks with outstanding warrants for a discharging a firearm in the city limits charge and a malicious injury to personal property charge.

Those charges stem from a March 30 incident on Henley Street.

Brooks allegedly went near his ex-girlfriends residence and fired a gun at the same Jeep, damaging it, according to an incident report. Police claim Brooks left the scene before they arrived.

Brooks has a prior conviction for first-degree domestic violence from a December 2016 incident.

Circuit Judge Ed Dickson sentenced him to three years in prison and gave him credit for time served.

If convicted of attempted murder, Brooks faces up to 30 years in prison.

Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD

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Orangeburg County

Sheriffs Office

A 19-year-old Orangeburg man is accused of stealing a teens gold chains at gunpoint.

Eddie Lee Jr., of 1036 Sulton Court, is charged with armed robbery, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime and possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a violent felony.

Lees charges stem from an April 28 incident at the Shell/Bojangles located at 110 Chestnut Street, according to a sheriffs office incident report.

A 17-year-old told deputies that he went inside to get something to drink and a gunman pointed a firearm at him and stated, What you gonna do?

The gunman snatched the chains from the teens neck and fled the store, the report said.

The teen claims the gunman then posted videos with the chains on Instagram moments after the incident.

The stores video surveillance system recorded the incident.

The value of the chains is $3,750.

Lee was taken into custody on Tuesday. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison.

His bond hearing is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD

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A lawsuit brought against actor Alec Baldwin by the family of a Wyoming Marine killed in Afghanistan was dismissed Wednesday, court filings show, after a judge found it had no standing in the state.

Since Baldwin lives in New York, Judge Nancy Freudenthal said in her order, the Wyoming federal court has no jurisdiction over the case.

The sisters and widow of Rylee McCollum, a Marine from the Jackson area who was killed in an August bombing at the Kabul airport, alleged in the suit that Baldwin had subjected them to online harassment after reposting a photo shared by Roice McCollum from the Jan. 6 riots.

Baldwin had sent the family a $5,000 donation after hearing of Rylees death. When he saw Roices photo on Instagram, court documents state, he commented on her post and exchanged private messages with her to confirm she was the one who received his donation.

He then reposted (and later deleted) her photo to his 2.4 million followers. In the complaint, the McCollums said that Roice then received hundreds of hostile, aggressive, hateful messages from his followers that caused her and the other plaintiffs distress, anxiety and fear.

The case was dismissed without prejudice, which means the plaintiffs could still bring their allegations again in another court.

According to the ruling, Baldwin was born and raised in New York and has no personal or business connection to Wyoming.

The McCollums (sic) argument that Baldwin cannot simply pick a fight in Wyoming and scurry back to his Manhattan penthouse claiming he is immune from the consequences of his action in Wyoming is entirely unpersuasive, Freudenthal wrote. Mr. Baldwin was never in Wyoming to pick a fight and did not scurry back as he never left New York.

The judge ruled that since Baldwin made the posts from New York, and they were not directed at a Wyoming audience specifically, the case cannot be brought in the state.

We are pleased with this victory, said Baldwin lawyer Luke Nikas. This is a significant step toward the complete dismissal of the lawsuit, which seeks to punish Mr. Baldwin for expressing his political opinion.

Freudenthals order does not address the multitude of allegations, claims and arguments made in the initial complaint.

Those tort claims are still alive, just not in Wyoming, said Dennis Postiglione, a lawyer representing the McCollums. We have full plans to refile in a jurisdiction where we can sue Baldwin.

Postiglione said theyll likely refile the case on the same allegations in New York or California, where Baldwin works.

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While a draft opinion leaked Monday indicates the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to overturn the 50-year-old landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that guarantees the federal right to abortion, access to abortions in Montana will remain the same unless and until things change at the state level.

Montana has its own state Supreme Court opinion ensuring the access to pre-viability abortions  the 1999 Armstrong ruling. But thats being challenged right now in the state's highest court.

Unlike 13 other states, Montana does not have whats called a trigger ban, meaning there are not laws that kick in to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade falls in June when the U.S. Supreme Courts final opinion is expected. But proposals in the 2023 legislative session are likely to attempt to limit access to abortions even more than bills that became law last year.

In 2021, the Republican-majority Legislature passed four bills that change access to abortion in the state. However, following a lawsuit by Planned Parenthood of Montana, three of those laws are on hold while the legal challenge plays out.

The laws blocked for now would ban abortions after 20 weeks gestational age; require a woman to be informed of the option to view an ultrasound before an abortion; and require informed consent before a drug-induced abortion and block providing the medication through the mail.

There's a fourth law included in the lawsuit filed last August, to prohibit health insurance plans sold in the federal exchange in Montana from covering abortion care, but it's not part of the preliminary injunction.

When Republican Attorney General Austin Knudsen asked the Montana state Supreme Court to overturn the preliminary injunction, he also asked the court to reverse its 23-year-old ruling in Armstrong. That ruling, authored by former Justice James Nelson, found that the privacy provisions in Montanas Constitution ensure women can access pre-viability abortions.

In his brief to the court earlier this year, Knudsen called the Armstrong ruling a deeply flawed tribute to unrestrained judicial activism.

Nowhere in Montanas constitutional text is there a right to elective abortion. Instead, the framers intentionally excluded abortion from the Constitution and left to the Legislature the prerogative to permit, prohibit or regulate it, Knudsen wrote.

But a group of delegates who crafted the states Constitution also filed a brief with the court, explaining that their intention was to ensure it would be left to the judiciary to determine what Montanas right to privacy entailed, as it did with Armstrong.

The delegates never intended the scope of these fundamental rights to be subject to the partisan, political vagaries of the legislative and executive branches. Instead, these rights exist beyond the reach of politics and therefore must be construed by our states only nonpartisan branch: the judiciary, the March brief from delegates Mae Nan Ellingson, Lyle Monroe and Bob Campbell and saff member Rick Applegate read.

The AG's office has filed their own brief disputing the delegates, with a brief reading in part "All the evidence at and around the convention points unequivocally in one directionthat abortion was not constitutionalized."

Nelson's opinion in the 1999 Armstrong v. Montana case confirmed the states Constitution, Article II Section 10, contained a right of privacy allowing a woman to seek a pre-viability abortion in consultation with her health care provider free from government oversight.

When you come to the right of individual privacy, the Montana Constitution is broad and protects privacy where the federal Constitution does not, Nelson said. The (Montana) court was very careful in Armstrong to render its decision on independent state grounds, based on the Montana Constitution, not the federal Constitution. It cannot be challenged in federal court. When a state court decision is based on state law, its pretty well bulletproof.

That may leave Montana as a legal island, Nelson said. Most surrounding states have older constitutions than Montanas 1972 edition, and lack specific rights to privacy. However, some Republicans in the state have also called for a re-write of the Constitution, specifically citing abortion as one of the reasons why.

I suspect we will see a full-on attempt in the next session of the Legislature to change the Montana Constitution to amend out that right of privacy, Nelson said. " ... (Kalispell Republican Rep.) Derek Skees has called the Montana Constitution a socialist rag that needs to be thrown out.

In an emailed statement Tuesday, Martha Fuller, the CEO and president of Planned Parenthood of Montana, made clear abortion is still legal in the state.

We are here to tell you: Abortion is legal and is still protected in Montana by both our state constitution and by legal precedent, Fuller said.

While Fuller said the leaked draft opinion confirms our worst fears, it was not unexpected.

While we have seen the writing on the wall for decades, it is no less devastating, and comes just as anti-abortion rights groups unveil their ultimate plan to ban abortion nationwide, Fuller said. She added Planned Parenthood has been preparing for every possible outcome in this case.

PPMTs health centers remain open, abortion is currently still legal, and we will continue to fight like hell to protect the right to access safe, legal abortion, Fuller said.

At the state Legislature, the GOP majority thats increased over the last several sessions has a party platform that says, We affirm our belief in traditional family values and support the preservation of innocent human life at every stage of life, in all circumstances, beginning at conception through natural death.

Pointing to that platform, state Rep. Sharon Greef, a Republican from Florence, said she expects to see bills brought in Montana next year similar to those in other GOP-led states, like Texas ban at six weeks.

I do think there will be bills, said Greef, who is not seeking re-election but has been a leader in bringing legislation to limit abortions. Greef also said she would expect legislators to try again if any of the bills under the preliminary injunction are struck down.

While Republicans have held a majority in the Legislature for a decade, theyve also had a Democrat in the governors office for much of that time who served as a veto block on any abortion legislation they passed. That was until 2021, when Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte, who in part campaigned on limiting access to abortions, took office.

Greef said while there might be slightly less GOP support for abortion legislation that went farther than whats been proposed before, she still believes with a Republican majority and this being one of the planks in the platform, I still think Republicans will support any bill that can protect the most innocent.

Greef said she is looking to the U.S. Supreme Courts final opinion, which she hopes will overturn Roe v. Wade. Her connection to abortion legislation is personal, she said, with an adopted daughter who was born in January 1972, the year before Roe. Greef said her daughter was able to contact her birth mother, who told her she would have had an abortion if it was legal then. Greef said she hopes women who become pregnant but do not want a child would consider adoption.

You see what some people call a bunch of cells and then you see this beautiful woman that was saved because abortion was illegal, Greef said. To me, abortion is murder. Its no different than taking the life of an adult.

Other Republicans in the Legislature said leadership would meet soon to discuss possible legislation for the upcoming session. There arent any bill drafts in yet seeking to change access to abortion in the state, but its still early in the process.

Democrats, who are a minority in the Legislature, issued a statement Tuesday anticipating upcoming legislation from the other side of the aisle.

If this decision holds, Montanans right to access abortion care is under greater attack than ever before, read a statement from House Minority Leader Kim Abbott, of Helena, and Senate Minority Leader Jill Cohenour, from East Helena. It is clear that some politicians will not stop until they can control even the most intimate aspects of our private decision-making. Our states Constitutional right to privacy has never been more critical, and Montanas Democratic legislators will fight tooth and nail to defend it.

Across the aisle from Greef is Helena Democratic state Rep. Mary Ann Dunwell, who at a recent reproductive rights rally shared for the first time her story about getting an abortion when she was in her 20s.

It was 1981, post-Roe, but Dunwell lived in Louisiana and doctors there could not connect her with abortion services.

I dont know why, Dunwell said Tuesday. At that point in time it didnt dawn on me that maybe they were afraid of repercussions.

Dunwell eventually found a clinic in Beaumont, Texas, and made the three-hour roundtrip alone, driving herself. At the time she couldnt afford a motel or even to eat a meal out on the journey.

I dont want women to have to travel and have trouble accessing care and feeling so much alone, Dunwell said.

If the U.S. Supreme Court rules how the leaked draft opinion indicates, Dunwell said she worried women in states around Montana with trigger laws  Idaho, Wyoming and North and South Dakota  will be in similar situations to what she experienced. Or that Montana women would need to travel to Washington or Oregon if Armstrong falls here.

I think this will disenfranchise the lower-income folks who cant afford to find access through underground channels and it horrifies me to think that we could be going back to that, Dunwell said.

Dunwell said that she would look at bringing legislation to codify access to abortion in Montana, but acknowledged that Republicans are just a few seats shy in the Legislature from holding a super-majority and that passing anything like that was unlikely.

In a joint statement, GOP leadership in the Legislature said they were awaiting the courts final opinion.

The court must issue its ruling based solely on the text of the U.S. Constitution. We will wait for the courts official and final decision rather than comment on an improperly leaked draft. Roe v. Wade was wrong from the day it was issued and we hope and believe that Life will prevail, the statement from Senate President Mark Blasdel and House Majority Leader Sue Vinton said.

In a statement posted to Twitter, Gianforte said he was "outraged" by the leaked draft opinion. He also said he was "hopeful ... that Roe v. Wade will be put into the vault of history and that the American people and their elected representatives will be empowered once again."

Nelson said the Monday night leak of a draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion was dumbfounding.

Im betting heads are rolling in the Supreme Court because of that, Nelson said. Panels of judges routinely propose ways to settle cases and circulate the drafts in search of support or improvement. The other judges may propose alternative arguments, or withhold support until some particular issue gets addressed to their satisfaction.

But the matter stays within the courthouse until the judges are ready to issue the final opinion, along with any final concurrences or dissents. If a justices clerk, or someone on the IT staff, or even a disgruntled justice leaked the draft, it indicates a huge breach of protocol and tradition.

Nelson said historically, Supreme Courts are defined by the chief justice of the time, as in the Burger Court led by Chief Justice Warren Burger when Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973. Current Chief Justice John Roberts will likely have this decision become a major part of the Roberts Court.

I suspect hes concerned about his legacy, and this case will go down as a landmark bad decision of all time, Nelson said. Women will not stand for it. And if Republicans think they will gain any voters, theyre crazy. It shows he (Roberts) doesnt have much power to rein in runaway justices.

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Wyomings patient zero arrived at the states Wildlife Health Laboratory in late March. Someone found the Canada goose dead in Bighorn County. The test came back positive for the deadly H5N1, a strain of avian influenza killing birds across the globe.

Since then, cases have popped up in magpies, great-horned owls, vultures and hawks from Jackson and Cody to Douglas and Laramie. In early April, the flu killed 11 wild turkeys near Buffalo. Last week, the Powell Tribune reported the Wyoming Game and Fish Department killed its broodstock of pheasants at its bird farm near Sheridan out of an abundance of caution.

This used to be mainly a domestic poultry problem, said Dr. Samantha Allen, Wyoming Game and Fish Departments wildlife veterinarian.

But this flu is different. The current strain is responsible for killing more than 1,000 lesser scaup ducks in Florida, scores of Canada geese in New Hampshire, and dozens of snow geese in the same fields in North Dakota.

As we started to see large mortalities in wild bird populations, what we really dont know is if that trend will continue or not, Allen said.

Questions about the future of the disease loom but are hard for scientists to answer at this stage. Will it mutate into an even deadlier virus that sticks around? Will it change and more severely affect humans? Right now, humans can contract H5N1, but few have fallen ill. What impact will it eventually have on wild birds in Wyoming, the West, North America and the globe?

For now, scientists in Laramie are testing dead birds brought to them from around the state, and researchers throughout the world are trying to figure out the best ways to protect domestic poultry and wildlife, contain the virus despite its presence in migrating species, and prepare for the future.

If avian flu sounds like something youve heard about before, its because you have. Avian influenza is endemic in wild birds, and outbreaks have historically killed millions of domestic birds.

Like all influenza viruses, avian flu has the ability to mix and match with other influenza strains and then evolve and change depending on its proteins, Allen said. Each has an H protein, signifying hemagglutinin and an N protein for neuraminidase. There are 16 possible H proteins and nine possible N proteins.

The one that were dealing with right now is H5N1, she said. We break it down based on what genetics it has picked up along the way and what it looks like.

The virus is then further classified based loosely on its severity, essentially highly pathogenic and low pathogenic avian influenza.

All that means is that for highly pathogenic, a lot of domestic poultry will die very quickly and at high numbers, she said.

When high pathogenic strains hit a domestic poultry producer, the birds either die from the disease or are killed to prevent its spread.

Wild, migratory birds, on the other hand, tend to carry the low pathogenic avian influenza and general influenza strains. Its naturally circulating in migratory birds around the world, and while it can cause occasional die offs, it rarely kills large numbers.

The difference now is that migratory birds are also carrying this deadly strain, spreading it around to other domestic and wild birds through feces, close contact and in carcasses.

The current strain likely started somewhere in Asia where it has been circulating since the 1990s, Allen said. It has changed along the way, and the recent version has caused massive die offs in places like Israel where 5,200 cranes died. Birds infected tend to have irregular spinning body movements, uncontrolled head rolling and other abnormal neurological movements followed by sudden death, according to the Teton Raptor Center.

It landed on the shores of North America and was first detected in December in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and then in February in a commercial turkey flock in Indiana. Since then, its spread like wildfire as birds migrate from Florida to the Midwest and Colorado north to western Canada. Tens of millions of domestic birds have either died or been killed since that first case in February. No count currently exists for the toll it has taken on wild birds.

No one knows for sure if this current strain of avian influenza will burn itself out as some have in the past or remain in our populations in some different version. Some duck species are naturally immune, but act as vectors and may continue spreading the disease.

Researchers and biologists are still studying the impact on Wyomings birds, though at least right now, they arent worried about population-level impacts on migratory game birds.

I think states that are really big wetland and bird congregation areas, wintering grounds, staging areas, those are places that will lose big numbers, said Noelle Smith, Game and Fishs migratory game bird and wetland biologist. Wyoming doesnt have those.

The impact on raptors is particularly concerning, especially in fragile populations, said Zack Walker, Game and Fishs nongame section supervisor.

Hawks, eagles, owls and vultures are likely feeding on carcasses of newly dead birds and then succumbing to the disease. The second known H5N1 case in Wyoming this year was a great-horned owl found dead in Park County.

Since then, it has killed a great-horned owl in Jackson and a red-tailed hawk near Ucross.

Hunters will see fewer pheasants stocked in western Wyoming after officials euthanized the Sheridan bird farms pheasant brood stock, reported the Powell Tribune. The captive birds were not sick, but dead turkeys had been discovered nearby that tested positive for the deadly flu strain. The birds were killed in a preemptive action, the Cody regional wildlife supervisor told the local newspaper.

The virus tends to thrive in cooler temperatures, which has helped its current spread, but also offers hope as the weather warms. Researchers hope as migratory birds continue their flights north the cases here will fizzle, said Hank Edwards, Game and Fishs Wildlife Health Laboratory supervisor.

In Alberta and Saskatchewan, cases are rising, which may point to the effects of migrating birds carrying the disease with them. At the same time, cases in states like Florida and Georgia have dropped.

The hope is we will follow that trend, said Allen. But right now, we just dont know.

If you find more than three dead waterfowl, any number of dead raptors or scavenging birds, or you see wild birds showing abnormal neurological signs, nasal discharge or diarrhea, call your local Wyoming Game and Fish office.

WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy.

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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.
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.
Thirty-eight per cent of the murders committed in Trinidad and Tobago for the year thus far 
The two separate cases of teenaged girls who went missing last week and were found in shacks
The Armed Forces of Belarus have launched a sudden inspection of the response forces: what is known

The Armed Forces of Belarus have launched a sudden inspection of the response forces: what is known

A sudden inspection of the response forces has begun in the Armed Forces of Belarus.

During the inspection, military units and subunits will work out bringing to combat readiness and march to assigned areas. In addition, the military will take part in training to carry out combat training tasks. Thus, they want to test the readiness of the personnel for prompt response to possible crisis situations. It was reported by local media BelTA with reference to the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus.

The Ministry of Defense stated that the Armed Forces will operate in unfamiliar areas of the terrain in a rapidly changing environment. The composition of the forces is planned to be constantly increased. The authorities of the republic want to test the ability of the army to counter military threats on the ground and in the air. They also stated that a large amount of military equipment will be moved.

The events do not pose any threat to neighboring countries and European society. Citizens have been warned that a significant amount of military equipment will appear on public roads, -the Ministry of Defense of Belarus explained.

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The Supreme Courts apparent intention to abolish a nationwide right to abortion, spelled out in a draft opinion leaked this week, will expand the battlefield of the nations most highly charged culture war, taking it to states where abortion access has long been assured.

Democrats in blue states are bracing for a wave of legal attacks and other maneuvers seeking to undermine access, and some are even taking steps to enshrine the right to abortion in their constitutions, making it much more difficult to impose a ban in the future.

Republican states are expected to ban or restrict abortion, but tactics also could include an aggressive effort to go beyond their borders to sue abortion providers and find other ways to punish those who assist a woman in securing an abortion.

The potential to roll back established abortion rights already has emerged in states with divided political control, including Pennsylvania and Virginia. California and Colorado are pushing to protect abortion access in their constitutions, a stronger step than passing a law. Connecticut and Washington state have already taken steps to shield providers from possible lawsuits as they anticipate women seeking abortions would cross state lines.

We will not allow the tentacles of Texas to get into Washington state, said Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, who vowed to make Washington a sanctuary for those seeking abortion.

Oregon lawmakers included $15 million in their state budget to help pay for people to travel to the state to get abortions and California has a similar bill.

The rhetoric on both sides points to a growing fight over access, with anti-abortion advocates hoping to shrink the number of states where the procedure remains legal if Roe is overturned. Roughly half of U.S. states are expected to move quickly to ban or greatly restrict abortion if that happens.

A new law in Idaho, currently blocked by the state Supreme Court, would allow family members of all involved to sue abortion providers, an example of the tactics to come.

The next chapter of the conflict is really going to be about essentially what happens with interstate conflicts, said Mary Ziegler, a legal historian at Florida State Universitys law school.

Many states with one-party control of government already have chosen their side. The handful of states with divided politics are up for grabs.

In Pennsylvania, abortion is legal under state law for the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. The law's survival is on the line in this years race for governor.

Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat who has vetoed recent legislation restricting abortion, is not running because of term limits. The race to replace him is between a similarly minded Democrat, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, and a primary field of nine Republicans who all say they would sign restrictions passed by the Legislature, which is likely to remain under GOP control.

One Republican candidate, state Sen. Doug Mastriano, supports a ban at six weeks of pregnancy without exceptions for rape, incest or saving the life of the mother.

There is one way and one way only for us to ensure that women have the legal right to continue to make decisions over their own bodies in Pennsylvania and that is winning this governors race," Shapiro said during a conference call with reporters this week.

In North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper and other state Democrats have framed the November election as one in which they must prevent the GOP from winning back veto-proof majorities in the Legislature. With every seat up for election in November, Republicans need to gain five seats to restore that control.

Republicans in our state are on the verge of gaining veto-proof supermajorities in Raleigh. If they succeed, you can add North Carolina to the list of states that will ban abortions," Cooper, who has vetoed efforts to limit abortion since 2019, said in a recent fundraising letter.

Campaigns for two state Supreme Court seats are expected to be even more intense because the court could hear challenges to any new abortion restrictions. Democrats currently hold four of the seven seats, including two on the ballot this year.

Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley said in a release that the balance of the General Assembly and the Supreme Court has never been more important to ensure that pro-life majorities are in charge in a post-Roe future.

The potential to undermine abortion access also is surfacing in Virginia, where Democrats lost their total hold on state government last November when Republicans flipped the House of Delegates and won the governor's office. Democrats control the state Senate by only one vote and have one caucus member who opposes abortion and has indicated an openness to new restrictions.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin describes himself as pro-life," though he has said he supports exceptions in cases of rape, incest or to save a womans life. He said this week that it was premature to speculate on what the Supreme Courts final decision would be or how he and lawmakers might proceed.

In Minnesota, where control of the legislative chambers is divided between the parties, two anti-abortion amendments to a health and human services bill narrowly failed on procedural votes in the Democrat-controlled House. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz vowed in an email to supporters this week that no abortion ban will ever become law as long as hes governor; the Republican candidates vying to challenge his re-election bid all support a ban.

Michigan and Wisconsin, states with Democratic governors and legislatures controlled by Republicans, have pre-Roe abortion bans in state law. Michigan's governor already has filed a legal challenge to the law, while Wisconsin's attorney general, Democrat Josh Kaul, said he expects litigation as well.

(The) ban wasnt just dormant, he said. "It was unconstitutional for 50 years.

Some deeply Democratic states are moving quickly to try to shore up abortion rights. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and top Democratic leaders in the Legislature committed to asking voters to enshrine the right to choose in the state constitution, steps also in the works in Vermont and Colorado.

California already has some of the most expansive abortion protections in the country. But legislative leaders say the amendment would make it much harder to repeal those protections should the political winds change and future lawmakers seek to impose restrictions.

Democrats also believe it would shield the state from any adverse state court decisions or federal abortion bans if Republicans were to win control of Congress.

The unimaginable can happen, said state Sen. Nancy Skinner, a Democrat from Berkeley. Unless we are explicit about what we are protecting  some day some court could interpret privacy as not including my right to an abortion. And thats what were trying to protect against.

Colorado Democrats and advocates say they will seek a ballot measure in 2024 to enshrine abortion access in the constitution and repeal a 1980s constitutional amendment that bans public funding for abortion.

Democratic House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar said an amendment is needed because state legislatures can change, and depending on who has the majority, they can write into law their ideologies. This is fundamental for Colorado women, no matter whos in charge.

Whitehurst reported from Salt Lake City, Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire, and Kruesi reported from Nashville, Tennessee. Associated Press statehouse reporters around the country contributed to this report.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Tucson Medical Center and a Colorado-based company called DispatchHealth are collaborating to bring in-home care to recently hospitalized TMC patients as well in-home urgent care to Tucson residents.

This is how it works: People who need medical help soon, but arent facing an emergency, can make a same-day appointment for a visit. For TMC patients who were hospitalized, a DispatchHealth team, if assigned, will visit within 24 to 72 hours.

These post-hospital visits are called a bridge, and can provide care until a patient can see a specialist or primary care provider. The medical team can also help with any unforeseen care needs.

There are three DispatchHealth rover vehicles available here now, and each includes a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, along with a medical technician, to treat a wide range of nonemergency injuries and illnesses. An emergency room doctor is always on call for any questions or medical advice.

The company is planning to have five or six vehicles here by the end of the year, said David Delgrosso, DispatchHealths market manager for Tucson. The vehicles include medical equipment, such as an electrocardiogram, as well as laboratory equipment to carry out some common tests.

We can see patients that are 3 months old up to a nana who is 106 years old, said Robyn Green, a nurse practitioner with DispatchHealth. We get to see patients where they are most comfortable.

Seeing people at home helps them assess what else is going on in peoples lives, Green said, and whether they might need other help such as medication delivery or access to food.

Green provides services with JeriAnn Martin, who worked for a rural fire department in Alpine, before becoming a DispatchHealth medical technician. She said providing nonemergency care at home is a welcome change for paramedics and firefighters because it helps free them up for actual emergencies.

DispatchHealth first started providing services in Tucson in March 2021 before expanding to Green Valley last July. The collaboration with TMC started this week and offers TMC health providers more options when hospitalized patients are going home but still need some oversight.

COVID-19 has changed the landscape of medicine, and this helps us stay ahead of the curve, said Dr. Mansoor Jatoi, a hospitalist with Arizona Inpatient Medicine who works with TMC inpatients.

The vans free up space in the emergency room and long waits, said Dan Gibson, TMCs director of communications and marketing. It also adds an option for people who cannot travel to appointments easily or who need help but dont have a primary care doctor.

Delgrosso said about 20% of recently released hospital patients are readmitted within 30 days. Having a medical team visit at home has been found to help reduce readmittance rates significantly, he said.

DispatchHealth is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, including holidays. The company provides services in 23 states, with 28 rover cars in Denver, 23 in Las Vegas and 15 in Phoenix.

To request a visit, patients can call (520) 442-3117 or visit the website for either DispatchHealth or TMC Health. No referral is needed but if the health need is an emergency, people should still call 911 or visit an emergency room.

The service is covered by most health insurance providers as well as Medicare and Medicaid services.

Contact reporter Patty Machelor at 806-7754 or pmachelor@tucson.com

Want to learn more or schedule an appointment? Visit www.dispatchhealth.com/locations/az/tucson/ or tmcaz.com/dispatchhealth or call (520) 442-3117.

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Almost every morning when Jennalee Wilson wakes up, she is forced out of bed by her furry alarm clock, Cleo the calico cat.

I cannot get out of bed, its the biggest challenge of the day, but little Cleo will be sitting, and her bowl will be full, let me just state that, Wilson said. But she will still be sitting by the food bowl and meow until I get up and put a little more food in for her or play with her.

Wilson, 22, is a senior at the University of Arizona double majoring in Family Studies and Human Development Care, Health, and Society. Wilson has been diagnosed with depression and anxiety.

Over the summer of 2021 she adopted Cleo in hopes of helping her cope. Wilson was able to get approval from the universitys Disability Resource Center allowing Cleo to live with her in the dorms as an emotional support animal.

The number of emotional support animals living in University of Arizona student housing increased from 17 in 2019 to 58 currently. During 2021 there was an all-time high of 73 animals, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the campus was closed and there were not as many social gatherings or opportunities to meet people on campus a lot of students were feeling isolated or struggling with their mental health and were looking for companionship, said Taylor Thornby who is an access consultant at the Disability Resource Center.

Of the 58 emotional support animals living in residence halls, cats comprise 26, dogs 16, and 16 are a variety of other animals. Of the non-cat-dog variety, most of the time we are getting smaller mammals like bunnies or hamsters, but we do get some reptiles and other animals like that, Thornby said.

The process of getting a pet approved at the University of Arizona begins by contacting the Disability Resource Center to get a form to fill out, including information to be provided by a mental health specialist.

Once the center has all the required paperwork they conduct an interview over Zoom, asking questions about why they feel they need an emotional support animal and about the animals behavior.

Typically, we would say no if the animal has shown aggression  once we are talking with them and they say that the animal has bit somebody or maybe if they werent fully house trained, Thornby said.

Other reasons an animal will be rejected is if it is not up to date on vaccinations, if it is too large for the space, if their roommate has serious allergies or if it causes excessive property damage.

Animals approved for the classroom have not had any significant increase or decrease during the pandemic, typically hovering between nine and 14 animals at any one time.

The process for classroom approval is similar. Approval depends on the class setting, for example an animal would likely not be approved for a chemistry lab due to the danger of chemicals and materials being used.

Once approved, professors can only keep animals from the classroom if they go through the Disability Resource Center first. Thornby describes it as a collaborative effort where the center, the professor and the student try to come to a solution before banning the animal.

Wilson described the process of getting Cleo approved for her dorm as quick and easy. It took about a month. The process was longer partly due to Wilson being out of town for two weeks.

Scientists, including those at the UA, are discovering the mental health benefits of pets.

The Canine Cognition Center is a group at the University of Arizona directed by Evan Maclean, a biological anthropologist and comparative psychologist.

They are currently working on a study regarding the correlation between oxytocin and cortisol levels in kids ages 8 to 10 when they interact with dogs.

Oxytocin is a hormone that is associated with feeling good and cortisol is a stress related hormone.

Throughout these interactions we were taking saliva and urine samples and now we are actually analyzing the oxytocin levels and cortisol levels and working on trying to measure that, said Elizabeth Carranza, who is one of three laboratory coordinators at the center.

We want oxytocin, which is that human bonding hormone, to kind of rise because it is good for them and it is good for the dog and we want to see cortisol which is a stress hormone to fall, if it does that speaks a lot to why you would want to argue the fact that it is good to grow up with a dog or it is good to have a dog around, Carranza said.

There is evidence for oxytocin and eye contact with dogs which is a paper that Evan is an author on and this idea that when we look and make eye contact with a dog our oxytocin levels actually rise, she said.

It was also found that the dogs oxytocin level also rises and has the same effect.

They are these companion animals that are literally changing our hormone levels that are causing us to feel good and great and that is good for everybody, Carranza said.

Cleo was 3 months old when Wilson adopted her and in that time she has helped Wilson at a low point in her life.

The end of last year I went through a really bad breakup, Wilson said. I did not want to get out of bed, I did not want to do anything. My depression was at an all-time high, the anxiety was at an all-time high when I was at my lowest point. She was honestly my something to live for at the moment. My reason is to get out of bed, to feed her, to take care of her, to make sure she is happy and healthy.

I think that if it wouldnt have been for her, I would not have done anything. I wouldnt have passed my classes, I probably wouldnt have shown up for stuff, but she was really getting me out of bed and helping me start those days, said Wilson, who is currently planning on attending graduate school to become a sex therapist.

Although Wilson thinks more people should be able to experience the support that a pet can bring, she understands that residence halls and pets are not always the greatest combinations. Since many of the pets go untrained and college students often go out a lot, pets are often left alone.

Im torn because I get it wouldnt be logical to let every student have an untrained dog or cat or whatever they wanted, but at the same time, animals are so healing and so beneficial.

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Election 2022: JD Vance wins Ohio's GOP Senate primary

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Bestselling author JD Vance has won Ohios contentious and hyper-competitive GOP Senate primary, buoyed by Donald Trumps endorsement in a race widely seen as an early test of the former presidents hold on his party as the midterm season kicks into high gear.

Vances win brings to a close an exceptionally bitter and expensive primary contest that, at one point, saw two candidates nearly come to blows on a debate stage. And it marks a major victory for Trump, who has staked his reputation as a GOP kingmaker on his ability to pull his chosen candidates across the finish line.

Vance had been behind in the polls before Trump waded into the race less than three weeks ago, endorsing the Hillbilly Elegy author and venture capitalist despite Vances history as a staunch Trump critic. Vance has since said he was wrong and, like most of his rivals, tied himself to the former president, eagerly courting his endorsement and running on his America First platform, underscoring the extent to which the GOP has transformed in his image.

Vance will face Democrat Tim Ryan, the 10-term Democratic congressman who easily won his three-way primary Tuesday night. But Novembers general election to fill the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Rob Portman is expected to be an uphill climb for Ryan in a state Trump won twice by an 8-point margin and in what is expected to be a brutal election year for Democrats trying to hold their congressional majorities.

Tuesday marks the first multistate contest of the 2022 campaign and comes the day after the leak of a draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion that suggests the court could be poised to overturn the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Such a decision could have a dramatic impact on the course of the midterms, when control of Congress, governors' mansions and key elections offices are at stake.

'Still in shock.' Abortion defenders, foes stunned by leak

The phones inside an Alabama abortion clinic were ringing off the hook: the callers wanted to know if abortion remains legal. And, if so, for how long?

A leaked Supreme Court draft opinion was ricocheting around the world.

As Dalton Johnson, the clinics owner, read it Monday night, he was struck by the bluntness of the language that would end the constitutional right to an abortion, closing clinics in about half of American states, including his.

Im still in shock, Johnson said Tuesday as he scrambled to reassure his staff and patients they would continue providing abortions as long as theyre allowed in Alabama.

People on both sides of the abortion divide have been expecting the Supreme Court this summer to reverse the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade cas e that legalized abortion nationwide. But many said the draft opinion was nevertheless stunning, forcing them to reckon with the reality the nation is likely to enter soon.

Primary takeaways: Trump passes test as kingmaker in Ohio

The primary elections in Ohio and Indiana on Tuesday stood as the first real test of former President Donald Trump's status as the Republican Party kingmaker  and he passed.

Takeaways from the races:

TRUMP'S CLOUT

Trump's chosen candidate, Hillbilly Elegy author and one-time investment banker JD Vance, won the crowded Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Ohio, giving Trump a strong beginning to primary season.

Vance, former State Treasurer Josh Mandel, businessman Mike Gibbons and former state GOP chair Jane Timken all vied for Trump's endorsement, increasingly adopting language that mirrored the former president's bombastic, populist style. In the end, Trump went with Vance, who in 2016 said the celebrity businessman could become America's Hitler but has since become an avid supporter.

Russia storms Mariupol plant as some evacuees reach safety

ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP)  Russian forces Tuesday began storming the steel mill containing the last pocket of resistance in Mariupol, Ukrainian defenders said, just as scores of civilians evacuated from the bombed-out plant reached relative safety and told of days and nights filled with dread and despair from constant shelling.

Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, said that thanks to the evacuation effort over the weekend, 101 people  including women, the elderly, and 17 children, the youngest 6 months old  were able to emerge from the bunkers under the Azovstal steelworks and see the daylight after two months.

One evacuee said she went to sleep at the plant every night afraid she wouldnt wake up.

You cant imagine how scary it is when you sit in the bomb shelter, in a damp and wet basement, and it is bouncing and shaking, 54-year-old Elina Tsybulchenko said upon arriving in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles (230 kilometers) northwest of Mariupol, in a convoy of buses and ambulances.

She said if the shelter were hit by a bomb like the ones that left the huge craters she saw on the two occasions she ventured outside, all of us would be done.

Biden blasts 'radical' Roe draft, warns other rights at risk

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden on Tuesday blasted a radical Supreme Court draft opinion that would throw out the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion rights ruling t hat has stood for a half century. The court cautioned no final decision had been made, but Biden warned that other privacy rights including same-sex marriage and birth control are at risk if the justices follow through.

Chief Justice John Roberts said he had ordered an investigation into what he called the egregious breach of trust" in leaking the draft document, which was dated to February. Opinions often change in ways big and small in the drafting process, and a final ruling has not been expected until the end of the courts term in late June or early July.

Across the nation, Americans grappled with what might come next. The Democratic-controlled Congress and White House both vowed to try to blunt the impact of such a ruling, but their prospects looked dim.

A decision to overrule Roe would have sweeping ramifications, leading to abortion bans in roughly half the states, sparking new efforts in Democratic-leaning states to protect access to abortion, and potentially reshaping the contours of this years hotly contested midterm elections.

The draft was published by the news outlet Politico late Monday.

Ohio Republican Gov. DeWine will face Nan Whaley this fall

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP)  Republican Gov. Mike DeWine on Tuesday won his partys nomination for a second term in office and will face Democrat Nan Whaley this fall after he overcame conservative anger of his strict pandemic policies and notable rifts with former President Donald Trump.

Whaley, a former Dayton mayor, became the first woman in state history to receive a major partys backing for the governors office by defeating ex-Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley in a primary race that drew little attention.

DeWine fought off three far-right challengers in the GOP primary and will be a favorite again in November against Whaley, who has far less name recognition in a state that hasnt elected a Democratic governor since 2006.

Whaley thinks having a woman at the top of the ticket will be an advantage for Democrats this time, pointing out that the party has fared better with female voters in states that have nominated women for leadership roles.

She promised during the campaign to protect abortion rights, promote social justice and fight political corruption. She also wants the state to add a $15 minimum wage, universal preschool and better access to child care.

Even as COVID cases rise, mask mandates stay shelved

NEW YORK (AP)  An increase in COVID-19 infections around the U.S. has sent more cities into new high-risk categories that are supposed to trigger indoor mask wearing, but much of the country is stopping short of bringing back restrictions amid deep pandemic fatigue.

For weeks, much of upstate New York has been in the high-alert orange zone, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designation that reflects serious community spread. The CDC urges people to mask up in indoor public places, including schools, regardless of vaccination status. But few, if any, local jurisdictions in the region brought back a mask requirement despite rising case counts.

In New York City, cases are again rising and this week crossed the citys threshold for medium risk, indicating the widening spread of the subvariant knowns as BA.2 that has swept the states northern reaches. But there appears to be little appetite from Mayor Eric Adams to do an about face just a few months after allowing residents to shed masks and put away vaccination cards that were once required to enter restaurants and concert halls. Adams has said the city could pivot and reimpose mandates but has stressed that he wants to keep the city open.

I dont anticipate many places, if any, going back to mask mandates unless we see overflowing hospitals  thats what would drive mask mandates, said Professor David Larsen, a public health expert at Syracuse University in upstate New York, whose own county is currently an orange zone.

People are still dying, but not in the same numbers, he said.

EXPLAINER: What's the latest in Russia's dance with default?

Russia appeared to dodge default on its foreign debt by dipping into its scarce dollar reserves. But Moscow's debt drama is far from over.

Russia's finance ministry abandoned its proposal to use rubles instead of dollars to make overdue payments on two government bonds, saying Friday that it had transferred the money to an account at Citigroup: $564.4 million for a bond due in 2022, and $84.4 million for another due in 2042. A 30-day grace period on making the overdue payments was to expire Wednesday.

The government had claimed that U.S. sanctions freezing its massive currency reserves held abroad meant it couldn't pay and that Russia wasn't to blame for any default, the first on foreign debt since the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution.

Even if Russia is found to have made the most recent payments, others are coming due. Plus, U.S. permission for American bondholders to accept payment on Russian bonds is set to expire May 25, so even if Russia tries to pay, investors would not legally be able to take the money.

Here are some of the issues surrounding Russian debt:

New Mexico governor seeking US disaster status for wildfire

LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP)  New Mexico's governor on Tuesday asked President Joe Biden to declare a disaster as firefighters scrambled to clear brush, build fire lines and spray water to keep the largest blaze burning in the U.S. from destroying more homes in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

During a briefing on the fire burning across the state's northeast, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a request for a presidential disaster declaration that will be sent to the White House in hopes of freeing up financial assistance for recovery efforts. She said it was important that the declaration be made on the front end rather than waiting until the fire is out.

Im unwilling to wait, said Lujan Grisham, a first-term Democrat who is running for reelection. I have 6,000 people evacuated, I have families who dont know what the next day looks like, I have families who are trying to navigate their children and health care resources, figure out their livelihoods and theyre in every single little community and it must feel to them like they are out there on their own.

In the small northeastern New Mexico city of Las Vegas, residents were already voicing concerns about grocery stores being closed as some people chose to leave ahead of the flames even though evacuations had not been ordered.

Fire managers told an evening briefing at the local community college that the spread slowed a bit on Tuesday, and put the amount of newly charred land up slightly, to about 231 square miles (598 square kilometers) of mountainsides, towering ponderosa pines and meadows.

Norman Mineta, transportation secretary in 9/11 era, dies

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  Norman Mineta, who broke racial barriers for Asian Americans serving in high-profile government posts and ordered commercial flights grounded after the 9/11 terror attacks as the nation's federal transportation secretary, died Tuesday. He was 90.

John Flaherty, Minetas former chief of staff, said Mineta died peacefully at his home surrounded by family in Edgewater, Maryland, east of the nation's capital.

His cause of death was a heart ailment," Flaherty added. He was an extraordinary public servant and a very dear friend."

Mineta broke racial barriers for Asian Americans in becoming mayor of San Jose, California early in his political career. He later became the first Asian American to become a federal Cabinet secretary, serving under both Democratic President Bill Clinton and Republican George W. Bush.

Bush went on to award Mineta the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In a statement, the former president said Mineta was "a wonderful American story about someone who overcame hardship and prejudice to serve in the United States Army, Congress, and the Cabinet of two Presidents.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Election 2022: JD Vance wins Ohio's GOP Senate primary

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Hillbilly Elegy author JD Vance has won Ohios contentious and hyper-competitive GOP Senate primary, buoyed by Donald Trumps endorsement in a race widely seen as an early test of the former presidents hold on his party. Vances win ends an exceptionally bitter and expensive primary contest that, at one point, saw two candidates nearly come to blows on a debate stage. And it marks a major victory for Trump, who has staked his reputation as a GOP kingmaker on his ability to pull his chosen candidates across the finish line. Democrat Nan Whaley, the former mayor of Dayton, will take on Ohio's incumbent Republican Gov. Mike DeWine in the general election after both secured their parties' nominations.

'Still in shock.' Abortion defenders, foes stunned by leak

People on both sides of the abortion divide have been anticipating that the Supreme Court this summer would reverse the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. On Monday night, a leaked draft opinion that would overturn Roe began ricocheting around the world. Even those preparing for the undoing of Roe said it was still staggering to see the blunt words of Justice Samuel Alito in print, forcing them to reckon with the likely reality the nation will enter soon. The owner of an Alabama abortion clinic, whose phones were ringing off the hook on Tuesday, said he was still in shock.

Primary takeaways: Trump passes test as kingmaker in Ohio

The primary election in Ohio stood as the first real test this midterm election season of former President Donald Trump's status as the Republican Party kingmaker  and he passed. His chosen GOP candidate in the tight U.S. Senate race, JD Vance, won Tuesday after trailing in the polls just three weeks ago. Another Trump-supported candidate, Ohios Republican secretary of state, Frank LaRose, easily survived a primary challenge. In the governor's primary, Republican incumbent Mike DeWine cruised to victory over three far-right challengers. Trump didn't endorse anyone in that race. He had castigated DeWine for his strict coronavirus policies in 2020.

Russia storms Mariupol plant as some evacuees reach safety

ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP)  Ukrainian fighters say Russian forces have begun storming a sprawling steel plant in the besieged port city of Mariupol. Tuesday's onslaught came as scores of civilians who had been evacuated from the plant reached safer territory. The U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine says 101 women, men, children, and older persons left the Azovstal steelworks. Elsewhere, Russian troops shelled a chemical plant in the eastern city of Avdiivka, killing at least 10 people. And explosions were heard in the western city of Lviv, which has been a haven for those fleeing fighting in the east.

Biden blasts 'radical' Roe draft, warns other rights at risk

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden is blasting what he calls a radical leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court is poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. On Tuesday, Biden warned that a whole range of rights are in jeopardy if it holds. The court cautioned that the draft was not final, and Chief Justice John Roberts said he had ordered an investigation into what he called an egregious breach of trust. Biden said he would work with Congress to legislate the right to abortion into federal law. But such efforts have failed in the past.

Ohio Republican Gov. DeWine will face Nan Whaley this fall

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP)  Former Dayton, Ohio, Mayor Nan Whaley has won the Democratic nomination for Ohio governor and will face incumbent Republican Mike DeWine this fall. Whaley is the first woman in the states history to receive a major partys backing for the top office. She bested ex-Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley on Tuesday. Whaley figures to be an underdog in November against DeWine in a state that hasnt elected a Democrat governor since 2006. DeWine topped three far-right opponents, including ex-U.S. Rep Jim Renacci, by relying on a huge fundraising advantage and a big network of supporters.

North Korea launches suspected missile toward sea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to bolster his nuclear arsenal at the fastest possible pace and threatened to use them against rivals. The launch came days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to accelerate the development of nuclear weapons and threatened to use them if provoked in a speech at a military parade. The launch is the latest in a string of weapons tests by North Korea, which experts say are aimed at boosting its weapons arsenal and pressuring its rivals to ease international sanctions.

Even as COVID cases rise, mask mandates stay shelved

NEW YORK (AP)  As mask mandates and vaccination rules kept falling across the U.S., infections from the latest COVID variants have been quietly taking hold in some places, sparking concern among public health officials but stirring a muted response from pretty much everyone else. More cities are now in new high-risk categories that are supposed to trigger indoor mask wearing, but there's been little appetite to do so. Much of upstate New York is in a high-alert category that reflects serious community spread. In New York City, cases are rising again, but it's unlikely Mayor Eric Adams will do an about face just a few months after many in his city shed masks and put away vaccination cards.

EXPLAINER: What's the latest in Russia's dance with default?

Russia's debt drama is far from over. Moscow likely made last-minute overdue payments before the end of a grace period that expires Wednesday. But there is still widespread expectation a default may be in the offing. The finance ministry has flirted with paying with rubles, saying that sanctions have frozen its hard currency reserves but swerved to pay in dollars. Ratings agencies say doing otherwise would be default. A finance industry committee is reviewing the status of Russia's debt and whether creditor insurance should be paid out. And more payments are due in coming days.

New Mexico governor seeking US disaster status for wildfire

LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP)  New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is asking President Joe Biden to declare a disaster as firefighters scramble to clear brush, build fire lines and spray water to keep the largest blaze burning in the U.S. from destroying more homes. The governor signed a request for a presidential disaster declaration Tuesday, while fire managers predicted the battle to protect towns in the state's northeast pine forests and mountains would become more intense later in the week. The fire is the result of two blazes that merged, one of which was a prescribed fire that jumped containment lines. About 6,000 homes have been evacuated and around 170 homes have been destroyed, but officials expect that number to grow.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Advocates worry other rights at risk if court overturns Roe

WASHINGTON (AP)  Little doubt remains about what the Supreme Court plans to do with Roe v. Wade. But uncertainty abounds about the ripple effects as the court nears a final opinion expected to overturn the landmark 1973 case that created a nationwide right to abortion. A leaked first draft of the majority opinion in the case suggests that a majority of justices are poised to toss out Roe. The drafts heated rhetoric also is generating concern that LGTBQ advances and other matters based on the right to privacy could be vulnerable in a newly hostile political environment. President Joe Biden warned on Wednesday that the courts opinion could jeopardize same-sex marriage, access to contraception and LGBTQ rights.

AP evidence points to 600 dead in Mariupol theater airstrike

LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Amid all the horrors that have unfolded in the war on Ukraine, the Russian airstrike on the theater being used as a bomb shelter in Mariupol on March 16 stands out as the single deadliest known attack against civilians to date. An Associated Press investigation has found evidence that the attack was far deadlier than estimated, killing closer to 600 people. Thats almost double the current estimates. The AP recreated what happened inside the theater on that day from the accounts of 23 survivors, rescuers, and people intimately familiar with the theaters new life as a bomb shelter. The AP also built a 3D model based on witness accounts, two sets of floor plans of the theater, photos and video taken inside before, during and after that day, and expert comment.

Ukraine: Russia using 'missile terrorism' in wide attacks

LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Russia is bombarding railroad stations and other targets in an attempt to cut off weapons supplies to Ukrainian defenders. The Russian defense minister complained that the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that his country would respond on the battlefield. Air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country. Attacks were reported near Kyiv, the capital, and in Dnipro, where a rail facility was hit. Heavy fighting continued at a steel mill in Mariupol, the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined port city. The attacks came as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war by proposing a ban on oil imports.

Fed raises key rate by a half-point in bid to tame inflation

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Federal Reserve intensified its fight against the worst inflation in 40 years by raising its benchmark interest rate by a half-percentage point  its most aggressive move since 2000  and signaling further large rate hikes to come. The increase in the Feds key short-term rate raised it to a range of 0.75% to 1%, the highest point since the pandemic struck two years ago. The Fed also said it will start reducing its huge $9 trillion balance sheet, made up mainly of Treasury and mortgage bonds. Reducing those holdings will have the effect of further raising borrowing costs throughout the economy.

AP sources: Donald Trump Jr. speaks with Jan. 6 committee

WASHINGTON (AP)  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.

'Corrupt to core' Caribbean premier gets bond in drug case

MIAMI (AP)  A federal judge in Miami has ruled that the premier of the British Virgin Islands can be released on a $500,000 bond, following his arrest on drug-smuggling charges in a U.S. government sting in South Florida. In a surprise decision, federal Judge Alicia Otazo-Reyes on Wednesday rejected prosecutors argument that Andrew Fahie would flee the U.S. if released pending trial on cocaine charges. Instead, she said he could remain in Miami, at the rented home of his two college-age daughters, if he and his family surrender their travel documents and he wears an ankle bracelet monitor as well as pay a $500,000 corporate surety bond.

What's next in the investigation of the Supreme Court leak?

WASHINGTON (AP)  Chief Justice John Roberts, in ordering an investigation into an egregious breach of trust in the leak of a Supreme Court draft opinion on abortion, has tasked a relatively unknown court official to carry out what could be one of the most high-profile investigations in decades. Despite the Biden administrations curtailing the governments ability to seize records from reporters, the courts marshal operates outside of that chain of command, opening the possibility for an investigation without traditional guardrails to protect journalists sources. Many questions remain about how the investigation will be carried out and whether a federal crime was committed.

LA hospital sued for racism in death of Black mother

LOS ANGELES (AP)  A man whose Black wife died shortly after giving birth to their second son has filed a civil rights lawsuit against Cedars-Sinai hospital alleging her death was the result of a culture of racism. Charles Johnson, whose wife, Kira, died in 2016 after her bladder was cut during a cesarean section said Wednesday he discovered rampant racism during testimony in his malpractice lawsuit against the hospital. The hospital said it was founded on principles of diversity and health care for all and rejected any mischaracterization of its culture and values. It also said it was working to eradicate unconscious bias in health care.

DHS disinformation board's work, plans remain a mystery

WASHINGTON (AP)  A newly formed Disinformation Governance Board remains shrouded in secrecy a week after the Biden administrations announcement of the new effort was met with widespread criticism. The Department of Homeland Security has released few details on how the board will work and what power it will have. Republican lawmakers on Wednesday stepped up calls for the group to be disbanded and civil liberties advocates question whether the board will violate Americans free speech rights. The boards bungled rollout could hurt existing efforts to identify and stop foreign disinformation campaigns from Russia, China and other adversaries, which have long been considered a national security threat by both Republican and Democratic administrations.

US quietly expands asylum limits while preparing to end them

SAN DIEGO (AP)  Officials say the Biden administration has begun expelling Cubans and Nicaraguans to Mexico under pandemic-related powers that deny migrants a chance to seek asylum, expanding use of the rule even as it publicly says it has been trying to unwind it. One U.S. official tells The Associated Press that up to 100 Cubans and 20 Nicaraguans are being expelled daily from three locations. A Mexican official confirms those numbers at at least one location. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the arrangement has not been made public.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)  A man accused of shooting at a candidate for mayor of Louisville will remain in federal custody until his trial, a judge has ruled.

Quintez Brown should remain locked up because prosecutors showed by clear and convincing evidence that the proposed conditions on release cannot reasonably assure the safety of the community, U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Beaton said in a ruling Tuesday, according to Louisville media outlets.

A federal magistrate judge had granted Browns request for release to home incarceration, but prosecutors appealed, describing him as erratic, unpredictable, and likely to disappear, and warning that he could attempt another shooting.

Brown, 21, was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 6 in the Feb. 14 shooting at the office of mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg. Brown is charged with interfering with a federally protected right, and using and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence by shooting at and attempting to kill a candidate for elective office.

Greenberg, a Democrat, said he was at his campaign headquarters with four colleagues when a man appeared in the doorway and began firing multiple rounds. He was not hit by the gunfire but said a bullet grazed his sweater. One staffer managed to shut the door, which they barricaded with tables and desks, and the shooter fled.

Brown has pleaded not guilty in state and federal court. He faces ten years to life in prison if convicted of all federal charges, in addition to any sentence on state charges of attempted murder and wanton endangerment.

Browns attorneys acknowledged the serious nature of the allegations, but insisted that incarceration would have a detrimental impact on Browns mental health and wellbeing.

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A Missouri man who killed a couple during a robbery at their rural home more than a quarter of a century ago was put to death Tuesday, becoming just the fifth person executed in the United States this year.

Carman Deck, 56, died by injection at the state prison in Bonne Terre. He was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. His fate was sealed a day earlier when neither the U.S. Supreme Court nor Republican Gov. Mike Parson stepped in to halt the execution. Decks death sentence was overturned three times before for procedural issues.

Deck mouthed a few inaudible words as the 5 grams of pentobarbital were administered, then puffed out a couple of breaths before all movement stopped, the process lasting just a few seconds.

My hope is that one day the world will find peace and that we all will learn to be kind and loving to one another, Deck said in a written final statement. We all are a part of this journey through life, connected in every way. Please give love, show love, BE LOVE!

Parson, in a statement, said the couple killed, James and Zelma Long, were innocent victims of Carman Decks heinous violence. Tonight, justice was served.

Just four other people have been executed in the U.S. in 2022  Donald Anthony Grant and Gilbert Ray Postelle in Oklahoma, Matthew Reeves in Alabama and Carl Wayne Buntio n last month in Texas. Eleven people were executed in the U.S. last year, the fewest since 1988.

Court records show that Deck, of the St. Louis area, was a friend of the grandson of the Longs, who lived in De Soto, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) southwest of St. Louis. He knew the couple, in their late 60s, kept a safe in their home.

In July 1996, Deck and his sister stopped at the home under the guise of asking directions. Deck wasnt surprised the couple let them in.

Theyre country folks, Deck told a detective, according to court records. They always do.

Once inside, Deck pulled a gun from his waistband. At Decks command, Zelma Long opened the safe and removed jewelry, then got $200 from her purse and more money hidden in a canister.

Deck ordered the couple to lie on their stomachs on their bed. Court records said Deck stood there for 10 minutes deciding what to do, then shot James Long twice in the head before doing the same thing to Zelma Long.

A tip alerted police to Deck, and he was arrested later that night outside his sisters apartment building in St. Louis County. The decorative tin canister from the Long home was on the floorboard of his car.

Prosecutors said Deck later gave a full account of the killings in oral, written and audiotaped statements. He was sentenced to death in 1998, but the Missouri Supreme Court tossed the sentence due to errors by Decks trial lawyer.

The U.S. Supreme Court threw out his second sentence in 2005, citing the prejudice caused by Deck being shackled in front of the sentencing jury.

He was sentenced to death for a third time in 2008. Nine years later, U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry determined that substantial evidence arguing against the death penalty in Decks first two penalty phases was unavailable for the third because witnesses had died, couldnt be found or declined to cooperate.

In October 2020, a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals restored the death penalty, ruling that Deck should have raised his concern first in state court, not federal court. Appeals of that ruling were unsuccessful.

The clemency petition on behalf of Deck cited abuse he suffered as a child, including beatings that left welts and sexual abuse. It said he and his siblings often were left alone without food. Deck's attorney, Elizabeth Unger Carlyle, said in a statement that Deck also was raped while in prison for theft at age 19.

This experience transformed him from a non-violent thief into the person who committed two terrible murders, Carlyle said. She called his execution unjust and immoral.

The number of executions in the U.S. has declined significantly since peaking at 98 in 1998. The drop has coincided with declining support, falling from a high of 80% in 1994 to 54% in 2021 according to Gallup polls. Since the mid-1990s, opposition has risen from under 20% to around 45%.

Use of the death penalty has become concentrated mostly in a few Southern and Plains states. Last year, Texas executed three inmates, Oklahoma executed two, and one each were put to death in Alabama, Mississippi and Missouri. Three federal inmates were executed in January 2021, toward the end of President Donald Trumps administration.

On Monday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee paused executions in his state for the rest of the year to enable a review of lethal injection procedures after a testing oversight forced the state to call off the execution of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die on April 21.

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PHOENIX (AP)  A judge has ruled that an Arizona prisoner convicted in the 1978 killing of a university student is mentally fit to be put to death next week, keeping on track what would be the first execution in the state in nearly eight years.

In a ruling signed shortly before midnight Tuesday and released on Wednesday, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Robert Olson rejected an argument from defense lawyers that Clarence Dixons psychological problems prevent him from rationally understanding why the state wants to end his life.

Dixon was convicted of murder in the killing of 21-year-old Arizona State University student Deana Bowdoin.

Lawyers for Dixon said they will appeal the ruling to the Arizona Supreme Court.

Dixon's lawyers argued Tuesday in a court in Florence, Arizona, that executing him would violate protections against executing people who are mentally unfit.

They said he erroneously believes he will be executed because police at Northern Arizona University wrongfully arrested him in a previous case  a 1985 attack on a 21-year-old student. His attorneys concede he was in fact lawfully arrested at the time by Flagstaff police.

Dixon was sentenced to life sentences in that case for sexual assault and other convictions. DNA samples taken while he was in prison later linked him to Bowdoins killing, which at that point had been unsolved.

Prosecutors, who tried unsuccessfully to get the Arizona Supreme Court to call off the mental competency hearing, said there was nothing about Dixons beliefs that prevented him from understanding the reason for the execution and pointed to court filings that Dixon himself made over the years.

Defense lawyers said Dixon has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia on multiple occasions, has regularly experienced hallucinations over the past 30 years and was found not guilty by reason of insanity in a 1977 assault case in which the verdict was delivered by then-Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sandra Day OConnor, nearly four years before her appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Bowdoin was killed two days after the verdict, according to court records.

Authorities have said Bowdoin, who was found dead in her apartment, had been raped, stabbed and strangled. Dixon had been charged with raping Bowdoin, but the charge was later dropped on statute-of-limitation grounds. He was convicted, though, in her death.

In addition to contesting his mental fitness, Dixons lawyers made a new attempt on Tuesday to stop his execution.

They filed a lawsuit asking a federal judge to hold off on putting Dixon to death until corrections officials show that the compounded pentobarbital to be used in the execution has been given an expiration date.

About a year ago, prosecutors took steps to seek the executions of Dixon and another death-row prisoner, but the litigation was put on hold by the state Supreme Court because of concerns over the expiration date of the drug to be used in the lethal injections.

In the new lawsuit, Dixons lawyers said corrections officials gave them heavily redacted records documenting the testing of the drug, but that they didnt provide the assigned expiration date.

The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry declined to comment on the lawsuit.

On Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court also issued a warrant setting a June 8 execution date for another death-row prisoner, Frank Atwood, in the killing of 8-year-old Vicki Lynn Hoskinson in 1984. Authorities say Atwood kidnapped the girl, whose body was found in the desert northwest of Tucson.

The last time Arizona used the death penalty was in July 2014, when Joseph Wood was given 15 doses of a two-drug combination over two hours in an execution that his lawyers said was botched.

States including Arizona have struggled to buy execution drugs in recent years after U.S. and European pharmaceutical companies began blocking the use of their products in lethal injections.

Arizona has 113 prisoners on death row.

Associated Press writer Paul Davenport in Phoenix contributed to this report.

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BOISE, Idaho (AP)  Prosecutors in Idaho say they will seek the death penalty against a woman charged with killing her two youngest children and her new husband's previous wife.

The prosecuting attorneys from Fremont and Madison counties made the announcement in court documents filed Monday, saying Lori Daybell Vallow will qualify for capital punishment if she is convicted at her trial later this year because the slayings were exceptionally depraved and carried out for financial gain.

The prosecutors also said Lori Vallow Daybell showed utter disregard for human life and has exhibited a propensity to commit murder which will probably constitute a continuing threat to society. Her attorney, Jim Archibald, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lori Daybell's co-defendant and husband, Chad Daybell, is also facing a potential death penalty if convicted. The pair are charged with murder, conspiracy and grand theft in connection with the deaths of 7-year-old Joshua JJ Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan.

Prosecutors announced their intent to seek capital punishment in Chad Daybells case last August, but Lori Vallow Daybell's case was on hold at the time because she was undergoing treatment at a mental health facility. Lori Vallow Daybell is scheduled to stand trial in October, and Chad Daybell is scheduled for trial next January.

Idaho law enforcement began investigating the Daybells in November 2019 after extended family members reported the children were missing. The children were missing for several months, during which time police said the couple lied about the children's whereabouts, before their bodies were found buried on Chad Daybell's property in rural Idaho.

Chad and Lori Daybell married just two weeks after his previous wife, Tammy Daybell, died unexpectedly. Tammy Daybell's death was initially reported as natural causes, but investigators had her body exhumed after growing suspicious when Chad Daybell quickly remarried.

Lori Vallow Daybell is also charged with conspiracy to commit murder in Arizona in connection with the death of her previous husband. Charles Vallow was shot and killed by Lori Daybell's brother, Alex Cox, who claimed it was self-defense. Cox later died of what police said was natural causes.

Chad Daybell has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and a judge entered a not guilty plea on Lori Vallow Daybell's behalf after she stood silent when asked for a plea earlier this year.

Idaho law allows prosecutors to seek the death penalty if they can show certain aggravating factors for crimes like murder or conspiracy to commit murder.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Three alleged gang members were charged with murder Tuesday in the slayings of three women fatally shot in a gunbattle that rocked Californias capital city a month ago.

Prosecutors say the mass shooting that ultimately killed six people and erupted before dawn on April 3 in downtown Sacramento was a result of a feud between two rival gangs, the Garden Blocc Crips and G-Mobb, and their allies. G-Mobb is affiliated with the Bloods street gang.

Officials say at least five people opened fire. Six people were killed in the bloodshed, including three alleged gang members who were involved in the shootout. A dozen more people were wounded  two of whom are also alleged gang members and are now charged in the violence.

In court documents filed Tuesday, police described in minute-by-minute and frame-by-frame detail from multiple surveillance cameras a chaotic shootout with men flashing weapons tucked into their waistbands and bystanders running for cover as the suspects confronted each other outside a jewelry store in downtown Sacramento. Cars hurriedly backed away from the intersection, a vendor abandoned a food cart, and the suspects postured at each other before the shooting began.

An unidentified woman standing between the two groups was pulled back by one gunman, then another after she returned to her spot in the middle. One of the wounded victims  a member of the Del Paso Heights Bloods, an ally of G-Mobb  said a member of the 29th Street Crips confronted him: Dude was like, Whats you staring at? Is there a problem?

District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert announced on Tuesday that Smiley Martin, Dandrae Martin and Mtula Payton have been charged with murder in the slayings, as well as weapons offenses. All three are eligible for death penalty but that decision has not been made yet.

Investigators offered no motive, but said in court documents that Smiley Martin and his companions recorded an online video hours before the shooting, flashing guns and talking trash from a location in rival gang territory. In it, they state their plans to head to the downtown area with the intent of opening fire.

The Martin brothers were wounded and remain in jail. Court documents say Dandrae Martin is allegedly a member of the Garden Blocc Crips, while Smiley Martin is affiliated with the 29th Street Crips, which is a subset of his brother's gang. Attorneys for the brothers did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.

Payton is a fugitive and an alleged member of G-Mobb. A trail of his spent casings measured 257 feet (78.33 meters).

The defendants were charged Tuesday with the slayings of Johntaya Alexander, Yamile Martinez-Andrade and Melinda Davis  three women who prosecutors say were innocent bystanders during the shootout that occurred as patrons of bars and nightclubs emptied out onto the streets in downtown Sacramento.

The three men killed in the bloodshed were Devazia Turner, Sergio Harris and Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi.

Turner was a reported G-Mobb member and Harris was a member of the Del Paso Heights Bloods, an ally of G-Mobb. Hoye-Lucchesi was a member of the 29th Street Crips, prosecutors said.

The district attorney's office on Tuesday did not charge Payton and the Martin brothers with the deaths of Turner, Harris and Hoye-Lucchesi. Authorities said Turner was one of the shooters and was seen firing multiple rounds at the Martins.

Police believe a handgun fell from Hoye-Lucchesi's wounded body as the brothers tried to drag him to safety, but court documents do not say whether he fired the gun. Harris was found with gunshot residue on his hands.

Rod Norgaard, chief deputy district attorney, said it is very difficult to charge someone in a victim's death if the victim was a participant in the crime.

Veteran defense attorney Mark Reichel, who is not involved in the case, said he believes that not charging the three suspects in the deaths of the three male victims was a tactical decision on the part of prosecutors.

Charging the murder count for shooting an alleged gang member who is at the same time actively shooting at you leads rise to a self-defense claim. But its going to be difficult to raise a defense of self-defense to bystanders, Reichel said. It makes it a lot cleaner.

This story has been updated to correct the first name of Sacramento County Chief Deputy District Attorney Rod Norgaard. It is Rod, not Ron.

Dazio reported from Los Angeles.

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Check out some of today's top COVID-19 news:

CDC restates recommendation for masks on planes, trains

U.S. health officials on Tuesday restated their recommendation that Americans wear masks on planes, trains and buses, despite a court ruling last month that struck down a national mask mandate on public transportation.

Americans age 2 and older should wear a well-fitting masks while on public transportation, including in airports and train stations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended, citing the current spread of coronavirus and projections of future COVID-19 trends. Read more of the recommendation, and the data guiding it, here:

Newer, fitter descendants of Omicron variant may drive their own coronavirus waves

There's no denying the numbers: Even with spotty reporting, Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising again in the United States.

Cases are trending up in most states and have increased by more than 50% compared with the previous week in Washington, Mississippi, Georgia, Maine, Hawaii, South Dakota, Nevada and Montana. In New York, more than a quarter of the state's population is in a county with a "high" Covid-19 community level, where the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends indoor masking. Get more on the data here:

Elderly Shanghai man taken to morgue in body bag  while still alive

An elderly Shanghai resident was mistakenly declared dead and taken to a morgue in a body bag, in the latest sign of dysfunction in the Covid-stricken city where millions of people remain under government-enforced lockdown.

Video footage, shot by a bystander, shows the moment several workers dressed head-to-toe in protective gear recoil as they realize the man is still alive. The footage has since gone viral on Chinese social media, sparking horror and outrage.

The video, posted on Sunday, shows the head of the man -- a nursing home resident -- appearing from the yellow body bag as the workers lift it from a vehicle. Get the details here:

Pfizer hopes to submit little-kid vaccine data by early June

Pfizer now hopes to tell U.S. regulators how well its COVID-19 vaccine works in the littlest kids by late May or early June.

Pfizer is testing three extra-small doses of its vaccine in children under 5 after two shots didn't prove quite strong enough. Initial results had been expected last month but the company laid out the latest timeline Tuesday during its discussion of quarterly financial results.

Currently in the U.S., only children ages 5 or older can be vaccinated, using Pfizers vaccine -- leaving 18 million younger tots unprotected. Read more here:

***

More of today's COVID headlines:

Not real news: Fact-checking claims about COVID, Twitter, Ukraine and more Unexplained hepatitis cases not caused by COVID-19 vaccines Denmark still offering COVID-19 vaccinations Officials: Ukraine didnt send text warnings in Transnistria Elon Musk didnt get Bill Gates suspended from Twitter Clip shows French TV error, not election fraud

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HOUSTON (AP)  A man was convicted Tuesday in the fatal stabbing of an 11-year-old Houston boy as the child walked home from school in 2016.

Jurors deliberated for about three hours before finding 33-year-old Andre Timothy Jackson, guilty of murder in the death of Josue Flores.

Jackson, who has always maintained his innocence, faces up to life in prison.

Authorities say the sixth grader was killed as he walked home from a science club meeting at a school just north of downtown Houston on May 17, 2016. He was only two blocks from home when he was stabbed more than 20 times.

Witnesses told officers they heard loud screams and saw the boy struggling with a man. The boy collapsed on the grass near the sidewalk and the man ran away.

During closing arguments on Tuesday, prosecutors told jurors that the boy's DNA was found on Jacksons jacket.

The reasonable conclusion here is that the victims DNA is on Andre Jacksons jacket because he murdered Josue Flores. Andre Jackson is a killer. He killed a child and the evidence is right here guys, said Harris County Assistant District Attorney Chris Condon.

Police say the jacket was found in the room at the Salvation Army shelter where Jackson had been living in at the time of the killing. Surveillance video from the day of Josues death showed Jackson wearing the jacket.

But Jerome Godinich, one of Jacksons attorneys, suggested to jurors that the amount of DNA found on the jacket was so small that it could have been transferred onto it by someone else at the shelter. Jacksons attorneys said he didnt match the physical description of the suspect seen by people who witnessed the killing and Jackson had no history of violence.

It is a textbook example of how innocent people get convicted, said Justin Keiter, another of Jacksons attorneys.

Jackson said in a YouTube video posted in May 2019: I am not Josues killer. I am not a killer.

The Marine Corps veteran was first arrested weeks after Josues killing. But prosecutors dropped the charge in 2017, saying there wasnt enough evidence to try Jackson or uphold a conviction.

He was rearrested in 2019 after prosecutors said newly tested DNA evidence connected him to the killing.

Jackson wasnt the first person charged in the case.

A 31-year-old man with a long criminal history was charged days after the killing, but that charge was dropped when detectives found evidence to support his alibi.

Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter at www.twitter.com/juanlozano70

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PHOENIX  Arizona lawmakers will regain a power they lost nearly five decades ago if the Supreme Court actually issues the leaked draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade.

But what that means for Arizona women will depend on several factors, including politics, public attitudes  and what happens automatically in the state the moment that decision comes down.

If the decision on abortion rights is left to the state, the most pressing question could be who voters choose to elect in November. And that goes to the issue of whether Democrats can use the ruling to fire up their own faithful and sufficient independents to make a difference in the makeup of the 2023 legislature  and, potentially, in statewide offices.

The Arizona Democratic Party certainly thinks so.

This November, Arizonans are going to make our outrage heard by electing pro-choice women up and down the ballot who will do what Republicans have not: protect our ability to make our own decisions, Raquel Teran, who chairs the party, said in a prepared statement.

And Rodd McLeod, who advises Democrats, said a decision by the high court that could leave Arizona women without options for abortion might be enough to sway some voters. He cited a survey that found 54% of Arizonans support keeping the procedure legal in at least certain circumstances  and just 9% who want it outlawed in all cases, which could be exactly what happens in the state if Roe is overturned.

But two veteran Republican political consultants say while the issue will attract some attention during the electoral season, theyre not convinced it ultimately will result in a wholesale change at the state Capitol, at least not this year.

I think that Democrats are probably over-optimistic about how that will help them at the legislative level or at the statewide level, said Stan Barnes. At best, he acknowledged that it might mean something on the margins, particularly in swing legislative districts where there is only a small difference in party voter registration.

After all, thats what a swing district is all about, Barnes said. And this is the kind of issue that can move voters.

But Chuck Coughlin said those anticipating an immediate sea change at the Capitol from the Supreme Court ruling are deluding themselves.

Nothing happens fast in culture and the laws that govern it, said Coughlin, the second GOP consultant.

State posts

If the Legislature remains pretty much the same philosophically on the question of abortion, that makes who is elected to the top statewide office  and who has the power of veto  even more critical. On Tuesday, Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Katie Hobbs wasted no time in telling voters what she thinks.

F-  the patriarchy, she wrote in a Twitter message. The Supreme Court may have turned its back on women, but I never will.

That drew an immediate reaction from Republican Karrin Taylor Robson.

Katie, by your definition, the patriarchy includes a 50-year-old mom with an impeccable legal resume, the champions of womans suffrage, and my daughters, she responded on Twitter. Im proud to stand with all of them and defend life.

And Kari Lake, the other leading GOP gubernatorial contender, cited Hobbs post and called her the most radical person to ever run for governor in Arizona.

But that leaves two questions.

One is whether the attitudes of Arizonans in 2022 is what it was in 1973, when the high court said there is a constitutional right of women to terminate a pregnancy. That meant Arizona could not enforce its law at the time that made abortion a crime, with no exceptions even for rape or incest.

Several options

This year state lawmakers, anticipating Roe would be overturned, had several options to consider.

Rep. Teresa Martinez, R-Casa Grande, and Sen. Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff, sought to impose a Texas-style heartbeat abortion ban to allow any individual to sue doctors or those who aid a woman to get an abortion and even permit them to collect $10,000 penalties.

But Republican legislative leaders refused to allow either to be heard.

And Cathi Herrod, president of the Center for Arizona Policy, told Capitol Media Services that while she supports all efforts to restrict abortion, she instead was putting her energy into a more moderate proposal by Sen. Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix, to outlaw abortions after 15 weeks.

That is what legislators ultimately approved. And, assuming Roe is overturned and states get to make their own laws, it will take effect 90 days after the legislative session ends.

Certainly, there are differences between 73 and 2022, Herrod said.

But ultrasound technology clearly shows the development of an unborn child, she said. And that, Herrod said she believes, means fewer people support abortion on demand now than they did back then.

And theres something else: She contends that the statute that was on the books in 1973  the one with no exceptions  immediately again becomes enforceable.

But Gov. Doug Ducey has some different ideas.

The law of the land today in Arizona is the 15-weeks law, he said. And that will remain law, he continued, regardless of whether or not the justices overturn Roe entirely.

Put simply, Ducey contends the most recent law takes precedence.

This law was signed this year, Ducey said. I think that the law that you signed in 2022 supersedes 1973.

Barto, who sponsored the 15-week ban, said the governor is wrong.

She pointed out that the bill Ducey signed actually spells out that approval of the 15-week ban does not repeal, by implication or otherwise, 13-3603 (the pre-1973 anti-abortion law), or any other applicable state law regulating or restricting abortion.

That shouldnt be news to the governors office, Barto said, saying his interpretation is not how the new law reads.

But Kris Mayes, the Democratic candidate for attorney general, pointed out there actually is a specific right of privacy in the Arizona Constitution. And based on that she promised to refuse to enforce any abortion restrictions regardless of what the U.S. Supreme Court decides.

Only thing is, abortion actually was illegal in Arizona in 1912 when the state constitution was adopted. And the state Court of Appeals, in a 2011 ruling, sidestepped the question of whether that privacy clause protects the right of women to terminate a pregnancy.

Photos: Abortion rights protests in Tucson Abortion rights protest in Tucson Abortion rights protest in Tucson Abortion rights protest in Tucson Abortion rights protest in Tucson Abortion rights protest in Tucson Abortion rights protest in Tucson Abortion rights protest in Tucson Abortion rights protest in Tucson Abortion rights protest in Tucson Abortion rights protest in Tucson Abortion rights protest in Tucson

Howard Fischer is a veteran journalist who has been reporting since 1970 and covering state politics and the Legislature since 1982. Follow him on Twitter at @azcapmedia or email azcapmedia@gmail.com .

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The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

Women, grab your red cloaks and white bonnets. The depraved GOP is taking us to Gilead.

On Monday, a leaked draft of the majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito stated: Roe (v. Wade) was egregiously wrong from the start. By his logic, abortion is an invented right mentioned nowhere in the Constitution and not deeply rooted in the nations history and traditions.

In Margaret Atwoods dystopian novel, The Handmaids Tale, the fictional and totalitarian version of America, known as Gilead, uses violence and coercion to make women second-class citizens, while men are free to roam and play and determine when and where women are allowed to have babies.

Womens rights activists dressed as handmaids in red cloaks and white bonnets when they held a sit-in protest of Brett Kavanaughs Supreme Court confirmation hearing in 2018. Now, the nightmare is materializing. The conservative majority of the Supreme Court is poised to reaffirm the GOPs agenda of taking us back to the dark ages of womens rights, or lack thereof.

It seems far-fetched, right? Not really.

Alitos draft deals with a challenge to Roe. v. Wade from Mississippi that the Supreme Court will decide this summer. He argues the responsibility of abortion rights should be returned to the peoples elected representatives.

So what are the peoples elected representatives doing? Just look at the maelstrom of anti-abortion legislation proposed this year in 41 states.

In Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey signed a 15-week abortion ban into law, going as far as denying instances of rape or incest as exceptions. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law making the act of performing an abortion a felony, threatening health-care providers with a $100,000 fine and up to 10 years in prison.

In Utah, a trigger law awaits that would ban elective abortions depending on the fate of Roe v. Wade, inevitably forcing women seeking abortions to drive to neighboring states, except for Idaho, which became the first state to copy Texas six-week abortion ban, allowing citizens to sue abortion providers. The state supreme court recently blocked the abortion ban. Similar legislation exists in Wyoming and South Carolina, according to Planned Parenthood.

The Georgia state Senate approved a ban on receiving the abortion pill by mail, which would eliminate one of the safest ways to have an abortion.

In Kentucky, the state effectively blocked legal abortion access, immediately after establishing unfair requirements on doctors, such as banning telehealth visits for patients seeking an abortion.

Conservative lawmakers in Florida and West Virginia passed similar legislation, the latter recently prohibited abortions in the case of a fetus developing a disability.

In Missouri, Republican lawmakers want to allow lawsuits against Missouri residents who help someone go to another state for an abortion.

Texas is perhaps the state that most resembles Gilead. Texas officials encouraged citizen-vigilantes to file lawsuits against their neighbors or those who they suspect of aiding and abetting an abortion. They are qualified to win a $10,000 reward. Call it what you want, that sounds like a bounty on a person to me.

Also in Texas, 26-year-old Lizelle Herrera was arrested for a self-induced abortion and held on a $500,000 bond. The local prosecutor eventually dropped the charges.

Now, the Supreme Court justices appear to want to open the door to all these laws, revealing themselves as any other partisan-controlled institution, far from an impartial highest court in the land.

If and when the Supreme Court overturns Roe this summer, legal abortions would decline by an estimated 13%, according to a study by Middlebury College and two other research institutions.

This action will do the most harm to women of lower income who would be unable to afford traveling to neighboring states.

The typical patient, in addition to having children, is poor; is unmarried and in her late 20s; has some college education; and is very early in pregnancy, the New York Times reported.

I was adopted and raised Catholic, so one might think that Id be pro-life or I wouldnt have a stake in this issue. But I do, because I am a young woman living in a state thats joining in on the conservative majoritys group-think fantasy. And that is alarming.

Heres the thing the GOP seems to overlook as they try to play God: Women in Arizona and the other 49 states will continue to get abortions, even if its illegal. What does that world look like? Might it include the arrest and detention of the entire female population, making the Herrera case in Texas a sign of things to come?

I dare lawmakers to target women. Go ahead and arrest us. Women will never relinquish the human right of having control over their own bodies. Women and men will continue to march and fight and bail each other out, in the struggle to allow accessible health care for all.

So carry on with your heartbeat legislation and fake promises that all life is valuable. If that were true, conservatives wouldnt condemn civil rights groups as terrorists, they wouldnt pass discriminatory laws targeting immigrants, natural hair or trans-youth. All children would have access to a solid education and health care. Parents would be able to afford a home and reliable child care.

That might be a dystopian society for conservatives, but its one I could get behind.

Katya Mendoza is a graduate student in journalism at the University of Arizona and an apprentice at the Star.

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PRYOR  Adding to a wealth of recent economic development in the area, Google announced plans on Wednesday to invest at least $75 million in Oklahoma this year, expanding operations at its data center in Pryor.

The news brings to $4.4 billion the amount the search engine behemoth has spent in Pryor since establishing its first data center there, at MidAmerica Industrial Park, in 2011.

The Google campus has created jobs for more than 800 people in a variety of full-time and external supplier roles, including computer technicians, engineers, and various food service, maintenance and security positions.

Googles offices and data centers provide vital anchors to our local communities and help us contribute to their economies, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and its parent company, Alphabet, said in a statement.

As we embrace more flexibility in how we work, we believe its more important than ever to invest in our campuses and that doing so will make for better products, a greater quality of life for our employees, and stronger communities.

Thats why were planning to invest approximately $9.5 billion in U.S. offices and data centers this year, creating more than 12,000 Google jobs.

Held at a news conference at its Oklahoma headquarters  the second-largest data center in the world  Googles announcement is part of the commercial momentum that has been building in Pryor over the past 10 months.

It pushes to more than $840 million the amount of investment that has been announced at the MidAmerica Industrial Park: $482.6 million from electric vehicle maker Canoo; $270 million from tech company Northern Data and $16 million from the Cherokee Nation.

Lisa Muller, superintendent of Pryor Public Schools, told the Tulsa World recently that from 2009  two years before Google built its first Pryor data center  to 2022, the school districts net assessed valuation has gone from about $80 million to more than $844 million, greatly increasing the districts bonding capacity and allowing it to make a substantial investment in facilities across the district without raising property taxes.

Google announced they were coming to Mayes County more than a decade ago, Pryor Mayor Larry Lees said at the news conference.

Their presence has made an impact far outside the boundaries of this campus: free public Wi-Fi in our downtown, STEM and art programs for our students, millions of grant dollars for Oklahoma nonprofits and much more. 

Pryor Public Schools have the funding we need to ensure that our communitys children have the latest technology, textbooks, facilities to receive a world-class education. Im so pleased Google is continuing its investment at MidAmerica Industrial Park.

Google also announced that it is partnering with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services to help Oklahomans develop digital skills to expand their careers.

Through the Google Career Certificate program, Oklahomans will have the opportunity to learn skills that prepare them for jobs in fields such as data analytics, digital marketing and e-commerce, IT support, project management and user experience design.

I want Oklahoma to be the most business-friendly state in the country, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said Wednesday in Pryor.

We are doing that. Googles continued investment demonstrates what can happen when we focus on cutting red tape and training a skilled workforce to fill these high-quality jobs.

Additionally, Google announced a grant to fund education programs for nearby Chouteau-Mazie Public Schools.

Google recognizes the intrinsic relationship and the cohesive collaboration between business and education, David Stewart, chief administrative officer of the MidAmerica Industrial Park, said in a statement.

The capital investment by Google at MidAmerica Industrial Park has transformed K-12 education and has created generational change by narrowing the opportunity gap for students in Mayes County. (On Wednesday) Google announced a $100,000 education grant for the Chouteau-Mazie School District, which will foster ingenuity and encourage a school-driven and school-designed program to increase the upward mobility of its students.

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ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP)  Russian forces Tuesday began storming the steel mill containing the last pocket of resistance in Mariupol, Ukrainian defenders said, just as scores of civilians evacuated from the bombed-out plant reached relative safety and told of days and nights filled with dread and despair from constant shelling.

Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, said that thanks to the evacuation effort over the weekend, 101 people  including women, the elderly, and 17 children, the youngest 6 months old  were able to emerge from the bunkers under the Azovstal steelworks and see the daylight after two months.

One evacuee said she went to sleep at the plant every night afraid she wouldnt wake up.

You cant imagine how scary it is when you sit in the bomb shelter, in a damp and wet basement, and it is bouncing and shaking, 54-year-old Elina Tsybulchenko said upon arriving in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles (230 kilometers) northwest of Mariupol, in a convoy of buses and ambulances.

She said if the shelter were hit by a bomb like the ones that left the huge craters she saw on the two occasions she ventured outside, all of us would be done.

Evacuees, a few of whom were in tears, made their way from the buses into a tent offering some of the comforts long denied them during their weeks underground, including hot food, diapers and connections to the outside world. Mothers fed small children. Some of the evacuees browsed racks of donated clothing, including new underwear.

The news for those left behind was more grim. Ukrainian commanders said Russian forces backed by tanks began storming the sprawling plant, which includes a maze of tunnels and bunkers spread out over 11 square kilometers (4 square miles).

How many Ukrainian fighters were holed up inside was unclear, but the Russians put the number at about 2,000 in recent weeks, and 500 were reported to be wounded. A few hundred civilians also remained there, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.

Well do everything thats possible to repel the assault, but were calling for urgent measures to evacuate the civilians that remain inside the plant and to bring them out safely, Sviatoslav Palamar, deputy commander of Ukraines Azov Regiment, said on the messaging app Telegram.

He added that throughout the night, the plant was hit with naval artillery fire and airstrikes. Two civilian women were killed and 10 civilians wounded, he said.

The U.N.s Lubrani expressed hope for further evacuations but said none had been worked out.

In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that by storming the steel mill, Russian forces violated agreements for safe evacuations. He said the prior evacuations are not a victory yet, but its already a result. I believe theres still a chance to save other people."

In other battlefield developments, Russian troops shelled a chemical plant in the eastern city of Avdiivka, killing at least 10 people, Donetsk regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

The Russians knew exactly where to aim  the workers just finished their shift and were waiting for a bus at a bus stop to take them home, Kyrylenko wrote in a Telegram post. Another cynical crime by Russians on our land.

Explosions were also heard in Lviv, in western Ukraine, near the Polish border. The strikes damaged three power substations, knocking out electricity in parts of the city and disrupting the water supply, and wounded two people, the mayor said. Lviv has been a gateway for NATO-supplied weapons and a haven for those fleeing the fighting in the east.

A rocket also struck an infrastructure facility in a mountainous area in Transcarpathia, a region in far western Ukraine that borders Poland, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, authorities said. There was no immediate word of any casualties.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Russian aircraft and artillery hit hundreds of targets in the past day, including troop strongholds, command posts, artillery positions, fuel and ammunition depots and radar equipment.

Ukrainian authorities said the Russians also attacked at least a half-dozen railroad stations around the country.

The assault on the Azovstal steelworks began almost two weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military not to storm the plant to finish off the defenders but to seal it off. The first  and so far only  civilians to be evacuated from the shattered plant got out during a brief cease-fire in an operation overseen by the U.N. and the Red Cross.

At a reception center in Zaporizhzhia, stretchers and wheelchairs were lined up, and children's shoes and toys awaited the convoy. Medical and psychological teams were on standby.

Some of the elderly evacuees appeared exhausted as they arrived. Some of the younger people, especially mothers comforting babies and other young children, appeared relieved.

Im very glad to be on Ukrainian soil, said a woman who gave only her first name, Anna, and arrived with two children, ages 1 and 9. We thought we wouldnt get out of there, frankly speaking.

A small group of women held up signs in English asking that fighters also be evacuated from the steel plant.

The arrival of the evacuees was a rare piece of good news in the nearly 10-week conflict that has killed thousands, forced millions to flee the country, laid waste to towns and cities, and shifted the post-Cold War balance of power in Eastern Europe.

Over the past days, traveling with the evacuees, I have heard mothers, children and frail grandparents speak about the trauma of living day after day under unrelenting heavy shelling and the fear of death, and with extreme lack of water, food and sanitation, Lubrani said. They spoke of the hell they have experienced."

In addition to the 101 people evacuated from the steelworks, 58 joined the convoy in a town on the outskirts of Mariupol, Lubrani said. About 30 people who left the plant decided to stay behind in Mariupol to try to find out whether their loved ones were alive, Lubrani said. A total of 127 evacuees arrived in Zaporizhzhia, she said.

The Russian military said earlier that some of the evacuees chose to stay in areas held by pro-Moscow separatists.

Tsybulchenko rejected Russian allegations that the Ukrainian fighters wouldnt allow civilians to leave the plant. She said the Ukrainian military told civilians that they were free to go but would be risking their lives if they did so.

We understood clearly that under these murder weapons, we wouldnt survive, we wouldnt manage to go anywhere, she said.

Mariupol has come to symbolize the human misery inflicted by the war. The Russians two-month siege of the strategic southern port has trapped civilians with little or no food, water, medicine or heat, as Moscows forces pounded the city into rubble. The plant in particular has transfixed the outside world.

After failing to take Kyiv in the early weeks of the war, Russia withdrew from around the capital and announced that its chief objective was the capture of Ukraines eastern industrial heartland, known as the Donbas.

Mariupol lies in the region, and its fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops for fighting elsewhere in the Donbas.

But so far, Russias troops and their allied separatist forces appear to have made only minor gains in the eastern offensive.

Ukraines resistance has been significantly bolstered by Western arms, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced 300 million pounds ($375 million) in new military aid, including radar, drones and armored vehicles.

In a speech delivered remotely to Ukraines parliament, he pronounced the battle Ukraines finest hour, echoing the words of Winston Churchill during World War II.

Your children and grandchildren will say that Ukrainians taught the world that the brute force of an aggressor counts for nothing against the moral force of a people determined to be free, Johnson said.

Associated Press journalists Inna Varenytsia and David Keyton in Kyiv, Jon Gambrell and Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, and AP staff around the world contributed to this report.

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Complaining that the West is "stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line targets across the country, as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war Wednesday by proposing a ban on oil imports.

Heavy fighting also raged at the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol that represented the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined southern port city, according to the mayor. A Russian official denied that Moscow's troops were storming the plant, but the commander of the main Ukrainian military unit inside said Russian troops had broken into the mill's territory.

The Russian military also said it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of resorting to the missile terrorism tactics in order to spread fear across Ukraine.

Air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country on Wednesday night, and attacks were reported near Kyiv, the capital; in Cherkasy and Dnipro in central Ukraine; and in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. In Dnipro, authorities said a rail facility was hit. Videos on social media suggested a bridge there was attacked.

There was no immediate word on casualties or the extent of the damage.

Responding to the strikes in his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: All of these crimes will be answered, legally and quite practically  on the battlefield.

The flurry of attacks comes as Russia prepares to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, marking the Soviet Unions defeat of Nazi Germany. The world is watching for whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will use the occasion to declare a victory in Ukraine or expand what he calls the special military operation.

A declaration of all-out war would allow Putin to introduce martial law and mobilize reservists to make up for significant troop losses.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the speculation as nonsense.

Meanwhile, Belarus, which Russia used as a staging ground for its invasion, announced the start of military exercises Wednesday. A top Ukrainian official said the country will be ready to act if Belarus joins the fighting.

The attacks on rail infrastructure were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons.

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagon's assessment, said that while the Russians have tried to hit critical infrastructure around the western city of Lviv, specifically targeting railroads, there has been no appreciable impact on Ukraines effort to resupply its forces. Lviv, close to the Polish border, has been a major gateway for NATO-supplied weapons.

Weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces thwart Russias initial drive to seize Kyiv and seems certain to play a central role in the growing battle for the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Moscow now says is its main objective.

Ukraine has urged the West to ramp up the supply of weapons ahead of that potentially decisive clash. Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which had been slow at first to help arm Ukraine, said his government is considering supplying howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment it has agreed to send.

The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which lies in the Donbas, said Russian attacks left 21 people dead on Tuesday, the highest number of known fatalities since April 8, when a missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk killed at least 59.

In addition to supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. have sought to punish Moscow with sanctions. The EU's top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to ban Russian oil imports, a crucial source of revenue.

We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The proposal needs unanimous approval from EU countries and is likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they won't take part in any oil sanctions. They could be granted an exemption.

The EU is also talking about a possible embargo on Russian natural gas. The bloc has already approved a cutoff of coal imports.

Russias economy is heavily dependent on oil and natural gas exports. Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, said European purchases of Russian energy produce billions in revenue and support the Kremlin's war machine.

Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russias largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.

In Mariupol, Mayor Vadym Boychenko said that Russian forces were targeting the already shattered Azovstal plant with heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft, warships and heavy bombs that pierce concrete 3 to 5 meters thick.

Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult, he said.

Ukrainian fighters said Tuesday that Russian forces had begun storming the plant. But the Kremlin said that was not true. There is no assault," Peskov said.

Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Ukrainian Azov regiment that's defending the plant, said Russian forces have broken into the plant's territory.

Prokopenko said in a video that the incursions continued for a second day, and there are heavy, bloody battles.

The situation is extremely difficult, but in spite of everything, we continue to carry out the order to hold the defense, he added.

His wife, Kateryna Prokopenko, told The Associated Press: We dont want them to die. They wont surrender. They are waiting for the bravest countries to evacuate them."

Meanwhile, the United Nations announced that more than 300 civilians were evacuated Wednesday from Mariupol and other nearby communities. The evacuees arrived in Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles (230 kilometers) to the northwest, where they were receiving humanitarian assistance.

Many came with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, and we will now support them during this difficult time, including with much-needed psychological support, said Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.

Over the weekend, more than 100 people  including women, the elderly and 17 children  were evacuated from the plant during a cease-fire in an operation overseen by the U.N. and the Red Cross. But the attacks on the plant soon resumed.

The Russian government said on the Telegram messaging app that it would open another evacuation corridor from the plant during certain hours on Thursday through Saturday. But there was no immediate confirmation of those arrangements from other parties, and many previous such assurances from the Kremlin have fallen through, with the Ukrainians blaming continued fighting by the Russians.

It was unclear how many Ukrainian fighters were still inside, but the Russians put the number at about 2,000 in recent weeks, and 500 were reported to be wounded. A few hundred civilians also remained there, the Ukrainian side said.

Mariupol, and the plant in particular, have come to symbolize the misery inflicted by the war. The Russians have pulverized most of the city in a two-month siege that has trapped civilians with little food, water, medicine or heat.

The city's fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops to fight elsewhere in the Donbas.

Anna reported from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yesica Fisch in Zaporizhzhia, Inna Varenytsia and David Keyton in Kyiv, Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington 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.

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It was almost like the song.

As Vann Bighorse, director of the Osage Nation Language Department, pronounced a blessing in Osage and in English over the site of what will become the new Gilcrease Museum, a hawk circled lazily in the sky, coasting over the green Osage hills.

Bighorses blessing was part of the official groundbreaking ceremony for the new museum. It took place Tuesday in front of the expanse of now-bare ground on which the facility had stood for more than 70 years.

Susan Neal, executive director of Gilcrease Museum, said that May 3 was chosen for the groundbreaking as it was the 73rd anniversary of the opening of the original museum by Thomas Gilcrease in 1949.

Gilcrease, a Tulsa oilman and member of the Muskogee/Creek Nation, devoted a good deal of his life and fortune to amassing one of the largest collections of American art and history in the world, collecting not only paintings and sculptures but historic books and documents, some of which date to the early days of European exploration, as well as art and cultural artifacts from the countrys indigenous peoples.

In the 1950s, Gilcrease would turn ownership of the collection over to the city of Tulsa, which has operated and expanded the museum and its collection ever since.

However, when it became evident that the current facility was in need of massive repairs, the city determined it would be more expedient to raze the museum and build a new facility, rather than attempt to renovate the existing structure. Demolition of the old museum took place in January.

Construction of the new Gilcrease is expected to start later this year and is estimated to take between two and three years. The facility was designed by SmithGroup, a design firm based in Washington, D.C., which sought to incorporate elements that reflect the culture of the Osage Nation, on whose land the museum sits.

The new museum, said Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, will be symbolic of what we want Tulsa to be, in honoring the past while embracing the future. It also, he said, will be a facility worthy of the collection it will showcase, which has been one of Tulsas leading tourist attractions as well as a source of civic pride.

We should be proud that Tulsans are the owners of the greatest collection of American art and history that the U.S. Government doesnt have, Bynum said.

Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who also serves as the states Secretary for Tourism, said, I always tell people, if you want to understand America, you have to see Oklahoma. And that trip begins right here at Gilcrease.

Bynum, using the same shovel former mayor James Maxwell used to break ground on an addition to Gilcrease in 1962, was first joined by students from the Wayman Tisdale Fine Arts Academy, the Greenwood Leadership Academy and San Miguel School to dig the first ceremonial shovelsful of earth.

It was, Neal said, a way to acknowledge the next generation for whom the new Gilcrease is being built. A second groundbreaking, this time by city officials and representatives of major donors followed.

The ceremony also featured a recitation of an original poem by writer Amairani Perez Chamu and a performance by the Booker T. Washington High School Choir of If I Believe, a song written by its director, Lester Shaw.

I know Dr. Shaw did not write that song for this occasion, Neal said afterward, but there have been many times during this process when weve had to remind ourselves, If we believe, we will succeed.

The new Gilcrease Museum is being funded through public and private sources, including $65 million that was approved by Tulsa voters as part of Vision Tulsa and $10 million lead gift from the A.R. and Marylouise Tandy Foundation.

Other major donors, who have contributed $5 million or more the project, include the Helmerich Trust, the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation, the Maxine and Jack Zarrow Family Foundation, the Sherman E. Smith Charitable Trust and the William S. Smith Charitable Trust.

The finished museum will be a 91,000-square-foot facility designed to meet contemporary standards for both the care of the Gilcrease permanent collection, as well as provide space for touring exhibitions and community gatherings not currently available in the immediate area.

In addition, the plans include some 460 acres of museum grounds that will offer 14 miles of trails for hiking and biking, along with other outdoor amenities.

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Frustrated Indiana conservatives fell short in most primary races Tuesday in their drive to push the Republican-controlled state Legislature further to the right, and two of the movements leaders lost their reelection bids.

The roughly two dozen so-called liberty candidates saw only a few victories in Republican legislative races across the state, with one defeating a 10-term incumbent in northern Indiana and two others winning nominations for GOP-leaning open seats.

A few races remained uncalled late Tuesday, but more than 10 incumbent lawmakers overcame challenges from candidates who argued that the Legislature hasnt been aggressive enough in attempting to ban abortion, enhancing gun rights and overturning COVID-19 restrictions that were ordered by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb.

Republican legislative leaders argued the no compromise stances adopted by many challengers arent practical. They tout the states low taxes and unemployment and broad private school voucher program among its conservative successes.

Unlike in other GOP races across the country  including Ohio, which also had a statewide primary Tuesday  the Indiana legislative contests focused on state issues, rather than which candidate is closest to former President Donald Trump or has his support.

The challengers said they were trying to tap into a deep resentment among voters  and even winning a few seats could nudge the Legislature further to the right.

It was unclear whether the leak of a draft opinion suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn a 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide had any impact in the primary. Indiana lawmakers didn't pursue major anti-abortion action during this year's session as they waited for a decision from the Supreme Court. If the court overturns Roe v Wade, those lawmakers could ask Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb to call the Legislature into a special session so they can act without having to wait until 2023.

The vast majority of House Republicans, including myself, have been abundantly clear that we want to take action to further protect life should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn, in full or in part, Roe, Republican House Speaker Todd Huston said in a statement Tuesday. We will continue to await the courts final decision.

Indiana law generally prohibits abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, with 99% of abortions in the state occurring at 13 weeks or earlier, according to a state Health Department report.

The state House GOP campaign operation gave more than $1 million to candidates for the primary  including Craig Snow, who defeated hard-right Republican Rep. Curt Nisly of Milford, and Julie McGuire, who beat Rep. John Jacob of Indianapolis. Nisly and Jacob have been heroes of the liberty candidate challengers for proposals blocked by legislative leaders, including a total abortion ban and seeking to void all state COVID-19 restrictions as far back as late 2020.

Meanwhile, the Liberty Defense PAC, which has worked to rally support for its endorsed candidates, had raised a total of about $95,000 by the end of March.

Some of our incumbents are facing very, very engaged opponents, Huston said. You cant take any chances. Our team has been doing everything they need to do, knocking on doors, lots of voter contacts, those types of things. Nobody should take it lightly.

Some challengers say their movement grew from protests against COVID-19 shutdowns and complaints that GOP legislators didnt take action to end Holcombs executive orders, including a mask mandate.

Lorissa Sweet, a County Council member from rural northern Indiana, defeated Rep. Dan Leonard of Huntington. Leonard, a top Huston lieutenant, drew the wrath of social conservatives for his frequent role in blocking proposals from Nisly and Jacob  either by raising procedural objections or not taking up bills assigned to the House committee he leads.

The challengers were unsuccessful against several other top Republicans, including House Majority Leader Matthew Lehman of Berne and several committee chairmen appointed by Huston. Meanwhile, Rep. John Young of Franklin lost his bid for a fourth term to a challenger who wasn't among the Liberty Defense candidates.

The liberty candidates predominantly ran in heavily Republican districts, so even primary wins by far-right challengers would likely provide few opportunities for Democrats to dent the GOPs current 71-29 House majority.

One voter favoring Jacob said he believed more legislators like him would better ensure personal freedoms and increase the push to restrict access to abortions in Indiana.

I'm a conservative Christian, and I can see that in our culture today, there is so much moving in directions that are not Biblical, and I'm thinking that might be part of the pushback" against many current lawmakers, said Mike Teipen, 73, of Indianapolis. It maybe rubs people too much the wrong way  they don't want to take a strong stand on certain issues. But that's what I think makes a good lawmaker.

Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ap_politics

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Cash contributions to Attorney General John OConnor and his Republican primary challenger Gentner Drummond differed by less than $120, and less than $2,000 separated their total contributions through March 31, according to Oklahoma Ethics Commission reports.

OConnor, appointed to the position last summer by Gov. Kevin Stitt, reported cash receipts of $1,201,448.98 through the end of the reporting period, compared with $1,201,330.46 for Drummond.

Counting in-kind contributions, Drummonds totaled $1,214,548.98 to $1,212,970.81 for OConnor.

Financial trends seemed to be favoring OConnor, though. He reported total contributions of $421,368.84 for the first three months of 2022, and $879,611.59 in cash on hand.

Drummond reported $273,136.87 in first-quarter receipts and $121,880.14 in cash.

Attorney general is one of six statewide offices besides governor with a Republican primary, and one of two where a candidate is directly associated with Stitt.

The other is state superintendent of schools, where Stitts education secretary Ryan Walters is in a three-way race with Shawnee Public Schools Superintendent April Grace and Peggs Superintendent John Cox.

Incumbent Joy Hofmeister is term-limited and running for governor as a Democrat.

While Walters has generated attention with pronouncements on several matters, including transgender bathrooms, the low-key Grace had the best fundraising through the first quarter. She reported $72,564.84 for the quarter and a total of $265,417.72.

Walters recorded $61,095.79 for the quarter and a total of $210,000.79.

Cox reported $38,370 for the quarter and $89,915 total, including $50,000 he loaned to himself.

Auditor and inspector, labor commissioner, corporation commissioner and treasurer also have GOP primaries.

There are no Democratic primaries except for governor, and none for Libertarians.

Finances are often a problem for down-ticket statewide races. Donors are generally less enthused than for top-of-the-ticket campaigns, and the candidates often have less name recognition. Even incumbents are usually not as widely known.

To date, Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell is the only non-gubernatorial candidate besides Drummond and OConnor to have raised $1 million. Pinnell has two general election opponents  both unknowns  but no primary opponent.

Incumbent Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd has less than $70,000 in cash, but primary opponent Steven McQuillen doesnt seem to have even registered with the Ethics Commission. State law requires registration once a person has raised or spent $1,000.

Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn has almost $175,000 on hand with two primary challengers, including term-limited state Rep. Sean Roberts, who has a following among the GOPs anti-vaccination, stolen-election wing.

Neither Roberts nor the third Republican, Keith Swinton, filed first-quarter reports for labor commissioner, but Roberts did file one for his legislative campaign fund. It listed a balance of $13,553.36.

An office often overlooked by voters but not by donors is Corporation Commission. Its regulatory powers include oversight of oil and gas, utilities, pipelines, railroads and common carriers, and an opening for one of the three commissioner spots has attracted four Republicans, including term-limited state Sen. Kim David and former state Rep. Todd Thomsen.

David, who carried a good deal of legislation this session dealing with hydrogen power, reported total receipts of $321,650.98, including about $38,000 from her state Senate fund.

Thomsen didnt launch his campaign until mid-January, but he reported receipts of $120,600.

The other two Republicans, Justin Hornback of Broken Arrow and Harold Spradling of Cherokee, did not file first-quarter reports.

Term-limited state Rep. Todd Russs campaign for state treasurer lists total receipts of $285,846.86, but $203,500 of that is listed as loans. Former state Sen. Clark Jolley reported total receipts of $162,637.12 and David Hooten, the Oklahoma County Clerk, was at $60,310.50.

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Legislation sent to Gov. Kevin Stitt on Wednesday would bar state government from doing business with financial institutions that boycott energy companies  unless doing so would cost the state money.

House Bill 2034, by Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, appears to be part of a larger national effort to shield fossil fuel industries from disinvestment by banks and other lenders.

A critic of the bill, Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Oklahoma City, noted that HB 2034 was three pages long when it left the House earlier this spring and came back from the Senate at 19 pages  most of which, Fugate said, seemed to be cribbed from other states bills.

McBride said the new language was added at the request of the state treasurer, state pension fund managers and the Oklahoma Bankers Association to assure the legislation works for all Oklahomans.

Fugate, though, pointed out that the word Oklahoma doesnt appear in the bill and asked if it would not actually work to the benefit of state oil and gas producers competitors.

He also asked how it would apply to institutions that boycott Russian oil and gas.

McBride waved aside such questions and said the bill is good for Oklahoma.

The bill requires the treasurer to maintain a list of financial companies that boycott energy companies. Governmental entities, including pension funds, are to divest themselves of investments in those institutions unless the institutions show they are not discriminating against fossil fuel-related companies.

The bill allows exceptions, though, in cases in which divestiture would not be in the states best financial interests.

The House sent HB 2034 to the governor one day after passing a resolution seeking to expand the states feud with ice cream-maker Ben and Jerrys.

Two years ago the House passed and Stitt signed legislation barring the state from doing business with companies boycotting Israel because of its treatment of Palestinians.

A year ago Ben and Jerrys said it would no longer sell ice cream in the occupied West Bank, prompting U.S. Sen. James Lankford to call for Oklahoma to bar the state from doing business with the popular brand and to ban it outright in the state.

Tuesdays HR 1063, also by McBride, broadens the attack to Unilever, Ben and Jerrys parent company, which the resolution indicates has basically ignored the states demands to comply with the state law.

Also sent to the governor on Wednesday was HB 2974, by Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, which will require county election boards to identify addresses with more than 10 registered voters and refer them to local district attorneys for investigation. The bill exempts nursing homes, veterans centers, medical facilities, multi-unit housing, military installations and other locations authorized in writing by the Secretary of the State Election Board.

Not sent to the governor were eight medical marijuana bills that remain a high priority for the House.

House authors rejected Senate amendments on all eight, which means theyre headed for further negotiations with time now becoming an issue.

Constitutional deadline for final adjournment is May 27 but could easily occur before then if a budget agreement is reached.

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When Oklahoma voters approved legalizing medical marijuana in 2018, some in the state feared that Oklahoma would become a free-for-all for those wanting to take advantage of the law.

In many ways, their fears were realized as the state became home to thousands of legal distributors and a target for criminal elements who wanted to expand their hold on the drug trade.

But state officials have worked hard to beef up regulation of the drug, and those efforts are starting to pay off.

In less than a year, the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority has doubled its staff to 200 people. More inspectors means a closer eye on those who might be tempted to operate illegally while keeping the playing field level for those choosing to abide by the rules.

The state also has implemented a seed-to-sale program, which is helping regulators track individual plants. This is another tool to clamp down on illegal activity while monitoring marijuana production.

These efforts are important not only to legal growers and distributors, but to the voters of the state. Oklahoma voters spoke clearly when they approved legalizing medical marijuana, and they put their trust in lawmakers and regulators to make the system work.

Admittedly, it got off to a bumpy start. Loose regulations in the early days led to a proliferation of licensed growers  more than 8,000 at one point. A flood of marijuana products provided more of the drug than what could legally be consumed, and prices nosedived.

These developments were bad for business and made the state vulnerable to abuse.

When I came into this job, a lot of people were angry because we had not done our job, said OMMA Executive Director Adria Berry. I know there is a lot to clean up. Its going to take some time. But were absolutely doing it.

Having a stronger regulatory presence has helped, and more reforms could be on the way. Lawmakers are considering making the OMMA a stand-alone agency. Another proposal would implement fee increases, particularly for large grow operations. Prepackaging for retail sales is one more idea being studied.

Oklahoma is among a high number of states with some form of legalized marijuana, and in joining that group it has had to learn the hard lessons of this new and complex industry. Experts predicted bumps in the road, and there have been many.

But it is encouraging that state officials are learning as they go. There are other challenges yet to be met, and likely more of which we are unaware.

But we are encouraged by how the state has worked toward creating a workable regulatory environment that protects the states business and public safety interests while adhering to the spirit of a popularly passed law.

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Toyota Vietnam is set to recall nearly 200 Raize compact crossovers this month over a fault in which the weld on the front shock absorber may fail to withstand force, according to Vietnam Register, which is in charge of car registration and inspection.

As many as 191 Toyota Raize units, which were imported from Indonesia and manufactured between March 29 and October 8, 2021, are subject to the recall.

All of the above vehicles have been sold on the market, according to news site VnExpress.

The shock absorber is a part in the engine compartment, which has the function of mounting and holding the upper end of the shock absorber assembly in the shock absorber system.

The biggest effect of the shock absorber is to support the load on the front wheels, and guide the steering system.

On faulty Raize compact crossovers, when subjected to strong impacts such as running through speed bumps, potholes, and bumpy roads, the welds of the docks may come off.

The flaking weld will make an unusual noise in the front.

In the worst-case scenario, the failure of the part can cause the car to crash down and be out of control, affecting user safety.

The company has not reported any accidents due to the defect yet.

The recall was put into effect this month and will last until all vehicles are repaired.

Toyota Vietnam recommends that customers take the car to the nearest dealer for inspection.

Users can contact the company or authorized dealers to find out if their vehicle is included in the recall.

The repair is expected to take 7-24 hours for each vehicle, free of charge at dealers.

The remedy could be to reinforce or replace the weld on the front shock absorber mount.

In Indonesia, the Japanese automaker has recalled 14,777 Raize cars.

Toyotas luxury brand, Lexus, has a similar problem.

Recently, Lexus USA recalled about 4,200 NX cars because of the lack of welds on the front dampers, according to VnExpress.

The NX is also sold in Vietnam but the company has not announced a recall.

Toyota Raize is a high-rise A+ car sold in the Vietnamese market since October 2021, with a starting price of VND527 million (US$22,942).

By the end of this years first quarter, the company sold 1,671 Raize units, 20 more than the rivaling Kia Sonet.

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Owning a small apartment or house in a city like Ho Chi Minh City is a distant dream for many young workers, as availability and high prices leave home ownership out of reach.

House prices in most Vietnamese cities have been rising steadily for many years, especially in metropolises like Ho Chi Minh City.

Research by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper shows that the city has run out of affordable housing, leaving some joking that it has 'died out.'

Super-small living spaces

In a shelter with an area of only nine square meters on Huynh Tan Phat Street in District 7, live three tenants, including a woman who is five months pregnant.

At 4:00 pm, Tran Thien Khang, the only man in this rented unit, comes home from work with a bag of meat and a bunch of vegetables, the ingredients for dinner.

"This place is not only convenient, but also close to where my wife and her mother work," Khang says of its advantages.

The metal-roofed unit is divided into three separate areas for sleeping, cooking, and bathing.

Because of the limited space, all sorts of things are hung up so the four walls all around are crammed with most of their belongings.

Despite the inconvenience, the monthly rent of only VND1.4 million (US$61) or VND1.6-1.7 million ($70-74) including electricity and water bills makes the rented house a good choice for Khang's household.

The couple sent their first daughter to live with her grandparents and moved into this unit while the woman is expecting their second child.

Their house is one of more than 10 units in a working-class neighborhood.

A small passageway runs between two rows of shelters and is just wide enough for a motorbike.

The limited space forces the only fan in the room to always run on high to make the three people a little more comfortable on hot days.

According to the 2020 Residence Law, eight square meters of space is the minimum requirement to register as a temporary tenant.

Khang's space is not even half the minimum area.

Another tenant, Phan Thi Tinh, who shares a 15-square-meter room with two other roommates, lives in a larger place than Khangs in Binh Chieu Ward, Thu Duc City.

Her room, which is big enough for her and two motorbikes, is rented at a price of VND1.8 million ($78) a month.

The rent is quite low after they split it among themselves.

As workers, they often stay at the factory for 10 hours a day and only come home at night to sleep.

Phan Thi Tinh sits in her small apartment shared with two other roommates. Photo: Dieu Quy / Tuoi Tre

Poverty-stricken workers

Given Tinh's low salary, it is understandable why she chose such a place.

Since she cannot ride a motorbike, she rides her bicycle to the factory every day.

Since 2020, she has been working in a shoe factory in Ho Chi Minh City with a monthly salary of about VND6.5-6.7 million ($283-292), including allowances.

Her income can be increased a little, to VND7.5-8 million ($326-348), if she gets more shifts.

"I have to spend the money so sparingly that it is enough for one month, sometimes I have to borrow from others," the worker said.

After spending the money on rent and food, she uses the rest for medicine, household items, and necessary feminine hygiene products.

Despite her meager salary, Tinh tries to send VND1 million ($44) to her mother, who lives in her hometown in the north-central province of Ha Tinh.

"I live alone and try my best to save up some money," she added.

"If I have some money left over, I do not dare to spend it, but save it in case I get sick, go to a wedding or have other emergencies."

Tinh is among those workers whose monthly income is less than VND10 million ($440), forcing them to live in cramped conditions.

Trying to make ends meet, like Tinh's situation, is not uncommon.

Khang works as a motorbike taxi driver for a ride-hailing app. He earns about VND400,000 ($17) from seven hours of work from 11:00 pm to 6:00 am every day.

These days, his income has shrunk due to higher gasoline prices.

Khang and his mother-in-law also choose to eat less so that his wife, who is pregnant, can eat more healthy food during this difficult time.

The low income makes the dream of owning a home a utopian one for workers like Tinh and Khang.

They dare not dream of having an apartment

"We do not even have our own clean toilet in Ho Chi Minh City, it's unimaginable to think of a proper apartment," Khang says, shaking his head sadly as he talks to a Tuoi Tre reporter.

He and his wife are just trying to work so they can stay in the city.

Despite many obstacles, Ho Chi Minh City is a place that offers them the opportunity to have enough money to raise their children in the long run.

The more migrant workers come to Ho Chi Minh City, the fewer affordable houses there are.

Many of them have given up the dream of owning a home because prices are constantly rising.

Not only blue-collar workers but also many white-collar workers cannot afford a house in the city these days.

Tran Van Nguyen, an employee of a real estate company with a monthly salary of more than VND15 million ($653), still lives as a tenant in an apartment, although he has dreamed of owning his own home since his days as a student.

According to Nguyen, living expenses account for half of his monthly income, and even though prices continue to rise, his salary remains the same.

"I have only been able to return to work in the last two months after being unemployed for several months because of the COVID-19 pandemic," Nguyen said.

"Now I even have to carefully factor in the cost of living.

"Although I did my best and worked hard, what I get is just enough for my living expenses, and a little is left over."

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Read what is in the news today:

COVID-19 Updates

-- Vietnam recorded zero COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, the first day after registering over 43,000 fatalities in less than ten months.

Society

-- Fifty-five people were killed and 84 others were injured in 104 traffic accidents in the four-day break marking Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers Day (May 1) from Saturday to Tuesday.

-- Serious gridlock did not occur at Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi gateways as expected on Tuesday afternoon, when the four-day break ended and holidaymakers returned to the two metropolises from their hometowns.

-- Police in southern Dong Nai Province announced on Tuesday the successful urgent arrest of three particularly dangerous wanted suspects, who used a military gun to kill people in northern Yen Bai Province during their run from drug trafficking crime.

-- Vietnams General Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health is actively responding to an acute hepatitis of an unknown cause in children after the World Health Organization announced 228 infections and four deaths related to this disease in about 20 countries on Tuesday.

-- Heavy rains are in the forecast for the southern and Central Highlands regions on Wednesday, with warnings of flash floods issued for mountainous, river, and canal areas, according to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

Business

-- Toyota Vietnam is set to recall 191 Raize cars imported from Indonesia and produced between March 29 and October 8, 2021 this month over a fault, in which the weld on the front shock absorber may fail to withstand force, according to Vietnam Register, which is in charge of car registration and inspection.

-- Fuel prices in Vietnam are forecast to rise by less than VND1,000 per liter in the price adjustment session on Wednesday. (US$1 = VND22,963)

Sports

-- Liverpool survived a first-half scare to reach the Champions League final with a 3-2 win at Villarreal on Tuesday, for a 5-2 aggregate victory, after the night had threatened to turn sour for Juergen Klopps side, Reuters reported.

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On the way back to Nha Trang City after a sightseeing trip in Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province, Duong Thanh Xuan, aged 34, and her boyfriend stopped their motorbike at the Khanh Le Mountain Pass to collect plastic waste bottles and cans as they felt seeing so much trash was 'unbearable.'

Around one week after returning home from the trip, in spite of her suntanned hands, Xuan is still happy about her good behavior, cleaning a section of the pass.

Her post about the waste-collecting story on Facebook received many compliments and love reactions.

Xuan said that she intended to pick up waste on her previous motorcycle journey to Da Lat, a resort town in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

At that time, on the way to the city and back home, I saw a great deal of waste at the pass, but no one collected it," she recounted.

Despite their weariness and suntanned skin, Duong Thanh Xuan and her companion are happy with their action to make Khanh Le Mountain Pass cleaner.

As such, I was determined that I would stop to clean up the pass within my capability during my next trip if the pass was lined with waste.

"On April 24, when traveling to Da Lat, I saw a lot of garbage scattered on the Khanh Le Mountain Pass, with the middle of the pass having the most."

Her intention of arriving in Da Lat and asking for some bags was wholeheartedly supported by her companion.

On the morning of April 25, on their way back home, they stopped in the middle of the pass.

They started to use tools to collect plastic waste bottles and cans of beer and soft drinks, and then loaded the bags of these cans and bottles on the rear seat of the motorcycle.

Other types of waste were stacked into piles as they were too heavy to carry.

They hope that there will not be much waste at the pass and no one will drop litter to make the route more beautiful and reduce the workload for sanitation workers.

Initially, we planned to give these bottles and cans to nearby residents, but some local residents handed us several when seeing us collecting the waste," Xuan said.

Along the road, we saw no scrap purchasing stores, so we decided to carry the bags home.

"Besides, two youngsters pursued us and gave us a bin containing beer cans, saying that they had drunk these cans but did not know where to discarded them."

Due to their stopovers to collect waste, their 170-kilometer-long journey from Da Lat to Nha Trang was extended to eight hours instead of the usual 3.5 hours.

They picked up waste on a total section of a mere 70 kilometers.

We could not collect waste on the entire route as we were not strong enough, while the motorcycle does not have much room to carry it, she said, adding that it is often cool at the pass, but on that day, they had to struggle with scorching weather and, as a result, had their skin tanned.

All of the bottles and cans collected at Khanh Le Mountain Pass by Duong Thanh Xuan and her boyfriend.

We were tired only when squashing the cans in order to carry more. This job weakened us, so we squashed a few cans only," said the 34-year-old.

However, we felt extremely happy to make the pass cleaner.

"While collecting waste, we met some traffic police officers and they helped us tie the bags and wished us a pleasant and safe trip.

I hope that I will not see much waste at the pass on my next trip and no one will drop litter to make the route more beautiful and reduce the workload for sanitation workers."

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Vietnam has not discovered any cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children, about which the World Health Organization (WHO) already released an urgent alert, a representative of the General Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health said on Tuesday.

However, the general department and related units are still monitoring the disease and strengthening surveillance to detect cases early as recommended and take quick response measures if there are cases of this unidentified form of acute hepatitis.

The representative added that the Ministry of Health obtained data related to the disease from the WHO and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for updates.

The specialized UN agency received reports of at least 228 probable cases, with over 50 additional cases under investigation, and four deaths related to acute hepatitis of unknown origin among young children as of May 1, Reuters quoted the WHOs Tarik Jasarevic as saying at a Geneva press briefing on Tuesday.

Patients affected are aged 1 month to 16 years and have been detected in about 20 countries, including the UK, Spain, Israel, the U.S., and many more, with some of them requiring liver transplantation.

The clinical syndrome identified the cases as acute hepatitis, or liver inflammation, with markedly elevated liver enzymes.

Many cases reported gastrointestinal symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting preceding presentation with severe acute hepatitis, and increased levels of liver enzymes and jaundice.

Adenovirus was detected in at least 74 cases while coronavirus was identified in 20 cases of those that were tested.

Furthermore, 19 were detected with a coronavirus and adenovirus co-infection.

The UK, where the majority of cases have been reported to date, has observed a significant increase in adenovirus infections in the community following low levels of circulation earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Netherlands also reported concurrent increasing community adenovirus circulation.

In the U.S., the CDC published a study on April 29 on a cluster in Alabama, where nine children also tested positive for a common pathogen called adenovirus 41.

The pathogen is known to cause gastroenteritis in children, but it is not usually known as a cause of hepatitis in otherwise healthy children, the agency said.

Adenoviruses are commonly spread by close personal contact, respiratory droplets, and contact with contaminated surfaces.

There are more than 50 types of adenoviruses, which most commonly cause colds but also many other diseases.

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Comedian Dave Chappelle was assaulted by an audience member this week while performing at the Netflix Is a Joke comedy festival at the Hollywood Bowl.

TV Line reports video footage shows a man came on stage and rushed at Chappelle during his performance and tackled him to the floor, before getting apprehended by venue security.

The Los Angeles Police Department later told NBC News Los Angeles that the man was armed with a replica gun that featured an ejectable knife blade; its not currently clear if an attempt was made to use the weapon while on stage.

Police said neither Chappelle nor any officers were injured during the incident, while the assailant was taken to the hospital with superficial injuries.

There were reports Chappelles security team were heavy-handed with the man.

In video footage posted on social media after the incident, Chappelle was also heard saying / joking, It was a trans man.

Last year, the comedian drew ire for jokes made in his Netflix special The Closer that were branded dangerously transphobic.

Updated:

Netflix issued a statement: Dave Chappelle celebrated four nights of comedy and music, setting record-breaking sales for a comedian at the Hollywood Bowl. This run ties Chappelle with Monty Python for the most headlined shows by any comedian at the Hollywood Bowl, reaching 70k fans of diverse backgrounds during the first Netflix Is A Joke: The Festival, and he refuses to allow last nights incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment.

As unfortunate and unsettling as the incident was, Chappelle went on with the show, the statement adds. Jamie Foxx and Chris Rock helped calm the crowd with humor before Chappelle introduced the last and featured musical guests for the evening, hip-hop artists yasiin bey and Talib Kweli, a.k.a. Black Star, who performed music from their new album  the first in nearly 24 years  which was released on Luminary. Other special comedic guests last night included Earthquake, Leslie Jones, Jeff Ross, Sebastian, Jon Stewart and Michelle Wolf.
Former Seven host Andrew OKeefe, currently on remand for assault charges, made a fresh application for bail in Sydneys Central Local Court yesterday, but was rejected.

Defence lawyer Sharon Ramsden presented a new application for bail claiming there is a special circumstance of a bed being available at a long-term rehabilitation centre in Port Stephens.

But the Daily Telegraph reports he became frustrated with a video link appearance yesterday and became argumentative with magistrate Daniel Reiss.

The magistrate told the court it was troubling that Mr OKeefes alleged offending went on while already on bail.

OKeefe replied in anger: Alleged behaviour, Your Honour, nothing is confirmed.

Are you trying to sabotage your own application? the magistrate asked.

During the hearing OKeefe continued to interrupt.

I would have been inclined to grant bail if not for the ongoing behaviour of Mr OKeefe in the court, Mr Reiss said.

Someone who is qualified as a lawyer and has been in court on several occasions, there have been several warnings.

I am presented with a man who cannot be trusted with complying with directions.

The transcript will say I was not arguing, I was trying to help you Your Honour, OKeefe insisted. You have no interest in justice.

Bail was denied and OKeefe will face contempt of court unless he retracts and apologises for his behaviour. He will return to court for a hearing in June.

OKeefe has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
As May the Fourth ended in Australia, Disney+ released a brand-new trailer for Obi-Wan Kenobi, to premiere later this month.

The story begins 10 years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where Obi-Wan Kenobi faced his greatest defeatthe downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, who turned to the dark side as evil Sith Lord Darth Vader.

The series stars Ewan McGregor, reprising his role as the iconic Jedi Master, and also marks the return of Hayden Christensen in the role of Darth Vader. Joining the cast are Moses Ingram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, OShea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell and Benny Safdie.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is directed by Deborah Chow and executive-produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, Deborah Chow, Ewan McGregor and Joby Harold.

Friday, May 27 on Disney+
Ben Wallace speaking at a prss conference in Finland on Wednesday (Sky News)

It is inconceivable that the UK would not support Finland or Sweden if either were attacked, regardless of whether they were members of Nato or not, Ben Wallace said on Wednesday.

Britains defence minister made the comment as he spoke at a press conference in Niinisalo, Finland.

Responding to questions from the media, he said: Its inconceivable that Britain would not come to the support of Finland or Sweden if it was ever attacked.

[Thats] Without any big formal agreement. We are European countries who share the same values, who have deep, long histories, a significant number of the British population seem to be descended from Vikings anyhow.

We have that cultural link. I cannot conceive of a time where we would not come to support Finland and Sweden, no matter where they were with the Nato debate and where they are with agreements.

Whatever happens on Finlands Nato ambitions, that it is entirely for the freedom of Finland to choose, and were here to support their freedom to choose and not allow some other nation to tell them what to do with that choice.

More follows.
The Permanent Commission for Human Rights has been documenting government repression of 2018 protesters (AFP/OSWALDO RIVAS) (OSWALDO RIVAS)

Nicaragua's parliament on Wednesday banned 25 NGOs critical of the government, including a human rights commission that documented state repression of a mass 2018 demonstration.

At least 355 people died in the heavy-handed response by security services to the 2018 demonstrations, according to rights organizations, while tens of thousands fled into exile.

"The decree cancelling the legal entities" of the 25 NGOs "is approved" said parliament vice-president Arling Alonso following a vote in the legislature dominated by the ruling party.

The decree was passed with 74 votes for, none against and 15 abstentions.

The interior ministry said the NGOs "have broken the laws that regulate non-profit organizations," having refused to register as foreign agents and inform authorities when receiving funding from abroad.

Created in 1991, the Permanent Human Rights Commission (CPDH) had documented state repression against protesters.

"There have been 45 years of permanent struggle, in which we have identified ourselves with the most vulnerable, the most mistreated," said CPDH director Mario Carmona on Tuesday.

Carmona claimed that the interior ministry refused to receive their financial reports.

Nicaragua has convicted around 40 opposition figures since the middle of last year, including seven presidential hopefuls planning to stand against President Daniel Ortega in last November's election.

Without any credible opposition to stand against him, former guerrilla Ortega, 76, won a fourth successive term in an election branded a "farce" by many in the international community.

More than 165 civil organizations have been banned by the government since the 2018 protests.

Ortega's government accuses his opponents of trying to overthrow him with the help of Washington.

bm/mav/gm/bc/st
Adrian Mateos Wins EPT Monte Carlo 100,000 Super High Roller (1,385,430)

May 04 2022 Adam Lamers

It was a performance that only one of the best players could pull off and Adrian Mateos will be walking out with another title at the 2022 PokerStars European Poker Tour presented by Monte-Carlo Casino. Mateos defeated a star-studded field of 42 players in the 100,000 EPT Super High Roller, winning 1,385,430.

Mateos entered the final table of six players as the odds-on favorite with a healthy chip lead and he did not disappoint as he dominated his way to yet another victory. Mateos held a commanding lead going into three-way action and never looked back, finishing the tournament in around four hours.

He defeated Marius Gierse in heads-up action who faced a huge uphill battle staring across the table at the overwhelming chip leader. It only took five hands for Mateos to close the curtains on his counterpart despite a double up in the early going.

Adrian Mateos on High Roller Players: "We're Not Robots, We're Just Really Good!"

Final Table Payouts

Place Player Country Prize (EUR) 1st Adrian Mateos Spain 1,385,430 2nd Marius Gierse Austria 957,590 3rd Mikita Badziakouski Belarus 611,230 4th Mikalai Vaskaboinikau Belarus 468,610 5th Laszlo Bujtas Hungary 366,740 6th Kent Staahle Norway 285,240

Winner's Reaction

"It feels amazing to win the Super High Roller seven years after winning the Main Event," he told PokerNews. "[The] Adrian from seven years ago was a different person. Today I think I'm more mature and a different player too.

"The pandemic helped me a lot to improve my game"

"I'm still the same guy trying to compete and play the best. The pandemic helped me a lot to improve my game. 1,385,430, so after the pandemic is more or less finished, I'm at my highest level and I'm ready to keep winning."

Mateos says that he is looking to pick up more seven-figure cashes after bagging two in the space of six months.

"I'm a really competitive person, I really like the competition. Especially in the highest stakes with the best opponents. I'm ready to keep playing and to try and keep winning."

Read More: Five Spanish Poker Players to Watch in 2022

Final Table Action

The final six players had all locked up a min-cash of 285,000 with Mateos in the lead. However, it was Gierse who landed the first blow after sending Norwegian businessman Kent Staahle to the rail. Short-stacked Laszlo Bujtas didn't mind seeing the action unfold, earning himself a pay jump. However, on the very next hand, Bujtas moved his eight big blind stack into the middle and was eliminated by Mikalai Vaskaboinikau.

That quickly brought the field down to just four players and it was Mikita Badziakouski who started to turn up the heat. For nearly two hours, the final four players battled it out with Badziakouski moving into second place and closing the gap on Mateos. Vaskaboinikau was forced to patiently watch from the sidelines, consistently ditching his rags into the muck. With under ten big blinds remaining, Vaskaboinikau finally picked up a hand to go with but it would be Mateos who flopped top pair and the Vaskaboinikau had to settle for fourth place.

Mateos continued to build on his lead against the final two opponents. Badziakouski was the first to run an unsuccessful bluff with ace-high into Mateos' second pair and Gierse followed that up with one of his own, betting three streets with nine-high and Mateos calling with two pair. Holding an eight-to-one chip lead over his two opponents, Mateos repeatedly applied ICM pressure that worked in his favor.

Badziakouski was the first to take a shot, putting his stack of five big blinds at risk with a suited ace. However, Mateos woke up with a dominating hand once again and Badziakouski bowed out in third place. Gierse was ecstatic about the pay jump but knew he had a tough job in front of him, overcoming a seemingly insurmountable chip deficit. Despite doubling up in the very first hand of heads-up action, Gierse was unable to stage the comeback as the match ended just a few hands later.

With plenty of other tournaments taking place throughout the Monte Carlo Sporting complex, all six of the finalists quickly found another table to sit down at, whether it be the 5,300 Main Event or the 50,000 Single-Day High Roller. That wraps up the PokerNews coverage for this event but keep it locked here for updates throughout the festival over the next week.
Day 1b of the EPT Monte Carlo 5,300 Main Event has come to an end and a total of 1,049 runners have turned out to the Monte Carlo Sporting Complex over two opening flights for the flagship event of the 2022 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) presented by Monte-Carlo Casino.

Tuesday's second flight drew 418 runners, which combined with the 631 on Day 1b to bring the total near that of the record EPT Monte Carlo Main Event turnout of 1,098 set in 2016. A total of 307 will return for Day 2 with registration still open until cards go in the air, and the action will be streamed live on PokerStars TV. The field has generated a prize pool of 5,087,650 after the two opening flights.

Morten Hvam of Denmark is the chip leader after 10 levels of play and he will return for Day 2 with 327,500. Among the other big stacks is PokerStars ambassador Rafael Moraes, as well as Boris Kuzmanovic, Didrik Mantor, Gangzhou Hu, Rocco Palumbo, Claudio Di Giacomo, and Daniel Rezaei.

Also returning for Day 2 is PokerStars ambassador Andre Akkari, Patrik Antonius, and bracelet winners Davidi Kitai, Alexandros Kolonias, and Jason Wheeler.

2022 EPT Monte Carlo 5,300 Main Event Top 10 Chip Counts

Rank Name Country Chips Day 2 Big Blinds 1 Morten Hvam Denmark 327,500 218 2 Gangzhou Hu France 272,000 181 3 Boris Kuzmanovic Croatia 259,500 173 4 Didrik Mantor Norway 232,500 155 5 Claudio Di Giacomo Italy 231,000 154 6 Daniel Rezaei Austria 230,500 154 7 Rocco Palumbo Italy 226,000 151 8 Jonathon Genovese United Kingdom 211,000 141 9 Ferenc Deak Hungary 203,500 136 10 Nicolas Vayssieres France 203,500 136

Day 1b Highlights

2019 WSOP Main Event champion Hossein Ensan was knocked out in the early stages of Day 1b after he fell behind and found the opportunity to get his short stack in with king-queen, but he ran into the pocket queens of Akan Kaya and couldnt improve to stay in the tournament.

Elsewhere, Gianluca Speranzas day came to an early end when he fell behind in the opening levels and got his short stack in with ace-jack, only to run into the pocket kings of Sebastian Gahl. Belarmino De Souza also met the same fate in the middle levels of the day when Eugenio Peralta doubled through him with pocket eights and Boris Kolev took the rest of his remaining stack a few moments later with ace-jack.

Marchs EPT Prague Main Event champion Grzegorz Glowny made his bid for a second straight title on the circuit, but the Poland-native couldnt gain any momentum and his day came to an end in Level 8 when his king-queen couldnt improve against the ace-king of Michael Chetrit.

Tamon Nakamura bounced back after hitting the rail on Day 1a to make a run deep into Day 1b. He picked up chips near the end of the evening when he sniffed out Ermanno Di Nicolas bluff and called with ace-king high. Nakamura bagged 136,000 and he will return on Day 2 for a chance to spin it up.

Ferenc Deak sits among the big stacks at the end of the day, but he fell behind early and was nearly out before he got a shove through to start moving in the right direction. Despite surrendering a double a short time later to Ricardo Graells, Deak continued the momentum throughout the day and he bagged 203,500 to advance to Day 2.

Ferenc Deak

Day 2 on Wednesday

The surviving players from the two opening flights will return on Wednesday at Noon local time to play Day 2. Action will pick up in Level 11 with blinds at 1,000/1,500 with a 1,500 ante and the plan is to play six levels before the remaining players bag up and return on Thursday for Day 3.

Day 2 will also kick off the streaming coverage of the Main Event, with James Hartigan and Joe Stapleton covering the action on PokerStars TV with special guests throughout the rest of the tournament. The livestream will start shortly after cards go in the air and play will be broadcast on a 30-minute security delay.

Be sure to keep it with the PokerNews team throughout the rest of the week for the latest live updates from the floor of the EPT Monte Carlo 5,300 Main Event.
The 2022 PokerStars European Poker Tour presented by Monte-Carlo Casino continued with the 50,000 No-Limit Hold'em, and after a bit over twelve hours of play, Pascal Lefrancois emerged as the victor following a heads-up deal with Seth Davies at the Monte-Carlo Sporting complex on the French Riviera.

The event attracted 34 entrants to create a 1,649,340 prize pool, with the lions share going to Lefrancois who claimed the PokerStars Spadie along with a top prize of 505,774, while Davies took home 442,606 for his deep run.

50,000 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize 1 Pascal Lefrancois Canada 505,774* 2 Seth Davies USA 442,606* 3 Mike Watson Canada 247,400 4 Yuri Dzivielevski Brazil 189,670 5 Daniel Dvoress Canada 148,440 6 Timothy Adams Canada 115,450

*denotes heads-up deal

Action of the Day

Mikita Badziakouski, Mikalai Vaskaboinikau, and Laszlo Bujtas finished third, fourth, and fifth, respectively in the 100,000 Super High Roller earlier today before entering this tournament looking to make another run. However, it wasnt to be as they would all fall short of the money.

Matthias Eibinger won this event at the previous EPT Monte Carlo way back in 2019 and was looking to defend his title. He made the final table of nine but couldnt improve queen-ten against king-nine and hit the rail.

PokerStars Ambassador Sam Grafton made a deep run, but wasnt able to get to the final six for the money. He got his stack of just under ten big blinds in with suited queen-jack but lost to ace-king for an eighth-place finish.

PokerStars Ambassador Sam Grafton

Badziakouski was the next to go out in seventh, bursting the money bubble. He lost nearly all of his chips with ace-ten against Davies king-queen, and lost his last chip on the next hand.

That elimination put the remaining six players in the money, and soon after, Lefrancois would make a nut flush that would propel him to the top of the leaderboard on his way to victory. Lefrancois continued to add to his stack in a hand where Timothy Adams ran ace-jack into ace-king, which eliminated Adams in sixth.

Daniel Dvoress, runner-up of the 25,000 Single-Day High Roller only a few days ago, was the next player to make his exit in fifth place. He got his chips in preflop against Davies and flopped two pair, but Davies made a flush on the turn and held to eliminate him.

Yuri Dzivielevski, winner of the 25,000 Single-Day High Roller, just missed out on another podium finish as he finished in fourth when he found himself in a similar situation to Adams by running his ace-jack into ace-king. This time Davies was on the winning side, and that put him close to Lefrancois at the top of the leaderboard.

Mike Watson - Seth Davies

Mike Watson had quickly earned a couple of ladders and was looking to spin up his stack, but soon, the rest of his chips went in on the river against Lefrancois. Lefrancois had a better kicker and sent Watson to the rail in third.

Immediately after Watson was eliminated, Lefrancois and Davies agreed to a deal to forego heads-up play. Lefrancois held over double the chips as Davies, and thus received the higher amount and the PokerStars Spadie which comes with the title.

Stay tuned as the PokerNews team brings you more coverage from the French Riviera, including the upcoming 25,000 High Roller and the ongoing EPT Monte Carlo 5,300 Main Event.
Xi encourages youth to help boost China's aerospace sci-tech self-reliance

Xinhua) 09:22, May 04, 2022

BEIJING, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has encouraged youth in the aerospace sector to contribute more to China's realization of greater self-reliance in aerospace science and technology.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a Monday letter replying to a youth team working on space station construction at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

Xi extended greetings to all youth in the aerospace sector in the letter for China's coming Youth Day, which falls on May 4.

He recalled his exchanges with young researchers during a visit to the CASC nine years ago.

He said China's space industry has continuously made new advancements, including the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System satellites, Chang'e lunar probes, Tianwen-1 Mars probe, Xihe solar exploration satellite, as well as the Tiangong space station and its core module Tianhe.

A large number of young people in the sector have taken the lead and shouldered important responsibilities, demonstrating the enterprising spirit of Chinese youth of the new era, he added.

Making China stronger in the aerospace sector requires continuous efforts across generations, Xi underlined.

He encouraged youth in the sector to carry forward the spirit of "Two Bombs, One Satellite" (Two Bombs refers to the atomic bomb and the intercontinental ballistic missile, while One Satellite refers to the artificial satellite) and the spirit of China's manned space program, and to contribute more on the country's journey to explore space and to its realization of high-level self-reliance in aerospace science and technology through innovation.

Xi visited the China Academy of Space Technology under the CASC on May 4, 2013, and had a discussion with outstanding youth representatives from all sectors.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Youth League of China, the youth team working on space station construction at the CASC wrote a letter to Xi, reporting on behalf of the company's 80,000 young people their work on promoting China's space sci-tech development over the past nine years, and expressing their firm resolve to strive to make the country stronger in the aerospace sector.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji)
The University of North Georgia's (UNG) Cottrell Master of Business Administration (MBA) program will be offered online for new students starting this fall. UNG will continue to provide in-person courses for students already in the program who prefer to continue in that modality.

Dr. Mary Gowan, dean of the Mike Cottrell College of Business (MCCB), said the number of alumni who wanted a second degree from UNG but don't live near one of the school's campuses drove the decision.

"We have been closely watching what is happening with other MBA programs across the country and know that the only way to grow our program is to make the move to online," Gowan said. "I've talked to a number of deans around the country who have had great success with such a move, so we are paying close attention to lessons we can learn from their journeys to make sure we have the resources lined up for success."

The change to online for incoming students comes after some courses had already moved there.
Money earmarked for COVID-19 economic relief will give small water companies in McLennan County a shot at reducing arsenic levels.

Axtell, Prairie Hill, Leroy, Tours, Gerald and Riesel water providers, among others, have battled high arsenic levels in drinking water for decades. On Tuesday, McLennan County commissioners earmarked $4.4 million in American Rescue Plan money to make available to the cause. The total the county hopes to provide to water projects reached $10 million, the $5.6 million balance targeting general water infrastructure.

Commissioners voted unanimously to spend millions dealing with arsenic, but they did not all agree on particulars. Precinct 2 Commissioner Patricia Miller represents eastern McLennan County, including the small communities of Mart, Axtell and Elk. Miller said she worries they lack resources to supplement what the county provides to solve the problem, suggesting the county cover all arsenic-reducing expenses in poor areas.

But Precinct 4 Commissioner Ben Perry said, I dont want to get into the business of running a water company, of getting into their boardrooms.

Commissioners generally said the county should set a funding threshold for itself and apply it countywide. County Administrator Dustin Chapman said the county is asking companies seeking grants to provide meter counts. The more meters a company serves, the more money it would receive.

My reservation is in using meter numbers primarily as the determining factor in the allocation of project funding, Miller said in an email response to the Tribune-Herald. She said three of the four water companies requesting assistance provide water to homes in her Precinct 2.

Arsenic is a toxic metal linked to conditions such as cancer, skin and circulatory problems, up to death, Miller said. For that reason, I support also taking into consideration the grave importance of a project developed to mitigate its presence in our drinking water along with that areas meter count. I understand the funding constraints when there are more projects than money, but health and human welfare should be a primary consideration.

Axtell Water Supply Corp., Prairie Hill Water Supply Corp., Leroy-Tours-Gerald Water Supply Corp. and the city of Riesel have tried to reduce naturally occurring arsenic in their water, sourced from wells, to less than 10 micrograms per liter, the Environmental Protection Agencys standard.

McLennan County received $49 million in American Rescue Plan funding. After allocating $3 million to Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network Crisis hub and $2.5 million to Waco Family Medicines new headquarters, it has granted requests from several area nonprofits.

McLennan County Judge Scott Felton said portions of eastern McLennan County have struggled with high arsenic levels more than 60 years.

The solution to that is to buy treated surface water and mix that with groundwater to get the parts-per-million down to a level the EPA is comfortable with. Theres an old adage that the solution to pollution is dilution, Felton said. It can be any treated surface water. Most likely Lake Waco would be involved. There have been discussions of Waco extending lines in the (Highway) 84 and (Highway) 31 areas, and branching off to Axtell and Elk water suppliers.

Felton said some water supply companies already are preparing to borrow money, possibly from the Texas Water Development Board, to install tanks for blending surface water and groundwater. He said rural water supply companies also should have in place backup generators.

There is not enough federal money for everything wed like to do, Felton said. But if this covers 25% or more, thats a significant impact.

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Tax protest workshop

A property tax workshop will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at South Waco Community Center, 2815 Speight Ave. The workshop, in both English and Spanish, is designed to assist homeowners protesting property valuations.

Concert for Change

Concert for Change, a classical music concert to benefit The Salvation Army, is at 7 p.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church of Waco, 1100 Austin Ave. Baylor University student musicians will perform.

Admission is free. Donations of groceries and money will be accepted. For more information, call 254-756-7271.

Retired teachers collect pull-tabs

The Waco-McLennan County Retired Teachers Association will hold a drive-by event to collect aluminum can pull-tabs, childrens books and membership renewals from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, May 10, on the sidewalk behind Stilwell Retirement Residence on Lake Haven Drive, behind West Waco Library and Target.

Membership forms will be available for current and new members. Membership is open to all public school retirees, teachers, administrators and support staff served by Texas Retirement System.

The pull-tab collection is an ongoing project of WMRTA to benefit Ronald McDonald House in Temple. WMRTAs annual Childrens Book Project puts hundreds of books in the hands of young readers throughout the county.

Home repair applications

Grassroots Community Development is accepting applications through Friday for its Bounce exterior home repair program to help homeowners who qualify, based on federal income limits.

Volunteers will be in Waco next month to help homeowners with minor exterior repairs. For more information, call 254-235-7358, ext. 210, or go to grassrootswaco.org.

Mothers Day brunch

Bledsoe-Miller Community Center, 300 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., will have a free Mothers Day Brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Space is limited. Advance registration is required. To reserve a spot, call 254-750-8684.

Submit printed or typed items to Briefly, P.O. Box 2588, Waco, 76702-2588; or email goingson@wacotrib.com.
When Politico published a draft opinion leaked from the U.S. Supreme Court Monday, the nation confronted the reality that Roe v. Wade and constitutional protections for abortion may be overturned as soon as this summer.

But for many in Texas, that day is already here. The second-largest state in the country has been living under the nations most restrictive abortion law since Sept. 1, when legislators managed to skirt judicial precedent and ban all abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.

We have been living the last eight months in a post-Roe Texas, said Neesha Dave, deputy director of the Lilith Fund. It has been absolutely devastating for people seeking abortion care  As we have been navigating this, we have learned a lot.

Texas offers a glimpse of what the future holds for the dozens of other states that plan to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned  and the people left to navigate those increased restrictions.

In the months since the law went into effect, pregnant Texans have flooded clinics in neighboring states and found ways to order abortion-inducing medication online, while others have carried unwanted pregnancies to term. Clinics have pivoted to helping shuttle patients out of state, and abortion funds have struggled to keep up with the need.

We definitely hear from our clients a lot of frustration about how they have to work to access this medical care, said Dave. And we know its just going to get harder from here.

The big pivot

When Texas first passed its ban on abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, abortion clinics leapt into action. Theyve been trying to beat back these sorts of restrictions for years now.

First, they filed an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court and federal and state lawsuits seeking to block enforcement of the law.

While they waited on the courts, they tended to patients, providing their usual standard of care, right up until the moment the law went into effect. But when the clock struck midnight on Sept. 1, business as usual came to a halt. With one brief exception, clinics in Texas stopped providing abortions after the detection of fetal cardiac activity, usually around six weeks of pregnancy.

This is what experts anticipate will happen in the 26 states that intend to ban abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

The clinics will shut down if abortion becomes illegal, at least as far as providing abortions, said South Texas College of Law Professor Charles Rocky Rhodes, in an interview last month. Just like weve seen with [Texass law], they will not  risk the criminal consequences. There will just not be legal abortion providers in these states.

In Texas, all of the clinics that were operating at the time the law went into effect have continued providing abortions up to that six-week mark. Theyve relied heavily on donations and, in many cases, had to change their focus significantly.

Whole Womans Health operates four clinics in Texas and five in other states. After Texass law went into effect, they opened a clinic near the airport in Minneapolis. Minnesota is expected to be a haven state for abortion after Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Right now, were already seeing about 30% of our clients in our Minnesota clinic come from Texas, said Wendy Brown-Spaulding, development director for Whole Woman's Health Alliance. And were expecting to see that number tick up drastically. But were definitely prepared.

Whole Womans Health has also invested heavily in their new wayfinding program, which helps Texans get to one of their other clinics in states where abortion remains more accessible.

If you do not have the resources to fly to come to one of our clinics, we will provide you airfare, she said. If you do not have the resources to stay, we will take care of your hotel. If you do not have food, we will make sure that you are fed. Whatever you need.

Brown-Spaulding said its too soon to know what the future holds for their four clinics in Texas, but its clear that the organization is investing in building clinics  and helping patients access those clinics  in states that are safer bets for abortion access.

Pregnant patients continue to access abortion care

Early data indicated that the number of abortions in Texas had dropped by more than half after the new law went into effect in September. But over time, its become clear that pregnant patients are still finding ways to access abortions  even if they have to travel long distances or violate the law to do so.

The New York Times analyzed two studies from the University of Texas at Austin and found that out-of-state abortions and online requests for abortion medication made up much of the gap for pregnant patients who otherwise would have sought an abortion in state.

The Texas Policy Evaluation Project found that nearly 1,400 Texans each month obtained abortions at clinics in just seven nearby states after the law went into effect. Thats nearly equivalent to the number of Texans who traveled out of state for abortion care in 2017, 2018 or 2019.

Another study from University of Texas professor Abigail Aiken found that requests for abortion-inducing medication from an international reproductive rights nonprofit skyrocketed after the law went into effect. Texas passed another law in 2021 that made it illegal to prescribe these medications via telemedicine or provide them through the mail, but that didnt stop more than 130 Texans a day from requesting these medications.

These studies do not take into account pregnant patients who sought abortion-inducing medication from other sources, went over the border to Mexico for an abortion or otherwise terminated a pregnancy.

Its clear from this research and many studies that just because you make abortion harder to get, it doesnt mean the need for abortion goes away, Aiken told The Texas Tribune in February. And many people, they will look for other ways of doing that.

But access to abortion outside of Texas will become much more difficult if Roe v. Wade is overturned. More than half of all states intend to ban or severely limit abortion, according to reproductive rights research group The Guttmacher Institute.

And these states are not randomly distributed, said University of Texas at Austin law professor Liz Sepper. This would effectively end abortion access, at least in peoples home states, in the South and Midwest.

Nearly half of all Texans who left the state to access abortion went to Oklahoma, according to the Texas Policy Evaluation Project research, which last month passed a total abortion ban that will go into effect this summer.

More than a quarter of Texans went to New Mexico, which is expected to continue to allow largely unfettered access to abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned. But Las Cruces, the nearest city with an abortion clinic, is a 10-to-12 hour drive from most of Texass population centers.

Folks who have resources will always be able to access the care they need, even if they have to jump over or navigate countless barriers to be able to do so, said Dave. But it is absolutely lower income folks [and] people of color  who are disproportionately impacted by abortion bans.

She said thats what theyve seen play out under Texass law, and thats what they expect to see happen as restrictions tighten across the country.

Its logistically very difficult [to travel] when you are already caring for children, when you are working, when you don't have paid time off of work, she said. We will absolutely see people who are forced to remain pregnant against their will.

Abortion opponents feel unprepared

Some of those people will turn to crisis pregnancy centers, non-profits that counsel pregnant patients against abortion. Some provide counseling, job training and baby items; some have been accused of using deceptive practices to lure in vulnerable patients looking for abortion care.

Texas has invested over $100 million into crisis pregnancy centers, more than any other state. Abortion opponents have argued that makes Texas more prepared to handle an increase in patients carrying their pregnancies to term. The program has little government oversight.

Vincent DiCaro, chief outreach officer of Care Net, said their 82 Texas crisis pregnancy centers have seen more clients since the law went into effect  and a different kind of client.

They've had more clients that feel a little bit more desperate than they might have before that law passed, or feel sort of a little bit more pressure to make a decision, he said.

DiCaro said this surge in demand in Texas has shown them that the current network of crisis pregnancy centers isnt ready to meet the needs of the people they hope to serve.

We think crisis pregnancy centers are awesome, of course he said. But if that's the only solution, we're not going to have enough manpower to help all of the people who are going to need help if Roe v. Wade gets overturned.

He would like to see churches step up and fill in that gap, and points to the pregnant patients continuing to seek abortions outside of Texas as evidence that theyre not doing enough to meet the need.

We need to have that support network running at full steam, so that whenever somebody is facing an unplanned pregnancy and doesn't know what to do, they know that there's somebody that they can turn to in their community, he said. A lot of people that would consider themselves to be pro-life say that winning is overturning Roe v. Wade  Our question is, are we actually prepared to win?

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This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2022/05/03/supreme-court-roe-texas-opinion/.

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MEAD  Laura Steele moved to Wahoo to be at arms length from the urban buzz of Omaha.

But she was shocked to learn April 26 in a news article in The Guardian that her new home is less than 10 miles from the troubled AltEn plant, where runoff from its operation turning pesticide-coated seed corn into ethanol has killed wildlife and endangered natural resources in eastern Saunders County.

I realized that Im moving into a community that is proximate to what I would classify as an environmental crisis, Steele said at a public hearing at Mead High School on April 27, one day after she moved to the area.

Steele attended the hearing to learn about possible adverse health effects from living in proximity to the AltEn site.

My anxiety last night was Will this impact my fertility? In 20 to 30 years, am I going to, because of this exposure, be at an increased risk of certain diseases? Certain cancers?

The hearing, hosted by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, was held to make public an application to renew AltEns permit allowing it to discharge treated wastewater from its property onto four plots of farm ground, which are all within three miles of the facility.

The AltEn property is still harboring millions of gallons of treated and untreated wastewater in its lagoon system, which has historically struggled with tears in the liners that allowed wastewater to seep into the ground below. Mounds of pesticide-laden wetcake still are piled on the facilitys northwest edge, but are now covered with a shell-like material to prevent toxic runoff.

The current permit, which operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), was initially effective on July 1, 2017 and is set to expire on June 31.

If approved, the new permit will allow the AltEn Facility Response Group  made up of six seed companies who sent their unused treated seeds to AltEn to be used in ethanol production  to continue discharging AltEns treated wastewater onto farm ground and slowly dispose of the liquids in the facilitys lagoons.

No one should be exposed to whats in the water, said NDEE Administrator Tom Buell during the public information session that preceded the hearing.

The new permit would come with a few tweaks. If the permit is granted, the AFRG would not be allowed to discharge any water, toxic or not, into streams, lakes or ditches. The proposed permit would also require that AltEn or the AFRG monitor groundwater for 13 pesticides, rather than the five specified in the original permit. Quarterly groundwater monitoring reports would be required from AltEn.

We think these proposed changes and the permit as drafted will adequately protect the waters of the state and public health, said Cay Ewoldt, a supervisor for the NPDES state permits section of NDEE.

Steeles concern was just one of a number brought up by researchers and Saunders County residents who spoke during the public hearing, many of whom were concerned about NDEEs diligence in monitoring the situation and about AltEns ability to do what it is asked.

Janece Mollhoff of Ashland, speaking on behalf of the AltEn watchdog Perivallon Group, said AltEn should not be trusted to carry out the wastewater discharge process as specified in the permit.

Theres not a person in this room who is delusional enough to think that AltEn, LLC by itself would comply with this permit, Mollhoff said.

She called on the AFRG to take charge of the discharge efforts instead of AltEn, citing the companys delinquency on taxes. The AFRG is not mentioned in the proposed permits wording.

(AltEn) cannot be expected to reliably bear the costs of the monitoring, testing and continued treatment of the wastewater and maintenance of equipment required to process and transport the wastewater, she said.

David Corbin, a professor emeritus of public health and health education at the University of Nebraska Omaha, said from his years of research, its clear that chemicals and their effects cannot be thought of as if they exist in a vacuum. His concern is the effect the pesticides are having together as their chemicals mingle.

We dont know what the synergistic effect is, he said. We dont know what the combined effect is.

The permit left John Schalles, a biology professor at Creighton University and a member of the Perivallon Group, asking similar questions.

This permit does raise as many questions as answers, Schalles said. Im not sure the state should be ready to just forge ahead with this plan without more known.

He called for a more swift cleanup response, as the toxic materials remaining on the AltEn property will continue to pose threats to the environment surrounding it.

The longer those contaminants stay on site, the worse this is going to get in terms of leaching into groundwater, and potential other problems, he said.

No action was taken by NDEE on the permit application, and the ultimate decision will be made by NDEE Director Jim Macy.

Sam Crisler is a reporter for the Wahoo Newspaper. Reach him via email at samuel.crisler@wahoonewspaper.com.
WAHOO  When Sheriff Kevin Stukenholtz announced last January that he did not plan to run for office in the 2022 election, two men with impressive law enforcement resumes stepped forward to run for sheriff.

Curt Prohaska and Chris Lichtenberg are on the ballot for sheriff. Because both are Republicans, their race will technically be decided in the May 10 Primary Election rather than the General Election in November.

In the five months the two candidates have been campaigning, issues that have come up in mainstream and social media that brought out questions about each candidates character.

Prohaska filed for office using an Ashland address. However, he told The Ashland Gazette he lives in Lancaster County, where he bought a home when assigned there with the Nebraska State Patrol.

If elected, as I have done for my entire career, I will move to Saunders County, he said. In fact, my wife and I are earnestly seeking a home in Saunders County, regardless of whether or not the voters choose me to be your next Saunders County sheriff.

Prohaska went on to say that the Nebraska Secretary of State determined he had not violated any election laws, and that the Nebraska Attorney General has endorsed his campaign.

Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson would not have endorsed me if my campaign violated the law, he said. In my discussions with these voters of Saunders County, they are not distracted by this non-issue.

Lichtenberg did not comment on Prohaskas residence issue, saying that he has vowed to run a positive campaign on my strengths and what I can do for the county as sheriff.

Lichtenberg did address allegations made on social media about his position as sergeant with the sheriffs office and on the Cedar Bluffs Volunteer Fire Department.

Regarding the allegation that Lichtenberg failed to distribute equipment to deputies, he said it is not accurate.

While there are some items of equipment being stored in an office that I share with another sergeant, Sheriff Stukenholtz has asked that no more of the equipment be issued until the proper training and meeting with deputies has taken place, Lichtenberg said. Some of the equipment requires additional connectivity from our IT department that has not taken place.

The social media post, which was taken down from a community page soon after it was posted but reposted again later, also alleged that Lichtenberg failed to maintain the CBVFDs fire trucks as he was paid to do, and as a result, the fire chief did not want him to be a member.

Lichtenberg emphatically denies these claims as well, stating that another business was hired to maintain the trucks.

The department has someone contracted to do that and it wasnt me, he said.

He also stated that the fire chief, Rob Benke, had responded on social media to confirm the allegations are false, and offered his personal cell phone number for anyone who wanted to discuss the matter.

Along with questions about the allegations, both candidates were also asked about their candidacy and their plans and goals if elected. Their responses are below, in alphabetical order.

Background (career, public service, volunteer organizations, etc.)

LICHTENBERG: I have been a Saunders County resident for all but the first six months of my life and a continuously registered voter in the county for the past 28 years. I own a home and live in Cedar Bluffs with my wife Stacey and daughter Kennedy who is a senior in high school. My other two children include Hunter and Blake, who both live in Fremont. Blake is married to Brianna, and they had our first granddaughter named Collyns who is 11 months old.

I graduated from Cedar Bluffs High School and then received an Associates degree from Southeast Community College. After college, I worked at All Metals Market in Saunders County performing maintenance on equipment, operating heavy equipment and driving trucks. After five years of working at All Metals Market, I started my law enforcement career as a deputy at the Dodge County Sheriffs Office. I worked in Dodge County from 2001 until 2010. During that time, I was a firearms and patrol rifle instructor, worked in investigations, assisted the III-Corp drug task force, taught Team Nebraska to grades K-3 in schools, performed acting coroner duties and investigations and filled in as a 911-dispatcher.

While working at the Dodge County Sheriffs Office, I was also hired as a part-time deputy for the Saunders County Sheriffs Office in 2006. While working part-time for Saunders County, I assisted with uniformed patrol, court security, compliance checks and inmate transports.

In 2010 when I left the Dodge County Sheriffs Office, I started a local trucking company in Cedar Bluffs which grew to having three trucks with grain trailers and two additional employees. This evolved to starting a tire and repair shop in Cedar Bluffs. I operated Bluffs Tire and Repair until being hired by Sheriff Stukenholtz as a full-time deputy in 2017 for Saunders County.

Since being hired full time in 2017, I have been promoted by Sheriff Stukenholtz to sergeant where my duties include supervising half of our deputies, including reviewing reports, reviewing camera footage from body cameras and in car patrol car cameras, commending them when they go above and beyond, taking complaints against deputies and if needed, reprimanding staff that I supervise and documenting those actions. I also coordinate the schedules of the deputies that I supervise. I am a taser instructor, firearms and patrol rifle instructor, manager of the Sheriffs Office Facebook page, coordinator of the drone program as well as drone pilot, field training officer and field training program coordinator. I have also attended specialized training in supervision and management levels of law enforcement from the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center. I take an active role in the day-to-day operations, and you can often find me at the office on my days off, including attending weekly investigator meetings that include law enforcement officers from agencies across the county and the county attorneys office on my own time. In 2019 I was awarded with the Nebraska American Legion Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award. I have had the advantage of working hand in hand with Sheriff Stukenholtz and Chief Deputy Coughlin on a number of projects and being part of the decision-making process on several high-level things. For example, just prior to the current budget year, I was asked to sit in with Sheriff Stukenholtz and Chief Deputy Coughlin and give input while we prepared the budget request for the county board members. In anticipation for the sheriffs position, I was invited to attend a statewide law enforcement conference with Sheriff Stukenholtz and Chief Deputy Coughlin in the fall of 2021 and with Sheriff Stukenholtz in 2020 in Kearney where I was able to network with other officials.

I was the Cedar Bluffs Police Chief from 2015 to the end of 2021 when I resigned to allow more time for the sheriff campaign. As police chief, I was in charge of scheduling and managing part time officers, preparing and following an annual budget. I also maintained and submitted necessary reports and training records to the State of Nebraska.

I am an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and firefighter for the Cedar Bluffs Fire Department where I have been a member since 1994, joining as a senior in high school. I currently am the assistant fire chief, which is a position I have held since 1999. Even though we are all volunteers, we still treat our department with similar procedures and standards of a full-time paid department. As assistant fire chief, it is my responsibility to manage incident scenes, help ensure training is adequate, assist with new equipment specifications and purchases and reprimand our staff if necessary. In 2011 I was awarded with a Heroism award from the Nebraska State Firefighters Association and in 2019 I was awarded a Lifesaving Flood Hero Award from Gov. Pete Ricketts.

Since 2010, I have served on the Village Board of Cedar Bluffs and served as the chairperson since 2011. As chairman of the village board, I have supervised both full and part time employees, been involved with the hiring process, reprimands and terminations. Being on the village board has also involved preparing yearly budgets, tax levies and working with our employees to ensure we are staying within our budget.

While serving on the village board, a Joint Public Agency was formed between the Village of Cedar Bluffs and Cedar Bluffs Public Schools. I serve as secretary/treasurer for the Joint Public Agency. This was formed in 2014 and has allowed many improvements benefiting the residents of not only the Village of Cedar Bluffs but also has drawn people to our town. Improvements include our splash station, new park playground equipment and picnic shelters, and industrial arts building and added classrooms, concession stand building and improvements to our school and park areas.

PROHASKA: I grew up in Saunders County, graduating from Prague High School. After graduating, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and am a combat veteran directly involved with the liberation of Kuwait during the Gulf War. After being honorably discharged, I returned to Nebraska and began my law enforcement career. I first became a Saunders County deputy under Sheriff Ron Poskochil and was the chief of police in Ceresco before Cpt. Kevin Stukenholtz of the Nebraska State Patrol encouraged me to compete for a position as a trooper, and I was selected to join the Nebraska State Patrol in 1997. For 21 years I gained a vast array of law enforcement experience in the State Patrol until my retirement, my last duty station being in Lancaster County. Following retirement, I became a financial advisor, plus I joined the Saunders County Sheriffs Office as a part time deputy sheriff and continue in that capacity today. When I left the financial planning firm, to pursue the office of sheriff in Saunders County, I had $15 million of assets under management. While I enjoyed my career as a financial advisor, my love and heart are in law enforcement and serving the public.

Why are you running for sheriff?

LICHTENBERG: Much of my life has been geared towards service to the public through the different organizations that I am active in and I would like to continue that service at a new level as sheriff. With over 21 years of law enforcement experience, my leadership roles within the community and work, and a compassion for helping people, I feel that I am a great candidate to be the next Saunders County sheriff and look forward to serving in that role if given the opportunity by the voters. Being the sheriff in Saunders County has been a dream of mine since starting my law enforcement career. In fact, when I applied for the full-time spot at Saunders County, I brought up during my interview that being sheriff was one of my goals but that I also would not run for office until Sheriff Stukenholtz decided to retire.

Serving the public is also something that runs in my family. My father was in law enforcement and I knew from an early age that was something that interested me for a variety of reasons. I wanted to be able to make a difference in my community and since I am a people person and a problem solver, and those qualities seemed to give me a good skillset for working in law enforcement. My grandfather, Fritz Lichtenberg, was the veterans service officer in Saunders County for many years. With my experience in leadership roles in a variety of organizations, I am well prepared to become the next Saunders County sheriff.

PROHASKA: As a 27-year veteran in law enforcement, I recognize that the world is rapidly changing. After retiring from the Nebraska State Patrol, I realized I couldnt just sit idly by while law enforcement fought to deal with unprecedented attacks on public safety and police officers in recent years. I again chose to wear the badge of a Saunders County deputy sheriff to continue using my skills to combat the increasing crime and continued attacks on constitutional rights we face as citizens. When Sheriff Kevin Stukenholtz announced he was not seeking another term, I was encouraged by many people to run for the position, which I have been working hard to do because my law enforcement, budgetary and leadership skillsets prepare me well to manage the road patrol, investigations, jail, court security and 911 communications divisions as well as the activities of the 76 employees as the next Saunders County sheriff.

What are the major issues facing the sheriffs department in the county?

LICHTENBERG: The major issues that I see our office facing include staffing and retention of qualified employees, the county wide public service radio system, crimes affecting the citizens of the county, technology usage, extreme growth in the county and continued changes to requirements for our law enforcement officers which include training,

PROHASKA: We face increasing crime and threats to Saunders County citizens from outside the county. Copper wire thefts, burglaries and methamphetamine and other illegal narcotics problems are among the major issues endangering us. Most of these threats stem from criminal groups who are not from the area and look to hide in our county because it lies between Lincoln and Omaha, yet is rural. A vast increase in mental health incidents is also of major concern to me. Lastly, the current radio communications system is outdated and facing the end of its lifecycle.

How will you handle these issues?

LICHTENBERG: Many occupations have experienced challenges lately with hiring and retaining qualified people. The sheriffs office is not immune to this issue by any means but I believe we can help alleviate some of those issues by creating a place of employment that our employees are proud to be a part of and want to come to work. While pay is also a part in employee retention, I believe that working and communicating with current employees on their needs and creating a positive employer/employee relationship where they feel they have a say in the way our office is run and the direction it is headed creates buy in and will make a huge difference in our offices future.

The radio system update is definitely a major issue that not only affects the sheriffs office but also all of the fire and rescue departments across the county. While this decision will ultimately be up to the county board members or maybe even the voters if put on the ballot, I feel that the elected sheriff should have an integral part in this process. I had the opportunity to spend several hours of my own time with radio consultants that were hired by the county board and took advantage of that opportunity due to how important of an issue I believe it is. Even before I take office, I will meet with county board members and give them my unique view point from a law enforcement officer/firefighter/taxpayer and county official tasked with keeping costs as low as possible to find a solution that works for everyone and keeps our first responders safe.

As far as crimes affecting the residents of the county, we seem to be seeing more and more cases where the suspects are coming into our county to commit crimes such as theft. I believe we need to do a better job of investigating those crimes by adding full-time investigators to our staff since we currently only utilize a part-time investigator. I feel that thorough investigations leading to prosecution is more prudent for our office rather than just taking the report which unfortunately happens due to our limited staff available for follow up.

Technology usage and updates are a normal way of life for most people and the sheriffs office is not immune to those needs. I feel that we need to continue to keep updating our technology used at our office to not only make our deputies work more efficiently but also provide them with more ways and resources to effectively do their job. I have already been bringing in vendors to acquire options to update and add resources to use that will aid investigations, improve deputys efficiency, and benefit our overall productivity.

The extreme growth in Saunders County will also be something that we have to stay on top of as a law enforcement agency. With the population increasing, the demand for services also increases. I believe that having a good working relationship with the county board members and keeping residents informed to continue to grow our department as needed to ensure our citizens are effectively served and their needs met. Effective communication is certainly a key point in making sure we meet the demands of our residents.

The requirements for our law enforcement officers training is a continually changing issue due to legislative changes. With more and more hours required each year, I feel that it is important to provide training that is not only beneficial, but also interests individual officers. Using random training just to fill hourly requirements in my opinion, is not nearly as beneficial to the officers. I would like to see our agency set up to be able to provide not only valuable training, but training that interests each individual employee. This will have multiplying effects to the quality of service we can provide.

PROHASKA: To combat the methamphetamine and other illegal narcotics problem, I plan to organize a summit with the county attorney and other law enforcement agencies operating in Saunders County to discuss assembling a locally-focused drug task force. Concerning copper wire thefts, burglaries and all other property thefts, I will increase mobile patrols on county roads and in communities without police departments (and augment those who do) to detect, deter and prevent crimes. To focus on the increasing mental health situation, I will be implementing an enhanced training plan for deputies to assist in addressing this growing and concerning problem. When it comes to the radio communications system, the county supervisors have hired a consulting firm to explore the issue, and I await its recommendations to move forward.

What are your plans/goals for the sheriffs office if elected?

LICHTENBERG: I feel that I have an advantage since I work with our deputies and dispatchers on a daily basis and talk to them daily about issues in our office. I know them, their families, what they are good at, and what they would like to see in the future of the sheriffs office so I have a great handle on our current employee needs and wants.

Currently the sheriffs office does not have any full-time investigators. My goal will be to add full-time investigators to the current staff so that cases get thoroughly investigated and prosecuted. I also would like to see us provide staffing to the III-Corp Drug Task Force. This position not only allows us to focus on drug-related issues in the county but we are reimbursed for a majority of the payroll cost for that spot. Saunders County is definitely not immune to drug issues and having a full time investigator focusing on those crimes will definitely be a benefit to our county.

I will strive to provide more equal deputy patrol presence throughout the whole county. Whether you live in one of the far-reaching areas of the county or just outside Wahoo, I believe as a taxpayer, you deserve to see your fair share of deputies patrolling the area. Along those same lines of more visibility to the public, I would like to increase the number of public functions that our deputies are present at to encourage good relationships with the community and public trust of our agency. Examples of this would be to have deputies to frequently stop in at sporting and public events to foster community policing which in turn leads to individuals feeling more comfortable when they have to call us.

Technology is rapidly evolving in law enforcement right now and I will strive to continue to update technology within the sheriffs office to ensure we are doing the best job possible to prevent crime, ensure public safety and secure cases for prosecution.

I will rebuild relationships with domestic violence partners, healthcare facilities and other professionals we work side by side with, so individuals have access to all possible resources.

I will work with our deputies to find valuable training that will improve our service to the citizens including continued use of our use of force simulator and anti-bias training. Included in this training I would like to see that our deputies be trained on criminal interdiction that will allow them to better detect narcotics and human trafficking, criminal behavior, stolen property, individuals with arrest warrants and other criminal activity while on traffic stops.

Continue to build solid relationships with first responders and other law enforcement agencies that we work side by side with to ensure public services are top notch in the county. Our first responders in the county play an important part in public safety and I want to ensure we are all working together and providing them with resources to protect residents and citizens traveling through the county.

PROHASKA: Sheriff Kevin Stukenholtz has done fantastic work with the sheriffs office, and I will forge ahead on the path he has paved for Saunders County citizens. My plan focuses on the major issues facing the county as mentioned in the previous question, and thoroughly investigating crimes to develop sound criminal cases for prosecution. Further, in addition to the DARE program in our schools and being involved with our youth, I will add school resource officers funded through grants. I will continue to work with the Drug Courts; expand sheriff interaction with other law enforcement agencies and local fire and rescue departments; educate the public on safety through in-person presentations and social media and increase officer presence at sporting events.

What have you learned as you campaigned throughout the county?

LICHTENBERG: One of the most positive things that has been reinforced is that people in Saunders County are very supportive of law enforcement. This is so refreshing to see since across the country, being in law enforcement has become even more challenging in the last few years. People are also very appreciative of the things that I currently do for our county and all of the organizations that I am a part of and that seems to be a very important issue to most residents.

Many residents have expressed concerns about coverage and seeing our deputies in all parts of the county. I also feel that this is a very valid concern and will strive to implement procedures so that our deputies are more visible and seen across all areas of the county. Getting our deputies to be stopping in at events will also help to get them out and interacting with the public.

I have also learned that the taxpayers appreciate the chance to connect with their sheriff and know they have a voice in what goes on in the county. Interaction with the residents of the county is very important to me and it will be a priority for not only me but for all of the staff of our office. I will also continue to use our Sheriffs Office Facebook page to educate individuals on recent activity, scams to look out for, and happenings within our office. If elected to be the next Sheriff, I will always be available and have an open door to the public.

PROHASKA: I have learned that people agree with me in appreciating the importance of courteous, professional and fair law enforcement. They want a sheriff who is well-versed in leading people, knowledgeable of the threat we face from criminals and who listens to their concerns face-to-face. They want a sheriff who is organized, experienced and approachable. And most of all, they want a sheriff who can keep their families safe.

What are your thoughts on how social media has affected your campaign?

LICHTENBERG: Social media has become a very powerful part of political campaigns. Social media enables you to reach a very large audience in a short amount of time. The last time we had a new sheriff elected in the county, social media was not a factor in the election. It also enables you to share your views on different issues in the county, facts about you and your accomplishments, share your credentials, and make them easily accessible to a large amount of people. Using social media in a positive way in my opinion, is the only way to use it and has been my vow since the start of this campaign.

On the other hand, social media has allowed more negativity and false accusations to be also easily put out to people. When you have a conversation with someone face to face, they are typically more respectful and do not tend to spread blatant untruths because their identity is known and their sources can be challenged. However, in the sheriffs election we have seen that someone can create a fake profile for the sole purpose of spreading rumors and trying to gain legitimacy on social media. The people behind these fake identities then feel more protected to speak their mind without any repercussions or sources to their claims.

I would encourage anyone on social media or the internet to look my campaign up on Facebook Chris Lichtenberg for Saunders County Sheriff or visit my website www.lichtenbergforsheriff.com. You can also reach out to me on my cell at 402-480-1432. I feel being accessible as a candidate and possibly your next sheriff is important.

PROHASKA: Social media can be a double-edged sword. While it is good to quickly blast a message out to a lot of people, oftentimes people do not take the time to look into the facts because social media has replaced our face-to-face interaction and communication process across society. I have not relied solely on social media for my campaign, and I do not believe elections are won by social media or yard signs alone. That is why I have knocked on thousands of doors in Saunders County and attended numerous community meetings so people can ask me directly, face-to-face, about the issues and learn what I stand for without relying on someone else to toss out a rumor or opinion from behind a keyboard.
WAHOO  The men who served on the submarine Wahoo SS565 have held reunions every two years all over the country. But they had never gathered in the community that bears the same name as their beloved submarine.

So it was fitting that they decided to hold their final reunion in Wahoo at the site of a monument to another submarine that bore the same name.

We thought we should go to Wahoo, said Tom Young, one of four men responsible for organizing the reunion on Friday, April 29 at the Wahoo SS238 memorial, part of the Veterans Memorial on the Saunders County Courthouse grounds.

Young, who lives in Hamstead, New Hampshire, served on the Wahoo SS565 in 1955 and 1956, just one deployment during his 20 years in the Navy.

The first Wahoo submarine sunk during World War II on Oct. 11, 1943 during an air and sea attack in the LaPerouse Strait in the Sea of Japan while returning home from patrol. The 80 men on board, including Robert L. Jasa of Wahoo. The wreckage was discovered in 2006 by Russian divers.

Anyone who served on the second Wahoo was proud of the name because of the sacrifice paid by the Wahoo SS238 crew, said Ed Banda of Glendora, California

The original Wahoo lost all hands in combat, said Banda, who served on the Wahoo SS565 from 1967 to 1970.

The Wahoo SS565 veterans are well aware of the reputation of the first submarine that bore the name Wahoo.

It had the highest kill rate, said Steve Ploeckelmann of White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

The second Wahoo submarine, this one tagged SS565, was in operation from 1952 to 1980. Young and the rest of the 16 men who gathered for the reunion from all parts of the country served on the submarine at one time during their Navy careers.

The day before the reunion, Young and the other three members of the organizing committee were in Wahoo for pre-planning. They stopped by the Wahoo Newspaper office to talk about their experiences on the Wahoo SS565 and the Navy, as well as the reunion.

Young said all submarine sailors volunteer for duty on a submarine.

Were all volunteers. Were a special breed, said Young.

Submariners are the elite of the fleet, said Ploeckelmann. He was on the Wahoo in 1975-78.

Less than 2% of sailors qualify for submarine service, according to Banda.

Once they raise their hand to volunteer, the sailors undergo rigorous training to qualify for submarine duty. It can take up to a year to earn your dolphins, the symbol of submariners.

That is the ultimate goal, to get your dolphins, said Young.

Submariners are trained for specific jobs on the submarine, but also cross-trained to do everyone elses job, said Bill Smith of Lake Hughes, California.

Working in such close quarters, undersea for long stretches of time, forges a bond between submariners.

The camaraderie on the sub is incredible, said Smith, who was on the Wahoo from 1974 to 1978 at the same time as Ploeckelmann. Its a family.

You knew someone had your back in case something went awry, said Banda.

Many have told Smith he was crazy to choose to be a submariner. But he said the tightness of the group was what drew him to the submarine service.

That is what I thought was the best thing, he said.

Because of these close bonds, all submarines have reunions, Smith said. This reunion will be the last, however, as many of the veterans are aging and no longer able to travel. Also, their numbers are dwindling, said James Gee of Marble Falls, Texas.

The Wahoo SS565 was known as an attack sub, or a hunter/killer, said Banda.

The whole purpose of the boat was to deliver arms and torpedoes, said Ploeckelmann.

The reputation of those who served on the Wahoo SS565 was as storied as the submarine itself. Ploeckelmann recalled pulling into Puerto Rico and learning that sailors on a nuclear submarine were told to steer clear of the Wahoo crew as they had a reputation for fighting and winning.

Do not engage, was the announcement from their commanding officer, Ploeckelmann said.

There was also a rivalry between diesel and nuclear submarines, which caused heated exchanges during leave when sailors from both types of submarines were in the same port, Banda said.

While these submariners may have been part of the reason the Wahoo had a reputation for toughness, they were quietly reverent when the ceremony took place on Friday. There, Smith tolled a bell as Ploeckelmann and Banda read the names of each sailor who had served on the Wahoo crew and had since passed away. The bell was an actual piece of the Wahoo SS565, which was given to the Wahoo Veterans Club several years ago.

Many were sad to know this was the last time the Wahoo sub vets would gather for a reunion.

I thoroughly enjoy these events, said Gee, who served on the Wahoo in 1959-60 during a 24-year Navy career.

Ed Kitt of Las Vegas, Nevada, was the only Marine at the reunion. He served on the Wahoo SS565 in 1959 as a cryptologist. Because of his job, he was not actually listed on the ships manifest.

Kitt recalled an incident when the Wahoo got caught near Russia as their commander took photos with the submarines periscope.

Things got pretty hairy, he said. We had to go down and laid for 52 hours to avoid (the Russians), he said.

The entire crew had to remain silent. They couldnt eat or smoke to avoid being detected by sonar.

As they were on the bottom of the ocean, they could tell the Russians were throwing torpedoes above them that they were told were fake. But most didnt believe that.

They said they were fake. They were not, said Kitt, who went on to a distinguished career as an educator after he was discharged from the Marines.

Also in attendance were Bruce and Lois Steyer of Lincoln. Bruce served on the Wahoo SS565 from 1959 to 1962 as an electronics technician. His wife, the former Lois Pearson, is a Wahoo native who graduated from Wahoo High School in 1962. The couple met after Bruce had completed his Navy service.

Steyer remembered signing a book as the Navy prepared to send one of the Wahoos torpedoes to the city of Wahoo for the memorial, which was completed in 1962. Clark Hill, who served on the Wahoo SS 565 in 1962, also remembered the torpedo donation.

After the ceremony, the submariners and their wives gathered for lunch at the vets club. There, they talked about the gracious reception they received from the community of Wahoo. They were also very impressed by the Veterans Memorial at the courthouse.

Its probably one of the nicest memorials in the country, said Young. Its amazing what Wahoo has done.

While locals would like to think the submarines were named for the Saunders County capital, the name Wahoo came from a type of fish found in the waters of Florida and the West Indies. At the time, all submarines were named after fish, said Banda.

Young said a new Wahoo is being built. Wahoo SS806 is under construction and could be ready in about four years. When it sets sail, a new set of submariners will learn the legacy the name Wahoo signifies in Navy history.

Suzi Nelson is the managing editor of the Wahoo Newspaper. Reach her via email at suzi.nelson@wahoonewspaper.com.
Reacting to the news that the Supreme Court could be poised to limit access to abortions, a crowd of about 200 people gathered at the state Capitol Tuesday to voice their concerns.

The protest was among hundreds across the country, including in Lincoln and Omaha, that popped up after a draft opinion of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked on Monday. The official decision, which could change, isn't set to be released until June, however.

The rally in Lincoln was organized by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska, which spread the word on social media.

"I think this is just a demonstration of how fired up and angry people are about the news that was released," Adelle Burk, senior manager of public affairs, said.

Those in attendance held signs on the north side of the Capitol and heard from several guest speakers who spoke on their personal experiences with abortion and sexual assault.

Natalia Koval was among the crowd, expressing her fears and frustrations by raising a poster that said "bans off my body" and cheering as passing cars honked.

I really want to make sure that we keep abortions safe and legal. In the wake of the draft that was leaked last night, its really important that we pressure our elected officials to offer not only thoughts and prayers, but advocacy and policy change Koval said.

Eight months pregnant and with a 2-year-old son and husband in tow, Jessica Bowerman made it clear Tuesday evening at there was no other place to be than at a rally in Omaha advocating for abortion rights.

"If I hadn't had an abortion, I wouldn't have the family I have now," the 25-year-old said as she held up a sign that read "An Abortion Saved My LIFE."

Bowerman was among several hundred people who gathered outside Omaha's City-County Building.

A ruling by the court is expected in the next few months. Nebraska legislators have indicated they would consider a special session to further restrict abortion access if the Supreme Court throws out Roe.

Organizers of the rallies called on people to mobilize and elect people who will support access to abortion.

"What's happening right now is exactly what we expected," Andi Curry Grubb, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska, told the crowd in Omaha. "But to see it, it's still devastating."

Alex Goswami of Omaha didn't need any encouragement. Tuesday morning, she checked a list of local candidates and made financial donations to people she believes will support access to abortion.

"It motivated me to open up my wallet," she said. "Democrats have to be just as fierce as Republicans and organize at the state and local level."

After more than 30 years working to overturn Roe, Sandy Danek, executive director of Nebraska Right to Life, said the process of changing Nebraska law after a Supreme Court ruling will be difficult.

"But we're up for it," she said. "I think we can pass a law that would help us outlaw abortion in Nebraska."

Several people at the Omaha rally said they fear that elimination of Roe will lead to mental health problems for women, and could prompt some to commit suicide. They said some women, including victims of rape or incest, may resort to unsafe, illegal abortions.

Jeri Moore of Bellevue said her ability to get an abortion in the early 1970s gave her a chance to have a successful life. Then 19, she said, suicide wasn't far from her mind after she became pregnant. Instead, after an abortion, she went on to a successful marriage and a career in the military.

Among those at the Omaha rally was Laurie Flynn, who says she "prayed" her own two children into the world when fertilization treatments didn't work. Flynn said she came to the rally for her daughter, Molly.

"I'm very pro-choice but it's not a choice I would make for myself," Laurie Flynn said. "I would fight tooth and nail to give her the choice, that's why I'm here."

Omaha World-Herald reporters Nancy Gaarder and Martha Stoddard contributed to this story.

Reach the writer at 402-473-2657 or jebbers@journalstar.com
Oct. 9, 1921-Dec. 7, 1941

INDEPENDENCE -- Seaman First Class David Franklin Tidball, 20, from Independence, Iowa died Dec. 7, 1941, aboard the USS Oklahoma, during the attack on Pearl Harbor at the beginning of World War Two. On March 3, 2021, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced that his remains had been recovered and identified and will be brought back to Iowa for Interment on the Tidball Family Plot.

David Tidball was born on Oct. 9, 1921, in Independence, Iowa the son of Raymond F. and Isabell I (Hopkins) Tidball. He played in the Independence High School Band, and received an Eagle Scout Award on September 13, 1938, and graduated from the Independence High School on May 19, 1938. He continued his education at the Independence Community College receiving a diploma on May 23, 1940. On July 30, 1940, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in Dubuque, Iowa and attended his basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois. Following his basic training he received the rank of Seaman First Class and was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft on Dec. 7, 1941. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Seaman Tidball.

He was awarded the following commendations for his valiant efforts during the attack: Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Navy Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the Navy Expeditionary Medal. He is an Iowa Gold Star Veteran and, the Sheehan-Tidball American Legion Post #30 in Independence, Iowa was named in honor of Seaman Tidballs Service.

Seaman Tidball was survived by his parents, Raymon and Isabell Tidball, a sister Amber (Tidball) Berner, and two brothers, Charles and John H. Tidball, all of whom has since passed away. He is currently survived by nieces and nephews.

Graveside Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 14, 2022, at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Independence, Iowa with Full Military Honors.

The Reiff Family Center ~ Funeral Home of Independence, Iowa is assisting the family with arrangements

The community of Independence, Iowa, would like to thank Seaman Tidball and his family for his service to our country.

To leave an online condolence please go to www.reifffamilycenter.com under obituaries.
WATERLOO -- The Cultural Artistic Ensemble will host the 19th annual Bosnian Folklife Festival on May 14, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Waterloo Convention Center at Sullivan Brothers Plaza, 200 W. Fourth St. The public may attend.

The event features dance and music from Bosnia, Herzegovina, and the Balkans with dance and song. Dance groups also will attend from Chicago, Detroit and Des Moines.

Those attending can participate in the KOLO dance  a circle dance with as many people as possible, or it can form a chain or parallel lines.

Tickets are $20 each; seniors are $10; and children under 14 are free.

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LA PORTE CITY  The superintendent of Union Community Schools has been disciplined by the state board that licenses educators for alleged failures in an investigation of teacher misconduct.

Travis Fleshner, who was recently hired to begin leading Aplington-Parkersburg Community Schools this summer, received a written reprimand from the Board of Educational Examiners at its April 22 meeting.

He had been under investigation for his handling of the case of former Union Middle School teacher Mark Hookham. The teacher resigned in April 2021 while district officials were investigating allegedly inappropriate email exchanges with two students at the middle school in Dysart. In March, the state board suspended Hookhams license for at least five years.

According to the settlement agreement in Fleshners case, the board investigation led to charges that he created conditions harmful to student learning and, as an administrator, failed to protect the health and safety of staff and students.

I know what I was asked to do throughout this process (of investigating Hookham) and I know what I was advised to do by legal counsel and followed that, Fleshner said in an interview. Settlement documents indicate investigators came to the conclusion that he did follow counsels advice and that Fleshner does not admit to the violations it outlines. He acknowledged, though, if proven they would be grounds for the discipline agreed to.

Theres lots of dialogue back and forth between parties, and it was determined that the reprimand was the best course to go forward, he said.

Fleshner also agreed to complete a course in allegations of child sexual abuse and grooming within one year. Additionally, he will review circumstances surrounding the complaint and statutory expectations with an Iowa Department of Education official.

The superintendent said he is not leaving Union Schools because of the state boards investigation.

There was no correlation between the two, he said, suggesting everything was fine when he applied for the Aplington-Parkersburg job. It was just an opportunity that presented itself.

Randy Strabala, interim superintendent in Aplington-Parkersburg, said every candidates past was looked at and discussed during the Board of Educations superintendent search process. The state investigation into Fleshners handling of the teacher misconduct case came to light through the process.

We were aware of it, he noted. The search company had done the vetting. The board discussed everything, they were aware of it and they explored it all the way around.

The districts board approved a three-year contract with Fleshner on Feb. 21 and a first-year salary of $147,000.

Strabala said the educational examiners reprimand doesnt change anything. It was anticipated that there would probably be some type of discipline, he explained.

The Union Board of Education went through a search process after accepting Fleshners resignation Feb. 21. On April 18, board members approved a contract with John Howard. He is currently the secondary principal at Independence Community Schools.

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CEDAR FALLS  A newly proposed ordinance allowing the use of consumer fireworks July 3, 4 and 5 passed its first test Monday night.

Despite a couple of residents speaking out against lifting the ban and one councilor attempting to amend the proposal, the City Council passed the first reading by a 5-1 vote.

If ultimately adopted, fireworks could be shot off on private property between noon and 11 p.m. July 4 and between noon and 10 p.m. July 3 and 5, the same as in Waterloo.

Waterloos rules were touted as being easier to enforce and are backed by Cedar Falls police leadership.

Many people are reportedly unaware Cedar Falls has a prohibition in place. Hopes are education will improve compliance with the new law, helped by a joint flyer distributed by both cities.

Fines would be hiked from a minimum of $250 to $375, and second and third offenses would cost $500 and $1,000. Those ticketed can appeal in court.

In addition, the proposed ordinance states any retailer or community group selling consumer fireworks must prominently display signs informing customers when the use of consumer fireworks is prohibited.

I represent many of the veterans that carry a wounded spirit from our experience in combat. When the issue of permitting fireworks in Cedar Falls came up several years ago, I stood here and opposed allowing fireworks in our neighborhoods because I, like many other combat veterans, am deeply disturbed by sudden explosions, said resident Tim Houts. This body got it right the first time by prohibiting the use of fireworks in our neighborhoods.

Despite councilors sympathizing with groups supporting veterans and acknowledging they themselves dont use fireworks, Councilor Susan deBuhr was the only one who voted against it.

I do support all the veterans, and thats why I want to keep the ban, she said.

Councilor Simon Harding was absent Monday.

In-person Waterloo Schools Foundation breakfast returns Thursday East High School alum Rona Berinobis will be keynote speaker for the Sparking Academic Excellence Breakfast, to be held at the Waterloo Convention Center.

A second of three readings, when the public may comment, is expected May 16.

Mondays vote came after a failed motion by Councilor Daryl Kruse to amend the proposal to allow fireworks only July 4.

But police officials said thats harder to enforce.

Kruse also proposed aligning the end times across the three days. But Mayor Rob Green, who pushed for revisiting the law, noted the amendments defeat the goal of synchronizing rules in Cedar Falls and Waterloo to limit residents confusion.

After Waterloo instituted its own three-day window, Assistant Chief Joe Leibold reported last week, complaints declined from 585 calls in 2020 to 282 calls in 2021.

A state law passed in 2017 permitted the sale of consumer fireworks for the first time in 80 years, with cities having no ability to opt out.

Cedar Falls officials said multiple times Monday that the outright ban is not working when it comes to stopping fireworks from being shot off and catching those who do it.

Its not working  the ban as it is now is a joke. And I would love to see some change that would allow better enforcement or more efficient enforcement, Green said to open the discussion. And also, personally, I ran on a platform in 2018 of allowing a limited window because I believe that was the compromise that we needed in order to have a policy that the majority of residents could live by.

Until the state allows us the authority to control the sale of fireworks in our city, which to me seems like absolute common sense that we would have that authority, until that happens, were  in a bad situation that we have to adjust to, he added.

Acting Cedar Falls Police Chief Mark Howard said Cedar Falls had 48 calls for service last July 4, 35 for fireworks.

Ten to 12 tickets were written out of clear blatant disregard for our ordinance, he said.

I will tell you something we ran into a lot last year was Waterloos flyer that said fireworks were legal on these three days. Now it also said in Waterloo, but I think three or four calls I personally was on, a citizen would tell me, Well I got these over at Crossroads (a fireworks store), and they said we could shoot them off.

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WATERLOO  The Waterloo Historic Preservation Commission will host its 2022 awards ceremony May 12 at the Grout Museum, 503 South St. A social hour will begin at 6 p.m. with the awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m.

Four recipients were chosen by the Historic Preservation Commission to receive recognition this year: David Wadsworth, Wadsworth Construction; the Walnut Neighborhood Association; Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity and JSA Development, the Judge Platt Home.

Wadsworth has been an integral part of the restoration and rehabilitation of several historic buildings within the City of Waterloo. The company specializes in restoring historic windows.

The Walnut Neighborhood Association worked to create a multi-organizational team to bring in new development and restoration of existing homes. Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity has built new and restored homes to match the existing historic homes throughout the Walnut Neighborhood.

JSA completed the Judge Platt home, the first of four homes in the Walnut Neighborhood to be restored and rehabilitated. JSA signed a development agreement with the city of Waterloo for the project.

There is no cost to attend the banquet; guests are asked to RSVP to John Dornoff at 319-291-4366 or email john.dornoff@waterloo-ia.org no later than Thursday.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has refused to release records that could illuminate his decision to abruptly halt the execution of Oscar Smith last month, citing attorney-client privilege and the disputed deliberative process privilege.

In response to a records request by The Associated Press, the Republican governor's office released emails containing Lee's April 21 public statement granting Smith a reprieve. The office also released a series of emails from reporters asking for more details about the problems that led Lee to halt the execution. The reporters were referred to the public statement, which said only that there was an oversight in the preparation of the drugs.

On Monday, Lee finally elaborated in a new statement, saying the drugs to be used in Smith's execution were tested for potency and sterility, but not endotoxins, as required by the state's execution protocols. Lee placed a temporary moratorium on executions through the end of the year and appointed former U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton to review circumstances that led to the failure.

Lee has repeatedly cited deliberative process when declining to release documents. The exemption is not in state law but was described in a 2004 intermediate appeals court decision. In that ruling, the court determined certain documents could remain secret if officials deemed them part of their decision-making process.

Early in his administration, Lees office also cited executive privilege more than a dozen times as a reason for withholding records, though his team argued they were using the term interchangeably with deliberative process. Tennessee statutes, including the states open records laws, do not define executive privilege. The Tennessee Constitution does not mention it.

Lee initially promised to overhaul the states public records laws to provide more government transparency when he came into office, but he has yet to significantly change the statutes.

Smith, 72, 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.

Smiths execution was to be the first of five scheduled in 2022, the most of any state other than Texas, which also scheduled five executions, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. It was also to be Tennessees first execution since the pandemic halted executions in 2020.

Associated Press writer Kimberlee Kruesi contributed to this report.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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DES MOINES  Abortion likely would remain legal in Iowa up to the 20th week of pregnancy  for now  even if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its landmark 1973 ruling that guaranteed a womans right to an abortion.

But the timing of both U.S. and Iowa Supreme Court rulings could complicate matters.

Monday evening, Politico published a draft of an opinion in a major abortion case that was argued in the fall. The document indicates the court could be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide.

An overturn of Roe v. Wade would return the authority over abortion regulations to the states, and the Iowa Supreme Court has issued multiple recent rulings striking down proposed abortion restrictions including a three-day waiting period and a ban on abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected.

The latter ruling stated that a womans right to an abortion is a protected, fundamental right in Iowa. Which means the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, on its own, would not change Iowas state abortion regulations.

However, the Iowa Supreme Court is considering another recently passed abortion restriction requiring a one-day waiting period. And Republicans earlier this year filed legal briefs asking the court to overturn its 2019 order striking down the ban on abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected.

If the Iowa Supreme Court overturns its previous ruling and the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, then Iowa Republicans would be clear to pass abortion restrictions.

(The U.S. Supreme Court ruling) would not have a direct impact on Iowa unless the Iowa Supreme Court overturns (its 2019 ruling), said Drake University law professor Sally Frank said Tuesday.

Both rulings could come this summer.

If the Iowa Supreme Court does not overturn its previous ruling, nothing would change in Iowa, even if the U.S. Supreme Court rejects Roe v. Wade.

In Iowa, there is a constitutional right to abortion, for now, on the books, Sarah Stoesz, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said Tuesday during a press call.

But if the Iowa Supreme Court does not budge, Republicans are proposing an amendment to the Iowa Constitution that would nullify those recent abortion rulings.

The proposed amendment, which could be put to Iowa voters in 2024, would state that the Iowa Constitution does not guarantee the right to an abortion. That would clear the way for lawmakers to pass abortion restrictions.

Stoesz said Planned Parenthood will be active if the proposed amendment is put to Iowa voters.

We know that politics are very volatile, and we know that elections matter, Stoesz said. We intend to fight that (proposed constitutional amendment) very hard at the ballot.

Another avenue Iowa Republicans could take would be to pass legislation that would create a ban or severe restriction on abortions, and state that the law would only go into effect if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.

Exactly that type of legislation already was introduced this session. House File 2289 did not receive any legislative attention earlier this session, but it is precisely the kind of vehicle Statehouse Republicans could use to get a tentative law on the books before this years session ends.

When asked Tuesday whether they intend to pass abortion legislation before this years session ends, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, Republican Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver and Republican House Speaker Pat Grassley did not respond. Reynolds and Whitver issued statements about abortion, but they did not address potential legislative action.

Any new law would still have to pass muster with the state Supreme Court.

The Iowa Supreme Court in 2018 struck down a Republican-written three-day waiting period before a woman could have an abortion, and in 2019 struck down a ban on abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, often before a woman knows she is pregnant.

Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst is prepared to introduce federal legislation that would ban abortions after roughly six weeks, according to reporting from the Washington Post. Ernst issued a statement Tuesday about the report that the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, but did not respond to whether she plans to introduce abortion-restricting legislation.

A majority of Iowans  57%  believe abortion should be legal, according to the most recent Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll to ask the question in September. That was an increase of 8 percentage points from the previous year.

Just 38% of Iowans say abortion should be illegal in most or all cases, according to the September poll results.

There were 4,058 abortions performed in Iowa in 2020, a 14% increase from the previous year, according to the most recent data from the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Iowa had seen a steady decline in the number of medically and surgically induced abortions over the course of several years, but that trend began reversing in 2019. In 2017, Statehouse Republicans ended federal funding to a state family planning program and created a new one that does not include offering abortion services.

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Twenty-two years ago, Jim Eckoff of Meservey was canoeing on Lake Cherokee in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeast Minnesota.

After spending the day canoeing and walking through portages, Eckoff, his best friend, his son-in-law and his nephew came across an island on Lake Cherokee where they could camp. Exhausted from carrying their canoes and paddling miles throughout the day, they set up camp on the little island.

The next day, Eckoff was drinking coffee when his friend spotted a piece of trash under a bush. Litter being extremely rare in the Boundary Waters, he picked it up. He had found a bidding ticket, Wiemann's Meservey number on it. That meant the bidding number itself had to be at least 26 years old, because Gordy Wiemann moved to Clear Lake in 1996.

Gordy Wiemann and his father, Gary Wiemann, held auctions throughout North Iowa for years, holding charity auctions as well.

There were some frequent buyers at Wiemann Auction Service who kept the same number. Wiemann said each bidding number ticket cost him five cents, and they started giving people permanent numbers so they wouldn't waste tickets to save some money.

Eckoff had hoped bidding number 116 was one of those numbers, and they would be able to trace it back to the owner through Wiemann's memory. The ticket had traveled more than 400 miles to make its way into Eckoff's hands, and he brought it home.

When Eckoff got back from the trip, he told Wiemann's daughter he had found an old bidding ticket. Wiemann's daughter, Marcy Hyde, worked with Eckoff in Meservey at one point in time, and they were friends.

"He told me about it years ago, but I had moved," Hyde said.

So the bidding number sat packed away from about August 2000 until April 2022. A few weeks ago, Eckoff uncovered the old bidding number in his things.

Eckoff was going into town shortly after rediscovering the bidding number and decided to bring it to Hyde. Eckoff also brought a map to show Wiemann exactly where the bidding ticket had ended up.

On Good Friday this year, Hyde delivered the old bidding number to her father. It was a surprising reunion for Wiemann, who said he was amazed the number had stayed intact all these years.

"What are the odds of it being in the water and still being okay," Wiemann said. "How it got there I just don't know."

Wiemann was amazed the old ticket had come back to him, imagining how it had traveled all the way to the Canadian border. He knew it couldn't have been purposeful. He's never been to the Boundary Waters, and was amazed his work had ended up there.

Ultimately, Wiemann didn't remember who held that permanent number, but it brought back different memories.

The bidding number was written in his wife's handwriting. She died 15 years ago around Easter.

"He was a little choked up about it" Hyde said.

He was holding on to a memory. That small ticket, which traveled hundreds of miles and was decades old, brought Wiemann back to the times spent working with his father and spending time with his wife.

Rae Burnette is a GA and Crime & Courts Reporter at the Globe Gazette. You can reach her by phone at 641.421.0523 or at Rae.Burnette@GlobeGazette.com

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7 Sep (15) 24 Aug - 31 Aug (14) 17 Aug - 24 Aug (9) 10 Aug - 17 Aug (5)
Some of us remember well when the USA experienced the Cuban Missile Crisis, Date, 16th thru 29th of October, 1962. Almost 60 years ago right next door. The world was faced with the amazing possibility of nuclear war

But as the Soviet Union actually did it to accomplish two things; have the Turkey installed Jupiter MRBMs missiles by the USA removed permanently and Cuba will not be invaded again by the USA. In return no Nukes in Cuba

Sounds familiar in a way. NATO a USA lead offensive war machine has imposed and tried to put nukes upon Russias doorsteps. Just like the Soviet Union was wanting to do with Cuba and Cuba is 90 miles away from the USA. The US did not like what was happening, yet the only way we found out was that the Soviet Union let it out on purpose

So we all thought we would die on those days

Khrushchev and Kennedy hashed it out and publicly let known what would happen. The last real president of the US was Kennedy and he was murdered because he cared for the people and the world. From the death of Kennedy all presidents have been major controlled puppets, for they all knew they would be killed

Having this issue above as a past and understanding the importance of not having nukes in your backyard, theyve (USA) still gone ahead and intentionally engineered another Cuba style crisis on Russias side yard, for absolutely no justifiable reason, need or logic. It was done to simply instigate war and done on purpose, that is that

The Western World had to create crisis to cover up their illegal activities, their illegal financial activities and their illegal operations eg. Bio-labs all over the world. They actually used what the Soviets did, except the Soviets did it with the understanding of wanting the USA to listen and correct what the USA was doing wrong. The US did correct the issues and all was good.that was then and now is now

Russia has asked the US to do the same and the USA laughed and said forget it. Russia forgot to forget it and here we are. With a West that did not expect what happened and is incapable of reversing course and stop the whole thing. It is a totally western devised scheme and they never thought that Russia would do what they did

Those Western based individuals responsible for such a momentous betrayal of all humanity on Earth, must be stopped and the head of the whole mess has to be removed. Whom, what and or wheresoever it is

We humans who just want to live our lives and get along, deserve better than what the USA is trying to do.we deserve a simple easy life. There is enough resources for all and all should be taken care of

What Russia is doing in Ukraine is extremely serious and it is not about Ukraine. It is about the forces being applied to destroy Ukraine internally and create a vitriol of Nuclear armed state upon Russias doorsteps and allow easy death to its capital, Moscow

The USA did not allow it to happen and the US did what was necessary to work with the Soviet Union. Russia will not allow it and the US refuses to sit down and talk seriously.they just laugh and call Russia names!

Like Children the US has become

You have to face the truth that the USA has intentionally put the world at risk and accept the fact that the USA does not care one iota, they have nothing they want, except to destroy Russia.for a dying Empire of lies will thrash and take all it can with it

So why cannot the USA just solve the issue? Because they want Russians dead and Russians resources! We should be past this kind of stuff in these times

Have a nice day!

WtR
#video #Mariupol

A resident of Mariupol alleges the Azov* Battalion pulled people out of their houses and ushered them into basements. Tanks started firing from everywhere, and no one could lift their head out for four days. He says, the Russians were not even close at the time. This is murder, murder of people. This was done by Azov*. Believe me, I say to the camera: Azov* did it. He claims the Ukrainian military herded everyone into the basement.

In the destroyed Mariupol, civilians are left without food, water, or medicines. During the shelling, food was brought to them by the Angel humanitarian group led by Alexei Smirnov. They go to the most dangerous places, often narrowly avoiding death on mined roads. An RT Documentary crew filmed the Angels for several days, once coming under fire.

This is a clip from our new film Donbass: Im Alive! The RT Documentary team has returned from Mariupol and collected locals testimonies.

Follow: https://t.me/rtdocumentary

WtR
During the Cold War, the United States and much of the West argued that the Soviet Union was a godless nation.[1] Last year, Vladimir Putin took that pendulum, swung it on the other direction, and landed it on the Zionist regime. As Patrick Buchanan put it then, In the new war of beliefs, Putin is saying, it is Russia that is on Gods side. The West is Gomorrah.[2] Putin said:

Many Euro-Atlantic countries have moved away from their roots, including Christian values. Policies are being pursued that place on the same level a multi-child family and a same-sex partnership, a faith in God and a belief in Satan. This is the path to degradation.[3]

If you think that Putin is just pulling your leg here, then get this:

The Washington Times reported then:

In his state of the nation address, Mr. Putin also portrayed Russia as a staunch defender of traditional values against what he depicted as the morally bankrupt West. Social and religious conservatism, the former KGB officer insisted, is the only way to prevent the world from slipping into chaotic darkness.

As part of this defense of Christian values, Russia has adopted a law banning homosexual propaganda and another that makes it a criminal offense to insult the religious sensibilities of believers

Although Mr. Putin has never made a secret of what he says is his deep Christian faith, his first decade in power was largely free of overtly religious rhetoric. Little or no attempt was made to impose a set of values on Russians or lecture to the West on morals.[4]

Certainly Putin put the moral equation back on the table. Kevin Barrett declared that Putin here was trying to put the fear of God in the New World Order. Barrett moved on to make the forceful argument that much of the Zionist establishment in the West is afraid of Putin because the establishment lives in fear. Russian President Putin is resisting, said Barrett. That is why the Western propaganda machine is calling him names. Barrett continued to argue cogently:

It is worth noting that Russia and Iran  the two nations most successfully resisting NWO regime change  are doing so in the name of God. Putins reference to Satanism was a pointed rebuke to the New World Order elites, who  though they push militant secularism on the societies they are trying to undermine  are closet Satanists.

Anyone who doubts this should run the name Lt. Col. Michael Aquino through a search engine. Aquino, an avowed Satanist and credibly-accused mass child abuser, was rewarded for his crimes against children with an appointment as Chief of Psychological Warfare for the US military

The shock troops of the NWOs war against religion and tradition (and Russia and Iran) are the neoconservatives. Operation Gladio terrorist Michael Ledeen explains:

Creative destruction is our middle name, both within our society and abroad. We tear down the old order every day, from business to science, literature, art, architecture, and cinema to politics and the law. Our enemies have always hated this whirlwind of energy and creativity which menaces their traditions (whatever they may be) and shames them for their inability to keep pace  We must destroy them to advance our historic mission.

Putin is stopping New World Order creative destruction in Syria and Ukraine. He is part of a growing coalition opposing the NWO  not just religious traditionalists, but also progressive anti-globalization forces, including Hugo Chavez inspired anti-imperialists in Latin America.

Kudos for Barrett here. The regime proved Putin right by applauding the Pussy Riot,[5] a Trotskyite group that ended up having sex (literal pornography) at the Moscow National Museum. (We have discussed this issue in the past.) As always, Neocons like Seth Mandel of Commentary were on the front line defending their brethren.[6]

But the crucial point here is that Putin, like Emmanuel Kant and even John Adams and others, understands that a nation cannot exist without objective morality, and objective morality cannot exist without Logos,[7] the essence and sustainer of the moral universe.

In that sense, and whether he notices it or not, Putin was implicitly or indirectly attacking the Neo-Darwinian ideology, which states that objective morality is an illusion and has no metaphysical basis. It is here that we find again that Neo-Darwinian metaphysics is intellectually useless and worthless because it denies the very essence of a moral universe.

As we have noted in the past, serious Darwinists agree that objective morality is an illusion. The noted biology philosopher Michael Ruse once again said that there are no grounds whatsoever for being good. Morality is flimflam.[8] Yet like his intellectual antecedent Charles Darwin, Ruse ends up contradicting himself in the very next sentence by saying, Does this mean that you can just go out and rape and pillage, behave like an ancient Roman grabbing Sabine women? Not at all. I said that there are no grounds for being good. It doesnt follow that you should be bad.[9]

Well, duh! If there are no grounds for objective morality, then good and bad are also illusion. There is not such a thing as rape or bad behavior. What is good for you may not be good for me, and there is no way of adjudicating competing explanations. In that kind of world, might makes right. Ruse does not really have a problem with this argument here. In fact, he moves on to say that morality is something forged in the struggle for existence and reproduction, something fashioned by natural selection. It is as much a natural human adaptation as our ears or noses or teeth. It works and it has no meaning over and above this. If all future food were Pablum, we would probably be better off without teeth.

Morality is just a matter of emotions, like liking ice cream and sex and hating toothache and marking student papers. But it is, and has to be, a funny kind of emotion. It has to pretend that it is not that at all! If we thought that morality was no more than liking or not liking spinach, then pretty quickly it would break down.

Before long, we would find ourselves saying something like: Well, morality is a jolly good thing from a personal point of view. When I am hungry or sick, I can rely on my fellow humans to help me. But really it is all bullshit, so when they need help I can and should avoid putting myself out. There is nothing there for me. The trouble is that everyone would start saying this, and so very quickly there would be no morality and society would collapse and each and every one of us would suffer. So morality has to come across as something that is more than emotion. It has to appear to be objective, even though really it is subjective.[10]

Ruse, like some genetic theorists, really believes that morality is an illusion put in place by your genes to make you a social cooperator[11]

This, by the way, is logically congruent with Darwins survival of the fittest. And survival of the fittest is logically congruent with Zionism. If evolutionary theory explains how warfare contributed to fitness in the course of the evolution of Homo sapiens, as scholar Bradley A. Thayer maintains,[12] then how can a serious Darwinist say that social Darwinism or even Zionism is really bad on a consistent and logical basis?

Thayer, of course, struggles mightily to rationally defend the thesis that Warfare contributes to fitness[13] and that people wage war to gain and defend resources[14] while maintaining that social Darwinists were wrong in taking social Darwinism to its logical conclusion. He says that social Darwinists perverted Charles Darwins argument and distorted evolutionary explanations because they misunderstood Darwins ideas and were ignorant of or consciously chose to ignore the naturalistic fallacy. Those who use evolutionary theory to explain aspects of human behavior must recall the social Darwinists errors. Doing so makes it possible not only to avoid repeating errors but also to advance scientific understanding.[15]

But Thayer moves on to make this argument: The ultimate causation for warfare is anchored in Darwinian natural selection and inclusive fitness.warfare can increase both the absolute and relative fitness of humansFrom the classical Darwinian perspective, warfare contributes to fitness because individuals who wage war successfully are better able to survive and reproduce.[16]

Thayer repeats this thesis over and over in the course of the book:

An ultimate causal explanation for warfare based in evolutionary theory begins with the recognition that warfare contributes to fitness in certain circumstances because successful warfare lets the winner acquire resources.

For evolutionary biology, a resource is any material substance that has the potential to increase the individuals ability to survive or reproduce. As such it may be food, shelter, or territory, especially high-quality soil or wild foods; abundant firewood; or territory free of dangerous animals, such as lions, or insect infestations, or disease; and also status coalition allies, and members of the opposite sex.[17]

And then this: Warfare might be necessary then for offensive purposes, to plunder resources from others. In these circumstances, an individual becomes fitter if he can successfully attack to take the resources of others.[18]

Thayer cites evolutionary theorist William Durham saying that War is one means by which individuals may improve the material conditions of their lives and thereby increae their ability to survive and reproduceThus successful warfare would help the tribe gain resources, and for an agricultural economy land is critically important.[19]

So, is Thayer really against social Darwinism? Ideologically, yes. Consistently and logically? No. I honestly dont blame him, for his intellectual grandfather could not solve that problem either and had to live in contradiction until his dying day. Darwin declared at the end of his Origin of Species:

Thus, from the war of nature, from famine and death, the most exalted object which we are capable of conceiving, namely, the production of the higher animals, directly follows.[20]

Correct me if I am wrong here: isnt he saying that war and famine and death are things that will get the higher animals ahead?

Scholars of all stripes agree that this is Darwin at his best. Yet when social Darwinists took his thesis and spread it across the political spectrum, Darwin disagreed![21]

If the Dreadful Few are in the struggle for survival, then the Goyim must swiftly be eliminated. That is certainly consistent with Darwins grand scheme. If people cannot see this and try to avoid this vital contradiction, then you can be sure that they are not to be taken seriously or they do not understand logic.

So, when people are trying to maintain an objective morality by either appealing to the so-called evolutionary theory or even DNA, then you can be sure that those people either are out of touch with the scholarly literature, are not well equipped to understand or articulate their own position, or are just deliberately lying.

Furthermore, to appeal to reciprocal altruism to prove objective morality, a central protocol in Darwins grand scheme,[22] is also a dead end because the life of Mother Theresa and countless other examples prove that this idea will not work. I was hoping that modern Darwinists would make some good improvement on this warfare theory, but so far virtually everyone has failed.

I am certainly not asking people to drop their cherished belief. In fact, there are many people who believe in the tooth fairy. But so long that this neo-Darwinian ideology remains intellectually stupid and morally indefensible, they can leave me out of it.

Going back to Putin, he said in 2013:

People in many European countries are ashamed, and are afraid of talking about their religious convictions. [Religious] holidays are being taken away or called something else, shamefully hiding the essence of the holiday.[23]

The Zionist regime, of course, made the false accusation that Putin was persecuting homosexuals. But Putin moved on to diffuse the regimes silly argument this way: We need to respect the rights of minorities to be different, but the rights of the majority should not be in question.[24]

So, yes, Patrick Buchanan. Putin is one of us. Any serious politician who stands against the Mephistophelian establishment is one of us. As Friedrich Hansen of Asia Times put it, Make no mistake, Putin is not targeting homosexuals, as he made clear with his welcoming them to the Sochi Olympics. It also seems only fair to remind Western readers that ever since the 1980s, Sochi has been the center of Russia with a vibrant homosexual subculture. Rather, Putin is addressing the whole gamut of post-modern incarnations of the sex and drugs revolution: binge drinking of both genders until the doctors move in, elite illicit drug use, unmanageable crime rates, surging divorce numbers, Hook-Up sex on campus, out of wedlock births, fathers and mothers in puberty, abortion on demand, public nudism and human copulation in parks, gay promiscuity with a good conscience, swinger clubs and darkrooms, ruthless Internet dating and pornography and what have you.[25]

How does the regime respond? Well, you know the drill. Owen Matthews, a useful idiot, declared in the Spectator that Putin has a new plan for world domination![26] In order to slander Putin, Matthews indirectly linked him with Willi Munzenberg, a revolutionary Jew who wanted to take the Western world to perdition at any cost. Munzenberg was so passionate about his revolutionary goal that he wrote:

We must organize the intellectuals and use them to make Western Civilization stink! Only then, after they have corrupted all its values and made life impossible, can we impose the dictatorship of the proletariat.

When Putin said that Russia will defend traditional values that have made up the spiritual and moral foundation of civilisation in every nation for thousands of years, Matthews declared that Putin is on to something. What is it? Matthews told us:

Putins new mission goes deeper than political opportunism. Like the old Communist International, or Comintern, in its day, Moscow is again building an international ideological alliance.[27]

He again emphasized this point so that readers could get it: And again, like the Comintern, Putin appears convinced that he is embarking on a world-historical mission.[28] He moved on to talking about Putins conservative Comintern.

At the other end of the political spectrum, David Cameron likened Putin to Hitler.[29] John McCain, Lindsey Graham, among other usual suspects, have all placed Putin and Hitler on an equal footing.[30]

Historian Paul Johnson (sad to say) even went so far as to say that Putin and Hitler are basically two sides of the same coin. Johnson said that Putin believes in a strong Stalinist state. His goal is to reverse the events of 1989the end of the Soviet state and dissolution of its enormous empire. He seeks to do this by using what remains of Russias Stalinist heritage: the military, a huge stockpile of nuclear weapons and immense resources of natural gas and other forms of energy.[31]

Johnson is sad because there is no Churchillian voice to sound the alarm and call the democratic world to action.[32] Johnson has got to be kidding. What he ends up saying is that someone like Churchill needs to step up and start lying to the West about Putin. It is so sad to read silly comments such as this by a good historian like Johnson.

But the real question is this: why do the regime and their puppets hate Putin so much? Well, Putin suggested back in 2013 the Soviet government was guided by a dark force whose ideological goggles and faulty ideological perceptions collapsed.[33]

The first Soviet government, Putin added, was 80-85 percent Jewish.[34] Sounds like Putin has read Alexander Solzhenitsyns Two Hundred Years Together. If so, then it seems clear that he will continue to challenge the Zionist regime. Perhaps Putin has been encouraged by Solzhenitsyns bravery. It was Solzhenitsyn who said:

And thus, overcoming our temerity, let each man choose: will he remain a witting servant of the lies, or has the time come for him to stand straight as an honest man, worthy of the respect of his children and contemporaries?[35]

Perhaps Putin is saying enough is enough. And this maybe one reason why nearly all the major news outlets have been relentlessly slandering him. Kevin Barrett ended up his excellent article saying, God bless President Putin, who is putting the fear of God into the New World Order. Let us hope that he will never be weary in well doing, for in due season he shall reap, if he faints not.
The Met's 'In America: An Anthology of Fashion" reviews U.S. fashion in historical settings By



Roxanne Robinson Published

May 4, 2022

With the hullabaloo surrounding the Met Gala's red carpet coverage, it's easy to forget that the raison detre for the festivities on the first Monday in May is opening a new exhibit at The Met's . The latest installation is a rare two-part situation.



'In America: An Anthology of Fashion' opens to the public on May 7, following 'In America: A Lexicon of Fashion', which opened in September of 2021. In an unprecedented move, the Met Gala 2021 was held later, after being canceled in 2020 and then delayed in 2021 due to the pandemic and its effects on gatherings.







The Renaissance Room - The Met



Fortunately, part two of the exhibit offered even more excitement to those who love fashion, film, and history, especially architectural period themes. The first appears more clinical and aimed at the true fashion lover. Andrew Bolton, the curator in charge of the Costume Institute, remarked, "Part two, which explores the foundations of American fashion in relation to the complex histories of the American Wing period rooms, serves as a preface to the concise dictionary of American fashion presented in part one. Whereas Lexicon explores a new language of American fashion, Anthology uncovers unfamiliar sartorial narratives filtered through the imaginations of some of America's most visionary film directors. It is through these largely hidden stories that a nuanced picture of American fashion comes into focusone in which the sum of its parts is as significant as the whole."



Following this inspiration and curator's vision of Andrew Bolton, Jessica Regan, and Amelia Peck, approximately 100 examples of men's and women's dress dating from the 19th to the mid-late 20th century are displayed. The clothing was set in 13-period rooms in The Met's American Wing with nine film directors such as Martin Scorsese, Sophia , Regina King, Autumn de Wilde, and designer-turned-director , creating moments in time with a cinematic feel.





The Met



The vignettes take place in rooms that "encapsulate a curated survey of more than a century of American domestic life and reveal a variety of storiesfrom the personal to the political, the stylistic to the cultural, and the aesthetic to the ideological," according to a release from the museum, giving context and meaning to the garments. Resembling movie stills, the "freeze frames" also had a cheeky, of-the-moment element that had the viewer feel like a fly on the wall arriving at a crucial moment of action.



Standouts were Ford's reimagining of the famous 'Battle of Versailles,' a 1973 fundraiser orchestrated mainly by Americans to help save France's beloved but then crumbling palace. The main festivity was a fashion show pitting the AmericansOscar de la Renta, , , , and Stephen Burrowsrelative upstartsagainst French legends such as Yves Saint Laurent, , , , and Christian 's Marc Bohan.



Thanks to their energetic spirit and fresh approach (plus secret weapon Liza Minnelli), the Americans won the contest. Ford depicts this with Ninja-like mannequins bearing swords and hanging from the ceiling donned in original garments from the participants.



Some of the rooms will delight fans of Bridgerton and The Gilded Age (the event dress code theme 'Gilded Glamour' challenged some to evoke 19th-century chic). Autumn de Wilde's Baltimore and Benkard Rooms played mostly to Shonda Rhimes' insatiably popular Netflix series aesthetic. In contrast, Scorsese's depiction in the Frank Lloyd Wright room possessed both the glamour of The Philadelphia Story and the modern interiors and aloofness of The Ice Storm.







Benkard Room - The Met



Particularly poignant is Julie Dash's mise-en-scene of white womendesignated by white gownsbeing helped to dress by black women clad in ethereal, netting costumes complete with angel wings, presumably as servants. Dash is an acclaimed film director who graduated from UCLA in 1985 as part of the first group of African and African American students who studied film there.



Additionally, Bolten and his team included seven "case studies" which look at historical garments that break down key moments in American fashion from the 19th to the mid-late 20th century.



Among the examples is a gown worn by Mary Todd Lincoln, two coats that complicate the legacy of Brooks Brothers, including a livery worn by an unidentified enslaved man dating from approximately 1857, and a gown circa 1865 from New Orleansbased dressmaker Madame Olympe, the earliest example of an American dress with a label identifying the designer in The Costume Institute's collection.



Essential figures in American fashion whose work is on display include: Bill Blass, Marguery Bolhagen, Brooks Brothers, Stephen Burrows, Bonnie Cashin, Helen Cookman, Fannie Criss Payne, Josephine H. Egan, Anne Fogarty, Franziska Noll Gross, Halston, Elizabeth Hawes, Eta Hentz, L.P. Hollander & Co, Charles James, Anne Klein, Ann Lowe, Vera Maxwell, Claire McCardell, Lucie Monnay, Lloyd Kiva New, Norman Norell, Madame Olympe, Clare Potter, Oscar de la Renta, Nettie Rosenstein, Herman Rossberg, Carolyn Schurer, and Jessie Franklin Turner.



The show runs through September 5, 2022.
Communal backcountry huts are a long-held tradition of Old World alpine regions. Stocked with fuel, mattresses and kitchen supplies, theyre more than just a place to stay when the weather gets rough, theyre an overnight destination all their own.

While Northern Californias backcountry huts are fewer and farther between than their European counterparts, theyre no less secluded, rustic, or cozy. From Donner Pass to the Bay Area, these five backcountry stays offer nights of comfort and convenience on the trail.

Sierra Club Ollie Mayer Hiker's Hut See on Instagram After nearly two years shuttered due to the pandemic, Sam McDonald Parks beloved hikers hut has finally reopened. The modest, lofted shelter near La Honda in San Mateo County sleeps six, with mattress pads, electricity, a fridge and microwave, pots and pans, and a wood-fire stove at the ready. Outside, from the wide wooden deck, theres a nearly 360-degree view of the surrounding forest. The Ollie Mayer Hikers Hut is a family-friendly 1.7 mile hike down a rolling dirt road from the trailhead/parking lot. // Advance reservations ($20-$30) are required; Ollie Mayer Hikers Hut at Sam McDonald Park (La Honda), sierraclub.org

Clair Tappaan Lodge Backcountry Huts See on Instagram Clair Tappaan Lodge at Donner Pass is the guardian of four rustic backcountry huts, each nestled into different corners of the Truckee and Tahoe wilderness. At the end of a three-mile trail from Castle Peak youll find the oldest of the cabins, the 1939 Peter Grubb Hut, which has an upstairs sleeping loft with space for 15, a wood-burning stove, a kitchen, and a two-story outhouse. The Ludlow Hut offers the same amenities 5.2 miles from the Rubicon-McKinney trailhead, while the Benson Hut, located 5.5 miles past the Pacific Crest Trailhead on Donner Pass Road, has six fold-down bunks downstairs, a 12-person upstairs sleeping loft, a wood-burning stove, a kitchen, and a two-story outhouse. All three can be visited year-round while a fourth cabin, the 15-person Bradley Hut located two miles north of Squaw Valley, is open from October through April only. // Rates vary, advance reservations required, arious locations around the Truckee and Tahoe area, // Rates vary, advance reservations required, arious locations around the Truckee and Tahoe area, clairtappaanlodge.com

Shasta Alpine Hut (Horse Camp) See on Instagram This Sierra Clubowned backcountry shelter in the Mount Shasta Wilderness isnt so much a cabin as a lodge. The stone structure, which was originally built for climbers in 1923, has communal resources like a small library of mountain books and a solar-powered composting toilet, but backpackers bed down for the night in their own tents, which can be pitched on cleared outdoor campsites for $5 a pop. The Shasta Alpine Hut is open to day visitors too, but dont underestimate the hike. Although the shelter is just 1.6 miles from the trailhead at Bunny Flat, youll climb 1,000 feet through the forest before reaching your destination. The hut is also open for winter skiers and snowshoers minus the composting toilet and fresh water spring, which arent maintained after the snow begins to fall. // Bunny Flat at Shasta-Trinity National Forest (Mount Shasta), sierraclubfoundation.org

Frog Lake Backcountry Huts See on Instagram Just past the Donner Summit, a new set of backcountry huts awaits summer adventurers. The four Frog Lake shelters are modeled after European versions, each stocked with bunks and sleeping pads, gas stoves, flush toilets, hot water, and electricity for charging devices. Theres space for four in the Albert M. Rockwood Hut and two guests are welcome in each unit of the Morgan Family Foundation duplex. For larger parties, book Ted Rs Hut, which accommodates eight. A historic granite house, the Eschenbach Backcountry House, serves as a communal space for the visitors in each shelter, with a fireplace, areas for lounging, and a map room for visualizing the terrain in 2D. The Frog Lake Backcountry Huts are open year-round for intrepid hikers, bikers, and skiers. // Advanced reservations required, two to three night minimum stay required, rates start at $200/night;Frog Lake (Donner Pass), // Advanced reservations required, two to three night minimum stay required, rates start at $200/night;Frog Lake (Donner Pass), truckeedonnerlandtrust.org

Pear Lake Winter Hut See on Instagram Youll have to wait until winter rolls back around to stay at the Pear Lake Winter Hut at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, but its not too early to start planning a trip to this historic backcountry shelter. The communal cabin, a brutal six-mile, 2,300-foot climb from the trailhead at Wolverton, welcomes skiers and snowshoers with a wood pellet heating stove, cook stoves and utensils, and a composting toilet. // Advance reservations open Oct. 1 and are required to book one or more of the 10 bunks, each with its own mattress but no bedding ($40/bunk); Pear Lake at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (Three Rivers), sequoiaparksconservancy.org




The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized Paxlovid for adults at high risk for severe COVID-19, as well as for high-risk pediatric patients ages 12 and up.

A long list of conditions can put someone at high risk, including heart disease, kidney disease, obesity and diabetes. Age is another factor that increases ones odds of developing complications from a coronavirus infection. More than 70 percent of deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S. have been among people 65 and older, according to federal data.

Bottom line: If you have a chronic disease that puts you at risk for severe COVID-19 and you test positive for an infection, talk to your primary care physician immediately about Paxlovid. Adults ages 60 and older who dont have any underlying illnesses should be doing the same, based on the population studied in the drugs clinical trials, says Kristin Mondy, M.D., chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at University of Texas at Austins Dell Medical School.

Your symptoms dont need to be severe

A common misconception is that you need to be experiencing severe symptoms in order to be a good candidate for Paxlovid, but that is not the case, experts say.

You likely dont need the treatment if you are asymptomatic, Rupp says. But I would certainly be liberal with my definition of symptomatic, he adds. If COVID-19 is causing fatigue, low-grade fevers, or aches and pains, reach out to your doctor.

I wouldnt wait for the point where I was short of breath and thinking that I might need to be hospitalized. Because at that point, youve kind of missed your opportunity, Rupp says.

To that, its important to take action quickly. The drug works best when started right away or at least within five days of symptom onset. You dont want to sit at home waiting three or four days and then try to squeak in under the deadline, Rupp says. If you start treatment on the early side, were going to be able to turn things around a little bit more easily.

Because time is of the essence, a prompt diagnosis is key. Mondy suggests keeping a stash of rapid tests on hand  you can order free tests on covidtests.gov or get them for free from participating pharmacies with your Medicare card. That way if youre sneezing, wheezing or feeling crummy, you can quickly test yourself for an infection. If you test negative but your symptoms persist, take another rapid test the next day or get a more sensitive PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test at a health clinic or testing site. The turnaround time for PCR results is usually a day or two.

What I am recommending to family and friends is if you get COVID, you should see a provider and make that assessment with your provider. A lot more people are eligible and would benefit [from Paxlovid] than I think people think, Jha said.

Know that some meds dont mix with Paxlovid

Paxlovid has been shown to be highly effective at keeping vulnerable individuals out of the hospital, but there are some risks associated with the drug, including a number of potential drug interactions. And of course, people that are older might be on more drugs, Mondy says.

Some of the more common medications on Paxlovids drug-interaction list include anticoagulants like warfarin (Jantoven), antidepressants like bupropion (Wellbutrin), cholesterol-lowering medications like atorvastatin (Lipitor), some calcium channel blockers used to treat high blood pressure, and some antiarrhythmics that treat abnormal heart rhythms.

Also, if you have any type of compromised kidney function, there needs to be a dose adjustment, Mondy adds.

With so many factors to consider  from underlying illnesses to potential drug interactions  both Mondy and Rupp say its ideal to discuss Paxlovid with a doctor who is familiar with your medical history. If you dont have an established physician, or you end up getting Paxlovid at a test-to-treat site (a pharmacy or clinic that tests individuals for COVID-19, and if positive, prescribes qualifying patients Paxlovid on the spot  find one here), be sure to bring your prescriber up to speed on all of the medications you take, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements, and any chronic conditions you have, including a history of compromised kidney function.

Even if you wind up at your regular pharmacy for test-to-treat, dont assume the pharmacist has a current list of your medications, Mondy says. Your primary care doctor may also be in the dark when it comes to medications prescribed by a specialist, so double-check their list as well.

Other treatment options

Paxlovid may be the latest treatment available, but its not the only option. Remdesivir, an antiviral that is administered by IV, can help to keep symptoms from progressing. There are also a few monoclonal antibodies that are effective. Whats more, molnupiravir, a pill from Merck, has FDA authorization for adults, though studies have found it less effective than Paxlovid.

[People] need to understand that there are some options and that they need to work with their providers in their clinics to explore what option is going to work the best for them, Rupp says.

Paxlovid does not prevent COVID-19 if youve been exposed to an infected person, a new study shows, but Rupp says the tried-and-true measures that do lower infection risk shouldnt go ignored.

Vaccines can lower your odds of contracting COVID-19, federal data shows. So can continuing to be a little bit careful, Rupp says.

It makes a lot of sense to me to just have that ounce of prevention. So get yourself vaccinated, get boosted; and when youre in a high-risk setting, I think it still makes great sense to be wearing a mask that is well constructed, tight fitting and very functional, he adds.


Vali Tie-In Agreement executed

Melbourne, May 4, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Vintage Energy Ltd ( ASX:VEN ), 50% interest holder and Operator of ATP 2021 (other interest holders: Metgasco Ltd, 25%; and Bridgeport (Cooper Basin) Pty Ltd, 25%,) announces the ATP 2021 Joint Venture parties ("JV") have executed a Tie-In Agreement with the South Australian Cooper Basin ("SACB") JV.The Tie-In Agreement provides for the connection of the Vali gas flowline, and ongoing receipt of Vali gas, into the SACB pipeline network.Execution of the Tie-In Agreement marks completion of all commercial agreements required for gas produced from the Vali gas field to flow to Moomba, to be processed and supplied for sale to AGL Wholesale Gas Limited ("AGL") under the Gas Sales Agreement announced 23 March 2022.Pre-payment receiptVintage confirms it has received its $5 million share of the pre-payments by AGL to the ATP 2021 JV announced to the ASX 19 April 2022.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.
One person was killed and another critically injured in a two vehicle crash near the Coronado Mall Tuesday afternoon.

Officer Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said the fatal crash occurred at Louisiana and Americas Parkway NE. He said one person died at the scene and another was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

DeAguero did not say how the crash occurred. The intersection is closed while the incident is being investigated.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Rebecca Dow questioned Mark Ronchettis conservative credentials on the airwaves last week and he is now striking back with an ad and a website calling into question Dows honesty about her legislative record  the latest salvo in a combative contest to win the GOP nomination for governor.

The Ronchetti ad accuses Dow of rewarding illegal immigration, despite her tough talk on border security.

The ad focuses on Dows votes in favor of $330 million in economic relief at the height of the pandemic and legislation confirming that people in New Mexico are eligible for professional and occupational licenses, regardless of immigration status.

The economic relief bill included $5 million in funding for $750 checks to low-income households that did not otherwise get a stimulus check  a category that includes people living in the country without legal authorization.

Both measures picked up significant bipartisan support in 2020, but with some Republican opposition.

Politicians love looking tough, especially on border security, the narrator of the Ronchetti ad says, but their records tell the truth.

The ad says Dow voted to give stimulus checks to undocumented immigrants not once, but twice.

The economic relief bill was voted on by the House twice following a procedural move in November 2020, with support from Dow both times. In the second House vote, Dow was among 13 Republicans who voted in favor and 11 who voted against it.

Senate Republicans voted 11-5 in favor of it.

In an interview, Dow says she and other Republicans had to vote on the bill as a whole, without the option to vote against payments for undocumented immigrants.

We were in a complete shutdown, she said, and our focus was getting dollars to citizens, giving food to citizens, getting relief to citizens whose entire lives had been shut down and were sheltering in place.

She said she opposes the payments and would have voted against them if there had been a separate vote.

The Ronchetti campaign, in turn, says a significant number of Republicans voted against the bills and Dow could have, too, if she really objected. He launched a website scrutinizing her legislative record.

Dow says she has a record to examine because of her public service, whereas Ronchetti joined the race after working as a meteorologist for KRQE-TV.

On the occupational licensing bill, Dow was among six House Republicans who voted in favor, while 18 voted against it. Every Republican in the Senate voted in favor of the bill.

The negative advertisements come as the campaign for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham enters its final five weeks.

Ronchetti, a former meteorologist for KRQE, and Dow, a state representative, are competing for the nomination alongside Sandoval County Commissioner Jay Block, Albuquerque financial adviser and military veteran Greg Zanetti, and anti-abortion activist Ethel Maharg.

The primary election is June 7 and absentee voting begins May 10.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Albuquerque Teachers Federation President Ellen Bernstein has only run opposed in elections for her position three times in her 22-year tenure at the helm of the union.

But for the second time in six years, shes facing a challenger in social studies teacher Adrian Nogales. Nogales said he wants to apply more checks and balances on a union that he said hasnt had really any since 1999.

You have the same people negotiating the contract every year, he said, adding that those negotiations arent being done in the best interest of those working in education.

Bernstein cited her more than two decades in advocating for the educators the union represents. Members currently number over 4,000, she said. She also pledged to work to restore the public education field as educators, administrators and students emerge from the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Born and raised in Albuquerque, Nogales said hes walked a mile in many educators shoes. He taught at Washington and Garfield STEM middle schools and George I. Sanchez Collaborative Community School in various roles, including as a special education teacher.

Im here to fight for all the educators that are being underpaid, and who are being overworked, he said. I just really want to advance our children and advance our teachers.

A major item on Nogales agenda is improving health and safety in Albuquerque Public Schools, especially when it comes to pandemic procedures. He also hopes to address the number of teachers heading for the door in droves, despite this years pay raises from the state.

Many, he said, have left after APS recent shuffling of staff and position cuts. He was one of the educators in their ranks, as hes been moved to Tres Volcanes Community Collaborative School to teach next year.

During a debate April 20, Nogales said he found out he wasnt given a full distribution list of union members to send campaign materials to. Election staff acknowledged the error three days out from the start of online voting, he said. After they did, Nogales said he fired off a mass email to several schools calling it out. Union bylaws state that district email domains and servers may not be used for campaign purposes. Nogales said sending the emails was absolutely not a violation, and saw it as defending himself from bylaw violations by election staff.

Bernstein, who served as a teacher for 17 years before being elected union president in 1999, only hopes to continue her work.

Everything I do all day, every day, is advocacy for individuals, she said.

She said she was a union activist throughout her teaching career. Before she was elected president, Bernstein said, she spent 15 years as a representative and moved from union secretary to vice president.

Recent accomplishments Bernstein noted include working with Rep. Debbie Sarinana, D-Albuquerque on a bill expanding the states paid teacher residency program. That work, she said, was done to attract really high-caliber candidates to become teachers.

She also cited her record of advocating for equal salaries between teachers and other licensed educators since the implementation of the states three-tiered licensure system. So far, Bernstein said the union has had a positive record on that front, calling it a bread-and-butter issue for the union.

Incredible energy has been spent to increase our political presence and therefore, our voice, Bernstein said in a statement. We must work to restore our profession and help rebuild our communities. I am ready for that work. I have never stopped believing in the power of our collective voices.

Online voting for the race opened at noon Sunday, and closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Counting will begin at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, or after school lets out.
LEXINGTON, Ky.  For Mike Smith, its the horses that keep him young.

The 56-year-old Smith, a Dexter native, has a reputation that precedes him.

A two-time Kentucky Derby winner with long shot Giacomo (2005) and favorite Justify (2018), Smith also rode Justify to victories in the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, becoming the oldest jockey to win horse racings Triple Crown at the age of 52.

Big Money Mike was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2003, before he even won his first Kentucky Derby. He also holds the most Breeders Cup race wins of any jockey in history.

But if you stick around long enough, opportunities to create history will continue to be offered, and one of those awaits Smith on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Smith will be aboard Taiba (post position No. 12 with morning line odds of 12-1) for the 2022 Kentucky Derby, with the chance to make history as the oldest jockey to win the prestigious race.

That title is held by Bill Shoemaker, who was 54 when he won the 1986 Kentucky Derby aboard Ferdinand.

For context, Smith rode in his first Kentucky Derby two years before this in 1984, when he finished sixth while riding Pine Circle.

Theres something to taking care of yourself. Early on in my career I really got into physical fitness at a very young age, made it a way of life and Ive kept up with it ever since, Smith said on a media video call last week. I feel great. Except for 1998 when I broke my back Ive been really, really healthy.  I feel like Im 30 years old and then when you get the opportunity to ride the kind of horses that Ive been blessed to have ridden the last few years, like Justify and now Taiba, itll keep you young.

Taiba will be Smiths 28th all-time Kentucky Derby ride, and this partnership between horse and jockey is a true juxtaposition.

Smith, the most experienced jockey in the history of the race, will be piloting a horse with just two career starts, although both have been wins.

John Velazquez rode Taiba in his debut in March, in a maiden race at Santa Anita Park in California. Smith was aboard for Taibas more noteworthy result, a win by more than 2 lengths in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby at the same track on April 9.

While the triumph only came against a six-horse field, Taiba bested two other horses that are slated for the Kentucky Derby field: Messier and Happy Jack.

Smith has been the jockey for four of the last five Santa Anita Derby winners.

The last horse to win both the Santa Anita Derby and the Kentucky Derby?

Justify, which Smith rode to that historic 2018 Triple Crown.

Although Justify was a bigger colt, this is a nice-sized horse as well. The way (Taiba) covers ground is so fluid, his balance is so nice, a lot like Justify, Smith said. Hes pretty intelligent, hes a smart horse.  I remember Santa Anita Derby day, he was playing in the post parade, but in a good way.

Hopefully, the crowd wont bother him, Smith continued. Just hope for a good clean break and I can get him into a nice, happy rhythm early on and a good, comfortable place, where he doesnt have to overcome a whole lot. Hes got the kind of ability to pull it off.

As he approaches 30 career starts in the Kentucky Derby, what has Smith taken from his experiences in the race?

You learn to stay in the moment.  Youll start riding the race a month out if you already know youve got (a horse) thats going in and by the time you get to race day youre exhausted, he explained. You learn to kind of pace yourself, stay in the moment. But some things dont change, that emotional part going through that tunnel, hearing that song, still puts a big old lump in my throat and Im excited to be there.

In addition to a relatively inexperienced horse, Smith will also be going through the race proceedings with a first-time Derby trainer of record.

Tim Yakteen  who has both Taiba and Messier in the projected Derby field  will be making his race debut as the trainer of record. A former assistant trainer for Bob Baffert, Yakteen was part of three Kentucky Derby victories as a Baffert assistant.

Both Messier and Taiba are horses that were formerly trained by Baffert who were transferred to Yakteen as Baffert began his suspension for Medina Spirits drug violation in the 2021 Kentucky Derby, which took the Derby title away from the horse and Baffert.

He knows what its like. Im sure hes been told by a lot of his peers as well, just fully enjoy it, have fun, stay in the moment, Smith said of Yakteen, who also went through Derby week when he was an assistant to trainer Charles Whittingham. Have a good time with it because this is what its all about.

What does Yakteen think about the marriage between the inexperienced, yet talented, Taiba, and the veteran Smith?

Hes a natural horseman and bestows a lot of confidence in the horse that hes on, Yakteen said last week. Its great to have someone like Mike being your pilot.  Hes going to guide you through the best and fastest way that the horse is going to get there.

Smiths vast experience at Churchill Downs means he knows better than most how to get around the track.

He prefers a post position somewhere right in the middle, although he said the new 20-horse gate that debuted for the 2020 Kentucky Derby works better for those drawn on the rail or the outside.

Taiba received post position No. 12 during Mondays draw.

In a race sometimes decided by fractions of a second or the length of a nose, each and every advantage could be the deciding one.

Smith has spent nearly three decades perfecting how to realize those advantages, both emotionally and statistically.

The wonderful thing about experience is it teaches you to stay in the moment, slow things down. I think Im able to do a lot of that now and it certainly helps in these high-pressure situations, Smith said. Theres just nothing like the Derby. If you arent a little nervous and you dont have goosebumps, well then somethings wrong with you.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

As massive wildfires have forced more than 16,000 homes to be evacuated in northern New Mexico, the state is poised to become the first ever to receive a presidential disaster declaration while the emergency is still ongoing.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the request in a briefing Tuesday. She said she expects the White House to approve the declaration soon.

The declaration would unlock nearly unlimited resources for individuals, communities and ecosystems affected by the fires, Lujan Grisham said.

This type of declaration is usually delivered after a fire is extinguished.

Im unwilling to wait, Lujan Grisham said. I have  people evacuated, I have families who dont know what the next day looks like. I have families who are trying to navigate their children, their health care resources (and) figure out their livelihoods, and theyre in every single little community. And it must feel to them like they are out there on their own. Well, youre not.

Other presidential disaster declarations this year made funding available for victims of floods in Washington state, tornadoes in Kentucky and landslides in Puerto Rico. All were issued weeks or months after the disasters occurred.

The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire has grown to nearly 148,000 acres and is 20% contained as of Tuesday evening.

The blaze is now the third-largest in New Mexico history.

It is fast approaching the acreage of the states second-largest wildfire  the 2011 Las Conchas Fire that burned more than 156,000 acres.

The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire forced evacuations west of Las Vegas at the United World College and Luna Community College. On Monday, the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute enlisted the National Guard and private health companies to evacuate all 197 of the facilitys patients.

Karl Hernandez, market president of Genesis HealthCare Western New Mexico, and his team helped transport more than 40 nursing home residents  many in wheelchairs  to other facilities as the wildfire approached.

Its an honor to take care of our vulnerable population in a time of need, Hernandez said.

Crews were working Tuesday morning to tackle the north and south ends of the fire.

Planes flew back and forth in the skies just west of Las Vegas, dropping fire retardant along a ridge south of Bradner Reservoir.

This is just a backup in case those winds truly pick up and we get embers that cross our line, said operations section chief Todd Abel.

On Tuesday, the fire made a run toward Cleveland, just northwest of Mora. Areas of West Holman and Chacon were issued mandatory evacuation notices.

About 15,500 homes have been evacuated because of the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire, the Governors Office said late Tuesday.

In San Miguel County, at least 166 homes have been destroyed.

Lujan Grisham said about $29 million has been spent on the northern wildfires to date, with an additional $2 million being spent each day.

More than 100 National Guardsmen are helping deliver water and evacuate residents.

At the end of the day, the Guard will be whatever the community needs us to be, said Assistant Adjutant General Miguel Aguilar.

Fire crews from other states are among the more than 1,000 personnel on the fire.

The Hermits Peak wildfire began as a U.S. Forest Service prescribed burn in early April.

The governor said agencies need new rules about prescribed burns.

This isnt our first situation where the federal government put us in harms way, Lujan Grisham said.

In 2000, the Cerro Grande Fire started as a prescribed burn. The blaze torched about 43,000 acres in and around Los Alamos, destroyed 235 homes and caused $1 billion in damage.

Lujan Grisham said she expects that, in addition to the presidential declaration, New Mexico could receive direct investments through federal legislation for this years fires.

Meanwhile, about 800 homes have been evacuated because of the Cooks Peak Fire in Mora and Colfax counties. No structures have been destroyed.

And at least 200 homes were evacuated because of the Cerro Pelado Fire east of Jemez Springs, with at least three residences destroyed.

Evacuation shelters are set up in Las Vegas, Taos, Penasco and Red River.

Nearly 500 people are sheltering in Glorieta, and Santa Rosa has opened a shelter.

The governor said the state is identifying more potential shelter spaces.
LVIV, Ukraine  Complaining that the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line targets across the country, as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war Wednesday by proposing a ban on oil imports.

Heavy fighting also raged at the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol that represented the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined southern port city, according to the mayor. A Russian official denied that Moscows troops were storming the plant, but the commander of the main Ukrainian military unit inside said Russian troops had broken into the mills territory.

The Russian military also said it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of resorting to the missile terrorism tactics in order to spread fear across Ukraine.

Air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country on Wednesday night, and attacks were reported near Kyiv, the capital; in Cherkasy and Dnipro in central Ukraine; and in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. In Dnipro, authorities said a rail facility was hit. Videos on social media suggested a bridge there was attacked.

There was no immediate word on casualties or the extent of the damage.

Responding to the strikes in his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: All of these crimes will be answered, legally and quite practically  on the battlefield.

The flurry of attacks comes as Russia prepares to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, marking the Soviet Unions defeat of Nazi Germany. The world is watching for whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will use the occasion to declare a victory in Ukraine or expand what he calls the special military operation.

A declaration of all-out war would allow Putin to introduce martial law and mobilize reservists to make up for significant troop losses.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the speculation as nonsense.

Meanwhile, Belarus, which Russia used as a staging ground for its invasion, announced the start of military exercises Wednesday. A top Ukrainian official said the country will be ready to act if Belarus joins the fighting.

The attacks on rail infrastructure were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons.

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagons assessment, said that while the Russians have tried to hit critical infrastructure around the western city of Lviv, specifically targeting railroads, there has been no appreciable impact on Ukraines effort to resupply its forces. Lviv, close to the Polish border, has been a major gateway for NATO-supplied weapons.

Weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces thwart Russias initial drive to seize Kyiv and seems certain to play a central role in the growing battle for the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Moscow now says is its main objective.

Ukraine has urged the West to ramp up the supply of weapons ahead of that potentially decisive clash. Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which had been slow at first to help arm Ukraine, said his government is considering supplying howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment it has agreed to send.

The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which lies in the Donbas, said Russian attacks left 21 people dead on Tuesday, the highest number of known fatalities since April 8, when a missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk killed at least 59.

In addition to supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. have sought to punish Moscow with sanctions. The EUs top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to ban Russian oil imports, a crucial source of revenue.

We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The proposal needs unanimous approval from EU countries and is likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they wont take part in any oil sanctions. They could be granted an exemption.

The EU is also talking about a possible embargo on Russian natural gas. The bloc has already approved a cutoff of coal imports.

Russias economy is heavily dependent on oil and natural gas exports. Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, said European purchases of Russian energy produce billions in revenue and support the Kremlins war machine.

Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russias largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.

In Mariupol, Mayor Vadym Boychenko said that Russian forces were targeting the already shattered Azovstal plant with heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft, warships and heavy bombs that pierce concrete 3 to 5 meters thick.

Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult, he said.

Ukrainian fighters said Tuesday that Russian forces had begun storming the plant. But the Kremlin said that was not true. There is no assault, Peskov said.

Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Ukrainian Azov regiment thats defending the plant, said Russian forces have broken into the plants territory.

Prokopenko said in a video that the incursions continued for a second day, and there are heavy, bloody battles.

The situation is extremely difficult, but in spite of everything, we continue to carry out the order to hold the defense, he added.

His wife, Kateryna Prokopenko, told The Associated Press: We dont want them to die. They wont surrender. They are waiting for the bravest countries to evacuate them.

Meanwhile, the United Nations announced that more than 300 civilians were evacuated Wednesday from Mariupol and other nearby communities. The evacuees arrived in Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles (230 kilometers) to the northwest, where they were receiving humanitarian assistance.

Many came with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, and we will now support them during this difficult time, including with much-needed psychological support, said Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.

Over the weekend, more than 100 people  including women, the elderly and 17 children  were evacuated from the plant during a cease-fire in an operation overseen by the U.N. and the Red Cross. But the attacks on the plant soon resumed.

The Russian government said on the Telegram messaging app that it would open another evacuation corridor from the plant during certain hours on Thursday through Saturday. But there was no immediate confirmation of those arrangements from other parties, and many previous such assurances from the Kremlin have fallen through, with the Ukrainians blaming continued fighting by the Russians.

It was unclear how many Ukrainian fighters were still inside, but the Russians put the number at about 2,000 in recent weeks, and 500 were reported to be wounded. A few hundred civilians also remained there, the Ukrainian side said.

Mariupol, and the plant in particular, have come to symbolize the misery inflicted by the war. The Russians have pulverized most of the city in a two-month siege that has trapped civilians with little food, water, medicine or heat.

The citys fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops to fight elsewhere in the Donbas.

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Anna reported from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yesica Fisch in Zaporizhzhia, Inna Varenytsia and David Keyton in Kyiv, Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and AP staff around the world contributed to this report.

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Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
The crowd reacts as Barbara Jordan speaks outside the Pete V. Domenici United States Courthouse in downtown Albuquerque during a Defend Roe Vs. Wade rally organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Hundreds gathered and marched the streets to defend womens abortion rights in protest of a leaked draft majority opinion that suggests the Supreme Court has intention to overturn Roe v. Wade. Were going to stand and were going to fight for each other, were going to fight for all humans who need abortion rights,  said Jordan. Letisha Perry yells in protest across from the Pete V. Domenici United States Courthouse in downtown Albuquerque during a Defend Roe v. Wade rally organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Hundreds gathered and marched the streets to defend abortion rights in protest of a leaked draft majority opinion that suggests the Supreme Court has intention to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Edwina Garcia wears my body, my choice in red paint on her face outside the Pete V. Domenici United States Courthouse in downtown Albuquerque during a Defend Roe Vs. Wade rally organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Hundreds gathered and marched the streets to defend womens abortion rights in protest of a leaked draft majority opinion that suggests the Supreme Court has intention to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Prev 1 of 3 Next

Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Several hundred people crowded outside Downtown Albuquerque courthouses Tuesday evening to rally for abortion rights.

We really need to act and not wait, said Melissa Belfry, one of the demonstrators who gathered outside the state and federal courthouses, and marched in Downtown Albuquerque. This is a good start, trying to get folks to show up. We cant necessarily do anything right now. But, for the midterms, we need to get people fired up now.

A leaked draft opinion that shows the U.S. Supreme Court may be preparing to overturn the landmark case that legalized abortion nationwide sent shockwaves throughout the country, including New Mexico.

Anti-abortion lawmakers and activists praised the opinion. Others who support abortion rights denounced the possible ruling, and said it marked an immediate threat to womens health and personal freedom.

On Monday, Politico reported a draft opinion showing that a majority of justices favor overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court confirmed the drafts authenticity. Abortion remains legal. But, if the decision holds, it will make it easier for states throughout the country to put restrictions or bans on abortions.

Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains said the current makeup of the Supreme Court is hostile to reproductive rights.

The Supreme Court has failed this country. If the decision comes down as drafted, this outcome is as dangerous as it is unprecedented, and will open the floodgates for states across the country to ban abortion, said Adrienne Mansanares, the groups president and CEO. As we navigate the implications of this devastating draft, we want to be clear: Were not going anywhere. Our doors are open, abortion care is legal, and were here for our patients today and every day.

On the other hand, Sid Gutierrez, an Albuquerque native, former astronaut and longtime anti-abortion activist, said he was disappointed with the leaked opinion because he didnt think it went far enough. He was hoping the court would declare that a fetus is a person with legal protections.

I would bluntly call it a cop out, he said.

Americans have mixed feelings about the issue: The Pew Research Center found in 2021 that 59% of Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Majorities of both men, 56%, and women, 62%, favor that the procedure be legal.

Abortion is sort of a litmus test for Republicans and Democrats; 80% of people who are Democrat or lean Democratic say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 35% of Republicans share that view.

Those trends held true among New Mexico political insiders.

If the court can overturn settled law and established precedent like Roe v. Wade, we shouldnt be surprised when they come for the decisions that guaranteed same-sex marriage and access to birth control, Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., said on Twitter. This is the tip of a very ugly iceberg.

Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., said New Mexico will remain a state where women and their families can make their own health care decisions.

This will not change, regardless of what the Supreme Court decides, he said.

Lujan called on the Senate to eliminate the filibuster and pass a law codifying a womans right to an abortion.

The lone Republican in New Mexicos congressional delegation, Rep. Yvette Herrell, said she is praying the court will ultimately issue an opinion that reverses Roe v. Wade.

The possible leak of a Supreme Court decision is an unprecedented attack on the independence of the court, she told supporters on social media. But, if SCOTUS indeed leans toward protecting Life, I hope you will join me in praying that they decide wisely.

Officials with the Archdiocese of Santa Fe couldnt be reached for comment Tuesday. But Archbishop John Wester earlier this year spoke against the Legislatures efforts to roll back abortion restrictions.

The ACLU of New Mexico said in a statement it was outraged by the decision and that the organization would fight for abortion rights.

We anticipated this possibility, and it is a serious and immediate threat to public health and personal freedom, said Ellie Rushforth, reproductive rights counsel for the ACLU of New Mexico. It confirms our deepest fears that the U.S. Supreme Court is ready and willing to attack and undermine our communitys ability to determine the course of our lives.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

The state Supreme Court on Tuesday decided to disbar former state senator and longtime attorney Shannon Robinson for spending settlement money intended for a clients horribly injured daughter on his personal expenses, such as keeping his Albuquerque law practice afloat.

Despite a plea from lawyer Shannon Robinson for mercy, the court adopted the recommendation of a disciplinary board hearing panel to impose what Chief Justice Shannon Bacon described as the ultimate penalty of disbarment.

Robinson, 74, had two prior disciplinary offenses over his 48-year legal career in New Mexico, but those werent mentioned Tuesday during oral arguments prior to the court ruling. He served 20 years in the state Senate representing District 17 in Albuquerque as a Democrat before losing a reelection bid in 2009.

Robinson contended he wasnt dishonest when he spent about $43,000 from a clients legal settlement reached in 2016. The client was caring for her daughter who he said on Tuesday was horribly injured in a motorcycle accident.

He attributed the lapse to poor record keeping and his attorney Charles Vigil told the justices that he tried to repay $35,000 four years later but his client wouldnt take it. The client by that time had hired another attorney to file a malpractice case against Robinson.

Robinson was also faulted by disciplinary board assistant counsel Jane Gagne on Tuesday for waiting until disciplinary charges were filed against him to try to repay a portion of what he owed.

Gagne also told the court he exhibited a lack of cooperation in responding to requests for information about the missing money.

Bacon questioned how Robinson could not have had a dishonest motive.

And she noted the harm of Robinson depriving his client and her family of the funds that havent been available to care for the child.

Wheres that money now, Bacon asked, to which Robinsons attorney Vigil responded, I dont know the answer.

Robinson, in addressing the court, didnt reply to the question. He said he had tremendous regret and tremendous remorse that I used the funds to keep my practice alive.

I ask for your mercy, he added.

He said he represented the family of the accident victim for many, many, many years and I did a lot of things for them besides (representing them) in this accident.

Robinson has explained his lack of communication about his accounting of the settlement money in part to being too sick to get out of bed and having a hard time reading in late 2019 and early 2020, Gagne told the court, adding that Robinson provided no medical evidence of his illness.

Court records state that one of Robinsons prior disciplinary offenses involved a lawsuit he filed that had no basis. In the other, he received a formal reprimand for failing to promptly notify medical providers of settlements in four of his personal injury cases, the court record shows.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

No one can say Karen Lyall and her neighbors dont give a hoot.

On Sunday, they came upon a baby Great Horned Owl that had fallen from a nest in a tall South Valley cottonwood tree near the bosque. They are now trying to reunite the owlet with its nearby parents.

The owlet was about 4 or 5 weeks old and was just lying on the ground, so we called Wildlife Rescue Inc. of New Mexico and they advised us to bring it in because it had been lying on the ground in the sun and was probably dehydrated, Lyall said.

She and her neighbors have been observing the owls in the area for years. Normally, when a baby owl falls from a nest, the owl parents will continue to feed the baby on the ground, she said. The thing is, we couldnt leave the owlet on the ground because it was in a park area where people walk dogs and coyotes have been seen.

After an overnight stay with the wildlife rescue folks, the owlet seemed to be doing just fine, so it was decided the little critter should be reintroduced into the nest. Problem was, the nest was 50 feet up in the cottonwood and Lyall had only a 20-foot ladder. Instead, the neighbors were instructed to create a temporary nest out of a laundry basket, which was then secured to the safest spot to which they had access  inside the crook of a tree adjacent to the cottonwood where the nest was located.

Monday night, the mother and father were both hooting and flying around in the park, but we never saw them going over to the baby to feed it, and thats what were waiting for, Lyall said.

What they didnt initially realize was that they had placed the artificial nest a mere 20-30 feet away from a high pole-mounted light that illuminates the nest after dark. Because Great Horned Owls are nocturnal, she said, it may be inhibiting the parents feeding routines.

Lyall said she and her neighbors have contacted city officials in an attempt to get the light turned off temporarily.

Great Horned Owls, who often mate for life, typically dont build nests, preferring to be squatters in nests already constructed by other bird species.

The nest that the baby fell from, we think is older and has been disintegrating, and likely the reason that, two weeks earlier, another baby owl tumbled from the nest during a wind storm. Unfortunately, that owlet did not survive the fall, she said.

Thats also why the wildlife rescue folks were concerned. They thought if we didnt get that baby back near the mom soon, that the mom might leave, Lyall said. And if that happens, and (it) still could happen, then wildlife rescue will take the baby back, rehabilitate it and maybe release it when its older. Ideally, you want the owlet back with the parents.

Although that reunion hasnt yet taken place, Lyall said, the owlet is fine and the mother is still close by, and thats a good thing  she knows her baby is there.
BOGOTA, Colombia  As women in the United States find themselves on the verge of possibly losing the constitutional right to abortion, courts in many other parts of the world have been moving in the opposite direction.

That includes in a number of traditionally conservative societies  such as recently in Colombia, where the Constitutional Court in February legalized the procedure until the 24th week of pregnancy, part of a broader trend seen in parts of heavily Catholic Latin America.

Its not yet clear what impact there will be outside the United States from the leaked draft opinion suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

But for womens activists who for years have led grinding campaigns demanding open access to abortion, often looking to the United States as a model, its a discouraging sign and a reminder that hard-won gains can be impermanent.

It is an awful precedent for the coming years for the region and the world, said Colombian Catalina Martinez Coral, Latin America and Caribbean director for the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights, which was among the groups that litigated the abortion case in Colombias high court.

The February ruling there established a broad right for women to have abortions within the 24-week period, whereas previously they could do so only in specific cases such as if a fetus presented malformations or a pregnancy resulted from rape. Abortion is still allowed after that period under those special circumstances.

The decision fell short of advocates hopes for a complete decriminalization, but Martinez Coral said it still left Colombia with the most progressive legal framework in Latin America.

Similarly, Mexicos Supreme Court held last year that it was unconstitutional to punish abortion. As the countrys highest court, its ruling bars all jurisdictions from charging a woman with a crime for terminating a pregnancy.

Statutes outlawing abortion are still on the books in most of Mexicos 32 states, however, and nongovernmental organizations that have long pushed for decriminalization are pressing state legislatures to reform them. Abortion was already readily available in Mexico City and some states.

To the south in Argentina, lawmakers in late 2020 passed a bill legalizing abortion until the 14th week and after that for circumstances similar to those described in the Colombia ruling.

Its also widely available in Cuba and Uruguay.

But expansion of abortion access has not extended to all of Latin America, with many countries restricting it to certain circumstances  such as Brazil, the regions most populous nation, where its permissible only in cases of rape, risk to the womans life and certified cases of the birth defect anencephaly. Former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking a new term in October, recently said he sees legalizing abortion as a public health issue, eliciting criticism in a country where few approve of the procedure.

Other places have total bans with no exceptions, such as Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. Courts in the latter have given women long prison sentences for aggravated homicide even in cases where prosecutors suspect a miscarriage was actually an abortion.

Many African nations also maintain complete bans, but in October 2021, Benin legalized abortion in most circumstances up to 12 weeks. That significantly increased safe access to the procedure after the health minister reported that nearly 200 women were dying each year of complications from clandestine abortions. Previously abortion was permitted in cases of rape or incest; risk to the womans life; or severe fetal malformation.

Most European countries have legalized abortion, including predominantly Catholic ones. Ireland did so in 2018, followed by tiny San Marino in a voter referendum last fall. It remains illegal in Andorra, Malta and Vatican City, while Poland last year tightened its abortion laws.

Its also been widely available in Israel since 1978 and relatively uncontroversial, allowed by law before the 24th week with the approval of hospital termination committees that consist of medical professionals including at least one woman.

Laws and interpretations vary across the Muslim world.

Abortion has been legal up to 12 weeks in Tunisia for decades, but in Iran its been forbidden since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Last year the leader of Cairos top institution of Islamic clerics, Al-Azhar, said abortion is not the solution even in cases where a child is likely to be seriously ill or disabled.

In Japan, abortion is allowed only for economic and health reasons, and requires partners consent, making Japan one of a handful of countries in the world to do so. Victims of sexual violence are excluded from the requirement.

While there is a growing call for women to have the right to make their own decision, Japans government, led by the ultra-conservative Liberal Democratic Party, has long focused on traditional gender roles of women to give birth and raise children.

Japan has not approved abortion pills, though an application for one by a British company is pending at the health ministry.

Abortion has been legal in India since 1971. Women can terminate pregnancy up to 20 weeks, but only on a doctors advice. Under changes in 2021, a woman can also seek an abortion up to 24 weeks under certain circumstances such as rape or incest, though it requires approval from two doctors.

China is moving to limit abortions, but thats because it has one of the highest rates of abortions in the world.

Last September, the Chinese cabinet, known as the State Council, published new national guidelines that require hospitals to reduce non-medically necessary abortions. In February, Chinas family planning association announced it would launch a campaign to reduce teenage abortions.

When the U.S. Supreme Courts final decision is handed down, expected in late June or early July, the world will be watching.

While moves to decriminalize and legalize abortion in places like Argentina, Ireland, Mexico and Colombia in the last few years have been a huge win for the global community, Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of the human rights group Amnesty International, said in a statement, there are grim signs that the United States is out of step with the progress that the rest of the world is making in protecting sexual and reproductive rights.

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Sherman reported from Mexico City. Associated Press writers Karl Ritter in Stockholm, Sweden; Almudena Calatrava in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Mauricio Savarese in Rio de Janeiro; Carley Petesch in Dakar, Senegal; Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo; Krutika Pathi in New Delhi; and Huizhong Wu in Taipei, Taiwan contributed to this report.
NEW YORK  The company behind the TurboTax tax-filing program will pay $141 million to customers across the United States who were deceived by misleading promises of free tax-filing services, New Yorks attorney general announced Wednesday.

Under the terms of a settlement signed by the attorneys general of all 50 states, Mountain View, California-based Intuit Inc. will suspend TurboTaxs free, free, free ad campaign and pay restitution to nearly 4.4 million taxpayers, New York Attorney General Letitia James said.

James said her investigation into Intuit was sparked by a 2019 ProPublica report that found the company was using deceptive tactics to steer low-income tax filers away from the federally supported free services for which they qualified  and toward its own commercial products, instead.

For years, Intuit misled the most vulnerable among us to make a profit. Today, every state in the nation is holding Intuit accountable for scamming millions of taxpayers, and were putting millions of dollars back into the pockets of impacted Americans, James said in a statement. This agreement should serve as a reminder to companies large and small that engaging in these deceptive marketing ploys is illegal.

As part of the agreement, Intuit admitted no wrongdoing, agreed to pay $141 million to put this matter behind it, and made certain commitments regarding its advertising practices, representatives for Intuit said in a blog post Wednesday. Intuit already adheres to most of these advertising practices and expects minimal impact to its business from implementing the remaining changes going forward.

Until last year, Intuit offered two free versions of TurboTax. One was through its participation in the Internal Revenue Services Free File Program, geared toward taxpayers earning roughly $34,000 and members of the military. Intuit withdrew from the program in July 2021, saying in a blog post that the company could provide more benefits without the programs limitations.

The company also offers a commercial product called TurboTax Free Edition that is only for taxpayers with simple returns, as defined by Intuit.

According to documents obtained by ProPublica, Intuit executives knew they were deceiving customers by advertising free services that were not in fact free to everyone.

The website lists Free, Free, Free and the customers are assuming their return will be free, an internal company PowerPoint presentation said. Customers are getting upset.

Under the agreement, Intuit will provide restitution to consumers who started using the commercial TurboTax Free Edition for tax years 2016 through 2018 and were told that they had to pay to file even though they were eligible for the version of TurboTax offered as part of the IRS Free File program.

Consumers are expected to receive a direct payment of approximately $30 for each year that they were deceived into paying for filing services, James said. They will automatically receive notices and checks by mail.

We empower our customers to take control of their financial lives, which includes being in charge of their own tax preparation, an Intuit spokesperson told ProPublica in a statement in 2019.

The spokesperson added that a government-run pre-filled tax preparation system that makes the tax collector (who is also the investigator, auditor and enforcer) the tax preparer is fraught with conflicts of interest.
COLUMBUS, Ohio  Democratic U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown beat former state Sen. Nina Turner for the second time since last summer, easily prevailing in an Ohio primary billed nationally as a key showdown between the partys more moderate establishment and its activist progressive wing.

Brown, who had campaigned with South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the most senior Black member of Congress, and as a strong ally to President Joe Bidens domestic agenda, had topped Turner in Julys special election primary  and did so again Tuesday. The president called Brown on Tuesday night to congratulate her on the victory and released a statement on Wednesday calling her win an important step forward.

Primaries in Ohio and the neighboring, Rust Belt state of Indiana helped kick into high gear a midterm season that will see Democrats attempt to defend their razor-thin congressional majorities this November.

A former Democratic Party county chair, Brown has only been in Congress a matter of months but came into the rematch with the power of incumbency. Turner, a leading surrogate for Bernie Sanders 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, was endorsed by the Vermont senator and top progressive groups, which had hoped for a second-try upset.

The Cleveland district where Brown and Turner squared off is heavily African American and solidly Democratic, making Brown heavily favored to retain her seat in Novembers general election. Our Revolution, the activist group that grew out of Sanders first presidential run, says it devoted 150 volunteers toward boosting Turner in the race, while the pro-Israeli Democratic political organization DMFI PAC announced spending more than $1 million for Brown.

During Rep. Browns five short months in Congress, she has proven to be a tenacious advocate for the people of her district and a fierce fighter for the Democratic agenda and our partys values, DMFI PAC President Mark Mellman said in a statement. Ohio Democrats sent a clear message that they want candidates who seek to unite the party.

Turner tweeted a video of her chanting loudly with supporters, We gon be alright. She told them that was her enduring message to the progressive movement.

Elsewhere, Republican Rep. Warren Davidson turned back a primary challenge from Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich, son of the famous doctor known for the anti-choking maneuver. Davidson had been endorsed by former President Donald Trump  whose backing helped author JD Vance win the much-watched GOP primary for Ohios open Senate seat on Tuesday  while Heimlich had criticized the former president.

Trumps support proved valuable in other House primaries in Ohio as well.

Former Trump aide Max Miller locked up the Republican nomination in a new district in the northeastern part of the state despite being accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.

Meanwhile, the Akron-area district where another Trump pick, conservative commentator Madison Gilbert won the Republican nomination, should be one of the likely competitive House seats in Novembers general election. Shell face state Rep. Emilia Sykes, a former Ohio House Democratic leader and a daughter of a powerful political family in the area.

Conservative activist group FreedomWorks for America vowed that Gilbert would get Congress out from under the thumb of radical Leftists.

Gilbert is the real deal, a fact that Ohioans have echoed with their votes tonight, Noah Wall, FreedomWorks for America executive director, said in a statement. We are excited to continue mobilizing our grassroots army on Gilberts behalf as she heads into the general election.

Another tough congressional race could be coming to Cincinnati in November, when Republican Rep. Steve Chabot will face Democratic Cincinnati City Council member Greg Landsman.

Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in the state House, has held her seat since 1983 and was unopposed in her primary Tuesday. Trump devotee J.R. Majewski will face her in November.

Majewski, a political newcomer, parlayed praise he won from Trump on Twitter into a political win over two sitting Republican state lawmakers. Thank you to J.R. Majewski, a great Air Force Veteran and Trump Supporter who did a beautiful job of turning his lawn into a giant Trump Sign, Trump tweeted in July 2020.

Kaptur, a popular Democrat in her hometown of Toledo, faces one of her toughest general election battles this fall due to redistricting. Ohios 9th Congressional District, which hugs the Lake Erie coast around Toledo, is now considered a political toss-up under new Republican-drawn boundaries approved by the Ohio Redistricting Commission.

In Indiana, former state Sen. Erin Houchin topped eight other Republicans, including former U.S. Rep. Mike Sodrel, for the partys nomination in the states only open House seat and will be heavily favored in November. GOP Rep. Trey Hollingsworth isnt seeking reelection in his southern Indiana district as he hints at running for governor in 2024.

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Weissert reported from Washington.

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Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

First-month recreational cannabis sales in New Mexico topped $22 million, according to the states Cannabis Control Division.

Overall, the state realized nearly $40 million in cannabis sales when factoring in medical transactions.

Cannabis was legalized for recreational sale on April 1 and the CCD released first-month data on Tuesday.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams office estimated earlier this year that the state would realize about $300 million in sales through the recreational sale of cannabis in its first year, which means the state would need to average about $25 million each month until April of next year. New Mexico was about $3 million under that in the first month of adult-use sales.

Still, CCD Director Kristen Thomson praised New Mexicos newest industry.

New Mexicans showed up on April 1 ready to support local businesses selling high-quality New Mexico products, Thomson said in a statement, adding that theyre still coming. Thanks to hard work by the dedicated people working in the industry, supply easily met consumer and patient demand.

Albuquerque saw the largest number of adult-use cannabis sales of any city or town in the state, bringing in more than $8 million. On the medical side, the city did about $6.8 million, according to CCD data.

Las Cruces, the second-largest city in New Mexico, did more than $2 million in adult-use sales. Santa Fe came in third, with about $1.8 million in recreational sales.

Some of New Mexicos border towns did well, too. Hobbs did more than $1.3 million in adult-use sales  putting it fourth on the list  and Sunland Park came in fifth with nearly $1.2 million in sales, according to the data. Clovis did $801,826 in sales.

Tax payments from recreational cannabis are due on May 25, according to CCD, and state revenue figures will be released after that day. CCD said it will begin releasing only monthly sales numbers going forward.

Day One of cannabis sales on April 1 remains the largest sales day for the state, with some 29,000 adult-use consumers spending almost $2 million that day.
WASHINGTON  The traditionally insular Supreme Court is about to face the full force of public pressure and abortion politics as justices make a final decision on whether to throw out the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling.

The justices are entering a politically explosive new era, drafting what may well be the most consequential opinion on womens health and privacy in 50 years, while a watchful public primed by the nations culture wars looks over their shoulders and tries furiously to influence the outcome.

Justice Samuel Alito appeared to be bracing for the onslaught, stiffening the spines of his conservative court colleagues in his leaked draft opinion for the courts majority that would overturn the 1973 ruling and its constitutional right to abortion.

We cannot allow our decisions to be affected by any extraneous influences such as concern about the publics reaction to our work, Alito wrote in the February draft document that was circulated to fellow justices as they prepare a final decision, expected by June.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi often says, quoting Abraham Lincoln, public sentiment is everything. But justices, unlike lawmakers, dont have to run for reelection.

At one point this week, more than 1,000 people flooded to the steps of the Supreme Court. In Los Angeles, police put the city on tactical alert after a confrontation between abortion rights supporters and police downtown. Fresh polling showed most Americans support preserving some access to abortion services.

Let us fight with everything weve got, Vice President Kamala Harris said in a speech at the EMILYs List political action committees national conference.

While President Joe Biden and fellow proponents of abortion access are fired up to defend Roe v. Wade, the pushing is far from one-sided. Republicans who have labored toward this moment for decades with efforts to fill the court with conservative justices  gaining three during the four years of the Trump administration  are determined to finally accomplish their goal.

Urging the justices to stick to their process, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell promised that senators would have their backs, no matter what.

In a televised speech from the Capitol just across the street from the court, McConnell, who is a chief architect of a campaign to confirm conservative judges, encouraged the justices to tune out the bad faith noise and feel completely free to do their jobs.

The leaked draft gave Americans a rare, up-close sneak preview of the typically private, hidden deliberations of the high court, and the disclosure is propelling a public outpouring of opinion and protest reflective of the nations long debate over abortion policy  all in the run-up to the falls contested congressional elections.

Its unclear if the justices will be swayed by the intense public scrutiny. But the disclosure has launched the most dramatic pulling back of the curtain on the high courts work in modern memory. Not since the 1970s have the Supreme Courts private deliberations become so public  in fact, the final Roe v. Wade decision leaked hours before it was announced.

Political pressure campaigns are being launched and millions of dollars unleashed on all sides, to save or end abortion access in the U.S., all while the justices privately draft their final opinion.

While the justices themselves have lifetime appointments and are shielded from the need for campaign contributions that can influence views, elected officials and candidates running for the House, Senate and offices throughout the states will be confronted with untold efforts to force them to take sides.

Every single American is going to see where every single senator stands on protecting a womans right to choose, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer promised. Americans will be watching.

To be sure, for Democrats and others trying to preserve abortion access, public opinion is about the only tool on their side, with Congress very unlikely to salvage the Roe v. Wade ruling on its own.

The House, led by Democrats, has already approved legislation that would protect abortion access by putting the Roe ruling into law. But the narrowly split Democratic Senate will not have the votes to follow suit without support from Republicans.

Just two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, publicly support abortion access. And while they have introduced their own bill to keep abortion legal, it is not at all clear they would buck their own party leadership to help pass a Democratic measure.

Other Republicans, following McConnells lead, have been quick to focus on the leaking of the high courts private draft, rather than the prospect that millions of American women could lose access to abortion services if Roe v. Wade is struck down.

Speculation is swirling over the rare leak and whether it was meant to build pressure for the outcome that Alito was proposing or against it.

Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, a former law clerk to Alito, described the security around the courts work, complete with burn bags to collect and double-shred the days discarded documents. He decried the breach even as he welcomed the direction the court was taking under the draft opinion.

While Im convinced this leak may have been an attempt to intimidate the justices in the majority, perhaps an effort to try to get them to change their positions, Im also confident this attempt will not succeed and it must not succeed, Lee said on the Senate floor.

Chief Justice John Roberts has ordered an investigation into the leak, but it is unclear how long that will take and whether it would be resolved before the court issues its rulings at the end of June or early July.

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, who has supported bills to limit abortion and is up for reelection in Wisconsin, said in a statement that neither personal beliefs nor pressure from the radical left to intimidate sitting Supreme Court justices, should be the basis on which this profound moral issue should be decided for all of society.
Las Cruces-based Electronic Caregiver will hire 770 new employees under a major expansion of its remote health-monitoring services, backed by Local Economic Development Act funding.

The state will provide more than $1.2 million in LEDA money, including $1 million from the Economic Development Department and $235,000 from the city of Las Cruces, to help double the firms office space at its downtown headquarters at 506 South Main St.

The firm, which launched in 2009, now occupies three-and-one-half floors at the 10-story office tower. But it plans to build out a new clinical triage center there, expanding its occupancy to seven or eight floors, said Electronic Caregiver Chief Product Officer Mark Francis.

The LEDA funds will help us acquire more space and build out the additional floors to house the new triage team, Francis told the Journal. Weve already started hiring, training and bringing people on board.

About 95% of all new hires will be based in Las Cruces, and a majority will likely come from New Mexico State University, Francis said. The company has a well-established partnership with NMSU to employ university graduates.

We want to hire and retain local talent, Francis said. Were also looking at creating new internship programs to create career pathways for NMSU students.

The planned triage center reflects a substantial broadening of company services for the health care providers that rely on Electronic Caregivers remote-monitoring technology.

The company, which has raised about $85 million from private investors since 2009, has built a broad array of telehealth products to provide 24/7 telemedicine for patients. It offers constant monitoring of vitals  such as oxygen levels, blood pressure, glucose levels and more  with push-button consoles and wearable devices for patients to immediately connect with caregivers for virtual consultation.

During the pandemic, demand for Electronic Caregivers remote-monitoring expanded exponentially. As a result, the health care providers that use its services asked the firm to broaden its capability to provide direct triage consultation with patients, plus ongoing direct support for chronic case management, by building an in-house team of trained medical personnel, Francis said.

Our team will provide the first line of defense to triage patients for the health care providers we work with, he said.

Hundreds of health care organizations now use Electronic Caregivers services across the country, providing remote care to more than 15,000 patients per month. And the company expects to expand into Europe next year, starting with Austria and Germany.

Last year, the firm worked with Amazon to create a cloud-based platform for all its remote monitoring that now serves as the brains of Electronic Caregivers system to manage, analyze and distribute patient data in real-time to health care clinicians.

In the fall, it will roll out new technology to provide direct visual interaction with patients on computers and tablets.

The company projects an $843 million economic impact in New Mexico over the next decade from its service expansion and hiring spree.

Electronic Caregiver is a homegrown New Mexico company that is improving the lives of patients nationwide from its corporate office in Las Cruces, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Tuesday in a statement announcing the LEDA funding.

The companys new hires will earn average annual salaries of $53,000, ranging from $40,560 to $97,760, said Economic Development Secretary Alicia J. Keyes.

This is an innovative company that is transforming home health care, Keyes said in a statement. State assistance means that Electronic Caregiver can remain in New Mexico, keeping skilled professionals living and pursuing careers in our state.
Wanted Man is heading to Las Cruces.

According to the New Mexico Film Office, the feature film, directed by Dolph Lundgren, will begin principal photography in May in and around Las Cruces.

It is exciting to see that Las Cruces and Dona Ana County are no longer the hidden gems of New Mexico, said Jon Sepp, Las Cruces film liaison. Production has ramped up significantly within the last year and we are incredibly thankful to the producers of Wanted Man contributing to this new economic growth for our area.

Wanted Man is the story of an aging detective, Travis Johansen, played by Lundgren, whose violent policing methods have given the department a serious public relations problem.

To save his job, he is sent to Mexico to extradite a female witness, and once there, he finds not only are his old opinions challenged, but that people on both sides of the border are now gunning for him and his witness.

Emmy Award winner Kelsey Grammer is co-starring in the film.

Craig Baumgarten is producing alongside Lundgren.

 Wanted Man is an exciting action-packed thriller, and we are excited to be filming this in and around Las Cruces, utilizing many locations, crew, and performers to tell this story, Baumgarten said.

According to the New Mexico Film Office, the production will employ approximately 60 New Mexico crew members, 40 New Mexico principal actors and approximately 200 New Mexico background talent.
Classic Legends, the company behind Jawa & Yezdi Motorcycles, proudly associated with the first ever Ladakh International Musical Festival (LIMF), an initiative led by the Indian Army in the region to promote Ladakhs local talent, youth and their love for music. The music festival also aimed to pay tribute to the Heroes whove laid down their lives for their motherland. The festival witnessed a line-up of renowned local artists and popular Indian bands and also saw a unique Jawa-Yezdi pop-up display.

But the LIMF only marked the beginning of this association. After the conclusion of the festival, a fleet of 24 Jawa & Yezdi motorcycles helmed by officers from the Indian Army were flagged off from Leh to Rezang La War Memorial, the highest in the world, to offer a tribute to the bravery of 120 soldiers who fought the Chinese Army in 1962. This occasion was also marked by releasing a special anthem song composed by musician Joi Barua.

Seeing Leh as a popular market among motorcyclists and tourists alike, with this association, Classic Legends kicked off the first season for Yezdi motorcycles in the region. To bring the Yezdi experience to a larger audience, the company is actively focused on strengthening their association with the tour and rental operators in the region and has also set up a full-fledged service facility in the city to cater to the local buyers as well as members of its 'Kommuniti' riding to the region. With deliveries for Jawa & Yezdi Motorcycles already started to tour operators and operational service facilities, the company is set to cater to riders this riding season.

Speaking on this association, Ashish Singh Joshi, CEO of Classic Legends, said, When we first rode Jawa motorcycles to Ladakh during our Ibex Trail ride in 2019, we established a great connect with the Indian Army in the region through our Forever Heroes initiative and have followed it up with numerous rides with them over the last few years. The Ladakh International Music Festival is a welcome step towards encouraging the local talent and enriching the music culture in the region".

Ladakh is an important market for us, and weve ensured that through our partnerships within the rental ecosystem and our focus on service support, Jawa & Yezdi motorcycles will emerge as the preferred choice of touring motorcycles in this breath-taking and challenging terrain, he added.

The festival saw performances from leading artists and bands from the country like Indian Ocean, Tetseo Sisters from Nagaland, Yellow Diaries, Parashara, and Joi Barua.
It is almost impossible to think of a happy memory without the recollection of a delectable meal  the unforgettable taste, tantalizing aroma and the people who made that celebration special. A hearty, meaty dish is a lot more than just food, it is an excuse to bring people together- to resolve a lingering argument, to meet up with an old friend, or celebrate a moment of success with loved ones!

Licious, Indias largest D2C brand, is celebrating this indelible relationship between meals & memories with their newly launched brand property- Khaane Ke Bahane. As quality & freshness experts, Licious has been committed to serving meaty experiences and meatier conversations. Through Khaane Ke Bahane the brand intends to lend further eloquence to the concept through thematic storytelling.

Says, Santosh Hegde, VP- Brand, Licious, As far as India is concerned, serving an indulgent meal is a show of affection and holds a place of significance in all our relationships. Our deep expertise & nuanced consumer insight puts us at a vantage point from where we can have a unique view of the role that food plays when it comes to interpersonal relationships. And thats how Khaane Ke Bahane is born! Its an attempt to put to life everyday stories that emanates from the kitchen and occupy a place in our hearts.

Our Mothers Day campaign is the first in this series. The film captures the warmth of a mother-daughter relationship that transcends geographies and timelines. It is creative rendition of a familiar story that is sure to resonate with everyone.

Conceptualized and created by Tilt Brand Solutions, the Mothers Day campaign film hinges on the ease & comfortable vulnerability of the mother-daughter relationship. Created for the digital media, it is 1 min 41 secs of friendly banter between a mother and daughter done in the guise of sharing a signature chicken curry recipe. As the daughter unleashes her culinary creativity with a little guidance from her mother, she also lets the mother in on some of her secrets!

Speaking about the campaign, Ishita Misra, Director - Creative, Tilt Brand Solutions, said, "Dining table conversations are usually where family members catch up with each other. But when you are staying away from your parents, this doesnt happen. Our Associate Creative Jonaki Guha dipped into this insight to explore the nuances of long-distance exchange between mother and daughter, over a "mom-style" recipe. We chose Geetanjali Kulkari and Manasi Rachh to play the characters for the charm and realness they bring to the table."

The campaign goes LIVE on 4th May 2022 and will be amplified through social media and other Licious digital assets.

Since its inception in 2015, Licious has adopted 100% traceable and sustainable sourcing practices, creating quality benchmarks for the industry. The Bangalore-based brand is also the largest D2C brand from India to be certified with FSSC22000, one of the highest food safety certifications in the world. Rooted in a sustainability mission, Licious is also the first company in the segment to take a pledge towards achieving complete ESG compliance. Present across 25 Indian cities, Licious reaches out to a large number of India household delivering over 2 Mn orders every month.
Publicis Groupe has announced the acquisition of Profitero, a leading SaaS global ecommerce intelligence platform helping brands accelerate commerce sales and profitability. Publicis Groupe will combine Profiteros industry leading product data and analytics with the Groupes retail media, data, and commerce solutions to offer unmatched capabilities for brands to maximize their online sales.

Profiteros solutions provide actionable insights and product visibility to more than 4,000 brands and 70 million products on more than 700 retailer websites, in over 50 countries every day.

As the lines between offline and online shopping blur due to digitally-influenced sales, Profiteros e-commerce and omnichannel analytics offering allows brands to anticipate, activate, and automate the next best action to fuel profitable growth for each item of their product catalogue.

By joining forces with Publicis Groupe, Profitero will access the necessary resources and capabilities to expand on its analytics core. As a result, it will become the first global commerce platform to truly empower brands by using predictive intelligence to deliver the best product experience, optimize content, increase results of organic search, compare prices with competitors, monitor product availability and track customer ratings and reviews, among other features.

Profiteros products, technology, and 300 employees will further scale and supercharge Publicis Groupes existing commerce capabilities around the world. Publicis is now uniquely positioned to help its clients exponentially grow their online sales by uniting four strategic pillars:

People: A better understanding of people and how they shop, through Epsilons CORE ID offering  the industrys most accurate, stable and scalable identity solution, hosting more than 300 million consumer profiles worldwide.

Product: The combination of the Groupes predictive Commerce Intelligence platform and Profitero will enable brands to maximise product performance relative to competitors across dozens of metrics, including paid and organic search placement, product content, pricing, stock availability and reviews across 700+ retailers by tracking and analysing over 70 million products.

Placement: The ability to deliver retail media planning to manage ad placement and optimize the consumer journey, via CitrusAd, a leader in retail media, and the scale of Publicis Media.

Platforms: Better experiences across the customer journey and greater agility and faster time to market for clients, through Publicis Sapients leading business transformation expertise, combining consulting, design, and engineering to build platform-based businesses blending marketing, sales, and service.

Profitero will remain a product-focused company within Publicis, led by CEO Bryan Wiener and President Sarah Hofstetter.

Wiener will report into Publicis Groupe Chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun, who said, By adding Profitero to our existing assets, we are now uniquely positioned across the four key pillars our clients need to connect, to capture an unfair share of the exponential growth in online sales. With us, our clients will seamlessly understand people, how they shop better than anyone else, thanks to Epsilon; optimise their online product catalogue thanks to Profitero; maximise their online spend with retailers thanks to CitrusAd and the scale of Publicis Media. And they will be able to deliver unique, creative, customer experiences, through platforms backed by Publicis Sapients engineering expertise. I am delighted to welcome Sarah, Bryan, and their outstanding team of experts to the Publicis family.

Bryan Wiener, CEO, Profitero, said, This is the best of both worlds as we retain our entrepreneurial spirit as a product-led organisation while benefiting from the Publicis Groupes diverse capabilities and scale. This brings immediate value to our clients and employees with increased product and technology investment, infusion of new media and content activation capabilities and tapping into the Groupes global talent to fuel our continued growth.
Rado CEO Adrian Bosshard presented during this first visit to India three new product lines in the Captain Cook family on an exclusive yacht event in the harbour of Mumbai.

The Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Diver, inspired by wilderness, water and adventure embodies the Rado DNA beautifully. The six models are all equipped with the latest technology, 80 hours of power reserve and water resistance to strict ISO 6425 specifications. In this skilfully crafted timepiece with famous Swiss reliability, a Rado R763 movement is set inside a stunning high-tech ceramic monobloc case that is at once scratch-resistant, hypo-allergenic and practically invulnerable, ready to match any challenge, in wilderness or everyday life.

For the first time as a chronograph, the Captain Cook Chronograph will be launched globally in June (embargo until 1st June, 2022) this year. The "Master of Materials" Rado also brings not one but three variants of their new chronograph, in distinct shades and strap/bracelet configurations sure to please even the most demanding enthusiasts.

Time never stands still, for true explorers. The same can be said for the watch designers at Rado, who have taken an iconic model from the Sixties and equipped it with a high-quality Swiss hand-wound mechanical movement. The Captain Cook Over-Pole features characteristic design aspects from the original "Over-Pole Worldtimer" which have been modernized, The watch will catch glances from all modern adventurers and vintage timepiece enthusiasts.

During the presentation, Mr. Bosshard stated India is one of the top three markets for us at Rado and we see immense potential for growth here. We will continue to pursue opportunities here through collaborations and expansion. The new iconic Captain Cook Diver collection reflects Rados passion to create timepieces that are at the forefront of design, technology and style. I am convinced that the Indian customers will love the new Captain Cook collection as much as we do.
The Hindu Group won a silver for the second consecutive year at the 12th edition of The India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA)s Olive Crown Awards 2022. The awards acknowledged the remarkable work of those individuals and corporates who drove the message of sustainability or green advertising. The event was attended by senior marketing, media, and advertising professionals from across the country.

The Hindus communication for World Wildlife Day on March 3, 2021, won in the Press-Corporate category. The ad, conceived by Ogilvy, was part of the exclusive feature series in The Hindu for the World Wildlife Day.

In order to convey the message with great impact, the hard-hitting communication put the spotlight on something thats less talked about- the plight of the indigenous tribes- the ones who truly manage our forests to ensure a resilient and sustainable future. The communication made people think about their actions, nudged them to be better humans and subsequently urged them to do that one thing today to mend the damage that was caused to our forests- the home for indigenous communities.

Accepting the award, Suresh Balakrishna, Chief Revenue Officer of The Hindu Group, said, I am extremely happy to receive the award. The Hindu Group has time and again lent its voice to imperative environmental issues as we believe sustainability is the way forward. IAAs recognition is like a pat on our back and a motivation to continue our good work.

As an organisation, The Hindu Group constantly engages with its audience and goes beyond the call of writing and reporting as a news media house. We have always strived to be a brand that leads the change and sparks difficult conversations.
As Dubai continues to welcome global international visitors, the emirate pegged as the City Of The Future owing to its forward-looking lens and an ecosystem that fuels ongoing innovation, has released its latest campaign, Creating the Future With Shah Rukh Khan. In the last Dubai Presents campaign, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, was seen experiencing the vibrant city and visiting some its most iconic landmarks. This time Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism is back with another awe-inspiring film titled Creating the Future With Shah Rukh Khan where we see the actor once again discovering further parts of the vibrant city, this time at the recently launched Museum Of The Future - a first-of-its-kind sensorial experience that lets visitors see, touch, and engage with the future.

The video featuring King Khan takes viewers through a futuristic journey, as the actor uncovers the mysteries that lie within the unique and bold landmark. He invites viewers to immerse themselves in the grandeur of the Museum Of The Future, testifying that travel is where the future begins. Following a powerful account narrated by the legend himself, Shah Rukh Khan challenges visitors to dare to imagine, as the future holds limitless possibilities waiting to be unearthed.

Dubai never ceases to surprise me, it has always been a city of innovation and a beacon for the possibilities of tomorrow. With the opening of the Museum of the Future, it has cemented itself as a city that reminds us of the limitless opportunities that the future holds which is why I love to visit Dubai, Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan upon his visit to the Museum of Future.
UK-based rocket company Skyrora has called on the Icelandic Government to grant a licence allowing the launch of its Skylark L rocket from its soil.

The launch from Husavik, Iceland would be the largest ever conducted in Europe and was originally scheduled for September 2021. However according to Skyrora the Icelandic government is yet to grant the necessary licence.

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The test launch is the next step towards the companys goal of completing the first full orbital rocket launch from UK soil using its three-stage Skyrora XL rocket in early 2023.

The SkyLark L test flight will use a containerized mobile spaceport Edinburgh, Scotland-based Skyrora has developed that it says enables the team to arrive at the site and launch in just seven days later.

An agreement between the UK and Iceland exists that secures support for UK launch activities from Iceland. The agreement also supports enhanced cooperation between the two countries on research and student mobility, with funding made available for Icelandic students to study a spaceflight-related Masters course at a UK university.

Jack-James Marlow, head of engineering at Skyrora said, The launch would build a strong relationship between Iceland and the UK. The support from the community in Thorshavn and around the Langanes Peninsula has been tremendous, offering cranes, fabrication hardware, and local accommodation.

We have also worked closely with aviation authorities to ensure public safety and put a mission in place to recover vehicles from the ocean, which is important from an environmental sustainability perspective. Now we just require a launch licence from the government to put these plans into action.

Skylark L is 11m tall and carries a payload mass of 50kg. It is the first Skyrora rocket capable of flying beyond 100km from the Earths surface and uses a 30kN bipropellant capable of reaching 3.5 times the speed of sound.

Originally developed to complete final checks on subsystems prior to their use in the companys Skyrora XL rocket, Skylark L is also being used by universities and research facilities to conduct microgravity experiments at a lower cost than an orbital vehicle.

This latest launch, when it happens, will see the Technology Readiness Level of the vehicle reach the final stage required for commercial readiness ahead of the planned launch of Skyrora XL rocket, which will be capable of a 315kg payload mass.

Volodymyr Levykin, Skyroras founder and CEO said With the site completed we are now ready to launch, but we still require a licence from the Icelandic government to realize the significant investment behind this project.

We had hoped that the signing of the Memorandum would accelerate and smooth the approval process for this launch, so its disappointing to have been delayed for nearly a year after so much support from the local community.

Geographically, Iceland is positioned perfectly to open a new Space corridor for Europe and the nation possesses the crucial expertise to make an impact in the smaller launch market.

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At its meeting on Thursday 5 May, the county council's cabinet is expected to agree a recommendation to initiate a formal consultation to increase the number of special school places by 22. This will be created through the building of additional teaching space on the main school site.

Lancashire: Plans to expand Morecambe Road School in Lancaster are set to take a key step next week. Lancashire County Council is proposing to expand this special school with the creation of 34 additional places, 12 of those being in a satellite unit at nearby Lancaster and Morecambe College. 

In its 2022-26 business plan which was approved in March, the council said part of the strain on the budget is an increase in demand for special needs school placements which has grew from 1,075 in 2016 to 2,252 in 2020. In the report it said 80 new SEND places will be created in 2022 which it hopes will reduce the need to rely on private schools.

The Department for Education stepped in after the authority was identified as having a very high deficit in its dedicated schools grant.

Merton: Merton Council has been given a 28.8 million [$36.7M] bailout by the government after it faced a huge gap in its school funding.

The new development would help us build on our strong reputation as a provider of SEND and foundation studies education, while also expanding our teaching space to support the ongoing demographic increase in 16-19 learners.

Brockenhurst: BROCKENHURST residents have been invited to have their say on plans for a new 4.9m [$6.2M] special needs hub at the college.

Rotherham, like lots of other places, the cost of providing [education for youngsters with SEND] has exceeded the amount of money thats been available through that every year, which puts you in a strange kind of limbo position about where that money comes from.

The agreement will see the DfE invest 20.5m [$26M] to address the deficit over the lifespan of the agreement  from 2021/22 to 2025/26. 

Rotherham: The council, along with many other local authorities across the UK, faces a funding deficit due to the growth in demand for special educational needs (SEND) provision exceeding the government funding provided.

Overall, it will see the school's overall capacity increase to a total of 200 places.

Hull: Northcott Special School in Bransholme is to extend its age limit for pupils A 1.5m [$1.9M] package of upgrades at four Hull schools aimed specifically for pupils with special educational needs has been approved by councillors. The largest spend will take place at Northcott Special School in Dulverton Close in Bransholme where 600,000 [$750,000] is being allocated to expand the age range of the school from five to 16 to three to 19.

Here are examples from stories last week in the U.K.:

Its all about the money, at least as far as the U.K. is concerned. Ever increasing numbers of disabled students cost more and more. Local county councils try to keep up, but as were seeing, theres a funding black hole/bottomless pit when it comes to special education.

Anne Dachel continues to catalog the thousands of stories about the explosion in Special Education. They stories may seem repetitive. But think about the children whose lives have been shunted off the main track into the morass of special education. Think about the parents grieving, worrying, angry, fighting for their kids. We need to keep shouting, and Anne sure does at Loss of Brain Trust, her site.

This would increase the overall number of places to 189.

Kent: The director for education at Kent County Council (KCC) has described the county's special educational needs (SEN) system as a bottomless pit".

Data collected by The Bureau for Investigative Journalism has found that KCC's deficit for such provisions has reached 103m [$129M]  in cash terms, the largest in the country - and it will take five years for the authority to break even again.



The investigation has found the main problem is the fact that funding has failed to keep up with demand for EHCPs and SEN school places - currently 260,824 pupils have special educational needs in Kent.

This has created a fast-growing financial black hole at the heart of the system and the shortfall in England hit 1.3bn [$1.6B] in March  an increase of more than 450m [$563M] in the past year alone, but Kent's financial position has been found to be the worst in the country.

Dinnington: The name of new school in Dinnington for children with social, emotional and mental health needs has been announced.

Elements Academy is being built on the former Dinnington College site and is on course to open in September.

It will be the only one of its kind in the borough and will meet the growing need for specialist provision, underlining Rotherham Councils on-going commitment to bolster places for children with special educational needs and meet increasing demand.

Social, emotional and mental health, or SEMH, issues can include a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, attachment issues, a diagnosed mental illness such as depression or anxiety and sometimes includes mental health issues experienced by children and young people with autism spectrum conditions.

Bucks: SEND refers to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, a particular area of concern is the extensive wait times families face in Bucks trying to discover whether their children are autistic. 

Ofsteds findings show that the average waiting time to see a community paediatrician remain at 62 weeks.

The report states, this is not acceptable. Ofsted found this issue predates the pandemic, but has worsened with officials unable to keep up with demand in the county.

Similarly damning, the average wait time for assessments on diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is 559 days. The longest wait recorded was 811 days.

Aside from the local stories of the tidal wave of SPED kids, there were some really concerning national ones.

One report acknowledged that kids are waiting up to five years for an autism assessment in Britain.

YEARS OF WAITING

Eva is not alone in her struggle. Statistics gathered by The Observer under the Freedom of Information Act show 2,835 autistic children are still waiting for their first appointment, an average of 88 weeks after being referred at the Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust. As of January 2022, the longest wait reported was 251 weeks, a nearly five-year wait.

However, children with autism are not the only ones waiting months for their first appointment. More than 1,200 children with referrals for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at the trust have been waiting an average of 46 weeks for their first appointment, with the longest wait spanning 195 weeks.

A spokesperson for Coventry and Warwickshire CCG has acknowledged that the waiting period for autism and ADHD assessments is longer than is acceptable and said: We are investing 5.4 million [$6.8M] in additional diagnostic capacity.

A five-year wait is a problem that needs a solution, not only from NHS trusts but from the UK Government. Due to the increase in neurodivergent individuals and autism diagnoses, advocates are calling for the support of neurodivergent children to be part of the short-term NHS plan with a strategy that prioritizes increasing diagnostic capacity.

Schools Week published a stunning report entitled, The spiralling cost of a broken SEND system.

Seventy-five percent of county councils are in trouble.

Three-quarters of councils now have high needs financial blackholes, with many rejecting large numbers of requests for special needs support

A financial black hole at the heart of the SEND system has ballooned to 1.3 billion [$1.6B] this year, an increase of more than 450 million [$562M] in just 12 months as the places crisis bites.

The spiralling local authority deficits reveal the costly toll of a broken system.

The dual pressures of rising demand and increasing complexity of need have left councils without enough state-funded provision to cope and hugely reliant on costly independent schools.

For instance, spending on private school places by cash-strapped councils handed government bailouts to keep afloat has risen by two thirds. The recent SEND review attempts to solve the cost problem at the start  by keeping more children in mainstream schooling to dampen rising demand.



But a spokesperson for the Local Government Association said: Meeting the year-on-year increase in demand for SEND support is one of the biggest challenges that councils are dealing with.

Councils lack the levers to bring this spending under control, and this is a key issue that needs to be addressed.

Deals totalling 400 million [$500M] with 14 councils have been reached so far, with more in the pipeline.

Another Schools Week story had this title: No place to go: Special schools capacity crisis revealed.

Leaders convert staffrooms and therapy spaces amid surge in pupils with special needs Special school leaders are being forced to cram vulnerable pupils into converted therapy spaces and staffrooms as surging demand and scarce places elsewhere pushes them over capacity.

New figures shed light for the first time on the places crisis in state-funded special schools  some of which are breaching building safety guidelines because pupils have nowhere else to go.

As well as pushing special schools over capacity, councils are forced to place more youngsters in costly independent schools  pushing their high-needs funding black hole to 1.3 [$1.6M] billion. 

The failure to keep up with rising needs also comes despite more than 380 million [$475M] being spent on expansions, new buildings or new schools in the 51 councils that responded to our request. ...

Schools are being forced into an impossible position  and no one has a grip on it Nationwide, the number of pupils with EHCPs has risen from 237,000 in 2015-16 (2.8 per cent of all pupils) to 326,000 last year (3.7 per cent).

The number of children with autism listed as their primary need as soared from 66,723 in 2017 to 92,567. Children with severe learning difficulties has risen from 29,532 to 31,300. ...

Finally, from the U.S., was the strange publication from Vanderbilt University by Zachary E. Warren, PhD, Associate professor of Education.

Warrens photo showing a relaxed, smiling academic belied his message on the video. He noted the continuing increase in autism without citing any reasonable explanation. Warren merely called for more inclusion and services.



You know, most of us dont have to look too far to find a connection to autism in our lives, right? Whether that be our own family or our neighbors or our schools, our classrooms, our communities, right? I think having this data about how common autism is allows us to think about, well, how can we actually integrate individuals and include meaningfully autism into universities, medical centers, employment situations, our families, our broader communities. That number derives from the fact that we have to do that, right?

And well have to keep on doing that with greater and greater numbers because autism is never going to level out, right?



Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism.
HYDERABAD: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy said Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi as villain only to gain political mileage in the Assembly elections. Earlier, he had reaped political benefits by terming Andhra people as villains and now he is using the same formula to bring the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) into power once again, he said.

"But, there is a twist in this game as Chandrashekar Rao is playing a dummy game with the BJP. He is most loyal to Narendra Modi," Revanth Reddy said. Ahead of Congress Rythu Sangharshana Sabha in Warangal on Friday, Revanth Reddy interacted with national media here late on Tuesday night. He said Chandrashekar Rao was trying to strengthen the BJP at national level and destabilise the Congress and its allies.

If Chandrashekar Rao is sincere about the fight against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, why doesnt he join hands with the RJD in Bihar, AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and Kejriwal in Delhi? Revanth Reddy asked.

The DMK and the Maha Vikas Aghadi governments in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra respectively realised that Chandrashekar Rao was an agent of Narendra Modi and that was why they were not entertaining him, he said. Chandrashekar Raos sole aim was to destroy the Congress at national and state level, he said.

The TPCC chief said the Congress would not at any cost make an alliance with the TRS in the coming elections. Our leader Rahul Gandhi made it clear in New Delhi, he said.

Replying to a question, he said that either Y.S. Sharmila of YSRTP or Dr R.S. Praveen Kumar of the BSP or any political outfit would not affect the prospects of the Congress. We felt that all these splinter groups were creating an anti-government movement, he said. BJP had no ground in Telangana and it was creating just hype, he opined. You can see the BJP active in media and social media, but not in electoral politics of Telangana state, Revanth Reddy said.

Reacting on dissidence of a few senior leaders, Revanth Reddy said difference of opinion was common in the Congress. We respect all senior leaders and their services are utilised as and when required by the high command, he said. To fight aggressively against the TRS government, the party high command was taking decisions judiciously, he explained.

Revanth Reddy said all sections of people in Telangana were vexed with the misrule of the TRS government. They are ready to give a fitting lesson to the TRS and are trying to identify the right fighter for the task, he said. There will be a face-to-face fight between the TRS and the Congress in the next Assembly elections and the Congress would form the government, he said.

Revanth Reddy said Chandrashekar Rao believed that he was the saviour of a particular community to revive their previous glory. But it will not work out as social fabrication of Telangana state is changing fast, he said. He also said former AICC president Rahul Gandhi would declare the partys agriculture policy in the Warangal meeting.
China's youth prepare for future with confidence

Xinhua) 13:17, May 04, 2022

BEIJING, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Living in the best period in Chinese history, the young generation in China enjoys an enabling environment for development. They are confident, aspirant and responsible.

Over the past decades, China has risen to become the world's second-largest economy, largest trading nation and largest industrial nation.

This is a new historical starting point, as China has embarked on a new journey in building a modern socialist country and realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. This is also an era of prosperity and hope. Opportunities abound for young people to realize their ambitions, display their talent, and fulfill their potential.

Quality education is more accessible than ever. The gross enrollment rate in higher education reached 57.8 percent in 2021, with 44.3 million students on campus, ranking first in the world. More than 820,000 students from rural and poor areas entered key universities through special enrollment plans between 2012 and 2021, among the country's efforts to stem the inter-generation transmission of poverty.

Career options are diverse. The tertiary industry has become an important gathering place for the young workforce. New industries and forms of business spawn more opportunities and choices, such as e-sports players, livestreaming hosts, and web writers.

Having been brought up in a stronger China, the young generation takes great pride in their nation, has stronger cultural confidence, and identifies more and more with the splendors of Chinese civilization.

Young people participate in social activities with more confidence, and they are active in politics. By June 2021, the Communist Party of China (CPC) had nearly 24 million members under the age of 35, accounting for 25 percent of its total membership. More than 80 percent of the CPC members admitted each year since the Party's 18th National Congress in 2012 were under 35.

Despite great historical changes, China's youth have never wavered in their determination to love the Party, the country and the people. They support the leadership of the Party and align their personal ambitions with the goals of the Party and the state.

Despite being born into a well-off society, they show no fear of difficulties or hardships. During the COVID-19 epidemic, more than 5.5 million of them in 320,000 task groups have worked on the front lines, providing medical care, transporting supplies, and building facilities. Of the 28,600 nurses from the medical teams sent to Hubei Province in early 2020, 90 percent were born between 1980 and 1999.

Young people also help in poverty alleviation and rural revitalization. By 2021, 470,000 college graduates had worked in rural areas in posts related to teaching, agriculture, medical service and poverty alleviation. More than 1,800 people have died in the battle against poverty, many of them young.

Well educated and highly skilled, China's youth today also possess rich imaginations and creativity, open-mindedness, and a pioneering spirit. The average age of the core members of the research groups for the Beidou Navigation Satellite System is 36; the corresponding figures are 35 for the quantum science satellite Mozi and 30 for the five-hundred-meter aperture spherical telescope Tianyan.

Not only do China's young people care about their motherland, they also share a concern for the whole of humanity.

Under the framework of the Chinese Youth Global Partnership, China has established exchange and cooperation relationships with more than 100 international organizations, government youth agencies, political parties, and non-governmental youth organizations.

Chinese youth display greater openness and confidence on a variety of global occasions, and readily learn from other countries and civilizations to build a global community with a shared future.

While humanity has found itself at a crossroads, China's youth are calling on young people around the world to contribute wisdom and strength to the pursuit of world peace and development.

The young generation is the most sensitive barometer of the era, and the responsibility of the era is handed to the youth. The Chinese youth will always be the vanguard force in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and a contributor to world peace and prosperity.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji)
Politics apart, this new trend shows that state governments are now willing to overlook partisan politics and seek expertise from wherever it is available. (Representational Image/ Pixabay)

Kerala chief secretary V.P. Joys recent visit to Gandhinagar to study the dashboard system for e-governance in Gujarat is full of portent for good governance if picked up by other states.

The dashboard monitoring system was started in 2019 when Vijay Rupani was the chief minister. Apparently, Mr Joy was impressed with it and said it was good for monitoring the delivery of services and collecting citizens feedback. It is evident that Mr Joys visit had the support of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of Kerala, even though Opposition parties in the state read politics in the visit. But clearly, the Pinarayi Vijayan government believes that adopting e-technology for good governance transcends partisan politics.

Sources have informed DKB that the decision to study the Gujarat model was taken after a recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr Vijayan in the capital. After returning to Kerala, the chief minister directed Mr Joy to study the system.

Interestingly, a similar experiment by Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann when he sent a team of state IAS officers to the Delhi government for training has been criticised by Opposition parties and some sections of the public for being against the interests of the state. Mr Mann was accused of being remote-controlled by the AAP government led by Arvind Kejriwal. Yet, politics apart, this new trend shows that state governments are now willing to overlook partisan politics and seek expertise from wherever it is available.

Shah Faesal blames it on idealism

After resigning from the civil service in 2019, Kashmiri IAS officer Shah Faesal is back in babudom and now blames his misplaced idealism for his action. Sources have informed DKB that the Centre has accepted Mr Faesals application for withdrawing his resignation and reinstated him in service early last month.

Mr Faesal was the first Kashmiri to top the civil services exam and served in the state in various capacities including in the education and power development departments. He had resigned in protest after the Centre repealed J&Ks special status.

After a failed attempt at forming a political party, the Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Movement, Mr Faesal had tried to go to the United States but was detained at Delhi airport and sent back to Srinagar and placed under detention, which was revoked four months later. For some time, he had been dropping hints of his return to bureaucracy. The home ministry and the department of personnel and training (DopT) accepted his plea and reinstated him. His new posting will be announced soon.

Interestingly, another IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan, from Kerala, too, had resigned from service to protest against the abrogation of Article 370. He has become an activist.

Not quite an interim woman

The uncertainty has finally ended. Following the superannuation of J.B. Mohapatra, the Centre has appointed Sangeeta Singh as interim chairperson of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) for three months or until the appointment of a regular chairperson. It is widely accepted that she will be regularised after some time. There had been intense speculation in Delhis babu corridors on whether the government would retain Mr Mohapatra or let him retire. In the end, it let him go.

Sangeeta Singh was one of the two women members of CBDT eligible for Mr Mohapatras job, the other being Pragya Sahay Saksena, member, legislation and systems. Before her elevation, Ms Singh was member, audit and judicial.

Even in the run-up to the appointment, many believed that Ms Singh had a slight edge over her rival for having held two additional charges. Moreover, she is in the good books of the powers that be. The new chairperson has also edged out two other senior CBDT members Anuja Sarangi and Nitin Gupta, on the way to the coveted post.
It has taken just a year and a half for Joe Biden to mature into a caricature attached to a teleprompter. It is a sad state of affairs that our allies and enemies have learned not to take Biden at his word, instead withholding judgment until White House adjutants have issued clarifications, walk-backs, or reversals. Whether off on road trips or at 1600 Pennsylvania, cleaning up the fumbles and missteps is the price tag attached to a high maintenance head-of-state in constant need of memory care and a full-body harness.

Off the leash and detached from script, Joe Biden is much like that itinerant toddler at a church service, prone to temper tantrums and unintelligible outbursts. Whether acting out his olfactory indecorums with females of all ages, fumbling the names and titles of dignitaries and confidantes, including his own wife, wandering away from the rostrum in search of a handshake or a graceful exit, promoting dangerous outcomes by undervaluing the competencies and ill intent of our adversaries, or just saying the quiet part out loud, the leader of the Free World has become a punchline on the world stage and a byline in his own administration.

The liberal media have always highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of presidents contingent upon their party affiliation. The media was quick to pillory Gerald Ford for being clumsy and oafish, labored unsuccessfully to pin Iran Contra on Ronald Reagan while detesting his anticommunism, and downright hated all things Trump, right down to the ruddiness of his complexion.

Making constant amends for Bidens mental lapses and unforced errors has exposed a shadow regime within the administration. Their redresses mock the body politic by acknowledging that the only person not formulating policy is the one constitutionally empowered to do so.

After pulling the rug out from under the electorate in 2020, Democrat kingmakers knew they were getting an old and broken toy when they put Joe Biden behind the Resolute Desk. He was a kompromat and cats paw for the Russia-China-Iran axis, a hidden partner in the crooked business deals of his drug-addled son, and the patriarch of a family consumed by greed on a global scale. In the search for a Trojan Horse to force-feed a progressive agenda to a right-leaning, free market-loving constituency, Joe had all the right stuff. Although hamstrung by latter-stage cognitive issues aggravated by age and past infirmities, he still displayed a willingness to tack hard left in pursuit of power and was comfortable speaking fabrication to truth. The perfect beard, he persists in political fantasy even in the presence of facts.

Biden reveals the vassal in unscripted moments like, Im not supposed to be answering all these questions, or, theyve given me a list of people to call on, or, theyre not going to let me read a childrens book. These statements smack of submission to obscure and unelected authorities with the power to craft both script and policy. Two-thirds of Americans are shaken by both belief and observation that the messenger has no meaningful role in writing the message or running the country.

Staffers brazenly exhibit unprecedented and extraordinary authority to pull the plug on the mic during Biden pressers. The First Lady also plays a role, whispering corrections during memory goofs, tugging on his shirtsleeve to pull him out of harms way, or, or disparaging him on the world stage (see here and here). Recently, Biden was reminded of his de minimis position in the administration and publicly humiliated during the recent visit of Barack Obama.

Pushing Biden out front as a patsy, a cabal of Obama retreads, Sanders acolytes, and even Peter Cottontail, are framing the public narrative while advancing an Orwellian agenda using cabinet-level authorities to rule by fiat and avoid congressional backstops. Through the politique du jour of the CDC, we now know that we were suffered for fools during COVID, the American Lefts Stalinistic experiment in rigid authoritarianism.

Those pulling the levers of power are warping American domestic and foreign policy through the spectrum of green activism and leveraging the regulatory powers of the alphabet agencies to gin up fears of a climate apocalypse that will generate environmental justice subsidies to Democrat constituencies while driving the middle class into servitude. Saving the planet drains the coffers of American prosperity while ignoring the fact that all the wind farms, solar panels, reduced greenhouse emissions, and international accords over the next thirty years wont lower the global temperature by more than seventeen-hundredths of one degree.

With the midterms looming, the White House is running hard and fast against the will of the American people. Recent court appeals to reinstate the mask mandate on airlines have little to do with the effectiveness of such coverings, and everything to do with preserving the regulatory powers of the CDC to impose health policy sanctions, a tool of great utility in abusing and upending the electoral process. Much of the same can be said about the DoT and its odious intentions of inculcating the goals of Build Back Better into the supply chain crisis, the EPA on suppressing gas and oil exploration, and the role of the DoJ in continuing to persecute the January 6th demonstrators while many cities descend into crime chaos.

Making the circumstantial case that Joe Biden is asleep at the switch is an uphill battle given a lack of journalistic curiosity and integrity, the censorship of conservative pundits, opinions, and evidence, and woke pressures against political heresy that destroy reputations, careers, and lifestyles. Still, prima facie evidence is overwhelming that the inmates are running the asylum. The Republicans see no reason to interfere, believing that sitting on their hands and not being Democrats will bring home the midterm prize.

History will lament a time when American domestic and foreign policy was lacking a rudder, putting the whole of the Free World at risk and affording international warlords the opportunity to expand their territorial ambitions and global market influence. It is no longer far-fetched to believe that a compromised presidential election put an unwitting catalyst for progressivism in the Oval Office, perhaps wagging the dog to divert from the backroom schemes still steered by a former president who first planted the goal of fundamentally transforming the country.

Image: Picryl
The early twentieth-century act known as passing referred to light-skinned black Americans pretending to be white in order to avoid discrimination and gain access to the privilege of whiteness. Its an archaic term that is no longer in use, but that doesnt mean that it no longer occurs. It just doesnt occur in the manner that it did when the term was in common use.

Passing has a unique historical significance in this country that I first came to know while in college and studying Nella Larsens simply titled novel, Passing (1929). Larsen was a black author in the Harlem Renaissance that took place from the 1910s to the mid-1930s. Other well-known authors, such as W.E.B Dubois and Langston Hughes, were also key players in this artistic movement that tended to focus on pride for black Americans ample contributions to society, especially in cultural areas of life.

The idea of passing was generally viewed as a problem for this group of artists who expressed immense pride in black culture because passers were seen as Judases who publicly renounced their own race in order to uniquely take advantage of a system of racial prejudice against blacks.

Worthy of note is that passing in America was a one-way phenomenon, in which a member of a societally oppressed group posed as a member of another group that is less societally oppressed. Black Americans would often try to pass as white in order to gain privileges in a society that discriminated against blacks due to skin color. White Americans of darker skin tone did not typically seek to pass as black in order to suffer discrimination.

We dont typically call pretending to be of another race in order to gain societal privileges passing anymore, but it certainly happens, and its similarly a one-way street. Whats different is the system of societal discrimination that is being navigated by the passers.

Take Satchuel Cole, an Indianapolis racial justice hustler, who was exposed in the late summer of 2020 for having posed as a black woman. Friends, I need to take accountability for my actions and the harm that I have done, she writes. I have taken up space as a Black woman while knowing I am white.

Shes not alone. Another left-wing race hustler on Twitter, Shaun King, a.k.a. Talcum X, has for years pretended to be a black man, and still maintains that he is black, despite the New York Times reporting in 2015 that both of the parents listed on his birth certificate are white.

Its not limited to only the race hustling crowd, though. Academics seem to find a lot of value in passing, but similarly, its never to pass as white. University of Wisconsin grad student CV Vitolo-Haddad resigned from her teaching position, finally admitting that she is of Italian descent after years of claiming to be black. George Washington University history professor Jessica Krug is a white Jewish woman who presented herself as black for years, only to later apologize and admit the lie.

But who could mention this modern phenomenon without mentioning Rachel Dolezal? In 2015, after serving as the president of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP, she finally publicly admitted that shes white. I acknowledge that I was biologically born to white parents, but I identify as black, she said.

Note that language -- I identify as black. Ms. Dolezal serves as a great segue to the next point, which is that not only does passing still exist in the twenty-first century, its evolved beyond race, and the logic behind it has become muddled.

Dolezal is not, in reality, black. We all know that. She made a conscious choice to pretend to be a black person, and she didnt do it because she thought she would suffer societal discrimination for having done so. She did it for the societal advantages that being black in America would afford her.

But her choice of words is worth considering. If she identifies as black, is she actually black? Because Im constantly reminded by those who presume to speak for the cultural status quo that a man who chooses to identify as a woman is actually a woman.

And isnt being a woman also tantamount to being a victim in our systemically racist, patriarchal society? And if that is so, then why is Will Thomas pretending to be Lia Thomas? So that he can abandon the privilege that he enjoys as a white man in order to willingly accept persecution as a female?

For that matter, if transgender Americans are so horribly discriminated against in society, why are so many publicly signing up to be persecuted by our society in that way?

None of this, of course, is difficult to understand. Human beings act according to incentives. And if being black in twenty-first-century America actually made one the victim of societal discrimination, wouldnt passing in the twenty-first century still look a lot like passing in the early twentieth when that was certainly the case? Why are there so many white people pretending to be black and so few black people pretending to be white if there were truly societal incentives offered by white privilege?

You know the answer to those questions. Being societally perceived as a victim of societal discrimination affords societal privilege in todays world. And the only person left whos not a victim of societal discrimination of any kind is the heterosexual white man.

Yet no one is attempting to pass as an ordinary heterosexual white man these days, youll notice. And thats all you need to know to recognize that the victimhood narratives are nothing but lies.
As we all found out Monday night, Politico published the leaked opinion of Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito in Dobbs v Jackson Womens Health, which suggested that the Supreme Court will soon release a ruling overturning Roe v Wade, and give the power to legislate abortion back to the states. Senator Josh Hawley stated out loud what everybody living between Venus and Mars understands perfectly well, that this leak was clearly meant to intimidate the members of the court from overturning Roe.

The result was predictable, almost boringly so. Pelosi and Schumer released a statement bleating that the Republican Party has devolved into the party of Trumpas if there wasnt a massive pro-life movement before Trump, and as if Trump werent vocally pro-choice for most of his life. To prove Hawleys point, the threats of violence were soon to follow. Vox activist Ian Millhiser wrote, Lets burn this place down (and by lets, he means somebody other than he should incriminate themselves). Crowds gathered outside the Supreme Court to denounce fascist scum, a term they couldnt even begin to define and which better reflects their own ideology rather than that of their perceived enemies.

Who leaked the document? It could have been a narcissistic clerk who felt his personal feelings supersede representative government. It could have been a wise Latina. Regardless, those on the right who snort that whoever did this has just flushed their legal career down the toilet havent considered the Vindmanesque treatment already being gushed upon this "brave leaker. The loss of a legal career in the anonymous bowels of the Washington swamp machinery pales in comparison to the forthcoming heros welcome theyll receive on the shoulders of the Left in the form of interviews, speaking engagements, book deals, movie rights, and MSNBC gigs.

The ever-luminous Chris Hayes at MSNBC wonders if the leaker might not be a conservative. He laments he has no evidence to support this but, hey, dont let that stop a good conspiracy theory. Any other co-conspirators we can indict? Trump, perhaps? Halliburton? The Jews? Who knows if the leak itself is even accurate, and isnt just Russian disinformation?

But getting back to the adult table, Roberts has three options he should immediately pursue:

The first option is to release a statement condemning the leak, affirming the solidarity of the court as an impartial institution, and order an investigation into the leak. As I write this, I see that he has just released a statement ordering exactly that. Well see how the investigation goes. If they hand it to John Durham, maybe well get an answer sometime before the leakers great-grandkids grow old. The second option is to issue the decision not in ninety days as originally planned, but right now. This will give the Left no time in which to organize the riots, the arson, and a second attempt to stage at the Supreme Court another -- whats the word? -- insurrection. The notion of giving the Left an entire three months for which to plan such mayhem is so naive, so suicidal, and so obviously a bad idea, that the responsibility for its inevitable consequences will be at least partially borne by Roberts for deferring the announcement. The third, and most important, option is for not only the original five opponents of Roe (Alito, Thomas, Barrett, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh) to stand firm, but for Roberts to join them in the majority opinion. Unfortunately for him, he is in a position where his vote will be interpreted not as a legal analysis on the constitutionality of Roe, but as a reaction to mob coercion.

If Roberts votes to protect Roe (or if any of the conservative justices change their vote), it will rightly be seen as an attempt to stave off violence and insurrection. And once they do this, the Supreme Court is dead as a civic institution. The leaker, whoever he or she or zhe may be, will have overridden our entire legal and electoral process by harnessing the power of the unaccountable mob, for whom such quaint notions of legal process are already meaningless.

The purpose of the Court is to interpret the constitutionality of laws, not to engineer the behavior of the citizenry in reaction to their rulings. The Left already disdains the Court for not rubber-stamping their pet issues, so there is no sense in the justices placating them by changing their votes. The only signal this will convey is that mob violence, or just the mere threat of mob violence, will be enough to get the Court to fall in line with the Leftist agenda.

Independents, moderates, and conservatives (and, to be fair, old-school liberals) respect the Court insofar as it continues to act as an impartial umpire, despite how they personally feel about individual rulings. One notices that rulings deeply unpopular with the right, such as Obergefell v Hodges, NFIB v Sebelius, or even Roe v Wade, were not met with demands to pack the court and end the filibuster, much less for street violence.

Roberts has defended the inviolability of the Court before. In response to Senator Chuck Schumers unveiled threats against Justices Kavanaugh and Gorsuch, Roberts affirmed, All members of the Court will continue to do their job, without fear or favor, from whatever quarter. A vote by Roberts to help overturn Roe would prove that he meant what he said.

Like many conservatives, I am highly skeptical of Roberts mustering the courage to do so. In 2012, he invented an Obamacare tax out of thin air in order to justify his vote upholding the ACA. In response, he was fawned and swooned over by the media, who took their cue and rolled out for him the red carpet to the cocktail parties. Theyve spent the proceeding interval carefully cultivating his image as the mainstream justice ready to put a sensible brake on the KKK wing of the Court. When the Court issues decisions the Left doesnt like, it bemoans that Roberts has lost control of the institution. For the most part, Roberts has behaved obediently to such prompts, and the martinis keep flowing.

But a decade later, after the Kavanaugh show trial, after the inane calls for Thomass recusal, after Breyers forced retirement, and after incidents such as the physical intimidation of Judge Regina Chu by activist thugs, even Roberts cannot be so obtuse as to not understand that mob violence is now the legislative mechanism of the Left. If the preservation of the Courts integrity is his prerogative, then his vote should be an easy choice. If he votes to overturn Roe, the shrieking maniacs will behave like shrieking maniacs are expected to behave, but the overlying message will be clear: the Roberts Court will not be intimidated in its decision-making, and to prove it, Im voting to overturn Roe in solidarity with my fellow justices. But if he votes to uphold Roe, he will have thrown red meat to the baying horde, he will have thrown his justices under the bus, and he should prepare himself and his sacrosanct impartiality for this type of behavior whenever a controversial decision is in the works.

Now more than ever, the Courts serious justices need to hold the line.

Image: Kjetil Ree
Donald Trumps widespread support among evangelicals has been both a subject of interest and consternation among ardent anti-Trumpers. Is evangelical support for Trump a contradiction? asked a July 2020 Vox headline. New York magazine was more blunt: White Evangelicals Made a Deal with the Devil. Now What? Another from NBC: White evangelicals love Trump and aren't confused about why. No one should be (spoiler alert: the author concludes that its because of racism). Granted, these are valid questions: Trump was married three times, allegedly engaged in extramarital affairs, uses vulgar and profane language, and has been accused of shady business dealings. Indeed, criticisms directed towards Trumps character have not come solely from the Left, as many conservatives have been equally harsh. Current Daily Wire host Matt Walsh wrote a scathing rebuke of Trump in January 2016, titled Dear Christians, if You Vote For a Godless Man, You Are Asking for Tyranny. Conservative NeverTrumper David French in The Dangerous Idolatry of Christian Trumpism, argued that the hardcore Trump evangelical base threatens our constitutional rule of law. Similar concerns about Trumps character have been shared by many other self-described conservative Christians.

Despite Trumps moral deficiencies, one would be hard-pressed to find a stronger defender of Christianity and religious freedom. Thanks to Trumps hard-fought efforts, three new conservative justices were appointed to the Supreme Court (with 234 federal judges confirmed in total), spurring renewed hope that Roe v. Wade may finally be overturned. After the initial COVID-19 restrictions, Trump was an early advocate of pressuring states to allow places of worship to reopen despite facing significant political headwinds. While the rest of the world held a climate summit, Trump hosted a session combating religious persecution around the world. He fought to protect prayer in public schools and supported taxpayer funding for religious schools. His administration took executive action to reduce the powers of abortion provider Planned Parenthood. He was the first sitting president to attend a March for Life rally. Trumps 1776 commission, meant to combat the New York Times 1619 project, emphasized the prominent role Judeo-Christian values play in our national fabric. These should be, on the surface, no-brainer issues for uniting the religious right, even if Christian conservatives have reservations about Trump personally. Yet activists on the religious right during the Bush-era have been nonentities in todays culture war, or have even taken the side of the Left.

It was less than 20 years ago that former President Bush rode a wave of Evangelical support to win re-election in 2004. Recall that as part of that campaign Bush advocated for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Anti-abortion policies were central to his campaign platform, as evidenced by his signing of a 2003 act banning partial-birth abortion. Bushs faith was famously front and center in his presidency. And yes, Bush is still beloved by ardent NeverTrumpers like David French, Bill Kristol, Jennifer Rubin, and the Lincoln Project. It was only a decade ago that Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) was the GOP standard-bearer for President. Romney is famously a devout Mormon, using his faith as justification when he bucked his own party to vote for the impeachment of President Trump. Romneys campaign was also rabidly pro-life (at least when it was politically convenient for him). He campaigned against same-sex marriage. He, too, is loved by the Lincoln Project. Despite their religious fervor, neither Bush nor Romney has been outspoken on the moral issues of today.

Granted, NeverTrumpers may have been silent due to Trumps stranglehold over the GOP. However, Trump is no longer in office. While he certainly has a great deal of influence in conservative circles, he hasnt been the focal point of culture war issues since leaving office. That burden has fallen on his disciples, such as Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX), Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL), Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA), and others. These politicians dont have the moral baggage or bombast of Trump but still face similar scorn from NeverTrumpers. Yet the moral issues of today are no murkier than they were 20 years ago: the current conservative battle seeks to prevent young schoolchildren from being indoctrinated in radical sexual and racial theories. If these same issues were prominent back in 2004, wouldnt you expect President Bush to capitalize on parental outrage over gender identity and sexual orientation being taught to 5th graders? Wouldnt Mitt Romney have pledged to eliminate Critical Race Theory (CRT) being taught in grade school if that issue had been brought to light in 2012? Fighting back against the indoctrination of our children in radical sexual and racial theory would seem to be a crucial issue for populist and establishment Republicans alike.

While Bush and Trump have been silent in the culture wars, anti-Trump conservative media figures have not. David French joined three other authors of different political stripes in an op-ed criticizing CRT bans in educational institutions in July 2021 and followed that up with an essay in the Atlantic complaining that the right has lost the plot on free speech because conservatives banned teaching eight-year-olds about transgenderism. Jennifer Rubin brushed off parental concerns over CRT as Republicans [being] afraid of history, and argued that by banning pornographic materials in school libraries, conservatives somehow are turning against our constitutional structure and American values. In the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial race, widely viewed as a referendum on radical curricula in education, Bill Kristol endorsed Democrat Terry McAuliffe, while the Lincoln project planted fake white supremacists at a Glenn Youngkin rally in a failed effort to sink his campaign, and more recently created content opposing the Florida Parental Rights in Education bill.

Polling data indicates that preventing CRT and radical gender theory from being taught in the classroom is a political winner. The upset electoral victory of Glenn Youngkin in Virginia and the surging popularity of political figures like Ron Desantis are also strong evidence that this is a wise political strategy with broad appeal across the entire conservative spectrum. And for Bush supporters who now argue that GOP-led bills in education are authoritarian, how can they defend Bushs advocacy of banning same-sex marriage, or his passage of the Patriot Act, enabling warrantless government surveillance of U.S. citizens? The NeverTrump movement was based on the assumption that Trump was uniquely unfit for office due to his personal and moral failures. Therefore, the unwillingness of NeverTrump conservatives to embrace post-Trump GOP figures or policies that fall within the conservative mainstream speaks volumes: the anti-Trump movement was never really about Trump, his personality, or his morals. Rather, it was a rejection of Trumpism, which brought the culture war to the forefront of conservative politics at the expense of issues typically valued by the GOP elite: low taxes, cheap labor, and the importation of inexpensive overseas goods. While Trumps brashness certainly helped expose the divide between conservative voters versus the Republican establishment, he is certainly not the cause of this divide. An early look at the 2024 presidential race clearly illustrates this: should Trump choose not to run, current polling data indicates that Republicans will overwhelmingly support DeSantis. Who is the anti-Trump elite drooling over? Prominent Trump critics such as Gov. Larry Hogan (R-MD), Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-AR), Liz Cheney, and Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL). Which brand of conservatism do you expect will promote and protect religious interests? A party led by Hogan and Hutchinson, or a party led by Trump or DeSantis? The Bible provides many examples of God using flawed vessels, from David to Paul, to serve Him. From a policy standpoint, I trust Trump and his lieutenants, warts and all, over the Pharisee establishment GOP.

J. Allen Cartwright, is a chemical researcher in the energy sector. His interest is in the interplay of politics with cultural and scientific institutions, and he can be followed on Parler at @jallencartwright

Image: yooperann
For the last twenty years, the last thing on Hillary Clinton's mind was making a fashion statement. Instead, in the years following her last appearance at the Met Gala, Hillary spent most of her time plotting world domination; arranging her server in her linen closet; smashing phones with hammers; and laughing like a hyena at the wedding of the man who, in 2016, wrested the presidency from her chubby post-menopausal hands.

Fast-forward to 2022, casting no aspersions on beets, looking somewhat like an oversized bloody beetroot primed for addition to a bowl of Russian borscht, the former first lady, former secretary of state, and former target of Bosnian sniper fire showed up resplendently maskless on the Met Gala red carpet. Accompanying her was what appeared to be a masked black servant-type who kneeled while arranging the folds of her gown so she wouldn't trip and fracture her other wrist.

Based on the color of her dress, her outfit would have been appropriate for paying homage to either abortion or Benghazi. It's really a shame that the news about Roe v. Wade wasn't leaked before the event. If it had been, instead of historic glass ceilingbreakers, Hillary could have paid her respects to infanticide champions. And instead of an ode to "homemakers and seamstresses," she could have donned a stylized hospital gown with the names of late-term abortionists Susan Robinson and Shelley Sella embroidered across the front.

Nonetheless, for her bi-decade appearance, this time Hillary worked with a French designer, Joseph Altuzarra, who fashioned a blood-red ball gown for the aged Cinderella. On it, he embroidered the names of deceased women, whom the former first lady claims to represent.

Altuzarra told Vogue magazine:

I knew that I wanted the dress to have a personal component for her. When someone like Hillary goes to the Met, it's not just like, 'There's Hillary at the Met and she's wearing a dress.' It has a lot of significance. I felt like I had to be very thoughtful about what the dress would mean to the theme and the occasion.

Folksy Americana aside, having never embroidered a thing in her life, Hillary said the dress embellishment "also reflected Joseph's interest in what were called 'friendship quilts' that women used to embroider sayings or phrases or the names of family or friends." A nice touch could have been to embroider the names of Hillary's dead friends as a reminder of the morgue quilts that cover the corpses of all the "suicide" and Benghazi victims Hillary and Bill would rather forget.

Maybe in 2042!

Instead, this year, hand-stitched around the bib of the burgundy gown, in Altuzarra's handwriting, were the names of sixty historic dearly departed heroines. Some of the listed icons include the late mother of the only woman to lose a presidential election to Donald Trump, Dorothy Rodham, and the first female Clinton secretary of state, Madeleine "special place in hell" Albright.

On the circular registry was also the name of the toothy ghost Hillary regularly channeled while residing in the White House, Eleanor Roosevelt. To ensure that every politically correct base was covered, the list included many women "of color," an androgynous gender-bender doctor from the 1800s, a closeted gay astronaut, a liberal Republican congresswoman, a couple of backslidden Unitarians, and African-American civil and women's rights activists like Dorothy Irene Height, at whose funeral "grief-stricken" Barack Obama cried crocodile tears.

The only person missing was Lucy Lobdell, a woman who became Mrs. George Slater and bore Helen Slater before becoming Joseph Lobdell in 1853.

Floating around on the red carpet, the Queen of Chappaqua stopped and told the masters of ceremony, actress Vanessa Hudgens and Vogue global editor at large Hamish Bowles, "I think we're all happy to be back together, supporting the museum and the costume institute and also celebrating America ... not just the fashion of America, but really the spirit of America."

What's odd is that Hillary's stylish drool bib inadvertently included the names of women whose moral compass, conviction, and deeds made any association with Hillary more hypocritical than Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 2021 $35,000-a-ticket "Tax the Rich" fashion statement.

The only thing undisclosed about Hillary's supposed "secret embroidery" was that when thumbing through Wikipedia to gather names of women whose "spirit of America" she wanted us to believe was similar to her own, the guy she dragged along like a butler may have mistakenly included the names of infamous conservative women.

Among those whose viewpoints would have been nothing like Scarlett O'Clinton's, and who would probably rather be excluded from the virtue-signaling collar of her costume, are God-fearing womenfolk like gun-toting abolitionist Harriet Tubman and Bible-carrying civil rights/pro-life activist Rosa Parks. Even Christian convert and Louisiana territory explorer Sacajawea, and suffragist and women's activist Alice Stokes Paul, who believed that "abortion is the ultimate exploitation of women," were out of place.

Also stitched into the creation were women like the first black female Christian doctor Rebecca Lee Crumpler, minister's daughter, wife, and adviser to former president John Adams, as well as the mother of former president John Quincy Adams Abigail Adams, and professed woman of faith and track and field athlete Florence Joyner.

Based on history, those esteemed heroines would have individually advocated against Hillary's stance on things like guns, race relations, gender, and most certainly abortion. These were the types of historic females who would have skipped the glitzy Met Gala in favor of standing on the steps of the Supreme Court, encouraging every justice to follow through on overturning a travesty they would fight to end if they were alive today.

Thrilled with displaying "secret" names on her costume, a giggly Hillary told red carpet sycophants, "I would've filled the entire dress." Instead, she said, "We decided to stick with women who were no longer with us." Good thing, because some of the ladies memorialized on her 3,000 yards of floating blood-red material would have probably requested that designer Joseph Altuzarra put down his sewing needle and use his handy embroidery stitch eraser to remove their names from Hillary Clinton's off-the-shoulder circus tent.

Jeannie hosts a blog at www.jeannieology.us.

Image: Vogue via YouTube.
Disclosure in Politico of Justice Alito's draft opinion that could overturn Roe v. Wade likely marks the beginning of the end of the sanctity of the highest court in the land.

Left-leaning individuals project politics into every aspect of life. There is nothing they won't do to get their own way, to retain or seize power. Literally nothing. So someone leaked this draft opinion knowing that it would throw the mob into a frenzy, deflect attention from numerous progressive policy failures, and possibly even aid Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections, especially as they know that the mainstream media will bend over backward to frame the issue so as to benefit them.

Abortion is a sacrament in the left's anti-religion religion. Democrats are as protective of abortion now as they were of slavery and segregation a century and a half ago. Pro-lifers are engaged in what is nothing short of a second abolitionist movement. Roe v. Wade is a simple case of good versus evil. Both slavery and abortion deny the intrinsic dignity and worth of humans. Both deprive human beings of their life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Both measure the worth of other humans' lives by what they can do for their owners or mothers. Both see others as nothing more than property. Ergo, we have the terms "n-----" and "non-viable tissue mass."

Many are those who aid and abet evil. Amazon announced that it would reimburse employees $4,000 if they crossed state lines to get an abortion. It's a federal violation if you cross a state line while stalking or harassing someone, but apparently not if you do so to kill your baby. In fact, you get paid for it!

And, incredibly, President Biden told the press that "Roe says what all basic mainstream religions have historically concluded, that the existence of a human life and being is a question. Is it at the moment of conception? Is it six months? Is it six weeks? Is it quickening, like Aquinas argued?" Huh? Really? What else could the human forms with beating hearts and functioning brain waves in their mothers' wombs possibly be?

And then he added, "So, the idea that we're going to make a judgment that is going to say that no one can make the judgment to choose to abort a child based on a decision by the Supreme Court, I think goes way overboard." Biden also released a statement saying: "At the federal level, we will need more pro-choice senators and a pro-choice majority in the House to adopt legislation that codifies Roe, which I will work to pass and sign into law."

Biden, who purports to be Catholic, once supported overturning Roe v. Wade, but now he sees a political advantage to advocating for the mass slaughter of the most innocent and defenseless among us. He is to Catholicism as Jefferson Davis was to the abolitionist movement.

CNN legal analyst Laura Coates (not to be confused with CNN legal analyst Jeffrey "Hands On" Toobin) warned viewers of a "fundamental right" that could be taken away from us "with the stroke of a pen," saying: "There are a lot of things now on the chopping block. And, Steve, you spoke about an earthquake. Well, a familiar phrase is 'the slippery slope' in the Supreme Court. That which you do in one area could extend to others. Well, fundamental rights include interstate travel, include the idea of same-sex marriage [sic], include same-sex relationships, just to name a few. Now, this is essentially gone. What's next?"

Ironically enough, Laura, President Biden has eschewed constitutional directives and simply decreed laws "with the stroke of a pen" more than any other president in American history to this point in his tenure. And nowhere in the Constitution  or anywhere else for that matter  can a "fundamental right" to kill babies for one's own convenience be found. Nor is there a "fundamental right" to same-sex "marriage," but don't worry: SCOTUS is not going to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges. Neither will it ban "interstate travel." Or put the kibosh on eating, drinking, scratching, farting, card-playing, or breathing.

I am sick and tired of hearing about "reproductive justice" and "a woman's right to choose." Real reproductive justice would be "allowing" the child you brought into being through your own actions and desire for sexual gratification to live. A woman doesn't have "the right to choose" to club a baby seal to death (that would be so, like, cruel and "wrong"!). Nor does she have the "right" to drink and drive, pee on AOC's shoes, buy a pack of smokes at 14 years of age, drive 80 miles per hour in a 40-miles-per-hour zone, etc., etc., etc. Neither does a man.

"Protect" abortion? How about we protect babies? Should we protect the "right" to kill  or protect the right to life? How that question is answered will go a long way toward determining how long our society can last.

Photo credit: Joe Ravi, CC BY-SA 3.0 license.
Today I wanted to talk to you about Westminster, California. It's a small city located just east of Long Beach, with a pretty good community. But unfortunately, it's also the home of one of the most significant rises in criminal activity over the past few months.

Several reports indicate that the small town has become home to increasing criminal activity. Violent crime overall sits at 60 percent, divided across three crucial categories  robbery (up 80 percent), aggravated assault (70 percent), and burglary (20 percent).

And what's the reason for this? A lack of resources.

During a recent City Council meeting to discuss the increase in crime, Westminster police chief Darin Lenyi didn't hold anything back. Instead, he explained it was all due to one simple factor: a lack of a police force.

That's not to say he doesn't have officers. He does. He doesn't have enough to meet the demand that's suddenly come upon his city.

During the meeting, Lenyi noted, "We do not have the staffing to do that much proactive enforcement on many of these [crimes]." He also stated that the city's detective unit had fallen massively behind, with hundreds of cases still awaiting filing, mainly due to short-staffing issues.

He's done his best to keep everything covered with his team, but working them to the bone isn't getting anything done. "Officers are [already] working overtime to cover patrol functions...and they need sleep," he explained.

So why is this? Why has the Westminster police force run so short on numbers all of a sudden? Namely, it's due to a lack of funding.

While researching this matter, I came across something indicating that the city's low budget was due to some "recruitment war" with the police. Lenyi detailed the problems with keeping officers on the payroll, namely with other departments offering more significant benefits and pay (along with the possibility of a slightly safer place to work rather than one with a phenomenally growing crime rate).

It sounds as though the city could use an increase in funds to recruit more officers so that these poor patrolmen on the team don't get worn down to their very nerves. But when Lenyi tried to request that, he was met with a cold shoulder.

City councilman Chi Charlie Nguyen understood the point, stating during the meeting, "From what I am hearing, you are doing what you can and trying your best to cover [crime increases]." I'm still flabbergasted by this response. That is what Lenyi stated, but why couldn't the government of that city provide a greater budget to bring crime back down?

Without police to keep citizens safe, there's nothing to keep the crime rate from skyrocketing in this town  and that's bad news overall. The police, as stated above, are working themselves the best that they can to keep up with everything, but it's simply overwhelming. And the fact that Nguyen and his fellow officials won't lift a finger to help is downright frustrating.

It says something as a whole that needs to be done with the government. If there is no means to expand upon a police force, then maybe there's something the citizens themselves can do.

For example, a few weeks ago, Philadelphia streamlined the process to get a concealed carry license in the face of surging criminal activity. The city received a ton of applications in the several days that followed, with many looking to register for a weapon to keep themselves safe. In just a few short days after the passing of that ordinance, a citizen was able to foil a robbery at his local store, shooting the perpetrator before he could hurt anyone else.

Something needs to be done here. Westminster is facing a surge of crime that it's simply not prepared for, and it's put Lenyi and his overworked police force up against a wall  and it could merely tumble down at any second. So Nguyen and his government need to do something  anything!  to make the town safe again.

It should take a closer look at self-protection numbers from Philadelphia and other cities and states and, at the very least, maybe even engage a few citizens to work alongside the police to lend them a hand. Something has to be done quickly before Westminster falls into criminal oblivion.

Michael Letts is the founder, president, and CEO of In-Vest USA, a national grassroots non-profit organization helping hundreds of communities provide thousands of bulletproof vests for their police forces through educational, public relations, sponsorship, and fundraising programs. Those interested in learning more about Letts can visit his official website here.

Image via Needpix.
Infanticide has always been a serious component of the ugly side of human nature. Archaeologists have done a lot of digging in Ashkelon, an ancient town in what is typically known as the Holy Land. They found the town's sewer, and, in a bend in the channel, they found a pile of infant skeletons. Forensic analysis could not find any congenital defects in the remains. It has thus been assumed that the local residents were disposing of their unwanted children.

Fast-forward to our modern world. We have a judicial edict that no state can outlaw pregnancy termination. Hence, for the last half-century, every time a Supreme Court Justice sneezes...the Roe v. Wade partisans, on both sides, line up in full battle regalia.

It used to be that the several states would individually license and thus regulate medical practice. Then, suddenly, a particularly controversial practice was mandated, regardless of local opinion.

Should Roe be overturned, then the states would be free to adopt their own policies. Should Nevadans be denied access to pregnancy termination, then various facilities in California would likely be able to deal with them. The beauty of our federal system  the composite structure of jurisdictions  allows for a politically expedient lack of uniformity.

Lurking beneath this persistent controversy is the profound innocence of infants. They have no voice to defend themselves. So others adopt the cause. And yet, definitions are constantly being challenged.

(This is as far as I wrote before learning of the leak of the SCOTUS draft opinion on the latest challenge to Roe.) The political histrionics attached to abortion underscore the defect in deciding the issue by fiat, rather than the sausage-making of the political process. Roe is certainly not the only example of judges legislating from the bench; it is just the most controversial. Meanwhile, other important issues wind up being pushed aside while abortion sucks up all the oxygen instead of letting the political process run its course.

At the time Roe was first handed down, various states were already working toward accommodating the nascent demand for clinically safe pregnancy termination, New York being one of the most prominent by merely requiring a woman to be psychologically at risk. What Roe did was forbid states from restricting access within the first trimester. Recently, however, some states have abolished any time limit, thus igniting the latest firestorm.

Pro-choice misinformation encourages the militant assumption that, should Roe be overturned, abortion would thus be forbidden across the land. The reality is that the authority to make rules governing access to the procedure would be returned to the states. Some states may go too far, and SCOTUS would, again, become involved. But the temperature of the dispute would be seriously dialed down.

Image: Kerald.
In the 1880s, you could be fined for being ugly in public. Ordinances across the United States disallowed anyone who was diseased, maimed, mutilated or in any way deformed so as to be an unsightly or disgusting object for appearing in public places. These ugly laws were as real as the American Civil War, and in fact came into circulation just as the war came knocking on the countrys doorstep. And they were no joke either; the laws were not just about morning puffiness or acne breakouts. They came with stringent definitions of ugliness that cut across social classes and economic statuses.

Three grotesque old men. Image credit: Wellcome Collection

In 19th century America, it was no secret that class and appearance went hand in hand. Some time in 1867, one of the first statutes of the ugly law was passed in San Francisco To Prohibit Street Begging, And To Refrain Certain Persons From Appearing In Streets And Public Places. During time of war and terror, authorities believed that horrible looking urchins would only become one more thing to be scared of. The streets were cleared through this law so that a lady in delicate health could roam around free of fear from deformed monstrosities that hung out by the nooks. Words such as disgusting, unsightly, deformity and others did find their way into most ordinances across the States, but each statute had its own version that prohibited acts of begging and loitering for such ugly looking panhandlers. Such strained versions of the ugly laws were welcomed by the public. An article in the Chicago Tribune called the removal of unsightly beggars from the streets as a public benefit. But on the other hand, the public was in love with freak artists that kept them entertained at circuses. As industrial accidents ascended, a man without a finger was discerned as a seasoned worker who may have been the victim of an occupational hazard. In such a complex social milieu, how would the public respond to discriminatory laws against the defaced and deformed?

In 1881, James Peevey passed an ordinance through the Chicago City Council as an anti-beggar law against those who posed their infirmities to encourage donations of alms. A fine of $1 to $50 was imposed on any poor person who matched the criteria, and he or she was sent off to the Cook County Poorhouse. But he also mandated an exemption for maimed soldiers out of respect for war veterans. Over time, Peeveys memo was widely debated and revised to include meticulous definitions of ugliness and prohibition which were then implemented as one of the most inhuman ugly laws. This included bans of jobs as well social discrimination for various groups of physically deformed persons. But by then it was common understanding that the law was not a blanket law against the deformed, but one only against those who could not support themselves monetarily. This sweeping of the economically backward disabled persons became the strongest undertone of these ordinances. The origin of the ugly law in Chicago is murky, but many have since then attributed it to Peeveys outcry against the poor.

The chasm between the rich and poor, accepted and unaccepted, thus began to deepen. While the soldiers and the contemporary artists had a place in society, the jobless were being pushed further to its edge. In those days, the city board refused to accept a difference between those who begged because they were too lazy to work and those who begged because they could not find work. The general understanding was that nine out of ten such deformed beggars were thieves and liars who used their looks to earn money. By that definition, even tramps were soon included in the same conversation with disabled non-workers. In answer, the City Council decided to close all doors for all people who matched the description; they were banned from holding certain jobs and shunned from entering certain places. The belief was that if you could hold a job, you were worthy. If not, you were ugly. Industrial workers too were exempted from the law as long as they could find work and support themselves. However, the belief that a worker could not retain a job without undergoing rehabilitation for their ailment was not prevalent at the time. As a result, no concrete support was offered to such people and they were left to fend for themselves. For how long could a blind woman continue her work as a seamstress? The lines between anti-beggar legislations and the ugly laws were thus allowed to blur.

The general public had begun taking note of the railroad workers who lost a limb on site and the Relief and Aid Society was seen providing aid to those who with temporary assistance could get back on their feet. The underlying notion remained that if you could support yourself, you were worthy. If not, you were ugly. The laws thus applied to the public more on economic grounds than on appearance.

Only by the end of the first World War were sensitivities triggered. As soldiers thronged back deaf and blind or missing a limb, mentalities shifted towards acceptance of the disabled. This had been a long time coming, for over the course of the years even Civil War veterans had fought hard to receive disability pensions. The term ugly laws was awarded to the cruel ordinances in 1975, both for the subject of their matter and for the horribleness of their effect. By 1974 the law had already been repealed. Persons with disabilities were gradually offered more accessibility, and in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in a more woke United States.

References:

# Ugly Laws

# The Ugly History of Chicagos Ugly Laws

# Diseased, Maimed, Mutilated: Categorizations Of Disability And An Ugly Law In Late Nineteenth-Century Chicago

# Chicago Tribune
Mint Mobile is taking a play from the Google Fi handbook with a new Modern Family Plan that provides discounts when lines are bundled. Thats based on recent reports following a direct announcement from the company.

According to Mint Mobile, its plans differ from most carriers  with the exception of the one noted above  in that savings start with just two lines added to the plan. The plans, while similar to its standard plans in price at just two subscribers, offer steeper discounts when paid further in advance. So they start out at $15 per month, per line but users are paying the per-month cost of a yearly subscription.

What sets Mint Mobile Modern Family Plan apart from similar offers from others?

The biggest differentiator between the Mint Mobile Modern Family Plan and other carriers  such as those from Google  comes from how the savings are obtained. With others, including Google Fi, the discounts increase as more subscribers are added. With the T-Mobile-powered Modern Family Plan, subscribers get the biggest discount from the start. So adding more subscribers doesnt improve the discount.

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Moreover, current subscribers who already have a Mint Mobile plan can join those together under a single Modern Family Plan. And the rate is paid in three-month increments, even though the cost is the same as a twelve-month plan. Rather than forcing users to choose between renewal rates.

Users can customize the plans too, to match the data needs of each individual user.

Whats exclusive to the new plans?

Now, of course, the new plans come with all of the usual Mint Mobile perks. So users will have free unlimited calling to Mexico and Canada and a free hotspot. WiFi calling is included too, as well as unlimited data. Although the latter slows down once the data limit has been reached. The data is 5G or 4G LTE, with network switching happening automatically, as needed.

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Subscribers can additionally bring their own phones with them to Mint Mobile, via its BYOP program.

The difference between Mints standard plans and its new ones is that the company will also call users current providers. Namely, to get phone numbers transferred. Effectively helping the user switch carriers and cancel their old subscription.
(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 4 - Romans are "hostages to wild boar", farm group Coldiretti Lazio chief David Granieri said Wednesday, citing the case of a woman attacked in the Italian capital by a herd of eight boar including six piglets.

The presence of over 20,000 boar in Rome and its surrounding province, and more than 100,000 in the whole of Lazio, has brought about "an unacceptable and out of control situation," said Granieri, citing over two million euros in damage wrought recently.

The rightwing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, citing the attack on the woman, said they would file a suit against Lazio regional authorities for "omissive crimes in the areas of safety, urban decorum and health".

Coldiretti, for its part, slammed the "total inertia" of the Roman wildlife agency, Roma Natura, "which is glaringly clear in their management of protected areas where there has been a proliferation of boar".

Rome city council is planning to curb boar invasions by building underground containment nets, barriers at access points, and the continual clean-up of the rubbish the animals root through for food.

Boar have also been causing devastating of crops in the rest of Italy, as well as urban encroachment.

A night-time anti-boar patrol has been set up in the province of Padua, and there have been similar moves elsewhere.

In Rome, a family of 12 wild boar strolled through traffic recently spurring a video that went viral on the Web in the latest in a slew of such sightings over the past few months.

The boar were spotted wandering around near the Gemelli Hospital in the north of Rome.

Rangers said the animals were completely urbanised and were in no way afraid of pedestrians or the heavy traffic in the Italian capital.

Also recently, a boar family was snapped outside a kindergarten in the Montemario district in another viral video.

Such sightings have become quite common in the northern part of Rome.

The boar were found roaming on the Via Trionfale, one of Rome's biggest streets.

On September 1 Rome's former Mayor Virginia Raggi filed a criminal suit against the Lazio regional government over "the massive and uncontrolled" presence of wild boar in the Italian capital's urban areas.

The boar invasion, said the 5-Star Movement (M5S) politician, was due to a failure by the regional government, which is led by Democratic Party (PD) former leader Nicola Zingaretti, to implement effective management plans for the animals.

Raggi cited a 1992 law which says regions must "provide for the control of species of wild fauna even in areas where hunting is forbidden".

It was up to the regional government to capture the boar and let them back into the wild, she said.

Another family of wild boar were caught on CCTV cameras roaming a central Rome street in search of food recently.

The animals, which appeared to be unfazed by passing cars and wary pedestrians, were filmed in the central Via Fani, site of late Christian Democrat statesman Aldo Moro's kidnapping in 1978.

The mother and her piglets appeared to be very hungry as they rummaged through refuse, passersby said.

Italian farmers took to the streets in front of parliament and across the country in early July to protest what they say is an "invasion" by wild boars into farmland and cities all over Italy.

Farm group Coldiretti said that during the COVID year the number of wild boar straying onto farms and roving the outskirts of Italian cities had risen by 15% to a record total of 2.3 million animals.

Coldiretti published what it called a "tragic" toll of one incident caused by the boar every 48 hours in a year of COVID.

There had been 16 victims of wild boar incidents in the past year, and 215 people injured, Coldiretti said.

The number of car crashes caused by the animals on Italian provincial roads had risen by 81% over the past 10 years, the farmers' association said.

Farmers, animal breeders and shepherds from all over Italy gathered in all of Italy's 20 regional capitals starting in Rome where they rallied outside the parliament building, Montecitorio.

They said they want to "stop a calamity that destroys crops, attacks animals, besieges stables and causes road accidents, with concrete dangers for farmers and citizens".

A group of young farmers dressed up in boar costumes stopped MPs and explained to them the "emergency situation" they have to face each day.

Other farmers brought fruit, salad ingredients and cereal crops that had been completely destroyed by boar.

The protesters also held up life-size cut-outs of boar to show politicians how scary an encounter with the animals can be.

They also waved banners reading "After COVID, the plague of boar", "We sow, the boar reap", "Let's defend our land" and "Town and country united against wild boar".

Many city mayors came to Montecitorio, as well as ordinary citizens worried about what they called "a full-blown emergency". (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 4 - Japan and Italy are working for a truce in the Ukraine war, Premier Mario Draghi said after talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Rome Wednesday.

"Italy and Japan are working towards achieving as soon as possible truces, even localised ones, to enable the evacuation of civilians and favour peace talks," he said.

"We are continuing to exert pressure on Russia so that it will immediately cease hostilities.

"In our talks we reaffirmed the condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine". (ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 4 - Italy is backing Ukraine's bid to join the European Union, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio told Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in a long phone call Wednesday morning.

"Premier (Mario) Draghi yesterday clearly illustrated Italy's line in the European Parliament: we want Ukraine to join the EU, we won't look the other way, and we will continue to support you," he said.

Di Maio added: "We are ready to take part in the reconstruction of Ukraine, destroyed by the insane Russian war".

The two FMs reaffirmed that relations between their two countries had never been so strong.

Kuleba thanked Di Maio for the sanctions and arms Italy has approved in the Ukraine war.

Kuleba thanked Di Maio for "Italy's leadership on sanctions" on Russia, "including the oil embargo, and the shipments of arms to Ukraine".

In their cordial phone conversation, the two ministers also discussed security guarantees for Kyiv, Kuleba said on Twitter.

(ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 4 - President Sergio Mattarella stressed the role Italy's defence policy has in promoting peace in a message sent Wednesday to Army Chief of Staff Pietro Serino for the 161st anniversary of the foundation of the armed force.

"The defence policy based on our Constitution stresses Italy's peace vocation, as shown by the participation in multilateral bodies and the international alliances it joined after the Liberation (from Nazism-Fascism)," Mattarella said.

The head of State also expressed gratitude to the Army for the work it is doing "in an international context characterized by serious threats to peace and the stability of our continent".

(ANSA).


(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 4 - North Korea's continued missile tests are concerning, Premier Mario Draghi said after talks in Rome Wednesday with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

"Italy, the European Union and Japan concur on the importance of stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region," he said.

"We shared with Premier Kishida our concern for missile tests by the North Korean regime.

"We must continue to show a united and resolute front in defence of the international rules based order, also with reference to the Chinese Seas and the Strait". (ANSA).


(ANSAmed) - MADRID, MAY 3 - With a mirror measuring 4.2 meters in diameter and 44 meters in height, Europe's largest solar telescope will be installed on the Canary Islands and will become operational starting in 2029. This is the project of the European Solar Telescope (EST), presented in Madrid by the Spanish Superior center of scientific research (CSIC).

The new scientific instrument, the head of the project Luis Bellot told the Efe news agency, will allow "a leap of huge quality" in the observation of the sun, as it will be much more powerful than the European solar telescope currently existing, situated on the island of Tenerife, which has a mirror of 1.5 meters in diameter.

The new telescope should be installed starting in 2024 on the island of La Palma, considered one of the best points in the European Union for astronomic observation. The project for the development of EST is promoted by 26 research institutes from 18 European countries. (ANSAmed).


LISBON - Portugal plans to re-export natural gas to the rest of Europe starting this year, thereby helping to create independence from Russian gas.



The news was reported by the weekly magazine Expresso, which had access to the documents drawn up by the working group tasked with the project.



According to reports, the plan involved the Sines port in Alentejo, which has water deep enough to allow for large ships able to transport as much as 150,000-200,000 cubic meters of gas.



As Expresso noted, Portugal currently imports and consumes 5.5 billion cubic meters (BCM) of natural gas per year.



Investment in the Sines port could more than double the reception capacity, making it possible to re-export about 6 BCM towards northern Europe.



The weekly magazine said that the working group of the Sines port had put forth a number of possibilities for the plan to be implemented without interrupting normal port activities.



The main obstacle remains competition with other countries such as Spain and Italy in the re-exportation of gas, also known as transhipment.



However, Portugal is strategically located on the Atlantic Ocean, which separates Europe from the US.




BELGRADE - Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday that he was concerned about the consequences that an energy crisis linked to the armed conflict in Ukraine could have on the situation in the country.



"The energy situation will be very difficult next winter," Vucic said, underscoring that the government would do whatever was possible to reduce any problems resulting.



The situation will be less difficult as concerns food supply.



The Serbian president spoke on Tuesday on the sidelines of the ceremony for the launch of the building of a new regasification unit in the Greek port city of Alexandroupolis, in the northeastern part of the country not far from the Turkish border.



He said that talks will soon begin between Serbia and Russia on the renewal of a contract for gas supply at facilitated prices.



On the importance of the Greek regasification unit for energy supply for the entire Balkan region, Vucic said that he had had beneficial talks with the Greek, Bulgarian, and Macedonian prime ministers - who also attended the ceremony - and with European Council president Charles Michel, with whom he discussed the outlook for Serbian integration into the EU.



On Wednesday Vucic will be travelling to Berlin, where he will be meeting with German chanceller Olaf Scholz.



In addition to bilateral relations and the EU prospects, discussion will be had on the continuation of dialogue on Kosovo.



Kosovo's prime minister Albin Kurti and EU mediator Miroslav Lajcak will also travel to Berlin.
(by Francesco Tedesco)

(ANSAmed) - NAPLES - "We are coming off of two complicated years due to COVID and we had been ready to go back to the boom of large yachts like in 2018 and 2019. Instead, the war came and this has led to a drop of 30-35% in large vessels arriving in the Mediterranean from Russia and Ukraine, as well as Georgia, Kazakistan, and Azerbaijan," said Massimo Luise.



Luise runs Naples' Mergellina wharf, which handles yachts with lengths of up to 160 meters of tourists very different from the thousands flocking to Naples this spring: the yachts are owned by oligarchs used to spending as much as 50,000 euros per day in Naples, Ischia, Capri, and Amalfi.



"We are coming off of two complicated years," Luise reiterated to ANSA. "Starting from 2020 with COVID, which led to a plunge in international arrivals of 60-70%. Here we welcome mostly foreigners and the drop continued in 2021. These have been difficult years, with the quarantine of yachts and passengers stuck onboard due to a case or two of COVID: I remember that it was difficult to even get some shopping to them. And then this year, when we were finally ready for the boom with new hirings (we ended up with 40 workers in all the Gulf of Naples), another blow came: one that may lead to a greater plunge than the one in 2021." The drop will be for vessels docked but also spending money in the area.



"There are large yachts that have been 'frozen'," Luise said.



"Many were transferred to Turkey, Greece or Dubai in January due to predictions that war would be coming soon, and thus this year they will not be in Naples, Capri, Amalfi, Ischia, or other areas popular" with this type of tourist.



"Arabs with large vessels spend a great deal but in many cases Russians, Ukrainians, and Kazakhs have greater spending potential, he said. "I am talking about 50,000 to 60,000 euros per day with various supplies, restaurants, the renting of helicopters for excursions, and parties with champagne. There are days in which the Gulf of Naples hosts 20-25 Russian yachts." These days see the VIP tourists spend over a million euros total, at times.



Luise added that they "have mostly crews of UK, US, and Australian nationals, who are the most skilled at handling large vessels." Americans will not be taking the place of Russians, either.



"We were hoping," he said, "for a rebalancing of the market from other countries. However, Americans - who are not experts in geography - believe that the war in Europe can be a risk.



Ukraine is very far from us but Americans see that the country is part of Europe and thus fear an escalation." "The Russians that I have spoken to," he said, "regret the situation. They almost never enter into political issues but they did not want the war. I am talking about Russians like Abramovich, who has a 160-meter-long ship - twice that of a Caremar ferry that goes to the islands of the Gulf of Naples. A Russia at war is bad for their business. They had many trade relations with Ukraine and are suffering from the freezing of assets, which seems a questionable measure to me." "In the Gulf of Naples," Luise said, some "600-650 yachts have been moored into the post-COVID summer period and we have seen peaks of over 2,000 'touches', since they leave and come back. Taking 30% away, this year we expect to see 1,300-1,400."




First cruise ship in 10 years arrives in Tunisia's Sousse Ministry says 38 will come this year

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, MAY 4 - After an absence of 10 years, cruise ships are back in Tunisia's Sousse port.



The announcement was made by the crafts and tourism ministry in a statement that noted that the MS Island Sky ship with 75 tourists of several European nationalities had arrived.



The passengers that came on land were welcomed with a packed program and ministry representatives. They visited the historic center of the city and took trips to Kairouan and El Jem.



The vessel, from the Noble Caledonia group, will continue its journey and stop on Wednesday in Goulette to offer the passengers a tour of Tunis.



The tourism ministry also announced that 38 cruise ships are expected to come to Tunisia in 2022, with this number likely to rise in subsequent years.(ANSAmed). (ANSA).




Daniel Radcliffe is full of surprises as he appears for the first time in a new teaser trailer for an upcoming biopic about the life of US comedian Weird Al Yankovic.

The Harry Potter star gives riotous performances to cheering crowds, brandishing an accordion in a curly wig, glasses and moustache in the 60-second clip.

The film will follow the life and career of the musical parody sensation who rose to fame with comical spoof versions of classic songs.

The trailer also shows Radcliffe in medical scrubs performing Like A Surgeon, Yankovics hit song based on Like A Virgin by Madonna.

In other scenes he dresses in a collection of colourful Hawaiian shirts as well as shirtless onstage performances in which the actor showcases an impressive physique.

What can I say, Im full of surprises, Radcliffe says.

WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story is produced by Funny Or Die and will air on streaming service Roku.

Yankovic is the biggest-selling comedy recording artist of all time and has won five Grammy awards.

Sharing the teaser the comedian wrote: Get psyched.

Speaking about the film on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Radcliffe said it was one of the most fun things Ive ever done.

Im rarely excited to see stuff that Im in. Im very excited to see that, he said.

Its a fully insane movie its one of the most fun things Ive ever done.

He revealed Yankovic had given him accordion lessons and loaned him his personal instrument to prepare for the role and would go to my grave with the experience.

Yankovic previously shared the first glimpse of Daniel Radcliffe in costume and joked that a cosplayer had tried to crash our set and later been thrown out by security.

SHOOT DAY #8: It never fails  were trying to shoot a movie here, and this cosplayer weirdo tries to crash our set, he captioned the photo.

Ugh! I mean, I love my fans, but boundaries, people!

SHOOT DAY #8: It never fails  were trying to shoot a movie here, and this cosplayer weirdo tries to crash our set. Ugh! I mean, I love my fans, but boundaries, people! Dont worry, we had security throw him out. #WEIRDTheAlYankovicStory @TheRokuChannel pic.twitter.com/XdHZBlrsPM  Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) February 22, 2022

Yankovics 2014 release Mandatory Fun was the first comedy album in history to debut at number one on US music chart Billboards Top 200.

His early hits included Eat It, a parody of Michael Jacksons Beat It, and Amish Paradise, based on Gangstas Paradise by Coolio.

His music videos have featured famous faces including Jack Black, Seth Green and Donny Osmond.

Yankovic previously said he was thrilled to be portrayed by Radcliffe and joked that the film would be the role future generations will remember him for.

Production for WEIRD began in Los Angeles in early February and the film is scheduled for release later this year.
Martin Young, 68, crashed his car into one being driven by 84-year-old William Hall and then doctored dash cam footage to hide his speed (Cambridgeshire Police)

A killer driver who tried to doctor dashcam footage to hide the fact he'd been speeding in a fatal accident has been jailed for 20 months.

Martin Young, 68, crashed his car into one being driven by 84-year-old William Hall on the A1307 in Cambridgeshire in December 2019.

Mr Hall was taken to hospital, and later died in May 2020 after being kept in hospital with a neck fracture and contracting Covid 19.

Detectives found that Young has been driving at almost 90mph before smashing into the front of Mr Hall's VW Polo as he turned across a junction.

Both Young, Mr Hall and a passenger in Mr Hall's car suffered serious injuries.

It was initially thought that Mr Hall was at fault for the collision, and Young was overheard saying: "Elderly drivers should not be driving", the court was told.

While Young sent the original footage to his insurance company, but following Mr Hall's death he sent a mobile phone recording of the footage which had a piece of paper covering the speedometer.

When police finally got an original copy of the footage, it was clear the footage first provided had been altered to obscure the speed.

Young had initially told police he was driving at between 60 and 65mph, although the footage showed he was travelling at 86 to 88mph.

On Wednesday Young, from Haverhill, was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison at Cambridge Crown Court after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice.

He was also disqualified from driving for five years and 10 months and ordered to take an extended re-test, as well as pay costs of 2116, plus a victim surcharge.

Martin Young has been jailed for 20 months (Cambridgeshire Police)

Detective Constable Rochelle Eves, who investigated, said: Young was travelling at excess speed on the A1307, a road he knew to be notorious for fatal collisions.

His attempt to avoid responsibility ultimately failed and it shows that if you lie to the police you will be found out.

This is another case which shows the importance of careful driving and the dangers of speeding.

I want to thank the family of Mr Hall for their dignity and patience while we have investigated this sad and complex case.

In a statement, Mr Halls family said: Bill was a kind, loving and gentle man but also strong and determined.

He was a proud husband, dad, grandad, great grandad and father-in-law who loved spending time with his family around him. He was always interested and keen to hear what we were all doing.

The statement added his death had left a massive hole in all of their lives.
Post-menopause, without the worry of pregnancy, some women feel sexually liberated. (Getty Images)

Words by Katy Regan

Lets face it, where the menopause and our sex lives are concerned, the future looks rather grim. Many experts would have us believe that all we have to look forward to is the inevitable decline towards a host of charming afflictions.

Yes the list includes: vaginal dryness, vaginal atrophy, (the word alone makes you want to clamp your legs shut for evermore!), frequent bouts of cystitis and the biggie  a loss of sex drive.

Well, were not having it. In fact were here to readdress the balance and tell you that not only could your sex life remain as fulfilling as ever during menopause, but that the best years may be yet to come.

What is the menopause?

Put simply, menopause is when a woman stops having periods and is unable to get pregnant naturally. Think of it as three key stages:

1. Perimenopause: the stage leading up to your final period which lasts on average four to eight years and starts in your mid to late forties.

2. Menopause: this is diagnosed when you have not had a period for 12 months or more.

3. Post-menopause: all the years beyond as a non-menstruating woman.

During this time the ovaries start producing less hormones, the main ones being oestrogen and progesterone, but also testosterone (more of this very important hormone later), causing your menstrual cycle to become irregular until finally your periods stop altogether.

It is true that this decrease in hormones can cause other symptoms which can negatively affect your sex life such as:

Loss of vaginal lubrication which can make sexual intercourse painful.

A thinning of the vaginal wall, or vaginal atrophy (that lovely word again) which can cause discomfort as well as infections and cystitis.

And yes, a loss of libido.

Hormonal changes during the menopause can affect your libido in different ways. (Getty Images)

The testosterone effect

You may think of testosterone as a male hormone but actually, it is an important female hormone and vital when it comes to our sexual wellbeing as it contributes to libido, sexual arousal and orgasm, by increasing the levels of the pleasure hormone dopamine.

As women age, our levels of testosterone naturally decrease, along with oestrogen, which can make it more difficult to become aroused.

Read more: How to turn married sex into first date sex

However, as with everything to do with the menopause, there are exceptions to this rule, as leading menopause expert, Dr Louise Newson explains.

Some women get a little surge of testosterone before they go through the menopause which means an increased libido it is all how your hormones play with each other and the difference between them.

In other words, adds Dr.Barb DePree, gynaecologist and founder of womens health forum MiddlesexMD, even though the levels are lower than they used to be, testosterone may have some dominance, during perimenopause. So, enjoy... !

Once hormones settle, some women experience a new level of desire post-menopause. (Getty Images)

Menopause myth-busting

Now weve got the biology out of the way, here are some surprising truths you may not have thought about.

Firstly, the word to remember in all of the above is can. All these factors can negatively affect your sex life, but equally they may not. It is definitely not a one-menopause-fits-all situation.

As Dr. Amanda Richards, a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Miami says, Many women breeze through perimenopause to menopause with few problems and simply dont experience hot flushes, mood swings or low libido come to that.

Time for sex

Its important to remember too that libido is a unique and complex thing, affected not just by biology, but by psychological and environmental factors and crucially, circumstances, which contrary to your younger years, are often very much compatible with an upsurge in sexual appetite!

Read more: Being disturbed during sex is Brits' most embarrassing moment

Think about it: post-menopause, theres no fear of pregnancy leading to a feeling of sexual liberation for many women  perhaps especially single women. Also, its goodbye to our contraceptive pills*, which could mean good news.

Experts will tell you that declining hormones could mean youll want it less but that isnt necessarily so, says Dr.Richards. Desire, once quelled by birth control pills could resurge.

(*Its not advisable to come off contraception until your doctor can confirm you are no longer ovulating.)

Freedom at last

One of the joys of having more life experience is feeling comfortable in your own skin. (Getty Images)

Also, by the time were in mid-life, there are less likely to be little people sneaking into your bed or interrupting a quickie on the sofa. These are the years you can have raunchy sex on your dining table, in every room in the house if you so desire. It is this new-found freedom that actually ignites desire.

Sex is no longer about reproduction, but playful production  and we know which sounds hotter!

Also, once you have got through the transition and your hormones have settled, there are no periods, no mood swings. Women often feel more levelled out mood-wise than they ever have, leading to a new level of desire theyve never even experienced.

Read more: World Menopause Day: Here's how to (literally) keep yourself together

Add to the mix the fact that with life experience comes confidence in our own skin and the ability to ask for what we want, and you can see how menopause may well mean a total reinvigoration of your libido.

As Dr. Richards says, Menopause is a very defining time for most women, many of whom realise they have put their sexuality on the back burner for way too long and if they dont use it, they will lose it for good.

Presenter and menopause campaigner Davina McCall, concurs: I walk around like a foxy minx now because I feel like a foxy minx. I dont look as good naked as I did in my 20s, but I feel better and thats the difference.

Watch: Gwyneth Paltrow enlists 'expert help' in preparation for her menopause

Ways to boost libido

Perhaps the best news is that if your desire for sex is low and youd like to change it, there are so many effective treatments that can restore your vaginal health, improve arousal and increase sexual pleasure.

HRT

To treat dropping hormone levels and all the side effects that come with that, including low libido, the obvious one is Oestrogen and Progesterone replacement (HRT). There are two main types of HRT:

Combined HRT (oestrogen and progestogen)  for women who still have their womb

Oestrogen-only HRT  for women who have had their womb removed in a hysterectomy

It comes in many forms including gels, patches and tablets and can be started in a low dose and increased if necessary. Talk to your doctor about whats right for you.

Read more: Shortage of HRT is leaving women battling insomnia

Lubricants

Vaginal dryness can be treated with water-soluable lubricants which as K-Y jelly. There are also many glycerine-based vaginal moisturisers available such as Replens and YesVM.

Testosterone therapy

Supplementary Testosterone treatment can be a game-changer for improving your sex drive  particularly for women who have had a surgical or premature menopause (for example, after having their ovaries removed). Get a blood test to determine if you are testosterone-deficient.

Sexual healing

Declining oestrogen sometimes means less blood flow to the clitoris and vagina, which means lowered arousal. A sexual aid available by prescription called Eros is a small device that uses gentle vacuum to stimulate blood flow to the clitoris.

With all this information at your fingertips, there really is no reason why menopausal sex couldnt be the hottest sex youve ever had. Natures best kept secret.
The family of journalist Lyra McKee have urged anyone with a political agenda not to use her image.

The Belfast woman died after being hit by a bullet during rioting in the Creggan area of Londonderry in 2019.

Dissident republican group the New IRA has been linked to the killing.

Lyra McKee was killed in 2019 (PSNI)

Sinn Fein has been criticised for reportedly contacting the group over a potential co-operation agreement with an aim to achieve a border poll.

A letter from the partys chairman Declan Kearney was leaked at the weekend just days before the Stormont election.

Nichola McKee Corner has said that anyone using her sisters image to promote their own political agenda is causing untold pain and distress to their family.

Nichola McKee Corner urged political groups not to use her sisters image (PA)

She was speaking following the publication of a tweet that contained a photograph of Lyra.

The family has requested that the tweet be removed.

The pain and trauma of Lyras murder has not lessened for our family over the last three years, Ms McKee Corner said.

Our memories of Lyra are so precious to us and to see her picture used by people who never knew her, who never understood what made her the inspirational person she was just to make some political point or other is heartless beyond words.

They sully Lyras memory. Shame on them, she added.
Two ads for Land Rover Defenders have been banned for giving the misleading impression that the vehicles parking sensors could alert drivers to a cliff edge.

The TV ads, seen in February, showed several Land Rovers driving in difficult terrain on an island before reverse parking on the edge of a cliff, using the vehicles sensors to guide them.

Two viewers, who understood that parking sensors warned of objects behind the vehicle but not empty space, challenged whether the ads were misleading about the extent of the features ability.

Jaguar Land Rover agreed that parking sensors would not warn of empty space behind the vehicle.

They believed, however, that the side shots of the vehicle clearly showed that it was reversing towards a boulder, the size and height of which would have been picked up by the sensors.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the ads focused on the Defenders reversing feature and included a scene with an in-car camera view and the sensor beeping as the vehicle approached the edge of the cliff.

The watchdog said some small rocks were visible as the vehicle reversed but they appeared to be incidental to the scene, and it was not obvious that the parking sensor was reacting to the rocks rather than the edge of the cliff.

The ASA said: We considered some viewers would therefore interpret that to mean that the cars parking sensors could recognise when drivers might be reversing near a drop, which might include a smaller hill edge or a drop before water found in on-road areas, both in urban and more rural settings.

Because we understood the cars parking sensors reacted to objects behind the vehicle, rather than to empty space such as a drop, and the rocks were not sufficiently prominent to counter that interpretation, we concluded that the ads misleadingly represented the parking sensor feature.

The ASA ruled that the ads must not appear again, adding: We told Jaguar Land Rover Ltd to ensure their ads did not mislead about the functionality of their parking sensor feature.

Jaguar Land Rover said in a statement: We are very disappointed with the ASA decision to uphold this complaint in the UK as the vehicle, technology and the scene represented is factual, but we will of course abide by their ruling which was based on only two complaints.
A new portrait of the Queen which captures the monarch off-guard and smiling with a quizzical expression has been unveiled to mark her Platinum Jubilee.

The relaxed test shot by Rob Munday was taken in 2004 during a photographic session to create the first officially commissioned 3D hologram of the Queen.

Mundays new image  which he has titled Platinum Queen: Felicity  remained unnoticed in his archives for almost 19 years, before he rediscovered it last summer.

The composition sees the Queen reacting to an unscripted and amusing comment made by her close confidante and senior dresser Angela Kelly, as Ms Kelly rearranged her clothing prior to the holographic shoot at Buckingham Palace.

Artist Rob Munday unveiling his rediscovered photographic portrait of the Queen to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee (David Parry/PA)

Munday said: The Queens daily life is so full of responsibility and duty that it was wonderful to see this fleeting moment of relaxation and pleasure.

It is an uplifting portrait, so different from many of the more sombre portraits commissioned in recent years and a befitting celebration for her Platinum Jubilee.

The Queen with Anna Wintour and royal dressmaker Angela Kelly, second right, at London Fashion Week in 2018 (Yui Mok/PA)

The portrait was described as capturing the twinkle in the Queens eye and an almost quizzical expression demonstrating the deep bond and trust between the monarch and Ms Kelly, with the piece dedicated to their 20 years of friendship.

The original holographic portrait of the Queen, titled Equanimity, by artist Chris Levine and holographer Munday, was previously voted visitors favourite portrait at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Two sittings took place and to create a three-dimensional portrait, more than 10,000 images were made.

The Prince of Wales switched on the Queens Holographic Portrait at the official unveiling at the Jersey Museum in 2004 (Rota/PA)

It was commissioned by the Jersey Heritage Trust to celebrate 800 years of the islands loyalty to the Crown.

In 2012, it appeared on a Jersey 100 banknote and featured on the front cover of Time Magazines Diamond Jubilee issue.

In it, the Queen wears a white ermine cape, a string of pearls and the famous Diamond Diadem.

Platinum Queen  Felicity was shot using a Dalsa machine vision camera, at the time the fastest and highest-resolution video camera in the world, able to capture 30 frames per second.

The unveiling of the new image (David Parry/PA)

Ms Kelly, who is also the Queens personal adviser, has, with the monarchs agreement, written a book about her service.

She shared details of how the Queen shut herself in her sitting room and spent time alone with her own thoughts after the Duke of Edinburghs funeral.

She also revealed how she became the Queens hairdresser while in lockdown as part of HMS Bubble, the nickname given to the reduced household of dedicated royal staff.

The image was unveiled at the Dorchester Collections 45 Park Lane in London at the launch of Mundays new exhibition of light sculptures, Presence.
Summer of love, or summer of disaster? The new trailer for 90 Day Fiance: Love in Paradise has dropped and Us Weekly has an exclusive first look at the spicy sophomore season.

Read article

Dont forget your hats and sunscreen, because no vacation fling is without drama that can leave you burned! warned a Discovery+ press release on Tuesday, May 3. Judging by the trailer, these couples are going to need a lot more than SPF 20 to save them.

Season 2 of the series will include three returning couples and two new LGBTQIA+ romances  a first for the 90 Day franchise, Us can confirm.

After a short-lived tropical getaway, the pairs will face the difficult task of joining their vastly different lifestyles into one and decide if their love is real  or just a short fling in paradise.

Discovery+

Frankie and Abby, for example, will have to navigate between friendship and romance after falling in love over video chat. The two met over 10 years prior on vacation in Mexico and had an unexpected threesome with Abbys girlfriend Gabby.

Now in a relationship, Frankie wants to return to Mexico for a surprise proposal  and Gabby has no idea whats coming.

Im going to Mexico to propose to my girlfriend, Frankie says in the trailer. The only problem is, my girlfriend has a girlfriend.

Aryanna and Sherlon  a returning couple from season 1  share son Odin, 12 months, but disagree on where to raise the little one.

Read article

I got pregnant in Paradise and now Im back to see if we can be a family, the mom of one confesses after returning to Jamaica to see if her partner will give up his lifestyle to be a dad.

Returning couple Amber met Daniel met in Costa Rica four years ago but now are married and living with Ambers sister. The Florida native is worried her relationship might not work as well in the real world.

Its easy to fall in love when youre on vacation, but in real life, theres nothing easy about it, the returning cast member says about her romance with husband Daniel.

I left my whole life in Costa Rica to start from zero, Daniel can be seen arguing in the trailer. Dont tell me I havent sacrificed.

Discovery+

Long-distance couple VaLentine and Carlos met after dating online for a year and a half during the coronavirus pandemic, but the pair will find it difficult to compromise once theyre together.

We are experiencing a lot of growing pains, Carlos tells VaLentine in the trailer. I feel like Im losing my independence. Im a grown-ass man!

Rounding out the group are New York native Daniele and her boyfriend Yohan. Daniele is worried after falling in love at first sight, the Dominican native is pursuing her for the wrong reasons.

Read article

I expected Yohan to live in poverty, but I didnt expect his home to be as bare-bones as it is, she confesses in the trailer after visiting her boyfriends home. Now Im worried hes only marrying me to move to the U.S. and send money to his family.

The trailer doesnt reveal whether any of these couples will figure it out or not, but luckily, fans will see for themselves soon.

90 Day Fiance: Love in Paradise starts streaming on Discovery+ June 10.
Kate Walsh made her highly anticipated return as Dr. Addison Montgomery on season 18 of "Grey's Anatomy" in October 2021. And while it's apparent how the "Grey's" universe felt about her comeback (extremely excited), the actor is opening up about her personal experience of revisiting her character on the long-running series.

During a phone interview with TODAY, Walsh shared that coming back as Addison and the set of "Grey's Anatomy" at large was like coming home, mentioning that the show is "a piece" of her at this point.

"It's like going back to like your hometown," Walsh said during the interview. "Thats the me that I used to be (and) I still am, to some extent.

Prior to returning to the show last fall, the actor hadn't graced the "Grey's" stage as a guest star for nine years. As viewers know, a lot can change on the medical drama show in a moment's notice, let alone over the course of nearly a decade.

Walsh left her main role as Addison in 2007 to create her own medical drama show, Private Practice, which ran for six seasons. In addition to guest star appearances on Greys Anatomy over the years, Walsh has been in everything from Fargo to 13 Reasons Why and most recently, the escapism that is known as Emily in Paris. Shes also recently partnered with SYSTANE, an eye-drop solution used to relieve symptoms caused by dry eyes.

Last fall, Kate Walsh returned to her role as Dr. Addison Montgomery in season 18 of

Walsh said that while returning as Addison after so many years has been "really exciting"  her next and final episodic appearance for season 18 is airing on Thursday, May 5  there's part of her that feels a ping of sadness because of the time that has passed.

"There's a little bit of that melancholy of coming back," Walsh expressed, between her character seeing Meredith and Derek's kids to incorporating COVID-19 into the new season.

The actor assures that Addison is not so different than when she returned as a guest star in Season Eight, mentioning that her character still has the "same DNA" as the earlier days. Walsh largely attributes that to the writers of the show, including creator Shonda Rhimes.

"They really have a great handle on Addison's wit, and intelligence and vulnerability, too," Walsh explained. "When Shonda created the show, and all these characters that people fell in love with ... its a real testament to the the craft of everyone that works on the show, from behind the scenes to the writers room, the producers and the fans and the love."

But it's natural for characters to develop over the course of a series, let alone one that's been running for 18 seasons. For Walsh's character, that evolution comes in the form of maturity.

"There's a maturing in her and the leadership quality and grounded-ness to her, particularly being an outsider coming in as a guest to 'Grey's' alone ... she has this perspective and objectivity that you trust," Walsh said. "There's a bit of a gravitas to her but also, you know, hopefully humor still."
STRASBOURG (Reuters) -The European Union's chief executive on Wednesday proposed a phased oil embargo on Russia, sanctions on its top bank and a ban on Russian broadcasters from European airwaves in its toughest measures yet to punish Moscow for its war in Ukraine.

The EU's sixth round of sanctions, if agreed by member states, would be a watershed for the world's largest trading bloc, which is dependent on Russian oil and gas and must find alternative supplies just as energy prices are spiking.

Reluctance to deliver sanctions that will hurt EU economies as well as Moscow faded in recent weeks as Russia's invasion of Ukraine brought horrific images of slaughter in towns and concern about a renewed offensive in the east of the country.

Reflecting widespread anger in the West at Russian President Vladimir Putin's campaign - which Moscow says is a "special military operation" to defeat dangerous nationalists - the head of the EU executive said Moscow must face consequences.

"Putin must pay a price, a high price, for his brutal aggression," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

"Today, we will propose to ban all Russian oil from Europe," she said to applause in the chamber.

The Commission's measures include phasing out supplies of Russian crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of 2022. Von der Leyen pledged to minimise the impact on European economies.

The price of Brent crude rose around 3% to more than $108 a barrel in early trade.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visits Ukraine.

If agreed, the embargo would follow the United States and Britain, which have already imposed bans to cut one of the largest income streams to the Russian economy, as the West buys more than half of its crude and petroleum products from Russia.

"We are addressing our dependency on Russian oil. And let's be clear, it will not be easy because some member states are strongly dependent on Russian oil, but we simply have to do it," von der Leyen said.

Ambassadors from the EU's 27 governments are widely expected to adopt the Commission proposals as early as this week, allowing them to become law soon after.

However, Hungary indicated that it could trip the latest EU sanctions package up.

Although it - along with Slovakia - will be given until the end of 2023 to wean itself off Russian oil because of its high dependency, Budapest said the proposal did not spell out how its energy security would be guaranteed.

"We do not see any plans or guarantees on how a transition could be managed based on the current proposals, and how Hungary's energy security would be guaranteed," Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said.

Simone Tagliapietra of the Brussels-based Bruegel think tank said a gradual embargo on Russian oil was risky.

"In the short term it might leave Russian revenues high while implying negative consequences for the EU and the global economy in terms of higher prices - not to mention retaliation risks (by Russia) on natural gas supplies," he said.

An employee inspects a well head in the Irkutsk Oil Company-owned Yarakta Oil Field in Irkutsk Region.

Apart from oil, the latest round of sanctions proposes hitting Sberbank, Russia's top lender, adding it to several banks already cut off from the SWIFT messaging system.

"We hit banks that are systemically critical to the Russian financial system and Putin's ability to wage destruction," von der Leyen said. "This will solidify the complete isolation of the Russian financial sector from the global system."

Sberbank did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The lender, which exited almost all its European markets in March, has previously said other rounds of sanctions would not have a significant impact on its operations.

Von der Leyen said more high-ranking Russian military officials would face EU asset freezes and travel bans, without giving names, and the EU would also ban European accountants, consultants and spin-doctors who work for Russian companies.

State-owned Russian broadcasters RTR-Planeta and R24 would be shut out of European airwaves as part of the latest sanctions, diplomats said.

Von der Leyen also proposed a recovery plan for Ukraine once the conflict ends, saying there was a need for hundreds of billions of euros in funding to rebuild the country.

"Eventually, it will pave the way for Ukraine's future inside the European Union," von der Leyen said.
Disney (DIS) versus DeSantis.

As the media conglomerate continues to grapple with the aftermath of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis revoking the company's special tax district, business leaders around the globe are contemplating their own company values as political issues take center stage.

"I don't think [Disney CEO Bob Chapek] did his homework," Bill George, a Harvard Business School professor and former chairman and CEO of medical device company, Medtronic, told Yahoo Finance.

"We're in a different world today  he was acting like he was back in the 1990s. In this world of 2022, you have all kinds of stakeholders who expect you to take a position, especially your employees," the professor continued, adding that workers today have found their voice "particularly in this post-COVID world."

"They want to be respected and heard, and they want their CEOs to speak on their behalf," he said, saying that Bob Chapek's silence on the Parental Rights in Education Act, or what critics have dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill, created the "uproar" that eventually led to the political crossfire with DeSantis.

"Disney is right in the thick of it, and it's struggling to get out of this mess."

CEOs today need to know how to lead through a crisis...Bill George, Harvard Business School professor and former chairman and CEO of Medtronic

The controversial bill, which will go into effect on July 1, states, "Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards." Parents will be able to sue districts over violations.

Chapek initially decided not to speak publicly on the matter, opting instead to work behind the scenes in an attempt to soften the legislation. It didn't work.

The executive eventually reversed course following intense backlash. He publicly denounced the act during the company's annual shareholder meeting on March 9, in addition to directly apologizing to employees in a company memo.

But many believe it was just too little, too late.

"When this legislation started in Florida, [Disney] should have had a position ready to go...a position that was true to the mission and values of what Disney is  a place that accepts everyone for who they are," George noted.

FILE PHOTO: Bob Chapek, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, speaks during the 10th anniversary ceremony of Hong Kong Disneyland in Hong Kong, China September 11, 2015. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo

Chapek's fumble now serves as a cautionary tale to other business leaders who are "very concerned" about future political battles, according to the professor.

Executives "don't want to get caught in the crossfire, either, but they are all going back and really thinking, 'What do I stand for?' 'What issues should I get involved in?' 'When should I get involved?' and 'How do I avoid getting caught in the crosshairs of some politician?' George explained.

"CEOs today need to know how to lead through a crisis because we go from one crisis to the next  from COVID to George Floyd to Russia and Ukraine, and probably another one just around the corner," he continued.

"They need to be prepared to deal with these crises and have a position that's true to their company."

'Vatican with mouse ears'

ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 22: Disney employee Nicholas Maldonado holds a sign while protesting outside of Walt Disney World on March 22, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. Employees are staging a company-wide walkout today to protest Walt Disney Co.'s response to controversial legislation passed in Florida known as the Dont Say Gay bill. (Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images)

Currently, Walt Disney World Resort sits on a 40-square mile area known as Reedy Creek, the special tax district that has allowed Disney to operate as a self-governing entity since its inception.

Disney, in addition to paying property taxes to Orange and Osceola counties, pays taxes directly to Reedy Creek. In turn, the district uses that money to fund Disney's various theme park projects and operations, including infrastructure upkeep.

As a result, Disney controls all of its utilities, sets building codes, operates its own police and fire departments, and can expand and grow whenever it wishes  all without local or state government interference.

The arrangement also comes with certain tax advantages as Reedy Creek can issue tax-free municipal bonds to finance certain projects.

"I call it a Vatican with mouse ears, because it's essentially the same kind of authority that the Vatican has in Rome in the state of Italy," said Richard Foglesong, Disney historian and author of the book "Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando."

Consequently, the new ruling will strip Disney of that immense control and flexibility, in addition to throwing Reedy Creek's $997 million worth of bond debt, and some $163 million in annual tax payments into question. Those payments could fall on the citizens of the surrounding counties, who would be forced to bear the cost of the various services Disney previously paid for through Reedy Creek.

It is currently unclear what the long-term financial fallout would be for the "happiest place on earth."

U.S. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, U.S. February 24, 2022. REUTERS/Octavio Jones

DeSantis revealed in a town hall last week that there will be "additional legislative action" to address potential tax fallout and any issues regarding the legality of dissolving the district.

"We've contemplated that. We know what we're going to do, so stay tuned. That'll all be apparent," the governor stated.

Still, who or what will pay off Disney's bond debt is "the billion dollar question."

"There are many unintended consequences, frankly, that have not been thought through that will give Disney more ammunition," George said.

'Florida needs Disney'

Consequently, due to the many uncertainties surrounding the bill, some experts say the dissolution might not even happen.

"I don't think it's very likely  frankly, the consequences are too dire," Foglesong surmised.

Still, the bill was signed into law by Governor DeSantis last month and, barring any major backpedaling on the part of lawmakers, will go into effect in June 2023. Disney could also sue Florida for retaliation in an attempt to thwart the legislation, although experts say it is more likely that the media giant will enter into negotiations to alter the terms of the district.

"Florida needs Disney  it's a huge revenue producer and has changed everything around [Orlando,]" George stated bluntly, saying the battle has turned into a question of "who needs who more."

"Florida can't do without Disney World, I can tell you that."

Editor's Note: This article has bene updated to clarify Disney's current tax payment structure

Alexandra is a Senior Entertainment and Food Reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @alliecanal8193 or email her at alexandra.canal@yahoofinance.com

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(Reuters) -Moderna Inc on Wednesday reported $6 billion in first-quarter revenue from its COVID-19 vaccine that breezed past estimates, and said it expects vaccine sales to be higher in the second half of the year than in the first.

The company's shares rose 6.8% to $156.46 before the opening bell. The results eased some worries about vaccine sales this year as an increasing number of people globally receive a complete vaccination course.

Still, future sales remain uncertain as countries relax pandemic curbs, cases fall in some regions and the need for annual booster shots remains unclear.

Moderna, like rival Pfizer, maintained its full-year sales forecast for the vaccine at $21 billion. The bigger drugmaker also stuck to its forecast for its COVID pill, signaling a dearth of new sales contracts for the drug.

Moderna's vaccine is based on messenger RNA (mRNA), the same technology that is also used by Pfizer, and recently gained authorization for a second booster dose in the United States.

U.S. regulators granted authorization for boosters of both vaccines in March for people age 50 and older, citing data showing waning immunity and the risks posed by Omicron variants of the virus.

Moderna Chief Executive Officer Stephane Bancel told CNBC that he hoped people, especially those at high-risk of disease, would get a booster dose in the fall.

Moderna's COVID shot has propelled it from a developer of experimental vaccine technology with no approved products to a vaccine maker with billions of dollars in sales.

Sales of its vaccine rose to $5.9 billion in the first quarter from $1.7 billion a year ago. Total sales of $6.1 billion beat estimates of $4.62 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

The company said it expected to test a booster shot to target the Omicron variant, in addition to the original coronavirus, in a late-stage trial in the second quarter.

(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)
Like religious congregants all over, the people of historic Brown Chapel AME Church turned off the lights and locked the doors at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic because it wasnt safe to gather for worship with a deadly virus circulating. For a time, the landmark church that launched a national voting rights movement in Selma, Alabama, was off limits.

What members found when they returned was heartbreaking: Termites had eaten so much wood that parts of the structure weren't stable anymore, said member Juanda Maxwell, and water leaks damaged walls. Mold was growing in parts of the building, where hundreds met before Alabama state troopers attacked voting rights demonstrators on Bloody Sunday in 1965 at the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

It's in horrible shape, said Maxwell. It's a tough time. Because we were closed for a year it exacerbated the problem with water coming in.

The red brick church, with distinctive twin bell towers and a domed ceiling, tops this year's list of the nation's most endangered historic places, according to the Washington, D.C.-based, National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit organization which works to highlight and preserve sites that are in danger of being lost. Other places on the list include:

 Chicano Murals painted on the sides of buildings in Colorado and inspired by the human rights and cultural movements of the 1960s and 70s.

 The Deborah Chapel, a Jewish mortuary building established in 1886 in Hartford, Connecticut.

 Francisco Sanchez Elementary School, the closed centerpiece of the town in Umatac, Guam.

 Minidoka National Historic Site, where more than 13,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II in Jerome, Idaho.

 Camp Naco, a base for Black Buffalo Soldiers dating back to 1919 along the U.S.-Mexican border in Naco, Arizona.

 Picture Cave in Warrenton, Missouri, which holds indigenous artwork dating as far back more than 1,200 years by the Osage Nation.

 Brooks Park Art and Nature Center, the home and art studio in East Hampton, New York, of James Brooks and Charlotte Park, who were important in the abstract expressionism movement in American art.

 Palmer Memorial Institute, a boarding school built in 1902 for Black youths in Greensboro, North Carolina.

 Olivewood Cemetery, an African American burial ground in Houston, Texas, dating to 1875 and containing more than 4,000 graves.

 Jamestown, the site in Jamestown, Virginia, where enslaved people first arrived in America and where the first publicly elected assembly in the United States met.

Then-Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama speaks at Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Ala., on March 4, 2007. (Rob Carr/AP)

Brown Chapel, the first African Methodist Episcopal church in Alabama, was the site of preparations for a voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery on March 7, 1965, when police beat marchers led by the late Rep. John Lewis, then a young activist. Weeks later, thousands gathered there before the Selma-to-Montgomery march led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Maxwell is part of a group of Brown Chapel members serving on a foundation that's trying to raise money for repairs estimated to exceed $4 million, she said. The church, located in a public housing community, has only a few dozen members in regular attendance, so it's relying on grants and outside donations to fund the work.

The National Park Service already has provided a grant of $1.3 million for restoration of the church, which was constructed in 1908 by a formerly enslaved Black builder, A.J. Farley, and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1997.

Our goal is to try to receive over $3 million in grants to do the foundational work. After that we hope to get in more private donations, Maxwell said.

With members unable to gather in the building since repair work began in October, Maxwell said, the few who still attend continue meeting online.

Were Zooming. The pastor is searching for a place, she said.
Abortion rights protesters demonstrate outside the Supreme Court on Tuesday after a purported leak says that Roe vs. Wade will be overturned. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Activists on both sides of the abortion debate have spent months planning for a blockbuster Supreme Court ruling this year on Roe vs. Wade. None of those plans anticipated the particular jolt on Monday night, when a leaked draft opinion signaled a decisive end to the decades-long precedent.

The disclosure accelerated plans already in the works for the upcoming midterm elections, especially in states holding marquee gubernatorial and Senate races, such as Georgia and Arizona. While Republicans have been more effective in rallying supporters around abortion in the past, Democrats believe the reality of Roe's seemingly imminent reversal may galvanize their voters to avoid steep losses in November.

Still, supporters and opponents of abortion access took care to hedge their messaging on Tuesday, mindful that Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.'s proposed revocation of nationwide abortion protections telegraphed where the conservative court was leaning but was not its final say.

"This is a draft opinion. It is not yet a done deal, and we want to continue to raise our voices and fight like hell to make sure that everyone, including the court ... understands how horribly unpopular this is going to be," said Kristin Ford, vice president of communications and research at NARAL Pro-Choice America. But she added: "This is coming. This is barreling at us."

Penny Nance, president of Concerned Women for America, sounded a similar note of caution but said her group was proceeding with its long-standing strategy in preparation for the end of Roe: working to outlaw abortion in every state.

Without the national protections articulated by the Supreme Court, abortion would likely become illegal in roughly half of the states  either through bans on the books before Roe was decided in 1973, trigger laws that go into effect if the landmark decision is overturned, or state constitutional amendments explicitly rejecting protections for the procedure. Conservative states have passed a slew of antiabortion laws in recent years in anticipation of the matter being left to individual states.

Heading into the midterms, Concerned Women for America will, at a minimum run voter registration and poll worker drives in Georgia, Arizona and Pennsylvania, Nance said. But she said antiabortion activists plan to raise the issue in every state.

"Seven men chose for every state in 1973," Nance said, referring to the justices who backed the ruling in a 7-2 vote. "That's why we have had this ongoing unrest and divisiveness, our Marches for Life  because we haven't been able to advocate for our positions on a state-by-state level."

A crowd, mainly of women, gathers outside the Supreme Court on Tuesday with signs supporting abortion rights. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

The possibility of a ruling ending abortion rights has loomed over the political landscape for nearly a year, afterthe Supreme Court agreed to consider a Mississippi law banning the procedure after 15 weeks, which would go against the precedent set by Roe. A sweeping decision seemed even more likely in December, when the conservative majority declined to block a six-week ban in Texas.

But after Politico reported on the leaked opinion and Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. confirmed its authenticity, the most ardent opponents stopped well short of a jubilant celebration. Initially, some had little to say at all.

Susan B. Anthony List, an influential antiabortion group, tweeted Monday evening that it would "not be commenting until an official decision is announced by the Court." Marjorie Dannenfelser, the group's president, followed up an hour later with a longer statement "wholeheartedly applaud[ing] the decision"  if, she noted repeatedly, it holds.

Abortion rights backers say conservatives' circumspection hints at the political danger that would come with a sweeping decision that would open the door for expansive state bans even in cases of rape or incest.

"Every Democrat and her brother has been talking about this issue, and every Republican is saying, 'Why did this leak happen,'" said Christina Reynolds, vice president of communications for Emily's List, which backs female candidates who support the right to abortion. "You would think there would be a victory lap, and yet they know they are on the wrong side of voters."

Public opinion polls show that while most Americans support some restrictions to abortion, a majority have consistently opposed overturning Roe vs. Wade for decades. About 54% believe the ruling should be upheld and 28% want to see it overturned, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll released Tuesday and conducted last week, before the release of the draft ruling. The findings roughly mirror polling by Gallup since 1989.

Opposing abortion has been a winning issue for Republicans that has not cost them. Basically, they could fight and show their support for this issue and pass laws that they knew would be struck down," said Berwood Yost, director of the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania. But the prospect of national protections disappearing "changes that calculation."

"This is not a winner in the suburbs," Yost said.

Liberal groups, including NARAL, Emily's List and Planned Parenthood, announced on Monday a $150-million midterm campaign focused on advertisements, candidate training, and phone banking and door knocking in at least nine states. Ford, of NARAL, identified key voting groups they hope to engage  including ardent backers of abortion access who arent consistent voters, and suburban women who may be conflicted on the issue but persuadable about the importance of personal choice.

Activists who have warned for years that Roe was in peril, meanwhile, are hoping the reality of the court's likely ruling will be a catalyzing call to elect their allies in November, overcoming the "believability gap" that has blunted their message.

Even after Texas' six-week ban went into effect, "most people did not believe Roe was actually at risk," said Reynolds of Emily's List. The disclosure of Alito's draft, she said, "will change how voters view this  from an issue where they are clearly on our side to an issue that truly pushes them."

The preliminary ruling also could motivate political allies whose mission is not overtly centered around reproductive health. Samuel Garrett-Pate, spokesman for Equality California, said Alito's opinion threatens to undermine all LGBTQ civil rights advancements made in recent years.

The right to privacy that was upheld under Roe v. Wade ... ultimately led to all of the advancements for LGBTQ civil rights. Thats not me saying it  thats Justice Alito in this draft opinion, Garrett-Pate said. They are telegraphing exactly where they want to go next.

By Tuesday, the contours of the likely new phase of the abortion battles were already taking shape. Democratic campaign committees released a flurry of digital ads on Facebook, fundraising off the call to "protect abortion access." In California, Democratic leaders announced plans for a ballot initiative to protect the procedure in the state Constitution.

The initiative, which builds on the right to privacy in California's Constitution, helps reinforce campaigns to boost candidates who support abortion rights, said Jennifer Wonnacott, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California.

"With the Supreme Court, folks felt a little lost in what they can do," Wonnacott said. "You can't call the Supreme Court. This gives our folks a clear action to get behind."

In Michigan, nearly 300 antiabortion activists cautiously celebrated the potential of a favorable Supreme Court ruling at their annual lobbying day in the state Capitol in Lansing.

"We're well-positioned to be an abortion-free state once Roe is overturned," said Genevieve Marnon, legislative director of Right to Life Michigan, pointing to a pre-Roe state ban on the procedure, which Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is seeking to dismantle.

As Marnon was speaking, she received a notice that Planned Parenthood was seeking additional signature gatherers to qualify a ballot measure that would amend Michigans Constitution to guarantee abortion access.

Im sure they are going to do everything they can to raise this, Marnon said. If its going to rally the one side, its probably going to rally the other side.

Times staff writers David Lauter and Terry Castleman contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Abortion rights advocates are gearing up for a fight to protect the reproductive freedoms of some of Americas most vulnerable women after a draft opinion by the Supreme Court, obtained by Politico and leaked Monday night, suggested that the high court has voted to overturn Roe v. Wade  the 1973 landmark ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

About 1 in 4 American women obtain an abortion before age 45, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion-rights research group. But a decision by the high court to block womens access to safe and legal abortions would disproportionately affect historically oppressed communities, specifically Black women, who receive abortions at a higher rate than their white counterparts.

The reality is that abortion bans at their core are racist, Lauren Frazier, the director of communications and marketing for Planned Parenthood Southeast, told Yahoo News. Obviously, Black and brown women specifically would be some of the communities that are most impacted, because they access abortion care more frequently. When those resources are not available, it really puts women at risk who are already at risk, because of the lack of access to comprehensive health care, even more so in a position where theyre in danger.

Frazier represents the Planned Parenthood network that provides family planning services for women in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi  three out of the 26 states that are likely to ban or restrict abortions if Roe v. Wade were to be overturned.

Thats 36 million women and others who can get pregnant across large swaths of the South and the Midwest, who would no longer have access, Frazier said. That includes LGBTQ folks, Black and brown folks, folks in rural communities who already face large health disparities and barriers when it comes to accessing care. So this is a huge deal.

A patient at the Trust Women clinic in Oklahoma City in 2021. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

According to the 2011 Abortion Surveillance Report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women make up 14% of the childbearing population but have received 36.2% of reported abortions.

The numbers are even higher in conservative-leaning states like Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama, according to the states departments of public health. In Mississippi, 79% of abortions are obtained by Black women; in Georgia, 59.4%; and in Alabama, 58.4%.

In addition, health care advocates say they fear a restriction on abortion rights would create even more risks for Black mothers who would be forced to carry their pregnancies to term, even while facing potential health risks and limited options for abortion care if they lack the means to travel out of state for the procedure or to raise a child.

If you have the resources to get care, youre going to get care, but the point is that you even have to use your resources at all to make these long trips out of state, take time off from work and use all of your other resources just to access what has been, for the last 50 years, constitutionally protected health care, Frazier said. Thats just for the people who have the resources. What about the women and families and other folks who dont have those same resources?

According to a 2021 study published in the research journal Demography focused on the effect of a total abortion ban on pregnancy-related mortality, banning abortion across the nation would lead to a 21% increase in the number of pregnancy-related deaths for all women and a 33% increase among Black women.

Were going to find ourselves in the position we were in before 1973 when Roe was in place, where people were literally dying for the right to choose, Frazier said. So it is just really disheartening that we are back in this same fight that our grandmothers fought so long ago.

The study also revealed that banning all voluntary induced abortions would increase the lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy-related causes from 1 in 1,300 to 1 in 1,000 among Black women.

Catalina Leano, a licensed vocational nurse at Houston Womens Reproductive Services, speaks with a patient in 2021. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

Our patients of color already face deep systemic barriers to accessing health care, and now would bear the most harmful impacts of this ban, including potential deadly consequences of forced birth, said Jean Ross, president of National Nurses United, in a statement. Banning reproductive care would also accelerate a national scandal of shockingly high maternal and infant mortality rates, again especially for women of color, that are among the worst in the developed world.

Guttmacher Institute research shows that so-called trigger laws, which would ban abortions almost immediately if Roe v. Wade were overturned, are already in place in 13 states: Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. But in a statement to Yahoo News, Dr. Herminia Palacio, president and CEO of the Guttmacher Institute, said that even if the landmark ruling were to stay in place, Black women still face an uphill climb.

Even with Roe in place, affordable and accessible abortion care is a right that exists only on paper for many people who are marginalized and oppressed by structural inequities, including people with low incomes, Black and Brown communities and other people of color, and young people.

Still, Frazier emphasizes that politicians have no business intruding in personal medical decisions when it comes to abortion care.

When we talk about supporting women, when we talk about supporting families, it has to happen in a holistic way, because decisions about our personal health care, about our families, about our futures, those are very personal decisions, and we should be allowed to make those decisions in consultation with our faith, our family and our physicians. But nowhere as it relates to any of that, should politicians interfere between the doctor-patient relationship.

Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama echoed Frazier in a statement of their own on Tuesday, pointing to the freedom enshrined in the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, which requires all of us to enjoy a sphere of our lives not subject to the whims of politicians and ideologues.

Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., shared her personal story of having an abortion after she was raped as a teen.

In a statement to Yahoo News, Bush said: Abortion is a constitutional right that must be protected by any means necessary. The right to choose has always been vulnerable to a Supreme Court stacked with Trump-appointed judges.

We cannot throw up our hands like there isnt anything we can do to protect the reproductive freedom of millions of people in this country  especially when Black, brown, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+ and low-income people are the communities that will be harmed the most, she continued. While abortion is still legal this morning in America, people are going to die because of the decision of a far right Supreme Court. Unless Congress acts.

Democratic-leaning states like New York and California have already moved to bolster the protection of reproductive rights.

After pro-abortion-rights protesters decried the draft opinion outside the Supreme Court Monday night, the high court released a statement of its own on Tuesday, saying the draft opinion does not represent a decision by the court or the final position of any member.

Justices circulate draft opinions internally as a routine and essential part of the Court's confidential deliberative work.

President Biden on Tuesday called the draft opinion a radical decision, after releasing a statement calling on Congress to codify abortion rights, and he urged voters to elect lawmakers who would support those rights.

But for now, Planned Parenthood stressed the fact that abortion is still legal and that their centers remain open. Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood, the nations oldest and largest provider of family planning services, tweeted that the nonprofit organization will be fighting like hell to protect the right for women to access safe and legal abortions.

Frazier also said Planned Parenthood is prepared to handle the needs of their patients if the landmark ruling is overturned, including working closely with their partners on the ground to make sure local abortion resources are well-funded, and implementing a patient navigator.

In the case that Roe is overturned and folks can no longer get care here, what well be doing is supporting patients by making sure that they get support with travel, with hotels and meals, or whatever it is that they need to travel to where care is still available, she said.
(Reuters) - A Dominican diplomat was kidnapped in Haiti and released after four days, the Dominican Republic's foreign minister said on Monday, in an abduction that coincides with a spike in gang violence in the Caribbean country.

Carlos Guillen, an attache for the Dominican embassy, went missing on Friday as he was driving from Port-au-Prince to the Dominican border town of Jimani, prompting the Dominican military to reinforce border surveillance.

"We thank everyone who actively participated in his release," wrote Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez on Twitter, without elaborating.

Haiti has seen nearly two weeks of bloody gang turf wars in areas near the capital of Port-au-Prince that have killed at least 20 people. Gangs have steadily boosted their power since the July assassination of President Jovenel Moise.

(Reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince and Brian Ellsworth in Miami; Editing by Nick Macfie)
A Republican candidate for the U.S. House in Ohio who has promoted the conspiracy theory QAnon and attended the Jan. 6 Stop The Steal rally in Washington, D.C., won his primary Tuesday night.

J.R. Majewski, an Air Force veteran and political newcomer, won in a crowded field to advance to a November race against long-time Democratic incumbent Rep. Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in House history.

J.R. Majewski (JR Majewski for Congress via Twitter)

Prior to entering electoral politics, Majewski first received the attention of the national media and former President Donald Trump during the summer of 2020, when he painted his lawn to look like a giant Trump reelection banner. He appeared on Fox News to talk about his yard while wearing a QAnon T-shirt, suggesting support for the pro-Trump conspiracy theory based on the unsubstantiated belief that the former president is working to take down a powerful cabal of child-eating pedophiles. Trump praised Majewski and his lawn.

According to Media Matters, a liberal media watchdog group, Majewski has also posted a number of QAnon-affiliated images and hashtags on his instagram, including #WWG1WGA, an abbreviation of the QAnon slogan where we go one, we go all. Media Matters also found that Majewski has close ties to RedPill78, a prominent QAnon influencer who has been banned from multiple social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, for promoting the violent conspiracy theory.

Majewski and the person behind the RedPill78 account reportedly traveled to Washington together ahead of the Jan. 6 insurrection, though he has said he only attended the Stop the Steal rally where Trump spoke ahead of the riots and did not breach the Capitol. A number of Twitter users have publicly thanked him for funding their travel to Washington to protest the certification of President Bidens electoral victory.

Majewski, who has not previously run for elected office, won with 36% of the vote in the four-person field, two of them elected officials. Ohio State Rep. Craig Riedel finished second, and state Sen. Theresa Gavarone, who faced criticism that she had moved to the district just to run for the seat, finished third with 29%.

J.R. Majewski and Donald Trump (J.R. Majewski for Congress via Twitter)

Trump did not formally endorse Majewski, but did speak highly of him at a rally last month, saying, Hes been carving the name Trump on his farm and those planes would pass over that farm. You know who Im talking about. And hes a great guy and hes in there fighting for whatever the hell hes fighting for. I dont care. I love him, J.R. Majewski. Majewski used part of the Trump quote in one of his final campaign ads.

On his YouTube channel, Majewski posted a video endorsement from Trumps former national security adviser Michael Flynn, a QAnon hero who has previously posted various phrases and slogans associated with the conspiracy group.

He will face Kaptur, a Democrat who has served in Congress since first winning her seat in 1982. Shes a member of the House Appropriations Committee, serving as the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.

Kaptur has won by comfortable margins in recent races in what had been a safely Democratic seat. The district runs along Lake Erie in the states north, including sections of both Cleveland and Toledo. But due to the latest round of redistricting, the district now includes the rural northwest section of the state, making it far more competitive in the general election. The final outline of the new district is still in flux as the battle over congressional maps continues, as Republican-drawn maps have been repeatedly rejected by the Ohio Supreme Court.

Ohio Rep. Marcy Kaptur. (Ken Blaze/AP)

Kaptur, 75, might have been expected to retire given her lengthy tenure and the likelihood she will now run in a tossup district in what many predict will be a tough year for Democrats. The lawmaker explained her decision to NBC News, citing the this invention of nontruths around the 2020 election that led to the Jan. 6 rally attended by Majewski.

Joe Biden is the first president in my lifetime  and that's one reason Im running again, because Im going to help Joe as much as I can  that sort of gets it, she said. He's a coastal guy from Delaware. ... But he grew up the son of a man who lost his job. And that matters.
The Biden administration recently unveiled a plan to welcome a small portion of the millions of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion, but for those who want to help, there are key conditions to be aware of before applying.

"Uniting for Ukraine" is a humanitarian parole program that will allow individuals and private groups to sponsor or offer temporary protection to Ukrainians who have been displaced by the war.

In order to serve as a sponsor, people must be U.S. citizens, or residents who hold lawful status in the United States, including beneficiaries of Deferred Enforced Departure, Temporary Protected Status, Deferred Action, according to U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Theres a lot of interest to help them, said Jacob Sapochnick, an immigration lawyer in San Diego, who told Yahoo News that he has received a lot of calls from people asking how to become sponsors. But he explained it is important for people to know that becoming a sponsor is more than just signing a document.

They sign a contract essentially to guarantee they're going to support them during those two years, Sapochnick said, adding that it is a good idea before committing to the sponsorship to connect with the refugees, talk to them and understand who they are.

Maybe do some video calls with them before. ... It's a big responsibility, Sapochnick said.

These sponsors will also have to go through security and background checks, as well as demonstrate sufficient financial resources to receive, maintain and support the individuals whom they commit to support for the duration of their stay in the United States, according to USCIS.

A refugee family from Ukraine at a registration center for internally displaced people in Zaporizhzhia. (Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters)

Since Uniting for Ukraine launched last week, many Ukrainians who dont have family or friends and wish to seek refuge in the U.S. under the new program have been desperately looking for sponsorship. At the same time, many nonprofit organizations have mobilized to connect these refugees with Americans who wish to help them.

Yanina Makoviy is the administrator of a Facebook group Helping Ukrainians in the USA, which was created when the war began in order to provide information for Ukrainians who wished to come to the U.S., as well as for Americans who had an interest in assisting them. Before the Biden administration program was announced, Makoviy says the majority of Ukrainians who posted in the Facebook group sought information about how to enter the country from Mexico.

When the private sponsorship program was first announced in late April, a senior DHS official told reporters that U.S. immigration officials had processed close to 15,000 Ukrainian nationals over the last three months, most of whom entered the country via the U.S-Mexico border.

However, now that the new program exists, U.S. officials have urged Ukrainians to stop traveling to Mexico in order to enter the U.S. Theyve also said Ukrainians who arrive at U.S. ports of entry without a valid visa  or without preauthorization to travel through the Uniting for Ukraine program  will be denied entry and will be asked to apply to the program.

Ukrainian refugees wait in the Benito Juarez sports complex, set up as a shelter by the local government in Tijuana, Mexico. (Jorge Duenes/Reuters)

Makoviy says the majority of messages posted most recently to the Facebook group, which now has more than 3,000 followers, are from Ukrainians seeking sponsorship.

I feel like everyone who is posting in the group, they dont have family in America, Makoviy, who is Ukrainian, told Yahoo News. There are a lot of people who are coming from Kyiv, Mariupol, so they are saying that their homes are totally destroyed, and then they are looking for sponsors [so they can] come to the USA, she added.

Makoviy says Ukrainian refugees looking for sponsors are adults of different ages and professions. Many of them are women and children, especially because Ukraines government has limited the outflow of men as part of the war effort. She also says the refugees she talks to emphasize their willingness to be self-sufficient and work as soon as they are allowed to get a work permit.

They dont want to be a burden, so they say, Were going to start working right away. We will find a house right away. Dont worry about housing, well try our best to do it ourselves, she said.

But many of these refugees fled with only a few possessions and little money and will likely need considerable help once they arrive. Refugee resettlement advocates and immigration lawyers say potential sponsors must understand their obligations in advance.

Theres an added responsibility here because its people who are fleeing a crisis, theyre arriving only with what they can carry, Nazanin Ash, CEO of the nonprofit organization Welcome.US, told Yahoo News. When you are signing up to be a sponsor, youre signing up to be the welcomer and the navigator for the beneficiary, the family thats coming to the United States, and that means thinking through and providing all of the things that would allow someone to feel welcome and get their footing in a new country and in a new community, Ash added.

A Ukrainian mother and daughter, who are seeking asylum in the U.S., wait to cross the U.S.-Mexico border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in Tijuana, Mexico. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Welcome.US is a nonprofit group that coordinated help for Afghan refugees in the U.S. last year, after the evacuation of more than 65,000 Afghans during the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. Ash told Yahoo News that her organization is now launching a new effort to recruit 100,000 American residents who want to connect with and sponsor Ukrainian refugees. This sponsorship effort, she said, is supported by a $3.6 million contribution from Goldman Sachs.

The U.S. government isnt doing that matching ... so what were doing at Welcome.US right now is helping to design some of the matching platforms that we hope many organizations can then use to be able to match sponsors with beneficiaries who are looking to be assisted, Ash said.

Uniting for Ukraine is part of the Biden administrations commitment to offer refuge to up to 100,000 Ukrainians who have been displaced by the war. More than 5.6 million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian military invaded the country on Feb. 24, according to the United Nations.

Ukrainians who qualify will be allowed into the country for up to two years. Once here, they will be eligible to apply for work permits. In order to be eligible, applicants must have been residents in Ukraine as of Feb. 11, 2022, and complete vaccinations and other public health requirements, as well as pass various security screenings.

Even though this new program offers a glimmer of hope to Ukrainians, some refugee resettlement agencies have expressed mixed feelings about the program, Krish OMara Vignarajah, president of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, said in a statement. One concern is that it may take refugees more than two years to be able to return home, whether thats due to ongoing dangers in Ukraine or to other reasons.

Another worry is that the program defines the fleeing Ukrainians as humanitarian parolees, a temporary status given to some people fleeing armed conflicts and other crises.

By coming to the U.S. as parolees and not officially as refugees, Ukrainians will miss out on two key things the U.S. refugee program provides  the ability to choose for themselves and their families whether its best to stay in the U.S. or to go home, and the initial financial and integration support the refugee program provides, Melanie Nezer, senior vice president of global public affairs of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, told Yahoo News.
FILE This undated photo provided by the Missouri Department of Corrections shows Carman Deck. Missouri inmate Carman Deck is scheduled to die by injection on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, for killing a couple during a robbery at their eastern Missouri home in 1996. Executions have become increasingly uncommon in the U.S., with just 11 last year and four so far in 2022. That's down from a peak of 98 in 1998. Photo provided by the Missouri Department of Corrections. (Missouri Department of Corrections via AP File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

A Missouri man who killed a couple during a robbery at their rural home more than a quarter of a century ago was put to death Tuesday, becoming just the fifth person executed in the United States this year.

Carman Deck, 56, died by injection at the state prison in Bonne Terre. He was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. His fate was sealed a day earlier when neither the U.S. Supreme Court nor Republican Gov. Mike Parson stepped in to halt the execution. Decks death sentence was overturned three times before for procedural issues.

Just four other people have been executed in the U.S. in 2022  Donald Anthony Grant and Gilbert Ray Postelle in Oklahoma, Matthew Reeves in Alabama and Carl Wayne Buntion last month in Texas. Eleven people were executed in the U.S. last year, the fewest since 1988.

Court records show that Deck, of the St. Louis area, was a friend of the grandson of James and Zelma Long in De Soto, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) southwest of St. Louis. He knew the couple, in their late 60s, kept a safe in their home.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. APs earlier story follows below.

A man whose death sentence for killing a Missouri couple while robbing their home was overturned three times was scheduled to be executed on Tuesday.

Carman Deck, 56, would be just the fifth U.S. inmate to be executed this year if his lethal injection goes ahead. His hopes for a reprieve were all but dashed on Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court turned aside an appeal and Republican Gov. Mike Parson declined Deck's clemency request, though he could file new appeals.

Deck, who was from the St. Louis area, was a friend of the grandson of James and Zelma Long and knew they kept a safe in their home De Soto, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) southwest of St. Louis, according to court records.

In July 1996, Deck and his sister stopped at the home under the guise of asking for directions. Deck told a detective that he wasn't surprised to be invited inside by the couple, who were in their late 60s.

Theyre country folks, Deck said, according to court records. They always do.

Once inside, Deck pulled a gun from his waistband. At Decks command, Zelma Long opened the safe and removed jewelry, then got $200 from her purse and more money hidden in a canister.

Deck ordered the couple to lie on their stomachs on their bed. Court records said Deck stood there for 10 minutes deciding what to do, then shot James Long twice in the head before doing the same thing to Zelma Long.

A tip alerted police to Deck, and he was arrested that night outside his sisters apartment building in St. Louis County. The decorative tin canister from the Long home was in his car.

Prosecutors said Deck later gave a full account of the killings. He was sentenced to death in 1998, but the Missouri Supreme Court tossed the sentence due to errors by Decks trial lawyer.

The U.S. Supreme Court threw out his second death sentence in 2005, citing the prejudice caused by Deck being shackled in front of the jury.

He was sentenced to death for a third time in 2008, but U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry overturned that sentence nine years later after she determined that substantial evidence arguing against the death penalty during Decks first two penalty phases was unavailable for the third because witnesses had died, couldnt be found or declined to cooperate.

In October 2020, a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals restored the death penalty, ruling that Deck should have raised his concern first in state court, not federal court. Appeals of that ruling were unsuccessful.

Deck's clemency petition said he suffered sexual abuse and beatings as a child, and that he and his siblings were often left alone without food.

Parson wasn't swayed, explaining his rationale for rejecting the petition in a news release: Mr. Deck has received due process, and three separate juries of his peers have recommended sentences of death for the brutal murders he committed."

The number of executions in the U.S. has declined significantly since peaking at 98 in 1998. The drop has coincided with a decline in public support for capital punishment that has fallen from a high of 80% in 1994 to 54% in 2021, according to Gallup polls. Since the mid-1990s, opposition to capital punishment has risen from under 20% to about 45%.

Just four people have been executed in 2022  Donald Anthony Grant and Gilbert Ray Postelle in Oklahoma, Matthew Reeves in Alabama and Carl Wayne Buntion last month in Texas. All four were convicted killers who were put to death by injection. Eleven people were executed in the U.S. last year, which was the country's fewest executions since 1988.

Use of the death penalty has become concentrated mostly in a few Southern and Plains states. Last year, Texas executed three inmates, Oklahoma executed two, and one each were put to death in Alabama, Mississippi and Missouri. Three federal inmates were executed in January 2021, toward the end of President Donald Trump's administration.

On Monday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee paused executions for the rest of the year to enable a review of lethal injection procedures after a testing oversight forced the state to call off the execution of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die on April 21.
FILE - U.S. Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta speaks during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., on March 31, 2005. Mineta, who as federal transportation secretary ordered commercial flights grounded after the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001, died Tuesday, May 3, 2022. He was 90. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  Norman Mineta, who broke racial barriers for Asian Americans serving in high-profile government posts and ordered commercial flights grounded after the 9/11 terror attacks as the nation's federal transportation secretary, died Tuesday. He was 90.

John Flaherty, Minetas former chief of staff, said Mineta died peacefully at his home surrounded by family in Edgewater, Maryland, east of the nation's capital.

His cause of death was a heart ailment," Flaherty added. He was an extraordinary public servant and a very dear friend."

Mineta broke racial barriers for Asian Americans in becoming mayor of San Jose, California early in his political career. He later became the first Asian American to become a federal Cabinet secretary, serving under both Democratic President Bill Clinton and Republican George W. Bush.

Bush went on to award Mineta the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In a statement, the former president said Mineta was "a wonderful American story about someone who overcame hardship and prejudice to serve in the United States Army, Congress, and the Cabinet of two Presidents.

As my Secretary of Transportation, he showed great leadership in helping prevent further attacks on and after 9/11. As I said when presenting him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Norm has given his country a lifetime of service, and hes given his fellow citizens an example of leadership, devotion to duty, and personal character, the former president said.

The son of Japanese immigrants who spent two years of his childhood at a World War II internment camp, Mineta began his political career leading his hometown of San Jose before joining the Clinton administration as commerce secretary and then crossing party lines to serve in Bushs Cabinet.

As Bushs transportation secretary, Mineta led the department during the crisis of Sept. 11, 2001, as hijacked commercial airliners barreled toward U.S. landmarks. After a second plane crashed into the World Trade Center, Mineta ordered the Federal Aviation Administration to ground all civilian aircraft  more than 4,500 in flight at the time. It was the first such order given in U.S. aviation history.

Mineta was subsequently tasked with restoring confidence in air travel in the aftermath of the terror attacks. He oversaw the hasty creation of the Transportation Security Administration, which took over responsibility for aviation security from the airlines.

Within a year, the TSA had hired tens of thousands of airport screeners, put air marshals on commercial flights and installed high-tech equipment to screen air travelers and their luggage for bombs.

The effort was derided at the time for wasteful spending and causing long lines at airports. But Mineta, widely liked and respected in Washington for his deep knowledge of transportation issues, managed to escape the brunt of that criticism.

In 2006, he resigned at age 74 after 5 and 1/2 years in his post, making him the longest-serving transportation secretary since the agency was created in 1967.

Born on Nov. 12, 1931, Norman Yoshio Mineta was 10 and wearing his Cub Scouts uniform when he and his parents were sent to the Heart Mountain internment camp in Wyoming after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

He went on to graduate from the University of California, Berkeley, with a bachelors degree in business administration and served as an Army intelligence officer in Korea and Japan. After three years with the military, he returned to San Jose to run his fathers Mineta Insurance Agency.

Minetas foray into politics came in 1967, when San Joses mayor tapped him to fill a vacant seat on the city council. He won re-election and served four more years on the council before winning the citys top seat in 1971, making him the first Asian-American mayor of a major city. It now has an airport that bears his name.

Mineta was elected to Congress in 1974 and served 10 terms representing Silicon Valley. During his tenure, he pushed for more funding for the FAA and co-authored a landmark law that gave state and local governments control over highway and mass transit decisions.

The co-founder of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus also scored a personal victory when he helped win passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which required the U.S. government to apologize to the 120,000 Japanese Americans forced to live in wartime internment camps. Former internees also received reparations of $20,000 each.

In 1993, Mineta became chairman of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee  another first  but he quickly lost that job after Republicans won control of the House in 1994.

Mineta resigned from Congress in 1995 to join Lockheed Martin Corp. as senior vice president of its transportation division, which built and operated electronic toll collection systems.

But Washington came calling again five years later when Clinton, in the final months of his presidency, appointed him to replace William Daley as commerce secretary.

Mineta then became the first cabinet secretary to make the switch directly from a Democratic to Republican administration. He was the only Democrat in Bushs cabinet.

As transportation secretary, Mineta successfully promoted private investment in roads and bridges such as the Chicago Skyway and Indiana Toll Road and helped secure passage of a $286 billion highway spending plan after almost two years of wrangling with Congress.

After overseeing the rapid launch of the TSA, Mineta had his department downsized by almost two-thirds when the TSA and Coast Guard were moved to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003 in the biggest government reorganization in nearly six decades.

After retiring from public service, he joined the public relations firm Hill & Knowlton as vice chairman and settled with his wife, Danealia, in Maryland near the Chesapeake Bay.

___

Chea reported from San Francisco.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to speed up the development of his nuclear weapons at the fastest possible pace and threatened to use them against rivals.

The launch, the Norths 14th round of weapons firing this year, also came six days before a new conservative South Korean president takes office for a single five-year term.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired from the Norths capital region and flew to the waters off its eastern coast. It called North Koreas repeated ballistic missile launches a grave threat that would undermine international peace and security and a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions banning any ballistic launch by the North.

The statement said that Won In-Choul, the South Korean JCS chief, held a video conference about the launch with Gen. Paul LaCamera, an American general who heads the South Korea-U.S. combined forces command in Seoul, and they agreed to maintain a solid joint defense posture.

Japan also detected the North Korean launch and quickly condemned it.

North Koreas series of actions that threatens the peace, safety and stability of the international community are impermissible, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters during his visit to Rome.

Kishida said hell discuss the launch when he meets Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi later Wednesday. Naturally, we will exchange views on the regional situation in the Indo-Pacific and East Asia, and I will thoroughly explain the reality of the region including the North Korean missile launch today, to gain understanding about the pressing situation in the East Asia, he said.

Japanese Vice Defense Minister Makoto Oniki said that the missile was believed to have landed in waters outside of the Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone. There has been no report of damage or injury reported from vessels and aircraft in the area.

People watch a TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea's missile launch with file footage, at a train station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

It wasnt immediately known what missile North Korea launched. South Koreas military said the missile flew about 470 kilometers (290 miles) at the apogee of 780 kilometers (485 miles), while Oniki of Japan said it traveled about 500 kilometers (310 miles) at the maximum altitude of 800 kilometers (500 miles).

Observers say North Koreas unusually fast pace in weapons testing this year underscores its dual goal of advancing its missile programs and applying pressure on Washington over a deepening freeze in nuclear negotiations. They say Kim eventually aims to use his expanded arsenal to win an international recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state that he believes would help force the United States to relax international economic sanctions on the North.

One of the North Korean missiles tested recently was an intercontinental ballistic missile potentially capable of reaching the entirety of the American homeland. That missile's launch broke Kim's self-imposed 2018 moratorium on big weapons tests.

There are signs that the North is also preparing for a nuclear test at its remote northeastern testing facility. If made, the nuclear bomb test explosion by North Korea would be the seventh of its kind and the first since 2017.

Last week, Kim Jong Un showcased his most powerful nuclear-capable missiles targeting both the United States and its allies during a massive military parade in capital, Pyongyang. During a speech at the parade, Kim said he would develop his arsenal at the fastest possible pace and warned that the North would preemptively use its nuclear weapons if its national interests are threatened.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a photo session with the officers and soldiers who took part in a celebration the 90th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army, in North Korea Wednesday, April 27, 2022. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

North Korea has previously unleased harsh rhetoric threatening to attack its rivals with its nuclear weapons. But the fact that Kim made the threat himself and in a detailed manner have caused security jitters among some South Koreans. Taken together with North Koreas recent tests of short-range nuclear-capable missiles, some experts speculate North Koreas possibly escalatory nuclear doctrine would allow it to launch preemptive nuclear strikes on South Korea in some cases.

Wednesdays launch came before the May 10 inauguration of South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol, who has vowed to boost Seouls missile capability and solidify its military alliance with Washington to better cope with increasing North Korean nuclear threats.

North Korea has a history of raising animosities with weapons tests when Seoul and Washington inaugurate new governments in an apparent bid to boost its leverage in future negotiations.

Yoons power transition office called the latest North Korean launch a grave provocation and urged Pyongyang to stop acts that raise tensions and threaten international peace. It said in a statement that the Yoon government will strongly respond to North Korean provocations in close cooperation with the international community.

Some experts say the Biden administrations passive handling of North Korea as it focuses on Russias invasion of Ukraine and an intensifying rivalry with China is allowing more room for the North to expand its military capabilities.

The Biden administrations actions on North Korea have so far been limited to largely symbolic sanctions and offers of open-ended talks. North Korea has rejected the administrations offer for talks, saying it must first abandon its hostile policy, in an apparent reference to U.S.-led international sanctions and U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises.
FILE PHOTO: Refugees and migrants wait as they take part in a pre-registration process that gives them access to the asylum procedure, at the premises of the disused Hellenikon airport

(Reuters) - The number of unaccompanied children who sought asylum in the European Union in 2021 jumped by 72% as the number of refugees arriving from Afghanistan rose sharply, the bloc's statistics office said on Wednesday.

Overall however, the number of asylum seekers who were granted protection in the European Union fell 5% last year, Eurostat said, without giving reasons.

Eurostat said 23,255 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum last year, up from 13,550 in 2020. Most of those who came from Afghanistan, where the Taliban seized power from the former U.S.-backed government last August, were male and aged 16 or 17.

The war-torn country's economy collapsed last year and thousands fled after U.S. and other foreign forces withdrew.

EU states granted asylum in 267,360 cases last year, of which half of applicants were deemed to be refugees and the remainder given subsidiary and humanitarian protection status.

Syrian citizens accounted for over a quarter of successful asylum cases last year, followed by Afghans and Venezuelans. Germany, France and Italy were their main destinations.

Based on available data, EU countries granted asylum to 5,070 unaccompanied minors, 34% of whom received refugee status.

(Reporting by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
In its bid to permanently seize control of the Ukrainian city of Kherson, Russia is looking to hold what U.S. and Ukrainian officials say is a sham referendum on secession.

By holding an election in Kherson, Russia is aiming to try to add a veneer of democratic or electoral legitimacy to its rule there, Michael Carpenter, the U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said earlier this week.

Under the pretense of providing Kherson residents welfare payments or humanitarian aid, Russian intelligence operatives are collecting personal data of Ukrainians there in order to commit ballot fraud during the potential referendum, according to Ukrainian military intelligence.

People shout toward Russian army soldiers during a rally against the Russian occupation in Svobody (Freedom) Square in Kherson, Ukraine, Monday, March 7, 2022. (Olexandr Chornyi/AP Photo)

Russia is also demanding that residents of the city, which is the largest captured by Moscow since the beginning of the February 2022 invasion, start using the Russian ruble as currency, instead of the Ukrainian hryvnia.

Earlier this week, Russian occupying authorities cut the regions connections to Ukrainian Internet and telecommunications infrastructure, forcibly re-routing communications through Russian-controlled networks, according to the Ukrainian government.

In Russia-occupied regions of the country, including Kherson, local politicians have been abducted, school directors, journalists, and others have been disappeared, and Russia is planning on instituting a Russian curriculum in the regions schools, Carpenter said.

Local Ukrainian governments have also been replaced by those composed of pro-Russian collaborators known as peoples councils, according to Carpenter.

In late April, the Ukrainian security service announced it had launched treason investigations against the two top Ukrainian officials of Russias puppet government in Kherson  one of whom it claims has not lived in the region since 1991.

Should it occur, the Russian referendum in Kherson would follow a well-established pattern by the Kremlin in Ukraine. In 2014, soon after Russian forces invaded Ukraines strategically-located Crimean peninsula, Moscow sponsored a referendum  widely considered fraudulent  on whether the region should leave Ukraine outright and join Russia.

A Ukranien soldier stands outside a school hit by Russian rockets in the southern Ukraine village of Zelenyi Hai between Kherson and Mykolaiv, less than 5km from the front line on April 1, 2022, as NATO says it is not seeing a pull-back of Russian forces in Ukraine and expects "additional offensive actions", alliance chief warns. (Bulent Kilic/AFP via Getty Images)

In 2014, Russian seperatist proxies in parts of Ukraines Donbas region also oversaw referendums declaring independence from Kyiv  and the formation of two breakaway statelets called the Luhansk and Donetsk Peoples Republics.

Outside of Ukraine, Russia has also supported breakaway statelets under pro-Moscow control in Georgia (in Abkhazia and South Ossetia) and Moldova (in Transnistria).

Unlike in Crimea, Russia did not formally annex Luhansk or Donetsk in 2014 or thereafter, with Moscow content to bring the region under its de facto control and to use it as staging ground for a grinding war of attrition against forces loyal to Kyiv in the countrys east.

But now, the U.S. has intelligence that Russia may be looking to formally annex Luhansk and Donetsk as well, according to Carpenter, the U.S.s OSCE ambassador, with new referendums planned for mid-May. Carpenter said Moscow might also formally attempt to annex Kherson.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said that if Russia holds referenda in the Donbas or Kherson regions, Kyiv will withdraw from peace negotiations with Moscow.

Annexing Kherson or the two Donbass statelets would represent a major escalation in the war, as any attempt by the Ukrainans to recapture the territory could thereafter be spun by Moscow as an attack on Russia itself.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pictured during a joint press conference with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Kyiv, capital of Ukraine. (Volodymyr Tarasov/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, perhaps in advance of the referendum, Russian military forces are trying to capture all of the Kherson administrative region, or oblast, and to press northward from Kherson toward the Ukrainian cities of Mykolayiv and Kryvyi Rih, according to Ukrainian officials.

The perpetual occupation and potential annexation of Kherson would be a key step for Russia in its drive to create a land bridge from the Russian border to Crimea. The city is also critically situated if, as many analysts believe, Moscow is seeking to connect Russia overland to Transnistria, the pro-Russian breakaway region of Moldova situated on Ukraines western border.

Annexing Kherson or the two Donbass statelets would represent a major escalation in the war, as any

_____

What happened last week in Ukraine? Check out this explainer from Yahoo Immersive to find out.
LONDON  Russias invasion of Ukraine has caused a ripple effect across the world, worsening the global food crisis. Since Feb. 24, the war has caused a disturbance to the worlds supply chains by driving up the cost of fuel and creating a scarcity of grains and fertilizer. 2022 is likely to be the worst year from a food crisis and global hunger and starvation perspective, Dr. Rajiv Shah, president of the Rockefeller Foundation, said in April. More so than any year since World War II.

A farmer wearing body armor and a helmet in a field in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on April 26. (Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters)

Pre-conflict

Even before the conflict in Ukraine, energy and food prices had increased at the beginning of 2021. This, explains David Laborde, a senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute, was due to three reasons: higher demand in places such as China that put pressure on world markets, low production of crops at the beginning of 2021, and the disruption to supply chains due to the pandemic.

Breadbasket of the world

A tractor spreads fertilizer on a wheat field near the village of Yakovlivka, Ukraine, on April 5. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Millions of people around the world rely on the farmlands in the Black Sea region. Nearly 30% of the worlds wheat comes from the fertile fields of Ukraine and Russia, while 75 of the essential oils used in cooking and preparing food are also produced there. Together, Russia and Ukraine account for 20% of the worlds exports of corn, mineral fertilizer and natural gas  both components used in the production and cultivation of grains and seeds.

Exports of wheat travel across the globe to countries in the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia. Ukraine alone is the fifth-largest exporter of wheat in the world, having sent $1.22 billion worth of wheat to Egypt, $544 million worth to Indonesia and $496 million worth to Pakistan in 2020. In Egypt, millions of people rely on government-subsidized bread that is made from Ukrainian grain. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, the head of the countrys trade ministrys research division said that the rise in the price of noodles (which contain wheat) would hurt lower-income people.

An Egyptian man at a bakery in a market in Cairo on March 17. (Khaled Desouki/AFP via Getty Images)

Sizeable shocks

Despite Russia and Ukraine representing just over 2% of the worlds gross domestic product, the conflict between the two counties has resulted in sizeable economic and financial shocks, according to a March report from the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). A complete cessation of Russias and Ukraines wheat exports would result in serious shortages in many emerging-market and developing economies, the OECD report added.

A United Nations report was released in April on the impact the war was having on food, energy and financial systems. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the war was supercharging a three-dimensional crisis  food, energy and finance  that is pummeling some of the worlds most vulnerable people, countries and economies.

A displaced Yemeni receives food aid and supplies at a camp in the war-ravaged western province of Hodeida on March 29. (Khaled Ziad/AFP via Getty Images)

The secretary-generals words were echoed on MSNBC when Shah said the reality of the war would mean that regions like the Horn of Africa and parts of Latin America were going to see lower production years at a time when food prices are sky-high. Its going to lead to a tremendous shortage of food for vulnerable families in particular, he said.

Perfect storm

Speaking on the GZero World podcast, Ertharin Cousin, a former executive director of the U.N. World Food Program, said that a perfect storm had been created to form the latest crisis. Speaking specifically about the shortage of fertilizer in the world, she said: The fertilizer challenge began even before the start of this year where the International Fertilizer Association was suggesting that there would be approx a 30% reduction in the amount of fertilizer that was available in sub-Saharan Africa in particular and that 30% could affect the access to food for about 100 million people. She added: With all of those factors and the Russian invasion  thats the perfect storm.

A farmer in a paddy field in Mwea, Kenya, on April 6. (Thomas Mukoya/Reuters)

Planting crops is a seasonal job, so if the planting season is missed, the consequences are felt months later. The conflict has not only destroyed the land where the grains and seeds are planted  southern Ukraine is mainly made up of farmlands  but the majority of people who would have worked on the farms have either fled as refugees to neighboring countries or are fighting in the war.

Additionally, around 40% of the worlds exports of potash  a crop nutrient that is rich in potassium and used as fertilizer  typically come from Russia and Belarus. Russia also exported roughly 48% of the globes ammonium nitrate and 11% of the worlds urea. Due to sanctions, as well as the availability of the products, the price of the now scarce fertilizer has risen, in turn driving up the costs of food.

A farmworker unloads Ukrainian-made fertilizer from a truck to use on a wheat field near Yakovlivka, Ukraine, on April 5. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Dire consequences

Speaking to Yahoo News, Rose Caldwell, the CEO of the nonprofit Plan International UK, said that the loss of life on a devastating scale is now a real risk because of the war. At least 45 million children are suffering from wasting, which is the most visible and severe form of malnutrition, and potentially life-threatening, she said. Thats almost equivalent to the entire population of Spain.

As the war continues, it means that fields wont be prepared, crops wont be planted and fertilizers wont be available. Caldwell explained that the prices of fertilizer and food will impact countries in West Africa. The conflict has sent food and fertilizer prices skyrocketing around the world, which is having a devastating impact on countries like Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which are already struggling with a hunger crisis, she said.

Martine Roamba and her malnourished 10-month-old daughter, Lela, at a hospital in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on April 15. (Sophie Garcia/AP)

In addition, the Horn of Africa is experiencing one of its most severe droughts in a decade: Meaning 5.5 million children are about to be acutely malnourished, including 1.6 million severely, across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, Caldwell added. The coming months will be critical for millions of children across the region.

In April, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that the potential food shortages could lead to social unrest in the worlds poorest countries. Increases in food and fuel prices may also significantly increase the prospect of social unrest in poorer countries, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, director of the research department for the IMF, said. More than 40% of caloric intake in countries such as Botswana, Lesotho and Mauritius comes from imported rice, corn and wheat. Food insecurity in African countries has caused food riots in the past. In 2008 during the last major food crisis, riots broke out in Senegal as well as in parts of the Caribbean and Asia.

A man protects a bag of rice after a riot broke out during a food distribution in front of the National Palace in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 2010. (Ariana Cubillos/AP)

The IMFs latest forecast revised the global economic growth in 2022 and 2023  downgrading the European Union by 1.1 percentage points because of the conflict in Ukraine. The war adds to the series of supply shocks that have struck the global economy in recent years, Gourinchas said. Like seismic waves, its effects will propagate far and wide, through commodity markets, trade, and financial linkages.

Solutions

Laborde told Yahoo News that one of the solutions is to bring money into the system; however, more than loans would be needed. We cannot look at countries to get indebted just to feed themselves in the middle of the crisis, that some of them are not really responsible for, he said.

Volunteers at the Zanzalima Camp for Internally Displaced People unload sacks of wheat flour from USAID on Dec. 17, 2021, in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. (J. Countess/Getty Images)

Samantha Power, the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, told ABC News that food prices have risen 34% compared to last year and announced on Sunday that USAID asked Congress for help. We really do need this financial support from the Congress to be able to meet emergency food needs, so we dont see the cascading, deadly effects of Russias war extend into Africa and beyond, she said.

Cousin said if nothing is done to urgently help those in need, we could witness between 200 and 300 million acutely hungry people.

_____

What happened last week in Ukraine? Check out this explainer from Yahoo Immersive to find out.
The teen who died after plummeting from a 430-foot-tall drop-tower in Orlando slipped from his seat about midway down, a law enforcement report released Tuesday revealed.

Tyre Sampson died on March 24 at age 14 when he fell from ICON Parks new FreeFall drop tower ride in Orlandos tourism district. The youth had been visiting central Florida from his home in Missouri with a friends family. The ride has been closed since.

The contraption lifts riders to the top, tilts the seats forward 30 degrees to point passengers toward the ground, and then free-falls nearly 430 feet at up to 75 mph, slowing before the end via a series of magnets. Tyre fell as the magnets engaged, according to a report at the time from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service.

Further evidence showed that a ride operator had adjusted sensors on Tyres seat manually before the ride took off, according to a subsequent forensic investigation. This made the rides sensors give a false safety indicator, even though the teen was not properly secured.

Family members and friends of Tyre Sampson leave items during a vigil in front of the Orlando Free Fall drop tower in ICON Park in Orlando on Monday, March 28, 2022.





Family members and friends of Tyre Sampson leave items during a vigil in front of the Orlando Free Fall drop tower in ICON Park in Orlando on Monday, March 28, 2022. (Stephen M. Dowell/)

Moreover, the weight limit for the ride was 286 pounds. Tyre was upwards of 6 feet tall and weighed more than 300 pounds.

The teen appeared to slip from his seat when the free-falling passengers passed a yellow reflective tape halfway down the tower, The Associated Press reported, citing the father of one of Tyres friends. He appeared to be breathing when he hit the ground after falling 100 feet from the ride, but he was unresponsive, the father, Leon Howard, told deputies.

The Orange County Sheriffs Office also released 911 calls from that day, and they indicated that dispatchers asked witnesses if they could perform CPR on the boy, AP reported. Just as the dispatcher asked one man to get help moving Tyre onto his back, deputies arrived.

Tyres family is suing Eagle Drop Slingshot LLC, which owns the FreeFall tower drop ride, and ICON Park. The wrongful death lawsuit filed last month by his parents, Yarnell Sampson and Nekia Dodd, accuses the defendants of negligence.

From the ride and seat manufacturers and the installer to the owners and operators, the defendants had more than enough chances to enact safeguards, such as seatbelts, that could have prevented Tyres death, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family, said when the suit was filed April 25. They didnt, and their poor decisions resulted in deadly consequences for a promising young man and lifelong pain for his family. We will hold these defendants accountable for their failures so that a tragedy like this never has to happen again.

With News Wire Services
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres believes that womens rights are vital to gender equality worldwide, a spokesman for Guterres said in response to a question about a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion on overturning Roe v. Wade.

"The SecretaryGeneral has long believed that sexual and reproductive health and rights are the foundation for lives of choice, empowerment and equality for the world's women and girls," said Farhan Haq, a spokesman for the secretary-general.

MORE: Who leaked Supreme Court draft opinion on abortion?

Haq continued, "Without the full participation of 50% of its population, the world would be the biggest loser."

The spokesman declined to comment specifically on the leaked document and the court's upcoming decision.

PHOTO: Demonstrators gather during a rally in support of abortion rights on May 3, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (David Ryder/Getty Images)

The court document, obtained by Politico, shows the high court's conservative majority ready to overturn the 1973 abortion rights precedent from Roe v. Wade via a case the court is currently deciding, Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization.

MORE: Abortion ruling upends midterm season with unequal anger: The Note

The court heard the case last year and is expected to rule on it by the end of June.

PHOTO: United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres speaks during a visit to Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum in Maiduguri, Nigeria, May 3, 2022. (Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)

"[Guterres] has repeatedly pointed to what he has said is a global pushback that we're seeing on women's rights, including reproductive rights and essential health services, and he believes it's essential to keep pursuing women's rights," Haq said.

Across the U.S., protests erupted in several cities over the leaked document, with both sides of the reproductive health debate taking to the streets in response to the news.

UN says reproductive rights are foundation of gender equality originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Glenda Cutzan carries COVID-19 test kits outside Greenwood Elementary School in Montebello in March. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

Coronavirus cases are continuing to increase in California, prompting one health official to warn that the state is heading into the next wave of the pandemic.

California has seen its coronavirus case rate rise by 10% in the past week, from 5,700 new cases a day to 6,300. Health experts note, however, that the official numbers may be a significant undercount, given the now-widespread availability of at-home tests  the results of which are not reliably reported to health agencies.

And while still at relatively low levels, statewide coronavirus-positive hospitalizations have risen for eight consecutive days: from 950 to just above 1,100.

The number of COVID-19 patients needing intensive care has also risen from a record low last month, but it remains at one of the lowest levels of the entire pandemic. It is still unclear, however, how serious this new uptick will be.

"We're now into our sixth wave," Dr. Sara Cody, the public health director and health officer for Northern California's most populous county, Santa Clara County, said Tuesday. "It's notable because it's come relatively quickly after [the] resolution of the last surge. We didn't get much of a lull before cases started rising again."

Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said she wouldn't necessarily characterize the recent increases as a new wave or surge. But whatever term you want to use, she said, the growth in cases is cause for caution.

"Please be careful. Please be cautious. Please put those masks on. It's a simple thing you can do. It protects you, and it protects other people, and it's not all that disruptive," she said during a briefing Wednesday. "And this is not going to be forever, but when you have this much transmission, let's be sensible and try to do our very best to avoid getting infected and avoid infecting others. I just think that's common sense right now."

California is not alone in seeing a resurgence of the coronavirus. Nationwide, cases have been gradually rising for the past month, and New York City this week raised its COVID-19 threat level and encouraged residents to voluntarily wear masks.

Both L.A. and Santa Clara counties are observing increased reports of outbreaks at workplaces and schools, as well as rising coronavirus levels in their respective sewage systems. Cody said Santa Clara County is seeing a rise in coronavirus-positive hospitalizations, too, with the daily census increasing from 74 in mid-April to 101 on Tuesday.

L.A. County has seen its case rate rise by 24% in the past week, from nearly 1,700 cases a day to about 2,100. That amounts to 142 cases a week for every 100,000 residents. A rate of 100 or more is considered a high rate of transmission under the thresholds established by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health officials say the latest uptick is being fueled by a rapidly emerging lineup of Omicron subvariants  each apparently more contagious than the last. The culprit behind last winter's wave was a subvariant known as BA.1, which emerged in California in November and was 50% more transmissible than the Delta strain that rocked the state last summer.

Its "child," as Cody referred to a subsequent subvariant called BA.2, is about 30% more transmissible than the parent. And the new BA.2.12.1 subvariant  or "grandchild" of the original Omicron  is 25% more contagious than BA.2.

And officials say yet another pair of Omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, is responsible for a surge in cases and hospitalizations in South Africa. More troubling still are indications that the two subvariants are able to reinfect people who previously survived an infection with Omicron.

"That would actually be hugely problematic because we generally count on people [who've been infected] having at least a couple of months of immunity, but we also count on there being less reinfections within one type, one strain of the virus," Ferrer said. "And if that's not going to hold true again  which it might not  then we again have to reemphasize how important it is for people to get vaccinated even if they've been infected."

Vaccines and boosters still reduce the risk of infection and do a really good job at curtailing severe illness and death, Cody said. Wearing masks in indoor public settings  something California strongly recommends, but does not require  will add another layer of protection.

"The take-home message here is that we do need to continue to pay attention. The pandemic isn't over, unfortunately. We are continuing to see new variants emerge and spread," Cody said. "Our challenge now is to confront the complacency and significant fatigue that all of us feel, and we just have to continue with a layered approach: masking, vaccination, testing and improving ventilation."

In L.A. County, nearly 3 million residents still haven't completed their primary vaccination series, and hundreds of thousands of vaccinated seniors haven't received their first booster shot.

Despite the recent increases in infections, though, Ferrer expressed some relief that COVID-related hospitalizations, deaths and the test positivity rate have remained relatively stable. Over the past week, coronavirus-positive hospitalizations in L.A. County were basically flat, ticking up from 235 to 248.

"There always is a small lag between cases and hospitalizations and deaths," she noted. "But more importantly, we think this reflects the protective effects of vaccinations, boosters and, now, therapeutics."

In L.A. County's massive public hospital system, coronavirus-positive hospitalizations have been steady and relatively low, according to Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly. In fact, most patients are there for reasons unrelated to their coronavirus infection, she said.

Still, Ferrer said in a statement Monday that the rise in case rates is worrisome because it "causes substantial disruption and leads to a vicious cycle of more transmission."

"With high transmission comes the risk of breeding new variants of concern, the possibility of more people experiencing long COVID and increased risk among those more vulnerable to severe illness should they become infected," she said.

Orange County is also seeing an increase in cases, from about 280 a day to 330 over the past week, a rate of 73 new cases a week for every 100,000 residents. Hospitalizations remain low, but because it can take two weeks for newly reported cases to escalate to more severe illness, "we are nervously watching" hospital numbers, said Dr. Clayton Chau, director of the Orange County Health Care Agency.

"Wear masks when you are in public places," Chau said in a videotaped discussion Tuesday. "If you're eligible for the vaccine, for the booster, please get it."

Long COVID also continues to be a risk for those who get infected.

"We are already seeing some long COVID cases [among people] that may have not had symptoms in the beginning, but over two, three months later, they may actually develop symptoms that look like long COVID," Orange County health officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong said.

The recent experience of the East Coast, which sometimes provides a roadmap for coming trends in California, also suggests reason for caution. New York City's coronavirus case rate was nearly 75% higher than L.A. County's, and the rate of new weekly coronavirus-positive hospitalizations in New York City was nearly triple that of L.A. County's.

At a press briefing Monday, New York City health commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said the city raised its COVID-19 threat level based on the increasing case rate, which last week was 218 weekly cases for every 100,000 residents. (By comparison, L.A. County's rate for the same week was 126 weekly cases per 100,000 residents.)

Vasan said hospitalizations would need to worsen significantly for New York City to determine its COVID-19 threat level would need to be strengthened again.

"With the rising risks, we need to take rising precautions. Mask up when you're indoors, regardless of whether you know the vaccination status of the people around you," Vasan said.

As a result, on Monday, New York City raised its COVID-19 threat level from low to medium, and officials on a city website said that if the threat level eventually is raised to high, the city would consider instituting a mask mandate.

California lifted its own statewide indoor mask order in mid-February, but the state Department of Public Health has consistently strongly recommended the practice since.

Coronavirus case rates have also risen over the past week in San Diego, Riverside and Ventura counties, as well as the San Francisco Bay Area. Santa Cruz County has the state's highest rate, at 267 new cases a week for every 100,000 residents; and San Francisco is second, at 266.

Unlike some of his counterparts in Southern California and in New York City, however, San Francisco public health director Dr. Grant Colfax did not seem particularly concerned Tuesday about his city's high case rate, given its exceptionally high vaccination and booster rates and low hospitalizations.

In San Francisco, 84% of residents of all ages have completed their primary vaccination series and, of those, 71% have received at least one booster shot. By comparison, 71% of L.A. County residents have completed their primary vaccination series, and of them, 53% have received at least one booster. In New York City, 78% of residents have completed their primary vaccination series, and of them, 38% have received a booster.

San Francisco's hospitals have never been strained as much as Los Angeles County's or New York City's. Since the start of the pandemic, for every 100,000 residents, 99 died from COVID-19 in San Francisco, compared to 314 in L.A. County and 482 in New York City.

"Our case rate and number of hospitalizations have increased. But the hospitalizations  and particularly the ICU numbers  have not increased to a degree that we're concerned about," Colfax told city health commissioners Tuesday.

Dr. Robert Wachter, chair of UC San Francisco's Department of Medicine, said he's concerned that the test positivity rate for asymptomatic patients at UCSF's hospitals has tripled in the last few weeks, and is now at 3.4%.

That translates to an 82% chance that at least one asymptomatic person at a 50-person party in the San Francisco area is infected and contagious with the coronavirus.

Wachter tweeted that he'd still like to avoid getting infected, as he's worried about the chances of suffering from long COVID and other lasting effects that would increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. He said he'd strongly favor dining at restaurants outdoors instead of indoors, although he'd still eat indoors in a small group, "recognizing it's a risk, but it seems worth it."

"You should make your own choice, but do it [with] eyes open," Wachter wrote. "There's a lot of COVID out there."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A military policeman watches a boy sitting on a pile of baggage in San Francisco in April 1942. More than 650 citizens of Japanese ancestry were evacuated from their homes and sent to Santa Anita racetrack, an assembly center for war relocation of alien and American-born Japanese civilians. (Associated Press)

Norman Mineta was 10 years old when he and his family were taken in 1942 from their home in San Jose to a prison camp established at the Santa Anita racetrack.

He was one of 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry who were ordered to the World War II camps. Mineta, who died Tuesday at age 90, went on to become a powerful congressman from San Jose and serve in the cabinets of two presidents.

But perhaps his greatest legacy was his long fight to win congressional approval of legislation  later signed in 1988 by then-President Reagan  expressing a national apology and providing a $20,000 tax-free payment to every survivor of the incarceration camps.

Here's a look at his efforts from the pages of The Times:

An undated photo shows the Japanese incarceration camp at Tanforan, Calif. (Associated Press)

Incarceration

All persons of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast were rounded up and sent to one of 10 incarceration camps in the western United States and Arkansas under a 1942 executive order signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Despite arguments that the order violated the constitutional rights of those sent to the camps without any charge or trial, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1944 the action was within the presidents powers as commander-in-chief in wartime.

In 1980, a special commission was created to examine the issue. It recommended that compensation be paid, concluding that the mass incarceration was based on war hysteria and racial prejudice. No similar action was taken against Americans of German or Italian ancestry, although the United States also was at war with those two countries.

Mineta frequently spoke of his family's experiences in the camp, which started with the 345-mile train ride from his home in San Jose to a temporary assembly center at the Santa Anita racetrack.

We were fortunate because ... we were not in the horse stables, Mineta said. We were in barracks ... that had been built. I remember going to visit friends ... in the horse stables during the hot months of the summer. They might have swept out the horse stables, but the stench was still there. How, frankly, they lived in those, Ill never understand.

Fight for justice

Mineta  along with three other Japanese American congressional leaders: Robert T. Matsui, Daniel K. Inouye and Spark M. Matsunaga  proposed that the redress campaign first start with a national commission to investigate the factors that led to the incarceration. Some Japanese American activists disagreed, saying the process would take too long and pressed instead for legislation to directly award compensation, but Mineta and others argued that a commission process would be more politically effective to ultimately win reparations.

At first, there was major opposition in Congress, with one Republican congressman from California worrying it would swell the deficit and open the door for reparations for Native Americans.

Mineta rejected the critics forcefully. We were robbed, he said in 1986, just as if agents of the government had crept into our homes at night and taken our liberty, our rights and our property. There is no statute of limitations on our shame, our damaged honor or our violated rights. It has fallen on this (Congress) to set us free.

The day Congress passed the bill, he spoke about the history being made. This legislation touches all of us because it goes to the very core of our nation, Mineta said. I am deeply honored to serve in this body as it takes the great step of admitting and redressing a monumental injustice.

The bill, whose total price tag was $1.25 billion, passed by a vote of 257 to 156.

This was a day of reckoning for the House on the issue of redress, Matsui, a Democrat from Sacramento, said at the time. I consider the outcome a major victory not only for those who were interned but for the country. Its clear now that Congress has lived up to its moral obligation.

Former Rep. Norman Mineta (DSan Jose) appears at a July 2000 Senate Commerce Committee hearing on his nomination to be secretary of commerce. Sen. Barbara, Boxer (DCalif.) is at right. (Associated Press)

A legacy

In 1988, Reagan signed the bill into law. We gather here today to right a grave wrong, said Reagan, citing the hardships endured by Mineta.

No payment can make up for those lost years, Reagan said. So what is important in this bill has less to do with property than with honor, for here, we admit a wrong. Here we reaffirm our commitment as a nation to equal justice under the law.

A year later, the first payments went out.

In the annals of civilization, there arent many instances of a government apologizing this way, Mineta said. Here we have a government saying, 'We were wrong, we apologize.' Its just exhilarating to see these things happening.

Further reading:

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
People around the UK will go to the polls on Thursday for the 2022 local elections.

Voters will be choosing local representatives in England, Scotland and Wales. The elections will coincide with the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election.

 When are the local elections?

The local elections take place on Thursday May 5.

Polling stations will open at 7am and close at 10pm.

 When will the results be announced?

After polls close at 10pm, ballot boxes are taken from all the polling stations to local or regional counting centres where staff open them and start counting votes.

Once all the votes in an area are counted, the official in charge  the returning officer  takes the stage and announces the results.

The first batch of results is likely to be announced at midnight, with locations such as Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Essex, Greater Manchester and Bolton traditionally announced around this time. The latest is likely to be around 5pm on Saturday from Tower Hamlets.

 What seats are up for grabs?

Local council elections are happening in England, but not in all areas. More than 4,000 councillors in 146 councils will be standing for election in major cities including Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and all 32 London boroughs.

South Yorkshire will also be voting for a regional mayor and 1,000 parish councils will be electing around 10,000 councillors.

All 32 councils in Scotland and all 22 in Wales will be holding elections, with residents able to vote from the age of 16.

In Northern Ireland, voters will be electing 90 members, representing 18 constituencies, to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Polling stations will be open 7am to 10pm tomorrow  As long as you're in line by 10pm, you'll be able to vote. Find your polling station  https://t.co/LYQlcjddeE  Electoral Commission (@ElectoralCommUK) May 4, 2022

 In a nutshell, what will voters be voting for?

 Every local authority in Scotland, Wales and London.

 South Yorkshires regional mayor and the borough councils of Barnsley and Sheffield.

 60 district councils, 31 Metropolitan boroughs and 19 unitary authorities across the rest of England.

 County councils in North Yorkshire and Somerset.

 Local mayors in Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Watford.

 All 90 seats in the Northern Ireland assembly.

 There is also a referendum in Bristol on whether to keep the citys elected mayor.

 Why do local elections matter?

Local elections do not enjoy the same prominence as general elections, with turnout always low, rarely reaching above 40%.

However, these elections will decide who is responsible in an individuals local area for planning issues, housing and rubbish collections, public transport and road maintenance.

They will also be an opportunity for voters to have their say on national issues including the cost of living, lockdown breaches in Downing Street and the Governments response to the war in Ukraine, therefore providing a wider picture on the performance of the main political parties.

 What are the key battlegrounds?

The councils in England that will receive most attention are in London, where Wandsworth could swing to Labour after 44 years of being in the hands of the Tories.

Recently, the area has been drifting to the left, with all three of the boroughs MPs now Labour, including Fleur Anderson in Putney, which was the only seat the party gained from the Tories in 2019.

(PA Graphics)

The Conservatives also face challenges in Westminster, with their large majority diminishing over the years, and Barnet, where Labours poor performance in 2018 has been associated with concerns about Jeremy Corbyn among the Jewish community.

In Tower Hamlets, while there are unlikely to be too many upsets in the council elections, the race to become mayor will be one to watch, with controversial former mayor Lutfur Rahman standing again.

He was forced to step down after an election court found him guilty of corrupt and illegal practices, but he has faced no criminal prosecution.

(PA Graphics)

 What about outside London?

In other parts of the country, Hartlepool will be hotly contested. The Conservatives won the parliamentary seat from Labour at a by-election in May 2021 and will have to demonstrate that the faith voters put in them was not misplaced. On the other hand, Labour will hope to start to rebuild its Red Wall.

In Bury, residents voted last year to keep Labour in control of its council, but during the 2019 general election they voted in two Tory MPs  one of these being Christian Wakeford, who has since defected to Labour.

In the South of England, Tories will be hoping not to give any more ground to the Liberal Democrats, after losing two safe Tory seats at by-elections in less than a year. Wokingham, St Albans and Sutton are some of the key Conservative-Liberal Democrat battlegrounds.

 What about in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

(PA Graphics)

In the last election in 2017 in Scotland, the Conservative made big gains from Labour but failed to gain overall control, leaving most councils run by coalitions.

The largest cities  Glasgow and Edinburgh  will be the ones to look out for.

In Wales, attention will be on whether Labour can maintain its hold over Cardiff and the cities along the M4 corridor.

(PA Graphics)

Meanwhile, tensions are high in Northern Ireland ahead of the Stormont Assembly elections as the Brexit protocol remains a divisive issue.

The Northern Ireland Executive collapsed in February and it is possible it will not be restored after the elections, particularly if Sinn Fein comes first.

(PA Graphics)

 What do the polls say?

Polling results published in the Daily Telegraph newspaper suggested the Conservatives could be set for their worst performance in the local elections since the 1990s.

The survey, conducted by Electoral Calculus with Find Out Now, suggested Labour could be on course to gain more than 800 seats, while the Tories are likely to lose 548 seats on councils across the country.

Veteran elections expert Professor Sir John Curtice told the PA news agency it was hard to predict the outcome of local elections, adding the loss of 550 seats was not unrealistic.

(PA Graphics)

 What are parties saying?

Parties have been moving into expectation management mode.

Environment Secretary George Eustice acknowledged on ITVs Good Morning Britain that all prime ministers will always be very conscious of the mood in their parliamentary party, in response to speculation that poor results on Thursday could lead to more letters of no confidence in the Prime Minister.

Sir Keir Starmer has been downplaying talk of a major victory for Labour, with party strategists reportedly worried that the Tories are winning the pre-election expectation management process.

Asked what success would look like for Labour, Sir Keir told BBC Breakfast: We want to hold seats where weve already got them, and we want to make gains where we can. Im conscious that weve got to earn every vote, Im taking nothing for granted.
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YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. On the occasion of the final session of the Armenia-U.S. Strategic Dialogue (May 2-3), the sides issued a joint statement, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said.

The statement reads:

U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken hosted Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Washington, D.C., to launch the U.S.-Armenia Strategic Dialogue (USASD) on May 2, 2022. During the Dialogue, the United States and Armenia reiterated their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties across the breadth of the bilateral relationship.

This round of USASD discussions coincided with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of U.S.-Armenian diplomatic relations. The delegations positively assessed the status of bilateral ties and reviewed the potential for expanding our partnership. The Armenian delegation included Deputy Minister of Justice Grigor Minasyan, Deputy Central Bank Governor Nerses Yeritsyan, and Ministry of Defense officials. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Dr. Karen Donfried and several leaders from throughout the Departments of State and Defense also participated in the USASD session.

U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy was in Washington as well, joined by Armenian Ambassador to the United States Lilit Makunts.

Further Democratic Reforms and Promote Mutual Prosperity

Assistant Secretary Donfried reaffirmed the United States would continue its robust assistance and cooperation to the Armenian government in building responsive democratic and economic institutions that both reflect our common values and deliver better governance and prosperity.

The delegations had a robust dialogue on U.S. assistance to support Armenias positive democratic trajectory. This includes programs to support human rights, media literacy, social protection, justice sector reforms, and the new Patrol Police Service. The delegations also discussed advancing judicial impartiality and strengthening freedom of expression. Mechanisms to promote mutual prosperity in the economic sphere were also a key topic of discussion, including energy cooperation and workforce development to promote and deepen bilateral trade and investment.

Towards Security, Peace, and Regional Conflict Resolution

The two delegations discussed issues related to border security, and partnership in the defense and security sector through disaster management, defense reform, medical support, and peacekeeping. The delegations exchanged views on security matters and noted the United States role as a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, which has a mandate to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Looking To Tangible Results

Minister Mirzoyan and the Armenian delegation also had constructive meetings with USAID Administrator Samantha Power, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, and many others. During their time in Washington, delegation members signed a number of documents, including a Nuclear Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding that will serve as a mechanism through which our governments can develop stronger ties between our nuclear experts, industries, and researchers. The United States and Armenia also signed two joint action plans on anti-corruption and law enforcement reforms.
YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. Finance Minister Tigran Khachatryan held a meeting with the Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia Andrea Wiktorin.

The EU Delegation Head of Cooperation Section Frank Hess also participated in the meeting.

Khachatryan attached importance to the activities of the EU in Armenia, and presented the macroeconomic situation in the country and addressed possible risks and impacts on the Armenian economy in the context of regional developments.

Ambassador Wiktorin underscored that the EU always shares the challenges facing Armenia and is ready to continue providing support to the Armenian government, and presented details from the ongoing EU projects in Armenia.

Ambassador Wiktorin praised the Armenian governments efforts directed at strengthening the Armenia-EU cooperation and expanding the partnership circle.

The course of implementation of the Armenia-EU CEPA, the content and goals of ongoing reforms were also discussed.
YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. The Koghb Music School was named after renowned composer Tigran Mansurian at the initiative of the Koghb Foundation and the approval of the Noyemberyan municipal council.

Mansurian was personally in attendance at the renaming ceremony.

After the ceremony, the Koghb Foundation awarded grants and scholarships to the teachers and students of the Koghb public school and the Koghb Music School for achievements in the first quarter of 2022.
YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan met with President of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) of the United States Derek Mitchell in Washington D.C., the foreign ministry said in a news release.

The sides highly appreciated the efficiency of the joint programs implemented within the framework of the cooperation established since 1994.

Ararat Mirzoyan attached importance to the re-opening of the NDI Office in Armenia after the Velvet Revolution of 2018. He reaffirmed Armenias commitment to promotion of democracy, strengthening of the rule of law, fight against corruption, stating that the reforms being carried out by the Armenian authorities aim at raising the transparency and accountability of the activity of state bodies.

The sides also exchanged ideas about the programs being implemented by the NDI in Armenia, which are aimed at raising womens and youths political participation and institutionally developing the political parties.
YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan met with Georgias Minister of Internal Affairs, Secretary of the National Security Council Vakhtang Gomelauri in Tbilisi, Grigoryans office said.

During the meeting the sides highly appreciated the centuries-old bilateral friendship and highlighted the necessity of further deepening these relations, particularly attaching importance to the expansion of sectoral cooperation between the Security Councils of the two countries.

Armen Grigoryan presented the security situation around Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh and Armenias position to overcome these challenges. He also introduced his Georgian counterpart on the ongoing reforms plan in security sector, in the context of which the Georgian side shared its respective experience. The sides continued discussing a number of issues relating to security sector.

Vakhtang Gomelauri introduced Armen Grigoryan on the Georgian national security architecture and the mandate of the National Security Council.
The Europeans would not go beyond polite words to speak out against China in the context of the India-China conflict and confrontation

The war in Ukraine is indeed on the minds of German Chancellor Olaf Sholtz and French President Emmanuel Macron, and on the minds of the leaders of Denmark, Sweden, Norway. But the conflict now raging in the European continent is not going to be a little more than an irritant to visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Neither Mr Scholtz nor Mr Macron are great enthusiasts about a boycott of Russia and President Vladimir Putin the way that US President Joe Biden, British PM Boris Johnson and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen may be. Mr Scholtz may not have pressed the issue of India condemning Russias invasion of Ukraine beyond a point. But there can be little doubt that Germany, France and every other European country is forthright in their condemnation of Russia.

But India is not really under any pressure even though Ursula von der Leyen and Boris Johnson have tried and failed to get India to condemn Russia. India has withstood the pressure and persuasion of the Europeans and Americans quite well, and the Prime Minister can take credit for it. But India has been pressing hard for a strong position in the Indo-Pacific, which satisfies New Delhi because it is indirectly directed against China. The Europeans are not friends with Russia because there is no meeting of minds there, but European leaders are realistic enough to acknowledge that China is an important economic player in global markets. They recognise India as a potential big player too and that is why they keen to woo India.

The Europeans would not go beyond polite words to speak out against China in the context of the India-China conflict and confrontation. This will no doubt irritate Indian leaders, but they must put up with it. Mr Modi, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and external affairs minister S. Jaishankar will no doubt be annoyed by Europes lukewarm criticism of China and that too indirectly. The positions of Germans Olaf Scholtz and Frances Emmanuel Macron are complex. They condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine, something that India would not, but they also know that they must calibrate their moves against Russia.

India enjoys the status of a spectator, as Mr Modi had acknowledged in his press statement in Berlin on Monday. So, the India-German statement included a slightly elaborate reference to the Indo-Pacific, which pleases India, but their real concern is the war next door in Ukraine. Mr Modi and his team  this is the first that the Prime Minister is flanked by the finance minister and the external affairs minister  is interested in getting bilateral agreements on key aspects, including business, technology and investments.

Mr Modi, however, had to acknowledge that the war in Ukraine is having a negative impact on the global economy as in the rise in the prices of oil and food. The tepid remarks clearly showed that Mr Modi had nothing emphatic to say about the war in Ukraine: India is deeply concerned by the humanitarian impact of this conflict. We have sent humanitarian aid for Ukraine on our behalf. We are also trying to help other friendly countries through food exports, oil supplies and economic assistance. The heart of the matter for Prime Minister Modi was: Germany has decided to help Indias green growth plans with an additional development assistance of 10 billion euros by 2030. For this, I thank Germany and Chancellor Scholtz. He also said: Indias skilled workers and professionals have benefited the economies of many countries. I am confident that the Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement between India and Germany will facilitate the movement of people between the two countries.

The German point of view had obviously a different emphasis in the joint statement: Through its attack on Ukraine, Russia violated fundamental principles of international law. The war and the brutal attacks against the civilian population in Ukraine show an unrestrained Russia has been violating the fundamental principles of the UN Charter. Chancellor Scholz then added: I repeat my appeal to Putin to end the war, to end the senseless killing. German economics minister Robert Habeck of the Green Party said Germany would back an immediate ban on all Russian oil and gas imports, though that would be a burden for Germany.

So, Germany was dealing with Mr Modi and India at a different level, even as it was taking a vital decision on the war in Ukraine and its relations with Russia.

The story will remain the same as Mr Modi travels to Denmark, where he will speak at the India-Nordic Summit in Copenhagen, and then on to France. It will be argued that Mr Modi is only pursuing Indias national interest. He is of course doing that. Whether India is able to rise above its national interest and show concern about the crisis in Europe remains a moot question. Of course, the Indian strategy pundits would say that it is none of Indias business to be concerned about the war in Ukraine because that is Europes concern. They would argue that Indias self-absorption is justified because no other country would spare any thought for India. The Narendra Modi government has latched on to this principle and it has raised navel-gazing into a supreme art.

The question, however, is this: What should India be doing as a middle-rung world leader? Should it be doing more than uttering platitudes on diplomacy and dialogue as the only way out of the war in Ukraine, or should it take initiative, suggest a concrete plan, either at the United Nations or at the G-20 meeting next month? The efforts may come to nought as was seen when Mr Macron, and then Chancellor Scholtz, travelled to Moscow. Even unwilling leaders like the German Chancellor and the French President would be compelled to join the others in a war against Russia. It is true that neither Russia nor Ukraine, along with the rest of the Nato and EU countries, are ever going to accept the presence of UN peacekeeping forces as it would have been in Africa and Asia. Should India and Mr Modi speak up about the dangers of expanding Nato eastwards, even if it means the Nato members would not like it. But it would have given India the room to tell Russia to refrain from wanton killing and destruction in Ukraine. That would have meant India would be able to speak truth to power. But then, the truth has no place in realpolitik.
Paul pointed out that excess death registration increase has been noted in previous years despite a declining death rate and no outbreaks

New Delhi: The increase in death registration in 2020 compared to 2019 is not entirely due to Covid fatalities, Niti Aayog member VK Paul has said, asserting that "exorbitant" multiples of coronavirus deaths being published by some agencies with respect to India must stop.

As an example, Paul, who is also the COVID-19 Task Force chief, referred to a recent publication in the Lancet that claimed that India's estimated cumulative Covid deaths between January 2020 and December 2021 were over eight times higher than reported.

The documented deaths due to the Covid in India over that period was around 4,89,000, the Lancet had claimed in its paper titled 'Estimating excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic analysis of COVID-19-related mortality, 2020-21'.

It had also claimed that India's estimated cumulative excess deaths due to Covid during the period were the highest in the world at 4.07 million.

The government on Tuesday published the Civil Registration System (CRS) report 2020 based on birth and death reports.

In the case of registered deaths, the number has gone up from 76.4 lakh in 2019 to 81.2 lakhs in 2020, an increase of 6.2 per cent, the RGI's report 'Vital Statistics of India based on the Civil Registration System' for 2020 said.

"Now that actual count of excess deaths from all the causes is available, there is no rationale for using modelling-driven estimates based on pure conjectures and assumptions," Paul said, debunking the allegations that India is massively under-reporting deaths during the pandemic.

According to CRS, death registration has increased by 4.75 lakh in 2020 compared to 2019.

Paul pointed out that compared to the calendar year 2018, in 2019 there was 6.9 lakh excess mortality.

The findings of the CRS study assume significance with India recently questioning the World Health Organisation's methodology to estimate Covid mortalities in the country, saying using such mathematical modelling cannot be applied to estimate the death figures for such a vast nation of geographical size and population.

Covid deaths were 1.49 lakh in 2020, according to official data based on a robust surveillance system set up for Covid, he said.

"The number of deaths is also being corrected and reconciled by states," Paul said, adding that this is a transparent and accountable system.

According to him, more death registration is also happening because people are conscious, that they need death certificates for property and other purposes.

"And generally also due to ease of operation and digitisation, people are coming forward. Population size also increases every year, contributing to more deaths," Paul said.

He also pointed out that excess death registration increase has been noted in previous years despite a declining death rate and no outbreaks.

"So, we must remember that extra deaths are not due to COVID-19 deaths, but there are other reasons and causes as well," he asserted.

The Niti Aayog member also noted that there is an increase in population and this must have contributed to deaths.

He said the CRS report is based on data from the ground level and data from across districts etc are captured meticulously. This information is based on birth and death registration, which is a pillar of public policy.
The leaders will stay at Udaipur, also called the city of lakes, for the day to finalise the preparations for the party's brainstorming camp

Udaipur: Senior Congress leaders KC Venugopal, Ajay Maken and Ashok Gehlot Wednesday took stock of the preparations for the party's three-day 'Chintan Shivir' (brainstorming session) to be held in Udaipur.

The two AICC general secretaries and the Rajasthan Chief Minister were accompanied by the party's state unit president Govind Singh Dotasra, sources said.

Venugopal and Maken reached here from Delhi this morning, while Gehlot arrived from Jaipur. Dotasra has been in the city since Tuesday.

The leaders will stay at Udaipur, also called the city of lakes, for the day to finalise the preparations for the party's brainstorming camp.

"They are in Udaipur to visit hotels and to review the preparations for the shivir," a party spokesperson said.

The 'Chintan Shivir' will be held from May 13-15.

About 400 top party leaders are expected to attend the camp.

Senior leaders including those in the Congress Working Committee, members of parliament, state in-charges, general secretaries, and state presidents will participate in the Chintan Shivir.

Most of these leaders are likely to reach Udaipur by May 12.

Several party resolutions are also expected to be passed in the camp.
As ASEAN current chairman, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen made the request. In March Myanmars military junta prevented the regional organisations envoy from meeting Myanmars former leader. In 15 months, the army has torched more than 11,000 homes and killed more than 1,800 civilians.

Yangon (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Cambodias prime minister has asked the head of Myanmars military junta to allow a special envoy from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi.

Hun Sen, who chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year, spoke to General Min Aung Hlaing on Monday, saying that it was imperative that the ASEAN envoy meet with all of Myanmars main leaders, including Suu Kyi, the former head of the civilian government who was recently sentenced to five years on corruption charges.

The Cambodian leader asked the junta to allow a second visit by the ASEAN representative, Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, after the first, in March, produced no results.

After the coup d'etat of 1 February 2021, Myanmar plunged into a bloody civil conflict between the countrys Armed Forces and the armed anti-coup opposition.

The resistance is formed by the exiled National Unity Government (NUG), which has its own armed forces (the People's Defence Forces), and ethnic militias present in a number of the countrys states.

ASEAN's five-point Myanmar peace plan is the only diplomatic initiative on the table. It is backed by international organisations but has not yet been implemented. Regional leaders accuse Myanmars military junta of stonewalling.

After Malaysian Foreign Minister, Saifuddin Abdullah, revealed that he had had contacts with NUG, Myanmars junta accused him of collaborating with terrorist groups.

For its part, ASEAN has refused to allow General Min Aung Hlaing to take part in its summits until a peace process is initiated, a remote possibility despite the fact that the junta claims to have accepted the five-point plan. The latter calls for an end to violence, humanitarian assistance, and mediation.

Recently, General Min Aung Hlaing has tried to engage the leaders of ethnic groups. On 22 April he addressed them in a televised speech asking for direct talks. The NUG and its armed forces were not mentioned. The ethnic militias rejected the general's proposal.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, the junta has killed so far over 1,800 civilians and arrested more than 10,000 people, while the Data for Myanmar, an independent research group, claims that Myanmar soldiers have torched at least 11,000 homes in nearly 300 locations.
SOHR monitored a state of discontent is growing over the pardon in Damascus-controlled areas among Damascus loyalists including militiamen of the National Defence Forces (NDF) and other Damascus-backed militias.

According to SOHR statistics, 969,854 people, including 155,002 women, have been arrested by Damascus security services since the beginning of the Syrian Crisis  in March 2011. It is worth noting that 152,713 people, including 41,312 women, remains in Damascus prisons.

The Syrian Observatory warns of Damascuss attempts to polish its image in front of the international community and to dodge crimes and blatant violations committed in prisons since 2011 through the issuance of this pardon, especially since this pardon coincides with the successive international reports on the issue of violations and torture committed against detainees in Damascus prisons and pressure imposed by human rights organisations.

A.K

ANHA
Hong Hao, head of research at a state financial institution, has had his WeChat account frozen and his Weibo account taken down. He had warned of capital flight and the negative performance of the Chinese stock market. Pandemic, crackdown on hi-tech giants, real estate bubbles, and the Russian-Ukrainian war threaten the country's economy.

Beijing (AsiaNews)  Hong Hao, a prominent economist, has been censored. For weeks, he has been warning that Chinas economy is about to slow down.

Hong is head of research at BOCOM International, the investment arm of Chinas state-owned Bank of Communications, one of the countrys largest financial institutions.

Some of his recent posts highlighted capital flight from China accompanied by gloomy forecasts for the countrys stock market. Now his voice on Chinese social media has been silenced.

WeChat, a messaging service, froze his account, claiming that he had breached government internet rules. Weibo went further and took down his account, which had more than three million followers; it now reads the user no longer exists.

Chinas economy has been struggling recently, especially after the latest COVID-19 outbreaks and related lockdowns, government crackdown on hi-tech giants, real estate bubbles, and the impact of Russias war against Ukraine.

Despite criticism that the zero-COVID policy has imposed an excessive burden on ordinary people and businesses, Chinese President Xi Jinping seems bent on pursuing it. By contrast, he seems more open to hi-tech companies, hit recently by a series of anti-trust measures.

With the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China scheduled for this fall, Xi needs to prop up the economy to avoid any last minute surprises and secure a third, historic mandate.

In the first quarter, GDP grew by 4.8 per cent on an annual basis, far below the target of 5.5 per cent set for 2022; however, some China watchers suggests the reality is much worse.

According to Bloomberg, some Western research firms believe that the real growth is around 2.4 per cent. In fact, many observers, especially outside China, have long questioned the reliability of Chinas official data, which are almost always positive.

Such concerns are indirectly confirmed by Chinese authorities. In December, the government went after the provinces accusing them of providing phoney and inflated economic data.

In November 2020, Premier Li Keqiang ordered local leaders to tell the truth about the economic state of the jurisdictions they administer.

For Chinas leaders, this is only way to achieve their goals: create more jobs, stimulate private spending, and boost investment.
by Guido Alberto Casanova

Approved last summer, the legislation seeks to force tech giants to allow its app customers to access third-party payment systems. However, Google has announced that as of 1 June it will remove apps that outlink to non-Google payment systems.

Seoul (AsiaNews)  South Koreas so-called anti-google law was front-page news in August and September 2021 and set the digital world abuzz.

The legislation, which amended an existing law, came with unprecedented restrictions that many expected would entail greater regulatory scrutiny over the excessive power of app markets operators. Eight months late, the early enthusiasm seems to have died down.

The amendments sought to regulate the payment system for all in-app purchases. Until then, Google (via Android) and Apple  which dominate the South Korean app market  forced developers to rely on Google Pay or Apple Pay for purchases within the app.

The two US giants digital payment apps had very high costs for this kind of services, with commissions as high as 30 per cent.

The reform was meant to restore competition in the digital app market, which had been severely undermined by the Google and Apple duopoly.

The legislation approved by the South Korean parliament sought to break the vicious circle between app stores and the digital payment systems owned by Google and Apple:

Under the amendments, no single payment system can be required and developers who use alternative systems cannot be penalised.

South Korean lawmakers intended to re-establish free market principles, allowing users to choose among many digital payment systems.

For a while, it seemed that South Korea had the upper hand, as Google announced in November that it would allow downloadable apps from its app store to rely on third-party payment systems. Nonetheless, the tech giant found a way to circumvent some elements of the law.

On 1 April in fact, Google adopted a new policy on digital purchases: apps will be able to offer Google Pay or another in-app payment system, but will not be allowed outlink, i.e., give an in-app link to an external website to purchase digital goods under penalty of removal from the app store, starting 1 June.

For the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), if Google actually removes any apps from its app store for violating company policy, it would be breaking the law. In a meeting with Google, the KCC warned that it would take action.

However, in the absence of government guidelines, South Korean authorities will have a hard time asserting their point of view. In fact, last year's changes simply require operators not impose a single payment system. Technically Google now allows a third-party purchase system in lieu of Google Pay.

The tug-of-war between the tech giant and the South Korean authorities is set to intensify as the June 1 date approaches, after which Google plans to enforce its own policy of removing non-compliant apps.
by Melani Manel Perera

Despite the economic crisis, Muslims celebrated Eid al-Fitr with joy and renewed hope. Young people seek an end to sectarian divisions. In the meantime, protests against the high cost of living and calls for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa continue.

Colombo (AsiaNews)  Sri Lankas Muslims celebrated Eid al-Fitr with greater joy and freedom this year, this despite the countrys ongoing economic crisis.

Breaking the fast brought wonderful happiness that not even we understand, many said. We had to celebrate Ramadan this year, noted Shaikh Abdul Rahuman, head of the Negombo mosque, speaking to AsiaNews.

Not only Muslims face severe economic mental stress, but we have not had the opportunity to experience freedom and joy like this year, he explained.

For Sri Lankan Muslims, Eid al-Fitr is a bit like Christmas or Sinhala and Tamil New Year, which are important holidays in the country.

"We have often been discriminated against or accused of crimes, but nothing of the kind happened this year, Shaikh Rahuman said.

However, people are still out in great numbers to protest against the high cost of living, calling on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign.

Perhaps the protests of the last few weeks are behind a new sense of unity among Sri Lankans.

"Everyone was able to come together without fear, as racial, religious or caste differences fade away," Shaikh Rahuman noted.

Young people have especially rejected ethnic and sectarian divisions and are calling for the removal from power of the Rajapaksa clan, unhappy with the new cabinet the president appointed recently.

Although it was a day of celebration, several young people from Kotikawatta and Wattala joined the protest at the Galle Face Green urban park in Colombo.

Despite economic hardships, we Muslims were able to eat and drink freely, a number of youths told AsiaNews. Some brought traditional food and sweets.

I am very happy to have celebrated together with people shouting the same slogan 'Gota go home' like people do in Negombo," Shaikh Rahuman said.

We owe a lot to the young people of this country and we, as adults, must be vigilant and safeguard opportunities for them.
The incident occurred in Seoni, a district where the Gonds are the majority. According to a third man who survived the attack, ultranationalists incited the mob against them. Police have detained six people. Local tribal residents demand that the homes of the attackers be razed to the ground the way the Hindu nationalist dominated state government did with Muslims.

Bhopal (AsiaNews)  A mob of about 20 people lynched two ethnic Gond men on suspicion of slaughtering a cow, in Seoni, a district in the state of Madhya Pradesh where ethnic Gonds are the largest group.

The victims are Sampat Batti, a resident of the city of Sagar, and Simaria, who lived in Dhansa, both in their fifties. A third man, Brajesh Batti, was also wounded. He said that attackers belonged to the Bajrang Dal, a Hindu nationalist group.

The attack took place at night and the victims were allegedly beaten with sticks. Local police arrested six people in connection with the incident, while another dozen have not been identified.

In a statement, police said that The two men died while being taken to hospital and the other sustained minor injuries. Around 12 kilos of meat were recovered from the victims home.

The lynching sparked a protest in the district. Tribal protesters blocked a local highway, demanding that the Bajrang Dal be banned and the attackers homes be razed to the ground in accordance with a measure adopted by Madhya Pradeshs ruling Hindu nationalists following riots in Khargone district.
Its five answers to five questions. Here we go

1. I want to be a force for good on our positive culture committee

My large department inside a very large corporation recently went through a fairly chaotic reorganization. The new great-grandboss is organizing a number of committees around building team culture, with areas of focus like career development, employee recognition, etc. There are management sponsors for each and the rank-and-file are encouraged to volunteer if they wish.

One of the committees is around positive culture. Im someone who has struggled with depression and anxiety and I have often found workplace positivity efforts to be harmful to my mental health. I volunteered for the Positive Culture committee in the hopes of pushing back against things that strike me as possibly toxic or non-inclusive to people like me. Im a high performer who is well regarded here and I have some capital to spend, so I dont mind being seen as a bit of a troublemaker in this regard. However, I dont want to just shoot down ideas, I want to be able to offer alternatives that are actually helpful  but Im not an expert on workplace culture or mental health. How do I be a force for good in this role?

Good for you for pushing back against toxic positivity. Weve had plenty problematic examples of it here, from the office that pushed people to be chipper about Covid to the manager who valued positivity meetings over dealing with concrete problems her staff was facing to the person with a medical condition who was exhausted by her teams constant push for sparkle.

What to suggest instead depends on how the committee is defining its mission  and honestly, I think the bulk of your work here might be redirecting them from bad ideas  but some things you could consider are recognition programs for good work, real support for mental health, healthy snacks, and opt-in social stuff that people actually want (you could survey them to find out). A few of those are more about wellness than positivity but I think you could stretch the definition to include them.

Positive culture also includes stuff like transparency and accountability, but those are pretty tricky to address without management authority.

2. Company says theyll fly me to another state if I need an abortion

My partner began working for Big Tech Company during the pandemic, so his role was remote. We (cis, straight) thought it would stay that way, but now BTC is requiring that we move to Austin and saying that no one is exempt except for medical reasons, like if there is a specific doctor that you cannot find a corollary for in Texas.

As firm believers in reproductive, LGBTQ+ and all other rights, we will not move there and have told BTC such, citing my loss of bodily autonomy and our solidarity with the trans community. Their solution is that, were I to need an abortion, they would pay for me to fly to another state to receive one.

To me, this seems as if theyre picking and choosing which medical conditions count. If you were seeing a cancer specialist, they wouldnt say, Well, well fly you home to see your doctor if you relapse. I know it isnt a perfect comparison, but its also a bad policy. (My partner is supposed to tell BTC, Hey, Girlfriend needs to fly to another state for an abortion?? No chance that could have any repercussions)

Do you have any thoughts on if/how we might push back on this? My partner loves his job and doesnt want to leave, but we are NOT moving somewhere so regressive.

I wish I did. I suspect their reasoning is that this isnt a doctor from whom you need ongoing or current care, and so its more of a speculative situation  although I 100% understand and agree with your reasoning. Theyre also probably concerned that if they agree, theyll be handing a pass on moving to every employee who could get pregnant or is married to someone who could. My guess is that the only way to get them to budge will be with more organized action with other employees joining you. But other thoughts from readers?

3. Job applicants whose voicemail doesnt work

The question yesterday about people not wanting to leave voicemail got me thinking about a recent situation.

My organization recently hired a couple of people. One role was a more specialized position, and one was entry-level. In the hiring process, I made contacts to set up the interviews. In multiple instances, I ran into peoples voicemails that were not yet set up or where inboxes were full. I was really hoping to actually talk to the candidates, just to make the scheduling easier than it can be when exchanging multiple emails back and forth. And in some instances, email wasnt as good an option, given the platform they used to apply.

I did end up sending a couple of emails / LinkedIn messages with a couple of the candidates for the more specialized role, as we had a smaller pool of candidates from which to draw. But there was a part of me that was a little miffed that someone who is actively looking for a job doesnt try harder to make themselves available.

How far should we go to try to get in contact with candidates who have applied for jobs with us? Im curious about the best way to approach these situations. Is it appropriate for a potential employer to text? I dont have a work phone, so any texts would be coming from my personal cell, too.

Yeah, people are who job-searching should confirm that their voicemail is set up and not full, and they should check it regularly. While lots of people dont use voicemail much anymore, its still a very normal business tool, and loads of employers still use it. When youre applying to jobs, it makes no sense not to ensure your voicemail is a working option.

On your side: its reasonable to be a little irritated, but it still makes sense to switch to email in those cases, assuming its someone you want to reach. If a candidate is already borderline and you have plenty of other strong applicants who you can reach, thats different  I could see not going the extra mile to reach someone who isnt terribly competitive and hasnt made themselves easy to reach. But otherwise, trying email is the way to go.

I would only text as a last resort. It doesnt feel as unprofessional in hiring as it used to, but its still a less expected method of first contact about a job.

4. Interviewers who ask if I have reliable transportation

I am currently job searching, and Im starting to worry that not owning a vehicle is holding me back from moving forward in interviews. Ive had a couple great phone interviews for positions I am well qualified for, which have included the question, Do you have reliable transportation? I have always interpreted that question as, Do you have a reliable personal vehicle? So I answer truthfully that I do take public transportation, and I find that it is very reliable.

On one occasion, that noticeably changed the tone of the interview. In another, it led the interviewer to disclose that the position included driving to job sites, even though that wasnt in their job posting. To be clear, the bus in my city really is very reliable, and I have been taking the bus mostly without incident for the past four years.

If I am asked in the next interview, can I just say yes without further explanation? I do realize that answer only feels dishonest to me because I am assuming they are actually asking if I have a car. Am I misguided in my assumption about what they are really asking with this question?

You do have reliable transportation, so you should answer yes to that question. If they want to ask if you have your own vehicle, they can ask that.

Generally when interviewers ask this question, theyre trying to find out whether youll reliably show up at work on time or whether youre going to be late a lot because you couldnt get a ride. Youre in the Im reliably on time to work group so its reasonable to answer yes.

That said, there is a risk that itll turn out to be a job where you do need a car (like that position that turned out to include driving to job sites) and its better for you to find out if thats the case ahead of time. So you could follow up by asking, Does the job include a lot of driving?

5. My managers never manage me  what does this mean for references?

Im about halfway through a one-year temp position at a very prestigious, but verrrrrrry disorganized arts organization as a classroom teacher. Because its temporary, Im preparing for when I actively need to start job hunting. One problem: Im not sure what to do about references. My direct manager went on personal leave for several months right when I started. My interim manager, who was supposed to meet with me on a biweekly basis, cancelled every single one but three of my check-in meetings over the course of four months. My department is in crisis in several other ways, and I get the sense that no one is paying very close attention to what Im up to.

Point is: The people who are best equipped to speak about my work at this organization are my peers, who Ive co-taught with. My managers could potentially give positive references (Ive earned a good reputation thus far), but its really my direct colleagues who have insight into the specific attributes I bring to the table. What should I do about references, when it comes time?

Offer the managers so you dont look like youre trying to avoid having them contacted, but include a note that says, The colleagues who worked most closely with me and can speak to my work with the most nuance are Jane Porcupine, JobTitle, and Lucas Candycorn, JobTitle and include their contact info as well.

On top of that, though, you could be transparent with your boss about your worries. Its a one-year temp position so you dont need to hide that youre planning to job search at some point this year, and that might nudge her to keep scheduled meetings with you more often. (Or not, who knows. But its a reasonable thing to ask.)
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President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden recorded a gross yearly income of roughly $600,000, while US Vice President Kamala Harris and her spouse Doug Emhoff claimed a gross annual income of around $1.7 million.

The majority of Harris and Emhoff's income - twice as much as Bidens' - did not come from their wages. Harris claimed to earn $452,664 as a writer, plus an additional $319,000 from the sale of a property in San Francisco with her spouse.

In terms of pay, Harris received $215,548 as vice president, and her husband made $164,740 as a Georgetown University professor. Emhoff also earned $582,543 as a lawyer at DLA Piper and Venable, which he departed when Harris was appointed vice president.

The Bidens' salary, on the other hand, provided the majority of their income. Jill Biden received $67,116 from her teaching position at Northern Virginia Community College, where she teaches English and writing, while President Biden made $378,333 from his presidential pay.

The Bidens paid federal taxes of $150,439 and state taxes of $30,765 in their home state of Delaware. Harris and her spouse owe the federal government $523,371.

The Biden-Harris administration's public disclosure of income and taxes paid contrasts sharply with previous President Donald Trump, who never revealed his taxes. Trump paid no income tax in 11 of the 18 years for which the papers were studied, according to Outlook.

How VP Kamala Harris Achieves Her Net Worth?

Kamala Harris is an American politician and Vice President of the United States. From her position as President Joe Biden's right hand, Kamala gets a yearly salary of $157,000 with her approach toward drug offenders in the office. She rose through the ranks to become California's 32nd Attorney General from January 2011 to January 2017 before announcing her desire to run for president in 2020.

Kamala Harris served as the deputy district attorney of Alameda County, California, from 1990 until 1998. Kamala's net wealth was listed as $3.31 million in a 2015 Congressional finance form. Her spouse, Douglas Emhoff, a partner at the DLA Piper Law Firm with offices in California and Washington, DC, is responsible for the great bulk of her net wealth.

While campaigning for the Democratic Party candidacy in 2019, Kamala Harris revealed 15 years of tax filings. The majority of Harris and her husband's fortune came from their activities in 2018, according to the report, with the couple earning $1.9 million. Her husband's wages provided $1.4 million of the $1.9 million total.

The couple paid $697,000 in taxes and donated $27,000 to charity during that time. Kamala made over $320,000 from her book 'The Truths We Hold,' according to financial filings from 2019. Kamala has $2.5 to $6 million in assets, while the couple has around $3 million in liabilities, largely in mortgages.

The majority of the couple's liquid assets are invested in retirement accounts and mutual funds. Before their mortgage obligations, the couple had a sizable real estate portfolio worth $8 million to $10 million. Doug put $2.7 million into their house in California's Brentwood suburb two years before they tied the wedding. The home is presently valued at around $5 million, as per Finty.

Read Also: President Joe Biden Seeks Additional $33 Billion in Military, Humanitarian Aid for Ukraine, Proposes Legislation To Seize Russian Oligarchs' Assets

Kamala Harris Achievements

Kamala D. Harris was sworn in as the Vice President of the United States of America on January 20, 2021, becoming the first woman, the first African American woman, the first Indian-American, the first person of Asian-American origin, and the first graduate of an HBCU.

Harris was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, to immigrant parents. Her mother is from India, while her father is from Jamaica. Harris and her younger sister Maya were reared by their single mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, after their parents split.

Harris went to Howard University, an HBCU in Washington, DC, after high school. She then went to the University of California Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco to get her law degree. She started working for the Alameda County District Attorney's Office. Harris was elected as the City and County of San Francisco's District Attorney in 2003.

Harris was elected as the first African American and first woman Attorney General of California in 2010. She married lawyer Doug Emhoff and became stepmother to his two children as Attorney General.

She was elected as a Senator representing California in 2016, becoming just the second African American woman to serve in the US Senate. Harris served on two major Senate committees during her time in the Senate: the Intelligence Committee and the Judiciary Committee.

Harris announced her candidacy for President of the United States in 2019. While she did not win the Democratic primary, she demonstrated that she was capable of playing a greater role in American politics, Blavity reported.

Related Article: Joe Biden Net Worth 2022: How Wealthy Is the 46th President of the United States?

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Share This: A Raleigh, NC-based law firm is representing residents challenging red light cameras in Greenville and Wilmington based on alleged violations of a state constitutional prohibition on local legislation aimed at public health.

The firm Milberg, Coleman, Bryson, Phillips, Grossman, PLLC is representing eight residents in the Greenville lawsuit and a single plaintiff in the Wilmington lawsuit to challenge the North Carolina statute on the "use of traffic control photographic systems"---the state law authorizing specific cities to operate red light camera programs.

Both lawsuits, designed as class action suits, claim the statute is a local law that "authorizes (red light camera enforcement programs) in only a select few of the 552 total municipalities in North Carolina."

The law currently allows the programs in Charlotte, Greenville, Wilmington, Raleigh and Fayetteville.

The lawsuits cite Article II, Section 24 of the North Carolina Constitution that bans local acts related to health, sanitation and nuisances, which the plaintiffs argue render the state's red light statute "void and unenforceable."

The lawsuits are filed against the individual cities, as well as Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, and House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland.

Plaintiffs want the trial courts to nix the state law and refund money paid for citations under the law. If successful, the lawsuits would effectively block any city from using red light cameras.

The Greenville case, filed March 31, and the Wilmington case, filed April 4, are both cited in a North Carolina Supreme Court filing May 2 by State Solicitor General Ryan Park in reference to a different case centered on Greenville's red light camera program: Vaitovas v. City of Greenville.

A North Carolina Court of Appeals panel unanimously...
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New REZVANI BEAST will unleash in 2023.... pic.twitter.com/FHAM8voQDS  Rezvani Motors (@RezvaniMotors) May 3, 2022

Otherwise specialized in launching military-themed off-roaders , the small automaker took to its official website to make the big announcement, dropping a few key details about it and sharing the news at the same time on Twitter with its 4,000+ followers.According to Rezvani, the brand-new Beast supercar will have a mid-engine layout, with a twin-turbo powertrain mounted behind the seats, making in excess of 1,000 horsepower. It will also feature a carbon fiber body, exotic doors that could either be scissor or gullwing, though we lean towards the former and will provide the perfect balance and driving position for the driver.A pair of teaser images preview its design, which will be exotic nonetheless. A sloping roofline, fat and curvaceous fenders, a small trunk lid spoiler, and slim LED taillights are the main things that are visible. We tried brightening up one of the pics in Photoshop, but Rezvani obviously saw that coming, so it was in vain.Fortunately, we wont have to wait that long to find out how it looks like, as it will premiere this summer. The company is currently accepting reservations for it, and a refundable $250 can secure a build slot for you. Pricing details will be announced in due course.Before wrapping it up, we will remind you that Rezvani Motors has two main vehicles in its current portfolio and four models in total. The Tank and Tank Military Edition, with the latter featuring additional security features, and ballistic protection, start at $175,000 and $259,000, respectively. The Herculesand Hercules 6x6 Military Edition, on the other hand, can be had from $195,000 for the former and $259,000 for the latter.
In its latest video about Spot, the company created a dancing session not wanting to entertain investors but rather for a more practical and noble goal. When the video starts, Murray (the technician) tries to interact with the four-legged robot in many situations as if it was a sentient being.Perhaps trying to avoid any association with what Musk did, the video presents the worker watching one of the videos made by Boston Dynamics in which its robots also dance. That reminds us that Musk may have tried to mock the robotics company with the Spandex person to start with. After all, Boston Dynamics made these videos to demonstrate how its robots could perform complex movements.The bottom line is that Murray is convinced Spot can dance. The robotics company shows all resources the robot has  such as detecting thermal anomalies and reading analog gauges  while the technician tries to feed the robot with bolts and nuts or invite it to dance.When they meet in a stairway, the robot finally does what Murray expects  not because they are just dogs in Spandex suits, mind you. The plot twist is that Spot controllers give Murray what he wants so that he can go back to fixing the issues the robot detected in the factory.Spot can be used in multiple tasks. Boston Dynamics mentions monitoring critical equipment in factories, inspecting tunnels in mining companies, checking oil and gas installations, and even as a device for police forces. The last time we heard about its price, the robot cost $74,500. Boston Dynamics now invites people just to contact its sales department on its website to learn more about that.Thanks to this video, we now know Spot can also make fun of competitors that do not even exist in an elegant way.
EV

SUV

For example, the hulking and horrifyingly heavy GMC Hummerhas a massive conversion rate for its 65k reservations , meaning the automaker might be able to fulfill all new orders with deliveries only stretching well into 2024! Additionally, Cadillac is also building up battery hype with a new launch advertisement campaign for the 2023 Lyriq.In a newly released commercial, Caddy believes a new era of luxury is raining down upon us and squarely aims to Lead the Charge with its all-electric, 2023 Cadillac Lyriq crossover. Well, that may be just fake (marketing) talk , but it also signaled the EVs next milestone: dealers will be taking orders starting May 19th.That is nice, especially since it did not take as long as before to achieve a new benchmark. Remember, Cadillac needed almost a year since the already postponed official launch to finally kick off production at GMs Spring Hill plant in Tennessee on March 21st and probably wants to convert into reservations or even firm orders as many of the 233k hand-raisers it has amassed, as soon as possible.On par with the new ad campaign that just launched on social media, Cadillac has also updated the dedicated 2023 Lyriq page on its online portal, announcing that its Debut Edition will be the first to arrive on the dealer lots, from summer 2022. Additional Lyriq models will become available starting this fall, but there is still no build & price tool to play with the upcoming options.Well, the rest of the Lyriq story is already known. And the highlights certainly include perks like an estimate of more than 300 miles/483 km of range on a full charge, an advanced LED display with a 33-inch diagonal for the drivers cockpit area or the latest version of the companys hands-free driver assistance technology Super Cruise.
Facts about Russia-Ukraine conflict: Putin urges West to stop arming Ukraine

Xinhua) 14:38, May 04, 2022

BEIJING, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments regarding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine:

Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Western countries to stop supplying Ukraine with weapons during a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday.

Putin told Macron about Russia's efforts in the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol, the Kremlin said in a statement.

The Russian president urged Western countries to stop arming Kiev, saying Russia is open to dialogue.

- - - -

Putin signed a decree on Tuesday on retaliatory sanctions against individuals and entities in response to their "unfriendly actions" over the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The measures will be taken in retaliation to "the unfriendly actions of the United States, foreign states and international organizations ... which aimed at illegally depriving Russia, Russian citizens and Russian legal entities of property rights or restricting their property rights," and with the aim of "protecting the national interests of Russia," according to the decree.

- - - -

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his country may put the issue of neutral status on a nationwide referendum, the Ukrinform news agency reported Tuesday.

If Russia's desire for Ukraine's neutral status is one of the provisions of the agreements on ending the conflict, "we are ready to consider this neutral status for Ukraine," Zelensky said.

However, the referendum would be possible only after Ukraine receives security guarantees from "specific countries," he added.

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Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Tuesday that Ukraine has received 4.5 billion euros (about 4.73 billion U.S. dollars) in financial international aid since the start of the conflict with Russia, the government press service said.

Over the past week, Ukraine received 500 million dollars in grant funds from the World Bank, Shmyhal said.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji)
The defamation suit filed by actor Johnny Depp against his ex-wife Amber Heard is still pending and will most likely take weeks to resolve. But how did the case come about? The romance between Depp and Heard dates back more than a decade.

The pair divorced in 2016 but have been fighting in court over an op-ed Heard published for The Washington Post in 2018, in which she detailed surviving domestic violence without naming Depp.

Johnny Depp seeks $50 million in damages and denies ever assaulting Heard physically. Heard is suing for $100 million, claiming that she was only ever aggressive with Depp in self-defense or to protect her younger sister.

As the case progresses, social media has gone crazy, eating sound bits, evidence, and courtroom footage. Johnny Depp testified for four days, and several celebrities, including James Franco and Paul Bettany, are named in court records as prospective witnesses who might be summoned to testify.

The trial, which will take place in Fairfax County, Virginia, is scheduled to last several weeks. The following is a timeline of Depp and Heard's relationship up until the court case, as per NBC News.

Johnny Depp-Amber Heard Relationship Story

Johnny Depp and his longtime girlfriend Vanessa Paradis, with whom he has two children, Lily-Rose and John Christopher, split up in 2012. In 2014, Heard and Depp began dating and subsequently became engaged.

In a private ceremony, Amber Heard and Johnny Depp marry. The pair has been chastised for illegally bringing their canines, Pistol and Boo, into Australia. Later, the duo released a solemn apology video.

Amber Heard is officially charged with two charges of unlawfully bringing Pistol and Boo into Australia, as well as one count of falsifying documents. After 15 months of marriage, Heard filed for divorce. She secured a temporary restraining order against Johnny Depp, alleging that he mistreated her while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Johnny Depp rejected the allegations, and in August 2016, an out-of-court settlement of $7 million was struck. Heard gave the money to a charity.

In December 2018, Heard wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post about the treatment of girls who are victims of domestic violence. She didn't specifically name Depp. Depp sued Heard for $50 million for defamation over her Washington Post article, alleging it lowered his earning potential as a performer.

Amber Heard's attempt to get the case dismissed was unsuccessful. Her countersuit for $100 million is still pending. Depp sued the author of The Sun for libel in the United Kingdom in 2020, following a 2018 piece that alleged he was aggressive against Heard.

Depp has rejected all allegations of sexual misconduct. In that lawsuit, Heard testified, stating that Depp threatened to murder her on several occasions. The accusations made in the publication were found to be significantly accurate by a UK court, and Depp was refused an enchantment. The trial for Depp's defamation complaint against Heard began on April 12 in Virginia.

Johnny Depp is going to attempt to turn this lawsuit into a cleaning soap opera, according to Heard's lawyer in a prepared statement. On Tuesday, Johnny Depp took the stand for the first time. He's testified about growing up with an abusive mother, his battles with substance misuse, and his rocky relationship with Heard. On Monday, Depp is expected to reprise his stance for more cross-examination.

Read Also: Djokovic No Longer Required To Get Vaxxed To Defend Wimbledon Title

Johnny Depp-Amber Heard Defamation Trial

Amber Heard is set to testify as the first witness for her defense in the mega-defamation case brought against her by her ex-husband, Johnny Depp. Once Depp's team finishes its case, the Aquaman star might begin her testimony as soon as Monday at the Fairfax County Courthouse in Washington, DC.

Heard's representatives have yet to comment on the actor's testimony or its timetable. The trial has been going on for three weeks and will end on May 19. The trial will be paused for a week from May 9 to 12, when Judge Penny Azcarate has a planned meeting. Elon Musk and James Franco were previously on the witness list. Musk's lawyer stated last week that the Tesla CEO would not testify, even though he dated Heard for a year after her relationship with Depp ended in 2016.

Franco will also not be testifying, according to a person familiar with the case. His name came up in Depp's earlier court battle with the UK publication The Sun over a story calling the actor a wife-beater based on Heard's abuse accusations. After Heard, numerous other crucial witnesses are scheduled to testify. A friend of Depp's, British actor Paul Bettany, is expected to testify via video connection.

Bettany and Depp's communications have already been entered into evidence. Text conversations between the two were displayed in court during the first week of the trial, including one in which Depp wrote about drowning and burning his then-girlfriend Heard, The News07trends Time reported.

Related Article: Amber Heard-Johnny Depp Trial: Did Elon Musk Really Donate $500,000 to ACLU for 'Aquaman' Actress?

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
There are many things to say about Dax Shepard. But one of his hobbies involves cars and hes had quite a lot of them. But one that is a constant in his life is this 1967 Lincoln Continental hes had for 27 years.

6 photos
Electric Vehicle

The all-electric F-150 Lightning had its official production start event on April 24 at the RougeCenter in Dearborn, Michigan. Since then, the production has moved from the preproduction phase and Ford says its ready to begin shipments to dealers, according to members of the F-150 Lightning forums. This means that the truck will start popping up at dealerships across the U.S. as soon as next week.I can confirm that the F-150 Lightning has officially achieved OKTB (OK-To-Buy) status for all trims, wrote one user of the F150Lightningforum.com . OKTB means that preproduction has ended, supply and assembly readiness has been established and the vehicle is finally saleable to the public. The first batches have been completed and are ready to be shipped to dealers and end customers.The information has been confirmed for Teslarati.com by a Ford representative, who also said the company will begin shipping F-150 Lightning units to dealership locations "in the coming days." This is great news for the 200,000 reservation holders who are eagerly waiting to be the first customers of Fords electric pickup. They consider this history in the making, mirroring Jim Farleys enthusiasm when comparing the F-150 Lightnings production start to the launch of the Ford Model T.Nevertheless, Ford still needs to ramp up the production to a meaningful level if it wants to keep all reservation holders happy and start taking new reservations. As you recall, Ford stopped taking reservations a while back, for fear it would be impossible to fulfill them all in a timely fashion.The F-150 Lightning has proved to be very popular with customers and Ford has revised the production figures several times already. The initial production plan was for 40,000 units per year, but since then, Ford has made arrangements to reach 150,000 units per year. The company also aims to get to a production capacity of 600,000 units per year by the end of next year for all its electric vehicles combined.
Mark Rober is a former NASA engineer who worked for 9 years with the agency, but now he's a full-time YouTuber. With 21.5 million subscribers, Robers most popular recent video is where he created a complicated obstacle for squirrels The former NASA engineer also got an invitation to the prestigious New York fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute, the Met Gala. The Anna Wintour-organized event is invite-only, and tickets start at $35,000, while tables can be from around $200,000 to $300,000. This means that all the attendees have to carefully put together their attire and look their best.With his outfit, Rober didnt put much thought into this years theme (yes, yes, he did have a velvet jacket, so well let it slide), but he accessorized with a Jacob & Co Astronomia Sky Tourbillion timepiece.The Astronomia Sky Platinum, which is a limited-edition series of only 18 pieces, is one of the most complex watches from the luxury watchmaker's Astronomia series.The exclusive timepiece comes in platinum and includes a Jacob-Cut 1-carat perfectly round diamond with 288 facets. The movement of the watch is shown by a series of four arms, which carry the gravitational triple-axis tourbillon. Creating the most outstanding spectacle, the four arms move to indicate different parameters.Perfectly calculated to counterweigh one another, a full rotation on the first axis takes 60 seconds, which is a nod to the traditional single-axis tourbillon. The second axis takes five minutes to complete a full rotation, while the third axis shows the four arms rotating around the whole platform of the Astronomia Sky every twenty minutes. At the center of the movement, there is a hand-engraved globe that rotates in 24 hours, indicating the night and day. Behind the four rotations, theres a celestial panorama, a sidereal display, a zodiac sign, and a vertical month display.Jacob & Co was founded in 1986 in New York and the Astronomia Sky Tourbillion is as glamorous as it gets, with an estimated price of $750,000.
EV

Tesla and the Indian government got into a chicken-vs-egg conundrum, either part refusing to budge. For one thing, Tesla cannot sell its made-in-China vehicles in India because of the 110% tariffs. The Indian government demands Tesla build the vehicles in the country or purchase $500 million worth of auto components from India to drop the heavy tariffs. For another, Tesla does not want to commit to an Indian factory before gauging the market prospect for its vehicles, and for that, it needs lower tariffs.Tesla has a unique manufacturing model in that the supply chains are as short as possible. For its main production hub in Shanghai, the American carmaker relies on a local supply chain which helped decrease costs and increase reliability. Its far-fetched to think Tesla would commit to importing car parts from India and mess with all this Swiss-watch-like precision in its Chinese operation. This will likely be the case for Giga Berlin as well when the operations will enter the mass-production phase.To be sure, the Indian government did offer Tesla incentives to build a local factory . If Tesla manufactures its electric vehicles in India then they will also get benefits, Indias Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on May 2. This mirrors another statement from a week before. If Elon Musk is ready to manufacture in India then there is no problem. Come to India, start manufacturing, India is a large market, they can export from India, Gadkari said on April 26, according to The Hindu But to build a car factory in India, Tesla first needs to know that there is a market for the vehicles produced locally. Right now, this is impossible to gauge, since the 110% tariffs make Tesla vehicles unlikely to sell in India. Exports from India are also unlikely because Tesla has made Shanghai his main production hub and intends to extend the Gigafactory to quadruple its capacity in the next couple of years. There might not be enoughmarket for another Tesla gigafactory in Asia.
Not too long ago, heads were turned by the worlds smallest eVTOL , a one-seater that measured only 4 x 4 x 2 meters (13 x 13 x 6.5 feet). It could only sustain a ten-minute flight, but it was a pretty fast little thing, hitting 30 mph (50 kph). SkyDrive used the knowledge it gained from developing the SD-03 to come up with a flying car that would be fully certified to operate as an air taxi.The SD-05 boasts not only a futuristic look but also eight propellers that can take it to more than 60 mph (100 kph). With a take-off weight of over 1,000 lb (500 kg) and a flight time thats longer than 30 minutes, this two-seater has the potential to operate as an air taxi.The Japanese manufacturer seems to be on the right track. Earlier this year, it announced that Suzuki will be giving it a helping hand in developing the future flying cars technology. Another recent milestone is that it had reached an agreement with the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) for the base type certification. As we know, the certification road for eVTOLs is long and difficult. SkyDrive applied for it last year. The JCAB Airworthiness Inspection Manual (AIM) Part II (Revision 61) offers a new version of the Manual, which allows flexibility in the shape of the air frame and aircraft system. Thats good news for any flying car. The goal is to make sure that the SD-05 is safe to operate since it has no precedent.The next step is to start production of the flying car for flight demonstrations. It will take a couple of years to get the certification, but SkyDrive believes that it will kick off air taxi services as soon as 2025.
Over the weekend, Justin Bieber and Don Toliver performed Honest for the first time in Houston, as part of Biebers Justice World Tour. After that, the two hopped in Don Tolivers newly received two-tone Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit. Their collaboration song Honest also includes a music video where the two of them show up enjoying themselves on snowmobiles and Don Toliver brazes the snow on an Arctic Cat XF 6000 High Country.On April 29, Extreme Offroad & Performance gave us a glimpse of part of Don Tolivers car collection, writing: "@dontoliver rides ready for the weekend!!". The rapper, whose real name is Caleb Zackery Toliver, seems to have added two Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit and a BMW M6 to his collection, both in very good shape.He didnt wait too long before hopping behind the wheel, and he drove Bieber as they switched to the after-party. The same auto shop reshared the set of pictures shared by Bieber to their Instagram Stories, adding that they were in the Extreme built RR Silver Spur.The British luxury carmaker introduced the Silver Spirit in 1980. The model had three generations and was in production until 1997. The Silver Spirit was the base for many future models like the Silver Dawn and the Flying Spur, or the Bentley Mulsanne/Eight series.The Silver Spirit carried over part of the design of the Silver Shadow and also its powertrain. It came with a 6.75-liter V8 and a three-speed automatic gearbox. Extreme Offroad & Performance didnt share whether Don Toliver decided to give his engine an upgrade, nor what mods the car received.Besides these three new cars, Don Toliver also owns a Lamborghini Urus, a Cadillac Escalade, and a Range Rover. This means he just found an appetite for classics.
One of the optional extras available for the upcoming luxury cruiser , described as the fifth model to join the portfolio, will be the so-called Bentley Airline Seat. This feature is said to be the most advanced seat ever fitted to a car, featuring world-firsts in new auto climate sensing system, and advanced postural adjustment technology with 177 individual pressure charges possible across six zones.Another example of fine craftsmanship, where traditional meets modern, is the Diamond Illumination, with light emitted through the small perforations, less than 1 mm (0.04 in) in diameter, in the leather-trimmed door cards. The ambient lighting comprises 12 LEDs on each of the front doors and 22 on each of the rear ones. Diamond quilting will be on deck too, and the vehicle will boast an extra dimension of on-board wellness, sitting at the pinnacle of its range.But what exactly are we looking at? Well, in all likelihood, it is not a completely new vehicle as some have erroneously reported, but a long-wheelbase version of the Bentayga. A long overdue model in Bentleys range, it will help them better position the luxury high-rider against the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. If this is indeed a Bentayga with more inches between the axles, even though the positioning of the door handles, and the styling of the door cards seem different, that is.Whatever they have in the pipeline, it wont be long until it debuts, as the official unveiling is scheduled for next Tuesday. The mysterious luxury car will be unveiled on May 10, at 12:30 BST (7:30 a.m. EST / 1:30 p.m. CET) and is expected to go on sale not long after.
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3 The U.S. Has to Pay for Billionaires Superyacht After Seizure, and Its Not Cheap

4 Russian Gold Kings Megayacht Trapped in Fiji as the U.S. Is Trying to Seize It

5 $85 Million Ragnar Superyacht Is on the Move Again, After It Was Denied Fuel in Port
EV

According to Reuters , Tesla committed to erecting a new plant on nearby land close to Giga Shanghai. This second factory would be able to add 450,000 more EVs to Teslas production capacity every year. In 2021, Giga Shanghai produced more than 480,000. Reuters mentioned that production will include the Model 3 and Model Y, which are the only choices Tesla has in the high-volume segment. Unless Tesla is building this new factory to make a new car, that was a given.Themaker would be planning to turn the complex into "the world's largest vehicle export hub." We should just ask which countries the EV maker is planning to export these EVs to  India recently said that having Chinese cars was not a good proposition. The Indian government had hopes that Tesla would make its electric cars locally. With the new Chinese factory announcement, that seems either a distant possibility or even one that is not going to happen.Meanwhile, Indian customers who reserved a Model 3 since 2016 are still waiting for a refund of the $1,000 they paid to be on the waiting list. Some of them framed what Tesla did as a scam after waiting all those years for a car or their money back and getting none of them.When the added capacity is in place, Tesla may either increase sales volumes in the countries where it already sells its cars or expand its sales network to other regions, such as Latin America. To have a more comprehensive presence there, Tesla would better have more affordable vehicles to offer, which reinforces the idea that the investment may refer to the car below the Model 3 that the company said it would design and develop in China.It was erroneously called Model 2, something Elon Musk personally denied because the Model 3 was not even supposed to be called 3: the original plan was to name it Model E. It was not possible because Ford had the trademark and decided to use it to christen its electric car division. This affordable EV would make the new Chinese plant make more sense than just expanding production of the Model 3 and Model Y. To be honest, it could even make 450,000 units seem conservative.
Of course, the premium-oriented compact utility vehicle will be offered with a purely electric powertrain as well. Currently listed at $51,700 as opposed to $35,100 excluding destination charge for the base combustion-engined specification, the XC40 Recharge has also been recalled for accelerator pedal water intrusion . 5,351 examples are potentially affected.The second best-selling Volvo in the world after the XC60, the XC40 moved 201,037 examples in 2021, up from 185,406 in the previous year. Minor styling revisions have been operated as part of the facelift, including a new front bumper and a frameless grille plate for the XC40 Recharge. The headlight design, on the other hand, definitely is a love-it-or-hate-it affair.As we move towards becoming a fully electric company, our design language follows, said the head of design Robin Page. With the refreshed XC40 Recharge, we continue to evolve its instantly recognizable design, creating a more modern face with a sleeker front and an even more integrated grille.Updates further include leather-free premium upholstery options for the XC40 Recharge, new colors, and new wheels. The final update, which is arguably the most important from the drivers perspective, is the Google-powered infotainment system thats already standard on the XC40 Recharge.Now standard in the combustion-engined XC40, this infotainment system adds much greater versatility. Google Maps is the native sat-nav system, and Google Assistant is much obliged to carry out voice commands. The Google Play store also needs to be mentioned, for its the largest mobile app store on the market, larger than Apples App Store.Detailed information about the mild-hybrid and all-electric powertrains of the XC40 and XC40 Recharge will be published in due time.
North Korean Su-25 attack jets, also called Frogfoot, are Russian planes equivalent to the A-10 Warthog ground attack craft. Many Russian affiliated armies still use this slow-moving and armored aircraft. It carries a variety of armaments to do the dangerous close air support job most relegated to attack helicopters.

Su-25 Attack Jets Training in North Korea

To commemorate the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA), North Korean official media published a film of live-fire testing of various weapons systems, notably training on Frogfoot jets used by the KPA Air Force, reported Military Watch Magazine.

Seen is an aircraft firing barrages of short-range projectiles at a target zone located on an island off the coast of Korea, indicating one of the few appearances of this aircraft variant in Korean media, cited Nationalist Interest.

According to Airforce Technology, North Korea is making the fourth generation MiG-29 Fulcrum which is made under license from Russia.

The Su-25 is one of the final combat aircraft North Korea is reported to have received, with the Soviet Union shipping an estimated 34 soon, well before the collapse of the eastern superpower in the 1990s.

KPA had not acquired additional Soviet jets over several years, which changed after ties began to normalize in the mid-1980s.

Other aerial assets purchased were MiG-23ML and MiG-29 fighters, Tin Shield radar systems, and S-200 and S-125 surface-to-air missile systems.

Modernization of the KPA

The Korean People's Army invested in getting a more improved aerial warfare system affected by the fall of the USSR in 1991; that was made worse by an economic crisis in North Korea from 1994 onwards.

The North Korean Su-25 attack jet, which is subsonic, could be made anywhere it has a license.

Read Also: Xi Jinping: 5 Things To Know About China's President

It has also seen considerable combat missions across three continents, most notably aiding Russian counterterrorism efforts in Syria and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict that began in February 2022.

The Frogfoot has been compared to the A-10 Warthog of the US and also the Chinese Q-5, like the two others that come armored. Skimming at low altitude and armed with rockets or bombs to fight mechanized infantry.

One ugly plane but very survivable and cheap to maintain than other planes, but the use of unmanned attack drones have done most of the work. UAVs are cheaper and unmanned, so the military's use of manned craft is under study if it is still needed for the job.

North Korea also operates older fighter classes, particularly MiG-19s, in larger numbers as close air support owing to their inadequacy for other tasks and heavy weaponry at close ranges.

The Frogfoot is employed in fewer numbers in the KPA, and the Air Force is the weakest of the military services. The domestic defense industry cannot replace its aging equipment, and ground troop training and doctrine are doubtful to expect an abundance of close air support.

Nonetheless, North Korea has developed alternate solution assets to provide fire support, including 'tank killer' vehicles, a new generation of battle tanks, and some of the world's longest-ranged rocket artillery systems. It can provide more firepower and are also likely to be more bearable than a small number of Su-25 jets. North Korean Su-25 attack jets are not as effective but deployed in small numbers though not a major weapon system.

Related Article: Russia's Su-35 Flanker-E Allegedly Shot Down in the Skies of Ukraine

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According to Police reports, everything started after the officers responded to a call reporting a man has passed out while behind the wheel of his car. At the scene, they observed a male passed out in the vehicle, as well as a knife and handgun in the vehicle within reach, court documents read. When the man woke up he rammed his car back and forth into the police cars and was eventually able to drive off, police said.Officers did not pursue the vehicle and instead used a helicopter to keep track of its movements while detectives from Phoenix Police's tactical support bureau responded. A high-speed chase ensued that led the police across the Phoenix metropolitan area. They finally managed to stop the fleeing car using a grappler device, which did the job rather quickly, as you can see in the video below.The grappler was created by a Peoria man who was frustrated by the number of innocent people being injured or killed during high-speed pursuits. It works by deploying a heavy-duty nylon net from the pursuing police vehicle to snag the rear tire of the suspect vehicle. The net wraps around the rear axle and immediately brings the vehicle to a stop without the officer having to force a collision.The suspect was booked into Maricopa County Jail and he now faces several charges, including misconduct involving weapons, drug possessions, and unlawful flight from law enforcement . After the car was stopped, the suspect allegedly resisted arrest by holding onto the open sunroof of his car while attempting to kick officers who were trying to take him into custody.
Russian oligarchs are playing a cat-and-mouse game with international authorities, where the mouse is shaped like a megayacht with the most incredible luxury amenities and a price tag to match. Oleg Tinkov says hes not among them, even though the disappearance of La Datcha seems to contradict him.

10 photos
Pashinian said the Armenian opposition is trying in vain to replicate the velvet revolution that brought him to power in 2018.

They think that if they repeat everything, do things the same way, mimic, they will succeed, he said during his governments question-and-answer session in the Armenian parliament.

Opposition supporters again blocked streets and marched through various parts of Yerevan before converging on its France Square, the epicenter of the daily protests, early in the afternoon. Thousands of demonstrators then headed to the parliament compound where Pashinian answered questions from lawmakers.

Scores of riot police were deployed around the walled compound to keep the protesters from approaching the main entrance to the National Assembly. Heeding repeated appeals from opposition leaders, the crowd did not attempt to break through the police cordon during an hour-long standoff with the security forces.

Citing credible information, Armenias National Security Service (NSS) claimed earlier in the day that organizers of the protests are planning to seize the parliament. Opposition leaders shrugged off the claim.

They are intimidating citizens with false claims so that citizens do not express their civic position, one of them, Gegham Manukian, told RFE/RLs Armenian Service.

Manukian and other deputies representing the opposition Hayastan and Pativ alliances went into the parliament building to attend the governments question-and-answer session. In a statement read out on behalf of them, Hayastans Armen Rustamian reiterated the opposition demands for Pashinians resignation.

Rustamian charged that the prime minister mishandled peace talks with Azerbaijan and brought war and defeat upon us in 2020. He also accused Pashinian of breaking 2021 election campaign promises, including a pledge to assert the Karabakh Armenians right to self-determination.

Pashinian is now prepared to help Azerbaijan regain full control over Karabakh, Rustamian said, reiterating allegations that are at the heart of the ongoing opposition campaign to topple the government.

Nikol Pashinian is not legitimate, does not have a mandate to lead our country to new concessions and must resign, added the opposition leader.

Pashinian responded by again saying that Karabakh peace talks were botched by former President Serzh Sarkisian.

It was Serzh Sarkisian who spoke about the war from this podium by saying that we must no longer hope that Azerbaijan will not try to resolve the Karabakh problem through war, he said.

If you think that you can justify the disasters brought by you upon this country by putting the blame on the former authorities, you are mistaken, Rustamian shot back before he and other opposition deputies walked out in protest.

Some of those lawmakers chanted Armenia without Nikol! as they left the chamber. Their colleagues from the ruling Civil Contract party applauded them mockingly.

Ishkhan Saghatelian, another opposition leader who led the crowd outside the parliament building, said the protests will continue unabated.

We will keep chasing him until he quits, Saghatelian told the protesters after Pashinian left the heavily guarded building.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the United States and its allies on Tuesday that he might cancel exports and deals in response to severe economic penalties placed on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.

Putin responded with his strongest move yet, signing a wide edict prohibiting the shipment of products and raw materials to people and businesses on a sanctions list that he ordered the government to compile within ten days.

The regulation, which took effect when it was published, provides Moscow the right to create havoc on markets by halting exports or terminating contracts with entities or individuals it has sanctioned at any time, as per a report from Reuters.

Beyond the Western politicians, it has already penalized, the Russian government has ten days to compile a list of people it will sanction.

Russia's Response to Unlawful Sanctions Imposed by the West

Putin portrayed the order as a reaction to what he described as illegal acts by the US and its allies aimed at stripping "the Russian Federation, Russian citizens, and Russian legal entities of property rights or restricting their property rights."

"Retaliatory special economic measures in connection with unfriendly actions of some foreign states and international organizations," as per the decree.

The US and its allies responded to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, by imposing the most severe sanctions on Russia and its oligarchs, which Putin considers a declaration of economic war.

The West's attempt to economically isolate Russia, one of the world's largest natural resource producers, has driven the world economy into unfamiliar ground, with surging prices and food scarcity concerns.

Meanwhile, per NBC News, the Donetsk regional governor reported that Russian forces bombarded a chemical factory in the eastern city of Avdiivka in Ukraine, killing ten individuals and injuring 15.

In a Telegram post, Pavlo Kyrylenko stated that the Russian troops "knew exactly where to aim." He said that the workers "just finished their shift" and were waiting for a bus to bring them home.

"Another cynical crime by Russians on our land," Kyrylenko said.

Read Also: Israel Demands Apology After Russia Falsely Claims That Hitler Was Jewish in Justification of Ukraine Invasion

Watch Out for May 9

Experts are concerned that Putin will use May 9 to advance his Ukrainian agenda. The date is Victory Day in Russia, which commemorates Nazi Germany's defeat and the conclusion of World War II in Europe.

British Defense Minister Ben Wallace is concerned that Putin may use May 9 to push for a mass mobilization of the Russian people, which would mean the broadening of the conflict against Ukraine and escalation of Russia's tension with the US and NATO.

Putin will probably deliver a speech to blame the West for his difficulties and issue threats, including more nuclear bravado. It is also expected that he will deliver a call to action to the Russian people, per The Atlantic.

Analysts are worried that Putin will be eager to support his military in avenging its embarrassment in a war where every advantage, including size and geography, initially appeared to be on the Russians' side. But rather than a thunderous victory and a march on Kyiv, Russian troops have lost over 10,000 men, hundreds of tanks, and dozens of aircraft.

However, it is uncertain how much additional capacity the Russians could contribute to the battle, especially if mobilization demands a massive recruitment drive.

Related Article: Vladimir Putin Children: Does Russia's President Have Kids?

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Two Rescues Along Oregon Coast in Two Days Illustrate Need for Caution

Published 04/28/22 at 7:25 PM PST

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Manzanita, Oregon)  Two close calls on the Oregon coast are two too many, but bad decisions caused just that in two different areas this week, causing a pair of U.S. Coast Guard rescues in a little over 48 hours. One took place at Depoe Bay's Whale Cove area on April 23 and the other happened at Manzanita on April 25. (Photo above Cannon Beach Fire District)

The latest was Monday when two hikers had to be rescued from a steep cliff area at Manzanita. They had climbed down to a remote and dangerous section to the bottom of Neahkahnie Mountain, trekking down from a roadside viewpoint higher up the mountain. Coast Guard personnel in Astoria received the call for assistance from Tillamook County dispatch around 7:22 p.m., indicating two hikers had become stranded by rising tides.

After some time spent trying to locate the hikers, the helicopter lowered its rescue equipment and a Coast Guard swimmer helped hoist them into the aircraft, all of which took place by 8:30 p.m.



Photo above Cannon Beach Fire District

A Coast Guard spokesman said the aircrew transported the pair to emergency medical personnel waiting at nearby Neahkahnie Beach.

There is a reason there are not actual walkways down to the beach from this famed north Oregon coast vantage point: the areas below are unacceptable for human visitation.

Over the weekend, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter and crews assisted in the rescue of two teens at remote Whale Cove, near Depoe Bay on the central Oregon coast.

A guest staying at the hotel just above the area spotted two teens walking on the short sandy stretch that inhabits only a small portion of Whale Cove, but soon saw them walking along a narrow rocky section extremely close to the tides. There, they were abruptly trapped.

The witness called 911 and quickly the Depoe Bay Fire District (DBFD) arrived on scene, soon requesting assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard station in Newport.

According to the DBFD:  Firefighters from the Depoe Bay Fire District relocated to an area closer to the victims to communicate with the two, however, access to rescue the juveniles was not an option at that time due to the incoming tides. The siblings were both able to climb high enough away from the water to avoid being swept into the ocean.

In both instances, these survivors ventured onto places that are beyond barriers, and onto extremely unfriendly terrain that leaves too little to no room between the cliff and the water.

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The kids were walking along remote edges next to the tide at Whale Cove





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Do a quick scan of TikTok and youll find trendy young people casually blowing hundreds or thousands of dollars on clothes and jewelry, often set to the clattering, bass-boosted din of Florida rapper Saucy Santanas fittingly titled Material Girl. Plenty of those influencers get the goods they flaunt for free. But if you dont have the followers, or the up-front cash to blow, TikTokers have a tip: Just use buy now, pay later services, the hottest new way to take on debt.

You may have seen some of these names  Klarna, Sezzle, Zip (formerly Quadpay), Afterpay and Affirm  pop up as you shop online, presenting an easier, more seamless alternative to having to type out your credit card information again and again. With a few clicks and a small down payment, youll have what you ordered on hand  all you need to do now is complete your four payments.

The services, also known as point-of-sale loans, are heavily marketed by influencers and brands on TikTok and Instagram. They giddily display their hauls from the most popular brands, not just normalizing debt, but actually glamorizing it  and selling it as a way for trend-conscious young people to have all the coolest consumer goods, whether they have the cash on hand or not.

One video, posted in September last year by TikTok user Lillian Bradford, features her in a faux-fur coat and gold earrings. I was fully under the impression that I only owed maybe $300 max on Afterpay, the text reads. Then a screenshot pops up with her balance: more than $2,000. (In an interview with the Daily Mail, the influencer later said the "video was a joke" that she did not anticipate would go viral.)

This new breed of lending firm bills itself as a friendlier, more responsible way to spend than credit cards; in an interview with SFGATE, an executive from industry leader Afterpay even suggested the loans are just a way to budget better.

The marketing pitch is certainly working. In 2021, Americans spent more than $20 billion through buy now, pay later services, an ever-increasing chunk of the $870 billion-a-year online shopping pie.

In California alone, 91% of all consumer loans issued last year  defined by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation as loans for personal, family or household purposes such as car, utility or medical loans  were buy now, pay later loans, also known as point-of-sale loans.

Gen Z, in particular, has fallen in love with the short-term loans, spending 925% more now through point-of-sale services than in January 2020. But coupling nearly instantaneous loans with an influencer-addled social media culture that prioritizes exorbitant spending and normalizes debt could be further jeopardizing the financial futures of young people through just four easy payments.

Its technically free

Most buy now, pay later services operate as a sort of hybrid between traditional credit cards and layaway. They provide short-term financing on anything from a Gucci handbag to an American Airlines flight, splitting the payment into four or five chunks, with the first payment due at the time of purchase. The rest is usually paid off either monthly or every two weeks.

These buy now, pay later programs incentivize people to spend above their means, because they're like, Oh, well, it's only this amount over four months, Celesta, a Bay Area fashion influencer on TikTok who posts as @itscelesta, told SFGATE. (She declined to give her last name.) People almost like brag or joke that oh, it was only 24 payments of $20 or I got it with Afterpay, so it's technically free.

Retailers, too, shill for buy now, pay later services, which can significantly boost their revenues by encouraging people to spend more. Consumers, on average, spend $365 on a single purchase using Affirm, according to data the company provided to SFGATE. The average cart size across the internet in 2020 was about $100. Thats more than worth the 3% to 4% cut the services take. Afterpay has gone as far as to roll out its own consumer holiday, in the spirit of Amazons Prime Day: Afterpay Day.

Briana Fountain, a 27-year-old Atlanta designer and wellness blogger who posts on TikTok as @thebloomingbabe, first began to see these services courting young women through trendy fashion websites  Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters among them.

As [buy now, pay later] grew in popularity, you saw it plastered on the front of clothing websites and makeup websites and perfume websites, Fountain said.

Indeed, fashion purchases remain at the core of many buy now, pay later services. In a report provided by Afterpay, 73% of its Gen Z consumer spend is on fashion  high-end couture and H&M alike. And on TikTok, where trends accelerate at lightning speed and ultra-fast fashion has become the standard, staying fashionable requires entire wardrobe revamps, funded in large part by these companies.

Fountain also pointed out that people of color  already much more burdened by debt than white people  are especially likely to use the services. An analysis by financial data firm Morning Consult found that 28% of Black and Hispanic Americans signed up for at least one point-of-sale loan in January 2022, compared with 14% of white Americans.

The way in which [buy now, pay later companies] targeted and marketed this towards people of color as the newest version of layaway, to me, was intentional but also disgusting, Fountain told SFGATE.

Despite these concerns, the companies have built significant brand loyalty among young people. Both Celesta and Fountain have gotten backlash from people for daring to criticize buy now, pay later services on their profiles.

A lot of them were like, Oh, youve clearly never used it before or Ive never missed a payment, Celesta said. Basically, they were defending the company.

Within the past year, Afterpay was hit with multiple federal class action lawsuits in California and Maine  alleging that the company did not adequately represent the hidden costs behind its service.

Dont claim to be something that youre not

Financial experts who spoke with SFGATE expressed significant concerns about the way companies are targeting Gen Z consumers.

They are marketing very heavily to an audience that is younger, that might not just have as much experience on how to use credit and what credit implications are or what it means to have multiple loans at one time, Marisabel Torres, the California policy director of the Center for Responsible Lending, told SFGATE.

Few of the services do significant credit checks, which would help determine whether people will be able to repay the loans. And plenty of people are spending more than they can afford: 43% of Gen Z users have missed at least one payment, according to a survey by the polling site Piplsay. Of Gen Z consumers who used a point-of-sale loan for something they needed, 30% missed at least two payments, according to a survey by Credit Karma.

[Buy now, pay later companies] know that by shrinking that appearance of the upfront payment, that it's going to seem cheaper to people, R.J. Cross, a policy adviser with the Frontier Group, told SFGATE. There are plenty of interviews, especially with younger consumers, who have said Yeah, it does make it feel cheaper  yeah, I could buy that $144 makeup set that I wouldn't have bought otherwise.

The speed with which you can go from your shopping cart to having a product at your doorstep also concerns Cross. (One retailer even has gone so far as to say that Afterpay works best with products where theres a sense of impulse purchase.)

With credit cards, you have to actually submit an application and might have to wait for the card itself, Cross said. This is, you download an app and approval is actually given on a purchase-by-purchase basis, and so everything happens a lot faster.

The companies are fully aware that their services encourage people to spend more. In fact, several of them market it as a benefit to stores that want to partner with them.

We do see larger cart sizes, larger purchases, relative to what they would put onto their debit cards and credit cards, Libor Michalek, the president of technology at Affirm, told SFGATE.

Still, high-level staffers at Affirm and Afterpay  both based in San Francisco  positioned their services as more responsible, less predatory alternatives to credit cards and personal loans in interviews with SFGATE. They also emphasized the accessibility of these services, especially for younger consumers looking to bolster their credit and consumers working to restore their credit scores, despite the fact that many of the services dont report on-time payments to credit agencies.

Afterpay's general manager of global platforms and partnerships, Zahir Khoja, referred to his service as a budgeting tool in an interview with SFGATE, adding that most of its user base relies on debit cards as the funding source for payments. To him, that statistic emphasizes how important budgeting and responsible spending is to members of Gen Z, who grew up in the shadow of 2008.

Buy what they want, when they want and have the benefits of credit over those six weeks without having to go into debt, he said.

The financial experts who spoke with SFGATE were less than thrilled by Khojas characterization of point-of-sale loans.

That is bonkers, Todd Phillips, the director of financial regulation at the Center for American Progress, told SFGATE. Like, these guys are extending credit  these people are lenders. That is what they are.

In the past two years, multiple states sided with Phillips, fining "buy now, pay later" services millions for operating without a lenders license. Both Afterpay and Sezzle were hit with fines by the state of California for failing to do so.

They are loans, and they should be regulated by someone like us, under a law that has more protections for consumers," Adam Wright with the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation told Pew.

Torres, meanwhile, said that calling buy now, pay later a budgeting tool was disingenuous.

Assuming that every consumer is using this product, this type of financing, in order to budget is assuming a lot, she said. Don't claim to be something that you're not.

Regulation is (probably) on its way

Each service has its own sales pitch on what differentiates it from other forms of debt: Affirm prides itself on not giving late fees to customers (with a major caveat) but may charge up to 30% APR on larger loans, while Afterpay offers zero-percent interest on every purchase, assuming that the user can pay on time. It can be easy to pile on debt  particularly when someone is using multiple services, each one with different repayment terms, and without a streamlined dashboard totaling the debt a user owes between the various services.

Despite the friendly terms for people who can afford to pay, those who miss payments can find themselves in major trouble. These services vary in how they deal with missed payments; some charge late fees, while others add interest.

Affirm lets users temporarily defer payments if needed, their representatives confirmed, but after 120 days, will send their charged-off loans to collections agencies. Afterpay says that it will wait 30 days before initiating any arbitration or court proceeding on an unpaid plan.

Theres also variability in how these loans are reported to credit bureaus, which is especially important for younger borrowers, who are still building their credit histories. While an increasing number of lenders are reporting missed payments to credit bureaus, few are reporting successful repayment histories. That means those loans wont help people improve their credit the way repaying a credit card on time would.

Credit has been made available to consumers very quickly and on a very large and international scale, and without the really proper and appropriate consumer protections in place, Torres told SFGATE. There's a lot of concern that consumers could be amassing large amounts of debt at a very quick pace without having a clear understanding of what the terms are.

Multiple countries have begun looking into the services in the past six months, including the U.K. and the U.S. In late December, Americas Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) opened an inquiry into these companies in late December. In a statement announcing the inquiry, the agency expressed concern about accumulating debt, regulatory arbitrage, and data harvesting.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta signed a letter earlier this year in support of the CFPB increasing regulations around point-of-sale loans.

While we encourage access to safe and affordable credit, the letter reads, we have concerns about new and supposedly innovative financial products that promise to disrupt and democratize the industry but push consumers into cycles of debt and carry some of the same terms and features as other expensive and predatory financial products.

Credit card companies, car loan services and even payday lenders are all required to provide clear, transparent information about their interest rates and the total cost of their loans, based on the federal Truth in Lending Act, or TILA. The law also requires lenders to provide consumers a way to dispute fraudulent charges and shop around for the best, most favorable deal. But according to Cross, many point-of-sale lenders are exempt from TILA, which only regulates loans with at least five installments. Most buy now, pay later services are set up to require four payments.

While Affirm states in marketing material that it complies with the Truth in Lending Act, no agency actually has the authority to enforce that.

Paying for gas with buy now, pay later

These services may have got their explosive start in large part thanks to fast fashion and other needless consumerism, but theyre increasingly being used for day-to-day purchases  especially as inflation skyrockets. Within the past year, Amazon and Target both recently partnered with buy now, pay later services  while Walmart got rid of its layaway program entirely in favor of Affirm. And lately, buy now, pay later companies have begun expanding into the territory of other debt services, launching virtual cards that can be used at stores that dont directly partner with point-of-sale companies.

While these services may be a responsible alternative to credit card debt for a good chunk of consumers, it seems increasingly likely that, without regulations, this kind of debt will burden the most financially vulnerable, just as credit cards, payday loans and layaway have in the past. Earlier this year, Klarna launched a Fill up now. Pay later program with Chevron and Texaco gas stations; a recent Ipsos poll, funded by Afterpay, found that respondents were interested in using buy now, pay later for dental work, car repairs and even rent. Fifty-six percent of those surveyed were interested in point-of-sale loans for medical bills, which more than a quarter of Americans are struggling to pay.

Fountain, the TikTok influencer who has posted about her concerns with point-of-sale loans, said shes received many heartbreaking comments from users who have had to use buy now, pay later out of necessity.

You have people that are kind of like, Yeah, I hate using buy now, pay later systems, but I had to find some way of getting groceries, she said. I'm like, whoa, whoa, don't feel ashamed that you have to use a buy now, pay later system for groceries.

Ultimately, Torres sees this new era of buy now, pay later loans as an indictment of Americas economic system at large.

What does that say of the overall financial health of our society? she asked. Why are we leaving people to have to finance things like gas with a buy now, pay later product?

Editor's note: This story was edited at May 4, 9:40 a.m., to clarify which companies have been fined by California for operating without a lenders license.
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

Kanye West is being sued by a Texas pastor who claims the rapper and producer illegally sampled more than a minute of one of his sermons for a song on his 2021 album "Donda."



According to NBC 5 DFW, Bishop David Paul Moten of the Joy of the Lord Worship Center in Victoria, Texas has filed a suit against West for allegedly using 70 seconds of audio from one of his undated sermons to create "Come to Life," a song about religion, loneliness and finding a path forward following his divorce with ex-wife Kim Kardashian. The song runs more than five minutes and opens with the voice of a pastor in mid-sermon.



"My soul cries out 'Hallelujah' and I thank God for saving me," the sampled voice Moten alleges is his says. "In the name of Jesus."



Moten claims in his suit that West sampled his oration without asking for permission or providing compensation. The preacher is also suing Def Jam Recording, UMG Recordings and West's label G.O.O.D. Music, saying that the parties involved in making and distributing the album engaged in "willfully and egregiously sampling sound recordings of others without consent or permission."



According to the Texas Music Office, music producers "must obtain a 'clearance' or copyright license for every sample that [they] use in [their] recordings." The office warns artists to "clear your use of any sample before you spend a lot of money on recording so that you don't spend studio time on a song that you cannot sell."



Sampling fees vary from artist to artist, according to the Texas Music Office. Suffice to say, West could've probably gotten the rights to Moten's voice cleared for a lot cheaper than he may now had he asked for the pastor's blessing up-front.




The Trump Organization, owned by former United States President Donald Trump, has agreed to pay $750,000 as a settlement for a lawsuit alleging the illegal receipt of funds during the Republican businessman's 2017 inauguration.

The lawsuit, which was filed by the attorney general for the District of Columbia, claims that the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., illegally received excessive payments from the inauguration committee. The settlement in the civil case comes with no admission of wrongdoing by the Trump Organization, Trump, or the committee.

Trump Organization's $750,000 Settlement

However, the payment involved amounted to nearly three-quarters of the $1.03 million that the lawsuit, which was filed by Attorney General Karl Racine of Washington, argued was used to pay Trump's hotel. The transaction was made to rent out space at what Racine asserted was an above-market rate.

The district attorney said that the area was used in part to host a private reception for the Republican businessman's children on the evening that he was sworn in as president. The situation also comes shortly before Trump was slated to formally close on the sale of the Trump International Hotel, as per the New York Times.

The hotel is planned to be converted to a Waldorf Astoria after Trump's name is removed from the landmark building on Pennsylvania Avenue. Earlier this year, negotiations to settle the suit intensified after a Superior Court judge in Washington set a trial date for September. He also rejected an attempt by the Trump Organization to be removed from the lawsuit.

Read Also: Roe v. Wade Decision: Joe Biden Sends Major Warning on Massive Consequences of Overturning Abortion Rights

One of Trump's first actions, after he was elected, was to illegally use his own inauguration to make his family wealthier. In a statement announcing the settlement on Tuesday, Racine said that non-profit funds can be used to line the pockets of individuals, no matter how powerful they were.

According to the Washington Post, lawyers for the district that filed the lawsuit also alleged that the Trump Organization improperly used the non-profit funds. They claim that they threw a party on Jan. 20, 2017, for the former president's children, Ivanka, Donald Jr., and Eric, which cost a total of $300,000.

Denial of Wrongdoing

The city further claimed that the Republican businessman's organization, the inaugural committee, and the Trump International Hotel, misused roughly $1.1 million. Racine noted that the settlement allowed the city to "claw back money" that Trump's inaugural committee illegally used.

An attorney for the inaugural committee, Lee Blalack, said that they were confident they would prevail at trial but opted for a settlement to avoid "significant costs" of litigation. He argued that the committee's insurer, which was funding the settlement, would have had to pay twice as much had the case gone to trial.

Trump also said that as crime rates were soaring in the capital, it was necessary for the attorney general to focus on those rather than a further leg of the greatest Witch-Hunt in political history. The settlement acknowledges that the defendants dispute the allegations and were settling "to avoid the cost, burden, and risks of further litigation," CNN reported.



Related Article: Donald Trump Congressional Allies Under Investigation Over Jan. 6 Capitol Riot [Full Details]

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Jake Daniels

The Orange County Sheriff's Office had an emotional reunion Monday with a law enforcement official who survived a long battle with COVID-19.

"I dont think weve ever had such an exciting day at the Orange County Sheriffs Office as we have had today," the Sheriff's Office said in a social media post. "We welcome back Dru Crochet to our family after a lengthy absence. None of us could ever understand the pain and worry that his family has gone through however, we are so thankful that the Lord has blessed us and brought him back to us."
ALEXANDRIA, La. (AP)  A Louisiana man who sold fentanyl as heroin was sentenced Tuesday to 22.5 years in prison, federal prosecutors said.

In 2018, a buyer who thought he had taken heroin passed out at the wheel and crashed into the Alexandria Police Department, U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown said in a news release.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)  A judge in Fiji has ruled that U.S. authorities can seize a Russian-owned superyacht  but has put a hold on his order until at least Friday while defense lawyers mount a challenge.

The yacht Amadea  worth $325 million  had earlier been stopped from leaving the South Pacific nation because of its links to Russia. That order will stand for now, preventing U.S. authorities from taking the yacht to Hawaii or elsewhere.

A question remains over which of two Russian oligarchs really owns the Amadea, with only one of them facing sanctions. There are also questions about how far U.S. jurisdiction extends into Fiji.

Suva High Court Justice Deepthi Amaratunga on Tuesday granted an order allowing the U.S. to seize the superyacht after the U.S. had earlier filed a warrant. But the judge has also allowed for a pause while defense lawyers put together their challenge.

The judge's next decision in the case will come on Friday, when he will decide whether to continue to put a hold on the yacht's seizure pending a formal appeal by the defense.

The U.S. Justice Department in March announced the creation of a team of federal agents and prosecutors to pursue wealthy Russians or those aiding Russias invasion of Ukraine. The team, called Task Force KleptoCapture, was set up to seize assets belonging to oligarchs with the aim of pressuring Russia to end the war.

The U.S. claims the real owner of the superyacht Amadea is Suleiman Kerimov. The 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, Britain and other nations 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.

But defense lawyers claim the real owner is Eduard Khudainatov, the former chairman and chief executive of Rosneft, the state-controlled Russian oil and gas company. 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.

Defense lawyers have claimed in court that Millemarin Investments Ltd. 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 earlier 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.
A former Jefferson County judge and drainage district leader has died.

Judge Richard P. LeBlanc, Jr., 83, of Beaumont, died Sunday, according to his obituary.

LeBlanc was elected Jefferson County Judge in 1977 at age 39 and resigned from the post in 1995 to take the general manager position with the drainage district. He retired as the general manager of Jefferson County Drainage District 6 in 2019, the Enterprise previously reported.

He was a great county judge, and I think a wonderful leader for drainage improvements in the county, Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick told The Enterprise on Tuesday. He was an individual who I was fortunate to visit with many times and who I appreciated deeply because you never had to guess where he stood on an issue, he would tell you right out. That was a quality that was not common today."

Related: Flood-relief gates work guards 50,000 acres in Jefferson County

He held various other positions in county government, including administrative assistant to former Jefferson County Judge Chester C. Young, county treasurer and county auditor, according to Enterprise archives. He graduated from Lamar Tech in 1960 with a degree in accounting.

Branick said LeBlanc had a "great quality" while he was county judge for maintaining unanimity on the court and a "great" career at Drainage District 6, where LeBlanc was responsible for many drainage projects.

"Probably the most significant among those would be the Needmore Diversion Channel, which he did for millions and millions of dollars less than it would have cost had they hired contractors by having the drainage district buy its own drag lines," Branick continued. "He was just a pleasure to be around and Im certainly going to miss him."

A gathering of Judge LeBlancs family and friends will take place from 5 to 7 p.m., with family reflections at 6 p.m. on Friday at Broussards funeral home located at 2000 McFaddin Ave. in Beaumont.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday, at St. Anne Catholic Church located at 2715 Calder Ave. in Beaumont, with his interment to follow at Magnolia Cemetery in Beaumont.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
Update 8:10 p.m.: All lanes of I-10 westbound have been reopened.

Original story:

A six-vehicle crash hospitalized four people and closed a portion of Interstate 10 for several hours on Tuesday in Orange County.

I-10 westbound was closed near the state line as first responders worked to clear the area, officials with the Texas Department of Safety and the Texas Department of Transportation said.

Shortly before 6 p.m. DPS reported one westbound lane of I-10 open.

Motorists should expect delays, DPS said.

The crash occurred at approximately 1:40 p.m. when a 1995 Peterbilt truck tractor semi-trailer driven by 60-year-old Lawrence Bellard of Beaumont was traveling west, DPS information said. Bellard was not injured. He has been cited for failing to drive in a single lane, officials said.

It is reported that the Peterbilt failed to control its speed as it approached slower moving traffic, DPS Southeast Texas Region said. The Peterbilt veered left, at which point it struck the concrete barrier, which caused a chain reaction with multiple other vehicles.

DPS said five other vehicles were involved in the crash, including a 2014 Ford pickup, a 2019 Alfa Romeo SUV, a 2020 Cub Cadet truck tractor semi-trailer, a 2013 Kenworth truck tractor semi-trailer, and a 2017 Dodge pickup.

The 40-year-old driver of the 2014 Ford pickup, of Kenner, La., was taken St. Elizabeth Hospital for treatment.

The driver and passenger of the 2019 Alfa Romeo SUV, 61 and 62 respectively, both of Baton Rogue, were taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital for treatment.

The 48-year-old driver and 50-year-old passenger of the 2020 Cub Cadet, both of Mexico, were not injured.

The 38--year-old driver of the 2013 Kenworth, of Willis, was not injured.

The 57-year-old driver of the 2017 Dodge pickup, of Florida, was not injured. A 22-year-old passenger, of Florida, was not injured. A unidentified male was taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital for treatment.

The investigation remains ongoing and there is no additional information available at this time, DPS said.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
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ZAKHO, Iraq (AP)  Iraqis in a northern town still traumatized by memories of the Islamic State group feared more violence Tuesday after hostilities between the military and a local militia erupted, people internally displaced by the fighting said.

Tensions reached a fever pitch when Iraq's military launched an offensive in Sinjar district Sunday to clear out armed elements of the YBS, a local militia comprised largely of minority Yazidis.

The YBS has ties to the insurgent Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, a separatist movement banned in Turkey.

The heavy fighting prompted over 3,000 people, most of them Yazidis, to flee toward the Kurdish-run north. It wasn't clear if there were any dead or wounded in the fighting: Iraqi officials have released no figures and have not commented on casualties.

Fighting ceased Tuesday and the Iraqi army said it had re-established control of Sinjar. But the violence and subsequent displacement dealt a blow to Baghdad's efforts to encourage more Yazidis to return to their ancestral homeland after years of war.

An agreement was brokered by the United Nations in October 2020 between Baghdad and the Kurdish-run government to implement order in the area. Under that agreement, the federal police are the sole state authority.

The accord has not proven successful. Critics have said this is because it did not consult powerful local forces in Sinjar or even Yazidi leaders. Local residents, who also include Arab Sunnis, are also deeply divided.

Lt. Gen. Abdul-Amir al-Shammari, deputy commander of Iraq's Joint Operations Command, told a news conference in Sinjar that Iraqi forces have imposed security and law and order and have opened all the roads in the district.

"The goal of these operations was to impose the (rule of) law and security to secure a safe environment so that we can rebuild Sinjar and return the displaced.

But Yazidis, many displaced now for a second time, are reluctant to return.

Most of the displaced fled north to the Kurdish-run region where they were distributed across different camps. Many first fled in 2014 after IS's brutal onslaught and returned in recent years to rebuild their homes.

The memories are still fresh in Sewes mind. His was among the dozens of families who made their way to the Chemishko camp in Zakho on Monday. He only gave The Associated Press his first name.

It is the second time that we escaped, he said. We dont know where to go, we dont have a place to go, and we dont know where we are going now.

The YBS was created in 2014 with assistance from the PKK. They proved instrumental in driving out IS elements from the area after the collapse of the Iraqi army. The YBS has since remained a powerful local force in the area, citing deep mistrust of the federal government forces deployed to protect the area.

The Iraqi army said the aim of the offensive has been to reassert state authority in response to the YBS erecting checkpoints and preventing citizens from returning to their homes.

But most residents expect more violence.

When we went back to our home we found it was impossible to live there, said Rashid Barakat, now displaced in the Chemishko camp. The army was attacking (the YBS) and the (YBS) was hitting them back, and we were stuck in between."

___

Kullab reported from Baghdad. Associated Press journalist Ali Abdul-Hassan contributed from Sinjar.
Mecca

The city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia is considered a holy place by the Islamists. Millions of people from all over the world travel to Mecca every year for the Hajj pilgrimage. The Islamic people are keen to keep this water, which is used to quench their thirst, sacred in their homes. This water, which is supplied to millions of people daily, is secreted from a spring. This funnel fountain never dries up, even if water is continuously drawn.

Zamzam

Located 20 meters east of Mecca, the fountain is believed to date back to the time of the Prophet. Nearly five thousand years ago the Prophet took his wife Hajar and son Ismail to the site of what is now Kaaba. It is believed that the Prophet left them there alone, according to divine command.

In this situation, baby Ismail cried when he ran out of food and was very thirsty and his mother, Hajar did not know what to do. At that time, Ismail used his feet and kicked the ground and the water was extracted there. Hajar used to pile up the overflowing water with her hands and said, "Stop Stop" but still water kept coming out of the place. Zamzam in Arabic means wait, wait.

That is why the people call it Zamzam water. The Islamic people believe that this water will quench the thirst of human beings and have the power to cure diseases.

Perpetual fountain

A lid-like structure was formed at the top of the well, and the site was set at a depth of 2.5 m below it, at the entrance to the well. Initially water was pumped from this well by rope and now water is pumped from here at 18.5 liters per second by electric motors.

Traditional items such as the bucket and pulley of this well are still maintained in the mosque in Mecca. The largest team is working to purify and store this water that seeps down the Mecca. In addition, 4 lakh liters of Zamzam water per day is transported to the King Abdul Aziz Reservoir in Medina.

With a capacity of 16,000 cubic meters, water is supplied to the Prophet's Mosque from this reservoir. The Saudi Government tests water samples 100 times daily for microbial and chemical sampling to ensure its quality.

Researchers also say that cats need to be included in any precautionary measures against the virus. This well, which appears in the desert and continues to be of a great use for people, is truly a miracle beyond science.

The 8th Behindwoods Gold Medals Awards will be held this year on May 15 and 22 at the Island Ground in Chennai Island from 6pm to 11.30pm. Ticket booking for this is currently underway. Event ticket pre-booking link .. https://behindwoods.com/bgm8
Al-Shabaab militants, who are linked to the Al-Qaeda terrorist group, launched an attack on an African Union Peacekeepers' Camp and killed at least three civilians as Somalis were celebrating Eid Al-Fitr for the second day.

A Somali military commander in the Middle Shabelle region, Col. Muse Hassan, told reporters that heavily armed Al-Shabaab militants attacked the Burundian base in El-Baraf. The area was located roughly 160 kilometers north of the capital Mogadishu and was attacked from different directions on Tuesday.

Al-Shabaab Gunmen

The military official said that a suicide car bomber drove into the main gates of the base allowing other fighters to enter the camp easily. The gunmen then engaged in a heavy gunfight against African Union soldiers for roughly an hour.

The Al-Shabaab terrorist group posted a statement on its affiliated websites that claimed its fighters were able to kill 59 soldiers when they overran the base. However, authorities have not confirmed the accounts nor the number of potential casualties in the area. The recent attack is the second assault on the camp this year, as per CNN.

A local elder in the region, who lives in a village near the scene of the gunfight, said that he also saw two helicopters flying by that were shooting down on the ground. He said that he and other people were awoken by huge blasts early in the morning.

Read Also: South Korea, US To Start Combined Drills After North Korea Warns Preemptive Use of Nuclear Weapons if Threatened by Hostile Forces

The militant group has been fighting for years in an attempt to topple the central government and establish its own rule based on its strict interpretation of Islam's sharia law. In its statement, Al-Shabaab said that the Mujahideen launched a pre-dawn raid on an ATMIS (African Union Mission) military base in the Middle Shabelle region.

According to Alarabiya, they added that after a fierce firefight, the Mujahideen were able to take control of the entire military base. A shopkeeper in the area, Farah Hussein, said that after the militant group's initial attack, he heard gunshots and weapons being fired.

Attack on Peacekeepers

Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chairperson of the AU Commission, said that he paid tribute to the Burundian peacekeepers who lost their lives in the firefight. Somali authorities are now preparing to hold long-delayed presidential elections with political rivalries having split the security services.

The region's presidency condemned the attack on the African Union Transition Mission base and called for increased support to protect the people. A video recording shared on social media platforms appeared to show people looting a military base and equipment consistent with African Union forces.

A fighter could be seen carrying the black flag of Al-Shabaab and standing on top of a burnt-out armored personnel carrier within a military camp. A photograph also seems to show part of the blood-soaked body of a soldier with "Burundi" written on his uniform.

Hussein said that the ATMIS forces were also in the jungles pursuing the Al-Shabaab fighters and said that he knew of at least three dead civilians and five injured. Local officials from the Shabelle region and the African Union mission refused to comment on the incident as the African Union and its member states do not typically release information on casualties from an attack, Reuters reported.



Related Article: Russian Defense Ministry Says Its Forces Score Major Victories Against Ukrainian Claims of Destroying Various Military Assets

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Transnistria says weaponized drone attack thwarted in fear RussiaTransnistria will use the Breakaway Region of Moldova reports a failed weaponized drone attack in the separatist pro-Russian region of Moldova. The objective of the attack is an armed drone that failed to detonate close to a telecom center.

Terror attacks are feared

On Tuesday, the self-proclaimed republic of Transnistria's Interior Ministry said a weaponized cargo drone got seized overnight near a large telecom hub in Mayak village, reported RT.

According to the ministry, the intercepted drone is a homemade device from various pieces.

The size of the UAV is one and a half meters that could carry 20 kilograms about 30 kilometers from its operator.

It carried a canister with an unidentified brown liquid with a small barrel containing two kg. of a plastic explosive; included were the detonators. Included was a mechanism to drop the explosive payload.

The target said the Interior Ministry is to destroy a transformer cooling station of the telecom center. Should the goal be achieved, the whole facility would be inoperable, and said the Ukrainian is where it came from, cited the Press United.

In an attack in April by someone, the drone was stopped by border guards in the facility. In April, two big radio masts transmitting Russian radio stations got blown up in the center.

The breakaway republic suffered a string of mysterious incidents involving the region's critical civilian and military infrastructure, including the foiled weaponized drone attack. Other attacks include one at the Ministry of State Security was attacked by three unknown assailants, firing rockets that damaged windows and the building facade, noted Financial Times.

Several explosions also transpired at a military base outside Tiraspol, the capital city of Transnistria.

Read Also: Volodymyr Zelensky Children: Does the Ukraine President Have Kids?

Leader of the self-proclaimed republic, president Vadim Krasnoselsky said it was Ukrainians doing the acts of terror and told Kyiv to investigate the matter.

Also called the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR) is not an official state between the Dniester River and Ukraine in Moldova's east sector.

Kyiv fears Tiraspol joining Russia

Ukrainian officials are wary the pro-Russian breakaway province will be part of a new offensive by Russia, mentioned Newsweek.

Ukraine and Moldova say it's Moscow's plot against EU-centric Moldova led by President Maia Sandu; to unsettle the government.

Nicu Popescu, Moldova's Prime Minister, remarked that most citizens, even in Tiraspol, remarked early in the week. He added they want to avoid trouble, but terror attacks are increasing.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense's Main Intelligence Directorate posted last Sunday; its Facebook page and website displayed an image of a Transnistrian newspaper, dated May 2, 2022, which mentions more attacks that have not yet occurred.

Its credibility has been called into question, and Newsweek has been unable to verify its authenticity independently.

According to the New Voice of Ukraine, the Ukrainian newspaper Segodnya, the editor-in-chief of the real Transnistria newspaper, Alexander Karasyov, labeled the front-page image a fake.

The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine's Defense Ministry did not indicate how it happened to come across the paper.

Claimed that the paper represented in the image can be inferred as an alarm that false-flag attacks in the secessionist region will serve as a justification for local forces to join Russia against Ukraine.

Tiraspol left Moldova in the 1990s when the USSR collapsed and kept a close link to Moscow. There are Russian peacekeepers and many Russian citizens.

In Transnistria, the weaponized drone attack that was stopped is concerning its leaders that Ukraine might be moving in, while the west wants to isolate Russia from its allies.

Related Article: US Neocons Plot the Incursions in Transnistria, Western Ukraine as Biden Schemes To Seize Russian Assets

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Supporters of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte-Carpio use their mobile devices to take photos and videos of the running mates during a campaign rally in Santa Rosa, south of Manila, March 11, 2022.

Philippine journalists and experts marked World Press Freedom Day by expressing grave concern Tuesday about alleged online attacks by supporters of presidential aspirant Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and urging social media giants to patrol their online platforms.

They also pointed to a disinformation campaign via social media, alleging it had skewed the race in favor of Marcos with less than a week to go till Election Day. The frontrunner in surveys is the son and namesake of the late dictator who ruled the Philippines for 21 years, mostly under martial law.

The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), which includes reporters working for some of the Western medias leading news agencies, said several members had faced intimidation while reporting on Marcos.

FOCAP expressed its grave concern over online attacks against some of our members by supporters of presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the alarming difficulty we have faced in getting his clear, coherent and substantial explanations on issues imbued with public and national interest.

As we commemorate the World Press Freedom Day, we call on companies behind social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google, and YouTube, to investigate these attacks as possible coordinated behavior and how provocative content by pro-Marcos personalities endangers, smears, and incites hate and possible attacks on independent journalists, FOCAP said in a statement.

Journalists also alleged that free speech would suffer if Marcos Jr. were to win the election set for May 9.

Marites Vitug, editor-at-large for the Philippine news website Rappler, said that of all the candidates in the presidential field, Marcos had been the least open one.

He does not grant interviews to all, is very selective in  press conferences. They do not invite everyone in the media, and they screen questions, Vitug said during a panel discussion on the Philippine elections organized in Bangkok by the Asia Centre, a media forum.

FOCAP noted that Marcos Jr. had remarked in a recent television interview that he wondered why journalists were complaining about the lack of access to him, when videos of journalists struggling to get near him have circulated widely online.

I dont know why they say that I am hard to ambush (doorstop) interview ... Im always out in public. Of course, we are doing something else also. I dont know why they say that because I cant avoid them. I'm always out in public, Marcos said in the TV interview on April 26.

On Tuesday, the Marcos campaign did not immediately respond to requests from BenarNews seeking comment for this report.

All these restrictive actions undermine a critical and free press in an Asian bulwark of democracy and have sparked fears on how independent media would be treated under another possible Marcos presidency, FOCAP said.

FOCAP alleged that at least two of its members  Regine Cabato, a reporter for the Washington Post, and Howard Johnson, a correspondent for BBC News  were recently targeted in attacks from Marcos supporters.

Cabato was called a whorenalist and subjected to other online intimidation for a story she reported about Marcos Jr.s tendency for historical revisionism. Johnson was threatened online by one Marcos supporter, who allegedly said, someone will slash your neck for besmirching the Filipinos reputation.

FOCAP was founded when President Ferdinand E. Marcos declared martial law in 1972.

The media profession in the Philippines is considered one of the most dangerous globally, watchdog groups have said. Since 1992, as many as 88 members of the Philippine media have been killed because of their work, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

On trolls and disinformation

Meanwhile, US Filipinos for Good Governance (USFGG) launched TrollExposer.com, a website dedicated to exposing troll pages, accounts, and groups on Facebook that propagate fake posts and accounts, which have maliciously tagged independent presidential candidate, Leni Robredo, a communist terrorist.

The group urged tech giant Meta, he parent company of Facebook, to immediately remove fake posts and accounts.

Our country has become extremely polarized through vigorous troll activity, said Eric Lachica, the Washington-based coordinator for USFGG.

Having the presidency decided based on lies that re-write history and hide the fact that much of this troll activity is state-sponsored would be a tragedy. We hope it is not too late to detoxify the minds and hearts of our people.

Lachica said the USFGG had exposed a hundred pro-Marcos trolls.

Philippine presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (left, seated) and his vice-presidential running mate, Sara Duterte-Carpio, attend a campaign rally in the suburb of Santa Rosa, south of Manila, March 11, 2022. [Jason Gutierrez/BenarNews]

According to Joel Mark Barredo, a Filipino activist-researcher, disinformation has slowly become an emerging cultural industry.

Social media, in this pandemic of the oppressed, had become a tool of authoritarians to control our narratives to tell us who we are and what we should be doing, he said at the Bangkok event.

Marcos has an army of trolls working for his campaign, including some who had lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Barredo later told BenarNews.

[P]eople earn thousands and thousands of pesos spreading misinformation, he said.

Its not something that happened overnight. This has been a calculated, well-planned, long-term project.

If Marcos Jr. wins the presidential election next week, it will primarily be due to the disinformation campaign, warned Analiza Liezi Perez-Amurao, an assistant professor at Mahidol University in Bangkok.

Its difficult to pinpoint, you know, the exact percentage, but I would say that majority of it would have come from coming from disinformation on social media, she told BenarNews on Tuesday.

Vitug, the editor for Rappler, said the Marcos family has used social media extensively for a number of years to rehabilitate their image by peddling lies.

She said they have played down or denied human rights violations during the martial law years (1972-86), exaggerated their achievements, and vilified critics, rivals, and mainstream media.

And even though social media platforms removed some of the pages or accounts, they still used social media cleverly to reach the new generation of Filipinos, she said at the Bangkok event.

If Marcos Jr. wins, I think disinformation will continue. He will rely on it, Vitug said.

Jeoffrey Maitem, Basilio Sepe, and Jojo Rinoza contributed to this report from Manila, and Subel Rai Bhandari contributed from Bangkok.

Note: BenarNews is a member of FOCAP.
Chinas largest Type 075-class amphibious assault ship Hainan has conducted combat training and live fire drills in the South China Sea, Chinese media reported.

The exercise took place on April 22 but news about it emerged this week on an online Chinese military network. The Hainan is the second-largest type of ship in the Chinese Navy, after its two aircraft carriers.

The latest photos show Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) personnel carrying out coordinated training, supply maneuvers and ammunition firing at an unspecified location in the South China Sea.

Helicopters were seen rehearsing taking off and landing on the ships deck.

The drills were said to aim at consolidating the basic skills of officers and soldiers, optimizing the ship deployment and command process, and effectively improving the comprehensive combat capability.

The Hainan, named after the Chinese island in the South China Sea, is Chinas first Type 075 amphibious assault ship, commissioned into service only a year ago.

It was built in Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai and listed under the Southern Theater Command which is responsible for the South China Sea.

It has a total displacement of 40,000 tons. The Hainans deck layout is similar to that of China's Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers.

As tall as a 15-story building, it can carry helicopters, amphibious hovercraft, tanks and armored vehicles. The ship is equipped with weapon systems including missiles and guns but its main task is transporting helicopters and amphibious vehicles to conduct amphibious operations.

Type 075 ships

A day before the Hainans exercise, on April 21, the PLAN also announced the commissioning of its second Type 075 amphibious assault ship, the Guangxi.

The Chinese navy only officially started development work on the Type 075 in 2011 but has already launched three ships, two of which are fully operational and the third is on sea trials. A total of eight ships are said to be on order for the PLAN, reported the Naval News portal.

Chinese state media said the Type 075 will play vital roles in possible operations on the island of Taiwan, as well as islands and reefs in the South China Sea.

Analysts said that the commissioning of the three ships will place China in the second rank in terms of global amphibious capabilities, behind only the United States.

A U.S. Defense Department report released in November 2021 said China has the biggest maritime force on the globe with 355 ships. The number is projected to increase to 420 ships within the next four years and to 460 by 2030.

The state media report about the live-fire drill with the Hainan emerged days after a Chinese navy flotilla led by the Liaoning aircraft carrier was spotted sailing from the East China Sea toward the Pacific Ocean. Both the Japanese and Taiwanese militaries said they were monitoring the flotilla.

Reported by Radio Free Asia.
Refugees who fled fighting between the Myanmar army and insurgent groups before settling temporarily in Thailand bathe in the Moei River in Mae Sot, along the border with Myanmar, Jan. 7, 2022.

The Thai army in March destroyed a footbridge used by refugees fleeing attacks in eastern Myanmar, a human rights group alleged this week, but the military claimed Wednesday that it had dismantled the structure to stop cross-border crime.

On Tuesday, Fortify Rights released video footage that shows uniformed soldiers dismantling the small footbridge made of bamboo over the Wa Le (also known as the Waw Lay) River, a tributary of the Moei River, at the Thai-Myanmar frontier. The makeshift walkway connected Thailands Tak Province with Myanmars Karen State, where the juntas forces have allegedly killed civilians in recent months amid nationwide post-coup turmoil.

In a statement, the Bangkok-based group called on the Thai government to investigate the recent destruction by its soldiers of a makeshift cross-border footbridge used by refugees fleeing deadly attacks in eastern Myanmar.

Thai authorities should also ensure any investigation into the situation on the border is aimed at protecting refugee rights, not further violating them, said Amy Smith, executive director of Fortify Rights. Arbitrary arrests and the destruction of this footbridge demand urgent attention.

The group confirmed that the video was filmed two months ago, adding it had obtained the 16-minute clip filed from the Myanmar side of the border and uploaded a shorter clip to YouTube.

In the video, people speaking a Karen language and a crying infant child can be heard off-camera. In another clip from the video, a soldier asks, What are you filming, [Expletive]. You want to die?

The exact date and time for when the footage was filmed were on file with Fortify Rights, the group said.

Sources familiar with the bridge and the area told Fortify Rights that Myanmar refugees, especially children and older people, used the bridge to flee violence and persecution and that informal humanitarian workers used it to transport lifesaving aid from Thailand to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Myanmar, it said.

On Wednesday, the Thai armys regional command, the 3rd Army Area, responded to the allegations made by Fortify Rights and the video, which the group had circulated through social media.

The video clip depicting Thai soldiers breaking off a cross-border bamboo bridge was taken before the fighting inside of Myanmar flared up, and the bridge was illegal, the armys regional command said in a statement.

The bridge demolition has nothing to do with the migration of displaced persons  it was conducted following an order by the Tak border authorities to prevent illegal groups from doing their criminal activities, the statement said, without saying what these criminal activities were.

The statement claimed that the bamboo bridge had been illegally constructed and was destroyed before fighting with Karen rebels flared.

At that time, there was no fighting between Myanmar soldiers and ethnic minority force, and there were no displaced people, it said.

Long frontier

Thailand shares a long history and 2,400-km (1,500-mile) border with Myanmar. The military said Thailand was delivering humanitarian aid to more than 1,500 Myanmar displaced people in four camps in Um Phang district.

The Karen have been crossing the border since the Feb. 1, 2021, coup when Burmese Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing toppled the countrys democratically elected government, threw its civilian leaders in jail, and then turned military forces and police on his own people who have been protesting the juntas actions.

The Myanmar military has launched attacks throughout the country, including regions along the Thai frontier.

Government security forces have killed at least 1,821 civilians  many of them pro-democracy protesters  throughout Myanmar since the coup happened, according to a tally compiled by the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

Across the border, Thai authorities have been accused of forcing thousands of refugees to return to Myanmar after Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha ordered them to prevent illegal immigration.

Additional video

Fortify Rights said it obtained other video footage from Jan. 25, before the Thai soldiers allegedly destroyed the footbridge. The video shows at least 45 people, including women and children using the footbridge or lining up to cross the river.

The group also alleged that Thai authorities had arbitrarily arrested and extorted refugees in the border town of Mae Sot. Fortify Rights described how refugees were forced to pay officials to avoid being arrested.

Since February 2022, Fortify Rights interviewed 15 Myanmar refugees on the Thailand-Myanmar border, including seven women, as well as three U.N. officials and four humanitarian aid workers in Thailand, the statement said.

[F]irsthand testimonies collected by Fortify Rights reveal how Thai authorities have arbitrarily arrested, detained, and allegedly extorted money from Myanmar refugees within the last year.

It also noted that on April 8, the Associated Press reported that police cards were sold in Mae Sot through middlemen for an average monthly cost of 350 baht (U.S. $10). The refugees made the purchases under the belief the cards would help them avoid arrest.

The Thai government should create a formal nationwide system to issue identification cards to refugees that provide genuine protection, Smith said in the release. Such a process would help prevent extortion and other abuses and provide critical information on new arrivals to Thailand.

On Wednesday, Thai government authorities did not immediately respond to BenarNews request for comment  but Thai police announced last month that they would investigate the scheme.

Activists concerns

Activists, meanwhile, said Thailand should treat the refugees with respect.

The Thai military should be more responsible for the refugees, said the person who coordinates the Burma Concern Project at Chiang Mai University in northern Thailand.

I feel bad that the military is giving a terrible reason like this. We have seen this happen again and again, said Thanawat, who goes by one name.

Even though we see some attempt to aid the refugees, behind the scenes, they are also pushing them back the refugees by not welcoming them like this.

According to another activist, the Thai government did not implement United Nations-supported procedures to deal with the refugees.

They have always let the security agencies take care of the refugees by pushing them back, said Pornsuk Kerdsawang of the Friends without Borders Foundation.

He said the government should allow the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to assist the refugees instead of letting the security forces take charge.

The fear that the refugees will stay in the country permanently should not be an issue because the refugees will figure their own way, he told BenarNews.

Kunnawut Boonreak in Chiang Mai, Thailand, contributed to this report.
Japanese and South Korean authorities said that North Korea has launched another ballistic missile amid rising tensions among countries, marking the nation's 14th test this year alone which flew into the waters off its east coast on Wednesday.

The North launched the missile from Sunan, an area of the capital Pyongyang, said South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. On the other hand, Japanese Deputy Defense Minister Makoto Oniki said that the ballistic missile was estimated to have flown at a maximum altitude of roughly 800 kilometers and flew a distance of about 500 kilometers before plunging into the sea.

North Korea's Latest Missile Launch

The recent launch marks the North's first since a military parade that was conducted on Apr. 25 where Kim Jong-Un vowed that he would ramp up his development of nuclear arms. During the parade, authorities showcased a variety of weaponry, including a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), multiple giant rocket launchers, and a submarine-launched ballistic missile, as per CNN.

In a statement, Kim said that "true peace" can be trusted and that national dignity and sovereignty can be guaranteed by the use of a powerful self-defense force that is capable of overcoming any enemy. The North Korean leader said the first mission of his nuclear force was to "deter war."

Read Also: North, South Korea Leaders Exchange Personal 'Letters of Friendship' Amid Military Tensions

However, he noted that if any entity tried to "take away the fundamental interests of our country, our nuclear force will have no choice but to carry out its second mission." But he did not elaborate on what the second mission entailed.

According to Aljazeera, the country's 14th test launch this year comes less than a week before South Korea's newly-elected President Yoon Suk-Yeol, who is a conservative, is sworn into office. Last month, Pyongyang tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile since 2017 amid increasing diplomatic pressure on its regional neighbors and the United States.

Rising International Tensions

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff urged North Korea to immediately halt its ballistic missile tests, which have been criticized as a clear breach of UN Security Council resolutions. They also called the launch a "grave threat" that undermines peace on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.

In a text message, the chiefs of staff said that the South's military was constantly tracking and monitoring related movements to prepare against any potential launch. They added that it was maintaining a full readiness posture to counter any aggression.

Experts said that North Korea's unusually fast-paced weapons testing this year underscores its goals of advancing its missile programs and putting pressure on Washington for deepening the freeze in nuclear negotiations. Furthermore, there have been signs that the North is preparing for a nuclear test at its remote northeastern testing facility.

If conducted, the atomic bomb explosion by the country would be the seventh of its kind and the first since 2017. Kim's brinkmanship is believed to be designed to boost his weapons arsenal and have Seoul accept his country as a nuclear state. The launch comes as President-elect Yoon vowed to boost Seoul's missile capability and solidify its military alliance with the West, the Associated Press reported.



Related Article: South Korea, US To Start Combined Drills After North Korea Warns Preemptive Use of Nuclear Weapons if Threatened by Hostile Forces

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on the European Union to ban oil imports from Russia in another package of sanctions over Moscow's war against Ukraine.

In her address during the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, The European Union's top official proposed to the 27 nation-block to phase out imports of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year.

Von der Leyen said that the EU "will make sure" to phase out Russian oil "in an orderly fashion" in a method that allows member nations and partners "to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets," per AP News.

To take effect, the proposals must be unanimously approved, and they are expected to generate vigorous arguments. Von der Leyen admitted that convincing all 27 member countries to agree on oil sanctions "will not be easy" since some nations are landlocked and heavily reliant on Russia for energy imports.

The EU imports around 25% of its oil from Russia, the majority of which is used to fuel automobiles. According to S&P Global analysts, Russia supplies around 14% of diesel, and a stoppage might drive up already high truck and tractor fuel prices.

Natural Gas Embargo Also Possible

The oil import embargo, if granted, would be the second round of EU penalties aimed at Russia's rich energy sector since the country invaded Ukraine on February 24.

The oil embargo follows a ban on Russian coal announced earlier this month. It also raises the possibility of Russian natural gas limitations.

Read Also: Extreme Heat Wave in India Kills 25, Highlighting Threat of Rising Temperatures Caused by Climate Change

The EU has started discussions on a possible natural gas embargo, but the consensus among member countries on targeting the fuel used to generate electricity and heat homes is more difficult to secure. The region gets about 40% of its natural gas from Russia.

According to an Al Jazeera report, Hungary and Slovakia said they have already said they would not take part in any oil sanctions. Von der Leyen did not elaborate if the two nations will be given an exemption.

Devastating Consequences

The embargo had been a polarizing topic inside the EU, but it gained traction after Germany supported the proposal.

The six-month phase-out period for most EU countries, according to von der Leyen, will allow commodity markets to adapt, as per a report from CNBC.

She noted, "We maximize pressure on Russia, while at the same time minimizing collateral damage to us and our partners around the globe. Because to help Ukraine, our own economy has to remain strong."

The EU's oil embargo will be a "devastating blow" to Russia, according to a strategist.

Natural gas is the EU's most important energy import from Russia, accounting for over 40% of the bloc's total imports. Stopping it all of a sudden would have disastrous economic effects.

The product has already been troubled by the political consequences of Russia's attack on Ukraine. Gazprom, Russia's state-owned energy company, cut off supplies to two EU countries, Poland and Bulgaria, last week after they refused to pay for gas in rubles. Many feared that other EU countries' supplies might be cut off as a result of the move.

Related Article: NATO Expansion Plots Ukraine Strategy To Destabilize Indo-Pacific Region, Chinese Media Alleges

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Keith Girouard is regional director of the Berkshire regional office of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network in Pittsfield. The office is holding a series of online workshops between May 10 and June 9.
The Massachusetts Society for Enrolled Agents will hold a discussion on ethics via Zoom on May 19.
On May 4, 1970 Ohio National Guardsmen opened fire during an anti-war protest at Kent State University, killing four students and wounding nine others.
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.
Reporter

Greta Jochem, a Report for America Corps member, joined the Eagle in 2021. Previously, she was a reporter at the Daily Hampshire Gazette. She is also a member of the investigations team.
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data.
The astronauts in SpaceX's Crew-3 astronaut mission are coming home soon based on its new departure schedule.

Crew-3's Dragon capsule will soon depart the International Space Station (ISS) on May 5 at 1:05 AM EDT and return to Earth via splashdown off Florida's coast on May 6 at 12:37 AM EDT, per Space.com.

Crew-3 was previously scheduled to leave the ISS on the evening of May 4 and return to Earth on May 5.

SpaceX Crew-3 Return Trip Schedule Changes

The delay, which grants the astronauts aboard the ISS a few extra hours on the space station, seems to be due to the weather.

According to a tweet from Kathy Lueders, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's human spaceflight chief, the new departure date and time allows for "shorter phasing and more time to review the latest forecast info.

Lueders also added in a follow-up tweet that the weather in Florida is being watched closely to confirm the capsule's primary and alternate sites are ideal for the capsule's return.

The team will also conduct another weather review about 24 hours before the capsule departs from the ISS to see if the trip can be given the thumbs up.

Read More: [RUMOR] We May See Four New VR Headsets From Meta Come 2024

SpaceX's Crew 3 is made up of four astronauts consisting of three Americans, Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, Kayla Barron, and European Space Agency German astronaut Mattias Maurer.

Kayla and Raja are selected for the Artemis missions to be the first woman and first person of color to go to the moon, per SpaceCenter.org.

SpaceX isn't a stranger to return missions getting delayed due to bad weather. The return trip of SpaceX's Crew-2 was also delayed by a day due to high winds off the Florida coast, per The Guardian and a separate Space.com report.

Crew-2's return trip was previously scheduled for November 7, 2021, but due to the presence of high winds, which makes conditions for the return trip unfavorable, NASA officials moved the trip to the afternoon of November 8 to let the wind die down.

SpaceX Crew-3 Launch Details

SpaceX Crew-3 launched from the Kennedy Space Center to arrive at the ISS on November 2 at 1:10 AM ET. NASA actually delayed the launch due to unfavorable weather conditions around the space center. This weather condition was created by a large storm system wandering throughout the Ohio Valley and across the northeastern part of the US at the time.

The delay is also caused by a "minor medical issue" affecting one of teh crew members, according to a Space.com report.

Crew-3 successfully arrived at the ISS on November 10 at 6:32 PM EST, beginning Chari, Marshburn, Barron, and Maurer's six-month stay in the space station, performing "new and interesting" scientific research in various fields like materials science, health technologies, and plant science.

These tests will allow the astronauts to prepare for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit and benefit life on Earth, according to NASA.

Related Article: 5 Facts About Elon Musk's SpaceX  Is It Profitable?
Sivaguru holds several roles at the University, including the Antonia and Marshall Wilson Professorship of Chemistry and the associate director of the internationally recognized BGSU Center for Photochemical Sciences. Most recently, the BGSU Board of Trustees honored Sivaguru as a distinguished university professor at their March 2022 meeting.



Sivaguru, who delivered his award lecture virtually during the associations annual event last fall, called the recognition from the Japanese Photochemistry Association a humbling honor and gave credit for the recognition to his students and collaborators.

Its not for one person or one event, but its a recognition of my students contributions as well as the contributions of my collaborators, Sivaguru said. I believe that being recognized for this is a reflection of the hard work from my group and my students, and it gives great visibility to what we and the BGSU Department of Chemistry and the Center for Photochemical Sciences are doing.

Sivaguru has been the American editor for the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry since 2013, and the co-editor-in chief of the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology since 2020.

Sivagurus group does innovative work to initiate chemical reactions with light, which has a number of practical uses that impact everyday activities for millions of Americans.

There are numerous applications of light-initiated processes. For example, if you go to the dentist for a filling, he uses a curing light, and thats a light-initiated reaction, Sivaguru said. Many of the polymers we use in our day-to-day life or the computer chips that are made are based on light-initiated reactions.

Previous winners of the Honda-Fujishima Lectureship from American universities have come from Harvard, Northwestern, University of California-Los Angles and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Internationally known for its highly specialized photochemistry capacities, BGSU offers the only photochemical sciences Ph.D. degree in the world.

Sivaguru said the work his lab does at BGSU is done not only to gain a broader understanding of light-initiated reactions, but to serve the Universitys greater mission and apply the knowledge gained into real-life uses that improve peoples lives.

My lab uses light as a tool to study either chemical or physical events and understand how one can utilize light to not only appreciate the basic processes that happen, but also translate that information to an applied system, he said. Were a public university for the public good, so how can we translate research findings to make things for the betterment of society? Thats the goal.
When Arianna Bustos was growing up, she didn't have teachers that looked like her in the classroom.

"I came to college wanting to be the teacher that I never had in K-12," Bustos said. "I never really had teachers who fully understood the experience of being a student of color. They weren't well versed in how to teach and cater to the needs of students of color  the cultural, social and socioeconomic needs weren't part of classroom culture."

Inspired to be the change she wanted to see, Bustos, an education major at Bowling Green State University, immediately immersed herself in classes and activities with hopes of changing the experience for future students of color.

"I want to show students of color there are teachers who know and understand what they're going through," Bustos said.

At BGSU, the 21-year-old Fremont, Ohio, native has dedicated her studies to creating learning environments that support the needs of students of color. She has also worked to address inequitable teaching frameworks that affect teachers of color. It's work Bustos said she couldn't have done without help from College of Education and Human Development faculty.

Now as she prepares to graduate, Bustos has been selected as a 2022-23 Newman Civic Fellow for her commitment to addressing ways to help future teachers become inclusive and culturally responsive educators. The BGSU senior is one of 173 student civic leaders from across North America selected for this year's prestigious fellowship.

"I don't know how else to describe it other than amazing," Bustos said. "It feels like the cherry on top of my senior year."

Through the fellowship, Bustos will join other changemakers and public problem-solvers from 38 states, Washington, D.C. and Mexico for a year of learning and networking opportunities that emphasize personal, professional and civic growth. Fellows also participate in numerous virtual training and networking opportunities to provide them with the skills and connections needed to create long-term, positive social change. Additionally, fellows are provided with pathways to apply for exclusive scholarship and post-graduate long-term civic engagement opportunities.
The Bible is the Word of God written for His people, spanning 66 books in the Old and New Testaments combined. It is the best selling book of all time with over 50 billion copies sold and distributed. According to Wycliffe Global Alliance, at least one portion of Scripture has been translated for 3,350 of the 7,099 existing languages; the Bible in its entirety has been translated in 683 languages.

Is the Bible like every other sacred text in world religions then? The answer must be an indelible, no. Of course, you would say that, some might respond skeptically, All religions make the same boast. All of their books are written by their respective deities? Right? Well, actually, no. There is a dramatic difference between the Bible and other collections of holy writings.

The Holy Bible Was Written by God

C.S. Lewis was not only the extraordinarily gifted writer of now-classic works such as Mere Christianity but one of the greatest medieval English literature scholars of his time, serving at both Oxford and Cambridge. In one of his essays, he wrote that the Bible was different from all the other books in the world. The other sacred texts that we read  and theres no reason that we shouldnt read them to learn more about what others believe  come off as something more akin to mythology. Mythology was a considered study of Dr. Lewis. In fact, the Chronicles of Narnia come out of C.S. Lewis command of the mythological genre, as well as C.S. Lewis faith. Lewis told the reader to consider the Bible alongside other sacred texts and folklore.

The Bible reads nothing at all like mythology. To be sure some of those books called the Apocrypha have a decided ring of fable. There is important historical content to be considered but the Apocrypha lacks the authenticity of the sixty-six books of the Bible. Thus, that collection of 15 books did not make it into the Canon of Scripture, recognized by the Church as divinely inspired. And that last phrase, divinely inspired, leads us to answer the question, Who Wrote the Bible. We are back to the original answer and that reply that you assumed I would give: the Holy Bible, containing sixty-six books was written by God.

Indeed, the celebrated, late Scottish Bible scholar, John Murray, of Westminster Theological Seminary, began his essay on the subject with a brilliantly simple but carefully crafted summary:

CHRISTIANS of varied and diverse theological standpoints aver that the Bible is the Word of God, that it is inspired by the Holy Spirit and that it occupies a unique place as the norm of Christian faith and life.1

But as the Lord God ordains whatsoever comes to pass (or He couldnt rightfully be the Almighty), He does so by means: secondary forces orchestrated by God to bring about His will. Thus, it is with the Bible. God wrote the Bible through 40 writers, possibly fewer or more depending on how one views the authorship identification in respective books (e.g., The Epistle to the Hebrews), in 66 books, across at least 1,500 years, and in both Near Eastern Ancient culture and the Greco-Roman culture of the first century. The singular message, the scarlet thread of truth that binds each of the books together as one, the witness of Jesus of Nazareth, and the witness of the Holy Spirit all converge to make the Bible, alone against all other revered texts, a revelation of God to Man.

The Scriptures Self-Attest that the Bible is the Word of God

The Bible attests to the authorship of the Almighty in numerous places. Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, (Heb 1:1).

In fact, biblical writers write unequivocally that the Bible is divine over 3,000 times!2 Dr. Michael J. Kruger, a noted New Testament scholar, rightly affirmed, the Bible bears evidence within itself of its own divine origins.3

One of those places of self-attestation is in the Psalms. Psalm 19 is one of the better-known Psalms of King David. The Psalmist composes a sacred song to the glory of Gods revelation to humankind. Psalm 19 is divided into two parts. The first part of the song says that we know God from (what theologians call) General Revelation. Consider verse one as it describes how we know God through creation: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

For six verses, David extols God for having revealed himself through creation. The second half of Psalm 19, beginning with verse seven, begins with these words: The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.

Theologians call this way of knowing God as Special Revelation. In summary, Psalm 19 teaches that while we can know God through creation  standing in an open field and looking into the incomprehensibly deep and dark night-sky studded with innumerable stars, a million suns illuminating other unseen galaxies, twinkling like diamonds against black velvet  but we do not know God personally through this observable form of revelation. When David writes that the Lord is perfect converting the soul, he is saying that we recognize there is a God in general creation, but we come to know this God and His will for our lives through special revelation. This special revelation is the Word of God, the law of the Lord that is perfect, converting the soul: that is, the Holy Bible.

So, the Bible self identifies as a supernatural word from another world.4 But how do we know that the Bible is the Word of God?

What Does it Mean to Be Inspired by the Holy Spirit?

Peter, Paul, and the New Testament writers agree with Jesus: The Bible is the Word of God by virtue of His ministry through chosen vessels to reveal His intent. First, Peter says,

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21 ESV).

Then, Paul writes unequivocally:

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

Does inspired mean that God mechanically directed the hand of each biblical author to record Gods own voice? Absolutely not. What is so marvelous about the Bible is that Gods Word comes to us through the personalities, the circumstances, the challenges, the joys and sorrows with people just like us. Just as God sent His only begotten Son to live the life we could never live and die the death that should have been ours, who rose from the grave on the third day, so God wrote the Bible. He revealed His Word to us in a way that we could understand, in a way that is accessible, and a way that is both beautiful and unified.

It is important to say that there is a difference between inspiration and illumination. The Word of God is inspired by the Holy Spirit  God breathed out (2 Timothy 3:16) through the instrument of human beings. Illumination is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives that helps us to understand and apply Gods Word. Faithful gospel preachers, therefore, were not inspired themselves or of their own accord. But it was the Holy Spirit illuminating their minds so that they could proclaim the inspired Word of God. Those of us who listen to the Word of God expounded, also, should pray for the illumination of the Holy Spirit: that we may hear, receive, and inwardly digest the inspired word of the Lord (Collect [a gathering prayer] from the Book of Common Prayer).

Did God Write the Bible through Humans?

Yes, the Lord used human instrumentality to bring forth his own word. Of course, God could have spoken directly or immediately, but he chose to do so immediately  that is, through human agents. Therefore, we must recognize that these writers  prophets and priests, kings and servants, lawyers and fishermen, scholars and uneducated  wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Who Were the Old Testament Authors?

There are 39 books or collected documents in the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament, written mostly by Moses, and then, prophets, Kings David and Solomon, priests, and scriveners or scribes. The Tanakh (an acronym based upon the division of the ancient Hebrew Scriptures by genre: Torah [five books of Moses], Nevim [the Prophets, their books named after the respective prophet], and the Ketuuvin [the Writings, comprised of the Poetry and Wisdom books, e.g., Job, Psalms, Proverbs; Ecclesiastes; as well as historical accounts like Ezra-Nehemiah, Daniel, 1 and 2 Chronicles].

Old Testament Authors Listed:

Moses

Joshua

Jeremiah

Ezra

David

Solomon

Isaiah

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi

other psalmists and proverb writers

unknown authors

possible authors: Samuel, Nehemiah, Mordecai

Who Compiled the Old Testament?

Compiling and ascribing divine inspiration of the Old Covenant Scriptures occurred over time, by consensus, by evidences of unity, self-attestation, personal spiritual devotion, and by liturgical usage in communities. There are theories of canonization of selected books by councils (e.g., the General Assembly of rabbis and scholars in 450 BC). However, much of this is reliant upon commentary (i.e., Midrash). The sacred texts, preserved by Israel as Gods Word to them, were more formally recognized, particularly, after the Babylonian Captivity. By the time of Jesus, the texts that Jesus affirmed as being the Word of God were complete. God is sovereign over all things including His Word.

Who Were the New Testament authors?

The New Testament authors were a mix of unparalleled scholars (e.g., St. Paul) and businessmen (St. Peter, a fisherman), medical doctors (St. Luke), and clergy (St. John). Eight men, some Apostles (those with a direct commission from Jesus Christ to minister in His name and to lead the mission of the Early Church), wrote the epistles of the New Testament over a course of about seventy years, with the Apostle John being the final author (Revelation written in c. 80-85, under Domitian according to a second-century bishop, Irenaeus).

New Testament Authors Listed:

Matthew

John Mark

Luke

John

Paul

James

Peter

Jude

*unknown (Hebrews)



Who Compiled the New Testament?

One of the great New Testament scholars of our time was Bruce Metzger of Princeton Theological Seminary. In his now classic book, The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance, this erudite and godly pastor-scholar wrote,

The recognition of the canonical status of the several books of the New Testament was the result of a long and gradual process, in the course of which certain writings, regarded as authoritative, were separated from a much larger body of early Christian literature.6

The Apostle Paul wrote, "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you..." (1 Cor. 11:23). Not only did Paul recognize his writings as inspired (God breathed), but Peter, with whom Paul had an obvious undulated relationship, nevertheless, taught the Church that Pauls writings were on the same inspirational canonical level as the Old Testament:

Bear in mind that our Lords patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:15-16).

Like the Old Testament, the New Testament was not compiled by a committee or council. Rather, it was recognized as divinely inspired by the Early Church. To understand this process one can examine the letters of the Early Church leaders, like Clement of Rome, Papias of Hierapolis, Polycarp of Smyrna, Hermas; as well as documents like the Didache.

Who Compiled the Bible as a Whole?

The late New Testament scholar, F.F. Bruce, wrote convincingly,

The Bible is not simply an anthology; there is a unity which binds the whole together.

Thus, the Early Church recognized the ancient Hebrew Scriptures that by then were canonized. They also recognized a singularity of purpose, of voice, and of redemptive history in the Old and New Testaments. An old guide to the continuity between Old and New Testaments remains true and helpful, The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed; and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.

God wrote the Bible. As the Westminster Confession of Faith puts it with faithful brevity:

The supreme Judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence, we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the scripture.

Jesus Declared that the Bible is the Word of God

Jesus knew the Word of the Lord from infancy. The doctrine of His nature, fully God and fully Man, yet never mixed or confused, let us recognize that as God in the flesh, the Lord Jesus knew that the Triune God wrote the Bible. But as a human being, from infancy, Jesus received the Holy Scriptures as the Word of God. Each Shabbat Jesus gathered with his family at the synagogue to hear the lectionary readings. He learned the Bible at home. He sat under others. We know that at 12 years of age He was instructing the rabbis and the priests. But there are clear instances in our Lords life when He declared the authorship of the Bible, its inerrancy, infallibility, and intent. While each of them should be considered, none is more explicit that the resurrected Saviors attestation of the Bible concerning His being raised from the dead:

Then he said to them, These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things (Luke 24:44-48).

The Holy Spirit Witnesses to Us that the Bible is the Word of God

When we read the Bible, it is unlike any other book. Gods Spirit breathed out His Word. And the Holy Spirit in the Word recognizes the activity of the Holy Spirit in you and brings the two together.

When I was in seminary, many years ago, I inquired of my professor, the late, great Dr. Laird Harris, How do we know the Apocrypha is not inspired? He answered by telling me that one of the ways we know the Bible is inspired is the witness of the Holy Spirit. Mike, this weekend I want you to read two books in the Apocrypha. Then, immediately read the Gospel of John. Lets talk on Monday. I did as the master scholar directed. On Monday, he asked me, Well, Mike, what is the answer? How do you know the Bible is inspired? I answered, Dr. Harris, I know because the Lord attends the reading of His own Word. He spoke to me through the words of John. Very good! Now, did you have that same reaction from reading the Apocrypha? I smiled at Dr. Harris. My smile communicated that No, I didnt recognize God attesting to His own Word in the reading of the non-canonical books. Something is different. Dr. Harris turned to the entire class to make the point:

Now, you know. God speaks to us in His Word. Never forget that after all of the other evidences are considered, which they should be, the greatest proof remains the lives that have been transformed by the Spirit of the Living God brooding over His own Word and applying it, with divine intent, to the hearts and minds of those who read.5

The Bible is Sufficient

The Holy Bible is not only inspired. The Bible is sufficient. The Bible is sufficient for all things in faith and life. No revival of true religion was ever released in mass-converting power unless there was a rise in the teaching and preaching of the Word of God. So, let us attend to these important questions about who wrote the Bible with a humble, teachable heart, that says, Lord, write Your Word upon my heart. Thus, the Book of Common Prayers wonderful petition:

BLESSED Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen (The Book of Common Prayer).

After all is said and done, the question remains, Not merely who wrote the Bible, but who will listen? And who will follow the living Word of the Bible, Jesus Christ?



Michael A. Milton,PhD (University of Wales; MPA, UNC Chapel Hill; MDiv, Knox Seminary), Dr. Milton is a retired seminary chancellor and currently serves as the James Ragsdale Chair of Missions at Erskine Theological Seminary. He is the President of Faith for Living and the D. James Kennedy Institute a long-time Presbyterian minister, and Chaplain (Colonel) USA-R. Dr. Milton is the author of more than thirty books and a musician with five albums released. Mike and his wife, Mae, reside in North Carolina.



Notes:

1. John Murray, The Attestation of Scripture, The Infallible Word (1946): 154.

2. Claims of Divine Authorship, Answers in Genesis.

3. What Do We Mean When We Say the Bible Is Self-Authenticating?, Canon Fodder.

4. See part one of Robert L. Reymond, A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith (Nashville: T. Nelson, 1998).

5. Dr. Laird Harris, personal notes from Knox Theological Seminary, 1991.

6. Bruce M. Metzger, The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance(Oxford University Press on Demand, 1997).

7. Gerald Irvin Williamson, The Westminster Confession of Faith: For Study Classes (Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Company, 1964).



Additional Reference

Geisler, Norman L., and William C. Roach. Defending Inerrancy: Affirming the Accuracy of Scripture for a New Generation. Baker Books, 2012.

Photo credit: Thinkstock/Vladimir Zapletin
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP)  A diplomat from the Dominican Republic apparently has been kidnapped in neighboring Haiti, prompting Dominican authorities to call for his safe release.

The local newspaper El Dia reported Tuesday that the government also had beefed up its military presence on the border, though officials did not immediately have any comment on that.

The Dominican government said in a weekend statement that Carlos Guillen Tatis, the agriculture counselor at its embassy in Port-au-Prince, apparently was kidnapped on Friday while travelling toward a border crossing.

Ambassador Faruk Miguel Castillo said Guillen Tatis apparently was kidnapped in the Croix-des-Bouquets district of the Haitian capital. That area is a stronghold of the 400 Mawozo gang that kidnapped 17 people from a U.S. missionary group in October and held most of them until December.

Dominican authorities said they had given Haitian police evidence from the diplomat's mobile telephone that indicated he'd been kidnapped.

In what may have been an unrelated development, Haiti's National Police announced that one of the top leaders of the 400 Mawozo gang, Germine Joly, was extradited to the United States on Tuesday aboard an FBI plane.

It said he faces U.S. charges involving smuggling, import of weapons of war and kidnapping.

Joly, known as Yonyon, had been in a Haitian prison for several years.

The police statement noted that his gang was involved in bloody gang clashes that broke out late last month in the Croix-des-Bouquets area. At least 20 people were killed and thousands fled their homes.
Google continues to report an increase in malicious activities as China's People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force (PLA SSF) is targeting Russian government agencies.

Google's Threat Analysis Organization (TAG) recently released another blog post about its efforts to protect internet users around the world. TAG stated that they are closely monitoring the ongoing situation in Eastern Europe.

However, as stated by TAG, "Government-backed actors from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia, as well as various unattributed groups, have used various Ukraine war-related themes in an effort to get targets to open malicious emails or click malicious links."

Google's Threat Analysis Group

Google's TAG has witnessed an increase in the number of threat actors who are using the war as a lure in phishing and malware activities, which was previously reported to be on the rise since last March.

Corresponding to previous reports, the team has found that threat actors are increasingly targeting vital infrastructure entities, such as oil and gas, telecommunications, government agencies, and manufacturing facilities.

Current events are also being used as a tool by financially motivated and criminal threat actors to attract the attention of consumers.

The ongoing onslaught between Russia and Ukraine continues to be used as a tool by financially motivated and criminal threat actors to attract the attention of consumers. For example, one actor is imitating military soldiers in order to extort money from people who want to help their relatives who are trapped in Ukraine. Aside from that, TAG has continued to monitor many ransomware brokers who are continuing to operate in the normal course of business.

According to Bleeping Computer, Google TAG Security Engineer Billy Leonard stated, "In Russia, long-running campaigns against multiple government organizations have continued, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

During the previous week, TAG discovered new vulnerabilities affecting a number of Russian defense contractors and manufacturers, as well as a Russian logistics company.

In the same report, cybersecurity company Secureworks reported that Mustang Panda, another Chinese-backed state malicious hacker group, has been seen targeting officials or military individuals familiar with the region.

Today's report is an update from TAG's blog post on tracking cyber activity in Europe, which came out in March. This is where Google's team first announced that Russian-state-backed hacker groups were behind a lot of phishing attacks against NATO and the European military.

In the first published report of TAG, from early March, harmful activities linked to Russia's war in Ukraine revealed that Russian, Chinese, and Belarusian government hackers are continuing their efforts to infiltrate Ukrainian and European organizations and officials.

Read Also: Cybersecurity Hackers Defending Ukraine After Conti Ransomware Gang Sides With Russia

Google Protection and Safety

Google's team continues to work around the clock, with a particular emphasis on the safety and security of our users, as well as the platforms that allow them to access and exchange critical information.

Taking action, identifying threat actors, and sharing important information with others across industry and governments will continue to be the priorities of the company. With the common goal of raising awareness of these concerns, protecting users, and avoiding further assaults,

While the situation between Ukraine and Russia is still ongoing, Google is also maintaining a high level of vigilance with hackers throughout the world to ensure that they do not take advantage of the current events.

Furthermore, Google recommends any possible targets to enable Google Account Level Enhanced Safe Browsing and to make sure that all of their devices are up-to-date with the latest Google Chrome version.

Related Article: New Ransomware Gang 'Black Basta' Emerges - Here's How To Fight Them
Tourism SMMEs and Township Economy: A focus for Gauteng Tourism at Africa's Travel Indaba 2022

This year, at Africa's Travel Indaba Trade Show, Gauteng Tourism will lead the largest contingent of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in repositioning and reintroducing destination Gauteng back to the travel, tourism, and hospitality sector following the 2-year pause induced by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This premiere business-to-business leisure tourism platform is aimed at encouraging dialogue to sell and position South Africa and the African continent as a preferred leisure destination. Of over 250 strong SMMEs at this years event, the golden province of Gauteng is responsible for 47 making it the largest delegation of small business we have assembled. Small businesses, especially those found and operating in our townships, suffered tremendously during the height of Covid-19 infections and lockdown. It is our responsibility and priority as the authority to make our tourism sector recovery work SMMEs driven," explained GTA CEO Sthembiso Sthe Dlamini.



Over 8,000 delegates from travel, tourism, and related industries are expected to do business, connect, and shine a focus on shared African stories that inspire travel to our various destinations with a showcase of the widest variety of Africas best tourism products to attract international and domestic visitors, buyers, and media networks worldwide.



Africas Travel Indaba comes at an opportune time for us in Gauteng, following the groundbreaking signing of the Gauteng Township Economic Development Act into law recently by Premier David Makhura.



"This piece of legislation will empower the majority of township-based travel and tourism businesses to secure the much needed financial and non-financial assistance from development finance institutions since Gauteng townships business areas are now formally recognised as true business districts enabling products like backyard real estates to legally trade. We will be using the Africas Travel Indaba and the scheduled business network sessions to socialise the importance of this momentous legislation," reiterated Dlamini.



Gauteng SMMEs in the tourism and travel sector will engage with their counterparts, buyers, and travel trade during the Business Opportunities Network Day (BONDay) to explore emerged and emerging business opportunities in a Covid-19 environment.



The Business Sessions will focus on: SMMEs and Youth business development, business recovery opportunities, intra-Africa market access and connectivity, digital transformation and marketing, niche marketing (gastronomy focus) with all these forming a key mix of destination Gautengs inclusive sector recovery programme and the Growing Gauteng Together vision 2030.



Central to these sessions will be the exchange of knowledge on trends and insights that can assist businesses to recover, strengthen their growth and thrive in the 'new normal' as we journey together in positioning tourism as a key driver of the broader economic recovery work.



The #VisitGauteng team is at stand DC1 J20 with its SMMEs products ready to do business.




Car rental options may not be cost-effective and traditional financing isn't always viable or accessible for some. A car subscription service fits perfectly in between, while also reducing costs and the administrative burden. FlexClub is a change in how people shop for cars and they built technology and operational infrastructure to support a wide array of automotive and mobility companies with managing their car subscriptions.

Tinashe Ruzan, CEO and co-founder of FlexClub | image supplied

What is a car subscription service and how is it affecting the current vehicle landscape in South Africa?

Explain why a car subscription service is the best way for digital nomads to have a vehicle.

What about services and maintenance? How does this fit into the car subscription business?

In five to 10 years time, what role will this trend have in South Africas automotive industry?

Why should South Africans and businesses consider this service as an option when it comes to car ownership?

What does it mean for e-hailing drivers? Explain how it can help them attain a car.

What impact do car subscriptions have on the car rental space and is it an overall better option?

Tinashe Ruzane is the CEO and co-founder of FlexClub. He was the head of vehicle solutions for Uber across Europe, Middle East and Africa, where his team were working with auto industry stakeholders to design products that increased access to vehicles for ridesharing drivers.Here, Ruzane offers further insights into the world of car subscriptions and Flexclub:Car subscriptions are a way to access a vehicle by simply paying one all-inclusive monthly fee, with no need for additional insurance or maintenance premiums. Unlike vehicle financing or leases, which are typically 48 months or longer, subscription contracts can be as short as one month.Consumer preferences continue to shift towards mobility services over traditional car ownership, especially across younger customer segments. In South Africa, the majority of new car buyers dont keep their cars for longer than three years, yet often have limited alternatives to financing the car over six years, in an effort to make the monthly cost more affordable.The traditional process of buying, financing and insuring cars can be quite cumbersome and involve a high amount of admin for consumers.Car subscriptions offer customers unparalleled flexibility and convenience as an alternative to traditional car loans, which can lock customers into precarious long-term commitments, especially when balloon payments are used.At FlexClub, we enable our members to easily subscribe for vehicles from a network of more than 20 merchants, including brands like Avis and Europcar. Weve seen thousands of applications from customers across South Africa and grew the number of member accounts more than 500% in 2021.With FlexClub, a member can order a car and have it delivered to their preferred address in under one week. We like to say its as easy as ordering a pizza online. Instead of needing to walk into a dealership, apply for vehicle financing, purchase insurance cover and arrange a maintenance plan, customers who value convenience and flexibility will love the simplicity of car subscriptions.One of the key features of a subscription is its all-inclusive nature. For one monthly fee, customers get exclusive vehicle access, without needing to incur separate costs for insurance or maintenance.Typically, each merchant will offer a range of mileage packages from which customers can choose. Customers only pay additional costs if they exceed the limits of their selected package or for items not part of the fair wear and tear of the vehicle.FlexClub is a technology enabler for progressive merchants like Avis and Europcar looking to offer their customers a seamless way to subscribe for a vehicle online. We are working to support more merchants in their journey to more easily offer subscriptions to their customers.Recently we welcomed Avis Fleet, the leasing arm of Avis, into the network of merchants as they launched innovative 12-month and 24-month subscriptions that will be even more competitively priced for customers with a longer-term use case. Its cliche now, but the CEO of General Motors, Mary Barra, was famously quoted several years ago as saying that the automotive industry would change more in the next decade than it had in the previous 50 years.That remains true for the decade ahead, with electrification and autonomous vehicles also playing an increasing role in the future of the industry. Even for that reason alone, it is almost an inevitability that taking loans to buy cars with the intention of owning them is going to become less practical.Vehicle financing data shows that while the majority of South Africans buying a new car will finance it over six years, most will trade-in the vehicle after three years. This mismatch is driven by the lack of product offerings better suited to those who dont intend to take eventual ownership of the vehicle.Furthermore, vehicles are not a great way to build and store financial value, as they depreciate over time. To this day, unfortunately, many people make the mistake of thinking that vehicle financing is always the best choice. More customers are waking up to the idea that car subscriptions may better serve their specific needs.When we launched, thanks to a partnership with Uber, the first members we welcomed onto the platform were e-hailing drivers. While consumer accounts now make up the largest segment of members on our platform, we still support hundreds of worker accounts (our internal term for e-hailing drivers).Through FlexClub, an Uber or Bolt driver with a worker account can seamlessly subscribe to a vehicle from our network of merchants. Used car subscriptions tend to be a more economical option for those with worker accounts, however, merchants in our network are currently navigating severe used car supply shortages due to the macro factors impacting the auto industry.Car subscriptions are an incredible revenue growth opportunity for car rental companies, as these companies already have the operational infrastructure and fleet management capabilities to run subscriptions.Some of the worlds leading car rental brands have now chosen to be part of our merchant network and benefit from using our technology to accelerate their subscription ambitions, which is incredible validation for us.We have focused our efforts on helping merchants increase their revenue by delivering a superior digital experience to their customers. Subscriptions dont compete with short-term rentals, as they are for customers who need a vehicle for longer than one month. As a result, the most pioneering car rental companies will discover an amazing incremental revenue opportunity that doesnt cannibalise their short-term business.
Research supported by Vodacom Foundation, Safaricom and the Vodafone Foundation reveals why donor resources for Africa tend to go to Northern-based rather than African-led civil society organisations. Vodacom Foundation will continue the conversation at this year's Trialogue Business in Society Conference.

Shameel Joosub Mallence Bart-Williams

Among the many devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, approximately 115 million people fell below the poverty line in 2020, according to the World Bank  most of them situated in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.There is little doubt that African countries have been among the hardest hit  but although donor funding increased during the pandemic, just 5.2% of US foundation funding for Africa currently goes to African-led non-profit organisations (NPOs). This is common among Northern-based donors, who prefer to support international organisations with reach and influence, but not necessarily an intimate knowledge of community needs.Such philanthropic barriers mean that local NPOs find their efforts hampered or restricted. Many international NPOs receive generous funding that may or may not trickle down to local implementing partners, which are usually viewed as foot soldiers rather than leaders. This outlook limits impact and compromises Africas ability to reach the Sustainable Development Goals.The 2021 report,  Barriers to African Civil Society: Building the Sectors Capacity and Potential to Scale Up , supported by Vodacom Foundation, Safaricom and the Vodafone Foundation, investigates the barriers facing African civil society, and suggests that philanthropy should be decolonised and that local NPOs should be capacitated to scale up and lead with the support of the private sector, local philanthropic organisations, and research institutions.Looking at case studies in five African countries  Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa  the report highlights some of the challenges local NPOs face, from their own lack of agility and weak leadership or governance systems to the restrictive regulatory environments put in place by governments.It also points out that indigenous civil society organisations are largely disempowered by the current donor funding model  they are invariably monitored or controlled from a distance and cannot compete with international NPOs for resources or skilled staff. An example of this is that donors may insist that consultants from their own country monitor and evaluate programmes in African countries.The report calls for Northern-based donors to reimagine their grant-making, rigorous guidelines and procedures, organisational norms, and management systems to level the playing field for local NPOs. Currently, they create dependency rather than fostering transformation, and fail to give local NPOs space to develop long-term strategies or improve their own financial management systems. Funding tends to be project-specific, which means NPOs have no budget to train staff or investigate ways to become financially sustainable.Northern-based NPOs are called on to be more flexible, innovative, and mindful of the African context in which they operate.The report says the private sector must have the courage to pursue and support controversial issues as they often speak to a vision of the countries we want to live in. It further says companies should think innovatively and not behave like traditional donors, which tends to constrain NPOs.In Africa, the private sector is slowly coming to look at NPOs as partners, but there is work to be done  the relationship is still top-down and dictated by the private sector, according to the report. However, companies and NPOs can collaborate across several areas, particularly corporate social investment (CSI), facilitating joint programming that really delivers impact. NPOs can function as a bridge between companies and communities  something already evident in South Africa, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria.Vodacom has been working closely with its implementing partners in civil society for many years and has been instrumental in assisting some NPOs to grow from feeding schemes to community ICT hubs, where children receive sandwiches while their parents learn how to use computers.It is important that NPOs learn to become agile without losing sight of their core mission  something companies like Vodacom can assist with.To better understand how to change the donor-recipient narrative in Africa, Vodacom is sponsoring the theme Equitable philanthropy at this years Trialogue Business in Society Conference, which takes place on 10 and 11 May. The topic, which will be unpacked on 10 May, will build on the research reportand examine how donors, companies and NPOs can work to make philanthropy on the continent more equitable and inclusive.CEO Shameel Joosub will deliver the executive overview of the topic, as he did at last years conference.The keynote speaker will be Mallence Bart-Williams, a Sierra Leonean-German social entrepreneur and the founder of Freetown-based creative collective Folorunsho. This sharity, initiated with street children in Sierra Leone, takes homeless children off the streets and places them in schools by harnessing their creativity, without relying on donor funding. Her most recent initiative, Female Innovation Lab, provides Freetown-based young women who have lost their homes and families with skills to foster their burgeoning entrepreneurship.Bart-Williamss keynote address will be followed by a discussion on whether it is Africas responsibility to liberate itself from international donor dependency, featuring the Barriers to African Civil Society: Building the Sectors Capacity to Scale Up report author, Bhekinkosi Moyo, of the Centre for African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI), report research advisory board member Takalani Netshitenzhe of Vodacom, and SelloHatang of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.For more information about the Trialogue Business in Society Conference 2022, and to register, visit: https://trialogue.co.za/business-society-conference-2022/
Account Executive

Remuneration: basic salary Benefits: Medical Aid, Retirement Annuity, Gap Location: Cape Town, Woodstock Education level: Degree Job level: Junior Type: Permanent Reference: #AE Company: Ogilvy Cape Town

Job description

Produces a regular status report on each of their accounts.

Organises regular internal status meetings.

Is responsible for organising client meeting and requirements thereof (e.g. booking rooms, catering, room layout, presentation aids, etc.)

Records all client meetings accurately contact reports, distributed within 24 hours.

Maintains a central filing system for documentation and tapes.

Checks the quality of all work leaving the agency.

Knows the workings of the agency outside the confines of account management.

Assists the account manager in anticipating problems before they arise.

Develops a reputation with clients and within the agency for total reliability. Answers all internal queries promptly  if you are unable to due to capacity/awaiting of relevant information, reply and give an estimated time of response.

Shows enthusiasm for the clients business.

Regularly monitors competitive advertising and competitive product activity.

Answers all client queries promptly  if you are unable to due to capacity at that moment, reply and give an estimated time of response.

Demonstrates drive and commitment to produce outstanding advertising.

Has well-formed ideas on what makes great advertising.

Provides creative teams with necessary products stimulus to assist generation of top quality work.

Works with creative teams to help produce the most relevant presentation materials for new work. Identifies opportunities when client needs more involvement/studio needs more insight before an issue arises.

Makes an effort to watch competitive agency reels, and to read AdFocus and Marketing Mix.

Is responsible for budget control of their account(s).

Ensures that all WIP can be billed as soon as possible.

Checks clients monthly statement and invoices, and writes the required covering explanatory letter.

Chases client for payment of invoices and clears up invoice queries promptly.

Assists the account manager in the production of all campaigns.

Updates the traffic manager as soon as any changes happen to the status of a job.

Reviews status of all jobs with traffic on a weekly basis.

Starts jobs as soon as required.

Regularly closes bags which are no longer live.

Submits timing plans/estimates to client for approval.

Gives clear indication of dates by which work is required. Any urgent requests will need to be discussed with the account manager and traffic manager before committing to client.

Where possible, gives sufficient time for brief to be worked on to standard timings.

Immediately informs client of revisions to timing plans/estimates, supplying and gaining approval of supplementary estimates where necessary.

Gains approval of print advertising from concept through to final proof stage.

Checks quality of all advertising produced on his/her account (e.g. checks spelling and grammatical accuracy of print advertising.)

Makes a contribution to the writing of insightful, single-minded briefs.

In conjunction with the planner, oversees the production of stimulus material (mood boards, narrative tapes, etc.) for research.

Makes an active contribution to the promotion of brand stewardship amongst clients.

Requirements

At least one to two years of account executive experience in an advertising agency.

This is the position within account management with the primary responsibility of overseeing the effective administration of a piece of business from all perspectives.The account executive is the linchpin of the account handling team and is relied upon to conduct the administrative side of an account with the minimum of fuss and maximum efficiency.The account executive is also responsible for the prompt and accurate dissemination of information to all relevant departments within the agency.As a client-facing member of the agency team, the account executive is expected to show enthusiasm for the clients business at all times and to show a desire to produce outstanding advertising.In the light of all this, they should also endeavour to foster excellent relationships with the creative department and to create a stimulating atmosphere within which the best work can be developed.Once the account executive has mastered the administrative side of the job, they should look to develop the strategic and management skills expected of account managers.Posted on 04 May 12:44, Closing date 3 Jul
Freight transport booms on China-Laos Railway

Xinhua) 14:40, May 04, 2022

VIENTIANE, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The China-Laos railway has carried more than 440,000 tons of freight as of April 25 following the opening of seven freight stations between Lao capital Vientiane and Luang Namtha province.

Local daily Vientiane Times on Wednesday quoted Deputy Chief Engineer at the China-Laos Railway Company, Vongthong Souphanthong, as saying that freight traffic had increased significantly in recent weeks.

Initially, freight stations were operational only in Lao capital Vientiane, Luang Namtha province, Luang Prabang province and Vangvieng in Vientiane province, but more recently stations have opened in Oudomxay province and in Kasy district, Vientiane province, followed by the opening of Phonhong station last week.

The Phonhong station in Vientiane province is set to become a major freight hub on the railway in addition to South Vientiane and Vangvieng stations, with these facilities being used for the export of goods from central Laos.

Most of the goods transported by rail are iron ore, rubber and other commodities. Agricultural products are scheduled for transport starting in July.

The rail operator is also planning to sell tickets for passenger travel online and at stations in the near future.

The China-Laos Railway is a docking project between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Laos' strategy to convert itself from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub.

The electrified passenger and cargo railway is built with the full application of Chinese management and technical standards.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji)
Apple employees have expressed their thoughts on the company's tightened restrictions on the work-from-home setup.

A group of employees sent a letter to the company's executive members expressing their dissatisfaction with the new office-bound work rules, which prohibit them from working remotely for more than two days each week.

Prior to the tech giant's anticipated return to office work later this month, a group of Apple employees are calling for increased flexibility from the company.

In an open letter, the organization, which goes by the name Apple Together, claims that the company's plan for many employees to be in the office three days a week offers almost no flexibility at all and could be detrimental to the company's commitment to diversity.

Apple's Hybrid Working Pilot

Apple said in March that corporate staff would be returning to the office and that they would be required to be present at least two days a week by May 2nd. Starting on May 23rd, the company will transition to a hybrid working pilot model, with mandatory office days on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays in addition to regular office hours.

As reported by Engadget, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the benefits of in-person cooperation are irreplaceable, and the company's leadership team discussed the value of the serendipity that comes from stumbling into colleagues while on the job during an email exchange.

However, Apple employees seem to disagree with the new policies in place, stating that they do not promote any form of flexibility for them.

The letter states, "We are not asking for everyone to be forced to work from home. We are asking to decide for ourselves, together with our teams and direct manager, what kind of arrangement works best for each one of us, be that in an office, work from home, or a hybrid approach."

Read Also: Meta's Facebook Will End Releasing Podcasts' - Removing It All Starting June 3

Sentiments of Apple Employees

Apple employees stated that working from home has become easier over the last two years because of Slack. However, employees also voiced their frustration with the company's policy on Slack, which hinders direct communication between employees.

Working remotely made it easy to contact colleagues in distant offices and from different countries. For example, a US team member could meet with a UK colleague in the morning and a Japanese colleague in the afternoon. This enabled new levels of international collaboration, allowing employees from "far away" regions to participate as much as colleagues from our major offices, and no longer feel like second-class participants in meetings.

In the announcement made by Tim Cook, he highlighted that those employees who wish to have extended work-from-home time will be approved on a case-to-case basis. However, several departments have not allowed a single exception in the last year, despite the fact that several employees were approved for remote work in the years before the pandemic.

The letter states, "The Hybrid Working Pilot is not an increase in flexibility, it is a smokescreen and often a step back in flexibility for many of our teams."

Apple employees stated that the company will almost certainly always find people wanting to work for them. However, it will alter the nature of our workforce.

It added, "It will make Apple younger, whiter, more male-dominated, more neuro-normative, more able-bodied. In short, it will lead to privileges deciding who can work for Apple, not who'd be the best fit."

Related Article: Google Says Chinese Hacking Group is Targeting Russian Government Agencies
Technology is an ever-changing thing to cater to the needs and demands of the people. For instance, when the Ford Model T was being sold, it had no airbags and seatbelts to ensure the safety of its driver and the passengers within. Modern Ford vehicles now have Alexa, parking assistance, and even self-driving technology, while the Ford Model T was made obsolete.

The same is true with YouTube and YouTube Go.

YouTube recently announced it is retiring the lite version of its main YouTube app, YouTube Go, on August 2022 due to the app's obsolesce.

YouTube previously released YouTube Go in 2016.

YouTube Go Sunsetting Details

According to YouTube's announcement, YouTube Go was designed for viewers in locations where the internet is unstable and/or expensive. It is also made for devices that are too low-end to access the full experience of the main YouTube app.

However, YouTube has since invested in improvements to the main app to make it perform better in such locations while also being inclusive to its entire community regardless of their device.

For the latter part, YouTube stated that it had improved the main app's performance for entry-level devices or those who watch videos on the main app on slower or unstable networks, along with developing additional controls for the main app that help those who watch videos on data mode.

Read More: Google Pixel 6 May Update Fixes Notification Mess - Is Pixel 3a Getting its Last Update?

These additional user controls will be coming at a later date.

The main app also offers a far better experience compared to its lite version, like not allowing users to post comments, upload content, or switch to Dark Mode, per Slash Gear.

It was on these grounds that YouTube decided to sunset YouTube Go. Simply put, the main YouTube app has received (or will receive) the necessary improvements that make YouTube Go unnecessary.

YouTube encourages everyone who still uses YouTube Go to download and install the main YouTube app before the August 2022 deadline to continue their YouTube experience there.

YouTube Go History

According to Engadget's report, YouTube Go, which was only 10MB big, was initially available in India and Indonesia in its beta mode in 2016. YouTube would later officially release the app to other countries in 2017. The company eventually rolled the app to more countries in 2018. By then, the app has become available to over 130 countries.

With Google retiring YouTube Go, 9to5Google expressed in its article its concern on whether Google's Android Go will still be needed in the future.

Android Go is touted as the go-to operating system for low-cost phones, optimizing it by 30%, according to Google's announcement last year.

A separate Engadget report said that Android Go would allow low-end or cheaper phones to run faster, use less space, converse battery life, and other performance tweaks.

Related Article: Alphabet Takes $1 Billion Hit in First Quarter - Is YouTube the Culprit?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention used phone location data to track millions Americans in 2021.

The CDC monitored curfew zones, churches, schools, neighbor-to-neighbor visits and trips to pharmacies through SafeGraph, a controversial data broker.

The CDC purchased the phone data and used Covid-19 as an excuse to buy the data more quickly and in larger quantities according to documents exclusively obtained by Motherboard through a FOIA request.

The CDC used the data to determine whether Americans were complying with Covid lockdown orders.

Motherboard reported:

The documents reveal the expansive plan the CDC had last year to use location data from a highly controversial data broker. SafeGraph, the company the CDC paid $420,000 for access to one year of data to, includes Peter Thiel and the former head of Saudi intelligence among its investors. Google banned the company from the Play Store in June. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) bought access to location data harvested from tens of millions of phones in the United States to perform analysis of compliance with curfews, track patterns of people visiting K-12 schools, and specifically monitor the effectiveness of policy in the Navajo Nation, according to CDC documents obtained by Motherboard. The documents also show that although the CDC used COVID-19 as a reason to buy access to the data more quickly, it intended to use it for more general CDC purposes. The CDC used the data for monitoring curfews, with the documents saying that SafeGraphs data has been critical for ongoing response efforts, such as hourly monitoring of activity in curfew zones or detailed counts of visits to participating pharmacies for vaccine monitoring. The documents date from 2021. Motherboard obtained the documents through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the CDC. The documents contain a long list of what the CDC describes as 21 different potential CDC use cases for data. They include:

Track patterns of those visiting K-12 schools by the school and compare to 2019; compare with epi metrics [Environmental Performance Index] if possible.

Examination of the correlation of mobility patterns data and rise in COVID-19 cases [] Movement restrictions (Border closures, inter-regional and nigh curfews) to show compliance.

Examination of the effectiveness of public policy on [the] Navajo Nation.

Read the full report by Motherboard here.
Twitter will always be free for "casual users," but government and business users may face a "slight cost" to stay on the social media platform, according to Elon Musk, the company's future owner.

Twitter will always be free for casual users, but maybe a slight cost for commercial/government users  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 3, 2022

A news story in Fortune noted that Musk's $44 billion offer to buy Twitter Inc. and take it private was approved by Twitter's board last week.

How Does Twitter Earn Money?

As per CNBC, it's unclear how much Musk wants to charge businesses and governments or whether some groups, including non-profits and journalists, will be excluded.

Twitter has consistently underperformed other social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube in terms of revenue.

Fortune mentioned that the majority of the social network's revenue is presently generated from advertising. However, Twitter also offers other commercial services, such as access to the Twitter API for companies interested in marketing or brand analysis.

Read More: Twitter Confirms Addition of Edit Button - Is Elon Musk Responsible?

Meanwhile, in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, Twitter is already testing a premium membership service called Twitter Blue that includes additional functionalities.

It was reported that users might undo tweets and bookmark tweets with the premium offering, which costs $2.99 per month in the U.S. Last month, Musk said he wanted to lower the price of Twitter Blue and make improvements to the service, including banning advertisements.

Other Plans for Twitter According to Musk

Musk, as reported by CNBC, has also stated that all Twitter direct messages should be end-to-end encrypted, ensuring that no one can snoop on or hack a user's conversations.

Musk remarked on Monday at the Met Gala that Twitter needs to get rid of the bots, trolls, and frauds that exist on the social media platform.

Separately, he also stated that he prefers "time-outs" to permanent bans, implying that former President Donald Trump may return to the platform under Musk's management. Following his tweets on the U.S. insurgency on Jan. 6, Twitter banned Trump from the platform.

Meanwhile, though Musk has stated that his primary concern with Twitter is the company's censorship of free speech, critics fear that the billionaire's control of the platform will result in the silencing of their voices and those with whom he may disagree, given that he has frequently blocked critics from his personal account.

Will Twitter Go Private?

Twitter is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, but Musk wants to take it private.

According to BBC, citing a report from The Wall Street Journal, Musk has informed investors that he may choose to return Twitter to the public stock market in as little as three years.

If the deal goes through and Musk becomes the company's owner, Twitter will be run by the world's richest man. Musk is worth an estimated $250 billion, thanks mostly to his Tesla stake. He also has a controlling stake in SpaceX, a rocket company worth an estimated $100 billion.

Related Article: Dogecoin Rides Musk-Twitter Wave, Soars up to 15% - Is Anyone Still Surprised?
President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, right, and presidential transition committee chairman Ahn Cheol-soo hold a board displaying the 110 key policy tasks be pursued by the incoming administration during a briefing at the committee's office in Jongno District in central Seoul, May 3. The 110 tasks include those associated with environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) management, such as aquatic ecosystems and clean energies. Joint Press Corps



Oversight to be set up by private, public sector to facilitate ESG policies



By Yi Whan-woo



The incoming administration of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol is going full force to support environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) management  principles that firms around the world are increasingly obligated to observe for sustainable growth.



The incoming administration's commitment to ESG is comparable to that of the outgoing Moon Jae-in administration, which came up with the guidelines for building an ESG ecosystem in Korea in August 2021.



The guidelines were Korea's first government-initiated ESG guidelines, following the formal introduction of the principles in a report of the U.N. Global Compact's Leaders Summit in 2004.



Both the outgoing and incoming administrations are on the same page in terms of addressing the need for enhanced ESG management.



But the latter is not necessarily building on the former's work. It is rather pursuing its own path or even overturning the former's policies to achieve similar goals.



Announced by transition committee chairman Ahn Cheol-soo on May 3, the 110 key policy tasks to be carried out under Yoon's five-year presidency include establishment of a special committee dedicated to the growth of smaller companies.



Unlike conglomerates, smaller companies may find ESG to be an obstacle rather than an opportunity due to expenses and other reasons.



Tentatively titled, "the committee for sustainable growth," it will focus on materializing measures for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to achieve the U.N. goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 and expand relevant R&D on SMEs' behalf.



Also on the list of the 110 tasks are scientific approaches to the green economy transition, sustainable ecosystems for water and other aspects of nature, as well as anti-fine dust policies.



Concerning energy, the incoming government will boost the corresponding industries and markets as the Moon administration did.



But the two sides disagree when it comes to the use of nuclear energy. Yoon plans to scrap Moon's nuclear-phase out policy and revive the country's nuclear power plant business, as well as expand exports of the plants.



The safety of nuclear power plants is highly disputed on the path to zero emissions. Still, some advanced economies, including the United Kingdom and France, are finding that a mix of nuclear energy and renewable energies can be used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the pursuit of net zero emissions.





Ahn Cheol-soo, third from left in the front row, the chairman of the presidential transition committee, poses with Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Chairman Chey Tae-won, fourth from left in the front row, and other participants of a special meeting held at the KCCI headquarters in Seoul, April 29, to share thoughts on the incoming administration's plan to support innovative growth according to ESG values. Joint Press Corps
President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a meeting of the transition committee at its office in Jongno District in central Seoul, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps



By Yi Whan-woo



Key economic pledges of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on fiscal policies, real estate and banking appear to be unattainable or require a considerable amount of time to achieve, as shown by a list of 110 major policy tasks announced by the incoming administration.



The transition team came up with the 110 tasks following debates and research on whether Yoon's pledge should be kept or modified to adapt to changing social and economic circumstances following his election win on March 9.



On budget spending, the incoming government is likely to follow the outgoing Moon Jae-in administration's expansionary fiscal policy despite accusing it of snowballing national debt.



The transition committee said the incoming government will need 209 trillion won ($165.3 billion) more than this year's government budget to implement all of the tasks.



The amount was finalized by postponing Yoon's pledge to raise the monthly wage of enlisted soldiers to 2 million won by 2025. The president-elect had promised to raise their salary immediately when he takes office on May 10, and if implemented, would require far more than 209 trillion won.






LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Complaining that the West is "stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line targets across the country, as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war Wednesday by proposing a ban on oil imports.

Smoke rises after a Russian missile strike in Lviv, Ukraine, late Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Russian missile strikes targeted the city in western Ukraine on Tuesday, hitting electrical substations and disrupting power. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Complaining that the West is "stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line targets across the country, as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war Wednesday by proposing a ban on oil imports.

Heavy fighting also raged at the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol that represented the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined southern port city, according to the mayor. A Russian official denied that Moscow's troops were storming the plant, but the commander of the main Ukrainian military unit inside said Russian troops had broken into the mill's territory.

The Russian military also said it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of resorting to the missile terrorism tactics in order to spread fear across Ukraine.

Air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country on Wednesday night, and attacks were reported near Kyiv, the capital; in Cherkasy and Dnipro in central Ukraine; and in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. In Dnipro, authorities said a rail facility was hit. Videos on social media suggested a bridge there was attacked.

Anna Shevchenko, 35, reacts next to her home in Irpin, near Kyiv, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. The house, built by Shevchenko's grandparents, was nearly completely destroyed by bombing in late March during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In her beloved flowerbed, some roses, lilies, peonies and daffodils survived. "It is new life. So I tried to save my flowers," she said. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

There was no immediate word on casualties or the extent of the damage.

Responding to the strikes in his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: All of these crimes will be answered, legally and quite practically  on the battlefield.

The flurry of attacks comes as Russia prepares to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, marking the Soviet Unions defeat of Nazi Germany. The world is watching for whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will use the occasion to declare a victory in Ukraine or expand what he calls the special military operation.

Orlyanske, left, hugs his wife Kolya next to their car as they arrive from Vasylivka to a reception center for displaced people in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Thousands of Ukrainian continue to leave Russian occupied areas. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

A declaration of all-out war would allow Putin to introduce martial law and mobilize reservists to make up for significant troop losses.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the speculation as nonsense.

Meanwhile, Belarus, which Russia used as a staging ground for its invasion, announced the start of military exercises Wednesday. A top Ukrainian official said the country will be ready to act if Belarus joins the fighting.

Ukrainian pregnant woman Alyona, 20, holds her son Sergei, 1, as they wait for boarding during an evacuation of civilians in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, Saturday, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)

The attacks on rail infrastructure were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons.

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagon's assessment, said that while the Russians have tried to hit critical infrastructure around the western city of Lviv, specifically targeting railroads, there has been no appreciable impact on Ukraines effort to resupply its forces. Lviv, close to the Polish border, has been a major gateway for NATO-supplied weapons.

Weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces thwart Russias initial drive to seize Kyiv and seems certain to play a central role in the growing battle for the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Moscow now says is its main objective.

Violetta walks to take a bus after her arrival from Mariupol to a reception center for displaced people in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Thousands of Ukrainian continue to leave Russian occupied areas. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Ukraine has urged the West to ramp up the supply of weapons ahead of that potentially decisive clash. Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which had been slow at first to help arm Ukraine, said his government is considering supplying howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment it has agreed to send.

The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which lies in the Donbas, said Russian attacks left 21 people dead on Tuesday, the highest number of known fatalities since April 8, when a missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk killed at least 59.

In addition to supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. have sought to punish Moscow with sanctions. The EU's top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to ban Russian oil imports, a crucial source of revenue.

Relatives hug each other after arriving from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol at a center for displaced people in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The proposal needs unanimous approval from EU countries and is likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they won't take part in any oil sanctions. They could be granted an exemption.

The EU is also talking about a possible embargo on Russian natural gas. The bloc has already approved a cutoff of coal imports.

Relatives react after arriving from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol at a center for displaced people in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Russias economy is heavily dependent on oil and natural gas exports. Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, said European purchases of Russian energy produce billions in revenue and support the Kremlin's war machine.

Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russias largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.

In Mariupol, Mayor Vadym Boychenko said that Russian forces were targeting the already shattered Azovstal plant with heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft, warships and heavy bombs that pierce concrete 3 to 5 meters thick.

Vehicles are on fire at an oil depot after missiles struck the facility in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces in Makiivka, 15 km (94 miles) east of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. (AP Photo)

Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult, he said.

Ukrainian fighters said Tuesday that Russian forces had begun storming the plant. But the Kremlin said that was not true. There is no assault," Peskov said.

Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Ukrainian Azov regiment that's defending the plant, said Russian forces have broken into the plant's territory.

People have a meal after arriving from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol at a center for displaced people in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Prokopenko said in a video that the incursions continued for a second day, and there are heavy, bloody battles.

The situation is extremely difficult, but in spite of everything, we continue to carry out the order to hold the defense, he added.

His wife, Kateryna Prokopenko, told The Associated Press: We dont want them to die. They wont surrender. They are waiting for the bravest countries to evacuate them."

This satellite image taken by Planet Labs PBC shows damage at the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. Russian forces began storming the bombed-out steel mill in Mariupol on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. The renewed push to take the mill came after scores of civilians were evacuated from the plant's underground tunnels after enduring weeks of shelling. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

Meanwhile, the United Nations announced that more than 300 civilians were evacuated Wednesday from Mariupol and other nearby communities. The evacuees arrived in Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles (230 kilometers) to the northwest, where they were receiving humanitarian assistance.

Many came with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, and we will now support them during this difficult time, including with much-needed psychological support, said Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.

Over the weekend, more than 100 people  including women, the elderly and 17 children  were evacuated from the plant during a cease-fire in an operation overseen by the U.N. and the Red Cross. But the attacks on the plant soon resumed.

This satellite image taken by Planet Labs PBC shows a key bridge damaged by Russian missile attacks near Odesa, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Russia has repeatedly targeted the bridge in recent days. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

The Russian government said on the Telegram messaging app that it would open another evacuation corridor from the plant during certain hours on Thursday through Saturday. But there was no immediate confirmation of those arrangements from other parties, and many previous such assurances from the Kremlin have fallen through, with the Ukrainians blaming continued fighting by the Russians.

It was unclear how many Ukrainian fighters were still inside, but the Russians put the number at about 2,000 in recent weeks, and 500 were reported to be wounded. A few hundred civilians also remained there, the Ukrainian side said.

Mariupol, and the plant in particular, have come to symbolize the misery inflicted by the war. The Russians have pulverized most of the city in a two-month siege that has trapped civilians with little food, water, medicine or heat.

People pay their respect during the funeral ceremony for Ukrainian serviceman Ruslan Borovyk killed by the Russian troops in a battle in St Michael cathedral in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

The city's fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops to fight elsewhere in the Donbas.

___

Anna reported from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yesica Fisch in Zaporizhzhia, Inna Varenytsia and David Keyton in Kyiv, Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and AP staff around the world contributed to this report.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Community advocates will be honouring the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls National Day of Awareness Thursday with a special ceremony at Princess Park.

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Community advocates will be honouring the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls National Day of Awareness Thursday with a special ceremony at Princess Park.

The event, called "An Afternoon of Honouring the Red Dress Campaign," will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m., calling on the community to address the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) in Canada.

The number of MMIWG in the country is around 4,000, according to the Native Womens Association of Canada. But incomplete data makes the true number difficult to determine. The RCMP reported in 2014 that more than 1,000 Indigenous women and girls were killed or went missing between 1980 and 2012.

Thursdays event is designed to raise awareness around MMIWG, said Debbie Huntinghawk, co-ordinator of the Brandon Friendship Centre 60s Scoop programming. The ceremony is part of the Red Dress campaign and serves as a call to action to the greater community.

Red Dress Day was established by Indigenous artist Jamie Black to recognize the violence Indigenous women face. Black began the tradition with an art installation in Winnipeg; red dresses were hung up as a reminder of those who have gone missing because of domestic and sexual violence.

Indigenous women represented 10 per cent of the total number of missing women in Canada between 1980 and 2014, according to the federal Department of Justice. Sixteen per cent of 6,849 police-reported female homicide cases were Indigenous women  a rate six times higher than non-Indigenous women in Canada.

The national MMIWG day serves to honour the memory of those who are missing and murdered and show action is being taken to address the crisis, Huntinghawk said.

Organizers of this event want to inspire systemic changes to meet the needs of the communities that are most vulnerable.

"We want to create awareness about how its getting worse," Huntinghawk said. "Were still not taking the time to find these women when they are missing."

Community collaboration supporting vulnerable people and embracing Indigenous perspectives remains imperative in addressing the MMIWG crisis, said Lisa Noctor, co-ordinator for Brandon GAP youth outreach.

GAP  Gakina Abinoojiyag (All Children in Ojibway)  is a youth homelessness prevention program working with youth between the ages 13 and 29 to help mitigate systemic barriers young people face and provide wrap-around support.

"It is a lifetime series of events, series of circumstances, series of systemic problems and issues that walk people down that road," Noctor said.

The violence Indigenous women face is a difficult topic to talk about, she said, but needs to be acknowledged in the community.

"There is a lot of sexual assault in Brandon. There are a lot of unsafe places in Brandon. There is domestic violence," Noctor said. "It is often. It is ongoing. It is a regular, consistent current in our community."

The Brandon Police Service recorded 101 reported sexual assaults in 2021, 123 in 2020, 140 in 2019, 135 in 2018 and 91 in 2017. The federal Department of Justice estimates only five per cent of sexual assaults are reported.

"Its not enough to just find a safe space. Its not enough to just plunk somebody down and then walk away and leave them alone  we have to do our heart work," Noctor said.

GAP works to connect clients with clinical support and natural helpers to create better outcomes. This includes building natural helpers  family, friends and community  to foster healthy connections.

"If we can build those connections, build those relationships earlier, then we can walk the road beside them. We can not only mitigate system barriers, but we can tinker with the systems," Noctor said. "We can meet young people where they are at."

People are acknowledging the complexity of the MMIWG crisis, she said, but this does not always lead to tangible actions. To make a lasting systemic change, there is a need for daily work to address the factors that have led to the ongoing crisis.

"Whose boots are on the ground? Whose boots are asking those questions? Who is actually acting?" Noctor said. "The way we approach intervening and preventing missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, boys, men and people are we meet them where they are at  we focus on the youth voice and the youth choice about what are their goals."

Youth may have intersectional needs, including poverty, lack of engagement in academics, post-traumatic stress disorder or substance use. They may be ready to take on all these challenges at once, she said, but GAP can work with them to meet their interests and get them on the healing path.

The focus is on empowerment by letting them make choices instead of being told what they need to.

"Were just trying to guide them on a safe path forward, and that safer path forward eventually in the long, grand scheme of things changes this, changes this conversation, changes this narrative," Noctor said. "Were involved in MMIWG every single day, every single conversation, every single decision."

 ckemp@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp
Qantas has failed in its attempt to overturn a Federal Court ruling that found the airline unlawfully sacked 2000 workers in the middle of the pandemic but will not be forced to reinstate those workers.

The airline was sued by the Transport Workers Union for sacking baggage handlers, aircraft towing crews, cleaners and other ground workers in November 2019. Qantas move to outsource the workers was later found by the Federal Court to be unlawful and partly motivated by a desire to avoid future industrial disputes and employee negotiations. At the same time, the union pushed for the sacked workers to have their jobs reinstated, but this was dismissed by the initial Federal Court ruling after Qantas threatened to retrench them again.

The Transport Workers Union has called for Qantas CEO Alan Joyce to be sacked. Credit:Michael Quelch

Both Qantas and the union appealled, with Qantas objecting to the finding that it infringed the Fair Work Act and the union appealing again for Qantas to reinstate the workers.

But in a judgment delivered on Wednesday morning, the Full Court dismissed both appeals and upheld its initial ruling that Qantas was partially motivated to avoid future industrial action but also that the airline did not need to re-hire the workers.
Kevin Rudd is an optimist. Which is quite the feat for anyone writing about the downward spiral in relations between China and the United States in recent years  let alone for Rudd, the Mandarin-speaking diplomat-turned-Australian prime minister at times angrily torched by both countries.

But before we get to Rudds view about the risk of a coming war (a real possibility), nuclear confrontation (must be considered afresh), economic self-sabotage (Xis real political vulnerability) or cyber catastrophe (rapidly accelerated), take a moment to consider one delightful scene he briefly relays.

Americans are Kevin Rudds target audience for his new book The Avoidable War. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The man who would become Chinas leader  ruling a closed communist regime controlling more than a billion people  swaying on a vacant stage of the Sydney Opera House, belting out a tune. Not Xi Jinping. Chinas president might be confident, self-assured and instinctively assertive, as Rudd describes, but he comes across ultimately as dour and insular. The man in that empty hall was instead a predecessor, Jiang Zemin. It was a very different time, the late 1980s, before Tiananmen, artificial islands, foreign interference accusations and COVID-19, when a much younger Rudd was a foreign affairs official hosting a Chinese delegation to Australia and Jiang wanted to have some simple fun.

But you can see how this experience  or one that Rudd tells from years later about a boozy dinner late into the night with a group of Chinese generals who admitted a high degree of military caution about the prospect of fighting a war in Asia  can give hope that peaceful accommodation might somehow be reached.




Korean national flag carrier Korean Air Lines said Wednesday it will extend the suspension of its Russian routes until any new positive development happens in the Russia-Ukraine war.







In March, Korean Air said it will halt the operation of passenger jets to Moscow and Vladivostok, and cargo planes that are bound for Europe via Moscow until the end of April due to safety concerns over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.







"The company will be closely monitoring the situation before it decides to resume flights on routes to Russia," a company spokeswoman said over the phone.







The carrier said flights on some routes from Incheon to Europe and the United States currently take a detour to avoid the Russian and Ukraine airspace.







Affected routes include the routes to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, Boston and Toronto. Flights to the cities take up to three hours longer.







Asiana, the country's second-biggest airline after Korean Air, didn't operate passenger jets to Russia even before the pandemic hit the airline industry two years ago.







Its cargo planes currently take a detour around Russian airspace. (Yonhap)






Car crashes into side of Sydney home

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One trapped man, the engine driver, gave himself a hypodermic injection, because ambulance men could not reach him. Survivors, railway employees, police, ambulance officers, and others worked desperately in the wreckage all this afternoon, while some of the trapped victims begged for help, and others, terribly injured, smoked cigarettes and talked cheerfully. To-night, the hiss of oxyacetylene torches mingled with the clang of metal, as railway gangs cut into the torn carriages. Scene of the rail disaster at Camp Mountain, Queensland. Credit:Staff photographer 400 ON TRAIN

The cause of the accident has not been established. The train, specially chartered by the Customs Department Social Club for a picnic, left Central Station, Brisbane, at.8.57 a.m. Its total load was estimated at 500 persons, including about 150 children. At Ferny Grove, the last stop before the crash, about 100 persons alighted, most of them from the two front carriages, which bore the brunt of the crash. Passing the crest of the Samford Range, the train, at 9.53 a.m., began the down-run on the two mile gradient. Within a minute it had reached a high speed. Swaying and rocking, with women and children starting to scream in several carriages, the train approached a sharp left bend, more than half-way down the range. At the bend, the leading carriage jumped the rails.

Between this point and the end of the cutting the engine rolled over on its right side and ploughed into the embankment. The coat tender followed and dug in nose first. The 20ft water tender wrenched free from the coal tender and was struck by the leading carriage, and the body of the tank telescoped back through the centre of the carriage, sweeping fittings, compartments, and mangled bodies before it. KILLED INSTANTLY The second carriage was torn clear of the first car, and it drove off the line and embedded itself under the upturned tender, crushing the first two compartments as though they had been hit with a great hammer. In front of this carriage were nine persons, six of whom were killed instantly. The remaining three were trapped for nearly six hours.

In the end carriages people kept on reading for a few seconds after the crash, as the telescoping effect seemed to have acted as a brake on the impact. Emergency crews worked late into the night. Credit:Staff photographer PASSENGER BRINGS AID Help was brought by one of the passengers, Edward Hart, of Albion Street, Albion. With blood streaming from a gash over his right eye, he clambered from the front compartment of the third carriage, and ran on down the line towards Samford.

I knew things were bad, he said. The station was not far, and it was the first place I thought of. News of the tragedy, panted to the stationmaster 30 minutes later by Mr. Hart, galvanised Samford. An emergency rescue gang was formed within a few minutes from local farmers and shopkeepers. They climbed into trucks and cars, and headed for the scene of the tragedy. With them they brought axes, saws, crowbars, picks, and shovels. Back at the scene of the crash the uninjured passengers were assisting the less seriously injured passengers out of the train.

Fourteen ambulances, five police wireless cars, police cyclists, and three trucks loaded with police arrived soon afterwards. Ambulance men had to crawl through the wreckage to reach some of the injured, but a number could not be freed. The first doctor on the scene, Dr. E. O. Marks, prepared a morphia syringe for them, and they administered it to the sufferers they could reach. With morphia injections completed, passengers, ambulance men, and an emergency breakdown gang made their first onslaught on the wreckage. Beneath the wheels of the over-turned engine they found the terribly crushed body of the fireman, A. C. Knight.

Inside the engine, bent almost double, the engine driver, H. C. Hind, was jammed by the control lever, steam pipe, and air pipes. Hind, who -could not be reached, was instructed how to use the hypodermic. METAL CUT AWAY Oxy-acctylene torches were brought into action with the arrival of more railway gangs in an effort to release the dead and injured from the tangled wreckage. At 3.30 Hind, the engine driver, was lifted through a hole cut in the roof. He was rushed to hospital

At 3.40 the bodies of three children were removed, and five minutes later rescue gangs began to reach and to free bodies or badly injured adults. For hours, relatives of people who set out on the trip pressed forward trying to identify the injured as they arrived at the general hospital. The casualty ward had been cleared, and extra medical and nursing staff were standing by. Soon after midday, ambulances brought in survivors. Emergency operations were performed. The Queensland Commissioner for Railways, Mr. Wills, said tonight that there was nothing to indicate what had caused the accident.

So far as could be seen, the track was in good order, he said. An inquiry would be held. A priest administered last rites to the dead during the progress of the rescue work. On one occasion when crawling through the debris he could only reach a womans hand. On another, only a head was visible. Special railway and police telephonic and radio communications have now been set up at the site of the crash. Loading
A Liberal-led council is at war with business owners over the planned pedestrianisation of a Double Bay high street, with interested parties engaging lawyers and claiming the plaza will destroy the luxe locale and send shoppers scurrying to rival suburbs.

The NSW government has approved a $4.75 million grant for Woollahra Council to turn Knox Street into a pedestrian plaza. The conditions require the project to be completed by the end of this year.

Federal Liberal MP Dave Sharma and independent candidate Allegra Spender both avoided picking a side on the controversial proposal. Spender refused to comment as her sister Biancas boutique is on Knox Street and the family owns another commercial property nearby.

Sharma told the Herald the project had the potential to improve Double Bay, but the legitimate concerns of residents and businesses must be considered, and he would continue to advocate on their behalf.
A three-year-old girl found unconscious on a hot bus parked outside a childcare centre in central Queensland has been airlifted overnight to the Queensland Children's Hospital in Brisbane.

Nevaeh Austin was still fighting for life and would undergo a deep brain scan and treatment for kidney failure, her father Shane told Nine News.

Shes the loudest child, the most energetic child, she was the heart of her daycare, he said.

Nevaeh was found unconscious in a parked bus outside Le Smileys Early Learning Centre on Lucas Street in Gracemere, near Rockhampton, on Wednesday afternoon.
After Queensland recorded three times more cases of influenza in five months compared with all of 2021, the states chief health officer has warned catching flu and COVID at the same time could be severe.

Health Minister Yvette DAth urged everyone to get vaccinated against both viruses as there would be a bigger flu season this year.

Weve had very little influenza floating around the community for the last two years due to the restrictions with mask wearing but also because of the border restrictions and very few international arrivals coming to Australia, she said.

We are concerned that, and we know for a fact, some people will end up getting COVID-19 and influenza at the same time.
A mysterious flesh-eating disease has spread to more parts of Melbourne, with several cases identified in Pascoe Vale South and Strathmore in the citys north.

Victorias deputy chief health officer of communicable disease, Associate Professor Deborah Friedman, said the risk of acquiring Buruli ulcer in these suburbs was considered low, although they were now recognised as potential areas of risk.

Buruli ulcer has long been associated with coastal Victoria, but was first identified in inland Melbourne  in Essendon, Moonee Ponds and Brunswick West  early last year.

Friedman said a genetic analysis of bacteria isolated from the new cases suggested a common source of infection in the area with the cases in 2021.
An independent Commonwealth agency has delayed the release of a crucial report on coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef until after the federal election, raising questions about the politicisation of scientific processes.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) confirmed on March 18 that there had been severe and widespread bleaching to 60 per cent of the corals along a 500-kilometre stretch of individual reefs that together make up the massive ecosystem.

Coral bleaching on Stanley Reef, south of Townsville, which occurred in a late summer heatwave in March. Credit:Australian Marine Conservation Society, Harriet Spark

The aerial surveys were completed by March 25. In previous mass bleaching events, the results were published within two weeks.

The survey will show precisely where corals have bleached within the 350,000-square-kilometre Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. This information is crucial because individual reefs that have bleached multiple times are less likely to survive.
Former prime minister John Howard has issued a stark warning to fellow Liberals that the election is so close that any loss in a so-called teal seat will spell the end of the Morrison government.

Launching Liberal MP Trent Zimmermans campaign to retain the seat of North Sydney on Tuesday night, Howard doubled down on his description of the Climate 200-backed independents as anti-Liberal groupies, including Kylea Tink, who is challenging Zimmerman.

Gladys Berejiklian made her first appearance at a public political event since resigning as NSW premier.

If any one of these anti-Liberal groupies wins, were not going to form the next government. Thats the truth of the matter and thats the reality, Howard said.

If anybody is elected in a seat we now hold at the expense of a sitting Liberal ... then that will play a major role in destroying the Liberal government.
A Coalition candidate for the Senate has repeatedly backed a conspiracy theory that Bill Gates was behind the outbreak of COVID-19 and suggested that PCR tests dont work.

Nicole Tobin, who is sixth on the Liberal National Partys Senate ticket in Queensland, also promoted a debunked theory that vaccines cause autism and claimed there was a conspiracy about the reporting of COVID-19 deaths in Australia.

Tobin claimed that up to 7000 Australians may have died from COVID-19 vaccines. Credit:Liberal National Party

The comments were made in a series of posts from a now-deleted Twitter account.

Tobin, who is a teacher from Cairns, suggested the public COVID-19 death figures were incorrect, saying most deaths were caused by old age or obesity.
The Chinese security pact with Solomon Islands has sparked widespread concern among voters about the prospect of a military base on the islands, leading 72 per cent of voters to say they are concerned or very concerned about the agreement.

Only 21 per cent said they were unconcerned about the regional deal when asked in an exclusive survey conducted by research company Resolve Strategic for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

But the outcome has not driven significant support to the advantage of one side of politics over another, with Australians split on whether Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Coalition or Labor leader Anthony Albanese and his party are the better choice to manage the challenge.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton will debate security policy with Labor defence spokesman Brendan OConnor at the National Press Club on Thursday after weeks of dispute over the Chinese agreement in the Pacific and sharp criticism from Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare about the governments rhetoric.




The United States would like the U.N. Security Council to vote during May to further sanction North Korea over its renewed ballistic missile launches, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said on Tuesday.







The United States circulated an initial draft resolution to the 15-member council last month that proposed banning tobacco and halving oil exports to North Korea and blacklisting the Lazarus hacking group.







However, Russia and China have already signaled opposition to boosting sanctions in response to Pyongyang's March launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile - its first since 2017. A Security Council resolution needs nine "yes" votes to pass, without a veto by Russia, China, France, Britain or the United States.







"It is our plan to move forward with that resolution during this month," U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters when asked if she would put it to a vote. The United States is president of the Security Council for May.







"We're very concerned about the situation," Thomas-Greenfield said. "It is our hope that we can keep the council unified in condemning those actions by the DPRK (North Korea)."







North Korea has been subjected to U.N. sanctions since 2006, which the U.N. Security Council has steadily stepped up over the years in a bid to cut off funding for Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.







But the hermit Asian state has successfully worked to evade some U.N. sanctions, according to independent U.N. sanctions monitors, who reported in February that North Korean cyberattacks on cryptocurrency exchanges were earning Pyongyang hundreds of millions of dollars. (Reuters)






A US airline passenger who was restrained in a seat with tape after he groped two flight attendants and punched a third was sentenced to 60 days in jail and a year of supervised release, according to court records.

Maxwell Berry, 23, pleaded guilty to three counts of assault within maritime and territorial jurisdiction in the incident, which occurred on a Frontier Airlines flight last year.

Maxwell Berry, 22, of Norwalk, Ohio, was taped to his seat by flight staff due to unruly behaviour. Credit:AP, Twitter

After sentencing, his attorney, Jason Kreiss, called the incident an aberration, saying Berry is a really good kid from a great family who was punished for his worst day.

Although we dont believe 60 days was necessary based on Maxs significant self-reform and other mitigating factors, we respect the judgment of the court, Kreiss said Wednesday in a statement to The Washington Post.
Latest News Household spending intentions down by 3.8% in April New CBA data finds a post-COVID normalisation of consumer spending patterns

Housing market activity eases in April  PropTrack Public holidays, a federal election campaign, and interest rate rises disrupted housing market activity in April, report finds

A credit assistance provider and its director have been ordered to pay a total of $220,000 for failing to give effect to an Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) determination.

The Federal Court found Lightspeed Finance failed to give effect to an AFCA determination and as company director, Mark James Fitzpatrick was knowingly involved in this breach of the National Credit Act.

When an external dispute resolution decision is made, ASIC expects the determination will be carried out, said Sarah Court, ASIC deputy chair. Complying with AFCA determinations is a critical part of a licensees obligations and ensures that consumers have access to a dispute resolution system that works.

On Dec. 4, 2008, AFCA made a determination against Lightspeed after a consumer complained about an unaffordable loan. AFCA determined that Lightspeed should pay a loan debt (including interest) owed by the client to a lender, prior to the client repaying Lightspeed the initial loan amount.

The loan was arranged by Lightspeed for the consumer to complete home renovations. Despite knowing the loan was not for business purposes, Lightspeed accepted a business purpose declaration from the consumer, telling the consumer they could obtain refinance at the end of the loan term. AFCA found complying with obligations under the National Credit Act would have shown that the loan was unaffordable.

On July 12, 2019, a second determination was made in favour of the same consumer, reducing the consumers liability even further. Both determinations were accepted by the consumer and were binding on Lightspeed under the AFCA rules.



The $220,000 fine includes $20,000 in penalties, $150,000 in compensation, and $50,000 for ASICs costs.

In making the orders, Justice Derrington observed that Lightspeed and Fitzpatrick failed to meet the obligations of Lightspeeds credit licence by refusing to comply with AFCAs determinations, a central part of Lightspeeds agreement to be bound by AFCAs external dispute resolution scheme, ASIC reported.

Since March 13, 2019, greater penalties apply for failures to cooperate with AFCA, which include a maximum penalty of $10.5 million for a company and $1.05 million for an individual.
Lagonda Global Holdings Plc is turning to a veteran executive who left the helm of NV six years ago to turn around the British luxury-car maker.

named current board member Amedeo Felisa as chief executive officer to replace German manager Tobias Moers, who struggled with a slower-than-expected ramp up of the 2.4 million-pound ($3 million) Valkyrie supercar. Felisa, 75, will focus on overhauling Aston Martins technical team by hiring staff and promoting internal talent.

To find somebody with that wealth of experience, I dont think theres five people in the world that have it, Chairman Lawrence Stroll said in an interview.

Felisas appointment cuts short a tumultuous reign by Moers, whom Stroll hired two years ago after nearly two decades at Mercedes-Benz AG. While the plan was to expand the firms lineup with more iterations of the successful DBX sport utility vehicle and revitalize its sports-car lineup, deliveries of the Valkyrie lagged seriously behind. Aston Martin lost a rare buy rating last month after analysts at Citigroup Inc. warned that the Valkyrie issues left the firms balance sheet precariously positioned.

Aston Martin Says Valkyrie Still On Track After Delivery Delays

Felisa, an auto-engineering expert born in Milan, led for eight years until 2016. He joined Aston Martins board last year. Before his time at Ferrari, he ran product development at Fiat Chryslers Alfa Romeo division.

Shares Jump

Aston Martin rose as much as 13% in London. The shares are still down by a third this year and have declined around 90% since its initial public offering in 2018.

In the run-up to the London IPO, Aston Martin was pitched as a peer to Ferrari, but things didnt work out as advertised as sales slumped and dealers struggled to offload cars. The company spent a good year restructuring itself after a rescue by Stroll, who forged closer ties with Mercedes-Benz to ensure the carmaker synonymous with James Bond films survived the pandemic.

Also Wednesday, the British manufacturer reported 24.4 million pounds in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization for the first quarter, beating analyst estimates of 16.3 million pounds. The companys wholesale vehicle shipments fell 14% in the period.

Aston named Roberto Fedeli, another former executive, as its chief technology officer. His appointment could be a response to engineering issues at the carmaker, according to Gabriel Adler, an analyst at Citi.

The management changes provide the company an opportunity to reposition the business with sufficient time to achieve the 2024/25 mid-term targets and may help reset the equity story, Adler said in a note to clients. Still, with so many top management changes, it may take some time to see the impact.

SUV Orders

Aston Martin said orders for the DBX SUV rose around 60% in the three months through March. The company delivered 14 Valkyries in the period, compared to its full-year target of as many as 90. Stroll vowed that the Valkyrie program is on track.

The carmaker plans to have hybrid variants of all its models in the next two years, with the first fully electric cars by 2025.
The has extended due dates for submitting bids for the privatisation of Ferro Scrap Nigam Ltd (FSNL) by a month.

The last date for submitting initial bids for the privatisation of FSNL has been extended to June 6 from May 5 proposed earlier, the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) said in a notification.

Interested parties will have to submit physical copies of expression of interest (EoI) by June 13 as against May 12 earlier. Shortlisted bidders would be intimated by June 27 now, the notification said.

The privatisation of the government-owned entity involves transfer of management control in the public sector undertaking (PSU) which is a 100 per cent subsidiary of state-owned MSTC.

Bidders must have a net worth of at least Rs 150 crore, and a positive profit after tax (PAT) in at least two of the immediately preceding five financial years.

FSNL was incorporated in 1979, and is a specialised steel mill service provider engaged in scrap processing for steel mill in India. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had accorded in-principle approval to divest entire stake in FSNL held through MSTC in October 2016.
startup GenWorks said that it has secured a second round of funding of Rs 135 crore. The consortium of investors who partook in this round, were Somerset Indus Capital Partners, Morgan Stanley through its funding arm Grand Vista, Evolvence and Wipro GE.

GenWorks aims to double revenues in FY23 and the funding will be leveraged to cover working capital needs, relevant M&A to invest in manufacturing partnerships, and expansion in the area of in-vitro diagnostics. In addition, the freshly infused funds would be deployed towards building Human Capital to enable the rapid growth and build Platform Participation.

We started with 160 people in 30 locations with GE as the primary technology partner, said S Ganesh Prasad, founder, MD and CEO, GenWorks. Today, we have a strategy to solve care cycle needs in every area as a part of our endeavour to support affordable access through over 500 people in over 130 locations. Technology is at the forefront in this transformation from delivery, be it ICU care disruption, urgent care or home care all the way to bringing efficiency in supply chain and commercial excellence.

The firm said that the fragmented healthcare system has been under pressure, amplified by the Covid Pandemic. Chronic care and elective surgeries took a beating, bringing upon the realization of the need to reorganize delivery. The need for better primary healthcare, not just to screen and diagnose but to stage treatment and effectively intervene, is evident. It is necessary that chronic care is moved to where the patient is or to a neighbourhood healthcare facility. The GenWorks initiative seeks to move health care to the Point of Care.

Genworks has a wide reach across the country and is aiming to expand and grow beyond the shores of the country aided by M&A activities, said Ramesh Kannan, Partner, Somerset Indus Capital Partners. With foray into respiratory care, renal care, consumables and Pharma, in-vitro diagnostics, oncology and a bouquet of tele-health services, Genworks is a customer delight, said Kannan.

V S Raghavendra Rao, CCO GE Healthcare, South Asia, the investment in Genworks is a testimony to the firm's promise of bridging the treatment gap and enhancing care delivery across India.

With GenWorks, our startup innovation, we aim to improve distribution in tier 2 and tier 3 towns and take disruptive technologies, training and support closer to healthcare providers in these underserved markets, said Rao. With the broad spectrum of Wipro GE healthcare products, the healthcare providers have a strong opportunity to build a robust portfolio and provide quality healthcare across all of India."
Honda Cars India on Wednesday said it has launched City e:HEV priced at Rs 19.49 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), marking its debut in the strong hybrid electric vehicle segment in the country.

The City e:HEV is the first car in the mainstream segment equipped with strong hybrid electric technology, the automaker said in a statement.

As per the company, the model, an extension of its City model range, features self-charging two-motor strong hybrid system connected to a 1.5 litre petrol engine, entailing a peak power of 126 PS and fuel efficiency of 26.5 km per litre.

Honda has also introduced its advanced intelligent safety technology "Honda SENSING" for the first time in India with the new City e:HEV.

The company has reiterated its global vision to realise carbon neutrality and zero collision fatalities by 2050, it noted.

"Today, we embark on our electrification journey in India with the launch of new City e:HEV, reaffirming our commitment to bringing the best and most meaningful technologies to the country," Honda Cars India President & CEO Takuya Tsumura stated.

The tremendous response received on the unveiling of the model last month reflects the acceptance of the strong hybrid technology in the mainstream segment, he added.

"We believe this self-charging hybrid electric model, which comes with first-in-segment advanced intelligent suite of safety technologies Honda SENSING, is the most practical solution available in the market and will help customers in making a smooth transition towards an electrified future," Tsumara said.

Besides great performance, the revolutionary self-charging two-motor strong hybrid system offers outstanding fuel economy of 26.5 km/l with ultra-low emissions, he added.

"We are manufacturing the City e:HEV in India in line with our commitment towards the Indian Government's Make-in-India vision," Tsumara said.

The company is producing the model at its Tapukara, Rajasthan-based manufacturing facility.

Honda said it will begin the deliveries of the model from its dealer network across the country immediately after the launch.

City e:HEV offers three driving modes EV drive, hybrid drive and engine drive, along with regeneration mode during deceleration. The model also comes with safety features, including collision mitigation braking system (CMBS), adaptive cruise control, road departure mitigation (RDM), lane keeping assist system (LKAS) and auto high-beam.

The sedan also comes equipped with 37 connected features which now work with smart watch devices in addition to already existing integration with Alexa and OK Google.

The automaker said it is offering 3-year unlimited kilometres warranty as standard while the warranty on lithium-ion battery will be 8-year or 1.6 lakh km (whichever comes first) from the date of car purchase.

Honda globally plans to launch 30 EV models by 2030, with an annual production volume of more than two million units.

The auto major aims to invest around USD 40 billion over the next 10 years in the EV space.

(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.)
Leading online travel services firm on Wednesday said it has witnessed a nearly 150 per cent increase in bookings for super-luxury and premium hotels during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period, as more Indian travellers seek elite travel experiences.

One in every three Indian travellers searched and booked a premium or luxury property during the pandemic wherein, the average room per night cost was anywhere between Rs 13,000 to Rs 15,000, the company said, citing data recorded on its platform.

Chief Operating Officer Vipul Prakash said, "Appetite for luxury stays and hotels was always strong amongst Indian travellers. However, the pandemic has brought along an accelerated progression towards premium, super-premium and luxury properties. It is interesting to note people from non-metros are also warming up to the idea of rejuvenating or holidaying at a luxury stay".

He further said bookings for luxury stays soared by almost 90 per cent post the first wave and nearly 40 per cent more following the second wave last year indicating a perceptible shift in traveller preferences towards seeking elite travel experiences.

"We have witnessed a near 150 per cent increase in bookings for super-luxury and premium hotels during the pandemic as compared to the pre-pandemic period, Prakash added.

said there has been an over 30 per cent uptick in bookings for luxury properties from tier II, III and beyond markets. Amongst the list of top destinations searched and booked by luxury seekers includes Jaipur, Udaipur, Coorg, Goa, Mumbai, and Kolkata.

Over the past two years, as demand for luxury stays soared high, in parallel, the supply of new luxury properties also picked an upwards trajectory with inventory coming in from tier I, II and III markets, it added.

In order to leverage the trend, the company said it has also launched its Luxe Selection, a thematic collection of nearly 300 super-premium and luxury properties.

"Through Luxe Selection, we aim to enhance the visibility and discoverability of luxurious properties across the country - by bringing them all under one platform. We hope to make Luxe Selection the first port for searching and booking luxury stays amongst discerning Indian travellers," Prakash said.

MakeMyTrip Chief Business Officer Hotels Abhishek Logani said under its Luxe Selection, the company is offering packages that include spa, airport transfers, happy hours, room upgrades, early check-ins and late check-outs, recreational activities, such as nature or plantation walks, bird watching and yoga sessions, among others.

(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.)
North Korea's state media reported that the country conducted a test-firing of a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), March 24. North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Wednesday, South Korea's military said. Yonhap



North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Wednesday, South Korea's military said, in the recalcitrant regime's latest saber-rattling that comes less than a week before President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration.



The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from the Sunan area in Pyongyang at 12:03 p.m. Other details were not immediately available.



"Our military is tracking and monitoring related movements and maintaining a readiness posture," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters.






Realty firm Signature Global, which focuses on building affordable housing projects, on Wednesday said it has raised long term capital of Rs 400 crore from realty fund.

The company raised this fund from Affordable Real Estate Fund 3 (H-CARE 3), a fund managed by .

The funding will be utilised for land acquisition and development of affordable housing projects in Haryana.

The company develops affordable housing projects under Haryana's affordable housing policy (HAHP) and independent floors under DDJAY (Deen Dayal Jan Awas yojana) affordable plotting policy.

Pradeep Aggarwal, Founder and Chairman of Signature Global, said: "We have strong credentials of providing value homes at affordable prices to our customers".

"As one of the leading players in affordable housing, our focus has been to build a strong foundation through which we can launch many more affordable housing projects in north India. HDFC Capital's investment is a significant achievement for us as it reposes faith in our execution capabilities," he added.

In the last 7-8 years, has launched 30 housing projects, mainly in Gurugram, Sohna and Karnal (Haryana), and out of that, seven projects have already been delivered. The company has also launched commercial projects, including a shopping mall, in Vaishali and Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh).

(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 aircraft operated by returned to shortly after flying to Durgapur after its pilots shut down an engine due to a technical issue.

While the plane landed safely and nobody was injured, the incident is sensitive as it involved an aircraft model that only recently returned to the skies in India after a lengthy global grounding in the wake of two fatal crashes that were primarily blamed on faulty software.

Sources aware of the development said that VT-MXA- a three-year-old aircraft of en route to Durgapur from had to turn around. The crew shut down the second engine after an oil filter bypass light got illuminated in cruise.

The pilot in command carried out inflight shutdown of the engine number two as per the quick reference hand books. Air turn back was initiated after the checks were done and the pilot requested priority landing of the aircraft. The pilot was swift in decision making and the aircraft landed safely without any injury to any passenger, said a person aware of the development.

DGCA sources said that the aircraft had been grounded and was being investigated.

Data from flight tracking website, Flightradar24.com shows the aircraft took off on Tuesday evening and started to turn back after about 15 minutes in the air.

The pilot sent out a Pan Pan Pan which indicates a distress call, signalling that the aircraft was experiencing a problem. All provisions of emergency landing were followed and the aircraft landed safely, the person quoted above said.

However, the incident doesnt appear to be linked to automated software known as the Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS, which was established as the main reason behind the 2018 and 2019 crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people.

The Max was grounded worldwide in March 2019 after the second crash. The single-aisle jet returned to service in India only in August last year after aviation regulator DGCA lifted a ban on aircraft- two and half years after the aircraft were grounded following two fatal crashes around the world killing 346 people.
Executives in India Inc are prioritising workforce upskilling and reskilling in a year when they are faced with challenges that include talent acquisition, employee engagement, and employee sickness and productivity, reveals Mercers 2022 Global Talent Trends study.

The study highlights that difficulty in hiring the right talent, at the right price, and in time remains a top concern (71 per cent) in 2022. In response, are reshaping talent strategies focusing more on internal talent marketplaces and leveraging the gig economy (42 per cent). that are pursuing this objective have been investing in targeted learning programmes and offering internal gig experiences to bridge skill gaps. What they are grappling with, however, is how to scale in a sustainable manner.

Meanwhile, employees are struggling to find time to learn new skills (36 per cent). Resetting the skills agenda to meet both current and future talent needs will ensure people are, and remain, employable. Harnessing AI (artificial intelligence) and technology will be a critical factor in designing and driving skills-based talent practices at scale, said Padma Ramanathan, country report lead and principal, talent advisory, Mercer.

In an employee-centric labour market, where the majority of employees want choice, we are seeing organisations wanting to partner with employees to co-create work models based on where/when/how employees want to work and rethink pay and benefit strategies customised to target populations, she added.

In terms of retaining talent, the study found that having sustainability strategies and goals makes a difference. Over one-third of employees value the organisations brand and reputation, and equal career progression opportunities, citing it as the second reason for joining their current employer (after job security). Organisations that walk the talk on their core values  through company purpose, work standards and investment strategies  will better relate with their stakeholders and be better positioned to deliver business. An overwhelming 99 per cent of employees in India expect their employer to pursue a sustainability agenda that balances financial results with social issues, diversity/equity, and environmental impact.

In response, one clear shift is visible in moving from intent to action on DE&I (diversity, equity and inclusion)  for example, accounting for diverse circumstances in redesigned policies or tailoring for a multi-generational workforce.

People no longer want to work for a company, they want to work with a company. Nearly all executives say they are in an employee-centric and 82 per cent of HR professionals are predicting higher than normal turnover this year  most notably with regard to younger workers and those in the digital space. Relatable organisations see the value in partnering over leading as evidenced in the evolving return-to-work strategies. Seventy-four per cent of employees would join a company only if they can work remotely or in a hybrid engagement.

More than half of HR leaders cite flexibility as a key lever for sourcing, attracting and retaining a diverse talent pool and a similar majority believe that they can build cultures and practices that are adaptive by design to cater to a flexible model.

Respecting individual choice, and treating employees as equal stakeholders in designing work and workplace is at the heart of working with the company. At the same time, ensuring employees feel the choice is fair and equitable to all work groups will be key to success, said Shanthi Naresh, partner and India career business leader at Mercer.
Singapore-based technology startup has been in for some time now after the board fired co-founder and CEO Ankiti Bose over alleged discrepancies in the company's accounts.

However, Ankiti Bose earlier alleged that she was suspended to suppress her harassment complaint. In an email to employees, Dhruv Kapoor, co-founder and chief technology and product officer, said that he was shocked to hear "false allegations" that there was a suppression of harassment complaint at .



You may have heard that there is an allegation made that certain individuals at Zilingo 'suppressed' complaints of harassment. We've always had a culture that does not tolerate sexual harassment, workplace harassment, bullying or intimidation, and it's been deeply saddening to hear things that are so contrary to the kind of culture we've built, Kapoor wrote in the email.

Media reports had suggested that the complaint was suppressed. In his email, Kapoor wrote: Unfortunately, over the last few days, there have been some things said in the media that don't reflect either the kind of company that we've wanted to build, nor the kind of culture that I've seen around me in my time here. Reading this feels disheartening and all of this feels counterproductive to the company's goals, to our employees and our customers. We're troubled to see some people in the team act against the interests of the company, sometimes in a way that hurts Zilingo's reputation or the reputation of various people in the organization.





A spokesperson for Zilingo did not respond to emailed queries.

Read the full text of the email here



Hi all

While the last few weeks have seen Zilingo's business & products continue their forward progress, I've also seen during this time a fair amount of talk in the press amidst the suspension of our CEO for an ongoing investigation. I wanted to address some of what's been written as well as be upfront about the belief, as many of you would've heard me share, that good culture and an encouraging work environment is a foundation stone of a good business.

You may have heard that there is an allegation made that certain individuals at Zilingo 'suppressed' complaints of harassment. We've always had a culture that does not tolerate sexual harassment, workplace harassment, bullying or intimidation, and it's been deeply saddening to hear things that are so contrary to the kind of culture we've built. In rare cases when workplace issues were reported, we've always followed due process and taken strict action. There have even been cases where some of us (including me) have received threats from people after we took strict action (such as dismissal) on a workplace issue, but at the end of the day good work culture and a safe work environment for everyone is of paramount importance.

What matters a whole lot for us is creating a work atmosphere that enables people to grow in their careers and helps us deliver our mission of bringing cutting-edge technology & services to the & lifestyle industries. Over the years, as you know, numerous people  women as well as men  have joined Zilingo at a junior level and have grown with the company into positions of leadership, and it makes me as a leader truly proud and happy that we've been able to create a positive culture of growth. And while statistics rarely ever tell a full story, it's nevertheless true that Zilingo not only has a nearly even gender ratio but also has a number of leadership roles. These include country managers and SVPs of our business orgs, many of our senior engineering leaders, our senior product managers, our data & UX leads, leaders in the HR, finance, and legal teams, and many more.

Unfortunately, over the last few days, there have been some things said in the media that don't reflect either the kind of company that we've wanted to build, nor the kind of culture that I've seen around me in my time here. Reading this feels disheartening and all of this feels counterproductive to the company's goals, to our employees and our customers. We're troubled to see some people in the team act against the interests of the company, sometimes in a way that hurts Zilingo's reputation or the reputation of various people in the organization.



I regret the distracting effect all of this is likely having on work, and I'm sorry that I've not been as present as I normally am in team meetings and discussions. I hope that things return to normal soon, that I'm able to talk to all of you often again, and that we have good things to look forward to in terms of the work we're doing.

Finally, if you feel that we can do more, whether to combat harassment or make it easier to report or to explain official mechanisms of redressal for workplace issues, please write to your HR manager or Sonam or Aadi or me. No matter what the media has said over the last few days, I hope that you have personally found Zilingo's work culture to be positive and supportive in your time here. And if not, we'll always welcome your feedback, whether on our culture or anything else, so that we can see what we can do to make Zilingo an even better place.



Dhruv


Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates has recently said in an interview that the chance of a more virulent variant emerging is way above 5 per cent, and that we have not seen the worst of the pandemic yet. Experts across the globe agree that words of caution and active, coordinated monitoring and surveillance are a must to predict and mitigate risks of waves and the spread of infections across regions.

In this context, India, which is home to 1.4 billion people, appears to be faring well. It is one of the few countries that have contained the Omicron-led wave (third one in ...
Delhi power minister on Wednesday claimed the figures cited by him in his recent letter to Union Power minister R K Singh was authentic and if there was any confusion, it was created by the Centre and its website.

In his April 28 letter to Singh, Jain had given details of low at various thermal plants supplying power to Delhi, and urged the Centre to ensure adequate availability of coal for uninterrupted electricity supply in the capital.

Replyng to Jain, Singh had charged that the Delhi government was "misleading" the public with incorrect information about the electricity situation in the capital, according to sources. He had also shared availability of coal at various plants.

The figures mentioned in the April 28 letter to Singh were taken from Centre's website -- National Power Portal, Jain said at a press conference on Wednesday.

"After my letter, they may be through diversion of rakes or some other way, increased coal supply a little bit," Jain said answering a question over the issue of coal stock at thermal power plants.

The Delhi power minister claimed that even the Union Power minister has accepted that the coal stock at different power plants was for 3-5 days only, while it should be maintained for 21 days.

"I sent him authenticated data, which was available on their website. There is no confusion in it, if anyone has created any confusion it was done by the website and the Centre," Jain said.

Jain in his fresh letter to Singh on Monday, had appreciated the Centre's efforts to replenish coal stock at power plants, and maintained that the figures cited by by him were based on the daily coal report of the National Power Portal managed by the Centre.

(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 J.P. Nadda said on Tuesday that the safe evacuation of 23,000 Indian nationals from war-hit Ukraine under the leadership of Prime Minister shows that India is changing.

Nadda was addressing party workers in the capital after inaugurating the South Delhi district office on Tuesday.

"An empowered India under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi safely evacuated 23,000 Indians from war-hit Ukraine, which shows that India is changing. Not just Indian students, but people from other countries were also evacuated by India from Ukraine, when other nations failed to evacuate their citizens," Nadda said.

He told the party workers that when the Indian government was ensuring the safe evacuation of students from Ukraine, the workers kept in touch with their parents and visited them multiple times to offer support.

"Not just this. Didn't Modiji talk to (Ukraine President Volodymyr) Zelensky? Didn't he talk to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin? Didn't he arrange for the safe evacuation of our people," Nadda asked the gathering.

He also said that the officials of the External Affairs Ministry had reached the borders of Ukraine and arranged visas overnight to bring back the stranded Indians.

"This is the changing India. Modiji has empowered India," the BJP chief said.

He also talked about Covid vaccination and other welfare measures of the Modi government like free ration, Kisan Samman Nidhi etc.

Taking a dig at the Aam Aadmi Party, Nadda said, "The AAP contested 377 seats in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls where all its candidates lost deposits. Similarly, in Uttarakhand it lost deposits in 68 seats it contested."

Nadda informed the gathering that so far, 215 district offices of BJP have been built out of a total 512 planned across the country, and work is in progress in the 165 offices.

"In Delhi, 14 offices were to be built of which the 10th one is being inaugurated today," Nadda added.

--IANS

ssb/arm

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
People infected with COVID-19 in are now allowed to leave quarantine after just five days, with a negative test recommended but no longer mandatory, Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach said on Tuesday.

Previous rules in required people infected with COVID-19 to isolate themselves for seven days and then test negative before ending their quarantine.

Infected individuals who continued to test positive after five days should remain isolated until testing negative.

According to Lauterbach, the regulatory mandated quarantine would only apply to infected persons, no longer to first contacts.

The change to the quarantine order was made on an earlier recommendation of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the federal government agency for disease control and prevention.

Germany's seven-day COVID-19 incidence on Tuesday continued to decline to 632.2 infections per 100,000 citizens, down from 909.1 a week ago, according to the RKI. The number of new infections within 24 hours fell to 113,522.

(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.)
weighing 1,389 grams and valued at Rs 11.53 crore has been seized from a Tanzanian national at the international airport here following which he was arrested, Customs department said on Wednesday.

Based on the passenger's profiling and body language, the officials of Air Intelligence Unit, Hyderabad Customs Commissionerate intercepted the 50-year-old Tanzanian, who arrived from Johannesburg (via Abu Dhabi) by a flight recently, they said.

During inquiry, he confessed to having ingested capsules containing . After obtaining the Magistrate's permission, the passenger was admitted to a hospital and under medical supervision, over a period of six days, he purged out a total of 108 capsules containing wrapped in adhesive transparent tape, a release from Customs said.

The capsules were cut open and the smuggled heroin weighing 1,389.100 grams and worth



Rs 11.53 crore in the international grey market was seized, it said.

The passenger was arrested on May 3 under NDPS Act, 1985 and remanded to judicial custody.

During investigation, it was revealed that he swallowed the capsules in Tanzania. He was supposed to purge them over a period of three to four days and hand over to an unknown person, Customs officials said.

Further investigation is in progress.

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Business leaders of India and Denmark discussed several issues including wind energy, and other green technologies during the Business Forum event between the two countries on Tuesday.

Prime Minister jointly participated with Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen, and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, in the India-Denmark Business Forum at the Confederation of Danish Industry.

Addressing a press briefing here after several high-level meetings between the two countries, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said, "At comprehensive CEOs' business roundtable meet. All issues-wind energy, manufacturing of green technologies in India with India-Denmark support, bringing together capabilities of both in solar energy, making conventional manufacturing processes more green, were discussed."

"I have no hesitation in saying that in the years to come, you will see good tendencies not only in trade but also progress in the Danish investment in India and extensive support in the field of technology," he said.

Kwatra said PM Modi's visit starts a new chapter in India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership and sets an ambitious agenda of cooperation that is mutually beneficial for both countries.

During the India-Denmark Business Forum, the Prime Minister emphasized the complementary skillsets of the two economies and invited Danish companies to take advantage of India's enormous opportunities in areas like green technologies, cold chains, waste to wealth, shipping and ports, among others.

He highlighted the business-friendly approach of India and exhorted business communities of both sides to explore collaboration opportunities.

Prime Minister Frederiksen highlighted the role of the business communities in forming a bridge between the two countries.

The event saw the participation of businesses from both countries in areas like Green Technology, Innovation and Digitization, Energy Independence and Renewable Energy, Water, Environment and Agriculture and Infrastructure, Transportation & Services.

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People watch a TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea's missile launch with file footage, at a train station in Seoul, May 4. AP-Yonhap



The presidential National Security Council (NSC) said Wednesday it "strongly condemns" North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile as a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.



Following an emergency meeting held shortly after North Korea fired the missile toward the East Sea, the NSC called for Pyongyang to stop actions that pose a serious threat to the Korean Peninsula and the international society.



The NSC also urged North Korea to swiftly return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy.






About 35 eminent citizens have written to the government and the municipal corporations, urging them to immediately stop the "illegal and unlawful" demolitions in the national capital.

The signatories of the letter include economist Jayati Ghosh, All India Democratic Women's Association members Malini Bhattacharya and Mariam Dhawale, social activist Anjali Bhardwaj, and All India Progressive Women's Association member Kavita Krishnan.

In the letter addressed to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, they said it was "appalling" that bulldozers hired by civic authorities were targeting temporary structures essential to the livelihood of people.

They said the recent visits and subsequent statements by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation mayor about areas earmarked for future demolition point to the "real and present danger" that the actions in Jahangirpuri and Kalyanpuri have caused over the past week.

The BJP-ruled SDMC on Wednesday launched an anti-encroachment drive as part of a 10-day action plan to remove illegal structures from areas within its jurisdiction, including Shaheen Bagh which was the venue of gathering for the protracted anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests in 2019.

According to an official, the drive will cover areas such as the Shaheen Bagh main road, Kalindi Kunj, MB Road, Meharchand Market, Sriniwas Puri and Khada Colony.

"It is deeply disturbing that demolitions in these areas have been put on hold only because the Delhi Police publicly asked for a 10-day notice in order to cooperate with the order.

"Massive presence of paramilitary forces in some of these areas as well as frequent processions and slogan-shouting by crowds led by BJP leaders are contributing to an overall climate of intimidation and terror," the signatories of the letter said.

They called upon all authorities to take a serious note of this "unfolding injustice" and immediately put an end to demolitions of any sort.

"Stop attacking the source of livelihood and homes of the poor residents immediately," the eminent citizens said.

Alleging this anti-encroachment drive was being used as a tool to harass the minority community in Delhi, they urged authorities to reassure the Muslim residents that they belong to the city as much as any other community does and will be offered full protection of the law.

"We call upon all authorities to offer just compensation, rehabilitation and restoration of lost livelihoods to residents whose property has been illegally destroyed by the state, subjecting them to loss of livelihood and personal trauma," they added.

These anti-encroachment drives in the national capital began after Delhi BJP Chief Adesh Gupta wrote to the mayors of South and East corporations on April 20 to remove encroachments by "Rohingyas, Bangladeshis and anti-social elements" in their areas.

Clashes broke out between two communities during a Hanuman Jayanti procession at Jahangirpuri last month, leaving eight police personnel and a local injured.

Several concrete and temporary structures in Jahangirpuri were brought down last month as part of an anti-encroachment drive by the BJP-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), days after the northwest Delhi neighbourhood was rocked by communal violence.

The Supreme Court had to intervene twice to stop the drive after it took cognizance of a petition filed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind against the demolition.

(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.)
Queen of Denmark Margrethe II extended a warm reception to Prime Minister here on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Modi felicitated the Queen on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of her reign, (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Twitter.

The 82-year-old Queen has been Denmark's reigning monarch since 1972. The Danish monarchy is one of the oldest in the world.

Her Majesty, the Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark, Margrethe II extended a warm reception to PM @narendramodi. Prime Minister felicitated Her Majesty on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of her reign, Bagchi said in a tweet.

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President on Wednesday urged the government to make all possible efforts for the promotion and growth of Bodo language and literature.

Addressing the 61st annual conference of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS) here, he said it has played a significant role in ensuring that Bodo is included as a medium of education in both school and higher educational institutions.

Kovind also recalled former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's contribution in ensuring that Bodo was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution in 2004.

Bodo has been declared as the official language of the state and the "protection and promotion of a language is the responsibility of both the society and the government. I urge Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to make all possible efforts in this direction," the president said.

He asserted that peace and harmony along with development initiatives taken by the central and government has led to the setting up of more educational institutions in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).

Kovind arrived here on Tuesday on a three-day visit to the northeast.

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The (SC) on Wednesday ruled in favour of the Revenue Department in the reassessment dispute case. The top court reversed the earlier high court orders that had quashed income-tax notices issued after March 31, 2021, under the old reassessment regime.

The SC ruling has come as a setback for thousands of taxpayers who had got favourable orders from several high courts on reassessment.

The apex court held that notices issued under the old regime will not be invalid and shall be deemed to have been issued under new provision of the reassessment regime introduced in the Finance Act, 2021.

..in order to strike a balance between the rights of I-T and taxpayers and to prevent the loss of public exchequer, the Supreme Court, as one-time exception has directed that notices issued earlier under Section 148 to be deemed to have been issued under Section 148A of the Act under the new law, the said in the order.

The new reassessment law had capped the period for issuing notices with respect to reopening past cases at three years, down from from six years earlier.

Even as the new regime kicked in from April 1, 2021, the tax department had issued over 90,000 notices between April 1 and June 30, 2021, for earlier years.

The notices were issued based on the governments notification extending the time limit to June 30, 2021, citing the second wave of the pandemic. Following this, 9,000 plus writ petitions were filed in many courts challenging validation of the notices.

The tax department had issued these notices under section 148, alleging under-reporting and misreporting of income for years prior to the last three assessment years.





"Introduction of section 148A ( new regime) of the IT Act can be said to be a game changer with an aim to achieve the ultimate object of simplifying the tax administration, ease compliance and reduce litigation," the apex court said.

Change in law for reassessment has been made by the legislature for the benefit of taxpayers and the I-T department cannot be left remediless due to a bona-fide mistake of extending time limits by a notification and issuing such reassessment notices on or after April 1, 2021, under the old reassessment law, when new law had become applicable, it said.

It also directed the tax department to give sufficient opportunity to taxpayers.

The judgment of SC is a landmark in the history of income tax jurisprudence, as it has invoked Article 142 of the Constitution, modifying and in a way reversing the orders passed by several courts, said Rakesh Nangia, chairman, Nangia Andersen India.

This ruling is on a special review petition filed by the Centre after three high Courts  Delhi, Allahabad and Rajasthan  quashed the notices issued by the tax department. Other high courts followed suit preventing the tax department from reopening cases for reassessment.

Revenue cannot be without remedy and at the the same time, a one-time opportunity for defence must be provided to assessees, thus upholding democracy, fairness and above all striking balance, said Mumbai-based chartered accountant Mitil Chokshi.

In the past, apex court has invoked Article 142 in some historical cases with wide ramifications such as Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi land dispute, Bhopal gas tragedy and coal block allocation, Nangia pointed out.
Ahead of the seven days ongoing Valedictory functions in the ending on 4 May, several Union Ministers including and G Kishan Reddy and the Chief Ministers of all northeastern states met for a dinner at the residence of CM on Tuesday, and discussed several issues of the .

The DoNER Ministry had organised this ' Festival' as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav from April 28 to May 4.

The Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) had organised a seven-day 'Valedictory Ceremony' with the spirit of "Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahi", and the intention to highlight the beauty of the North East and its achievements in various fields through the festival.

As per a press statement by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on April 26, President Ram Nath Kovind will also attend the ceremony on Wednesday, i.e, today.

"Had the privilege to host a dinner for the Union Ministers and my fellow CMs from North East Region (NER). The special get together provided an opportunity to discuss issues, in an informal setting, relating to the North East (NE), which is fast turning into a growth centre, as envisioned by Honorable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji," the state CM tweeted.

The festival was attended by the Governor of and Nagaland, Prof Jagdish Mukhi; Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal; Minister of Law and Justice, Kiren Rijiju, and the Minister of State Mdoner B.L. Verma.

Under the spirit of "Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahi, various programmes were slotted across all the eight States. These programmes covered all the areas which are critical to the development of the North East including infrastructure, investment potential, energy needs and the role of women in the development of the North East.

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By Sudarshan Varadhan

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India has asked state and private sector utilities to ensure delivery of 19 million tonnes of coal from overseas by end-June, according to a letter, reflecting an urgency to secure supplies in a pricey market amid increasing blackouts.

The move, which marks the first time the world's second largest coal importer is issuing timelines for imports, can put pressure on the global prices of coal as the utilities rush to avoid a repeat of the electricity crisis in April.

If the timelines are adhered to, the imports by the states and private utilities over the next five months for blending with domestic coal will surpass annual imports by the entities in at least six years.

An unrelenting heatwave pushed electricity demand to a record high in April, leading to the worst in over six years and forcing India to go back on a policy to cut down .

The federal government has asked state government-owned utilities to import over 22 million tonnes of coal and private power plants to import 15.94 million tonnes, the said in a letter reviewed by Reuters.

The asked all utilities to ensure delivery of 50% of the allocated quantity by June 30, another 40% by end-August and the remaining 10% by the end of October, according to the letter to top officials at state energy departments and heads of private power plants.

State government-run utilities have not imported for blending more than 7.1 million tonnes and private companies not more than 13.1 million tonnes since at least the year ending March 2017. Data predating year ended March 2017 is not available.

The federal power ministry did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.

Utilities are not obligated to honour the federal government directives, but two government officials who attended meetings related to rising power demand said that states were warned of blackouts if the suggested quantities were not imported.

States and private companies "must import" coal and "ensure continuous power supply in the respective states", the letter read.

"To ensure minimum required coal stocks in power plants before onset of monsoon, it is necessary that placement of awards for importing coal for blending purpose is completed by 31.5.2022," the ministry said in the letter dated April 28.

Private companies including Adani Power, Tata Power, Reliance Power, Jindal Steel and Power, Torrent Power and Sembcorp have been given import targets, the letter showed.

The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

"All the State generation companies and independent power plants must submit weekly management information system report by every Friday to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and the Ministry of Power about port wise indents placed, arrival and delivery of imported coal plant wise," the letter read.

(Reporting by Sudarshan Varadhan; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)

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The central government will hold the National Sagarmala Apex Committee (NSAC) meeting on Friday to discuss various policy measures for development of ports and related infrastructure under the Sagarmala programme.

The apex committee, which was formed in 2015, will meet with Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in attendance, among others.

"The committee shall review the Sagarmala program along with review of development of port linked Road and Rail connectivity project, development of Floating jetties and Inland waterways besides other agenda items," the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways said.

Sagarmala is the government's overarching project for maritime development, aimed at enhancing infrastructure and capacity in and around India's major ports. Currently, there are over 800 projects worth Rs 5.48 trillion in the pipeline. Sources in the ministry told Business Standard that close 700 new infrastructure projects have been identified, almost doubling the pipeline for the project. The programme was started in 2015 with just 175 projects.

So far, the ministry has completed projects worth Rs 99,281 crore since Sagarmala's inception with a target of Rs 2 trillion by FY24. A majority of these projects pertain to connectivity of railways and roadways to major ports, enhancement of cargo terminal infrastructure, capacity expansion, development of floating jetties, and development of the country's inland waterways network. The ministry estimates cargo handling through inland waterways to double to 200 million tonne (mt) by 2025.

Port projects also account for 2 per cent of the Centre's Rs 6 trillion national monetisation pipeline (NMP). Business Standard on Tuesday reported that the ministry missed its FY22 Monetisation targets by over 85 per cent, on account of delays in obtaining security clearance. Officials in the know say that the apex committee will also take up asset monetisation during the meeting, with the ministry tweaking its targets and adding more projects for this and the upcoming financial years.
The number of people facing rose to 193 million last year as conflict, climate change and economic crises ravaged people's livelihoods, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization said Wednesday.

While experts have warned that Russia's war in Ukraine could cause famine, the FAO said in an annual report that nearly 40 million more people were pushed into "acute food insecurity" in 2021.

Among 53 countries facing the problem, the most affected include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Yemen and Afghanistan where millions face after the country plunged into financial crisis following the Taliban takeover in 2021.

The defines "acute food insecurity" as when a person's inability to consume adequate food puts their lives or livelihoods in immediate danger.

"This is that threatens to slide into famine and cause widespread death," the FAO said.

The number has risen constantly since the first report was published by the FAO, the World Food Programme and the European Union in 2016.

The increase in 2021 has been "driven by a toxic triple combination of conflict, weather extremes and economic shocks", with people affected in 53 countries, the FAO said.

Although the report does not take into account the conflict in Ukraine, the FAO said the war "stands to have the most devastating impacts on food crisis countries and on those on the brink of famine".





Russia and Ukraine are major exporters of essential agricultural products, ranging from wheat and sunflower oil to fertiliser, and the FAO has previously said the conflict sent world food prices to an all-time high in March.

"The war has already highlighted the interconnected nature and fragility of global food systems," the FAO said.

The agency noted that several countries battling major food crises obtained almost all of their wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine last year, including Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar.

The FAO warned that the "outlook moving forward is not good".

"Today, if more is not done to support rural communities, the scale of the devastation in terms of hunger and lost livelihoods will be appalling," the report said.

"Urgent humanitarian action is needed on a massive scale to prevent that from happening," it said.

In 2021, conflict and insecurity was the main driver of acute hunger in 24 countries, affecting 139 million people.

Economic "shocks", worsened by the impact of Covid, hit 30.2 million people in 21 countries.

Extreme weather was the main driver of acute food insecurity for 23.5 million people in eight African countries.

The FAO said it needs $1.5 billion to stabilise and increase local food production in at-risk regions where planting season is starting.

(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.)
Afghans who sought refuge in in the wake of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, are increasingly facing a risk of deportation by the Iranian authorities, amid the rising tensions at the desert border between the two countries, a media report said.

Following the takeover of Kabul last year, the 960-kilometre long border with became a lifeline for Afghans who piled into smugglers' pickups in desperate search of money and work, Frontier Post reported.

In recent weeks, however, the desert crossing, long a dangerous corner of the world, has become a growing source of tension as an estimated 5,000 Afghans traverse it each day, the report said.

In past weeks, skirmishes have been reported between and Iranian border guards, who already were not on good terms to start with.

Recently, Afghans in three cities rallied against with demonstrators hurling stones and setting fires outside an Iranian Consulate, the report said.

A fatal stabbing spree, allegedly by an Afghan migrant, at Iran's holiest shrine, sent shockwaves through the country. Even as both nations do not want an escalation, long-smouldering hostilities risk spiralling out of control, the report said citing political analysts.

"You have one of the world's worst-simmering refugee crises just chugging along on a daily pace and historical enmity," Andrew Watkins, senior expert at the United States Institute of Peace was quoted as saying. "Earthquakes will happen," he added.

However, the perils are personal for Afghans slipping across the border, the report said.

Since the takeover, Iran has escalated its deportations of Afghan migrants, according to the UN migration agency, warning that its sanctions-hit economy cannot handle the influx.

In the first three months of this year, Iran's deportations jumped 60 per cent each month, the report said, citing Ashley Carl, deputy chief of the agency's mission.

Many of the 251,000 who returned from Iran this year bear the wounds and scars of the arduous trip, Carl said, surviving car accidents, gunshots and other travails.

Roshangol Hakimi, a 35-year-old who fled to Iran after the Taliban takeover, said smugglers held her and her 9-year-old daughter hostage for over a week until her relatives paid a ransom, the report said.

"They would feed us with polluted water and hard, stale bread," Hakimi said, adding, "We were dying."

The lucky ones land in the jumble of Tehran, squeezing into dank and crowded alleyways of the city, the report said, adding that, Iran estimates at least a million Afghans have sought refuge in the country over the last eight months.

These Afghans, who are now in Tehran are stuck in limbo, the report said, citing the example of Husseini, who had fled to Iran with her two small children, trekking by foot, motorcycle and truck until reaching Iran.

Husseini lives in legal limbo, vulnerable to harassment and exploitation, her boss at the tailor's shop refuses to pay her salary while her landlord threatens to kick her out.

Husseini can barely cobble together enough cash to feed her children, the report said.

"We have nothing and nowhere to go," she said from a cramped room in southern Tehran, furnished with just a donated gas heater, chairs and a few velour blankets.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh lamented last month that "waves of displaced Afghans cannot continue to Iran" because Iran's "capacities are limited," the report said.

Iran's youth unemployment hovers over 23 per cent. Iran's currency, the rial, has shrivelled to less than 50 per cent of its value since 2018, the report further said.

Iran has grown more anxious as a string of bloody attacks in targeting the country's minority Hazara Shiites makes clear that extremist threats proliferate despite Taliban promises to provide security, the report added.

The neighbours nearly came to blows last week when Taliban guards tried to pave a new road across the border. Iranian guards went on high alert and the vital crossing was closed, the report said, adding that, aware of the stakes, the countries are vigorously pursuing diplomacy.

(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 women in the find themselves on the verge of possibly losing the constitutional right to abortion, courts in many other parts of the world have been moving in the opposite direction.

That includes in a number of traditionally conservative societies such as recently in Colombia, where the Constitutional Court in February legalized the procedure until the 24th week of pregnancy, part of a broader trend seen in parts of heavily Catholic Latin America.

It's not yet clear what impact there will be outside the from the leaked draft opinion suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

But for women's activists who for years have led grinding campaigns demanding open access to abortion, often looking to the as a model, it's a discouraging sign and a reminder that hard-won gains can be impermanent.

It is an awful precedent for the coming years for the region and the world, said Colombian Catalina Martnez Coral, Latin America and Caribbean director for the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights, which was among the groups that litigated the case in Colombia's high court.

The February ruling there established a broad right for women to have abortions within the 24-week period, whereas previously they could do so only in specific cases such as if a fetus presented malformations or a pregnancy resulted from rape. is still allowed after that period under those special circumstances.

The decision fell short of advocates' hopes for a complete decriminalization, but Martnez Coral said it still left Colombia with the most progressive legal framework in Latin America.

Similarly, Mexico's Supreme Court held last year that it was unconstitutional to punish . As the country's highest court, its ruling bars all jurisdictions from charging a woman with a crime for terminating a pregnancy.

Statutes outlawing abortion are still on the books in most of Mexico's 32 states, however, and nongovernmental organizations that have long pushed for decriminalization are pressing state legislatures to reform them. Abortion was already readily available in Mexico City and some states.

To the south in Argentina, lawmakers in late 2020 passed a bill legalizing abortion until the 14th week and after that for circumstances similar to those described in the Colombia ruling.

It's also widely available in Cuba and Uruguay.

But expansion of abortion access has not extended to all of Latin America, with many countries restricting it to certain circumstances such as Brazil, the region's most populous nation, where it's permissible only in cases of rape, risk to the woman's life and certified cases of the birth defect anencephaly. Former President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva, who is seeking a new term in October, recently said he sees legalizing abortion as a public health issue, eliciting criticism in a country where few approve of the procedure.

Other places have total bans with no exceptions, such as Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. Courts in the latter have given women long prison sentences for aggravated homicide even in cases where prosecutors suspect a miscarriage was actually an abortion.

Many African nations also maintain complete bans, but in October 2021, Benin legalized abortion in most circumstances up to 12 weeks. Previously it was permitted in cases of rape or incest; risk to the woman's life; or severe fetal malformation.

Most European countries have legalized abortion, including predominantly Catholic ones. Ireland did so in 2018, followed by tiny San Marino in a voter referendum last fall. It remains illegal in Andorra, Malta and Vatican City, while Poland last year tightened its abortion laws.

It's also been widely available in Israel since 1978 and relatively uncontroversial, allowed by law before the 24th week with the approval of hospital termination committees that consist of medical professionals including at least one woman.

Laws and interpretations vary across the Muslim world.

Abortion has been legal up to 12 weeks in Tunisia for decades, but in Iran it's been forbidden since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Last year the leader of Cairo's top institution of Islamic clerics, Al-Azhar, said abortion is not the solution even in cases where a child is likely to be seriously ill or disabled.

When the U.S. Supreme Court's final decision is handed down, expected in late June or early July, the world will be watching.

While moves to decriminalize and legalize abortion in places like Argentina, Ireland, Mexico and Colombia in the last few years have been a huge win for the global community, Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of the human rights group Amnesty International, said in a statement, there are grim signs that the United States is out of step with the progress that the rest of the world is making in protecting sexual and reproductive rights.

(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 photo released by the North Korean Central News Agency shows a new Hwasong-17 missile displayed in a military parade held to celebrate the 90th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, April 25. EPA-Yonhap



Yoon's transition team denounces provocation



By Ko Dong-hwan



North Korea has fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea, Wednesday, according to South Korea's military.



It was the Kim Jong-un regime's 14th missile launch this year and came six days before President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration ceremony on May 10. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from the Sunan area in the North's capital, Pyongyang, at around 12:00 p.m. It flew 470 kilometers in distance and at an altitude of 780 kilometers.



The JCS said the South Korean military, shortly after detecting the missile launch, started tracking and monitoring related movements and maintained readiness positions for a possible follow-up missile launch by North Korea.



The JCS said its chairman, Won In-choul, and United States Forces Korea Commander Gen. Paul LaCamera met in an on-screen meeting shortly after the missile detection and confirmed that the two countries will remain locked in steadfast defense against North Korean missiles.



"The series of missile launches North Korea has conducted recently seriously threatens not just the Korean Peninsula but also the global community," the JCS said. "It clearly violates the U.N. Security Council's sanctions."



The South Korean National Security Council (NSC), following the missile launch, held an emergency meeting with National Security Director Suh Hoon, who later reported it to President Moon Jae-in. The NSC said that South Korea, with the new administration starting on May 10, will withstand any threat with the country's steadfast military capabilities and watertight alliance with Washington.



The Wednesday missile launch came after the North test-fired what it claimed to be a tactical guided weapon on April 16. It came less than a week before the inauguration of South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, who said that there could be a need to conduct a preemptive strike against Pyongyang to protect South Korea from the North.





Lee Jong-sup, the national defense minister nominee, speaks during a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly, May 4. Joint Press Corps.
US Secretary of State, will be holding a ministerial-level meeting in the on action for global in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is pushing several developing countries into "desperate hunger situations," according to US Permanent Representative, Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

The meeting will take place on May 18 on the eve of a Security Council debate on "Conflict and Food Security" as the US ramps up its campaign to forestall the war's fallout in creating a food crisis, she told reporters on Tuesday after taking over as President of the Security Council.

A former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, who has also served on that continent, Thomas-Greenfield said, "I've seen starvation up close with my own eyes."

"We cannot look away from the millions who are worried about where they'll find their next meal or how they'll feed their families," she added.

"The meeting will include Foreign Ministers from many regionally diverse countries to review urgent humanitarian needs and take steps to build future resilience," Thomas-Greenfield said.

While the looming crisis is being addressed at other fora, "our intent is to expand the circle, including both donors and countries, most affected by the spike in food insecurity," she added.

She said Ukraine was the "breadbasket for the developing world" but because Russia has "blocked crucial ports and destroyed civilian infrastructure and grain silos, desperate hunger situations in Africa and the Middle East are getting even more dire".

Cooperation between the US and India on averting a food crisis figured in talks between the leaders of the two countries in April.

India is sitting on a wheat stockpile estimated at nearly 100 million tonne, far in excess of a safety net.

"Our countries are working together to try to bring more food to world markets, as well as to the World Food Programme," Blinken said after the ministerial meeting between him, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Jaishankar said it also came up at the virtual summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden.

World Trade Organisation's restrictions on exporting food procured by governments at support prices is one of the barriers to India, which is the world's second-largest producer of wheat after China, from exporting more of its surplus.

Thomas-Greenfield said the impact of digital technology on peace and security would be another signature event of the US leadership of the Council.

The event "will contribute to the Council's understanding of the evolving landscape, and it will offer a chance to share national perspectives as well as best practices, highlight the importance of capacity-building, and help us all identify ways the UN can continue to adapt its efforts," she added.

The US took over the rotating Council presidency from Britain and it can keep up the pressure on Russia.

While it was the President, Britain delayed a request from Russia for an emergency meeting.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in)

--IANS

arul/khz/

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The European Union's leader on Wednesday called on the 27-nation bloc to ban oil imports from in a sixth package of sanctions targeting Moscow for its war in Ukraine.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT banking payment system.

Von der Leyen, addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, called on the EU's member nations to phase out imports of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year.

We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets, von der Leyen said.

The proposals need to be unanimously approved to take effect and are likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Von der Leyen conceded that getting all 27 member countries some of them landlocked and highly dependent on for energy supplies to agree on oil sanctions will not be easy.

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and Ping An executives plan to meet in mid-May to discuss the Chinese insurer's proposal that the bank should explore strategic options such as spinning off its Asian business, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Ping An, the biggest shareholder in HSBC, called last week on the London-headquartered bank to look at ways to boost returns in a move viewed by some analysts as potentially being driven more by politics than finances.

The source declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the situation.

Ping An, which is China's biggest insurance company, did not respond to requests for comment. declined to comment.

Europe's biggest lender by total assets has not commented on Ping An's proposal but defended its structure last week, saying in a statement that it believed it had the right strategy and was focused on delivery.

HSBC's Hong Kong-listed shares rose 1.9% on Wednesday, building on Tuesday's gains of 2.6%, outperforming again as markets warmed up to the idea of a break-up. The London-listed shares were up 1.5% in London in a weaker market.

shareholders have grappled with the idea of a breakup several times in recent years as disappointing earnings from UK, European and U.S. businesses and a failure to deliver on promises of double-digit returns weighed on the bank's stock.

HSBC earned 52% of last year's total revenue of $49.6 billion from Asia and 65% of its reported profit before tax came from the region.

Some investors, however, gave the proposal a lukewarm response this week, voicing concerns that a split would prove complex with no guarantee of boosting returns.

"To the extent that the Asian arm would see an increase in value, a separation could make sense," said Hargreaves Lansdown Select Fund Manager Steve Clayton.

"However, Western investors may take the opposite view; moving a big part of HSBC's value out of UK regulation and into the reach of an increasingly assertive Chinese regulatory environment could be viewed as a negative move."

CENTRE OF GRAVITY

Ping An said last week that it supports all reform proposals that could help to increase HSBC's long-term value. Ping An owned an 8.23% stake in HSBC as of early February 2022. It first reported it owned a 5% stake in HSBC in late 2017.

Chinese state entity Shenzhen Investment Holdings Co is Ping An's second-biggest shareholder and another state entity, Central Huijin Investment, is among its top five shareholders, company filings show.

An Asian demerger could also lead to higher costs of capital in the longer term, effectively wiping out any quick gains gleaned from new listings, some investors and analysts said.

HSBC's Hong Kong-listed shares have surged about 85% since plunging to 25-year lows in September 2020.

The timing of Ping An's call for change comes amid growing geopolitical tensions between the West and China and may encourage investors to consider more than just the financial forces at play.

Citing people inside Chinese state enterprises and HSBC, Reuters reported last year that Beijing had become disenchanted with the bank over sensitive legal and political issues, from China's crackdown in Hong Kong to the U.S. indictment of an executive at Chinese tech champion Huawei Technologies.

In 2016, HSBC decided to keep its headquarters in London, rejecting the option of shifting its centre of gravity back to its main profit-generating hub of Hong Kong after a 10-month review.



HSBC was founded in Hong Kong in 1865 as The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. It also opened offices in Shanghai and London that year to support trade.

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IBM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Arvind Krishna has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of .

The Federal Reserve Bank of on Monday announced that Krishna has been elected as a Class B director, "representing the public with due but not exclusive consideration to the interests of agriculture, commerce, industry, services, labour, and consumers."



The Fed said in a statement that Krishna will fill the vacancy in the office for the remaining portion of a three-year term ending December 31, 2023.

"In his current and former roles, Mr. Krishna has led the building and expansion of new markets for IBM in cloud, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and quantum computing. He has also played a significant role in the development of innovative IBM products and solutions based on these emerging technologies," the statement added.

Krishna, who has an undergraduate degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and a PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, previously was senior vice president of Cloud and Cognitive Software. He also headed IBM Research and was the general manager of IBM Systems and Technology Group's development and manufacturing organisation.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York works within the Federal Reserve System and with other public and private sector institutions to foster the safety, soundness and vitality of US economic and financial systems. It is one of 12 regional Reserve Banks which, together with the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C., make up the Federal Reserve System.

The Fed, as the system is commonly called, is an independent governmental entity created by Congress in 1913 to serve as the central bank of the United States.

The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 requires each of the Reserve Banks to operate under the supervision of a board of directors. Each Reserve Bank has nine directors who represent the interests of their Reserve District and whose experience provides the Reserve Banks with a wider range of expertise that helps them fulfil their policy and operational responsibilities, the statement said.

The nine directors of each Reserve Bank are divided evenly by classification: three Class A directors represent the member banks in the district; three Class B directors and Class C directors each represent the interests of the public, it said.

The directors of the Reserve Banks act as an important link between the Federal Reserve and the private sector, ensuring that the Fed's decisions on monetary policy are informed by actual economic conditions, it added.

The New York Fed oversees the Second Federal Reserve District, which includes New York state, the 12 northern counties of New Jersey, Fairfield County in Connecticut, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Though it serves a geographically small area compared with those of other Federal Reserve Banks, the New York Fed is the largest Reserve Bank in terms of assets and volume of activity, according to information on the Fed's website.

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and Canada are working on an open skies agreement which would allow from both sides to operate unlimited flights between the two countries.

 and Canada have agreed to step up number of direct flights and to work towards an open skies regime, Indias high commissioner to Canada Ajay Bisaria tweeted following a meeting between civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Canadas transport minister Omar Alghabra on Tuesday.

At present Air and Air Canada operate 29 non-stop flights per week between Canada and Delhi. There are demands to start direct flights between Amritsar and Canada while Mumbai airport too is looking to re-establish connection with Canada. However, the launch of new routes would also depend upon the geo-political environment. In fact, Air Canada is suspending its thrice weekly Vancouver-Delhi service from June because of restrictions on use of Russian airspace.

Apart from the plan to increase air connectivity, the two ministers also discussed furthering technical co-operation in civil aviation. Scindia who is on an official visit to US and Canada has met business leaders, visited manufacturing plants and also articulated Indias efforts on lowering carbon footprint in aviation.

India is working towards making its airports carbon neutral in the near future so as to emerge as a responsible player in the civil aviation industry, Scindia said.

The Civil Aviation Organiation is working on a long term climate goal for the aviation sector that will come up for negotiations in September. Various countries and aviation bodies such Air Transport Association and Airports Council International have backed the call for net zero target by 2050.

India on the other hand committed in COP-26 meeting last year to achieve net zero emissions by 2070 and is of the view that de-carbonisation efforts should be equitable for all countries.
is trying to get deeper discounts on Russian oil to compensate for the risk of dealing with the OPEC+ producer as other buyers turn away, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The South Asian nation is seeking Russian cargoes at less than $70 a barrel on a delivered basis to compensate for additional hurdles, such as securing financing for purchases, in high-level talks between the two countries, said the people, asking not to be identified as discussions are confidential. Global benchmark Brent is currently trading near $108 a barrel.

State-owned and private refiners in the worlds third-biggest oil importer have bought more than 40 million barrels of Russian crude since the invasion of Ukraine in late February, the people said. Thats 20% more than Russia-to- flows for the whole of 2021, according to Bloomberg calculations based on trade ministry data.

-- which imports more than 85% of its oil -- is among the few remaining buyers of Russian crude, a key source of revenue for Vladimir Putins regime. Evaporating European demand is putting severe pressure on Russias oil industry, with the government forecasting output could drop by as much as 17% this year.

Flows of Russian oil to India arent sanctioned, but tightening restrictions in areas such as marine insurance and pressure on New Delhi from the U.S. are making the trade more difficult. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has so far resisted Western encouragement to scale back its relationship with Moscow because of the opportunity to get heavily discounted oil. India is also highly dependent on imports of Russian weapons.

Indias state refiners can take about 15 million barrels a month -- around 10% of overall imports -- if Russia agrees to the price demands and delivers the oil to India, the people said. Government-affiliated processors stand to benefit from any potential agreement, they said. Private refiners such as Reliance Industries Ltd. and Nayara Energy Ltd. typically buy their crude individually.

The Indian government didnt immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Moscow is looking at ways to keep supplies flowing to India -- both from the west via the Baltic Sea and on routes from the Russian Far East that become more accessible during the summer, the people said.

The two countries have even been exploring re-routing some crude through Vladivostok in the Far East. While the sea trip from there to India would be quicker, there would likely be major costs and logistical hurdles in transporting the oil over land.
has launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, days after North Korean leader vowed to bolster his nuclear arsenal at the fastest possible pace and threatened to use them against rivals.

The launch, the North's 14th round of weapons firing, also came six days before a new conservative South Korean president takes office for a single five-year term.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired from the North's capital region and flew to the waters off its eastern coast. It said the South Korean military is monitoring possible additional weapons launches by .

Japan's Defense Ministry said has fired a possible ballistic missile without providing further details. The Japanese Coast Guard urged vessels traveling off Japanese coasts to stay away from any possible fragments.

North Korea's unusually fast pace in weapons testing this year underscores its dual goal of advancing its missile programs and applying pressure on Washington over a deepening freeze in nuclear negotiations, experts say.

There are also signs that the North is preparing for a nuclear test at its remote northeastern testing facility. If made, the atomic bomb test explosion by North Korea would be the seventh of its kind and the first since 2017.

Last week, showcased his most powerful nuclear-capable missiles targeting both the United States and its allies during a massive military parade in capital, Pyongyang. During a speech at the parade, Kim said he would develop his arsenal at the fastest possible pace and warned that the North would preemptively use its if its national interests are threatened.

It appears Kim's brinkmanship is meant to boost his weapons arsenal and apply more pressure on Washington and Seoul to accept his country as a nuclear state and relax extensive sanctions on it, observers say.

Wednesday's launch came before the May 10 inauguration of South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol, who has vowed to boost Seoul's missile capability and solidify its military alliance with Washington to better cope with increasing North Korean nuclear threats.

North Korea has a history of raising animosities with weapons tests when Seoul and Washington inaugurate new governments in an apparent bid to boost its leverage in future negotiations.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping believes that democracies cannot be sustained in the 21st century, his US counterpart said, observing that there's an ongoing battle in the world between autocracy and democracy.

"We're at an inflection point in history, for real -- it comes along about every six or eight generations -- where things are changing so rapidly that we have to be in control," Biden said on Tuesday in his remarks at Lockheed Martin Pike County Operations in Troy, Alabama.

"Folks, there's an ongoing battle in the world between autocracy and democracy. Xi Jinping, the leader of China, who I've talked (to), I've spent more time with than any other world leader has -- over 78 hours -- either in person or on the telephone with him... says that democracies cannot be sustained in the 21st century," he said.

"Not a joke. They cannot be sustained because things are moving so rapidly, democracies require consensus, and it's hard to get consensus. Therefore, they can't keep up with an autocracy -- one-man rule. But that's not going to be the case. If that happens, the whole world changes," he added.

Biden told his fellow Americans that they are making it possible for the Ukrainian people to defend themselves without the US having to risk getting involved in a third World War by sending in its soldiers to fight Russian soldiers.

He told members of Lockheed who are manufacturing Javelin anti-tank missiles that they are allowing the Ukrainians to defend themselves.

"And quite frankly, they're making fools of the Russian military in many instances. A big part of the reason they've been able to keep on fighting and to make this war a strategic failure for Russia is because the United States, together with our allies and partners, has had their back," he said.

Biden said the US alone has committed more than 5,500 Javelins to Ukraine.

"You're changing the nation. You really are. Add to that significant supplies from our allies and partners, as well as many thousands of other anti-tank and anti-air weapons, helicopters, armoured vehicles, artillery and coastal defence systems," he said.

"Before Russia attacked, we made sure Ukraine had Javelins and other weapons to strengthen their defences so Ukraine was ready for whatever happened," the US president said.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine just over two months ago, the US has sent more than USD 3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, Biden said.

"That money is a direct investment in defending freedom and democracy itself," he asserted.

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Prime Minister on Wednesday held a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland during which he discussed with them ways to further deepen and also exchanged views on regional and global developments.

Modi, who arrived here on Tuesday from Berlin on the second leg of his visit to three European nations, met the four Nordic leaders on the sidelines of the second India-Nordic Summit in the Danish capital.

He began his day by meeting Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store during which the two leaders took stock of the full range of bilateral relations.

"Had a productive meeting with PM @jonasgahrstore of Norway. Our talks included furthering cooperation in sectors such as the blue economy, clean energy, space, healthcare and more. Norway is a key pillar of India's recently announced Arctic Policy," Modi tweeted.

This was the first meeting between the two leaders.

"Both Prime Ministers reviewed the ongoing activities in bilateral relations and discussed future areas of cooperation," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

Discussions also took place on regional and global developments. As members of the UN Security Council, India and Norway have been engaging with each other in the UN on global issues of mutual interest, it said.

Modi's visit comes amid the Ukraine crisis, which has united much of Europe against Russia.

"Both leaders discussed the potential for deepening engagement in areas like Blue Economy, renewable energy, green hydrogen, solar and wind projects, green shipping, fisheries, water management, rainwater harvesting, space cooperation, long term Infrastructure investment, health and culture," the MEA said.

Modi also had a "wonderful meeting" with Swedish counterpart Magdalena Andersson during which they discussed ways to deepen and the progress in the Joint Action Plan. This was the first meeting between the two leaders.

"We discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in key sectors like security, IT, research and innovation. Strong ties between our nations will benefit our people," Modi tweeted.

The two leaders held extensive talks on further diversifying the India-Sweden friendship, the Prime Minister's Office said.

During the meeting, the two leaders took stock of the progress in the Joint Action Plan and also appreciated the expanding scope of the jointly launched LeadIT initiative, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

During the 2018 visit of Prime Minister Modi to Sweden, the two sides adopted a wide-ranging Joint Action Plan to take forward a wide range of initiatives in defence, trade and investment, renewable energy, smart cities, women's skill development, space and science and healthcare etc. The two sides had also signed a Joint Innovation Partnership.

"Discussions also took place on regional and global developments," the MEA said, adding that the two leaders expressed satisfaction at the progress made by the Lead IT initiative.

This was a India-Sweden joint global initiative to set up a Leadership Group on Industry Transition (LeadIT) in September 2019 at the UN Climate Action Summit to help guide the world's heaviest greenhouse gas emitting industries towards the low-carbon . Its membership has now grown to 35 with 16 countries and 19 companies.

"Both leaders also discussed possibilities of deepening cooperation in areas like innovation, climate technology, climate action, green hydrogen, space, defence, civil aviation, Arctic, polar research, sustainable mining and trade and economic ties," it added.

In a separate meeting, Modi held talks with Iceland Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir and discussed ways to further strengthen economic cooperation especially in the sectors of geothermal energy, Blue Economy, Arctic, renewable energy, fisheries, food processing, education including digital universities, and culture, the MEA said.

Discussions also took place on regional and global developments, it added.

"Glad to have met PM @katrinjak. We discussed India-Iceland relations, particularly our shared collaboration in healthcare, renewable energy, fisheries and more," Modi tweeted.

Modi lauded Jakobsdottir's personal efforts at promoting gender equality and briefed her on India's advances on the issue, the MEA said.

Discussions also took place on expediting the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) trade negotiations.

Modi also met his Finnish counterpart Sanna Marin and discussed ways to further cement in trade, investment, technology and other sectors.

"Today's meeting with Finland @MarinSanna was very fruitful. There is immense potential in expanding the India-Finland digital partnership, trade partnership and investment linkages. We also discussed ways to deepen cultural ties between our nations," Modi tweeted.

This was the first in-person meeting between the two leaders.

They discussed opportunities to expand cooperation in the fields of new and emerging technologies like AI, quantum computing, future mobile technologies, clean technologies and smart grids, the MEA said.

Modi invited Finnish companies to partner with Indian companies and take advantage of the enormous opportunities that the Indian market presents, particularly in telecom infrastructure and digital transformations.

Discussions also took place on regional and global developments, and on greater cooperation in organisations.

India's trade with Nordic countries stands at over USD 5 billion (2020-21).

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Prime Minister met French President here on Wednesday and discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interests as well as regional and global developments, amid Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

"PM @narendramodi and President @EmmanuelMacron meet in Paris. This meeting will add momentum to the friendship," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted along with a photograph of Modi and Macron hugging each other.

Macron held a tete-a-tete with Modi before the delegation-level talks at the Elysee Palace - the official residence of the French President.



"A meeting between two friends. An opportunity to translate the renewed mandate of President @EmmanuelMacron into a renewed momentum for the Strategic partnership," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

Modi, who arrived here from Denmark on the final leg of his three-nation Europe tour, will hold extensive talks with Macron, who was re-elected to the top post over a week back.

His visit comes amid the Ukraine crisis, which has united much of Europe against Russia.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss how to ensure cessation of hostilities in Ukraine and mitigate the global economic consequences of this conflict.

On Tuesday, Macron spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and urged Moscow to rise to the level of its responsibility as a permanent member of the US Security Council by ending this devastating aggression, an Elysee statement said.

The Ukraine issue also figured prominently at the second India-Nordic summit attended by Prime Minister Modi and his counterparts from Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark in Copenhagen on Wednesday.

Modi has said that India believes no country would emerge victorious in the Russia-Ukraine war as all will suffer losses and there will be a "more serious" impact on developing and poor countries.

Another focus area of the talks would be to unitedly deal with the challenges in the Indo-Pacific, amid China flexing muscles in the region.

Soon after his arrival here, Modi in a tweet described France as one of India's strongest partners, with both countries cooperating in diverse areas.

Diplomatic sources said Modi's meeting with Macron days after his election victory is highly symbolic. It sends a powerful signal that the two leaders want to make the Indo-French partnership a guiding principle of their foreign policy for the years to come, they said.

It's also a demonstration of the level of personal chemistry between the two leaders, which gives impetus to our joint actions across all fields of cooperation, they said.

Modi will be among the first few world leaders to meet President Macron after his re-election last week. He had congratulated Macron after his re-election. "I look forward to continue working together to deepen the India-French Strategic Partnership," Modi had tweeted.

His visit comes during the French presidency of the European Union. It also coincides with the 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and France.

This is Modi's fifth visit to France after August 2019, June 2017, November 2015 and April 2015.

Macron visited India in March 2018. Both leaders also met on the sidelines of the G20 Rome Summit in October 2021, G20 Osaka Summit in June 2019 and G20 Buenos Aires Summit in December 2018.

India and France, which are strategic partners since 1998, have a multifaceted partnership across the spectrum in defence, civil nuclear, economy, space and maritime security, clean energy and environment, counter-terrorism, people-to-people ties.

India and France are founding members of the Solar Alliance announced by Prime Minister Modi at UN Climate Change COP21 in November 2015.

Both the countries enjoy a robust economic partnership with a bilateral trade of USD 7.86 billion (2020-21) and cumulative Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of USD 9.83 billion since April 2000.

Over a thousand French businesses are present in India across sectors like defence, IT, consulting, engineering services and heavy industries. Over 150 Indian companies in France employ more than 7,000 people.

A thriving Indian diaspora in France deepens the cultural connect between both countries.

In a statement before leaving for Europe, Modi had said: "President Macron has very recently been re-elected, and my visit just ten days after the result will not only allow me to convey my personal congratulations in-person, but also reaffirm the close friendship between the two countries. This will also give us the opportunity to set the tone of the next phase of the Strategic Partnership." "President Macron and I will share assessments on various regional and global issues and will take stock of ongoing bilateral cooperation. It is my firm belief that two countries that share such similar vision and values for the global order, must work in close cooperation with each other," he had said.

Modi, who arrived here from Copenhagen, held productive talks with his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen on Tuesday and also attended a business summit to discuss economic linkages.

Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday attended the second India-Nordic summit that primarily focused on post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change, renewable energy and the evolving global security scenario.

On the sidelines of the summit, Prime Minister Modi held separate bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland.
RTHK: NASA, Boeing say Starliner on track for May 19 launch

Boeing's Starliner capsule is finally ready to reattempt a key test launch to the International Space Station on May 19, officials said on Tuesday.

The uncrewed flight, named Orbital Flight Test-2, or OFT-2, is a vital step towards certifying the spaceship for eventually carrying passengers, giving Nasa a second taxi provider alongside SpaceX.

Aerospace giant Boeing, which was awarded a US$4.2 billion contract for the purpose in 2014, initially attempted the test in 2019, but failed to rendezvous with the ISS after experiencing software glitches that caused flight anomalies.

The programme has since experienced several delays. It was last supposed to fly in August 2021, but the mission was aborted just hours before launch because high humidity led to corrosion within Starliner's valves.

"It's been a hard eight months I would say, but very fulfilling that we've resolved the problem," said Steve Stich, manager of Nasa's Commercial Crew Programme on a call with reporters.

Nasa is targeting 6:54 pm (2254 GMT) for lift-off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

If OFT-2 succeeds, Boeing will have to complete another crewed test before it is officially certified, with the company aiming for the end of 2022 for this mission, Boeing's Mark Nappi said.

In the meantime, Elon Musk's SpaceX has already ferried more than 20 people to the ISS on its Crew Dragon capsule since its first crewed flight in 2020. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-05-03. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
China sets up world's highest automatic weather station

Xinhua) 14:42, May 04, 2022

MOUNT QOMOLANGMA BASE CAMP, Tibet, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientific researchers on Wednesday established an automatic meteorological monitoring station at an altitude of over 8,800 meters, the world's highest of its kind, on Mount Qomolangma on the China-Nepal border.

It has replaced the station sitting at an altitude of 8,430 meters on the south side of the mountain, set up by British and U.S. scientists in 2019, to become the world's highest, according to the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (ITP), Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Including the new station, eight elevation gradient meteorological stations have been set up on Mount Qomolangma, one of the main tasks in China's new comprehensive scientific expedition on the world's highest peak.

Zhao Huabiao, a researcher with the ITP, said the monitored meteorological data will support scientific research and mountaineering activities.

The new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma is part of China's second scientific research survey on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji)




South Korea's military reported 1,243 additional COVID-19 cases Wednesday, raising the total caseload among its service members to 135,612, the defense ministry said.







The new cases included 804 from the Army, 200 from the Marine Corps, 114 from the Air Force, 68 from the Navy and 50 from units under the direct control of the ministry.







There were also six from the ministry and one from the Joint Chiefs of Staff.







Currently, 4,878 military personnel are under treatment. The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), meanwhile, said 148 more people in its affiliated community tested positive for COVID-19 over the past week ending Monday. (Yonhap)


Prime Minister on Wednesday met his counterpart Katrin Jakobsdottir and discussed ways to boost ties in areas like trade, energy and fisheries.

Modi, who arrived here on Tuesday from Berlin on the second leg of his visit to three European nations, met Jakobsdottir on the sidelines of the second India-Nordic Summit in the Danish capital.

"Prime Minister @narendramodi held talks with PM @katrinjak of . They discussed boosting ties in areas like trade, energy, fisheries and more, the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.

Both Prime Ministers warmly recalled their first meeting during the 1st India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm in April 2018. They noted that this year both countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations.

"Both leaders discussed ways to further strengthen economic cooperation especially in the sectors of geothermal energy, Blue Economy, Arctic, renewable energy, fisheries, food processing, education including digital universities, and culture," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release.

Geothermal energy, in particular, is an area where has special expertise, and both sides stessed on collaboration between universities of both countries in this sector.

"Discussions also took place on regional and global developments," it added.

Modi's visit comes amid the Ukraine crisis, which has united much of Europe against Russia.

Prime Minister Modi lauded Jakobsdottir's personal efforts at promoting gender equality and briefed her on India's advances on the issue, the MEA said.

Discussions also took place on expediting the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) trade negotiations.

"Explored ways to intensify our economic ties in renewable energy, fisheries, food processing. Welcomed collaborative projects in geothermal energy in India. Also discussed cooperation in the Arctic," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

Modi would also attend the 2nd India-Nordic Summit along with Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway where they will take stock of the cooperation since the First India-Nordic Summit in 2018.

"Today's agenda includes the India-Nordic Summit and bilateral talks with Nordic leaders after which I will leave for Paris to hold talks with President @EmmanuelMacron," Modi tweeted before starting his engagements for the day.

India's trade with Nordic countries stands at over USD 5 billion (2020-21) and a cumulative FDI of over USD 3 billion (April 2000- March 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.)
Prime Minister met his Swedish counterpart Magdalena Andersson here on Wednesday and the two leaders discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties and the progress in the Joint Action Plan.

"Cementing ties with Sweden. PM @narendramodi and @SwedishPM Magdalena Andersson held extensive talks on further diversifying the India-Sweden friendship," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.

Modi, who arrived here on Tuesday from Berlin on the second leg of his visit to three European nations, met Andersson on the sidelines of the second India-Nordic Summit in the Danish capital.

A partnership founded on innovation, technology & investment. PM @narendramodi held bilateral talks with @SwedishPM Magdalena Andersson. Took stock of the progress in the Joint Action Plan. Appreciated the expanding scope of the jointly launched LeadIT initiative, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

During the 2018 visit of Prime Minister Modi to Sweden, the two sides adopted a wide-ranging Joint Action Plan.

Later in the day, Modi would attend the 2nd India-Nordic Summit along with Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway where they will take stock of the cooperation since the First India-Nordic Summit in 2018.

"Today's agenda includes the India-Nordic Summit and bilateral talks with Nordic leaders after which I will leave for Paris to hold talks with President @EmmanuelMacron," Modi tweeted before starting his engagements for the day.

Briefing the media on Tuesday, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra had said that the India-Nordic summit focuses on the elements of bilateral cooperation which essentially fall into three to four major clusters - trade and investment ties; the digital and innovation partnership; the green partnership; and other areas of economic cooperation.

"Nordic countries are important partners for in sustainability, renewable energy, digitisation and innovation. The visit will help in expanding our multifaceted cooperation with the Nordic region," Modi had said earlier.

India's trade with Nordic countries stands at over USD 5 billion (2020-21) and a cumulative FDI of over USD 3 billion (April 2000- March 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.)
President credited the assembly line workers at a Javelin missile plant for doing life-saving work in building the antitank weapons that are being sent to Ukraine to stifle Russia's invasion as he made a pitch for Congress to approve USD 33 billion so the US can continue to hustle aid to the front lines.

"You're allowing the Ukrainians to defend themselves," Biden told the workers on Tuesday, his podium flanked by Javelin missile launchers and shipping containers. "And, quite frankly, they're making fools of the Russian military in many instances."



The president toured the factory in Alabama and said Ukrainian parents are naming their children "Javelin" or "Javelina" because of the weapons' successes.

"Every worker in this facility and every American taxpayer is directly contributing to the case for freedom," Biden said.

The president's visit also drew attention to a growing concern as the war drags on: Can the US sustain the cadence in shipping vast amounts of arms to Ukraine while maintaining a healthy stockpile it may need if conflict erupts with North Korea, Iran or elsewhere?



The US has provided at least 7,000 Javelins, including some transferred during the Trump administration, or about one-third of its stockpile, to Ukraine in recent years, according to an analysis by Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Centre for Strategic and Studies security programme. The Biden administration says it has committed to sending 5,500 Javelins to Ukraine since the February 24 invasion.

Analysts also estimate that the has sent about one-quarter of its stockpile of shoulder-fired Stinger missiles to Ukraine. Raytheon Technologies CEO Greg Hayes told investors last week during a quarterly call that his company, which makes the weapons system, wouldn't be able to ramp up production until next year, due to parts shortages.

"Could this be a problem? The short answer is, probably, yes," said Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and former Office of Management and Budget specialist on Pentagon budget strategy, war funding and procurement programmes.

He added that Stingers and Javelins were where "we're seeing the most significant inventory issues" and that production of both weapons systems has been limited in recent years.

The Russian invasion offers the US and European defence industry a big opportunity to bolster profits as lawmakers from Washington to Warsaw are primed to increase defence spending in response to Russian aggression. Defence contractors, however, face the same supply chain and labour shortage challenges that other manufacturers are facing, along with some others that are specific to the industry.

Biden noted that each Javelin produced requires 200 computer chips, but semiconductors are in short supply and limiting the availability of everything from autos to kitchen appliances. Biden is urging that legislation be approved to fund the manufacturing of computer chips in the US, though that is a longer-term fix to immediate pressures that militaries, businesses and consumers face now.

The war will mean increased sales for some defence contractors, including Raytheon, which makes the Stinger missiles that Ukrainian troops have used to knock out Russian aircraft. The company is also part of a joint venture with that makes the Javelins.

Lockheed Martin's facility in Troy, Alabama has the capacity to manufacture about 2,100 Javelins per year. Biden's trip overlapped with his push for an additional USD 33 billion in security and economic assistance for Kyiv. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Monday he hoped quick bipartisan agreement on the security package could be reached so the Senate could begin considering it "as early as next week."



Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Monday that America's military readiness is not dependent on one system. He said that every time the Pentagon develops a package of weapons and systems to send to Ukraine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the department do an assessment on what the impact will be on readiness.

"It's not about counting, say, Javelins and being able to say that when you reach a certain level then all your readiness is gone," Kirby said. "The Javelin is an anti-armour capability, so we judge it all as a conglomerate of what's our ability to meet this particular mission set, realising that a Javelin isn't the only capability you have against armour."



The lightweight but lethal Javelin has helped the Ukrainians inflict major damage on Russia's larger and better-equipped military. As a result, the weapon has gained almost mythic regard, celebrated with a Javelin song and images of Mary Magdalene carrying a Javelin becoming a meme in Ukraine.

CEO James Taiclet said in a recent CNBC interview that demand for the Javelin and other weapon systems would increase broadly over time because of the Russian invasion. He said the company was working "to get our supply chain ramped up."



"We have the ability to meet current production demands, are investing in increased capacity and are exploring ways to further increase production as needed," Lockheed Martin, which is based in Bethesda, Maryland, said in a statement.

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Russian President urged Western countries to stop supplying Ukraine with weapons during a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday.

Putin told Macron about Russia's efforts in the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement by the Kremlin.

The Russian president urged Western countries to stop arming Kiev, saying Russia is open to dialogue.

Putin noted that Western sanctions against Russia are worsening global food insecurity, in response to Macron's concerns over this issue.

--IANS

int/shs

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Russian forces have been attacking the firing positions of the Ukrainian armed forces at the Azovstal steel plant in the southern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, the Russian Defence Ministry has said.

The fighters of the Azov Battalion and Ukrainian troops took advantage of the ceasefire at the steel plant to move into their firing positions, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing Russian Defence Ministry Spokesman Vadim Astafyev on Tuesday.

Astafyev added that artillery and aircraft were being used to destroy the firing positions, Xinhua news agency reported.

Russian troops were trying to break into the Azovstal plant from several places, the Ukrinform news agency reported on Tuesday, citing Mariupol Patrol Police Chief Mykhailo Vershinin.

"There was artillery and aviation training for almost a day ... now they stormed the plant in several places. We are defending. We are fighting back," Vershinin was quoted as saying.

Both the Russian and Ukrainian militaries said on Monday that more than 100 people were evacuated from Mariupol, local media reported.

--IANS

int/khz/

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Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, Russia's gas supplies to have soared by as much as 60 per cent in the first four months of 2022 compared to the same period last year.

Russian energy giant Gazprom announced the significant rise in exports on Sunday, even as energy exports to Europe remain uncertain in light of the ongoing hostilities, and the tightening sanctions on Russia by the West.

The deliveries have been made through the Power of Siberia pipeline as part of the contract between Gazprom and National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the company said, reported Russia Today.

Beijing has refrained from outrightly condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, only urging for a diplomatic solution instead.

The energy standoff between Russia and the West has led to gas supplies to countries outside the former Soviet Union dropping by 26.9 per cent since the start of the year, the report said, adding that, a total of 50.1 billion cubic meters have been delivered over the past four months.

Further, Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier ordered gas payments from "unfriendly countries," which include the European Union (EU), to be made in rubles from March 31.

The EU initially rejected Moscow's new rules, calling them "blackmail," but the European Commission recently said there could be ways to pay for Russian gas in rubles without violating the sanctions.

Some countries, however, have still refused to switch to rubles, causing Gazprom to cut off gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria in late April, the report said.

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Sri Lanka's usable foreign reserves dropped down to less than USD 50 million, Finance Minister Ali Sabry informed on Wednesday as it convened for a crucial session after the main Opposition party submitted no-confidence motions against President Gotabaya and his government for mishandling the country's worst economic crisis.

The main opposition party, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), handed over to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena two motions of no-confidence against the SLPP coalition government and embattled President Gotabaya under Article 42 of the Constitution.

Article 42 stipulates that the President is responsible to for the exercise, performance and discharge of his functions.

Any motion needs seven days' notice before getting into the order paper for debate.

A date has not yet been announced for a vote on the no-confidence motions.

Detailing the perilous state of the economy, Sabry, who has just returned from Washington after crucial talks with the officials of the Monetary Fund (IMF), said Sri Lanka's usable foreign reserves which were at around USD 7 billion in 2019, had dropped to less than USD 50 million now.

"We have bitten off more than what we can chew," Sabry acknowledged before while reminding warring political parties that they have a national responsibility to contribute to revive the island nation's collapsed economy.

Sabry hailed India's assistance during its talks with the IMF to seek a bailout to evade the country's worst economic crisis.

He said he met India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman twice and she extended India's fullest assistance for a rapid financing instrument (RFI) facility for .

reached out to the IMF for a possible bailout after suffering its worst economic crisis since independence.

Sabry said an IMF programme would be important to undertake much needed reforms, adding that the government had committed a historical mistake in not opting for an IMF programme much earlier.

We as a country are living behind our means, all governments have spent more than they earned," he said.

Sabry said needs USD 3-4 billion, bridging finance until the IMF facility could kick in. The IMF is not Aladdin's magic lamp," he warned.

Sabry, who originally resigned from the finance ministry before being reappointed, said a united effort was needed to pull the country out of the crisis.

Sri Lanka is on the brink of bankruptcy and has suspended payments on its foreign loans. Its economic miseries have brought on a political crisis, with the government facing protests and no-confidence motions in Parliament.

The Opposition parties accuse top government officials of excessively printing money, hurting farm production by banning chemical fertilizers to make the production fully organic and minimize import costs, failing to order COVID-19 vaccines in a timely manner and buying them later at higher prices.

On Wednesday, Sri Lankan police arrested 12 people for staging an anti-government protest near the Parliament building here.

The protesters holding placards and shouting slogans against the lawmakers were put into a bus and taken to a nearby police station by the policemen on duty as they approached the parliament building.

Main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa told parliament that the protesters had arrived at the parliament gate to hand over a letter to the Speaker of parliament.

Police minister Prasanna Ranatunga said the protesters had hooted at the parliamentarians and that was a breach of parliamentary privilege.

The arrest followed the arrival of several thousands of student activists who poured onto the road leading to parliament where the riot police stood by.

The main Tamil party along with the former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) are to jointly move a no-trust motion against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, which would imply that the House had lost confidence in the President.

The TNA/UNP motion has no legal binding for the President to resign.

This problem can only be solved if either the President or the Prime Minister resigned. It is up to them to make a decision," Wickremesinghe said.

Under Article 38 of the Constitution, a president can be removed only if he/she volunteered to resign or through the long process of impeachment.

Experts said if the government would be defeated in the SJB motion, Prime Minister Mahinda and the Cabinet would have to resign.

Thousands of demonstrators have hit the streets across Sri Lanka since April 9, as the government ran out of money for vital imports; prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed and there are acute shortages in fuel, medicines and electricity supply.

Protestors are demanding the resignations of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who heads the powerful family that has held power for most of the past two decades, and his younger brother President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

So far, the Rajapaksa brothers have resisted calls to resign, though three other Rajapaksas out of the five who are lawmakers stepped down from their Cabinet posts in mid-April.

Sri Lanka's Parliament is to meet on Thursday to elect a Deputy Speaker as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had accepted the resignation of the incumbent Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeyawardene announced.

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finance minister Ali Sabry on Wednesday waved a metaphorical red flag in parliament as the troubled nation's usable foreign exchange reserves dropped below $50 million, increasing worry over its ability to provide food, fuel and other essential goods for citizens, and repay massive foreign debts.

Sabry  who quit April 4, a day after being appointed, only to return  warned 'we have been over-spending two and a half times'. "In 2021 total income was 1,500 billion (Sri Lankan) rupees expenditure was 3,522 billion rupees we were living (beyond) our means" he said, cautioning lawmakers that aid from the World Bank or the would not solve deep-rooted problems.

"The is not Aladdin's magic lamp," he said.

is on the brink of bankruptcy and has suspended payments on foreign loans, which total over $50 billion with an estimated $8.6 billion due this year.

Foreign exchange reserves were an estimated $2.31 billion in February. By March it had dropped to $1.93 billion.

Overall reserves have crashed by 70 per cent in two years, Reuters reported.

Last week the World Bank said it would provide $600 million in aid to help meet payment requirements for essential imports.

Sri Lanka crisis will last at least two more years, says govt Sri Lanka will have to endure its unprecedented economic hardships for at least two more years, the country's finance minister said while warning of an imminent cash crunch. "People should know the truth. I don't know if people realise the gravity of the situation," Finance Minister Ali Sabry said. "We won't be able to resolve this crisis in two years, but the actions we take today will determine how much longer this problem will drag." Public anger has sparked sustained protests demanding the governments resignation. Looking to replace unrealistic budget, extend WB aid Sri Lanka plans to replace its current "unrealistic" budget and is in talks with the World Bank to extend its support by $300 million to $700 million, the country's finance minister said. The island nation, hit hard by Covid-19 and short of revenue after steep tax cuts by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's government, is critically short of foreign exchange and has sought an emergency bailout from the Monetary Fund. Rampant inflation and shortages of imported food, fuel and medicines have led to weeks of protests that have occasionally turned violent.

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Britain's accounting watchdog has opened four investigations into audits by King & King of steel and aluminium owned by metals tycoon Sanjeev Gupta's GFG Alliance, it said on Wednesday.

The Financial Reporting Council said the investigations are into the financial statements of Liberty Speciality Steels Limited, Alvance British Aluminium Limited, Liberty Steel Newport Limited and Liberty Performance Steels Limited.

The investigations cover the financial year to March 31, 2019 for Liberty Speciality Steels, Alvance - formerly known as Liberty Aluminium Lochaber - and Liberty Steel Newport, the watchdog said.

For Liberty Performance Steels, the probe covers the year ended March 31, 2020, it added. King & King, a small two-office accounting firm, had no immediate comment.

said the FRC makes clear that the investigation is into audit practices at King & King, and does not involve GFG entities or individuals.

"We recognise the importance of strong audit practices and have been evolving our corporate structure and governance as we continue our efforts to restructure and refinance our portfolio," it said.

The FRC said it made the decision to investigate the audits in February, but gave no further information.

Last month Britain's Serious Fraud Office said it had made coordinated raids on trading addresses of .

Gupta has been scrambling to refinance his network of steel and aluminium and energy businesses following the collapse of supply chain finance firm Greensill Capital.

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The UK government on Wednesday announced a ban on to over the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, cutting Moscow off any business with UK sectors such as management consultancy, accountancy and public relations.

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the latest set of measures will mean Russia's businesses can no longer benefit from the UK's "world class" accountancy, management consultancy, and PR services, which account for 10 per cent of Russian imports in these sectors.

Doing business with Putin's regime is morally bankrupt and helps fund a war machine that is causing untold suffering across Ukraine, said Truss.

Cutting Russia's access to British services will put more pressure on the Kremlin and ultimately help ensure Putin fails in Ukraine, she said.

The British government claims is heavily reliant on Western services companies for the production and export of manufactured goods, and the new ban will further ratchet up economic pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Our professional are extraordinarily valuable to many countries, which is exactly why we're locking out. By restricting Russia's access to our world-class management consultants, accountants and PR firms, we're ratcheting up economic pressure on the Kremlin to change course, said UK Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng.

Following the publication this week of UK-funded research exposing the Kremlin's shadowy troll factory tactics, the UK government said it is also imposing 63 new sanctions, many of which hit actors and organisations from mainstream media organisations with asset freezes and travel bans.

The move is said to be bolstered by new legislation now in force, which means social media, internet services and app store companies must take action to block content from two of Russia's major sources of disinformation RT and Sputnik.

UK Tech and Digital Economy Minister Chris Philp said: "For too long RT and Sputnik have churned out dangerous nonsense dressed up as serious news to justify Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

These outlets have already been booted off the airwaves in Britain and we've barred anyone from doing business with them. Now we've moved to pull the plug on their websites, social media accounts and apps to further stop the spread of their lies."



Among those sanctioned on Wednesday include significant individuals at Channel One, a major state-owned outlet in Russia. The UK Foreign Office said Channel One is known for spreading disinformation in Russia, justifying Putin's illegal invasion as a Special Military Operation.

The UK said it will continue to work closely with social media platforms and allies to uncover, expose, and counter the Kremlin's disinformation operation. Alongside previous asset freezes against media outlets already in place, the UK Foreign Office said it is systematically shutting out Putin's propaganda machine.

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The U.S. government is considering sending the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris as an official delegate to South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration ceremony in Seoul next week, according to a source Tuesday.







Second gentleman Douglas Emhoff may lead the U.S. delegation to Yoon's inauguration ceremony, slated for Tuesday, with Labor Secretary Martin Walsh and Rep. Ami Bera among other members, added the source.







In the United States, the second gentleman refers to the husband or male partner of a vice president. Bera currently serves as chairman of the House Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia and Nonproliferation.







The move comes as President Joe Biden plans to visit South Korea later this month for his summit talks with Yoon as part of a regional swing that will also take him to Japan, where he will attend the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, summit







South Korea will be the first Asian country for Biden to visit since taking office in January 2021. White House press secretary Jen Psaki stressed Monday said South Korea is an "incredibly important" ally. (Yonhap)


Ukrainian President said that his country may put the issue of neutral status on a nationwide referendum, the Ukrinform news agency reported.

If Russia's desire for Ukraine's neutral status is one of the provisions of the agreements on ending the conflict, "we are ready to consider this neutral status for Ukraine," Zelensky was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

However, the referendum would be possible only after Ukraine receives security guarantees from "specific countries," he added.

At the peace talks with Russia in Istanbul, Turkey in March, Kiev proposed to sign a new treaty on security guarantees, which enshrines obligations for the guarantor countries to provide Ukraine with military assistance in the event of an attack.

In 2014, the Ukrainian parliament renounced Ukraine's "non-aligned" status with the aim of deepening cooperation with NATO.

--IANS

int/shs

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Hundreds of Ukrainian are camping out in and waiting for the US government to allow them into the country.

About 500 evacuees were waiting on Tuesday in large tents under a searing sun on a dusty field on the east side of Mexico's sprawling capital. The camp has been open only a week and from 50 to 100 people are arriving every day.

Some have already been to the US border in Tijuana where they were told they would no longer be admitted. arrived at airports in or Cancun.

The US government announced in late March that it would accept up to 1,00,000 Ukrainian . Hundreds entered Mexico daily as tourists in or Cancun and flew to Tijuana to wait for a few days to be admitted to the US at a San Diego border crossing on humanitarian parole.

Giorgi Mikaberidze, 19, arrived in Tijuana on April 25 and found the US border closed. He went from being just yards from the to some 600 miles (966 kilometers) away in the Mexico City area. He said he travelled to Mexico alone.

"It's very difficult to wait. We don't know how the programme will work," he said.

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the safe evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol of Ukraine.

"I am pleased that more than 100 civilians have successfully been evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, in an operation successfully coordinated by the and the Committee of the Red Cross," the top UN official was quoted as saying.

"I hope the continued coordination with Kiev and Moscow will lead to more humanitarian pauses that will allow civilians safe passage away from the fighting and aid to reach people where the needs are greatest," Guterres said.

Both the Russian and Ukrainian militaries said on Monday that more than 100 people had been evacuated from the besieged city of Mariupol of Ukraine, news reports said.

--IANS

int/shs

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The UN Security Council has condemned "in the strongest terms" the continued heinous terrorist attacks targeting civilians in .

The council issued a press statement to condemn the terrorist attacks, including the attack against the Mawlawi Sekander mosque in Kunduz on April 22 which killed more than 25 people, and the attack against the Khalifa Sahib mosque in Kabul on April 29 which early reports said at least 30 people were killed and many others were injured, Xinhua news agency reported.

The attacks followed several other recent attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including in religious minority communities, across during the month of Ramadan.

"The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to peace and security," said the statement.

They reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.

They reaffirmed the need for all states to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the UN and other obligations under law, including human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

--IANS

int/shs

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The Biden administration has announced that certain categories of immigrants, including those seeking green cards and spouses of H-1B visa holders, would be permitted to use their expired work permits for an additional 18 months, offering a reprieve to thousands of Indians working in this country and prevent further disruption for US employers.

A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently in the US.

The move announced by the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday will go into effect from May 4, 2022.

The extension period of up to 180 days will automatically be extended to up to 540 days from the expiration date stated on the current Employment Authorisation Cards (EADs), the Department of Homeland Security said.

"As USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) works to address the pending EAD caseloads, the agency has determined that the current 180-day automatic extension for employment authorisation is currently insufficient," said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou.

"This temporary rule will provide those non-citizens, otherwise eligible for the automatic extension, an opportunity to maintain employment and provide critical support for their families, while avoiding further disruption for US employers," he said.

According to USCIS, non-citizens with a pending EAD renewal application whose 180-day automatic extension has lapsed and whose EAD has expired will be granted an additional period of employment authorisation and EAD validity beginning May 4, 2022, and lasting up to 540 days from the expiration date of their EAD.

They may resume employment if they are still within the up to 540-day automatic extension period and are otherwise eligible.

Non-citizens with a pending renewal application still covered under the 180-day automatic extension will be granted an additional extension of up to 360 days, for a total of up to 540 days past the expiration of the current EAD.

Non-citizens with a pending renewal application and a valid EAD on May 4, 2022, or who timely file an EAD renewal application before October 27, 2023, will be granted an automatic extension of up to 540 days if their EAD expires before the renewal application is processed.

"The change will immediately help about 87,000 whose work authorisation has lapsed or is set to in the next 30 days. Overall, the government estimates that as many as 4,20,000 renewing work permits will be protected from losing their ability to work for the duration of the policy," Indian-American community leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria told PTI.

The policy is meant to address the unprecedented backlog of 1.5 million work permit applications at the nation's legal immigration agency, leaving tens of thousands unable to work legally and exacerbating labour shortages.

Welcoming the change in policy, Bhutoria said this is great news for employers as most companies are facing staffing issues and will now be able to keep their eligible employees.

"This policy change allows employers to continue their workers and eligible immigrants to work on expired documents for up to 540 days, rather than 180. That means even the tens of thousands of people past their 180-day window have as much as another year of work authorisation as of Wednesday," he said.

"This is the right step in the direction to reduce the visa processing backlog," he said.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.

The H-1B visa programme is the most sought-after work visa among foreign professionals, including Indians.

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The US has learned a great deal about Russian military shortfalls and capabilities in the first two months of the war in Ukraine, top Pentagon leaders told Congress. But they warned that Moscow is learning from its mistakes as the war shifts to a new phase, and that will shape the artillery and other weapons systems the U.S. will provide.

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday that if Congress approves funding, the most critical things that Ukraine needs are anti-tank, anti-aircraft and shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles. Milley added that with the fighting now concentrated in the eastern Donbas region, Ukrainian forces also need more tanks and other mechanised vehicles, which the US and other nations are providing.

The coming weeks, they said, will be crucial.

Prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in late February, the US had provided about USD 1 billion in weapons and gear to the Ukrainian military, and had been training troops for years. Since the invasion, the US has committed another USD 3.7 billion in weapons and other aid, and is seeking a USD 33 billion supplemental appropriation from Congress that includes a wide range of military and other support.

Senators, including Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., pressed Austin and Milley on whether weapons are actually getting out to the troops on the front lines, or if they are being diverted or hoarded. Austin said it's difficult to know since there are no US personnel on the ground in Ukraine to monitor the weapons flow. But he said they talk to their counterparts in Ukraine regularly, and stress the need for accountability in weapons distribution.

Austin pointed to early failures by Russia, including almost immediate struggles with logistics, and difficulties getting food, water and supplies to troops.

"As we saw things unfold on the ground, we saw them not able to support themselves logistically, we saw them make some bad assumptions at the beginning of this, we saw them fail to integrate aerial fires with their ground maneuver, and just a number of missteps," Austin said. "I attribute a lot of that to lack of leadership at the lower level."



The leadership problems, he said, forced Russia to send higher ranking generals to the battlefront, where "many" have been killed.

Austin said the US expects to see some of the same mistakes as the fighting in the Donbas and across southern Ukraine escalates, as Russia tries to wrest control of a solid stretch of land from the east, through Mariupol, along the Sea of Azov to Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula seized by Russian and annexed in March 2014.

But, he said, "they will learn from what they did in the early stages of this fight. And we'll see them improve their logistical efforts. And we'll see them improve their massing of fires and that sort of business. But some things they won't be able to correct."



Austin and Milley said that Russia's failure to train young commanders to make decisions, has led to a very top-heavy organisation that hasn't been as nimble and effective as the Ukrainian forces. Milley said the US and other Western nations taught Ukrainian forces about mission command and decentralised control and tactics, which are more successful on a dynamic battlefield.

He also said the US "opened up the pipes" and sent a "significant amount of intelligence" to Ukraine both before the invasion, and as the fight has gone on.

In a related matter, President Joe Biden has nominated Army Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli to be the next top general for Europe, and to serve as the Supreme Allied Commander for NATO. Cavoli is currently serving as commander of US Army Europe-Africa. His nomination now goes to the US Senate for confirmation. He would replace Air Force Gen. Tod D. Wolters.

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Shares of Cosmo Films soared 10 per cent to Rs 2,044.75 on the BSE on Wednesdays intra-day trade after the company announced board meet on Monday, May 9, 2022 to mull issuance of bonus shares. The board will also consider the audited financial results for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2022.

In the past one year, the stock of packaging company has zoomed 190 per cent, as compared to 18 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. Earlier, it had hit a record high of Rs 2,140 on April 11, 2022. At 10:29 AM; it was up 9 per cent at Rs 2,015, against 0.51 per cent decline in the benchmark index.

Cosmo Films is a global leader in films for packaging, labelling, lamination and synthetic paper and an emerging player in specialty chemicals, polymers, and pet care.

In March, the company had announced expansion by setting up CPP film production line at Aurangabad with annual rated capacity of 25,000 metric ton (MT). The CPP line will require investment of about Rs 140 crore, funded through internal accruals and debts and is expected to commence commercial production in 2 years.

"With current CPP capacity running close to 100 per cent utilization, the company planned capacity expansion with the worlds largest width line and lowest cost of production. Other growth plans i.e. Specialized BOPET line, BOPP line, focus towards growing specialty sales, expansion with Cosmo Specialty Chemicals and Zigly are progressing well in line with the plan," the company said.

In October-December quarter (Q3FY22), Cosmo Films reported 65 per cent year on year (YoY) jumped profit after tax at Rs 104 crore on back of strong operational performance. Meanwhile, EBITDA margin expanded by 251 bps to 17.9 per cent from 15.38 per cent in Q3FY21 and net revenue grew 35 per cent YoY at Rs 771 crore from Rs 572 crore in a year ago quarter.

During the quarter, the company has received sanction under Production linked Incentive (PLI) for production of speciality films for use in electronic products. The incentive under the scheme will be for five years on 100 per cent production of the new plant.
Shares of slipped 5 per cent to Rs 3,784.65 on the BSE in Wednesday's intra-day trade, falling 14 per cent in the past two trading days, despite the company clarifying that there is no adverse impact on the business of the company due to the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) seizure of assets of Chinese mobile manufacturing company Xiaomi.

The stock of the consumer electronics company traded close to its 52-week low of Rs 3,760 touched on August 24, 2021. It had hit a 52-week high of Rs 6,240 on October 19, 2021. At 12:55 PM, it was trading 4 per cent lower at Rs 3,830, as compared to 1.4 per cent decline in the S&P BSE Sensex.

"The price movement of security of the Company can be consequence of recent circulated widely in the media regarding one of our key customer in LED TV business... We would like to submit to the exchange that there is no adverse impact on the business of the Company and the Company perceives no impact on its receivables," the company said in an exchange filing. READ HERE



The ED, on Saturday, "seized" over Rs 5,551-crore worth fund of Chinese mobile manufacturing company Xiaomi for violating the Indian foreign exchange law, a PTI report said quoting officials.

In a press release after the ED's statement, Xiaomi Technology India Private Limited said its operations in the country are "firmly compliant with local laws and regulations".

The company (also called Xiaomi India) is a trader and distributor of mobile phones in the country under the brand name MI. "Xiaomi India is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the China-based Xiaomi group. This amount of Rs 5,551.27 crore lying in the bank accounts of the company has been seized by the Enforcement Directorate," the agency said in a statement. CLICK HERE FOR FULL REPORT



Dixon is a company engaged in inter-alia manufacturing of the products in the consumer durables, lighting, home appliances, mobile phones and other electronic items in India.

The Padget Elecronics Private Limited (Padget), a joint control Company has been engaged by Rstar, Goldex (HK) Technology, and Syntech (HK) Technology to manufacture mobile phones under the brand Gionee pursuant to manufacturing agreement dated 30th March, 2016 entered into by the Padget with Rstar. Pursuant to the Manufacturing arrangement, the Padget has been importing parts & components directly from the suppliers for the purpose of manufacturing the products and the Padget is selling the manufactured Products to the distributors appointed by the Suppliers in India, Dixon said in FY21 annual report.
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The initial public offering of insurance behemoth Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) opened for subscription on May 4 and by the first two hours, around 27 per cent of the shares up for sale were subscribed, with policyholders and employees driving the subscription along with .

At 12:00 noon, policyholders had subscribed 95 per cent of the shares reserved for them, employees had bid for 46 per cent of the shares reserved for them, and had subscribed to 30 per cent of the shares reserved for them.

The non-institutional category, consisting of corporates, individuals, and others has seen muted demand, with only 5 per cent subscription so far.

The insurers IPO will remain open from May 4 to May 9. The government is looking to raise Rs 20,557 crore from the share sale by diluting 3.5 per cent of its stake in the insurance behemoth, instead of 5 per cent proposed earlier, due to volatile market conditions amid geopolitical tensions in Europe.

LIC on Monday raised Rs 5,627 crore from anchor investors ahead of its mega IPO, with 71 per cent of the amount coming from domestic mutual funds (MFs). In total, the state-owned insurance giant allotted nearly 59.3 million shares to 123 investors at Rs 949 apiece.

Out of the total allocation of 59,296,853 equity shares to the anchor investors, 42,173,610 equity shares (71 per cent of the total allocation) were allotted to 15 domestic mutual funds through 99 schemes, LIC said in a stock exchange disclosure.

SBI Mutual Fund subscribed to shares worth over Rs 1,000 crore via four different schemes. ICICI Prudential MF subscribed to shares worth over Rs 700 crore through over half a dozen schemes and HDFC MF subscribed to shares worth over Rs 650 crore of the insurer via 10 different schemes. Aditya Birla Sun Life MF and Axis MF were other major subscribers among domestic fund houses.

Among foreign funds, the Singapore governments sovereign wealth fund (GIC) subscribed to shares worth over Rs 400 crore through three funds and BNP Investments subscribed to shares worth nearly Rs 450 crore.

A little over Rs 1,600 crore came from overseas funds. The low demand from foreign funds is on the back of ongoing risk aversion among foreign portfolio investors (FPIs). So far this year, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have sold shares worth Rs 1.3 trillion ($17.3 billion), according to data provided by NSDL.

Despite the reduced size, LICs IPO will be Indias biggest ever, surpassing the Rs 18,300-crore IPO by One97 Communications (Paytm) in November 2021. The digital payments major, however, had a larger anchor book, worth Rs 8,235 crore. This was because Paytm didnt meet the profitability criteria and hence had to set aside a larger portion of shares for institutional investors.
This undated image, provided by the Ministry of Unification on May 4, shows South Korean and North Korean delegates holding a preliminary meeting for the first-inter Korean Red Cross talks in 1972. The ministry on the same day unveiled declassified documents on inter-Korean exchanges in the early 1970s. Yonhap



The South Korean government Wednesday made public newly declassified documents on its first-ever formal meeting with North Korea since the division of the peninsula and other cross-border exchanges in the early 1970s, offering a glimpse into the beginning of a new chapter in tumultuous inter-Korean relations.



The dossier included a transcript of a three-minute conversation between the South Korean Red Cross envoy and his North Korean counterpart at the truce village of Panmunjom on Aug. 20, 1971 at the first meeting between the two Koreas divided right after the 1945 liberation from Japan's colonial rule.



The set of documents also highlighted their rigorous effort for the successful launch of their first inter-Korean Red Cross talks in Pyongyang the following year through four subsequent discussions and 25 preliminary meetings.



The dossier consists of 1,652 pages of documents declassified under the Ministry of Unification's new rule on disclosing documents of more than 30 years on past inter-Korean talks. Over a quarter of the dossier has been blacked out, the ministry said, for privacy and security reasons.



The ministry said it will review whether to reveal documents from 1972 on Lee Hu-rak, then head of South Korea's state intelligence agency, who traveled to Pyongyang on a secret diplomatic mission to meet then North Korean leader Kim Il-sung. Kim is the North's founding leader and late grandfather of the current leader Kim Jong-un.



At their historic meeting, the two sides agreed upon the July 4 inter-Korean joint communique, known to be the first agreement signed by South and North Korea since the division of the peninsula.



The latest documents, however, show that Seoul and Pyongyang had reached their first-ever agreement prior to that at a Red Cross preliminary meeting on Sept. 29, 1971, during which the two sides agreed to establish liaison offices and install telephone lines between the South's House of Freedom and the North's Panmungak at Panmunjom located inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)



The 30-year-old documents are available at the Office of the Inter-Korean Dialogue and the ministry's major research center. (Yonhap)




of Indias (LICs) initial public offering (IPO), which opened for subscription on Wednesday, was subscribed 67 per cent, or 0.67 times, at the end of Day 1, driven by robust interest from its policyholders, employees, and the retail segment. The issue will remain open till May 9.

The policyholders segment was subscribed close to two times, the employees segment 1.17 times, and the retail segment 0.6 times. The non-institutional investors and qualified institutional buyers segments were subscribed 0.27 times and 0.33 times, respectively, on the first day.

The offer received bids for 108.6 million shares against the offered 162.7 million shares. The retail category and employees were given a discount of Rs 45, while policyholders were given a discount of Rs 60 per share. The issue has a price band of Rs 902-949.





ALSO READ: What makes LIC IPO a long-term investment bet?

Interestingly, LICs will remain open for subscription even on the weekend, given the large amount the government is looking to raise from the market.



The insurance behemoth on Monday raised Rs 5,627 crore from anchor investors ahead of its IPO, with 71 per cent of the amount coming from domestic mutual funds (MFs). In total, the state-owned insurance giant allotted nearly 59.3 million shares to 123 investors at Rs 949 apiece, with 42.17 million shares allotted to 15 domestic mutual funds through 99 schemes.

SBI Mutual Fund subscribed to shares worth over Rs 1,000 crore via four different schemes. ICICI Prudential MF subscribed to shares worth over Rs 700 crore through over half a dozen schemes, and HDFC MF subscribed to shares worth over Rs 650 crore of the insurer via 10 different schemes. Aditya Birla Sun Life MF and Axis MF were other major subscribers among domestic fund houses.

Among foreign funds, the Singapore governments sovereign wealth fund (GIC) subscribed to shares worth over Rs 400 crore through three funds, and BNP Investments subscribed to shares worth nearly Rs 450 crore. A little over Rs 1,600 crore came from overseas funds. The low demand from foreign funds is on the back of ongoing risk aversion among foreign portfolio investors.

The government is looking to raise Rs 20,557 crore by diluting a 3.5 per cent stake in the insurer, making it the biggest public offering of the Indian capital market. Initially, the government was looking to dilute 5 per cent in the insurer, but given the volatile market conditions due to geopolitical tensions, it decided to reduce the equity dilution.

has been valued at 1.1 times its embedded value of Rs 5.39 trillion. Post listing, it could have a market cap of Rs 6 trillion, making it one of the most valuable firms in the country.
Share of (individuals with up to Rs 2 lakh shareholding) in companies listed on NSE reached an all-time high of 7.42 per cent as on March 31, 2022 from 7.33 per cent as on December 31, 2021, as per Primeinfobase, an initiative of Prime Database Group.

In INR value terms too, retail holding in companies listed on NSE reached an all-time high of Rs 19.16 lakh crore from Rs 19.05 lakh crore on December 31, 2021, an increase of 0.56 per cent, according to Pranav Haldea, Managing Director, PRIME Database Group. Sensex and Nifty rose by 0.54 and 0.63 per cent respectively during this period.

Despite share of High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs) (individuals with more than Rs 2 lakh shareholding) in companies listed on NSE declining marginally to 2.21 per cent as on March 31, 2022 from 2.28 percent on December 31, 2021, the combined retail and HNI share reached an all-time high of 9.64 per cent.

According to Haldea, net outflows from Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) of a huge Rs 1.10 lakh crore during the quarter resulted in FPIs share declining further to a 9-year low of 20.15 per cent as on March 31, 2022, from 20.71 per cent as on December 31, 2021.

Most notably, FPIs pulled out Rs 69,370 crore from Financial Services and Software sector during the quarter while investing Rs 13,450 crore in Metals & Mining and Food, Beverages & Tobacco. Holding of FPIs (in INR value terms) in companies listed on NSE stood at Rs 51.99 lakh crore as on March 31, 2022, a decrease of 3.36 per cent from Rs 53.80 lakh crore as on December 31, 2021.

According to Haldea, share of domestic Mutual Funds in companies listed on NSE rose for the third quarter running and reached 7.75 per cent as on March 31, 2022, up from 7.46 per cent as on December 31, 2021.

This was after 5 quarters of consecutive decline from March 31, 2020 (7.96 per cent) to June 30, 2021 (7.24 per cent). The share has increased on the back of net inflows by domestic Mutual Funds of a huge Rs 67,423 crore during the quarter. In INR value terms too, the holding of domestic Mutual Funds went up by 3.08 per cent to an all-time high of Rs 19.99 lakh crore as on March 31, 2022 from Rs 19.39 lakh crore on December 31, 2021.

The share of retail, HNI and domestic Mutual Funds put together also reached an all-time high of 17.38 per cent as on March 31, 2022, up from 17.08 per cent as on December 31, 2021.

--IANS

san/dpb

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Shri Anurag Jain chaired a round table of German Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Berlin today and shared his thoughts on sustainable growth, startups, digitalization and green technology. Jain is a part of the official delegation accompanying Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on his tour to Germany.

German SMEs shared their future plans for investment in India. The Secretary reaffirmed Government of India's firm commitment towards improving ease of doing business in India. Jain also met Markus Jerger, Chairman, BVMW(German Association for Small and Medium Enterprises) and discussed opportunities for greater investment and cooperation in the MSME sector between India and Germany in the fields of Food processing, Textiles, Manufacturing, AI, Technology, Hydrogen and Green Energy, Sustainability, Digitalization among others.

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The issue received bids for 10.44 crore shares as against 16.20 crore shares on offer.

The initial public offering (IPO) of insurance behemoth Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India received bids for 10,44,20,535 shares as against 16,20,78,067 shares on offer, according to stock exchange data at 17:00 IST on Wednesday (4 May 2022). The issue was subscribed 0.64 times.

The issue opened today (4 May 2022) and it will remain open for bidding till 9 May 2022. The IPO price band is Rs 902 to Rs 949 per equity share. The company will offer a discount of Rs 60 per share to LIC policyholders. For retail investors and eligible employees, the discount will be Rs 45 per share.

An investor can bid for a minimum of 15 equity shares and in multiples thereof.

The Government of India currently holds 100% stake in LIC. It is offering 221,374,920 shares, or 3.5% stake, through the initial offer.

The object of the offer is to achieve the benefits of listing the equity shares on the stock exchanges. The Corporation expects that the proposed listing of its equity shares will enhance visibility and brand image as well as provide a public market for the equity shares in India.

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) on Monday (2 May 2022) raised Rs 5,627.27 crore from anchor investors ahead of its mega initial public offering (IPO).

The state-owned insurer allotted about 5.93 crore shares to 123 investors at Rs 949 per share.

The Singapore government's sovereign wealth fund (GIC) subscribed to shares worth over Rs 414 crore through three funds. BNP Investments subscribed to shares worth about Rs 450 crore.

Out of the total allocation to the anchor investors, 4,21,73,610 equity shares (71% of the total allocation) were allotted to 15 domestic mutual funds through 99 schemes.

SBI Mutual Fund subscribed to shares worth over Rs 1,000 crore through four different schemes.

LIC has been providing life insurance in India for more than 65 years and is the largest life insurer in the country, with a 61.6% market share in terms of premiums (or GWP), a 61.4% market share in terms of New Business Premium (or NBP), a 71.8% market share in terms of number of individual policies issued, a 88.8% market share in terms of number of group policies issued for the nine months ended 31 December 2021.

On a consolidated basis (shareholders account), LIC reported a net profit of Rs 1715.31 crore and net premium earned was Rs 285,341.93 crore in the nine months of the financial year 2021-22. Income from investments for the period under review was Rs 226,253.73 crore.

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UPL on Wednesday announced that its group has acquired OptiCHOS, a naturally derived fungicide for its Natural Plant Protection (NPP) business unit, whose NPP portfolio houses natural and biologically derived agricultural inputs and technologies.

NPP is a global operating entity housing UPL's portfolio of natural and biologically derived agricultural inputs and technologies.

OptiCHOS offers farmers a new, low-risk, residue free and bio-degradable broad spectrum disease control solution, with low environmental and human impacts. The active ingredients of OptiCHOS were developed from the chitin-rich by-products of the shellfish industry by BioCHOS, a spin-off of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. NPP's acquisition of OptiCHOS includes the registration data package and patents enabling the product to be used in mixture of a wide range of fungicides, providing the agricultural industry a variety of options.

The fugicide has already been submitted for approval for use in the European Union and NPP expects to be able to launch OptiCHOS products across the bloc in the next few years. Outside the EU, UPL will identify other markets for OptiCHOS and launch registration and approval processes to make the product available to farmers, company stated.

OptiCHOS will be integrated into UPL's ProNutiva programme which integrates naturally based biosolutions with conventional crop protection products to offer farmers tailored and adaptable packages that directly tackles pain-points. Through this programme, farmers can ensure higher yields with lower environmental impact while also improving their economic resilience and sustainability, the company further added.

UPL is a global provider of sustainable agriculture products and solutions. Its portfolio consists of biologicals and traditional crop protection solutions with more than 14,000 registrations.

Shares of UPL fell 0.87% to Rs 822.45 on BSE.

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To facilitate feasibility study and identify potential partner for manufacturing Li-ion advance cells in India

Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Singapore-based renewable energy management consulting firm Sunkonnect. The association is aimed at facilitating a feasibility study and identification of potential partner for the manufacturing of Li-ion advance cells in India.

Under the MoU, Sunkonnect will set up a committee of experienced scientists , engineers , analysts to evaluate and identify the professional partner, as well as to develop the roadmap to set up the 1GWh cell production plant at WardWizard's electric vehicle ancillary cluster in Vadodara.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said Union Home Minister will communicate to him on BJP central leadership's decision about expansion or reshuffle of the state cabinet.

Shah was in the city on Tuesday, during which he took part in various events, and attended lunch at Bommai's official residence where he was closeted with select state BJP leaders.

"He (Shah) said, he will talk (to me), after going to Delhi," Bommai said in response to a question on what Shah has communicated to him regarding or reshuffle.

Asked about speculations over a cabinet reshuffle and having Deputy Chief Ministers, he said, "It is something, I'm getting to know from you (media)."



Shah's visit to the city came amid buzz over possible changes in the leadership, and pressure to rejig or expand the cabinet, ahead of Assembly polls in 2023.

Several top BJP leaders have denied speculations about Bommai's replacement.

According to top BJP sources, Shah too is said to have asked Bommai to focus on development and election preparations, and leave the rest to the party leadership.

Amid murmurs in the BJP circles that a top-to-bottom overhaul of the cabinet cannot be ruled out, ministerial aspirants are hopeful that a decision is likely soon regarding or reshuffle, amid talks that several incumbents could make way for fresh faces.

Meanwhile, the state cabinet meeting that was scheduled to be held on May 5 has been postponed to May 11.

This has given rise to speculations that the postponement may be to accommodate expansion in the state cabinet or reshuffling it, amid reports that the BJP high command is expected to arrive at a decision in this regard before May 10.

Bommai is under pressure from aspirants to expand or reshuffle his cabinet at the earliest, ahead of polls next year.

There are currently five positions vacant in the state cabinet, which has 29 ministers, including the chief minister, against the sanctioned strength of 34.

Some legislators have even been advocating a Gujarat-like overhaul of the cabinet soon, to make way for new faces, ahead of the assembly elections.

(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.)
PM Modi in his statement on Russia-Ukraine conflict recently said,from the start of the Ukraine crisis, India has called for immediate cessation of hostilities and stressed that talks are the only solution to resolve the dispute. India believes there will be no winner in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and all will suffer losses.

That is the summation of Indias stand on the ongoing European conflict.

However, the US and EU have responded to Russias actions by adopting a tough stance, such as imposing far-reaching sanctions that have been described as crippling in the Western press.

And, they are keen to enlist greater support from New Delhi in all of this, particularly in ensuring that it doesnt help Moscow circumvent their sanctions in any way.

Then there is the fact that India has refrained from overt criticism of Russia. India was among the countries that abstained in a UN vote to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council.

However, India also refrained from backing a Russian resolution that sought to deflect the blame for the humanitarian crisis it has created in Ukraine. Amid all of this, Moscow has praised New Delhis independent foreign policy with regard to the ongoing conflict.

[Byte of Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister, during his recent India visit.]



While Moscow might appear to be satisfied, the West, particularly the US, isnt. And their view of Indias policy with regard to the Russia-Ukraine crisis was best summed up by the US President himself earlier in March.

At the end of March, the US had said that it would not like to see a rapid acceleration in Indias imports from Russia, including energy and other commodities.

India, however, has followed a policy that it says is in keeping with its national interests.

Just consider the following Business Standard reports - Imports from Russia rose nearly 33 per cent to 1.1 billion dollars in March from a shade above 831 million dollars in the previous month. This growth in imports was largely on account of oil.

Note that India and Russia have also been exploring transactions through the rupee-ruble mechanism. Such a mechanism would also cause tensions between India and America and its allies.

There have also been calls for India to curtail its purchases of Russian military equipment. However, given the strategic nature of some of these platforms, that too might prove to be a tall order, at least in the immediate future.

This is the context in which Prime Minister Modi will be participating in the .

Speaking to Business Standard, Shyam Saran, Former Foreign Secretary and Senior Fellow, CPR, said invitation should not be looked at through narrow lens of India-Russia ties alone. India-Russia ties are only one part of the agenda.

It is important that India, Europe, US and other Quad countries work together to shape the geopolitical environment, he said. The West understands that India-Russia ties have legacy issues and the ties have been declining in past few years. Indias rhetorical neutrality is not so important, Saran says adding that India and the West must instead work on substantive issues. Indias ties with US, Europe and Japan will be crucial for its technological and economic transformation.

Yet, theres unlikely to be a sudden shift in India-Russia relations due to Western coaxing. Instead, they will follow the trajectory that has become evident in the past few years, where India will find growing convergence with the West, but continue to balance its ties with Russia, even as those ties lose the sheen they had during the Soviet era and the early 2000s.




The top South Korean, U.S. and Japanese nuclear envoys denounced North Korea's latest missile test Wednesday and called for the reclusive regime to return to the dialogue table, Seoul's foreign ministry said.







Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, held phone consultations with his U.S. counterpart Sung Kim over the phone, according to the foreign ministry.







The North launched a ballistic missile into the East Sea around noon, marking its 14th known show of force this year.







The two also shared their assessment on the possibilities of additional provocative acts by Pyongyang. They agreed to maintain watertight cooperation between Seoul and Washington and a firm defense posture.







Earlier in the day, Noh met his Japanese counterpart, Takehiro Funakoshi, in Seoul. They said the launch is a clear violation of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions and poses a "serious threat" not only to the Korean Peninsula but also to the international community.







"(Noh and Funakoshi) urged North Korea to immediately cease further destabilizing acts and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy," the ministry said. (Yonhap)


The contribution of high value-added industries such as biotech to Chinas total economic inputs contracted in April from the previous month due chiefly to a drop in capital inputs, a Caixin index showed.

The Mastercard Caixin BBD New Economy Index (NEI) came in at 28.8 in April, indicating that new economy industries accounted for 28.8% of Chinas overall economic input activities. The reading was down from 30.6 in March.

The NEI uses big data to track the size of Chinas nascent industries. It measures labor, capital and technology inputs in 10 emerging industries relative to those used in all industries.

The drop in the April reading was mainly caused by a decline in the capital input subindex. The subindex, which has a 35% weighting, sank 3.8 points from the previous month to 35.9 in April.

Meanwhile, the subindex for labor inputs, which has a weighting of 40%, fell 1.1 points to 22.8 last month. The subindex measures employee income and the number of positions in the new economy industries.

The technology input subindex, which has a 25% weighting, dipped 0.2 points to 28.3. It gauges the number of research personnel recruited by the tracked industries, the number of inventions they have created and the number of patents they have obtained.

Launched in March 2016, the NEI defines a new economy industry as one that is technology- and human capital-intensive, but asset-light, experiences sustainable and rapid growth, and is strategically encouraged by the government.

Of the 10 tracked industries, new information technology remained the largest contributor in April, contributing 8.1 percentage points to the NEI reading. The energy conservation and environmental protection industry ranked second, contributing 5.6 percentage points.

The average monthly entry-level salary in the 10 industries was 13,768 yuan ($2,082) in April, 49.7 yuan higher than the previous month, data compiled from online career and recruitment websites show.

The monthly NEI reports are written by Caixin Data Technology Co. Ltd. and Chinese big-data research firm BBD, in collaboration with the National School of Development at Peking University.

Contact reporter Tang Ziyi (ziyitang@caixin.com) and editor Lin Jinbing (jinbinglin@caixin.com)

Read more about Caixins economic indexes.

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The streets of the usually bustling Chaoyang district remain muted as Beijing tightened Covid controls and added three more rounds of compulsory testing to battle the ongoing outbreak. The local government has suspended nonessential services in Chaoyang, forcing anyone who lives or works there to telecommute. Beijing reported more than 70 new local cases on Monday

May 10, 2022 04:07 PM
Justice Minister nominee Han Dong-hoon / Yonhap



Justice Minister nominee Han Dong-hoon said he will look for ways to minimize any negative impacts that the recently enacted laws on prosecution reform could have on ordinary people, according to a lawmaker Wednesday.



Han made the remark in a document submitted to independent Rep. Yang Hyang-ja for his confirmation hearing, stressing ordinary people will take the brunt of the legislation centering on reducing and ultimately abolishing the prosecution's investigative powers.



The legislation, consisting of revisions to the Criminal Procedure Act and the Prosecutors' Office Act, was approved and promulgated Tuesday at the last Cabinet meeting that President Moon Jae-in held before leaving office next week.



The ruling Democratic Party, which controls the 300-member National Assembly with 171 seats, rammed the widely unpopular bills through despite strong protests from the main opposition People Power Party, civic groups and other critics.










Prosecutors on Wednesday indicted a woman and her male accomplice on charges of murder for causing the drowning death of her husband in 2019 for a hefty insurance payout, officials said.







Lee Eun-hae, 31, and her extramarital lover, Cho Hyun-soo, 30, allegedly prodded Lee's then 39-year-old husband to jump into a deep mountain stream in Gapyeong, 60 kilometers east of Seoul, on June 30, 2019, even though he was unable to swim, and letting him drown.







The Incheon District Prosecutors' Office probing the case said the two have been charged with murder, attempted murder and attempted insurance fraud.







Prosecutors suspect the duo committed the crime for 800 million won ($650,000) in an insurance payout.







Additionally, Lee and Cho are accused of attempting to kill the husband by poisoning him with puffer fish toxin in February 2019 and trying to drown him at a fishing place in May of that year, according to prosecutors.







Both of them have been detained since a district court issued arrest warrants for them last month. (Yonhap)










A fire broke out at an apartment building in the southeastern port city of Busan, leaving one brain dead and two others seriously injured, officials said Wednesday.







The fire is assumed to have started in the living room of an apartment on the 13th floor at 9:43 p.m. Tuesday and was extinguished in about 30 minutes after completely destroying the unit, according to officials.







A 70-year-old resident was found unconscious in the laundry room and transported to a nearby hospital but was reportedly declared to be brain dead. His 63-year-old wife and 40-year-old daughter were also found unconscious in the bathroom of the main bedroom and are receiving medical treatment, officials said.







The fire authority and police plan to investigate the exact cause of the fire. (Yonhap)






Agricultural Minister nominee Chung Hwang-keun said Wednesday he will push for an end to dog meat consumption through social compromise.







Chung expressed his position on the long-standing controversy in his written answer to a lawmaker's question ahead of his confirmation hearing scheduled for Friday.







"As the number of families with pets has increased and public interest in animal welfare has grown, banning dog meat is the direction in which our society should move forward," Chung said.







The veteran bureaucrat was nominated by President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol in mid-April to head the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.







The nominee noted the problem has been so contentious for a long time that a broad social consensus is needed to resolve it.







"I will make efforts to achieve a grand compromise to end dog meat consumption by fully listening to and coordinating opinions of the industry and animal rights groups," he added.







A government-civilian consultative body was launched in December to deal with the issue.







If the 21-member task force comes up with compromise policy recommendations, the incoming government will take measures to deliver them, including related law revisions, he said.







A survey conducted by Realmeter in November showed 48.9 percent of the respondents were opposed to outlawing dog meat, while 38.6 percent supported it.







During his election campaign, Yoon expressed his opposition to eating and trading dog meat but said banning the centuries-old practice by law requires a social consensus. (Yonhap)






After its global unveil in India last November and subsequent spy shots showing it landing at the Batangas Port and on its way to dealers...
Depaire Silvia France

Originally from Buenos Aires in Argentina, Silvia completed all her school education there before going on a cultural exchange year in California. During her stay in the United States, she began to learn about art, especially urban arts, thanks to the large amount of graffiti that adorns the walls of New York. She also did not miss out on visiting the modern masterpieces preserved in the museums of the capital. When she returned to Argentina, Silvia set her new aspirations to one side in order to satisfy her family and enrolled in a course dedicated to marketing. A few years later, settled in France and encouraged by her husband, Silvia began attending evening classes at the School of Fine Arts in Nice to learn painting and drawing techniques. Today, a painter in her home studio, in Antony, located in the Paris region, she divides her time between the creation of her paintings and the running of thematic workshops.

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Photo: Contributed The many wines in competition at the Cascadia International Wine Competition held in Richland, Wa. last week.

There are plenty of options for brunch for Mothers Day this weekend, but if the mom or the mother figure in your life is more of an oenophile and appreciates good wine more than eggs benny, here are some bottles to wrap up as your gift.

First, take note, all of these bottles are winners from last weeks Cascadia International Wine Competition held in Richland, Wa. You can scroll through the gold and double gold medalists on Facebook until the final full list for 2022 is posted on the web.

This competition accepts entries from across the Pacific Northwest, so it is, indeed, international.

And, you can legitimately say to your ma one of the judges at Cascadia  that would be me  recommends these bottles from B.C. Judging is done blind, but after all the swirling, sniffing and spitting was done, I discovered a few of these were in my flights. I even recognized a couple of them as being from the Okanagan.

Maan Farms Estate Winery in Abbotsford won double gold for its 2020 Strawberry-Raspberry blend fruit wine. Yes, a fruit wine. The aromas wafting out of the glass were akin to a fresh pie cooling on the window sill.

Still in a slightly sweeter style, Stags Hollow Winerys 2021 Tragically Vidal was also a double gold winner, and a spot-on Vidal, as noted by one of my fellow judges.

This table wine is perfect with a fresh fruit salad if youre making brunch for mom. So is gold medal winner Wild Goose for its 2019 Late Harvest Gewurztraminer. Wild Goose also took gold for its 2021 Sauvignon Blanc and Upper Bench in Naramata won gold for its 2019 Estate Chardonnay.

Both Hester Creek and Gehringer Brothers took gold medals for some unique white blends. Hester Creek for its recent vintage of Pinot Gris-Viognier, and Gehringer Brothers for its 2021 Desert Sun (a Riesling-based blend), and its Gewurztraminer-Schonburger. Hester Creek also won double gold for its 2021 Old Vines Pinot Blanc.

While the Okanagans aromatic whites shine in competition and our terroir invites much jealousy from other winemakers in the Pacific Northwest, our reds were recognized as well.

Double gold for Volcanic Hills 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon. When I realized this bold B.C. red wine had been in one of my flights, and my judging panel pushed it to double gold status, I was both thrilled and amazed, thinking it was from somewhere further south. Serve this with a steak for your ma.

Volcanic Hills took a gold medal for its 2017 Merlot, as did Phantom Creek for its 2019 Kobau Vineyard Syrah.

The top wine overall was a spectacular sparkling wine from 3100 Cellars in Idaho. Not available here, but I thought it might have been a bottle of 2018 Polaris from Township 7. Short of whipping down to Idaho, this B.C. bubbly is an ideal option for toasting mom.

Cheers.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: BIV Vancouver is exploring the possibility of an Indigenous-led bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympic Games

Only two of the seven members of the core team studying feasibility of a Vancouver 2030 Winter Olympics bid are Indigenous.

Last December, Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart and Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton announced they were exploring an Indigenous-led bid with leaders of the Four Host First Nations  Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Lilwat  when they signed a memorandum of understanding at BC Place Stadium.

The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), which pledged support in February, provided the list of the seven people to a reporter late May 2. It includes former Squamish Nation councillor Tewanee Joseph, who was executive director of the Vancouver 2010 Four Host First Nations Society, and Skwah First Nation Chief Lara Mussell Savage, who worked as an Indigenous and youth sport manager at the Vancouver 2010 organizing committee (VANOC). Skwah is part of the Sto:lo Nation in Chilliwack and is not one of the Four Host First Nations.

At the top of the feasibility team list is COC president Tricia Smith. It also includes COC vice-president of international relations and public affairs Andrew Baker, former VANOC sport vice-president Tim Gayda, former VANOC Games operations director Mary Conibear and Own the Podium communications consultant Chris Dornan.

Dornan said the core team is only a small operational group working within the greater team.

He said the Four Host First Nations are providing direction and invited the seven people who are working under leadership, collaboration, coordination and commitment with the Nations.

We are working as one team, Dornan said.

A three-member IOC technical review team began a visit May 1 to Vancouver and Whistler as part of the ongoing quest to find a host for the 2030 Games. The group arrived from Salt Lake City where it met 2030 bid officials in the 2002 host city.

The IOC has replaced costly bidding wars with a new process to encourage interested cities to negotiate behind closed doors through continuous dialogue." The 2030 host is expected to be chosen by May 2023 at the IOC session in Mumbai, India.

The new process, however, is secretive. The IOC refused to name its delegation or provide an itinerary. It said each interested party is free to communicate to national and regional media when it feels the time is right. However, the COC and local governments have kept most details under wraps.

The City of Vancouvers manager of sport hosting, Michelle Collens, referred a reporter to Johann Chang in the city hall communications department, who then referred the reporter to the COC. The COC provided part of the same statement that was already supplied to the reporter three days earlier.

On April 11, Stewarts office said a draft 2030 Games concept would be provided to the two municipal and four band councils for consideration in June.

However, on April 28, Conibear registered on behalf of the COC to lobby Premier John Horgan and his staff, five ministers, the BC Lottery Corp. and BC Pavilion Corp. for staff resources to help create the conceptual plan.

Should a Games concept evolve into a successful bid, it could impact a host of government policies, including Indigenous relations, the environment, housing, economic development and others, said Conibears registration.

Missing from the team is the man who hatched the idea for a 2030 bid two years ago: ex-Vancouver 2010 CEO John Furlong.

John is not involved in the project, Dornan said.
Photo: The Canadian Press David Eby, B.C. Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing, speaks during a social housing funding announcement in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Wednesday, July 28, 2021. Eby says he is poised to announce a plan to tackle repeat offenders. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

British Columbias Attorney General David Eby says he is poised to announce a creative plan to help tackle repeat offenders.

Eby, who has been labelled soft on crime by Opposition B.C. Liberals in the legislature, says the plan is the result of meetings with concerned municipal leaders.

B.C.'s Urban Mayors' Caucus wrote to Eby last month, saying communities are facing critical issues connected to criminal activity by offenders who are routinely arrested but often released.

The mayors, representing Vancouver, Victoria and other large B.C. centres, say police data shows most offences are committed by a number of highly active, prolific criminals.

Eby and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth are expected to announce the details of B.C.'s crime plan on Thursday.

Eby says in an interview the plan will involve working with the mayors and other provincial authorities to address problems caused by a small group of people.
Photo: The Canadian Press Nutrien Tower is seen in Saskatoon on June 25, 2021. Nutrien Ltd. says it earned a record US$1.4 billion in the first quarter as the war in Ukraine drove up commodity prices and raised concerns about global food security. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards

Nutrien Ltd. has significantly hiked its earnings forecast for the year after announcing a record first quarter profit driven by surging commodity prices and concerns about global food security due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Saskatoon-based company, which is the world's largest producer of fertilizer and reports in U.S. dollars, earned a record US$1.4 billion in the quarter ended March 31. That works out to $2.49 per share, more than 10 times the 22 cents per share it earned in the same period of 2021.

Nutrien also hiked its earnings guidance for the full year 2022 by 50 per cent. It said Tuesday it now expects to earn between $16.20 and $18.70 per share this year, up from a previous target of $10.20 to $11.80.

Nutrien  which was created in 2018 as a result of the merger between PotashCorp of Saskatchewan and Calgary-based Agrium Inc.  has seen its share price increase by more than 20 per cent since the first of March due to the impact of geopolitical events on fertilizer markets and prices.

According to the company, Russia and Belarus account for approximately 40 per cent of global production and exports of potash, a key plant nutrient used in agriculture.

Financial sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus due to the war in Ukraine mean that potash exports from the region were approximately 20 per cent lower in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021.

"There's no simple or fast solution to overcome this level of supply disruption," said Nutrien interim CEO Ken Seitz on a conference call. (The company has not yet named a permanent replacement for former CEO Mayo Schmidt, who stepped down in January after just nine months on the job.)

"We believe these issues could extend well beyond this year."

Nutrien has over 20 million tonnes of capacity at six potash mines in Saskatchewan. It also has two large phosphate mines in the U.S., and is the worlds third-largest producer of nitrogen. Potash, phosphate and nitrogen are the three main plant nutrients used in commercial fertilizer.

For 2022, Nutrien said it expects to produce between 14.5 to 15.1 million tonnes of potash. This reflects the company's March announcement that it will increase potash production capacity by nearly one million tonnes to help meet global demand.

However, Seitz said Tuesday that the company is currently exploring the feasibility of expanding production even more. He said more details will be forthcoming at the company's investor day on June 9.

"We will closely monitor global market developments as we assess opportunities to increase our potash production capability beyond 15 million tonnes," Seitz said.

"Increasing production on a sustained basis requires opening up new ground, installing additional equipment and infrastructure, hiring more people and securing outbound logistics. These are decisions that require careful planning as they have long-term impacts on our operations and our people."

In an email, Edward Jones analyst Matt Arnold said Nutrien has been careful not to harm fertilizer pricing by adding too much capacity in the past, and said he expects the company to remain disciplined with future decisions as well.

"We would only expect significant capacity additions if the company is confident the Russia/Ukraine conflict will impair Russia and Belarus exports on a more sustained basis, and not just this year," Arnold said.

Nutrien's sales in the quarter totalled $7.6 billion, up from $4.7 billion in the previous quarter.

The company's share price was trading at $137.05 in the early afternoon on the Toronto Stock Exchange, up $9.22 or 7.2 per cent.
Photo: Contributed

May 3 marked an important deadline for Flair Airlines.

In mid-April, news broke that the airline may be forced to cease its operations due to an issue with the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA).

But while the CTA could halt Flair operations if the airline does not meet the conditions to qualify as "Canadian owned," the agency will not provide a comment on the issue.

The CTA tells Glacier Media in an emailed statement that it will provide an update on May 4, "once the requirement to respond (60 calendar days from the date of issuance) has come to an end."

Until now, however, Flair Airlines has maintained that it will not halt operations. President and CEO Stephen Jones told Glacier in a phone interview on April 18 that customers should "absolutely be comfortable" in keeping the flights they've booked.

"I want to be really clear. We will not be grounded as a consequence of this review," he explained, adding that Flair has been working with the CTA to address the situation.

A spokesman for Flair Airlines told Glacier in an emailed statement Tuesday that the airline is "working closely with the CTA to resolve the matter, but [has] no further status updates."

Flair Airlines announces new routes, sales at CTA deadline

In addition to reassuring customers that their flights are secure, the airline just announced two new routes to Puerto Vallarta.

The new routes will provide service between the Mexican sun destination and Vancouver and Edmonton. On Nov. 5, once-weekly flights on Saturdays from Vancouver will begin starting at $99 CAD including all taxes and fees.

Flair also leaned into its trademark humour to announce the "surprise! (not really) we're here to stay" sale. The sale offer 53 per cent off base fares on flights for travel between May 10 and June 23 using the timely promo code "heretostay."

The carrier also used the winking emoji with its tongue out in a Twitter post, captioning, "surprise."

The CTA issued a preliminary determination that Flair Airlines may not meet the standard of Canadian control as per the Canada Transportation Act, SC 1996, c 10, which states that at least 51 per cent of a company's voting interests must be owned and controlled by Canadians. Additionally, no more than 25 per cent of the voting interests may be by any single non-Canadian entity or individual.

Numerous travellers say they aren't convinced the airline won't be grounded following the CTA deadline. Many of them are still awaiting refunds, while others say they were unable to reach a customer service representative who could help them.
Photo: The Canadian Press Vehicles burn at an oil depot after missiles struck the facility in Makiivka, in eastern Ukraine.

Russian forces pounded targets across Ukraine, taking aim at supply lines for foreign weapons in the west and intensifying an offensive in the east, as the European Union moved Wednesday to further punish Moscow for the war with a proposed ban on oil imports.

The Russian military said Wednesday it used sea- and air-launched precision guided missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

The defense minister repeated that Russian forces have blocked off a steel mill in Mariupol from which scores of civilians were evacuated over the weekend. Another official denied they were storming the plant, as its defenders said a day earlier.

Ukrainian authorities, meanwhile, said attacks in the eastern Donbas region left 21 civilians dead.

The flurry of attacks over the past day comes as Russia prepares to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, marking the Soviet Unions defeat of Nazi Germany. This year the world is watching for whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will use the occasion to declare a limited victory  or expand what he calls a special military operation to a wider war.

A declaration of all-out war would allow Putin to introduce martial law and mobilize reservists to replace what Western officials say have been significant troop losses.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday dismissed the speculation as untrue and nonsense.

As areas across Ukraine came under renewed attack, Belarus, which Russia used as a staging ground for its invasion, announced military drills. The Defense Ministry in Minsk said the exercises that began Wednesday dont threaten any neighbors but a top Ukrainian official the country will be ready to act if Belarus joins the fighting.

While the Russian attacks were across a wide swath of Ukraine, some were concentrated in and around Lviv, the western city close to the Polish border that has been a gateway for NATO-supplied weapons.

Explosions were heard late Tuesday in the city, which has seen only sporadic attacks during the war and has become a haven for civilians fleeing the fighting elsewhere. The mayor said the strikes damaged three power substations, knocking out electricity in parts of the city and disrupting the water supply. Two people were wounded.

The attacks on rail infrastructure were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said, while his boss, Minister Sergei Shoigu, told top military brass that the West was stuffing Ukraine with weapons.

Western weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces blunt Russias initial offensive and seems certain to play a central role in the battle for the Donbas, which Moscow now says is its focus following its failure to take Kyiv in the early weeks of the war.

Ukraine has urged the West to ramp up the supply of weapons ahead of that potentially decisive battle. Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which had been slow at first to help arm Ukraine, said Wednesday his government is considering supplying Ukraine with howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment it has already agreed to send.

The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which lies in the Donbas, said Russian attacks left 21 dead on Tuesday, the highest number of known fatalities since April 8, when a missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk killed at least 59 people.

Russia has deployed a significant number of troops in the region and appears to be trying to advance in the north, as they try to cut Ukrainian forces off, according to an assessment from the British Defense Ministry. However, Moscows push has been slow as Ukrainian fighters dig in and use long-range weapons to target the Russians.

In addition to supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe and the United States have sought to punish Moscow with sanctions. The EU's top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to ban Russian oil imports.

We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The proposals need unanimous approval from EU countries and are likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they won't take part in any oil sanctions, but von der Leyen didnt elaborate on whether they would receive an exemption, which appears likely.

Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russias largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.

On Tuesday, in one of the most crucial battles of the war, Ukrainian fighters said Russian forces began storming the bombed-out steel mill in Mariupol, the last pocket of resistance in the city. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday that was not true.

There is no assault. We see that there are cases of escalation due to the fact that the militants take up the firing positions. These attempts are being suppressed very quickly, Peskov said.

Shoigu, the defense minister, said that fighters at the Azovstal mill have been securely blocked inside, while Russian forces continue to demand their surrender  something they have repeatedly refused to do.

Over the weekend, however, scores of civilians were successfully evacuated from the plants underground tunnels after enduring weeks of shelling.

It is unclear how many Ukrainian fighters are still inside, but the Russians put the number at about 2,000 in recent weeks, and 500 were reported to be wounded. A few hundred civilians also remained there, said Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk.

Officials have expressed hope more people could yet be evacuated. No new rescues from the plant have been announced, but Vereshchuk said Wednesday authorities plan to continue efforts to evacuate civilians from Mariupol and nearby areas if the security situation allows it.

Thanks to the evacuation effort over the weekend, 101 people  including women, the elderly, and 17 children, the youngest 6 months old  emerged from the bunkers under the steelworks to see the daylight after two months, said Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.

One evacuee said she went to sleep at the plant every night afraid she wouldnt wake up.

You cant imagine how scary it is when you sit in the bomb shelter, in a damp and wet basement, and it is bouncing and shaking, 54-year-old Elina Tsybulchenko said upon arriving in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles (230 kilometers) northwest of Mariupol.

Mariupol  and the plant in particular  has come to symbolize the human misery inflicted by the war. The Russians two-month siege of the strategic port has trapped civilians with little or no food, water, medicine or heat, as Moscows forces pounded the city into rubble.

The city's fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops for fighting elsewhere in the Donbas.
Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum / Yonhap



Outgoing Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said "absolute power" must be checked as he defended the Cabinet's decision to promulgate controversial prosecution reform legislation aimed at reducing and ultimately removing the prosecution's investigative powers.



Kim made the remark during a press meeting at his official residence in Sejong on Tuesday, the same day President Moon Jae-in promulgated the legislation in his last Cabinet meeting following the National Assembly's approval on two prosecution reform bills.



The ruling Democratic Party led the legislation despite objection from the main opposition People Power Party, insisting it is necessary to ensure the prosecution does not abuse its investigative powers for political purposes.



"Some people say the whole community will break down due to the prosecution reform, but I do not believe that story," Kim said. "Any unchecked power should not be left alone."



Kim dismissed concerns police may dominate investigations following the legislation.



"I had served as a minister managing the police," Kim said, referring to his stint as an interior minister. "Inside the police, there are checks and balances, and the prosecution's right to conduct supplementary investigations is still powerful."



Kim hinted he may carry out his job even after the launch of the new government of incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol, but not for a long time.



"I cannot just tactlessly sit in the new government and say 'give me a salary,'" he said. "I will try to pick the right time (for the officials of the next government) to play a role."



Those from the prime minister's office said Kim may retain his post even after Yoon's inauguration next Tuesday, but not until May 17, when the first Cabinet meeting of the new government is scheduled.



Han Duck-soo has been nominated as the first prime minster of the incoming government, but he has yet to receive the National Assembly's approval to begin his job.



"I hope Han can get the National Assembly's approval," Kim said. "Until my successor comes, I will play a connecting role. The current government should help the launch of the next government."



Kim's answer suggests he could recommend minister nominations for the new Cabinet if Yoon requests it.



Kim also raised a possibility of some ministers of the current government staying in their posts for a while if their successors are not confirmed even after the new government starts.



"Our society has matured that much (to handle such a situation)," he said.



Kim, who has had the country's No. 2 job since May 2021, said he plans to stay out of politics and focus on volunteer activities after retirement.



"At present, I want to serve a role that can bring social attention to children coming out of the foster care system and young people preparing for independent living," he said.



When asked about his most painful memory during his term, Kim spoke of retightening social distancing when the country was hit by the delta variant of COVID-19.



"When we rolled back social distancing rules after easing them slightly, small merchants and self-employed people came to me and cried out that they are dying of hunger, not because of the virus," he said. "It was the most difficult decision for me." (Yonhap)




Photo: The Canadian Press Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks to reporters after North Korea fired a ballistic missile, Wednesday.

North Korea has launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to bolster his nuclear arsenal at the fastest possible pace and threatened to use them against rivals.

The launch, the Norths 14th round of weapons firing this year, also came six days before a new conservative South Korean president takes office for a single five-year term.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired from the Norths capital region and flew to the waters off its eastern coast. It called North Koreas repeated ballistic missile launches an act of grave threat to undermine international peace and security and a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions banning any ballistic launch by the North.

The statement said that Won In-Choul, the South Korean JCS chief, held a video conference about the launch with Gen. Paul LaCamera, an American general who heads the South Korea-U.S. combined forces command in Seoul, and they agreed to maintain a solid joint defense posture.

Japan also detected the North Korean launch and quickly condemned it.

North Koreas series of actions that threatens the peace, safety and stability of the international community are impermissible, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters during his visit to Rome.

Kishida said hell discuss the launch when he meets Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi later Wednesday. Naturally, we will exchange views on the regional situation in the Indo-Pacific and East Asia, and I will thoroughly explain the reality of the region including the North Korean missile launch today, to gain understanding about the pressing situation in the East Asia, he said.

Japanese Vice Defense Minister Makoto Oniki said that the missile was believed to have landed in waters outside of the Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone. There has been no report of damage or injury reported from vessels and aircraft in the area.

It wasnt immediately known what missile North Korea launched. South Koreas military said the missile flew about 470 kilometres.

Observers say North Koreas unusually fast pace in weapons testing this year underscores its dual goal of advancing its missile programs and applying pressure on Washington over a deepening freeze in nuclear negotiations. They say Kim eventually aims to use his expanded arsenal to win an international recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state that he believes would help force the United States to relax international economic sanctions on the North.

One of the North Korean missiles tested recently was an intercontinental ballistic missile potentially capable of reaching the entirety of the American homeland. That missile's launch broke Kim's self-imposed 2018 moratorium on big weapons tests.

There are signs that the North is also preparing for a nuclear test at its remote northeastern testing facility. If made, the nuclear bomb test explosion by North Korea would be the seventh of its kind and the first since 2017.

Last week, Kim Jong Un showcased his most powerful nuclear-capable missiles targeting both the United States and its allies during a massive military parade in capital, Pyongyang. During a speech at the parade, Kim said he would develop his arsenal at the fastest possible pace and warned that the North would preemptively use its nuclear weapons if its national interests are threatened.

North Korea has previously unleased harsh rhetoric threatening to attack its rivals with its nuclear weapons. But the fact that Kim made the threat himself and in a detailed manner have caused security jitters among some South Koreans. Taken together with North Koreas recent tests of short-range nuclear-capable missiles, some experts speculate North Koreas possibly escalatory nuclear doctrine would allow it to launch preemptive nuclear strikes on South Korea in some cases.

Wednesdays launch came before the May 10 inauguration of South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol, who has vowed to boost Seouls missile capability and solidify its military alliance with Washington to better cope with increasing North Korean nuclear threats.

North Korea has a history of raising animosities with weapons tests when Seoul and Washington inaugurate new governments in an apparent bid to boost its leverage in future negotiations.

Yoons power transition office called the latest North Korean launch a grave provocation and urged Pyongyang to stop acts that raise tensions and threaten international peace. It said in a statement that the Yoon government will strongly respond to North Korean provocations in close cooperation with the international community.

Some experts say the Biden administrations passive handling of North Korea as it focuses on Russias invasion of Ukraine and an intensifying rivalry with China is allowing more room for the North to expand its military capabilities.

The Biden administrations actions on North Korea have so far been limited to largely symbolic sanctions and offers of open-ended talks. North Korea has rejected the administrations offer for talks, saying it must first abandon its hostile policy, in an apparent reference to U.S.-led international sanctions and U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises.
Photo: The Canadian Press A fire-destroyed property registered to Gabriel Wortman in 2020.

After the older brother he had met for the first time 10 years earlier killed 22 Nova Scotians in 2020, a Massachusetts man described his sibling to police as paranoid and said he harboured dark thoughts.

Jeff Samuelson, who in 1970 was put up for adoption in the United States, told RCMP officers that his brother, Gabriel Wortman, shared stories about his awful upbringing and repeatedly told Samuelson he wanted to kill their biological parents.

I always say that we got wired at the same factory but I went down a different assembly line, Samuelson said in an interview with an RCMP officer on April 27, 2020, days after the worst mass shooting in modern Canadian history.

The interview transcript published Tuesday by the public inquiry into the killings includes Samuelsons story of meeting his biological family for the first time in 2010, 40 years after he was put up for adoption. It was Samuelson who initiated the contact at the urging of his wife.

Before meeting in person in Nova Scotia, Samuelson said he spoke with Wortman on the phone a few times.

In the calls, the killer unloaded a mountain of information about his childhood, Samuelson said, which he described as being horrendous and full of violence.

He was on a tear, he was like so pissed off  you know he just wanted to explode on his childhood and (say) how bad it was, Samuelson told the RCMP.

In one story, the gunman told Samuelson his father had forced him to shoot his pet dog as a punishment when he was 13 years old. Samuelson said he believed Wortman was angry at his parents for not telling him he had a younger brother who was adopted.

Forty-one years old and he found this out  it pretty much severed their relationship, Samuelson told the RCMP. He had had enough. He hated his parents, there was deep hatred there, he added.

His biological parents, Paul and Evelyn Wortman, visited the United States to meet Samuelson. Then, in the summer of 2010, Samuelson and his wife travelled from their home in Massachusetts to the Maritimes to see more of the family he had never met. This trip, which included a stay in Portapique, was the first time Samuelson spent time with his brother in person.

The couple stayed with Paul Wortman's brother, Glynn Wortman, whose home was one of many burnt down during the April 18-19, 2020, rampage, but they visited the house the shooter shared with his spouse, Lisa Banfield.

Samuelson said his brother showed off many weapons when they arrived, including a grenade, a rifle that he pulled out of a workbench in the garage, a Tommy gun and a 9-mm handgun with a laser and what he believed was a silencer.

They were shown more than 10 weapons that were spread out throughout the residence, Samuelson said, describing them as "hidden in plain sight." This led Samuelson to believe the shooter was paranoid.

Why would you have (weapons) all over the house? But you gotta be ready for action in any  any room in his  in his paranoid world, Samuelson said.

The brothers didn't keep in touch, and Samuelson said the last time he remembers speaking to the gunman on the phone was in 2013.

Samuelson said he stopped reaching out to his brother because he was obsessed with money and talking about his personal wealth.

I didnt want to just listen to this guy," he said. "There was no room to build a relationship."
Photo: The Canadian Press B.C. Liberal Leader Kevin Falcon gives a statement and answers questions from reporters during an media availability at the legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Wednesday, May 4, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

British Columbia's Opposition Liberal leader says he will target the New Democrat government's weak spots on the issues of crime, affordability and health care when he takes his seat in the legislature later this month.

Kevin Falcon was elected Liberal leader earlier this year and won a byelection in the Vancouver-Quilchena riding over the weekend.

Falcon says he'll pressure the NDP for answers on its failures to address crime in urban centres, doctor shortages, increasing health-care wait times and rising home, fuel and food costs.

He says people in B.C. are feeling unsafe in communities due to incidents of repeat offenders being released without charges, only to reoffend again.

The Liberal leader says health care is suffering because one in five people in B.C. do not have a family doctor and wait times at hospital emergency wards and walk-in clinics are hours long.

Falcon says he will use his voice in the legislature to ensure the government knows crime, health and affordability issues have become worse since the NDP was elected in 2017.
Photo: The Canadian Press Parks Canada representative Genevieve Jones, left, hands over Chief Poundmaker's staff to Pauline Poundmaker, his great-great-granddaughter, right, after signing a transfer agreement during a ceremony at Fort Battleford National Historic Site near Battleford, Sask., on Wednesday, May 4, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Heywood Yu

An artifact believed to have belonged to a Plains Cree leader who played an important role in treaty talks has been returned to his descendants.

Parks Canada has transferred a staff ascribed to Chief Poundmaker from a collection of historical objects under the agency's care.

Poundmaker's family members are striving to bring home his personal belongings, which they say were taken from him under duress.

The staff was returned during a private ceremony Wednesday at the Fort Battleford National Historic Site. It is part of a healing journey his family says will help Poundmaker's spirit rest.

"In our culture, all items have life," said Paulina Poundmaker, Brown Bear Woman, who is the great-great-granddaughter of Chief Poundmaker.

"There's power to these objects. That's why these artifacts don't belong in museums. The sacred ceremonial artifacts need to be taken care of by families."

Under Poundmaker Cree Nation laws, descendants are required to initiate and lead repatriation. The same cultural laws require the same descendants to serve as custodians once the items are returned.

Paulina Poundmaker said the family will lend the staff back to Parks Canada. It is to be held in a temperature-controlled and secure setting at the Fort Battleford historic site, about 130 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon.

The loan is temporary until the family is able to move the chief's belongings to a private museum on the Poundmaker Cree Nation. There are still dozens of his items in museums across Canada, the United States and Europe, his great-great-granddaughter said.

It is her goal to bring them all back.

"Today is page one. There are more pages to this story," she said.

Poundmaker  whose Cree name is Pitikwahanapiwiyin  is considered one of the great Indigenous leaders of the 19th century and was key in negotiations that led to Treaty 6, which covers the west-central portions of present-day Alberta and Saskatchewan.

He is remembered as a peacekeeper during the North-West Resistance of 1885. In 2019, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau exonerated the chief, who had been convicted of treason for leading his warriors in battle against Canadian forces. He was sentenced to three years in prison, served seven months, and died shortly after his release.

Ron Hallman, CEO of Parks Canada, said it is an honour to return the staff.

"Parks Canada is committed to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and to  consider repatriation requests in keeping with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which affirms the rights of Indigenous Peoples to manage and control ceremonial items and ancestral remains," Hallman said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the French capital Paris on Wednesday on the final leg of his three-nation visit.



During his visit, PM Modi will meet the newly re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron.

PM Modi's visit to France is third on the list of the three-nation visit, which included Germany and Denmark.

Earlier, in a statement, PM Modi said, "I will stopover in Paris to meet my friend, President Macron. President Macron has very recently been re-elected, and my visit just ten days after the result will not only allow me to convey my personal congratulations in-person, but also reaffirm the close friendship between the two countries."

PM Modi further stated, "This will also give us the opportunity to set the tone for the next phase of the India-France Strategic Partnership."

He said that both the leaders will share assessments on various regional and global issues and will take stock of ongoing bilateral cooperation.

"It is my firm belief that two countries that share such similar vision and values for the global order, must work in close cooperation with each other," he added.

(ANI)
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that general elections must be held in the country under the supervision of a neutral chief election commissioner (CEC), reported local media.

Claiming that the "selected" government has been imposed on the masses through planning and plotting, he said that an election must be held as soon as possible, otherwise, democracy will suffer a huge blow, reported Geo News.

Khan, however, added that the polls should be conducted under the supervision of a suitable chief election commissioner (CEC). Notably, this comes after last week he called CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja PML-N's agent.

Dismissing the allegations of his government being incompetent, he said, "We had been hearing those remarks for three-and-a-half years. My only demand is to conduct the election under the chairmanship of a neutral CEC. Let the people decide [the country's fate]."

Further, reiterating that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) government was toppled through a conspiracy, he said that a commission should be formed under the chairmanship of the chief justice of Pakistan to probe the matter.

"A sitting prime minister has been ousted through a conspiracy, therefore, all state institutions should look into the matter as it has turned out to be a huge setback for the country," the media outlet quoted him as saying.

Speaking on the involvement of the US in ensuring his ouster through the no-confidence motion, he said that he is not anti-America or any other country.

"The United States often instigates regime change for its own benefits, not for the benefit of the countries involved," he said, claiming that he knows every character involved in the conspiracy.

"I have proof against people who had been frequently visiting the US embassy in Pakistan. Hussain Haqqani had a meeting with Nawaz Sharif in London where they hatched this conspiracy," he added.

Notably, PTI has staged several protests across the country against the United States for an alleged "foreign conspiracy" to oust Imran Khan from power who has been unseated after the no-confidence vote initiated by the Opposition was carried in the National Assembly.

(ANI)

Also Read: Oklahoma signs Texas-styled controversial 6-week abortion-ban into law
Ahead of the India-Nordic summit set to take place on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on the final leg of his 3-day Europe visit, holds bilateral talks with Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Store in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister's Office wrote, "Boosting friendship with Norway. Prime Ministers @narendramodi and @jonasgahrstore meet in Copenhagen. They are taking stock of the full range of bilateral relations between the two nations and ways to deepen developmental cooperation."

PM Modi will also hold bilateral meetings with the Prime Ministers of Sweden, Iceland, and Finland. "On the side-lines of the Summit, I will also meet the leaders of the other four Nordic countries and review the progress in India's bilateral relations with them," PM Modi had said.

Following the bilateral talks, PM Modi will participate in the India-Nordic summit in Denmark, before departing for Paris to meet the newly re-elected President Emmanuel Macron on the final day of his 3-day Europe visit on Wednesday.

The second India-Nordic summit will see the participation of the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway, and will follow up on the first summit that took place in Stockholm, Sweden in 2018.

"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," PM Modi had said in his departure statement before embarking on the three-day visit on Sunday.

Following the summit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to make a brief stopover in Paris for a meeting with Emmanuel Macron, the newly re-elected President of France.

During his ongoing visit, PM Modi has held bilateral engagements with the leadership of Germany and Denmark, as well as addressed Indian diaspora events in both Berlin and Copenhagen.

PM Modi also held interactions with the business leaders in both Germany and Denmark during the course of his visit.

PM Modi arrived in Berlin on Monday where he held bilateral discussions with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, before participating in the sixth India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations.

The Prime Minister said the Inter-Governmental Consultations were productive. A total of nine agreements were signed between India and Germany, including a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) on Green and Sustainable Development Partnership under which Germany agreed to make an advance commitment of 10 billion euros of new and additional developmental assistance to India until 2030.

The Indian Prime Minister also addressed the Indian community in Berlin where he talked about the achievements of his government, especially in the area of integrating technology with governance.

On the second day of his visit, the Indian Prime Minister arrived in Copenhagen, holding talks with his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen and discussing bilateral issues including trade between the two countries and cooperation on environmental action.

The two leaders also held delegation-level talks in Copenhagen to review progress in the Green Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

PM Modi and his counterpart also discussed Ukraine, with the former reiterating India's stand of early cessation of hostilities and a diplomatic resolution of the ongoing conflict.

The two leaders went on to address a joint press conference, where a number of agreements were formally signed between the two countries including a Declaration of Intent (DoI) on Migration and Mobility, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of skill development, Vocational Education and Entrepreneurship and the launch of energy policy dialogue at ministerial level between the two countries.

A total of nine agreements were exchanged between the two countries.

In the evening, PM Modi also addressed the members of the Indian diaspora in Copenhagen with the Danish PM also accompanying him.

More than 1000 members of the Indian community in Denmark consisting of students, researchers, professionals and business persons, participated in the event according to an MEA statement.

PM Modi also attended a dinner hosted by the Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark, Margrethe II at the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen which was the last item on the agenda of PM Modi on the second day of his visit.

(ANI)

Also Read: Jodhpur Violence: Religious festivals have become a weapon for communal politics, says Brinda Karat
The Saints of Ireland. Ireland, which was once known as the land of saints and scholars, has bred numerous saints, many of whom left their native country to Christianize the rest of Europe.

Filter 331 Irish Saints A-Z by typing in the 'Search' box below.
IEEE welcomes 800 delegates in Las Vegas

04 May 2022

The 64th IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Industry Technical Conference and Exhibition's general sessions opened on Tuesday, 3 May, in Las Vegas, USA. Brett Lindsay, Local Conference Chair, gave the main welcome speech to the 800 registered delegates at the event.

Mr Lindsay reported that 275 attendees were attending the conference for the first time, and that 24 cement producers are being represented from a global audience of 24 countries.



A total of 30 technical presentations will be delivered during the main conference proceedings, with papers covering the topics of gears and drives, energy, environmental sustainability, general practices, maintenance and safety and power generation. The event also includes an international exhibition with 125 booths featuring cement industry suppliers worldwide.

Keynote speakers included Jamie Notter who spoke on 'adapting your culture to the new hybrid workplace' and speaker Chad Hymas who gave a motivational presentation.

The conference continues with a further day of technical presentations on Wednesday before concluding on Thursday with a visit to the Hoover Dam in Boulder City.

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President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol applauds during a meeting with officials at Chuncheon Station in Gangwon Province, Wednesday. Joint Press Corps



THAAD deployment, abolition of gender ministry dropped from Yoon's national policies



By Nam Hyun-woo



The incoming Yoon Suk-yeol administration finds itself in hot water over its policy roadmap for the next five years, as some of his key election pledges  disbanding the gender equality ministry, raising soldiers' salaries and deploying additional U.S. missile systems in South Korea  have been missing from a list of key tasks.



Those pledges were used as catchy slogans throughout Yoon's presidential election campaign, after his Facebook postings that promoted such ideas grabbed voters' attention despite their low feasibility. As the pledges were exempt from the roadmap, however, the Yoon administration faces growing criticism for backing down from its pledges.



During its Supreme Council meeting, main opposition People Power Party (PPP) Chairman Lee Jun-seok said the Yoon government "should ask for the public's understanding in a humble gesture" for backpedaling on election pledges.



"In the policy roadmap, Yoon's pledge to raise a soldier's salary to over 2 million won ($1,590) immediately was downgraded to a gradual salary hike by 2025," Lee said. "Though it must have been a tough decision based on the current Moon Jae-in government's fiscal deficits, it is still regretful."



Lee also said the exemption of disbanding the Ministry of Gender Equality was "an inevitable choice," because the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) will not cooperate on revising the Government Organization Act, but it is "still regretful that we (the PPP and the Yoon administration) did not even try."





People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun-seok touches his face mask during the party's supreme council meeting at the National Assembly on Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday. Joint Press Corps







Lee's comments came a day after the presidential transition committee unveiled the list of its top 110 national tasks for the Yoon administration, Tuesday, which did not include some of Yoon's key campaign pledges, including deploying more U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) batteries on South Korean soil.



Yoon saw his support rate drop sharply in January amid controversies over his wife's academic background and the PPP's infighting. However, he reversed the decline with catchy social media postings on disbanding the gender equality ministry, which grabbed the attentions of young male voters who have been skeptical of the ministry's role. The postings helped the public grasp policy ideas more easily.



However, the feasibility of those pledges have been questioned.



Shutting down the gender equality ministry by revising the Government Organization Act requires the cooperation of the DPK, which holds a majority in the 300-seat National Assembly and opposes Yoon's idea.



The promise to raise a soldier's monthly salary to 2 million won was also deemed unlikely because of its financial burden. Currently, Korea's conscripted soldiers receive on average 540,000 won in salary a month, and raising this to 2 million won will require at least 5.1 trillion won in extra expenditures every year.



The pledge to add more THAAD batteries also faced doubts, because installing the air defense system requires agreements from the United States and residents near potential bases in South Korea. It could also aggravate Seoul's relations with Beijing. South Korea became the target of China's economic retaliation after deciding to deploy a THAAD battery in Seongju County, North Gyeongsang Province, in 2016, even though the missile system is aimed at countering Pyongyang's threats. China claims that the powerful radar of the THAAD system could be used to spy on its military maneuvers.



In the policy roadmap, the transition committee stated that the Yoon administration will "pursue weapons development programs and multi-layer defense systems for a timely response against North Korea's missile threats," but did not specify THAAD batteries or long-range surface-to-air missile (L-SAM) interception systems that Seoul is developing.



During his confirmation hearing, Yoon's foreign minister nominee Park Jin also said "further study is required" to add more THAAD batteries, which was interpreted as a prudent approach to avoid irritating China or triggering North Korea's provocations.





Presidential transition committee chairman Ahn Cheol-soo touches the screen during a press conference on the incoming Yoon Suk-yeol government's policy roadmap at the committee's office in Tongui-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps
Tamilnadu Cements to build new grinding unit

04 May 2022

Tamilnadu Cements has revealed plans to build a new grinding plant at Alangulam, in Tenkasi district, Tamil Nadu, India.

The new unit, which will cost US$5.23m, will serve the nearby Arasu cement plant, according to The Hindu newspaper.

With construction expected to take 10 months, the new facility will double capacity from 0.28Mta to 0.56Mta, helping to meet huge demand in the southern districts and boosting production of Tamilnadu Cement's Valimai brand, which the company has sold 59,000t of to date.

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University of Tennessee at Chattanooga spring commencement will be celebrated with five ceremonies and approximately 1,500 degrees awarded over two days on Friday, May 6, and Saturday, May 7. All ceremonies will take place inside McKenzie Arena.



The ceremonies are as follows:



 Friday at 2:30 p.m. Graduate commencement for recipients of advanced degrees. Speaker: Mina Sartipi, director of the Center for Urban Informatics and Progress and Guerry professor in computational science.



 Saturday at 9 a.m. College of Arts and Sciences (last name beginning A-K). Speaker: Gregory ODea, associate dean of the Honors College and UC Foundation professor in English.



 Saturday at 1 p.m. College of Engineering and Computer Science and Gary W. Rollins College of Business. Speaker: Thomas Lyons, Clarence E. Harris chair of Excellence in Entrepreneurship and professor of marketing and entrepreneurship.



 Saturday at 4 p.m. College of Health, Education and Professional Studies. Speaker: Christine Benz Smith, director of the School of Nursing and Chief Health Affairs officer.



 Saturday at 7 p.m. College of Arts and Sciences (last name beginning L-Z). Speaker: Tammy Garland, professor of Criminal Justice and Faculty Senate president.



This will be the 259th overall commencement for the University, which was founded in 1886 as the then-private Chattanooga University. The first UTC graduation ceremony took place Aug. 23, 1969, in the Tivoli Theater in downtown Chattanooga.
The Salvation Armys East Lake Corps and Community Center will host a free community wide health fair on Saturday from 10 a.m.-noon at The Salvation Army East Lake Corps and Community Center, 2140 E. 28th St. in Chattanooga.

The event is intended to serve low-income families and individuals that are uninsured and connect them with various community resources.

The fair will offer health screenings, CPR demonstrations, fire safety instructions, tips on healthy eating and more.

Childcare will be provided for parents who wish to participate in the fair's activities.
In recognition of Better Hearing and Speech Month in May, The Speech & Hearing Center is hosting events and giveaways, as well as distributing educational content, all month long.The Center is also launching a new hearing aid assistance program in conjunction with the celebratory month. Through this program, each month, someone in need will receive a set of devices for less than $500. With hearing aids usually ranging from $3,000 to $6,000 a pair, the program puts these "life-changing" devices within reach for many who havent been able to afford them.Heres a listing of what else community members can look forward to in May:SLP Appreciation Day - Wednesday, May 18Speech-language pathologists need love, too.Help celebrate the Centers dedicated speech therapy staff, who have worked tirelessly in the face of the pandemic. If a speech therapist has changed you or your child's life, youre invited to stop by the Center on this day to celebrate them. Show them you care by donating a therapy toy, buying a cup of coffee or writing a message of encouragement on the appreciation poster in the lobby.Free Screening Day - Friday, May 20Reserve a spot for a complementary 30-minute speech screening and/or 15-minute hearing screening appointment. The Centers speech-language pathologists and audiologist will conduct quick assessments to determine if individuals may have an undiagnosed hearing loss or speech disorder.Volunteer Cleanup Day - Friday, May 27Pitch in for a couple hours to help Center staff get the office in order. Projects will include organizing therapy toys, painting furniture, installing shelving, relocating files and testing materials, organizing supplies and cleaning out old equipment.Giving Campaign - Entire MonthBesides visiting the Center for speech or hearing services, there are many ways community members can further the mission of equal access to better quality of life for all. Visit the Centers Give Back website page to choose a way to contribute. Something as easy as making the organization your Amazon Smile beneficiary goes a long way.In addition to these events, Center staff will be out and about at the Chattanooga Public Library, YMCA, Creative Discovery Museum and more to spread Better Hearing and Speech Months awareness message. The public can stay informed through the Centers Facebook page, where they will also find periodic giveaways.A far-reaching issue, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association reports that five to 10 percent of Americans have some form of communication disorder. Responsible for developing national standards for audiologists and speech-language pathologists and certification, ASHA founded Better Hearing and Speech Month 95 years ago. The theme for this years month-long celebration is Connecting People.The goal then, and now, is to promote understanding about communication disorders, to prevent hearing loss and to encourage people to seek treatment for hearing and speech-related issues, said Taylor Bostwick, president and CEO of The Speech & Hearing Center. Locally, we want to educate the community on the role the Center plays in providing life-altering treatment.The Speech & Hearing Center is Chattanoogas only nonprofit medical practice that focuses on improving quality of life through better communication by providing audiology, speech, occupational and physical therapy services to individuals of all ages and income.
Cleveland City Schools announced that Mrs. Kim Bradford will be transitioning to the role

of principal at George R. Stuart Elementary School beginning July 1.

Ms. Bradford will follow Ms. Richelle Shelton who is retiring from the Stuart principal position at the end of June.

Ms.

Bradford is currently serving as the sixth grade assistant principal at Cleveland Middle

School. Prior to moving into administration at Cleveland Middle School, she served over three years

as the instructional facilitator at George R. Stuart Elementary School. Ms. Bradford also spent time

as a teacher at Stuart and taught previously in both Hamilton County and Bedford County

before being hired by Cleveland City Schools in 2016.

Dr. Russell Dyer, director of Cleveland City Schools, said about Ms. Bradfords selection, Kim Bradford has all the skills to be an exceptional principal. Her passion for the education profession and students is contagious. I look forward to seeing her make her mark as the next exceptional school leader at George R. Stuart Elementary School.
The City Council on Tuesday was given a first look at a proposal that would allow homeowners throughout the city to place a small dwelling unit in their backyards.

Karen Rennick of the Regional Planning Agency said the ADUs (accessory dwelling units) could be used for a place for relatives to stay or for rental for additional income.

Mayor Tim Kelly is pushing the idea as a way to boost local housing stock.

Ms. Rennick said ADUs are already allowed in areas that are under Form Based Code. The new ordinance would extend that citywide.

She said the small dwellings could be attached by a wall on at least one side or could be stand-alone.

The maximum size would be 700 square feet, though Vice Chairman Raquetta Dotley mentioned the possibility of raising that to 1,000 square feet.

There could be only one ADU per single family dwelling.

They would not be allowed coupled with condos, townhomes or duplexes.

There would be a 40-foot setback.

The ADUs would need their own permanent foundation and not be RVs or shipping containers.

Ms. Rennick said the original plan was to include design standards such as paint color, roof size and pitch. She said the mayor's office felt those would be subjective and hard to enforce. However, Council Chair Darrin Ledford said he believes some sort of design guidelines are needed to insure the quality of the ADUs.

Chris Anderson of the mayor's staff said Mayor Kelly was "very concerned that we not run up the costs of the buildings."

The idea goes to the council's planning and zoning committee next Tuesday.
Russian Defense Ministry says forces attack firing positions of Ukrainian army at Azovstal

Xinhua) 14:46, May 04, 2022

MOSCOW/KIEV, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Russian forces have been attacking the firing positions of the Ukrainian armed forces at the Azovstal steel plant in the southern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

The fighters of the Azov Battalion and Ukrainian troops took advantage of the ceasefire at the steel plant to move into their firing positions, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Vadim Astafyev.

Artillery and aircraft were being used to destroy the firing positions, Astafyev added.

Russian troops were trying to break into the Azovstal plant from several places, the Ukrinform news agency reported Tuesday, citing Mariupol Patrol Police Chief Mykhailo Vershinin.

"There was artillery and aviation training for almost a day ... now they stormed the plant in several places. We are defending. We are fighting back," Vershinin was quoted as saying.

Both the Russian and Ukrainian militaries said on Monday that more than 100 people were evacuated from Mariupol, local media reported.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji)
From left are U.S. Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi. Yonhap



US vice president's husband, Chinese leader's close aide may be present



By Jung Da-min



High-profile delegates from the United States and neighboring countries such as China and Japan may attend President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration ceremony, which is set to be held at the National Assembly on May 10.



From the U.S. side, second gentleman Douglas Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, is being considered to lead the U.S. delegation, according to Tuesday's media reports. Labor Secretary Martin Walsh and House Foreign Affairs subcommittee head Rep. Ami Bera are among other members who would accompany Emhoff.



In previous inaugural ceremonies of South Korean presidents, the U.S. secretary of state or the U.S. national security adviser represented Washington, but it has been reported that the possibility is low due to preparations for U.S. President Joe Biden's summit with Yoon in Seoul, which is slated for May 21.



Emhoff also led the U.S. delegation to the summer Paralympic Games last August.



From the Chinese side, Vice President Wang Qishan is expected to attend the ceremony, according to media reports citing diplomatic sources also. If Wang, widely known as one of Xi's closest aides, visits Seoul for the ceremony, it would be an unprecedented case. China sent deputy prime minister-level officials for past inaugural ceremonies of former South Korean presidents.



Such a visit by Wang, if made, would be seen as a move to hold the U.S. in check when South Korea and the U.S. have vowed to strengthen their alliance in order to counter the growing nuclear and missile threats of North Korea better.



Regarding the anticipated visits of high-ranking foreign officials, Park Joo-sun, the chief of the presidential inauguration preparatory committee, has yet to confirm or announce their visits, citing diplomatic courtesy that the foreign countries should announce the relevant facts first.



"We are currently reviewing the attendance of high-ranking foreign delegations for the presidential inaugural ceremony," Park said during Tuesday's press briefing at the transition committee's headquarters in central Seoul. "Even though the ceremony is being held amid the pandemic situation, we have been notified that a considerable number of foreign delegations will attend the ceremony compared to previous presidential inaugural ceremonies."



The Japanese government has decided to send Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi to Yoon's inauguration ceremony, according to recent Japanese media reports.



There had been earlier reports that the Japanese government had been reviewing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's visit to Korea to attend the ceremony. But the Japanese government reportedly decided to wait and see the Yoon administration's stance on thorny historical issues between the two countries.



The delegations from the U.S., China and Japan that are anticipated to attend the next South Korean president's inaugural ceremony are drawing attention among diplomatic observers, as South Korea is facing diplomatic challenges amid the deepening U.S.-China rivalry, as well as growing nuclear and missile threats coming from North Korea.



Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University, said he believes Biden's focus during the upcoming May 21 summit with Yoon will be based on holding China in check. In this regard, South Korea will find it difficult to decide to which level it should stand with the U.S. when it also needs China's cooperation to solve the North Korea nuclear threat issue.



"Biden's schedule of visiting South Korea and then Japan for the U.S.-Japan summit and a Quad summit symbolically shows Biden's focus on holding China in check," Park said, referring to the U.S.-led Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, which also involves Japan, Australia and India. "But as the May 21 South Korea-U.S. summit will come only 11 days after Yoon's inauguration, it will be hard to expect many fresh outcomes from it," Park said.


Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III on Tuesday hit the leak of a draft opinion in Dobbs:

He said, While we have a vested interest in the outcome of Dobbs in Tennessee, we will let the Supreme Court speak for itself. This leak is more than regrettable, it is an affront to the integrity of our legal process at the highest level.

"Chief Justice John Roberts has rightly called for an investigation and we would do well to treat this document for what it is - a draft subject to edits and changes.

Governor Bill Lee said, I am concerned by the leak and any attempt to thwart justice. If the federal courts return full authority to the states, Tennessees laws will automatically provide the maximum possible protection and offer a glimmer of redemption as America reconciles our troubled past. We are talking about families in crisis  not isolated clinical procedures  and our state will continue to provide protection, resources and care for both mother and child.

The governor's office provided this data:

Laws Enacted Since 2019

Governor Lee has introduced and worked with the Tennessee General Assembly to pass maximum possible protection for pre-born children.

Anti-Discrimination Law  Prohibits abortion on the basis of sex, race or Down Syndrome (TCA 39-15-217)

Ultrasound Law  Requires a physician to perform an ultrasound, making the ultrasound images visible and the fetal heartbeat audible for the expecting mother (TCA 39-15-215)

Heartbeat Law  Prohibits an abortion where a fetal heartbeat exists, in increments beginning at six weeks (TCA 39-15-216) *Currently enjoined and subject to ongoing litigation

Trigger Law  Should the U.S. Supreme Court issue a decision overturning Roe v. Wade, this law would criminalize performing or attempting to perform an abortion, except in extreme cases where it is necessary to prevent death or serious and permanent bodily injury to the mother. (TCA 39-15-213) This law does not apply to the recipient of an abortion. It would take effect on the thirtieth day after the Supreme Court issues a judgment overturning Roe v. Wade.



In 2021, Tennessee successfully defended the 48-Hour Waiting Period law before the en banc panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. (TCA 39-15-202)

Expanded Support for Families in Crisis

Supporting new and expecting mothers enrolled in TennCare by enhancing maternal health care coverage from 60 days to 12 months postpartum

Expanding TennCares Health Starts Initiative to support maternal health and holistic care for mothers and children

Reforming the TANF program to promote economic mobility and improve outcomes for parents and children

Investments in Public-Private Partnerships

Launching Tennessee Fosters Hope, a public-private partnership, to ensure every Tennessee child has a safe, loving home and make our state the most foster-friendly state in America

$433,000 to Psalm 139 Ministries to place ultrasounds in crisis pregnancy centers across the state

$1 million to Agape Child & Family Services to support expecting and new mothers

Ways to Care for Families in Crisis

Tennesseans who want to lend support to families in crisis are encouraged to get involved through the following organizations:
The Hamilton County Schools Foundation will host the first annual Hamilton County Schools Heroes Award Luncheon on May 13. The event will honor outstanding Hamilton County public school teachers as well as Hamilton County Schools alumni who have had a positive impact on the community. The event will also highlight talented students from across the school system through musical performances, artistic creations, and more.

This is an opportunity to celebrate excellence in Hamilton County Schools," said Krissa Barclay, executive director of the Hamilton County Schools Foundation. "After two long, hard years, we want to take a moment to recognize a few of our incredible educators and community members who are shining examples of success from Hamilton County Schools."

The event will honor three alumni of Hamilton County Schools: Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger, Tennessee State Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, and Jane Kaylor, founder and former CEO of the Chattanooga Ronald McDonald House. Eight Hamilton County teachers will also be honored for their exceptional contributions to student success during the past school year.

Our teachers have risen to the challenges of the past two years by always putting their students first, said Hamilton County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Justin Robertson. Their dedication to helping all students thrive is the foundation of our school district, and we look forward to honoring them along with the HCS Foundation.

Proceeds from the Hamilton County Schools Heroes Award Luncheon will support the Hamilton County Schools Foundation. The HCS Foundation raises funds to support projects that promote opportunity and excellence for all students. Founded in 2020, the HCS Foundation has raised nearly $1 million since its inception. Funds have supported projects such as the HCS Teacher Supply Hub, the HCS Mobile Learning Labs, school-based Care Closets for students in need, and the systems first elementary eLabs at Brown Academy and Battle Academy.

To purchase tickets to attend the Hamilton County Schools Heroes Award Luncheon on May 13 at the Chattanooga Convention Center, go to https://thehcsfoundation.org/hcs-heroes. Tickets are $75 each and directly support the Hamilton County Schools Foundations mission to achieve opportunity and excellence for all students. Donations to the HCS Foundation may also be made on its website at https://thehcsfoundation.org/.
The Chattanooga Fire Department worked a house fire in Hixson Tuesday night and rescued several pets in the process.

At 9:14 p.m., a neighbor called 911 and reported that a house in the 3800 block of Memphis Drive was on fire.

Blue Shift companies arrived and found flames on the exterior of the residence that were starting to spread to the interior of the home. They quickly rescued four dogs and extinguished the fire, preventing it from damaging the structure any further.

No one else was home at the time. There were no injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Red Cross will be assisting two displaced adults.

Quint 16, Ladder 19, Squad 19, Quint 6, Quint 10, Battalion 2, and Battalion 3 responded.
Mary Buffington Tull was born in Knoxville, Tn., on July 16, 1916, to the late John Calvin Buffington and Josephine White Buffington Rucker and was raised by her mother and adopted father, Dovie Cole Rucker. She was blessed with an extraordinary lifespan of 105 years; a precious link in our family chain has been broken and her transition to her heavenly home will be a great loss to her loving family, countless friends, and devoted church family.



She was educated in the Chattanooga Public Schools and graduated from Howard High School in 1935. However, her greatest and most prized educational attainment was her graduation from Grady Hospital School of Nursing in Atlanta, GA in 1942. This was a phenomenal accomplishment for an African American woman during this era and the accomplishment served as a springboard to a successful and stellar nursing career that spanned for over forty years. She began her career as a Registered Nurse in Detroit, MI at Harper Hospital where she became the first African American nurse to be employed in that facility. She later returned to Chattanooga during the 1950s to work at the newly opened Memorial Hospital as a RN. In 1959, she relocated to Brooklyn, New York where she continued her career serving as a public health nurse for the New York Public Health Department for eleven years, subsequently returning back to Chattanooga to become the Clinic Supervisor at Alton Park Health Center until she retired in 1979.



She was a devoted and faithful member of Bethel AME Church, where she served in various capacities which included being a Deaconess, serving on the Senior Usher Board, and the Missionary Society. She served as a member of the city-wide Church Women United Methodist ministry, served on various community boards, and was active in the Bushtown community. She was a recipient of many awards and accolades for her outstanding work and service during her lifetime. She was truly a caring person who throughout her life faithfully cared for family members and friends in times of need. Her life was always filled with purpose. She enjoyed traveling and loved social participation and involvement. She loved the essence of life and was eternally grateful for living a blessed and fruitful life that touched many in a most unique and special way.



She loved her family tremendously and unconditionally, and they loved her unfailingly. She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, George Allen Buffington, John Rucker, Hezekiah Rucker Sr., and Allen Rucker; sisters, Lillie Rucker Jenkins, and Elizabeth Rucker Allen. She was the last remaining member of her immediate family.

Leaving behind to cherish her memory are eight devoted nieces and nephews, Hezekiah (Charlene) Rucker Jr., Michael (Charleen) Allen Sr.; nieces, Ramona Rucker Carter, Dr. Vikki Allen, Vanessa (Warren) Rucker Johnson, Valeria Allen, Melva Dawn (Gary) Rucker Jackson, and Jennifer (Charles) Allen Gore; a very special friend, Mrs. Geraldine Jordan; other family members and friends whom she dearly treasured.



Public viewing will be held from 2-6 p.m. on Thursday May 5, at John P. Franklin Funeral Home.

The family will receive friends from 10-11 a.m. on Friday, May 6, at Bethel AME, 2004 Walker Road, followed by a 11 a.m. funeral service, with Rev. A.J. Holman, officiating. Interment will be in Forest Hills Cemetery.



CDC Health regulations will be followed for the service and masks will be required.



Arrangements are by John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Ave., 423 622-9995.

The service will be livestreamed via John P. Franklin Funeral Home and Bethel AME Church Facebook pages.
Public Education is on the lips of every politician during every election cycle. Yet, the debate continues across our state and nation. If it is doing well or if it is doing poorly, it needs reform. Whatever the narrative needs to be that day or what the audience wants to hear, the need to reform is often included.

Like the old Don Henley song reminds us, there are three sides to every story - yours, mine, and the cold, hard truth. Out of the roughly 55.5 million K-12 students in America, 49.5 million of them are in our public schools, - a little over 89 percent. If you visit a public education classroom today, you would be amazed at what our educators do on a daily basis.

We are not producing components for an industrial and societal machine. We are educating children. We can all agree that an engaging and challenging education is the proven path to prosperity and a life-long love of learning. Teachers consistently tell us that testing and preparing students for a test are among their top concerns in our internal surveys. We can now add teacher assault to that list, an issue that our Tennessee General Assembly failed to address this session.

It has long been acknowledged that a strong public education system is essential not only to the successful functioning of a democracy but also to its future. That system must provide all children with an equitable and exceptional education that prepares them for college, career, and life.

Educators, themselves, must exercise a higher duty of care than most professionals. Teachers face exposure to liability much greater than does the average citizen.

Nearly every day, teachers must deal with diverse laws related to issues such as child abuse, student discipline, negligence, defamation, student records, and copyright infringement. And many politicians are more concerned with test scores that children produce than the immeasurable impact that teachers may make on a childs life.

Researcher Rick Hess asserts in a recent editorial that voters say they have lost confidence in both the Democrats and the Republicans on education. That is the opinion of many.

In Tennessee, on the Tennessee House floor, state representative Terri Lynn Weaver brilliantly analyzed the impact of the influence of national foundations on our state policy in education. I would take her argument one step further. Teachers and parents have been relegated out of the picture, while career bureaucrats and foundations control the narrative. These foundations are not loyal to either political party and their friends and allies are profiting off the backs of schools and children. Like Weaver said, "Follow the Money!"

Despite our differences, reasonable people can come together to advance policies that make education better. We have to claw back against the bureaucracy and the establishment with energy, optimism, and intellectual fire to restore trust in public education. Florida abandoned statewide testing. We think Tennessee should follow suit. We believe that Tennessee should move to progress monitoring instead of end-of-year standardized testing.

In his brilliant satirical poem Creed, Steve Turner referenced the state of our culture when he wrote prevailing illogical thought processes: This is the fault of society. Society is the fault of conditions. Conditions are the fault of society. Seemingly, educators bear the brunt of the outcomes for children, and society is a given a pass. The problems we confront are often larger than the children walking through the schoolhouse door. The solutions are more than a score on a test.

When the next politician speaks about education when seeking your vote, ask them if their plans are forward-thinking, positive, and idealistic and will make our state the best place to live and raise a family. Ask them to commit to listening to parents and teachers. Ask them if they support local control of education. Make them commit to spurn any donation or policy positions from any national foundation or group that is funded by national organizations.

I would contend that polarized politics may stifle the American Dream, but we could be a model for what politics could be in our state if we would work together on education and keep national groups and their influence out.

Children are so much more important than test scores to most families. Providing them the opportunity to become successful, productive, and contented adults is what really matters.

JC Bowman

Executive Director of Professional Educators of Tennessee
A 26-year-old man charged with shooting and killing a co-worker on Hickory Valley Road on Tuesday afternoon told police they were from rival gangs and did not get along.

However, Addison Herman Foster did not admit that he shot 21-year-old London Dews.

Foster has been charged with criminal homicide.

At approximately 5:22 p.m., Chattanooga Police responded to the report of a person shot. Upon arrival, officers located the victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Hamilton County EMS responded and pronounced the victim deceased on the scene.

During a walk-through they located a blue Motorola cellphone in a blue case as well as a Nike mask. Both the phone and mask were traced to Foster. Investigators with the Violent Crimes Unit responded to conduct an investigation.During a walk-through they located a blue Motorola cellphone in a blue case as well as a Nike mask. Both the phone and mask were traced to Foster.

Police said they found Facebook messages from March 26 in which Foster bragged to a group of fellow gang members that he had confronted Dews at work at the TMC plant. Foster had pictures on Facebook showing him wearing a Nike mask.

Foster was asked what he did that day and he denied going to Hickory Valley Road. Police said he was seen on video at his sister's house in East Chattanooga getting out of a black GMC SUV and then getting back in. He then went toward the Wilcox Tunnel towards the scene of the homicide and came back through the tunnel afterward.

Foster could not explain how his phone and mask could be located at the murder scene, it was stated.

Foster is now in custody at the Silverdale Detention Facility.
The fourth annual Signal Centers Accessibility Awareness Summit is the first in-person summit to be held by Signal Centers since before the Covid-19 pandemic. The summit will discuss issues facing individuals with disabilities and how these issues can be addressed with technology.

Keynote Speaker Valerie Fletcher is the executive director of The Institute of Human-Centered Design. She will talk about the importance of universal, inclusive design and the intersection of equity and disability.



The day-long summit will also be broadcasted digitally at a lower price point for those individuals who are not able to attend the event in person.

Accommodations will include both a captionist and American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter. Other presentation topics include Accessibility in Education, Accessible Technology, Aging and Disabilities  Planning for the Future, Building an Accessible and Inclusive Workplace, Neurodiversity in Hiring and Designing Accessible Communities.Chattanooga State Community College will be offering Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) to attendees at an additional cost of $10. For more information on speakers, and to register for the event, visit signalcenters.org Signal Centers would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of the 4th Annual SCAAS event:McKee Foods;Electric Power Board;TN Aquarium;TN Valley Federal Credit Union;Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel Law Firm;Sprint (CapTel & RN Relay);Tennessee Department on Developmental Disabilities;University of Tennessee at Chattanooga;Chattanooga State Community College;Partnership for Families, Children and Adults;The Enterprise Center; andTennessee Valley Authority.
Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III, along with New York Attorney General Letitia James, announced Wednesday they have secured $141 million from the owner of TurboTax, Intuit Inc., for deceiving consumers into paying for tax services that should have been free. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have signed onto the agreement. In Tennessee, approximately 111,000 consumers will be eligible to receive payments of about $30 for each year during tax years 2016-2018 they used a paid TurboTax product when they qualified to file free through the IRS program.

The last thing anybody needs at tax time is more confusion and complexity over filing, said General Slatery. I appreciate working with New York Attorney General Letitia James and coordinating with our fellow attorneys general on this settlement.

An investigation into Intuit began after ProPublica reported that the company was using deceptive digital tactics to steer low-income consumers toward its commercial products and away from federally-supported free tax services.

Intuit has offered two free versions of TurboTax. One was through its participation in the IRS Free File Program, a public-private partnership with the Internal Revenue Service, which allows taxpayers earning roughly $34,000 and members of the military to file their taxes for free. In exchange for participating in the program, the IRS agreed not to compete with Intuit and other tax-prep companies by providing its own electronic tax preparation and filing services to American taxpayers.

In addition, Intuit offers a commercial product called TurboTax Free Edition, which is only free for taxpayers with simple returns as defined by Intuit. However, this TurboTax freemium product is only free for approximately one-third of US taxpayers. In contrast, the IRS Free File product was free for 70 percent of taxpayers.

The multistate investigation found that Intuit engaged in several deceptive and unfair trade practices that limited consumers participation in the IRS Free File Program. The company created confusion by using similar names for both its IRS Free File product and its commercial freemium product. Intuit bid on paid search advertisements to direct consumers who were looking for the IRS Free File product to the TurboTax freemium product instead. Intuit also purposefully blocked its IRS Free File landing page from search engine results during the 2019 tax filing season, effectively shutting out eligible taxpayers from filing their taxes for free. Moreover, TurboTaxs website included a Products and Pricing page that stated it would recommend the right tax solution, but never displayed or recommended the IRS Free File program, even when consumers were ineligible for the freemium product.

Intuit will pay $141 million in restitution, of which roughly $2.5 million will be used for administrative fund costs.

Under the agreement, Intuit will provide restitution to millions of consumers who started using TurboTaxs Free Edition for tax years 2016 through 2018 and were told that they had to pay to file even though they were eligible to file free using the version of TurboTax that Intuit offered as part of the IRS Free File program. Consumers are expected to receive a direct payment of approximately $30 for each year that they were deceived into paying for filing services. Impacted consumers will automatically receive notices and a check by mail.

Intuit has also agreed to reform its business practices, including:

Refraining from making misrepresentations in connection with promoting or offering any online tax preparation products;

Enhancing disclosures in its advertising and marketing of free products;

Designing its products to better inform users whether they will be eligible to file their taxes free; and

Refraining from requiring consumers to start their tax filing over if they exit one of Intuits paid products to use a free product instead.

Intuit withdrew from the IRS Free File program in July 2021.

New York and Tennessee led the multistate investigation with support from the attorneys general of Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. All 50 states and the District of Columbia joined this agreement. The states wish to think the Federal Trade Commission for its assistance in the investigation.

To access the settlement, click here: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/attorneygeneral/documents/pr/2022/pr22-14-avc.pdf
Legislation to strengthen the penalty for those who harm a law enforcement or service animal in Tennessee, sponsored by State Rep. Mark Hall, R-Cleveland, has been approved by the General Assembly.

House Bill 1646, also known as Jokers Law, creates a Class D felony for knowingly and unlawfully killing a police dog, fire dog, search and rescue dog, service animal or police horse.

Our dedicated first responders and their K-9 partners put their lives on the line every day for our safety, and its important that we do everything that we can to protect them, Rep. Hall said. Jokers Law makes it very clear that we will not tolerate the killing of any service animals here in Tennessee.

The legislation is named in honor of Joker, a K-9 officer with the Bradley County Sheriffs Office, who was seriously injured after being shot multiple times during a pursuit in September. He spent nine days in intensive care at an animal hospital in Chattanooga before being released. Joker returned to work in December and tracked down three suspects on his first day back.

According to state law, a Class D felony conviction carries a punishment of between two and 12 years in prison. A jury may also assess a fine of up to $5,000.

House Bill 1646 was approved by the Tennessee General Assembly in April. The legislation will now go to Gov. Bill Lee to be signed into law. Additional information about Jokers Law can be found here.






Kate Middleton and Prince Williams love story is very different from Prince Harry and Meghan Markles. William dated Kate for 10 years before he proposed, while Harry and Meghan had a whirlwind romance that insiders say went from zero to 60 in a matter of months. According to royal author Tina Brown, if Kate ever thought about life in The Firm the same way Markle did, it would be a disaster.

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate Middleton | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Prince William was smart to wait a decade before proposing to Kate Middleton

In her new bombshell book The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor  the Truth and the Turmoil, former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown claims that Prince William was smart for waiting 10 years before he popped the question to Kate.

Browns latest literary offering explores the scandals, love affairs, power plays and betrayals that have rocked the royal family during the past 20 years. And the author got her scandalous details from palace insiders.

According to Brown, when William finally proposed to Kate, he was absolutely sure she could handle [royal life] before they married. While speaking to Page Six, the author compared William and Kates romance to Harry and Meghan, saying Nobody was deluded like Meghan was, it seems.

If Kate Middleton thought about royal life the same way Meghan Markle did, it would be a disaster

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met at university in 2001, and they were friends for more than a year before the relationship blossomed into a romance. It wasnt until 2010 that William proposed to Kate in Kenya, and then they tied the knot the following year.

When you compare their lengthy courtship to Harry and Meghans romance  who met on a blind date in 2016  Brown says its clear that Kate was better prepared for royal life. Harry and Meghan dated for just a few months before he proposed in 2017. Then, they tied the knot in May 2018, less than two years after their first date.

If for any reason, [Kate] thought like Meghan, Im out of here, I can do much better, it would be a disaster, Brown explained. It would, I think, crumble at the moment without her because shes the only modern, beautiful woman whos well-educated, substantial in herself, whos actually wanting to commit herself to the rigors of this institution. Not many young women could do that.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridges courtship was an obstacle course

Brown went on to explain that Kate required a lot of care and strategy to end up married to William. And, much of that was driven by Kates mother, Carole Middleton. The author says that Carole was very crucial when it came to Kate staying on a path to a future with Prince William and avoiding troubling missteps.

They were madly in love all the way through butmaking it from the loving girlfriend to the future queen, thats an obstacle course, Brown says. And its like snakes and ladders. At any moment she could have stepped on the wrong square and had a snake.

The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor  the Truth and the Turmoil is now available in stores.

RELATED: Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle Follow Strict Rules When It Comes to Appearances With Queen Elizabeth
By Choe Chong-dae





"There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and that they grow up in peace."

(Kofi Annan, former secretary-general of the United Nations)



The year 2022 marks the centennial of the proclamation of Korea's Children Day.



It is difficult to consider the affection Koreans have for their children without thinking of Bang Jeong-hwan (pen name Sopa, 1899-1931). Bang is the pioneer of the Children's Welfare Movement in Korea, evidenced by the fact that he devoted his live to safeguarding the welfare of children at a time when the remnants of Joseon society treated them as workers or property rather than as independent members of society to be protected.



Guided by the Korean word "eo-reun," meaning "adult," Bang created the term "eorin-i" (child) to encourage people to consider each child as an independent person to be treated with dignity, love, care and respect. Bang's aim was to develop a movement that valued children, their lives and their dreams, as they are the future of the country. The first event commemorating children was held on May 1, 1922, at Cheondogyo headquarters in Seoul. A great number of people who advocated for children's rights and welfare throughout Korea gathered there on that day. They proclaimed a Children's Declaration document in support of children's rights and to cultivate nationalism based upon the spirit of independence.



Bang Jeong-hwan played a pioneering role in leading this event as a way to instill in children with a sense of independence and national pride during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial period. Korea's first Children's Day was observed on May 1, 1923, at the same place. It was later adjusted to May 5 in order not to coincide with International Labor Day, so that more people could participate.



To commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of Bang Jeong-hwan, his biography was published and a celebration for the publication was held in February 1998 at the Korea Press Center in Seoul.



To my surprise, former President Kim Dae-jung, then the president-elect, attended the event and made a congratulatory speech on the publication of Bang's biography. Kim's laudatory speech convinced me that Bang's devotion to the Children's Welfare Movement during the Japanese colonial period greatly contributed to advancing the nation's independence and to the establishment of the Republic of Korea.



Bang was convinced that an investment in children was an investment in the nation's future. He had suffered considerable hardships in his own childhood which later shaped his resolve to promote children's welfare. Bang's Children's Welfare Movement was greatly influenced by Son Byong-hi, who led the March 1 Independence Movement in 1919 against Japanese colonial rule. Son was the third great leader of Donghak (Eastern Learning), a philosophy, religion and movement that later gave birth to Cheondogyo, another of Korea's early modern native religions.



Originally, the Children's Welfare Movement stemmed from the humanistic egalitarianism of Donghak, as this movement is said to have taught its followers to "treat all humans as you would if in heaven and do not beat children. To beat children is the same as beating someone in heaven." While working for the children's welfare movement through the Cheondogyo organization, Bang married Son Yong-hwa, the daughter of Son Byong-hi. Bang campaigned for the use of the honorific forms for children, an enlightened attitude indeed, given the strongly Confucian, patriarchal nature of society at that time. Even though Bang passed away at an early age, his achievements greatly promoted and protected the lives of Korea's children. Bang's Children's Welfare Movement has certainly had a profound impact on myself and many generations of Koreans, and should serve as a roadmap showing how we should treat and educate our children.





Choe Chong-dae (choecd@naver.com) is a guest columnist of The Korea Times. He is president of Dae-kwang International Co., and director of the Korean-Swedish Association.












Could Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard re-shape public opinion? While defamation cases are hard to win, courtroom insider Danielle DellOlio reports feeling a shift in how Depp is viewed.

After a tumultuous marriage, Depp and Heard divorced. But after Heard penned an op-ed in the Washington Post about being abused, Depp was essentially blacklisted from Hollywood, his children shunned by society and he was branded as an abuser. Although Heard never named Depp in her op-ed, he claimed to have lost a number of roles, due to his tarnished image. He is currently suing her for $50 million dollars. And DellOlio believes he could emerge with his reputation restored.

Depp vs. Heard case seemed to shift in recent days

DellOlio, who studied the court documents for the past two years, said she could feel a shift in the courtroom in recent days. She said its hard to say how the case will end. I will say at the beginning of this, I was extremely concerned, especially after the United Kingdom case with Johnny trying this over here, she told Showbiz Cheat Sheet.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard |Samir Hussein/WireImage

Because I thought this is just going to ruin you, she said about Depps case. But now that its televised, now that the word is getting out about what she did and the relationship. Because the United Kingdom court was very closed. You didnt get to hear the full story and it was all tabloid.

Depp lost his 2020 libel case against The Sun after the publication referred to him as a wife beater. Judge Mr. Justice Nicol said The Suns reporting was substantially true (via BBC).

Johnny Depps main objective is to clear his name

DellOlio was frustrated with the ruling in England after reading the court documents. The reason Im making my content is I want people not to just listen to me. I usually link the court documents, especially in my podcast to what were talking about, she said. I just want people to look at the court documents because I think if you look at the court documents, you know what happened between the couple.

So [in the] beginning no idea who was going to win or lose, she shared. And Johnny even said he wasnt doing it for the money. He wasnt doing it for anything else. He just wanted his truth out there. And for people that were domestic violence survivors to know that theyve been lied to, essentially because Ambers claiming shes an activist.

Heard pledged to donate $3.5 million to the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of survivors of abuse. The ACLU reports that Heard has paid less than half of her pledge (via BBC).

Depp vs Heard case may change public opinion

Whether Depps case results in a financial win, DellOlio is optimistic Depps truth is being finally heard. Now hes won in the court of public opinion. And I feel very vindicated, she said. I have been screaming about this for two years now, and a lot of people now are like, oh my gosh, I didnt realize all this stuff was going on. I cant believe she did this to him.

So I dont know if either of them will ever get another role in Hollywood again, but I do think its looking good for Johnny in the sense that hes vindicated. And all of this, the six years of silence, he finally got to speak. And well see where it goes from here, she remarked.

DellOlio provides continuing trial coverage on her podcast, Innocent Til Tipsy, and on her Tiktok.

RELATED: Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard: She Axed Crisis PR Team After Bad Press
Throughout the 90s and early 2000s, Johnny Depp was known as one of the most quirky and unconventional leading men in Hollywood. A wildly talented actor with the ability to inhabit any role he took on, Depp became particularly well-known for tackling parts that required him to bury himself in prosthetics, wigs, and makeup.

Depp is probably best known for playing Captain Jack Sparrow, the swashbuckling pirate in Disneys Pirates of the Caribbean series. These days, Depp is in the headlines due to the contentious legal battle between him and his ex-wife, Amber Heard. But for fans, Depps name will always be synonymous with the art of acting.

Johnny Depp is known for playing quirky, unexpected roles

Johnny Depp, dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow, greets locals at Cleveland in Redland City, Queensland, after a day of filming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. | Peter Wallis/Newspix/Getty Images

Depp rose to fame in the late 80s, thanks to his work in the TV series 21 Jump Street. As a baby-faced police officer who goes undercover at high schools to uncover crime, Depp became a teen heartthrob.

He started landing parts in movies, but Depp proved that he had no desire to become a typical Hollywood leading man. His first major movie role was in the 1990 film Edward Scissorhands, which paired him up with director Tim Burton for the first time.

All throughout the 90s, Depp made waves acting in independent dramas such as Donnie Brasco, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and Sleepy Hollow. Although fans praised his matinee-idol looks, Depp seemed most comfortable hiding behind layers of outlandish makeup, crazy costumes, and wigs. By the early 2000s, with the release of the hit film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Depp was a major box-office draw.

What is Johnny Depps real name?

Johnny Depp | Samir Hussein/WireImage

Depp played a 50s greaser in the 1990 movie Cry-Baby, working with the cult-favorite director John Waters. To many, his name even echoes those iconic greasers of the decadebut as it turns out, he didnt have to adopt a totally new name when he made it in Hollywood. According to Britannica, Depps name at birth was John Christopher Depp II.

Born in Kentucky in 1963, Depp was raised as the youngest of four children, according to IMDb. His mother, Betty Sue Palmer, and his father, John Christopher Depp, were divorced when he was 15 years old. Depp wasnt especially drawn to his studies, and instead, developed an intense passion for music, an interest that heightened after he received a guitar as a birthday gift.

Depp would eventually drop out of high school in order to kickstart a career in musica career that was derailed when Depp started acting.

Johnny Depp is locked in a legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard

The actor Johnny Depp took the stand for the second day on Wednesday to describe his turbulent marriage to the actress Amber Heard, whom he has sued for defamation, accusing her of demeaning name-calling that often escalated into physical violence. https://t.co/zFt6F05QZI  The New York Times (@nytimes) April 21, 2022

Depp has had a number of high-profile relationships over the course of his time in the spotlight, including long-term relationships with Kate Moss and Vanessa Paradis.

From 2015 to 2017, Depp was married to Heard. The relationship ended in a whirl of controversy, with Heard alleging that Depp had been abusive throughout their relationship. In early 2022, Depp sued Heard for an op-ed that she published where she referred to herself as a victim of domestic violence.

According to The New York Post, the trial between Depp and Heard is now underway, with witnesses going on the stand to recount stories of their time working for and with Depp and Heard. At this point, its hard to predict what will happen in the coming days. But it is clear that Depp is out to protect his name, and reclaim his reputation in Hollywood, which has taken some serious hits over the past few years.

RELATED: Johnny Depp Said He Would Perform at Your Kids Birthday Party to Keep Spirit of Jack Sparrow Alive
Moviegoers around the world wondered why Mike Myers hasnt returned to star in an Austin Powers 4. However, it turns out that his son had the exact same question for the actor. Myers might have a son who wants to see Austin Powers 4, but not all of his children are particularly big fans of his work.

How many kids does potential Austin Powers 4 actor Mike Myers have?

Mike Myers | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Jimmy Kimmel Live brought Myers onto the show as a guest with Mike Birbiglia guest hosting. They talked about how many children the actor has and their opinions of his work.

I have three kids  10, 8, and 6, Myers said. The 10-year-old, he likes my stuff, thank God. My 8-year-old and my 6-year-old, not so much. Theyre not giant fans, but theyre New Yorkers, so its very hard.

Myers continued: Ill say something like, You have to go to bed now and my youngest still has baby rs, she goes, Youre boring. What? I didnt expect that. I wrote a book about Canada called Mike Myers Canada. She reached back without looking to the book, went, Your book is boring. Your essence is boring. Your body of work is boring. Canadas boring! Yeah, not a fan, which is tough.

Its clear that not everybody around Myers wants to see Austin Powers 4, including his youngest kid.

Mike Myers son has ideas for Austin Powers 4

Myers continued to speak about his children on Jimmy Kimmel Live. However, he specifically brought up his son, who hes extremely glad to also have as a fan.

My oldest is a fan, but being a New York kid, a little more sophisticated, Myers said. I read him a bedtime story and he went, Dad, I have a question. I thought, OK, here it comes. Like, why is the sky blue? He went, Do you think theres going to be a fourth Austin Powers?'

Myers joked about Austin Powers 4: I said, Get off my back, kid! No, I said, There might be. Id like to. He goes, I have some thoughts. He wanted Dr. Evils lair to be in the sewer. Im like, I like it. Ill never forget where I was when I thought of it, kid. Theres only one star in a Mike Myers movie and thats Mike Myers, kid!'

His children didnt like Shrek

Naturally, Birbiglia wanted to know if Myers ever got his children excited about any of his other work away from a potential Austin Powers 4. The actor explained that he showed them a few of his other movies, but the experience didnt quite go as planned.

They watched Shrek, but they dont like it, Myers said, with sounds of disappointment coming from the crowd. They like Cat in the Hat. Its awful.

Myers told a story: My son went to American Dream, that thing in New Jersey and its got a giant Shrek. Hes got a phone now and he took a picture of him with the giant Shrek behind him with stink face. Im like, Im sorry. Do you like your shoes? Those are the shoes that Shrek bought.'

RELATED: Shrek 2: Antonio Banderas Zorro Saved Puss in Boots From Looking Mean and Heavy
From beginning to end, Moon Knight was an origin story, but not only for Marc Spector and Steven Grant. Fans first met Layla El-Faouly in episode 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe series, and they immediately loved her character. She was complex, determined, and a stark contrast to Oscar Isaacs characters. And now, fans will likely see more of Layla in the MCU after she transformed into the Scarlet Scarab in the Moon Knight finale.

[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from Moon Knight Episode 6, Gods and Monsters.]

May Calamawy as Layla El-Faouly | Photo by Gabor Kotschy/Marvel Studios

Layla becomes the Scarlet Scarab in the Moon Knight finale

Tawaret contacts Layla in the Moon Knight finale and informs her that she has to release Khonshu to help Marc and Steven stop Ammit. So with Tawarets guidance, Layla follows Arthur Harrow and his followers to the Great Pyramid of Giza. She finds Khonshus ushabti and releases him, but Arthur also frees Ammit.

Khonshu pleads with Layla to become his Avatar, but she refuses after seeing how his influence affected Marc. Thankfully, its not long before Marc and Steven go through the Gates of Osiris and reenter the living world. Once they do so, Khonshu reconnects with them, and they regain their powers.

Meanwhile, Layla discovers that multiple Avatars can stop Ammit by binding her to a human body. So she makes a temporary deal with Tawaret to become her Avatar. Layla then gains powers (and a spectacular suit), and she helps Marc and Steven fight Arthur and imprison Ammit in his body.

After, Khonshu releases Marc and Steven from their service to him. However, they dont know that the Egyptian moon god is still tethered to their third personality  Jake Lockley. As for Layla, its unclear if she remains Tawarets Avatar in Moon Knight or if she gives up her powers as the Scarlet Scarab.

Who is the superhero in the comic books?

In the Marvel comic books, the Scarlet Scarab is actually Dr. Abdul Faoul, who might be who Laylas dead father is based on in Moon Knight. According to Marvel, Abdul is the protector of Egypt, defending his home from all foreign invasions.

He draws his power from the Ruby Scarab, which gives him superhuman strength and the ability to fire bolts of mystical energy. Abduls other powers include creating protective auras, flight, and the ability to drain power from his opponents.

After Abduls death, his son, Mehemet, takes on the Scarlet Scarab alias and continues his fathers legacy of protecting Egypt.

May Calamawy discusses becoming the Scarlet Scarab in Moon Knight Episode 6

After the Moon Knight finale premiered on Disney+, May Calamawy, who plays Layla, and consulting producer Sara Goher discussed Layla becoming the Scarlet Scarab with Marvel.

I had to really sit with it and be like, I cannot represent every Arab woman or every Egyptian woman, Calamawy shared. I just hope that all Arab women can watch that and feel like a superhero and that they have that space on that big scale.

The actor continued, I hope that the people who can relate to Layla feel seen and excited, and people who dont, thats OK. Theres space for everyone. Im just the first. Theres many more that can come. Its an honor. Its an honor just to be able to represent or to be Middle Eastern and shine a light on that region.

Goher also explained the importance of the scene where a young girl asks the Scarlet Scarab if shes an Egyptian superhero, and Layla says, I am.

That scene is going to be a magical moment for lots of people around the world, Goher said. Its great that Marvel is really at the helm of this movement on this scale to make sure that everyone feels like they belong.

All episodes of Moon Knight are now available to stream on Disney+.

RELATED: Moon Knight: Why Gaspard Ulliel Looks Familiar
NCIS continued its theme of parents and their relationships with their children in the latest episode. McGee (played by Sean Murray) takes center stage. Heres what happened last time on NCIS.

NCIS Season 19 Episode 19

Katrina Law, Wilmer Valderrama, and Sean Murray | Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images

During NCIS Season 19 Episode 19 (titled The Brat Pack), the team investigates a series of break-ins at Quantico. The incidents prompt them to speak to a group of teenagers to see if they are involved in the crimes.

Special Agent McGee forms a close bond with Teagan Fields. (Teagan is played by Murrays real-life daughter, Cay Ryan Murray.) During his investigation, he learns Teagan hacked into the naval bases security system, allowing her and some of the kids on the base to have parties in the empty houses.

McGee connects with Teagan because they had a similar upbringing. Both moved around a lot and frequently changed schools because their parents were in the military. McGee senses Teagan feels alone. She says shes basically invisible to her mother and she has attended seven schools in four years. McGee nods in agreement, saying he went to 12 schools in six years. (Heres why McGee didnt take Gibbs job.)

McGee defends Teagan

When Knight (played by Katrina Law) calls Tegan a terrorist, McGee immediately jumps to her defense. She sounds pretty alone, says McGee. I could relate to that at her age. Were not that different. Shes not a terrorist; they were just trying to have some fun. Knight gives McGee a dose of reality, saying the kids did have fun, but now someone has the master key to the military base in Norfolk.

Knight and Parker head to Lieutenant Tangs house, but it explodes before they can enter. They were going to ask questions about a break-in, but hes killed before they can investigate.

Teagan is the victim of a romance scam

The team figures out Teagans boyfriend, Jayden, doesnt exist. He said he was a 15-year-old boy from Oceanside, but it turns out hes a catfish. Kasie says metadata from his online Brat Chat account shows hes around 40 years old and lives in Reston, Virginia. Teagan and Jayden never met in person, so this points to a romance scam. Around the time Jayden and Teagen met, the military base break-ins started. (Heres what Catfish star Nev Schulman told us about online scams.)

McGee says Jayden talked Teagan into hacking into the base server so that people could break into the houses. They recovered deleted text exchanges between Teagan and Jayden, and it shows he was asking a lot of questions about her mothers experience in the Navy. Her mother had special knowledge that could help with building bombs.

Teagan did not kill Tang, says McGee. The catfisher set her up and used her to get on base. Parker concludes the catfisher built a bomb using parts that could easily be traced back to Teagan.

Meanwhile, Teagan is on the run, and no one can find her. The team later discovers she is headed to a mall in Reston so she can meet Jayden. Tang is dead, so theres no reason for him to continue contacting Teagan. The team realizes he wants to meet her so he can tie up loose ends by killing her.

McGee intervenes and gets to the location before Teagan can meet Jayden. With her help, theyre able to locate Jayden. His real name is Jason Samuels, and he was in prison for seven years for a hit and run. Tangs eyewitness testimony put him in prison, so he wanted revenge.

At the end of the episode, the case is solved, and Teagan reunites with her mother. Although shes upset, she forgives her daughter for what happened. Its clear their relationship has been restored. Tegan no longer feels invisible.

RELATED: NCIS: Gary Cole on What It Takes to Play NCIS Boss Alden Parker

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NBCs This Is Us Season 6 Episode 15 brought Miguels past to life. Fans got a glimpse into what his family was like, and they also saw more of how his romance with Rebecca began and progressed. Sadly, Miguels death marked the end of the episode. And Billy Joels song, And So It Goes, left a mark on fans as it played. Heres what the song means in terms of the episode and Miguels ending.

[Spoiler alert: This Is Us Season 6 Episode 15 spoilers ahead.]

This Is Us Season 6 Episode 15 featured Billy Joels song, And So It Goes

Mandy Moore as Rebecca, Jon Huertas as Miguel | Ron Batzdorff/NBC

This Is Us Season 6 Episode 15 featured everything fans ever wanted to know about Miguel. It began with a very young Miguel in Puerto Rico with his mother and father, Beatriz and Risto. The family decides to move to Pennsylvania, and the story continues to show Miguel getting a bit older and finding a job in the states.

Later on in the episode, Miguels relationship with his first wife, Shelly, is shown. The couple has two children together, and Miguel wasnt on good terms with them throughout most of his adult years. After Miguel and Shelly divorced, Miguel reached out to Rebecca in 2008 via Facebook. So begins their romantic connection.

The episode then comes back to the present day. Miguel has a number of health problems including hip issues and high blood pressure. He slips and falls one night while retrieving Rebecca from the outdoors  but the fall initiates him getting sicker and sicker. Eventually, he dies.

Billy Joels song, And So It Goes, plays in This Is Us Season 6 Episode 15 as the Pearsons gather in black for the funeral, Distractify mentions.

What does And So It Goes mean for Miguel?

Jon Huertas as Miguel | Ron Batzdorff/NBC

Why is Billy Joels And So It Goes significant to Miguel in This Is Us Season 6 Episode 15? It seems to signify his difficult relationship with the Pearsons and his own children through the years. While he loves his kids and Rebeccas family, they all had trouble accepting him until the very end. Finally, Miguel was able to die peacefully knowing the Pearsons fully accepted him, and his son loved him.

In every heart there is a room / A sanctuary safe and strong / To heal the wounds from lovers past / Until a new one comes along, the lyrics state, according to Genius.

The song may also reference Rebeccas upcoming death. The lyrics state, And every time Ive held a rose, It seems I only felt the thorns, And so it goes, and so it goes, And so will you soon I suppose.

One Final Serenade reports Joel wrote the song in 1983 while briefly dating Elle McPherson. Joel allegedly stated he knew the relationship wouldnt last, and the song relates to that feeling. In terms of This Is Us, Miguel knew all along that both his and Rebeccas health was declining. It was only a matter of time before one of them would die before the other.

Will Miguel return in the This Is Us Season 6 finale?

Miguel's story is taking center stage, West Coast.



An all-new #ThisIsUsFinalChapter starts right NOW on @NBC. pic.twitter.com/SPnFA2t12G  This Is Us (@NBCThisisUs) May 4, 2022

While Billy Joels And So It Goes added an extra gut punch to This Is Us Season 6 Episode 15, fans could possibly see Miguel again in the This Is Us Season 6 finale.

Ive said the whole time Ive been on this show, Miguel is a time traveler, Miguel actor Jon Huertas told Variety. Hes the one that goes from the 50s to present day. So, you can never count Miguel out. He might make an appearance.

Huertas also talked to People about Miguels potential to reappear. First of all, you may or may not have seen the last of Miguel, he noted. I think the big question is once that primary caregiver goes, what happens with Rebecca? What happens with the Pearson kids, the Big Three? How does that affect them?

This Is Us Season 6 airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST on NBC.

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RELATED: This Is Us Season 6 Finale: Sterling K. Brown Teases Tears of Satisfaction
A reaction substrate (purple molecule at center) nestles in a pocket of an enzyme called ECR (orange and teal), which catalyzes a reaction that turns carbon dioxide (pink spheres) into biomolecules needed by soil bacteria. A new study reveals how ECR performs this reaction 20 times faster than the equivalent enzyme in photosynthesis. Scientists hope to optimize this family of enzymes to make products out of CO2.

Plants rely on a process called carbon fixation  turning carbon dioxide from the air into carbon-rich biomolecules  for their very existence. Thats the whole point of photosynthesis, and a cornerstone of the vast interlocking system that cycles carbon through plants, animals, microbes and the atmosphere to sustain life on Earth.

But the carbon fixing champs are not plants, but soil bacteria. Some bacterial enzymes carry out a key step in carbon fixation 20 times faster than plant enzymes do, and figuring out how they do this could help scientists develop forms of artificial photosynthesis to convert the greenhouse gas into fuels, fertilizers, antibiotics and other products.

Now a team of researchers from the Department of Energys SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Germany, DOEs Joint Genome Institute (JGI) and the University of Concepcion in Chile has discovered how a bacterial enzyme  a molecular machine that facilitates chemical reactions  revs up to perform this feat.

Rather than grabbing carbon dioxide molecules and attaching them to biomolecules one at a time, they found, this enzyme consists of pairs of molecules that work in sync, like the hands of a juggler who simultaneously tosses and catches balls, to get the job done faster. One member of each enzyme pair opens wide to catch a set of reaction ingredients while the other closes over its captured ingredients and carries out the carbon-fixing reaction; then, they switch roles in a continual cycle.

A single spot of molecular glue holds each pair of enzymatic hands together so they can alternate opening and closing in a coordinated way, the team discovered, while a twisting motion helps hustle ingredients and finished products in and out of the pockets where the reactions take place. When both glue and twist are present, the carbon-fixing reaction goes 100 times faster than without them.

This bacterial enzyme is the most efficient carbon fixer that we know of, and we came up with a neat explanation of what it can do, said Soichi Wakatsuki, a professor at SLAC and Stanford and one of the senior leaders of the study, which was published in ACS Central Science this week.

Some of the enzymes in this family act slowly but in a very specific way to produce just one product, he said. Others are much faster and can craft chemical building blocks for all sorts of products. Now that we know the mechanism, we can engineer enzymes that combine the best features of both approaches and do a very fast job with all sorts of starting materials."

Improving on nature

The enzyme the team studied is part of a family called enoyl-CoA carboxylases/reductases, or ECRs. It comes from soil bacteria called Kitasatospora setae, which in addition to their carbon-fixing skills can also produce antibiotics.

Wakatsuki heard about this enzyme family half a dozen years ago from Tobias Erb of the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Germany and Yasuo Yoshikuni of JGI. Erbs research team had been working to develop bioreactors for artificial photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from the atmosphere into all sorts of products.

As important as photosynthesis is to life on Earth, Erb said, it isnt very efficient. Like all things shaped by evolution over the eons, its only as good as it needs to be, the result of slowly building on previous developments but never inventing something entirely new from scratch.

Whats more, he said, the step in natural photosynthesis that fixes CO 2 from the air, which relies on an enzyme called Rubisco, is a bottleneck that bogs the whole chain of photosynthetic reactions down. So using speedy ECR enzymes to carry out this step, and engineering them to go even faster, could bring a big boost in efficiency.

We arent trying to make a carbon copy of photosynthesis, Erb explained. We want to design a process thats much more efficient by using our understanding of engineering to rebuild the concepts of nature. This photosynthesis 2.0 could take place in living or synthetic systems such as artificial chloroplasts  droplets of water suspended in oil.

Portraits of an enzyme

Wakatsuki and his group had been investigating a related system, nitrogen fixation, which converts nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into compounds that living things need. Intrigued by the question of why ECR enzymes were so fast, he started collaborating with Erbs group to find answers.

Hasan DeMirci, a research associate in Wakatsukis group who is now an assistant professor at Koc University and investigator with the Stanford PULSE Institute, led the effort at SLAC with help from half a dozen SLAC summer interns he supervised. We train six or seven of them every year, and they were fearless, he said. They came with open minds, ready to learn, and they did amazing things.

The SLAC team made samples of the ECR enzyme and crystallized them for examination with X-rays at the Advanced Photon Source at DOEs Argonne National Laboratory. The X-rays revealed the molecular structure of the enzyme  the arrangement of its atomic scaffolding  both on its own and when attached to a small helper molecule that facilitates its work.

Further X-ray studies at SLACs Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) showed how the enzymes structure shifted when it attached to a substrate, a kind of molecular workbench that assembles ingredients for the carbon fixing reaction and spurs the reaction along.

Finally, a team of researchers from SLACs Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) carried out more detailed studies of the enzyme and its substrate at Japans SACLA X-ray free-electron laser. The choice of an X-ray laser was important because it allowed them to study the enzymes behavior at room temperature  closer to its natural environment  with almost no radiation damage.

Meanwhile, Erbs group in Germany and Associate Professor Esteban Vohringer-Martinezs group at the University of Concepcion in Chile carried out detailed biochemical studies and extensive dynamic simulations to make sense of the structural data collected by Wakatsuki and his team.

The simulations revealed that the opening and closing of the enzymes two parts dont just involve molecular glue, but also twisting motions around the central axis of each enzyme pair, Wakatsuki said.

This twist is almost like a rachet that can push a finished product out or pull a new set of ingredients into the pocket where the reaction takes place, he said. Together, the twisting and synchronization of the enzyme pairs allow them to fix carbon 100 times a second.

The ECR enzyme family also includes a more versatile branch that can interact with many different kinds of biomolecules to produce a variety of products. But since they arent held together by molecular glue, they cant coordinate their movements and therefore operate much more slowly.

If we can increase the rate of those sophisticated reactions to make new biomolecules, Wakatsuki said, that would be a significant jump in the field.

From static shots to fluid movies

So far the experiments have produced static snapshots of the enzyme, the reaction ingredients and the final products in various configurations.

Our dream experiment, Wakatsuki said, would be to combine all the ingredients as they flow into the path of the X-ray laser beam so we could watch the reaction take place in real time.

The team actually tried that at SACLA, he said, but it didnt work. The CO 2 molecules are really small, and they move so fast that its hard to catch the moment when they attach to the substrate, he said. Plus the X-ray laser beam is so strong that we couldnt keep the ingredients in it long enough for the reaction to take place. When we pressed hard to do this, we managed to break the crystals.

An upcoming high-energy upgrade to LCLS will likely solve that problem, he added, with pulses that arrive much more frequently - a million times per second  and can be individually adjusted to the ideal strength for each sample.

Wakatsuki said his team continues to collaborate with Erbs group, and its working with the LCLS sample delivery group and with researchers at the SLAC-Stanford cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) facilities to find a way to make this approach work.
By Lee Jong-eun





For South Korea, the two neighboring countries often described as "close, yet distant" are North Korea and Japan. Despite sharing a common ethnicity and heritage, the ideological differences and the legacy of the Korean War have stood as barriers between the two Koreas, with many in South Korea viewing the North even today as a "jujeok," a primary enemy.



As for Japan, though similar political democracies and sharing close economic ties, the historical legacy of Japan's colonial rule over Korea still stands as a barrier to a closer partnership between the two countries. Though both countries are an ally of the United States, rarely would a South Korean policymaker also describe Japan as Korea's "ally."



Yet, as North Korea and Japan are geographical neighbors, South Korean policymakers have over the years attempted "pragmatic" foreign policy approaches toward the two countries. Different policy proposals have advocated separating the issues of bilateral disputes from areas of common interests. The terms such as "future-oriented partnerships," "coexistence and co-prosperity," and "two-track diplomacy" frequently appear in proposals for improved relations between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and between ROK and Japan.



However, South Korea's political paradox is that overtures for a pragmatic policy are often one-sided toward only one of the neighbors. To the other neighbor, greater emphasis is placed on advancing South Korea's "values and principles." As a result, South Korean politics has often been divided, with policymakers accusing their political opponents of double standards in their foreign policy.



Many South Korean progressives have advocated what they portray as a pragmatic engagement policy toward North Korea. Viewing North Korea as a kindred country to reunify in the future, the progressives have warned of the danger of inciting the memories of past provocations and conflicts to prolong mutual antagonism between the two Koreas.



Instead, the progressives have favored expanding inter-Korean cooperation as a strategy for mutual peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula. While acknowledging the security threats from North Korea's nuclear development and the regime's human rights abuses, progressives have generally advocated long-term approaches to resolving these issues rather than confrontational measures that could escalate regional tensions.



The progressives, however, have been more confrontational in their approach toward Japan. Critical of what they perceive as Japan's insufficient apology for past colonial rule, progressives have supported lawsuits to force the Japanese government and companies to pay reparations to former victims.



During the bilateral trade dispute in 2019, progressives urged public boycotts against Japan, with several prominent politicians invoking the memories of Korea's independence movement against Japan. In contrast to their openness to accommodate North Korea's security interests, the progressives have been less sympathetic toward Japan's security interests, suspicious of Japan's remilitarization as a return to an "imperialist past."



South Korean conservatives have taken a different, though also one-sided approach in advocacy for a "pragmatic" foreign policy toward neighboring states. Though acknowledging the sensitive historical disputes, conservatives have been wary that these disputes could undermine ROK-Japan cooperation and the ROK-U.S. alliance.



While progressives were leading a public boycott against Japan, conservatives urged the South Korean government not to suspend GSOMIA, an intelligence-sharing agreement with Japan. Viewing Japan as an economic, strategic partner linked together under a trilateral U.S.-ROK-Japan security framework, conservatives have sought pragmatic "bargains" to mitigate the bilateral disputes and have pursued the further expansion of security partnerships through regional frameworks like the Quad.



The conservatives, however, have been far more likely to advocate "maximum pressure" toward North Korea. The conservatives have often criticized projects for inter-Korean cooperation as "appeasements" and "subsidies" that benefit the North Korean regime. In contrast to their more nuanced approaches toward disputes with Japan, conservatives have generally advocated asserting "principle" and "strength" in confronting North Korea's human rights record and nuclear programs.



This year, the two main candidates in Korea's presidential election were accused of being dogmatic yet also placatory in their foreign policy platforms. Yoon Suk-yeol, the conservative candidate and the eventual winner, received criticism from progressives that he was too confrontational toward North Korea and too accommodating toward Japan. In contrast, Lee Jae-myung, the progressive candidate, received criticism that he wasn't sufficiently assertive toward North Korea; and not flexible enough toward disputes with Japan.



Some might argue that it is misleading to compare South Korea's foreign policy toward North Korea and Japan on the same scale. To some, there is far greater credibility in cooperating with a fellow member of the liberal international order than with a rogue regime. To others, sharing a common heritage might justify greater sacrifice on the part of South Korea for the long-term goal of reintegration with the North.



Even so, the paradox of South Korean politics in praising an attempt to find a pragmatic approach in one foreign policy area while simultaneously vilifying a similar attempt in a different policy area has often contributed to policy gridlocks, stalling advancements in policies toward both Japan and North Korea. For South Korea's long-term security, partnership with Japan and coexistence with North Korea are mutual objectives that require exploring creative solutions.



During his presidential campaign, Yoon Suk-yeol cited the 1998 ROK-Japan Joint Declaration as a model for his foreign policy toward Japan. President Kim Dae-Jung, who signed the declaration, was also known for his "sunshine" engagement policy toward North Korea, pursuing a mutual rapprochement with South Korea's two neighbors.



As Yoon has pledged his presidency will be guided by "pragmatism, common sense, and fairness," the hope is that Yoon's pragmatism will be "two-sided" toward both North Korea and Japan. A challenge, however, is whether South Korea's divided politics would permit a policy space for the integration of competing, pragmatic proposals from different political spectrums.





Lee Jong-eun (jl4375a@student.american.edu) is a Ph.D. candidate and is also an adjunct faculty at the American University School of International Service. Prior to this, he has served as a South Korean Airforce intelligence officer. His research specialty includes U.S. foreign policy, South Korean politics and foreign policy, alliance management, East Asian regional security.




TIZI-OUZOU, Algeria, May 4, 2022 (Morning Star News)  A group of Christians arrested on Dec. 12 received a reduction in their sentence for unauthorized worship last week, one of those convicted said.

The 11 Christians, including the owner of the site rented for the occasion, had received a suspended sentence of six months in prison and a 200,000 dinar-fine (US$1,380) each, and on appeal a court on Thursday (April 28) retained the suspended prison sentence but reduced the fine to 100,000 dinars (US$690), the source said.

Algerias 2006 ordinance, Law 06/03, stipulates that all non-Muslim worship must be carried out in buildings designated with official permission, though the government has failed to consider any applications for granting permission, according to advocacy organization Middle East Concern (MEC).

Police in Tizi-Ouzou on Dec. 4 raided the site of the gathering of the 12 Christians, including three women and a French guest speaker, and arrested them for non-Muslim worship without authorization. They spent 48 hours in the police jail before appearing before a judge on Dec. 6, the source said.

They were each sentenced to six months suspended sentence and a fine of 200,000 dinars. While the Algerian nationals appealed, the French visitor paid the fine and was then ordered to leave the country.

On appeal, the remaining 11 appeared in court on April 14, and in the verdict dated April 28 they received a reduction of their fine to 100,000 dinars (US$690), the source said.

Kabylia Case

In Ain El Hamam, 45 kilometers (27 miles) southeast of Tizi Ouzou in Djurdjura, in the Kabylia region, authorities in January charged a pastor with unauthorized worship at his home and unauthorized broadcasting on social networks.

The pastor, unnamed for security reasons, had undertaken such practicees without problem for years, he said. A judge acquitted him earlier this year, and when the proesecution appealed, the judge again acquitted the pastor on March 24.

Algerian officials have launched a systematic campaign against Christians and churches over the past four years, with 16 Protestant churches sealed and several others ordered to close, according to MEC. Several Christians, including church leaders, have been prosecuted on different charges including blasphemy and proselytizing.

Three Christians are serving prison sentences ranging from two to five years.

The EPA, the only recognized association for Protestant churches in Algeria, has 47 members. Officially recognized as a religious association in 1974, it was required to re-register under a change in the law in 2012, but so far authorities have not approved its application.

Islam is the state religion in Algeria, where 99 percent of the population of 40 million are Muslim. Since 2000, thousands of Algerian Muslims have put their faith in Christ. Algerian officials estimate the number of Christians at 50,000, but others say it could be twice that number.

Algeria ranked 22nd on Christian support organization Open Doors 2022 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, up from 42nd place in 2018.

If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit http://morningstarnews.org/resources/aid-agencies/ for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved.

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Article originally published by Morning Star News. Used with permission.

Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Vatekor
I was a poet long before I wanted to be a preacher, but when I entered the ministry, I thought poetry was a distraction, something that needed to be put to the side for the sake of the serious work of the pulpit.

What Id failed to realize was that good preaching requires a poetic vision, the ability to speak to the heart and discern what is hidden beneath the subtext of life. The skills and sensitivities that I had developed as a poet were also needed to make me a good preacher. In abandoning poetry, I lost my ability to see past the superfluous and into the human heart.

The Caribbean poet Derek Walcott famously said, I have never separated the writing of poetry from prayer. I have grown up believing it is a vocation, a religious vocation. The poet and the preacher share more than they realize, and the preacher stands to learn a great deal from the poet. Wendell Berrys poem How to Be a Poet outlines what it takes to be a great poet and in turn illuminates what it means to be a great preacher.

Make a place to sit down. Sit down. Be quiet.

For many preachers, silence is a void waiting to be filled. We are used to being the dominant voice in a room, and as a result, we spend most of our lives thinking we are perpetually at the pulpit, much to the annoyance of friends and loved ones alike. This need to fill quiet spaces with the sound of our own voice creeps into our spiritual lives.

But what happens when our well runs dry, when the words dont come, and Sunday looms over us like an unconquerable peak? Its in these moments we begin to realize that we have come to the end of our words and that for all our pouring out, we have done very little to receive.

Here in these opening lines, Wendell Berry calls us to reexamine our relationship with silence. Our desperate need to fill the void is born of a deeply fractured relationship with silence. Speaking is about control. Silence is about letting go (Ps. 46:10). By sitting down and shutting up, we take our hands off the reigns and give the Spirit the freedom to fill the silence with his presence. Its from this deep well of silence the preacher draws their inspiration. We cannot afford to miss what God is saying to his people.

At some point, our wits will fail us, and if we have not cultivated a habit of deep listening, we risk regurgitating dead sermon points to dying people. Preaching must begin in the vacuum of silence. Our silence is our admittance that the task we have been called to requires divine aid.

You must depend upon affection, reading, knowledge, skillmore of each than you have.

The task of preaching often feels like an impossible one. Anyone who has ever stood behind the pulpit knows immediately the feeling of immense weight that comes with opening ones mouth to proclaim the mysteries of God. We often feel out of our depth.

No amount of seminary training, theological study, or cultural awareness can completely mitigate the anxieties of preaching. And that is sort of the point. Like the poet, we are tasked to rely on more than we alone possess. Our words often fall short, we never know enough, and our skill is constantly in competition with the changing tastes of the age.

But preaching isnt a solo affair; we arent lone rangers gunning it out at the edge of civilization. We are a fraternity of men and women bound across space and time (Mark 12:27, Heb. 12:1). Our work is shared by others whose life experience, educational background, ethnic identity, and temporal location give them a unique relationship with the Scriptures. They see things we dont, and if we are willing, their perspectives and insights are available to help shape our own.

We must depend on the skill, knowledge, and affection of others. Only then will we be able to bridge the deficiencies that mark our preaching. We must remember that we are a part of a holy catholic church. Our universality is our strength, and isolation only serves as a detriment.

Shun electric wire. Communicate slowly.

We live in a reactionary age. We are constantly pressured to air our opinions at a moments notice, lest we miss out on the cultural zeitgeist. Our phones serve as portable pulpits, a place where our unfiltered thoughts and ideas live rent-free. Our itchy fingers are just as deadly as our itchy ears. We have lost the ability to communicate slowly.

Berrys electric wire is representative of the dangers of instant access and spontaneous response. Quick communication often requires little thinking. Rather than taking the time to dwell deeply on an issue, we rush to respond and, in doing so, offer shallow critiques that do not feed, equip, or encourage those put under our charge.

If we are not careful, our preaching will be dominated by ill-thought one-liners rather than deeply formed thoughts. Our job as preachers is to offer a contemplative voice, not a reactionary one. Communicating slowly requires careful contemplation and prayer. The church and those called to be its voices do not bow down to the changing wind of the age. We are the still small voice of the culture, communicating slowly, shunning the instantaneous, and pointing to the eternal (Eph. 4:1116).

Live a three-dimensioned life.

There is nothing worse than preaching disconnected from everyday life. Theological abstractions do very little for the thirsty souls in our pews, and any theology disconnected from life, story, and place are antithetical to the Incarnation. Jesus incarnation is not just the taking on of human shape but rather is Jesus full entrance into the state of human affairs through which the eternal Word makes himself present in time and space (John 1:14).

Our preparation and our preaching need to be rooted in a three-dimensioned life. Our preaching must drink from the well of story and place, a fount that feeds and is fed by the local congregations we serve. The apostle Paul did his theology within the context of local communities. His articulation of eternal truth was flavored and shaped by the soil in which it was planted. This doesnt mean that the temporal trumps the eternal; instead, it is an invitation to anchor the infinite in a local habitation, a space where the gospel intersects with daily life.

I started writing sermons in coffee shops when my wife and I first got married and lived in a small apartment in Brooklyn. What began as a practical decision eventually led to a profound spiritual practice. The gossip at the table across the room, the community board filled with flyers, and the brief chat with the barista all help remind me who these messages are for. By beginning our preparation in the presence of people, we start to write for them and not ourselves. We learn to see the gospel at work in places and ways we could never have imagined locked up in our studies.

Make a poem that does not disturb the silence from which it came.

Any good class on pastoral theology teaches that the preacher must set his agenda aside when preaching; at that moment, he is a mouthpiece, an oracle, one called by God to declare his Word to his people. But if were honest, our sermons are often dominated by our personal agendas, vendettas, and opinions. Rather than preach what we received from God in silence and prayer, we go off script and preach what serves us. Were all guilty. There is a fine line between our words and Gods, and often that line is more permeable than we realize.

Our job is to make sure what we preach does not disturb the silence from which it came. This requires us to be introspective and to ask the tricky question, Is this coming from God or me? This might also mean inviting wise and Spirit-led men and women into our preparation. It serves us to question our own objectivity, especially when it helps us discern if we are hearing God clearly or torturing the text to fit our own ends. What we receive in silence is sacred. It doesnt need our help. God knows what he wants to say. We just have to step back and let him say it.

In his poem Station Island XI, Seamus Heaney advises us to read poems as prayers. I read Berrys poem often. His poem reminds me that I am not a rhetorician preparing to win an argument, nor am I a philosopher pontificating abstract truths. I am a preacher. I am called to dwell in the deep silence and, like David, call my soul to be still and wait (Ps. 62:5). Berry teaches us to rely on the voices whove come before us. He implores us to shun our keyboards and reminds us to weave the story of Jesus into the story of our community.

Ryan Diaz is a poet and writer from Queens, New York.
Grace City Church in Florida ends affiliation with Hillsong over scandals

Leaders of the fast-growing, multi-campus Grace City Church in Lakeland, Florida, announced that they have ended their affiliation with the global Hillsong Church after the denominations founder, Brian Houston, resigned over misconduct.

The announcement comes in the wake of the Australia-based Hillsong Church losing nine of its 16 American church campuses in recent weeks stemming from a series of ongoing scandals that erupted amid the pandemic with the firing of former Hillsong NYC Lead Pastor Carl Lentz in November 2020 over leadership issues and moral failures, including being unfaithful to his wife, Laura.

Some of the abuses have also been the subject of a documentary called Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed on Discovery Plus. The Christian Post also recently published details from a leaked report highlighting accusations of abuses at Hillsong NYC under Lentzs reign. They included, among other things, the alleged mishandling of incidents of consensual or non-consensual sexual interaction between church leaders and congregants, staff, volunteers, or non-churchgoers.

It impacted us in that these are people I love. Carl Lentz was and is a friend. So its devastating, its heartbreaking, Andrew Gard, co-pastor at Grace City Church, told The Ledger.

Gard, who leads the church with his wife, Christina, added: We feel bad for everyone that is involved.

The Florida pastor explained that while they have always been our own nondenominational church, they had a relationship with Hillsong Church that functioned like an emergency covering.

If I had a moral failure, our local church council could have gone to Hillsong to see if this is restorative or does Andrew need to be fired," Gard told The Ledger. "Or number two, if my wife and I were killed in a car accident and they had to find new senior pastors, our council could have worked with Hillsong to help us in that.

Gard said that while he watched the documentary on Hillsong Church before deciding to cut ties with the denomination, "It was about the news that came out about Pastor Brian that did it for them.

Houstons resignation came after it was revealed that two women made serious misconduct complaints against him in the last 10 years.

Before announcing Houstons resignation on March 23, Hillsong Church said he violated the church's pastoral code of conduct by entering the hotel room of an unidentified woman for 40 minutes while under the influence of alcohol and prescription drugs during the churchs annual conference in 2019.

Houston reportedly didn't recall having sex with the woman, and the woman did not say they had sexual relations.

Hillsong Churchs Interim Global Senior Pastor Phil Dooley told Hillsong Church staffers in a meeting that the accounts of what happened from Houston and the woman are not entirely reliable because they were impaired by alcohol. Houston was also reportedly under the influence of anxiety medication during the hotel room visit.

Last month, it was revealed that John Mays, a high-level Hillsong Church representative had recommended in a March 19 letter obtained by The Guardian that Houston and his wife, Bobbie, be fired from their positions due to leadership failures.

In his letter, Mays, whose son, Jason Mays, pleaded guilty to indecent assault of former Hillsong College student Anna Crenshaw in January 2020, said there were obvious information gaps and anomalies in what the Hillsong Church board told staff about Houstons time in the hotel room with the unidentified woman.

One insulting example (of many) is that Brian lost his room key so knocked on the ladys door, a detail he no doubt recalls despite memory loss during the following 40 minutes. Are we really asking our staff to accept such dribble and defend our Church with such? Mays asked.

Gard said his church is heartbroken by the scandals and that while he doesnt believe the scandals are reflective of the entire church when it comes to leadership character is important.

Decisions have consequences, and we understand that," Gard said. "Character matters in what we do, and rightfully so. Our church for the last few years has operated in a way thats above reproach and above board.
Judge refuses to dismiss case against megachurch leader Naason Joaquin Garcia

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Stephen A. Marcus refused Monday to dismiss a case against controversial megachurch leader Naason Joaquin Garcia, who is accused of multiple sex crimes, including making sex videos with minor girls from his flock at La Luz Del Mundo or Light of the World.

On March 15, Garcias defense attorney Alan Jackson and his team argued in a 211-page motion that the case brought against Garcia by the California Attorney Generals Office alleging that he groomed and raped teenage girls from his congregation is based on fabricated evidence.

Marcus agreed that the California Attorney General's Office should have turned over some evidence to Garcia's attorneys before an August 2020 hearing, but said the defense had "not met the materiality requirement'' for dismissal, MyNewsLa.com reported.

In a statement posted on his churchs Facebook page on Monday, the megachurchs pastors followers noted: We have full confidence that the time will come when the innocence and honorability of the Apostle of Jesus Christ, Naason Joaquin, will be demonstrated, because the lie prevails only until the truth comes to light.

The 52-year-old preacher was arrested in the summer of 2019 at the Los Angeles International Airport. He and several co-defendants are being tried separately. They were charged with human trafficking, production of child pornography, forcible rape of a minor and other felonies committed between 2015 and 2019.

A group of girls was allegedly told that if they went against Garcias desires, they were going against God, according to the criminal complaint.

In their March motion, Garcias defense team said they reviewed more than 70,000 texts messages and that some of Garcias accusers were sexually active, angst-filled teenagers who lied, shoplifted, used drugs, drank alcohol, struggled with mental health and spoke of having sex with the church leader for money.

The March motion also claims that California Department of Justice Special Agent Joseph Cedusky selectively used information from the thousands of text messages to further the criminal narrative against Garcia while the prosecution actively delayed access to the entire cache of text messages to the defense.

The magnitude of the governments misconduct was so vast that it cannot easily be quantified, and the cascading effect of consequences from these actions is immense, Jackson and his team wrote. These include, inter alia, Mr. Garcia being forced to sit through a mockery of a preliminary hearing based entirely on lies and fiction created from whole cloth in the minds of investigators and prosecutors.

Garcia has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and is facing a $50 million bail, believed to be the highest ever imposed in L.A. County. The pastors lawyers have long argued the pastor is 100% innocent.

The pastor is awaiting trial set for June 6 in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom.
Over 200 evangelical leaders lobby Congress to pass immigration reform

More than 200 evangelical leaders are urging members of the U.S. Congress this week to fix what they described as a broken immigration system by working to pass immigration reform, which they say is consistent with their calling as Christians to embrace radical hospitality.

The pastors, faith leaders and activists participated in approximately 50 meetings with U.S. Senators or their staffs Tuesday and Wednesday, with meetings occurring virtually and on Capitol Hill. The meetings occurred days after a group of bipartisan senators reportedly met last week to discuss options for passing immigration reform this year.

Derwin Gray, the lead pastor of Transformation Church South Carolina and a prominent voice in the multiethnic church movement, was among the many who participated in the meetings.

The Evangelical Immigration Table and other faith-based organizations sponsored a press conference Tuesday, where faith leaders discussed their efforts.

Gray expressed a desire to see smart, reasonable immigration reform that not only secures our borders ... but also secures the dignity and worth of human beings.

Gray, the author of the book How to Heal Our Racial Divide, called for action to protect Dreamers, illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. He called specifically for a pathway to citizenship.

The pastor stressed that he was not calling for amnesty" and that his views on immigration are consistent with his core values as a follower of Jesus."

[E]very single human being is worthy of dignity, honor, respect and love," Gray said, concluding by pushing for immigration laws that reflect how great our country actually is, with reasonable policies so that lives can be transformed.

Galen Carey of the National Association of Evangelicals, which brings together more than 40 denominations from a wide range of evangelical traditions as well as many other evangelical organizations, schools and networks, moderated the discussion during the press conference.

Today and tomorrow, more than 200 evangelical pastors and leaders are meeting with their members of Congress and staff  to talk with their leaders about the urgent need for action for bipartisan, commonsense immigration reform proposals, which are before the United States Congress, Carey explained.

In addition to Carey, pastors and individuals associated with faith-based charities who are among those meeting with members of Congress delivered remarks at the event.

Kathryn Freeman of the evangelical refugee resettlement organization World Relief, the humanitarian arm of NAE, also advocated on behalf of Dreamers, saying they are valuable to our churches." She described them as young men and women who have served their country and churches by volunteering as Sunday school leaders and youth leaders.

Were concerned that they might not be able to stay in the country that they love, the only place that they have ever known, Freeman said. Dreamers deserve a place in our country and they deserve a place in our churches.

Pastor Reid Kapple of Christ Community Church in Olathe, Kansas, said that his wish list for immigration reform extends beyond a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers to include a permanent pathway for the thousands of Afghan refugees" brought to the U.S.

Kapple is grateful for the immediacy of bringing these evacuees" to the U.S. amid the Taliban's rise after the U.S. military's departure from the country last year. He said Afghan refugees find themselves in a very unfortunate and ultimately unhelpful status as parolees.

That status only has a two-year shelf life to it, Kapple said. As of this day, there is no action in Congress to provide a permanent clear pathway forward for these new neighbors of ours.

Kapple said Christians are the recipients of a radical hospitality, maintaining that the Gospel compels us to emulate the nature of our hospitable God. He highlighted the actions of his church to welcome, to resource, to provide jobs for the Afghan refugees while urging Congress to take action to ensure that they can remain in the U.S.

Pastor Manuel Mendoza of the Spanish-speaking congregation Morningside Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina, called for U.S. immigration law to reflect the lens of Scripture that shows compassion and mercy not just for the widow, not just for the orphan but, of course, for the stranger as well.

I think many Christians would be surprised or shouldnt be surprised at the number of times God uses the word sojourner or stranger throughout the Old Testament, Mendoza said.

More than a year into the 117th U.S. Congress, the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives has passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act to provide a pathway to citizenship for illegal alien farm workers. Also, the House also passed the Dream Act, which would give Dreamers a path to citizenship.

While both pieces of legislation attracted some degree of bipartisan support in the House, they have stalled in the Senate, where most legislation requires 60 votes to pass.

A poll conducted earlier this year sponsored by the Immigration Forum found that 82% of born-again Protestants support Republicans and Democrats working together on immigration reforms that strengthen border security, create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children, and ensure a legal, reliable workforce for Americas farmers and ranchers.

However, a poll conducted in September 2021 by the Public Religion Research Institute revealed that only 47% of white evangelicals support granting illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship.
By Kim Hyun-bin



Samsung Electronics has expanded its presence in the U.S. telecommunications market by winning a second order for 5G communication equipment worth 1 trillion won ($790 million), according to company officials Wednesday.



Samsung said it was selected as a 5G communication equipment supplier for Dish Network, the fourth-largest U.S. mobile communication service provider. Samsung Electronics plans to supply a variety of communication equipment, including 5G virtualized base stations for Dish Network's nationwide network.





Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong
Pro-life activists offer $25K reward for information leading to indictment of late-term abortionist

Pro-life activists are offering a $25,000 reward for information that could lead to the indictment of a Washington, D.C., abortionist as the firestorm about the disposal practices for aborted babies at the abortion clinic continue.

The pro-life group Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising is holding demonstrations in front of government office buildings and an abortion clinic in the District in an effort to get justice for the five full-term babies believed to have been born alive before they were killed at the Washington Surgi-Clinic.

The bodies of the deceased babies were discovered inside a medical waste bin by pro-life activists Terrisa Bukovinac and Lauren Handy. The five babies were among over 100 babies' remains found inside containers as they were being loaded onto a hazardous waste truck destined for Curtis Bay Medical Waste Services in Baltimore, Maryland, for incineration.

The protests and $25,000 reward are part of PAAU's #JusticeForTheFive campaign.

The first protest took place outside the Washington Surgi-Clinic, where Bukovinac and Handy obtained the medical waste containers filled with the remains of 110 babies aborted during the first trimester and the five full-term aborted babies. It was at this protest that the pro-life activists announced a $25,000 reward for any whistleblower willing to come forward with evidence that could lead to the indictment of Dr. Cesare Santangelo, the longtime abortionist who works at the clinic.

Bukovinac and Handy held a press conference last month detailing how they obtained the container outside the abortion clinic. At the event, they called on the D.C. Medical Examiner to perform autopsies on the aborted babies, citing concerns that they were victims of partial-birth abortions, an illegal late-term abortion procedure.

The pro-life activists asserted that the injuries sustained by one of the full-term babies marked for disposal, whom they named Harriet, strongly imply that she was the victim of a partial-birth abortion.

Bukovinac also launched a petition addressed to Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. Medical Examiner, demandingan autopsy and investigation into the deaths of these children, to know whether any violations of federal law have been committed by notorious late-term abortionist [Cesare] Santangelo.

So far, the D.C. Medical Examiners Office has insisted that it has no intention of performing an autopsy. Bowser seems unlikely to push for an investigation, as she has told Republican lawmakers that Handy was under investigation for extremist anti-abortion activity and tampering with fetal remains by the Metropolitan Police Department and the United States Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia, offenses she characterized as serious violations of federal law.

Bukovinac decried Bowsers allegations of law-breaking on the part of pro-life activists as virtue-signaling to pro-abortion radicals. Noting that Bowser had received an endorsement from the pro-abortion advocacy group Emilys List, Bukovinac remarked that Its an election year for her and ... I think that she is just simply trying to virtue-signal to Emilys List and to pro-abortion politicians and people within the District.

It was not her smartest move to taunt Congress in that way to treat these babies lives as if they do not matter, suggesting that somehow Lauren and I broke federal law when we have done no such thing. Its not entirely surprising, but it definitely wasnt her smartest move.

Additionally, the pro-life activists asked the U.S. Department of Justice to prosecute Santangelo for violations of the Born-Alive Infant Protection Act and the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. Bukovinac brought up how undercover video footage obtained by the pro-life group Live Action documented Santangelo discussing how he does not use feticide.

Bukovinac stated that feticide is administered in most abortions conducted after 20 weeks gestation to give the unborn baby a heart attack, which helps prevent a live birth and the excruciating pain of total dismemberment. She cited Santangelos admission that he does not use feticide as well as the advanced gestational age of these babies and their intact condition as evidence that the likelihood that some were born alive is undeniable.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Bukovinac added: We know that Cesare Santangelo has been doing abortions, elective abortions up until birth in the district for decades and when any time someone is doing late-term abortions like that, there is a concern that they might be relying on partial-birth abortions or even infanticide in order to commit some of these abortions because of the lack of oversight.

Although the pro-life group had planned to hold a protest outside the D.C. Medical Examiners Office Tuesday, the leak of the draft majority opinion in the U.S. Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health prompted Bukovinac, Handy and other activists affiliated with PAAU to gather at the Supreme Court instead. Bukovinac told CP that the demonstration outside the D.C. Medical Examiners Office will instead take place on Friday.

The planned demonstration at the U.S. Department of Justice headquarters on Thursday will proceed as scheduled.

While the bulk of last months press conference focused on the condition the full-term aborted babies were in at the time of their discovery, pro-life activists also discussed what might have happened to the babies if they hadn't been found.

The truck that Bukovinac and Handy intercepted belonged to the biowaste company Curtis Bay Medical Waste Services. Missy Smith, one of the other pro-life activists who spoke at the press conference, noted that Curtis Bay Energy states on their website that they burn biomedical waste to sustain the energy needs of the Baltimore area.

This means tragically that they have received, transferred and burned the corpses of aborted babies to make electricity for the households and businesses of the Baltimore area, she added. In a statement to the press, Curtis Bay vehemently denied that it converts the remains of aborted babies into electricity.

As stated in client agreements and company policy, customers like Washington Surgi-Clinic are prohibited from disposing of the fetuses and human remains via Curtis Bay Services, the company said in a statement to local news outlet WUSA. Curtis Bay provides its clients with medical waste bags and boxes to use in a manner that complies with applicable law, client agreements and company policy. Curtis Bay continues to fully cooperate with law enforcement.

Reacting to the statement at the press conference, Bukovinac suggested that Its definitely possible that they (Curtis Bay employees) dont know whats in the box. She maintained that the truck driver did not know that the box contained aborted babies and agreed to let her take the container after she told him of her plans to give the babies a proper burial.

The Curtis Bay Medical Waste Services website has a page titled Our Process that explains, For more than 25 years, we have provided the safest and most secure method of medical waste disposal for our clients. Additionally, under current company policy, Our professionally trained and certified personnel collect your material and provide you with the proper documentation before we then transport your material, in full DOT compliance, to our autoclave or incineration disposal facilities.

We manage the largest medical waste incinerator in the United States, the webpage adds. Our sustainable and consistent environmental processing technology generates the lowest carbon footprint when compared to other waste processing technologies, as documented by the [Environmental Protection Agency].

An archived version of the Our Process page on the Curtis Bay website, available on the internet archiving tool The Wayback Machine, looked slightly different. After highlighting its management of the largest medical waste incinerator in the US, Curtis Bay described itself as the only facility in the Northeast Region that utilizes Waste-to-Energy incineration to safely convert infectious/biomedical waste and non-hazardous pharmaceuticals into useful energy. From there, the company discussed its carbon footprint.

The archived version of the Our Process page reflects the way the page looked on July 17, 2021, nearly nine months before the news about the container full of aborted babies broke. LifeSiteNews, which did a report on last months press conference, maintained that the website looked as it did in July of last year when it was compiling the story.

In an interview with CP, Handy explained that pro-lifers have been protesting Curtis Bay since as far back as 2017, adding: This isnt the first time pro-lifers have been on Curtis Bays radar. Handy said the previous protests stemmed from Project Weak Link, where pro-lifers sought to draw attention to medical waste companies that service abortion facilities.

Bukovinac said the changes made to Curtis Bay's website make it pretty obvious that they have something to hide because we opened a box that was destined for their facility that definitely had fetal remains inside the box and there were several changes made to their website right after that discovery. So to me, it indicates that they have something to hide.

The recent discovery of aborted babies marked for disposal by Washington Surgi-Clinic is not the first time the abortion clinic has garnered attention within the pro-life movement. The website Abortion Docs, a project of the pro-life organization Operation Rescue, revealed that Washington Surgi-Clinic and Santangelo were defendants in a wrongful death lawsuit alleging that a dilation and extraction abortion performed on a woman whose baby died naturally in the womb resulted in her death.

The lawsuit asserted that the defendants, including Washington Surgi-Clinic and Santangelo, were negligent in their care. Specifically, it claimed that defendants failed to make proper diagnoses; failed to carry out the proper medical procedures; failed to administer appropriate and proper treatment; failed to make proper differential diagnoses; and failed to advise the victim of the risks to which she was particularly susceptible. According to Abortion Docs, the case was settled out of court for unknown amount.

Additionally, a 2017 undercover phone call to Washington Surgi-Clinic made by the pro-life group Priests for Life in conjunction with Abortion Free New Mexico included audio of an employee at the abortion clinic agreeing to schedule an abortion on a baby at 26 weeks gestation for a fee between $6,200 and $7,200.
"Preach the Word": My Fundamental Experience and Perspective of Preaching the Word and Hearing God

I am very thankful for my training at Dallas Theological Seminary, especially my training in Bible exposition. The motto of Dallas Theological Seminary is Preach the Word (2 Tim 4:2). I received a Master of Theology and Doctor of Ministry, both of which serve as the foundational pillars to my ministry.

I have always desired to serve in a region where Bible exposition is not prevalent, especially in areas where access to Bible doctrinal teaching is limited. Since graduating from DTS, God has given me opportunities to preach His Word in Japan and Thailand. For the past eleven years, I have been preaching at an international, nondenominational church in Rangsit, Thailand. As this church does not have a full-time pastor, I am one of several pastors who preach regularly. I am grateful to regularly expound on Gods Word to this congregation. Recently, the coronavirus has curtailed many of my opportunities, but I can preach at least once a month through virtual online meetings.

Currently, Im teaching from the Book of Galatians. In this epistle, the apostle Paul wrote to a group of churches (most likely in South Galatia) after his first missionary journey. He was disturbed by believers who were abandoning the true gospel of hearing by faith and replacing it with another gospel consisting of works of the Law. False teachers called Judaizers insisted that it was not enough to believe in Christ alone, but one must be circumcised for salvation. It was a faith-plus-works doctrine, which nullifies the finished work of Christ on the cross. Gods Word explicitly states that salvation is by grace through faith and not works (Eph 2:89). Therefore, any addition of works invalidates the gospel message. Paul informed the Galatians that anything added to the finished work of Christ is another gospel. He declared to them that another gospel is no gospel at all.

I have noticed a general lack of solid expository preaching, and as a result, many believers do not fully understand their salvation. Unfortunately, many falsely conclude that they can lose their salvation. My remedy for this is exposure to a regular stream of expository preaching. I believe Christians can be conditioned by the true doctrine of faith and not be led astray by false teachers or doctrines.

When I Preach

I spend many hours preparing. Once I have chosen my passage, I study it in its original language to learn the authors intended meaning. This process is defined as exegesis. After, I look for the theology and timeless truth of the passage. This process is known as exposition. Finally, I work on how to translate the central meaning of the passage to my audience. This process is called homiletics. For example, a product of my preparation is explaining to my audience that if they are worried about a particular sin they may have forgotten to confess, or if they believe there are future sins for which they will not be forgiven, immediately I see that they are not believing in the finished work of Christ on the cross. Throughout my sermon, I emphatically reiterate that another gospel is no gospel at all!

Some to Speak, All to Hear

God equips some to exegete what He has said, and He equips us all to hear what He says. Indeed, we want to hear from God now more than ever during this pandemic. We want to know where God is in all of this. How do we move forward? Make no mistake, God is speaking. Today, our Bible is His voice that can be just as loud and permeating as it was when Moses first heard Him speak the first five books of the Bible. Our direction is found in His Word.

Even though there is a barrage of information streaming on what we should and shouldnt do and a plethora of voices speaking in this melee we call pop culture, believers are called to read and listen to the preaching of Gods Word. It is His complete revelation to us. This notion makes extra-biblical prophecy, or visions, which may or may not come to pass, unnecessary. Unfortunately, the church where I preach is divided over this, as some church members appear to be seeking signs and wonders along with prophetic visions instead of Gods written Word. God gave us His Word (2 Tim 3:16), and this must be our guide. How will the church know Gods Word? They will know it through expository preaching.

The Mandate for Preachers

Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer founded Dallas Theological Seminary in 1924 to train men for ministry. He intended for the Bible to be the primary textbook. In his book, An Uncommon Union: Dallas Theological Seminary and American Evangelism, Dr. John Hannah explains Chafers burden to start a seminary of this caliber.1 Since the inception of Dallas Seminary, students have been taught all sixty-six books of the Bible. They are not taught about the books; they are taught the books.

The motto of Dallas Seminary comes from 2 Timothy 4:2, Preach the Word. Imagine Paul writing this from a prison cell in Rome. It was his solemn charge to Timothy. For the pastor, preaching the Word is his top priority. It is not an option. When the pastor preaches through Bible exposition, the result is a more robust and stable church.

In Biblical Preaching which is considered the gold standard by many expositors, Dr. Haddon Robinson defines expository preaching as,

The communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through the preacher, applies to the hearers.2

In simple terms, expository preaching is teaching what the passage is about and then how it applies to those listening.

The Result: We Hear from God

In my experience, the best method for expository preaching is preaching sequentially through books of the Bible. The authors wrote each book to a particular audience for a specific purpose. The preacher learns the intended meaning of the passage through exegesis. Then he understands the theology of the passage. Finally, he discovers how it applies to a contemporary audience. The preacher must spend many hours studying to accomplish these objectives for his sermon. In worship service, expository preaching is the primary way God communicates with His children. I believe expository teaching must take top priority among the congregation when gathering for worship. Through the preaching of Gods Word, the congregation learns Gods thoughts, His ways, His will, and everything we need to live a life of holiness.

The Alternative: We Don't Hear from God

As previously mentioned, unfortunately, there is a general lack of expository preaching in many pulpits today. In my twelve years of living in Bangkok, I have seen unimaginable aberrations of preaching! The prosperity/word of faith gospel is rampant here. It is also referred to as health and wealth or name it and claim it doctrine. It may appear attractive, but the Bible doctrine is not bent toward human ideals of prosperity. Much of the topical preaching I see consists of verses taken out of context and used as proof texts. Topical expository preaching, by contrast, involves taking two or more passages in context, doing the same work of exegesis, exposition, and homiletics.

Believers gain clarity and conviction through Bible exposition. When there is no expository preaching, many false teachings can result. The question we need to ask is not whether we want to hear from God, but instead, how can we hear from God?

When a pastor preaches Gods Word, the church is built up and equipped for ministry. God gave gifts for this specific purpose in Ephesians 4:1112. He gave gifts, such as pastors and teachers, to equip the body of Christ for the work of ministry.

Fads will come and go. What may be popular today may not be popular fifty years from now. But Gods Word never changes. The Bible is Gods complete revelation to His people.

John D. Hannah, An Uncommon Union (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009), Chapter 3  Founding the Seminary. Haddon W. Robinson, Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages, Third Edition (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2014).

About the Author

Dr. Michael Karpf (ThM, 1993; DMin, 2019) is currently serving as a missionary pastor at AIT Christian Fellowship in Rangsit, Thailand. His passion lies in exegeting the Scriptures.



If you want to find out more about Dallas Theological Seminary, please fill in the request information.

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This article was previously published in DTS Magazine online. To find more resources, please visit DTS Voice.
Protecting imprisoned women from men who say theyre women

A male inmate housed in a womens facility at New Yorks Rikers Island jail has been sentenced to seven years for raping a female prisoner.

In an apparent plea deal, Ramel Blount, 33, who goes by Diamond Blount, pleaded guilty to attempted rape.

Blount was housed in the female section of Rikers Island in February 2021, when a 33-year-old female inmate said she was raped in a bathroom after taking a shower.

On top of the seven-year sentence announced Monday, Blount must register as a sex offender.

Its true that Rikers Island is notorious for being unusually violent, and that violence escalated in 2021. But this particular sexual assault may not have happened if facilities that house criminals did so based on biological sex, not the gender with which they criminals presumably identify. A female inmate in Illinois says this exact scenario happened to her in 2020.

For the past few years, jail and prison facilities such as Rikers Island have been under tremendous pressure to bend to a vocal minority and house male prisoners who identify as female with women.

In New York in 2020, Steuben County officials agreed to sweeping changes to its jail and prison policies after settling a discrimination lawsuit filed by a transgender inmate.

At the time, the ACLU in New York hailed the settlement as one that establishes one of the strongest jail or prison policies in the country protecting the rights of transgender, gender-nonconforming, nonbinary, and intersex people in custody.

The policy addresses housing placement, safety, access to medical care, name and pronouns use, search procedures, and grooming standards, the ACLU said.

This is happening in California, too. In 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, signed legislation known as SB 132, which allows male prisoners who identify as female to be transferred, by a simple request, to a facility for women.

Now, women are pushing back to preserve their right to safety and privacy.

The Womens Liberation Front, which seeks to protect the privacy and equality of women, filed a lawsuit in federal court arguing that Californias SB 132 is unconstitutional and creates an unsafe environment for women, for whom these single-sex facilities exist.

One plaintiff in the suit says she was sexually assaulted by an inmate who transferred from a mens facility. Another plaintiff says she was inappropriately grabbed.

One of the biggest reasons that so many conservatives oppose the Equality Act before Congress is that it would open the door to this, and similar situations, nationwide. And few laws would be left to protect the most vulnerable.

Under the Equality Act, any place that receives federal funds, from schools to prisons, would be forced to banish single-sex spaces or be liable to discrimination charges.

Its important to make clear: Most trans-identifying individuals arent perverts or assailants-in-waiting. But under these policies, bad actors need only to identify as the opposite sex to gain access to private spaces.

In Alaska, a man claiming to be a woman tried to enter a shelter for battered women. When he was refused, he sued the organization for discrimination under a local law governing sexual orientation and gender identity.

Women serving time in prison or jail still deserve to be treated humanely and with respect. They still have a right to privacy and safety.

But, intimidated by a vocal minority, local politicians and officials have buckled under new definitions of sex and gender, showing they are more worried about being sued for discrimination by criminals trying to take advantage of women, than being sued for an assault such as rape.

Discrimination policies should not trump safety and privacy, whether in school or prison.

Originally published at The Daily Signal.
Running short on money and members, 75-year-old Florida church holds final service

Running short on money and membership, a 75-year-old Florida congregation that dwindled to just 19 amid the pandemic, gathered for its final service a week ago.

The website for Gulfport Presbyterian Church is still up and running for now, but as far as the now 19 former members are concerned, their final service, livestreamed on Facebook on April 24, was their last hurrah.

You cant have a church without money and people, 93-year-old longtime member, Yvonne Johnson, who served for some 50 years in the church, told News 4 Jax.

After years of watching members die or leave the congregation and failing to attract new ones, the remaining members of Gulfport Presbyterian Church decided last September that it was time to close down their church, one of the oldest religious institutions in Gulfport.

There is a time for everything, Marsha Rydberg read at the final service from the book of Ecclesiastes. A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot  a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away.

Members recall the heyday of the church in the '60s and '70s when they didnt struggle to find worshipers. Since then, however, the church started losing young people who were supposed to keep the church going.

They also tried different efforts to bring back followers to their church, but they all failed.

The Rev. Micki Robinson, 66, the churchs longtime pastor who retired last year, recalled how she would play her harp at downtown Gulfports First Friday Art Walks to attract new members.

Id play just so people knew we existed, Robinson told News4Jax. But the community changed and the world changed. People walked in and they saw old people  they didnt realize how young they were in attitude.

The church also tried other strategies like Who Let The Dogs In  services that allowed people to bring their pets to worship. Their efforts werent enough so they made the decision last year that they would close on the final Sunday in April.

Calls to the church by The Christian Post on Monday went unanswered, but members like 71-year-old Theresa McLean recalled to News4Jax how the church helped them get through some of the toughest times in life.

I wasnt popular in high school, said McLean. I was in the youth group here, and that got me through.

Speaking during the last service, the Rev. William Cowfer said despite the shuttering of the congregation, the work of Jesus would continue.

When Jesus descended, the disciples work was not done  it was beginning, he said. Though we have mixed emotions about not being able to continue here as a congregation, the congregation that was here all these years is scattered throughout the world.
California church sheltering Ukrainians seeking refuge in America: 'It was just natural'

As thousands of Ukrainians crossed the border from Tijuana seeking refuge in the United States, a California church seized the opportunity to demonstrate Christ's love by offering them shelter.

Since Russia's war in Ukraine began in February, Calvary Church San Diego in Chula Vista, California, has assisted the Ukrainians by supplying medicine to the country and aiding in rescue efforts. The church also started providing shelter to Ukrainian refugees who started arriving through the U.S. and Mexico border several weeks ago.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Calvary Pastor Phil Metzger said the church has a "vested interest" in Ukraine, as it has 25 Calvaries there within its network of churches. He estimated that the church is about 15 minutes away from the U.S. and Mexico border.

The church assisted refugees at the border after Metzger received a message from a longtime missionary friend who runs a church in Sacramento. Aware of Calvary's proximity to the border, Metzger's colleague asked if he was interested in helping the Ukrainians there.

"We were already praying; we were already involved," Metzger said. "When we heard about the opportunity at the border, it was just natural; this is what we need to do. This is the right thing for us to be a part of right now."

Metzger and the church staff traveled to the border, offering the Ukrainians they encountered a place to stay for the night. That evening, the Calvary pastor believes about 100 refugees showed up, and from there, it just kept "skyrocketing."

Within the first few days of transporting Ukrainians, Metzger traveled to the Tijuana side of the border, eventually teaming up with other individuals helping Ukrainian refugees. One group would transport refugees from the airport to the border while another took them to Calvary.

Everyone wore badges of the Ukrainian flag to help refugees identify them, building a trustworthy reputation the more they ventured to the border. Metzger said that as word spread about their work, many refugees approached them who were already familiar with the aid they provided.

Calvary invented a numbering system through a church application called People Center to help account for the thousands of Ukrainians coming through the border. Individuals typically use the application to check themselves and their children in when they show up for church. The new numbering system allowed Metzger's team to create a "digital line" and put people with medical emergencies at the front.

Due to the high number of refugees arriving at the border, Calvary has housed them at the church and in the homes of 100 church members.

Metzger said finding 100 members willing to house refugees was "not hard." People could sign up to help in the church foyer, and many did.

"People were inspired, honestly," he said. "They just saw the immensity of the need and jumped into it."

Church members attempting to converse with Ukrainians in their homes typically used Google Translate. But local Russian and Ukrainian communities also helped Calvary communicate with the refugees.

The church even held services in Russian, but Metzger said it doesn't do that anymore, as their church was only a short-term place of refuge. While services are held in English, the pastor said several Ukrainians attended, and some were baptized at a recent Easter service.

Local businesses, restaurants and an assortment of churches in the area also supported Calvary's efforts. Since the church only provided housing for a few days, organizations like the Christian disaster relief group Samaritan's Purse assisted them with long-term resettlement.

The refugees staying temporarily at Calvary were allowed to remain in the U.S. for one year while on Humanitarian Parole, which allows individuals to stay in the country without an immigrant or non-immigrant visa. From what Metzger observed, most of the refugees were eager to return home.

"'My work is gone. The house that we lived in was destroyed. We have nowhere. This is our only option.' Young children would always say things like, 'I don't want to be in America. I want to go home.' We heard those things a lot," he said. "They wanted to be back in their home, in their bed, in their life."

According to UNHCR data, over 5 million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24.

The worship leader was unsure of the exact number of refugees his church housed, but said they had at least 400 people coming in each night for a couple of weeks.

According to reliefweb, Mexican officials estimate that between 10,000 and 20,000 Ukrainians traveled to the U.S. through the border. Metzger said his team "took care of the lion's share of that."

Calvary's relief efforts in Ukraine have cost about half a million dollars, but Metzger said housing Ukrainians at the church or in members' homes was "very cheap" in comparison. Relief efforts in the war-torn country were funded by donations through the church's website.

The pastor said that members were "generous" with their money, and members covered the potential costs of housing another person themselves. He assumed the church might have some additional electricity bills from sheltering people, but noted that Calvary also uses solar energy.

The Biden administration announced its "Uniting for Ukraine" program on April 21, advising Ukrainians to cease entering the country through Mexico. Instead, the program will allow refugees to migrate from Europe to the U.S. if they have a sponsor there and give them two years of Humanitarian Parole. Refugees were invited to start submitting their online applications Monday.

With no more refugees coming through the border, Calvary has stopped sheltering them, but Metzger said the church would continue focusing on its relief efforts in Ukraine.
Pastor leaves comfortable California life behind to plant new church 1,300 miles from home

For Pastor James Marini, life in pre-COVID California was pretty sweet, at least for him and his family.

Marini had just become an assistant pastor on staff at Calvary Chapel Pomona Valley in the San Gabriel Valley, about 20 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

His wife, Jen, and their sons, Caleb and Titus, were surrounded by family and friends, laboring in ministry and generally enjoying life.

Then came the call.

I remember sitting in my office as assistant pastor on a Sunday morning in 2019, and the Lord began to stir in my heart this idea, I have something more for you to do, Marini told The Christian Post.

But planting a church in North Texas, Marini said, may have been the last thing on his mind.

'Living the dream'

After the Marinis were married in 2009, the couple moved from California to Flower Mound, just outside of Dallas, where James Marini began a career in marketing.

While they enjoyed their local fellowship at Calvary Chapel Flower Mound, Marini said once they were ready to start having kids, the couple felt led to return to California in 2012 to be around their family.

After working as the marketing director for a national tutoring company and serving as volunteers at their church, James Marini went on staff at Calvary Chapel Pomona Valley and began living the dream.

I was finally in vocational ministry doing a little bit of everything: leading worship, teaching Bible studies, designing graphics, bookkeeping, street evangelism, et cetera, Marini said. I felt like my administrative skills and spiritual gifts were being utilized regularly, and I was getting to do ministry with many of my closest friends.  I imagined staying there for the rest of my life feeling like I was doing exactly what I was created to do."

Then the stirring began," he added.

Marini said he and his wife had no plans to leave again even as they watched California drift further off-course, both politically and economically.

James Marini said they quietly and prayerfully sought the Lord for five months." And then came the COVID-19 shutdowns in March 2020.

In those months, he said, the Lord began to confirm this stirring to plant a church.

I knew it would be out of state but uncertain of where exactly, he recalled. Jen began to feel McKinney, Texas, which was the last place I expected, considering that we had already lived in the [Dallas-Fort Worth] area and had moved back to California.

But as he wrestled with the idea of leaving what he described as a comfortable and ideal situation, the pastor said God confirmed the calling through several passages in his Word, including 2 Chronicles 25:9: The Lord is able to give you much more than this.

I knew as difficult as it would be to leave, the Lord had something more for us to do, and wed be blessed in whatever that was as we obeyed His call, Marini said.

Obedience to Gods calling wasnt exactly automatic for James Marini early on.

'Prodigal living'

Despite growing up in a Christian home and going to a Christian high school and college, Marini initially dreamed of becoming a musician, not joining the ministry. He regularly performed at many of the trendy music venues in L.A. and Hollywood.

Following what he called a season of prodigal living, Marini committed his life to Jesus Christ in December 2008 and began to grow hungry for Biblical teaching. He listened to teachers such as Pastor Chuck Smith and Pastor David Guzik and developed a love for teaching the Word of God.

I found myself teaching through the Bible every day at my desk while working on marketing projects at my 9-to-5 corporate job, he said. I was frustrated that I was shackled to a desk in a corporate office instead of doing what I believed I was made to do, which was full-time ministry.

But the Lord had a plan and used that season to refine and equip me prior to calling me into vocational ministry.

After joining the staff at his then-home church Calvary Church Pomona Valley in 2016, that stirring came again, drawing him to the Lone Star State.

But this time, Marini said Gods hand was on the whole situation.

Rolling the dice

The Marinis packed up their stuff  their lives crammed into a POD  and left California behind a second time, arriving in McKinney in February 2021.

There was a really odd mixture of emotions, he said. Happy to begin a new work in the Lord, sad to leave everyone and everything we knew in California, uncertain about how to even begin a church from conception, yet totally excited to see how God would bring this all together for His glory.

Ministering to about three or four other families, James held the first Calvary Chapel McKinney church service in his living room on Feb. 14, 2021.

It was a challenge coming from the big church mentality and having to learn how to do church in this small format, he said. It took a month or two to figure out home church was less about plans and systems and more about the people.

It really was more of a home Bible study for the first 10 months once we figured that out, he added.

While teaching and leading worship were already well-honed skills for Marini, the financial uncertainty was something he said posed perhaps the greatest challenge.

The biggest sacrifice for me was the idea of leaving vocational ministry to roll the dice on planting 1,300 miles from home, he said. I was applying for marketing jobs, and nothing was coming together, which was scary.

Marini eventually found work teaching music lessons and picking up marketing jobs on the side to try and make ends meet while still serving as pastor.

For the first 10 months, Marini taught verse by verse through the Gospel of Luke to about the same handful of families.

And then, he said, God did something new and a little unexpected.

It seems like overnight people started to hear about what we were doing and began to visit, he recalled.

By January 2022, there were about 40 adults in the Marinis living room and another 25 kids in a small bedroom for childrens ministry.

It was time to move out of the house and into the Sheraton Hotel in McKinney, where the fellowship has been meeting ever since.

There are currently about 100 people regularly attending every Sunday.

For Marini, the milestone isnt in the numbers but a deeper walk with Jesus  a truth reflected in Calvary Chapel McKinney's mission statement to grow disciples of Jesus Christ through sound Bible teaching.

The Lord has reminded me in this season of the beauty of growing deep with few rather than growing wide with many, he said. Ive learned that making true disciples takes intimate fellowship and commitment to minister to individuals.

For others who may be praying about planting a church, Marini said its all about caller ID.

First, make sure it is of the Lord. Test it against His word and prayerfully seek Him to confirm the call," Marini advised. Once it is confirmed, step out as He leads, knowing that He is faithful to complete that good work.
Retired bishop leaves UMC for new conservative church over significant disagreement on theology

A recently retired bishop of The United Methodist Church has announced that he is leaving the mainline Protestant denomination for a conservative alternative launched on Sunday.

The Rev. Michael J. Lowry, who recently retired as bishop of the UMC Fort Worth Episcopal Area, announced the cutting of his ties to the UMC to join the Global Methodist Church.

Lowry was previously involved in the GMCs Transitional Leadership Council, which had been a reported concern among other UMC leaders due to him also being credentialed with the UMC.

In a letter to UMC Council of Bishops President Cynthia Fierro Harvey and Bishop Bob Farr of the South Central Jurisdiction College of Bishops dated April 28 that was posted online on Sunday, Lowry said his transition comes with a heavy heart and deep grief.

I am thankful for the great nurturing and guidance I have received from the United Methodist Church over the course of my life. I have been richly blessed by friendships and support from a numerous cloud of witnesses across the face of the church universal, including members of the Council of Bishops, wrote Lowry.

Nonetheless, Jesus is Lord. It is first and foremost in allegiance to my Lord and Savior that I take this action.

Lowry said the UMC had strayed in significant ways from faithfully upholding the Book of Discipline, which is the central rulebook of the denomination.

The retired bishop expressed the belief that the debate over LGBT issues only masks the deeper and truly significant disagreement over what constitutes fidelity to the historic confession of the Christian faith expressed in the normative nature of Holy Scripture as the primary rule of faith, the ecumenical creeds, the Articles of Religion, and Wesleys Standard Sermons.

Put succinctly, the massive iceberg beneath the roiling waters of our looming separation is the ongoing argument over just what constitutes the theological and moral foundations of contemporary Methodism, he continued.

Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. of the UMC Central Texas Conference, where Lowry had served as a resident bishop, sent a letter on April 29 to clergy and laity based in the regional body, expressing his sadness over the issue.

It saddens me to hear this news because Mike is a friend and has been a solid pastor and leader over the years in The United Methodist Church. However, I respect his decision to assist with the launch of the Global Methodist Church and pray for Gods best for him, stated Saenz.

I want to thank Mike for his years of service, for his pastoral spirit, and for his personable approach throughout his ministry. I ask that you join me in prayer for Mike and his wife, Jolynn, as they begin a new chapter in life and service to Christ.

For several years, the UMC has been embroiled in a debate on whether to change its official stance labeling homosexuality incompatible with Christian teaching. This stance includes prohibiting the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals and barring clergy from performing same-sex wedding ceremonies.

Although the stance has survived numerous attempts to change it, theological liberals have continued to resist the Book of Discipline rules and have, at times, refused to enforce them.

On Sunday, a group of theological conservatives officially launched the Global Methodist Church, which is meant to be an alternative for those planning to leave the UMC due to the liberal resistance.

It is anticipated that some theologically conservative local churches will find annual conferences willing to negotiate fair and just exit provisions, while others will unfortunately face obstacles placed in their paths, stated the GMC back in March when announcing their plans.

The Transitional Leadership Council decided it was time to launch the Global Methodist Church, so those who can leave early will have a place to land, to begin building and growing, and making room for others to join later.

At the official spring meeting for the UMC Council of Bishops held virtually last week, Harvey gave her final address as president of the body, taking the time to denounce the looming schism.

We are part of one another, and the energy we have spent trying to figure out how to make sense of this separation is egregious, she said, adding: "The fact that we have to give instructions for how to separate from the body is so counterintuitive from the instruction for how to be the Body of Christ.

We have said that we cannot be a traditional church or a progressive church or a centrist church, we cannot be a gay church or a straight church  Our churches must be more than echo chambers made in our own image, arguing with each other while neglecting our central purpose.
Danica McKellar shares faith journey after friend Candace Cameron Bure gifts her a Bible

Actress Danica McKellar, who's known by fans of the ABC series "The Wonder Years" for her role as Winnie Cooper, revealed that shes been going to church in recent weeks and "discovering" the "pure part" of Christianity as she begins a relationship with the Lord.

In a post on Instagram live, McKellar said after having biases against organized religion, she's now beginning her journey to grow more connected with God as she seeks answers to questions such as "Who is the Holy Spirit," surmising that her questions will be answered as she reads her Bible more.

The actress, who's a regular on the Hallmark Channel, said it all began when her co-star, outspoken Christian Candace Cameron Bure, gifted her a Bible. McKellar revealed that she was skeptical about Christianity for many years, even though her father became a more active practicing Christian some 30 years ago.

"I'm not here to preach, but I have so much love in my heart. I just had to share what I'm experiencing and to share a little why I believe it's taken me up to this point to begin this journey, she said.

"In my life, starting in childhood, I had been made aware of all the hypocrisy in the various religions of Christianity, it being used for evil, power and control throughout history, and that had definitely biased me," she said about her misconceptions, even though she was introduced to the faith as a child and went to church with her father on Easter Sundays.

Now 47, she's had the revelation that God's love for His creation is limitless: "I can tell you I'm experiencing a relationship with God and Jesus that I've never had before, and it feels miraculous."

The veteran actress confessed that she reached out to Bure to learn more about Scripture because she was struggling with unforgiveness.

"It all started one evening when I was struggling with the idea of forgiveness and DM'd my good friend @candacecbure about a passage from the Bible she had [wrote] on her insta-stories, and then she sent me a Bible and invited me to church," she said.

Bure watched McKellars testimony video and commented on the post.

"God's love is bigger than any human love and when He sweeps you up in understanding how powerful it is, because He is, it's undeniable, Bure wrote. Praying for you on your journey and relationship with Jesus my sweet friend."

During the live chat, McKellars fans sent comments and questions, to which she responded by acknowledging that her Christian journey just began two weeks ago and she has much more to learn.

"I have been going to church and finding a lot of amazing love and peace and purpose, and it's blowing my mind, she noted. I always had this other preconceived notion of what that was when people talked about Jesus and the Lord. I just didn't quite get it. I feel a lot of joy in my heart and I always like to share that when I can with you guys."

She concluded by saying Gods "omnipresent love is there for you whenever you want it, whenever you're ready."
Kirk Cameron talks homeschooling: Biblical transformation of culture must 'begin in the home'

NASHVILLE  Kirk Cameron recently opened up about the importance of parental involvement in education and shared why he believes the biblical transformation of culture begins in the home  not in the government-run public school system.

In a sit-down interview with The Christian Post, the 51-year-old actor and author shared why he and his wife, Chelsea, decided to homeschool their six children.

[Homeschooling] is this biblical concept that parenting, and particularly the education of children, is a parental responsibility and privilege, he said. It's not some job that God gave to civil government to do. And yet for generations, we've handed our children over to the government, essentially giving to Caesar the things that belong to God, and our children, made in the image of God, belong to us.

"And so we know them, we love them. And if we're going to disciple them seven or eight hours a day in some sort of a school institution, it sure as heck better be something that's going to reinforce the things that God wants us to be teaching our kids. And I think that that's best done in a community where moms and dads are running the show and leading the way.

The Growing Pains actor is gearing up for the release of his new documentary, The Homeschool Awakening, in which he dives into the adventures of dynamic American families on a mission to put fun and faith back into learning. The film will be in theaters this June for two nights only on June 1314.

The pandemic made parents grossly aware of what public schools are teaching our kids, Cameron said in a press release announcing the Fathom Events documentary. Its up to us, the parents, to cultivate the hearts, souls and minds of our children, and todays public-school systems are not working for us, they are actively working against us. Public education has become Public Enemy No. 1.

When he was first introduced to the concept of homeschooling, Cameron joked that he was under the impression he had to have 14 kids that all played the violin. Now, decades later, hes on a mission to debunk common myths about homeschooling and give an honest look at the practice.

Homeschooling looks different for different people, Cameron told CP, adding: Sometimes it's private schools, sometimes it's in-home lessons. Sometimes it's co-ops and networks and conventions and curriculums. Other times, it's reading novels and exploring and pursuing your passions and talents.

This homeschool documentary is going to explore all of that, and give people an idea of how to homeschool their kids. Because true biblical transformation of culture has to begin in the home, he added.

He stressed that investing in children from a young age and teaching them biblical principles is always worth it, even if the fruits of that labor arent evident until later.

You begin to see the good and the bad seeds that you've planted when they were young, and whoever educates our children control the future, he said. So what I would say is, the future of the Kingdom of God is built and it hinges upon faithful moms and dads believing the promises of God and faithfully training their kids up in the way they should go.

Though parenthood can be scary and difficult in an increasingly secularized culture, Cameron offered that reminder that God is present in even the hardest moments. He encouraged parents to model biblical Christianity for their children in the way they parent and conduct their lives.

Don't worry that [your house] is not perfectly kept in and picked up; your house is not supposed to be a museum, he emphasized. Your house is more like a workshop, and you're building little humans, and you're shaping their hearts and their souls and their minds. Theres supposed to be sawdust on the floor. It's supposed to be a little messy because you're building something, and it's difficult. And God is there with you, and the Bible is your blueprint.

Go for it. Do it with joy, and depend on the grace and the promises of God to help you through, because this whole process is molding and shaping you as a parent as well, he continued. God's not done with you yet, either. So lean into it. It's lean into it, joyfully. And trust God, it's all worth it.

An award-winning actor who has starred in a slew of faith-based films including Fireproof and Left Behind, Cameron is passionate about using his platform to share his faith and equip the next generation of believers. In November, he debuted his show Takeaways on TBN, where he discusses pressing issues facing believers with experts like Dennis Prager, Mike Huckabee, Candace Cameron Bure and others.

Christians, he said, are called to engage with culture and difficult issues. He lamented the tendency of some believers to adopt a form of escapism that says, The world is bad, its run by the devil, Im not of this world, I just need to make sure I have my relationship right with God, and one day, I'll go to Heaven where everything will be OK.

The only problem with that is that I think that it kills the power of the Gospel, Cameron said, adding that the Gospel is what transforms hearts, marriages, families, communities and entire cultures.

My goal shouldn't be to get from Earth to Heaven, but to be saved and transformed so that I can bring Heaven to Earth, he added.

Christians should instead take what God has done in their lives and then seek to transform their worlds, impacting politics, family, faith and everything else so that God's ways become more manifest in our world, and our kids have more of a future because of it.

And when culture feels defeating and it seems like the tyrants are winning and the good guys are losing, Cameron offered the reminder that throughout history, evil has been defeated and righteousness always prevails.

Those who are in covenant with God are the ones who change history and bring blessing and protection and prosperity for people and create the best families, the best businesses and the best cultures and nations, he said.

When we see things appear to collapse around us, what is likely happening is God is using the enemies of the family of faith and the cultural pressures to bring about His will to purify His bride and accomplish His Kingdom purposes. But we've got to think that way. And were taught to in the Bible, and history demonstrates that that is always the way that it works.
Journey Church day care workers charged with child abuse: Like something out of a horror story'

Chief Assistant District Attorney C.J. Robinson of the 19th Judicial Circuit said the abuse suffered by at least seven children under the age of 2 at the hands of three former workers at a day care run by Journey Church of the River Region in Prattville, Alabama, was like something out of a horror story."

"You look at this and it's a sickening level of abuse," Robinson said at a press conference Monday, as reported by The Montgomery Advertiser.

The former workers  Alice Sorrells, Leah Livingston and Susan Baker, who previously worked for East Memorial Baptist Church's day care center before it closed in December  have all been charged with one count each of felony child abuse and failure to report child abuse as a court-mandated reporter.

The investigation of the abuse allegedly meted out to the children began after a potential employee who was shadowing the former day care workers witnessed inappropriate behavior and reported it to the director of the day care, who alerted Prattville police.

"The safety and well-being of our children is and remains our top priority," LeeAnn Manning, a spokeswoman for the church, told The Montgomery Advertiser. "Immediately upon our discovery of misconduct, we terminated all 3 three individuals. We promptly contacted law enforcement as well as all state entities to which we report, and we have been fully cooperating and working together with law enforcement and its investigators.

Manning further noted that the church also met with parents of the abused children.

We have been and continue to pray for the families involved, she said.

Robinson confirmed that both leaders of the church and the day care center have been cooperative with law enforcement.

"As soon as there were allegations of abuse they contacted Prattville police. They have done everything you would expect to assist in the investigation, he said.

Robinson said when the abuse was first reported to the director of the day care, they pulled footage from the last 30 days. They claim to have found multiple incidents of child abuse going back to Feb. 22, according to AL.com. The videos showed shoving and striking of the children though none of them suffered serious physical injuries as a result.

These are non-talking children, most of these are non-walking children, so they cant go home and say so and so hurt me, Robinson said. We are relying solely on the footage we have.

Robinson further noted that he intends to call a special grand jury later this month and anticipates up to 40 counts of felony child abuse between the three suspects.

I cried. I hated it for these children. No child should go through that, Robinson said about the emotions he experienced while watching footage of the abuse.

And then immediately after that, I was enraged, he added. Since turning these people over to the parents of these children is not an option based off the oath Ive sworn, then my job is to hold them accountable.
Kumho Petrochemical headquarters in Seoul / Courtesy of Kumho Petrochemical





Kumho Petrochemical Chairman Park Chan-koo

Minority shareholders plan to sue chairman for damaging company



By Park Jae-hyuk



Kumho Petrochemical Chairman Park Chan-koo is in the hot seat over a forthcoming lawsuit from minority shareholders, while the company is also grappling with the falling profitability of its petrochemical business, according to industry officials Wednesday.



Given that its passive attitude toward new ventures has also been viewed as one reason for its bearish stock price, critics warn that more unsatisfied shareholders could give support to the chairman's nephew in his next attempt to take control of the company.



In the first quarter of this year, Kumho Petrochemical's operating profit declined 26.7 percent to 449 billion won ($355 million) from the same period last year, according to its regulatory filing.



The profit deterioration was mainly attributed to the rising global price of naphtha, the key material for the company's products, and weakening demand following China's lockdown measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.



Kumho Petrochemical expected the market prices of most of its products to remain sluggish during the second quarter.



Yuanta Securities analyst Hwang Kyu-won said that the petrochemical firm's earnings and stock price will become much weaker during the second quarter.



"The company's acrylonitrile butadiene latex business has hardly generated any profit since March," Hwang said. "The demand for its phenol derivatives is also weak, amid soaring global oil prices."



Despite the unfavorable outlook, the company has been considered to be passive about pushing ahead with new businesses, compared to its competitors such as Lotte Chemical and Hanwha Solutions.



Although its management promised to invest up to 4.5 trillion won over the next five years in fostering new businesses, Kumho Petrochemical is said to be still "considering" pursuing new projects, as the chairman's oldest son, Vice President Park Joon-kyung, has focused more on sales.





Kumho Petrochemical Vice President Park Joon-kyung
More pastors say they have considered quitting, cite stress, loneliness and politics: study

Driven to despair by stress, loneliness, political divisions and other worries like their church being in decline, more pastors now say they considered quitting their jobs compared to a year ago, new data released by the Barna Group show.

The research draws on data collected in surveys conducted in January 2021 and March 2022 that show the share of pastors who have given serious consideration to quitting being in full-time ministry within the last year, increasing from 29% in 2021 to 42% in March of this year.

Data collected for the 2021 study was collected online from 413 Protestant senior pastors from Jan. 2227, 2021. While the data collected from March 1016, came from an online survey of 510 Protestant senior pastors.

More than half of pastors, 56%, who considered quitting full-time ministry in the last year, said, the immense stress of the job was a huge factor behind their thinking. Beyond these general stressors, two in five pastors, 43%, report that I feel lonely and isolated, while some 38% say current political divisions made them think about calling it quits at the pulpit.

An equal 29% share of pastors also said they felt like quitting because they werent optimistic about the future of their church; they were unhappy with the impact the job had on their family or they had a vision for the church that was in conflict with where the church wanted to go. Another 24% of pastors say they considered quitting because their church is steadily declining.

While pastors who have not considered quitting experience some of the same challenges highlighted by those who have considered it, the research shows that the difference maker for them is their mindset to ministry.

Some 83% said they did not consider quitting because they believe in the value of their ministry; 75% say they have a duty to stay and fulfill their calling to ministry, and 73% say they are satisfied with their job. A majority of pastors who have not considered quitting also cite strong family and community support and confidence in their ability as leaders.

The March measure of discontent among pastors also reflects a steady increase in the share of pastors who reported last October that they were seriously considering leaving full-time ministry as they struggle with their overall well-being amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly four out of 10 mainline Protestant pastors, or 38% of them, said they were seriously considering leaving full-time ministry in October.

Joe Jensen, Barnas vice president of church engagement, told The Christian Post at the time that the growing number of pastors now looking to leave their full-time positions is cause for alarm.

This particular stat, this is the highest weve ever seen it, Jensen said, pointing to the burnout he believes many pastors are experiencing in the wake of the pandemic.

Weve been tracking this in our State of Pastors report that we did with Pepperdine University in 2016, 2017. We didnt have this exact stat but we were tracking burnout. [And] pastors were feeling burnout and the risk factors involved, Jensen said.

He explained at the time that pastors, in general, shy away from counseling and mentoring, but they need to understand that its OK to ask for help.

Pastors traditionally dont feel comfortable for a number of different reasons to seek out counseling, to seek out mentoring. You know it needs to be OK within a Church community and the Church culture for a pastor to say, you know what? I need help. I need some counseling. Im struggling emotionally, he said.

But to be quite frank, for whatever reason, a lot of pastors dont feel comfortable being vulnerable within a leadership context, he added. I really think that churches need to communicate and say, Hey pastor, its OK not to be OK.'"
Pro-life groups continue legal battle against NY law forcing them to hire pro-choice job seekers

A church and two pro-life groups are continuing their legal battle against a New York state law that, according to them, will force them to hire people who support abortion.

CompassCare, First Bible Baptist Church in Hilton, and the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates filed their notice of appeal last week with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

At issue is a New York Labor Law that bans employers from discriminating against employees based on their reproductive healthcare decisions, including having an abortion.

The plaintiffs are being represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a law firm that has argued and won religious liberty cases at the U.S. Supreme Court.

It is imperative religious employers be able to continue to hire like-minded individuals who share their core beliefs, and no government can force faith-based organizations to contradict those convictions, said ADF Senior Counsel Denise Harle in a statement Friday.

We are asking the 2nd Circuit to uphold the constitutionally protected freedoms of our clients as they fulfill their critical service to the community.

In November 2019, then New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed Senate Bill 660, which became Labor Law  203-e and, among other things, barred employers from requiring employees to sign a document that purports to deny an employee the right to make their own reproductive health care decisions and also denied them access to an employees reproductive health history.

Shortly after the law was signed, the three groups filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, claiming that the law was a transparent attempt to meddle in the affairs of religious and pro-life organizations by forcing them to employ and associate with those persons who do not share or live by the organizations beliefs regarding abortion, contraception, and the impropriety of sexual relations outside the context of a marriage between a man and a woman.

In late March, U.S. District Judge Thomas McAvoy permanently enjoined the state from enforcing a provision of the law that required the groups to communicate the law in employee handbooks.
Retired pastor charged with stealing $357K from Pennsylvania church

A former pastor at a church in Pennsylvania has been charged with stealing over $357,000 from the congregation he served for 40 years.

The Rev. Wayne Peck, who retired from being the pastor of Community House Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh in 2017, turned himself in to authorities on Tuesday.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Peck was charged with receiving stolen property and theft, with the former pastor having allegedly stolen $357,478 from the church.

Detectives said Peck took the large sum from the churchs account at First National Bank via checks made payable to himself and deposited into accounts controlled by himself and his wife.

The Peck family then allegedly used the $357,000 taken from the churchs account to pay their mortgage, travel and meals, and utility bills, the Post-Gazette reported.

The congregation and the Presbyterian Church (USA) Presbytery of Pittsburgh reached out to the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office after they became aware of irregularities in their finances, according to news outlet WPXI.

Julia Gitelman, attorney for Peck, was quoted by WPXI as saying that she believed it was shocking that the Pittsburgh Presbytery has chosen to resolve an honest dispute in this manner.

Peck and his congregation have ties to the More Light Presbyterians, an LGBT advocacy group that successfully lobbied for the PCUSA to change its official position against homosexuality and same-sex marriage.

In 2012, Peck and Jan Leo of Community House Presbyterian received the National More Light Church Award for their efforts, according to the TribLive news site.

On its official Facebook page, Community House Presbyterian describes itself as a progressive community full of intellect and passion.

We celebrate and share the gracious love of God who welcomes everyone to the table of grace, peace and light, stated the church.

At our church, you find more than an intimate community of acceptance and a sense of belonging: you also find your authentic spiritual home.

According to CBS Pittsburgh, the church has about 50 members.
Russian priests risking fines, arrest for opposition to Ukraine invasion continue to speak out

Two Russian Orthodox priests remain publicly opposed to Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine, even though one was fined and could face prison time if he continues to criticize the war openly.

Father Georgy Edelshtein and Father Ioann Burdin are among the priests from the Russian Orthodox Church speaking out against Russias military campaign in Ukraine since it began on Feb. 24.

The church leader, Moscow Patriarch Kirill, has backed the war in a series of sermons, calling for Russians to rally around the authorities, accusing enemies of attempting to destroy the unity between Russia and Ukraine.

By speaking out against the war, the pair of Orthodox priests are also speaking out against the church patriarch. In a video interview released Saturday by Agence France-Presse, Edelshtein maintained that Russia is the aggressor and Ukraine the victim of aggression.

Im afraid I am a bad priest. Ive never been against all wars, he said. But Ive always been against any land grabbing, aggressive war.

As AFP reported, the pair's protests began on Feb. 25, a day after the invasion, when Edelshtein signed a letter written by Burdin condemning the war. The letter was posted on the website of Burdins church in the village of Karabanovo in the Kostroma region before it was deleted.

The blood of Ukrainian residents will remain on the hands not only of the rulers of Russia and soldiers carrying out this order. Their blood is on the hands of each of us who approve this war or simply remain silent, the post read.

A highly placed monk, Metropolitan Ferapont of Kostroma, claimed the pair are only two priests out of 160 in the region that oppose the war, condemning the letter. Still, the two priests have maintained their position about Russias military operations in Ukraine.

The responsibility for what is happening is not borne only by the one who gave the order, by the one who kills and sheds blood, but by all of us who approve or keep the silence, Burdin said in an interview with AFP.

The priest said that the commandment Thou shalt not kill is unconditional to him, just like the rest of Gods Ten Commandments.

Thats to say, it has no other interpretations, no matter what one tries to put into it, no matter how one distorts or limit it, he said.

On March 6, Burdin, who heads the Christs Resurrection Church in Karabanovo, preached about the human cost of the ongoing fighting before police detained him on that same day for questioning.

According to the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group, police arrested the priest based on a new code of administrative offenses implemented in early March.

Police accused Burdin of discrediting the Russian armed forces by speaking about Russias military presence in Ukraine and its ongoing shelling of Ukrainian civilians.

On March 10, the Krasnoselsky District Court found Burdin guilty and imposed a fine of over $400, according to AFP. A repeat offense for the charge of discrediting the Russian armed forces is punishable by up to three years in prison.

Burdin claims that police have photographed his house and car. In early April, he withdrew from active service and is considering whether to stay in the church.

Edelshtein remarked that Burdin is braver than me, I am retired because he does not face any sanctions for signing his friends letter. While still allowed to hold services, Edelshtein has mostly retired from the Church.

On March 1, 280 priests and deacons of the Russian Orthodox Church also called for an immediate end to Russias ongoing invasion of Ukraine. In a letter, they wrote that they mourn the ordeal to which our brothers and sisters in Ukraine were undeservedly subjected.

According to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, at least 3,153 civilians in Ukraine have been killed since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24. About 3,000 others have been injured, while over 11 million people have fled their homes.

The Orthodox Public Affairs Committee, which combats the persecution of Christians worldwide, released a March 21 statement condemning the Russian Orthodox leadership's response to the invasion. The group was launched in 2020 and led by George Gigicos, who served as the director of the White House Office of Presidential Advance under President Donald Trump.

Patriarch Kirill, his possible successor, Metropolitan Tikhon of Pskov, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokomansk, who heads the Public Relations wing of the Moscow Patriarchate; the Department of External Church Relations (DECR), and the Rev. Nikolai Balashov, a priest of the DECR and long-time accomplice to Kirill, are all complicit in not only supporting the invasion of Ukraine, but also in perpetuating the lies of the government against their own people, the statement reads.

The group contends that Russian Orthodox leaders have abandoned the Orthodox People of Ukraine, who make up 1/3 of their flock, and are as blameworthy for the deaths of innocent children and civilians as the soldiers acting on orders from the Kremlin.

OPAC also called for sanctions against the Russian Orthodox Church leadership, a stance shared by Archbishop Yevstratiy of Chernihiv and Nizhyn of the Autocephalous Church of Ukraine.

Yevstratiy insisted that Kirill, Tikhon, Hilarion and Balashov be included in the international and Ukrainian sanctions list alongside Russian ministers, propagandists and Putins oligarchs. He characterized the four church leaders as the main supporters of the idea of the Russian World, a neo-imperialist plan that created the ideological background of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Samuel Rodriguez warns Biden's immigration policies give 'green light' to cartels, traffickers

A prominent Christian leader has raised concerns about the Biden administrations immigration policies, asserting that lax enforcement procedures amount to a wink and a nod for cartels and human smugglers.

The Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, issued a statement in response to the surge of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico Border that has followed the election of President Joe Biden.

He contended that through his words and actions encouraging economic migrants to come to the U.S., Biden has given a haphazard and de facto green light to human traffickers around the world to apply their profane trade on the dreams of the most vulnerable.

Shortly after taking office, Biden reversed former President Donald Trumps actions designed to limit the flow of illegal immigration at the southern border, including the Migrant Protection Protocols, which required those seeking asylum to wait in Mexico, and Title 42, which enabled border officials to turn back those seeking entry into the country in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Now that U.S. immigration enforcement has dramatically changed course, the number of people entering the country at the southern border has exploded.

In February, Customs and Border Control detained 100,441 people, including 71,598 single adults, nearly 9,500 unaccompanied minors, and 19,246 individuals in family units. This marked a 28% increase from January when over 78,000 individuals were detained.

Border detention facilities have far exceeded their capacity to the point where children are sleeping on the floor. According to Rodriguez, Bidens wink and nod has come with dire consequences. It is a dream come true for the coyotes, cartels, and human traffickers. The American people and desperate, innocent immigrants are losing  not only their security but often their lives.

Its over time for the Biden administration to work with Congress to move forward on comprehensive immigration reform that will protect our border, and incorporate advanced technology to vet those seeking entrance to our country. In the meantime, the southern border must be secured, now.

In a previous interview with The Christian Post that took place before Biden took office but after the 2020 presidential election, Pastor Hector Silva, who runs a shelter home in Mexico for refugees seeking to enter the U.S., acknowledged that Bidens election created a surge in the number of people traveling north: They are more confident that the government will not send them back. I dont really know, but thats what they think.

Its what Im thinking too. Im also thinking that theyre going to get an improvement to the way they enter the U.S. Theres going to be lots of change, he added.

ABCs George Stephanopoulos brought up this perception held by many seeking to enter the country during an interview with Biden earlier this week. A lot of the migrants coming in say theyre coming in because you promised to make things better, he told the president before asking him was it a mistake not to anticipate this surge?

The president denied that his words had an impact on the number of people trying to enter the country, pushing back on the idea by asserting that theyre coming because they know Im a nice guy and I wont do what Trump did.

Biden pointed to previous surges under the Trump administration as proof that his words and policy proposals did not necessarily influence the number of border crossings.

On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris refused to answer a question about the border crisis, maintaining that she hadnt been briefed on the issue.

In the wake of criticism from congressional Republicans, members of the Biden administration have attempted to send a message to migrants seeking to enter the U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stressed that we are saying dont come now, although his plea was preceded by an assertion that we are not saying dont come at all. Biden echoed those comments during his interview with Stephanopoulos, telling would-be migrants dont come.

Meanwhile, the House has passed two pieces of legislation that critics describe as amnesties that will only encourage more illegal immigration and do little to stem the situation at the border.

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act passed the House by a vote of 247-174. The vote on the legislation, which would provide a path to legal status for illegal immigrant farm workers, came down along mostly party lines with all but one Democrat voting in favor and all but 30 Republicans voting against it.

The Dream Act, which would provide a pathway to citizenship for hundreds of thousands of immigrants age and younger who were brought to the country as children, passed the House by a narrower margin, with all Democrats voting in favor of it and all but nine Republicans opposing the bill. The future of both bills remains uncertain in the Senate, where legislation requires 60 votes to pass.

If signed into law, it would " ... provide conditional permanent resident status for 10 years to a qualifying alien who entered the United States as a minor and (1) is deportable or inadmissible, (2) has deferred enforced departure status or temporary protected status, or (3) is the child of certain classes of nonimmigrants. The bill imposes various qualifying requirements, such as the alien being continuously physically present in the United States since January 1, 2021, passing a background check, and being enrolled in or having completed certain educational programs."

Democrats have a narrow 50-50 majority in the Senate, with the vice president casting the tie-breaking vote, meaning that 10 Senate Republicans would need to support the bills for them to become law.
Supreme Court urged to release abortion ruling now as investigation begins to find leaker

The prominent conservative publication National Review and other conservatives are calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to immediately release the final version of a majority opinion that could overturn the 1973 landmark decision Roe v. Wade.

In an editorial board column published Tuesday, the biweekly conservative magazine that has published news and commentary since 1955 called for the high court to release its final opinion on the case of Dobbs v. Jackson as it has been refined to this point if the draft opinion leaked Monday is truly how the court plans to rule.

The op-ed responds to Monday's unprecedented leak of a draft opinion to Politico, which reports that the draft would overturn abortion legal precedent that has stood for nearly 50 years.

The case centers on the legality of a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

"If the leaked opinion truly reflects the majority decision, that decision  as refined to this point  should be issued immediately as such," the editorial board wrote.

"Publication would avoid the scandalous appearance that the Courts rulings could be swayed by leaks and political pressure. Justices who plan to dissent could still do so at their leisure."

Congressman Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., tweeted yesterday that he believes the Supreme Court has to "now act and release the final opinion rather than have the issue of Roes future simmer."

"Action will be in the best interest of the nation," he added.

The LifeNews project Stop Abortion Now also took to Twitter to argue that the high court "should release the Roe opinion immediately to subvert this leftist attempt to intimidate the Court and incite a mob."

Politico's report on the leaked initial draft opinion circulated inside the court indicated that the high court could overturn Roe in a 5-4 decision, with Justice Samuel Alito authoring the majority.

However, the revelation of the first draft opinion does not mean Roe will be overturned, as justices can change their votes as draft opinions circulate and major decisions can be subject to multiple drafts and vote-trading, sometimes until just days before a decision is unveiled.

In a statement Tuesday, the Supreme Court emphasized this point, stating that while the document described in yesterdays reports is authentic, it does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case.

Chief Justice John Roberts called the leak a betrayal and added that the work of the Court will not be affected in any way."

We at the Court are blessed to have a workforce  permanent employees and law clerks alike  intensely loyal to the institution and dedicated to the rule of law, Roberts said.

This was a singular and egregious breach of that trust that is an affront to the Court and the community of public servants who work here.

The chief justice directed the marshal of the court, Col. Gail A. Curley, to launch an investigation into the leak.

The leak garnered widespread reactions from numerous politicians, activists and advocacy groups.

Pro-choice groups expressed outrage over the likely overturning of Roe. While some pro-life groups celebrated the text of the draft opinion, others expressed caution in celebrating the news because the draft opinion does not represent the court's final decision.

Groups like Texas Right to Life wonder if the unprecedented leak could have been an attempt to intimidate the justices into preserving Roe.

Steven H. Aden of Americans United for Life speculated that the leak was "presumably by pro-abortion staffers within the Court" for political reasons.

"It is a cynical and naked attempt to pressure justices to alter course in Dobbs and to perpetuate abortion violence," claimed Aden.

"The Court should maintain the moral high ground, stick to the clear and courageous language of this draft opinion, and not allow itself to be ruled by the expectations of pro-abortion activists or proxy media allies."

In its editorial, the National Review editorial board argued that "Congress and the executive branch should stand ready" to "conduct full-blown investigations to identify and hold any leakers accountable." The editors argued that the Supreme Court is "institutionally incapable" of doing such an investigation.

"But the Supreme Courts restoration of constitutional order ought to accompany a restoration of the Courts norms," the editorial reads. "The leak is intolerable and cannot go unpunished. And Roe should not stay on the books a moment longer."
Vermont's new assisted suicide law eliminates in-person doctor consultation requirement

Vermont will now enable patients to remotely request medication to hasten their death by amending its assisted suicide statute to include telemedicine and expand access to life-ending drugs.

Gov. Phil Scott signed S.74 into law last week, allowing patients who meet specific criteria to request a prescription to aid in dying without an in-person doctor visit.

The original 2013 S.77 bill required patients with a terminal illness and a six-month prognosis to make two in-person visit requests to a prescribing physician, at least 15 days apart. Patients also had to visit another consulting physician to make a written request and wait 48 hours after receiving the prescription to use it.

The new law eliminates the requirement that the prescribing physician performs a physical examination to determine if the patient suffers from a terminal condition. Patients must still make two requests for life-ending medication, at least 15 days apart, but physicians can now remotely determine a patient's eligibility. It also removes the 48-hour waiting period between when the physician writes the prescription and the patient uses it.

Under S.74, healthcare providers and pharmacists aiding patients in suicide will have legal immunity.

Wesley J. Smith, chair and senior fellow at the conservative think tank Discovery Institute's Center on Human Exceptionalism, told The Christian Post that the recent bill is "appalling, but not surprising."

"Once the principle is established that suicide is an acceptable answer to human suffering and that the state will facilitate that effort, then the supposed guidelines that are promised to protect against abuse soon come to be seen as obstacles," Smith said.

"What Vermont is doing is making it so that it's easier to receive assisted suicide, and that process will continue in any jurisdiction that legalizes it. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower. But it continues and moves forward."

According to a January Vermont Department of Health report, from May 31, 2013, to June 30, 2021, 116 state residents used the law to end their lives.

Act 27, passed by the General Assembly in 2015, requires the state's Department of Health to facilitate information regarding compliance and make the statistical report available to the public.

Some proponents of assisted suicide argue that patients should have the right to determine when they die, saying that it constitutes compassionate medical care by alleviating an individual's suffering. Proponents also claim that giving patients the right to die relieves their families of the financial burden of paying for their healthcare costs.

Smith, however, contends that legalizing assisted suicide creates a "two-tiered system of the value of human life."

"You're basically saying that a certain category of people should not have the same suicide prevention as other people," Smith said. "And you're validating their worst fears that they're a burden, that they do not have lives worth living."

The Discovery Institute senior fellow also asserts that few people undergo assisted suicide to alleviate the pain of a physical illness. He believes many seek help with ending their lives for "existential reasons."

According to a 2008 study published in the weekly peer-reviewed journal BMJ, depression and mental illness could also be a factor causing some people to opt for assisted suicide. The study, led by Dr. Linda Ganzini of the Oregon Health & Science University, analyzed 200 terminally ill cancer patients in Oregon. The study found that the prevalence of depressive symptoms among patients expressing a desire to end their lives was 59% but only 8% among patients without the desire to die.

In addition, the study suggested that treatment of depression usually reduces suicidal ideation among patients.

The study's authors concluded that patients requesting suicide should undergo a psychiatric evaluation to determine if they are severely depressed or suffering from other mental health conditions.

Smith believes that patients looking to end their lives due to a physical or mental ailment should receive the same interventions to support their continued living as any other suicidal person.

"A suicide is a suicide, and they can pretend that aid in dying isn't suicide, but that's exactly what it is," Smith said. "Anyone who is suicidal, and none of us knows what might stimulate us to fall into that darkness, should be given the same life-affirming care that says, 'We need you, we want you here. Let us do what it takes to help you maintain your life."
Peanuts Mother's Day special declares 'some kids have two moms' amid media push for LGBT inclusion

An upcoming Apple TV special featuring the characters from the Peanuts comic strip will promote same-sex families in the latest example of childrens programming incorporating LGBT-related content.

On Friday, Apple TV released a trailer for an upcoming Mothers Day special titled Snoopy Presents To Mom (and Dad), with Love. The special, scheduled for release Friday, stars the characters from the Peanuts comic strip including Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Peppermint Patty, Snoopy, Woodstock and others.

The trailer lists some tips on celebrating Mothers Day, accompanied by video footage of Charlie Browns attempts to provide his mother breakfast and cake for the holiday backfiring.

Throughout the video, Peppermint Patty appears upset and uneasy about the upcoming holiday. A loud scream from her causes the cake that Charlie Brown prepared for his mother to fall on Lucy. Apparently, Mothers Day is not her favorite holiday, Charlie Brown concludes.

When Peppermint Patty tells Marcie, I dont know why I get so upset, her friend replies that it was because you miss your mom. At this point, Peppermint Patty laments that she never had a mom.

Maybe you miss what moms do, Marcie says. Peppermint Patty remarks, My dad does all that mom stuff for me," adding: For Mothers Day, Im going to celebrate my dad.

From there, Peppermint Patty asks, There are all types of moms, right? After responding, of course, Marcie notes that some kids have two moms.

And even kids like me can have someone who acts like a mom. And its all those moms who deserve to be celebrated, Peppermint Patty declares.

Created by the late cartoonist Charles Schulz, the Peanuts comic strip appeared in newspapers across the United States for several decades until the illustrator died in February 2000.

The comic strip spawned several film and television adaptations, including feature-length films as well as television specials such as A Charlie Brown Christmas, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Schulz himself was a professing Christian and Sunday School teacher who subtly explored religion, spiritual questions and biblical ideas in much of his work. Notably, he highlighted the "true meaning of Christmas" in the Charlie Brown holiday special where Linus reads the story of Jesuss birth directly from the Gospel of Luke.

The Peanuts specials promotion of the idea of having two moms is not the only example of modern childrens programming featuring well-established cartoon characters attempting to introduce children to LGBT ideology.

The reboot of Rugrats, based on the former Nickelodeon television series profiling the daily lives of a group of small children, airs on the streaming service Paramount Plus. It portrays one of the main characters from the original series, Betty, as a mother in a same-sex relationship.

Another example of the incorporation of LGBT ideology into childrens programming comes from the reboot of the Nickelodeon series Blues Clues. In one episode of the childrens television series based on the adventures of an anthropomorphic blue dog, the title character presents a song designed to help young viewers learn the alphabet.

The lyrics of the song proclaim P is full of pride as a picture of the letter P emblazoned in rainbow colors and surrounded by flags representing the different groups within the LGBT community appears on the screen.

The efforts to include LGBT characters and activism in childrens programming follow the LGBT advocacy organization GLAAD calling for LGBT characters to account for 20% of all characters in television programming by the year 2025.

Concerns about the exposure of small children to LGBT ideology prompted the Florida legislature to pass House Bill 1557, which prevents school officials from discussing matters related to sexual orientation and gender identity with students in kindergarten through third grade. The Walt Disney Company, which operates the Walt Disney World theme park in Orlando, Florida, is well-known for producing family-friendly programming. It emerged as a staunch critic of House Bill 1557.

As Disneys opposition to the measure received national attention, video footage surfaced of company officials talking about their efforts to include their not-at-all secret gay agenda in programming geared toward children.

In one video clip obtained by the Manhattan Institutes Christopher Rufo, a Disney executive producer admitted that she was basically adding queerness to episodes of the Proud Family reboot.

In another, production coordinator Allen March talked about what he viewed as the need for canonical trans characters, canonical asexual characters, [and] canonical bisexual characters to have stories where they can  be their whole selves.

Additionally, March noted that children are getting all this information from media of what is normal regarding sexuality. He maintained that theres a lot of power to that and it just needs to be acknowledged, suggesting that Disney should use that power to introduce children to LGBT ideology.
Is Roe v. Wade about to be overturned? And if so, what are the implications?

According to an exclusive story on Politico, the Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade when ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson in June.

An alleged draft of the majority opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito and leaked to Politico, states that, Roe was egregiously wrong from the start, because of which, We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled.

Indeed, the opinion continues, It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the peoples elected representatives.

According to Politico, which linked the full text of the opinion in its article, A person familiar with the courts deliberations said that four of the other Republican-appointed justices  Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett  had voted with Alito in the conference held among the justices after hearing oral arguments in December, and that line-up remains unchanged as of this week.

The three Democratic-appointed justices  Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan  are working on one or more dissents, according to the person. How Chief Justice John Roberts will ultimately vote, and whether he will join an already written opinion or draft his own, is unclear.

The 98-page opinion, described as a first draft and which appears to be genuine, was reportedly circulated on February 10 among the other justices. This means that, if the reporting in Politico is accurate, the majority has remained solid for nearly three months, if not longer, which is a very positive sign.

On the other hand, now that this has been leaked in what Politico describes as a rare breach of Supreme Court secrecy and tradition around its deliberations, the obvious question is, who leaked this document, and why?

Would a pro-life conservative leak this opinion to the public? That is highly unlikely, since releasing it in advance only gives the opposition more time to pressure one or more of the justices to change his or her views. And would a pro-life conservative leak this to Politico, which is more left-leaning than right-leaning? That is questionable as well.

In any case, the opinion is now out, along with a list of the justices who allegedly supported it. (Note that three of those attorneys were appointed by President Trump.)

That means that much prayer is needed for each of them, since they are about to experience the most intense battle of their lives, with an all-out assault the likes of which we can hardly imagine.

There will be the private appeals from colleagues, the attack of the media, the threats to their families, the spiritual bombardment, the pressure of DC, and more.

And lets remember that, back in 1992, when Roe should have been overturned in the Casey ruling, a preliminary vote showed Justice Kennedy ready to vote against Roe.

But, as reported already in 1992 by The Washington Post, The Supreme Court on June 29 affirmed, instead of overturning, the Roe v. Wade abortion standard because Justice Anthony Kennedy changed his vote  a flip attributed in court circles to liberal constitutional scholar Laurence H. Tribe's pulling strings backstage.

Two months later, it is clear Kennedy flipped not only his long-held abortion position but also his vote in the secret conference on the Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey decision last fall. That extraordinary switch by a conservative justice stunned antiabortion forces and soured the internal atmosphere among the brethren as the court's new term begins.

This shows how exotic politics inside the Supreme Court can override the designs of presidents. Despite more than 25 years without a justice being nominated by a Democratic president, the court has been pulled leftward by a brilliant law professor utilizing persuasion, flattery and law clerks.

Did Tribe really have that much of a role in flipping Kennedy? That is a matter of debate.

But what is certain is that Justice Antonin Scalia had spent an hour with Kennedy discussing the case with him after he became concerned about where Kennedy stood. After their talk, Scalia felt confident that Kennedy was solidly with the anti-Roe majority, only for him to flip shortly thereafter.

In short, just as people can be fickle, Supreme Court justices can be fickle, because Supreme Court justices are people, too.

And what happens if Roe is overturned? Then we will walk straight into an impassioned, even frenzied, potentially violent, ideological civil war, one that could quickly divide America into pro-life states vs. pro-abortion states. (For the record, if there will be violence as a result of this hoped-for overturning of Roe, I expect it to come from the left.)

But that kind of separation, not one that physically divides America but that one that spiritually and ideologically separates us, might not be a bad thing at all.

In fact, we already see that happening with some states passing pro-life legislation that the Supreme Court has not yet overturned and other states passing their most extreme pro-abortion laws.

We also see this with states dividing over transgender issues. The separation is getting clearer by the day.

Perhaps God Himself will weigh in on the matter, bringing evident blessing to those states that honor life (and I dont just mean material blessing) and withholding that blessing from those states which exalt the right to abortion. (Or should we say the rite of abortion? For my recent article on The Religion of the Left, see here.)

For the moment, though, we are getting ahead of ourselves with this discussion. What is needed right now is prayer for the Supreme Court to do what is right and overturn Roe. May God give the justices deep conviction, righteous judgment, and backbones of steel.

And may we who are pro-life keep bringing a persuasive argument to change hearts and minds. Overturning Roe is only part of the battle. The battle in the court of public opinion must be won as well.
The often-neglected sign of the times

In his The Life of Reason or The Phases of Human Progress, philosopher George Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

What we are seeing in todays political landscape with Russia attacking Ukraine is a repetition of what happened 80 years ago, when Adolf Hitler decided he wanted to conquer the nations of Europe.

After the tragic loss of 50 million precious lives in the Second World War, the United Nations was formed specifically to prevent a repetition of history: never again would a dictator have the power to conquer at will. However, the U.N. has shown itself to be powerless. To level sanctions on Russia is like attacking Goliath with a feather duster.

When Germany armed itself back in the late 1930s, the then prime minister of England returned from negotiations with the Nazis having been assured that Hitler wouldnt invade other nations. Then Hitler did, eventually conquering several and almost conquering the world, but for the genius and courage of Winston Churchill.

While all this attention is focused on Putin, Russian-backed Iran is mustering nuclear arms with an open agenda to destroy Israel.

Thirty years ago, I wrote a book (which is now out of print) called Russia will Attack Israel, in which I highlighted the Bibles predictions that a nation to the north of Israel, led by The Prince of Rosh, would attack Israel. Is Putin the Prince of Rosh? Is he going to eventually unite with Iran and lead Russia and other godless nations into the much-talked-about Battle of Armageddon? We dont know for sure, but time will tell.

One thing we do know is that the Bible is the only book that tells us the future before it comes to pass. It speaks of the last days' signs that nation would rise against nation, rumors of wars, plague, general lawlessness, and a very real fear of the future.

But there is another sign of the end times  one that isnt often addressed  that were seeing fulfilled in our time. This was spoken of by Jesus:

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)

You and I as Christians can help hasten the coming of the Lord by sharing the Gospel with the unsaved  those who are still under the shadow of death and are in danger of being justly damned in Hell.

The Gospel doesnt attack Goliath with a feather duster, but with a divinely directed stone. The moral law is the sling that gives the Gospel its thrust to penetrate the mind of sinners. It makes the message make sense.

And here is the wonderful kicker: in predicting the future, the Bible proves itself to be the Word of God. And if it is the Word of the Living God, its promise of everlasting life is true. It directs us to the One who gives us a living hope in our death, and it gives us the knowledge that the day will come when there will be no more wars, when swords will be turned into plowshares (see Isaiah 2:4), and that death will be no more.

Lets hasten that day by sharing the Gospel today.




Former HDC Hyundai Development Company CEO Chung Mong-gyu, right, and his successor Yu Byoung-gyu, listen to questions from reporters during a press conference at the firm's headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul. Yonhap
Palestinian farmer discovers artifact linked to Canaanites from the Bible's Old Testament

A Palestinian farmer has discovered the head of a 4,500-year-old statue of Anat, an idol of the ancient people God ordered the Israelites to drive out of the Promised Land for breaking His commandments and worshiping false gods.

The limestone statue is about 8 inches tall and carved into the head is a face wearing a serpent as a crown. Anat was an idol of the Canaanites, a group of people God ordered driven out of Israel in the Old Testament.

The Hamas-run Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the heads discovery during a press conference in Gaza on Tuesday. The New Arab reported that Jamal Abu Rida, the ministrys director-general of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage, estimated that the statue dates back to 2,500 B.C.

Anat was the goddess of love, beauty and war in the Canaanite mythology, Abu Rida said.

Abu Rida argued that the statue made a political point, stating that its presence disproves the Zionist claim that the land of Palestine is a land without a people for a people without a land. He also maintained that the farmer who made the discovery, Nidal Abu Eid, found the artifact on Monday in the al-Qarara town of Khan Younis.

I found it by chance when I was cultivating my land. It was muddy but when I washed it with water, I realized that it is a precious thing, Abu Eid told The New Arab.

The farmer initially considered selling the goddess statue but changed his mind when an archaeologist informed him of its great archaeological value.

I am so proud that our land still has great archaeological values, Abu Eid added. It means that this land is ours and we have a civilization and history for thousands of years B.C. since the Canaanite times.

As the BBC reported, the Anat statue is on display in one of Gazas few museums in Qasr al-Basha. Due to increasing tensions between Israel and the Hamas-occupied territory, many Gazans are reportedly making sarcastic comments on social media about how the discovery of a goddess associated with war seems fitting.

Hamas is a military terrorist group that seized control of Gaza after Israel withdrew from it in 2005. Archaeological finds in Gaza have reportedly not been handled well in the past due to the groups development of the land. As The Times of Israel reported in 2017, Hamas destroyed the remains of the Canaanite town of Tel es-Sakan to construct houses and military bases.

At the time, Abu Rida said the Canaanite citys destruction was disastrous for the archaeology and cultural heritage in Palestine.

According to the Bible Project, the Canaanites occupied Israel, the land God had promised to Abraham. They were descendants of Canaan, the grandson of Noah, who was cursed for his fathers sin against Noah in Genesis 9:20-25.

The Canaanites angered the Lord by worshiping idols and sacrificing children to their false gods. These actions violate the first and second of Gods Ten Commandments, which declare You shall have no other Gods before me and You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth, respectively.

After Moses led the Jewish people out of Egypt, Joshua assumed leadership of the Israelites, according to Bible Project. God entrusted Joshua with the role of taking His people to Canaan and retaking the land of Israel.

God tells the Israelites in Deuteronomy 9:5 that It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

He also warned the Israelites not to let themselves be influenced by the Canaanites and the culture that endorsed their practices. Instead, they were to cleanse the land of such wickedness and fulfill Gods promise in Genesis 12 to make Abraham and his descendants a great nation.
Talking Jesus report finds only 6% of UK adults identify as practicing Christians 42% identify as non-practicing Christians

Only 6% of adults in the United Kingdom identify as practicing Christians, while 42% say they are non-practicing Christians, and one in three non-Christians say they want to know more about Jesus Christ, according to the findings of a recent survey, Talking Jesus.

As many as 70% of those who identify as Christians are white Brits, who represent 83% of the U.K.s adult population, says the survey, adding that 25% of those who identify as Christians are ethnic minorities, although they represent only 12% of the U.K.s adult population.

The survey of more than 3,000 U.K. adults, commissioned by five Christian organizations, also found that 4% identify as agnostics, and 12% as atheists.

In 2015, 68% of non-Christians in the U.K. said they knew someone who was an active or practicing Christian, but in 2022, that has fallen to 53%, Premier Christian News noted, citing the Talking Jesus survey, which is conducted every five years to help leaders grow the Church and adapt mission strategies, although the previous survey was seven years ago because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its a significant drop that shows that our reach has diminished, and weve got less contact, Rachel Jordan-Wolf, executive director of Hope Together, a group involved in the research, was quoted as saying.

She added, There are more non-Christians who dont know an active or practicing Christian. So thats something really to watch. It could be because of the pandemic, as weve all not been out and about as much. But these are often significant relationships, so someone they call a friend or family member.

Its a little bit of a warning that we might have somehow shrunk the people were connected to. So as churches, we need to look out and as individuals, we need to expand our friendship circle and make sure that weve got some great life-giving friendships with people who dont yet know Jesus.

The study also showed that a quarter of Brits describe Jesus as a normal human being, and 33% as a prophet or spiritual leader, and not God.

However, while only 6% of Brits identify as Christian, the survey revealed that 45% of people believe in the Resurrection of Jesus, and 20% believe He is the Son of God.

Further, one in three non-Christians wanted to know more about Jesus Christ after a conversation with a Christian, according to the survey.

Its so encouraging, its gone up. In 2015, it was one in five, Jordan-Wolf said. I wonder if the pandemic and a slightly more wobbly world when people dont know whats happening, has actually made people more interested in faith, but it makes this an even more important moment for us to talk about our faith.

Asked where would people go to find out about the Christian faith, 26% said they would search on Google, 22% said they would go to a local church, 22% said they would read the Bible, and 15% said they would talk to a friend or a family member who is Christian.

The survey, which was also featured by the Church of England on its website, further showed that 62% of non-Christians describe the Christians they know as friendly, 50% as caring, 33% as good-humored, 32% as generous, 19% as authentic.

The groups that commissioned the survey included Alpha, Evangelical Alliance, Luis Palau Association and Kingsgate Community Church.
Arcade Fires Win Butler explained how his deep loathing of Texas Governor Greg Abbott fueled the bands new song The Lightning II in a new interview with Zane Lowe, which will air in full on Apple Music 1 later Tuesday, May 3, at 1 p.m. ET.

Butler said that while he was working on and performing the song, he was thinking of the scores of Haitian migrants who tried to seek asylum in the United States last fall, only to face severe pushback from border patrol and Texas troopers. Butler noted that many of these migrants had made a long and arduous journey, venturing from Haiti to Brazil, then making their way through South and Central America, until reaching the Rio Grande, which separates the U.S. and Mexico.

You want to talk about some Biblical shit? Butler said. Just to find a better life for your family, imagine what it would take, the bravery, and then to be met by I dont know. The governor of Texas can honestly I dont hate a lot of people. I hate that motherfucker. I dont even believe in hell, but if theres a hell, that motherfuckers going there. Just to meet people with the absolute absence of compassion, these pretend Christian, fake fucking Christians, he should be ashamed of himself.

Elsewhere in the interview, Butler spoke about one of Arcade Fires early champions, David Bowie, and how he influenced one of the bands other new songs, Age of Anxiety II (Rabbit Hole). Butler said the song already contained a nod to the term Bowie used to describe his Fame-era music  plastic soul  and while recording the track in New Orleans, Butler said he and his engineer both heard a whispery weird sound in their headphones. Things got even stranger a moment later.

My phone was on the other side of the room, and it just started playing of its own accord a song off Low that was in the same key, Butler said. It wasnt on a playlist. It was some random song on Low. We were both just like, What the hell was that? I dont even believe in that sort of shit, but its New Orleans and youre just like, OK, yeah, that was really strange.

After describing another surreal, supernatural occurrence while performing Rabbit Hole at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City  the same venue where Bowie first saw Arcade Fire play  Butler quipped, I dont believe in ghosts, but I believe in David Bowie.

Arcade Fire will release their new album, WE, this Friday, May 6. The record marks their first in five years, following 2017s Everything Now.
Yelo, an acclaimed fast-casual spot in Katy dedicated to Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian food, is going through some changes following the departure of a key opening operator.

Chef Cuc Lam quietly exited the restaurant in November 2021, per a Yelo spokesperson, leaving business partner and Phat Eatery owner Alex Au-Yeung at the helm. Lam was credited for the excellent banh mi sandwiches she crafted at Yelo, one of which made Houston Chronicle restaurant critic Alison Cook literally leap out of her chair.

"It was an amicable split," said Lam, who is currently teaching cooking classes and working as a private chef. "I wish Alex and the new team all the luck!"

A couple of Yelo's original staples are no longer on the menu, such as the Pho-Rench Dip banh mi, a take on the French dip with a pho beef broth served alongside; and the Char Siu Xiu Mai banh mi, made with Chinese barbecue-marinated pork meatballs, aioli, and pickled carrot and papaya.

"It was an honor to have Cuc on board and I know great things are in store for her in the future," said Au-Yeung. "As for Yelo, we look forward to telling more of our story through the foods we love. We have added fun twists to new menu items beyond Vietnamese, including dumplings, handmade noodles, Chinese doughnuts and more, and will continue to do so."

Kimberly Park

Yelo opened in March 2021 in Katy Asian Town, a partnership between Au-Yeung, who owns Malaysian restaurant Phat Eatery next door, and Lam, formerly of now-closed Singaporean joint Sing, which she also departed unexpectedly in 2019.

Following Lam's exit, Yelo's menu overhaul makes room for dishes with more of Au-Yeung's stamp on them, taking inspiration from his childhood in Hong Kong, his time training in Cantonese kitchens and his years of working in Houston.

Highlights include a firecracker shrimp snack, which marinates Gulf shrimp in ginger and lime, then wraps them in a crispy wonton shell, served with sweet chile sauce. There are now five dumpling options on the menu, including pork and Chinese chives, and a dessert Nutella dumpling.

Chinese-style hand-pulled noodles have also made an appearance at Yelo. The staff uses the traditional technique of stretching dough into a 5- to 6-foot single loop to create the noodles, which are served with a 12-hour bone broth, braised beef shank, tomato and chile oil.

Kimberly Park

For dessert, Au-Yeung has introduced Chinese fried doughnuts called youtiao, including creations like the KBP, which is topped with Malaysian coconut jam, pandan ice cream, rainbow sprinkles, toasted coconut and curry powder.

Four banh mis remain at Yelo: the cold cut combo, beef rendang, crispy tofu and grilled chicken or pork. Neither Lam nor Au-Yeung shared a reason for the split.
From as near as Canada and Mexico and from as far as Belarus, Togo, Palau and the Phillippines, 75 immigrants from 32 nations took the Oath of Allegiance Monday and became United States Citizens in Collinsville High School's auditorium.

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois Judges Stephen McGlynn and David Dugan led different parts of the two-hour and 30-minute ceremony. Collinsville High School is the site of a Naturalization Oath Ceremony to welcome new citizens and celebrate with their families.

After the Collinsville VFW 5691 Color Guard emerged to start the ceremony, the Collinsville Wind Ensemble played "The Star-Spangled Banner." McGlynn then reminded everyone that this was a court proceeding, not a political event. No one swore oaths to a president, governor or king. The oath was to uphold the U.S. Constitution, he said.

Many of the citizens-to-be carried and waved tiny U.S. Flags. Judge Dugan led the group in the actual two-part Oath of Allegiance. Dugan told everyone assembled a story about a man named Joseph Cuellar, from Mexico, who was one of Dugan's grandfathers. He immigrated here with his wife and seven children. Cuellar died in 1960, the same year Dugan was born. Dugan's mother was one of those seven children. His decision to move the family here benefitted Dugan and his judgeship.

McGlynn then passed around a microphone so each immigrant could stand, introduce themselves and say where they came from originally. He later asked several of the immigrants to tell snippets of their stories about their journey to this moment. McGlynn said freedom and liberty topped the list of reasons the immigrants said drew them here.

At end of the ceremony, the judges handed out certificates of citizenship to the new citizens and allowed time for family members to take photographs.

Angelus took the mic first. He came from the Democratic Republic of Congo, in south-central Africa. The Congo is one of the continent's largest nations by area.

"We came here to the USA in 2016," he started but his story really began at age three months, when he and his family became refugees. They lived on the eastern border with neighboring Rwanda, a much smaller nation. He mentioned Rwandan Genocide, in which the Tutsi Tribe were victims.

"Even though we are Congolese, we are in the same group as the Tutsi," he said. "When the Hutu Rebels fled to Congo, they saw us and started killing us. We fled back to Rwanda and I was in a refugee camp for 20 years until 2016."

Angelus has earned his high school diploma and is currently enrolled as a nursing student at SIUE.

Many new citizens characterized the locals here as kind and welcoming.

A man from Iraq said he has been in the U.S. since 2015 after arriving via Turkey.

"We came here because it's a great country, it's safe and everybody gets a good chance," he said. He said he now works as an engineer for the Missouri Department of Transportation while his wife is a dentist who graduated from school in Iraq in 2001 and worked in several other nations before coming here in 2015. She graduates from SIUE this month.

Juan Pablo Rosales, 24, said he moved here when he was three.

"I came to the United States because my parents wanted to give me a better chance of a good life," he said. "I was able to go to the University of Cincinnati, where I studied as a chemical engineer and now I practice that."

Monique Williams from Jamaica spoke next, with her son, Amir, 3. Her husband, other children and her aunt were in the gallery to support her.

"Moving to America to me, gave me hope. I moved here in 2016," she said. "Jamaica's a beautiful country but we don't have a lot of opportunities. Unfortunately, in my country, sometimes we don't get to reach our full potential because we don't get the opportunity."

She said in Jamaica, she was a stay-at-home mother with three kids but living in America gave her the opportunity to go to college. In 2018, while pregnant with Amir, she graduated from Lindenwood University in accounting in December and she is now enrolled in a master of science in accounting and data analytics program at the University of Illinois.

"At 33 years old, the dream I had for 15 years, I'm now a CPA candidate and a risk and financial advisory analyst going into Deloitte," she said as started to cry. "Thank you, America, for giving me hope!"

Anastasia Murato said she emigrated from Israel with her parents on a working visa.

"My dad got the opportunity to have a job here. I came here at the age of eight. Thanks to America, I had the opportunity to finish high school (Edwardsville High School) and I am now at Saint Louis University as a nursing student."

Katarina from Belarus said political expression is vastly different in her home nation.

"I came to America in 2015 with my mother," she said. She is a Centralia High School alumna and she currently attends Greenville University. She graduates in 2023 with a dual degree in biology and chemistry then it's on to medical school.

"The biggest difference is in Belarus, we have a president for 20 years," she said. "If you say something against him, you go to prison. I think the biggest freedom here is if you don't like the government, you can express your feelings about it."

Naturalization is the process by which U.S. citizenship is granted to a lawful permanent resident after meeting requirements established by Congress. Ceremony participants have been completing the U.S. citizenship process, but were U.S. citizens until they took the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony.

Collinsville High School is an Illinois Democracy School, which is designated by the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition to recognize schools that have deep commitments to civic learning. The Naturalization Ceremony presents an opportunity for students to

experience civics and citizenship first-hand.

The ceremony has since been uploaded to YouTube. To view it, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gqn1Siifcw
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Morgan Marietta, UMass Lowell

(THE CONVERSATION) Draft opinions circulated among Supreme Court justices are meant to allow for deliberation and editing before a final version is released. They are not the last word, nor ready for public reaction.

But on the evening of May 2, 2022, Politico published a bombshell: a leaked draft of an opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, that overturns Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey  the two rulings that gave constitutional protection to the abortion right.

While the final text of the opinion in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson may be somewhat different, the meaning of the current draft is clear. First, the powers of individual states to determine whether abortions are legally available are increasing. Second, the Supreme Courts barriers for overruling a precedent are decreasing.

State by state voting

Under American constitutional democracy, many decisions are made by majority rule, accomplished through elections. This applies to routine regulations like drug laws or speed limits.

But other decisions are beyond the reach of majorities and protected by individual rights guaranteed under the Constitution. Under Roe v. Wade, the abortion decision fell into the category of rights.

But the leaked draft opinion moves abortion from being a constitutionally guaranteed right to an act whose legality is determined by state laws.

That means it falls under majority rule, determined by the citizens of each state through their elected state legislators. Alito is saying that when the Constitution does not recognize a clear right, the people must elect representatives that share their view rather than appeal to courts.

The Alito draft repeats its core holding several times: The right recognized in Roe v. Wade has no basis in the Constitutions text or in our Nations history.

The court that decided Roe, Alito writes, usurped the power to address a question of profound moral and social importance that the Constitution unequivocally leaves to the people. Therefore, it is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the peoples elected representatives.

Is there a constitutional right?

Roe in 1973 and Casey in 1992 determined the right to an abortion was found in a combination of protections recognized by the Constitution.

These include the Fourth Amendments protections against state intrusion, and the Ninth Amendments recognition of non-enumerated rights, or others retained by the people. The most prominent justification in those rulings is the Fourteenth Amendments protection against deprivation of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. Roe grounded the abortion right in a broader right of privacy, while Casey added an emphasis on reproductive autonomy and bodily integrity.

In Alitos view, Roe was remarkably loose in its treatment of the constitutional text. It held that the abortion right, which is not mentioned in the Constitution, is part of a right to privacy, which is also not mentioned. His draft concludes that Roes message seemed to be that the abortion right could be found somewhere in the Constitution and that specifying its exact location was not of paramount importance.

The standard the Supreme Court has employed to recognize a right not specifically stated in the Constitutions text has been whether it is deeply rooted in this Nations history and tradition. Alitos draft demands historical evidence of political assertions, judicial rulings or public laws that demonstrate the existence of the right.

But Alitos review of the history argues that the opposite is the case: There is no evidence of an established right and there are, instead, many examples of public restrictions. A 30-page appendix lists all of the state laws outlawing or regulating abortion passed between 1825 and 1952. He concludes that until the latter part of the 20th century, there was no support in American law for a constitutional right to obtain an abortion. Zero. None.

An important part of the draft ruling focuses on the question of who has the power to determine prevailing social facts as well as protected legal principles.

At what point a fetus becomes a person  and as such a holder of rights  is a long-standing dispute at the heart of the abortion debate. This is a crucial aspect of the conflict because a womans rights to autonomy and liberty may be limited if other rights held by other persons are involved. But it has not been clear who has the power to make that determination.

Roe  50 years ago  and Casey  30 years ago  said that the court should set a national standard for recognizing fetal personhood. Casey established viability at around 24 weeks, or the point at which fetal life is deemed to be self-sustaining outside the womb, as the point at which a state could recognize fetal rights and therefore restrict abortion.

But Alito argues that this specific standard makes no sense and that the previous rulings provided no principled defense of the viability line.

So Alito puts the decision about when a fetus becomes a person clearly in the hands of the elected representatives of each state: In some states, voters may believe that the abortion right should be even more extensive than the right that Roe and Casey recognized. Voters in other states may wish to impose tight restrictions based on their belief that abortion destroys an unborn human being.

A weakened standard for overruling precedent

The Supreme Court is reluctant to discard its previous rulings, following precedent unless there is a substantial reason to repudiate the old reasoning.

For 30 years, the Casey ruling upholding Roe has been considered the precedent on precedent. It established four considerations for the legitimate discarding of a previous decision: The ruling misunderstood the Constitution; it proved to be unworkable in practice; new facts had emerged; and whether or not citizens had shaped their life decisions grounded in the ruling, what is known as reliance interests.

[Over 150,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletters to understand the world. Sign up today.]

In overturning Roe, the draft opinion offers a new and weaker standard for overturning precedent. The most significant change is what Alito calls the quality of reasoning. Rulings that looked like legislation, that offered faulty history, or created standards unjustified by the Constitution can be overruled under Alitos reasoning. This new standard leads to the drafts conclusion that precedent does not compel unending adherence to Roes abuse of judicial authority.

Alitos draft reverses Roe by weakening the law of precedent. This is likely to open up many other rulings for potential reversal, including on same-sex marriage and affirmative action.

A future of state-level conflict

We know that state legislatures will gain power if the final ruling resembles the leaked draft. What we dont know is what each of them will do.

Some analyses estimate the number of states that will outlaw abortion at around 25. That would effectively divide the nation evenly into abortion rights states and anti-abortion rights states.

This will no doubt increase the regional polarization and geographical sorting of Americans by culture and ideology. It will also likely create long-term conflict in states that are divided by ideology and partisanship  including large states like Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio. It sets up conditions for this one issue to dominate state elections and partisan battles for years to come.

Some states will likely attempt to restrict their own citizens from traveling, and abortion rights states will attempt to aid other citizens to travel to their territory.

How the Supreme Court will react to such laws is unclear. But what is clear is that the Alito draft will return power over abortion and potentially other issues to the state level, raising the stakes and the bitterness of local democracy throughout the United States.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/abortion-right-guaranteed-by-roe-will-be-replaced-by-state-power-if-the-supreme-court-adopts-the-leaked-alito-opinion-182379.
Sunday, May 8

On this date in 1893, the governor of Arizona Territory commuted the sentences of two editors of Arizona newspapers, convicted of criminal libel, from five days at the Yuma state penitentiary to five days in the Pima County Jail.

On this date in 1910, farmers and stockmen of the Prescott area complained of packs of wild dogs killing livestock. The dogs were said to be descendants of domestic dogs which had run away to live in the mountains around Prescott with the wolves, and were very large and vicious.

On this date in 1914, four troopers of the U.S. 9th Cavalry were wounded on American soil by wild bullets as Sonora state troops and Mexican Federals fought for possession of Naco.

On this date in 1920, the Arizona Livestock Commission warned that stockmen faced a possible loss of more than a million dollars unless the disease of blackleg could be brought under control promptly.

Monday, May 9

On this date in 1910, Frank Aley, a mineralogist, humorist and writer, known by the pen name of Mescal, died at Calumet Hospital in Douglas. He had apparently been fatally injured in a fall from a horse.

On this day in 1920, several people were injured and a number of buildings were damaged or destroyed when the powder magazine at the United Verde Mine at Jerome exploded.

On this day in 1926, a tornado ripped through a 20-foot strip of east Phoenix, leveling six homes.

On this day in 1943, Sharlot Hall, a Prescott historian knows as Arizonas poet-laureate, died.

Tuesday, May 10

On this date in 1845, Gen. George J. Roskruge, who served four terms as Pima County surveyor, three terms as Tucson city engineer and was unanimously elected the first President of the Association of Civil Engineers of Arizona, was born.

On this date in 1903, Mason Greenlee, pioneer from Kentucky for whom Greenlee County is named, died.

On this date in 1904, Sister Euphrasia, one of five sisters who came to Tucson in 1871 from St. Louis to establish the academy of St. Joseph, died.

On this date in 1907, the Western Federation of Miners attempted to organize and strike the mines at Bisbee without success.

Wednesday, May 11

On this date in 1903, A.H. Reynolds visited Benson to look into establishing experimental tobacco farms in the San Pedro Valley.

On this date in 1910, it was announced that Phoenix contractor R. Toohey had been given the contract for construction of the Globe-Roosevelt Highway.

On this date in 1919, Dr. Merrill P. Freeman, pioneer Tucson banker, member of the Board of Regents and Arizona historian, died.

On this date in 1938, Dr. Andrew E. Douglass, noted developer of the tree-ring dating technique, retired as director of the Steward Observatory.

Thursday, May 12

On this date in 1886, Gen. Nelson A. Miles arrived at Bowie Station to open a new campaign against the Apaches.

On this date in 1889, Flagstaff residents burned in effigy Gov. Lewis Wolfley to protest his veto of a bill that was to create Coconino County.

On this date in 1902, the Village of Yuma was incorporated as a town. It became a city in 1914.

On this date in 1910, A.W. Stewart, a Prescott electrician, built a new airship embodying the principals of the Wright Brothers machine, but with many new improvements of his own.

Friday, May 13

On this date in 1820, Thomas Gardner, one of the earliest pioneers in Santa Cruz County, was born.

On this date in 1877, the first Desert Land entry was made by William A. Hancock at Florence.

On this date in 1892, Charles D. Poston filed a claim on land which he called Hole-in-the-Rock. The land was set aside as the Papago Saguaro National Monument in 1914 and in 1930, became Papago Park.

On this date in 1905, the Arizona Dam on the Salt River was washed out.

On this date in 1917, the town of Florence turned on its first electric street lights.

Saturday, May 14

On this date in 1919, 2nd Lt. Frank Luke Jr. of Phoenix was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry in action beyond the call of duty.

On this date in 1920, delegates to the district meeting of the State Womens Clubs in Phoenix exchanged heated words over the required medical examinations of students in public schools. Some called the requirements un-American.

On this date in 1927, the first passenger train of the Southern Pacific of Mexico Railroad left Nogales for Guadalajara.

On this date in 1928, Mexican and American firefighters in Nogales joined efforts to save the famous Nogales Brewery, but the building was completely destroyed by the fire.
ATLANTA (AP)  The city of Atlanta has agreed to pay nearly $1 million to a North Carolina man who was shot and injured by a police officer as he was leaving an event downtown in February 2017.

The Atlanta City Council on Monday approved a $999,000 settlement for Noel Hall. Hall and his family had come to Atlanta because his son was participating in a supercross event.
BALTIMORE (AP)  A Baltimore man and woman pleaded guilty Tuesday in the shooting death of a bus driver in 2020.

Cameron Silcott, 25, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to first-degree murder and a firearms offense in the fatal shooting of Maryland Transit Administration bus driver Marcus Parks, The Baltimore Sun reported. Nichelle Greene, 29, pleaded guilty to first-degree felony murder, acknowledging that she participated in the robbery that led to Parks killing.

Circuit Judge Lynn Stewart Mays is expected to sentence Silcott to life in prison later this week and tentatively agreed to adhere to the punishment proposed by the prosecutor and defense attorney for Greene: life with all but 40 years suspended.

Greene and Silcott began arguing with Parks at a bus stop when Parks couldnt make change for a $20 bill, Assistant States Attorney David Owens said. Greene snatched Parks backpack, tossed it to Silcott and both fled. Parks chased them and Silcott shot him. A witness was slated to testify that Silcott was the shooter and several cameras, including one on the bus, captured much of the incident, Owens said.
BAGHDAD (AP)  A retired British geologist accused by Iraq of collecting small archaeological fragments had no criminal intent, his family said, expressing hopes the charges  potentially punishable by death  could be avoided.

Jim Fitton, 66, was arrested last month at Baghdad airport after Iraqi customs officials found him and a German citizen in possession of pottery fragments taken from an ancient site in southern Iraq.

The German citizen has not been identified and his status was not immediately clear. The German Embassy in Baghdad did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Fitton was charged based on the countrys opaque antiquities laws and could theoretically face the death penalty. He is currently waiting for a date to appear in court.

It's unlikely he will receive the death penalty, officials and legal representatives familiar with the case said. But the potential for Iran-backed Shiite militias to exploit the situation to shape public opinion against the British government has concerned some.

Fitton's family is urging the British government to help close the case before he goes to trial based on a proposal drafted by Fittons Baghdad lawyer. A trial date was expected to be set next week.

Its a very politically charged issue for us. We are keen to make sure the Iraqi public understands the nuance around the case, said Sam Taskar, Fittons son-in-law in a phone call with The Associated Press on Tuesday. Anybody with common sense  will understand its quite clearly an error.

Fittons family grew worried when he did not arrive on a scheduled flight back to Kuala Lumpur, where he resides with his wife, on March 20. They later learned that Fitton, a well-traveled geologist for oil and gas companies, had been taken to an airport holding cell where he is still being detained, Taskar and Fitton's daughter Leila told AP.

The case garnered attention when, frustrated by perceived inaction on the part of the British Foreign Office to intervene and assist in Fittons case, his family started a petition that has garnered over 100,000 signatures. The British diplomatic mission in Baghdad has not commented on its involvement in the case.

In total, 12 fragments of pottery and other shards were found in Fittons possession by Iraqi authorities, all of them collected as souvenirs, Fitton's family says, during a group tourism expedition to Eridu, an ancient Mesopotamian site in what is now Dhi Qar province.

Concerns grew shortly after Fittons arrest when Shiite militia groups published posts on social media that included his passport details and accused the British government of attempting to intervene with Iraqi judicial procedures.

In these posts, photos of Fitton were accompanied by images of artifacts and sculptures, depictions the family fears will lead the Iraqi public to misinterpret the value of the shards in Fittons possession.

Photos of the site shared by Fitton on the day of the trip show a vast desert landscape scattered with debris and broken pieces of pottery and stones. The tour group was accompanied by a representative from the Culture Ministry who did not state the items were valuable and gave them permission to take them as mementos, Taskar said.

Fittons Baghdad lawyer has already drafted a proposal under Iraqi law to have the case closed before a trial takes place but it requires the assistance of the Foreign Office to present it to the public prosecutor in Iraq.

The proposal makes an argument for Fittons lack of criminality in the case and makes the claim that he was a victim of poor guidance. This is the hope, Taskar said.

If the case is not thrown out, Fitton will likely stand trial. A key element of his sentencing would be to establish the value of the goods found in his possession. As written, the law proscribes death as a penalty for items deemed valuable. Iraqi and British officials say the outcome will depend on the findings of an antiquities committee set up to study the shards.

For now, Fittons family has no choice but to wait, and hope.

Its tough to say the least, we are very stressed, said daughter Leila. My mom is keeping faith, praying a lot, and we are just keeping faith.
Hyundai Heavy Industries' shipyard in Ulsan / Yonhap



By Park Jae-hyuk



The recently eased visa rules that allow more welders, painters and engineers of foreign nationality to work for Korea's shipyards have been at the center of intensifying conflict between unionized workers of Korean nationality and management in the domestic shipbuilding industry, according to industry officials, Wednesday.



After the government announced last month that it would ease rules on the E-7 class visa to solve a workforce shortage in the shipbuilding industry, the Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) union immediately criticized the decision, claiming that the policy does not solve the problem.



"Hiring of short-term migrant workers through revised visa rules will remove skilled Korean workers," the union said in a statement. "There exists a case of Japanese shipbuilding industry that collapsed after favoring low-cost foreign workers."



The union also pointed out the possibility of more accidents, citing difficulties in communication.



"We fear that potential fatal accidents could develop into international problems," it said.



From that standpoint, the unionized workers urged shipbuilders to raise wages, if they really want more skilled workers to return to shipyards.



Their claim has gained support from unionized workers of other shipyards.



Amid the HHI union's continued strike this month, the unionized workers of HHI Group's three shipbuilders, as well as Samsung Heavy Industries, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, HSG Sungdong Shipbuilding, K Shipbuilding and HJ Shipbuilding & Construction, urged their employers to improve labor conditions, protesting their attempts to hire workers of foreign nationality at lower wages.



Shipbuilders and industry experts, however, argue that the unions' claims are groundless.



"Japan's shipbuilding industry collapsed after the country's universities abolished relevant majors in the wake of the Korean shipbuilding industry's success," said Shin Dong-won, a former professor of Inha University's Department of Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering.



In response to the request for wage hikes, shipbuilders said it is still difficult for most companies to pay higher salaries to their employees, as they just started recovering from a long-term economic downturn.



The government also promised to train foreign national workers for about a year after their arrival, in order to prevent communication issues that might lead to safety problems.


LOS ANGELES (AP)  Comedian Dave Chappelle was tackled during a performance at the Hollywood Bowl Tuesday night and a man was later arrested.

Security guards chased and overpowered the attacker, and Chappelle was able to continue his performance while the man was taken away in an ambulance.

The assailant was carrying a replica handgun with a large blade that folded out of it similar to a pocket knife, according to a photo released by police.

Isaiah Lee, 23, was detained and arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, said Officer Alba Mendez, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson.

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Lee was treated by medical staff for an unspecified injury and was booked into jail early Wednesday and held in lieu of $30,000 bail, Mendez said. It was not immediately known if he had retained a lawyer.

Mendez said a famous comedian was performing when Lee jumped onto the stage, tackled the celebrity and produced the replica handgun containing a knife blade. Mendez said the department did not name the celebrity because it does not confirm victim names.

Chappelle was performing his stand-up routine on the last of four nights at the amphitheater as part of the Netflix Is a Joke festival when the man rushed on stage and tackled him. Jamie Foxx was in the wings of the stage and Chappelle thanked him for responding to the attack. Chris Rock was there as well. He grabbed the mic and jokingly asked, Was that Will Smith?

The performances by Chappelle at the Hollywood Bowl were epic and record-breaking and he refuses to allow last nights incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment," Chapelle's publicist Carla Sims said in a statement. As unfortunate and unsettling as the incident was, Chappelle went on with the show."

Chappelle was attacked as he was wrapping up a routine in which he talked about how comedians have to worry more about their personal security in the wake of this year's Academy Awards ceremony where the Oscar-winning actor slapped Rock on live television in reaction to a joke about his wife.

The comedian had literally just said he now has more security because of all the uproar from his jokes about the Trans community, tweeted Buzzfeed News reporter Brianna Sacks, who attended the show.

After resuming, Chappelle joked that it was a trans man.

A midday police statement recounted the incident but gave no indication of whether investigators had determined the motive for the attack.

We care deeply about the safety of creators and we strongly defend the right of stand-up comedians to perform on stage without fear of violence, a Netflix statement said.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A Democratic group is focusing its television advertising spending in the upper Midwest states of Michigan and Wisconsin where Democratic incumbent governors face tough reelection bids.

The Democratic Governors Association's announced Wednesday that it is spending $75 million on ads in seven states, with $23 million going to help Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and $21 million for Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP)  A Dutch woman has been convicted of raising money for the Somali terrorist group al-Shabab, according to a federal prosecutor.

Farhia Hassan, 38, was convicted Tuesday of conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, Jessica Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said in a news release.

Court records and evidence showed Hassan was involved for more than three years with a group of women from more than a dozen countries who ran a fundraising ring to provide financial support to al-Shabab.

The women funneled cash payments directly to members of the terrorist group, coordinating the payments using online chatrooms, and it was used to fund safehouses and to purchase trucks and weaponry in support of al-Shabab, the news release said.

Hassan was involved in fundraising in the Netherlands, falsely telling donors that money was raised to help charitable causes, the news release said.

Hassan faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison when she is sentenced on July 22.

Hassan was extradited last year from the Netherlands to the U.S. to face trial after a seven-year fight. Her lawyers argued that the U.S. lacked jurisdiction to charge a Dutch woman with giving money to a Somali terrorist group, but Judge Anthony Trenga ruled that the U.S. has a legitimate interest in prosecuting supporters of a designated terrorist organization.

Two U.S.-based members of the fundraising ring were convicted in 2016 and sentenced to more than a decade in prison.

Their defense argued that the amounts contributed by the women were negligible  a few thousand dollars in total  and that they intended the money to care for injured al-Shabab soldiers. They said providing funds for medicine in an armed conflict cannot be considered criminal under international treaties, and convicting someone for advocating for a cause violates the First Amendment.
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LONDON (AP)  A British parliamentary committee scrutinizing draft online safety legislation has invited Elon Musk to discuss his plans to buy Twitter and the changes he's proposing for the social media platform.

Parliament's digital committee asked the Tesla CEO on Wednesday to give evidence about his proposals in more depth.

Musk said it's too early to give an answer.

I am honored and thank the Parliament for their invitation, but it would be premature at this time to accept, given that there has not yet been a shareholder vote" to approve the deal, he said in an email to The Associated Press.

The committee said it's interested in Musk's plans, especially his intention to roll out verification for all users, which echoes its own recommendations to the U.K. government.

Musk has said he wants Twitter to  authenticate all humans, an ambiguous proposal that could be related to his desire to rid the website of automated spam accounts.

The U.K. government's online safety bill, which is being examined by lawmakers in Parliament, would give regulators wide-ranging powers to crack down on digital and social media companies.

Among the bill's measures aimed at combating online abuse is a requirement for the biggest platforms to give users the option to verify their identity and the choice not to interact with unverified users.

At a time when social media companies face the prospect of tighter regulations around the world, were keen to learn more about how Mr. Musk will balance his clear commitment to free speech with new obligations to protect Twitters users from online harms, committee chair Julian Knight said.

It's not the first time the committee has invited a tech boss to testify. In 2018, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg declined an invitation to answer questions as part of its investigation into fake news.
PEPILLO SALCEDO, Dominican Republic (AP)  In a blue bay that spans the border of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, fishermen from both countries recently aired grievances in a rare face-to-face meeting thanks to the efforts of marine biologist Jean Wiener.

The meeting, overseen by Dominican naval officers with rifles, was no small feat for Wiener, who has been forced to work on conserving this biologically sensitive region from afar  his house in Bethesda, Maryland  because of rampant violence in Haiti, his homeland. Now the prize-winning biologist stood in the steaming Caribbean heat at the mouth of an ominously named spot called the Massacre River, trying to bring together the two sides and find a solution that will not only save their livelihoods but also vital marine resources in a region under extreme pressures from climate change.

The constant fishing, or overfishing, in these areas has decimated an entire ecosystem, said Rodolfo Jimenez, director of an agricultural border project in the Dominican Republic.

The Haitian fishermen, standing across from Jimenez on the beach, agreed. But they also said they were not to blame for the damage in the Monte Cristi National Park in northwestern Dominican Republic.

Wiener's work has grown in significance over the years in large part because of charcoal vendors in Haiti who hack down trees for cooking fuel and, more recently, wade into the countrys mangroves, the tropical vegetation that is a natural barrier against the Caribbeans increasingly destructive hurricanes. With ocean storms becoming more severe, Haitis coastline and its biodiversity are becoming even more vulnerable.

It was the first trip for Wiener, leader of Foundation for the Protection of Marine Biodiversity, since November 2021, his absence largely attributed to the violent gangs that have engulfed the Haitian capital in recent years and reached parts of the countryside. Nominally present already and undermined further with the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise in the bedroom of his home, the government has done little to wrest control from the brazen gangs.

For years, Wiener used to visit Haiti every month or so, but now restricts his trips to only a few times a year while being compelled to work remotely and delegate more responsibility to staff members dispersed throughout the country. Haiti is just too dangerous otherwise. So when he does come, as he did for three weeks in March, he hopscotches the country via puddle-jumper plane; travel by road is too perilous, with major thoroughfares blocked by gangs fond of extortion. Many passengers hide in their cars by lying on the backseat.

Its a conundrum that bedevils Jean and others like him around the world. As climate change plays a greater role in contributing to conflicts, that in turns makes it more difficult to carry out scientific research and work on environmental projects that seek to offset the effects of climate change. The environmental group Global Witness released a report last year noting that 2020 saw a record number of environmental activists killed around the world; the death toll of 227 was the highest number recorded for a second consecutive year, with Colombia having the highest number of recorded attacks, with 65, and Mexico second, with 30.

The extent to which failed states make it difficult for scientists and the international scientific community to work on these issues simply means it will be more difficult to solve these problems, said Peter Gleick, president emeritus and a senior fellow with the Pacific Institute, an Oakland-based research group that focuses on water issues around the world.

Said Jessica Olcott Yllemo, senior fellow for climate security at the American Security Project, a nonpartisan group in Washington, D.C.: If the temperatures continue to rise and you dont have basic functions because you dont have a functioning government, climate sort of just exacerbates all of those different threats and hazards.

In several reports released in October, the U.S. signaled that climate change would occupy a central role in security strategy, a policy shift that underscores how climatic changes are exacerbating long-standing problems. One of the studies identified 11 countries that were of greatest concern, because they were especially vulnerable to climate change and unable to deal with the attendant problems. Haiti was among them.

The Caribbean nation has the highest travel advisoryLevel 4: Do Not Travelfrom the U.S. State Department due to kidnapping, crime and civil unrest. Kidnapping, the State Department says, is widespread and victims regularly include U.S. citizens." In a March newsletter, the U.S. Embassy offered U.S. citizens in Haiti a tip sheet on ways to avoid being kidnapped.

The kidnappings have persisted for years, rising significantly after the 2017 departure of a U.N. peacekeeping mission. In October, 16 U.S. citizens, including five children, and one Canadian, were part of a group of missionaries who were abducted by the dreaded 400 Mawozo gang and held for ransom for two months. An untold number of Haitian Americans have also been kidnapped.

This past week, north of the Port-au-Prince capital, fighting between 400 Mawozo and a rival gang led to the displacement of thousands of people and the killing of at least 20, including six children. Officials warned that the main roads leading to Haitis northern region could be cut off as a result of the fighting, as has already happened to a thoroughfare heading south.

The March meeting Wiener set up was held at the beach of an estuary meant to be easy to reach for both parties, just a few steps on the Dominican side of the border. It was a Thursday morning, and a white mangrove provided shade to Wiener, the fishermen and their associations, a few environmental officials from the two countries and the Dominican naval officers. On the shore behind them stood a string of wooden posts used to hold seines for catching eels.

A big part of the two sides' discussion was over the exact location of the border above Hispaniola, the name of the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The marine border is not completely north, it is northwest," Cmdr. Irving Cabrera, of the Dominican Navy, said in the meeting.

The meeting took place at the mouth of a river with a name that harkens back to a bloody episode on the island of Hispaniola: The Massacre River, also the Dajabon River. Though named for an earlier massacre, its mostly known for when Dominican soldiers, under the orders of dictator Rafael Trujillo in 1937, executed thousands of Haitian families and Dominicans of Haitian descent. The weapon of choice was a machete.

I dont think it was lost on either side of the border, said Frederick Payton, of AgroFrontera, the Dominican environmental group that worked with Wiener to organize the March meeting. Payton also helped lead the meeting. The Rio Massacre kind of represents both the tension and the integration of the economies in the border region.

The antipathy toward Haitians persists today, not least with Dominican President Luis Abinaders newly launched plan to build a multimillion-dollar, 118-mile (190-kilometer) wall along the border. Construction has already begun.

Bereft of the usual tension, let alone animosity, the beach meeting lasted a few hours, with both sides able to voice their concerns as Payton and Wiener served as peacekeepers of sorts in the absence of a strong border state. Both stressed the importance of seeking solutions instead of dwelling on problems.

We were trying to frame the meeting not just as a session to complain and to point fingers, but to try to look for some possible solutions that will take time, Payton said. But will give each side hope and expectation that something will be done in the future.

Out of the meeting came the idea of creating a boat registration and a licensing for fisheries so Haitian and Dominican authorities know who is in the water and where theyre going.

Perhaps Wieners biggest achievement has been creating Haitis first protected marine areas, including the Three Bays National Park known for its mangrove forests, coral reefs and seagrass beds, but he concedes that his work has become more difficult working remotely. Josue Celiscar, field operations director for Wiener's foundation and a graduate student in agronomy, says the same, noting the inevitable delays that accompany projects.

When you are the director, when you are present, you are executing the project, Celiscar said. When you arent there, youre left with the assistant. Its not going to be the same thing.

In recent years, Wiener has seen the brother of his assistant director kidnapped and later released and spends considerable time making sure his staff is safe.

Born in Haiti, Wiener and his family fled the Francois Papa Doc Duvalier regime when he was six months old for Queens, New York. He went back to Haiti at six while Duvalier's son and successor, Jean-Claude Baby Doc, was in power and left again for college, studying biology at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. Haiti came calling once more, and Wiener returned at 23 and, in 1992 started his foundation. Now 57, Wiener is a married father of two children, a boy and a girl.

In the end, the March trip to Haiti proved fortuitously uneventfulthough danger wasn't far away.

When Wiener visited the southwestern part of the country, in the coastal town of Les Cayes, his driver got wind of protesters' plans to storm the local airport. The attack didn't happen until after Wiener flew out, a few days later: People ran onto the tarmac and torched a small plane owned by a U.S. missionary group. One person died and five others were injured, including four police officers, according to a police official working at the airport.

One day during his recent visit to northern Haiti, Wiener brought to the beach a group that included game wardens and university students with an interest in the environment. The idea was to get them in the water, make them feel comfortable and learn the basics of snorkeling.

Standing on the sand, Wiener gave a brief lesson on how to use a snorkel, explaining how to expel water from the breathing device. Minutes later they waded into the surf. A pufferfish floated toward them.

One man picked up the blowfish and studied it. Wiener told him to put the fish back in the water, which he did. Inflated like a ball as it bobbed supine, the puffer looked as if it were playing dead.

Wiener sloshed knee-high through the shore's lucent water, and gently picked up the prickly fish with both hands. He then walked a few steps out, toward the northern horizon, and sent the pufferfish into the ocean.

We really know that theres a part, you know, where you can be in a classroom," Wiener said later from the hotel, where a few security guards patrolled the grounds with rifles. But it is critically important that people actually get out and touch and see and feel the environment.

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Associated Press journalist Trenton Daniel reported from New York.

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Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about APs climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
GREENWICH  A Greenwich man was sentenced to three years in prison Tuesday for defrauding investors of nearly $1.5 million, according to federal prosecutors.

Prosecutors said that Samuel Klein, now 66, made false representations to four investors.

In 2018, Klein told one investor that their funds would be invested in distressed debt into one of his entities, Visual Group LLC, according to Leonard Boyle, the United States attorney for the District of Connecticut.

Klein knew that all of the investment funds would not be used for the stated purposes, Boyles office added.

The investor wrote a $200,000 check for Visual Group LLC. Klein got the check transported from New York to Connecticut and deposited into a bank account in the name of the LLC. He then solicited and received about $50,000 more from this investor, according to Boyles office.

Investigators also found that from July 2016 through at least June 2019 Klein defrauded three additional investors of more than $1.2 million by making false statements and misrepresentations, Boyles office said.

Klein then did not use these funds for his stated purposes. Instead, he used them for personal and other expenditures, Boyles office added.

Klein was charged in December 2020 after a federal investigation. He pleaded guilty in August 2021 to interstate transportation of property taken by fraud and money laundering. He was out on bond until his sentencing Tuesday when he was remanded to custody, Boyles office said.

After his three-year prison sentence, Klein will serve three years of supervised release. A federal judge in New Haven also ordered him to pay almost $1.5 million in restitution.
NEW YORK (AP)  The literary writers organization PEN America is expanding its support of writers around the world who face imprisonment for their work by hiring human rights advocate Liesl Gerntholtz to head the new PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center.

The new center will build on PEN America's work advocating for imprisoned writers like the Ukrainian freelance journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko, who was first arrested in 2021 in Crimea and remains imprisoned. PEN America awarded him the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write award in 2022 to draw attention to his case in hopes that he will be freed, like many of the prize's prior recipients, thanks to the award's profile and the advocacy of other major international writers.

Yesypenko's wife will accept the award in his stead later this month in New York and PEN America highlighted his case at a demonstration outside the Russian embassy last year and through press releases following his arrest and sentencing to six years in prison in February.

Under Gerntholtz leadership, the new center will help PEN America monitor more cases of imprisoned writers in real time and try to help them leave their country or otherwise protect themselves. This work is often done out of the public eye because of the hostile environment the writers from countries like Egypt, China and Myanmar face.

Gerntholtz, who formerly led the womens rights division at Human Rights Watch among other roles, said the center already has a database of some 700 "writers, intellectuals, visual artists, journalists under threat, adding that list will be updated and expanded.

Men are disproportionately represented among imprisoned writers, which means that we are obviously missing the ways that women are silenced, said Gerntholtz, who is a native of South Africa.

The PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center was created with a $10 million gift in October and represents the first donation in a fundraising campaign marking PEN Americas 100th year. It builds on the organizations relationship with retired media executive Peter Barbey and his family, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said.

Weve raised our budget anew every year, and so its a big step forward for us to be raising more multiyear support, Nossel said. PEN was not built to last but weve nevertheless survived for 100 years and were trying to put that right and undergird the organization with the foundation it deserves.

She called the gift a catalytic contribution as PEN America looks to start an endowment for more financial stability, as well as support for its programming.

Since 2016, donations from the Edwin Barbey Charitable Trust have supported the PEN America award for imprisoned writers. Barbey, his wife, Pamela, and son, Matt, advise the fund, which is managed by the Arizona Community Foundation.

Barbey joined PEN Americas board in 2021, and as the organization was planning for its second century, Nossel said she reached out to the Barbeys.

I felt comfortable enough to put forward what I felt we really needed to make a transformational change in our work and I was very moved, I think I was moved to tears when they said they would be willing to consider participating at that level, Nossel said.

The Barbey gift represents a large portion of what PEN America has raised annually through donations in recent years. In 2019, it reported $11.4 million in donations and $14.3 million in 2020, PEN America said.

Barbey served as president for several years of a media company in eastern Pennsylvania, Reading Eagle Company, that his family members have operated for generations until it was sold in 2019. He also purchased the weekly left-leaning chronicle of New York life, the Village Voice, in 2015 but couldnt rescue it. The paper shuttered in 2018 but has since resumed publication under new management.

What I think is unique about publishing is you become an advocate for free expression just by the nature of the business, said Barbey, adding he has carried that over into his philanthropy supporting PEN America and other journalism organizations.

The charitable trust, which is a donor advised fund, has also given $1 million to The Markup, a nonprofit investigative digital news organization, Barbey said.

Barbey's father, Edwin Barbey, established the fund before he died in 2015.

The familys wealth also comes from a textile business, now known as VF Corp, that was founded in Pennsylvania in 1899. The company, which is now publicly owned, owns clothing brands like Timberland, Vans, Jansport and Supreme.

In another measure of the state of free expression around the world, the Committee for the Protection of Journalists documented the imprisonment of 293 journalists as of Dec. 1, the sixth year in a row that its documented more than 250 detained reporters. Within the U.S., CPJ found that 59 journalists were arrested in 2021, usually while they were covering protests.

Barbey said he thinks PEN America's advocacy for imprisoned writers reaffirms to the American public and press that its important."

"PEN America representing our country really is a stalwart activist defender of the freedom to write and freedom of speech, he said.

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Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of APs philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.
The return of V8 power to the Land Rover Defender this year raises the tantalizing possibility of speccing the lairiest possible version: A supercharged, 516-horsepower, two-door Defender 90. While the four-door V8 110 takes on both the Jeep Wrangler 392 and upcoming Ford Bronco Raptor, neither of them will be offered as two-doors. That makes the V8 90 an exclusive off-road flavor.

Its price is also exclusive. The Defender 90 V8 Carpathian edition that I just spent a week wheeling around southern California stickered at $113,525. A vehicle at this price point is clearly not a need but a want. And, despite myself, I kind of want it.

I would not describe the regular Defenders as underpowered. The base 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo version produces a rather robust, if slightly peaky, 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, and the upgraded 3.0-liter supercharged mild-hybrid straight-six version makes another 100 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque.

Of course, all this power needs to push around a pretty weighty truckletheavier than the two-door Bronco or Wranglerthat features the approximate aerodynamics of a Brooklyn brownstone. The addition of Jaguar Land Rovers aging-yet-rowdy supercharged 5.0-liter V8 doesnt exactly seem necessary, but its 516 horsepower and 461 pound-feet are a heady brew.

Theyre both Defenders and both V8s, but the modern 90 lives in a different universe in terms of refinement, both relative to its ancient predecessor and its American two-door competitors. Land Rover

Upending Truck Conventions

I should note that Im an owner of a classic Land Rover, a 1990 Range Rover. But, unlike many in this cohort, I do not worship at the altar of the vintage Defender. Though charming and capable, Ive found that vehiclewhich traces its roots directly to the original Land Rover of 1948too unrefined and agricultural.

This might be apostasy for a lover of old British trucks, but Im also not exactly a fan of Jeep Wranglers or Ford Broncos either, be they new or vintage, for much the same reasons. Yes, theyre fun, and perform superior Butch Realness Drag. But unless youre driving at 3 mph over boulders or fording a three-foot deep stream, they meander, theyre noisy, theyre thirsty and they generally drive like crap.

According to recent statistics provided by Strategic Vision, only about one in nine owners of these vehicles regularly engage in such activities, which means the vast majority are very willing to trade terrible road manners for aggro visuals.

The new Defender, however, upends much of that truckish tomfoolery. With an independent suspension front and rear (instead of more traditional live axles), and unibody construction (instead of more traditional body-on-frame) its on-road manners are strangely sublime, especially when compared to the Wrangler and even the more modern 2022 Bronco.

As demonstrated on a recent trip to Land Rovers off-road driving school in Vermont, with the Defenders eminently adjustable and technologically sophisticated off-road whiz-bangery, it can conquer just about any terrain thrown at it. (Its ride height and water crossing capabilities trounce both Jeep and Ford.)

The V8 model, and especially the top-of-the-line Carpathian edition, adds to this prowess, not just with much more power for attacking long gravel trails or preventing a loss of momentum when mounting the Great Pyramid of Giza. A more adaptive and dynamic all-terrain system is in place, as is an electronic differential with brake-based torque vectoring, and some other computerized features that make off-roading a breeze.

Even when it isnt looking vaguely Murdered Out, the Defender 90 is a slick-looking machine, telegraphing poshness as much as capability. Land Rover

Boulders Versus Boulevards

Of course, like most drivers of this range-topping status symbol, I never used any of that during my time with this stubby truck. Instead, I did with it what I typically do while visiting LA: drove it hard on some mountain and canyon twisties, ferried friends to dinners and museums and oyster bars and basked in the refracted glow of compliments from valets and passersby whenever I stopped.

The two-tone gloss and matte black paint, the giant 22-inch flattened starfish wheels, the bright blue Brembo front calipers, and especially the chrome quad-tipped dual exhaust outlets and tiny V8 badging on the rocker panels gave away to car-conscious Angelenos (pro tip: theyre nearly all car-conscious) that this was something special.

And with zero-to-60 acceleration in the high 4-second range, it is something special. Sure, the Jeep Wrangler Xtreme 392 can accomplish this in 4 seconds flat, and a Mercedes-AMG G63 can do it in 3.9, but the $76,000 Jeep feels terrifying at that speed, like a shopping cart laden with cinder blocks tumbling down a hill, and the Benz, while intensely luxurious, costs twice that much.

Interestingly, with its independent suspension setup, the Defender V8 offers levels of on-road refinement that the live rear-axle G cant exactly match. Im not sure which would offer more confidence in the Afghan steppe, but neither of these six-figure trucks belong there anyway, so maybe this is a moot point?

Life with 90

The interior of the 90 V8 is also a lovely place to spend time, with leather and fake-suede and blacked-out textured material and technical-looking rivets slathered on nearly every surface. The greenhouse is giant, like driving under an oversized square Pyrex dish, with a glass roof and clerestory rear punchouts to let in even more light. The glass roof tilts open, but doesnt retract.

Sadly, the same can be said for the front seats. The mechanism for entering the spacious back seat requires lifting a hard plastic lever, and then pushing a button which slides the seat forward at a pace that could only be described as geological. This process must be repeated once the seatback is returned to its upright position.

This may seem like a small quibble, but when it happens every time you want to use or access the back seat, it becomes a teeth-gritting frustration. Base-model 90s get a quick-release flip-and-fold system, but not power seats or fancy materials. Having ones passengers curse your existence while standing in a freak LA rainstorm is not more luxurious.

The V8s effortless power dovetails well with the Defenders surprisingly pleasant on-road manners, offering a cut-rate G-Class experience and more choices than either Jeep or Mercedes-Benz, despite the Carpathians high price. Land Rover

Also not luxurious? Having your phone sync to Apple CarPlay about one out of every two attempts. Or watching the passenger window repeatedly power itself up and down spasmodically when attempting closure. Despite its best efforts, and six-figure pricing, Land Rover still maintains its abysmal J.D. Power reliability ratings, ranking dead last.

If I were spending my own money on a new Defender, I would get a base two-door with steel wheels and as few electrical gewgaws as possible. But for those who worship at the altar of MORE, the 90 V8 is a sybaritic delight. Just be prepared for some bite to go with all that bark.

This article, Land Rover Defender 90 V8 First Drive: A Badboy On Boulders Or Boulevards, originally appeared on Forbes Advisor.
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The United Nations says more than 300 civilians from the besieged southeastern city of Mariupol and four other towns have been evacuated to Ukrainian-held Zaporizhzhia in a second successful operation to get civilians out of areas subject to Russian shelling and attacks.

Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian chief in Ukraine, said in a statement that many of the civilians from Mariupol, Manhush, Berdiansk, Tokmak and Vasylivka came Wednesday with nothing but the clothes they were wearing and are now getting humanitarian assistance. She said they'll also receive much- needed psychological support.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the 344 evacuated Wednesday are in addition to the more than 150 people who were evacuated earlier this week from the bunkers under the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol, which is surrounded by Russian troops and reportedly came under renewed fire on Wednesday.

No civilians were reported evacuated from the plant on Wednesday. Zelenskyy said they are trying to reach an agreement to save those remaining at Azovstal, including women and children.

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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:  AP evidence points to 600 dead in Mariupol theater airstrike

 EU takes major step toward Russian oil ban, new sanctions

 Why Russia is attacking Ukraine's railways

 Russia storms Mariupol steel plant as some evacuees reach safety

 Pope Francis struggles to make progress in Ukraine peace effort

 EU eyes sanctions for head of the Russian Orthodox Church

Follow all AP stories on Russias war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

The commander of the main defending force at the Azovstal steel mill in the strategic Ukrainian port city of Mariupol says Russian troops have broken into the territory of the mill, where limited evacuations of besieged civilians occurred last week.

The Russian government, meanwhile, pledged to facilitate humanitarian corridors from Thursday through Saturday to enable more evacuations.

In a video posted Wednesday, Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Ukrainian Azov regiment, said the incursions had continued a second day and there are heavy, bloody battles.

Azovstal remains one of the biggest hubs of Ukrainian military resistance and has been subjected to massive Russian aerial bombardments and shelling. Russian State TV showed smoke rising over Azovstal.

Hundreds of Ukrainian forces from different parts of the army, as well as civilians, remain in the plants underground shelters.

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Swedens foreign minister says the United States is willing to provide security assurances during the application period if Sweden and neighboring Finland seek membership in NATO.

Ann Linde spoke to Swedish public broadcaster SVT on Wednesday from Washington after meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Linde said there is great interest from the U.S. in Sweden and Finland joining NATO.

Jolted by Russias invasion of Ukraine, Sweden and Finland appear ready to revoke their long-standing policy of military non-alignment and apply for NATO membership.

Russia has warned of unspecified consequences if that happens and both countries have been looking for some form of NATO protection from the moment they apply to when they become members, a process that can take months.

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A Russian government statement said its armed forces and their allies would open a humanitarian corridor on specified hours from Thursday through Saturday from the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol, Ukraine, so civilians can be evacuated.

The statement appeared on the Telegram messaging app Wednesday and pledged the forces would refrain from military actions, withdraw to a safe distance and facilitate the withdrawal of the civilians to any destination they choose.

But there was no immediate confirmation of those arrangements from other sources and similar promises to set up evacuation corridors have collapsed, because of what the Ukrainians blamed on continued fighting by Russians. A United Nations spokesman said discussions about future evacuations were ongoing.

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Air raid sirens sounded in cities across Ukraine on Wednesday night and missile fire followed shortly after in the cities of Cherkasy, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia.

In Dnipro, Mayor Borys Filatov said one strike hit the center of the city. The strikes in Dnipro also hit a railroad facility, authorities initially said, without elaborating. Ukrainian Railways said none of its staff were injured in the Dnipro attack.

Complaining that the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line points across the country. Meanwhile, the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war by proposing a ban on oil imports, a crucial source of revenue for Russia.

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BERLIN  German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says the sanctions imposed by his country and others against Moscow over its war in Ukraine will set back Russias economic development by decades if they remain in place.

Scholz told reporters in Berlin on Wednesday that Russia cannot hope to win a peace with Ukraine unless Kyiv supports it.

A peace by diktat will not work, he said.

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In a video message posted on Twitter, Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba welcomed the European Unions decision to propose an embargo on Russian oil. He said Ukraine isnt happy it will be delayed for several months, but its better than nothing.

Kuleba said it should be clear now that times for half-sanctions or half-measures when it comes to sanctions is gone. He says the EU can no longer support Ukraine on one hand by imposing sanctions, while continuing to pay Russia for oil and gas and support their war machine.

He also said if any country continues to oppose the embargo on Russian oil, it will be a reason to say the country is complicit in the crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine.

The proposals need unanimous approval from EU countries and are likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they wont take part in any oil sanctions. They could be granted an exemption.

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BUDAPEST, Hungary  Hungarys foreign minister says the country wont support a European Union proposal for banning oil imports from Russia in a move that could derail the blocs efforts to apply united pressure against Moscow over its war in Ukraine.

In a video on social media, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Wednesday that Hungarys energy supply would be completely destroyed by an EU embargo of Russian oil, which he said would make it impossible for Hungary to obtain the oil necessary for the functioning of the Hungarian economy.

Szijjartos statement came as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed that EU member nations phase out imports of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year as part of a sixth package of sanctions against Russia.

The proposals must be unanimously approved to take effect, and reluctance by governments in Hungary and Slovakia to support sanctions against Russian fossil fuels has placed roadblocks before a united EU response.

Szijjarto said Hungary would only support the sixth round of sanctions if oil imports were exempted.

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LONDON  Britain announced a further raft of sanctions against Russia, banning the country from doing business with management consultants, accounting and PR firms in the U.K.

The British government also imposed asset freezes and travel bans on journalists working for state-owned media and other broadcast organizations the U.K. accuses of spreading propaganda.

The sanctioned individuals include three journalists embedded with Russian forces in Ukraine: Evgeny Poddubny, Alexander Kots and Dmitry Steshin.

The British government said the new sanctions would mean social media, internet services and app stores must take action to block content from two of Russias major sources of alleged disinformation, RT and Sputnik. Both have been pulled from British airwaves.

Tech and Digital Economy Minister Chris Philp said RT and Sputnik have churned out dangerous nonsense dressed up as serious news to justify Putins invasion of Ukraine.

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BERLIN  German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Russian President Vladimir Putin has completely miscalculated with his brutal war of aggression against Ukraine because it has led NATO to strengthen its eastern flank, resulted in comprehensive sanctions against Russia, and prompted large-scale military support for the Ukrainian side.

Scholz said Wednesday that Germany is currently considering supplying Ukraine with howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment the government has already agreed to send.

He spoke to reporters in Meseberg, near Berlin, alongside German Finance Minister Christian Lindner, who announced plans to require that Russians who are subject to sanctions have to disclose their assets in Germany or risk fines.

Economy Minister Robert Habeck said the government is also planning to make it easier for Russians fleeing their home country to find work in Germany.

We can really use them, he said, but added that there would be security checks to ensure that we dont bring a lot of spies over here. ___

SOFIA, Bulgaria  Bulgarias parliament has approved providing additional aid to war-torn Ukraine following a debate that had rattled the governing coalition.

The proposal, introduced by the centrist party of Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, was supported by 200 legislators. Sixteen were against, one abstained, while 23 lawmakers were not present.

The vote took place after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent a letter to the parliament in Sofia. Instead of weapons deliveries, he reportedly asked for damaged Ukrainian military equipment to be repaired at Bulgarian plants and then sent back.

While three of the parties in the four-party ruling coalition had been in favor of sending weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, the fourth party, the pro-Russian Socialists, threatened to quit the coalition if such aid were approved.

The decision also includes Bulgarian assistance for the export of Ukrainian grain via Bulgarias Black Sea ports, and Bulgaria importing electricity from Ukraine.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark  British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace reaffirmed his countrys strong support for Finland and Sweden potentially joining NATO.

Finland and Sweden are expected to announce next week whether to seek membership of the 30-nation alliance.

I cannot conceive that we would not come to support, Wallace told reporters. We will do whatever we need to do.

Wallace said Finland was in a pole position to join NATO and the British Parliament would be able to ratify a Finnish membership quickly.

Wallace on Wednesday observed a military exercise in western Finland involving troops from the United Kingdom, Latvia, the United States and Estonia.

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KYIV, Ukraine  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country could not accept a deal with Moscow that would allow Russian troops to remain in occupied territory.

Speaking to participants in the Wall Street Journal CEO Council Summit, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had halted the Russian offensive in what he described as the first stage of the conflict.

In the second stage, he said, Ukraine would expel Russian troops from its territory and in the third, would move to fully restore its territorial integrity.

Zelenskyy said he would not accept a cease-fire deal that would allow Russian forces to remain in their current positions. We will not accept a frozen conflict, the president said without giving further details.

Zelensky emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin must agree to meet him to negotiate any deal to end the fighting.

He said it was important to continue peace talks but noted that until the Russian president signs it or makes an official statement, I dont see the point in such agreements.

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LVIV, Ukraine  New satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press suggest fighting may be ongoing at a besieged steel plant in Mariupol.

The Kremlin is denying that Russian forces are trying to storm the Azovstal plant, the last remaining holdout of Ukrainian fighters in the port city.

An image shot by Planet Labs PBC at dawn Wednesday showed black smoke rising at one side of the plant near a canal. Buildings at the plant, including one under which hundreds of fighters and civilians are likely hiding, showed large, gaping holes in the roof. Debris littered the grounds.

Meanwhile, another satellite photo showed that a recent Russian missile attack tore a hole in a key bridge near Odesa.

Russia has attacked the bridge on three occasions. Though it is still standing, a chunk of the bridge is missing toward its south end, the image shows.

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KYIV, Ukraine  Ukraines Interior Ministry says a road crash in the western Rivne region has killed 26 people and injured 12 more. The collision involved a bus, a van and a fuel truck, the ministry said. The bus had been headed to Poland, which has been a key destination for Ukrainian refugees.

According to a ministry statement, the accident occurred because the van performed a maneuver to overtake another vehicle, and drove into the oncoming lane, where it collided with a fuel truck.

It wasnt immediately clear how a Poland-bound bus with 34 passengers on board became part of the accident.

___ MOSCOW  The Kremlin has rejected media reports that President Vladimir Putin might formally declare war on Ukraine on May 9, when Russia celebrates the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, and announce a broad mobilization.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the reports as untrue and nonsense at a daily conference call with reporters.

Western media reported earlier this month, citing U.K. and U.S. officials, that Putin might pivot from a special military operation to an all-out war with Ukraine, which would allow him to introduce martial law and mobilize reservists.

The reports said Putin could announce the changes during Victory Day celebrations on May 9, Russias most important holiday. ___

MOSCOW  The Russian defense minister has warned that Moscow will see any Western transports carrying weapons into Ukraine as legitimate targets.

Sergei Shoigus statement Wednesday comes as the U.S. and other Western allies have increased shipments of weapons to Ukraine. Speaking at a meeting with top military officials, Shoigu denounced the West for stuffing Ukraine with weapons.

Any NATO transports carrying weapons or resources for the Ukrainian military that arrives in the countrys territory will be seen by us as a legitimate target to be destroyed, he said.

The Russian military has repeatedly reported strikes on Ukrainian depots containing Western weapons. Striking Western transports delivering them would mark a significant escalation in the conflict.

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MOSCOW  Belarus has announced snap military exercises amid the Russian war in Ukraine, while insisting it would not threaten any neighbors.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry said the exercises that began Wednesday would be used to assess the readiness and capability of the countrys armed forces, and the militarys ability to operate on unknown terrain in a rapidly changing situation.

The ministry did not say how many troops are involved in the exercises but noted that their number would be gradually increased.

It said the maneuvers do not threaten the European community in general and any neighboring countries in particular.

Belarus allowed its ally Russia to use its territory as a staging ground before Moscow launched its military action in Ukraine on Feb. 24.

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KYIV, Ukraine  Ukrainian officials say evacuations from the besieged port of Mariupol will continue on Wednesday.

Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said evacuations from Mariupol and three other locations to Zaporizhzhia, a city in southeast Ukraine, would take place if the security situation permits.

The governor of the Donetsk region, Pavlo Kyrylenko, confirmed that evacuation buses had already left Mariupol and would stop at three other locations to pick up more passengers.

Kyrylenko said the effort is supported by the United Nations and the International Red Cross.

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BRUSSELS  The European Union plans to sanction the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, in its next round of measures against Russia, according to several EU diplomats.

The three people with direct knowledge of the discussions were not authorized to speak publicly as negotiations on the sixth EU package of sanctions between the 27-nation blocs ambassadors were ongoing Wednesday.

Kirill is a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has justified his countrys invasion of Ukraine.

Kirill has also echoed Putins unfounded claims that Ukraine was engaged in the extermination of Russian loyalists in Donbas, the breakaway eastern region of Ukraine held since 2014 by Russian-backed separatist groups.

If the sanctions proposed by the EUs executive arm are approved by EU member countries, Kirill would be added to the EUs updated list of individuals facing travel bans and a freeze of assets.

A total of 1,093 individuals, including Putin and oligarchs, as well as 80 entities, are already subject to the punishing measures.

 Reported by Samuel Petrequin

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BRUSSELS  The European Unions chief executive is proposing that the bloc ban oil imports from Russia over its war on Ukraine, and target the countrys biggest bank and major broadcasters in a new round of sanctions.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers Wednesday that the sanctions should involve a complete import ban on all Russian oil, seaborne and pipeline, crude and refined.

She says the aim is to make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets.

The sanctions proposals are to be debated by the 27 EU member countries. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they would not take part. The two are landlocked and heavily dependent on Russia for their energy supplies.

Banks are also in the EU executive arms sights, notably the giant Sberbank. Von der Leyen says the aim is to de-SWIFT Sberbank, as well as two other banks. SWIFT is the major global system for financial transfers.

Von der Leyen says those alleged to be spreading disinformation about the war in Ukraine should be targeted, notably three big Russian state-owned broadcasters. She did not identify any of the outlets.
WHEATON, Ill. (AP)  A Kentucky man who was convicted of abducting, sexually assaulting and robbing a college student in suburban Chicago will spend the rest of his life behind bars after a judge sentenced him to 101 years in prison.

Justin Dalcollo, 37, was sentenced Tuesday, five months after he was found guilty by a DuPage County jury of abduction, criminal sexual assault, aggravated battery, armed robbery and unlawful use of a weapon.




Edison EV, an affiliate South Korean electric vehicle maker Edison Motors Co., said Wednesday its creditors have filed for the company's bankruptcy with a local court, amid the parent company's recent failure in completing a deal to acquire SsangYong Motors Co.







Edison EV said in a regulatory filing that eight creditors of the company have filed for the company's bankruptcy with Suwon District Court. The company said its outstanding corporate bonds amounted to 3.6 billon won (US$2.84 million).







The company plans to hold discussions with the creditors and respond with legal measures.







The bankruptcy filing came after SsangYong, the South Korean unit of Indian carmaker Mahindra Mahindra Ltd., canceled a 304.8-billion-won deal in March to sell its controlling stake to Edison Motors due to the electric bus maker's payment failure.







Edison Motors had trouble raising funds for the deal as Edison EV, its key affiliate involved in the funding, was struggling with its own financial trouble with consecutive operating losses.







The court has set a new deadline for SsangYong to find a new owner and submit a new restructuring plan.







Last month, Edison Motor appealed a court decision nullifying a restructuring plan for SsangYong Motor Co. following the collapse of the deal.







Edison, however, has filed for a court injunction seeking to retain its position as the preferred bidder for SsangYong and asking the court to place the initial 10 percent down payment under provisional attachment. (Yonhap)


SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP)  Police were investigating after mushroom hunters discovered a body in a rural, hand-dug water well in south-central Missouri.

The discovery was made Sunday near the unincorporated community of Long Lane, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) northeast of Springfield.

The mushroom hunters were using a long branch to determine the well's depth when "what appeared to be a human body emerged," the Dallas County Sheriffs Office said in a Facebook post.

Authorities removed the body Monday, drained the well and searched the bottom for evidence, officials said. An autopsy was scheduled for Thursday to try to determine a cause of death and the persons identity.
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The Supreme Courts apparent intention to abolish a nationwide right to abortion, spelled out in a draft opinion leaked this week, will expand the battlefield of the nations most highly charged culture war, taking it to states where abortion access has long been assured.

Democrats in blue states are bracing for a wave of legal attacks and other maneuvers seeking to undermine access, and some are even taking steps to enshrine the right to abortion in their constitutions, making it much more difficult to impose a ban in the future.

Republican states are expected to ban or restrict abortion, but tactics also could include an aggressive effort to go beyond their borders to sue abortion providers and find other ways to punish those who assist a woman in securing an abortion.

The potential to roll back established abortion rights already has emerged in states with divided political control, including Pennsylvania and Virginia. California and Colorado are pushing to protect abortion access in their constitutions, a stronger step than passing a law. Connecticut and Washington state have already taken steps to shield providers from possible lawsuits as they anticipate women seeking abortions would cross state lines.

We will not allow the tentacles of Texas to get into Washington state, said Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, who vowed to make Washington a sanctuary for those seeking abortion.

Oregon lawmakers included $15 million in their state budget to help pay for people to travel to the state to get abortions and California has a similar bill.

The rhetoric on both sides points to a growing fight over access, with anti-abortion advocates hoping to shrink the number of states where the procedure remains legal if Roe is overturned. Roughly half of U.S. states are expected to move quickly to ban or greatly restrict abortion if that happens.

A new law in Idaho, currently blocked by the state Supreme Court, would allow family members of all involved to sue abortion providers, an example of the tactics to come.

The next chapter of the conflict is really going to be about essentially what happens with interstate conflicts, said Mary Ziegler, a legal historian at Florida State Universitys law school.

Many states with one-party control of government already have chosen their side. The handful of states with divided politics are up for grabs.

In Pennsylvania, abortion is legal under state law for the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. The law's survival is on the line in this years race for governor.

Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat who has vetoed recent legislation restricting abortion, is not running because of term limits. The race to replace him is between a similarly minded Democrat, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, and a primary field of nine Republicans who all say they would sign restrictions passed by the Legislature, which is likely to remain under GOP control.

One Republican candidate, state Sen. Doug Mastriano, supports a ban at six weeks of pregnancy without exceptions for rape, incest or saving the life of the mother.

There is one way and one way only for us to ensure that women have the legal right to continue to make decisions over their own bodies in Pennsylvania and that is winning this governors race," Shapiro said during a conference call with reporters this week.

In North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper and other state Democrats have framed the November election as one in which they must prevent the GOP from winning back veto-proof majorities in the Legislature. With every seat up for election in November, Republicans need to gain five seats to restore that control.

Republicans in our state are on the verge of gaining veto-proof supermajorities in Raleigh. If they succeed, you can add North Carolina to the list of states that will ban abortions," Cooper, who has vetoed efforts to limit abortion since 2019, said in a recent fundraising letter.

Campaigns for two state Supreme Court seats are expected to be even more intense because the court could hear challenges to any new abortion restrictions. Democrats currently hold four of the seven seats, including two on the ballot this year.

Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley said in a release that the balance of the General Assembly and the Supreme Court has never been more important to ensure that pro-life majorities are in charge in a post-Roe future.

The potential to undermine abortion access also is surfacing in Virginia, where Democrats lost their total hold on state government last November when Republicans flipped the House of Delegates and won the governor's office. Democrats control the state Senate by only one vote and have one caucus member who opposes abortion and has indicated an openness to new restrictions.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin describes himself as pro-life," though he has said he supports exceptions in cases of rape, incest or to save a womans life. He said this week that it was premature to speculate on what the Supreme Courts final decision would be or how he and lawmakers might proceed.

In Minnesota, where control of the legislative chambers is divided between the parties, two anti-abortion amendments to a health and human services bill narrowly failed on procedural votes in the Democrat-controlled House. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz vowed in an email to supporters this week that no abortion ban will ever become law as long as hes governor; the Republican candidates vying to challenge his re-election bid all support a ban.

Michigan and Wisconsin, states with Democratic governors and legislatures controlled by Republicans, have pre-Roe abortion bans in state law. Michigan's governor already has filed a legal challenge to the law, while Wisconsin's attorney general, Democrat Josh Kaul, said he expects litigation as well.

(The) ban wasnt just dormant, he said. "It was unconstitutional for 50 years.

Some deeply Democratic states are moving quickly to try to shore up abortion rights. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and top Democratic leaders in the Legislature committed to asking voters to enshrine the right to choose in the state constitution, steps also in the works in Vermont and Colorado.

California already has some of the most expansive abortion protections in the country. But legislative leaders say the amendment would make it much harder to repeal those protections should the political winds change and future lawmakers seek to impose restrictions.

Democrats also believe it would shield the state from any adverse state court decisions or federal abortion bans if Republicans were to win control of Congress.

The unimaginable can happen, said state Sen. Nancy Skinner, a Democrat from Berkeley. Unless we are explicit about what we are protecting  some day some court could interpret privacy as not including my right to an abortion. And thats what were trying to protect against.

Colorado Democrats and advocates say they will seek a ballot measure in 2024 to enshrine abortion access in the constitution and repeal a 1980s constitutional amendment that bans public funding for abortion.

Democratic House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar said an amendment is needed because state legislatures can change, and depending on who has the majority, they can write into law their ideologies. This is fundamental for Colorado women, no matter whos in charge.

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Whitehurst reported from Salt Lake City, Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire, and Kruesi reported from Nashville, Tennessee. Associated Press statehouse reporters around the country contributed to this report.
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP)  Police say a North Carolina woman is accused of driving away after her car hit and injured a pedestrian last fall. The victim died this week.

News outlets report Nyquasia Shybreal Rowell, 22, of High Point was driving south on North Spring Street in Greensboro in the center travel lane early on Oct. 16 when she entered an intersection at Friendly Avenue on a green light, Greensboro police said.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  As homicides in Portland, Oregon, continue to increase and with resources stretched very thin", Police Chief Chuck Lovell announced Tuesday he is shifting detectives from other divisions to help investigate recent killings.

One area where resources are being pulled from is the cold case squad, which investigates unsolved slayings from 1970 to 2019. All three members of the team, two detectives and a sergeant, have been moved to the homicide unit.

These cold cases are very important to us. We know the importance they have to families, Lovell said. Were not going away from that work, its just a temporary shift of resources to help with current rise in homicides.

Resources and officers from sex crimes, property crimes and human trafficking units have also been moved to help address the citys killings and gun violence. As a result, the homicide unit has increased from 18 officers to 24.

Homicides have been on the rise in Portland for the past few years. From 2019 to 2020, Portland had a sharper rise in killings  an 83% increase  than nearly all major cities. Nationally, homicides had increased by nearly 30% in the same time, based on FBI data.

City police and officials say the increase  which disproportionally affected Portlands Black community  was fueled by gang-related arguments, drug deals gone awry and disputes among homeless people. The situation was exacerbated by the pandemic, economic hardships and mental health crises.

Last year, Portland recorded 90 homicides last year  shattering the citys previous high of 66 set in 1987. So far this year, there have been 31 homicides. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that nine of the homicides this year have resulted in an arrest.

In total, this year there have been nearly 500 shootings in Portland.

Weve had the perfect storm of things, Lovell said. Not only do we have a shrinking police department, we have the pandemic, a rise in shootings, a big cut to the budget in 2020, a loss of many officers between August of 2020 and now.

Portlands police department has struggled to keep up amid an acute staffing shortage and budget cuts. Currently, the bureau has 772 sworn members. Lovell says his ideal staffing level is 1,100.

Between August 2020 and November 2021, about 200 officers left the department. Many, in their exit interviews, cited low morale, lack of support from city officials and burnout from months of racial justice protests. In addition, Lovell says 90 officers will be eligible to retire this year.

However, the bureau hopes to hire more officers soon through recruitment and the retire-rehire program. The bureau just hired eight background investigators to help speed the process.

The bureau has also faced budget cuts.

In 2020, following the rallying cries to defund the police," some Portlanders demanded that $50 million be cut from the police bureaus budget, with the money going to community-driven initiatives. The City Council responded by cutting $15 million. An additional $12 million was cut due to pandemic-caused economic shortfalls.

As a result, school resource officers, transit police and a gun violence reduction team  which was found to disproportionately target Black Portland residents during traffic stops, according to an audit in March 2018  were disbanded.

In November, 2021, officials partially restored the cut funds with City Council passing a fall budget bump that increased the $230 million police budget by an additional $5.2 million.

Lovell says that monetary conversations are continuing ahead of the annual budget process. The chief said that he is looking for budgetary items that show support for the police bureau and commitment to public safety."
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The primary elections in Ohio and Indiana on Tuesday stood as the first real test of former President Donald Trump's status as the Republican Party kingmaker  and he passed.

Takeaways from the races:

TRUMP'S CLOUT

Trump's chosen candidate, Hillbilly Elegy author and one-time investment banker JD Vance, won the crowded Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Ohio, giving Trump a strong beginning to primary season.

Vance, former State Treasurer Josh Mandel, businessman Mike Gibbons and former state GOP chair Jane Timken all vied for Trump's endorsement, increasingly adopting language that mirrored the former president's bombastic, populist style. In the end, Trump went with Vance, who in 2016 said the celebrity businessman could become America's Hitler but has since become an avid supporter.

Vance wooed the former president by echoing his bashing of immigrants, skepticism about U.S. military involvement overseas  even in support of Ukraine  and lies about Trump's defeat in the 2020 election. Lagging in the polls when he received Trump's endorsement three weeks ago, Vance made it a centerpiece of his closing pitch and vaulted ahead of his rivals.

Vance will face Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan in November's general election as they compete for the seat held by retiring GOP Sen. Rob Portman. Trump won Ohio by 8 percentage points in 2020, and the state has swung to the right under his influence. Replacing Portman, a traditional Republican and no fan of Trump's, with Vance would move the Senate further in the former president's direction.

POWER OF ELECTION DENIAL

Ohio's Republican secretary of state, Frank LaRose, easily survived a primary challenge from John Adams, who denies that President Joe Biden won the 2020 election and ran as a full-throated skeptic of modern voting systems.

But Ohio's Republican primary still shows the power that Trump's election lies have on his party's base. An AP-NORC poll last year found two-thirds of Republicans believe Biden was not legitimately elected, even though the contest was free of any significant voter fraud and repeated investigations, audits and court cases have disproved Trump's claims.

LaRose initially said the 2020 election was secure and accurate, but as the primary neared, he began to echo some of Trump's talking points. He claimed there were problems in other states and touted his office's work to combat voter fraud.

Trump endorsed LaRose, a longtime supporter. Since Ohio wasn't a battleground and Trump won the state easily, the incumbent secretary of state never got on his bad side in the days after he 2020 loss.

In contrast, in swing state Michigan  one of the states Trump claimed to win in 2020, even though he actually lost it  Trump endorsed an election conspiracy theorist, Kristina Karamo. She won the GOP nomination for secretary of state last month. Plenty of other Trump-backed election deniers are competing in upcoming Republican primaries.

RESILIENT GOVERNORS

Trump and his populist supporters have shaken up their party and pushed its incumbents in Trump's direction in many places, but one weak point so far are governor's mansions.

Ohio was the clearest example of that. Trump castigated Republican Gov. Mike DeWine for his strict coronavirus policies in 2020, but DeWine cruised to victory in the primary. He will face Democrat Nan Whaley in the general election. Whaley, the former mayor of Dayton, is the first woman nominated by a major party for Ohio governor.

Ohio is not the only place where a GOP governor is well positioned against a primary challenger. Idaho's Brad Little has a strong fundraising advantage against his conservative opponent, Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin. In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp is a strong favorite against former Sen. David Perdue, whom Trump recruited to punish Kemp for not supporting his election lies and for certifying Biden's victory in the state.

Governors are helped by their incumbency, the wide range of popular conservative policies they can announce and federal coronavirus relief that has taken the pressure off state budgets. DeWine, for example, outraised his foes by millions of dollars and was able to benefit from, for example, the chip firm Intel's announcement it will invest $20 million in the state.

DeWine got another boost because his opposition was split between former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci and farmer Joe Blystone. Trump didn't make an endorsement in the race.

DEMOCRATS SPURN THE LEFT, AGAIN

In the Cleveland area, Democratic Rep. Shontel Brown trounced former state Sen. Nina Turner in yet another battle between the partys establishment and progressive wings.

Turner co-chaired Sen. Bernie Sanders presidential primary campaign and lost to Brown in last years special election for the seat after its previous occupant, Marcia Fudge, became Bidens secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Turner ran again, hoping that the district might be more amenable to her approach after it was redrawn to include more Democratic areas.

No such luck. Browns easy victory is a reminder that the left has a very uneven track record in Democratic primaries, notching a few high-profile wins like that of U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in New York City, but mostly a long string of losses. Trump may have changed Republican primaries, but Democratic ones still tilt toward the same establishment that has run the party for decades.

IN INDIANA, INCUMBENCY BEATS LIBERTY

Legislative races in Indiana showed the power of incumbency, even amid rising conservative anger.

Activists infuriated by the states coronavirus restrictions organized roughly two dozen so-called liberty candidates to take on lawmakers in the GOP primary whom they saw as too supportive of Republican Gov. Eric Holcombs public health measures. The picture was mixed on Tuesday night, with several of those races uncalled.

But the challengers were repeatedly coming up short taking on incumbent legislators. One incumbent targeted as too close to the party establishment lost his primary, but so did an incumbent who encouraged the liberty candidates. And in at least 10 other races, the liberty candidates fell short.

Its a reminder that, even in Trumps GOP, conservative insurgents dont always have an easy path against incumbents.

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Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ap_politics
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  The trial of a self-published romance writer accused of fatally shooting her chef husband has resumed after a pause due to a positive COVID-19 test in the courtroom.

Nancy Crampton Brophy was arrested in 2018 and faces a murder charge in the death of 63-year-old Daniel Brophy.

KOIN-TV reported Tuesday that her trial, which began April 5, had resumed. The prosecution rested its case April 21 and the defense had hoped to take up their case last week, but the trial was delayed because of the COVID-19 case.

Judge Christopher Ramras said a juror was still out with COVID-19 and that an alternate juror would replace that person starting Tuesday.

Daniel Brophy was killed as he prepped for work at the Oregon Culinary Institute in Southwest Portland on June 2, 2018.

Nancy Crampton Brophy is a self-published romance writer who long before her husbands death penned an essay titled How to Murder Your Husband.

Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Shawn Overstreet has told jurors Crampton Brophy was motivated by greed and a $1.4 million insurance policy.

Lead defense attorney Lisa Maxfield has said Crampton Brophy and her finances both deteriorated after Brophys death.

Crampton Brophy previously entered not a guilty plea to the charge.
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BOSTON (AP)  Firefighters in Boston worked for more than three hours to rescue an injured construction worker after part of a historic power plant collapsed Wednesday while being redeveloped.

Fire Commissioner Jack Dempsey told reporters the worker sustained life-threatening injuries when a wall collapsed and landed on his legs and lower body.

Two other workers were quickly removed from the former Edison Power Plant in South Boston and taken to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, he said. The collapse occurred at around 1:45 p.m.

Wednesdays incident was the second collapse at a Boston construction site this year. A construction worker died in March when a part of a parking garage being demolished collapsed.

Mayor Michelle Wu credited first responders for executing a very dangerous rescue operation," saying it was a near-miracle that the worker was pulled to safely.

For my part, Im angry that were here again at another work site with another major incident," the Democrat added, according to WCVB-TV.

The plant, which is over 120 years old, is being redeveloped into a mixed-use property that includes residential, office, research and retail space, a hotel, and open public space, according to the Boston Planning and Development Agency.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration was also investigating, a spokesperson said.

Suffolk Construction, the company responsible for the deconstruction, said a catwalk had collapsed at the building, which is more than 120 years old. We are currently on site working closely with OSHA, our subcontractor and the local authorities to determine the cause of this incident and confirm the safety of the site, the company said in a statement.

Hilco Redevelopment Partners, which is developing the site, thanked first responders for their quick actions.
GRANITE CITY  Six Mile Regional Library District, in partnership with the Granite City Park District, will host the grand opening of a StoryWalk at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 7, Worthen Park, 2599 Parkview Drive, in Granite City.

A StoryWalk gets people out walking while reading childrens picture books, combining nature and physical activity with literacy. Pages of a picture book are transformed into signs that are laid out on a trail. While reading along, participants will discover each of the 20 stations located throughout the park along the walking trail.
SAN DIEGO (AP)  The Biden administration has begun expelling Cubans and Nicaraguans to Mexico under pandemic-related powers to deny migrants a chance to seek asylum, expanding use of the rule even as it publicly says it has been trying to unwind it, officials said Wednesday.

The U.S. struck an agreement with Mexico to expel up to 100 Cubans and 20 Nicaraguans a day from three locations: San Diego; El Paso, Texas; and Rio Grande Valley, Texas, according to a U.S. official with direct knowledge of the effort.

The expulsions began April 27 and will end May 22, the official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement has not been made public. They are carried out under Title 42 authority, which was named for a public health law and used to expel migrants on the grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19. Title 42 is due to expire May 23.

The U.S. and Mexico agreed April 26 to very limited expulsions of Cubans and Nicaraguans, according to a high-level Mexican official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. It was prompted by higher numbers of migrants from those two countries coming to the U.S. border.

Another Mexican official, also not authorized to comment publicly, confirmed that up to 100 Cubans and 20 Nicaraguans were being expelled from San Diego under Title 42 under an agreement that runs through May 22.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Until last week, Mexico only agreed to take Guatemalans, Hondurans and El Salvadorans  in addition to Mexicans  under Title 42 authority. Other nationalities are subject to Title 42 but costs, strained diplomatic ties and other considerations often make it difficult to send them back to their home countries.

It's next to impossible for the U.S. to expel migrants to Cuba or Nicaragua due to poor relations with those governments. That has posed an acute challenge for the Biden administration as more people from those countries seek haven in the United States.

Cubans were stopped by U.S. authorities more than 32,000 times on the Mexican border in March, double the number in February and more than five times October's count, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Nicaragua eased travel restrictions from Cuba in November, making it easier for Cubans to continue by land to the U.S. border. Most enter the U.S. in or near Yuma, Arizona, and Del Rio, Texas.

Last month, Cuba and the United States took a tentative step toward thawing relations and resuming joint efforts to address irregular migration during the highest-level talks between the two countries in four years.

There were no major breakthroughs, but the mere fact that the U.S. was holding substantive talks was a sign relations might be looking better under President Joe Biden after going into deep freeze under his predecessor, Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio said Friday.

They seem committed. They ratified that they are committed to the agreements in place, Fernandez de Cossio said. So we have no reason to mistrust what theyre saying, but time will tell.

Nicaraguans were stopped more than 16,000 times in March, more than double September's level. The vast majority enter in South Texas.

Lifting Title 42 has proven controversial as midterm elections near, even for Biden's Democratic Party, amid concerns that the U.S. is unprepared for an anticipated increase in migrants seeking asylum. Authorities stopped migrants more than 221,000 times in March, the highest mark in 22 years.

The White House and Homeland Security Department have publicly stood behind the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's decision to end the measure because it could no longer be justified on grounds of protecting public health.

But the practice of expelling Cubans and Nicaraguans runs counter to the administration's public statements that it was phasing out use of the pandemic powers to prepare for May 23. The Washington Post reported earlier Wednesday that U.S. and Mexico struck an agreement to do so for Cubans and Nicaraguans.

The U.S. has expelled migrants more than 1.8 million times under Title 42 authority since March 2020, effectively overriding rights to seek asylum under U.S. law and international treaty. In doing so, migrants are not subject to immigration law, which include rights to seek protection from persecution at home.

The administration said in court filings that it began processing more Central American adults under immigration laws after the CDC's announcement on April 1. But a federal judge in Louisiana ruled last week that it couldn't start unwinding Title 42 while it was still in effect.

U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays strongly criticized the CDC's decision, suggesting he would try to keep Title 42 in effect after May 23. A hearing is scheduled May 13 for oral arguments.

Marisa Limon, senior director of advocacy and planning at the Hope Border Institute, said advocates began learning about expulsions of Cubans and Nicaraguans from El Paso on Monday and later confirmed the new practice with U.S. officials.

Limon said the administration is trying to get every last bit out of Title 42 before it expires. She called it sobering but consistent with the administration's efforts to have other countries in the Western hemisphere take more responsibility for hosting people fleeing their homes.

___

Sherman reported from Mexico City.
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Joanne M. Pierce, College of the Holy Cross

(THE CONVERSATION) A Russian missile cruiser Moskva, the flagship of its Black Sea fleet, sunk after it was heavily damaged in April 2022. Kremlin officials said that a fire on board caused munitions to explode, while Ukrainian officials claimed they had attacked the Moskva. Several media reports noted that the ship might have been carrying a relic of the true cross, a piece of the actual wooden cross on which Christians believe that Jesus suffered and died.

The possibility of the relic being on the sunken ship cannot be ruled out. A collector is said to have donated the relic in 2020 to the Russian navy, which planned to place it in the Moskvas onboard chapel. It is unclear, however, whether the relic was on board the ship in its chapel when the vessel went into combat. But the widespread interest in the possibility of this ancient relic being on board points to its importance for many Christians.

As an expert in medieval Christian liturgy and worship, I know that veneration of relics has a long history in Christian devotional practice.

Venerating martyrs

In the first three centuries of Christianity, Christians, whose religion was outlawed, prayed at the entombed bodies of martyrs, who were executed for refusing to renounce their new faith.

After the Roman Empire legalized Christianity in the early fourth century, smaller buildings called shrine churches were sometimes built around the tomb of a martyr. At times, the bodies of the martyr were exhumed by local bishops and reburied within the city itself, in a special tomb beneath the floor of a larger church or basilica.

Prior to this practice, bodies of the dead were kept in tombs and catacombs built outside of the citys walls so as to separate them from the city of the living. But Christians believed in the power of the martyrs and, later, other saintly persons to intercede on their behalf with God. Saints were respected and their relics and images venerated, but they were not adored or worshipped as God might be.

Jesus cross

After Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity, Jerusalem became an important center for Christians who wanted to make religious trips to visit the places where Jesus and his apostles lived and preached. The term pilgrimage, meaning journey, originated at the time.

During this time, what was believed to be a piece of the True Cross was brought back to Europe  supposedly by St. Helena, the emperors mother  and broken up into smaller pieces.

Another section remained in Jerusalem and was venerated there, until in the early seventh century a Persian emperor, a Zoroastrian, conquered the city and removed the relic among the spoils of war. Several years later, the Persians were themselves conquered by the Christian emperor Heraclius, who returned the relic to Jerusalem. There it remained, even after the Muslim conquest of Jerusalem later that century.

Pilgrimage to see relics

As Christianity spread throughout Europe, beyond the boundaries of the Roman Empire, so did the practice of venerating the saints.

The demands for a saintly body increased, and so the remains of famous or local saints were divided into pieces, which included clippings of hair, or sometimes whole body parts. These relics  from a Latin word meaning something left behind  were frequently placed in special containers or display cases, called reliquaries.

These were usually especially elaborate, made of precious metals and adorned with jewels as a reflection of the special reverence for these elements that had touched the body of Jesus Christ.

The more famous the relic, the more pilgrims would make their way to the church or monastery where it was kept, and the more the clergy could earn through the offerings visitors made at the shrine.

By the turn of the millennium, the number of pilgrims traveling to visit Jerusalem from Europe increased, but tensions mounted between Muslim rulers and Christian leaders. There was friction among various Christian nobles and kings as well. Because of this, in the late 11th to the late 13th centuries, Christian political and religious leaders led a series of major wars  the Crusades  to regain control of the Holy Land from its Muslim ruler.

One result was an increase in the number of relics of Jesus, Mary and other New Testament figures brought back to Europe and circulated as authentic.

Some of these included fragments of bone or hair from apostles or other saintly figures, while others consisted of scraps of fabric from their clothing. Most esteemed of all were objects that supposedly had touched the body of Jesus himself, especially those connected with his suffering and death, such as the spikes used to nail him to the cross.

Power of relics

By the end of the medieval period, there was an overwhelming number of stories associating relics with miracles, such as unexpected healings or protection from the dangers of weather.

Many ordinary Christians treated the relics as a kind of lucky rabbits foot, owned or reverenced for personal protection. This was true for relics of the true cross as well. In Venice, for example, several miracle stories of the true cross, especially of it saving ships from storms, circulated widely.

During the Reformation of the 16th century, many European Protestant writers objected to the Catholic veneration of relics. Most felt that it was a practice not found in the Bible; others felt that many believers were worshipping saints as if they were divine, and that many devotional practices involving relics involved fraud and superstition, not genuine prayer. The Protestant theologian John Calvin suggested that if all of the supposed fragments of the True Cross were gathered together, they would fill an entire ship.

Even some Catholic scholars of the period, notably Erasmus of Rotterdam, criticized the fraudulent manipulation of believers for cash offerings when visiting shrines, and questioned the authenticity of many relics.

In 1563, the Catholic Council of Trent responded to all of these criticisms by clarifying the Catholic view of relics in an official decree. In the document, the assembled bishops stressed that devotional activities involving relics should not border on superstition in any way, that filthy lucre  buying and selling of relics  be abolished and that veneration ceremonies not devolve into revellings and drunkenness.

What makes a relic more precious

Until very recently, Catholic tradition divided relics into several classes, depending on their relationship to Christ or the saints. A first-class relic was a fragment of a saints actual body, like a tooth, hair clipping, or sliver of bone.

Pieces of objects involved in the Passion of Christ were also included in this class, since traditional theology teaches that Jesus Christ rose again from the dead after three days in the tomb and ascended bodily into heaven 40 days after.

Whether prized as a lucky charm or venerated as a powerful reminder of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, this Russian relic of the true cross has taken its place in the paradoxical history of these valuable religious objects: The peaceful message of Jesus has often been lost in the violent chaos of war.

[Explore the intersection of faith, politics, arts and culture. Sign up for This Week in Religion.]

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Demonstrators protest outside of the U.S. Supreme Court, May 3, in Washington. AP-Yonhap



President Joe Biden on Tuesday criticized as "radical" a draft U.S. Supreme Court decision that would overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide, a bombshell that was denounced by Democrats and stunned even some moderate Republicans.



The court confirmed that the text, published late on Monday by the news outlet Politico, was authentic but said it did not represent the final decision of the justices, due by the end of June. Chief Justice John Roberts announced an investigation into how the draft - authored by conservative Justice Samuel Alito - was leaked, calling it a "betrayal" of the confidentiality of the judicial process.



"This was a singular and egregious breach of that trust that is an affront to the court and the community of public servants who work here," Roberts said, pledging that the disclosure will not undermine the integrity of the court's operations.



Biden and other Democrats scrambled to respond to the news that a half-century of abortion access for American women could end - a cherished goal of many Republicans and religious conservatives. Biden vowed to work toward getting Congress to pass legislation codifying the Roe ruling and urged voters to back candidates in the Nov. 8 congressional elections who support abortion rights.



Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the chamber will vote next week on such legislation even though a similar Democratic-backed bill already failed this year. Amid Republican opposition, the razor-thin Democratic majority was insufficient to overcome Senate rules requiring a supermajority to advance most legislation.



"It's a fundamental shift in American jurisprudence," Biden said of Alito's draft, arguing that such a decision would call into question other rights including same-sex marriage, which the court recognized in 2015.



"It becomes the law, and if what is written is what remains, it goes far beyond the concern of whether or not there is the right to choose," Biden added, referring to abortion rights.



The Roe decision recognized that the right to personal privacy under the U.S. Constitution protects a woman's ability to terminate her pregnancy.



Even if the new Senate vote fails, Democrats could use it to bolster their chances in the midterm elections in which Republicans are hoping to regain control of Congress. Democrats believe the vote could shore up support for incumbent Democratic senators including Mark Kelly in Arizona and Raphael Warnock in Georgia, and could help against incumbent Republicans including Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.



'Rocks my confidence'



U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, moderate Republicans supportive of abortion rights, voiced dismay at Alito's draft.



"If it goes in the direction that this leaked copy has indicated, I would just tell you that it rocks my confidence in the court right now," Murkowski said, adding she supports legislation codifying abortion rights.



Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom said the most populous U.S. state will pursue an amendment to its constitution to "enshrine the right to choose."



"Do something, Democrats," abortion rights protesters chanted as they rallied outside the court against a decision that would be a triumph for Republicans who spent decades building the court's current 6-3 conservative majority.



The person who leaked the draft was not been identified.



Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell condemned the leak as a "lawless action" that should be "investigated and punished as fully as possible," saying the Justice Department must pursue criminal charges if applicable. McConnell called the leak part of a campaign by the "radical left," but offered no evidence.





U.S. President Joe Biden / AFP-Yonhap
As nearly 200 people marched for abortion rights in downtown Houston on Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-Houston)who is part of the House Pro Choice Caucusurged senators to pass a bill codifying the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision that secured abortion rights.

"What the Senate needs to see is that they're representatives of the people, and the majority of people support abortion rights for people across this country," Fletcher said in an interview Tuesday as the crowd chanted in Tranquility Park. "I hope very much the Senate will take what we're seeing in response to this draft and understand the importance of passing [legislation]."

The demonstrations and pleas for the Senate to act came fewer than 24 hours after Politico published a leaked draft decision, later confirmed as authentic by Chief Justice John Roberts, that indicated the high court plans to overturn the Roe decision. If the vote holds in the final opinion from the court, pregnant people in Texas and dozens of other states across the country will almost immediately have fewer options to access abortion care.

Fletcher, who represents Texas' 7th Congressional District, co-sponsored the Women's Health Protection Act, which passed the Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives in September. It is currently awaiting action in the Senate, which is also controlled by the Democrats. President Joe Biden has previously called for Congress to pass the legislation, signaling he'd sign it into law.

Yi-Chin Lee, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Fletcher attended one of two planned demonstrations Tuesday evening downtown, the first from the Houston Women's March On group. Across the street at City Hall, the Houston chapter of Democratic Socialists of America and Houston's Socialist Alternative party held another rallythis one calling out both Republicans and Democrats alike for the lack of legislation protecting abortion rights at the federal level. Fletcher did not appear to attend the Socialist rally.

"They're partially responsible for the situation we're in," said Brian Harrison of Socialist Alternative to a crowd of about 200 people, referring to Democrats. "We've been defensive. [It's] because we've been fighting in courtrooms and not in the streets and in our workplaces. Organizations like the Democratic Party, they're partially responsible for why we're here."

Jay R. Jordan / Chron staff

Passing the bill in the Senate will be challenging in part because Democrats would have to change the body's filibuster rules, according to Christina Wilkie of CNBC. To do that, they'll need 50 senators to agree. The Senate currently has 48 Democrats and two independents, who routinely caucus with Democrats. The rest are Republicans. In the event of a tie, Vice President Kamala Harris would break the vote.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pledged to hold a vote on the bill. Two Democrats, Sens. Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema, have since said they wouldn't support a change in the filibuster rules. Manchin had also previously voted against codifying Roe.

"What I'm proposing is a different approach, an approach that won the right to choose back in the '70s, a militant approach of the feminist movement," Harrison said outside City Hall. "We have to return to mass protest, like the Women's Strike for Equality in 1970."

Jay R. Jordan / Chron staff

For Fletcher, the moment represents a longstanding burden placed on women that they continue to shoulder.

"It was Texas women who challenged the unconstitutional law banning abortion in Texas back in the '60s and early '70s that led us to the decision in Roe v. Wade," she said. "Texas women have been standing up for our freedoms, for reproductive healthcare and reproductive justice for years and years."

Democratic governor hopeful Beto O'Rourke will hold another rally supporting abortion rights Saturday at Discovery Green in downtown Houston.
Sometimes you can find some real treasures while thrifting. A Texas woman recently came across what may be one of the most precious.

Laura Young, an antique dealer, found a neat-looking all-white marble sculpture at a Goodwill in Austin in 2018. For only $34.99, the 50-pound piece seemed like a deal, and Young was quick to snag the item and bring it home.

Hoping to find out more information about the sculpture, Matt Largey of KUT reports that Young contacted an auction house in London. She was able to confirm that the portrait bust is likely of a popular Roman general named Drusus Germanicus, and was told the sculpture was more than 2,000-years-old, according to KUT.

Leila Amineddoleh, a lawyer in New York who specializes in international art law, said that while some reports claim that the sculpture could be of Roman military leader Sextus Pompey, a majority believe it to be a portrait of Drusus. "Of course, that could be incorrect, but I believe most experts have identified the work as Drusus Germanicus," Amineddoleh said.

Its last known whereabouts were at a museum built by German King Ludwig the First called the Pompejanum built in the 1840s in the German city of Aschaffenburg.

During World War II, a battle was fought in Aschaffenburg in the spring of 1945 and the museum was hit by bombs and heavily damaged. Stephennie Mulder, an art history professor at UT Austin, told KUT that many of the museum's objects were either destroyed or looted, so it's likely the bust suffered the same fate.

"So unfortunately in this case, it might have been a U.S. soldier who either looted it himself or purchased it from someone who had looted the object," Mulder said.

The item was considered lost or destroyed until its discovery in Austin. Young told KUT that she knew she couldn't keep the looted artifact so she hired Amineddoleh to negotiate how to get it back to Germany. While negotiations took place over several years, a process further delayed by the pandemic, Young kept the bust in her home and even named it Dennis Reynolds after the narcissist character from "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," KUT reports.

"He was attractive, he was cold, he was aloof," Young told KUT. "I couldn't really have him. He was difficult. So, yeah, my nickname for him was 'Dennis.'"

It has been decided that German authorities will take the bust back, but first it will enjoy a one-year exhibition alongside artifacts in the Roman antique collection at the San Antonio Museum of Art. It will remain on display there until next summer when the statue will be returned to Germany, according to KUT

Young has since made a half-size 3D-printed replica of "Dennis" to keep for herself. "I do have a collection of busts at home," she told KUT. "So he's with my other heads."
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Gov. Greg Abbott is calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to issue its decision on Roe v. Wade this week after a draft opinion suggesting the high court is poised on overturning the landmark ruling was leaked Monday night. The Supreme Court confirmed Tuesday that the draft opinion is authentic but not final.

In contrast to other Texas leaders weighing in on the opinion shortly after it was revealed, the Republican governor who has made anti-abortion measures a priority in the Lone Star State, has not issued a formal statement about the draft. However, during a Tuesday appearance on the conservative radio talk show The Rick Roberts Show, Abbott denounced the leak as an attempt to "hijack the decision process" in order to "intimidate the justices on the U.S. Supreme Court either to not agree with that draft or to abandon that draft."
WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, May 4, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

Severe Weather Statement

National Weather Service Amarillo TX

400 PM CDT Wed May 4 2022

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 PM CDT

FOR NORTHEASTERN ARMSTRONG AND SOUTHEASTERN CARSON COUNTIES...

At 400 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 7 miles southwest of

Panhandle, moving northeast at 35 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.

SOURCE...Trained weather spotters. At 356 PM CDT, quarter size hail

was reported at Pantex, southwest of Panhandle.

IMPACT...Minor damage to roofs, siding, and trees is possible. Hail

damage to vehicles is expected.

Locations impacted include...

Panhandle, White Deer, Groom and Skellytown.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for the Panhandle

of Texas.

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

To report severe weather contact your nearest law enforcement agency.

They will send your report to the National Weather Service office in

Amarillo.

_____

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
Chinese COVID-19 vaccines safe, effective: Cambodian official

Xinhua) 16:24, May 04, 2022

PHNOM PENH, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian health ministry's secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine has said that China's Sinovac and Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and the jabs are essential to protect lives.

"The vaccines we are using currently include Sinovac, Sinopharm, AstraZeneca, Johnson &Johnson, Pfizer, and Moderna," she told reporters on Tuesday.

"These vaccines are safe, effective and of good quality because they are in the World Health Organization (WHO)'s list of vaccines for emergency use," she said.

The southeast Asian nation launched a national vaccination campaign against COVID-19 in February 2021, with China being the key vaccine supplier and most of the vaccines used in the kingdom are Sinovac and Sinopharm.

Vandine said vaccines are an effective tool to protect lives from the attack of COVID-19, urging all eligible people to get their booster doses, the third or the fourth shots, when their turns come in order to strengthen their immune system.

WHO's representative to Cambodia Li Ailan said vaccines save lives, protect health and contribute to a long life.

"More Cambodians are being well protected through vaccinations including ongoing COVID-19 vaccination and Cambodia's routine immunization services," she wrote on social media.

The country has so far inoculated at least one dose of vaccines to almost 15 million people, equivalent to 93.4 percent of its 16 million population, the health ministry said, adding that 14.2 million, or 88.8 percent, have been fully vaccinated with two required shots.

With its high vaccination rates, Cambodia has resumed all socioeconomic activities and reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers without quarantine since last November.

Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said vaccines have protected lives, stabilized health system and helped restore the economy.

"The royal government of Cambodia has made the correct decision to choose China as a strategic supplier of COVID-19 vaccines so that's why Cambodia has enough vaccines for its people," he told Xinhua.

Cambodia registered only one new COVID-19 case on Wednesday with new zero fatalities, taking the kingdom's confirmed total cases since the pandemic began to 136,258, including 3,056 deaths.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji)
Sandbox began life as a secretive division of Google parent company Alphabet in 2016, and in March 2022 became a company in its own right, Sandbox AQ. The A is for artificial intelligence, and the Q is for quantum, says CEO Jack Hidary.

The company plans to apply those technologies in the development of software-as-a-service products for the enterprise, tackling problems such as cybersecurity, navigation, and drug discovery.

Hidary, an energetic figure, is a serial entrepreneur. With his brother, he co-founded web design firm EarthWeb, leading the company through its acquisition of job site Dice.com and an IPO, and co-founded financial research firm Vista Research and solar panel installer SambaEnergy. He has also sat on a number of boards.

In his current role at Sandbox AQ, he has also found time to become a published author: His 2019 introductory guide, Quantum Computing: An Applied Approach, is now in its second edition.

One of the applications of quantum computing that he discusses in that book is Shors Algorithm, which  if you have access to a working quantum computer  makes it possible to crack many of todays encryption algorithms, finding private keys in seconds rather than (billions of) years. It may only be a few years before quantum computers up to the task are on the market, so the threat to enterprise data is imminent.

Under Hidarys leadership, Sandbox AQ will be taking an applied approach to using quantum technologies in enterprise IT. Shortly after the companys creation, Hidary spoke to CIO.com about his plans. Here are edited highlights of that conversation.

Jack Hidary, CEO, Sandbox AQ Sandbox AQ

CIO.com: What enterprise problems will Sandbox AQ focus on?

Jack Hidary: The primary focus right now is post-quantum cryptography. Thats because of the urgency around cybersecurity in general, which I know that your readers are very familiar with. But specifically, there is an open war in cybersecurity on theft of IP [intellectual property]: The store-now-decrypt-later attack that is happening now.

Companies across the western world are being attacked, and data that is encrypted is being exfiltrated. Thats the store now part. The decrypt later part is that when sufficient computing capabilities are available to those adversaries, they will decrypt it and have access to it.

Think about IP in terms of chemical formulas at consumer-packaged goods or chemicals companies. Or of formulas and know-how and trade secrets at pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Not just the pharma products that are on the market: Almost as important or as critical are the thousands of compounds that every biotech is working on in development. It takes 10 or 15 years to develop some of these drugs, so if you have access to the IP of Novartis or Roche or Pfizer or Merck, you know these, this is very, very valuable, even if it takes you a few years to decrypt it when you have sufficient computing power.

We also have to think about sensitive financial records. We have to think about HIPAA. The definition of HIPAA will have to change because we need to keep medical records around for years, and right now they are RSA encrypted, but unfortunately, RSA is vulnerable to quantum attack and the same thing with elliptic curve cryptography and with DiffieHellman key exchange.

The core encryption algorithms that we use for data in motion and data at rest are vulnerable to quantum attack and specifically, and this I want to emphasize, right now to store now decrypt later. You know, CIOs sometimes ask us, do I need to act now? Can I just wait until were at the precipice of an RSA cracker? And the answer is unfortunately, one has to act now because of store-now-decrypt-later or hack-now-decrypt-later attacks.

If quantum computers can crack todays encryption algorithms, will all our data be vulnerable?

Hidary: The good news is that the cyber community came together about six years ago  multiple countries, Western and Eastern European countries, the US, Canada, other leading countries in cybersecurity came together and formed the NIST process to examine, validate, and test a series of protocols that could replace RSA. Over 60 protocols were accepted into round one. The NIST process worked its way through, on an international multi-stakeholder basis, an open process, open to all, on the NIST website. It came out after three rounds with the finalists and indicated just last week that in the next two weeks, were going to see the specs on the first protocols that we can use.

(Hidary spoke to CIO.com in late March 2022, but participants in the NIST process continued to make tweaks to the encryption algorithms through April, and at time of writing, NIST had reached no conclusions.)

What do CIOs need to do to prepare?

Hidary: The timing is propitious for the migration now from RSA to post-RSA encryption. Had we tried to do this three or four years ago, what would we have used? What would the new protocol have been? The good news now is that theres a software fix. One does not have to buy new hardware.

The first step though, as we put ourselves in the shoes of a CIO, would be discovery, encryption discovery. We know that large enterprises, no matter how hard they try to avoid it, are ad-hoc patchworks of multiple networks, M&A transactions that happened over the years of the company, so theres encryption all over the place both for data at rest, and as well as in payment hubs, transaction hubs, and other points of data in motion.

What is needed in every large enterprise is a discovery process, a piece of software that crawls over the network, finds all the places where one is using RSA or elliptic curve or other vulnerable protocols, catalogs it, inventories it, presents it to the CISO, presents it to the CIO, and then makes recommendations for migration plans. It takes years to migrate a large enterprise, and so one needs a plan to do so.

What were seeing now is governments kicking in various rulings, various compliance calendars and milestones: The Jan. 19, 2022, national security memo from the US federal government enjoins the sensitive agencies of the United States to start moving from RSA towards post-RSA. The SEC proposed a cybersecurity compliance ruling on March 9, 2022, to take effect within 60 days. ANSSI, the French national cybersecurity agency, issued a post-RSA communique on Jan. 4, 2022. The UK government has issued its communiques. This is a global effort, a multi-stakeholder effort to bring the entire world from RSA to post-RSA. There are 20 billion physical devices that will need software upgraded: 7 to 8 billion phones, billions of laptops and servers, billions of IoT devices, all will need software upgrades.

So, the software service that you are offering is the scanning and the advising?

Hidary: Exactly. We have three pieces of this. One is the scanner, Sandbox AQ Discovery Tools. Many of our customers want to keep that information to themselves, so we dont run it as a service. We license it to the companies where they can run it and see the results themselves. We dont need their internal results.

Second is the migration planning tool. Once you get the inventory and assessment, lets put it all in a massive Gantt-chart-like piece of software that we have, a module for migration planning. That also is a compliance report output module, which allows you to hit a button, output a compliance report that you file with the appropriate regulatory bodies.

The third piece is the set of KEM [key encapsulation mechanisms] and encryption modules that instantiate and represent the protocols that came out of the open multi-country multinational stakeholder process known as the NIST process. The good news is we did not have to invent any new algorithms. That was done by the cryptography community, the mathematicians, the cryptanalysts, over a 25-year period since Peter Shors paper came out. They did their work brilliantly.

So, the third piece of what Sandbox AQ offers are these actual encryption APIs and SDKs. Lets say, for example, youre a large bank and you have your banking apps for your customers to do online banking, mobile banking, mobile brokerage, and so forth. Those apps need upgrading right away. If were going to protect that transactional data, that customer data, we need to update the SDK thats in the app, and then update it on the app stores so that further communication will happen via post-RSA encryption.

If these are open algorithms, what is the added value that you offer here? What can you offer that other companies cannot?

Hidary: Firstly, its a strength that the algorithms are open. Theres no source code out there. Its not open source, but its open algorithms and thats the strength of the cyber community now: We only trust open algorithms, the ones that have been validated and tested by the open community.

The value-add we offer is the following: The discovery tool and the encryption modules all have our machine learning modules in them. Why machine learning? Is it just pixie dust we have to add to everything? No. The reason is that, coming out of the NIST process, we dont have just one protocol: We have multiple valid post-RSA protocols.

For a large enterprise architecture, we need a control plane and a data plane, and we need to separate the control plane from the data plane. The data plane is the encryption plane. Thats where the encryption happens using the post-RSA protocols. The control plane is where the machine learning sits, to choose in real time the parameters and which protocol to use. Some protocols are faster, some are a bit slower, some offer a bit more security, some sufficient but a bit less. An ML model is necessary to make these real-time choices.

We offer a lot of value-add with our deep heritage of machine learning and our knowledge and expertise there, suffused with our understanding and deep expertise in quantum-safe cryptography. Bringing these two together, thats where the value-add is.

To do the scanning, obviously, one needs some smarts in the system. It cant just be a dumb scan: You will not be happy with the results with a passive dumb scan. You need a smart scan to do the scan across massive enterprises on premises, in the cloud, on mobile phones. A typical enterprise might have 200,000 mobile phones in the hands of its employees. One has to scan all these devices for what encryption protocols are being used.

Let me further add that another piece of all this is telecoms. One needs to think about inventorying all telecom products that one uses at a large enterprise. An example would be VPN and SD-WAN.

Is that why you are working with Vodafone Business and Softbank Mobile?

Hidary: Yes. These entities are moving ahead with post-quantum-cryptography-enabled VPN. This is a critical piece of the new infrastructure for the CIO, for the CISO, and for the network manager in every large global enterprise, to have tool sets so that when one is using a PQC-enabled VPN, one is assured that even if there is an eavesdropper, even if there is infiltration, even if there is exfiltration of that data as the VPN is active, one is assured that theres not a store-now, decrypt-later vulnerability. That is another piece of what we are offering as value add: not just direct software to the end user business, but also the ability to enable our telco partners, which are critical in the whole communications link, to have PQC-enabled telco products. This is critical to the future of business-to-business telecom, of enterprise telecom.

With the new investment that came with the spin off, how are you going to stay focused and not get dispersed in a bunch of different projects?

Hidary: Well, you know, one has to prioritize. Cybersecurity is the priority right now, and we are focused on that. You can see the initial customers weve announced, and well have more no doubt over time, both strategic partners and customers there in cyber. Youll see that as our core focus externally.

In terms of the other parts of Sandbox AQ, these are more in development. I think its always a healthy balance to have some products that are ready for commercialization, and at the same time having an R&D facility, having the ability to develop products for the future.

We have security as the lead and commercialized right now and then we have, in development, quantum sensing and quantum simulation. Sensing includes, for example, navigation, includes other kinds of applications of these quantum sensors in development, as we indicated, so well take a number of years to get to market on that.

And then of course, we have simulation, which is simulating molecular interactions using quantum equations, but doing so on todays classical hardware, on GPUs. We have found ways to harness the computing power of the next generation of ASICs and GPUs from Nvidia, from Google, from so many companies, and architect for the hybridized future, the future that I believe will happen in computing, which will be CPU, GPU, QPU. Its not classical versus quantum computing: Its hybridized together. The fact that quantum is cloud native, is being launched and birthed on cloud, is so positive because this is how you can integrate and hybridize the computing.

The enterprise simulation software we have written is to advance drug discovery faster. It takes about 10 to 15 years to develop a single molecule to make it a medicine. A lot of that is because we didnt have sufficient simulation tools to simulate the molecular interactions of how this compound might interact with a target receptor in the body. And now were offering new tools in development to the biotech and pharma sector.

So, these are two areas more in development at Sandbox AQ, but that I think hold great promise for significant impact. Theres a healthy balance in our company between commercialized products right now in cyber, and then in-development products in sensing and simulation.
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Termen Extins: APSCF anunta concurs pentru selectarea unui grup de experti/companie care va efectua studiul KAP Cunostinte, Atitudini, Practici in prevenirea si combaterea fenomenului de bullying in scolile din Republica Moldova.
On the early morning of March 14, 2018, photojournalist Vladjimir Legagneur left home for an assignment in Martissant, a sprawling neighborhood in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince that has been referred to as ground zero for warring gangs. He was documenting the aftermath of violent confrontations between gangs and police.

Legagneur and his wife, Fleurette Guerrier, had agreed to check in every two hours while he was out. Everything was fine when they spoke around noon. But the next time she called, her husband did not answer. Guerrier filed a missing-person report two days, and countless calls, later.

A few days later, police searched the neighborhood. They found partial human remains in the area Legagneur was visiting. The person was not easily identifiable, and the DNA results were never made public. A ransom was never issued, so many presume him dead as a result of gang violence.

In the three years since his disappearance, six journalists have been killed in Haiti: Petion Rospide in June 2019, Nehemie Joseph that October, Diego Charles in June 2021, and, recently, Wilguens Louissaint and John Wesley Amady this January. In late February, a journalist named Maxihen Lazzare was killed by police while covering factory workers on strike.

Many others have experienced threats, physical violence, and kidnapping. On February 3, news outlet Radio Tele Zeniths office was attacked with bullets and Molotov cocktails. Haiti is a minefield, said Harold Isaac, a journalist based in Port-au-Prince who works for the Associated Press. The minute you start reporting news, there are so many threats, because it casts light on people that dont necessarily enjoy that. The people Isaac is referring to are armed groups, such as the G9, a federation of nine of Port-au-Princes most powerful gangs.

But the motivations behind these attacks are also entangled with the citys powerful politicians and wealthy elite. Its been a long-standing practice for them to enlist the help of gangs, hiring them for security or to suppress opposition.

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This complex network of power has left a degraded press covering an even more degraded government. Few protections exist for journalists outside of media associations that can help provide legal assistance or advocacy. The country itself is experiencing a dearth of essential public services. Its the kind of situation where almost nothing is functioning, said Monique Clesca, a former journalist and UN official, who is now a member of the Commission to Search for a Haitian Solution to the Crisis.

Last July the countrys president, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated by gunmen in his home in Port-au-Prince. An investigation of Moises assassination considers the current prime minister, Ariel Henry, suspicious. A former justice ministry official, Joseph Felix Badio, is wanted by Haitian authorities for his alleged role in orchestrating it.

Haitian outlets such as Ayibopost have been covering the investigation, but that comes with great risk for local reporters. A journalist based in Port-au-Prince speaking on background described the corruption that is typically breaking news in international outlets as un secret de polichinellean open secretin Haiti.

It goes back to the Papa Doc years, Garry Pierre-Pierre, founder and editor of the New Yorkbased Haitian Times, said. Nicknamed Papa Doc for his medical career, former president Francois Duvalier was known to take out political opponents as well as arrest and exile journalists who were critical of him.

People just self-censored, Pierre-Pierre said of this time. There was no independent news. It wasnt until 1986, when Duvaliers successor (his son Jean-Claude) was exiled from the country, that an independent press began to take shape in Haiti.

Eventually, in the early nineties, Jean-Bertrand AristideHaitis first democratically elected presidentprovided more stability to the fledgling media industry. Then, four, five years ago, gang violence became increasingly more prominent, Pierre-Pierre said.

Haitian media, in large part, depends on private enterprise to generate advertising revenue, Edlene Verna, who is a radio journalist in Haiti, told Voice of America in a 2020 interview. In practice, photojournalist Dieu Nalio Chery told CJR, everyone hasa political leader that buys them or sponsors them to stay alive.

Even those journalists working with international outlets are not free from these pressures. In Haiti, images and news play a big role for politicians because a lot of money [for the government] comes from the international community, Chery said. They want us to take pictures of the nice placesbeaches, things like thatbut thats not our objective. Gang members have also tried to shape their media image with reporters, by trading access to their territory for influence over the way they are seen. Jimmy Cherizier, the G9 leader, has tried to portray himself, in the media, as a revolutionary who is against politics and the minority wealthy elite. His ties to senior political officials have been well documented.

Cherys own career took a detour when he was on assignment for the AP last March. He was covering a violent protest that included a rogue police squad called Fantom 509, notorious for violence against gangs and civilians alike. The group attempted to loot a car dealership owned by Reginald Boulos, a prominent business owner in Haiti who had paid G9 members to protect his shop, Chery said. Someone started shooting. The car dealership was engulfed in fire. Cherys photos of the events ran soon after. Within three days, he was informed by colleagues that the G9 was looking for him; Boulos was running for president, and Cherys photos tying his business to the group were a problem.

Chery was initially hesitant to leaveMy career is in Haiti, he saidbut quickly realized he had little choice. His blood pressure shot up, and he was experiencing heightened anxietyfearing for his wife and children when they would leave their house for work and school. Vladjimir Legagneur served as a cautionary tale. Within two weeks, Chery and his family were in the United States. His photographic output shifted abruptly from the chaos of Haiti to fall and winter in New York Citythe Thanksgiving parade, the Christmas tree lighting.

Others may follow. Im concerned for my fellow journalists and sad that the justice system is not doing what needs to be done, Roberson Alphonse, a reporter for Le Nouvelliste, Haitis main daily newspaper, said.

Gang brutality also means that access has become a commodity. Amady, one of the journalists killed in January, was known for being able to secure access. But some are critical of a new genre of journalism that trades on inside footage. I dont get it when Al Jazeera has a half-hour program interviewing a gang leader, going down the street with him, and then you see a woman who is totally frightened but cant say anything, Clesca said.

Social media has added misinformation to an already difficult landscape. WhatsApp, in itself, is perhaps the biggest competitor to traditional media in Haiti, Isaac said. The live-video feature of WhatsApp and Facebook is used as a form of totally unfiltered news broadcasting. Messages direct from gangs, or misleading information, can spread unchecked.

They use social media to inform the public of whatever they want, and they call it journalism, Joannet Merzius, a lawyer who works to represent journalists in Haiti, said. (Merzius also relocated to the United States due to threats he received while working in Port-au-Prince.)

Merzius says the government doesnt care so much about addressing misinformation as it does limiting criticisms directed at it. The countrys senate approved a defamation law in 2017, under the guise of addressing social media misinformation, that would punish journalists and social media users alike. Its maximum sentence is three years in prison.

When you have not only gang problems but also a constitutional crisis, Isaac says, you feel the onus is put on the press.

We joke that it feels above our pay grade.

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Feven Merid is CJR's staff writer and Senior Delacorte Fellow.
Cultural heroin. In July 2016, J.D. Vance used those words, in an Atlantic op-ed, to explain, and ultimately dismiss, the appeal of Donald Trump in broken communities across America. It was a weighty charge coming from a man whose just-published memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, had discussed the scourge of opioids in the Ohio town where he grew up; his own mother was addicted to prescription narcotics and, later, used heroin. Fast-forward six years, and the same Donald Trump endorsed the same J.D. Vance to be the Republican candidate for US Senate in Ohio, though he struggled to remember his name. (Weve endorsed J.P., right? J.D. Mandel, Trump said at a rally on Sunday, confusing Vance with his opponent Josh Mandel.) The primary was yesterday, and Vance won it by a clear margin. Predictably, given the media obsession over Trumps endorsements, major outlets glued Trump backed to Vances name in their headlines.

Vance is not a journalisthes usually described as an author and venture capitalistbut he has been a media figure since 2016, when his book landed in the grateful laps of liberal journalists befuddled by Trumps burgeoning hold on white working-class Republican voters. In a review for the New York Times, Jennifer Senior called the book a compassionate, discerning sociological analysis of the white underclass that has helped drive the politics of rebellion; writing in the Washington Post, Fareed Zakaria called it a lovely book containing more insight than a dozen polls. (Some natives of Appalachia, which features prominently in the book given Vances family roots there, vigorously disagreed, casting Vance as a phony and his diagnosis of learned helplessness in hillbilly culture as sloppy.) Vance himself toured TV studios and penned Trump-translation op-eds, not only for The Atlantic, but for the Times and others. He chided the mainstream media for failing to hear the concerns of many Trump voters, but his criticism seemed mostly to be driven by the fear that writing them off as uniformly racist would suck them into the maw of Breitbart and the worst impulses of the conservative media, with its increasingly conspiratorial bent. That would lead to a permanently angry white underclass, he told Slate, and I obviously dont want that to happen.

Related: A case study of an Ohio gubernatorial candidates use of shady local news networks

Vance has since stepped from the media world into the political one, executing a hard pro-Trump pivot and cultivating a trollish social media persona to match while playing down the personal-responsibility emphases of Hillbilly Elegy and amping up attacks on the perceived dark forces threatening American workers. Are you a racist? Do you hate Mexicans? he asked last month, in an instantly infamous campaign ad. The media, he continued, censor us, but it doesnt change the truth: Joe Bidens open border is killing Ohioans. Much media coverage of Vances Senate bid has explored, or deplored, this change of tack, so much so that Simon van ZuylenWood referred, in an insightful January profile of Vance for the Posts magazine, to an emerging canon of what happened to J.D. Vance commentary. (If Vance has changed, then so too, I would argue, has a liberal punditsphere that promoted his insights in 2016 but since lost interestfor better or worse or, plausibly, bothin anthropologizing Trump fans.)

Not that van ZuylenWood agreed with the Vance-pivot framing. Vances new political identity isnt so much a facade or a reversal as an expression of an alienated worldview that is, in fact, consistent with his life story, he wrote, calling Vance one of the leading political avatars of an emergent populist-intellectual persuasion that tacks right on culture and left on economics and is known, among other things, as national conservatism. Other journalists have engaged with Vances current message on similarly philosophical terms, as well as with a constellation of books and journals (Vance, per van ZuylenWood, reads the comically dense American Affairs) that fall under the broader banner of the New Right. Its ideas, the Post columnist Greg Sargent wrote recently, have important long-term implications for the future of our politics.

The aforementioned constellation also reaches into cable news, and one hugely influential show in particular. In March, Jason Zengerle, of the New York Times Magazine, described Vance and Blake Masters, a GOP Senate candidate in Arizona, as Tucker Carlson politicians, defining Carlsonthe rare Fox News host whose words carry weight with conservative intellectualsas a standard-bearer for national conservatism, and arguing that both Vance and Masters have worked to translate the language of his nightly monologues into viable campaigns for office. Vance has been a regular guest on Carlsons show, while Carlson has explicitly backed Vance and was apparently key in landing him Trumps endorsement, with Rolling Stone reporting that Carlson phoned Trump to assure him that Vance is now in his corner. Last night, Vance thanked Carlson in his victory speech.

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In his piece, Zengerle articulated what I see as the key tension hanging over discussions of ideological gradations on the modern right. Depending on your point of view, he wrote, NatCons are either attempting to add intellectual heft to Trumpism or trying to reverse-engineer an intellectual doctrine to match Trumps lizard-brain populism. If the mainstream press has compiled a canon of what happened to him? pieces about Vance, it has done so to an even greater extent with Carlson, who has his own background in elite coastal journalism circles. (CJR published one by Lyz Lenz in 2018, which you should go read.) The genre arguably reached its apex last weekend as Nicholas Confessore, of the Times, published a definitive three-part series laying out, in laudably forthright language (for the Times), how Carlson built perhaps the most racist show in the history of cable news and became the pre-eminent champion of Americans who feel most threatened by the rising power of Black and brown citizens. An accompanying content analysis of his show demonstrated how Carlson has pushed extremist ideas and conspiracy theories into viewers homes, including allusions to the heinous great replacement theory that liberal elites are trying to engineer demographic change. Democrats, Carlson said, are importing more obedient voters from the third world. In his recent ad, Vance referred to more Democrat voters pouring into this country over the Mexican border.

The links between right-wing media and politics, and the different ideological factions animating these increasingly interlinked worlds, are well worth trying to pin down. I wrote recently that the press boiling the current GOP primaries down to Trumps endorsement power is an overly simplistic and potentially misleading framing, and the Vance-Carlson nexus is, in some ways, a further reminder that there is greater complexity lurking beneath the horse-race headlines. None that I saw about Vances victory described him as Carlson backed, despite the latters direct bearing on Trumps endorsement and clear broader responsibility for the present political climate.

Still, since the earliest days of Trump, sections of the press have tended to over-intellectualize fundamentally simple aspects of his appealnot least his racism and authoritarianismthat form an increasingly common bedrock for Republican politics. If swaths of the press hailed Vance as a thought leader, of sorts, in 2016, it perhaps makes more sense to situate him as a thought follower now; as Confessore demonstrated adroitly, Carlson is in the vanguard these days, and the core of his message is not very complicated. Breitbart may have lost relevance, but the worst impulses of conservative media seem stronger than ever, and Vance has sucked himself in.

Below, more on Vance and the primaries:



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: The implications of the draft Roe opinion leaking to the press



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Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
A new report by Travelers says workers with less than a years time on the job filed 35 percent of all workers compensation claims, a troubling statistic considering that employers are in the midst of an historic hiring spree.

Rich Ives, vice president of business insurance for The Travelers Companies, said there hasnt been an uptick in claims frequency yet, but more accidents may be coming as the share of employees with little on-the-job experience increases in US workplaces.

When we look at near-term reporting of losses, we generally see the same number of large losses as we have historically. Now, the trend of more movement and less experience in the workforce could lead to more losses occurring, and we are watching for that.

Travelers examined 1.5 million workers comp claims that it received from 2015 to 2019. Across all industries, 35 percent of claimants had been at their current job for less than a year, regardless of age or industry experience. That group accounted for 37 percent of all missed work days.

Selective Insurance noted a similar statistic in a report released March 23: First-year employees accounted for 38 percent of the workers compensation claims in 2021, up from 32 percent in 2011.

By comparison, 22 percent of US workers had less than one years tenure at their jobs as of January 2020, according to a study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics released in March. That percentage was unchanged from 2018.

A post-pandemic economic resurgence is bringing more new employees into the workplace at an historic pace. The bureau said US employers hired 6.7 million new employees in March. There were 11,549 job openings at the end of that month, up from 8,480 openings in March 2021. The bureau said that was the highest number of openings recorded since it started tracking the data in 2000.

Over the 12 months ending in March, new hires totaled 77.7 million and separations totaled 71.4 million, yielding a net employment gain of 6.3 million. These totals include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year, the bureau said.

Some industries have more first-year injuries than others, the Travelers report shows. In the restaurant industry, 53 percent of the claims involved first-year workers, representing 47% of total claim costs. In construction, first-year workers filed 48 percent of claims and were responsible for 52 percent of claims costs.

Chris Hayes, an assistant vice president for risk control, workers compensation and transportation for Travelers, said workers with less than one years time at a job are more injury prone regardless of how much experience they have in their occupation. He said new jobs bring new circumstances. For example, a truck driver may be asked to work with new equipment or drive a new route.

Hayes said employers need to ensure that employees understand safety standards. Managers must constantly reinforce those standards and show employees that the organization is serious about its safety culture.

Claim frequency has not been a cost driver for workers compensation insurers in recent years. The National Council on Compensation Insurance reported during its State of the Line report last year that claims frequency declined by 7% in the previous 12 months, continuing a long-term trend.

NCCI reported a rare uptick in 2010, which it attributed to a firming up of the labor market after the Great Recession.

New hires generally have higher claim frequency than longer-term employees, NCCI said.

About the photo: New workers participate in safety onboarding. Photo courtesy of Travelers.
Charles Taylor Appoints US CEO

Charles Taylor Adjusting has promoted Cullen Sophy to the position of US chief executive officer of adjusting and technical services.

Cullen has served as executive vice president of property at Charles Taylor for the past four years. He succeeds Vince Cole, who is leaving the company to pursue another opportunity outside the loss-adjusting industry, Charles Taylor said in a press release.

Cullen has spearheaded the expansion of the US property team, which has been a key driver of the companys rapid growth in the US market, Charles Taylor said. The London-based company said revenues from the US adjusting and technical services business have increased eight fold over the past five years.

Cullen is based in Pasadena, California. He had served in a variety of leadership role during a 25-year career in the insurance industry, including positions as head of specialty services and vice president of operations.

CRU Group Appoints VP for the Northeast

CRU Group has hired Ryan McCoy and vice president for its Northeast region.

The Dallas-based adjusting company said McCoy will be responsible for business development in the region. He will be based in Hartford, Connecticut.

McCoy has more than a decade of experience in property insurance, ranging from roles as inside examiner, construction and restoration, middle of market claims, high net worth and commercial sectors, CRU Group said in a press release.

McCoy was a general adjuster for Sedgwick in Hartford from 2018 until May, according to his Linkedin page. He was previously a senior property adjuster for Engle Martin & Associates and a high net worth property adjuster for Firemans Fund.

Mosaic Hires Head of Claims for North America

Mosaic Insurance, a Bermuda-based specialty insurer, has hired Elissa Doroff as head of claims for North America.

Doroff will be based in New York and over time will expand the units scope to serve a broad geography encompassing the US and Canada, Mosaic said in a press release.

Her appointment follows the addition of Rachel Haffenden to Mosaics claims team. She joined the insurers London office last month as senior claims adjuster.

Natalie Graham, a lawyer who previously held managerial roles at Syndicate 4000 and Aon, has led the division since Mosaics launch in February 2021.

Doroff started her insurance career as claims counsel with American International Group, and later was cyber and technology product manager at AXA XL. She also has extensive experience counseling companies and proactively mitigating risk from her tenure on the broker side, including roles at Marsh and Lockton, Mosaic said. Prior to 2006, she began her legal career in tax with Deloitte.

Envista Forensics Hires CIO

Envista Forensics has hired Neil Goodrich as chief innovation officer.

The Chicago-based company said Goodrich will step into the companys ongoing digital transformation initiative, and will work closely with team members across diverse parts of the business.

Goodrich was previously chief information officer for M. Holland Co., a distributor fo thermoplastic resin to the automotive, electronics, health care and packaging industries. He started as information technology manager in 2013 and was promoted to acting CIO two years later, according to his Linkedin page.

Goodrich was information technology director for Holly Hunt, a home furnishing manufacturer in Chicago, before then.
ARVADA, CO - OCTOBER 26: In a breakout session, Justice Monica M. Marquez,of the Colorado Supreme Court, answers questions from a small group of students at Pomona High School after she and the other six members of the court heard two cases at the high school on October 26, 2021 in Arvada, Colorado. The visit is part of the Colorado judicial branchs Courts in the Community outreach program. (Photo By Kathryn Scott)
A bill to crack down on lead-contaminated drinking water in Colorado schools and daycares passed the state House Wednesday, but only after significant revisions narrowed the scope of the legislation.

As drafted, House Bill 1358 would have required schools and child care facilities to install filters on all drinking water sources, provide bottle filling stations and annually test drinking water for lead. With the changes, the bill would now test drinking water in these facilities and pay for necessary remediation if the water tests positive for lead contamination.

In Colorado, 72% of children under 6 years old have detectable levels of lead in their blood  much higher than the national average of 51%, according to a national analysis. Even low levels of lead exposure can negatively impact a childs IQ, behavior, learning ability, growth and hearing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Every child should have safe drinking water in school or at their child care center, and when they dont, it can have lifelong impacts on their health and education outcomes, said bill sponsor Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. Were taking bold action to test for lead, replace fixtures, and install the necessary equipment to ensure drinking water is safe wherever children are cared for.

Under the amended bill, the state would provide $18 million to test for lead and install needed filters or bottle filling stations at child cares and schools serving preschool through grade five. Home-based child care centers are included in the bill but can opt out if they choose.

Sirota said the decision to water down the bill came after many conversations with child cares and schools who, during public testimony, described the bill as burdensome and overreaching.

Opponents said the original bill would be nearly impossible to comply with because it defined acceptable lead levels as less than 1 part per billion  compared to the amended 5 parts per billion. Regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency allow up to 15 parts per billion, however, the organization clarifies that there is no safe level of exposure to lead. Others said schools and child cares couldnt afford the ongoing costs of annual tests and equipment maintenance.

We love children but are opposed to this bill, said Dawn Alexander, executive director of the Early Childhood Education Association of Colorado. There has been no data collected on lead levels in child care homes and centers. In fact, no public education program for child care programs has been initiated.

In 2017, the legislature created a fund for voluntary lead testing programs for schools. Sirota said only 64 schools utilized the tests, and of them, 40 tested positive for lead. No such tests have been conducted for child care centers.

The House passed the amended bill in a 43-19 vote on Wednesday, sending it to the Senate for consideration. All 19 representatives who opposed the bill were Republican.

Rep. Richard Holtorf, R-Akron, switched his vote from no to yes after praising the amendment. Holtorf previously said the original bill would force smaller child cares out of business, especially in rural districts like his own, due to the 180-day implementation deadline.

It is impossible to do this in one year, Holtorf said. We all know theres a need, we all know that theres high levels of lead in water and that we need to protect our school children. But what is important is a phased approach that goes over about five years.

However, other supporters of the bill said the state must act quickly to protect children from lead exposure, and focusing on the facilities where children spend most of their time outside of the home is common sense.

We are going to have cleaner water in our schools, said Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. I dont believe there is anyone involved in our public education system that doesnt believe this is the right goal, the right aim."
After months of debate and amending, a bill to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products passed the state House Wednesday  with a list of added exemptions.

House Bill 1064 aims to curb youth tobacco and nicotine use by prohibiting the sale of flavored products such as vapes, e-cigarettes, menthol cigarettes and chewing tobacco beginning in 2024. Since its introduction, the bill has been changed to exempt hookah products, premium cigars and pipe tobacco.

The House approved the bill in a 35-27 vote on Wednesday, sending it to the Senate for consideration. During the vote, bill sponsors described youth tobacco use as an epidemic in Colorado that requires immediate and severe action.

We have a whole generation that has become addicted to these products and we have a whole generation that continues to become addicted to these products, said bill sponsor Rep. Kyle Mullica, D-Federal Heights. The way to addiction has been through flavors. We have to do something about that, and thats what were doing here.

In Colorado, 28.9% of high school students use electronic vapor products like vapes and e-cigarettes, according to the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey from 2019. Of tobacco users between 12 and 17 years old, 81% said they started by using flavored products and 79% said they use a product because it comes in flavors they like, according to a federal study.

Supporters of the bill said it is essential to protecting the health of Colorados youth, but opponents said the added exemptions are unfair and contradict the bills mission. On Wednesday, all Republican representatives and four Democrats voted against the bill.

Rep. Richard Holtorf, R-Akron, said lawmakers approved exemptions for special interest groups such as the wealthy who smoke premium cigars, but ignored concerns from others.

When this bill originally started, it was all about protecting health, Holtorf said. Now, because of special interests, we want to make exceptions.  You start to compromise even the basic, original intent. What are we really doing?

Holtorf proposed a failed amendment to exempt rural and frontier counties from the ban. Other Republican lawmakers unsuccessfully tried to exempt menthol cigarettes, unstamped cigarettes and all products sold in age-restricted stores  the last of which passed in committee in March but was reversed by a different committee in April.

During a public hearing on the bill, businesses stood in firm opposition to the ban. Several owners and employees of local vape and tobacco stores said 98% of their tobacco and nicotine products are flavored, meaning the ban would force them to go out of business.

Others said the ban would lead to tobacco and nicotine users buying flavored products online or out of state, taking away the tax revenue from Colorado. The ban as drafted was expected to decrease state revenue by $37.1 million in 2022 and $38.6 million in 2023, according to state estimates.

Theres no way to control this, said Rep. Hugh McKean, R-Loveland, who introduced most of the amendments trying to limit the ban in the House. Theres no way to control how you have access.

However, supporters such as doctors, parents and teenagers described a dire state in Colorado with frequent vaping in middle and high schools.

Some youths who testified during the public hearing spoke of children vaping during class and blowing smoke into their backpacks, while others said theyve heard rumors of their peers providing sexual favors to adults over 21 in exchange for vape cartridges.

Were coming up to a point where not only our school staff is overwhelmed, but also families along with students, said bill sponsor Rep. Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. This is not only something we need to do for our kids, but its something we need to do for the state.

Under the bill, any store caught selling prohibited flavored tobacco or nicotine products would be subject to the same penalties as a retailer caught selling to minors.

The bill would also appropriate $10 million to the Department of Public Health and Environments Prevention Services Division, which would award two-year grants to organizations providing wraparound services in communities disproportionately affected by targeted tobacco and nicotine marketing.
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Apples continued growth in enterprise IT is again reflected in the news that Mosyle has introduced new business-focused MDM services and secured $196 million Series B funding. It shows the rapid extent to which the Apple in the enterprise space continues to effervesce.

The enterprise growth zone

Over the past year weve aggressively rolled out innovative security and management features that used MDM as a medium to extend protection to other layers of the device," Mosyle founder and CEO Alcyr Araujo said in a statement.

The companys funding round was led by New York-based global private equity and venture capital firm Insight Partners.

With the launch of its Apple Unified Platform, Mosyle is one of the first companies to elegantly unify MDM with a broader suite of mobile security solutions," Rebecca Liu-Doyle, Managing Director at Insight Partners said. This funding is validation of this vision and our belief that companies require more than traditional MDM in todays hybrid work environment."

The funding also reflects the growing scale of interest in the entire Apple in the enterprise ecosystem.

Despite various challenges, Apple continues to be a strong investment stock and that positive sheen appears to extend to many of its partners. While PC sales fall, Mac sales continue to climb, driven by enterprise demand.

Thats great, but whats also true is that the companys growing stature in enterprise IT is spawning a wave of service providers and integrators seeking to support that growing Apple ecosystem.

That growth is also a visible market opportunity, as evidenced by 2020s Jamf IPO.

Arguably the first company to sense Apples enterprise trajectory, Jamf exceeded expectations in its last quarter and will report its latest results May 10. At the moment, that firms market cap stands at $3.65 billion, and it recently made its own major service improvements for business users.

Considering this, its easy to believe that Mosyles $196 million funding round shows the scale of opportunity investors see in the Apple ecosystem. Investors know hundreds of millions of Windows PCs will need to be upgraded over the coming two ior three years as Windows 11 comes online. They also know that a slice of that upgrade traffic will inevitably go Apples way (as it has now been for years), which leaves plenty of scope for the emergence of a diverse and buoyant Apple-focused MDM industry to serve the broad needs of enterprise IT.

Investment in services also makes sense in a context in which some of the bigger analysts anticipate IT spending will shift to integration and services following pandemic-driven hardware investments. Mosyle has experienced triple-digit revenue growth since 2020.

What does Mosyle now offer business customers?

Mosyle has introduced its new business-focused MDM (Mobile Device Management) solution, combining solutions to manage devices, secure endpoints, handle internet privacy and security, and oversee ID and application management in the new offering.

In a statement, the company explained the feature set it now provides:.

Enhanced Device Management: Delivers full MDM for macOS, iOS, and tvOS, zero-touch deployment and automated ongoing management, support for shared devices, support for BYOD, and integrations with Google, Microsoft, Active Directory and more.

Delivers full MDM for macOS, iOS, and tvOS, zero-touch deployment and automated ongoing management, support for shared devices, support for BYOD, and integrations with Google, Microsoft, Active Directory and more. Endpoint Security: Deploys 24/7 protection regardless of location, ensuring devices leverage the latest macOS security tools, follow leading cybersecurity recommendations, and meet industry compliance mandates. This includes native antivirus and malware detection and will continuously scan, isolate, lock and wipe infected devices. It also automates management and security of privileged accounts with Admin On-Demand, a privileged access management solution for macOS.

Deploys 24/7 protection regardless of location, ensuring devices leverage the latest macOS security tools, follow leading cybersecurity recommendations, and meet industry compliance mandates. This includes native antivirus and malware detection and will continuously scan, isolate, lock and wipe infected devices. It also automates management and security of privileged accounts with Admin On-Demand, a privileged access management solution for macOS. Internet Privacy & Security: Provides encrypted DNS functionality that automates web filtering and encryption exclusively on Apple endpoints.

Provides encrypted DNS functionality that automates web filtering and encryption exclusively on Apple endpoints. Identity Management: Combines Single Sign On (SSO) functionality with two factor authentication to secure company-owned Apple devices. It supports Okta, Ping Identity, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and more.

Combines Single Sign On (SSO) functionality with two factor authentication to secure company-owned Apple devices. It supports Okta, Ping Identity, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and more. Application Management: Offerrs the capacity to remotely deploy, update and manage any compatible app on Apple devices.

There is not doubt that companies in this space will begin to compete more significantly as they seek to build presence in a growing industry. The Apple-in-the-enterprise ecosystem has never looked so buoyant.

Please follow me on Twitter, or join me in the AppleHolics bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe.
The recent efforts by workers at Apple and Amazon to undertake high-profile attempts to organize represent something of a departure from the norm for a sector thats long been averse to worker unions.

The tech industry has, by and large, resisted unionization since its beginning, said Thomas A. Kochan, a professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management and faculty member of the MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research. Apple, Google, Facebook, IBM; pick a large-scale computer company, they're all non-union, he said.

He described the recent pressure from workers to unionize as unprecedented.

Warehouse and retail staffers at the two companies have been leading the way with unionization efforts. Last month, for instance, staff at a New York warehouse voted to establish the first US trade union to be recognized by Amazon in its 27-year history, with former employee Chris Smalls leading a successful campaign that surprised both the company and labor leaders.

The vote saw employees at the JFK8 Staten Island facility opt to join the Amazon Labor Union in a bid to improve pay and working conditions, generating enthusiasm among labor activists for a resurgent labor movement in the U.S.

Amazon has moved to overturn the result, and continues to push back against pro-unio efforts within its workforce. On Monday, employees at second facility in New York, the LDJ5 warehouse, voted against unionizing, a setback for organizers that had hoped to build momentum following early success.

Amazon is clear in its stance: Our employees have the choice of whether or not to join a union, an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. As a company, we dont think unions are the best answer for our employees. Our focus remains on working directly with our team to continue making Amazon a great place to work.

Apple, the worlds most valuable company, is also facing a union push. Retail staff at a store in Atlanta signed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) last month to hold a union election, the first group of Apple workers to do so. A similar move is planned at the companys Grand Central Store in New York, where staffers are seeking minimum pay of $30 per hour and improvements to work conditions.

According to a Vice report, staffers at several other stores are also intent on unionizing; just yesterday, workers at a Maryland Apple Store launched a union drive.

Apple is apparently resisting these moves, reportedly hiring lawyers from Littler Mendelson, which has helped companies such as Starbucks deter unionization in the past.

Apple declined to comment on the efforts but highlighted existing benefits for employees, including a $20 minimum wage: "We are fortunate to have incredible retail team members and we deeply value everything they bring to Apple, the spokesperson said. We are pleased to offer very strong compensation and benefits for full time and part time employees, including health care, tuition reimbursement, new parental leave, paid family leave, annual stock grants and many other benefits.

Labor organization has been on the rise across the US in recent months, notably at Starbucks, where workers at more than 200 stores are unionizing around the country. Although overall union membership has declined steadily for decades  down from 20% of employees in 1983 to 10.3% currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics  attitudes towards organized labor have been on an upswing, with approval ratings at their highest level since 1965, according to a recent Gallup poll.

Although there are longer-standing concerns around pay and conditions, Kochan said the COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst for whats going on now. There's a strong, pent-up frustration among a lot of workers with the lack of wage growth over the years, said Kochan. The pandemic just accelerated and crystallized a lot of these frustrations.

One on-going factor is a tight labor market that hands greater bargaining power to workers, he said. At the same time, many businesses have seen profits soar during the pandemic, particularly among tech companies, leading to calls for the benefits to be shared with all workers.

Alongside workers in stores and warehouses, employee activism has been rising among corporate office staffers at several large tech firms in recent years, including unrest among Apples office workers on a variety of topics such as a claimed gender pay gap and hybrid workplace plans, and at Alphabet  Googles parent company  where a minority union was formed last year to represent full-time and contract staff.

A small group of quality assurance employees at video game producer Activision Blizzard, recently acquired by Microsoft, have also formed a union to protest the ending of temporary worker contracts.

Companies that resist a union push run the risk of a backlash from workers who might feel the companies are being unfair, said Brian Kropp, distinguished vice president analyst at Gartner.

The bigger issue for companies like Amazon and Apple is the public perception, said Kropp. One of the big shifts that we've seen across the last couple of years, is the sense that [businesses] should be treating their employees fairly, he said.

Any heavy-handed reaction to unionization could result in customers boycotting services or switching to rivals in protest. That is actually a bigger risk than the cost of increasing wages for employees in places that might unionize, said Kropp.

It's unclear what impact the recent efforts at Apple and Amazon will have on the wider labor movement in the tech industry. Amazons JFK8 warehouse represents just a small fraction of the companies million-strong workforce in the US, while Apples Atlanta and Grand Central stores are only two of more than 270 across the country.

While there is certainly a lot of talk, it's still a relatively small number of employees [attempting to unionize] at this point, said Kropp. However, he notes that even a small number is notable.

A couple of years ago it was zero, he said.
Office workers are starting to feel the pain of the Great Resignation, as increased workloads and the strain of repetitive tasks has pushed up to 70% of employees to consider quitting their jobs in the next six months.

Thats according to enterprise automation software company UiPaths 2022 Office Worker Survey, which collected 5,000 responses from office workers across the US, UK, France, Germany, India, Australia, and Singapore.

The so-called Great Resignation is showing no signs of slowing, with a record 4.5 million American workers quitting their jobs in November 2021 alone, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Now, 70% of survey respondents said they are considering following suit in the next six months.

This has led remaining colleagues to feel increased pressure at work, with 83% of respondents taking on up to six new tasks outside of their job descriptions due to coworkers resigning. As a result, 68% of respondents reported that they no longer know what their responsibilities are.

Very few people are quitting due to salary alone. Usually its more about working conditions, Jack Gold, president and principal analyst at J. Gold Associates, told Computerworld at the start of the year.

Monotony is also having a negative impact on employee wellbeing, with many respondents noting their frustrations about having to carry out what they see as mundane or administrative tasks. These frustrating tasks include responding to emails (42%), scheduling calls and meetings (35%), and inputting data (34%). Globally, 94% of those surveyed said they feel exhausted at the end of a workday at least once a week.

The world of work has changed and retaining and attracting workers with the aid of emerging technology is a business imperative, Bettina Koblick, chief people officer at UiPath said.
05/04/2022

Photo (c) Jackyenjoyphotography - Getty Images COVID-19 tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 81,519,193 (81,448,159)

Total U.S. deaths: 994,807 (994,019)

Total global cases: 515,082,443 (514,358,501)

Total global deaths: 6,241,652 (6,238,647)

Annual COVID-19 shot may be needed, FDA says

Top officials at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration say Americans may need an annual COVID-19 shot, just like getting an annual flu shot. They say vaccines will likely be updated each year to head off the latest variant.

Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research; Principal Deputy Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock; and new FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf expressed that opinion in a paper published in the journal JAMA.

"Widespread vaccine- and infection-induced immunity, combined with the availability of effective therapeutics, could blunt the effects of future outbreaks, the officials wrote. Nonetheless, it is time to accept that the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is the new normal. It will likely circulate globally for the foreseeable future, taking its place alongside other common respiratory viruses such as influenza.

Scientists think COVID-19 may damage the brain

COVID-19 has only been around for a couple of years, and scientists are still learning about its long-term effects. They say there is some evidence that mild cases of the virus can permanently affect the brain.

In the U.K., one study led by the Wellcome Center for Integrative Neuroimaging at the University of Oxford examined brain scans on patients before and after being infected with the virus. The examination showed that the people who had mild cases of the coronavirus lost some gray matter.

We saw cortical thinning in areas associated with the sense of smell, Winkler said. We noticed a blurring of the contrast between the gray and white matter and we also saw changes in the diffusion of water molecules, said Dr. Anderson Winkler, a senior associate scientist at the National Institute of Mental Health.

Washington dinner spreads COVID-19 among journalists

Last weekends White House Correspondents Dinner  the first since 2019  may have been a superspreader event. Several journalists and other attendees have now tested positive for the virus.

According to Politico, reporters and other staffers from CNN, ABC News, NBC News, CBS News, and Politico have tested positive for the virus. The report said ABC's Jon Karl, who shook hands with President Biden, is one of the journalists who now has COVID-19.

Around the nation
Chinese embassy rebukes Washington's false claims against China over Ukraine issue

Xinhua) 16:25, May 04, 2022

WASHINGTON, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in the United States on Tuesday rebuked the U.S. State Department's recent false claims that Chinese officials and media "routinely amplify Kremlin's propaganda, conspiracy theories, and disinformation" on the Ukraine issue.

Asked by the press to comment on a statement posted Monday on the U.S. State Department's website, the embassy's spokesperson said "China's position on the Ukraine issue is impartial, objective and beyond reproach."

"When it comes to spreading disinformation, the U.S. side should seriously reflect on itself," the spokesperson said, noting that "Over the years, the U.S. has waged wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, killing 335,000 civilians. This is not disinformation."

"The vast majority of countries in the world stand for resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict through dialogue and negotiation, and none of them wants to see the situation escalate or even get out of control. This is not disinformation," the spokesperson added.

"In the working document submitted by the U.S. to the meeting of the State Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in November 2021, the U.S. admitted that it has 26 biolabs in Ukraine. According to the fact sheet released by the Department of Defense in March 2022, the U.S. is supporting 46 facilities in Ukraine," the spokesperson said. "These are not disinformation."

The spokesperson urged Washington to welcome joint verification by the international community under the UN and the BWC, adding that "blaming and smearing just won't solve the problem."

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji)
And, of course, Chris Rock was there. It has been 37 days since The Slap, after all, so high time for a reminder, eh?

Seen this angle yet?

All kidding aside, nothing about this is funny, and it has us wondering: what has to happen to get sufficient security at comedy shows?

NBC News Los Angeles reported the individual was armed with a weapon, a replica gun that can eject a knife blade when discharged correctly. While that sounds like a very confused gun, a knife blade is a knife blade.

There are many unknowns at this point, the alleged attackers identity and motive has not yet been released, but according to tweets from Buzzfeed reporter Brianna Sacks, Chappelle had indicated a desire for more security in the wake of his trans joke controversy.

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Yes, security did respond and apparently with significant force. Sacks was at the show and provided video of the alleged attacker being loaded into an ambulance after getting his ass kicked by at least 10 people.
Researchers from cybersecurity vendor CrowdStrike have detected a denial-of-service (DoS) attack compromising Docker Engine honeypots to target Russian and Belarusian websites amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. According to the firm, the honeypots were compromised four times between February 27 and March 1, 2022, with two different Docker images that both share target lists that overlap with domains reportedly shared by the Ukraine government-backed Ukraine IT Army.

CrowdStrike has therefore linked the attacks to pro-Ukrainian activity against Russia. It has also warned of the risk of retaliatory activity by threat actors supporting the Russian Federation against organizations being leveraged to conduct disruptive attacks against government, military, and civilian websites.

Honeypots compromised via exposed Docker Engine API

The honeypots were compromised via an exposed Docker Engine API in a technique commonly used by opportunistic campaigns such as LemonDuck or WatchDog to infect misconfigured container engines, CrowdStrike stated in a blog posting. The first Docker image used in the attack was observed in three out of the four incidents and is hosted on Docker Hub.

This image has been downloaded over100,000 times, but CrowdStrike Intelligence cannot assess how many of these downloads originate from compromised infrastructure. The Docker image contains a Go-based HTTP benchmarking tool named bombardierthat uses HTTP-based requests to stress-test a website, the vendor added.

Targeted websites include those in the government, military, media, and retail sectors in both Russia and Belarus. CrowdStrike Intelligence assesses the activity deploying this Docker image as very likely automated based on closely overlapping timelines in the interaction with the Docker API, CrowdStrike said.

The second Docker image used in the attack has been downloaded over 50,000 times from DockerHub, CrowdStrike continued. The image contains a custom Go-based DoS program named stoppropagandathat sends HTTP GET requests to a list of target websites that overloads them with requests. Again, the attack focused on websites of the Russian and Belarusian media, government, military, energy, mining, and finance sectors.
Security researchers have uncovered a cyberespionage campaign that has remained largely undetected since 2019 and focused on stealing trade secrets and other intellectual property from technology and manufacturing companies across the world. The campaign uses previously undocumented malware and is attributed to a Chinese state-sponsored APT group known as Winnti.

"With years to surreptitiously conduct reconnaissance and identify valuable data, it is estimated that the group managed to exfiltrate hundreds of gigabytes of information," researchers from security firm Cybereason said in a new report. "The attackers targeted intellectual property developed by the victims, including sensitive documents, blueprints, diagrams, formulas, and manufacturing-related proprietary data."

Cybereason, who shared its findings with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), dubbed the cyberespionage campaign Operation CuckooBees and identified victims in Asia, Europe and North America.

Who is Winnti?

Winnti, also tracked in the security industry as APT41, Axiom, Barium, Wicked Panda and other names, is one of the longest-running Chinese cyberespionage groups with its malicious activities going as far back as 2007. The group uses a large malware toolset which includes a backdoor program called Winnti and has used a variety of attack vectors in its campaigns over the years, including software supply-chain attacks via software from NetSarang, CCleaner and ASUS.

Winnti's targeting often matches China's geopolitical interests and there is evidence the group acted as contractor for Chinese government agencies that engage in cyberespionage, such as China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) and the People's Liberation Army (PLA). In September 2020, the U.S. DOJ indicted three Chinese and two Malaysian nationals in connection with APT41 attacks. Three of them were involved in the management of a company called Chengdu 404 Network Technology that was allegedly serving as a front company for the group's activities. Another Chinese hacker named Tan Dailin, linked to APT41, was indicted in 2019 and is on the FBI's wanted list.

ERP intrusion investigation revealed Operation CuckooBees





Cybereason uncovered the Operation CuckooBees campaign in 2021 while investigating network intrusions at multiple companies around the world. Those intrusions began with hackers exploiting remote code execution vulnerabilities in a popular enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform and deploying JSP Web shells (backdoors) on the ERP web application server. Some of the vulnerabilities exploited were known at the time of the attacks, but some or not, meaning the attackers used zero-day exploits.

After establishing this initial foothold, the attackers shifted their focus to establishing persistence, performing network reconnaissance, and dumping credentials that allowed them to move laterally to other Windows systems in the network.

After deploying Web shells to enable command execution on the ERP servers, the attackers also changed their configuration to enable WinRM, a Windows native remote management protocol that allows remote shell access. This was done to ensure that access to the servers is maintained even if the web shells were discovered and removed.

The attackers used several techniques and tools to dump locally stored credentials from the registry and crack the password hashes. These credentials enabled lateral movement to other computers and the execution of malicious batch scripts through scheduled tasks.

How Operation CuckoBees works: A multi-staged infection chain

The batch scripts had the purpose of initiating a sophisticated and malware infection chain that used multiple techniques to achieve persistence. The first stage payload in this chain that was deployed by the batch scripts consists of Spyder Loader, a known malware loader whose goal is to decrypt and execute additional malware payloads in a stealthy way.

The loader itself came in the form of a modified SQLite3 DLL file that was executed through the native rundll32.exe and in turn loaded additional malicious payloads dropped as TLB files in the Windows system32 directory.

"After deploying the initial payload, Winnti employs a sophisticated and unique multi-staged infection chain with numerous payloads," the Cybereason researchers said in their malware analysis. "Each payload fulfills a unique role in the infection chain, which is successful only upon the complete deployment of all of the payloads."

The next malicious payload is a program that researchers dubbed STASHLOG that's used to hide additional payloads in a Common Log File System (CLFS) log file. CLFS is a proprietary file system format used by Windows since Windows Server 2003 R2 to log certain errors or and store Transactional NTFS (TxF) and Transactional Registry (TxR) operations with the purpose of allowing roll backs. This capability is used by features such as Windows Update and System Restore.

"CLFS employs a proprietary file format that isn't documented, and can only be accessed through the CLFS API functions," the researchers said. "As of writing this report, there is no tool which can parse the flushed logs. This is a huge benefit for attackers, as it makes it more difficult to examine and detect them while using the CLFS mechanism."

While STASHLOG is used to stash payloads inside CLFS as encrypted data, another deployed malicious program dubbed SPARKLOG is responsible for extracting and executing it. In fact, SPARKLOG's purpose is to gain privilege escalation by using DLL hijacking or side-loading techniques to trick legitimate Windows services that run with SYSTEM privileges to execute a malicious DLL extracted from the CLFS log. This malicious DLL is dubbed PRIVATELOG and is deployed in two different ways depending on the Windows version. On Windows Vista to Windows 7, SPARKLOG changes the configuration of the IKEEXT service to execute PRIVATELOG as wlbsctrl.dll. From Windows Server 2012 to Windows 10, SPARKLOG modifies the configuration of the Windows PrintNotify service to execute PRIVATELOG as prntvpt.dll.

Now running with SYSTEM privileges -- the highest possible on a Windows machine -- PRIVATELOG extracts another payload hidden by STASHLOG in the CLFS log data. This component, dubbed DEPLOYLOG, is written to disk by overwriting a legitimate file called dbghelp.dll using Windows Transactional NTFS (TxF). TxF is a feature introduced in Windows Vista that allows developers to create, edit and delete files in a way that allows those changes to be rolled back.

"Using Transactional NTFS, the attackers can perform file operations using unconventional methods that can be hard to detect for some security products," the Cybereason researchers say.

DEPLOYLOG is a loader whose main purpose is to decrypt the final payload from CLFS log data and hijack the AMD K8 processor kernel driver service to execute it as a system driver. This final payload is WINNKIT, a kernel-level rootkit that installs itself as a network driver that intercepts TCP/IP requests by talking directly to the system's network card.

After deploying WINNKIT, DEPLOYLOG reverts the configuration of the AMD K8 processor kernel driver service to its original state to cover its tracks then begins communicating with the attackers' command-and-control server. Essentially, DEPLOYLOG becomes a user-mode communication component that bridges the WINNKIT rootkit to the C2 server.

WINNKIT is signed with an expired and likely stolen digital certificate belonging to hardware manufacturer BenQ. This is used to bypass the driver signature enforcement (DSE), which is enabled by default on Windows and prevents loading drivers that are not digitally signed by a trusted party. The problem is DSE does not perform online checks for expired or revoked certificates so drivers signed with the stolen certificate will continue to work until blacklisted via a Windows update.

WINNKIT hooks TCP/IP network communication via the network card which allows it to receive commands sent by the DEPLOYLOG user-mode agent. These commands trigger the execution of additional modules that are injected by the rootkit into the svchost.exe process. These modules allow the execution of a CMD shell with administrator privileges, list files, list services, kill processes, open a SOCKS5 communication proxy or enabling Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

The WINNKIT compilation date is 2019 suggesting the rootkit has been used for the past 3 years. The sophisticated infection chain and use of various advanced techniques likely allowed the attack campaign to fly under the radar.

"The malware authors chose to break the infection chain into multiple interdependent phases, where each phase relies on the previous one in order to execute correctly," the researchers said. "This demonstrates the thought and effort that was put into both the malware and operational security considerations, making it almost impossible to analyze unless all pieces of the puzzle are assembled in the correct order. Furthermore, the rare abuse of the Windows own CLFS logging system and NTFS manipulations provided the attackers with extra stealth and the ability to remain undetected for years."
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FAIRFIELD  The Board of Selectmen have approved $7 million in spending to replace the towns emergency radio system  half of which is being paid for by a federal grant.

Officials said the first $3.5 million would provide the infrastructure for the project, while the other half would let Fairfields first responders to get the equipment they need for it. The town is fronting the whole cost and will be reimbursed with the $3.5 million grant.

This would be for a replacement of our public safety radios for fire and police, Police Chief Robert Kalamaras said.

Fire Chief Denis McCarthy said the plan to upgrade the towns emergency radio system has been in the capital spending forecast for four or five years. He said the town had suspended replacing critical infrastructure in its radio system in anticipation of the project moving forward.

Additionally, way back in the early (2010s) we got $6 million in federal funding that allowed us to build the backbone of this system, he said. Which created the opportunity for us to build onto the state (emergency radio) system and get their support of that going forward.

McCarthy said the new system will allow the department better operations with police, fire and EMS crews from neighboring communities and the state.

Its a big improvement for public safety communications, he said.

First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick said the town has an antiquated emergency communications system, compared to surrounding communities that have already updated theirs and signed into the state service. She said finding replacement parts for the old system has become a challenge and is putting the community at risk.

Its just a safety issue and they need to communicate with each other and they need to communicate with our municipal aid partners, she said. We need to be able to communicate effectively with the technology that everyone else has.

There are currently radio deadzones in areas like Black Rock Turnpike, where first responders have difficulty getting in touch with dispatchers, Deputy Fire Chief Kryan Dunn said last month when officials gathered with U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D, Conn.) and U.S. Rep. Jim Himes (D, 4) to announce the grant.

Dunn said Fairfield has two radio transmitters and dispatchers will have to switch between them when emergencies pop up in different parts of town.

The problem with that is, then maybe there are also units operating (in the other area of town), he said at the time. Its very difficult that we dont have a seamless communications system right now.

McCarthy said one major finding of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, was that interoperability between public safety entities needed to be improved. He said the capability to communicate with emergency units in town and in neighboring towns is vital.

Kalamaras said there are failures every day with the current radio system, adding it is worse in bad weather conditions.

Our technology is old. It was put together in the 90s, he said. Its just time to replace it and get up to speed with the technology that we have.

The funding request now heads to the finance board and Representative Town Meeting.

joshua.labella@hearstmediact.com
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MIAMI (AP)  The premier of the British Virgin Islands, whom U.S. prosecutors described as corrupt to the core, was given a $500,000 bond that could see him released from prison as he awaits trial on charges tied to a U.S. narcotics sting.

In a surprise decision, federal court Judge Alicia Otazo-Reyes rejected prosecutors argument that Andrew Fahie may flee the U.S. and possibly engage in criminal activity if he is freed.

Instead, she said he could remain in Miami, confined to the rented apartment of his two college-age daughters, if he and his family surrender their passports and he wears an ankle bracelet monitor in addition to paying the sizable corporate surety bond.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Frederic Shadley said the government would appeal the decision, meaning its unclear when and if Fahie would be released.

Fahie, 51, was arrested last week at a Miami airport during a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration sting after being given what looked like $700,000 in cash, but what was in reality fake bill notes, that were to be flown back on a private jet to the British Virgin Islands on Fahies behalf. Also arrested was his ports director, Oleanvine Maynard.

Fahie stood handcuffed shaking his head in disagreement as Shadley described in court how the politician had bragged in recorded conversations with a DEA informant that he had 15-20 years of criminal activity under his belt.

Oh, no no no, not my first rodeo at all, NOT, MY FIRST RODEO, AT ALL, Fahie can be heard laughing in the recording, according to a government filing prior to Wednesday's bond hearing.

Posing as a member of Mexicos Sinaloa cartel, a DEA informant met on several occasions with Fahie, Maynard and Maynards son to discuss a deal that would send thousands of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia through the British Virgin Islands and on to Puerto Rico, Miami and New York, according to the complaint.

In exchange for bribes and 10%  or about $7.8 million  for each 3,000-kilogram (6,600-pound) load of cocaine sold in Miami, Fahie and his co-defendants allegedly agreed to provide safe passage for the drug shipments and create a network of shell companies to launder the proceeds.

So, this is the full seven?" Fahie allegedly asked the DEA informant who accompanied him to the Miami airport where he was arrested.

According to the criminal complaint, Fahie told the DEA informant that he was close to a known drug smuggler on the Caribbean island as well as an unidentified political associate from Senegal whom he agreed to approach about smuggling firearms. In the course of those conversations, he asked the DEA informant to pay upward of $100,000 to settle a debt with the Senegalese man, the complaint says.

Hes shown in this case that hes corrupt to the core and believes hes above the law, Shadley said. He was a public servant sworn to uphold those laws but he broke them over and over again.

Fahies attorney, Theresa Van Vliet, disputed that characterization and said her client would plead not guilty when hes arraigned later this month.

She asserted that because the British Virgin Islands are a British overseas territory, U.S. courts have no jurisdiction over Fahie.

To back up the assertion, she entered as evidence what she called a "diplomatic note, signed by an unidentified official from the premiers office in Road Town requesting his immediate and unconditional release. The request was sent to the Justice Departments office of international affairs.

Fahie's former allies appear to have disavowed the letter, however.

In a brief announcement Wednesday, acting Premier Natalio Wheatley said the letter was sent erroneously by a rogue official, and did not reflect the government's position.

Van Vliet also presented copies of correspondence showing that the premiers office had asked Miami International Airport to provide protocolar assistance to Fahie and his wife when they traveled to the U.S. on April 24 for official business.

Prior to arriving in Miami, Fahie was scheduled to travel to Barbados to attend a banking conference alongside Rep. Maxine Waters, chairwoman of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, and other unidentified members of Congress, according to the correspondence.

While Judge Otazo-Reyes sidestepped the immunity issue, she seemed convinced by Van Vliet's argument that Fahie's continued detention would make it impossible for him to carry out his official duties at a critical juncture for the islands, as officials weigh suspending the territorys constitution in an attempt to clean up rampant corruption.

These are the most serious of duties that he could and should be performing, said Van Vliet, the former head of the Justice Department's narcotics division in Washington.

Even before his arrest, Fahie was under pressure from a special United Kingdom-led commission of inquiry investigating corruption on the string of islands east of Puerto Rico home to about 35,000 people.

Gov. John Rankin, who is Queen Elizabeth IIs representative to the islands and its ultimate executive authority, said the arrests prompted him to release  earlier than originally intended  the commission's report, which concluded that officials, including allies of the premier, fraudulently spent millions of dollars on projects of no public benefit.

In a bid to clean up the government, the commission recommended suspending the islands' constitution for two years and returning the territory to home rule by officials in London.

In an address over the weekend, Wheatley said he wants to avoid direct rule by Britain but supports working swiftly with Rankin and opposition lawmakers in the islands to address concerns about good governance.

Direct rule is not an acceptable option to us, Wheatley said. He said it would undermine all the progress that our people have made over generations since 1950, when a local legislative body was launched.

If convicted, Fahie faces a minimum of nearly 20 years in prison.

___

Follow Goodman on Twitter: @APJoshGoodman
John Locher/AP

LAS VEGAS (AP)  A Las Vegas City Council member who is running as a Republican for Nevada state treasurer was recovering Tuesday from face and head injuries after she was injured in a car crash.

Details about the crash were not provided, but Michele Fiores campaign aide, Rory McShane, said in an email that Fiore suffered a broken orbital bone and head trauma in the Monday crash.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose won the Republican nomination for his second term in office on Tuesday, defeating conservative challenger John Adams, who had questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election.

LaRose will face Democrat Chelsea Clark, a suburban Cincinnati City Council member and businesswoman, in Novembers general election. Clark ran unopposed in the primary.

Despite Adams' open questioning of the 2020 results, former President Donald Trump had endorsed LaRose in the race. LaRose adopted some of Trump's talking points on voter fraud before winning Trump's endorsement, even though he had previously defended the validity of the 2020 election.

LaRose downplayed any notion of voter fraud as a problem in Ohio in a statement after his victory. Not only have we made Ohios elections secure, accurate, and accessible, but weve made them a model for other states across the country, he said.

Clark promised to protect our gains and ensure that every eligible Ohioan has unobstructed access to the voting process.

The Ohio election was the first of several closely watched races for secretaries of state in the midterm elections. The post grew in importance on the national political scene as Trump endorsed candidates who backed his lies that massive voter fraud cost him reelection.

Primaries for the top election offices will follow over the next few weeks in Nebraska, Idaho, Alabama and the presidential battleground of Georgia. While Indiana also holds a primary Tuesday, nominees for secretary of state and some other offices wont be decided until party conventions in June.

Voters in about two dozen states will be deciding who will be their states next chief election official this year. In three politically important states - Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas  the position will be filled by whoever wins the governors race. In New Hampshire, the decision will be made by the state Legislature  currently controlled by Republicans.

LaRose, a former Green Beret and ex-state senator, had supported Trump in his inaugural run for president and was part of a team that handled logistics for Trumps 2017 inauguration.

Adams, an Army and Navy veteran and former state lawmaker, had criticized LaRose for his role in postponing the March 2020 primary during the coronavirus pandemic.

That month, as concerns about COVID-19 accelerated, LaRose directed all 88 Ohio county boards of elections to comply with the state health directors order the night before the March 17 primary to close polls to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. He rescheduled in-person voting for June 2.

That timeline was later challenged in court by the Ohio Democratic Party, which advocated for casting all remaining votes by mail. Lawmakers ultimately set a new, almost exclusively mail-in primary election for April 28, 2020, over LaRose's wishes.

This year, LaRose found himself in the primary spotlight again because of his dual roles as the state's elections chief and as a GOP representative on the seven-member Ohio Redistricting Commission, charged with drawing new legislative maps. Because the Ohio Supreme Court repeatedly shot down proposed redistricting maps as unconstitutional gerrymanders, the state is holding a partial primary Tuesday, with state legislative races being decided later.

In the weeks after the 2020 presidential election, LaRose said, Elections are run better and more honestly than really I think they ever have been." Months later, he said in an interview what has proved true in state after state  that voter fraud is rare.

This February, LaRose shifted his tone on Twitter, saying the mainstream media is trying to minimize voter fraud to suit their narrative and President Donald Trump is right to say that voter fraud is a serious problem. Trump endorsed LaRose in April.

Adams said he ran for the state elections post because he didn't believe Trump had lost the 2020 election.

Why am I running for secretary of state?" Adams said at a campaign event last month. Well, we had an election two years ago, and I woke up the next morning and I said, You gotta be kidding me. Theres no way that Trump lost. No way.

___

Associated Press writer Julie Carr Smyth contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ap_politics
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP)  Sri Lankas economy is in dire straits with its usable foreign reserves down to less than $50 million, the countrys finance minister said Wednesday.

Ali Sabry was speaking to Parliament after returning to Sri Lanka from talks with the International Monetary Fund. He said any IMF rescue program, including a rapid financing instrument needed to urgently resolve shortages of essential goods, would depend on negotiations on debt restructuring with creditors and would take six months to implement.

Sri Lanka is on the brink of bankruptcy and has suspended payments on its foreign loans. Its economic miseries have brought on a political crisis, with the government facing a protests and a no-confidence motion in Parliament.

The country is due to repay $7 billion this year of the $25 billion in foreign loans it is scheduled to pay by 2026.

There is a severe risk in front of all of us, said Sabri. He said Sri Lankas reserves stood at $7.6 billion at the end of 2019 and fell to $5.7 billion by the end of 2020 as payments outpaced inflows of foreign currency amid the pandemic.

The reserves declined to $3.1 billion by the end of 2021, and to $1.9 billion by the end of March, he said. With foreign currency in short supply thanks to less tourism and other revenues, official reserves were tapped to pay for importing essentials including fuel, gas, coal and medicines beginning in August 2021.

The bulk of Sri Lanka's remaining reserves  including a $1 billion equivalent SWAP facility from China, are not usable for settling dollar-denominated payments, he said.

Sabris comments came a day after the countrys main opposition party issued a no-confidence motion aiming at ousting Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Cabinet.

The opposition United Peoples Force blames the government of failing in its constitutional duty to provide decent living standards. It accuses top government officials of excessively printing money, hurting farm production by banning chemical fertilizers to make the production fully organic and minimize import costs, failing to order COVID-19 vaccines in a timely manner and buying them later at higher prices.

A date has not yet been announced for a vote on the no-confidence motion.

The foreign currency crisis has limited imports and caused severe shortages of essential goods like fuel, cooking gas, medicine and food. People must line up for hours to buy what they can and many return home with little, if any, of what they were seeking.

Protests have spread demanding the resignations of Mahinda Rajapaksa, who heads an influential clan that has held power for most of the past two decades, and his younger brother, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. An occupation of the entrance to the presidents office by protesters demanding the Rajapaksas resign was in its 26th day on Wednesday.

So far, the Rajapaksa brothers have resisted calls to resign, though three other Rajapaksas out of the five who are lawmakers stepped down from their Cabinet posts in mid-April.

Sabri said Sri Lanka was in the process of appointing legal and financial advisers for negotiations on restructuring its foreign debt.

This is an economic crisis. The economic crisis has created a political crisis. It is important to resolve the political crisis in order to find solutions to the economic crisis, Sabri said.
Once the first state in America to enact an explicit ban on abortions, Connecticut is now poised to become a safe haven for patients seeking abortion services should the Supreme Court follow through on a reported draft decision to overturn the right to choose, experts said Tuesday.

A decision to overturn the half-century-old precedent set by Roe v. Wade  reflected in the draft opinion published by Politico  would have far reaching consequences for abortion access in the United States, where roughly two dozen states are expected to curtail legal abortions in nearly all instances.

Connecticut, however, is one of a handful of states that have codified abortion rights in state law, having done so in 1990. Lawmakers went even further this year, passing legislation to thwart attempts by other states to investigate patients who travel to Connecticut seeking access to safe and legal abortions.

We will be one of the states that continue to protect the right of people to make their own private health care decisions, said Dr. Nancy Stanwood, the section chief of Family Planning at the Yale School of Medicine. I think that we can be assured that for the people who live in Connecticut, that if they should need abortion care its available.

Connecticut saw 9,202 abortions performed in 2019, the latest year for which data is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The percentage of abortion patients who traveled from other states to Connecticut that year, 3.6 percent, was among the lowest the nation.

Part of the reason for low number of patients traveling from out of state is likely that neighboring states like New York and Massachusetts already have robust access to abortion services through clinics and hospitals. The advent of new laws limiting abortion access in far-flung states, however, has already forced some patients to travel farther to seek services, providers say.

Were already seeing patients from other states, particularly Texas, seeking care in Connecticut now that theyre unable to obtain that care in their own states, Amanda Skinner, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, said Tuesday. And were preparing for the possibility of an influx.

Skinner said she was furious about the leaked opinion but that Connecticut remains positioned to be a safe haven for abortion patients. She said the state legislatures bill passed last week, which awaits a signature from Gov. Ned Lamont, expands the categories of medical professionals who can perform abortions, allowing Connecticut to meet any increased demand.

The passage of this bill couldnt have come soon enough, because we need to do everything we can in a state like Connecticut to expand access to abortion care for our patients and for patients who might come in from other states, she said.

Leaders of the legislatures Reproductive Rights Caucus responded to the news of the leaked opinion with a promise to protect Connecticuts status as a safe harbor for patients and doctors who are forced to leave their home states due to laws that criminalize abortion services.

People who come here for care, we will protect them. Providers who come here and provide care, we will protect them. People who assist others in obtaining care, we will protect them, said State Rep. Matt Blumenthal, D- Stamford, a co-chairman of the caucus.

Pro-choice sentiments prevail in Connecticut

As officials in more conservative states eagerly await the chance to restrict or ban abortion in the event Roe v. Wade is overturned, top lawmakers in Connecticut on Tuesday restated their commitment to abortion access.

In a statement Tuesday, Lamonts campaign reaffirmed his support for the newly passed legislation to blunt the impact of anti-abortion laws in other states, saying he intends to sign the bill when it reaches his desk.

Governor Lamont is incredibly proud of the progress Connecticut has made in protecting a womans right to receive safe abortion care, the campaign said in a statement. The governor will continue to do anything in his power to defend those rights, which includes using his office and platform to advocate and fight for a womans right to choose.

Whereas nationally abortion is often a sharply partisan issue, in Connecticut at least some key Republicans have taken pro-choice stances, indicating they would not seek to limit abortion access if they gained control of the state legislature. Last weeks abortion legislation passed with support from a handful of Republicans, as well as most Democrats.

Bob Stefanowski, the presumed Republican nominee in this years gubernatorial election, said in a statement Tuesday that the leaked Supreme Court opinion doesnt change anything here in Connecticut.

In Connecticut, a womans right to choose is fully protected under state law, Stefanowski said.

A Stefanowski spokesperson did not respond to a question about whether the candidate would veto anti-abortion legislation if it were presented to him as governor.

In an interview Tuesday morning, Rep. Laura Devlin, a Fairfield Republican and Stefanowskis running mate, offered a similar view.

[The pending Supreme Court decision] doesnt affect anything in the state of Connecticut, she said. Roe v. Wade is codified in state law, so whatever the Supreme Court does, it doesnt affect the state of Connecticut.

House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, said he supported states having the right to set their own abortion lawsc, but he considered the issue settled in Connecticut.

What were seeing in states like Texas is something that I think Connecticut residents would take issue with, he said. And its why part of that legislation was trying to protect Connecticut residents, which Republicans did support that concept.

Connecticuts abortion laws date back more than two centuries when, in 1821, the state became the first in the nation to pass an explicit prohibition on induced abortions after quickening, or the point at which the fetus begins to move in the womb. The states abortion ban remained in effect until 1973, when the Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling in Roe v. Wade.

More recently, Connecticut has become one the most firmly abortion-rights states in the country, with a majority of both Democrats and Republicans supporting legal abortion, according to a 2014 Pew poll.

A nationwide shift

Though abortion protections are enshrined in Connecticut law, experts warned that any decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would have immediate consequences for millions of Americans who live in states that are ripe for a crackdown on abortion access, particularly those in the South and Midwest.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, at least 13 states have so-called trigger laws curtailing abortion access that go into effect immediately upon the courts decision to overturn its precedent.

States like Texas and Missouri have sought to get ahead of such a ruling, drafting legislation that would allow any resident to sue a doctor or patient for participating in an abortion.

After Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed such a law last year, Stanwood said she began to see patients showing up from Texas to receive abortion services at clinics in Connecticut.

Those are people who have the resources to travel, Stanwood said, adding, banning abortion doesnt make peoples need for abortion go away, and when it becomes incredibly difficult to obtain that leaves behind people who are in poverty, it leaves behind communities who historically have been disenfranchised from medicine such as people of color and communities of color.

While the leaked opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito and confirmed by Chief Justice John Roberts openly suggests that the courts decision would turn the issue of abortion back to the state legislatures, nothing in the decision would prohibit Congress from taking a more national approach.

Already on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, promised to hold a vote on legislation that would codify abortion rights in federal law, though Democrats do not appear to have enough votes to eliminate the filibuster to bypass Republican opposition.

If Republicans take control of the federal government in this years midterms and the subsequent 2024 presidential election, they could attempt to enforce a single nationwide policy on abortion.

Without a constitutional right, Congress is fully free to pass a statute that makes abortion a crime or just outlaws abortion in all the states, said University of Connecticut Law Professor Anne Dailey. Even liberal states are in danger, if we were in the future to have a Republican Congress and a Republican president. Its not out of the question that a ban on abortion might take place on a national level or at least there would be efforts on that score.

Though Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the authenticity of the leaked opinion Tuesday afternoon, the court cautioned that it was not a final decision and the opinion could still be subject to revisions or even a switch in the way one or more of the justices votes.

No ruling from the Supreme Court is official until it is handed down in public by the court, typically before the end of its annual session in late June or early July.

Staff writers Julia Bergman and Ken Dixon contributed to this story.
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MEXICO CITY  Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees are camping out in Mexico City and waiting for the U.S. government to allow them into the country.

About 500 evacuees were waiting Tuesday in large tents under a searing sun on a dusty field on the east side of Mexicos sprawling capital. The camp has been open only a week and from 50 to 100 people are arriving every day.

Some refugees have already been to the U.S. border in Tijuana where they were told they would no longer be admitted. Others arrived at airports in Mexico City or Cancun.

The U.S. government announced in late March that it would accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. Hundreds entered Mexico daily as tourists in Mexico City or Cancun and flew to Tijuana to wait for a few days to be admitted to the U.S. at a San Diego border crossing on humanitarian parole.

Giorgi Mikaberidze, 19, arrived in Tijuana April 25 and found the U.S. border closed. He went from being just yards from the United States to some 600 miles (966 kilometers) away in the Mexico City area. He said he traveled to Mexico alone.

Its very difficult to wait. We dont know how the program will work, he said.

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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:

 Russia storms Mariupol steel plant as some evacuees reach safety

 Debt drama far from over for Russia even though it dodges default

 Biden visit highlights strain on US weapons stockpile

 Pope Francis offers to meet Putin, but hasn't heard back

 German opposition leader visits Ukraine; chancellor refuses to go

Follow all AP stories on Russias war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden's national security adviser met Tuesday with a Swedish foreign affairs officials and committed to continuing close coordination on security issues, a U.S. National Security Council spokesperson said.

NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson said National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Oscar Stenstrom, state secretary for foreign affairs to Sweden's prime minister, discussed the security situation in Europe in light of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The topics included ongoing efforts to support Ukraine and impose costs on Russia, Watson said.

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WASHINGTON  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the war in Ukraine has worsened problems in the Western Hemisphere caused by the coronavirus pandemic, such as rising poverty.

Concerns about the war decreasing the availability of food and increasing prices have sparked fears of increasing hunger and starvation in other nations. Blinken told the annual Conference of the Americas Luncheon on Tuesday that the effects of the war are being felt after the pandemic inflicted massive economic harm throughout the region.

Giving the luncheons keynote address in Washington, Blinken said: Now, with the Russian governments brutal war of aggression on Ukraine, many of these preexisting problems, these preexisting conditions, have been made worse, raising the price of essential commodities throughout the Americas, from fertilizer to wheat to petroleum, cutting off key export markets for many industries in the Americas, and forcing households across the region to make very wrenching choices as the cost of living skyrockets.

Blinken plans to chair two United Nations meetings later this month aimed at spotlighting how the war in Ukraine and other conflicts is affecting the availability of food and prices.

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KYIV, Ukraine  Ukrainian officials say the Russian military has struck railroad infrastructure across the country.

Oleksandr Kamyshin, the head of the Ukrainian railways, said the Russian strikes on Tuesday hit six railway stations in the countrys central and western regions, inflicting heavy damage.

Kamyshin said at least 14 trains were delayed because of the attacks.

Dnipro region Gov. Valentyn Reznichenko said Russian missiles struck railway infrastructure in the area, leaving one person wounded and disrupting train movement.

The Ukrainian military also reported strikes on railways in the Kirovohrad region, saying there were unspecified casualties.

Ukraines railroads have played an important role in moving people, goods and military supplies during the war as roads and bridges have been damaged.

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TROY, Ala.  President Joe Biden on Tuesday credited the assembly line workers at a Javelin missile plant for doing life-saving work in building the antitank weapons that are being sent to Ukraine to stifle Russias invasion as he made a pitch for Congress to approve $33 billion so the U.S. can continue hustle aid to the front lines.

Youre allowing the Ukrainians to defend themselves, Biden told the workers, his podium flanked by Javelin missile launchers and shipping containers. And, quite frankly, theyre making fools of the Russian military in many instances.

The presidents visit to the Lockheed Martin factory in Alabama also drew attention to a growing concern as the war drags on: Can the U.S. sustain the cadence in shipping vast amounts of arms to Ukraine while maintaining a healthy stockpile it may need if conflict erupts with North Korea, Iran or elsewhere?

The U.S. has provided at least 7,000 Javelins, including some transferred during the Trump administration, or about one-third of its stockpile, to Ukraine in recent years, according to an analysis by Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies international security program. The Biden administration says it has committed to sending 5,500 Javelins to Ukraine since the Feb. 24 invasion.

Analysts also estimate that the United States has sent about one-quarter of its stockpile of shoulder-fired Stinger missiles to Ukraine. Raytheon Technologies CEO Greg Hayes told investors last week during a quarterly call that his company, which makes the weapons system, wouldnt be able to ramp up production until next year, due to parts shortages.

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UNITED NATIONS  The U.N. humanitarian chief in Ukraine says about 30 people who came out of the besieged Avostal steel plant in Mariupol chose not to leave the city, saying they were horrified at its total devastation and first wanted to find out if their loved ones were still alive.

Osnat Lubrani told a virtual press conference from the Ukrainian-held city of Zaporizhzhia soon after the arrival Tuesday of 127 people evacuated from the plant and the town of Manhush on Mariupols outskirts that she wants to believe the successful operation will be a stepping stone to more such operations from Avostal and other towns and cities being shelled and bombarded by the Russians.

She said there is knowledge that there are civilians still trapped in the Avostal plant, but the U.N. has no numbers.

Some of them may have been afraid to come out, some of them probably couldnt make it, Lubrani said. Its a huge area and some of the elderly people could hardly walk and a broken bus with flat tires was used to help some of them leave.

Speaking of the people who wanted to stay in Mariupol, she said, These are people that have lived their lives and worked in Mariupol and so it was difficult for them to just leave without knowing what the fate of their loved ones is.

Lubrani said the people still trapped underground in the Avostal plant will hear about the safe evacuation to Zaporizhzhia which is very important, so if we do another operation, I think hopefully more will come out.

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The Russian military says its artillery has hit over 400 Ukrainian targets during the last day.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Tuesday that the targets included Ukrainian artillery positions, troops strongholds and two fuel depots.

Konashenkov said Russian aircrafts have hit 39 other targets, including concentrations of troops and weapons and two command posts.

He charged that a U.S.-supplied artillery radar, four air defense radars and six ammunition depots were among the targets destroyed with precision-guided weapons over the last day.

Konashenkovs claims couldnt be independently verified.

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LVIV, Ukraine  Russian strikes have apparently targeted the western Ukraine city of Lviv.

The strikes happened in multiple directions just before 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday  about about an hour and a half after air raid sirens sounded in the city and reportedly went off across the entire country. At least four distinct explosions could be heard from downtown Lviv.

Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said the strikes damaged three power substations, knocking electricity off in parts of Lviv. Two pump stations were also without power, affecting water supply in the city. Two people were injured in the attack, according to the mayor.

Sadovyi wrote on a social message app that those in the city should take shelter. Trains coming out of Lviv stopped service. Car alarms went off after the blasts, and emergency sirens could be heard.

The mayor on Monday had a news conference with the countrys top U.S. diplomat, discussing how America planned to reopen its diplomatic presence in the city located near the Polish border.

The last major attack targeting the city came April 18, which killed at least seven people. Lviv has become a haven for those fleeing the wars front line in the east.

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PARIS  French President Emmanuel Macron, in a phone call Tuesday with Vladimir Putin, stressed the extreme gravity of the consequences of Russias war of aggression in Ukraine, and called on the Russian leader to allow evacuations from the Mariupol steel mill to continue, the Elysee Palace said.

Macron urged Russia to rise to the level of its responsibility as a permanent member of the U.S. Security Council by ending this devastating aggression, an Elysee statement said.

Macron asked Putin to restart evacuations at the Azovstal plant, which has served as a refuge for Ukrainians, in coordination with humanitarian units, while allowing evacuees to choose their destination, as called for under international law.

It was the first time that the French president has had a conversation with Putin since March 29  before the discovery of the exactions in the Ukrainian town of Bucha  after multiple telephone talks. The call came three days after Macron last spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Concerned about world food security, Macron said he was willing to work with international organizations to try to help seek a lifting of the Russian blockade on exports of food goods via the Black Sea, according to the statement.

He also restated his willingness to work on conditions for a negotiated solution to the war, for peace and for full respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and reiterated his oft-stated demand for a cease-fire, the statement said.

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KYIV, Ukraine  The Donetsk regional governor said the Russian troops on Tuesday shelled a chemical plant in Avdiivka, a city in eastern Ukraine, killing at least 10 people and wounding 15 more.

The Russians knew exactly where to aim  the workers just finished their shift and were waiting for a bus at a bus stop to take them home, Pavlo Kyrylenko wrote in a Telegram post. Another cynical crime by Russians on our land.

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GENEVA  A top Red Cross official helping oversee a dramatic, five-day effort that led to the evacuation of dozens of civilians from the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol to a government-held city said he remains extremely concerned about new clashes between Ukrainian and Russian forces there  with some other civilians still inside.

Pascal Hundt, who heads the Ukraine office of the International Committee of the Red Cross, said the humanitarian agency and the United Nations carried out the evacuation after Russia and Ukraine agreed that it would only include civilians. He said some people simply chose not to leave, and he didnt know why  but suspected fear about continued fighting played a part.

A total of 127 people were evacuated from Azovstal and the Mariupol area in buses that arrived in government-controlled Zaporizhzia on Tuesday.

We are today with a mixed feeling. We have done everything to help these people to basically leave the place where they were  to leave hell, Hundt said in a call with reporters from Kyiv. But we would have hoped that much more people would be able to join the convoy and to get out of hell.

Hundt said about a dozen people taken out in the convoy were sick or injured, but none were in critical condition.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Latvia has summoned Russias ambassador to the Baltic country over Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrovs anti-Semitic statements, the Latvian foreign minister said Tuesday.

The ambassador was to provide explanations on May 5 and receive a protest, Edgars Rinkevics wrote on Twitter.

In an interview with an Italian news channel, Lavrov said that Ukraine could still have Nazi elements even if some figures  including the countrys president  were Jewish, claiming that Hitler also had Jewish origins.

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BRUSSELS  The European Unions top diplomat says the blocs executive branch is on the cusp of proposing a new raft of sanctions against Russia, including on oil.

EU policy commissioners have been discussing the new sanctions and are set to send their proposals later Tuesday to the 27 member countries for debate.

The unions foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a tweet that the executive is working on the 6th package of sanctions which aims to de-swift more banks, list disinformation actors and tackle oil imports. Swift is the most widely used international system for bank transfers.

Member countries have been involved in drawing up the proposals, but they routinely take days to endorse them. The sanctions can only enter force once they are published in the EUs Official Journal. Hungary and Slovakia have already expressed reservations about signing on.

EU ambassadors are scheduled to meet on Wednesday. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is also likely to explain the proposals early Wednesday at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

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MOSCOW  Russian President Vladimir Putin has told French President Emmanuel Macron that Moscow is ready for talks with Ukraine.

The Kremlin said in its readout of Tuesdays call that despite Kyivs inconsistency and its lack of readiness for serious work, the Russian side is still ready for dialogue.

The Kremlin added that Putin also informed Macron about the course of Russias special military operation. It added that the two leaders also discussed the global food security and Putin underlined that Western sanctions have exacerbated the situation.

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ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine  The U.N.s aid coordinator for Ukraine says 127 people have been evacuated from the besieged Azovstal plant in Mariupol and nearby areas to a government-controlled city, in an operation carried out along with the international Red Cross.

Osnat Lubrani, the humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, said Tuesday that those evacuated included 101 people who could finally leave the bunkers below the Azovstal steelworks and see the daylight after two months.

Another 58 people joined the convoy in Manhush, a town on the outskirts of Mariupol.

Today, we brought people safely to Zaporizhzhia, Lubriani said. However, I worry that there may be more civilians who remain trapped.

The evacuees were receiving humanitarian assistance, including health and psychological care, from the U.N, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and partner agencies after arriving in Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday.

Some of the evacuees opted to be dropped off before arriving in the city, which is in government-controlled territory, Lubriani said in a statement.

 This item has been corrected to fix the spelling of Osnat Lubranis last name.

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KYIV, Ukraine  The deputy commander of the Azov Regiment that is holed up in the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol has confirmed to The Associated Press that Russian forces have started to storm the plant on Tuesday.

The move comes almost two weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered its military not to storm the plant, but rather block it off.

Asked about the reports in Ukrainian media that the huge steelworks  the last holdout of Ukrainian resistance in a city otherwise controlled by Moscows forces  was being stormed, Sviatoslav Palamar told the AP that it is true.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mariupol patrol police chief Mykhailo Vershinin was quoted by Ukrainian television as saying that the Russian military have started to storm the plant in several places.

The reports come amid a U.N. effort to evacuate civilians from the plant, which helped scores of people escape the sprawling facility.

According to Denys Shlega, commander of the 12th Operational Brigade of Ukraines National Guard who is also currently at Azovstal, 200 civilians including children remain at the plant.

Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk told reporters Tuesday that about 150 civilians have been taken from Azovstal and a few hundred remain at the plant. We need a few more days to continue this operation, Vereshchuk said.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Denmarks Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has urged her visiting Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, to try to influence Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

Putin has to stop this war, Frederiksen said Tuesday, adding immediately, I hope that India will influence Russia.

Indias neutral stance in the war has raised concerns in the West and earned praise from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who lauded India for judging the situation in its entirety, not just in a one-sided way.

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LONDON  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told Ukraines parliament that their country has achieved the greatest feat of arms of the 21st century by repelling Russias attempt to capture Kyiv.

Johnson addressed lawmakers in Ukraines legislature, the Verkhovna Rada, by video link on Tuesday. He is the first world leader to do so since Ukraine was invaded on Feb. 24.

Johnson, one of Ukraines most prominent international supporters, announced a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine, including radar, drones and armored vehicles.

Johnson said Ukraine had exploded the myth of (Russian President Vladimir) Putins invincibility, and expressed confidence Ukraine would win the war.

The British leader said Western allies had not done enough to stop Russia after it annexed Crimea and triggered a conflict in eastern Ukraine in 2014, and said Ukraines allies should not press it to give up territory to make peace.

He said you are the masters of your fate, and no-one can or should impose anything on Ukrainians. We in the U.K. will be guided by you and we are proud to be your friends.
A n editorial we published on the 25th anniversary of Roe v. Wade in 1998 predicted the debate over abortion will be just as passionate in 2023 as it was in 1973.

That debate has never abated in the last 49 years, and never will. For all that noise, it still comes down to the simple matter of whether a woman has the right to get an abortion. That is enough to carve the deepest of trenches in this modern civil war.

Connecticut is now a leader of the resistance to the U.S. Supreme Courts current efforts to overturn the landmark decision. As the Court tries to push the decision into the hands of elected officials, Connecticut is positioning itself as a sanctuary.

The Reproductive Freedom Defense Act, which is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Ned Lamont, anticipated the Supreme Courts actions.

The law would shield personnel who perform abortions in Connecticut, and thwart states that try to cross borders to punish medical professionals.

But know this: if you are providing, assisting in, or seeking an abortion that is legal in Connecticut, we will defend you. If you are seeking to exercise your right to determine your reproductive future, we will defend you, state Reps. Matt Blumenthal and Jillian Gilchrest, who co-chair the Reproductive Rights Caucus, wrote in a statement.

With actions such as the protections it codified in 1990, Connecticut has reliably braced itself for a fight that would cross generations. Matt Blumenthal, as just one example, is carrying forward the work of his father, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

Our state also is unique because the issue does not check party boxes here. Therein lies a reminder that this can be a traumatic issue on both sides of the line.

When the Reproductive Freedom act passed the state Senate, conservative Republicans who opposed it were joined by two prominent Black Democrats, Marilyn Moore of Bridgeport and Patricia Billie Miller of Stamford.

I cant support a system that has systemically tried to get rid of a race of people, Miller said.

The bill was approved on the House side with seven of the 87 Yes votes coming from Republicans and 14 Nos from Democrats, 10 of whom are people of color.

Only one Connecticut governor in the last 50 years has opposed abortion rights. Republican Gov. Thomas Meskills efforts to uphold Connecticuts anti-abortion statute were repealed, which helped shape the Roe v. Wade decision a few months later.

Republican John Rowland was firmly anti-abortion during his tenure in Congress, shifting his position during his successful run for governor.

It will become a campaign issue again this year. Bob Stefanowski, who is expected to again claim the Republican nomination for governor, was pressed to clarify his position during his unsuccessful run against Lamont four years ago.

Bob believes that Roe is settled law. He would not seek to limit access to reproductive choice if elected, his spokesman said at the time. Since the law may not be settled, Stefanowski will be pressed for a new answer in the months to come.

Our editorial of a quarter century ago also theorized that the public dialogue over abortion was evolving. Were not sure it has. Any discussion begins and ends with the individual, and her right to choose.

Connecticut is on the right side of history in defending her rights.
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New Haven officials and biotechnology sector experts say AstraZenecas plan to expand its footprint in Massachusetts is not expected to impact the companys Alexion Pharmaceuticals presence in Connecticut.

Alexion has about 500 employees at the companys research and development center on College Street in New Haven. But officials at AstraZeneca announced last week the multinational pharmaceutical giant will build a new strategic research and development center, as well as Alexions new corporate headquarters, in the Kendall Square section of Cambridge, Mass.

The new Kendall Square facility will allow Alexion to consolidate about 1,500 workers from the companys Waltham research and development facility and its headquarters in Bostons Seaport District at one site. The new building is scheduled for completion in 2026.

Alexion, which was founded in New Haven, announced in September 2017 that it was relocating its headquarters to Boston and completed the move the following summer. Last year, AstraZenaca completed its acquisition of Alexion, which develops drugs to treat rare diseases.

Pascal Soriot, AstraZenecas chief executive officer, said the new facility in Cambridge will act as a catalyst for even more external collaboration and innovation.

Kendall Square, Cambridge, is at the heart of the life sciences and innovation hub of the greater Boston area, and our new site will put us right at the center of this space, Soriot said in a statement. The move will provide access to some of the most innovative partners in academia and biotech, offering opportunities to accelerate our growth and collaborate with like-minded organizations as we continue to push the boundaries of science to deliver advances for patients.

Even as they were announcing the new Cambridge facility, AstraZenca officials reaffirmed their commitment to Connecticut. The company announced in April that Alexion would be taking space in a new biotech tower being built at 101 College St. in New Haven and hiring 50 new workers to bolster the companys Connecticut workforce.

Mike Piscitelli, the citys economic development administrator, said AstraZeneca has firmly committed to Alexions base of research operations here in New Haven.

It is important to recognize the overall growth of the life sciences sector in recent years, Piscitelli said. New Haven ranked fourth nationally in venture capital funding per capita, a remarkable achievement and another indication of the meaningful scientific discovery happening locally.

Paul Pescatello, senior counsel and executive director of CBIAs Connecticut Bioscience Growth Council, said AstraZencas move to Cambridge makes sense on multiple levels.

Its about consolidating their Massachusetts facilities and anybody in the rare disease sector would want to have a presence in Cambridge, Pescatello said. But I think New Haven is the centerpiece of their rare disease work and so anything that enhances that work is beneficial.

Ginny Kozlowski, chief executive officer of REX Development / Economic Development Corp. of New Haven, said AstraZenecas continued presence in Connecticut should be seen a positive.

AstraZeneca is a large global company and their expansion, the upping of their commitment to New Haven and Connecticut is great, a real opportunity, Kozlowski said.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
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.
DALLAS (AP)  A 2-year-old child has been hospitalized in critical condition after being mauled by a coyote Tuesday on the front porch of the childs Dallas home, police said.

The attack happened about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in a neighborhood just north of White Rock Lake in Dallas.

A police officer responding to the call spotted the coyote in a park near the childs home and opened fire on the animal, which retreated into nearby woods, according to a police statement.

It was unknown if the officer wounded the animal, but an active search with a game warden began, police said. Police are warning neighborhood residents that the coyote should be considered extremely dangerous.

The attack came less than a week after a coyote attacked a 2-year-old girl on Southern California's Huntington Beach. The coyote was later shot dead.

State wildlife experts said the coyote evidently had been fed by neighborhood residents, whether intentionally or not. Otherwise, the coyote would have shied away from human contact, said state urban wildlife biologist Sam Kieschnick. Such attacks are not just rare, they are exceedingly rare, he said.

The lack of fear of humans can be disastrous for the coyote, said Robert M. Timm, a retired wildlife biologist with the University of California's Hopland Research & Extension Center who has long studied the history of human contact with coyotes.

A report Timm co-authored for the Fall 2017 edition of the journal Human-Wildlife Interactions cited a 2009 study that tabulated 142 reported coyote attacks on humans in the United States and Canada over almost a half-century from 1960 to 2006. A 2011 study recorded 26 coyote attacks on humans in Canada between 1995-2010.

This is a difficult problem to manage, given the diversity of public attitudes toward coyotes, especially in suburban areas, he said in an email to The Associated Press. It quickly becomes a political nightmare for cities, counties, and public agencies, as many people oppose any lethal control of wildlife, which at times is the only solution when some individual coyotes become habituated to living in suburbia to the extent that they attack pets and humans.
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP)  Bosnia will hold a presidential and parliamentary ballot on Oct. 2 amid ethnic tensions and a row over an election reform.

The state election authorities on Wednesday scheduled the vote despite demands from Bosnian Croats that the new election rules be agreed upon first.

Bosnia consists of two semi-autonomous regions: a Bosnian Serb-dominated entity and a joint Bosniak-Croat one. The two are bound together by joint central institutions and all important decisions must be backed jointly.

The complicated network of institutions was established in a peace agreement in 1995 that ended Bosnia's ethnic war, which killed more than 100,000 people and displaced millions.

Bosnian Croats have since claimed discrimination in the entity with the Bosniaks, who are mostly Muslims. Croat officials and Croatia have demanded that the voting system be changed to make sure that Bosnian Croats alone choose Croat representatives.

Bosniak officials have denied the claims but talks on the election reform have been stuck. Bosnian Croat politician Dragan Covic warned in a letter that calling the election in such a situation presents a threat to peace, the regional N1 television reported.

Bosnian authorities also have yet to secure funding for the October ballot.

Some 3.3 million voters will choose the three members of Bosnia's multi-ethnic presidency, the central Bosnian and the parliaments of the two entities, as well as the president and vice-president of Republika Srpska, the Serb-run entity.

Tensions between Bosnia's ethnic groups have been simmering since the 1992-95 war. There have been fears that the war in Ukraine could trigger conflict in the volatile Balkan country where Bosnian Serbs maintain close links with Russia.
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BRIDGEPORT  As the Connecticut budget came together this week, the fiscal plan for its largest municipality seemed to be suddenly falling apart, then salvaged.

Members of the City Councils budget committee heard Tuesday night from panicked finance staff that what had been a $2.3 million shortfall in state aid  money that was counted on but never guaranteed  had more than doubled to around $7.3 million.

But by midday Wednesday there was hope Bridgeports state lawmakers would obtain a few million last minute bucks for their constituents before the Hartford-based, Democrat-dominated General Assemblys regular session adjourned at midnight.

The delegation is working to secure some additional funding to help the city hold the line on taxes, state Rep. Steven Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, said in an interview.

State Rep. Chris Rosario, D-Bridgeport, said, The best I can say right now is things are very, very promising. I really dont want to get into the details and what we had to do to do it. We galvanized the delegation.

Councilman Ernie Newton is a local budget committee co-chairman. That committee hoped to finalize a 2022-23 fiscal plan Wednesday night for the full, 20-member, all-Democrat council to vote on and forward to Ganim next week.

It looks like we may be there, Newton said. Were a lot better than we was yesterday.

The General Assemblys last day is often a nail-biter, with members of the House of Representatives, the Senate and the governors office scrambling to strike eleventh hour deals and pass bills, and not all of those can be salvaged before midnight.

So what happened with Bridgeports budget? To start, when Ganim presented his $605.1 million proposal to the citys legislative body in early April, it was balanced with millions in one-time or hoped-for revenues: $10 million from Bridgeports portion of last years federal coronavirus relief package; $4 million from the pending sale of city-owned, Stratford-based Sikorsky Memorial Airport to the Connecticut Airport Authority; and $2.1 million in additional non-education state aid on top of an anticipated $37 million.

It also last week came to light that Ganim had been banking on an additional $1.8 million from the state  so $3.9 million more total on top of an expected $37 million in non-education monies.

Ultimately the $24.2 billion state budget the House and Senate passed this week provided $1.6 million in additional funds to Bridgeport  bringing the citys total of non-education aid to $38.6 million, but not enough to fill that nearly $4 million hole. But, Stafstrom argued, the Ganim administration had enough information ahead of time to know what was realistic to expect, and what was wishful thinking.

Bridgeport  when the mayor  put out its budget, somehow decided to build in a whole bunch of additional state aid over and above that $1.6 million that they aspiration-ally hoped for but was never promised by anybody, Stafstrom said Wednesday.

On top of that, Stafstrom said, city officials miscalculated the reimbursement Bridgeport will receive from the state as part of a Connecticut-wide effort to help municipalities lower local car taxes. That roughly $5 million error, revealed to the councils budget committee Tuesday, is what caused the last minute panic and push to lobby Gov. Ned Lamont and state legislative leaders for extra last minute dollars.

Newton credited threats he made on social media for helping that endeavor. As previously reported, in recent days members of the Ganim administration, using data from before the state budget was passed, had sought to publicly shame state officials about how much less Bridgeport receives in state aid compared with Hartford and New Haven: $37 million versus Hartfords $85 million and New Havens $114 million.

Newton jumped on that topic and on Facebook urged local Democratic leaders to boycott the partys nominating convention for governor and other statewide offices Friday in Hartford.

I just dont understand how the state has a ($4) billion dollar surplus and the largest city gets treated as an orphan, he wrote.

No candidate that runs for state office can win an election without Bridgeport, Newton elaborated in Wednesdays interview. The delegation was up there and fought hard, (but) sometimes you gotta do stuff to get peoples attention.

But Rosario said Newtons effort was not helpful.

If anything it did the reverse, he said. That was really disappointing. The only reason were able to get stuff up here is the (legislative) leadership and the respect we have as a delegation.

Stafstrom said he gets Bridgeport leaders frustration but much of the state assistance is based on formulas involving non-taxable properties, and Hartford and New Haven simply have more of those than Bridgeport, despite the latter being more populated.

The current formulas sort of heavily take into account state property which very directly assists Hartford. The other one looks at colleges and hospitals, which very directly assists New Haven, Stafstrom said. And that is why, he said, Bridgeport must work harder to redevelop underutilized land so those sites generate more local property taxes.

Both he and Rosario on Wednesday also argued that, the debate over whether Bridgeport receives its fair share in state aid aside, the additional car tax cuts, increases in property tax and child tax credits and other components of the just-passed Connecticut budget will have a significant positive effect on their constituents finances.

If you look at the budget this year as a whole, a lot of the effort was to get dollars back into the hand of individuals, Stafstrom said. And frankly that was the priority of the delegation this year  getting those dollars back into the hands of taxpayers as opposed to City Hall.

This budget provides the most direct relief to Bridgeport  your everyday citizen (and) people who are forgotten, Rosario said.

Although the last minute increase in aid would take a lot of pressure off of the councils budget committee, there was still some tension expected during its final deliberations Wednesday night, with some members aiming in particular to eliminate a few hundred thousand dollars worth of positions in municipal government.

We need to cut the dead weight  people who dont perform, said Councilman Matthew McCarthy Wednesday. He said he had a list of politically-appointed, non-union jobs in the housing code, public facilities and chief administrative offices totaling almost half a million dollars.

Newton said he is open to consider those but also warned that Ganim does have veto power.

Let the mayor veto it, McCarthy said.
BRIDGEPORT  The city council has overwhelmingly approved a $140,000 settlement to a local man who claimed in a federal lawsuit that his civil rights were violated when police burst into his home without a warrant six years ago.

According to court records, city officials agreed to the settlement with Shannon Calhoun after a federal judge twice refused to dismiss the lawsuit he filed against the city and several police officers.

The council approved the deal at its Monday meeting.

We are grateful we were able to achieve a settlement with the city, said Calhouns lawyer, Erskine McIntosh of New Haven. We hope this settlement serves not only to recompense Mr. Calhoun but to let the public know that the city is attempting to have the best interest in its citizens and its police department.

City officials did not return calls and emails for comment.

On the evening of April 13, 2016, Bridgeport police received multiple 911 calls reporting shots being fired in the vicinity of a CVS pharmacy on Main Street in Bridgeport, according to the lawsuit.

Court documents state an officer responding to the calls arrived at the CVS and was informed by the woman whose car had been attacked that the suspect was Shannon Calhoun. She also gave the officer the license plate number of Calhouns car and his address on Ridgewood Place, which was only one block away from the CVS.

The documents state two Bridgeport police officers went to the Ridgewood Place address. The car Calhoun had been driving, a black BMW sedan, was parked on the street outside that address. The hood of that car was still warm and the officers noticed a small amount of blood on the drivers seat, the console, and the gear shift.

The officers also discovered three drops of blood on the porch outside the door of the Ridgewood Place address.

One of the officers saw a light in the second floor of the residence and began pounding on the door and announcing the police presence, the documents state. This continued for five minutes with no response from inside the residence. Detective Chris Borona made the decision to breach and enter the house by force.

The documents state that Borona forcibly entered the apartment with a canine unit and commanded anyone inside to come out with their hands up. Calhoun walked out into the main hallway of the residence with his hands up, was taken to the ground, handcuffed, placed under arrest, and subjected to a pat-down search. Calhoun had a bloody cut on his finger.

At the time he was apprehended, Calhoun told the officers who had entered the residence that they could not search the apartment, the documents state. The officers disregarded Calhouns statement and began searching the apartment. Their search included opening bags, looking behind dressers, opening drawers of dressers, opening closed closets, moving clothes in closets, and opening closed boxes in closed closets.

During the search, the officers located a small bag of narcotics and a handgun and then stated, Lets put everything back until we get a warrant, the documents state.

A federal judge later ruled the prosecution could not use the discovery of the gun and drugs in its case against Calhoun, ruling it had been an illegal search, and the government dropped its prosecution of Calhoun.

Calhoun then filed his lawsuit against the city and the police officers contending that his civil rights had been violated.

Calhoun is currently serving a two-year prison sentence for a February convictions of possession of narcotics with intent to sell and violating a prior probation.
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BRIDGEPORT  If Lauren Gray hadnt had an abortion 12 years ago, she said, her life would have been very different.

I would have been 20 years old, in a very bad relationship I was trying to get out of and I would have been tied to that person forever by a child, said Gray, now 32 and a Shelton resident.

Instead, she said, she was able to move on and meet her eventual husband and have two children.

Im not ashamed, Gray said. I dont regret it. I wasnt ready to have a child.

A leaked draft of a majority opinion from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito obtained by POLITICO came out Monday night revealing the Supreme Courts intent to overrule the 1973 Roe v. Wade and 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey abortion rights decisions.

The Diocese of Bridgeport, which has opposed abortion and held prayer vigils and marches against it, did not reply to phone and email messages Tuesday seeking comment.

Ellen Fraint, a Stratford resident and pediatrician who takes care of children who get transplants from pediatric oncologists, called the potential change an abysmal failure and completely short-sighted. She said the medical community has known for a long time the dangers of making abortion illegal.

Many people are going to be hurt, many people are going to take matters into their own hands, Fraint said. You cant prevent people from seeking out abortions. All we can do is help enable people to achieve safe, adequate care.

Kelly Marino, a history professor at Sacred Heart University, said this decision may not reduce the number of people who seek abortions, but rather could put them in situations where they may resort to risky backdoor or illegal services or even worse, self-induced abortions.

Marino said that teens and young people would be among the most susceptible to non-conventional alternatives because of lack of access to travel to states where abortion is legal. She also said it would impact both the working and lower classes who may not have additional available resources to travel to other states.

The Rev. Sara Smith of United Congregational Church of Bridgeport  speaking for herself, not her parish  said she does not like abortion, but believes in a womans right to choose her health decisions. She said she does not want to get back to wire hangers in the back alleys and women dying.

Abortions probably the last choice Id want somebody to make, Smith said. But, for some, especially if your health was endangered, you were raped or it was incest, I cant fathom somebody would say, You have to still keep that baby.

The state legislature recently passed a safe harbor bill to help protect patients and medical professionals from penalties from anti-abortion states.

I think its a catastrophe from the point of the Supreme Court, Rep. Phil Young, D-Stratford, said. It wasnt unexpected, so we took matters into our own hands and kind of made sure that women are protected in our state.

State Sen. Marilyn Moore, D-Bridgeport, responded to a text from Hearst Connecticut Media and with a simple no comment.

Moore voted against the safe harbor bill last week, citing racism and distrust in the medical system.

Kate Rivera, activist and former member of the Bridgeport school board, said she believes every woman knows someone who has had an abortion.

I believe in bodily autonomy. This is a human right. This is a healthcare right. And its shocking that in 2022 were having to debate the bodily autonomy of women, she said.

Rivera added that no one is shocked by the draft decision and weve seen it coming.

It is a shame to know that the people that sit in the seats high above in the Supreme Court and federal government still do not recognize womens rights as human rights, said Tiheba Bain, founder of the group Women Against Mass Incarceration. Its appalling and it definitely needs to stop. It doesnt need to change. It needs to stop.

The advocacy group planned a protest in front of the Bridgeport federal courthouse at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Bridgeport City Council President Aidee Nieves said the potential decision is makes women third-class citizens.

They cant do that. Thats crazy, Nieves said. Thats taking us back to where a womans voice, a womans choice and right is literally stripped of them.

Nieves said she knows people who have had to make this choice in their lives for different reasons. She said they are not easy choices to make.

The Rev. Stanley Lord, president of the Greater Bridgeport NAACP, said the country is going backwards and we have no right to tell a woman what she should do with her body.

Gray, of Shelton, said its sad to think of future generations not having the same options she had.

Forcing people to have babies is not the way to go, Gray said. Every person going forward should also have that same choice. Every person should have the ability to chose like I did.

Reporters Amanda Cuda, Joshua LaBella and Brian Lockhart contributed to this story.

mike.mavredakis@hearstmediact.com
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  A state appeals court on Tuesday overturned the conviction of a Virginia mother who was found guilty of assault and battery for striking her 12-year-old twins with a belt to discipline them.

WTOP-FM reports that a three-judge Court of Appeals panel said the trial judge overstepped her authority when she suggested in her ruling that the mother should have found a different way to punish her children.
A Stratford woman awaiting sentencing for federal health care fraud is facing a second charge after authorities allege she served as a silent partner in another scheme and billed Medicaid for thousands of dollars in services she did not perform, according to federal prosecutors.

Nicole Steiner, 32, was charged Monday with committing health care fraud. Steiner, who was formerly known as Nicole Balkas, was seen in federal court in Bridgeport and was released on $250,000 bond. She will be confined in her home and under electronic monitoring while awaiting trial, according to Leonard Boyle, the United States attorney for the District of Connecticut.

She pleaded guilty to a similar charge in April 2021 related to Helping Hands Academy in Bridgeport, a business she owned and operated, according to court documents. Steiner was released on bond at the time of her arrest Monday.

Helping Hands Academy provided applied behavioral analysis services to children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The business was enrolled as a participating provider in the states Medicaid program, according to Boyles office.

From December 2018 to October 2020, Steiner submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid for applied behavior analysis services to purported Medicaid clients. However, investigators discovered that on those dates, no applied behavior analysis services of any kind had been provided to the Medicaid clients identified in the claims, Boyles office said.

Even when these analyses had been provided to the Medicaid clients, in some claims Steiner inflated the number of hours. Steiner also submitted false Medicaid claims in 2020 using a former employees name and provider number, according to Boyles office.

The Connecticut Department of Social Services, which administers the Medicaid program, terminated Helping Hands Academy as a provider in August 2020, according to court documents.

Afterward, Steiner made several false statements and submitted an altered document to DSS in an effort to rescind the termination and to receive payment for previously submitted claims, Boyles office said.

Medicaid lost about $551,000 in Steiners scheme, according to court documents.

After pleading guilty in April 2021, Steiner was released on $50,000 bond. While awaiting sentencing, prosecutors allege that Steiner was a silent partner in another company, New Beginnings Childrens Behavioral Health LLC, which provided similar services as Helping Hands Academy.

At New Beginnings, Steiner was responsible for billing Medicaid claims, managing payroll and recruiting and screening potential employees. She and the company billed Medicaid for thousands of dollars in services not rendered, in particular for services not rendered by Steiner, Boyles office said.

If convicted, Steiner faces up to 10 years in prison, which will be imposed consecutively to the sentence she receives in her initial health care fraud case, according to Boyles office

People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
FORT KNOX, Ky. (AP)  The remains of a recently identified eastern Kentucky soldier who was killed in the Korean War will be interred in his hometown of Whitesburg, officials said.

Graveside services for Army Cpl. Donald L. Menken will be performed May 14 by Everidge Funeral Home in Whitesburg before interment at Green Acres Cemetery, U. S. Army Human Resources Command at Fort Knox said Tuesday in a statement.
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ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  Norman Mineta, who broke racial barriers for Asian Americans serving in high-profile government posts and ordered commercial flights grounded after the 9/11 terror attacks as the nation's federal transportation secretary, died Tuesday. He was 90.

John Flaherty, Minetas former chief of staff, said Mineta died peacefully at his home surrounded by family in Edgewater, Maryland, east of the nation's capital.

His cause of death was a heart ailment," Flaherty added. He was an extraordinary public servant and a very dear friend."

Mineta broke racial barriers for Asian Americans in becoming mayor of San Jose, California early in his political career. He later became the first Asian American to become a federal Cabinet secretary, serving under both Democratic President Bill Clinton and Republican George W. Bush.

Bush went on to award Mineta the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In a statement, the former president said Mineta was "a wonderful American story about someone who overcame hardship and prejudice to serve in the United States Army, Congress, and the Cabinet of two Presidents.

As my Secretary of Transportation, he showed great leadership in helping prevent further attacks on and after 9/11. As I said when presenting him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Norm has given his country a lifetime of service, and hes given his fellow citizens an example of leadership, devotion to duty, and personal character, the former president said.

The son of Japanese immigrants who spent two years of his childhood at a World War II internment camp, Mineta began his political career leading his hometown of San Jose before joining the Clinton administration as commerce secretary and then crossing party lines to serve in Bushs Cabinet.

As Bushs transportation secretary, Mineta led the department during the crisis of Sept. 11, 2001, as hijacked commercial airliners barreled toward U.S. landmarks. After a second plane crashed into the World Trade Center, Mineta ordered the Federal Aviation Administration to ground all civilian aircraft  more than 4,500 in flight at the time. It was the first such order given in U.S. aviation history.

Mineta was subsequently tasked with restoring confidence in air travel in the aftermath of the terror attacks. He oversaw the hasty creation of the Transportation Security Administration, which took over responsibility for aviation security from the airlines.

Within a year, the TSA had hired tens of thousands of airport screeners, put air marshals on commercial flights and installed high-tech equipment to screen air travelers and their luggage for bombs.

The effort was derided at the time for wasteful spending and causing long lines at airports. But Mineta, widely liked and respected in Washington for his deep knowledge of transportation issues, managed to escape the brunt of that criticism.

In 2006, he resigned at age 74 after 5 and 1/2 years in his post, making him the longest-serving transportation secretary since the agency was created in 1967.

Born on Nov. 12, 1931, Norman Yoshio Mineta was 10 and wearing his Cub Scouts uniform when he and his parents were transported to be incarcerated in Wyoming after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

He went on to graduate from the University of California, Berkeley, with a bachelors degree in business administration and served as an Army intelligence officer in Korea and Japan. After three years with the military, he returned to San Jose to run his fathers Mineta Insurance Agency.

Minetas foray into politics came in 1967, when San Joses mayor tapped him to fill a vacant seat on the city council. He won re-election and served four more years on the council before winning the citys top seat in 1971, making him the first Asian-American mayor of a major city. It now has an airport that bears his name.

Mineta was elected to Congress in 1974 and served 10 terms representing Silicon Valley. During his tenure, he pushed for more funding for the FAA and co-authored a landmark law that gave state and local governments control over highway and mass transit decisions.

The co-founder of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus also scored a personal victory when he helped win passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which required the U.S. government to apologize to the 120,000 Japanese Americans forced to live in wartime internment camps. Former internees also received reparations of $20,000 each.

In 1993, Mineta became chairman of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee  another first  but he quickly lost that job after Republicans won control of the House in 1994.

Mineta resigned from Congress in 1995 to join Lockheed Martin Corp. as senior vice president of its transportation division, which built and operated electronic toll collection systems.

But Washington came calling again five years later when Clinton, in the final months of his presidency, appointed him to replace William Daley as commerce secretary.

Mineta then became the first cabinet secretary to make the switch directly from a Democratic to Republican administration. He was the only Democrat in Bushs cabinet.

As transportation secretary, Mineta successfully promoted private investment in roads and bridges such as the Chicago Skyway and Indiana Toll Road and helped secure passage of a $286 billion highway spending plan after almost two years of wrangling with Congress.

After overseeing the rapid launch of the TSA, Mineta had his department downsized by almost two-thirds when the TSA and Coast Guard were moved to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003 in the biggest government reorganization in nearly six decades.

After retiring from public service, he joined the public relations firm Hill & Knowlton as vice chairman and settled with his wife, Danealia, in Maryland near the Chesapeake Bay.

___

Chea reported from San Francisco.
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BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP)  Ever since Northern Ireland was founded as a Protestant-majority state a century ago, its governments have been led by unionist politicians who defined themselves as British.

But if opinion polls are right, an election Thursday will see Sinn Fein, an Irish nationalist party that seeks union with Ireland, become the largest group in the 90-seat Northern Ireland Assembly. That would give Sinn Fein the post of first minister in the Belfast government for the first time.

It would be a milestone for a party long linked to the Irish Republican Army, a paramilitary group that used bombs and bullets to try to take Northern Ireland out of U.K. rule during decades of violence  in which the British Army and Royal Ulster Constabulary, as well as Protestant Loyalist paramilitaries, were also strongly involved.

It would also bring Sinn Feins ultimate goal of a united Ireland a step closer.

But its not what the party  or voters  want to talk about in a campaign that has been dominated by more immediate worries: long waiting lists for medical care and the soaring cost of food and fuel.

I now ration my heat to one hour a day, said Sinead Quinn, who set up the group Derry Against Food Poverty to press politicians to act on the cost-of-living crisis.

My entire circle of friends is affected by this. I dont think you can throw a stone in Northern Ireland and miss a community that being affected by it.

The economic crunch  driven by the war in Ukraine, COVID-19 pandemic disruption and Britain's exit from the European Union  is also dominating election debate elsewhere in the U.K. Votes Thursday to elect local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales are a test for beleaguered British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose popularity has been battered by scandals over lockdown rule-breaking.

In Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein has downplayed talk of a united Ireland in its campaign to focus on bread-and-butter issues.

The things that the public want us to respond to is trying to put money in their pockets to help them deal with the cost-of-living crisis, Michelle ONeill, the party's leader in Northern Ireland, said Tuesday during a televised election debate. She said she was not fixated on a date for a unification referendum.

Even so, Katy Hayward, professor of political sociology at Queens University Belfast, said Sinn Fein taking the top spot would be a very significant moment.

And we know that nationalists will recognize it as being so, even if they dont necessarily want an imminent border poll, she said. And of course unionists will also see it as being a significant, critical moment."

In terms of what the election outcome will mean, its very much about how the other parties respond to this scenario.

Many voters simply hope the election will produce a functioning government, but that appears unlikely in the short term.

Under Northern Irelands power-sharing system, created by the 1998 peace agreement that ended decades of Catholic-Protestant conflict, the jobs of first minister and deputy first minister are split between the biggest unionist party and the largest nationalist one.

Both posts must be filled for a government to function. The Democratic Unionist Party, which has been the largest in the Northern Ireland Assembly for two decades, has suggested it might not serve under a Sinn Fein first minister.

The DUP also says it will refuse to join a new government unless there are major changes to post-Brexit border arrangements, known as the Northern Ireland Protocol, that are opposed by many unionists.

The political institutions must be sustainable. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said during Tuesdays debate. And that means we have got to deal with the big issues that are in front of us, not least the harm that the Northern Ireland Protocol is doing to undermine political stability in Northern Ireland.

The post-Brexit rules have imposed customs and border checks on some goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the U.K. The arrangement was designed to maintain an open border between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland, a key pillar of the peace process.

But unionists say the new checks have created a barrier between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K. that undermines their British identity.

The instability has led to rising tensions and sporadic violence, including a week of rioting in Protestant Loyalist areas a year ago. Last month, police were pelted with petrol bombs after a dissident Irish Republican parade in Derry, also known as Londonderry.

The British government is pressing the EU to agree to major changes  scrapping most checks  and is threatening to unilaterally suspend the rules if the bloc refuses.

Negotiations have reached an impasse, with the bloc accusing Johnson of refusing to implement rules he agreed to in a legally binding treaty.

Meanwhile, politics in Northern Ireland is changing. More support is going to parties that identify as neither nationalist nor unionist, with young people increasingly rejecting the traditional labels. Polls suggest the centrist Alliance Party is vying for second place with the DUP, another potentially seismic development.

Full results of the election, which uses a system of proportional representation, are not expected until the weekend at the earliest.

The new legislators will meet next week to try to form an executive. If none can be formed within six months, the administration will collapse, triggering a new election and more uncertainty.

Quinn, the anti-poverty activist, said that would be a dereliction of duty.

Both communities  all communities and none  are struggling here, she said.

Im really hoping that the politicians are listening.

___

Jill Lawless reported from London


THE future looks bright in the music industry as youthful musicians have been voted into the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (Zimura) board.

A meeting was held here in Harare at Zimbabwe Showgrounds at Robie Mupawose centre where 14 contestants were vying for the six board member posts.

Rapper Mudiwa Hood received the most votes (39) and he was followed closely by urban grooves maestro Alexio Gwenzi also known as Goodchild with 32 votes.

Other elected members include Albert Nyathi (27), Philip Chifumbu (25) and Batani First aka First Farai (10) to make the first five elected members while one seat fell vacant as three members were tied with eight votes each and these were Dingumuzi Phuti, Janet Manyowa and Nathaniel Ncube.

On the second round Janet Manyowa was voted as the sixth board member with 70 votes while Dingumuzi Phuti got 47 votes and Nathaniel Ncube with 19 votes.

Other contestants were Fred Nyamudanga (4), Mechanic Manyeruke (3), Joseph Garakara (2), Clarence Gakura (1), Nokufeza Ngwenya and Sipetangani Sibanda who all received zero votes as also there were not in attendance.

The elected board of members are expected to vote for a chairperson and vice chairperson before appointing a legal and finance officer. Chronicle
A pair of Tory canvassers came to our front door last weekend asking if they could rely on my support in todays local elections.

They had a battle-weary look about them. I sensed they had already suffered some difficult doorstep encounters.

I told them that I happen to know Boris Johnson, as we worked on the same newspaper for many years.

So I know him to be intellectually brilliant and personally brave, but that he always operates within a microclimate of chaos of his own creation.

I conceded that even I was getting fed up with the drip-drip of stupid, self-inflicted errors perpetrated by the hapless Downing Street operation.

My gripes included the failure to shake off partygate, the economically incoherent tax rises in the Budget, the abysmal calibre of his cabinet ministers, and the lack of any sort of grand Tory vision.

The odd thing was that the Conservative canvassers immediately started agreeing with me.

I said that though I personally could not get exercised about the breaching of silly Covid rules during lockdown, I understood why people were furious. They replied: That was terrible and we were also furious.

They were painfully polite and we parted on terms that left it open that I might abstain in todays vote.

Then, this week, events intruded, as they so often do. One showed up Labour leader Sir Keir Starmers manifold inadequacies, the other Boriss latent strengths.

It would be disingenuous to deny there is a certain magnificence about Mr Johnsons theatrical displays of defiance in the face of Vladimir Putins brutal desecration of Ukraine.

This Prime Minister  and, lets not forget, biographer of Winston Churchill  immediately grasped the importance of symbolism in the conduct of this war.

And on Tuesday, he became the first foreign leader to make a video address to the Ukrainian parliament since the Russian invasion began.

In a stirring display of oratory, he announced a further 300 million in military aid, telling the parliament: You will be free. In a less than subtle resort to Churchillian rhetoric, he added that this was their finest hour.

To an English ear it might have sounded a bit too much, but the Ukrainians responded with a standing ovation.

Characteristically, the BBC chose to emphasise the domestic political scepticism to this charismatic intervention.

An obscure LibDem called Layla Moran suggested the timing of the address could be deeply cynical, with elections this week. Well, she should know.

Boris Johnson hailed the battle against Vladimir Putin as Ukraine's 'finest hour' today as he became the first world leader to address Kyiv 's parliament

This was not how die-hard anti-Brexiteers thought events should unfold.

Brexit, Boriss undisputed triumph thus far, was supposed to leave Britain isolated, a declining second-tier state.

Yet, to the dismay of the Left and unreconciled Remainers, Boris has become a hero in Ukraine and is now a pivotal figure in how this tragic conflict will play out.

He went to Kyiv last month, at some personal risk, to walk the streets with Volodymyr Zelensky.

As the Ukrainian president told his nation: Boris was among those who did not hesitate for a moment whether to help Ukraine.

I suspect Keir Starmer, if he were Prime Minister, would have allowed himself to be talked out of going to Kyiv by officials who deemed it provocative to Moscow.

The great thing about Boris Johnson is that he dismisses such concerns out of hand. And his boldness has won him hearts as well as minds in Ukraine.

While Germany and France have vacillated, Boris has been decisive, brave and guided by his instincts. This is when he is at his best as a politician.

Now he is the main foreign leader in Kyivs mind, rather than Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, or newly re-elected President Emmanuel Macron of France.

The sclerotic EU bureaucracy remains racked by dissent between member states, many with various residual sympathies for Moscow, and hobbled by an absence of combined military capability.

Yesterday they could not even agree on an embargo on Russian oil due to Hungarian objections.

Clearly Washington, through Nato, makes the big military calls, but it is becoming alarmingly apparent that the increasingly doddery President Joe Biden is no longer cognitively capable of leading the diplomatic fightback against Putins aggression. Hence Boris Johnsons enhanced status.

Immediately after the invasion of Ukraine, Herr Scholz tore up 30 years of German foreign policy, honed under his predecessor Angela Merkel.

This was predicated on sucking up to Russia as a gesture of apology for all that unpleasantness in the 1940s.

In the most astonishing volte-face since Hitlers termination in 1941 of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact  a non-aggression treaty between Russia and Germany  Herr Scholz declared that German military expenditure would be vastly increased and the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia cancelled.

But in the intervening six weeks, it appears that the Putin appeasers in his own party have got to Scholz and his will has faltered.

He is foot-dragging on promises of arms shipments to beef up Ukrainian defences and the Russian subjugation of Ukraine continues to be funded by German payments for gas.

Now Boris is the main foreign leader in Kyivs mind, rather than Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, or newly re-elected President Emmanuel Macron of France

Immediately after the invasion of Ukraine, Herr Scholz tore up 30 years of German foreign policy, honed under his predecessor Angela Merkel. This was predicated on sucking up to Russia as a gesture of apology for all that unpleasantness in the 1940s

Now there is a new diplomatic spat. Germanys figurehead president has been barred from visiting Kyiv because he is deemed to be too cosy with Putin. In retaliation, Scholz is refusing to go himself.

Ukraines ambassador in Berlin, Andrij Melnyk, responded by describing Scholz as a huffy liver sausage, which in diplomatic terms is about as bad as it gets.

Meanwhile, President Macron is derided as a latter-day Neville Chamberlain for thinking that his diplomatic interventions with Putin could have averted the invasion in the first place.

In the past five months, Macron has had no fewer than 19 telephone calls and Zoom conversations with Putin, as well as five hours of talks across the longest table in Moscow. But all so far to no avail.

So the question on election day is: where does this leave us?

Sir Keir Starmer must regret having made so much of Boriss breaking of lockdown rules now it is clear he did exactly the same.

Notwithstanding his implausible denial that the beer and curry event at Durham Miners Hall breached no rules, it is clear his office lied when it denied that his deputy, Angela Rayner, was also present at the work gathering.

The point about Boris is that he is an obvious rogue whom you would expect to break the rules. Sir Keir Starmer QC, former head of the Crown Prosecution Service, should know better.

If he is not dependable and truthful in a clever, lawyerly sort of way, then what is the point of him?

Boris Johnson, in contrast, has always been a bit of a chancer. But the same was said of his political hero, Winston Churchill, who  like Boris  was blessed with the political hide of a rhinoceros.

Alone among British and European leaders, Boris understands that Russias attempted eradication of Ukraine as a sovereign state is a defining historical moment.

There is no room for ducking or shading. What Putin has done is an outrage. But if we do not face down this threat, we risk consequences that are unimaginable, but include nuclear war within Europe and beyond.

Boris Johnson was quick to understand this central truth. Once derided for his sloppy self-indulgence, he now seems like the grown-up in the room.

Much as we moan, many instinctive Conservatives understand that point. This is why I suspect Boris Johnson and his party will do better in todays polls than his detractors hope and expect.

I for one, having given the matter a great deal of thought since speaking to those canvassers, will today be putting my X next to the names of my local Conservative candidates.
There is nothing funny about a bad tattoo.

But Amber Heard broke down in tears when she told a court that the first time Johnny Depp hit her was because he thought she was making fun of his latest inking.

I had never been hit like that, she said, the compliant Olive Oyl to his tattooed Popeye. I knew you dont come back from that, and it broke my heart.

Heard also choked back sobs when she said the defamation trial brought against her by Depp is the most painful and difficult thing I have ever gone through  and all this happened during the first hours of her testimony, which is expected to last for days.

Heard (pictured testifying yesterday) cried as she said Depp 'slapped her across the face'

It was 2pm local time when Miss Heard finally took the stand in her own defence against Johnny Depp.

Fans must have been pleased that her lawyer Elaine Bredehoft wasted no time in getting straight to the heart of the matter.

Dutiful Olive Oyl (right) is the long-suffering wife of cartoon icon Popeye the sailor (left)

What happened during their first stage kiss on the set of The Rum Diary, their first and only film together? We had a kissing scene. It didnt feel like a normal scene: It felt real, recalled Miss Heard.

Did he use his tongue? asked Bredehoft, rather in the manner of a prurient but plain friend back in high school. Amber looked sad for a moment.

Yes, she replied. Not very much later, the couple kissed for real and you will never guess what happened next.

We fell in love, Amber told the court, with a catch in her voice.

There have been a lot of big moments in the 36-year-old actresss life, but surely none bigger than this. What is at stake? To paraphrase her ex-husband from earlier in the trial, only absolutely everything. Little wonder that all morning, excitement had been building.

We are waiting for the expected testimony of Amber Heard, now just half a witness away, cried anchor Ted Rowlands for Court TV, who promise their millions of viewers a ringside seat to justice.

Inside the Fairfax County courtroom, attendees had been told they could no longer bring bottled drinks inside, a sure sign of impending celebrity appearance.

The last time they were so instructed was just before Depp took the stand.

During his four days of testimony, he claimed that not only had he never struck Heard, it was he who was the abuse victim, not her.

No one threw actual cold water over his claims, but the metaphysical deluge was about to start.

For her big appearance, Miss Heard unbraided her hair and was wearing a three-piece pinstripe suit with a blue shirt buttoned to the neck.

If she were planning to star in a remake of Bugsy Malone: The Feminist Years, all she needed was a kipper tie to complete the look.

It seemed studied, and some might suggest that she was deliberately playing down her sexuality to emphasise her victimhood.

Others could argue that all her sexless cosplay shows is that women still have to dress to play a role in society.

Quizzed by her own lawyers, Amber started off slow, painting a super-cute picture of her first years as a Hollywood ingenue  one in which she worked my butt off.

She met world-famous Johnny Depp at an audition when she was 22  and here she painstakingly spelled out their lopsided power dynamic as they bonded over books, music, poetry and obscure writers.

She said: I was a no-name actor... he was twice my age and here we are, getting along. I thought it was unusual and remarkable. When she got the job, he personally rang her up and said: Youre it kid, you are the dream.

During all this Cinderella-ising  cue violins!  Depp kept his eyes fixed downwards on to his courtroom desk, doing an extravagant job of not looking at his former wife.

This fallen Prince Charming, fighting to clear his name, wore an expression that was dark and brooding.

Prior to Miss Heards appearance, the first witness for the defence was forensic psychologist Dr Dawn Hughes, who testified that her client suffered PTSD as a result of Depps alleged violence.

Heard first met Johnny Depp (pictured in 2008) at an audition when she was just 22

He apparently also gave Heard heart palpitations  and not the good kind. During this evidence, I got very confused over the business of the dagger  or was it a sword?  that Amber had given Johnny as a gift, engraved in Spanish with the words Until Death.

The prosecution suggested that it was an unlikely present to give to a serial abuser, a man you were supposedly terrified of  and surely many would agree.

However, the one thing this trial has revealed is that the ways and means of Hollywood folk are a mystery to us all.

There is context, argued Dr Hughes and in the well of the court, Amber permitted herself a smile. She also grinned when Depps lawyer said, We are not talking about the right side, meaning some medical notations on the margin of a document, not the philosophical right side.

But these were rare moments of semi-levity. Most of the time before taking the stand, she was a cold storm front; a Sombre Amber, veering from the disapproving towards the upset.

Who could blame her? From her intimate anatomy to intimacies or otherwise with former boyfriends Elon Musk and James Franco, her whole life has been spilled out like an oil leak, one which threatens to engulf them both.

Yet there were glimpses of happier times.

He made me feel like a million dollars, Miss Heard said of her initial romance with Depp. Her voice cracked prettily. It felt very intense. It wasnt a normal-life stuff. We werent stuck in traffic going for the groceries.

Of course not, although a giant tub of washing powder on the shopping list wouldnt have gone amiss.

Elsewhere she described their relationship as a bubble, a warm glow and absolute magic. It was odd how retrospectively thrilled she seemed by it all. Or perhaps not.

In 2020, I watched a very different Amber Heard give evidence in Court 13 at the High Courts of Justice.

Back then, during the case in which Depp was suing a newspaper for libel, her testimony also ranged over the short period of their relationship and marriage.

From first kiss to last quarrel, their romance was barely a struck match in the inferno of time  but she did not seem to regard it in so rosy terms.

Johnny Depp (pictured in the Fairfax, Va. court yesterday) is seeking to clear his name

In London, Heard would often look up to the public gallery and grin, presumably at her sister or her friends. Once she made the sign of the horns with her hand, now and again she produced the tiniest of eye rolls that seemed to say: Can you believe this garbage?

Until she took to the stand yesterday, Depp seemed the one who was most upbeat, eating his stash of jellybeans and drawing his doodles.

Some are calling this the trial of the century, but I dont know about that.

The Depp v Heard proceedings in Virginia is certainly the trial of the century featuring a pirate versus an aquatic superpower, embellished with the kind of alleged degeneracy that would raise an eyebrow at a Roman orgy.

Yet nothing in their previous film careers, his as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, hers as Mera in Aquaman can save them from the battle that looms ahead.

Tears for souvenirs, the good love that went bad, brace yourselves for what comes next. Amber Heard will be heard. And she is just getting started.
Miners, trade unionists, Leftie students and an endless parade of politicians waging class war: Durham's heart beats proudly with the red blood of socialism.

The north-eastern city last returned a Tory to Westminster in 1918. And even today, the local MP works out of offices within Durham Miners Hall, a magnificent temple to Left-wing solidarity  and now an alleged crime scene.

Miners Hall is where Keir Starmer is alleged to have broken lockdown rules on April 30 last year  glugging beer and munching curry in a group of about 30 people in defiance of the law of the land at the time. As the evidence piles up against the Labour leader's implausible claims about his activities that night  specifically whether it was a legal work meeting or an illegal social gathering  Durham's deep-rooted Labour loyalties appear to be on full display.

From MPs to the crime-fighting forces within the city, a wall of silence and obfuscation has sprung up to protect the leader from criticism, investigation and any punishment he might deserve.

So who are the Labour figures in Durham allegedly protecting Starmer? ANDREW PIERCE examines the evidence...

Denial: Mary Foy MP, circled, at the event with Keir Starmer

THE 'DRUNK' MP

The most powerful figure in the local Labour Party is Mary Foy, MP for the City of Durham. The gathering took place in her constituency office at Miners Hall, after she had been campaigning with Starmer in the Hartlepool by-election that day. We know she was there.

Foy has stubbornly refused to answer questions about her presence at the curry night, instead referring reporters to Labour's central press office. Not that they're much help  the office initially denied Starmer's deputy Angela Rayner had also been present, before admitting last week (in a supposedly 'honest mistake' after video evidence emerged) that, er, she had been there after all.

On the far-Left of her party, Foy was elected in 2019. She backed the 'continuity Corbyn' candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey in the 2020 leadership election.

The MP appears to be feeling the pressure over Beergate. Last week she launched into what witnesses called a 'drunken tirade' on the Commons terrace against Richard Holden, the Tory MP leading calls for the police to investigate Starmer further.

Three witnesses have said they saw Foy vent her fury at Holden, who is MP for nearby North West Durham, at about 10pm.

Foy then allegedly grabbed him by the arm with both hands and tried to drag him across the terrace before staff restrained her. Holden said he had received a written apology from Foy for what he called 'her unacceptable, drunken behaviour'.

Endorsement: Sir Keir with police commissioner Joy Allen

THE CRIME-FIGHTER

As Durham's elected police and crime commissioner  on a salary of over 71,000  Joy Allen often makes public pronouncements on crimes committed on her patch, including littering, anti-social behaviour and road safety. But she has had surprisingly little to say about Starmer's apparent law-breaking.

Allen's official website claims her role is to 'hold the [police] force to account'  so why isn't she holding the force accountable for their failure to investigate Starmer? She might be expected to take a keen interest in the claims against him  except she has been a member of the Labour Party for 27 years and has posted on her website a photo in which Starmer urges people to vote for her.

Asked what role Allen or her office might have played in the initial police decision to take no action against Starmer, her spokesman insisted: 'None at all. We were just informed. It was an operational matter for the force.'

...AND HER CHUM

PCC Allen's second-in-command is Nigel Bryson, who happens to be a long-standing friend of hers. They met, inevitably, through the Labour Party and she has attracted criticism for appointing him without advertising. Challenged over this failure to vet anyone else, she said: 'I've got somebody who knows everything about me as a candidate... I could go through the process but it would just be possibly going through the motions.' So that's all right then.

Takeaway: Mary Foy with staff from The Capital restaurant

THE CURRY HOUSE

The Capital is one of Durham's finest Indian restaurants and this week it emerged its delivery driver had dropped off a '200' feast for the gathering, including biryanis, tikka masalas, rice and naan breads. The driver initially told the Daily Mail there were '30 or so people' inside  but bizarrely later insisted he had no recollection of making the delivery.

Yet the curry house has been known to have friendly relations with Durham's Labour machine.

In May 2020, during the first lockdown, local MP Foy hailed it for supplying meals to NHS workers and posed for photographs with head chef Syed Islam.

LAW-BREAKING MP

Bordering Foy's constituency is North Durham, with MP Kevan Jones. He has also remained silent about the night in question  and this isn't surprising.

A leading figure in the local Labour community, Jones himself has broken lockdown laws  not once, but twice. The first breach came on May 7, 2020, when he took part in a group photo shoot in his constituency, promoting artwork in praise of the NHS. A noble cause  but the rules about socialising were clear. Jones committed another breach three days later.

A video shows him attending an indoor party for 100-year-old veteran Frederick Herron, allegedly attended by about 40 people. Who would begrudge a hero centenarian a fitting celebration? Nobody  except Starmer and Labour have consistently claimed that the law should have been upheld.

Asked yesterday about his lockdown breaches, Jones said he would 'rather not comment'.

THE CONSTABULARY

Durham Police has drawn stern criticism for failing to investigate Starmer thoroughly over his seemingly flagrant lockdown-breaking. Little wonder  officers from the constabulary were also pictured at Mr Herron's party.

In a time before vaccines, lockdown rules were to protect elderly individuals such as Mr Herron.

But that didn't stop Durham police from attending  and ironically under the circumstances  to ensure that the law was followed. On June 6, 2020, a complaint was made to Durham police's standards department about the officers' failure to challenge the organisers  who included a Labour county councillor. Four days later, the department decided  surprise, surprise  to take no action.

Of course, the police must remain politically neutral  but the force's refusal to investigate Starmer looks iniquitous when London's Metropolitan police pursued Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and other Tories with a wildly expensive investigation, slapping fines on more than 50 people. As the Ancient Romans once wondered, who guards the guards themselves?

Additional reporting: Richard Marsden
An Australian artist has catapulted herself into the spotlight by applying to play the role of the Duchess of Cambridge on hit show The Crown.

Painter Brittany Dixon, who lives on the Gold Coast, Queensland, wowed her followers on TikTok with a video showing just how uncanny her resemblance to mum-of-three Kate Middleton is.

'So I did end up applying,' she said. 'They just wanted a selfie, some general information and a 30 second video of me talking about something I love. Obviously I talked about painting.

'So we'll see how it goes, if they even see it. Anyway, thanks guys for being so nice. Back to painting.'

Painter Brittany Dixon, who lives on the Gold Coast, Queensland, wowed her followers on TikTok with a video showing just how uncanny her resemblance to Kate Middleton is

It comes following reports that Netflix producers are on the hunt for an actress who can play a young Kate in the sixth season of the historical drama.

'I was not expecting that video to get that much attention,' Brittany said in a different video.

In an interview with the Today Show's Karl and Ally on Monday, she said: 'It's been a few years people have been telling me I look like her. I would just brush it off but it's really sort of amusing lately how many times I've heard it.

'I love it because she is somebody I admire so of course I'm going to be flattered. It's awesome.'

The casting call for a young Kate reads: 'Robert Stern, Casting Director of the Netflix series THE CROWN, is searching for an exceptional young actor to play KATE MIDDLETON in the next series.

In an interview with the Today Show's Karl and Ally on Monday, she said: 'It's been a few years people have been telling me I look like her. I would just brush it off but it's really sort of amusing lately how many times I've heard it

'This is a good role in this award-winning drama and we are looking for a strong physical resemblance. Please see photographs for reference.

'Shooting will commence late August 2022 in the UK.

'No previous professional acting experience required. We are very experienced in providing a great deal of support for the young actors and their families thought what they find is a uniquely rewarding creative process.'

Producers are also looking for an actor to take on the roles of Prince William and Prince Harry.

While Brittany is yet to hear back from producers her followers are convinced she'll be the one to nab the role

While Brittany is yet to hear back from producers her followers are convinced she'll be the one to nab the role.

'You're an artist! Kate studied art history in university and also paints and loves to take pictures,' one woman said.

'Hey honey! Wishing you all the best. Your demeanour is so beautifully elegant like Kate too. I really hope you get it. Good luck we're rooting for you,' said another.

A third added: 'No more painting I'm sorry, you need to fly over to the UK and help out in the palace'.
From a cake crafted with her favourite tipple to a dessert celebrating the Commonwealth's diversity, these treats pay tribute to the Queen and her 70-year reign.

They are the creations of five amateur bakers who are finalists in a national contest to find a pudding that will play a part in the monarch's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The five, including a lawyer and composer, have been selected from 5,000 entries.

The competition is held with royal grocer Fortnum & Mason and street party event The Big Jubilee Lunch.

The Duchess of Cornwall and Dame Mary Berry will announce the winner in a BBC One programme The Jubilee Pudding: 70 Years In The Baking, on May 12.

Communities will be encouraged to serve the winning recipe at street parties on the Jubilee weekend from June 2 to 5.

From a cake crafted with her favourite tipple to a dessert celebrating the Commonwealth's diversity, these treats pay tribute to the Queen and her 70-year reign. They are the creations of five amateur bakers who are finalists in a national contest to find a pudding that will play a part in the monarch's Platinum Jubilee celebrations

The Duchess of Cornwall, 74, (pictured, left) joined Dame Mary Berry, 87, (pictured, right) to film a segment announcing the winner of the Platinum pudding contest. The result will be announced on May 12th

1. The lawyer:

Sam Smith, 32, a lawyer from Warwickshire, created a Jubilee bundt cake based on a classic Victoria sponge, with a royal twist as it is shaped like a crown.

She used Dubonnet in the jam after reading it was the Queen's favourite drink.

2. The sales manager:

Susan Gardner, 65, from Argyll and Bute in Scotland, a retired sales manager who now works for the National Trust.

She created a summery 'four nations pudding' using Scottish berries, Yorkshire rhubarb, Welsh cakes and Irish butter and cream.

She said she wanted to create something 'anyone could make'.

Mrs Gardner said the inspiration behind her pudding was to represent the UK 'as one nation'.

She said: 'The Queen's Jubilee is the one time that we can all be together to celebrate our Queen and how she's represented us during her selfless 70-year service to our country.'

Her Majesty, 96, (pictured at a reception in Sandringham House in February to celebrate the start of her Platinum Jubilee) celebrates seven decades on the throne this year

3. The composer:

Mother-of-two Kathryn MacLennan, 29, a composer and oboist from Oxfordshire, created a passion- fruit and thyme frangipane tart inspired by her late grandmother's favourite layer cake.

It pairs the tartness of passionfruit jelly with a hint of thyme for a subtle floral note, with creamy cheesecake, frangipane, and buttery shortcrust pastry.

4. The skin care expert:

Mother-of-two Shabnam Russo, in her late 30s, a skin-care clinic worker from north London, created a rose falooda cake.

She described it as a 'humble cake of the people' from the streets of Mumbai. She said she wanted the cake to represent the Queen's 'inclusive' reign.

Mrs Russo added the monarch has been a role model in her life and she feels she has the 'perfect cake' to celebrate her reign.

Her recipe reflects the Commonwealth and how Britain has become a multicultural society.

'My falooda cake is a humble cake of the people and by qualifying I felt I was representing people from all walks of life, their struggles, journeys, their hopes and aspirations.

'I hope it's inspiration for anyone really, that you can achieve anything if you just believe in yourself,' she added.

5. The copywriter:

Jemma Melvin, 31, a copywriter from Southport, created a lemon Swiss roll and amaretti trifle pudding.

The flavour was inspired by the lemon posset served at the Queen's wedding in 1947 and she chose to elevate it with amaretti and mandarins.
The Danish royal family have shared two portraits of Prince Henrik to mark his 13th birthday today.

In two snaps shared by the royal household on Instagram, the 13-year-old son of Prince Joachim and Princess Marie can be seen giving the camera a tranquil smile.

The teenage prince lives in Paris with his father, mother and older siblings, where his dad took a job as a Defense Attache at the Danish Embassy in 2020. However, he will be celebrating his birthday in Denmark.

Henrik is ninth in the line to the throne and holds the title of Count of Monpezat.

In two snaps shared by the royal household on Instagram , the 13-year-old son of Prince Joachim and Princess Marie can be seen giving the camera a tranquil smile

In one snap, the teenager looks quietly at the camera, sat on the steps outside his family's home in Denmark.

He is wearing a burgundy Ralph Lauren sweater, which he wore in previous pictures taken over Christmas, with a light blue shirt as well as a pair of blue chinos.

In the second picture, which is a close up portrait, Henrik gazes into the camera, a sunbeam highlighting his brown hair.

While Henrik and his parents live in France, where he is schooled, they made the journey back to Denmark to mark his birthday.

In one snap, the teenager looks quietly at the camera, sat on the steps outside his family's home in Denmark

Prince Joachim, Princess Marie and their children stood in the second row during the confirmation of Princess Isabella, 15, last weekend

His Highness Prince Henrik turns 13 today,' a caption accompanying the pictures red on Instagram.

'On the occasion of the birthday, it is a great pleasure for Your Royal Highnesses Prince Joachim and Princess Marie to share new photos of the family's teenager.

'Prince Henrik, who lives in Paris with his family on a daily basis, celebrates his birthday in Denmark,' it went on.

Joachim and Marie have travelled back to Denmark on several occasions, especially this year, which marks his mother Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee, marking her 50th year on the throne.

Last weekend, Joachim and Marie were present as their niece Princess Isabella of Denmark celebrated her confirmation day in spectacular style by donning her mother Mary's iconic white pantsuit and Queen Alexandrine's pearl and diamond brooch.

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark celebrated the confirmation of their eldest daughter, 15-year-old Princess Isabella. L-R: Princess Josephine, Frederik, Princess Isabella, Mary, Prince Vincent and Prince Christian

The Danish royal family assembled on Saturday at Fredensborg Castle Church in Fredensborg, Denmark, to herald the special occasion with Crown Princess Mary, 50, and Prince Frederik, 53, joined by their four children Christian, 16, Isabella, 15, and twins Josephine and Vincent, 11.

Hobart-born Mary looked every inch the royal in an amaranth-coloured gown for the event, but it was Princess Isabella in a borrowed Max Mara blazer and brooch belonging to the late Queen that held the attention of her peers.

Even her youngest sister Josephine got involved in the clothes swapping fun by wearing a pink dress once wornby Isabella. The men of the family kept things classy and simple in statement blue suits.

Henrik wore the burgundy crew neck Ralph Lauren sweater for his family's Christmas picture last year

Joachim, Marie and their children marked the Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee in January with the rest of the royal family

The teenage Princess is currently third in line to the Danish throne after her father and elder brother Christian.

According to the Danish Royal family's official Instagram account 'Isabella was confirmed today by royal confessor, bishop Henrik Wigh-Poulson.

'Over the past 100 years, Fredensborg Castle Church has been used for several Ecclesiastes for members of the royal family.

'Especially, the church has formed the framework for royal confirmations. Thus it was also in this church that both Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Crown Prince were confirmed in 1955 and 1981 respectively and most recently His Royal Highness Prince Christian in 2021.'
A trophy hunter who claims humans paying to kill endangered species supports local communities was branded 'disgraceful' by Good Morning Britain viewers.

Olivia Opre, 45, from Montana, is a former beauty queen and trophy hunter who actively defends the practice and has reportedly killed around 90 different species on six continents.

She avidly defended fellow hunter Leon Kachelhoffer, who last month shot dead the largest 'tusker' elephant in Botswana after paying $50,000 to join a hunt.

Ms Opre claimed hunting incentivises humans to 'want to coexist with these animals' because the practice generates money which she says flows back to the local community.

Olivia Opre, 45, from Montana, is a former beauty queen and trophy hunter who actively defends the practice and has reportedly killed around 90 different species on six continents

Appearing on Good Morning Britain she avidly defended fellow hunter Leon Kachelhoffer, who last month shot dead the largest 'tusker' elephant in Botswana after paying $50,000 to join a hunt

'When you consider that Africa is a massive continent and these photographic areas are not just all that there is, she said.

'There is a massive amount of land people are living on and you have to give them a reason to want to live with these wild animals, which is where trophy hunting plays a role.

'The money generated from that goes back into those communities and incentivizes them to want to coexist with these animals.'

Viewers were appalled by her argument, with several taking to Twitter to brand the hunter 'disgusting' and insist the practice should be banned.

Viewers were appalled by her argument, with several taking to Twitter to brand the hunter 'disgusting' and insist the practice should be banned

'Re trophy hunters. Is this woman seriously saying that trophy hunting is beneficial??? She and other so-called 'hunters' should undergo psychotherapy', said one.

Another wrote: 'Omg this woman talking about trophy hunting. What a terrible way to treat animals. Disgraceful!'

'This is disgusting. Trophy Hunting should be banned and the fact that a hunter is being given a platform again is beyond words', said a third.

A fourth viewer said: 'Imagine you as a human being getting up one day and unknowingly being shot dead for 50 grand for absolutely no other reason then for a photo of your killer smiling next to you..who believes they are doing the world a favour hunting you down to make more room on earth#ThisMorning'.

The elephant killed by Kachelhoffer was in its early-50s and killed with a single shot, a hunting industry spokesperson confirmed last month.

Ms Opre claimed hunting incentivises humans to 'want to coexist with these animals' because the practice generates money. She is pictured with a lion after a hunt

While the exact figure is unknown, there are only around 24-48 'hundred pounder' tusker elephants, who have at least one tusk weighing 100lb, left roaming in Africa.

'This is a really old [animal], way passed his breeding years', said Ms Opre. 'He was on his own not with a herd and had wounds sustained by other bulls from fighting. He also had an AK47 bullet in him from potential conflict with humans or poachers'.

British conservationist and presenter Giles Clark also appeared on the programme, where he disputed the claim that an animal past its breeding age has no ecological value.

'It is completely untrue to say that an old bull is not having an impact on the rest of the elephant society,' he said. 'Elephants are sentient beings, they are incredibly intelligent and emotionally intelligent animals and they have very complex societies.

British conservationist and presenter Giles Clark also appeared on the programme, where he disputed the claim that an animal past its breeding age has no ecological value

After stressing how few of the elephant species exist in Africa, Giles went on to explain that hunters risk wiping out the species forever

'There are numerous papers to suggest older bulls are more sexually active, but his sheer presence has an impact on all of the other elephants and bulls in that area, and by removing him we could be causing some of the things Olivia is suggesting we're helping solve by trophy hunting.

'If you remove a very mature and very experienced individual male there is no older male to control the younger bulls who will go on to cause things like human and elephant conflict.'

After stressing how few of the elephant species exist in Africa, Giles went on: 'Trophy hunters are artificially selecting which individuals they want - not based on doing a service to the environment or ecologically or the community - they are selecting individuals based on desirable trophies, i.e big tusks.

'If we eliminate the remaining big tuskers those individuals are removed from the gene pool forever.'
British influencer Oli London, who claims to be Korean and insists you 'have the right to choose race', has clashed with a Black woman who argued it is 'very harmful' to suggest you can 'switch' ethnicity.

Oli, 31, from London, first hit headlines in October 2018 after news broke that they had spent over 75,000 on surgeries to look like K-pop star, Jimin from Korean boyband BTS.

The influencer, who identifies as non-binary and uses the pronouns they/them, has strived to look like the singing sensation for over five years - and has since had further surgery and now spent an estimated 100,000 ($150,000) on 15 surgeries in a bid to achieve the dream appearance.

In a new YouTube video from Channel 4 documentaries titled Would You Rather?, the influencer clashed with a Black woman, who was not named in the clip.

Oli insisted: 'We all have the right to choose how we identify and choose who we want to be. I'm Korean and people need to accept that.'

And although Oli said they 'help other people' by sharing their experience online, the woman disagreed, saying: 'Transracial does not exist and I think it is very very harmful to push the narrative that it is possible to switch races.'

The discussion sparked a furious debate in the comments, with one person writing: 'Is Olly joking? Is this for real?? Totally agree with the woman, Olly is ridiculous.'

British influencer Oli London, who claims to be Korean and insists you 'have the right to choose race', has clashed with a Black woman who argued it is 'very harmful' to suggest you can 'switch' ethnicity

Meanwhile another wrote: 'This conversation is stupid, period, end of discussion. This is not a thing, it's not even worth discussing.'

The debate began with Oli explaining they 'identify as Korean', saying: 'I used to live in Korean for one year, I love the history, the culture and the people.

'I've put myself through a lot of pain, I've had a lot of surgery procedures to have more of a Korean aesthetic.

'I spent a lot of time learning the language, learning how to cook Korean foods.'

They explained how they had faced backlash after 'coming out' as transracial, saying: 'People didn't really get it. Not everyone will get it but I hope over time, people will be more accepting of me.'

But the woman appeared stunned by their comments, telling them that 'transracial does not exist.'

In a new Would You Rather YouTube video from Channel 4 documentaries, the influencer clashed with an unnamed Black woman, who called them a 'white saviour'

Oli continued: 'I was not happy the way I was, so I went to Korea and had the most incredible experience of my life, it changed me and gave me happiness. People do not have the right to take that happiness away from me.'

Transracial: The people who claim to have transitioned races - and compare their struggles to transgender people Transracial people identify as a different race than the one associated with their biological ancestry. They may adjust their appearance to make themselves look more like that race, and they may participate in activities associated with that race. Perhaps most famously, Rachel Dolezal - who posed as a black woman for more than ten years - claimed in 2017 that ethnicity is not biological and compared being 'transracial' to being transgender in an interview with BBC's Newsnight. Dolezal, from Spokane, Washington, said in the interview: 'Gender is understood  we've progressed, we've evolved to understanding that gender is not binary.' She added: 'It's not even biological. But what strikes me as so odd is that race isn't biological either. 'And actually race has been to some extent less biological than gender, if you really think about history and our bodies. 'There isn't, like, white blood and black blood.' Critics online said that Dolezal was using cultural appropriation to become a black woman, and that Dolezal wanted to 'steal things from other cultures to be trendy'. Richard Dawkins was later stripped of his 'Humanist of the Year' title after comparing transgender people to Dolezal. Advertisement

The woman responded: 'I can't sit up here and say, "Oh, I'm suddenly a white person".

'If you as a white person can sit up and say, "Oh I can be black or I can be Korean" and I can't swap and benefit from the privilege you benefit from, then it's clearly not an equal exchange.

'Whiteness in this country has been set up in a way, how I interact with the police, how I interact with the medical system, can result with me dying.

'Cultural appropriation essentially dictates people who are ethnic minority, whatever they do isn't really of value.

'You don't deserve to be associated with something you created because a white person has either renamed it or used it for profit.

'You are not a Korean man. No matter how much surgery you do or of the aesthetic you adopt.'

However Oli disagreed, continuing: 'Nobody can take away what a minority group has been through. but when you do combine culture...millions of people now do adopt a lot of the Korean cultural aspects, through K-pop or K-drama.

'They do adopt that, whether that's a hair style or fashion style, living in Korea...'

The woman continued: 'I think your skin colour has a lot to do with everything you're doing. I think you need to recognise that white supremacy is a global issue.

'What you're essentially saying is you can change your race. You can't change your race.'

She added: 'If you don't recognise that power imbalance in what you're doing and how its disrespectful top me, you're proving the point that you're doing this for money and attention.'

However Oli said they agree with her, admitting 'every person who was born Asian goes through struggles.'

They said: 'I understand what you're saying about white privilege.

'But I am not one of those people, I can completely different.

'I don't like being put in the same category as someone like that.

'I understand some people might be offended by what I do but I'm not going out there and doing bad things, I'm not doing anything to hurt people.

'I'm just living my truth and doing what makes me happy.'

The unnamed woman told Oli that 'transracial does not exist' and said it was 'very, very harmful' to 'push the narrative' that it is 'possible to switch races'

However the woman went on to brand Oli a 'white saviour', adding: 'If you, as a non-binary person, are adopting the culture of a minority in a minority...What you are doing is really giving white savior. You seem to think you can adopt the oppressions of minorities.

'What do you think you can do as someone who is so far removed from that experience?

But Oli insisted they have 'helped a lot of people' by 'speaking up' about their experience as a non-binary person who identifies as Korean.

They said: 'Do you think this is better if no one speaks up for these people? I'm trying to speak up to these people.'

The two clashed as they discussed whether Oli's experience as a non-binary 'transracial' person would help others around the world - or whether they are causing more harm than good

However the woman fought back, arguing: 'You [should] centre those who are affected, you don't centre yourself.'

Oli was quick to retort, saying: 'Well it's better than doing nothing. What do you do to help people around the world?

'You're criticising me for doing something which is helping a lot of people.'

However the unnamed woman was less than impressed, saying: 'You think you're helping people by posting a picture? You don't get to question me [on what I do].'

Oli responded: 'Why can't I question you? I understand what you're saying - no one can take away someone's lived experience, but we are at a time in history when we can embrace other cultures.

Oli has undergone 15 plastic surgeries and spent over 175, 000 in a bid to look like Jimin, of K-Pop group BTS (right)

Oli first hit headlines in October 2018 after news broke that they'd spent over 75,000 on surgeries to look like K-pop star. The K-Pop enthusiast pictured in Seoul's streets

'It's great to be multicultural and diverse. But for me I'm appreciating other cultures and it could break down other barriers.'

But the woman disagreed, saying: 'We haven't made progress as a society enough that we can say we can be transracial without causing harm or without permission.

'There is a way to engage with a culture without dismissing their lived experiences. I engage with Korean culture but I will always be a Black woman.'

Later, speaking to the camera, she said: 'I don't think he understands my lived experience. Transracial is not a real thing.

'I'm proud of how I stood my ground and whatever excuse he came up with, I was able to dismantle it.'

The debate sparked furious discussion in the comments as many commentators struggled to get their head around the argument.

The debate sparked furious discussion in the comments, with some defending Olly and praising them for being 'one of the first transracial people to come out'

One wrote: 'He clearly doesn't understand that you can appreciate a culture and live within that culture, but ethnically you are not part of it.

'My mom's best friend (she's essentially an aunt to me at this point) is from Cuba and I grew up loving Cuban food, I speak Spanish and I love Latin music.

'But my appreciation for Latin culture does not make me Latina. I am still Eastern European and always will be.'

However others disagreed, with one writing: 'Ignore the transgender only bigots. I applaud you for being one of the first transracials to come out.'

Another wrote: 'It's not about liking the culture. It's a feeling you are born into the wrong culture, just like you can feel you're born as the wrong gender. I totally understand him.'

A third added: 'If you believe gender is a social construct, then ethnicity is too.'
A British couple have revealed the surgery to separate their 'miracle' conjoined twins has been delayed after the babies caught Covid-19.

NHS senior support worker Hannah Bateson, 31, and her 32-year-old husband Nick, who runs a fruit and vegetables business, from Toomebridge in Northern Ireland, appeared on ITV's This Morning today as they described welcoming conjoined twins Annabelle and Isabelle into the world in March.

The couple, who are both Christians, began fertility treatment last year to help them conceive and were surprised to learn Hannah had fallen pregnant within the first cycle.

But they were given a scare when a 12-week scan revealed the twins were conjoined, something that only happens once in every 2.5m or so pregnancies.

Medics knew that the girls shared several key body parts but they could not yet tell if any vital organs were affected  a key factor for their survival and long term health.

Appearing on the programme from their home in Northern Ireland today, Hannah explained the surgery to begin the twins' separation had been scheduled for this month, but was delayed after the babies caught Covid.

Hannah explained: 'They'll be going for surgeries for the rest of their lives and we're hoping their quality of life should be good, they're going to fly through it. It's going to be more challenging for us.'

Hannah Bateson, 31, and her 32-year-old husband Nick, from Toomebridge in Northern Ireland, have revealed their shock after learning they were pregnant with 'miracle' conjoined twins after battling fertility issues (pictured)

The Batesons have been together 14 years having met as teenagers from across the sectarian divide  Hannahs family is Protestant and Dans Catholic.

The couple, who married in 2016, sought fertility treatment more than four years ago but it was delayed due to Hannah having to lose weight and the pandemic.

They conceived using Clomid, an oral type of fertility treatment.

Annabelle and Isabelle were conceived during the Batesons first cycle of fertility treatment and their mother described them as very long, very very long waited for wee girls.

The couple, who are both Christians, began fertility treatment last year to help them conceive and were surprised to learn Hannah had fallen pregnant within the first cycle

Speaking about her struggle to conceive, she explained: 'It was a very long journey but absolutely worth it we tried for a few years to have the girls.

'I was very overweight we couldn't get any other treatment until I lost weight which I did. As soon as we got treatment on our first cycle, we conceived the girls.'

But the parents-to-be found out something was different about the pregnancy at the 12-week scan.

The couple were shocked when they were told they were expecting twins, with Hannah explaining: 'The midwife kept it very very calm at that point she told us it was twins, but that we should see the consultant at the local hospital.

Appearing on This Morning today, the couple said having the conjoined twins had shifted their perspective on hearing 'good and bad news'

The couple said it had 'never occurred to them' that they could have been having conjoined twins before they fell pregnant

The separation of conjoined twins is a high-risk operation with a low success rate The surgical separation of conjoined twins is a delicate and risky procedure, requiring extreme precision and care. Therefore, the decision to separate twins is a serious one. Mortality rates for twins who undergo separation vary, depending on their type of connection, and the organs they share. In cases of twins where the pumping chambers of their hearts are conjoined, there are no known survivors. Although success rates have improved over the years, surgical separation is still rare. Since 1950, at least one twin has survived separation about 75 percent of the time. It is only after twins are born that doctors can use magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound and angiography to find out what organs the twins share. In order to determine the feasibility of separation, doctors must carefully assess how the twins' shared organs function. After separation, most twins need intensive rehabilitation because of the malformation and position of their spines. The muscles in their backs are constantly being flexed and they often have a difficult time bending their backs forward and backwards and sitting up straight. Source: University of Maryland Medical Center Advertisement

'We knew they were concerned but we were referred then to fetal medicine in Belfast.

'That's when we were told. It never dawned on us that was going to be a possibility.

'As we were doing this scan, it dawned on both of us. Before the consultant even said and I asked, "Are they conjoined?" and he said, "Yes I think they are."

On finding out they were expecting conjoined twins, she said they remained 'committed' to the pregnancy.

The couple spent time doing their own research, with Hannah explaining: 'It was the most strange first pregnancy we felt in limbo.

'There wasn't enough information. We could process the bad information more than having no information.'

Even as their due date approached, the couple said they still knew 'so little' about the girls' condition and how they would fare.

Hannah spent two months before giving birth in London so she could have her ante-natal sessions at University College Hospital.

She explained her birth plan was delicately planned, saying: 'The birth plan was quite well organised. The support we had in the run up to the delivery was as reassuring as anything could be at that point.

'We hoped for the best because they were so determined.'

The couple were referred to London's University College Hospital for the babies to be delivered by a specialist team in March.

Doctors revealed Annabelle and Isabelle were joined from the chest to the pelvis and shared a bladder, bowel and a fused leg  but crucially had sperate hearts.

The babies, joined from the chest to the pelvis, were born in March at London's University College Hospital, the closest maternity unity to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

They were immediately moved to GOSH  the leading specialist hospital in Europe for separating conjoined twins - where operations to separate them and future treatment will take place.

Hannah, who underwent a Caesarian section, was able to hold her daughters the day after they were born, once they had been transferred to Great Ormond Street.

After they managed to conceive after just one cycle of fertility treatment, a subsequent scan showed Hannah was not only pregnant with twins but they were conjoined

Annabelle and Isabelle Bateson were born eight weeks ago at London's University College Hospital

She continued: 'The fact we got to 35 weeks itself was a miracle.

'We were trying to prepare and prepare for the worst case or very sick babies.

'The girls were born so well. Once those wee cries when they were delivered, it just changed the whole tone of it all. We weren't prepared for it to go so well.'

HOW ARE CONJOINED TWINS FORMED IN THE WOMB? Conjoined twins develop when an early embryo only partially separates to form two individuals. Identical twins (monozygotic twins) occur when a single fertilized egg splits and develops into two individuals. Eight to 12 days after conception, the embryonic layers that will split to form monozygotic twins begin to develop into specific organs and structures. It's believed that when the embryo splits later than this  usually between 13 and 15 days after conception  separation stops before the process is complete, and the resulting twins are conjoined. An alternative theory suggests that two separate embryos may somehow fuse together in early development. Although two fetuses will develop from this embryo, they will remain physically connected  most often at the chest, abdomen or pelvis. Conjoined twins may also share one or more internal organs. Many conjoined twins die in the womb (stillborn) or die shortly after birth. Some surviving conjoined twins can be surgically separated. The success of surgery depends on where the twins are joined and how many and which organs are shared, as well as the experience and skill of the surgical team. Conjoined twins are typically classified according to where they're joined, usually at matching sites, and sometimes at more than one site. Source: Mayo Clinic Advertisement

They have been told the full separation is likely to take place during one operation, details of which are still being worked out by the surgical team.

Follow-up operations may then be required in the immediate days and weeks after the main one.

She explained: 'It's going to be a very long different challenge and one wee girl might have certain issues and another wee girl might have a different set.

'We were sitting in Great Ormand Street before the girls were born...we didn't think the girls were going to survive.

'It's totally shifted our perspective of what is good news and what is bad news.'

The Batesons are now fundraising to help them cover the costs of constantly travelling back and forth between Northern Ireland and London.

Hannah spoke about being touched by people's generosity, saying: 'The support has been amazing. Our justgiving page has gone from strength to strength.

'Our church has been fundraising, Dan's friends have been amazing. We just can't get over the generosity of people.

'I think these wee girls have worked their ways into so many peoples hearts and there are on many people on this journey with us and we are so very grateful.'

The family are currently waiting on their surgery plans to be finalised after it was delayed because they got Covid.

Previously speaking to ITV News, Hannah revealed: 'They're miracles. Miracle is the word we've used from the day we found out we were having them.'

She said: The love they share and the hope they show is the spirit which keeps the family going. At every stage, theyve just been determined.

Husband Dan added: Theyve proved everyone wrong so far.

Meanwhile Hannah also described the relief felt by the couple and medical staff the moment Annabelle and Isabelle were born.

On hearing their cries for the first time, she recalled: It was like the weight of the world had been lifted off your shoulders.

It was relief and you felt that relief throughout the whole (medical) team. When you had maybe 20 plus people, that relief was just unbelievable.

She said: You maybe go to a scan feeling somethings wrong. I think a normal feeling is to feel very nervous going to scans, especially first pregnancies.

'It was just then you felt in a limbo because we knew they were conjoined but knew so little about the information, of the extent of the conjoin.

He said: It was (a case of) trying to piece it all together to see what to do and whats the next step.

Their parents, Hannah and Dan, pictured here with the twins shortly after they were born, made the trip to England in case the newborns needed specialist medical care after the birth

Hannah said: Their wee bodies are different and they will be. The girls will have prosthetic legs, theyll have one leg each and theyll have one prosthetic leg each and ongoing surgery the rest of their days.

Well be coming back here for the next 18 years, which is a very scary thing to say but if we are coming back for the next 18 years it means the girls survive.

Nick said of the couples experience so far: Anyone elses nightmare was our sort of dream, it was weird.

Hannah will give up work, not many people want to do that, but shed love to because it means (the twins) are here.

She said the family have returned home for a few weeks before the operation at Great Ormond Street.

It will be a very long day, possibly 12 to 18 hours, she said.

Hannah added: Its going to be very hard. Wed tried to prepare as much as we could before the girls were born that they would be born very sick, even unable to breath unaided.

The twins are joined from the chest to the pelvis, sharing a bladder, bowel and a fused leg - but are currently being prepared for surgery to separate them

But our girls were born so well. Both are happy wee girls, so to go back into the mindset of having sick babies again is very scary.

The experience of Great Ormond Street in this field definitely reassured us.

'Right down to talking about feeding, they were talking about what they did with the last set of conjoined twins, Hannah said.

The couple say they have had amazing support from family and friends, and also their church, Journey Community Church, in Antrim.

Weve had prayers and support from both sides of the community, she added.

The proud parents have described their newborns as 'miracles' who are 'constantly hug each other

The church has helped them set up an online fundraising page, accessible via Facebook group Bateson Conjoined Twins, to help support the family.

Hannah said it is set to be a financially difficult few years ahead with her giving up work to care for the twins and the prospect of repeated trips to London.

Normally, twins are born after a single fertilised egg splits and develops into two individual embryos

The split normally occurs eight to 12 days after conception with the embryos going on to develop their own tissues and organs separately.

The extent of the conjoining was unknown but thankfully the twins have individual hearts meaning they can be separated surgically

However, in the case of conjoined twins it is believed this split happens too late and the embryos do not separate.

Approximately 40 to 60 per cent of conjoined twins arrive stillborn, while around 35 per cent survive only one day.

The odds of longer-term survival can depend on where they are conjoined, with twins sharing a chest, abdomen or pelvis most common, though they can also be joined at the head.

If they survive some twins can be surgically separated but the success of these operations depends on exactly where the twins are joined and which organs they share.

Annabelle and Isabelle are scheduled to undergo surgery to sperate them coming up, with their parents fundraising to help pay for their travel between Northern Ireland and London

Heartbreakingly, in some instances only one twin survives the operation.

Twins who share a heart cannot be separated successfully which is why it is critical that little Annabelle and Isabelle do not share this organ.

With 680,000 children born in the UK each year, statistically, a pair of conjoined twins would be born in Britain every four years.

You can click here to support The Batesman family.
Princess Victoria of Sweden started the day in style today as she and her husband Prince Daniel showed Crown Prince Haakon of Norway around Gothenburg.

The Swedish royal couple and their guest will open a business seminar, and will visit the Lindholmen Science Park, the Maritime Dynamics Laboratory and the research vessel Skagerrak.

It will conclude Prince Hakon's three-day official visit to Sweden with his wife Mette-Marit, although she was not present at today's outing.

For her busy day, Victoria picked and elegant trouser suit in a punchy crimson hue, which she paired with a white t-shirt and a grey leather satchel bag.

The Crown Princess of Sweden, 44, took Haakon, 48, to Gothenburg for a series of engagements they'll undertake together with her husband, also 48, on the last day of the Norwegian royal's visit to Sweden

Victoria was greeted by royal fans who offered her flowers as the royal group arrived in Gothenburg

The mother-of-two looked ready for business in the attire which was both trendy and practical.

She teamed the wide-legged trousers with a pair of nude heels, which made her stand tall among the crowd.

The Swedish royal wore her hair in a sleek low-hanging ponytail and sported natural everyday makeup with just a dash of mascara and bronzer.

Jewellery-wise, she wore a pair of statement stud earrings and a discreet gold chain.

The mother-of-two looked stylish in a checked red suit, which she wore with a white t-shirt and a low-hanging pony

Both Prince Daniel and Princess Haakon opted for stylish navy blue suits for the occasion.

When the trio and their aides and other officials arrived at the Gothenburg's train station they were greeted by fans who offered Victoria a lovely bouquet of flowers including yellow, blue and red blooms.

Their first engagement of the day was a business seminar focusing on joint efforts to develop and scale up green solutions for global markets.

Prince Daniel looked dapper in a navy blue suit he wore with a red tie and a crisp white shirt and matching pocket square

Victoria appeared in great spirit on the last day of her Norwegian guests' visit and she seemed delighted by the flowers she received

Upon their arrival, keynote speaker Victoria delivered a speech highlighting the importance of eco-friendly business structures in a rousing speech.

Today marks the last day of Haakon's whirlwind visit to Sweden.

The Norwegian crown Prince arrived in Stockholm with his wife Crown Princess Mette-Marit on Monday.

The trip aimed to mark the 'neighbourly relationship' between the bordering countries. The visit had been delayed several times due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Fans, including children waving Norwegian and Swedish flags greeted Daniel, Victoria and Haakon at the station

Victoria added some personality to her outfit with a pair of golden earrings and a discreet gold chain

The trio's fist engagement of the day after hopping off the train was a business seminar where Victoria addressed the crowd. It appeared Haakon's wife, the glamourous Mette-Marit, did not join them for the occasion

On their first day, the two families visited the Karolinska Institutet, starting their visit at Haga Palace in Stockholm, Sweden.

The Norwegian royals were accompanied on this trip by Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt and Minister of Trade and Industry Jan Christian Vestrem .

The Norwegian royal court said the visit would 'contribute to strengthening the close business cooperation between Norway and Sweden, and emphasis will be placed on the fact that tomorrow's value creation must be sustainable and knowledge-based.'
Queen Letizia of Spain chaired the 30th Royal Board on Disability Council meeting in Merida on Wednesday.

The Spanish monarch flashed her incredibly toned pins in an elegant monochrome dress as she received a warm welcome by Extremadura's regional President Guillermo Fernandez.

The 49-year-old cinched her stylish ensemble at the waist with a large black belt and added height to her frame with black stilettos.

The 49-year-old flashed her incredibly toned pins and cinched her elegant ensemble at the waist with a large black belt as she added height to her frame with black stilettos

Queen Letizia of Spain looked typically elegant in a monochrome dress as she chaired the 30th Royal Board on Disability Council meeting in Merida on Wednesday

The royal accessorised with a black leather handbag and chic pearl earrings.

She wore her long brunette locks loose and donned a neutral palette of makeup enhancing her flawless complexion.

She greeted attendees and met with members of the board as she arrived for the meeting.

In an awkward fashion faux pas Letizia wore the same dress as Inmaculada Vivas Teson.

Funny: In an awkward fashion faux pas Letizia wore the same dress as Inmaculada Vivas Teson

Luckily the women, who looked equally stunning in the ensemble, both saw the funny side and giggled as they embraced each other

The Spanish monarch received a warm welcome by Extremadura's regional President Guillermo Fernandez

Welcome: She greeted attendees and met with members of the board as she arrived for the meeting

The royal showcased her style credentials as she accessorised with a black leather handbag and chic pearl earrings

Luckily the women both saw the funny side and giggled as they embraced each other.

Last week, Letizia hosted a lunch for Bulgaria's President Rumen Radev and his wife in the country's first state visit since 1999, alongside King Felipe.

The pair received the President and wife Desislava Radeva at LaZarzuela Palace in Madrid today as they embark on a three-day state visit to the country.

President Radev and his wife arrived under the invitation of King Felipe and the trip marks the first visit of a Bulgarian president to the Spain in over two decades.

She wore her long brunette locks loose and she donned a neutral palette of makeup enhancing her flawless complexion

Letizia stopped to chat to a few of the women greeting as she arrived at the venue for the meeting

She appeared in a jovial mood as she made her way into the board meeting with the other officials

The monarch oozed confidence as she spoke to the Royal Board Of Trustees for Disabilities

Looking good: Vivas Teson also looked incredible in the chic dress which she also paired with black heels

Teson accessorised the ensemble with black drop earrings and an elegant gold bracelet and watch

The pair embraced each other while laughing as they marched the funny moment in front of the board

Their meeting came after Russian energy giant Gazprom halted gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria for failing to pay for its gas in roubles, as ordered by Putin last month.

The move is the Kremlin's toughest response yet to crippling Western sanctions imposed over Moscow's on-going invasion of Ukraine.

The Spanish royals have actively been working to support Ukrainian refugees, visiting the centre for welcoming and helping those fleeing the country to Spain last month.

Last month Felipe and Letizia visited the Red Cross crisis unit in Madrid, which is amongst the NGOs responsible for offering the homeless Ukrainian citizens initial support as they arrive in Spain.

Shortly after the invasion Letizia sported one of the country's traditional blouses to chair an event for the Mutua Madrilena Foundation in Madrid.
The company behind gender fluid clothing brand Les Girls Les Boys is going bust with estimated debts of 3.6million.

Founded by former Agent Provocateur lingerie boss Serena Rees, the trendy brand's controlling company Aya Design Group Ltd has been put into voluntary liquidation by sole director Rees, according to Companies House records.

By far the biggest creditor is 54-year-old Rees - the former daughter-in-law of fashion doyen Vivienne Westwood - who ploughed 3.1million into setting up and propping up the brand.

Les Girls Les Boys sells ranges of 'underwear meets streetwear' clothing, often interchangeable to suit people with a 'cross cultural mindset' and 'fluid sexual identities'.

The company behind gender fluid clothing brand Les Girls Les Boys is going bust with estimated debts of 3.6million. A model is pictured

Les Girls Les Boys sells ranges of 'underwear meets streetwear' clothing, often interchangeable to suit people with a 'cross cultural mindset' and 'fluid sexual identities'. A model is pictured

An insider who once worked on a contract for the firm told FEMAIL: 'They did very well during lockdown when people were stuck at home as their main products are sweats and pyjamas.

'From this success, Serena wanted to turn them into a larger brand and started to add new lines until they became too diverse with far too much stock, such as swimsuits when nobody could go on holiday.'

Clothing is no longer available for sale on the website lesgirlslesboys.com which now just features a front page screengrab image of models wearing the brand's designs.

Anyone who clicks through is greeted by a message, addressed to 'Dear LGLB Friends', saying: 'We are no longer trading on this site'.

Anyone who clicks through is greeted by a message, addressed to 'Dear LGLB Friends', saying: 'We are no longer trading on this site'.

Founded by former Agent Provocateur lingerie boss Serena Rees, the trendy brand's controlling company Aya Design Group Ltd has been put into voluntary liquidation by sole director Rees, according to Companies House records (pictured)

The message asks customers to call a customer services telephone number for 'returns, exchanges and enquiries in tracking existing orders'.

The brand's social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram are still operating, and posting pictures of product lines

Its Instagram page says: 'Resolutely democratic and self assured, we celebrate the fluidity of love and friendship, cross cultural mindsets and diverse identities'.

Rees was aged just 26 when she and her ex-husband Joseph Corre  the son of Vivienne Westwood and Sex Pistols guru Malcolm McLaren  set up lingerie brand Agent Provocateur in 1994.

The couple originally opened a shop in Soho before starting to design their own up-market ranges of lingerie, selling in 13 different countries and more than 30 stores, helped by advertising campaigns fronted by Kate Moss and Kylie Minogue

The brand's social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram are still operating, and posting pictures of product lines (a model is pictured)

Rees, the adopted daughter of Cambridge-educated Indian parents, shocked the fashion world when she left Corre in 2007 for punk legend Paul Simonon, the former Clash bassist.

She accepted an MBE in the same year for services to the fashion industry although Corre refused to accept one, saying it was because he regarded the then prime minister Tony Blair as 'morally corrupt'.

Rees and Corre sold Agent Provocateur to private equity house 3i for a reported 60million in 2007 as part of their divorce settlement.

She launched no frills brand Les Boys Les Girls in 2017, describing it partly as a reaction against 'over-sexualised' and 'over perfect' imagery of other brands.

By far the biggest creditor is 54-year-old Rees - the former daughter-in-law of fashion doyen Vivienne Westwood - who ploughed 3.1million into setting up and propping up the brand. Rees was aged just 26 when she and her ex-husband Joseph Corre  the son of Vivienne Westwood and Sex Pistols guru Malcolm McLaren  set up lingerie brand Agent Provocateur in 1994. They are pictured together in 2000

Rees said in an interview with Forbes at the time: 'People need to see that being yourself is far sexier than having false eyelashes and big pouty lips and your boobs shoved up right underneath your chin and having a six pack and big beefy muscles and no hair on your body.'

She added: 'People's sexual preferences are very varied and you can't account for everybody and you just have to let people be how they are.

'I'm still saying celebrate yourself  but be in charge of who you are, be down with who you are. And it's up to you how you portray that.'

Les Girls Les Boys launched its latest spring and summer collection to critical acclaim earlier this year when it was described as 'a wardrobe attuned for today'.

Around 80 per cent of its fabrics were said to be made from natural or recycled materials such as bamboo or wood chip.

Vivienne Westwood with her Son Joseph Corre, wife Serena Rees and their daughter Cora at the Wedding Reception for Joseph Corre and Serena Rees on September 10, 1999

Rees appoint liquidators to take over her firm Aya Design Group on May 3, according to documents filed at Companies House.

A statement of affairs filed the same day, listed creditors and what they were owed, and revealed the firm was 3,625,574 in the red.

The document giving the company's financial position on April 13 states that it only has assets of 75,913 following payments owed to preferential creditors.

But it still owes 3,701,487 to non-preferential creditors including 3,165,254 owed to Rees herself, 3,208 owed to banks and 11,709 owed to HMRC

Another 501,929 is owed to 'trade and expense creditors' including a fashion firm in Hong Kong owed 25,538.

The firm also owes 26,946 to Westminster City Council in business rates and 49,572 to the Crown Estate.

Fashion bible Vogue revealed in 2019 that Rees had an 18th century five-storey terrace house not far from Oxford Circus and a purpose built holiday home in Majorca with spectacular views over the Mediterranean.

Guests at her joint 50th birthday at her Majorca home included Kate Moss, Liv Tyler, stylist Katy England and actor Josephine de La Baume.

The party reportedly featured performances by Simonon, Damon Albarn, Bobby Gillespie and Bob Geldof.

Les Girls Les Boys has been approached for comment
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The Duchess of Cambridge looked gorgeous in green today as she sported a trendy belted dress with golden jewellery to present The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design to an up and coming British designer.

Kate Middleton, 40, opted for a 785 green dress from British-Canadian designer Edeline Lee, at an event hosted by the British Fashion Council at the Design Museum in Kensington.

The royal paired pebble-textured dress with an Emmy London clutch and court shoes. She added earrings from Nadia Irena.

She opted for a glamourous make-up look, keeping her brunette hair down and sleek and paired light face make-up with a dramatic smoky eye.

Her Royal Highness, who lives in Kensington Palace just two miles away from the museum with Prince William and their three children, presented the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design which aims to recognise the cultural and trade role the British design and fashion industry has played throughout the monarch's reign to British Guyanese designer Saul Nash.

A true style star! Kate is pictured announcing the winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design awards, Saul Nash

Duchess of Cambridge gives the trophy of 'The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design' to winner British fashion designer Saul Nash during the prize ceremony at the London's Design Museum

Kate Middleton, 40, opted for a 785 green dress from up-and-coming British-Canadian designer Edeline Lee, at an event hosted by the British Fashion Council at the Design Museum in Kensington. She is pictured giving the award to British-Guyanese designer Saul Nash

In her element: Kate looked gorgeous in green as she gave a speech and the award to an emerging designer at the event today

Her Royal Highness, who lives in Kensington Palace just two miles away from the museum, added dark green velvet heels and a matching clutch bag to the look. She is pictured leaving the event today

The Duchess appeared animated as she chatted to guests and style stars at the event today

Tealing the show! The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, looked gorgeous in green as she clutched two white roses as she left the Design Museum today

The Duchess of Cambridge looked gorgeous in green today as she sported a trendy shift dress with golden jewellery as she got set to present The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design at an event hosted by the British Fashion Council at London's Design Museum in Kensington

Gorgeous in green! The Duchess cemented her status in the fashion set as she presented the award in London today

Style sisters! Duchess of Cambridge speaks to British Fashion Council Chair Stephanie Phair and Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council Caroline Rush as she departs the Design Museum today

The royal opted for a glamourous make-up look, keeping her brunette hair down and sleek and paired light face make-up with a dramatic smoky eye

Kate Middleton, 40, opted for a 785 green dress from up-and-coming London designer Edeline Lee which she paired with golden accessories for the fashion-filled event, where Vogue editor Edward Enninful was also in attendance.

Animated Kate! The Duchess looked full of cheet as she chatted to designers, stylists and models at the awards in west London

A Central Saint Martins and Royal College of Art graduate, Saul - who designs streetwear - was recognised for his 'innovative take on design,' and 'developing new materials while actively pioneering a new frontier within the industry imbuing sportswear design with an exploration of heritage, performance and technical innovation,' which was well demonstrated with his Woolmark Prize capsule collection.'

Now in its fifth year, the award aims to provide continuing recognition of the cultural and trade role the British design and fashion industry has played, and continues to play, throughout Her Majesty's reign.

The inaugural award was announced and presented to Richard Quinn in February 2018 when The Queen made her first visit to London Fashion Week.

The British-Canadian designer loved by celebs that Kate wore to present a fashion award Since launching her eponymous label in 2014, Edeline Lee's looks have been worn by the likes of Amanda Holden, Emma Willis, Helen Skelton, Ellie Goulding and Helen Mirren. The Vancouver-born star graduated from Central St Martin's - one of the most prestigious fashion schools in the world - in 2008 and Edeline has since made her impact in the world of fashion after starting as an intern for Zac Posen and working for Alexander McQueen and Dior'. Advertisement

'This week has felt like a dream' Saul told WWD.

'To be recognised in this way is an incredible vote of confidence  it would be for any designer, but I feel especially proud as this is a moment of validation for sportswear.

'The focus of my work has always been to push and open up new possibilities, from tackling preconceived notions of sportswear to attempting to challenge perceptions of gender norms in menswear.

'It's important to weave my own story into my work, keeping it personal and true to myself.

'That remains the ambition  to stay focused on innovation, community and building a conscious practice,' he added.

Caroline Rush, chief executive officer at the British Fashion Council added: 'Nash has a unique way of combining function, tech and tailoring in his design practice, which has resulted in a new take on luxe sportswear.

'His work explores the relationship between performance and menswear and is often showcased through beautiful and showstopping choreography.

'We are incredibly proud to recognize Saul and look forward to seeing his brand grow'.

Saul started his eponymous label in 2018 and made his Fashion Week debut with Lulu Kennedy's emerging talent support scheme fashion week in 2020.

His designs are rooted in his Caribbean heritage and upbringing in northeast London.

His AW22 collection was presented with a video in filmed in one of London's first West Indian barbershops in Kensal Rise, where Nash felt he truly connects with his heritage.

When Edward met Kate! The Duchess of Cambridge is pictured speaking to British Vogue Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful in Kensington today

The royal paired pebble-textured dress with an Emmy London clutch and court shoes, and earrings from Nadia Irena (pictured)

Kate presented the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design which aims to recognise the cultural and trade role the British design and fashion industry has played throughout the monarch's reign to British Guyanese designer Saul Nash (pictured)

Duchess of Cambridge, and CEO of the British Fashion Council (BFC), Caroline Rush, stand in the audience and listen to people speak during 'The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design' ceremony

Models ahead of the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design at the Design Museum today

Duchess of Cambridge, Chair of the British Fashion Council (BFC), Stephanie Phair, and CEO of the BFC, Caroline Rush, talk during an event held at the Design Museum

Duchess of Cambridge, talks with Chair of the British Fashion Council, Stephanie Phair today

Her Royal Highness appeared to be gifted a rose inside the centre and left clutching two white flowers

Smiles all around! The Duchess seemed in her element and couldn't stop smiling while inside the centre today

At the event, The Duchess met and viewed designs of recipients from the British Fashion Council Foundation's designer initiatives; NEWGEN, Fashion Trust and BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion fund and BFC/GQ Designer Fashion Fund.

These funds provide up and coming designers with financial support, showcasing opportunities and mentoring as they work to build their brands.

Previous winners have included Alexander McQueen and Erdem.

Kate also met representatives from the British Fashion Council and the wider fashion industry, including Edward Enninful.

The Duchess met and presented The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design and watch an immersive fashion show from the winner of the award.

The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design was presented by The Duchess of Cornwall in 2019. The Princess Royal in 2020 and The Countess of Wessex in 2021.

The trophy itself was inspired by the Queen Elizabeth rose.

Kate is pictured meeting Chief Executive of the Design Museum Tim Marlow and Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council Caroline Rush . The Duchess will present The Queen Elizabeth II Award For British Design and BFC Foundation Impact announcement at The Design Museum

Duchess of Cambridge, Chair of the British Fashion Council (BFC), Stephanie Phair, and CEO of the BFC, Caroline Rush, talk during an event held at the Design Museum

Duchess of Cambridge (R), flanked by CEO of the British Fashion Council (BFC) Caroline Rush (L), speaks to guests as she arrives to present 'The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design' at the Londons Design Museum

Duchess of Cambridge, talks with British Fashion Council (BFC) NEWGEN recipients while Chair of the British Fashion Council, Stephanie Phair, stands next to her during an event held at the Design Museum

Chatting away! The Duchess looked delighted to speak to models and designers at the event with the CEO of the BFC Caroline Rush

The Duchess of Cambridge is pictured leaving the Design Museum in London where she presented the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design at an event hosted by the British Fashion Council

Kate is seen with Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council Caroline Rush walking through the Design Museum ahead of the awards

Kate looks on at the immersive runway and watches speeches at the Design Museum today

British Fashion Council Chair Stephanie Phair and CEO of the British Fashion Council Caroline Rush attend The Queen Elizabeth II Award For British Design and BFC Foundation Impact announcement at The Design Museum

Duchess of Cambridge speaks with Chief Executive of the Design Museum Tim Marlow and Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council Caroline Rush as she arrives at the Design Museum

Her Royal Highness, who lives in Kensington Palace just two miles away from the museum, added dark green velvet heels and a matching clutch bag to the look.

The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the Design Museum in London where she will present the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design

Gorgeous in green! Kate hit the mark in a teal dress by and up-and-coming British designer on her day out at the museum

Vogue editor Edward Enninful joins Kate Middleton as she attends the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design at the Design Museum

Chief Executive of the Design Museum Tim Marlow (left) and Stephanie Phair (right) makes a speech during the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design at the Design Museum

It was hand-produced in 2018 by Lucy Price at Bauhinia Studios in Birmingham's famous jewellery quarter.

Kate opted for a 785 dress by British-Canadian designer Edeline Lee at the fashion forward event today.

Kate opted for a 785 dress by British-Canadian designer Edeline Lee (pictured) at the fashion forward event today. Since launching her eponymous label in 2014, Edeline Lee's looks have been worn by the likes of Amanda Holden, Emma Willis, Helen Skelton, Ellie Goulding and Helen Mirren

Since launching her eponymous label in 2014, Edeline Lee's looks have been worn by the likes of Amanda Holden, Emma Willis, Helen Skelton, Ellie Goulding and Helen Mirren.

The Vancouver-born star graduated from Central St Martin's - one of the most prestigious fashion schools in the world - in 2008 and Edeline has since made her impact in the world of fashion after starting as an intern for Zac Posen and working for Alexander McQueen and Dior.

Prices at Edeline Lee range from 335 for tops to 800 for dresses and 2,800 for outerwear.

Speaking to Drapers magazine, she previously revealed: 'As an intern, I was lucky to be given the opportunity by Zac Posen to design a dress that ended up being worn by Britney Spears, Natalie Portman, Naomi Campbell and Jennifer Lopez, and was featured on the covers of magazines. I think that is what led to him offering me my first job.'

She describes her clothes as for the 'future lady' that are 'made with love' in England.

'The 'future lady' is an idea that I made up to encompass the woman that I am designing for. Female identity is in flux in our generation  modern women live hectic lives.

'We can't automatically subscribe to the identities that have been laid out for us historically,' she told Drapers.

She added that Edward Enninful is one of her biggest inspirations as he 'has been making so many significant steps towards diversity and equal opportunity in the fashion industry. He's been a true champion for independent and marginalised designers. '
THE STATEMENT COLLAR

This outfit may look like a standard floral shirt and white jeans combination. But the addition of a simple sailor collar elevates an easy, everyday outfit and turns it into something special. Its one of my favourite, effortless fashion cheats.

CHANEL SECRET

You cant have missed the statement collars slow, but certain, fashion takeover. It started back in 2020 when Virginie Viard, in her first Chanel ready-to-wear show following the death of Karl Lagerfeld, sent models down the runway in super-size collars. Then Danish brand Ganni propelled them into the mainstream with its popular poplin shirts.

Dinah Van Tulleken (pictured) shares advice on choosing the shirts with statement collars. Blouse, 69, ghost. co.uk; trousers, 89, mintvelvet.co.uk; sandals, 49.99, zara.com; tote, 255, furla.com

EASY-TO-WEAR

They started as something ludicrously OTT, a real statement, but thankfully theyve become a wearable addition on shirts, blouses and dresses, too.

Ganni still does it best  check out their blue check below  but this is now a trend that covers every budget. You dont need to spend a fortune to find good cuts in quality fabrics.

NO-FRILLS FUN

This stretch cotton design is by Ghost, and I love its simplicity. No lace, no frills, no ruffles but still fashionable  and fun.

Keep your eyes peeled for styles like Baukjens pure cotton design, where the collar is detachable, giving you a simple shirt when necessary, as well as a collar you can throw over plain T-shirts, lightweight summer knits, even blazers.

High Street favourite New Look has a fabulous selection for under 20, too.

NOW SHOP THE TREND...
Ariana Rockefeller was the epitome of gilded glamour when she attended the Met Gala on Monday in a vintage Elizabeth Arden gown that was made for her paternal grandmother  Margaret 'Peggy' Rockefeller  in 1954.

The 39-year-old socialite, who is the great-great-granddaughter of Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller, dazzled in the silk brocade dress featuring a metallic floral print, bow straps, and a full skirt with a subtle bustle.

Rockefeller had inherited the gown years ago, but this week's star-studded Costume Institute Benefit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City marked the first time she ever wore it.

'I always had a sense that I would one day wear it somewhere very significant,' she told Vogue of the family heirloom, which was the perfect choice for this year's Met Gala theme, 'In America: An Anthology of Fashion.'

Ariana Rockefeller, 39, attended the Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on Monday wearing her late grandmother Margaret 'Peggy' Rockefeller's gown from 1954

The socialite, who is the great-great-granddaughter of Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller, dazzled in the silk brocade dress featuring a metallic floral print

The vintage Elizabeth Arden gown was made by Italian designer Ferdinando Sarmi. Peggy and her husband, billionaire banker David Rockefeller, are pictured on their wedding day in 1940

Arden is best known for her eponymous beauty line, but she also designed ready-to-wear and couture clothing. In 1945, her first couture collection was created by fashion designer Charles James, whose work was honored at the 2014 Met Gala.

Italian designer Ferdinando Sarmi made the ladylike gown for Rockefeller's grandmother as the head of the studio, which he ran from 1951 to 1959. His successor was renowned designer Oscar de la Renta.

Peggy and her husband, billionaire banker David Rockefeller, were lauded philanthropists and fixtures in international society who attended countless formal events over the years.

'Very likely Granny wore this gown to a Chase Bank event or related to banking business during the year of 1954,' Rockefeller told Vogue.

The family heirloom was archived at Christy Rilling Atelier and stored in a box for the past four years as Rockefeller waited for the perfect occasion to wear it

Rilling, a former costume designer with an atelier in Manhattan, refashioned the dress by redraping the bodice and adding bows to the sleeves

Rilling also cleaned and restored the fabric, which had yellowed with age

'Reviving this 70-year-old garment has been a fun and sustainable way to engage with this years Met Gala theme,' Rockefeller said in a press release

Before her grandfather's death in 2017, he invited all of his granddaughters to choose special pieces from his late wife's wardrobe. Peggy had died two decades before in 1996.

Rockefeller's vintage gown was archived at Christy Rilling Atelier and stored in a box for the past four years as she waited for the right occasion to wear it.

According to Vogue, she had considered pulling it out for the 2019 Met Gala, but she felt it was too regal for that year's over-the-top theme, 'Camp: Notes on Fashion.'

Rockefeller's decision to wait proved to be the right one. The dress code for the 2022 Met Gala was an ode to Gilded Age fashion. What could be more fitting that a vintage American gown designed for a member of the Rockefeller family?

Rockefeller accessorized her gown with heirloom jewelry before hitting the red carpet

Rilling also covered a pair of her favorite heels in leftover fabric from the tailored gown to complete the look

Rockefeller posed for photos outside of The Mark Hotel before heading to the star-studded fundraising benefit

Rockefeller's grandparents (pictured in 1969) were lauded philanthropists and fixtures in international society who attended countless formal events over the years

'This year is about celebrating the talents and legacies of American designers and how those talents shaped American style,' Rockefeller said in a press release.

'In that sense, my gown is a part of this story: an Elizabeth Arden gown designed by Ferdinando Sarmi in 1954 for my grandmother and then reimagined by Christy Rilling for me today in 2022.'

Rilling, a former costume designer with an atelier in Manhattan, refashioned the dress ahead of the fundraiser. She cleaned and restored the fabric, which had yellowed with age, despite being properly stored.

She also modernized the silhouette by redraping the bodice, remaking the crinolines, and adding bows to the sleeves, among other alterations.

Rockefeller believes her grandmother likely wore the gown while attending a banking event with her husband (pictured in 1991)

Rockefeller also wore a beaded bag from the 1920s that belonged to her great-grandmother Abby Aldrich Rockefeller (pictured in 1932), the wife of John D. Rockefeller Jr.

Rockefeller (pictured with her grandfather in 2013) said David invited all of his granddaughters to choose special pieces from his late wife's wardrobe before his death in 2017

Rockefeller told Vogue she had considered wearing her grandmother's gown to the 2019 Met Gala (pictured), but she felt it was too regal for that year's theme, 'Camp: Notes on Fashion'

'Reviving this 70-year-old garment has been a fun and sustainable way to engage with this years Met Gala theme,' Rockefeller said. 'I feel like the luckiest girl to have this opportunity to wear this gorgeous piece of my family's history to the Costume Institute Benefit.'

Rockefeller accessorized her gown with a vintage bracelet, earrings, and necklace that were also family heirlooms. Her beaded bag from the 1920s originally belonged to her great-grandmother Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, the wife of John D. Rockefeller Jr.

Rilling also covered a pair of her favorite heels in leftover fabric from the tailored gown to complete the look.

'It felt like a beautiful passing of torches to work with a gown, made a few blocks from my atelier more than 66 years ago,' the designer said of refashioning the heirloom. 'It's always been so fantastic to think a vintage gown will be viewed again in a modern way.

'For me  the epitome of sustainability. There were exquisite couture details inside the dress which we wouldnt ever want to change in respect for the original couture design and the look it created.'
The Duchess of Cambridge has said no mother is 'immune to experiencing anxiety and depression' in a new video to mark becoming patron of a 'fantastic organisation' supporting the mental health of women. Kate Middleton, 40, said it was crucial for those 'struggling' to be given the 'right support at the right time' and also urged society to play its part, saying everyone needed to help 'parents and carers, and all those who are raising children today'. Her words were spoken in a video message recorded to mark her new role as patron of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA), announced during Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, which ends on Sunday. The mother-of-three has focused on early years support and mental health in her royal career. Left: She is pictured with Prince William and their children Prince Louis, right, Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince Louis, four. Right in new video
Picture the scene: a glamorous young couple are consulting their lawyer, drafting a premarital agreement over who gets what should  Heaven forbid!  they ever go their separate ways.

After all, for financially wellendowed folk, there is so much to weigh up: the penthouse, the ski chalet, the his nhers Ferraris.

After much to-ing and fro-ing, the is are finally dotted and the ts crossed. The lawyer then removes his spectacles, casts a leathery eye at the couples pooch in the bride-to-bes Birkin bag, and asks solemnly: Any thoughts about putting something down in writing over little Britney?

Sounds daft to you? Well, think again. Pre-nuptial agreements with pet provisions are increasingly de rigueur among cautious newlyweds worried about the fate of their furry companions should their plans to live happily ever after go awry.

Henry Deedes (pictured with his dog Lily) says pre-nuptial agreements with pet provisions are increasing. UK-based writer reveals that couples are now encouraged to consider pets

And the phenomenon isnt confined to chihuahua-clutching heiresses from Beverly Hills. Its happening in the UK, too.

Couples are being encouraged to thrash out some form of premarital agreement over custody of their pets, inevitably dubbed a pet-nup, to avoid costly custody battles if they later split.

Around 30,000 divorces a year in the UK are now said to involve animals. And with 3.2 million households acquiring a pet during lockdown, that figure looks set to rocket in the coming years.

To those who have never owned a four-legged friend, this must all sound ridiculous, a mad ruse cooked up by money-grabbing lawyers. But as a former dog owner and divorcee myself, I can entirely sympathise.

When my ex-wife and I split, we had no children to squabble over. Nor much by way of assets, other than our home, which was easily divided up. We managed to tie everything up using an online lawyer for less than the cost of putting the car in for servicing.

The only question worrying our family and friends was: what about the dog?

Pre-nuptial agreements with pet provisions are increasingly de rigueur among cautious newlyweds worried about the fate of their furry companions should their plans to live happily ever after go awry

Almost a decade earlier we had acquired a West Highland Terrier whom we named Lily. Little could we have imagined that she would be the only minor sticking point in our eventual break-up.

Probably in common with a lot of husbands, Id been against the idea of a pet at first. Our cramped flat had no outdoor space. Money was tight (isnt it always?).

Naturally, though, as the years passed, the little ball of white fluff grew on me like a barnacle. And by the time my divorce happened, the thought of saying goodbye to Lily for ever was unbearable.

With my ex working as a selfemployed fashion stylist, based largely at home, and me stuck in a newspaper office all day, the only workable solution was for me to take the dog at weekends.

For owners (or pet parents), dogs are as much part of the family as children, so its not so surprising that they are being mentioned in divorce papers

Yes, yes, I know what youre thinking. Hellish on the old private life for a man re - entering bachelorhood after 13 years off the market. But that was the price  and it was one worth paying.

All this happened ten years ago. In the time since, it has been reassuring to see I am not the only one who felt like this.

During their 2018 break-up, Ant McPartlin and his ex Lisa Armstrong are said to have rowed over custody of their chocolate labrador, Hurley.

And warring duo Johnny Depp and Amber Heard apparently had one of their many ding-dongs over who got to keep their Yorkshire terriers, Pistol and Boo.

For owners (or pet parents), dogs are as much part of the family as children, so its not so surprising that they are being mentioned in divorce papers.

Though my advice to any couple warring over their pets would be to come to some arrangement, as I did. Otherwise, as usual, the only winners will be the lawyers.
Her Majesty is amused  smiling quizzically in a new portrait unveiled to mark her Platinum Jubilee.

As the Duchess of Cambridge met fashion industry stars and models at a British design event yesterday, the monarchs own modelling experience went on display with the release of the test shot taken in 2004.

The photograph, which seems almost to catch her off-guard, was taken by Rob Munday nearly 19 years ago during a photoshoot to create the first officially commissioned 3D hologram of the Queen.

This particular image, entitled Platinum Queen: Felicity, went unnoticed in Mr Mundays archives until he rediscovered it last summer.

It shows the Queen reacting to a mischievous aside from her confidante and senior dresser Angela Kelly as the pair prepared for the shoot at Buckingham Palace.

The photograph, which seems almost to catch her off-guard, was taken by Rob Munday nearly 19 years ago during a photoshoot to create the first officially commissioned 3D hologram of the Queen

A portrait shows a young Queen Elizabeth II during her coronation in June 1953

Mr Munday said: The Queens daily life is so full of responsibility and duty that it was wonderful to see this fleeting moment of relaxation and pleasure.

It is an uplifting portrait, so different from many of the more sombre portraits commissioned in recent years and a befitting celebration for her Platinum Jubilee.

The portrait was described as capturing the twinkle in the Queens eye and the deep bond and trust between the monarch and Miss Kelly, with the piece dedicated to their 20 years of friendship.

The original holographic portrait titled Equanimity, by artist Chris Levine and holographer Mr Munday, was voted the visitors favourite at Londons National Portrait Gallery.

Meanwhile the Duchess of Cambridge celebrated another feat of artistry as she presented the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design to up and coming designer Saul Nash.

Wearing a 785 green dress by London-based designer Edeline Lee, Kate towered over many models as she met Edward Enninful, editor-in-chief of British Vogue, at the event at the Design Museum, a stones throw from Kensington Palace

Now in its fifth year, the award recognises the role that the design and fashion industry has played throughout the Queens reign

Wearing a 785 green dress by London-based designer Edeline Lee, Kate towered over many models as she met Edward Enninful, editor-in-chief of British Vogue, at the event at the Design Museum, a stones throw from Kensington Palace.

Now in its fifth year, the award recognises the role that the design and fashion industry has played throughout the Queens reign.

Asked about report in The Mail on Sunday last week that the Duchess of Cornwall is about to become Vogues latest royal cover girl, Mr Enninful laughed: My phones been ringing but I just cant say anything. You know I cant comment!
The rise of 'Deliveroo lifestyles' will make Britain the fattest country in Europe within a decade, the World Health Organization warns.

Meal delivery apps are fuelling an obesity crisis by encouraging over-eating and physical inactivity, according to health officials.

And poor eating habits were spurred by the pandemic, when Britons became hooked on having food dropped at their door after being ordered to stay at home.

Health chiefs said services such as Deliveroo and Just Eat have quickly become part of the nation's 'culture and lifestyle'.

A major report, published by the WHO, says restaurant and takeaway meals often contain more fat, sugar and salt than those cooked at home, meaning people consume 200 calories more per day on average if they do not make meals themselves.

On top of this, apps make it easy to order food without leaving the sofa, so there is less opportunity for exercise.

Britain ranks third in Europe for obesity, behind Turkey and Malta, with 27.8 per cent of adults found to be excessively overweight.

But this could soar to 37 per cent  more than one in three adults  by 2033, higher than any other nation.

ADULT OBESITY RATES: A World Health Organization report found the UK ranks third in Europe in terms of the percentage of its population considered obese. The further the right the dots on the graph the greater the proportion of adults considered obese in that country. The purple dot represents the combined data for both genders, while the blue and green dots indicates the obesity rate for men and women respectively

OBESITY RATES FOR CHILDREN 10-TO-19: Britain ranked eighth in terms of excess weight in children and teenagers aged between 10 and 19-years-of-age just behind Cyprus. This graph shows both the obesity and overweight prevalence in Europe by country. The dots on the left are for obesity only while the dots on the right are for those classified as overweight (which includes the obese figures)

OBESITY RATES FOR CHILDREN 5-TO-9: And it ranked twelfth for percentage of children aged between five and nine that were overweight and obese with less fat children than Turkey but more than France. The dots on the left show the rates for obese children only while the dots on the right also include those classified as overweight

The report says the obesity crisis has reached 'epidemic proportions' in Europe, causing an estimated 1.2million deaths every year.

Dr Kremlin Wickramasinghe, the WHO's lead for non-communicable diseases in Europe, warned Britain is among the worst offenders of unhealthy lifestyle trends.

Speaking at the European Congress on Obesity in Maastricht, the Netherlands, he said: 'In the UK we see a larger proportion of the population being exposed to this kind of environment.

'You see the same things in other countries but in the UK you see a greater proportion having online food deliveries and being exposed to advertising.

'The proportion of the population covered by these takeaways and online food deliveries is greater. It is very big in the UK compared to other countries.'

Worst 10 countries for obesity in Europe Country % of obese adults Turkey Malta UK Hungary Lithuania Israel Czech Republic Andorra Ireland Bulgaria 32.1 28.9 27.8 26.4 26.3 26.1 26 25.6 25.3 25 Advertisement

He added: 'We saw a rapid expansion in the use and popularity of food delivery apps during the Covid-19 pandemic ... They did very well and have quickly become part of our culture and lifestyle.

'However, they have the potential to increase obesity as they drive people to order more than they need, with deals such as free delivery if you spend above a certain amount.

'It is also difficult to manage the size of your portions when ordering through an app.'

Deliveroo more than doubled its customers in the first half of last year, with orders increasing 110 per cent in the UK and Ireland compared to the first half of 2020. Just Eat also saw orders soar by 76 per cent in the first half of 2021.

The WHO report warns portion sizes are often larger, encouraging over-eating, and 'package deals or loyalty discount rewards can encourage over-ordering'.

Tam Fry, from the National Obesity Forum, said: 'People have got used to this Deliveroo lifestyle where they can get whatever they want delivered to their door 24/7 without having to move a muscle.

'Our street is littered with delivery bikes day and night as people like the convenience of the service.

'It would be healthier if people were cooking for themselves or at least walking to the local chippy.'

He added: 'Even primary school children are using food apps to deliver meals and pizzas to their classroom.'

The WHO report calls for unhealthy food marketing targeting children to be ended, as well as improved access to weight-management services.

Deliveroo said it wants to 'provide the right information and a greater selection of healthier choices on our platform', while Just Eat said many restaurants on its platform offer healthier options and smaller portion sizes.

The Department of Health and Social Care said: 'Obesity costs the NHS more than 6billion a year and tackling the issue will save billions of pounds, helping to put it on a sustainable financial footing as we work to recover the healthcare system.'
Sajid Javid ignored warnings about HRT shortages last year because No10 was too fixated on Covid, a drug manufacturer has claimed.

Supplies of the most popular HRT gels have been short for months, which has left desperate women rationing prescriptions or turning to the black market.

Campaigners and MPs say the problem stems from a lack of forward planning by the Government for soaring demand. But ministers blame manufacturing issues caused by the pandemic.

London-based firm Theramex, which makes hormone replacement therapy gels, said it warned the Department of Health about the impending crisis last October.

Tina Backhouse, the company's UK general manager, told The Telegraph: 'We did speak to the Department of Health about it, about how to [fix this issue in October]. But the problem was, all people wanted to talk about then was Covid.'

A second email this February  when the shortages started to hit  also fell on deaf ears, she said.

A national shortage of Oestrogel, the most popular HRT drug that is used by around 30,000 women, is driving the crisis.

Manufacturers have said the issue could be fixed in a matter of days if NHS red tape is cut to allow pharmacists to prescribe alternative products.

Sajid Javid ignored warnings about HRT shortages last year because the Government was too fixated on Covid, a drug manufacturer has claimed

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

A national shortage of Oestrogel (left), the most popular HRT drug used by around 30,000 women, is driving the crisis. Bijuve (right), manufactured by Theramex, is considered an alternative to Oestrogel. However, it is only available in Oxford, Somerset and Norfolk

Bijuve, manufactured by Theramex, is considered an alternative to Oestrogel.

But it is only currently available in Oxford, Somerset and Norfolk because HRT drugs are approved at a local rather than national level, which has created a 'postcode lottery'.

NHS formulary committees  which decide which drugs can be available at a local level are 'two years behind' approving new medicines, Ms Backhouse said.

Theramex says it has pallets of supplies gathering dust in a warehouse but cannot ship them out due to the red tape.

Ms Backhouse claimed current shortages 'could have been avoided' if her emails were not ignored.

Moves to increase manufacturing capacity now or add to the national list will take time to be implemented, while thousands of women continue to suffer symptoms without effective medication, she claimed.

Ms Backhouse warned increasing manufacturing capacity takes time and companies like Theramex and others producing alternatives to Oestrogel cannot increase output instantly.

'It's not just like, "oh add another line on and we have 1,000s more next week", it doesn't work like that,' she added. 'That's not the short term fix.'

The Government last week instilled a former Covid Vaccine Taskforce chief as the new HRT tsar to get a grip on the crisis.

Madeleine McTernan's first move was to introduce a three-month prescription limit on Oestrogel and two other popular brands to ration supplies.

Madelaine McTernan (pictured) has been appointed the new HRT tsar and will spearhead efforts to deal with shortages of the medicine.

Manufacturers of alternatives say they are only now being called in to a meeting with Mr Javid and Ms McTernan.

Besins  the manufacturer of Oestrogel  announced last week it will not be able to increase supply to meet demand for another month at least.

The number of women seeking the rub-on treatment, which works by enabling the hormone oestrogen to be absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin, has rocketed to around 30,000  double the amount a year ago.

The company said it is aiming to meet growing demand  but will not be able to do so until June at the earliest.

MailOnline on Monday revealed British sellers are charging up to four times the NHS price for the drug on eBay as they cash in on a national shortage.
Ministers have threatened to 'name and shame' hospitals and fine universities which are stubbornly adhering to old Covid visiting and mixing restrictions.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid and universities minister Michelle Donelan are said to have told NHS trusts and higher education providers to get back to normal or face Government action.

Mr Javid is threatening to out any hospitals which are refusing to relax measures that were watered down last month, The Telegraph reports.

Isolation for NHS patients was cut from 10 days to seven with two negative tests in March and the need to isolate asymptomatic patients who are contacts of someone with the virus was also lifted.

The changes are seen as crucial in freeing up more NHS capacity to tackle the pandemic-fuelled backlogs for treatment, with a record 6.2million people in England waiting for routine operations.

Some hospitals are still enforcing visitor limits and social distancing in waiting rooms, which were also loosened a month ago.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust is one trust still suspending almost all visitors to its wards except for in special circumstances, like end of life care  which MPs have slammed as 'illegal' and a breach of human rights.

Meanwhile, universities are also under pressure to return to normality, with Ms Donelan telling The Telegraph she has been 'personally' phoning university bosses and telling them to get back to normal.

She has promised to 'put boots on the ground' to investigate institutions where students have complained about a lack of face-to-face teaching, and issue fines to those failing to comply with the new Covid strategy.

It comes amid a Government-wide crackdown on institutions still clinging onto old pandemic guidance. Jacob Rees Mogg, the minister for Brexit opportunities, this week hit out at civil servants still working from home.

Ministers are reporting considering 'naming and shaming' hospitals and fining universities which are failing to follow new post-pandemic guidelines on visiting and social mixing

Covid cases surge in South Africa again  but experts say there's no reason to panic Experts have urged people not to panic as South Africa once again becomes a focal point of the pandemic amid a fresh Covid surge of new subvariants. The world watched in horror last November as the super-infectious Omicron strain (BA.1) spread through South Africa at unprecedented speed  which turned out to be mild. But now the country finds itself at the cusp of a fresh explosion in infections, this time due to sub-strains that appear even more transmissible and resistant to antibodies. Covid cases have nearly quadrupled in a month nationally and hospital admissions are ticking up in Gauteng province, the former epicentre of the original Omicron wave. Researchers on the ground in South Africa say the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants can evade immunity and cause symptoms in people who were infected with their parent strain just months ago. What is still unclear is whether the new wave will create milder or more severe illness  but experts tell MailOnline the former is more likely, for the UK at least. Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert at the University of East Anglia, said Britain's second Omicron wave, triggered by the BA.2 subvariant, will have given Britons an extra layer of immunity against severe illness. He pointed to a pre-print which showed the combination of vaccination and Omicron infection created 'robust protection' against Omicron's sub-lineages. However, it is less clear how the latest wave will play out in South Africa, where only three in 10 South Africans have had two jabs and just one per cent have had a booster dose. Advertisement

Ms Donelan said it was time for the minority of universities who seemed to be stuck in pandemic thinking and restricting teaching to do the right thing.

Her comments came as the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIAHE), reported a recorded number of student complaints last year.

In its annual report published today, the OIAHE said it had received a record 2,763 complaints from students in 2021.

Of these, 37 per cent were related to Covid with students complaining about 'lack of access to laboratories, cancelled or changed projects, placements and study abroad opportunities'.

Reacting to the reports, NHS Confederation chief executive Matthew Taylor said the idea of NHS staff ignoring national infection prevention guidance was incorrect.

'Suggesting that hardworking NHS staff are willfully ignoring national guidance is wrong and completely overlooks the complex management of risk they face day-in, day-out,' he said.

He claimed hospital leaders want to return to pre-pandemic levels and were making progress.

'NHS leaders are committed to doing everything they can to recover their services and know how vital it is for patients to have visitors, which is why they broadly welcomed the recent policy changes,' he said.

'While the NHS continues to face many challenges, such as around staffing vacancies, the sizeable maintenance backlog, and around coronavirus, it is making solid progress and is committed to going further.'

Mr Javid famously proposed to 'name and shame' GP surgeries that failed to meet in-person appointment targets in October last year, but later denied that was ever the plan after a huge NHS backlash.

It comes after MPs warned last week that ongoing visiting bans for patients stuck in hospital and care home residents are illegal.

Health service guidelines were updated in March to allow two visitors 'for at least one hour per day and ideally for longer'.

However, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust is is still suspending all visitors to its wards, except for special circumstances like for patients at end of life.

On its website the trust says: 'As our hospitals care for vulnerable patients and continue to be high-risk locations for Covid, our restrictions remain tighter than other locations.'

The graph shows the NHS England waiting list for routine surgery, such as hip and knee operations (red line), hit a record high 6.18million in February. The figure is 46 per cent higher than pre-pandemic levels and 1.3 per cent more than in January. Official figures also revealed that the number of patients forced to wait more than two years (yellow bars) stood at 23,281 in February, which is 497 patients (two per cent) less than one month earlier

For care homes, No10 amended strict rules on visits in England on January 31, ditching all limits on the number visitors in homes. Blanket quarantine periods for homes were also cut from 28 to 14 days.

But the industry's regulator, the Care Quality Commission, revealed in February that it had received complaints about access at 189 care services, including blanket bans on visiting at dozens of homes.

MPs claimed Article 8 of the Human Rights Act and the Mental Capacity Act 'could and should have protected against this situation arising'.

The latest Covid hospital data shows there were 1,198 new admissions for the virus on April 27, which marked a near-19 per cent decrease on the previous week.

Daily hospitalisations have now fallen for 22 days in a row  despite NHS leaders calling for masks and outdoor mixing to return just weeks ago.

Pressure is mounting on the UK to scrap its daily Covid stats after Ireland said it would discontinue its updates in the coming weeks.
A woman born with two vaginas who feared her medical abnormality would leave her childless has told of her joy after giving birth naturally.

Stephanie Haxton, 29, from Alaska, and partner Ben Luedtke, 31, welcomed Stella last August after a 'lop-sided' pregnancy.

Her daughter only formed in her left uterus, which she claims gave her baby bump an uneven look.

The beautician was diagnosed with uterus didelphys when she was 23, after visiting a gynaecologist because of her unusual vaginal pain.

Uterus didelphys is the term for when a woman is born with two uteruses. Patients with the rare condition can also have a duplicate cervix and vagina, as was the case for Ms Haxton.

The condition, which affects as many as one in 5,000, puts women at greater risk of a miscarriage or premature birth because the uteruses are smaller than normal, but most have a successful pregnancy.

Stephanie Haxton, 29, from Alaska, US, and partner Ben Luedtke, 31, welcomed their baby girl, Stella, last August

It can, however, be harder to conceive because sometimes the the layer of tissue covering the inner wall of the uterus is not fully developed or the womb is irregularly shaped.

Sufferers are normally given C-sections when they have the condition because of potential complications, making Ms Haxton's natural birth even more special.

What is uterus didelphys? Uterus didelphys, also known as a double uterus, is a condition where a woman is born with two uterus, two separate cervixes and sometimes two vaginas, though this is not always the case. It occurs because in a female foetus, the uterus starts out as two small tubes. As the foetus develops, the tubes normally join to create one larger, hollow organ  the uterus. Sometimes the tubes don't join completely and each one develops into a separate hollow organ so the woman is born with two wombs. It often only becomes noticeable after puberty and is diagnosed with a physical exam or an ultrasound scan. In terms of physical anatomy, the two wombs are often slightly smaller than average in order to fit, though they can be as big as a 'normal' womb. It also makes it possible to be pregnant twice at the same time - with a baby in each womb. Some women are also born with two vaginas, although they can have sex and menstruate in the same way as people with just one. Advertisement

Ms Haxton had always suffered with heavy periods but had not thought anything of it before she was diagnosed.

She only found out later the heavy flow was caused by bleeding from two uteruses.

Doctors discovered she had two uteruses, with two cervixes and vaginas separated by a piece of skin called a septum.

The septum did not extend all the way to the opening, so she was not aware of the two vaginas when she used a tampon during periods.

Doctors told her there was a chance she may not be ale to get pregnant naturally and she feared she would never be able to have children.

Ms Haxton said: 'Being told at such a young age I just always thought to myself that I cant have children so I never really pinned my hopes on having any.

'Just thought if it happens it happens. I was told if I needed a baby I would have to undergo some pretty harsh testing.

'So I just put it to one side and carried on. I started up my own business as time went on.'

She became pregnant at 27 but had a miscarriage.

But, against the odds, Ms Haxton became pregnant with Stella shortly after.

She said: 'It was one day when I realised, I had missed my period so I decided to do a pregnancy test and that's when I found out I was pregnant.

'I was classed as a high-risk pregnancy so I was having an ultrasound every week.

'I was also told it was going to be difficult to carry the baby full term as the uterus she was in was so small.'

Doctors feared Stella would struggle to develop with the lack of room in the womb or that she would flip over as she got bigger.

Ms Haxton said: 'Stella was in my left cervix, which meant she only grew on the left side of my stomach, so I was really lopsided when I was pregnant.'

Uterus didelphys is a rare condition in which a woman is born with two uteruses. These can have their own cervixes or, rarely  as was the case with Stephanie  vaginas as well

Stella was born nine days late at 41 weeks a healthy baby with 'no real issues' despite concerns she would be premature

Ms Haxton, pictured with her partner Ben, had always suffered with heavy periods but had not thought anything of it before she was diagnosed

Ms Haxton said: 'Stella was in my left cervix, which meant she only grew on the left side of my stomach, so I was really lopsided when I was pregnant'

Ms Haxton said 'She was born a healthy baby with no real issues, although I had to have my septum cut so she could push past it'. Pictured her 'lop-sided' pregnancy

Despite concerns she would be born prematurely, Stella was born nine days late at 41 weeks.

Doctors induced her into labour and the birth went ahead without any problems.

Ms Haxton said 'She was born a healthy baby with no real issues, although I had to have my septum cut so she could push past it.

'The two cervixes are separated with a small piece of tissue which is called a septum. They thought I was going to need an emergency C-section and everything was in place ready for me to go, but I was able to have her without.

'Around one in 5000 women have this condition and I was the first in the hospital I was in to have it.

'Looking back on it I was so blessed, the team was so supportive. It was very mellow even though many didn't know what the condition was, they were very professional.

'She was absolutely fine and ended up being late. She is such a healthy baby I am so grateful.'
Researchers have moved one step closer for curing deafness after discovering a 'master gene' that regrows lost cells.

The breakthrough gives hope to millions of people people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Ageing, noise damage and certain medicines can destroy irreplaceable cells that helps the brain process sound.

But now scientists in the US say they can recreate the cells  known as inner and outer hair cells  in a lab.

Professor Jaime Garcia-Anoveros, a neurologist at the Northwestern University in Chicago and lead author of the study, said: 'We have overcome a major hurdle.'

The discovery could open the door to gene therapies capable of reprogramming cells to reproduce the lost hair inside people's ears.

Scientists have discovered the specific gene that governs if an ear hair cell grows into an inner or outer hair. With our sense of hearing relying on a careful balance between the two being unable to artificially grow one or the other was a major hurdle in developing potential treatments for deafness (stock image)

Our sense of hearing is governed by two types of tiny hairs located in the ear called outer and inner hair cells.

Outer hair cells amplify sound for the inner hair cells, which then transmit vibrations as signals to the brain which translates the message into sound.

The most common cause of deafness and hearing loss is the death of outer ear hair cells, which happens naturally when we age.

But this can also happen from excessive noise or certain drugs and treatments like antibiotics or chemotherapy.

Hearing loss is a major issue in the UK with about one in six people living with some form of partial or total deafness.

Scientists can already produce an artificial hair cell but it does not differentiate into an inner or outer cell, which are made in the cochlea.

Tests on mice showed expressing a gene called TBX2 directed a hair cell to produce an inner hair cell.

In contrast, when TBX2 was blocked the cell went on to become outer one.

While stressing research was still at an early experimental stage, Professor Garcia-Anoveros said the discovery could one day help regrow people's ear hair cells and restore their hearing, as well as uncover more about what causes deafness.

'We can now figure out how to make specifically inner or outer hair cells and identify why the later are more prone to dying and cause deafness,' he said.

He said to produce these cells would require a 'gene cocktail'.

Professor Garcia-Anoveros said the interaction of the outer and inner ear hair cells to capture sound was like a ballet.

'Its like a ballet. The outers crouch and jump and lift the inners further into the ear.'

'The ear is a beautiful organ. There is no other organ in a mammal where the cells are so precisely positioned. Otherwise, hearing doesnt occur.'

The findings have been published in the journal Nature.
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America's Covid cases have surged by half in two weeks, but scientists say there is still 'no evidence' that top-up jabs are needed for most Americans  despite a Moderna boss today insisting more jabs will be needed by fall.

Figures from states, counties and local health officials showed a total of 69,334 cases were recorded yesterday, up on the tally from mid-April.

The jump is being driven by the even more infectious Omicron variant BA.2.12.1 that is now behind two in five infections nationwide  up from less than one in ten a month ago.

But U.S. scientists  including Dr Paul Offit, who sits on a top vaccines advisory panel  told DailyMail.com today that despite the rise they 'just don't see the need' for Americans under 50 years old to get a top-up dose yet.

The comments were in stark contrast to Moderna's CEO Steve Bancel, however, who today declared 'educated people realize there is waning immunity' and that boosters will be needed by the fall.

The vaccine-maker is currently working on an Omicron-specific jab that they say will be ready to roll out come September. Pfizer claimed earlier this year it would have a jab against the variant by March, but this has been pushed back.

Covid deaths are also on the rise, ticking up 54 percent in two weeks after 664 were registered yesterday. The U.S. is currently averaging about 380 a day on average, which is no higher than mid-April when 440 were being recorded every 24 hours.

The number of patients suffering from the disease in hospitals has also risen 18 percent in two weeks to 17,532, although this figure includes many who are not seriously ill with the disease.

The US yesterday recorded 69,334 Covid cases, marking out a 50 percent surge in infections on two weeks ago. Cases are ticking up in the country driven by the even more infectious Omicron variant BA.2.12.1, which is dominant in New York and New Jersey and has spread to every corner of the nation

The above map shows the change in Covid cases yesterday compared to two weeks ago. It reveals only four states - Colorado, Arizona, Oklahoma and Washington - are currently registering a rise in infections

The above graph shows the number of Covid deaths registered in the US since the pandemic began. These are also rising

Dr Paul Offit, (left) from the FDA's vaccine advisory panel, told DailyMail.com that despite the rising cases he just did not see the need for Covid boosters to be offered to people younger than 50 years. It came as Stephane Bancel, the CEO of Moderna, said people will need boosters this fall because of waning immunity

Just under half of states are now reporting cases, hospitalizations and deaths on a weekly basis rather than every day, making it difficult to track the outbreak across the country.

But data shows cases are consistently pointing upwards amid the spread of the more infectious variant of Omicron, which has now reached every corner of the U.S.

Hospitalizations and deaths are also rising, but experts suggest this is because there is more Covid in the community leading to more people testing positive for the disease when they have been admitted for a separate disease, such as a fall. There is no evidence that the variant triggers more severe disease than the older version.

Covid vaccines may be needed every year, FDA chiefs suggest Covid vaccines may be needed every year, a trio of top officials at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have said. Writing an opinion piece the journal JAMA, they warned society was heading to a 'new normal' that may well include 'annual Covid vaccination'. They added that the jab may also need to be updated annually, to protect against new variants. America already rolls out annual vaccinations against the flu every year to people aged six months and older. There are growing signs it is now considering the same style roll out for the Covid jab. Many scientists are calling on the FDA not to approve the jab for people aged 50 years old and younger, however, saying there is currently 'no evidence' that their immunity needs to be topped up. Booster doses were approved for all people aged 12 years and over last year as Omicron burst onto the scene. But official data shows only 47 percent of this group have got their third dose. Uptake is lowest among 12 to 17-year-olds where only a quarter are boosted. Advertisement

Only four states  Colorado, Arizona, Oklahoma and Washington  are currently registering a drop in Covid cases compared to the same time two weeks ago.

Cases are surging fastest in Missouri (up 186 percent in a week), Indiana (up 149 percent) and Hawaii (up 146 percent).

But scientists today called for calm over the surge, saying there was no evidence yet that top-up shots were needed to bolster immunity among people aged 50 years and younger.

Dr Offit, who sits on a jabs advisory panel at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), told DailyMail.com: 'Right now it looks like protection against serious illness for the most part [among under-50s] is holding up.

'If the goal was to protect against mild illness, then you are talking about giving frequent boosters.

'But the only reasonable goal is to protect against serious disease.'

He added: 'I just don't see the need [for boosters] right now.'

Dr Monica Ghandi, a top infectious diseases expert from the University of California, San Francisco, agreed saying there was no sign yet that most Americans needed top-up shots.

Dr Ghandi, who previously refused to get her 12 and 14-year-old sons their first booster, told DailyMail.com: 'We should not need yearly boosters for Covid.

'Most likely, those who are vulnerable (older, immunocompromised) may need a yearly shot to increase their antibodies, but this should not be true of the majority of the population.

'There is no evidence that the majority of the population will [need more vaccines].'

She said most people would be able to rely on cellular immunity  or B-cells  to protect against severe disease from Covid and other variants.

'Antibody-producing B-cells have been shown to recognize the virus, including its variants,' she said.

'Although we do not know how long these memory B cells will last, survivors of the 1918 influenza pandemic were able to produce antibodies from memory B cells when their blood was exposed to the same strain nine decades later.'

First boosters are currently being offered to everyone over the age of 12 in the U.S., while second boosters are available to all those more than 50 years old.

But uptake has lagged, with official data showing only 49.5 percent of those eligible have come forward for their top-up doses. It is lowest among 12 to 17-year-olds, where just a quarter have been boosted.

It came as Moderna's Mr Bancel admitted that in the U.S. there had not been a 'big uptake' of its third and then fourth booster dose.

But he told CNBC's SquawkBox: 'What we hope for people's health is that people who are high risk... those people who want to get protected and people who follow the news and are educated realize that there is waning immunity, and that if they don't want to get sick and they want to have a normal life  they need to get the booster.

He added: 'I am hoping that people will do what they have been doing for decades regarding flu.'

Asked about the updated Covid shot they are manufacturing to target the Omicron variant, he said: 'We believe in the science that the Omicron booster will end up being the right choice and provide the only clinical data that we will have or any company will have to provide protection for the fall.

'If the FDA chooses to pick a new strain at the end of June I don't think any manufacturer will be ready to make that in time.'

The leading vaccine manufacturer's Dr Paul Burton revealed this week that it was now testing a shot against Omicron likely to be 'even more superior' than its current jab  with 'large amounts' set to be available as soon as this September.

All Covid vaccines are currently based on the original Wuhan virus, amid hesitancy among manufacturers to spend months making a new jab in case another variant emerges. If approved, Moderna's shot would be the first to target the Omicron variant.

Moderna has also submitted a request for its vaccine to be approved among children aged six months to five years old. If this gets the green-light, it will make the U.S. the first country in the world to inoculate children younger than two years.

Studies found the jab was about 37 per cent effective against infection among two to five-year-olds, and 51 per cent effective for those aged under two years.
A mother has claimed her two-year-old boy was left paralysed by Covid.

Kawzr Ibrahim, from Hull, said her previously 'healthy and active' son Mirko became a 'different child' after suffering flu-like symptoms in October.

The mother-of-two said his condition deteriorated and within one month he was unable to walk, often distressed and requiring constant care.

Mirko never tested positive for Covid but Ms Ibrahim, 27, claims she knew 'deep down' it was the viral infection.

'My son was a healthy, active two-year-old who was walking and talking,' he said. 'He was such an easy child but everything changed over a few weeks. I felt I had lost him.'

Ms Ibrahim took her son to a specialist clinic in Germany, where he was diagnosed with post infectious cerebellar ataxia  a condition that can make it difficult to balance, walk, speak, swallow or see.

In the majority of cases, post-infectious cerebellar ataxia goes away completely within a month and most children have no lasting mobility problems.

The medics abroad could not confirm whether Mirko's illness was caused by Covid or by the common Epstein-Barr virus, which can cause similar symptoms.

Mirko was found to have antibodies for both viruses, but it is not clear how recent the infections were.

For the overwhelming majority of children, Covid causes mild or no symptoms at all. Seventy-five children under 15 have died from the virus during the pandemic.

After repeatedly being sent home from hospitals in the UK and being told there were 'other children who were more ill', Ms Ibrahim took her son to a specialist clinic in Germany. Doctors there diagnosed him with post infectious cerebellar ataxia  a condition that can make it difficult to balance, walk, speak, swallow or see

Mirko Ibrahim, from Hull, became a 'different child' after suffering flu-like symptoms in October. His mother, Kawzr Ibrahim, claims his condition deteriorated over just one month and he was left unable to walk, often distressed and requiring constant care.

Mirko is now receiving regular physiotherapy treatment on the NHS and has an appointment with a consultant in six months.

After Mirko fell ill with flu-like symptoms last year, Ms Ibrahim said she was unable to get a face-to-face GP appointment due to Covid restrictions.

Technical problems during a virtual appointment meant the doctor could not see Mirko, meaning Ms Ibrahim had to describe his symptoms.

The toddler was prescribed antibiotics. Days later, Ms Ibrahim took Mirko to Hull Royal Infirmary after he started shaking.

Following a one-night stay, he was discharged and told to wait for a neurologist consultant appointment to come through the post.

Ms Ibrahim said: 'I told the hospital that this was not my son's usual behaviour. He didn't normally walk or move like this.

'I knew deep down something wasn't right. I felt heartbroken and like nobody was listening to me.'

A week later, Mirko's shaking worsened and he developed a very high temperature. Ms Ibrahim said: 'I was so worried and called 999. An ambulance came and we were taken to hospital.

His mother said: 'I used to regularly take Mirko to soft play and to the park and he would just enjoy playing with his big sister and run around, now he needs two to three people help him move in the soft play area'

The medics abroad could not confirm whether Mirko's illness was caused by Covid or by the common Epstein-Barr virus, which causes flu-like symptoms, because they found Mirko had previously contracted both infections. But the mother-of-two said 'it was clear this is all the outcome from Covid'. Mirko is now receiving regular physiotherapy treatment on the NHS and has an appointment with a consultant in six months

'I just wanted my son to get better, but after a few hours we were sent home again. I felt so angry that nobody seemed to be doing anything.'

When his condition did not improve, Ms Ibrahim took Mirko back to hospital three days later, because she 'knew something was wrong with him'.

She said: 'I told the hospital "please help me my child is not normal, look at him, he is shaking".

WHAT IS ATAXIA? Ataxia describes a group of disorders that affect coordination, balance and speech, which is thought to affect up to 10,000 people in Britain. Post-infectious cerebellar ataxia is the most common cause of the condition in children and is usually diagnosed after other conditions have been excluded. The condition usually goes away on its own and doesn't require treatment. Ataxia symptoms include balance problems, incoordination of limb movements, slurred speech and problems with eye movements. Treatment ranges from speech, language and physical therapy to painkillers Source: NHS Advertisement

'I told them I wasn't leaving until I had been given answers but I was told his illness was not serious and that there were other children there who were more ill.'

Ms Ibrahim claims she was told to leave the hospital due to Covid policy and was not told whether Mirko was tested for Covid.

Mass free testing was still in place at the time and it is not clear why Mirko was not swabbed for Covid at home.

Just days later, Mirko stopped walking and was taken back to hospital, where he stayed for four days. He received an MRI scan and had various blood tests.

But the pair were sent home again after the tests failed to pick up anything wrong with the toddler. Ms Ibrahim said she 'still didn't know what was going on' but Mirko 'wasn't getting any better'.

She said: 'I just couldn't stop crying. My boy was going downhill and it was breaking my heart. I hadn't slept in weeks, it was horrible to see him suffer like this.

'My son became paralysed within weeks and nothing was done. I just kept getting sent back home and told to wait but in Mirko's case time was not on our side. I had to leave my job as my son needed me.'

Mirko was taken to hospital for the fifth time days later when his shaking 'became uncontrollable and he couldn't stop crying', Ms Ibrahim said.

A lumbar puncture  a thin needle inserted between the bones in the to take a sample of fluid  was carried out, but this came back normal.

His mother said he was transferred to a hospital in Leeds for further tests, where he spent his second birthday.

But these tests also came back clear and Mirko was discharged five days later.

Ms Ibrahim said doctors told her Mirko may be suffering from 'post infectious cerebellar ataxia'.

She said: 'Although I trusted the doctors I still did not have a confirmed diagnosis.

'The doctors in Hull had told me that nothing was guaranteed as they were still learning about what the condition was. I didn't know what to believe anymore.'

By November, Mirko started to become cross-eyed, which Ms Ibrahim said caused his sight to deteriorate.

In January, Ms Ibrahim decided to take her son to a private clinic paediatric neurology clinic in Germany.

Tests showed he had Covid antibodies and had been infected with Epstein-Barr virus, which almost everyone has had by the time they are an adult.

But the medics could not confirm which virus had caused Mirko's condition.

Ataxia describes a group of disorders that affect coordination, balance and speech, which is thought to affect 10,000 Britons.
Only a small minority of parents with children less than five years old would vaccinate them against Covid, a survey has found  as many scientists doubt shots are needed for the age group.

Just 18 percent of those questioned said they would 'definitely' get their child two doses of the vaccine if it was approved for use in the age group.

For comparison, almost two in five parents said they would refuse to get their child inoculated or only do so if it was required.

More than 1,800 parents took part in the survey by health pollster the Kaiser Family Foundation, including 181 with children younger than five years.

It comes as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers approving Moderna's jab for children aged six months to five years. Pfizer is also expected to apply for its shot to be used in the age group later this month.

Many scientists have raised concerns over vaccinating children, however, because they face only a small risk of serious illness from the disease.

Many scientists have raised concerns over vaccinating the youngest children, saying they already face a vanishingly low risk of severe disease and death if they catch the virus (stock)

Pressure has been mounting on the FDA to approve Covid vaccines for the youngest children from parts of the left-wing media.

Just last week the New York Times ran a story claiming their failure to approve the jabs for under-5s had 'bred frustration' among many parents.

But today's survey reveals that the vast majority of parents, in fact, do not plan to get their children inoculated against the pandemic virus.

Covid booster shots might not be needed every year, experts say Covid booster vaccines might not be needed every year because protection against severe infection is holding up 'pretty well,' top scientists say. Dr. Paul Offit, from the FDA's jabs advisory panel, warned last week that the U.S. was in danger of sleep-walking into an annual Covid vaccination drive, like with the flu, without considering whether the top-up shots were actually needed. Other top scientists also raised concerns over boosters, saying the added doses would likely only give limited protection against infection with the virus. He told Stat News at a recent FDA panel meeting 'the only question was what were we going to boost with, not whether we were going to boost'. He added: 'We didn't define what the goal of this extra shot was.' Dr John Wherry, an immunologist at the University of Pennsylvania, also called for officials to re-consider, saying protection against severe disease was holding up 'pretty well'. Advertisement

Most parents  38 percent  said they planned to wait until other children had got the vaccine, before deciding whether to take their own for the vaccine.

Some 11 percent warned they would not take their child for the vaccine unless it was required by their state.

But a total of 27 percent said they would not get a child less than five years old the vaccine under any circumstances.

The survey was carried out between April 13 and 26, which was before Moderna applied to have its jab approved for use in the age group.

There has been pressure to get Covid vaccines approved for even the youngest children.

But a number of experts have raised concerns over vaccinating children, who face a small risk of becoming seriously ill with Covid and a vanishingly small chance of death.

There are also fears over myocarditis, a form of heart inflammation detected in about one in 20,000 boys following vaccination. Girls are less at risk from the complication.

While in most cases the condition is mild, scientists are not yet sure of the long-term effects.

Earlier this year vaccines expert Dr Michael Kurilla, who is also a director at the National Institutes of Health, was one of its few members to refuse to approve jabs for kids five to 11 years old.

He told DailyMail.com at the time that while he thinks children with certain conditions that put them at a high risk should receive the shot, it was not clear if they should be approved for healthy children.

Pfizer's Covid vaccine is already available for everyone more than five years old.

But CDC statistics show just over 28 percent of five to 11-year-olds have got the shot to date. Among 12 to 17-year-olds, almost 60 percent are now fully vaccinated.

For comparison, nationally about three in four Americans have now got two Covid vaccines and almost 50 percent have got a booster.

The above graph shows the proportion of 5 to 11-year-olds, which can get Pfizer's vaccine, which have got one or two doses of the vaccine. It is currently up to 28 per cent being double-jabbed, despite the shots being available to the age group since October

The above graph shows the proportion of 12 to 17-year-olds that have got a booster jab against Covid. It is just under a quarter, at 24.5 per cent

Last week Moderna applied to the FDA for its vaccine to be approved for use in children from six months to five years old.

Its chief medical officer Paul Burton claimed at the time that the group represented an 'unmet medical need'.

But national surveillance suggests up to three in four children in this age group already have protection against Covid from past infection.

They are also at vanishingly low risk of death, with a total of 1,017 dying from Covid since March 2020, official data shows  accounting for around 0.01 per cent of America's almost a million deaths from the virus.

For comparison, among people aged 65 and over the death toll is 724million.
Fake versions of FlowFlex and iHealth's at-home rapid Covid tests that cost up to $9.99 each are being sold in the U.S., health officials warn.

Investigators from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) raised the alarm over the tests after finding they were 'not performing as well as' those from manufacturers.

It runs the risk of infected people being wrongly given the all-clear, and accidentally spreading the virus to others  including the most vulnerable.

Fake rapid swabs claiming to be from FlowFlex  which can give results in 15 minutes  had incorrect QR codes, were missing the Spanish instruction manuals and had wrong lot numbers.

Those that alleged they were made by iHealth were found to differ in their instructions for how to determine a positive Covid test from the original.

It was not clear where the kits were being sold in the U.S. or how much they cost, but manufacturers said counterfeit products were found being sold at a 'steep discount'. Anyone who had the testing kits was told to throw them away.

Flowflex tests that are FAKE (left) and REAL (right): The above shows test cassettes  which show the test result. In the fake version there are three squares on the QR code, which are not present on the real one

FAKE (left) and REAL (right) instruction manuals from FlowFlex Covid tests. The fake tests contained just an English instruction manual, whereas the real ones have an English and Spanish instruction manual

FAKE (top) and REAL (bottom) rapid Covid tests from FlowFlex. The fake tests have a different lot number and include the phrase 'Self-Testing'. The kit is also labelled 'SARS-COV-2 Antigen Rapid Test' rather than 'Covid-19 Antigen Home Test'

FAKE (left) and REAL (right) rapid Covid tests labelled as iHealth. The Fake versions have a slightly different print in the area describing a positive result, compared to the real ones

The CDC still advises Americans suffering Covid symptoms  including a cough or fever  to test themselves for the virus.

Those who test positive need to self-isolate for five days, and then must wear a face mask for the following five days whenever they leave their home.

Most people have had to buy at least one swab for the virus after the Federal Government only made eight available per household.

When should I test myself for Covid? Every American is able to order up to eight Covid tests from the Federal Government. The CDC recommends taking a Covid test in the below situations: Feeling unwell : Anyone suffering Covid symptoms such as a cough should take a test 'immediately';

: Anyone suffering Covid symptoms such as a cough should take a test 'immediately'; Exposed to Covid: Anyone who is told they have been near someone infected with the virus should take a test up to five days later;

Anyone who is told they have been near someone infected with the virus should take a test up to five days later; Indoor event or gathering : Health chiefs also recommend testing before going to an indoor event or gathering. They say this is especially important when meeting individuals at risk of severe disease or older adults. Advertisement

In its warning, the FDA said the tests could lead to someone getting a 'false-negative'  when the test tells them they don't have the virus when they actually do.

They warned this may cause people to 'unknowingly spreading' the virus, or 'delay or stop' treatment for those who are at risk.

Tests revealed fake FlowFlex tests were 'not performing as well as' those from the real manufacturer.

They are yet to review the counterfeit iHealth swabs.

The FDA warned the packaging and components of the fake tests 'very closely resembled' the real ones.

But there were key differences between the two.

For FlowFlex swabs, this included the fake tests having just an English instruction manual while the real ones had the guide in both English and Spanish.

Pouches containing the test cassette  which shows the test result  on counterfeits also had the phrase 'SARS-COV-2 Antigen Rapid Test' printed on them rather than 'Covid-19 Antigen Home Test'.

And the test cassette inside carried a QR code with three large squares in its corners in the fake version, whereas the ones from the real manufacturer had no squares on them.

Fake testing kits claiming to be from iHealth were very similar to the originals.

But in the instruction manual, FDA officials found a printing error in the pictures showing what a positive test result from the device may look like.

Officials at healthcare company Acon  which owns FlowFlex  warned last week they were aware of fakes being sold in the U.S.

FAKE (left) and REAL (right) Covid test packets labelled FlowFlex. The above shows packets the kits are sold in. Those that are fake do not have a label on the side of the box

The FDA's warning comes as Covid cases across the U.S. begin to tick up amid the spread of a more infectious version of Omicron, which is now behind about two in five cases

They said: 'These counterfeit tests have not been reviewed or authorized by the FDA, but their packaging and components very closely resemble authentic FDA-authorized FlowFlex tests.

'Consumers should take precautions to avoid purchasing or using counterfeit FlowFlex tests as there can be no assurance that they work properly.

'Current evidence suggests the counterfeit tests are not performing as well as the authorized tests.'

They said counterfeits had been found being sold at a 'notably steep' discount, or claiming to be from Europe, Canada or 'direct from the factory' in China.

Test manufacturer iHealth labs has not responded to the FDA warning about fake Covid tests.
A diary item on 18 August 2021 ('That sounds fishy! Queen's caviar is not quite what it says on the tin') said that King's Fine Food, a company owned by Laura King MBE, had mislabelled tins of caviar sold to Scott's restaurant in London. We are happy to make clear that the mislabelling was simply a printing error and not a deliberate attempt to pass off an inferior product as a superior one. We apologise to Mrs King for any contrary suggestion and for any embarrassment caused.

To report an inaccuracy, please email corrections@mailonline.co.uk. To make a formal complaint under IPSO rules please go to www.mailonline.co.uk/readerseditor where you will find an easy-to-use complaints form. You can also write to Readers' Editor, MailOnline, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT or contact IPSO directly at ipso.co.uk
On February 7, I made a withdrawal of 35,000 from my husbands NS&I Premium Bond account and was expecting it to be credited three days later.

When it didnt arrive, I contacted NS&I, which concluded that I needed to contact my bank.

This I did, only to be told that its the responsibility of NS&I to trace where the money had vanished.

Back I went, but this time discovered I had previously entered one of the numbers on the destination account incorrectly.

Panic stations: NS&I took nine weeks to trace 35,000 worth of Premium Bonds that went missing when a reader tried to withdraw it from her husband's account

After half an hour of complete stress on the phone, I was told to call back the following Monday  four days later.

All this time I was worried sick about where the funds had gone.

NS&I finally agreed to start the search but told me this could take between 15 days and ten weeks.

More calls and a letter of complaint followed but nothing seemed to happen. It is now seven weeks since the money went missing. Please help.

M. D., Basildon.

Sally Hamilton replies: When I rang you to find out more about this alarming situation, you burst into tears.

And no wonder. Not knowing whether you would see your 35,000 again had been keeping you awake at night with worry.

You were especially upset as the Premium Bonds were purchased with an inheritance from your mother, who sadly died last year.

I contacted NS&I to ask it to investigate and redouble its efforts to find your missing money. A few days later its detective work confirmed the money had gone to Santander, where you are a customer, but unfortunately it ended up in someone elses account.

It appears that in September last year, when you had updated the details of the account where you wanted any Premium Bond prizes or withdrawals paid, you had accidentally transposed two numbers.

Scam Watch Keep an eye out for fraudsters seeking to cash in on your summer holiday plans. The number of scams linked to overseas trips and staycations is up by a third compared with last year, according to Lloyds. Crooks often post adverts online and on social media which include links to fake websites. Any payments made then go straight into their bank accounts. The number of scams involving caravan stays has soared by 108 pc in 12 months, with an average loss of 374. Those who bought non-existent flights or package holidays typically lost 2,955 and 2,342, respectively.

As fate would have it, this number matched the account of another customer of the bank, who received an unexpected 35,000 windfall on February 7.

When you alerted NS&I to the situation, NS&I initiated a bank credit recovery from Santander. This involves a bank issuing a request to the recipient to return the money and usually takes at least 20 working days.

I asked NS&I what would happen if this customer decided the windfall was a bank error in their favour and refused to return the money.

NS&I said it would write to the recipient, requesting that they return the funds. If the customer still refused to send it back, your next step would likely have to be legal action.

I didnt find that a reassuring prospect. An agonising few weeks passed. But Im glad to report that the customer who received your money agreed to return it.

It was transferred to NatWest  NS&Is clearing bank  on March 29. Frustratingly, neither you nor I were told this had happened for a further two weeks.

However, nine weeks after it went missing, you finally got your funds back and can now sleep more easily. This is not the service anyone would expect when 35,000 is at stake. NS&I agreed it had fallen short and as an apology, it has paid you 315 in compensation, including 115 in interest.

A spokesman says: We would like to apologise for the level of service received from NS&I on this occasion during what was undoubtedly a stressful experience for M. D.

Santander agreed it had contributed to the problem by incorrectly asking you to provide a faster payment ID to help trace your funds. This reference is only required when funds go missing after being transferred to the correct account, whereas yours went to the wrong account. It has paid you 50 as an apology.

The moral of this story is that we all need to take extreme care when changing account details. A slip of the finger can, as in your case, lead to misery dealing with the fallout.

Caribbean cruise is too hot to handle

In July 2021, we paid a 2,000 deposit for a 35-day cruise on the Spirit of Adventure ship with ROL Cruises and Saga.

We have been on two holidays booked through these firms, the most recent being last December, which was 30 days around the Caribbean  like the one I am writing to you about now.

When we got home from that trip, I had to visit a dermatologist with several sun-damaged areas of my face and upper body. Bearing this in mind, I no longer want to expose my skin to excessive sunlight in the Caribbean.

My partner tried to cancel the new booking, but ROL and Saga each said the other was responsible and wouldnt reimburse our deposit.

He asked if it could be transferred to a less sun-intensive cruise but was told we could only transfer it to a similarly priced holiday  more than 35,000.

But these higher-priced holidays are usually long cruises around the Caribbean and Americas, where the sun is fierce.

I do not want to risk further sun damage and would like our deposit returned in full.

Our earlier cruises were put on hold because of Covid, and ROL/Saga held on to our money on trust through these years.

D. L., Crowborough, East Sussex.

Sally Hamilton replies: You were all at sea with your complaint partly because it was not clear which company you and your partner needed to speak to. You were passed from pillar to post before finally contacting me.

I asked ROL Cruises to investigate, as that was the first name on your booking reference. It appears that ROL acts as the travel agent in the ROL/Saga arrangement and Saga Cruises, as the provider of the holiday, makes decisions about refunds or transfers.

ROL passed on my query to Saga, which a few days later came up with two options. It said you could either transfer the holiday and take shorter (potentially less sun-drenched) voyages, splitting the value across a couple of bookings. Or you could cancel the booking through your Saga travel insurance at a cost of 80 per person.

The intense sun turned out not to be your only worry, as you and your partner have developed other health conditions which have made you rethink the wisdom of travelling at all. You decided to take the cancellation route and were happy to pay the total 160 fee.

ROL liaised with Saga, which has now returned the remaining 1,840 of your deposit.

Straight to the point Amazon is refusing to refund me for a mobile phone I never received. It delivered a safe, which I returned. It says it will not reimburse me until I return the phone. I now have a 599 debt to Barclays as part of an instalment plan. P. B., Brighton. The retailer claims your order history showed many refunds and replacements where an incorrect item was returned, which you refute. It refuses to say what went wrong but refunded the 599, plus 50 as a goodwill gesture, and cancelled the Barclays plan. *** In 2015, Ultimate Home Solutions installed windows in our home. Earlier this year one slipped down, leaving a draughty gap. Despite the firms promises to fix it, no one has done so. J. M., Fife. When I contacted the firm, the work had been completed. It said the delay was because of the pandemic and staff shortages. *** When my mum died earlier this year, British Gas said she owed almost 893. It said it might write off the debt if I sent a copy of her death certificate and tenancy agreement. But it then sent a threatening letter demanding payment within 28 days. J. W., via email. After my involvement, British Gas cleared the balance. You wont get any more letters. *** You are my last hope to get the proceeds from an uncashed Girobank cheque sent to me when my husband died in 1989. I forgot about it amid my grief and lacked confidence in financial matters. M. S., Hertfordshire. The cheque for 218.99 was issued 33 years ago by your late husbands pension provider, SunLife. It offered to pay to help give you closure but denied any responsibility.
More than half a million retail investors hold shares in Aviva, one of Britain's best-known insurers.

Earlier this year, the FTSE stalwart announced that it planned to pay out an extra 3.75 billion to shareholders  cash that it had built up from the sale of some of its overseas businesses.

Aviva is proposing to pay this money through giving new 'B shares' (worth 1.01 each) to existing investors then buying these back again.

But the scheme has caused confusion, with some unsure how to vote on the proposal at Aviva's upcoming AGM on May 9. If you're a shareholder trying to make sense of Aviva's plan, here's our guide to what it might mean for you...

Windfalls: Earlier this year, the FTSE stalwart announced it planned to pay out an extra 3.75bn to shareholders  cash it had built up from the sale of some of its overseas businesses

Why has Aviva got so much cash?

Like most big businesses, the way Aviva operates is constantly evolving as it seeks to stay profitable in a changing market.

In recent years, its focus has been on streamlining its activities, selling off some parts of the business (particularly those outside the UK and Ireland) to focus on what it thinks it does best.

'Put simply, Aviva is a much simpler beast than it once was,' says Sophie Lund-Yates of Hargreaves Lansdown.

The company's new CEO, Amanda Blanc, says she wants to concentrate on growing Aviva's presence in the retirement and pensions market.

And having sold off most of its overseas businesses not relevant to that aim, Aviva has built up cash proceeds of some 7.5 billion.

It has decided to use the funds to pay down debt and return some capital to shareholders.

What does it plan to do?

The main part of Aviva's plan (which needs approval from shareholders) revolves around creating something called 'B shares'.

'Every ordinary shareholder will receive one temporary share known as a B share for each share they currently hold,' says an Aviva spokesperson. 'We will then pay a fixed amount to redeem each B share.'

The company plans to give these B shares a value of 101p. It will then immediately buy back those B shares in May, resulting in a capital gain for shareholders.

If you currently hold 2,000 Aviva shares, you will therefore receive approximately 2,020.

There's then a second part of the plan in which Aviva will 'consolidate' its ordinary shares (currently worth 438p each).

Under this plan, existing shareholders will receive 76 shares for every 100 they previously owned. Crucially, though, that doesn't mean investors end up with less than they had before.

Once 3.75 billion has been returned to shareholders, Aviva will be a smaller firm on paper.

The share consolidation will therefore reduce the total number of shares available so investors maintain an overall stake of the same value.

Why is it paying money this way?

After a strong year, Aviva has already boosted its dividend  the share of its profits passed on to investors.

Vote: If at least 75 per cent of shareholders back Aviva's plan, it will go ahead

However, it now wants to allocate this one-off capital from its business sales by issuing B shares.

There are significant advantages for retail shareholders in paying out capital this way.

Investors are currently entitled to an annual dividend allowance of 2,000, with anything above that taxed at a minimum of 8.75 per cent.

When it comes to capital gains, though, investors can register 12,300 per year before having to pay tax.

In theory, the B share scheme should mean that investors can protect more of their payout from the tax man.

Is it the first to do this?

Not at all. The issuing (and buying back) of B shares is an established way of returning capital to shareholders.

That said, it tends to be used in special circumstances where a company has suddenly come into a large sum of capital  typically following a big sale.

Standard Life did the same thing in 2018, when it returned 1 billion to shareholders after selling its UK and European insurance business.

Sainsbury's also issued B shares when it sold its share in a U.S. supermarket chain in 2004.

What will happen next?

The proposal will be put to a vote of Aviva's shareholders at the firm's AGM. If at least 75 per cent of shareholders back the plan, it will go ahead.

Shareholders should have been sent their voting forms and shareholder reference number by post or email.

You can vote by post or by attending the meeting online (web.lumiagm.com/171-925-637).

Should you vote for the proposal?

There is no 'catch' in the plan for retail investors. If it goes ahead, they will receive the money.

Aviva's future share price, meanwhile, will depend on its performance afterwards. Whether the plan will satisfy large investors remains to be seen.

The Anglo-Swedish activist investor Cevian Capital currently has a 5.3 per cent stake in Aviva and has criticised its management for not paying out more money to shareholders. Cevian has not said whether it will back the plan.

Have investors lost out before?

Investors may well remember the debacle in 2018 when Aviva announced plans to repurchase its 'preference shares'.

These gold-plated shares had been sold to retail investors with the promise of a higher dividend, and were trading at a premium on the market.

But suddenly the company said it wanted to buy them back at less than their valuation.

After an outcry from investors, Aviva was forced to change tack, with the fiasco contributing to the departure of its then chief executive.
The 7billion private equity takeover of Morrisons is set to be approved after the competition watchdog said it would accept proposals from buyer Clayton, Dubilier and Rice.

The New York buyout house, which owns the Motor Fuel Group forecourt empire, will offload 87 of its petrol stations to get the deal across the line.

CD&R won the battle for control of Morrisons in October but has since been under investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority.

Morrisons 's private equity buyer Clayton, Dubilier and Rice, which owns the Motor Fuel Group forecourt empire, will offload 87 of its petrol stations to get the deal across the line

MFG owns 921 petrol stations while Morrisons has 339, which the CMA said could have hit consumers with higher prices in 121 locations across the UK.

Last month, CD&R offered to sell a number of petrol stations to address the concerns, though not in all of the 121 areas identified.

But the CMA said: While the number of petrol stations CD&R is proposing to sell is lower than the number of areas in which concerns were identified, the sale of some petrol stations would address the concerns in multiple areas.

Its senior merger director Colin Raftery said the sales would preserve competition, which he said was vital with petrol prices at record highs.

The CMAs approval will see the takeover avoid a full-blown investigation.

CD&R won an auction for Morrisons in October after a battle in which it tipped American private equity rival Fortress by 1p per share.

Days later the CMA began to probe the deal over fears it would create a group controlling more than 1,250 of the UKs 8,000 petrol stations.

MFG is the UKs biggest independent forecourt firm, running petrol stations for Texaco, Shell and BP.

A final decision is expected on June 9, which could allow CD&R to finally take full control of Morrisons.
A group of the UKs biggest retailers have teamed up to fight for an overhaul of widely hated business rates.

Firms including Sainsburys, Tesco, B&Q owner Kingfisher and Greggs have written to the Chancellor calling on him to Cut the Shops Tax.

They want Rishi Sunak to permanently cut business rates to level the playing field between online and bricks-and-mortar retailers. The cost to the Government would be offset by an online sales tax.

Rates burden: Firms including Sainsburys, Tesco, B&Q owner Kingfisher and Greggs have written to the Chancellor calling on him to Cut the Shops Tax

Members of the Retail Jobs Alliance (RJA) employ more than a million people in the UK  a third of all jobs in the sector.

It was formed to put pressure on Sunak ahead of the Autumn Budget after he failed to revamp the tax in March.

The RJA says a cut in business rates will help to keep prices down for customers as the cost of living soars.

The Mails Save Our High Streets campaign has called for a level playing field between traditional shops and online rivals.

The letter to Sunak, signed by 11 leaders including Tesco boss Ken Murphy, said: A meaningful cut in the shops tax would make a big difference to retailers ability to invest more in the shops and stores we know customers value, as well as create jobs.

A study last year by consultancy WPI Strategy found the business rates burden is highest in areas targeted by the Governments levelling-up agenda.

Retailers said any cut in business rates would boost the social fabric of our villages, towns and cities.

Business rates are charged on shops, restaurants, pubs and other business properties based on their rental value.

In March, the Chancellor promised an overhaul of the tax this autumn, but business leaders urged him to act faster.

In February the Treasury launched a consultation into an online sales tax as a way to rebalance the tax burden between online and physical retailers.
BP has pledged to spend 18billion in Britain over the next eight years as it looks to fight off calls for a one-off windfall tax.

The commitment came as BP posted a record 5billion in underlying profit for the first three months this year, far ahead of analyst expectations of 3.6billion, and its best quarterly performance for 14 years.

The firm also announced it would hand 2billion back to investors in the form of a new share buyback  a significant boost to the nation's pension funds.

BP posted a record 5bn in underlying profit for the first three months this year, far ahead of analyst expectations of 3.6bn, and its best quarterly performance for 14 years

With calls for a windfall tax on energy companies growing louder, BP outlined its spending plans, including money for North Sea oil and gas as well investments in wind power and electric car charging points.

Chief executive Bernard Looney said: 'We're backing Britain. It's been our home for over 110 years, and we've been investing in North Sea oil and gas for more than 50 years.'

He added: 'Our plans go beyond just infrastructure  they see us supporting the economy and skills and jobs in the communities where we operate. We are all in.'

BP also said it expected to pay 1billion in taxes for its 2022 North Sea profits, on top of around 250million that it has paid annually in other taxes in the UK in recent years.

Analysts said the investment plans were 'savvy' and probably enough to head off the threat of being hit by a windfall tax.

Neil Wilson, analyst at Markets.com, said: 'Rishi Sunak and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng have been calling on energy giants to invest more in the UK.

'I think this shows BP was listening.'

But others were more sceptical amid a cost-of-living crisis that has gripped the UK and left millions struggling to pay their bills.

Jenny Owen, analyst at AJ Bell, said: 'BP's profit and cash flow is being artificially inflated by the war in Ukraine, and ordinary people are already paying the price through much higher household bills.

'Shouldn't BP, with its broader shoulders, share the burden?'

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said BP's bumper profits 'reinforce the case' for a levy. He added: 'With so many people struggling to pay their energy bills, we should have a windfall tax on oil and gas companies in the North Sea who have made more profit than they were expecting.'

But Prime Minister Boris Johnson refused to cave in, stating that a windfall tax would discourage investment in the UK and would cost jobs.

He said: 'If you put a windfall tax on the energy companies, what that means is that you discourage them from making the investments that we want to see that will, in the end, keep energy price prices lower for everybody.'

BP's numbers were boosted by high oil and gas prices over the period, with Brent Crude rising from $78 per barrel at the start of January to $107 per barrel by the end of March.

As a result of a surge in the prices, the company's oil and gas trading division was a stand-out performer, generating a whopping 1.3billion profit over the quarter.

Capital Markets analyst Biraj Borkhataria noted that seeing strength in both oil and gas trading divisions was rare, adding: 'BP has previously reported exceptional gas trading and exceptional oil trading, but not both at the same time.'

While BP posted its best underlying profit since 2008, once the 20billion cost of abandoning its 19.75 per cent stake in Russian oil producer Rosneft following the invasion of Ukraine was taken into account, it made a quarterly loss of 16.3billion, the biggest in its history.

But investors shrugged off the loss and shares rose 5.8 per cent, or 22.7p, to 414.25p.
Two of Britain's biggest banks were targeted by climate change protests yesterday as activists glued themselves to chairs and heckled board members.

At Barclays and Standard Chartered's annual general meetings protesters lambasted their failure to stop financing fossil fuels.

At the Barclays meeting in Manchester, three people superglued their hands to chairs while 21 more interrupted chairman Nigel Higgins for more than an hour, saying it was 'morally bankrupt'.

Outrage: At Barclays and Standard Chartered's annual general meetings protesters lambasted their failure to stop financing fossil fuels

It was accused of 'greenwashing', a term for policies appearing to show action is being taken on climate change but which have no substance. At Standard Chartered's meeting in London, protesters wore masks featuring the face of chief executive Bill Winters sporting devil horns.

Extinction Rebellion and sister movement Money Rebellion claimed responsibility for the protests, which managed to go ahead despite strict security checks.

Other shareholders not associated with the campaign groups also piled in. One asked whether Barclays would stop serving companies involved in the extraction of oil and gas. Higgins said: 'No, not at the moment. We have to balance energy security, energy poverty and the climate.'

Campaigners claim Barclays is the 'worst bank in Europe' for funding fossil fuels, having ploughed 15.7billion into the industry in 2021. Standard Chartered financed the industry to the tune of 4.8billion last year.
Thousands of elderly people have been caught up in a multi-million-pound investment scandal.

High Street building societies were referring customers to unregulated legal firms selling expensive and complicated financial products called trusts for more than a decade.

But this week the director of Philips Trust Corporation, which has controlled many of these trusts since 2018, admitted the firm had mistreated clients' money and made potentially inappropriate investment decisions without their knowledge.

Betrayal: High Street building societies referred customers to unregulated legal firms selling expensive and complicated financial products called trusts for more than a decade

Some customers heard about the trusts after visiting their local building society branch to ask for advice about savings.

Others enquired about them after seeing posters advertising will-writing and estate management services.

They were then visited at home by sales staff and convinced to transfer their properties and savings into trusts that claimed to shield their wealth from care fees and inheritance tax.

Experts fear these customers' homes and investments could be at risk after Philips Trust Corporation, based in Salford, went into administration on April 22.

The firm manages some 2,345 trusts and is the legal owner of 447 properties worth an estimated 94 million. It also has control of 44.4 million of cash and investments.

Customers typically paid an upfront fee of 3,000-4,000 for the trusts, then faced a host of administrative charges if they needed paperwork signed or to make withdrawals. The firm also charged 1.75 per cent of the property price when their homes were sold.

Yet in a damning document submitted to the High Court of Justice last month, the company's director made a series of devastating claims that could mean its elderly customers are left thousands of pounds out of pocket.

Kay Collins said the firm had made investment decisions without clients' knowledge that may not have been appropriate because of their age and need to access their cash. Their youngest client is 60.

She admitted the firm had not kept accurate records of how much and what was held in each trust. And she claimed there had been 'various instances of co-mingling, pooling and mistreatment of client monies'.

Giving one example, she said that when three properties were sold in 2019 and 2020 for about 800,000, the proceeds were used to repay other trustholders who wanted to withdraw funds, rather than the beneficiaries.

Charges: Customers typically paid an upfront fee of 3,000-4,000 for the trusts, then faced a host of administrative charges if they needed paperwork signed or to make withdrawals

Ms Collins also stated that the firm had been in contact with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which had received 'regular and increasing complaints'.

She said the watchdog was investigating allegations that the firm had been carrying out regulated business while unregulated.

Experts say they don't yet know what this means for customers' money or whether the firm will be able to return what is owed.

Last week, Money Mail warned how greedy salesmen with no qualifications were flogging trusts that promise to preserve your wealth for future generations.

When customers transfer assets into a trust, they technically no longer own them, as they are in the charge of trustees.

But local councils can still take these assets into account when calculating care bills, if they decide any customer has tried to avoid paying.

There is also no inheritance tax advantage in placing assets into trust if you need to access them in your lifetime  such as a property in which you live rent-free.

Experts say that in this instance, the assets could be included in the value of the estate for inheritance tax purposes and might even be subject to further tax charges.

One 83-year-old widow told Money Mail she put her house into a trust after being referred to The Family Trust Corporation (FTC) by Nottingham Building Society in 2015.

The FTC was later taken over by Philips Trust Corporation (PTC). She says: 'I really thought I had done everything to protect my only asset, which is my home, and make things easier for my son and daughter to deal with my affairs when I pass over.

'But I was informed by post last week that the firm has gone into liquidation. I don't fully understand how that will affect me and my children's inheritance.'

Another reader says her in-laws were referred to the FTC by Leeds Building Society in 2012 and convinced to put 100,000 of savings and their home into a trust.

When PTC took over the firm, a salesman visited their home and tried to persuade them to move across and invest an additional 20,000, which they refused to do.

There is no inheritance tax advantage in placing assets into trust if you need to access them in your lifetime - such as a property in which you live rent-free

The family reported the firm to the City watchdog in 2018, as they believed they were being given financial advice, which the firm was not authorised to offer.

After initially refusing to step down as trustees, and even threatening to go to the Court of Protection to seize control of the assets, the firm eventually agreed to wind up the trust.

The reader says: 'My father-in-law kept all his money with Leeds Building Society up until the day he died. He would never have allowed these companies into his house if it hadn't been for their introduction.

The trust companies then persuaded them to tie up their savings and house in a complicated legal vehicle they didn't understand and that wasn't fit for purpose.'

I really thought I had done everything to protect my only asset, which is my home

Leeds Building Society says it is saddened by the problems encountered by customers, but is limited in the help it can give them.

Other readers say they have had to pay thousands of pounds in legal bills to try to untangle the financial mess they were left in. Gary Rycroft, from Joseph A. Jones & Co. Solicitors, in Lancashire, says: 'Rogue trustees going insolvent is becoming much more common. They are weaving around regulations and it's customers who pay the price.

'These companies have very good salesmen with lovely brochures, who make big promises. But when the businesses collapse they leave a big, expensive mess to unpick.'

Former pensions minister Steve Webb, now at consulting firm Lane Clark & Peacock, says: 'It feels like a loophole. If the trustees are not qualified or regulated, no one is looking after the client or their money. The Government needs to look at this.'

Leeds, Newcastle and Nottingham building societies all introduced members to the firms that were incorporated into PTC in 2018.

It took over customers of Estate Planning Group, which comprised The Will Writing Company (TWWC) and The Family Trust Corporation.

The building societies say they had no partnership with PTC and were not involved in transferring customers, but were aware of complaints.

Many mutuals no longer offer estate planning services, or work with regulated businesses. But Nottingham Building Society and Skipton Building Society still refer customers to unregulated firms  APS Legal and Redstone Wills respectively.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing. A spokesman for Nottingham, which sent letters to 370 customers affected, added: 'We are extremely disappointed in the lack of resolutions for those impacted, and for the conduct of Philips Trust.'

The firm adds that it did thorough checks when appointing its new estate planning partner, APS Legal, which is a member of the Institute of Professional Will Writers.

Will-writing firms are not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority but a Skipton spokesman says Redstone Wills is a member of The Society of Will Writers and its legal documents are overseen by qualified experts.

An FCA spokesman said: 'The FCA is aware that Philips Trust Corporation (PTC) has been placed into administration.

The firm is not and has never been authorised. We engaged with the firm following concerns that PTC may have been undertaking regulated activities without the required permission.'

A spokesman for Kroll Advisory Ltd, the appointed administrator, said: 'The administrators are in the process of contacting all known clients and creditors of the company.'

a.murray@dailymail.co.uk
A drive to seek out the poorest pensioners in the country to urge them to sign up for pension credit has been launched by finance industry campaigners.

Under the slogan 'Pension credit - it's for you!', they aim to use the private sector's vast data resources to identify and come to the aid of elderly people with limited savings and income, who are likely to be hardest hit by rising living costs.

In the longer run the pension dashboard, scheduled for launch in 2025, will flag the 'free money' available, while finance firms will work on a way to automate applications, according to influential industry veteran Henry Tapper.

Pension credit: You need to be over state pension age and live in the UK to make a claim

Pension credit tops up weekly income to a minimum of 182.60 for single people and 278.70 for couples.

But Tapper also stresses that it is 'the door to more', because you can gain thousands of pounds on top via help for housing, heating, council tax, TV licences and other bills.

The Department for Work and Pensions has tried to publicise pension credit and currently has a working group devoted to this effort.

Tapper recently joined this taskforce, after publicly decrying current 'feeble' take-up and declaring he would galvanise the private sector to help declutter and automate the system.

How to apply for pension credit You can apply yourself by phone, online or by post, or a friend or family member can do this on behalf of an elderly person. You can call 0800 99 1234, claim online here, or find out how to apply by post here. Charities also have further useful information. Age UK has a help page here, and a free national advice line on 0800 169 65 65 where staff will check you are receiving everything you are entitled to, including pension credit and attendance allowance. The Citizens Advice Bureau offers help here.

Many elderly people don't know about pension credit, are unaware how to apply, or reluctant to accept help.

An estimated 850,000 households - around one in three that are eligible for help - are not claiming and missing out on some 1.7billion worth of assistance.

This led Tapper to launch a private sector initiative with Gareth Morgan, boss of benefits adviser Ferret Information Systems, and the pair have already drummed up support from Virgin Money, fintech firm Inbest.ai, social policy software and analytics firm Policy in Practice and charity for the elderly Independent Age.

Tapper and Morgan have compiled a preliminary report on boosting take-up of pension credit and are working on a full feasibility study they intend to deliver to the DWP.

They say that the Government has convened a 30 strong working group on pension credit, and until the two of them asked to be on it only one person came from the private sector.

The report says that the private sector has two things lacking in the public sector, data and financial resources.

Meanwhile, it notes local authorities in Islington, Gravesham in Kent, Manchester and Bolton have run targeted pension credit take-up projects, using information from Policy in Practice's benefits administration data.

'The main limit to scaling this work are barriers to data sharing within the DWP, and councils having the resources and bandwidth to run effective campaigns,' says the report.

It adds that Virgin Money partners with benefits information website Turn2Us to help people ensure they are not missing out, and Inbest.ai uses customer data to identify and help people eligible for unclaimed benefits.

Tapper, who chairs industry networking platform Pension Playpen, says of his and Morgan's project: 'This is a rallying call to the UKs key influencers, the charities, the banks, the insurers, the pension trusts, the utilities and other services supporting pensioners to support the "Pension Credit  its for you!" campaign.

Many will have no idea that pension credit even exists. Many are women. Some may be income poor and housing rich and feel they wont be eligible, but you cant buy a sausage with a brick Henry Tapper

'With the current cost of living crisis, the sense of urgency couldnt be greater.'

He adds of those missing out: 'Many will have no idea that pension credit even exists. Many are women. Some may be income poor and housing rich and feel they wont be eligible, but you cant buy a sausage with a brick.

'Whats more, pension credit is the "door to more", topping up what people get from the state to a level approximate to the full state pension, whilst unlocking many smaller state pension benefits to get help with housing, fuel, and even free TV licences.

'So far, the private sector has been reluctant to use its money and the data it holds to ensure pensions are topped up. With the backing of the Pensions Minister we aim to get as many organisations and supporters on board to help these 850,000 households access the money and other support they will likely desperately need.'

Henry Tapper: 'With the current cost of living crisis, the sense of urgency couldnt be greater'

Pensions Minister Guy Opperman says: 'We want to ensure pensioners receive all the support to which they are entitled and continue to work closely with stakeholders and others to increase awareness of pension credit.

'The latest figures show take up of pension credit is at its highest level since 2010, with the number of new claims 30 per cent higher in 2021 compared to 2019.

'However, I know there is more work to be done and I look forward to seeing the recommendations that emerge from the feasibility study.'

Who can claim pension credit - but might not?

You need to be over state pension age and live in the UK to make a claim.

Tapper says women are more likely to be in the 850,000 non-claiming households, because most men get the state pension in full but many women do not.

People who are 'income poor but housing rich' are also more likely to miss out, because owning your own home doesnt mean you have enough to live on, he adds.

Tapper notes that homeowners who are entitled to pension credit are much less likely to be receiving it than renters.

He suggests the main reasons for not claiming are:

- Not knowing pension credit exists

- Knowing of it but thinking its not for you

- Being confused into thinking that applying may invalidate other benefits.

'Pension Credit - its for you!': How can the private sector help? In a new briefing paper, Tapper and Morgan outline three ways businesses can help boost take-up of pension credit. 1. Banks, insurers, and pension providers can identify customers who are potentially vulnerable, the report says. They have low incomes, low contributions, low balances, and they cant afford advice. Vulnerable customers over the state pension age can be nudged towards applying for pension credit. In the short-term, financial services companies can use the data analytics normally employed to identify customers with the means to save, to now identify customers with limited savings and private income. 2. In the medium term, the pensions dashboard will allow for a consolidated statement of income and savings from the state and private pension schemes. The pension dashboard can be used to flag potential claimants, it can also be used to pre-populate pension credit applications with real time information. 3. In the longer term, the private sector can help the DWP to automate the application process for pension credit so that it is paid alongside the state pension to those who were eligible for the benefit. This would be a double win. Pension credit ties up considerable resource within the DWP, by harnessing data that exists in public and private databases. The pension dashboard could free up human and IT resource within the DWP while immeasurably improving the lot of nearly a million poor pensioners.

Sir Steve Webb, former Pensions Minister and partner at LCP, says: 'Anything that can be done to boost take-up of pension credit has to be a good thing, especially with the pressure on the living standards of pensioners.

'The pensions dashboard had the potential to help identify people who may be entitled as it brings together all peoples pension entitlements in one place.

'But the Governments decision to exclude retired people from the dashboard makes this a missed opportunity.

'As the campaigners point out, pension credit is very much a "door to more", with knock-on benefits including free TV licences for the over 75s and energy bill discounts.

'Simple, bold messaging about these extra benefits could be the most important thing which both government and the private sector could do.'

Another former Pensions Minister, Ros Altmann, says of Tapper's campaign: 'This is a great initiative and really important.

'Pension credit take-up is lowest of all means-tested benefits, remaining around 60 per cent since 2010 and Government efforts to improve take-up have not yet helped.

'Official figures show that over 90 per cent of the income of the poorest pensioners comes from state support, so those who dont receive all the money they are entitled to will struggle to make ends meet  and will be even worse off now in the middle of the cost of living crisis.

'There are many reasons why pensioners do not claim, including complexity, form-filling aversion, pride, reluctance to divulge information, and many just dont know about this benefit.

'Some wrongly believe they are not eligible and dont realise they can have up to 10,000 in savings and still be eligible for small amounts of pension credit, which can then open the door to other valuable benefits, worth thousands of pounds a year.'

Lady Altmann adds the name 'pension credit is not well understood by many pensioners who live alone, especially elderly women who are not online.

She urges anyone who knows older people, relatives, friends or neighbours who might benefit from a 'pensioner top-up' to help them find out more (see the box above for how to apply).
A brave boy who completed years of gruelling chemotherapy has been welcomed back to school by his classmates in a heart-warming video.

Theo Cunliffe, seven, who lives in Kaukapakapa in New Zealand, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2020 at the age of just five.

His parents, Rachel and Regan, got in touch with his school to organise the surprise welcome to mark the end of his treatment - which saw him endure 819 days of chemotherapy.

Students and teachers lined up along the front school fence to greet Theo and his family as they arrived at the school this week, with his car adorned with blue balloons.

Theo (pictured) after he completed his final treatments in his battle against leukemia and with his family (right

It was made it even more special with students holding posters showing their support for Theo and what he has endured over the past few years.

His photo was also displayed on the notice board out the front of the school.

Ms Cunliffe told Daily Mail Australia the family 'feel such incredible relief' with 'many tears shed' after Theo finished his treatment.

'Chemo impacts everything, not just for him but also for the rest of the family, especially when he's on steroids which have such awful side effects,' she said.

'It felt like we'd never make it to the end of treatment at times.'

Ms Cunliffe added that she's glad they no longer have to wake him up on schedule anymore to take his pills, all while bracing for their crippling effects.

Theo's mum Rachel told Daily Mail Australia their family 'feel such incredible relief and many tears now that he has finished treatment' (pictured, Theo enjoying body-boarding)

The family are grateful to 'Make a Wish' who gave Theo (pictured) his dream by providing him all of the gear for him to be a YouTuber

'Covid-19 has has made people more aware of those who are immunocompromised and how to reduce the risk of spreading illnesses,' she noted.

The family are grateful to 'Make a Wish', who gave Theo his dream by providing all of the gear for him to be a YouTuber.

It included a computer, webcam, microphone, and some mentoring from Loriipops who is a professional Twitch streamer.

'He is a huge extrovert with a big personality and he dreams of having '1K subs' on his channel to talk to other kids about gaming and his life after having leukemia,' his mother explained.

The cancer treatment is not the first time the family have gone through a life-changing event.

His parents miraculously walked away from a horrific car accident captured on dash-cam just weeks after Theo was diagnosed with cancer in 2020.

The couple were on their way back from an appointment for Theo when the accident occurred. Their car was completely destroyed in the clash (pictured)

They were heading home to Kaukapakapa from a medical appointment in Helensville, north-west of Auckland, when an oncoming truck lost control of its trailer on the State Highway 16.

Mr Cunliffe, who was behind the wheel, told Daily Mail Australia he drives the road 'all the time' and usually travels along the corner twice a day.

The father-of-four noticed there was smoke from the truck and his first response was to take his foot off the accelerator as they approached.

He quickly realised there was no way they weren't going to collide with the truck.

Regan Cunliffe (pictured) who was behind the wheel, was sprayed by glass in the collision

Mr Cunliffe decided to swerve his car towards the left so the truck could 'take the side of the car as an impact point'.

'I imagine it would have been lights out of me [if I didn't move],' he said.

A 'Give A Little' page was created on behalf of the family to relieve the financial burden following the diagnosis and car accident.

You can find Theo's YouTube channel here.
A Missouri man who killed a couple during a robbery at their rural home more than a quarter of a century ago was put to death Tuesday - the fifth person to be executed in the United States this year.

Carman Deck, 56, died by injection at the state prison in Bonne Terre. He was pronounced dead at 6.10pm on May 3.

His fate was sealed a day earlier when neither the US Supreme Court nor Republican Governor Mike Parson stepped in to halt the execution.

In a statement, the governor said: 'Mr. Deck has received due process, and three separate juries of his peers have recommended sentences of death for the brutal murders he committed. The State of Missouri will carry out Mr. Decks sentence according to the Courts order and deliver justice,' according to KMOV.

Deck's death sentence was overturned three times before for procedural issues.

Deck enjoyed a last meal of steak and shrimp, according to KMOV, before being injected with five grams of pentobarbital. He reportedly mouthed a few inaudible words, then puffed out a couple of breaths before all movement stopped, the process lasting just a few seconds.

In a written statement, Deck wrote: 'My hope is that one day the world will find peace and that we all will learn to be kind and loving to one another. We all are a part of this journey through life, connected in every way. Please give love, show love, BE LOVE!'

The couple's children and grandchildren were reportedly present during his execution. Deck had been friends with one of the couple's grandchildren and so knew they kept money at home.

Carman Deck, 56, died by injection at the state prison in Bonne Terre. He was pronounced dead at 6.10pm on May 3

Deck killed James and Zelma Long, 69 and 67, (pictured) in their De Soto home in 1996. Deck and his sister entered the home after pretending to need directions, where they then robbed the couple and shot them execution-style after instructing them to lay facedown on their bed

The couple's grandson knew Deck. Their children and grandchildren were present his execution. It is unclear if that specific grandson was in attendance

Parson, in a statement, said the couple killed, James and Zelma Long, 69 and 67, 'were innocent victims of Carman Deck's heinous violence. Tonight, justice was served.'

Deck's own attorneys and local activists condemned the death sentence, with Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty's Michelle Smith stating: 'We feel like the death penalty is not something a caring, moral, civilized society would pursue. Obviously, Mr. Deck did commit this crime. We send our condolences and grief for the family as well, but the death penalty does not solve anything.'

Just four other people have been executed in the US in 2022 - Donald Anthony Grant and Gilbert Ray Postelle in Oklahoma, Matthew Reeves in Alabama and Carl Wayne Buntion last month in Texas. Eleven people were executed in the US last year, the fewest since 1988.

Court records show that Deck, of the St. Louis area, was a friend of the grandson of the Longs, who lived in De Soto, about 45 miles southwest of St. Louis. He knew the couple kept a safe in their home.

In a written statement, Deck wrote: 'My hope is that one day the world will find peace and that we all will learn to be kind and loving to one another. We all are a part of this journey through life, connected in every way. Please give love, show love, BE LOVE!'

In July 1996, Deck and his sister stopped at the home under the guise of asking directions. Deck wasn't surprised the couple let them in.

'They're country folks,' Deck told a detective, according to court records. 'They always do.'

Once inside, Deck pulled a gun from his waistband. At Deck's command, Zelma Long opened the safe and removed jewelry, then got $200 from her purse and more money hidden in a canister.

Deck ordered the couple to lie on their stomachs on their bed. Court records said Deck stood there for 10 minutes deciding what to do, then shot James Long twice in the head execution-style before doing the same thing to Zelma.

A tip alerted police to Deck, and he was arrested later that night outside his sister Tonia Cummings' apartment building in St. Louis County. The decorative tin canister from the Long home was on the floorboard of his car.

His sister Tonia Cummings (pictured) is serving a 70-year sentence at at Chillicothe Correctional Center - was with him when the murders happened

Cummings is serving a 70-year sentence for her role in the murder at Chillicothe Correctional Center. She was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and first-degree burglary and first-degree robbery, Fox 2 reported.

Prosecutors said Deck later gave a full account of the killings in oral, written and audiotaped statements. He was sentenced to death in 1998, but the Missouri Supreme Court tossed the sentence due to errors by Deck's trial lawyer.

The US Supreme Court threw out his second sentence in 2005, citing the prejudice caused by Deck being shackled in front of the sentencing jury.

He was sentenced to death for a third time in 2008. Nine years later, US District Judge Catherine Perry determined that 'substantial' evidence arguing against the death penalty in Deck's first two penalty phases was unavailable for the third because witnesses had died, couldn't be found or declined to cooperate.

In October 2020, a three-judge panel of the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals restored the death penalty, ruling that Deck should have raised his concern first in state court, not federal court. Appeals of that ruling were unsuccessful.

Deck (pictured in 2001 and 1998, respectively) did not mention the victims in his last words

His lawyer filed a clemency petition, but the Governor nor the Supreme Court halted his execution

The clemency petition on behalf of Deck cited abuse he suffered as a child, including beatings that left welts and sexual abuse (pictured: at an unknown age)

The clemency petition on behalf of Deck cited abuse he suffered as a child, including beatings that left welts and sexual abuse. It said he and his siblings often were left alone without food. Deck's attorney, Elizabeth Unger Carlyle, said in a statement that Deck also was raped while in prison for theft at age 19.

'This experience transformed him from a non-violent thief into the person who committed two terrible murders,' Carlyle said. She called his execution 'unjust and immoral.'

The number of executions in the US has declined significantly since peaking at 98 in 1998. The drop has coincided with declining support, falling from a high of 80 percent in 1994 to 54 percent in 2021 according to Gallup polls. Since the mid-1990s, opposition has risen from under 20 percent to around 45 percent.

Use of the death penalty has become concentrated mostly in a few Southern and Plains states. Last year, Texas executed three inmates, Oklahoma executed two, and one each were put to death in Alabama, Mississippi and Missouri. Three federal inmates were executed in January 2021, toward the end of President Donald Trump's administration.

On Monday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee paused executions in his state for the rest of the year to enable a review of lethal injection procedures after a testing oversight forced the state to call off the execution of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die on April 21.
The mother-of-three whose arms were ripped off during a horrific attack by two pit bulls and a German Shepherd was being 'eaten alive' by the animals which also scalped her and tore off her eyelid, her sister has revealed.

Amy Wynne, 41, told how her 38-year-old sister Kayleen Waltman continues to fight for her life after the three dogs jumped her in Abbeville County, South Carolina, six weeks ago.

When she passed out during the ferocious attack the dogs started 'eating her alive'. They bit her so hard, they tore through the skin on her head until her skull was visible.

Waltman was attacked by the three dogs as she walked home from her boyfriend's home to her mother's house along in Honea Path, 80 miles from Columbia.

She was saved from death by local farmer Avery Presley, who blasted a gun into the air and kicked one of the dogs to get them to flee.

But she has still needed 13 surgeries so far as she battles horrendous wounds - including losing both arms and her colon.

Owner Justin Minor, 36, faces multiple charges over the attack and once said his pets 'got a taste for blood' after they slaughtered his chickens.

The victim's sister said the doctors tried to do skin grafting and remove skin from her buttocks and her shoulder slank to repair the missing skin on her left inner thigh, near the groin area, that the dogs tore off but the infection has been so severe that the doctors were unable to do the surgery. At one point, it was unclear if Waltman would lose her leg

A photo of Waltman at Greenville Prisma Hospital in South Carolina taken on Tuesday. Her sister told the DailyMail.com regarding the person who is responsible. 'He needs to be charged. He needs to go to jail. He need to suffer like she is suffering. She is only 38 years old so she going to have so many issues that we as a family are going to have to deal with. She is not going to have a normal life now, her quality of life is gone'

A photo of the busy mother of three, who recently became a grandmother, before the near-fatal attack. Kayleen Waltman worked as a cook at Lou and Perry's, a family restaurant located on Main St. on Honea Path. She worked with her sister, Amy Wynne, 41, a waitress and her mother, Diana Johnson, 61, a cook/waitress

One of the dogs on Minor's property pictured here unleashed and roaming loose

Wynne last night went into further details about the gruesome injuries her sister has been left with.

She told DailyMail.com: 'When she passed out they were eating her alive. The dogs dragged her. They scalped her. Her skull was showing. They tore her left eyelid off.

'They tore her right cheek off left a hole. They ate the skin off her inner thigh and ate the flesh off her arms and ripped them off.'

Doctors were forced to wait for a month for the infection from the deep bites to subside before they were able stitch up the gashes on her forehead and scalp.

Wynne continued: 'She said doctors had to put 109 staples in the front of her head and at least 90 staples in the back of her head.'

A trachea tube was placed in her throat because the bacteria from the dogs mouth got into her esophagus which her sister said is now permanent.

She also lost her vocal chords and now is now forced to speak using a voice-generated box.

Wynne went on: 'My sisters blood pressure went down to 86 and that her organs were starting to shut down after the attack.

She told how Waltman nearly died three times - in the ambulance, helicopter and on the operating table. But she said: 'She is alive.

Waltman had just left her boyfriend's house and was walking to her mother's house along Ball Road on Honea Path, South Carolina, a rural area about 80 miles northwest of Columbia, when she was savagely attacked by the dogs that got off the property owned by Justin Minor, 36

'The dogs dragged her. They scalped her. Her skull was showing. They tore her left eyelid off. They tore her right cheek off left a hole. They ate the skin off her inner thigh and ate the flesh off her arms and ripped them off,' Waltman's sister Amy Wynne told the DailyMail.com

A photo of Kayleen Waltman before the vicious dog attack. Her sister said the three dogs in the attack were two Pitbull's and a German shepherd mix. She said that if it wasn't for Avery Presley, the good Samaritan that came by her sister may not be here

In court, Abbeville County investigator Jeffery Hines spoke of another dog attack that happened on Minor's property that took place around Christmas Eve.

'They had to put in a colostomy bag and her appendix shut down and they put her on dialysis. Doctors are hoping to regrow the tissue for her colon.'

She added: 'By the grace of God she has no brain damage.'

Doctors tried to do skin grafting and remove skin from her buttocks and her shoulder to repair the missing skin on her left inner thigh and near the groin area.

But the infection has been so severe they were unable to complete the surgery. At one point, it was unclear if Waltman would lose her leg.

'The CDC found a trial antibiotic that is fighting the infection. She had been on it for the past 3-4 days and so far it is working. Doctors said it is looking good.'

Yet the amputation of her arms has been horrendously traumatic for the mother-of-three, her sister said - revealing she will not be able to have normal prosthetics.

Wynne said: 'The only way she can get arms if they do arm implants. They are over a million a piece.'

Waltman, who used to work as a waitress, was finally taken out of the ICU Saturday and moved into a private room at Greenville Prisma Hospital in South Carolina.

She has been left sedated but still suffering from phantom pains and mental illness despite healing well after multiple surgeries.

Wynne, who is a cook and whose mother Diane Johnson, 61, is a waitress, said: 'She knows but she still hasn't really acknowledged that she doesn't have arms. She will ask my mom if she can hold her hand.'

The heartbroken sister added: 'She's a strong woman stronger than I ever thought. She is a fighter.'

Waltman's three children - a 21-year-old son and an 18 and 17-year-old daughter - have been left devastated by her condition, especially the youngest daughter.

The victim had also just welcomed a new grandchild into the world, her sister told DailyMail.com.

Kayleen Waltman, 38, with her mother, Diane Johnson, 61, that was taken on Tuesday evening. Johnson has been at her daughter's bedside since the unthinkable tragedy. Amy Wynne, said her mother is a 'very strong woman'

She said she was just relieved farmer Presley had been driving back in a tractor to see his cows at the time.

She revealed he had yelled at the savage beasts but they did not respond so he fired a pistol he carried after the same dogs tried to attack him a few weeks earlier.

Wynne said: 'Avery Presley saved her life . We have not met face to face yet but because of the investigation.'

'He tried to get the dogs off of her. He fired a few shots in the air. My sister had already been passed out.

'Two of the dogs ran but one dog stayed and kept attacking that is when he had to kick the dog off my sister and the dog ran.

'He called 911 and tried to put pressure on her arms all that was left. They ate all the flesh on her arms. They had EMS out there. They have it all on bodycam.'

Wynne said she was in the courtroom on Thursday's preliminary hearing looking at the animals' owner Minor.

She said: 'He [Minor] said that he trained the dogs to do exactly what they did to attack and kill. They were trained to kill.'

Minor was released last month on a $15,000 bond and may still face a penalty of $5,000 or a sentence of three years in prison. His case will be sent to a grand jury.

Justin Minor appeared in court on Thursday. He was charged with three counts of owning dangerous animal that attacked and injured a human, rabies violation and allowing dangerous animals off his property unrestrained in the March 21 attack

Wynne said: 'It makes me so angry. He needs to be charged and put in jail. He needs to suffer like my sister is suffering.

'She is only 38 years old so she going to have so many issues that we as a family are going to have to deal with.

'She is not going to have a normal life now, her quality of life is gone.' She said the laws in South Carolina are very lenient regarding dog attacks.

'This breed [pitbulls] have got to die. There was another attack in Alabama and the person was killed. It happened on Friday.'

'Minor is not on house arrest and he can do whatever he wants. My mother saw him leaving a store carrying beer meanwhile my sister is not able to do anything anymore.'



Wynne said she and her mother have been taking turns staying with her sister at hospital. On Wednesday she will be there to give her mother some respite.

She added: 'I have to take two days a week off to go up there and sit with Kyleen so mama can go home and do what she has to do.

'My mother had to quit her job to be with Kayleen. It has put a financial burden on all of us.'

The family has created a GoFundMe to help with Waltman's medical expenses. As of Wednesday morning, nearly $240,000 has been raised towards their goal of $300,000.
Oklahomas Republican Governor Kevin Stitt signed a Texas-style abortion ban on Tuesday that will put a stop to abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.

It is part of a nationwide push in GOP-led states hopeful that the conservative U.S. Supreme Court will uphold new anti-abortion laws as they prepare to take the historical step to overturn Roe v Wade.

A furore was ignited on Monday night after news leaked out that the U.S. Supreme Court may overturn the 1973 Roe v Wade ruling, sparking spontaneous protests across the country and calls from Democrats to vote Republicans down in the mid-terms.

'I want Oklahoma to be the most pro-life state in the country,' Stitt tweeted after signing the abortion ban bill.

While it does not ban abortion outright, the bill will make it illegal to abort an embryo after its heartbeat can be detected, usually around six weeks, before many women realise they are pregnant.

The bill takes effect immediately and the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday denied an emergency request to temporarily halt the bill. It would allow private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion for up to $10,000.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt speaks after signing into law a bill making it a felony to perform an abortion, punishable by up to 10 years in prison on April 12, 2022, in Oklahoma City. Stitt signed a Texas-style abortion ban on Tuesday that prohibits abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy on Tuesday May 3, 2022

More than 3 thousand people rally on Foley Square, New York, for abortion rights for women after Supreme Court leak showing that conservative majority of Supreme Court plan to overthrow Wade vs. Roe decision effectively banning abortions in the country

The rally is kick starting a week of protests across the country demanding abortion rights as GOP-led states push a raft of new bills restricting abortion rights in their states

Abortion-rights supporters rally at the State Capitol after Stitt signed the bill restricting abortions to before an heartbeat can be detected in the embryo

Abortion is one of the most divisive issues in U.S. politics and has been for nearly a half century.

A 2021 poll by the Pew Research Center found that 59% of U.S. adults believed it should be legal in all or most cases, while 39% thought it should be illegal in most or all cases.

President Joe Biden said a decision overturning Roe would raise the stakes for voters in November's heated midterm elections.

'If the court does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nation's elected officials at all levels of government to protect a woman's right to choose,' Mr Biden said.

'And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November. At the federal level, we will need more pro-choice senators and a pro-choice majority in the house to adopt legislation that codifies Roe, which I will work to pass and sign into law.'

Biden is seen on Tuesday in Alabama, visiting a weapons facility to tout U.S. support for the Ukrainian war effort. Before his arrival, he was asked about Roe v Wade

President Joe Biden vowed the White House would be 'ready' whenever the Supreme Court did deliver an opinion on Roe v. Wade

Rabia Muqaddam, an attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights which is representing Oklahoma abortion providers in the case against Stitt's abortion bill, admitted abortions would now be unavailable in the state after the six weeks.

'It's a short-term loss,' she said, 'but we're hopeful that the Oklahoma Supreme Court will still grant us relief.'

The Oklahoma bill authorizes abortions past the six week mark if performed as the result of a medical emergency, but there are no exceptions if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

A similar ban signed in Texas last year led to a dramatic reduction in the number of abortions carried out in the state, but saw Texans going to neighbouring states such as Oklahoma instead for the procedure.

As it stands in the US, abortion can take place until about 24 weeks into pregnancy - but the exact period varies between states. For example, Texas bans abortion after about six weeks but Florida has a 15-week abortion ban.

Protesters gather, chant and hold signs outside the Supreme Court in Washington Monday night

Lights burn inside U.S. Supreme Court offices late at night after the leak of a draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito

There were smaller gatherings of anti-abortion protesters at the pro-choice event in Washington DC as well

The number of abortions performed each year in Oklahoma, which has four abortion clinics, has declined steadily over the last two decades, from more than 6,200 in 2002 to 3,737 in 2020, the fewest in more than 20 years, according to data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

In 2020, before the Texas law was passed, about 9% of the abortions performed in Oklahoma were women from Texas. But that number has since surged five-fold.

Before the Texas ban took effect on Sept 1 2021, about 40 women from Texas had abortions performed in Oklahoma each month, the data shows. That number jumped to 222 Texas women in September and 243 in October.

Dr. Iman Alsaden, the medical director of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said Texas' law that took effect in September has given their employees an idea of what a post-Roe America might look like.

'Since that day, my colleagues and I have regularly treated patients who are fleeing their communities to seek care,' Alsaden said.

'Theyre taking time off of work, taking time out of school and taking time away from their family responsibilities to get the care that until September 2021 they were able to get safely and readily in their communities.'

Republican appointed-Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett all voted to strike down Roe with Samuel Alito, Politico noted

The beginning of the original leaked draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito

The leaders of five Democrat committees and governing associations on Tuesday pledged to turn the midterms into a referendum on Roe v Wade, arguing that the leaked Supreme Court draft had 'dramatically escalated the stakes of the 2022 election'.

'The Republican attacks on abortion access, birth control and women's health care have dramatically escalated the stakes of the 2022 election,' they wrote.

'At this moment of crisis, Democrats are standing shoulder to shoulder with millions of Americans in this fight. And in November, we must elect Democrats who will serve as the last lines of defense against the GOP's assault on our established and fundamental freedoms.'

The opinion draft - originally obtained by Politico - was written by Justice Samuel Alito, one of the six justices appointed by Republican presidents on the nine-member court

A draft legal opinion, which was leaked to Politico, reveals five Republican-nominated judges - a majority of the court's nine judges - are in agreement on the issue which would be enough to force a change in the law  though their decision is not final until the ruling is officially published.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who reportedly does not plan to join in the majority opinion, confirmed the legitimacy of the draft as he announced a probe into the leak which Republicans have complained could be 'dangerous'.

Alito, who was nominated to the court in 2006 by George W Bush, argues that Roe's 'reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. Far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division.'

But there were few signs that the new ruling will do anything to heal those divisions, with protesters gathering outside the court in Washington DC last night and other American cities.

Department of Homeland Security agents were filmed Tuesday night driving into a crowd of abortion rights activists and shoving them backward as they blocked off the streets in protest of a draft Supreme Court opinion showing that it is likely to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The unidentified agent was just on of several who responded to the scene of Pershing Square

Together, they blocked off the streets declaring the protest an 'unlawful assembly'

Videos posted to Twitter by Vishal Singh showed a DHS vehicle drive into the crowd in downtown Los Angeles at around 8.40pm local time and DHS cops clashing violently with pro-choice protestors.

In the aftermath, NBC Los Angeles reports, an officer was reportedly injured - and the LAPD ordered a citywide tactical alert.
UN Security Council to address food security, Russia-Ukraine conflict in May

Xinhua) 16:27, May 04, 2022

UNITED NATIONS, May 3 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Security Council will discuss food security and the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in May, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, also council president for the month, said on Tuesday.

The council's program for May features an open debate on "the nexus between armed conflict and food insecurity," as well as a briefing on the risks and benefits of using technology in the maintenance of peace and security, Thomas-Greenfield told reporters at a press conference.

Recalling that the link between conflict and food security was discussed during her previous council presidency in March 2021, Thomas-Greenfield said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will chair an open debate on May 19.

On May 23, the 15-member organ will hold a briefing on technology and security. "This is a new and important focus of the council," she said, noting that it is long past time for it to fully grapple with the impact of digital technology on the maintenance of international peace and security.

In addition to these two major events, the council will continue to be concerned about Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, with a briefing scheduled on Thursday and potentially more to follow, she said.

On May 20, 27 and 31, the council will hold meetings on Syria's humanitarian, chemical weapons and political files respectively, Thomas-Greenfield said, adding that an annual debate on the protection of civilians will be held on May 25.

On May 18, on the eve of the council's open debate, the United States will convene a ministerial-level global food security call to action event at the UN Headquarters in New York, she said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will speak at the open debate on conflict and food security, she added.

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Bianji)
The leader of a Neo Nazi prison gang in Alaska faces life in prison without the possibility of parole after being found guilty of the mutilation and murder of a member of his own group.

The group sliced off their fellow member's gang tattoo from his rib cage with a knife that had been heated with a propane torch.

Filthy Fuhrer, 45, who was born Timothy Lobdell and grew up in Ohio's Amish country, is already serving a 19 year sentence in prison for the attempted murder of an Alaska State Trooper.

Fuhrer was found guilty of organizing the murder of Michael Staton from inside of his prison cell. He will be sentenced in October 2022.

In total five people, including Fuhrer, were convicted on May 2 of RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping, and assault of Staton.

Filthy Fuhrer aka Timothy Lobdell was found guilty in a federal court on May 2 of instructing gang members to murder Michael Staton in 2017

He is the founder and leader of the Neo Nazi gang, 1488. The gang's ethos requires members to 'be white, look white and act white.' Another of the gang's mottos is, 'The only currency we recognize is violence and unquestionable loyalty.'

The 14 is a reference to the statement: 'We must secure the existence of our people and future for white children,' which is made up of 14 words.

The 88 is sometimes a reference to H as the eighth letter of the alphabet making it code for 'HH' or 'Heil Hitler.'

Another possible reference is the '88 Precepts' a treatise written by deceased white supremacists David Lane that focused on racial identity.

The 1488 gang was founded in 2010 and has 50-100 members, the feds believe. Around 18 of those are inside Alaska's prisons

Fully-fledged members of the gang can be identified by the group's tattoo, an Iron Cross superimposed over a swastika with a 14 on the left and an 88 on the right. It is known in the group as a patch.

Federal officials said in a statement that Fuhrer believed that the activities of some gang members outside of prison, what members refer to as the 'free world,' was hurting the gang.

Within 1488, the gang's leadership are known as 'Key holders' while underlings are known as 'Enforcers.' While the lowest ranked were 'Prospects' who were instructed to bone up on white supremacist theories. There are also female members of the gang known as 'Lady-eights.'

To counter this, Fuhrer ordered a trusted lieutenant in the 'free world,' to administer a series of beatings against low-level members of their own gang and to murder Staton.

This is the symbol of the 1488 gang. Only fully fledged members of the gang are permitted to get the symbol

Staton went by the moniker Steak Knife in the gang.

According to the feds, Staton was accused of stealing from Fuhrer's gang and from a local Hell's Angels gang.

In retaliation, Fuhrer ordered 1488 members Glen Baldwin, aka Glen Dog and Roy Naughton aka Thumper to kill Staton in collaboration with Craig King aka Oakie, a member of the Hell's Angels.

Staton was accused of stealing King's Hell's Angels jacket.

Multiple members of the gang have been charged with various roles in the murder of Michael Staton

Baldwin and Naughton brought Colter O'Dell along for the ride, a 'prospect' in 1488. He earned his patch tattoo because of the Staton murder.

In order to become a made member of 1488, recruits have to perform an act of violence.

On the night of August 3, 2017, the four men kidnapped Staton and took him to a home beside where King lived with his wife, Felicia, in Wasilla, Alaskas, 40 miles north of Anchorage.

Staton's hands and feet were bound as he was tortured, culminating in his 1488 gang tattoo being cut from his rib cage with a hot knife. The knife was made hot thanks to a propane torch.

The gang is made up of 'Key Holders' who control the group's activities and 'Enforcers' who do their bidding. There are also female members of the gang known as 'Lady Eights'

The feds say that Baldwin and O'Dell then took Staton into the woods where he was shot dead and his body burned.

All four men who were present on the night that Staton was killed have been convicted of murder and also face life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Two other members of 1488, Nicholas Kozorra and Dustin Clowers, have already pleaded guilty to murder in relation to Staton's killing.

The gang was founded in 2010 and has 50-100 members across Alaska. There are at least 18 gang members in prison in the state.

Members of the group sliced off Michael Staton's (not pictured) 1488 tattoo from his ribcage prior to shooting him dead

According to an indictment against members of the group, 'The 1488s did not accept homosexuals, 'rats,' or individuals who had been charged with sex offenses.'

It was a month after the murder of Staton that Fuhrer legally changed his name. Fuhrer pleaded not guilty to a role in Staton's murder.

When asked about his name change in a 2019 hearing regarding moving Fuhrer to another facility, he was asked about his name change. Fuhrer said, 'Ive had nothing but negative things attached to the name.'

Fuhrer went on to described an abusive childhood, drug addition and his belief in a European pagan religion named Odinism, reports Alaska Public Media.

In the same hearing Fuhrer was quoted as saying, 'Ive tried to be a leader to anyone that has taken a darker path in life because Ive been so far down it and turned around. That's what I want to embody.'
Two Utah toddlers were killed by a man who crashed into a horse stable where they were playing at 100 mph while high on meth, police said.

The Utah County Sheriff's Office said that shortly before Monday's fatal car accident, 25-year-old Kent Cody Barlow of Eagle Mountain was allegedly driving recklessly, weaving and drifting into oncoming traffic at nearly 100 mph before running a stop sign.

Barlow's car, which had three passengers inside, then veered off the road and crashed through a vinyl rail fence, then smashed through two sections of a five-rail steel pole fence, police said.

Inside the corral an out of control car blasted through were two three-year-old boys, identified by family friends as Odin Ratliff and Hunter Jackson, playing with toy trucks

Police released images at the scene that show Barlow's totaled car following the 100 mph crash

Police released images of the scene that show Barlow's totaled car, the shattered fences his car plowed through as well as the toddler's toys scattered in the sand

His vehicle then crashed through a corral fence before hitting a large cement block and launched into the air, landing upside-down on a horse stable, nearly 345 feet from where it left the road, totally destroying the car.

Inside the corral it blasted through were two three-year-old boys, identified by family friends as Odin Ratliff and Hunter Jackson, playing with toy trucks who were hit by Barlow's car as it continued into the stables.

The toddler were both run over and flew 75 feet from where they were playing, dying instantly, police said.

Police released images of the scene that show Barlow's totaled car, the shattered fences his car plowed through as well as the toddler's toys scattered in the sand.

Investigators found evidence that Barlow (pictured) was impaired during the crash and a drug screening tested positive for methamphetamine and he was arrested

'Playing, innocently in the sand with their toy trucks, these boys have been best friends from the start loving to play in the dirt while at Cedar Valley Stables,' a fundraiser said

Barlow's car, which had three passengers inside, veered off the road and crashed through a vinyl rail fence, then smashed through two sections of a five-rail steel pole fence, police said

On Tuesday family friends created a GoFundMe to help cover funeral costs for the families of the young boys who were friends their entire lives

Following the crash Barlow was airlifted to a local hospital to be treated for bruises and abrasions and the three other passengers were treated at nearby hospitals.

Investigators later found evidence that Barlow was impaired during the crash and a drug screening tested positive for methamphetamine and he was arrested on suspicion of automobile homicide, DUI with criminal negligence, possession of a controlled substance, DUI with serious bodily injury by negligent operation, DUI with personal injury, reckless driving, failure to operate within a single lane, failure to obey traffic control devices, and speeding.

This is not Barlow's first run in with the law- the 25-year-old has a long list of criminal convictions and drug-related charges and was on parole at the time of the accident, ABC4.com reported.

In 2019 Barlow faced multiple felony charges after he was arrested for stealing a police vehicle with two guns inside and leading police in a car chase, KTVX reported.

On Tuesday family friends created a GoFundMe which within hours has nearly reached it's $20,000 goal to help cover funeral costs for the families of the young boys who were friends their entire lives.

'Our hearts ache for the Ratliff and Jackson families! Odin Ratliff and Hunter Jackson tragically lost their lives at the age of 3 on Monday, May 2,' the fundraiser said. 'Playing, innocently in the sand with their toy trucks, these boys have been best friends from the start loving to play in the dirt while at Cedar Valley Stables. The stables have always been a second home to these boys.'

'Due to reckless and under the influenced driving, the families of these boys are now mourning the loss of their little ones,' the fundraiser added. 'Please help to raise awareness of this situation so we can help these two families with funeral costs. We will be taking the proceeds and dividing it equally between the two families. Nothing can help with this kind of loss and our hearts all ache. Please take a moment to donate and share so we can help ease these grieving families at this time.'
Australia has moved to further sanction more than 70 Russian politicians and more than 30 'puppet' Ukrainian government officials installed in the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

The move comes as Ukrainian fighters say Russian forces are attacking the encircled Azovstal steel works plant in Mariupol after a ceasefire broke down.

It is believed about 200 civilians remain trapped in bunkers beneath the plant.

Mariupol is a Ukrainian coastal city, south of the Donetsk region in east Ukraine.

Australia has moved to further sanction more than 70 Russian politicians and more than 30 'puppet' Ukrainian government officials (pictured, Australian foreign minister Marise Payne, left, and Vladimir Putin, right)

Russia recognised the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as independent shortly before its February 24 invasion, leading to international condemnation.

The United States accused Russia of moving to install puppet officials as the Kremlin seeks a 'forced capitulation' of Ukraine's government and to annex much of the country's east.

Mariupol (pictured) is a Ukrainian coastal city, south of the Donetsk region in east Ukraine, and has been under constant siege by Russia since February

US ambassador to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe Michael Carpenter says Russia is developing plans for a new government and new constitutions to 'try to add a veneer of democratic or electoral legitimacy' as it moves to dismantle local governments across Ukraine.

'The reality is that Russia installed puppet regimes dependent on Russian bribes, and orchestrated nebulous 'people's councils' to create phoney constitutions,' he said.
Questions have been raised over the practicality of non-stop long-haul flights from London to Perth following news this week of Qantas' plans for 19-hour non-stop flights between London and Sydney.

Qantas has announced it will commence direct non-stop flights from Sydney to London and New York from 2025, with a landmark order for Airbus A350-1000 jets capable of the monumental task.

But West Australian veteran journalist Ben Harvey argues that the decision by Qantas to establish flights from London to Sydney makes flights to Perth virtually pointless.

Questions have been raised over the practicality of non-stop long-haul flights from London to Perth following news this week of Qantas ' plans for 19-hour non-stop flights between London and Sydney. (Pictured: An Airbus flying over the Opera House)

'There's gonna be f**k all Londoners who want to come to Perth instead of Sydney because Perth is to Sydney what Birmingham is to London,' Harvey said.

'The Poms have two choices, fly to Perth and then go four or five hours on a flight to the east coast because that's where the cool stuff is, or fly direct to the cool stuff without being attacked by a meth zombie at an empty shop outside of the Hay Street Mall.'

Social media users were most divided on whether the new route would render flights from London to Perth irrelevant and what they think would be better.

One user said in response to Harvey's statement: 'Yep go to Sydney, Perth is horrendous at the moment.'

'Nothing to see in Perth,' wrote another. 'This place is 20yrs behind. Best coastline with little accommodation.'

However, many disagreed with Harvey's assertion, with some pointing towards the significant proportion of UK immigrants in Perth.

Qantas has announced it will commence direct non-stop flights from Sydney (pictured) to London and New York from 2025

West Australian veteran journalist Ben Harvey (pictured) argued that the decision by Qantas to establish flights from London to Sydney makes flights to Perth virtually pointless

Those flying in from London (pictured) will have the choice of a direct, non-stop flight to either Sydney or Perth from 2025

One respondent argued that Perth has a 'much higher proportion of UK immigrants' in comparison to cities in the eastern states.

'Does this guy know how many UK residents we have in Perth. It is a very large part of our population,' commented one.

A third added: 'Because half England live north of Perth'.

Others shared their view that many people have family in Perth and the West Australian capital is a better city to see compared to Sydney.

'I have family in Perth, have no wish to fly to Sydney,' one woman said.

'Perth always my family are there! Have been to Sydney but Perth wins!' another woman wrote.

One man gave a detailed response, writing, 'The Brits don't come to Perth for the city centre when they've got that in spades in the UK. They come to visit for the beaches, sun and a small slice of our laid back way of life - and visiting friends and family.'

'There's more to Oz than the Opera House and Bondi Beach. WA is the bees knees.'

Many disagreed with Harvey's assertion, with some pointing towards the significant proportion of UK immigrants in Perth

Qantas staff wave Australian and British flags at the Boeing 787 Dreamliner after landing at Heathrow Airport on March 25, 2018, following a historic direct flight from Perth

Qantas announced this week that London to Sydney will become the world's longest direct flight when the airline introduces flights between the two cities from 2025.

Qantas launched direct flights from Perth to London Heathrow in 2017, but has now announced an order of 12 Airbus A350-1000s to 'conquer the final frontier of long-haul travel'.

The non-stop flights will allow 'make almost any city in the world one flight from Australia', including London and New York.

It comes after 'strong demand' for the Perth to London flights due to 'convenience and time savings', while the new fleet of aircraft will 'set a new benchmark for premium long-haul travel'.

As part of the new project, codenamed 'Project Sunrise', UK passengers will be able to expect more direct flights to Australia and 'reduced point-to-point travel time'.

A trial flight from London to Sydney in 2019 took 19 hours and 19 minutes.

The new aircraft will feature a seat count of 238, the lowest of its kind in service, and a dedicated wellbeing zone designed for 'movement, stretching and hydration' with complimentary water, fruit and snack bars.

The first-class suites will include a private area with door, a full-size flat-screen TV, a separate bed, a recliner lounge chair, and a personal wardrobe for the cashed-up.

The new state-of-the-art Airbus plane's will fly out from Sydney linking the city to Europe and America via non-stop flights (pictured)

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce (pictured) announced Qantas would be committing to direct, non-stop flights from Sydney to London and New York from 2025 at a ceremony of an Airbus A350-1000 on Monday

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said: 'For more than 100 years, Qantas has been at the forefront of transforming the way the world travels, particularly through direct flights. Now, the A350 and Project Sunrise will make almost any city in the world just one flight away from Australia.

'Its the last frontier and the final fix for the tyranny of distance that has traditionally challenged travel to Australia.

'Our direct Perth-London flights started in 2017 and showed strong demand for the convenience and time savings from this kind of travel if the product and service is right.

'Pre-COVID it was the longest route on our network and had the highest customer satisfaction on our network. All signs point to that demand increasing post-COVID.'

The first 'Project Sunrise' flights will be from New York and London, but the aircraft will also be able to operate non-stop flights to Australia from destinations such as Paris and Frankfurt.
Energy firms could face massive fines in a crackdown on the practice of hiking customers' direct debits by more than is necessary.

Millions of households saw bills rise by 54 per cent last month to an average 1,971 as energy regulator Ofgem's price cap rise came into force  to reflect the soaring cost of wholesale gas and electricity.

But many consumers have complained that their suppliers have increased their monthly direct debit demands by even more than this  doubling them in some cases.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said suppliers found to be in breach of Ofgem's rules could face 'substantial fines'.

He wrote on Twitter yesterday: 'Some energy suppliers have been increasing direct debits beyond what is required. I can confirm Ofgem has today issued compliance reviews.'

He added: 'The regulator will not hesitate to enforce compliance, including issuing substantial fines.'

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said suppliers found to be in breach of Ofgem's rules could face 'substantial fines'

Ofgem's chief executive Jonathan Brearley last month said there were 'troubling signs' of direct debits being hiked 'by more than is necessary'. Consumer experts have raised concerns that some suppliers may be doing this to line their coffers

Ofgem's chief executive Jonathan Brearley last month said there were 'troubling signs' of direct debits being hiked 'by more than is necessary'.

Consumer experts have raised concerns that some suppliers may be doing this to line their coffers.

And the regulator has now launched a review, giving firms three weeks to explain their hikes.

UK households currently owe energy suppliers around 1billion, twice as much as they did a year ago, according to Uswitch.

But the comparison site also found 11million households had 1.4billion in credit on their accounts.

Adam French, consumer rights expert at Which?, said: 'It's encouraging to see that Ofgem has issued compliance reviews to energy suppliers who are increasing direct debits higher than they need to be.'

An Ofgem spokesman confirmed it had written to suppliers to ensure 'amongst other things' they were 'handling direct debits fairly'. He added: 'Our top priority is to protect consumers.'

It emerged last month that the energy regulator has privately warned ministers average bills could rise to as much as 5,000 if the war in Ukraine continues to cause major disruption to gas supplies.

Ofgem is understood to have said the energy price cap is likely to rise to at least 2,400 in October.
A woman has been rushed to hospital after she was allegedly struck with a broken glass bottle during a violent domestic dispute in Sydney's west.

Police were called Carlisle Avenue in Hebersham on Tuesday afternoon following reports of a domestic violence-related assault.

A woman, 34 was found at the scene suffering multiple injuries to her throat and neck after she had been allegedly struck with broken bottle.

A woman suffered injuries to her throat and neck after she was allegedly slashed with a broken glass bottle (stock image)

Police rendered first aid until paramedics arrived.

The woman was later transported to Westmead Hospital in a stable condition.

A 38-year-old man was arrested at the scene.

He was charged with causing wounding/grievous bodily harm to person with intent to murder, resist or hinder police officer and breach of bail.

He was refused bail to appear in Mount Druitt Local Court on Wednesday.
Police issued a $1million reward last month for information on the disappearance

Ms Haigh was dropped off at

A married couple have been arrested by police over the mysterious disappearance of a single mother in Sydney's west two decades ago.

Amber Haigh was reported missing on June 19, 2002 after failing to return to her home in Kingsvale in Sydney's south-west two weeks earlier where the 19-year-old lived with her six-month-old son and a married couple.

A man and woman, both 61, were arrested by homicide detectives at a Harden property in the Riverina on Wednesday morning.

They have been taken to Young Police Station and it's expected the pair will be charged with murder.

A man and a woman have been arrested by police over the mysterious disappearance of young mother Amber Haigh (pictured) 20 years ago

It follows renewed efforts by police to investigate Ms Haigh's disappearance after recently issuing a $1million reward for information about her disappearance and suspected murder.

Amber was last seen on 5 June 2002 after being dropped off by the couple she resided with at Campbelltown train station.

She was intending to travel by train to see her sick father at a hospital in Mt Druitt.

Money was later drawn from Amber's bank account at an ATM on Queen Street, Campbelltown at around 8:45pm.

The couple reported Ms Haigh missing two weeks later after she failed to return home.

Police subsequently conducted extensive investigations into the young woman's disappearance, making numerous appeals to the public and issuing rewards for information.

However, Amber had not been located after exhausted efforts from homicide detectives.

Amber was last seen on 5 June 2002 after being dropped off by the couple she resided with at Campbelltown train station

Police subsequently conducted extensive investigations into the young woman's disappearance, making numerous appeals to the public and issuing rewards for information

A Coronial Inquest ruled Amber as being deceased in 2011, having died as a result of homicide or other misadventure in early June 2002.

A formal review of the case was conducted in 2020 under the Homicide Squads Unsolved Homicide framework before a re-investigation commenced.

The NSW Police Force, together with the NSW Government, increased their reward for information about Amber's disappearance and suspected murder to $1milllion last month.

Detectives seized a white Suzuki Sierra for forensic examination in Thurgoona in southern NSW last Wednesday before arresting a man and woman in Harden a week later.
The Pope has cautioned the head of the Russian Orthodox Church against serving as Vladimir Putin's 'alter boy' after Patriarch Kirill gave the Russian invasion of Ukraine is seal of approval.

Kirill, 75, sees the war as a bulwark against a decadent West - particularly over the acceptance of homosexuality - that threatens his vision of a 'Russky Mir' ('Russian World') that includes Belarus and Ukraine.

'We (the Pope and Kirill) are pastors of the same people of God. That is why we have to seek paths of peace, to cease the fire of weapons. The patriarch cannot become Putin's altar boy,' Francis was quoted as saying.

The 85-year-old pontiff also told Italy's Corriere Della Sera newspaper that he had communicated to Moscow via Vatican diplomats that he sought a meeting with Putin three weeks into the conflict, but did not receive a response.

Pope Francis previously met Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban two weeks ago and was told by the far-right leader - Putin's principal ally in the EU - that 'the Russians have a plan, that everything will end on May 9', referring to the anniversary of the end of the Soviet Union's involvement in World War II.

With that date coming early next week, Francis communicated to Putin that he was willing to make the trip to Moscow.

'Certainly, it was necessary for the Kremlin leader to allow an opening. We have not yet received a response and we are still insisting,' Francis said.

He added: 'I fear that Putin cannot, and does not, want to have this meeting at this time. But how can you not stop so much brutality?'

Pope Francis waves during Regina Caeli prayer, in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican on Monday. The Pope has asked for a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin to try to make him see sense over his bloody war in Ukraine, but has so far been greeted by silence

Russian President Vladimir Putin - reported to be suffering from cancer, Parkinson's and 'schizophrenic symptoms' has so far snubbed ell entreaties from the Pope to discuss stopping the war

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told Pope Francis two weeks that 'the Russians have a plan, that everything will end on May 9', referring to the anniversary of Russia's liberation at the end of World War II

The Pope has walked a delicate tightrope over the conflict, condemning 'unjustified aggression' and lamenting atrocities against civilians, but has until now refrained from officially pointing the finger at Russia and Putin.

Asked about a trip to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, which Francis last month said was a possibility, the pope said he would not go for now.

'First, I have to go to Moscow, first I have to meet Putin... I do what I can. If Putin would only open a door,' he said.

Francis also appeared to suggest NATO was in part to blame for Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine, which began when the Russian tyrant ordered his troops across his neighbour's border on February 24.

He said that while he would not go as far to say that NATO's presence in nearby countries such as Poland and the Balkans 'provoked' Russia, he said that the military alliance 'perhaps facilitated' the invasion by 'barking' as Putin's door.

NATO and other countries supporting Ukraine have insisted that Moscow has been the aggressor, massing its troops on the border in the months before the invasion before launching its invasion of a sovereign country.

It has been reported on Russian Telegram channels that Putin is very sick with a triple whammy of cancer, Parkinson's and 'schizophrenic symptoms', which might go some way to explaining his implacable bloodlust towards Ukraine.

Instead the head of the Catholic Church has been dealing with Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church, who is a full-blooded supporter of the violent conflict.

The war in Ukraine has strained relations between the two churches and caused a split among Orthodox Christians around the world.

Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church is a full-blooded supporter of the invasion of Ukraine

Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulate each other after the Easter service at the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow. Patrich Kirill hsa provided Putin with cover to prosecute his war in Ukraine

In the interview, Francis said that when he had a 40-minute video conference with Kirill on March 16, the patriarch spent half of it reading from a sheet of paper 'with all the justifications for the war'.

Moscow describes its action in Ukraine as a 'special operation' to demilitarise and 'denazify' its neighbour.

The pope also said that when he met Viktor Orban on April 21, the Hungarian prime minister told him 'the Russian have a plan, that everything will end on May 9', referring to the anniversary of Russia's liberation at the end of World War II.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said the anniversary would have no bearing on Moscow's military operations in Ukraine.
Hillsong co-founders Bobbie and Brian Houston have called on followers to pray amid their 'assailing darkness' as Brian faces court for allegedly covering up his father's child sex abuse.

Ms Houston reached out to members of their community on Tuesday to ask for help as the couple grapple with the fallout of their sensational split from the megachurch.

In March, Mr Houston, who was already facing criminal charges of concealment, sensationally resigned over allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards two women.

'Would appreciate some fervent prayer today,' Ms Houston wrote on Instagram.

'Brian and I are good btw  dont stress there!! Just a lot of (continued) darkness assailing us. I have confidence in the Angel of the Lord, yet, we still gotta walk life out down here on earth.

Hillsong co-founder Bobbie Houston (pictured) has called on followers to pray for them after their split with the church

'Not often I ask for myself or us  but I am today.'

Friends flocked to show their support and offer good graces, with American author Lisa Bevere commenting: 'praying for truth and justice to prevail.'

'Praying for you both and against any attacks that are coming at you or around you,' another person wrote.

Ms Houston later thanked people for rallying behind them, and vowed to one day 'bring clarity' to 'deceptions'.

'Thank you. Truly. I know that so many of you out there know how to pray in the Spirit,' she said.

'This spiritual battle is about an assault against the Kingdom of our glorious Savior on the earth. So one day, I will raise my voice and bring clarity to some of deceptions we have (and are) confronting. But in the meantime  we pray fervently.'

Brian Houston (pictured) resigned in March and is facing a three-week hearing in December after pleading not guilty to concealing child sex crimes

Ms Houston vowed she would one day bring 'clarity' about the 'deception' the couple are 'confronting'

Mr Houston stepped down as the leader of the church in January after being charged with allegedly concealing child sex offences.

Two months later, he quit as a senior pastor after an internal Hillsong investigation revealed Mr Houston had behaved inappropriately toward two women.

His wife parted ways with the church in April after reportedly being made redundant.

Last month, Mr Houston blasted the church over social media after his wife was made redundant by a staffer via a text, which read 'I will be sending [you] an email shortly regarding your employment'.

The church responded by telling its members in an email the text had been sent to discuss the founding couple's 'key roles and responsibilities' within the religious organisation.

'Our desire has been to treat them with grace, love and honour,' the megachurch wrote.

Embattled pastor Brian Houston is seen relaxing with his wife at the Park Hyatt hotel in Sydney in December

'Brian responded by making his feelings public on social media. This has been interpreted and reported that the Hillsong board 'made her role redundant by text', which is not correct'

'...We are saddened by Brian's public response and hope that he and Bobbie will understand the heart behind the decisions that are being made.

The pair founded the megachurch in 1983 and the organisation has rapidly grown to include more than 300 churches in 25 countries and 150,000 weekly attendees.

Mr Houston is accused of knowing from September 1999 that his father Frank sexually abused a seven-year-old boy in 1970, and helping cover it up.

Frank Houston sexually abused numerous young boys in New Zealand and Australia from 1965 to 1977 when he lead the Assemblies of God church.

Mr Houston has pleaded not guilty and will face a special hearing, beginning on December 2, which is expected to last three weeks.
Energy firms could face massive fines in a crackdown on the practice of hiking customers direct debits by more than is necessary.

Millions of households saw bills rise by 54 per cent last month to an average 1,971 as energy regulator Ofgems price cap rise came into force  to reflect the soaring cost of wholesale gas and electricity.

But many consumers have complained that their suppliers have increased their monthly direct debit demands by even more than this  doubling them in some cases.

Ofgems chief executive Jonathan Brearley last month said there were troubling signs of direct debits being hiked by more than is necessary.

There have been warnings that energy suppliers who are caught raising customers' direct debits by more than they should be could face fines

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng (pictured) said energy suppliers could face 'substantial fines' if they are found to have been profiteering

Consumer experts have raised concerns that some suppliers may be doing this to line their coffers.

And the regulator has now launched a review, giving firms three weeks to explain their hikes.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said suppliers found to be in breach of Ofgems rules could face substantial fines. He wrote on Twitter yesterday: Some energy suppliers have been increasing direct debits beyond what is required. I can confirm Ofgem has today issued compliance reviews.

He added: The regulator will not hesitate to swiftly enforce compliance, including issuing substantial fines.

UK households currently owe energy suppliers around 1billion, twice as much as they did a year ago, according to Uswitch. But the comparison site also found 11million households had 1.4billion in credit on their accounts.

Adam French, consumer rights expert at Which?, last night welcomed Ofgems intervention, saying: This action must translate quickly into fairer treatment for consumers  with many struggling to make ends meet during a relentless cost of living crisis, people cannot afford to be charged over the odds for essential services.

It came as Boris Johnson yesterday ruled out a one-off windfall tax on UK energy giants despite BP posting bumper profits. It made 5billion in underlying profit in the first three months of the year  its best quarterly result since 2008  as oil and gas prices soared.

But the PM said: If you put a windfall tax on the energy companies, what that means is that you discourage them from making the investments that we want to see that will, in the end, keep energy prices lower for everybody.
An election fraudster could be returned as a mayor tomorrow.

Lutfur Rahman is back on the ballot paper in east London, seven years after he was removed from office after being found guilty of polling offences.

He was banned from standing for five years but has set up a new party, Aspire, so he can run for mayor of Tower Hamlets.

Lord Hayward, a Tory peer and elections expert, said: There is every possibility that both he and Aspire could do very well.

Lutfur Rahman, former Labour Party mayor of Tower Hamlets, addresses an anti-austerity rally in Parliament Square in London

Hes been running on a platform of saying he has not been found guilty of anything.

He has been found guilty by the High Court of this land of a series of electoral offences. It concerns me and depresses me.

He was banned for five years which was the maximum penalty, but sadly I believe it is inadequate.

Mr Rahman, a former Labour councillor, became the first directly elected mayor of Tower Hamlets when he stood as an independent in 2010.

He was re-elected in 2014. But he became the first such mayor to be removed when the result was declared null and void.

In 2015 the election court found Mr Rahman personally guilty, or guilty by his agents, of charges including making false statements about a candidate, of administering council grants in a way that constituted electoral bribery and of spiritual intimidation of voters.

Mr Rahman was behind the formation of the Aspire party in 2018, whose candidates were his supporters.

Last month he said: I have always maintained my innocence. I believe that report was a travesty of justice.

We came out at each stage and said there was no illegality on my part or on the part of any member of my administration.

However, I am always someone who wants to learn from my mistakes... Ive reflected on what I did and my administration did during the time we were in power.

Obviously there are some learnings and I have learned from those mistakes.
A schoolboy running to alert elderly neighbours to an incoming air strike has become the latest young victim of Russian barbarism.

On hearing sirens blare across the port city of Odesa, 14-year-old Viacheslav Yalyshev ran to tell pensioners about the imminent threat rather than head for the safety of the nearest bomb shelter as missiles closed in on Monday.

His father Yevhen Yalyshev, a member of the Ukrainian air force and a veteran of the 2014 conflict in eastern Ukraine, paid to tribute to his son on social media for his selfless act.

You are my hero, you are the hero of Ukraine, he wrote. Mr Yalyshev said Viacheslav had been worried that his neighbours would not have the proper apps installed on their phones that warn users of incoming strikes.

Schoolboy Viacheslav Yalyshev, 14, pictured, was killed was he ran to alert elderly neighbours of an incoming Russian air strike after hearing sirens blare across the port city of Odesa, Ukraine

The teenager was killed when two rockets hit a dormitory and demolished the roof of a nearby church, two days after Russian forces destroyed the runway at Odesas main airport, just two miles away.

Odesa mayor Gennady Trukhanov called the boys death another blow to the southern Ukrainian city, saying: There will never be forgiveness for those who shed the blood of innocent people, especially children. Russia has repeatedly denied targeting civilian areas.

Friends of the family described Viacheslav as a bright and studious boy, who said he was still doing very well at school despite the two-month war with Russia.

He was a very good, kind, and sympathetic boy. Very capable, sincere. I just have no words, said one woman, who did not want to be named.

He studied diligently and often did his homework in his basement when there were bombings.

A 17-year-old girl is still wounded and in a serious condition in an Odesa hospital.

Odesa had largely been unscathed from the brunt of the Ukraine-Russia war, but Moscows forces have stepped up attacks on the key port city in recent weeks.

Three generations of the Glodan family, including a three-month-old girl, were wiped out when a Russian missile hit a local apartment block on April 23rd, the Orthodox Christian Easter weekend.

Another young couple, newly-weds 28-year-old Lyudmila Chernetskaya and her 21-year-old husband Bogdan Kirillov who had been expecting their first child, were also killed.

Ukraines government believes Russia wants to cut off its access to its entire southern coastline, crippling its ability to export abroad and choking the countrys economy.

Elsewhere at least 10 people were killed and 15 wounded by Russian shelling of a coking plant in the city of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine yesterday.

The Russians knew exactly where they were aiming. The workers had just finished their shift and were waiting at a bus stop for a bus to take them home from the factory, Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.
Opening a bottle of wine is often accompanied by a twinge of guilt.

But now you can at least feel a little easier about the environmental impact of your tipple  by buying wine in paper bottles.

The brand When in Rome has become the latest to offer a paper bottle, which will be sold through Ocado. The greener and lighter bottle is made from 94 per cent recycled paper and includes a plastic liner, in much the same way as wine boxes.

It was developed in collaboration with the British sustainable packaging company Frugalpac, which has made similar versions for other producers.

Some drinks giants have run trials on paper bottles for spirits, including Diageos Johnnie Walker whisky.

Wine company When in Rome have begun selling their drinks in paper bottles (pictured), using mainly recycled material

The paper bottle of wine will be able to fit alongside other glass bottles on a wine rack (stock photo)

When in Rome will sell three wines in the bottles: Pecorino IGP Terre di Chieti, Rosato and Primitivo IGP Puglia.

Already selling on the brands website, the wines will be launched on Ocado this month priced at 10.99.

The company said the new bottles have all of the eco advantages of a bag-in-box format, but the same shape, capacity and price point of other premium brands.

Founder of When in Rome, Rob Malin, said: We feel were really making our mark on the industry, particularly when it comes to encouraging others to follow in our footsteps towards a more sustainable future.

But Mr Malin has cautioned against putting the bottles in an ice bucket. It will go soggy. You need to use a dry chiller, he said.

The bottles weigh just 83g, compared with 400-500g for conventional glass, making them easier and cheaper to transport.

Research by quality and safety assurance firm Intertek found the carbon footprint of the bottles is 84 per cent less than a glass one because of the lower energy use involved in its manufacture and transport. Its water footprint is also at least four times lower than glass.
Tory MPs criticised the BBC yesterday after it pushed claims that Boris Johnson was electioneering by pledging 300million in aid to Ukraine ahead of local elections.

Layla Moran, the Liberal Democrats foreign affairs spokesman, said: This is the right decision, but the wrong timing.

'Is it possible that Boris Johnson delayed this move to announce it in a difficult election week?

Tory MPs criticised the BBC yesterday after it pushed claims that Boris Johnson was electioneering by pledging 300million in aid to Ukraine ahead of local elections

'If so it would be a deeply cynical thing to do.

The BBCs Radio 4 Today programme repeated the claim during its morning bulletins.

Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith said the BBC was out of touch with the mood of the public.

Its not as though the war has stopped, he said.

He said of the BBC: Its out of touch with the mood of the public who have supported the actions we have taken so far and want us to continue showing global leadership on Ukraine.

Id like them to focus on getting some answers from Keir Starmer over beergate and also why so many of his councils still havent paid people struggling with their energy bills the 150 committed by the government yet.

They should perhaps be asking how he reconciles support for Ukraine and our wider defence strategy when so many on his benches do not support our membership of Nato.

Layla Moran (pictured), the Liberal Democrats foreign affairs spokesman, described the claim, if true, to be 'deeply cynical'

Miss Moran was accused also of engaging in playground politics by Conservatives who said the UK had to continue funding aid to Ukraine.

Tory MP Anthony Browne said: Russia doesnt stop bombing Ukraine because of our local elections, and we shouldnt stop our support for the Ukrainians either.

The Prime Minister is getting on with the job of leading the country during the biggest international crisis of the 21st century while the Lib Dems are just engaging in playground politics.
Off-road enthusiasts are calling for Australia to introduce a new licence for 4WD drivers amid a rise in blokes with kitted up vehicles getting bogged on outdoor adventures.

Tow truck drivers have been making a fortune rescuing Aussies 'with all the gear and no idea' as drivers with 'no skill level' get stuck on beaches, grasslands and muddy bushland surfaces.

Many are unaware of how to safely operate these vehicles on surfaces other than tarmac, before they get stuck or break down hundreds of kilometres from help.

Pat Callinan says licences should be introduced to ensure that drivers have safety based education before they hit off-beaten tracks.

He says motorcycles and heavy vehicles have specialised licences, and calls for one applying to 4WD because off-road terrains have different dynamics than on-road environments.

A number of inexperienced drivers who are buying kitted out 4WD's and other expensive vehicles are getting bogged on beaches and other surfaces

4WD enthusiasts are calling for the recreational activity to require a licence to increase safety and regulation

'For the technical aspects, training and education is key,' he writes on his blog, Pat Callinan's 4X4 Adventures.

'Presently one licence category covers everything from a Kia Piccanto to a 79 Series LandCruiser, to a Porsche 911. They're pretty broad strokes of the brush.

He recommends that Australia introduces an off-road 4WD licence to ensure drivers can safely handle all environments.

'This can satisfactorily ensure that any would-be off-road driver has basic knowledge of vehicle dynamics off road, and hopefully a healthy respect for the environment they are driving in.'

Mr Callinan said permits would also help give 4WD owners a voice because the government would be aware of how many people partake in off-road driving.

Tow truck drivers have been making a fortune rescuing Aussie blokes 'with all the gear and no idea'

Many who have opted to spend their weekends taking their new 4WD's out onto to the beach, desert or grasslands are usually unaware on how to safely operate these vehicles on these surfaces before they get stuck or break down

'Laws are changed to suit motorcyclists, because their numbers are known and accountable and that means political persuasion. Gun owners have a voice, because strict licensing,' he said.

'Amateur fishers get infrastructure built and non-commercial fishing supported, in NSW at least. Why? Licences. Numbers. Accountability.

'A licence might just be the ticket 4X4 owners and off-road enthusiasts need to be able to stand up and be counted.

He said there could be up to 2 million 4WD fanatics who are missing out on policy changes because the Australian Bureau of Statistics does not distinguish between privately owned, road-oriented, and off-road cars.

The call comes as one Queensland company reported 11 rescues of bogged vehicles over the Easter long weekend.

James Stewart, director of Driving Solutions, told Daily Mail Australia that more drivers purchased expensive off-road vehicles to travel around and see Australia during the coronavirus pandemic while international borders were closed.

'There's more people travelling around Australia so the number of bogged vehicles is more visible,' he said.

Queensland towing company Clayton's Towing reported 11 rescues of bogged vehicles over the Easter long weekend on beaches north of Noosa and along Fraser Island. (Pictured: One of the bogged vehicles)

Driving Solutions director James Stewart (pictured) says many new drivers are taking newly purchased 4WD's out onto different terrain for the first time with 'no skill level'

'The cars [4WD's] are more compatible [with off-road terrain] now and it makes drivers more comfortable and overconfident. Eventually conditions are catching people out.'

'They [drivers] then usually give us a call and think, 'Oh s**t, I wish I had done this course'.

Stewart's company runs a specialised 4WD course that helps Aussies develop safer off-road driving skills.

Stewart says he only 'wishes' his business could reach new 4WD drivers before they make their 'first mistake'.

'Four wheel driving is the most dangerous driving,' he continued. 'The tracks are a living organism and forever changing due to the weather conditions.'

'It's important to get an understanding of what your car can do and what the driver can do.'

Andrew Boyd from Toyota Land Cruiser Club of Australia believes many Aussies are buying 4WD's without being properly informed by dealers on how to safely operate them.

Many who have opted to spend their weekends taking their new 4WD's out onto different terrain are usually unaware on how to safely operate these vehicles on new surfaces before they get stuck or break down

James (pictured) heads Driving Solutions which offers event and drive team services along with extensive driving training courses in Sydney. One of the main training courses at Driving Solutions is 4WD driving training

'They [buyers] take them out of the showrooms. The dealers would not tell these people the different buttons to press,' Boyd said.

'They then take them out to the beaches and get into all sorts of trouble.'

Boyd recalled a time he had just purchased a new 4WD when he was in his 20s and took it out to a beach for the first time.

He soon found himself bogged in the sand but was fortunately helped by a driver passing by who informed Boyd that his tyre pressure was the reason he was stuck.

'Someone drove up to me and told me,' Have you let your tyres down?'' Boyd recounted.

'When I got home my brother told me to join this club. It taught me how to drive these vehicles,' he added.

David Wilson from Adventure 4WD agreed with the point that there are now more drivers than ever off road after the pandemic - hence a higher number of incidents.

David Wilson from Adventure 4WD explained that crashing down or getting bogged while driving on new terrain can be an 'expensive exercise' and driver training can help mitigate the chances of a breakdown occurring

A 24-year-old man became stuck in the black soil on Tuesday night after his 4WD veered off road near the outback town of Aramac. The man, who was not from the area, ended up walking nine hours in the pitch black along Torrens Creek Road

A group of travellers have been slammed for driving their Maseratis worth upwards of $150,000 onto a popular beach - only for the luxury cars to get bogged in the sand dunes

'Post-Covid theres been a massive spike in interest in Aussies wanting to travel around the country and plenty have bought new or second-hand vehicles to do just that,' he said.

Wilson explained that crashing down or getting bogged while driving on new terrain can be an 'expensive exercise' and driver training can help mitigate the chances of a breakdown occurring.

'Budding travellers can reference plenty of sites that are helpful to offer pointers to vehicle operation and management. Thats good and so too experience sourced from a practical course, the sort of thing we do here at Adventure 4WD.'

It comes as another driver earlier this week walked for nine hours for help after their 4WD became bogged in black soil in outback Queensland.

A 24-year-old man became stuck in the black soil on Tuesday night after his vehicle veered off road near the outback town of Aramac, according to the ABC.

The man, who was not from the area, ended up walking nine hours in the pitch black along Torrens Creek Road to find help and was eventually found by a local resident who contacted police on Wednesday.

The conditions in the area had recently changed from dry to soft and muddy due to heavy rainfall.

Police reported that the man had been located about 30 kilometres from his vehicle and was 'travelling from Townsville' without 'any knowledge of the area itself'.
Students at a DC elementary school were given an 'anti-racism' presentation that asked them to identify any racists in their family.

A November 30 letter from DC's Janney Elementary School Principal Danielle Singh asked parents of Pre-K through third grade students to follow up on an 'Anti-Racism Fight Club' presentation by speaker Doylin Richards.

Richards is a motivational speaker, author and self-proclaimed 'anti-racism facilitator' who leads workshops on the topic.

Singh told parents to look through Richards' 'Anti-Racism Fight Club fist book for kids' to continue the conversation about race with the students at home.

'Today students in grades pre-k through third grade participated in the Anti-Racism Fight Club presentation with Doyin Richards,' Singh wrote. 'As part of this work, each student has a fist book to help continue the dialogue at school and home.'

The principal added that the discussion about race may cause different 'emotions' but that this was just the beginning of the dialogue.

The 'Anti-Racism Fight Club fist book for kids' (pictured) by Doylin Richards

Last November Pre-K through third grade students at Janney Elementary School had an Anti-Racism Fight Club' presentation by speaker Doylin Richards

Doylin Richards (pictured) is a motivational speaker, author and self-proclaimed 'anti-racism facilitator' who leads workshops on the topic

'We recognize that any time we engage topics such as race and equity, we may experience a variety of emotions,' Singh added.

'This is a normal part of the learning and growing process. As a school community we want to continue the dialogue with our students and understand this is just the beginning.'

The hand book, called a 'fist book' because it is part of a so-called 'fight club', is meant as a 'helpful tool as you travel down the road to being an anti-racist' and features different sections that teach students how to distinguish between prejudice and racism.

Principal Danielle Singh (pictured) told parents to read the 'Anti-Racism Fight Club fist book for kids' to continue the conversation about race with the students at home

According to the 'fist book', white people can also experience racial prejudice from people of other races but 'the difference is that white people are a part of a society that benefits them in almost every instance'

The fist book adds that white privilege is not white people's fault unless they refuse to acknowledge it

According to the 'fist book', white people can also experience racial prejudice from people of other races but 'the difference is that white people are a part of a society that benefits them in almost every instance.'

It explains that 'on average white people have more money, better healthcare, better schools, and better neighborhoods than Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). So if a Black person says something mean to a white person, he has no power over him. It's as if white people walk around with an invisible force field because they hold all of the power in America.'

The fist book adds that white privilege is not white people's fault unless they refuse to acknowledge it.

'If you are a white person, white privilege is something you were born with and it simply means that your life is not more difficult due to the color of your skin,' the book says. 'Put differently, it's not your fault for having white privilege, but it is your fault if you choose to ignore it.'

The book also features a section that helps kids deal with racist family members, telling students that 'just because someone is older than you doesn't mean that they're right all of the time.'

'If someone doesn't believe that people should be treated equally based on the color of their skin, then they are the problem,' the fist book states. 'Parents need to stop making excuses for that behavior if they truly believe in anti-racism.'

Following the November presentation, school officials sent parents a link directing them to Richards' original 'Anti-Racism Fight Club Fistbook' meant for adults that has some more intense language about racism.

'As we sit here today, it is still woven into the fabric of our homes, communities, schools, government, economic system, healthcare, and so much more. As a matter of fact, it would be difficult to find one facet of our society where racism does not exist,' the adult version of the book says. 'White supremacy isn't the shark, it's the ocean.'

DC Public Schools told Fox News in a statement that Richards' 'Fist book' for adults was not shared with students, but linked to parents if they wanted to read it.

'DC Public Schools provides joyful and rigorous academic experiences for our students and is committed to advancing educational equity,' the district said. 'In December, a resource link with this content was shared in a parent newsletter at one of our schools. It is not part of our DCPS curriculum and was not shared with students,' the district said.
A fake priest who bluffed his way into an army barracks had earlier pretended to be a friend of Prince Harry in an attempt to get a free pub meal, it emerged last night.

The Coldstream Guards launched two inquiries after the man bluffed his way into Victoria Barracks near Windsor Castle and stayed the night, sparking security concerns just weeks before the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The man, who was wearing a vicar's dog collar and had an American accent, claimed to guards on duty that he had a meeting with a military chaplain. They let him inside the barracks where he told stories that prompted suspicion about his identity.

However he was invited to stay the night and was given a meal and drinks in the officers' mess. He was escorted from the base the next morning after Thames Valley Police officers were contacted.

A pub landlord had earlier turned the intruder away when he tried to claim a free meal by saying he was a friend of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The landlord of the Prince Harry pub in Windsor told the Daily Telegraph that the fake priest had been in the town for several days before last week's security breach at the barracks.

The landlord of the Prince Harry pub in Windsor said that the fake priest had been in the town for several days before last week's security breach at the barracks

The Coldstream Guards launched two inquiries after the man bluffed his way into Victoria Barracks near Windsor Castle and stayed the night, sparking security concerns just weeks before the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations

'He came in here on Monday morning at around 11.30am, saying he was a priest and had a collar on. He had two cups of tea and fish and chips,' the landlord said.

'He said 'Prince Harry is a friend of mine and when I was here last year in 2021, I had to go back to the States to sort stuff out, and Prince Harry and Princess Markle said whenever I was in Windsor, I could come into the Prince Harry pub and have lunch and they'll sort it out'.

A pub landlord had turned the intruder away when he tried to claim a free meal by saying he was a friend of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex

'Needless to say I just said 'No'. I knew it was a con, so I wasn't that interested. And when I saw the news earlier, I just started laughing. I think he was just out to see what he could get.'

A restaurant owner confirmed he had also served the man before the security alert.

George Ghanem, the manager of Maison Meejana in Windsor, said: 'He had an American accent and came to eat here twice last week. I had a long conversation with him and he said he worked at the next-door church, but I'd never seen him before.

'The first time, I gave him coffee on the house. He wasn't wearing any robes. He had a black suit, black jumper and he had his collar on. He seemed a very respectable guy. We did not think there was anything wrong with him at all.

'He was so tired, he fell asleep on the bar at 1pm. He looked fit, slim  a presentable guy with black hair,' Mr Ghanem said.

It is understood that despite the man's American accent, he was known to local police.
Senior MPs have called for an inquiry into whether France lied about the existence of a 'kill switch' in missiles that led to the deaths of 46 British sailors in the Falklands War.

French-made Exocet guided missiles allegedly contained technology to disarm them  but French president Francois Mitterrand denied any such feature existed. Three Royal Navy ships were hit by Argentina using Exocets during the war.

Two ships, the HMS Sheffield and the merchant vessel Atlantic Conveyor, sank.

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the HMS Sheffield attack, which caused the first British fatalities of the conflict.

Smoke billows from HMS Sheffield after it was struck by an Argentinian Exocet missile in 1982 during the Falklands War

Senior MPs have now called for an inquiry into what the French government did or did not share with then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her Cabinet  and whether the missiles could have been remotely deactivated.

Tobias Ellwood, chairman of Parliament's defence select committee, said the issue 'warrants further investigation' while former defence secretary Liam Fox said France should be 'open and honest' about what happened in the 1982 war.

British officials appealed to its longterm military ally for information about how the Exocet missiles worked and whether they could be disabled as a Royal Navy task force sailed to retake the islands from Argentina.

Experts in the UK thought that the missiles contained a kill switch partly through examining earlier versions bought by the Army.

The maker of the weapons, French company Aerospatiale, denied the kill switches existed.

Mr Ellwood said: 'We don't know the wider decision-making that surrounded this. Indeed, those responsible might not even be alive today.

'As we look to future battles we must learn from past events, and that includes how we work with allies and how we share critical intelligence.

'It certainly would have been game-changing had France chosen to share this characteristic of the Exocet.'

Maggie's 'iron finger on the button': Margaret Thatcher threatened to NUKE Argentina unless President Mitterrand provided 'kill switch' codes to disable French-made Exocet missiles after one sank HMS Sheffield in Falklands - as MPs demand inquiry

Twenty sailors were killed when HMS Sheffield was hit by an Exocet missile on May 4, 1982

Margaret Thatcher is said to have demanded information from Francois Mitterrand that could disable missiles

Claim was made in a 2005 book by psychoanalyst Ali Magoudi, who met regularly with the French leader

By Harry Howard, History Correspondent for MailOnline

A claim that Margaret Thatcher threatened to launch a nuclear attack on Buenos Aires unless France handed over information to disable Argentina's Exocet missiles in the Falklands War has resurfaced on the 40th anniversary of the sinking of HMS Sheffield.

The Royal Navy ship sank six days after being hit by one of the French-made guided missiles on May 4, 1982, leading to the deaths of 20 crew members. A further 26 servicemen suffered injuries, including burns.

The attack was the first British loss of life in the Falklands War, which took place after Argentine forces invaded the Falklands Islands, on the orders of dictatorial leader General Leopoldo Galtieri.

According to a 2005 book by psychoanalyst Ali Magoudi, who met regularly with the French leader from 1982 to 1984, France's then president Francois Mitterrand was approached by Britain's Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher for information that could disable the missiles.

Mrs Thatcher was then said to have threatened to fire a nuclear warhead at Argentina's capital unless the information was handed over. Magoudi's claim was reported again by The Telegraph today.

It comes after senior MPs last night called for an inquiry into whether France lied about the existence of a 'kill switch' in the Exocet missiles used by Argentina. In total, the weapons hit three Royal Navy ships, killing 46 sailors.

The missiles allegedly contained technology to disarm them, but Mitterrand denied the feature existed.

It is not clear how the technology worked, but it is known that arms manufacturers sometimes secretly built disabling 'switches' into weapons so they could be prevented from doing damage if they fell into the hands of a hostile state.

Today, a memorial paying tribute to the sailors killed in the attack on HMS Sheffield is to be unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

A claim that Margaret Thatcher threatened to launch a nuclear attack on Buenos Aires unless France handed over information to disable Argentina's Exocet missiles in the Falklands War has resurfaced on the 40th anniversary of the sinking of HMS Sheffield (pictured after being hit by an Exocet missile)

The sinking of the Sheffield was revenge for Britain's attack on the Argentine cruiser the General Belgrano two days earlier, which killed 323 sailors.

According to Magoudi's book, which is titled RendezVous - the pschyoanalysis of Francois Mitterrand, Mrs Thatcher demanded to her French counterpart that he hand over codes that could disable the Exocet missiles.

Mitterrand is quoted as saying: 'Happily, I gave in. Otherwise, I assure you, that lady's iron finger would have pushed the button.'

Mrs Thatcher was said to be 'furious' that France had sold its advanced weapons to the Argentinian regime.

They became the Royal Navy's most feared threat and were also used to sink the supply ship the Atlantic Conveyor, killing a further 12 sailors.

Another 14 sailors died when the HMS Glamorgan was struck. The ship was repaired and remained in service until 1984.

Magoudi, who was one of Mitterrand's closest confidantes, said that, having allegedly agreed to the information request, the French president was then determined to get his revenge on 'those English upstarts'.

The Royal Navy ship sank after being hit by one of the French-made guided missiles on May 4, 1982, leading to the deaths of 20 crew members. A further 26 servicemen were suffered injuries, including burns. Above: Argentine forces arming a jet with an Exocet during the Falklands War

According to a 2005 book by psychoanalyst Ali Magoudi, who met regularly with the French leader from 1982 to 1984, Mrs Thatcher said to have threatened to fire a nuclear warhead at Argentina's capital unless information about the Exocets was handed over

'I will destroy their beloved island by linking it with Europe,' he is alleged to have said.

'Despite their inbred desire for isolation, I will make Britain join Europe by building a tunnel under the Channel.'

France did eventually pass information on the Exocet to Britain in 1982 which helped the navy to defend itself against further attack in the Falklands War.

However, last night MPs called for an inquiry into what the French government did or did not share with Mrs Thatcher, and whether or not the missiles could have been remotely deactivated.

Tobias Ellwood, who is chairman of Parliament's defence select committee, said the issue needs 'further investigation'.

Former Defence Secretary Liam Fox added that France should be 'open and honest' about what happened.

During the Falklands War, Royal Navy ships carrying WE.177 nuclear bombs were assigned to the task force that sailed to the islands to fight Argentine forces. It remains unclear if they were on board vessels when they engaged in action around the Falklands

Eight survivors from HMS Sheffield are seen at a ceremony outside Sheffield Cathedral in the year after the attack

Prince Charles is seen speaking to survivor John Strange, of Gosport, who was severely burned when HMS Sheffield was hit by an Exocet missile in the Falklands conflict

The burnt wreckage of HMS Sheffield is seen shortly before it sank while being towed back to shore in the days following the attack

Casualties from HMS Sheffield are seen shortly after landing with rescuers via helicopter on aircraft carrier HMS Hermes

A survivor from the Exocet missile attack on HMS Sheffield is aided by men wearing anti-flash hoods on board HMS Hermes after being lifted to the ship by helicopter

Experts in the UK believed the missiles contained a kill switch partly through examining earlier versions that had been bought by the Army.

French company Aerospatiale, which made the weapons, insisted that kill switches did not exist.

Mr Ellwood said: 'We don't know the wider decision-making that surrounded this. Indeed, those responsible might not even be alive today.

'As we look to future battles we must learn from past events, and that includes how we work with allies and how we share critical intelligence.

'It certainly would have been game-changing had France chosen to share this characteristic of the Exocet.'

The HMS Sheffield was the first British warship to have been lost since the Second World War.

The ship was hit on its starboard side, ripping a hole 15ft long and 4ft high  and instantly killing eight cooks and setting it on fire, which lasted for two days.

Twelve crew members were thought to be killed by fumes and several were seriously burned.

Six days after it was attacked, the ship sank while being towed back to the shore.

Speaking on the BBC today, survivor Andy Stevenson spoke of the moment the Sheffield was hit.

'If you imagine a missile you are expecting a bang. No bang at all. It was like a massive blast of air that blew me out my bunk,' he said.

During the Falklands War, Royal Navy ships carrying WE.177 nuclear bombs were assigned to the task force that sailed to the islands to fight Argentine forces.

In 2003, the Government admitted that British ships were carrying nuclear weapons, but insisted there was never any intention to use them in the conflict.
A toddler is in critical condition after suffering a savage mauling by a coyote while playing on the front porch, Dallas police said.

The attack occurred about 8.30am on Tuesday morning just north of White Rock Lake in Dallas as the child played in what was thought to be the safe environs of the family home.

A police officer on the scene took shots at the vicious creature in a nearby park, causing it to flee into woods. Police were unsure whether they wounded the animal.

A hunt is now on for the coyote with Texas Game Wardens taking part. Police warned residents should be considered extremely dangerous.

The child was rushed to a nearby hospital with serious injuries and remains in critical condition.

A photo of the actual coyote that attacked the two-year-old child in Dallas. Police shot at it and are unsure if it is injured. A hunt is now on for the creatures which police warned residents should be considered extremely dangerous

File photo of White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas. The attack occurred about 8.30am on Tuesday morning just north of White Rock Lake as the child played in what was thought to be the safe environs of the family home

The attack came less than a week after a coyote attacked a 2-year-old girl on Southern California's Huntington Beach, biting her on the face in a savage and shocking attack.

The wild animal pounced on the little girl while she was with her mom and sibling near the pier at Huntington Beach, California at 9.45pm.

The girl, thought to be aged two or three, was taken to hospital by ambulance to deal with her serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Authorities shot two coyotes on the beach which both ran off. Officers think one of the two was responsible for the attack and both are now dead.

State wildlife experts said the coyote evidently had been fed by neighborhood residents, whether intentionally or not.

Otherwise, the coyote would have shied away from human contact, said state urban wildlife biologist Sam Kieschnick.

Such attacks 'are not just rare, they are exceedingly rare,' he said.

A youngster was viciously attacked by a coyote at Huntington Beach in California. The animal can be seen prowling in the far left of the frame

The coyote jumped up and pounced on the youngster knocking her over onto the sand

The incident occurred when a mother took her two children to the ocean to paddle. She did not notice what was happening to one of her kids just feet away

The lack of fear of humans can be disastrous for the coyote, said Robert M. Timm, a retired wildlife biologist who has long studied the history of human contact with coyotes.

A report Timm co-authored for the journal Human-Wildlife Interactions cited a 2009 study that tabulated 142 reported coyote attacks on humans in the United States and Canada over almost a half-century from 1960 to 2006.

A 2011 study recorded 26 coyote attacks on humans in Canada between 1995-2010.

'This is a difficult problem to manage, given the diversity of public attitudes toward coyotes, especially in suburban areas,' he said in an email to The Associated Press.

'It quickly becomes a political nightmare for cities, counties, and public agencies, as many people oppose any lethal control of wildlife, which at times is the only solution when some individual coyotes become habituated to living in suburbia to the extent that they attack pets and humans.'
It was given the stamp of approval by art and history experts  and has now fetched a world record 15.5million at auction.

A 4in-high Chinese seal  used to stamp paintings as a sign of the emperors approval  reached three times the expected price in Hong Kong.

The 18th century soapstone seal, which was carved to depict a lion-like mythical beast, features a Chinese inscription saying Treasure admired by his Majesty the Qianlong Emperor.

Seals formed an important part of the stationery at the Qing palace in imperial China.

A stamp that would give a Chinese emperor's seal of approval (pictured) sold for a world record 15.5million at auction in Hong Kong

The seal face is carved with a six-character inscription that translates to 'Treasure admired by his Majesty the Qianlong Emperor'

The soapstone seal was part of an art collection amassed by London-based former Chinese diplomat Dr Wou Kiuan, who died in 1997.

It had been lost during the political turmoil in China early last century and made its way to Europe.

The seal had been expected to make 5million but sold for three times that amount, setting a world record for a seal in Asia.

Seals were used to secure letters and other documents in wax in the West but in China they took the place of signatures or signs of approval.

They printed an impression using paste or ink. Nicolas Chow, of auctioneer Sothebys, said when he first saw the soapstone seal in the Wou collection it was like an electric shock.

He added: I had seen the ghost of that seal so many times on so many of the most important paintings in the world.

It was a privilege to find a new home for this exceptionally important historical object.

The buyer was not named, but the price of art from China has rocketed in the past 15 years as the newly-rich Chinese buy back their lost heritage.
It was hardly the most difficult question to answer. Sir Keir Starmer hadn't been asked to explain the theory of relativity, quantum mechanics or, dare we say it, even what a woman is  one we know he struggles with.

BBC Radio had simply invited him to reveal whether Durham Constabulary had contacted his office over Beergate. Yes or no?

Instead of candour, Labour's leader squirmed like a speared eel.

Ten times he refused to set the record straight about the police. He pretended accusations of lockdown breaches were just Tory mud-throwing.

'Dripping with sanctimony, Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) insists Boris Johnson come clean about No10's alleged rule-breaking'

Each time he repeated his stock 'nothing-to-see-here' response, he looked guiltier and guiltier.

Dripping with sanctimony, Sir Keir insists Boris Johnson come clean about No10's alleged rule-breaking.

But when will he tell the truth about the Durham beer and curry event he enjoyed with Labour campaigners which possibly broke Covid restrictions?

Thanks to the Mail, the public now knows Sir Keir, from his supposed moral high ground, has been dissembling furiously.

His office initially denied deputy leader Angela Rayner was at the bash. That was a lie. He said he ordered takeaway because food wasn't available at his hotel. That was a lie too.

How many people were there? What work did they do once they'd drained their beer after 10pm? He won't say.

Sir Keir insists there is 'no comparison' to Mr Johnson's fine for receiving a birthday cake between meetings. The evidence suggests otherwise.

So it's indefensible Durham police hasn't reopened its investigation.

As things stand, the PM is being held to a far harsher legal standard. Of course, we understand Sir Keir's evasion.

Being caught red-handed is not a good look for a QC, the Leader of the Opposition or an aspirant prime minister. But this scandal won't go away.

He demanded the strictest interpretation of the rules for Mr Johnson. Now the boot is on the other foot, treating him any differently would be brass-necked hypocrisy

Ugly face of socialism

Sir Keir served in the shadow cabinet of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

Sir Keir would love voters to forget he fought tooth and nail to get Jeremy Corbyn's Marxists into No10.

But while latterly painting himself as a moderate, his mask slipped yesterday, revealing the ugly face of socialism.

If he wins power, he will launch a crude tax raid on the middle class. Stocks, shares and dividends are in his crosshairs.

This would hammer pensioners, small businesses, savers and the self-employed, as well as wealth creators who would simply take their talents  and taxes  elsewhere.

Until Sir Keir understands this basic economic reality, he should not be allowed anywhere near the nation's finances.

How low can BBC go?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressing the Ukraine Parliament

Despite Remain fanatics claiming post-Brexit Britain would turn its back on Europe, we have been at the vanguard of sending lethal military aid to Ukraine.

And addressing the country's parliament yesterday, Mr Johnson promised another 300million of defence support.

Praiseworthy? Not to the Boris-hating BBC, which seized on claims by a little-known Lib Dem that this was nothing more than a cynical pre-election ploy.

Putin is bombing Ukraine to smithereens. Do they suggest the PM should have delayed the vital shipment until polls close?
A former Nigerian government official has admitted stealing the identities of 20,000 Americans to claim $2million in disaster relief including $350,000 in Covid benefits.

Abidemi Rufai, 45, pleaded guilty in US District Court in Tacoma to stealing Social Security numbers and other personal data from residents of Washington state to pocket around $600,000.

At the time, Rufai was working as a special assistant to the governor of Nigeria's Ogun state before his May 2021 arrest at New York's Kennedy airport when he was due to fly home to Nigeria.

Abidemi Rufai has admitted stealing the identities of 20,000 Americans to claim $2million in disaster relief and $350,000 in Covid benefits

The main target was the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) who paid out $350,763 in fraudulent pandemic claims to accounts controlled by Rufai.

The fraudster also pleaded guilty to stealing benefits from at least 17 other states in previous schemes and took $250,000 from federal programs.

Since 2017, he had obtained identifying information for more than 20,000 Americans, submitted $2million in claims for disaster relief and other federal benefits, and received more than $600,000, prosecutors said.

He tried to receive more than $1.7million in IRS tax refunds by submitting 675 false claims, from which he received $90,877.

Rufai employed a feature of Gmail, Google's free email service, that let him use a single email account, altered by the addition of periods to the address, to file multiple unemployment claims.

Gmail does not recognize periods, meaning any emails sent to the 'dot variant addresses' are routed to the original address.

Rufai exploited this by using the altered email addresses to create multiple accounts in the system Washington uses to authenticate online users.

He then filed for the benefits using real identities of Washington residents, with any emails sent by the ESD on behalf of the claimants all routed into his inbox.

The fraudster exploited a loophole through Google's Gmail service which allowed him to register multiple email addresses linked to one account

Rufai was working as a special assistant to the governor of Nigeria's Ogun state before his May 2021 arrest

How fraudster claimed $2million in public aid funds Rufai tried to steal $2million from US public aid funds and was paid out $600,000, which he has now been ordered to repay. He used a loophole in Gmail to register multiple email addresses linked to one account. Among his successful claims, he received: $350,763 in fraudulent pandemic unemployment claims from the Washington State Employment Security Department

$10,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Covid loans from the Small Business Administration from 19 applications

$90,877 in IRS tax refunds from 675 false claims which totaled $1.7 million

$6,500 in disaster relief connected to Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma from 49 false claims totaling $24,500 Advertisement

Rufai could have faced up to 32 years in prison for wire fraud related to a presidentially declared disaster and aggravated identity theft.

Prosecutors agreed to recommend less than six years, Seattle U.S. Attorney Nick Brown said in a news release.

Rufai also agreed to pay restitution to the agencies he defrauded, though his ability to do that remained unclear.

US Attorney's Office spokesperson Emily Langlie said in an email Wednesday: 'He has agreed to disclose all of his assets and to cooperate in US government efforts to recover on those assets.

'At this point we don't know what kind of recovery will result.'

The case against him helped illustrate how the ESD had succumbed to widespread fraud - paying out some $650million in bogus claims before recovering about $380million - as it tried to distribute benefits designed to help people financially weather the pandemic.

The rest of the $270million is believed to have been transferred abroad before the funds could be frozen.

Rufai's arrest in 2021 came a year after ESD officials announced the fraud which was the biggest in the history of the state.

They said at the time they would temporarily suspend unemployment benefits.

This led to huge delays in payments to thousands of Washington residents who had lost their jobs in the early days of the pandemic.

The ESD has only charged a handful of suspects so far, including Nigerian engineer Chukwuemeka Onyegbula who allegedly stole $290,000 in benefits.

Former ESD employee Reyes De La Cruz III has been charged with stealing at least $360,000 in jobless benefits.

Bryan Alan Sparks, 40, and Autumn Gail Luna, 22, from Seattle were charged with stealing at least $500,000 in jobless benefits from ESD and $520,000 in Small Business Administration loans.
Labor has come under fire for spruiking its electric vehicle policy with an advertisement featuring a $200,000 Mercedes that won't be released until 2024.

The ad shared on social media shows a picture of the Mercedes Vision EQXX which can travel more than 1,000km on a single charge.

In a Twitter post alongside the advert, Labor mocked Scott Morrison's 2019 scare campaign that Labor's policies to reduce car emissions would 'end the weekend'.

Labor has spruiked its electric vehicle policy with an advert featuring a $200,000 Mercedes that won't be released until 2024

The car (pictured on the Mercedes website) is estimated to cost $200,000

'Scott Morrison might have scared Australia by claiming that EV's will ''End the weekend'', but under an @AlboMP Labor Govt 'range anxiety' will be a thing of the past,' it said.

'With 117 fast charging stations on highways across Australia, you'll be able to fuel your weekend, & help save the planet.'

However, the car used in the advert is not due on sale until 2024 and motoring experts estimate it will cost about $200,000 - a price far too expensive for the vast majority of Labor's supporters.

A major criticism of electric cars is that they start at about $50,000 - although the price will come down over time.

Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes said: 'Labor want Australian families to buy electric cars that won't be released until 2024 and at a price that is out of reach for most Australians, just to promote their ill-thought-out policy.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Labor for comment.

Former Labor leader Bill Shorten also faced criticism for his electric car policies - and was slammed for saying the vehicles take 8-10 minutes to charge.

In a KIIS FM radio interview in 2019, he said: 'Oh, it can take, umm... it depends on what your original charge is, but it can take, err, 8 to 10 minutes depend on your charge, it can take longer.'

It actually takes at least half an hour.

Shadow Minister for Climate Change Chris Bowen, Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese and Shadow Minister for Industry Ed Husic (left to right) with an electric vehicle at a car dealership in Sydney in March

Earlier this week Mr Albanese announced Labor will build a national electric vehicle charging network under a $500million 'driving the nation' fund.

Charge stations will be located 150km apart on major roads and the NRMA has offered to chip in $39million to help build them.

'That means you'll be able to drive an electric vehicle across the country - Adelaide to Perth, Brisbane to Mount Isa,' Mr Albanese said on Sunday.

'Imagine a future where you don't have to worry about petrol bills. We can get there, but we need government to build the foundation for it.'

Labor will also spend $80million on 16 hydrogen refuelling stations along the busiest freight routes.

Labor's $500million commitment is double the Coalition's $250million Future Fuels Fund which provides grants for electric vehicle infrastructure.
The Prime Minister of Solomon Islands has called Australia's use of the term 'backyard' to describe Pacific nations as offensive.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said on Tuesday that Australia calling Solomon Islands its 'backyard' was insulting because 'it is where rubbish is collected and burnt. It is where we relieve ourselves.'

The term was used by Australia's Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews on March 24 when news broke about leaked documents suggesting the island nation had reached a new security alliance with China.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has said Australia's use of the term 'backyard' to describe the nation's location is offensive

'That is our backyard, this is our neighbourhood, and we are very concerned of any activity that is taking place in the Pacific Islands,' Ms Andrews said.

But Mr Sogavare has not taken aim at her use of the term, responding over a month later in the Solomons Island parliament on Tuesday.

'[The backyard] is where rubbish is collected and burnt. It is an area which supports the daily wellbeing of the residents of the house, he told assembled members.

'It is the area of the house where we relieved ourselves. I call on those people who brand us as their backyard to stop calling us that name and start to respect us as a sovereign independent nation with one equal vote in the United Nations.'

On March 24 Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews referred to Solomon Islands as 'our backyard' when discussing the first leaked document of a security deal between the islands and China

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Andrews for comment on Mr Sogavare's remarks.

Tensions have been high between Australia and Solomon Islands since the island nation signed a security deal with China.

Australia has voiced concern since the agreement commenced that it will result in China building a military base in the Pacific, this time less than 2,000km from Australia's east coast.

On ANZAC Day Defence Minister Peter Dutton said China would be crossing a 'red line' by building a military base in the region and told Australians to prepare for war.

The recent security deal between China and Solomon Islands has caused strain in Solomon Islands' relationship with Australia

'The only way you can preserve peace is to prepare for war, and be strong as a country. Not to cower, not to be on bended knee and be weak. That's the reality,' Mr Dutton told Nine.

'The Chinese, through their actions, through their words, are on a very deliberate course at the moment, and we have to stand up with countries to stare down any act of aggression ... to make sure we can keep peace in our region and for our country.'

Both Solomon Islands and Chinese governments have denied plans for a base to be built.

China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a news briefing on Monday that 'the so-called Chinese military base in Solomon Islands is completely fabricated with disinformation by a few people with ulterior motives'.

Instead the two nations say the agreement is designed to ensure China can send police and military to the region 'to assist in maintaining social order'.

Australia has long been Solomon Islands' main development partner and sent the country over $161.7million between 2019 to 2020 alone.
International travel is slowly ramping up in Australia but new research shows a majority of Australians will be influenced by a country's 'Covid record' when choosing a destination.

The survey conducted through YouGov of more than 1,000 Australians found that 92 per cent were wanting to travel overseas in the next two years.

But a huge 89 per cent also said how a country fared during the Covid crisis would impact their decision to travel there.

In addition, three-quarters of Australians are more concerned about health and safety while travelling compared to before the pandemic, the research by Southern Cross Travel Insurance found.

International travel is slowly ramping up again after Covid but the pandemic will likely affect holidaymakers choices about where to go according to new research (pictured: Perth)

The insurance firm's chief executive Jo McCauley said while Covid's effect on travel decisions was expected, the data revealed just how high a proportion of people were concerned.

'It's no surprise that people are more cautious about travel but what is interesting to see is the extent that these concerns are having an effect,' she said.

'Covid has impacted the way we approach travel, including our method of planning our holidays. It has made us more aware now, than ever, of the things that could potentially go wrong.'

Below Daily Mail Australia takes a closer look at how some popular holiday spots fared during the Covid pandemic.

Fiji

Fully-vaccinated travellers can visit Fiji without prior approval and must-show a negative RAT test from the past day.

The wearing of masks and social distancing requirements have also been scrapped.

The country's isolation, proximity to Australia and and low Covid case numbers throughout the pandemic will likely make it a popular destination for holidaymakers.

Virgin Australia is offering flights to Nadi from under $500 while Jetstar has them from under $300 - though both airlines won't ramp up regular flights for at least a couple of months.

Fiji (pictured) had low case numbers throughout 2020 and 2021 and its remote location could make it a popular holiday spot

United Arab Emirates

The UAE is among the most Covid-vaccinated countries in the world with every person having had at least one vaccine dose, according to the Financial Times.

Visitors no longer need a Covid test to travel to the UAE - vaccinated or not - and direct flights on Emirates or Etihad from Australia can be found for under $2,000 return.

The Australian Smart Traveller website warns that while drone and missile strikes can occur in the country due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East, large cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi are considered safe.

The cities' impressive skylines, shopping and hotels have made them a popular choice for Australian tourists in recent years.

Dubai (pictured) has grown in popularity for tourists in recent years. The UAE has direct flights from Australia and the country is considered safe due to very high vaccination rates

Italy

One of Europe's most popular holiday spots thanks to its rich culture and historic landmarks, Italy was the earliest European country to be significantly hit with Covid,

The first cases were detected in January, a state of emergency was declared by the end of that month, and the country entered lockdown on March 8 for more than 60million residents.

At the height of the pandemic Italy had the highest case numbers in the world and in 2020 recorded the highest death toll since 1945 when the country was fighting World War II on its soil.

The country is still experiencing high case numbers with a 7-day average of about 51,000 but 85.2 per cent of the population have had at least one vaccine dose.

China

China was the fifth most travelled to destination for Australians in 2019 with 608,000 Aussies hopping a plane, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

But with the country's extreme 'dynamic zero Covid' policy still in place, mass testing requirements and lockdowns can quickly occur and dissuade travellers from travelling there.

Political tensions between China and Australia have also grown since 2020 after Australia demanded an inquiry into the origins of the Covid pandemic, sparking a series of trade sanctions on items such as coal and wine in response.

'Direct flights between China and Australia are limited. China has suspended all visas on arrival, including transit visas,' the Smart Traveller website advises.

'You may be permitted to enter China if you're a foreign national holding a valid residence permit for work, personal matters or reunion.'

China (pictured) has a 'dynamic Covid-zero' policy which could see large-scale restrictions imposed at short notice

SURVEY ON POST-COVID AUSTRALIAN TRAVEL ATTITUDES 92 per cent of Australians are planning to travel within Australia or overseas over the next two years 75 per cent of Australians who plan to travel in the next two years will be more concerned about health and safety when travelling now, compared to before the pandemic 89 per cent of Australian travellers claim a destination's Covid-19 record will impact their decision to travel there 80 per cent of Australian travellers now consider travel insurance a high priority for international travel and 65 per cent now consider domestic travel insurance a high priority 36 per cent of 18-24-year-olds do not consider travel insurance a high priority for international travel Source: YouGov and Southern Cross Travel Insurance. Advertisement

India

After the UK, India had the longest visits on average by Australians at 23 days, according to the ABS.

While more than 426,000 Aussies visited in 2019 that number could drop significantly after the country was slammed by the Covid Delta wave.

The most highly infectious and dangerous variant seen had grown in the 'petri dish' of central Indian city Amravati's underfunded healthcare network, according to Bloomberg.

Indian authorities have also been criticised for not halting the spread earlier and allowing the variant to become the most dominant Covid strain on the planet in 2021.

'The charitable view is they didn't want to sound the alarm without having more conclusive evidence,' Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy told the publication.

While many Australians have family in India, tourists visiting the Taj Mahal in Agra or the Red Fort in New Delhi might think twice before booking a ticket.

Brazil

The beaches of Rio De Janeiro were a popular spot for holidaymakers pre-Covid but travel could be affected after the country's disastrous handling of the outbreak.

President Bolsonaro was infamously skeptical of the virus frequently speaking out against lockdowns and masks, and told Brazilians to 'stop whining' about Covid.

More than 600,000 of the country's residents have died with the virus so far.

Rio De Janeiro (pictured) is a popular destination but Brazil's disastrous handling of the Covid pandemic might affect it as a choice for travellers

Brazil is currently listed at 'reconsider your need for travel' by Smart Traveller.

'At Level 3, the Covid risk to you may be higher than at Level 2 destinations and Authorities may implement measures to manage outbreaks which may affect your ability to move freely, including in and out of the country,' the website advises.

'Be prepared for an extended stay or disruptions to international travel, including return travel to Australia. The ability to provide consular services may be limited.'

There were emotional reunions at Auckland Airport in April as New Zealand reopened the borders for quarantine-free travel for Australian citizens and returning Kiwis

New Zealand

The land of the long white cloud was the number one tourist destination for Australians in 2019 and will likely regain that crown when international travel ramps up.

The country's closeness to Australia and abundance of cheap flights make travel easy.

On top of this, Covid restrictions across the Tasman are finally being lifted allowing open travel after Jacinda Ardern abandoned her Covid-zero approach.

Smart Traveller advises case rates are similar to Australia but travellers are warned that a full course of a valid Covid vaccine is needed to get through the airport.
Some of the most high-profile liberal figures have joined together to encourage advertisers to boycott Twitter if Elon Musk brings in his promised policy of unfettered 'free speech.'

Twenty six NGOs and advocacy groups signed a letter expressing concern about the world's richest man's plan.

Musk himself responded to the letter asking who funded them: the answer being an assortment of 'dark money groups' like George Soros's Open Society Foundation; NGOs founded by former Clinton and Obama administration staffers; wealthy Democrat donors and their family foundations; labor unions; and the governments of European nations.

'Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter will further toxify our information ecosystem and be a direct threat to public safety, especially among those already most vulnerable and marginalized,' they wrote.

They warned that advertising on Twitter would see their company 'risks association with a platform amplifying hate, extremism, health misinformation, and conspiracy theorists.'

The authors continued: 'Under Musk's management, Twitter risks becoming a cesspool of misinformation, with your brand attached, polluting our information ecosystem in a time where trust in institutions and news media is already at an all-time low.

'Your ad dollars can either fund Musk's vanity project or hold him to account. We call on you to demand Musk uphold these basic standards of community trust and safety, and to pull your advertising spending from Twitter if they are not.'

Elon Musk, pictured on Monday night at the Met Gala with his mother Maye, on Tuesday questioned who was funding the groups which signed a letter criticizing him

The 26 signatories to the letter warning advertisers off Twitter 1. Access Now 2. Accountable Tech 3. Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation 4. Center for Countering Digital Hate 5. Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC) 6. Face the Music Collective 7. Fair Vote UK 8. Free Press 9. Friends of the Earth 10. Gender Equity Policy Institute 11. GLAAD 12. Global Project Against Hate and Extremism 13. Indivisible Northern Nevada 14. Kairos 15. Media Matters for America 16. MediaJustice 17. NARAL Pro-Choice America 18. National Hispanic Media Coalition 19. Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice 20. Reproaction 21. Stop Online Violence Against Women Inc 22. The Sparrow Project 23. UltraViolet 24. Union of Concerned Scientists 25. V-Day/One Billion Rising 26. Women's March Advertisement

Musk, in response to the letter, tweeted: 'Who funds these organizations that want to control your access to information? Let's investigate '

Piqued by the critique, he added: 'Sunlight is the best disinfectant.'

The letter signed by the 26 groups was sent on headed paper bearing the logos of Accountable Tech, Media Matters for America, and Ultraviolet.

ACCOUNTABLE TECH - NICOLE GILL, CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Accountable Tech is a Washington DC-based group led by Nicole Gill, a political campaigner and founder of the 2017 Tax March, and Jesse Lehrich, a former foreign policy spokesman for Hillary Clinton's campaign and the nephew of David Axelrod, former senior adviser to Barack Obama.

'Social media giants are eroding our consensus reality and pushing democracy to the brink,' they state on their website.

'Accountable Tech is fighting back.'

Founded in May 2020, the group is a 501(c)(4), which means it does not have to disclose its donor list, and it does not say on the website who funds it.

MEDIA MATTERS FOR AMERICA - DAVID BROCK, FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN

Media Matters for America was begun in May 2004 by David Brock - a former conservative journalist who turned liberal, and in 2017 was described by Politico as the 'Democrats' attack dog'.

'The Clinton enforcer, who raised tens of millions of dollars and created a far-reaching web of outside groups to push her presidential candidacy, is now training his sights on Trump,' they wrote at the time.

'Brock is rallying Democratic megadonors behind his cause and while he can be controversial at times, few bet against his efforts. His tentacles are far-reaching, including his media monitoring nonprofit Media Matters and the opposition research super PAC American Bridge.'

Media Matters for America says it is 'dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.'

David Brock, founder of Media Matters for America, was described by Politico as 'Democrats' attack dog' (left) and Jesse Lehrich, co-founder of Accountable Tech. Both groups signed the letter warning advertisers against continuing to advertise on Twitter

According to Influence Watch, the group was founded with about $2 million in donations from prominent liberal donors, such as Susie Tompkins Buell, the 78-year-old co-founder of clothing brands Esprit and The North Face; Leo Hindery, 74, a private equity investor specializing in media; and James Hormel, who died in August aged 88.

Hormel was heir to a meatpacking fortune, and the first openly gay man to represent the United States as an ambassador - to Luxembourg, from 1997. He also co-founded in 1981 the Human Rights Campaign - the nation's preeminent gay rights group.

Media Matters is funded by a coalition of donors, including the National Education Association - America's largest union, representing teachers and other school staff - and several Jewish groups, such as the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston and Community Foundation of the United Jewish Federation of San Diego.

ULTRAVIOLET - NITA CHAUDHARY, CO-FOUNDER, AND SHAUNNA THOMAS, CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

UltraViolet is the newest of the trio, founded in 2012.

'UltraViolet is a powerful and rapidly growing community of people mobilized to fight sexism and create a more inclusive world that accurately represents all women, from politics and government to media and pop culture,' they state on their website.

'We founded UltraViolet on the principle that with a combination of organizing, technology, creative campaigning, and people power, we can win. Ultraviolet leads creative, breakthrough campaigns that have won victories from politics to culture.'

The group is also backed by several unions - among them the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), and the American Federation of Teachers.

Musk is famously anti-union, and has been excluded from White House electric vehicle manufacturing events due to the fact that Tesla's workforce is not unionized.

UltraViolet is backed by numerous family foundations, including that founded by Warren Buffet's son Peter, NoVo Foundation.

NoVo works to help marginalized and oppressed groups in society.

It is also supported by one of the many Pritzker family's foundations, Libra.

The Chicago-based billionaires are members of one of America's richest families who made their money largely through the Hyatt hotel chain.

Nicholas Pritzker, 76, and his wife Susan founded the Libra Foundation in 2002, and the organization now 'supports frontline organizations building a world where communities of color thrive.'

Hillary Clinton is pictured in conversation with Susie Tompkins Buell in March 2017. Tompkins Buell's foundation donates to multiple progressive causes, with a focus on women's rights and the environment

FAIR VOTE UK - KYLE TAYLOR, FOUNDER

Not all of the 26 groups that signed the letter are U.S. based.

Fair Vote UK, a British group that works to 'tackle the issue of data misuse, voter manipulation and lack of transparency in elections', is among the signatories.

A small-scale group, they declare all donations over 500 ($624), and only confirm five such donations on their site.

CENTER FOR COUNTERING DIGITAL HATE - IMRAN AHMED, FOUNDER AND CEO

Another British-based signatory was the Center for Countering Digital Hate, led by a former advisor to senior figures in the Labour Party, Imran Ahmed.

The group has expanded to have an office in Washington DC, but their work is largely British.

'The Center is best known for working with Rachel Riley to remove controversial far-right commentator Katie Hopkins from Twitter and conspiracy theorist David Icke from Facebook and Youtube,' according to Influence Watch.

George Soros, the founder and chair of Open Society Foundation, is pictured in June 2004. Soros, now 91, heads a foundation that since 1979 has donated more the $12 billion to progressive causes

Soros is pictured in September 2006 in Washington DC

ACCESS NOW - BRETT SOLOMON, CAMERAN ASHRAF, SINA RABBANI AND KIM PHAM, CO-FOUNDERS

European governments are strongly involved in backing another of the signatories - Access Now.

Begun during the 2009 Iranian election, as an activist group to organize and protest election fraud and report on human rights abuses, the group is now global with offices worldwide.

Their largest donor, according to their latest report, is the Swedish government's development agency, Sida, followed by Soros' Open Society Foundations.

The governments of Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands have contributed large amounts, as well as Canada's government.
The Delaware repairman who blew the whistle on Hunter Biden's laptop has filed a defamation suit against House Intelligence Committee chair Adam Schiff, CNN, Politico and The Daily Beast seeking damages of 'at least $1 million,' according to a new report.

Former shop owner John Paul Mac Isaac, 45, filed the lawsuit in Montgomery County, Maryland, Tuesday claiming that the outlets falsely said he was spreading Russian disinformation - which he says cost him his store, according to the New York Post.

He claims in the suit that Rep. Schiff defamed him in an interview two days after the Post - and later DailyMail.com - began publishing revelations from the laptop.

In an interview with Wolf Blitzer at the time, Schiff said - without providing any evidence - that he believed 'the Kremlin' was behind 'a smear campaign' of both then-presidential candidate Joe Biden, and his son Hunter.

'Well we know that this whole smear on Joe Biden comes from the Kremlin,' he said.

'That's been clear for well over a year now that they've been pushing this false narrative about the Vice President and his son.'

Mac Isaac now claims in his lawsuit that CNN knowingly broadcast the 'false and defamatory story,' which caused him significant damage including the closing of his laptop repair store.

He is also going after the Daily Beast, which claimed the laptop was 'purloined' in an article, as well as Politico, which reported that dozens of former intelligence officials believe the laptop was 'Russian disinfo.'

His attorney, Brian Della Rocca, told the Post that Mac Isaac is now seeking 'at least $1 million in compensatory damages [and] punitive damages, which will be the bigger number and will be determined at trial.'

John Paul Mac Isaac, 45, is suing House Rep. Adam Schiff, CNN, the Daily Beast and Politico in a defamation case seeking 'at least $1 million' in damages

The suit claims that Isaac lost his computer repair shop after CNN and the other outlets accused him of spreading Russian disinformation

According to the lawsuit, the Post reports, Mac Isaac was forced to close down his computer repair shop near the Biden family homes in Greenville, Delaware following the CNN report - when people started throwing eggs, vegetables and even dog feces at his door.

He then reportedly went into exile in Colorado for a year.

'CNN's broadcast of the false statement accuses the Plaintiff of committing an infamous crime, i.e., treason by working with the Russians to commit a crime against the United States of America by attempting to undermine American democracy an the 2020 Presidential election,' the lawsuit states.

As a result, Della Rocca told the Post: 'He has lost his business, friendships and his honorable standing in his community.

'This lawsuit is to attempt to repair a small portion of that damage caused by the defendants in the suit,' he continued. 'We intend to show that their actions were intentionally malicious.'

Mac Isaac, meanwhile, told the Post: 'After fighting to reveal the truth, all I want now is for the rest of the country to know that there was a collective and orchestrated effort by social and mainstream media to block a real story with real consequences for the nation.

'This was collusion led by 51 former pillars in the intelligence community and backed by words and actions of a politically motivated DOJ and FBI,' he added, noting: 'I want this lawsuit to reveal that collusion and more importantly, who gave the marching orders.'

He is being backed financially in his efforts by The America Project, a nonprofit founded by Trump loyalists Army Gen. Michael Flynn, his brother Joe Flynn and businessman Pat Byrne.

'[We are] honored to sponsor John Paul Mac Isaac in his fight against the injustice that has been done to him when the political elite coordinated with the leftist news media claiming the Hunter Biden laptop was Russian disinformation - which was a blatant lie,' the retired general told the Post.

'The synchronized efforts of these parties to wield their words like weapons are evident through years long continuous coverage that led to extreme backlash against JP and the closing of his business.'

In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer after the laptop was revealed, Rep. Adam Schiff, left, said - without providing any evidence - that he believed 'the Kremlin' was behind 'a smear campaign' of both then-presidential candidate Joe Biden, and his son Hunter.

The Daily Beast also published an article at the time claiming the laptop was stolen

Mac Isaac first acquired the laptop in 2019 when Hunter dropped it off at his store and never returned to get it.

AUTHENTICATING HUNTER'S LAPTOP DailyMail.com commissioned cyber forensics experts at Maryman & Associates to examine the hard drive to determine its authenticity. The firm's founder, Brad Maryman, was a 29-year veteran of the FBI, served as a Chief Information Security Officer and founded the bureau's cyber forensics unit. His partner, Dr. Joseph Greenfield, is an associate professor at the University of Southern California and helped write their degree program in intelligence and cyber operations. After an extensive analysis of the hard drive, Greenfield and Maryman produced a report for DailyMail.com detailing their findings. Using the same forensic tools as federal and state law enforcement in criminal investigations, they found a total of 103,000 text messages, 154,000 emails and more than 2,000 photos. - They found emails for multiple accounts on the laptop dating back to 2009, and other data which 'appears to be related to Mr. Biden' between 2016 and 2019. - The report's findings were consistent with the known timeline for the hard drive. A Wilmington, Delaware computer store work order with Hunter's signature shows he left his 2017 MacBook Pro laptop there on April 12, 2019. - The Maryman & Associates report said the original 'Macintosh HD' drive was created on March 28, 2018 - Hunter's iCloud email address was added to the laptop's system on October 21 2018, as well as his work email at his firm Rosemont Seneca on February 2 2019. - The same day, a Gmail address he used to log onto sex cam sites, and another personal Gmail address belonging to Hunter, were also added. - Beau Biden's old Gmail account was added on February 7 2019. - Emails addressed to Hunter's various email addresses dating from December 2009 to December 2020 were found on the system. - An iPad with the name 'Hunter's iPad' and three email addresses associated with the Biden family was backed up on the laptop and on iCloud in January 2019 and again a month later. - Greenfield found 818 call logs in this iPad backup with timestamps from June 2016 to February 2019. - There were 8,942 entries in the iPad's contacts book, created between April 2016 and January 2019. - In February 2019 an iPhone XS was also synced with the laptop. Its serial number was consistent with the timestamps of the data on the phone. In conclusion, 'The operating system timestamps appear to be authentic, and no evidence was found to suggest that the timestamps or data were altered or manufactured,' the report said. 'No indications were found that would suggest the data was manufactured.' Advertisement

He then turned it over to the FBI, and eight months later, Mac Isaac gave a copy of its hard drive to Donald Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.

Giuliani then reportedly leaked documents and photos from the drive to the New York Post, and also gave a whole copy of the drive to Trump advisor Steve Bannon and his podcast co-host Jack Maxey.

By the spring of 2021, DailyMail.com hired Brad Maryman, an expert who founded the FBI's cyber forensics unit, and his firm Maryman & Associates to analyze the laptop.

Their report showed the laptop was real. From then on, DailyMail.com began to reveal its sordid and potentially incriminating contents over the following year.

Using the same forensic tools as federal and state law enforcement in criminal investigations, Maryman & Associates found a total of 103,000 text messages, 154,000 emails and more than 2,000 photos on the hard drive.

Among those files were documents showing Hunter was paid a $1million retainer in 2017 to represent his business partner Patrick Ho, who was being prosecuted by the US government.

Other documents show CEFC wired the Biden family a total $5million.

One startling email also indicates that the president could have been involved in Hunter's business dealings with the Chinese.

In September 2017 Hunter was planning to open a new office for his multi-million-dollar joint venture with CEFC at the House of Sweden, a Georgetown building home to the Swedish embassy.

He wrote to a building manager: 'please have keys made available for new office mates: Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Jim Biden, Gongwen Dong (Chairman Ye CEFC emissary).

'I would like the office sign ton [sic] reflect the following: The Biden Foundation, Hudson West (CEFC US).'

'We are very excited and honored to welcome your new colleagues!' the manager replied.

Those documents are now being used in a federal investigation of suspected tax fraud, money laundering and foreign lobbying violations by Hunter Biden.

But originally several mainstream publications suggested the laptop was Russian disinformation, with even President Biden suggesting such.

In a 60 Minutes interview shortly before the 2020 presidential election, Biden said he believed that Giuliani, who has touted the laptop around various media outlets seeking publicity, was being used by Russia.

'From what I've read and know, the intelligence community warned the president that Giuliani was being fed disinformation from the Russians,' Biden said.

'And we also know that Putin is trying very hard to spread disinformation about Joe Biden.

'And so when you put the combination of Russia, Giuliani, the president, together - it's just what it is.

'It's a smear campaign because he has nothing he wants to talk about. What is he running on? What is he running on?'

Twitter also restricted views to The New York Post's story about Biden, using information obtained from the laptop.

It said it was banned for potentially coming from 'hacked materials.'

The laptop contained a total of 103,000 text messages, 154,000 emails and more than 2,000 photos (like this one)

Documents on the laptop are now being used in a federal investigation of suspected tax fraud, money laundering and foreign lobbying violations by Hunter Biden.

The claim led Mac Isaac to sue Twitter for $500 million in damages.

He claimed that by invoking the 'hacked materials prohibition, Twitter 'created the belief among members of the community that [Isaac]: (1) committed a crime - hacking, (2) was subject to hatred, ridicule, contempt or disgrace - threats of harm and negative business reviews; and (3) was injured to his trade or business as a result - closed his business.'

But a judge ruled in Twitter's favor and granted its motion to dismiss the case because neither The Post article nor Twitter publicly identified Mac Isaac as providing the laptop at the time, according to Law and Crime.

The court also found that because his lawsuit was aimed at Twitter's First Amendment right to moderate its own content, it was 'entitled to an award of attorney's fees and costs.'

All together, the Post reports, that lawsuit cost Isaac $175,000.
Tucker Carlson reminded Joe Biden that he once voted against Roe v. Wade as he slammed whoever was behind the leak of the draft SCOTUS judgment to overturn it.

Fox News host Tucker Carlson called out the President for previously voting to allow individual states to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

'Joe Biden has always supported legal abortion, but nine years after the Roe decision was handed down, he was still willing to admit it was indefensible as a legal decision,' Carlson said.

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Fox News host Tucker Carlson called out the President for previously voting to allow individual states overturn Roe v. Wade

In 1982, the then 39-year-old senator supported a constitutional amendment to the ruling, citing his Roman Catholic religion for his support

President Joe Biden vowed the White House would be 'ready' whenever the Supreme Court did deliver an opinion on Roe v. Wade

'Pregnant women, Biden explained in 1982 as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, should not have "the sole right to say what should happen" to their unborn children, because, after all, no one creates children alone. It takes two people. That's obvious,' Carlson continued.

'In fact, Biden concluded Roe had gone 'too far.' And of course, it had gone too far. That was obvious then. It's obvious now. Then, as now, many Americans believe that abortion is murder. Many other Americans consider abortion a prerequisite to happiness,' Carlson added.

In 1982, the then 39-year-old senator supported a constitutional amendment to the ruling, citing his Roman Catholic religion for his support.

'I'm probably a victim, or a product, however you want to phrase it, of my background,' Biden said at the time, calling the decision 'the single most difficult vote I've cast as a U.S. senator.'

But the bill never made it to the full Senate, and when it came back up the following year, Biden voted against it and has since supported women's rights to abortion, the New York Times reported.

Now Justice Samuel Alito, one of six justices appointed by Republican presidents on the nine-member court, wrote a majority draft opinion in February repudiating both Roe and the 1992 Planned Parenthood vs. Casey decision.

Pro-life and pro-choice demonstrators gather in front of the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on May 3

The court is expected to issue a decision by June. The draft opinion calls the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade decision 'egregiously wrong from the start'

There are 18 states that have near-total bans on their books, while four more have time-limit band and four others are likely to pass new bans if Roe is overturned

'Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,' Alito writes in the opinion, which was reportedly circulated among the court members and leaked to the public on Monday. 'We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,' he continues in the document, titled 'Opinion of the Court.'

'It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives.'

Carlson celebrated the potential upending of Roe, which he called 'the most embarrassing court decision handed down in the last century,' but slammed whoever was behind the leak of the draft opinion.

'It's not for public consumption,' he said. 'A final official decision on Roe is supposed to be months away and yet an unnamed liberal operative short-circuited this ancient process, which has worked well for hundreds of years. This person leaked the opinion and not by accident.'

The opinion draft - originally obtained by Politico - was written by Justice Samuel Alito, one of the six justices appointed by Republican presidents on the nine-member court

According to Carlson the leak was an effort to pressure conservative justices to not go through with overturning Roe.

'The point of leaking the opinion was to intimidate conservative justices into reversing course. Mob justice,' he wrote. 'Now, if you're shocked by that, you shouldn't be. Remember that it's not so different from what we saw this January when another unnamed liberal operative leaked the news that Justice Stephen Breyer was planning on retiring, and that news for Stephen Breyer to retire, which liberal operatives wanted him to do because he was a White man.'

Alito's draft does not necessarily represent the sentiments of other justices who did not pen the opinion, but it's been suggested that the court's 5-3 conservative supermajority will likely deliver on the historic reversal.

The Supreme Court confirmed the draft was authentic in a late Tuesday morning statement but defended it as 'a routine and essential part of the Court's confidential deliberative work,' nor does it 'represent a decision by the court or the final position of any member.'

'To the extent this betrayal of confidences of the Court was intended to undermine the integrity of our operations, it will not succeed. The work of the Court will not be affected in any way,' Chief Justice John Roberts said in the statement.

'We at the Court are blessed to have a workforce -- permanent employees and law clerks alike -- intensely loyal to the institution and dedicated to the rule of law. Court employees are an exemplary and important tradition of respecting the confidentiality of the judicial process and upholding the trust of the court.'

Roberts announced that the court would open an investigation into the source of the leak.

Conservatives throughout the country celebrated the news of a Supreme Court draft opinion that is set to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade case - but have denounced the leak as an attempt to 'intimidate' the justices into changing their minds.

Hours after the leak Biden said women have a 'fundamental' right to an abortion and called on American voters to 'elect pro-choice officials this November'

He also pledged the White House would be 'ready when any ruling is issued.'

Biden reasserted his position after the leak was confirmed, telling reporters just before boarding Air Force one that it was 'really quite a radical decision' and 'a fundamental shift in American jurisprudence.'

The president also said it could regulate all the decisions in an American's private life such as 'who you marry, whether or not you decide to conceive a child or not, whether or not you can have a abortion, a range of other decisions.'

Less than 12 hours earlier, the Democratic leaders of Congress released a joint statement blasting the leaked opinion as an 'abomination' and accusing the high court's conservatives of 'ripping up the Constitution.'

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer then took to the Senate floor and delivered a searing rebuke echoing his Monday night statement with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and announcing the Senate will hold a vote on federal abortion legislation -- after a similar effort tanked earlier this year.

It comes as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other conservative lawmakers cheered the potential ruling, while calling for investigations and even criminal charges for the source of the historic leak.

'I just got a call saying that it's been announced that it is a real draft but it doesn't represent who's gonna vote for it yet. I hope there are not enough votes for it,' Biden said of the drafted opinion, which does not represent a final decision by the court.

Referencing his career on the Senate Judiciary committee, which included the torpedoed confirmation hearings of right-wing former Solicitor General Robert Bork, Biden continued: 'It's the main reason why I worked so hard to keep Robert Bork off the court, it reflects his view almost -- almost-- anyway, look. The idea that -- it concerns me a great deal that were gonna, after 50 years, decide that a woman does not have the right to choose.'

'Equally profound is the rationale used -- it would mean that every other decision relating to the notion of privacy is thrown into question.'

'If the rationale of the decision as released were to be sustained, a whole range of rights would be in question,' Biden continued. 'If it becomes a law and if what is written is remained, it goes far beyond the concern of whether or not there is the right to choose. It goes to other basic rights.'
The leaders of five Democrat committees and governing associations on Tuesday pledged to turn the midterms into a referendum on Roe v Wade, arguing that the leaked Supreme Court draft had 'dramatically escalated the stakes of the 2022 election'.

The draft decision to overturn Roe v Wade, and return the decision about whether to allow or prohibit abortion to the individual states, was leaked to Politico on Monday night and triggered a political earthquake.

Joe Biden, asked on Tuesday what would happen if the draft decision were finalized, replied: 'It will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November.'

The leaders of five groups agreed, with a declaration of support from the heads of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Governors Association, Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee and Democratic Attorneys General Association.

'The Republican attacks on abortion access, birth control and women's health care have dramatically escalated the stakes of the 2022 election,' they wrote.

'At this moment of crisis, Democrats are standing shoulder to shoulder with millions of Americans in this fight. And in November, we must elect Democrats who will serve as the last lines of defense against the GOP's assault on our established and fundamental freedoms.'

Pro-choice activists gather in protest outside the US Courthouse to defend abortion rights in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday

Demonstrators in Madison, Wisconsin, are seen on Tuesday demanding Roe v Wade be upheld

Activists in LA demand that Roe v Wade be upheld on Tuesday - the day after the draft decision leaked

The five leaders said that the midterms 'will now determine whether cruel new restrictions on abortion will be put in place,' noting that some states may well criminalize abortion and ban it even in cases of rape or incest.

'We want to make this very clear: Abortion is legal. It is your right,' they said.

'And the Democratic Party will fight to ensure this fundamental freedom remains intact.

'For voters, the consequences of the election for the future of our country have never been higher.'

The Democratic-controlled Congress and White House both vowed to try to blunt the impact of such a ruling, but their prospects looked dim.

Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One, Biden said he hoped the draft would not be finalized by justices, and warned it reflects a 'fundamental shift in American jurisprudence' that threatens 'other basic rights' like access to birth control and marriage.

'If this decision holds, it's really quite a radical decision,' he added.

'If the court does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nation's elected officials at all levels of government to protect a woman's right to choose,' Biden said.

'And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November.

'At the federal level, we will need more pro-choice Senators and a pro-choice majority in the House to adopt legislation that codifies Roe, which I will work to pass and sign into law.'

President Joe Biden vowed the White House would be 'ready' whenever the Supreme Court did deliver an opinion on Roe v. Wade

Biden is seen on Tuesday in Alabama, visiting a weapons facility to tout U.S. support for the Ukrainian war effort. Before his arrival, he was asked about Roe v Wade

Though past efforts have failed, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he intended to hold a vote.

'This is as urgent and real as it gets,' Schumer said on the Senate floor on Tuesday.

'Every American is going to see on which side every senator stands.'

On Monday night, the Democratic leaders of Congress released a joint statement calling the leaked opinion as an 'abomination' and accusing the high court's conservatives of 'ripping up the Constitution.'

Speaking at the EMILY's List political action committee conference on Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris said the draft opinion showed 'women's rights in America are under attack.'

In a passionate speech, her voice rising to a crescendo, she repeatedly asked: 'How dare they?'

She added: 'Women's issues are America's issues and democracies cannot be strong if the rights of women are under attack.

'Let us fight with everything we've got.'

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other conservative lawmakers cheered the potential ruling, meanwhile - while calling for investigations and even criminal charges for the source of the historic leak.

Schumer condemned former President Donald Trump and the Republican lawmakers who aided him in getting three conservative justices onto the Supreme Court, to form its decisive right-wing majority.

'This is a dark and disturbing morning for America,' Schumer said.

'Under this decision, our children will have less rights than their parents.'

He continued: 'These conservative justices who are in no way accountable to the American people have lied to the US Senate, ripped up the Constitution, and defiled both precedent and the Supreme Court's reputation.

'The party of Lincoln and Eisenhower has completely devolved into the party of Trump.'

McConnell returned fire, criticizing Biden, Pelosi and Schumer's statements as 'disgraceful.'

'The disgraceful statements by President Biden, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader Schumer refuse to defend judicial independence and the rule of law and instead play into this toxic spectacle.

'Real leaders should defend the Court's independence unconditionally,' McConnell said.

Leaders in New York and California rolled out the welcome mat to their states for women seeking abortions, and other Democratic states moved to protect access to abortion in their laws.

The court's ruling would be most acutely felt by women who don't have the means or ability to travel from states that have or stand poised to pass stiff abortion restrictions or outright bans

Kamala Harris is seen on Tuesday speaking at the Emily's List conference in Washington DC

The 26 states where abortion will likely become illegal if SCOTUS overturns Roe vs Wade The 26 states where abortion will likely become illegal if SCOTUS overturns Roe vs Wade after leaked draft opinion showed a majority of justices supported the move More than half of all US states have some kind of abortion ban law likely to take effect if Roe v Wade is overturned by the United States Supreme Court. According to the pro-reproductive rights group The Guttmacher Institute, there are 26 states that will likely make abortions illegal if the Supreme Court overturns the landmark 1973 ruling. 18 have existing abortion bans that have previously been ruled unconstitutional, four have time limit bans and four are likely to pass laws if Roe v Wade is overturned, the organization found. The 18 states that have near-total bans on abortion already on the books are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. In addition, Georgia, Iowa, Ohio, and South Carolina all have laws that ban abortions after the six-week mark. Florida, Indiana, Montana and Nebraska, are likely to pass bills when Roe v Wade is overturned, the Guttmacher Institute said. Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin's bans all have pre-Roe v Wade laws that became unenforceable after the Supreme Court's 1973 decision - that would kick into effect if the federal legal precedent established in Roe were overturned. Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Texas have further bans that will come into effect if the law was overturned. These were passed post-Roe v Wade. They're joined by Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Wyoming, in passing such laws. The states that will limit abortions based on the length of time a patient has been pregnant are Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, North Dakota and Ohio. There are four states that have laws that state abortion is not a constitutionally protected right: Alabama, Louisiana, Texas and West Virginia. Advertisement

Whatever the outcome, the Politico report late Monday represented an extremely rare breach of the court's secretive deliberation process, and on a case of surpassing importance.

'Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,' the draft opinion states.

It was signed by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the court's 6-3 conservative majority who was appointed by former President George W. Bush.

The document was labeled a '1st Draft' of the 'Opinion of the Court' in a case challenging Mississippi's ban on abortion after 15 weeks.

The draft opinion in effect states there is no constitutional right to abortion services.

It would allow individual states to more heavily regulate or outright ban the procedure.

'We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,' it states, referencing the 1992 case Planned Parenthood v. Casey that affirmed Roe's finding of a constitutional right to abortion services but allowed states to place some constraints on the practice.

'It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives.'

The draft opinion strongly suggests that when the justices met in private shortly after arguments in the case on December 1, at least five  all the conservatives except perhaps Chief Justice Roberts  voted to overrule Roe and Casey, and Alito was assigned the task of writing the court's majority opinion.

Votes and opinions in a case aren't final until a decision is announced or, in a change wrought by the coronavirus pandemic, posted on the court's website.

The report comes amid a legislative push to restrict abortion in several Republican-led states  Oklahoma being the most recent  even before the court issues its decision.

Critics of those measures have said low-income and minority women will disproportionately bear the burden of the new restrictions.

The leak jumpstarted the intense political reverberations that the high court's ultimate decision was expected to have in the midterm election year.

Already, politicians on both sides of the aisle were seizing on the report to fundraise and energize their supporters on both sides of the issue.

Polling shows relatively few Americans want to see Roe overturned.

In general, AP-NORC polling finds a majority of the public favors abortion being legal in most or all cases.

Few say abortion should be illegal in all cases.

Still, Americans have nuanced attitudes on the issue.

In an AP-NORC poll conducted last June, 61 percent said abortion should be legal in most or all circumstances in the first trimester of a pregnancy.

Supporters of abortion rights and anti-abortion rights protesters gather for a protest at the Indiana Federal Courthouse in Indianapolis on Tuesday

Republican appointed-Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett all voted to strike down Roe with Samuel Alito, Politico noted

However, 65 percent said abortion should usually be illegal in the second trimester, and 80 percent said that about the third trimester, though many Americans believe that the procedure should be allowable under at least some circumstances even during the second or third trimesters.

Outside, the Supreme Court building, anti-abortion rights protesters carried signs that said 'Ignore Roe' and 'In God We Trust' while their pro-abortion-rights counterparts held placards declaring 'Bans off our Bodies' and 'Impeach Kavanaugh.'

Outside Washington, the reaction among conservatives was muted, ranging from cautious celebration over the anticipated ruling to sharp criticism of the source of the leaked draft.

'We will let the Supreme Court speak for itself and wait for the court's official opinion,' Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said in a statement.

Twenty-six states are certain or likely to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, according to the pro-abortion rights think tank the Guttmacher Institute.

Of those, 22 states already have total or near-total bans on the books that are currently blocked by Roe, aside from Texas.

The Texas law banning it after six weeks has been allowed to go into effect by the Supreme Court due to its unusual civil enforcement structure.

Four more states are considered likely to quickly pass bans if Roe is overturned.

Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have protected access to abortion in state law.
A 16-year-old boy has been paralysed after he broke his neck during a bike stunt gone wrong - and only has a one per cent chance of being able to use a wheelchair.

Perth teen Cody Mackie was on a school holiday bike ride in the suburb of Bindoon two weeks ago when a simple jump he had done hundreds of times before ended with him landing on his head.

Cody was wearing a helmet and protective pads when the 'freak' accident occurred.

Cody Mackie, 16, broke his neck when a simple jump he had done hundreds of times before ended with him landing on his head

Emergency services airlifted the paralysed teen more than 75 kilometres to Royal Perth Hospital where surgeons worked through the night to correct his broken neck.

Cody was put on a ventilator after he had difficulty breathing and has been in the hospital's intensive care unit since the accident on April 20.

'We're talking about a small jump, just a freak accident. Helmet on, all the safety equipment. Just one freak landing,' family friend Kade Keenan told Nine News.

Doctors said Cody is unlikely to walk again and have given him a one per cent chance that he will be able to use a wheelchair.

His father, Rob Mackie, said the family are still are in disbelief.

'Everyone's devastated because Cody's such a good kid. Everyone loves him,' Mr Mackie, said.

The teen's mother Danae Mackie and good friend Kitty Ferguson, set up a GoFundMe page to assist them with ongoing medical treatment and future disability care and equipment.

'Cody will need extensive ongoing medical care, modifications to his home once he is able to return, modified transport to include any medical equipment,' Ms Ferguson wrote.

Doctors said the Perth teen is unlikely to walk again and have given him a one per cent chance that he will be able to operate a wheelchair after the injuries to his neck severely damaged his spinal cord

The fund has received 255 donations totalling $33,065 and hopes to raise $50,000.

Doctors had to perform a tracheotomy to allow Cody to speak - however due to his extensive injuries he is still unable to talk.

The family said Cody has a long road to recovery after the injuries to his neck damaged his spinal cord but are holding on to the one per cent chance that he will regain movement.

'This 1% will be our fighting hope for him to regain something in due course,' Ms Ferguson wrote.

'We want to give Cody the best chance for his long road to recovery whatever that may involve and we want to be able to support his family without any further stresses or worries.'
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Department of Homeland Security agents clashed with a crowd of pro-choice activists in Los Angeles that spontaneously took to the streets in protest of a draft Supreme Court opinion showing that it is likely to overturn Roe v. Wade.

They were filmed aggressively driving up to a crowd of dozens of enraged activists which had blocked off streets with their protest in an 'unlawful assembly' and shoving them backwards in the face of their fury.

A lone DHS agent was quickly surrounded by screaming protestors - one waving a Soviet Union flag - as he used a baton to ward them off and continually shouted: 'back up!'

He could then be seen shoving a woman as she approached him, saying: 'You don't do that, you understand me? Back up.'

But the protestors swarmed him, shouting at him to 'get the f*** out of here' until he received support from another armed DHS agent.

The clashes followed widespread demonstrations that marked cities across the land as news leaked of the Supreme Court's draft decision to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade ruling that had effectively legalised abortions across America.

LOS ANGELES: A Department of Homeland Security vehicle was filmed driving into a crowd of abortion rights protesters in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday night

LOS ANGELES: The agents then got out of the vehicles and told swarming protesters repeatedly to 'back up'

LOS ANGELES: Video posted online showed a DHS agent shoving the protesters backwards in a very febrile situation

LOS ANGELES: The unidentified agent was just on of several who responded to the scene of Pershing Square

LOS ANGELES: Together, they blocked off the streets declaring the protest an 'unlawful assembly' as it was obstructing throughfares in the city

LOS ANGELES: A police officer was seen standing guard near a demonstrator after a confrontation with protesters

In the aftermath, NBC Los Angeles reports, an officer was reportedly injured - and the LAPD ordered a citywide tactical alert.

Originally, KTLA reports, the LAPD provided an escort to those attending the abortion rights rally as they walked from the federal courthouse to Pershing Square.

But around 8.50pm, the LAPD sent out a tweet urging people to avoid the area due to 'police activity.'

Police Chief Michael Moore later said that some of those who were in attendance at Tuesday night' rally attempted to 'take the intersection' and some in the crowd threw rocks and bottles at police officers trying to clear the area.

It remains unclear whether anyone was arrested in the scuffle or what injuries the officer may have faced.

The riots were instigated after Politico reported that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito had written a draft opinion in February repudiating both Roe and the 1992 Planned Parenthood vs. Casey decision.

'Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,' Alito writes in the opinion, which was reportedly circulated among the court members. 'We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,' he continues in the document, titled 'Opinion of the Court.'

'It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives.'

Alito's draft does not necessarily represent the sentiments of other justices who did not pen the opinion, but it's been suggested that the court's 5-3 conservative supermajority will likely deliver on the historic reversal.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who reportedly does not plan to join in the majority opinion, confirmed the legitimacy of the draft as he announced a leak probe.

SEATTLE: Demonstrators gather during a rally in support of abortion rights. US President Joe Biden today said it is a 'woman's right to choose' if she has an abortion as he warned the 'basic fairness and the stability of our law demand' the Supreme Court does not overturn the Roe v Wade ruling

SEATTLE: The demonstrations were instigated after Politico reported that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito had written a draft opinion in February repudiating both Roe and the 1992 Planned Parenthood vs. Casey decision

LOS ANGELES: Police Chief Michael Moore later said that some of those who were in attendance at Tuesday night' rally attempted to 'take the intersection' and some in the crowd threw rocks and bottles at police officers trying to clear the area

LOS ANGELES: It remains unclear whether anyone was arrested in the scuffle or what injuries the officer may have faced in the riots

BOSTON: Protestors gathered in Boston to vent the feelings at the draft decision by the Supreme Court to strike down Roe v Wade

BOSTON: Some protestors shows signs in support of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was viewed as a bulwork on the bench against conservative designs to strike down the abortion law

NEW YORK: Thousands of protesters gathered at the Foley Square in New York City on Tuesday

NEW YORK: An aerial view showed the size of the crowd in Manhattan who showed up to protest a draft decision by Justice Samuel Alito that would overturn Roe v. Wade

NEW YORK: More than 3 thousand people rally on Foley Square for abortion rights in a issue where feelings run deep

OAKLAHOMA CITY: Pro-choice activists rally in the wake of the GOP-led state signing a bill banning abortions after six weeks

OAKLAHOMA CITY: Abortion-rights supporters rally at the State Capitol after Governor Stitt signed the bill restricting abortions to before an heartbeat can be detected in the embryo

WASHINGTON DC: Security personnel guarded the Supreme Court on Tuesday as protesters waved signs outside

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: One woman showed up to a protest in San Francisco with a hanger reading 'Never Again'

There are 18 states that have near-total bans on their books, while four more have time-limit band and four others are likely to pass new bans if Roe is overturned

But the rally in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday night was just one of dozens to prop up across the country after Politico reported that Justice Samuel Alito wrote a draft opinion in February repudiating both Roe and the 1992 Planned Parenthood vs. Casey decision.

'Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,' Alito writes in the opinion, which was reportedly circulated among the court members. 'We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,' he continues in the document, titled 'Opinion of the Court.'

'It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives.'

Alito's draft does not necessarily represent the sentiments of other justices who did not pen the opinion, but it's been suggested that the court's 5-3 conservative supermajority will likely deliver on the historic reversal.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who reportedly does not plan to join in the majority opinion, confirmed the legitimacy of the draft as he announced a leak probe.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Following the news, abortion rights activists took to the streets throughout the country

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: One abortion-rights activist held up a sign arguing for 'no forced pregnancies' outside the federal building in Oakland

WASHINGTON DC: Throughout the day protesters flooded the steps of the Supreme Court

WASHINGTON DC: Young women scream their anger in the nation's capital outside the Supreme Court yesterday

LONDON, ENGLAND: A protest outside the US embassy in London sprung up as Brits and expat Americans among others made their feelings clear

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: One woman was overcome with emotion as she protested for national abortion rights

ATLANTA, GEORGIA: A man held up a sign urging 'healthcare for all (except Alito)'

But in the meantime, pro-abortion rights activists from the steps of the Supreme Court to New York City, Nevada, Texas and California took to the streets Tuesday to protest the draft decision.

In downtown Seattle, the New York Times reports, thousands of people called for an escalating series of mass action, including possible national strikes if the Constitutional right to abortions is demolished.

The protests there reportedly featured speakers saying they need to risk arrest through civil disobedience.

Some smaller protests, though, like the one in Louisville, Kentucky, just featured a few dozen people held signs in front of a court house.

Meanwhile, outside of the Supreme Court in Washington DC protesters gathered throughout the day, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren even joining it at one point.

'I am angry,' the Massachusetts Democrat fumed. 'Angry and upset and determined.'

'I am here because I am angry, and I am here because the United States Congress can change all of this. Angry, but committed,' Warren intoned.

She accused conservatives of 'plotting, carefully cultivating these Supreme Court justices so they could have a majority on the bench who would accomplish something that the majority of Americans do not want.'

'They knew what they were getting when they voted for these people. And this is what they want. It is up to the rest of us to make the legislative process work,' she said.

Warren was among a group of Democrats who were recounting recent history that set up the court's 6-3 conservative majority: including the filibuster of Obama nominee Merrick Garland, the rush to confirm Justice Amy Coney Barrett in the last weeks before the 2020 elections after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the clash over Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the third of President Donald Trump's nominees.

'What should be investigated and prosecuted is the fact that people who were nominated to the Supreme Court stood up and said they believed in the rule of law and precedent, and then at first opportunity, changed direction by 180 degrees and are going for a full repeal of Roe,' she said.

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren joined demonstrators during a protest outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday

WASHINGTON DC: Women lead the protests in Washington DC accompanied by a rainbow flag, waving placards and speaking through a megaphone

WASHINGTON DC: Outside the Supreme Court, where the justices have made their apparent decision to strike down Roe v Wade

But conservatives are now focusing their efforts on finding the person who leaked the draft decision, with GOP Senator Mike Lee of Utah saying whoever leaked the explosive memo 'needs to be brought to justice' in an interview on Fox News soon after the report.

'This entire kerfuffle has been brought about as a result of an unscrupulous person trying to subvert 235 years of tradition, trying to subvert the way the Supreme Court operates,' Lee said.

He also released a statement on Monday night calling the decision 'well-reasoned' but further panned the leak as 'dangerous, despicable, and damaging.'

The Utah conservative is on a Senate subcommittee that will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. on Monday about 'transparency and accountability for 21st century courts.'

'I have questions about whether that person should ever be allowed to practice law. That something that will be worked out in due time. These are small circles. As a former Supreme Court clerk I can tell you there are very few people in the entire building who had access to the opinion,' he said on Fox.

'I am virtually certain there are number people inside the court, probably figured out who it is. That person needs to be brought to justice and held to account to what they did. This is the first and what I predict will be a series of other attempts to delegitimize the supreme court of the United States in the coming months.'

Following suit, moderate Republican Senator Mitt Romney on Tuesday morning called for both an investigation and consequences.

The Utah lawmaker began his statement by lauding the reported high court decision and said: 'Laws regarding abortion would now be returned to the people and their elected representatives.'

'The breach of the Court's deliberative process, however, is an appalling affront against a critical institution and should be fully investigated and those responsible should be punished.'

Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri said the leaker should be disbarred if they are a law clerk.
Predatory men are exploiting the Homes for Ukraine refugee scheme to host single and vulnerable women fleeing Putin's invasion, with '30% of sponsors in the UK being men over 40', an investigation has found.

Men with domestic abuse or violence records have reportedly messaged single Ukrainian women in their 20s and 30s on Facebook groups specially set up to connect sponsors and hosts.

Some refugees have even become homeless after relations with hosts broke down or because housing was not well vetted.

Other homes have been found to be completely unsuitable for Ukrainians escaping Russian bombs, with one mother-of-two claiming that her whole family had been expected to sleep in one small reception room next to the kitchen - despite expecting separate bedrooms.

She added that the property was filled with Nazi pictures and Soviet symbols, telling the BBC: 'I don't feel safe'.

A charity head branded the Homes for Ukraine scheme 'dangerous' and said she was 'shocked by the absence of safeguarding checks'.

It comes after the UN's refugee agency last month warned of 'increasing reports of Ukrainian women feeling at risk from their sponsors'. The UNHCR called for 'the need for adequate safeguards and vetting measures to be in place against exploitation, as well as adequate support for sponsors'.

Ukrainians flee to the west of Ukraine and to Poland by train from Odessa to Przemysl at the railway station in Odessa, Ukraine, April 25, 2022

The official Homes for Ukraine poster. It stresses: 'Providing a safe home in the UK'

Pictured: Ukrainian refugee Julia Skubenko was offered a room in exchange for marriage

I was offered a room... in exchange for marriage Julia Skubenko didn't know what to expect when she posted on a Facebook group in the desperate hope of finding a host in the UK. Sharing a picture of herself smiling, she told the group's 18,000 members she never imagined she would 'be forced to move to England.... [but] I have to start over'. The 30-year-old shared links to her social media profiles and her mobile number. Miss Skubenko, who moved to Kyiv from a poor village and started her own cleaning business, said she loves horse riding, dancing and reading, and would 'get on her feet' as quickly as possible if she found a sponsor to help her set up in the UK. But along with an outpouring of generosity, Miss Skubenko  who has now found a host  was bombarded with messages from single men offering her a room, with some asking for 'marriage'. When she told one man she was only interested in homes with women living there, he wrote: 'Too bad, we could have started a family.' Another claimed to own an oil company and a bank and offered to employ her as her 'assistant'. She said she did not believe these men were 'writing out of compassion', adding: 'I'm worried about the girls from my country.' But along with an outpouring of generosity, Miss Skubenko  who has now found a host  was bombarded with messages from single men offering her a room, with some asking for 'marriage' Advertisement

Boris Johnson's Government announced in March that the scheme would allow anyone in England to host a family or individual, if they agreed to housing and criminal-records checks.

In response, local support networks and individuals set up numerous Facebook groups - and these have become one of the main ways of connecting Ukrainian families and British sponsors.

And it is thought that some councils are struggling with a lack of resources to properly settled refugees.

A UK Government official told the BBC that safeguards were in place, including 'Home Office security and background checks on all sponsors, before visas are issued', and at least one council visit to a sponsor's property.

On one Facebook group set up to help match Ukrainian refugees, BBC News found a would-be sponsor who appears to live in a one-bedroom flat posting multiple offers to host young women. It is claimed he had multiple convictions, including for burglary and affray.

Police records reportedly show that he was reported for allegedly carrying a crossbow and threatening a former partner, although no further action is believed to have been taken.

Another man, in Manchester, joined several Facebook groups and was offering a spare room to a string of young, single, Ukrainian women. He was also a member of a dating site called Single Ukrainian Women.

It is not known whether either of these men was approved under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Councils are meant to approve each property and complete Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks on all potential hosts they know about, including those who make contact via Facebook. But the basic DBS checks are limited, and enhanced checks are requested only if there are children involved.

One source claimed that a basic DBS check had raised no concerns about a man in his 50s offering to host a young Ukrainian woman. But when staff performed a more detailed check of social services records they found multiple complaints against him, including for domestic abuse.

One post from a volunteer helping new arrivals said: 'I was contacted by a young woman who had arrived on Saturday. She wanted to change hosts. I asked what the issue was and she sent me videos. The home wouldn't pass an inspection to rehome a dog.'

The refugee, who asked not to be named, added: 'She is a kind person but her house is a very big cluster of mess. There are many repairs needed. I couldn't go in the kitchen. I couldn't live here.'

Mira Kozlowska, who is Polish but lived in the UK for 21 years, is offering to support a refugee in her own home. She is currently helping to match others with suitable sponsors on social media.

She told the BBC: 'Just now, I saw a post about how the sponsor wants the family to be out all day and not in the house. Another girl was talking about how she didn't even have a door on her room and no privacy.'

Another newly arrived refugee said: 'When we arrive, there is no bed, just a mattress on the floor. The apartment is cold and when I put on the heater he shouts. There is no food in the kitchen and we have no money.'

Robina Qureshi, chief executive of Positive Action in Housing, called the scheme 'dangerous' and the findings 'deeply concerning and undermine the sponsorship programme'.

It follows claims from a whistleblower responsible for her local refugee scheme is concerned there will be 'a massive abuse case' due to a lack of safeguarding measures to protect evacuees.

The whistleblower, who works for a council in the Midlands, said more than one in four of the 40 matches passed from the Home Office to her local authority are between men aged over 50 and women in their 20s or early 30s.

Ukraine refugees arriving at Warsaw West Station in Warsaw, Poland, May 1, 2022

Civilians fleeing from Ukraine in Przemysl, Poland, March 28, 2022

She said she fears the scheme could become 'a completely assisted exploitation exercise'. While she is sure the majority of people offering their homes are doing so out of kindness, she is worried a minority may have ill intentions.

'All of this has been put on local authorities to make decisions without the right frameworks. And without that safety net, I can imagine that somehow this will go wrong,' the council worker said.

'I worry there'll be a massive abuse case that happens within my local authority and it will be us who come under fire for failing safeguarding duties, when actually we did everything we possibly could.'

The council staffer said there are an 'awful lot of very young, very beautiful girls' looking for a sponsor on platforms such as Facebook, and they are flooded with responses.

Positive Action in Housing, a homelessness charity, said men had been targeting young Ukrainian women who posted on Facebook looking for information about the scheme.

One 'host' claimed to be a doctor with a 'big empty house', and offered accommodation, food, expenses and a monthly allowance as part of an 'arrangement' - a term often used to imply sexual activity.

Ukrainian evacuee, Olena, 25, found her sponsor through Facebook after posting a picture of herself along with some brief details. While she was overwhelmed by how many generous responses she received, she was also alarmed to receive messages from single men wanting to host her.

One man wrote: 'I have a small space in my apartment... I am single and live alone. I hope it's not a problem. My apartment is small but I can help you or someone alone.'

Another said: 'I live alone in a three-bedroom, three-floor house in central London and would be happy to help you with accommodation and anything else that you will need.'

Some continued to message her even after she announced she had found a host, pressing for details of the address she would be moving to.

A search on one Facebook group showed one man, who was single and offering a room in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, had liked three posts in the group  all by women aged 23, 30 and 33.
A relief teacher from rural South Australia has faced court for inappropriately communicating with a child.

Ammy Singleton faced the Port Augusta Court on Wednesday morning after being charged with communicating with a child to make them amenable to sexual activity between November 1 and 30 last year.

Ms Singleton was arrested on December 23 last year and first appeared in court on February 14.

Relief teacher Ammy Singleton (pictured) faced the Port Augusta Court on Wednesday morning after being charged with communicating with a child to make them amenable to sexual activity

Port Augusta West Primary School's principal David Lawton issued a letter to parents earlier this year to inform then that Ms Singleton had taught students for one day in July, 2020

Port Augusta West Primary School's principal David Lawton issued a letter to parents earlier this year to inform them Ms Singleton had worked at the school for one day in July, 2020.

'Police have advised the Department for Education they do not have any objections to the department informing the school community,' he said.

'This incident does not involve any students at our school and the information available to the school suggests there is no need for any concern for any children at our school.'

Ms Singleton (pictured) was arrested on December 23 last year and is due to face Port Augusta Court again on July 20

'Ms Singleton has bail conditions that prevent her from engaging in any child related work.

'If you have any concerns about the safety and welfare of your child, please feel free to contact me directly at the school.'

Ms Singleton is due to face Port Augusta Court again on July 20.

South Australia Police did not provide more details on the case when contacted by Daily Mail Australia.
A woman has been mauled by a crocodile while swimming at a popular tourist spot in Western Australia.

The 38-year-old was bitten on the leg by the freshwater croc while enjoying a dip at Butler Cove, Lake Argyle, in the remote Kimberley region on Monday.

The woman was rushed to Kununurra Hospital before being taken to Broome Regional Hospital in a stable condition. She sustained serious injuries to her leg.

A crocodile measuring about 2.5metres long was spotted in the area after the attack and has since been shot by authorities.

The 38-year-old was reportedly bit on the leg by the freshwater crocodile while swimming at Lake Argyle, in the remote Kimberley region on Monday (stock image)

The Department of Biodiversity and Conservation sent a crew to patrol the area on Tuesday and saw a crocodile of similar size to the one that attacked the woman.

'The behaviour of a crocodile approaching the boat and the events of the previous day is consistent with what staff would identify as a problem animal,' the department said.

'In order to ensure public safety ... and with consideration to large community events such as the annual Lake Argyle swim taking place this weekend, staff destroyed the animal.'

The annual Lake Argyle Swim will be held on Saturday.

As many as 35,000 crocodiles live in Lake Argyle (pictured)

Freshwater crocs are known to live in the area but they are not usually aggressive unless provoked.

As many as 35,000 crocodiles live in Lake Argyle - Australia's second largest man-made reservoir.

The woman had been out exploring the lake on a hire boat with friends at the time.

The lake was advertised as being safe to swim in as the crocodiles 'don't actively hurt humans'.
In the wake of multiple deaths and suicides aboard the USS George Washington, 260 sailors are being rehoused on land in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, the U.S. Navy has announced.

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier has been dry docked since 2017 as it undergoes an extensive overhaul process.

In the past year, the ship has lost seven crewmembers. In April alone, the ship suffered three apparent suicides.

Those who died in April have been named as, Master-at-Arms Seaman Recruit Xavier H. Mitchell-Sandor, Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Natasha Huffman and Retail Services Specialist 3rd Class Mikail Rayshawn Sharp.

At least five crewmembers aboard the USS George Washington (pictured) were confirmed to have died by suicide. There have been others who have tried but failed to kill themselves

According to Military.com, a total of 420 sailors live on board the USS George Washington. Many of them are juniors members of the crew.

400 sailors were moved on to the ship in April 2021.

The United States Naval Institute said that the ship's overhaul will not be completed until 2023. The cost of the extension is over $100 million.

The website quoted the ship's Capt. Brent Gaut as saying this week that the 260 sailors being moved off of the ship will be moved 'to an offsite barracks-type living arrangement on Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth.'

Mika'il Rayshawn Sharp, 23, (pictured) killed himself on April 9. His mother said the youngman was excited to start a family with his new wife

The process of moving the sailors began on May 2.

A spokesperson for the Navy told Military.com that all sailors who wish to be rehoused off of the ship will be allowed to do so.

The statement went on to say that sailors were being recommended for Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs.

Gaut also said: 'Leadership is actively implementing these and pursuing a number of additional morale and personal well-being measures and support services to members assigned to USS George Washington.'

Natasha Huffman, 23, (above) killed herself on April 10. Friends said she repeatedly asked for help but was provided with little assistance before ending her life

Navy investigators are looking into conditions that sailors live in on board the ship as well as the culture on board.

The ship can accommodate over 5,000 sailors. While the ship is in dry dock, there are close to 3,000 crew working on the Nimitz class-carrier.

Admiral John Meier, the commander of US Naval Air Force Atlantic, told the media during a conference on May 3: 'We've assigned an investigating officer to look into that and to really to look into the proximate cause. Was there an immediate trigger? Was there a linkage between those events? I expect that to report out this week, and I won't presuppose the outcome of that report.'

Meier confirmed that there are two active Navy investigations into the USS George Washington.

Xavier Hunter Sandor (above) killed himself on April 15. His father said the sailor slept in his car and drove 8 hours home every other weekend from Virginia to Connecticut to get away

The first investigation will look into the deaths of Mitchell-Sandor, Huffman and Sharp. It's goal is to ascertain if there were any immediate factors that contributed to their deaths.

The second investigation was described as being 'much broader' in scope. Meier said, '

Following the apparent suicides in April, Meier said that counselors, a psychologist and "a 13-person sprint team, which is a special intervention team for instances like this' was dispatched to the ship.

That team was on board the USS George Washington for a week and relayed their findings to the investigation teams.

Captain Brent Gaut announced this week that 260 sailors 'to an offsite barracks-type living arrangement on Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth.'

According to Meier, the ship has suffered from occasional power and water outages. He added that officials are seeking to increase Wifi service on board. Meier said that he felt living conditions on board the ship were 'habitable'

An anonymous sailor told Military.com: [Those on board] live in a construction zone. There's grinding, needle gunning, there's always problems with ventilation, there's always problems with hot water.'

While another told the website, 'It's not like one big glaring problem, it's just a bunch of small stuff that adds up and adds up and adds up, but it never goes away.'

When asked if the findings of the investigations would be made public, Meier said that decision would be made by someone higher up in the chain of command.

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington has been in a dry dock since 2017 and will not go back into service until 2023 at a cost of $100 million

Meier noted in the press conference that not all sailors had taken up the offer to move off of the ship.

Vigrinia Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria, herself a Navy veteran, along with fellow Democrat Bobby Scott, toured the ship alongside Meier on May 3.

Luria said after the tour: 'I would say I think the captain and the command master chief, the command triad, I would say they have their heads and hearts in the right place,' reports 13 News Now.

She added: 'They've done everything they can with the resources available through the Navy to help move sailors off the ship, to help get additional resources for mental health care.'
Elon Musk, pictured on Monday at the Met Gala, has reportedly told potential investors that he may take Twitter public again after as little as three years

After telling investors he plans to take Twitter public again within three years Elon Musk assured his followers that the social media site will remain free for most users.

Following a report on Tuesday that Musk, 50, was planning on running Twitter as a private company for only three years before returning the company to public ownership, Elon Musk continued with his perplexing musings on the social media site.

First tweeting: 'Ultimately, the downfall of the Freemasons was giving away their stonecutting services for nothing.'

That was followed up by a tweet that said: 'Twitter will always be free for casual users, but maybe a slight cost for commercial/government users.'

Possibly charging commercial or government users is the latest suggested change to the social media app Musk has mused about publicly.

Before reaching a deal Musk suggested lowering the price of the Twitter Blue premium subscription service.

Musk has also tweeted about potentially monetizing tweets, although he has not provided specific details.

On April 25 Musk reached an agreement with Twitter's board to buy the company for $44 billion.

The South African-born billion has said he is motivated primarily by a wish to restore Twitter as a place for the free exchange of ideas, and has repeatedly said he wants to move away from 'censorship' and err on the side of free speech.

His critics fear that this will result in an explosion of hate speech.

Musk, who calls himself a free speech absolutist, has criticized Twitter's moderation policies.

He wants Twitter's algorithm for prioritizing tweets to be public, and objects to giving too much power on the service to corporations that advertise.

On Monday, at the Met Gala - his first public appearance since the deal was agreed - he was asked about his plans for Twitter.

'My goal, assuming everything gets done, is to make Twitter as inclusive as possible and to have as broad a swathe of people on Twitter as possible,' he said.

'And that it is entertaining and funny and they have as much fun as possible.'

On Tuesday Elon Musk tweeted: Twitter will always be free for casual users, but maybe a slight cost for commercial/government users'

Twitter's logo is seen on November 7, 2013, outside the New York Stock Exchange on the first day of trading. Shares closed at $44.90 on the first day. They are now worth $48.87

Since the deal he has been talking to investors in a bid to reduce the $21 billion he needs to come up with to close the deal.

The remainder of the money will come from bank loans.

Musk, the world's richest man, is worth $255 billion - but much of that money is tied up in Tesla stock. He is believed to have 'only' $3 billion in cash, Bloomberg reported last month.

Musk's indication that he is considering a plan to return the company to public ownership may be designed to reassure potential investors, and indicate that he would act quickly to make the company profitable.

Private equity firms often take companies private, with the intention of increasing their profitability and ironing out issues outside of the spotlight, and then taking them public again within five years or so.

On April 14, he said he was not interested in the company for money, and was more concerned about changing the way it operates.

'This is not a sort of way to make money,' he said. 'I don't care about the economics at all.'

Last week, Musk disclosed he sold $8.5 billion worth of Tesla stock following his agreement to buy Twitter.

The new financing, which could come in the form of preferred or common equity, could reduce the $21 billion cash contribution that Musk has committed to the deal as well as a margin loan he secured against his Tesla shares, sources told Reuters.

The banks that agreed last month to provide $13 billion in loans based on Twitter's business balked at offering more debt for Musk's acquisition given the San Francisco-based company's limited cash flow, Reuters reported last month.

Musk has also pledged some of his Tesla shares to banks to arrange a $12.5 billion margin loan to help fund the deal.

Investors have been fretting over whether Musk will complete the Twitter deal given that he has backtracked in the past.

In April, he decided at the last minute not to take up a seat on Twitter's board.

In 2018, Musk tweeted that there was 'funding secured' for a $72 billion deal to take Tesla private but did not move ahead with an offer.

Musk has already floated some ideas about how to make Twitter more profitable.

He said that he intends on reducing the pay for executives and board members - Twitter's 11 board members collectively make $2.9 million in cash and stock awards, and Musk has said he will reduce that to zero.

Twitter's top lawyer, Vijaya Gadde, earned $17 million last year, although the vast majority of that was stock. CEO Parag Agrawal receives an annual salary of $1 million, but made around $30 million last year when his stock was taken into account.

The Tesla magnate, 50, agreed to pay shareholders $54.20 in cash for each share of common stock before the bombshell deal was struck

Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal (left) and co-founder Jack Dorsey (right) also hold board seats

Twitter's board members made an average of nearly $290,000 in director compensation for 2021, filings show - a figure that is not considered excessive in Silicon Valley.

Members of the board of Alphabet - Google's parent company - made between $400,000 and $500,000, while those sitting on the board of Meta, Facebook's parent company, made an average of nearly $800,000 in total compensation.

Twitter shares ended trading up 0.55 percent at $48.87 in New York on Tuesday.

Musk would have to pay a $1 billion termination fee to Twitter if he walked away, and the social media company could also sue him to complete the deal.
A three-year-old girl is in a critical condition in hospital after spending several hours trapped inside a parked minivan in hot weather.

The toddler is understood to have been found 'unresponsive' in the van outside the Le Smileys Early Learning Centre on Lucas Street in Gracemere, near Rockhampton in Central Queensland.

Paramedics, including a critical care team, were called to the centre at about 2.50pm where they treated and revived the gravely-ill girl.

A toddler was revived by Queensland paramedics after being found unconscious in a minivan outside a child care centre on Wednesday afternoon (pictured, police inspect a white van outside the Le Smiley's Early Learning Centre)

The three-year-old was found gravely ill in the van parked outside the childcare centre on Lucas Street in Gracemere, just outside Rockhampton

Queensland Ambulance confirmed the three-year-old was 'unconscious' when found just before 3pm.

'The girl was located on a bus out the front of a school on Lucas Street [and] was transported in a critical condition to Rockhampton Hospital,' Queensland Ambulance said on social media.

The girl was found 'unresponsive', the ambulance service's Central Region operations manager Jason Thompson told media on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr Thompson described the situation as 'traumatic' for crews who treated her and admitted he had 'goosebumps' talking about it.

Police were interviewing the centre's staff and inspecting a white minivan, especially a seat in the middle of the bus on Wednesday afternoon

The toddler was rushed to Rockhampton Hospital in a gravelly-ill condition and is believed to be in a critical but stable condition with her parents at her bedside

#Gracemere - A three-year-old girl was found unconscious in a vehicle at Gracemere today. The girl was located on a bus out the front of a school on Lucas Street just before 3pm. She was transported in a critical condition to Rockhampton Hospital.  Queensland Ambulance (@QldAmbulance) May 4, 2022

'On the crews arrival Queensland Police were already on scene and escorted the crew into the childcare centre where the young child was on the floor in the admin area,' he said.

Mr Thompson said it wasn't known how long she was locked inside the van, but some reports said it may have been many hours.

'Its believed she has been on the bus since 9.30am, she was found around 3.15pm,' Nine News Queensland reporter Tim Arvier told 4BC on Wednesday afternoon.

Temperatures in Rockhampton reached a maximum of 29C on Wednesday.

The toddler is understood to be in a 'critical but stable' condition in Rockhampton Hospital with her parents at her bedside

The toddler is understood to be in a 'critical but stable' condition in hospital with her parents at her bedside.

Five police vehicles were in attendance monitoring access to and from the childcare facility.

They are understood to be interviewing the centre's staff and inspecting a white minivan, especially a seat in the middle of the bus.

The incident echoes the tragic case of Maliq Nicholas Lloyd Namok-Malamoo, known to his family as 'Meeky'.

He was found dead on the Goodstart Early Learning Centre minibus in the Cairns suburb of Edmonton on February 18, 2020.

Michael Lewis was jailed for six years for manslaughter after the three-year-old boy was left on the minibus in temperatures that reportedly reached 56 degrees Celsius.

The Rockhampton incident echoes the tragic case of Maliq Nicholas Lloyd Namok-Malamoo (pictured) who was found dead on the Goodstart Early Learning Centre minibus in Cairns in February, 2020

Meeky's lifeless body was found in the child care minibus (pictured), almost six hours after he was allegedly collected from his home last February

During the trial the court heard there had been confusion about the pick-up of Meeky on the morning of his death.

The court was also told that Lewis failed to take Meeky off the bus or sign him in after arriving at the centre.
Professor Stephen Toope, the vice-chancellor of Cambridge University

The vice-chancellor of Cambridge has warned private school pupils that they will lose out on Oxbridge places to state school peers in a bid to boost diversity.

Professor Stephen Toope, a Canadian who leaves his 365,000-a-year role this September after a series of bruising battles with 'woke warriors', said the ancient university has been working hard to boost its state school intake.

He told The Times newspaper that Cambridge would be 'welcoming others' rather than telling students from private schools 'we don't want you'.

State school pupils made up 72% of Cambridge's intake in September last year, up from 70.6% in 2020 and 68.7% in 2019, after almost 45% of all A-level exams were awarded an A* or A grade.

Cambridge set a benchmark of 76% state school intake for 2020, while Oxford's was 75.5% - compared with its actual state school intake of just under 70%.

Private schools educate just 7% of children, with the proportion for sixth-formers believed to be about 12%.

Calling the state school intake rise 'real progress', Prof Toope said: 'What we are seeing happen already is people understanding the premium to go to some schools may not be as significant as it once was.

'That's something that will continue to change over time.'

He added: 'I would say we have to keep making it very, very clear we are intending to reduce over time the number of people who are coming from independent school backgrounds into places like Oxford or Cambridge.'

King's College Chapel and King's Parade in Cambridge

Eton College 'lost HALF its Oxbridge offers as top universities try to boost intake from state schools' In February last year, it was reported that Oxford and Cambridge universities had halved the number of offers given to Eton College pupils. The universities offered just 48 places to pupils at the prestigious public school this year, compared to 99 in 2014. A record high proportion of state school students started courses at the University of Cambridge. Writing in a letter to parents, the school's deputy head Tom Hawkins tried to appease disappointed families. He said: 'Each year we see very strong Etonian applicants disappointed, and unfortunately there have been more boys in this position this year.' Advertisement

'Individual students who are talented, we would want them, but they're going to be competing against an ever-larger pool because there are more students coming from state schools who are seeing a potential place for themselves at Cambridge or Oxford or other Russell Group universities.'

Conservative MP Robert Halfon, chairman of the Commons education select committee, said: 'There's clearly not a level playing field and very little has been done.

'We need to make sure there's a meritocracy - at the moment it's not.'

Independent Schools Council chairman Barnaby Lenon said: 'School type is not of itself a proxy for background or an indicator of socio-economic advantage or disadvantage.

'Many pupils in state schools come from high-income homes and many pupils attending independent schools receive means-tested bursaries - contextual admissions are only a sensible part of the selection process if they are applied properly.

'It is a shame that this debate is so often presented as independent vs state. Independent schools actively support state school Oxbridge applicants through partnership projects and our schools are responsible for having set-up some highly successful state schools in terms of Oxbridge success, including the London Academy of Excellence and Harris Westminster.'

He added: 'Taxpayers expect that Oxford and Cambridge would select students based on their academic potential. How they do that is up to them. A proportion of the best students in the UK go to independent schools, very often on large bursaries.

'A large proportion of those state school pupils at Oxford and Cambridge come from grammar schools or state schools in prosperous areas where there is selection by house price. Many come from wealthy homes overseas, but the overseas figures are rarely mentioned.

'Independent schools continue to get their best pupils into Oxford and Cambridge in large numbers because these are pupils with great academic potential. Their degree results at Oxford and Cambridge bear this out.'

Universities Minister Michelle Donelan told the paper: 'It's really important that young people with the desire and ability go into higher education, including the very best universities, but that's only part of the hurdle.

'It's about making sure they complete those courses.'

Announcing he was leaving two years early last year, Prof Toope said that being separated from his children and grandchildren by closed borders during the pandemic 'has been hard'.

Aerial view of Oxford city, including college buildings and spires

It comes after a succession of difficulties with 'woke warriors' over free speech issues.

In December 2020, Cambridge came under fire for a free speech policy which had proposed requiring staff and students to be 'respectful' of differing views.

But after an intervention, its governing body voted to revise the wording in the freedom of speech guidelines from 'respect' to 'tolerate' following concerns from academics and alumni, including actor Stephen Fry.

Opponents of Cambridge's original draft statement on freedom of speech warned that calling for respect for opposing views could undermine academic freedom at the university and stifle views.

In March 2019, Cambridge University rescinded a visiting fellowship offer to Dr Jordan Peterson because he was pictured with a man wearing a T-shirt with the slogan 'I'm a proud Islamophobe'.

At the time, Prof Toope said the Canadian psychology professor's 'casual endorsement' by association was believed to be 'antithetical' to the work of the Faculty of Divinity at the university.
A stressed accountant who turned to poker machines as an escape stole almost $2 million from her employer to feed her addiction, a court has been told.

After hitting hard times, Sandra Balfour, 67, transferred money from a Brisbane car dealer in a 'large number of discreet transactions' ranging from $100 to more than $10,000 from 2010 to 2018.

But instead of Balfour enjoying a lavish lifestyle, the money went 'straight into pokies', defence barrister Matthew Hynes said.

Balfour turned to gambling after battling to cope with suddenly becoming the sole bread winner and carer for her husband in 2010, Brisbane District Court heard.

Her husband lost his job and was unable to work due to a medical condition, becoming depressed and turning to alcohol.

Sandra Balfour (pictured arriving at the Brisbane District Court on Wednesday) was sentenced to eight years jail after siphoning her car dealer boss from 2010 to 2018

'Gambling was an escape for her,' Mr Hynes said of Balfour, a Scottish citizen who now faces deportation.

'This is not a case of someone living a greedy, lavish lifestyle. She is feeding her addiction - it was need, not greed.

'It was a proper addiction.'

Balfour began siphoning money from the car dealer in June 2010, taking more than $1.8 million until she was caught in early 2018.

An investigation was launched after a customer complained they had not received a payment from the car dealer and it was discovered the money had been transferred to Balfour's account.

She had used another employee's log-in details to generate a payment from the car dealer before authorising it herself.

Transactions were made under generic descriptions to avoid scrutiny before she was arrested in June 2018 and later released on bail.

Her husband - who died of cancer in 2021 - pleaded with her not to touch a poker machine again after her release, Mr Hynes said.

'She has kept that promise,' he said.

Balfour began work at the car dealership in October 1993 just months after pleading guilty to 12 counts of fraudulent and false accounting when she 'overpaid herself' $33,000, receiving a three-year jail term which was immediately suspended, the court heard.

Ms Balfour's defence barrister said she was ensnared in a gambling addiction

She arrived in Australia in 1982 but is still a Scottish citizen.

Judge Paul Smith factored in the 'hardship' Balfour faced following her jail term when determining her sentence.

Balfour is expected to have her visa cancelled under the migration act and be deported following her release from prison.

She had no job prospects or friends in Scotland and her only remaining connection to her homeland - a country she had not visited in more than a decade - was an ill, younger brother, Mr Hynes said.

'Hardship issues have been pointed out. Your connection to Scotland is almost non existent ... (but) this is a significant breach of trust,' Judge Smith said.

He also factored in Balfour offering to pay about $900,000 to resolve ongoing, related civil action before sentencing.

With her son looking on, Balfour was sentenced to eight years' jail on one count of fraud as an employee valued at $100,000 or more.

She will be eligible for parole in April 2024.
Wagner Group mercenaries have been filmed fighting in Ukraine for the first time as Russian troops go house-to-house in the bloody battle for control of Donbas.

Drone footage from the town of Popansa, in Ukraine's east, shows a squad of Russians involved in intense street fighting with Ukrainian defenders - storming a house and throwing grenades before forcing them to surrender.

The soldiers are mercenaries from the Wagner Group, according to pro-Russian sources - a shadowy military contractor with links to the Kremlin which is thought to be responsible for atrocities in conflicts from South America to the Middle East.

The footage emerged as UK intelligence said today that Russian forces are 'struggling to break through defences and build momentum' in the fight for Donbas, the outcome of which is seen as pivotal to the overall war.

Russian soldiers - believed to be from the feared Wagner Group - have been filmed fighting in Ukraine for the first time (pictured top left, storming a trench)

Smoke rises over trenches and a set of houses in the Ukrainian town of Popansa as Russian troops attack in an effort to capture the settlement

A Wagner solider (pictured standing against the house wall) prepares to throw a grenade into another building containing Ukrainian troops

Britain's Ministry of Defence said that, despite these setbacks, Russian commanders appear set on attempting to capture the cities of Severodonetsk and Kramatorsk - to the north and west of Popansa, respectively - using forces massed in the area.

'Capturing these locations would consolidate Russian military control of the north-eastern Donbas and provide a staging point for their efforts to cut-off Ukrainian forces in the region,' the MoD said this morning.

Footage of the Wagner mercenaries first appeared on the Telegram channel of 'Colonel Cassad' - a pro-Russian blogger named Boris Rozhin who is based in Crimea who posts updates from Ukraine to an audience hundreds of thousands strong.

It was re-posed by Rob Lee, a respected analyst from the War Studies department of King's College, who repeated Rozhin's claim that the troops are from Wagner.

Russia has turned its attention on capturing Ukraine's eastern regions after its initial attempts to capture Kyiv and other key cities in the north failed with Moscow's forces suffering heavy casualties.

Fighting is now ongoing along a stretch of frontline hundreds of miles long, stretching from Kharkiv in the north to Mariupol in the south, and along the Azov and Black Sea coasts to Kherson and Mykolaiv.

Some of the most-intense battles are currently taking place in Popansa and Lyman, around 35 miles to the north, as the Russians attempt to surround the cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, which span the Donets river.

Doing so would cut off the Ukrainian defenders from reinforcements and make the cities easier to capture. If they fall, they could then be used as a staging post to push further west - to Slovyansk and Kramatorsk.

Russia is now fighting along a front spanning hundreds of miles from Kharkiv in the north to Mariupol in the south and west to Kherson and Mykolaiv

Smoke rises over a military facility in Russian-occupied regions of Donetsk today, the latest in a series of blazes at Russian military sites

Smoke rises over a burning oil storage facility in Russian-held regions of Donetsk, in Ukraine

A hastily-dug civilian grave is seen in the city of Mariupol, which has been near-totally destroyed by Russian attacks

A heavily damaged playground is seen outside of a kindergarten that was bombed during the Russian invasion

Russia's overall aim in Donbas appears to be a push southwards from Izyum - where the bulk of its forces are concentrated - to the rebel-held city of Donetsk.

The move, coupled with the capture of Mariupol in the south - where units of Ukrainian defenders are still holed up inside a sprawling steel works in the centre of the city - would allow Putin to claim control over most of the Donbas region.

Heavy fighting is ongoing in Mariupol, where defenders inside the Azovtstal plant said on Tuesday that they were being shelled and that Russian troops were attempting to storm the complex.

'We will do everything possible to repel this assault,' Captain Sviatoslav Palamar said in a video update from inside Azovstal.

'Liberating' the Donbas, which has little strategic value but is of huge ideological importance to Putin, was one of his key aims at the start of the war and winning the battle would allow him to claim some form of victory.

Depending on how badly Russian units suffer in the fight, he could either stop the offensive there or renew attacks further to the west.

Russia's generals have said they want to capture Ukraine's Black Sea coast, which would mean targeting Mykolaiv and Odesa next. Putin is also reportedly eager to seize control of President Zelensky's birthplace of Kryvyi Ri.

Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro, both major cities spanning the Dnipro river which have provided safe haven to refugees fleeing conflict in Donbas, could also be hit.

Putin may even decide to return to his early failed offensives, by renewing attacks on Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and even Kyiv.

But such an outcome is far from assured. While Russia has gained some territory in Donbas, Ukraine's frontline has largely held up until now - and in some places Moscow's troops are stretched thin enough to allow them to counter-attack.

An injured woman evacuated from the Azovstal steel works arrives in Zaporizhzhia after around 100 civilians were rescued during a ceasefire last week

Families and loved ones hug each-other as they reunite in Zaporizhzhia after being evacuated from the Azovstal steel works, in Mariupol

A family weeps after being evacuated to safety from the Azovstal steel works, in Mariupol

A young girl carries a baby off a coach as they arrive in Zaporizhzhia from the city of Mariupol

Soldiers defending the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest, have managed to push some 30 miles east of the city and recapture villages once held by Russia.

The move relieves pressure on the city, which has been under threat of attack since the early days of the war and has been heavily bombed, and also threatens Russian supply lines for its forces at Izyum.

There is just one major road connecting the Russian city of Belgorod, which is functioning as the main supply hub, to Izyum - which is increasingly vulnerable to Ukrainian attacks.

Disrupting the flow of supplies to the front could cause Russia's offensive to stall or collapse completely, as happened to the north of Kyiv before troops retreated.

If that happens, the Putin will be deprived of even the most basic of victories.

Depending on how badly his forces are mauled, it could open up the prospect of Ukraine going on the offensive to recapture not just the territory lost during the present invasion, but areas it has not controlled since 2014.

President Zelensky spelled out this goal on Tuesday, saying his aims are to halt Russia's advance, reclaim territory, and then to restore Ukraine within its accepted borders through diplomacy.

'We are not retreating,' Zelensky told a summit organised by the Wall Street Journal. 'Victory will be ours.'

Liz Truss, the UK foreign secretary, has also stated that 'victory' in Ukraine will be achieved when the entire country is back under the control of Kyiv.

In a speech last week, she vowed to go 'further and faster' in deliveries of heavy weapons such as tanks and artillery until that goal is achieved.

She spoke after Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, said the goal of American weapons supplies is to weaken Russian to the point where it can no longer bully or threaten its neighbours.

Firefighters tackle a blaze in Lviv, western Ukraine, after it was hit by Russian airstrikes
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A 23-year-old man has been charged with trying to attack Dave Chappelle last night after storming on stage armed with a knife and tackling the comedian at his Hollywood Bowl show.

Isaiah Lee is now being held in the LA County Sheriff's custody on a single felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon. His bail has been set at $30,000. Lee's motive for the attack remains unclear. Police have not yet established where he lives, and if he attended the show alone.

He stormed the stage while Chappelle joked that he'd had to increase his security in light of his trans jokes at the Netflix is a Joke festival. The attacker was armed with a gun that contained a hidden knife, according to the cops. It's unclear if he was searched on his way into the venue, or how he was able to gain access to the stage.

Chappelle was uninjured and carried on with the show.

Lee was then tackled by security guards who appeared to break his arm in the melee. He is described as weighing 140lbs and is 5ft 11.

It raises questions about security at the Netflix show, its first ever live comedy festival, which forced fans to put their phones away but failed to spot the weapon. Netflix has not yet addressed the incident.

The venue said on its website that the show, which last night was titled Dave Chappelle and Friends, would be a 'phone-free experience' and that the audience would have to secure their phones inside pouches.

After the attacker was detained, Chappelle thanked Foxx on stage during the curtain call. He said: 'Shout out to Jamie Foxx by the way. Whenever you're in trouble, Jamie Foxx will show up in a sheriff's hat.'

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Isaiah Lee, 23, is removed on a gurney and in handcuffs after trying to attack Dave Chappelle at his show in Hollywood on Tuesday night

Lee is now in the custody of LA County Sheriffs. He has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon

The 23-year-old was taken into custody at the event, then was taken to the hospital. He is now in jail

Footage later appears to show the suspect being treated by paramedics for a badly injured arm before he was taken to hospital in an ambulance

Dave Chappelle was last night attacked on stage while filming a Netflix special in Los Angeles

Chris Rock, who performed later in the event last night and was similarly subjected to a violent outburst on stage at the Oscars in March, came on stage and joked: 'Was that Will Smith?', with Jimmy Carr standing behind

Chris Rock later came to the stage and joked that it was Will Smith who attacked Chappelle, while Jimmy Carr stood shocked in the background at the 'crazy' gig

Chappelle, who sparked outrage in the trans community with controversial comments in a Netflix show last year, appeared to be uninjured

Foxx replied: 'I thought that was part of the show, I didn't know what the f***...'

Chappelle said: 'I grabbed the back of that n**** head. His hair was spongy. Absorbent.'

Foxx added: 'Listen, I just want to say, this man is an absolute genius. We've got to make sure we protect him at all times.

'For every comedian who comes out here, this means everything. You're a genius. You're a legend, I enjoyed myself thoroughly, and we're not going to let nothing happen to you.'

Chappelle said: 'I've been doing this for 35 years. I just stomped a n**** backstage. I've always wanted to do that.'

After the attack, Jimmy Carr shared a selfie taken with the fellow comedian and described his Los Angeles show as 'crazy'.

He tweeted: 'The Hollywood Bowl show with the legendary Dave Chappelle was crazy. Just happy everyone's ok.'

Chappelle came under fire last year over jokes about trans people in his Netflix comedy show The Closer.

Stars: Madonna, 63, looked pensive as she headed to Nice Guy restaurant with friends after the event while Christina, 40, (right) was seen covering her mouth with her hand in shock

Night out: Celebrities Madonna (pictured), Christina Milian and Karrueche Tran were seen leaving the Hollywood Bowl late on Tuesday night after attending Dave Chappelle's comedy show where he was tackled on stage in a dramatic attack

Chappelle, pictured at the opening night of the Netflix is a Joke festival last week, came under fire last year over jokes about trans people in his Netflix comedy show The Closer

The venue said on its website that the show, which last night was titled Dave Chappelle and Friends, would be a 'phone-free experience'

In the aftermath, the confused audience left the arena as the attacker was taken to hospital to treat his injured arm

Footage from the event shows panicked security chasing the attacker round the stage after he ran up and attacked the comedian

After the attack, Jimmy Carr shared a selfie taken with the fellow comedian and described his Los Angeles show as 'crazy'

During the controversial special, he made one comment stating that 'gender is a fact', prompting Netflix staff to protest and mass outrage on social media against some of his jokes.

He also shared his backing for JK Rowling, who has also attracted criticism for her remarks about biological sex.

In the special, he stated that he does not hate transgender people, and tells a long anecdote about a trans woman comic, who he describes as a friend, who came to his defense in earlier entanglements with the community.

Chappelle added: 'Every human being in this room, every human being on Earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on Earth. That is a fact.'

In the contentious special, Chappelle also joked that women today view transwomen the same way black people might view white women wearing blackface, and remarked that women are entitled to feel anger toward transwomen, since Caitlyn Jenner won Glamour magazine's 2015 Woman of the Year award.

'I'd be mad as sh*t if I was a woman,' Chappelle said.

The star also joked about the anatomy of transwomen, joking that they lacked real female reproductive organs and that they did not have blood but 'beet juice'.

The comments prompted calls for Netflix to take down the show, but boss Ted Sarandos told staff that 'content on screen doesn't translate to real-world harm'.

Those who have criticized Chapelle's jokes have specifically cited the physical danger faced by the trans community as a result of anti-trans ideology.

Chris Rock performed later in the event last night and was similarly subjected to a violent outburst on stage at the Oscars in March

The attack comes weeks after Will Smith attacked Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars, raising fears it would inspire similar violent protests against performers.

The actor slapped the comedian on stage after a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith's shaved head. Pinkett-Smith has been open in the past about her struggles with alopecia.

After the slap, Smith returned to his seat and screamed 'keep my wife's name out of your f*****g mouth.'

He the then won the Oscar for Best Actor in his role as Richard Williams, in the film King Richard. He used his speech to apologize to the Academy and he later posted an apology on Instagram.

Rock has mostly kept quiet on the issue, speaking out only to say he was 'processing' what happened.

The incident prompted members of the comedy community, including Jack Whitehall and Kathy Griffin, to voice their fears that performers are no longer safe on stage.

The Netflix event is the streaming giant's first ever comedy festival and features performances from big name stars including Seth Rogen, Snoop Dogg, Bill Burr and Pete Davidson.
A heartbroken wife has revealed her husband's final words before he tragically died in an e-scooter crash was 'I love you'.

Kim Rowe, 46, had been riding on Yale Road in Thornlie, in Perth's eastern suburbs, when the father-of-three collided with a cyclist about 2:30am on Wednesday.

Mr Rowe had been coming home from a late-night shift when he turned a blind corner and crashed into a bike rider travelling in the opposite direction.

He was rushed to Fiona Stanley Hospital with critical injuries but despite the desperate efforts of medical teams, tragically died a short time later.

His partner Tara McNally said they had their last exchange as Mr Rowe left for work, which finished with him saying he loved her.

Kim Rowe, 46, (pictured with his three children) had been riding on Yale Road in Thornlie, in Perth's eastern suburbs, when he collided with a cyclist about 2:30am on Wednesday

He was rushed to Fiona Stanley Hospital with critical injuries and despite the desperate efforts of medical teams, tragically died a short time later (pictured is the scene in Thornlie, Perth)

Mr Rowe worked packing trucks for a bakery and had been married for 16 years with who he shared three children, aged four, nine and 10.

The grief-stricken mother said she feels like she has 'lost a part of myself'.

'It happened when he was coming home,' Ms McNally told the West Australian.

'Everyone loved him... we will miss him forever.'

Her 'heartbroken' son Brodie, 10, said he misses his dad.

Ms McNally said her partner had always been very safety conscious while riding his e-scooter and never left home without a helmet.

A resident recalled hearing a 'thud' and then 'groans' at the time of the horror crash which occurred nearby a busy intersection.

The cyclist, a 52-year-old man, was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Ms McNally (pictured) said her partner had always been very safety conscious while riding his e-scooter and never left home without a helmet

Police, paramedics and firefighters attended the scene with officers to continue to investigate the circumstances of the horror crash.

The incident marks the second fatal e-scooter collision in Western Australia this year, after a 13-year-old boy fell off one of the popular devices in February.

Calym Gilbert, who had been on the e-scooter with another 14-year-old, was hit by a ute at an intersection in Butler just after 2pm on February 20.

The teenager had not been wearing a helmet at the time with his grief-stricken family deciding to turn off his life support the following day.

Road Safety commissioner Adrian Warner described the two deaths as a tragic reminder to residents to be mindful of riders on roads and paths.

'Even when all safety precautions are taken, eRiders are vulnerable and the consequences of a crash can be devastating as we have seen with this incident,' Mr Warner said.

Mr Rowe (pictured) had worked packing trucks for a bakery and had been married to his wife for 16 years with who he shared three children, aged four, nine and 10

Electric scooters are allowed on public roads in almost all Australian states and territories with WA, ACT, Queensland and Tasmania having the most lax rules (pictured, riders in Melbourne)

The WA Government introduced new legislation on electric devices in December.

Riders were restricted to travelling a maximum of 25km/hour on suburban roads and bike roads and 10km/hour on pedestrian footpaths.

Electric scooters are allowed on public roads in almost all Australian states and territories with WA, ACT, Queensland and Tasmania having the most lax rules.

The NSW state government recently announced e-scooters would be trialled in Sydney after repeated calls for the devices to be introduced.

NSW Transport Minister Rob Stokes wants to launch a three-month pilot from July and hopes the devices can help ease traffic and parking woes in the Harbour City.
A crocodile has seriously injured a 'tourist' in an horrific attack at a lake in Western Australia considered an Instagram hotspot.

The 38-year-old woman was bitten on the leg by a freshwater crocodile while swimming at Butler Cove, Lake Argyle, in the remote Kimberley region in the far north of the state.

Before Monday's attack, the area dubbed the 'Jewel of the Kimberley' was better known for its immense natural beauty.

The idyllic outback location is a favourite of tourists and a major attraction for social media influencers.

Before Monday's crocodile attack, Lake Argyle (pictured) was better known for its tranquil beauty

The woman, whom Daily Mail Australia understands is from elsewhere in WA, sustained serious leg injuries and was first rushed to Kununurra Hospital before being taken to Broome Regional Hospital.

As of Wednesday night, the hospital said she was 'in a stable condition'.

The traveller is understood to have been part of a group that hired a five-metre boat to get around the lake.

On its website, the boat hire company said: 'We do have freshwater crocodiles in Lake Argyle but these creatures don't actively hurt humans.'

It adds that: 'We swim in deeper parts of Lake Argyle where they frequent less.'

A crocodile was later spotted roving around the area and was shot by authorities.

WA's Department of Biodiversity and Conservation (DBCA) sent a crew to patrol the area on Tuesday and said the attack was by 'a problem animal'.

'The attack was unprovoked (and) a 2-2.5 metre freshwater crocodile was seen in the area soon after the incident,' a DBCA spokesperson said.

A 38-year-old was bitten on the leg by a freshwater crocodile while swimming at Lake Argyle, in the remote Kimberley region on Monday (stock image)

A warning sign alerting people to the risk of crocodiles is displayed along the Ord River at Lake Argyle. A woman was attacked by a crocodile in Lake Argyle on Monday

When officers conducted a patrol of Butler Cove on Tuesday, a freshwater crocodile of the same size approached and interact with their vessel.

'Both the behaviour of a crocodile approaching the boat and the events of the previous day is consistent with what staff would identify as a problem animal,' the spokesperson said.

'To ensure public safety in the popular recreation and swimming area and with a the annual Lake Argyle swim taking place this weekend, the animal was destroyed.'

The Lake Argyle Resort and Caravan Park has become one of the state's most idyllic spots for couples and families, offering caravans, cabins and grand lake-front villas.

The park's main attraction which brings in thousands of tourists every year is the 35m infinity pool, which has panoramic views of Lake Argyle.

Tours around the lake and sunset cruises are also very popular despite the large population of freshwater crocodiles.

The Lake Argyle Resort and Caravan Park is famed for its 35m infinity pool (pictured), which has panoramic views of Lake Argyle

Lake Argyle (pictured) in far north Western Australia, is known for its stunning natural beauty

Members of the public who encounter a freshwater crocodile interacting with people swimming, fishing, camping or boating are encouraged to report it to their local Parks and Wildlife Service office.

'As with all wild animals, freshwater crocodiles' behaviour can change if people feed or interact with them,' the spokesperson said.

'The animals can begin seeking out people as a source of food and start exhibiting dangerous behaviour.

'The public is reminded not to feed or approach wildlife while recreating in the Kimberley.'

Lake Argyle (pictured) attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year, eager to see it's beauty and to get perfect pictures for social media posts
Vladimir Putin will soon have 'no way back' but to unleash nuclear weapons on Ukraine, a leading Russian TV war reporter has claimed.

Alexander Sladkov advocated dropping an atomic bomb to cause 'a crater the size of several regions' in a 'demonstrative way' to intimidate NATO.

Russia has claimed the goal of its military campaign in Ukraine is to 'liberate' it from the control of supposed 'neoNazis' - despite Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky being Jewish and far-right politicians receiving little support in the country.

But Sladkov - described as a war reporter and 'propagandist' - told his 730,000 followers the time may be approaching for the 'last resort' due to some 40 countries arming Ukraine with weapons which are being used against the Russians.

The Russian president placed Russian nuclear forces on high alert shortly after its invasion of Ukraine began February 24.

And amid increasing Western support to Ukraine, Putin has made thinly veiled threats hinting at a willingness to deploy Russia's tactical nuclear weapons, which Russian military doctrine holds can be used to force an adversary to retreat.

ladimir Putin will soon have 'no way back' but to unleash nuclear weapons on Ukraine, a leading Russian TV war reporter has claimed. Pictured: Putin listens during a meeting of the Russia the Land of Opportunity Supervisory Board at the Kremlin, in Moscow, on April 26

Russian propagandist Alexander Sladkov advocated dropping an atomic bomb to cause 'a crater the size of several regions' in a 'demonstrative way' to intimidate NATO

'There is more and more talk about nuclear weapons, and Russia has much to say about it,' Sladkov posted. 'We have a solution for Ukraine.

'There are several, yet we are getting reminded about the last resort - nuclear weapons. If no-one is going to hear us, and 40 countries keep helping the Ukrainian neoNazis, we will have no way back.'

He continued: 'The Americans used nuclear weapons in Japan, in a demonstrative way. So us, Russians, will have to demonstratively do it in Ukraine to remove the issue with further confrontation with those known 40 countries.

'A crater the size of several regions will be a clear example of how serious is Russia's appeal to NATO to get back to peace and harmony. But where will Ukraine go?

'Exactly where it's heading right now, with the only difference that it'll be fast, and cheaper for Russia. The Europeans and Americans can't quite get it that one must not harass a neighbouring country with such a giant nuclear potential.

'Thinking about it, I remember just how easily the US used nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and how easily they nearly deployed them at Dien Bien Phu in 1954,' he said - referring to a US plan in the Vietnam War to launch a nuclear strike in order to help rescue French forces trapped in the city.

Sladkov warned: 'Everything is possible, and this is what the Americans teach us. And we are learning. Not that any of this will make it easier for Ukraine.'

Since the war broke out, propagandists on Russian state TV have been sabre-rattling on a near-nightly basis, backing Putin to use extreme force against Ukraine.

On Sunday night, Russian state media urged Putin to wipe Great Britain off the map with a nuclear-bomb triggered giant tidal wave.

Dmitry Kiselyov, known as 'Putin's mouthpiece', used his show to call for attacks on Britain with a Poseidon underwater drone that he said would trigger a 1,600ft radioactive tidal wave and 'plunge Britain to the depths of the ocean.'

And last week, Russian state TV has brazenly simulated how Putin would launch a nuclear strike on three capital cities in Europe, declaring there would be 'no survivors', in response to comments made by the UK's Armed Forces Minister supporting Ukrainian strikes on Russian infrastructure.

On Sunday night, Russian state media (pictured) urged Putin to wipe Great Britain off the map with a nuclear-bomb triggered giant tidal wave

Last week, Russian state TV has brazenly simulated how Putin would launch a nuclear strike on three capital cities in Europe, declaring there would be 'no survivors'

Pictured: A Russian defence ministry demonstration video showing a test launch of the 'Satan-2' intercontinental ballistic missile

Last month, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Russia was not considering using nuclear weapons 'at this stage' of its invasion of Ukraine.

In an interview in which he parroted Putin's propaganda over Moscow's brutal military actions, Lavrov blamed the US, the West and NATO expansion for his country's so-called 'special operation'.

When asked by India Today whether Russia had any intention of using nuclear weapons, Lavrov said: 'At this stage, we are considering the option of conventional weapons only,' according to Russia's RIA state news agency.

Lavrov, a long-time Kremlin mouthpiece and staunch ally of Putin, said in late January that Russia would not invade its neighbour. On February 24, less a month after his comments, Putin ordered Moscow's troops into Ukraine.

Days after, Putin put Russia's nuclear forces on high alert, and threatened NATO allies with 'consequences greater than any you have faced in history' should they intervene in the Ukraine conflict.

This raised fears that the Russian leader would be prepared to use nuclear weapons in the conflict, something no country has done since the Second World War.

Sladkov's comments were contrasted by Russian journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov, who on Tuesday decried Russian propaganda arguing for using nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict, warning that would signal 'the end of humanity'.

'I would not rule out the possibility that nuclear weapons might be used,' Muratov told journalists in Geneva, speaking through a translator.

Speaking at an event marking the World Press Freedom Day, Muratov, whose own Novaya Gazata newspaper has been forced to suspend publication amid Moscow's military intervention, warned that the Kremlin's 'propaganda warriors' were striving to make nuclear weapons use more palatable to the Russian public.

'For two weeks now, we have been hearing from our television screens that nuclear silos should be opened,' he said.

'And we also hear that these horrible weapons should be used should the supplies of weapons to Ukraine continue,' he said, referring to the push by the United States, the European Union and others to arm the war-torn country.

Contrary to the propaganda narrative, deploying such weapons would 'not be the end of the war,' he warned. 'This will be the end of humanity.'

Russian journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov on Tuesday decried Russian propaganda arguing for using nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict, warning that would signal 'the end of humanity'. Pictured: Muratov speaks in Geneva on May 3, 2022

Muratov answered questions about an attack he suffered on a train in Russia last month, noting the perpetrator was being 'shielded from criminal prosecution'. Pictured: Muratov shown covered by red paint (left) and his belongings (right) covered with red paint after he said he was assaulted in a compartment of the train Moscow-Samara

Are there any defences against intercontinental ballistic missiles? A number of countries maintain anti-missile systems which aim to shoot down or destroy missiles before the are able to reach their intended targets. But these systems are typically only effective against small numbers of missiles, travelling well below hypersonic speeds. The advent of hypersonic missile technology and long-range ICBMs, such as Russia's latest Sarmat missile, have made anti-missile systems largely redundant. The U.S.' Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation said that 'despite decades of research, development, and testing, there remains no reliably effective anti-missile system to counter intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs)'. Existing missile defence systems, such as the U.S. Patriot system, can target incoming short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles whose threat is localised to one region, but cannot effectively protect against nuclear-capable ICBMs such as the Sarmat that can deploy warheads across vast areas. According to former Assistant Secretary of Defense and U.S. chief weapons evaluator Philip Coyle: 'All missile defense systems can be overwhelmed... It is only if the attack is limited that the defense can have a hope of not being overwhelmed.' In the early 2000s, the U.S. began work on developing a specialised system designed to intercept ICBMs, known as the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system. This aims to use a range of sensors and radars, based in locations around the world and in space, to detect ICBM launches and destroy them out of the Earth's atmosphere, before the warheads have a chance to re-enter and hit their targets. But the programme is wildly expensive and has returned extremely poor results, even in scripted tests in perfect conditions. Advertisement

He said the most frightening thing in Russia today is that Putin has acquired 'unrestricted, absolute power.'

If he decides nuclear weapons should be used, Muratov said, 'nobody can possibly stop this decision from being taken, ... not parliament, not civil society, not the public.'

Speaking alongside Maria Ressa, the Filipino journalist with whom he shared the 2021 peace prize, Muratov also answered questions about an attack he suffered on a train in Russia last month, noting the perpetrator was being 'shielded from criminal prosecution'.

A man had entered his train compartment on April 7 and thrown an oil-based paint mixed with acetone at him, burning his eyes.

Muratov said he himself had taken pictures of his assailant, police cameras had also caught his face, but nearly a month on, 'not a single investigation' had been opened.

He said his Novaya Gazeta colleagues had identified the man as someone who had changed his name three times, and appeared to be a well-connected 'imposter'.

Muratov pointed out that his attacker had known exactly where his seat was on the train, 'which meant that he had access to ... an intelligence service database.'

'He used the intelligence services resources, and he was shielded from criminal prosecution.'

Muratov said he did not believe his assailant was directly connected to Russia's intelligence community, but perhaps rather a contractor with a private military corporation. 'A Private military corporation fits the profile,' he said.

Last month, Putin's regime announced it plans to deploy the fearsome nuclear-capable 'Satan II' missile in a show of strength by autumn.

The Sarmat missile is said to be the world's longest-range intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of striking a target 11,200 miles away - meaning it could easily strike targets in the US and Europe.

Putin called this 'a big, significant event' for Russia's defense industry, saying the Sarmat will ensure Russia's security from external threats and 'make those who, in the heat of frantic, aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country, think twice.'

Western military experts said the Sarmat is capable of carrying 10 or more nuclear warheads and decoys - easily enough to wipe out territories the size of Britain or France in a single strike.

Putin's feared Wagner mercenaries are seen in action for first time in Ukraine: Video shows troops accused of war crimes storming trenches as Russians 'struggle to break through frontlines' in battle for Donbas

Wagner Group mercenaries have been filmed fighting in Ukraine for the first time as Russian troops go house-to-house in the bloody battle for control of Donbas.

Drone footage from the town of Popansa, in Ukraine's east, shows a squad of Russians involved in intense street fighting with Ukrainian defenders - storming a house and throwing grenades before forcing them to surrender.

The soldiers are mercenaries from the Wagner Group, according to pro-Russian sources - a shadowy military contractor with links to the Kremlin which is thought to be responsible for atrocities in conflicts from South America to the Middle East.

The footage emerged as UK intelligence said today that Russian forces are 'struggling to break through defences and build momentum' in the fight for Donbas, the outcome of which is seen as pivotal to the overall war.

Russian soldiers - believed to be from the feared Wagner Group - have been filmed fighting in Ukraine for the first time (pictured top left, storming a trench)

Smoke rises over trenches and a set of houses in the Ukrainian town of Popansa as Russian troops attack in an effort to capture the settlement

A Wagner solider (pictured standing against the house wall) prepares to throw a grenade into another building containing Ukrainian troops

Britain's Ministry of Defence said that, despite these setbacks, Russian commanders appear set on attempting to capture the cities of Severodonetsk and Kramatorsk - to the north and west of Popansa, respectively - using forces massed in the area.

'Capturing these locations would consolidate Russian military control of the north-eastern Donbas and provide a staging point for their efforts to cut-off Ukrainian forces in the region,' the MoD said this morning.

Footage of the Wagner mercenaries first appeared on the Telegram channel of 'Colonel Cassad' - a pro-Russian blogger named Boris Rozhin who is based in Crimea who posts updates from Ukraine to an audience hundreds of thousands strong.

It was re-posed by Rob Lee, a respected analyst from the War Studies department of King's College, who repeated Rozhin's claim that the troops are from Wagner.

Russia has turned its attention on capturing Ukraine's eastern regions after its initial attempts to capture Kyiv and other key cities in the north failed with Moscow's forces suffering heavy casualties.

Fighting is now ongoing along a stretch of frontline hundreds of miles long, stretching from Kharkiv in the north to Mariupol in the south, and along the Azov and Black Sea coasts to Kherson and Mykolaiv.

Some of the most-intense battles are currently taking place in Popansa and Lyman, around 35 miles to the north, as the Russians attempt to surround the cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, which span the Donets river.

Doing so would cut off the Ukrainian defenders from reinforcements and make the cities easier to capture. If they fall, they could then be used as a staging post to push further west - to Slovyansk and Kramatorsk.

Russia is now fighting along a front spanning hundreds of miles from Kharkiv in the north to Mariupol in the south and west to Kherson and Mykolaiv

Smoke rises over a military facility in Russian-occupied regions of Donetsk today, the latest in a series of blazes at Russian military sites

Smoke rises over a burning oil storage facility in Russian-held regions of Donetsk, in Ukraine

A hastily-dug civilian grave is seen in the city of Mariupol, which has been near-totally destroyed by Russian attacks

A heavily damaged playground is seen outside of a kindergarten that was bombed during the Russian invasion

Russia's overall aim in Donbas appears to be a push southwards from Izyum - where the bulk of its forces are concentrated - to the rebel-held city of Donetsk.

The move, coupled with the capture of Mariupol in the south - where units of Ukrainian defenders are still holed up inside a sprawling steel works in the centre of the city - would allow Putin to claim control over most of the Donbas region.

Heavy fighting is ongoing in Mariupol, where defenders inside the Azovtstal plant said on Tuesday that they were being shelled and that Russian troops were attempting to storm the complex.

'We will do everything possible to repel this assault,' Captain Sviatoslav Palamar said in a video update from inside Azovstal.

'Liberating' the Donbas, which has little strategic value but is of huge ideological importance to Putin, was one of his key aims at the start of the war and winning the battle would allow him to claim some form of victory.

Depending on how badly Russian units suffer in the fight, he could either stop the offensive there or renew attacks further to the west.

Russia's generals have said they want to capture Ukraine's Black Sea coast, which would mean targeting Mykolaiv and Odesa next. Putin is also reportedly eager to seize control of President Zelensky's birthplace of Kryvyi Ri.

Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro, both major cities spanning the Dnipro river which have provided safe haven to refugees fleeing conflict in Donbas, could also be hit.

Putin may even decide to return to his early failed offensives, by renewing attacks on Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and even Kyiv.

But such an outcome is far from assured. While Russia has gained some territory in Donbas, Ukraine's frontline has largely held up until now - and in some places Moscow's troops are stretched thin enough to allow them to counter-attack.

An injured woman evacuated from the Azovstal steel works arrives in Zaporizhzhia after around 100 civilians were rescued during a ceasefire last week

Families and loved ones hug each-other as they reunite in Zaporizhzhia after being evacuated from the Azovstal steel works, in Mariupol

A family weeps after being evacuated to safety from the Azovstal steel works, in Mariupol

A young girl carries a baby off a coach as they arrive in Zaporizhzhia from the city of Mariupol

Soldiers defending the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest, have managed to push some 30 miles east of the city and recapture villages once held by Russia.

The move relieves pressure on the city, which has been under threat of attack since the early days of the war and has been heavily bombed, and also threatens Russian supply lines for its forces at Izyum.

There is just one major road connecting the Russian city of Belgorod, which is functioning as the main supply hub, to Izyum - which is increasingly vulnerable to Ukrainian attacks.

Disrupting the flow of supplies to the front could cause Russia's offensive to stall or collapse completely, as happened to the north of Kyiv before troops retreated.

If that happens, the Putin will be deprived of even the most basic of victories.

Depending on how badly his forces are mauled, it could open up the prospect of Ukraine going on the offensive to recapture not just the territory lost during the present invasion, but areas it has not controlled since 2014.

President Zelensky spelled out this goal on Tuesday, saying his aims are to halt Russia's advance, reclaim territory, and then to restore Ukraine within its accepted borders through diplomacy.

'We are not retreating,' Zelensky told a summit organised by the Wall Street Journal. 'Victory will be ours.'

Liz Truss, the UK foreign secretary, has also stated that 'victory' in Ukraine will be achieved when the entire country is back under the control of Kyiv.

In a speech last week, she vowed to go 'further and faster' in deliveries of heavy weapons such as tanks and artillery until that goal is achieved.

She spoke after Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, said the goal of American weapons supplies is to weaken Russian to the point where it can no longer bully or threaten its neighbours.
Hungary warned today that it would not support the proposed EU ban on Russian oil in its current form as it would 'completely destroy' its energy supply security.

The EU proposal - announced earlier on Wednesday - would ban Russian crude gradually over the next six months and refined fuels by the end of this year, in retaliation for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Hungary and Slovakia - both highly depending on Moscow's oil exports - would get until the end of 2023 to phase out Russian supplies.

However, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said this concession would not be enough to bring Hungary on-board with the proposals, which need to be unanimously approved to take effect - and are likely to be the subject of fierce debate.

The proposal 'cannot be responsibly supported in this form, we cannot responsibly vote for it,' Szijjarto said in a video message posted on Facebook. 'This sanctions package would completely destroy the security of Hungary's energy supply,' he said.

Szijjarto's video message suggests Hungary is likely to veto the proposal.

Hungary warned today that it would not support the proposed EU ban on Russian oil in its current form as it would 'completely destroy' its energy supply security. Pictured: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban attends the opening session of Hungary's new parliament in Budapest, Hungary, May 2, 2022

Budapest would back the proposal if crude oil delivered via pipelines was exempted from the EU's ban, Szijjarto said.

'This is not a question of lack of political will, or of intention or timing, but simply this is the physical, geographical, and infrastructural reality,' he said.

According to the government, 65 percent of Hungary's oil and 85 percent of its gas supplies come from Russia.

Hungary has long ruled out supporting any import ban with Prime Minister Viktor Orban - who has cultivated close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent years - citing the central European country's dependency on Russian gas and oil.

'We don't see any plan or guarantee on how even a transition could be managed on the basis of the current proposals, and what would guarantee Hungary's energy security,' the Hungarian government's press office said in a statement sent to AFP earlier Wednesday.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced earlier on Wednesday announced the proposals earlier on Wednesday.

Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, she conceded that getting all 27 member countries  some of them landlocked and highly dependent on Russia for energy supplies  to agree on oil sanctions 'will not be easy.'

The bloc is aiming to phase out crude oil from Russia within six months, and refined products by the end of the year, von der Leyen said.

'We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion,' she told the European Parliament in Strasbourg as she presented a sixth package of sanctions against Moscow to deny funding to its Ukraine war effort.

The European Union's top official, Ursula von der Leyen, on Wednesday called on the 27-nation bloc to ban oil imports from Russia in a sixth package of sanctions targeting Moscow

Von der Leyen also said the EU would ask that the bloc's 27 member states to deny Sberbank, Russia's biggest bank, access to SWIFT, the global banking communications system.

Sberbank holds around 37% of the Russian banking sector, said Von der Leyen.

'And we will also de-SWIFT two other major banks in Russia. By that, we hit banks that are systemically critical to the Russian financial system and Putin's ability to wage destruction,' she said.

She said the European Union had to maximise the pressure on Russia but ensure that the economies of its member states remain strong in order to be effective in their support for Ukraine.

If approved, the ban on oil imports will be the second package of EU sanctions targeting Russia's lucrative energy industry over its war in Ukraine that President Vladimir Putin started on February 24.

The bloc is aiming to phase out crude oil from Russia within six months, and refined products by the end of the year

In addition to sanctions on various entities and individuals - including Putin himself and members of his family - the bloc previously approved an embargo on coal imports.

The EU has started discussions on a possible natural gas embargo, but consensus among member countries on targeting the fuel used to generate electricity and heat homes is more difficult to secure.

Von der Leyen also said that the EU should target high-ranking military officers and others 'who committed war crimes in Bucha,' a suburb of the capital Kyiv.

Ukrainian officials have alleged that retreating Russian troops carried out mass killings of civilians in Bucha.

'This sends another important signal to all perpetrators of the Kremlin's war: We know who you are. We will hold you accountable. You're not getting away with this,' von der Leyen told the lawmakers.

Von der Leyen added that those alleged to be spreading disinformation about the war in Ukraine would be targeted.

'We are banning three big Russian state-owned broadcasters from our airwaves. They will not be allowed to distribute their content anymore in the EU, in whatever shape or form be it on cable, via satellite, on the internet or via smartphone apps.'

She didn't name the broadcasters directly, but branded the television channels 'as mouthpieces that amplify Putins lies and propaganda aggressively. We should not give them a stage anymore to spread these lies.'

The EU's top official said the bloc must maximise pressure on Russia but ensure the economies of its member states remain strong in order to be effective in their support for Ukraine

Although von der Leyen did not name names, Hungary and Slovakia are both highly dependent on imports of Russian oil and gas.

Hungary and Slovakia have already said they wouldn't take part in any oil sanctions, but von der Leyen didn't elaborate on whether they would receive an exemption from the sanctions, although this appears likely.

If Slovakia and Hungary are given a loophole and Germany pushes ahead, the bloc may be able to present a united economic front on the banning of Russian exports.

To keep the 27-nation bloc united, the Commission might offer Slovakia and Hungary 'an exemption or a long transition period', one of the officials said.

Oil exports are a major source of Moscow's revenue, giving EU countries the ability to pile up economic pressure on Russia by denying it sales from the continent.

Russian pipelines supplying oil and gas to Europe (pictured) would be turned off under the new sanctions package, with the possible exception of imports heading to Hungary and Slovakia

Germany's Economy Minister Robert Habeck said on Monday it would be able to weather an EU embargo on Russian oil imports by the end of the year, in a signal Germany is throwing its weight behind the ban.

'We have managed to reach a situation where Germany is able to bear an oil embargo,' Habeck, of the ecologist Greens, told a news conference. 'This means it won't be without consequences.'

Finance Minister Christian Lindner went even further, telling a German broadcaster that the German economy would even be able to stomach an immediate ban.

'With coal and oil, it is possible to forgo Russian imports now,' Lindner of the Free Democrats (FDP) told WELT. 'It can't be ruled out that fuel prices could rise.'

Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government is under pressure to reduce Germany's dependence on Russian fossil fuels and he has been accused of lacking leadership after his initial resistance to supplying Ukraine with heavy weapons.

Germany last month cut the share of Russian oil to 25% of total imports from 35% before the invasion.

Germany's Economy Minister Robert Habeck said on Monday it would be able to weather an EU embargo on Russian oil imports by the end of the year, in a signal the country is throwing its weight behind the ban

Habeck said the main challenge for Germany was to find alternative oil deliveries to a refinery in Schwedt operated by Russian state company Rosneft which supplies east German regions as well as the Berlin metropolitan area.

Those areas could face supply shortages in the event of an EU embargo if Germany can't secure alternative oil imports by the end of the year, Habeck said.

'We still have no solution for the refinery in Schwedt,' said Habeck. 'We can't guarantee that supplies will be continuous.

There will for sure be price hikes and there will be some outages. But that doesn't mean we will slide into an oil crisis.'

An advisor to Scholz told the Financial Times in remarks published on Sunday that Germany backed the planned EU embargo on Russia oil but wanted a few more months to secure alternatives.

Joerg Kukies told the newspaper that the goal was to ensure Schwedt is supplied with non-Russian oil brought by tankers to Rostock on the Baltic Sea.

Moscow's commanders have not mentioned storming the complex, and instead say they are destroying new defences set up during a ceasefire at the weekend

Meanwhile in Ukraine, Russia is attempting to storm the Azovstal steel works in Mariupol after heavy bombing overnight which killed two civilians, the Ukrainian defenders have said.

Captain Sviatoslav Palamar, deputy commander of the Azov battalion which is holed up inside the plant, said Russia spent all night bombing and is now trying to storm the complex using armoured vehicles, tanks, boats and 'a large number of infantry'.

Palamar said two women were killed in the bombardment with another ten injured, and called for an immediate ceasefire so hundreds of civilians still stuck inside the plant can be evacuated.

Moscow acknowledged bombing Azovstal but said its troops were taking out new defensive positions set up during a ceasefire at the weekend.

Commanders made no mention of storming the plant, after Putin vowed last month that the operation had been called off to preserve the lives of his troops.

: A woman from Mariupol cries after arriving at an evacuation point in Zaporizhzhia

The Azovstal steel plant is the last holdout of Ukrainian resistance in a city that is otherwise controlled by Moscow's forces and key to their campaign in Ukraine's east.

The UN confirmed today that it had helped to evacuate 101 people - mostly women and children - from the plant last week during a five-day operation.

It said 'most' of those people arrived in the city of Zaporizhzhia, 125 miles from Mariupol through Russian-held territory, today - though some had decided to remain in occupied areas.

The BBC reported that 156 people arrived in Zaporizhzhia as part of a convoy, which had grown in size as people from outside the steel works joined en route.

Images and video of those arrivals showed some people weeping as others - including a disabled man - were helped off buses to be given medical care.

Mariupol has come to symbolize the human misery inflicted by the war.
An inquest into the death of a blind HIV charity volunteer who died after being struck by a train when he fell of a platform has concluded that a lack of tactile paving and a communication mix-up led to the tragedy - as his partner pays tribute to his 'rock'.

Cleveland Gervais, 53, was struck by a train at Eden Park station in south east London shortly after 7pm on February 26, 2020.

He was still alive when emergency services arrived at the scene, but he was left without 'crucial' clinical care for a further 16 minutes while paramedics stood trackside awaiting confirmation that power to the tracks had been turned off.

But Mr Gervais suffered a cardiac arrest and died when before he was eventually rescued from underneath the carriage of the train.

An inquest into his death at South London Coroner's Court earlier heard how power to the tracks had been turned off 14 minutes earlier, but Network Rail failed to inform paramedics at the station.

And now a jury has concluded that a lack of warning surface on the platform, such as tactile paving commonly found at train stations, had 'more than minimally contributed' to his death.

Mr Gervais, an HIV counsellor who regularly used public transport, lived in Lambeth, south London, and required the use of a walking stick due to having six per cent vision in one eye and no sight in the other.

Cleveland Gervais, 53, was hit by a train when he fell off the platform edge at Eden Park station in south east London shortly after 7pm on February 26, 2020

Sekha Hall, his partner for almost two decades, paid tribute describing him as 'a loving family man' who was his 'rock'.

Speaking after the inquest, he said: 'Cleveland was a kind, generous and loving family man who had incredible determination and never let his disabilities stop him from getting on with his life.

'He was always helping other people and had a great sense of humour.

'We were together for over 19 years and we loved each other very much. He was my rock and I am lost without him.

'I am grateful for the jury's careful deliberations and welcome their findings that the lack of tactile paving, or any other adjustments for blind and visually impaired people, caused Cleveland's death.

'Cleveland's death was huge blow to me and all that knew him.

'I hope that from his death lessons will be learned and that rail stations will become a safer places for those with visual impairments.'

He also called for train stations to be made safer for disabled passengers.

The inquest earlier heard that Mr Gervais fell from platform one at 7.05pm, but it was not until 7.28pm that paramedics were able to access the tracks due to delays ascertaining whether they were live.

The woman who made the initial 999 call - two minutes after Mr Gervais was struck by the train  said he had been talking to her until emergency services arrived.

But he was not verbally responsive when paramedic Sean Warner spoke to him, only showing signs of laboured breathing.

By the time emergency services had received confirmation that the power was off, Mr Gervais was no longer breathing and he had gone into cardiac arrest.

His cause of death was later recorded as multiple traumatic injuries sustained by the collision with the train.

Network Rail knew at 7.07pm that someone was trapped under the train and the power was switched off, but this message was not conveyed to emergency services.

Instead, first responders only confirmed that the power was off when a Rail Incident Officer arrived on the scene at 7.21pm to test the live rail with specialist equipment.

Daniel Matthews, control operations manager for Network Rail, was asked by Coroner Catherine Wood why it did not tell all emergency services that the power was off.

He replied: I cant explain why they didnt or why that wasnt done at the time.'

He added: Potentially the team should have done that.

I cant comment on why the team didnt consider calling British Transport Police back to say, this is the latest update.

He also said that, according to protocol, the London Ambulance Service should have notified Network Rail that they were on their way to the incident  but this did not happen.

At the conclusion of the evidence, the coroner asked the jury: Did the absence of tactile paving cause or contribute to the death of Mr Gervais?

An inquest into the death of Mr Gervais concluded yesterday, with a jury finding that a lack of tactile paving contributed to his death

Mr Gervais' partner of two decades, Sekha Hall (pictured), has called for stations to be made safer for disabled passengers

Rescue efforts were delayed for 16 minutes due to confusion among emergency service crews over whether power to the tracks had been switched off

A foreman replied: Yes. Had there been tactile paving, Mr Gervais would have been aware of his proximity to the edge of the platform.

Ms Wood then asked whether there were other measures that could have been taken to prevent Mr Gervaiss death in the absence of tactile paving such as platform announcements.

Yes, because in the absence of tactile paving there are measures that could have been taken to prevent Mr Gervais death, the jury spokesperson replied.

The jury also decided that the actions of the Rail Incident Officer led to an avoidable delay that contributed to Mr Gervais death.

All the findings were agreed upon unanimously by the jury.

Matt Stringer, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) chief executive, said Mr Gervais' death was not an isolated incident.

He added: 'We welcome this week's inquest as an opportunity for essential lessons to be learned, so that such a senseless tragedy never happens again.

'Cleveland's death was not an isolated incident. We are aware of several similar occurrences where the lack of tactile paving may have contributed to blind or partially sighted people falling onto railway tracks.

'Tactile paving is not just an accessibility measure, it is fundamental to the health and safety of passengers and pedestrians.

'There should be no train platforms without tactile paving.'

Mr Stringer also welcomed Network Rail's recent announcement that it plans to speed up the installation of tactile paving on all British train platforms, but added that this is still subject to funding from the Department for Transport.

He urged the department's Rail minister Wendy Morton to confirm the funding 'as soon as possible'.

Mr Gervais, originally from Trinidad and Tobago, had been living with HIV for more than 30 years and was well known in the local community.

Kate Egerton, solicitor at Leigh Day who represented his partner Mr Hall, said: 'We have heard how Cleveland was an outgoing and sociable man who enjoyed travelling within London to meet his friends independently.

'He should have been safe to do this but his inquest this week has sadly heard that the lack of tactile paving at Eden Park station, and lack of any risk mitigation measures, made it a dangerous place for him and anyone else with visual impairments.'

She added: 'It was concerning to hear that despite national guidance on tactile paving being in place since 1998, that Network Rail do not consider that they have any legal duties to install it across the network.

'While we understand that plans for installing tactile paving across the rail network have been accelerated following Cleveland's death, it is unacceptable that platforms are not consistently safe for passengers with disabilities.'
A hospital cardiologist who was suspended for beating his wife has been allowed to practise medicine again.

Dr Jigarkumar Dave, formerly at Royal Derby Hospital, punched and slapped his wife in the face on June 24, 2019, leaving her with significant bruising.

He told police after he was arrested that he 'respected the law' but asked officers 'men don't have any rights then do they?'.

Dr Dave was made subject to a community order and fined 331 after pleading guilty to assault by beating in November that year.

The Medical Practitioner Tribunal Service (MPTS) then suspended for him for nine months in July 2021.

His probation service said he focused on his wife's 'shortcomings and how this was a trigger to his behaviour' and the tribunal voiced concerns about his 'developing but incomplete insight' into his misconduct.

Following a hearing in April, the MPTS ruled that Dr Dave was fit to practise once again and posed 'no risk' to the public.

Dr Jigarkumar Dave, a former Royal Derby Hospital (pictured) cardiologist, punched and slapped his wife in the face on June 24, 2019, leaving her with significant bruising

In a determination report released yesterday, Paul Moulder, chair of the tribunal, said: 'The tribunal determined that the risk of repetition was extremely low and hence there was no risk to the health, safety and wellbeing of the public.

'The tribunal was satisfied that an ordinary member of the public, appraised of the facts of this case, and having regard to Dr Dave's considerable insight and extensive remediation, would not be shocked or surprised to learn that Dr Dave was to be allowed to return to unrestricted practice.'

The MPTS said in 2021 that Dr Dave had also slapped his wife in December 2015, while the couple were living in West Yorkshire, but this case was not prosecuted.

His wife had been trying to reduce 'stress levels', the tribunal said, when 'Dr Dave had shouted at Ms A who responded by telling him to calm down'.

'The record stated that Dr Dave then slapped Ms A around her face to her left ear and cheek whereupon Ms A called the police.'

The MPTS report also said that Dr Dave's wife refused to state at the tribunal last year whether he had previously assaulted her because she felt her husband would not do it again.

A police statement by the arresting officer in June 2019 stated: 'She said he had slapped her earlier that night however it was this punch which caused the large bruise and swelling to her face and eye

'[Ms A] refused to provide a statement regarding the incident as she believes he will not do it again despite the clear escalation in violence.'

Dr Dave told the 2021 hearing that he was 'left with a very deep sense of guilt, regret and remorse' for his actions, but the tribunal felt a suspension was warranted to 'send a message' to the medical profession and the public that 'such a conviction and misconduct...is not acceptable'.

He did continue to work for the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust for 18 months after his criminal conviction and was suspended from his job following the MPTS ruling.

The trust reiterated this was in line with national employment law and a stringent assessment process.

At the most recent hearing last month, Kyra Badman, representing the General Medical Council (GMC), said that Dr Dave may still be on the journey towards 'full insight'.

However, she said the GMC accepted that the doctor had taken steps to address the causes of his offending behaviour.

In July 2021, Dr Dave was suspended for nine months by the Medical Practitioner Tribunal Service (MPTS) for the incident, after a tribunal said he had 'developing but incomplete insight' into his misconduct. Pictured: Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) headquarters in Oxford Street, Manchester

Meanwhile, the report said that Dr Dave apologised to the wider profession and 'stated that he would do his best to make sure public confidence and trust in the profession was never again undermined due to his behaviour'.

He also said he was an 'extremely improved person' following remedial work.

Dr Dave, who is in his 50s, qualified as a doctor in India in 1993, and he maintained his medical knowledge throughout the period of his suspension.

The chair of the tribunal added: 'Dr Dave's insight had developed significantly since the 2021 hearing. It found Dr Dave to be an open, honest and genuine witness.

'The tribunal was satisfied that Dr Dave now appreciates how others, particularly Mrs A, might perceive his behaviour and it was of the view that Dr Dave had demonstrated considerable insight when he gave evidence before it.

'The tribunal was satisfied that Dr Dave has developed considerable insight into his misconduct and conviction and their effects on both [the victim] and the wider profession.

'Further, it was satisfied that Dr Dave had undertaken significant remediation.

'The tribunal took the view that the risk of repetition in this case is extremely low. The tribunal therefore determined that Dr Dave's fitness to practise is no longer impaired by reason of his misconduct or his conviction.'
A fugitive people smuggler who spent 22 years on the run in Hong Kong has finally been jailed - but is set to be free again in weeks.

Alan Lee fled the UK in April 2000 while he was on bail awaiting sentencing for helping to bring a Malaysian national into the country using a false passport.

While on the run Lee led what his sentencing judge described as a 'law-abiding and worthwhile' life, holding down jobs in the health service in Hong Kong and later working as a bus driver.

But a work accident, poor health and separation from his family led to him returning in December last year - and straight into the custody of police at Heathrow Airport.

The 55-year-old appeared at Maidstone Crown Court, Kent on Tuesday and was jailed for 13 months, having pleaded guilty to facilitating illegal entry and failing to surrender.

Alan Lee fled to Hong Kong (pictured, stock image) where he worked in the health service and as a bus driver for 22 years

But due to time already served on remand he is expected to be released in about 10 weeks.

Representing himself, Lee told Judge Philip St. John-Stevens at a previous hearing last month: 'All I want is to get this matter sorted as quickly as possible.

'I ran away from bail in 2000 back to Hong Kong. I really missed my son. I was working as a bus driver in Hong Kong and had an accident and hurt my neck.

'It never got better and I decided to come back to England. I wanted to see my son more.

'When I landed at Heathrow on December 29 there was a warrant and two policemen were waiting for me.

'I understand I did something silly and serious a long time ago and I deserve punishment for it.'

Referring to his time on remand at nearby Elmley Prison since his arrest, he added: 'I have tried to keep well myself and away from all the hassles and got a job in the kitchen cooking for everyone else.

'I'm happy to serve the sentence I get and just get on with my normal life as soon as possible.'

The 55-year-old was jailed for 13 months at Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday, 22 years after he was supposed to be sentenced at the same court

Prosecutor Honor Fitzgerald told the court Lee was driving a Vauxhall Cavalier when he was stopped by immigration officers at the Eurotunnel UK control zone in Coquelles, France, on June 7, 1999.

Two British passports were handed over but the one for his front seat passenger proved to be false.

Lee, who was living in Rainham, Essex, at the time, said he had been asked by another man to drive to Belgium to collect the Malaysian migrant.

He later pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court on April 10, 2000 and was released on bail until sentence.

However, he did not attend the hearing on May 8 that year and the warrant for his arrest was issued.

Judge Philip St. John-Stevens said Lee had lived a 'law-abiding and worthwhile' life while being a fugitive in Hong Kong (pictured - stock image)

Describing Lee as 'articulate and intelligent', Judge St. John-Stevens told Lee that although a prison sentence was inevitable, his voluntary return to the UK knowing he would be arrested was 'to his credit'.

The court heard Lee's co-defendant - the man who leant his passport to the smuggling bid - did attend the sentencing hearing in May 2000 and was locked up for 12 months.

The maximum sentence for facilitating illegal entry at that time was seven years imprisonment.

But people-smugglers now face life behind bars following the recent introduction of the Nationality and Borders Act.
Russian state media have claimed there are signs that Ukrainian troops were practising black magic at a military headquarters in Ukraine.

A 'satanic seal' - a symbol believed to hold connections to a greater supernatural power - was apparently found on the wall of a deserted Ukrainian military base on the outskirts of the village of Trekhizbenka in the Luhansk region.

The Russian news agency RIA Novosti claimed the symbol, as well as other markings apparently made with blood, showed there were signs Ukrainian soldiers were 'practicing black magic'.

The news agency claims 'disciples of otherworldly forces tried to consecrate their weapons and made marks with blood' so as to give their armoury extra energy to deal extra damage when it hits a target.

A 'satanic seal' - a symbol believed to hold connections to a greater supernatural power - was apparently found on the wall of a deserted Ukrainian military base on the outskirts of the village of Trekhizbenka in the Luhansk region

A 'satanic seal' - a symbol believed to hold connections to a greater supernatural power - was apparently found on the wall of a deserted Ukrainian military base on the outskirts of the village of Trekhizbenka in the Luhansk region

Russian culturologist and philosopher Ekaterina Dais claimed the symbol - which is spray painted with black ink - was a 'magical seal of the dark forces' that combines the ideas of anarchy, weapons and fascist symbols.

Dais claimed the creators of the symbol 'performed rituals' to strengthen their weapons or asked supernatural powers for weapons to be sent to them.

'This is a magical symbol consisting of many intersecting lines,' Dais said of the black symbol.

'What it means is difficult to say for sure, in it you can see both the inverted sign of anarchy, and part of the 'SS' sign, the rune zig, it is clearly visible in the left sector of the circle, and the Hebrew letter 'zain' written in German, meaning a sword or weapon.'

Inside the military headquarters building, RIA Novosti claimed a press release from the Ukrainian security forces about losses in the Donbas had blood on it. The Russian state news agency claimed that Ukrainian soldiers had used blood in their practise of black magic

Russian culturologist and philosopher Ekaterina Dais claimed the symbol - which is spray painted with black ink - was a 'magical seal of the dark forces' that combines the ideas of anarchy, weapons and fascist symbols. Pictured: A drawing with a heart in the Ukrainian flag colours is seen inside the headquarters building

Dais claimed that the seal had been drawn without the creator lifting a hand, which apparently 'betrays its supernatural nature'.

She said the 'Zain' written underneath the symbol means 'sword' in Biblical Hebrew. 'Perhaps the spell's authors performed rituals to strengthen weapons or 'asked' for more weapons to be sent to them,' said Dais.

RIA Novosti claimed that Ukrainian soldiers had used blood in their practise of black magic.

Inside the military headquarters building, RIA Novosti claimed a press release from the Ukrainian security forces about losses in the Donbas had blood on it.

'There are lines of blood on the document, although there are no such traces anywhere else,' the report says, suggesting that Ukrainian soldiers had used the blood to contact supernatural forces.
The number of employment tribunal cases brought by workers suing their bosses over alleged discrimination or harassment dismissed as 'banter' rose by 44 per cent last year.

The figures, uncovered by London employment law firm GQ Littler, show the question of what constitutes merely teasing or harmful bullying is increasingly a matter for judges.

Legal battles are particularly common for remarks that touch upon legally protected characteristics such as a someone's race, nationality, age or sex.

Sikh office worker Kieran Sidhu, 36, sued his employers after a sustained campaign of racist abuse by colleagues. He told a tribunal they considered their abusive comments 'funny'

The number of cases in which workplace banter was cited rose from 67 in 2020 to 97 in 2021, the Financial Times reported, citing GQ Littler's research.

Sikh office worker Kieran Sidhu, 36, is among those who have filed lawsuits against their employers.

He is seeking 6.6million in damages after being mocked as an 'Arab shoe bomber' in a sustained campaign of racist abuse excused that his colleagues 'thought was funny'.

The British-born salesman, who is of Scottish and Indian descent, was told he was the 'only ethnic on the team', and called a 'temperamental Syrian immigrant' who was 'f***ing for Isis'.

He has already won claims of race discrimination, racial harassment and constructive dismissal against tech company Exertis.

Last September, female Barclays banker Anca Lacatus sued Barclays after manager James Kinghorn repeatedly referred to women as 'birds', even after she made it clear it was making her feel uncomfortable.

Mr Kinghorn defended his actions as 'light-hearted banter', but the East London Employment Tribunal ruled the term is 'plainly sexist,' and it was 'foolish' to think anyone would find it funny.

Judge Crosfill said that Mr Kinghorn did not set out to deliberately offend Ms Lacatus but that he used the word more often than he was prepared to admit.

Earlier this year, a veteran plumber was awarded 25,000 after bosses dubbed him 'Half-dead Dave' because of his age.

David Robson, who was 69 at the time, was regularly called by the 'derogatory' nickname by colleagues working on site in the Isle of Wight, before his bosses then also began using it, an employment tribunal heard.

They claimed it was simply 'banter' but the tribunal heard it left Mr Robson feeling 'saddened and embarrassed'.

'Humour in the workplace is important  it can help boost morale and reduce stress. However, employees should be wary of making jokes that stray into offensive territory,' said Lisa Rix, a senior associate at GQ Littler

Bosses argued the nickname was used years before his sacking - and said they more often referred to him as 'Disco Dave' instead.

But the tribunal ruled Mr Robson had been both discriminated against due to his age and unfairly sacked, and awarded him 25,000 in compensation - 7,000 of which was awarded purely for the 'name-calling'.

In another case, a tribunal ruled it was harassment to say that a woman battling cancer was having 'cosy days' when she worked from home.

HR worker Ranjit Panesar said she was 'looked down on' by members of her team for being away from the office while she was undergoing treatment.

She said she often received demeaning comments as there was a 'widespread' perception that her working from home amounted to 'idle or inactive' days - with her boss telling her that her health had not 'helped' her.

And the colleague who referred to her remote working as 'cosy days' even tried to claim it was just 'banter.'

An employment tribunal dismissed this defence, ruling that 'all but the most insensitive' should have understood that Mrs Panesar was a sick employee who did not welcome the comments.

GQ Littler said companies could be found vicariously liable for any discriminatory remarks by staff 'made in the course of employment' - even if they were made outside working hours.

'Humour in the workplace is important  it can help boost morale and reduce stress. However, employees should be wary of making jokes that stray into offensive territory,' senior associate Lisa Rix said.

Tribunal claims for alleged discrimination do not always succeed.

In 2018, salesman David Evans claimed he was called 'a fat ginger pikey', a 'salad dodger' and 'fat Yoda' by colleagues at software firm Xactly, but he lost the case after a London tribunal ruled he had not been harassed and had been an 'active participant of the culture of banter'.
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A claim that Margaret Thatcher threatened to launch a nuclear attack on Buenos Aires unless France handed over information to disable Argentina's Exocet missiles in the Falklands War has resurfaced on the 40th anniversary of the sinking of HMS Sheffield.

The Royal Navy ship sank six days after being hit by one of the French-made guided missiles on May 4, 1982, leading to the deaths of 20 crew members. A further 26 servicemen suffered injuries, including burns.

The attack was the first British loss of life in the Falklands War, which took place after Argentine forces invaded the Falklands Islands, on the orders of dictatorial leader General Leopoldo Galtieri.

According to a 2005 book by psychoanalyst Ali Magoudi, who met regularly with the French leader from 1982 to 1984, France's then president Francois Mitterrand was approached by Britain's Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher for information that could disable the missiles.

Mrs Thatcher was then said to have threatened to fire a nuclear warhead at Argentina's capital unless the information was handed over. Magoudi's claim was reported again by The Telegraph today.

It comes after senior MPs last night called for an inquiry into whether France lied about the existence of a 'kill switch' in the Exocet missiles used by Argentina. In total, the weapons hit three Royal Navy ships, killing 46 sailors.

The missiles allegedly contained technology to disarm them, but Mitterrand denied the feature existed.

It is not clear how the technology worked, but it is known that arms manufacturers sometimes secretly built disabling 'switches' into weapons so they could be prevented from doing damage if they fell into the hands of a hostile state.

Today, a memorial paying tribute to the sailors killed in the attack on HMS Sheffield is to be unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

A claim that Margaret Thatcher threatened to launch a nuclear attack on Buenos Aires unless France handed over information to disable Argentina's Exocet missiles in the Falklands War has resurfaced on the 40th anniversary of the sinking of HMS Sheffield (pictured after being hit by an Exocet missile)

The sinking of the Sheffield was revenge for Britain's attack on the Argentine cruiser the General Belgrano two days earlier, which killed 323 sailors.

According to Magoudi's book, which is titled RendezVous - the pschyoanalysis of Francois Mitterrand, Mrs Thatcher demanded to her French counterpart that he hand over codes that could disable the Exocet missiles.

Mitterrand is quoted as saying: 'Happily, I gave in. Otherwise, I assure you, that lady's iron finger would have pushed the button.'

Mrs Thatcher was said to be 'furious' that France had sold its advanced weapons to the Argentinian regime.

They became the Royal Navy's most feared threat and were also used to sink the supply ship the Atlantic Conveyor, killing a further 12 sailors.

Another 14 sailors died when the HMS Glamorgan was struck. The ship was repaired and remained in service until 1984.

Magoudi, who was one of Mitterrand's closest confidantes, said that, having allegedly agreed to the information request, the French president was then determined to get his revenge on 'those English upstarts'.

The Royal Navy ship sank after being hit by one of the French-made guided missiles on May 4, 1982, leading to the deaths of 20 crew members. A further 26 servicemen were suffered injuries, including burns. Above: Argentine forces arming a jet with an Exocet during the Falklands War

According to a 2005 book by psychoanalyst Ali Magoudi, who met regularly with the French leader from 1982 to 1984, Mrs Thatcher said to have threatened to fire a nuclear warhead at Argentina's capital unless information about the Exocets was handed over

'I will destroy their beloved island by linking it with Europe,' he is alleged to have said.

'Despite their inbred desire for isolation, I will make Britain join Europe by building a tunnel under the Channel.'

France did eventually pass information on the Exocet to Britain in 1982 which helped the navy to defend itself against further attack in the Falklands War.

However, last night MPs called for an inquiry into what the French government did or did not share with Mrs Thatcher, and whether or not the missiles could have been remotely deactivated.

Tobias Ellwood, who is chairman of Parliament's defence select committee, said the issue needs 'further investigation'.

Former Defence Secretary Liam Fox added that France should be 'open and honest' about what happened.

During the Falklands War, Royal Navy ships carrying WE.177 nuclear bombs were assigned to the task force that sailed to the islands to fight Argentine forces. It remains unclear if they were on board vessels when they engaged in action around the Falklands

Eight survivors from HMS Sheffield are seen at a ceremony outside Sheffield Cathedral in the year after the attack

Prince Charles is seen speaking to survivor John Strange, of Gosport, who was severely burned when HMS Sheffield was hit by an Exocet missile in the Falklands conflict

The burnt wreckage of HMS Sheffield is seen shortly before it sank while being towed back to shore in the days following the attack

Casualties from HMS Sheffield are seen shortly after landing with rescuers via helicopter on aircraft carrier HMS Hermes

A survivor from the Exocet missile attack on HMS Sheffield is aided by men wearing anti-flash hoods on board HMS Hermes after being lifted to the ship by helicopter

Experts in the UK believed the missiles contained a kill switch partly through examining earlier versions that had been bought by the Army.

French company Aerospatiale, which made the weapons, insisted that kill switches did not exist.

Mr Ellwood said: 'We don't know the wider decision-making that surrounded this. Indeed, those responsible might not even be alive today.

'As we look to future battles we must learn from past events, and that includes how we work with allies and how we share critical intelligence.

'It certainly would have been game-changing had France chosen to share this characteristic of the Exocet.'

The HMS Sheffield was the first British warship to have been lost since the Second World War.

The ship was hit on its starboard side, ripping a hole 15ft long and 4ft high  and instantly killing eight cooks and setting it on fire, which lasted for two days.

Twelve crew members were thought to be killed by fumes and several were seriously burned.

Six days after it was attacked, the ship sank while being towed back to the shore.

Speaking on the BBC today, survivor Andy Stevenson spoke of the moment the Sheffield was hit.

'If you imagine a missile you are expecting a bang. No bang at all. It was like a massive blast of air that blew me out my bunk,' he said.

During the Falklands War, Royal Navy ships carrying WE.177 nuclear bombs were assigned to the task force that sailed to the islands to fight Argentine forces.

In 2003, the Government admitted that British ships were carrying nuclear weapons, but insisted there was never any intention to use them in the conflict.
A mother whose daughter was allegedly stabbed to death has pleaded that no one 'avoid' her or ask about 'specifics' when they see her out in public, in a heartwrenching social media post.

Mackenzie Anderson, 21, was found unresponsive outside her Crebert Street apartment in Newcastle about 10.40pm on April 1.

Police allege Tyrone Thompson, 22, who had been in an on-and-off relationship with the single mother, fatally stabbed her. He has been charged with murder.

Ms Anderson's mother Tabitha Acret spoke out about the tragedy for the time on Wednesday, thanking the community for their support during her 'unbearable' heartbreak.

The grief-stricken mother said the last six weeks had been the hardest of her life as she shared some tips on how to converse with her in public as she processes the horrific loss.

Mackenzie Anderson's mother Tabitha Acret (left) has shared some tips on how to best approach her as she continues to process the tragic loss of her daughter (right)

Police allege Tyrone Thompson, 22, (pictured) who had been in an on-and-off relationship with the single mother, fatally stabbed her in her Newcastle unit on April 1

'I know for many of you not knowing what to say or how to say it is a worry and I have listed some things below to help,' she continued.

'Don't avoid me, I know you may feel sad or worried about what to say but avoiding me or keeping your distance makes it worse.

'You don't have to say anything, being kind and friendly is helpful.'

Ms Acret said she appreciated receiving well wishes but asked not to be questioned on 'specifics around it' while out in public.

She also provided an update on how she was coping in the aftermath of her daughter's life being cut short.

Mackenzie Anderson, 21, (pictured) was found unresponsive outside her Crebert Street apartment in Newcastle about 10.40pm on April 1

Police allege Tyrone Thompson (pictured left), 22, fatally stabbed Mackenzie Anderson (right)

'The last six weeks have been some of the hardest six weeks of my life, but they have also provided moments of such love,' she said.

'Thank you to all the people who have dropped off food, hugs, love and helped share tears.

'Thank you to all the people who have sent messages and kind words of support. It's been greatly appreciated and has helped us feel not alone in this new journey.'

Ms Acret, a dental hygienist in Newcastle, said returning to work this week 'hadn't been easy' and had caused her 'a lot' of anxiety.

She again thanked friends and family for their love and well wishes and said their support had made an 'unbearable situation survivable'.

On the day of Ms Anderson's death, it's understood she spent several hours drinking and socialising with Thompson even though there was an AVO in place between the pair

Thompson (pictured) was charged with murder, enter with intent and breaching an apprehended domestic violence order

On the day of Ms Anderson's death, it's understood she spent several hours drinking and socialising with Thompson even though there was an Apprehended Violence Order in place between the pair.

He is reported to have left the home but returned some hours later, entering Ms Anderson's unit 'without her permission'.

Ms Anderson called cops to notify them that Thompson was breaching the AVO, but tragically, by the time they arrived - only minutes later - she had allegedly been stabbed 20 times and died at the scene.

Her two-year-old son was found nearby, unharmed but drenched in her blood.

A police source told Daily Mail Australia Ms Anderson (pictured) was clinging to life when officers arrived but tragically died within minutes of officers arriving

Police said Thompson was still at the scene and had cuts and damage to his hands.

He was arrested and taken to John Hunter Hospital.

Friends of the couple said Ms Anderson and Thompson were in the early stages of rekindling their relationship after she separated from him months earlier.

A police source told Daily Mail Australia Ms Anderson was clinging to life when officers arrived on the scene.

'She was still breathing,' the source said. She lost her fight for life within minutes of police arriving and was declared dead at the scene.

Friends of the couple said Ms Anderson (pictured) and Thompson were in the early stages of rekindling their relationship after she separated from him months earlier

Ms Anderson's mother previously opened up about the 'new reality' her family faced and the 'overwhelming sadness' she was experiencing.

'We tragically lost our beautiful little girl,' she wrote on Instagram.

No parent should have to bury a child and this is sadly our new reality... It's been an overwhelming sadness that is in our hearts at the moment.'

The grieving mother said she hopes her daughter's memory will 'become a blessing' to live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved the 'bubbly, feisty' 21-year-old.

Thompson will face Newcastle Local Court on May 19.
The Government was last night accused of 'letting criminals get away with it' after shocking figures revealed more than 500 break-ins go unsolved every day.

Analysis of Home Office statistics, compiled by the Liberal Democrats, showed that out of 240,000 burglaries last year, 190,000 were closed without a suspect ever being identified - a staggering 79 per cent of cases.

That is the equivalent of 523 unsolved burglaries a day, or 3,661 per week.

Among the worst performing police forces were London's Metropolitan Police, West Midlands and Hampshire, which all saw more than 80 per cent of burglary investigations fail to catch the perpetrator.

Cumbria Police were among the best performing, however 64 per cent of their burglary cases still went unsolved, the figures show.

David McKelvey, a former Met Police Det Chief Insp, told the Telegraph that it was a 'disgrace' that some forces had stopped treating break-ins as a priority.

He said: 'Historically, a police officer would attend, carry out house to house inquiries, and examine CCTV. A scene of crime officer would turn up and take fingerprints.

Analysis of Home Office statistics, compiled by the Liberal Democrats, showed that out of 240,000 burglaries last year, 190,000 were closed without a suspect ever being identified - a staggering 79 per cent of cases. (Stock image)

Lib Dem Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP (pictured) accused the Tory government of being 'soft on crime'

'There was a real push to try to identify and catch the offenders.'

Upon releasing their analysis, the Lib Dems accused the Conservatives of being 'soft on crime' and said they were calling for a 'return to proper community policing' ahead of the local elections on Thursday.

The party's Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: 'Crime is soaring on the Conservatives' watch. They are soft on crime and letting far too many criminals get away with it.

'As a result, too many people's lives are being ruined by burglaries.

'The Conservative Government are taking people for granted and making our communities less safe... We need a return to proper community policing, where officers are visible, trusted and focused on cutting crime.'

MailOnline has contacted the Home Office for comment.

Cases which have no CCTV or forensic evidence are often closed within hours of being opened.

Former Met Police sergeant Graham Wettone told the Express: 'In some ways, the criminal justice system is treating burglary as a low-level offence.

'They are not being investigated thoroughly. It used to be a priority. It leaves victims without justice and they are not getting a proper service.'

The Government has vowed to hire an extra 20,000 officers and urged forces to place at least one officer at the scene of every burglary.

Among the worst performing police forces were London's Metropolitan Police, West Midlands and Hampshire, which all saw far more than 80 per cent of burglary investigations fail to catch the perpetrator. (Stock image)

The National Police Chiefs' Council said: 'Assisting with the prevention of, and responding to, incidents of burglary are a priority for policing.

'We acknowledge that burglary is a crime that has a significant and longlasting effect on victims.

'Forces will prioritise cases where there is a realistic prospect of prosecution.

'We also ensure that victims who may be particularly vulnerable, such as the isolated elderly, get the support they need.

'Police focus on targeting prolific offenders, organised crime networks, and ensuring that prevention measures are in place.'

'System treats burglary as a low-level crime'

The Met told MailOnline today that it recognises there is still a 'lot of work to do' to achieve the outcomes people desire in London.

The force said it had dedicated a lead responsible officer, Detective Superintendent David Courcha, to 'drive activity' in solving burglary cases.

The force added: 'Burglary continues to be a challenge and that remains the case in London. However, we currently have a 3.9 per cent reduction in burglary offending compared to the comparative period over the past two years.

'In order to enhance the Mets response to burglary, we have a dedicated lead responsible officer to drive activity, Detective Superintendent David Courcha.

'We have invested in teams focused on improving the initial and secondary investigations of burglary and robbery across each basic command unit (BCU).

'We also have a dedicated team with oversight and investigation of forensic hits, for example, fingerprint, DNA, and CCTV images. Burglary offences make up nearly 50 per cent of these investigations.

'Through this work, the detection rate for burglary has risen to 5.4 per cent, this is an increase over the past few months.

'We recognise there is still a lot of work to do in order to achieve the outcomes for people who live in London and we will continue to work tirelessly to achieve these aspirations.

'Officers regularly provide crime prevention advice and guidance to communities to assist members of the public in reducing the likelihood of offending occurring within their areas.'

The force advised people to lock their windows and doors as those left unlocked continue to be among the most common forms of entry for thieves.

They also suggested installing burglar alarms and video doorbells.
North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, as the country's nuclear development is set to accelerate.

The missile launch comes days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to speed up the development of his nuclear weapons 'at the fastest possible pace' and threatened to use them against rivals.

The launch, the North's 14th round of weapons firing this year, also came six days before a new conservative South Korean president takes office for a single five-year term.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired from the North's capital region and flew to the waters off its eastern coast.

It called North Koreas repeated ballistic missile launches 'a grave threat' that would undermine international peace and security and a violation of UN Security Council resolutions banning any ballistic launch by the North.

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, center, speaks to reporters after North Korea fired a ballistic missile amid rising animosities. The missile launch comes days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to speed up the development of his nuclear weapons

The statement said that Won In-Choul, the South Korean JCS chief, held a video conference about the launch with Gen.

Paul LaCamera, an American general who heads the South Korea-US combined forces command in Seoul, and they agreed to maintain a solid joint defense posture.

Japan also detected the North Korean launch and quickly condemned it.

'North Korea's series of actions that threatens the peace, safety and stability of the international community are impermissible,' Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters during his visit to Rome.

Kishida said he'll discuss the launch when he meets Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi later Wednesday.

'Naturally, we will exchange views on the regional situation in the Indo-Pacific and East Asia, and I will thoroughly explain the reality of the region including the North Korean missile launch today, to gain understanding about the pressing situation in the East Asia,' he said.

Japanese Vice Defense Minister Makoto Oniki said that the missile was believed to have landed in waters outside of the Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone.

There has been no report of damage or injury reported from vessels and aircraft in the area.

It wasn't immediately known what missile North Korea launched.

South Korea's military said the missile flew about 290 miles at the apogee of 485 miles, while Oniki of Japan said it traveled about 310 miles at the maximum altitude of 500 miles.

People watch a TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea's missile launch with file footage, at a train station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 4

Observers say North Korea's unusually fast pace in weapons testing this year underscores its dual goal of advancing its missile programs and applying pressure on Washington over a deepening freeze in nuclear negotiations.

They say Kim eventually aims to use his expanded arsenal to win an international recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state that he believes would help force the United States to relax international economic sanctions on the North.

One of the North Korean missiles tested recently was an intercontinental ballistic missile potentially capable of reaching the entirety of the American homeland.

That missile's launch broke Kim's self-imposed 2018 moratorium on big weapons tests.

There are signs that the North is also preparing for a nuclear test at its remote northeastern testing facility.

If made, the nuclear bomb test explosion by North Korea would be the seventh of its kind and the first since 2017.

One of the North Korean missiles tested recently was an intercontinental ballistic missile potentially capable of reaching the entirety of the American homeland

Last week, Kim Jong Un showcased his most powerful nuclear-capable missiles targeting both the United States and its allies during a massive military parade in capital, Pyongyang.

During a speech at the parade, Kim said he would develop his arsenal at the 'fastest possible pace' and warned that the North would preemptively use its nuclear weapons if its national interests are threatened.

North Korea has previously unleased harsh rhetoric threatening to attack its rivals with its nuclear weapons.

But the fact that Kim made the threat himself and in a detailed manner have caused security jitters among some South Koreans.

Taken together with North Korea's recent tests of short-range nuclear-capable missiles, some experts speculate North Korea's possibly escalatory nuclear doctrine would allow it to launch preemptive nuclear strikes on South Korea in some cases.

Wednesday's launch came before the May 10 inauguration of South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol, who has vowed to boost Seoul's missile capability and solidify its military alliance with Washington to better cope with increasing North Korean nuclear threats.

North Korea has a history of raising animosities with weapons tests when Seoul and Washington inaugurate new governments in an apparent bid to boost its leverage in future negotiations.

Kim Jong Un attends a photo session with the officers and soldiers who took part in a celebration the 90th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army, in North Korea Wednesday, April 27

Yoon's power transition office called the latest North Korean launch 'a grave provocation' and urged Pyongyang to stop acts that raise tensions and threaten international peace.

It said in a statement that the Yoon government will strongly respond to North Korean provocations in close cooperation with the international community.

Some experts say the Biden administration's passive handling of North Korea as it focuses on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and an intensifying rivalry with China is allowing more room for the North to expand its military capabilities.

The Biden administration's actions on North Korea have so far been limited to largely symbolic sanctions and offers of open-ended talks.

North Korea has rejected the administration's offer for talks, saying it must first abandon its 'hostile policy,' in an apparent reference to US-led international sanctions and US-South Korean joint military exercises.

People watch a TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea's missile launch with file footage, at a train station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 4. North Korea has launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to bolster his nuclear arsenal 'at the fastest possible pace' and threatened to use them against rivals

On April 30, Kim Jong Un warned again that the North could preemptively use its nuclear weapons if threatened.

Kim expressed 'firm will' to continue developing his nuclear-armed military so that it could 'preemptively and thoroughly contain and frustrate all dangerous attempts and threatening moves, including ever-escalating nuclear threats from hostile forces, if necessary.'

The North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Kim called his military officials to praise their work during Monday's parade, where the North showcased the biggest weapons in its nuclear arsenal, including intercontinental ballistic missiles that could potentially reach the US homeland.

Kim said his nuclear weapons would 'never be confined to the single mission of war deterrent' in situations where the North faces external threats to its 'fundamental interests.'
A woman and four men have been jailed for a total of 37 years after a girl was sexually assaulted and raped before being kidnapped from her foster home and later found 170 miles away by police, a court has heard.

The victim was abducted from her foster home in the village of Crowthorne, Berkshire on 27 February 2021 and discovered two days later in Sheffield following a 'significant' investigation by Thames Valley Police.

She had previously reported the abuse, as a teenager, to cops four months earlier in November 2020.

She told detectives that she had been assaulted by a man from Slough and a woman from London, who both cannot be named for legal reasons. The girl later disclosed that the man had raped her over a period of years.

Thames Avenue Police Girl is kidnapped from her foster home and found 170 miles away after being sexually assaulted and raped as a woman and four men are jailed

All eight defendants were charged by police on March 3 last year.

Pictured: Nutel-Virgil Papadache, 41, has been sentenced to four years in prison after the jury found him guilty of one count of conspiracy to kidnap

Pictured: Marius Bucur, 19, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison after the jury found him guilty of one count of conspiracy to kidnap

The 59-year-old man, from Slough, was found guilty of five counts of rape and one count each of rape of a girl under 13, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and conspiracy to kidnap.

The jury also found him not guilty of one count of holding a person in slavery or servitude. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison at Reading Crown Court on April 28, 2022.

The woman, 39, from London, was found guilty of one count of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and one count of conspiracy to kidnap and kidnapping.

She was also found not guilty of one count of holding a person in slavery. The judge sentenced her to six years and six months in prison.

Nutel-Virgil Papadache, 41, of Brunswick Road, Sheffield, has been sentenced to four years in prison after the jury found him guilty of one count of conspiracy to kidnap.

Marius Bucur, 19, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison after the jury found him guilty of one count of conspiracy to kidnap.

Alexandru Olteanu, 20, of Austen Close, London, was sentenced to six months in prison after the jury found him guilty of one count of conspiracy to kidnap.

Aurelia Stan, 38, of Brunswick Road, Sheffield, was also found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap. She is due to be sentenced at Reading Crown Court on 25 May.

The jury found both Alina Dogaru, 27, and Alexandru Monu, 24, both of Brunswick Road, Sheffield, not guilty of one count of conspiracy to kidnap.

Detective Inspector Stuart May, of the East Berkshire Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: 'I would like to praise the bravery demonstrated by the victim in providing evidence in court and reporting it to police in the first place.

A girl was kidnapped from her foster home and found 170 miles away after being sexually assaulted and raped over a period of years - as five people are jailed, Reading Crown Court (Pictured) has heard

'The sentences passed recognises the seriousness of the abuse she suffered, and the danger posed to her by those involved. I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all the officers involved in this investigation which secured convictions for offences of the utmost seriousness, whilst providing some justice for the victim.

'The response of those involved undoubtedly prevented the victim from suffering further serious harm. The collaborative effort of our teams across Thames Valley Police was instrumental in securing the charges against the suspects who were being held in custody within other police forces.

'This challenging investigation took nearly a year to conclude and represented a significant demand on the unit. I am grateful to the whole team who worked tirelessly to manage business as usual, so my thanks go to them.'
A slain underworld figure had been arranging to buy an armoured car and would only stay in one place for 15 minutes at a time after he found out there was a price on his head.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson told a budget estimates hearing on Wednesday that police had spoken to Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad several times in recent months before he was gunned down in a 'hail of bullets'.

He revealed police had warned the kingpin about a $1million bounty on his head and that Ahmad told police he was looking into protecting himself from rival gangs.

'He told officers he was in search of an armoured vehicle to protect himself and he only stayed at places for 15 minutes at a time,' he said.

Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad (pictured) was looking into buying an armoured car to protect himself from rival gangs who placed a high price on the crime figure's head

Ahmad was peppered with bullets when he left an associate's home in a suburban street (pictured) in Greenacre last week

Police suspect reprisals to occur after the crime boss's demise last week, while mourners for Ahmad paid their respects on Tuesday

'As soon as Ramadan was over he [said he] would be returning to Lebanon and he was only in Australia to collect on debts that were owed to him.'

But the man known as 'Mr Big' in criminal circles was shot dead while visiting an associate in a suburban street in Greenacre at 9.30pm on May 27.

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.

Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said at the time Ahmad was 'always going to end up on a slab in a morgue or end up back in jail'.

'Unfortunately for him, he's in the morgue as we speak.'

'We'd be here for a long time if we were to go through the history of everyone he was in conflict with.'

'He didn't care and didn't want to hide and he's borne the consequences of his actions,' Detective Superintendent Doherty said.

Ahmad (pictured) had only recently been released from prison after serving five years for the manslaughter of an underworld rival at a Sydney scrap yard in 2016

A harrowing picture shows Sydney underworld kingpin 'Mr Big' fighting for life after he was brazenly executed in a hail of bullets in Sydney

The high-profile murder came after the crime figure had a narrow escape from an attempt on his life in a park in Rushcutters Bay last October.

Authorities fear last week's brutal execution will spark yet another escalation in the bloody gang war raging on Sydney's streets.

Ahmad had only recently been released from prison after serving five years for the manslaughter of an underworld rival at a Sydney scrap yard in 2016.

Authorities said it was a 'miracle' nobody else was hurt in the barrage of bullets.

'My understanding is a lot of people were in the street at the time,' Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said last week.

Police have appealed for other people in the area at the time to come forward, particularly those with mobile phone or dashcam footage.
Laura Stephenson has been jailed for 21 months after she lured a 15-year-old schoolboy to her home and had sex with him twice while her boyfriend was at work

A 'perverse' woman who lured a 15-year-old schoolboy to her home and had sex with him twice while her boyfriend was at work has been jailed for 21 months.

Laura Stephenson was 24 when she exchanged 'flirty' messages with the boy before inviting him to the home she shared with her boyfriend in 2018, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

Her victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered mental health issues and disclosed the abuse to his GP before a referral was made to social care.

Stephenson, now 28, has been jailed for 21 months after she admitted two counts of sexual activity with a child.

She was also handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and ordered to pay victim costs of 140.

Sheffield Crown Court heard that Stephenson had admitted in a police interview that she had sex with the boy, but argued it was consensual.

She also attempted to blame her victim, while saying she felt guilty about her conduct.

Following the sentencing, investigating officer Natalie Duffy said Stephenson was aware that her actions were 'wrong' but pursued the teen regardless.

Laura Stephenson was 24 when she exchanged 'flirty' messages with the boy before inviting him to the home she shared with her boyfriend in 2018, Sheffield Crown Court (pictured) heard

She said: 'Stephenson claimed she knew her actions were wrong due to the boy's age, but this wasn't enough to stop her, and instead she presented a number of excuses for her perverse actions.

'She exploited a family's trust in her and I'm thankful that this is reflected in her receiving a custodial sentence and being placed on the register.'

Investigating officer Duffy also praised the boy for coming forward and assisting the police with their investigations into Stephenson.

She said: 'I would like to praise the victim for the tremendous courage he has shown throughout the investigation and court proceedings.

'Abuse like this can have life-long, damaging impacts for victims and we will do all we can, alongside social care, to support those at risk and seek justice on their behalf.

'If you have been affected by sexual abuse, please know that we are here, we will listen to you and we will do all we can to support you.'
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London Mayor Sadiq Khan was today sensationally accused by the Government of breaching pre-election rules by revealing the long-awaited opening date for the first section of Crossrail on the eve of tomorrow's local elections.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said Mr Khan had shown 'breathtaking political cynicism', and he had referred Transport for London's announcement - made at 9.45am today - to the Electoral Commission for investigation.

But Mr Khan then hit back and accused Mr Shapps of trying to 'start a row rather than join the celebrations' and claimed that the Department for Transport were told about the opening date announcement 'well in advance'.

The opening date for Crossrail's first phase was finally revealed this morning as May 24 - but the project is now 4billion over budget, nearly four years late, will run on Sundays and is still one year away from opening in full.

TfL revealed that in 20 days' time, 'Elizabeth line' trains are initially set to run every five minutes from Monday to Saturday between Paddington in West London and Abbey Wood in South East London, from 6.30am until 11pm.

But the section will only have nine stops rather than ten because Bond Street is still not completed, so trains will go through without stopping at the station for now - and TfL said it is not expected open until 'later this year'.

However, Mr Shapps claimed this afternoon that the decision to announce the opening date one day before local elections breaches pre-election rules and was an 'unscrupulous headline grab' by Mr Khan, who is chair of TfL.

The Cabinet Minister said: 'This announcement is an act of breathtaking political cynicism by the Mayor, breaking election rules on such announcements in an effort to garner votes the day before the local elections in London. I am therefore immediately referring this breach to the Electoral Commission for investigation.

'Londoners reading this unscrupulous headline grab might like to know that the Government has poured billions into Crossrail to solve delays clocked up on the Mayor's watch, while propping up a transport system hobbled financially by his chronic incompetence.'

Around 30 minutes after issuing the statement, Mr Shapps posted a message on Twitter stating the Elizabeth line will open 'thanks to 9billion of Government support'. He added that it will 'transform the lives of Londoners for generations to come and deliver a 42billion boost to the whole UK economy'.

And a spokesman for Mr Khan then told MailOnline: 'The Mayor is absolutely delighted that the Elizabeth line will be opening to passengers on May 24, transforming transport in the Capital and South East, and boosting the whole UK economy by 42billion each year. The announcement date for the Elizabeth line opening was made by Transport for London, and the Department for Transport were made aware well in advance.

'It's a shame that the Transport Secretary has decided to try and start a row rather than join the celebrations of the fact that this world-class new railway is about to open to millions of passengers.'

Sources told MailOnline that the announcement had to be made today for 'operational reasons' and that the timing of it was determined by TfL rather than the Mayor himself or the Greater London Authority. It is also understood that the Department of Transport were made aware last week about the timing of the announcement.

The capital's new railway has suffered a series of delays having initially been planned to open in full - from Reading in Berkshire to Shenfield in Essex and Abbey Wood - in December 2018. It was set a budget of 14.8billion in 2010.

But the east-west project's total cost is now estimated to have ballooned to 18.9billion, including 5.1billion from the Government - meaning it is now already three years and five months late and 4billion over budget.

The line has been hit by construction delays and difficulties installing complex signalling systems, and so will now initially operate in three sections, with the central part between Paddington and Abbey Wood using new tunnels.

Transport bosses hope the Queen - whom the line is named after - will be involved in the opening, although this is unconfirmed due to her recent mobility and health problems that have caused her to miss a string of events.

TfL will also be keen to avoid comparisons to the botched launch of London Heathrow Airport Terminal Five, which saw hundreds of flights cancelled and tens of thousands of bags delayed when it opened in March 2008.

Now, when the 'Elizabeth line' opens on May 24, it will operate as three separate railways - from Reading or Heathrow to Paddington; Paddington to Abbey Wood via Liverpool Street; and Liverpool Street to Shenfield.

The second stage, for which Crossrail says the 'earliest expected date' is 'autumn 2022', will ensure the services from Reading or Heathrow towards Paddington can run all the way through to Abbey Wood via Liverpool Street. At this second stage, there will also be trains running direct from Paddington to Shenfield, also via Liverpool Street.

The final milestone will be 'no later than May 2023', when the full timetable will allow passengers to travel without changing across the entire line from Reading or Heathrow to Shenfield or Abbey Wood, via central London.

Transport for London released this new map this morning showing how the initial Crossrail services will operate from May 24

An Elizabeth line train near West Drayton station. The trains are already running on existing track in East and West London

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps accused Mayor Sadiq Khan (pictured last September) of 'breathtaking political cynicism'

London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps both tweeted about the Elizabeth line news today

Transport for London has revealed 'Elizabeth line' trains are initially set to run every five minutes from Monday to Saturday

Trains will be running between Paddington in West London and Abbey Wood in South East London, from 6.30am until 11pm

By this point, TfL hopes there will be one train every 150 seconds through central London - and it is hoped that the project will expand central London's rail capacity by 10 per cent.

For now, the line will operate 12 trains per hour between Paddington and Abbey Wood from Monday to Saturday, 6.30am to 11pm - but Bond Street station has not yet been completed and will not open until 'later this year'.

How Crossrail will open in three stages by May 2023 Stage 1: From May 24 The Elizabeth line will launch on May 24 with services on Monday to Saturday from Paddington to Abbey Wood. Services from Reading and Heathrow to Paddington, and from Shenfield to Liverpool Street, will be rebranded from 'TfL Rail' to the 'Elizabeth line' and will continue to run on Monday to Sundays. Stage 2: Autumn 2022 The earliest expected date for the next phase is 'autumn 2022'. When this phase launches, services from Reading and Heathrow will operate through to Abbey Wood. Services from Shenfield will go through to Paddington. Stage 3: May 2023 Full timetable for travel from Reading or Heathrow to Shenfield or Abbey Wood without changing. Advertisement

Work will continue in engineering hours and on Sundays to allow a series of testing and software updates in preparation for more intensive services from autumn.

But the Sunday closures will be lifted on June 5 to help people travelling in the capital during the Platinum Jubilee weekend celebrating the Queen's milestone.

Elizabeth line trains have been running through the tunnels for tests since May 2021, and the stock for the line - the Class 345 Aventra - is already in service between Paddington and Reading, and Shenfield and Liverpool Street under the 'TfL Rail' brand.

These services will be rebranded from 'TfL Rail' to the 'Elizabeth line' from May 24, and they will continue to run seven days a week as at present.

Andy Byford, TfL's commissioner, said today: 'I am delighted that we can now announce a date for the opening of the Elizabeth line in May. We are using these final few weeks to continue to build up reliability on the railway and get the Elizabeth line ready to welcome customers.

'The opening day is set to be a truly historic moment for the capital and the UK, and we look forward to showcasing a simply stunning addition to our network.'

Thousands of staff from TfL, Network Rail and other partner organisations took part in exercises earlier this year to test timetables and simulate scenarios such as evacuations from trains and stations.

And Mr Khan said the Elizabeth line will make London 'safer, fairer, greener and more prosperous'.

He went on: 'This is the most significant addition to our transport network in decades, and will revolutionise travel across the capital and the South East - as well as delivering a 42 billion boost to the whole UK economy and hundreds of thousands of new homes and jobs.

CURRENT SERVICE: 'TfL Rail' currently operates trains between Reading and Paddington, and Liverpool Street and Shenfield

STAGE 1: When the 'Elizabeth line' first opens on May 24, it will operate as three separate railways - from Reading or Heathrow to Paddington; Paddington to Abbey Wood via Liverpool Street; and Liverpool Street to Shenfield

STAGE 2: The second stage, for which Crossrail says the 'earliest expected date' is 'autumn 2022', will ensure the services from Reading or Heathrow towards Paddington can run all the way through to Abbey Wood via Liverpool Street. At this stage, there will also be trains running direct from Paddington to Shenfield, also via Liverpool Street

STAGE 3: The final milestone will be 'no later than May 2023', when the full timetable will allow passengers to travel without changing across the entire line from Reading to Shenfield or Abbey Wood

The Crossrail route is shown on a geographical map which displays how passengers will be able to travel through London

The Crossrail route map is displayed, with the complete line set to be operational in its full form by May 2023 at the latest

The Crossrail map is shown on top of the existing Transport for London map, showing how it interconnects with Tube lines

'Green public transport is the future, and the opening of the Elizabeth line is a landmark moment for our capital and our whole country, particularly in this special Platinum Jubilee year.'

Crossrail's sideways lifts that will carry passengers alongside escalators The new Crossrail stations will feature four impressive sloping lifts. There are two 'incline lifts' at Liverpool Street and two at Farringdon that run alongside escalators, moving up and down sideways lift shafts. Crossrail will feature two sloping lifts at Liverpool Street station They are innovative, but not a first for UK rail transport. This was the incline lift at Greenford Underground station on the Central line, installed in 2015. Transport for London (TfL) said that sloping lifts are cheaper to install because they save the cost of excavating a lift shaft, can utilise existing escalator space and are 50 per cent more efficient than a standard lift as they only use half as much power to run. Two Crossrail stations will feature impressive sloping lifts Advertisement

He also said the injection into the UK economy was 'really important at this difficult time', adding: 'It's going to improve transport links, it's also going to be another example of us supporting our city in its recovery.

'The trains are brand new, the stations are step-free. They will give not just London's economy, but our country's economy, a massive economic boost.'

But Mr Khan refused to be drawn on whether the Queen would be involved in the opening of the line named after her.

'I'm not going to go into what are plans are for the grand opening,' he said. 'What's important though, is that we're able to announce today that the Elizabeth line is going to open on May 24.'

TfL confirmed that the opening would happen on May 24, which is a Tuesday, 'subject to final safety approvals', and that it estimates Crossrail will add 42billion to the UK economy.

It also gave an example of a reduced journey time, with Paddington to Canary Wharf now taking only 17 minutes from May 24  compared to 30 minutes when using the Underground at the moment.

A TfL spokesman added: 'The Elizabeth line will transform travel across London and the South East by dramatically improving transport links, cutting journey times, providing additional capacity, and transforming accessibility with spacious new stations and walk-through trains.

'The Elizabeth line will initially operate as three separate railways, with services from Reading, Heathrow and Shenfield connecting with the central tunnels from autumn this year.

'In the coming weeks, Elizabeth line signage will continue to be uncovered across the network in preparation for the start of customer service.'

Services from Reading, Heathrow and Shenfield will connect with the central tunnels in autumn, when frequencies will be increased to 22 trains per hour in the peak between Paddington and Whitechapel.

TfL also said that all Elizabeth line stations will also be staffed from first to the last train, and step-free access is in place from street to train across all Elizabeth line stations between Paddington and Woolwich.

Transport bosses are also making changes to 14 bus routes to improve links to Elizabeth line stations in East and South East London, which will take effect from May 14 to 21.

This includes the new route 304, which will operate between Manor Park and Custom House stations from May 21.

Nick Bowes, chief executive of the Centre for London think tank, told MailOnline today: 'The Elizabeth Line's opening in a few weeks is a major shot in the arm for the city after its toughest few years since the war.

'Yes, it's late, and yes, it's over budget, but London is getting a magnificent piece of public transport infrastructure that will blow Londoners away and change the mental geography of east-west city travel forever.

'The Elizabeth Line has been decades in the planning, 14 years in construction, and has brought huge supply chain benefits across the country, demonstrating how public transport investment in London doesn't just boost the city but the whole UK.'

Transport for London hopes there will be one train every 150 seconds through central London when the line is fully running

Work on the line will continue in engineering hours and on Sundays to allow a series of testing and software updates

Crossrail's total cost is now estimated to have ballooned to 18.9billion, including 5.1billion from the Government

The central section of the line will only have nine stops rather than ten because Bond Street station has not been completed

The Elizabeth line in London has been hit by construction delays and difficulties installing complex signalling systems

When the 'Elizabeth line' opens on May 24, it will operate as three separate railways - including Paddington to Abbey Wood

And former Chancellor George Osborne tweeted: 'Crossrail Elizabeth Line to open almost exactly 12 years after the Coalition Government gave the go ahead.

Will the Elizabeth line improve your journey? The delayed and over-budget Elizabeth line will finally open on May 24. Here, are answers to ten key questions about what impact it will have on journeys. - What area will the Elizabeth line cover? It will run from Reading in Berkshire and Heathrow Airport in west London, to Shenfield in Essex and Abbey Wood in south-east London, via the centre of the capital. - Can I travel direct between those places from May 24? Unfortunately not. The Elizabeth line will initially operate as three separate railways, with a change of trains required at Paddington and Liverpool Street. - When will they be integrated? That is expected to happen in the autumn. - What is it currently like to travel through central London? Many passengers travel by Tube on the Central line for east-west journeys across the capital. These trains are often crowded and get hot in the summer due to not having air-conditioning. - How will Elizabeth line trains compare? They will be much more comfortable, featuring walk-through carriages, wi-fi, travel information screens and air-conditioning. - How about the stations? Ten new Elizabeth line stations will open in central London. They will be lighter, brighter and larger spaces than the vast majority of London Underground stations. - What will be the impact on journey times? Many journeys within London will be quicker by the Elizabeth line than by Tube. According to travel app Citymapper, platform-to-platform journeys between Liverpool Street and Paddington will be cut from 18 minutes to 10 minutes. - How about if I am travelling longer distances? Elizabeth line trains will stop at local stations, so journeys will be slower compared with the fastest mainline services between locations such as Reading and Paddington, or Shenfield and Liverpool Street. But once the three sections are integrated, many passengers will benefit by not having to change between trains and Tube services. - What impact will the new line have on capacity? It will boost rail capacity in central London by 10%. - What about fares? Elizabeth line journeys in central London will cost the same as equivalent Tube fares. Fares on services currently operated by TfL Rail will be unchanged. Advertisement

'Big infrastructure is controversial, takes ages and brings few short term political benefits - but delivers huge improvements for generations to come and an enduring legacy.'

Meanwhile John Dickie, chief executive at business campaigning group London First, said: 'The Elizabeth line will have a truly transformational effect on the capital, easing congestion, and speeding up journeys for Londoners and visitors alike.

'We're proud to have played our part in shaping the innovative funding package that saw London's businesses and London's taxpayers fund about two-thirds of this project.

'And, with more than 60 per cent of the spend going outside of London, this has been a real boost to the whole UK economy.'

Also today, the Canary Wharf Group said that the opening of Crossrail 'represents a new era for connectivity in London between East and West', adding that an extra 1.5million people will now be able to get to Canary Wharf within 45 minutes.

Shobi Khan, chief executive of the organisation, told MailOnline: 'The Elizabeth line is great for London and a game changer for Canary Wharf.

'This state-of-the-art new line is an incredible engineering achievement and Canary Wharf Group is proud to have played its part, delivering the spectacular Canary Wharf station building with new restaurants, bars and cafes and one of London's largest green roof gardens.

'The Elizabeth line will add capacity for up to 342,000 more passengers every day and connect Canary Wharf to Liverpool Street in six minutes, Paddington in 16 minutes and Heathrow Airport in 39 minutes. The Elizabeth line will bring an additional 1.5million people within 45 minutes' travel to Canary Wharf.'

It comes after TfL was mocked online last week for a 'striking error' on Tube maps showing the new Crossrail route.

An image taken at Mile End Underground station and posted on Twitter showed a typical Central line map with the Elizabeth line noted next to Liverpool Street and Tottenham Court Road.

But while other services are simply labelled 'Circle', 'Metropolitan' or 'Bakerloo', the sign calls the new service the 'Elizabeth line'.

Social media users have been asking if the new route, marked with purple signage, is to be called the 'Elizabeth line line' in Tube announcements.

But a TfL spokesman told MailOnline that it was not a 'blip', as suggested, but the Elizabeth line was 'a new mode, rather than a Tube line', meaning the typical rule of emitting the word 'line' from signage does not apply in this case.

Commuters have compared the new 'error' to the 'furore' surrounding the opening of the Battersea Power Station Tube stop.

The Northern Line destination, which began operating in September last year, was similarly labelled 'Battersea Power Station', causing Londoners to ask whether the new Tube stop was to be called 'Battersea Power Station Station'.

An image taken at Mile End Tube station and posted on Twitter last week shows a typical Central Line map but with the latest addition to London's transport - the Elizabeth Line - noted next to Liverpool Street and Tottenham Court Road. But while other services are simply labelled 'Circle', 'Metropolitan' or 'Bakerloo', the sign calls the new service 'Elizabeth line'

Volunteer 'passengers' travel during a test run of an Elizabeth line train from Paddington to Woolwich and back on March 13

Volunteer 'passengers' board a carriage during a test run of an Elizabeth Line train at Paddington station on March 13

People travel on an escalator at the new Paddington Crossrail station on Sunday before an Elizabeth line train test on March 13

Volunteer 'passengers' arrive on a platform during a test run of an Elizabeth Line train at Paddington station on March 13

The uploader of the new Tube map, Daniel Tomlinson, wrote on Twitter: 'Feeling very disappointed in TfL this morning. Deciding to label it ''Elizabeth line'' rather than ''Elizabeth'' is a striking error.' He added: 'Are we now to call it the Elizabeth Line Line? ''Change here for the Central, Circle, and Elizabeth Line Lines''.'

Reacting to the new map, one Twitter user posted a picture of a sign showing logos for National Rail, the Underground, Overground, Elizabeth line and DLR. He wrote: 'It looks wrong, none of the other Lines have ''Line'' in this logos.'

But other Twitter users defended the decision and backed TfL. One wrote: 'They aren't lines, they are (all 5 of them) separate transport entities.'

Another said: 'It's clearly different to the rest of the underground so why can't it have Line in the name. Why does DLR need the R? The others don't have railway in them.'
A petition calling for DC Warner Bros to drop Amber Heard from the role of Queen Mera in Aquaman 2 has topped 3.4million signatures as she is due to take the stand today in the blockbuster defamation trial with her ex Johnny Depp.

The petition alleges that Heard has been 'exposed as a domestic abuser by Johnny Depp' during their ongoing multimillion-dollar court battle.

Heard is finally set to testify today after Depp's attorneys rested their case yesterday. They argued Heard had libeled the Pirates of the Caribbean star when she wrote that she was a victim of domestic abuse in a Washington Post op ed, even though she did not name him.

Heard's team began their response yesterday by calling to the stand a psychologist who said the actress suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder due to physical and sexual abuse by Depp.

Amber Heard is set to take the stand herself today in the multimillion dollar defamation claim between her and ex-husband Johnny Depp

The online petition set up to persuade DC Warner Bros to drop Amber Herd from her role as Queen Mera in Aquaman 2

Amber Heard's role of Queen Mera in Aquaman 2. A petition to have her dropped from the role has topped 3.4 million signatures. It alleges that Heard has been 'exposed as a domestic abuser by Johnny Depp'

Depp, 58, is suing Heard, 36, for $50 million for her allegations of domestic abuse that he said cost him 'everything.'

A new 'Pirates' movie was put on hold, and Depp was replaced in the 'Fantastic Beasts' film franchise, a 'Harry Potter' spinoff.

Heard has counter-sued for $100 million, saying Depp smeared her by calling her a liar.

Over four days of sworn testimony, Depp said that 'Aquaman' star Heard was the abuser in the relationship and once threw a vodka bottle that severed the top of his right middle finger.

'At the end, I was broken,' Depp said.

Heard has denied injuring Depp's finger and said she only threw things to escape when he was beating her.

Heard's first witness was Dr. Dawn Hughes, a New York-based clinical and forensic psychologist who is an expert about domestic violence.

Dr. Hughes outlined horrific reports that Heard had told her of abuse and sexual violence Depp committed against Heard, including forcing himself on her and performing cavity searches for drugs.

In their cross-examination, Heard's attorneys introduced text messages and audio recordings of Depp using graphic language and insulting Heard.

'Let's drown her before we burn her,' he said in one text message to actor Paul Bettany, adding 'I will f**k her burnt corpse afterward to make sure she is dead.'

Before starting their case, Amber Heard's lawyers asked Judge Penney Azcarate to dismiss the case, saying Johnny Depp had not proven his claim

Heard's first witness was Dr. Dawn Hughes, a New York-based clinical and forensic psychologist who is an expert about domestic violenc

Dr. Hughes said that women in abusive relationships get into them for the right reasons but slowly their partner turns

The case hinges on a December 2018 opinion piece in the Washington Post. The article never mentioned Depp by name, but his lawyer told jurors it was clear Heard was referencing him.

The couple's divorce was finalized in 2017 after less than two years of marriage.

Depp, once among the biggest stars in Hollywood until Heard's allegations, said he never struck her or any woman.

Heard's attorneys have argued that she told the truth and that her opinion was protected free speech under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment.

A state court judge in Fairfax County, Virginia, is overseeing the trial, which is expected to last until late May.

Less than two years ago, Depp lost a libel case against The Sun, a British tabloid that labeled him a 'wife beater.' A London High Court judge ruled he had repeatedly assaulted Heard.

Depp's lawyers have said they filed the U.S. case in Fairfax County, outside the nation's capital, because the Washington Post is printed there. The newspaper is not a defendant.
Wayne Couzens deserves to spend 'decades in jail', his barrister has told the Court of Appeal as the former police's officer's whole-life prison sentence was today challenged in the courts.

The former parliamentary and diplomatic protection officer was handed the rare sentence last year after he raped and murdered 33-year-old marketing executive Sarah Everard following her abduction in south London.

It was the first time the sentence had been imposed for a single murder of an adult not committed in the course of a terror attack.

On Wednesday, senior judges heard challenges or appeals to the prison sentences of five killers, including the whole-life terms of Couzens and double murderer Ian Stewart.

Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes were also among five notorious killers today having their jail terms reviewed in the same hearing at the Court of Appeal.

A bearded Couzens, wearing a grey jumper, appeared by video-link from HMP Frankland at the start of the hearing for his appeal against his whole-life term.

Members of Ms Everard's family were present in the Royal Courts of Justice as the his appeal was discussed.

Jim Sturman QC, for Couzens, said: 'Mr Couzens accepts that his crimes are abhorrent and nothing I say in any way is intended to minimise them or to minimise the impact of these crimes on Sarah Everard's family and huge circle of friends.'

He told the court that it was accepted that Couzens deserved 'decades in jail' but argued a whole-life term was excessive.

Sarah Everard 's murderer Wayne Couzens is one of five notorious killers today having their jail terms reviewed in the same hearing at the Court of Appeal

Ex-Met Police constable Couzens was handed a whole-life term last year for the rape and murder of 33-year-old Sarah Everard (pictured) after he abducted her in south London on March 3 2021

A bearded Couzens, wearing a grey jumper, appeared by video-link from HMP Frankland at the start of the hearing for his appeal against his whole-life term. Pictured: His court sketch

Wayne Couzens: The disgraced former police officer who raped and murdered Sarah Everard Wayne Couzens Ex-Pc Couzens used Covid powers to conduct a fake arrest of 33-year-old marketing executive Miss Everard as she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham in March. He went on to commit crimes so horrific they shocked the nation and undermined confidence in the police over the next few hours. Couzens used his warrant card and handcuffs to carry out the crime and had been planning for at least a month before the abduction on March 3. His sentence in September was the first time a whole-life term was imposed for a single murder of an adult which was not committed in the course of a terror attack. Sentencing Couzens, Lord Justice Fulford said the circumstances of the case were 'devastating, tragic and wholly brutal' and were so exceptional that it warranted a whole-life order. The killer is currently housed at HMP Frankland in Durham. Advertisement

Mr Sturman added: 'The combination of his remorse and his guilty pleas... should balance out that aggravating factor which clearly exists, of him being a police officer, albeit off-duty in half uniform.'

The barrister told the court that Couzens was unique out of the 64 people currently serving whole life orders.

He said in written submissions: 'Whilst this may well be considered by the public and the court to be a case of equal seriousness to a political, religious, or ideological murder, it is not such an offence, not does it fall into any other category listed in the schedule.'

Mr Sturman later argued that police officers are not unique in being able to detain people, giving an example of a teacher able to detain vulnerable pupils.

He concluded: 'A lot of very unique and very horrible cases come before the court.... but in our respectful submission, the court should think long and hard and step back from a whole-life order in this case.'

Tom Little QC, representing the Attorney General's Office (AGO) and Crown Prosecution Service, said Couzens' offending was of the 'utmost seriousness', adding: 'His criminality was, as found by the judge, a fundamental attack in reality on our democratic way of life.'

'A police officer is in a uniquely powerful position,' Mr Little said.

Mr Little said the sentencing judge had provided a 'clear and coherent justification' for the sentence that he imposed.

'The judge was entitled to form the view that he did in relation to a lack of genuine contrition,' he added.

Mr Little concluded: 'The whole-life order was the right sentence to impose in this wholly exceptional case.'

It comes as a court heard Arthur Labinjo-Hughes' evil step-mother should have been considered for a whole-life order over the boy's 'systemic torture' and murder.

Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes, Arthur's father, were among five notorious killers today having their jail terms reviewed in the same hearing at the Court of Appeal.

Senior judges are also hearing challenges and appeals from disgraced former police officer Wayne Couzens, double murderer Ian Stewart and triple killer Jordan Monaghan.

The special court of five judges are considering how whole-life orders - handed down in the most serious cases when a judge believes a criminal should never be considered for release - are imposed.

Unusually, the cases are being heard by the same court, one after the other, to produce a judgment on whole-life orders and iron out any disparities in when they're used.

The court was told today how young Arthur faced 'systematic brutality amounting to torture' leading up to his death.

The six-year-old suffered an unsurvivable brain injury while in the sole care of Tustin, who was jailed for life with a minimum term of 29 years after assaulting him on June 16 2020.

Tustin and Hughes, who was sentenced to 21 years for manslaughter, are appealing against the length of their sentences which are also being challenged as being unduly lenient.

Today, Tom Little QC, representing the Attorney General's Office (AGO), said Tustin's case 'merited at the very least consideration of a whole-life order'.

Court artist sketch of Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett, Dame Victoria Sharp, Lord Justice Holroyde, Mr Justice Sweeney and Mr Justice Johnson at a hearing at the High Court in London

Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes, who killed six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes in lockdown, are having their terms assessed

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes (pictured) was killed by Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes

The court is also hearing details of the cases of Ian Stewart (left) and Jordan Monaghan (right)

Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Jordan Monaghan (and Wayne Couzens as they view, via videolink, a hearing at the High Court in London

Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes: The parents whose abuse of Arthur shocked nation Thomas Hughes and Emma Tustin Emma Tustin, 32, is serving a 29-year prison sentence at HMP Peterborough after being convicted of Arthur's murder at her home in Solihull, west Midlands, on December 3. The evil stepmother killed the young boy by repeatedly slamming his head on a hard surface after she and his father Thomas Hughes, 29, force-fed him food laden with salt. Details of Arthur's cruel abuse and treatment, including being poisoned with salt, emerged during the Tustin's trial at Coventry Crown Court and caused widespread shock, revulsion and grief. The youngster had been subjected to months of 'unimaginable' abuse by Hughes and Tustin before he was murdered during lockdown on June 17 last year. In one haunting video, Arthur was seen struggling to stand before slumping to the floor of the living room. His father, Hughes, who was sentenced to 21 years in prison for manslaughter, is due to appeal against his sentence. Both sentences will be also challenged by Attorney General Suella Braverman under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. Tustin is currently housed at HMP Peterborough and Hughes at HMP Wakefield. Advertisement

He said: 'This was, we accept, not a straightforward sentencing exercise. The trial was plainly a harrowing one for all concerned.'

Mr Little said Arthur was 'subjected to the most unimaginable suffering', adding: 'This was an extremely serious example of child murder against the background of that cruelty.'

In written submissions, Mr Little said the trial judge failed to properly consider whether Tustin's offences were so serious they required a whole-life order.

He wrote: 'In the context of sadistic conduct that preceded the murder, it is submitted that murder itself was sadistically motivated.

'Even if it was not, then (Tustin)'s offending as a whole was so exceptionally serious that it was open to the judge to impose a whole-life order.

'This was not a case involving episodic criminality before the murder but systematic brutality amounting to torture.'

The barrister also said the 30-year starting point for Tustin's sentence should have been significantly increased.

However Mary Prior QC, for Tustin, said the sentencing judge took a 'fair and proper approach in this very difficult case'.

Ms Prior said the 'toxicity of the relationship' between Tustin and Hughes created a scenario where they both abused Arthur.

'At the very least, Thomas Hughes was encouraging Emma Tustin to be cruel, to assault and to ill-treat his son,' she added.

Wednesday's hearing also heard arguments over the sentence of Jordan Monaghan, who was handed a minimum term of 40 years at Preston Crown Court after he murdered two of his children and his new partner.

Monaghan was jailed in December after smothering his 24-day-old daughter Ruby as she slept in a Moses basket on New Year's Day 2013.

Eight months later he smothered his 21-month-old son Logan, and six years after that he murdered his new partner Evie Adams with a drugs overdose.

Mr Little said Monaghan's murders or attempted murders were of 'exceptionally high' seriousness, with 'no mitigation here at all'.

He told the court: 'The clear rationale or intention behind these offences was to try to distract his then partner from his gambling habit and maintain control over her despite her repeated attempts to free herself from him.'

Mr Little added of Ms Adams: 'If that was not enough, the third murder was one involving significant planning and preparation involving a painful death having, in short, been tricked to take strong forms of medication which ultimately killed her, and that was committed whilst on police bail.'

Benjamin Myers QC, for Monaghan, stressed the high bar needed for a whole-life term, which means the criminal would die in prison.

He told the court: 'A whole-life order is an extreme sentence for an extreme level of offending.

'There has to be some caution not to apply whole-life orders with a readiness that would lead to an escalation in their use.'

At the start of the hearing, Mr Little told the court that 'whilst the offending in these various cases differs markedly, one common feature of the applications is that either a whole-life order was imposed, is challenged, or it was not' and the AGO was seeking one.

He said whole-life orders could be lawfully handed to an offender 'if just punishment and retribution requires it'.

Ex-Met Police constable Couzens was handed a whole-life term last year for the rape and murder of 33-year-old Sarah Everard after he abducted her in south London on March 3 2021.

It was the first time the sentence had been imposed for a single murder of an adult not committed in the course of a terror attack.

Ian Stewart was this year found guilty of the murder of his first wife, Diane Stewart (pictured)

Jordan Monaghan: The callous father who murdered his girlfriend and two children Jordan Monaghan The triple killer, described as a manipulative and controlling gambling addict, obstructed the airways of his helpless children in separate murders in Blackburn, Lancs, in January and August, 2013. After evading just for six years, and while on bail for the murder of his two children, Monaghan killed his new girlfriend, 23-year-old Evie Adams, with a deadly cocktail of prescription drugs in October 2019. During a court case which laid bare the struggles police and prosecutors had in bringing Monaghan to justice, it was revealed officers had arrested and interviewed him six years earlier under caution after the death of Logan. But they did not have enough evidence to charge him with either of the murders, and he was released on police bail. After further information came to light involving the collapse of another child, who cannot be named, police reviewed the deaths of Ruby, aged 24 days, and Logan, aged 21 months, and in 2018, Monaghan was arrested. But astonishingly he was then allowed on police bail, with the investigation appearing to have moved little further ahead. While on bail and free to walk the streets Monaghan killed Ms Adams. The minimum 40-year term handed to Monaghan is being reviewed by the judges today. Monaghan is currently housed at HMP Wakefield. Advertisement

A bearded Couzens, wearing a grey jumper, appeared by video-link from HMP Frankland at the start of Wednesday's hearing ahead of his appeal against his whole-life term.

The killer accepts that his crimes are 'abhorrent', his barrister told the Court of Appeal.

Jim Sturman QC said: 'Mr Couzens accepts that his crimes are abhorrent and nothing I say in any way is intended to minimise them or to minimise the impact of these crimes on Sarah Everard's family and huge circle of friend'.

Mr Sturman added that the sentencing judge's finding that the former Pc was not remorseful was 'untenable'.

Discussing Couzens' behaviour at the sentencing hearing, the barrister said: 'He was too ashamed to meet anyone's eye.

'He was not brazen, staring down at the court in the way sometimes seen.'

Mr Sturman later stressed that it was 'no part' of his arguments that Couzens should receive a life sentence with a minimum term and only serve half, but that he would serve at least the minimum term.

He added: 'There are 64 whole-life orders currently being served and Mr Couzens is unique in not falling into one of the specified categories set out.'

The barrister added that in 'wholly exceptional' cases the court can give a whole-life order for the murder of a single person that is not in a terrorist attack or similar incident.

He continued: 'The court has to be very, very slow to do that and must be sure.'

Mr Sturman argued that the former police officer's case was not one that fell within the category of a whole-life order.

He told the court that it was accepted that Couzens deserved 'decades in jail'.

The barrister added: 'The combination of his remorse and his guilty pleas... should balance out that aggravating factor which clearly exists, of him being a police officer, albeit off-duty in half uniform.'

Tom Little QC, representing the Crown Prosecution Service, said of Couzens that 'a whole life order was a correct sentence to impose in this truly exceptional case'.

The barrister said Couzens's offending was of the 'utmost seriousness', adding: 'His criminality was, as found by the judge, a fundamental attack in reality on our democratic way of life'.

'A police officer is in a uniquely powerful position,' Mr Little said, with Couzens carrying out an arrest, alone, on one of London's busiest roads during lockdown.

Mr Little said the sentencing judge had provided a 'clear and coherent justification' for the sentence that he imposed.

'The judge was entitled to form the view that he did in relation to a lack of genuine contrition,' he added.

Jordan Monaghan was today found guilty of smothering three-week-old daughter, Ruby (pictured left), on New Year's Day 2013, and 21-month-old son, Logan (pictured right), eight months later

Ian Stewart: The killer widower who nearly got away with it Ian Stewart Ian Stewart was handed a whole life order in February after he was found guilty of the murder of his first wife Diane in 2010, and for later strangling wealthy children's author Helen Bailey and dumping her body in their 1.5million Hertfordshire home. In 2016, Stewart strangled Ms Bailey, 51, before leaving her body and that of Boris, their brown miniature dachshund, in the cesspit of the Royston home they shared, where their corpses lay undiscovered for three months. Six years earlier, he had attacked his first wife Diane in a similar fashion, before weaving a web of deception that saw friends, family and medics convinced she had died after suffering a '1 in 100,000' fatal epileptic fit. Despite her cause of death initially being ruled as Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy, experts were later able to identify parts of Diane's brain to determine she had in fact died of asphyxiation. In both cases, Stewart was set to pocket a large windfall after his partners' deaths. He received 96,607.37 after Diane's passing from life insurance pay outs and her savings, while he stood to gain 1.8 million should Helen die. Mr Justice Simon Bryan slammed Stewart for a 'concerted and callous charade' in denying the murders and pointed out the 'striking similarities' in both gruesome cases. He was handed a whole life order which he today appealed. The prison Stewart is currently serving his sentence at is unclear. Advertisement

Double killer Stewart, who was convicted of murdering his first wife six years before he went on to murder his fiancee, is also due to appeal against his whole-life order.

Stewart, who did not attend Wednesday's hearing, killed 51-year-old children's author Helen Bailey in 2016, and was found guilty of murder in 2017.

After this conviction, police investigated the 2010 death of Stewart's first wife, Diane Stewart, 47, and in February he was found guilty of her murder.

Amjad Malik QC, representing him, argued that the whole-life order he was given for the murder of his first wife Diane Stewart was not justified in the circumstances of the case.

Stewart was previously sentenced in 2017 to life in prison with a minimum term of 34 years for the murder of children's book author Helen Bailey.

'When one looks at the whole set of aggravating features with regard to both of these killings it does not fall in any way shape or form as an exceptionally high-seriousness case,' Mr Malik said.

He added: 'It could be said that there was just punishment and retribution imposed on Mr Stewart.'

'A man who is going to die in prison because of natural age even with the sentence that he has received of 34 years.'

Mr Malik said there were many cases of 'serial killers' who received whole-life orders.

'This is not one of those cases,' he argued.

Couzens, 49, formerly of Deal, Kent, and Stewart, 61, previously of Royston, Hertfordshire, are appealing against their whole-life orders.

Monaghan, aged 30 at sentence and previously of Belgrave Close, Blackburn, is having his sentence challenged as unduly lenient.

Tustin, 32, previously of Cranmore Road, Solihull, and Hughes, 29, are appealing against their sentences which are also being challenged by the AGO.

The hearing of the five sentence reviews finished on Wednesday and a decision will be given in writing at a later date.

The Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett said: 'We propose to take time to consider our decisions in these very difficult and tragic cases.'
The Conservatives are braced for local elections misery in Scotland tomorrow as a new poll revealed the Tories are sunk behind Labour as the country's third-placed party.

The party's worsening fortunes in Scotland appear to driven by the deep unpopularity of senior Conservatives, such as Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in the wake of the Partygate scandal.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak's personal ratings have also taken a battering as Scots - like many others across the UK - are faced with the cost-of-living crisis.

According to the Savanta ComRes survey, the Tories are now backed by less than one in five voters (18 per cent) in Scotland when it comes to constituency voting intention for the Scottish Parliament.

This puts them behind the dominant SNP (46 per cent) and Scottish Labour (25 per cent).

The Conservatives are also the third-placed party when it comes to regional list voting intention, with the Tories again on 18 per cent, Labour on 23 per cent, and the SNP on 31 per cent.

The survey revealed First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP leader, retains her positive favourability rating among Scottish voters (13 per cent).

But, by contrast, only her predecessor Alex Salmond (-63 per cent) is more unpopular than Mr Johnson (-58 per cent) or Mr Sunak (-48 per cent).

The Tories are now backed by less than one in five voters (18 per cent) in Scotland when it comes to constituency voting intention for the Scottish Parliament

The Conservatives are also the third-placed party when it comes to regional list voting intention, with the Tories again on 18 per cent, with Labour on 23 per cent, and the SNP on 31 per cent

Chancellor Rishi Sunak's personal ratings have taken a battering as Scots - like many others across the UK - are faced with the cost-of-living crisis

The PM's favourability rating has dropped seven percentage points since March, when he was revealed to have enjoyed an 11-point rise as he led the UK's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Chancellor's popularity has plummeted by 26 percentage points since March, at a time when Britons have been feeling a squeeze from soaring prices and rocketing energy bills.

The Savanta ComRes survey is the pollster's first in Scotland since the PM and Mr Sunak were handed a police fine for breaching Covid rules.

There was little more enthusiasm for Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, who initially called for Mr Johnson to resign over Partygate before backtracking on his demand.

Mr Ross has a net favourability (-25 per cent) below that of Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar (-4 per cent), Scottish Green co-leaders Lorna Slater (-11 per cent) and Patrick Harvie (-14 per cent), and Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton (-17 per cent).

The Conservatives' poor polling in Scotland is likely to lead to the party shedding council seats in the country at tomorrow's local elections.

The PM's favourability rating has dropped seven percentage points since March, when he was revealed to have enjoyed an 11-point rise as he led the UK's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine

The Chancellor's popularity has plummeted by 26 percentage points since March, at a time when Britons have been feeling a squeeze from soaring prices and rocketing energy bills

Chris Hopkins, political research director at Savanta ComRes said: 'Labours large lead over the Conservatives in second place of both the constituency and list Holyrood voting intentions are certainly eye-catching.

'But, as with almost everything related to Labour at the moment, it feels like a lead more to do with the fortunes of the Conservatives than anything Labour are doing especially well.

'The Conservatives Westminster fortunes have taken a battering since Partygate, but it appears that the cost of living crisis has turned Scottish voters away from the party.

'And with there unlikely to be any remedy to many voters' concerns about the affordability of basic items needed to live on the horizon, it's possible things could get worse for the Conservatives before they get better  including on Thursday in the local elections.'

Ahead of the council elections, Ms Sturgeon this week reaffirmed her intent to push ahead with a second Scottish independence referendum next year.

But the poll revealed only a minimal change in enthusiasm for Scotland breaking away from the rest of the UK.

Without including undecided voters, 49 per cent said they would vote for independence (up one point), while 51 per cent said they would vote to retain the Union (down one point).

A majority of voters also expressed doubts over whether Ms Sturgeon's planned timetable for a referendum to be held in 2023 would actually happen.

More than half (53 per cent) said it was unlikely a referendum would be held by the end of next year, while two in five (39 per cent) said it is 'likely'.

Savanta ComRes interviewed 1,010 Scottish adults aged over 16 years online from 26th April to 3rd May 2022.
A 'distinguished' firefighter of almost 30 years who blamed diabetes when he failed a cocaine drugs test has won more than 9,000 after a tribunal ruled he was unfairly sacked.

Marcus Headley was one year from retiring when he was fired from Walthamstow Fire Station in London, in 2018, after evidence of the Class A drug was found in his urine following a routine test at work.

The Crew Manager was adamant he had never taken the substance and claimed there was a link between his recent diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes and the positive finding.

He also suggested he may have been spiked and even arranged a private drugs test himself - but that too found cocaine in his system.

At an East London tribunal, employment Judge David Massarella rejected his claim for wrongful dismissal, ruling that the levels of cocaine found meant he had more than likely taken the drug, representing an 'unacceptable level of risk' given his line of work.

His other claims of race discrimination and victimisation were also thrown out.

However he won his claim of unfair dismissal after bosses broke procedural protocols when they proceeded with his disciplinary hearing while he was ill and after he had raised a grievance, and because they postponed his appeal.

The firefighter had been sacked for gross misconduct in November 2018, having qualified in 1989. He had hoped to finish his decades-long career just a year later in 2019.

Headley had been the first black fireman to join the Westminster Fire Station on Red Watch in 1989, before moving to Leyton fire station and being promoted to Crew Manager and eventually working at Walthamstow.

While his trailblazing career ended following his failed drugs test, he has now won 9,454 in compensation after winning a claim of unfair dismissal against the London Fire Commissioner on a technicality.

Marcus Headley was fired from Walthamstow Fire Station (pictured), in London, in 2018, after evidence of the Class A drug cocaine was found in his urine following a routine test at work

It comes after a tribunal judge ruled there were procedural flaws in his sacking.

The tribunal heard CM Headley, who worked at various stations in London before joining Walthamstow in 2016, had previously done routine drugs tests without issues.

But in July 2018, his test showed a 'non-negative' finding after benzoylecgonine was found in his system. Benzoylecgonine is a metabolite of cocaine.

Two days later, he visited his GP and insisted he never took illegal drugs. As well as being diagnosed with depression, tests showed he had Type 2 diabetes and that his kidney function was deteriorating.

He arranged a private hair test with a lab in late July 2018, and analysis of his hair also found traces of cocaine.

CM Headley insisted his newly-diagnosed conditions were 'likely to have adversely affected the two drug tests'.

He cited 'evidence' from the internet by way of an article and a conversation he had with an online doctor. He also suggested he may have had his drink spiked.

His own GP surgery said there 'might be' a link but a toxicologist should be contacted.

CM Headley's bosses contacted a scientist at the lab where their test was carried out, and false positives were ruled out.

The lab said: 'Our urine confirmation testing for cocaine would not give any false positive results.

'We look for a specific metabolite of cocaine called benzoylecgonine which we would only find if someone had ingested cocaine..'

A disciplinary hearing was held in November 2018, despite CM Headley being off work sick, and he could not provide further evidence.

CM Headley won his claim of unfair dismissal as bosses proceeded with his disciplinary while he was ill and had raised a grievance and because they postponed his appeal. (Stock image)

'At the meeting CM Headley said he had no idea how cocaine had entered his system, and queried whether someone might have put it in a drink', a tribunal report said.

'He did not identify an occasion when this could have happened', the report added.

He was sacked for gross misconduct.

At the tribunal, Employment Judge Massarella dismissed his claim of wrongful dismissal but said 'it is highly regrettable that his distinguished career in the fire service ended in these circumstances'.

Judge Massarella said: 'There was no medical evidence before us to suggest that the presence of the metabolites in his system, both in his hair and in his urine, was or even could be the result of anything other than the ingestion of cocaine.

'Insofar as CM Headley has suggested that he might have unknowingly ingested cocaine, he has never given details of when or how this might have happened, let alone in the amounts necessary to give the readings from both sets of test results.

'On the balance of probabilities, we have concluded that the tests were positive because he had taken cocaine.

'We are satisfied that a firefighter/temporary watch manager attending work with those levels of cocaine in his system presented an unacceptable level of risk.'

However, CM Headley won his claim of unfair dismissal as bosses proceeded with his disciplinary while he was ill and had raised a grievance and because they postponed his appeal.
A mysterious fire has broken out in a Russian industrial zone today, amid mounting suspicion Ukraine is targeting Russian infrastructure.

The most recent fire broke out east of Moscow, one of a series of suspected incidents of sabotage reported within Russia over the past few weeks.

Footage emerged of a large fire in the Dzerzhinsky industrial zone in the Nizhny Novgorod region, deep within the country.

Speculation that Ukraine is responsible for the fires has abounded since the 'accidents' began, though Kyiv has not claimed responsibility for the damage.

Over a dozen fires in Russia have been reported since the war in Ukraine broke out, with the amount of incidents increasing over the past few weeks as Russia loses ground in Western Ukraine.

Footage shows a large fire in the Dzerzhinsky industrial zone in the Nizhny Novgorod region

Two mysterious fires have broken out within days around Moscow, videos show.

There is a large fire at the warehouse of the Pro-Kremlin "Prosveshchenie" publishing house near #Moscow. Almost 34 thousand square meters are burning.



Around midnight a hangar in #Bogorodskoe district, where printed materials were stored, burst into flames. pic.twitter.com/EBlfr7Il26  NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 3, 2022

Yesterday, Nexta reported a fire at a four-floor pro-Kremlin publishing warehouse. The fire reportedly broke out around midnight in the Bogorodsk urban district of the Moscow region, said Newsweek.

TIMELINE OF POSSIBLE SABOTAGE INSIDE RUSSIA: March: In an unconfirmed date in March, five recruitment centers in Moscow were set on fire in the Voronezh, Sverdlovsk and Ivanovo regions April 21: Russian officials said 17 people died in an Air-Space Defense Research Institute in Tver, 180km NW of Moscow, developing S-400 AD system and Kalibr Missile April 21: Dmitrievsky chemical plant in the city of Kineshma explodes, 950km from Ukraine April 22: As many as five Russian military enlistment offices have been set on fire in Ivanovo April 22: The Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia is filmed on fire in Russia April 23: A hydroelectric complex collapses, Kuban April 25: Bryansk Oil depot, a Rosneft production site, April 25: Ussuriysk military air force base is reported as on fire April 28: A fire is filmed within a construction site in Minsk, Belarus April 28: Cars marked with the nationalist Russian symbol 'Z' were filed on fire in Moscow April 29: Multiple buildings burn in Russia after a fire raged at a shopping centre in Ishim April 30: A GRES-2 120-megawatt coal-fired power plant was reportedly sabotaged in Sakhalin May 1: videos documented fuel-oil tanks burning in Mytishchi, a fuel depot only thirty minutes from the Kremlin May 1: Photos suggested a railway bridge in Russias Kursk region was destroyed due to sabotage May 2: Film showed a fire at a munitions factory facility in Perm, near the Ural Mountains May 3: A fire at a four-floor pro-Kremlin publishing warehouse broke out in the Bogorodsk urban district of the Moscow region May 4: Footage emerged of a large fire in the Dzerzhinsky industrial zone in the Nizhny Novgorod region Advertisement

Fire fighters were called in at 3am, reported the Moscow Times.

The fire-fighters extinguished the blaze just over four hours later, a spokesperson for the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry told the state-run news agency TASS.

Prosveshchenie, meaning 'Enlightenment' in Russian, publishes educational books for Russian schools, according to Nexta.

The publisher's management had ordered staff to reduce mentions of Ukraine in its text books, Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to Ukraine's minister of internal affairs, said on his Telegram channel.

Employees were also told they will be dismissed for expressing any anti-war opinion on social media.

Mediazona, one of the few Russian news sites that refused to call Russia's invasion of Ukraine a 'special operation', said Prosveshcheniye was the USSR's principal educational publisher, but then it lost its textbook monopoly in 1991.

Arkady Rotenberg  an old friend of Vladimir Putin's who claimed he was the owner of the notorious 1bn Black Sea palace after Alexei Navalny shared a video of the mansion  allegedly helped the Olma Publishing Group acquire Prosveshchenie in 2011.

Rotenberg became the chairman of the board of directors and co-owner of Prosveshchenie in 2013.

Upon his appointment to the board, the Russian state become the publishing house's biggest customer, reported Meduza.

The publishing house now receives almost 80 percent of the state money that goes to buy textbooks.

Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Ukrainian foreign ministry, tweeted out footage which he claimed showed the arms factory in Perm - 700 miles to the east of Moscow - burning, claiming a 'powerful' explosion had struck it.

Russia acknowledged a fire took place at the factory around 8pm Sunday but did not say what caused the 'accident'.

The Perm factory is used to make rockets for Russian artillery systems of the kind being used to bomb Ukrainian cities and troops.

Fires are also raging in Siberia, though observers suggested the fires are caused by seasonal conditions rather than direct sabotage, likely made worse by a lack of workers available to fight the fire.

At the same time, British intelligence said that more than quarter of Russia's invasion force is now out of action after suffering heavy losses and will take years to recover.

It is not known how many of the incidents are accidents or a result of discontent within the Russian population, as the country's reporting restrictions make verification difficult.

Anonymous, a hacker group made up of international activists, posted a map detailing 23 previous 'special combustion operations' within Russia which are seemingly related to the Ukrainian war, making 25 in total, though MailOnline is not able to independently verify such claims.

The map shows fires deep within Russia, with one incident reported in the far eastern city of Ussuriysk, around 9,729km away from the Ukrainian border.

A fire at a Russian arms factory has killed at least two workers, local officials confirmed, as a Ukrainian government adviser shared this footage and claimed there had been an 'explosion'

Flames were seen rising from Belgorod during the day on Sunday, as a blaze engulfed a Russian defence ministry facility

Russia last month accused Kyiv of using helicopters to blow up a fuel dump in Belgorod, which Ukraine denied.

Without directly admitting responsibility, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said it was 'karma' for Russia and said they deserved to learn about 'demilitarisation' in a pointed swipe at Putin's supposed war aims.

Since then, two fuel dumps, and ammunition dump, and a railway bridge have been destroyed.

A fire broke out at a military facility in the region yesterday, while a blaze also destroyed a base in Tver, near Moscow, two weeks ago.

Overnight Monday, air defence systems were once again active over Belgorod with two explosions heard as lights appeared in the sky.

The bright marks appear to have been a trail of flares left behind by either jets or helicopters flying over the city, in what observers speculated could be another Ukrainian attack.

Donetsk People Republic Emergency Situations Ministry firefighters work at the site of fire at the oil depot after missiles struck the facility in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces in Makiivka

The representative office of the Donetsk People's Republic in the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of the ceasefire regime (JCCC) said on Wednesday that the city of Makiivka was shelled and, according to preliminary data, an oil depot was on fire

Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov sought to dispel those rumours, saying the flares were fired by Russia jets and that the blasts had caused no damage.

However, he did not explain what the blasts were, why they had taken place over Russia rather than over Ukraine, or why Russian jet would be letting off flares above one of their own cities where they should be protected by air defences.

Flares are designed to distract heat-seeking rockets, and are generally only used over enemy territory where aircraft are in danger of being hit.

The Russian Defence Ministry said its forces struck dozens of military targets in eastern Ukraine in the past 24 hours, including concentrations of troops and weapons and an ammunition depot near Chervone in the Zaporizhzhia region.

The information could not be independently verified.

Since the attacks in Belgorod, two fuel dumps, and ammunition dump, and a railway bridge have been destroyed. A fire broke out at a military facility in the region yesterday, while a blaze also destroyed a base in Tver, near Moscow, two weeks ago.
An experienced paraglider pilot plummeted to his death in a 'desperately unfortunate' accident after his glider's wing collapsed when it hit high winds, an inquest heard.

Christopher Sparham was in the air above Barton on Sea, in Hampshire, when strong winds of up to 21mph caused him to lose control of his glider in August last year.

He had been attempting to land on a cliff edge and was seen suddenly plunging 30ft to the ground 'as if he had been shot'.

The father-of-three was rushed to hospital but died of his injuries - which included internal bleeding and spinal fractures - three weeks later.

Experts suggested the 'fun loving' 62-year-old, who had taken up paragliding after retiring a decade ago, may have been 'rusty' during the flight having not flown as much due to the pandemic.

Christopher Sparham (pictured) sustained serious spinal injuries and internal bleeding when his glider fell 30ft to the ground

The inquest, at Winchester Coroner's Court, also heard Mr Sparham may have been able to recover if he were flying higher - but there was 'no way' he could have made a recovery at such a low height.

Since taking up the sport, Mr Sparham had logged dozens of hours and even travelled to Italy, Spain and Morocco on paragliding holidays.

The active sportsman, from the market town of Romsey, Hants, also travelled to Turkey in 2015 to undergo an SIV (Simulated Incident in Flight) course.

David Thompson, Senior Technician at the British Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association (BHPA), explained: 'Paragliding is a sport you need to have proper training for; it is potentially very dangerous.

'Chris would have had well in excess of 30 hours flying logged, and would have been a reasonably experienced pilot.

'His equipment was in good nick, and he was pilot rated.

'You do get rusty when you haven't flown in a while, and it is possible Chris was not as sharp as he would have been (before the pandemic).

Mr Sparham (pictured) was an experience glider, having logged dozens of hours in the air and going on paragliding trips to Italy, Spain and Morocco

'He was familiar with the Barton on Sea site. If you don't treat it with respect it is potentially a very dangerous site.

'It can be extremely turbulent on the top of the cliff and you have to get it exactly right.'

Mr Thompson predicted the wind on August 10 last year, when Mr Sparham's accident occurred, to have been between 17 and 21mph.

He told the court the left wing of his Sky Argos C-rated glider 'collapsed' under the strong winds, causing him to lose control and plunge to the ground.

Had he been flying at 100ft instead of just 30ft, Mr Sparham probably would have been able to recover, he said.

'There is nothing you can do to recover from a collapse at 30ft - you could be a World Champion paraglider... there's no way,' he added.

'You would need probably 100ft to 150ft... especially in the C-rated glider, as they take more time to recover.

'An A-rated glider (for less experienced pilots) may not have collapsed in the first place.

'He was also quite light on the day, at the bottom end of the weight range.'

One eyewitness, who was 200ft away and saw the crash from the balcony of her home, said it looked as though Mr Sparham had been 'shot' because of the way he fell.

Levina Monahan said: 'He looked as though he was turning his paraglider to make a landing.

'Then he started acting strange... I would describe it as though he had just been shot: he plummeted to the ground.

'Once he hit the floor, he didn't move.'

One of Mr Sparham's three daughters, Stacey, said her father was semi-retired after being made redundant from a Ford Motor Assembly Plant in 2009, and also worked part-time at a dockyard.

Mr Sparham was gliding at Barton on Sea in Hampshire (pictured) when his glider was caught in high winds

She added: 'He was just brilliant: fun loving, had lots of friends, loved going out and socialising.

'He had given up his full-time job 12 years prior when he took up paragliding, which became his passion.

'He would go out flying as much as he could, and had gone away on paragliding holidays as well.'

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Area Coroner Jason Pegg said: 'Chris had conducted many hours flying a paraglider, not only in the UK but also in Morocco, Spain and Turkey.

'It is unclear, because of the pandemic, when he had last flown. It seems to me this was a desperately unfortunate accident.

'It is more likely than not that the turbulence caused the left side of the wing to collapse and there was no prospect of Chris recovering it that low.

'He lost control of his paraglider and spiralled into the ground. He had attempted to roll but couldn't do so.

'His injuries were very serious, and he sadly died a number of days after at Southampton General Hospital on August 31.'
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Fighter jets in a 'Z' formation ripped through the skies over Moscow today as Russia puts the final preparations on its Victory Day parade - an annual show of strength that Putin will use to drum up support for the war in Ukraine.

Eight MiG-29 jets formed the Z, a symbol that is now synonymous with the war and which is expected to conclude the fly-past on May 9, marking the day the Nazis surrendered to the Soviets at the end of World War Two.

They were joined by an Ilyushin Il-80 - a modified passenger jet known as Putin's 'doomsday plane' because it is where he will rule the country from in the event of nuclear Armageddon - which has not featured in past parades.

Despite the addition of the doomsday jet, the Victory Day parade is set to be markedly smaller than in previous years because Russia has committed - and lost - so many of its military vehicles fighting in Ukraine.

Eight MiG-29 fighters form up into the shape of a 'Z' - a symbol that has become synonymous with Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine - as they take part in a rehearsal fly-past for the Victory Day parade due to take place on May 9

An Ilyushin Il-80 jet - a Soviet-era passenger plane modified as a government control centre - flies over the Kremlin. The plane is known as Putin's 'doomsday jet' because it would allow him to remain in charge in the event of a nuclear attack

Su-25 bombers - trailing smoke in the colours of the Russian flag - are pictured flying over the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a short distance from the Red Square in Moscow

Three MiG-31 fighter jets take part in rehearsals for the Victory Day parade and are photographed against the spire of the Kremlin's Clock tower, in Moscow

Russian MiG-29 jets of Swifts display team are joined by Su-30SM jet of the Russian Knights display team as they fly in formation above the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin in downtown Moscow

A Tupolev Tu-95 nuclear-capable bomber is accompanied by Su-35S fighters as it takes part in a rehearsal fly-past in Moscow today, in preparation for the May 9 Victory Day parade

A Tupolev Tu-22 bomber is pictured between the spires of the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin in central Moscow, just a short distance from the Red Square outside the Kremlin

The aerial display will feature just three Ka-52 and Mi-28 helicopters - compared to five each in 2020 and 2021 - because they are providing the mainstay of Russian helicopter forces in Ukraine.

In the case of the Ka-52, a large number have also been shot down with open-source analyst Oliver Alexander estimating that Russia has lost 10 per cent of its total fleet.

The aerial display will also not feature any combat-ready Su-30 or Su-34 jets, because they are also in use in Ukraine with many Su-34s having been shot from the skies.

Instead, the display will be bulked up with older Su and MiG models. It will also feature a formation of Soviet-era Tu-22M jets that did not take part in the 2021 display.

The additional aircraft mean the air display will actually be slightly larger than in previous years, with 77 jet as opposed to 76 in 2021 and 75 in 2020 - however, the ground element of the parade will be noticeably smaller.

Just 131 vehicles will parade past the Kremlin, a third fewer than the 197 vehicles that took part in 2021 and a little less than half the 234 that featured in 2020.

Most notably, the parade will feature far fewer combat-ready systems than it did in previous years - particularly when it comes to rocket artillery and tanks, both of which have taken heavy losses in Ukraine.

Rosgvardia units - known as Putin's personal army - will also be reduced in this year's parade, having been heavily used in early stages of the fighting and having suffered crippling losses.

Most of the parade will instead be made up of Russia's next-generation weaponry that it has spent years developing and equipping with the latest technology, but which it has never produced in large-enough numbers to put into battle across its western border.

Russian MiG-31 fighter jets fly in formation above the Bolshoi Theatre (left), followed by four Sukhoi Su-24 fighters (right) which are pictured behind the Kremlin clock tower

A MiG-31 fighter jet (left) and an Il-78 air tanker (right) carry out a simulated mid-air refueling of a Tu-160 supersonic nuclear bomber above the State Historical Museum in Moscow, in preparation for the Victory Day parade

Three MiG-31 fighters and an Il-78 air tanker are seen simulating the refuelling of a Tu-160 strategic bomber against he backdrop of the Cathedral of the Annunciation inside the Kremlin, Moscow

Three Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft are seen flying above the spires of the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Moscow, while taking part in rehearsals for a May 9 aerial display

Su-25 bombers trail the colours of the Russian flag as the pass over the Kremlin Wall in Moscow during Victory Day parade rehearsals ahead of the main event, which will take place on May 9

A Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bomber - which is capable of carrying nukes - flies in formation alongside Su-35S fighters during Victory Day parade rehearsals in Moscow today

Russia has long-marked the day Hitler's Germany surrendered with solemn events, but in recent years Putin has turned the day into a tub-thumping shows of nationalistic pride designed to project an image of strength to Russians, their allies and their enemies alike.

But as the war in Ukraine has faltered that mask has started to slip, leading some observers to predict that Putin may resort to a provocation to achieve a semblance of victory - such as declaring the city of Kherson to be independent - or to ramp up his rhetoric by openly declaring war.

Though Russia's attack on Ukraine is widely viewed as a war, Putin has described it as a 'special military operation' to his own people. Officially declaring war would allow the Kremlin to take measures such as a general mobilisation of the population into the armed forces, which would be difficult to justify for a 'special operation'.

Dmitry Peskov, Putin's official spokesman, denied any such plans today - saying there is 'no chance' of it happening. But that will do little to quell fears, as Peskov also routinely predicted there would be no war in Ukraine right before Putin ordered his troops in.

The May 9 Victory Day is one of Russia's most important national events - a remembrance of the enormous Soviet sacrifice made in defeating Nazi Germany in what is known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War.

An estimated 27 million Soviet citizens were killed in the 1941-45 war which left the Soviet Union devastated and almost every Soviet family mourning.

Putin has used previous Victory Day speeches to needle the West and showcase the firepower of Russia's post-Soviet armed forces.

Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands of people, displaced millions more and raised fears of the most serious confrontation between Russia and the United States since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

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.

A Tu-95 long-range nuclear bomber and four Su-35 jets providing a fighter escort take part in Victory Day parade rehearsals

Three Ilyushin Il-76 military transport planes are seen flying over the spires of St Basil's Cathedral in Moscow's Red Square
The husband of a carer is appealing against his conviction for allowing her to deliberately starve a vulnerable man to death in order to get a slice of his 3.5million fortune.

Former US Air Force engineer Wayne Rickard was jailed for 10-and-a-half years in June 2021 after he was found not guilty of murder but convicted of allowing the death of Anthony Sootheran, 59.

His wife, Lynda Rickard, was sentenced to life for Anthony's murder after moving onto his 1.5million 60-acre estate to care for his elderly mother Joy, who suffered from dementia.

The Rickards moved into High Havens Farm in South Newington, Oxfordshire, in 2006 as paying tenants and were later paid 47,000 a year to look after Mr Sootheran's mother. Lynda Rickard forged the dementia sufferer's will before Mrs Sootheran passed away aged 92 in 2012.

On Thursday, Wayne Rickard will seek to persuade the Court of Appeal to grant him permission to appeal his conviction and sentence during a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

Anthony Sootheran's skeletal corpse was found lying on a mattress on the floor under a soiled duvet when a GP went to see him on March 18, 2014

Wayne Rickard (left) was jailed for 10-and-a-half years in June 2021 after he was found not guilty of murder but convicted of allowing the death of Anthony Sootheran, 59. His wife, Lynda Rickard (right), was sentenced to life for Anthony's murder

During a trial last year, jurors heard that after Mrs Sootheran's death, social worker Lynda Rickard deliberately starved 'reclusive' 6ft Mr Sootheran to death, depriving him of food, drink and medical care as he withered away - dropping from 17 stone to barely nine stone.

He was trapped in a squalid bedroom compared to a 'foul, unhygienic cell' and isolated from his family, dying alone in horrific conditions 18 months later. Mr Sootheran's skeletal corpse was later found lying on a mattress on the floor under a soiled duvet when a GP went to see him on March 18, 2014.

After the murder, Lynda Rickard impersonated her victim to fraudulently claim over 14,500 in benefits for almost two years. The cash was used to fund her lavish lifestyle, including private school fees for her children.

Police initially believed that father-of-one Mr Sootheran had died of natural causes before Lynda Rickard started using his bank account as her own after his death. Detectives reopened the case after discovering she had stolen huge sums of money and forged wills.

Lynda Rickard admitted helping herself to tens of thousands of pounds of the Sootherans' money, and also accepted forging the mother and son's wills, which would have entitled her to half of Mrs Sootheran's estate and a third of Mr Sootheran's 3.5million fortune.

She gave no evidence and denied murder, claiming the death of Mr Sootheran - described as 'a recluse prone to gross self-neglect' with 'complex mental health issues' - was a result of how he chose to live his life.

But she was found guilty in what prosecutors said was the first successful conviction for murder by deliberate starvation in more than 100 years.

Behind closed doors and out of sight of loved ones, the carer was able to deliberately deprive Anthony of food, drink, and medical care to the point that he starved to death

Pictured: Joy Sootheran's living room

Pictured: The Rickards' bedroom

Wayne Rickard was also jailed for a total of 10 and a half years after he was acquitted of murder but found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable adult.

Sentencing him at the time, the judge Mr Justice Wall said: 'You were the only person who could have saved Anthony Sootheran, but instead of doing so you left him to die the most horrible of deaths.

'I can only conclude you decided not to help him because you hoped to profit from his death when, as you expected, your wife inherited a substantial sum of money from him.'

The couple were also both found guilty of fraud by false representation, relating to a 33,000 Mitsubishi Shogun paid for with Mrs Sootheran's money in 2010, while Wayne Rickard was convicted of a charge of perverting the course of justice.
MPs have made an audacious bid to question Elon Musk in Parliament over his purchase of Twitter.

Julian Knight, the chairman of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee, has invited the billionaire Tesla boss to London to be grilled over his proposed 34.5billion takeover.

MPs want to interrogate him over his plans for the site, including how he proposed to balance free speech with protecting users from online harms.

Mr Musk agreed a 34.5 billion takeover deal with the Twitter board last month, and said at the time that as well as improving the free speech principles of the site, he was looking forward to 'enhancing the product with new features'. His takeover is expected to be completed later this year.

Mr Knight said the committee was keen 'learn more about how Mr Musk will balance his clear commitment to free speech with new obligations to protect Twitter's users from online harms'.

'Appearing before the committee will give Mr Musk an ideal opportunity to set out his proposals for Twitter in more depth and we would look forward to welcoming him,' he said.

It is the committee's latest attempt to bring a US social media mogul to London for questioning. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg was invited to attend in 2018, but turned it down.

Mr Musk (pictured at the Met Ball) agreed a 34.5 billion takeover deal with the Twitter board last month, and said at the time that as well as improving the free speech principles of the site, he was looking forward to 'enhancing the product with new features'. His takeover is expected to be completed later this year.

Julian Knight, the chairman chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee, has invited the billionaire Tesla boss to London to be grilled over his acquisition.

It is the committee's latest attempt to bring a US social media mogul to London for questioning. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg was invited to attend in 2018, but turned it down.

In a letter to the entrepreneur, Mr Knight said the committee supported Mr Musk's proposals to remove all spam accounts and automated bots from the platform.

'My committee has noted your proposed acquisition of Twitter and we are interested in the developments you propose. In particular, your intention to roll out verification for all users echoes our calls on the UK Government as part of proposed legislation, which we hope will restore the UK public's trust in digital platforms,' he wrote.

'I therefore wish to take this opportunity to invite you to speak before our committee and discuss your proposals in more depth.

'I know you have expressed your wish that critics remain on Twitter and this may present an opportunity to address any critiques in public.'

The Tesla and SpaceX boss has said he also wants to 'authenticate all humans', and has expressed support for a tool to edit already posted tweets - something Twitter had previously confirmed was already in development.

The Tesla and SpaceX boss has said he also wants to 'authenticate all humans', and has expressed support for a tool to edit already posted tweets - something Twitter had previously confirmed was already in development.

But some have raised concerns that Mr Musk's support of absolute free speech could mean a loosening of content restrictions.

The Tesla chief executive has frequently tweeted about possible plans for Twitter since the proposed takeover was announced, and has now suggested that government and business accounts could face 'a slight cost' to stay on the social media platform.

He added that Twitter would 'always' be free to 'casual users'.
Russia has stolen 400,000 tonnes of grain from occupied regions in Ukraine, an official has said, sparking fears of a devastating food crisis in the country.

Ukraine's minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, Taras Vysotsky, said that 100,000 tonnes had been taken from the Zaporizhia, Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The minister noted that the stolen grain was from each regions' supply set aside to be used before the next harvest, meaning there is a rising threat of famine amidst Russia's brutal invasion of the country.

Vysotsky's comments came after a video emerged from Ukraine that purportedly showed lorries carrying Ukrainian grain out of the country towards Russia.

The footage, filmed from inside a car driving along-side the lorries, showed a convoy of trucks with the pro-Russian war symbol 'Z' painted on the rear.

In addition to stealing grain, Russia has attacked grain silos, farming infrastructure and fertiliser stores, and has stolen millions of pounds worth of farming vehicles.

This has prompted accusations against Moscow that it is attempting to starve Ukraine's resistance by orchestrating a famine.

Lyudmyla Denisova, Ukraine's human rights ombudswoman, said on Monday that Russian troops were 'purposely using measures' to 'cause the Holodomor in Ukraine' - in reference to the Soviet famine in Ukraine from 1932 to 1933.

The Holodomor, or Great Famine, killed as many as 10 million Ukrainians and is recognised as genocide by several countries. Many people insist it was a deliberate policy of genocide through starvation engineered by Soviet leadership.

Russia has stolen 400,000 tonnes of grain from occupied regions in Ukraine, an official has said, sparking fears of a devastating food crisis in the country. Pictured: A lorry with the pro-Russian 'Z' symbol painted on the rear purportedly transporting grain out of Ukraine

Footage purportedly showed a convoy of Russian carrying stolen grain out of Ukraine

Speaking on Ukrainian television on Tuesday, Taras Vysotsky said: 'We already have confirmation from each region - Zaporizhia region, Kherson region, Donetsk, Luhansk region - that about 100 thousand (tons of grain have been taken to Russia).'

He said the grain was taken from stores that were being relied upon to feed Ukrainians until the next harvest in the country.

His comments came after Ms Denisova took to Facebook to accuse Putin of trying to orchestrate a new Holodomor.

'The heirs of the organizers of the Holodomor of the 1930's are again trying to organize a genocide of the Ukrainian people through a banal robbery, which is called 'expropriation of the surplus of last year's and this year's crops',' she wrote.

'[The] stealing of food from the occupied territories is a violation of the 1949 Geneva convention for the protection of civilians in war and war crimes under Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.'

She appealed to the United Nations human rights bodies to consider the stealing of food as war crimes, and human rights violations by Russia.

A clip from Russian state television also emerged today showing one of Vladimir Putin's propagandists gleefully suggesting Russia steal Ukraine's grain and sell it to China, to 'force the American elites to realise they need to negotiate with us'

Pictured: Grain pours into a ship at a harbour in Ukraine, before Russia's invasion. Russia and Ukraine together produce 30 percent of the world's wheat and export about three-quarters of the world's sunflower seed oil

A clip from Russian state television also emerged today showing one of Vladimir Putin's propagandists gleefully suggesting Russia steal Ukraine's grain and sell it to China, to 'force the American elites to realise they need to negotiate with us'.

On Russian state television channel Russia-1, one pro-Putin commentator - Dmitry Evstafiev - was shown suggesting that Russia takes Ukrainian grain to China.

'Ukraine's deal with the Chinese and the corn didn't come through,' the commentator started saying, before being interrupted by presenter Vladimir Solovyov, who said: 'If they (China) need it, we'll supply them with Ukraine's corn.'

'Certainly, certainly,' Evstafiev replies. 'Especially since we have every opportunity to do it. Cutting off the former Soviet Republic of Ukraine from the Black Sea.

'From the crop lands, from the bread-basket granary. This is the most dangerous thing. And the corn, too. And one more thing that is still ahead for us, we need to find effective points of vulnerability for Americans,' he continued.

'We need to think and not discuss it publicly, but we need to identify them and apply pressure to make that the last drop that will force American elites to recognise that they need to negotiate with us. And they need to negotiate with us on our terms.'

The Dnipropetrovsk grain warehouse was destroyed by the Russian missile last week

At a press conference on Tuesday, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Ukraine used to be a breadbasket for the developing world.

But since Russia's Feb. 24 invasion, Europe has seen its largest refugee crisis since World War II, crucial Ukrainian ports have been blocked and civilian infrastructure and grain silos have been destroyed. She said 'desperate hunger situations in Africa and the Middle East are getting even more dire.

David Beasley, executive director of the U.N. World Food Program, said already high food prices are skyrocketing and the war in Ukraine is turning 'the breadbasket of the world to breadlines' for millions of its people.

He said it also is devastating countries like Egypt, which normally gets 85 percent of its grain from Ukraine, and Lebanon, which got 81 percent from there in 2020.

Russia and Ukraine together produce 30 percent of the world's wheat and export about three-quarters of the world's sunflower seed oil.

Pictured: Grain confiscated from kulak (rich peasant) family in the village of Udachoye, in the Donetsk region during the Holodomor

The Holodomor, or Great Famine, was a famine in Soviet Ukraine from 1932 to 1933, which saw the Soviet dictator Stalin (pictured) seize food supplies

The Holodomor: The Soviet-engineered genocide of Ukraine of the 1930s The Holodomor, or Great Famine, was a famine in Soviet Ukraine from 1932 to 1933, which saw the Soviet dictator Stalin seize food supplies. Estimates suggest as many as ten million people were killed by the famine, that many have said was genocide through starvation, engineered by Soviet leadership. In Ukraine itself, the Holodmor - literally, 'hunger extermination' - is often seen as the equivalent of the Holocaust, a gigantic, man-made operation to murder millions of people. And behind it was not just one man  Stalin, who ruled the Soviet Union from the mid-Twenties to 1953  but an entire ideology which sought to remake a peasant society according to a Utopian Communist blueprint. Even now, in an age when we are regularly assailed by images of horror and suffering, the details of the Holodmor are heartbreaking. Starving children, mass graves, vigilantes, even cannibalism: the famine saw human nature stripped to the bone. There have been efforts in Russia to downplay the famine, with some going as far to say it didn't even occur - which was the official position of the Soviet state. In 2003, 25 countries - including Ukraine and Russia - released a statement acknowledging that between seven and 10 million people were killed. In 2006, the Holodomor was recognised by 15 countries as genocide against the Ukrainian people, perpetuated by the Soviet Union. Advertisement

Shocking video of a grain attack in Synelnykove district, south-eastern Dnipropetrovsk region also emerged earlier this week, showing a missile flying into the centre of a Ukrainian farms and causing heavy damage.

Meanwhile, around 4.5million tonnes of grain are sitting in closed occupied Ukrainian ports, according to UN World Food Programme director Martin Frick.

Mr Frick said: 'None of the grain can be used right now. It is just sitting there.'

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky also warned earlier this week that Russia's blockade will deprive dozens of countries essential food supplies.

Zelensky said: 'They targeted the warehouses of agricultural enterprises. The grain warehouse was destroyed. The warehouse with fertilizers was also shelled.'

The president urged world leaders to prepare for a new food crisis prompted by Russia's food blockade on Ukraine.

He told 60 Minutes: 'Russia does not let ships come in or go out, it is controlling the Black Sea.

'Russia wants to completely block our country's economy. Ukraine could lose tens of millions of tonnes of grain due to Russia's blockade of its Black Sea ports.'

At the end of April, a Russian region announced its intention to replenish its own supplies from 'exported' grain from Ukraine's Kherson region.

And Russian soldiers appeared to be planning to extract more supplies from their own land with stolen Ukrainian equipment. But it did not all go to plan.

A fleet of 27 Ukrainian farm vehicles including combine harvesters and seeders were stolen from a tractor dealer in occupied Melitopol over a several week period.

Their combined value totalled 4million, with the harvesters going for 240,00 each.

But after loading the vehicles onto trucks and carrying them 700 miles to Chechnya, the Russian army realised they couldn't even use them.

A source close to the dealer told CNN: 'When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they could not even turn them on, because the harvesters were locked remotely.'

Destroyed houses are photographed in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, April 30

The United Nations on Wednesday said that the number of people without enough to eat on a daily basis reached an all-time high last year and is poised to hit 'appalling' new levels as the war in Ukraine affects global food production.

Almost 193 million people in 53 countries suffered acute food insecurity in 2021 due to what the UN said was a 'toxic triple combination' of conflict, weather extremes and the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

The UN said the total number of people without adequate food every day increased by 40 million last year, confirming a 'worrisome trend' of annual increases over several years.

The figures appeared in the Global Report on Food Crisis, which is produced jointly by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, the World Food Programme and the European Union.

Countries experiencing protracted conflicts, including Afghanistan, Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen, had the most food-insecure populations, according to the report.

The report forecasts that Somalia will face one of the world's worst food crises in 2022 due to prolonged drought, increasing food prices and persistent violence.

The various factors could lead six million Somalis into acute food crisis, the UN said.

'Today, if more is not done to support rural communities, the scale of the devastation in terms of hunger and lost livelihoods will be appalling,' the UN said.

'Urgent humanitarian action is needed on a massive scale to prevent that from happening.'

The war in Ukraine poses further risks for Somalia and many other African countries that reply on Ukraine and Russia for wheat, fertiliser and other food supplies.

The United Nations previously said the war was helping to send prices for commodities such as grains and vegetable oils to record highs, threatening millions with hunger and malnourishment.

'When we look at the consequences of what's happening as a result of the war in Ukraine, there is real cause for concern of how this will amplify the acute food needs that exist in these food crisis countries,' said Rein Paulsen, director of the Food and Agriculture Organisation's office of emergencies and resilience.

The report called for greater investment in agriculture and appealed for 1.5 billion US dollars (1.2 billion) to help farmers in at-risk regions with the upcoming planting season to help stabilise and increase local food production.

Ukrainian grain exports fall to around 923,000 tonnes in April from 2.8 million tonnes in the same month in 2021 due to Russia's actions in Ukraine, analyst APK-Inform said on Wednesday.

The consultancy said in a report the country's exports included 768,486 tonnes of corn and 127,130 tonnes of wheat. Ukraine also exported 151,529 tonnes of sunflower oil and 169,681 tonnes of oilseeds, mostly sunseed.
Massive queues at Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol airports have created a struggle for holidaymakers to just get through security and drop off their bags today.

At 4.38am, queues stretched from a hotel right up to the check-in desk at Manchester Airport with passengers fearing that they might not make their flights.

It was reported by one traveller, who branded the airport an 'absolute disgrace' that checking their bags in and getting through security took in total took three hours.

Another furious passenger at Bristol claimed it was an 'absolute shambles' which needs 'sorting' head of the summer holiday season.

At Birmingham, a traveller who said he arrived at 4.45am was still waiting at 6.20am to get through security amidst the 'carnage'.

The Aviation Recruitment Network has warned staffing issues at the major airports in the UK could take another year to fix as more than 300 vacancies still have not been filled.

Massive queues at Manchester (pictured the chaos) and Bristol airports have created a struggle for holidaymakers to just get through security and drop off their bags today

At 4.38am, queues stretched from a hotel right up the check-in desk at Manchester Airport with passengers fearing that they might not make their flights

The traveller did end up taking her flight but was still trying to make their way through security shortly before the take off

Frustrations are mounting again as holidaymakers and travellers are reportedly having to endure long queues again at Birmingham Airport. This follows days of travel chaos over the Bank Holiday weekend

Furious travellers took to Twitter to rail against the two airports they blamed for their travel woes.

Shelle Rodway, said on Twitter: 'Absolute shambles at Bristol Airport this morning.

'With summer season approaching, you need to sort this out.

'Nearly two hours from bag drop and through security.'

Thomas Mayo agreed the airport is a 'shambles' with 'horrific queues' and 'no staff' to be seen.

While George urged the travel hub to sort their 's*** out' earlier this week.

According to the Sun, Gary Hindhaugh said his journey through Manchester Airport was 'an absolute disgrace'.

Going out on holiday, three-hour queues to check in through TUI and security.

'Two-hour delay due to baggage loaded late.

'Today on our return, a two-hour delay getting out bags. Shambles.'

Kieron McArdle also said it was 'carnage' at Birmingham Airport this morning.

He said: 'I don't think I will be getting breakfast and a beer before the flight as I arrived at 4.45am for a 7.30am flight and I'm still queuing to get through security.'

Zeshan Haroon asked Birmingham Airport on Twitter: 'What's the point in paying for fast track when going through security if I have to wait in line with everyone else, the whole point in paying extra is to not wait in line.'

Q&A: What is the reason for the airport chaos - and what should passengers be doing about it? What is the reason for the airport chaos? Aviation chiefs have blamed a perfect storm of problems on the recent airport disruption. Passenger numbers plunged during the height of the Covid pandemic, and airport and airline operations were downsized as a result. And some firms say they have struggled to ramp up their operations quickly enough to meet demand - which has surged again over the Easter school holidays. With all UK Covid travel restrictions now lifted, airports have reported passenger numbers have risen up to 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. And they are expected to continue rising this summer - which is the busiest time of year for the aviation sector. On top of longer-term staff shortages and an increase in passenger numbers, airports and aviation firms say they are currently facing a wave of Covid absences which has exacerbated the existing problems. But surely companies were aware this rush was coming - why haven't they just restaffed? Airline and airport staff, like any job, require training. But unlike many professions, there are extra steps, including obtaining security clearances and background checks. This whole process can take up to six months in the most sensitive of roles - such as immigration officers with Border Force - and the Government, firms and unions say they have no intention of cutting corners on security. Some industry bosses have also suggested Brexit has played a role, because airlines no longer have access to a pool of EU workers to fill the gaps. So when will it be fixed? Unfortunately, some travel experts have warned the delays could last up to six months in some areas of the airports where staff require more extensive training and security and background checks. The issue has, for now, mainly been with outbound passengers queuing at check-in and airport security. But the Immigration Services Union - which represents Border Force officials - warns that there could be long delays at passport control areas from Bank Holiday Monday when many UK holidaymakers return. Speaking about the airport crisis Ms Moreton told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: 'Border Force isn't immune to this. There have been staffing problems within Border Force for some time. Border Force is no longer attracting enough candidates to fill the vacancies that they've got. Combined with the fact it takes nearly a year to fully train a Border Force officer, going into not just this summer, this weekend, catastrophically understaffed, with people beginning to travel again... we do anticipate that the queues will move from security based queues going outward to Border Force queues coming back in.' So what should passengers do? Many airports, including Manchester, which has been one of the worst hit transport hubs, and Stansted, have urged passengers to arrive early to mitigate for longer queues and to avoid potentially missing their flights. Usually passengers are advised to arrive at least two-hours early for their flights, but many airports are urging arrivals to turn up three-hours in advance. Unfortunately, there is no set in stone policy for compensation or refunds on flights missed due to airport delays - unlike if a flight is cancelled or delayed - so passengers should arrive early to avoid any problems. If boarding is approaching and customers are stuck in a queue, it is advised to let a member of airport staff know and they may be able to fast-track you. What if my flight is delayed or cancelled? Along with longer queues, passengers have also been hit with a wave of flight cancellations and delays. Yesterday, easyJet axed 32 flights. However it said all the flights were cancelled in advance and passengers had been given prior warning. Meanwhile, BA has reduced its schedule by 50 flights due to staff shortages. Under current rules, passengers delayed by more than three hours, or those whose flights are cancelled at short notice, are entitled to at least 220 in compensation. They also have the right to be re-routed or refunded, except in 'extraordinary circumstances'. Advertisement

People have long been complaining at queues in airports with Keith Charlton sarcastically writing 'another greater experience at Manchester' when they flew 'huge queues'.

Mr Charlton added: 'It's been the same all year. We've had weeks to sort this out.'

Francesca Wellman was waiting from 4.38am until close to 7am when she finally got through security to make her TUI flight at Terminal Two at Manchester Airport.

She said: 'We're on the plane! Obviously it's not taking off on time, we were due 6:40 and didn't board until about 5 mins after that.'

Kully Sandhu, the managing director at the Aviation Recruitment Network, told the BBC he believed it would take at least 12 months for recruitment problems to be resolved at airports with more than 300 vacancies across UK airports.

Mr Sandhu added: 'Brexit has not helped with the issues we're facing at the moment because we had a natural attraction of individuals from the European market who would apply for vacancies within UK airports.'

'We no longer have that talent pool to recruit from and we are relying on individuals within the UK.'

Manchester Airport transfer driver, Mark Witty, also told the Liverpool Echo people should 'avoid' the travel hub.

He added: 'Myself and my customers have very little good to say about Manchester Airport these days.

'Honestly, if there is another airport I can use personally, I will. I'm flying home to Canada in June and purposely booked from another airport to avoid Manchester.

'People can also expect a longer wait for their luggage when they return, frequently over an hour now. Oh the joys of travek.'

A Bristol Airport spokeswoman said: 'We apologise to customers impacted by above average queue times early on Wednesday 4 May.

'We work closely with all business partners to ensure staffing levels are sufficient to provide a good service to passengers.

'However, on some occasions staff shortages can impact on waiting times and service standards.

'We constantly review resourcing across all areas and adapt plans to meet demand and build in resilience where possible.

'We have seen a strong increase in passenger numbers since the end of all COVID-19 travel restrictions. There is a huge pent-up demand for travel which has built up over the past two years during the pandemic and we are expecting a busy summer.

'The airport has been working hard over the winter season to prepare for the spring and summer season with various ongoing development projects in the terminal which are due to be completed over the coming weeks and months.

'The work includes a 2.6million investment in the enhancements of the commercial amenities in the departure lounge to provide a greater experience for customers before boarding their flights.

'Whilst recruiting and training new colleagues for the airport can take time, the Bristol Airport team and business partners will be working hard to ensure all customers have a smooth and easy journey through our terminal.

'We advise all customers to arrive in the terminal a minimum of two hours before scheduled flight departure time to allow sufficient time to complete all the necessary check-in, bag-drop, security, and boarding processes ahead of their flight.'

A Birmingham Airport spokesman said: 'Queues flowed steadily this morning as we helped many of the 12,500 customers booked to fly out of BHX today.

'Once people cleared our boarding pass gate, wait times for security screening ranged between 15 minutes and half an hour.

'As always, our message to departing customers is: Help us help you keep queues moving by removing any liquids, gels, pastes and electrical items from your bags before our security x-ray scanners.'

At the weekend, hundreds of travellers were pictured filling up Manchester's hall as early as 3.10am on Friday as the hardhit aviation industry tries to overcome pressures caused by the 'perfect storm' of staff absences, mass layoffs during the pandemic, and people flying abroad for European sun for the first time in two years.

But millions of families who may have tried to avoid the travel hell over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend by going on a staycation this time are now being warned to prepare for chaos, as 17million motorists are set to hit the roads while 70million worth of rail engineering works as well as strikes threaten to shut down whole swathes of Britain's network.

Birmingham Airport passengers also were hit by long delays during the Bank Holiday getaway - with claims some are 'stuck on a plane on the runway'. It comes after weeks of chaos for some travellers at the West Midlands hub.

It comes after travellers were hit with huge airport queues and hundreds of flight cancellations over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend. They were also left waiting several days to receive luggage due to baggage handler shortages.

Manchester Airport has been contacted for a response.
The ITV News editor behind the broadcaster's 'Partygate' scoops has today been appointed the new CEO of ITN.

Mother-of-two Rachel Corp will take up the role in September, just months after the programme was given an hour-long slot in a scheduling shake-up.

As editor, she has held overall responsibility for the vision, strategy and direction of all of ITV's national news programmes and digital output, including some of the biggest stories of the last few years.

This includes the now infamous clip of Allegra Stratton, then the PM's press secretary, and Ed Oldfield, No10's head of digital, rehearsing a question and answer session in the No9 briefing room over Downing Street parties.

Under her stewardship, ITV News has also broken stories on substandard conditions in council housing, an undercover investigation into Amazon's disposal of unsold products and a global exclusive eyewitness report from inside the storming of the US Capitol.

The role has seen Corp lead a team of more than 300 people in the UK and abroad while overseeing a multi-million-pound budget.

Corp, who lives in Peckham, south London, with her husband, Laurence Lee, a senior reporter for Al Jazeera, and their two young daughters - will take up her new role on September 1, with current CEO Deborah Turness continuing to lead the organisation until then.

Mother-of-two Rachel Corp will take up the role in September, just months after the programme was given an hour-long slot in a scheduling shake-up

Staff were told of the shake-up, which will take effect later this year, in a note from bosses today

She said: 'Having worked across ITN for over three decades, I am delighted and honoured to be taking the reins as CEO at such a crucial time for news and journalism, as well as an incredibly exciting stage of the company's wider development with so many ambitious projects on the horizon across TV production, sports, events and advertising to name just a few.

'ITN has a huge wealth of talent and creativity right across the company, and I am so proud to be leading the organisation I care passionately about into its next chapter.'

Kyla Mullins, Chair of the ITN Board, added: 'Rachel is an outstanding leader, with a strategic focus, creative mindset, sharp entrepreneurial instincts and impeccable journalistic credentials.

'Having risen through the ranks at ITN she knows the organisation back to front, and she will bring a relentless drive for success and a lot of energy and know-how to the role. We're delighted that she will be leading the company into a bright future.'

Corp first joined ITN as a trainee and her early career included working on the launch of 5 News, as well as the roles of North of England and Senior Field Producer, covering major stories in the UK and abroad, from Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq to the Hutton Inquiry and the Soham murders.

Following spells as the BBC's Senior Moscow Producer and as Head of Channels at digital production company WebsEdge, she returned to ITV News as a News Editor, rising to Deputy Head of Home News and Head of Home News.

She went on to become Editor of ITV News London, overseeing the London Mayoral Election live debates, coverage of the EU Referendum and agenda-setting investigations such as the West London Coroner's Service.

She moved to ITN stable-mate 5 News as Editor in 2017, leading the team through its coverage of terror attacks, the Grenfell disaster and a snap general election, and setting the agenda with committed coverage on the issue of sexual harassment.

Corp then returned to ITV News in 2018 and has led the newsroom across multiple elections, Brexit, the Trump presidency, the Covid pandemic, the climate crisis and the war in Ukraine.

The new CEO has spoken previously of her news philosophy, in making sure there is an 'absolute priority on eyewitness journalism', and pushing for more stories in areas outside the capital.

In March, ITV News extended to hour-long shows, moving its popular soaps to new times in a major shake-up.

The revamped news bulletins, running from 6.30pm to 7.30pm, are designed to bring more live coverage and a greater focus on reporting from outside of London to reflect the whole of the UK, ITV said.

The changes, which ITV has said are to 'bolster the key programmes in its pre-9pm schedule', have also seen the broadcaster's flagship soap Coronation Street moving to hour-long episodes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm, while Emmerdale will move to a 7.30pm slot.

The broadcaster said it would also recruit a host of new talent, including 27 new journalists, producers and multi-skilled camera operators/video editors, to accommodate the expansion.

The new appointments include correspondents being taken on in Wales, Scotland and the north of England.
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A Dr Strange actress has slammed claims she and her husband sexually abused a 13-year-old girl as 'bulls***' - as a court heard how the martial arts expert kept videos of herself having sex with other men.

Zara Phythian, who starred in the hit 2016 Marvel superhero film with Benedict Cumberbatch and Tilda Swinton, denied allegations she and her husband, Victor, 59, sexually assaulted the youngster over a three-year period.

The actress admitted she owned a number of sexual aids, including a 'Rampant Rabbit' and nipple tassles  but said her alleged victim, who referred to sex toys in her police statement, 'could easily have gone through my belongings to find those'.

Prosecutors claim the pair, who are both Taekwondo experts, regularly assaulted the teenager between 2005 and 2008 at their home - with Victor occasionally filming the incidents.

Jurors at Nottingham Crown Court heard the alleged abuse began after the couple plied the girl with Captain Morgan dark rum, before Zara, 37, who also uses her married surname, 'dared' her to perform a sex act on Victor.

The assaults are said to have progressed to including full sexual intercourse, with activity taking place 'once or twice a month', and the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, being ordered 'not to tell anyone'.

Today, transcripts from Zara's police interviews after she was arrested on suspicion of those alleged offences, along with aiding and abetting rape and assault by penetration, were read to jurors.

The hearing was told that as Zara was being quizzed by Detective Inspector Parminder Dhillon, of Notts Police, she said: 'It's bulls***.'

She went on to deny that anything had happened between her and the girl, adding: 'They (the claims) are untrue. She has lied to me all the time I have known her. I am not a paedophile, or a rapist. Nor is Vic. I just feel sick right now, and angry.'

Victor Marke, 59, is accused of grooming the youngster from the age of 13 alongside his actress wife Zara Phythian, 37 (they are seen arriving at Nottingham Crown Court)

Zara starred in Doctor Strange with Benedict Cumberbatch, left. She is now on trial for child sex offences with her husband Victor

Police went on to ask Zara about her sex life, including her 'toy collection', and videos officers found on electronic devices of her sleeping with other men following a search of the Markes' home.

And referring to the videos, Zara told detectives it was 'correct' they featured her having 'sex encounters' with Victor, and men other than her husband.

The court heard an intimate tattoo of Zara was visible at times  which she earlier told police meant 'Victor' in Chinese calligraphy.

In his police interviews, Victor said he 'didn't know' why the allegations had been made.

He added the girl may have been 'jealous' of Zara, who appeared in Doctor Strange shortly before the claims were reported to police.

Victor denied having sex with the complainant without her consent or when she was underage - insisting she was 18 when they slept together.

When asked if his wife, Zara, knew about it, he told detectives during an interview, 'I can't comment on that'.

'What did you get from it?' an officer asked Victor during the police interview, which was read out to the jury.

'Feeling young again', Victor replied.

The Markes are accused of sexually abusing the woman on several occasions when she was a child.

The court was told it started when Zara asked her if she would play a game of 'dare'.

The actress allegedly persuaded the youngster to perform a sexual act on Victor, before he had sex with them both, it is claimed.

Jurors heard the alleged abuse began after the couple plied the girl with Captain Morgan dark rum, before Zara (pictured) 'dared' her to perform a sex act on Victor

The victim said she did not know how to react and alleged this kind of sexual activity happened repeatedly.

Today, the jury heard more from Victor's police interviews when he was asked about sex toys the couple owned.

He replied: 'Dildos, gags, whips.. just Victoria's Secret things, and a bed strap thing - where you strap someone down on the bed.'

The Markes are jointly charged with 14 denied allegations of sexual activity with the same child.

Victor faces four further allegations of historic indecent assault on another teenage girl, the court heard. He denies all the accusations.

This second alleged victim told police she was 'groomed and sexually touched' by Victor, who was many years her senior.

The Markes arriving at Nottingham Crown Court today, where they walked in under a large umbrella (right)

The woman told police he touched her, kissed her face, and had sex with her when she turned 16.

She told an officer: 'I'd never done anything like that at all.'

Ahmed Hossain QC, prosecuting, had told the jury as he outlined the case: 'Both of those defendants commanded admiration and respect within the martial arts world and the prosecution case is that Victor Marke groomed these two separate complainants when they were children.

'The prosecution case is that Victor Marke used his position of trust and authority to make them feel special so that he could satisfy his sexual urges.

'And, it is the prosecution's case that Zara Marke was part of that process and Zara Marke acted, as is alleged, with Victor Marke.'
A marine biologist has won a pregnancy discrimination claim after she was fired from her university job two months before starting maternity leave - with one boss telling her 'hard work' and 'karma' could help her secure another role.

Caroline Law was made redundant from her position at the University of Cumbria in June 2020, as her fixed-term contract was coming to an end.

An employment tribunal was told that funding for her department had dried up due to the Covid pandemic, making her position untenable.

However Mrs Law said she had been on various contracts during her five years at the university and she was reassured that bosses 'had every intention of retaining her in the department' once the funding expired.

Nevertheless, she was pulled into a meeting with her line manager Rachel Lowthian who informed her she was being let go.

At an employment hearing, held in Manchester, a panel this week said that the case was 'complex'.

Judges accepted that Mrs Law was not selected for redundancy because she was pregnant, but they were not convinced that her employment had to end completely, particularly as others whose funding had expired at the same time were given new roles.

The ruling said: 'It all has the air of a game of musical chairs in which, entirely coincidentally, the music stops just as the pregnant Mrs Law, with her four year record of good service, adaptable skills and excellent feedback, is the one left furthest away from the remaining seats.'

When Caroline Law tried to appeal her sacking the university's chief operating officer David Chesser (pictured) took a 'perfunctory' approach to her claim and rejected her argument that her pregnancy made her 'vulnerable'

They agreed that Mrs Law's dismissal had been partly unfair as it was 'tainted by discrimination', particularly after one boss rejected her claim that she was 'vulnerable' due to her complicated pregnancy - and after Mrs Lowthian offered baby advice while firing her.

During said meeting, Mrs Lowthian advised Mrs Law on securing child benefits, finding second hand baby clothes and techniques to bathe a newborn, the panel heard.

Rachel Lowthian also suggested Mrs Law might be able to work from home while the baby slept and that if she worked hard she would get good 'karma'.

Mrs Lowthian's 'weird and inappropriate' remarks left the expectant mother 'embarrassed and upset', the hearing was told.

But when she tried to appeal her sacking the university's chief operating officer David Chesser took a 'perfunctory' approach to her claim and rejected her argument that her pregnancy made her 'vulnerable'.

It came after the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Julie Mennell, PhD, vowed that the university would not permit vulnerable staff to be disproportionately affected by its Covid response.

Mrs Law is now set for compensation after Mr Chesser's approach to her appeal was found to be discriminatory.

The hearing held in Manchester was told Mrs Law joined the University of Cumbria in Carlisle in 2015 before becoming a manager and then being promoted to an academic lead in 2019.

The 'well thought of' academic also helped teach the zoology course, but mainly worked on an externally funded project, the panel heard.

The panel heard in January 2020 she discovered she was pregnant and told her line manager before discovering she had an increased risk of pre-eclampsia which can be brought on by stress.

Unfortunately when the UK was hit by the pandemic, the funding to support the work she had been doing 'vanished' as it was instead being funnelled into Covid-relief work, the panel heard.

Mrs Law said she had been on various contracts during her five years at the university and she was reassured that bosses 'had every intention of retaining her in the department' once the funding expired. Nevertheless, she was pulled into a meeting with her line manager Rachel Lowthian (pictured) who informed her she was being let go

The tribunal was told Mrs Law had been on various contracts during her five years at the university and she was reassured that the University 'had every intention of retaining her in the department' once the funding expired.

However, Mrs Lowthian was brought her in for a formal meeting to say her contract would be ending in June, two months before her maternity was due to start in August 2020.

The panel heard: 'In the context of Mrs Law facing financial difficulty (her husband was undergoing a redundancy process with an unrelated employer) Mrs Lowthian volunteered some advice about securing child benefit, sourcing second-hand baby-clothes and also (although the context for this is less clear) the benefits of a particular type of thermometer and techniques for bathing a baby.

'She told Mrs Law she would introduce her to another member of staff... whose wife was currently pregnant.'

Although the comments were 'well intentioned', Mrs Law found them 'weird and inappropriate' and left her wondering whether her redundancy had anything to do with her pregnancy, the panel heard.

The tribunal heard Mrs Lowthian sent her a 'Babies' email minutes after the meeting, but Mrs Law ignored it.

Mrs Law then began to look into her redundancy rights and asked about other possible roles.

The panel heard in another meeting: '[Mrs Lowthian] suggested that Mrs Law might be able to do marking work from home whilst the baby slept and that if she kept working hard then 'karma' would mean things would work out for her.

'Mrs Law was unhappy that, so far as she was concerned, Mrs Lowthian saw no other outcome than that she would be leaving the University and would not do anything to try to prevent that.'

During the appeal meeting, the panel found Mr Chesser 'dismissive' when Mrs Law raised her concern that her pregnancy may have impacted on the process and outlined what she felt were 'inappropriate' comments by Mrs Lowthian.

At an employment hearing, held in Manchester, a panel this week ruled that the case was 'complex'. They accepted that Mrs Law was not selected for redundancy because she was pregnant, but they were not convinced that her employment had to end completely, particularly as others whose funding had expired at the same time were given new roles. (Pictured: University of Cumbria)

Mrs Law referred to statements by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Julie Mennell, PhD, that the university would not permit vulnerable staff to be disproportionately affected by the University's Covid response.

She explained that she felt she was vulnerable due to her pregnancy.

However, Mr Chesser - who did not give evidence at the tribunal - 'dismissed' this comment, the panel heard.

The tribunal was told: 'He told Mrs Law that the suggestion that her pregnancy may have had an influence on the decision-making process was 'quite a statement to make' and appeared to shake his head as she was outlining her concerns.'

When her grievance failed, she then successfully sued the university at a tribunal for pregnancy discrimination and unfair dismissal.

Employment judge Joanne Dunlop concluded: 'Mrs Lowthian was well-intentioned and [we] believe that this was also apparent to Mrs Law.

'Mrs Law's concern was not so much about the advice itself, but about what it said about the redundancy process that Mrs Lowthian was spending the meeting dispensing such advice.

'It seems Mr Chesser was rejecting Mrs Law's reasonable point that pregnancy itself creates a vulnerability.

'Having regard to that context, we find Mr Chesser's comments were unfavourable treatment on the grounds of her pregnancy.

'Mr Chesser's approach to the appeal was perfunctory. Mrs Law had raised serious and difficult issues which merited exploration and explanation at the very least.'

A hearing to determine Mrs Law's compensation will take place in due course.
Accused mom Sheila Fletcher walked resolutely out of jail on a $300,000 bond late Tuesday night - a little over 24 hours after she was arrested for the 'murder' of her autistic daughter, who was found fused to a sofa in her own excrement.

Sheila and husband Clay Fletcher, both 64, were charged with second-degree murder Monday and now face life in prison without parole if convicted over 36-year-old Lacey Ellen Fletcher's secret horrific ordeal that lasted at least 12 years.

Pictured leaving East Feliciana Parish Jail in exclusive DailyMail.com photos after her release, Sheila looked straight ahead and refused to answer questions we posed as she headed off with a hastily arranged bail bondsman.

Clay, meanwhile, was forced to spend another night behind bars in Clinton, Louisiana after his bond money could not be arranged in time - but was released 12 hours later Wednesday morning, DailyMail.com can reveal.

The bespectacled mom shed her orange prison jump suit and emerged at 10.30pm local time wearing a blue top with white spots and blue pants. Her short blond hair appeared in disarray.

She refused to say if she felt any remorse over Lacey, who died covered in feces and sunk in a hole in a sofa worn by her emaciated body at her parents' otherwise tidy home in the small town of Slaughter.

Sheila Fletcher, 64, was seen returning to East Feliciana Parish Jail - from she was released Tuesday night - to pick up her husband Wednesday morning after he posted $300,000 bond

Clay Fletcher is also charged with second-degree murder in the death of the couple's 36-year-old autistic daughter Lacey Ellen Fletcher

The father was forced to spend another night in jail while his wife was released Tuesday night after his bond money could not be arranged in time

The mother, looking gaunt, also just stared ahead when we asked why her daughter did not move from the couch for 12 years  a fact revealed by East Feliciana Parish Coroner Dr Ewell Bickham.

Clay Fletcher was released at 10.25am local time Wednesday after his $300,000 bond was sorted following the delay the previous evening.

Sheila was seen returning to the jail with the same bondsman to pick up her husband around 10am, wearing a dark red top, blue pants, white sneakers and carrying a large gold colored bag.

A high school photo of Lacey Ellen Fletcher, 36, taken when she was 16. The coroner believes she was left on the couch for 12 years

She emerged with Clay after he stripped off his orange jumpsuit and completed the necessary paperwork to allow him to walk to freedom.

Dressed in black, the husband also just stared ahead as he made his way swiftly to the pick up truck parked close to the jail's front reception door.

Neither of the couple responded to the same questions DailyMail.com asked Sheila the previous evening.

The pair's release followed an order by a judge late Tuesday afternoon setting the bond for each parent at $300,000.

They used a bondsman, which means they had to put up 12 per cent  $72,000 to cover them both.

The parents were arrested after a grand jury in Clinton agreed with District Attorney Sam D'Aquilla on Monday that they should face second-degree murder charges and not manslaughter.

East Feliciana Parish Jail houses roughly 250 inmates, with several of them awaiting murder charges.

DA D'Quilla told DailyMail.com the couple's first arraignment is likely to be within two months and a trial could commence as early as October.

Sheila 64, walked out of jail late Tuesday night after posting $300,000 bond  a little over 24 hours after her arrest

The mother, who is facing murder charges over the death of her autistic daughter Lacey, was snapped leaving East Feliciana Parish Jail

Sheila refused to answer questions from DailyMail.com as she headed off with a hastily arranged bail bondsman

The grand jury were shown extensive images of the conditions in which Lacey was found. Dr Bickham told DailyMail.com they were so horrific and upsetting that medics were on standby for the 12 panel members.

He added that the photos of the scene left those in the room speechless.

'When I was presenting the case and showed the pictures and gave the timeline the expressions of the grand jury was utter shock, he said. 'Like the clock on the wall never moved again.

'There was complete silence. Some jurors were gasping in horror. Some were staring in disbelief.'

Bickham  who was called to the house immediately after Lacey was discovered on January 3  also told the DailyMail.com that the case has been really hard on him personally and described Monday's grand jury proceedings as 'long emotional day'.

He added: 'Seeing those photos again and reliving this traumatic experience again was really hard.'

Speaking outside court after the grand jury decision, Bickham revealed that Lacey had been on the couch for at least 12 years.

'Evidence wise, a minimum of 12 years,' he said. 'Could be before that. At least 12 years. A terribly long period of time.'

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE

Sheila Fletcher, 64, and Clay Fletcher, 65, were arrested Monday and indicted on second-degree murder charges for the death of their daughter, Lacey, 36

Her release followed an order by a judge late Tuesday afternoon setting the bond for each parent at $300,000

The bespectacled mom shed her orange prison jump suit and emerged at 10.30pm local time wearing a blue top with white spots and blue pants

The coroner also revealed the full horrific cause of death.

He said: 'The cause of death stemmed from severe medical neglect, which led to chronic malnutrition, acute starvation, immobility, acute ulcer formation, osteomyelitis which is bone infection which led finally to sepsis.'

The doctor additionally cleared up a misunderstanding about Lacey's actual condition, originally reported as 'Locked-In' Syndrome.

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

He said: 'I don't know where that term came from or what source it came from. In all my years as a practicing physician I have never heard of that term.

'The only diagnoses that I know she did have was first, social anxiety, severe autism and that's it. Those are her only two diagnoses.

'The last time she saw a physician of any type or any kind was when she was 16 years old. That picture of her was when she was 16.'

Outside the court, DA D'Aquilla said: 'I believe justice was served here today. Lacey Fletcher didn't deserve the way she was treated.

'For this type of crime second degree is the highest charge that could have been produced today.'

He agreed Lacey's death was a 'crime against humanity' and added: 'I hope this indictment brings some spotlight to victims of this type of crime.

'The coroner has a lot of authority, a lot of power. If people don't want to get treatment or they refuse treatment, go to the coroner's office, go to law enforcement, check on your neighbors, check on your friends. If you are a care giver, reach out and make sure people are taken care of.

A photo of the two-story home located on Tom Drive in Slaughter where Lacey lived with her parents

'This case was so horrific that the coroner and the sheriff's office initially investigated this case in January and the conditions that she was found it was just unbelievable.

'You don't treat anybody or any animals like that. Something had to be done and we all got together, we all stood on the same platform and we are all here now and we have an indictment for second degree murder.'

The tragedy is even more of a mystery as Sheila Fletcher worked for authorities who might have helped her daughter.

She was a police and court clerk in the small nearby city of Baker and more recently an assistant to the city prosecutor in Zachary, a slighter larger community also nearby.

The mom was also on Slaughter's Board of Alderman but quit on January 24 following four years' service and three weeks after the horror discovery.

Clay Fletcher is an officer of non-profit 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'.

The couple's lawyer Steven Moore has said in a statement: '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.'

An undated photo of Clay, 65 and Sheila, 64, Fletcher standing in front of their Christmas tree

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'

Before the grand jury hearing, the coroner said he would present the case with the hope of the parents being charged over the death. 'I probably won't even have to open my mouth, the pictures will show it,' he said.

DA D'Aquilla said at the same time: 'On a murder, you have to have intent. Did they want to kill her? I want to say yeah, they wanted to kill her.

'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.

'We don't treat animals or neglect animals in that way. If you have an animal in that condition you have to take them to a vet.

'If you are not capable of providing the care then get help. We want people to know that if you are a caregiver of someone you need to pay attention. It is important for neighbors and the community to look out for each other. We hope this never happens again.'

He said the Fletchers claimed in 2011-2012 that Lacey didn't want to leave the house and had not been to a doctor. He said the parents claimed she was able to communicate with them and apparently never complained.

The Fletchers reportedly said Lacey developed 'some degree of Asperger's syndrome' after 9th grade when she started being home schooled.

They insisted during an interview with law enforcement that she was the one who chose never to leave the couch and to relieve herself there or on a nearby towel, it is reported. Sheila Fletcher said she routinely cleaned her daughter's sores.

'Mom and Dad love you so much,' she wrote in a Facebook post after the death.

News of the January horror is breaking now as the autopsy report was not handed to East Feliciana Sheriff's Office until March. At that point Sheriff Jeff Travis consulted with DA D'Aquilla on a course of action that has resulted in the grand jury deliberation.

A new East Feliciana Parish grand jury is selected every six months, with a new one chosen Monday. Authorities decided it should be the new jury that decided the Fletcher case.
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Christian Brueckner's lawyer today blasted 'bulls**t' new evidence a German prosecutor claims proves the jailed paedophile definitely killed Madeleine McCann.

Hans Christian Wolters told Portuguese journalist Sandra Felgueiras on the TV channel CMTV: 'The investigation is still going on and I think we found some new facts, some new evidence, not forensic evidence, but evidence'.

Today Mr Wolters was unavailable for comment amid speculation it was 'fibres' from the missing three-year-old's pyjamas found inside the suspect's VW camper van - but Brueckner's lawyer categorically denied the suggestion.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Friedrich Fulscher said: 'This is bulls**t. Listen to the interview, the prosecutor said they had new evidence but he then says it not forensic evidence.

'Are fibres not forensic evidence? For almost two years we have tried to access the Madeleine McCann files from the prosecutor so we can see the evidence but so far nothing.

'The position is still the same, he denies any involvement and we will not be saying anything further until we see the files'.

Convicted sex offender Brueckner, currently languishing in a prison near Bremen for raping a pensioner, was declared a suspect in the case by Portuguese officials last month as a 15-year legal deadline approached, and he has been under investigation by German officials for two years.

Kate McCann's necklace: A poignant tribute to missing Madeleine and her twin siblings The three rings are believed to symbolise Maddie and the couple's two other children Kate McCann wore a necklace with three rings - a nod to her three children including missing Madeleine. Each year on her birthday, the family reportedly leave presents and cards in her bedroom, which is understood to remain as a shrine to her and unchanged since she was snatched 15 years ago. Maddie's 17-year-old twin siblings Sean and Amelie still live at home with their parents. Sean and Amelie attend a Catholic secondary school in Leicestershire, which famously held a place for their big sister in the hope that one day they would welcome her as a pupil. If still alive, Maddie would be turning 19 on May 13. Advertisement

The prosecutor leading the case, Mr Wolters, repeatedly refused to say if the prime suspect had broken into the Praia da Luz apartment and grabbed the three-year-old from her bed on May 3, 2007.

In the bombshell interview broadcast last night Mr Wolters said Brueckner's alibi about having sex with a girlfriend at the time of the abduction had fallen apart.

But he admitted his team do not have the forensic evidence to put the paedophile prime suspect in the dock amid claims that fibres from the Maddie's pink Eeyore pyjamas had been found in his yellow VW camper van.

Last night Mr Wolters hinted that Brueckner, 45, may have had an accomplice, by refusing to say if he was certain the German took Maddie from her parents' holiday apartment at Praia da Luz on Portugal's Algarve coast on May 3, 2007.

Mr Wolters also said they had still not worked out who made a mysterious 30-minute phone call to Brueckner, placing him close to where Madeleine disappeared on the night she went missing.

But when asked if he was sure that it was Brueckner who broke into the Ocean Club apartment and took her, he twice repeated that he believed that he was the killer but would not comment on who snatched the British three-year-old.

He said: 'We are sure that he is the murderer of Madeleine McCann. We are sure that he killed Madeleine McCann.'

And when asked about Brueckner's claims he spent the night with an 18-year-old girlfriend, the prosecutor replied: 'He has nothing. Christian B has no alibi'.

In the interview, Ms Felgueiras asked Mr Wolters: 'Is it true that you found something belonging to Madeleine in the caravan of Christian Brueckner? You can't deny it, can you?'

He replied: 'I don't want to deny it', adding: 'The suspect has not yet been informed'.

Under German law, details of a police investigation cannot be revealed until a suspect and their lawyers are given the full details. The case can then be made public.

But the police officer who was sacked after leading the first investigation in Portugal, Goncalo Amaral, insists that Brueckner 'had nothing to do with Madeleine's disappearance' and again claimed parents Kate and Gerry remain, in his opinion, the 'principal people responsible'.

Mr Wolters said: 'The fact that Christian B is a suspect in Portugal shows we are on the right path. The McCanns are not suspects and Mr Amaral and others are wrong if they think they [the McCanns] were part of the murder'.

He added: 'There is no relationship between the McCanns and me. I have never spoken to them and I never wrote to them'.

German national Christian Brueckner, 45, insists he was having sex with a woman in his camper van when three-year-old Madeleine disappeared while holidaying with her family in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on February 3, 2007

Speaking on Portuguese TV last night (pictured), 15 years to the day since she vanished in Praia da Luz, prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said he is 'sure' the toddler was murdered and that Brueckner, 45, did it

Brueckner is pictured in the van where prosecutors may have found new evidence linking him to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann

An undated handout photograph released by the Metropolitan Police in London on June 3, 2020, shows VW T3 Westfalia campervan, used in and around Praia da Luz, Portugal, by Christian Brueckner

Kate and Gerry McCann have been pictured for the first time in public in four years as they were warmly welcomed by their community during a poignant prayer service in their home village of Rothley, Leicestershire

Kate and Gerry McCann were warmly welcomed by their community during a poignant prayer service in their home village of Rothley, Leicestershire. Mrs McCann read a poem while clutching her necklace made up of three rings

The German prosecutor's appearance on Portuguese TV yesterday coincided with a memorial service held to commemorate the 15-year anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance.

What do we know about Maddie murder suspect Christian Brueckner and his criminal past? 1976: Christian Brueckner (pictured) is born in Wurzburg under a different name, believed to be Fischer. He was adopted by the Brueckner family and took their surname. 1992: Christian Brueckner is arrested on suspicion of burglary in his hometown of Wurzburg, Bavaria. 1994: He is given a two-year youth jail sentence for 'abusing a child' and 'performing sex acts in front of a child'. 1995: Brueckner arrives in Portugal as an 18-year-old backpacker and begins working in catering in the seaside resorts of Lagos and Praia da Luz. But friends say he became involved with a criminal syndicate trafficking drugs into the Algarve. September 2005: He dons a mask and breaks into an apartment where he rapes a 72-year-old American tourist. The victim was bound, gagged, blindfolded and whipped with a metal cane before being raped for 15 minutes. She said afterwards that he had clearly enjoyed 'torturing' her before the rape. April 2007: He moves out of a farmhouse and into a campervan now linked to the crime. The farmhouse is cleaned and a bag of wigs and 'exotic clothes' is found. May 3, 2007: Madeleine McCann is snatched at around 10pm from her bed as her parents eat tapas with friends yards away. Brueckner's mobile phone places him in the area that night. He returns to his native Germany shortly after that. October 2011: He is sentenced to 21 months for 'dealing narcotics' in Niebull, in northern Germany. In 2013 police released a photofit of a man seen lurking near the McCann apartment and Scotland Yard said that suspect last night had not yet been ruled out of the probe 2014: He moves to Braunschweig where he starts running a town-centre kiosk. He then goes back to Portugal with a girlfriend. 2016: He is back in Germany. He is given 15 months in prison for 'sexual abuse of a child in the act of creating and possessing child pornographic material'. May 3, 2017: Brueckner is said to be in a bar with a friend when a ten-year anniversary appeal following Madeleine's disappearance is shown on German television. He is said to have told him in a bar that he 'knew all about' what happened to her. He then showed his friend a video of him raping a woman. MailOnline understands the friend went to police shortly afterwards. June 2017: He heads back to Portugal and extradited again to Germany. The reason was a sentencing of the Braunschweig district court to 15 months' imprisonment for the sexual abuse of a child. August 2018: After his release from prison he lives on the streets. But he was jailed again for drug offences. First Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters addresses the media during a press conference on the Madeleine McCann case at the public prosecutor's office in Braunschweig September 2018: Brueckner is arrested in Milan, Italy and extradited to Germany and put on trial for raping the American tourist in 2007 after a DNA match to hair found at the crime scene. July 2019: He is jailed for 21 months for drug dealing in the northern German resort of Sylt. August 2019: Brueckner is charged with the rape of the American tourist in Praia da Luz in 2005. December 2019: He is convicted of rape of extortion of the tourist based on DNA evidence. He is given a seven year sentence, but this has not been imposed pending an appeal. June 3, 2020: Scotland Yard and the German police reveal that that they have identified a suspect in the Maddie McCann case June 4, 2020: Prosecutors in Braunschweig, where he lives, say they believe Madeleine McCann has been murdered, says spokesman Hans Christian Wolters. He is named in the German press as the prime suspect. May 4, 2021: Kate and Gerry McCann post a statement on the Official Find Madeleine Campaign website saying they still cling to the hope of seeing their daughter again as they prepare to mark her 18th birthday on May 12. April 21, 2022: Christian Brueckner, now 44, is made an 'arguido', a formal suspect, by Portuguese authorities. But he has not been charged. Advertisement

Kate and Gerry McCann were warmly welcomed by their community during a poignant prayer service in their home village of Rothley, Leicestershire. Mrs McCann read a poem while clutching her necklace made up of three rings, likely to symbolise Maddie and the couple's two other children.

Convicted rapist and paedophile Brueckner was named by German prosecutors as prime suspect in the case two years ago with investigators saying they had 'concrete evidence' she was dead.

But since then there has been little sign of him being charged, prompting speculation there is not enough evidence of his involvement in her disappearance and earlier this week it emerged Brueckner claims to have an alibi the night she vanished.

Kate and Gerry, who hold on to hope that Madeleine - who would now be aged nearly 19 - is still alive, appeared overwhelmed by the support as they joined in prayers and readings to mark the occasion.

The annual outdoor event has been cancelled over the past two years because of Covid restrictions. Kate and Gerry said last night: 'This year we mark fifteen years since we last saw Madeleine. It feels no harder than any other but no easier either. It's a very long time.'

In 2019 Kate turned up alone with her twins Sean and Amelie - now aged 17 - as her heart doctor husband was away in Italy at an important medical conference.

Former surgery GP turned hospital medical worker Kate, 54, had dashed from work to join Gerry at the war memorial for the welcomed event.

Kate, wearing black jeans, cornflower blue V-neck sweater and trainers, fought back tears as children lit candles for Madeleine and other lost youngsters.

Neither parent addressed the 100-strong crowd but Kate, wearing reading glasses, read a poem, saying: 'Survival can be summed up three words: Never give up.

'That's the heart of it really, just keep trying.

'Sometimes you have to get knocked down, lower than you have ever been, to stand up taller than you ever were.

'Perseverance is stubbornness.'

Prime suspect Brueckner has insisted he was with an 18-year-old German woman, having sex in his camper van miles away from where Madeleine vanished from and he has given full details to a US documentary.

When he was named in June 2020 police asked for information in the distinctive yellow and white T3 campervan and DNA experts have been examining it ever since.

In her report Sandra highlighted how the fact that Mr Wolters refused to deny that something of Madeleine's had been found was proof of his guilt.

Mr Wolters also revealed how he had not been in touch with the McCanns and said: 'There is no relationship between the McCanns and me. I have never spoken with them and I have never written to them. There is no relationship.'

He also highlighted how the fact that Portuguese police had made Brueckner an 'arguido' or suspect in the case showed the German investigation was 'going the right way'.

Brueckner is currently serving seven years for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in Praia da Luz in 2005, two years before Madeleine was snatched and he is in Germany's Oldenburg jail.

Prosecutors are investigating him over the rape of a Irish tour guide Hazel Behan in the Algarve as well as a sexual assault in Praia da Luz on a ten-year-old German girl a month before Madeleine disappeared.

He is also being probed over an indecent exposure in a children's playground in the Algarve and last month MailOnline revealed he was also being investigated over two further rapes.

The McCanns joined family, friends and villagers for their informal evening service yesterday as Wolters spoke with Portuguese TV.

A family source said: 'Kate and Gerry enjoy going to the service for a time of prayer and quiet reflection. They always appreciate the support of the public.'

They met in the chilly night air at Cross Green on the milestone anniversary - where a candle for the world's most famous missing child still burns around the clock.

During the service, local children went up to light candles to remember Madeleine, or a special person of their choice.

One little girl tripped and stumbled on the ground as she ran back to her mother, and a concerned Kate joined others calling 'Whoops!' then smiled as the child picked herself up unscathed.

Renowned and respected cardiologist Gerry, 53, casually dressed in navy trousers, salmon-pink T-shirt and grey-blue sweater, later individually thanked well wishers for attending the half-hour gathering.

Vicar of the local parish church, The Rev. Rob Gladstone, who led the prayers, opened the service by telling the crowd: 'Once again after a gap of two years we're able to come together again here at Cross Green to remember Madeleine, to show solidarity to Kate and Gerry, Sean and Amelie.

'Lord we thank you for sustaining Gerry and Kate through these painful years.

'Keep us their hope of finding Madeleine, of discovering the truth of her disappearance... real hope is hard won.'

During the gathering, touching messages of support were read out by children.

Iconic pictures of a young Madeleine were tied to the railing around the war memorial and a vase of fresh yellow flowers was placed on the ground.

Madeleine McCann's parents, Kate and Gerry, mark the 15th anniversary of their daughter's disappearance from Portugal at a vigil in their home village of Rothley

The McCanns joined family, friends and villagers for an informal evening service yesterday in Leicestershire

The annual outdoor event has been cancelled over the past two years because of Covid restrictions

On May 3, 2007 Kate and Gerry McCann went to a small tapas bar metres away from their apartment to dine with friends. But when Kate returned to do a routine check on their children, she found that Madeleine had disappeared

The farmhouse where the prime suspect in Madeleine McCann's disappearance lived was located just two miles from where she went missing from her family's holiday apartment

Brueckner lived in the farmhouse above Praia da Luz (pictured) on the Algarve in Portugal and is said to have seldom mixed with his neighbours and allowed the property to fall into disrepair

The suspect, who is in prison in Germany for rape, has been linked to an early 1980s camper van - with a white upper body and yellow skirting, registered in Portugal - which is seen here on the Algarve in 2007. Police believe it may have been used in the crime

Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann have never given up hope of finding their daughter alive but are said to have welcomed the news that Brueckner has been charged

Madeleine vanished on May 3 2007 while on holiday with her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, and her twin siblings Sean and Amelie

The last photograph taken of Madeleine shows her smiling next to her little sister Amelie and their father Gerry at 1.30pm on May 3, 2007 in Portugal, the day she went missing

Officers are hoping to nail Christian Brueckner (pictured left) A man matching his description was seen outside the McCann's apartment in the four days before (efit right). A phone call also links him to the area

It is suspected that Brueckner received a telephone call shortly before three year old Maddie was abducted from her ground floor apartment. Pictured: The Ocean Club in Praia da Luz, where Madeleine disappeared during a family holiday in 2007

45-year-old German national Christian Brueckner was first named as a suspect in Madeleine's disappearance by German Police in 2020 and is known to be a convicted paedophile

The Madeleine candle burned brightly as Rev Gladstone said: 'We hope the light here in Rothley dispels the darkness.'

At times Kate and Gerry appeared tearful, at other times they smiled.

Kate, who appeared to be limping, was hugged by friends and supporters.

Three-year-old Madeleine vanished from a holiday apartment in Portugal's Praia da Luz in May 2007.

She was discovered missing from her bed in the seaside complex by her horrified mum shortly after 10pm. She had been left alone her younger siblings while her parents were dining in a nearby tapas restaurant with their seven pals.

Madeleine's great uncle, retired head teacher Brian Kennedy, 83, who lives in the same village and has attended all 13 anniversary gatherings with his wife Janet, said: 'Kate and Gerry feel heartened that something positive seems to be happening with the investigation.

'They are being kept updated by the Met Police but they have no details to share now.

'They have never lost hope even after all these years, and in juts over a week's time Madeleine would be 19.

'If you had told our family 15 years it would go on for so long without a resolution we would have thought that was very unlikely.'

He had earlier read a poem 'The Beacon' previously written for Kate and Gerry by former Poet Laureate Simon Armitage.

Madeleine's parents told of their 'need for answers' in a public posting on the eve of the latest anniversary which they say is 'a very long time.'

In a heartfelt posting on Monday on the Find Maddie and Official Campaign websites, the McCanns wrote: 'Many people talk about the need for ''closure''. It's always felt a strange term.

'Regardless of outcome, Madeleine will always be our daughter and a truly horrific crime has been committed. These things will remain.

'It is true though that uncertainty creates weakness; knowledge and certainty give strength, and for this reason our need for answers, for the truth, is essential.'

The couple praised three nations' police forces for their continued work in trying to crack the painstaking case.

They posted: 'We are grateful for the ongoing work and commitment of the UK, Portuguese and German authorities as it is this combined police effort which will yield results and bring us those answers.'

They added: 'As always, we would like to thank all of our supporters for their continued good wishes and support.

'It is a huge comfort to know that regardless of time passed, Madeleine is still in people's hearts and minds. Thank you. Kate and Gerry.'

Their post is accompanied by a touching phrase from Winnie the Pooh author AA Milne, with a picture of Pooh bear and Piglet, saying: 'But the most important thing is, even if we're apart, I'll always be with you.'
A jail guard who snuck a confessed murderer out of prison had been romantically linked to the inmate for at least two years before she sprung him free, police say.

Vicky White, 56, and Casey White, 38, who are not related, shared a 'special relationship' dating back to 2020 when the prisoner was first brought to Lauderdale County for his arraignment.

Inmates allege she ensured he 'was getting extra food on his trays' and 'was getting privileges no one else got,' a claim that Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton told CNN has been confirmed by an independent investigation.

'As far as we know that was the earliest physical contact they had,' Singleton said of the arraignment. He claims Casey and Vicky continued to communicate after the accused murderer was transferred back to the prison.

Investigators are analyzing surveillance footage recorded at the Lauderdale County Jail, where the escape occurred, to learn more about their relationship.

On Wednesday, officials released new video of the squad car they were in passing a gas station on their way for him to have a mental health evaluation, which did not exist.

Casey was in custody at a state prison ahead of his arraignment and was transferred back to the facility immediately after. Singleton confirmed to DailyMail.com Wednesday that Vicky and Casey remained in communication while he was jailed with the Alabama Department of Corrections (DOC).

He said the pair kept their relationship discreet and Lauderdale County officials were unaware that Vicky had been making visits to see him.

'I'm sure DOC didn't know where she worked or that she was a corrections officer,' the sheriff added. Casey was transferred to Lauderdale County Jail in February 2022.

Meanwhile, the confessed murderer's mom, Connie White, has defended her son, claiming he is innocent and 'not a monster.'

'I just have no idea why they've painted him as a monster,' Connie White told The New York Post in a phone interview Tuesday. 'The only reason he came out to Lauderdale County was to get out of the prison he was in.

'He wrote a letter to say that he murdered that woman. But he didn't really murder her, he just done that to get back up here. He just wanted to be out of that prison because it was so bad and there was no food.'

Connie denied having any knowledge of her son's alleged relationship with Vicky. 'He never mentioned Vicky White,' she said. 'He said he had a pen pal but I had no idea who it was.'

Corrections officer Vicky White (left) and confessed murderer Casey White (right) shared an intimate relationship dating back to 2020, investigation revealed. The pair are not related

Vicky is pictured opening an interior jailhouse door. Casey is believed to have been in the hallway at the time

Casey exits the hallway and follows Vicky outside the facility

Surveillance video taken at the Lauderdale County Jail shows the moment Vicky snuck 6ft 9in 'monster' Casey out of the facility before they went on the run with an AR-15 and a shotgun.

Casey was serving a 75-year sentence for attempted murder, burglary, robbery, kidnapping and animal cruelty. He also faced murder charges after confessing to the fatal stabbing of Connie Ridgeway, 58.

The apparent lovers made a break for it on Friday after Vicky told superiors she was going to take Casey for a mental health evaluation on her last day before retirement.

The 56-year-old widow held the door for the 38-year-old thug - who was still wearing handcuffs - before they got into a black car and sped off at 9.30am on Friday.

New video released Wednesday shows the pair driving to the Florence Square shopping center where they abandoned the sheriff's car used during the escape.

The latest footage shows them driving through the intersection of Huntsville Road and Cox Creek Parkway at 9.49am on Friday, WAAY reported. The intersection is about a half-mile from the shopping center.

The cruiser was found abandoned in the center parking lot several hours after the escape.

Connie White, who spoke to her son the day before his vanishing act, suggested she was unaware of the escape.

'Everything was perfectly fine,' she said of Casey's behavior.

The US Marshals Service said they suspected the pair are armed with an AR-15 and a shotgun and may have used a copper 2007 Ford Edge during their escape.

But cops and federal agents have launched a huge manhunt and drip-fed more information about the duo - including that the jailer had two aliases herself.

Surveillance video showed Vicky helping Casey escape from the Lauderdale County Jail, where he had been incarcerated, on Friday. The pair then fled together

The manhunt comes as Casey's ex-girlfriend begged Vicky to flee the killer, warning her she was not safe with him

Sheriff Singleton, who described Vicky as 'an exemplary employee,' issued a plea to the former jail guard, asking her to turn herself in.

'Vicky you've been in this business for 17 years, you've seen this scenario play out more than once and you know how it always ends,' Singleton told Good Morning America Wednesday.

Sheriff Rick Singleton, who described Vicky as 'an exemplary employee,' issued a plea to the former jail guard Wednesday morning, asking her to turn herself in. He said: 'You know how it always ends...get to a phone and call 911, turn yourself in and help us get Casey White back behind bars'

'Now go ahead and end it now, get to a phone and call 911, turn yourself in and help us get Casey White back behind bars because you know that's where he's going to eventually end up.'

The sheriff said that as of Wednesday morning, investigators 'don't have any idea where they might be.'

'We were making some good progress on that. We may be hindered now that some of that information has gotten out,' Singleton explained. 'But, you know, we're still working around the clock to locate them and try to get them back in custody.'

The sheriff also noted, despite hopes of her colleagues and superiors at the Lauderdale County Jail, all signs suggest Vicky willingly participated in the escape.

'The pieces of the puzzle just came together,' he said.'I think all of our employees and myself included were really hoping that she did not participate in this willingly. But all indications are that she absolutely did.

'We're very disappointed in that because we had the utmost trust in her as an employee and as an assistant director of corrections.'

He noted that she violated policy by escorting the inmate alone, saying: 'This particular guy and someone like that, no, that should have never happened, even if we had to delay getting him to court.'

Vicky is a 17-year veteran of the sheriff's office. Singleton said she had been discussing retirement for several months and submitted necessary documentation to do so last Thursday.

Friday, the day of Casey's escape, was set to be her last day on the job. The sheriff previously said she 'talked about going to the beach' after retirement.

She had also been living with her mother after selling her Lexington home on April 18. Public records reviewed by WAAY revealed Vicky sold the property for $95,550, which was below market value.

Singleton believes the wanted former jailer may be 'flush with cash' from the sale. However, he noted her retirement money remains locked up as she was expected to meet with officials this week to discuss those funds.

I think all of our employees ... were really hoping she did not participate in this willingly but all indications are that she absolutely did.



Lauderdale County Sheriff details manhunt for corrections officer Vicki White and escaped inmate Casey White. https://t.co/NMPqT8qwyi pic.twitter.com/j0i50sd0bn  Good Morning America (@GMA) May 4, 2022

The manhunt comes as the maniac's ex-girlfriend begged Vicky to flee the killer as they spent a fifth day on the run.

The woman, who has not been named but was shot by Casey in 2015, warned her she was 'disposable' to the escaped inmate.

'Casey White is very dangerous to everybody that is around him,' Casey's ex told WAAY-TV on Tuesday. 'I feel like he has manipulated her and she's disposable to him.

'If [Vicky] is still alive, she needs to get the hell out. Run,' she added.

'Run as far away as you can and turn yourself in and contact somebody. Do the right thing before you lose your life or before somebody else does.'

The unidentified woman is reportedly at an out-of-state hideout and fearful for her life. She said: '[Local police] promised to step up patrols, but we are freaking out.

'We don't know if he is going to show up and take us out like he tried to do before. I thought I would never have to worry about him ever again.'

However, despite warnings from the authorities and the criminal's alleged prior victims, Connie White maintains her son his not dangerous.

'I don't think so. He's not a monster, I'll put it that way,' she told the Post. 'He is not the monster they are making him out to be, at all.'

Authorities have offered a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to Casey's capture.

It comes as the US Marshals Service said the pair may have made off in 2007 Ford Edge that is copper in color

Officials also said that the pair may have made off in 2007 Ford Edge that is copper in color

In 2020, Casey's request to be transferred out of prison and into the county jail was denied after authorities found a makeshift knife stashed in the shower that they believed he intended to use to force someone to let him out

Vicky and Casey were seeing each other while he languished in Lauderdale County jail, inmates told cops

Timeline of Vicky White and Casey White's disappearance Friday at 8.47am: Transport Van 5 leaves the Lauderdale County jail with seven inmates escorted by two deputies 8.56am: Transport Van 2 leaves the jail with five inmates also escorted by two deputies 9.20am: Assistant Director Vicky White tells a deputy to prepare inmate Casey White for transport to courthouse. Deputy removes White from his cell, takes him to booking and handcuffs him and shackles his legs. 9.41am: Vicky leaves detention center with Casey and head to the courthouse for a 'mental health evaluation.' She told the booking officer that she is the only deputy available who is firearm-certified and that she's dropping him off to other deputies at the courthouse. Vicky says she's then going to Med Plus for a personal appointment. 9.49am: Surveillance video shows Vicky's police cruiser parked at the nearby Florence Square shopping center parking lot eight minutes after leaving the jail. 'There was not enough time for them to even attempt to try to come to the courthouse,' Sheriff Rick Singleton said. 11.34am: A Florence Police Department officer spots her cruiser. 3.30pm: Booking officer reports to administration that they've been trying to contact Vicky to check on her, and that her phone is going directly to voice mail. The officer also says that Casey was not returned to the detention center with other inmates. Source: WAAY-TV, Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office Advertisement

Vicky's mother-in-law - whose son passed away earlier this year - believes the guard 'may have been brainwashed' by the criminal.

Frances White told DailyMail.com that Vicky is a 'sweet' person who wouldn't have helped a confessed killer escape.

But her opinion has changed as the days go by and more information about Vicky's relationship with inmate Casey White comes to light.

Vicky was previously married to Frances' son Tommy, who died in January of complications from Parkinson's Disease.

'I'm just proud he wasn't still alive, cause he still thought she was a good person,' Frances told the Daily Beast.

'I can't imagine her running off with that guy, but you never know. He walked into a woman's house and stabbed her.'

Frances says her two surviving sons are also in shock: 'They can't believe it either. My oldest son, no way could he picture her leaving with him It looks like she helped him escape.'

She added: 'Maybe he's got her brainwashed. But I don't know how he'd have had a chance to get her brainwashed, because he was in prison.'

In 2020, Casey's request to be transferred out of prison and into the county jail was denied after authorities found a makeshift knife stashed in the shower that they believed he intended to use to force someone to let him out.

But he was moved to the jail anyway in order to face capital murder charges for the death of Ridgeway.

On Friday, Vicky White told a booking officer she was escorting Casey to the county courthouse for a mental health evaluation. The move was against protocol for Casey, who was always meant to have at least two guards with him. No such evaluation was scheduled that day.

'Being the boss and over the transport, she just informed the booking officer that she was going to carry him to the courthouse and drop him off, which was a flagrant violation of policy,' Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton told CNN.

'But I'm sure because it was her boss, the booking officer didn't question it.'

She also said she was going to a medical appointment for herself, which was confirmed by the doctors' office, but for which she never showed.

US Marshals are offering rewards up to $5,000 for information leading to Vicky White and $10,000 for information leading to Casey White

A statement, which was quickly deleted online, said the vehicle had a bit of damage to the left rear bumper

Singleton said Casey was 'handcuffed and shackled' in the back of Vicky's patrol car when they both left the county jail that morning.

From there, they went straight to the parking lot of a nearby shopping center.

Surveillance footage shows Vicky's police cruiser parked at the Florence Square shopping center eight minutes after leaving the jail.

'There was not enough time for them to even attempt to try to come to the courthouse,' Singleton said.

The car was spotted in the parking lot an hour-and-a-half later.

'Casey White is an extremely dangerous person. We need to get him located and get him off the street,' the sheriff warned.

Vicky is facing charges of 'permitting or facilitating an escape in the first degree,' a felony that carries a maximum prison term of 10 years.

Her mother, Pat Davis, doesn't believe her daughter would willingly help an inmate she never even talked about.

However, preliminary investigation has suggested otherwise.

Casey White, above in February 2019, was arrested in 2015 for a crime spree in which he shot at his ex-girlfriend. He previously told police he'd kill her if he got out

Connie Ridgeway, 59, was killed in her home at Meadowland Apartments in Rogersville, Alabama in 2015. Casey White said he was paid to kill her

Casey White has been described as a 'dangerous monster' who promised to kill his ex-girlfriend if he ever got out.

In December 2015, he broke into a home in Athens and ordered two men to get down on the ground at gunpoint, according to court documents.

He fired multiple shots and left bullet holes in the wall during the rampage but his ex-girlfriend managed to escape.

Two young children were found hiding in the basement, while a dog was found shot dead in a hallway, Fox News reports.

'He stated that he wanted to kill her and have the police kill him,' according to a police report.

'His only regret was that neither was successful. He stated that if he was released he would kill the victim.'

He was eventually convicted on nine counts including attempted murder, kidnapping and animal cruelty and was sentenced to 75 years in prison.

Casey's arrest at the age of 32 finally came after he engaged in a crime spree that played out in two counties in Tennessee and Alabama in December 2015.

In one night, he staged a home invasion and carjacked two vehicles at gunpoint, shooting one person in the arm, WHNT reports. The crimes were followed by a chase where speeds reached more than 100 miles per hour.

Vicky's mother says that her daughter, who was named 'employee of the year' four times and was living with her after selling her house five weeks ago, never mentioned an inmate

Police are pictured in December 2015 taking Casey into custody after a wild rampage across Tennessee and Alabama that ended in a 100mph car chase, and his stolen car stuck in a field

It ended with a stolen car stuck in a field south of Huntsville, and officers - who were evidently well known to him - pleading with him to put down his gun and give himself up.

He was charged with attempted murder, two counts of kidnapping, first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, third-degree burglary, breaking and entering a vehicle, animal cruelty for shooting a dog and attempting to elude.

While serving time in June 2020, he confessed to killing 59-year-old Connie Ridgeway in a murder-for-hire plot two months before the crime spree.

Ridgeway was killed in her home at Meadowland Apartments in Rogersville, Alabama in 2015, according to WAFF. He said he was paid to kill her, although no motive for hiring a hitman has ever been disclosed.

He pleaded not guilty on grounds of insanity and was temporarily moved from prison to the Lauderdale County jail to face trial. That's when he escaped with the help of Assistant Director of Corrections Vicky White.

Casey's half-brother, Steven Patrick White, 47, of Town Creek, has been missing since 2017. Casey was in state prison at the time of Steven's disappearance

The inmate's whereabouts aren't the only mystery plaguing Casey's family.

Sheriff Max Sanders, of nearby Lawrence County, said the Lauderdale County escapee's half-brother has been missing since 2017.

Steven Patrick White, 47, of Town Creek, was last seen at his home in October 2017.

His wife reported him missing the next day, prompting a canine search of the family property. However, the search was unsuccessful.

The Lawrence County Rescue Squad then conducted a dive team search for the missing man in November 2017 which also yielded no results.

'We occasionally get a call from the public about the fellow's whereabouts. We follow it up but so far nothing has panned out,' Sanders told AL.com on Tuesday.

Sanders noted that Casey was in state prison at the time of Steven's disappearance. There is a $2,000 reward for information pertaining to the Town Creek man's whereabouts.
Just Eat Takeaway's boardroom was in crisis today after the chairman resigned and the chief operating officer was suspended, just hours before the company was due to face off with unhappy shareholders at its annual meeting.

Shareholders have criticised the recent management of the loss-making company, whose most pressing question is arguably how to dispose on favourable terms of its U.S. arm Grubhub, which it purchased just last year for 5.75 billion.

The board of Europe's largest online meal delivery company is set to face shareholders in a tense annual meeting in Amsterdam this afternoon where one of its biggest investors, Cat Rock, said it will vote against the re-election of four out of six board members.

But hours before the meeting, the company said Chairman Adriaan Nuhn, whose position has been under pressure, will not seek reappointment and would leave the business when the board meeting finished.

Separately, it said longtime Chief Operating Officer Joerg Gerbig was under investigation for 'possible personal misconduct at a company event', and would be leaving the management board 'at least' until it is concluded.

Longtime Chief Operating Officer Joerg Gerbig (pictured) is under investigation for 'possible personal misconduct at a company event', and would be leaving the management board 'at least' until it is concluded

Chairman Adriaan Nuhn resigned

In the face of growing frustration amongst Just Eat's shareholders, Chief Executive Jitse Groen announced last month he was exploring strategic options including a possible sale of the unit.

Takeaway's shares, which have slid more than 40 per cent in 2022 alone, fell another 8.5 per cent to 24.20 euros (20.36) in early trading on Wednesday, down from around 110 euros (92) in October 2020 and not far from the company's 2016 IPO price of 23 euros (19).

The company reported pre-tax losses of 1.1 billion euros (916 million) for 2021, against losses of 147 million euros (123 million) in 2020.

Items approving the reappointment of both Nuehn and Gerbig were withdrawn from the agenda of Wednesday's meeting, set for 1200 GMT in Amsterdam.

'It is clear that shareholders have concerns about the challenges the company is facing,' Nuehn said in a statement. 'Not seeking re-election is, I believe, the best decision I can take with regard to serving the interests of the company and its stakeholders.'

The company's vice chair Corinne Vigreux, a co-founder of Dutch electronics group TomTom, will assume Nuehn's duties while a formal replacement is sought.

In the face of growing frustration amongst Just Eat's shareholders, Chief Executive Jitse Groen (pictured) announced last month he was exploring strategic options including a possible sale of the unit

Shareholders have criticised the recent management of the loss-making Just Eat (file photo of the company's logo), whose most pressing question is arguably how to dispose on favourable terms of its U.S. arm Grubhub, which it purchased just last year for 5.75 billion

In a second announcement, the company said its supervisory board had recently been informed of a formal complaint regarding Joerg Gerbig 'relating to possible personal misconduct at a company event'.

'The company has initiated an investigation into the allegations... and will engage an external expert to conduct (it).' It added: 'No conclusions have been drawn.'

Gerbig, who was said to be cooperating with the investigation, could not immediately be reached for comment. The company said complaints against him 'were not related to financial or reporting obligations'.

Executive behaviour and treatment of employees have been under scrutiny in recent few years, prompting a string of high-profile boardroom departures.

The company said Gerbig's term would end at the closing of Wednesday's AGM, adding that it was possible he could be put up for re-election if allegations against him proved unfounded.

In a note, Credit Suisse said Gerbig was considered 'well respected in public markets' and that the investigation will add to uncertainty around the company.

Takeaway, once a stock market darling, saw orders fall in the first quarter as the online food ordering boom faded along with the COVID-19 pandemic in many key markets.

It reported a more than 1 billion euro loss in 2021, though Groen has said it is on track to become profitable on an operating basis in 2023.

Both the company's boards and Groen specifically have been criticised for the Grubhub purchase.

Grubhub's profitability and valuation have been damaged by fee caps on the commissions it is allowed to charge restaurants in key markets such as New York, and it is also facing stiff competition from the likes of Doordash and Uber Eats.

Earlier this year Groen was forced to defend a ski trip for employees to Switzerland in April as an unnecessary luxury, given the company's financial situation. He argued the benefits to morale after two difficult years outweighed the costs.

Cat Rock, the company's second-largest shareholder with a 6.88% stake, published an open letter on April 25 urging shareholders to vote against the reappointment of Chief Financial Officer Brent Wissink and the supervisory board.

That received some support from other investors, including hedge fund Lucerne Capital Management.

While shareholder advisory body Glass Lewis did not oppose Wissink's reappointment, it did advise against the re-appointment of Nuehn.

Shareholder rights organization VEB said it was also critical and would be voting against the reappointment of the Dutch supervisory board members including Nuehn.

Organization spokesman Eric van den Hudding said Takeaway needs independent members capable of challenging management board decisions.
Kamala Harris furiously lashed out at Republicans for trying to 'deny women their freedoms' in remarks Tuesday evening after a Supreme Court leak showed a conservative draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade.

The vice president's first appearance after testing positive for COVID-19 last month was ironically to a gala for EMILY's List  a political action committee that aims to get Democratic female candidates election who are favor of advancing abortion rights.

Her remarks came 24 hours after a leak from the Supreme Court showed conservative Justice Samual Alito's draft opinion to overturn the landmark abortion case that dates back 50 years and gave constitutional protections for women to terminate their pregnancies.

'Roe v. Wade in its power has protected a woman's right, her right, to make decisions about her own body for nearly half a century,' Harris said to the room of progressives Tuesday evening.

'If the court overturns Roe v. Wade, it will be a direct assault on freedom, on the fundamental right of self-determination to which we are all entitled as Americans.'

In a Politico/Morning Consult poll taken immediately after the document was made public, 50 percent of voters said that Roe v. Wade should not be overturned versus the 28 percent who said it should be.

A large portion of respondents  22 percent  said to pollsters that they are undecided.

Vice President Kamala Harris came out guns blazing during her remarks at an EMILY's List gala and conference on Tuesday evening after a leaked Supreme Court document showed a draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade

Clashes broke out overnight as abortion activists took to the streets to protest the potential impending overturn of landmark abortion ruling. Pictured: A Department of Homeland Security vehicle was filmed driving into a crowd of abortion rights protesters in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday night

Pro-abortion and pro-life demonstrators descended on the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 after the leak came out the night before

After the leak, Republicans immediately praised the potential ruling from the court but also called for the person who gave the document to Politico to be brought to justice.

'Those Republican leaders who are trying to weaponize the use of the law against women. Well we say, how dare they?' Harris told the cheering crowd. 'How dare they tell a woman what she can and cannot do with her own body? How dare they? How dare they try to stop her from determining her own future? How dare they try to deny women their rights and their freedoms?'

'It has never been more clear which party wants to expand our rights, and which party wants to restrict them,' Harris continued, vowing Democrats are 'not going back.'

She laid out for voters a choice in the 2022 midterm elections between two very differing views on abortion.

'Those Republican leaders who are trying to weaponize the use of the law against women. Well we say, how dare they?' Harris told the cheering crowd at EMILY's List gala on Tuesday evening. 'How dare they tell a woman what she can and cannot do with her own body? How dare they? How dare they try to stop her from determining her own future? How dare they try to deny women their rights and their freedoms?'

Harris walked out on stage Tuesday wearing a mask before taking it off for her remarks. The vice president's speech was her first public appearance after testing positive for COVID-19 last month

A protester holds up a poster with images of five of the six conservative Supreme Court Justices who support the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Chief Justice John Roberts, according to Tuesday reports, would not support a complete overturn of the ruling but would support a rule banning abortion after 15 weeks

Harris was already on the schedule to speak at EMILY's List annual conference, but her speech had to be completely rewritten in one day after the unprecedented Supreme Court leak.

The vice president sought to make the issue larger than just abortion, claiming an overturn to Roe v Wade would also threaten Americans' privacy.

'At its core, Roe recognizes the fundamental right to privacy,' Harris told the crowd.

'Think about that for a minute. When the right to privacy is attacked, anyone in our country may face a future where the government can interfere in their personal decisions. Not just women; anyone.'

If Democrats are really going to be galvanized by abortion as an election issue like Republicans are, left-leaning strategists claim that Harris could be the best face to make the case.

Democratic strategist Alencia Johnson, who worked as a senior adviser on Biden's 2020 campaign, told Politico Playbook the White House should 'let [Harris] loose.'

'I'm hopeful this is the energy she and the president will bring to this fight,' she said of the vice president's Tuesday evening remarks.
An unleashed Andrew Marr has said he feels '10 years younger' since leaving the BBC after more than 20 years, as the veteran journalist took aim at the corporation's strict impartiality rules.

Marr, who presented the BBC's flagship Sunday politics show before leaving for LBC and the New Statesman this year, said that social media is making it 'harder and harder' to report politics for the broadcaster.

In an interview with Matt Forde's Political Party podcast, he called the BBC's impartiality rules 'incredibly frustrating and ageing' and took a pop at the corporation's '18 layers of grey-faced managers sitting on my shoulders the whole time'.

Marr, 62, also defended Laura Kuenssberg, saying that she had had 'an absolutely miserable time' as political editor - and had fought allegations that she was the 'Prime Minister's mouthpiece'.

'Whatever you say gets analysed, ripped apart,' he said, before adding: 'I will always be pro-BBC'.

Reflecting on his career as a whole, Marr said he was 'too praising' of Tony Blair's invasion of Iraq while BBC political editor, and called it his support of the war 'biggest failure' as a journalist.

Speaking of the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime, which plunged Iraq and the Middle East into chaos, he said: 'I think it was one of the greatest foreign affairs catastrophes in modern times'.

Undated handout photo issued by Global of Andrew Marr at his desk at LBC

Undated BBC handout photo of Andrew Marr at the BBC

Marr unleashed: Who has the veteran journalist taken aim at since leaving the Beeb? BORIS JOHNSON Writing in the New Statesman magazine at the peak of the Partygate drama in February 2022, Marr called Boris Johnson an 'alpha-male albino gorilla'. 'I have found Johnson personally charming and amusing many times in the past. But at almost exactly the same time as he was hosting his parties in Downing Street, having a high old time lecturing the rest of us, I was burying my father,' he wrote. Later in the article he said it is up to Tory backbenchers to decide if they have the 'gut' to get rid of the PM. Speaking on Matt Forde's Political Party podcast, Marr poked fun at the PM's interview style. THE ROYALS Speaking to the Daily Mail in January 2022, Marr - a biographer of the Queen - said the monarchy faces an existential crisis when Charles III comes to the throne. 'There is a sense that the whole issue of the future has not been discussed for a very long time, because the Queen is so admired and so revered,' he said. 'When that terrible day comes that the Queen is no longer with us, the country will go into a state of shock. 'It will be like an ethical earthquake and I do not think it is fully understood or appreciated how this is going to be an absolutely massive moment in all our lives. It will shake the whole country in a way that will be hard to explain until we actually live through it. 'I know the Prince of Wales has plans for reforming the monarchy; it appears Charles and William will orchestrate a clear out. It won't be the same: the modern monarchy under Charles has to earn its place every day, every week and every month in people's affections. 'I'm sorry to say some members of the Royal Family have been behaving like free riders. 'They assume the monarchy - the institution itself - can never be questioned. But the reason it is not being questioned is because of the Queen herself.' THE BBC Marr said that if he were director-general, he would move the BBC towards a subscription model. Speaking on Matt Forde's Political Party, he also blasted the BBC's impartiality rules. And he said social media has made it harder to report politics for the corporation. TONY BLAIR Speaking to Matt Forde, he called Tony Blair's invasion of Iraq 'one of the greatest foreign affairs catastrophes in modern times'. JEREMY CORBYN On the Political Party podcast, Marr said of Jeremy Corbyn's nuclear position: 'He hasn't thought it through. He never thought things through.' Advertisement

Explaining that he initially supported the invasion, he said he learned he was wrong about the WMD pretexts for war.

Marr then turned to the war in Ukraine, warning that he feared that many of the same mistakes could be replicated.

Suggesting that Britain could become embroiled in a protracted war with Russia, he hit out at Joe Biden's recent calls for regime change in Moscow - calls which had to be rowed back by the White House.

And he also blasted Foreign Secretary Liz Truss' sabre-rattling Mansions House speech in which she laid out British war aims, including the expulsion of Russia from all Ukrainian territory - including Russia-annexed Crimea and the Kremlin-backed breakaway regions.

But bizarrely, Marr revealed that he is most commonly mistaken for Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin.

And elsewhere, the broadcaster poked fun at some of his more memorable interviews while at the BBC.

Recalling an interview with Jeremy Corbyn over the ex-Labour leader's support for nuclear disarmament, he said: 'He hasn't thought it through. He never thought things through.'

On Boris Johnson, he said the Prime Minister 'doesn't really care what you ask him' because he will rant about anything else - before adding: 'There is almost no point in interviewing him'.

Since leaving the BBC, Marr has repeatedly seized the opportunity to speak his mind on a range of subjects.

In February this year, at the height of the Partygate drama engulfing Westminster, he tore into the Prime Minister, branding him an 'alpha-male albino gorilla' .

Marr took aim at Johnson in his new role as political editor of the left-leaning New Statesman magazine.

Writing in the magazine he pointed out that that the Prime Minister was at parties in June 2020 he himself had suffered a bereavement, losing his father Donald.

'I have found Johnson personally charming and amusing many times in the past. But at almost exactly the same time as he was hosting his parties in Downing Street, having a high old time lecturing the rest of us, I was burying my father,' he wrote.

'We did a good job for him - poems, a piper. But it was just a very few of us, standing outside in a churchyard in the wind: we were unable to hold our own service inside the church where he had been an elder for more than 50 years and he never had the proper send-off he richly deserved.'

Later in the article he said it is up to Tory backbenchers to decide if they have the 'gut' to get rid of the PM.

He wrote: 'It's easy to see why they would quail. Johnson is a formidable, alpha-male albino gorilla who will fight, fight and fight again to save the leader he loves (clue: he discovers him most mornings in the shaving mirror).'

And in a wide-ranging interview with the Daily Mail in January, he even let rip on the royals.

As a biographer of the Queen, Marr said the monarchy faces an existential crisis when Charles III comes to the throne.

'There is a sense that the whole issue of the future has not been discussed for a very long time, because the Queen is so admired and so revered,' he said.

'When that terrible day comes that the Queen is no longer with us, the country will go into a state of shock.

'It will be like an ethical earthquake and I do not think it is fully understood or appreciated how this is going to be an absolutely massive moment in all our lives.

'It will shake the whole country in a way that will be hard to explain until we actually live through it.

'I know the Prince of Wales has plans for reforming the monarchy; it appears Charles and William will orchestrate a clear out.

'It won't be the same: the modern monarchy under Charles has to earn its place every day, every week and every month in people's affections.

'I'm sorry to say some members of the Royal Family have been behaving like free riders.

Marr said social media is making it 'harder and harder' to report politics for the BBC

'They assume the monarchy - the institution itself - can never be questioned. But the reason it is not being questioned is because of the Queen herself.'

On immigration, he said: 'This is going to be perhaps the single biggest political issue of the next 20 or 30 years.

'It is not because of anything Britain is, or isn't, doing at the borders or even because of our poor relationship with France.

'It's due to climate change that millions upon millions of people are walking across parts of the Middle East and Africa towards Europe in search of a better life. And it's going to get bigger and bigger and bigger.'

Asked about Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries's announcement on freezing the BBC licence fee, Marr said: 'She should be very, very careful - of Daleks,' a reference to their tendency to 'Exterminate! Exterminate!' their enemies.

He also said that if he were director-general of the BBC, he would move the corporation to a subscription model.
A prominent property group is set to snap up an one of Australia's most iconic hotels for a whopping $114million.

Palazzo Versace in the Gold Coast - which has played host to some of the wealthiest people in the world - is being purchased by the Melbourne-based Shakespeare Property Group.

The Gold Coast Bulletin claimed the hotel investor has dibs on an exclusivity agreement to buy the trophy asset.

Since launching in 2000 it has been a drawcard to the rich and famous, including Paris Hilton, Rod Stewart and Jennifer Lopez.

The 'fashion-inspired' Palazzo Versace (pictured) has 200 rooms and 72 condominiums

The Luxury drawcard will be snapped up by a Melbourne property firm with stakes in other opulent accommodation facilities along the east coast

The hotel has seen the likes of Paris Hilton, Rod Stewart and Jennifer Lopez waltzing through

Palazzo Versace is described as 'everything you would expect in a hotel from the world of Versace ... and an ambience of pure glamour'

The expected purchase is another notch on the belt after a successive string of high-end buys the company made in major centres along the east coast.

In 2018 the firm - which is the commercial property arm of Prime Value - splurged a cool $100million on the Novotel Twin Waters Resort on the Sunshine Coast.

They also own two other Queensland hotels - the Pullman Cairns International and Novotel Oasis Resort in Cairns.

Aussie luxury hotels and resorts have been up for grabs in the last 12 months with the pandemic prompting its mostly Asian owners to sell on masse.

And Shakespeare Property Group has been an active player in the commercial real estate market, buying and selling when opportunities arise.

The hushed sale of the fashion-branded hotel (pictured) attracted the attention of the Intercontinental and Accor Groups, who may end up operating it

The five star hotel complex near Southport on the Gold Coast (pictured) comes complete with a spa retreat and fitness centre, a private marina and plush suites

The 'fashion-inspired' five star hotel complex comes complete with a spa retreat, fitness centre, private marina and plush suites.

It has 200 rooms with 72 condominiums that have Versace home furnishings and private 'Juliet' balconies.

The hushed sale attracted the attention of the Intercontinental and Accor Groups, who may end up operating the grand hotel.

Prime Value calls itself a boutique Australian equities manager and has been run by its founder Yak Yong Quek since 1998.

Prime Value calls itself a boutique Australian equities manager and has been run by its founder Yak Yong Quek since 1998, they have snapped up the luxury hotel in the Gold Coast (pictured)
New Zealand's emergency management agency has been cleared of safety breaches over the 2019 White Island volcano eruption that killed 22 people, including 14 Australians.

A charge accusing the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) of health and safety breaches leading up to the tragedy has been dismissed, Radio New Zealand reported.

It said Judge Evangelos Thomas dismissed the charge in the Auckland District Court on Wednesday.

There were 47 people touring the island when the volcano erupted on December 9, 2019 - killing 22 and severely injuring 25

Stephanie Browitt, a 25-year-old from Melbourne, lost her 21-year-old sister Krystal and father Paul when the volcano exploded on December 9, 2019

The volcano, also known as Whakaari, erupted in December 2019, leading to the deaths of 22 people from burns and blast injuries.

Dozens more suffered serious injuries. The dead and injured were tourists and their guides visiting the volcano.

NEMA was one of 13 parties that safety watchdog WorkSafe charged with breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act at the island.

WorkSafe said NEMA did not appropriately communicate risks to the land-owners and public, with the charge carrying a maximum penalty of $NZ1.5 million ($A1.365).

At a hearing earlier in May NEMA argued that WorkSafe 'confused civil defence emergency management with health and safety risk management' and the charge was 'wholly misconceived'.

Marie Browitt (left with her family) was the only member her family to stay on the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship when the tragedy struck

Judge Thomas agreed that the emergency agency could not be held accountable under New Zealand's work health and safety legislation.

He said WorkSafe's main objective was to 'promote and contribute to securing the health and safety of workers and workplaces'.

'Part of that role that it has then, would be to issue guidance to the marketplace.'

Judge Thomas said that in terms of tourism at Whakaari: 'WorkSafe does not advance any evidence of any guidance WorkSafe has issued to anyone based on a duty to people beyond workplaces, workers or work activity.'

He said NEMA did not carry out any work on Whakaari and did not send any workers to the island.

Another 11 parties facing safety breach charges have pleaded not guilty and go to trial next year.

White Island survivor shares touching message to her 'hero' - as she opens up about recovery after suffering third-degree burns to 70 per cent of her body

BY JESSE HYLAND FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

A brave survivor of the White Island eruption tragedy, which claimed the lives of her father and sister, has shared a touching tribute to her 'hero' mother.

Stephanie Browitt survived with third-degree burns to 70 per cent of her body after the volcano off the coast of Whakatane on New Zealand's North Island erupted on December 9, 2019.

The eruption claimed the lives of 21 of the 47 people on the island at the time - including Stephanie's sister Krystal, 21, and their father Paul.

Her mother Marie stayed behind on the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship and watched on helplessly as the volcano erupted.

The young woman, who has since become an advocate for burns survivors, took to TikTok this week to share her appreciation for her mum.

Stephanie Browitt (pictured left), who survived the 2019 White Island volcano eruption, has shared a touching tribute to her 'hero' mother (right)

Stephanie Browitt, 25, was on holiday with her father Paul and sister Krystal on the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship. The ship docked near White Island in New Zealand's northeastern Bay of Plenty region as their tour group went for a shore excursion before the volcano erupted

The video is a compilation of sweet photos featuring Stephanie with her mother, Stephanie's time in hospital and different points of time in her recovery process.

'She stayed by my side every single day, she cried when I cried and helped me through the pain. I love you mum,' the young woman captioned the emotional tribute.

The photos towards the beginning of the clip see Stephanie at hospital and outside a cemetery.

'But mostly to the person who was by my side for all of it...,' she wrote. 'Some people are lucky enough to have a best friend, I am even luckier, I have my mum.'

The next slides picture Stephanie smiling beside her mother, a message her mother wrote for her while she was in hospital, and a short clip of the pair embracing.

Stephanie has also shared an update on her recovery two years on from the tragedy.

In a different clip she shared how her right ear, which was badly damaged from the disaster has almost fully healed despite not having a skin graph.

She also said the scars on her hands and legs has faded and is now much smoother.

The video is a compilation of sweet photos featuring Stephanie with her mother, Stephanie's time in hospital and different points of time in her recovery process

Stephanie has shared multiple updates on her recovery to TikTok and Instagram, where she has 1.3million followers and 90,000 followers, respectively

Since the disaster, New Zealand's workplace safety watchdog WorkSafe has filed charges against 13 parties including the island's owners, several tourism companies and operators, GNS Science and New Zealand's National Emergency Management Agency.

Ten parties face charges under health and safety laws which carry a maximum fine of $NZ1.5 million ($1.4 million) under New Zealand's Health and Safety at Work Act.

Three have been charged as directors or individuals.

All 13 parties have pled not guilty to the charges.

The trial is expected to commence in early 2023.
Celebrating Mother's Day has been banned in some preschools and childcare centres that have renamed the occasion 'Parent' or 'Family Day' in a bid to be more 'inclusive'.

An increasing number of Sydney childcare and early learning centres will host events with non-gendered words to replace female-centric terms like 'mother'.

The Inner Sydney Montessori School, which has campuses in Rozelle and Balmain, will be celebrating this week with a 'Parents and Carers' morning tea.

Another exclusive preschool in the city's eastern suburbs will follow suit and host a 'Family Day Breakfast', the Daily Telegraph reports.

Celebrating Mother's Day has been banned in some childcare centres that have renamed the national holiday 'Family Day' in a bid to be more inclusive (stock image)

A new resource (pictured) from Early Childhood Australia provided educators a guide for including diverse families on Mother's and Father's Day

A letter sent home to caregivers said the annual Mother's Day breakfast had been rebranded to allow 'all families to be included'.

The shift in thinking was sparked by a new resource from the Early Childhood Australia advocacy group, which provided educators with a guide to including diverse families on Mother's and Father's Day.

'We know Mother's Day and Father's Day are important days to celebrate, but they can be tricky for children from diverse families,' the advice reads.

'Mother's Day and Father's Day present some challenges for families that don't have a mum and dad.'

The resource said educators should give children the option of making a gift for a 'special adult' who wasn't their mum or dad and to avoid gender stereotypes.

An increasing number of Sydney childcare and early learning centres will host events with non-gendered words to replace female-centric terms like 'mother' (stock image)

'Avoid gender stereotypes in children's crafts,' the resource advised.

'Steer away from cards with flowers for mum or ties for dad.'

At a Stanmore Kindergarten in Sydney's Inner West, organisers last year made the switch to hosting inclusive events for the annual holiday.

Meanwhile at a public school in Bellingen, a small town on the NSW Mid North Coast, volunteers will host a 'Mother's and Parent's Day' stall.

Parents looking to donate gifts to the initiative were asked by organisers to consider 'dads who were doing both jobs' to make sure they felt included.

However, some argue the Mother's Day rebranding is part of a larger mission to abolish female-related terms and 'eliminate mums' (stock image)

However, some argue the Mother's Day rebranding is part of a larger mission to abolish female-related terms and 'eliminate mums'.

Women's Forum Australia chief executive Rachael Wong said the term 'Parents Day' currently being touted by a number of Sydney schools was just as insensitive.

Ms Wong argued Parent's Day would be just as upsetting for children who didn't have any parents as Mother's Day was for motherless kids.

She told the Daily Telegraph it was 'reasonable' to conclude the renaming was 'yet another attempt to erase women in a misguided attempt to be 'inclusive'.'

Mother's Day falls on Sunday, May 8 in Australia this year and is not an official public holiday with most businesses to adhere to their regular trading hours.
An 18-year-old student has died after he was stabbed during a fight at a Texas high school - as his classmate is taken into custody.

Jose Luis Ramirez Jr, 18, was fatally stabbed Tuesday morning in a campus bathroom at Belton High School, about 60 miles north of Austin, police said.

Belton Police Chief Gary Ellis said 18-year-old high school senior Caysen Tyler Allison was jailed in connection with the attack and was awaiting formal charges. Authorities said they were called to the school after Allison ran off-campus. He was arrested 20 minutes after the stabbing.

Classes were canceled Wednesday at the school, which has about 2,500 students. On Tuesday night, hundreds of people gathered for a prayer service and balloon release for the Ramirez family, the Temple Daily Telegram reported.

'We are indeed close to the school and many of the students go to church here so we are very connected in that way,' said Father Sang Quan, the pastor at Christ The King. 'So we stand with them in that way and we heal with them and we mourn with them.'

Belton Police Department denied to comment further as the investigation remains ongoing, a representative told DailyMail.com on Wednesday.

Jose Luis Ramirez Jr, 18, was stabbed to death on Tuesday while in a bathroom at Belton High School in Texas. Other school students were unaware of the incident as they had their phones turned off while taking a standardized test (STAAR)

Caysen Tyler Allison, 18, was taken into custody after fleeing the school for 20 minutes before being found by local authorities. He has not yet been charged in connection to the stabbing

'I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident at Belton High School today and send my prayers to all of those who have been impacted by it, particularly to the young victim and his family,' added Belton Mayor Wayne Carpenter.

Several school parents said they were worried on the morning of the incident due to their children's cellphone being turned off as procedure for standardized testing.

'It was very stressful, just wondering if everyone is okay,' Ailehs Gaines, the parent of a freshman of Belton High, told KWTX. 'The stress to come to school for STARR testing and then have something like this happen, it's pretty bad.'

Sarah Lopez, the mother of a 10th grade Belton High student, was part of a minority of parents who were able to talk to their children during the terrifying ordeal.

'She was scared. I heard commotion in the background. I asked if she was okay and she said, "Mom, someone has been stabbed,"' Lopez said. 'So, I asked her if she was okay and she said, '"Im okay, but I saw what happened."'

'Its too close to home,' she added. 'You hear it all the time, but when it actually happens at home, its shocking because you start thinking about the community and you think of the people you work closely with that also have children going here.'

Parents had to pick their children up earlier than expected on Tuesday as the high school decided to cancel classes for the rest of the day and on Wednesday too

Belton High School has 2,500 students and is located between the state's capital, Austin, and Waco

'Joe is just a goofy person. Hes just always making you laugh smile,' said childhood friend Bryan Lopez. It remains unclear what Allison and Ramirez were fighting about when the stabbing happened

Itty Henry, a Belton High School senior, said Ramirez had the ability to always make people smile.

'He always had the right jokes and everybody loved him,' Henry said. 'I don't think I can name a person that didn't like him because he always put other people before himself.'

'Joe is just a goofy person. Hes just always making you laugh smile,' said Bryan Lopez, another student who was a childhood friend of Ramirez. 'We were just hanging out the other day on prom night.'

As of Wednesday afternoon, a GoFundMe page has already surpassed its goal of $25,000 after raising $32,000. The funds will be allocated towards Ramirez's funeral and burial expenses.
NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere says the government planted child porn on his computer and cameras to convict him

NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere has claimed the government fabricated and planted child porn on his computers and cameras in an effort to send him to prisom.

In a 42-page filing on Tuesday, his attorneys said that the tampering happened when FBI agents seized evidence from his home in 2018.

They say they went right for a computer hard drive and camera, ignoring all other items of evidence in Raniere's home, and that suspiciously named folders containing child porn were later discovered.

Raniere's attorneys claim that it not only wins him the right to a new trial but that the apparent evidence tampering 'shocks the conscience'.

'In its prosecution of Keith Raniere, the government manufactured child pornography and planted it on a computer hard drive to tie it to him.

'Additionally, the government falsified, fabricated, and manipulated all the key evidence it used to convict Mr. Raniere of the most heinous crimes he was charged with, that is, possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation of a child  for purportedly taking twenty-two contraband photographs in 2005.

'Such extensive government tampering renders the critical pieces of evidence used to convict him of these charges incompetent, unreliable, and invalid.

'The governments conduct here not only shatters rights inherent in the concept of ordered liberty, but it also shocks the conscience,' the filing, obtained by DailyMail.com, reads.

The filing says Raniere's suspicions are supported by Richard Kiper, Ph.D., a retired FBI Special Agent, Steven M. Abrams and Wayne B. Norris, who are described as 'accomplished forensic analysts'.

'All three experts agree that the electronic evidence in Mr. Ranieres trial was extensively manipulated while in FBI custody and that it was falsified to fit the governments narrative of criminal conduct.

'This newly discovered evidence of illegal tampering by the government is conclusive, indisputable, and shocking,' his attorneys claim.

They say that thumbnails were 'altered' to go from brunette to blonde, and that the metadata on some of the photos found on the hard drive and camera memory card was also altered.

'It was undoubtedly tampered with, as the thumbnails of a brunette impossibly became thumbnails of a blonde,' Raniere's lawyers say.

Raniere's attorneys claimed they didn't get enough time to question witness Lauren Salzman, who made a deal with prosecutors in exchange for her testimony

Victims of the cult told prosecutors how Raniere and other leaders brandished them with a burning piece of metal

Raniere on Tuesday tried to appeal his conviction, claiming through his lawyers that he didn't get a fair shake in court because they weren't given enough time to cross-examine witnesses.

Heiress Clare Bronfman - who was also convicted for her role in the sex cult - also appealed her six year sentencing, claiming she was made an example of because she is so rich.

Heiress Clare Bronfman is also appealing her sentence

Raniere was convicted of sex trafficking in January 2019 and was sentenced to 120 years in prison in October 2020.

He did not appear in court on Tuesday as his attorney claimed that he did not get long enough to question witnesses, specifically Lauren Salzman, who struck a deal with prosecutors and escaped jail herself.

'The defense did not get to ask all the questions the defense wanted.

'The intent was crucial to this case,' Raniere's attorney argued.

The judges reserved a decision pending review. It's unclear when they will return to court.

In the same hearing, attorneys for Bronfman argued that she was given too harsh a sentence because of her wealth and privilege.

'Clearly, she was punished for her wealth, her privilege,' her attorney said.

Bronfman and Raniere were among those convicted of orchestrating and facilitating the cult, which drew in Hollywood actresses among victims under the guise of giving them a self-help course.

Victims told prosecutors how they were starved, sleep-deprived and even brandished with a scalding metal symbol as part of the cult.

Raniere has always denied wrongdoing.

At trial, prosecutors told how he had impregnated three sisters, all of whom he then forced to get abortions.

At his appeal hearing on Tuesday, his attorneys said the abortions were irrelevant to the case and designed to prejudice a jury.

Bronfman was convicted of conspiracy to conceal and harbor people who were not in the US legally for financial gain.

She was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison - a harsher sentence than some others who were found guilty.

Her attorney said in court that she was made an example of because of her wealth.

Bronfman is an heiress to the Seagram's liquor and beverages empire.
A road rage duel between a young woman and an ex-army officer led to a cyclist being struck and thrown 40 yards to his death, a court has heard.

Paige Robinson, 24, and David Ferry, 47, are both standing trial accused of causing the death of Graham Pattison, 49, but blame each other for the incident.

Teesside Crown Court has heard Mr Pattison's racing bike was clipped by Robinson's car, but each said their co-defendant's aggressive driving caused the tragedy.

The incident on July 24, 2020, began on the A689 in County Durham, near its junction with the A1 when Robinson, driving her white Ford Fiesta, changed lanes in front of Ferry's black Audi TT.

That resulted in angry exchanges between the two drivers before Mr Pattison's back wheel was clipped by Robinson's car, throwing him 40 yards and leaving him with fatal injuries, the court heard.

Both drivers have provided the court with differing accounts - with Robinson accusing Ferry of swerving in front of her and forcing her into the path of Mr Pattison, while Ferry said Robinson followed him along the A689 and 'tailgated' him.

Graham Pattison suffered unsurvivable injuries when the rear tyre of his racing bike was clipped on the A689 in County Durham in July 2020

David Ferry (left), 47, and Paige Robinson (right), 24, are both standing trial accused of causing the death of Mr Pattison, 49, but blame each other for the incident

Robinson told jurors that Ferry had been shouting, gesturing and swearing at her, after she changed lanes in front of him at the junction with the A1.

She told the court that Ferry drove in front of her on the A689, continually putting his brakes on and then speeding up.

Robinson also claimed that when she pulled into the left lane to get away from Ferry, he came up beside her and swerved left as if to hit her.

She said she swerved to avoid him, and that was when she hit Mr Pattison's tyre.

A tearful Robinson told the court: 'I see [Mr Pattison's] face every day. It was the most traumatic thing I have seen. I don't want to remember that.'

Ferry, however, told the court he was calm under pressure after serving tours of duty in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq during his 12-year military service.

The ex-Army officer told jurors that following the initial clash he opted to ignore the attention of Robinson and her partner as they followed him along the A698 towards Hartlepool while flashing their lights and making angry gestures.

He said: 'She caught up with me and started tailgating me.'

His defence barrister Dan Cordey asked: 'At that stage, did you realise it was the same Fiesta?'

He replied: 'I did when she caught right up.'

When asked what he would have done if he had seen the cyclist get hit by Robinson's car, Ferry replied: 'I would have definitely pulled over, I had done a lot of first aid training and would have tried to help.'

Robinson (pictured) previously denied that her boyfriend, who was sitting beside her, had been angered by Ferry's driving, telling the court he was 'singing along to N-Dubz'

Robinson previously denied that her boyfriend, who was sitting beside her, had been angered by Ferry's driving, telling the court he was 'singing along to N-Dubz'.

Earlier in the trial, the jury heard Mr Pattison suffered catastrophic injuries including fractures to his spine when he was thrown from his bike.

Michael Woodhouse, a police collision investigator, previously told the jury that both defendants should have been able to see the cyclist while he rode along the dual carriageway.

Trevor Smith was driving behind the two cars in the moments leading up to the fatal incident, and told the court: 'The white car was quite close to the black car - they were side by side. They seemed to be matching each other.

'The white car swerved to the left and it was a "speed wobble" as if she was trying to get the car under control. The brake lights went on at that point.

'There was a cyclist in front of the white car. I can remember saying to my wife - "he's going to get hit". I was referring to the cyclist.

'I was braking very hard; I was worried the cyclist might land in front of my car. At first I thought the cyclist was going to go under the vehicle, but instead he bounced up onto the bonnet, onto the windscreen then quite high into the air and into the verge.'

Robinson, of Billingham, County Durham and Ferry, of Redcar, North Yorkshire, both deny causing death by dangerous driving.

The trial continues.
A poll taken in the immediate aftermath of the Supreme Court draft opinion leak shows that half of voters do not think landmark abortion ruling Roe v. Wade should be overturned.

A Politico/Morning Consult poll shows that 50 percent of the 1,955 registered voters surveyed are against overturning the case that gave women the constitutional right to terminate their pregnancy.

Twenty-eight percent of respondents feel Roe v. Wade should be overturned while a massive voting bloc of 22 percent say they are undecided on the matter, according to the poll.

Surprisingly, only 51 percent of Republicans want the 50-year-old case overturned.

Another 28 percent of Republicans don't want Roe v. Wade to be overturned and 21 percent are undecided on the matter.

A new poll shows that 50% of Americans do not want Roe v. Wade overturned. Pictured: Pro and anti-abortion activists clash in front of the Supreme Court on Tuesday, May 3, 2022

The poll, surprisingly, shows that only 51% of Republicans want the landmark abortion case overturned, which would end the federal rule that makes women's right to an abortion protected by the Constitution

Democrats are, unsurprisingly, more in favor of keeping the law that makes abortion federally legal. Sixty-eight percent don't want it overturned.

A mere 14 percent of Democrats want the law ended and 18 percent are undecided.

Voters registered as independents are 52 percent against overturning and 20 percent in favor  with 28 percent unsure.

The poll was taken during the one day following news revealing Justice Samuel Alito's draft opinion for the overturn of Roe v. Wade. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points but, the pollsters disclosed, there are other errors that could be associated with a poll taken in such a short period of time.

Republicans immediately demanded on Monday evening into Tuesday morning that the leaker be brought to justice, as experts warned of the implications a leak from the high court could have on future proceedings.

A pro-abortion protester holds up a sign with the five conservative Supreme Court justices in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade. Chief Justice John Roberts, a conservative not pictured on the poster, is not in favor of a complete overturn of the ruling

A Twitter account and blog that has tracked the Supreme Court actions since 2002 noted on Tuesday: 'It's impossible to overstate the earthquake this will cause inside the Court, in terms of the destruction of trust among the Justices and staff. This leak is the gravest, most unforgivable sin.'

Pro-abortion activists decended on the Supreme Court Monday evening and remain there into Wednesday to protest the impending decision.

The Supreme Court has a 6-3 conservative lean thanks to former President Joe Biden replacing late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett in the last months of his presidency.

Chief Justice John Roberts  one of the conservatives on the bench  will not support an entire overturn of Roe v. Wade, according to Tuesday reports, and will vote with liberals. But conservatives still have the votes to end the decades-old abortion ruling 5-4.

Fox News also released a poll on Tuesday, which was conducted before Politico's, that shows 63 percent of voters want Roe v. Wade to stand.

That same poll showed that 54 percent of voters say they would support a Mississippi case that would ban abortion after 15 weeks into a pregnancy in their own state, which is what Roberts supports over a full ban.

Although overturning Roe v. Wade would end federal protections for abortion, states would still be able to enact laws allowing or restricting abortion as they see fit.

Many lawmakers are in favor of this because it would give more power to the states to reflect the views of their constituents.
Starbucks announced it will increase pay to $15 an hour and offer more benefits to its employees nationwide, but they will not be offered workers who will be left to negotiate their own benefits.

The Seattle coffee chain is following up on its commitment made in October to raise employee wages in response to many unionized stores' request for more favorable working conditions and other benefits since last year.

'These benefits, including ones we've demanded since the beginning of our campaign, are a response to our organizing efforts and we should celebrate the hard work that partners who stood up to Howard Schultz's bullying put in to make this happen,' Starbucks Workers United said Tuesday in a statement.

Workers hoped to use collective bargaining to improve perks on several fronts: higher pay, more flexible hours, and better safety protections, which became an issue during the pandemic. They argue that they should have more influence in what their working lives should look like, and they want to hold the company, which has a reputation of being progressive, accountable.

Starbucks owns about 9,000 stores across the U.S., and employs about 230,000 Americans. However, staff at 46 unionized stores and at a further 237 awaiting to be officially unionized by the National Labor Relations Board will not be feeling the effects of these changes.

The company further said over an analyst call Tuesday that future wage hikes won't necessarily apply to these now-unionized workers. Instead, Schultz said U.S. labor law requires stores to negotiate their own contracts with Starbucks.

'Federal law prohibits us from promising new wages and benefits at stores involved in union organizing. And by law, we cannot implement unilateral changes at stores that have a union,' Schultz said, adding that 'the union contract will not even come close to what Starbucks offers.'

Starbucks Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz said the company will invest an additional $200 million in fiscal 2022 to lift pay for store managers, increase training, revitalize its 'Coffee Master' program for baristas and launch an internal app to communicate directly with its 240,000 U.S. employees

Store employees who have worked for the chain for more than two years will be rewarded with higher increases than relatively newer ones

'We do not have the same freedom to make these improvements at locations that have a union,' Schultz said. Starbucks Workers United, the group behind the unionization of more than 250 stores, disagrees, and said it filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board against Starbucks on Tuesday to claim the benefits

Starbucks noted that it faced higher employment costs during this year's second quarter. The company's $1 billion investment in employee wages and benefits will now lift U.S. workers' pay to at least $15 per hour by this summer.

On Tuesday, after a series of meetings with workers around the country, Schultz unveiled $200 million in additional investments in worker pay and training. That includes raises for employees who have been at the company for at least two years as well as a near doubling in training time  from 23 hours to 40 hours  for new baristas and shift supervisors. Starbucks is also reintroducing a coffee mastery program for employees and considering other benefits like increased sick time.

Starbucks Workers United, the group behind the unionization effort said it filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board against Starbucks on Tuesday. The group said the company is violating labor law for threatening to exclude unionized stores from receiving the new benefits.

'These benefits, including ones we've demanded since the beginning of our campaign, are a response to our organizing efforts and we should celebrate the hard work that partners who stood up to Howard Schultz's bullying put in to make this happen,' the group said Tuesday in a statement.

Schultz opposes unionization. But he noted that employees are under 'tremendous strain' due to strong customer demand and pandemic-related changes in the business, including a surge in mobile and drive-thru orders. Stores are built to serve hot drinks, for example, but 80 percent of U.S. orders are now cold drinks.

'These young people have completely valid concerns given today's uncertainty and economic instability. They look around and they see the burgeoning labor movement as a possible remedy to what they are feeling,' Schultz said. 'But compare any union contract in our sector to the constantly expanding list of wages and benefits we have provided our people for decades, and the union contract will not even come close to what Starbucks offers.'

Schultz said the new investments will improve employee recruiting and retention. Starbucks also plans additional changes it will outline at an investor meeting in September, including adding credit and debit card tipping in its stores and accelerating the rollout of new ovens and espresso machines.

'If we want to exceed the expectations of our customers, we have to exceed the expectations of our people,' Schultz said.

Activists throughout the country gathered to protest Starbucks' CEO Howard Schultz anti-unionization efforts and demand the reinstatement of workers fired for trying to unionize. Pictured: Peole holding signs while protesting in front of a Starbuck in April in New York City

One sign at the protest read: 'Howard Schultz - Starbucks' Union-Buster-In-Chief' while other protestors were there to push for more Amazon warehouses to be unionized too

More than 250 Starbucks stores have announced their agreement to form a union for its workers since last year

Twitter users, some of them employed at Starbucks, said the growing number of stores incentivizing to unionize pushed Schultz to increase perks and pay but that his actions are also attempting to break the unification.

'Congratulations to all the hard work of partners organizing at Starbucks--our campaign has pressured @HowardSchultz & Starbucks to announce many of the benefits that we've been pushing for since day one and we've proposed at the bargaining table in Buffalo,' @SBWorkerUnited tweeted.

'Starbucks didn't give these because management thought it was a good ideaworkers had to fight tooth and nail, filing union petitions and winning union elections in the face of unrelenting captive audience meetings and retaliation from the company,' New York Democrat Socialist member Honda Wang shared. 'The union won these changes.'

Another user - @BuckeyeTodd1977 - said that the company's wage hike 'kills the argument that companies won't give unless it's bargained for, [so] what's the new argument?'

An account of a Starbucks employee and union organizer who goes by Mads (@madsUNIONYES) said: 'For myself and many other Starbucks partners, @HowardSchultz's wage increase announcement only to proves that there is POWER in a union.'

'There is POWER in worker solidarity. And last but not least- they've had the means and ability to do this all along BUT THEY CHOSE NOT TO,' she added.

Twitter users, some of them working at Starbucks, reacted to the company's news by claiming the unionization of more than 250 stores across the country forced Schultz's hand to better work conditions and pay

Schultz bought the Starbucks chain in 1987, led it until 2000 and then led it again between 2008 and 2017. He returned as interim CEO and rejoined Starbucks' board in April after former CEO Kevin Johnson announced his retirement.

Schultz said the board is interviewing candidates and expects to name its new CEO in the fall. After training that person, Schultz said he plans to leave the company  but not the board  in early 2023.

Investors seemed glad to have him back. Starbucks shares were up five percent in after-hours trading Tuesday.

Schultz said customer demand for Starbucks remains strong despite several price increases over the last year.

Starbucks' same-store sales  or sales at stores open at least a year  rose seven percent globally in the second quarter, surpassing Wall Street's estimate of 6.5 percent. That was largely on the strength of the business in North America, where same-store sales rose 12 percent.

International same-store sales fell eight percent, largely due to coronavirus restrictions in China.

China, which is Starbucks' largest market outside the U.S., saw same-store sales plummet 23 percent in the quarter, the company said. Roughly one-third of stores in China were closed or offering mobile ordering only at the end of the second quarter.
A British woman launched a furious tirade at a fellow EasyJet passenger and allegedly threatened to smash an air hostess's teeth in on a flight to Turkey before being removed by police officers and banned from flying with the airline for five years.

The woman had spent the flight from Luton airport to Bodrum, Turkey, arguing with her partner and allegedly hitting him, according to witnesses onboard.

But when a couple sitting behind asked the woman to stop and leave her partner alone, she began shouting at them, video shows. Her partner joined in and the pair argued against the other couple together, witnesses said.

'You take it out on him, and I'll take it out on your bird,' the woman threatened the man who had asked her to stop arguing with her partner.

'So go on then, say it then. Go on then, say it again, say what you were going to say. Nothing.'

A British woman (pictured) launched a furious tirade at a fellow EasyJet passenger (left) and allegedly threatened to smash an air hostess's teeth in on a flight to Turkey before being removed by police officers (right) and banned from flying with the airline for five years

Turkish police officers were seen onboard the flight at the front of the plane, apparently handling the couple's passports and passing them to an EasyJet employee for inspection. The couple were then seen escorted from the flight (right)

Do YOU know the woman on the flight? Email tips@dailymail.com Advertisement

Earlier on in the flight, an air stewardess had asked the couple to calm down and stop arguing.

But the woman 'threated to smash the air hostess's teeth in and sort her out once off the plane,' a passenger, who filmed the incident on April 18, said.

The passenger said that children were left 'screaming in fear' after the incidents.

Turkish police officers were seen onboard the flight at the front of the plane, apparently handling the couple's passports and passing them to an EasyJet employee for inspection.

A final video shows the rowdy pair being escorted down the walkway from the aircraft where they can be faintly heard arguing with the police.

After being escorted by Turkish police from the aircraft, the woman was left with a five-year-ban from Easyjet whilst the man accompanying her was handed a two-year ban.

Speaking today, the passenger who filmed the incidents, said: 'The couple just argued the whole flight. Well she argued, he ignored her and tried to sleep but she kept hitting, slapping and shouting at him.

'Then he started to Argue back with her. An air hostess asked them to calm down and she threatened to smash her teeth in and sort her out once off the plane.

'Then it was quiet for 10-minutes and she started swearing and screaming just none stop.

'The people behind her politely asked her to stop and leave her partner alone because he wasn't doing anything, just sleeping.

Earlier on in the flight, an air stewardess had asked the couple to calm down and stop arguing (right). But the woman (left) 'threated to smash the air hostess's teeth in and sort her out once off the plane,' a passenger, who filmed the incident on April 18, said

The woman had been arguing with her partner during the flight (left). Police officers were later seen onboard the plane (right) before they escorted the couple off

'She went mad and then the partner joined in and they argued against the other couple together and fell back in love for a few minutes.

'They high fived each other and she said 'let's go get arrested in turkey together babes.'

'He had a bottle of whiskey under his seat from duty free but the air hostess didn't know about that.

'They kept asking her to be quiet but she was so aggressive it was clear they were scared of her.

'He had obviously taken some substance because he was constantly sniffing and moving in a way we know drug takers do.

'They just continued like this the whole flight. Anyone who looked their way she screamed f*k off or suck my d*k to.

'Then as we landed we were told we could get up and she started again so we were told to sit down and we all knew we were waiting for the police.

'Kids were screaming in fear because she was so loud!

'The police boarded and took their passports. They continued to argue with the police and were taken to a room in the police station.'
A twisted killer who murdered four people at the end of a dinner party has been granted a parole hearing that could be his first step towards freedom.

The horrific murders at Burgate House, a secluded mansion in Fordingbridge, Hants, on the edge of the New Forest, took place on the evening of September 1, 1986.

George Stephenson, now 70, was given a minimum term of 35-years which expired in September 2021.

He applied for a parole hearing shortly afterwards and his first request has been granted. The hearing will be heard on May 27.

George Stephenson (pictured), was jailed for life in 1987 for massacring the Cleaver family - who had sacked him three weeks earlier

A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: 'We can confirm the parole review of George Stephenson has been referred to the Parole Board by the Secretary of State for Justice and is following standard processes. A hearing is expected to take place at the end of May.

'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.

'A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.

'Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead up to an oral hearing. Evidence from witnesses including probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements are then given at the hearing.

'The prisoner and witnesses are then questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more. Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.'

Stephenson killed retired publisher Joseph Cleaver and his wife Hilda, both 82, and their son Tom, 47, and his wife Wendy, 46, after the family had held a dinner party.

The slaughter, which shocked the nation at the time, would later become known as 'the Fordingbridge mansion massacre'.

The following morning, two maintenance workers arrived to find the property engulfed in smoke.

Five people, including 70 year old live-in nurse Margaret Murphy, had been murdered.

All five were bound and gagged by Stephenson and his two accomplices, brothers John and George Daly.

Stephenson killed retired publisher Joseph Cleaver and his wife Hilda (pictured together), both 82, and their son Tom, 47, and his wife Wendy, 46

Joseph, Hilda, Tom and Margaret were found in an upstairs room. Petrol had been poured over them, and they were set alight while still alive.

Wendy was taken to another bedroom and repeatedly raped before she was strangled to death.

Stephenson, originally from Coventry, has spent more than 34 years in prison since 1987 when he was found guilty of murdering Mr and Mrs Cleaver, their son and Mrs Murphy.

He was also convicted of rape and robbery.

John Daly, who admitted rape and robbery, was found guilty of murdering all five.

George Daly, who had admitted rape and robbery matters from the outset, was found guilty of the manslaughter of Joseph, Hilda and Thomas.

In sentencing, Stephenson was handed six life sentences and John Daly seven. George Daly was given 22 years.

At the time, the judge recommended that Stephenson - who was 36 - should spend at least 25 years in prison before he could bid for release.

But when that term expired in 2001 the then Home Secretary Jack Straw said the crimes were so bad that he upped the minimum time behind bars to 35 years.

In 2008 Stephenson was refused a request to put it back to the original 25 years.

The horrific murder at Burgate House, a secluded mansion in Fordingbridge, Hants, on the edge of the New Forest, took place on the evening of September 1, 1986

After the original trial, Mr Justice Tugendhat described the murders as 'sadistic', adding that three of Stephenson's victims were vulnerable because of their age and disability.

Retired Detective Chief Inspector Keith White, who went on to work for intelligence agencies including MI5, in an interview with ITV News Meridian in 2021, said: 'To have done what he did...for me, he's such a wicked man I don't think he will ever change.'

'When I consider what goes on in the terrorist world there's nothing worse than that,' he added.

'But if you come down to the callous, cold blooded arrangements and preparation that George Stephenson did with regard to this particular crime, there can be nothing worse.

'He was the one who gave the orders, he was the one that told them what to do and where to go.'

Stephenson is currently being held in a maximum security jail.
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Communications have today been lost with the last heroic defenders of Mariupol holed up inside the Azovstal steel works, after Russian forces stormed the complex.

Vadym Boichenko, mayor of the besieged city, said there is 'heavy fighting' ongoing inside the plant today and that he had 'lost contact' with those inside.

There is no way of knowing 'what's going on, whether they are safe or not,' he said.

The grim news came as footage emerged showing Russian forces using what appeared to be lung-crushing thermobaric rockets to bombard Azovstal as tanks and troops moved into the sprawling industrial zone.

Footage released by the so-called Donetsk People's Republic today showed lines of rocket artillery cutting through factories and warehouses that sit in the centre of Mariupol and are the last redoubt of the city's beleaguered defenders.

Russia appears to to be trying to seize Azovstal despite Vladimir Putin announcing last month that he had called off the operation to preserve the lives of his troops.

News that communications have been lost will raise fears for the safety of hundreds of civilians thought to be inside, just days after 100 were rescued during a ceasefire.

Ukraine had been calling for the ceasefire to be extended so that all civilians could be removed, but Russia accused Kyiv's troops of 'taking advantage' of the break in fighting to set up new defensive positions and resumed bombing yesterday.

Rocket artillery pounds the Azovstal steel complex, at the heart of the besieged city of Mariupol, as the exiled mayor says communications have been lost with the last troops holed up inside

Footage showing the bombardment was released today by the so-called Donetsk People's Republic, whose troops are leading attacks on Mariupol alongside regular Russian army units

Azovstal is a huge industrial complex made up of factories, warehouses and underground tunnels where an unknown number of Ukrainian troops are holed up alongside hundreds of civilians

Putin will soon have 'no way back' from nuclear war, propagandist claims Vladimir Putin will soon have 'no way back' but to unleash nuclear weapons on Ukraine, a leading Russian TV war reporter has claimed. Alexander Sladkov advocated dropping an atomic bomb to cause 'a crater the size of several regions' in a 'demonstrative way' to intimidate NATO. Russia has claimed the goal of its military campaign in Ukraine is to 'liberate' it from the control of supposed 'neoNazis' - despite Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky being Jewish and far-right politicians receiving little support in the country. But Sladkov - described as a war reporter and 'propagandist' - told his 730,000 followers the time may be approaching for the 'last resort' due to some 40 countries arming Ukraine with weapons which are being used against the Russians. The Russian president placed Russian nuclear forces on high alert shortly after its invasion of Ukraine began February 24, though the US says it has seen no sign that Putin is preparing to actually use the weapons. And amid increasing Western support to Ukraine, Putin has made thinly veiled threats hinting at a willingness to deploy Russia's tactical nuclear weapons, which Russian military doctrine holds can be used to force an adversary to retreat. 'There is more and more talk about nuclear weapons, and Russia has much to say about it,' Sladkov posted. 'We have a solution for Ukraine. 'There are several, yet we are getting reminded about the last resort - nuclear weapons. If no-one is going to hear us, and 40 countries keep helping the Ukrainian neoNazis, we will have no way back.' Advertisement

Captain Sviatoslav Palamar, deputy commander of the Azov battalion which is defending the plant, said an assault on the steel works began Tuesday afternoon with tanks, armoured vehicles, boats and 'large numbers of infantry' moving in.

'We will do everything possible to repel this assault,' he said in his last video message before communications were cut.

If Azovstal falls then it will mean Russia seizing control over the whole of Mariupol, making it the largest city to be captured by Putin's forces.

It would also provide the Kremlin with a huge propaganda boost ahead of the annual Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, marking the surrender of Nazi Germany.

Kyiv said today that Moscow could be planning to hold a parade inside Mariupol itself, in an attempt to claim some semblance of victory after more than two months of fighting.

Kyiv said an official from Russia's presidential administration had arrived in the port city, which has been largely destroyed in Russia's more than two-month invasion of Ukraine, to oversee plans for the Victory Day parade.

'Mariupol will become a centre of 'celebration',' Ukraine's military intelligence said in a statement on social media.

'The central streets of the city are urgently being cleaned of debris, bodies and unexploded ordnance.

'A large-scale propaganda campaign is under way. Russians will be shown stories about the 'joy' of locals on meeting the occupiers,' it said.

Mariupol mayor Vadym Boichenko later told Ukrainian television there were ongoing 'works' in the city, as if the Russians were preparing for something.

'They are removing signs of the crimes they have committed,' he said.

One such 'crime scene' exists on the site of the Mariupol theatre, a building with bomb shelters underneath that was being used to house hundreds of civilians when it was struck by a Russian bomb.

Investigators from the Associated Press said today that the attack is now though to have killed at least 600 - including children - which is double the initial estimate put out by the Ukrainians.

AP based its estimate on two sets of floor plans of the venue, photographs and video taken inside before, during and after that day, and feedback from experts who reviewed the methodology.

Azovstal (pictured Tuesday) has been surrounded and bombarded by Russian troops for weeks, but defenders are well protected in tunnels underneath the plant and are believed to have supplies to outlast a lengthy siege

It is unclear exactly how many troops are inside Azovstal (pictured Tuesday), though Russia puts the figure at 2,000 soldiers and 500 wounded - some of them critically

The TOS-1 thermobaric launcher is comprised of a tank body with a rack of rockets on top that can be used to bombard an area in order to inflict casualties, destroy defensive positions, and pave the way for a ground assault

Thermobaric rockets work by dispersing and then igniting a cloud of fuel, creating a vaccum that will crush the lungs of anyone unlucky enough to be caught in the explosion - but will also produce a blast wave that is much more powerful and destructive than average rocket artillery

Another mystery fire breaks out in Russia amid speculation of Ukrainian sabotage operations A mysterious fire has broken out in a Russian industrial zone today, amid mounting suspicion Ukraine is targeting Russian infrastructure. The most recent fire broke out east of Moscow, one of a series of suspected incidents of sabotage reported within Russia over the past few weeks. Footage emerged of a large fire in the Dzerzhinsky industrial zone in the Nizhny Novgorod region, deep within the country. Speculation that Ukraine is responsible for the fires has abounded since the 'accidents' began, though Kyiv has not claimed responsibility for the damage. Over a dozen fires in Russia have been reported since the war in Ukraine broke out, with the amount of incidents increasing over the past few weeks as Russia loses ground in Western Ukraine. Advertisement

The investigation also refutes Russian claims that the theatre was demolished by Ukrainian forces or served as a Ukrainian military base because none of the witnesses saw Ukrainian soldiers operating inside the building.

It likely makes the Mariupol bombing the single-deadliest attack on civilians of the entire war - which was carried out despite the word 'children' being painted in Russian in huge letters outside the building, to warn soldiers that innocent people were taking shelter there.

Freed up from fighting in the city, Russian troops could then move north to join the battle for Donbas - widely viewed as pivotal to the outcome of the war.

As fighting raged in Mariupol, Russian forces pounded targets elsewhere in Ukraine, targeting train lines used to bring foreign weapons into the west of the country while also stepping up attacks on the eastern front.

The Russian military said Wednesday it used sea- and air-launched precision guided electrical substations at five rail stations, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

While the Russian attacks were across a wide swath of Ukraine, some were concentrated in and around Lviv, the western city close to the Polish border that has been a gateway for NATO-supplied weapons.

Explosions were heard late Tuesday in the city, which has seen only sporadic attacks during the war and has become a haven for civilians fleeing the fighting elsewhere.

The mayor said the strikes damaged three power substations, knocking out electricity in parts of the city and disrupting the water supply. Two people were hurt.

The attacks on rail infrastructure were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said, while his boss, Minister Sergei Shoigu, told top military brass that the West was 'stuffing Ukraine with weapons.'

Western weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces blunt Russia's initial offensive and seems certain to play a central role in the battle for the Donbas, which Moscow now says is its focus following its failure to take Kyiv in the early weeks of the war.

Ukraine has urged the West to ramp up the supply of weapons ahead of that potentially decisive battle.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which had been slow at first to help arm Ukraine, said Wednesday his government is considering supplying Ukraine with howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment.

A satellite image taken of the Azovstal steel works on Tuesday shows heavy damage to some of the plant's main building, which sit above an underground network of tunnels

Smoke rises from part of the Azovstal complex in this satellite image taken on Tuesday, when Russian forces were carrying out a heavy bombardment of the area

Heavily damaged factory buildings (bottom) are seen next to buildings that have only medium levels of damage (top) inside the Azovstal steel works in satellite images taken on Tuesday

Russia surrounded the Azovstal complex weeks ago and has been bombarding it ever since, except for a short pause last week when around 100 civilians were able to evacuate - with hundreds still thought to be in there

Survivors of steelwork hell humiliated by Vladimir Putin's troops Refugees from Mariupol were subjected to a humiliating interrogation by Russian troops before they were finally freed from the steelworks where they had been hiding for two months. Exhausted survivors told the Daily Mail they were called Ukrainian scum, had their underwear checked and were forced to give their fingerprints at a Russian checkpoint before they were allowed to board Red Cross buses. Dozens of refugees arriving at a UN aid centre in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia yesterday also gave horrifying accounts of their time cowering in bunkers at the Azovstal steelworks. Tonight, there were fears for hundreds of civilians still trapped at the Soviet-era site as Russian bombs rained down in a relentless barrage. Around 156 survivors were rescued in a mercy mission at the weekend after the Red Cross managed to secure a ceasefire. But it emerged that part of the deal with the Kremlin meant the evacuees had to be screened by brutish Russian soldiers at the occupied town of Bezimenne, 30 miles east from Mariupol, before they were released back into Ukrainian-held territory. Advertisement

Ukrainian authorities, meanwhile, said attacks in the eastern Donbas region left 21 civilians dead.

The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which lies in the Donbas, said Tuesday was the deadliest day for civilians in his region since April 8, when a missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk killed at least 59 people.

Russia has deployed a significant number of troops in the region and appears to be trying to advance in the north, as they try to cut Ukrainian forces off, according to an assessment from the British Defense Ministry.

However, Moscow's push has been slow as Ukrainian fighters dig in and use long-range weapons to target the Russians.

In addition to supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe and the United States have sought to punish Moscow with sanctions.

The EU's top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to ban Russian oil imports.

'We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets,' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The proposals need unanimous approval from EU countries and are likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they won't take part in any oil sanctions, but von der Leyen didn't elaborate on whether they would receive an exemption, which appears likely.

Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.

But Hungary warned that it could not support the proposed EU ban on Russian oil in its current form as it would 'completely destroy' its energy supply security.

The proposal 'cannot be responsibly supported in this form, we cannot responsibly vote for it,' said Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in a video message posted on his Facebook page.

'This sanctions package would completely destroy the security of Hungary's energy supply,' he said.

The EU proposal would ban Russian crude gradually over the next six months and refined fuels by the end of this year, but Hungary and Slovakia - both highly depending on Moscow's oil exports - would get until the end of 2023.

Parents who were evacuated from the Azovstal steel works shortly before Russia began its attack embrace with their young child after being evacuated during a ceasefire last week

A woman with an injured are is taken off a bus transporting evacuees from the Azovstal steel works to Zaporizhzhia, a Ukrainian-controlled city some 125 miles to the north

People tearfully embrace at a reception centre for refugees evacuated from the Azovstal steel works in Mariupol, who were brought out during a ceasefire last week just before Russia attacked

A tearful reunion takes place between evacuees of the Azovstal steel plant as they arrive in the city of Zaporizhzhia

'The delivery of crude oil from Russia to Europe would be banned, with a short deadline, in the case of Hungary from the end of next year,' Szijjarto said.

Ambassadors from the 27 European Union countries met on Wednesday to assess the plan, which will need unanimous approval before going into effect.

Szijjarto said Budapest would back the proposal if crude oil delivered via pipelines was exempted from the EU's ban.

'This is not a question of lack of political will, or of intention or timing, but simply this is the physical, geographical, and infrastructural reality,' he said.

According to the government, 65 percent of Hungary's oil and 85 percent of its gas supplies come from Russia.

Hungary has long ruled out supporting any import ban with Prime Minister Viktor Orban - who has cultivated close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent years - citing the central European country's dependency on Russian gas and oil.

'We don't see any plan or guarantee on how even a transition could be managed on the basis of the current proposals, and what would guarantee Hungary's energy security,' the Hungarian government's press office said in a statement sent to AFP earlier Wednesday.

Putin puts the finishing touches to his embarrassingly downsized Victory Day parade as fighters fly in a 'Z' formation over Moscow

Fighter jets in a 'Z' formation ripped through the skies over Moscow today as Russia puts the final preparations on its Victory Day parade - an annual show of strength that Putin will use to drum up support for the war in Ukraine.

Eight MiG-29 jets formed the Z, a symbol that is now synonymous with the war and which is expected to conclude the fly-past on May 9, marking the day the Nazis surrendered to the Soviets at the end of World War Two.

They were joined by an Ilyushin Il-80 - a modified passenger jet known as Putin's 'doomsday plane' because it is where he will rule the country from in the event of nuclear Armageddon - which has not featured in past parades.

Despite the addition of the doomsday jet, the Victory Day parade is set to be markedly smaller than in previous years because Russia has committed - and lost - so many of its military vehicles fighting in Ukraine.

Eight MiG-29 fighters form up into the shape of a 'Z' - a symbol that has become synonymous with Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine - as they take part in a rehearsal fly-past for the Victory Day parade due to take place on May 9

An Ilyushin Il-80 jet - a Soviet-era passenger plane modified as a government control centre - flies over the Kremlin. The plane is known as Putin's 'doomsday jet' because it would allow him to remain in charge in the event of a nuclear attack

Su-25 bombers - trailing smoke in the colours of the Russian flag - are pictured flying over the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a short distance from the Red Square in Moscow

Three MiG-31 fighter jets take part in rehearsals for the Victory Day parade and are photographed against the spire of the Kremlin's Clock tower, in Moscow

Russian MiG-29 jets of Swifts display team are joined by Su-30SM jet of the Russian Knights display team as they fly in formation above the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin in downtown Moscow

A Tupolev Tu-95 nuclear-capable bomber is accompanied by Su-35S fighters as it takes part in a rehearsal fly-past in Moscow today, in preparation for the May 9 Victory Day parade

A Tupolev Tu-22 bomber is pictured between the spires of the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin in central Moscow, just a short distance from the Red Square outside the Kremlin

The aerial display will feature just three Ka-52 and Mi-28 helicopters - compared to five each in 2020 and 2021 - because they are providing the mainstay of Russian helicopter forces in Ukraine.

In the case of the Ka-52, a large number have also been shot down with open-source analyst Oliver Alexander estimating that Russia has lost 10 per cent of its total fleet.

The aerial display will also not feature any combat-ready Su-30 or Su-34 jets, because they are also in use in Ukraine with many Su-34s having been shot from the skies.

Instead, the display will be bulked up with older Su and MiG models. It will also feature a formation of Soviet-era Tu-22M jets that did not take part in the 2021 display.

The additional aircraft mean the air display will actually be slightly larger than in previous years, with 77 jet as opposed to 76 in 2021 and 75 in 2020 - however, the ground element of the parade will be noticeably smaller.

Just 131 vehicles will parade past the Kremlin, a third fewer than the 197 vehicles that took part in 2021 and a little less than half the 234 that featured in 2020.

Most notably, the parade will feature far fewer combat-ready systems than it did in previous years - particularly when it comes to rocket artillery and tanks, both of which have taken heavy losses in Ukraine.

Rosgvardia units - known as Putin's personal army - will also be reduced in this year's parade, having been heavily used in early stages of the fighting and having suffered crippling losses.

Most of the parade will instead be made up of Russia's next-generation weaponry that it has spent years developing and equipping with the latest technology, but which it has never produced in large-enough numbers to put into battle across its western border.

Russian MiG-31 fighter jets fly in formation above the Bolshoi Theatre (left), followed by four Sukhoi Su-24 fighters (right) which are pictured behind the Kremlin clock tower

A MiG-31 fighter jet (left) and an Il-78 air tanker (right) carry out a simulated mid-air refueling of a Tu-160 supersonic nuclear bomber above the State Historical Museum in Moscow, in preparation for the Victory Day parade

Three MiG-31 fighters and an Il-78 air tanker are seen simulating the refuelling of a Tu-160 strategic bomber against he backdrop of the Cathedral of the Annunciation inside the Kremlin, Moscow

Three Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft are seen flying above the spires of the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Moscow, while taking part in rehearsals for a May 9 aerial display

Su-25 bombers trail the colours of the Russian flag as the pass over the Kremlin Wall in Moscow during Victory Day parade rehearsals ahead of the main event, which will take place on May 9

A Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bomber - which is capable of carrying nukes - flies in formation alongside Su-35S fighters during Victory Day parade rehearsals in Moscow today

Russia has long-marked the day Hitler's Germany surrendered with solemn events, but in recent years Putin has turned the day into a tub-thumping shows of nationalistic pride designed to project an image of strength to Russians, their allies and their enemies alike.

But as the war in Ukraine has faltered that mask has started to slip, leading some observers to predict that Putin may resort to a provocation to achieve a semblance of victory - such as declaring the city of Kherson to be independent - or to ramp up his rhetoric by openly declaring war.

Though Russia's attack on Ukraine is widely viewed as a war, Putin has described it as a 'special military operation' to his own people. Officially declaring war would allow the Kremlin to take measures such as a general mobilisation of the population into the armed forces, which would be difficult to justify for a 'special operation'.

Dmitry Peskov, Putin's official spokesman, denied any such plans today - saying there is 'no chance' of it happening. But that will do little to quell fears, as Peskov also routinely predicted there would be no war in Ukraine right before Putin ordered his troops in.

The May 9 Victory Day is one of Russia's most important national events - a remembrance of the enormous Soviet sacrifice made in defeating Nazi Germany in what is known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War.

An estimated 27 million Soviet citizens were killed in the 1941-45 war which left the Soviet Union devastated and almost every Soviet family mourning.

Putin has used previous Victory Day speeches to needle the West and showcase the firepower of Russia's post-Soviet armed forces.

Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands of people, displaced millions more and raised fears of the most serious confrontation between Russia and the United States since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

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.
Britain today cut off Russia's access to UK accountancy firms and sanctioned those behind Vladimir Putin's disinformation campaign.

In the latest punitive action against Moscow, as Russia's brutal assault on Ukraine entered a 70th day, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announced a ban on UK services exports to Russia.

It means Russian businesses can no longer benefit from Britain's accountancy, management consultancy, or PR services.

These are estimated to account for 10 per cent of Russian imports in these sectors.

Ms Truss said: 'Doing business with Putin's regime is morally bankrupt and helps fund a war machine that is causing untold suffering across Ukraine.

'Cutting Russia's access to British services will put more pressure on the Kremlin and ultimately help ensure Putin fails in Ukraine.'

The Foreign Secretary also took the number of UK sanctions against individuals and organisations to above 1,600 as she unveiled a slew of new asset freezes and travel bans.

Many of the 63 new sanctions unveiled today have been targeted at Russian media organisations.

It follows this week's publication of UK-funded research that exposed the Kremlin troll factory behind Russia's large-scale disinformation campaign.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has taken the number of UK sanctions against individuals and organisations to above 1,600 as she unveiled a slew of new asset freezes and travel bans

The latest punitive action against Moscow comes as Vladimir Putin's brutal assault on Ukraine entered a 70th day

Many of the 63 new sanctions announced by the UK today have been targeted at Russian media organisations behind the Kremlin's disinformation campaign

The Government said the action was being bolstered by new legislation that compels social media and internet companies to block content from RT and Sputnik.

The media outlets are known as two of Russia's major sources of disinformation.

Chris Philp, the minister for tech and digital economy, said: 'For too long RT and Sputnik have churned out dangerous nonsense dressed up as serious news to justify Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

'These outlets have already been booted off the airwaves in Britain and we've barred anyone from doing business with them.

'Now we've moved to pull the plug on their websites, social media accounts and apps to further stop the spread of their lies.'

Individuals at Channel One, a major state-owned media outlet in Russia that has justified the Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a 'special military operation', are among those sanctioned today.

Punitive measures have also been taken against prominent Russian journalists and war correspondents, the state-owned AllRussia State Television and Radio Broadcasting company, the InfoRos news aganecy, the SouthFront disinformation website, and the Strategic Culture Foundation online journal.

Those sanctioned have been found to have attempted to justify Mr Putin's invasion of Ukraine or spread disinformation about the Kremlin's activities, including the role of Russian forces in the slaughter of civilians at Bucha.
Brazilian officials believe they may have stumbled upon the oldest living person in the world after doctors treated a 121-year-old woman at her home.

The shocking discovery was made when a mobile medical team was dispatched to the Bom Jesus da Lapa residence of Maria Gomes dos Reis.

Gomes dos Reis was born June 16, 1900 in the Bom Jesus da Lapa village of Bela Vista, according to her birth certificate. Incredibly, she is still residing in her tiny home town, according to Brazilian news outlet G1.

All of her children have died and she now lives with her granddaughter Celia Gomes.

Officials in the Brazilian city of Bom Jesus da Lapa believe Maria Gomes dos Reis, 121, is the world's oldest living person

The city learned of Maria Gomes dos Reis learned of her age when a mobile medical unit was dispatched to her home in Bom Jesus da Lapa

Maria Gomes dos Reis, of Bom Jesus da Lapa, Brazil was born June 16, 1900. The 121-year-old would have to be confirmed by Guinness World Record as the oldest living person in the world. Currently, French nun Lucile Randon, 119, is the oldest person in the world

Gomes said her grandmother was pretty active until eight years ago, when she was preparing meals, doing laundry and attending mass. She says her life now revolves around 'taking care of her.'

'We know she has advanced age,' Gomes said. 'But knowing that she is the oldest in the world? Even we are amazed.'

Her great granddaughters Vitoria Stefani and Ivanilde Gomes also take turns in helping out with Gomes dos Reis daily needs.

'She is still aware of many things. She talks to us,' Vitoria Gomes said. 'Sometimes she forgets who she is. Now more than often she is not remembering.'

Maria Gomes dos Reis is taken care by her granddaughter, Celia Gomes, as well as 13 great grandchildren and six great great grandchildren

Maria Gomes dos Reis was born June 16, 1900 in the Bom Jesus da Lapa village of Bela Vista, where she amazingly is still residing

In total, Gomes dos Reis has 13 great grandchildren and six great great grandchildren, each of whom have learned valuable lessons from her.

She may well be around to see the family to expand to a fifth generation with the upcoming birth of a child.

'I never lacked anything, and she always said the following phrase, which I take to my life: 'Go study, girl,'' said Ivanilde Gomes, who moved in with when she was six years old. 'If today I managed to graduate, it was thanks to the encouragement I had from my great grandmother.'

Maria Gomes dos Reis has 13 great grandchildren and six great great grandchildren

According to Guinness World Records, the oldest person in the world is 118-year-old French Nun Lucile Randon. She was born February 11, 1904.

She replaced 119-year-old Kane Tanaka, of Japan, on the record-keeping registry following her death on April 19.

To confirm Gomes dos Reis' spot on the list, she or her family would be required to pay 4,000 Brazilian reais, around $800, and provide legal documents proving her age to Guinness.
Up to 500 residents in an outback town have been forced to abandon their burnt down homes as a 'war' erupts between rival family clans.

Authorities are now sending in a taskforce to provide food and shelter to victims of the carnage in Wadeye, 400km southeast of Darwin in the Northern Territory.

Tensions in the remote Aboriginal community escalated in late March and have continued to rise since a 32-year-old man died last week from injuries sustained in a brawl.

While authorities are yet to announce an Emergency Declaration in the town, home to 22 clan groups, a multi-agency response taskforce is now underway.

Authorities are now sending in a taskforce to provide food and shelter to victims of the carnage in Wadeye (pictuerd), 400km southeast of Darwin in the Northern Territory.

In new footage of the chaotic scenes, large groups of men are seen wildly gesturing and yelling at each other in broad daylight.

Vehicles have been set alight and at least 37 homes have been extensively damaged in the community of about 4000.

Each home is said to usually house 10 people meaning hundreds of residents are currently homeless and without basic humanitarian needs.

A spokesman for NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the government would be coordinating efforts to ensure people had access to the essentials.

The cross-government response to carnage will provide impacted residents with food and supplies as well as sanitation, shelter, bedding, clothing and fuel.

'All services operating in Wadeye have come together to provide as much support as they can with staff working extraordinary hours to assist people impacted by the unrest,' a spokesman said.

A spokesman for NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the government would be coordinating efforts to ensure people had access to the essentials

The Chief Minister's department said at least 80 homes had been damaged and 37 destroyed and couldn't provide a timeline for inevitable repairs.

'Access to essential services and community wellbeing is the priority at this stage,' the spokesman said, adding an on-ground assessment would be required.

The Northern Land Council (NLC) have also pledged $100,000 to provide temporary accomodation, food and personal hygiene products.

Since February, NT Police have been making their presence known in Wadeye however it is unclear if patrols are deterring residents from violence.

NT Labor Senator Malarndirri McCarthy issued a statement on Wednesday saying women and children had been forced to flee into nearby bushland.

In new footage of the chaotic scenes in Wadeye, large groups of men are seen wildly gesturing and yelling at each other in broad daylight (pictured)

'(They need) shelter, food, sanitation, and medication,' Ms McCarthy said.

'It's unacceptable what is taking place in Wadeye, in terms of hundreds of people being forced out of town and into surrounding homelands and bush camps.'

Police Minister Nichole Manison visited the town on Tuesday at the behest of concerned senior community members and Traditional Owner, NTNews reports.

The minister spent time speaking with community leaders, public servants and officers who were experiencing the unrest first-hand.

Police are evacuating vulnerable Indigenous Northern Territorians from remote community Wadeye (pictured) amid an ongoing violent feud between rival families

It comes as video of the scenes shows more than a dozen people smashing the windows and walls of a building during the night as onlookers yell and scream.

Residents say the argument has turned into a full-scale conflict, with members of the warring families walking down streets carrying 'machetes and Bowie knives'.

'It's a full on war,' one local previously told NT News.

'Since that lad was killed its all picking up, it's all revenge.'

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, said there have been riots every night since February, including one during which six cars exploded after being set alight.

There have also been reports of people being injured with cross bows and axes as well as cars being run off the road.

Superintendent Bradley Fox said 'police have responded to numerous instances of violence within the community recently'.

'It is believed historical tensions between local families are the cause of the unrest,' he said on Wednesday.

Thamarrurr Development Corporation chief executive Scott McIntyre said residents have been living in fear and are unable to access vital services - including health centres, schools and aged care centres - due to the violence.

Footage posted online shows more than a dozen people smashing up a building in the community at night time

'People are scared. People are feeling unsafe. People are literally at their wit's end because they can't sleep,' Mr McIntyre said.

'People are walking around the streets with machetes and Bowie knives  and it's unclear if the police are removing the weapons.'

Territory Families and Urban Housing Minister Kate Worden said the destruction of homes was extremely disappointing.

'Not just for us as the asset managers but also for the community,' she said.

'It's really devastating for the families that are in those homes.'

An estimated 10 people live in each home in remote NT communities, with Mr McIntyre estimating between 400-500 people could now be homeless.

He said the exodus has sparked supply shortages and overcrowding issues as displaced residents flee to neighbouring communities.

'We ran out of fuel for a couple of days because there's just a massive run on fuel from people trying to get out of town,' he said.

Thamarrurr Development Corporation chief executive Scott McIntyre said the situation has sparked supply shortages as members of the community flee to neighbouring towns

Superintendent Bradley Fox said 'police have responded to numerous instances of violence within the community recently'

'People are taking their blankets out to the bush, people are heading out to Country and homelands.'

Minister for Territory Development Eva Lawler said historic issues were behind the violence.

'The large number of different language groups, a large number of clans were brought together into that community and there is conflict,' she said.

Police are working to move at-risk community members out of the area and mediate a settlement with Elders to bring the unrest to an end.

Wadeye resident Ezekiel Narndu, 18, was charged with manslaughter last Wednesday over the man's death.

His alleged victim sustained serious head injuries in a fight on April 16 and later died in Royal Darwin Hospital, triggering more violence.

Two other men were also injured.

Narndu has since appeared in the Darwin Local Court and his case was adjourned to Thursday when the teen is likely to apply for bail.
President Biden's 'Doomsday Plane,' Air Force One's little-known sister aircraft designed to withstand nuclear apocalypse, was spotted being prepped for action with a refueling drill over southern California.

Just this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin's own 'Doomsday' plane was seen flying around the outskirts of Moscow. The Russian leader placed his nuclear forces on high alert shortly after invading Ukraine, and officials worry he will resort to atomic weapons after staunch Western support has made Ukraine a more formidable opponent than he expected.

Russian officials have insisted the aircraft will be showcased with a low flypast at Monday's annual Victory Day parade on Red Square, and is involved in 'rehearsals' for the display.

Test pilots and personnel from the 418th Flight Test Squadron, out of Edwards Air Force Base, California, refueled the E-4B Nightwatch in April, though photos have just been released.

The E-4B is outfitted as a complete command center for the president and his top officials including the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the case of nuclear war or national emergency.

Test pilots and personnel from the 418th Flight Test Squadron, out of Edwards Air Force Base, California, conducted aerial refueling testing

The planes can also be refueled in the air and have remained airborne and operational for as long as 35.4 hours in one stint

U.S. Strategic Command senior leaders pose for a photo in front of an E-4B Nightwatch

An Air Force E-4B National Airborne Operations Center aircraft sits at the international airport in Bogota,Colombia

The Air Force has four specially outfitted Boeing 747s, valued at around $223 million each. The aircraft have been around since the Cold War era of the 1970s.

The craft carry special equipment and have the capability to communicate with anyone, anywhere in the world, and support analysts and strategists in-flight.

The planes can also be refueled in the air and have remained airborne and operational for as long as 35.4 hours in one stint, though they are designed to be able to remain in the air for up to one week.

The design of the plane is meant to survive an electromagnetic pulse with all the systems intact, even down to the fact that they still use traditional analog flight instruments because they are less vulnerable.

The planes are equipped with special equipment, including a 5-mile-long trailing antenna that ensures the president can remain in contact with a nuclear submarine fleet even if ground command centers are destroyed.

When the president is in the U.S., at least one E-4B remains at the ready, engines, running, all hours of the day at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska in case of emergency.

A Doomsday plane, known by crew as 'Air Force One when it counts,' regularly travels with or near the president, especially on overseas trips.

Last week Putin made a chilling veiled threat to go nuclear if the West 'interferes' in Ukraine.

'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, addressing legislators in St. Petersburg.

'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.'

Though Putin did not mention nuclear weapons directly, he was almost certainly referring to 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.

Meanwhile, fighter jets in a 'Z' formation ripped through the skies over Moscow Wednesday as Russia puts the final preparations on its Victory Day parade - an annual show of strength that Putin will use to drum up support for the war in Ukraine.

Eight MiG-29 jets formed the Z, a symbol that is now synonymous with the war and which is expected to conclude the fly-past on May 9, marking the day the Nazis surrendered to the Soviets at the end of World War Two.

A Russian Ilyushin IL-80 aircraft flies over the Kremlin on May 4

The Ilyushin Il-80, Putin's doomsday plane, has not been featured in recent past Victory Day parades

They were joined by an Ilyushin Il-80, Putin's doomsday plane, which has not featured in past parades.

Despite the addition of the doomsday jet, the Victory Day parade is set to be markedly smaller than in previous years because Russia has committed - and lost - so many of its military vehicles fighting in Ukraine.

Russia has long-marked the day Hitler's Germany surrendered with solemn events, but in recent years Putin has turned the day into a tub-thumping shows of nationalistic pride designed to project an image of strength to Russians, their allies and their enemies alike.

But as the war in Ukraine has faltered that mask has started to slip, leading some observers to predict that Putin may resort to a provocation to achieve a semblance of victory - such as declaring the city of Kherson to be independent - or to ramp up his rhetoric by openly declaring war.

Though Russia's attack on Ukraine is widely viewed as a war, Putin has described it as a 'special military operation' to his own people. Officially declaring war would allow the Kremlin to take measures such as a general mobilisation of the population into the armed forces, which would be difficult to justify for a 'special operation'.

Lt. Col. Mike Moone, a navigator on a E-4B Nightwatch, prepares for takeoff at the Lincoln Airport on Tuesday, April 26

Lt. Col. Robert Melsby prepares to pilot a E-4B Nightwatch at the Lincoln Airport on Tuesday, April 26

Senior Airman Erskine Jones, a member of the 595th Command and Control group, ensures cooling and heating systems are functioning properly for all the communication assets aboard the E-4B "Nightwatch" aircraft during a media day/orientation flight for local, trade, and national media at Lincoln Airport, NE on April 26

Dmitry Peskov, Putin's official spokesman, denied any such plans today - saying there is 'no chance' of it happening. But that will do little to quell fears, as Peskov also routinely predicted there would be no war in Ukraine right before Putin ordered his troops in.

The May 9 Victory Day is one of Russia's most important national events - a remembrance of the enormous Soviet sacrifice made in defeating Nazi Germany in what is known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War.

An estimated 27 million Soviet citizens were killed in the 1941-45 war which left the Soviet Union devastated and almost every Soviet family mourning.
A married couple have been charged with murder over the suspicious disappearance of teenage mother Amber Haigh almost 20 years ago.

The charges come just days after the reward for information about the cold case was raised increased from $100,000 to $1million.

Robert and Anne Geeves, both aged 61, were arrested at a property in the south-west NSW town of Harden at about 7.30am on Wednesday, following a public appeal.

Ms Haigh lived with the Geeves' at the time of her disappearance.

Amber Haigh (pictured holding her son) has not been seen in almost 20 years and is presumed dead

Robert and Anne Geeves, both aged 61, were arrested at a property in the south-west NSW town of Harden at about 7.30am on Wednesday (pictured), following a public appeal in the cold case.

Mr Geeves was also charged with aggravated sexual assault of a victim with serious intellectual disability, NSW Police said in a statement.

Both he and his wife were refused bail and will face court in Cowra on Thursday.

Ms Haigh was reported missing on June 19, 2002 after failing to return to her home at Kingsvale, a town in the South West Slopes, where she and her six-month-old son had been living with a married couple.

Police were told the couple dropped the young mother at Campbelltown station on June 5 and she intended to travel by train to Mt Druitt in western Sydney to visit her sick father in hospital.

Later that night, money was withdrawn from her bank account at a Campbelltown ATM.

Anne Geeves (pictured) has been charged with the murder of a missing teenage mum

The couple reported Ms Haigh missing two weeks later after she failed to return home.

Police subsequently conducted extensive investigations into the young woman's disappearance, making numerous appeals to the public and issuing rewards for information.

However, Ms Haigh was never found.

A coronial inquest in 2011 found she died as a result of homicide or other misadventure in June 2002.

In 2020, a formal review of the case was conducted under the Homicide Squad's Unsolved Homicide framework and Strike Force Villamar II began a fresh investigation.

NSW Police last week announced the reward for information about the cold case had been increased from $100,000 to $1million.

'Last week, investigators travelled to the Riverina and conducted a large number of inquiries and interviewed a large number of people,' Superintendent Danny Doherty said on Wednesday.

Detectives seized a white Suzuki Sierra for forensic examination in Thurgoona in southern NSW last week before arresting the man and woman in Harden this week.

A video message from Ms Haigh's heartbroken mother Rosalind Wright and sister Melissa Millar-Hodder was also released.

Robert Geeves (pictured) was arrested on Wednesday and later charged with murder

'I know in my heart that she would never have left her son,' Ms Wright said in the video.

'Amber, she had a kind, warm, loving soul. She would help anyone in any way,' Ms Millar-Hodder said.

She said the family felt 'incomplete and lost' not knowing what had happened to her sister.

'Not able to lay her to rest, not able to pick up the phone or give her hugs one last time; that has been taken away from us.'
Boris Johnson today batted away calls for a windfall tax on energy firms to help fund a fresh cost-of-living bailout.

The PM said encouraging companies to invest more in the UK was a better option than 'clobbering' them.

The comments came despite BP unveiling huge profits yesterday and chief executive Bernard Looney admitting that a levy would not change any of its investment plans.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak set hares running on the prospect of a windfall tax recently when he insisted the idea - strongly backed by Labour - was not 'off the table'.

But asked about the company's investment commitments during a local election campaign visit to Eastleigh, Mr Johnson said: 'They don't want a windfall tax and there's a good reason for that, and that is because it would stop investment in new technology and in new green power that we need.

'The problem we have got is that  this is an incredible country, incredible economy, fifth biggest in the world, but we're mainlining energy from France. It's insane.

'We haven't invested enough in our own domestic energy and we need these big energy companies to step up to the plate and put their money into sustainable solutions, more green energy and to help keep costs down.

'That is a much, much better solution than clobbering them and dissuading them, stopping them from making that investment. We need those companies to be investing now in the power supply that is going to keep costs down.'



Boris Johnson (pictured at Southampton airport today) said encouraging energy companies to invest more in the UK was a better option than 'clobbering' them

The comments came despite BP unveiling huge profits yesterday and chief executive Bernard Looney admitting that a levy would not change any of its investment plans

BP pledged to spend 18billion in Britain over the next eight years yesterday as it looked to counter calls for a one-off windfall tax.

The company posted a record 5billion in underlying profit for the first three months this year, far ahead of analyst expectations of 3.6billion, and its best quarterly performance for 14 years.

The firm also announced it would hand 2billion back to investors in the form of a new share buyback  a significant boost to the nation's pension funds.

The spending plans include money for North Sea oil and gas as well investments in wind power and electric car charging points.

Mr Looney said: 'We're backing Britain. It's been our home for over 110 years, and we've been investing in North Sea oil and gas for more than 50 years.'

He added: 'Our plans go beyond just infrastructure  they see us supporting the economy and skills and jobs in the communities where we operate. We are all in.'

Asked by The Times what investments might be cancelled if there was a windfall tax, Mr Looney said: 'There are none that we wouldn't do.'

BP also said it expected to pay 1billion in taxes for its 2022 North Sea profits, on top of around 250million that it has paid annually in other taxes in the UK in recent years.

Keir Starmer has insisted BP's bumper profits 'reinforce the case' for a levy.

BP's numbers were boosted by high oil and gas prices over the period, with Brent Crude rising from $78 per barrel at the start of January to $107 per barrel by the end of March.

As a result of a surge in the prices, the company's oil and gas trading division was a stand-out performer, generating a whopping 1.3billion profit over the quarter.

While BP posted its best underlying profit since 2008, once the 20billion cost of abandoning its 19.75 per cent stake in Russian oil producer Rosneft following the invasion of Ukraine was taken into account, it made a quarterly loss of 16.3billion, the biggest in its history.
Alex Davies arrives at Winchester Crown Court last month where the 27-year-old, from Swansea, is charged with membership of a banned terrorist organisation

The co-founder of a neo-Nazi group who is accused of being a member after it was banned has told a court he set up the organisation with the aim of creating a 'white Britain'.

Alex Davies, 27, is on trial accused of being a member of the proscribed organisation National Action (NA), after it was banned on December 16 2016.

Barnaby Jameson QC, prosecuting, has told the trial at Winchester Crown Court that the UK Government banned the group after it had 'terrorised' towns across the country with its call for an 'all-out race war'.

Following the ban, Davies set up a 'continuity' group, NS131, which stood for National Socialist Anti-Capitalist Action and which itself was later banned by the Government, Mr Jameson said.

Davies told the court that he denied continuing being a member of NA after the ban, and said he had not attempted to defy it.

He said of the ban: 'I felt it was an unprovoked move, but in some respects, given the provocative nature of the organisation, I understood the thinking behind the proscription.

'I understood why people in the Home Office would be concerned about what National Action was involved in, not so much what it was doing at the time but the trajectory it was on.'

Davies said he had not attempted to challenge the proscription, although others had.

He said: 'I felt it was an opportunity to reassess what we had been doing and to start with a blank slate and come up with ways of doing things that would be more productive.'

During a four-minute video shown in court last month, a man alleged to be Davies is seen briefly in a hoodie flanked by masked men holding banners reading 'Britain is ours - the rest must go' and carrying out 'Sieg Heil' Nazi salutes

Davies said he advised the members of his region of NA not to break the law, and his understanding was the organisation would be 'disbanded' following the ban.

He added that he did not believe he was 'banned from exercising our democratic rights' but only from being a member of NA or promoting it.

Davies told the court that he had previously been involved in several other organisations which included Ukip, the BNP, the Hunt Saboteur Association and British Movement.

He was also a member of Western Spring, which he described as an 'organisation that aims to create white communities'.

Describing himself as a national socialist, he said: 'I view the nation as a family, you can't choose what family you belong to, you can't choose what nation you belong to.'

He added that he believed 'workers should control the means of production, working class working for themselves rather than the greedy bosses'.

Davies said that it was his idea to set up NA in the summer of 2013 before he went to Warwick University to study philosophy.

He said that he left after one year after his link to an NA demonstration in Liverpool was exposed by an undercover reporter for the Sunday Mirror.

Davies said that he set up NA because as a 'national socialist' he was 'politically homeless' after the BNP had 'imploded'.

He said that he did not believe in 'fomenting a race war' because it would 'create harm to my own people'. Davies said the aim of the group was to 'bring young people into nationalism' and to create a 'nationalist Britain which would be a white Britain'.

Davies, from Swansea, denies membership of a proscribed organisation between December 17 2016 and September 27 2017, and the trial at Winchester Crown Court (pictured) continues

He admitted that he posed carrying out a Nazi salute for a photo in the execution chamber at Buchenwald concentration camp in May 2016.

Davies said that he was 'ashamed' of his actions and added: 'It was a disgraceful thing to do where people have died and desecrate their memory, whatever side of the political spectrum they may have fallen on.'

He said that he had not agreed or been involved with Twitter posts put out by NA accounts which 'celebrated' the murder of MP Jo Cox in June 2016.

The defendant said: 'I felt bad that she died, I feel sorry for her kids, I feel sorry for her husband.'

Davies, from Swansea, denies membership of a proscribed organisation between December 17 2016 and September 27 2017. The trial continues.
Half of workers would be tempted to quit and move to a rival company for a four-day work week, new research suggests, with the majority predicting it would boost their mental health and wellbeing.

Recruiters Hays said a survey of more than 9,600 workers showed that two in five believe a four-day week will become a reality in the next few years.

And around 53 per cent of respondents said they would consider moving to a different employer if a four-day week was offered.

It comes as 60 UK companies are set to trial a four-day working week from next month.

Gaelle Blake, of Hays, said: 'We're seeing companies getting more creative in what they can offer prospective staff when trying to recruit in a competitive market.

'However, if employers don't get the basics right such as offering competitive salaries along with flexible and hybrid working, the majority of professionals will look elsewhere to employers who have got the fundamentals right.

'From our experience, there's still only a handful of companies offering a four-day week for example, and while this is an attractive offering, there are lots of other ways for companies to stand out.

Recruiters Hays said a survey of more than 9,600 workers showed that two in five believe a four-day week will become a reality in the next few years. (Pictured: Commuters arriving at London Waterloo in April)

Pressure Drop brewery in Tottenham, North London, is one of the businesses taking part in the trial

'Actions such as having a strong purpose and offering staff the opportunity to take volunteer days is attractive, as is introducing wellbeing days.'

Around 60 companies will take part in a four-day week trial next month organised by a group campaigning for a shorter working week with no loss of pay.

The programme, organised by academics at Oxford, Cambridge and Boston College in the US, will run from June to December, with a range of businesses and charities taking part.

They include the Royal Society of Biology, hipster London brewery Pressure Drop, a Manchester medical devices firm, and a fish and chip shop in Norfolk.

Campaigners say the move will create a better work-life balance and boost productivity, but critics warn it will lead to more stress as employees attempt to squeeze more work into fewer hours, and leave firms with higher costs.

The trial, led by 4 Day Week Global, will see staff members from different organisations completing the usual amount of work, and up to 35 hours each week, but split over four days rather than five.

Platten's fish and chip shop in Wells-next-the-Sea, North Norfolk, is one of the businesses taking part in the four-day working week trial

The Royal Society of Biology will also allow staff to work four days rather than the usual five

Pros and cons of a four-day week Pros: Fewer distractions at work

Longer hours does not mean more output

Increased mental wellbeing and physical health

Parents with children find themselves less stressed out

Lowered carbon footprint Cons: Not all industries can participate

It might widen existing inequalities

The cost risk for employers is expensive

Workers may put in the same hours anyways

Difficult team management Source: Adecco Group Advertisement

The pandemic has seen more employees working from home and adopting more flexible hours instead of the usual nine-to-five, five-day working week.

Joe O'Connor, the chief executive of 4 Day Week Global, said there was no way to 'turn the clock back' to the pre-pandemic world.

'Increasingly, managers and executives are embracing a new model of work which focuses on quality of outputs, not quantity of hours,' he previously told the Guardian.

'Workers have emerged from the pandemic with different expectations around what constitutes a healthy life-work balance.'

Major companies that have tried out a four-day week but are not part of the trial include Unilever, Atom Bank and Panasonic.

Mark Downs, CEO of the Royal Society of Biology, said last month that he decided to take part in the trial to see if the change could help attract staff in an 'incredibly competitive' labour market.

Similar experiments are due to be held in the USA, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, while trials are already being conducted in Spain and Scotland.

Researchers have been arguing that benefits to a four-day week would also see staff return a more efficient work performance for their employers.

Several 'influencer' agencies are already operating a four-day working week, including Engage Hub, whose employees will have either a Wednesday or a Friday off, rotating every eight weeks.

It comes as companies in Japan, a fellow G7 economy, are increasingly switching to four-day weeks to improve the work-life balance for its hard-working employees.

Japanese companies are increasingly switching to four-day weeks to improve the work-life balance for its hard-working employees

The shortened working week encourages staff to take more care of their children or elderly parents, volunteer or pick up new hobbies or interests during the extended weekend.

Major Japanese conglomerate Panasonic became the latest company to offer staff the option of taking a third weekend day off.

The Japanese government said in its most recent economic policy guideline that it is now encouraging companies to offer the optional four-day week.

Panasonic joins Hitachi, global bank Mizuho and Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing Co., in allowing staff to shorten their working week, the Japan Times reported.

Last year, 8.5 per cent of companies in East Asian country were not enforcing a full five-day working week, a survey of 4,000 firms found.
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Amber Heard took the stand to describe her whirlwind romance with Johnny Depp before rampant drug use and alleged domestic abuse soured it.

Heard tearfully told the court that in May 2013 she and Depp were on vacation at a trailer park in Hicksville, California near Joshua Tree where he performed 'cavity search' on her, looking for cocaine after he accused her of flirting with another woman.

'I remember in the trailer he's accusing me of lying about it, I'm trying to calm him down. He turned all that rage onto the trailer itself and started smashing things. He picked up something on the table and threw it into the glass cabinet,' Heard testified.

'He's screaming at me and eventually I go back into the bedroom area, he comes into the bedroom area. He was looking for something. I went into the bathroom and as I come out he asked me where it is, and how long I'd been hiding it. I was like what you talking about.

'(He said) you know what I'm f**king talking about, be honest with me. Where are you hiding it.'

Heard became emotional as she described what happened next.

She said: 'He starts patting me down, he ripped my dress. He's grabbing my breasts, he's touching my thighs, he rips my underwear off and then he proceeds to do a cavity search. He said he was looking for his cocaine, his coke.

Heard cried as she said: 'He just shoved his fingers inside me. I just stood there staring at the stupid light, I didn't know what to do. He twisted his fingers around. I didn't stay stop or anything.'

Amber Heard took the stand to describe her whirlwind romance with Johnny Depp before rampant drug use and alleged domestic abuse soured it

Heard sobs as she described the alleged abuse she suffered at the hands of her ex-husband Johnny Depp

Heard tearfully told the court that in May 2013 she and Depp were on vacation at a trailer park in Hicksville, California near Joshua Tree where he performed 'cavity search,' looking cocaine after he accused her of flirting with another woman

Depp is suing Heard for $50million, claiming she defamed him and ruined his career after a 2018 Washington Post article in which she described herself as a domestic abuse survivor

'I fell head over heels in love with this man,' Heard testified under oath with her blonde locks curled and swept to the side

The argument started because earlier in the night they were sitting around a campfire and a woman next to Heard had taken MDMA and put her head on Heard's shoulder. Heard had taken mushrooms.

Heard said: 'Johnny gets really activated, really upset. She thought he was kidding. We all did.'

The woman said, 'Hey man what are you doing. She giggled and leaned into me more. I knew instantly it wasn't a joke but she didn't. He says it again to her, you think you're touching my f**king girl? That's my f**king girl. He gets louder and louder.

'She kind of started to cry but threw up her hand and Johnny grabbed her wrist and twisted it and pulled her into him. (He said) do you know how many pounds of pressure it takes to break a human wrist. He held her and she looked frozen. She's crying.'

Heard stepped in and talked Depp down and they went back to their trailer.

She said, 'Johnny tells me I hadn't been honest with him about my relationship with this woman.'

Heard told the court that the month of March 2013 was 'really crazy' and was a 'revolving door of accusations' she was having affairs.

She called it an 'almost never-ending fight with breaks in it.'

She said: 'What kept me in it was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I kept waiting for him to get to the point where it's not supportable and he's ready to get sober as (when that happened) it was pure joy.'

Heard told the court that she called Depp's sister Christi who came and helped get him out the house. But as they were driving in their car things took a dark turn.

'He has the window down. At some point he starts howling out the window and (he grabbed) Boo his dog, a slightly chunkier teacup Yorkie. He grabs Boo and holds Boo out the window of the moving car. He's howling like an animal while holding the dog out the window.

'Everyone in the car just froze. No one did anything. I too was torn as to what I should do. I didn't want to do anything to cause him to drop the dog. It's this eerie moment where he's howlingI have a memory of everyone not really reacting to him. No one did anything. I eventually pulled his arms back into the vehicle and got the dog back on the seat.'

'We had this whirlwind romance in these beautiful places, falling in love, not able to show it because the world didn't know about the split between he and his former partner. As a woman, that is troubling. He swore to me they hadn't shared a bed for a year but were protecting the kids by not making it known to the press,' Heard said

Heard began her testimony seated in front of Depp. 'This is the most painful and difficult thing I've gone through. For sure,' she said

Describing the first time Depp allegedly hit her, Heard said, 'I will never forget it. It changed my life.'

'I was sitting on the couch having a normal conversation. He was drinking. I think he was using cocaine because there was a jar - a jar - of cocaine on the table. There's music playing, smoking cigarettes and I ask him about the tattoo he has on his arm.'

Depp had a tattoo on his arm that read 'Wino Forever' for his ex girlfriend Winona Ryder.

Depp had a tattoo on his arm that read 'Wino Forever' for his ex girlfriend Winona Ryder. Heard said she laughed at it and he slapped her

'To me it looked like black marks, I didn't know what it said,' Heard said. 'I said what does it say. He said it says Wino and I thought he was joking and I laughed. He slapped me across the face and I laughed. I laughed because I didn't know what else to do. I thought this must be a joke. Because I didn't know what was going on.'

Heard said she stared at Depp and laughed, thinking he was going to laugh and say it was all a joke.

'You think it's funny bi**h, you think you're a funny bi**h?' Depp said, according to Heard before slapping her again.

'He slapped me again. It wasn't a joke anymore. I stopped laughing. I didn't know what else to do. He slapped me for no reason.'

'Second slap I know he's not kidding,' Heard said. 'It wasn't a joke anymore. I stopped laughing. I didn't know what else to do. He slapped me for no reason.'

She said Depp slapped her one more time, hard.

'I lose my balance. I'm all of a sudden realizing the worst thing has happened to me that could possibly happen to you. I wish so much he was joking. It didn't physically hurt me.'

Heard described the moments immediately after she was slapped.

'I was sitting there on the carpet, looking at this dirty carpet.I just sat there thinking how much time do I have.because god did he just me? No, I didn't want to leave him, to have the man I was in love with leave. I knew it was wrong and I had to leave him and it broke my heard because I didn't want to leave him.

'I wish I could sit here and say I walked out of that house and drew a line and stood up for myself but looking at the dirty carpet trying to will myself to get up and walk out the door. I stood up and looked at him in the eye and looking at him and before I know it he starts crying. I'd never seen an adult man cry.'

She said Depp then began apologizing.

'He's touching my knees, saying I'm sorry baby, I thought I put the f**ker away, I thought I put the monster away. He's on his knees.

'I just remember thinking he was crying, he seemed so sorry but I couldn't forgive him because it means it will happen again. I got up in my car and walked to my car and didn't say anything'

'I was heartbroken. I turned the key and drove home.'

In July 2013 Depp, Heard and his two children, Lily-Rose and Jack, went to his private island in the Bahamas so they could take one last trip on his yacht before he sold it to author JK Rowling

Heard told the court that Depp was drinking but 'didn't want to tell his kids so he was hiding it from them, putting it in coffee cups and drinking it.' Depp and his children are pictured in 2013

Heard said that in 2012 he began accusing her of infidelity and physical violence became more regular.

'He started accusing me, then the punching the walls next to my head - a constant at the time in 2012 when he was drinking. That became him accusing me of cheating. I'd defend myself, I'd say that's crazy.

'They would escalate to the point he'd push me or shove me down and I'd get back up, I'd look him in the eye and he'd ask if I wanted to go again.

'He hit me in the face when I denied having an affair with my ex partner. He said he had proof. I turned to look at him and said you just hit me.'

Heard said she was walking on egg shells and recalled one instance where she was photographed too close to a man for Depp.

'Destroying property and screaming at me - that was the worst. I felt I had to defend myself so he didn't think these things were true.

She said nothing she did could calm Depp down.

'I'd walk away and that would make it worse. He'd grab me by my hair or grab me by my arm. He'd smash things very close to me. Then he'd hit me.

'It started with slapping then repetitive slaps, multiple times in a row.

'Eventually I'd push him off of me or try to push his hands off me.'

In July 2013 Depp, Heard and his two children, Lily-Rose and Jack, went to his private island in the Bahamas so they could take one last trip on his yacht before he sold it to author JK Rowling.

Heard told the court that Depp was drinking but 'didn't want to tell his kids so he was hiding it from them, putting it in coffee cups and drinking it.'

Depp's behavior became erratic and he jumped off the boat in a way that looked 'a little scary.' Heard said that Lily-Rose, who was around 14 at the time, began to have a 'panic attack' and was crying.

Depp asked his daughter to leave the bedroom and began to accuse Heard of 'telling on him and calling him a drunk in front of his kids.'

Heard said: 'I was trying to tell him I was trying to protect you. He was accusing me of making them aware he was drinking again and he slams me up against the side wall of the bedroom by my neck and holds me there for a second and tells me he could f**king kill me and that I was an embarrassment, this whole thing was a joke, I made him feel sick.

'I'll never forget. I'm very, very much in love with this whole family now and he's saying I'm embarrassing to him. That stuck more than I could kill you. The names he was calling me. It hurt, it hurt my feelings.'

Immediately afterwards, Heard and the children got off the boat and went to the island where they called a helicopter to leave.

Heard said: 'We take off. I'm holding Lily-Rose, she's crying. Jack ended up not coming with us at the last minute. I remember being really torn about leaving, I felt bad about leaving. I also felt I'd done something wrong. He was mad at me, I wasn't sure what I'd done.'

The court was shown rambling texts that Depp sent to Heard while she was with Lily-Rose including telling her 'don't call again' and calling her a 'lesbian camp counselor.'

The court in Johnny Depp 's defamation trial against Amber Heard was shown a photo from March 2013 which included a glass of whiskey on a table and lines of cocaine

The court was shown evidence of Johnny Depp passed out after a drug and alcohol binge. Amber Heard snapped the photo

The couple met on the set of the 2011 movie The Rum Diary and Heard spoke of their budding romance.

'I fell head over heels in love with this man,' Heard testified under oath with her blonde locks curled and swept to the side.

'I felt like this man knew me and saw me in a way no-one else had. I felt he understood me, where I came from. I felt when I was around Johnny I felt like the most beautiful person in the whole world. I felt like a million dollars.'

She told how the couple had to be under the radar and date in secret because he was splitting from ex Vanessa Paradis.

Depp and Heard met on the set of the 2011 movie The Rum Diary, turning up on the red carpet together for its London premiere

'We had this whirlwind romance in these beautiful places, falling in love, not able to show it because the world didn't know about the split between he and his former partner. As a woman, that is troubling. He swore to me they hadn't shared a bed for a year but were protecting the kids by not making it known to the press.

'We had to be really under the radar. Johnny pointed out the world would blame me and call me a homewrecker. We were secretly dating. It was beautiful.'

On the set of The Rum Diary the couple shared a kissing scene, where Heard said it went beyond acting.

'We had a kissing scene and it felt real. He really kissed me using his tongue,' she said. 'We just had this, it was a friendship, flirtatious thing. I felt chemistry.

'I felt this other thing that went beyond the pail of my job for sure. Johnny clearly felt that way about me but at the same time we were both in relationships and it's a job and it was intimidating. I remember feeling intimidated and nervous about that. We went our separate ways and I didn't hear from him for a long time.

The couple did not see each other after filming and reconnected years later. They began dating in October 2011.

'There was no contact until Johnny called me on the phone one day, invited me to his home in Beverly Hills. It was out of the blue.'

She said Depp sent her several gifts.

'He sent me a beautiful dress I wore in the movie with a beautiful handwritten note that said happy wrapping. He sent me a few gorgeous, expensive what I can only assume are collectible books. When I was away filming on a different job, he did send me some guitars.'

She said the chemistry that they had was 'hard to explain' and described it as 'an electricity to the room.'

Heard said the relationship got deeper as they went on a press tour in 2011 for The Rum Diary.

'Then we fell in love. We went on this press tour and it was a beautiful and strange time. We're flying from one city to the next, Europe, New York, Los Angeles and we're traveling around talking about this movie and we were falling in love.

'In London he had me sat next to him at dinner and we ended up spending the night together in my hotel room. For the rest of the press tour it was on.'

'That feeling, he'd lavish gifts and expressions of love, say how he never meet a woman like me.'

'He took this foil off this bottle and put it on my ring finger - I'd been with him a few weeks - it felt very intense. We weren't' doing normal life stuff, we were hiding in these places around the world. He had so many homes, my home at the time. It was a bubble, in this little bubble of secrecy and it felt like this warm glow, music, books we loved, poetry we both loved by heart. It felt like a dream. It felt like absolute magic.'

She said the couple wre in a 'bubble' and he's stay with her for days in a row, 'painting me, reading poetry to me, just talking.'

'Then he'd disappear and there would be no way to get in contact with him,' she said. He disappeared at one point and then came back and said he was dealing with some health issue and would I join him in the Bahamas.'

'That's when I learned he had an island. I was in Spain, I rerouted my trip so I could land in Miami instead of LA so I could meet him on the island.

'I noticed he was drinking Becks and tea. Lots of tea. Like lots of tea. I didn't think anything of it, I thought the man really, really loves tea. We had this beautiful less than a week in the Bahamas.'

The couple met on the set of the 2011 movie The Rum Diary and she spoke of their budding romance. On the set of The Rum Diary the couple shared a kissing scene, where Heard said it went beyond acting. 'We had a kissing scene and it felt real. He really kissed me using his tongue,' she said. 'We just had this, it was a friendship, flirtatious thing. I felt chemistry'

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'

Heard began her testimony seated in front of Depp.

'I am here because my ex-husband is suing me for an op-ed I wrote,' Heard said. 'I struggle to find the words to describe how painful it is. This is horrible for me to sit here for weeks and relive everything, hear people that I knew some well, some not, my ex-husband with whom I shared a life speak, about our lives in the way that they have.

Amber Heard took a photo of a bruise on her arm in March 2013

'This is the most painful and difficult thing I've gone through. For sure.'

The actress described humble beginnings being raised in a working class household in Texas. She recalled working at a children's museums, soup kitchens and working with deaf children, and said she 'loved it.'

'I did a small job in Texas where I played a part in a movie. An actor I was playing opposite had an agent visiting from LA. She said she'd heard about me from another part I did.

'No job was too small for me. I put myself out there. She said I heard about you and I'd love to meet you in LA if you're ever out in LA. I said when can I come,' Heard said.

'I used all but $180 to get out there, I landed, I didn't know anyone, I was 17. I went to every audition, every casting, every meeting that I could. I didn't have a car because those were expensive so I took the bus. Before smart phones I had a guide in my bag and a change of tank tops. I went to about 10 auditions a day and changed clothes in the back of the bus I was taking. I hustled from one audition to the other.'

'I got a part in one thing and eventually my roles became bigger. It's been slow progression since then. Tiny parts in bigger movies or larger roles in movies no-one would see and I guess it's kind of like that.'

The A-list trial in Virginia, which started on April 11 and is set to last another three weeks, has so far seen Depp claim he was the victim of domestic abuse in his four days of testimony.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star is suing Heard for $50million, claiming she defamed him and ruined his career after a 2018 Washington Post article in which she described herself as a 'public figure representing domestic abuse', without naming her ex-husband.

Heard is countersuing for $100million, and after three weeks of sitting silently in the courtroom during Depp's testimony, she is on the stand and fought back today.

These photos were previously shown in court from May 2016 of Amber Heard with an apparently bruised cheek

Depp detailed the explosive fight he and Amber Heard had in March 2015 in Australia where the top of his finger was severed when Heard allegedly threw a bottle of vodka at him

Depp is fighting an uphill battle to salvage his reputation after Britain's High Court ruled against him last year when he sued The Sun newspaper for calling him a 'wife beater'.

After weeks of testimony, a judge concluded that the outlet's 2018 article was 'substantially true' and that the father-of-two had attacked Heard a dozen times, causing her to fear for her life on three occasions.

The London court also heard a trove of shocking texts Depp had sent to Avengers star Bettany, vowing: 'Lets burn Amber.'

'Let's drown her before we burn her !!!,' he wrote in November 2013. 'I will f**k her burnt corpse afterwards to make sure she's dead.'

Sources close to Depp say he never contemplated settling or dropping the case and is desperate for a second bite of the cherry in Virginia where the London result will be kept from jurors.

Armed with a battery of highly-paid lawyers he's confident of tipping the balance with additional evidence that didn't feature in the 'wife beater' case.

DailyMail.com has led the world in revealing much of the material over the past two years, from explosive audio recordings to bombshell depositions and police videos.

The cache includes bodycam footage from LAPD officers who visited the ex-couple's LA apartment on the night of the blowout 2016 fight.

Heard claims that her ex-husband assaulted her before smashing up their $1.5 million home  but his lawyers will argue the videos don't show any trace of damage.
Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny fears he is to be sent to a 'torture' prison notorious for sexual violence when his new sentence comes into force.

'Ive heard rumors that Ill be transferred to the high security colony in Melekhovo, where convicts get their fingernails pulled out,' he wrote on his Twitter account.

The strict regime maximum security penal colony at Melekhovo is known for brutal beatings and the rape of male inmates.

Navalny - a leading Vladimir Putin foe who is currently in another less harsh prison - posted: 'My [new] verdict has not yet entered into force, but prisoners from Melekhovo maximum security colony write that they are equipping a "prison in prison" for me there.'

Navalny was convicted for fraud and sentenced to an additional nine years in a maximum security prison in March, after already receiving a sentence of three years and eight months for 'embezzlement', marking almost 13 in total.

Navalny is pictured at his trial offsite court session in the penal colony N2 (IK-2) in Pokrov. He was sentenced to an additional nine years in a maximum security prison in March. Now, he fears he is to be sent to a 'torture' prison notorious for sexual violence

Navalny has said that he wants to replace Putin, and says he would win an election if it was not rigged in the Kremlin leaders favour.

Independent media outlet Mediazona last year revealed allegations of systematic torture and sexual violence at the facility known as correctional colony No. 6.

Former convict Ivan Fomin, then 29, claimed that the governor of the colony, Roman Sahakyan, had forced him to refuse a lawyer with threats.

He was told that if he did not cooperate 'they would rape me, and tie my legs and hands from behind.

Photos show the Melekhovo colony in Vladimir region of Russia. Independent media outlet Mediazona last year revealed allegations of systematic torture and sexual violence at the facility known as correctional colony No 6

The facility is famous for torture and sexual violence. Navalny joked o his Instagram account about having his fingernails pulled out

Former convict Ivan Fomin, then 29, claimed that the governor of the colony, Roman Sahakyan, had forced him to refuse a lawyer with threats. He witnessed another inmate being punched in the stomach and beaten with piping

In his last speech to court, Navalny said the case against him was fabricated

'I would lie down, and they would beat my heels and ass. After that, if I did not confess, they would [rape] me with a [spade] handle, and then put this in my mouth.'

He witnessed another inmate being punched in the stomach and beaten with piping on his heels and bottom.

The prisoner was then sodomised with the piping, which was later forced into his mouth, he said.

Navalnys press secretary Kira Yarmysh said that while torture is used on prisoners in many Russian colonies, this jail is 'a monstrous place even by such insane standards.'

There had been numerous testimonies about the facility, she said.

In March, Navalny - who nearly lost his life when he was poisoned with novichok - was sentenced to nine years of strict regime prison for 'fraud and insulting the court.

The opposition leader has used his legal background to relentlessly exposed alleged corruption in Putins circle, becoming a target of the regime

The judge had been promoted by Vladimir Putin ahead of the sentence.

He is due to be moved to a stricter jail when the new sentence comes into force.

Navalny is seen as the most charismatic Putin foe, and the Russian leader refuses even to mention his name.

A lawyer, the opposition politician has relentlessly exposed alleged corruption in Putins circle.

In his last speech to court, Navalny said the case against him was fabricated.

He spoke out against the war in Ukraine, and vowed to 'continue to fight the authorities', declaring he was afraid of 'neither the FSB, nor chemical weapons, nor Putin.'
A massive brawl broke out at an Arizona High School when more than 30 students and a parent engaged in a fight during a lunch break.

Tucson High School was placed on lockdown for several hours after the violent altercation on Tuesday.

Footage of the incident posted on social media shows the disturbing scene as students punch, kick and blast each other.

The fight began after a parent, wearing a red shirt and jeans, reportedly walked onto campus to confront a group of kids attacking his son. He had received reports that his son, who has special needs, was going to 'get jumped' outside of school.

When he arrived, he found kids attacking the boy's brother who was sticking up for him, a relative told DailyMail.com.

An adult wearing a red shirt and jeans can be seen taking part in the fight and laying on top of a teenager as the older man grabs him by the neck.

Tucson police said that the parent was taken into custody but his name has not been released.

Rosalinda Martinez, the sister of the man, told DailyMail.com that her brother had been released Tuesday night and had only been charged with class disruption.

'The judge had seen all the videos and understood the circumstances and told him they could have done things differently and avoid it all,' Martinez said.

'I'm sure the kids are going to need some kind of counseling. That was too much trauma. One of my nephews had a concussion.'

Authorities believe the fight started when the adult man arrived at the campus during the lunch break. No weapons were used in the fight and no injuries were reported, police said.

Meanwhile, parents' posts on social media alleged that some children were pepper-sprayed before the school entered lockdown and that there was heavy police presence at the school.

When reached out by DailyMail.com, Tucson Police said officers who responded to the scene did not use any type of force including pepper spray.

'If it was used it was not by our department,' TPD Sergeant Richard Gradillas said.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Tucson Unified School District and its safety department for comment.

Footage of a massive brawl at an Arizona high school Tuesday an adult wearing a red shirt taking part in the fight and laying on top of a teenager as the older man grabs him by the neck

Tucson High School was placed on lockdown for several hours after the violent altercation on Tuesday

Footage of the incident posted on social media shows the disturbing scene as students punch, kick and blast each other

Tucson Police assisted campus officers to deescalate the situation

Footage of the fight shows violence unfolding before the eyes of campus officers as efforts to deescalate the situation failed.

At least 30 students took part in the on-campus fight. One of the videos, seemingly posted on social media by a student, shows a man in a red shirt choking a teenager.

The school district addressed the altercation in a statement Tuesday, according to local news station KOLD News13.

'The school is currently in a safety protocol due to an incident on campus. Tucson Police Department and TUSD School Safety immediately responded and will remain on campus for the remainder of the day to ensure there are no additional issues,' it read.

'All students and staff are safe and the campus should return to its regular class schedule within the hour'.

Sistine Arvizu, who claimed to be the mother of a Tucson High student pepper-sprayed in the altercation, said she hadn't been able to reach anyone at the school.

In a statement Tuesday, the Tucson Unified School District addressed the fight

Parents' posts on social media alleged that some children were pepper-sprayed before the school entered lockdown and that there was heavy police presence at the school

Sistine Arvizu, who claimed to be the mother of a Tucson High student pepper-sprayed in the altercation, said she hadn't been able to reach anyone at the schoo

Authorities believe the fight started when the adult man arrived at the campus during the lunch break

At least 30 students took part in the on-campus fight

A mother claimed her daughter, a student at the highschool, was pepper-sprayed

Tucson Police denied using force on the children and confirmed one person was in custody.

'My daughter was not treated by the school nurse or any health official as they advised them to pour milk in their eyes and sent them back to class,' Arvizu alleged.

'The school was on lockdown and I wasn't even able to pick her up to take her to be treated. Thankfully a kind teacher of hers helped her rinse. My daughter is okay now but she said many kids were affected by this.'

Tucson Police denied using force on the children and confirmed one person was in custody.

Sergeant Gradillas said the school district's safety force responded to the scene first but when the situation escalated, Tucson Police officers were sent to assist.

'This incident occurred in a large area of the campus during a busy time of day (lunch hour). The initial information I have indicates that no weapons were brought onto campus by the suspect and no injuries or medical transports have been reported,' Gradillas told DailyMail.com.

'We can confirm no TPD officers used any type of force that including pepper spray, if it was used it was not by our department.'
The Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) enjoyed a year-in-year surge of 144.2 percent in revenue to over 5.15 trillion VND (224.26 million USD) in the first quarter of 2022, completing 28.5 percent of its target for the whole year.

In the first quarter, Vinatex earned a pre-tax profit of 376.7 billion VND (16.4 million USD), equivalent to 173.9 percent of the amount recorded in the same period last year.

Growth was seen in both textile and garment industries. Specifically, the textile industry increased 139 percent, while the garment industry rose 167 percent over the same period last year.

Vinatex General Director Cao Huu Hieu attributed the growth to the good control of COVID-19, enabling businesses to deliver the orders they received from 2021 and accept more orders, along with stable prices of cottons and labour cost.

This year, Vinatex plans to speed up digital transformation to improve its operating efficiency, he said.

Vinatex has completed 63 percent of its yearly target in textile production, while its garment has recovered to the same situation as the pre-pandemic period, said Le Mac Thuan, Vinatexs Deputy General Director.

Vinatexs garment companies in the south have enjoyed revenue growth of 1.2-1.5 times and even 2 times over the same period last year, he said.

He added that foreign partners have returned to Vietnam with big orders.

In the time to come, Vinatex will finalise procedures to invest in two industrial clusters for garment and textile industry in Thanh Hoa and Thai Binh./.

VNA
A man has been stabbed to death in north west London in the capital's third knife killing in just four days.

Scotland Yard said a man in his mid-30s was found with stab injuries on Grove Avenue in Pinner at just before 7am on Wednesday.

Despite the efforts of paramedics and London's Air Ambulance, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A man, believed to be in his 30s, was arrested on suspicion of murder following inquiries and remains in police custody.

It comes after Ibrahim Bah, 34, was knifed to death outside a bar near Greenwich station on Sunday morning. David Johnson, 37, was charged with his murder.

On the same day, another man in his 30s was fatally stabbed near St Paul's Cathedral at around 11.30pm.

Scotland Yard said a man in his mid-30s was found with stab injuries on Grove Avenue in Pinner at just before 7am on Wednesday. Pictured: forensic officers at the scene

Despite the efforts of paramedics and London's Air Ambulance, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Pictured: forensic officers at the cordoned-off scene on Wednesday

A man, believed to be in his 30s, was arrested on suspicion of murder following inquiries and remains in police custody (scene pictured above)

Referring to the latest fatal stabbing, a Met Police spokesman said today: 'A murder investigation was launched after officers were called at 06:58hrs on Wednesday, May 4, to Grove Avenue to reports of a stabbing.

'A man in his mid-30s was found at the location with stab injuries. London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance attended.

'Despite the efforts of paramedics, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are working to inform next of kin. A crime scene remains in place.

'Following enquiries a man, believed aged in his 30s, was arrested on suspicion of murder - he remains in custody.

'Detectives from the Met's Specialist Crime [Homicide] investigate.'

The force is currently working to inform the dead man's next of kin while the crime scene remains in place.

It comes after Ibrahim Bah, 34, was knifed to death outside a bar near Greenwich station on Sunday morning. David Johnson, 37, was charged with his murder. Pictured: Police at the scene on Greenwich High Road three days ago

On the same day, another man in his 30s was fatally stabbed on Gresham Street (pictured above, on Sunday) near St Paul's Cathedral at around 11.30pm

It comes as London Mayor Sadiq Khan continues to face questions over crime rates in the capital, with boxer Amir Khan saying last month that he should 'pull his finger out' after he was mugged of his 72,000 watch in Leyton.

On April 25 at around 1.40am, armed police swooped on a home in Bermondsey, south-east London, and found the bodies of three women and a man.

Dolet Hill, 64, her husband Denton Burke, 58, daughter Tanysha Ofori-Akuffo, 45, and granddaughter Samantha Drummonds, 27, were all found stabbed to death.

And last year, Scotland Yard opened 79 murder investigations involving stabbings, with 27 of these being teenagers.

Any witnesses or anyone with information relating to the latest incident is asked to call police on 101 or contact via Twitter @MetCC, quoting CAD1073/04MAY.
This is the face of a pizza shop owner who murdered his wife and left her in an unmarked grave, telling police 'she'd gone for a run and never came back' and leaving her body undiscovered for nearly seven months.

Nezam Salangy has been convicted of killing his spouse of eight years, Zobaidah Salangy, on March 29, 2020, and then burying her in Worcestershire woodland under the cover of darkness.

The 44-year-old, who maintained his innocence through a six-week trial at Worcester Crown Court and insisted he was being framed, was helped by his younger brothers in getting dumping her body near Bromsgrove.

Nezam Salangy, pictured, was found guilty of murdering his wife and leaving her in an unmarked grave in Worcestershire

He killed his spouse of eight years Zobaidah Salangy, 28, pictured, on March 29 2020. Her body was found in October 2020, bound in curtain wire and wrapped in bin bags with a duvet cover matching pillow cases found in the couple's home

Mohammed Yasin Salangy, 34, and Mohammed Ramin Salangy, 31, were convicted of helping him cover up the rime, with Ramin travelling 90 miles by cab from his and Yasin's home in Adamscroft Place, Cardiff, to do the act.

None of the defendants gave evidence in their defence and the 11 jurors reached their guilty verdicts in just under 14 hours.

Zobaidah had told family she was going jogging during lockdown on 28 March, when the UK had just entered a nation-wide lockdown after the outbreak of Covid-19.

After she failed to return, Salangy, of Talbot Road, Bromsgrove, reported his wife missing to police, telling them 'she had gone out for a run and never come back', after leaving him for a 'new boyfriend', prosecutors said.

Salangy's younger brothers Mohammed Yasin (left) and Mohammed Ramin Salangy (right) were convicted of helping him cover up the crime

After nearly seven months after she went missing, West Mercia Police officers had discovered Zobaidah's body in Copyholt Lane, Bromsgrove on 16 October 2020.

Her body was found just 2.8 miles away, a seven minute drive, from where Salangy lived in Talbot Road.

The pair wed under an arranged marriage in Afghanistan in November 2012, where Zobaidah was a maths teacher, before they moved to the UK in 2013.

The trial heard Zobaidah and Salangy had 'argued bitterly' the day before she disappeared on 28 March 2020.

When her body was found, it had been bound in curtain wire and wrapped in bin bags with a duvet cover which later matched pillow cases found in the couple's home.

Opening the prosecution's case at the start of the six-week trial which ended today, Simon Denison QC said it was an 'unfortunate fact' of the case Mrs Salangy's body was initially missed by police, when a first dig at the site near the Worcestershire village of Lower Bentley took place in April 2020.

As a result of the six-and-a-half month gap between her death and her body being discovered, a cause of death could not be found.

Husband Salangy's pizza shop, Prego Pizza on Austin Road in Bromsgrove (pictured), became part of the crime scene after police found her phone hidden behind other items and wrapped in bubble wrap on a high shelf in the shop

Mr Denison added: 'They mistook a hard layer of soil that they reached to be a natural base below which no-one would dig.

'So they abandoned the search there and they didnt find the body at that stage.'

Police returned to the spot in October 2020, 'convinced' that she must be there, which is when they found her body buried in woodland at the fork of the road between Copyholt Lane and Black Lake Lane in Bromsgrove.

Husband Salangy's pizza shop, Prego Pizza on Austin Road in Bromsgrove, became part of the crime scene after police found her phone hidden behind other items and wrapped in bubble wrap on a high shelf in the shop.

Police returned to the spot in October 2020, 'convinced' that she must be there, which is when they found her body buried in woodland at the fork of the road between Copyholt Lane and Black Lake Lane in Bromsgrove (pictured)

There was also a second device found, which was believed to have been used to arrange to hide her body with his brothers Mohammed Ramin Salangy, 31, and Mohammed Yasin Salangy, 33.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Peters of West Mercia Police said: 'This was a horrendous crime and I am glad to see that Salangy and his brothers will now pay the price for their actions.

'A young woman died and two children are now growing up without both parents.'

Brothers Mohammed Ramin Salangy, 31, and Mohammed Yasin Salangy, 33 are due to be sentenced next month.

None of the men showed any reaction as the verdicts were read, but as he left the dock in the care of security guards, Nezam Salangy stared at several West Mercia Police detectives who had conducted the investigation, telling them 'you guys framed me'.
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British tanks have been pictured in war games action alongside their Nato allies as the UK warned they would come to the aid of Finland and Sweden if they were attacked by Vladimir Putin's forces.

Challenger 2 tanks and troops from the Queen's Royal Hussars worked alongside members of the Finnish Armoured Brigade and American, Latvian and Estonian allies in as the military alliance today flexed its muscles in response to Russian aggression.

The war games, dubbed Exercise Arrow, will see Nato troops work alongside Finnish units to improve joint responses and to improve mechanised units' operational land viability in varied environments.

Service personnel, reservists and conscripts will also be tested on their abilities as the exercise kicked off today and will last until Friday, May 13.

Tens of thousands of Nato and Joint Expeditionary Force troops are expected to be involved in war drills across the continent this summer in the wake of Putin's bloody invasion in Ukraine.

The developments come as Defence Secretary Ben Wallace warned it was 'inconceivable' that the UK would not 'support' the Scandinavian states, which have been threatened by Moscow.

Finland and its neighbour Sweden have expressed a desire to join the military pact since Putin launched his savage invasion of Ukraine in February.

Reuters reported this week that Helsinki will formally announce its bid to join on May 12 with Sweden following suit days later.

4m Challenger 2 tanks and troops from the Queen's Royal Hussars are pictured taking part in the exercise Arrow 22 in Niinisalo, Finland

The 65-tonne third generation weapon systems, which cost on average 4m to construct, were designed to counter the threat of a Cold War Soviet Union

Pictured: Land units pictured taking part in the joint-Nato Arrow 22 war games in Niinisalo, Finland on Wednesday

A Finnish tank is pictured racing across an open area during Arrow 22 operation in Finland. Latvia, the US and Estonia are also taking part in the war games

American soldiers take part in the military exercise Arrow 22 in Niinisalo, Finland on Wednesday May 4, 2022

The war games, dubbed Exercise Arrow, will see Nato troops work alongside Finnish units to improve joint responses and to improve mechanised units' operational land viability in varied environments

Tens of thousands of troops from NATO and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies and partners will be involved in NATO exercises this year

Defence Secretary Bern Wallace said it was 'inconceivable' that the UK would not 'support' the Scandinavian states, which have been threatened by Moscow

Mr Wallace is pictured above meeting with UK personnel who will train alongside Finnish, US, Latvian and Estonian forces in Niinisalo, Finland until May 13

Flanking his Finnish counterpart Antti Kaikkonen on a visit to Finland to see UK troops take part in military exercises, Mr Wallace said stressed that alliances between European countries 'make us safer'.

He told reporters it is 'entirely for the freedom of Finland to choose' whether it wants to become a Nato member, and added he is not going to 'lobby or direct' what it should do.

Mr Wallace said: 'Do I think if Finland didn't join Nato Britain wouldn't come along to help? No. Britain will always be here in the Nordics, to be part of you, to help you, to support you.

'It is inconceivable that Britain would not come to the support of Finland, or Sweden, if it was ever attacked, without any big formal agreement. We are European countries who share the same values, who have deep, long histories.

'A significant number of the British population seem to be descended from Vikings anyhow, so we have that cultural link.

'I cannot conceive a time when we wouldn't come to support Finland and Sweden no matter where they were with the Nato debate or where they are with agreements.'

Finland and Sweden have historically avoided NATO membership, despite close alignment with the West, in an effort not to provoke Russia.

Both have been militarily non-aligned since the Second World War. Sweden had maintained its policy of neutrality - which had begun in the early 19th century - throughout the war wanting to avoid being drawn into a conflict that was engulfing the nearby powers of Germany and the Soviet Union.

Flanking his Finnish counterpart Antti Kaikkonen on a visit to Finland to see UK troops take part in military exercises, Mr Wallace said stressed that alliances between European countries 'make us safer'

Finland and its neighbour Sweden have expressed a desire to join the military pact since Putin launched his savage invasion of Ukraine in February.

Instead, it profited from its neutrality by exporting iron ore to the Nazis and sharing military intelligence with the Allies and training refugee soldiers.

Meanwhile Finland changed sides in the conflict, first being invaded by Joseph Stalin and assisting the Nazis, before fighting against Hitler's troops. It was formerly part of the Russian Empire and won independence during the 1917 Russian revolution.

When NATO was formed in 1949 for a Western military alliance, Sweden decided not to join and continue its neutrality, introducing a security policy that secured its non-alignment in peace and neutrality in war.

In 1994, Stockholm decided to join the NATO programme Partnership for Peace (PfP), aimed to build trust between member states and other European countries, but until now it has not signalled a desire to fully join the alliance.

Finland is also a PfP member but has similarly stated its desire to remain neutral since the war.

Moscow lawmaker Vladimir Dzhabarov recently warned Finland that a formal application would mean 'the destruction of the country', while another Kremlin spokesman Alexander Grushko threatening 'the most undesirable consequences'.

But Putin's invasion has decisively changed public opinion in the Scandinavian countries after Russia began the war with a barrage of rhetoric about stopping Nato expansion.

Russia taunts Finland by flying a military helicopter INTO its airspace as the Nordic country prepares to join NATO to the Kremlins fury

By Adam Solomons for MailOnline

A Russian army helicopter violated Finland's airspace in an apparent attempt to frighten the country as it readies to join NATO.

The military Mi-17 transport chopper flew 2-3 miles inside the Finnish border after 10.30 this morning (7.30am GMT), according to the country's Ministry of Defence.

'The aircraft type is a Mi-17 helicopter and the depth of the suspected violation is about four to five kilometres', a ministry spokesman told AFP.

Finland has accelerated a bid to join the Western defensive alliance since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, stoking fury in the Kremlin.

The army transport vessel flew 2-3 miles into Finnish airspace after 10.30am local time today. Pictured: Afghan Mi-17 transport helicopter pictured in Kabul, 2017

Sweden is set to join as another historically neutral new entrant to NATO.

Public opinion in both countries has swung in favour of joining since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began on February 24.

Putin has promised 'consequences' and said he will move Russian nuclear weapons to the nearby Baltic Sea in retaliation.

A Russian lawmaker warned last month Finland would be asking for 'the destruction of their country'.

Senator Vladimir Dzhabarov said the move is a 'terrible tragedy'.

Russia previously violated Finnish airspace on April 8, the first time this year.

The news came as a Finnish nuclear provider terminated a contract with Russian state energy firm Rosatom for the delivery of a power plant.

Fennovoima warned the war in Ukraine 'has worsened the risks for the project', which was set to generate around 10 per cent of Finland's electricity needs.

A Russian chopper violated Finnish airspace earlier this year, as well as Sweden and Denmark's

Moscow forces have flown into Swedish and Danish airspace in recent days, prompting Denmark's Foreign Minister to summon the Russian Ambassador in Copenhagen.

Jeppe Kofod tweeted on May 1: 'Another Russian violation of Danish airspace. That is completely unacceptable and extremely worrying in the current situation.'

Experts have warned that Finland and Sweden would likely be subjected to Russian acts of interference as they consider whether to join NATO as a deterrent against aggression from their eastern neighbour.

Hostile acts such as cyberattacks are also considered likely.

Why are Sweden and Finland not in NATO? Both Finland and Sweden have been militarily non-aligned since WWII. Sweden maintained its policy of neutrality - which had begun in the early 19th century - throughout the war wanting to avoid being drawn into a conflict that was engulfing the nearby powers of Germany and the Soviet Union. Instead, Sweden profited from its neutrality by exporting iron ore to the Nazis and sharing military intelligence with the Allies and training their refugee soldiers. Meanwhile Finland changed sides in the conflict, first being invaded by Joseph Stalin and assisting the Nazis, before fighting against Hitler's troops. When NATO was formed in 1949 for a Western military alliance, Sweden decided not to join and continue its neutrality, introducing a security policy that secured its non-alignment in peace and neutrality in war. In 1994, Stockholm decided to join the NATO programme Partnership for Peace (PfP), aimed to build trust between member states and other European countries, but until now it has not signalled a desire to fully join the alliance. Finland is also a PfP member but has similarly stated its desire to remain neutral since the war. The EU member state was part of the Russian Empire and won independence during the 1917 Russian revolution but it nearly lost it fighting the Soviet Union in World War Two. Having been invaded by Russia in 1939 and sharing a long border with the superpower, Finland wanted to stay out of future conflicts, giving it the freedom to maintain a strong relationship with Moscow and the West while enjoying a free market economy. Advertisement

A large majority of Finnish MPs and the public are in favour of joining the Atlantic Alliance.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto is set to announce his personal stance on the issue on May 12.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Wednesday that should her country apply, alone or together with neighbouring Sweden, she hopes the application process would be completed 'as fast as possible'.

'If Finland and Sweden would decide to apply for a NATO membership, the key issue is to keep the ratification process as short as possible', she said.

Helsinki is holding talks with key members of the alliance to obtain security guarantees during the application period, which could last several months, Marin told a joint press conference with Nordic leaders in Copenhagen.

According to Finnish media reports, the government's decision could be made in the next few days.

Finland was ruled by Russia for 108 years before declaring independence in 1917.

It fought off a Soviet invasion during World War II before a peace deal saw it cede several border areas to Moscow.

The Nordic nation remained neutral during the Cold War in exchange for Soviet guarantees not to invade.

On the Swedish side, the government and parliament are due to present a security policy review including viewpoints on NATO membership on May 13.

Stockholm is also currently holding consultations with NATO countries, with its foreign minister travelling to the US and Canada this week.

Four Russian fighter jets violated Swedish airspace in early March near Sweden's strategically-located island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea.

And on Friday, a Russian spy plane also crossed the Swedish border near a naval base in the south of the country.

NATO leader Jens Stoltenberg said Finland and Sweden would be 'welcomed with open arms' should they apply.

They could also be given NATO protections in the period between launching their entry bid and having the move ratified by all the alliance's member states.

Mr Stoltenberg said in Brussels last week: '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.

'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.'
A group of House Republicans introduced a bill Tuesday to shut down the 'un-American' newly formed Disinformation Governance Board, which the right is likening to the Orwellian 'Ministry of Truth.'

The bill, led by GOP Louisiana Representative Mike Johnson, would defund the brand new unit just launched under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and headed by so-called Russian misinformation expert Nina Jankowicz.

'Today I led 50 @HouseGOP Members in introducing a bill to defund Biden's 'Ministry of Truth.' The government has no role in determining what constitutes truth or acceptable speech, and this dystopian, unconstitutional board must be dissolved,' Johnson tweeted on Tuesday.

'If Biden won't do it, then we will.'

Some notable lawmakers who signed on with the proposed dissolution of the board are Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik as well as Republican Representatives Andy Biggs of Arizona and Lauren Boebert of Colorado, among dozens others.

Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee also called for the dissolution of the board.

A group of 50 Republicans introduced a bill to defund the new Department of Homeland Security's Disinformation Governance Board, which falls under DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas' (left) purview and is being headed by Russian disinformation 'expert' Nina Jankowicz (right)

The bill to dissolve the board is led by Representative Mike Johnson of Louisiana and includes signatures from dozens of other Republican lawmakers

She sent a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday claiming the new board threatens Americans' First Amendment rights and insisted that the partisan control is specifically chilling to conservative speech.

Critics have dubbed Mayorkas' new board as the 'Ministry of Truth' from George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984 and insist that it was formatted to silence right-leaning voices. In the novel, the ministry was used to propagate information  and essentially was able to make up what was 'truth' in this fictional world and would rewrite history to change facts.

Many Republicans have compared the new board to the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984

Outside the walls of the Minsitry of Truth in the book were three slogans: 'WAR IS PEACE,' 'FREEDOM IS SLAVERY,' and 'IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.'

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the DHS Disinformation Governance Board is 'communism.'

'They don't want you to have it because they don't want you to be able to say what you think and feel or sort out the truth yourself,' the Georgia Republican told voters during a campaign event in her district this week.

Biden's team, including Secretary Mayorkas, reject claims from Republicans slamming the board. Instead, they say, the agency is meant to coordinate DHS online monitoring.

This hasn't calmed conservative and Republican voices who claim their posts and opinions are already being stifled online.

Mayorkas revealed the Disinformation Governance Board during congressional testimony last week after reports emerged of its creation  even though it appears the new unit has been operating already for several months.

Jankowicz tweeted after news of the board and her position broke: '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.'

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 head of the board has also already come under fire for her previous comments and tweets.

Jankowicz previously poured cold water on reports about Hunter Biden's laptop scandal, calling it a 'Trump campaign product', although the validity of the device belonging to the president's son was later confirmed by several media outlets.

She also suggested in an interview last month that she opposes the The First Amendment because she thinks it is bad for 'marginalized communities' and called billionaire Elon Musk a 'free speech absolutist' because he wants to make Twitter more open to all voices.
The controversial head of an elite New Jersey prep school scandalized by its use of Critical Race Theory in the classroom has abruptly resigned.

Rodney De Jarnett, who led the $52,000-per-annum Dwight-Englewood School in Bergen County, has left his post 'effective immediately' amid an investigation into conduct out of step with the school's 'values and standards of behavior'.

Administrators said in an email to parents: 'We want to assure our school community that the identified conduct did not involve our students.'

'The [Board of Trustees] cannot provide additional information because of the confidential nature of the independent investigation.'

The unexpected resignation comes less than a year after a former English teacher at Dwight-Englewood blasted the school for teaching Critical Race Theory in the classroom and using it to create 'hostile culture of conformity and fear' in her resignation letter.

Dana Stangel-Plowe said that white and male students were taught to believe that they were 'oppressors' while shouting down their objections.

Rodney De Jarnett, who led the $52,000-per-annum Dwight-Englewood School in Bergen County, has left his post 'effective immediately' amid an investigation into conduct out of step with the school's 'values and standards of behavior'

Former English teacher Dana Stangel-Plowe blasted the school for teaching Critical Race Theory in the classroom and using it to create 'hostile culture of conformity and fear' in her resignation letter

The upmarket Dwight-Engelwood School, one mile from the Hudson River and two miles from Manhatten. Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich and CNBC broadcaster Andrew Ross Sorkin are among those who sent their children there

De Jarnett (pictured) was reported to have told the entire faculty that he would fire everyone if he could to replace them with people of color

'The school's ideology requires students to see themselves not as individuals, but as representatives of a group, forcing them to adopt the status of privilege or victimhood,' she wrote to administrators.

'As a result, students arrive in my classroom accepting this theory as fact: People born with less melanin in their skin are oppressors, and people born with more melanin in their skin are oppressed. Men are oppressors, women are oppressed, and so on.'

Rodney De Jarnett was controversial among teachers and parents for his unswerving allegiance to tenets of Critical Race Theory, a controversial theory which purports to tackle the deep-rooted nature of racism in US society but opponents argue merely perpetuates it or flips it on its head.

Stangel-Plowe said De Jarnett told the entire faculty that he would fire everyone if he could to replace them with people of color.

She also accused the school of segregating teachers by their skin color - and said students were also made to segregate themselves 'within the oppressor or oppressed group.

The mother of one student at the school told The Post some parents wondered why De Jarnett wasn't ousted last year amid reports of critical race theory being taught in classrooms.

The controversial head had previously announced plans to retire in June 2023 after 16 years leading the Dwight-Engelwood school.

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich and CNBC broadcaster Andrew Ross Sorkin are among those who sent their children there.

The Englewood, New Jersey-based school is the latest flashpoint in a raging debate over school curriculums that now include controversial 'anti-racist' and critical race theory.

He also accused the school of segregating teachers by their skin color - and said students were also made to segregate themselves 'within the oppressor or oppressed group

Stangel-Plowe accused the school, pictured, of segregating teachers by their skin color pondered if the school would start to racially segregate its students

Dana Stangel-Plowe resigned from her job teaching at a private school after condemning its decision to teach students' critical race theory, and did so via a video statement and email

Dana Stangel-Plowe received support after she resigned from the school from John McWhorter, an associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, who is a frequent critic of anti-racism ideology.

'All hail Dana Stangel-Plowe, who has resigned from the Dwight-Englewood School, which teaches students 'antiracism' that sees life as nothing but abuse of power, and teaches that cringing, hostile group identity against oppression is the essence of a self,' McWhorter tweeted.

The academic is also a distinguished journalist, who serves as a contributing editor at The Atlantic magazine.

'Truly antiracist parents, in the name of love of their kids, should pull them from the Dwight-Englewood school as of next fall. Only this will arrest these misguided Elect parishioners from their quest to forge a new reality for us all,' he added.

Stangel-Plowe herself retweeted McWhorter's praise.

She wrote in her resignation letter: 'I became a teacher at Dwight-Englewood because, as a parent, I loved how the school both nurtured and challenged my own children.

'Today, I am resigning from a job I love because D-E has changed in ways that undermine its mission and prevent me from holding true to my conscience as an educator,' she wrote.

'I believe that D-E is failing our students. Over the past few years, the school has embraced an ideology that is damaging to our students' intellectual and emotional growth and destroying any chance at creating a true community among our diverse population.'

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 protest 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

She added: 'I reject the hostile culture of conformity and fear that has taken hold of our school.'

She said that not all students are 'true believers' and claimed that many pretend to agree 'because of pressure to conform.'

'I've heard from students who want to ask a question but stop for fear of offending someone. I have heard from students who don't participate in discussions for fear of being ostracized,' Stangel-Plowe wrote.

Critical race theory teaches that racism is a social construct used to oppress people of color, and that it is present in almost all aspects of everyday life.

Its supporters say the theory helps illuminate the obstacles faced by BIPOC (black, indigenous and people of color) individuals in their everyday lives, that their white counterparts do not have to worry about.

The teaching of critical race theory has become a cultural lightning rod in recent months, particularly when taught in schools. Critics claim it is unnecessarily divisive, and teaches children that they are either victims or oppressors from an early age.

It was not immediately clear when the Dwight-Englewood School began teaching critical race theory, but the school has previously faced race-related scandals.

In 2019, the school removed and investigated a student for a racist and anti-Semitic 'hate' messages scribbled in the stalls of a boys' bathroom, De Jarnett said in a statement obtained by NorthJersey.com.

After the school started teaching critical race theory, Stangel-Plowe claimed that one student even did not want to finish a personal essay about an experience she had in a foreign country over fears the essay would be racist.

President of the board of trustees at Dwight-Engelwood Rob Miller said that counselling services would be offered to faculty, staff and students in the wake of De Jarnett's early exit.

'Although this transition is occurring sooner than expected, we want to assure you the school is well positioned for the future,' Miller wrote, adding that a new head of school will be named within weeks. 'We look forward to a bright future for Dwight-Engelwood.'
Students have vowed to protest against Julie Bindel's 'dangerous views' as she prepares to give a talk after claiming she was 'deplatformed' by the University of York.

The author and feminist campaigner is due to speak at the York Free Speech society's Feminism and Free Speech event on Wednesday.

It was postponed last term due to 'security concerns' after an outcry from some students at the University of York, prompting Ms Bindel to claim she had been 'deplatformed'.

The talk is now expected to go ahead with additional security personnel present after students vowed to protest against Ms Bindel.

In an open letter, the students accused the longstanding activist of including 'transphobic and queerphobic takes' in her articles for the Guardian and vowed to hold an 'informative' protest where students would be given a 'platform' to make statements and ask questions.

Author and activist Julie Bindel claimed she had been 'deplatformed' when a previous talk at the University of York was postponed after an outcry from some students

The open letter regarding the 'protest plan' said: 'For those of you that haven't heard, the Free Speech society is running an event on Wednesday the 4th of May, called Feminism and Free Speech: Prostitution, Porn and Political Lesbianism with Julie Bindel.

'Bindel is a radical feminist who writes articles for the Guardian; however, her articles have often included transphobic and queerphobic takes, as well as spreading damaging views about sex workers.

Students accuse Julie Bindel of 'transphobia and queerphobia' Julie Bindel was due to speak at a free speech event at the University of York in March but the event was postponed at the last minute due to an outcry from students who accused her of using her platform to spread 'transphobic and queerphobic takes'. Some students said the author and feminist campaigner has also been 'spreading damaging views about sex workers' in articles she has written. Ms Bindel has previously referred to those supporting the rights of trans people as 'the trans-Taliban' whose 'activists, aided and abetted by their bearded allies have poured scorn on lesbians unless they put 'natal males before women'. The protesters argue statements such as these 'undermine the safety of queer, trans and sex working people'. Ms Bindel claims she makes the comments as a 'feminism and lesbianism' campaigner and said she had been 'deplatformed' as a result of the protest which postponed her previous talk at the University of York. Advertisement

'We have contacted Bindel and the society regarding our concerns about her speaking at the university but were met with a brick wall.

'We want to ensure the safety of all students, while also supporting everyone's right to protest, thus, we want to make our protest informative rather than what could be portrayed as aggressive, and will provide a platform for students to make statements and ask questions if they wish.'

The event was originally due to take place in March but it was cancelled at the last minute as the university said it could not guarantee it would go ahead safely.

After the cancellation, Ms Bindel tweeted: 'I was due to talk about feminism and lesbian identity at the University of York today but have been deplatformed as a result of the LGBTQ+ lot. Watch this space. I will not be taking this without protest.'

A spokesman for the University of York said it was not about 'no-platforming', adding: 'All the appropriate practical steps to make an event safe had not been put in place for the event to go ahead at this time  such as stewarding, suitable ticketing, event chairing and any necessary security.'

Euan Clayton, president of the York Free Speech Society, said Ms Bindel 'made statements deemed divisive and provocative in the past' but said 'being offensive is not a crime'.

Ahead of the rearranged event, the society said extra security would be in place.

Patrick ODonnell, the president of the University of York Student Union (YUSU) told York Vision: 'YUSU has been working closely with the Free Speech Society and the University of York to ensure that the Societys event with Julie Bindel can go ahead safely.

'We continue to balance our commitment to student wellbeing and our duty of care to all members of the University of York community, alongside our duty to uphold freedom of speech within the law.

'We are listening to members that have concerns about the event and we will continue to support those that wish to protest peacefully to do so.'

A spokesman for the University of York said the previous postponement was not about 'no-platforming' but said the appropriate security measures were not in place

However, the University of York's LGBTQ+ officers Ziggy Pavey and Katie Wiseman said they were 'really disappointed' that the university had decided to go ahead with the event 'after all the concerns we raised'.

Women and non-binary officer Izzy Andrews said the majority of York students would 'not welcome' Ms Bindel.

In their open letter, the protesting students added: 'When this event first came out we went to the university with our concerns to have it banned and it was postponed.

'Unfortunately, the event has been allowed to go ahead. We cannot change this as we have no control over the decision as YUSU and the university are two separate entities, but we want to make it clear this speaker's hateful and degrading comments should have no place on our campus and if we could stop this event we would.

'It is damaging and hurtful to allow hate speech on our campus and it undermines the safety of queer, trans and sex working people.'
A man who murdered his ex-girlfriend after persuading her to perform a pole dance for him was jailed today for a minimum of 23 years to life.

Habib Jackson must serve another 21 years 168 days before he can be considered for parole, he has already served 1 year 197 days on remand (Pictured) Mr Habib Jackson

Louise Rump, 29, had agreed to the dance for her ex Habib Jackson as they had been involved in a relationship that ended a year ago in her flat in the village of Bedfordshire.

St Albans crown court heard how Mr Jackson, a security guard, had wanted to rekindle a relationship with her but she did not feel the same.

Mum of two Ms Rump was described as 'full of life' and was last seen alive on the morning of October 16, 2020 when she dropped her daughter off at school.

At 11.15am that day Mr Jackson of Toddington, Beds was seen on CCTV heading to Rump's address in Plewes Court, Kensworth, Beds where he had planned to meet her.

Judge Michael Kay said: 'The killing was driven by jealousy, rage and an element of sexual frustration,' as he punched Rump in the face several times before strangling and smothering her.

There was signs of an attack with bruising on her face, her left hand, wrist and pelvis.

The pathologist found she had been killed by asphyxia before her body was set on fire.

Mr Jackson from Toddington, Beds admitted to using petrol he had brought with him in a small drinks bottle to start a fire in her flat but told the court he had it in his car for bonfire night.

Prosecutor David Matthew said: 'The fire was a quite deliberate attempt to destroy the traces her attacker might have left,' he said.

Just over an hour later, her body was discovered at the foot of her bed by fire-fighters who had been called out by neighbours when they saw smoke coming from her flat.

Louise Rump was strangled and beaten to death before being set on fire by her ex-boyfriend the Judge said to be driven by jealousy, rage and an element of sexual frustration (pictured) Ms Louise Rump

Bedfordshire Police Superintendent urged people to call out misogynistic behaviour and reporting concerns where women don't feel safe to help rid society of these appalling attitudes and behaviour (pictured) Forensics team at Louise Rumps flat in Bedforshire

Jackson denied he had been to the flat on the day of the killing, but said he had been there on February 15 when they had a play fight and she scratched his face.

Firefighters found the pole in the lounge and her body in her bedroom where the curtains had caught fire and there was smoke damage.

Mr Jackson was later seen discarding a bloodstained jumper and a cardboard box by the side of the road not far from the scene before driving off.

He then went to his workplace in Houghton Regis, Beds where he concealed clothing and dumped one of Ms Rump's mobile phones in a bin.

He was jailed for life by Judge Michael Kay QC who said he must serve another 21 years 168 days before he can be considered for parole.

He has already served 1 year 197 days on remand.

In a message on 15 October, the day before she died, Jackson wrote to Louise: 'It has been a year baby, since I was deep where I belong.'

He went on: 'Can't you give me what I crave?' She replied: 'No.'

Mr Matthew said Habib Jackson paid Louise Rump for 'deal questions' when he asked her about sexual activity, making him her 'sugar daddy.'

Jackson wrote: 'G-string and undies ready?' referring to the planned pole dance

When Jackson was questioned by the police the day after the killing he said they had an on-off relationship.

Judge Michael Kay said: 'As a result of your obsession with her and your controlling, violent nature, those two children will now have to live with the knowledge that, while they were at school, their mother was brutally strangled or smothered to death and her body was set on fire.'

Jane Hedges, Ms Rump's aunt, said: 'While we have taken some comfort from today's sentence, nothing will ever make up for our loss and the grief our family is feeling.

'This was such a needless crime and a tragic waste of life. Louise was a real star among us, full of life and energy who would brighten any room she went into.

'Her children will now sadly have to grow up without their mum. Our thoughts are with them today and we will do everything we can to support them so they grow up to make their mum proud.'

Superintendent Rob Hall of the Bedfordshire, Cambridge and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, which led the investigation, said: 'This was a horrifically violent and despicable crime committed against a young mother who had her whole life ahead of her and now leaves behind two young children.

'I welcome the result in court today and hope this goes some way in giving Louise's family and friends the closure and justice they so deeply deserve.

'My thoughts remain with Louise's family and her close friends at this time..'

Detective Chief Superintendent Dee Perkins, Bedfordshire Police's lead for male violence against women and girls, said: 'This kind of obsessive, controlling and violent behaviour is evil, dangerous and unacceptable.

'We can all stand up to this and make sure that women and girls across Bedfordshire feel safe.

'I want to thank everyone in the MCU who was involved in this investigation, and everyone in policing must make sure we recognise this kind of behaviour, take it seriously and take action against men like Habib Jackson.

'But the public can also support us with this. By calling out misogynistic behaviour and reporting concerns where women don't feel safe, we can help rid society of these appalling attitudes and behaviour.'

Jackson's business partner and fellow security guard Christopher Hayward, also 32, of Houghton Regis, Beds was cleared of murder.
An Ohio man who was restrained in his seat with tape after groping and assaulting two flight attendants during a Frontier Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Miami last year has been sentenced by a federal judge to 60 days in prison.

Maxwell Berry, 23, also was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert Scola Jr to a year of supervised release after his jail time, a record of Tuesday's sentencing hearing in a federal court in Miami showed. Berry was ordered to report to prison by August 1, which would be one year after he was taken into custody at Miami International Airport following the incident.

Berry, of Norwalk, Ohio, had pleaded guilty to three counts of assault and faced up to 18 months in prison. The incident was captured in cellphone videos that went viral, bringing attention to the risks faced by flight attendants due to a growing number of unruly passengers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Berry had been drinking alcohol and went to the airplane's bathroom after spilling a drink on himself. He came out of the bathroom without his shirt on and a flight attendant helped him get a clean one out of his bag, according to a police report detailed by WPLG, a local ABC TV affiliate in Miami.

'Shut the f*** up,' he yelled at one of the flight attendant in footage of the incident caught on tape, adding that his 'parents are worth more than f***ing 2 million god d*** dollars.'

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Maxwell Berry, 22, was arrested on three counts of battery on July 31, 2021, and is now being sentenced to 60 days in jail after groping two female flight attendants and punching a male worker in the face before being duct taped to his seat

The meltdown from July 31, 2021, began when the 22-year-old Ohio native (pictured) who already had several drinks on the flight, ordered an additional drink

Berry was seen scuffling with a Frontier flight attendant after groping the two women and heading back to his seat

Video showed Maxwell Berry repeatedly shouting 'help me, help' while wriggling free from the duct tape around his mouth as the plane came into landing

After walking throughout the cabin for several minutes, Berry groped the breasts of two flight attendants and then punched a male attendant in the face, according to the police report. Passengers helped restrain Berry, who was bound into his seat with tape for the remainder of the flight.

In an emailed statement, Berry's lawyer Jason Kreiss said the incident was 'truly an aberration' in his client's life.

'He's a really good kid from a great family, who was punished for his worst day,' Kreiss added. 'Although we don't believe 60 days was necessary based on Max's significant self-reform and other mitigating factors, we respect the judgment of the court.'

Following the altercation, Berry was charged with three misdemeanor counts of battery in Miami-Dade County. The FBI was involved but said they weren't going to pursue felony federal charges at the time.

It's also unclear if his parents are worth the money he claims they are or what their occupations are. They live in a smart two-story home in Norwalk, Ohio, worth around $220,000, according to publicly-available records.

It's unknown what his parents do for a living or if his claim that his parents are worth $2million, but a website called ohioresidentdatabse.com lists his mom as having a $100,537 salary and net worth of $1.24million and his dad as having a $59,663 salary and net worth of $924,250.

Berry graduated from Ohio State University in May 2021, just three months before his arrest. At the end of his last academic year, he was given a good role model award for 'dismantling frat boy stereotypes' and 'standing up and showing what a fraternity really means.'

It's unclear what his parents do or if they are worth $2million, but they live in a $220,000 Ohio home, according to records

This is the moment Max Berry won a good role model award - which saw him lauded for dismantling boorish frat-boy stereotypes - months before his now-infamous plane meltdown

However, flight attendants union president Sara Nelson released a scathing statement in August claiming Berry was 'one of the worst examples' of unruly passengers they've faced.

'A drunk and irate passenger verbally, physically and sexually assaulted multiple members of the crew. When he refused to comply after multiple attempts to de-escalate, the crew was forced to restrain the passenger with the tools available to them onboard. We are supporting the crew,' Nelson said.

The crew was originally suspended in 'a knee-jerk reaction to a short video clip that did not show the full incident,' Nelson said.

Since then, the airline told DailyMail.com that it has reinstated the crew and placed them on paid leave during the investigation, which it said is protocol.

'Frontier Airlines maintains the utmost value, respect, concern and support for all of our flight attendants, including those who were assaulted on this flight. We are supporting the needs of these team members and are working with law enforcement to fully support the prosecution of the passenger involved,' the airline said in an emailed statement to DailyMail.com.

Frontier restated the accusations, saying 'the passenger made inappropriate physical contact with two flight attendants and subsequently physically assaulted another flight attendant.'

'As a result, the passenger needed to be restrained until the flight landed in Miami and law enforcement arrived,' Frontier Airlines said.

Nelson then took to Twitter to amend her statement on the altercation, saying Frontier is 'doing the right thing' by not suspending the crew.

'Thanks to so many people for supporting the work of Flight Attendants and the incredibly difficult jobs crews are charged with doing right now,' she tweeted back in August

Drunk Frontier passenger Maxwell Berry (pictured) allegedly screamed his parents were worth $2million then groped two flight attendants and punched a third before the crew duct taped him to a chair

Alfredo Rivera, who was sitting in a seat behind Berry captured the 22-year-old being unruly and scuffling with a flight attendant trying to subdue him

Violent incidencies like the one Berry started are becoming more frequent on airplanes and at airports as air travel picks up a year on from the pandemic.

In 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that airlines have reported a total of 5,981 incidents involving unruly passengers, with 4,290 of them involving passengers who refused to wear masks on board their flights.

The agency has proposed $5,000,000 in fines against trouble-making passengers.

So far in 2022, there have been 1,3111 reports of undisciplined passengers, with 1,900 of them per 10,000 flights for the week ending on April 24, according to the FAA's website.
A Labour councillor standing for re-election tomorrow who allegedly shared an article that denied the Holocaust, said 'Hitler was right' and called Anne Frank a 'bisexual degenerate' has been suspended from the party.

Belgica Guana, who is standing in the London borough of Newham, shared the piece entitled 'The Holocaust Hoax and the Jewish Promotion of Perversity' in February 2016, the Jewish Chronicle reported.

A Labour spokesman has told MailOnline that Guana is no longer a candidate endorsed by the party. It is understood' that she is administratively suspended, pending investigation.

Guana appears on the ballot as a Labour candidate because she submitted her nomination forms to stand in the council election before she was suspended.

A spokesperson said: 'The Labour Party takes all complaints seriously. They are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate action is taken.'

The article - uncovered by researchers working for Labour Against Antisemitism - made a series of sick claims that twist history in order to paint Jews as evil.

It says: 'The so-called ''Holocaust'' is propaganda in an ongoing war between the Jews and those with the courage to stand up to them - a war that began with the National Socialists coming to power in Germany in the 1930s and continues to this very day.

Belgica Guana, who is standing for re-election in the London borough of Newham, shared the piece entitled 'The Holocaust Hoax and the Jewish Promotion of Perversity' in February 2016

'The Jews do not have the means or the numbers to defeat Europeans with the force of arms so they have to rely mainly on infiltration, subversion, and economic and psychological warfare, with the Holocaust hoax being the best example of the latter.'

It adds: 'the Germans were completely justified in persecuting and expelling the Jews (which is all that was actually happening), just as we would be today. Hitler and the National Socialists freed Germany from the death grip of the Jews and gave it back to the German people.'

The article calls Anne Frank a 'bisexual degenerate' whose famous diary is an 'obvious fraud laced with pornographic and sexually subversive passages'.

It goes on to claim the Jews 'made up' the Holocaust in order to 'pull off a very real, much worse genocide, with the entire white race as their victims'.

The work of propaganda ends with an image of Adolf Hitler next to the words 'you should have listened'.

Ms Guana, who was elected in 2018, describes herself on Facebook as a 'woman, mother, Ecuadorian, Latin American, community activist and now a councillor for Canning Town in Newham'.

The work of propaganda ends with an image of Adolf Hitler next to the words 'you should have listened'

The article - uncovered by researchers working for Labour Against Antisemitism - made a series of sick claims that twist history in order to paint Jews as evil

A spokesman for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: 'The article allegedly shared by this councillor is a not only an abhorrent collection of anti-Semitic tropes, from Holocaust denial and paedophilia to comparisons of Israel with the Nazis and support for the far-right ''Great Replacement Theory'', but it may also imply support for Jewish genocide.

'In view of just how horrific this post is, we are examining legal options.

'The Labour Party must urgently investigate both the veracity of the allegation and how Belgica Guana was allowed to become and remain a councillor in spite of the post, and why she was endorsed by the Party in her bid for reelection.'

Sir Keir Starmer claimed last year that Labour had 'closed the door on anti-Semitism' under his tenure.

In a bombshell report, the Equality and Human Rights Commission found the party had utterly failed to tackle anti-Jewish hatred under its previous leader, Jeremy Corbyn - who suggested the scale of the problem had been 'overstated'.

MailOnline has contacted Ms Guana for comment.
Former GoldenTree Asset Management COO, William Christian, was reportedly ousted after complaints of 'disgusting sexual comments' and impregnating a subordinate

GoldenTree Asset Management's longtime chief operating officer was ousted from the company after complaints that he held meetings with his pants pulled down to his ankles, made 'disgusting sexual comments' and got a subordinate pregnant - and then lied about it.

The claims were made public on Tuesday when the company's ex-COO William Christian, filed a lawsuit against the company over the $1.2 million he received following his exit. He claimed he was owed $5 million.

But when Christian filed the lawsuit, Mike Segall, the arbitrator hearing Christian's pay dispute, revealed an investigation by GoldenTree that alleges that the former COO engaged in misconduct, falsified expense reports and made 'disgusting sexual comments' to his employees.

In court documents filed by GoldenTree and obtained by Business Insider, the company claimed that Christian expensed meals inappropriately, including at least one with a lower-level employee who he got pregnant and took to Spain on a trip that wasn't for business purposes.

Christian, who had worked at the hedge fund from 2004-2020, was also known to subject his 'employees to in-person meetings and conversations while his pants were pulled down to his ankles,' the court documents state.

Christian was fired in January 2020 for lying during the investigation.

Before being ousted, the former COO reportedly showed 'at least one subordinate a picture of his exposed genitals,' and 'hurled frequent and gratuitous insults,' creating a 'hostile work environment' the court documents show.

'Christian subjected employees to in-person meetings and conversations while his pants were pulled down to his ankles,' claiming that he 'needed to ice his knees,' Segall wrote.

In court documents filed by GoldenTree, the company claimed that William Christian expensed meals inappropriately, including at least one with an employee who he got pregnant

Christian also 'admitted turning on pornography at least briefly on a television in a hotel room full of GoldenTree employees' and violated company policy by asking an assistant to buy biking gear for him on what appeared to be a porn website, according to the court documents.

'In sum, he created a hostile work environment,' Segall wrote.

The woman named in the court documents was fired for lying during the investigation and now works at Coremont, according to her LinkedIn page. She did not respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com.

Her immediate supervisor testified that he felt he couldn't discipline her because of her relationship with Christian, who was higher up in the company, according to the documents.

Neither GoldenTree nor Christian's lawyers at Adam Russ of Wasser & Russ responded for a comment request from DailyMail.com on Wednesday.

GoldenTree, led by billionaire founder Steven Tananbaum, has more than 250 employees

GoldenTree, which is led by billionaire founder Steven Tananbaum, has more than 250 employees at eight locations all over the world.

The firm's website notes its commitment to the 'professional growth' of women via its internal group called Golden Gals.

The firm has donated to charities, including those that are women-in-finance-focused organizations including 100 Women in Finance, Girls Who Invest, and Encouraging Women Across All Borders.
A group of 280 United States-bound migrants have been rescued from the back of an abandoned tractor trailer, authorities in the Mexican southern state of Veracruz revealed.

The individuals were being smuggled through a Cordoba-Orizaba highway in the municipality of Cordoba before the truck was abandoned on the side of a road near a gas station Tuesday.

Cops responding to a 911 call unlocked the cargo's door and discovered the migrants crammed on the ground of the container and along a makeshift floor that had been put together to fit more people.

A video recorded by a bystander showed several of the migrants standing on top of the trailer's roof while others were being helped out.

Police in the southern Mexico state of Veracruz inspected a truck and discovered 280 migrants from Cuba, Central America and South America who were being ferried to the country's northern border so that they could be smuggled into the United States. At least three people were hospitalized for dehydration

State authorities in the Mexican state of Veracruz said there were 18 minors with the 280 people who were found crammed inside a tractor trailer Tuesday

The migrants were identified as residents from Ecuador, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Cuba, and were placed in custody of the National Institute of Migration for processing

The migrants, who are from Ecuador, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Cuba, were placed in custody of the National Institute of Migration for processing.

At least of 18 minors were identified by immigration agents, although its unknown if any were unaccompanied.

Three people were rushed to a local hospital and treated for dehydration.

Migrants stand atop the tractor trailer and on the side of the road after police unlocked the abandoned vehicle's door and led 280 individuals to safety

A bystander captured the moment cops helped 280 migrants out of the abandoned truck they were being smuggled in

According to the Mexican immigration agency, at least 115,379 migrants were intercepted in the country between January 1 and April 13. At least 15 percent were minors, most from Central America.

Mexico's Commission for Refugee Assistance received 131,448 petitions for refuge. More than 51,000 were filed by Haitians.

Tuesday's smuggling bust comes as the Mexican government announced ramped up efforts to improve security along its southern border region with Guatemala.

Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard met with U.S. officials in Washington on Tuesday saying he expects migrants will attempt to cross into Mexico with the administration of President Joe Biden set to eliminate Title 42 on May 23.

'There could be a problem of higher migration flows, so we'll have to start to work on some ideas,' Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard told a news conference in Washington after meeting with top U.S. officials.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said earlier that its chief, Alejandro Mayorkas, had discussed the U.S. government's strategy for ending the policy, called Title 42, in a meeting with Ebrard.

However, when asked whether Biden's plan to unwind the policy would be sufficient, Ebrard said he needed to review the full proposal.

He underscored that Mexico would not loosen up on migration controls.

'We are not going to let ... Mexico become a country where just anybody can pass through,' he said.
The Duchess of Cambridge's old school does not carry out necessary safeguarding checks on teachers, a watchdog has found.

An Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) report on the 40,000-a-year Marlborough College in Wiltshire found that recruitment checks on staff before they start working were not always carried out, The i newspaper reported.

This includes checking new teachers against barred lists for prior criminal offences, or against lists of those banned from working in schools, as well as making sure they had satisfactory references before they started work.

Alumni at the school include Princess Eugenie, comedian Jack Whitehall, and poets Sir John Betjeman and Siegfried Sassoon. The Duchess of Cambridge was also a day student at the prestigious school between 1996 and 2000.

'When criminal record checks have been delayed the school has not always ensured that an appropriate system of supervision is in place,' the ISI said.

Pippa Middleton (left) and Kate Middleton at Marlborough College in Wiltshire, when the future Duchess of Cambridge was in her final year, aged about 18

An Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) report on the 40,000-a-year Marlborough College in Wiltshire found that recruitment checks on staff before they start working were not always carried out

It added that processes for safe recruitment were not 'sufficiently robust' to protect pupils, and the school had 'significant difficulty evidencing the required checks'.

'Whilst many checks were ultimately found to be in place, the processes involved were not sufficiently robust to ensure the welfare of pupils, particularly boarders,' it said.

The ISI said the school 'should take immediate action to remedy deficiencies' and standards relating to leadership and management had not been met.

'The proprietor does not ensure that the leadership and management demonstrate good skills and knowledge and fulfil their responsibilities effectively, so that the other standards are consistently met and they actively promote the well-being of the pupils, including boarders. In particular, the oversight of robust recruitment processes,' it said.

The Duchess of Cambridge was a day student at the prestigious school between 1996 and 2000. Pictured: The Duchess of Cambridge presents The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design at an event hosted by the British Fashion Council at London's Design Museum today

A spokesperson for the school said: 'Since our compliance inspection, the college has upgraded the record-keeping processes highlighted in the ISI report.

'We have been keeping our parents informed and are looking forward to an early re-inspection.'

Kate attended Marlborough College during the 1990s.
Missing Harmony Montgomery was repeatedly failed by the Massachusetts child welfare system since infancy and was placed in the care of her violent criminal father despite opposition from her caseworkers, a scathing report has found.

Multiple state agencies made mistakes when handling the seven-year-old's case long before she vanished in New Hampshire in 2019 at age five, the document said.

Harmony had been in the care of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) until February 2019 when her father, Adam Montgomery, was awarded custody despite officials having never completed an assessment of him.

Officials also failed to prioritize Harmony's medical and special needs when making decisions about her guardian, which the report says should have been 'central to the decision-making'.

'Harmony's needs, well-being and safety were not prioritized,' Massachusetts child advocate Maria Mossaides said during a press conference Wednesday. 'We do not know Harmony Montgomery's ultimate fate, and unfortunately, we may never.

'But we do know that this beautiful young child experienced many tragedies in her short life, and that by not putting her needs first, our system ultimately failed her.'

Harmony vanished in late November or early December of 2019, but authorities did not know she was missing until last fall. She has still not been located.

Adam, 32, of New Hampshire, has been in jail since January in connection with a second-degree assault charge involving his daughter.

Last month he was hit with eight new charges related to firearms theft that are not connected to the girl's disappearance. He has a criminal record that goes back at least to 2007.

Elsewhere in the report:

Harmony had been in DCF care since infancy;

She suffered neglect at the hands of her drug-addicted mother Crystal Sorey, who lost custody of the girl just months after her birth;

Harmony was in-and-out of foster care for four years until being placed in the care of her father, Adam;

The report says DCF failed to conduct a thorough assessment of Montgomery's fitness or visit the home before granting him guardianship;

DCF responded to multiple reports of potential abuse at Adam's home but did not find the reports substantiated;

The report states DCF workers were opposed to Adam caring for Harmony but the child's attorney did not provide enough evidence to stop the move;

The court also failed to prioritize Harmony's medical and special needs.

Missing Harmony Montgomery was repeatedly failed by the Massachusetts child welfare system since infancy and was placed in the care of her violent criminal father despite opposition from her caseworkers

Massachusetts child advocate Maria Mossaides said during a press conference Wednesday: 'Harmony's needs, well-being and safety were not prioritized'

DCF workers visited three times with Harmony's family, noticing signs of potential physical abuse, but failed to take action to protect her, the Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate's (OCA) investigative report found.

In July 2019, just months after Harmony was placed in Adam's care, DCF received an anonymous tip from a caller - later identified as an uncle - claiming the girl had suffered a black eye.

He alleged Adam admitted to causing the injury after Harmony failed to keep her younger brother from crying.

A caseworker visited the home and reported Harmony had 'a red mark in her eye' and faded bruising below her eyelid, the document states.

Both the girl and her father claimed 'the mark was caused by horseplay with another sibling when a toy light saber struck Harmony near her eye.'

At the time, DCF found the uncle's complaint to be unsubstantiated. Adam was later charged with felony second-degree assault in connection to the incident.

Mossaides claims officials prioritized placing Harmony with her father, Adam Montgomery (left), 32, after failing to conduct a through assessment of him. His wife, Kayla Montgomery, is pictured on right

The OCA report also accused child welfare workers of not conducting a thorough investigation of Adam and instead focusing their efforts on Harmony's drug-addicted mother, Crystal Sorey, 31, of Massachusetts.

'I was surprised that there was not more robust examination of Mr. Montgomery in terms of his self presentation of his fitness [to care for his daughter],' Mossaides said Wednesday. 'But if no one objects to what he is saying, [that] leaves a judge very little choice in this matter.'

She claims, as outlined in the report, investigators did not properly evaluate Adam and that he was 'not held accountable for starting and completing the tasks on his action plan.'

'The OCA estimates that Harmony spent a total of approximately 40 hours over the course of 20 supervised visits with her father from her birth to age four and a half, yet there was no discussion on how Harmony could safely transition to Mr. Montgomery's care, given the limited time he had spent with her,' the report stated.

'This lack of a focus on Harmony resulted in a miscalculation of the risks to Harmony when she was placed in Mr. Montgomery's custody, and there was no planning to ensure that the custody arrangement would be successful.'

The report alleged DCF workers their efforts on Harmony's drug-addicted mother, Crystal Sorey (pictured with infant Harmony) and did not properly investigate Adam

Crystal (left) lost custody of Harmony (right) while she was an infant. The mother had relapsed several times

'Our system ultimately failed her': Damning report slams authorities that failed Harmony Montgomery A report released this month by the Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate revealed that Harmony Montgomery, 7, was repeatedly failed by the child welfare system since infancy. She was placed in the care of her violent criminal father, Adam Montgomery, despite opposition from her caseworkers, the scathing report has found. Harmony, who was born in June 2014, suffered neglect at the hands of her drug-addicted mother, Crystal Sorey, who lost custody of the girl before just months after her birth. Harmony was in-and-out of foster care for four years until being placed in Adam's care. Before she was placed in his care, Harmony had only spent a total of approximately 40 hours over the course of 20 supervised visits with her father from the time of her birth. He had been incarcerated when she was born. The report states that DCF failed to conduct a thorough assessment of Montgomery's fitness or visit the home before granting him guardianship. Once she was in Adam's care, DCF responded to multiple reports of potential abuse at the home but did not find the reports substantiated. Adam has since been hit with a second-degree assault charge against Harmony that stems from one of the alleged unsubstantiated incidents. The report also states DCF workers were opposed to Adam caring for Harmony but the child's attorney did not provide enough evidence to stop the move. OCA claims the state failed to prioritize Harmony's medical and special needs when making decisions about her guardian, which the report alleges should have been 'central to the decision-making'. DCF instead prioritized the needs of her parents, the report states. Advertisement

The finding also indicated that DCF officials opposed Harmony being placed in Adam's care but they didn't present a strong legal case against him largely because they didn't conduct a full assessment.

The attorney representing Harmony before the Juvenile Court gave 'no evidence on her needs, no statement about Harmony's specific desired legal outcome, no argument about what she needed to be safe and to thrive,' Mossaides said.

The lawyer also agreed with placing Harmony with Adam and 'therefore did not present any evidence or question Mr. Montgomery on Harmony's specific medical needs, her educational needs, her behavioral needs, nor Harmony's daily routine or support system'.

'Harmony's best interests and welfare were not presented to the Juvenile Court Judge by her attorney,' the child advocate claimed, adding: 'There were many questions that we would have loved to have gotten the answers to, but the answers to those are covered by attorney client privilege.'

Officials also failed to conduct a home visit in New Hampshire after the Massachusetts judge ruled the law requiring one did not apply to Harmony's case, the report states.

'The judge also ruled that the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children did not apply in this case, which meant there was no requirement to conduct a home study review of Mr. Montgomery and his wife Kayla Montgomery in New Hampshire,' Mossaides said.

She argued that DCF 'should develop a comprehensive plan to ensure that both parents are adequately assessed,' noting, again, that Crystal faced more scrutiny than Adam.

'DCF must make sure that fathers are provided the same level of attention.'

Harmony was born in June 2014 while her father was incarcerated as he awaiting trial for allegedly shooting a man in the head during a drug deal.

Crystal attempted to care for her newborn daughter while battling her substance use disorder, but despite her efforts DCF received three reports of neglect the month Harmony was born.

Investigators attempted to provide service to Crystal, however the neglect continued, with two additional reports filed in August 2014.

Officials determined the infant's wellbeing was at risk and she was removed from Crystal's care.

Harmony was placed in a foster home for the first time and officials worked to develop an action plan for Crystal.

Adam Montgomery has since been indicted on a second-degree assault charge for allegedly hitting daughter Harmony in the face in July 2019

Officials also failed to conduct a home visit in New Hampshire after the Massachusetts judge ruled the law requiring one did not apply to Harmony's case, the report states. This aerial photo shows police searching the backyard at 77 Gilford Street in Manchester, New Hampshire in January 2022 after Harmony was reported missing

In September of that year, DCF devised an action plan with Adam, while he was incarcerated, indicating he would engage with offered programs to help with parenting, substance use disorder and anger management.

Officials made numerous attempts to contact Adam about the plan but he did not respond, the report states.

When DCF finally connected with Adam in December 2014 he issued support for Harmony to return to Crystal's care. He also asked for a visit with Harmony.

The convict met his daughter for the first time in January 2015, when she was six months old, during a supervised visit with her DCF care team. Immediately following the visit, Harmony was placed in Crystal's care but remained under custody of DCF.

Approximately four months later, Harmony, then 10-months-old, was returned to foster care after Crystal failed to maintain the requirements of her action plan.

Harmony remained in foster care until March 2017 when she was placed back in Crystal's care, but still under custody of DCF. The girl's mother had met with DCF workers on numerous occasions to monitor her progress and readiness to act as Harmony's guardian.

Crystal Sorey (right) - Harmony's biological mother - lost custody of the young girl in 2018 because of her drug addiction

Almost three years after Harmony was placed in Adam's care, on December 31, 2021, the city of Manchester, New Hampshire police announced seven-year-old Harmony's disappearance and their search for her. They estimated her disappearance to have taken place in late 2019. She still remains missing

In January 2018, Harmony, now three-and-a-half, was removed from Crystal's care for the third time due to her relapsing. She was placed back into foster care.

In August 2018, Adam resumed supervised visits with Harmony, then four, after having not visited with her for the prior eleven months.

He was granted guardianship of his daughter in February 2019, where she seemingly resided until her disappearance.

DCF was called to the home in July 2019 over allegations of abuse, however the division didn't have contact with Adam again until January 2020.

When asked about Harmony, he said the child was living with Crystal in Massachusetts.

A child protective services worker left a voicemail for Crystal, but the call wasn't returned and there is no evidence of any additional attempts to contact her, the review said.

Adam and Harmony are pictured together in a photo shared to his Facebook page in May 2017

A poster of Harmony Montgomery, who has been missing since 2019, rests against a tree during a candlelight vigil in February 2022

Adam made similar comments about Harmony when a case worker visited the house twice in 2021.

In September, a 'close contact' of Harmony's mother contacted the division and 'raised concerns' that Crystal hadn't seen her daughter since 2019 and hadn't been able to contact Adam, the review said. The division confirmed that Harmony had never been registered for school in the public school system.

The division attempted to find the Montgomery family and speak with Crystal, who later told police she hadn't seen her daughter since a FaceTime call around Easter 2019.

Almost three years after Harmony was placed in Adam's care, on December 31, 2021, the city of Manchester, New Hampshire police announced seven-year-old Harmony's disappearance and their search for her.

They estimated her disappearance to have taken place in late 2019. She still remains missing.
May (Davis) Mailman is a former Deputy Assistant to the President in the Office of White House Counsel, a Deputy Solicitor General in the Office of Ohio Attorney General and a Senior Fellow with the Independent Women's Forum Law Center. The author's opinions are her own and not reflective of her employers.

Every once in a while, we are reminded that civilization is a thin veneer: our cities become overwhelmed by riots, a hurricane invites a flood of looting, our border lives in chaos.

These events remind us that trust in our institutionsthe police, the media, our lawmakers, even our churchescan and do collapse.

But when any of these institutions fails, another can typically fill the void or we can shop around for better.

With one exception.

The legitimacy of our judiciary, led by the Supreme Court, is irreplaceable in our democracy.

We trust our courts as the authoritative word on what the law requires, not what a politician finds convenient.

There is no other American institution that can serve this purpose.

Without independence from the political whims of the time, judicial rulings are not worth the paper they are printed on.

Justice falls to mob rule.

Monday's unprecedented publication of a leaked draft of the opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization brought our nation one giant step closer to that nightmare scenario.

Instead of addressing any damage to our judiciary, Biden used the leak to further his political agenda, asking voters to elect 'more pro-choice Senators and a pro-choice majority in the House to adopt legislation that codifies Roe.'

And then President Joe Biden and Democrats couldn't resist giving it another shove.

To be sure, the judiciary was not completely insulated from leftist political pressure before this week.

In 2020, Senator Chuck Schumer marched to the Supreme Court, media in tow, to scream, 'You won't know what hit you!' should justices side against his preferred agenda.

In 2021, Senate and House Democrats introduced legislation to pack the court with liberal judges to guarantee that they get the rulings they want. Then Biden appointed an entire commission to give the option legitimacy.

And an activist-funded mobile billboard that read 'Breyer Retire' was parked near the Supreme Court for months in yet another unprecedented pressure campaign from the left.

Nor was the Court previously impervious to some chatter from the inside.

It's a common rumor that Justice John Roberts changed his vote at last minute to preserve Obamacare.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was fairly open about her dislike of President Donald Trump.

Every D.C. conservative lawyer knew early that Justice Gorsuch was going to find nondiscrimination protections for sexual orientation and gender identity in a 1960s law meant to protect women.

But Monday's leak is different, and those who don't acknowledge it are facilitating the left's push to rule by intimidation.

This leak was an unprecedented attack from the inside, purposefully inviting politics to affect legal decision making.

It was likely intended to ignite public outrage so fierce that it could convince a justice to change their mind to appease the mob.

And sure enough the mob erupted.

In downtown Los Angeles, hundreds of protesters clashed with police on Tuesday night. They threw bottles and rocks. At least one officer was injured.

The leak was likely intended to ignite public outrage so fierce that it could convince a justice to change their mind to appease the mob. (Above) A police officer is surrounded by a group of demonstrators following a protest outside of the U.S. Courthouse in response to leaked draft of the Supreme Court's opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade, in Los Angeles on May 3, 2022

In downtown Los Angeles, hundreds of protesters clashed with police on Tuesday night. They threw bottles and rocks. At least one officer was injured. (Above) LAPD officers clear the streets after a confrontation with demonstrators near Pershing Square on May 3, 2022.

Chief Justice Roberts, fervently committed to preserving the Court's integrity, rightly blasted the leak for what it was: an 'egregious breach of that trust that is an affront to the Court and the community of public servants who work here' that he would not allow to 'undermine the integrity of our operations.'

He was right to do so.

Surely, President Joe Biden would do the same, but no.

Instead our nation's leader (the healing and unity candidate, remember), took an entirely different path.

Instead of addressing any damage to our judiciary, Biden used the leak to further his political agenda, asking voters to elect 'more pro-choice Senators and a pro-choice majority in the House to adopt legislation that codifies Roe.'

Instead of condemning the unknown leaker for doing historic damage to our nation's system of checks and balances, he boasted that he has been keeping conservatives off the court for decades, a strange but frank acknowledgment that he has long trivialized the integrity of the court.

Vice President Kamala Harris went disturbingly further in her speech to the pro-Democrat, pro-choice activist organization, EMILY's LIST.

'Women's rights in America are under attack,' she declared, dragging the high court further down into the mud of politics. 'If the court overturns Roe v. Wade, it will be a direct assault on freedom, on the fundamental right to self-determination to which all Americans are entitled.'

These are the leaders of our nation, whose role in a time like this is not supposed to be partisan.

But they apparently found this opportunity to take political advantage of a crisis too tempting, as their electoral hopes circle the drain.

Perhaps Biden's shrug at judicial integrity isn't surprising.

The Biden administration has long viewed the court system as a toy, not a fragile instrument preserving our freedoms.

His Department of Justice sought to use the courts to give $450,000 payouts to illegal border crossers and to prosecute parents who irritated political allies at school board meetings.

After the Supreme Court said the pandemic-era eviction moratorium was unlawful, the Biden administration renewed it anyway to earn political street cred.

'For years the radical left has attacked the institution of the Supreme Court. Last night it appears their campaign hit a new low,' Senator McConnell said Tuesday in a floor speech.

It's true.

'For years the radical left has attacked the institution of the Supreme Court. Last night it appears their campaign hit a new low,' Senator McConnell said Tuesday in a floor speech.

'Women's rights in America are under attack,' Harris declared, dragging the high court further down into the mud of politics. 'If the court overturns Roe v. Wade, it will be a direct assault on freedom, on the fundamental right to self-determination to which all Americans are entitled.'

If the Court must battle for its integrity from detractors on the inside, it's unclear whether the Court can win.

I know this because I worked in a White House besieged by leaks, one that even led to impeachment.

I remember an early major leak, to a document I circulated, no less.

In May 2017, President Trump traveled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on his first foreign trip.

His speech, a version of it, leaked hours before he was to go on stage.

This radically changed the way we shared information internally. Bosses cut subject matter experts out of decision-making. Colleagues pointed fingers at each other. Scared staffers leaked early to preserve their side of the story from later leaks.

It's no way to run a government.

Supreme Court justices are also human. They are not immune to intimidation.

How will this breach of trust influence their debates behind closed doors? Will they grow distrustful of each other? What will this mean for future controversial cases?

The leaker has forgotten a simple truth in our democracy.

Tough political decisions are made in Congress and the States, and tough legal decisions are made in our courts.

By intertwining the two roles, the left threatens our future.

As Senator McConnell said Tuesday, 'Liberals want to rip the blindfold off lady justice. They want to override impartiality with intimidation. They want to elevate mob rule over the rule of law.'

Even those who don't view the leak as an attack on our democracy must acknowledge it at least deserves the attention of our president and bipartisan leaders.

Because I thought Democrats said they cared about our institutions.

Didn't we have a $32 million Mueller investigation to look into Russian interference in our elections? Aren't we holding January 6 attendees without bail for threatening democracy? Didn't an entire Never Trump movement take hold because Democrats would allegedly be better institution keepers?

It's time to turn our attention to preserving the independence of our Supreme Court.
Tory council candidates are styling themselves as 'local Conservatives' in an attempt to keep a distance from Boris Johnson's Partygate woes.

The re-branding efforts of Tory hopefuls emerged ahead of tomorrow's local elections in England, Scotland and Wales.

Some Conservative leaflets have been revealed to include a plea to voters to not 'punish local Conservatives for the mistakes made in Westminster'.

Tories are fearing a local elections bloodbath in the wake of the Partygate scandal and rising voter despair at the cost-of-living crisis.

The party is braced to lose hundreds of councillors across the UK.

They have also been warned they could lose control of flagship councils such as Wandsworth and Westminster in London, as well as Southampton and Thurrock.

The Prime Minister has promised to take 'full responsibility' if the Tories suffer a hammering tomorrow.

It has been suggested that particularly dire results for the Conservatives could bring fresh efforts among Tories to trigger a confidence vote in Mr Johnson and force a leadership challenge.

Some Conservative leaflets have been revealed to include a plea to voters to not 'punish local Conservatives for the mistakes made in Westminster'

Senior Conservative MP Tim Loughton appeared in a video with a local Tory candidate telling voters: 'Put aside what may be going on in national politics, this is a local election'

Among efforts to distance local candidates from the party's national issues are leaflets being delivered in Hartlepool.

They read: 'This Thursday, please dont punish local Conservatives for the mistakes made in Westminster.

'We are local, and proud of where we live, and like you, we want the best for Hartlepool.'

Senior Conservative MP Tim Loughton, who has called for the PM to resign over Partygate, has appeared in a video with a local Tory candidate telling voters: 'Put aside what may be going on in national politics, this is a local election.'

In Esher and Walton in Surrey, which forms Justice Secretary Dominic Raab's Westminster constituency, the Tory candidates for Elmbridge Borough Council are officially listed as 'Local Conservatives'.

This is also the case for Tory candidates for Birmingham City Council and Wandsworth Borough Council.

Some local campaign leaflets have also been reported to omit any Conservative branding at all.

Boris Johnson has promised to take 'full responsibility' if the Tories suffer a hammering tomorrow

Conservative polling expert Lord Hayward suggested that the party's losses could be between 250 and 350 tomorrow.

He told MailOnline: 'One of the things that is becoming clear is that people you talk to are stating anti-Boris, anti-London, anti-Westminster things.'

On some candidates branding themselves as 'local Conservatives', he added: 'There are a growing number of people who are openly dissenting from Boris and trying to separate themselves from Boris.'

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner accused Tory candidates of 'trying to hide from their own Governments record'.

'It speaks volumes that Boris Johnsons own Conservative candidates are ashamed to be associated with him and trying to pull the wool over voters' eyes,' she added.
The suspected 'kingpin' of a Channel people smuggling gang was held during a police swoop in London earlier today.

Detectives say Iranian-born Hewa Rahimpur, 29, was arrested during a planned operation in east London and is due to appear in court tomorrow.

Rahimpur is suspected of being a 'major player' in an organised crime group supplying 'significant numbers' of small boats to people smugglers.

He is wanted by the authorities in Belgium where he is suspected of being a leading figure in a network said by prosecutors to be engaged in 'systematic human smuggling' offences using small boats.

Iranian-born Hewa Rahimpur, 29, was arrested during a planned operation in east London and is due to appear in court tomorrow

Belgian authorities suspect Rahimpur has links to a major organised crime group involved in people trafficking

Rahimpur is accused of sourcing the boats in Turkey and having them delivered to locations in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands

Rahimpur, currently living in Ilford, east London, was detained in a National Crime Agency (NCA) operation at around 1pm this afternoon.

The joint NCA-Belgian investigation follows the seizure of a number of boats and outboard motors, found by Belgian police in the back of a car near the Belgian-French border last October.

Rahimpur is accused of sourcing the boats in Turkey and having them delivered to locations in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

He would then direct other members of the gang to take them on to the northern French coast, from where migrants would be transported.

NCA officers worked alongside their Belgian colleagues to track Rahimpur down, locating him at his place of work in Romford Road, Manor Park, where he was arrested.

He will now go before Westminster Magistrates in central London tomorrow when extradition proceedings are due to begin.

Jacque Beer, NCA Deputy Director of Investigations, said: 'Rahimpur stands accused of being a major player in what we would say is one of the most significant criminal networks involved in supplying boats to people smugglers.

'His arrest today follows close co-operation between the NCA, the Europol Migrant Smuggling Centre and our counterparts in Belgium.

'Many of the criminal gangs involved in these crossings are based outside of the UK, but where we do find they have a UK footprint we will act swiftly to disrupt and dismantle them.'

Frank Demeester, from the prosecutors' office of West Flanders in Belgium, said: 'Together with smuggling of human beings by refrigerated transport, smuggling of by small boats is highest on our priority list.

'For us, this form of smuggling of human beings is the ultimate threat to life, so we do everything possible to intervene as soon as possible. Every crossing that can be avoided is a potentially fatal crossing that has been foiled.

'The Belgian police and judiciary invest a lot of capacity in the fight against human smuggling, and we will continue to do so in co-operation with our partners in the neighbouring countries.'

The NCA reissued an appeal to the UK maritime industry in March to raise awareness of how they might be targeted by criminal gangs looking to source boats or equipment.

Andrea Wilson, NCA Deputy Director of Organised Immigration Crime, added: 'One of the ways we are seeking to disrupt these people smuggling networks is through targeting their supply of boats.

'Some of the vessels we have seen attempting the Channel crossing have been nothing short of death-traps, held together using gaffer tape and planks of wood.

'Sadly, we have also seen how these crossings have resulted in fatalities, which is why tackling this criminality is a priority for the NCA and our law enforcement partners both in the UK and overseas.'

She added: 'I would also re-iterate our appeal from earlier in the year to those involved in the maritime industry, both here in the UK and on the continent.

'Please be on alert, and if you have suspicions around the purchase of the kinds of items that can be used in these crossings, please report it.'
A Russian army helicopter violated Finland's airspace in an apparent attempt to frighten the country as it readies to join NATO.

The military Mi-17 transport chopper flew 2-3 miles inside the Finnish border after 10.30 this morning (7.30am GMT), according to the country's Ministry of Defence.

'The aircraft type is a Mi-17 helicopter and the depth of the suspected violation is about four to five kilometres', a ministry spokesman told AFP.

Finland has accelerated a bid to join the Western defensive alliance since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, stoking fury in the Kremlin.

The army transport vessel flew 2-3 miles into Finnish airspace after 10.30am local time today. Pictured: Afghan Mi-17 transport helicopter pictured in Kabul, 2017

Sweden is set to join as another historically neutral new entrant to NATO.

Public opinion in both countries has swung in favour of joining since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began on February 24.

Putin has promised 'consequences' and said he will move Russian nuclear weapons to the nearby Baltic Sea in retaliation.

A Russian lawmaker warned last month Finland would be asking for 'the destruction of their country'.

Senator Vladimir Dzhabarov said the move is a 'terrible tragedy'.

Russia previously violated Finnish airspace on April 8, the first time this year.

The news came as a Finnish nuclear provider terminated a contract with Russian state energy firm Rosatom for the delivery of a power plant.

Fennovoima warned the war in Ukraine 'has worsened the risks for the project', which was set to generate around 10 per cent of Finland's electricity needs.

A Russian chopper violated Finnish airspace earlier this year, as well as Sweden and Denmark's

Moscow forces have flown into Swedish and Danish airspace in recent days, prompting Denmark's Foreign Minister to summon the Russian Ambassador in Copenhagen.

Jeppe Kofod tweeted on May 1: 'Another Russian violation of Danish airspace. That is completely unacceptable and extremely worrying in the current situation.'

Experts have warned that Finland and Sweden would likely be subjected to Russian acts of interference as they consider whether to join NATO as a deterrent against aggression from their eastern neighbour.

Hostile acts such as cyberattacks are also considered likely.

A large majority of Finnish MPs and the public are in favour of joining the Atlantic Alliance.

Why are Sweden and Finland not in NATO? Both Finland and Sweden have been militarily non-aligned since WWII. Sweden maintained its policy of neutrality - which had begun in the early 19th century - throughout the war wanting to avoid being drawn into a conflict that was engulfing the nearby powers of Germany and the Soviet Union. Instead, Sweden profited from its neutrality by exporting iron ore to the Nazis and sharing military intelligence with the Allies and training their refugee soldiers. Meanwhile Finland changed sides in the conflict, first being invaded by Joseph Stalin and assisting the Nazis, before fighting against Hitler's troops. When NATO was formed in 1949 for a Western military alliance, Sweden decided not to join and continue its neutrality, introducing a security policy that secured its non-alignment in peace and neutrality in war. In 1994, Stockholm decided to join the NATO programme Partnership for Peace (PfP), aimed to build trust between member states and other European countries, but until now it has not signalled a desire to fully join the alliance. Finland is also a PfP member but has similarly stated its desire to remain neutral since the war. The EU member state was part of the Russian Empire and won independence during the 1917 Russian revolution but it nearly lost it fighting the Soviet Union in World War Two. Having been invaded by Russia in 1939 and sharing a long border with the superpower, Finland wanted to stay out of future conflicts, giving it the freedom to maintain a strong relationship with Moscow and the West while enjoying a free market economy. Advertisement

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto is set to announce his personal stance on the issue on May 12.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Wednesday that should her country apply, alone or together with neighbouring Sweden, she hopes the application process would be completed 'as fast as possible'.

'If Finland and Sweden would decide to apply for a NATO membership, the key issue is to keep the ratification process as short as possible', she said.

Helsinki is holding talks with key members of the alliance to obtain security guarantees during the application period, which could last several months, Marin told a joint press conference with Nordic leaders in Copenhagen.

According to Finnish media reports, the government's decision could be made in the next few days.

Finland was ruled by Russia for 108 years before declaring independence in 1917.

It fought off a Soviet invasion during World War II before a peace deal saw it cede several border areas to Moscow.

The Nordic nation remained neutral during the Cold War in exchange for Soviet guarantees not to invade.

On the Swedish side, the government and parliament are due to present a security policy review including viewpoints on NATO membership on May 13.

Stockholm is also currently holding consultations with NATO countries, with its foreign minister travelling to the US and Canada this week.

Four Russian fighter jets violated Swedish airspace in early March near Sweden's strategically-located island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea.

And on Friday, a Russian spy plane also crossed the Swedish border near a naval base in the south of the country.

NATO leader Jens Stoltenberg said Finland and Sweden would be 'welcomed with open arms' should they apply.

They could also be given NATO protections in the period between launching their entry bid and having the move ratified by all the alliance's member states.

Mr Stoltenberg said in Brussels last week: '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.

'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.'
One of Putin's closest allies and suspected financer of the private military company Wagner Group has declared the West 'pathetic endangered perverts' and promised a Russian victory in Ukraine in his latest explosive interview.

Yevgeny Prigozhin - often referred to as 'Putin's chef' because of his past catering contracts with the Kremlin - launched a venomous rant at The Guardian this week in which he hit out at the perceived Western attitude towards Russians.

'You are a dying-out western civilisation that considers Russians, Malians, Central Africans, Cubans, Nicaraguans and many other peoples and countries to be third world scum,' the businessman announced.

'You are a pathetic endangered bunch of perverts, and there are many of us, billions of us. And victory will be ours!'

Prigozhin's fury came after The Guardian contacted him for a response to the discovery of evidence which appears to connect the Wagner Group to the massacre of around 300 civilians in Mali.

The shadowy group of mercenaries has been linked to a string of conflicts and brutal killings around the world and is widely thought to operate as Putin's private army, carrying out his dirty work at arms' length with no official ties to Moscow.

Wagner fighters are known to have deployed in Mali, assisting the junta that toppled the country's government in a 2020 military coup - and the 60-year-old Prigozhin is believed to be the group's main financial backer.

Yevgeny Prigozhin - often referred to as 'Putin's chef' because of his past catering contracts with the Kremlin - launched a venomous rant at The Guardian this week in which he hit out at the perceived Western attitude towards Russians

Prigozhin is one of Putin's closest allies and suspected financer of the private military company Wagner Group (mercenary pictured wearing Wagner insignia in Donetsk)

Businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, left, serves food to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, center, during dinner at Prigozhin's restaurant outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. Russia has engaged in under-the-radar military operations in at least half a dozen countries in Africa in the last five years using a shadowy mercenary force, Wagner, analysts say is loyal to President Vladimir Putin. The United States identifies Prigozhin as Wagner's financer

When human rights abuses were reported in recent weeks in Mali - fake graves designed to discredit French forces and a massacre of some 300 people, most of whom were civilians - the Wagner Group and their Malian military allies were thought to be the ones responsible.

Even before the shady mercenaries joined the assault on Ukraine, Russia had deployed them to under-the-radar military operations across at least half a dozen African countries in an attempt to further the Kremlin's global ambitions.

The Wagner Group passes itself off as a private military contractor and the Kremlin denies any connection to it or even, sometimes, that it exists.

But Wagner's commitment to Russian interests has become apparent in Ukraine, where its fighters, seen wearing the group's chilling white skull emblem, are among the Russian forces currently attacking the Donbas region.

In sub-Saharan Africa, Wagner has gained substantial footholds for Russia in Central African Republic, Sudan and Mali. Wagner's role in those countries goes way beyond the cover story of merely providing a security service, experts say.

'They essentially run the Central African Republic,' and are a growing force in Mali, Gen. Stephen Townsend, the commander of U.S. armed forces in Africa, told a Senate hearing last month.

Prigozhin denied any involvement in the private military company in his interview with The Guardian, insisting 'the Wagner Group does not exist' and pinning the events taking place in Mali on 'terrorist organisations planted by the collective West, namely the USA, Britain, France.'

But fighters wearing Wagner Group insignia have been photographed in eastern Ukraine since the invasion began and there are widespread reports of the mercenaries directing Malian military officials and soldiers in their brutality against the civilian population.

Prigozhin is pictured right alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin

This undated photograph handed out by French military shows three Russian mercenaries, right, in northern Mali. The Wagner Group is widely believed to be influencing politics, undermining democracy and conducting warfare on behalf of the Kremlin in Africa

A Wagner mercenary is pictured in Russian seperatist-controlled Donetsk in the early days of Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Wagner mercenaries were filmed in action in Ukraine for the first time today.

Drone footage from the town of Popansa, in Ukraine's east, shows a squad of Russians involved in intense street fighting with Ukrainian defenders - storming a house and throwing grenades before forcing them to surrender.

The footage emerged as UK intelligence said today that Russian forces are 'struggling to break through defences and build momentum' in the fight for Donbas, the outcome of which is seen as pivotal to the overall war.

Britain's Ministry of Defence said that, despite these setbacks, Russian commanders appear set on attempting to capture the cities of Severodonetsk and Kramatorsk - to the north and west of Popansa, respectively - using forces massed in the area.

Footage of the Wagner mercenaries first appeared on the Telegram channel of 'Colonel Cassad' - a pro-Russian blogger named Boris Rozhin who is based in Crimea who posts updates from Ukraine to an audience hundreds of thousands strong.

Russian soldiers - believed to be from the feared Wagner Group - have been filmed fighting in Ukraine for the first time (pictured top left, storming a trench)

A Wagner solider (pictured standing against the house wall) prepares to throw a grenade into another building containing Ukrainian troops

It was re-posted by Rob Lee, a respected analyst from the War Studies department of King's College, who repeated Rozhin's claim that the troops are from Wagner.

Russia has turned its attention on capturing Ukraine's eastern regions after its initial attempts to capture Kyiv and other key cities in the north failed with Moscow's forces suffering heavy casualties.

Fighting is now ongoing along a stretch of frontline hundreds of miles long, stretching from Kharkiv in the north to Mariupol in the south, and along the Azov and Black Sea coasts to Kherson and Mykolaiv.

Some of the most-intense battles are currently taking place in Popansa and Lyman, around 35 miles to the north, as the Russians attempt to surround the cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, which span the Donets river.

Doing so would cut off the Ukrainian defenders from reinforcements and make the cities easier to capture. If they fall, they could then be used as a staging post to push further west - to Slovyansk and Kramatorsk.
Alejandro Mayorkas took responsibility for hiring Russian misinformation 'expert' Nina Jankowicz to lead the administration's new disinformation board and admitted Wednesday that he didn't know she called the Hunter Biden laptop scandal a 'Trump campaign product'.

During a hearing on Capitol Hill, Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas was forced to again defend his pick to lead DHS's newly formed Disinformation Governance Board after she came under fire for multiple comments.

When pushed on the hiring of Jankowicz by GOP Louisiana Senator John Kennedy during an Appropriations Committee hearing on Wednesday, Mayorkas repeated he was responsible for all decisions at DHS and lauded his pick as a 'subject matter expert' on Russia and disinformation.

'We don't discuss our internal hiring processes, but I am the Secretary of Homeland Security and ultimately, I am responsible,' he said to the Senate panel.

'When the Department picked her, did it know that she had said that Mr. Hunter Biden's laptop is Russia disinformation?' Kennedy pushed Mayorkas.

'I was not aware of that,' the secretary responded.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was forced onto the defensive Wednesday when pushed on the hiring of Russian misinformation 'expert' Nina Jankowicz to lead DHS's new Disinformation Governance Board

Louisiana Senator John Kennedy pushed Mayorkas on whether he knew during hiring that Jankowicz had called Hunter Biden's laptop scandal Russian misinformation and though the Steele Dossier was legitimate

Jankowicz, who wrote the book How to Lose the Information War (pictured), suggested last month that there should be limitations on free speech on social media platforms

He did, however, concede: 'Ultimately it's the secretary responsible for the decisions for the Department of Homeland Security.'

'When the Department picked Ms. Jankowicz did it know that she had vouched for the veracity of the Steele Dossier?' Kennedy further questioned, pushing Mayorkas on the defense.

'I was not aware of that fact,' he said.

'It's my understanding that Ms. Jankowicz is a subject matter expert in the field in which she will be working on behalf of the Department,' Mayorkas added.

After Mayorkas announced last month the creation of the board, Jankowicz came under fire from Republicans and conservatives for her previous statements, including suggesting that Hunter Biden's laptop was part of a 'Russian disinformation' campaign.

She also said that she was against First Amendment rights to speech on social media platforms, claiming it would hurt marginalized communities.

A group of 50 House Republicans introduced a bill Tuesday to shut down the 'un-American' newly formed Disinformation Governance Board, which the right is likening to the Orwellian 'Ministry of Truth.'

The bill, led by GOP Louisiana Representative Mike Johnson, would defund the brand new unit just launched under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and headed by so-called Russian misinformation expert Nina Jankowicz.

'Today I led 50 @HouseGOP Members in introducing a bill to defund Biden's 'Ministry of Truth.' The government has no role in determining what constitutes truth or acceptable speech, and this dystopian, unconstitutional board must be dissolved,' Johnson tweeted on Tuesday.

'If Biden won't do it, then we will.'

Some notable lawmakers who signed on with the proposed dissolution of the board are Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik as well as Republican Representatives Andy Biggs of Arizona and Lauren Boebert of Colorado, among dozens others.

Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee also called for the dissolution of the board.

A group of 50 Republicans introduced a bill to defund the new Department of Homeland Security's Disinformation Governance Board, which falls under DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas' (left) purview and is being headed by Russian disinformation 'expert' Nina Jankowicz (right)

The bill to dissolve the board is led by Representative Mike Johnson of Louisiana and includes signatures from dozens of other Republican lawmakers

She sent a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday claiming the new board threatens Americans' First Amendment rights and insisted that the partisan control is specifically chilling to conservative speech.

Critics have dubbed Mayorkas' new board as the 'Ministry of Truth' from George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984 and insist that it was formatted to silence right-leaning voices. In the novel, the ministry was used to propagate information  and essentially was able to make up what was 'truth' in this fictional world and would rewrite history to change facts.

Many Republicans have compared the new board to the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984

Outside the walls of the Minsitry of Truth in the book were three slogans: 'WAR IS PEACE,' 'FREEDOM IS SLAVERY,' and 'IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.'

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the DHS Disinformation Governance Board is 'communism.'

'They don't want you to have it because they don't want you to be able to say what you think and feel or sort out the truth yourself,' the Georgia Republican told voters during a campaign event in her district this week.

Biden's team, including Secretary Mayorkas, reject claims from Republicans slamming the board. Instead, they say, the agency is meant to coordinate DHS online monitoring.

This hasn't calmed conservative and Republican voices who claim their posts and opinions are already being stifled online.

Mayorkas revealed the Disinformation Governance Board during congressional testimony last week after reports emerged of its creation  even though it appears the new unit has been operating already for several months.

Jankowicz tweeted after news of the board and her position broke: '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.'

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 head of the board has also already come under fire for her previous comments and tweets.

Jankowicz previously poured cold water on reports about Hunter Biden's laptop scandal, calling it a 'Trump campaign product', although the validity of the device belonging to the president's son was later confirmed by several media outlets.

She also suggested in an interview last month that she opposes the The First Amendment because she thinks it is bad for 'marginalized communities' and called billionaire Elon Musk a 'free speech absolutist' because he wants to make Twitter more open to all voices.
A former Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor who once staged his own shooting has been found guilty of forgery and other charges in a scheme to swindle $5 million from his dead son's estate.

John Donovan Sr, 80, of Hamilton, Massachusetts was convicted on Tuesday by a jury in Salem Superior Court after a monthlong trial and four hours of deliberations.

In a separate plot, Donovan was previously convicted of staging his own shooting in 2007 and falsely accusing one of his sons, a Goldman Sachs executive who later dated Trump administration official Hope Hicks, of hiring Russian hitmen to kill him.

Another of Donovan's sons, John Donovan Jr, died in April 2015 at age 43 after being diagnosed with cancer.

After his death, Donovan Sr forged 25 documents, including will codicils, deeds, land transfers, mortgages and releases of judgments against him at the county registry of deeds in December 2016, prosecutors said.

John Donovan Sr, 80, (seen in 2007) of Hamilton, Massachusetts was convicted on Tuesday of forgery and other charges in a scheme to swindle $5 million from his dead son's estate

Donovan was previously convicted of staging his own shooting in 2007 and falsely accusing one of his sons of hiring Russian hitmen to kill him

John Donovan Jr (left) died of cancer in 2015, and his father tried to steal his estate. The elder Donovan previously falsely accused another son, James Donovan (right) of hiring hitmen to kill him in a separate dispute over trust funds

The elder Donovan and his children are estranged and according to witness testimony, the son did not want his father to have anything to do with his family, prosecutors said.

The forged documents would have given the older Donovan land worth $5 million from his late son's estate, prosecutors said.

But prosecutors said that the scheme was uncovered when staff at the Southern Essex Registry of Deeds in Salem raised questions about the documents and said they appeared to be forgeries.

'The general public relies upon the integrity of documents filed with the Registry of Deeds,' Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said in a statement.

'Thanks to the diligence and professionalism of the staff at the registry, who raised concerns about the documents filed by Mr. Donovan, this fraudulent scheme failed.'

Sentencing was scheduled for May 16.

The senior Donovan was a wealthy businessperson who made a name for himself as a technology guru, starting more than a dozen companies and publishing books

Donovan Sr taught business at MIT from 1969 to 1997

The senior Donovan was a wealthy businessperson who made a name for himself as a technology guru, starting more than a dozen companies and publishing books. He taught business at MIT from 1969 to 1997.

Tuesday's conviction was not his first brush with the law.

He was found guilty in 2007 of staging his own shooting outside his business office in Cambridge in December 2005.

He said he was attacked by two Russian hitmen hired by another son, James Donovan.

But prosecutors at the time said Donovan Sr shot himself in the abdomen and fabricated the story to frame the son.

Donovan Sr was convicted of filing a false police report and was sentenced to two years of probation.

In court, James Donovan testified that his father called him a demon, and said he should be careful because he had young children and a lot to lose.

James is a Goldman Sachs executive who was nominated for the No. 2 job in former President Donald Trump's Treasury Department in 2017, but later withdrew from the process, citing personal reasons.

Another son, James Donovan, is seen getting lunch with former White House communications director Hope Hicks in March 2020

In 2020, James Donovan was linked romantically to former White House communications director Hope Hicks.

The couple dated for at least several months, but their current relationship status is unclear.

Despite his troubled family life, Donovan's career has proved hugely successful with the 55-year-old instrumental in building up Goldman's investment banking unit.

One of his clients was Bain Capital, a private equity firm set up by Mitt Romney who later hired Donovan as an adviser during his 2012 presidential campaign.

He later went on to work on Jeb Bush's failed 2016 attempt to become the Republican presidential nominee, but was nominated for the number two job at the Treasury by President Trump the following year.

Two months after his nomination, Donovan pulled out citing family concerns. In a statement released at the time, he said: 'I am deeply honored by President Trump's decision to nominate me as Deputy Secretary of the U.S Department of the Treasury.

'However at this time, I want to focus on my family, and I can no longer accept it. I hope to be able to serve this administration in the future and fully support President Trump and Secretary Steven Mnuchin's ongoing work to reform the tax system and the U.S economy.'
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The 23-year-old who attacked Dave Chappelle last night is a wannabe rapper who named one of his songs after the comedian two years ago.

Isaiah Lee is now being held in the LA County Sheriff's custody on a single felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon. His bail has been set at $30,000. Lee's motive for the attack remains unclear. Police have not yet established where he lives, and if he attended the show alone.

Lee posted rap videos on YouTube going back to 2020. One, uploaded in June, is titled 'Dave Chappell'. He makes repeated reference to 'jokes' in the song, but it's unclear if he was a fan.

Before storming the stage at the Netflix is a Joke Festival on Tuesday night, he uploaded an Instagram story of himself in the same outfit he was arrested in.

Lee is now in custody being held on a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon. His motive for the attack remains unclear. The attacker was armed with a gun that contained a hidden knife, according to the cops. It's unclear if he was searched on his way into the venue, or how he was able to gain access to the stage.

Chappelle was uninjured and carried on with the show.

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Lee posted rap videos on YouTube going back to 2020. One, uploaded in June, is titled 'Dave Chappelle'. He makes repeated reference to 'jokes' in the song, but it's unclear if he was a fan

The title of the amateur rapper's June 2020 song is Dave Chappell, a misspelled version of the comedian's name

Isaiah Lee, 23, is removed on a gurney and in handcuffs after trying to attack Dave Chappelle at his show in Hollywood on Tuesday night

Lee is now in the custody of LA County Sheriffs. He has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon

The 23-year-old was taken into custody at the event, then was taken to the hospital. He is now in jail

Footage later appears to show the suspect being treated by paramedics for a badly injured arm before he was taken to hospital in an ambulance

The 23-year-old was taken to the hospital on Tuesday night

Dave Chappelle was last night attacked on stage while filming a Netflix special in Los Angeles

Chris Rock, who performed later in the event last night and was similarly subjected to a violent outburst on stage at the Oscars in March, came on stage and joked: 'Was that Will Smith?', with Jimmy Carr standing behind

Chris Rock later came to the stage and joked that it was Will Smith who attacked Chappelle, while Jimmy Carr stood shocked in the background at the 'crazy' gig

Chappelle, who sparked outrage in the trans community with controversial comments in a Netflix show last year, appeared to be uninjured

Lee was then tackled by security guards who appeared to break his arm in the melee. He is described as weighing 140lbs and is 5ft 11.

It raises questions about security at the Netflix show, its first ever live comedy festival, which forced fans to put their phones away but failed to spot the weapon. Netflix has not yet addressed the incident.

The venue said on its website that the show, which last night was titled Dave Chappelle and Friends, would be a 'phone-free experience' and that the audience would have to secure their phones inside pouches.

After the attacker was detained, Chappelle thanked Foxx on stage during the curtain call. He said: 'Shout out to Jamie Foxx by the way.

'Whenever you're in trouble, Jamie Foxx will show up in a sheriff's hat.'

Foxx replied: 'I thought that was part of the show, I didn't know what the f***...'

Chappelle said: 'I grabbed the back of that n**** head. His hair was spongy. Absorbent.'

Foxx added: 'Listen, I just want to say, this man is an absolute genius. We've got to make sure we protect him at all times.

'For every comedian who comes out here, this means everything. You're a genius. You're a legend, I enjoyed myself thoroughly, and we're not going to let nothing happen to you.'

Chappelle said: 'I've been doing this for 35 years. I just stomped a n**** backstage. I've always wanted to do that.'

After the attack, Jimmy Carr shared a selfie taken with the fellow comedian and described his Los Angeles show as 'crazy'.

He tweeted: 'The Hollywood Bowl show with the legendary Dave Chappelle was crazy. Just happy everyone's ok.'

Chappelle came under fire last year over jokes about trans people in his Netflix comedy show The Closer.

Stars: Madonna, 63, looked pensive as she headed to Nice Guy restaurant with friends after the event while Christina, 40, (right) was seen covering her mouth with her hand in shock

Night out: Celebrities Madonna (pictured), Christina Milian and Karrueche Tran were seen leaving the Hollywood Bowl late on Tuesday night after attending Dave Chappelle's comedy show where he was tackled on stage in a dramatic attack

Chappelle, pictured at the opening night of the Netflix is a Joke festival last week, came under fire last year over jokes about trans people in his Netflix comedy show The Closer

The venue said on its website that the show, which last night was titled Dave Chappelle and Friends, would be a 'phone-free experience'

In the aftermath, the confused audience left the arena as the attacker was taken to hospital to treat his injured arm

Footage from the event shows panicked security chasing the attacker round the stage after he ran up and attacked the comedian

After the attack, Jimmy Carr shared a selfie taken with the fellow comedian and described his Los Angeles show as 'crazy'

During the controversial special, he made one comment stating that 'gender is a fact', prompting Netflix staff to protest and mass outrage on social media against some of his jokes.

He also shared his backing for JK Rowling, who has also attracted criticism for her remarks about biological sex.

In the special, he stated that he does not hate transgender people, and tells a long anecdote about a trans woman comic, who he describes as a friend, who came to his defense in earlier entanglements with the community.

Chappelle added: 'Every human being in this room, every human being on Earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on Earth. That is a fact.'

In the contentious special, Chappelle also joked that women today view transwomen the same way black people might view white women wearing blackface, and remarked that women are entitled to feel anger toward transwomen, since Caitlyn Jenner won Glamour magazine's 2015 Woman of the Year award.

'I'd be mad as sh*t if I was a woman,' Chappelle said.

The star also joked about the anatomy of transwomen, joking that they lacked real female reproductive organs and that they did not have blood but 'beet juice'.

The comments prompted calls for Netflix to take down the show, but boss Ted Sarandos told staff that 'content on screen doesn't translate to real-world harm'.

Those who have criticized Chapelle's jokes have specifically cited the physical danger faced by the trans community as a result of anti-trans ideology.

Chris Rock performed later in the event last night and was similarly subjected to a violent outburst on stage at the Oscars in March

The attack comes weeks after Will Smith attacked Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars, raising fears it would inspire similar violent protests against performers.

The actor slapped the comedian on stage after a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith's shaved head. Pinkett-Smith has been open in the past about her struggles with alopecia.

After the slap, Smith returned to his seat and screamed 'keep my wife's name out of your f*****g mouth.'

He the then won the Oscar for Best Actor in his role as Richard Williams, in the film King Richard. He used his speech to apologize to the Academy and he later posted an apology on Instagram.

Rock has mostly kept quiet on the issue, speaking out only to say he was 'processing' what happened.

The incident prompted members of the comedy community, including Jack Whitehall and Kathy Griffin, to voice their fears that performers are no longer safe on stage.

The Netflix event is the streaming giant's first ever comedy festival and features performances from big name stars including Seth Rogen, Snoop Dogg, Bill Burr and Pete Davidson.
South Dakota is now probing a case of child hepatitis, becoming the twelfth state to report the disease  after a child in Wisconsin died from the condition.

Health chiefs in the state said the patient was less than 10 years old and lived in Brown County, on the North Dakota border.

It takes the U.S. total to at least 32 confirmed or suspected cases of unexplained hepatitis, including five liver transplants and one death.

Four children are thought to have died from the disease globally, after Indonesia said it was investigating three fatalities.

More than 220 cases have been spotted to date  most in the UK  and there have been 18 liver transplants, but experts warn this could be just the 'tip of the iceberg'.

Scientists are puzzled by the spate of cases because none of the affected children have tested positive for normal hepatitis-causing viruses.

They have linked many to adenovirus  which can trigger the common cold  and have even suggested lockdowns or a previous Covid infection could be responsible.

The above map shows states that have confirmed cases of hepatitis (red) and those that have suspected cases (yellow). The numbers on the states correspond to their number on the table on the right-hand-side, which contains the case numbers

Q&A: What is the mysterious global hepatitis outbreak and what is behind it? What is hepatitis? Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver that is usually caused by a viral infection or liver damage from drinking alcohol. Some cases resolve themselves, with no ongoing issues, but a fraction can be deadly, forcing patients to need liver transplants to survive. Why are experts concerned? Hepatitis is usually rare in children, but experts have already spotted more cases in the current outbreak than they would normally expect in a year. Cases are of an 'unknown origin' and are also severe, according to the World Health Organization. It has caused up to two deaths and 18 liver transplants. What are the top theories? Co-infection Experts say the cases may be linked to adenovirus, commonly associated with colds, but further research is ongoing. This, in combination with Covid infections, could be causing the spike in cases. The WHO reported adenovirus has been detected in at least 74 of the cases. At least 20 of the children tested positive for the coronavirus. Weakened immunity British experts tasked with investigating the spate of illnesses believe the endless cycle of lockdowns may have played a contributing role. Restrictions may have weakened children's immunity because of reduced social mixing, leaving them at heightened risk of adenovirus. This means even 'normal' adenovirus could be causing the severe outcomes, because children are not responding to it how they did in the past. Adenovirus mutation Other scientists said it may have been the adenovirus that has acquired 'unusual mutations'. This would mean it could be more transmissible or better able to get around children's natural immunity. New Covid variant UKHSA officials included 'a new variant of SARS-CoV-2' in their working hypotheses. Covid has caused liver inflammation in very rare cases during the pandemic, although these have been across all ages rather than isolated in children. Environmental triggers The UKHSA has noted environmental triggers are still being probed as possible causes of the illnesses. These could include pollution or exposure to particular drugs or toxins. Advertisement

South Dakota's epidemiologist Dr Josh Clayton called on medics in the state to look out for cases of hepatitis.

He said they were now working closely with the CDC to spot the cause of the condition.

A total of 11 other states have also reported cases of the disease so far. These are Alabama, Delaware, Louisiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, Wisconsin, California and Minnesota.

New York, Illinois and Georgia say they are probing suspected cases of the disease.

On Tuesday the World Health Organization declared at least 228 probable cases of hepatitis in children had been reported from 20 countries.

It said there were more than 50 other cases under investigation.

Most cases were from the UK, 145, and U.S., 20, they said, which have some of the strongest surveillance systems.

The agency did not reveal which countries had reported the extra cases but other health bodies revealed Austria, Germany, Poland, Japan and Canada have detected cases, while Singapore is probing a possible case in a 10-month-old baby.

Indonesia yesterday said three children had died from suspected hepatitis of unknown cause.

Children struck down with hepatitis in America have generally been less than 10 years old.

Those with the condition suffered with vomiting, diarrhea and jaundice  where the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow , the CDC said.

More than half also suffered a fever due to the condition.

Cases have been recorded since October, when the first were detected in Alabama.

But at least one patient is still in hospital in Minnesota waiting for a liver transplant.

Most children swabbed have tested positive for adenovirus, fueling theories that this could be behind the spate of illnesses.

But some are not convinced, pointing out that it is not uncommon to be infected with this virus.

The director of clinical and emerging infections at Britain's health agency the UKHSA, Dr Meera Chand, has told parents the chance of their child developing hepatitis is 'extremely low'.

She said: 'However, we continue to remind parents to be alert to the signs of hepatitis  particularly jaundice, which is easiest to spot as a yellow tinge in the whites of the eyes  and contact your doctor if you are concerned,' she said.

Dr Chand added: 'Normal hygiene measures including thorough handwashing and making sure children wash their hands properly, help to reduce the spread of many common infections.

'As always, children experiencing symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea should stay at home and not return to school or nursery until 48 hours after the symptoms have stopped.'

Hepatitis is usually rare in children, but experts have already spotted more cases in the UK  at the center of the outbreak  since January than they would normally expect in a year.

Scientists have previously suggested cases could be just the 'tip of the iceberg', with more likely to be out there than have been spotted so far.

Searching for an unknown cause is especially hard because cases may have multiple factors behind them that are not consistent across all illnesses.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday accused Russia of 'following the concept of' Nazi Germany in spreading disinformation about his country, which has been under attack by Moscow for 70 days.

It comes after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov compared Zelensky, whose Jewish ancestors died in the Holocaust, to Adolf Hitler.

The wartime leader likened the Kremlin's 'methodology' to that of infamous Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels in an interview with Fox News.

'They are following the same concept of Goebbels, and they're using the same methodology,' Zelensky said.

But Lavrov's latest in a series of conspiratorial claims had a 'weak' impact on other world leaders, he added.

Vladimir Putin's top lapdog sparked outrage in Israel earlier this week when he said Hitler had 'Jewish origins' during his defense of Russia's brutal invasion.

Lavrov also reiterated his boss' claims that Ukraine's government was overrun by 'Nazis' -- a claim Putin used to launch his unprovoked assault on February 24.

When asked on Italian television about Russia's stated goal to 'denazify' Ukraine, Lavrov answered: 'When they say "What sort of nazification is this if we are Jews", well I think that Hitler also had Jewish origins, so it means nothing.'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave an interview to Fox on the 70th day of Russia's brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine

'For a long time now we've been hearing the wise Jewish people say that the biggest anti-Semites are the Jews themselves,' he said through an interpreter, according to Reuters.

Government officials in Canada, the US, Italy and Germany were quick to condemn the comments. Israel summoned Russia's ambassador to demand an apology.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called for 'the use of the Holocaust of the Jewish people for political purposes' to 'stop immediately.'

'Such lies are intended to accuse the Jews themselves of the most horrific crimes in history that were committed against them,' Bennett said in a statement.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Lavrov of spewing 'vile, dangerous rhetoric.'

Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Zelensky in Kyiv last month to discuss continuing American aid in their fight against Russia. And over the weekend, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a Congressional delegation to Ukraine and Poland to meet with leaders in both countries.

He dismissed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's comparison of Ukraine's leader to Hitler as 'weak'

Zelensky instead compared the Kremlin's disinformation efforts to those of Nazi Germany's chief propagandist Joseph Goebbels (right, next to Adolf Hitler)

Pelosi's trip, the highest-profile by a US official since the war began, comes as President Joe Biden is pushing Congress to green light an additional $33 billion in aid to Kyiv -- more than double the previous $13.6 billion package.

Asked if Biden himself should visit, Zelensky said it would be 'good for him to be here,' though he added: 'If it's possible, I don't know.'

Zelensky spoke with Fox for roughly an hour the same day Ukraine's fight to keep hold of Mariupol took a potentially tragic turn on Wednesday.

Kyiv's military said it has lost contact with the last fighters left in the eastern Ukrainian city's Azovstal steel plant as the complex is under bombardment by Russian shelling.

Zelensky said Russia's aim was to slaughter 'everybody' in the plant.

Recent footage emerged of what appears to be Russians using thermobaric rockets, also known as vacuum bombs, on Azovstal -- where Ukraine says injured and innocent civilians are still hiding under defenders' protection.

Zelensky also said Russians were trying to kill 'everyone' still trapped in the Azovstal steel plant in the besieged city of Mariupol

Moscow had broken a ceasefire after 100 civilians were allowed to escape the steel plant, resuming shellfire after accusing Ukrainian fighters of taking advantage of the pause in fighting.

'The United Nations together with the International Red Cross are doing this together to help the evacuation of our people,' Zelensky said on Wednesday.

'However I told them that Russia wishes to destroy everybody who is still in the Azovstal steel plant.'

More than 10,000 civilians have been killed in Mariupol so far under Russia's occupation, the besieged city's mayor said last month.

Asked if he had a message for Americans reading his interview, Zelensky said that his troops were fighting for 'much the same' principles the US was founded on.

Their defense is 'not about only us and Russia but we fight on our land for the principles which Washington gives the meaning much the same,' the Ukrainian president said.

'The principles that you share and that's why we need your support and I'm sure that will win.'
A teenager has been arrested for allegedly raping a young mother in front of her toddler during a terrifying home invasion in Long Island.

The 14-year-old, whose name will not be released because he is a minor, reportedly broke in the Mastic Beach home on April 19 with an accomplice.

Investigators said the mother, 23, heard noises from downstairs and locked herself and her four-year-old daughter inside an upstairs bedroom.

The alleged rapist and his accomplice, who has yet to be arrested, then broke down the door and began the terrorizing attack, Suffolk County authorities have said.

The accomplice allegedly gathered items to steal while the 14-year-old reportedly raped the mother in front of her child. He also allegedly strangled her, slashed her face with a switchblade and stabbed her in the chest.

After the two suspects fled the scene, the distraught mother ran for help to a neighbor's home with her child in arms.

'I thought they were playing 'til I realized the woman... was bleeding from her head bad. Like, her whole body covered with blood,' neighbor Dennis Naughton told CBS.

'[I] put some towels and stuff on her until the bleeding stopped and gave her some clothes...because she had pretty much almost nothing on and the kid was freezing.'

The teenager was taken into custody on April 20 and charged with rape, criminal sexual act, assault, burglary, sexual abuse, strangulation and endangering the welfare of a child.

A 14-year-old, whose name will not be released because he is a minor, and an accomplice that has yet to be arrested broke in a Mastic Beach home on April 19. The minor allegedly raped a 23-year-old mother in front of her daughter, 4, while the accomplice gathered items to steal, police said

After the two suspects fled the scene, the distraught mother ran for help to neighbor Dennis Naughton's home with her child in arms

After the traumatic experience, the young mother was taken to a hospital, where she received staples in the chest, head and face and was also treated for emotional distress.

She has since moved from the Mastic Beach home where she lived the terror.

Police distributed surveillance video that showed the two suspects walking around the neighborhood before breaking in the house.

They were described as black, one wearing a dark-hooded sweatshirt and dark pants with a white strip. The other suspect was wearing a light-colored hooded sweatshirt and light-colored pants.

Authorities received tips and used DNA evidence to link the suspect to the violent crime.

The teenager has pleaded not guilty to all the counts he was charged with. He will be tried as a juvenile and faces a maximum prison penalty of ten years.

'My client maintains his innocence and denies these charges,' the suspect's lawyer, Christopher Gioe, told The New York Post.

'We're just beginning our investigation into these allegations now and intend on fighting the charges.'

Police distributed surveillance video that showed the two suspects walking around the neighborhood before breaking in the house

The suspects were described as black, one wearing a dark-hooded sweatshirt and dark pants with a white strip. The other suspect was wearing a light-colored hooded sweatshirt and light-colored pants. The alleged rapist's accomplice has yet to be arrested

According to authorities, the victim and her 4-year-old daughter were alone at the home when they heard noises around 4pm on April 19.

The victim first thought that the noise downstairs was her husband coming back early from work.

She later locked herself in the room with her child but the suspects then broke down the door.

'The defendant, who was armed with a knife, began to rape the victim in front of her daughter,' Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

After the rape, the suspects fled with money and property, police said.

The victim was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after running to a neighbor's house.

'Aside from the extreme violence of the criminal activity, what makes this case so shocking is the age of the defendant who is accused of committing such callous and violent crimes,' Tierney said.

The accomplice of the alleged rapist has yet to be apprehended. A $2,500 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the males involved.

'One on the loose and nobody's talking. Somebody knows something ... And that person, whoever it is that's hiding them, I'm sorry, they should be convicted of it as well,' Mastic Beach resident Laura Levay told CBS.

Police have asked anyone with information to call the Special Victims Section at (631) 852-8791 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.
A Georgia man was charged with second-degree murder on Wednesday for the death of his eight-month-old daughter who died after being left inside his car for seven hours in 86 degree weather following his arrest when he tried retrieving a gun from police, officials said.

Davied Whatley, 20, of Grayson, went to Snellville City Hall at around 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday to retrieve a gun that was being held by the police department, Snellville Police Detective Jeff Manley said during a news conference on Wednesday.

Before releasing the weapon, police did a background check, which is standard practice to make sure a gun isn't being released to someone with a felony conviction, and discovered that there was a warrant for Whatley's arrest for a probation violation, Manley said.

Manley claimed that while Whatley was under police custody, he never once mentioned that his daughter, Nova Grace Whatley-Trejo, was in the car parked outside. Tuesday's high temperature in the city was 86 degrees.

Roughly seven hours later, the baby's grandmother arrived at the emergency room with the infant, who was determined to be dead.

'I'm absolutely astounded someone could leave an 8-month-old in the car, park away from our building and walk up here knowing that child was in the car,' Manley said.

Davied Whatley, 20, of Grayson, Georgia, was arrested on Wednesday for the murder of his 8-month-old daughter after he left her in this car for about seven hours

Infant Nova Grace Whatley-Trejo (pictured) died inside her fathers car as temperatures hit 86 degrees in Snellville. Whatley left her in the car parked outside City Hall as he went to go retrieve a gun, but police arrested him for violating his probation

Police said that for the 40 minutes he was in the police department before being transferred to jail, Wheatley never mentioned that his daughter was in the car parked outside. He contacted the baby's grandmother, who discovered the deceased infant

Officers determined that the baby had been left in Wheatley's 2007 Mazda 3 outside City Hall near the dumpsters and that her grandmother retrieved her from the car after getting a call from Wheatley at some point.

From the time Whatley arrived at the police department until he was turned over to the Gwinnett County jail - more than 40 minutes - he was recorded on police body camera and dashcam video, Manley said.

'He made no statements as to the fact that his daughter was left in the car two buildings away from the Snellville Police Department,' Manley said.

Snellville Police Detective Jeff Manley said he was astounded at Wheatley's alleged behavior. Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Agent Lisa Vorrasi (right) said Wheatley was arrested again on Wednesday and sent back to Gwinnett County jail

Whatley, had bonded out of jail on the probation violation charge Tuesday evening, Manley said.

But he was arrested again Wednesday morning and charged with second-degree murder, Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Agent Lisa Vorrasi told reporters. He returned to Gwinnett County jail by the afternoon.

A second-degree murder charge in Georgia means that someone has caused a death while committing second-degree cruelty to children, regardless of intent.

The charge, which was crafted by state Rep. Christian Coomer in 2014 for cases where children die when they're left in hot cars, carries a penalty of 10 to 30 years in prison.

The GBI said the case was still under investigation.
North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn's lawyer argued Tuesday in court that the Republican lawmaker cannot be pushed from the November ballot for saying former President Donald Trump's supporters should 'fight' in advance of the January 6 Capitol attack.

Lawyer James Bopp Jr., who is also representing Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in a similar lawsuit, told a panel of three judges in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, that the Constitution leaves the decision on whether someone is disqualified to serve in the U.S. Congress to members of that body, not the states.

Bopp said Cawthorn 'vigorous[ly] denies that he ever engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States, the country he loves.'

North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn's lawyer argued Tuesday in court that the Republican lawmaker cannot be pushed from the November ballot for saying former President Donald Trump's supporters should 'fight' in advance of the January 6 Capitol attack

A lawsuit filed against Cawthorn by North Carolina voters suggests he should not be eligible to run for Congress over his participation in the pro-Trump rally in the run-up to the January 6 Capitol attack

'But this is not about the facts. This is about the law. This is about whether there are valid claims that are being made under Section 3 against him,' Bopp said.

That means a candidate's ultimate seating doesn't get settled until when each two-year session begins in January, Bopp said.

In the meantime, Bopp suggested, elections will work out potential conflict.

'In a democracy ... where we have the right to vote and we have the First Amendment, we leave a lot of things to the voters,' Bopp said.

But Press Millen, a Raleigh attorney representing voters who filed formal challenges of Cawthorn, countered by saying the Constitution makes clear that insurrectionists can't be members of Congress, just like teenagers or citizens of other countries.

A federal appeals court on Tuesday questioned whether a lower court got it right when it blocked a challenge of Cawthorn's candidacy by voters who cited that section of the Constitution addressing insurrection in an attempt to disqualify him.

The judges heard arguments in a lawsuit that the first-term Republican congressman filed to derail the formal challenge sent to the State Board of Elections from going forward.

U.S. District Judge Richard Myers ruled for Cawthorn in March and prevented the board from formally examining whether he should remain on ballots, and the voters appealed.

Cawthorn is one of eight candidates on the May 17 primary ballot for the 11th Congressional District.

There's no timetable on when the judicial panel will rule, but the court did accelerate the appeal process.

The challenge focused on Cawthorn's involvement in the rally that preceded the U.S. Capitol riot in January 2021 at which the presidential election outcome was questioned.

The voters cite Section 3 of the 14th Amendment ratified in 1868 that is designed to prevent congressmen who had fought on the Confederate side during the Civil War from returning to Congress.

Similar challenges have been filed against members of Congress in other states who have been vocal supporters of Trump, including Greene.

A Georgia state judge recently heard testimony from Greene but has yet to issue a finding. During the hours long hearing last month, Bopp made similar arguments against disqualification.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger - who Trump has criticized for saying there was no widespread election fraud during the 2020 election in Georgia - will ultimately determine whether Greene is qualified.

Cawthorn's attorney James Bopp Jr. (right) is also representing Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (left) in a similar case in Georgia. They appeared in court together on April 22 in Atlanta for an hours long hearing

Some circuit judges Tuesday raised doubts about Myers' logic and those of Cawthorn's attorney, who said an 1872 law that removed office-holding disqualifications from most ex-Confederates also exempt current members of Congress like Cawthorn today.

'Why would Congress do this anyway?' asked U.S. Circuit Judge Jim Wynn, a nominee of then-President Barack Obama, during oral arguments. 'Why would you rather take away a disability of an individual who's going against the United States?'

The amendment says no one can serve in Congress 'who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress ... to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same.'

The amendment does allow Congress to pass laws that can remove such restrictions.

But any such law can't for all time prevent prohibitions against future insurrectionists, Millen said.

'You cannot simply amend the Constitution through a vote in Congress,' Millen said.

A federal judge in Georgia last month said she disagreed with Myers and ruled the 1872 Amnesty Act didn't apply to Greene.

The tangled case began in January, when candidate challenges were initially brought against Cawthorn by voters in a district that he initially decided to run in this fall.

But North Carolina's congressional map for the 2022 elections was altered twice since then because of redistricting litigation that changed the district that Cawthorn decided to run in this fall.

That led to a second challenge by voters in the 11th Congressional District.

Myers refused to let voters from the new 11th District and the other district that Cawthorn had officially filed to run in earlier formally enter the lawsuit.

Those denials also form part of the appeal argued Tuesday and also were heard by Circuit Judges Julius Richardson and Toby Heytens.

Richardson was a Trump nominee, while Heytens was picked by President Joe Biden.
Rap pioneer Kidd Creole has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for stabbing a homeless man he thought was gay in New York City.

Nathanial Glover, aka Kidd Creole, 62, stabbed 55-year-old John Jolly in Midtown Manhattan in 2017. Glover was convicted of first-degree manslaughter last month and today was sentenced to 16 years and five years of post-release supervision.

He pleaded not guilty and his attorneys are arguing he lashed out in self-defense.

He stabbed Jolly twice in the chest with a steak knife after he thought the man was hitting on him on his way to his maintenance job in the city around midnight in August 2017.

Authorities said Jolly had asked him: 'What's up?' He was later found by tourists and was transported to the hospital, where he died. you

'The defendant confessed to pulling out a kitchen knife and repeatedly thrusting it into the body of a stranger on the street, killing him Was there anything that would prevent him from simply running away from Mr. Jolly? No,' Assistant DA Mark Dahl said during the trial.

Glover condemned his reputation as a killer at his sentencing, saying: 'Im very disappointed in the way that that this whole situation played out. Ive been portrayed as a callous and senseless [killer]which is far from the person who I am.

'Ive been slandered and all this made me seem as if I am a person who actually has no remorse and no repentance.'

Rap pioneer Kidd Creole, 62, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision for stabbing a homeless man he thought was gay in New York City

The musician, whose legal name is Nathaniel Glover, stabbed John Jolly, 55, twice in the chest with a steak knife after he thought the man was hitting on him. Jolly reported asked him: 'What's up?' Glover fled the scene after the attacked and washed the knife at work before getting on a subway and disposing the knife in a Bronx subway station

Glover (second from right) was a member of the New York City-based Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, hailed as a group of pioneers in the hip-hop movement with their signature track, The Message

The artist said he he believed he was be 'exonerated' and that he feels 'at a certain point the trust of all of this will be revealed,' the New York Post reported.

In the years prior to the stabbing, Glover had been living by himself in a Bronx apartment and working in a copy shop a few blocks away from the stabbing incident.

Glover fled the scene and went to his office, where he washed the knife, and later disposed of it in a sewer at the Bronx subway station about 15 minutes later, TMZ reported.

Police recovered the weapon the following day, when Glover was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the stabbing. He has been in custody at Rikers Island jail complex since then.

Glover told authorities in a taped interview that he 'was a little annoyed' in thinking that Jolly was seeking a romantic encounter, according to Rolling Stone.

John Jolly, 55, died in the wake of the stabbing from the musical artist

The musician was seen conferring with his counsel at the sentencing on Wednesday. The musician, who worked at a copy shop down the street from the incident at the time, said he believed he'll 'exonerated' and that he feels 'at a certain point the trust of all of this will be revealed'

Glover was seen being led away in handcuffs after being sentenced in a Manhattan court

'To tell the truth, I thought he was gay and because I thought he was gay, and he was saying that to me, "Whats up," I was thinking that he was thinking I was gay,' Glover said in the police interview, adding that he 'got a little nervous' when Jolly approached him.

Glover, who was not aware Jolly had died following the stabbing at the time of the interview, told police, 'I tried to back up a little bit, and he moved forward, and then I just took the knife and stabbed himI wish I never would have seen him. Its all my fault, because I chose to stab him. I have to take responsibility for that.'

In the case, prosecutors said that Glover didn't have any reasons to be afraid of Jolly, and linked his actions with potential homophobia. Defense attorneys said that Glover was fearful of Jolly, and that Jolly's death was due to a combination of alcohol and a sedative he was given while hospitalized.

Glover's attorney Scottie Celestin said that police and prosecutors rushed to judgment of his guilt, saying, 'They did the perp walk. They paraded him in front of the camera, thats it.'

Celestin said that medical records obtained years after Jolly's death indicated that the stabbing didn't kill him, but prosecutors forged on with the case out of 'self-preservation;' and that testimony of witnesses in the case was 'tainted and slanted' in helping prosecutors in their 'incompetent' and 'malicious' attempt to convict Glover.

Celestin noted how Glover 'repeatedly' told police he 'didnt want to hurt' Jolly.

Prosecutor Mark Dahl told jurors that Glover had taken Jolly's life 'in cold blood,' and that none of the witnesses who took the stand in the case had any vested interest in Glover's fate.

He was known as a pioneer in rap and hip-hop music (pictured in 2005)

The group in 2007 was placed into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame , with Jay-Z inducting them

Dahl also used a two-liter bottle to illustrate how much blood Jolly had lost after being stabbed by Glover, and said that Glover's use of the knife illustrated an 'intentional' act of violence as opposed to a defensive act.

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, 48, said the case was an example of NYC cracking down on crime, which has experienced a 41 percent surge compared to last year.

'Mr. Jollys death was devastating to his family and those who knew him,' Bragg said in a statement. 'This case makes clear that if you commit violent crime, we will hold you accountable.'

Excluding murder, all violent crimes are up in the Big Apple with assaults up 19.8 percent, shooting victims up 4.4 percent, rape up 10.7 percent, and robbery up 44.5 percent.

Glover, as Kidd Creole, was a member of the New York City-based Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, hailed as a group of pioneers in the hip-hop movement with their signature track, The Message. The group in 2007 was placed into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with Jay-Z inducting them.
A Michigan mother has been arrested after her six-year-old child took a package of homemade THC-infused edibles, packed in a Life Savers Gummies bag, and shared it with a handful of classmates who became so sick, they had to be hospitalized.

Melinda A. Gaticia was arraigned in Genesee County District Court on Wednesday where she plead not guilty to the one count of felony second-degree child abuse.

The felony charge comes after several students fell ill after ingesting the edibles at Edgerton Elementary School in Clio on Friday. At least four students were taken to the hospital, but have since been released and were back at school on Tuesday, officials said.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said the homemade edibles were packed into a Life Savers Gummies bag and left out at home, where the child found them, and took them school. Each edible had up to 30 milligrams of THC oil.

'We understand that mom probably just made a mistake here,' he said. 'Nobody's saying she's a criminal. She made a mistake, but it's a mistake that has caused a lot of havoc.'

Gaticia could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of the felony charge.

'That doesn't mean it's going to end up that way,' Leyton said during a Facebook live video Tuesday.

'We'll make hopefully a learned decision as to what the case should result in. But the most important thing is this not happen again in our community.'

Melinda A. Gaticia was arraigned Genesee County District Court on Wednesday where she plead not guilty to one felony count of second-degree child abuse

First responders were called to Edgerton Elementary School in Clio, Michigan around 1 p.m. Friday in response to the students reporting to their teacher that they felt ill.

First responders were called to Edgerton Elementary School around 1pm on Friday in response to a report of multiple students falling ill.

Students showed symptoms of nausea, lethargy, and lightheadedness  mirroring the same symptoms indicative of carbon monoxide poisoning, or what one may feel if there was a gas leak, Swanson said at the time.

'In less than 20 minutes, you have kindergartners unconscious, short of breath, lethargic, the school evacuated, the prosecutor contacted, sheriff's office responding, kids taken to the emergency room,' Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said. 'How did we get here?'

Out of caution, the school of more than 400 students was evacuated, and authorities inspected the air and food, but nothing harmful was found. The building was also examined for a gas leak or carbon monoxide but it was confirmed there was none detected.

The school posted a letter online to parents on Saturday, stating that further investigation had led authorities to believe that the students may have ingested a foreign substance that led to the illnesses.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, and Clio Area Schools Superintendent Fletcher Spears gave an update on the investigation during a Facebook Live on Tuesday

An investigation by the sheriff's office revealed that the mother had purchased liquid THC in 2021 and made her own marijuana-infused gummy edibles with up to 30 milligrams of THC per gummy, Sheriff Swanson said.

Leyton added that while it is legal to infuse and create your own marijuana edibles, the mistake was made when the mother left the gummies out where her six-year-old child could access them.

A probable cause conference has been scheduled for May 12.

First responders were called to Edgerton Elementary School in Clio, Michigan around 1 p.m. Friday in response to the students reporting to their teacher that they felt ill.

The school building of more than 400 students was evacuated as another form of caution. The school reached out to parents to notify them of the situation.

A letter posted online on April 30 stated that authorities believed that the students sickened at school may have ingested a foreign substance

The superintendent of Clio Area Schools, Fletcher Spears, said on the Facebook Live video on Tuesday that the four sickened students  who were between the ages of five and six  were taken to a hospital in Flint.

Three were released on Saturday, and the fourth student went home Sunday.

'They're all doing very well,' he said.
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The murder of a celebrity rooster in a small city in Mississippi has sparked outrage, outpourings of adoration, promises of revenge, murals in memory of the animal - and a population in mourning.

The bird, named Carl, was a mainstay on the streets of Ocean Springs - a scenic city of 18,000 on Mississippi's Gulf coast.

He was known to strut about town, spinning a regular route that involved a morning stop at the local bagel shop, sips of water at a few coffee shops and even a visit to classes at the fitness center.

The rooster was personable and friendly, approaching people and posing for photographs, and nestling down for naps on regular railing perches throughout town.

But Carl was snatched from his perch before being killed by a female corrections officer and later dumped in a parking lot. His body is still missing.

News of Carl's death was met with an outpouring of public adoration perhaps unseen in the region since the death of Elvis. Wreaths of carnations were laid on perches where Carl liked to sleep, and by the doorways of shops he frequented. Children wrote letters of love to Carl and taped them in windows throughout the city, and a local artist began a mural in the rooster's memory. Local businesses began making Carl t-shirts and car decals, donating the proceeds to local animal charities. A casket was designed for the bird and laid out in town, its emptiness a plea from the town for the return of the beloved bird's remains.

Carl the rooster (above, center) astride one of his favorite perches in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. His murder shook the coastal city which is still in mourning

Carl was a common sight around downtown Ocean Springs. One of his favorite places to visit was the donut shop, where he would have some water and sometimes a bite to eat

Carl's death was met with an outpouring of support from the community. Carnations and memorials were left at his favorite places to visit in town

A rooster-sized casket was laid out in town, complete with images of Carl and the message 'legends never die' written along its flanks

The casket remains empty, a call to the community from the community pleading for the return of Carl's remains to Ocean Springs

Local artist Cali Rob (right) and Ocean Springs resident and Carl fan Craig Alan Raynor (left) in front of the mural Rob is painting in Carl's memory. A local business allowed Rob to paint on its wall

Security footage implicated Kendra Shaffer, 35, a corrections officer at the ones County Juvenile Detention Center. She was filmed snatching Carl and dumping his body later

'[Carl would] wake up and mosey around town and get a bagel at the bagel shop,' Matt Stebly, an Ocean Springs tattoo artist, whose parlor Carl called home, told the Washington Post, 'He had his rounds that he would visit every day.'

'He was iconic,' Stebly said, 'Larger than life.' But on a morning in late April, Carl the rooster's crow was heard never more.

Stebly arrived at his shop on April 25 and saw no sign of Carl. When the chicken didn't turn up for days the search was begun in earnest, and Stebly came across surveillance footage showing Carl being snatched from his perch at 3am on April 24 by a woman in the company of a gang of men.

The woman in the video was Kendra Shaffer, 35, a corrections officer at the Jones County Juvenile Detention Center - which is two hours away.

Footage from Biloxi, a city just west of Ocean Springs, showed Shaffer dumping Carl's dead body in a parking lot about 15 minutes after the attack.

Carl's cause of death is unclear, but Shaffer was issued a misdemeanor citation for animal cruelty, Captain Ryan LeMaire of the Ocean Springs Police Department told the Washington Post. She was also fired from her job at the detention center.

Security footage from April 24 showed a large group of people approaching Carl, and a woman snatching him up off a his sleeping perch. The woman was later identified as Shaffer

Separate footage showed Shaffer dumping Carl's dead body in a parking lot in the neighboring city of Biloxi. His exact cause of death is unknown

Shaffer was handed a misdemeanor citation for animal cruelty, and was fired from her job at the detention center

About an hour after Carl's death, footage shows a man collect Carl's body and walk off after placing him in a plastic bag. The location of the remains are unknown, and Stebly has offered a reward for information leading to their return.

'We were trying to plan a little second line for him,' Stebly said, referring to a New Orleans-style musical parade, 'I feel like it would be a little more special if we had his body.'

Why Shaffer did what she did to carl is not clear, but her actions and the loss of Carl have brought about a deluge of mixed reactions in Ocean Springs.

'Carl was so much more than a rooster. He was an icon,' local artist Cali Rob told WLOX as he brushed strokes on a mural he is painting downtown in memory of Carl, 'He was a pillar of the community.'

Elsewhere in town memorials sprang up, with hand written cards and carnations being laid in the many perches and places Carl would frequent.

Reactions to Shaffer's crime have been virulent.

Ocean Springs resident Tasia Kenosky wrote in a Facebook post that she felt Carl's killer was evil.

'[Carl] was a SENTIENT BEING who did absolutely nothing to provoke his demise. He was sleeping!' She wrote, 'I have to believe that most people are good, but it really only takes one evil person.'

Stebly vowed revenge while sharing a Carl themed tattoo he had designed.

'I promise I will ruin the people that where involved.' He wrote.

Rob said he did not feel that Shaffer's loss of employment was enough compared to what she took from Carl.

'Jobs come and go, but a life, we only get one run at this life, you know, his life was taken short.'

One of the many memorials laid out in Ocean Springs for Carl. Metal rooster statues are a popular feature in the tributes

Sharing a tattoo he had designed in Carl's honor, the owner of the tattoo parlor Carl called home, Matt Stebly, vowed vengeance upon Carl's killer

The Downtown Ocean Springs Facebook group posted a memorial to the rooster upon news of his death

In addition to the Carl mural, artist Cali Rob set to work illustrating Carl decals made from blank Post Office shipping labels

Carl themed memorabilia was made in Carl's honor, including t-shirts, car decals, and this keychain made at a local business

Ocean Springs resident Ashley Peto designed these Carl car decals. Proceeds from the sales of the decals are going to a local animal charity

Hand written notes were posted on windows and doors throughout Ocean Springs, sending love and well wishes to the deceased bird

Memorials popped up in tribute to Carl throughout Ocean Springs, as the city of 18,000 mourned the loss of their hero
This is the moment Ukrainian troops destroy one of Russia's most advanced tanks which are protected by special reactive armour.

The armour on the T-90M is designed to explode when hit reducing the penetrative power of an incoming round.

The tank is also protected with a automated defence system which fires smoke grenades when it is 'painted' by a laser beam used by an incoming missile.

However, the Ukrainian military released drone footage on a Russian armoured unit which resulted in the destruction of the 4million tank as well as a thermobaric multiple rocket system.

Ukrainian forces are believed to have destroyed one of Russia's most advanced Main Battle Tanks in the north east of the country. The T-90M is thought to have additional protection against modern weapon systems

A Ukrainian drone monitored a Russian tank as a missile attack was incoming

The Russians were unaware they were only moments from destruction

The drone showed several armoured vehicles blow up in quick succession

The Ukrainian military said the attacks took place in the north-eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv Oblast.

Intelligence officers identified clusters of Russian equipment and coordinated with ground troops to mount a series of attacks, reportedly destroying two tanks and two MTLB (Russian transport vehicles).

The Command of the Special Operations Forces (SSO) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) said Monday: 'The Resistance Movement of the SSO of Ukraine is working.

'In the Kharkiv region, during reconnaissance operations, our soldiers discovered clusters of enemy equipment, including heavy armoured and lightly armoured vehicles.'

They added: 'An hour after the priority targets for the strike were determined, soldiers of the Resistance Movement coordinated a unit of one of the artillery brigades and adjusted the fire on enemy targets.

One of the tanks is believed to be a highly advanced Russian T-90M

'As a result of joint work of soldiers of the Defence Forces of Ukraine, the losses of the Russians amounted to: T-90 tank - destroyed. T-80BVM tank - destroyed. MTLB - destroyed. MTLB - damaged.'

Ukraine believes Russia has so far lost 23,800 troops in the ten weeks since their invasion.

The Ukrainian military also claims that Russia has lost 1,048 battle tanks, 2,519 combat armoured vehicles, 459 artillery systems, 152 MLR systems, 80 anti-aircraft systems, 194 warplanes, 155 helicopters, 1,824 vehicles, 8 vessels, 76 fuel tank trucks, 271 operational-tactical level UAVs, 38 units of special equipment, and four mobile SRBM systems.
Donald Trump on Wednesday said he thinks Walt Disney is looking down at his company's pro-LGBTQI stance and wondering, 'What has happened to my Magic Kingdom?'

He also claimed without backing that more than half of transgender youth regret making the change 'later in life' as Republican-led states across the country crack down on gender-affirming care for kids and teens, and limit trans participation in youth sports.

The Walt Disney Company waded into these burgeoning culture wars with its vocal opposition to Florida's Parental Rights In Education bill, which places limits on discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in the classroom.

Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, a former Trump acolyte who's now seen as a potential 2024 White House nominee in his own right, led a push by Republican lawmakers in the Sunshine State to revoke a decades-old law giving Disney's property self-governance over its pro-LGBTQI stance.

Critics have dubbed the new law the 'Don't Say Gay' bill, claiming it harms developing and impressionable transgender or otherwise non-cisgender straight youth.

Trump called the trans rights movement a 'terrible thing' during a wide-ranging interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network.

'That's not the way it should be, that's for sure. It is a terrible thing. I mean, especially when you're taking children that don't even have this period to form,' the former president said.

'And you know, in many cases -- I hear 60 percent of the cases -- later they say "Why did they do this to me?" Sixty percent. No, I think it's a terrible thing.'

Donald Trump boasted that 'nobody has done more for religion of all types than me' during an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network

Trump continued, 'I think what's happened with Disney and what Disney's doing, Walt Disney is looking down.'

'He's not happy, OK? Walt Disney's saying, "What ever happened to my beautiful Magic Kingdom?"'

The former president predicted the entire movement promoting gender exploration for LGBTQI youth would be 'shut out.'

'This is a different different world. It's a new world and I think it's actually going to be shut out. You know how it's gonna get shut out? Common sense. It's common sense, but I think it's going. And I think religion will help shut it out,' Trump said.

He then seemed to accuse LGBTQI activists of being against Christianity.

Trump told the religious network: 'You know, nobody has done more for Christianity, nobody has done more for religion of all types than me.'

'And they're really doing things now to -- and I've always said it, they are against organized religion, they are against Christianity.'

It's not clear what 'they' Trump was referring to.

Elsewhere in the interview, he took aim at President Joe Biden's new Disinformation Governance Board, which the Department of Homeland Security announced would help crack down on Russian misinformation as well as misleading stories circulated by human smugglers in Central and South America to entice migrants to attempt to cross the southwestern border.

He reacted to Disney wading into the culture war in Florida with its opposition to Republicans' 'Don't Say Gay' bill, which outlaws discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom for kindergarten through third grade. It was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis, who like Trump is seen as a potential 2024 presidential nominee

Disney vocally opposed the bill and said in March that it would pause political donations in Florida

Republicans have claimed Biden could use the board to silence his critics. Trump on Wednesday compared it to tactics used by the Soviet Union.

'Who would have believed that we're talking about somebody that's going to censor people over a period of -- over a long period of time, and very strong,' Trump said.

He also dismissed Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas' assurances that the board will not have operational authority and rather present recommendations.

'Now they're saying, "Oh, no, it's just a recommendation." That's where it all began. I guess that's what they used to say in Russia. That's what they said in the Soviet Union, right?' Trump claimed.

'No, we can't do that. We can't do that. That's a horrible thing.'

The ex-president also looked ahead to the next presidential election cycle, but like dozens of previous times, was vague about whether he'd run a third campaign.

'I've had many people say, as good as I think we were they said, "You were the best at it. You were the best." and they want me back,' Trump said.

He anticipated having a decision on whether to run again after the midterm elections.

Looking back at his previous administration, Trump also praised Mike Pence as a 'good vice president' -- despite previously attacking the former official for not participating in a plan to overturn Trump's 2020 loss to Biden.

On January 6 last year, Trump supporters who stormed the US Capitol in a bid to stop Biden's election certification chanted 'Hang Mike Pence.' The ex-vice president had to be evacuated from his office.

But on Wednesday Trump revealed he's spoken to Pence just 'four or five months' ago, even as the House Select Committee investigating the Capitol attack is pursuing an interview with him.

'I haven't spoken to him in a long time, and he's a nice man. He disappointed me on one thing because I think he should have sent the votes back to the legislatures,' Trump said, referring to a flawed legal theory that claims Pence could have rejected the electors of certain states.

Pence has sparked his own prospective 2024 rumors in recent months, with speeches touting the Trump administration's successes while distancing himself from the January 6 riot.

Asked about Pence's chances at the White House, Trump said it would be a 'hard one' for the Indiana conservative.

'If I got in, it would be -- I think it'd be a hard one for him,' Trump predicted.

'I think it'd be a hard one. I understand where the basis, I love the base. The base loves me. I think it'd be hard but Mike was a good guy. I thought he was a very good vice president.'

Trump added: 'He was my friend.'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last night appealed to the head of the United Nations to help 'save' the lives of the remaining wounded Ukrainians under siege at the Azovstal steel plant in the decimated city of Mariupol.

He was speaking ahead of a new ceasefire in the area, due to start at 8am local time this morning, which the Kremlin said would allow civilians to be evacuated.

Zelensky made his call while speaking to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres yesterday.

'The lives of the people who remain there are in danger. Everyone is important to us. We ask for your help in saving them,' Zelensky told Guterres by phone, after thanking him for the successful evacuations earlier this week led by the UN and Red Cross.

He called on the UN to 'assist in the removal of all the wounded from Azovstal', civilians and soldiers alike.

Meanwhile Russia said its forces would cease fire on the plant and open a humanitarian corridor for civilians on three consecutive days beginning this morning local time.

'The Russian armed forces will from 8am to 6pm Moscow time (6am to 3pm UK time) on May 5, 6 and 7 open a humanitarian corridor from the territory of the Azovstal metallurgical plant to evacuate civilians,' the defence ministry said on Wednesday.

'During this period, the Russian armed forces and formations of the Donetsk People's Republic will unilaterally cease any hostilities,' the statement read, adding that civilians sheltering at the plant will be allowed to travel to Russia or Kyiv-controlled territory.

Mariupol has endured near constant bombardment since the first week of the war and Ukrainian authorities believe upwards of 20,000 civilians have likely been killed there.

A view shows a damaged facility of Azovstal Iron and Steel Works during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine May 3, 2022

Russian shelling of the plant commenced yet again on Tuesday as Ukraine accused Moscow of launching a 'powerful' assault on the industrial zone

People from Mariupol, including from Azovstal metallurgical plant arrive in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on May 3, 2022 as Russian attacks continue

Relatives and friends of defenders of Mariupol attend a rally demanding Ukrainian and international leaders to call on world leaders to help organize a humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of soldiers and civilians from Mariupol, at the Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine

Mariupol has endured near constant bombardment since the first week of the war and Ukrainian authorities believe upwards of 20,000 civilians have likely been killed there

An elderly civilian leans on his cane as he clambers out from the rubble of the Azovstal steel plant

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today appealed to the head of the United Nations to asked help 'save' the lives of the remaining wounded Ukrainians under siege at the Azovstal steel plant in the decimated city of Mariupol

A small contingent of Ukrainian fighters are still holed up in the Azovstal plant along with up to 1,000 civilians, but the rest of the city is under Russian control.

There was a brief respite in the shelling over the weekend and Monday, which allowed more than 100 civilians to evacuate via buses to Ukraine-controlled territory northwest near Zaporizhzhia.

But shelling commenced yet again on Tuesday as Ukraine accused Moscow of launching a 'powerful' assault on the industrial zone.

The mayor of Mariupol Vadym Boychenko said that contact had been lost with Ukrainian forces holed up in the plant amid 'heavy fighting' with Russian troops.

The Russian army meanwhile said it had restarted its bombing campaign on Azovstal because Ukrainian troops had used the pause in fighting to regroup and take up combat positions.

More than 100 people - including elderly women and mothers with small children - left the rubble-strewn Azovstal steelworks on Sunday and set out in buses and ambulances for the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles to the northwest, according to authorities and video released by the two sides.

At least some of the civilians were apparently taken to a village controlled by Russia-backed separatists. The Russian military said that some chose to stay in separatist areas, while dozens left for Ukrainian-held territory.

In the past, Ukraine has accused Moscow's troops of taking civilians against their will to Russia or Russian-controlled areas, a claim the Kremlin has denied.

Before the weekend evacuation, overseen by the United Nations and the Red Cross, about 1,000 civilians were believed to be in the plant along with an estimated 2,000 Ukrainian defenders. Russia has demanded that the fighters surrender, but they have refused.

Russia resumed pulverizing the Mariupol steel works that has become the last stronghold of resistance in the bombed-out city, Ukrainian fighters said Monday, after a brief cease-fire over the weekend allowed the first evacuation of civilians from the plant

As many as 100,000 people overall may still be in Mariupol, which had a prewar population of around 450,000.

Heart-wrenching footage emerged yesterday of terrified and exhausted Ukrainian civilians being evacuated from Azovstal.

The clips were captured by Ukraine's Azov battalion and give harrowing insight into the conditions endured by the civilians holed up in the factory, many of whom shared their thoughts on the conflict and the impact of the Russian invasion.

'There are more than ten children from 10 to 12 years old in our bunker alone,' one woman said as her child sobbed into her chest.

'A few more bombs and our bunker will be no more... you can imagine the mental condition of the children.'

Another evacuee expressed fear among civilians that they would be shipped off to Russian-controlled regions instead Ukraine-held Zaporizhzhia, as has happened to many internally-displaced Ukrainians in the Donbas region.

'There are more than ten children from 10 to 12 years old in our bunker alone,' one woman said as her child sobbed into her chest. She explained how the steel plant had been pounded with Russian shells and was close to collapsing

Another evacuee expressed fear among civilians that they would be shipped off to Russian-controlled regions instead Ukraine-held Zaporizhzhia as they evacuated the plant

Ukrainian evacuees being driven away from the Azovstal steel plant burst into tears as they witness the destruction on the surface

Others spoke of their desperation simply to make it to any part of Ukraine not under Russian control, and claimed it was impossible to even attempt leaving prior to the brief ceasefire due to daily bombing campaigns

People from Mariupol, including from Azovstal metallurgical plant arrive in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, yesterday evening

More pictures emerged late last night and early this morning of some of the evacuees arriving in Zaporizhzhia in relative safety, suggesting that the UN and Red Cross-led evacuations were largely successful

'There are a lot of children here, a lot of women. If everything goes well, civilians will leave.... A lot of people are still here, they're afraid to go because there are no guarantees they will be taken to Zaporizhzhia as promised.'

Others spoke of their desperation simply to make it to any part of Ukraine not under Russian control, and claimed it was impossible to even attempt leaving prior to the brief ceasefire due to daily bombing campaigns.

The final clip shared by the Azov battalion showed a bus full of evacuees driving away from the steel plant, presumably to relative safety in Zaporizhzhia.

But instead of relief or elation, the passengers were overwhelmed with sadness, bursting into tears as they witnessed the destruction around them.

More pictures emerged late last night and early this morning of some of the evacuees arriving in Zaporizhzhia, suggesting that the UN and Red Cross-led evacuations were largely successful.

Moment Russia uses 'thermobaric warheads' to devastate Azovstal plant: Communications are lost with heroic last defenders of Mariupol a day after Russian troops began storming the steel works

Communication has been lost with the last Ukrainian soldiers defending Mariupol, the exiled mayor has said

Comes a day after commander said Russians were storming Azovstal plant with tanks, troops and armour

New video shows the plant being bombarded with what appear to be lung-crushing thermobaric rockets

If Azovstal is captured then it would put Russia in full control of Mariupol, the largest city to fall during the war

ByChris Pleasance for MailOnline

Communications have today been lost with the last heroic defenders of Mariupol holed up inside the Azovstal steel works, after Russian forces stormed the complex.

Vadym Boichenko, mayor of the besieged city, said there is 'heavy fighting' ongoing inside the plant today and that he had 'lost contact' with those inside.

There is no way of knowing 'what's going on, whether they are safe or not,' he said.

The grim news came as footage emerged showing Russian forces using what appeared to be lung-crushing thermobaric rockets to bombard Azovstal as tanks and troops moved into the sprawling industrial zone.

Footage released by the so-called Donetsk People's Republic today showed lines of rocket artillery cutting through factories and warehouses that sit in the centre of Mariupol and are the last redoubt of the city's beleaguered defenders.

Russia appears to to be trying to seize Azovstal despite Vladimir Putin announcing last month that he had called off the operation to preserve the lives of his troops.

News that communications have been lost will raise fears for the safety of hundreds of civilians thought to be inside, just days after 100 were rescued during a ceasefire.

Ukraine had been calling for the ceasefire to be extended so that all civilians could be removed, but Russia accused Kyiv's troops of 'taking advantage' of the break in fighting to set up new defensive positions and resumed bombing yesterday.

Rocket artillery pounds the Azovstal steel complex, at the heart of the besieged city of Mariupol, as the exiled mayor says communications have been lost with the last troops holed up inside

Footage showing the bombardment was released today by the so-called Donetsk People's Republic, whose troops are leading attacks on Mariupol alongside regular Russian army units

Azovstal is a huge industrial complex made up of factories, warehouses and underground tunnels where an unknown number of Ukrainian troops are holed up alongside hundreds of civilians

Putin will soon have 'no way back' from nuclear war, propagandist claims Vladimir Putin will soon have 'no way back' but to unleash nuclear weapons on Ukraine, a leading Russian TV war reporter has claimed. Alexander Sladkov advocated dropping an atomic bomb to cause 'a crater the size of several regions' in a 'demonstrative way' to intimidate NATO. Russia has claimed the goal of its military campaign in Ukraine is to 'liberate' it from the control of supposed 'neoNazis' - despite Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky being Jewish and far-right politicians receiving little support in the country. But Sladkov - described as a war reporter and 'propagandist' - told his 730,000 followers the time may be approaching for the 'last resort' due to some 40 countries arming Ukraine with weapons which are being used against the Russians. The Russian president placed Russian nuclear forces on high alert shortly after its invasion of Ukraine began February 24, though the US says it has seen no sign that Putin is preparing to actually use the weapons. And amid increasing Western support to Ukraine, Putin has made thinly veiled threats hinting at a willingness to deploy Russia's tactical nuclear weapons, which Russian military doctrine holds can be used to force an adversary to retreat. 'There is more and more talk about nuclear weapons, and Russia has much to say about it,' Sladkov posted. 'We have a solution for Ukraine. 'There are several, yet we are getting reminded about the last resort - nuclear weapons. If no-one is going to hear us, and 40 countries keep helping the Ukrainian neoNazis, we will have no way back.' Advertisement

Captain Sviatoslav Palamar, deputy commander of the Azov battalion which is defending the plant, said an assault on the steel works began Tuesday afternoon with tanks, armoured vehicles, boats and 'large numbers of infantry' moving in.

'We will do everything possible to repel this assault,' he said in his last video message before communications were cut.

If Azovstal falls then it will mean Russia seizing control over the whole of Mariupol, making it the largest city to be captured by Putin's forces.

It would also provide the Kremlin with a huge propaganda boost ahead of the annual Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, marking the surrender of Nazi Germany.

Kyiv said today that Moscow could be planning to hold a parade inside Mariupol itself, in an attempt to claim some semblance of victory after more than two months of fighting.

Kyiv said an official from Russia's presidential administration had arrived in the port city, which has been largely destroyed in Russia's more than two-month invasion of Ukraine, to oversee plans for the Victory Day parade.

'Mariupol will become a centre of 'celebration',' Ukraine's military intelligence said in a statement on social media.

'The central streets of the city are urgently being cleaned of debris, bodies and unexploded ordnance.

'A large-scale propaganda campaign is under way. Russians will be shown stories about the 'joy' of locals on meeting the occupiers,' it said.

Mariupol mayor Vadym Boichenko later told Ukrainian television there were ongoing 'works' in the city, as if the Russians were preparing for something.

'They are removing signs of the crimes they have committed,' he said.

One such 'crime scene' exists on the site of the Mariupol theatre, a building with bomb shelters underneath that was being used to house hundreds of civilians when it was struck by a Russian bomb.

Investigators from the Associated Press said today that the attack is now though to have killed at least 600 - including children - which is double the initial estimate put out by the Ukrainians.

AP based its estimate on two sets of floor plans of the venue, photographs and video taken inside before, during and after that day, and feedback from experts who reviewed the methodology.

The TOS-1 thermobaric launcher is comprised of a tank body with a rack of rockets on top that can be used to bombard an area in order to inflict casualties, destroy defensive positions, and pave the way for a ground assault

Thermobaric rockets work by dispersing and then igniting a cloud of fuel, creating a vaccum that will crush the lungs of anyone unlucky enough to be caught in the explosion - but will also produce a blast wave that is much more powerful and destructive than average rocket artillery

The investigation also refutes Russian claims that the theatre was demolished by Ukrainian forces or served as a Ukrainian military base because none of the witnesses saw Ukrainian soldiers operating inside the building.

It likely makes the Mariupol bombing the single-deadliest attack on civilians of the entire war - which was carried out despite the word 'children' being painted in Russian in huge letters outside the building, to warn soldiers that innocent people were taking shelter there.

Freed up from fighting in the city, Russian troops could then move north to join the battle for Donbas - widely viewed as pivotal to the outcome of the war.

As fighting raged in Mariupol, Russian forces pounded targets elsewhere in Ukraine, targeting train lines used to bring foreign weapons into the west of the country while also stepping up attacks on the eastern front.

The Russian military said Wednesday it used sea- and air-launched precision guided electrical substations at five rail stations, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

While the Russian attacks were across a wide swath of Ukraine, some were concentrated in and around Lviv, the western city close to the Polish border that has been a gateway for NATO-supplied weapons.

Explosions were heard late Tuesday in the city, which has seen only sporadic attacks during the war and has become a haven for civilians fleeing the fighting elsewhere.

The mayor said the strikes damaged three power substations, knocking out electricity in parts of the city and disrupting the water supply. Two people were hurt.

The attacks on rail infrastructure were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said, while his boss, Minister Sergei Shoigu, told top military brass that the West was 'stuffing Ukraine with weapons.'

Western weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces blunt Russia's initial offensive and seems certain to play a central role in the battle for the Donbas, which Moscow now says is its focus following its failure to take Kyiv in the early weeks of the war.

Ukraine has urged the West to ramp up the supply of weapons ahead of that potentially decisive battle.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which had been slow at first to help arm Ukraine, said Wednesday his government is considering supplying Ukraine with howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment.

A satellite image taken of the Azovstal steel works on Tuesday shows heavy damage to some of the plant's main building, which sit above an underground network of tunnels

Smoke rises from part of the Azovstal complex in this satellite image taken on Tuesday, when Russian forces were carrying out a heavy bombardment of the area

Heavily damaged factory buildings (bottom) are seen next to buildings that have only medium levels of damage (top) inside the Azovstal steel works in satellite images taken on Tuesday

Russia surrounded the Azovstal complex weeks ago and has been bombarding it ever since, except for a short pause last week when around 100 civilians were able to evacuate - with hundreds still thought to be in there

Survivors of steelwork hell humiliated by Vladimir Putin's troops Refugees from Mariupol were subjected to a humiliating interrogation by Russian troops before they were finally freed from the steelworks where they had been hiding for two months. Exhausted survivors told the Daily Mail they were called 'Ukrainian scum', had their underwear checked and were forced to give their fingerprints at a Russian checkpoint before they were allowed to board Red Cross buses. Dozens of refugees arriving at a UN aid centre in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia yesterday also gave horrifying accounts of their time cowering in bunkers at the Azovstal steelworks. Tonight, there were fears for hundreds of civilians still trapped at the Soviet-era site as Russian bombs rained down in a relentless barrage. Around 156 survivors were rescued in a mercy mission at the weekend after the Red Cross managed to secure a ceasefire. But it emerged that part of the deal with the Kremlin meant the evacuees had to be 'screened' by brutish Russian soldiers at the occupied town of Bezimenne, 30 miles east from Mariupol, before they were released back into Ukrainian-held territory. Advertisement

Ukrainian authorities, meanwhile, said attacks in the eastern Donbas region left 21 civilians dead.

The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which lies in the Donbas, said Tuesday was the deadliest day for civilians in his region since April 8, when a missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk killed at least 59 people.

Russia has deployed a significant number of troops in the region and appears to be trying to advance in the north, as they try to cut Ukrainian forces off, according to an assessment from the British Defense Ministry.

However, Moscow's push has been slow as Ukrainian fighters dig in and use long-range weapons to target the Russians.

In addition to supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe and the United States have sought to punish Moscow with sanctions.

The EU's top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to ban Russian oil imports.

'We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets,' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The proposals need unanimous approval from EU countries and are likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they won't take part in any oil sanctions, but von der Leyen didn't elaborate on whether they would receive an exemption, which appears likely.

Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.

But Hungary warned that it could not support the proposed EU ban on Russian oil in its current form as it would 'completely destroy' its energy supply security.

The proposal 'cannot be responsibly supported in this form, we cannot responsibly vote for it,' said Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in a video message posted on his Facebook page.

'This sanctions package would completely destroy the security of Hungary's energy supply,' he said.

The EU proposal would ban Russian crude gradually over the next six months and refined fuels by the end of this year, but Hungary and Slovakia - both highly depending on Moscow's oil exports - would get until the end of 2023.

Parents who were evacuated from the Azovstal steel works shortly before Russia began its attack embrace with their young child after being evacuated during a ceasefire last week

A woman with an injured are is taken off a bus transporting evacuees from the Azovstal steel works to Zaporizhzhia, a Ukrainian-controlled city some 125 miles to the north

People tearfully embrace at a reception centre for refugees evacuated from the Azovstal steel works in Mariupol, who were brought out during a ceasefire last week just before Russia attacked

A tearful reunion takes place between evacuees of the Azovstal steel plant as they arrive in the city of Zaporizhzhia

'The delivery of crude oil from Russia to Europe would be banned, with a short deadline, in the case of Hungary from the end of next year,' Szijjarto said.

Ambassadors from the 27 European Union countries met on Wednesday to assess the plan, which will need unanimous approval before going into effect.

Szijjarto said Budapest would back the proposal if crude oil delivered via pipelines was exempted from the EU's ban.

'This is not a question of lack of political will, or of intention or timing, but simply this is the physical, geographical, and infrastructural reality,' he said.

According to the government, 65 percent of Hungary's oil and 85 percent of its gas supplies come from Russia.

Hungary has long ruled out supporting any import ban with Prime Minister Viktor Orban - who has cultivated close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent years - citing the central European country's dependency on Russian gas and oil.

'We don't see any plan or guarantee on how even a transition could be managed on the basis of the current proposals, and what would guarantee Hungary's energy security,' the Hungarian government's press office said in a statement sent to AFP earlier Wednesday.
An Alabama sheriff claims prison staff were unaware of the two-year 'special relationship' between a guard and the confessed murderer until she sprung from jail last week.

Vicky White, 56, and Casey White, 38, who are not related, shared a 'special relationship' dating back to 2020 when the prisoner was first brought to Lauderdale County for his arraignment.

Although Casey was in custody at a state prison ahead of his arraignment and was transferred back to facility immediately after, the pair stayed close, Sheriff Rick Singleton confirmed to DailyMail.com Wednesday.

Vicky visited Casey while he was at the Alabama Department of Corrections (DOC) without the knowledge of Lauderdale County officials.

'I'm sure DOC didn't know where she worked or that she was a corrections officer,' the sheriff added, noting the pair managed to keep their romance very discreet.

The details of their secret relationship emerged just hours after officials released new video of the couple's escape. The footage shows the squad car they were traveling in pass a gas station as Vicky drove Casey to a mental health evaluation appointment, which did not exist.

The pair abandoned the vehicle about a half-mile from the gas station.

New video released Wednesday shows Vicky and Casey driving to the Florence Square shopping center on Friday where they abandoned the sheriff's car used during the escape

Corrections officer Vicky White (left) and confessed murderer Casey White (right) shared an intimate relationship dating back to 2020 that authorities were unaware of, investigation revealed. The pair are not related

US Marshal Services released this picture showing the size difference between Casey and Vicky and a Ford Edge like the one they used

Another mock up published by the officials shows the pair - believed to be lovers - compared to a door frame

Surveillance video taken at the Lauderdale County Jail showed the moment Vicky snuck 6ft 9in 'monster' Casey out of the facility before they went on the run with an AR-15 and a shotgun.

Casey was serving a 75-year sentence for attempted murder, burglary, robbery, kidnapping and animal cruelty. He also faced murder charges after confessing to the fatal stabbing of Connie Ridgeway, 58.

The apparent lovers made a break for it on Friday after Vicky told superiors she was going to take Casey for a mental health evaluation on her last day before retirement.

The 56-year-old widow held the door for the 38-year-old thug - who was still wearing handcuffs - before they got into a black car and sped off at 9.30am on Friday.

New video released Wednesday shows Vicky and Casey driving to the Florence Square shopping center where they abandoned the sheriff's car used during the escape.

The latest footage shows them driving through the intersection of Huntsville Road and Cox Creek Parkway at 9.49am on Friday, WAAY reported. The intersection is about a half-mile from the shopping center.

The cruiser was found abandoned in the center parking lot several hours after the escape.

The latest footage shows them driving through the intersection of Huntsville Road and Cox Creek Parkway at 9.49am on Friday

Vicky is pictured opening an interior jailhouse door. Casey is believed to have been in the hallway at the time

Surveillance video previously released showed Vicky helping Casey escape from the Lauderdale County Jail, where he had been incarcerated, on Friday. The pair then fled together

The jailer and confessed killer shared an intimate relationship dating back to 2020.

Inmates allege Vicky ensured Casey 'was getting extra food on his trays' and 'was getting privileges no one else got,' a claim that Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton told CNN has been confirmed by an independent investigation.

'As far as we know that was the earliest physical contact they had,' Singleton said of the arraignment. He claims Casey and Vicky continued to communicate after the accused murderer was transferred back to the prison.

Investigators are analyzing surveillance footage recorded at the Lauderdale County Jail, where the escape occurred, to learn more about their relationship.

Sheriff Rick Singleton (pictured) told DailyMail.com that jail staff were unaware of the relationship between Vicky and Casey or that she had been visiting him at state prison. He claims the couple was very discreet

Meanwhile, the confessed murderer's mom, Connie White, has defended her son, claiming he is innocent and 'not a monster.'

'I just have no idea why they've painted him as a monster,' Connie White told The New York Post in a phone interview Tuesday. 'The only reason he came out to Lauderdale County was to get out of the prison he was in.

'He wrote a letter to say that he murdered that woman. But he didn't really murder her, he just done that to get back up here. He just wanted to be out of that prison because it was so bad and there was no food.'

Connie denied having any knowledge of her son's alleged relationship with Vicky. 'He never mentioned Vicky White,' she said. 'He said he had a pen pal but I had no idea who it was.'

She also claimed that when she spoke to her son the day before his vanishing act, his behavior was seemingly normal.

'Everything was perfectly fine,' Connie said.

The US Marshals Service said they suspected the pair are armed with an AR-15 and a shotgun and may have used a copper 2007 Ford Edge during their escape.

But cops and federal agents have launched a huge manhunt and drip-fed more information about the duo - including that the jailer had two aliases herself.

Casey exits the hallway and follows Vicky outside the facility

The manhunt comes as Casey's ex-girlfriend begged Vicky to flee the killer, warning her she was not safe with him

Sheriff Singleton, who described Vicky as 'an exemplary employee,' issued a plea to the former jail guard, asking her to turn herself in.

'Vicky you've been in this business for 17 years, you've seen this scenario play out more than once and you know how it always ends,' Singleton told Good Morning America Wednesday.

'Now go ahead and end it now, get to a phone and call 911, turn yourself in and help us get Casey White back behind bars because you know that's where he's going to eventually end up.'

The sheriff said that as of Wednesday morning, investigators 'don't have any idea where they might be.'

'We were making some good progress on that. We may be hindered now that some of that information has gotten out,' Singleton explained. 'But, you know, we're still working around the clock to locate them and try to get them back in custody.'

I think all of our employees ... were really hoping she did not participate in this willingly but all indications are that she absolutely did.



Lauderdale County Sheriff details manhunt for corrections officer Vicki White and escaped inmate Casey White. https://t.co/NMPqT8qwyi pic.twitter.com/j0i50sd0bn  Good Morning America (@GMA) May 4, 2022

The sheriff also noted, despite hopes of her colleagues and superiors at the Lauderdale County Jail, all signs suggest Vicky willingly participated in the escape.

'The pieces of the puzzle just came together,' he said.'I think all of our employees and myself included were really hoping that she did not participate in this willingly. But all indications are that she absolutely did.

'We're very disappointed in that because we had the utmost trust in her as an employee and as an assistant director of corrections.'

He noted that she violated policy by escorting the inmate alone, saying: 'This particular guy and someone like that, no, that should have never happened, even if we had to delay getting him to court.'

Vicky is a 17-year veteran of the sheriff's office. Singleton said she had been discussing retirement for several months and submitted necessary documentation to do so last Thursday.

Friday, the day of Casey's escape, was set to be her last day on the job. The sheriff previously said she 'talked about going to the beach' after retirement.

She had also been living with her mother after selling her Lexington home on April 18. Public records reviewed by WAAY revealed Vicky sold the property for $95,550, which was below market value.

Singleton believes the wanted former jailer may be 'flush with cash' from the sale. However, he noted her retirement money remains locked up as she was expected to meet with officials this week to discuss those funds.

It comes as the US Marshals Service said the pair may have made off in 2007 Ford Edge that is copper in color

Officials also said that the pair may have made off in 2007 Ford Edge that is copper in color

In 2020, Casey's request to be transferred out of prison and into the county jail was denied after authorities found a makeshift knife stashed in the shower that they believed he intended to use to force someone to let him out

The manhunt comes as the maniac's ex-girlfriend begged Vicky to flee the killer as they spent a fifth day on the run.

The woman, who has not been named but was shot by Casey in 2015, warned her she was 'disposable' to the escaped inmate.

'Casey White is very dangerous to everybody that is around him,' Casey's ex told WAAY-TV on Tuesday. 'I feel like he has manipulated her and she's disposable to him.

'If [Vicky] is still alive, she needs to get the hell out. Run,' she added.

'Run as far away as you can and turn yourself in and contact somebody. Do the right thing before you lose your life or before somebody else does.'

The unidentified woman is reportedly at an out-of-state hideout and fearful for her life. She said: '[Local police] promised to step up patrols, but we are freaking out.

'We don't know if he is going to show up and take us out like he tried to do before. I thought I would never have to worry about him ever again.'

However, despite warnings from the authorities and the criminal's alleged prior victims, Connie White maintains her son his not dangerous.

'I don't think so. He's not a monster, I'll put it that way,' she told the Post. 'He is not the monster they are making him out to be, at all.'

Authorities have offered a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to Casey's capture.

Vicky and Casey were seeing each other while he languished in Lauderdale County jail, inmates told cops

Timeline of Vicky White and Casey White's disappearance Friday at 8.47am: Transport Van 5 leaves the Lauderdale County jail with seven inmates escorted by two deputies 8.56am: Transport Van 2 leaves the jail with five inmates also escorted by two deputies 9.20am: Assistant Director Vicky White tells a deputy to prepare inmate Casey White for transport to courthouse. Deputy removes White from his cell, takes him to booking and handcuffs him and shackles his legs. 9.41am: Vicky leaves detention center with Casey and head to the courthouse for a 'mental health evaluation.' She told the booking officer that she is the only deputy available who is firearm-certified and that she's dropping him off to other deputies at the courthouse. Vicky says she's then going to Med Plus for a personal appointment. 9.49am: Surveillance video shows Vicky's police cruiser parked at the nearby Florence Square shopping center parking lot eight minutes after leaving the jail. 'There was not enough time for them to even attempt to try to come to the courthouse,' Sheriff Rick Singleton said. 11.34am: A Florence Police Department officer spots her cruiser. 3.30pm: Booking officer reports to administration that they've been trying to contact Vicky to check on her, and that her phone is going directly to voice mail. The officer also says that Casey was not returned to the detention center with other inmates. Source: WAAY-TV, Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office Advertisement

Vicky's mother-in-law - whose son passed away earlier this year - believes the guard 'may have been brainwashed' by the criminal.

Frances White told DailyMail.com that Vicky is a 'sweet' person who wouldn't have helped a confessed killer escape.

But her opinion has changed as the days go by and more information about Vicky's relationship with inmate Casey White comes to light.

Vicky was previously married to Frances' son Tommy, who died in January of complications from Parkinson's Disease.

'I'm just proud he wasn't still alive, cause he still thought she was a good person,' Frances told the Daily Beast.

'I can't imagine her running off with that guy, but you never know. He walked into a woman's house and stabbed her.'

Frances says her two surviving sons are also in shock: 'They can't believe it either. My oldest son, no way could he picture her leaving with him It looks like she helped him escape.'

She added: 'Maybe he's got her brainwashed. But I don't know how he'd have had a chance to get her brainwashed, because he was in prison.'

In 2020, Casey's request to be transferred out of prison and into the county jail was denied after authorities found a makeshift knife stashed in the shower that they believed he intended to use to force someone to let him out.

But he was moved to the jail anyway in order to face capital murder charges for the death of Ridgeway.

On Friday, Vicky White told a booking officer she was escorting Casey to the county courthouse for a mental health evaluation. The move was against protocol for Casey, who was always meant to have at least two guards with him. No such evaluation was scheduled that day.

'Being the boss and over the transport, she just informed the booking officer that she was going to carry him to the courthouse and drop him off, which was a flagrant violation of policy,' Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton told CNN.

'But I'm sure because it was her boss, the booking officer didn't question it.'

She also said she was going to a medical appointment for herself, which was confirmed by the doctors' office, but for which she never showed.

US Marshals are offering rewards up to $5,000 for information leading to Vicky White and $10,000 for information leading to Casey White

A statement, which was quickly deleted online, said the vehicle had a bit of damage to the left rear bumper

Singleton said Casey was 'handcuffed and shackled' in the back of Vicky's patrol car when they both left the county jail that morning.

From there, they went straight to the parking lot of a nearby shopping center.

Surveillance footage shows Vicky's police cruiser parked at the Florence Square shopping center eight minutes after leaving the jail.

'There was not enough time for them to even attempt to try to come to the courthouse,' Singleton said.

The car was spotted in the parking lot an hour-and-a-half later.

'Casey White is an extremely dangerous person. We need to get him located and get him off the street,' the sheriff warned.

Vicky is facing charges of 'permitting or facilitating an escape in the first degree,' a felony that carries a maximum prison term of 10 years.

Her mother, Pat Davis, doesn't believe her daughter would willingly help an inmate she never even talked about.

However, preliminary investigation has suggested otherwise.

Casey White, above in February 2019, was arrested in 2015 for a crime spree in which he shot at his ex-girlfriend. He previously told police he'd kill her if he got out

Connie Ridgeway, 59, was killed in her home at Meadowland Apartments in Rogersville, Alabama in 2015. Casey White said he was paid to kill her

Casey White has been described as a 'dangerous monster' who promised to kill his ex-girlfriend if he ever got out.

In December 2015, he broke into a home in Athens and ordered two men to get down on the ground at gunpoint, according to court documents.

He fired multiple shots and left bullet holes in the wall during the rampage but his ex-girlfriend managed to escape.

Two young children were found hiding in the basement, while a dog was found shot dead in a hallway, Fox News reports.

'He stated that he wanted to kill her and have the police kill him,' according to a police report.

'His only regret was that neither was successful. He stated that if he was released he would kill the victim.'

He was eventually convicted on nine counts including attempted murder, kidnapping and animal cruelty and was sentenced to 75 years in prison.

Casey's arrest at the age of 32 finally came after he engaged in a crime spree that played out in two counties in Tennessee and Alabama in December 2015.

In one night, he staged a home invasion and carjacked two vehicles at gunpoint, shooting one person in the arm, WHNT reports. The crimes were followed by a chase where speeds reached more than 100 miles per hour.

Vicky's mother says that her daughter, who was named 'employee of the year' four times and was living with her after selling her house five weeks ago, never mentioned an inmate

Police are pictured in December 2015 taking Casey into custody after a wild rampage across Tennessee and Alabama that ended in a 100mph car chase, and his stolen car stuck in a field

It ended with a stolen car stuck in a field south of Huntsville, and officers - who were evidently well known to him - pleading with him to put down his gun and give himself up.

He was charged with attempted murder, two counts of kidnapping, first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, third-degree burglary, breaking and entering a vehicle, animal cruelty for shooting a dog and attempting to elude.

While serving time in June 2020, he confessed to killing 59-year-old Connie Ridgeway in a murder-for-hire plot two months before the crime spree.

Ridgeway was killed in her home at Meadowland Apartments in Rogersville, Alabama in 2015, according to WAFF. He said he was paid to kill her, although no motive for hiring a hitman has ever been disclosed.

He pleaded not guilty on grounds of insanity and was temporarily moved from prison to the Lauderdale County jail to face trial. That's when he escaped with the help of Assistant Director of Corrections Vicky White.

Casey's half-brother, Steven Patrick White, 47, of Town Creek, has been missing since 2017. Casey was in state prison at the time of Steven's disappearance

The inmate's whereabouts aren't the only mystery plaguing Casey's family.

Sheriff Max Sanders, of nearby Lawrence County, said the Lauderdale County escapee's half-brother has been missing since 2017.

Steven Patrick White, 47, of Town Creek, was last seen at his home in October 2017.

His wife reported him missing the next day, prompting a canine search of the family property. However, the search was unsuccessful.

The Lawrence County Rescue Squad then conducted a dive team search for the missing man in November 2017 which also yielded no results.

'We occasionally get a call from the public about the fellow's whereabouts. We follow it up but so far nothing has panned out,' Sanders told AL.com on Tuesday.

Sanders noted that Casey was in state prison at the time of Steven's disappearance. There is a $2,000 reward for information pertaining to the Town Creek man's whereabouts.
Four Floridians are suing Gov. Ron DeSantis for violating their rights as taxpayers by dissolving Disney World's special district and leaving their counties to absorb the company's $2 billion bond debts.

They argue that Gov. DeSantis is violating the law that established the district in the first place as well as the Florida Taxpayer's Bill of Rights by suddenly transferring the special district's debt to their counties. They also say Disney's rights to free speech and due process are being trampled on.

The Reedy Creek Improvement District was set up in 1967 and takes care of building permits, trash pick-up and other basic functions at Disney's 25,000-acre property.

Disney pays millions of dollars in extra taxes to fund the district, which keeps the park and surrounding areas pristine for its nearly 21 million visitors a year.

The district funds itself partly through loans, or bonds. Taxpayers in surrounding counties may now have to pay those back at steep but albeit lower rate, threatening bondholders who now expect to earn back less than they were originally promised, Mediaite reports.

Families will be on the hook for a tax bill anywhere between $2,200 and $2,800 each come June 2023, Orange County estimates.

Gov. DeSantis signed a bill to dissolve the special district late last month, after Disney bowed to pressure from its employees and came out against the state's Republican-backed 'Don't Say Gay' law.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and two other state officials are being sued by four Disney area taxpayers who say their rights are being violated by having to take on Disney's debt. Above, DeSantis after signing a bill to dissolve Disney's special district on April 22

Osceola and Orange counties would likely have to spread Disney's tax liability among all taxpayers, which one tax collector estimated would raise taxes between $2,200 and $2,800 per family of four

State law stipulates that Florida taxpayers must be treated equally across all of the state's counties, unless there is a special taxing district 'specifically authorizing' differential treatment

Conservative supporters of DeSantis applauded the governor for taking a stand against the company. Disney has not responded to the scheduled dissolution of its special district.

Tuesday's lawsuit was brought by Michael, Eduard and Leslie Foronda of Kissimmee, which lies in Osceola County. A fourth plaintiff, Vivian Gorsky, lives in Orange County.

It was filed in the federal Middle District of Florida by William J. Sanchez, a Miami-based attorney and a Democrat who is running for Senate in Florida this year.

It names DeSantis along with Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee and Florida Department of Revenue Director Jim Zingale.

What is the Parental Rights in Education law? 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.''' It states that 'classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur.' Part of it applies to kids in kindergarten through third grade, while a vague portion bans all discussion of 'sexual orientation or gender identity' in a 'manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate.' 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. The state House approved the bill in February. It was passed in the state Senate on March 8 in a 22-17 vote. DeSantis signed it into law on March 28 and it will come into effect on July 1. Advertisement

Disney pays $150 million in extra taxes to fund the district, Mediaite reports.

The company already pays taxes to Orange and Osceola along with extra high taxes to its own district, which has the highest 'millage rate' in the state.

The taxpayers argue that the repeal of the district will lead to a higher tax burden for them since Disney will no longer be solely funding its own operations. They say thousands of jobs will be lost if the district is eliminated.

They're asking for a judge to hold the law to dissolve the Reedy Creek district unlawful because it would unfairly burden then with more taxes.

The law repealing the 55-year-old district, one of 1,800 in the state, was signed on April 22 after it was fast-tracked by the Republican-controlled state legislature.

The RCID is set to be dissolved on June 1, 2023.

But Gov. DeSantis' decision to end the district is a violation of the promise that the state of Florida made to taxpayers when it created it in 1967.

The original agreement stipulated that Florida would not dissolve the district until all its financial obligations are met, which is a problem considering the district still holds anywhere from $1 billion to $2 billion in debt, the lawsuit states.

The state promised bondholders, or lenders, that it would not 'modify' the way the district collects taxes 'until all such bonds together with interest thereon, and all costs and expenses in connection with any action or proceeding by or on behalf of such holders, are fully met and discharged.'

The taxpayers argue that as 'third-party beneficiaries' of the Reedy Creek Act, the 'convenience, comfort and welfare' that was promised to them will be violated if they suddenly have to pay back the media conglomerate's massive debts.

They also argue that DeSantis is violating Florida's Taxpayers' Bill of Rights.

The state law 'guarantee[s] that the rights, privacy and property of Florida taxpayers are adequately safeguarded and protected during tax assessment, collection, and enforcement processes,' according to the complaint.

Repealing that will 'unquestionably infringe' on their right to a 'fair and consistent application of the tax laws of the state' because the bill was specifically created to punish Disney for its political position.

In that vein, the taxpayers argue that DeSantis is violating Disney's First Amendment right to free speech and Fourteenth Amendment right to due process.

'Corporations are obviously capable of expressing themselves, as Disney did when it spoke out against the 'Don't Say Gay' bill. If a government retaliates and attempts to punish a speaker's freedom of speech, they are violating the speaker's constitutional rights. That appears to be exactly what Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is doing to Disney,' the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit is the first of many that experts expect will be filed after Disney suffered backlash for its stance on the Parental Rights in Education law.

The law, set to take effect in July, states that 'classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur.'

Part of it applies to kids in kindergarten through third grade, while a vague portion bans all discussion of 'sexual orientation or gender identity' in a 'manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate.'

Disney CEO Bob Chapek told employees during a virtual town hall that he regretted not taking a public stance against Florida's controversial 'Don't Say Gay' bill and that the company will create a task force to focus on more LGBTQ content

Disney, whose biggest theme park is in Orlando, originally didn't take a position on the bill.

The multinational media conglomerate later bowed to pressure from its employees after dozens of them staged walkouts and spoke out on social media.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek said he regretted not taking a stance against the bill earlier and expressed support for employee walkouts.

In a virtual meeting in March, Chapek said: 'I and the leadership team are determined to use this moment as a catalyst for more meaningful and lasting change.'

Among other measures to smooth out edges after a rough start to his tenure in January, Chapek told employees that Disney would put together a task force to make sure that more LGBTQ-awareness content is available for children.

Disney faced quick backlash from conservatives and Gov. Ron DeSantis, who spearheaded an effort to strip the company of its special district.

Last week, the Reedy Creek board of supervisors carried on with business as usual, barely mentioning the decision to dissolve the district.

The issue wasn't even on the agenda, but it was briefly mentioned during a discussion on solar panels.

District administrator John Classe said that a planned expansion of the solar energy program could be delayed due to financial challenges caused by the new law, according to WESH reporter Bob Hazen.

The district handles permits, trash collection and emergency services for the Orlando-area theme park.

On Wednesday morning, Reedy Creek officials seemed just as confused as everyone else about what will come next, as it's revealed that the district's $2 billion bond debts could be transferred to Orange and Osceola counties, leaving taxpayers on the hook for as much as $2,800 per family of four.

The Reedy Creek Improvement District board met last week for the first time since Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law to dissolve it next year

The Reedy Creek district employs more than 400 people who enjoy benefits like health care and complimentary lifetime Disney passes, a value of up to $1,300 a year

Employees have been left in the dark as to what comes next for the district, says firefighter and union president Jon Shirey, who was reportedly the only one to address the issue directly on Wednesday

The district's 400 employees would also lose their jobs and benefits, which include lifetime complimentary Disney passes worth as much as $1,300 a year.

District supervisor Don Greer told Hazen: 'If it's going to be different than what we have, it will have to look like what it is. Because there's just too much here to dump on anybody else.'

Reedy Creek firefighter and union head Jon Shirey was the only one to tackle the issue head-on, according to Spectrum News 13 reporter Rebecca Turco.

'What is that message?' he asked, saying that employees of the district have been told to not speak to the media about the upcoming dissolution of the district.

Shirey has openly wondered what will become of the benefits enjoyed by the district's 400 employees, including health insurance and complimentary lifetime Disney passes.

'For our retirees who plan their lives and their finances around a benefit that they were promised for life, this is incredibly concerning,' Shirey told the Orlando Sentinel.
A father-of-three who died following an assault at an Essex shopping centre has been described as being the 'most dependable friend' with the 'kindest soul', as two people are charged in connection with his murder.

Michael Ugwa, 29, from Rainham, was assaulted within the food court at Lakeside shopping centre shortly before 4.30pm last Thursday, April 28.

A man and a woman were arrested on Monday, May 2, and they have both now been charged.

Brandon Lutchmunsing, 19, of Grafton Road, Dagenham has been charged with murder and affray.

Shannon Weston, 20, of Paddocks Close, Canewdon has been charged with assisting an offender.

Michael Ugwa (pictured), 29, from Rainham, east London, died after being assaulted at an Essex shopping centre on April 28, two people have now been charged in relation to his murder

The attack took place at Lakeside shopping centre (pictured) on the afternoon of Thursday, April 28,

They both appeared at Southend Magistrates' Court today and were remanded in custody and are both due to appear before Basildon Crown Court on Friday, May 6.

Paying tribute to Michael, his mother said in a statement: 'Michael was a kind man with a large personality and an even larger heart. He was special to a great many people and so it is with great sorrow that we are writing about his untimely passing.

'We are humbled by just how many lives he touched during his short stay on this Earth.

'He was truly a gift that kept giving, a loving and supportive partner to his would-have-been wife, a great father to his three children, a caring brother, and a pillar of support to me, his mum, and wider family in general, including his aunts, uncles and all his cousins.

Michael was sadly pronounced dead at the scene, police believe it was a directed attack at him

'He was the kindest soul of all, as well as the most dependable friend anyone could ever have been blessed with.

'Words alone can never describe what we, as a family are going through right now, and will go through for the rest of our lives.'

Detective Chief Inspector Ashley Howard, who's leading the investigation, said: 'As these charges highlight, our investigation is progressing but doesn't stop.

'We still believe this attack was directed towards the victim and that the incident poses no ongoing threat to people shopping, eating, and socialising at Lakeside.

'We continue to make inquiries and need anyone who has any information who has not identified themselves to police, to contact us.'
Judge T. Kent Wetherell of the Northern District of Florida advanced a lawsuit against Joe Biden's 'catch-and-release' policy Wednesday and said the president has 'turned the southern border into little more than a speed bump' for illegal immigrants

A federal judge in Florida advanced a lawsuit against President Joe Biden's 'catch-and-release' policy for migrants and claimed he turned the border into a 'speed bump' for illegal immigrants.

Judge T. Kent Wetherell of the Northern District of Florida issued a scathing opinion Wednesday claiming the court was 'wholly unpersuaded' by the administration's position to continue the practice.

'Today's order is a huge win in our fight to force the Biden administration to fix the crisis by following the law,' Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody told Fox News. 'As the order states, 'not even the President is above the law,' and I look forward to advancing our case to hold the Biden administration accountable for ignoring public-safety immigration laws and turning our nation's last bastion of protection into nothing more than a speed bump.'

Migration is still surging at the southern border and is estimated to triple at the end of this month when Title 42 ends.

In the month of March alone, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered 221,303 migrants at the southern border  a two-decade high and the most since Biden took office in January 2021.

Moody, in a coordinated effort with Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, filed a lawsuit in September 2021 against Biden and demanded that the administration stop the 'illegal' so-called 'catch-and-release' policy.

The term refers to the process where immigrants are apprehended and later released from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) custody until their trial.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (right) and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (left) filed a lawsuit in September 2021 against Biden and demanded that the administration stop the 'illegal' so-called 'catch-and-release' policy

Migrants from Haiti seek asylum in the U.S. near Yuma, Arizona on April 30, 2022

Republicans and Border Patrol agents and officials have largely slammed this process, claiming that the vast majority of released migrants never return for their proceedings and instead remain in the country illegally.

Democrats, however, claim that alternatives to detention protocols, like the use of GPS monitoring or check-ins, are enough to keep illegal immigrants in check pending their hearings.

The opinion issued by Wetherell claims that Biden's immigration and border agencies have been forced to 'adopt and implement policies that contravene explicit mandates and restrictions in the immigration statutes.'

'[T]he policies have effectively turned the southern border into little more than a speed bump for the hundreds of thousands of aliens who have flooded across the border into the country since January 2021 and the thousands more who are arriving at the border daily,' the judge said.

He also called Biden's policies 'as remarkable as it is wrong'.

'Thus, if Florida's allegations that Defendants are essentially flaunting the immigration laws are proven to be true, the Court most certainly can (and will) do something about it,' Wetherell added in his opinion.

He said that the Biden administration has 'unfettered discretion to determine how (or if) to comply with the immigration statutes' and claimed there is not much any court can do about it.

With the impending end of Title 42 on May 23, border and immigrantion enforcement agencies are scrambling as internal projections show that the number of crossings could ramp from 8,000 to 18,000 each day.

In an announcement last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced it was ending Title 42, which allowed for border agencies to expel migrants without hearing their asylum claims in the midst of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

While the emergency declaration remains in place, the illegal immigration protection is ending  and Biden's administration will pay the political price.

Illegal immigration saw a new decades-high in March with CBP encountering 221,303 migrants in that month alone  and it's expected to triple by the end of May with the end of Title 42

Upon taking office, Biden signed several immigration-related executive orders, including immediately halting construction on Trump's southern border wall.

He also restarted catch-and-release policies, claiming on Day One: 'This is about how America is safer, stronger, more prosperous when we have a fair, orderly, and humane legal immigration system.'

Trump put an end to catch-and-release for the most part by invoking the Migrant Protection Protocol (MPP), which allowed for the removal of migrants to Mexico as they awaited asylum proceedings or other immigration hearings.

MPP is better known as the Remain in Mexico program.

Biden ended MPP in June and was sued by several red states to stop the protection from ending. The 6-3 conservative majority Supreme Court is set to rule on the case in the coming months.
Derek Chauvin's federal plea agreement has been accepted by a judge

The judge overseeing the federal civil rights cases in the killing of George Floyd said Wednesday that he has accepted the terms of Derek Chauvin's plea agreement and will sentence him to 20 to 25 years in prison.

Chauvin pleaded guilty on December 15 to violating Floyd's civil rights, admitting for the first time that he kept his knee on Floyds neck after he became unresponsive, resulting in his death on May 25, 2020.

The former officer admitted he willfully deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure, including unreasonable force by a police officer.

Under the plea agreement, which Chauvin signed, both sides agreed Chauvin should face a sentence ranging from 20 to 25 years, with prosecutors saying they would seek 25. He could have faced life in prison on the federal count.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson, who is also overseeing civil rights cases against three other former officers present at Floyd's death, had deferred accepting Chauvin's agreement pending the completion of a presentence investigation.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson, seen in a court sketch, accepted the terms of Derek Chauvin's plea agreement and will sentence him to 20 to 25 years in prison

George Floyd was murdered by Chauvin after he was placed on arrest in Minneapolis on May 25 2020 on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill

He said in a one-page order Wednesday that the report had been issued, so it was now appropriate to accept the deal. He has not set a sentencing date for Chauvin.

Chauvin is already serving a 22-and-a-half year sentence for his murder conviction in state court last year, though he is appealing that conviction.

He is currently incarcerated under maximum security at Minnesota Correctional Facility in Oak Park Heights.

Chauvin would serve the federal sentence concurrently with the state sentence.

It's not yet clear whether Chauvin would serve his time in state or federal prison, but in signing the federal plea deal, he requested a transfer to federal custody, according to ABC News.

Retired police Sergeant Betsy Brantner Smith, a spokesperson for the National Police Association, told DailyMail.com that federal prison would likely be a safer environment for the convicted former cop.

Former police Officer Derek Chauvin kneels on the neck of George Floyd, a handcuffed man who was pleading that he could not breathe

Brantner Smith noted that ex-cops convicted of crimes often face threats from other inmates behind bars, adding that Chauvin is 'undoubtedly the most famous former police officer in prison.'

'Federal prisons are generally nicer and safer than state prisons, so that could have been part of the thought process,' she said of Chauvin's plea deal.

Brantner Smith said that the convicted killer Chauvin 'does not represent American law enforcement' and that she hoped the resolution of the case would represent a turning point in community relations with police.

'Now we can get on with having Derek Chauvin pay his debt to society,' she said. 'From the standpoint of American law enforcement, we are certainly ready to move forward and do what we do best which is protect the public.'

Attorney's for Floyd's family did not immediately respond to an inquiry from DailyMail.com on Wednesday, but they have previously said the family wants Chauvin to serve as much of his prison sentence as possible.

The federal plea deal means Chauvin will probably spend more time in prison than he faced under his state sentence alone.

State prisoners in Minnesota typically serve one-third of their sentence on parole, which for him would mean 15 years in prison.

With credit for good time in the federal system, Chauvin, who is 46, would serve from 17 years to 21 years and three months behind bars on the federal charges.

Former Minneapolis police officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao were also convicted of violating George Floyd's civil rights

Chauvin waived his right to contest his federal conviction if Magnuson accepted the plea agreement.

Magnuson also has not set sentencing dates for three other ex-officers who were convicted of related federal civil rights charges in February.

The presentence investigations for Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng are still underway.

They're scheduled to go on trial next month in state court on charges of aiding and abetting Chauvin in Floyd's murder.

Prosecutors revealed at a pretrial hearing last month that the three had rejected plea agreements on the state charges. Terms were not disclosed.

Lanes attorney, Earl Gray, said it was hard for the defense to negotiate when the three still didnt know what their federal sentences would be.
A gathering of neo-Nazis who celebrated Adolf Hitler's birthday at popular German beer hall with Nazi salutes and a swastika cake has sparked widespread outrage.

Shocking photos have emerged online from the recent celebrations hosted at The Hof Downtown in Melbourne.

The Docklands venue denied any knowledge of the group's reasons until after the bill was paid and that they made the booking under a fake name.

One photo shows far right-wing leader Tom Sewell, holding a photo of Adolf Hitler at the head of the table as fellow guests at the table perform Nazi salutes.

Nneo-Nazis celebrated Adolf Hitler's birthday at a German beer hall in Melbourne on April 20. Pictured at the head of the table is Tom Sewell

The photo was posted online with members' faces blurred except Sewell.

Another photo shows a cake decorated with a swastika in icing next to a framed photo of the former German dictator.

The venue has addressed the saga in a lengthy statement on its Facebook page, claiming they weren't aware of the group's intentions until the end of the evening after they paid the bill and were about to leave.

They also denied any knowledge about the cake.

'The group looked like any other group and there was nothing suspicious about it, so we first didn't think anything bad would happen,' Marcel Moodley wrote on Wednesday night.

Later in the night the true reason for their visit got exposed.

It is needless to say that we do not support any kind of racism and we believe that everyone who met our team and our culture would be able to sign that!

'We are gutted that this happened and sorry if this upset anyone!'

The group also posted photos of a swastika cake next to a framed photo of Adolf Hitler

The beer hall has donated its takings from the group to charity as a gesture to condemn the racist views.

Mr Moodley has taken the incident 'personally' as a non-white originally from South Africa.

'We at the HOF group condemn any form of racism, Nazism or white supremacy in any format,' Mr Moodley continued.

'We are also deeply horrified and saddened that this exists in modern day in a beautiful free country we all get to call home . We have always had an ethos of being inclusive in our establishments and will continue to support a diverse and inclusive team and community. Acts of this nature will not be tolerated.'

Anti Defamation Commission chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich has reiterated calls for the federal government to designate this group as a terrorist organisation.

'Looking at those images one could think they were taken at a tavern in Nazi Germany of the 1930s, not in Melbourne 2022,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

These Hitler worshippers, who fantasise about a Fourth Reich and an Auschwitz in Melbourne are a growing threat to our safety, and if we don't act, it will cost lives.

'The full-throated hatred on display in these images is a reminder that neo-Nazism is alive in Victoria and should send a chill every Victorian's spine since the hateful rhetoric that these hardcore bigots are spewing, can cross the line into real-world lethal attacks.'

The Hof Downtown in Docklands claims the Neo-Nazi group made the booking under a fake name and were unaware of their intentions until after they paid the bill
A building partially collapsed at a Boston construction site, injuring at least three people - two of them being brought to the hospital - and leading to reports that multiple people remain trapped.

It was reported that a floor in the building collapsed around 1:45pm on the waterfront of 776 Summer Street - the address of a closed power plant in South Boston that is being redeveloped.

The floor's demolition had been planned at a later, unspecified date.

'We knew something was going to happen. We knew something was going to happen with the age of the building,' said Joe Cappuccio, chair of the Friends of South Boston Green Space. 'I just don't understand how the engineers can approve this demolition and then, all of a sudden, a floor collapses.

Boston Emergency Medical Services said in a tweet that two people were taken to the hospital and a third person was also being treated on the scene.

'We have multiple units on scene for the structural collapse at the Edison Power Plant building in South Boston,' the agency tweeted.

Boston fire, police and emergency services vehicles surround a construction site outside a former power plant, where three workers were injured on Wednesday in the South Boston neighborhood of Boston

There also were reports of multiple people trapped during the collapse at the construction site as firefighters and local authorities continue to search and rescue them

Two people were taken to a local hospital and a third person was being cared for on the scene while emergency services were working to retrieve that worker

Firefighters enter the construction site as they search for other workers affected by the incident

The collapse took place at a closed power plant by the waterfront in South Boston

Dozens of emergency responders on scene here for a collapse at a construction site on Summer Street in Boston. You can see some workers leaving the site now. EMS says 2 people were transported to the hospital. Gathering updates for @boston25 at 5 & 6PM pic.twitter.com/Q8RXnac2xB  Litsa Pappas (@LitsaPappas) May 4, 2022

BREAKING: Construction site collapse in Boston, @boston25 reporting multiple people trapped pic.twitter.com/mRnXZYD6mI  Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) May 4, 2022

Police said the injuries to one person were considered life-threatening and that it remains unclear how many individuals still remained under the rumble.

The 15-acre site in South Boston is being redeveloped into a mixed-use property that includes residential, office, research and retail space, a hotel, and nearly six acres of new public open space, according to the Boston Planning and Development Agency.

The project is called 'L Street station' and is overseen by Hilco Development.

'This 1.68 million square foot mixed-use development project will bring new energy to the Boston Harbor waterfront, adding jobs and creating new community open space for the South Boston neighborhood,' Hilco Development's website reads.

'The project includes new retail, housing and commercial space using best-in-class environmental sustainability standards and incorporates resilient site design that will create nearly 6 acres of open space throughout the site, including a new 2.5-acre public park along the waterfront.'

BREAKING:Multiple people trapped after reported collapse at construction site in South Boston,

Boston 25 has crews on the scene. Watch for live updates.

Story: https://t.co/8AI6bQKfXZ pic.twitter.com/EY80GJgkHZ  Boston 25 News (@boston25) May 4, 2022

It remains unclear how many construction workers remain under the rubble and what caused it

Firefighters, police and the mayor of Boston are currently on the scene assessing what caused a floor of the building to collapse

The rescue is currently ongoing as little detail is known about the nature of the collapse

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also going to the scene, a spokesperson said. Boston Mayor Michelle Yu is also reportedly there.

It was the second collapse at a Boston construction site this year. A construction worker died in March when a parking garage being demolished collapsed.

Part of the Government Center garage came down after a concrete slab on the ninth floor collapsed, construction firm John Moriarty & Associates said in a statement.

Boston Fire Commissioner Jack Dempsey told reporters that a worker who was completing demolition work in a construction vehicle fell over the side of the garage when the structure collapsed, falling a significant height.

The worker was found under a pile of rubble and pronounced dead at the scene by authorities, Dempsey said.
Police faced renewed pressure to investigate 'Beergate' yesterday after Keir Starmer admitted sharing a lockdown curry with up to 30 Labour officials at a time when buffets were banned.

A former chief constable yesterday said Durham police should 'reconsider' their initial dismissal of the case in the light of 'new information'.

And a Tory MP urged the force to speak to Sir Keir's Scotland Yard bodyguards about what they witnessed at the now notorious event on April 30 last year, when the Labour leader was filmed enjoying a late night beer with activists.

For the second day running, Sir Keir struggled to answer questions about the event at Durham Miners Hall, which took place at a time when almost all indoor socialising was banned.

The event has drawn comparisons with the so-called 'birthday party' in No 10 which resulted in Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak each being fined 50  and prompted Sir Keir to call for them to resign.

But Sir Keir said it was a 'smear' to suggest he breached the regulations while having 'a takeaway and a beer while I was working late at night'.

Labour sources say that Sir Keir was drinking in Durham late in the evening because the takeaway arrived an hour overdue, The Times reports.

A source familiar with the events rejected claims that 30 people had been present present, suggesting instead that there were roughly 15  including Angela Rayner.

At the time it had been against the law to gather indoors with people from outside households or support bubbles - though an exemption was in place for work purposes.

While Durham police looked into video footage in February and said it would not take action, two cabinet ministers want police to investigate again.

It is understood that the force will not make any announcement until after today's elections because of purdah

Keir Starmer during a visit to a pensioners drop-in session in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, May 4

In a bruising interview with Susanna Reid on ITV's Good Morning Britain, the Labour leader repeatedly insisted the group had been at work in Durham last year

Former chief constable of Manchester, Sir Peter Fahy, said Durham police should look again at the evidence - but stressed that the events seemed 'starkly different' to the issue of Downing Street parties.

Lies and the questions that won't go away Claim: There was nowhere else to eat What Sir Keir says: In Durham, all restaurants and pubs were closed so takeaways were really the only way you could eat. The unanswered questions: Evidence suggests Sir Keir's team had a number of dining options that evening. The Mail on Sunday established that the Radisson Blu hotel in Durham where Sir Keir was staying, served food on its terrace until 9pm. And although England was emerging from lockdown at the time, restrictions had been eased to allow pubs, cafes and restaurants to serve food outside to groups of six or fewer. Local newspaper coverage at the time suggests 13 restaurants and pubs were serving food within a 15-minute walk of Durham Miners Hall where he was working. Claim: Event was 'reasonably necessary for work' What Sir Keir says: They were working and simply stopped to eat, there was no breach of the rules. The unanswered questions: Indoor socialising was illegal at the time. There was an exemption for indoor meetings during the local election campaign if they could be shown to be 'reasonably necessary for work'. But guidance remained strict, saying: 'You should not meet with other campaigners indoors... Only rarely will two people be required indoors at the same location.' So was it necessary for up to 30 people to share a curry late on a Friday night? Separate guidance stated: 'There should not be any sharing of food and drink by staff who do not share a household.' Claim: The group continued to work after eating What Sir Keir says: His story has shifted. In January he said the meal took place 'between meetings'. Yesterday he suggested he continued working during the meal. 'At various points people went into the kitchen, got a plate, had some food to eat and got on with their work,' he said. The unanswered questions: Labour's claim that work continued after the curry is central to its defence. Sir Keir said it was 'absurd' to suggest the meal was the end of his working day. He said he had done an 'online event for members', but this finished at 9.18pm. He also stated he had recorded clips for social media. But only one Facebook video appears to have been recorded that day  in daylight hours. Sir Keir also said he had been 'clearing documents', but Labour did not provide evidence of this. Claim: Angela Rayner was not there What Labour says: In January the party insisted she 'wasn't there'. But officials admitted last week she had been present after this newspaper found video footage of her at Durham Miners Hall that evening. The unanswered questions: Labour has failed to explain how the 'mistake' could have occurred, when a simple question to Mrs Rayner could have clarified the issue, provided it was met with a straight answer. The party has also declined to say why it did not clarify the situation. In the meantime, it was politically convenient for Labour, allowing Mrs Rayner to take the lead on Partygate, when Sir Keir was facing questions of his own. A senior detective told The Times yesterday that Labour's lack of straightforwardness had introduced 'an element of doubt' about its wider story which merited 'a proper examination of the facts'. Advertisement

Confronted on ITV's Good Morning Britain with a copy of yesterday's Mail, the Labour leader insisted there was 'no breach of the rules', despite lockdown laws at the time banning almost all indoor socialising.

However, he did not challenge reports that the Friday night gathering was attended by up to 30 people.

Labour officials are said to have ordered 200 of takeaway curries for staff at the end of a long week on the campaign trail.

Sir Keir told ITV's Richard Madeley: 'This was brought in and at various points people went into the kitchen, got a plate, had some food to eat and got on with their work.'

At the time, lockdown laws allowed staff to meet indoors if doing so was 'reasonably necessary for work'. However, official guidance on buffet-style serving was clear.

It stated: 'There should not be any sharing of food and drink by staff who do not share a household. Minimise self-serving options for food and drink. As far as possible, food served and/or displayed should be individually wrapped to minimise contact and avoid spread of infection.'

Having claimed his curry  and beer  were consumed during a break from work, yesterday saw Sir Keir struggle to say what duties he carried out after he was filmed holding his bottle at 10.04pm.

The 'online event for members' cited as an example concluded at 9.18pm.

Sir Keir also stated that he had recorded 'pieces to camera' for social media, but just one Facebook clip appears to have been recorded that day  and it was shot during daylight hours.

Cabinet minister Nigel Adams accused the Labour leader of talking 'bull***' and 'dodging' key questions.

Richard Holden, Tory MP for North West Durham, told his local force that an event involving 30 people was 'well above the number allowed to meet indoors under the regulations (at the time), and definitely not necessary for work purposes'.

In a letter seen by the Daily Mail, Mr Holden noted that bystanders were now coming forward who were not interviewed when the police initially dismissed the case last year after reviewing a 43-second video filmed by a passer-by.

The letter to Durham's deputy chief constable Ciaron Irvine continued: 'Given the serious nature of this new testimony, I hope you will be reaching out to the witnesses involved, as well as the Metropolitan Police officers present at the event, as part of your investigation into what took place.'

It was claimed last night that the Durham force had not yet requested the full, unedited footage of Sir Keir's beer.

The person who filmed it told The Daily Telegraph they have had 'no contact' with police.

Tory MP Michael Fabricant said: 'Keir Starmer has seized on the statement by police that they had fully investigated... and found that no rules had been breached. However, it now seems that Durham police have not done this at all.'

Sir Peter Fahy, former chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, said Durham Constabulary should reconsider a probe into the allegations.

'I think they should probably just look at the new information and reconsider their situation,' he told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme.

'I think, once again, it highlights that a lot of the legislation around coronavirus was confused, so I think the police have been struggling.'

A Durham Constabulary spokesman said yesterday: 'We have received a number of recent communications on this subject, which we are considering and will respond in due course.'

It comes after Mr Starmer griped that people keep asking him about 'Beergate' on Wednesday as a former police chief suggested the gathering should be looked at again.

The Labour leader complained there was too much focus on Tory 'mudslinging' rather than the cost-of-living crisis as he was grilled on claims he shared 200 worth of curry with up to 30 aides.

Meanwhile, Sir Peter Fahy, ex-chief constable of Greater Manchester, said Durham Police 'should probably just look at the new information and reconsider their situation'.

Sir Keir could not hide his irritation after the incident was repeatedly raised on his final day of campaigning ahead of crunch local elections tomorrow.

For the second day running, Sir Keir struggled to answer questions about the event at Durham Miners Hall, which took place at a time when almost all indoor socialising was banned

Police faced renewed pressure to investigate 'Beergate' yesterday after Keir Starmer admitted sharing a lockdown curry with up to 30 Labour officials at a time when buffets were banned

Last night a picture emerged of what may have been his official car (above) in Durham that evening. This raises the prospect that his police protection team might be able to provide bombshell testimony, in the same way that officers are being asked for their recollections of 'Partygate' events in Downing Street

In a bruising interview with Susanna Reid on ITV's Good Morning Britain, the Labour leader repeatedly insisted the group had been at work in Durham last year.

But Sir Keir looked distinctly uncomfortable as he failed to deny that there had been dozens of people present.

He stressed that the group had been 'on the road' for elections last year, and were still working even though it was around 10pm.

Speaking to reporters in Wakefield later, Sir Keir said: 'I have not had contact from Durham Police and I think people are just about fed up with the mudslinging that's going on.

'We know there's elections coming, we know what the Conservatives are up to. What we need to do, I think, is focus on the issue in hand, which is the cost of living.'

Asked what he was doing at 11pm in Durham on the night in question, and if he went back to work having eaten, he said: 'We were working, we stopped, we ate. No breach of the rules. No party. And I think that's enough for the mudslinging from the Tories on this.

'Let's focus on the issue in hand, which is the cost-of-living crisis, to which they have got absolutely no answer. We have got clear answers on that.'

Asked how many people were with him on the night, and if it was as many as 30, he said: 'I had a team with me. We were working in the office. No breach of the rules, no party.

'This relentless focus on mudslinging instead of the issue in hand by the Conservatives means that they've got no answer to the real question that so many people want answered, which is: 'what are you going to do to help me with my bills?''

However, Labour is facing demands to explain more details about the episode.

The curry order was made after 9pm and included biryanis, bhunas and tikka masalas, according to The Sun.

Keir Starmer visited a pensioners' drop-in session in Wakefield as the local election campaign draws to an end

Sir Keir is trying to keep the focus on Boris Johnson (pictured in Southampton ) ahead of the local elections

A local source told the newspaper: 'There was a lot of food. It came to at least 200 and would have fed 25 or 30 people. It was a late-night delivery the last order of the night.

'It must have been placed around 9pm maybe. Last orders are at 10pm and everything at the restaurant is freshly-cooked, so it would've taken time.

'A man came to the door to collect it, but it wasn't Keir.'

Durham Constabulary is under mounting pressure to reopen its investigation into the event at the offices of Durham MP Mary Foy in the run-up to last year's local elections.

A spokesman for the force said today: 'We have received a number of recent communications on this subject, which we are considering and will respond in due course.'

Sir Peter told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme: 'I think they should probably just look at the new information and reconsider their situation.

'I think, once again, it highlights that a lot of the legislation around coronavirus was confused, so I think the police have been struggling with this.

'But what came out from Parliament and what came out from the Home Secretary at the time was (that) really almost a deciding factor was repeated breach of the regulations, and I think that's really what caused the pressure on the Metropolitan Police to have to investigate those alleged offences.

'So, I think Durham do need to probably reconsider it, but on the other hand I also think this is really quite dangerous times when policing is sort of being drawn into party politics, and I think that's starting to happen.'

Sir Keir confirmed that the force had not been in touch.

Labour's cosy Durham cabal... and a silence that's deafening: Wall of obfuscation has sprung up to protect Keir Starmer from criticism, writes ANDREW PIERCE

Miners, trade unionists, Leftie students and an endless parade of politicians waging class war: Durham's heart beats proudly with the red blood of socialism.

The north-eastern city last returned a Tory to Westminster in 1918. And even today, the local MP works out of offices within Durham Miners Hall, a magnificent temple to Left-wing solidarity  and now an alleged crime scene.

Miners Hall is where Keir Starmer is alleged to have broken lockdown rules on April 30 last year  glugging beer and munching curry in a group of about 30 people in defiance of the law of the land at the time. As the evidence piles up against the Labour leader's implausible claims about his activities that night  specifically whether it was a legal work meeting or an illegal social gathering  Durham's deep-rooted Labour loyalties appear to be on full display.

From MPs to the crime-fighting forces within the city, a wall of silence and obfuscation has sprung up to protect the leader from criticism, investigation and any punishment he might deserve.

So who are the Labour figures in Durham allegedly protecting Starmer? ANDREW PIERCE examines the evidence...

Denial: Mary Foy MP, circled, at the event with Keir Starmer

THE 'DRUNK' MP

The most powerful figure in the local Labour Party is Mary Foy, MP for the City of Durham. The gathering took place in her constituency office at Miners Hall, after she had been campaigning with Starmer in the Hartlepool by-election that day. We know she was there.

Foy has stubbornly refused to answer questions about her presence at the curry night, instead referring reporters to Labour's central press office. Not that they're much help  the office initially denied Starmer's deputy Angela Rayner had also been present, before admitting last week (in a supposedly 'honest mistake' after video evidence emerged) that, er, she had been there after all.

On the far-Left of her party, Foy was elected in 2019. She backed the 'continuity Corbyn' candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey in the 2020 leadership election.

The MP appears to be feeling the pressure over Beergate. Last week she launched into what witnesses called a 'drunken tirade' on the Commons terrace against Richard Holden, the Tory MP leading calls for the police to investigate Starmer further.

Three witnesses have said they saw Foy vent her fury at Holden, who is MP for nearby North West Durham, at about 10pm.

Foy then allegedly grabbed him by the arm with both hands and tried to drag him across the terrace before staff restrained her. Holden said he had received a written apology from Foy for what he called 'her unacceptable, drunken behaviour'.

Endorsement: Sir Keir with police commissioner Joy Allen

THE CRIME-FIGHTER

As Durham's elected police and crime commissioner  on a salary of over 71,000  Joy Allen often makes public pronouncements on crimes committed on her patch, including littering, anti-social behaviour and road safety. But she has had surprisingly little to say about Starmer's apparent law-breaking.

Allen's official website claims her role is to 'hold the [police] force to account'  so why isn't she holding the force accountable for their failure to investigate Starmer? She might be expected to take a keen interest in the claims against him  except she has been a member of the Labour Party for 27 years and has posted on her website a photo in which Starmer urges people to vote for her.

Asked what role Allen or her office might have played in the initial police decision to take no action against Starmer, her spokesman insisted: 'None at all. We were just informed. It was an operational matter for the force.'

...AND HER CHUM

PCC Allen's second-in-command is Nigel Bryson, who happens to be a long-standing friend of hers. They met, inevitably, through the Labour Party and she has attracted criticism for appointing him without advertising. Challenged over this failure to vet anyone else, she said: 'I've got somebody who knows everything about me as a candidate... I could go through the process but it would just be possibly going through the motions.' So that's all right then.

Takeaway: Mary Foy with staff from The Capital restaurant

THE CURRY HOUSE

The Capital is one of Durham's finest Indian restaurants and this week it emerged its delivery driver had dropped off a '200' feast for the gathering, including biryanis, tikka masalas, rice and naan breads. The driver initially told the Daily Mail there were '30 or so people' inside  but bizarrely later insisted he had no recollection of making the delivery.

Yet the curry house has been known to have friendly relations with Durham's Labour machine.

In May 2020, during the first lockdown, local MP Foy hailed it for supplying meals to NHS workers and posed for photographs with head chef Syed Islam.

LAW-BREAKING MP

Bordering Foy's constituency is North Durham, with MP Kevan Jones. He has also remained silent about the night in question  and this isn't surprising.

A leading figure in the local Labour community, Jones himself has broken lockdown laws  not once, but twice. The first breach came on May 7, 2020, when he took part in a group photo shoot in his constituency, promoting artwork in praise of the NHS. A noble cause  but the rules about socialising were clear. Jones committed another breach three days later.

A video shows him attending an indoor party for 100-year-old veteran Frederick Herron, allegedly attended by about 40 people. Who would begrudge a hero centenarian a fitting celebration? Nobody  except Starmer and Labour have consistently claimed that the law should have been upheld.

Asked yesterday about his lockdown breaches, Jones said he would 'rather not comment'.

THE CONSTABULARY

Durham Police has drawn stern criticism for failing to investigate Starmer thoroughly over his seemingly flagrant lockdown-breaking. Little wonder  officers from the constabulary were also pictured at Mr Herron's party.

In a time before vaccines, lockdown rules were to protect elderly individuals such as Mr Herron.

But that didn't stop Durham police from attending  and ironically under the circumstances  to ensure that the law was followed. On June 6, 2020, a complaint was made to Durham police's standards department about the officers' failure to challenge the organisers  who included a Labour county councillor. Four days later, the department decided  surprise, surprise  to take no action.

Of course, the police must remain politically neutral  but the force's refusal to investigate Starmer looks iniquitous when London's Metropolitan police pursued Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and other Tories with a wildly expensive investigation, slapping fines on more than 50 people. As the Ancient Romans once wondered, who guards the guards themselves?

Additional reporting: Richard Marsden
Its an expenses scandal with a little va-va-voom.

Where a British MP once claimed for something as twee as a floating duck house, across the Channel, a rising star in Frances ruling party has been brought down by lingerie.

Coralie Dubost, an MP for Emmanuel Macrons La Republique en Marche (LREM), has been forced to quit after buying more than 7,000 worth of clothes and lingerie on expenses.

The 39-year-old was also accused of mismanaging aides by asking them to spy on her domestic staff and take care of chores including her dry cleaning and shoe repairs.

French MP Coralie Dubost, pictured, is accused of spending more than 7,000 on clothes - including 420 on underwear - before claiming them on expenses over a three-month period in 2018

Mme Dubost, pictured here with French President Emmanuel Macron, is an MP representing his party En Marche for Montpellier

Mme Dubost spent 420 on lingerie from exclusive boutique shops such as Darjeeling

A review of her expenses found Miss Dubost, deputy parliamentary chief of LREM, spent 8,400 euros (7,089) on clothes in three months in autumn 2018  including 420 on underwear from French brands including Princesse Tam Tam and Darjeeling.

Miss Dubost, who has been an MP for Montpellier in the south of France since 2017, also spent parliamentary funds on hotels, meals and outings that had little apparent bearing on her duties, the report said.

A lawyer by profession, she was one of the recruits from outside politics who joined LREM after Mr Macron founded the party in 2016. Her departure is an embarrassment for the president only six weeks before a parliamentary election in which he will seek to renew his partys majority in the National Assembly.

Miss Dubost denies wrongdoing and claims that she is the victim of a cabal.

But she resigned after details of her expenses spending were leaked to the Mediapart independent news website.

The findings of an audit for the National Assemblys ethics watchdog were delivered last year but had been kept secret.

After the leak, Miss Dubost said: The time has come for me to withdraw from political life and devote myself to my family. I will not be a candidate for re-election...

I have been targeted by unfair attacks, which do a disservice to my political group, to electoral deadlines and to democracy. Miss Dubost said she had repaid her spending on lingerie and other items and had been misled by staff on what she was allowed to charge to her 4,523 monthly fixed allowance for expenses.

She claimed: I am not a cheat. There are parliamentary outfits and personal outfits. I do not wear the same clothes in my personal and MPs life.

Mr Macron tightened the rules over allowances in 2017, requiring MPs, who earn a salary of 86,000 euros (72,394), to file expenses receipts. Britains parliamentary expenses scandal, which emerged in 2009, exposed MPs scandalous claims for luxuries including moat cleaning, swimming pool servicing  and Sir Peter Viggers 1,645 duck house.
The Supreme Court is poised to strike down the right to abortion in the United States, according to a bombshell leaked draft of a majority opinion that suggests it may be poised to overturn the famous Roe v. Wade ruling.

The 98-page draft revealed by Politico calls the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision - which held that access to abortion in the US is a constitutional right - 'egregiously wrong from the start'.

Abortion rights have been under threat in recent months as Republican-led states move to tighten rules - with some seeking to ban all abortions after six weeks, before many women even know they are pregnant.

These include Arizona, where the Republican Governor in March signed a bill banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy; and Idaho where the governor signed a six-week abortion ban that allows family members of the foetus to sue providers who perform abortions past that point, similar to a Texas law enacted last year.

The draft was written by Justice Samuel Alito and has been circulating inside the conservative-dominated court since February. The leak of a draft opinion while a case is still pending is an extraordinary breach.

The court is expected to rule on the case before its term is up in late June or early July. Here, DailyMail.com looks at what the latest developments mean - and the history of abortion laws in the US:

WHAT IS ROE V. WADE?

The Roe v. Wade decision nearly 50 years ago recognised that the right to personal privacy under the US Constitution protects a woman's ability to terminate her pregnancy.

On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court decided that the constitutional right to privacy applied to abortion.

Roe was 'Jane Roe,' a pseudonym for Norma McCorvey, a single mother pregnant for the third time, who wanted an abortion.

She sued the Dallas attorney general Henry Wade over a Texas law that made it a crime to terminate a pregnancy except in cases of rape or incest, or when the mother's life was in danger.

Roe's lawyers said she was unable to travel out of the state to obtain an abortion and argued that the law was too vague and infringed on her constitutional rights.

Filing a complaint alongside her was Texas doctor James Hallford, who argued the law's medical provision was vague, and that he was unable to reliably determine which of his patients fell into the allowed category.

The 'Does', another couple who were childless, also filed a companion complaint, saying that medical risks made it unsafe but not life-threatening for the wife to carry a pregnancy to term, and arguing they should be able to obtain a safe, legal abortion should she become pregnant.

The trio of complaints - from a woman who wanted an abortion, a doctor who wanted to perform them and a non-pregnant woman who wanted the right if the need arose - ultimately reached the nation's top court.

The court heard arguments twice, and then waited until after Republican president Richard Nixon's re-election, in November 1972.

Only the following January did it offer its historic seven-to-two decision - overturning the Texas laws and setting a legal precedent that has had ramifications in all 50 states.

WHAT HAS THE SUPREME COURT DECIDED NOW?

The Supreme Court has not decided anything yet, but a draft opinion reportedly circulated among court justices suggests that it may be poised to overturn Roe v. Wade.

A document labelled 'Opinion of the Court' shows a majority of the court's justices earlier this year threw support behind overturning the 1973 case that legalised abortion across the country.

According to Politico - who published the 'leaked document' - the draft opinion shows the court voted to strike down the landmark case. However, it is unclear if the draft represents the court's final word on the matter.

The paper was labelled '1st Draft' of the 'Opinion of the Court' and was said to be referring to a case challenging Mississippi's ban on abortion after 15 weeks - a case known as Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organisation.

The Supreme Court has yet to issue a ruling in the case, and opinions - and even justices' votes - have been known to change during the drafting process.

The court is expected to rule on the case before its term is up in late June or early July.

The draft is signed by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the court's 6-3 conservative majority, who was appointed by former President George W Bush.

'Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,' the draft opinion states.

It in effect states there is no constitutional right to abortion services and would allow individual states to more heavily regulate or outright ban the procedure.

HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER RULINGS SINCE 1973?

On the same day as the Roe v. Wade decision, the justices also ruled in the separate 'Doe v. Bolton' case, which authorised each state to add restrictions to abortion rights for later-term pregnancies.

The constitutional right to abortion was later confirmed in a number of decisions, including 'Webster v. Reproductive Health Services' in 1989 and 'Planned Parenthood v. Casey' in 1992.

In the latter, the court guaranteed a woman's right to an abortion until the foetus is viable outside the womb, which is typically around 22 to 24 weeks of gestation.

The Planned Parenthood v Casey ruling also affirmed Roe's finding of a constitutional right to abortion services, but allowed states to place some constraints on the practice.

WHICH STATES COULD MAKE ABORTION ILLEGAL IF ROE V. WADE IS OVERTURNED?

If Roe is overturned, abortion is likely to remain legal in liberal states. More than a dozen states currently have laws protecting abortion rights.

Numerous Republican-led states have passed various abortion restrictions in defiance of the Roe precedent in recent years.

Republicans could try to enact a nationwide abortion ban, while Democrats could also seek to protect abortion rights at the national level.

Twenty-six states are certain or likely to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, according to the pro-abortion rights think tank the Guttmacher Institute.

Of those, 22 states already have total or near-total bans on the books that are currently blocked by Roe, aside from Texas.=

The state's law banning it after six weeks has already been allowed to go into effect by the Supreme Court due to its unusual civil enforcement structure. Four more states are considered likely to quickly pass bans if Roe is overturned.

Sixteen states and the District of Columbia, meanwhile, have protected access to abortion in state law.

This year, anticipating a decision overturning or gutting Roe, eight conservative states have already moved to restrict abortion rights.

Oklahoma, for example, passed several bills in recent weeks, including one that goes into effect this summer making it a felony to perform an abortion.

CAN WOMEN GET AN ABORTION IN A DIFFERENT STATE?

Yes - the variation in abortion laws around America already means that some women have to travel to a different state to access a procedure.

For example in Texas - which has passed a law banning almost all abortions in the state - an average of 1,400 women from the state travelling each month between September and December 2021 and sought out procedures at 34 facilities in other states such as Louisiana and Kansas.

Research by the University of Texas established that more than a quarter of Texans seeking an abortion (27 per cent) went to obtain the procedure in New Mexico, a state which has seven facilities.

WHAT WOULD ROE V. WADE BEING OVERTURNED MEAN FOR WOMEN?

Abortion would not become illegal everywhere in the US if Roe v. Wade is overturned, with individual states still able to choose whether and when they would be permitted.

As it stands, abortion is legal in every state - but with varying restrictions.

Abortion would likely become illegal in about half of the states in the US if the ruling is overturned - with 24 states expected to ban abortion if they are able to do so.

These are: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Wednesday defended President Joe Biden's statements on the leaked draft Supreme Court opinion that would strike down Roe v. Wade  and said the White House doesn't have a 'particular view' on the leak itself.

Since Politico reported on the leaked draft Monday night, Biden has focused his public remarks on privacy rights, the risks that gay marriage and other rights could be in jeopardy, and even his own clashes with Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork decades ago.

In his initial comments while traveling to Alabama Tuesday, Biden also used the word 'child' while describing abortion rights.

'So I mean, the idea that were going to make a judgment that is going to say that no one can make the judgment to choose to abort a child, based on a decision by the Supreme Court, I think goes way overboard,' Biden said.

Psaki got asked about the comment Wednesday, which ran against the typical word selection of pro choice advocates.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki defended President Joe Biden's comments since the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion that would strike down Roe v. Wade

'The President's view on a woman's right to make choices about her own health care is well known, well documented, well stated,' said Psaki. Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy pressed her, emphasizing Biden's use of the word 'child.'

'I understand Peter. But what I'm telling you is is what his position is,' she responded.

She also got asked why Biden 'isn't he speaking more directly about how it impacts women, poor women, women of color. How comfortable is he talking about this?'

'He has. He did yesterday both in his written statement and when he addressed this publicly.'

'This brings into question our fundamental rights and the fundamental rights of people across this country, and who they marry, what choices they make about their own healthcare. And that goes to his own experience fighting against, again, Robert Bork in in his nomination many years ago,' she said.

'When he talks about ... his commitment to protecting a woman's right to choose women's health care, he's referring to protecting woman's right to have an abortion. I think most people know that,' she said.

'This is about a lot more than abortion,' Biden said Wednesday

'The idea that were going to make a judgment that is going to say that no one can make the judgment to choose to abort a child, based on a decision by the Supreme Court, I think goes way overboard,' Biden said Tuesday

'I'm just not going to get into specific outcomes of the primary,' Psaki said, asked about Trump-backed J.D. Vance's win in the Ohio GOP primary

Biden on Wednesday called MAGA 'the most extreme political organization in American history.' Vance's win was another demonstration of Trump's grip on the GOP

Psaki also responded to a question by DailyMail.com about Sen. Elizabeth Warren's (D-Mass.)' fiery comment at the Supreme Court Tuesday that she was 'angry.' Vice President Kamala Harris issued her own defiant statement to the Court, saying: 'How dare they tell a woman what she can do with her body.'

Asked if Biden was angry about the draft opinion, Psaki responded: 'I think you heard anger in his voice yesterday.'

The pushback on abortion came as Biden tore into MAGA as an 'extremist' movement in earlier comments at the White House Wednesday. He called it 'the most extreme political organization in American history.'

Psaki indicated that Biden would continue to draw contrasts in the days ahead.

'Don't compare me to the Almighty compare me to the alternative,' she said, hauling out a Biden campaign mantra.

'And I would expect you will hear him with that mantra much more out there over the next coming months.'

She checked her own comments at times due to potential Hatch Act limitations on political comments, but flagged Biden's own remarks.

He 'made comments over the last several days about the direction of some in the Republican Party, the MAGA direction of some in the Republican Party, and he's been struck by the hold his predecessor seems to have on far too many members. Not all, but far too many members of the party,' she said.

'And what we're seeing, the latest antics are made clear, that they are at war with Mickey Mouse, they're against allowing women to make choices about their own health care, against lowering the cost of prescription drugs. And if that remains their platform, the President's view is that is out of whack with the mainstream of the country.'

She was referring to the new Florida law pushed through by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida GOP taking away Disney's federal tax status following its opposition to a bill critics call 'don't say gay.'

Psaki, though, did not say that Biden tore into MAGA for reasons related to the victory of Trump-backed candidate J.D. Vance in the Ohio GOP primary Tuesday night.

'He has been struck by the hold his predecessor seems to have on far too many members of the party,' she told DailyMail.com when asked for his reaction to the result. 'But he's still going to call out where he sees extremist actions and extremist rhetoric, and I'm just not going to get into specific outcomes of the primary.'

Biden travels to Cincinnati on Friday  the same city where Vance held his victory party.

Psaki also dodged questions about the leak itself and a leak hunt that Chief Justice John Roberts has announced. She said it was up to the Justice Department whether the administration would assist in any way.

Asked if Biden 'condemned' the leak, Psaki said: 'I don't think we have a particular view on that other than to say that we certainly know the unprecedented nature of it.'

'Obviously it's up to the Department of Justice to determine what if any action they will take,' she said.

'Our focus is on not losing sight from what the content is in the draft on and what is at risk here,' she said.
The mum of a little boy who died after being left on a daycare bus two years ago has recalled her horror of finding out another child was left behind on a bus and is now fighting for life in hospital.

It comes as Today show hosts Allison Landgon and Karl Stefanovic broke down live on air over the latest incident.

Little Nevaeh Austin, three, was picked up from her home to head to Le Smileys Early Learning Centre at Gracemere near Rockhampton on Wednesday.

She was found unconscious in the van six hours later. Paramedics were able to revive her and rushed her to the nearby Rockhampton hospital. She has been airlifted to Brisbane.

Just two years ago, at a daycare centre just two hours' north, Maliq 'Meeky' Nicholas Floyd Namok-Malamoo tragically died after he was left in a hot school van following the morning pick up.

His mum Muriel Namok is sickened and angry history appears to have repeated.

Nevaeh Austin (pictured) is fighting for life in hospital after being locked in a bus for six hours

The latest incident comes two years after the tragic death of Maliq 'Meeky' Nicholas Floyd Namok-Malamoo after he was left in a hot school van following the morning pick up.

Langdon and Stefanovic fought back tears live on air after speaking to the grieving mum on Thursday morning, bewildered that it has happened again.

An emotional Langdon praised Ms Namok on her bravery to speak out after what happened her son, who was found dead on the Goodstart Early Learning Centre minibus in the Cairns suburb of Edmonton on February 18, 2020.

'Every person out there looks as this and thinks how on earth was this allowed to happen in the first place with your beautiful little boy. How was it allowed to happen a second time,' Langdon said.

Ms Namok broke down as the interview finished as the hosts also battled to maintain their composure.

'It's horrendous,' Stefanovic said.

Langdon added: 'There's nothing else to say to that. And that poor family. It really shouldn't happen.'

Ms Namok was angry and felt sick to the stomach after hearing about what happened to Neveah on Wednesday.

'It's just too tragic. Again, why?' she told the program.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with the family today and onwards.'

'I felt really sick in my stomach. Angry. I know this feeling too well.'

Allison Langdon (right) fought back tears while speaking to Meeky's mum Muriel Namok

The emotional interview also brought tears to Today show co-host Karl Stefanovic

She added she and Meeky's siblings are still struggling to come to terms with the tragedy.

'You don't. You adjust. You adapt. Reconcile. Just take each day as it comes,' she said.

Ms Namok fought hard for new rules to be put in place where carers had to make sure every child was counted when they got on and off a school bus.

Education Queensland brought out its Look Before You Lock policy in October 2021,

Meeky's godmother Rowena Bullio described the latest incident alarming in the wake of their campaign to try and ensure what happened to Meeky never happens again.

'You look before you lock every time without fail,' she said

'And why It goes on like this? I mean we've had, we saw cracks in aged care and then a Royal Commission came out of that. And this (Maliq) is one child too many, and then we have another child.

'It's too unbelievable. There is a feeling of disbelief, and there is anger, there is anger now.'

Ms Bullio told Sunrise there's no accountability.

'I think it is more of anger than anything that this could happen again. We went through this with the trials and we saw one childcare worker gets six years, eligible for parole after 18 months,' she said.

A toddler was revived by Queensland paramedics after being found unconscious in a minivan outside a child care centre on Wednesday afternoon (pictured, police inspect a white van outside the Le Smiley's Early Learning Centre)

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his thoughts and prayers are Nevaeh and her family as he urged Queensland authorities to take action to stop similar situations happening again.

'I'm expecting swift action from the state enforcement authorities on this issue, and I'm sure that will follow,' he told Today.

'For the parents this is absolutely heartbreaking, I can't even imagine the terrible anxiety that they're feeling at this time.

'I look forward to hearing better news, but it's horrific.'

It comes as Nevaeh's dad shared heartbreaking details of the little girl's grave condition.

Shane Austin said Nevaeh has a failing kidney and needed a deep brain scan after being locked inside the bus outside the Le Smileys Early Learning Centre.

Little Nevaeh was rushed to Rockhampton Hospital after being found unconscious and revived by paramedics just before 3pm on Wednesday.

A senior Queensland politician has vowed an inquiry into the horrific incident will be launched as questions begin to be asked about how daycare centre staff didn't notice the girl was missing.

The three-year-old was found gravely ill in the van parked outside the childcare centre on Lucas Street in Gracemere, just outside Rockhampton

'She's the most loudest little girl they tell me... she's the heart of the daycare,' Mr Austin told the Courier Mail.

Mr Austin revealed Nevaeh was picked up from his Gracemere home at 9am by the childcare centre bus - nearly six hours before being found unconscious.

The toddler is understood to have been found 'unresponsive' in the van outside the daycare on Lucas Street in Gracemere, Central Queensland.

Paramedics, including a critical care team, were called to the centre at about 2.50pm where they treated and revived the gravely-ill girl.

Queensland Ambulance confirmed the three-year-old was 'unconscious' when they found her.

Police were interviewing the centre's staff and inspecting a white minivan, especially a seat in the middle of the bus on Wednesday afternoon

'The girl was located on a bus out the front of a school on Lucas Street [and] was transported in a critical condition to Rockhampton Hospital,' Queensland Ambulance said on social media.

The girl was found 'unresponsive', the ambulance service's Central Region operations manager Jason Thompson told media on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr Thompson described the situation as 'traumatic' for crews who treated her and admitted he had 'goosebumps' talking about it.

The toddler was rushed to Rockhampton Hospital in a gravelly-ill condition and is believed to be in a critical but stable condition with her parents at her bedside

#Gracemere - A three-year-old girl was found unconscious in a vehicle at Gracemere today. The girl was located on a bus out the front of a school on Lucas Street just before 3pm. She was transported in a critical condition to Rockhampton Hospital.  Queensland Ambulance (@QldAmbulance) May 4, 2022

'On the crew's arrival Queensland Police were already on scene and escorted the crew into the childcare centre where the young child was on the floor in the admin area,' he said.

Temperatures in Rockhampton reached a maximum of 29C on Wednesday.

The toddler is understood to be in a 'critical but stable' condition in Rockhampton Hospital with her parents at her bedside

The toddler is understood to be in a 'critical but stable' condition in hospital with her parents at her bedside.

Five police vehicles were in attendance monitoring access to and from the childcare facility.

Daycare centre staff are now being interviewed by investigators and the white minivan is undergoing analysis, especially a seat in the middle of the bus.

Queensland's assistant minister for education, Brittany Lauga, said 'this simply shouldn't have happened' and vowed an inquiry would follow.

'Tonight is a little girl in Gracemere who is fighting for her life in hospital after being allegedly left on a bus at daycare,' Ms Lauga said in a social media post.

'Families need to have peace of mind that when they send their children off to school, kindy or day care, they will come home safe.'

The incident echoes the tragic case of Maliq Nicholas Lloyd Namok-Malamoo, known to his family as 'Meeky'.

Meeky's lifeless body was found in the child care minibus (pictured), almost six hours after he was allegedly collected from his home last February

Michael Lewis was jailed for six years for manslaughter after the three-year-old boy was left on the minibus in temperatures that reportedly reached 56 degrees Celsius.

During the trial the court heard there had been confusion about the pick-up of Meeky on the morning of his death.

The court was also told that Lewis failed to take Meeky off the bus or sign him in after arriving at the centre.
Police released photos Wednesday of the replica gun with an ejecting knife that an armed man used to attack comedian Dave Chappelle at the Hollywood Bowl.

The images, shared by the Los Angeles Police Department, showed that a bayonet blade was affixed to the barrel of the handgun.

It remains unclear how Isaiah Lee, 23, snuck the weapon into the Netflix is a Joke comedy event on Tuesday night, but unnamed police sources told TMZ there was only one entrance area, where the metal detector could be circumvented.

He later allegedly used the weapon as he lunged at Chapelle, who was finishing up his comedy routine at the festival.

Chapelle was uninjured in the attack, as Lee was tackled by security guards who appeared to break his arm as he fought back.

Lee - an aspiring hip-hop artist who has posted rap videos on YouTube going back to 2020 - is now being held in LA County Sheriff's custody on a single felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon.

His bail has been set at $30,000.

Lee's motive for the attack remains unclear, though his brother told Rolling Stone that he has mental health problems and has some connection to the trans community - which Chappelle has been accused of disparaging - but it's not clear what that is.

Chappelle, meanwhile, continued with his set as he joked that his attacker was a 'trans man.'

The LAPD has released photos of the fake rifle with an ejecting knife that Isaiah Lee, 23, allegedly used as he lunged at comedian Dave Chappelle Tuesday night

It remains unclear what Lee's motive was in the attack, even as he is being held on a $30,000 bond

Lee had previously rapped about Dave Chappelle, in which he repeated references to 'jokes,' but it was unclear whether he was a fan.

And before storming the stage at the festival, he uploaded an Instagram story of himself in the same outfit he was arrested in.

Meanwhile, in a statement on Wednesday, Chappelle said the incident was 'unfortunate' but not what he wanted to remember from the event.

'Dave Chappelle celebrated four nights of comedy and music, setting record-breaking sales for a comedian at the Hollywood Bowl... he refuses to allow last night's incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment,' a spokesperson said.

'As unfortunate and unsettling as the incident was, Chappelle went on with the show.'

Isaiah Lee, 23, was removed on a gurney and in handcuffs after trying to attack Dave Chappelle at his show in Hollywood on Tuesday night

The 23-year-old was taken into custody at the event, then was taken to the hospital. He is now in jail

Footage later appears to show the suspect being treated by paramedics for a badly injured arm before he was taken to hospital in an ambulance

But the attack raises questions about security at the Netflix show, its first ever live comedy festival, which forced fans to put their phones away but failed to spot the weapon. Netflix has not yet addressed the incident.

The venue said on its website that the show, which last night was titled Dave Chappelle and Friends, would be a 'phone-free experience' and that the audience would have to secure their phones inside pouches.

After the attacker was detained, Chappelle thanked Foxx on stage during the curtain call. He said: 'Shout out to Jamie Foxx by the way.

'Whenever you're in trouble, Jamie Foxx will show up in a sheriff's hat.'

Foxx replied: 'I thought that was part of the show, I didn't know what the f***...'

Chappelle said: 'I grabbed the back of that n**** head. His hair was spongy. Absorbent.'

Foxx added: 'Listen, I just want to say, this man is an absolute genius. We've got to make sure we protect him at all times.

'For every comedian who comes out here, this means everything. You're a genius. You're a legend, I enjoyed myself thoroughly, and we're not going to let nothing happen to you.'

Chappelle said: 'I've been doing this for 35 years. I just stomped a n**** backstage. I've always wanted to do that.'

After the attack, Jimmy Carr shared a selfie taken with the fellow comedian and described his Los Angeles show as 'crazy'.

He tweeted: 'The Hollywood Bowl show with the legendary Dave Chappelle was crazy. Just happy everyone's ok.'

Chappelle came under fire last year over jokes about trans people in his Netflix comedy show The Closer.

Dave Chappelle was last night attacked on stage while filming a Netflix special in Los Angeles

During the controversial special, he made one comment stating that 'gender is a fact', prompting Netflix staff to protest and mass outrage on social media against some of his jokes.

He also shared his backing for JK Rowling, who has also attracted criticism for her remarks about biological sex.

In the special, he stated that he does not hate transgender people, and tells a long anecdote about a trans woman comic, who he describes as a friend, who came to his defense in earlier entanglements with the community.

Chappelle added: 'Every human being in this room, every human being on Earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on Earth. That is a fact.'

In the contentious special, Chappelle also joked that women today view transwomen the same way black people might view white women wearing blackface, and remarked that women are entitled to feel anger toward transwomen, since Caitlyn Jenner won Glamour magazine's 2015 Woman of the Year award.

'I'd be mad as sh*t if I was a woman,' Chappelle said.

The star also joked about the anatomy of transwomen, joking that they lacked real female reproductive organs and that they did not have blood but 'beet juice'.

The comments prompted calls for Netflix to take down the show, but boss Ted Sarandos told staff that 'content on screen doesn't translate to real-world harm'.

Those who have criticized Chapelle's jokes have specifically cited the physical danger faced by the trans community as a result of anti-trans ideology.

Chris Rock, who performed later in the event last night and was similarly subjected to a violent outburst on stage at the Oscars in March, came on stage and joked: 'Was that Will Smith?', with Jimmy Carr standing behind

Chris Rock later came to the stage and joked that it was Will Smith who attacked Chappelle, while Jimmy Carr stood shocked in the background at the 'crazy' gig

The attack also comes weeks after Will Smith attacked Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars, raising fears it would inspire similar violent protests against performers.

The actor slapped the comedian on stage after a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith's shaved head. Pinkett-Smith has been open in the past about her struggles with alopecia.

After the slap, Smith returned to his seat and screamed 'keep my wife's name out of your f*****g mouth.'

He the then won the Oscar for Best Actor in his role as Richard Williams, in the film King Richard. He used his speech to apologize to the Academy and he later posted an apology on Instagram.

Rock has mostly kept quiet on the issue, speaking out only to say he was 'processing' what happened.

The incident prompted members of the comedy community, including Jack Whitehall and Kathy Griffin, to voice their fears that performers are no longer safe on stage.

The Netflix event is the streaming giant's first ever comedy festival and features performances from big name stars including Seth Rogen, Snoop Dogg, Bill Burr and Pete Davidson.
On the morning of July 16, 1945, in the heart of the New Mexico desert, the world entered the nuclear age.

For months, the scientists of the Manhattan Project had been working on a weapon of unparalleled capability, harnessing the power of the atom to unleash a colossal explosion. Now, at exactly 5.29am, they saw the results.

As a ball of blazing fire rose above the desert, wrote the project's director, J. Robert Oppenheimer, the mood was 'entirely solemn. We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried. Most people were silent'.

As the fireball became a mushroom cloud, Oppenheimer thought of a line from the Hindu scriptures: 'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.'

That was almost 80 years ago, and since then only two nuclear weapons have been used in anger. One was Little Boy, the atomic bomb dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, which killed at least 100,000 people. The other was Fat Man, dropped on Nagasaki three days later, which killed about another 80,000.

Historian Dominic Sandbrook believes we have never been closer to nuclear war following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine

The first nuclear weapons were used in 1945, and in the years after were widely tested (The mushroom cloud of Priscilla 37-kiloton balloon shot test firing in Nevada)

The nuclear bomb dropped in 1945 onto Hiroshima (pictured) in Japan killed around 80,000 people and destroyed the city

These stark facts don't remotely convey the reality of those two terrible days. Even if you believe, as I do, that the atomic bombings hastened the end of the war and saved untold thousands of Allied lives, it's impossible to read about the incinerated bodies, the raging firestorms, the hideous burns, the long-term cancers and birth defects, without a shudder.

No wonder, then, that for decades the world was haunted by the fear of nuclear annihilation. And no wonder that at the height of the Cold War, when West and East stockpiled thousands of missiles of unprecedented explosive power, many people wondered if humanity was building its own funeral pyre.

With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, most of us hoped those days were over. We put aside our fears of Armageddon and convinced ourselves we lived in a world of peace.

We know better now. Today, thanks to the escalating bloodshed in Ukraine, the planet is probably closer to nuclear conflict than at any time since the darkest days of the Cold War.

And it may not be an exaggeration to say that our future depends on a single, volatile, unpredictable and  if the rumours are to believed  increasingly sick man.

Since the first days of his attack on Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has repeatedly raised the spectre of nuclear war. He began his campaign by putting Russia's nuclear forces on 'special alert' against Western intervention, and in recent days his rhetoric has reached ever more paranoid heights.

The Russian Defence ministry showed their new intercontinental ballistic missile 'Sarmat' which they say can reliably overcome any existing and future anti-missile defense systems

Last Wednesday, after the test of the massive new Sarmat nuclear missile, which can carry 15 warheads and reportedly wipe out an area the size of Britain, he told Russian politicians that he would be 'lightning-fast' to use it if the West dared to meddle in Ukraine.

Other signs are equally worrying. In recent days there has been a marked change in the Kremlin's rhetoric, casting its operation as an existential struggle against Nato and the West rather than a 'special operation' against Ukrainian nationalists.

Russian state television, too, has become positively hysterical. Putin's chief propagandist, Vladimir Solovyov, told millions of viewers this week that 'one Sarmat means minus one Great Britain'.

And in a truly deranged segment on Sunday evening, Channel One anchor Dmitry Kiselyov said on his prime-time news show that Moscow could wipe out Britain with a nuclear tsunami in a strike by Russia's Poseidon underwater drone: 'Having passed over the British Isles, it will turn whatever might be left of them into a radioactive wasteland.'

Can they be serious? Are these war-crazed puppets genuinely preparing public opinion for a Russian nuclear strike? Or is this merely empty bluster, a desperate attempt to intimidate the West as Russia's tanks stall in the spring mud? The chilling answer is that nobody really knows.

And while a surprise nuclear attack on Britain  or any major Western country  strikes me as very unlikely, many military analysts believe the Russians could be closer to breaking the nuclear taboo than at any time since the 1940s.

The mushroom cloud above Nagasaki after The United States dropped an atomic bomb three days after dropping one on Hiroshima

That taboo exists for a very good reason. After the horrific images from Hiroshima and Nagasaki  the shattered buildings, charred corpses and indiscriminate destruction of human life, let alone the radioactive fallout  generations of Cold War politicians were desperate to avoid a repeat performance.

The paradox is that at the same time, they were investing in colossal nuclear arsenals with infinitely greater destructive power. Yet it was that balance of terror which prevented the ideological clash between capitalism and communism escalating into World War III.

Several times the world came close to the brink, most famously during the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. Having discovered a secret Soviet missile build-up in the Caribbean, some U.S. generals urged President John F. Kennedy to launch a pre-emptive attack, arguing that the alternative would be a catastrophic loss of face.

Had Kennedy been as hot-headed as his generals, I might not be here to write these words, and you might not be here to read them.

But he wasn't. 'If we listen to them and do what they want us to do,' he said wryly to one of his aides, 'none of us will be alive later to tell them that they were wrong.'

Thankfully, he stayed his hand, the Kremlin backed down, and the world breathed an almighty sigh of relief.

But what if he hadn't? What if a nuclear war had broken out in the early 1960s, or perhaps 20 years later, when the tensions between Ronald Reagan's America and a declining Soviet Union had again reached an almost unbearable peak? Most estimates suggest that the potential death toll  let alone the environmental damage  would have been so great the human mind could barely comprehend it.

As early as 1954, when nuclear weapons were infinitely less destructive than they are today, the Ministry of Defence estimated that a single hydrogen bomb dropped on London would probably kill four million people.

A full-scale Soviet attack on Britain would kill nine million people straight away, and a further three million from short-term fallout. Four million more would be severely injured or disabled.

As the technology improved, the potential death toll rose. By 1983, a study by the British Medical Association suggested that a nuclear attack on Britain would kill about 33 million people. And they would be the lucky ones, since the survivors would be left to die slowly of starvation or radiation sickness in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Vladimir Putin's 'propagandist-in-chief' Dmitry Kiselyov threatened to drown Britain in a radioactive tidal wave using a Satan-2 missile

As horrifying as this sounds, all these scenarios came with a twist that even now, few people appreciate. Contrary to what we often think, almost all Cold War exercises envisaged that we in the West would use nuclear weapons first because our conventional forces in Europe were so heavily outnumbered.

So when you read the National Archives' declassified accounts of government war games from the early 1980s, it's striking that they often end with the Red Army surging towards the Rhine and the British Cabinet authorising a strike on a communist satellite such as Poland or Bulgaria, in order to bring the Kremlin to the negotiating table.

That tells you something. Nuclear weapons are weapons of weakness.

The price for using them is so high  not least in risking massive retaliation and the potential destruction of your own civilisation  that no vaguely sane leader would consider it unless his country was facing utter disaster.

And that, of course, brings us to Vladimir Putin. For this is precisely where he finds himself.

Two months ago, he staked his personal credibility, the future of his regime and Russia's place in the world on the success of his Ukrainian invasion, a gamble he may well be losing.

One plausible scenario is that if the Ukrainians mount a counterattack in the Donbas  and especially if they threaten his grip on Crimea  Mr Putin might authorise a 'tactical' nuclear strike, using short-range weapons devised for use on the battlefield.

Estimates of the likely death toll vary widely. Some of Russia's 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons have ten-kiloton yields  about two-thirds that of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima  which means a single weapon might kill tens of thousands of people. Others, though, are far smaller.

Russia's president has thousands of tactical nuclear weapons at his disposal and has threatened to use them

Yet as the journal Scientific American concluded a few weeks ago: 'A thermonuclear explosion of any size possesses overwhelming destructive power . . . It would cause all the horrors of Hiroshima, albeit on a smaller scale.

'A tactical nuclear weapon would produce a fireball, shockwaves and deadly radiation that would cause long-term health damage in survivors. Radioactive fallout would contaminate air, soil, water and the food supply.'

And once the taboo was broken, where would you stop? If Putin used more nuclear weapons, would U.S. President Joe Biden issue an ultimatum? Would he authorise a strike against Russia?

And if so, where would it end? With the stakes so high, how could such a war be contained?

The other possibility, which is even more frightening, is that an angry, ailing Putin might lash out against Nato itself. In recent days he and his puppets have issued furious denunciations against countries backing Ukraine.

So what if, staring defeat in the face, he authorised a strike against a military base in the Baltic, or a Polish transport depot handling supplies to Kyiv?

Would the West cave in and impose a negotiated peace? Would our leaders do nothing? Or would they feel the need to retaliate, as our Eastern European allies would surely demand?

The truth, I suspect, is that even a 'limited' battlefield strike might set the world on a path towards total catastrophe, leaving hundreds of millions dead and the planet ravaged beyond recovery.

'I do not think there is any such thing as a tactical nuclear weapon,' the former U.S. Defense Secretary, General James Mattis, remarked four years ago.

'Any nuclear weapon used any time is a strategic game-changer.'

Dreadful as it may be to admit it, Mattis is right. If Vladimir Putin were to approve a nuclear strike  however limited in theory  that moment could easily be the beginning of the end.

Few of us in the West would countenance appeasement, but that might leave escalation as the only alternative.

Who knows how Joe Biden would react? And who among us can confidently say how we would react in such a terrible scenario?

Of course, it may not happen. Perhaps, in the face of the Ukrainians' heroic resistance, Putin will find a way to pull back without resorting to a doomsday weapon.

But it strikes me that ever since that first test in the New Mexico desert, mankind has been enormously, and perhaps undeservedly, lucky. As a species, we have been arrogant and reckless enough to build weapons that can destroy us many times over.

We have survived several near-misses, and every time we have congratulated ourselves on our good sense. And we have forgotten that it takes only one vicious, bitter, unpredictable man to set the world on a path to utter destruction.

I repeat: it may not happen. So far, to his credit, Mr Biden has handled the Ukrainian crisis with an admirable combination of firmness and restraint.

And even somebody as drunk on his own nationalist resentments as Vladimir Putin must realise that a nuclear war would mean the end of Russian civilisation  the end of Moscow, St Petersburg and everything he and his cronies claim to revere.

Yet, like all those people who lay awake during the Cuban Missile Crisis, wondering if they would ever see tomorrow, I can't banish a sense of dread.

And I can't help thinking of J. Robert Oppenheimer that morning in the New Mexico desert, and those words from the Hindu scriptures: 'I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds . . .'
A little girl left fighting for life after being left on a hot school bus for up to six hours was the only child that had been picked up, police say.

Nevaeh Austin, three, was collected from her home about 9am on Wednesday to attend Le Smileys Early Learning Centre at Gracemere, near Rockhampton.

She was found unconscious in the same van six hours later. Paramedics were able to revive her and rushed her to the nearby Rockhampton hospital.

Capricornia Police District Detective Inspector Darrin Shadlow said the investigation was still in its early stages, but it appears she was the only passenger.

'It would appear she was the only child at the time,' he told reporters on Thursday.

Nevaeh Austin is fighting for life with a failing kidney after being locked in a day care centre bus in Gracemere for six hours

'When they returned to the centre, the driver and one other person on the bus have forgotten she was there.'

Inspector Shadlow said inquiries indicate there were breaches of policy which led to the incident and detectives will be 'looking at everyone involved in this matter'.

'We will leave no stone unturned in relation to this investigation,' he said

'We have assistance from the crime intelligence command, our child trauma unit in Brisbane, and photographic and forensic officers attending the scene, just so we can get to the base of what has happened.'

He said the day care is 'cooperating to a degree' but 'have sought legal advice and will be going down that path'.

There was reportedly a sign on the bus reminding workers to not leave any children onboard.

Capricornia Police District Detective Inspector Darrin Shadlow said the investigation was still in its early stages, but it appears she was the only passenger

Neveah was taken to Brisbane Hospital on Wednesday night for an urgent deep brain scan and treatment on a failing kidney. Doctors say her condition is critical, but stable.

Inspector Shadlow said her family are understandably 'distraught' and are by her bedside in Brisbane.

Just a few hours north two years ago, Maliq Nicholas Floyd Namok-Malamoo, known as Meeky, tragically died after he was left in a hot school van following the morning pick up.

The two cases have eerie similarities. Both children are the same age and were left in the car for the same amount of time with peaks of slightly different outside temperatures.

As the community waits in baited breath for an update on Neveah's condition, everyone hopes the outcome will be different this time around.

Like Nevaeh, Maliq was seemingly forgotten on February 18, 2020. He spent six hours on the minivan in Cairns on a 34C day and by the time emergency crews arrived he was already dead.

The toddler was revived by Queensland paramedics after being found unconscious in a minivan outside the Le Smiley's Early Learning Centre (pictured) on Wednesday afternoon

Former centre director and bus driver Michael Glenn Lewis was charged with manslaughter and sentenced to six years imprisonment with a non parole period of 18 months.

The centre was charged with failing to adequately supervise children, protect child from harm and taking reasonable steps to ensure documents were accurate.

In October 2020, policies were introduced to try and prevent the same tragedy from happening again, with the law changed so that educators must conduct risk assessments around child transportation.

The Department of Education, the regulator of those policies, will be working with police on the investigation.

Inspector Shadlow said police had 'hoped' they would not be attending another incident after Maliq's death, but 'here we are'.

Its unclear if Nevaehs day care will reopen on Thursday.

Cops told Daily Mail Australia there will be a heavy police presence throughout the week as the investigation continues, but the centre is under no obligation to close while inquiries continue.

The centre was supposed to open at 6.15am and by 6.45am was still not taking phone calls.

The toddler was rushed to Rockhampton Hospital in a gravelly-ill condition and is believed to be in a critical but stable condition with her parents at her bedside

Inspector Shadlow said the bus and day care centre have both been declared crime scenes.

The bus, which is believed to be owned by the centre, will not be allowed to be used until the declaration is lifted.

Distraught parents arrived at the school to pick up their children on Wednesday afternoon, marvelling at how a task as mundane as the pick up and drop off could go so wrong.

One mother claimed the school never contacted her to alert her to the incident and she instead was left to read about it on social media.

#Gracemere - A three-year-old girl was found unconscious in a vehicle at Gracemere today. The girl was located on a bus out the front of a school on Lucas Street just before 3pm. She was transported in a critical condition to Rockhampton Hospital.  Queensland Ambulance (@QldAmbulance) May 4, 2022

A senior Queensland politician has vowed an inquiry into the horrific incident will be launched as questions begin to be asked about how daycare centre staff didn't notice the girl was missing.

'Shes the most loudest little girl they tell me... shes the heart of the daycare,' Mr Austin told the Courier Mail.

The toddler is understood to have been found 'unresponsive' in the van outside the daycare on Lucas Street about 2.50pm when staff returned to the vehicle to do afternoon pick ups.

The Rockhampton incident echoes the tragic case of Maliq Nicholas Lloyd Namok-Malamoo (pictured) who was found dead on the Goodstart Early Learning Centre minibus in Cairns in February, 2020

Queensland Ambulance Service's Central Region operations manager Jason Thompson described the situation as 'traumatic' for crews who treated her and admitted he had 'goosebumps' talking about it.

'On the crews arrival Queensland Police were already on scene and escorted the crew into the childcare centre where the young child was on the floor in the admin area,' he said.

Temperatures in Rockhampton reached a maximum of 29C on Wednesday.

Five police vehicles were in attendance monitoring access to and from the childcare facility.

Daycare centre staff are now being interviewed by investigators and the white minivan is undergoing analysis, especially a seat in the middle of the bus.

Queensland's assistant minister for education, Brittany Lauga, said 'this simply shouldn't have happened' and vowed an inquiry would follow.

'Tonight is a little girl in Gracemere who is fighting for her life in hospital after being allegedly left on a bus at daycare,' Ms Lauga said in a social media post.

'Families need to have peace of mind that when they send their children off to school, kindy or day care, they will come home safe.'
A decision by a Labour council to invest in a Communist energy plan ended up costing taxpayers millions of pounds.

Robin Hood Energy, which was established in 2015 by Nottingham City Council, set out to help people struggling with rising bills.

But the not-for-profit company ended up closing five years later, costing local taxpayers 38million and leaving 230 workers redundant.

Labour-dominated Nottingham City Council has misspent up to 77million in recent years

Labour leader Keir Starmer (pictured in Wakefield yesterday) was told to apologise to voters

Separately, the local authority was found in December to have unlawfully spent over 15million from council tenants rents on the wrong services.

A further investigation revealed last month that another 24million may also have been wrongly spent.

The party's litany of town hall failures A string of Labour-run councils have been mired in scandal and financial difficulties in recent years: Together Energy  50 per cent owned by Warrington Borough Council  ceased operating in January. The firm was likely to run out of money that month without a capital injection. Slough Borough Council effectively declared itself bankrupt last July after discovering a catastrophic 100 million black hole in its budget. Croydon Council in south London also effectively went bankrupt in 2020. Liverpool City Council was thrown into chaos in 2019 when police launched an anti-corruption investigation into fraudulent property deals. It prompted the resignation of the citys mayor Joe Anderson, who was arrested. Advertisement

The total lost from all three areas is up to 77million. Boris Johnson called for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to apologise for the councils actions during Prime Ministers Questions last week.

Attempting to define the difference between Labour and Conservative local authorities, Mr Johnson accused Nottingham Council  where 52 out of 55 councillors represent Labour  of bringing itself to the brink of bankruptcy.

Mr Johnson said: Labour-run Nottingham Council, bankrupt because of their investment in some Communist energy plan  the kind that he [Starmer] favours... he should apologise for it. He added: Never forget Labour-run Britain in 2010  bankrupt because of what the Labour Government did  and they said they had no money left.

Mr Starmer boasts he lives in Islington or Camden or somewhere like that. He should contrast neighbouring Westminster which has the lowest council tax in the country and better services too.

Nottingham Council started Robin Hood Energy  formerly known as Europa Energy Supply Limited  with high hopes.

At its peak, it boasted more than 125,000 customers, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who mentioned the company during his party conference speech in 2016.

But by March 2019 it was in the red by more than 34million, with the council investing a total of 43million into the firm.

In October that year, energy regulator Ofgem threatened to withdraw Robin Hood Energys licence over unpaid bills, demanding 9.5million within a month  which the company obtained via a loan from the council.

The Robin Hood non-profit energy project cost Nottingham taxpayers a whopping 38m

David Mellen is leader of Nottingham City Council, of which 52 out of 55 members are Labour

But a year later it missed late payment deadlines and was issued with a final order by Ofgem. The firm later shut down, with customers transferred to British Gas.

In December 2020, a Government inspector warned that Nottingham Council was at risk of having to declare bankruptcy without a significant bailout  but it did not go bust.

Council leader David Mellen has insisted Robin Hood Energy was a well-intentioned attempt to address the...cost of living crisis and he makes no apology for the attempt.
Donald Trump Jr. spoke with the January 6 committee for around three hours on Tuesday, CNN reported the next day

Donald Trump Jr. met with the House Select Committee investigating the January 6th attack on the Capitol as the panel's probe narrows in on his father's role in the riot, it was revealed on Wednesday.

Former President Donald Trump's eldest child interviewed with the Democrat-led panel on Tuesday, CNN reported.

The three-hour interview was reportedly done remotely rather than in-person.

A source quoted in Wednesday's report indicated Trump Jr. was at least somewhat cooperative, describing the meeting as 'cordial,' and claiming he answered questions without asserting the Fifth Amendment.

Of particular interest to the committee is a text Trump Jr. sent to his father's White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows as the ex-president's supporters stormed the US Capitol: 'Hes got to condemn this s*** Asap. The Capitol Police tweet is not enough.'

'He has to lead now. It has gone too far and gotten out of hand,' he added.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the committee and to Trump Jr.'s lawyer for comment.

Despite his sister's prominent role in the Trump administration as a senior White House adviser, Trump Jr. had been among his father's most vocal campaign surrogates on the 2020 trail.

He was also among the chorus of Trump allies parroting baseless conspiracy theories that the election was stolen by President Joe Biden.

Trump Jr. was known to have been with his father back stage during his White House 'Stop the Steal' rally on January 6 last year, which immediately preceded the Capitol riot.

The Democrat-led but bipartisan panel is expected to begin a series of public hearings on. June 9 that will go on for four weeks

They have interviewed several members of Donald Trump's inner circle about the ex-president's efforts to overturn the 2020 election

His testimony comes on the heels of an explosive CNN report that published earlier text messages between himself and Meadows, from days after the election on November 5.

Dressed in a navy blue peplum dress and studded stiletto heels, Trump Jr.'s fiancee Kimberly Guilfoyle - flanked by her legal team - arrived at the Capitol complex for her interview last month

Trump Jr. told his father's top White House aide, 'This is what we need to do please read it and please get it to everyone that needs to see it because I'm not sure we're doing it.'

He told Meadows they 'have multiple paths' to overturning Biden's electoral victory and 'we control them all.'

The former first son is the latest member of Trump's inner circle to be reported to have met with the committee, as lawmakers gear up to hold public hearings next month.

His fiancee Kimberly Guilfoyle, a Trump 2020 campaign official and former Fox News host, appeared on Capitol Hill in-person for a meeting with the committee.

Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner also spoke with the panel via remote video link. Both testimonies ran more than six hours and neither reportedly invoked any privileges to avoid answering questions.

The committee is set to hold public hearings across four weeks beginning on June 9.

Democrat Rep. Jamie Raskin, suggested they would be explosive in nature in a statement late last week.

'We now have evidence to support the story of the worst presidential political offense against the Union in American history,' Raskin said on April 29.

He added that the upcoming hearings 'will expose every facet of the assault against our democracy and Constitution on 1/6.'

Trump himself has denounced the panel's investigation as a 'witch hunt.'

Earlier this week the bipartisan committee, led by Democrat Chair Rep. Bennie Thompson and Republican Vice Chair Rep. Liz Cheney, requested the cooperation of three of their House colleagues.

GOP Reps. Andy Biggs, Ronny Jackson and Mo Brooks remain some of Trump's closest allies in Congress.

'The Select Committee has learned that several of our colleagues have information relevant to our investigation into the facts, circumstances, and causes of January 6th,' Thompson and Cheney said in a statement.

'As we work to provide answers to the American people about that day, we consider it a patriotic duty for all witnesses to cooperate.

'We urge our colleagues to join the hundreds of individuals who have shared information with the Select Committee as we work to get to the bottom of what happened on January 6th.'
Anthony Albanese has been handed a note by an advisor in the middle of a press conference while coming under fire from reporters for struggling to outline one of his key policies.

The trainwreck moment - where the Labor leader failed to outline his six-point plan for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) - came just hours after he insisted he knew what he was doing in a fiery TV interview with Ally Langdon.

Mr Albanese on Thursday faced a pack of reporters in Sydney where, in response to a barrage of questions, he failed to outline his six-point NDIS plan.

He could only say 'we will put people a the centre of the NDIS' before one reporter shouted: 'You do not know your own policy Mr Albanese'.

Anthony Albanese (pictured on Thursday in Sydney) was secretly handed notes by an advisor in the middle of a press conference

After a few more questions on different topics, Mr Albanese went off camera and journalists saw an advisor hand him a document.

Reporters immediately accused the Labor leader of being handed the NDIS policy document which detailed the plan.

'You've just been handed a policy document,' one journalist said.

'Is that the six point plan there,' another asked.

'That's not right,' Mr Albanese said with a wry smile as he shuffled his papers. He then read out the six point plan.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton slammed the Labor leader over the stumble.

'Either he doesn't read these documents, or he doesn't care to read them.

'He now surrounds himself with shadow ministers at his press conferences and throws to them at press conferences,' he told Ray Hadley on radio 2GB.

Mr Albanese read from the cheat sheet after it was handed to him by one of his advisors

Mr Albanese was grilled by journalists at the Smart Energy Council Conference and Exposition in Sydney

Labor's six-point plan on the NDIS Lifting the staffing cap and urgently reducing insecure labour-hire arrangements Stopping spending waste on the excessive use of lawyers Boosting efficiency Stopping any cuts Fixing regional access Co-designing changes to the scheme with the sector Advertisement

Mr Dutton added: 'I never saw Julia Gillard do that, John Howard do that, Scott Morrison, Bob Hawke or Paul Keating do that. I don't know if we can trust someone who doesn't know what their own policies are.'

One journalist asked the Labor leader if he had a deliberate tactic to defer tough questions to his team because he does not know the details of his policies.

This week he passed questions on the economy to shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers and questions on housing - including an awkward one about his own property portfolio - to shadow housing minister Jason Clare.

After the stumble, the Labor leader successfully reeled off his five-point plan for aged care when asked about that policy.

Earlier Mr Albanese had accused Ally Langdon of 'reading from Liberal Party notes' when she accused him of not being across the detail of his policies.

The Today show host pressed the Labor leader on why he frequently defers questions from journalists to members of his team instead of answering them himself.

'You want to be the Prime Minister. Shouldn't you also know the answer?' Langdon asked Mr Albanese.

He insisted he does know the answers and said it was normal to let shadow ministers speak about policy details - but Langdon pressed him further.

'The thing is, you say you know the answers but I think people sitting at home go: ''I'm not sure you do''.'

An irate Mr Albanese replied: 'No, they don't, Ally' and claimed Scott Morrison can't appear with key members of his team because they don't want to be seen with him due to his unpopularity.

Langdon continued to probe, saying: 'The question is, though, you want to be the next Prime Minister. You want to run the country. Shouldn't you be across your briefs?'

The Labor leader firmly replied: 'I am, Ally. I am. Stop reading from the Liberal Party notes that they send through to people all of the time, Ally. This is just an absurdity.'



Langdon (pictured) pressed Mr Albanese on why he defers questions

Langdon denied that claim, saying: 'Anthony, I am basing this on what I've seen this week, just watching your press conferences this week, Anthony Albanese.

'I think your problem is after the stumble in week one when you didn't know the cash rate or unemployment rate, any time you do defer it suggests you don't know.'

Mr Albanese replied: 'No, Ally. That's nonsense. Your viewers are smarter than that and your viewers know that I lead a team. I'm the captain. I'm proud of my team.'

He said none of his team were in 'witness protection' in reference to Education Minister Alan Tudge who has been temporarily stood down after being cleared of abusing his former staffer Rachelle Miller with whom he had an affair.

The clash came ahead of a keynote speech in which the Labor leader will spruik his plans to radically overhaul childcare, comparing it to other universal services such as Medicare and the NDIS.

Labor has pledged to increase childcare subsidy rates for every family earning less than $530,000.

The policy would save families between $600 and $2,900 a year and cost taxpayers $6.2billion over four years.

All parents in Australia could get 90 per cent off their childcare bills paid for by taxpayers if Anthony Albanese (centre) wins the election

But Mr Albanese also has an aspiration to give every family - including millionaires - a 90 per cent subsidy for childcare regardless of income.

It would be implemented after a Productivity Commission review to see if it is beneficial for the economy.

Labor has not revealed when the policy would be implemented or how much it would cost - but the Government claims the price would be an extra $63billion over the next 10 years.

In his speech, Mr Albanese will say the policy is needed to encourage mums into the workplace.

'One of most effective ways we can boost participation is by getting rid of the complicated mess of payments that put hurdles in the path of parents wanting to return to work,' he will say.

'We will increase the maximum childcare subsidy and make it cheaper for 96 per cent of families, and will ask the Productivity Commission to investigate moving to a universal 90 per cent subsidy.

'This will provide immediate and lasting cost of living relief for families.'

Mr Albanese will say the policy would 'stop workplaces being deprived of the skills and knowledge and experience' of mothers who are currently disincentivised from working.

'Building a childcare system that works for families will boost workforce participation and turbocharge productivity,' he will say.

'Early education is also an investment in our children's future.'

Mr Albanese will compare the landmark change to previous Labor reforms.

'Our child care plan fits within Labor's history of pursuing reforms that are good for the economy and that give people the confidence to pursue their aspirations and fulfil their potential,' he will say.

'We will proudly add it to Labor's legacy of reliable, affordable, universal services. Medicare. Superannuation. The NBN. The NDIS. And universal child care.'
A woman covered in blood has been arrested on a Melbourne tram after two men were stabbed to death not far from where Jill Meagher was raped and murdered a decade ago.

Victoria Police and paramedics rushed to an apartment complex on Hope Street, Brunswick, at about 5.20am on Thursday after reports of a stabbing.

Both men, one aged 59 and another in his early 50s, suffered fatal wounds - with one found outside on the street, and another inside.

Shortly afterwards, just before the morning commute kicked off, a 44-year-old woman was arrested on a tram in nearby Carlton.

The woman has been taken to hospital with minor injuries but has been unable to speak to officers yet. The two victims are yet to be formally identified.

Police are seen at the scene in Brunswick after two men were stabbed to death

A woman has been arrested after two men were stabbed to death in Melbourne early on Thursday morning (pictured are emergency services at the scene in Brunswick)

Homicide detectives are investigating the incident. A woman was arrested and is receiving care in hospital for minor injuries

Detectives from the Homicide Squad are investigating and the apartment complex at the intersection of Hope and Breese Streets has been cordoned off by police.

One of the alleged victims died in an ambulance on the way to hospital.

Police are working to determine the relationship between the woman and the two victims.

Trails of blood have been seen on the pavement around the area where the incident occurred but police aren't looking for anyone else involved.

A strip club about 350m away from where the bodies were found has also been taped off.

Detectives from the Homicide Squad are investigating and the apartment complex at the intersection of Hope and Breese Streets has been cordoned off by police

Forensic detectives are seen at the scene after the double stabbing in Brunswick

The tram the woman arrested was on has been forensically examined while officers were also seen tracing nearby Breese Street for clues.

Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Mick Frewen said there were multiple sites involved in the incident that would be investigated.

The shocking stabbing comes ten years after 29-year-old ABC employee and Irish migrant Jill Meagher was murdered while walking home in a laneway off Hope St.

Ms Meagher was raped and murdered by a stranger while making the short walk back to the Melbourne apartment she shared with her husband, Tom, in September 2012.

Jill Meagher (pictured above) was a 29-year-old Irish woman living in Australia who was raped and murdered by Bayley in Melbourne in September 2012

Bayley pleaded guilty to Ms Meagher's (pictured with husband Tom) rape and murder

JILL MEAGHER MURDER - TIMELINE September 21, 2012: Jill Meagher walks home from a pub in Brunswick, Melbourne at 1.30am after a night out with colleagues. Tom Meagher wakes to realise she is not home and calls the police after being unable to find her. September 24: Jill's handbag is found by police in a laneway. September 25: CCTV footage from a bridal shop is handed to police showing Jill speaking to a man in a blue hoodie at 1.42am. September 27: Police arrest Adrian Ernest Bayley, then 41, in the north Melbourne suburb of Coburg. He admits strangling Jill and later leads police to where he buried her body in shallow grave. September 28: Bayley is charged with rape and murder. He was already on parole for a series of sex crimes. September 30: A public march through Melbourne in Jill's memory is attended by 30,000 people. April 5, 2013: Bayley pleads guilty to rape and murder. June 11: Bayley's history of rape and violence is revealed as pre-sentencing hearing begins. June 19: Bayley is sentenced to life behind bars with a 35-year non-parole period. More victims including a Dutch backpacker and a sex worker come forward due to the high publicity surrounding the case. August 2013: A total of 23 changes are made to Victoria's parole laws in response to the Jill Meagher case. 2014-2015: Bayley is found guilty of three more rapes. He is sentenced to another 18 years' jail and has eight years added to his non-parole period. July 2016: Bayley successfully appeals against one of the rape convictions and has his sentence reduced by three years. Advertisement

Eerie CCTV footage was aired across Australian TV screens showing the 29-year-old being approached on the way home by Adrian Bayley - who would be later given a life sentence for her murder - in hopes the missing woman might be found safe.

Her body was found in a shallow grave north of Melbourne six days later.

Meagher had been heading home after having some drinks with friends in the early hours of September 12, 2012, when she was suddenly attacked.

The walk to Ms Meagher's home from the bar she was at was just 700 metres long.

Bayley was on parole for other sex crimes at the time of the murder.
Whitehall mandarins hated Brexit so much they resisted forging a new UK trade deal with Australia, a top diplomat has revealed.

Australias outgoing high commissioner in London blasted reluctance bordering on hostility to secure an agreement.

George Brandis said some top civil servants were in denial that Britain was leaving the EU and horror at Brexit was their default position.

He explained: One of the very surprising things to me coming from Australia  where the protectionist argument was thwarted decades ago  was that the default position of Whitehall is protectionism. The default position in Whitehall was horror at Brexit. It was kind of like a cringe or a crouch, recoiling and willing it not to happen  or being in denial that it was happening.

Australias outgoing high commissioner in London George Brandis, pictured , blasted reluctance bordering on hostility to secure an agreement by some officials in Whitehall over a potential trade deal

Mr Brandis praised the UK's Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, pictured

The Whitehall establishment wanted to maintain this whole culture of protectionism and that set Whitehall completely at variance from the Governments priority.

In an interview with The Spectator, Mr Brandis praised former International Trade Secretary Liz Truss  now Foreign Secretary  who he said joined him in his battle with Whitehall chiefs.

He insisted: The political will was there to drive and cut through the bureaucratic and institutional inertia and reluctance. It was more than inertia, it was reluctance bordering on hostility in some departments  most notably Defra [Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs].

So there were really three sides to the trade negotiation  a large element of the Whitehall establishment, the Australian side and then Liz Truss and those close to her. We were, in a sense, both fighting Whitehall.

But Mr Brandis said British institutions are extremely resilient, adding: Ive never seen institutions in a peaceful country tested like they were in 2018 and 2019 [over Brexit].

He praised Boris Johnson for getting the concept of the possibility of British greatness. He said: To change an inherited multi-generational, establishment-reinforced Whitehall-sanctioned culture takes a lot of doing. But that is what Britain is capable of and I think Johnson, for all his faults, has been able to at least kindle that.

Mr Brandis said the UK can learn from Australia to break out of this mindset that has been inculcated by two generations now of soporific, EU-influenced agricultural policy and find new markets.

He stressed that after Britain joined the then Common Market in 1973 Australian farmers went out and found new markets, built new markets and were very successful.

He added: Britain has all the opportunities. What it has lacked, because of 45 years of being cocooned within the EU, is the enterprising globalising culture to seize those opportunities beyond the Euro-Atlantic and to go into the Indo-Pacific.

Australia and the UK finally signed a deal at the end of last year, which ministers say will unlock 10.4billion of additional trade. In a major boost for Brexit Britain, the agreement will eliminate all tariffs on exports and will mean Britons will be able to work in Australia for three years.

The deal, which was agreed by Miss Truss in principle last June, was signed by her successor as International Trade Secretary, Anne-Marie Trevelyan. It is the UKs first from scratch trade deal since leaving the EU. Other deals have been built upon previous agreements with the EU.
A Good Samaritan desperately tried to save a prominent university lecturer's wife as she lay dying in her backyard after allegedly being stabbed by her husband.

Daily Mail Australia can exclusively reveal Chen Cheng's husband Adam Brown allegedly watched on as paramedics and a neighbour fought to save his wife's life at their home in Croydon North home, north east Melbourne, on Saturday.

Victoria Police allege Brown - a social media lecturer at Deakin University who has a doctorate in Philosophy - stabbed her that evening.

Ms Cheng, 35, died by her back gate, despite the efforts of the neighbour and later, paramedics.

Adam Brown, a Deakin University lecturer from Croydon North in Melbourne, (right) has been accused of murdering his wife Chen Cheng, 35, (left) inside their home.

Ms Cheng found by a neighbour dying by the back gate of her family's home in Croydon North, Melbourne

House of horror: Floral tributes were placed outside Chen Cheng's home where police allege she was murdered on Saturday

A neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, told Daily Mail Australia she had gone to Ms Cheng's aid after allegedly hearing screams coming from her home about 10pm on Saturday.

Neighbours have spoken of their horror upon hearing screaming emanating from the home.

'When I heard the screaming I could tell someone was in distress,' one neighbour said.

Aided by another neighbour who had also been alarmed by the alleged yelling, the pair walked to the front of the family's home to investigate.

'Before the ambulance arrived, (a male neighbour) and me .... they hit on the (front) door because there was complete silence after all of the screaming,' she said.

'And then when they saw her, they ran down there to get the nurse.'

An off-duty nurse worked frantically to save Ms Cheng in the minutes before police and paramedics arrived at the alleged grisly scene.

A mourner leaves a message on a bouquet of flowers outside the home where Chen Cheng was allegedly stabbed to death

Brown, a Deakin University lecturer, was charged on Monday with his wife's murder.

It is understood Victoria Police were told Ms Cheng had attempted to leave the property via the back-gate where her body was found.

Ms Cheng's neighbour described the street going quiet seconds after Ms Cheng's screams suddenly stopped.

'There was complete silence. No sound from anybody, so in my mind I thought "has she fainted or what?". I don't know. She never made it out the door.'

Another neighbour then grabbed the couple's toddler son and rushed him to safety at a nearby house.

Brown, 40, appeared at brief hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court via video-link on Monday, charged with murder.

His lawyer Nick Tehan said his client had never been in custody before.

Forensic officers were met with an 'extremely graphic' scene, with specialist cleaners seen arriving at his home on Monday.

Bags of bloodstained evidence were removed from the two-storey townhouse as detectives combed the property for clues.

Bags of children's toys were also taken from the scene.

Neighbours told Daily Mail Australia the family had appeared to be an ordinary, happy family.

'He used to say hi and just go about his business,' one neighbour said.

Forensic officers were met with an 'extremely graphic' scene with specialist cleaners seen arriving at the home on Monday.

A neighbour reportedly gave the young mother (pictured) CPR for 15 minutes before paramedics arrived but was ultimately unable to revive her

Ms Cheng was described as a lovely neighbour, who would go out of her way to help others.

'I had an accident last year and she would come over. They were a normal family,' another neighbour said.

Brown married Ms Cheng in China in 2017, and the couple went on to have two young children together.

Last year, the social media junkie posted a gushing tribute to his wife on Instagram.

'Special shout out on #InternationalWomensDay to the strong, creative, and hilarious woman who gives me the privilege of being around her every day, making me laugh, keeping me sane, and always ensuring Im on time with everything,' he wrote.

In another video Brown shared on Twitter less than two weeks before his wife's death, he recorded the couple on an amusement park ride called 'The Slingshot'.

The lecturer was heard asking his giggling wife if she felt out of her comfort zone who simply replied: 'This is nice'.

No application for bail was made during Brown's brief court appearance on Monday, which heard Ms Cheng's family had been notified of her death.

The magistrate has asked prosecutors to present a brief of evidence by August with the accused to remain in custody to return to court in September.

Shell-shocked neighbours have described the family as 'quiet' and Brown (pictured with Ms Cheng) as 'nice and normal'

The lecturer (pictured at his wedding to Ms Cheng) is an avid social media user
A drunk law student who accused a tradie of drugging and raping her after a one-night-stand was told he had access to cocaine before going home with him, a court has heard.

Phoenix Cooper, 23, had been introduced to his alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, by a fellow law student mate while on a trip to the Antique Bar in Elsternwick, southeast Melbourne on April 20, 2019.

'He definitely has coke,' the friend texted the woman as she stepped outside the bar to share a cigar with Cooper.

Phoenix Cooper, 23, (left) was represented by one of Melbourne's top silks, Philip Dunn, QC (right). They are pictured leaving the Supreme Court of Melbourne during the trial

Phoenix Cooper was captured on CCTV canoodling with his alleged victim after leaving the Antique Bar (pictured) in Elsternwick

Cooper has been described to a jury as being a 'bit of a bragger'. His hand is tattooed with dollar signs

The woman would later accuse Cooper of drugging and raping her, demanding detectives charge him even after an analysis of her blood found no traces of drugs.

What happened in the hours after their meeting is now in the hands of Supreme Court of Victoria jury, which retired to deliberate its verdict on Wednesday.

The woman had been accused by the defendant's barrister - Melbourne silk Philip Dunn QC - of hoping to score drugs off Cooper the night she alleges he drugged and raped her.

The court heard the woman had engaged in a text conversation with her mate about Cooper's supposed access to cocaine - a conversation she also claims she can't remember having.

The woman denied any suggestion that she had hoped to get high with the successful tradie, whom she had met that night.

Cooper has pleaded not guilty to a single charge of rape, claiming he had no idea the brief sexual dalliance he shared with the drunken legal eagle was anything but consensual.

Prosecutors had told the jury the woman did not give Cooper consent by way that she was either too drunk or asleep at the time.

Under the law, a person cannot be convicted of rape if the jury accepts that person had a 'reasonable belief' that consent was given.

The jury heard the woman claimed to have no memory of the sexual act after her memory became 'fuzzy' just after midnight that night.

She had gone to police with her rape claims after friends convinced her that Cooper must have drugged her, the court heard.

Phoenix Cooper admitted to his alleged victim's friends he had had sex with her just minutes after the act. He told police the same thing. Then he was charged with raping her

Cooper's other hand has the word 'God' tattooed on it. He had been sharing a home with a born again Christian when he allegedly raped a woman

Cooper's alleged victim had been familiar with the Antique bar

But when toxicology reports came back seven months later, they found no drugs other than a high level of alcohol in her system - recording somewhere between .135 and a .204 when the alleged rape happened.

The jury heard the woman recorded a 15 out of 15 on the Glascow Coma Scale - a clinical test used to reliably measure a person's level of consciousness after a brain injury - a little under an hour after the alleged rape.

'(She) thinks she's a victim and when she finds out in November that her drink hasn't been spiked, there aren't any drugs, she becomes active in contacting the police,' Mr Dunn said.

The jury heard the victim repeatedly contacted police asking them about the investigation.

'She's a victim. And she writes the note saying "I want and need him charged". She's making contact with the police, taking an active role in it,' Mr Dunn said.

'Why does she need him charged ... the defence suggests because she's now an entrenched victim.'

The court heard Cooper had wooed the woman with tales of his window glazing business, cash and time living in New York.

His alleged victim had consumed wine and martinis she had bought herself before accepting shots of cognac and whiskey from him.

Her friends discovered she had 'ditched' them at the club, leaving her purse and house keys, to go home with Cooper, whom her mate later described as 'some random'.

The friends arrived at Cooper's house later that night after he and their mate had already had sex.

In his closing address to the jury, Mr Dunn said the key issue in the trial would be the belief of the complainant's friend that her drink had been spiked with drugs.

'(He) becomes convinced that she must be drink-spiked, she must be drugged to be in the apartment with Mr Cooper. Drugged,' Mr Dunn said.

Mr Dunn told the jury the woman had been surfing dating apps while enjoying pre-outing drinks at her home in the upmarket suburb of Brighton.

He claimed his client was under the legitimate belief that he 'was about to get laid' when the woman climbed into bed with him and stripped off.

Phoenix Cooper and Philip Dunn, QC leave the Supreme Court of Victoria last month

Moments earlier she had accidentally climbed into the bed of Cooper's born-again Christian housemate after a trip to the toilet.

Mr Dunn urged the jury to consider what his client must have thought after picking-up a woman at a bar, kissing her and winding up in bed with her.

'You're fond of this person, you're feeling affectionate towards him and the phone rings and the person says "No, I'm not coming home, I'm going to stay here",' Mr Dunn said.

'What do you think? You think they want to stay with you, in a bedroom ... they start kissing, she takes her jeans off and then her panties, that it's a reasonable thing for him to think that she's up for sex?

'And anybody in his situation would think that ... anybody in his situation, as he said to the police, "I'm going to get laid". We say that's a pretty fair thing to think. And then she gets on top of him.'

Mr Dunn described the case as unusual because the complainant claims not to remember what happened.

'She is a fortunate young woman. She's privately educated, she's gone to a good university, she's got a job and she's got good friends and the world is at her feet,' Mr Dunn said.

'He is a very different sort of person. He's got tattoos. She and her friends are close, he's probably different to them ... Your verdict has nothing to do with (her) and her status and her job as a lawyer and she as a person.'
NASA is sending two artificial female bodies to the moon to study the risks of space radiation for women astronauts.

The manikins, affectionately called 'Helga' and 'Zohar', will launch aboard the Orion spacecraft from Florida's Kennedy Space Center in August.

Helga and Zohar have 'tissue-equivalent materials of variable density' that replicate the proportions of a woman's body, including bone and soft tissue.

Sensors have been fitted in the most radiation-sensitive areas of their 'bodies'  chest, stomach, uterus and bone marrow.

The two female 'phantoms' will occupy passenger seats during Orions first mission around the Moon, going further than any human has flown before.

Helga and Zohar are dummies destined for a pioneering lunar flyby to help protect space travelers from cosmic rays and energetic solar storms

WHAT IS ARTEMIS I? Artemis I is a planned uncrewed test flight for NASA's Artemis programme, comprising the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. It's set to blast off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida no earlier than August 2022. The primary operations goal of the mission is to assure a safe crew module entry, descent, splashdown, and recovery. In addition to sending Orion on its journey around the Moon, SLS will carry 10 small satellites that will perform their own science and technology investigations. Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate a capability to extend human existence to the Moon and beyond prior to the first flight with crew on Artemis II. Source: NASA Advertisement

Helga and Zohar will launch on Artemis I, NASA's uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, from Kennedy Space Center.

The delayed Artemis I mission, which may last up to six weeks, will act as a test for NASAs plan to send the first woman to the Moon in 2025.

The Matroshka AstroRad Radiation Experiment (MARE) has been devised by the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Cologne, Germany.

DLR confirmed in a statement that it had delivered the bodies to NASAs Kennedy Space Center for installation.

'We are looking to find out exactly how radiation levels affect female astronauts over the course of an entire flight to the Moon, and which protective measures might help to counteract this,' said Thomas Berger, head of the biophysics group in the Radiation Biology Department at the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine.

'Over the past few months at the DLR sites in Cologne and Bremen, we have been studying the phantoms  Helga and Zohar  thoroughly, including conducting tests to determine the effects of the vibrations that they will be subjected to during the launch of the Artemis I mission.

'The aim is to ensure that everything runs smoothly later at the Kennedy Space Center.'

When astronauts leave Earth's atmosphere, they are exposed to the full spectrum of radiation found in space.

A total of 75 women have flown in space  including cosmonauts, astronauts, payload specialists, and space station participants  but flying to the moon will expose them to different types of radiation than simply going into orbit around the Earth or to the International Space Station (ISS).

The moon doesn't have a thick atmosphere or a magnetic field like Earth does, so it doesn't have the protection from radiation exposure. The ISS is in low-Earth orbit, so it is within Earth's protective barrier.

Astronauts on the Moon will be exposed to radiation 2.6 times higher than on board the ISS, according to a 2020 study.

Helga will fly unprotected to the Moon, while Zohar (top) will wear a newly developed radiation protection vest, called the AstroRad

Artemis 1 mission will launch an uncrewed Orion spacecraft. Pictured is a cutaway of Orion showing Helga and Zohar and above them another male manikin called Campos

WHAT TYPES OF RADIATION DO ASTRONAUTS ENCOUNTER IN SPACE? When astronauts leave Earth, they are exposed to the full spectrum of radiation found in space. The Orion spacecraft will experience two periods of intense radiation as it flies through the Van Allen Belt  once in the first few hours after launch and upon its return to Earth  which harbours charged particles trapped by Earth's magnetic field. Beyond the protection of Earths magnetic field, Orion will face a harsher radiation environment than the crew of the International Space Station (ISS), which is in low Earth orbit. Outside the Van Allen Belt, the space radiation environment includes energetic particles produced by the Sun in solar flares as well as galactic and extragalactic cosmic ray particles that originate from outside the Solar System. 'Cosmic rays are a particular challenge for long missions in open space, because they deliver a continuous level of high-energy ionised particles,' said Christine Hellweg at DLR's Radiation Biology Department. 'Particles in cosmic rays range from hydrogen to iron and uranium.' Advertisement

The Orion spacecraft will experience two periods of intense radiation as it flies through the Earth's Van Allen radiation belt  once in the first few hours after launch and upon its return to Earth  which harbours charged particles trapped by Earth's magnetic field.

According to DLR experts, the female body is more sensitive to this radiation than the male body in organs such as the breasts.

However, so far there have been no sex-specific measurements using manikins or 'phantoms' in space.

Both Helga and Zohar are just over three feet (95cm) tall and weigh 36 kilograms.

They are made up of 38 'slices' of tissue-equivalent plastics that mimic the varying density of bones, soft tissue and lungs.

Similar dummies are used in hospitals to quantify the right dose of radiation for cancer therapies.

One of them  Helga  will fly unprotected to the Moon, while Zohar will wear a newly developed radiation protection vest, called the AstroRad, which is made of polyethylene to better block harmful protons in space.

By comparing the two sets of data, it will be possible to determine the extent to which the vest could protect an astronaut from harmful radiation exposure.

On the flight, which is set to launch no earlier than August, they will be joined by a third male manikin, named Campos after former NASA engineer Arturo Campos.

Campos will be equipped with two radiation sensors and have additional sensors under its headrest and behind its seat to record acceleration and vibration data throughout the mission.

The male-bodied manikin, previously used in Orion vibration tests, received its name as the result of a competitive bracket contest honouring NASA figures, programs or astronomical objects.

The final bracket challenge was between Campos and Delos, a reference to the island where Apollo and Artemis were born, according to Greek mythology.

They are not the first space manikins; a phantom called Matroshka, developed by the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Cologne, was deployed on the ISS between 2004 and 2011.

Helga and Zohar will launch on Artemis I, NASA's uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, from Kennedy Space Center

Pictured, engineers use a suited manikin to conduct vibration testing at Kennedy Space Center. The manikin will fly aboard the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis I mission, an uncrewed flight test flight due for November. All importantly, the manikin, or 'Moonikin', now has a name - Campos, after former NASA engineer Arturo Campos

Mounted to the exterior of the ISS, the phantom gathered radiation readings representative of those experienced by an astronaut performing a spacewalk.

The phantom was also placed in different parts of the space station to measure radiation exposure.

'Astronauts on the ISS are exposed to radiation levels that are approximately 250 times higher than that experienced by people on Earth,' said Berger.

'Radiation exposure during exploration missions further from Earths magnetic field or in interplanetary space could be much higher  in fact, our estimates predict up to 700 times higher.'

A space manikin called Matroshka, developed by the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Cologne, was deployed on the ISS between 2004 and 2011. Pictured, Matroshka in and out of his white traveling poncho, and encapsulated

NASA's Artemis programme will land the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2025, specifically at the lunar south pole region.

It is also hoped that establishing a sustainable lunar presence will ultimately be used as a 'stepping stone' for the first human mission to Mars.

NASA's original date for sending humans back to the moon was 2024, but last year it delayed the date, largely blamed on litigation from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' firm Blue Origin.

The original Apollo programme saw men walk on the moon for the last time in 1972, as part of the Apollo 17 mission.
Up to 50 shooting stars per hour will light up the night sky when the Eta Aquarid meteor shower reaches its peak later this week.

The annual meteor shower takes place between April 19 and May 28, but will peak this year on Friday (May 6), according to Royal Observatory Greenwich.

Experts say the best time to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon  which will be visible all over the world  will be between midnight and dawn on Friday.

UK stargazers are advised to look towards the constellation Aquarius in the southern sky  although shooting stars will be visible across the sky.

Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through a stream of debris left behind by a comet, causing pieces of dust and rock to burn up in the atmosphere.

Because meteors can be quite faint, it is best to look out for them in a dark sky, free of moonlight and artificial lights with a wide an unobstructed view of the sky.

Although best viewed from the southern hemisphere, those living at mid-latitudes in the northern hemisphere can catch a glimpse of the shower.

Eta Aquarids are known for their speed  traveling at about 148,000 mph (66 km/s) into Earth's atmosphere. They are named after the constellation Aquarius as they fall from that point in the sky and specifically the star Eta Aquarii

A composite taken over three nights using two cameras, of the Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower in 2013

An image of an Eta Aquarid meteor from the NASA All Sky Fireball Network station in Tullahoma, Tennessee, in May 2013

HOW TO SEE THE ETA AQUARIDS The Eta Aquarids are viewable in both the northern and southern hemispheres during the pre-dawn hours. You won't need telescopes see the meteors, just clear skies and some patience. To view the comets, look up in the early mornings, right before dawn. NASA suggests trying to see the show between 3am and 5am your local time in an area away from city lights. The southern hemisphere is preferable for viewing the Eta Aquarids. The Northern Hemisphere has an hourly rate of only about 10 meteors. This year the Eta Aquarids will peak in the early hours of May 6. Advertisement

Eta Aquarids are known for their speed  travelling at about 148,000 mph (66 km/s) into Earth's atmosphere.

Fast meteors can leave glowing 'trains' of incandescent debris which last for several seconds to minutes.

Dr Greg Brown, public astronomy officer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, told MailOnline: 'In the case of the Eta Aquarids, in ideal conditions you might see up to 50 or 60 meteors per hour  but any real observer will almost always see far less than this.

'Because this is a shower better seen from southern tropical latitudes, the UK wont have a great view, but it is still one of the better showers of the year so definitely worth taking a look.

'Exactly how many meteors you might see though is so difficult to determine it is better not to try.'

Unlike most major annual meteor showers, there is no sharp peak for this shower, but rather a 'plateau' of good rates that last approximately one week centred on May 6-7.

'The exact timing of the true peak of any meteor shower is difficult to accurately predict, can sometimes be quite wide lasting up to several nights,' said Dr Brown.

'Based on the predictions we have, for the UK the best time is likely to be between midnight and dawn on May 6 but decent rates will still be seen at the same times on the few nights before and after.

'The same applies to other parts of the world in their own local times, though with southern tropical and equatorial regions having somewhat better rates than the mid-high northern latitudes of the UK and North America.'

Eta Aquarids are named after the constellation Aquarius as they fall from that point in the sky and specifically the star Eta Aquarii.

The cosmic display is the result of Earth flying through a cloud of debris left behind by Halley's Comet during its last journey through the inner solar system in 1986.

'The Eta Aquarids are pieces of debris from Halleys Comet, which is a well-known comet that is viewable from Earth approximately every 76 years,' says NASA.

'Also known as 1P/Halley, this comet was last viewable from Earth in 1986 and won't be visible again until the middle of 2061.'

The meteor shower will be best viewed in the southern hemisphere but will be visible in the northern hemisphere  just not as clearly.

They're best viewed in Australia because they rise to about 50 degrees in the sky, which is the best angle to view them from.

Meteors, also known as shooting stars, come from leftover comet particles and bits from broken asteroids.

The Eta Aquarids peak during early May each year. Eta Aquarid meteors are known for their speed. These meteors are fast, traveling at about 148,000 mph (66 km/s) into Earth's atmosphere

Fast meteors can leave glowing 'trains' (incandescent bits of debris in the wake of the meteor) which last for several seconds to minutes

HALLEY'S COMET Halley's Comet returns to Earth's vicinity approximately every 75 years, so some people could see it twice in their lifetime. The comet is named after English astronomer Edmond Halley, who examined reports of a comet approaching Earth in 1531, 1607 and 1682. The last time it was here was in 1986, and it is projected to return in 2061. Halley's most famous appearance occurred shortly before the 1066 invasion of England by William the Conquerer. It is said that William felt the comet heralded his success. The comet was put on the Bayeux Tapestry as a result. Advertisement

When comets come around the Sun, the dust they emit gradually spreads into a dusty trail around their orbits.

Every year the Earth passes through these debris trails, which allows the bits to collide with our atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery and colourful streaks in the sky.

However, the events won't pose a threat to humans as the objects nearly always burn up in our atmosphere before reaching the planet's surface.

Luckily, on Friday, the moon  which can wash out meteors with its bright light  will be in its waxing crescent phase, so its illumination amount will be low.

Without this moonlight, skywatchers will have a better chance of spotting the shooting stars.

According to NASA, to watch the shower you should 'get a comfy chair' and be prepared to sit outside for hours  but you won't need binoculars or a telescope.

NASA says: 'To view the Eta Aquarids find an area well away from city or street lights.

'Come prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair.

'Lie flat on your back with your feet facing east and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible.

'After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors.

'Be patient  the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.'

The next meteor shower will be the Delta Aquarids, which has an annual peak near the end of July. This year's peak is set to happen on July 30.

The Delta Aquarids is a small to medium shower, reaching a peak rate of around 20 meteors per hour.

A much bigger meteor shower called the Perseids, with around 100 shooting stars per hour, will occur in August.
SpaceX now has about 150,000 daily users of its Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine  almost 10 weeks after being activated in the war-torn country.

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's vice prime minister, tweeted that Elon Musk's Starlink was providing 'crucial support' for the country's infrastructure and 'restoring the destroyed territories'.

'Ukraine will stay connected no matter what,' he added.

Last month, the Starlink app  which allows people access to a satellite-based internet service  became the most-downloaded app in Ukraine.

As of March 15, it had been downloaded almost 100,000 times.

SpaceX now has about 150,000 daily users of its Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine  almost 10 weeks after being activated in the war-torn country

Ukraine vice prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov tweeted that Elon Musk's Starlink was providing 'crucial support' for the country's infrastructure and 'restoring the destroyed territories'

SpaceX CEO Musk delivered the terminals that provide the service after Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded the country in February.

It is understood that Starlink now has about 10,000 terminals  the dishes that connect users to satellites  up and running in Ukraine.

At the end of February Musk said Starlink was activated in Ukraine and SpaceX was sending more terminals to the country, responding to a tweet by a Ukraine government official who asked Musk to provide the embattled country with Starlink stations.

Fedorov told The Washington Post in late March that his country was using 'thousands' of Starlink terminals.

SpaceX has not revealed exactly how many Starlink users and terminals are currently active in Ukraine.

Musk delivered the terminals for satellite-based internet following a request by Fedorov, amid concerns that Russia's invasion could disrupt Ukraine's internet services.

According to a leaked Tesla company email, the car maker, of which Musk is also the CEO, helped to quickly deliver the Starlink infrastructure.

It is understood that Tesla battery storage systems were also provided to power them.

Fedorov replied by thanking Starlink for 'keeping our cities connected and emergency services saving lives!'

SpaceX CEO Musk delivered the terminals that provide the service after Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded the country in February

Starlink is a constellation of more than 2,000 satellites in low Earth orbit, beaming internet connections to dishes around the world, with a large presence in Ukraine, introduced to keep the country online amid the ongoing Russian invasion

But he said the country needed generators to keep the satellite broadband service online because of Russian attacks on infrastructure.

In response, Musk said SpaceX was updating software to reduce peak power consumption, so Starlink can be powered from car cigarette lighters.

'Mobile roaming enabled, so phased array antenna can maintain signal while on moving vehicle,' he said.

When the terminal, or dish, is plugged in it automatically connects itself to the nearest Starlink satellite in the sky, of which there are more than 2,000.

The satellite then communicates with the nearest ground station, or gateway, which supplies the internet.

Such gateways are stationed around the world but cannot be too far away from the place getting an internet connection.

With Ukraine, there is a gateway in neighbouring Poland, so the internet connection travels from the gateway to the satellite, and then to the terminal.

All users have to do is plug their router into their terminal to gain internet access.

The terminals need a clear view of the sky in order to work, and there is an app to help users find a suitable spot to place them.
On October 4 last year, Facebook and its other platforms including Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger went down globally for close to six hours.

Thousands of disgruntled users took to Twitter to vent their frustrations, with one user claiming the outage had 'ruined' their day.

Now, a new study claims that the fury when Facebook goes down proves that social media has become as essential as gas and electricity for many people.

A new study claims that the fury when Facebook goes down proves that social media has become as essential as gas and electricity for many people (stock image)

Why did Facebook go down in October 2021? Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp were all brought down for almost seven hours in October 2021, in a massive global outage. Problems began at around 16:45 BST (11:45 ET), leaving users unable to access the three platforms, as well as Facebook Messenger and Oculus, for the rest of the evening. Facebook, which owns all the services, blamed the outage on a bungled server update and insisted it was not an attack from outside the company. The US tech giant said the problem was caused by a faulty update that was sent to its core servers, which effectively disconnected them from the internet. Advertisement

Researchers from Penn State University analysed 223,815 tweets following the October Facebook outage that used the hashtag #facebookdown.

'Most media effects research is about showing people media and seeing how they react, but in this study we see that removing media can actually be more informative,' said Shyam Sundar, co-author of the study.

'This kind of outage provides us an opportunity to see how people reflect on their access to social media, and what we see is that social media has become so important that it's almost a utility.'

After removing duplicate tweets, the researchers used a statistical model that allowed them to identify the 10 key topics that emerged from the data on the tweets.

The topics included: complaints, mockery, media reporting, social media detox, log-in desperation, lessons on over-reliance, business impact, problem-solving, personal and professional impact, and social media alternatives.

The analysis revealed that 29,000 tweets following the Facebook outage expressed a desire to find another form of social media.

This suggests that users may not be loyal to one site compared to other, according to Mengqi Liao, first author of the study.

'What we saw was that as the outage continued, the tweets that talked about the desire to find other social media outlets began to increase,' Ms Liao.

Researchers from Penn State University analysed 223,815 tweets following the Facebook outage in October, that used the hashtag #facebookdown

After removing duplicate tweets, the researchers used a statistical model that allowed them to create a matrix of the 10 key topics that emerged from the data on the tweets

'In fact, finding new social media sites was the only topic to steadily increase as time went on during the six-hour outage.'

Meanwhile 35,371 tweets mentioned taking a 'social media detox'.

'Beyond the users' mockery and their descriptions of their desperate efforts to log on, we think it's interesting that some people were also asking and talking about social media detox, which ranked No. 4 among all the topics,' Ms Liao added.

While some users simply use social media apps for fun, the researchers highlight that many people now rely on the platforms for their livelihood.

Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp were all brought down for almost seven hours in October 2021, in a massive global outage

While some users simply use social media apps for fun, many people now rely on the platforms for their livelihood

'It is not simply that people are dependent on it at a social level,' Professor Sundar said. 'When these social media sites go down, businesses also will go down.

'A lot of people engage in business transactions on the whole family of Facebook apps, such as WhatsApp and Instagram.

'There are newspapers that run completely on Facebook and small businesses and entrepreneurs who have their businesses, like yoga classes that hold lessons through Facebook.

'So, for some people, it's a utility because it's critical to their livelihood.'

Based on the findings, the researchers suggest that social media platforms should look at outages as seriously as utility companies and have plans in place, should they go down again.

'This study throws light on the fact that social media leaders need to better prepare their companies to face outages and they also have to better prepare their users for possible outages,' Professor Sundar concluded.

'Right now, it doesn't seem like preparing for outages is even part of their design plan.'
A number of children's products labelled as 'green' and 'non-toxic' have been found to contain toxic PFAS chemicals, which can pose a threat to human health.

Clothing, furniture and bedding aimed at children, and produced by a number of leading brands, were among the products found to contain PFAS, by a team from the Silent Spring Institute in Newton, Massachusetts.

Some products, labelled as being 'green' or 'non-toxic' were among the items, many of which were water resistant. Products came from a range of brands including Columbia, Old Navy, Gap and Lands' End, among others.

PFAS are a class of more than 9,000 chemicals that companies add to a wide variety of consumer products to make them non-stick, waterproof, and stain-resistant.

With more consumers demanding products free of toxic ingredients, discerning which ones might be harmful and which ones are safe isn't easy, the team said.

'The findings demonstrate the pervasiveness of PFAS in products and the challenges for consumers trying to avoid toxic chemicals in their everyday lives,' they said.

Studies have linked PFAS with a range of health effects including cancers, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, low birth weight, and asthma, and a number of states have passed legislation to prevent manufacturers including PFAS in products.

Most of the products tested by the team had been manufactured in China for US brands, they explained.

A number of children's products labelled as 'green' and 'non-toxic' have been found to contain toxic PFAS chemicals, which can pose a threat to human health. Stock image

Clothing, furniture and bedding aimed at children, and produced by a number of leading brands, were among the products found to contain PFAS, by a team from the Silent Spring Institute in Newton, Massachusetts. Stock image

As well as the cancer risk, there is also evidence that PFAS can suppress the immune system, potentially weakening the effectiveness of childhood vaccines and the body's ability to fight infections, according to study co-author Dr Laurel Schaider.

'Children's bodies are still developing and are especially sensitive to chemical exposures. It makes sense that parents would want to steer clear of products that contain ingredients that could impact their children's health now and in the future.'

For instance, consumers often look for products labeled as 'green' or 'nontoxic' when trying to avoid toxic chemicals, but this could be misleading, she said.

Schaider and her colleagues wanted to learn whether that's an effective strategy for avoiding products with PFAS or whether there are other ways of determining if a product contains PFAS, so set about testing 93 different products.

These were aimed at children and young people, and included bedding, furnishings and clothing items from a number of brands.

The researchers specifically chose products that were labeled as stain-resistant, water-resistant, 'green' or 'nontoxic,' and started with a test for fluorine, which acts as a marker for PFAS in rapid screening tests.

Some products, labelled as being 'green' or 'non-toxic' were among the items, many of which were water resistant. Products came from a range of brands including Columbia, Old Navy, Gap and Lands' End, among others. Stock image

PFAS are a class of more than 9,000 chemicals that companies add to a wide variety of consumer products to make them non-stick, waterproof, and stain-resistant. Stock image

They first used a rapid screening method to test the products for fluorinea marker of PFAS, and found 54 of the products had a detectable level.

The highest single concentration of fluoride was found in a school uniform shirt.

Products advertised as water- or stain-resistant, even those labeled as 'green' or 'non-toxic,' were more likely to contain fluorine and also have higher concentrations of fluorine compared with other products.

PERFLUOROALKYL AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES (PFAS) PFAS are a complex, and expanding group of manufactured chemicals that are widely used to make various types of everyday products. They keep food from sticking to cookware, make clothes and carpets resistant to stains, and create firefighting foam that is more effective. PFAS are used in industries such as aerospace, automotive, construction, electronics, and military. PFAS molecules are made up of a chain of linked carbon and fluorine atoms. Because the carbon-fluorine bond is one of the strongest, these chemicals do not degrade in the environment. In fact, scientists are unable to estimate an environmental half-life for PFAS, which is the amount of time it takes 50 per cent of the chemical to disappear. Research on two kinds of PFAS forms the basis of our scientific understanding about this group of chemicals. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were manufactured for the longest time, are the most widespread in the environment, and are the most well-studied. Although these two compounds are no longer made in the US, chemical manufacturers have replaced them with alternative PFAS, such as GenX. Advertisement

The researchers then tested a subset of products for 36 different PFAS chemicals, only finding them in products labeled as water- or stain-resistant, regardless of whether they were marketed as 'green' or 'nontoxic.'

PFAS were detected most frequently in upholstered furniture, clothing, and pillow protectors, with pillow protectors and clothing higher than other products.

PFOA, a legacy PFAS that has been phased out in the US, was detected in a variety of products, including those labeled as 'green.'

'These are products that children come into close contact with every day and over a long period of time. Given the toxicity of PFAS and the fact that the chemicals don't serve a critical function, they should not be allowed in products,' says co-author Kathryn Rodgers, a doctoral student at Boston University School of Public Health.

In addition to items such as carpets, upholstery, and apparel, PFAS are also used in everyday items such as non-stick cookware, food packaging, and cosmetics.

The new study's findings highlight the need for green certifiers to include PFAS in their criteria and to conduct a more thorough review of the products they certify, says Rodgers.

Green certifications are created by third party organizations and offer assurances that a product does not contain certain harmful chemicals. However, certifications vary in their safety standards and they don't all cover the same list of chemicals.

'Retailers also must play a role in ending this toxic trail of pollution,' says Mike Schade, director of Toxic-Free Future's Mind the Store program.

'Market power is built on trust. Customers should be able to trust that the retailers where they shop sell productsespecially those marketed for childrenthat are not laden with PFAS forever chemicals.'

Toxic-Free Future released a report in January, which found PFAS widespread in water- and stain-resistant apparel and other textiles sold at top retailers.

California passed legislation banning the use of PFAS in certain infant and children's products and is now considering a bill to ban PFAS in textiles.

Washington State passed a bill aimed at phasing out PFAS in a range of products including apparel, cosmetics, and firefighter gear by 2025.

Anew law in Maine prohibits the sale of all products with intentionally added PFAS, except products where the use of PFAS is unavoidable, starting in 2030.

Massachusetts introduced a bill that would prohibit the use of PFAS in common household products, including carpeting, cookware, and cosmetics.

The findings have been published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
The moon may have been siphoning water from Earth's atmosphere for billions of years, storing it up as ice deep inside craters, a new study has found.

Research by the University of Alaska Fairbanks suggests that ions making up water are pulled in by the moon as it passes through part of Earth's magnetosphere.

This adds to other suspected methods, including bombardment from asteroids 3.5 billion years ago, and solar wind delivering oxygen and hydrogen ions.

The team estimate there are up to 840 cubic miles of surface permafrost or subsurface liquid water on the moon that escaped from Earth's atmosphere - enough to fill North America's Lake Huron - the eighth largest lake on the planet.

The work, by lead author, professor Gunther Kletetschka, adds to a growing body of research about water at the moon's north and south poles, prime targets for a base.

The moon may have been siphoning water from Earth's atmosphere for billions of years, storing it up as ice deep inside craters, a new study has found

Finding water is key to NASA's Artemis project, the planned long-term human presence on the moon. NASA plans to send humans back to the moon this decade.

'As NASA's Artemis team plans to build a base camp on the moon's south pole, the water ions that originated many eons ago on Earth can be used in the astronauts' life support system,' Kletetschka said.

Researchers based their estimate, of 840 cubic miles of water, on the lowest volume model calculation - one per cent of Earth's atmospheric escape reaching the moon.

A majority of the lunar water is generally believed to have been deposited by asteroids and comets that collided with the moon.

Research by the University of Alaska Fairbanks suggests that ions making up water are pulled in by the moon as it passes through part of Earth's magnetosphere

This adds to other suspected methods, including bombardment from asteroids 3.5 billion years ago, and solar wind delivering oxygen and hydrogen ions

Most was during a period known as the Late Heavy Bombardment, a period about 3.5 billion years ago when the solar system was a billion years old, and the early inner planets sustained unusually heavy impact from asteroids.

As well as the ancient asteroid and comet source of water on the moon, scientists also suggest solar wind could be a source.

Ice on the moon! Water buried in lunar rocks 'that could one day sustain a human colony' was likely preserved by an ancient magnetic field Frozen water buried in rocks on the lunar surface may have been protected from intense sunlight by an ancient magnetic field surrounding the moon, study shows. Once extracted from rocks, the water could one day be used to sustain future human settlements, experts said - providing both something to drink and ingredients for fuel. A number of spacecraft have seen evidence of ice deep inside craters at the polar regions of the moon, where temperatures can drop to -418F due to sunlight's inability to penetrate inside the dark pits. However, solar winds can get inside, breaking down the ice formations molecule-by-molecule - which is why scientists have long been unclear how the moon's ice has remained in place millions of years after arriving on a comet. A new study by a team from the University of Arizona, however, suggests that the water is preserved as a result of 'magnetic anomalies' surrounding certain craters, which are the remnants of the ancient magnetic field that once covered the moon. Speaking to Science, the team say the anomalies 'deflect the solar wind,' and 'could be quite significant in shielding the permanently shadowed regions.' Advertisement

The solar wind carries oxygen and hydrogen ions, which may have combined and been deposited on the moon as water molecules.

In this new study, the team suggest that, in addition to solar wind carrying ions, and ancient bombardment, water arrived from the Earth's atmosphere.

Kletetschka and his colleagues suggest hydrogen and oxygen ions are driven into the moon when it passes through the tail of the Earth's magnetosphere, which it does on five days of the moon's monthly trip around the planet.

The magnetosphere is the teardrop-shaped bubble created by Earth's magnetic field that shields the planet from much of the continual stream of charged solar particles.

Recent measurements from multiple space agencies, including NASA, ESA, JAXA and ISRO, revealed significant numbers of water-forming ions present during the moon's transit through this part of the magnetosphere.

These ions have slowly accumulated since the Late Heavy Bombardment, increasing over 3.5 billion years each time the moon passes through the magnetosphere.

The presence of the moon in the magnetosphere's tail, called the magnetotail, temporarily affects some of Earth's magnetic field lines  those that are broken and which simply trail off into space for many thousands of miles.

Not all of Earth's field lines are attached to the planet at both ends, as some have only one attachment point.

The moon's presence in the magnetotail causes some of these broken field lines to reconnect with their opposing broken counterpart.

When that happens, hydrogen and oxygen ions that had escaped Earth rush to those reconnected field lines and are accelerated back toward Earth.

The paper's authors suggest many of those returning ions hit the passing moon, which has no magnetosphere of its own to repel them.

'It is like the moon is in the shower - a shower of water ions coming back to Earth, falling on the moon's surface,' Kletetschka said.

The ions then combine to form the lunar permafrost, and some is driven below the surface where it exists as liquid water.

The findings have been published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Arsene Wenger has hailed Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane for their contribution in Liverpool's Champions League semi-final win against Villarreal.

Both players were instrumental in Liverpool's 3-2 comeback victory in Spain on Tuesday night which saw Jurgen Klopp's side book their place in the final after a 5-2 aggregate win.

The former Arsenal manager described the pair's performances as 'monstrous' as the Reds overturned a 2-0 half-time deficit by scoring three times in a 12-minute goal rush.

Arsene Wenger was full of praise for duo Sadio Mane (left) and Mohamed Salah (right)

Sadio Mane fires Liverpool in front against Villarreal on Tuesday night

Villarreal stunned the visitors as early as the third minute when Boulaye Dia opened the scoring before ex-Arsenal man Francis Coquelin levelled up the aggregate score.

A more accomplished second-half display from Jurgen Klopp's men saw them draw level through Fabinho before goals from Luis Diaz and Sadio Mane completed the turnaround.

Salah and Mane have both endured a rigorous season which included participation in the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, with Sane and Senegal overcoming Salah's Egypt in a tense final.

Wenger directed praise at the pair for their efforts in helping Liverpool reach another final in addition to February's Carabao Cup success and the upcoming FA Cup final against Chelsea.

'Look at Salah and Sadio (Mane), who played the Africa Nations Cup final,' said Wenger to beIN Sports. 'What they have done since they have come back, it's monstrous.

'We would have complained in Europe that we played too many games, never a word. Tonight, Mane has been kicked all over the place, never a word.'

"   ... ' !"



Arsene Wenger hails Mo Salah and Sadio Mane for they second half of the season performance after going all the way at the AFCON. #beINUCL #UCL #VILLIV



Watch Now  https://t.co/NRYe31nXnO pic.twitter.com/uTZFn1CsIl  beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) May 3, 2022

Salah and Mane squared off against each other in February's African Cup of Nations final

Salah is the Premier League's top scorer this season with 22 goals and also tops the assists chart with 13, in what has been a prolific campaign for the Egyptian.

Meanwhile, Mane has notched 14 league goals this term but does boast a better overall scoring record that Salah in Champions League knockout ties.

The Senegalese striker's goal against Villarreal saw him overtake Didier Drogba's record for goals scored in the knockout stages.

Mane has now registered 15 in the competition, one ahead of the former Chelsea man, whilst Salah is third with 11 goals and ex-Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o is on 10.
Former Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic admits he enjoyed his two-season stint in the Premier League because it allowed him to silence his 'haters'.

The outspoken Swedish forward took England by storm during his brief stint at Old Trafford between 2016 and 2018 - netting 28 goals in his first campaign, prolonging his impressive scoring record across a number of major leagues.

He brought a bullish attitude to United's team and was a huge personality in the dressing room - though there were some who questioned whether Ibrahimovic could step up and deliver quality after arriving in his mid-thirties.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has admitted he enjoyed shutting up his 'haters' at Manchester United

The veteran forward said he 'had fun' at Old Trafford as he won three trophies in the short stint

Speaking to ESPN's The Gab & Juls Show podcast, the 40-year-old said he relished proving his critics wrong and performing at a high level, admitting negativity 'brings out the best of me'.

'I had fun,' he said. 'I really enjoyed because when I came, everybody was against it. And then in England, they didn't like me.

'All these haters, after three months, they started to like me, I didn't like them anymore. I like people when they hate you because then they bring out the better of you. I had fun. [It] is a great competition, [an] amazing atmosphere.'

Ibrahimovic's time at United was short but still a successful one as he scored nearly 30 goals and finished with three trophies under Jose Mourinho.

Ibrahimovic says he made the right choice and called United 'the best club in England'

Now at AC Milan during the twilight of his career, he does not regret his decision to join the club - who he called 'the best in England' - and believes he made 'the right choice'.

'I'm happy I played for United, which I think is the best team in England,' he said. 'And I think it was the right choice to go to Manchester United.

'I think I came in a good moment. Because it's easy to come to a club when the success is already there. It's more difficult when you come and the challenge is different. And then if you manage to have a success, you're part of the story. So the fans [were] great to me. And I really enjoyed [it]. A lot of things happened.'

Ibrahimovic came to United with a huge reputation after blitzing 156 goals in 180 games at PSG, before proving his class at AC Milan, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus and Ajax.

After leaving United, he joined the MLS to play for LA Galaxy. He scored 53 goals in 58 games and then sealed a return to AC Milan, where he has featured 72 times - netting 36 times - as he continues to defy his ageing years.
Rio Ferdinand has stated his bewilderment that Real Madrid's Casemiro somehow avoided a yellow card despite two clear fouls on Manchester City players.

Contesting the Champions League semi-final second leg, the Brazilian midfielder made poor, cynical tackles on City's Kevin De Bruyne and then Phil Foden, neither of which were punished by a booking from referee Daniele Orsato.

And Ferdinand likened the challenge on Foden to being pulled back 'like a rag doll', claiming by the 'letter of the law' Casemiro should have even been sent off.

Pundits were bemused how Casemiro (right) avoided a yellow card against Manchester City

The Brazilian midfielder made a poor sliding tackle from behind City's Kevin De Bruyne (right)

He said: This one, he drags him back like a rag doll by his shirt, I don't know how he didn't get a yellow card there.

'If you're going by the letter of the law, he's probably off the pitch. Well he is off the pitch!

'He got away with it, but he's cute, he stays down, pretends he's injured, gets away with it.'

Casemiro then somehow avoided punishment despite dragging down Phil Foden (47) cynically

The 30-year-old avoided a booking after a melee between the two players following the first foul, and escaped the referee's attention by pretending he was injured following the second.

And fellow pundit Joleon Lescott added: 'Yeah, he definitely should have been carded at some stage. there were two instances. I'll tell you what's helped him - the melee after the first one and then him staying down after the second one.

'He's recognised the situation in both occasions. but yes, he definitely should have received a yellow card at some point in that half.'
The two failed Chelsea bidders believe Jim Ratcliffe will become a serious player in the race to buy the club should Todd Boehly's 3.5billion deal collapse, despite Britain's richest man being told he isn't under consideration.

Sources close to the process insist Blues-owner-in-waiting Boehly, through his consortium which includes investment firm Clearlake Capital, still intends to seal a deal despite the uncertainty created by Roman Abramovich's apparent attempts to renege on a promise to write off a 1.6billion debt.

Boehly is in the middle of a five day exclusivity period during which time he is required to sign a purchase agreement, which is expected to be a formality.

But, if for any reason Boehly's takeover does break down, there is a belief among the other two shortlisted consortiums - which are led by UK businessman Sir Martin Broughton and US tycoon Steve Pagliuca - that Ratcliffe's last-gasp 4.25bn offer for Chelsea will be taken seriously and could usurp their own positions as back-up choices.

Ratcliffe's offer last Friday infuriated the existing groups because they had complied with the process set out by Raine - the merchant bank instructed to handle the sale for the Blues - while Ratcliffe's bid was made independently.

But despite being told by Raine his consortium wouldn't be considered, there is a feeling Ratcliffe will become serious rival to Broughton and Pagliuca in the event of the current agreement with Boehly breaking down.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe had his 4.25bn bid 'rejected out of hand' to purchase Chelsea

But the two failed Chelsea bidders believe he will become a serious player in the race to buy the club should the 3.5billion deal involving Todd Boehly (above) collapse

In an interview with the BBC yesterday, Ratcliffe said: 'We've had positive conversations with the Government. Don't write off our offer. We were late because it's a big decision and we are there for the long term.'

There was no indication on Wednesday that the unclarity over the 1.6billion debt owed to Abramovich from Chelsea was tempering Boehly's intention to press ahead with the transaction.

Indeed, there was a belief from figures close to the sale yesterday that Abramovich's apparent change of heart was merely a last-minute play to garner leverage with the Government.

Whitehall will not allow Abramovich to receive a penny from the sale of Chelsea and are exploring ways to ensure a deal for Chelsea can be completed even if the loan issue cannot be resolved swiftly.

There is a feeling Ratcliffe could yet become a serious rival to Sir Martin Broughton (left) and Steve Pagliuca (right)

There was no indication the unclarity over the 1.6billion debt owed to Roman Abramovich was holding Boehly back

One method being looked at is setting up a two step-licence: one specifically designed to ensure the sale can go through and the other which establishes where the cash goes.

Meanwhile, the futures of key Chelsea chiefs Marina Granovskaia and Bruce Buck emerged as a key factor in the Chelsea sale process, according to sources close to the three shortlisted parties.

It is understood that Boehly is willing to keep Granovskaia and Buck in their current positions as director and chairman, respectively. Boehly and Clearlake are also likely to make their own appointments to a new look board.

However, Sportsmail understands that the positions of two of Abramovich's closest allies, in particular Buck, would have been under threat if one of the other two parties had been successful in being named preferred bidder.

While both parties were understood to be willing to keep Granovskaia and Buck at the club, it is believed that at least one of the losing groups would have looked to dilute their power upon taking over.
Selling Sunset season five arrived on Netflix on Friday, bringing Chrishell Stause, Christine Quinn and the other Oppenheim Group agents back to our screens.

While the latest series of the smash hit reality series has focused on Chrishell's relationship with boss Jason Oppenheim and Christine's ongoing office feuds, the million-dollar listings continue to flood into the brokerage.

And with their designer wardrobes, soaring fame and their own million dollar homes, it's clear to see the glam agents are making mega bucks, but just how much money do the Selling Sunset cast take home from each sale?

Earning power: The Selling Sunset cast continue to bring in the million-dollar listings during season five of the Netflix show but how much do they earn?

Surprisingly the agents don't make a salary from twin brothers Brett and Jason's brokerage.

Mary Fitzgerald, who was promoted to Vice President during series five, has previously opened up about how the agents make their money.

'I think the hardest thing in real estate is working for commission only. Spending months sometimes with a client and then they change their minds,' she explained to The Express.

The percentage of commission the Selling Sunset agents receive varies depending on the property, with Mary explaining: 'The best part can also be when a client finds something they love immediately and I make a huge commission with very little effort.'

All commission: Mary Fitzgerald, who was promoted to Vice President during series five, has previously opened up about how the agents make their money

'This unfortunately is not normally the case, but I have double-ended deals represented the buyer as well on my own listing, so this is the best scenario for an agent.'

The agents typically make a 3-5% commission on the sale price of each listing. And the agents aren't working on a typical $300,000 home, with the houses featured on the show generally selling in the high millions, therefore that 3% means a commission in the thousands.

If an agent sold a property for $5million (3.9m) the 3% commission would be $150,000 (118,000).

But as Maya Vander, The Oppenheim Group's first ever agent, has explained the agent doesn't actually bank that full commission after bagging a sale.

Boss: Surprisingly the agents don't make a salary from twin brothers Brett and Jason's brokerage (Jason pictured with agent Maya Vander)

'Typically the commission on a purchase is 5%,' Maya told Metro in a 2020 interview.

'The 5% is split into half for the person who represents the seller and the person who brings the buyer, so you end up with 2.5%.

'If I bring the buyer, I get 2.5% of the purchase price, but then Jason will take his cut because he's the broker and he has the liability.'

Maya continued: 'Typically for a brokerage, it's about 70/30 split. I would keep 70% out of the 2.5% and he would take 30%. And then we have to pay taxes. It's not as big as you think!'

Big money: If Davina Potratz had managed to sell the infamous $75 million (60million) home featured on season three, she would have made $1.3million (1million) in commission

Working with those figures, if Davina Potratz had managed to sell the infamous $75 million (60million) home featured on season three of the hit show, she would have made $1.3million (1million) in commission and Jason would have banked $562,000 (452,000) with his broker's fee, before taxes.

Mary was said to have been the highest earning agent in seasons one to four of the Netflix show, earning an estimated $1.8million in commission from her listings in that time.

But twin brothers Jason and Brett are the real high rollers, with the individual net fortunes of the attorneys turned brokers said to be $50million.

Taking their cut: The agent doesn't actually bank the full commission after bagging a sale, with Brett and Jason, who are worth $50million each, taking 30% for their broker's fee

With the soaring success of Selling Sunset the agents have also branched out from their Sunset Strip office, cashing in on their fame with lucrative sponsorship and Instagram deals.

Chrishell found fame before Selling Sunset thanks to her acting roles on major US soaps Days Of Our Lives and The Young And The Restless, and her marriage to This Is Us star Justin Hartley.

Her success on Selling Sunset led to a Dancing With The Stars appearance and a book deal, meaning the 40-year-old is now said to be worth upwards of $5million.

Chrishell proved her bank balance is in the millions when she purchased a stunning $3.3million home in the Hollywood Hills last year.

High roller: With the soaring success of Selling Sunset the agents have branched out from their Sunset Strip office, cashing in on their fame. Chrishell Stause is reportedly worth $5million

Which Selling Sunset star is worth the most? Jason and Brett Oppenheim - $50million each Chrishell Stause - $5million Vanessa Villela - $5million Heather Rae El Moussa - $3million Emma Hernan - $3million Davina Potratz - $2million Christine Quinn - $1.5million Mary Fitzgerald - $1million Amanza Smith - $1million Maya Vander - $1million Chelsea Lazkani - $500k Advertisement

Christine doesn't quite have a net worth to match her rival, with the breakout star of the show said to be worth $1.5 million, up from $500,000 in 2020, according to Celebrity Net Worth

But as she has pointed out multiple times on the show Christine married for money when she tied the knot with tech entrepreneur Christian Dumontet - who is worth an estimated $20million - in 2019.

Like Chrishell, Vanessa Villela earned a fortune in the millions thanks to her previous acting career, having starred in soap operas back home in Mexico. According to Bustle, Vanessa is worth about $5 million.

Heather Rae El Moussa's estimated $3million fortune comes in part from her acting and modelling work alongside seven years of real estate deals (she was the second agent to join Oppenheim after Maya) and her sponsored Instagram posts.

Davina's lengthy career in real estate (she got her licence in 2006) has banked her $2million, while Mary, who joined best friends Brett and Jason at Oppenheim in 2015 is worth $1million.

Amanza Smith and Maya are also worth $1 million. Maya's fortune is thanks to her work with the Oppenheim brothers as well as her job with another real estate firm in Miami, where her family live.

Fame: Heather Rae El Moussa's estimated $3million fortune comes in part from her acting and modelling roles alongside seven years of real estate deals

New recruit: Chelsea Lazkani only earned her desk at The Oppenheim Group in the current series, but thanks to her past real estate success she's already worth about $500,000

Emma Hernan joined the show in series four. Thanks to both her real estate deals and her famous empanadas, the leggy blonde is said to have a net worth of $3million.

The savvy businesswoman also admitted on the show that she started making money young by investing in stock when she was a teenager - a move which has now allowed her a lavish lifestyle which includes exclusively flying private with her beloved pet dog.

Selling Sunset newbie Chelsea Lazkani only earned her desk at The Oppenheim Group in the current series, but thanks to her past real estate success she's already reported to be worth about $500,000, according to ontrend.news.

While the agents have bank balances to be envied, they do have to spend money to make money, with Christine pointing out that 'Netflix doesn't pay for anything.'

Speaking to Refinery29, the blonde revealed that she pays for her own hair, makeup and wardrobe during filming, adding up to a reported $1,000 spend a day on her image.
The 2023 Sundance Film Festival is officially coming to reality after two years of being online-only due to the pandemic.

The historic media event is currently set to run from the 19 to the 29th of January, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

However, fans wanting to catch the new films online still can, as it was revealed the festival will be operating both online and in-person in its longtime home of Park City, Utah.

Back on: The dates for the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, which will take place in a hybridized format, have officially been announced to the public

The Hollywood Reporter noted that 'the extent to which the festival programming will be available virtually is still being decided.'

The Sundance Film Festival's director, Tabitha Jackson, gave a statement to the media outlet to express that the event's team was happy to return to a partially in-person setting.

'We can't wait to return to our home in Park City and present exciting new work from around the world live and in person,' she said.

Jackson went on to express that the festival's organizers had fully embraced the idea of operating in a hybridized format.

So excited: The Sundance Film Festival's director, Tabitha Jackson, gave a statement to the media outlet to express that the event's team was happy to return to a partially in-person setting; she is seen in 2019

'We also have two years of digital exhibition and participation under our collective belt, and are returning to the excitement and immediacy of live events while retaining a powerful online offering,' she said.

The Sundance Film Festival was initially started in 1978 as the Utah/US Film Festival.

The Sundance Institute was subsequently founded by Robert Redford in 1981, and the event was renamed in 1991.

Over time, the festival became well known for showcasing work from emerging artists, and several directors, including Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith and Jim Jarmusch, received their big breaks at the event.

Making it clear: Jackson also stated that 'we also have two years of digital exhibition and participation under our collective belt, and are returning to the excitement and immediacy of live events while retaining a powerful online offering'

Sundance's in-person events were notably canceled in 2021 due to the onset of the global pandemic.

The event was moved to an online-only format that year, and its program schedule was reduced.

The festival was expected to return to an in-person setup last year, although plans were shelved due to the emergence of the Omicron variant.

The event's organizers issued a statement where they expressed via The Hollywood Reporter that they felt as if it would be a 'deep loss to not have the in-person experience in Utah.'

Tough break: The festival was expected to return to an in-person setup last year, although plans were shelved due to the emergence of the Omicron variant

However, they pointed out that, out of an abundance of caution, they would not be moving forward with in-person events.

'We do not believe it is safe nor feasible to gather thousands of artists, audiences, employees, volunteers, and partners from around the world, for an eleven-day festival,' they stated.

Sundance's team then expressed that they were still dedicated to hosting an online event and bringing the film community together.

'We believe in the transformative power of artists and their work. Today, as we navigate all that the pandemic throws at us we go back to what is certain: Gathering together  in whatever way we can  is profound,' they stated.
Former Geordie Shore star Dee Nguyen has issued a grovelling apology after mocking a man with a disability in a TikTok video.

The 28-year-old, who was fired from MTV's The Challenge in 2020 after making offensive comments about the Black Lives Matter movement, was criticised last month for sharing a clip of herself 'casually swiping through' the dating app Hinge.

In the footage, Nguyen was scrolling through the app when she saw that someone had asked her to 'go dancing', before showing her followers it was a man in a wheelchair and smirking at the camera.

Saying sorry: Former Geordie Shore star Dee Nguyen (pictured) has issued a grovelling apology after mocking a man with a disability in a TikTok video

The man in question, quadriplegic artist and podcaster Kyle Montgomery, later reposted the video on his own Instagram account to draw attention to Nguyen's 'harmful, casual ableism'.

Ableism refers to discrimination in favour of able-bodied people.

After his post went viral, Nguyen returned to TikTok to make a public apology.

'A few weeks ago I made that stupid TikTok video... when I came across Kyle's profile, he responded to one of my prompts saying that he wanted to go dance with me,' she said.

'I scroll down, I saw that he was in a wheelchair - there's nothing wrong with that, by the way - I scroll down and I listen to one of his voice prompts that said, "If you're not a fan of f**ked-up, dark humour, then we probably wont get along."'

Video: Nguyen said she was 'casually swiping through Hinge' when Kyle Montgomery asked her to 'go dancing together'. She then filmed her reaction to him being disabled

She continued: 'Obviously, I thought that it was punny [a funny pun] and I didn't mean to post that video in a way that was mocking him.

'So when he reached out saying he was thoroughly upset, I personally DM'd him and said I was sorry.'

Nguyen then shared a screenshot of a message she had sent Montgomery in which she clarified she wasn't being 'malicious' before 'deeply apologising' for offending him.

'I didn't realise the impact of my video, and the extent of hurt that Kyle felt and I was genuinely remorseful for it,' she added.

'I don't like hurting people and it wasn't my intention.'

She said Montgomery had responded by saying he was 'extremely frustrated' by her lack of self-awareness, and had only heard about the video after somebody sent it to him.

Response: Nguyen shared a screenshot of a message she had sent Montgomery in which she clarified she wasn't being 'malicious' before 'deeply apologising' for offending him

Nguyen continued: 'Genuinely, from the bottom of my heart I am sorry, Kyle. I'm sorry to the whole disabled community for any hurt or upset that you've felt by my video.

'I'm still learning as a human - obviously I have a lot of learning to do.

'I hope that you can forgive me, and I hope that we can meet up for coffee or have a Zoom chat so I can be more understanding and learn more about you and your struggles and what the community goes through.'

It comes after MTV confirmed Nguyen had been axed from The Challenge in June 2020 after she made 'offensive comments' about the Black Lives Matter movement.

Nguyen had said in a now-deleted tweet: 'IDK [I don't know] why some of you think I'm anti-BLM. I've been saying that since the day I lost my virginity.'

She had also been criticised for posting pictures of herself on social media despite pledging to participate in Blackout Tuesday.

Gone: It comes after MTV confirmed Nguyen had been axed from The Challenge in June 2020 after she made 'offensive comments' about the Black Lives Matter movement

That reaction sparked an argument with her black castmates Bayleigh Dayton and Swaggy C, who accused Nguyen of posting about the movement 'for clout'.

Dayton said she was 'disgusted and disappointed'.

MTV said in a statement on Twitter: 'As a result of Dee Nguyen's offensive comments on the Black Lives Matter movement, we have severed ties with her.'

Nguyen later apologised, writing: 'I am sorry for the insensitive tweet I posted earlier. I was being defensive and not speaking from my heart. But there's no excuse.

'I also want to extend an apology to Bayleigh and Swaggy, who are my cast mates and deserve my respect and compassion.'

Post: Nguyen had said in a now-deleted tweet: 'IDK why some of you think I'm anti-BLM. I've been saying that since the day I lost my virginity.' She had also been criticised for posting pictures of herself on social media despite pledging to participate in Blackout Tuesday

She had earlier suggested she was a victim of 'cancel culture'.

Nguyen, an Australian who found fame on the British reality show Geordie Shore, also said 'people die every f**king day'.

Her comments came in the wake of George Floyd's death at the hands of a white police officer and after an Instagram user wrote to her: 'All you posted was a black square and went about your day and posting your lame a** thirst traps.

'People are dying.'

Nguyen replied: 'People die every f**king day. You don't know me or what I do. I suggest you wake the f**k up and get off social media.'

Comments: Nguyen, who found fame on the British show Geordie Shore, also said 'people die every f**king day'. Her comments came in the wake of George Floyd's death at the hands of a white police officer and after an Instagram user wrote to her: 'All you posted was a black square and went about your day and posting your lame a** thirst traps. People are dying'

The statement from MTV announcing her exit from the show continued: 'Out of respect for our Challengers, we'll air our season as planned. We strongly condemn systemic racism and stand with those raising their voices against injustice.'

Nguyen later tweeted: 'I would like to offer my sincerest apology to my colleagues to whom I have hurt directly and indirectly due to my insensitive remarks.

'Let me be clear I am a POC [person of colour] that cares about BLM.

'I believe in this movement and I'm stepping away from social media to focus on my wellbeing and mental health. This is not a goodbye, it's a I will see you again.'
Married At First Sight's Tamara Djordjevic and Mitch Eynaud sparked romance rumours after they formed an unlikely friendship filming this year's season.

However on Tuesday, Tamara, 30, set the record straight during a Q&A on her Instagram stories, saying that the pair were nothing more than good friends.

'Most asked question in the question box,' she said in response to a fan who asked if the MAFS co-stars were 'together'.

Are they or aren't they? Married At First Sight star Tamara Djordjevic (pictured), 30, set the record straight on romance rumours with co-star Mitch Eynaud during a Q&A on Instagram

'Mitch and I are really good friends,' she said. 'I want to set the record straight by saying that we only became friends months after filming had ended.

'We obviously didn't talk after the Commitment Ceremony'

'One day we were like "let's put our differences aside," and got to know each other. We have great banter and got heaps in common.

'He's been so supportive and unless you've been through this MAFS experience you don't know what it's like Mitch and I had similar struggles and just bonded a natural friendship so that's all that is.'

Just friends: 'Mitch and I are really good friends,' Tamara explained. 'I want to set the record straight by saying that we only became friends months after filming had ended'. Pictured attending an event on the Gold Coast together last week

Elsewhere, when asked how she felt about rumours that her ex 'husband' Brent Vitiello is now dating fellow bride Ella Ding, Tamara said she was 'happy for them'.

'I don't think Brent and Ella are any of my business to be honest, if they're together I am happy for them.

'I think everybody deserves happiness and yeah, if they're together then good luck to them.'

Revenge romance! Elsewhere, when asked how she felt about rumours that her ex 'husband' Brent Vitiello is now dating fellow bride Ella Ding, Tamara said she was 'happy for them'

Despite Tamara's admission sources close to the pair told Daily Mail Australia that her and Mitch were dating but taking things slow.

'They are seeing each other but just want to go slow with everything,' an insider said last week.

'They've both just come out of this experience and want to see how they feel about each other before putting a label on it.'
Dame Judi Dench was emotional as she stepped out on stage after the Gala performance of Sondheim's Old Friends at London's Sondheim Theatre on Tuesday.

The legendary actress, 87, held back the tears as she bowed at the end of the show which paid tribute to musical composer Stephen Sondheim.

She looked as glamorous as ever in her all-black ensemble as she was joined on stage with an array of celebrities.

Emotional: Dame Judi Dench, 87, hold back tears at the gala performance of Sondheim's Old Friends in a glamorous all-black ensemble at London's Sondheim Theatre on Tuesday

Judi's elegant dress featured a scooped neckline and cropped sleeves that displayed her stunning diamond emblazoned necklace.

The star took part in the special gala show alongside Gary Wilmot, Sian Phillips, Julian Ovenden, Jenna Russell, Maria Friedman, Bernadette Peters and Michael Ball.

Celebrities in attendance included Dawn French, Helena Bonham Carter and Damien Lewis.

The event was held to aid the launch of the Stephen Sondheim Foundation with proceeds destined to support up-and-coming playwrights, composers and lyricists.

Tribute: The star took part in the special gala show alongside Gary Wilmot, Sian Phillips, Julian Ovenden, Jenna Russell, Maria Friedman, Bernadette Peters (L-R pictured)

Glamorous: Judi's elegant dress featured a scooped neckline and cropped sleeves that displayed her stunning diamond emblazoned necklace

Honour: The event was held to aid the launch of the Stephen Sondheim Foundation in honour of musical composer Stephen Sondheim who passed away in November (Pictured in 2017)

Hosted by Impresario Cameron Mackintosh, he explained that Stephen had been due to attend an official naming ceremony for the venue, but sadly died last November, at the age of 91, before that could happen.

Cameron is presenting the show to aid the launch of The Sondheim Foundation, established under the terms of the composers will.

The revenue will be generated from stage and film productions of Sondheims shows  which include West Side Story, Gypsy, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Sunday In The Park With George and Into The Woods  as well as income from his individual songs, played every day on radio and TV.

Heartfelt: The legendary actress held back the tears as she bowed at the end of the show

Sad: Hosted by Impresario Cameron Mackintosh, he explained that Stephen had been due to attend an official naming ceremony for the venue, but sadly died last November

Speaking to The Daily Mail, he added: So this is what he was planning before he died.'

The most influential composer of the last century has left the greatest gift that any single writer has given. Its extraordinary. Hes left everything for the future... hes left his incredible legacy to the writers of the future.

This comes as Judi revealed that she feels 'frightened' when she finishes an acting role.

Taking to the stage: Speaking to The Daily Mail, Cameron (centre) added: So this is what he was planning before he died'

Grateful: This comes as Judi revealed that she feels 'frightened' when she finishes an acting role

Curtain call: The actress admitted despite her legendary reputation, she is always worried no one will want to hire her again

The actress admitted despite her legendary reputation, she is always worried no one will want to hire her again.

Judi detailed how grateful she is to still be 'employed' and the relief that comes with being cast in a new project.

In an interview with Readers Digest magazine she confessed: 'Ive always thought, one is very lucky to be employed.

'I always get frightened at the end of the job because I think Im not going to be employed again and then feel very relieved at the beginning of the next one.'

Sucesses: Judi detailed how grateful she is to still be 'employed' and the relief that comes with being cast in a new project

Despite her decades of success, Judi, who most recently starred in the coming of age drama Belfast, admitted that she still feels nervous when she lands a new job.

She exclaimed: 'Ill say! I get more anxious now. Oh yes, much more anxious. Theres more things to consider and more things to find out and more things to learn about. And you think, "Oh God, have I got the energy to do this?"

When it comes to looking for new roles, the Belfast star is always on the hunt for something different to anything shes done before.

She said: 'I just, really, always hope that I will be asked to do something different. And perhaps not expected. Or something that has no reference to anything Ive done before.'
Jay Blades: No Place Like Home

Rating:

Freeze The Fear With Wim Hof

Rating:

Quick quiz question: Which well-loved telly character lived with his family in a block of flats renamed Nelson Mandela House in London?

You might be thinking of wheeler-dealer Del Boy, played by David Jason in Only Fools And Horses  but the updated answer is Jay Blades, host of The Repair Shop.

Jay Blades: No Place Like Home (C5) took him back to the Hackney streets where he grew up in the 1970s and 1980s. The Ridley Road market where he and his mum did the weekly shop might easily have been one of Del's pitches, flogging 'picture frames and leather goods, and Trevor Francis tracksuits'.

When Jay lived on Cazenove Road, the flats were known as Morley House. It wasn't until 1984 that they were rechristened in honour of the anti-apartheid hero.

Jay Blades of C4's The Repair Shop returned to Hackney to relive his past and discover the borough's history

Check the reference books and you'll see that Only Fools writer John Sullivan first borrowed Mandela's name as a joke three years before that. I love it when life imitates sitcom.

Jay has a knack for catchy, original TV concepts that don't cost a packet. No Place Like Home doesn't require months of research through ancient documents.

It relies on the universal fact that children rarely know much about the heritage of their local streets. Jay was amazed to realise that the places where he played as a boy were the scene of air-raids, riots and gangland funerals.

Similar stories could be told by celebs revisiting their childhood homes across the United Kingdom. The idea can be repeated endlessly, and be interesting every time.

Community worker Colin James, a boyhood friend, joined Jay for a kickabout on the grass outside Nelson Mandela House. 'Good times, great times,' reminisced Colin. 'That's why we're still talking about them now.'

Career high of the week Conleth Hill, so creepy as the scheming eunuch Lord Varys in Game Of Thrones, is everywhere this year; starring in ITV's crime drama Holding, and Britbox's Magpie Murders. Excellent as ever, he made a hilarious cameo in Derry Girls (C4) as a psychic. Advertisement

One historian painted a vivid picture of the first German bombing raid over London in May 1915, when a Zeppelin dropped incendiary devices onto Hackney houses.

Locals gaped in disbelief at the airship. 'It had the same effect as if a UFO came down Nevill Road now,' he said. 'It was monstrous.'

A short walk away, in Pellicci's Italian art deco cafe on Bethnal Green Road, Jay had a cup of tea with Maureen Flanagan, 80, who used to nip round to the Kray twins' flat to do their mum's hair. While she was fixing Violet's curlers, Reggie and Ronnie held business meetings in the rooms above.

'I was there once when two men came tumbling down the stairs,' she said, 'kicked down the stairs. They got up and ran.'

You'd expect the celebs on Freeze The Fear With Wim Hof (BBC1) to get up and run from the ice holes in a frozen Italian lake where they remained submerged for up to 15 minutes.

Wim's hectoring, loud-mouthed gibberish convinces them to stay put. 'If we are able to go into the deepest part of our brain,' the half-dressed Dutchman bellows, 'where else can we not go?'

That sounds like it's profound, till you realise it means nothing at all.

The spectacle of people risking frostbite and hypothermia, simply because a guru is yelling at them, is disturbing. 'I could watch this all day,' said presenter Lee Mack, but he never sounds convinced.

He and Wim don't appear to like each other. 'I am slowly coming round to your way of thinking,' Lee said awkwardly.

'Woah, that's nice,' retorted Wim, with a flat absence of enthusiasm. He knows a sceptic when he sees one.

What's needed is a real sceptic, a doctor to warn us just how dangerous some of this chilled-out hippy claptrap can be.
Comedian Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes has revealed the most embarrassing phone call he's ever shared with his mother.

The 2Day FM host admitted on Wednesday that his mum Carmel called to confront him over a recurring charge on his bank statement when he was in his twenties.

'I said, "Mum, it's [for] a brothel,"' the 51-year-old said, much to the amusement of his co-anchors Ed Kavalee and Erin Molan.

Toe-curler: Comedian Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes (pictured) has revealed the most embarrassing phone call he's ever shared with his mother

The unfortunate disclosure came after Carmel checked her son's bank statement, which was still mailed to his childhood home.

She had been searching for Dave's bank account number so she could transfer money directly to his account.

The funnyman recalled: 'She [called me and] said, "You keep spending $200 at this bistro. Why are you spending money at this bistro?"'

'I told her, "Mum, you don't want to know,"' added Hughesy, struggling not to laugh at the mortifying memory.

Awkward! The 2Day FM host admitted on Wednesday that his mum called to confront him over a recurring charge on his bank statement when he was in his twenties. (Seen with Erin Molan)

But his mother continued to press him, and Hughesy, who was single at the time, finally admitted he'd been visiting sex workers.

When his mum asked why he would need to visit a brothel, he admitted to her: 'I don't know, mum. I can't find a girlfriend.'

His co-hosts were stunned, with Erin asking, 'Two hundred bucks? Is that all it costs?'

What the? 'I said, "Mum, it's [for] a brothel,"' Hughesy recalled, much to the amusement of his co-anchors Ed Kavalee (pictured) and Erin Molan

The admission comes as the Hughesy, Ed & Erin show makes a slow comeback in the ratings.

Hughesy admitted earlier this month it had been an uphill battle cracking into Sydney's highly competitive radio market since the program launched last January.

'The Sydney market is very established and there are breakfast shows that have been on in Sydney for a decade or more; they've got rusted-on audiences,' he told The Australian.

Challenging market: The admission comes as the Hughesy, Ed & Erin show makes a slow comeback in the ratings

'We're starting a breakfast show on a network that had been playing music for two years before we came on, so we were starting from nothing really in terms of trying to get people to change their habits.'

Hughesy hosts 2Day FM's breakfast slot with comedian Ed Kavalee and journalist Erin Molan.

In August, the show tumbled to an all-time low in the ratings, slipping down 0.9 points to a 2.4 per cent market share.

Struggle: 'The Sydney market is very established and there are breakfast shows that have been on in Sydney for a decade or more, they've got rusted-on audiences,' Hughesy said

The breakfast show has since clawed back, and this month celebrated its best result in three years with a 4.2 per cent audience share.

Hughesy recently relocated to Sydney to host the radio show.

The father of three said in December that his wife Holly Hughes 'freaked out' about the 'far from ideal' arrangement.

Team: Hughesy hosts 2Day FM's breakfast slot with Ed Kavalee (left) and Erin Molan (right)

'The truth is I will be buying a property in Sydney in the next month or so and I will be up there a lot but we will still be splitting our time between Melbourne and Sydney,' he said.

Dave started his radio career in 2001, alongside Kate Langbroek and Dave O'Neill on Nova's Hughesy, Kate & Dave breakfast show.

In 2014, the radio show relaunched on KIIS FM but it was axed two years later.

In 2018, Dave and Kate joined the Hit Network replacing Hamish Blake and Andy Lee.
Lauren Conrad recently opened up about struggles she's faced since becoming a mother to two boys.

Speaking on the new podcast Perelel Lives, hosted by Alex Taylor, the former Laguna Beach star, 36, said she 'lost' herself after having her son, Liam.

'It took about a year for me to feel like myself again,' she admitted to the host.

Getting candid: Lauren Conrad recently opened up about struggles she's faced since becoming a mother to two boys

After her four-year-old son was born she said, 'I was like, "I don't know when I'm gonna get back."

'Like, "Am I just a new human now?"' Lauren married husband William Tell in 2014 and they also share a second son named Charlie, two.

Despite receiving advice from her friends who were already mothers, Conrad said there was no way she could've prepared for the journey into parenthood.

She described, 'I had friends who told me just enough; they told me the things I needed to know. ... They helped me prepare with checklists and then were there for me afterwards, in a supportive way.'

Challenges of motherhood: Speaking on the new podcast Perelel Lives, hosted by Alex Taylor, the former Laguna Beach star, 36, said she 'lost' herself after having her second son, Liam

She continued, 'The emotional journey afterwards...was just really challenging.'

Going on about the new chapter in her life she expressed, 'I think I was just really focused on the exciting parts and knew I could get through the rest.

'It's like a funny game that women play with each other because you know it's worth it and you can't just tell that to someone.'

Reflecting on how her pals encouraged her after she said they advised, '"You made a human, you're taking care of them, and it's a new-[and]-improved."'

Family life: Lauren shares sons Charlie and Liam with husband William Tell

Lauren and William planned to have only two children all along, so the former reality TV star kept that in mind when enduring her second pregnancy.

'We knew we were gonna be two and done, so that made it a little easier,' she explained, adding, 'I wasn't someone who loved being pregnant. I wasn't one of those people who like, loved the glow. Even in the hard moments... knowing, "This is the last time I'm gonna do this. I'm not gonna do this again."'

Since her days starring as a personality on MTV, Lauren has built a lifestyle brand and now regularly entertains 5.8 million Instagram followers.

The California native has an eponymous fragrance and also designs clothes for women and kids.

Mom friends! Lauren posed with fellow mom Molly Sims at the Little Markey's International Women's Day Celebration in March

Elsewhere on the podcast Mrs. Tell said she doesn't try to be a picture-perfect parent.

'I think a lot of times we get caught up as moms. You know, we've built our Pinterest pages. We've created this idea that things need to be perfect,' she admitted.

'But sometimes when you're doing stuff for kids, you have to do it for your kids and not for yourself. They just want to have fun,' she reflected.

Two things the influencer isn't willing to compromise on are eating lunch with her boys and dropping them off at school without the help of a nanny.

Family time: Lauren reflected on 2021 family moments in a recent social media post

Another pointer she has for mothers is to carve out time to do things without your kids.

'It's important to just be you for a minute,' she advised.

A built-in emotional support system goes a long way as well. She noted, 'I have a community of friends that are...just constantly reminding each other, "You're doing great. I'm proud of you. You're such a good mom."

'That makes a difference.'
Jessica Marais has been pictured working as a waitress for the first time.

The former Packed to the Rafters star, who stepped away from acting in 2018 to focus on her mental health, was seen serving drinks and cleaning tables in Sydney on Wednesday.

Sporting a black dress and matching apron, the Logie-winning actress, 37, greeted guests and took their orders.

Order up! Logie-winning actress Jessica Marais was pictured cleaning tables and serving drinks while waitressing in Sydney on Wednesday

Jessica dressed sensibly for a day on her feet, wearing a pair of white Converse sneakers, and slicked her curly blonde hair into a no-fuss ponytail.

She wore minimal makeup and eschewed jewellery for her shift.

Jessica effortlessly balanced multiple cups, bottles and plates as she made her way around the cafe.

Busy: Sporting a black dress and matching apron, the former Packed to the Rafters star, 37, greeted guests and took their orders

Practical: Jessica dressed sensibly for a day on her feet, wearing a pair of white Converse sneakers, and slicked her curly blonde hair into a no-fuss ponytail

Flashback: Jessica played Dr Joan Millar in Channel Nine drama Love Child from 2014 to 2017. She is seen here with co-stars Andrew Ryan (left) and Jonathan LaPaglia (right)

The role that made her famous: She found stardom playing Rachel Rafter on Seven's Packed to the Rafters from 2008 to 2013. (Pictured here second from right with the cast of the show)

The Love Child star smiled at customers while carrying a tray with two cappuccinos and was seen wiping down a table with a cloth.

Several patrons appeared to recognise their waitress as one of Australia's most famous TV stars.

Jessica is said to be enjoying her new job, with a customer telling New Idea this week she was 'friendly' and looked 'really happy' during a recent visit.

She's a natural! Jessica effortlessly balanced multiple cups, bottles and plates as she walked around the cafe

Is that really you? Several customers appeared to recognise their waitress as one of Australia's most famous TV stars

Working hard: At one stage, she was seen wiping down a table with a cloth

Local: Jessica looked happy as she tended to patrons

Jessica stepped away from acting in late 2018 but looked set to make a comeback in 2020 when she joined the cast of Back to the Rafters, the Amazon Prime Video reboot of beloved Channel Seven drama Packed to the Rafters.

She was due to reprise her role as Rachel Rafter, the character she had played from 2008 until 2013 in the original Seven series, but pulled out at the last minute.

Her former co-star Angus McLaren, who played Nathan Rafter, told Daily Mail Australia earlier this year she was 'doing well'.

Thriving: The sighting comes amid reports Jessica is enjoying in her new job, with a customer telling New Idea this week she was 'friendly' and looked 'really happy' during a recent visit

'Yeah we definitely missed her on set, but the good thing about Jess is she lived quite close to me when I was in Sydney,' he said.

'So I actually got to see her. I really have a lot of love for Jess.

'It would've been great to work with her. She's certainly one of those people who brings a good vibe to the set.'

Shock news: Jessica stepped away from acting in late 2018 but looked set to make a comeback in 2020 when she joined the cast of the Packed to the Rafters reboot. However, she shocked fans when she pulled out at the last minute

Worrying: Just months after pulling out of Back to the Rafters, Jessica sparked concern when emergency crews were called to her home in Sydney's east for a welfare check in May 2020

Jessica has had a difficult few years.

The mother of one, who suffers from bipolar disorder, was unable to attend the Logie Awards in July 2018 because she was receiving treatment for 'urgent' issues at The Health Clinic, a mental health facility in Bronte.

While in treatment, she attended daily counselling sessions and had access to nurses, psychiatrists and psychologists.

Scare: She was walked to an ambulance where she was put on a gurney and taken to the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick

Jessica reportedly followed a detox and inner health program, with inpatient programs averaging $25,000 for a month.

In September 2018, the South African-born star announced she was pulling out of Channel Nine show Bad Mothers a month before it was scheduled to begin filming.

'Jessica has decided to step away from acting for the remainder of 2018 to focus on her health and spend time with her family,' her manager said at the time.

Recovery: Fortunately, she appeared happy and healthy several weeks later as she spent time with her Packed to the Rafters co-star Hugh Sheridan and other supportive friends

In July 2019, it was announced that Jessica would return to screens in Halifax: Retribution, a reboot of '90s drama Halifax f.p., starring alongside Rebecca Gibney and Anthony LaPaglia.

However, two months later reports claimed she had pulled out of the series.

Then in February 2020, Jessica shocked fans by announcing she would be stepping away from the highly anticipated Back to the Rafters for 'personal reasons'.

Award-winner: Jessica is pictured posing with her trophy at the 2017 TV Week Logie Awards

'She thanks everyone involved on the show for their ongoing support and love, especially her Rafter's family, and sends them her very best wishes for the production,' a statement read.

Just months after pulling out of Back to the Rafters, Jessica sparked concern when emergency crews were called to her home in Sydney's east for a welfare check.

She was walked to an ambulance where she was put on a gurney and taken to the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick.

Co-parents: Jessica shares a 10-year-old daughter, Scout (centre), with her ex-fiance, Home and Away star James Stewart (left)

A witness told Daily Mail Australia she was not wearing any shoes, her hair was a 'dishevelled mess' and she was in a 'visibly distressed state'.

Fortunately, she appeared happy and healthy several weeks later as she spent time with her Packed to the Rafters co-star Hugh Sheridan and other supportive friends.

Months later, her mother Karen passed away.

Jessica shares a 10-year-old daughter, Scout, with her ex-fiance, Home and Away star James Stewart.

If you or someone you know needs support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14
Pamela Anderson continued to enjoy her success on Broadway as she greeted fans waiting outside the Ambassador Theatre in New York on Tuesday evening.

The Baywatch star, 54, looked every inch the blond bombshell after another night performing as Roxie Hart in Chicago.

Canadian-born Pammy dazzled fans waiting outside for her as she took time to sign autographs while flashing her Hollywood smile.

She's got it: Pamela Anderson looks every inch the blonde bombshell as she greets fans waiting for her after latest Chicago performance on Broadway

Anderson started her eight-week run as Roxie Hart in the musical last month, with her sons Dylan Jagger Lee, 24, and Brandon Thomas Lee, 25, in the audience on opening night.

When Pamela entered the cast of Chicago, she joined a long line of celebrities to play the lead role of Roxie in the current revival.

The original production, directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse, was only a moderate success in the 1970s despite being led by Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera.

However the show was revived in 1996, directed and choregraphed by Bob's onetime mistress Ann Reinking 'in the style of Bob Fosse,' and became a huge smash.

Wow: The Baywatch star, 54, looked every inch the blond bombshell after another night performing as Roxie Hart in Chicago

Sign of the times: Canadian-born Pammy dazzled fans waiting outside for her as she took time to sign autographs while flashing her Hollywood smile

The revival has become the second longest running Broadway musical of all time, surpassed only by The Phantom Of The Opera.

Celebrities galore have trouped in and out of the show, with Roxie alone played by a dizzying range of names including Brooke Shields, Ashlee Simpson, Lisa Rinna, Erika Jayne, Christie Brinkley and Melanie Griffith.

Anderson recently announced her upcoming Netflix documentary in a handwritten note on her Instagram, which reads she is 'not a victim, but a survivor alive to tell the real story.'

Glitz and pam: The Baywatch star looked simply stunning as she exited the theater

The revelation came after sources close to the actress said she felt 'violated' by the recent Hulu series, Pam & Tommy, which is focused on the theft and release of Pamela's and ex-husband Tommy Lee's infamous sex tape in 1995.

'The series has been very painful for Pamela Anderson and for anyone that loves her,' a source told ET. 'It is shocking that this series is allowed to happen without her approval.'

'The only thing she would probably erase is this burglary. She feels so violated to this day. It brings back a very painful time for her,' the insider added.
Lily Collins cut a fashionable figure as she attended an event celebrating her new role as the face of Living Proof, a haircare company.

The actress, 33, stepped out in a form-fitting, brown leather dress that stopped just above her ankles.

Buttons fastened to the middle kept the gown closed while a slit down the side revealed just a hint of Collins' bare legs.

Celebrity endorsement: Lily Collins cut a fashionable figure as she attended an event celebrating her new role as the face of Living Proof, a haircare company

Her light brown hair fell down in waves just below her shoulders, and her bangs covered her forehead, nearly reaching her eyes.

She walked in a pair of white high heels with red trim, and her lips were painted a vibrant pink.

The Emily in Paris star posed in front of a large image of her own face with her silky hair straightened out in the photo.

Leather-like material: The actress, 33, stepped out in a form-fitting, brown column dress that stopped just above her ankles

Cascades: Her light brown hair fell down in waves just below her shoulders, and her bangs covered her forehead, nearly reaching her eyes

Living Proof is a haircare company created in a collaboration by 'editorial hairstylists and elite professors from MIT University,' according to its website.

The company was founded in 2005 boasts, '120 global patents, 450+ formulas, 44 products, 100+ awards' and all of its products are 'rigorously developed and tested at our in-house laboratories in Boston.'

The brand has truly captured an in-demand star when it comes to Collins who has worked on a number of new projects in recent months.

Gaining a couple inches: She walked in a pair of white high heels with red trim, and her lips were painted a vibrant pink

Scientific brand: Living Proof is a haircare company created in a collaboration by 'editorial hairstylists and elite professors from MIT University,' according to its website

Her new movie Windfall, in which she stars alongside Jason Segel and Jesse Plemons, came out in March and follows a man who breaks into a tech billionaire and his wife's vacation home.

The Mirror Mirror star's upcoming film Halo of Stars is currently in post-production and follows the relationship between a circus clown and his daughter.

She will also soon beginning filming the thriller Titan and the true crime film Gilded Rage which will bring the true story of Thomas Gilbert Jr., who committed patricide after his father reduced his allowance, to life.

Collins will star alongside heavyweight actors Bill Skarsgard and Christoph Waltz in the movie her husband Charlie McDowell is directing.
Casey Donovan showed off her impressive weight loss as she went for a stroll in Sydney on Tuesday.

The Australian Idol winner worked up a sweat in a pair of tiny shorts and a tank top as she walked along Bondi Beach's famous promenade.

The 33-year-old teamed her all-black look with a stylish pair of black sneakers.

Slimdown: Casey Donovan showed off her incredible weight loss as she went for a walk along Bondi Beach on Tuesday. Pictured in 2006, left, and on Tuesday, right

She appeared deep in thought as she lapped up the Autumn sunshine.

Back in 2017, Casey revealed she had shed an incredible 23kgs in 15 weeks.

Sharing a before and after picture, she said: 'When motivation lacks, I look at how far I've come and I don't ever want to go back to that girl in the white singlet.'

'It's not an easy road, but the payoff is so rewarding. Just to feel better in health and be able to run a little longer each week makes me feel so much stronger in the person I am and how proud I am of myself for coming this far.'

The Australian Idol winner worked up a sweat in a pair of tiny shorts and a tank top

Focusing on herself: Casey has been focusing on her health and fitness lately

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph in 2020, Casey revealed she was focusing on healthy eating and maintaining a calorie deficit to lose weight.

'My five a day would be broccolini, asparagus, sweet potato, onion (they're a vegetable aren't they?) and avocado,' she said.

'My body doesn't work well on fruit in general because of my polycystic ovary syndrome.'

Shedding the pounds: Back in 2017, Casey revealed she had shed an incredible 23kgs in 15 weeks

She also started exercising and admitted that 'sex is great cardio'.

'I have tried shakes and I've tried keto but at the end of the day you have to find something that is sustainable for your body,' she explained.

'A calorie deficit is the best thing that has worked for my body, as well as upping my protein.'
Kendall Jenner decided to dress in a more relaxed ensemble on Tuesday following her glamorous evening at the Met Gala Monday night.

The reality television star, 26, stepped out in a white t-shirt and black leggings while running errands in Beverly Hills.

A beige sweater rested on her shoulders, and she walked in a pair of comfortable looking slippers.

Keeping casual: Kendall Jenner decided to dress in a more relaxed ensemble on Tuesday following her glamorous evening at the Met Gala Monday night

She parted her long brown hair in the middle, and the locks fell down to the middle of her back.

Jenner's black sunglasses clung to her sharp cheekbones, protecting her eyes from the harsh California sun.

The Los Angeles native either took a late night or early morning flight back from New York City after enjoying an evening at the Met Gala on Monday.

Busy woman: The reality television star, 26, stepped out in a white t-shirt and black leggings while running errands in Beverly Hills

Keeping cozy: She parted her long brown hair in the middle, and the locks fell down to the middle of her back

Cross country flight: The Los Angeles native either took a late night or early morning flight back from New York City after enjoying an evening at the Met Gala on Monday

The statuesque stunner attended the event in a black gown with a billowing skirt adorned with ruffle accents.

Her recently dyed auburn hair was back to its chestnut brown shade as it flowed behind her soft waves.

The lengthy locks were styled in a center part and neatly tucked behind her ears, showing off small and dainty drop earrings.

Jenner's dress had a long and dramatic train that trailed behind her as she headed to the red carpet.

So many ruffles: The statuesque stunner attended the event in a black gown with a billowing skirt adorned with ruffle accents

Back to its usual color: Her recently dyed auburn hair was back to its chestnut brown shade as it flowed behind her soft waves

Letting her clothes do the talking: The 818 Tequila founder skipped a necklace, bracelets, and rings, giving her statement-making dress and stunning makeup look full attention

The sleeveless bodice of Kendall's gown had a modest, soft square neckline and was layered with net lining.

It had 3-dimensional flower-like adornments and the material underneath was just barely opaque enough to cover her chest.

The 818 Tequila founder skipped a necklace, bracelets, and rings, giving her statement-making dress and stunning makeup look full attention.

This year marks the first in history since the Kardashian-Jenner family rose to fame that all of the sisters, plus mom Kris Jenner, that each member was invited.

After making her appearance Kendall met up with some of her family for group photos. The runway regular's arrival was worth the wait, as she stunned on the carpet.

Jenner rocked a chic, glossy black manicure to complement her black gown and darker hair.

Sisters: Four out of the five Kardashian-Jenner sisters got together for a photo as Kim Kardashian trailed behind

Family affair: Kendall and Kylie Jenner greet each other inside the Met Gala as sisters Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian look on
She was recently attacked by trolls who criticised the way she looked.

But Married At First Sight star Tamara Djordjevic had the last laugh on Wednesday when she flaunted her phenomenal figure in a yellow G-string bikini.

The 30-year-old shared a raunchy photo of herself in the swimwear while standing in the backyard of her Gold Coast home.

Having the last laugh! Married At First Sight star Tamara Djordjevic flaunted her phenomenal figure in a yellow G-string bikini after hitting back at trolls who mocked her looks

The reality star looked toned and tanned as she offered the camera a sultry stare in the revealing swimwear.

'Mum says yellows not my colour, but are mums always really right,' Tamara captioned the photo.

The post came after Tamara revealed she was attacked by nasty trolls.

'I don't give a toss': The post came after Tamara revealed she was attacked by nasty trolls. She said the hate 'didn't bother' her and despite considering rhinoplasty over the years she's 'accepted herself for her flaws'.

The blonde beauty said she's been targeted several times in a lengthy Q&A.

Tamara said the hate 'didn't bother' her and despite considering rhinoplasty over the years she's 'accepted herself for her flaws'.

'How u ignore the snarky nose comments and r still so confident? I love your nose/look btw? (sic),' one fan asked.

'It doesn't bother me. I have for many years since being an adult, tossed up to get a nose job. Sometimes I'm gong to get it and sometimes I don't want to look like anybody else.

'I'm not saying I wont ever get one... It's one of those things. I broke my nose twice as a little kid, which is why I have the bump here, it used to upset me and people pick on me about it.'

The Serbian beauty said she's learned to love herself.

Natural beauty? She admitted she's had some cosmetic procedures done, including lip filler and Botox, but considers herself 'au naturale'

'But like, how much can you change yourself and fix yourself until you just accept yourself for who you are? I've accepted myself for my flaws and yes that's a flaw.'

She admitted she's had some cosmetic procedures done, including lip filler and Botox, but considers herself 'au naturale'.

Tamara rose to fame on Married At First Sight earlier this year.

Reality star: Tamara rose to fame on Married At First Sight earlier this year

In recent weeks, she has sparked rumours she's dating her Married At First Sight co-star Mitch Eynaud.

But the pair recently said they were 'really good friends' and refused to put a label on things.

Tamara was partnered with hospitality manager Brent Vitiello on MAFS, but he broke up with her during their final vows.
Bon Scott's younger brother Derek is set to talk about the late rockstar's tragic death in an upcoming interview for Australian Story.

Speaking to the program in an episode set to air on the ABC on Monday, Derek revealed his family had tried to speak to his brother about his out of control drinking.

Derek explained that their mother, Isa, had spoken to Bon about his excessive drinking in the lead up to his death from acute alcohol poisoning in 1980.

Tell-all: Bon Scott's younger brother Derek is set to talk about the late rockstar's tragic death in an upcoming interview for Australian Story. Pictured, Bon Scott onstage in Hollywood in 1977

He added that his famous brother - who died aged just 33 - 'never worried about tomorrow', always believing that 'tomorrow is another day'.

'My mother always told him off, "You're drinking too much, you're drinking too much." But you could only say it once, maybe twice. After that, he argued,' said Derek.

Bon's former housemate, Bruce Howe, had previously spoken about the AC/DC frontman's drinking habits in the On the Brink: Bon Scott documentary.

Intervention: Speaking to the program in an episode set to air on the ABC on Monday, Derek revealed his family had tried to speak to his brother about his out of control drinking. Pictured, Bon with AC/DC in London in August 1979

Bruce said he saw Bon just months before his untimely death, and detailed how his behaviour had changed.

'He wasn't bubbly and laughing. Maybe he'd come to the state where he'd achieved his dream, he found his holy grail, but found that his holy grail might have looked like an empty goblet,' he recounted.

Bon died in London in February 1980 after a wild night of partying at nightclub Music Machine.

Tragic: Derek explained that their mother, Isa, had spoken to Bon about his excessive drinking in the lead up to his death from acute alcohol poisoning in 1980. Pictured onstage in London in August 1979

He later went to sleep it off in friend Alistair Kinnear's car, and was discovered lifeless in the vehicle the next day.

Alistair contacted the authorities, and Bon was rushed to King's College Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

It was later determined that Bon had died from acute alcohol poisoning, and it was classified as 'death by misadventure'.
Megan Thee Stallion ensured all eyes were on her as she enjoyed a family dinner at Carbone restaurant in New York City on Tuesday.

The rapper, 27, looked sensational for the evening as she donned a light blue mini dress that highlighted her incredible figure.

The skintight garment featured a tassel detail along the sides while Megan added height to her frame with a pair of open-toed heels.

Stunning: Megan Thee Stallion ensured all eyes were on her as she donned a skintight blue mini dress at Carbone restaurant in New York City on Tuesday

The hitmaker - whose real name is Megan Jovon Ruth Pete - also sported a pair of eye-catching gold earrings with a shimmering detail.

Styling her locks into an updo, Megan complimented her outfit with a navy clutch bag as she departed the venue.

The star completed her look for the outing with a gold ring and dramatic blue and pink nails.

Megan returned to her beloved hometown of Houston on Sunday, where she was bestowed with a huge honor: the key to the city.

Fashion: The skintight garment featured a tassel detail along the sides while Megan added height to her frame with a pair of open-toed heels

Style: Megan complimented her outfit with a navy clutch bag as she departed the venue

The rapper was honored by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner with the key to the city on Sunday.

The Mayor also declared that May 2 will forever be known as Megan Thee Stallion Day in the city of Houston.

'Came home real quick to get THEE KEY TO THEE CITY,' the rapper began in her Instagram post on Sunday.

Flawless: Megan complimented her outfit with a gold ring and dramatic blue and pink nails

She added, 'and in honor of my mother and grandmothers birthday MAY 2ND is officially MEGAN THEE STALLION DAY IN HOUSTON TX.'

Megan went on to thank Mayor Turner, 'for honoring me today and I will continue to give back to the city that made me who I am today,' she concluded.

Turner said during the ceremony, 'Individuals who receive the key are responsible of upholding Houstons values and represent the best this city offers.

'In fact, the key is our commitment to those who represent Houston at its best.'

Honor: Megan returned to her beloved hometown of Houston on Sunday, where she was bestowed with a huge honor: the key to the city
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They've been together since 2008 and have since welcomed three children.

And Conor McGregor looked happier than ever with fiancee Dee Devlin and as they posed for sweet Instagram snaps on a yacht during a sun-soaked getaway in an unknown location on Tuesday.

The Irish professional mixed martial artist, 33, showed off his muscular physique as he went shirtless while chilling out with his swimsuit-clad partner, 34, whom he called his 'big busty woman'.

Cute: Conor McGregor looked happier than ever with fiancee Dee Devlin as they posed for sweet Instagram snaps on a yacht during a sun-soaked getaway on Tuesday

Conor shielded his face from the sun with a straw sun hat, which Dee soon swiped for herself and pose with in several snaps.

Dee looked incredible as she flaunted her figure in a white patterned swimming costume.

Captioning the photos, Dee penned: 'Mine', but failed to mention where the couple had jetted off to.

Meanwhile, Conor cheekily commented: 'My big busty woman I love you baby what floor we on again ? And which yacht. ah stop dont stop my baby I love you so much dee I do all of this for you, for us, I hate everyone else, I love you.'

Mine! Conor shielded his face from the sun with a straw sun hat, which Dee soon swiped for herself and pose with in several snaps

The couple's romantic display comes after Conor took receipt of his 2.4million Lamborghini super-yacht and wasted no time in showing off the lavish boat on social media.

The UFC fighter has branded his latest purchase the 'supercar of the seas,' with a new social media video backing the claim by capturing the sleek vessel as it cuts across water at high speed.

McGregor shelled out more than 2million for the Lamborghini yacht, one of only 63 to be built by the Italian manufacturer, in October.

Couple goals: Conor and Dee looked happy and relaxed as they enjoyed some quality time together

Looking good: The mum-of-three looked incredible as she flaunted her figure in a white patterned swimming costume

All the love: Meanwhile, Conor cheekily commented: 'My big busty woman I love you baby what floor we on again ? And which yacht. ah stop dont stop my baby I love you so much dee I do all of this for you, for us, I hate everyone else, I love you'

His boat is understood to be the twelfth off the production line, a tribute to his whiskey brand, Proper Twelve.

But the price is a mere drop in the ocean for the sportsman, who has an estimated net worth of 145 million.

At 24 tons, the 63-feet long yacht can reach a top speed of 69mph (60 knots) and boasts 4,000 horsepower with its twin 24.2-litre V-12 diesels.

Among the yacht's other swanky features is a private bedroom space in the lower quarters, offering a cosy spot to relax while the boat cruises through the sea.

Good times: The couple larked about together as they posed for snaps

Delighted: The pair couldn't keep the smiles off their faces as they enjoyed some alone time together

Boat life: Dee gripped on to the sun hat as she chilled out with her partner of 14 years

Sunnier climes: Captioning the photos, Dee penned: 'Mine', but failed to mention where the couple had jetted off to

Back in October a delighted McGregor was pictured picking out swatches for his brand new yacht, alongside fiancee Dee Devlin and their children Conor Jr, three, Croia, 21 months and Rian, 11 months.

He captioned the photos: 'The No.12 'McGregor edition' @tecnomaryachts @lamborghini Lamborghini's first entry into the Sport Yacht World comes in the form of this 63foot, 4000bhp, duel engine, twin turbo, rocket ship!

'Titled the ''Supercar of the Sea''. I am honoured to secure the Number 12 edition of just 63 to be made. 1963 being the year Lamborghini first began, and 12 being, well you know Twelve!

'Proper F*****g Twelve baby! Ain't no stopping it! @properwhiskey

'Thank you Giuseppe Constantino and the entire team at 'The Italian Sea Group' for your amazing work! Excited to see the finished result during next seasons yachting season.'

Impressive: It comes after Conor took receipt of his 2.4million Lamborghini super-yacht and wasted no time in showing off the lavishly furnished boat on social media
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America's Got Talent star Jonathan Goodwin has shared the first picture of himself in a wheelchair - after his fiancee Amanda Abbington revealed he has been left paralysed for life after a fireball stunt went wrong.

The Brit, 42, who was in hospital for four months as a result and only came home in February accompanied the Instagram image of himself and his dog, with a positive post which read: 'Six months ago I went to rehearse something and left this little hairy monkey waiting patiently for me

'He didnt see his dad again until just a couple of weeks ago and when he finally did, dad had new cool wheels.

'A lot has changed in the last six months - but I'm very much loved': America's Got Talent's Jonathan Goodwin shared a first picture of himself in a wheelchair on Instagram on Wednesday after fireball stunt has left paralysed for life

'A lot has changed in the last six months, but love is a constant and Im very very loved. Looking forward to my next chapters and being a roll model.'

Taking to Instagram Stories, he shared another picture of himself and wrote: 'Thanks for all the love and lovely messages. To answer some questions, I have a T11 spinal cord injury which means I'm paralysed from the waist down.

'It's likely a permanent sitch. If any of you want to race though, I'm pretty sure I can beat you #bringit.'

Amanda also shared a loving picture of herself with Jonathan, in which he appeared to be sporting a new tattoo and wrote: 'We stopped watching serial killers to take a short paws.'

'I have a spinal cord injury': Jonathan also shared this positive looking picture in which he spoke about his paralysis for the first time

'A short paws': His fiancee, Amanda Abbington shared a loved up post - as she shared her support for her partner

Jonathan was seriously injured after performing the dangerous stunt in October 2021 where he attempted to escape from a straight jacket while being hung upside down 30 feet in the air in between two suspended cars.

Abbington herself explained that the timing was misjudged and the cars were released too early, causing him to be crushed between them as they caught on fire.

She said Jonathan, who also appeared on the 2019 season of Britain's Got Talent, will never recover from the accident at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Georgia which saw him nearly die twice.

Amanda told the Out to Lunch podcast with Jay Rayner: 'He fell 30 feet and lost a kidney, broke both shoulder blades, shattered both legs.

'Third degree burns, broke his spine and severed his spinal cord and, nearly died. And then on the operating table, he nearly died again.'

The Sherlock actress confirmed it is unlikely Jonathan will walk again, saying: 'He's paralysed now he's in a wheelchair.'

Nearly died twice: Jonathan's AGT stunt went horribly wrong and lead to him being hospitalized for four months - pictured in his hospital bed

Shocking: Jonathan was seriously injured after the dangerous stunt where he attempted to escape from a straight jacket while being hung upside down 30 feet in the air in between two suspended cars which exploded on impact

Stunt: The stunt was filmed at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Goodwin was suspended 70 feet in the air

'Unless there's a kind of stem cell surgery or that thing that Elon Musk is designing with the little chip, he'll be like that forever.'

Jonathan was released from hospital in February and Amanda - who has two children with former partner Martin Freeman - praised his bravery as he continues the long road to recovery.

She added: 'His courage and his strength is something that I just aspire to be like. He's just incredible, honestly, like so happy, just like a very happy, positive human being, just liquid sunshine. He's amazing.'

The actress also revealed the stuntman had sent her a voicemail before his surgery explaining that there was a 50% chance he would not make it, so he told her he loved her and thanked her for the last couple of months of his life with her.

Injured: The day before, Amanda has revealed her fiance, stunt performer Jonathan Goodwin, has been left paralysed and in a wheelchair after performing the dangerous stunt for America's Got Talent: Extreme in October 2021

Goodwin, who has now retired from escapology, documented his four months in hospital recovering from injuries including burns and broken legs.

He has performed other similarly death-defying stunts before. In 2013, he wore a straightjacket and dangled from a blazing rope over the River Thames in London.

Goodwin was suspended upside down from the London Eye and managed to escape, which was all part of his TV series The Incredible Mr Goodwin.

One of his most dramatic stunts for America's Got Talent involved him covering himself in flammable liquid and shackling himself up putting his head in a box so that he couldn't see.

He had to escape from the restraints in less than 20 seconds after he was set on fire.

Goodwin successful completed the stunt, which set several of the judges on edge, despite it being the first time he had ever attempted the death-defying act.

In contrast to his fiery stunts, Goodwin went underwater for the BBC special How Not to Become Shark Bait, in which he demonstrated by allowing a Caribbean reef shark to attack him.

During the doomed stunt for America's Got Talent: Extreme, Jonathan was suspended 70ft in the air, sandwiched between two cars and clad in a straightjacket, when the vehicles burst into flames.

He missed the air mattress that was supposed to break his fall and hit his head on the ground. Jonathan later admitted he had 'dodged the worst' but had a 'long road to recovery' ahead of him.

Suspended: The accident happened in mid-October, with NBC 'temporarily' suspending production on the show

He wrote on Instagram: 'To death I say nananana boo boo. I have been to the very brink and dodged the worst that a human being can, without fear because I was protected by love.

'Love is all you need, so make sure you get some, cos its good s***. 'There is a long road to recovery and that won't look like what it did I may leave the daft s*** alone for a while, but I have a lot left to do in this world. Maybe we can make something good together?'

The accident happened in mid-October, with NBC 'temporarily' suspending production on the show.

The stunt was filmed at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Jonathan was suspended 70 feet in the air. He was supposed to free himself and fall into an inflatable airbag, before two cars slammed together on each side of him.

But the timing was miscalculated and both the cars collided with Jonathan, exploding on impact. Jonathan fell to the ground but missed the airbag and landed on his head. He was airlifted to a local hospital.

A recording of a 911 call was published by The US Sun in which a woman said: 'We are at the Atlanta Motor Speedway at the America's Got Talent filming location. We had a man suspended from a cable with cars that were supposed to slam into each other, and he didn't drop in time and they slammed into him.

Shocking: Jonathan later admitted he had 'dodged the worst' but had a 'long road to recovery' ahead of him as he remained in hospital after the terrifying incident

Long road to recovery: Jonathan spent four months in hospital with his injuries

'He's about a 40-year-old white male. He fell about 40 feet. He missed the airbag and landed on his head.'

'During a rehearsal last evening for America's Got Talent: Extreme, an accident occurred in which escape artist Jonathan Goodwin was injured while performing his act,' the show said in a statement

'He was responsive and was immediately taken to the hospital where he is continuing to receive medical care. Our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family as we await further updates on his condition.'

The spokesperson added: 'The health and safety of our cast and crew continue to be our priority.'

The accident happened during a rehearsal for the show so it's unclear if the accident will be addressed at all during the inaugural season of AGT: Extreme.

Amanda previously spoke about her fiance's daredevil lifestyle to The Daily Mail's Richard Eden, gushing: 'Jonathan sets fire to himself and catches bullets for a living, but is also grown up, sensitive, and considerate. I'm completely besotted.'

The Welsh daredevil is said to have proposed to Amanda last year just weeks before his lifechanging accident. It is not clear when the couple began dating.

The couple had previously been friends on social media for around 10 years, with Abbington following his content as her son Joe thought his act was 'amazing'.

She explained that they connected after she split with fellow Sherlock actor Martin Freeman and separated from another partner - and when Goodwin had divorced from his wife.

James and Amanda: The stuntman shared a photo of him with his fiancee, Sherlock actress Amanda as they celebrated his release from the hospital

Abbington revealed that at the beginning of their relationship, they spent hours talking on the phone every day before he flew to Vienna to meet her in person for the first time.

Amanda - who split from husband Martin Freeman five years ago - shared her first picture with Jonathan, posting a throwback from a recent romantic getaway that she captioned: 'When in Vienna, you hang out at the graveyards. What of it.'

Her post came after Jonathan shared his first picture of the pair earlier in the month, penning: 'That was possibly the longest game of hide and seek ever.'

Amanda then commented: 'I love you. '

The rumours came just nine months after Amanda revealed she had split from The Queen's Gambit actor Jonjo O'Neill after four years.

The TV star started dating Irishman Jonjo, 42, after she split from actor Martin, 50, in 2016 after 16 years together.

Amanda, known for playing Mary Morstan in Sherlock, and Jonjo took the step of moving in together in her Hertfordshire home during the pandemic last year.

The actress announced the split to fans on her Instagram Live, saying: 'Sadly no Irishman anymore. He's gone... it's fine, it's just one of those things.'

Cute couple: Amanda shared her first picture with Jonathan in October posting a throwback that she captioned: 'When in Vienna, you hang out at the graveyards. What of it'

Sweet: Her post came after Jonathan shared his first picture of the pair, penning: 'That was possibly the longest game of hide and seek ever.' Amanda then commented: 'I love you'

The mother-of-two hinted at her heartbreak by saying she was, 'very sad for personal reasons' and admitting she was struggling with lockdown because she was 'on my own in the house', The Sun reports.

She added: 'At the moment I'm quite fragile... I'm a fragile girl at the moment.'

Amanda also joked that she had joined a dating app in a bid to combat her loneliness.

She wrote: 'I go on Tinder. No, I've never been on Tinder, nor would I, that was a joke. Being on your own, certainly, you build your strength up and you get a sense of perspective.'

Amanda and Jonjo first began dating in November 2016 - nine months after she secretly split from The Office star Martin.

The actress recently discussed her break up from Martin as she expressed fears that they had given their two children 'irreparable damage' after their split.

The couple share son Joe, 15, and daughter Grace, 12.

Talking to fans in April during an Instagram live for the It's Ok mental health campaign, which she is an ambassador of, Amanda admitted it is 'unsettling' if she pretends to be a Stepford Wife parent and doesn't want to 'hide' anything from her children.

Case of the ex: Rumours of the engagement came just nine months after Amanda revealed she had split from The Queen's Gambit actor Jonjo O'Neill after four years (pictured in September 2019)

Amanda said during the video, which was broadcast to 49.1K followers: 'I think it's unsettling if I pretend I'm this Stepford Wife parent.

'Nobody is. I'm sure I've given them irreparable damage and they will be going to therapy because of me and Martin at some point.'

She continued: 'If I can teach them to talk about it, say there's nothing to be frightened of or ashamed of with whatever you're going through.

'Whether you get drunk or try drugs, whatever you do  this place where we live is a safe place where you can say whatever you like.

'That's what I am striving for and what Martin strives for as well  to create a place where they're not hiding anything.'

Amanda added that it is important to discuss mental health with her children and for them to know that some days are 'hard' for her so it's not a 'dirty secret'.

She said: 'To hide this from my children, that sometimes I get depressed or if I'm on antidepressants, what are you saying about all these mental health issues? Are you saying they're offensive and shouldn't happen? I don't want that.'
Fern Britton has struggled to move on from the breakdown of her marriage to Phil Vickery.

The TV presenter and author, 64, split from TV chef Phil, 61, in 2020 after 20 years of marriage but amid health problems in recent years, she has admitted it's been a tough time.

Fern, who lives in Cornwall with her two daughters, was pictured last week on a stroll around Manchester in between work meetings after speaking out on her post divorce years.

Tough two years: Fern Britton has spoken out on her struggle to move on from the breakdown of her marriage to Phil Vickery (pictured last month in Manchester)

Fern and Phil tied the knot 20 years ago in 2000, after Fern had split from former husband Clive in the same year following a 12-year marriage.

The couple share daughter Winnie, 20, whilst the Ready Steady Cook presenter also has twins Harry and Jack, 28 and Grace, 25, with former husband Clive Jones.

Speaking to Woman & Home Magazine last month Fern reflected on the past two years.

'People say they bounce back from a long relationship, but it takes a while,' she said.

Happier times: The TV presenter and author, 64, split from TV chef Phil, 61, in 2020 after 20 years of marriage but amid health problems in recent years, she has admitted it's been a tough time (pictured together in 2007)

'The rebound is difficult. You chuck the pebble in the pond, but the ripples go on for a very long time.'

'It's been a long time getting to the dawn, but I'm in another brand-new chapter and do feel it will be all right,' Fern added, as she explained how she has turned to 'yoga, meditation and walking' in order to help herself heal and move on in life.

The star has also had to contend with health issues, as she struggles with the effects of debilitating arthritis.

'My knee is really bad and so is my shoulder,' she said. 'I'm waiting on a list for a surgeon to sort it out. It's very boring when your body starts to be in pain most of the time, but yoga helps.'

Moving on: Fern, who lives in Cornwall with her two daughters, was pictured last week on a stroll around Manchester in between work meetings after speaking out on her post divorce years

As well as yoga, meditation and walking, the former This Morning host has also taken up skinny dipping near her Cornish home.

The television presenter relocated to Cornwall after winding down her work in television and has been taking advantage of her coastal surroundings.

Yet she told the Daily Mail's Richard Eden that despite her best efforts to be discreet, she's been caught out by other residents of the seaside town.

The author revealed she had been for a swim in a 'quiet little cove' in the English Channel but things took a turn when she realised she wasn't alone.

She admitted: 'I saw some people on the cliff and thought, "Oh, b****r."'
He will soon be returning to the big screen in The Expendables 4 alongside his 'action brother' Jason Statham.

And Sylvester Stallone, 75, took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a cheeky clip as he wrapped filming on the action flick.

With British actor Jason jokingly declaring the Hollywood legend's exit as 'abandonment'.

'It's abandonment': Sylvester Stallone, 75, took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a cheeky clip as he wrapped filming on the action flick The Expendables alongside Jason Statham, 54

Bidding farewell to his co-star the Rocky actor playfully asked: 'Are you feeling incredibly depressed?'.

Sharing the video with his 14.8million followers, the Rambo star beamed as Jason, 54, answered: 'Rather happy why?'.

'Because I'm leaving you and you're on your own', Sly boomed as he pulled the camera close to his distinguished face.

Bye: Bidding farewell to his co-star the Rocky actor playfully asked: 'Are you feeling incredibly depressed?'

Pals: Sharing the video with his 14.8million followers, the Rambo star beamed as Jason, 54, answered: 'Rather Happy why?'

Close-up: 'Because I'm leaving you and you're on your own', Sly boomed as he pulled the camera close to his distinguished face

The pair, who were in high spirits, laughed as Jason, who is continuing to film scenes for the next few weeks, continued: 'It's going to be a very lonely set, now he's deciding to leave us'.

Adding: 'It's called a mutiny! It's called abandonment!'.

The Creed actor laughed: 'Yes but you're capable captain'.

Jokes: The pair, who were in high spirits, laughed as Jason, who is continuing to film scenes for the next few weeks, continued: 'It's going to be a very lonely set, now he's deciding to leave us'.

'You're supposed to be sorry, you're supposed to be apologetic, rather than all happy about it' Jason snapped back in mock annoyance.

With laughter from on-lookers Sylvester well and truly had the last word by concluding: ' when I have my teeth wrapped around caviar and pheasant I'll be thinking about you dear'.

Captioning the clip the Hollywood actor wrote: Me and my action brother @jasonstatham'.

Smarty pants: The duo looked smart in the clip filmed from an unknown UK location where the movie set is based

Best of friends: Captioning the clip the Hollywood actor wrote: Me and my action brother @jasonstatham'

The duo looked smart in the clip filmed from an unknown UK location where the movie set is based.

Sylvester wore a tan checked shirt open over a casual black T-shirt with his salt and pepper hair slicked back.

While Transporter actor Jason wore a stylish black motorcycle jacket layered over a white shirt.

They're back! On-set at an unknown location in England, the Hollywood stars have shared clips of their shenanigans to Instagram

Sly starred in and directed The Expendables debut instalment in 2010, and went on to reprise his role in two sequels.

The picture attracted the likes of Dolph, Harrison Ford, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson, and more.

Newcomers to the fourth movie include Megan Fox, Andy Garcia, Tony Jaa, and 50 Cent.

Talented: Sly starred in and directed the series' debut instalment in 2010, and went on to reprise his role in two sequels (pictured in 2010, centre, with Jason, left, and Randy Couture, right)

2014's third instalment saw the Expendables face a new opponent - their co-founder Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), who was set on finishing the group off.

Next up for the franchise is The Expendabelles, a spin-off that will consist of a primarily female cast.

According to TIME, producer Avi Lerner said of the upcoming film: 'We are writing the final lines of the script [and] weve got lots of ideas about who is going to be in it.'
She is an American reality television personality.

But on Tuesday, Brynne Edelsten had fans doing a double take when she showed off her dramatic new hairstyle on Instagram.

The 39-year-old socialite ditched her signature blonde hair for new white locks with purple highlights.

Brynne Edelsten doesn't look like this anymore! Socialite looked almost unrecognisable as she debuted her dramatic new look on Tuesday

Brynne showed off her new hairstyle as she posed at the salon following her transformation.

It comes after it was reported Brynne had welcomed her first child.

The reality star and socialite had a baby girl last month, The Herald Sun claimed.

New look: The 39-year-old socialite ditched her signature blonde hair for new white locks with purple highlights

The blonde bombshell has not yet confirmed the birth of her daughter on social media.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Brynne Edelsten for comment.

The ex-wife of late medical millionaire Geoffrey Edelsten announced she was pregnant in December.

Sharing a photo of her ultrasound on Instagram, she wrote: 'Miracles do happen & each is another day closer to meeting the love of my life.'

It's unclear who the father of the unborn child is, but Brynne was last linked to boyfriend Brok Eastwood, whom she met on Facebook.

Baby love: It comes after it was reported Brynne had welcomed her first child

However, as Brynne and Brok haven't been pictured together in months, it's highly unlikely that he is the father.

She later told New Idea she plans to raise her baby alone.

'There's no man in the picture,' she said. 'I told the father, though. I would never keep the father of my child apart  I don't think that's ever going to be something that happens.

'I told him I was happy to raise [the baby] alone, so I'm not sure what he'll want to do. I just see my baby as a blessing  I'm really happy about it.'
He's followed in his father's footsteps by pursuing an acting career.

So Levon Thurman-Hawke was no doubt asking his dad for some tips when Ethan dropped by to visit him on the set of The Crowded Room in New York City on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old actor is currently working with Tom Holland on the Apple TV+ series which is based partly on the true story of Billy Milligan, a.k.a. The Campus Rapist.

Training Day: Levon Thurman-Hawke was no doubt asking dad Ethan for acting tips when his father dropped by to visit him on the set of The Crowded Room in New York City on Tuesday

The pair were seen in Seventies attire as they filmed the series, with Levon donning a patchwork fleece and wide legged jeans.

After shooting scenes with Tom, he took a break to chat with dad Ethan, who cycled onto the set for a brief moment.

It's no surprise that Levon has gone into acting having grown up around Ethan and also Hollywood star mother Uma Thurman.

One to watch: The 20-year-old actor is currently working with Tom Holland on the Apple TV+ series which is based partly on the true story of Billy Milligan, a.k.a. The Campus Rapist

Retro: The pair were seen in Seventies attire as they filmed the series, with Levon donning a patchwork fleece and wide legged jeans

Uma and Ethan married in 1998 with daughter Maya - who has also gone into acting - born in the same year, while they welcomed Levon in 2002.

The former couple separated in 2003 and their divorce was finalised two years later.

Levon recently filmed short thriller Blackout and is now working on The Crowded Room 'an anthology series that will explore inspirational stories of those who have struggled with mental illness and learned to live successfully with it,' according to Deadline.

Interesting: The Crowded Room is 'an anthology series that will explore inspirational stories of those who have struggled with mental illness and learned to live successfully with it'

Joined by more stars: The cast also includes Emmy Rossum, who will play Danny's mother Candy, and Amanda Seyfried, who has been cast as a clinical psychologist

Wait for it: It is unknown when the true-crime show will be released, but it likely won't be until 2023 at the earliest

Season one, which will be 10 episodes, is based on the life of writer and producer Akiva Goldsman as well as parts of Daniel Keyess nonfiction novel, The Minds of Billy Milligan.

In the late 1970s, Milligan was put on trial for multiple counts of robbery, kidnapping, and rape, but he avoided going to prison by pleading insanity.

After being examined by medical professionals, it was concluded that he had more than 20 different personalities.

Milligan was the first person to be acquitted of a major crime due to his dissociative identity disorder.

Holland is set to portray Danny Sullivan, a character based on Milligan.

Multiple Personality Disorder is a now defunct diagnosis currently known as dissociative identity disorder.

The cast also includes Emmy Rossum, who will play Danny's mother Candy, and Amanda Seyfried, who has been cast as 'a clinical psychologist faced with the most challenging case of her career.'

It is unknown when the true-crime show will be released, but it likely won't be until 2023 at the earliest.
Thandiwe Newton has been branded 'crazy' by the step-father of her toyboy lover Lonr, 25.

The actress, 49, is reportedly living with musician Lonr following her recent split from husband of 16 years Ol Parker.

Now the step-father of Lonr - real name Elijah Dias - has spoken out on the surprise romance, insisting the rapper won't settle down with Thandiwe.

New romance: Thandiwe Newton, 49, has been branded 'crazy' by the step-father of her toyboy lover Lonr, 25

Speaking to The Sun from his New York home, Jimmy Varner, 58, said his family found out about their romance through pictures in the media.

Jimmy is the ex-husband of Elijah's mum Mikelyn Roderick, 63. He told The Sun that the whole family found out about the romance through media reports, advising the couple:

'Lord have mercy on her - and him. She looks crazy as hell to me. All the pretty ones are crazy like that.

'But when he's ready to settle down and be having kids, he ain't going to settle for her.

New romance: The actress is reportedly living with musician Lonr following her recent split from husband of 16 years Ol Parker

Elijah said that he is not concerned by the 24 year age gap between the pair, explaining: 'Look, he knows what to do with an older woman, I'm not worried about the age gap. He's mature, he can handle himself... she had better be ready for him.'

Last week, it was reported the Line Of Duty star is 'living with 25-year-old musician Lonr', following the pair's recent public display of affection in Malibu, and wants 'everyone to know' about the romance.

The actress is said to be acting like a 'love-struck teenager' while pals close to the star have claimed Ol was 'blindsided' by her new romance.

A source told The Sun: 'Thandiwe has been staying with Elijah in LA and is acting like a smitten teenager. Her wedding ring is off and it seems she has fallen for him.

'Thandiwe seems like she can't get enough of Elijah. When he isn't working, he is with Thandiwe. They are very much a couple and Elijah is acting like the perfect boyfriend.

Fling: The step-father of Lonr - real name Elijah Dias - has spoken out on the surprise romance, insisting the rapper won't settle down with Thandiwe

'She isn't hiding this romance. She wants everyone to know about it.'

Thandiwe has been liking and commenting on the rapper's social media posts since at least January 2020. However, there is no suggestion they had a relationship back then.

The young musician has insisted Thandiwe's number one priority is the welfare of her three children.

Lonr, who at 25 is just four years older than the actress' eldest daughter, has broken his silence on the pair's relationship, insisting Thandiwe is still focused on the upbringing of her children with the filmmaker - Ripley, 21, Nico, 17, and Booker, eight.

He told Page Six: '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.'

Estranged: Thandiwe has reportedly been urged to seek mental health support following the break-up of her marriage to Ol Parker (pictured in 2018)

Thandiwe and the rapper's professional paths crossed in 2021 when Lonr collaborated with Amber Mark on the track Save My Love.

The song subsequently appeared in the trailer and on the soundtrack for the film Reminiscence, in which the actress starred alongside Hugh Jackman and Rebecca Ferguson.

Thandiwe has reportedly been urged to seek mental health support following the break-up of her marriage - and the alleged bust-up with Magic Mike co-star Channing over Will Smith 's Oscars slap - which she has denied.

Thandiwe went on to praise Channing in a post shared on Thursday, hailing him as the 'loveliest' amid their reported feud.

The actress shared a slew of bizarre Instagram posts on Sunday after pictures emerged of the star visiting a cannabis store in Malibu.

The actress paid a visit to marijuana dispensary High Tide last month in the Californian city - where the drug is legal for recreational and medicinal purposes.

It has been a turbulent period for the Hollywood film star who has been recently replaced in Magic Mike 3 by Salma Hayek following reports of a 'bust-up' with leading man Channing Tatum.

Peary nice: The actress shared a slew of bizarre Instagram posts on Sunday after pictures emerged of the star visiting a cannabis store in Malibu

It has also been said that Thandiwe has been suffering with emotional and family problems after separating from her husband Ol, 52.

Over the weekend, the star took to social media to share snaps larking around with a pear before professing her love for children's TV character Worzel Gummidge.

Posing makeup-free while holding onto a pear, she wrote: 'Pears, man. *Swoon* You feel me? Slow Food. Seasonal Picking. Harmony.'

She added, 'Ubuntu', a way of life made famous by Anglican archbishop Desmond Tutu that is based on the concept that you should live harmoniously alongside each other, and is rooted in the lessons learned by the post-apartheid South Africa community.

The mother-of-three went on to share a picture of fictional scarecrow Worzel Gummidge who she quipped should become Prime Minister.

Lessons: She added, 'Ubuntu', a way of life made famous by Anglican archbishop Desmond Tutu that is based on the concept that you should live harmoniously alongside each other, and is rooted in the lessons learned by the post-apartheid South Africa community
Karl Stefanovic and his wife Jasmine Yarbrough celebrated their daughter Harper's 2nd birthday on Sunday.

The couple hosted a Cocomelon-inspired birthday party for their daughter at a local park to mark the special event.

Harper looked adorable in a pink tutu and matching coloured bow in her hair as she celebrated with friends and family.

Harper turns two! Karl Stefanovic and his wife Jasmine Yarbrough hosted a Cocomelon-inspired birthday party for their daughter

Karl's daughter Willow, who he shares with ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn, also made an appearance at the event.

Jasmine also marked the special event by sharing a sweet tribute to her daughter on Instagram.

'Happy 2nd Birthday to our little ray of sunshine. Your beautiful big heart lights up our lives every day,' she wrote.

Celebration: Harper looked adorable in a pink tutu and matching coloured bow in her hair as she celebrated with friends and family

Harper's Today show host dad Karl preferred to keep things short and sweet, writing underneath the post: 'The little bundle of wonder.'

Friends and followers of the family wished Harper a happy birthday and commented on the adorable photos.

'Nawwwww happy birthday, you sassy little darling. We love you so much, Harps,' Sylvia Jeffreys wrote.

'Love this!!!! Happy birthday baby Harper! We love youuuu,' another person said.

Big sister duties! Karl's daughter Willow, who he shares with ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn, also made an appearance at the event

Karl met his shoe designer wife Jasmine during a boat party in Sydney just months after his public separation Cassandra in 2016.

The couple married at the five-star One&Only Palmilla resort in Los Cabos, Mexico, in December 2018.

Karl and Jasmine welcomed their daughter Harper on May 1, 2020. She was born at North Shore Private Hospital in Sydney.

Karl also shares Willow as well as sons, Jackson, 20, and River, 13 with his first wife Cassandra.
Zoe Kravtiz kept a low-profile as she enjoyed an outing with a group of friends in London on Wednesday.

The actress, 33, wrapped up for the day in a beige coat while she also sported a black T-shirt.

Styling her locks into an updo, Zoe sported a black cap and a pair of sunglasses as she chatted with her pals.

Outing: Zoe Kravtiz kept a low-profile in a beige coat as she enjoyed an outing with a group of friends in London on Wednesday

The Batman star appeared to go makeup free on the outing while she added to her look with stud earrings.

Zoe has been spending time in London in recent weeks as her boyfriend Channing Tatum is filming Magic Mike 3 in the city.

The outing comes after Zoe recently received criticsm after a comment she made about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at this year's Academy Awards.

Taking aim at Will following the attack, Zoe, 33, captioned an Instagram picture of her awards dress: 'Here's my dress at the show where we are apparently assaulting people on stage now.'

Casual: Styling her locks into an updo, Zoe sported a black cap and a pair of sunglasses as she chatted with her pals

However Twitter was quick to remind Zoe of her own murky past and brought up comments she had previously made about the King Richard actor's son Jaden, now 23, when they starred in After Earth together when he was aged 14 and she was aged 24.

When asked about Jaden during an interview with V Magazine for their June 2013 issue, Zoe said: 'There were moments that I was hanging out with Jaden and thinking, I can't believe you're 14, I have to check myself, like what I say to you.'

'He has so much personality and so much swag, he is so much cooler than I am. And he's so handsome, I was always like, when you're older, you know, we'll hang outNope, that's inappropriate, you're 14.'

Online users were horrified by the inappropriate remarks and branded Zoe a 'hypocrite' as they suggested she was in no position to criticise the screen star.

Hitting out: The outing comes after Zoe recently received criticsm after a comment she made about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at this year's Academy Awards

Shocking: After Will Smith, 53, stormed on stage during the Oscars ceremony and smacked comedian Chris Rock following a joke he made about his wife's alopecia, Zoe hit out at the star's actions on social media

Past: However Twitter was quick to remind Zoe of her own murky past and brought up comments she had previously made about Will's son Jaden, now 23, when they starred in After Earth together when he was aged 14 and she was aged 24 (Jaden and Will in After Earth)

Another person said: 'I love Twitter for exposing these f-ing hypocrites like Jim Carret, Judd Apatow, Zoe Kravitz.

'They want to judge Will Smith (a man who's been a class act for 30 years) for one mistake, as if they haven't done worse. Get them all.'

With one person saying: 'Zoe Kravitz is also not having a good day. They really should just not even comment. Nobody is perfect. Did they really think their own dirt wouldn't be brought out too?

'Hollywood is full of hypocrites and narcissits.'

Reaction: Online users were horrified by the inappropriate remarks and branded Zoe a 'hypocrite' as they suggested she was in no position to criticise the screen star

One other commented on how quickly she has been cancelled, writing: 'Zoe Kravitz has the quickest rise and fall on this app lol'

One person said: 'We're looking at Zoe Kravitz for being weird with a 14 year-old boy.'

A second person added: 'No way am I seeing Zoe Kravitz thirsting over 14 year-old Jaden Smith...'

Another said: 'Zoe Kravitz liking a 14-year-old... very interesting.'

The Twitter user claimed: 'Zoe Kravitz is funny. Will never forgetting working at essence and us trying to book her for interviews/covers/events etc and her team declining bcuz we "aren't her audience"

One other commented on how quickly she has been cancelled, writing: 'Zoe Kravitz has the quickest rise and fall on this app lol.'

One other said: 'Nothing will ever beat how quickly the internet will switch up on someone. Yesterday Zoe Kravitz was the sexiest woman ever and today she has to beat predator allegations.'

The Academy condemned Will's actions and have banned him from attending the Oscars, or any other Academy events, for the next 10 years.
She's leaving her beloved Newcastle behind for sun soaked Spanish getaway.

And Chloe Ferry made the most of the sunny weather on Wednesday as she relaxed at her hotel's pool.

The 26-year-old flaunted her ample assets and voluptuous figure on the recent trip in a barely there black bikini.

Wow: Chloe Ferry showed off her underboob in a skimpy black 'upside down' bikini as she enjoyed a Spanish getaway on Wednesday

The Geordie Shore star laid back on the white sun lounger as she displayed her toned legs and taut abs.

Her skimpy bikini top showed off some serious underboob as the tight shorts extenuated her curvaceous figure.

Her long locks falling in a relaxed style, later the brunette beauty wore an oversized straw hat to protect herself from the scorching temperatures.

That's one way to stay in the shade: She posed in a giant hat as she got some rays

Tattoos: The reality star flaunted her collection of tattoos along her chest and legs, as the shorts sheer panels revealed a floral display climbing her thighs

The reality star flaunted her collection of tattoos along her chest and legs, as the bikini's sheer panels revealed floral artwork climbing her thighs.

Despite the heat the MTV star sported a full face of make-up, with a smoky eye and stylish nude lip.

Earlier in the day the television personality had taken to Instagram to share with fans that she was heading off to Spain for work, leaving her boyfriend Johnny Wilbo, 24, at home.

Busy: The star shared Instagram clips of herself packing bikinis as well a look at her fashionable airport ensemble ahead of her trip

The star shared clips of herself packing bikinis as well a look at her fashionable airport ensemble.

Chloe wore a skin tight olive tracksuit to travel that hugged her curves and showed off her toned midriff.

Posing for the camera in her bedroom, she accessorised the look with baby blue sliders and a cerulean bag.

Wow: Chloe opted for a skin tight olive tracksuit that hugged her curves and showed off her toned midriff

Loved-up: Earlier in the day the television personality had taken to Instagram to share with fans that she was heading off to Spain for work, leaving her boyfriend Johnny Wilbo (pictured) at home

The trip comes after Chloe was accused of editing her latest Instagram snap in another Photoshop fail on Monday.

The star displayed her peachy posterior as she posed in a pair of bold blue shorts and matching blue T-shirt in a photo shared with her 3.7 million Instagram followers.

But while many of her fans were complimentary of her stunning look, others pointed out what appeared to be a tell-tell sign of photoshopping.

Warped? Chloe was accused of editing her latest sizzling Instagram snap in yet another Photoshop fail earlier this week

Addressing Chloe's trim waist, one commented on the snap: 'She looks so good already. Why photoshop her waist? The warp is super obvious and that arm.'

'And a huge forearm from editing your waist,' agreed another.

'Look at her forearm. She constantly edits her waist to look thinner and her a** bigger,' read another comment.

Edited? The star displayed her peachy posterior on Monday and while many of her fans were complimentary, others pointed out what appeared to be a tell-tell sign of photoshopping

Chloe was accused of another Photoshop fail last month after fans noticed the balcony behind her in a snap looked wonky.

The television personality showed off her curvaceous figure in lingerie which was adorned with flowers.

While Chloe was flooded with likes for the post, some followers pointed out that the railing behind Chloe looked 'wonky' accusing the star of photoshopping.

Sensational: It comes after Chloe was accused of a Photoshop fail' once again after fans noticed the balcony behind her looked wonky
The Bachelor's Alex Nation has revealed plans to elope after being forced to cancel her wedding to boyfriend Carson Jory.

The 31-year-old Reality TV star, who famously won Richie Strahan's season of The Bachelor in 2016, revealed her plans to marry Carson in a small intimate wedding in Croatia.

'Recently, Carson and I made the difficult choice to postpone our wedding,' Alex wrote on Instagram.

Postponed: The Bachelor's Alex Nation (pictured) has cancelled her wedding to boyfriend Carson Jory

'With so many other things going on and having projects underway that need a lot of our attention, the timing just wasn't right for us to tie the knot this year.'

She continued: 'Since making this decision, we have been flirting with the idea of an elopement/very intimate wedding.'

'Often saying let's return to the scene of the crime, where we first met.. Croatia.'

Alex also asked her followers who have eloped or had a small intimate wedding for advice.

New plans: The 31-year-old reality TV star, who famously won Richie Strahan's season of The Bachelor in 2016, revealed her plans to marry Carson in a small intimate wedding in Croatia

Alex announced her engagement to boyfriend Carson, one month after welcoming their first child together in September last year.

'Morning coffee forever with you, 01.09.21, #MrsJory,' Alex wrote on Instagram.

Alex and Carson welcomed their son Maxwell on August 20 and announced the happy arrival on Instagram three days later.

The new baby is Alex's second child - she shares a 11-year-old son named Elijah with her ex-husband Joel Porter.

Ring-a-ding-ding! Alex announced her engagement to Carson, one month after welcoming their first child together in September last year

Fans of The Bachelor will remember Alex as the winner of the fourth season, but her romance with rope-access technician Richie didn't last.

They quietly broke up in 2017, after filming the show the previous year.

Alex later came out as pansexual and revealed she was dating a woman, Maegan Luxa, from her local Melbourne footy team.

They got engaged in December 2017, but split the following April. They remain friends.

Alex kept her dating life under wraps after breaking off her engagement to Maegan.
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A new trailer for the new Star Wars limited series Obi-Wan Kenobi, which will debut on May 25 of this year, was shared by Disney+ on Wednesday, which is May the 4th, Star Wars day.

Ewan McGregor is seen as Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, who is one of the last Jedis around after a massive killing called Order 66 in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Now he is being hunted by every bounty hunter in the galaxy.

Obi-Wan is also seen talking to Luke Skywalker's Uncle Owen on Tatooine as the Kenobi insists young Luke needs to be 'trained.'

New look: A new trailer for the new Star Wars TV series, Obi-Wan Kenobi, was shared by Disney+ on Wednesday

A fresh look: A new poster was also shared that saw Darth Vader wielding his red lightsaber over Obi-Wan's heart

Uncle Owen snaps back that Obi-Wan did not do too good of a job training his last protege, Anakin Skywalker, who has turned into Darth Vader.

And at the end of the clip, Vader is seen as his energy pack is snapped into place on his midsection with his black cape in the background. Once in place, Vader's signature heavy breathing can be heard.

In the last trailer, a young Luke Skywalker is seen playing alone at his home on the desert planet of Tatooine where he has been hidden away from the Dark Side.

It is also where Obi-Wan must keep a watchful eye on him from afar.

Back for more: Ewan McGregor is seen as the fearless and wise Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi who has also was featured in the Star Wars prequel movies

The clip opens with a look at the desert planet Tatooine as Obi-Wan is seen walking on what appears to be a camel like creature as he says, 'The fight is done. We lost.'

Then the Jedi Knight is spotted sitting alone on a rocky hilltop looking out at familiar farm home below.

That is when a very young Luke Skywalker is seen playing outside with goggles on and his plain-looking beige attire as he pretends to fly a Jedi starfighter. The watchful Obi-Wan is heard saying, 'Stay hidden.'

There he is: And for the first time a young Luke Skywalker is seen playing alone at his home on the desert planet of Tatooine where he has been hidden, and where Obi-Wan has offered to keep a watchful eye on him

Luke has been placed on Tatooine to stay away from the evil forces of the Empire and Darth Vader, who is the child's father. His twin sister Leia is located on another planet.

'The key to hunting Jedi is patience,' says a man in voiceover as a black aircraft is seen approaching a menacing-looking monolith above the sea. 'Jedi cannot help what they are, their compassion leaves a trail,' it is heard.

'The Jedi code is like an itch, they cannot help it.'

A lonely man: Ewan is seen walking in Tatooine with his camel like creature into town that sees others milling about

Lonely: Luke has been placed on Tatooine to stay away from the evil forces of the Empire and Darth Vader (aka Anakin Skywalker), who is the child's father

Next actress Moses Ingram is seen in a black leather suit as she plays Inquisitor Reva, who is firmly on the Dark Side. The character lurks around on rooftops, hoping to catch surviving Jedi.

A bald Sith is heard saying, 'Where is he?' as fight scenes are seen.

'Between darkness and defeat hope survives,' it reads on the screen.

The clip ends with the sound of Darth Vader breathing which promises the evil force will be seen in the series.

The series debuts on May 25. That specific date has a lot of meaning for Star Wars fans, since it was on that date in 1977 that the very first Star Wars movie, A New Hope, debuted in theaters.

The uncle: Uncle Owen has been tasked with keeping an eye on Luke. Here he is seen in his farmer's clothing in town

Owen and Beru: Bonnie Piesse, Joel Edgerton Star Wars Episode II - Attack Of The Clones - in 2002

The town that known little rain: Villagers are seen gathering as a man talks to them

The story takes place 10 years after the final Star Wars prequel movie, 2005's Revenge of the Sith, where he failed to bring his best friend and apprentice - Anakin Skywalker - back from the Dark Side.

At least three other actors from the Star Wars prequels will return.

Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse will return as Owen Lars and Beru Lars, Luke Skywalker's uncle and aunt who raised him after Anakin turned to the Dark Side.

Hayden Christensen has also been confirmed to return as Anakin Skywalker a.k.a. Sith Lord Darth Vader.

The Dark Side has been busy: 'The key to hunting Jedi is patience,' says a man in voiceover as a black aircraft is seen approaching a menacing-looking monolith above the sea. 'Jedi cannot help what they are, their compassion leaves a trail,' it is heard

Frightening: Next actress Moses Ingram is seen in a black leather suit as she plays Inquisitor Reva, who is firmly on the Dark Side. The character lurks around on rooftops, hoping to catch surviving Jedi

Scary for sure: A bald Sith is heard saying, 'Where is he?' as fight scenes are seen

And there they are: Stormtroopers are seen following a man with a black suit and hat on in a neon-lit city

She seems to pop up everywhere: Reva is also seen with her cape on she resembles Darth Vader

The cast will also include Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell and Benny Safdie.

The show was created by Joby Harold, who will also executive produce the series with McGregor, Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan and Deborah Chow, who will direct all six episodes of the series.

Obi-Wan Kenobi will be the third live-action Star Wars series debuting on Disney Plus, following The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, with many more in the works.

Reprise: Disney unveiled a new poster for Obi-Wan Kenobi, which brings back Ewan McGregor to reprise his roles from the Star Wars prequel movies, which also reveals the show will debut on May 25

10 years later: The story takes place 10 years after the final Star Wars prequel movie, 2005's Revenge of the Sith, where he failed to bring his best friend and apprentice - Annakin Skywalker (right) - back from the Dark Side

Live-action: Obi-Wan Kenobi will be the third live-action Star Wars series debuting on Disney Plus, following The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, with many more in the works

Disney Plus is also expected to release their new series Andor later this year, following Diego Luna's character Cassian Andor set before the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

The streaming service will also debut Ahsoka, a spin-off series following Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka Tano character.

Other spin-offs that are in development include The Acolyte from Russian Doll creator Leslye Headland and Lando from Dear White People creator Justin Simien.
Jessie Cave has revealed her newborn son was hospitalised this week after suddenly falling ill.

The Harry Potter actress and illustrator posted on Instagram to mark Maternal Mental Health Week, sharing photos of her six-week-old son Becker as he recovered in hospital.

Jessie thanked NHS staff for looking after both her and her son, explaining how 'sometimes the mum and her well-being gets a little forgotten.'

'Scary few nights': Jessie Cave has revealed her newborn son was hospitalised this week after suddenly falling ill, sharing photos of six-week-old Becker in hospital

Writing alongside photos of Becker with his hand bandaged after having a cannula inserted, Jessie explained:

'Thank you to @uclh once again for being amazing. Me and Becker just had a scary few nights back at hospital but hes recovering and he was looked after so well.'

'As its #maternalmentalhealthweek I wanted to share & add that I was looked after so well too, with every nurse and doctor asking me how are you?  one nurse overnight tried for about two hours to calm him down without me feeding him so I could sleep - something she didnt need to do.'

'When needles were going into him - I was asked if was okay too. Sometimes the mum and her well-being gets a little forgotten.'

Doing well: The Harry Potter actress and illustrator posted on Instagram to mark Maternal Mental Health Week, revealing how NHS staff kindly looked after her as well as little Becker (pictured last week)

Illness: Writing alongside photos of Becker with his hand bandaged after having a cannula inserted, Jessie explained: ' I was looked after so well too, with every nurse and doctor asking me how are you?'

'Babies get sick so quickly and its important to be extra vigilant. I went in as soon because things werent quite right and I was right to go in.'

Jessie ended her post by confirming little Becker is 'okay' and they were now home, as she happily pointed out the photo which showed her newborn is bigger than the toy seahorse next to him.

'Not quite what we needed after last weeks mastitis but newborns are a ROLLERCOASTER!' she wrote.

Jessie's 18-month old son Tennessee, who was born in October 2020, was hospitalised soon after his difficult birth before the then three-month-old son was treated for coronavirus in January 2021. He went on to make a full recovery.

Happy news: The actress took to Instagram on March 22 to reveal she had welcomed her fourth child

Baby joy: Jessie and her partner Alfie Brown are also parents to 18-month old Tennessee, Donnie, six, and Margot, four

Jessie was also hospitalised after testing positive for Covid during her third trimester.

Jessie and her partner Alfie Brown are also parents to Donnie, six, and Margot, four.

The actress, who is widely known for her role as Lavender Brown in the Harry Potter franchise, took to Instagram on March 22 to reveal she had welcomed her fourth child.

Alongside an image from her hospital bed breastfeeding, her partner Alfie wrote: 'Welcome Becker Brown. Thank you to UCLH. Thank you to the midwives Amy and Emi-Lou. Thank you to Alisson Becker.'
The Repair Shop star Jay Blades has revealed he used to live amongst rats as a child.

The TV star, 52, told how because his mother Barbara was abandoned by his father when he was a baby, he was brought up in impoverished conditions.

Jay made the admission on Channel 5's new documentary series, There's No Place Like Home where he returned to his childhood home in Hackney, north-east London.

Heartbreaking: The Repair Shop star Jay Blades has revealed he used to live amongst rats as a child after his father abandoned his mother

During the show, he said: 'When I was born my mum came to live here with my uncle. My mum got pregnant with the man who contributed towards my birth and he left her high and dry.'

Jay added: '[He] took all her money from her, said he was going to promise her this and that, and he didn't, he just disappeared. The time for my mum must have been quite desperate I would say.

'There was loads of rubbish everywhere, there was rats.'

He said:'There was loads of rubbish everywhere, there was rats' (stock image)

Jay's new show with Channel 5 comes just months after he starred in BBC documentary Learning to Read at 51 which saw the once-illiterate star tackle the written word after years of being unable to read.

It comes after Jay spoke of his surprise at The Repair Shop's popularity as he was made an MBE at Windsor Castle.

Jay, a furniture restorer and designer, was given the honour by the Prince of Wales on Tuesday for services to craft and in recognition of his work promoting heritage craft and restoration in the UK.

The regular favourite on the BBC show - which sees members of the public bringing in worn out family heirlooms to be restored by a team of experts - said he never expected that the programme 'would become so big'.

Honour: Jay spoken of his surprise at The Repair Shop's popularity as he was made an MBE at Windsor Castle

There for him: Jay pictured with his beloved mother, Barbara, in a snap taken from social media

Jay has starred in the programme since it started in 2017.

He said: 'I knew it was special, because you wouldn't have all of those different disciplines in the same building. You wouldn't have a ceramic next to a fine art next to woodwork and a clock restorer, you just wouldn't have that.'

He said that the rest of the team were 'over the moon' for him after receiving his MBE.

'They've all said: 'Do we have to bow, do we have to curtsy to you?' and stuff like that.

MBE: Jay was given the honour by the Prince of Wales on Tuesday for services to craft and in recognition of his work promoting heritage craft and restoration in the UK

'I've just said there's one request: as long as they can bring me a biscuit with my cup of tea, that's all I want,' he joked.

The presenter, when asked whether a particular object from the show stood out to him, said it was like 'picking your favourite child'.

'All of them are really special, all the individuals that bring an item in, all the items are dear to them and all the memories are so unique that you could never pick one I don't think.'

Jay stressed the importance of craft as part of a sustainable future, something which he spoke about with Charles as received the honour.

Popular: The regular favourite on the BBC show said he never expected that the programme 'would become so big'

Achievement: Jay left school at 15, and has set up a charity encouraging young people who struggle academically to get involved in practical jobs, such as restoration and craft

'It's all about sustainability, it's all about teaching the next generation as to what they should be doing and what they can do, because some people think craft isn't accessible to them,' he said.

'I want craft to be accessible to everybody, from the poor side of town to the rich side of town, so everybody can access it.'

Jay left school at 15, and has set up a charity encouraging young people who struggle academically to get involved in practical jobs, such as restoration and craft.

He is also an ambassador for the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, which provides people with up to 18,000 in funding to study a traditional craft.

Ceremony: He is also an ambassador for the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, which provides people with up to 18,000 in funding to study a traditional craft

Jay previously lauded his co-stars for giving him the 'confidence' to speak about his dyslexia.

The TV personality whose disability prevents him from using the reading device, revealed he 'loves' working on the BBC programme since he can talk in 'the way that he feels' while filming.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline at the recent RTS Awards, he opened up about about how he's overcome hurdles in order to present to millions, despite being diagnosed with the disorder at the age of 31.

He said: 'No we do nothing like that, no autocue. The person who tells me about all the emails is Kirsten [Ramsay], in the emails they send, she let's me know what they're all about.

'There's no script. It's all as real as it looks and it's all done in one take so working on The Repair Shop is brilliant for a dyslexic cos you just talk the way that you feel. You say what it is you're feeling at the time.'

Pals: He said that the rest of the team were 'over the moon' for him after receiving his MBE. 'They've all said: 'Do we have to bow, do we have to curtsy to you?' and stuff like that'

Having also featured in TV favourites including Jay Blades' Home Fix, Money for Nothing and Strictly Come Dancing, the furniture restorer claimed he cannot appear in a show that requires him to use a teleprompter.

He said: 'Everything has to be unscripted. A lot of the shows I do are unscripted. They're very accommodating to my, you call is a disability, they're very accommodating to that.'

Going on to gush about his pals at the factual programme, the Hackney native continued of his dyslexia: 'The confidence to speak about it comes from the people that are around you.

'So if you feel comfortable with them... at The Repair Shop we have a lovely family down there, they allow you to feel comfortable so you can open up and just be cool.

'So yeah you've got to have good people around you. If you haven't, you're in trouble.'
They are two of TV's biggest stars - and Davina McCall and Amanda Holden appear in a new shoot as brand ambassadors for retail giant JD Williams.

Former Big Brother host Davina, 54, showed off her legs in a cheesecloth button front playsuit and wellies alongside Amanda, 51, for one camping themed set-up.

Britain's Got Talent star Amanda, 51, flaunted her incredible figure in a yellow frill dress in just three of the stunning shots placed against a white backdrop.

Glamour girls: Davina McCall and Amanda Holden put on a leggy display in a stunning new shoot as they return to their roles as brand ambassadors for retail giant JD Williams

Amanda's 75 boho dress was designed by Raishma Studio for the brand, which is tipped to be in hot demand with stylish festival goers.

She said: 'I love this dress. Its one of my faves from the collection as its fun, flirty and really very flattering. Yellow is the colour of summer!

'You can dress it up with sexy heals or down with chunky trainers or even wellies if youre off to Glasto or a festival!

'Its by ace London designer Raishma who I love and who has this brilliant eye for designing dresses for women of all shapes and ages that are elegant and cool.'

Amanda's daughter Hollie Rose Hughes, 10, also made an appearance in the ad as she took to the shoot like a total pro posing up a storm with her famous mum.

Davina looked relaxed as she donned a pair of Hunter original Chelsea gloss welly's while Amanda wore a pair of the brands classic tall boots.

The duo looked picture perfect as they posed up a storm for the retailers staycation collection.

Family time: Radio presenter Amanda enjoyed some fun time on the shoot with her youngest daughter Hollie Rose, 10, as she looked stunning in a pastel pink boucle tweed blazer and jeans

Radio presenter Amanda enjoyed some fun time on the shoot with her youngest daughter as she looked stunning in a pastel pink boucle tweed blazer and denim jeans.

She wore her hair in loose silky curls with a make up look radiating natural glamour.

Meanwhile, fitness guru Davina showed off her tones arms in a belted jumpsuit as she was joined by some chickens in her idyllic shot.

The fun loving TV star looked in great spirits as her brunette bob was styled in a straight hairdo and she enhanced her flawless complexion with full coverage make-up.

Davina, said of the partnership: 'It feels so good to be talking about and shooting all the moments we have longed for and dreamt about over the last year or so.

'Whether it is glamping, a staycation or getting ready for a big night out, it's so exciting to be getting back to normality!

'As you can see from the campaign collections, JD Williams is a one-stop destination, from everyday looks to stunning items for the home.'
She finally made her glamorous debut on the red carpet of the Met Gala on Monday night after being snubbed for years.

And Khloe Kardashian was open and honest about feeling uneasy before heading to the star-packed event.

The 37-year-old reality star took to Twitter on Tuesday morning after the Met Gala to reveal that she had anxiety before walking the red carpet for the first time.

She wrote to her near 30million followers: 'Am I supposed to admit that I almost had a heart attack on that carpet tonight? My anxiety was through the roof!'

Shining: Khloe Kardashian finally made her glamorous debut on the red carpet of the Met Gala on Monday night after being snubbed for years

'My anxiety was through the roof': The 37-year-old reality star took to Twitter on Tuesday morning after the Met Gala to reveal that she had anxiety before walking the red carpet for the first time

At the event Khloe slipped her gym-honed physique into dazzling gold Moschino gown with beaded fringe from the bust to the hem.

This year's Met Gala marks the first time that Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour has invited all six of the Kardashian-Jenner women to the annual soiree.

The Kardashians star went on to thank her glam team on the microblogging site as she wrote: 'To say the last couple of weeks have been a rollercoaster is an understatement, but last night made it all worth it. It was an honor to wear @moschino on this night that I will never forget. Thank you, thank you, thank you Jeremy, Laura, Stefan, Brooke and the team at @Moschino.

'Thank you Chris Appleton and @makeupbymario for making me feel beautiful for my first Met  and Lorraine Schwartz for letting me wear the most gorgeous diamond earrings I've ever worn in my life.'

Glamour girl: Khloe was the picture of glamour as she arrived to the star-studded event. The KUWTK star slipped her gym-honed physique into dazzling gold Moschino gown with beaded fringe from the bust to the hem

At the time, Khloe told red carpet correspondents that she's 'so excited that we're all here together.'

This is Khloe's first time at the annual Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit as

For an added sexy factor, Khloe's gown had a semi-sheer skirt that gave a glimpse at her lean legs.

The mother-of-one's already trim waistline was further cinched in with a nude corset to create a dramatic hourglass silhouette.

She had a black cloak resting in the crook of her arms and slipped on a pair of matching arm-length gloves.

Bonde bombshell: The Good American founder's bleach blonde hair was parted to one side and teased at the root to create a voluminous swoop.

Goth touch: She had a black cloak resting in the crook of her arms and slipped on a pair of matching arm-length gloves

She slipped her feet into a pair of understated heeled sandals and shielded her eyes from the flashbulbs with a pair of reflective gold shades.

The Good American founder's bleach blonde hair was parted to one side by her sister Kim's longtime hairstylist Chris Appleton, who used Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray to ensure a totally sleek and shiny finish, before styling with tools from Tangle Teezer, then finishing the look off with the Color Wow Cult Favorite Firm + Flexible Hair Spray and the Pop & Lock Frizz-Control and Glossing Serum.

Khloe opted to go without the long blonde tresses that she is often seen modeling and instead chose to show off her natural, shoulder-length locks for the night.

She shared details about her Jeremy Scott-designed gala getup, including how her stunning gown was thrown together in 'like 10 days.'

When asked what she's looking forward to the 'most' at her first-ever gala, Khloe confessed that was definitely ready to get the party started.

Natural: Instead of her go-to lengthy locks, Khloe opted to let her natural shoulder-length hair shine for the evening

Understated: She slipped her feet into a pair of understated heeled sandals

'I need a glass of champagne so that's what i'm mainly looking forward to,' she told the Met's red carpet MC, La La Anthony - who is also her sister Kim Kardashian's longtime BFF.

Prior to hitting the red carpet, Khloe was captured exiting her hotel in New York City with sister Kylie Jenner.

The dynamic duo strolled side-by-side from the hotel's entrance/exit to a nearby chauffeured vehicle.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit, also known as the Met Gala, is considered by many as the 'Super Bowl of celebrity red carpets.'

Ready to party! When asked what she's looking forward to the 'most' at her first-ever gala, Khloe confessed that was definitely ready to get the party started

Sister act: Khloe made sure to get some snaps with younger sister Kylie Jenner, 24, after taking on the red carpet solo

Wow! Once inside the venue, Khloe couldn't help but strike a pose in front of a wall of bright red roses

Star-studded: The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit, also known as the Met Gala, is considered by many as the 'Super Bowl of celebrity red carpets'

Fashion's biggest night is traditionally held the first Monday in May to raise money for the Costume Institute in New York City, with last year's event moved to September due to the pandemic.

This year's dress code is 'gilded glamour' to match the theme of 'In America: An Anthology of Fashion,' a continuation of last year's 'In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.'

Tickets for the glitzy event can reportedly cost up to $35,000 apiece, while prices for a table range from $200,000 to $300,000, with last year's bash raking in a whopping $16.4 million for the Met's Costume Institute.

Regina King, power couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, and Lin-Manuel Miranda are hosting this time, taking over from Timothee Chalamet, Billie Eilish, Amanda Gorman and Naomi Osaka.

This will be Miranda's first time as a Met Gala co-chair (and guest) but he was originally intended to co-host the 2020 edition before the pandemic forced its cancellation.

Family ties: Kylie Jenner, Khloe Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, and Kendall Jenner looked like the ultimate sister squad on the red carpet

Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour is once again supervising the benefit as chairwoman, a position she's held since 1995. Her fellow honorary co-chairs are designer Tom Ford and Instagram head Adam Mosseri.

As usual, the sartorial theme comes from the exhibit the gala launches: 'In America: An Anthology of Fashion,' which is the second of star curator Andrew Bolton's two-part show exploring the roots of American style.

This exhibit will showcase some lesser-known designers, and also some top film directors, including Sofia Coppola, Martin Scorsese, host King, and last year's Oscar winner Chloe Zhao.

Bolton said eight directors will create what he called 'cinematic vignettes' in the period rooms of the American Wing of the museum.

First time: This year's Met Gala marks the first time that Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour has invited all six of the Kardashian-Jenner women to the annual soiree. Khloe, who has never attended the Met Gala, told red carpet correspondents that she's 'so excited that we're all here together'

Designer darling: She shared details about her Jeremy Scott-designed gala getup, including how her stunning gown was thrown together in 'like 10 days.' When asked what she's looking forward to the 'most' at her first-ever gala, Khloe confessed that was definitely ready to get the party started

Similar to the September event, there will be 400 guests this year, lower than the pre-pandemic highs of 500-600 attendees.

The other four are Ford, the celebrated fashion designer who's also an acclaimed film director, Janicza Bravo (Zola), Julie Dash (Daughters Of The Dust) and Autumn de Wilde (who directed the Jane Austen adaptation Emma. and is also a photographer).

The first part of the exhibition will remain on display in the rooms of the Anna Wintour Costume Center, along with the second part, until September 5.

More than half the pieces in the opening exhibition will be rotated out and garments from designers not yet featured will go on display.

The Met Gala is a huge money-maker for the museum, and provides the Costume Institute with its main source of funding.

En route: Prior to hitting the red carpet, Khloe was captured exiting her hotel in New York City with sister Kylie Jenner
Suranne Jones has revealed that she finally feels free from the weight her mental health struggles, on Wednesday.

The actress, 43, has spoken openly about her mental health in the past as she struggled to deal with the death of her mother in 2016 and then the death of her father in January last year.

Suranne has openly discussed her mental health journey admitting that she now feels like she 'moved on' and is no longer taking medication.

'I feel like I'm free of the weight of it': Suranne Jones, 43, has revealed that she is 'not on medication' and has 'moved on' from her mental health battle on Wednesday

Speaking to Angela Scanlon on the Thanks a Million podcast, she explained: 'It's come up when I was talking about making Gentleman Jack, and it's the loss of both my parents and the beginning of my mental health journey, that led me to, I am Victoria, taking medication, now not on medication.'

Surrane, who played the lead role of the pioneering lesbian, Anne Lister in Gentleman Jack and the title character in I Am Victoria, has discussed how her own personal experiences shaped the shows.

She continued: 'What I can say about is I've moved on and I genuinely feel like I'm moving. Like I've moved through it and then passed it.'

Brave: She said: 'What I can say about is I've moved on and I genuinely feel like I'm moving. Like I've moved through it and then passed it'

She added: 'I did an article recently, and I did say to the journalist, 'Don't concentrate too much on my father's death and the sadness of it all,' because I feel like I've made something very positive with Gentleman Jack and with I Am Victoria.

'I feel like the next chapter of my life is about genuinely letting go of the weight of all that happened to me.

'And feeling freer to go, ah, now of course, grief issue at all different points and mental health journey is a mental health journey, you know, you have to take care of that like you take care of your physical health.'

Proud: She explained: 'I feel like I've made something very positive with Gentleman Jack and with I Am Victoria' (Pictured with Lydia Leonard, right, and Sophie Rundle on Gentleman Jack)

Moving on: 'I feel like the next chapter of my life is about genuinely letting go of the weight of all that happened to me' (Pictured on I Am Victoria in 2021)

Suranne concluded: 'All of that is so important, but I do feel like I'm free of the weight of it... I had my son and I lost my mom in very close timeframe.

'Then I was doing a show in the West End called Frozen, which was a very heavy show about the loss of a child and pedophilia and forgiveness and whatever the mix of all that was.

'It really got to me. And I had a collapsed on stage and couldn't finish the last week of the run.'

Tragic: In 2016, Suranne lost her mum, Jenny, after she passed away from vascular dementia and Suranne was prescribed medication (Pictured: Her parents on their wedding day)

Heartbreaking: Suranne's father Chris died of COVID in January 2021 after being in ICU for three months

Suranne was previously prescribed medication in the wake of her mother, Jenny's death in 2016, then whilst filming for Gentleman Jack in January 2021 her father, Chris passed away from COVID 19.

Suranne admitted her anxiety peaked as lockdown restrictions began to ease while she was grieving her father and revealed that she was taking medication in August.

'I look at Gentleman Jack and go, wow, we did that, because other people. All around the world. We're having awful times too, because collectively we went through some awful things.'

This comes after she revealed that playing the pioneering lesbian, Anne Lister in Gentleman Jack helped her during her battle with anxiety and depression.

Robust: Suranne Jones revealed that playing the pioneering lesbian Anne Lister helped her own mental health battle

She admitted that her characters 'robust' and 'positive' mental health was inspiring to her.

Speaking at the press launch for Gentleman Jack series two in Halifax, she explained: 'I've talked a lot about my own mental health. Anne Lister's mental health was very robust and she was so positive.

'She felt things very deeply but managed to dust herself off and move on. That's what you need to do.

'That's something she has taught all of us. I feel it when I watch it.'
Bradley Cooper looked single and ready to mingle in a black suit at the Met Gala in NYC on Monday evening.

But during the event, the Nightmare Alley actor spent some special time with his ex-girlfriend and baby mama Irina Shayk; together they share daughter Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper, age five.

The former power couple were pictured arm-in-arm as they caught up with Nicki Minaj and fashion designer Riccardo Tisci.

Bonded: Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk were seen arm-in-arm at the Met Gala on Monday as they caught up with (from left) Nicki Minaj and fashion designer Riccardo Tisci

Cooper arrived alone in a black Louis Vuitton suit with a crisp white shirt and no tie. He also had a fuzzy week old beard making him look casually classic.

And while at the splashy event, the star was seen chatting up Emma Stone and Cynthia Erivo.

Shayk who looked ready for a motorcycle ride in her all black leather Burberry outfit that did not seem to fit well with the Gilded Age dress code.

Together Bradley and Irina have a daughter named Lea, aged five.

They seem to have a happy co-parenting relationship and are often seen together in Manhattan as they pick up and drop off Lea.

Back in black: Cooper arrived alone in a black Louis Vuitton suit with a crisp white shirt and no tie. He also had a fuzzy week old beard making him look casually classic. Shayk who looked ready for a motorcycle ride in her all black leather Burberry outfit that did not seem to fit well with the Gilded Age dress code

NO TIE! The actor left his tie at home but he did add a black satin cummerbund

This sighting comes after Cooper said he has a 'crazy' work ethic.

The 47-year-old actor admits that his passionate approach to work can occasionally make life difficult for some of his co-stars.

Bradley - who has starred in films such as 'American Sniper', 'A Star Is

Born', and the 'Hangover' franchise - explained: 'Love equals discipline. If I love something, I can have the discipline.

So VIP: Here the actor spoke with Emma Stone, left, and Cynthia Erivo, right

Hey pal: And Erivo put a hand on his shoulder when inside the Met Gala

'I have a crazy work ethic. That is definitely true. So much so that the jobs that I have taken in the last five or six years, the people that I've worked with, I have said, 'I work really hard, and this isn't going to be easy.' And it's because I love it so much.'

Bradley dreamed of working in the movie industry during his younger years.

And he's now desperate to make the most of every opportunity that comes his way.

The Hollywood star told Variety: 'The thing that I just cannot live with myself is if I didn't use that time to work as hard as I could to get it to the best place it could be. I grew up with this idea that we do what we do for a living; I dreamt it.'

Bradley suggested he's already surpassed his own career expectations.

However, he doesn't have any intention of slowing down anytime soon and his passion for making movies remains as strong as ever.

He shared: 'I don't know if I ever dreamt this big. I don't even know if I allowed myself to. Shame on me if I don't work hard, and I'm here now. I'm not going to squander this. No way, man. No way. It all comes from love.'
Kat Graham has become engaged to director Darren Genet.

The 52-year-old filmmaker popped the question during his birthday in Mexico several weeks ago, according to People. The outlet also confirmed the engagement news with Genet's rep.

'Kat is madly in love and couldn't be happier,' a source told the site about the lovebirds have been dating since 2017 when she was starring on her hit series The Vampire Diaries.

Ready to be man and wife: Kat Graham has become engaged to director Darren Genet. The 52-year-old filmmaker popped the question during his birthday in Mexico several weeks ago, according to People. Seen in December

He also worked on the show, but a source told the site they did not meet on set.

The two are not often seen together at events.

The last time they were seen together at a party was in December at the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

And she hardly ever posts about Genet on social media. But they were seen kissing by a Christmas tree in December.

Smooch time: And she hardly ever posts about Genet on social media. But they were seen kissing by a Christmas tree in December

Graham has reportedly been engaged before.

In 2012 she was proposed to by Cottrell Guidry and they announced their engagement on his Facebook account.

But they split in 2014.

Graham then appeared to move on to actor Jay Pharoah as they were seen at an SNL party, but a romance was never confirmed.

It's love! 'Kat is madly in love and couldn't be happier,' a source told the site about the lovebirds have been dating since 2017 when she was starring on her hit series The Vampire Diaries. Seen in August

Her career has been steady since the late nineties.

She got her start in 1998 with The Parent Trap and then popped up in Lizzie McGuire and Hannah Montana.

Her fame exploded when she was cast in The Vampire Diaries which aired from 2009 until 2017.

Kat played Bonnie Bennett opposite Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley.

After the TV series ended, she starred in How It Ends and The Holiday Calendar.
Drama is not in short supply in a new trailer for season two of Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Ex-Wives Club.

The feud between Frenemies Tamra Judge and Brandi Glanville hits a fever pitch in a new clip released by Peacock that sees the Orange County and Beverly Hills alums shouting to 'shut the f**k up.'

New York star Dorinda Medley opened the doors of her Berkshire's estate, Blue Stone Manor, to fellow former Housewives from all franchises for a drama-filled week.

Non stop drama: A fiery new trailer for season two of Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Ex-Wives Club was dropped by Peacock on Wednesday

'Blue Stone Manor is a very special place,' Medley says in a confessional. 'If you enter those doors, something happens.'

Despite Dorinda's best efforts to 'make it nice,' her co-stars, the OC's Tamra Judge and Vicki Gunvalson, Atlanta's Phaedra Parks and Eva Marcille, Beverly Hills' Brandi Glanville and Taylor Armstrong, and New York's Jill Zarin seem to run amok at her Massachusetts home.

'We are destroying this town,' quips Tamra at one point.

The trailer jams eight days worth of alcohol fueled Housewives nonsense into two short minutes and sees the ladies in tears, fights and, many of them, topless.

Vicki Gunvalson appears to be the thorn in everyone's side during the intense eight days at Blue Stone Manor.

The feud between Frenemies Tamra Judge and Brandi Glanville hits a fever pitch in a new clip released by Peacock that sees the Orange County and Beverly Hills alums shouting to 'shut the f**k up'

Ding dong! New York star Dorinda Medley opened the doors of her Berkshire's estate, Blue Stone Manor, to fellow former Housewives from all franchises for a drama-filled week

Behave! Despite Dorinda's best efforts to 'make it nice,' her co-stars seem to run amok at her Massachusetts home

Fiery! The trailer jams eight days worth of alcohol fueled Housewives nonsense into two short minutes and sees the ladies in tears, fights and, many of them, topless

'I can't go to another hospital with you,' Tamra snaps at Vicki.

All of the other Housewives appear to butt heads with the Orange County OG who doesn't seem to see that she may be the problem.

'The face of an angel and the mouth of a serpent,' Dorinda at one point shouts to an unseen co-star. Though it is unclear in the clip if she is talking about Vicki, the California star says later about Dorinda: 'Birds of a feather flock together. I am not flocking with that bird.'

'There's a lot of conflict going on with eight women,' Vicki is seen saying in the teaser, to which Eva Marcille quips: 'The only conflict is you.'

'We are destroying this town,' quips Tamra at one point

Ex-wives: Tamra Judge, Vicki Gunvalson, Phaedra Parks, Eva Marcille, Brandi Glanville, Taylor Armstrong, Jill Zarin and Dorinda Medley star in the mashup

Over it: Phaedra tries to keep her distance from the antics of the other Housewives

While Tamra and Brandi are at odds and Vicki clearly causes problems, Judge previously revealed on a podcast that Dorinda was a particularly prickly host and created drama on the daily.

'There was definitely one cast member that picked a fight every single day,' she said, referring to Dorinda. 'Or I should say every night, after cocktails.'

Adding: 'But thank god for her because it really made good TV.'

Last month, Dorinda exclusively sat down with DailyMailTV to tease season two of the show and revealed that she had be hurt by Brandi Glanville for mocking Medley and her late husband Richard by calling the estate 'Dead Stone Manor' and complaining all they did was 'talk about death.'

Who is the problem? While Tamra and Brandi are at odds and Vicki clearly causes problems, Judge previously revealed on a podcast that Dorinda was a particularly prickly host and created drama on the daily

'There was definitely one cast member that picked a fight every single day,' she said, referring to Dorinda. 'Or I should say every night, after cocktails.'

'There's a lot of conflict going on with eight women,' Vicki is seen saying in the teaser, to which Eva Marcille quips: 'The only conflict is you.'

'The big thing that I think everybody is really excited about is [that] the mash-up is coming out,' Dorinda gushed. 'Eight crazy women at the wonderful and famous Bluestone Manor. Locked up for eight days.'

After the group wrapped up filming, Glanville took to social media with a callous review of her time in the Berkshires, saying all they did at the house was talk about death and dubbed the home 'Dead Stone Manor'

'It's just terrible because first of all, she's in my husband's house and he's like buried a mile away,' Dorinda reflected. 'When you are staying in someone's home -- you speak about death in that manner? I just ... God help you.'

'You know, there's no fight, there's no defending yourself on that,' she continued, 'Because, you know, you just can't weaponize it.'

Dorinda also noted that she was not the only one in the cast who had previously lost a partner.

Dorinda's late husband, Dr. Richard Medley, whom she wed in 2005 sadly passed away at the age of 60 in 2011. That same year, Taylor Armstrong's ex-husband, Russell Armstrong, died by suicide. They were estranged at the time. In 2018, Jill Zarin's beloved husband Bobby died following a long battle with cancer.

'The face of an angel and the mouth of a serpent,' Dorinda at one point shouts to an unseen co-star

Good times: Despite the tears and cat fights, there were a lot of laughs in the trailer

'Birds of a feather flock together. I am not flocking with that bird,' Vicky snaps

Tune in! Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Ex-Wives Club streams June 23 on Peacock

'It's no joke. It's not like they lost a handbag,' Dorinda said. 'It's morbid and it's inconsiderate, and it comes off as sort of ignorant.'

Despite hurt feelings, Dorinda has since forgiven Brandi, whom she thinks of like a little sister, after Glanville sent her a text to apologize.

'She says these things, and I think that she regrets it,' Dorinda reflected, adding that she is still in touch with Glanville. 'I don't believe that Brandi has a mean bone in her body.'

Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Ex-Wives Club streams June 23 on Peacock.
MOGADISHU, May 3 (Xinhua) -- African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) repulsed a deadly pre-dawn attack by the al-Shabab militant group on its military camp in the central Somalia town of El Baraf, local security officials confirmed Tuesday.

The local security officials told Radio Mogadishu that two loud explosions hit the ATMIS base manned by the Burundian troops followed by an exchange of gunfire between the troops and the militants.

"ATMIS troops of Burundi contingent have repulsed a complex attack by the terror group al-Shabab on an army base in El-Baraf town of Somalia's Hirshabelle State in the early hours of Tuesday," the state-owned radio reported.

There was no comment from the government or ATMIS officials on the latest assault by the extremist group.

Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack.

The insurgent group which has tied with al-Qaida terrorists has carried out many deadly attacks targeting AU camps across Somalia.
Ben Shephard has paid tribute to a Tipping Point contestant who passed away before their episode aired on Wednesday evening.

The TV presenter, 47, took to his Twitter to announce that one of the show's players had died after the recording.

He revealed that Cath, a retired school bus driver from Bolton, had passed away, and sent his condolences to her family.

Poignant: Ben Shephard has paid tribute to a Tipping Point contestant who passed away before their episode aired on Wednesday evening

Alongside a photo of the episode's contestants, Ben wrote: 'Todays Tipping Point is a poignant one since recording the show, lovely contestant Cath, pictured backstage here, has passed away.

'Our thoughts and love are with her family and friends x'

Fans rushed to share their own messages of sorrow to Cath's loved ones, with one writing: 'Very caring Ben. Sorry to hear the sad news and my thoughts go out to her family sad very sad'.

Tragic: The TV presenter, 47, took to his Twitter to announce that one of the show's players had died after the recording

Condolences: He revealed that Cath (pictured), a retired school bus driver from Bolton, had passed away, and sent his condolences to her family

Another echoed: 'Awww, so sad, I was just literally watched it earlier this evening the episode.

'My deepest sympathy and condolences to the bereaved family, may her soul rest in peace'.

A third chimed in to add: 'Awww bless her that's so sad. Sincere condolences to all of her family x'.

Tribute: Alongside a photo of the episode's contestants, Ben wrote: 'Todays Tipping Point is a poignant one since recording the show, lovely contestant Cath, pictured backstage here, has passed away'

Cath's granddaughter Kadie, also took to Twitter to thank Ben for his kind words, writing: 'Thank you for your kind words for my nan, she was so excited that she got to meet you'.

The moving tribute comes after Ben was left shocked as Tuesday night's episode saw one contestant break a Tipping Point record.

Lucky player Toyah, managed to drop 17 counters in her opening go, giving her quite a head start.

Her winning streak continued and, by the end of round one, Torah smashed the 'show's record' with 2,450.

On her penalty scoring top-up, Ben revealed: 'We take that 550 from the penalty pot and put it into your bank and, as you can see, that's 1,500.

'You managed to create Tipping Point history because that is a record in this round without a double. You are breaking Tipping Point records.'
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She admitted that her anxiety went 'through the roof' while posing in a golden gown at this year's Met Gala in New York on Monday, and it seems Khloe Kardashian couldn't wait to get back into her normal routine.

The 37-year-old reality star was pictured back in Los Angeles, California on Tuesday with her three-year-old daughter True, cutting a casual figure in black workout clothes and oversized sunglasses while on mom duty.

Khloe - who has confessed to being 'addicted to exercise' - showed off her impressively trim form and slim derriere, which appears to be now dramatically different to her more curvaceous shape from just a few years ago.

EXCLUSIVE: Khloe Kardashian reveals her plump pout and disappearing curves as she gets back to mom duty after Met Gala red carpet left feeling 'so anxious'

The mother-of-one also appeared to be sporting a plump pout, as she was pictured taking her little one to a gymnastics class in her hometown of LA.

Plump pout: The 37-year-old reality star showed off her noticeably fuller lips

The Kardashians star has certainly had a tough time over the last few years, as she's weathered several cheating scandals with her ex Tristan Thompson, with the fractured relationship about to be a major storyline in the Hulu show.

Last year it was revealed that the sportsman had fathered a secret child with fitness trainer Maralee Nichols while he was still with Khloe, which is set to be a topic on an upcoming episode of her reality show.

Khloe had talked openly about wanting another child with Tristan and the pair were looking at surrogacy options together while being filmed for the family's reality show.

The Good American founder finally admitted last month that things are now over for good, telling Robin Roberts: 'I still think hes a great guy, and he's a great dad. He's just not the guy for me.'

She added: 'I think at the end of the day, all of us aspire to have blissfulness. We want to feel happy. We want to feel safe.'

Meanwhile, on Tuesday morning Khloe wrote to her followers: 'Am I supposed to admit that I almost had a heart attack on that carpet tonight? My anxiety was through the roof!'

She went on to thank her glam team on the microblogging site as she wrote: 'To say the last couple of weeks have been a rollercoaster is an understatement, but last night made it all worth it.'

Adding: 'It was an honor to wear @moschino on this night that I will never forget. Thank you, thank you, thank you Jeremy, Laura, Stefan, Brooke and the team at @Moschino.

Disappearing curves: Khloe's shape appears to have dramatically changed in just a few years, after the star recently admitted to being 'addicted to exercise' (Pictured left in 2018)

Back to reality: Khloe recently admitted that her anxiety was 'through the roof' at the Met Gala

The Good American founder's bleach blonde hair was parted to one side by her sister Kim's longtime hairstylist Chris Appleton, who used Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray.

Khloe opted to go without the long blonde tresses that she is often seen modeling and instead chose to show off her natural, shoulder-length locks for the night.

She shared details about her Jeremy Scott-designed gala getup, including how her stunning gown was thrown together in 'like 10 days.'

Fit: Khloe showed off her impressively trim form and slim derriere, which appears dramatically different to her more curvaceous shape just a few years ago

Under pressure: The Kardashians star has certainly had a tough time over the last few years, as she's weathered several cheating scandals with her ex Tristan Thompson, with the fractured relationship being a major storyline in the Hulu show

When asked what she's looking forward to the 'most' at her first-ever gala, Khloe confessed that was definitely ready to get the party started.

'I need a glass of champagne so that's what I'm mainly looking forward to,' she told the Met's red carpet MC, La La Anthony - who is also her sister Kim Kardashian's longtime BFF.

Khloe also admitted that it was 'scary' to be at the Metropolitan Museum of Art event for the first time.

She told Vogue: 'It's a much shorter carpet than I thought... it's so scary but it's fabulous. I'm so excited to be here.

Changing faces: Khloe has chalked her morphing looks up to picture perfect contouring done by shading and highlighting through makeup (Left 2019, right 2008)

Body business: Khloe is known for talking about her body and fitness, and regularly shows it off to promote her brands including the Good American clothing line

'I'm so excited that we're all here together... Kourt and Trav are right behind us, my mom, and I think Kendall and Kylie just ran in. It's going to be a fun night.

'I just had to be a part of this experience.'

Mum Kris told the publication her favourite part of the night was waiting to see all her girls walk the red carpet.

She added: 'I just want to get to the top of the carpet, I don't care if I have roller-skates on.

'For me that's when the fun starts and I get to watch them. All five of them are coming.'
Jessika Power is on a flight back to the UK after a whistle-stop tour of Australia.

The Married At First Sight alum, 30, spent several weeks Down Under seeing friends and family, and also attending promotional events in Sydney and the Gold Coast.

She was spotted at Brisbane Airport on Wednesday before catching a flight bound for England, where she will reunite with her boyfriend Connor Thompson.

Heading home: Jessika Power was spotted at Brisbane Airport on Wednesday before catching a flight bound for England, where she will reunite with her boyfriend Connor Thompson

Jessika dressed comfortably for the long-haul flight in a cream-coloured hoodie and sweatpants, which she teamed with white sneakers and a Louis Vuitton bag.

The OnlyFans model swept her blonde hair into a bun and wore a pink face mask.

Holding her passport as she walked through the international terminal, she checked in two large suitcases and took a smaller suitcase with her as carry-on.

Casually clad: The MAFS star dressed comfortably for the long-haul flight in a cream-coloured hoodie and sweatpants, which she teamed with white sneakers and a Louis Vuitton bag

Travel: She checked in two large suitcases and took a smaller suitcase with her as carry-on

Promo girl: Jessika (right, with Imogen Anthony) spent several weeks Down Under seeing friends and family, and also attending promotional events in Sydney and the Gold Coast

It comes after Jessika revealed she was about to take a major step forward in her relationship with her English boyfriend Connor.

She told Daily Mail Australia on Monday she was ready to introduce him to her family.

'Connor is coming over in September to meet all my family in Western Australia and on the Gold Coast,' she said at a promo event for Skinny B*tch low-calorie wines.

'Feeling clucky': It comes after Jessika (pictured on the Gold Coast on Monday) revealed she was about to take a major step forward in her relationship with her English boyfriend Connor

'I also want to take him to some really beautiful Australian landmarks. I want to take him to The Great Barrier Reef, I want to try and get a couple of nights out near Uluru.

'I want to do the Sydney Harbour Bridge walk, things like that so he can actually experience Australia and see how beautiful our country is.'

The couple have discussed living together Down Under for a few months sometime in the near future before they make a decision on where they want to settle.

Meet the Powers! The model told Daily Mail Australia on Monday she was ready to introduce Connor to her family in Western Australia and on the Gold Coast

'I would go wherever he goes at the end of the day. I'm happy to move to the UK. I love it there. I think it's really beautiful, I think the country is amazing,' she said.

When asked if having children was on the cards, Jessika said: 'I've been feeling clucky for years now, we all know that.

'I want a baby but you've got to be with the right person to have a baby. You can't just go in and have children.'

Planning for the future: When asked if having children was on the cards, Jessika said: 'I've been feeling clucky for years now, we all know that'

It comes after Jessika sparked rumours she'd faked being single in order to appear on British reality show Celebs Go Dating.

At the time she filmed the E4 program, she had recently moved in with Connor in Manchester.

A source told The Sun: 'Everyone thinks Jessika has been with Connor the whole time. She has now moved him into her apartment and they are no longer hiding their romance.

'The whole "split" was very convenient so she could cash her cheque but not surprisingly she didn't meet anyone on the show. It's wasted everyone's time really and bosses aren't happy.'

Ready to mingle? It comes after Jessika sparked rumours she'd faked being single in order to appear on British reality show Celebs Go Dating (pictured on the series)

The Aussie MAFS star was reportedly paid 40,000 (AU$70,000) to star on Celebs Go Dating.

Contestants who sign up for the show have contracts which stipulate they must be single throughout the process.

Jessika was claiming to be single while going on dates with numerous men for the series.

Naughty! The Aussie was reportedly paid 40,000 (AU$70,000) to star on Celebs Go Dating. Contestants who sign up for the show have contracts which stipulate they must be single throughout the process - but insiders suspect she was secretly dating Connor the whole time

She even took one potential love match away on the mini-break, before heading straight back to Connor once the cameras stopped rolling.

She relocated from Queensland to Manchester last year, after falling for Englishman Connor, who hosts the Erasing the Bar podcast.

The blonde rose to fame on season six of Married At First Sight Australia in 2019.
The model girlfriend of rap sensation The Kid Laroi has made a significant career move by signing with one of Australia's top publicists.

Katarina Deme is now on Roxy Jacenko's books as a client at The Ministry of Talent, a leading influencer agency based in Sydney.

The 18-year-old is a rising star on social media, with more than one million followers on TikTok and 1.2 million followers on Instagram.

Ambitious: Katarina Deme, the model girlfriend of rap sensation The Kid Laroi, has made a significant career move by signing with one of Australia's top publicists. (Katarina and Laroi are pictured at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills on March 27)

Katarina will accompany Laroi when he tours Australia in late May and early June.

The Stay rapper spoke to The Kyle and Jackie O Show in February 2021 about his romance with Katarina, revealing they'd met through mutual friends.

Radio host Jackie 'O' Henderson called Katarina 'the most beautiful girl I've ever seen', prompting Laroi to laugh and say: 'I agree!'

Rising star: Katarina is now on Roxy Jacenko's books at The Ministry of Talent, a leading influencer agency based in Sydney. (Roxy is pictured right in Sydney on November 26, 2019)

The Aussie musician said he'd never expected to fall in love so young, but did so shortly after relocating from Sydney to Los Angeles.

'Around the time that I met her, I just put out the whole F*ck Love [mixtape] project and was not in the vibe of love,' he said.

'But I guess... you can't control some of that type of stuff. It was so ironic.'

Popular: The 18-year-old is a rising star on social media, with more than one million followers on TikTok and 1.2 million followers on Instagram

On tour: Katarina will accompany Laroi when he tours Australia in late May and early June

Co-host Kyle Sandilands added: 'Once again it's proven that when you're not looking, love comes along at the strangest time.'

'100 per cent, I agree,' Laroi replied.

Laroi threw his girlfriend a surprise 18th birthday party at a bar in LA in February, with guests including fellow TikTok personality Addison Rae.

Surprise! Laroi threw his girlfriend a surprise 18th birthday party at a bar in LA in February
She never fails to hit a fashion high note.

And Olivia Culpo looked nothing short of sensational as she arrived at the star-studded Michael Kors dinner in London on Wednesday evening.

The American model, 29, showcased her washboard abs in a chic broderie anglaise co-ord, which included a crop top and A-line skirt.

Ab-solutely fabulous! Olivia Culpo looked nothing short of sensational as she arrived at the star-studded Michael Kors dinner in London on Wednesday evening

The former pageant star wore her brunette locks swept back in a sleek bun and sported a glamorous coat of make-up in bronze hues.

Olivia flaunted her toned pins in the thigh-grazing skirt and elongated her toned pins in a pair of stylish strappy white heels.

She was joined at the soiree by Swedish model Elsa Hosk, 33, who showcased her sizzling figure in a black form-fitting midi dress.

Spring chic: The American model, 29, showcased her washboard abs in a chic broderie anglaise co-ord, which included a crop top and A-line skirt

Glowing: The former pageant star wore her brunette locks swept back in a sleek bun and sported a glamorous coat of make-up in bronze hues

The blonde beauty layered the look with a cream overcoat and styled the ensemble with a pair of knee-high black leather boots.

She carried in her hand a miniature Michael Kors bag and also wore her hair swept back into a neat blonde bun.

Elsewhere, Leni Klum flaunted her glossy new do as she arrived at the star-studded dinner after recently switching her blonde locks for brunette tresses.

Hello! Olivia flashed a wave as she made her way inside

Glowing: Olivia was sporting a glowing tan for the outing

Celebrity offspring: Lennon Gallagher was in attendance

Woah! She was joined at the soiree by Swedish model Elsa Hosk, 33, who showcased her sizzling figure in a black form-fitting midi dress

The model daughter of Heidi Klum, 18, cut a chic figure in a belted denim jumpsuit as she strutted down the street to the entrance of the swanky soiree.

Leni teamed the look with a pair of white strappy heels, which boosted her already statuesque frame, and accessorised with a bejeweled bag.

The fashionista finished the look with a chunky gold necklace and a glowing pallet of make-up in bronze tones.

New look: Elsewhere, Leni Klum flaunted her glossy new do as she arrived at the star-studded dinner after recently switching her blonde locks for brunette tresses

Chic: The model daughter of Heidi Klum, 18, cut a chic figure in a belted denim jumpsuit as she strutted down the street to the entrance of the swanky soiree

Smouldering: The blonde beauty layered the look with a cream overcoat and styled the ensemble with a pair of knee-high black leather boots

Stepping out: Lennon was joined by a glamorous female pal

Arrivals: She was sporting a blue dress, blazer and heeled boots

Sophisticated: Erin O'Connor wore a black ensemble and white coat

Earlier in the day, Olivia flashed her abs as she made her way to a photo shoot for the brand.

She rocked the shoot in a multi-colored jacket with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows.

Olivia matched stylish heels with a pair of baggy jeans for the shoot.

Toned midriff: Earlier in the day, Olivia flashed her abs as she made her way to a photo shoot for the brand

The Rhode Island native removed the jacket for other shots revealing a small white crop top beneath.

It accentuated her toned tummy as she threw a look back over her shoulder.

The Reprisal actress' light brown hair was tied back tightly behind her head into a bun.

She held a blue, orange and white purse as she made her way to the shoot.

Splashes of color: Olivia rocked the shoot in a multi-colored jacket with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows

Stepping through the streets: Culpo walked with a purpose while making her way down the London streets
Dont wear this, dont wear that. Dont go there, dont do that. Sit like this, walk like that. Dont talk like this, dont read that. Girls around the world have been policed since their births. The same is often not the case with boys.

This doesnt stop even when they grow into adults. For the society, women cant be sexually active, seek out bodily pleasures and still be moral. Because its a mans field to play. Now, in the US, the flag-bearing country of all things liberal, a near half-century-old right to abortion law might be overturned.

Representative Image. Photo: Getty Images

WHAT HAPPENED?

American media outlet Politico, on Monday, May 2, blew the lid on the US Supreme Court Justices opinion on a major case Roe vs Wade abortion right. According to a leaked draft opinion document circulated in the US Supreme Court, written by Justice Samuel Alito, there is an internal majority to overturn the Roe vs Wade law which has given abortion rights to women since 1973.

Department of Homeland Security showed up to the abortion rally in DTLA to harass and assault protesters #abolishpolice pic.twitter.com/YJuPW8mYZ0  John Motter (@JohnMotter) May 4, 2022

Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division, Justice Alito wrote in the 98-page leaked draft.

The US Supreme Court has already confirmed that the leaked documents are authentic. However, such a leak in an important SC case is unheard of in modern US history. And the US Chief Justice John Roberts has ordered an investigation into what he termed was a 'breach of trust.

Five people are going to unilaterally end abortion rights for tens of millions of people. This is "democracy."  Gravel Institute (@GravelInstitute) May 3, 2022

Context: The US has been debating abortion rights for well over a year now. Last year, US state Mississippi outlawed all abortions in the state after 15 weeks, except in cases where a mothers life is in danger. Several other states like Arizona followed the suit. It primarily pertains to the arguments between those who are anti-abortion and those who are pro-abortion.

Conservatives and Christian religious bodies have largely supported the 'pro-life' argument, which puts the right to a womans body and womb after as soon as 6 weeks of pregnancy in the hands of the state. The argument claims that the unborn fetus has a right to life and a woman carrying the fetus cannot take the decision to terminate the life.

"I've noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born."pic.twitter.com/beX9zCkgkW  Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 3, 2022

Liberals have largely argued for abortion rights saying that a womans body cant be subject to the states decision. They also argue for womens bodily autonomy, health and freedom, as restricted access to abortions would curb a womans sexual activity and also put the sole responsibility of the act and the pregnancy on a woman.

One historian of abortion argues that abortion stays at pretty much the same rate per capita over time whether it's legal or banned. What changes when you make it illegal is how many women die from it.  Kathleen Belew (@kathleen_belew) May 3, 2022

WHAT DOES THE LEAKED DOCUMENT MEAN?

The leaked document has far-flung consequences in the US.

1. The US Supreme Court is made up of 9 members. Five of them, including Justice Alito, who authored the leaked document, are conservatives in favour of overturning the right to abortion rules. Three other Justices appointed by Democrats are still preparing for their dissent. While Chief Justice John Roberts vote is crucial to the case, the conservatives still enjoy a majority.

2. It suggests that the Supreme Court favours overturning the 1973's landmark Roe vs Wade ruling and also the 1992 Planned Parenthood vs Casey case. These two cases federally protected American womens abortion rights till the time of viability. Viability is the time after which the fetus can survive outside of the womb, which is often after 7 months.

3. Overturning the law would strip millions of American women from access to safe abortion procedures. It would also mean that states would be free to implement their own abortion policies. It is assumed that nearly half of the US states or about 22 of them, mostly Republican governed states, would ban abortions.

A party that takes away abortion rights but refuses to provide support for pregnant women who need help with medical care including birth expenses, housing, food, child care & schooling, employment, etc, is most definitely not pro-life.  Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) May 3, 2022

4. Currently, the Mississippi law that began the whole debate anew bans abortions after 15 weeks, too soon from the viability period. However, some states like Oklahoma, have even just now, signed a bill banning abortions after only 6 weeks. Most women dont even realise being pregnant till 6 weeks. Some states also have something called trigger laws in place, which would implement the ban just weeks after the SC ruling takes place.

5. If the Roe vs Wade and Planned Parenthood vs Casey cases are overturned, there would be no exceptions even in cases of rape or incest.

6. US President Joe Biden voiced concerns that overturning the Roe vs Wade rule may have a domino effect on other rulings pertaining to personal liberty including same-sex marriage. He also said that Congress would be ready if and when the moment comes when the ruling is overturned.

My statement on the reported Supreme Court decision draft. pic.twitter.com/Kt3bP0kzqU  President Biden (@POTUS) May 3, 2022

WHAT DOES THE LEAK SAY ABOUT SCOTUS?

The New York Times reported that the leak itself tells a lot about the Supreme Court of the US.

1. Politicos sources who leaked the document likely have their own motives.

2. The source that leaked the document is either a conservative or a liberal, no one knows yet.

The nine Justices in the US SC. Photo: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States

3. The leak shows that the US SC is in a form of disarray, marred by distrust, suspicion and speculations.

4. It needs to be noted that in modern history, a US Supreme Court internal document has never been leaked to the press, that too in a major case like the abortion right one.

As the world strives to move forward and become more progressive, it seems like the US is set on undoing its own progress of decades. If abortions are indeed banned, then in some states, the penalty for rape would be far less than the penalty for abortion.
Washington: Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Tuesday hinted at the possibility of Twitter charging for its services for commercial and government users.

"Twitter will always be free for casual users, but maybe a slight cost for commercial/government users," Musk tweeted.

Notably, this tweet followed another tweet by Musk wherein he claimed that giving services for free was the reason behind the decline of the fraternal organization, Freemasons.

"Ultimately, the downfall of the Freemasons was giving away their stonecutting services for nothing," the Tesla CEO tweeted.

If Twitter implements the pay-to-post policy, it would become the first major social media company to charge users to interact with its platform.

Several policy changes seem to be in line after Tesla CEO took over the microblogging platform, Twitter. Earlier, Musk also criticized Twitter's censorship policy as he faulted a decision the company made in 2020 to block a New York Post story about Hunter Biden. He called the move "incredibly inappropriate."

"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 had 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 spambots, 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 further.
Police baton charge protesters after clashes broke out in Jalori Gate area, in Jodhpur, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (PTI Photo)

Jodhpur: As many as 97 people have been arrested so far in connection with communal clashes over hoisting of a flag before Eid in Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's constituency Jodhpur where curfew continued in 10 police station areas for the second consecutive day on Wednesday.

The situation is under control and no fresh incident of violence has been reported, police said.

Nearly 1000 policemen have been deployed to maintain law and order.

The Jodhpur deputy commissioner of police had issued orders imposing a curfew besides suspending mobile internet services.

Gehlot, who on Tuesday appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony, has sent two ministers Rajendra Yadav and Subhash Garg, ACS home Abhay Kumar and ADG Law and Order Hawa Singh Ghumaria to Jodhpur.

Tensions broke out past Monday midnight over putting up of Islamic flags on the Jalori gate circle here, which led to stone pelting in which five policemen were injured.

The situation was brought under control in the early hours on Tuesday with heavy deployment of police but tensions escalated again in the morning after prayers at an Eidgah.

Shops, vehicles and houses were pelted with stones near the Jalori gate area.

Members of a minority community were installing Eid flags and they put up a flag on a roundabout alongside the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa. This led to a confrontation as members belonging to another community alleged that a saffron flag, which they had put up there ahead of Parshuram Jayanti, had gone missing.

The issue led to stone pelting and clashes, officials said.

Police had to lob tear gas shells to disperse the mob.

The clashes triggered a war of words between Gehlot and the BJP.

Talking to news channels, Gehlot had charged that it was the agenda of the BJP to defame him.

"It is their job to incite Hindu-Muslim riots. How long can you do politics in the name of polarisation? This country belongs to all religions, all castes and PM Narendra Modi and central government also have to understand this, he said.

The BJP, on its part, targeted the state government over law and order.

Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat claimed that police are working under pressure.

Shekhawat threatened that he, along with other party leaders, will sit on a dharna at the Jalori gate circle if the rioters are not arrested.

"One man was stabbed and is struggling for life in hospital. The miscreants also insulted women and broke the leg of a minor girl. They also tried to damage a temple in the Sunaro Ka Baas area," he alleged.

BJP state president Satish Poonia said, "Putting up an Islamic flag on the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa by anti-social elements and removing saffron flags put up on Parshuram Jayanti is condemnable."

He appealed to the people to maintain peace and demanded that the state government establish the "rule of law".

"A saffron flag was replaced with an Islamic flag at the statue of Bissaji last night and sabotage happened. It is proven from the incident of Karauli that such incidents are happening under the patronage of the state government," Poonia said in a video statement.
HYDERABAD: Denizens woke up to an unexpected cloudburst on Wednesday morning, which soaked the parched metropolis and brought a brief respite from the scorching heat, but not without bringing myriad problems along with it.

The 8.2 cm rainfall exposed the pitiable civic infrastructure in the city as several areas were water-clogged and inundated. The annual nala desilting and Strategic Nala Development Plan (SNDP) taken up by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) proved utterly ineffective during the downpour. The authorities, however, described Wednesday's rainfall as 'bad luck' and admitted that they were unprepared for urban flooding. The corporation officials also blamed the Ramzan festivities, as petty vendors dumped huge amounts of flooding material on roadsides, which were supposed to be cleaned by Wednesday morning.

However, in Hyderabad, Seethafalmandi near Secunderabad received 82.8 mm rainfall, the highest as of 8:30 am, followed by Bansilalpet (72.5 mm) and West Marredpally (68.3 mm). Though the heavy rains, accompanied by gusty winds and lightning, brought huge relief to Hyderabadis, traffic and power supply were disrupted in many parts of the city.

Water logging on major roads in several areas of Hyderabad, including Basheerbagh, Khairatabad, LakdikaPul, Secunderabad, Kukatpally, Malakpet, Alwal and Uppal caused severe traffic problems. Yakutpura was the worst affected area, where several colonies were submerged in knee-deep water. A few locals were seen using inflatable rubber boats to move around.

Ironically, officials, covering up their failures, informed that Wednesday's incident was sheer bad luck. If the rain could wait for one more hour, the sanitation workers would have removed the trash, predominantly plastic material dumped by petty vendors. Authorities argued that floating material which was dumped during the Ramzan festivities resulted in blockages and inundation, especially in the Charminar, Khairatabad and Secunderabad zones. The corporation officials informed that the GHMC cleared the water clogging and removed uprooted trees which caused major power disruption in the entire city by 1 pm.

Out of the total 60 works taken up under the SNDP, the corporation till date has completed only 25 per cent with only 26 days left for the deadline. Several storm water drainage improvement proposals include Modukula Kunta to Kotha Cheruvu in Kukatpally zone, Mansurabad Chinna Cheruvu to Bandlaguda Cheruvu and from there to Nagole Cheruvu, Bandlaguda Cheruvu to Musi river, Bathula Cheruvu to Injapur Nala, Ramanthapur Pedda Cheruvu to Ramanthapur Chinna Cheruvu up to irrigation canal, and four stretches in and around Saroornagar lake up to Chaitanyapuri in Lal Bahadur Nagar Zone, Shah-Hatim Lake to Langar Houz, Nadeem Colony to Shah-Hatim Lake, Masjid-e-Abubakr to Shah Hatim Lake in Khairatabad zone, Errakunta to Kotha Cheruvu, and Singareni Colony to Saroornagar Lake, Appa Cheruvu to Mulgund Lake to Eesa River in Charminar zone, Neknampur Nala to Musi river, Eerla Cheruvu to National Highway 65, Rayasamudram to Nakka Vagu and AG Colony to Sanathnagar Nala in Serilingampally zone, among several others are either in their initial stages or in the midway. The corporation officials are allegedly not serious about the annual desilting programme which is running at a snail's pace. Due to the normal rainfall in eastern part of the city, minimal inundation and property loss were reported.

Admitting their failures, a corporation official said works under the SNDP and nala desilting would go in till June. He said as of now the corporation was focussing more on nala works in downstream Musi (LB Nagar), which caused major devastation for the past two years due to flash floods. The official also said nala works which were under progress in Yakutpura caused the inundation during Wednesday's rainfall.
The students performed various experiments in remote mode  from physics experiments such as calculating the gravitational constant g using a pendulum to finding the focal length of a convex lens.  DC Image

Hyderabad: A team of the IIIT-Hyderabad has developed a remote-system with which one can, via a dashboard from outside, remotely control the physical set-up of experiments in a laboratory through sensors and actuators.

After receiving a grant for the project, a faculty team led by Dr Venkatesh Choppella comprising four professors with expertise in software engineering, IoT, natural sciences and electronics and robotics came together to make the access to science experiments easier.

We handpicked a bunch of second-year undergraduate students. They showed promise in their Communications Controls IoT course, said Prof. Sachin Chaudhari who dealt with the software engineering aspect.

With only a browser, these labs can be controlled from even a mobile device.

The students performed various experiments in remote mode  from physics experiments such as calculating the gravitational constant g using a pendulum to finding the focal length of a convex lens.

The dashboard let students choose the experiment of their choice.

The user can change the parameters and then record her observations. The way the convex lens experiment works is that theres a mirror, a lens and a screen. I can move the light source until I get a sharp image of the light on the screen. Then I can calculate the focal length, said Prof. Chaudhari.

Live streaming of experiments and recording the outputs can also be done.

The team of students and faculty is building a prototype of the project for an NGO, but they still have to address the issue of scaling.

We want to make it available nationwide. For now, it will continue as a research project, where we will refine its robustness, improve its pedagogy and find ways to scale the solution, said Prof Chaudhari.
Hyderabad: Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy said the constituent assembly that drafted the constitution was inspired by Mahatma Sri Basaveshwara. He was speaking at Lord Basaveshwara Jayanti celebrations organised by the state government in coordination with the Telangana Veerashaiva Lingayat Federation (TVLF) at the Ravindra Bharathi auditorium on Tuesday.

Minister V. Srinivas Goud said Telangana was the only state to celebrate Basava Jayanti apart from Karnataka, thanks to the leadership of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. He expressed dissatisfaction over the prevailing caste discrimination and gender inequalities in the society, in contrast to the preaching of Lord Basaveshwara. Unfortunately, the Centre has been sitting on the recommendation to give OBC status to the Veerashaiva Lingayat community.

Home minister Mahmood Ali expressed happiness over celebrating two festivals on the same day, Basava Jayanti and Id-ul-Fitr. Minister T. Srinivas Yadav lauded the efforts of MP B.B. Patil in convincing the state government to officially celebrate the Basava Jayanti.

Patil thanked the state government for allotting land and sanctioning Rs 10 crore funds for constructing the Basava Bhavan at Kokapet. I am pleased to say that the building would be inaugurated within a months time in the presence of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao.

B. Hanmanth, president of the TVLF thanked the state government for installing the statue of Basaveshwara on Tank Bund. Earlier in the day, prayers were offered at the statue.
Hyderabad: Congress MP from Bhongir parliamentary constituency Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said on Tuesday that Union highways minister Nitin Gadkari has promised to undertake the Hyderabad-Vijayawada National Highway expansion works. In a social media post, the MP termed this as Pragati Ka Highway.

Gadkari had, during his visit to Hyderabad on April 29, inaugurated various NH and central road and infrastructure fund (CRIF) projects in Telangana.

Notably, the Congress MP had skipped the preparatory meeting of party leaders from undivided Nalgonda district for Rahul Gandhis visit to Warangal, and instead participated in the Union ministers programme that day.

Citing this pre-scheduled programme as reason, Reddy skipped the Congress meet. He now says he requested the Union minister to expedite the expansion works of Hyderabad-Vijayawada National Highway.

Gadkari promised that he would take up the works at earliest. The expansion of the Hyderabad-Vijayawada National Highway works will be useful for both Telangana and AP states and would reduce the travel time between the two major cities -- Hyderabad and Vijayawada, he said.
Iin order to counter anti-government narrative on farmers' suicides, unemployment etc by Opposition leders, the TRS leadership has decided to engage its rank and file in all the districts. (Photo by arrangement)

HYDERABAD: The TRS is understood to have planned a counter-offensive against Opposition parties in the wake of the proposed visits of former AICC president Rahul Gandhi, BJP president J.P. Nadda and Union home minister Amit Shah to Telangana soon.

The visit of top-level national leaders from the Congress and the BJP in a span of less than 10 days in May to target the TRS has heated up the political atmosphere.

While Rahul Gandhi is making a two-day visit to the state on May 6 and May 7, Nadda is arriving in the state a day prior, on May 5, and Amit Shah is expected to visit the state on May 14.

While Rahul Gandhi will address a public meeting in Warangal to highlight farmers' suicides in Telangana and attempt to visit Osmania University to highlight unemployment, Nadda will address a public meeting in Mahbubnagar as part of Sanjay's ongoing padayatra against the TRS government's failures and Amit Shah is expected to address a public meeting in Maheshwaram on the city outskirts to mark the conclusion of the second phase of Sanjay's padayatra.

According to sources, in order to counter anti-government narrative on farmers' suicides, unemployment etc by Opposition leders, the TRS leadership has decided to engage its rank and file in all the districts. The counter-offensive will be based on 'facts and figures' on the TRS government's initiatives undertaken over the past eight years for the benefit of farmers, unemployed and other sections using media and social media platforms aggressively and highlighting how the BJP and the Congress-ruled states stand nowhere near Telangana in welfare schemes and development programmes.

All the ministers, party MLAs, MLCs, MPs, district and mandal level leaders will be involved in the counter-offensive strategy.

They were asked to use media and social media platforms aggressively and counter the Congress and the BJP's national leaders charges against the TRS government.

Sources added that TRS working president and IT minister K.T. Rama Rao will lead this counter-offensive strategy by visiting Warangal the very next day on May 7, after Rahul Gandhi's visit on May 6.

Rama Rao along with district ministers, party MLAs, MLCs and MPs will give a strong reply to Rahul Gandhi's charges against the TRS government on farmers' suicides and unemployment issues.

He will release the statistics to prove that the TRS government stands at the top in the country in filling vacancies in state government departments by already filling 1.36 lakh jobs in seven years and the recently announced recruitment drive to fill 90,000 posts for which notifications for Group-I and police recruitment were issued last week.

Rao will also release data tabled by the BJP government at the Centre in the recent budget session of Parliament on decreasing farmers' suicides in Telangana under the TRS regime.
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday yet again said that it was not inclined to interfere in the decision of Osmania University vice-chancellor in not allowing the interactive session of Rahul Gandhi in the campus. The VC had on April 30 rejected an application seeking permission to conduct a face to face interaction of Rahul Gandhi with students and unemployed youth at Tagore stadium on May 7.

NSUI members, headed by K. Manavatha Roy, filed an urgent petition before the vacation bench of the High Court urging that they set aside the VCs decision and to direct him to accord permission.

Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy heard the matter on Wednesday and dismissed the plea of NSUI.

Counsel for NSUI members, Karunakar Reddy, argued that rejection of the petitioners application was illegal and biased as the VC had mentioned flimsy grounds to defend his order. He wondered how a VC, who insisted that no political programmes shall not be allowed in the university premises had allowed a political programmes organised by TRS students wing on February 17 in which the mayor and MLAs had participated. The counsel said that the BJP had conducted a mock Assembly in the campus, which is purely political in nature.

The VC had also mentioned that the MBA exams were on and elections to the university employees union and Osmania technical staff union are to be held.The counsel argued that the venue of the interaction was more than two kms away.

Counsel for Osmania University argued that it would create law and order problems as politically-inclined people would also come to the venue. Most of the said NSUI members were not regular scholars and are politically involved. He said if the organisers so desire, they can arrange the programmes outside the campus.

In the opinion of this court, university campuses cannot be used as political platforms. Though the petitioners have stated that earlier certain political events were conducted, merely because of that this court cannot permit the proposed meeting in violation of its executive council resolution.
Warriors of the Indian armed forces, past or present, tend to take its unique value system for granted. Little is it realised how ignorant and impervious the majority of the public is, which knows very little about all this. This value system is imbibed by one and all among those who wear the uniform. Different aspects contribute to the value system; there is basic discipline, unquestioning attitude towards orders and the willingness to defend the honour of the nation and the cap badge that warriors adorn on their embellishments. The spirit of pluralism that prevails at every level of the warrior community is one of the most valuable of these aspects. In the armed forces, no one looks at your faith, caste or ethnicity. Its immaterial whether you are a part of a mixed or a single class entity, or from which faith or region you hail. The only thing important is that you are serving the regiment you belong to and the nation. This is such an important quality of our armed forces that its a pity that a large segment of the Indian public is unaware of something that should make them all proud. The principle of unity in diversity, one of the most beautiful of Indias characteristics, is best epitomised by its warriors.

For officers, there is a very simple saying  the faith of the officer is the faith that his jawans follow. This is something quite alien to all those outside the forces. Many do not realise that I, as a Muslim, will follow every ritual of my troops, who are all Hindu. My troops have equal respect for my faith, and will go to great lengths to ensure that every sensitivity of mine is respected, just like I respect theirs.

It is sometimes amazing how much the troops know about faiths other than their own, without any formal instruction. In a profession where life and death are based upon the trust and faith between the leader and the led, there is little scope for choice of spirituality. All along the Line of Control troops following different faiths ensure they maintain and respect the hundreds of Pir Babas related to the Sufi faith. As an unwritten rule, no warrior consumes non-vegetarian fare or liquor on Thursdays, which has been designated as Pir Baba day by no order or edict. It does not need a Sufi cleric to say the prayers if you happen to visit a Sufi shrine in the precincts of an Army post or even in a garrison. Every soldier is a cleric and the unit religious teacher (RT) will happily lead the prayers and distribute the prasad (its actually called prasad, and why shouldnt it?). I never tire of relating that my parents, in their time, and my wife and I in ours, inevitably led the pooja of my parental unit, comprising the most devout Hindus from Uttarakhand, men of the Garhwal Rifles. I made the pilgrimage to Badrinath many times, but also necessarily out of compulsion as the head of the regiment in senior ranks. That is because Badri Vishal, the personification of Lord Vishnu, happens to be our presiding deity. My men and I went into every operation with the name of Badri Vishal on our lips and, when necessary, screaming our war cry  Bol Badri Vishal Ki Jai (victory to the followers of Lord Vishnu). Could I be less of a Muslim by being also a follower of Lord Vishnu? That is nothing unique because officers belonging to faiths other than Muslim who command Muslim sub-units in the Grenadiers, Rajputana Rifles or the Rajput Regiment always ensure they keep all rozas through the period of Ramzan, and even say their prayers with the troops five times a day.

Young officers of all regiments visit their recruiting areas to learn of the culture of the region from where their men hail, thus imbibing details from every practical angle.

None of this appears to be known to ordinary citizens in India because the armed forces remain isolated in their own unique culture and never wish to be affected by much of the negativity that is prevailing outside. Little wonder then that when the customary iftar function is held in Jammu and Kashmir and the Army plays host to some local people, there are objections posted all over by the owner of a right-wing extremist television channel. Ordinarily, the Army would ignore it as just another shenanigan. This time, its Jammu-based PRO, unlettered in the ways of the social media, decided to take down the photographs which he had rightly posted to showcase the Armys unique inclusive culture and respect for local customs. Taking down a social media post is akin to endorsing the viewpoint of those who had objected to its contents. That is where the controversy started. Many vouched for the Armys culture but equally many questioned the need for the Army to hold such events. Thankfully, we have an Army which does not wilt. In less than 48 hours, it posted a photograph of the Chinar Corps commander (an appointment which I once held very proudly) saying the traditional Id prayers at the JAK LI Regimental Centres Mandir-Masjid-Gurdwara (commonly called MMG) in the company of officers of different faiths. That is a unique institution where a Sikh granthi may lead the namaz or the prarthna, with total approval of all. The photograph went viral and helped expose the Armys truly inclusive culture. To the question why an iftar was organised for the locals, there is a simple answer. Its not for nothing that the Army follows the principles of Military Civic Action and pursues Operation Sadbhavna (goodwill) in all border areas affected by irregular threats. Let everyone understand that the centre of gravity of CI/CT campaigns is always the people of that geographic sub-region; anything and everything done to win their hearts and minds contributes to the Armys overall intent of neutralising enemy propaganda and keeping the people strongly on our side. Success in this does not come easy, but then success in anything the Army pursues does not come easy. It does, however, expect the people of the nation to support those efforts.

Its own unique inclusive culture is a natural bond with local people. However, the people in the rest of the nation can surely understand this better and not work against the intent of what their Army is pursuing with such passion and heart. Unity never hurts a nation; that is what your Army is pursuing and truly showing the way.
Sri Lankans protesting against the economic crisis lie on the road outside Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa's official residence demanding the government step-down in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, May 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Colombo: Sri Lanka's Parliament is set to convene on Wednesday for a crucial session, a day after Sri Lanka's main Opposition party SJB handed over to the parliamentary Speaker motions of no-confidence against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the government for mishandling the country's worst economic crisis.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) handed over to the parliamentary Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena motions of no-confidence, even as the government announced the appointment of a Cabinet sub-committee to look into the proposal for a new Constitution.

We met the Speaker at his residence and handed over two no-trust motions, the first one against the President under Article 42 of the Constitution and the other against the government," Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara said.

We want these taken as quickly as possible," Bandara said.

Article 42 stipulates that the President is responsible to Parliament for the exercise, performance and discharge of his functions.

Any motion needs seven days' notice before getting into the order paper for debate. The date has to be agreed upon at the party leaders' meeting where the business of the House is agreed upon.

The Parliament meets Wednesday for the first of eight sittings this month.

In the normal business listed for Wednesday, Finance Minister Ali Sabry is to inform the House of the talks with the IMF held in Washington last month.

Sri Lanka reached out to the IMF for a possible bailout after suffering its worst economic crisis since independence. Sabry told reporters last week that Sri Lanka's foreign reserves were at zero levels.

Meanwhile, a possible secret vote on Wednesday in parliament for the deputy speaker's position could become vital to prove the majority in the House, analysts said.

The SJB said they would field a candidate for the post of Deputy Speaker of Parliament. The position has fallen vacant with the resignation of the incumbent Ranjith Siyamabalapitiya.

Siyamabalapitiya is part of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) of the former President Maithripala Sirisena which had split from the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) coalition.

We will be fielding our candidate for the position (deputy speaker) if the Speaker announces it today," Harshana Rajakaruna, a main opposition SJB legislator told reporters.

The vote would only be possible if president Gotabaya Rajapaksa acknowledges Siyambalapitiya's resignation.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is also expected to make an announcement on Wednesday, the ruling party sources said. He is expected to announce that he would not be resigning his position as he still commands the majority in the House, they said.

Meanwhile, the main Tamil party along with the former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) are to jointly move a no-trust motion against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, which would imply that the House had lost confidence in the President.

The TNA/UNP motion has no legal binding for the President to resign.

This problem can only be solved if either the President or the Prime Minister resigned. It is up to them to make a decision," former prime minister Wickremesinghe said.

Under Article 38 of the Constitution, a president can be removed only if he/she volunteered to resign or through the long process of impeachment.

Experts said if the government would be defeated in the SJB motion, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Cabinet would have to resign.

Over the weekend a flurry of political meetings took place as Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa declined to resign to make way for a unity government for an interim period. The powerful Buddhist clergy also demanded Rajapaksa's resignation to make way for an interim government.

On Tuesday, the government announced the appointment of a Cabinet sub-committee to look at the proposal for a brand new Constitution.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had proposed to amend the Constitution to create an accountable administration that met the people's aspirations, amid large scale protests against the government over its handling of the economy.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa while showing reluctance to sack his older brother conveyed to the parties that he would be willing to set up an all-party interim government if the parties could muster 113 votes in the 225-member assembly.

Both Rajapaksas are coming under increasing pressure to step down in the simmering economic meltdown where people struggle with all essentials, including having to put up with power cuts.

Urgent Indian economic assistance has provided a respite.

Sri Lanka 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.

Thousands of demonstrators have hit the streets across Sri Lanka since April 9, as the government ran out of money for vital imports; prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed and there are acute shortages in fuel, medicines and electricity supply.
South Korean technology major Samsung on Wednesday (May 4) launched the company's first-ever cordless vacuum cleaner in India.

Samsung's Jet cordless vacuum cleaner boasts industry-leading 200W suction power. It houses a proprietary Jet Cyclone system with nine cyclones with 27 air inlets to securely trap fine dust particles that are sucked into the bin and don't compromise the suction power.

It also features Digital Inverter Motor with ultrasonically welded airfoil that optimizes airflow with its blades for high energy efficiency.

It is interesting to note that the Jet cordless stick vacuum cleaners release clean air out with a Multi-layered Filtration System. Samsung says the filter traps 99.999% of fine dust particles and allergens. This is said to be certified by the British Allergy Foundation & SLG Pruf & Zertifizierungs.

Also, it comes with a washable dustbin and a one-click detachable brush drum. Samsung says they can be washed fully without any hassle.

Like any of the stick-based vacuum cleaners, the retail package comes with several brushes. Here, consumers will get Soft Action Brush, which promises to deliver an optimal solution for cleaning fine dust on hard floors.



The new Jet cordless stick vacuum cleaner. Credit: Samsung



The Turbo Action Brush is best used on carpets and rugs. It comes with a rotation speed of nearly 3,750 times a minute and its 180-degree swivel head lets you easily change direction and clean every corner.

The Mini Turbo Brush sucks dust particles and also cleans pet hair off sofas, beds, and mattresses.

On the other hand, the Spinning Sweeper comes with a disposable wet cloth that allows you to clean for up to 80 minutes. The whole dustbin, including the multi-cyclone system, is fully washable.

Samsung is offering Jet vaccum cleaner in three variants-- Jet 70, Jet 75, and Jet 90-- with a varying range of suction power with prices ranging between Rs 36,990 to Rs 52,990.

Also, Samsung is offering a 2-in-1 charging station for Jet 70 and Jet 75 models. It can be wall-mounted, for those users who want to save space. And, it can also just be used as a standalone charger for more flexible storage.

And for Jet 90, Samsung is offering Z Station that allows users to simply place, park, and charge the vacuum cleaner anywhere. The Z Station can charge up to two batteries at once in just 3.5 hours, and the Jet 90 runs for up to one hour, offering the fastest charging and longest cleaning time.

With the Jet cordless stick vacuum cleaner, Samsung is taking on the Singapore-based Dyson in India, which by the way sells a similar class of home appliances-- V8, V11 Absolute Pro (review), and V12--series with prices ranging from Rs 32,900 and Rs 58,900.

Get the latest news on new launches, gadget reviews, apps, cybersecurity, and more on personal technology only on DH Tech.
Two new Omicron sub-variants are driving an increase in reported Covid cases in South Africa, the World Health Organization said Wednesday, stressing the importance of testing to monitor virus mutations and spread.

The heavily mutated and highly transmissible Omicron variant of Covid-19, which was first detected in southern Africa in November last year and rapidly spread globally, is now the dominant variant, accounting for almost all new cases.

Omicron has long been known to have several sub-variants, with BA.2 by far the most dominant.

Also Read | Look at strategies to manage Covid-19 spread in small spaces, say researchers

But now the South African scientists who first identified Omicron are pointing to two other Omicron sub-variants, BA.4 and BA.5, "as the reason for a spike in cases" in the country, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference.

In its latest epidemiological report, the UN health agency said the sub-lineages "have acquired a few additional mutations that may impact their characteristics."

Tedros said Wednesday that it was "too soon to know whether these new sub-variants can cause more severe disease than other Omicron sub-variants."

However, he said, "early data suggest vaccination remains protective against severe disease and death."

Read | Delta or different variant may cause another Covid outbreak: Study

With a total number of laboratory-confirmed cases of nearly 3.8 million and more than 100,000 deaths, Covid-19 has hit South Africa harder than any other country on the continent.

The nation, where fewer than 45 per cent of adults have received two Covid vaccine jabs, saw a steep decline in the virus, allowing it in March to go two full days without reporting any Covid deaths -- for the first time in nearly two years.

In early April, the country lifted all Covid restrictions, but since then, cases have surged back up, jumping by close to 50 per cent in the past week, according to WHO data.

"The best way to protect people remains vaccination, alongside tried and tested public health and social measures," Tedros insisted Wednesday.

Also Read | Bharat Biotech seeks DCGI nod for phase 2/3 Covaxin booster trial among two to 18-year-olds

The WHO has officially recorded more than 6.2 million Covid deaths worldwide since the start of the pandemic, but the true toll is believed to be far higher.

The numbers of newly reported cases and deaths are now declining globally, and have now dropped to their lowest level since March 2020.

But Tedros warned that "these trends, while welcome, don't tell the full story," pointing out that reported cases were rising in the Americas and Africa, "driven by Omicron sub-variants."

The WHO has also cautioned the dwindling global numbers could be a result of significant cuts in testing for the virus.

Tedros stressed that the South African findings showed that "testing and sequencing remain absolutely critical."

"The BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants were identified because South Africa is still doing the vital genetic sequencing that many other countries have stopped doing," Tedros said.

"In many countries, we're essentially blind to how the virus is mutating," he warned.

"We don't know what's coming next."
With four more people being apprehended in connection with the murder of an RSS leader last month in Palakkad district, the total number of arrested accused in the case has reached 20, police said on Wednesday.

ADGP (Law and Order) Vijay Sakhare told PTI that of the four arrested on Tuesday evening, one was allegedly part of the six member group which carried out the killing of RSS leader S K Srinivasan (45) on April 16. Two persons of the attacking party remain to be arrested, he said. All the 20 arrested accused in the case are workers of or affiliated to the Popular Front of India (PFI) or its political offshoot Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), Sakhare further said.

According to the police, Srinivasan was killed in retaliation for the murder of PFI leader Subair (43) on April 15. In the Subair murder case, meanwhile, seven arrests have been made till date and all the accused are RSS workers, Sakhare said. Three of the accused in that case were friends of RSS leader Sanjith, who was murdered in the district in November last year, and had allegedly carried out the attack on the PFI leader. The remaining four were allegedly conspirators in the murder of Subair.

The police probe has revealed that Subair was killed to avenge the murder of Sanjith.

More arrests were likely in both the cases in the coming days and a charge sheet would be filed in each of them soon, the officer said.

Responding to a query on how the police plans to prevent such political revenge or retaliatory killings in future, Sakhare said that while such pre-planned murders are very difficult to prevent, it always takes steps to ensure it does not flare up into a large scale communal issue. "We come down very very heavily on those involved. Lot of arrests are made. We have a zero tolerance towards communal issues." He further said that police was focusing on preventive policing in order to prevent such crimes from taking place and as part of that the steps the agency takes include -- keeping a check upon those having criminal antecedents, especially involvement in communal cases, surveilling them, opening their history sheets and booking them under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act.

"It is an ongoing process and we have increased it many fold after the Alappuzha murders," he added. Srinivasan, a former district leader and office-bearer of RSS, was attacked by a six-member gang at his motorbike shop in Melamuri near here on April 16, barely 24 hours after Subair was hacked to death at Elappully in the district while he was returning home along with his father after offering prayers in a mosque on April 15 afternoon. The back-to-back killings involving BJP/RSS and SDPI/PFI is the second such incident in the past few months in Kerala. In December last, a leader of the SDPI and a leader of the BJP were murdered in Alappuzha within 24 hours.
It was a tweet by Mohammed Nasheed, Speaker of the Maldivian Parliament or Majlis as they call it, that informed the world that he had met India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval during his visit to New Delhi to participate in the Raisina Dialogue last week.

"It was very pleasant to have a conversation with a grandmaster of geopolitics," tweeted Nasheed, who's also a former president of the Maldives  the first one to be democratically elected.

Not many visiting speakers of Parliament, even if former presidents, would get an audience with the NSA. But then, New Delhi knows only too well that it cannot afford to ignore Nasheed, who remains an important player in the politics of the strategically-located archipelago in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) even though he completed his term as president a decade ago.

As India strives to retain its strategic space in the Maldives, a nation that straddles vital sea lanes, it knows well that it needs to remain closely engaged with politicians of all hues in the country. This engagement has acquired a sense of urgency as the archipelago is headed for elections next year.

Hence New Delhi's outreach to Nasheed, who is co-chair of the ruling Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) and one who could make or break his party's attempts to win a second term. And there is, of course, also the possibility of Nasheed returning as president if the MDP wins again in 2023.

Nasheed is MDP co-chair along with his childhood friend, President Ibu Solih. The party swept to power in the 2018 elections with a two-thirds majority in the Majlis, defeating the China-leaning Abdulla Yameen, who was seeking re-election. Nasheed was unable to become president as he was barred from contesting the 2018 polls after his conviction on a terrorism charge brought in by the Yameen government.

Even as the Speaker, Nasheed remains an important or, to put it more bluntly, frequently disruptive element for both his party and the coalition government President Solih leads, often keeping both on tenterhooks. His actions and utterances have given not merely the Solih government but even New Delhi cause for concern. For, an unstable political environment is seen as one that will only help Beijing regain lost ground in the archipelago.

Indeed, India has significantly stepped up its strategic engagement with both the Maldives and Sri Lanka in recent years, its eyes clearly on the expanding Chinese footprint in countries in the IOR. In the case of the Maldives, New Delhi has seized the opportunity, and rightly so, to reach out to the Solih government not just diplomatically but also through the execution of big and small infrastructure projects.

A trilateral maritime security cooperation mechanism at the National Security Adviser level instituted in 2011 between the Maldives, India and Sri Lanka was revived in 2020 after a gap of six years. In its new avatar as the Colombo Security Conclave, it welcomed Mauritius into the fold last month and had Mauritius and Bangladesh present as observers.

With the Maldives, a playground for great powers contestation, and with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan fuelling radicalisation in the country, New Delhi knows only too well that it cannot afford to let its guard down.

After the India-leaning MDP swept to power in 2018, China clearly does not enjoy the pre-eminent position it did during Yameen's tenure. But, it continues to nip at India's heels, and New Delhi is well aware that it cannot afford to slacken its outreach at either the political or diplomatic level to the Maldives. And Nasheed can be ignored only at its own peril.

In the past, Nasheed has accused ministers of his own government of corruption, often called for a switch from a presidential to a parliamentary form of government, which is perceived as an attempt by him to lead the Maldives once again as prime minister, and most recently asked MDP members to quit the government.

True to form, in remarks made after delivering a lecture on 'Indian Ocean Security' during his New Delhi visit, Nasheed once again appeared to undermine the Solih government. For instance, he said that the MDP had promised debt restructuring through legislation but had not done so.

He also sought to explain away his demand that the MDP quit the government, saying "it isn't an MDP government" and that his party has its "own policies, manifesto, views". As for the 'India Out' decree issued recently by the Solih government banning the campaign which was being spearheaded by the Yameen-led Opposition, Nasheed maintained it had no resonance in the Maldives and that not even Yameen's party wanted this to happen.

But Nasheed ensured he made remarks that would be music to the ears of the Indian establishment, lashing out at China for its debt-trap diplomacy. So among other things, he said that nearly 70 per cent of Maldives' foreign debt is owed to China, that it had inflated the cost of projects so that the Maldives would get into a debt trap.

Without a doubt, Chinese moves in the Maldives need to be watched closely, even if its influence has waned with the Solih government in power. Notwithstanding the recent ban on the Opposition-led 'India Out' campaign, which many believe has China's backing, New Delhi knows Beijing is waiting in the wings to regain its influence. And hence its need to use all stratagems to not lose out in the Great Game.

(The writer is a senior journalist)
BJP national general secretary Arun Singh on Tuesday said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will not be removed, dubbing questions on change in leadership hypothetical.

Singh was responding to speculation that Bommai may be replaced as part of a full-fledged rejig ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.

Hypothetical questions wont have an answer, Singh, who manages the BJPs affairs in Karnataka, said when asked about change in leadership. Bommai is a common man. People like him for the way he's working for the poor and farmers under PM Modis leadership, he said.

Revenue Minister R Ashoka seconded Singh. Nobody should dream about this. Theres no question of the CM getting changed, he said, adding that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has already announced that Bommai would lead the BJP into the next election. Bommai has the blessings of the top brass, Ashoka added.

Also Read  New faces: Fresh buzz in Karnataka BJP on leadership change

Murmurs that Bommai may be changed came to the fore after BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh, at a party meeting in Mysuru last week, said changes become necessary to infuse freshness. This plunged the BJP into confusion as party circles began speculating of a Gujarat-like wholesale change, including a new Chief Minister.

Santhoshs statement came just days before Amit Shahs arrival in Bengaluru, his second visit in about a months time.

On Tuesday, two former BJP chief ministers had different things to say on the issue. There's no such news. It's just speculation, B S Yediyurappa told reporters whereas Jagadish Shettar said: I dont want to discuss this.

Speculation is also rife on expansion or reshuffle of Bommais Cabinet. I am confident that Cabinet expansion will definitely happen in 2-3 days, Yediyurappa said. Shah has come here with a final decision on that. So, he may announce it here or go back to Delhi for a discussion with PM Modi, he said.

Bommai has five positions vacant in his Cabinet.

President Nalin Kumar Kateel, ruled out Bommai's exit.

Terming the speculation of leadership change as "hypothetical", Singh said Bommai is a "common man" and people here like him. Yediyurappa, who was replaced by Bommai in July last year, too said there are no such talks about leadership change and what is going on are mere "speculations".

Kateel said there is no confusion in the party on the leadership issue, and BJP will go to the polls together as a team, under the leadership of Bommai and Yediyurappa's guidance.

However, Bijapur City BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal said the high command is thinking of big changes to make government more effective, speed up development, and to tackle corruption allegations. "It may happen before May 10." It may be noted that Yatnal, a known Yediyurappa critic was among the first to predict the state BJP strongman's exit from the CM post.

The fresh round of speculation about leadership change in the state, was following BJP national general secretary B L Santhosh's statement on Sunday that the party's strength lies in the induction of new faces.

Amid murmurs in the party circles that a top-to-bottom overhaul of the cabinet cannot be ruled out, state BJP functionaries are hopeful that a decision is likely soon regarding cabinet expansion or reshuffle, amid talks that several incumbents could make way for fresh faces. Bommai, who is under pressure to expand or reshuffle his cabinet at the earliest, had earlier indicated that he would try to discuss it with Shah during this visit.

There are currently five positions vacant in the state cabinet, which has 29 ministers, including the chief minister, against the sanctioned strength of 34.

(With agency inputs)

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Derry Against Fuel Poverty have urged people to make their voices heard to their new MLAs this weekend.

The group will be holding it's fourth cost of living crisis rally in the city on Saturday, by which time, the identity of Foyle's new MLAs will be known after the Assembly Election.

This rally comes as further electricity hikes have recently been announced by SSE Airtricity and local company Budget Energy with another 16.31 per cent hike from Firmus Gas having kicked in earlier this week.

Spokesperson Sinead Quinn said: While it is certainly our duty to use our vote to affect positive change and to elect more progressive working class voices to the Stormont Government, once the election is over, we go right back to work, forcing all our elected representatives to come together to find ways to provide already much-delayed relief to the working and non-working poor.

We believe that our politicians, whilst often well meaning, do not and could not fully understand the extent of this crisis or it's widespread effect on our community.

If they did, they wouldn't have let things get this far.

Therefore, it is our job to ensure they are reminded of the harsh realities we face every chance we get.

We will remain steadfast and strong at the forefront of this issue to focus their minds on the task ahead.

We believe continuous radical action will be necessary to force government ministers to properly address this crisis.

We refuse to remain silent in the face of this continuous vicious financial assault on our working and non-working poor.

We call on the people of this city to continue to support the campaign and join us in Waterloo Place on Saturday at 3pm. All are welcome.

Shaun Harkin of People Before Profit, who himself is hoping to be one of the five MLAs elected, added his support for the rally.

He added: Firmus Energy have hiked up their prices again. To say many households in Derry cannot afford this latest increase is a complete understatement.

The five Executive parties waxed lyrical about the cost of living crisis at the UTV Leaders Debate but they refused to declare a Hardship Emergency in December.

All five of the Executive parties have continued to cut workers wages during an unprecedented cost of living crisis. That's why nurses are going to foodbanks.

People Before Profit has repeatedly called on the Executive to impose emergency price caps on energy costs.

Mainstream parties dismissed this even though big energy companies are raking in huge profits while workers and the least well-off can't make ends meet.

None of the Executive parties backed People Before Profit's call for Firmus Energy bosses to hand over profits lifted during the cost of living crisis to the Derry and Strabane Council led hardship fund.

May 5 should be a referendum on the criminal inaction of the Stormont Executive in the face of a hardship emergency across all our communities.
The Aontu Election Candidate for East Derry, Gemma Brolly, who is also the party's spokesperson on Education says she understands the system from 'within' and has vowed to give all she has to saving our schools and improving our education system.

Ms Brolly said: The pre-pandemic education system was in desperate need of review, investment and support. Unfortunately two years later, our education system is crumbling around us. With increasing numbers of children requiring support, reduction in Educational Psychology Service Allocation and shortage of staff to name but a few of the most significant challenges, we in Aontu believe the government must respond urgently with both forward thinking and investment. Aontu will push for this at every level, as detailed below.

OUR CHILDREN ARE CURRENTLY BEING FAILED IN THEIR EDUCATION

These are the words of the NI Commissioner for Children and Young People prior to the Covid Pandemic. Whilst the Department of Education developed an Engage programme to assist children who had struggled or required additional assistance, many of these sessions had to be utilised in order to cover absences of a workforce stretched so thinly on the ground. Growing numbers of children are on increasingly long waiting lists for additional support such as Literacy Teaching and Support Service or waiting to be assessed for Special Education Needs, whilst they struggle in class.

If we are to provide an education system which our children can all thrive in, we must direct all investment to our existing system.

As a parent, teacher and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator these are issues which are close to my heart and which we in Aontu are determined to improve. Aontu will work to achieve Permanent Learning Support within each school, reducing the cap on class sizes. We will work to increase recruitment of teachers, classroom assistants and educational psychologists, including within the Irish Medium sector.

As a Special Needs Co-ordinator and parent, it disgusts me that only 2 pupils in a school of over 250 pupils can be allocated for Special Needs Assessment, this is completely unjust and inhumane. While we challenge those in power to improve this ratio, we will work to implement high quality Special Educational Needs training for all teachers and classroom assistants including Autism, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD), Attention Deficit Disorder(ADD), Developmental Co-ordination Disorder(DCD), Tourettes and Dyslexia.

We demand there should be at least ONE DYSLEXIA SPECIALIST teacher in every school. We will work to ensure that all our children achieve their full potential and that those children who need specialist help receive justice in our educational system.

INTEGRATED EDUCATION

Aontu believe that Integrated Education offers parents and children excellent education. We fully support Integrated Education, however the Integrated Education Bill is damaging. It has the potential to damage the diversity of our current pluralist system.

We cannot support legislation which elevates one education option above all others. We believe there should be equality in funding among all schools and for all students. The Integrated Bill damages that equality and could reduce funding for your local school.

Deleting the choice of Catholic, Protestant and Integrated education options is the opposite of pluralism and diversity. It robs parents of the choice of ethos and excellent educational systems. We must develop and practice mutual respect. We must nurture efforts to listen to one another, to be able to debate and understand, to identify, agree and differ in opinions respectfully.

There can be no hierarchy of educational ethos: Catholic, Protestant, Multi-faith based, Irish-medium or Integrated. They must be all treated equally.

As you will be aware, currently there exists an Independent Review Panel for Education which may not be finished for at least one more year. Aontu believe urgent changes, adjustments and investment must be directed urgently into our current education system, prioritising the needs of every child regardless of what school they attend. We will demand a sensible, holistic review of the education system before any such bill is implemented and we will work to ensure this bill guarantees equality at every level.

RURAL SCHOOLS UNDER THREAT

The current state of our education system however is screaming for more support in the form of smaller class sizes and increased human resources. Yet, the Departments policy on sustainable schools states Primary Schools should have at least 140 pupils in urban areas and 105 in rural areas and Post-Primary should have at least 500 in rural areas. This policy is completely failing the best interests of our children and our communities.

Our schools are the heartbeat and hub of our community, Aontu will not allow the government to go unchallenged and cut corners, cutting off the lifeline to these communities. We will fight to save our schools and improve education. Aontu will also continue in our work to ensure every school has an equal and high standard of safety, with the installation of part-time 20mph speed limits outside each and every school in the North, regardless of location. We believe that the lack of speed limits outside some of our schools is putting the safety of our children under risk.

Never before has there been such a lack of common sense and investment in Education on the ground. Never before have staff felt so undervalued,exhausted but yet been so desperately needed. As someone who has walked this path with you, I pledge, with my party to do everything in my power to improve our education system, to a system we can once again be proud of and have faith in, one in which our children will thrive, not just survive. Our children deserve so much better. Aontu will work tirelessly to ensure they get it.
Mid Ulster is the only area of Northern Ireland without an elected Alliance representative at any level of politics. Liam Tunney speaks to their latest candidate Claire Hackett about institutional reform, abortion services and becoming the change she wanted to see.

Alliance's Mid Ulster Assembly candidate is unassuming enough to think I won't recognise her when she turns up for our scheduled interview.

I'm in the flowery dress and white gutties, she explains on the phone.

Claire Hackett is yet another first-time candidate standing in Thursday's Assembly Election, and after a meandering journey to get here, she doesn't describe herself as a 'politician'.

A qualified solicitor, the Dungannon woman also trained as a dispenser in Boots, and was about to embark on a career in midwifery when childcare complications caused her to defer her course.

In the meantime, she became involved in community work, and says the one thread tying everything together was a desire to help others.

I think it does no harm for people to see the human side, she told the County Derry Post.

I'm not paid to do Alliance work. I work four days a week to support my family and then I am with my children the rest of the time and it's juggling all that.

On the campaign trail in Mid Ulster.

That's part of the reason I got involved in politics, because I never felt represented by the other people out there. They never really had that human touch.

It's something I take from community development, because its key is listening to people, to what they are telling you the issues are and what they need.

Claire's experience helping others took on a new dimension when she formed the online blog Mummy McMumface after her own mental health took a dip following the birth of her second child.

As a mum, my mental health took a hit the second time round, because of the pressures I felt that everyone else was doing a much better job than I was, she said.

The first message I got was from a mummy saying 'thank you'. She felt she was the only one and it was good to know somebody else was struggling too.

Talking about things like mental health, breastfeeding, post-natal incontinence, relationship struggles; conversations no one was having about things so many people experience.

Alliance operates a 'conscience' vote when it comes to the issue of abortion services, with Claire being passionately pro-choice.

She says the taboo nature of the subject  particularly in rural areas  can leave women feeling unable to turn to their loved ones for support.

Women from rural areas have abortions. I have had women contact me because they have seen me talk about being pro-choice and they have nowhere else to turn, she said.

It's a sad state of affairs when you can't turn to your mum, your sister, your friend, whoever, to say 'I don't know what to do here'.

That has been the issue with the lack of commission of services. Because there has been no funding, there has been no awareness campaign. People don't know.

This is my take on abortion; it's going to happen, whether you like it, whether you would have one and whether it's legal.

It is going to happen, and it's just a case of whether these women do it legally, safely and with support.

Claire pictured with Alliance leader Naomi Long.

The Alliance manifesto, published last week, is focused on reforming the Stormont institutions, most notable ending the designation of parties as nationalist or unionist.

The DUP just collapsed everything amid a cost-of-living crisis and I think they have a brass neck on them asking people to vote for them, said Claire.

The fact they may not take office if Sinn Fein come out on top, means they are holding people to ransom. The parties that are willing to work; let them at it.

I think you could see towards the end of the last mandate, when all the parties managed to push through so much legislation while the DUP were on the sideline.

The manifesto raises the possibility of a Civic Forum and Youth Assembly, something Claire feels will allow politicians to really listen.

It's mind-blowing that it hasn't been put in place, because it doesn't seem controversial, it seems like something that would be really useful, she said.

It would have stakeholders and service users in a convenient place for our elected representatives to listen to them.

Maybe that's the problem; they don't want to listen. They want to keep promoting their own narrative instead of listening to the people of Northern Ireland.

Claire says politicians need to listen to what ongoing help people need and that a childcare strategy is of utmost importance.

We're the only part of the UK that doesn't have that, which is incredible, because it affects everything, she said.

It affects women's ability to go out to work, their mental health, the whole family dynamic. The childminders have a lower quota than the rest of the UK, so that reduces availability and their earning.

Childcare is one of those things where we need that initial investment in terms of subsidising it in some way.

Facing into her first poll, Claire has come full circle  from apathy to active engagement. She didn't see the politician she wanted, so she decided she would do it herself.

NI politics is still an absolute head melt, but I figure I can sit at home getting really annoyed about it, or I can try and change it, she said.

We need more women's voices, we need more rural women's voices and we need more honest, open, relatable politicians.

I got involved to be the politician that I wanted. Somebody I could relate to and felt understood.

The constitutional issue keeps coming up and people can't get their head around the fact we don't identify as unionist or nationalist.

That's what frees us. It's not that we don't see it as an issue. It's on the periphery, it's always there, but it's not right here.

What's here is the cost of living, education, health - and not having that constant blind spot is what frees us up to try and find real workable solutions for everybody in Northern Ireland.
Gothenburg, Sweden  May 4, 2022  ZeroPoint Technologies AB today announced that they are a member of the European Processor Initiative (EPI) consortium. ZeroPoint will contribute with their Ziptilion IP on the EPAC 2.0 chip. ZeroPoint Technologies provides the worlds only available Memory Booster IP block for System on Chips (SoCs), effectively doubling a computers main memory capacity and memory bandwidth; providing significantly more performance per watt.

The European Processor Initiative (EPI) is a European processor project to design and build a new family of European low-power processors for supercomputers, Big Data, automotive, and offering high performance on traditional HPC applications and emerging applications such as on machine learning. It is led by a consortium of European companies and universities.

The most challenging bottlenecks in computing typically stem from memory capacity and bandwidth. ZeroPoint Technologies overcomes these bottlenecks. We provide Ziptilion  a memory booster technology for Servers and Smart devices. Ziptilion is not another memory, it is an innovative patented technology that doubles the capacity and bandwidth to existing memory technologies at unmatched energy efficiency.

Worldwide, servers were consuming about 1-2% in 2020 of global electricity and this is predicted to increase 5 to 10-fold by 2040. ZeroPoints technology can drastically increase the energy efficiency of Servers. A typical data center consuming 1 TWh/year, could save up to 20% on energy cost. Our technology increases system performance per watt significantly, at lower CAPEX and OPEX.

ZeroPoint Technologies vision is to enable high performance Servers and Smart devices that are environmentally friendly. Memory bottlenecks are a tremendous challenge for SoC developers, and we mitigate this challenge by doubling main memory capacity and memory bandwidth. Systems with memory booster technology are environmentally friendly and financially effective. By putting unused memory to work we can deliver up to 50% more performance per watt. And this is the single most important metric to high performance Servers and Smart devices., says ZeroPoint Technologies CEO Klas Moreau.

ZeroPoint Technologies IP block is easy to integrate with existing industry standard on-chip-bus-protocols. The IP-block is placed on the memory access path and is invisible to the operating system and applications. Thanks to the ultra-tuned compression/decompression accelerators and that data is compressed when fetched from memory, the memory access latency is often shorter with Ziptilion than without.

ZeroPoint Technologies is a spinout from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, and has over the years developed an impressive IP Portfolio in the memory compression domain. Their patented compression technology is based on 15 years of research. Today the company works with industry leaders on product implementation projects and technical evaluations.

About ZeroPoint Technologies AB

The company was founded by Professor Per Stenstrom and Angelos Arelakis PhD, with the vision to deliver the most efficient memory compression available, in real-time, based on state-of-the-art research. ZeroPoint Technologies AB is a privately held Limited Company, based in Gothenburg. ZeroPoint Technologies provide Ziptilion, the worlds only available real time memory compression IP for SoCs.

https://www.zptcorp.com






Thailands largest operator AIS has earmarked around THB35 billion (US$1 billion) for its investment budget as it plots to shore up its defences against merging rivals True and Dtac.

AIS chief executive Somchai Lertsutiwong said in an interview with Nikkei Asia, that the budget will be for this year with the lions share of THB12 billion going towards 5G network building. Meanwhile, THB8 billion has been allotted for broadband networks and the rest for its IT systems and R&D.

Somchai noted the operator currently commands 46% of the market share in mobile subscribers and earmarks 5G investment as key to staying competitive against its rivals.

"We continue to invest massively in order to retain our leadership in the Thai telecommunication market. 5G is key as it will provide smooth and smart access that will attract customers to choose us," said the chief executive.

Currently, AIS 5G network covers 75% of Thailand and the company aims to increase coverage to 85% by the end of 2022.

Somchai predicted there will be an opportunity to churn around 4-5% of customers during the merger of True and Dtac, warning there will be eventual clashes in corporate cultures and technical glitches in the process.

"That's why we invest a lot in network development. Because we realized that, in the end, consumers will choose the one who provides a strong and smart network," said Somchai.

The merger between True and Dtac has hit many roadblocks with much concern around competition and whether having two MNOs in the Thai market is beneficial to consumers. Shareholders of both operators voted to approve the merger, but recently government opposition has surfaced yet again.
America Movils Mexican unit Telmex has signed a partnership agreement with the countrys National Guard to counter cybercrime.

According to Reuters, Telmexs cybersecurity division Scitum will share its experience and solutions to prevent cyberattacks with the National Guard, enabling faster detection of online risks and swifter action against them. Since 2019, Mexicos National Guard has investigated more than 5800 cybercrimes.

Scitum Chief Executive Cristina Hernandez Fernandez said: We are convinced the only way to deal with cybercrime is by working together, and that collaboration must take place between academic and government institutions and the private sector.
Digital infrastructure company Equinix has completed the acquisition of four data centres in Chile from Empresa Nacional De Telecomunicaciones (Entel), a leading Chilean telecommunications provider.

Equinix has also signed an agreement to acquire one additional data centre in Peru, also from Entel. The enterprise value for the five data centres is said to be approximately US$735 million at current exchange rates. The deals were first announced in March.

The company says that the addition of four new data centres in the strategic Santiago, Chile metro  a growing data centre and technology hub  provides an opportunity for local businesses and multinational companies to accelerate their digital transformation while solidifying Equinix's position as the largest provider of digital infrastructure services in the region.

The four data centres in the Santiago metro include the Ciudad de los Valles location, which features two data centres with approximately 170,000 gross square feet combined; the downtown Santiago site, which features approximately 46,000 gross square feet; and the approximately 31,000 gross square foot facility in Longovilo, which is strategically located away from the city centre to meet the backup and disaster recovery needs of customers, including financial institutions.

The data centre in Peru is approximately 16,000 gross square feet and is a well-established site located in Lima.

By expanding its platform to the Southern Cone, Equinix will extend its presence to five countries in Latin America, including Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, operating 16 International Business Exchange (IBX) data centres in seven metros.

The new data centres offer significant expansion capacity for future growth in Santiago, allowing Equinix to support both immediate and future customer needs.

Under the terms of the agreement, Equinix and Entel have agreed to form a strategic partnership to enable enterprises to leverage hybrid multicloud solutions to accelerate their digital transformation.

Equinix has had a busy few weeks, with a flurry of recent deals involving West Africa, Oman and India.
Submarine fibre optic cable project Seacom is to get a $260 million loan from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a global development institution focused on the private sector in developing countries that is part of the World Bank Group. The loan is said to be for debt refinancing and expansion into new service lines.

The information was mentioned late last week in a disclosure by the IFC but has been more widely reported in African and international media in the past two days.

The IFC says in its disclosure, Seacom seeks to diversify from its subsea cable operations into the enterprise service provider market across the continent and refinance its short-term debt with new longer-term debt.

The IFC describes Seacom as a digital infrastructure company operating broadband infrastructure, including a subsea cable, a continent-wide internet protocol (IP) network, and enterprise solutions for large-scale clients.

The disclosure explains that the loan will help Seacom to increase its enterprise services capabilities to SMEs, medium and large corporates in South Africa, East Africa and West Africa. It will also help it to leverage its fibre network spanning 21,000 km (including 17,000 km on its submarine cable) as well as its strategic alliances on the 2Africa Cable and Equiano Cable.

As well as helping Seacom to enhance connectivity for businesses in the African region and undertake fibre expansion that will include West Africa, the investment is also intended to help Seacom to extend the life of its subsea assets with like-for-like equipment replacement.

The IFC says Seacoms targeted growth plan will be achieved through strategic acquisitions and organic growth initiatives across its markets.

There does not yet appear to be a formal announcement from Seacom about the loan or its plans for the loan.
Tanaiste & Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment Leo Varadkar T.D. visits U.S. West Coast

News

Tanaiste Leo Varadkar with Team Ireland at Ireland House San Francisco

Irelands Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment Leo Varadkar T.D. travelled to the West Coast of the US from April 25 to 29 for a trade and investment programme hosted by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland. The Tanaiste was accompanied by Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment Dr. Orlaigh Quinn and delegates from EI and IDA including Enterprise Ireland CEO Leo Clancy and IDA Ireland CEO Martin Shanahan.

The visit included stops in Seattle, Silicon Valley, San Francisco and San Diego where the Tanaiste met with key industry and political leaders and members of Irelands business diaspora. The Tanaiste was the keynote speaker at events marking the official opening of the new Enterprise Ireland office in Ireland House San Francisco, and celebrating the recently opened IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland offices in Seattle.

The visited highlighted Irelands place at the heart of the European Union and the Eurozone, and the single market which access to an open marketplace of 450 million people. The visit also focused on a number of key sectors including Cyber Security, Life Sciences and ICT. These are sectors with significant Irish company capability depth and are sectors that have seen steep growth in the U.S. over the past two years.



The visit kicked off Monday morning in Seattle with a visit to T-Mobile Headquarters, which included a tour of T-Mobiles Tech Experience, 5G Hub. The group then departed for Microsoft campus in Redmond where the Tanaiste met with Microsoft President Brad Smith and toured Microsofts Digital Crimes Unit. Next stop was Amazon Headquarters where the Tanaiste and delegation met with Amazon executives and joined a cybersecurity roundtable session with Enterprise Ireland client companies. The Tanaiste also met with Alaska Airlines  a major carrier in the U.S. who partner with Aer Lingus  and referenced the return of Aer Lingus direct Dublin  Seattle flight later this year.

That evening, the Tanaiste, Consul General Robert ODriscoll and Dr. Orlaigh Quinn met with Mayor of Seattle Bruce Harrell where they discussed Irish links with Seattle, diversity and job creation. Later that evening, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the Consulate General hosted a Team Ireland reception where the Tanaiste and Mayor Harrell spoke about deepening economic connections between the Emerald Isle and the Emerald City following the opening of the new IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland offices in Seattle.

On Tuesday morning, the delegation departed Seattle for Silicon Valley where IDA Ireland hosted a visit to both Intel and Apple headquarters. The Tanaiste met with Apple CEO Tim Cook and discussed Apples future plans for Cork, including the opening of a new European engineering and test facility at Apples Cork campus.

The following morning, the delegation arrived at the Google Event Center where the Tanaiste presented IDA Irelands Special Recognition Award to Google CEO, Sundar Pichai. This is the second Special Recognition Award given by IDA Ireland, which recognises investor commitment to Ireland. Google has expanded its EU Headquarters in Ireland rapidly over nearly 20 years. The event also recognised the significant contribution that Google Ireland has made in supporting the SME eco system in Ireland where Google currently has 9,000 employees.

Later that day, the Tanaiste spoke with Enterprise Irelands Technology Advisory Panel and met Enterprise Ireland Client Intuition. The delegation then departed for Meta Headquarters in Menlo Park, before heading up to San Francisco for the official opening of the new Enterprise Ireland office in Ireland House San Francisco.

At the opening, Enterprise Ireland CEO Leo Clancy spoke about the Enterprise Irelands new three-year strategy, Leading in a Changing World, and the Global Ambition of indigenous Irish companies scaling their businesses in the U.S. West Coast. The Tanaiste spoke about Irelands unwavering support for the Government and people of Ukraine, Global Ireland and the two-way nature of Ireland  U.S. economic relationship. Ireland is now ranked 9th for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the U.S. economy  valued at US$240 billion.

A highlight on Thursday, was a lunch roundtable at Ireland House San Francisco with senior Irish and Irish-American Technology Industry executives, which focused on economic developments in Ireland and the Bay Area. The Tanaiste also participated in meetings with indigenous Irish companies, Utmost and StarCircle, and spoke at a roundtable discussion on West Coast Healthcare Systems.

That afternoon the Tanaiste met with San Francisco Mayor London Breed in City Hall. The Tanaiste and Mayor spoke about the vibrant two-way economic relationship between Ireland and San Francisco and recovery from the pandemic. The Tanaiste extended an invitation for the Mayor to visit Ireland during her term as Mayor.

The delegation arrived in San Diego for a final day of meetings with IDA client Dexcom. Irish IOT technology company, Taoglas hosted a reception for the Tanaiste, at their U.S. headquarters in San Diego in celebration of the success of their U.S. business.

Official Press Release is available here.

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Check out some of the best deals on laptops under 60,000 on the Amazon Summer Sale 2022

The Amazon Great Summer Sale 2022 is officially underway offering a huge discount on laptops from popular manufacturers. Users can currently get up to Rs 20,000 off on laptop exchange along with various offers on different bank credit cards. Amazon is selling some of the most popular laptops at a heavy discount of up to 34%. Here are some of the best ones.

Mi Notebook Ultra

If anyone is looking for a good media consumption device thats also high on productivity, the Mi Notebook Ultra fits the bill nicely. It comes equipped with a 15.6-inch 90Hz IPS panel with support for up to 3200 X 2000 pixels, the additional pixel count is also due to the fact that the display has a 16:10 aspect ratio. The added height aids in productivity and also makes the 3.2k display absolutely gorgeous to look at. The laptop also has a great build quality courtesy of an All-Metal design and still, it remains pretty portable at just 1.7kg overall weight. The laptop is powered by an Intel 11th Gen Core i5-11300H CPU, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD. For added security, the laptop also features a fingerprint sensor. The device also has Thunderbolt 4 and USB Type-C port along with Wi-Fi 6 for seamless connectivity. The laptops original MSRP is Rs 76,999 but it is currently available at a 22% discount during the Amazon Great Summer Sale 2022.

Deal Price Mi NoteBook Ultra 3.2K resolution display Intel Core i5-11300H 11th Gen 15.6-inch(39.62 cm) Thin & Light laptop(16GB/512GB SSD/Iris Xe Graphics/Win 11/MS Office 21/Backlit KB/Fingerprint sensor/1.7Kg)  59990 Buy on amazon

Honor MagicBook X 15

Another thin and light laptop available during the Amazon Great Summer Sale 2022 is the Honor MagicBook X15. It is decently powerful thanks to an Intel 10th Gen Core i3-1011U processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM and a 256GB SSD. The laptop is mainly suited for basic office tasks and daily travel thanks to its high battery life and 1.56kg body weight. In terms of design, the Honor MagicBook X 15 features an Aluminium Metal Body. The device also gets a 2-in-1 security fingerprint sensor and a special pop-up front-facing camera, which is probably the first for a laptop. The Honor MagicBook X 15 also has an FHD 1080p display with thin bezels and a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is pretty standard for a device in this segment. It currently has a 30% discount on its original MSRP of Rs 49,999 and is on sale at the moment for Rs 34,990.

Deal Price Honor MagicBook X 15, Intel Core i3-10110U / 15.6 inch (39.62 cm) FHD IPS Anti-Glare Thin and Light Laptop (8GB/256GB PCIe SSD/Windows 10/Aluminium Metal Body/1.56Kg), Silver, (BohrBR-WAI9A)  34990 Buy on amazon

HP 15s

The HP 15s is another great laptop for media consumption featuring an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U APU. For the uninitiated, the APU stands for Accelerated Processing Unit, which features the CPU and the GPU on the same die. The AMD 5 5500U features a Radeon Graphics chip that is capable of running older games at a low graphical preset. Apart from the graphics capabilities, the Ryzen 5 5500U also features 6-cores and 12-threads to easily handle processing tasks. In terms of other important specs, the HP 15s also features a 15.6-inch FHD display with thin bezels and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The laptop also has 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB storage, which should be enough to store and access large files. It is also decently portable thanks to a 1.69kg body weight. The HP 15s original MSRP is Rs 60,959, but the laptop is currently on sale with a 22% discount of Rs 47,490.

Deal Price HP 15s- Ryzen 5- 8GB RAM/512GB SSD 15.6 Inches FHD, Micro-Edge, Anti-Glare Display (Natural Silver/AMD Radeon Graphics/Alexa/Dual Speakers/Fast Charge/Windows 11/MS Office), 15s-eq2144au  47400 Buy on amazon

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is probably a decent mainstream laptop that you can buy during the Amazon Great Summer Sale 2022 thanks to its great build quality and battery life. It is powered by an Intel 10th Gen Core i3-1011U processor and 8GB DDR4 memory. The laptop also gets a 1TB HDD for storing large files but gets no SSD of any size, unfortunately. The device comes equipped with a 15.6-inch HD display with maximum resolution support of just 720p. Apart from that, the laptop also gets a privacy-focused feature i.e. a physical webcam shutter. It also gets a number of USB Type-A ports, an HDMI port, Bluetooth 5.0, and Wi-Fi 2X2 AC for connectivity purposes. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is currently on sale for a massive discount of 34% and currently has a price tag of Rs 37,790.

Deal Price Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 10th Gen Intel Core i3 15.6 HD Thin and Light Laptop (8GB/1TB HDD/Windows 11/MS Office 2021/2Yr Warranty/Platinum Grey/1.7Kg), 81WB01E9IN  37690 Buy on amazon

MSI Modern 14

The MSI Modern 14 is one of the best thin and light laptops you can buy during the Amazon Great Summer Sale 2022. It is highly portable thanks to a 1.3kg body weight making it suitable for daily travel. Despite its sleek appearance, the MSI Modern 14 packs in decent performance thanks to an Intel Core i5-10210U processor, 8GB DDR4 memory, and 512GB NVMe SSD. The laptop also features a 14-inch display with 1080p maximum resolution support. The laptop also gets a 16:9 aspect ratio display, which is pretty standard across devices in this price range. Speaking of price, the MSI Modern 14 original MSRP is Rs 47,990 and it is currently on sale at a 27% discount of Rs 44,990.
This years NASA rover contest involved 91 teams, including both colleges and high schools.

NASA announced the winners of the 28th Annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge recently through a virtual award ceremony. There were 91 teams, including 58 colleges and 33 high schools. Among these brilliant minds were two Indian student groups who have made their countrymen proud with their achievements. There is a group from Decent Children Model Presidency School, Punjab, and Vellore Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu. They have won in the categories of STEM engagement and Social Media respectively.

NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge winners from India



Indian Students competing in NASAs 2022 Human Exploration Rover Challenge | Source: NASA

There were 9 categories in the 2022 NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge. While the overall winners are from North America, there are two winning teams from our country. Theres the student group from Decent Children Model Presidency School, Punjab that won the STEM Engagement Award in the High School Division, and the team from Vellore Institute of Technology in Tamil Nadu that won in the College/University Division in the Social Media Award.

This year, the students were required to design, engineer, and test a human-powered rover on a simulated terrain like that of rocky bodies in the solar system. They also had to do side missions like negotiating the course, including sample retrievals and spectrographic analysis.

Commenting on the mission tasks, Aundra Brooks-Davenport, activity lead for the challenge at Marshall said, This year, students were asked to design a course that would mimic obstacles as if they were competing in Huntsville. Ensuring team safety was a major factor in developing the design of their own obstacles. We are excited about the virtual competition and the opportunity it provided our teams.

NASA rover challenge images from a previous year | Source: NASA

This year, instead of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center near NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center, the contest was held online. Be that as it may, this is a prodigious event managed by NASA's Office of STEM Engagement which aims to encourage the young minds to push the limits of innovation and imagine what it will take to explore the Moon, Mars, and other worlds.

We hope all participants reach greater heights in their pursuit of science and technology.

As for other news, reviews, feature stories, buying guides and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.
Rice Fergus Miller

Fergus

Rice Fergus Miller announced the retirement of Dave Fergus, long-time principal and market leader for the firm's robust fire and emergency services market. Fergus will retire on June 1 2022. The Bremerton-based architecture, interiors, and planning firm has over 54 employees, over 20 of whom are working exclusively on the design and construction administration of fire stations, 9-1-1 call centers, and fleet and logistics facilities across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Fergus joined the firm in 1987, shortly after the founding by Steve Rice, who himself retired in December 2021. The two led the firm, then known as Rice Fergus Architects, until Mike Miller joined in 1990. The firm became known as Rice Fergus Miller and expanded from community projects and fire stations to include healthcare and senior living. Today, the firm works on fire services and civic projects, healthcare, hospitality, senior living, market-rate and affordable housing projects throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Additionally, Rice Fergus Miller has become known as a leader in serving Coast Salish Tribes with culturally appropriate architecture, interior design, and planning services.

One of the projects Fergus is most proud of was the design of the Kitsap 9/11 Memorial. While not only honoring the 343 FDNY firefighters who perished that day, the memorial recognizes those who survived and those who saved the life of someone else at the cost of their own. As Fergus steps away four principals will continue to lead the firm: Greg Belding, Jennifer Fleming, Dean Kelly, and Gunnar Gladics. Gladics will take the reigns of fire and emergency services market.




Weber Thompson

Schultz

Kataria

Wilson

Stout

Porter

Riibe

Castro

Weber Thompson has promoted seven staff members to new leadership positions in the firm. Brittany Porter AIA, CPHC, LEED GA and John Stout AIA, LEED AP BD+C have been promoted to senior associate. Laurie Wilson AIA, Tanya Kataria LEED AP, Erik Schultz AIA, Sam Castro RA, and Leslie Riibe have been promoted to associate.

Senior Associate Brittany Porter joined WT's Workplace Design Studio in 2018, bringing a wealth of highly sustainable experience, including managing the design and construction of one of Washington State's first multifamily Passive House buildings. She is a frequent speaker on sustainable design principles, a certified Passive House consultant, and a past Board Member for Passive House Northwest. Brittany is the Young Architects Regional Director for the AIA Northwest & Pacific Region, acting as liaison to the Committee on the Environment. Currently, she is working on Northlake Commons, a mass timber, lab-ready building pursuing LEED Gold certification.

Senior Associate John Stout is a core member of Weber Thompson's high rise design studio. He brings a passion for high rise design, advancement and technology to his skyline changing design work on projects such as Nexus, The Ivey and the Ayer. Stout serves on the board for the CTBUH and is highly active in mentoring programs at the University of Washington Department of Architecture.

Associate architect Laurie Wilson is a senior project manager in Weber Thompson's Affordable Housing Team, working to deliver mixed-use projects such as the Opportunity Center at Othello Square and the SCIDpda North Lot project on the historic Pacific Medical Center campus. Wilson is one of the first African-American women architects licensed in Washington State. She was a founder of the Cities for All Project, and has supported organizations including Africatown Community Land Trust, King Street Station Arts, The Black Farmer's Collective, as well as numerous planning and design boards.

Associate Tanya Kataria is a designer in WT's affordable housing team. She is a member of the Citizen's Housing Commission in the City of Edmonds, working on public policy that promote diverse, affordable housing options. More recently, she was admitted to AIA National Next To Lead program, a pilot leadership program that removes barriers to AIA Leadership positions for ethnically diverse women.

Associate Sam Castro is Weber Thompson's BIM Manager and a licensed architect. He leads the firm's Revit User Group and is engaged in local and wide-ranging BIM roundtables. He also consults on WT's IT and technology initiatives.

Associate Erik Schultz is a project architect in Weber Thompson's Workplaces Studio leading a mass timber, lab ready high rise through documentation. Outside of his projects Schultz is a member of WT's Revit group, presenting to the office, developing content, and providing overall consulting and BIM office Hours to the office. He is also a staunch advocate for Scrum and has presented to the office this alternative method for project delivery.

Associate Leslie Riibe is a senior graphic designer at Weber Thompson, a member of WT's might marketing team. She is the designer and gatekeeper of Weber Thompson's brand assets and consults with project team on building signage. Riibe has contributed to environmental graphics for a number of WT projects include Ascent, Marlowe, Watershed, and Northlake Commons. She is an active member of her Toastmasters group and frequently contributes her design talents to non-profits, including the Seattle Architecture Foundation, Passive House Northwest and the AIA Diversity Roundtable. In 2016 she added a certificate in User-Centered Design from the University of Washington to her educational experience.




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HONOLULU (AP)  Starbucks workers in a Honolulu suburb have narrowly rejected an effort to be the first of the coffee shop chain's Hawaii locations to unionize.

Hawaii Public Radio reports employees at store in Mililani voted 8 to 7 Monday.





. . .
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SEATTLE  Japanese apparel brand Uniqlo has filed plans to lease space in the former Macy's building at 300 Pine St.

Macy's closed in 2019. Permit applications show that Uniqlo plans to fill approximately 13,500 square feet on the first floor. The company is also planning to install a 5-by-5-foot illuminated red Uniqlo sign on the building at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Pine.





. . .
Aviation ministry shortlists 14 entities under PLI Scheme for drones and drone components

Ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) on Wednesday released the first provisional list of 14 beneficiaries under the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for drone and drone components. These include five drone manufacturers and nine drone component manufacturers.

The list of beneficiaries is likely to be expanded further since some more manufacturers are likely to exceed the eligibility criteria for the full financial year 2021-22. The final list of PLI beneficiaries is expected to be released by 30 June 2022 after detailed scrutiny of their financial results and other specified documents.

The provisional list of PLI beneficiaries has been prepared on the basis of the financial data submitted by applicants for the ten-month period  April 2021 till January 2022. The shortlisted beneficiaries have met the eligibility criteria related to sales revenue and value addition in the ten month period itself.

The eligibility criteria for the PLI scheme for drones and drone components includes an annual sales turnover of Rs2 crore for drone companies and Rs50 lakh for drone component manufacturers, besides value addition of over 40 per cent of sales turnover.

The PLI scheme for drones and drone components was notified on 30 September 2021. The scheme provides for incentives worth a total Rs120 crore, spread over three financial years, which is nearly double the combined turnover of all domestic drone manufacturers in FY 2020-21. The PLI rate is 20 per cent of the value addition, which is one of the highest among other PLI schemes. A unique feature of drone PLI scheme is that the manufacturers who fail to meet the value addition threshold in 2021-22 will be allowed to claim the lost incentive in the subsequent year if they make up the shortfall in 2022-23.

Apart from the PLI Scheme, the government has carried out a series of reforms to make India a global drone hub by 2030. This includes notification of the liberalised Drone Rules, 2021; publishing of Drone Airspace Map 2021 which opens nearly 90 per cent of Indian airspace as a green zone up to 400 feet, UAS Traffic Management (UTM) policy framework 2021; Drone Certification Scheme 2022 which makes it easier for drone manufacturers to obtain a type certificate; Drone Import Policy, 2022 which bans import of foreign-made drones; and the Drone (Amendment) Rules, 2022 which abolishes the requirement of a drone pilot licence for drone operations.

Shortlisted drone manufacturers include:

Dhaksha Unmanned Systems, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Ideaforge Technology, Mumbai, Maharashtra

Io TechWorld Avigation, Gurugram, Haryana

Omnipresent Robot Technologies, Gurguram, Haryana

Raphe Mphibr, Noida, Uttar Pradesh

Shortlisted drone component manufacturers include:
PM Modi inaugurates Global Ayush Investment Summit at Gandhinagar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated a three-day Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit 2022 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The Ayush sector is growing significantly  by 17 per cent per year since 2014  and is projected to reach $23 billion by the end of this year.

The summit will set in motion a dialogue among entrepreneurs, industry, startups and other stakeholders that would encourage them to increase investment for innovation in Ayush as the sector continues to showcase colossal room for growth.

WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, union minister of health and family welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, union minister for Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendra Patel, minister of state Dr Munjpara Mahendra Kalubhai, ambassadors, foreign dignitaries, investors, industry experts and other important stakeholders were present during the inaugural session of the Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit 2022.

We are already witnessing unprecedented growth in the production of Ayush medicines, supplements and cosmetics. In 2014, where the Ayush sector was less than $3 billion, today it has increased to more than $18 billion. Unprecedented efforts have been made in the past few years to promote the export of Ayush products, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his inaugural speech.

The prime minister also announced several new initiatives in Ayush sector, the first being a special Ayush mark for Ayush products. This will give people all over the world the confidence of quality Ayush products. Government will develop a network of Ayush parks to encourage the promotion, research and manufacturing of Ayush products across the country.

A new category named 'Ayush Aahar' was announced which will greatly facilitate the producers of herbal nutritional supplements.

Further, the prime minister announced a major initiative for foreign nationals who want to come to India to take advantage of Ayush therapy. India will soon introduce a special Ayush visa category. Describing the current age, the era of unicorns, the prime minister informed that in the year 2022 itself, 14 start-ups from India have joined the Unicorn Club. I am sure unicorns will emerge from our Ayush start-ups very soon, he stated.

Prime Minister Modi announced launch of Ayush Export Promotion Council and four Ayush ICT initiatives, which include Ayush Information Hub, AyuSoft, Ayush Next and Ayush GIS. Modi also released a comic book named Professor Ayushman, which describes how Ayush systems and products helped in fighting not only Covid-19 but other diseases also.

On this occasion, the prime minister distributed awards to the winners of 'Ayush Start-up Challenge, organised by All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in association with Start-up India. The inaugural session also included signing of 5 memoranda of understanding among global institutions and governments.

Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth (RAV) MoU with Argentina;

Tripartite MoU between All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and Brazil on the establishment of academic collaboration in Ayurveda;

MoU between All Indian Institute of Ayurveda and University Health Network, Toronto (UHN), Canada;

MoU for the establishment of the Ayurveda Chair at Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL), Mexico; and

MoU between NIA, Jaipur and the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) on cooperation in the field of Ayurveda and other Traditional System of medicine.

Addressing the session, Dr Tedros said the Ayush sector is growing significantly  by 17 per cent per year since 2014. He said that the Ayush industry is projected to reach $23 billion by the end of this year. We are exploring innovative study designs and the use of artificial intelligence to document the impact of traditional medicine practices, in cases when standard randomised trials are not possible or are difficult to undertake. Strengthening the evidence base of traditional medicine should facilitate its use by communities, to promote better health outcomes, economic benefits and overall impact he added.

Mauritius PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth congratulated the government of Gujarat on the launch of the WHO Global Center of Traditional Medicine and said that Mauritius has recognised that traditional medicine complements modern medicine.

In his address, union minister of Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal, said, Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit is expected to develop awareness among stakeholders about the business opportunities, encouraging young entrepreneurs to use of modern technologies and modern innovations to highlight opportunities at global level. The deliberations in the Summit are expected to educate young entrepreneurs about the various possibilities of business development in Ayurveda sector.

He said the Ayush ministry and the ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) are developing entrepreneurship among practioners of Ayurveda and other traditional medicines. The ministry of Ayush has also developed an Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) to encourage young entrepreneurs to establish startups in Ayush in line with the Startup India Initiative.

The three-day summit will witness 5 plenary sessions, 8 roundtables, 6 workshops, and 2 symposiums, with the presence of around 90 eminent speakers and 100 exhibitors. The Summit will help uncover investment potential, and give a fillip to innovation, research and development, start-up ecosystem, and the wellness industry. It will help bring together industry leaders, academicians and scholars together and act as a platform for future collaborations.

The Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit, which commenced a day after the prime minister inaugurated the WHO-Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar, Gujarat, will be in progress till 22 April 2022.
And indeed: in 2020 The Guardian published A robot wrote this entire article. Are you scared yet, human?. To do this, GPT3, artificial intelligence software created by OpenAI, particularly efficient at producing texts automatically, was used. Two years earlier, Christies had auctioned Portrait of Edmond Belamy, a work created by the collective Obvious using the GAN technique, for $423,500, feeding the system with 15,000 portraits from the 14th to the 20th century, so that the best summary could be chosen. We know what machines are capable of, but not what their intentions are: our assessment as humans is that, so far, they do not have any. Its a subject of interest for readers of science fiction, or those who discuss the difference between brain and mind, also for algorithms: we scientists are more attracted by the consequences of verticals, we want to train computers to solve a problem based on the data we provide.
Irish national leaders, including the Taoiseach and the President, gathered in Arbour Hill today (Wednesday May 4) for the annual commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising.

The executed leaders of the Rising, a rebellion against British rule that paved the way for Irish independence and the creation of the Republic of Ireland, are buried in Arbour Hill cemetery on the north side of Dublin.

The ceremony was attended by Taoiseach Micheal Martin, as well as President Michael D Higgins.

Irish Defence Minister Simon Coveney was also at the service, which included a mass and a ceremony at the grave of the 1916 leaders.

President Higgins laid a wreath to commemorate those who died in the Rising.

He also inspected a military guard of honour as part of the ceremony.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alison Gilliland, was also in attendance alongside Cabinet ministers and Oireachtas members.

In a statement, Mr Coveney welcomed a post-pandemic return to the traditional ceremony.

He said: While a scaled-back commemorative event at Arbour Hill was arranged for the last two years while public health restrictions were in place, I am delighted to welcome a return to the traditional commemoration in the company of the relatives of the executed leaders.

I know how much this event means to these families.
Louth Fianna Fail Senator Erin McGreehan has welcomed the announcement by Minister Norma Foley that 40m in funding has been allocated for a summer education programme for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage for summer 2022.

Building on the successful 2021 programme, all schools (primary and post-primary) will once again be encouraged to provide summer programmes, including post-primary children with complex needs and children at risk of educational disadvantage.

The Inclusion Programme also offers an opportunity for schools to address the needs of migrant students such as addressing English language skills and integration, including students who have recently arrived in Ireland from Ukraine.

Senator McGreehan said: I am very pleased with this important Government decision, to continue with an enhanced summer programme for 2022 as a response to the impact of the pandemic, and offer important education provision this summer to children who really need it.

We are all acutely conscious that children and young people have had an extended period of disruption to their education.

"The disruption has had many adverse consequences for the lives and wellbeing of many children.

"Evidence indicates that it particularly impacts children with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage.

The programmes aims are to support pupils to re-engage with education, to build their confidence and increase their motivation, promote wellbeing and for some who are at key transition stages, help to ensure they can move on to their planned educational placement next September along with their peers.

I encourage school communities to take full advantage of this opportunity and to provide this valuable programme to their students."

A key objective of this years scheme is to increase the number of schools offering the summer programme to their students.

Steps have been taken to afford schools as much flexibility as possible, and to ease administrative requirements.

This year there is provision to recruit newly qualified teachers graduating this summer as well as undergraduate student teachers who have registered with the Teaching Council under Route 5.
Iconic Media Group continues to hire local journalists and two of its leading titles, the Limerick Leader and Kilkenny People, are looking to hire for their newsrooms.

Both titles are recruiting reporters with a strong focus on local matters. Experience in court coverage and local authority meetings would be a distinct advantage. The drive to publish outstanding local stories in print and online, to hunt out that exclusive or breaking news, would be essential.

The Limerick Leader, which powers the LimerickLive website, is one of the top regional news centres in the country. A busy newsroom, you would join a team dedicated to being first with the news, telling Limericks story and promoting those stories on a wide variety of very successful social media platforms.

The Kilkenny People newsroom situated right in the heart of the city, is at the forefront of digital change in the news industry. It also rebranded its website to KilkennyLive, and has maintained its strong traditions in print journalism in the process - while covering the nations leading festivals and events.

Ideal candidates for these roles would be up for the daily challenge of giving our readers the very best in local content - just like they would have come to expect from these trusted news brands for many generations.

A strong news sense and the ability to tell the story in print, online, through the written word or video would be necessary.

Outline of key duties and responsibilities -

Excellent written skills and grammar

A keen eye for detail and accuracy

Strong editorial judgement

The ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure

3 years+ experience as a writer or journalist

The closing date for applications for the positions in Kilkenny and Limerick is Friday, May 27, 2022.

To apply, please email brian.keyes@iconicnews.ie including a cover letter, CV and samples of your work.

*Sponsored Content
The Chinese Embassy in the United States on Tuesday rebuked claims made by the U.S. State Department that Chinese officials and media "routinely amplify Kremlin propaganda, conspiracy theories, and disinformation" on the Ukraine issue.

"China's position on the Ukraine issue is impartial, objective and beyond reproach," the embassy's spokesperson said in response to a query on a statement posted Monday on the U.S. State Department's website.

The spokesperson urged the U.S. to work with China and the rest of the international community to achieve a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis at an early date.

Washington's statement, entitled "People's Republic of China Efforts to Amplify the Kremlin's Voice on Ukraine," accused Chinese diplomats and media of rationalizing Russia's military operation in Ukraine and undermining trust in the United States and its allies.

An apartment block damaged by shellfire in the city of Mariupol, Ukraine, May 3, 2022. /CFP

The embassy's spokesperson criticized the U.S. for spreading disinformation about China.

"When it comes to spreading disinformation, the U.S. side should seriously reflect on itself," the spokesperson said. "It is the U.S. officials and media who have spread such rumors as China knew in advance and tacitly supported Russia's military action, as China helped Russia evade sanctions and provided military support to Russia. These are disinformation in every sense of the word."

China has repeatedly denied having prior knowledge of Russia's move, tacitly supporting Russia's operation, or providing military assistance to Russia.

The spokesperson said wars waged by the U.S. in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria have resulted in the death of 335,000 civilians. "This is not disinformation," the spokesperson stressed.

"The vast majority of countries in the world stand for resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict through dialogue and negotiation, and none of them wants to see the situation escalate or even get out of control. This is not disinformation," the spokesperson added.

"In the working document submitted by the U.S. to the meeting of the State Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in November 2021, the U.S. admitted that it has 26 biolabs in Ukraine. According to the fact sheet released by the Department of Defense in March 2022, the U.S. is supporting 46 facilities in Ukraine," the spokesperson said. "These are not disinformation."

As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China and the U.S. should make joint efforts to facilitate a political settlement of the crisis and a ceasefire as soon as possible, while increasing humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and protecting civilians, the spokesperson said.
EBRDs 50 million loan will help Zagrebs vital infrastructure providers

Loan will support water, sanitation and public transport in Croatias capital

This liquidity support will help companies in the wake of Covid-19 crisis and 2020 earthquake

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a 50 million loan to the City of Zagreb, the capital of Croatia and its largest city, to support its vital public utilities, including water and transport.

The EBRDs loan will be on-lent as working capital to two critical infrastructure providers: Zagrebacki Holding (ZGH), the municipal holding entity responsible for water supply and wastewater collection, waste management, management and maintenance of public areas and public roads in the city; and Zagrebacki elektricni tramvaj (ZET), the public transport provider in Zagreb and surrounding towns.

This support will meet the liquidity and working capital needs of these critical infrastructure providers, and compensate for temporary revenue losses due to the Covid-19 crisis and the earthquakes that hit the Zagreb area in 2020, causing an estimated 11 billion in damages.

The EBRD Director for Croatia, Victoria Zinchuk, said: The Bank is very pleased to sign this agreement with Croatias capital and to help its further recovery. The EBRD has extensive experience in working with municipal enterprises, both to finance specific projects and to help them improve financial and organisational management, so we hope to continue this cooperation.

The Mayor of Zagreb, Tomislav Tomasevic, added: The city of Zagreb welcomes this much-needed financial support and hopes to develop a comprehensive programme of cooperation with the EBRD. We not only want to develop a greener, cleaner Zagreb, but also aim to reform municipal utilities providers, and count on EBRD support in this.

In the previous project with Zagreb in 2016, the EBRD invested 5.9 million equivalent in local currency into the bonds issued by ZGH, which were fully guaranteed by the City of Zagreb.

Croatia is a key investment destination for the EBRD, where the Bank has invested 4.2 billion to date.

The EBRD finances projects in infrastructure, energy efficiency and security, agriculture and industry, as well those that support smaller businesses. The investments are combined with support for policies that promote a more enabling business environment.
400 students are participating in the Model United Nations Conference which commenced at Cork City Hall yesterday.

The two-and-a-half-day conference is hosted by Davis College Mallow, and the students will discuss the social, political, and economic issues that are facing Ireland today.

Pictured is a general view during the video message by Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs, at the 2022 Model United Nations, hosted by Davis College Mallow, at City Hall, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Participants will also focus on global issues as they debate the Russian invasion of Ukraine, hate speech and homophobia, and other pressing global issues as students get to grips with real-life world issues.

Students from up to 30 schools in Ireland along with pupils from a school in Valladolid, Spain, will assume the role of delegates and represent different counties and non-governmental organisations as they debate resolutions in General Assembly, Special Conference and Security Assembly on topics of pressing national and global importance.

Pictured are delegates from Spain, Claudia Diaz, Marta Nerino and Blanca Pascual, International School of Valldolid, at the 2022 Model United Nations, hosted by Davis College Mallow, at City Hall, Cork.

Director of schools, Cork Education and Training Board, Pat McKelvey, said Cork ETB was proud to support such an esteemed event which has proven to be an invaluable learning experience for students over the years.

He said: The Model United Nations Conference teaches students lifelong skills and is a fantastic way for them to research and learn more about pressing issues, not just for Ireland and the world, but issues that are relevant to them as young people and allows them to form their own perspectives and opinions and discuss them amongst peers.

Student and secretary-general of the Model United Nations, Peter Holland, said that working with the other chief staff members had helped him develop skills in teamwork and delegation of work. I have no doubt that the skills Ive developed will help me be more confident and capable in the future, he said.

Director of the conference, Jose Horta, said students taking part in the event gain lifelong skills that they could apply in their future lives.

MUN does not tell students what to do; it tells them what they could do and this makes all the difference. They are given freedom that inevitably produces unexpected results; they discover information that we as teachers often lack access to and, therefore, produce ideas that would never come to the fore, he said.
Revenue officials seized drugs worth 297,000 yesterday as a result of routine profiling.

Officers examining parcels at two premises in Dublin seized a variety of drugs including 10kgs of herbal cannabis, 30,400 Benzodiazepine tablets and 10,600 Zopiclone tablets.

Revenue officers examining parcels at two premises in Dublin seized a variety of drugs with an estimated value of 297,000.

Smaller quantities of ephedrine and ecstasy tablets, butane honey oil, cannabis oil, synthetic cannabinoids and hash cakes were also seized.

The illegal drugs were discovered with the assistance of detector dogs Sam and Bailey concealed in 40 different parcels labeled as items such as Easter toys, make-up, healthcare products, antique glassware, documents, gifts, sports equipment, dog accessories and clothes.

Detector dog, Bailey, who took part in the search operation. Picture: Revenue

The parcels originated in the United States, Spain, France, Canada, India, Hungary, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

Detector dog Sam helped with the discovery. Pic: Revenue

They were destined for various addresses across the country including addresses in Dublin, Galway, Cavan, Limerick, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Clare, Tipperary, Donegal, Cork and Mayo.

These seizures are part of Revenue's ongoing operations targeting the importation of illegal drugs.

Revenue said that if businesses or members of the public have any information regarding smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence on Confidential Phone Number 1800 295 295.

Investigations are ongoing.
North Americas largest bird passed an important milestone this spring when the 1,000th California condor chick hatched since recovery efforts began, NPR reported Sunday.

The critically endangered species was down to just 22 birds in the early 1980s, according to The Guardian. The remaining birds were placed in a captive breeding program in 1987 and slowly reintroduced beginning in the early 1990s. The birth of the 1,000th bird highlights the success of this program in saving the species from extinction.

Were seeing more chicks born in the wild than we ever have before, Peregrine Fund condor program manager Tim Hauck told NPRs Scott Simon. And thats just a step towards success for the condor and achieving a sustainable population.

The California Condor Recovery Program just confirmed its 1000th chick! This is the mood at our breeding center pic.twitter.com/KmVI4NAmCY  Oregon Zoo (@OregonZoo) July 12, 2019 There are now more than 500 California condors alive worldwide, with more than 300 of them in the wild, Hauck said. The 1,000th chick was born in Utahs Zion National Park, park biologists announced July 9. The egg was likely laid in March, and the new baby emerged in May. But scientists were only able to confirm the birth in July because condors, like other raptors, build their nests in steep cliffs, Zion biologist Janice Stroud-Settles explained to The Guardian. Researchers had to rappel off a cliff across from the nest to snap a photo of the new baby. When we confirmed it  it was just this feeling of overwhelming joy, Stroud-Settles said.

Congrats to recovery program partners and wildlife advocates everywhere on reaching 1,000 California condor chicks! This incredible milestone is the result of decades of collaboration and the power of the Endangered Species Act. Lets keep protecting the laws that save wildlife. pic.twitter.com/vFdTQJuuul  Don Moore PhD (@drdonmooreiii) July 12, 2019 The birth of a 1,001st chick was also confirmed this month in a nest near the north rim of the Grand Canyon, according to The Guardian. The condor population was decimated during the 20th century due to hunting, habitat loss and lead poisoning from bullets left in the dead animals the condors would scavenge for food. Lead bullets still pose a threat; the mother of the 1,000th chick lost her first mate to lead poisoning in 2016, according to Zion National Park. She has been with the new hatchlings father for two years. In an attempt to protect condors and other wildlife. California became the first state to ban lead hunting ammunition in 2013, but the law just entered into effect this month. In Utah and Arizona, conservationists are working with hunters to voluntarily reduce their use of lead ammunition, Peregrine Fund global conservation director Chris Parish told The Guardian. People arent inclined to follow rules they dont understand, so here in Utah and Arizona were focusing on education and explaining to hunters why its important to cut down on lead bullets, Parish said. California condors roamed much of the North American continent 40,000 years ago, feeding on the remains of mammoths and giant sloths, according to Zion National Park. They now only live in Arizona, California, Utah and northern Mexico. They have a wingspan of 10 feet and live up to 60 years, the longest of any bird species, NPR reported. They were considered sacred by Native American groups.

DYK: The #California #condor is the largest #bird in North America & can live up to 60 years. The population once reached a low of 22 birds, but thanks to successful captive-breeding & release programs around 230 now live in the wild: https://t.co/cdQjJqWEbx #YearOfCoexistence pic.twitter.com/XWhvGh9MNg  Defenders of Wildlife (@Defenders) July 17, 2019 The 1,000th chick should be ready to fledge, or fly on its own, in November. Its mother lost her first two chicks, according to The Guardian, the first in a failed attempt to fledge and the second when the death of her first mate impacted her ability to care for the baby. Now that shes re-coupled with a new mate, were hoping this chick will successfully fledge once its old enough to flysometime in the fall, Stroud-Settles said.
One of the many wildfires raging through California has destroyed a sanctuary for endangered condors, and the fate of at least four of the birds remains unknown.

The Dolan Fire on Friday scorched an 80-acre condor sanctuary operated in Big Sur by the group Ventana Wildlife Society, the San Jose Mercury News reported. In the process, it took out a remote camera that was monitoring a condor chick nesting in a redwood about one mile away. Ventana Wildlife Society Executive Director Kelly Sorenson said the babys parents flew away as the fire advanced. We were horrified. It was hard to watch. We still dont know if the chick survived, or how well the free-flying birds have done, he told the San Jose Mercury News. Im concerned we may have lost some condors. Any loss is a setback. Im trying to keep the faith and keep hopeful.

The imperilled chick, named Iniko, was born April 25. Its name is of Nigerian origin and means born during troubled times, according to the Ventana Wildlife Society website. In addition to Iniko, at least four other wild condors remain unaccounted for, and it is not yet safe for biologists to search for them because the fire continues to burn, Sorenson told the San Jose Mercury News. Still, there is reason for hope. The Ventana Wildlife Society pointed out that, in the last 20 years, five out of six condor chicks sheltering in nests in the path of wildfires survived. This is because the redwoods the birds nested in protected them from the flames. Sorenson told NPR that he had been pleasantly surprised when a condor chick survived another Big Sur fire in 2008. We were convinced there was no way the chicks could survive the fire, he said. Sure enough, a chick survived and we named it Phoenix.

The Dolan Fire ignited last Wednesday in Los Padres National Forest, according to The Associated Press. It is one of hundreds of fires raging in the state that have so far killed at least seven people, burned almost 1,300 structures and forced around 170,000 people to flee their homes during the coronavirus pandemic. A man has been arrested as a suspected arsonist in connection with the Dolan Fire specifically. However, University of California, Los Angeles scientist Daniel Swain said the climate crisis means Californias wildfires are more likely to grow larger and spread more quickly once they start. What happens when they start burning, what is the character of those fires, and is it changing? Swain told E&E News. The answer is yes.
The California condor once ranged from Mexico in the south to Canadas British Columbia in the north, but hunting, habitat loss and poisoning drove the species to the brink of extinction.

The birds have begun to make a recovery in the southwestern portion of their historic range and now, thanks largely to the efforts of the Yurok Tribe, they will fly over the Pacific Northwest once more. As soon as I heard the news, I started crying, Yurok Tribe wildlife department director Tiana Williams-Claussen told OPB. This is something that Ive been working for literally my entire adult career. On Tuesday of last week, the Yurok Tribe, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service announced a final rule that would create a new condor release facility to reintroduce the birds to the Yurok Ancestral Territory and Redwood National Park. This is in the northern portion of the birds range, and marks the first time the birds will fly here in more than 100 years.

After 100 years, California condors will soar again over coastal forests and prairies in the Pacific Northwest. We're working with the Yurok Tribe and National Park Service to reintroduce them into the northern portion of their historical range: https://t.co/u7n0V3fydL USFWS pic.twitter.com/gt68YbvDTS  U.S. Fish and Wildlife (@USFWS) March 23, 2021

The California condor played an important role in maintaining Pacific ecosystems and was also important to the culture of the Yurok Tribe and other Indigenous groups. The tribe worked 12 years to prepare for the reintroduction effort. For the last 20 years, the Yurok Tribe has been actively engaged in the restoration of the rivers, forests and prairies in our ancestral territory. The reintroduction of the condor is one component of this effort to reconstruct the diverse environmental conditions that once existed in our region. We are extremely proud of the fact that our future generations will not know a world without prey-go-neesh. Yurok Tribe Chairman Joseph L. James said in the announcement.

While condors once ranged as far north as Canada and, prehistorically, as far east as Florida, their numbers were devastated by human activity. By the early 1980s, there were only 22 of the birds left in the wild, The Guardian noted. These birds were placed in a captive breeding program and later reintroduced in southern and central California. This has proven successful, and there are now more than 300 birds in the wild in California, Utah, Arizona and Mexico. The California condor is a shining example of how a species can be brought back from the brink of extinction through the power of partnerships, Paul Souza, Regional Director for the U.S. FWS California-Great Basin Region, said in the announcement.
For the first time in more than a century, endangered California condors soared over the redwood forests along the states northern coast.

The two birds, both males, were released from a pen in Redwood National Park on Tuesday morning, AP News reported.

That was just as exciting as I thought it was going to be, Yurok Tribe wildlife department director Tiana Williams-Claussen told Jefferson Public Radio. Those guys just took right off.

A video shared by the Yurok Tribe on Facebook shows first one and then the other bird emerging from the pen and launching themselves into flight.

Condors Have Come Home PREY-GO-NEESH KEECH KE-ME-YEHL  CONDORS HAVE COME HOME. At around 10:30am this morning two condors were successfully released in Yurok Country, where the culturally and ecologically important birds have been absent for more than a century. The birds left the Northern California Condor Restoration Programs flight pen and immediately started flying over the redwoods. Here is the raw footage of both birds taking flight. The Northern California Condor Restoration Program is a collaboration between the Yurok Tribe and Redwood National and State Parks (NPS). For more information about the reintroduction, please visit https://bit.ly/3ybxrre Posted by Yurok Tribe on Tuesday, May 3, 2022

The Yurok Tribe has spearheaded efforts to reintroduce the California condor to the northern part of its range. In 2021, the tribe announced a new condor release facility with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service, with the goal of reintroducing the birds to Yurok Ancestral Territory and Redwood National Park. The Yurok Tribe considers the condors sacred, and the construction of the facility was the result of years of work on its part.

For countless generations, the Yurok people have upheld a sacred responsibility to maintain balance in the natural world. Condor reintroduction is a real-life manifestation of our cultural commitment to restore and protect the planet for future generations, tribal Chairman Joseph L. James said in a statement reported by AP News.

The two birds released Tuesday are nicknamed Poy-we-sonwhich means one who goes ahead  and Nes-kwe-chokw, which means He returns or He arrives, Williams-Claussen said in a message posted by the Yurok Tribe as a Facebook comment.

The name, she said, is representative of the historic moment we just underwent, and condors return, free-flying, to the Yurok and surrounding landscape.

The California condor almost went extinct in the 1970s because of poaching, habitat destruction and lead poisoning from eating animals killed with bullets, according to AP News. In the early 1980s, the 22 surviving wild condors were captured for a breeding program that has since successfully reintroduced the animals to Southern California. There are now more than 500 condors both in the wild and in captivity, and they now live along Californias Central Coast, as well as in Arizona, Utah and Baja California, Mexico.

Two more condors will be released over the northern redwoods if the birds released on Tuesday act in a normal way, as determined by biologists. The breeding program has three males and one female, all between two and four years old. Two hailed from the Oregon Zoo and two from Peregrine Funds World Center for Birds of Prey in Idaho. The program will release four to six birds a year for the next 20 years, according to Jefferson Public Radio.

This is just incredible, exciting times, Williams-Claussen told Jefferson Public Radio. This has literally been my lifes work.

While their populations are recovering, condors still face threats from lead poisoning and residual DDT in the environment. In 2020, a wildfire destroyed a condor sanctuary in Big Sur.
In an unprecedented move amidst a Western megadrought that started in 2000 and has been exacerbated by global warming, the federal government announced it will take measures to increase the water levels of Lake Powell, a Colorado River reservoir that is so low the hydroelectric power supply for seven states is in jeopardy, reported Reuters.

Water from the upstream Flaming Gorge Reservoir, on the border of Wyoming and Utah, will be released by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) to flow into parched Lake Powell. And water that would have been released from Lake Powell, which is the second largest reservoir in the U.S., to flow downstream into Lake Mead will be kept in the reservoir.

We have never taken this step before in the Colorado River basin, said Interior Department assistant secretary Tanya Trujillo, as The New York Times reported. But the conditions we see today, and the potential risks we see on the horizon, demand that we take prompt action.

The combination of water from the Flaming Gorge Reservoir and the retaining of water that would have been released from Lake Powell  a combined total of 980,000 acre-feet  will raise the Lake Powell reservoir by 16 feet and keep hydroelectric power production from the Glen Canyon Dam online for the time being, Reuters reported. One acre-foot is equal to 326,000 gallons, which is a years supply of water for one or two households.

After the measures, the water supply should last 12 months, after which Trujillo said the circumstances will be examined again, reported The New York Times.

But its not enough to fix the problem, said program director for Western Resource Advocates Bart Miller, who said his environmental advocacy group was in favor of the decision, as The New York Times reported. Throughout the Colorado River basin we are using more water than the river provides.

In the 1960s, the Glen Canyon Dam was built to form Lake Powell, which is currently sitting at a record low water level with less than a quarter of the amount of water it had when it was originally filled.

If Lake Powell drops an additional 32 feet, the power supply from the dam for millions of customers in Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico will be cut, reported Reuters.

Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the country, was formed in the 1930s by Hoover Dam and supplies water to 25 million people. It is also at a record low 31 percent capacity, The New York Times reported. More pressure will be put on Lake Mead by the new USBR measures, since nearly all of its water comes from water released from Lake Powell.

We are never going to see these reservoirs filled again in our lifetime, said professor Denielle Perry of Northern Arizona Universitys School of Earth and Sustainability, as reported by Reuters.

Climate change caused by humans is responsible for an estimated 42 percent of the severity of the current megadrought in the West, CNBC reported.

Our climate is changing, our actions are responsible for that, and we have to take responsible action to respond, said Trujillo, as reported by CNBC. We all need to work together to protect the resources we have and the declining water supplies in the Colorado River that our communities rely on.
An ornamental plant farm in Barranquitas,

Puerto Rico that was wrecked by Hurricane Maria is slowly rebuilding thanks to solar panels that power the 40-acre nursery.

Cali Nurseries grower Hector Santiago told

Reuters that his $300,000 investment on 244 solar panels six years ago has allowed him to continue working.

Meanwhile, only 5.4 percent of citizens on the U.S. territory have electricity after the Category 4 storm destroyed the islands electricity grid, the Department of Defense said Wednesday.

Everybody told me I was crazy because it was so expensive. Now I have power and they dont, Santiago explained.

He added to Reuters that 25 percent of the panels were damaged by flying debris but the remaining panels were enough to power the facility and water pumping from his two wells.

The nursery also did not have to worry about trees falling on the power lines during the Sept. 20 hurricane, he pointed out.

Santiago, who sells his flowers at places like Costco in the Caribbean, told

ABC News last week that he was determined to rebuild and get back into business despite estimated losses of $1.5 million.

Officials estimate that some areas of the Puerto Rico, which is almost entirely powered by

fossil fuels, will not see their electricity restored for months.

At the same time, energy experts and business leaders have

discussed the potential of renewables and building microgrids to help the hurricane-ravaged Caribbean restore power in the interim and the future.

As

Bloomberg reported:

Growing demand for more resilient power supplies will spur $22.3 billion of global investment in battery-backed local energy systems over the next decade, according to Navigant Research.

Villages and homes in far-flung places will drive the expansion of microgrids, small-scale solar systems with batteries that can retain power until its needed. Navigant expects 14.9 gigawatts to be in operation in 2026, up from 238 megawatts this year, according to a report Tuesday.

Last week, Tesla made headlines after sending hundreds of its Powerwall battery packs to be paired with solar panels to Puerto Rico ever since the storm cleared.

Virgin Groups Richard Branson, who faced two damaging hurricanes in a row from his home in the British Virgin Islands, has met with government representatives from Britain and the U.S. to set up a green fund to rebuild the Caribbean.

As part of that fund we want to make sure that the Caribbean moves from dirty energy to clean energy, Branson

told Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Extreme weather events can make you feel helpless, and nothing reminds you quite how reliant you are on public power like a grid outage. If the power goes out, its difficult to know whether it will return within minutes or within days. At best, outages are costly and inconvenient interruptions (costing the U.S. close to $168 billion in a year).1 But in some cases, power outages from extreme weather can even be deadly.

In 2021, the U.S. experienced a record-breaking 20 weather or climate disasters that each resulted in at least $1 billion in damages.2 Most notably, a polar vortex wreaked havoc on an unsuspecting Texas power grid, leading to the deaths of 250-500 people (and staggering power bills for some who maintained power).3 Scorching temperatures in Oregon shut off the lights for thousands. Hurricane Ida knocked out power in Louisiana for weeks in some areas.4 Writing this piece from my apartment in New Orleans, this subject carries some special importance.

Source: NOAA

Those who have experienced extended power outages are turning to solar as a means to adapt to increasing extreme weather events. Is it the future of climate resilience? How do solar panels hold up against the elements? Lets take a look.

How Does Solar Hold Up in Extreme Weather?

Solar is often advertised as a tool to increase the resilience of our energy sources. But, by design, solar panels are placed in areas completely exposed to the elements. How do they hold up when extreme weather arises?

Hurricanes & High Winds

Solar panels are designed to withstand high winds; the best are generally certified to handle winds up to 150 mph. Wind load rating is measured in Pa (dynamic pressure) and ranges from 2,400-5,400 Pa. Heres a rough look at the wind strengths some of the best products are tested to withstand, as reported by the following manufacturers:

5,000+ Pa / 200 mph (Category 6 hurricane): Silfab Solar 5

Silfab Solar 4,000 Pa / 150 mph (Category 5 hurricane, peak winds speeds of Hurricane Ida): Mission Solar, Q Cells, REC, SunPower 6, 7, 8, 9

Mission Solar, Q Cells, REC, SunPower 2,400-3,000 Pa / 125+ mph (Category 4 hurricane): Trina, Panasonic, Canadian Solar, 10, 11, 12

Data shows that the more frequent damage incurred during hurricane season is due to solar panel racking, which can be dislodged during high winds if installed poorly.13 Debris, fallen tree branches or other hazards can also damage solar arrays. But generally, solar panels are very durable.

Historically, solar panels have withstood the tests of several major hurricanes of late, including in Puerto Rico and Louisiana, where solar owners fared much better than those who relied on public utilities for power.

Extreme Cold & Snow

A fun fact about solar panels you may have heard: Theyre actually more efficient in the cold. But when the weather turns extreme, or if heavy snowfall accompanies the low temps, there are a few more question marks.

Solar panels are typically installed at an angle so that any light snowfall will slide off. Although they can shed light snowfall, heavy snow can still accumulate quickly, preventing any sunlight from reaching your solar panels. On top of the loss of electricity, the weight of a heavy snowfall can place a lot of stress on a PV systems support and racking, sometimes leading to cracks. Studies have shown that snow events can cause the biggest challenges to solar powers performance in extreme weather.14

Solar and other renewables were given a good stress test during the winter storms in Texas last year. While skeptics placed the blame for the mass outages on renewable energy sources, reports show that renewables (mostly frozen wind turbines) contributed to a relatively minor loss of the states energy output when compared to the losses from gas and coal. Environment Texas reported that the gap between supply and demand for energy would have been even greater without the energy that solar provided.15, 16

Extreme Heat & Fires

Solar panels are most popular where sunshine is most abundant; this also tends to be in regions prone to extreme heat and wildfires. Heat waves wont pose a direct threat to your solar panels, since most are designed to withstand extreme temperatures ranging up to 200 degrees F.17 Counterintuitively, however, solar panel performance suffers slightly as temperatures increase (if youve heard the term temperature coefficient before, this is where it comes into play). Once you start getting north of 95 degrees F, your efficiency will start to suffer. Extreme cold will not have as much of an effect on your panels.

Wildfires present a larger issue for solar panels, but perhaps not in the way youd expect. Of course, a solar panel array wont stand much of a chance on a home that catches fire. But during the wildfire season, smoke particles in the air can decrease surface-level sun exposure, causing solar efficiency to suffer up to 30%.18

The Role of Solar & Energy Storage in Extreme Weather Preparation

Research shows that extreme weather-related power outages are on the rise. According to a report by the Associated Press:

Outages tied to severe weather have doubled in frequency since the early 2000s.

The frequency and duration of power failures are at their highest levels since reliability tracking began in 2013.

In California alone, power losses have affected tens of thousands of people who rely on electricity for medical needs.19

In response to increasing concerns over extreme weather and the reliability of the American power grid, consumers across the nation are turning to solar panels with on-site energy storage. On-site energy storage is another way of describing a solar battery, which can store energy produced by your array.

A key clarification to note: Most solar energy systems with solar panels alone will not produce energy for your home during an outage. This is to protect the grid (and those working to repair it), as your panels would continue to send power through the grid otherwise, which could cause safety issues. By equipping your system with a solar battery, your home can continue to generate, store and use power while the grid goes down.

So, how exactly is extreme weather driving this interest? We spoke with Jeffrey Cantin, owner and president of New Orleans-based Solar Alternatives, about the increased demand for energy storage hes witnessed in a region on the frontlines of a changing climate. Heres what he had to say:

Before recent back-to-back hurricanes, ice storms and tornadoes in the region, solar energy ownership was driven by savings and environmental concerns. Now, with the expectation of losing grid power for multiple days or weeks each year, we are seeing the majority of projects consist of batteries added to existing solar systems or batteries with new solar installations. The percentage of our projects that include a battery has tripled in just a couple of years. People are concerned about their safety; a clean home energy system with solar and battery is proving to be the most reliable solution.

The most well-known solar batteries ordered from solar providers include the Tesla Powerwall II, Enphase Encharge and Generac PWRcell, to name a few. Most will range in price between $8,000 and $12,000 but offer cost-saving benefits like eligibility for tax credits and for bill reductions in areas without net metering.

The Future of Energy Resilience

Although most Americans dont face a situation as extreme as Southern Louisiana, all trends are pointing toward extreme weather playing a large role in energy trends over the coming decades. While solar and storage play a huge role in increasing our resilience in the face of climate change, challenges still remain. The cost of energy storage technology has not dropped to the affordable price point of solar. Most current batteries also incorporate the use of cobalt, a resource with a high human cost.

Where there are challenges, there are also opportunities. Here are some of the most promising recent events that give an indication of what the future of energy resilience might look like:

Creation of Enphase IQ8+ microinverters: These are the solar industrys first-ever grid-forming inverters. They enable homeowners to use their solar panels during an outage  even without a battery  by forming their own microgrid. 20

These are the solar industrys first-ever grid-forming inverters. They enable homeowners to use their solar panels during an outage  even without a battery  by forming their own microgrid. Tesla shifting away from nickel and cobalt in its batteries: Almost half of Teslas new EV batteries had no nickel or cobalt. Although these are EV batteries, its solar batteries will likely follow suit. 21

Almost half of Teslas new EV batteries had no nickel or cobalt. Although these are EV batteries, its solar batteries will likely follow suit. Car battery home integration systems: Recent strides in EV technology allow electric cars and trucks to offer intelligent backup power, replacing the need for diesel-fueled generators.22

Karsten Neumeister is a solar energy specialist passionate about sustainable development, environmental and cultural change. Before joining EcoWatch, Karsten worked in the energy sector of New Orleans, focusing on renewable energy policy and technology. A lover of music and the outdoors, Karsten might be found rock climbing, canoeing or writing songs when away from the workplace.
In seven districts in the north of Rome, Italy, residents no longer dare to step outdoors at night.

The reason? A spate of wild boar attacks that have left residents feeling unsafe on the city streets after dark and embracing an 8:30 p.m. curfew.

On the [social media] chats between people in the district, and especially in group chats between people who have dogs, it is advised not to go out after 8.30 p.m., Gianluca Sabino, who lives in Balduina, one of the seven districts, told La Repubblica newspaper, as The Guardian reported. Because at night, if somebody falls over or is hurt and nobody is around to help, then they could remain on the ground for who knows how long.

Wild boars have one of the largest ranges of any mammal in the world, according to UPI. More than two million of them live in Italy, and as many as 20,000 in Rome. They have sharp tusks and can grow to be as heavy as 220 pounds. While they are not usually aggressive, they can pose a threat to humans when provoked.

What provokes them, director of the wild animals unit at animal-welfare organization LAV Massimo Vetturi told The Guardian, is the belief that either their young or their food source is threatened.

These are the two critical elements that can unleash an attack, from any wild animal, not just boar, he said. But if a boar is close to an overflowing bin and a human approaches, it will act in a way to remove the threat to its essential food source. The real problem in Rome is that there has been no management of the problem.

Wild boar attacks have been a problem in Italys capital city for years. They have moved through some neighborhoods in packs of 30, according to UPI. The attack that prompted the curfew came on Sunday night, when a boar trampled a woman and stood on her head, The Independent reported.

It was just before 11pm I was carrying a bag of rubbish and by the bin I noticed boar cubs, the woman, Marta Santangelo, recalled, as The Independent reported. The mother was fixating on me. I understood that maybe she was scared and so picked up my dog and ran for cover.

However, hiding did not work and the boar attacked. A good Samaritan later found Santangelo, and she received treatment at a hospital for minor injuries.

The event worried residents.

This time the victim was an adult  but what if it happens to a child? With [the boars] teeth, even just a bite to the leg is enough to jeopardise someones life, Franco Quaranta, who leads a neighborhood group in Aurelio, said, as The Independent reported.

Quaranta said the curfew was a self-protection measure because city authorities had not done enough about the incidents. The city did say it would close off entrances to natural areas near the city and collect garbage more frequently.
After AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) and UGC (University Grants Commission) had put out a joint advisory warning students against pursuing higher education in Pakistan, recently, the National Medical Commission (NMC) also came out with a similar public notice. Now, NMC and the Dental Council of India (DCI) have put out a new communique.



NMC and DCI have advised all those concerned to refrain from travelling to neighbouring country Pakistan for pursuing medical/dental education. Officials shared this information on Tuesday, May 3.



As per the information issued in this regard by NMC and DCI, those Indian nationals/overseas citizens who hope to gain admissions into MBBS/BDS or equivalent medical/dental course in any medical/dental college in Pakistan will no longer be eligible to attempt the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE)/screening test or gain employment in India on the basis of the educational qualifications, be it any subject, acquired from Pakistan. Except those who had joined Pakistan degree colleges/institutions before December 2018 or later, after obtaining security clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), as stated in a report by IANS.



"However, migrants and their children who have acquired medical/dental degree or higher education in Pakistan and have been awarded citizenship by India would continue to be eligible for appearing in FMGE/screening test or seeking employment in India after obtaining security clearance from the MHA," stated NMC and DCI.




BioMar and Earthworm Foundation take lead on responsible shrimp

Earthworm Foundation, an international non-profit undertaking social and environmental projects, is partnering with BioMar to drive responsible shrimp projects in Ecuador.

The full value chain collaboration will not only include deforestation-free aquafeeds but also capacity building initiatives to drive social change and sustainability best practices in the region.

At the Global Seafood Expo in Barcelona, Florie Hovine, member manager at Earthworm Foundation, announced that they have partnered with BioMar to launch a responsible shrimp initiative that will drive good farming and social practices.

"Shrimp farming has a unique impact on the environment and there is an opportunity to work with Ecuadorian shrimp producers to support them by sharing improved environmental and social practices," said Hovine.

For the last year, BioMar and Earthworm Foundation have been assessing the Ecuadorian shrimp industry to build a framework for addressing the major issues in the industry. The project has taken a holistic approach, analysing everything from sourcing raw materials to the production and processing of shrimp. This includes raising awareness and training staff in global best practices that go beyond standard certification schemes.

Local communities are often not directly involved in the operations of shrimp farms, as workers require specific skills not usually found locally. The BioMar-Earthworm Foundation project will support educational programmes aimed at upskilling local people to enable them to become qualified for shrimp farming employment. This way, local communities' benefit from the expected expansion of the Ecuadorian shrimp segment.

"The expansion of any market requires us to consider the impact on people and the environment. By partnering with a highly respected and knowledgeable organisation that specialises in social and environmental initiatives like Earthworm Foundation, we are ensuring that the growth of Ecuadorian shrimp production is done in the right way," said Henrik Aarestrup, vice president (LATAM; shrimp and hatchery) at BioMar Group.

Shrimp is primarily considered a commodity and is often farmed and processed in bulk. Through the Earthworm Foundation project, there is an opportunity to move the market beyond commodity thinking to create fully traceable, value-added products that consider both social and environmental impact parameters, BioMar said.

"Today's consumers are becoming more and more conscious about their seafood choices. They want to know where their seafood comes from and the impact it has had on the environment and local communities. Through this BioMar-Earthworm Foundation project, our two organisations can cater to the consumers' needs," said Aarestrup.

- BioMar




GREENFEED Vietnam reaffirms growth with deal with French-owned poultry brand





Last month, Vietnam's leading agriculture-based company GREENFEED confirmed a major deal with French-owned poultry brand LeBoucher.

The milestone helps the company inch closer to its ambition to become one of the country's most diverse conglomerates.

A GREENFEED Vietnam representative said: "Over the past 19 years, we have worked hard to improve our products and expand our reach. Starting the journey as an animal feed manufacturer, we now have deep expertise and a diversified business portfolio in various sectors such as feed, farm, food, technology and so on.

"...we want to take what we are really good at to the next level in order to innovate and create even more value for our customers and the society."

In March, the company officially completed all due process to acquire the business and trademark of LeBoucher, the chicken brand of Alain Glon Holding PTE. LTD (AGH) in Vietnam. The acquisition is a strategic move of GREENFEED to rapidly add a chicken chain to its current 'from-farm-to-table' product ecosystem. LeBoucher will become the fifth in GREENFEED Vietnam's growing portfolio of food brands, reaffirming its commitment to develop and expand a protein-based product portfolio in order to meet the demand for safe and high-quality food of Vietnamese consumers.

"We believe GREENFEED will enhance the brand even further based on the commitment to quality that we set out and LeBoucher will reach further to many more consumers," said Glon Benoit Alain, managing director of AGH.

Established in 2003, GREENFEED owns an integrated food chain with the mission to build quality and trusted brands that relentlessly innovate and create sustainable values for customers and society.

GREENFEED offers numerous animal feed brands, whose quality are verified by ISO 22000, HACCP, GLOBAL GAP and BAP, along with exclusive international-standard animal breeds.

The company was ranked as a top 100 global feed company (by Feed International magazine), a top 50 brand in 2020 (Forbes Vietnam) and one of Vietnam's 100 largest enterprises (VNR 500).

- GREENFEED Vietnam
Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch takes over Manx Basking Shark Sightings Scheme

Jackie and Graham Hall from Manx Basking Shark Watch, who have been researching these gentle giants for the past 18 years, are handing over the reins to make way for a well-deserved retirement.

Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch (MWDW) have now taken over responsibility for collecting public sightings reports of basking sharks. Manx Basking Shark Watch has collected public sightings data since 2005 and it is extremely important that this citizen science data set continues into the foreseeable future, enabling scientists to evaluate fluctuations in the numbers of basking sharks seen in Manx waters. Over the past few years, shark numbers have been in steep decline around the Isle of Man, and so it is imperative that the public sightings database continues.

Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch have been studying cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) in Manx waters since 2005 and have always worked closely with Manx Basking Shark Watch to exchange sightings and data. The charity has now successfully incorporated basking sharks into their remit and added a new section on their website www.mwdw.net with a dedicated report form for all basking shark sightings. All sightings and photographs/videos of basking sharks should now be reported to MWDW, as well as any cetacean sightings.

Over the years, Manx Basking Shark Watch has deployed 31 tags and collected DNA samples to establish the range and distribution of Manx sharks. The findings were extraordinary: Most of the tagged basking sharks displayed a north to south annual migration, heading south as the water cooled after the summer, some over-wintered in the Celtic Deep, one crossed the Atlantic to Newfoundland, and another travelled to Morocco two years running. The genetics study established a new basking shark population estimate for Manx and NE Atlantic populations and explored the degree of genetic mixing of the Irish, Scottish, Manx and global basking shark populations. Various scientific papers have been written about these findings and these can be requested by contacting MWDW.

With the closing of Manx Basking Shark Watch, all tagging and DNA work will stop in Manx waters, with all remaining satellite tags handed over to Irish scientists. Incredibly, all 6 of these tags were deployed just last week (end of April 22) off Achill Island, on the west coast of Ireland.

The first reported Manx sighting occurred on Saturday off Dalby.
Urgent funding needed for heritage sites says former CM

A former chief minister says urgent funding is needed for local heritage sites.

Tony Brown has said cuts to Manx National Heritage's budget has caused historic sites on the Island to fall into a state of disrepair.

Writing in a Facebook post - Mr Brown said its time for the Manx Government take action and invest in the heritage and tourism industries.

Manx National Heritage has been given a budget of 4,6 million for the next financial year.

Work is currently being carried out on the Laxey Wheel at a cost of 750,000.
Manx actor describes Netflix role as 'dream come true'

A school student, who beat 10,000 teenagers to land a starring role in the hit Netflix drama Heartstopper, has described it as a dream come true.

Joe Locke, who is about to sit his A-levels at Ballakermeen High School, has received rave reviews for his performance of Charlie Spring, in Alice Oseman's coming-of-age series.

It tells the story of teenage boys, Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick (Kit Connor), who fall for each other as they are subjected to homophobic bullying by Nick's so-called friends.

Since airing on Netflix last week, the show has received five star reviews from critics and is regularly amongst the most watched shows on the streaming platform.

The 18-year-old, said: Its always been my dream to be in a show and its been so exciting to see it go out and the amazing reviews and reaction.

Joe landed the role after taking part in an open audition from his parents home using his mobile phone.

He said: I always wanted to be an actor, but I never thought it would actually happen. So when I saw the open audition I went for it and managed to get it.

The Island has such a vibrant amateur dramatics scene and I learnt so many skills, and met so many talented and amazing people doing shows at the Gaiety [Theatre], and through my lessons.

The young actor is now back home to complete his A-levels before exploring future projects.

His head teacher Adrienne Burnett, said: Joe has always been a star and we are thrilled that his talent has been recognised in this ground-breaking drama.

Above all it highlights universal issues of friendship, love, belonging and standing up for others, even though there will be consequences. Joes portrayal of Charlie was utterly believable, endearing and authentic and we are very proud of him.

During his time at Ballakeremeen, Joe has been a regular in their school plays and other shows organised by the Department of Education, Sport and Cultures Kensington Arts.

The Arts centre in Douglas teaches young people drama for a minimal charge, and with help from the Isle of Man Arts Council, arranges for groups to perform as part of the National Theatres Connections programme in the UK.

Drama teacher, David Dawson, said: Joe was always a strong actor, but it was his focus and work ethic, which stood out to me. He was always a joy to work with and knew where he wanted to go, which is a credit to him and his parents.

In recent years, Joe has also performed in a number of local productions at the Gaiety Theatre, including Joseph and The Technicolour Dreamcoat and Singing in the Rain.
Activision Blizzard has been hit with another lawsuit, this time from New York City officials. The suit, which was first obtained by Axios , takes aim at CEO Bobby Kotick. It accuses him of being "unfit" to negotiate his company's pending sale to Microsoft, citing his "personal responsibility and liability for Activisions broken workplace."

The suit was filed by the New York City Employees' Retirement System and pension funds that represent police, teachers and firefighters. The plaintiffs, who own stock in Activision Blizzard, argue that the Microsoft deal allows Kotick and his fellow directors a means to escape liability for their egregious breaches of fiduciary duty.

Since last July, Activision Blizzard has been the target of multiple lawsuits. It has been accused of fostering a "frat boy" culture and some have made allegations of workplace harassment and discrimination. In March, a wrongful death suit was filed against the company. Activision Blizzard also said in a filing yesterday that it's cooperating with a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation on "disclosures on employment matters and related issues."

In November, The Wall Street Journal reported that Kotick was aware of many of the alleged instances of harassment and that he may have protected employees who were accused of misconduct. That report, and the alleged workplace problems, are said to have prompted the buyout . The companies announced the sale in January.

New York City claims the $68.7 billion Microsoft deal, which was valued at $95 per share, undervalues a company that was trading at close to that price before the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing sued it last summer and started a wave of litigation. The NYC plaintiffs are demanding access to various company documents, including those related to the pending takeover and details on the five other possible buyers that Activision mentioned in filings on sale talks.
Amazon leaders might face an uncomfortable moment at the company's next shareholder gathering. Daniel Olayiwola will become the first Amazon warehouse worker to present a resolution at the firm's annual general meeting on May 25th. The San Antonio-based employee's proposal calls for Amazon to end both its staff surveillance and productivity quotas. The practices force workers to "prioritize speed over safety," Olayiwola said, and there have reportedly been few meaningful changes.

The staffer pointed to OSHA data showing that Amazon's injury rates were "well above" national averages, particularly at automated facilities and during peak periods. He blamed this in no small part on policies like Time Off Task, which monitors the amount of time workers spend away from their station tools. The combination of surveillance and quotas reportedly gives employees little room for breaks or a safe, sustainable work pace.

We've asked Amazon for comment. The online retailer has softened its approach in some respects, such as averaging Time Off Task over a longer period to reduce the strain on warehouse personnel. Founder and former CEO Jeff Bezos pushed for Amazon to become the "safest place to work."

Amazon still keeps a close eye on productivity, however, and has recently been accused of pushing workers past the breaking point. Employees and contractors at the Illinois warehouse that collapsed during a deadly tornado last year were reportedly pressured to keep working despite the extreme danger, for instance.

We wouldn't count on the resolution passing. Shareholder resolutions at many companies frequently fail if they challenge the status quo, and Olayiwola's would demand a major change to Amazon's policies. Even if the proposal doesn't survive, though, it highlights the mounting tensions between Amazon and a rank-and-file demanding better working conditions.
TikTok creators might soon have an easier way to profit from their posts. As part of a TikTok Pulse ad solution, the social media giant will start "exploring" a program that shares ad revenue with influencers, publishers and well-known public personas. Those with at least 100,000 followers will be eligible in the first stage, TikTok said.

The company told TechCrunch it will launch Pulse in the US this June, with other countries due in the fall. TikTok will split revenue equally between itself and producers. That's slightly worse than Instagram (where creators get 55 percent), but still significant.

The appeal is clear: if you're popular enough, you could make money with every post. That could encourage more posts on TikTok, not to mention spare some video makers from relying heavily on sponsorships or donations.

This also helps TikTok, of course. It could prevent stars from jumping to Instagram or other, potentially more lucrative rivals. However, it might also encourage more creators to produce ad-friendly clips  you might see cleaner, less polarizing material. That won't be thrilling if you like TikTok's more political or risque content, but it might help TikTok withstand increasingly fierce competition.
Elon Musk's $44 billion Twitter acquisition hasn't even been finalized yet, but UK's MPs are already inviting him to discuss the changes he wants to implement for the website. The UK House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Select Committee MPs told Musk in a letter (PDF) that they're particularly interested in hearing about his intention to roll out verification for all users. They said it echoes their calls on the government as part of a proposed legislation.

Committee Chairperson Julian Knight also wrote:

"Our 2020 Report on Misinformation in the Covid Infodemic called for greater transparency of bots and automated and spam accounts, whilst our recent Report on the UKs Online Safety Bill discussed ways to balance civil liberties like freedom of expression with the need to tackle pernicious, pervasive online child sexual exploitation and abuse."

That suggests that the MPs are looking to discuss the balance between freedom of speech and censorship on the platform and how Musk plans to tackle it. The multi-company exec previously described himself as a "free-speech absolutist," and it remains to be see if and how that will change Twitter's moderation practices.

Twitter under Musk might start charging users to embed tweets from verified accounts, according to a report from Reuters. He also reportedly suggested changes to Twitter Blue, the website's subscription service, to make it more appealing to paying users. In addition, he reportedly floated the idea of job cuts in talks with banks to secure financing for his buyout. More recently, he tweeted that the website will remain free for casual users, but that it might start charging commercial entities and government agencies.

Twitter will always be free for casual users, but maybe a slight cost for commercial/government users  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 3, 2022

The MPs letter is only an invitation, however, and Musk isn't legally required to attend. Their committee has a history of summoning CEOs that don't show up, but that hasn't stopped them from trying to get execs to talk. Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg, for instance, previously refused their requests and only sent a representative to appear before the committee.
The Met Gala was held last night on May 2, 2022. Often called "fashion's biggest night out," the event is a charity fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, where attendees - approved by Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour - are encouraged to dress according to a theme that corresponds with the exhibit showing at the museum.

Last year's Met Gala, which took place in September, celebrated the In America: A Lexicon of Fashion exhibit. This year, the 2022 Met Gala celebrates the second part of the exhibition, In America: An Anthology of Fashion through its theme: "gilded glamour, white-tie."

If you're confused by what "gilded glamour" might refer to, don't worry. Some of the celebrities themselves seemed to have missed the memo too. According to Vogue's explanation, "gilded glamour" refers to the Gilded Age, a period of rapid economic growth in America that spanned the period between 1870 to 1890.

The Gilded Age was the time of America's first millionaires and billionaires, who amassed their wealth through rapidly expanding infrastructure and advances in technology. You may have heard of them: John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Henry Clay Frick, and John Jacob Astor, whose names still adorn buildings and institutions to this day. Think of the type of polite society depicted in Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence.

Due to the economic boom, the fashion of the day was full of opulence, often mixing fabrics and using eye-catching hues that would've have been prohibitively expensive in previous eras. Vogue even points out that "the Audubon Society was founded in 1895 in response to protecting birds from the millinery trade."

So yeah, people went a bit overboard.

All of this seems to pave the way to an array of fabulous fashions for the 2022 Met Gala. Celebrities and fashion designers seeking to recreate the lavishness of the period can really go all out, which could be at turns both aspirational and amusing.

So, why might I have an issue with this?

My Issue with the 2022 Met Gala

Celebrating Opulence in the Time of the Pandemic

Though the CDC's mask mandate for travelers has been struck down and Americans have gradually become more lax with COVID-19 precautions as life returns to "normal," it's tough to say that we're completely out of the woods in terms of the pandemic. In New York City, cases are rising, with nearly 2,500 new cases of COVID-19 a day, fueled by the Omicron BA.2 subvariant and moving the city into medium, or yellow, risk category for virus transmission.

Amid all this, we've also been eagerly anticipating President Joe Biden possibly granting Americans student debt relief, as gas prices are at an all-time high due to the Russian-Ukraine war. All these signs of economic struggle among ordinary Americans make the Gilded Age theme of the Met Gala seem super out of touch and insensitive.

Sure, we know that celebrities don't live lives that resemble ours at all, but it's not great being hit over the head by this fact through the media's hungry coverage of the Gala. You could cite the event's charitable goals, but at the same time, how does this exclusive party benefit ordinary Americans? If all this wealth could be used to better American lives, wouldn't that be an even better use of everyone's time and energy?

Celebrating Fashion without Acknowledging History

Besides celebrating excess in general, we need to also take a closer look at the affluence of the Gilded Age in particular. In the Vogue article we mentioned earlier, outlining their view on "gilded glamour," the time period and its titans were spoken of in glowing terms, such as describing the time as "one of unprecedented prosperity, cultural change, and industrialization, when both skyscrapers and fortunes seemingly arose overnight" and name-dropping the Astors and Vanderbilts as pillars of society.

While Vogue does mention the shadows of economic inequality, it does so with blithe side comments through passing sentences, like, "Wages skyrocketed past those in Europe (although, as Jacob Riis captured in How the Other Half Lives, far from everyone benefited)." Those comments fail to do justice to the scale of the wealth inequality at the time, and the article neglects to mention the true historical context for how those fortunes were made.

Just taking the Astors as an example: though their name adorns Astor Place, Astoria, the iconic Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, and a wing in the New York City Public Library, this is a family that built their millions through the fur trade, smuggling opium into China during the Opium War, and investing in real estate in New York City. These figures are business titans yes, but their dealings were shady and harmful to many.

As a Taiwanese-American, with ancestors from China, seeing a family like this celebrated publicly at such an event is uncomfortable. In fact, it feels akin to celebrating Christopher Columbus, knowing full well how he exploited and enslaved the indigenous populations that he encountered.

For context, opium smugglers like Astor brought drugs into China, a largely self-sufficient country at the time, specifically to get the population addicted, so China would accept something other than silver for Chinese goods that the West coveted, such as tea, silks, and spices. This is a human history at one of its ugliest moments, and yet there's no acknowledgment that we spent a night celebrating the spoils of such shameful business dealings? Did no one look into this?

Thankfully, one celeb seems to have at least given the theme and its possible implications some thought, and that was Riz Ahmed. Coming off his Oscar win for Best Live Action Short Film with The Long Goodbye, Ahmed wore a much more subdued outfit, specifying that his look was "a tribute to the immigrant experience that kept the Gilded Age working."

Born to a family of British-Pakistani immigrants, Ahmed was able to consider "gilded glamour" with a more critical eye, and call out the sugarcoating of the time period that was at play.

How to Fix the 2022 Met Gala

While it's one thing to point out the theme's problematic nature, it's another to not offer any solutions. Here are some ideas I had about how this whole situation could've been handled with more nuance and critical thought.

Treat the Gala as a Museum

This idea might sound a bit ironic, considering how the event is a charity event for a museum. Perhaps this is why I'm disappointed that this approach wasn't thought up by the event in the first place.

When I say that the Gala should've been treated as a Museum, I mean that celebrities and designers can rejoice in the fashion of the Gilded Age, but they should also be responsible for providing some context for where those fashions came from - a la those little plaques next to exhibits in museums. That way, museum-goers can appreciate the art while also understanding the artist's influences.

In practice, this could mean that when Vogue writes up a fluff piece to explain their own event, they also go into some of the history of the figures they're honoring and take an appropriately measured tone when speaking of them.

For example: Yes, Thomas Edison brought us the lightbulb, but did you know that he was also a thug who would send people to shoot up your film camera if you used anything other than Kodak film, a company his cameras had partnered up at the time?

See? Nuance!

Celebrities and their teams could also acknowledge the historical ugliness by incorporating it into their outfit designs - whether that's through Ahmed's direct approach or a more metaphorical one. I, myself, would've loved to see a dress using silks that had the silhouette of a Gilded Age dress, with its corseted bodice and elaborate skirts, but also incorporate Chinese stitching or designs as a nod to where the fabric came from. Get creative! Isn't that what designers are supposed to do?

Highlight Critical Takes on the Theme Along with Uncritical Ones

I understand that the Met Gala celebrates the ostentatious. We're often on the look-out for the wildest costumes and which celebrities actually stuck to the theme. However, another way to subtly provide historical context is to elevate the looks that may not slot neatly into the most conventional interpretation of the theme.

By giving these looks the space to shine, it may also encourage designers and celebrities to pursue this more critical approach, too. Celebrities whose images project progressiveness could then use the Met Gala as a way to further their brands, like how Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wore a dress emblazoned with "Tax the Rich" to the 2021 Met Gala.

While Vogue may feel uneasy about critical takes at their event, being open to it encourages discourse and prompts engagement from the public. Taking this stance in the future would position Vogue and the Met Gala as thought leaders, and make it clear that they don't only concern themselves with high fashion.

In a rapidly globalizing world, it may be the best way for both Vogue and the Met Gala to remain relevant for years to come.

For more entertainment news and commentary, check out Enstarz! We bring you the latest on your favorite celebrities, TV shows, and films.
Russias war in Ukraine has triggered a fundamental shift in its energy trading relationships, as European leaders take action to cut the Old Continents reliance on Russia for energy supplies.

As Poles and Bulgarians worry their cookers and heaters will run dry, the rest of Europe is scrambling to respond after Vladimir Putins latest chess move over the Ukraine conflict  cutting off the gas supply to his major customers. Moscow last week halted natural liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries to Poland and Bulgaria and has threatened to do the same to other countries over their support for Kyiv, prompting accusations of blackmail by European nations and the United States. Putins tactic has been widely interpreted as a warning to his opponents in Europe  who also happen to be reliant on Russian gas, oil and other petrochemical products  as well as an effort to replenish his cash reserves. The message: no rubles, no gas.

A day after the Kremlin turned off the tap, a German and an Italian energy provider reportedly opened accounts with Russian bank Gazprombank to buy Russian gas, handing Moscow a big win in its efforts to receive payments in rubles. While challenging the EUs efforts to maintain a united front against Moscow, energy companies can stay technically compliant with the sanctions under a loophole that allows them to pay Gazprombank in euros, which the bank would convert into rubles in a separate account. Meanwhile, Germany has said it would be able to cope if Russian oil supplies were cut off by an embargo or a decision by Moscow to switch off the taps. Economy Minister Robert Habeck said that Russian oil now accounts for 12% of total imports, down from 35% before the war, and most of it goes to the Schwedt refinery near Berlin. He acknowledged that losing those supplies could result in a bumpy situation for the capital and surrounding region, with price hikes and shortages, but that wouldnt result in Germany slipping into an oil crisis.

This comes as the EU is edging towards a ban on imports of Russian oil by the end of the year, diplomats said, after emergency talks between the Commission and EU countries at the weekend. On Monday (2 May) discussed the need to urgently secure non-Russian gas supplies and fill storage, as countries brace for supply shocks. The bloc has also been striving for a united response to Moscows demand that European buyers pay for Russian gas in rubles or face their supply being cut off. Many countries are heavily dependent on Moscow for energy needs and there are disagreements over how sanctions should be enforced. Polands climate minister said on Monday that her country  which advocates tough measures against Russia  is ready to help Germany wean itself off Russian oil, Reuters reports. As Poland, we are ready to support Germanys ambitions of de-Russification with our refinery in Gdansk, Anna Moskwa said. I hope that will be the last voice that will  block these sanctions on oil. Countries in Eastern Europe are partnering up to develop projects and share resources to counter the Russian dominance in the gas market and curb the EUs reliance on Russian supply.
HELSINKI, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Valmet will supply Old Corrugated Containers (OCC), stock preparation and container board lines with a large scope of automation systems, Industrial Internet solutions and services to Eren Paper's Shotton Mill Limited in the United Kingdom. The new container board making line (PM3) will produce high-quality testliner and fluting grades, and it will use 100% recycled paper. The start-up of PM3 is scheduled for the second quarter of 2024.

The order is included in Valmet's orders received of the second quarter 2022. The value of the order will not be disclosed. A project of this size and scope is typically valued at around EUR 150170 million.

"Shotton's new container board machine will make our paper mill the largest and most technologically advanced paper mill in the UK. We chose a board making line with high performance, high speed, and higher production rates", says Hamdullah Eren, Chairman of Board, Eren Paper/Modern Karton.

"Our technical highlights together with the speed and production potential of the container board machine were definitely the decisive factors to Eren Paper. Valmet's OptiAir impingement dryer will give substantially higher runnability, and hard nip sizer will increase the strength properties of the produced board. All these arguments were supported by the results from the references we presented to Eren Paper. Additionally, the OCC line will be the largest one delivered by Valmet", says Mika Ollikainen, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Valmet.

Technical information about the delivery

Valmet's delivery will include a new OCC line with reject handling, stock preparation , and approach flow system , and a high-speed container board machine. The OCC line is featured with an extensive product portfolio of the latest technology for extreme cleanliness and strength. It is equipped with two bale handling systems; two vertical pulping stations; HC, LC and reverse cleaning; coarse screening, fractionation, and LF screening; LF dispersion; and SF and LF refining technology.

In addition to the OCC line, a high-speed container board machine from headbox to reeling and winding will be included. An OptiFlo Layering Gap two-layer headbox and an OptiFormer Gap forming unit with the shoe and blade technology will be followed by an OptiPress Linear press section. An OptiRun Single dryer section will be equipped with an OptiDry Twin impingement drying unit to provide superior drying efficiency, excellent runnability, and enhanced draw control.

An OptiSizer Hard hard nip sizer will provide higher strength properties. An OptiReel Linear reel and a very high-capacity OptiWin Pro two-drum pro winder equipped with Dual Unwind will be installed to meet the high-capacity targets of the machine. A large scope of board machine process ventilation systems with an OptiAir high-humidity hood, as well as starch preparation, continuous surface size preparation, and an OptiSizer supply system will be included.

The automation delivery will include Valmet DNA Automation System including process controls, machine controls, runnability and condition monitoring, Valmet IQ Quality Control System, Valmet IQ Web Inspection System, Valmet IQ Web Monitoring System, Valmet Paper Lab and Valmet Retention Measurement.

The start-up and further optimization of the new board machine will be supported with a Performance Agreement in cooperation with Shotton Mill to support the continuum of the successful start-up curve. Additionally, the production will be supported remotely from Valmet Performance Center. Industrial Internet solutions, such as advanced monitoring and predictive applications, will complete the optimization of the paper machine operation. Valmet paper machine clothing, spare parts and consumables packages will be delivered as well.

The board machine with a 10,110-mm-wide fabric will produce testliner and fluting grades with a basis weight range of 70135 g/m2. The design speed of the machine will be 1,700 m/min and the annual capacity approximately 650,000 tonnes.

About the customer Eren Paper

Established in 1969, Eren Holding is a family run conglomerate headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey. It has business interests in paper, packaging, cement, energy, retail and port operations. Modern Karton, the paper manufacturing subsidiary, is an expert in producing paper and packaging by using 100% recycled fibers. Within its paper factory in Turkey, 1.2 million tonnes of paper are produced annually, making it the largest paper manufacturer in Turkey and one of the top 10 paper companies in Europe. Eren Paper's Shotton Mill Limited is part of Eren Holding.

VALMET Corporate Communications

For further information, please contact:Jari Vahapesola, President, Paper business line, Valmet, tel. +358 40 558 6555, jari.vahapesola@valmet.com Matt Lees, Senior Sales Manager UK, EMEA CEN Sales, Valmet, tel. +44 7741 082769

Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. With our automation systems and flow control solutions we serve an even wider base of process industries.

We aim to become the global champion in serving our customers. Our 17,000 professionals work close to our customers and are committed to improving our customers' performance  every day.

The company has over 220 years of industrial history and a strong track record in continuous improvement and renewal. In 2022, a major milestone was achieved when the flow control company Neles was merged into Valmet. The combined company's net sales in 2021 was approximately EUR 4.5 billion based on the respective company figures.

Valmet's shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki and the head office is in Espoo, Finland.

Follow us on valmet.com | Twitter | Twitter (IR) | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram |

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I had hoped to avoid writing anything about Americas most overexposed billionaire philosopher king. But Elon Musks seemingly casual plans to purchase Twitter, a move that would put him in charge of the worlds most important media platform, make it unavoidable.

This past week I devoured the 2017 biography Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future, by Ashlee Vance.

I have long had a dull dislike of Musk. The facts of his life and personality  made clear from this biography  have sharpened some of my animus.

At the same time, the book made me admire far more what hes created. His mission and ambition are literally otherworldly. His companies engineering achievements are unmatched.

Related: Taylor: Ray Dalio, the hedge-fund fortune philosopher king who advocates for automatons

The Twitter purchase  because it magnifies his personality flaws and multiplies his power seemingly without serving his mission  seems unhelpful. But its not the most important part of the Elon Musk story.

His personality

Vances biography provides plenty of evidence of the Tesla and SpaceX CEOs personality. He is clearly capable of grueling work. And because of his total indifference to the feelings of others, the book shows, he makes unreasonable demands. To work for Musk is to be subjected to a grueling master.

You dont want to work for him. People are a means to an end and will be dismissed as soon as the ends are met, or unmet. Vance writes, What was clear is that people who worked for him were like ammunition: used for a specific purpose until exhausted and discarded.

You do not want to be married to Musk. His first wife, Justine, relates how, early in their relationship, she would complain, I am your wife, not your employee! To which Musk replied, If you were my employee, I would fire you.

He is grandiose. He is a hype machine creating castles in the sky long before they have solid foundations. In his focus on the mission, he is not held back by realism, modesty or truth.

On ExpressNews.com: Musk knows whats up, Gov. Abbott says. But the chief execs of Texas and Tesla dont always agree

Less clear from the book than from Musks Twitter personality the past five years is that he enjoys being an online troll. Where this unattractive part of his personality comes from is not clear. But as Justine, his ex, once wrote about him, quoting the musician Moby, Theres no such thing as a well-adjusted public figure. If they were well-adjusted they wouldnt try to be a public figure.

He delivers

Despite his megalomania and hyperbole, the impressive thing this biography makes clear about Musk is this: He has a world-beating record of actually delivering on big ideas.

PayPal truly is useful. Tesla cars really are amazing. SpaceX rockets really are cutting edge, altering the relationship between the private sector and space exploration. I come away much more respectful of this part of him. The challenges of creating these solutions seemed insurmountable to every observer except, seemingly, Musk.

Most important, I respect and admire the central mission that has animated his past 20 years: to colonize Mars.

Because there are no fossil fuels on Mars, were going to need to harness solar energy. Hence, his takeover of SolarCity Corp. Once you get to Mars, youll need advanced batteries to store the solar energy and battery-powered electric vehicles to move on the planet, so you need Tesla. Obviously, to get there you need cheap, plentiful and improved rocketry, which SpaceX provides.

The Boring Co.

The following point didnt come from the biography but someone elses writing last week. It absolutely blew my mind. The Boring Co. is Musks contribution to transportation policy, proposing underground tunnels between and within cities.

San Antonio, for example, is contemplating contracting with the Boring Co. to build an underground transportation tunnel between downtown and the airport. The city needs such a tunnel like a fish needs a bicycle. The Boring Co. had never made sense to me, and San Antonio dabbling in this is utterly bizarre.

On ExpressNews.com: New details of Elon Musk firms San Antonio tunnel loop emerge  but many questions remain

But! The Boring Co. makes sense if you take seriously Musks plan to colonize Mars. Were humans to inhabit that uninhabitable planet, much of life would have to be lived underground in massive tunnels.

Musk tweeted last week that tunnels are immune to surface weather conditions. It wouldnt matter to Hyperloop if a hurricane was raging on the surface, he wrote. You wouldnt even notice.

While thats untrue in the case of flooded urban subway systems in heavy rainstorms, we can intuit that Musk is actually picturing his future Martian colony protected from the harsh conditions of the red planet.

Understood as part of the Mars mission, the Boring Co. finally makes sense! Although, to be clear, not in San Antonio, which is more inhabitable than Mars (except in July and August, when its basically a tie).

Anyway, in sum: The biography is good. His personality is awful. Musks maniacal focus on colonizing Mars is consistent and impressive.

What, at this point, is left to say about his purchase of Twitter?

The purchase doesnt seem to contribute to his mission regarding Mars, so that part is puzzling. The purchase does seem to stem from his personality issues.

Do I worry he will impose his trollish views on an important global platform? Yes, consistent with my big idea that we should be figuring out a way to limit the oversize impact of all billionaire philosopher kings on our society.

Musks engineering greatness is unquestionable. The threat to our society from the concentration of power in the hands of a few is also unquestionable.

Michael Taylor is a columnist for the San Antonio Express-News, author of The Financial Rules for New College Graduates and host of the podcast No Hill For A Climber.

michael@michaelthesmart

money.com | twitter.com/michael_taylor
National Weather Service

San Antonio will see the first extreme heat of the year with temperatures reaching 100 this weekend.

The wild week of weather will start Wednesday with the possibility of severe storms bringing large hail, damaging winds and a possible isolated tornado to South-Central Texas, according to the National Weather Service.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  The worlds biggest shipping company, Denmarks A.P. Moeller-Maersk, said Wednesday that it had delivered its best earnings quarter ever, driven by higher freight rates and more contracts being signed.

The Copenhagen, Denmark-based company said its revenue for the first three months of the year came in at $19.3 billion, up from $12.4 billion for the same period last year. Profits before taxes came in at $7.3 billion, up from $3.1 billion a year ago.
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Janet Bernson marched through downtown Austin Tuesday afternoon, flanked by several hundred fellow abortion rights advocates, awash in the feeling that shed been here before.

Coming of age around the peak of the womens movement, Bernson embraced the wave of feminist activism that swept the country in the years leading up to the U.S. Supreme Courts 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

Nearly 50 years later, Bernson, 72, is now bracing for the court to strike down the ruling that has long guaranteed women the right to abortion, as signaled by a draft majority opinion published by Politico on Monday.

I feel tired of men, and especially Republican men, telling women what to do, Bernson said as she marched south on Congress Avenue alongside her 42-year-old daughter, Julia Ward, and 8-year-old grandson, Levi.

And Im worried about my children, my grandchildren, and all women  I mean, everybody. Were in a fascist state now. Its just beginning, and I dont want it to continue.

Sam Owens, Staff Photographer / San Antonio Express-News

Other Austin protesters and organizers echoed similar sentiments Tuesday as they joined Bernson to rally for abortion access and protest the possible overturning of Roe v. Wade. If the decision is struck down, Texas would almost immediately impose a blanket ban on abortions under a so-called trigger law passed by the Legislature last spring.

Texas Republican lawmakers, unswayed by the brewing opposition, applauded the potential Supreme Court decision. State Sen. Bryan Hughes, the Tyler Republican who carried the states six-week abortion ban, said the court would be right to overturn Roe, characterizing the decision as a horrible mistake decided by seven old men.

Of course there is no right to abortion in the Constitution, and there never has been, Hughes said.

Tuesdays rally, organized by the advocacy groups Rainbow Coalition Austin and Texas Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights, began as a modest-sized crowd of a few dozen demonstrators, gathering around 5 p.m. at the southern edge of the Texas Capitol grounds.

PUBLIC OPINION: Republicans champion Texas as an anti-abortion state, but its not that simple

The audience quickly swelled to include several hundred people, collectively covering blocks at a time as they marched through downtown Austin to the federal courthouse, temporarily bringing traffic to a standstill.

Sam Owens, Staff Photographer / San Antonio Express-News

As they marched, women chanted, My body, my choice, interspersed by men chanting, Their body, their choice.

Victoria Mycue, an organizer with Texas Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights, urged the crowd to prepare for more weeks of protesting ahead, in a bid to flip one of the five justices said to support the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Similar protests played out in cities across the country Tuesday, signaling the possibility of a sustained pressure campaign against the justices.

I know that these vicious restrictions on our rights are coming at us so hard and so fast that they seem insurmountable. And I know that this leaked draft opinion by the Supreme Court last night was devastating, Mycue said, addressing a crowd carrying signs marked by uterus sketches and clothes hangers, with messages that told abortion foes to keep your theology out of our bodies and focus on the born.

If I make my uterus a corporation, will you stop regulating it? one sign inquired.

Mycue continued: But justices have been known to sometimes change their opinion in response to major public dissent. Well, its time to dissent!

jasper.scherer@chron.com
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More than 200 protesters rallied downtown Tuesday evening against the U.S. Supreme Courts potential decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, joining nationwide discontent that arose after a draft was leaked of a majority opinion that would, if adopted by the court, end federally protected abortion rights.

The draft, written in February by Justice Samuel Alito and published Monday by the online news organization Politico, indicates that the high court has preliminarily voted to discard the precedent set by Roe v. Wade in 1973. A Supreme Court justice can change his or her mind before the court issues a decision, but if the votes remain as they have been reported, Alitos opinion would leave each state to decide whether abortion should be protected or banned.

Jules Vaquera  with Mujeres Marcharan, Spanish for women will march  led those gathered outside the Federal Courthouse in chants and an impromptu open mic session. One by one, demonstrators shared their thoughts on how abortion bans affect society, such as placing a further burden on people in poverty, and how the pro-life movement works against a womans right to make decisions about her body.

It is about controlling the sexuality of women, period, Vaquera said, addressing the crowd via a loud speaker planted atop the Federal Courthouses stone sign.

On ExpressNews.com: Ted Cruz, other Texans react to Supreme Court abortion bombshell: 'A massive victory'

If they do make this decision, SCOTUS will be defying the will of the people, said Vaquera, a U.S. Air Force veteran.

Many chanted Bans off our bodies, reiterating a protest slogan recited last year when Texas legislators passed Senate Bill 8, which prohibits performing an abortion after a woman has been pregnant for roughly six weeks.

Another chant, for many, seemed to resonate the most: Pro-life is a lie. You dont care if women die.

Barbie Hurtado, an organizer with San Antonio International Womens Day March, reminded people that abortion remains a constitutional right until a court ruling says otherwise and that demonstrators will fight like hell to keep it that way.

As abortion advocates, we knew that this would happen, Hurtado said. People are not going to stop having abortions. The only difference is that its not going to be legal. Its not going to be in a clinic.

One woman who addressed the audience said an abortion ban will put certain pregnant women through months of torment, particularly those who have been told their babies will die after birth. Another woman noted that some women need to end pregnancies to save their own lives, such as in the case of an ectopic pregnancy, in which a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, which can damage nearby organs and cause life-threatening blood loss.

Mara Posada, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood, said abortion rights have been chipped away at during each legislative session in Texas as pro-life groups have been working toward banning abortion over the past decade.

Posada said Texas has already seen how the strictest abortion bans affect a community. She said Planned Parenthood receives calls daily from women who are too far along in their pregnancies to have an abortion under SB 8.

Many women, Posada said, learn that they are pregnant two weeks after a missed period on a regular menstrual cycle, leaving them very little time, if any, to make a decision about their pregnancies.

On ExpressNews.com: Leaked document shows Supreme Court set to overturn Roe v. Wade abortion decision, Politico reports

Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzalez attended the protest, telling reporters that he would not seek to prosecute doctors who facilitate abortions in Bexar County and that women in the community need not worry about being prosecuted for making a decision regarding their bodies.

Im here because I stand with this group. Im here because I support their right to choose, he said. Im here because I dont believe the government has any business interfering in a womens decision regarding her own health.

For demonstrator Durine Elmazi, 38, standing with others was about protecting the right have an abortion for her daughter, she said, adding that a ban would put a burden on impoverished people, particularly communities of color.

Were not gonna allow her, Elmazi said, to live in a system that creates barriers and puts disadvantages that were not there when I was there.

jbeltran@express-news.net
District Attorney Joe Gonzales said he will absolutely not prosecute women who get abortions in Bexar County or medical professionals who facilitate them, even if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.

While I am elected district attorney, and our office is responsible for making those prosecutorial decisions, my commitment to the citizens of Bexar County is that I am not going to prosecute someone who makes a decision about her own body, Gonzales said.

Gonzales spoke at a Tuesday night rally in front of San Antonios federal courthouse protesting the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that shows the high court is poised to overturn the landmark abortion ruling that has stood since 1973.

Im here because I stand with this group. Im here because I believe in a womans right to choose. Im here because I dont believe the government has any business interfering in a womans decision regarding her own health, Gonzales said.

I am here because I think its a travesty, if in fact, the Supreme Court does overturn Roe v. Wade. Its been the law of the land for nearly 50 years, and it will be a grave injustice to the citizens of not only Bexar County, not only the state of Texas, but the entire United States.

Gonzales added that were also going to support the medical care community and professionals who make the decisions that are very difficult medical decisions to make.

They should feel that theyre comfortable in supporting a womans right to choose, a womans right to make those decisions without looking over their shoulder, without worrying about whether or not somebody is going to come after them for making a decision about their own body.

Gonzales position was welcomed by one abortion provider organization, but a pro-life group said it would be wrong for the DA to not prosecute medical professionals who facilitate abortions.

We commend District Attorney Joe Gonzales recent statements regarding abortion and applaud his commitment to reproductive rights, said Maria Posada, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of South Texas. No matter how the Supreme Court ultimately rules, abortion is here to stay. No politicians, bans, or court rulings should interfere with someones ability to making private, personal decisions about their pregnancies, including abortion.

Amy ODonnell, spokeswoman for Texas Alliance for Life, said Texas law does not allow for the prosecution of women who seek an abortion. Her organization also does not support prosecuting women who seek an abortion, she said.

However, if he's saying he wouldn't prosecute doctors who perform abortion, then we think it is highly improper for the DA to categorically fail to prosecute an entire class of offenses in that case," ODonnell said.

In last years legislative session, lawmakers passed a bill that would outlaw abortion in Texas 30 days after any potential U.S. Supreme Court decision overturns Roe v. Wade. The so-called trigger bill, signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott, would leave Texas doctors facing up to life in prison or $100,000 fines if they perform abortions, under the ban.

Another new law passed last year prohibits an abortion if a fetal heartbeat is present, at about six weeks. The law is not enforced by the state, but allows anyone to sue an individual who performs or knowingly aids and abets an abortion, like medical providers, family or friends. A violation can result in an injunction ordering the person to stop, at least $100,000 in damages, and attorneys fees.

Critics have said the law has had a chilling effect, effectively shutting down all abortions in Texas after six weeks of pregnancy and forcing women to other states for such services.

Abortion providers have filed legal challenges to the law, and the Biden administration has filed a challenge as well.

Gonzales is not alone in his thinking. Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza said Wednesday in an interview that he agrees with Gonzales position and I think that is the right outcome in Travis county as well.

The number one job of any district attorney is to keep our community safe, said Garza, who is from San Antonio and still has family here. Right now in Travis County, we are squarely focused on holding accountable people who commit acts of violence in our community. To pool resources away from that, to prosecute people connected with personal healthcare decisions, would be reckless and would make us less safe.

He added that, if the United States Supreme Court stays on this path, there is no question on my mind, that overturning Roe will make our communities less safe. Pushing healthcare services into the shadows will create a black market for those services and that is where criminal elements thrive.

Last month, Gonzales, Garza and three other district attorneys from metropolitan areas in Texas supported the dismissal of charges against a South Texas woman who got an abortion.

In that statement, the district attorneys said they stood with Starr County District Attorney Gocha Allen Ramirez, who obtained the dismissal of a murder charge against Lizelle Herrera after she was indicted on the first-degree felony for ending her pregnancy and spent three days in jail. The statement also listed Dallas County DA John Creuzot; Nueces County DA Mark Gonzalez; and Fort Bend County DA Brian Middleton.

Gonzales said then that the state law banning the procedure makes it a civil, not a criminal matter, and he reiterated his position during the Tuesday rally.

The State Bar of Texas would not say Wednesday whether Gonzales latest statements might run afoul of any legal or ethical rules that could land him in front of the Office of the Chief Disciplinary Counsel.

We wouldnt be able to comment, state bar spokesman Lowell Brown said.

guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | JBeltran@express-news.net
Rejecting defense arguments that she was a helpless pawn controlled by a shadowy criminal gang, a jury found Angelica Navarro-DePaz guilty Wednesday of a murder-for-hire plot targeting a woman who had said she owed the defendant $40,000 for smuggling her into the country.

Navarro-DePaz, 44, was taken into custody after being free on bail since her arrest in 2017 and the jury began hearing witnesses in the punishment phase of the trial. She faces up to life in prison for solicitation of capital murder with remuneration.

The jury took about three hours to reach its verdict, a relatively quick end to a confusing and sometimes lurid trial.

The punishment testimony featured the target of the murder plot, Anayeli Mendoza Flores, expressing fear of Navarro-DePaz  the opposite of the defendants story that she lived in constant fear of a group that included Flores.

I dont care how she dies, prosecutor Nicole Phillips had said at the start of her closing arguments earlier Wednesday, repeating Navarro-DePazs words recorded by an undercover police detective. Snatch her, slit her throat, do whatever.

The video, played to the jury last week, showed Navarro-DePaz, an Austin businesswoman, telling the detective to kill Flores, her then-boyfriends sister, and counting out an $850 cash advance on a $1,700 fee.

The Docket: Local crime and courtroom news, delivered to your inbox weekly

At the trials start, her lawyer asked news media not to name him because of the indications that the case is linked to organized crime. In his closing arguments, he summarized Navarro-DePazs testimony that she was ordered to have a fake conversation with a fake hit man as a ruse to help Flores clear up her immigration status.

He said his client couldnt refuse because the order came from a woman  the informant identified by police witnesses in earlier testimony  who had been extorting money and controlling her life for a year with threats enforced by a group of thugs. He said Navarro-DePaz read a script under the threat of physical violence.

Phillips had scoffed at this version of events as a fantasy concocted by a desperate woman.

She had five years to think of those lies, the prosecutor said.

Defense witnesses talked about things they saw in 2017, the defense attorney countered in his closing argument, and Navarro-DePaz has the scars of the violence inflicted on her, including burns.

The trials punishment phase began with testimony from Flores, who described a long relationship with Navarro-DePaz. The defendant helped smuggle her children into the United States in 2014, then got her across, after a failed try in Laredo in which federal authorities returned her to Mexico, Flores said.

Navarro DePaz put the family up in one of her rent houses, and enrolled the kids in school in Austin and then San Antonio, but brought in other tenants when Flores couldnt pay the rent, Flores said.

She moved in 2015, in fear of Navarro-DePaz, she said.

In his closing arguments, the defense lawyer had asked why Navarro-DePaz would want to kill someone in 2017 who she had not spoken with in two years. Under his questioning after the verdict, Flores said through tears that she is afraid to this day for her children, four of whom are in San Antonio. A fifth lives in Mexico, she said.

Flores said a police officer had encouraged her to apply for the visa she obtained to stay in the country legally. She said she didnt know if the outcome of the trial would have anything to do with whether she got permanent U.S. residency, as the defense lawyer suggested.

Flores said she did not know the police informant who tipped police to the assassination plot, nor did she know one of several defense witnesses who had seen her with the informant.

Navarro-DePaz had testified that the woman who had terrorized her was the informant who police witnesses said helped them in the case, Henrietta Martinez, known as Katy. In his closing argument, Navarro-DePazs lawyer said officers didnt check very deeply into her background.

Navarro-DePaz had testified that both Martinez and Flores were part of the group that extorted regular payments from her as permission to operate a bar on the far West Side, threatening and assaulting her and her family.

Several defense witnesses said Martinez was friends with Flores  including one witness who said she saw Martinez hold a gun to Navarro-DePazs head and demand money. Navarro-DePaz had said she never went to the police to report the extortion and threats because she was aware that Martinez worked with the police.

Flores, however, claimed on the stand last week that she didnt recognize Martinez in photographs. She did know Navarro-DePaz, she said  and owed her $40,000 for bringing her into the United States illegally.

On ExpressNews.com: Defendant testifies in murder-for-hire trial; says San Antonio police informant shook down her business

Phillips said Navarro-DePaz had all the power in her relationship with Martinez, describing the informant as a frail woman who died of complications of COVID-19 last year.

Calling Navarro-DePaz a puppet master, Phillips asked the jury to send her a message that shes not in control anymore.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
A San Antonio man was arrested for allegedly robbing a Dunkin' Donuts at gunpoint after the staff got his coffee order wrong, court documents showed.

Alejandro Espinosa, 23, was charged with aggravated robbery.

On April 29, Espoinosa entered the Dunkin' Donuts and demanded money from the cash registers, according to an affidavit supporting his arrest. An employee told police that she recognized Espinosa during the robbery because he had been in the store earlier in the day to pick up a Door Dash order.

On ExpressNews.com: Carjacking suspect shot during robbery at North Side gas station

When Espinosa returned to the shop just before the robbery, he was waiting outside after complaining that his order was wrong. After the employee gave him his corrected drink, Espinosa pulled out a firearm and pointed it at the employee, saying, This is a robbery, the affidavit said.

Espinosa followed the employee back into the store, where he stole cash and an employees phone.

The store employee told police that Espinosa was wearing the shirt and stained pants that he had on during his Door Dash pickup.

Witnesses were also able to describe some front-end damage to Espinosas vehicle to police. Investigators were able to obtain his address after they learned that Espinosa had been in a crash on the day of the robbery and that he was listed as the registered owner.

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway
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A 49-year-old Massachusetts man was sentenced Tuesday to 34 years in prison for terrorizing an innocent Texas teenager by grooming and sexually assaulting her, the Department of Justice said.

Ehab Sadeek, who was found guilty in November 2021 following a one-day bench trial, was charged with multiple counts of child exploitation in what the sentencing judge called one of the most egregious cases, according to the DOJ. He was sentenced to 405 months in federal prison and will have to register as a sex offender upon his release.
For a week, the murder-for-hire trial took bizarre twists and turns  the defendant claiming she was forced into faking an assassination plot by a San Antonio police informant  but it came to a quiet close Tuesday with a single defense witness whose most inflammatory testimony was not allowed.

Early in the trial, video and audio recordings showed Austin businesswoman Angelica Navarro-DePaz telling an undercover San Antonio police detective to do whatever to kill her then-boyfriends sister in August 2017, and paying him an $850 advance on a $1,700 fee.

The Docket: Local crime and courtroom news, delivered to your inbox weekly

DePaz has been free on bond since her arrest days later, charged with solicitation of capital murder with remuneration.

San Antonio Police Department witnesses said an informant named Henrietta Martinez, known as Katy, told them Navarro-DePaz was looking to hire a killer and facilitated two meetings with an undercover detective who posed as a hit man.

William Luther, Staff

The detective said Navarro-DePaz told him she wanted him to kill Anayeli Mendoza Flores, citing a betrayal. But defense testimony from several witnesses established that Martinez was friends with Flores  though Flores claimed on the stand that she didnt recognize Martinez in photographs.

Flores testified that she owed Navarro-DePaz $40,000 for bringing her to the United States illegally.

Navarro-DePaz, 44, told the jury that both Martinez and Flores were part of a violent underworld group that extorted regular payments from her as permission to operate a bar on the far West Side, threatening and assaulting her and her family and eventually forcing her to sign over her ownership of rental properties and businesses.

She said Martinez instructed her what to tell the detective  in ruthless terms caught on the recordings  as part of a ruse in which Flores, as the victim of a fake crime, would get the chance to clear up her immigration status. The hit was all a game, and no one was to get hurt, Navarro-DePaz testified.

She said she never went to the police to report the gang because she was aware that Martinez worked with the police.

Martinez died of complications of COVID-19 while the case was awaiting trial, attorneys have said.

William Luther, Staff

On ExpressNews.com: Defendant testifies in murder-for-hire trial; says San Antonio police informant shook down her business

The defendants husband, Jose DePaz, broke down on the witness stand Monday during a hail of objections to his testimony, in which he tried to explain his fear of the people who he said terrorized his wife, at one point abducting her, dousing her with a flammable fluid and setting her afire.

DePaz collapsed to his knees and sobbed, saying, I just want to tell the truth! My children are in danger!

On Tuesday, the defense rested its case after its last witness, Joanna Maldonado, an employee of Navarro-DePaz, testified that she met Flores and Katy at a bar that Navarro-DePaz owned in San Antonio in 2016. Maldonado said she saw Katy hold a gun to Navarro-DePazs head and demand money.

Maldonado had testified outside the presence of the jury Monday that she and a man named Gaspar Pasqual were attacked the night before at the home they share in Cedar Park.

William Luther, Staff

Pasqual also testified. Both alleged that Flores and two men with AK-47 rifles warned them against participating in the trial. The judge ruled the testimony inadmissable.

Later, because Maldonado is in the country illegally, an attorney was appointed to advise her and Maldonado invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, which state District Judge Melisa Skinner said prevented the jury from hearing her because prosecutors could not cross-examine her.

But on Tuesday, Maldonado changed her mind, waived her right not to incriminate herself and testified that she met Flores at a home owned by Navarro-DePaz that Flores brother was working on.

Asked by prosecutor Nicole Phillips if she was in the country illegally, she replied through a translator, Yes.

Her testimony tracked that of other defense witnesses who connected Martinez to Flores. But Flores, when shown photographs of Navarro-DePaz standing with Katy and asked if she knew either woman, had said the only person she knew in the photos was Navarro-DePaz.

Closing arguments are expected Wednesday morning in the 437th District Court. If convicted, Navarro-DePaz faces up to life in prison.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
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Gunshots reverberated through the air as San Antonio Police Department cadets fired pistols at targets, offering a sneak peek at what civilians attending the departments Situational Awareness Training for Women this Saturday will be doing.

I can guarantee theyre going to get the best instruction possible, said Rangemaster Spenc Jones, who supervised the exercise.

Hoping to boost female recruitment numbers, the San Antonio Police Department is holding the free event 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the departments training academy off Southeast Loop 410. Roughly 50 of the 100 spots had been filled as of Tuesday morning, according to SAPD Public Information Officer Jennifer Rodriguez.

While the event is open to all women ages 18-44, it is specifically intended for those interested in joining the force. Only about 12 percent (282) of the departments 2,000-plus sworn officers are women; the same is true of the departments cadets, Rodriguez said.

The national average is 14 (percent), so were always looking to pick that number up, Rodriguez said.

Female officers may have attributes and skills their male counterparts dont, making their presence an asset in policing. Victims of domestic violence and sexual assault often prefer speaking to female officers than to male officers, Rodriguez said. Similarly, female officers are often better at de-escalating tense situations than male officers, she added.

Caroline Tien

Much like the military, law enforcement is male-dominated, said SAPD Recruiter Juan Garcia. But that shouldnt be the case.

Jones will be teaching women the four cardinal rules of firearm safety: treat every weapon as if it were loaded, never point the muzzle at anything you are not willing to destroy, be sure of your target and the surrounding area and never put your finger near the trigger until you are ready to fire.

And were also going to go over different manners of storing weapons safely, carrying weapons safely and just having weapons in your house and on your person safely in day-to-day life, Jones said. Theres no need to be afraid, he added, noting he taught his wife to shoot when they first met more than 20 years ago.

In addition to honing their firearm safety skills, the women who attend Saturdays event will be able to hear from female SAPD officers and practice maneuvering through the academys obstacle course.

Shrugging on a 10-pound weighted vest, Detective Jennifer Aelvoet provided a demonstration. She crawled through culverts, clambered over beams and walls, hopped in then out of a giant pot, wove through two rows of traffic cones and dragged a 165-pound dummy to safety.

The course simulates a real-life foot chase, Rodriguez said, a situation that officers should be prepared to encounter.

It will happen often in somebodys career, Garcia said.

Completing Aelvoets portion of the course in a maximum of four minutes and three seconds is a prerequisite for becoming an officer. However, many women find the second obstacle, the four-and-a-half-foot-high beam, hard to clear, so attendees will be taught techniques for conquering it.

Women are just as capable as men, Rodriguez said,   and so were just hoping to raise that number of 282.

caroline.tien@hearst.com
Clemens High School Facebook

The Schertz Police Department is investigating an allegation of sexual assault against a Clemens High School teacher.

The teacher, who resigned last month, has not been charged. Police were made aware of a Feb. 25 incident by the schools principal, a police report states.
In January 2016, Ted Cruz released a TV ad in Iowa, attacking Donald Trump, his chief rival for the Republican presidential nomination.

This states junior U.S. senator employed video of a 1999 Meet the Press interview with Trump, in which the topic of abortion came up.

Trump, who was then a publicity-craving New York mogul considering an independent presidential campaign, said, Well, look, Im very pro-choice.

Cruz wanted to make the case to staunch social conservatives that Trump couldnt be trusted; he wasnt one of them; he didnt share their causes.

This message helped Cruz carry the 2016 Iowa caucuses, but did little to slow Trumps march to the GOP nomination or his general election triumph that November.

Looking back at the Cruz ad, however, is an illuminating experience, because it brings to mind an oddity of culture-war politics in the United States: the way abortion morphed from a sensitive issue that created bipartisan discomfort and uneasiness into a highly charged partisan litmus test.

On Monday night, Politico published a leaked draft opinion by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito which, if it stands, will effectively strike down legalized abortion in this country, 49 years after the courts landmark Roe v. Wade decision established that protection. It will take us back to the pre-Roe time when the legality of abortion hinged on which state you were talking about.

The five justices believed to support the reversal of Roe  Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett  were all nominated by Republican presidents. No big surprise there.

What might surprise you is the fact that all five of those justices were nominated by presidents who publicly defined themselves as pro-choice before they made it to the White House.

Three justices came from Trump and one each came from the father/son tandem of George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

When George W. Bush ran an unsuccessful campaign for Congress in 1978, he told a reporter from the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal that while he didnt support federal funding for abortions, he ultimately saw the issue as one best left up to a woman and her doctor.

When Bush reemerged in 1994 as a candidate for Texas governor, however, his opposition to legalized abortion was unequivocal.

You could argue that Bush was only 31 during his congressional campaign and still in the process of defining himself and his belief system.

Its telling, however, that when his father ran for the GOP presidential nomination in 1980, he did so by setting himself apart from anti-abortion hard-liner Ronald Reagan.

George H.W. Bush said he was personally opposed to abortion, but didnt agree with Reagans push for a constitutional amendment to ban it.

Unlike Reagan, Bush seemed to regard abortion as a minor issue that didnt warrant a lot of consideration.

In a June 1980 interview with conservative columnist John Lofton Jr., the elder Bush, who was 56 at the time, said, Ill have to tell you I dont know exactly when life begins.

Lofton: But you dont believe it begins at conception?

Bush: No.

When Lofton asked how much time Bush had devoted to thinking about abortion, he said, Not that much, frankly.

Bush wasnt a major outlier in the Republican Party of 1980. That year, Bob Dole and Charles Percy, two of the GOPs most prominent U.S. senators, denounced a plank in the partys national platform dictating that federal court appointees must oppose legalized abortion.

A national poll conducted in 1980 found that 42 percent of Americans wanted to see Roe overturned, while 55 percent wanted it to stand. The most fascinating element of the poll was that GOP opinion almost perfectly matched that of the general electorate, with only 43 percent of Republicans supporting a reversal of Roe.

Over the ensuing four decades, public support for legalized abortion has grown and solidified, but you wouldnt know it from our politics, because the voices of opposition have grown louder, better organized and more solidly entrenched in the fabric of the GOP.

History has shown that abortion bans dont eliminate the practice. They simply make abortions more dangerous, more expensive and less accessible.

Nine months before the Roe decision, an Associated Press story chronicled the work of Problem Pregnancy Information, a Houston referral agency which arranged legal abortions for about 6,000 women a year, in states (such as California, Colorado and New York) that had abortion laws less restrictive than Texas.

Of course, the service wasnt much help to working-class women who couldnt afford the cost of out-of-state trips.

Thats the world to which were returning.

ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
A 26-year-old Texas woman named Lizelle Herrera was arrested and charged with murder last month following an alleged self-induced abortion. It was only after Herrera spent two days in jail and, amid a national uproar, was released on $500,000 bond that the local district attorney concluded she had committed no crime.

Texas banned most abortions with Senate Bill 8, the infamous bounty law that went into effect in September  but SB 8 is enforced by lawsuits, not criminal penalties. Besides, it doesnt apply to women having abortions, only those who aid them.

The district attorney had jumped the gun. Herrera went free because Roe v. Wade still stood, even in an attenuated condition. Soon, it wont.

At least, it wont if the leaked draft majority Supreme Court opinion that Politico published Monday night ends up being issued. (A ruling in the case challenging Roe, Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, is expected sometime in the next two months.) The 98-page document, written by the archconservative Justice Samuel Alito, is a caustic repudiation of Roe and of the 1992 decision partly upholding it, Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

Roe was egregiously wrong from the start, Alito writes in the draft. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. Chief Justice John Roberts has confirmed the draft opinion is authentic, but noted that it isnt final.

Should the decision be handed down as written, states will be able to ban abortion from the moment of conception. As the draft says, laws restricting abortion must be sustained if there is a rational basis on which the legislature could have thought that it would serve legitimate state interests. Such legitimate interests, it continues, include respect for and preservation of prenatal life at all stages of development. This language could also open the door to bans on forms of birth control, like the pill and the IUD, that can prevent the implantation of fertilized eggs.

Perhaps the courts ultimate decision will be less extreme, though its hard to imagine the conservative justices deciding to soften their language in response to liberal outrage. We do not pretend to know how our political system or society will respond to todays decision overruling Roe and Casey, the draft ruling says. And even if we could foresee what will happen, we would have no authority to let that knowledge influence our decision. Protesters will continue to mass at the Supreme Court to denounce the decision, but the drafts language militates against any hint of capitulation.

So abortion will probably soon be illegal in around half the states. Some women will be forced to give birth against their will. Some will travel to states where abortion remains legal; we can expect waiting times to increase as out-of-state patients pour in. Some will have illegal abortions. Some women will end up in prison. Some, facing pregnancy complications, will see necessary treatment postponed. Some will probably die.

As Ive written before, post-Roe America will not look like pre-Roe America. Before Roe, women were rarely prosecuted for abortion, though they were sometimes threatened with prosecution to get them to testify against abortion providers. Now, however, weve had decades of anti-abortion laws defining fetuses as legal persons. Women accused of harming their fetuses by doing drugs or attempting suicide have already been arrested and in some cases imprisoned.

Roe meant that fetal endangerment and fetal homicide laws didnt apply to women having abortions. Once its gone, women who terminate their pregnancies are likely to be treated as killers.

In the years before Roe, even where abortion was illegal, doctors usually had some latitude to decide when it was justifiable to perform one. Determining when abortion was necessary  and thus legal  was left to the medical profession, wrote historian Leslie Reagan in When Abortion Was a Crime.

Today, when the populist right widely distrusts medical and scientific experts, legislatures are giving doctors less flexibility. Several states have passed laws that allow doctors to terminate only pregnancies that imperil a womans life or threaten substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function. Women with health-endangering pregnancies may thus have to wait until they are in serious distress before getting the care they need.

This is not theoretical; its the sort of thing that happens when there are blanket abortion bans. In 2012 in Ireland, a 31-year-old dentist named Savita Halappanavar died of septicemia after developing an infection during a miscarriage; doctors refused to terminate the pregnancy as long as there was fetal cardiac activity. Halappanavars death, the New York Times reported, set off outrage across the country and gave momentum to a growing call for change, and in a 2018 referendum, Irish citizens voted overwhelmingly to repeal their countrys strict abortion ban.

The best argument for legal abortion is often the real-world effect of abortion prohibitions. But by the time the backlash to such laws generates enough momentum for reform, many womens lives will be ruined.

For now, women who live in blue states are safe, but that may not last. As the Washington Post reported Monday, anti-abortion groups and their congressional allies are already planning for a nationwide abortion ban if and when Republicans retake power. All those who can get pregnant, whether or not they think theyll ever want or need an abortion, would be affected. The 2016 election, which allowed Donald Trump to reshape the Supreme Court, was, among other things, a referendum on womens equality. Womens equality lost.
Earlier this year, Emma Hernandez found herself in the same place thousands of Texas women have found themselves: unexpectedly pregnant and past the new six-week abortion limit imposed by the state.

She would have to find another way to get an abortion.

Her ordeal is now a glimpse into the future for women of reproductive age in other states, where legal abortion access hangs in the balance after the leak Monday of a draft Supreme Court opinion overturning decades-long federal abortion protections.

A WARNING: Texas abortion providers say other states will become overwhelmed if Roe v. Wade is overturned

Just knowing that theres going to be more people put in that situation and feeling like they dont have access to the support needed, thats devastating, said Hernandez, 29, of San Antonio.

The effects of Texas unprecedented six-week ban last year were swift.

Legal abortions in the state fell by half, compared with the year before, one study showed. Nearly 1,500 women on average went to seven surrounding states to obtain an abortion each month, 12 times as many as before. Another study revealed that requests more than tripled for abortion pills from a nonprofit provider in Europe, where abortion medications are legal.

IMPACTS: Women are finding other means to abortion despite Texas crackdown

But even that is no true sign of what life could be like in states where abortions are totally outlawed. With the Supreme Court likely to throw out federal protections, obtaining abortions will only become more tenuous in states with anti-abortion leaders. Women would be forced to seek out even more difficult  and for some, impossible  alternatives.

Nationwide, there are about 36 million women of reproductive age who are considered in danger of losing access to abortion in their home states. One in five, or about 7 million, live in Texas.

The burden of providing abortion care will continue to shift to out-of-state providers, and, as is the case now, an unknowable number of pregnant Texans will have no choice but to carry to term, said Kari White, principal investigator at the Texas Policy Evaluation Project at the University of Texas at Austin. And, White said, the repeal of Roe would continue to have an out-sized impact on minority Texans, who are more likely to require the services, and could exacerbate existing racial disparities in maternal mortality.

The key point here is that laws that prohibit abortion do not do anything to affect the many underlying reasons why people need abortion care, White said. It doesnt necessarily change peoples need for abortion.

'THEY'RE NOT ALONE': After almost 50 years opposing Roe v. Wade, longtime anti-abortion advocate hopeful

As anti-abortion activists cautiously rejoiced Tuesday, advocates of abortion rights said this is precisely why theyve been sounding the alarm about the states already-restrictive bill and expressed hope that the news would galvanize voters in the November general election.

Rallies were scheduled for Tuesday night in a dozen cities across the United States, including at the federal courthouse in Austin, where several hundred demonstrators gathered, some wearing green, the color associated with international efforts to legalize abortion. Meanwhile, the Texas-based anti-abortion group Right to Life planned a prayer call to pray for the Supreme Court to bring the draft to fruition.

We have seen this movement coming and have been living in a post-Roe reality in Texas for far too long now, Dr. Bhavik Kumar, medical director of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, said in a call with reporters Tuesday.

WITHOUT ROE V. WADE: What options will Texans have under abortion trigger law?

Even more people across this country will be forced to travel hundreds of miles out of state or carry pregnancies to term against their will, and unfortunately people of color, poor and low-income people, young folks, undocumented people and those living in rural areas will end up suffering the most.

Many of the states where Texans have traveled to seek out abortions during the six-week ban will no longer be options if Roe is repealed because they have trigger laws on the books to end access, leaving states much farther away  mainly on the East and West Coasts.

Gov. Greg Abbott was silent Tuesday on the courts prospective ruling, but Republican legislative leaders said they were cautiously hopeful and prepared to help ease the transition for women who carry their pregnancies to term in the future.

We are steadfastly a pro-life state and have made tremendous efforts to support women in their decision to choose life, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said, highlighting his support for increased funding to crisis pregnancy centers across the state. We will also continue to strengthen adoption programs in Texas and support families who welcome adopted children into their loving homes.

'STAND UP, FIGHT BACK!': Hundreds march through downtown Houston to defend abortion access

Hernandez, whod already had one abortion at age 21, said her most recent experience was very isolating, not only because of the stigma around abortions but also because of her concern over the states six-week ban. The unique law is enforced by citizens who can file a civil suit against anyone who aids or abets an abortion, offering at least $10,000 in damages for successful cases.

She declined to discuss how she obtained her most recent abortion out of concern for prosecution. The law was top of mind even after she had the abortion when she feared she had complications and considered going to a hospital emergency room.

I wasnt concerned about: Is my body OK? she said. It was: What does it look like for me to go to an ER right now, in this context, in this state? I have to deal with a medical provider possibly criminalizing this experience that Im having.

Recalling that isolation is what led Hernandez to start telling her story publicly and eventually to join the leadership team of We Testify, an organization dedicated to raising the voices of abortion patients, particularly those of color.

My decision would have been a lot easier to make if when I was 21 years old, there was someone who looks like me saying, Hey, I made that decision, too. Its not as hard as you might think, she said. Yeah, your moms not going to be happy about it, but its your choice to make.

taylor.goldenstein@chron.com
Since it was founded in 2010, Rusty Taco has spread from Dallas to much of the U.S., opening 38 locations in places as far from home as Phoenix, Minneapolis and Maumee, Ohio.

In February, the restaurant chain faced a kind of reckoning  it opened its first restaurant in San Antonio, a city that takes tacos very seriously.

The restaurant, on the North Side near the crossing of Bulverde Road and Loop 1604, offers a menu of street tacos with ingredients ranging from basics such as picadillo and brisket to more flashy fillings such as grilled cauliflower. It sells breakfast tacos all day and has an indoor-outdoor bar where customers can order margaritas.

The chain has inked an agreement with franchisees aiming to open a second restaurant next year and a third after that, said Brendan Mauri, the brands president.

RELATED: Vintage photos show what San Antonios first Taco Cabana looked like in 1978

They would love to continue to expand throughout San Antonio and even beyond, he said. San Antonio is a big enough market that we may have other partners, but theyre looking to grow the brand themselves in the area. Feedback has been great on this first one, two months in, so theyre excited, as are we.

The chain was co-founded by Denise Fenton and her husband Rusty Fenton, who died in 2013. The concept was inspired in large part by their familys visits to taco stands in Texas and Mexico. In 2018, the fast-food chain Arbys acquired it and Buffalo Wild Wings, forming a new company named Inspire Brands. Since then, Inspire has propelled the chains growth as it has acquired other chains including Sonic Drive-In, Jimmy Johns, Dunkin and Baskin-Robbins.

Mauri and Denise Fenton, who is Rusty Tacos brand director, recently sat for an interview to discuss the chains growth, its reception in San Antonio and how they come up with taco recipes. The following has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Q: The Rusty Taco chain has grown fast, spreading across much of the country.

Fenton: Actually, today is our anniversary  12 years ago today. Our growth was very organic. We opened up our first location and then not long after we had interest in franchising. We hadnt really thought about that. Our first franchise location was in St. Paul, Minnesota, and that opened 2011. Then, as word spread, we sort of grew up through the middle of the country, a little to the right, a little to the left.

Q: Did you and your husband have a background in the restaurant industry?

Fenton: Rusty was a lifelong restaurateur. He started out after college in Pappasitos (Cantina). He grew up in Houston and then moved few years later to Dallas and opened up a concept called Uncle Julios with a few partners. Then he went on to do a lot of consulting for other restaurants and did some food manufacturing. So he always had a passion for food and especially loved tacos. We dreamed about owning a taco restaurant  that had been his dream for many, many years. We ate at a lot of taco places with our kids.

RELATED: San Antonio has better tacos than Austin, says Mandalorian actor Pedro Pascal

Q: I think your website said there was a particular taco stand that inspired him?

Fenton: Actually, we had a lot of them. We had a favorite one in Dallas called Fuel City. It was a gas station and there were no tables  you literally ordered at a pickup window. We would take our four daughters down to Fuel City in our Suburban and then we just opened up the back doors and ate there in the parking lot. So that was our favorite restaurant.

Q: Could you talk about your familys decision to sell the chain to Inspire?

Fenton: When Rusty passed away in 2013, he had been planning to talk with Buffalo Wild Wings about helping us to expand. In 2014, we partnered with Buffalo to acquire the majority interest in our brand. Then when Inspire, or Arbys, bought Buffalo Wild Wings, they completed that transaction.

Q: The chain has been owned by Inspire Brands since 2018. But is the family still involved?

Fenton: I work for Inspire Brands, so they fully own our company.

Mauri: Were completely owned by Inspire, but we love having Denise as part of the team. All the history plays a huge role in our growth and excitement. But were focused on growing the brand through franchising, predominantly.

Q: What made you decide to expand to San Antonio?

Fenton: Rusty always thought that Dallas would be a great market for Texas. He was a little bit nervous about Austin and San Antonio because they are such taco-heavy markets. But he always wanted to make a venture into those areas. With this particular franchise group, they were Arbys franchisees  or at least one of the partners was  they expressed interest in us. So we had discussions with them and we really liked this group and felt really good energy with them.

Mauri: San Antonio has a love for tacos. And I think our brand, what we see is that we have had success in areas such as Dayton, Ohio, for example, where tacos arent as known, but also in towns like this that love tacos. Our brand has breakfast tacos served all day that are some of the best you can get. We know thats hugely popular in San Antonio, so that fits really well. And then we have simple street tacos with great ingredients. So what we found is our brand fits really well where theres a lot of competition and choices. We differentiate in certain ways in terms of just the quality of our ingredients and the simplicity and the atmosphere that you see here.

Q: Is your expansion largely driven by where you can find good franchisees?

Mauri: Thats one key criteria. Were trying to build the brand in the right way, where were providing great support but we have the right franchisees that are interested and excited to grow with us. You know, with 38 locations, a franchisee coming in has an opportunity to select premier real estate within the areas theyre looking at, in most cases. And then also really work with us to put their stamp on the brand as we grow and expand.

RELATED: Check out 365 days of Tacos

Q: How do you come up with the tacos on your menu?

Fenton: Our original menu was inspired by just our travels as a family and what kind of tacos Rusty and I and the girls really liked and enjoyed. So we started with 11 tacos. That first year, we added on a few more.

Mauri: Street tacos are our core  we never want to lose sight of that. But that said, we want to evolve as tastes change. Also, what we see is we have a lot of guests that love the brand and use it very frequently for all sorts of different occasions. So particularly those guests enjoy seeing new flavors. What weve done is created limited-time tacos every couple of months. What we found was we would create those and then once we would take them off the menu people would continue to ask for them. So in the past year we launched a specialty taco section of the menu that kind of complements the street tacos section. Its a little bit more more ingredients, a little more flavorful, indulgent tacos. We have a huge variety of different options, which is one thing I think differentiates us in terms of other Mexican concepts.

Q: You would call this a fast casual chain, right?

Mauri: Yeah, I think were fast casual, but elevated, especially when you consider the bar aspect in terms of this particular locations got a great bar. So I think were elevated compared to some fast-casuals, but were kind of in that segment.

Fenton: People love to hang out, kick back, a big margarita.

Q: Is that kind of the definition of fast casual  higher-quality ingredients than fast food and somewhere you want to spend time?

Mauri: I think so, yeah. I think in the restaurant industry, the terms are constantly evolving and youre seeing some fast-casuals shift closer to (fast food restaurants), implementing drive-throughs, things like that. Thats something actually some of our franchisees  not this one  some of our future openings are going to have a mobile order pickup window.

Q: If I could delve into retail history, was fast casual a segment pioneered by Chipotle?

Mauri: Thats one of the biggest ones, obviously. Theyve built, you know, close to 3,000 locations. Panera would be another one. Theres a few brands that I think kind of took that and elevated from fast food and created the category. But I think its ever-evolving with brands like ours that are even maybe taking it much more to an experiential level than a Chipotle.

Q: Who do you consider your competitors, especially here in San Antonio?

Mauri: We feel like we actually have a really nice white space in terms of theres some taco restaurants or Mexican restaurants that are more fast food, that are lower price-point, more quick-and-easy, in-and-out. I think we have an elevated experience, better quality food, a place you might enjoy staying for longer, and also the bar atmosphere. And then theres other taco players that I think do a great job, you know, Velvet Taco and Torchys I know have come into San Antonio as well. They play a little bit differently than us, too, in terms of were much more laid back, a little bit lower price point, street tacos that are a little more simple, great-quality ingredients but not necessarily as over-the-top.

RELATED: Trendy Georgia taco chain Rusty Taco to open first San Antonio restaurant at Bulverde Road and Loop 1604

Q: In San Antonio, which has such a strong taco culture, do you find that people are skeptical of the new kid on the block?

Mauri: I think this particular neighborhood was excited for something new to come in and the feedbacks been great in terms of just the quality of our ingredients. You know, we do all of our sauces and salsas scratch-made every day. And then also just the environment, where at this location and a lot of our new builds we have a full bar with margaritas and other drinks. And then youve got the bar connected to the patio. Thats another thing we found, that San Antonio is a great market to have outdoor dining most of the year. It fits really well with just a great neighborhood taco stand environment.
Fairfield, MT (59436)

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Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 56F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph..

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The FBI treated as suspicious Carter Page's 2016 trip to Moscow involving his speech at the New Economic School, above, where President Obama also once spoke (photo below). But that tip about Page was dismissed by the Washington Post's sources as "bullshit." Later the paper wasn't so skeptical.

By Paul Sperry, RealClearInvestigations

May 4, 2022

The FBI decision to spy on a former Trump campaign adviser hinged on an unsubstantiated rumor from a Clinton campaign-paid dossier that the Washington Post's Moscow sources had quickly shot down as bullshit and impossible, according to emails disclosed last week to a D.C. court hearing the criminal case of a Clinton lawyer accused of lying to the FBI.

Though the FBI presumably had access to better sources than the newspaper, agents did little to verify the rumor that Trump foreign policy adviser Carter Page had secretly met with sanctioned Kremlin officials in Moscow. Instead, the bureau pounced on the dossier report the day it received it, immediately plugging the rumor into an application under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to wiretap Page as a suspected Russian agent.

The allegation, peddled to both the press and FBI in the summer of 2016 by Fusion GPS, an opposition research firm hired by Hillary Clintons campaign to dig up dirt on Trump during the presidential race, proved to be the linchpin in winning approval for the 2016 warrant, which was renewed three times in 2017  even though the FBI learned there were serious holes in the story and had failed to independently corroborate it.

The revelations of early media skepticism about the Trump-Russia narrative before journalists embraced it are included in a 62-page batch of emails between Fusion and prominent Beltway reporters released by Special Counsel John Durham, who is scouring the FBIs investigation of the Trump campaign for evidence of abuse and criminal wrongdoing.

The documents suggest that some journalists, as keen as they were to report dirt on Trump, were nevertheless more cautious than FBI investigators about embracing hearsay information served up by Clinton agents. (The FBI declined comment.) The new material also offers a look at the lengths to which those working on Clintons behalf went in order to seed the government with unverified rumors about Trump and Russia that amounted to a disinformation campaign. Among those targeted were powerful Democratic members of Congress, including House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, who proved to be a willing collaborator.

Trump as 'Manchurian Candidate'

The story of high-level Kremlin meetings didnt ring true with some in the press, who checked with sources in Moscow and pushed back on Fusion GPS. But journalists interest in the story remained high during the campaign.

In an interview, Page said he was flooded with calls during the summer of 2016 from Washington journalists, including veteran reporters from the Washington Post, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. He said Fusion had misled them into believing they were working on the story of their lifetimes  that a real-life Manchurian candidate, or Russian sleeper agent, was running for president.

Each news outlet kept calling me, he said. One by one.

Page said he strenuously denied the accusations.

It was B.S., he said. I tried to warn them.

As eager as journalists may have been to make Trump appear to be a Kremlin operative, some were skeptical about what Fusion was telling them about Page. Among those were now former Wall Street Journal foreign affairs correspondent Jay Solomon, who used Manchurian candidate in a July 2016 email exchange with Fusion, expressing his doubt.

Everyone wants shit on this, insisted Fusion co-founder Peter Fritsch, a former Journal reporter himself, in an attempt to coax his old colleague Solomon into covering the story.

Fritsch then outlined the rumors Fusion had just received from Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer his firm had hired to help tie Trump to Russia as part of its contract with the Clinton campaign. Those rumors, contained in a series of memos known as the Steele dossier, were shared with the FBI, including Intelligence Report 94 dated July 19, 2016. It claimed that during a July 2016 trip to Moscow, Page attended a "secret meeting" with Putin crony Igor Sechin to discuss lifting Ukraine-related sanctions against Russia. The dossier also alleged that Page met with Kremlin official Igor Divyekin to share compromising information about Clinton with the Trump campaign.

An 'Easy Scoop,' Said GPS

The easy scoop waiting for confirmation: that dude carter page met with igor sechin when he went to moscow earlier this month, Fritsch stated in a July 26, 2016, email pitching the story to Solomon. "sechin discussed energy deals and possible lifting of sanctions on himself et al. he also met with a senior kremlin official called divyekin, who told page they have good kompromat on hillary and offered to help. he also warned page they have good kompromat on the donald. (Kompromat is compromising information typically used in blackmail.)

Added Fritsch, referring in part to the mass leak of Democratic emails by WikiLeaks before the 2016 Democratic National Convention in late July: needless to say, a senior trump advisor meeting with a former kgb official close to putin, who is on a treasury sanctions list, days before the republican convention and a big russian-backed wikileak would be huge news.

Indeed it would be  if it were true. Thanks for this, Solomon said. Will run down.

But later that day, Solomon reported back that Page is neither confirming nor denying, so Fritsch suggested he call adam schiff or difi, referring to the then-ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. It is not clear what information Fritsch expected the two Democrats to provide. (Schiff would later read the same raw dossier rumors about Page into the congressional record during a public hearing about Trumps alleged Russian ties.)

Three days later, Fusion's attempts to plant their rumor in influential media outlets hit more resistance. Another Journal alumnus, Tom Hamburger, said he was getting kick back while trying to confirm the rumor for the Washington Post, where he worked on the papers national desk.

That Page met with Sechin or Ivanov. 'Its [sic] bullshit. Impossible, said one of our Moscow sources, Hamburger reported back to Fusion co-founder Glenn Simpson, who also previously worked for the Journal. (The rumor included Sergei Ivanov, a top Putin aide.) The Posts Moscow bureau chief at the time was David Filipov. Hamburger added that another reporter he knew doesnt like this story and was passing on it.

No worries, I dont expect lots of people to believe it, Simpson replied. It is, indeed, hard to believe.

As Fusion was pushing the rumors to reporters that July, its subcontractor Steele was pushing them to FBI agents, who received copies of his dossier earlier in the month. Steele also briefed a top Justice Department official, Bruce Ohr, on the Carter Page rumors on July 30 during a breakfast at the Mayflower Hotel in D.C., and asked Ohr to relay them to FBI brass. The next day, the FBI officially opened its Crossfire Hurricane investigation targeting Trump advisers  though the bureau says this decision was based on a tip it had received from an Australian diplomat.

For his part, Hamburger still pursued the story, asking for documents on Page later that month; and Fusion recycled the false rumor in an internal report, separate from the Steele dossier, which it emailed to Hamburger and another Post reporter in September.

The report, which Fritsch claimed that one of our [research] associates wrote, went beyond even the dossier. It asserted that Pages July 8 speech at the New Economic School in Moscow (where President Obama had also once spoken) was concocted to give Page a public explanation for his trip to Moscow, which sources say included secret meetings with top Kremlin officials, where the American presidential campaign and U.S. sanctions against Russia were both discussed.

Fritsch did not say who the Fusion sources were. But around the same time, he and Simpson brought Steele to Washington to brief journalists from the Post, the New York Times, CNN, and Yahoo News on Page in a private room at the Tabard Inn, a hotel-bar long a favorite of Washington scribes.

Fusion had finally found a media outlet to take the bait it had been chumming out to reporters for months. After meeting with Steele for about an hour, Yahoo News Michael Isikoff ran with the rumors in a September 23 online article, which the FBI then used to corroborate the dossier in its initial October 2016 FISA application, even though the supposed corroboration was redundant: Steele and his dossier were Isikoffs source for the story. (Isikoff, who did not respond to requests for comment, would later write in a 2018 book he co-authored, Russian Roulette, that the rumors about Page were just pillow talk.)

The Clinton campaign jumped on what it called Isikoffs bombshell report" and heavily promoted it on social media. Clinton campaign official Glen Caplin issued a statement republishing the Yahoo piece in full and proclaiming: "It's chilling to learn that U.S. intelligence officials are conducting a probe into suspected meetings between Trump's foreign policy adviser Carter Page and members of Putin's inner circle while in Moscow  [T]his report suggests Page met with a sanctioned top Russian official to discuss the possibility of ending U.S. sanctions against Russia under a Trump presidency  an action that could directly enrich both Trump and Page while undermining American interests.

Added Caplin: "This is serious business and voters deserve the facts before election day."

But the media never reported the real facts behind the story  that it was all based on Clinton campaign opposition research  which allowed the rumors to survive without any real scrutiny for years.

The Washington Post eventually stopped paying attention to the red flags surrounding the dossier. The newspaper seized on other rumors Fusion fed reporters from the Clinton-paid document.

Hamburger, for one, later bit on a tip that the source for the most explosive allegations in the dossier was a Trump supporter with Kremlin ties. He reported in 2017 that Sergei Millian was behind the claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin had compromising sex tapes of Trump and that he and Trump were engaged in a well-developed conspiracy to steal the 2016 election.

However, the Post had to retract his stories after Special Counsel John Durham last year disclosed that Millian was fabricated as a source. The prosecutor indicted Steeles primary subsource, Igor Danchenko, for lying to the FBI when he told agents that Millian was a source for the dossier. Millian had nothing to do with the dossier, as RCI reported. Danchenko, who awaits trial, apparently made it all up.

Hamburger did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

'Pushed It Over' the Line

Carter Page, who is suing the former corporate parent of Yahoo News for defamation, suggested anti-Trump bias blinded the media to glaring problems with the dossier. But even more alarming, he said, is how FBI leaders, whose text messages reveal that they shared the medias hatred for Trump, were even more reckless in gunning for him. Page said its outrageous that, at least initially, the press seemed to have higher ethical standards than FBI headquarters.

On Sept. 19, 2016, the FBIs Crossfire Hurricane team formally received Steeles dossier Report 94 alleging Pages secret Kremlin meetings, according to Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, who detailed the FBIs handling of the rumors in a 2019 report. That same day, the team began discussions with department lawyers "to consider Steele's reporting as part of a FISA application targeting Carter Page.

In an email to attorneys, FBI Supervisory Intelligence Analyst Brian Auten forwarded an excerpt from Steele's report and asked, "Does this put us at least *that* much closer to a full FISA on [Carter Page]? The FBI agent handling the case said the rumors from Steele "supplied missing information in terms of what Page may have been doing during his July 2016 visit to Moscow."

The attorneys thought it was a "close call" when they first discussed a FISA targeting Page in early August, Horowitz relayed in his report, but the Steele reporting in September "pushed it over" the line in terms of establishing probable cause.

In the run-up to the FBI securing approval for the FISA request in late October 2016, the bureau tasked an undercover informant, Stefan Halper, to question Page about the alleged meetings with Kremlin officials. Halper struck out. In a conversation Halper recorded surreptitiously, Page not only denied huddling with Sechin and Divyekin but said he had never even heard of Divyekin. The FBI decided not to include these inconvenient facts in its FISA warrant application, an omission the Justice Departments inspector general found striking.

"The application did not contain these denials even though the application relied upon the allegations in Report 94 that Page had secret meetings with both Sechin and Divyekin, the Horowitz report noted.

It wasnt the only exculpatory evidence the FBI left out of its FISA applications. It also omitted information it possessed showing that Page, who had once worked in Moscow as a Merrill Lynch investment banker, had earlier assisted the FBI in catching a Russian spy, as RealClearInvestigations first reported. The former Navy lieutenant also previously helped the CIA monitor Russia, something an FBI attorney deliberately hid from the FISA court. (The lawyer, Kevin Clinesmith, was recently convicted of charges related to his doctoring of a government email documenting Pages role as a CIA source.)

In early 2017, as the FBI was preparing to reapply for wiretaps on Page, Steele's primary subsource Danchenko told Auten and other FBI officials that he had made it clear to Steele that he had only heard a rumor that such clandestine meetings might take place but not that they actually occurred as Steele wrote in his dossier. The FBI nonetheless omitted from subsequent FISA renewal applications the revelation of Danchenko backing away from the critical piece of information supporting probable cause and admitting it was merely hearsay.

In the end, The FBI was unable to determine whether a meeting between Sechin and Page took place, Horowitz wrote in his report.

Page said its chilling that the nations most powerful police force could act so cavalierly, disregarding basic investigative procedures like verifying tips and rumors before obtaining wiretaps on a U.S. citizen.

Worse, he said, is how the FBI misled the secret FISA court. In a 2020 review of the applications, the powerful court determined that at least two of the surveillance warrants were invalid and therefore illegal. Page is now suing both the FBI and Justice Department for $75 million for violating his constitutional rights.
Politicians in Montana are releasing statements following the leaking of the Supreme Court's draft opinion that suggests the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

The leaked draft opinion obtained by Politico is from the Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, a case challenging Mississippi's outlaw on abortion after 15 weeks.

Sen. Steve Daines had released the following statement:

Leaking a draft opinion by the Supreme Court is unprecedented and reprehensible. There should be an immediate investigation into who is responsible as it is a clear attempt to intimidate the Court. With that said, if the draft opinion stands, the Court will have righted an historic injustice and returned the power to the American people and their elected officials to enact laws to protect unborn children and mothers, Daines said.

Former Secretary of Interior and current candidate running for Montana's Congressional District 1 for the House of Representatives, Ryan Zinke, sent the following statement to us:

"I applaud the court's draft decision and agree there is no constitutional right to murder an unborn child."

Sen. John Tester's office sent the following statement:

For nearly 50 years, women have been able to make their own private healthcare decisions without interference from the federal government. If reports are accurate and this draft decision stands, the removal of that fundamental right will have devastating consequences for millions of women across this country.

Montana Senate President Mark Blasdel and Montana House Majority Leader Sue Vinton released a joint statement from the Montana State Legislature's office:

We condemn this egregious leak by a woke liberal activist clearly designed to undermine and intimidate the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court must issue its ruling based solely on the text of the U.S. Constitution. We will wait for the Courts official and final decision rather than comment on an improperly leaked draft. Roe v. Wade was wrong from the day it was issued and we hope and believe that Life will prevail.

Montana House Minority Leader Kim Abbott and Montana Senate Minority Leader Jill Cohenour released the following joint statement in a release from Montana House Democrats:

If this decision holds, Montanans right to access abortion care is under greater attack than ever before. It is clear that some politicians will not stop until they can control even the most intimate aspects of our private decision making. Our states Constitutional right to privacy has never been more critical, and Montanas Democratic legislators will fight tooth and nail to defend it.
Over 30 MPs and peers have written to the prime minister calling for a new government-wide effort to unlock the potential of the rural economy.

Parliamentarians from across the political divide are urging Boris Johnson to spearhead a set of actions to realise the potential of rural communities.

It follows a recent report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the Rural Powerhouse, which held a year-long inquiry into the health of the rural economy.

The report, entitled Levelling Up The Rural Economy, set out 27 measures to unlock the economic potential of the British countryside.

The cross-party group of MPs and peers urged the UK government to dramatically increase its ambition for the prosperity in the countryside.

In the new letter, coordinated by York Outer MP Julian Sturdy, parliamentarians said: 85% of rural businesses are not engaged in farming or forestry, and they often face structural barriers to their success.

"Given 23% of all businesses in England are based in the countryside (with many more in the other three nations), it is clear that the removal of those barriers could yield considerable economic growth, for the betterment of their local communities and the country as a whole.

In a separate letter to Mr Johnson, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and the Federation of Small Businesses added their support for major government reform.

The letter said: We are deeply ambitious for rural Britain. The countryside is not a museum, it is an economic powerhouse in its own right.

"We believe in the extraordinary potential of rural communities to create opportunity and prosperity for everyone, irrespective of their background or circumstance.

CLA President Mark Tufnell said the country could no longer afford to ignore the potential of the rural economy and the prospects of the millions of people who lived within it.

He warned that the cost of living crisis was made worse by the barriers rural businesses faced.

"Rural businesses are ready to expand, creating good jobs and opportunities for people from all walks of life  but a lack of interest from government is holding them back.

"The policies necessary to generate new economic growth are not expensive or complex  they only require political will.

He added: Its time for Downing Street to show some ambition, and bring forward measures designed explicitly to spread opportunity and prosperity across rural Britain.

Federation of Small Businesses advocacy chair, Tina McKenzie explained that rural businesses spanned a vast range of sectors and industries.

"During lockdown we also saw a new wave of home-based start-ups that have now taken off, many of which began life as a hobby," she said.

"All of these flourishing businesses based in rural areas are a vital part of the economy that must be nurtured.
Muller has confirmed it will enhance production at its plants in Shropshire and Worcestershire in a bid to help boost opportunities for its farmer suppliers.

The Muller Yogurt & Desserts business will upgrade its Market Drayton facility in Shropshire over the next five years, the processor said on Wednesday (4 May).

Work is underway to install new automated packing and repacking lines, a refurbished high bay warehouse and combined heat and power energy generation.

Meanwhile, the Muller Milk & Ingredients business has confirmed it will enhance its capabilities to make extended shelf life (ESL) milk products at its dairy in Droitwich, Worcestershire.

The business said it would also further develop its butter manufacturing capabilities for both domestic and international markets.

Muller, which makes dairy products made with milk from 1,300 British farmers, said these developments would help create new opportunities for producers.

Rob Hutchison, joint chief executive officer of Muller said: We know that farmers want partnerships they can rely on through thick and thin, offering a competitive milk price and contract, and supporting their ambitions to develop and grow their businesses.

We offer resilience and crucially our ambition is backed by investment in our capabilities. Our branded and private label products are trusted by customers and consumers.

"We aim to build on this, broadening our reach in the UK and internationally and as a result, benefitting the whole supply chain.

Justin Cook, CEO of Muller Yogurt & Desserts added: This work gives us the means to meet the evolving requirements of our customers, whilst helping to displace imported products with those made here, with milk from British dairy farms."
Tributes have been paid to a 25-year-old young farmer who took his own life during a young farmers event in Blackpool.

Sam Davies from Llangedwyn, located in Powys, attended the D.I.Y AGM 2022 in Blackpool, which took place over the bank holiday weekend.

Organiser John Houseman said on the event's Facebook page: "It is very sad to hear that a member of our community took their own life over the weekend.

"In memory of this person, a third of the money raised will be donated to the Mind charity - a charity that focuses on ensuring that no one has to face a mental health problem alone.

"The total amount raised was 16,000 This will be split three ways between RNLI Blackpool, Air Ambulances UK and Mind."

Tributes were paid, with other young farmers urging anyone suffering from poor mental health to seek support.

One commenter said: "Sad news to hear and I'm sure everyone's thoughts go out to the family and friends of our fellow young farmer.

"Remember its ok to not be ok and always speak to someone. Have fun and stay safe."

Another said: "So sad to hear the terrible news. Thoughts and best wishes to the family and friends of the young farmer who sadly took their life."

There are numerous charities which seek to help farmers and people in rural areas, including the Addington Fund, Farming Community Network (FCN), the DPJ Foundation, the YANA Project, RABI and RSABI.

There is also the Farming Help initiative, which was set up by four charities, where farmers in need can access free, impartial and confidential support.

The number is 03000 111 999, open 7am-11pm every day of the year.
Two young farmers are combining sustainable farming and social media to inspire future generations of eco-friendly land users.

First generation farmers James Reid and Rosa Bevan have been using their online influence to highlight the possibilities of land use to young people in Scotland.

Now celebrating a decade promoting permaculture ecosystems at Tap O Noth farm in Aberdeenshire, the duo have more than 19,000 YouTube subscribers.

The couple share videos documenting farm life with the aim of inspiring budding farmers to make the most of Scottish land.

The 8-acre farm sits at the foot of Tap O Noth hill near the village of Rhynie, producing ecologically grown fruit and vegetables, and is also home to chickens, geese and a small herd of dairy goats.

They generate most of their living from operating a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) vegetable box business as well as focusing on agritourism in the form of farm tours and renting their shepherds hut.

The two farmers also offer online permaculture consultancy and residential courses.

James Reid said they wanted to inspire people about the life they could lead if they look at land a little bit differently.

"To have been able to work towards that for the past ten years has been extremely rewarding," he added.

We want to continue to grow our social platform to expand the outreach we have. Its mind-blowing what you can achieve with a small bit of land and a lot of people dont know that.

The farm is being showcased as an inspiring project in the Scottish Land Commissions MyLand.Scot campaign

The couple practice permaculture, which is a method of sustainable farming used to create self-sufficient agricultural eco-systems.

According to them, this self-sustaining model has allowed them both to live off their land for the past ten years.

Rosa Bevan said: We havent looked back since starting this project a decade ago and its been inspiring for us to see the benefits Tap O Noth farm has had on the environment, our local community and on our lives as well.

Its been an incredible ten years at Tap O Noth farm and were really looking forward to what the future has in store for our Aberdeenshire home.

Tap O Noths eco-friendly success is being showcased as an inspiring project in the Scottish Land Commissions MyLand.Scot campaign.

This initiative aims to highlight the benefits that land brings to communities across Scotland.

Hamish Trench, chief executive of the commission, said the couple were a great example of how land could be transformed to benefit the environment and communities.

James and Rosa at Tap O Noth farm have done an incredible job in bringing together permaculture and land use with social media to create an informative and interesting hotbed for inspiration.

"Land can play a crucial role in everyday Scotland, spanning from housing and homes, to giving people the means and confidence to build businesses.
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BERLIN, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Borussia Dortmund signed defender Nico Schlotterbeck from league rivals Freiburg, both Bundesliga club confirmed on Monday.

The 22-year-old center-back has penned a long-term deal and will stay with Dortmund until June 2027.

"Nico Schlotterbeck is a young German international who has greatly developed. His profile fits perfectly to the BVB," said Dortmund's sporting director Michael Zorc.

Schlotterbeck's performances with in-form Freiburg earned the defender a call-up for Germany's national team. Dortmund's new arrival worked his way through Freiburg's youth teams before establishing himself as a cornerstone of the club's defense.

"It is important to me to maintain my full focus on the remaining games with Freiburg. After that, I am looking forward to the new tasks with Dortmund," said Schlotterbeck.

The two-capped Germany international is said to form Dortmund's new defense together with fellow center-back Niklas Sule, who announced his departure from Bayern Munich to Borussia Dortmund recently.

Dortmund encounter relegated Greuther Furth at 33rd round in Bundesliga on Saturday while Freiburg face Union Berlin. 
Maiduguri, Nigeria (PANA) - The enormous challenges faced by the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno, which include a continuing terrorist insurgency, need to be recognised by the international community to create what the UN Secretary-General has called a state of hope and a state of reality
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Actor and producer Aamir Khan has worn many hats over the years and now it looks like he's about to add podcaster to his list of titles. The star is set to launch his first podcast ahead of the release of his upcoming film Laal Singh Chaddha. It will quite simply be titled Laal Singh Chaddha Ki Kahaniyaan.



As the release date of Laal Singh Chaddha draws nearer, Aamir Khan is going all out to promote the project. His upcoming podcast will revolve around the making of the film. He will reportedly share behind-the-scenes details in conversation with the film's makers. The wait for the podcast isn't long as the first episode of Laal Singh Chaddha Ki Kahaniyaan will arrive on May 5 on audio streaming platforms.

The podcast sure has enough material given that Laal Singh Chaddha has had an interesting journey. The film is an official Hindi adaptation of the 1994 Hollywood classic Forrest Gump starring Tom Hanks. With Aamir taking on the lead role, it also features Kareena Kapoor and Naga Chaitanya in pivotal roles. While the project went into production amidst much anticipation in 2020, it has since faced multiple delays owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, including a halt in filming and post-production delays. We also know that the film was shot across 100 locations in India. The comedy-drama is directed by Advait Chandan and the screenplay is written by Eric Roth and Atul Kulkarni who spent years working on the adaptation.

Aamir Khan also recently released the film's title track Kahani by Pritam. The song instantly took over social media and started an Instagram trend. Laal Singh Chaddha arrives in theatres on August 11 this year.
Runway 34 arrived in cinemas last week. The film directed by Ajay Devgn featured the actor in the lead role alongside Rakul Preet Singh, Amitabh Bachchan and more. The film opened to divided reviews and not everyone seems to be a fan. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) is certainly not a fan. In fact, they are accusing the film of portraying pilots unrealistically.



Runway 34 is based on the true events of a flight between Doha and Kochi on August 18, 2015. The film's plot chronicles the flight's journey through turbulent skies and low visibility. Ajay Devgn plays Captain Vikrant Khanna who finds himself in an extraordinary situation, tasked with piloting the risky flight. Now, the Federation of Pilots is rejecting claims that the film is based on real events. As per reports on a news portal, FIP Secretary Captain CS Randhawa said, The profession of airline pilots has been unrealistically portrayed in the movie, and may create apprehensions in the mind of fliers."

He added, "While we all enjoy being entertained and appreciate the artistic licence of a movie director, a thrilling tale should not be perceived as a true depiction of the extraordinary professionalism among airline pilots, who fly thousands of flights every day responsibly and safely, without incident and fanfare.

Talking about Ajay Devgn's character and the negative light it showcases pilots in, he said, "It is reiterated that the character in the movie does not accurately represent our profession and that the industry has a zero-tolerance policy towards deviant behaviour and substance abuse. Our pilots are committed to abide by the highest standards of professionalism to honour the trust reposed in us by our employers, the aviation regulator and the public at large."
Beautiful Indians, presented by Mamaearth &

, has reached a critical point in its nationwide hunt for goodness ambassadors among people in general, creators, organisations and celebrities.

As we move towards the felicitation event in Mumbai on April 5, 2022, the jury has been hard at work at the difficult task of shortlisting a few of the selfless goodness ambassadors we have been privileged to showcase on the Beautiful Indians microsite.

As Editor-in-Chief of

, Ambika has galvanised the heritage brand with unusual covers and features to offer stories of achievement and goodness to inspire women across the diaspora.

Mamaearth co-founders Ghazal and Varun Alagh are driven by purpose and passion to add goodness to the lives of the people and the planet and to build a sustainable future.

Author and filmmaker Tahira is a strong icon of influence for womens empowerment through her characters. She is the co-founder of Indian Women Rising, a cinema collective that sheds light on Indian female filmmakers across the world.

Director of the NGO Hemkunt Foundation, Harteerath has worked tirelessly through the pandemic to provide humanitarian relief to societys most disadvantaged citizens.

Known for her portrayals of strong female characters, the prolific actor spent the lockdown building bridges between resources and those in need using her reach on social media. She also donates earnings from her paintings to charity through Concern India Foundation.

Beautiful Indians is privileged to have these members of the jury help us felicitate our goodness ambassadors at the event on April 5, 2022, which will be the perfect culmination of Mamaearth and

s joint search for and showcase of goodness across India.

FeminaFeminaFemina
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 3, 2022) - IAMGOLD Corporation (NYSE: IAG) (TSX: IMG) ("IAMGOLD" or the "Company") announces the voting results from the Company's Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") held Tuesday, May 3, 2022. A summary of the results are as follows:

Election of Directors

Each of the directors listed as nominees in IAMGOLD's Management Information Circular ("MIC") dated April 6, 2022, was elected as a director, in accordance with the table below.

Nominee Votes For % For Votes Withheld % Withheld Ian Ashby 288,492,555 99.40% 1,754,081 0.60% Maryse Belanger 277,014,951 95.44% 13,231,685 4.56% Ann K. Masse 288,347,716 99.35% 1,898,920 0.65% Peter O'Hagan 288,358,347 99.35% 1,888,289 0.65% Kevin O'Kane 286,481,744 98.70% 3,764,892 1.30% David Smith 287,234,459 98.96% 3,012,177 1.04% Deborah J. Starkman 285,328,718 98.31% 4,917,918 1.69% Anne Marie Toutant 288,287,413 99.32% 1,959,223 0.68%

Appointment of Auditors

KPMG LLP was re-appointed as the Company's auditor and the directors were authorized to fix the auditor's remuneration for the ensuing year.



Votes For % For Votes Withheld % Withheld KPMG LLP 307,402,189 91.90% 27,080,671 8.10%

Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation

The non-binding advisory resolution approving the Company's approach to Executive Compensation as outlined in the MIC dated April 6, 2022, was passed.



Votes For % For Votes Withheld % Withheld Executive Compensation 267,637,287 92.21% 22,609,049 7.79%

ABOUT IAMGOLD

IAMGOLD is a mid-tier gold mining company operating in North America, South America and West Africa. The Company has three operating mines: Essakane (Burkina Faso), Rosebel (Suriname) and Westwood (Canada), and is building the large-scale, long life Cote Gold project (Canada) which is expected to start production towards the end of 2023. In addition, the Company has a robust development and exploration portfolio within high potential mining districts in the Americas and West Africa.

IAMGOLD employs approximately 5,000 people and is committed to maintaining its culture of accountable mining through high standards of Environmental, Social and Governance practices, including its commitment to Zero Harm, in every aspect of its business. IAMGOLD is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: IAG) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: IMG) and is one of the companies on the Jantzi Social Index ("JSI"), a socially screened market capitalization-weighted consisting of companies which pass a set of broadly based environmental, social and governance rating criteria.

IAMGOLD Contact Information

Graeme Jennings, Vice President, Investor Relations

Tel: 416 360 4743 | Mobile: 416 388 6883

Philip Rabenok, Manager, Investor Relations

Tel: 416 933 5783 | Mobile: 647 967 9942

Toll-free: 1 888 464 9999

info@iamgold.com

This entire news release may be accessed via fax, e-mail, IAMGOLD's website at www.iamgold.com and through Newsfile's website at www.newsfilecorp.com. All material information on IAMGOLD can be found at www.sedar.com or at www.sec.gov.

Si vous desirez obtenir la version francaise de ce communique, veuillez consulter le www.iamgold.com/French/accueil/default.aspx.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122695
London, United Kingdom and Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 3, 2022) - GlobalBlock Digital Asset Trading Limited (TSXV: BLOK) (OTC Pink: BLVDF) (FSE: BD4) (the "Company" or "GlobalBlock") announces that it has been granted a management cease trade order (the "MCTO") by the British Columbia Securities Commission (the "BCSC") as requested by the Company. As previously announced on April 29, 2022, the application for the MCTO was made due to a delay in the preparation and audit of its annual financial statements, management's discussion and analysis, and related certifications for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 (collectively, the "Annual Filings"). As anticipated, the Company was not able to file its Annual Filings by the filing deadline of May 2, 2022, as required under applicable Canadian securities law. Pursuant to the MCTO, the Company now has until June 30, 2022 to file the Annual Filings, though it is expected that these filings will be made by May 13, 2022.

Under the provisions of National Policy 12-203 Management Cease Trade Orders ("NP 12-203"), the MCTO permits the continued trading in the Company's common shares by persons other than the Company's Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and such other directors, officers and persons as determined by the applicable regulatory authorities.

The Company confirms that it intends to satisfy the provisions of section 10 of NP 12-203 and issue bi-weekly default status reports for so long as the Company remains in default of the financial statement filing requirement, containing any material changes to the information in this release, all actions taken by the Company to remedy the default; particulars of any failure by the Company to fulfil these provisions, any subsequent defaults of the Company requiring a default announcement and any other material information concerning the affairs of the Company not previously disclosed.

There is no material information concerning the affairs of the Company that has not been generally disclosed and GlobalBlock remains in a sound financial position with a strong cash balance and is debt free.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

GlobalBlock Digital Asset Trading Limited is a publicly traded holding company (TSXV: BLOK) whose wholly owned subsidiary, GlobalBlock Limited (https://www.globalblock.co.uk), is at this time a United Kingdom based digital asset broker that provides a personalised telephone brokerage service, trading platform and mobile app. Established in 2018 by an experienced team of financial services professionals, GlobalBlock Limited acts as a trusted agent serving the digital asset needs of individuals, corporates, institutional financial firms and intermediaries, providing best execution trading and safe custody of digital assets. At this time, GlobalBlock Limited only accepts United Kingdom and Ireland resident clients or customers for its digital asset broker or trading services.

For further information please contact the Company at:

Rufus Round, CEO

c/o 65 Curzon Street, London, W1J 8PE, United Kingdom

Tel. +00 44 20 3286 2904

info@globalblockdigital.com

https://globalblock.co.uk/ and http://www.globalblockdigital.com/

https://twitter.com/Globalblocknews

https://www.linkedin.com/company/globalblock/

Media Contact

Angus Campbell

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Angus.Campbell@citigatedewerogerson.com

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain information set out in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements or information. Forward looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe" and similar expressions. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements in respect of among other things: the timing, audit, completion and filing of the Annual Filings; the continued satisfaction of the requirements of the MCTO; the continued and successful development of the businesses and technologies of each of the Company and its subsidiaries, the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to obtain the applicable regulatory approvals to continue to conduct its business and other information concerning the intentions, plans, future action and future successes of the Company, and its businesses, technologies and products described herein. Forward-looking statements are based upon the opinions and expectations of management of the Company as at the effective date of such statements and, in certain cases, information provided or disseminated by third parties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, and that information obtained from third party sources is reliable, they can give no assurance that those expectations will prove to have been correct. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements included in this document, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which the forward-looking statements are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, risk factors set forth in the Company's most recent management's discussion and analysis, a copy of which is filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and readers are cautioned that the risk factors disclosed therein should not be construed as exhaustive. These statements are made as at the date hereof and unless otherwise required by law, the Company does not intend, or assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements.

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 release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122690
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 3, 2022) - Vegano Foods Inc. (CSE: VAGN) (OTC Pink: VAGNF) ("Vegano" or the "Company"), announces that its annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021, including the related management discussion and analysis and CEO and CFO certifications (the "Annual Filings"), were not filed by the required filing deadline of May 2, 2022 (the "Annual Filing Deadline").

The Annual Filings were not filed on or before the Annual Filing Deadline due to unforeseen delays in the completion of the Company's audit of its annual financial statements. The Company is working on the steps required to complete the Annual Filings and expects to be able to file the Annual Filings on or before June 1, 2022. The Company will provide updates as further information becomes available.

The Company has applied to the applicable securities regulatory authorities and received a management cease trade order ("MCTO") imposed against the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company precluding them from trading securities of the Company. The MCTO will be in effect until the Annual Filings are filed, and requires that they be filed on or before June 30, 2022.

Until the Annual Filings are filed, the Company intends to satisfy the provisions of the Alternative Information Guidelines set out in National Policy 12-203 - Management Cease Trade Orders. The Company confirms that there is no other material information relating to its affairs that has not been generally disclosed.

ABOUT VEGANO FOODS INC.

Vegano Foods Inc. is Canada's premier 100% plant-based meal box company that operates in Vancouver and is set to expand to Toronto, Montreal, and Los Angeles later this year. Founded in March of 2020, Vegano helps make healthy plant-based eating more accessible to Canadians, allowing them to take veganism beyond Meatless Mondays and Veganuary. Vegano uses high-quality ingredients sourced from local farmers and producers to ensure that its meal kits are delivered fresh to their members every week. With many chef-created recipes, Vegano's meals can be prepared in under 45 minutes, allowing people to spend less time on meal prep and more time on things they love. For more information, visit www.veganofoods.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Conor Power, CEO & Director

conor@veganofoods.com

Press Contact:

media@veganofoods.com

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements and information that, to the extent that they are not historical fact, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect.

Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, but not limited to, the statements relating to the Company's financial performance, business development and results of operations. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking information. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company's management to predict all of such factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on the Company's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking information to reflect information, events, results, circumstances or otherwise after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law including securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122707
BANGKOK, May 4, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - Asia Pacific Rail 2022, the leading annual gathering of Asia Pacific's rail leaders, will take place in Bangkok on 11-12 May 2022. After an absence of more than three years, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event marks the first time that the region's rail leaders have been able to gather together since 2019. The 2022 edition will gather over 1,000 of the region's leading rail professionals and is endorsed by the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau.All of Thailand's major rail operators and authorities will be represented at the event: Asia Era One Co. Ltd, Bangkok Expressway & Metro Public Company Limited, Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company, Department of Rail Transport, Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand, Office of Transport Policy & Planning, State Railway of Thailand and Thailand's Ministry of Transport will all be sharing updates on the latest plans and opportunities for Thailand's rail industry.International rail operators from Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Philippines and India will also be onsite at the event, including Land Transport Authority Singapore, Metro Trains Melbourne, Prasarana Malaysia Berhad and PT MRT Jakarta. Hong Kong's MRT Corporation will be joining the event virtually owing to the continued travel restrictions."With borders across the region opening up, the Asia Pacific Rail team have been working tirelessly to bring this outstanding group or rail operators and technology partners together under one roof for the first time in years," says Paul Clark, Managing Director - Asia forTerrapinn. "We're delighted to be bringing the event to Thailand for the first time and for our attendees to hear about the fantastic opportunities available in its rail sector. This is the event where the region's rail leaders chart the future of rail and we can't wait to get started."Asia Pacific Rail will offer five tracks of content across the two days - Digital Rail; Signalling & Communications; Operations, Maintenance & Asset Management; Mainline and Project Updates and attendees will be free to move between the content tracks as they wish.Keynote speakers at the event include:- Pichet Kunadhamraks, Deputy Director-General, Department of Rail Transport, Ministry of Transport, Thailand- Punya Chupanit, Director General, Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning- Vithaya Punmongkol, Deputy Governor, Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand- Ling Fang, President Asia Pacific, Alstom- Jacob Kam, Chief Executive Officer, MTR Corporation*- Chua Chong Kheng, Deputy Chief Executive - Infrastructure and Development, Land Transport Authority- Catherine Baxter, Chief Operating Officer, Metro Trains Melbourne- TC Chew, Director, Global Rail Business Leader, Arup- Steven Xiong, CTO in Rail Industry, Huawei EBG- Arezki Touat, Senior Vice President, Systra Asia- Sumit Srisantithum, Chief Operating Officer, Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company- Tony Lee, Operations Director, MTR Hong Kong*- Toby Tiberghien, Turnkey & Rolling Stock Director, East Asia, Alstom- Narelle Rogers, ANZ Rail Systems Lead, Jacobs- Adi Lau, Managing Director - Mainland China Business & Global Operations Standards, MTR Corporation*- Alvin Gee, Deputy Managing Director - Administration, Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company Limited*Joining virtuallyMore than 50 sponsors and exhibitors will be onsite demonstrating the latest technologies and innovations to help the region's rail operators, including Diamond Sponsors Alstom, Huawei, Platinum Sponsors, Siemens & Thales, and Gold Sponsors Arup, Jacobs and KONE. There will also be a technology showcase theatre running on the exhibition floor where attendees can enjoy practical insights into deploying the latest technologies in their rail operations.Press attendance is complimentary. Enquiries should be directed to: Christine LeeMarketing Director Terrapinn Asia christine.lee@terrapinn.comAbout Asia Pacific Rail 2022Asia Pacific Rail 2022 will take place at BITEC in Bangkok on 11-12 May 2022 in Halls EH 103 and 104. All attendees will be required to show proof of vaccination for entry and masks will be worn onsite.About TerrapinnTerrapinn has been sparking ideas, innovations and relationships that transform business for over 30 years. Using our global footprint, we bring innovators, disrupters and change agents together, discussing and demonstrating the technology, strategies and personalities that are changing the way the world does business. Whether you're looking to make new connections, introduce product or inspire change in your industry, we invite you to join us as agitators of change. Terrapinn - spark something.Source: Terrapinn Holdings Ltd.Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 3, 2022 / Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc. (CSE:LQID)(OTCQB:LQAVF)(FRA:4T51) Liquid Avatar Technologies, a global blockchain and fintech solutions company, focused on digital identity, integrated avatars and the Metaverse, is excited to welcome new Chief Financial Officer, Craig McCannell to the Company, effective May 3, 2022. With over 20 years of professional experience, Mr. McCannell has been providing financial accounting consulting services to the Company since 2020 and is a natural to take the post of Chief Financial Officer. Mr. McCannell has provided CFO services to both privately held Fintech and Technology companies, as well as publicly traded technology focused companies both in Canada and the United States. Mr. McCannell spent nearly 11 years at Ernst & Young LLP and has been a Chartered Professional Accountant in good standing since 2002.

The Company expresses its appreciation to Mr. David Carter the outgoing Chief Financial Officer, for his unwavering dedication and support since his arrival in 2020. Mr. Carter will continue an association with the Company as a valued consultant as he pursues other opportunities.

Changes to Board of Directors

In addition to the appointment of Mr. McCannell, the Company is very pleased to announce the appointments of Ms. Andra Enescu and Mr. Steven Hollerbach to the Board of Directors.

Ms. Enescu is a securities lawyer and leadership executive who specialized in authentically building, creating and driving value for organizations with the ability to take them from seed to sale. Ms. Enescu is a highly adept and versatile forward thinker who takes a holistic and strategic approach to structuring and developing scalable frameworks in emerging industries. She is highly accomplished and a proven change agent with international experience in facilitating M&A transactions, as well as skilled in capital raising, management and corporate development.

Mr. Hollerbach is currently the Vice President of Trading and Optimization at Pilot Corporation. Steve has thirty-two years of experience in various roles in the energy industry at UOP, Tosco, ConocoPhillips, Noble Americas and most recently Pilot. Steve has held a variety of different positions on the production side of the energy business including technical service, process engineering, research and development and project engineering but has spent the last twenty years of his career in the commercial trading side. While at Noble Americas and Pilot Corporation, Steve started up two international commodity trading offices in Houston. Steve earned a BS Chemical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA in Finance from Villanova University.

Additionally, the Company would also like to express its appreciation to outgoing board member, Mr. Houssam Kawtharani for his contributions to the Company's growth and we appreciate the consideration and support that he has provided over the past 2 years, as he has resigned to pursue other endeavours.

Filing of Audited Annual Financial Statements

The Company is also pleased to announce that it has filed its audited annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021 and corresponding Management's Discussion and Analysis ("2021 Annual MD&A").

Filing of Corrective Disclosure in Response to Review by the Ontario Securities Commission

Further to a review by the Ontario Securities Commission (the "OSC") of the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the period ended September 30, 2021 (the "Q3 2021 MD&A"), certain corrective disclosures are being provided in the 2021 Annual MD&A to address comments received from the OSC on the Q3 2021 MD&A and to improve the Company's disclosure. In particular, corrective disclosures relate to:

Description of the Company's business;

Description of significant projects without revenue;

Discussion of operations;

Liquidity and Capital Resources;

Related Party Transactions; and

Material Forward Looking Information

As a result of having to include such corrective disclosures within the 2021 Annual MD&A, the Company will be placed on the public list of Refiling and Errors in accordance with OSC Staff Notice 51-711 (Revised) - Refilings and Corrections of Errors.

About Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc. - www.liquidavatartechnologies.com

Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc. focuses on the verification, management and monetization of Self Sovereign Identity, empowering users to control and benefit from the use of their online identity.

The Liquid Avatar Mobile App, available in the Apple App Store and Google Play, is a verified Self Sovereign Identity platform that empowers users to create high quality digital icons representing their online personas. These icons will allow users to manage and control their digital identity and Verifiable Access and Identity Credentials, and to use Liquid Avatars to share public and permission based private data when they want and with whom they want.

The Liquid Avatar Verifiable Credentials Ecosystem (LAVCE) is being developed to support all participants in a digital credential ecosystem, including the Holder, Issuer and Verifier, using state-of-the-art blockchain and open standards technologies initially as a node on the Indicio Network. The Company is a voting and steering committee member of the Trust over IP Foundation, founding and steering committee member of Cardea, a Linux Foundation Public Health project, member of the Good Health Pass collaborative, DIACC, the Covid Credentials Initiative ("CCI"), The Linux Foundation and a founding member of the Lumedic Exchange.

The Company has a suite of early-stage programs that support the Liquid Avatar Mobile App program, including KABN KASH, a cash back and reward program that has over 600 leading online merchants, which is in the pre-launch phase, and is working to release its own branded network payment card in the United States.

The Company's subsidiary, Oasis Digital Studios, is a creative and development agency that supports a wide range of artists, talent, and enterprises with Non-Fungible Token (NFT) solutions. Oasis owns 50% of and controls Aftermath Islands Limited.

Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc. is publicly listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) under the symbol "LQID" (CSE:LQID).

The Company also trades in the United States, on the OTCQB under the symbol "LQAVF" and in Frankfurt under the symbol "4T51".

If you have not already joined our mailing list and would like to receive updates on Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc., please click here to join!

For more information, please visit www.liquidavatartechnologies.com

For further information, please contact:?

David Lucatch

Chief Executive Officer

647-725-7742 Ext. 701

ir@liquidavatar.com

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

All websites referred to are expressly not incorporated by reference into this press release.

Forward-Looking Information and Statements

This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved".

The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein include, but is not limited to, statements regarding the future capabilities of the Liquid Avatar Mobile App and LAVCE or, statements suggesting LAVCE or an Indicio Network Node will be successfully launched and integrated into the Liquid Avatar platform and partner programs, information concerning the timing for the launch of Liquid Avatar apps, the plans for future features of the Liquid Avatar apps, plans for branded network payment card in the United States, plans for KABN KASH, the ability of the Company to generate revenues, roll out new programs and to successfully achieve business objectives, and expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors.

By identifying such information and statements in this manner, the Company is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements.

Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700054/Liquid-Avatar-Technologies-Inc-Announces-New-Chief-Financial-Officer-Changes-to-the-Board-Directors-Filing-of-Audited-Annual-Financial-Statements-and-Filing-of-Corrective-Disclosure-in-Response-to-Review-by-the-Ontario-Securities-Commission
ABU DHABI, SINGAPORE and RIO DE JANEIRO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AirCarbon Exchange (ACX) successfully hosted the world's first micromobility carbon credits auction, in collaboration with Bolsa Verde Rio, Tembici, BlockC and ZCO2.

"The ACX Brazil auction is yet another milestone in our quest to bring transparency and efficiency to the carbon markets," said William Pazos, Managing Director & Co-Founder of ACX. "The unique Tembici carbon credits reached an international audience covering 30 countries through ACX's network. We are pleased to bring these international players to the Bolsa Verde."

The auction, which ran for 24 hours from April 27th to April 28th, offered credits generated from Rio de Janeiro's shared bike scheme run by Tembici, one of Latin America's leading micromobility technology companies. This was the first time micromobility carbon credits had been publicly available with the event attracting interest from a wide range of companies with StoneX Financial Inc. and ClimateSeed ultimately winning with bids of $8.45-$8.50.

"We're at the point where we urgently need to rethink the impact we're having on the environment so it is gratifying to see companies like StoneX and Climate Seed helping to construct a more sustainable world," said BlockC CEO Carlos Martins. The credits have been issued using the AMS-III.BM.: Lightweight two and three wheeled personal transportation calculation methodology developed by the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). The credits generated by Tembici were calculated by ZCO2, which is part of the BlockC group of companies dedicated to the decarbonization journey.

"We are pleased with every element of this pioneering auction. Our success in working alongside our strategic partners points to the start of a very promising business opportunity," said Leandro Fariello, Tembici's CFO. "The credits that were auctioned have a key point of difference to other carbon credits in that they are generated within an urban setting. This theme will become increasingly important so we will reinvest the revenue generated back into the business on new technologies and bicycles."

About AirCarbon Exchange

AirCarbon Exchange ("ACX") is a global exchange revolutionizing the voluntary carbon market. The Exchange's client base comprises corporate entities, financial traders, carbon project developers and other industry stakeholders. ACX provides its clients with an efficient and transparent trading platform which is easy to use, frictionless and with the lowest commission fees available on the market. Its underlying technology will allow the carbon market to scale efficiently to meet global ambitions of Net Zero.

As of May 2021, ACX is the world's first carbon negative exchange, having offset its carbon emissions 12 months into the future (to May 2022) through the Onil Stoves Guatemala Uspantan project. ACX is committed to continuing to offset all of its emissions 12 months forward. In 2022, ACX was named as the 'Best Solution in Energy Trading' by Wired UK and Publicis Sapient at their Global EnergyTech Awards, which spotlighted the companies that are 'Winning the Race to Reinvent Energy'.

For more information or to trade carbon, please reach out to info@AirCarbon.co or visit www.aircarbon.co

About Tembici

Tembici is the leading micromobility company in Latin America, responsible for more than 60 million trips by bicycle in the main Brazilian cities, including Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Salvador, Recife, Porto Alegre and Brasilia as well as in Santiago, Chile, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was named as one of the most promising and innovative startups in the country, in the list of the 100 Startups to Watch 2020 and 2021 and featured in the Mobility category in the "Best of ESG 2021", by Exame. Over the last few years, the company has boosted growth of the micromobility sector.

Press information: Imprensa@tembici.com / ariane@vcrpbrasil.com

About BlockC

BlockC is a Brazilian company that has developed a blockchain-based platform offering a reliable, transparent and effective solution for organizations that want to make their transition to a low carbon economy. A solution that provides reliability, transparency and effectiveness to the decarbonization journey of companies through the use of disruptive technologies. A member of a group of companies with more than 20 years of experience in greenhouse gases and environmental assets, BlockC is a partner of AirCarbon Exchange and the City of Rio de Janeiro in the Brazilian operation of ACX.

For more information, visit: www.blockc.com.br

About ZCO2

ZCO2 is an innovative coalition for environmentally-conscious individuals and companies engaged. It promotes responsible consumption and seeks to fight the causes of climate change, through tokens backed by carbon credits, transacted into digital wallets and inserted on a relationship platform.

For more information, please visit: www.zco2.com.br
BAD HOMBURG VOR DER HOEHE (dpa-AFX) - The Supervisory Board of Fresenius Medical Care's General Partner appointed Carla Kriwet as chief executive officer of the Management Board effective January 1, 2023. Carla Kriwet succeeds Rice Powell, who will step down from the Management Board in light of the age limit for members of the Management Board when his contract expires at the end of December 2022. In her capacity as CEO of Fresenius Medical Care, Carla Kriwet will also be a member of the Management Board of Fresenius Management SE. Helen Giza, Chief Financial Officer of Fresenius Medical Care, will enter a new five-year contract, and in addition to her current positions as CFO and CTO will assume the position of Deputy CEO. 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.
OSLO, Norway, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Net Asset Value ("NAV") of Aker ASA and holding companies ("Aker") ended at record high NOK 74.7 billion in the first quarter of 2022, a NOK 4.9 billion, or 7.1 per cent, increase from year-end 2021.

The per-share NAV amounted to NOK 1,006 as per 31 March 2022, compared to NOK 939 as per 31 December 2021. The Aker share decreased 1.8 per cent, to NOK 810 in the first quarter, compared to a 5.0 per cent increase in the benchmark index ("OSEBX").

"Russia's invasion of Ukraine and it's ramifications are not limited to Eastern Europe but has rattled the financial market and disrupted the global economy. It has the potential to reverse decades of progress for globalization and growth. Amid such a brutal and senseless conflict, where entire energy markets are being recalibrated, the significance of a single company's first quarter results pales," said yvind Eriksen, President and CEO of Aker ASA.

The value increase of Aker's Industrial Holdings portfolio of NOK 3.9 billion in the first quarter to NOK 71.5 billion was mainly due to value increase of Aker BP and Aker Solutions. The value of Aker's Financial Investments portfolio stood at NOK 13.4 billion at the end of the first quarter, compared to NOK 12.5 billion as per 31 December 2021.

"Our portfolio companies continue to demonstrate their ability to adapt to volatile market conditions and to drive growth. While uncertainty looms on many fronts, our path forward is - as always - to both strengthen and utilize our industrial fundament for responsible and sustainable value creation." said Eriksen. "Aker's Net Asset Value increased by NOK 4.9 billion to NOK 74.7 billion, or a record NOK 1,006 per share. The increase is largely driven by growth in the oil and gas segment, where Aker BP contributed with an increase of NOK 7.9 billion in the quarter, excluding dividend. More than a single company's contribution to our results, however, I am encouraged by the general development across our portfolio, which reflects the high activity and industrial development taking place."

Aker's liquidity reserve, including undrawn credit facilities, stood at NOK 7.4 billion as per 31 March 2022. The value-adjusted equity ratio was 88 per cent, slightly up from year-end 2021.

The full report and presentation are available at www.akerasa.com and www.newsweb.no

For more information, please contact:

Investors:

Joachim Bjrni, Head of Investor Relations, Aker ASA

Tel: +47 924 22 106

E-mail: joachim.bjorni@akerasa.com

Media:

Atle Kigen, Head of Media Relations and Public Affairs, Aker ASA

Tel: +47 907 84 878

E-mail: atle.kigen@akerasa.com

This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/aker-asa/r/aker-asa--first-quarter-results-2022---all-time-high-net-asset-value-of-nok-74-7-billion,c3559285

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LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Horizonte Minerals Plc ("Horizonte" or the "Company") (AIM:HZM)(TSX:HZM) the nickel development company focused in Brazil, is pleased to announce the appointment of Philipa Varris as Head of Sustainability with immediate effect.

Philipa Varris has held leadership positions in sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") management in the mining sector for over 25 years, primarily in Africa and Australasia and across a number of mineral commodities. Philipa has been awarded the Australian Centenary Medal for leadership in Australia's largest community consultation and strategic vision development initiative and was recognized in 2020 as one of the WIM UK 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining. Philipa holds an MSc in Natural Resources, is a Chartered Environmental Professional, a member of the UK Committee of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and is a qualified board candidate with Corporate Directors International. As a champion for mining ESG leadership, Philipa has led teams recognised with the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Award for Environment and Social Responsibility, the AMEEF Award for Environmental Excellence, and the Mines and Money ESG Producer of the Year Award, amongst others.

Philipa joins the Company's growing senior management team in London, working closely with the Araguaia and Vermelho project teams in Brazil.

Horizonte CEO, Jeremy Martin commented: "We are delighted to welcome Philipa to Horizonte's senior management team. With her significant experience in the mining industry, Philipa will work across all levels of the Company to further integrate leading ESG practices into every aspect of Horizonte's business. Horizonte has always considered sustainability as critical to the Company's overall success. With Philipa's passion to develop a sustainable mining industry, we believe Horizonte will become an industry leader as we work to create a new major nickel producer."

For further information, visit www.horizonteminerals.com or contact:

Horizonte Minerals plc Jeremy Martin (CEO) Simon Retter (CFO) info@horizonteminerals.com +44 (0) 203 356 2901 Peel Hunt LLP (Nominated Adviser & Joint Broker) Ross Allister David McKeown +44 (0)20 7418 8900 BMO (Joint Broker) Thomas Rider Pascal Lussier Duquette Andrew Cameron +44 (0) 20 7236 1010

About Horizonte Minerals:

Horizonte Minerals plc (AIM:HZM)(TSX:HZM) is developing two 100% owned, tier one projects in Para state, Brazil - the Araguaia Nickel Project and the Vermelho Nickel-Cobalt Project. Both projects are large scale, high-grade, low-cost, low-carbon and scalable. Araguaia is fully funded and in construction. The project will produce 29,000 tonnes of nickel per year to supply the stainless steel market. Vermelho is at feasibility study stage and will produce 25,000 tonnes of nickel and 1,250 tonnes of cobalt to supply the EV battery market. Horizonte's combined near-term production profile of over 50,000 tonnes of nickel per year positions the Company as a globally significant nickel producer. Horizonte is developing a new nickel district in Brazil that will benefit from established infrastructure, including hydroelectric power available in the Carajas Mining District.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained in this press release constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the ability of the Company to complete the acquisition of equipment as described herein, statements with respect to the potential of the Company's current or future property mineral projects; the ability of the Company to complete a positive feasibility study regarding the second RKEF line at Araguaia on time, or at all, the success of exploration and mining activities; cost and timing of future exploration, production and development; the costs and timing for delivery of the equipment to be purchased as described herein, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves and the ability of the Company to achieve its goals in respect of growing its mineral resources; the realization of mineral resource and reserve estimates and achieving production in accordance with the Company's potential production profile or at all. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to risks related to: the inability of the Company to complete the acquisition of equipment contemplated herein, on time or at all, the ability of the Company to complete a positive feasibility study regarding the implementation of a second RKEF line at Araguaia on the timeline contemplated or at all, exploration and mining risks, competition from competitors with greater capital; the Company's lack of experience with respect to development-stage mining operations; fluctuations in metal prices; uninsured risks; environmental and other regulatory requirements; exploration, mining and other licences; the Company's future payment obligations; potential disputes with respect to the Company's title to, and the area of, its mining concessions; the Company's dependence on its ability to obtain sufficient financing in the future; the Company's dependence on its relationships with third parties; the Company's joint ventures; the potential of currency fluctuations and political or economic instability in countries in which the Company operates; currency exchange fluctuations; the Company's ability to manage its growth effectively; the trading market for the ordinary shares of the Company; uncertainty with respect to the Company's plans to continue to develop its operations and new projects; the Company's dependence on key personnel; possible conflicts of interest of directors and officers of the Company, and various risks associated with the legal and regulatory framework within which the Company operates, together with the risks identified and disclosed in the Company's disclosure record available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, including without limitation, the annual information for of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2020, the Araguaia Report and the Vermehlo Report. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

SOURCE: Horizonte Minerals PLC

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700035/Horizonte-Minerals-PLC-Announces-Appointment-of-Head-of-Sustainability
Investors have applied for an environmental assessment for about 5 GW of wind and solar in Australia, which will support plans to produce green hydrogen and ammonia at a massive new facility.From pv magazine Australia The Murchison Hydrogen Renewables project, under development near the Western Australian coastal town of Kalbarri, will use 5.2 GW of wind and solar to produce renewable hydrogen. That will then be converted to an estimated 2 million tons of green ammonia per annum, for domestic use and export. The ambitious project was first proposed by Hydrogen Renewables Australia in 2019. The ...

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.
Rimsys, the leading provider of Regulatory Information Management (RIM) software for the medtech industry, today announced the release of Rimsys 5 at the MedTech Forum in Barcelona, Spain. The three-year-old cloud-based regulatory software, already used by 10 of the 30 largest medical device manufacturers globally, helps medtech companies strengthen compliance and bring products to market more quickly. The new version of the software includes a comprehensive regulatory submissions module and provides integrated, global regulatory intelligence through a partnership with Clarivate Cortellis. Additional new features include an updated and highly-flexible product hierarchy and the ability to link product, performance, and safety data across the organization through standardized integrations with PLM, eQMS, and ERP systems.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005139/en/

Rimsys new regulatory submissions module with government templates, collaborative content authoring, and compliant PDF generation with auto-created table-of-contents and appendices (Graphic: Business Wire)

"We took a really unique approach to regulatory submissions with Rimsys 5," said Brad Ryba, Rimsys Co-founder and CTO. "With our solution, regulatory affairs teams can manage submission projects, collect documents and information, and directly author submission content in a single interface. Plus, customers have full access to their submissions archive without any additional costs. We believe this will really help regulatory teams improve their productivity and easily provide new functionality, strong integrations, and a great user experience."

RIM software systems are becoming increasingly necessary as more and more countries adopt specific market entrance requirements and the global regulatory landscape becomes increasingly complex. This leaves medtech regulatory professionals on the front lines, responsible for correctly deciphering entrance requirements and coordinating the assembly of complex submission documents. A medtech RIM system can largely automate the administrative tasks that most RA professionals are spending at least 30% of their time on.

Rimsys 5 builds on an already established platform of product-centric regulatory tools, including standards management, expiration monitoring, market-specific sales status tracking, and more. With Version 5, regulatory teams can now:

Access high-quality comprehensive regulatory information (powered by Clarivate Cortellis).

Build content plans based on government templates, utilizing fully customizable submission templates for common market applications.

Collaboratively author submission content.

Track correspondence with health authorities.

Manage submission projects.

Auto-generate completed regulatory submissions.

In addition, Rimsys 5 introduces a completely flexible product hierarchy that allows medtech companies to fully mirror their product catalogs in their RIM system.

"Rimsys enables our submissions to be created, stored, and made easily accessible to everyone who needs them," said a Regulatory Manager at a top 30 medical device company currently using the new features, "What really sets Rimsys apart is its ability to link data throughout the system, making it a highly functional and intuitive solution. RIMSYS allows us to create more streamlined business processes, and transparency across the entire company organization, which means we are able to bring our products to market much more quickly than ever before."

All of these features combine to provide a full record of submission history directly linked to individual products, countries, and registrations giving regulatory teams the tools they need to fully administer, track, and generate regulatory information for every product in every market.

About Rimsys

Rimsys is on a mission to bring regulatory order to the medtech industry. The Rimsys Regulatory Information Management (RIM) platform digitizes and automates regulatory activities, freeing teams from inefficient administrative work, and helping them confidently establish and secure global regulatory compliance. Unlike complex, color-coded spreadsheets, or expensive external consultants, Rimsys seamlessly centralizes all regulatory information, automates submission processes, and monitors relevant expirations, standards, and global regulations. Traditional approaches to regulatory affairs can't keep pace with the growing complexity of the global landscape, and overburdened teams face increasing compliance risks. Rimsys streamlines all regulatory activities including registrations, essential principles, UDI, standards management, and regulatory intelligence in a single, integrated platform. Leading global medtech companies including Johnson Johnson, Siemens Healthineers, and Omron rely on Rimsys to get new products to market more quickly, and reduce revenue risk of non-compliance, product recalls, and unexpected expirations. For more information, visit www.rimsys.io.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005139/en/

Contacts:

Michael Peach, michael.peach@rimsys.io
With further follow-up of MONALEESA-3, Kisqali plus fulvestrant achieved a median overall survival (OS) of more than five-and-a-half years (67.6 months) in the first-line (1L) setting for postmenopausal women living with HR+/HER2- aBC 1





When used 1L, Kisqali plus fulvestrant added nearly 16 months of survival benefit to the lives of patients compared to fulvestrant alone, with a 33% relative reduction in the risk of death1



Kisqali is the only CDK4/6 inhibitor-fulvestrant combination to demonstrate an OS benefit in this 1L setting1





Kisqali remains the CDK4/6 inhibitor with the longest median OS reported and with consistent OS benefit across three Phase III trials, regardless of combination partner, line of therapy, menopausal status, or site and number of metasteses1-10

Basel, May 4, 2022 - Novartis today announced updated median overall survival (OS) results for Kisqali (ribociclib) in combination with fulvestrant in the first-line subgroup of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced or metastatic breast cancer. The analysis of patients treated in first-line with Kisqali plus fulvestrant demonstrated a significant OS benefit of nearly 16 months compared to those treated with fulvestrant alone. This updated exploratory OS analysis from the Phase III MONALEESA-3 study will be presented as a late-breaker mini-oral presentation at the 2022 European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Breast Cancer Congress (Abstract LBA4).

"MONALEESA-3 results continue to demonstrate the survival benefit of treatment with ribociclib for postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer," said Dennis J. Slamon, MD, Director of Clinical/Translational Research, University of California, Los Angeles Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. "Whether partnered with fulvestrant or an aromatase inhibitor in the first-line setting, ribociclib offers oncologists a CDK4/6 inhibitor with consistent benefit in providing women with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer more quality time, regardless of their disease characteristics."

In this MONALEESA-3 exploratory analysis, patients were further evaluated for a median of 71 months, more than two-and-a-half years of additional follow-up since the final key secondary endpoint OS analysis, which was presented at ESMO Congress 2019 and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The final OS analysis demonstrated a statistically significant OS benefit for Kisqali in combination with fulvestrant and a relative reduction in the risk of death by 28% compared to fulvestrant alone in the full population (HR=0.72; 95% CI: 0.568-0.924; p=0.00455)1,5-6.

This new updated analysis with a median follow-up of five years found that in the first-line setting, Kisqali plus fulvestrant (n=237) achieved 67.6 months median OS as compared to 51.8 months for those treated with fulvestrant alone (n=128) (HR=0.673; 95% CI: 0.504-0.899)1. Patients treated with Kisqali plus fulvestrant compared to those on fulvestrant alone in the first-line setting experienced over one-and-a-half years of additional delay to subsequent use of chemotherapy (49.2 months versus 29.0 months, respectively; HR=0.624; 95% CI: 0.481-0.810)1.

With this extended follow-up, the estimated survival rate at five years was 56.5% (95% CI: 49.5-62.9) for women who received Kisqali in combination with fulvestrant in first-line compared to 42.1% (95% CI: 33.2-50.7) for women who received fulvestrant alone1. Additionally, 16.5% of patients in the Kisqali plus fulvestrant arm (n=39) compared to 8.6% of those in the fulvestrant only arm (n=11) were still ongoing on therapy at this longer follow-up1. No new adverse events were observed.

"It is a tremendous achievement to see such remarkable, consistent overall survival results from the MONALEESA clinical trial program, demonstrating how Novartis is transforming care for people with breast cancer as we continue to work toward cures," said Jeff Legos, Executive Vice President, Global Head of Oncology & Hematology Development. "The unique profile of Kisqali continues to be reinforced, with results from MONALEESA-3 pushing the boundaries of how using a Kisqali-combination treatment regimen can extend lives of postmenopausal women living with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer without compromising quality of life."

The MONALEESA-3 overall survival data from ESMO Congress 2019 are featured in a media release (https://www.novartis.com/news/media-releases/novartis-kisqali-delivers-consistently-superior-overall-survival-monaleesa-3-trial-demonstrates-more-life-postmenopausal-hrher2-advanced-breast-cancer-patients)6.

About Kisqali (ribociclib)

Kisqali is the only CDK4/6 inhibitor with proven overall survival benefit across all three Phase III advanced trials1-10, and is recognized by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines as the only CDK4/6 inhibitor with overall survival benefit in first-line HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer11. Additionally, Kisqali has the highest rating of any CDK4/6 inhibitor on the ESMO Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale, achieving a score of five out of five for first-line premenopausal patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer12. Further, Kisqali in combination with either letrozole or fulvestrant has received a score of four out of five for first-line postmenopausal patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer13.

Kisqali has been approved in more than 95 countries worldwide, including by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Commission, for the treatment of women with HR+/HER2- advanced or metastatic breast cancer in combination either with an aromatase inhibitor or with fulvestrant as initial endocrine-based therapy or following disease progression on endocrine therapy14-15. Kisqali in combination with fulvestrant is approved as initial endocrine-based therapy or following disease progression on endocrine therapy in men by the FDA14.

Novartis is continuing to reimagine cancer with additional trials of Kisqali. NATALEE is a large confirmatory clinical trial of Kisqali with endocrine therapy in the adjuvant treatment of HR+/HER2- early breast cancer being conducted in collaboration with Translational Research In Oncology (TRIO)16. Novartis is collaborating with SOLTI, who is leading HARMONIA to test the hypothesis whether Kisqali changes tumor biology to enable a better response to endocrine-based therapy compared to Ibrance* for patients with advanced HR+/HER2-, HER2-enriched subtype.

Kisqali was developed by the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) under a research collaboration with Astex Pharmaceuticals.

Please see full Prescribing Information for Kisqali, available at www.Kisqali.com (https://www.us.kisqali.com/metastatic-breast-cancer/).

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "may," "could," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "seek," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political, economic and business conditions, including the effects of and efforts to mitigate pandemic diseases such as COVID-19; safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis

Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people's lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the world's top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach nearly 800 million people globally and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. About 108,000 people of more than 140 nationalities work at Novartis around the world. Find out more at https://www.novartis.com (https://www.novartis.com).

Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at https://twitter.com/novartisnews (https://twitter.com/novartisnews)

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References

European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Breast Cancer Congress. Updated overall survival (OS) results from the first-line (1L) population in the Phase III MONALEESA-3 trial of postmenopausal patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer (ABC) treated with ribociclib (RIB) + fulvestrant (FUL) (Abstract LBA4, May 4, 2022). Hortobagyi, et al. Overall Survival With Ribociclib Plus Letrozole in Advanced Breast Cancer. N Engl J Med 2022; 386:942-50. Hortobagyi, et al. Overall survival (OS) results from the phase III MONALEESA (ML)-2 trial of postmenopausal patients with hormone receptor positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC) treated with endocrine therapy (ET)  ribociclib. Presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress, September 16-21, 2021, (Abstract LBA17). Im, S. A. et al. Overall Survival with Ribociclib plus Endocrine Therapy in Breast Cancer. N Engl J Med 2019; 381:307-316. Slamon DJ, Neven P, Chia S, Fasching PA, De Laurentiis M, Im S-A, et al. Overall survival with ribociclib plus fulvestrant in advanced breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2020;382(6):514-24. Slamon, DJ, et al. Overall survival (OS) results of the Phase III MONALEESA-3 trial of postmenopausal patients (pts) with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor 2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC) treated with fulvestrant (FUL)  ribociclib (RIB). Presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress, September 29, 2019, Barcelona, Spain (LBA7). Slamon D, Neven P, Chia S, et al. Updated overall survival (OS) results from the Phase III MONALEESA-3 trial of postmenopausal patients (pts) with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer (ABC) treated with fulvestrant (FUL)  ribociclib (RIB. Presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, June 5, 2021, (Abstract #1001). Tripathy D, Im S-A, Colleoni M, et al, Updated overall survival (OS) results from the phase III MONALEESA-7 trial of pre- or perimenopausal patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer (ABC) treated with endocrine therapy (ET)  ribociclib. Presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, December 9, 2020. Abstract PD2-04. Yardley, Denise, A. et. al. Overall survival (OS) in patients (pts) with advanced breast cancer (ABC) with visceral metastases (mets), including those with liver mets, treated with ribociclib (RIB) plus endocrine therapy (ET) in the MONALEESA (ML) -3 and -7 trials. Presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting (Abstract #1054). O'Shaughnessy J et al. Overall survival subgroup analysis by metastatic site from the Phase III MONALEESA-2 study of first-line ribociclib + letrozole in postmenopausal patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer. Presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, December 7-10, 2021. (Abstract GS2-01). National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) - Breast Cancer. Version 1.2022. European Society for Medical Oncology - Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale Scorecard. https://www.esmo.org/guidelines/esmo-mcbs/esmo-mcbs-scorecards/scorecard-158-1 (https://www.esmo.org/guidelines/esmo-mcbs/esmo-mcbs-scorecards/scorecard-158-1). Published April 20, 2020. Updated August 21, 2020. Accessed September 9, 2020. European Society for Medical Oncology - Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale Scorecard. https://www.esmo.org/guidelines/esmo-mcbs/esmo-mcbs-scorecards/scorecard-9-1 (https://www.esmo.org/guidelines/esmo-mcbs/esmo-mcbs-scorecards/scorecard-9-1). Published March 29, 2022. Accessed April 1, 2022. Kisqali (ribociclib) Prescribing Information. East Hanover, New Jersey, USA: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; July 2020. Novartis Data on File. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp: 2021. Novartis Pharmaceuticals and Translational Research in Oncology (2018, December 7 - 2026, May 29). A Trial to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Ribociclib With Endocrine Therapy as Adjuvant Treatment in Patients With HR+/HER2- Early Breast Cancer (NATALEE). Identifier NCT03701334. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03701334 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03701334).





*Ibrance is a registered trademark of Pfizer Inc.

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Novartis Media Relations

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LONDON, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Telereal Trillium's investment team continues an active start to 2022 with the completion of transactions totalling c17m.

In line with its strategy to seek out both individual properties and portfolios with potential opportunity to add value through active asset management, the company has made a number of acquisitions across the UK.

In Cardiff, Telereal Trillium has acquired The Trade Collective estate in the city centre for 7.5m. Located close to Cardiff Castle and the Principality Stadium, the estate comprises four period buildings providing 43,850 sq ft of recently refurbished, high quality office accommodation. The Trade Collective is almost fully let to a range of national and local TMT tenants. CBRE acted for Telereal Trillium on the acquisition.

In Hull, Telereal Trillium has purchased a multi-let retail warehouse estate on Anlaby Road, the primary thoroughfare to the city centre from the west. The property benefits from a strong tenant mix including Iceland, Greggs and Wilson Carpets. ADS Real Estate Advisors acted for Telereal Trillium on the acquisition.

Telereal Trillium has further completed on the purchase of a trade park investment on Currock Road, Carlisle. The investment involves two single-let trade counter units let to Wolseley and Howdens. Colliers acted for Telereal Trillium on the acquisition.

On disposals, the company has sold a couple of non-core assets following completion of its business plan.

A single let industrial unit in Tunbridge Wells has been sold to Clearbell UK Strategic Trust for 4.1m in an off-market deal. Located on North Farm Road, the 34,169 sq ft warehouse is let to the print marketing solutions company Brown Knight & Truscott.

Telereal Trillium has also sold a four-storey property in Derby city centre let to restaurant chain Turtle Bay. The property was formerly occupied by the Department for Work and Pensions and converted to its current use by Telereal Trillium in 2014.

Paul Munday, Head of Investment Acquisitions at Telereal Trillium, said: "Our team continues to seek out opportunities across all sectors throughout the UK. We have the necessary expertise and financial backing to move quickly, and we are keen to accelerate our level of activity in the months ahead."

Notes to editors

For press enquiries, please contact:

ING MEDIA

Robert Pine

Robert.Pine@ing-media.com

M: +44 (0)7894 462 342

About Telereal Trillium

Telereal Trillium is one of the UK's largest property companies, owning and managing a UK wide portfolio of more than 12,000 properties, valued in excess of 8bn. Operating in property partnerships, investment, development, and strategic land, the company has an enviable track record and customer base of private companies, local authorities, and central government departments. Telereal Trillium has frequently won awards for its innovation, service delivery, and sustainability. It is currently developing a number of exciting residential projects across the country. www.telerealtrillium.com
Morgan Stanley Investment Management and Calvert debut Luxembourg-domiciled responsible investing funds focused on driving positive change, generating long-term value

Calvert Research and Management (Calvert), a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, today announced the European launch of a suite of responsible investing strategies focused on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors. The new Calvert strategies meet the SFDR Article 9 criteria and have a sustainable investment objective across the ESG spectrum. This news follows MSIM's acquisition of Eaton Vance, Calvert's parent company in March, 2021.

Calvert, a recognized pioneer and leader in responsible investing since 1982, employs proprietary fundamental research, financially material ESG data analysis and direct company engagement to deliver competitive investment results across asset classes. The newly available strategies form a robust suite of offerings that invest in companies with leading ESG characteristics with the core objective of long-term value creation and positive global impact.

The Calvert Article 9 Funds are available through Morgan Stanley Investment Management's distribution network and include the following:

MSINVF Calvert Sustainable Developed Europe Equity Select Fund

MSINVF Calvert Sustainable Developed Markets Equity Select Fund

MSINVF Calvert Sustainable Emerging Markets Equity Select Fund

MSINVF Calvert Sustainable US Equity Select Fund

MSINVF Calvert Sustainable Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Fund

MSINVF Calvert Sustainable Climate Aligned Fund

"We are excited about leveraging Morgan Stanley Investment Management's leading non-U.S. distribution capabilities to bring Calvert's proven, Principles-based sustainable investment strategies to a much broader universe of investors," said John Streur, President and Chief Executive Officer of Calvert Research and Management. "Our proprietary research system drives our investment process and enables us to identify the companies leading their peers in managing financially material ESG risks and opportunities, and those that are positioned for longer-term success and improved societal outcomes."

Promoting environmental sustainability and resource efficiency, advocating for equitable societies and enhanced societal outcomes as well as demanding accountable governance and transparent operations are the core of the Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment, which form the foundation of Calvert's investment process.

Calvert is a signatory to, and has played a leading role in spearheading, a number of global initiatives such as the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative's Principles of Responsible Investing (PRI), the Women's Empowerment Principles and the UN Global Compact. Calvert also partners extensively with leading academic institutions and other ESG-oriented organizations to promote industry leading collaborative research.

"The combination of our research and engagement processes plus our work to support global change initiatives position us to offer impact-driven, responsible investing strategies that deliver long-term shareholder value and drive positive change," added Mr. Streur.

"We are delighted to be able to bring Calvert's historic understanding of ESG analysis, knowledge of responsible investing and success in long-term value creation to our European clients," said Jacques Chappuis, Global Head of Distribution and Co-Head of the Solutions and Multi-Asset Group at Morgan Stanley Investment Management.. "Investors are increasingly focused on sustainability, and the launch of these new funds demonstrates our focus on delivering our clients best-in-class and market-leading products and solutions that align investor values with financial outcomes. European investors have a sophisticated understanding of how sustainability factors can lead to business success and Calvert has been honing this process for 40 years."

This fund is approved and will be available in the coming weeks

About Calvert Research and Management

Calvert Research and Management is a global leader in responsible investing. Calvert sponsors one of the largest and most diversified families of responsibly invested mutual funds, encompassing active and passively managed equity, income, alternative and multi-asset strategies, with approximately $37.3 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2022.

With roots in responsible investing dating back to the 1982 launch of the first mutual fund to oppose investing in companies doing business in apartheid-era South Africa, the firm seeks to generate favourable investment returns for clients by allocating capital consistent with environmental, social and governance best practices and through structured engagement with portfolio companies. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Calvert manages assets on behalf of funds, individual and institutional separate account clients, and their advisors. Calvert Research and Management is a wholly owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Investment Management.

About Morgan Stanley Investment Management

Morgan Stanley Investment Management, together with its investment advisory affiliates, has more than 767 investment professionals around the world and $1.4 trillion in assets under management or supervision as of March 31, 2022. Morgan Stanley Investment Management strives to provide outstanding long-term investment performance, service and a comprehensive suite of investment management solutions to a diverse client base, which includes governments, institutions, corporations and individuals worldwide. For further information about Morgan Stanley Investment Management, please visit www.morganstanley.com/im.

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in 41 countries, the Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For more information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.

Disclaimer:

FMIL

This marketing communication has been issued by Morgan Stanley Investment Management Fund Management (Ireland) Limited. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Fund Management (Ireland) Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Fund Management (Ireland) Limited is incorporated in Ireland as a private company limited by shares with company registration number 616661 and has its registered address at The Observatory, 7-11 Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2, D02 VC42, Ireland.

MSINVF CBDF

This is a marketing communication. Applications for shares in the Fund should not be made without first consulting the current Prospectus and the Key Investor Information Document ("KIID"), which are available in English and in the official language of your local jurisdiction at morganstanleyinvestmentfunds.com or free of charge from the Registered Office of Morgan Stanley Investment Funds, European Bank and Business Centre, 6B route de Treves, L-2633 Senningerberg, R.C.S. Luxemburg B 29 192. A summary of investor rights is available in English at the same website.

If the management company of the relevant Fund decides to terminate its arrangement for marketing that Fund in any EEA country where it is registered for sale, it will do so in accordance with the relevant UCITS rules.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005336/en/

Contacts:

Media Relations:

Tom Walton

Tom.Walton@morganstanley.com

Colleen McElhinney

Colleen.McElhinney@morganstanley.com
Prosafe has been awarded a contract by Petroleo Brasileiro SA ('Petrobras') for the provision of the Safe Notos semi-submersible vessel for safety and maintenance support offshore Brazil. The contract linked to the award has a firm period commitment of four (4) years and the commencement is in Q3/Q4 2022 following on from the expiry of her current mutually extended three-year contract that commenced in Q4 2016. The total value of the contract is approximately USD 110 million. The Safe Notos is a technologically advanced and efficient Dynamically Positioned (DP3) semi-submersible safety and maintenance support vessel, capable of operating in harsh environments. The Safe Notos can accommodate up to 500 persons, has extensive recreation facilities and a large capacity open deck area and telescopic gangway. When operating the vessel, Prosafe will have strong focus on reducing emissions through innovative energy performance monitoring and associated fuel consumption reduction. Jesper Kragh Andresen, CEO of Prosafe says: "Brazil remains a primary operational region for Prosafe and it is a testament to crew, vessel and operational management that the Safe Notos will continue to demonstrate best in class performance into 2026." Prosafe is a leading owner and operator of semi-submersible accommodation vessels. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with ticker code PRS. For more information, please refer to https://www.prosafe.com (https://www.prosafe.com) Stavanger, 4 May 2022 Prosafe SE For further information, please contact: Jesper K. Andresen, CEO Phone: +47 51 65 24 30 / +47 907 65 155 Stig Harry Christiansen, Deputy CEO and CFO Phone: +47 51 64 25 17 / +47 478 07 813 This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

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.
EXPLOYO Vit is a natural, pheromone-based and sprayable solution to improve quality and yield of grapes and control pests

Vit is a natural, pheromone-based and sprayable solution to improve quality and yield of grapes and control pests The technology is certified for organic farming and protects against detrimental pests that threaten vineyard cultivation

Collaboration with M2i underscores Syngenta Crop Protection's commitment to offering a broad range of sustainable products and technology choices

Syngenta Crop Protection, a leader in biological innovation, and M2i, a leading technology provider of pheromone-based crop protection solutions, expand their collaboration and launch EXPLOYO Vit, a new pheromone-based solution to help wine growers in France effectively manage detrimental pests in vines that impact the quality and yield of grapes. The technology targets one of the most damaging pests for wine growers, the vine moth Lobesia botrana, which feeds on grapes and infects crops with botrytis, a potentially deadly fungus that causes vines to rot.

Authorized and certified for organic farming, EXPLOYOVit is biosourced and natural. It can be sprayed directly onto the vines and provides wine growers greater flexibility to better manage their crop. Pheromones are natural signaling compounds that effectively control pests by interfering with their mating behaviors and preventing their reproduction. Since pheromones are non-toxic and species-specific, they help preserve the diversity and abundance of insects and pollinators.

Wine growers across France will be the first to benefit from the new and sustainable solution. Wine serves as one of France's most valuable agricultural products, accounting for around 15 percent of agricultural revenue. France produces 16 percent of all wine produced worldwide, and more than 300,000 jobs in the country are linked to the production and sale of wine.

After the market launch in France, EXPLOYO Vit will be rolled out in several wine-producing countries in Europe including Spain, Portugal and Greece over the next 12 months, pending regulatory approval. The technology will be marketed in Latin America under the name brand LOBESIA Pro Spray

Corey Huck, Head of Global Biologicals at Syngenta Crop Protection, said, "Our collaboration with M2i is a strong example of our commitment to be the partner of choice for leading technology providers in the biologicals space. We are committed to driving sustainable agriculture practices and are excited to provide wine growers across different markets with a product that helps enhance the quality of grapes and fights against key vine pests."

"M2i has developed this innovation with the grower in mind leveraging our expertise to provide a fundamentally more user friendly and flexible product," Philippe Guerret, Co-Founder and CEO of M2i, said. "We are delighted to see our collaboration with Syngenta enter a new phase through the launch of EXPLOYO Vit. At the same time, we continue to jointly assess and explore new product opportunities where we believe we can deliver more value to growers."

About Syngenta

Syngenta is one of the world's leading agriculture companies, comprised of Syngenta Crop Protection and Syngenta Seeds. Our ambition is to help safely feed the world while taking care of the planet. We aim to improve the sustainability, quality and safety of agriculture with world class science and innovative crop solutions. Our technologies enable millions of farmers around the world to make better use of limited agricultural resources. Syngenta Crop Protection and Syngenta Seeds are part of Syngenta Group. In more than 100 countries we are working to transform how crops are grown. Through partnerships, collaboration and The Good Growth Plan we are committed to accelerating innovation for farmers and nature, striving for regenerative agriculture, helping people stay safe and healthy and partnering for impact. To learn more visit www.syngenta.com and www.goodgrowthplan.com.

Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Syngenta, www.twitter.com/SyngentaUS and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/syngenta

About M2i Group

Founded in 2012, M2i is a French industrial group, expert in the design, formulation and production of complex molecules. Thanks to its research laboratory in Lacq (64), associated with its plant in Salin de Giraud (13) and its manufacturing center in Parnac (46), M2i designs, develops and produces high value-added organic molecules for the life sciences and organic agriculture. As such, it has received more than 24 awards, such as the Prix Entreprises Environment 2015 from the French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development, the Prix for Green Chemistry in 2015, the RMC PME Trophy 2016 and in 2017 the European Business Award for Environment from the European Commission, and then the Price Pierre Potier for green chemistry for sustainable development. In 2018, Les Echos and KPMG selected M2i as one of the 120 companies of the future French economy, and EY named M2i "Best born global company" in 2021. M2i employs 185 people, including more than a quarter in R&D, and holds 30 families of patents protecting its technologies and its innovative product lines. To learn more visit www.m2i-lifesciences.com

Data protection is important to us. You are receiving this publication on the legal basis of Article 6 para 1 lit. f GDPR ("legitimate interest"). However, if you do not wish to receive further information about Syngenta, just send us a brief informal message and we will no longer process your details for this purpose. You can also find further details in our privacy statement.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This document may contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by terminology such as 'expect', 'would', 'will', 'potential', 'plans', 'prospects', 'estimated', 'aiming', 'on track' and similar expressions. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from these statements. For Syngenta, such risks and uncertainties include risks relating to legal proceedings, regulatory approvals, new product development, increasing competition, customer credit risk, general economic and market conditions, compliance and remediation, intellectual property rights, implementation of organizational changes, impairment of intangible assets, consumer perceptions of genetically modified crops and organisms or crop protection chemicals, climatic variations, fluctuations in exchange rates and/or commodity prices, single source supply arrangements, political uncertainty, natural disasters, and breaches of data security or other disruptions of information technology. Syngenta assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changed assumptions or other factors.

2022 Syngenta. Rosentalstrasse 67, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005474/en/

Contacts:

Syngenta

Paul Minehart

Media Relations

Media.relations@syngenta.com

M2i

Johann Fournil

contact.presse@m2i-group.fr
Series A funding is led by Agronomics; other investors include BESTSELLER's Invest FWD, global luxury group Kering, Khosla Ventures, actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio, New Agrarian, and Regeneration.VC

MILPITAS, Calif., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- VitroLabs Inc, a Bay-Area-based biotech company leading the development of a new scientific process to grow the world's first cellular cultivated animal leather, today announced that it has closed its Series A financing to build and scale pilot production. The company has raised a total of $46 million. Series A funding is led by Agronomics; other investors include BESTSELLER's Invest FWD, global luxury group Kering, Khosla Ventures, actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio, New Agrarian, and Regeneration.VC. In addition, Kering continues its partnership with VitroLabs in bringing support for product quality testing, tanning, and finishing.

CEO Ingvar Helgason co-founded VitroLabs with the mission to create the highest quality materials that meet the uncompromising standards of the luxury industry while drastically lowering environmental impact and furthering animal welfare. "At a time when environmental stewardship is more important than ever, biotech companies have the opportunity to lead the way in changing how we produce materials and build supply chains, working hand in hand with existing artisans and craftspeople who are the cornerstone of the $400B leather goods industry," says Helgason. "By launching the first production of cultivated leather, we'll hit a major milestone in fulfilling our mission to lead the shift towards a more sustainable future."

"At Kering, a chapter/pillar of our sustainability roadmap is dedicated to sustainable innovation and actively looking for alternative materials that can reduce our environmental impact over the long term is part of the solutions we have been exploring for years. We believe that innovation is key to addressing the sustainability challenges that the luxury industry is facing, which is why we are very interested in the potential of biomaterials such as cultivated leather," said Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer at Kering.

Helgason adds: "There has been an explosion of companies that are developing alternative materials to leather. However at VitroLabs, our cultivated animal leather preserves the biological characteristics that the industry, craftsmen, and consumers know and love about leather, while eliminating the most environmentally and ethically detrimental aspects of the conventional leather manufacturing process associated with its sourcing."

Based in Milpitas, California, VitroLabs is the first start-up positioned to bring cultivated leather to scale. Since 2016, the company has been pioneering the cutting edge material made by using advanced tissue engineering processes to create cell cultivated animal leather from only a few animal cells. The company has made significant progress on product quality in the optimization of cell expansion processes and proprietary design of a novel, large-scale tissue cultivator. Last fall, VitroLabs moved into its new, 45,000 square foot facility, designed for pilot production and laboratory space as the company moves from the bench towards commercialization. Series A funding will be used to fast-track commercialization, with expansion of scientific, manufacturing, and business development teams. "VitroLabs' scalable tissue engineering platform provides sustainable, high quality leather," says Jim Mellon of Agronomics. "We are thrilled to be continuing our support for VitroLabs, the leading luxury cultivated leather company ready for commercialisation."

Co-Founder and stem cell scientist Dr. Dusko Ilic says: "Over the last two years, we have been laser-focused on pushing our tissue engineering platform in order to increase efficiency and to optimize tissue production to obtain the look, feel, and performance of traditional leather at scale. With several major breakthroughs in the areas of bioreactor design, bioprocess and facility design, and cell culture development, we are now on our way to a scalable process that delivers the desired premium qualities, forging a path towards the ultimate goal of industrialization."

About VitroLabs

VitroLabs, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Milpitas California, is a biotech company developing a scalable tissue engineering platform for the efficient and environmentally friendly production of leather from only a few cells. Combining advanced tissue engineering processes with proprietary advances to achieve commercial scale, VitroLabs is on a mission to produce cell cultivated leather that achieves the look, feel and performance of traditional leather without compromise. The cultivated leather process involves taking a one-time collection of cells from an animal, which then grows in a nutrient-rich environment. Without ever going back to the animal again, the cells grow, divide, and form into tissue. The composition of the material achieves the complexity of traditional hides, containing a variety of proteins that make up a durable and luxurious material when finished, but without the need to go to animals as an ongoing source of hides. The process is more environmentally sustainable and favorable for animal welfare than that which is used to produce traditional leather. For more information, visit www.vitrolabsinc.com .

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LONDON, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Harvey Nash Group, the overall company for six market leading technology and talent businesses including Harvey Nash, NashTech and Alumni, is being renamed to Nash Squared. This comes as the company signals its intentions for rapid growth - which will see its global headcount more than double from 2,500 to over 6,000 during the next five years.

The company has continued to grow strongly during the pandemic with a number of strategic moves including the acquisition of technology recruitment business, Latitude 36, to become a major force in the US technology recruitment market, the continued global expansion of its technology solutions business, NashTech, with the opening of its third Vietnam office in Danang, and the launch of new offshore development centres in Latin America dedicated to clients based in North & South America.

The move to Nash Squared positions the company as an integrated technology and talent provider.

Becoming Nash Squared also:

Firmly positions the company to place the customer at the centre of everything it does - allowing Nash Squared to talk to all clients, from any of its six group brands, about all its services and global capability.

Makes a very clear distinction between Nash Squared and Harvey Nash , the company's global technology talent acquisition brand. With significant growth plans for the business this name change removes any confusion about what the Harvey Nash business does and Nash Squared's overall purpose.

Bev White, CEO of Nash Squared said:

"The future for our clients lies in helping them build and transform their digital teams and capability in limitless ways, and the Nash Squared brand positions us strongly as a platform to deliver on this. It also supports our significant growth plans; as we expect to more than double our global headcount from 2,500 to over 6,000 over the next five years."

Full press release

Media Contacts:

David Pippett, ProServ PR

david@proservpr.com

+44 (0) 7899 798197

Nash Squared

Nash Squared are the leading global provider of talent and technology solutions.

We're equipped with a unique network, that realises the potential where people and technology meet. For over three decades we've been helping clients solve broad and complex problems, building and transforming their technology and digital capability.

www.nashsquared.com
BRUSSELS, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Beijing is vigilantly watching Russia-Ukraine events to inform and update its geostrategic and military assumptions. But widespread concerns that China has similar designs for Taiwan are ill-founded. Moreover, the way the Ukraine situation is unfolding makes a Chinese assault less likely, not more.

Those insights and more are from Taiwan - Ukraine: A Pragmatic Assessment, a new analysis of the Sino-Western geopolitical landscape by The Conference Board.

China's military unreadiness, western resolve to support Taiwan, and the huge economic costs that sanctions would impose are three reasons why a Ukraine-like invasion of Taiwan is not in the cards. However, ever since the start of this war in late February, businesses must be ready for 'grey swans' and prepare for all eventualities.

"What we have learned from Ukraine is that we cannot categorically rule out Chinese aggression, based on our assumptions of what is rational," said David Hoffman, Senior Vice President, Asia, at The Conference Board." Given the high dependency of multinationals on the Taiwanese semiconductor industry, companies and policymakers would be wise to plan for the worst and seek to reduce semiconductor supply chain concentrations on the island."

Without regard for the likelihood of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, contingency planning for geopolitical instability is now a mission-critical risk management requirement for multinational businesses, especially with respect to China-related tensions.

Key insights from Taiwan - Ukraine: A Pragmatic Assessment:

China's military has excellent defensive capabilities, but, even by its own assessment, lacks the combined-force capabilities for a complex, 'quick-win' offensive.

military has excellent defensive capabilities, but, even by its own assessment, lacks the combined-force capabilities for a complex, 'quick-win' offensive. A protracted battle, such as what we're seeing in Ukraine , would be devastating for China , both economically and geopolitically.

, would be devastating for , both economically and geopolitically. Taiwan is, comparatively speaking, a very difficult military target due to the ocean crossing, fortified beach landings, and highly mountainous terrain.

is, comparatively speaking, a very difficult military target due to the ocean crossing, fortified beach landings, and highly mountainous terrain. The war in Ukraine has galvanised the West's resolve to resist authoritarianism, and the region sees support for Taiwan at a highpoint. This spells bad timing for China .

has galvanised the West's resolve to resist authoritarianism, and the region sees support for at a highpoint. This spells bad timing for . China is a vastly more trade-connected and globally dependent economy than Russia . Among the consequences: the measures that the West has put in place against Russia are far more significant deterrents for China than they've been for Russia .

is a vastly more trade-connected and globally dependent economy than . Among the consequences: the measures that the West has put in place against are far more significant deterrents for than they've been for . The combination of NATO solidarity inspired by the war in Ukraine , expanding deterrence initiatives undertaken in Asia to bolster regional stability, and initiatives by Japan to shore up its self-defence capacities vis-a-vis China , are undoubtedly causing China's military planners to update their prior scenarios on the risks of a military move on Taiwan .

For more information on how the war in Ukraine may be impacting the East Asian geopolitical landscape, Read the report or contact The Conference Board for commentary.

Interested in more on this subject? Join us on 24 May for a virtual media roundtable where we will be exclusively presenting the latest findings of the CEO Confidence report in Europe, Asia, and the US, followed by a question-and-answer session.

RSVP to reserve your place here.

About The Conference Board

The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers trusted insights for what's ahead. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.conference-board.org

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NEW YORK, May 05, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- atai Life Sciences N.V. (Nasdaq: ATAI) ("atai"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to transform the treatment of mental health disorders, plans to announce its first quarter 2022 financial results and business update on Monday, May 16, 2022.



A video interview with atai management will be available at 8:30 a.m.. The archived video interview will be available in the "Events" section of the atai website at https://www.atai.life/.

About atai Life Sciences



atai Life Sciences is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to transform the treatment of mental health disorders. Founded in 2018 as a response to the significant unmet need and lack of innovation in the mental health treatment landscape, atai is dedicated to acquiring, incubating, and efficiently developing innovative therapeutics to treat depression, anxiety, addiction, and other mental health disorders.

atai's business model combines funding, technology, scientific, and regulatory expertise with a focus on innovative compounds, including psychedelic therapy and other drugs with differentiated safety profiles and therapeutic potential. By pooling resources and best practices, atai aims to responsibly accelerate the development of new medicines across its companies to achieve clinically meaningful and sustained behavioral change in mental health patients.

atai's vision is to heal mental health disorders so that everyone, everywhere can live a more fulfilled life. atai has offices in New York, San Diego, Boston, London, and Berlin. For more information, please visit https://www.atai.life/.

Contact Information

Investor Contact:

Greg Weaver

Chief Financial Officer

Email: greg.weaver@atai.life

Media Contact:

Maggie Gordon

Senior Manager, Communications

Email: maggie@atai.life
Third Point Investors Ltd - Holding(s) in Company

TR-1: Standard form for notification of major holdings

1. Issuer Details

ISIN

GG00B1YQ7219

Issuer Name

THIRD POINT INVESTORS LIMITED

UK or Non-UK Issuer

Non-UK

2. Reason for Notification

An acquisition or disposal of voting rights; An event changing the breakdown of voting

3. Details of person subject to the notification obligation

Name

AVI Global Trust plc

City of registered office (if applicable)

Exeter

Country of registered office (if applicable)

United Kingdom

4. Details of the shareholder

Name City of registered office Country of registered office JP Morgan - Chase Nominees Limited CREST: BO01 - Account 11429 London England

5. Date on which the threshold was crossed or reached

29-Apr-2022

6. Date on which Issuer notified

03-May-2022

7. Total positions of person(s) subject to the notification obligation

% of voting rights attached to shares (total of 8.A) % of voting rights through financial instruments (total of 8.B 1 + 8.B 2) Total of both in % (8.A + 8.B) Total number of voting rights held in issuer Resulting situation on the date on which threshold was crossed or reached 3.960000 0.000000 3.960000 1926152 Position of previous notification (if applicable) 6.000000 0.000000 6.000000 3412359

8. Notified details of the resulting situation on the date on which the threshold was crossed or reached

8A. Voting rights attached to shares

Class/Type of shares ISIN code(if possible) Number of direct voting rights (DTR5.1) Number of indirect voting rights (DTR5.2.1) % of direct voting rights (DTR5.1) % of indirect voting rights (DTR5.2.1) GG00B1YQ7219 1926152 3.960000 Sub Total 8.A 1926152 3.960000%

8B1. Financial Instruments according to (DTR5.3.1R.(1) (a))

Type of financial instrument Expiration date Exercise/conversion period Number of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised/converted % of voting rights Sub Total 8.B1

8B2. Financial Instruments with similar economic effect according to (DTR5.3.1R.(1) (b))

Type of financial instrument Expiration date Exercise/conversion period Physical or cash settlement Number of voting rights % of voting rights Sub Total 8.B2

9. Information in relation to the person subject to the notification obligation

1. Person subject to the notification obligation is not controlled by any natural person or legal entity and does not control any other undertaking(s) holding directly or indirectly an interest in the (underlying) issuer.

Ultimate controlling person Name of controlled undertaking % of voting rights if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold % of voting rights through financial instruments if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold Total of both if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold

10. In case of proxy voting

Name of the proxy holder

The number and % of voting rights held

The date until which the voting rights will be held

11. Additional Information

On 29th April the Company announced the finalisation of the 2022 Exchange Facility which confirmed that the total voting rights as at 31st March 2022 was 48,957,792. The revised percentage holding of AVI Global Trust plc in the Company was therefore 3.93% as at 31 March 2022. Following buybacks in the month of April the total voting rights as at 29th April was 48,630,540 and therefore the percentage holding of AVI Global Trust plc in the Company was 3.96%.

12. Date of Completion

03-May-2022

13. Place Of Completion

Exeter, England
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.
Oslo, Norway 4 May 2022 - The annual general meeting of PCI Biotech Holding ASA will be held at the company's office at Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, on 25 May 2022 at 10:00am (CEST).



The notice including attendance and proxy forms will be mailed to all shareholders with known address. The complete notice, including the board of directors' proposed resolutions for the items listed on the agenda, the recommendation of the nomination committee, the annual accounts and annual report for the financial year 2021, including the corporate governance report for 2021 and the remuneration report of executive management for 2021 are attached to this notification and will also be made available at PCI Biotech's corporate website www.pcibiotech.com.

The notice including attendance and proxy forms, the board of directors' proposed resolutions for the items listed on the agenda and the proposal from the nomination committee are attached hereto in both English and Norwegian.

For further information, please contact:

Ronny Skuggedal, CFO, E-mail: rs@pcibiotech.no

Office: +47 67 11 54 00 Mobile: +47 94 00 57 57

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5 -12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

Attachments
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - German stocks edged lower on Wednesday, while oil prices jumped after the European Union's chief executive proposed a phased oil embargo on Russia, sanctions on its top bank and a ban on Russian broadcasters from European airwaves. Sentiment was also hit after data showed German exports fell 3.3 percent month-on-month in March, in contrast to the 6.2 percent expansion seen in February. Shipments were forecast to drop 2.0 percent. Overall imports grew 3.4 percent, following a 4.7 percent rise in February. The benchmark DAX slipped 0.2 percent to 14,008 after climbing 0.7 percent in the previous session. Volkswagen traded flat after the carmaker stuck to its outlook for the current year. Medical device make Siemens Healthineers rallied 2.5 percent after raising its 2022 targets. HUGO BOSS slumped more than 4 percent despite the luxury fashion house posting strong sales growth in the first quarter of 2022. 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.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Conditions of availability of the preparatory documents

Regulatory News:

Shareholders are invited to participate at the Ordinary and Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting of TotalEnergies (Paris:TTE) (LSE:TTE) (NYSE:TTE) which will be held on Friday May 25, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. at the salle Pleyel, 252 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, 75008 Paris.

The Shareholders' Meeting will be streamed live in full on the website www.totalenergies.com/investors/shareholders-meetings. All useful information relating to this Meeting is regularly updated on this page of the website.

Shareholders may exercise their voting rights before the holding of the Shareholders' Meeting, either by internet via the secured Votaccess platform, or by returning their postal voting form, or also by giving proxy. The detailed procedures relating to the exercise of the right to vote are specified in the notice of the Shareholders' Meeting.

The preliminary notice of the Shareholders' Meeting and the convening notice were published in the French Bulletin des annonces legales obligatoires (BALO) on March 23, 2022 and on May 4, 2022 respectively.

The documents referred to in Article R. 225-83 of the French Commercial Code are made available to Shareholders as from the date of the convening notice for the Meeting in accordance with applicable regulations:

Shareholders holding registered shares may, up to and including the fifth day prior to the Meeting, request that the Company sends these documents to them free of charge. For shareholders holding bearer shares, the exercise of this right is subject to the provision of a certificate of registration in the accounts of the bearer shares issued by the authorized intermediary;

Shareholders may consult these documents at the Company's registered office, 2 place Jean Millier La Defense 6 92400 Courbevoie, under the conditions provided for by applicable regulations.

The documents referred to in Article R. 22-10-23 of the French Commercial Code may be consulted and downloaded on the Company's website: www.totalenergies.com/investors/shareholders-meetings.

About TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies is a global multi-energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our more than 100,000 employees are committed to energy that is ever more affordable, cleaner, more reliable and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to the well-being of people.

@TotalEnergies TotalEnergies TotalEnergies TotalEnergies

Cautionary Note

The terms "TotalEnergies", "TotalEnergies company" or "Company" in this document are used to designate TotalEnergies SE and the consolidated entities that are directly or indirectly controlled by TotalEnergies SE. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to these entities or to their employees. The entities in which TotalEnergies SE directly or indirectly owns a shareholding are separate legal entities. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TotalEnergies SE nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Information concerning risk factors, that may affect TotalEnergies' financial results or activities is provided in the most recent Universal Registration Document, the French-language version of which is filed by TotalEnergies SE with the French securities regulator Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF), and in the Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005608/en/

Contacts:

TotalEnergies Contacts

Media Relations: +33 (0)1 47 44 46 99 l presse@totalenergies.com l @TotalEnergiesPR

Investor Relations: +33 (0)1 47 44 46 46 l ir@totalenergies.com
DGAP-News: African Energy Chamber / Key word(s): Miscellaneous

African Energy Chamber: Geoffrey Pyatt's Nomination for U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources is Good News for Africa (By NJ Ayuk and Jude Kearney)



04.05.2022 / 12:10

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Geoffrey Pyatt's Nomination for U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources is Good News for Africa (By NJ Ayuk and Jude Kearney)

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa: By NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber (www.EnergyChamber.org) and Jude Kearney, Chairman, US/Africa Committee of the African Energy Chamber

President Joe Biden's selection of Geoffrey Pyatt as the nominee for U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources is good news for Africa. The African Energy Chamber strongly endorses his nomination.

Pyatt is, of course, well-qualified for this important role based on an exemplary diplomatic career, including his tenures as Ambassador to Greece and Ukraine as well as his previous diplomatic posts. Importantly, he has a deep knowledge of global gas politics and energy security issues. In his ambassadorial roles, he has worked to advance the Eastern European energy security. He has consistently supported the broader agenda of energy independence, energy security and economic competence.

In regard to our focus on African energy issues, we believe that Pyatt's background will help him work with African countries on ensuring a just energy transition, which will be especially critical going into the UN Climate Change Conference 2022 (COP27). He appears to recognize that even as the global energy market is in the process of a fundamental reorganization, countries must make energy security a priority. He has demonstrated respect for a healthy energy mix that includes oil and gas as well as renewables, which is what Africa must cultivate if we are to avoid an energy transition that does more harm to Africans than good. In that regard, Pyatt has demonstrated he understands the importance of natural gas as a bridge to a long-term renewables future.

We believe Pyatt will understand why the African Energy Chamber has made it a top priority to wipe out African energy poverty - nearly 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa lack reliable electricity, 900-million people still lack access to clean cooking technologies, with negative impacts on health, especially for women and children and the environment - because he has witnessed the devastating impacts of energy poverty and dependence. He very likely observed energy poverty during the early years of his diplomatic career in Honduras and when he was Deputy Chief of Mission in India in 2006 and 2007. Pyatt also lived in Vienna during the 2008-2009 European gas crisis. He has recalled his vivid memories of the regular reports of civilian deaths in areas of Austria that had insufficient energy to heat homes.

What's more, Pyatt's support of women in the energy sector signals his expansive and enlightened view of the potential of our industry. He has spoken about the importance of empowering more women to take leadership roles, which is critical to advancing Africa's energy agenda. I've long been an advocate of bringing more women into our industry, and his stance on this issue is notable.

These are just a few of the reasons the African Energy Chamber strongly supports Pyatt's nomination and encourages a speedy Senate confirmation. He has shown a commitment to helping countries realize the full socioeconomic benefits of a thriving oil and gas industry. He shares many of Africa's values and priorities with regard to the energy transition. He understands energy poverty issues and the value of gas monetization. His nomination signals a more hopeful future for our industry and our continent.

We may of course disagree on issues at times, but Geoffrey Pyatt is a solid and practical choice for this important role in the realm of energy diplomacy. While many Western leaders and organizations have lectured and intimidated Africa on how they believe Africans should approach their energy transition (such as the non-starter of abandoning Fossil Fuels altogether and apparently all at once), African energy stakeholders would welcome the opportunity to work with a Western representative who is interested in a two-way conversation. Someone who will talk with them and not just talk to them. Someone who might foster American companies to bring their ingenuity to the task of Africa's energy transition because America has a legacy of creating solutions as well as opportunity.

We would welcome the opportunity to work with someone open to considering African perspectives and priorities and developing a relationship based on mutual respect. We are optimistic about developing that kind of dynamic with Pyatt.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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04.05.2022 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.



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Spanish company PayRetailers continues to strengthen its local operations in Latin America and announces the opening of its new offices in Peru, while continuing to look at acquisitions to increase its presence in other countries.

Payment technology solutions have found fertile ground for expansion in Latin America given the lack of financial inclusion in the region, which in turn has put firms in this industry in a favorable business position. Latin America is home to around 300 million digital shoppers, a figure that is expected to grow by more than 20 percent by 2025.

PayRetailers, the main LATAM Fintech's payments specialist, announced the opening of new offices in Peru, a move that will help the company be closer to its customer base and consolidate its presence in one of the fastest growing markets. Moreover, it will enable the company to serve strategic markets throughout Latin America and innovate alongside dynamic financial service providers to offer differentiated and innovative digital experiences to its customers.

Given the myriad opportunities in the region, the company continues to expand its team and technology to build a robust and inclusive payments infrastructure. With a broad offering of card payment solutions and local alternative methods for global businesses expanding into Latin America, today PayRetailers has teams of more than 20 different nationalities and operations in more than 15 countries in Europe and Latin America.

New strategic acquisitions within the region

The company recently acquired two online payment platforms, Paygol of Chile and Pago Digital of Colombia. The two acquisitions strengthen PayRetailers' broad and deep move to tap into the potential of e-commerce payments in Latin America. The agreement gives Paygol and Pago Digital access to PayRetailers' extensive technical expertise, marketing resources and financial investment to grow at a scale.

Understanding the complexities and challenges specific to the continent's markets is one of the biggest challenges the companies looking to expand their operations in the Latin American market need to face. The acquisitions reinforce PayRetailers' position as the leading Fintech payments specialist for Latin America and efforts to simplify B2B e-commerce across the region.

Paygol CEO, Carlos Varas, said, "Paygol believes passionately in the power of local knowledge to bridge international borders. It's a notion we share with PayRetailers as we move forward together to truly unlock the potential of e-commerce businesses across Latin America."

Pago Digital CEO William Talero said, "Pago Digital was founded on a vision of simple and accessible online payments. We have come a long way in 10 years and now we are excited to climb to the next level with PayRetailers: sharing technologies, experience and expertise to bring our customers ever greater opportunities."

Royal Park Partners acted as exclusive financial and strategic advisor to PayRetailers on the acquisition of Pago Digital.

Challenges Fintech companies face for the sake of financial inclusion in Latin America

The Fintech ecosystem in Latin America is performing better year after year; by 2020, there were close to 1,500 parties, including startups, regulators and traditional companies, such as banks. As new technologies such as cryptocurrencies or the metaverse take hold, these organizations have greater challenges to take on as part of the fourth industrial revolution.

According to a survey published in January 2022 by VISA, the growth of the Fintech ecosystem in Latin America can be confirmed by taking into account the 52% increase in financing to the sector.

Latin America experienced the fastest growing e-commerce retail sales boom in the world during 2020. In Mexico, e-commerce grossed nearly 316 billion pesos (US$15 billion) during the year, representing 81% annual growth and accounting for 9% of total retail sales, according to the Mexican online sales association AMVO. The pandemic showed Mexico what it means to be unprepared for the future, making major changes in the daily lives of Mexicans, living in a reality where going out on the street was no longer an option for many people.

To meet the demand, during 2022, Fintech and non-banking companies have been launching solutions such as e-wallets, credit cards and prepaid cards, especially in underserved markets. Digital payments, including through new forms such as QR codes, instant payments or contactless payments, should proliferate among buyers and sellers.

Also of note are regulatory updates and adoption of the blockchain ecosystem in Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, and Venezuela. El Salvador becomes the first Latin American country to adopt Bitcoin as an official currency as of September 7, 2021, a movement that has been gaining momentum throughout Latin America. As regulation matures around the world, Latin America is proving to be a thriving ground for blockchain development.

With a focus on expanding its customer base and exponentially elevating product reach over the next decade, PayRetailers aims to strengthen verticals such as digital services and e-commerce. Its strategy has allowed it to offer services and occupy spaces not served by traditional payment providers, a player that has to be watched closely in the coming years.

About PayRetailers

PayRetailers is a leading online payment services provider, dedicated to creating a fast and simple payment process for merchants and shoppers. The company offers a full range of payment solutions to help e-commerce companies accept online payments through a single API integration.

A clear understanding of consumer behavior and spending in their specific sector will be the difference between success and failure for merchants looking to expand internationally across certain e-commerce verticals. By accepting local payment methods, PayRetailers allows anyone to make online purchases, even if they don't have credit or debit cards.

PayRetailers is headquartered in Spain, with regional offices in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay and Peru.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005556/en/

Contacts:

Catalina Rivera

press@payretailers.com
LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Planet 13 Holdings Inc. (CSE:PLTH)(OTCQX:PLNHF) ("Planet 13" or the "Company"),a leading vertically-integrated multi-state cannabis company, announced that on the back of a successful shop-in-shop partnership in Orange County, STIIIZY is expanding the partnership to include a shop-in-shop experience at the Las Vegas SuperStore.

"STIIIZY is an absolute force in California, taking the number one brand spot according to Headset, and their shop-in-shop in our Orange County SuperStore has been a huge hit," said Larry Scheffler, Co-CEO of Planet 13. "It is an honor to expand that partnership and continue our tradition of being an entry point and brand partner for the top California brands looking to expand to Nevada. It's a key differentiator that we intend to repeat as we build-out our Florida and Illinois operations."

Other shop-in-shop partners in Las Vegas include CANN and in Orange County STIIIZY, SELECT.

For more information on Planet 13, visit the investor website.

About Planet 13

Planet 13 (www.planet13holdings.com) is a vertically integrated cannabis company, with award-winning cultivation, production and dispensary operations in Las Vegas and in Orange County, California. Planet 13 also holds a medical marijuana treatment center license in Florida and a 49% interest in Planet 13 Illinois which won a lottery for a Social-Equity Justice Involved dispensing license in the Chicago-region of Illinois. Planet 13's mission is to build a recognizable global brand known for world-class dispensary operations and a creator of innovative cannabis products. Planet 13's shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) under the symbol PLTH and OTCQX under the symbol PLNHF.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward looking-statements relate to the Company's plan to repeat the buildout of Shop-in-Shops in either Florida or Illinois.

These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: risks associated with COVID-19 and other infectious diseases presenting as major health issues; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; expectations regarding the size of the Nevada and California cannabis market or other states in which the Company may operate and changing consumer habits; the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives; plans for expansion; political and social uncertainties; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; and the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on cultivation, production, distribution and sale of cannabis and cannabis related products in states in which we operate or contemplate future operations; and employee relations. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

The Company is indirectly involved in the manufacture, possession, use, sale and distribution of cannabis in the recreational and medicinal cannabis marketplace in the United States through licensed subsidiary entities in states that have legalized marijuana operations, however, these activities are currently illegal under United States federal law. Additional information regarding this and other risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's business, including COVID-19, are contained under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's Form 10-K dated March 28, 2022 as filed on its issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

For further inquiries, please contact:

LodeRock Advisors Inc., Planet 13 Investor Relations

mark.kuindersma@loderockadvisors.com

Robert Groesbeck or Larry Scheffler

Co-Chief Executive Officers

ir@planet13lasvegas.com

SOURCE: Planet 13 Holdings

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700009/Planet-13-Announces-Expansion-of-STIIIZY-Partnership-with-a-New-Shop-in-Shop-at-the-Las-Vegas-SuperStore
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Gold prices were steady on Wednesday while equities declined on risk aversion after the European Union proposed a phased oil embargo on Russia in its sixth sanctions package over Moscow's attack on Ukraine. Also, investors keenly awaited the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy decision later in the day and the Bank of England's rate decision on Thursday for clues about the path ahead. Spot gold edged up 0.1 percent to $1,870.60 per ounce, while U.S. gold futures were virtually unchanged at $1,870.40. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a ban on oil imports from Russia in its latest package of sanctions for attacks on Ukraine. In a speech to the European Parliament, Von der Leyen called on member nations to phase out imports of crude oil within six months to reduce dependence on Russia. If approved, this would be a complete import ban on all Russian oil, seaborne and pipeline, crude and refined, Von der Leyen added. 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.
NexGen will demonstrate next-generation power systems for Computing, Lighting, Industrial and e-mobility solutions in the leading exhibition for Power Electronics in Europe.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NexGen Power Systems, Inc., the leading designer, developer and manufacturer of innovative power conversion systems using its revolutionary NexGen Vertical GaN semiconductor technology, is demonstrating break-through innovation in power electronics at the Power Conversion Intelligent Motion (PCIM) Europe 2022, from May 10-12 in Nuremberg, Germany.

The company will showcase the world's smallest, lightest and most efficient commercial power systems built on the Perfect Power Semiconductor: 1.2kV, 1+MHz Vertical GaN with Repeated Avalanche and >10s Short-Circuit Protection.

NexGen co-CEO, Dr. Dinesh Ramanathan will also present NexGen's revolutionary approach to Power Electronics at the Industry Forum on 10th May at 10AM.

"NexGen is re-inventing power electronics, with the world's first GaN-on-GaN power device, NexGen Vertical GaN, the world's first 1+MHz switching digital powertrain controller, its proprietary Merlin Power Engine, innovations in magnetics and thermal designs, and deep expertise in system engineering," said Dr. Dinesh Ramanathan, co-CEO, NexGen Power Systems. "We are excited that PCIM offers us the opportunity to introduce these new technologies and systems solutions to the broader market and customer base."

NexGen Power Systems demonstrations can be accessed at Booth 500, Hall 7 at PCIM 2022. The company's key executives will also be available for customers and media during the event. To schedule a meeting with NexGen's key representatives in advance, please contact info@nexgenpowersystems.com

About NexGen Power Systems:

NexGen Power Systems, the premier vertically integrated power electronics company, designs, develops, and manufactures innovative power conversion systems with its revolutionary Vertical GaN semiconductor technology. Our smaller, lighter, and more efficient power systems make possible the next generation of power conversion and power generation and accelerate the transition to cleaner and renewable energy.

NexGen is headquartered in Santa Clara, California with its Vertical GaN fabrication facility in Syracuse, New York, and a Center of Excellence for System Engineering, Marketing, and Systems Applications in Bengaluru, India. Sales offices are in China, Japan, and South Korea.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 4, 2022) - Iconic Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: ICM) (OTCQB: BVTEF) (FSE: YQGB) (the "Company" or "Iconic") and its 50% joint venture partner in Bonnie Claire, Nevada Lithium Resources Inc. (CSE: NVLH) (OTCQB: NVLHF) (FSE: 87K) ("Nevada Lithium") are pleased to announce that the Plan of Operation ("PoO" or "Plan") on the Bonnie Claire Lithium Project (the "Project" or "Property"), has been declared complete and accepted by the Bureau of Land Management ("BLM").

BLM resource specialists have reviewed all the baseline environmental studies for the PoO and have deemed them acceptable. No significant environmental issues were found in the baseline reports. Therefore, BLM considers the Plan ready for analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). BLM has determined that the level of environmental review required for this Plan is an Environmental Assessment (EA). The Poo will be formally granted upon completion of the EA and a public commentary period.

Iconic Mineral's CEO, Richard Kern stated, "We are pleased that no significant environmental issues have been found at Bonnie Claire, which could slow the development of this major lithium resource."

Drilling Exploration Update

Iconic is also pleased to announce that it has initiated its 2022 exploration program at Bonnie Claire. The Company is currently improving roads, setting up water storage and moving supplies and machinery to the project. The first drill hole of the year will commence in approximately one week. This year's drilling will further define the resource, provide additional metallurgical samples, and initiate borehole mining testing required for the Prefeasibility Study.

Qualified Person

Richard Kern, Certified Professional Geologist, a qualified person as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Kern is not independent of the Company as he is the Chief Executive Officer of Iconic.

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/122619
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Former President Donald Trump's effort to stay a contempt order and $10,000 in daily fines against him was rejected by a New York appeals court. Trump had challenged Manhattan Judge Arthur Engoron's April 25 ruling to fine him $10,000 per day until he properly responds to a subpoena from New York Attorney General Letitia James. Trump was held in contempt after failing to comply with the subpoena to produce documents requested in a state investigation into the former president's fraudulent business practices. Trump maintained that he does not have possession of any of the documents that the Attorney General's Office sought. They reportedly include records linked to Trump's personal finances and various properties and projects involving the Trump Organization. Engoron imposed the $10,000 daily fine until he was satisfied that Trump had complied with the subpoena. The appellate division of the First Judicial Department on Tuesday denied the interim application of Trump's lawyer to stay Engoron's contempt order. The court has set the hearing on Trump's contempt appeal for May 23. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Tupperware Brands Corp. (TUP) released earnings for first quarter that decreased from the same period last year and missed the Street estimates. The company's bottom line totaled $2.5 million, or $0.05 per share. This compares with $44.0 million, or $0.82 per share, in last year's first quarter. Excluding items, Tupperware Brands Corp. reported adjusted earnings of $6.4 million or $0.12 per share for the period. Analysts on average had expected the company to earn $0.52 per share, according to figures compiled by Thomson Reuters. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. The company's revenue for the quarter fell 15.9% to $348.1 million from $413.9 million last year. Tupperware Brands Corp. earnings at a glance (GAAP) : -Earnings (Q1): $2.5 Mln. vs. $44.0 Mln. last year. -EPS (Q1): $0.05 vs. $0.82 last year. -Analyst Estimates: $0.52 -Revenue (Q1): $348.1 Mln vs. $413.9 Mln last year. 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.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Fabled Copper Corp. ("Fabled Copper" or the "Company") (CSE:FABL)(FSE:XZ7) announces the results of the 2021 surface field work on it's Muskwa Copper Project. See Figure 1 below.

Figure 1 - General Property Location

The Project is comprised of the Neil Property and the Toro Property in British Columbia. The Company also holds rights to the Bronson Property. See Figure 2 below.

Figure 2 - Location Map

Peter Hawley, President, CEO reports: "A total of 19 specific areas were mapped and prospected during the 2021 field season and we started the New Year by reporting our findings on the Lady Luck occurrence in the south end of the Neil Property, followed by the Mac; the 8A, Harris, the 2a and 2b, the Creek, Keays south, Belcher Creek, the Magnum Mine UAV Done Mission, the Magnum, the Neil UAV Drone Mission, the Neil, EM-1, Ram Creek, Davis Keays Eagle UAV Drone Mission and now the Davis Keays Eagle Vein area sampling." See Figure 3 below.

Figure 3 - Neil Property, Davis Keays Eagle Location

Preamble

Minor follow-up exploration activity took place during the 1950s and early 1960s, with activity increasing significantly during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The work resulted in recognition of numerous copper occurrences within the Neil Property. The most significant of which are the Magnum Vein (Churchill Copper) and the Eagle Vein (Davis Keays). The Lady vein system at the Lady Luck Occurrence also received minor underground development work from 1969 - 1970.

Eagle Vein - Historic Work 1967-1971

The Eagle and Harris veins at the Davis Keays copper prospect underwent surface and underground development at the same time as the Magnum Deposit from 1969-1971.

The Davis Keays Eagle vein is hosted in a northeast-trending vertically-dipping quartz-carbonate shear zone that has been explored by underground development over a strike length of approximately 1,220 meters and to a depth of 460 meters. Over 22,905 feet (6,982 meters) of underground work was completed that included drifting, cross-cutting, and raising (Harrington, 2021). Drifting on the Eagle vein was carried out at four elevations:

The 6400 Level extends for approximately 5,700 feet (1,737 meters);

The 6950 Level extends for approximately 3,100 feet (945 meters);

The 7140 Level extends for approximately 280 feet (85 meters) and is only accessible from inside the workings; and

The 7300 Level extends for approximately 1,850 feet (564 meters).

Levels 6400, 6950, and 7300 extend completely through the mountain, from Caribou Creek on the west side to Eagle Creek on the east. Approximately 40 000 tons of mined material was removed and subsequently hand sorted in ore and waste piles located at the drift entrance locations (Harrington, 2021). See Figure 4 below.

Figure 4 - Old Davis Keays Eagle Vein Deposit circa 1970

Following a change of ownership in the mid 1970s, Kam Kotia Mines developed approximately 700 meters along the Eagle vein on the 5950-level. The vein was reportedly approximately 3 meters wide and consisted of massive chalcopyrite (Harrington, 2021). Mineralized material from the underground work in the area was collected and ~ 58,000 tons of hand sorted mineralized material was shipped to the Bethlehem Copper smelter southwest of Kamloops, BC (Harrington, 2021).

The past work on the eagle vein is very well documented with sections and longitude sections thru the mountain and maps include tonnage and grade estimates, level sampling plans, underground drill sections.

In addition to this work the surface sampling of the exposed eagle vein was mapped and documented in detail. An example of this work is found in Figure 5 below where they sampled 2.19% copper over an average width of 2.09 meters (6.84 feet) along a strike length of 45.73 meters (150 feet).

Figure 5 - Surface Sampling of West Side Surface Exposure of Eagle Vein

The below drone photo clearly shows the west side exposure of the Eagle vein which was sampled. Note drone operator and helicopter for scale.

Photo 1 - 2021 Photo of West Side Eagle Vein

Another example of the detailed past sampling of the surface exposure of the eagle vein is on the east side ,which has a very steep vertical component. The past alpine geological team repelled from the top of the mountain downwards sampling, measuring and mapping as they descended. The old climbing ropes on the side of the mountain can be seen today. Press link here to view Davis Keays Eagle Vein drone flight mission.

Figure 6 - Surface Sampling of East Side Surface Exposure of Eagle Vein

As seen above in Figure 6 the past sampling reported a total sampled length of the mountain side eagle vein of 487.80 meters (1,600 feet) over an average width of 2.16 meters (7.10 feet) which averaged 6.38% copper.

As seen below, a 2021 photo I personally took from a helicopter clearly shows the dimensions of the Eagle Vein and its steepness. The 6,950-foot adit is approximately 3 meters by 3 meters in dimension for scale.

Photo 2 - 2021 Photo of East Side Eagle Vein, Adit is 3 meters x 3 meters in Dimensions

The 2021 exploration mandate was to prospect the area surrounding the Davis-Keays adits and the Eagle Vein. The entrances to adits 6,950, 6,400 and 5,940 of the Davis-Keays past developed mine were located on the west side of the slope at elevations of 2,115 to 1,795 meters.

While overflying the eastern slope, the exit of the 6950 adit was seen on a near vertical cliff, as seen in Photo 2 above. Another old excavation, (possible adit?) was found at a low elevation of 1,470 meters east of the west branch of Yedhe Creek. These excavations into the mountain span a vertical distance of 645 meters. The locations and elevations of the adits are:

Adit 6950 - 357355E, 6492776N, elevation 2115 meters

Adit 6400 - 357176E, 6492571N, elevation 1949 meters

Adit 5950 - 356849E, 6492555N, elevation 1802 meters

Excavation - 355653E, 6493516N, elevation 1470 meters

Given the Eagle Vein and mine workings are very well documented, the purpose of the field exploration was to determine if other veins exist similar to the Eagle Vein.

While prospecting a southwest trending tributary-ravine, south of the adits, 12 samples,

D-723428 - 432, 434 - 439 & 441 were collected. Sample D-723428, of rubble mineralized with 12%chalcopyrite and trace bornite, taken downslope, elevation 2084 meters from the 6,400 adit, assayed 6.73% Cu.

At least 6, various striking, quartz-carbonate vein systems outcrop in the ravine east of the adits. Seven chip and 4 grab samples were collected at these veins. The best copper results were obtained in the 020-degree striking vein, in 2 sampled sections 10 meters apart at an elevation of 1,986 meters.

The northern most sampled section, D-723434 & 435 averaged 0.70% Cu across 1.6 meters and the southern sampled section, D-723436-428 averaged 0.84% copper across 2.70 meters. The remaining chip and grab samples exhibited low Cu content, < 0.06. See Figure 7 and Table 1 below.

Figure 7 - Eagle Area Plan View Surface Sample Map with Assays

Table 1 - Davis Keays Eagle Vein Area Surface Samples

Sample Number Elevation (meters) Sample Type Width (meters) Copper % Composite (copper % avg x meters) D - 723428 2,084 Rubble 6.73 D - 723429 2,073 Grab 0.04 D - 723430 2,008 Grab 0.01 D - 723431 2,008 Chip 0.50 0.01 D - 723432 2,008 Chip 0.40 0.08 D - 723434 1,986 Chip 0.60 0.27 0.70 / 1.60 D - 723435 1,986 Chip 1.00 0.96 0.70 / 1.60 D - 723436 1,986 Chip 1.50 1.11 0.84 / 2.70 D - 723437 1,986 Chip 0.80 0.61 0.84 / 2.70 D - 723438 1,986 Chip 0.40 0.34 0.84 / 2.70 D - 723439 1,985 Grab 0.01 D - 723441 1,950 Grab 0.06

Closer detailed evaluation of the drone mission hill shade model clearly shows striations or linear features which are interpreted to represent vein structures. See Figure 8 below.

Figure 8 - Hill Shade Digital Model

Going Forward

Additional releases on the 2021 exploration program of the Eagle Vein area containing recon ground geophysics surveys results, underground inspection and finally structural interpretation on the Davis Keays Eagle vein deposit will be forth coming in the following weeks.

QA QC Procedure

Analytical results of sampling reported by Fabled Copper Corp represent rock samples submitted by Fabled Copper Corp staff directly to ALS Chemex, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. Samples were crushed, split, and pulverized as per ALS Chemex method PREP-31, then analyzed for ME-ICP61 33 element package by four acid digestion with ICP-AES Finish. ME-GRA21 method for Au and Ag by fire assay and gravimetric finish, 30g nominal sample weight.

Over Limit Methods

For samples triggering precious metal over-limit thresholds of 10 g/t Au or 100 g/t Ag, the following is being used:

Au-GRA21 Au by fire assay and gravimetric finish with 30 g sample.

Ag-GRA21 Ag by fire assay and gravimetric finish.

Fabled Copper Corp. monitors QA/QC using commercially sourced standards and locally sourced blank materials inserted within the sample sequence at regular intervals.

About Fabled Copper Corp.

Fabled Copper is a junior mining exploration company. Its current focus is to creating value for stakeholders through the exploration and development of its existing copper properties located in northern British Columbia. The Muskwa Project comprises a total of 76 claims in two non-contiguous blocks and totals approximately 8,064.9 hectares, located in the Liard Mining Division in northern British Columbia.

Mr. Peter J. Hawley, President and C.E.O.

Fabled Copper Corp.

Phone: (819) 316-0919

peter@fabledcopper.org

For further information please contact: info@fabledcopper.org

The technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Peter J. Hawley, P.Geo. President and C.E.O. of Fabled, who is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events and that the Company obtains any required regulatory approvals.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: impacts from the coronavirus or other epidemics, general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and globally; industry conditions, including fluctuations in commodity prices; governmental regulation of the mining industry, including environmental regulation; geological, technical and drilling problems; unanticipated operating events; competition for and/or inability to retain drilling rigs and other services; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; volatility in market prices for commodities; liabilities inherent in mining operations; changes in tax laws and incentive programs relating to the mining industry; as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com . The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law.

SOURCE: Fabled Copper Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700002/Fabled-Copper-Reports-on-the-Davis-Keays-Eagle-Vein-Area-with-6-Additional-Parallel-Veins-Discovered-and-Values-as-High-as-673-Copper
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Forward Water Technologies Corp. ("Forward Water" or the "Company") (TSXV:FWTC) announces that it has entered into an agreement with Cornish Lithium Ltd. ("Cornish Lithium") for Cornish Lithium to fund trials of the Company's forward osmosis ("FO") technology on Cornish geothermal waters. This follows favourable initial results, which demonstrated the potential of the Company's FO technology to increase lithium concentrations of Cornish geothermal waters.

Forward Water will commence a pilot trial at their Sarnia Engineering facility for Cornish Lithium, in assessing FO in enhancing lithium recovery. This agreement was executed on April 25th after the successful completion of initial computer modelling and FO simulation testing at Forward Water, which delivered positive results in concentrating lithium by as much as a factor of 10. Cornish Lithium is focused on producing sustainable low-carbon lithium from sub-surface geothermal waters found to circulate across Cornwall. Locating and developing lithium resources is crucial in the global transition to clean energy. Cornish Lithium has now fully engaged Forward Water to pilot their FO technology on a scaled, full functional test system. This testing engagement will provide precise and larger data sets in which to optimize and validate large-scale commercial operations. By using Forward Waters low energy FO technology to concentrate these brines, it is believed that the delivery of higher lithium concentrations will allow for greater efficiencies and lower operating costs to that of current processing methods. Additionally, as part of the geothermal waters concentration process, clean, pure water is produced, having beneficial reuse in other industrial processes. President and CEO, Mr. Honeyman comments, "We are excited to assess the positive impact our technology could have for the mission Cornish Lithium has charted out for lithium recovery. In being part of this effort Forward Water will continue to be a leader in sustainable water treatment and re-use".

About Forward Water Technologies Corp.

Forward Water Technologies Corp. is a publicly traded Canadian company dedicated to saving the earth's water supply using its patented Forward Osmosis technology. The Company was founded by Green Centre Canada a leading technology innovation centre, supported by the government of Canada. The Company's technology allows for the reduction of challenging waste streams simultaneously returning fresh water for re-use or surface release. The Company's mandate is to focus on the large-scale implementation of its technology in multiple sectors, including industrial wastewater, oil and gas, mining, agriculture and ultimately municipal water supply and re-use market sectors. For more information, please visit www.forwardwater.com .

About Cornish Lithium

Cornish Lithium is a highly innovative mineral exploration and development company focused on the environmentally-sustainable extraction of lithium from geothermal waters and hard rock in the historic mining district of Cornwall. The Company has secured agreements with the owners of mineral rights over a large area of the County and is using modern technology to re-evaluate the region for its potential to produce lithium and other vital technology metals in a low carbon and low impact manner. A secure domestic supply of such metals is considered vital to the industrial strategy of the UK as it moves towards Net Zero 2050 and the production of electric vehicles. For more information about Cornish Lithium, visit www.cornishlithium.com.

Mr. Howie Honeyman, Ph.D., President & Chief Executive Officer

Forward Water Technologies Corp.

howie.honeyman@forwardwater.com

Phone: (519) 333-5888

For further information please contact:

Kayla.ferderber@forwardwater.com

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events and that the Company obtains any required regulatory approvals. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding the plans for the joint venture and the ability of the technology to provide new economic and environmental solutions for municipal leachate treatment.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: unanticipated operating events; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com . The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law.

SOURCE: Forward Water Technologies Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700080/Forward-Water-Technologies-Announces-Engagement-Contract-with-Cornish-Lithium
Award-winning residential mortgage lender, Homespire Mortgage, is pleased to announce its support of $20,000 for World Central Kitchen (WCK), a not-for-profit organization founded by renowned Chef Jose Andres. WCK provides meals for people impacted by natural disasters and other crises around the world. The $20,000 donation was made possible through the success of Homespire MOVE, a new company health and wellness campaign that encourages employees to record their physical exercise, like hiking, biking, swimming and walking. Reaching a combined goal of 100,000 minutes of physical exercise meant the company would contribute financial aid to WCK.

Employees tracked and recorded their total minutes of activity from April 8-29, with the company donating $0.10 for every minute tallied. Homespire's donation supports WCK's ChefsForUkraine response to distribute much needed meals to refugees throughout the nation's war-torn communities as the organization continues to provide 250,000 daily meals and food kits through its 2,000+ distribution sites in Ukraine.

As an additional bonus to the program, Homespire President Michael Rappaport confirmed he would match the initial projected $10,000 goal, doubling the donation. Homespire MOVE is part of the company's dedicated "Inspired to Impact" social responsibility program, which is focused on increasing homeownership for veterans and creating meaningful change in the communities Homespire serves through corporate giving, volunteerism and fundraising.

"Our hearts are with the people of Ukraine, and we feel fortunate we are able to support WCK's amazing efforts to provide hot meals for those who desperately need them," said Rappaport. "I'm extremely proud of Homespire's exceptional team members who stepped up in an effort to give back and support a cause of great need. Everyone got active and made this donation possible, which truly embodies Homespire's mission of putting people first and the value of giving back to our communities while inspiring those around us to do the same."

About Homespire Mortgage Corp.

Homespire Mortgage is an award-winning mortgage lender, proudly operating across 42 states with the mission of guiding and supporting homebuyers to responsibly and affordably finance their dream of homeownership. As an Equal Housing Lender and approved seller and servicer with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Homespire has been helping open the doors to ownership for thousands of homebuyers since 2006 by simplifying the mortgage process and providing affordable mortgage and loan options, while delivering an exemplary customer experience.

Homespire has been named to the Inc. 5000's List of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies for the past three years, as well as one of the "Best Mortgage Companies to Work for" by National Mortgage News for past three years and a "Top Workplace USA" for the last two years. For more information, please visit www.homespiremortgage.com, and follow Homespire Mortgage on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook

This is not a commitment to lend.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005185/en/

Contacts:

Derek Howard

William Mills Agency, on behalf of Homespire Mortgage

678-781-7215

derek@williammills.com
ZURICH, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A recently published study1 conducted at Charite-Universitatsmedizin Hospital in Berlin confirms that cleaning with HeiQ Synbio cleaners create a surface microbiome that significantly reduces antimicrobial resistance genes related to healthcare associated infections.

Earlier studies in Belgian and Italian hospitals showed synbiotic cleaning to be a promising new technology for healthcare facilities (Caselli E, et.al2). A new study conducted at the renowned Charite-Universitatsmedizin Hospital in Berlin (Charite Berlin) investigated and compared the effects of different cleaning and disinfecting strategies on the surface microbiome in a clinical setting. Three surface treatments (Incidin Pro ECOLAB disinfectant, Brial Top ECOLAB cleaner, and HeiQ Synbio synbiotic cleaners) were applied subsequently in nine independent patient rooms at a neurological ward (Charite, Berlin). Weekly sampling of different surfaces demonstrated that synbiotic cleaning is a superior new method in hospital hygiene management and confirmed the prior findings from Caselli et.al.3-6 where HeiQ Synbio cleaners reduce antimicrobial resistance on hospital surfaces by up to 99.9%, reduce the incidence of healthcare associated infections by up to 52% and reduce healthcare associated infections related costs by up to 75%. These results are groundbreaking and induce a mindshift in hospital infection control strategies.

The full Charite Berlin study can be found here, and a detailed presentation will also be made at a seminar on May 11, 2022, at Interclean 2022 in Amsterdam, NL.

HeiQ responds to growing consumer interest in health, hygiene and safety with sustainable technology

Following its acquisition of Chrisal, a specialist biotech company with patented probiotic & synbiotic technology, HeiQ, the Swiss IP creator and established global brand in materials innovation, recently launched its new HeiQ Synbio cleaning range featured here. HeiQ Synbio uses synbiotics, the unique synthesis of pre- and probiotics towards sustainably improve microbiomes for people, pets and the environment.

A microbiologist himself and the original creator of the HeiQ Synbio technology, Dr. Robin Temmerman, CEO of HeiQ Chrisal, comments, "In their pursuit of perfect cleanliness, people have been using antibiotics, disinfectants and biocides for far too long and in excessive amounts, which can result in resistant microorganisms, so-called "super bugs", that are a huge problem in hospitals. Our inspiration for the creation of synbiotic cleaning products at HeiQ Chrisal was founded in our conviction that synbiotics are the only true sustainable and effective solution to maintain outstanding cleanliness and reduce antimicrobial resistance. Synbiotic cleaners have been used for 10 years in hospitals contributing to decreasing infection rates. Today, more than 50 hospitals in Europe clean with HeiQl Synbio products."

HeiQ Seminar on Synbiotic Cleaners and Healthcare Associated Infections at Interclean

HeiQ will be holding a Seminar highlighting the spectacular efficacy of synbiotic cleaning in healthcare facilities. A panel of experts will explain synbiotic cleaning - the technology, products and applications and present the results of the study conducted by Charite Berlin.

Registration: here

Speakers and topics:

Dr. Tilman Klassert , Jena University, "Evaluation of probiotic cleaning in Charite University Berlin"

, Jena University, "Evaluation of probiotic cleaning in Charite University Berlin" Elad Amir , Design Cleaning Services Ltd, "Benefits of Synbio cleaning for facilities" and user cases

, Design Cleaning Services Ltd, "Benefits of Synbio cleaning for facilities" and user cases Dr. Robin Temmerman , HeiQ Chrisal, "Synbiotic hygiene - technology, products and applications"

Seminar: HeiQ Seminar - Beyond Clean - Revolutionary Synbiotic Cleaning for Healthcare Facilities

Date: 11thMay 2022, from 14.30 till 16:30

Venue: Interclean, Amsterdam, NL, Rooms E104 & E 105, near the entrance of Hall 10

Registration: here

About HeiQ

HeiQ (LSE: HEIQ) is a Swiss IP innovator and established global brand in materials and textile innovation. Founded in 2005 as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) and listed on the London Stock Exchange Main Market since 2020, HeiQ is focused on improving the lives of billions of people world-wide by adding hygiene, comfort, protection and sustainability to the products we use every day. HeiQ has strong IPs which are at the forefront of global technology. Active in multiple markets: textiles, carpets, antimicrobial plastics, conductive coatings, medical devices, probiotic household cleaners, personal care and hospital hygiene, HeiQ has created some of the most effective, durable and high-performance technologies in these markets today.

A trusted innovation partner for over 300 global brands and with a substantial R&D pipeline, HeiQ has won multiple awards such as the Swiss technology and the Swiss Environmental award and gained a strong reputation for the ESG and sustainable downstream effect of its innovations. HeiQ researches new solutions for partners, delivers scaled up manufacturing from its sites across the world and helps partners with go-to-market launches - aiming for lab to consumer in months. www.heiq.com

[1] 2022. Klassert TE et al., Comparative analysis of surface sanitization protocols on the bacterial community structures in the hospital environment, Clinical Microbiology and Infection, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2022.02.032

[2] Caselli, E. et al. Reducing healthcare-associated infections incidence by a probiotic-based sanitation system: A multicentre, prospective, intervention study. PLoS ONE 13, e0199616 (2018).

[3] Tarricone, R., Rognoni, C., Arnoldo, L., Mazzacane, S. & Caselli, E. A Probiotic-Based Sanitation System for the Reduction of Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistances: A Budget Impact Analysis. Pathogens 9, 502 (2020).

[4] Caselli, E. et al. Impact of a probiotic-based hospital sanitation on antimicrobial resistance and HAI-associated antimicrobial consumption and costs: a multicenter study. Infect. Drug Resist. 12, 501-510 (2019).

[5] Caselli, E. Hygiene: microbial strategies to reduce pathogens and drug resistance in clinical settings. Microb. Biotechnol. 10, 1079-1083 (2017).

[6] Caselli, E. et al. Impact of a Probiotic-Based Cleaning Intervention on the Microbiota Ecosystem of the Hospital Surfaces: Focus on the Resistome Remodulation. PLOS ONE 11, e0148857 (2016).

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1809833/HeiQ_Materials_Synbio.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1134330/HeiQ_Materials_Logo.jpg

CONTACTS

HeiQ Materials AG

www.heiq.com

info@heiq.com

+41 56 250 68 50

Media contact for interview or high-res image:

Loraine Stantzos

VP Marketing Communications

loraine.stantzos@heiq.com
Research reveals 77% of in-house counsel experience failed technology projects, highlights keys for the successful implementation of modern legal technology

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ContractWorks, a leading contract management solution for in-house legal teams from SecureDocs, an Onit subsidiary, today released the results of a third-party study spotlighting the obstacles of adopting legal technology for corporate legal operations teams. The research explores the reasons for failed technology implementations and identifies opportunities to quickly and effectively modernize legal operations.



ContractWorks commissioned Censuswide, a global insight-driven research company based in the United Kingdom, to conduct a study of 350 in-house legal professionals across a range of industries in the United States and United Kingdom. All respondents onboarded new technology solutions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than half (57%) stating their team's adoption of technology was accelerated by at least three years. However, more than three quarters of in-house counsel (77%) experience failed technology implementations and indicate the most common factors contributing to the failure as lengthy processes (38%), overcomplicated solutions (36%) and technology unfit for their actual needs (33%).

Other key findings include:

Nine out of 10 in-house lawyers struggle with technology solutions implemented by their employers.

29% doubt their employer knows what is best for the business after a failed technology adoption.

27% say a failed implementation makes them consider leaving their job, while one in four say it makes them resent their job.



However, the study concludes that legal departments should not be deterred by the risk of failed adoption. Automating time-consuming and manual processes with user-friendly, quick-to-implement and purpose-built solutions enhances operational efficiency within legal organizations, which in turn moves their businesses forward. When successfully implemented, legal technology makes lawyers and legal operations teams more productive, less likely to make mistakes and more satisfied with their work.

"To ensure the successful adoption of legal technology, businesses must follow three simple rules," said Mark Rhodes, Managing Director of SecureDocs UK. "First, focus on the highest priority problem to solve; second, define what a successful implementation looks like before making an investment; and third, take your users on the journey with you because they're the ones adopting and using the technology."

To learn more about ContractWorks, visit www.contractworks.com .

About ContractWorks

ContractWorks from SecureDocs is used by hundreds of in-house legal teams in organizations across the world, enabling them to take control of their contracts by making it easier to execute, store, and track corporate agreements. Features include advanced search with OCR, smart document tagging with AI, automatic alerts for key dates, comprehensive reporting, and simple electronic signature. SecureDocs has offices in Santa Barbara, California and London, UK and is a subsidiary of Onit, Inc.

About Censuswide

Censuswide is a global insight-driven research company, with screened panels in dozens of countries and bases in London, Brighton, Scotland and Dubai.
DGAP-News: African Energy Week / Key word(s): Miscellaneous

African Energy Week: The African Energy Chamber Launches Hydrogen Summit at African Energy Week 2022 in Cape Town



04.05.2022 / 14:05

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





The African Energy Chamber Launches Hydrogen Summit at African Energy Week 2022 in Cape Town

African Energy Week 2022's Hydrogen Summit will provide insight into the African continent's hydrogen potential, outlining key projects and opportunities across high potential markets including Namibia, Niger, Senegal, South Africa and Egypt

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) is delighted to announce the launch of the Hydrogen Summit which will be debuted at the AEC's annual conference, African Energy Week (AEW) (www.AECWeek.com) 2022, taking place from October 18 - 21, 2022, in Cape Town, South Africa.

AEW 2022's Hydrogen Summit will be headlined by industry leaders and executives from both the public and private sectors in Africa's top, and prospective, hydrogen markets. The Hydrogen Summit will be beneficial to the African continent as it seeks to improve and expand its hydrogen production, use, and exports to meet growing energy demand.

By leveraging their vast wind and solar energy potential, African countries, including South Africa and Egypt, have the ability to play a leading role in green hydrogen production. Their hydrogen outputs can be used to diversify the energy mix, address renewable energy fluctuations to provide baseload power using clean capacity, decarbonize transportation and the heating and cooling of buildings while achieving 2050's zero-emission economies goal.

The launch of the Hydrogen Summit at AEW 2022 comes at a time African countries are starting to embark on production and infrastructure development initiatives. For instance, the South African government has, through the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, launched the country's Hydrogen Society Roadmap to ensure skills development, job creation and the development of infrastructure to prepare the South African economy for an influx in hydrogen use, a move that would help decarbonise energy-intensive industries such as steel production. The Roadmap is expected to create 20,000 new jobs during the first years of its implementation, helping the South African economy recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Similarly, the Ugandan Government, through its Rural Electrification Agency, has kickstarted a joint initiative with Belgian firm, Tiger Power, to construct hydrogen-battery systems for storing renewable energy which is used to power rural consumers when most needed.

"The Hydrogen Summit at AEW 2022 will present an opportunity for African leaders to translate policy into reality, and for those that have not yet developed hydrogen gas roadmaps and policies to learn from their African counterparts," stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC.

Meanwhile, in Egypt, Welsh-based energy firm H-2 Industries has partnered with the General Authority for Suez Canal Economic Zone to develop a 1GW waste-to-hydrogen facility. This facility has the capacity to convert 4 million tons of organic waste per year into green hydrogen, promoting the circular economy model and diversifying the North African state's energy portfolio. The hydrogen produced will be used to meet local demand and exported to international markets including Europe, further boosting the country's export economy.

Recently, Namibia has also made significant progress towards green hydrogen expansion. In November 2021, the Namibian government selected HYPHEN Hydrogen Energy as its preferred bidder for a $9.4 billion green hydrogen project in the Tsau//Khaeb National Park. The project is set to produce approximately 300,000 tons of green hydrogen annually and it will position Namibia as a globally competitive green hydrogen economy.

"All forms of hydrogen will help Africa achieve energy resilience and even help other regions such as Europe - currently facing soaring energy prices due to inadequate gas reserves - meet reliability goals. But what Africa needs is adequate funding and the right policy frameworks in place. This is what the Hydrogen Summit at AEW 2022 will be about," added NJ Ayuk.

Despite the push to transition to green hydrogen, blue and grey hydrogen markets are expected to remain competitive as gas will continue to provide a much-needed energy source to meet energy demand as the transition to renewables intensifies. South Africa's SASOL is one of the leaders within the blue and grey hydrogen sectors in Africa, with the state-owned firm exporting hydrogen to meet demand in the EU, South Korea and Japan.

With Africa seeking to maximize the potential of hydrogen to address energy poverty, energy affordability and access, and decarbonization and reliability, a number of challenges such as the lack of hydrogen infrastructure and capital are hindering market expansion.

AEW 2022 aims to address these challenges, featuring high-level discussions around policy development and enactment; challenges hindering hydrogen take-off; and capital attraction and its allocation towards the hydrogen sector of energy markets. These discussions will pave the way for the installation of hydrogen production, storage and transportation infrastructure as well as increase the demand for hydrogen. Through securing the right investments, Africa will expand its hydrogen market and has the ability to help other regions meet demand of the resource.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Week (AEW).

About AEW 2022:

AEW 2022 is the AEC's annual conference, exhibition and networking event. AEW 2022 unites African energy stakeholders with investors and international partners to drive industry growth and development and promote Africa as the destination for energy investments. For sales related enquiries please contact sales@AEW2021.com.

Download image: https://bit.ly/3wn2nSX

04.05.2022 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.



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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Gratomic Inc. ("Gratomic", "GRAT," or the "Company") (TSXV:GRAT)(OTCQX:CBULF)(FSE:CB82) announces that the Company has commenced a trenching program on the Jacobina Graphite Project. The Company signed a Definitive Agreement to acquire the Jacobina Project and the Igrapiuna Project as announced in its Press Release dated April 12, 2022 available HERE. As part of its due diligence review of the property, work on the first trench has started and final results will be reviewed prior to conducting additional trenching. This initial trench proved that the property is highly prospective for graphite mineralization. The project is located in the Bahia State of Brazil, with the Company having the right to acquire a 100% controlling interest in the property subject to a due diligence review of the property, regulatory approval, and the satisfaction of standard conditions for a transaction of this nature.

Table 1: Trench completed to date on the Jacobina Project in Brazil (WGS84 UTM 24S).

NAME X Y Z AZIMUTH DIP EOH JAT001 8760486 343743 425 285 0 121

The first batch of its trench assays from the Jacobina Project has been received from SGS Geosol in Brazil which included the following:

17 assays, which includes one internal Certified Reference Material

Table 2: Table 2 highlights intervals from the first trench on the Jacobina Project in Brazil (1 % TGC cut-off grade and 3 % minimum TGC grade used). More detailed information of the assay results from the first trench is set out in Table 3 below. Internal QA/QC was performed by Gratomic inserting one Certified Reference Material (CRM), (OREAS 725) which assayed within 97 % of the expected graphitic carbon value of the CRM. The QP therefore accepts the values of the laboratory assays. While the trenche was excavated as close to perpendicular on strike of local litholgies, the dip of each trench cannot be perpendicular on a lithological dip.

DH_Hole DH_From (m) DH_To (m) Length (m) Total Graphitic Carbon (TGC) (%) JAT001 1 19 18 4.58 24 30 6 6.23 49 59 10 6.63 61 78 17 8.34 89 95 6 5.31 104 110 6 6.21 115 120 5 4.62

SGS Geosol's graphitic carbon assay methods and equipment include the LECO carbon-sulphur analyzer and high temperature combustion infrared detection. During this procedure, the carbon in the sample is converted to carbon dioxide CO2, which is then measured by infrared (IR) detectors.

The tables below present all Total Graphitic Carbon (TGC) (%) assay results obtained so far from the Jacobina Property.

Table 3: Graphitic carbon assays from the first trenche completed on the Jacobina project in Brazil. Trenches were sampled according to visual grade estimation in three meter increments in horizontal continuous sections on the trench walls. Where visual grade was regarded as continuous, sampling was completed up to a maximum of 9 m increments. Internal QA/QC was performed by Gratomic inserting one Certified Reference Material (CRM), (OREAS 725) which assayed within 97 % of the expected graphitic carbon value of the CRM. The QP therefore accepts the values of the laboratory assays. While the trenches were excavated as close to perpendicular on strike of local litholgies, the dip of each trench cannot be perpendicular on a lithological dip.

TRENCH # FROM (m) TO (m) INTERVAL (m) SAMPLE # TGC (%) JAT001 1 10 9 6270 4.39 10 13 3 6271 4.87 13 16 3 6272 4.18 16 19 3 6273 5.23 24 30 6 6274 6.23 49 52 3 6275 7.15 52 55 3 6276 7.49 55 59 4 6277 5.59 61 71 10 6278 9.79 71 78 7 6279 6.26 89 95 6 6280 5.31 104 107 3 6281 7.36 107 110 3 6282 5.05 110 115 5 6283 2.87 115 116 1 6284 5.65 116 120 4 6285 4.36

The Jacobina property sits approximately 30km from the Capim Grosso property, and once fully developed, will likely be utilized as an additional material source for the processing plant intended to be built at Capim Grosso.

Qualified Persons

Nico Scholtz is a consulting geologist and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release. Mr. Scholtz is a registered Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (Pr. Sci. Nat. No. 400299/07). Mr. Scholtz is the Company's "Qualified Person" as defined by NI 43-101.

About Gratomic

Gratomic is a multinational company with projects in Namibia, Brazil, and Canada. The Company is focused on becoming a leading global graphite supplier and aims to secure a strong position in the EV (Electric Vehicle) battery supply chain. With the continued development of its flagship Aukam project and further exploration on the Company's Capim Grosso property, Gratomic sets itself apart by seeking out unique top-quality assets around the world. True to its roots, the Company will continue to explore graphite opportunities displaying potential for development. The Company ranked third place in the top 10 preforming mining stocks on the 2022 TSX Venture 50.

Large quantities of high-quality vein graphite have been shipped for testing to confirm its viability as an anode material. Gratomic is confident that the test results will provide a unique competitive advantage in its desired target markets. The Company will continue to update the public on the status of these tests and will provide results as soon as they become available.

The Company has formed a collaboration agreement with Forge Nano. With its patented ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) coating, this cooperation with Forge Nano is a key element to support Gratomic's strategies towards the value-added phases of production of graphite for anode applications, namely micronization, spheronization and coating, making Gratomic graphite a preferred choice for use in lithium-ion batteries.

For more information: visit the website at www.gratomic.ca or contact:

Arno Brand at abrand@gratomic.ca or (416) 561- 4095

Subscribe at gratomic.ca/contact/ to be added to our email list.

For Marketing and Media information, please email: info@gratomic.ca

"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 Statements:

This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com )

SOURCE: Gratomic Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700043/Gratomic-Provides-Trenching-Update-on-Jacobina-Graphite-Project
Lochem, 4 May 2022

ForFarmers convenes Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders on 23 June 2022

ForFarmers N.V. announces that the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders will be held) under Investors / General Meeting of Shareholders.

Note to the editor / For additional information:

Caroline Vogelzang, Director Investor Relations

T: 0031 573 288 194 M: 0031 6 10 94 91 61

E: caroline.vogelzang@forfarmers.eu

Company profile

ForFarmers N.V. ('ForFarmers', Lochem, the Netherlands) is an internationally operating feed company that offers total feed solutions for conventional and organic livestock farming. ForFarmers gives its very best "For the Future of Farming": for the continuity of farming and for a financially secure sector that will continue to serve society for generations to come in a sustainable way. By working side-by-side with farmers ForFarmers delivers real benefits: better returns, healthier livestock and greater efficiency. This is achieved by offering tailored and Total Feed solutions and a targeted approach with specialist and expert support.

With sales of around 10 million tonnes of feed, ForFarmers is market leader in Europe. ForFarmers has approximately 2,500 employees and is active in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom. In 2021, revenues amounted to approximately 2.7 billion. ForFarmers N.V. is listed at Euronext Amsterdam.

ForFarmers N.V., Postbus 91, 7240 AB Lochem, T: +31, www.forfarmersgroup.eu/en .




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Tupperware Brands Corp. (TUP), a consumer products company, announced Wednesday that today that Mariela Matute will become the new Chief Financial Officer, effective May 24. Matute will assume the position of CFO from Sandra Harris, who has been dually serving as both Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. She is currently serving as CFO of Calavo Growers (CVGW), an avocado distribution and fresh foods processing company. Matute will join Tupperware with more than 20 years in various finance roles spanning the technology, consumer and manufacturing sectors. Prior to Calavo, Matute was CFO of Amazon Business. Prior roles include finance leadership positions at Driscoll's Inc., The Chia Co., Henkel and Proctor & Gamble. 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.
Asteroid Mining Corporation Ltd. (AMC) has closed a pre-seed round with Spanish company E2IN2 S.A.

The funding enables AMC to develop the Space Capable Asteroid Robotic Explorers (SCAR-E) programme in partnership with Tohoku University Space Robotics Laboratory (SRL).

SCAR-E will be capable of facilitating asteroid, planetary and lunar exploration and mining operations, as well as in-orbit asset maintenance.

The robot will also be commercially available across a range of terrestrial industries.

London, United Kingdom and Madrid, Spain and Sendai, Japan--(Newsfile Corp. - May 4, 2022) - Asteroid Mining Corporation Ltd. (AMC) secured an undisclosed pre-seed round from E2IN2 S.A. in October and has partnered with Tohoku University Space Robotics Laboratory (SRL) to develop the Space Capable Asteroid Robotic Explorers (SCAR-E) programme.





SCAR-E on an asteroid



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SCAR-E is being designed to open up the exploration of the Solar System, in line with current trends in the launch services market, with a low cost, highly functional, walking and climbing robot. Scalable up to 10x its initial size, SCAR-E will be capable of facilitating asteroid, planetary and lunar exploration and mining operations, as well as in-orbit asset maintenance i.e. spacewalking/EVAs.

The versatile, rugged robot will be available for commercial use across a range of destinations both on Earth and throughout the Solar System. Strong terrestrial beachhead markets include critical infrastructure inspection, nuclear decommission, remote sensing, disaster relief and search & rescue: reducing human exposure to hostile environments.

Mitch Hunter-Scullion, CEO and founder of AMC, states: "We are pleased to be partnered with E2IN2 and SRL on this exciting new mission to boldly send privately funded robotic platforms further throughout our Solar System than ever before. A new era is dawning in our relationship with our cosmic backyard, one which offers the opportunity to radically shift our global economy into a more environmentally friendly and socially just world through an increase in the supply of Platinum Group Metals, vital ingredients in the development of a new infrastructure based around hydrogen fuel cells. We welcome the opportunity to work with partners across the Earth in our efforts to build a brighter, more prosperous and sustainable future. In this increasingly fraught and unpredictable geopolitical era, space mining will allow nations to secure their own supply of critical resources."

"We are glad to support AMC, in line with E2IN2's commitment to promote the exploration of outer space," Valentin de Torres-Solanot, CEO of E2IN2, said in a statement. "Space mining is a very interesting field and boosting private initiatives at an early stage is crucial for its growth."

Director of SRL, Professor Yoshida, commented, "The partnership with AMC gives us a clear goal for our technology development, and great opportunities to contribute to the sustainability of our future with off-world resources."

About Asteroid Mining Corporation

AMC, founded in 2016, is the UK's first space mining enterprise, an aerospace company on a mission to exploit the potential of an off-Earth commercial market. Currently focussed on the prospecting and exploration stages, it ultimately aims to extract, process and utilise the materials embedded within some of the millions of Near Earth and Main Belt Asteroids.

About E2IN2

E2IN2, which stands for "Entrepreneurship and Innovation squared," is a Spanish company that supports projects that generate considerable economic and social value. E2IN2 also develops B2B technology solutions, such as AKIHI.

About Space Robotics Laboratory

Located in Sendai, Japan, as part of the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Tohoku University, SRL is dedicated to the research and development of robotic systems for space science and exploration missions. Assistant Professor Mickael Laine is leading the collaborative activities between SRL and AMC.

Contact

Elijah Puscas | Head of Investor Relations

Asteroid Mining Corporation Limited

E-mail: investment@asteroidminingcorporation.co.uk

Website: https://AsteroidMiningCorporation.co.uk/

Ana Alvarez de la Iglesia | Communications Officer

E2IN2 S.A.

E-mail: communication@e2in2.com

Website: https://e2in2.com





Asteroid Mining Corporation Ltd. (AMC), E2IN2 S.A., Tohoku University Space Robotics Laboratory (SRL)



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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121870
Company now recognized by Gartner as a Representative Vendor in the MSS, MDR and recognized Vendor in SASE spaces

Open Systems, the only cybersecurity services provider with Mission Control, today announced that it has been listed as one of 40 Representative Vendors in the 2022 Gartner Market Guide for Managed Security Services1 (MSS).

The latest Gartner Market Guide for MSS outlines an updated market definition and description, market direction and analysis, and recommendations for organizations looking to invest in MSS. Most notably, the research states, "Security and risk management (SRM) leaders should focus on the specific security needs of their business when approaching security service providers, looking specifically at the individual markets for MDR, vulnerability assessment (VA) and incident response (IR)."

"We are honored to be listed as a Representative Vendor in the Gartner Market Guide for Managed Security Services," said Dave Martin, vice president of MDR for Open Systems. "Of this list, we believe Open Systems is one of a handful who can claim cybersecurity as its primary business."

In addition to Open Systems' inclusion in the Gartner Market Guide for MSS, the company has also been consecutively listed as a Representative Vendor in the Gartner Market Guide for Managed Detection and Response Services (MDR) in 20212 and 20203 and was recognized in the 2021 Gartner Best Security Practices for SD-WAN4 report as one of the "eight vendors that can deliver secure access service edge (SASE) solutions with all functions."

"We believe Gartner naming Open Systems as a Representative Vendor in the MSS and MDR Market Guides and recognizing us for having a complete SASE solution is an acknowledgement of the breadth and depth Open Systems cybersecurity expertise offers to organizations," added Martin. "Enterprise demand for MSS, MDR and SASE services is on the rise as organizations strive to improve their security postures to protect themselves in the increasingly evolving threat environment. Our proven approach extends beyond merely detecting and responding to alerts; we focus on outcomes, partnering with organizations to execute against their mission of mitigating threats and reducing risk."

Open Systems Managed Security Services

Open Systems believes a comprehensive and tailored cybersecurity approach is essential to protect an organization's most critical assets. Our MDR+ and SASE+ services with Mission Control combines certified experts, exemplary processes, and seamless technology to deliver 24x7 security and connectivity protection specialized to an organization's environment and overall business.

Open Systems MDR+

Open Systems SASE+

[1] Gartner, "Market Guide for Managed Security Services," Pete Shoard, Mitchell Schneider, John Collins, Al Price, March 16, 2022

[2] Gartner, "Market Guide for Managed Detection and Response Services," Pete Shoard, Craig Lawson, Mitchell Schneider, John Collins, Mark Wah, Andrew Davies, October 25, 2021

[3] Gartner, "Market Guide for Managed Detection and Response Services," Toby Bussa, Kelly Kavanagh, Pete Shoard, John Collins, Craig Lawson, Mitchell Schneider, August 26, 2020

[4] Gartner, "Best Security Practices for SD-WAN," Bjarne Munch, Craig Lawson, June 23, 2021

Additional Resources

Blog: We're on a Mission: Separating MDR Contenders from Pretenders

Blog: Gartner Recognizes Open Systems as One of Eight Vendors with Complete SASE Solutions

Press release: Open Systems is Named by Gartner in its 2020 Market Guide for Managed Detection and Response Services

Press release: Open Systems is Named a Sample Vendor in the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Category in Three Gartner Hype Cycle Reports for 2020

Connect With Open Systems

LinkedIn

Twitter

Gartner Disclaimer

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's Research Advisory organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

About Open Systems

Open Systems delivers cybersecurity beyond expectations. Our award-winning managed detection and response (MDR) and secure access service edge (SASE) services connect and protect customers today, while increasing their security maturity for tomorrow. Our Mission Control SOCs and NOCs provide 24x7 global coverage for nearly 10,000 locations across 184 countries. As a five-time Microsoft Gold Partner, we help customers better grasp and reduce their attack surface by unlocking the value of their security investments. With our outstanding 97% retention rate, it's no wonder our customers call it crazy good cybersecurity. Discover more at open-systems.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005201/en/

Contacts:

Open Systems

Courtney Cantwell

512.585.0849

mediarelations@open-systems.com

Bospar

Matt Culbertson

PRforOpenSystems@bospar.com
PORTLAND, OR / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / LeadsRx customer Hybrid Media Services, an agency specializing in brand marketing and direct response advertising, has helped its clients experience a 27% percent increase in marketing performance due to its advertising strategies as measured by LeadsRx marketing analytics technology.

Hybrid Media is the leading agency buying audio advertising in the United States and it is the specialty agency that advertising agencies turn to support their clients' radio, podcasting and other audio advertising campaign needs. It has been using LeadsRx Attribution and LeadsRx Journey for 4 years as part of the marketing performance measurement services it provides to its advertising clients.

2022 marks Hybrid Media 15th year in business and it has built extensive expertise in the media buying industry in that time. Its expertise in audio advertising gives clients more bang for their ad dollars, gives them access to some incredible deals on audio campaigns and especially in purchasing remnant advertising, which is a golden opportunity for brands to cost effectively connect with prospective customers in specific industries.

Hybrid Media Uses LeadsRx to Solve Performance Measurement Challenge for Ad Clients

Hybrid Media uses LeadsRx along with other tools to identify what is working for clients' audio ads and ad campaigns. It can get detailed insights into what stations are working or not working in specific markets, what day parts are outperforming other day parts, what stations are working Monday through Friday but maybe they're not working on the weekends. This makes it possible to change up Hybrid Media's media buying system so its account leads can provide the best return on ad spend (ROAS) for clients and deliver the desired return on their marketing investment.

"With LeadsRx, Hybrid Media Services is able to show brand companies how their audio ads perform at a very granular level," said Calvin Lathan, Director of Business Insight and Intelligence, Hybrid Media Services. "The attribution tools and software give us insights into specific markets, stations, days, day parts, among other analytic details to provide brands with the best bang for their ad dollars, drive awareness and increase sales."

Hybrid Media is buying upwards of hundreds of spots a day across various markets and stations for clients. It uses LeadsRx to analyze audio ads on a local or national level to in turn show clients the specific web lift and web traffic data from when spots air. Brands and their businesses benefit from knowing what is and is not working.

"I always like to have at least two pieces of creative running at a time and do some A/B testing since it's crucial to make changes for the client. You don't want a message to be stale, or you don't want a message to be known so long that when someone hears it, it just goes in one ear and out the other," said Lathan. "You want to be able to adapt the creative to stay fresh, memorable and result in a positive outcome for the client."

Customer Success - Hybrid Media Services Boosts Loan Industry Client's Business

With one Hybrid Media client, a loan lender, Lathan set up 15 different conversions for each type of loan and application the loan company had available for prospective customers. It allowed Lathan and his creative team to change up the creative based on what LeadsRx Attribution data was reporting as the various ads appeared. At one point the data showed there was significant web lift occurring with traffic going to the business loan website. Then at a different time of day Lathan saw more lift occurring on the line of credit landing page.

Based on these insights from LeadsRx, Lathan worked with the Hybrid Media creative team to adjust the ad creative to boost conversions for the business loan and line of credit creative to increase web lift by 68 percent, with conversions on the landing pages increasing by 560 percent.

There are a number of takeaways Lathan says such data provides, "The LeadsRx performance data really helps us to adapt our creative on the fly to match the traffic to those landing pages. We use the data internally for every aspect of the buying and the creative process as well as to show clients how well creative and campaigns are performing."

"LeadsRx has definitely helped us retain clients as well as helped us to pitch and win clients who maybe never thought about getting into the radio world," said Lathan. "At the end of the day, I want everything to work together to provide the best results for the clients. LeadsRx gives us the ability to filter through all of channels where ads appear to give the proper credit for an attribution for what radio ads are bringing in."

For more information on the Hybrid Media Services success story with LeadsRx tune into the LeadsRx Attribution Marketing Podcast #50 "Calvin Lathan from Hybrid Media Services on Measuring Radio and Podcast Advertising for Performance" and the LeadsRx blog "Marketing Analytics: Getting a Charge out of Helping Advertisers Excel."

For more information about Hybrid Media Services visit https://hybridmediaservices.com/, email info@hybridadv.com or call (800) HMS-5005.

For more on LeadsRx Attribution and LeadsRx Journey software visit leadsrx.com.

About LeadsRx

Guided by an ethos of impartiality, consumer privacy, and quality first-party data, LeadsRx provides SaaS software and services that has helped marketers at more than 5,000 global and local brands and agencies increase customer acquisition efficiency, grow lifetime value, and identify wasted ad spend. The LeadsRx foundational technology is its unique Universal Pixel that has collected more than 2 billion personas for anonymous individuals - not personal identities, but the characteristics or demographic attributes that make up the type of customer or customers represented by their digital experience across devices, browsers, and apps. LeadsRx is an Unbounce company. To learn more about how LeadsRx can support you in marketing transformation visit LeadsRx.com. Connect with LeadsRx on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

For more information

Jeff Fishburn

Fishburn PR for LeadsRx

jeff@fishburnpr.com

SOURCE: LeadsRx

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/699999/LeadsRx-Customer-Success-Story-Hybrid-Media-Services-Clients-Experience-27-Increase-in-Advertising-Effectiveness-as-Measured-by-LeadsRx
Following a positive formal decision by OECD Forum for Harmful Tax Practices, Bermuda anticipates removal from EU's Annex II

HAMILTON, Bermuda, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In November 2021, the OECD's Forum for Harmful Tax Practices (FHTP) issued Bermuda with an urgent recommendation to initiate certain exchanges of information relating to economic substance. These exchanges were completed in December 2021, fulfilling the recommendation well in advance of its April 2022 deadline.

In February 2022, the European Union's Code of Conduct Group (COCG) welcomed Bermuda's cooperation and its actions in addressing the recommendation from the FHTP. However, at the time, the COCG took the view that, pending a formal decision by the FHTP at its next scheduled meeting in April 2022, the Group would include Bermuda's commitment to address the recommendation in Annex II.

The Ministry of Finance can advise that at the 56th meeting of the FHTP held on April 21st and 22nd, delegates formally concluded, in respect to Bermuda, that the recommendation relating to the exchange of information be removed. This confirms that Bermuda has now satisfied the condition imposed by the COCG for removal from Annex II.

Consequently, it is the Ministry's expectation that Bermuda will be removed from Annex II in October 2022.

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Paramedical Providers bring Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) to Community Care

News in Summary

Peterborough County is the third Paramedical Provider to sign with Cloud DX

Paramedicine providers using RPM improve response rates, reduce hospital admissions, and improve community health

Emergency and Paramedicine teams leverage government funding to implement RPM programs

KITCHENER, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Cloud DX (TSXV:CDX) (OTC:CDXFF) announces it will support the Peterborough County/City Community Paramedic team with its Connected Health solution for remote patient monitoring. The Peterborough Paramedic service prides itself on providing its citizens and visitors with the best care possible, which now adds Cloud DX's Virtual Care platform and devices. Per the 24 month contract, the County will purchase 200 Connected Health kits and subsequent software subscription fees for connectivity and patient support. Peterborough County is funding its RPM program through an Ontario government grant under the Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care program.

Peterborough County is the third Ontario Paramedical provider to onboard Cloud DX Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), in the last month. Like others, the county will use the Cloud DX platform and devices to monitor community members' vital signs at home, enabling quicker action and improving response times if a user's metric is out of range. Bringing RPM into the community improves user lifestyles, promotes aging in place, and adds more dignity to care. Research shows that RPM also lowers hospital admissions and re-admissions by 5%, a significant improvement that can address hallway medicine, growing surgical backlogs, and alleviate system burdens.

Craig Jones, Commander of Peterborough County's Emergency Management and Operational states: "With our remote patient monitoring program we expect to reduce potentially avoidable Emergency Department (ED) utilization as well as a reduction in unnecessary hospital admissions and readmission. It will enable our ability to support those awaiting Long Term Care admission and allow us to support patients and care providers in allowing our clients stay well at home. The Cloud DX solution will allow our Paramedics to focus on being clinicians, while the Cloud DX team will support non-clinical processes."

Anthony Kaul, COO and co-founder at Cloud DX, shared what this means for the industry. "Cloud DX powers patient monitoring in hospitals and clinics across North America. Now, Peterborough County brings Cloud DX into the community. Using our Connected Health solution, Peterborough Paramedic teams will improve the lives of community members: from supporting those with chronic conditions, conducting in-person hospital discharge follow-up after, checking on those managing COVID at home, or support individuals awaiting a bed in long-term care."

About Cloud DX

Accelerating virtual healthcare, Cloud DX is on a mission to make healthcare better for everyone. Our Connected Health TM remote patient monitoring platform is used by healthcare enterprises and care teams across North America to virtually manage chronic disease, enable aging in place, and deliver hospital-quality post-surgical care in the home. Our partners achieve better healthcare and patient outcomes, reduce the need for hospitalization or re-admission, and reduce healthcare delivery costs through more efficient use of resources. Cloud DX is the co-winner of the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE, a 2021 Edison Award winner, a Fast Company "World Changing Idea" finalist, and was named a "New Innovator 2022" by Canadian Business magazine. Cloud DX is an exclusive virtual care partner to Medtronic Canada and Equitable Life.

Cloud DX Investor Site https://ir.clouddx.com/overview/default.aspx

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.

Social Links

Twitter https://twitter.com/CloudDX

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/clouddxinc/

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/cloud-dx/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cloud.dx/

For media inquiries please contact:

Janine Scott

Marketing Lead

888-543-0944

janine.scott@CloudDX.com

For investor inquiries please contact:

Jay Bedard

Cloud DX Investor Relations

647-881-8418

jay.bedard@CloudDX.com

SOURCE: Cloud DX Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700094/Cloud-DX-Signs-Third-Paramedical-Service-Provider-with-Peterborough-County-Paramedics
Active Testing allows businesses to prevent attacks and reduce vulnerabilities with every release

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Noname Security , the leading API security company, today announced the launch of its Active Testing solution within the Noname API Security Platform. Active Testing is purpose-built to address specific application programming interface (API) challenges and enable organizations to adopt a 'shift left' approach to API security testing.

Active Testing allows businesses to stop vulnerabilities before they reach production and innovate faster without compromising security. With Active Testing, organizations can continuously refine and strengthen their API security posture and reduce the risk of damaging breaches.

APIs are critical to business transformation and lie at the heart of corporate strategies for growth and innovation. However, they also represent a considerable security risk. Traditional controls like API gateways and web application firewalls (WAFs) leave APIs vulnerable to targeted attacks or malicious abuse, making them a top attack vector for web applications. Attacks that cause data breaches or compromise performance can lead to regulatory fines, reputational damage, and lost revenue.

As a result, API security should be a priority for every organization, but until now the tools available have failed to address vulnerabilities pre-production.

Noname Security's Active Testing solution shrinks the API attack surface by ensuring vulnerabilities are detected before they reach production. It alerts developers instantly to business logic vulnerabilities, like the OWASP API Top 10, and its tests and simulations are based on real business logic, not fuzzing. This ensures a high degree of accuracy and relevance and minimizes false positives. Developers can deliver secure code without having to become security experts, and use APIs with confidence.

Vulnerability remediation is accelerated, and security bottlenecks are removed, through the ability to integrate Active Testing with existing developer, IT, and security workflows and service management tools including ServiceNow, Jira, and Slack.

The cost of remediating vulnerabilities is dramatically reduced when they are detected and fixed earlier in the software development life cycle (SDLC), while addressing them before they reach production allows the business to reduce expenditure on penetration testing and other third-party testing services. Further, the solution's advanced testing automation capabilities mean it can be seamlessly integrated into existing CI/CD systems, improving API security posture without interrupting the pace of innovation.

Advanced customization powers tailored API security testing programs

Customization is essential to fast and effective API security testing. Active Testing lets organizations easily create test suites that align with specific business objectives, with role-based access controls to ensure only authorized personnel can access APIs for testing. Active Testing also enables APIs to be grouped by business line, applications, teams, or any other parameter, allowing developers to align their development process with business needs. Similarly, Active Testing can be run in any environment, from testing and lab environments to staging.

Active Testing delivers unmatched coverage, with the ability to automatically run more than 100 dynamic tests that simulate malicious traffic. Test behavior can be adjusted, and severity tailored, to accurately replicate the organization's live environment and real-world threats. Developers can also compare Swagger files to understand conformity to the original specification and how the API has evolved.

The solution is quick to implement, delivering rapid time-to-value. This is a critical advantage compared to the typical time it can take to implement, test, and deploy runtime protections and remediation integrations for the production environment. These may take months to configure effectively, while a successful vulnerability exploit takes only seconds. Removing vulnerabilities before they reach production eliminates this risk and is a powerful tool to transform the integrity of an organization's code base.

"Businesses need to be able to realize the power of APIs without compromising on development speed or security," said Shay Levi, Co-Founder and CTO at Noname Security. "Our Active Testing solution enables dynamic API security testing within existing development pipelines, detecting issues early in the software development life cycle where they are easier and far less costly to fix. It is highly customizable and automated, testing with the rigor and intensity the business requires without burdening developers with additional steps or requiring them to become security experts."

"Unlike traditional tools, our solution understands business logic, allowing the development of purpose-built tests that deliver highly accurate and relevant results. Active Testing is revolutionary for organizations aiming to shift left with API security testing and prevent damaging breaches."

Noname's Active Testing solution is available as SaaS or on-premise, providing ultimate flexibility according to the preferences of each customer.

About Noname Security

Noname Security is the only company taking a complete, proactive approach to API Security. Noname works with 20% of the Fortune 500 and covers the entire API security scope across three pillars - Posture Management, Runtime Security, and API Security Testing. Noname Security is privately held, remote-first with headquarters in California, and offices in Tel Aviv and Amsterdam.

Media Contacts

EMEA
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Camino Corp. (TSX.V:COR)(OTC PINK:CAMZF)(WKN:A116E1) ("Camino" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has executed an agreement with AK Drilling International S.A. ("AK"), a Peru-based drilling company, to commence 1,500 metres of core drilling at its Los Chapitos copper project near the coastal town of Chala in Arequipa Department, Peru ("Los Chapitos"). Mobilization to the site is scheduled for May 15, 2022.

Exploration drilling at the new high-grade copper targets at the Lourdes-Condori Zones is in a newly permitted area that has not been previously drilled (see Lourdes Introduction Video here). The Lourdes-Condori drill targets are centered around near-surface high-grade oxidized copper outcrops that are potential extensions of the structurally controlled mineralization reported at the Adriana and Carlotta zones along the 8 km Diva fault trend (see news release dated February 7, 2022).

Picture 1. Road building in the new Lourdes-Condori drilling areas of the Los Chapitos copper project.

About Camino Minerals Corporation

Camino is a discovery and development stage copper exploration company. The Company is focused on advancing its high-grade Los Chapitos copper project located in Peru towards potential resource delineation and new discoveries. Camino is also permitting its recently acquired Maria Cecilia copper porphyry project towards a planned exploration drilling program in 2022. In addition, the Company has increased its land position at its copper and silver Plata Dorada project. The Company seeks to acquire a portfolio of advanced copper assets that have the potential to deliver copper into an electrifying copper intensive global economy. For more information, please refer to Camino's website at www.caminocorp.com.

Jose Bassan MAusIMM (CP) 227922, MSc. Geologist, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this document. Mr. Bassan has reviewed and verified relevant data supporting the technical disclosure, including sampling and analytical test data.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD For further information, please contact: /S/ "Jay Chmelauskas" Camino Investor Relations President and CEO info@caminocorp.com Tel: (604) 493-2058

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: Certain disclosures in this release constitute forward-looking information. In making the forward-looking disclosures in this release, the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking information in the release includes the completion and results of the drill program at Los Chapitos, including the prospectivity of the Lourdes=Condori Zones. Although the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking information in this release is subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Such risk factors include, among others, that actual results of the Company's exploration activities will be different than those expected by management, that the Company will be unable to obtain or will experience delays in obtaining any required approvals and the state of equity and commodity markets. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and expressly 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.

SOURCE: Camino Minerals Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700053/Camino-Signs-Drilling-Contract-for-its-New-Permitted-Copper-Exploration-Targets-at-Los-Chapitos-Peru
ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Supernova Energy, Inc. (OTC PINK:SPRN) ("SUPERNOVA" or the "Company") today, announces the launch of its new corporate website, www.SuperKLIR.com.

"Earlier this year we announced a diversification plan to enter the greenhouse mitigation space and have formed a new subsidiary KLIR SKY, Ltd. ("KLIR") to develop and launch a revolutionary system to bring about a new era of clean emissions from industrial smokestack polluters." said Chief Executive Officer, Nicholas Upchurch. "Our new website reflects this new direction and focus as the Company moves away from the oil and gas sector."

As the Company increases it presence, SuperKLIR.com will evolve into an all-encompassing, website to be a complete source of current information detailing its corporate activities, news and more. As the site develops it will also include Vlogs and blogs from its CEO Nicholas Upchurch and other team members, allowing investors to get a deeper look into the development of KLIR and other notable events.

The Company is committed to using KLIR's Pollution Reduction as a Service ("PRaaS") to be a solution to the world's climate change and greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions problem. Its PRaaS uses revolutionary technology to collect, liquefy and process the harmful GHG's emitted by industrial smokestacks into usable forms. KLIR then sells the processed liquefied gas. The result is possible net zero emissions for our customers that can now claim excess carbon credits by reducing their carbon footprint while contributing to a future of clean air.

The Company looks forward to sharing updates both through its regular channels as well as the new website.

About Supernova Energy, Inc.

Supernova Energy, Inc. (OTC PINK:SPRN) is an American-based publicly traded company that has a new business focus of greenhouse gas mitigation through its majority owned subsidiary KLIR Sky, Ltd. ("KLIR"). SPRN also has assets in the oil and gas production and exploration industry, with key holdings in Kentucky. In 2022, the Company implemented a diversification plan that resulted in the focus on KLIR. (www.klirsky.com)

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The foregoing contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend for these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the federal securities laws relating to forward-looking statements. This release contains forward-looking statements that reflect Supernova Energy Inc., plans, and expectations. In this press release and related comments by Company management, words like "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "goal," and similar expressions are used to identify forward-looking statements, representing management's current judgment and expectations about possible future events. Management believes these forward-looking statements and the judgments upon which they are based to be reasonable, but they are not guarantees of future performance and involve numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance, achievements, or financial position to be materially different from any expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements are outlined in our quarterly and annual reports.

CONTACT:

Nicholas Upchurch

Supernova Energy, Inc. - SPRN

Chief Executive Officer

info@superklir.com

SOURCE: Supernova Energy, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700056/Supernova-Energy-Inc-Announces-New-Corporate-Website
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Goldrea Resources Corp. ("Goldrea" or the "Company") (CSE:GOR), (FSE:GOJ), (OTC PINK:GORAF) will be conducting a non-brokered private placement of 12,000,000 flow-through units ("FT Units") at $0.06 each and 10,000,000 non-flow-through units ("Units") at $0.04 each.

Each FT Unit will consist of one flow-through common share and one-half of a common share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant of a FT Unit entitles the holder to purchase one (non flow-through) common share at $0.08 per share during the two years following the warrant's issuance. Each Unit of the will be comprised of one common share and one-half of a common share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant of a Unit entitles the holder to purchase one common share at $0.06 per share during the two years following the warrant's issuance. The gross proceeds will be used to fund IP surveys and diamond drilling on the Company's Cannonball Property in northern BC's Golden Triangle and for administrative expenses. All securities issued under the private placements will be subject to a four-month hold. A finder's fee may be paid in connection with the financing.

Jim Elbert, President and CEO of Goldrea, comments: "In our March 7, 2022 press release we summarized our exploration results and informed shareholders that the 188+/- 2 MA age date reported by Enduro Metals (from felsic intrusive rocks 5 kilometers north of our claims) was the first independent confirmation that our targets are in the same rocks that host many of the well-known copper gold deposits of BC's Golden Triangle. Goldrea has also received confirmation from consultant Andy Randell (SGDS Hive) that, in addition to the age date published by Enduro, there is published data that shows there are Triassic aged rocks (Stuhini Group) and Jurassic aged rocks in qualified proximity to our claims. Jeff Kyba, a former geologist with the BC Government theorized that the contact between Triassic aged rocks and the Jurassic rocks is a key marker for copper gold mineralization in the Golden Triangle. His theory explains why most of the area's deposits are found within 2 kilometers of this contact which Kyba called "The Red Line". [www.mining.com/web/golden-triangles-red-line] SGDS Hive's newly established data clearly suggests Goldrea's identified targets are within this structure.

While results of our planned drill programs will be the final judgement of the targets, we feel at this point there are no better potential targets in this prolific zone than what our independent geologists have reported. The press releases and links referenced in our March 7, 2022 press release and a visit to our website, www.goldrea.com, provide a good overview of the Cannonball project the results of our work to date."

The technical contents of this release were approved by Carl von Einsiedel, P.Geo., a non independent Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

For more information, please contact:

James Elbert, President and CEO

Telephone: (604) 559-7230

Email: jelbert@goldrea.com

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain "forward-looking statements", which are statements about the future based on current expectations or beliefs. For this purpose, statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate or true. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law.

SOURCE: Goldrea Resources Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700040/Goldrea-Announces-Private-Placements-Plans-Golden-Triangle-Work-Program
ShipBob opens latest fulfillment center to provide easy shipping across the European Union, reduce international shipping costs and transit times

ShipBob, the leading omnifulfillment platform for small and medium-sized businesses, today announced its first fulfillment center in Central Europe, located in Poland, just one hour from the German border, in the city of Gorzow Wielkopolski, is now live and shipping orders.

In today's convenience economy, the new location the first in mainland Europe will enable ecommerce businesses around the world to thrive throughout the European Union by addressing their customers' expectations of fast, affordable shipping.

"We are thrilled to announce the opening of our Poland fulfillment center," said Dhruv Saxena, CEO and co-founder of ShipBob. "At ShipBob, we primarily work with small to medium-sized businesses, many of whom are purpose-driven. We pride ourselves on our ability to work closely with our merchants to ensure their passion projects and products are reaching their consumer base, wherever they may be located. With our Poland fulfillment center, we can now cover most of mainland Europe in a matter of days, enabling our merchants who have gained popularity overseas to meet and exceed the shipping expectations their loyal consumers demand."

With such close proximity to Germany and highly integrated transport routes across the entire European Union, UK, Norway and Switzerland, Poland is the ideal location for ShipBob's most recent fulfillment center.

Existing and new ShipBob customers can utilize the Poland location (and any other ShipBob fulfillment center) through one login, while viewing real-time inventory levels, order information and shipping details across all physical locations and sales channels. This helps to avoid additional customs and duties requirements which can be frustrating for consumers and negatively affect conversion rates. With the fulfillment center strategically located near the border of Germany, ShipBob users can reach Polish and German customers in 1 business day, France in 3 days and Spain in 4 days.

ShipBob works with a combination of domestic and international carriers. This, paired with ShipBob's fulfillment center in the UK offers direct-to-consumer brands a Brexit-proof solution by shipping from both the EU and UK to reach 50% of the European ecommerce market with affordable next-day delivery.

"The European market is really taking off for us, and we've found that the majority of our sales are coming from countries like Germany. We're excited to start shipping from ShipBob's new location in Poland to reduce transit times to Central European customers, which will help us grow even faster," said Wes Brown, Head of Operations at Black Claw. "With ShipBob, we can be a truly global company, even as a small team based in Portland, Oregon!"

Learn more here.

About ShipBob

ShipBob is the leading global omnifulfillment platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses to provide them access to best-in-class supply chain and fulfillment capabilities. The ShipBob platform provides merchants with a single view of their business and customers across all of their sales channels, and enables them to manage products, inventory, orders and shipments, and leverage analytics and reporting to run their business effectively. The company has raised $330.5 million in funding and operates a global logistics network with 30+ fulfillment centers across five countries, including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, European Union and Australia. Learn more by visiting shipbob.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005113/en/

Contacts:

Jack Taylor PR

Mike Kingston

e: shipbob@jacktaylorpr.com

p: 914-619-7714
LUXEMBOURG, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Centralis is pleased to announce the expansion of its current business by welcoming Wheelhouse Advisors to the Group.

Centralis Group is a leading international corporate & fund services provider, offering a full range of services and expertise to its global client base, and has established itself as an industry leader providing a customer-centric tailored service via over 200 highly experienced professionals. The Group is headquartered in Luxembourg, with presence in 13 countries globally.

A strategic partner to the investment management sector, Wheelhouse Advisors supports more than 900 clients globally, with over $130bn of assets under reporting. Specialising in regulatory and prudential management, regulatory reporting, accounting and tax, Wheelhouse Advisors' solutions are designed to reduce risk, improve efficiencies and create value.

Since its management buyout from ACA Group in March 2020, Wheelhouse Advisors has experienced significant growth, building a market-leading competitive position which has been recognised through multiple industry awards. Clients include financial services firms, their principals, and other key professionals from start-ups and spinouts through to established firms, with a key focus on supporting participants in the alternative investments sector with their international expansion objectives and addressing and embedding regulatory change.

The transaction will provide further depth and breadth to Centralis's offering to the Asset Management sector and complements our strategic goal of broadening our client base and our UK presence in this fast-growing market.

Aidan Foley, Chief Executive Officer of the Centralis Group commented:

"We are delighted that Wheelhouse Advisors has chosen to join Centralis and we look forward to welcoming Matthew and his team. This is an important addition to our offering to the Asset Manager community and from a Group perspective this turbo-charges our regulatory compliance capability. I'm sure the specialist skills, expertise and reputation Matthew and the Wheelhouse Advisors team have built will be key components in the Centralis growth story in the coming years".

Matthew Crisp, Chief Executive Officer of the Wheelhouse Advisors commented:

"There is great pride at Wheelhouse Advisors for what we have achieved over the past 2 years; we have launched a new brand, significantly expanded our team and market share, furthered our technological enablement, as well as consistently built on our reputation for quality service delivery and market leading proposition - particularly in relation to the significant changes to prudential regimes in the UK and EU. We are all excited to be joining forces with Centralis for the next stage of the journey. Clients will undoubtedly benefit from access to the broader solutions that we can deploy together, and culturally there is an excellent fit: our businesses share a passion for continuous improvement and innovation, with excellent customer service at the heart of everything we do."
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 4, 2022) - Southern Silver Exploration Corp. (TSXV: SSV) ("Southern Silver") reported today that drilling continues to develop continuity within and extend silver-polymetallic mineralization on the North Felsite and El Sol Targets on the Cerro Las Minitas project, Durango, Mexico.

The North Felsite target is located on the eastern side of the Cerro, approximately 400 metres to the northwest of the La Bocona and Mina Pina shafts, in an area that was not included in the most recent NI43-101 Mineral Resource update on the property. New drilling tested the continuity of mineralization in both the main Ag-Pb-Zn Skarn as well as strongly Au-enriched hanging wall zone.

Drilling highlights from the North Felsite target area include:

a 1.2 metre interval (1.0 metre est. TT.) averaging 1785g/t Ag, 0.5g/t Au, 1.4% Cu, 3.1% Pb and 5.9% Zn (2309g/t AgEq) within a 2.3 metre interval (1.8 metre est. TT.) averaging 1001g/t Ag, 0.3g/t Au, 0.8% Cu, 2.4% Pb and 3.3% Zn (1321g/t AgEq) from drill hole 21CLM-185;

averaging within averaging from drill hole a 1.4 metre interval (1.0 metre est. TT) averaging 5.6g/t Au, 19g/t Ag, 0.3% Pb and 0.1% Zn (495g/t AgEq) from drill hole 22CLM-184; and

averaging and a 0.5 metre interval (0.3 metre est. TT) averaging 302g/t Ag, 0.2g/t Au, 0.5% Cu, 1.1% Pb and 10.7% Zn (830g/t AgEq) within a 8.9 metre interval (6.0 metres est. TT) averaging 117g/t Ag, 0.1% Cu, 1.1% Pb and 1.0% Zn (213g/t AgEq) from drill hole 22CLM-184;

Strong gold-enrichment, up to 5.6g/t Au, is identified in several hangingwall intercepts correlating to zones of mineralization outboard of the more typical, silver-enriched polymetallic mineralization of the main skarn horizon located adjacent to the central monzonite intrusion. Similarly, drilling has demonstrated both continuity within the North Felsite zone and continues to extend the target to depth which can now be traced for up to 250 metres on strike and up to 425 metres below surface. Drilling continues on this target including lateral and down-dip step-outs of this new lens of mineralization which will form the basis of further exploration on the property in 2022.

Drilling resumed on the El Sol claim in early January following earlier reported high-grade intercepts from drill hole 21Sol-003 (3.5m of 932g/t AgEq; see NR-02-22). Two holes were completed down dip of the highlight intercept and returned anomalous values along the target structure. A third hole was completed in the southern part of the claim to test potential extensions of the Blind Zone mineralization and returned no significant values (see Table 1). Eight holes totaling 2,920 metres have now been completed on the El Sol concession in 2021-22.





Figure 1: Plan Map of the Area of the Cerro showing the distribution of the CLM deposits and the location for new drilling, at the North Felsite target.



To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5344/122621_3235df3ea4901811_002full.jpg





Figure 2: Longitudinal Section looking south of the North Felsite target area showing the distribution of Southern Silver's most recent drill holes.



To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5344/122621_3235df3ea4901811_003full.jpg

Table 1: Select Assay Intervals from North Felsite Target Area.

Hole # From To Interval Tr. Thck Ag Au Cu Pb Zn AgEq ZnEq Notes (m) (m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (%) (%) (g/t) (%) CLM - North Felsite Zone 22CLM-182 333.8 351.1 17.3 14.1 55 0.7 0.1 0.4 0.7 162 4.1 North Felsite HW, 53% Dilution inc. 346.5 347.3 0.8 0.7 451 1.1 0.0 2.0 1.2 651 16.5 and inc. 350.7 351.1 0.4 0.3 442 1.2 0.8 2.9 4.0 884 22.4 22CLM-182 497.7 500.9 3.2 2.6 195 0.1 0.1 0.6 2.5 328 8.3 North Felsite Skarn, inc. 499.3 500.9 1.6 1.3 368 0.0 0.1 1.1 3.7 568 14.4 22CLM-183 520.0 520.9 0.9 0.7 51 0.0 0.0 0.7 3.5 211 5.4 North Felsite Skarn 22CLM-183 535.4 538.4 3.0 2.2 85 0.0 0.0 1.6 3.6 278 7.1 North Felsite Skarn inc. 537.7 538.4 0.7 0.5 115 0.1 0.0 2.2 5.7 413 10.5 22CLM-183 570.8 572.2 1.4 1.0 22 0.7 0.3 0.0 0.8 140 3.5 North Felsite Skarn 22CLM-184 378.8 396.3 17.5 11.7 7 1.1 0.0 0.1 0.2 112 2.8 North Felsite HW, inc. 384.5 385.9 1.4 1.0 19 5.6 0.0 0.3 0.1 495 12.5 22CLM-184 413.2 413.6 0.4 0.3 121 0.2 0.1 1.9 6.5 460 11.7 North Felsite Skarn 22CLM-184 418.3 427.3 8.9 6.0 117 0.1 0.1 1.1 1.0 213 5.4 North Felsite Skarn, 44% Dilution inc. 418.3 418.8 0.5 0.3 302 0.2 0.5 1.1 10.7 830 21.0 and inc. 422.2 423.3 1.2 0.8 302 0.2 0.4 2.9 0.7 485 12.3 22CLM-185 377.8 378.7 0.9 0.7 185 0.6 0.1 3.1 0.6 358 9.1 North Felsite HW 22CLM-185 472.2 474.5 2.3 1.8 1001 0.3 0.8 2.4 3.3 1321 33.5 North Felsite Skarn inc. 473.3 474.5 1.2 1.0 1785 0.5 1.4 3.1 5.9 2309 58.6 CLM - El Sol Zone 22SOL-006 136.5 136.9 0.3 11 1.1 0.0 0.4 5.8 345 8.8 22SOL-006 263.1 263.8 0.6 20 0.2 0.0 3.6 0.9 186 4.7 22SOL-007 181.5 184.7 3.3 68 0.1 0.0 0.2 1.1 127 3.2 22SOL-008 NSV NSV NSV NSV NSV NSV NSV NSV NSV NSV

Analyzed by FA/AA for gold and ICP-AES by ALS Laboratories, North Vancouver, BC. Silver (>100ppm), copper, lead and zinc (>1%) overlimits assayed by ore grade ICP analysis, High silver overlimits (>1500g/t Ag) and gold overlimits (>10g/t Au) re-assayed with FA-Grav. High Pb (>20%) and Zn (>30%) overlimits assayed by titration. AgEq and ZnEq were calculated using average metal prices of: US$20/oz silver, US$1650/oz gold, US$3.25/lbs copper and US$0.9/lbs lead and US$1.15/lbs zinc. AgEq and ZnEq calculations did not account for relative metallurgical recoveries of the metals. Ore-grade composites are calculated using a 80g/t AgEq cut-off in sulphide and 0.5g/t AuEq in the oxide gold zone Composites have <20% internal dilution, except where noted; anomalous intercepts are calculated using a 10g/t AgEq cut-off.

New Mexico, USA.

The Company's property portfolio also includes the Oro porphyry copper-gold project and the Hermanas gold-silver vein project located in southern New Mexico, USA.

Drilling continues on a six-hole, 4,000m drill program on the Oro project, designed to test several copper-molybdenum porphyry and copper-gold skarn targets within a broad phyllic alteration zone, interpreted to overlie an unexposed porphyry centre. The first hole is completed and a second in progress; logging and sampling continue with assays pending in the coming weeks.

Initial mapping and sampling of the Hermanas property was completed during the winter. Assays are pending, the results of which will be incorporated into new drill targeting for permitting in 2022. Earlier verification sampling by the company identified anomalous gold and silver in seven of nine samples collected including: a sample from a small historic mine dump that assayed 6.7ppm Au & 150ppm Ag and a sample of outcropping banded quartz + carbonate vein that assayed 4.6ppm Au & 56ppm Ag.

Cerro Las Minitas Project

Southern Silver continues to advance the Cerro Las Minitas project as one of the world's largest undeveloped silver/lead/zinc resources, through advanced exploration, pre-production metallurgical and engineering work, and economic assessment. The CLM Ag-Pb-Zn-Cu Skarn system is well located in southern Durango, Mexico, in a safe jurisdiction, surrounded by producing companies, with easy access and strong community support.

A total of 196 drill holes for 84,872 metres has been completed on the CLM Project with exploration expenditures of over US$30.0 million equating to exploration discovery costs of approximately C$0.09 per AgEq ounce.

About Southern Silver Exploration Corp.

Southern Silver Exploration Corp. is an exploration and development company with a focus on the discovery of world-class mineral deposits. Our specific emphasis is the 100% owned Cerro Las Minitas silver-lead-zinc project located in the heart of Mexico's Faja de Plata, which hosts multiple world-class mineral deposits such as Penasquito, Los Gatos, San Martin, Naica and Pitarrilla. We have assembled a team of highly experienced technical, operational and transactional professionals to support our exploration efforts in developing the Cerro Las Minitas project into a premier, high-grade, silver-lead-zinc mine. The Company engages in the acquisition, exploration and development either directly or through joint-venture relationships in mineral properties in major jurisdictions.

Robert Macdonald, MSc. P.Geo, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and supervised directly the collection of the data from the CLM Project that is reported in this disclosure and is responsible for the presentation of the technical information in this disclosure.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Lawrence Page"

Lawrence Page, Q.C.

President & Director, Southern Silver Exploration Corp.

For further information, please visit Southern Silver's website at https://www.southernsilverexploration.com or contact us at 604.641.2759 or by email at ir@mnxltd.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.

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include the timing and receipt of government and regulatory approvals, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. Southern Silver Exploration Corp. does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122621
Sudbury, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 4, 2022) - Transition Metals Corp (TSXV: XTM) ("Transition", "the Company") is pleased to provide an update on projects it is developing in Newfoundland.

Company CEO Scott McLean commented; "Transition has developed a number of compelling gold and base metal targets and has assembled an appreciable land position in Newfoundland which has become one of the most active exploration regions in Canada. Following our project-generator business model, we are looking for partners who are looking to explore in Newfoundland by advancing these properties.

Maps depicting the location of Transition projects in relation to competitor activity in Newfoundland can be accessed by using the Project Map Links provided by DigiGeoData Ltd. in Table 1 below:

Table 1. Summary of Newfoundland Projects

Project Map Link Commodity Hectares Ownership Comments Duntara Copper 2,450 100% The rocks and copper mineralization of the Bonavista Peninsula show many similarities to other major sediment-hosted copper producing districts

Historic drilling by Noranda in 2001 returned 1.0 % Cu and 12.1 g/t Ag over 14.25m 1

Airborne Mag/VLF survey completed by Transition in 2021 has helped highlight key structures and prospective copper bearing stratigraphy Burin Gold 4,475 100% Recent work has highlighted the potential of the Burin Peninsula to host high-sulphidation epithermal gold systems

Property covers extensions of stratigraphy along strike from large alteration system identified to the northeast on adjacent Burin Gold Corp. claims2 Airborne Mag-VTEM survey is planned this spring Lewisporte Gold 100 100% Undrilled gold occurrences within the Dunnage Zone east of Red Indian Line

Historic sampling from 5 trenches returned a best of 9.3 g Au/t Au over 30 cm with one channel returning 2.8 g/t Au over 3.0 m3. Porterville Gold 375 100% Undrilled gold occurrences within the Dunnage Zone east of Red Indian Line

Historic chip sampling returned 6.99 g/t Au over 1.0 metre from highly silicified gabbro4.

1 Dessureault 2001. 2001 Work Report, Red Cliff Property; Geological Survey of Newfoundland and Labrador Geofile number NFLD_2778

2 Form NI 43-101F1 Technical Report on the Hickey's Pond - Paradise Gold Property, For Burin Gold Corp. November 8, 2021; sedar

3 Dyke, 2007. - Assessment Report - Porterville Project; Geological Survey of Newfoundland and Labrador Geofile number 002E/1546

4 Seymour 2004. Assessment Report - Porterville Project; Geological Survey of Newfoundland and Labrador Geofile number 002E/1368

Additional Information

Duntara Copper Property

The property consists of 2,450 hectares of claims staked by Transition in 2019 on the Bonavista Peninsula, that host widespread Cu mineralization associated with reduced layers of the Blue Point Facies within the Neoproterozoic Musgravetown Group. In July of 2021, the Company completed a high-resolution airborne mag/VLF survey which has defined the mineralized Blue Point horizon as well as structures interpreted to be possible conduits for the copper-enriched mineralizing fluids. The 2021 survey has helped the company develop an exploration model that highlights a potential for stacked copper-bearing horizons within the upper 300 metres sequence of the Musgravetown Group.

Burin Gold

In August of 2020, the Company staked 4,475 hectares of mining claims located on the Burin Peninsula, Newfoundland. Recent work on the Peninsula has highlighted the potential for high-sulphidation epithermal gold systems. The claims were staked to cover an extension of stratigraphy hosting a >16 km north-east trending alteration system located to the northeast on adjacent Burin Gold Corp claims2. On April 20, 2022 Burin Gold announced results from drilling on this property including 16.0 metres of 1.57 g/t Au at its Hickey's Pond target5. Transition is planning to complete an airborne Mag-VTEM survey over this property later this year.

Lewisporte and Porterville

The Lewisporte and Porterville properties are located just north of the Dog Bay Line in an area that has seen a significant increase in competitive exploration activity following the intersection of 19.0 m grading 92.9 g/t Au by Newfound Gold at the Keats Zone in 20196. On the Lewisporte property sampling conducted by Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. between 2004 and 2006 returned gold values from bedrock sampling up to 27.5 g/t Au from select grabs and 2.8 g/t Au over 3.0 metres from select channels. On the Porterville Property historic chip sampling returned 6.99 g/t Au over 1.0 metre from highly silicified gabbro4.

5https://money.tmx.com/en/quote/BURG/news/8954657906662138/Burin_Gold_drills_broad_zones_of_gold_mineralisation_at_Hickeys_Pond_including_1600_m_of_157_gt_Au

6https://money.tmx.com/en/quote/NFG/news/7971803221189345/New_Found_Gold_Provides_Update_Summarizes_Ongoing_Activities_at_Queensway_Project_Newfoundland

Qualified Person

The technical elements of this press release have been reviewed and approved by Mr. Thomas Hart, P.Geo. (PGO), a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101.

Transition Metals Corp

Transition Metals Corp (TSXV: XTM) is a Canadian-based, multi-commodity project generator that specializes in converting new exploration ideas into discoveries. The award-winning team of geoscientists has extensive exploration experience which actively develops and tests new ideas for discovering mineralization in places that others have not looked, often allowing the company to acquire properties inexpensively. Joint venture partners earn an interest in the projects by funding a portion of higher-risk drilling and exploration, allowing Transition to conserve capital and minimize shareholder's equity dilution.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Information

Except for statements of historical fact contained herein, the information in this news release constitutes "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities law. Such forward-looking information may be identified by words such as "plans", "proposes", "estimates", "intends", "expects", "believes", "may", "will" and include without limitation, statements regarding estimated capital and operating costs, expected production timeline, benefits of updated development plans, foreign exchange assumptions and regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate; actual results and future events could differ materially from such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, metal prices, competition, risks inherent in the mining industry, and regulatory risks. Most of these factors are outside the control of the Company. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as otherwise required by applicable securities statutes or regulation, the Company expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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.

Further information is available at www.transitionmetalscorp.com or by contacting:

Scott McLean

President and CEO

Transition Metals Corp.

Tel: (705) 669-1777





Figure 1. Location of Transition Metals Projects in Newfoundland



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2766/122753_81b9625f843e2945_002full.jpg

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122753


BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - The war in Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions on Russia took its toll on German exports in March, official data revealed Wednesday.



Exports fell by more-than-expected 3.3 percent on a monthly basis in March, in contrast to the 6.2 percent expansion seen in February, data from Destatis showed on Wednesday. Shipments were forecast to drop 2.0 percent.



Exports to Russia plunged 62.3 percent because of the sanctions imposed as a result of Ukraine's fight against Russia. At the same time, imports from Russia declined only 2.4 percent.



Overall imports grew 3.4 percent, faster than the economists' forecast of 1.0 percent. This was followed by a 4.7 percent rise in February.



Consequently, the trade surplus fell to a seasonally adjusted EUR 3.2 billion in March from EUR 11.1 billion in the previous month. The surplus remained well below the expected level of EUR 9.8 billion.



Year-on-year, exports growth eased to 8.1 percent from 14.5 percent in February. Likewise, imports rose 20.1 percent, following February's 25.0 percent increase.



The unadjusted trade surplus came in at EUR 9.7 billion compared to EUR 20.8 billion in the same period last year.



Most German exports went to the United States in March, with goods exports up 3.2 percent on February. On the other hand, shipments to China declined 4.3 percent and that to the UK by 3.9 percent.



Most imports to Germany came from China in March. Imports from China were 15.8 percent more than in previous month. Imports from the US gained 6.3 percent and that from the UK surged 40.8 percent.



Looking ahead, despite richly filled order books, the short-term outlook for German exports does not look encouraging, Carsten Brzeski, an ING economist, said.



Brzeski noted that new lockdowns in China and a continuation of, instead of easing, last year's supply chain disruptions will leave significant marks on German industry.







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BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the sixth package of sanctions against Russia at the European Parliament Wednesday.



Speaking during a debate on the social and economic consequences for the EU of the Russian war in Ukraine, the commission president announced plan to phase out import of Russian crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year.



While acknowledging that the ban is not easy as European countries are highly dependent on Russian energy, Ursula von der Leyen said, 'We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets'.



In the last sanction package, EU had decided to ban Russian coal.



She pledged the European Union's economic support to help Ukrainians cope with the fallout of the war in line with the massive budgetary support that the United States announced recently.



Ukraine's GDP is expected to fall by 30 percent to 50 percent this year alone. IMF estimates that from May on, Ukraine needs EUR5 billion each month to keep the country running, paying pensions, salaries and basic services.



EU will remove three major Russian banks, including their largest bank Sberbank, from SWIFT system.



The European Union is banning three big Russian state-owned broadcasters from its airwaves. 'We have identified these TV channels as mouthpieces that amplify Putin's lies and propaganda aggressively,' von der Leyen told the lawmakers.



EU will also ban European accountants, consultants and spin doctors from providing those services to Russian companies.



The EU top executive proposed sanctions on high-ranking Russian military officers and other individuals who committed war crimes in Bucha and who are responsible for the inhuman siege of the south eastern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol.



She proposed an ambitious recovery package to help Ukrainians rebuild their country from the ruins of the war.







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Sinequa, a leading Search Cloud provider, today further strengthened its integration with Microsoft by enabling its customers to easily procure Sinequa's Search Cloud platform directly from the Azure Marketplace using private offers.

Recognizing the complementary value of Sinequa's Search Cloud Platform within the Microsoft ecosystem, Sinequa is now available on the Azure Marketplace for all Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC) customers. With this new private offer, customers can now fulfill license subscriptions for Sinequa under their existing MACC, allowing them to decrement pre-committed Azure spend. Sinequa license and Sinequa workloads on Azure will be counted 100 percent toward the MACC.

Sinequa and Microsoft customers can benefit from true co-sell engagements to bring groundbreaking Search Cloud solutions to their Azure tenant. Sinequa also works with Microsoft's Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program to deliver world-class search to Global 2000 customers.

"Expanding our engagement with Microsoft Azure Marketplace allows us to work together to bring greater value to our customers through joint-selling opportunities," said Xavier Pornain, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Sinequa. "Bringing Sinequa to the Azure Marketplace in a MACC-transactable offer makes this direct relationship even easier for our customers."

Jake Zborowski, General Manager, Microsoft Azure Platform at Microsoft Corp. said, "We're pleased to welcome Sinequa to the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, which gives our partners great exposure to cloud customers around the globe. Azure Marketplace offers world-class quality experiences from global trusted partners with solutions tested to work seamlessly with Azure."

With Sinequa now available through the Azure Marketplace, Sinequa has gained greater visibility with Microsoft's global sales force of over 6,000 enterprise sellers and being MACC-enabled will further accelerate collaboration with these sellers.

Sinequa's Search Cloud Platform, optimized for Azure, is the most complete enterprise search platform that enables innovative organizations to ingest enterprise data sources, transform that data into searchable information, and obtain precise insights to natural language queries.

Customers like Alstom, AstraZeneca and Total Energies rely on Sinequa's Search Cloud Platform to power Insight Applications, bringing together content from Microsoft as well as other ecosystems to get the job done.

Sinequa Search Cloud platform has been recognized by leading analyst firms as a leader five years in a row, based on thorough product reviews and feedback from customers.

Sinequa Search Cloud is available at the Azure Marketplace here.

More information about the Sinequa MACC enabled offer here

ENDS

About Sinequa

Sinequa's Search Cloud brings organizations of all sizes the most complete enterprise search ever. Customers employ Search Cloud to connect all content (both text and data), derive meaning, learn from user interactions, and present information in context. This solves content chaos and informs employees through a single, secure interface. They get the knowledge, expertise, and insights needed to make informed decisions and do more, faster. Sinequa helps these organizations accelerate innovation, reduce rework, foster collaboration, ensure compliance, and increase productivity. For more information visit www.sinequa.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005076/en/

Contacts:

Media inquiries:

Heather Racicot

Sinequa@resonancecrowd.com

+1 360-632-5616
The long-awaited arrival of the UK's leading home service provider, Fantastic Services, is finally happening. The UK's fastest-growing franchisor, with over 530 businesses across three continents, is ready to help Americans bring their business ambitions to fruition.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005740/en/

The US Home Service Industry Is Finally Becoming Fantastic (Graphic: Business Wire)

Fantastic Services has been a household name across the ocean for over a decade now, thanks to their impeccable services, their award-winning business model, and mostly their tremendous investments in high-end technological solutions. With them, the UK's biggest home-service franchisor managed to create a vast partnership network of over 530 franchisees across Europe, Australia, and Africa.

Now, after a year of record profits and growth, Fantastic Service has finally set foot on the US market, where they will bring a much-needed change with their people-first attitude and sustainability devotion. The company is a champion of environmentally-cautious practices in the home service industry and has vowed to reach carbon neutrality by the decade's end.

"The businesses that are going to survive and keep growing, and keep operating will be the businesses that turn towards green initiatives and sustainability," Anton Skarlatov, Co-founder and CEO of Fantastic Services affirms.

"We don't need to go to Mars or any other planet for that matter, our Earth is our home, and we must endeavor in our everyday practices to protect it. As a company, we promise to continue the endeavor to do what we can to protect our home through helping our customers maintain and protect theirs", elaborates his business partner Rune Sovndahl.

Texas, Georgia, and Florida will be the first three states to enjoy Fantastic Services business opportunities and impeccable home services. The UK brand is looking to partner up with ambitious locals seeking an opportunity to start their own business but need that extra push, help, and know-how. Fantastic Services is coming with blueprints of 25 of their most successful services to offer the local entrepreneurs.

"As an international franchise company, we're a corporation of local businesses, and that's why investing locally is so important to us. Every one of our partners is investing locally, employing locally, throughout the UK, Ireland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Australia, and now the United States," says co-founder Rune Sovndahl.

The tech-driven company is always at the forefront of the home service industry, but what really gives them an edge over the competition is the sheer amount of services they offer. With over 100 home services in their portfolio and the blueprints to successful businesses in these niches, Fantastic Services is a genuine one-stop shop for everyone trying to gain a foothold in the highly competitive industry. Their partners enjoy lucrative benefits like onboarding, ongoing training, access to their multi-million dollar technological solutions, and custom CRM system. Furthermore, they can count on over 500 in-house experts who constantly assist with marketing, sales, IT, finances, customer support, and more.

At the moment, Fantastic Services is searching for the right people who can take on the responsibility to represent their brand in their local communities. Anyone interested can find additional information at Franchise.FantasticServices.us

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005740/en/

Contacts:

Georgi Georgiev

Vice President of Expansion

franchise@fantasticservices.us
ROSEMONT, IL / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / After a two-year hiatus from the live event, the Food Safety Summit will gather over 1,500 food safety professional who will have access to five certificate courses, three full days of education sessions, 150+ vendors showcasing the newest and most innovative food safety solutions and several networking opportunities. This live event will take place Tuesday, May 10 through Thursday, May 12, 2022 with pre-event certificate courses taking place on Monday, May 9th all at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL.

The event will kick off with a Mock Civil Trial 2.0with Shawn Stevens and Joel Chappelle from the Food Industry Counsel arguing a large-scale foodborne illness outbreak with the audience deliberating the case and issuing a final verdict. General sessions include the keynote presentation focusing on The Future of Food Safety Culture: Commitment and Collaboration with speakers from FDA, DOJ and Publix Super Markets; the Summit's Annual Town Hall with leaders from FDA, USDA, CDC, and AFDO; and an interactive closing session In the Trenches with Sanitation: Challenges and Key Learning from Solving Problems in the Field. On Monday, May 9, the Summit will kick off with five certificate courses focused on Intentional Adulteration, Environmental Sampling, HACCP, Food Fraud Prevention, and Certified Professional-Food Safety.

"On behalf of BNP Media, the Food Safety Summit, and Food Safety Magazine, we are looking forward to welcoming the food safety community back to Rosemont for the first in-person event since 2019. For 24 years, the Food Safety Summit has gathered leading subject matter experts from various backgrounds to learn the most effective solutions, evaluate the latest technology, and network with like-minded peers. This year, we are returning to an in-person meeting after two successful (but distanced) years in a virtual environment and we are confident, our attendees and exhibitors will find the chance to reconnect with one another face-to-face worthwhile," said Stacy Atchison, Publisher, Food Safety Magazine, producers of the Summit. "Our Educational Advisory Board-comprising subject matter experts from diverse backgrounds including manufacturing, consulting, retail/foodservice, regulatory/legal, academic, and others-has prepared an outstanding education program providing solutions for today's most pressing food safety challenges."

In addition to the general sessions, the Summit will offer dozens of education sessions featuring insight from subject matter experts on such hot topics as leadership, food safety culture, the costs of foodborne illness, communicating with regulators, supply chain, tech-enabled traceability, virtual auditing tools, cybersecurity, food safety management systems, and a number of others. Visit https://www.food-safety.com/food-safety-summit/agenda for the sessions and speakers.

"We have developed a stellar education program which will offer many new speakers from EG America, Feeding America, Consumer Brands Association, Institute of Food Technologists, McDonald's, Butterball, Del Monte Fresh Produce, BrightFarms, Stop Foodborne Illness, Frick Quality Meats, and many returning speakers," added Atchison. "We invite our attendees to take advantage of the numerous networking opportunities we've built into the program to reconnect with peers, and also to make new connections with top solutions providers in the Exhibit Hall."

The Exhibit Hall will be open on Wednesday and Thursday from 10:30am - 2:30pm and will feature Gold Sponsor Purell; Silver Sponsors Intertek Alchemy and InstantRecall; and Bronze Sponsors Infor, Redzone and Zenput. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from technology companies in the Tech Tent and attend live sponsored education sessions on the Solutions Stage with informative presentations from Spartan, Millipore Sigma, FoodChain ID, Enviro Tech, SafetyChain Software, ThinkIQ, CMX, and FoodLogiIQ, as well as Solutions Stage presentations by bioMerieux, Controland, Eagle Protect PBC, LUBRIPLATE Lubricants Company, NSF International, GOJO Industries, Valor Manufacturing Training, Xcluder, Bruker, Contec, Professional, Kestrel Tellevate LLC, Registrar Corp., and others.

There are several networking events including the welcome reception on Tuesday evening from 5:00-7:00 p.m. On Wednesday evening from 5:30-7:00 p.m., the Food Safety Summit will be hosting an evening reception to support Feeding America, where the Summit will match every dollar donated to support hunger relief in America. For more information and updates for the 2022 event, visit www.foodsafetysummit.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. For access to the full program and for attendee registration, visit https://www.food-safety.com/food-safety-summit.

The Food Safety Summit is owned and produced by Food Safety Magazine (www.food-safety.com) and BNP Media (www.bnpmedia.com), one of the country's leading business-to-business media companies serving industry professionals across 60+ industries through magazines, custom media, e-newsletters, webinars, events, and market research.

For further information, contact:

Amy Riemer, Media Relations

978-475-4441 (office) or 978-502-4895 (cell)

amy@foodsafetysummit.com

SOURCE: Food Safety Summit

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700015/Dynamic-and-Informative-Education-Program-Set-For-Next-Weeks-Food-Safety-Summit
All proposalsapproved at the Millicom (Tigo) AGM held today

Luxembourg, May 4, 2022 - Millicom International Cellular S.A. ") held its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders ("AGM") today, and shareholders approved all of the resolutions proposed by Millicom's Board of Directors and its Nomination Committee.

Resolving in favour of the Nomination Committee's proposals, the AGM set the number of directors at 9 and re-elected Mr. Odilon Almeida, Mr. Bruce Churchill, Ms. Pernille Erenbjerg, Mr. Lars-Johan Jarnheimer, Ms. Mercedes Johnson, Mr. Jose Antonio Rios Garcia and Mr. James Thompson as Non-Executive Directors, re-elected Mr. Mauricio Ramos as an Executive Director, and elected Mr. Tomas Eliasson as a new Non-Executive Director. Mr. Jose Antonio Rios Garcia was re-elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

All the resolutions set out in the convening notice published on March 17, 2022, were duly passed, including approval of:

(i) the annual accounts and the consolidated accounts for the year ended December 31, 2021;

(ii) the allocation of the profit of USD 204,806,298 to the profit or loss brought forward account of Millicom;

(iii) the discharge of all of the current and former Directors of Millicom who served at any point in time during the financial year ended December 31, 2021 for the performance of their mandates;

(iv) the re-election of Ernst & Young S.A., Luxembourg as the external auditor of Millicom;

(v) the remuneration of the Board members and external auditor;

(vi) the instruction to the Nomination Committee;

(vii) the share repurchase plan;

(viii) the 2021 Remuneration Report;

(ix) the senior management remuneration policy; and

(x) the share-based incentive plans for Millicom employees.

Further details can be found in the minutes of the AGM available on Millicom's website: https://www.millicom.com/our-company/corporate-governance/shareholder-meetings/

Biography of the newly elected Board member Tomas Eliasson:

Tomas Eliasson was previously, and up until January 2022, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Sandvik AB. Prior to that, he served as the CFO of Electrolux. Mr. Eliasson has recently been appointed as a Non-Executive Director of Boliden AB, and of Telia Company AB, and he served as a Non-Executive Director of Millicom from 2014 through to May 2021, chairing the audit committee during his tenure.

Mr. Eliasson has also held various management positions in Sweden and abroad, at the leading power and automation technologies company ABB Group, from 1987 to 2002. Mr. Eliasson was Chief Financial Officer of the tools manufacturer Seco Tools AB from 2002 to 2006 and Chief Financial Officer of the intelligent lock and security solutions company Assa Abloy AB from 2006 to 2012.

Mr. Eliasson holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and Economics from the University of Uppsala.

-END-

Press:

Yocasta Valdez, Group Manager Digital Media & Communications

press@millicom.com Investors:

Sarah Inmon, Director Investor Relations Michel Morin, VP Investor Relations

investors@millicom.com

About Millicom

Millicom. Connect with Millicom on Twitter, Instagram, Facebookand LinkedIn.

.

Attachment
Razom for Ukraine, United Help Ukraine, and U.S. Ukrainian Activists are jointly holding a press conference Thursday, May 5, at 11 a.m. in front of the White House. This press conference will be held in partnership with organizations spanning ethnic, religious, and human rights communities and constituencies in the U.S and will feature special guest appearances. Leaders of Polish, Baltic, Syrian, Afghan, Jewish, Muslim, and human rights organizations will make their remarks alongside representatives of Razom and other Ukrainian-American organizations, including Klara Z. Wisniewska of the Polish American Congress, Zaher Sahloul of MedGlobal, and others. The press conference will focus on the strategic and moral importance of supporting Ukraine as well as the supplemental appropriation that was requested by the Presidential Administration on April 28, 2022.

"By uniting Americans from an array of diverse communities across religious and ethnic lines, we underline the importance of solidarity. The fact that the terror and barbarity being afflicted on Ukrainians resonates with the experiences of so many is nothing short of tragedy," said Mariya Soroka, Razom Co-Founder and Advocacy Lead. "Our aim in bringing together these communities many of whom share experiences of oppression, violence, and war at the hands of a russian regime at different iterations in its history is to demonstrate that the people of the United States categorically and unequivocally stand in support of justice and freedom for Ukrainians."

Additionally, Razom will be announcing its intent to launch the American Coalition for Ukraine and deliver a Joint Statement on the Emergency Supplemental Appropriation for Ukraine on this occasion of cross-cultural and interreligious unity. For the full statement, see here: https://razomforukraine.org/joint-statement-on-inter-community-support-for-ukraine/

Razom and partners welcome anyone who resonates with the statement and goals of the coalition to join.

ABOUT RAZOM

Razom, which means "together" in Ukrainian, is committed to building a prosperous Ukraine. The organization believes deeply in the enormous potential of dedicated volunteers around the world united by a single mission: building a more prosperous Ukraine. Established in the United States, the non-profit organization works towards that mission by creating spaces where people meet, partner and do. In this time of need, they have created the Razom Emergency Response which is focused on purchasing medical supplies for critical situations like blood loss and other tactical medicine items, hospital supplies, and tech enabled emergency response supplies that facilitate the delivery of this aid. Razom's procurement and logistics teams are made up of a trusted volunteer network they've nurtured since 2014 and partner organizations worldwide. Razom is also working with governments and embassies on helping to establish humanitarian corridors.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005797/en/

Contacts:

Reporters may contact

Nonna Tsiganok

240-899-3717

nonna@razomforukraine.org
Regulatory News:

Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE: PM) held its 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders today. Andre Calantzopoulos, Executive Chairman of the Board, addressed shareholders and answered questions. Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer, gave the business presentation, which included an overview of PMI's:

efforts to support its employees, their families and others impacted by the war in Ukraine;

excellent performance in 2021 and strong start to 2022;

robust business fundamentals and rapid progress on its smoke-free transformation;

investments in wellness and healthcare to drive long-term growth;

continued progress on sustainability, with recognition by leading external stakeholders; and

commitment to returning cash to shareholders.

"The recent months have been an extremely challenging time for many in the PMI family given the war in Ukraine," said Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer. "Our primary concern is for our people and their families, and we are doing everything in our power to help them."

"Despite this tragic situation, and the related impacts on our operations in the region and more broadly, the outlook for our business excluding Russia and Ukraine remains strong and our smoke-free ambition remains intact. We are off to a strong start to the year, following an excellent performance in 2021, with robust underlying momentum and a reacceleration in IQOS user growth."

"We continue to prioritize returns to shareholders and have increased the dividend for 14 consecutive years since the 2008 spin. In 2021, we raised the dividend by 4.2% to an annualized rate of $5.00 per common share. In addition, since July 2021, we have repurchased approximately $1 billion in shares as part of our current three-year program."

Approximately 81 percent of the shares entitled to vote were represented at the meeting in person or by proxy. The shareholders: elected 14 nominees for director; approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation of named executive officers; approved the 2022 Performance Incentive Plan; ratified the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers SA as independent auditors; and voted against the shareholder proposal. Final voting results will be included in a Form 8-K that PMI will file with the SEC in the coming days.

An archived copy of the webcast of the meeting will be available for approximately one year from the date of the meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/PMI2022. The presentation slides and script will be available at the same website address.

Philip Morris International: Delivering a Smoke-Free Future

Philip Morris International (PMI) is a leading international tobacco company working to deliver a smoke-free future and evolving its portfolio for the long term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's current product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor and oral nicotine products, which are sold in markets outside the U.S. Since 2008, PMI has invested more than USD 9 billion to develop, scientifically substantiate and commercialize innovative smoke-free products for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, with the goal of completely ending the sale of cigarettes. This includes the building of world-class scientific assessment capabilities, notably in the areas of pre-clinical systems toxicology, clinical and behavioral research, as well as post-market studies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the marketing of versions of PMI's IQOS Platform 1 devices and consumables as Modified Risk Tobacco Products (MRTPs), finding that exposure modification orders for these products are appropriate to promote the public health. As of March 31, 2022, PMI's smoke-free products are available for sale in 71 markets, and PMI estimates that approximately 12.7 million adults around the world excluding Russia and Ukraine, have already switched to IQOS and stopped smoking. With a strong foundation and significant expertise in life sciences, in February 2021 PMI announced its ambition to expand into wellness and healthcare areas and deliver innovative products and solutions that aim to address unmet consumer and patient needs. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220503006324/en/

Contacts:

Philip Morris International

Investor Relations:

New York: +1 (917) 663 2233

Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4666

InvestorRelations@pmi.com

Media: David Fraser

Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4500

David.Fraser@pmi.com
After a Thorough Third-Party Investigation, Friend's Termination is Deemed "Without Cause"

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / After a thorough independent investigation by the Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc. (CBS), allegations against David Friend of sexist, racist, and homophobic professional misconduct were found to be without merit, and the termination of Mr. Friend was determined to be "without cause."

David Friend served as Senior Vice President of local news for the CBS Stations. In January 2021, Mr. Friend was placed on administrative leave alongside Peter Dunn, the CBS Station president, after accusations of alleged sexist, racist, and homophobic behavior within the workplace surfaced. While the investigation was ongoing, Mr. Friend was terminated from his role. Following the conclusion of the investigation, the network determined that Mr. Friend had not engaged in such misconduct and that his termination was "without cause."

"I'm grateful to have my name cleared of these allegations. This has been a long ordeal, and certainly not an easy one, for me or my family, but I also knew how important it was for CBS to get this process right. The workplace should be a safe space, and I'm grateful to CBS for conducting such a thorough investigation. I'm proud of the work I did at CBS; the truth that we spent all those years fighting for prevailed again. I'm also thankful for all the relationships that I built at CBS, and I appreciate those who reached out to show their support. You meant the world to me, and I spent every day fighting for you," said David Friend.

Over David Friend's 14-year career at CBS, the decorated news executive won an Emmy for his team's coverage of Superstorm Sandy, as well as numerous New York State Broadcasters and Long Island Folio awards. The Investigative series, "Forgotten Families," which shined a light on the cruel and corrupt treatment of working homeless families by the NYC Dept of Homelessness, earned a nomination for a DuPont Columbia Award. In 2010, Mr. Friend was named News Director of the Year by B+C/Multichannel News.

David Friend was known for running a tight ship. In less than 5 years, he took WCBS from last to first or second in market ratings on a consistent basis. He accomplished this with merit-based personnel choices and a leadership style focused on excellence. In 2018, in recognition of his over 25 years of outstanding accomplishments in the New York market, he was inducted into the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Silver Circle.

David M. Pohl, attorney for Mr. Friend, gave the following statement: "We are pleased that the investigation has concluded, and appreciate CBS's commitment to uncovering the truth. The process overseen by the independent investigator was professional, thorough, and conclusive. We were always confident that the false claims made against David Friend, including in news media, would be proven meritless, and that his track record supported his reputation as an even-handed leader who championed his employees."

Proskauer Rose LLP, an international law firm headquartered in New York City, conducted the independent investigation.

Contact:

David Friend

Email: Davidmfriend@gmail.com

URL: https://friendwithoutbenefits.com/

Phone: 404-955-7133

SOURCE: Cambridge Global

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700112/Extensive-Investigation-Clears-David-Friend-of-Claims-of-Bigoted-Conduct
Phase II drilling in progress and the Company is fully funded for 2022

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 4, 2022) - Silver Dollar Resources Inc. (CSE: SLV) (OTCQX: SLVDF) ("Silver Dollar" or the "Company") is pleased to report the remaining assay results from the Phase I drilling completed on the underexplored Noria portion of the La Joya Silver Project (the "Property") located in the state of Durango, Mexico. Phase II drilling is now in progress and targeting the wide intervals of mineralization intersected in the new Phase I discoveries.

Highlights include:

Hole NOR-22-008 intersected 89.57 grams per tonne (g/t) silver equivalent (AgEQ) over 125.3 metres (m) starting at 3 m downhole. This interval includes 267.56 g/t AgEQ over 10.47m starting at 70.53 m downhole. Mineralization consists of Ag, gold (Au), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) mineralization over wide intervals associated with sulphide veins, hornfels, and quartz veins hosted in Indidura formation carbonates adjacent to a monzonite intrusive.

Hole NOR-22-009 intersected 60.33 g/t AgEQ over 58.84m starting at 75.83m downhole. This hole was higher grade in gold recording 0.66 g/t Au over the same 58.84m interval. Gold tenors were over twice the grade and triple the width of mineralization encountered in historical hole LJ-DD12-96.

Phase I drilling exceeded expectations by: identifying structural extensions of the known mineralized zones; the discovery of a near-surface gold zone with appreciable grades and widths; and wide skarn-type Ag-Au-Cu-Pb-Zn mineralization representing a new extension along the unexplored Coloradito intrusive beyond historical workings.



Drill core samples from all 11 holes completed over a total of 2,424 metres of Phase I drilling were submitted for analysis. Results for the first seven holes were reported on March 24, 2022 (See: news release), and the results reported below are for the last four holes.

"Our successful Phase I drilling has provided us with several new follow-up targets well outside the historic resource area. Assays from hole 8, which is approximately 1 kilometre west of the Main Mineralized Trend, are some of the best results ever reported from the Coloradito area," said Mike Romanik, president of Silver Dollar. "Phase II drilling continues, and we have encountered similar sulphide mineralization over even broader widths and will expand the program as analytical results dictate."

Phase 1 Drilling Objectives and Discussion

Hole NOR-22-008 (See: cross-section) was designed to target mineralization on the west side of the Coloradito intrusive where anomalous gold and zinc values were intersected in historical hole LLDD12-96. This hole intersected wide intervals of skarn-type Ag-Au-Cu-Pb-Zn representing the highest reported grades and widths to date from the Coloradito area. This area represents an exciting new discovery, particularly given it is located a full kilometre west of the Main Mineralized Trend.

Hole NOR-22-009 (See: cross-section) was designed to test the downward extension of the mineralization previously encountered in hole LJ-DD12-96 with an intercept of 0.32 g/t Au over 29m. This hole returned 0.66 g/t Au over 58.84m starting at 75.83m downhole, both increasing previous gold tenors and width encountered in historical hole LJ-DD12-96. This intercept also averaged 60.33 g/t AgEQ. Additional drilling in Phase II will follow up on this near-surface gold and skarn polymetallic mineralization.

Hole NOR-22-010 was designed to test mineralization at a depth of 375m. While the deep target was not encountered, interesting values were intercepted at shallower depths with the hole returning 72.29 g/t AgEQ over 13.32m starting at 112.73m downhole, which included 0.78 g/t Au over the same interval. The above interval includes 305.57 g/t AgEQ and 3.63 g/t Au over 2.09m starting at 123.96m downhole. Higher grade gold mineralization in Phase I has been observed associated with rhodonite and within an 80-170m vertical depth horizon spatially associated with the Coloradito intrusive. This higher-grade gold corridor which reported 29 g/t Au over 1.01m in NOR-21-004 represents a potential new target for Phase II follow-up drilling.

Hole NOR-22-011 targeted a western extension of the Yeyis structure with an intercept of 0.55 g/t Au over 7.87m starting at 155.23m downhole. While this mineralization generally coincides with the strike of the Yeyis structure, it is right on the intrusive contact.

Table 1: A summary of downhole drill intersection results for the last four holes of the Phase I program.

Drill Hole

# From

(m) To

(m) Length1

(m) Ag

(g/t Au

(g/t) Cu

% Pb

% Zn

% AgEQ2

(g/t) NOR-22-008 3 128.3 125.3 40.61 0.11 0.05 0.18 0.55 89.57 Including 70.53 81 10.47 137.0 0.23 0.14 0.39 1.67 267.57 NOR-21-009 75.83 134.67 58.84 2.58 0.66 0.03 - 0.03 60.33 NOR-22-010 112.73 126.05 13.32 2.78 0.79 0.48 - - 72.29 Including 123.96 126.05 2.09 6.05 3.63 0.08 - - 305.58 NOR-21-011 25.64 169.1 143.46 7.52 0.07 0.06 0.02 - 21.83 Including 155.23 163.1 7.87 4.85 0.55 0.08 0.03 - 60.44

1.True widths have yet to be determined.

2.AgEQ in results assume (USD) $1,750 Au and $22 Ag per/oz, and $4.30 Cu, $1.25 Pb, and $1.50 Zn per/lb, and 100% metallurgical recovery.

Table 2: La Joya Drillhole Details

Drill Hole #

Target

Area



Target

Depth

(m) X

Collar Y

Collar Azimuth Dip Hole

Length (m) NOR-22-008 Noria 144 608177.42 2640834.52 90 -45 144 NOR-22-009 Noria 200 608230.07 2640747.25 45 -65 186 NOR-22-010 Noria 440 609654 2641465 180 -65 441 NOR-22-011 Noria 200 609527 2640249 180 -45 201

Procedure, Quality Assurance / Quality Control, and Data Verification

The diamond drill core (HQ size) was geologically logged, photographed, and marked for sampling. Core designated for sampling was sawn in half with a diamond blade core saw. One-half of the core was sealed in plastic bags and shipped for analysis. The remaining half portion is returned to the core trays for storage and/or for metallurgical test work.

The sealed and tagged sample bags were transported to either the ActLabs facility in Zacatecas, Mexico or the Bureau Veritas facility in Durango, Mexico where the samples were crushed and 200-300-gram pulp samples prepared with ninety percent passing Tyler 150 mesh (106m). The pulps were assayed for gold using a 30-gram charge by fire assay (Code 1A2 and/or FA450) and over limits greater than 10 grams per tonne were re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code 1A3 and/or FA550). Silver and multi-element analysis was completed using total digestion (Code 1F2 Total Digestion ICP). Over limits greater than 100 grams per tonne silver were re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code 8-Ag FA-GRAV Ag).

Quality assurance and quality control ("QA/QC") procedures monitor the chain of custody of the samples and include the systematic insertion and monitoring of appropriate reference materials (certified standards, blanks, and duplicates) into the sample strings. The results of the assaying of the QA/QC material included in each batch were tracked to ensure the integrity of the assay data. All results stated in this announcement have passed Silver Dollar's QA/QC protocols.

Mike Kilbourne, P.Geo., an independent Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release on behalf of the Company.

About the La Joya Project

The La Joya Property is situated approximately 75 kilometres directly southeast of the state capital city of Durango in a prolific mineralized region with past-producing and operating mines including Grupo Mexico's San Martin Mine, Industrias Penoles's Sabinas Mine, Pan American Silver's La Colorada Mine, and First Majestic's La Parrilla and Del Toro Silver Mines. For additional information on the Property click on the image below to watch the two-minute video.





Figure 1: Click on the image above to view a two-minute video introducing the La Joya Project

If you cannot view the video above, please visit:

https://vimeo.com/497779460.

About Silver Dollar Resources Inc.

Silver Dollar is a mineral exploration company that completed its initial public offering in May 2020 and is fully funded for 2022 with approximately $9 million in the treasury. The Company's projects are located in two of the prolific mining jurisdictions in the world and include the advanced exploration and development stage La Joya Silver Project in the state of Durango, Mexico; and the discovery-stage Pakwash Lake and the Longlegged Lake properties in the Red Lake Mining District of Ontario, Canada. The Company has an aggressive growth strategy and is actively reviewing potentially accretive acquisitions with a focus on drill-ready projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions internationally.

For additional information, you can download our latest presentation by clicking here and you can follow us on Twitter by clicking here.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Signed "Michael Romanik"

Michael Romanik,

President, CEO & Director

Silver Dollar Resources Inc.

Direct line: (204) 724-0613

Email: mike@silverdollarresources.com

179 - 2945 Jacklin Road, Suite 416

Victoria, BC, V9B 6J9

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release may contain "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions 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 statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, 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/122751
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 4, 2022) - Altan Rio Minerals Limited (TSXV: AMO) ("Altan Rio" or the "Company") announces that Paul Stephen has resigned as Chief Executive Officer, Director and Corporate Secretary with immediate effect. The Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Evan Jones as Interim Chief Executive Officer while the Company undertakes the process of identifying a permanent replacement for Mr. Stephen as Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Evan Jones previously held the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and brings over twenty years of experience in the mining industry.

The Company is also pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Cole as a Director and Corporate Secretary of the Company. Mr. Cole has a Bachelor of Business degree from the Western Australian Institute of Technology, specializing in Business Law and Accounting. He is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Management Consultant and has held directorships within public and private companies and not for profit entities. He is currently a Director of Altan Nevada Minerals Limited (a TSX Venture Exchange listed issuer). Mr. Cole has a strong knowledge of strategy, finance and compliance across multiple jurisdictions.

Commenting on the changes, Altan Rio's Chairman, Mr. John Jones, said: "We would like to acknowledge Mr. Stephen's efforts and look forward to moving to the next stage, as we progress our exploration of the Southern Cross North Project. Mr. Evan Jones and Mr. Cole will assist the Company as we focus on the highly prospective gold region of Southern Cross, Western Australia."

About Altan Rio

Altan Rio is a West Australian-focused gold exploration company primarily focused on the Southern Cross Greenstone Belt, a prolific gold producing region. The Company is focused on applying world-class exploration technologies and experience to proven mineralised tenure to generate shareholder wealth through discovery and production. Altan Rio holds 15 granted Prospecting Licenses covering an area of 23.7 square kilometres, representing a large position in one of Western Australia's premier producing gold belts. Project tenure is centrally located within the greenstone belt and occurs adjacent to numerous high-grade past producers including Frasers, Golden Pig and Copperhead. To learn more about the Company, visit our website at https://www.altanrio.com/.

On behalf of Altan Rio

For more information contact:

Brian Cole

Director & Corporate Secretary

Email: bc@altnev.com

Phone: +61 418 947 564

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

This release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Altan Rio to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs but given the uncertainties, assumptions and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements or information. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements, and Altan Rio undertakes no obligation to update such statements, except as required by law.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) 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/122766
Following federal approval in March 2022 by the U.S. EPA, Oxitec has received approval from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services including reviews from the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to continue to pilot its mosquito technology in the Florida Keys.

by the U.S. EPA, Oxitec has received approval from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services including reviews from the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to continue to pilot its mosquito technology in the Florida Keys. This project will be a continuation of Oxitec's partnership with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District following a successful 2021 pilot project.

Federal and state regulators concluded that the Friendly mosquito projects pose no risks to human health or the environment.

OXFORD, England, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Oxitec, the leading developer of biological pest control solutions, is proud to announce approval from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), including reviews from seven State of Florida agencies to continue the pilot project for its safe Aedes aegypti just-add-water mosquito control technology in the Florida Keys. The work will be carried out in partnership with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD).

In March of this year the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved plans for the continuation of the pilot project as an extension of the Experimental Use Permit (EUP) granted in 2020. Following the EPA federal approval Oxitec submitted a permit application to FDACS for state review, which has now been approved. The 2022 project is expected to launch the week of May 9th.

In Florida, Oxitec works closely with its government partners, local residents, and a broad range of stakeholders, all of whom help guide, shape and contribute to the projects. Data from this additional pilot project will contribute to Oxitec's application to the EPA for commercial approval of this technology.

Oxitec's safe, sustainable and targeted biological pest control technology does not harm beneficial insects like bees and butterflies, and is proven to control the invasive and disease transmitting Aedes aegypti mosquito. The Aedes aegypti mosquito has invaded communities in Florida and other U.S. states, increasing the risk of transmission of dengue, chikungunya, Zika, yellow fever and other diseases.

Grey Frandsen, CEO of Oxitec, said, "We're immensely grateful to be working with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District and to the communities who have welcomed us in the Keys. We look forward to continuing our work with our world-class partners in Florida to deliver accessible, effective, and environmentally friendly solutions to control the increasing threat of invasive, disease-carrying mosquitoes."

Oxitec?welcomes all media inquiries.

Additional resources:?

The U.S. EPA's? approval ?of and complete? risk assessment of the pilot project;

?of and complete? of the pilot project; The U.S. EPA's? responses to public comments ;?

;? 100+ independent peer-reviewed? scientific publications ?on Oxitec technology;?

?on Oxitec technology;? Oxitec's? announcement ?of pilot results in Brazil ;

?of pilot results in ; The FKMCD - Oxitec Mosquito Project website .

About Oxitec

Oxitec is the leading developer of biological solutions to control pests that transmit disease, destroy crops and harm livestock. Founded in 2002 at the University of Oxford, Oxitec is led by a passionate team comprised of 15 nationalities and is supported by world-class public, private and non-profit partners.
Regulatory News:

ACTICOR BIOTECH (ISIN: FR0014005OJ5 ALACT) (Paris:ALACT), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of innovative treatments for cardiovascular emergencies, today discloses the total number of voting rights and shares as of April 30, 2022 (pursuant to Article L. 233-8 II of the French Commercial Code and Article 223-16 of the General Regulation of the French Financial Markets Authority).

Listing Place: Euronext Growth Paris

ISIN Code: FR0014005OJ5

Web site: acticor-biotech.com

Date Number of shares making

up the share capital Theoretical number of

voting rights (1) Number of voting

rights excluding

shares stripped of

voting rights (2) April 30, 2022 10.545.776 10.545.776 10.503.379

(1) In accordance with Article 223-111 of the AMF's General Regulation, this number of shares is calculated based on all shares carrying the right to vote, including those stripped of voting rights.

(2) The actual voting rights correspond to the total number of voting rights that can be exercised in a general meeting. They are calculated on the basis of the total number of voting rights attached to the total number of shares minus the shares without voting rights.

About ACTICOR BIOTECH

Acticor Biotech is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, a spin-off from INSERM (the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research), that is developing an innovative treatment for acute thrombotic diseases, including ischemic strokes.

Acticor Biotech is developing glenzocimab (ACT017), a humanized monoclonal antibody fragment (Fab) directed against a novel target of major interest, platelet glycoprotein VI (GPVI). Glenzocimab inhibits platelet binding to the thrombus without affecting physiological hemostasis, thereby limiting the risk of bleeding, particularly intracerebral hemorrhage.

Acticor Biotech is supported by a panel of European and International Investors (Karista, Go Capital, Newton Biocapital, CMS Medical Venture Investment (HK) Limited, A&B (HK) Limited, Anaxago, Mediolanum farmaceutici and the Armesa foundation). Acticor Biotech is listed on Euronext Growth Paris, since November 2021 (ISIN: FR0014005OJ5 ALACT).

For further information, please go to www.acticor-biotech.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005872/en/

Contacts:

ACTICOR BIOTECH

Gilles AVENARD, MD

CEO and Founder

gilles.avenard@acticor-biotech.com

T.: +33 (0)6 76 23 38 13

Sophie BINAY, PhD

General Manager and CSO

Sophie.binay@acticor-biotech.com

T.: +33 (0)6 76 23 38 13

NewCap

Mathilde BOHIN Olivier BRICAUD

Investor Relations

acticor@newcap.eu

T.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 95
Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares

For immediate release

4 May 2022

FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC

(the "Company")

MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES

The Company announces that it has today purchased 47,500 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 813.31p 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 2,162,607; 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 222,828,696.

The figure of 222,828,696 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
Service to Montreal from Kitchener-Waterloo begins July 7

Flights will be non-stop, twice weekly, and starting at $29

New route is part of Flair's recent base expansion at Region of Waterloo International Airport

EDMONTON, AB / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Flair Airlines, Canada's everyday low fare airline, continues its growth in Kitchener-Waterloo with the announcement of service to Montreal-Trudeau International Airport. The non-stop route will connect Kitchener-Waterloo to Montreal twice weekly. Flair has recently announced a base expansion at Region of Waterloo International Airport, and today's announcement is part of the expansion.

Beginning on July 7, passengers can travel twice weekly between the two cities.

"Kitchener-Waterloo continues to be an important market for Flair, and we look forward to starting service to Montreal from the airport," said Garth Lund, Chief Commercial Officer, Flair Airlines. "We know the importance of accessible and affordable travel and with fares starting at $29, we're excited to offer even more choice to residents of Kitchener-Waterloo."

"Montreal has long been one of our community's top Canadian destinations. In 2020 more than 85,700 residents travelled to Montreal by air to conduct business, study, vacation, or visit family," said Karen Redman, Chair of the Region of Waterloo. "This new service will enhance the ability for local companies and institutions to attract talent and provide residents with more convenient travel options to Montreal. We look forward to welcoming Flair's non-stop service to Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport."

Flair's recent base announcement includes an additional aircraft to be based out of the airport, offering the option of new destinations for passengers.

One-way fares, including taxes and fees, begin at $29 to Montreal from Kitchener-Waterloo. There are limited seats and availability for the fares. All routes are available for booking at https://www.flyflair.com.

About Flair Airlines

Flair Airlines is Canada's leading low-fare airline and its greenest airline, on a mission to provide affordable air travel that connects them to the people and experiences they love. With an expanding fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft, Flair is growing to serve over 30 cities across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. For more information, please visit www.flyflair.com.

Media inquiries, please contact:

Flair Airlines

Jamina Kotak

780.887.9209

Jamina.kotak@flyflair.com

Region of Waterloo

Lynsey Slupeiks

lsupleiks@regionofwaterloo.ca

SOURCE: Flair Airlines

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700135/Flair-Airlines-to-Launch-Service-from-Kitchener-Waterloo-to-Montreal
# Catalyst 2030 explores bold new strategies to confront world's pressing problems from food security to health crises



# UN's sustainable development goals in the spotlight as 2030 deadline looms

# Thousands of social entrepreneurs and innovators collaborate at global event

AMSTERDAM, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Members of the growing and influential movement of social entrepreneurs and innovators, Catalyst 2030, will gather with world leaders during Catalysing Change Week 2022 to find bold new strategies to make the world a more sustainable and fairer place for everyone.

High energy, frank and innovative discussions that spark collaboration with practical outcomes will mark the scores of physical and online sessions and activities that will take place across the globe from 9 to 13 May 2022 at this critical point in the evolution of the planet.

The week-long event is open to everyone who is interested in learning about the growing Catalyst 2030 movement, its work and successes in tackling the root of some of the world's most difficult challenges, as it seeks to accelerate attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Jeroo Billimoria, Catalyst 2030 spokesperson and one of the movement's co-founders said, "We are excited that Catalysing Change Week 2022 will bring together a diverse group of experts, social innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders from the private sector and government. In a spirit of true collaboration. Some of the problems that will be tackled include poverty, climate, food security and education. Participants will tap into the collective wisdom around systems change while forging partnerships across countries, regions and sectors," Billimoria said.

Catalysing Change Week 2022 will host scores of online sessions over five days and in several languages, covering all major time zones. The Week will build on the success of Catalysing Change Week 2021 which attracted an audience of close to 6,000 individuals. Participants represented more than 1,600 organisations across 131 countries.

During this year's Catalysing Change Week 2022, the South-South Alliance for Equitable Green Development will address the inequity surrounding funding of climate-smart solutions. These sessions will outline opportunities climate management provides for development and employment as well as pathways for the G7 and G20 to make significant contributions.



Another key milestone during Change Week 2022 is the launch of Africa Forward, which will announce a new cohort of African social entrepreneurs. The objective of Africa Forward is to support the next group of social entrepreneurs who can identify innovative pathways and collaborative solutions.

This year's theme, "Let's Re-Energise the SDGs" reflects the movement's priorities in this unique period of our global history. The COVID-19 pandemic holds the potential to delay the achievement of the SDGs by 50 years or more.

"Catalysing Change Week 2022 is a unique engagement opportunity for anyone who has an interest in achieving social change and to learn more about what social entrepreneurs and innovators are doing to confront and to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs before 2030," Billimoria said.

Registration for Catalysing Change Week 2022 is free.

For more information, visit https://catalyst2030.net/about-the-campaign/





Notes to editors

Catalyst 2030 is a global movement of social entrepreneurs and social innovators from all sectors who share the common goal of creating innovative, people-centric approaches to attain the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Joining forces with communities, governments, businesses and others, Catalyst 2030 members are changing systems at all levels through collective action and bold, new strategies.

Launched at the World Economic Forum in January 2020, Catalyst 2030 comprises more than 1,500 people and organisations who are active in over 180 countries and who directly reach an estimated two billion people. We believe in collective action and that bold new strategies are needed to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

For more information about the work of Catalyst 2030, or to arrange an interview, please contact nwando@catalyst2030.net

Contact: Nwando Ajele

Email nwando@catalyst2030.net
MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / May 5, 2022 / CEEK VIRTUAL REALITY METAVERSE is excited to announce the release of the most anticipated sequel in Latin music, "El Gran Robo 2" from Spanish rap/hip-hop legend Lito MC Cassidy and global icon Daddy Yankee TODAY with exclusive behind-the-scenes and interview on www.ceek.com and the CEEK VR Metaverse.

CEEK has teamed with Lito and Daddy Yankee to bring this year's event exclusively to the CEEK Metaverse. The award-winning performances will be on www.ceek.com and on the CEEK VR App.

After 11 days of filming, and over 25 locations between San Juan, Puerto Rico, Miami, FL and North Carolina, the mini movie which took 20 years to unfold, returns right where superstars left. Like the metaverse, the characters' personalities are amplified in their fictional worlds. "As a director, having the opportunity to present to the fans this 360 VR experience and NFT takes the music video BTS to a whole other level and makes them feel part of the music video production," says Lito MC Cassidy.

In the CEEK VR Metaverse, fans will be able to visit sites like the Cabana Club, Casino Hotel, and the Old San Juan Fort, as well as walk down the streets of Puerto Rico. Also included in the BTS are three Easter Eggs for fans to find in a scavenger hunt to win CEEK VR headsets and headphones. Additionally, The CEEK Metaverse will also feature an exclusive NFT collection celebrating Lito and Daddy Yankee's body of work for fans to be a part of the two superstars' distinctive visual expression.

Founder and CEO, Mary Spio says, "Having the virtual reality and NFT component makes perfect sense. You have multiple spectacular locations that fans can visit virtually. The El Gran Robo 2 NFT Collection enables fans to own a piece of history and be forever connected in a truly unique way to the artist they love and cherish."

In his directorial debut, Lito MC Cassidy presents the musical film that explains what happened to the characters in 2002's original "El Gran Robo" and how they survived to create this sequel. The original track and video, which fused reggaeton and hip-hop in Spanish saw the artists take on the role of two criminals about to rob a bank in a cinematic narrative produced by DJ Dicky.

The CEEK Metaverse features exclusive music concerts from top artists including Lito, Daddy Yankee, Lady Gaga, Demi Lovato, Ziggy Marley, and more. As a Ceeker, you get to discover amazing concerts, games, 360 videos and other experiences from the iOS or android with your CEEK VR headset.

"El Gran Robo 2" is part of Grammy award-winning artist Lito's recent album, La Jaula de los Vivos, which takes the listeners to a fictional town beset with systemic racism. With his songs, Lito shares his trials, tribulations, and triumphs, while opening and sharing his world like never before. Besides the reunion with Daddy Yankee, the album includes collaborations with reggaeton legends and icons such as J Balvin, Farruko, El Mayor Clasico, Zion & Lennox, and more.

Watch the video of "El Gran Robo 2" and Exclusive BTS on www.ceek.com

Listen to "El Gran Robo 2" on your favorite digital music platform.

ABOUT CEEK VIRTUAL REALITY:

CEEK VR is a streaming platform and celebrity Metaverse that empowers music artists to create NFT's, live events, Avatars, digital merch, venues, art, and social games that traverse multiple virtual worlds. CEEK VR pioneered virtual reality concerts with the mission of making virtual reality experiences universally accessible and enjoyable.

An award-winning distributor of blockchain authenticated digital media and celebrity merchandize. CEEK Smart VR Tokens allow Ceekers (CEEK community members) ability to access authenticated content and celebrity merchandize with transparent content rights reporting and automatic publisher payments via smart contracts.

The CEEK metaverse simulates the communal experience of attending a live concert, attending a sporting event, and other 'money can't buy' exclusive experiences with friends anywhere at any time. CEEK creates, curates, and distributes live streaming concerts and Virtual Reality content for top-class partners using patented headsets and CEEK's VR platform.

The CEEK VR executive team and advisors come with a proven track record of industry leaders ranging from Microsoft, Boeing, The Walt Disney Company, DreamWorks SKG, 20th Century Fox, Verizon, and Zynga.

For more information, please contact:

Keren Poznansky - CEEK VR

310-228-0056

keren@ceek.com

SOURCE: Ceek VR Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700370/CORRECTION-CEEK-Metaverse-Teams-with-Lito-MC-Cassidy-for-Long-Awaited-Sequel-El-Gran-Robo-2-featuring-Daddy-Yankee-with-Special-360-Behind-the-Scenes-and-NFT
4May 2022, 18:45 CET



The Annual General Meeting and Extraordinary General Meeting ('General Meetings') of shareholders of ArcelorMittal ('the Company') held today approved all resolutions by a strong majority.



Over 72% of the voting rights were represented at the General Meetings. In view of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Board of Directors of ArcelorMittal had decided to hold this year's General Meetings by virtual-only format, as permitted by Luxembourg law. The meeting was preceded by a virtual one-hour Q&A session with shareholders.

Arrangements were made to allow shareholders to vote electronically and by proxy voting. The results of the votes will be posted shortly on https://corporate.arcelormittal.comunder 'Investors - Equity investors - Shareholders events - AGM - General Meetings of shareholders, 4 May 2022' where the full documentation regarding the General Meetings is available.

In particular, the shareholders approved the distribution of a dividend of US$0.38 per share and the re-election of Mrs. Vanish Mittal Bhatia and Mr. Karel De Gucht as directors of ArcelorMittal, for a term of three years each. Shareholders also approved the decision to cancel shares and to consequently reduce the issued share capital following the cancellation of shares repurchased under its share buyback program as required.

ENDS

About ArcelorMittal

ArcelorMittal is the world's leading steel and mining company, with a presence in 60 countries and primary steelmaking facilities in 16 countries. In 2021, ArcelorMittal had revenues of $76.6 billion and crude steel production of 69.1 million metric tonnes, while iron ore production reached 50.9 million metric tonnes.

Our goal is to help build a better world with smarter steels. Steels made using innovative processes which use less energy, emit significantly less carbon and reduce costs. Steels that are cleaner, stronger and reusable. Steels for electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure that will support societies as they transform through this century. With steel at our core, our inventive people and an entrepreneurial culture at heart, we will support the world in making that change. This is what we believe it takes to be the steel company of the future.

ArcelorMittal is listed on the stock exchanges of New York (MT), Amsterdam (MT), Paris (MT), Luxembourg (MT) and on the Spanish stock exchanges of Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid and Valencia (MTS).

For more information about ArcelorMittal please visit: http://corporate.arcelormittal.com/
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday will participate in the second India -Nordic Summit with the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway.

At the Summit, Modi will talk to the Nordic nations to strengthen the areas of climate change, renewable energy, and innovation and technology.

He will also hold bilateral talks with Prime Ministers of -- Iceland Katrin Jacobsdottir, Norway Jonas Gahr Store, Finland Sanna Marin and Sweden Magdalena Andersson.

On Tuesday, he arrived at Copenhagen on his second day of his visit to European Nations. Modi held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen and discussed a wide range of issues, including regional and global matters.

The two leaders held talks in a one-on-one format, followed by delegation level talks.

Both Prime Ministers reviewed progress of the India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership. Discussions covered cooperation in renewable energy, especially offshore wind energy and green hydrogen, as well as skill development, health, shipping, water and the Arctic, among others.

After that Modi addressed the business delegation as well as the Indian community.

Later in the day, the Indian Prime Minister met Denmark Queen Margrethe II at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen.

"Queen Margrethe II of Denmark received Prime Minister Narendra Modi today at the historic Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen," the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Prime Minister felicitated the Queen on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of her accession to the throne of Denmark.

The first India-Nordic Summit was held in Stockholm in April 2018.
New Clinic Will Offer Greater Healthcare Access and a Patient-Centered Approach to Southern California Community

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / UrgentMED, a leader in revolutionizing the healthcare experience, will launch its 37th location in Brentwood, Los Angeles to provide urgent care to Southern California residents. The additional Brentwood location will offer local residents the same frictionless and patient-centered experience that people have come to expect from UrgentMED. UrgentMED - Brentwood is conveniently located at 11860 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 100, Los Angeles, CA 90025.

With more than 70 doctors and 400 staff members across their 37 Southern California locations, UrgentMED is a convenient one-stop shop for individuals seeking state-of-the-art care at a fraction of the cost. With its superior same-day service and comprehensive in-house capabilities, UrgentMED provides top-notch care with little to no wait time.

"At UrgentMED, we believe in making healthcare accessible without cutting corners," said Shamim Wu, COO, UrgentMED. "An excellent patient experience is our top priority, whether we are treating unplanned or routine medical needs. The new Brentwood location is part of our mission to change the face of healthcare in California, one patient-centered clinic at a time."

With its top-of-the-line equipment and testing, the Brentwood clinic will have the capacity to diagnose and treat medical issues that require diagnostic laboratory testing, surgical and non-surgical procedures, routine examinations, workers' compensation, radiology services, COVID-19 testing, in-house medications, durable medical equipment, and physical therapy services. In order to provide timely and accessible urgent care, the walk-in clinic will be open weekdays from 8am-8pm and weekends from 9am-5pm. And in an effort to be accessible, UrgentMED accepts most PPO and HMO insurances, as well as Medicare. For more information on services, please call (747) 326-0002.

About UrgentMED

Since 2007, UrgentMED has been revolutionizing the healthcare industry with their patient-centered approach. Committed to efficiency, accessibility, and professionalism, its "one-stop shop" model allows each individual patient to receive exceptional care across dozens of convenient Southern California locations. With its state-of-the-art equipment, UrgentMED clinics have the capacity to diagnose and treat medical issues that require diagnostic laboratory testing, surgical and non-surgical procedures, routine examinations, workers' compensation, radiology services, COVID-19 testing, in-house medications, durable medical equipment, and physical therapy services. With more than 70 doctors and 400 staff members at 37 locations across Southern California, UrgentMED is rapidly expanding to provide unparalleled care to patients with routine and urgent medical needs.

For more information, visit UrgentMED.com

Media Contact

Alexandra Pony

alexandra@ponycommunications.com

250.858.0656

SOURCE: UrgentMED

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700139/UrgentMED-Opens-Second-Brentwood-Urgent-Care-Location-to-Provide-Efficient-and-Accessible-Healthcare-to-LA-Residents
CARSON CITY, NV / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Against a backdrop of International Astronomy Day on May 7, Travel Nevada has mapped out the five biggest astrological events of 2022 and the best places to see them in Nevada so that stargazers and explorers can plan their next sky-viewing trip. International Astronomy Day is a day dedicated to natural science and viewing the wonders in the night sky, something that is especially enjoyable in Nevada thanks to its significantly low light pollution. The state is home to some of the last true dark skies in America and one of only seven Dark Sky Sanctuaries in the world.

There are several stargazing hotspots in the Silver State, so professional and amateur astrologers really can't go wrong wherever they set up their telescopes. However, to help travelers get a truly stellar experience (pun intended), Travel Nevada has paired this year's major events with some of the state's most awe-inspiring locations:

Total Lunar Eclipse & Strawberry Moon at Great Basin National Park - Two of this year's lunar events, the Total Lunar Eclipse on May 15-16 and the Strawberry Moon on June 14, offer out-of-this-world viewing experiences for aspiring astrologers. Travelers can view both events at Great Basin National Park , designated as one of the darkest places in the Lower 48 by the International Dark Sky Association. This National Park is also considered one of the quietest parks in the U.S. with the lack of big crowds, low light pollution, and Nevada's second tallest hike-able peak.

Two of this year's lunar events, the Total Lunar Eclipse on May 15-16 and the Strawberry Moon on June 14, offer out-of-this-world viewing experiences for aspiring astrologers. Travelers can view both events at , designated as one of the darkest places in the Lower 48 by the International Dark Sky Association. This National Park is also considered one of the quietest parks in the U.S. with the lack of big crowds, low light pollution, and Nevada's second tallest hike-able peak. Five Planets for the Viewing Eye at Massacre Rim Dark Sky Sanctuary - From June 18 through June 27, travelers can view Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn assemble a perfect line through the night sky. To view the line of planets in the best way possible, visitors can travel to the Massacre Rim Dark Sky Sanctuary . This sanctuary is one of seven in the entire world, receiving its Dark Sky title in 2019 by the International Dark Sky Association, and is located on the northwestern edge of the Silver State. Locals say during a moonless night, even the stars can cast shadows at this epic stargazing spot.

From June 18 through June 27, travelers can view Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn assemble a perfect line through the night sky. To view the line of planets in the best way possible, visitors can travel to the . This sanctuary is one of seven in the entire world, receiving its Dark Sky title in 2019 by the International Dark Sky Association, and is located on the northwestern edge of the Silver State. Locals say during a moonless night, even the stars can cast shadows at this epic stargazing spot. Perseid Meteor Shower on the Sunset, Stars & Champagne Train - Have you ever wondered what 150-200 meteors per hour looks like in the dark, clear sky? Then look no further than the Silver State, as the entire state of dark skies will have the Perseid Meteor Shower on full display. This celestial event, starting on July 17 and going through August 24, also aligns with Nevada's prime-time Milky Way viewing season, where the cloudy, silvery streak across the sky is clear to see. Travelers can relax and enjoy these otherworldly events in the open-aired, interstellar constellation locomotive known as the Nevada Northern Railway's Sunset, Stars & Champagne Train . Each ticket includes a glass of champagne and a variety of viewing pleasures from East Ely Depot in eastern Nevada to the Steptoe Valley.

Have you ever wondered what 150-200 meteors per hour looks like in the dark, clear sky? Then look no further than the Silver State, as the entire state of dark skies will have the on full display. This celestial event, starting on July 17 and going through August 24, also aligns with Nevada's prime-time Milky Way viewing season, where the cloudy, silvery streak across the sky is clear to see. Travelers can relax and enjoy these otherworldly events in the open-aired, interstellar constellation locomotive known as the Nevada Northern Railway's . Each ticket includes a glass of champagne and a variety of viewing pleasures from East Ely Depot in eastern Nevada to the Steptoe Valley. Great Basin Astronomy Festival at Great Basin National Park - Stargazers can make plans now for this 3-day festival, Sept. 22-24, at Great Basin National Park. By day, travelers can explore the park's alpine lakes, peak-bagging trails, ancient pine coves, and extensive cave system. Then by night, they can learn why locals say, "Half the Park is After Dark," as Dark Sky Rangers lead presentations and guests can gaze up at the Milky Way with telescopes and learn from the region's astronomical experts.

Whether visitors experience the glittering skies during one of these dark sky events or all of them, they'll depart Nevada with an appreciation for perhaps the other reason it's called the "Silver State."

To further plan your stargazing experience under the darkest skies in the Lower 48, visit Travel Nevada's newly designed Stargazing page , where you can check moon phases during your trip and even download the perfect playlist to accompany your starry excursion.

EDITORS: for high-resolution images of Nevada's best stargazing locations, visit here .

Travel Nevada (the Nevada Division of Tourism) is part of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. It is responsible for promoting and marketing Nevada as a travel destination. Operating within a performance-based budget structure, Travel Nevada is funded solely by a percentage of lodging tax paid by overnight guests throughout the state. For more, visit TravelNevada.biz .

Contact:

Tracie Barnthouse

tbarnthouse@travelnevada.com

SOURCE: Travel Nevada

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700113/Travel-Nevada-Identifies-Best-Places-to-View-2022s-Astrological-Events-in-the-Silver-State
Thunder Bay, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 4, 2022) - White Metal Resources Corp. (TSXV: WHM) (FSE: CGK1) (OTC Pink: TNMLF) ("White Metal" or the "Company") is pleased to announce additions to its Board of Directors. The Company will appoint two (2) new Directors, including Mr. Wesley Hanson and Mr. Nigel Lees. In addition, Mr. Warren Bates will become a strategic consultant to the Company.

Dr. Scott Jobin-Bevans, interim President & CEO stated, "We are pleased that Wes Hanson and Nigel Lees have agreed to bring their considerable experience and leadership to the Board and that Mr. Warren Bates will consult to the Company as we continue to develop our Tower Mountain Gold property towards a Tier 1 resource."

Wesley C. (Wes) Hanson P. Geo. has worked continuously in the mining and mineral exploration sector for forty years. An experienced exploration geologist, his early career included being a member of professional teams that found, developed and operated over a half dozen, high grade, underground gold discoveries. Being a member of these small, interdisciplinary team provided an opportunity to round up his professional experience, serving in the engineering, maintenance, metallurgical and mining departments both as a labourer and eventually, in supervisory roles. As a result, Mr. Hanson offers a wealth of hands-on practical experience with a strong background on mineral exploration, resource and reserve estimation and project evaluation. Later in his career, Mr. Hanson was part of teams that evaluated, designed and constructed several low grade, large tonnage open pit mines in the Yukon, Nevada, Chile and Brazil. He served in senior management positions with Kinross Gold and Western Goldfields (Newgold) where he was primarily engaged in technical supervision, project design and mergers and acquisitions.

Mr. Hanson served as President and CEO of Noront Resources from 2009 through 2012, supervising the initial mineral resource estimates for nickel and chromite and securing over C$75.0 million in capital funding. He is passionate about the importance of environmental and social governance at all stages of mineral exploration. Mr. Hanson is currently Vice President Exploration with Unigold, where he has supervised exploration of the Neita Concession since 2013.

Wes is a graduate of Mount Allison University (BSc. Geology) and is a practicing member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario.

Nigel Lees has over thirty years' experience in merchant and investment banking in the U.K. and Canada. His career in Canada commenced with RBC Dominion Securities as a research analyst. During his career in Canada, he has been a partner and director of several investment dealers and has assisted in financing companies in the process of going public on the Canadian stock exchanges.

He has served as a member of the Listing Committee of the Toronto Stock Exchange as well as an officer and board member of several publicly listed junior mining companies. He was the founder and past director of TVX Gold Inc., a significant North and South American gold producer, which merged with Kinross Gold in 2003. He served as a director of Yamana Gold Inc for seventeen years until 2020, where he served as the Chairman of the compensation committee. He served as CEO of Sage Gold Inc. until 2018. Most recently Mr. Lees co-founded a private mining exploration company, New Break Resources, whose principal exploration properties are in Nunavut, Canada's vast northern territory.

Warren Bates graduated from University of Manitoba in 1985, with an Honours B. Sc. (Geology). His work experience includes 20-years 1985-2005) with Vista Gold (previously Granges Inc.) where he held successive positions from Project Geologist to Regional Manager and finally Vice President Exploration. Mr. Bates held the position as VP Exploration for Pelangio Exploration for an additional 12-years. His experience includes greenfields to mine site exploration in greenstone gold, epithermal gold and porphyry copper exploration, reserve and resource definition. Warren has worked all over Canada, the USA, Latin America and Africa, and is presently a consultant geologist.

About White Metal Resources Corp.

White Metal Resources Corp. is a junior exploration company exploring in Canada and southern Africa. The Company's Flagship Property is the Tower Mountain Gold Project near Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. For more information about the Company please visit www.whitemetalres.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Scott Jobin-Bevans"

Interim President & CEO, Director

For further information contact:

Scott Jobin-Bevans

White Metal Resources Corp.

684 Squier Street

Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7B 4A8

M:+1-647-405-3632

scott.jb@caraclecreek.com

Elliot Strashin, Director

P:+1-416-504-0077 ext. 22

elliot@strashindevelopments.com

THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122793
ANGUILLA, BWI / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Rhino Biotech Limited (OTCPINK:RBRXF), a Biotech Company ("Rhino Biotech" or "the Company"), today announced it will be presenting at the SNN Network Planet MicroCap Showcase on May 4, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. Pacific Time. Chief Strategy Officer , Justin DeAngelis will host the presentation and answer questions from investors.

To access the live presentation, please use the following information:

Planet MicroCap Showcase 2022 in Las Vegas

Date: Wednesday, May 4,2022

Time: 2.30 p.m. PDT

Webcast: https://www.issuerdirect.com/order/snn/rhino/

About Rhino Biotech Limited.

Rhino Biotech, specializes in producing active ingredients and compounds derived from plants, fungi and other micro organisms for use in nutraceuticals and preventative and curative bio-pharmaceuticals, all with the intention of fortifying health in mammals.

For more information, visit

Website: rhinobiotech.com

Investor Relations: ir.rhinobiotech.com

Recent Milestones

Agritech division licensed in several states

Operate a 27,000 Square Foot fully automated lab grade facility completed with deep water culture chambers and cloning rooms

2 Proprietary CBG strains bread and engineered over 14 Iterations

Developed and Manufactured 440 Nutraceutical products along with various certifications, with some products being NSF certified (Certified for Sport)

Developed 25 Health specific nutraceutical formulations

1 proprietary strain being used for Medical Research in partnership with Penn State and PA Options for Wellness.

Developed a range of Pet and Equine Nutraceuticals and Topical products

Developed a range of Energy Drinks, Vitamin Water Drinks and other Nutraceutical Waters

Secured the option on a large cannabinoid focused technology patent portfolio

First revenue generated from Seed and Biomass sales

If you would like to attend the 2022 Planet MicroCap Showcase and register for a 1-on-1 meeting with Rhino Biotech, please make sure you are registered here:

https://planetmicrocapshowcase.com/signup

1-on-1 meetings will be scheduled and conducted in person at the conference venue.

About SNN Network

SNN Network is your multimedia financial news platform for discovery, transparency and due diligence. This is your one-stop hub to find new investment ideas, check in on watchlist, gather the most up-to-date information on the Small-, Micro-, Nano-Cap market with the goal to help you towards achieving your wealth generation goals. Follow the companies YOU want to know more about; read and watch content from YOUR favorite finance and investing influencers; create YOUR own watchlist and screen for ideas YOU'RE interested in; find out about investor conferences YOU want to attend - all here on SNN Network.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate" "expect," "intend," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should," "might," "potential," or "continue," and variations or similar expressions. Readers should not unduly rely on these forward- looking statements, which are not a guarantee of future performance. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statement will prove to be accurate. As all such forward- looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results or future event to differ materially from the forward- looking statements. Such risks include, but may not be limited to: general economic and business conditions; our ability to obtain financing; technology changes; competition; changes in strategy or development plans; governmental regulations and the ability or failure to comply with governmental regulations; the timing of anticipated results; and other factors referenced in Rhino Biotech's filings with securities regulators. For a discussion of further risks and uncertainties related to our business, please refer to our public company reports filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and are subject to change. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update such statements. This communication does not constitute an offer or solicitation of an offer for sale of any securities in any jurisdiction.Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update or publicly announce any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this news release.

Contacts

Rhino Biotech Limited

Justin DeAngelis, Chief Strategy Officer

Phone: 970-779-3199

Bernie O'Neill, Chief Operating Officer

Phone: 203-695-8571

Email: hello@rhinobiotech.com



Investor Relations

Porter, LeVay & Rose

Michael Porter, President

Phone: 212.564.4700

Email: info@plrinvest.com

Investment Advisors

John McAuliffe

Managing Director

Paulson Investment Company, LLC

4905 W Laurel Street, Suite 101

Tampa, FL 33607

Direct Dial: (813) 369-5889

www.paulsoninvestment.com

SOURCE: Rhino Biotech

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700151/Rhino-Biotech-to-Present-at-the-Planet-Microcap-Showcase
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Despite data showing an unexpected increase in U.S. oil stockpiles in the week ended April 29, crude oil prices rose sharply on Wednesday, lifted by the European Union's decision to impose sanctions on Russian oil. The European Commission has announced several measures including plans to phase out supplies of Russian crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of 2022. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also proposed to remove Russia's biggest bank Sberbank and two other banks from the international SWIFT transaction and messaging system as part of a sixth sanctions package to punish Moscow over its war in Ukraine. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for June climbed $5.58 or nearly 5.5% to $107.79 a barrel. Brent crude futures were up $5.50 or 5.23% at $110.47 a barrel a little while ago. Data from Energy Information Administration showed U.S. crude inventories rose by 1.302 million barrels last week, as against expectations for a draw of around 0.830 million barrels. Gasoline inventories dropped by 2.230 million barrels last week, about a million barrels more than the expected drop, while distillate stockpiles dropped by 2.344 million barrels, compared with expectations for a draw of 0.589 million barrels. The American Petroleum Institute on Thursday reported that U.S. crude oil inventories fell 3.48 million barrels last week. Distillate inventories dropped 4.46 million barrels and gasoline stocks were down 4.5 million barrels, the report said. Meanwhile, markets are looking ahead to the meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies on Thursday. The group, collectively known as OPEC+, is expected to take a decision with record to monthly production. 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.
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Fortitude Gold Corporation (OTCQB:FTCO) (the "Company") reported results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022, including $15.4 million net sales, $2.6 million net income or $0.11 per share, and a $36.3 million cash balance at quarter end. The Company produced 9,875 ounces of gold and maintains its 2022 production outlook. Fortitude Gold is a gold producer, developer, and explorer with operations in Nevada, U.S.A. offering investors exposure to both gold production and dividend yield.

Q1 2022 FINANCIAL RESULTS AND HIGHLIGHTS

$15.4 million net sales

$2.6 million net income or $0.11 per share

$36.3 million cash balance on March 31, 2022

9,875 gold ounces produced

2.16 grams per tonne average gold grade mined

$75.7 million working capital at March 31, 2022

$6.8 million mine gross profit

$708 total cash cost after by-product credits per gold ounce sold

$848 per ounce total all-in sustaining cost

Overview of Q1 2022 Results

Fortitude Gold sold 8,297 gold ounces at a total cash cost of $708 per ounce (after by-product credits) and an all-in sustaining cost per ounce of $848. Realized metal prices during the quarter averaged $1,863 per ounce gold*. The Company recorded net income of $2.6 million, or $0.11 per share and maintained substantial cash and cash equivalents at quarter end of $36.3 million. The Company produced 9,875 ounces of gold during the quarter and maintains its 2022 Annual Outlook, targeting 40,000 gold ounces (a range of 36,000 to 40,000 ounces).

"Our first quarter results set a strong tone for the 2022 production year, especially considering the low and high-grade ore stockpiles the operations leaned on during the quarter," stated Mr. Jason Reid, CEO and President of Fortitude Gold. "We successfully made the transition from open-pit phase one waste rock removal to open-pit phase two mining by quarter end. Operations now have access to high-grade pearl zone ore for the next three years with a mine plan that is scheduled to move substantially less waste rock each subsequent year, resulting in lower expected mining costs and greater free cash flow. This strong future cash flow is expected to replenish our already strong cash treasury as we allocated cash to fund our second mine build located on the Golden Mile property. This approach should enable us to build our second mine without shareholder dilution, add to mine life longevity, continue to explore our portfolio of properties, pay taxes as a profitable company, and distribute substantial dividends to shareholders with an attractive industry leading yield."

The following Production Statistics table summarizes certain information about our Isabella Pearl Mine for three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021:



Three months ended March 31,

2022 2021 Ore mined Ore (tonnes) 253,843 156,222 Gold grade (g/t) 2.16 5.03 Low-grade stockpile Ore (tonnes) 23,490 - Gold grade (g/t) 0.44 - Waste (tonnes) 1,252,524 1,375,199 Metal production (before payable metal deductions)(1) Gold (ozs.) 9,875 11,536 Silver (ozs.) 16,523 7,133

The difference between what we report as "metal production" and "metal sold" is attributable to the difference between the quantities of metals contained in the dore we produce versus the portion of those metals actually paid for according to the terms of our sales contracts. Differences can also arise from inventory changes incidental to shipping schedules, or variances in ore grades and recoveries which impact the amount of metals contained in dore produced and sold.

The following Sales Statistics table summarizes certain information about our Isabella Pearl Mine for three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021:





Three months ended March 31,



2022 2021 Metal sold







Gold (ozs.) 8,297 11,472 Silver (ozs.) 13,928 6,895 Average metal prices realized (1) Gold ($per oz.) 1,863 1,804 Silver ($per oz.) 23.76 26.23 Precious metal gold equivalent ounces sold Gold Ounces 8,297 11,472 Gold Equivalent Ounces from Silver 178 100 8,475 11,572 Total cash cost before by-product credits per gold ounce sold $ 748 $ 550 Total cash cost after by-product credits per gold ounce sold $ 708 $ 534 Total all-in sustaining cost per gold ounce sold $ 848 $ 575

Average metal prices realized vary from the market metal prices due to final settlement adjustments from our provisional invoices when they are settled. Our average metal prices realized will therefore differ from the market average metal prices in most cases.

*Average realized metal prices include final settlement adjustments for previously unsettled provisional sales. Provisional sales may remain unsettled from one quarter into the next. Realized prices will therefore vary from average spot metal market prices upon final settlement.

See Accompanying Tables

The following information summarizes the results of operations for Fortitude Gold Corporation for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, its financial condition at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, and its cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021. The summary data as of March 31, 2022 and for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 is unaudited; the summary data as of December 31, 2021 is derived from our audited financial statements contained in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, but do not include the footnotes and other information that is included in the complete financial statements. Readers are urged to review the Company's Form 10-K in its entirety, which can be found on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

The calculation of its cash cost before by-product credits per gold ounce sold, total cash cost after by-product credits per gold ounce sold and total all-in sustaining cost per gold ounce sold contained in this press release are non-GAAP financial measures. Please see "Management's Discussion and Analysis and Results of Operations" contained in the Company's most recent Form 10-K for a complete discussion and reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures.

FORTITUDE GOLD CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(U.S. dollars in thousands, except share and per share amounts)







March 31, December 31,





2022 2021





(Unaudited)





ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 36,305 $ 40,017 Accounts receivable 18 238 Inventories 42,169 37,550 Prepaid taxes 952 1,289 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 688 2,228 Total current assets 80,132 81,322 Property, plant and mine development, net 37,953 37,226 Operating lease assets, net - 463 Deferred tax assets 726 509 Other non-current assets 2,925 2,909 Total assets $ 121,736 $ 122,429 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 2,292 $ 2,127 Operating lease liabilities, current - 463 Mining taxes payable 1,462 1,699 Other current liabilities 647 1,022 Total current liabilities 4,401 5,311 Asset retirement obligations 5,120 4,725 Other non-current liabilities 19 45 Total liabilities 9,540 10,081 Shareholders' equity: Preferred stock - $0.01 par value, 20,000,000 shares authorized and nil outstanding at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 - - Common stock - $0.01 par value, 200,000,000 shares authorized and 24,024,542 shares outstanding at March 31, 2022 and 23,961,208 shares outstanding at December 31, 2021 240 240 Additional paid-in capital 103,586 103,476 Retained earnings 8,370 8,632 Total shareholders' equity 112,196 112,348 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 121,736 $ 122,429

FORTITUDE GOLD CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

For the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021

(U.S. dollars in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

(Unaudited)





Three months ended



March 31,



2022 2021 Sales, net $ 15,361 $ 20,655 Mine cost of sales: Production costs 5,781 6,086 Depreciation and amortization 2,778 3,647 Reclamation and remediation 47 29 Total mine cost of sales 8,606 9,762 Mine gross profit 6,755 10,893 Costs and expenses: General and administrative expenses 1,180 6,160 Exploration expenses 2,514 1,317 Other expense, net 17 37 Total costs and expenses 3,711 7,514 Income before income and mining taxes 3,044 3,379 Mining and income tax expense 426 978 Net income $ 2,618 $ 2,401 Net income per common share: Basic $ 0.11 $ 0.10 Diluted $ 0.11 $ 0.10 Weighted average shares outstanding: Basic 23,995,254 23,614,466 Diluted 24,197,423 23,778,014

FORTITUDE GOLD CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

For the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021

(U.S. dollars in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

(Unaudited)



Three months ended

March 31,

2022 2021 Cash flows from operating activities: Net income $ 2,618 $ 2,401 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 2,816 3,677 Stock-based compensation 47 3,125 Deferred taxes (217 ) (27 ) Reclamation and remediation accretion 47 - Other operating adjustments (18 ) 17 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable 220 (1,514 ) Inventories (2,945 ) (1,827 ) Prepaid expenses and other current assets 1,540 (180 ) Other non-current assets (16 ) (5 ) Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities (122 ) 1,187 Income and mining taxes payable 100 485 Net cash provided by operating activities 4,070 7,339

Cash flows from investing activities: Capital expenditures (4,938 ) (104 ) Net cash used in investing activities (4,938 ) (104 )

Cash flows from financing activities: Dividends paid (2,880 ) - Issuance of common stock - 500 Proceeds from exercise of stock options 63 - Repayment of loans payable (21 ) (226 ) Repayment of capital leases (6 ) (112 ) Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (2,844 ) 162

Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents (3,712 ) 7,397 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 40,017 27,774 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 36,305 $ 35,171

Supplemental Cash Flow Information Income and mining taxes paid $ 542 $ 520 Non-cash investing and financing activities: Change in capital expenditures in accounts payable $ (86 ) $ (47 ) Change in estimate for asset retirement costs $ 314 $ 92 Right-of-Use assets acquired through operating lease $ 1,100 $ -

About Fortitude Gold Corp.:

Fortitude Gold is a U.S. based gold producer targeting projects with low operating costs, high margins, and strong returns on capital. The Company's strategy is to grow organically, remain debt-free and distribute substantial dividends. The Company's Nevada Mining Unit consists of five high-grade gold properties located in the Walker Lane Mineral Belt and a sixth high-grade gold property in west central Nevada. The Isabella Pearl gold mine, located on the Isabella Pearl mineralized trend, is currently in production. Nevada, U.S.A. is among the world's premier mining friendly jurisdictions.

Cautionary Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. If you are risk-averse you should NOT buy shares in Fortitude Gold Corp. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. When used in this press release, the words "plan", "target", "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the statements regarding the Company's strategy, future plans for production, future expenses and costs, future liquidity and capital resources, and estimates of mineralized material are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to the Company on the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements.

Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this press release. In particular, the scope, duration, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mining operations, Company employees, and supply chains as well as the scope, duration and impact of government action aimed at mitigating the pandemic may cause future actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Also, there can be no assurance that production will continue at any specific rate.

Contact:

Greg Patterson

719-717-9825

greg.patterson@fortitudegold.com

www.Fortitudegold.com

SOURCE: Fortitude Gold Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700136/Fortitude-Gold-Reports-First-Quarter-Net-Income-Of-011-Per-Share-Maintains-2022-Production-Outlook
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The UK Parliament has invited Tesla CEO Elon Musk to testify in the U.K. Parliament about his deal to purchase social media platform Twitter for a sum of $44 billion. Julian Knight, who chairs the parliamentary committee on digital, culture, media and sport, sent Musk a letter requesting that he appear before lawmakers to discuss the proposal 'in more depth.' In a statement issued on Wednesday, Knight said, 'At a time when social media companies face the prospect of tighter regulations around the world, we're keen to learn more about how Musk will balance his clear commitment to free speech with new obligations to protect Twitter's users from online harms.' A Tesla representative was not immediately available for comment on the developments. Musk's plan to buy Twitter has worried policymakers across the world due to concerns that the world's richest man would relax restrictions on what users can say or post on the social media platform. In the UK, the government plans to pass new laws, which would impose a duty of care on online platforms to tackle harmful and illegal content. Known as the Online Safety Bill, the legislation would allow the media watchdog Ofcom to levy fines of up to 10 percent of a company's worldwide annual revenue for violations. Tech executives could also be jailed for repeated failure to cooperate with regulators. The European Union's incoming Digital Services Act, meanwhile, would force Big Tech platforms to remove illegal content and products from their services in a faster manner. Last week, EU officials had warned Musk that he would have to follow the rules if he is to take over Twitter. This is not the first time a billionaire tech boss has been asked to appear before the UK Parliament. In 2018, lawmakers summoned Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to attend a hearing on disinformation and the Cambridge Analytica data privacy scandal, a request which he politely declined. 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.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Victory Nickel Inc. ("Victory Nickel" or the "Company") (CSE:NI, www.victorynickel.ca) provides the following update.

Filing of December 31, 2021 Year End Financial Statements Deferred

Victory Nickel announced on April 1, 2022 it had filed a notice of intention to make a proposal (the "Proposal") to address its unsecured debt obligations in a manner that will allow the Company to continue to operate, and ultimately, provide greater value to its stakeholders. The Company's press release issued on the same date summarizes the key elements of the Proposal. On April 14, 2022 the Proposal was filed with a meeting date of May 5, 2022 set to vote on the Proposal.

While the Company has the financial resources and capacity to complete the audit in relation to the filing of the December 31, 2021 Year End Financial Statements, it has made the decision to wait until May 5, 2022 for the outcome of the vote on the Proposal. The Company deemed it fiscally irresponsible to expend monies on an audit until a decision has been reached by its unsecured creditors on the restructuring.

As of May 3, 2022 Victory Nickel is in default for failure to file its 2021 Year End Financial Statements. Failure to file the documents may result in further action by the regulator including the issuance of a Cease Trading Order.

In the event of a favourable vote on May 5, 2022, the Company intends to file its 2021 Year End Financial Statements no later than June 30, 2022.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

About Victory Nickel

Victory Nickel Inc. is a Canadian company with significant NI 43-101 sulphide nickel resources in Manitoba and Quebec, containing significant NI 43-101-compliant nickel resources. Additionally, through a wholly owned subsidiary, Victory Silica Ltd., Victory Nickel has established itself as a producer and marketer of industrial sands in the western Canadian marketplace from its 7P Plant in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

Contact:

Victory Nickel Inc.

Cynthia Thomas,

Executive Chair & Interim CEO

Email: admin@victorynickel.ca

www.victorynickel.ca

Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains certain forward-looking information. All information, other than information regarding historic fact that addresses activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future is forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this news release, including information related to the completion and outcome of any debt restructuring activities reflects the current expectations, assumptions and/or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update or modify such forward-looking information, either because of new information, future events or for any other reason. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

SOURCE: Victory Nickel Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/700104/Victory-Nickel-Inc-Financial-Reporting-Update
Manassas, Virginia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 4, 2022) - Chrisna Ouk and Atlas Singularity, are set to provide enhanced education about Financial Literacy, using the modern learning techniques, to create awareness among the people.

Atlas Singularity LLC (Atlas) is a labor of hard work and consistent results delivered by the founder: Chrisna Ouk. Atlas's mission is to improve and empower the lives of the average American in the United States by offering quality education.

When it comes to learning about personal and corporate finances, Atlas is the go-to resource. Chrisna and his team of professionals have created an in-depth curriculum that goes over many topics in the finance niche. A few of the many topics include: money management, investing, credit, arbitrage and many more subjects.

To make learning efficient, fun, and effective; Atlas provides their clients with different approaches to learning that are adapted to their specific learning styles. They offer online courses, 1-on-1 consulting, and interactive in-person meetups to maximize the process of learning. They have a comprehensive approach to learning.

This is what Chrisna Ouk, has to say:

"Eight out of ten Americans, according to a statistic I read, are in debt, and 60% of the population lives paycheck to paycheck. The results of the statistics show that it's evident the educational system in the U.S is failing to teach a topic that's so crucial for the real world. This is what motivated me to start the company. The progress we've made since launching about a year ago makes me proud, and I'm looking forward to the many lives we'll be changing as a result of what they learn from us."

Although the company is just in its infancy, Chrisna and his team already have thousands of students underneath them and are growing at an incredibly fast pace. Atlas's long-term vision is to educate and impact millions of lives. They hope to scale their growth by working with state representatives and government officials to advocate for more financial literacy programs in the education system.

Company: Atlas Singularity LLC

Contact: Chrisna Ouk

Website: https://www.AtlasSingularity.com

Phone: 888-827-5482

Email: support@AtlasSingularity.com

Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/atlas-singularity/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122836
Joanna Drake and Julie Wroblewski, Co-Founders & Managing Partners of Magnify Ventures

Magnify Ventures, a Los Angeles, CA- and San Francisco, CA-based early-stage venture capital firm investing in founders leading the digital transformation of how we live, work and care for one another, closed its first fund, at $52m.

Magnify Ventures debut fund is anchored by Pivotal Ventures, a Melinda French Gates company, and includes limited partners from leading foundations, funds of funds, family offices and visionary business leaders.

Led by Joanna Drake and Julie Wroblewski, Co-Founders & Managing Partners, Magnify Ventures will invest in early-stage technology companies that are revolutionizing the $648 billion care economy in four growing categories, including:

parenting and family life,

the future of work,

household optimization, and

aging and longevity.

As an early-stage investor, the firm supports founders across all aspects of company-building from customer acquisition, operations, brand and marketing strategy, to talent recruitment and sales. Magnify Ventures also leverages an expert advisory network and unique partnerships with leading organizations with common care economy interests, including The Holding Co, the Employee Health Innovation Roundtable (EHIR), AARP and UCSF Rosenman Institute.

The fund already includes seven portfolio companies: Cocoon, Element3 Health, Milo, MiSalud, Papa, Seven Starling and Till Financial.

Wroblewski previously launched and led Pivotal Ventures venture capital investment portfolio and strategy, and spent over a decade as an advisor and investor with institutional-scale foundations and mission-oriented firms. Drake is a serial media tech entrepreneur, venture capital veteran with Core Ventures Group, and co-founder of venture community and conference for emerging fund managers, RAISE Global.

FinSMEs

04/05/2022
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers launched their campaign to play 'Hanuman Chalisa' outside certain mosques in Mumbai and other parts of the state where 'azan' was relayed on loudspeakers, here on Wednesday morning.

In places like Kandivali in Mumbai, pockets of Thane, Pune and Nashik, some MNS workers were seen playing Hanuman Chalisa on portable loudspeakers as 'azan' was heard on local mosques, though at low decibels.

Police have deployed tight security in Mumbai and rest of Maharashtra, aided by over 30,000 Home Guards, QRT and other units, and there have been no reports of any untoward incidents so far.

Mumbai Police Commissioner personally went around some sensitive spots in Dharavi and south Mumbai to oversee the security arrangements and deter MNS workers from creating any law and order issues.

The MNS leaders referred to the Supreme Court guidelines prohibiting use of loudspeakers between 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. and said that their campaign will continue as announced before.

Party Spokesperson Sandip Deshpande said that the activists are ready to face action -- "Let the police do their job, we will do our jobs" -- as police continued to round up MNS workers from Mumbai and other areas in the state.

Late on Tuesday night, MNS President Raj Thackeray had issued an appeal to all Hindus to blare out 'Hanuman Chalisa' outside any mosque using loudspeakers and not disturb those masjids which have already stopped using the public address systems.

Raj is likely to address the media later this afternoon to announce his further course of action in the matter as the civic elections are round the corner.

Meanwhile, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government ministers and officials reviewed the current situation and chalked out the future plans as the MNS remained adamant on its agitation despite all preventive measures.
Sentry, a San Francisco, CA-based provider of a developer-first application monitoring platform, raised $90m in Series E funding.

The round, which brought total funding to $217m and valued the company at more than $3 billion, was co-led by BOND and Accel, with participation from existing investor New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and new investor K5 Global.

The company intends to use the capital to accelerate its long-term growth for product development, hiring, and global expansion in Europe.

Led by Milin Desai, CEO, Sentry provides an application performance monitoring (APM) platform that empowers any developer or development team to solve issues in production code by using one tool to monitor for errors, performance, and health across mobile, desktop, and IoT, and across any industry or vertical.

Used by more than 3.5 million developers and 85,000 organizations worldwide, Sentry provides code-level observability to companies like Disney, Peloton, Cloudflare, Eventbrite, Slack, Supercell, and Rockstar Games.

FinSMEs

04/05/2022
BEIJING, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Shandong Taishan midfielder Moises Magalhaes has completed the mandatory hotel quarantine after he returned to China from Brazil.

The Brazilian player on Tuesday posted a picture on social media showing him with three pieces of luggage with a caption in Portuguese: "14 days concluded. Long days."

Magalhaes served out the 14-day quarantine in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

He will then have to spend seven days in home isolation before being able to join up with the team.

Magalhaes joined Shandong Taishan in October of 2019. 
One worker was killed and three others were injured in an explosion at a steel factory in IDA Bollarum on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Wednesday.

The mishap is suspected to have been caused by the explosion of the boiler.

The injured were shifted to a hospital at Kukatpally in Hyderabad, where their condition is stated to be critical.

The deceased was identified as Hemanth (28). The body was shifted to a government hospital at Patancheru for autopsy.

Police rushed to the area and took up investigation.

The cause of the blast and other details are awaited.

IDA Bollarum is an industrial cluster located in Sangareddy district near Hyderabad and has seen some industrial accidents in the past.
The BJP will take a decision on the long-pending cabinet rejig in Karnataka within a week of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's return from his foreign trip.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, a relieved Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that Union Minister Amit Shah had told him that he would discuss the matter in Delhi.

Amit Shah had categorically asked Bommai to leave the matter of cabinet expansion to the high command. Sources said that Amit Shah comforted Bommai on questions being raised on his (Bommai) leadership. Shah had asked Bommai to 'just focus on work', sources said.

Chief Minister Bommai's body language seemed to be hinting a relief after the visit of Amit Shah. State Party President Nalin Kumar Kateel and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa have vehemently defended the leadership of Bommai and stated that there was no change of leadership in the state.

Bommai clarified that the creation of the post of Deputy Chief Minister in Karnataka was a creation of the media.

Party sources said that Amit Shah, who discussed the matter in detail in the core committee meeting of the party during his visit to Bengaluru on Tuesday, has asked CM Bommai to focus on governance.

High Command is likely to induct at least 10 new faces into the state cabinet and drop about five senior cabinet ministers. It is not decided yet whether there will be cabinet expansion and overhaul like Gujarat.
The Yogi Adityanath government, in its second innings, has further intensified the 'Swachh Bharat Mission' so that the benefits of the scheme reach every village and every poor.

The state government is sparing no efforts to make the state free from open defecation.

According to the government spokesman, a target has been set to construct community toilets and Izzatghar in every village.

It is noteworthy that the state government's plan to construct house-to-house toilets, which is part of the campaign to make the villages clean, has had a great impact in the last five years. This has not only changed the lives of the village people but insecurity has also disappeared from the minds of women.

To accomplish this, an action plan is being prepared to build 1,494 community toilets and 2.41 lakh Izzatghars in villages in the first 100 days of the second term of the Adityanath government.

For this, the Panchayati Raj department is playing an important role in realising the dream of the Swachh Bharat Mission.

The spokesman said that the construction of toilets has also reduced the risk of diseases to a great extent.

It is worth mentioning that the government has made all the Gram Panchayats of the state open defecation free during the last five years. This major achievement was accomplished by constructing 2.18 crore individual toilets.

Also, the target of constructing at least one community toilet per Gram Panchayat is being met. Under the scheme, as many as 58,189 community toilets are to be constructed.
By James Brizuela | 6 days ago

Denzel Washington is a perennial actor, who has not missed much in his career. However, his most critically panned outing is now on Netflix. What film is that? None other than the thriller John Q. The film sees Washington take on the role of John Quincy Archibald, a man who has a son that has a life-threatening medical condition that will surely take the boys life if surgery is not performed. However, the current medical plan that John has will not cover the surgery, forcing him to take drastic measures.

John Q may not have been the stellar film that critics wanted it to be, but the fact that its about the poor medical insurance fiasco in the United States makes it such a relevant film. The film was initially released in 2002 and holds a horrible critic rating of 23% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the audience score for the film is a much higher 78%. The critic consensus for the film states that the message of the film pounded on the audiences head. I mean, is that such a bad thing? This could also explain why the film is liked by audiences, as many have likely had to go through the harrowing issues that medical insurance companies often provide. Denzel Washington was providing a look at the medical issues this country still faces to this day. Its still relevant.

John Q follows John Quincy Archibald as his son is stuck with an enlarged heart condition that needs immediate surgery. However, his HMO plan will not cover the boys surgery. John Q then takes matters into his own hands by holding the hospital staff hostage and forcing them to do the surgery. Denzel Washington plays the father who will do anything to keep their child alive, and his performance is spectacular. The character goes so far as to want to take his own life, just so his son will survive. Its the ultimate film about sacrifice, family, and a twisted medical insurance foundation. No matter what the critics say, Washington is still the same actor in this film that he has been since he exploded onto the scene. You can see a powerful scene from the film below:

John Q made over $100 million against a budget of $36 million. Regardless of the poor critic score, the film has on Rotten Tomatoes, it was a success by every measure for audiences. Denzel Washington is joined by an all-star cast that includes Robert Duvall, Kimberly Elise, Anne Heche, James Woods, and Ray Liotta. As usual, Washingtons performance is lauded, albeit with the rest of the films elements being severely criticized.

According to the writers of the film, and based on deleted scene commentary from special features, the movie is meant to portray miracles and John Qs belief in God. This would make sense considering Denzel Washington is one with strong faith. That theme may have been the intention of the film, but self-sacrifice and a poor health insurance infrastructure were more so what audiences got from the film. At least, that is how we feel. Another fun fact is that the film is loosely based on a real-life event that a SWAT team witnessed in Canada. A man by the name of Henry Masuka held an ER staff hostage when they would not immediately treat his infant son on New Years Eve in 1999. Masuka was shot and killed when exiting the building. It was later discovered that he was carrying an unloaded pellet gun. This detail is something that is echoed in the film by John, as he is carrying a gun that is not loaded as well.

Denzel Washington always plays characters to the best of his ability, and John Q is a film that echoes that fact completely. Although the critical response might make fans weary of watching this venture, it is still worth checking out. You truly cant go wrong with any Washington-led film. John Q is currently streaming on Netflix, and fans of the mans body of work can check out this early 2000s classic to formulate their own opinion. The relevance of the film might hit close to home for a lot of people, especially those who are parents. Or anyone who has had to deal with medical insurance woes.
UP Police SHO Tilakdhari Saroj, the main accused in the rape of a minor girl in Pali police station in Lalitpur district, has been arrested from Prayagraj, officials said on Wednesday.

The SHO had been absconding after the victim's family lodged a complaint.

The state government had suspended Saroj and the entire staff of Pali police station had been sent to lines.

ADG, Law and Order, Prashant Kumar said that strict punishment will be ensured for Saroj and five other accused persons in the case.

The 13-year-old girl had been lured to Madhya Pradesh by four boys of her village. She was gangraped and then left back to her village.

When the girl went to the Pali police station to lodge a complaint against the boys, she was detained and raped by the SHO.
A total of 141 persons have been arrested by the police so far over the communal violence which erupted in Jodhpur on Monday midnight and continued till Tuesday midnight, said officials.

Director General of Police ML Lather said that the situation in Jodhpur is now under control.

"Police are taking all possible steps to maintain peace and order. A total of 141 persons have been arrested by the police so far.

"Of these, 133 have been arrested under section 151 and 8 persons in other cases," he informed adding, "So far, 4 FIRs have been registered by the police and 8 FIRs have been registered by the public."

"A total of nine policemen were injured in the disturbance, however, all are okay now. Three persons were hospitalized and all three are out of danger," he added.

An appeal has been made by the Police Headquarters to maintain peace, not to believe in rumours and to immediately inform the police about any rumours.
New York, US , May 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sodium Nitrite Market Overview:

According to a Comprehensive Research Report by Market Research Future (MRFR),  Sodium Nitrite Market Information by Application, Grade, and Region - Forecast till 2028, the market is estimated to acquire a size of over USD 241.60 million by the end of 2028. The report further predicts the market to thrive at a healthy CAGR of over 3.9% during the review timeframe.

Market Scope:

Sodium nitrite refers to an antioxidant and a salt used to cure meat like ham, bacon, and hot dogs. This salt hinders the growth of botulism-causing averts spoilage and bacteria. Additionally, it offers cured meats with their characteristic color and flavor.

Competitive Analysis

The global market for sodium nitrite has prominent players such as:

Radiant Indus Chem Pvt. Ltd (India)

BASF SE (Germany)

The Deepak Group (India)

Airedale Chemical (UK)

Anmol Chemicals (India)

SNDB (India)

SINOY GROUP LIMITED (China)

Shandong Haihua Group (China)

Yingfengyuan Industrial Group Limited (China)

Shandong Xin Hao Chemical Co., Ltd (China)

Nilkanth Organics (India)

Get Free Sample PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/10692

Market USP Covered

Market Drivers

The global market for sodium nitrate has registered enormous growth in the last few years. The growth of the sodium nitrate market is mainly credited to the growing demand for organic products across the globe. Furthermore, the growing awareness across the developing economies such as Argentina, India, China, and Brazil are also projected to boost the market's growth over the coming years. moreover, the increasing number of government initiatives across several regions are also projected to catalyze the market's growth over the assessment era. In addition, rapid changes in consumer tastes and preferences and changing lifestyles will likely offer lucrative growth opportunities to the players worldwide.

Market Restraints

Although there are several aspects propelling the market's growth, some factors are anticipated to restrict the market's growth. Uncontrolled intake of sodium nitrate can cause several health issues such as colorectal cancer, pancreatic, stomach, oesophageal, thyroid cancers, heart disease, etc. These side effects are associated with the overconsumption of sodium nitrate and are anticipated to impede the market's growth.

Browse In-depth Market Research Report (99 Pages) on Sodium Nitrite: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/sodium-nitrite-market-10692

COVID-19 Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on most industry sectors. The sodium nitrate market is no different than others. Several countries across the globe were under lockdown and have sealed their borders to restrict the spread of the virus. The pandemic has hampered the logistics leading to the disturbance of the supply of raw materials. Given the lowering of the production capacity, products are scarce. All of these aspects lead to an increase in products in the short run.

The supply chain of the sodium nitrate market encompasses end users, distributors, and manufacturers. The pandemic has affected the supply chain, as several nations imposed partial or complete lockdowns and travel restrictions. On the other hand, the demand for sodium nitrate is projected to witness substantial growth over the assessment timeframe as consumers demand healthy and natural food due to the COVID. This aspect is causing the increase in sodium nitrate's growth in the last few years.

Segment Analysis

The global sodium nitrite market has been fragmented into several segments based on application, grade, and region.

The global market for sodium nitrite is divided into industrial grade and food grade based on grade. The food-grade segment secured the leading position in the global market in 2020. The segment is projected to grow substantially over the forecasted timeframe. The growing product demand from the food industry for food preservation is the prime reason causing an upsurge in the regional market's growth.

Based on application, the global sodium nitrite market has been divided into rubber processing, food processing, pharmaceutical, fertilizer, and others. The food processing segment accounted for the maximum share of the global market in 2020. The segment's growth is mainly attributed to the increasing demand to inhibit the growth of bacterial spores causing botulism.

Buy Now: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=10692

Regional Analysis

The global sodium nitrite market is studied across five major regions: Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

As per the MRFR analysis reports, the North American region held the top position in the global sodium nitrite market in 2020. The regional market will lead the global market over the forecasted era. The regional market's growth is primarily credited to the growing preference for ready-to-eat food products across the region. Moreover, the high meat demand in the US is anticipated to cause an upsurge in the regional market's growth over the assessment era. As per the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), poultry and red meat consumption were 222.4 pounds on a per capita retail weight basis.

The sodium nitrite market for the Asia-Pacific region is projected to grow at the fastest pace over the coming years. the growth of the regional market is attributed mainly to the presence of the developing economies India, Japan, and China across the region. Furthermore, the increasing per capita disposable income is another crucial parameter boosting the regional market's growth. Moreover, a shift in taste and preference for international food cuisines across the region is also likely to catalyze the regional market's growth o er the forecasted era. China contributed the largest share in the regional market share in 2020.

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TORONTO, May 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This Mother's Day, True Glue Beauty is giving back in a big way. The beauty brand, founded by Emily Lyons, will donate 100% of profits on May 8 to the Canadian Cancer Society in memory of Lyons' mother who passed away from cancer. "My mom was my best friend and biggest supporter," said Lyons. "She was always there for me, even when I was struggling with starting my own business. I want to do something special in her memory this Mother's Day that will help other women battling cancer."

Lyons started the company in 2014 after she discovered how toxic lash glue was. "I was searching for a natural version and nothing existed," said Lyons. "I tried every lash adhesive on the market, but it just replaced one toxic chemical with another. They all made my eyes water and irritated my skin. So, I decided to create my own." True Glue is the first and only 100% natural lash adhesive on the market made with premium, all-natural ingredients that are vegan and cruelty-free. The glue is safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers.

Lyons, who is a serial entrepreneur, is no stranger to giving back. She has donated her time and resources to numerous charities over the years and uses her different businesses to do so as well. "It's so important to give back, especially to causes that are close to your heart," said Lyons.

True Glue has become a cult favorite among beauty enthusiasts for its all-natural and long-lasting formula. True Glue is best known for their all-natural, vegan and cruelty-free eyelash adhesive. The award-winning product has been featured in magazines like Allure, Glamour and Vogue and is a favorite among makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts alike. To shop True Glue and support the Canadian Cancer Society this Day, visit true-glue.com on May 8, 2022.

For more information, contact Kirsten Visima at Femme Fatale Media, info@femmefatalemedia.com.

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Image 1: Emily Lyons with late more Gail Lyons









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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TORONTO, May 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blueberries Medical Corp. (CSE: BBM) (OTC: BBRRF) (FRA: 1OA) the Canadian parent of Blueberries S.A.S. (BBSAS), the premier Latin American licensed cultivator and producer of medicinal cannabis and medicinal-grade cannabis extracts, (together the Company or "Blueberries"), is pleased to report its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2021. Blueberries has filed today its audited consolidated financial statements and related management's discussion and analysis, both of which are available on Blueberries profile at www.sedar.com. All financial information in this press release is reported in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise indicated.



"2021 was a year of tremendous changes to the Cannabis Industry, and Blueberries was definitely part of it, said Facundo Garreton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Due to current market conditions and a decrease in expectations on Cannabis Industry in general, we were faced with a challenging environment during 2021. Additionally, the Cannabis regulations in Colombia has impacted many businesses owned and operated by Canadian and Colombian companies in Colombia. However, the recent changes in Decree 811, that allow the exports of dried flower and CBD derivates from Colombia, has put the Company in a strong position in 2022 as the Company anticipates growth and improved operation results. The Companys team has been focusing on achieving three primary objectives: cash management, establishing processing and extraction capabilities, and laying the groundwork for meaningful commercial sales growth in 2022."

Financial Highlights Commentary

Revenues - For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company generated a total revenue of $138,747, an increase of $72,769 (or 110%) from comparative period. The Company commenced operations in late second quarter of 2020, with sales of cloned cuttings from its cultivars to associated growers and sales of its cosmetics products. With the delay in the approval of Decree 811 in Colombia, which would allow exports and sales of dried flower outside Colombia, the Company has pivoted and offered services, including but not limited to, providing extraction services to third parties. The Company expects that once Decree 811 is approved, the Company plans to develop markets outside Colombia.

CBD derivatives (standard oil) derived the largest share of the Companys revenue of 55%, followed by extraction services at 30%. Sales from CBD derivatives was mainly exports to Futura Farms in Peru.

The Company is planning to produce THC derivatives in the coming year. Extraction quotas from the Colombia government have been received and the Company is waiting to receive the cultivation quota. The Company plans to operate in a GACP CUMS environment with a strategic partner

Cost of sales and Direct cost of production: Cost of sales and direct cost of production include direct expenses relating to extraction and agricultural operations for propagation including strain management, cost allocated from mother plants, irrigation, nutrients, consumables such as supplements, supplies, spare parts, trays, peat, personnel costs, electricity, and allocation of operational fixed costs.

For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company incurred $105,406 (2020 - $3,579) and $278,794 (2020 - $Nil) of cost of sales and direct cost of production, respectively. Costs of sales increased primarily due to the increase in revenue and higher costs directly attributable to the various revenue streams compared to last year, where the Companys sales only consisted of cloned cuttings and cosmetics products. In 2021, the Company has begun to expand its workforce and facilities in anticipation of further expansion of its commercial operations, particularly once Decree 811 is approved

Financial Highlights

Year Ended December 31

2021 2020 Total revenues $ 138,747 $ 65,978 Cost of sales and direct costs (384,200 ) (3,579 ) Gross (loss) profit $ (245,453 ) $ 62,399 Expenses Operating/pre-operating expenses $ (116,214 ) $ (988,577 ) General and administrative expenses (554,154 ) (2,484,721 ) Depreciation and amortization (828,375 ) (713,739 ) Finance expense (269,417 ) (119,688 ) Foreign exchange gain (loss) (169,947 ) (41,064 ) Other Income (expense) (45,012 ) (79,246 ) Total operating expenses (2,228,572 ) (4,364,636 ) Other Incomes (expenses) Other Incomes (expenses) 470,078 (575,471 ) Impairment of PPE, intangles, ROU and inv. Operation (3,388,518 ) - Net Loss (5,147,012 ) (4,940,107 ) Other Comprehensive Loss Foreign Currency translation Adjustment (52,312 ) (201,440 ) Comprehensive Loss $ (5,199,324 ) $ (5,141,547 ) Net loss per share - basic and diluted $ (0.04 ) $ (0.04 ) As at December 31

2021 2020 Total Assets $ 3,593,880 $ 7,270,212 Total Liabilities $ 2,159,134 $ 3,380,433 Total Equity $ 1,434,746 $ 3,889,779

Pre-operating expenses or Operating Expenses: - Starting 2021, the company is full operational, with capacity for large production of cannabis derivates, . During 2020, the Company was in early stages of commercial operations, material operational costs are included under pre-operating expenses, which are non-capital expenditures relating to Blueberries cannabis cultivation and extraction operations.



Operating expenses Pre-operating expenses Cultivation Extraction

services For the years ended December 31, 2021 2020 Salary, wages, and benefits $ 12,434 $ 12,763 $ 439,375 Supplies, spare parts and equipment - - 110,517 License costs - - 3,389 Facilities 4,415 - 68,260 Laboratory - - 34,350 Consultants - - 26,182 Fuel and oil - - 24,125 Transportation 21,431 - 25,796 Utilities 4,961 - 56,669 Other 59,195 1,015 199,914 Total $ 102,436 $ 13,778 $ 988,577

General and Administrative (G&A) Expenses  The Company incurred a total G&A expenses of $554,154, a decrease of $1,930,567 (78%), compared to $2,484,721 incurred in the comparative period. The nature of G&A expenses is as follows:

For the years ended December 31, 2021 2020 Audit and accounting $ 85,473 $ 76,800 Consulting 45,737 219,943 Director and management fees 100,700 464,701 Filing and transfer agent fees 79,750 55,409 General office 25,395 109,381 Insurance 79,547 53,645 Legal 19,087 149,552 Marketing and investor relations 46,455 68,990 Other* (16,809 ) 52,039 Salary, wages, and benefits 418,901 418,007 Share based compensation (recovery) expense (339,563 ) 805,914 Travel 9,481 10,340 Total general and administrative expenses $ 554,154 $ 2,484,721

Finance Expense - On July 16, 2020, Blueberries closed $1,000,000 unsecured convertible debentures (the Debentures), maturing 24 months from the date of closing, and bearing interest at a rate of 13% per annum, with an effective interest rate of 32.36%. The finance expense consists of accrued interest of $130,000 (2020  $60,667) on the convertible debenture and the accretion of convertible debt liability of $139,417 (2020 - $59,021)..

Changes in Fair Value of Derivative Liabilities  The Company recognized a gain of $479,466 (2020 - $575,471) from the changes of fair value of derivative liability in connection with the convertible debenture of $1,000,000 completed in 2020. The gain in 2021 is due to the reduced derivative liability compared to 2020, which derived primarily from lower share price in 2021 compared to 2020

Long-lived assets impairments

The Company recognized impairment charges as follows: Impairment of property, plant and equipment of $1,936,390 (2020 - $Nil). During the year ended December 31, 2021, as management concluded that an impairment test was required under IAS 36, the Company engaged a third-party consultant to provide a valuation of its property, plant and equipment. In addition, for certain equipment not appraised, the Company has evaluated the replacement costs based on third-party quotes to determine any potential impairment. Based on these assessments, the Company recognized an impairment of property, plant and equipment of $371,234 (2020 - $Nil). Impairment of right-of-use assets of $289,386 (2020 - $Nil) and Impairment of intangible assets $590,586 (2020 - $Nil). These impairments were recognized due to continued uncertainty of local and export markets in Colombia, management performed cash flow analysis. While management continues to believe that the future market for Colombian cannabis products is strong, the timing and amount of future cash flows from potential revenue streams, were not sufficient to meet the current cost structure of the Company. Impairment of investment in joint operation $572,156 (2020 - $Nil). During the year ended December 31, 2021, as management concluded that an impairment test was required under IAS 36, the Company engaged a third-party consultant to provide a valuation of the farmland and based on the result, the Company recognized an impairment of property, plant and equipment of $1,565,970 (2020 - $Nil) related to the farmland in the consolidated statements of loss and comprehensive loss.

Highlights

 On January 19, 2021, Blueberries completed a private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of C$1,000,000. In connection with the private placement, Facundo Garreton was named Chairman and Interim Chief Executive Officer. Previous directors Christian Toro, Fabio Valencia Cossio, Dr. Andres Vidal, Francisco Sole, Matthew Bajurny and Paola Castaneda have all stepped down from the Board, with the new Board being comprised of the following four directors: Facundo Garreton, Patricio Villalba, Catherine Lathwell and Sebastian Hochbaum. The Audit Committee of the Board was reconstituted to include Catherine Lathwell, Patricio Villalba and Facundo Garreton.

 On February 16, 2021, Blueberries appointed Mr. Jose Maria Forero, the former Global Head of B2B of Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. as President of Latin American Operations.

 On March 15, 2021, BBSAS entered into an agreement to supply premium, formulated cannabis oil to Futura Farms, a licensed distributor serving the Peruvian market.

 On March 24, 2021, Blueberries signed a framework agreement with YVY Life Sciences for mutual development of strains and genetics in Colombia and exporting dry cannabis flower of mutual strains from Uruguay.

 On May 31, 2021, Blueberries today also announced the appointment of Mr. Guillermo P. Rodriguez as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective June 1, 2021, following the resignation of Ian D. Atacan, the Company's CFO.

 On May 31, 2021, Blueberries today also announced the appointment of Mr. Guillermo P. Rodriguez as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective June 1, 2021, following the resignation of Ian D. Atacan, the Company's CFO.

 On September 9, 2021 Blueberries completed a non-brokered private placement consisting of the sale of 20,813,817 common shares (Common Shares) at a price of C$0.10 per Common Share for aggregate gross proceeds of C$1,901,382 (or approximately US$1,500,000) (the Offering), of which 19,013,817 Common Shares was paid for in cash and 1,800,000 Common Shares was issued in connection for past services provided to the Company by an arms length third party service provider. The Offering was led by Terraflos Inc. (Terraflos), a cannabis company with operations throughout Latin America that was founded, and is controlled, by Facundo Garreton, the Chairman, interim-CEO and a director of the Company.

 On October 4, 2021 Blueberries announced its wholly owned subsidiary Blueberries SAS (has exported) a total of 150 kg of premium CBD 5% Full Spectrum Oil to Futura Farms Peru, a leading licensed distributor serving the Peruvian market The CBD oil shipped will be used as the primary ingredient for compounding formulations that Futura Farms is distributing to pharmaceutical establishments that have fulfilled their Good Storage Practices (GSP) requirements issued by Peru's General Directorate of Medicines, Supplies and Drugs (DIGEMID).

 On October 19, 2021 Blueberries Medical Corp Announces that its subsidiary Blueberries SAS has obtained the qualification as Breeding Unit and Exporter of Selected Seeds. This authorization by the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA), the authority responsible for the surveillance and control of the agricultural sector in Colombia, allows the company to consolidate its research and development activity around new cultivars with integral improvements from three points of view: increase performance and yield, extend cannabinoids and terpenes profiles, and simply agronomic management to improve the cost-effectiveness of the operation

About Blueberries Medical Corp.

Blueberries is a Latin American licensed producer of naturally grown premium quality cannabis with its primary operations ideally located in the Bogota Savannah of central Colombia. The Company is led by a specialized team with proprietary expertise in agriculture, genetics, extraction, medicine, pharmacology and marketing, Blueberries is fully licensed for the cultivation, production, domestic distribution, and international export of CBD and THC-based medical cannabis in Colombia. Blueberries combination of leading scientific expertise, agricultural advantages and distribution arrangements has positioned the Company to become a leading international supplier of naturally grown, processed, and standardized medicinal-grade cannabis oil extracts and related products.

Additional information about the Company is available at www.blueberriesmed.com. For more information, please contact:

Jose Forero, President, Latin American Operations

jforero@blueberriesmed.com

Tel: +57 310 345 8808

Guillermo Rodriguez, Chief Financial Officer

grodriguez@blueberriesmed.com

Tel: +54 911 6015 2227

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as expects, or does not expect, is expected, anticipates or does not anticipate, plans, budget, scheduled, forecasts, estimates, believes or intends or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results may or could, would, might or will be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward looking statements relate, among other things, to: commencement of commercial production of CBD-dominant oils and products, successful implementation of full GMP standards at its extraction facility to allow for additional export potential to international markets, achieving additional milestones is contemplated, or at all, ability to expand distribution networks, ability to expand and upgrade the Companys cultivation facilities in Colombia, internal expectations, expectations regarding the ability of the Company to access new Latin American and international markets, the ability to attract and retain new customers, and future expansion plans including development of the cultivation, production, industrialization and marketing of cannabis for commercial and scientific purposes.

These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; expectations regarding the size of the Colombian and international medical cannabis market and changing consumer habits; the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives; plans for expansion; political and social uncertainties; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; and the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on cultivation, production, distribution and sale of cannabis and cannabis related products in Colombia, Argentina and elsewhere; and employee relations. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

Additional information regarding the Company, and other risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's business are contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Listing Statement dated January 31, 2019 filed on its issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.








Company announcement no. 8 / 2022

Schindellegi, Switzerland  4 May 2022

Trifork Group reports continued strong organic revenue growth in Q1 2022 and confirms full year guidance.



First quarter of 2022

Revenue of Trifork Group ("Trifork) in the first quarter of 2022 was EURm 45.8, an increase of 16.3% compared to the same period in 2021. Revenue grew organically by 17.8% (adjusted for deconsolidation of Dawn Health) compared to the first quarter of 2021 and was driven by high organic growth from Fintech and Cyber Protection in the Build and Run sub-segments.

Trifork segment adjusted EBITDA in Q1 2022 increased by 5.1% to EURm 8.1 from EURm 7.7 in Q1 2021, corresponding to an adjusted EBITDA margin of 17.6%.

The Inspire sub-segment now has reached a cumulative 31.8 million views on the GOTO YouTube channel since inception. In Q1 2022, Trifork sub-segment Inspire revenue increased from EURm 0.3 to EURm 0.4.

Trifork sub-segment Build recorded a revenue increase of 14.1% to EURm 34.9, up from EURm 30.6 and an adjusted EBITDA margin of 23.4%. Adjusted for the deconsolidation of Dawn Health, organic revenue growth of the Build sub-segment amounted to 15.9%.

The sub-segment Run recorded an organic revenue increase of 22.2% to EURm 10.4, compared to EURm 8.5 in Q1 2021. The adjusted EBITDA of EURm 1.3 correspond to an adjusted EBITDA margin of 12.1%.

Trifork Group EBIT for Q1 2022 increased by 87.1% from EURm 2.5 to EURm 4.7 reflecting a 10.3% EBIT margin.

EBT in Trifork Labs amounted to EURm 1.2 in Q1 2022 which is equal to the amount achieved in Q1 2021.

Trifork Group Q1 2022 net income amounted to EURm 4.8, up from EURm 2.7 in Q1 2021.

I am glad to be able again to meet all the colleagues in our offices and to feel their energy and eager to change the world with software. I would like to thank them all for the commitment they have shown and the work they have done for Trifork and our customers under these unusual circumstances. I am also happy that I can have a deeper dialogue with our new hires and meet them personally and I am delighted to see the talent we manage to attract and retain. Thank you all for your decision to become part of the Trifork family and for your support! said Trifork CEO Jrn Larsen and continued, Trifork sees plenty of opportunities for growth and we are fit to improve a changing world for our customers with software. I would like to express my gratitude to our customers for their trust in letting us continue to develop exciting software for them and for their great teamwork.

Main events in Q1 2022

The Trifork Group now counts more than 1000 employees distributed over 60 customer facing business units and has newly established an office in Lisbon, Portugal.

In the Inspire sub-segment, Trifork has not hosted any physical GOTO conference in the first quarter, but without further Covid related restrictions, Trifork plans to host five physical GOTO conferences in Aarhus, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, London and Stockholm during the remainder of 2022. In addition, the YouTube tech channel has grown to more than 284,000 subscribers and has had 31.8 million views of our videos.

In the Build sub-segment, Trifork revenue grew in all business areas except Digital Health, where revenue decreased due to the de-consolidation of Dawn Health. Adjusting for the de-consolidation, organic revenue of Digital Health increased by 37.7%. Based on a Trifork-SAP offer, Trifork signed a letter of intent with a Swiss healthcare customer to deliver new Digital Health solutions in Switzerland. A final agreement will be an important milestone for Trifork in the Swiss digital healthcare market. In addition, Smart Enterprise won a new 4-year contract with the Danish Business Authorities.

In the Run sub-segment, Trifork invested EURm 0.6 in preparing and automating operations in its new operation centers in Denmark and Switzerland, which can also be used to optimize cost in other operation centers. An additional EURm 1-1.5 will be invested in the remainder of 2022.

Trifork did not capitalize the investment of EURm 0.6 in the operation centers. Furthermore, Trifork revenue from third party software licenses as part of customer engagements increased, while revenue from hardware decreased, compared to Q1 2021. Both, the investments in Trifork operations and the change of the Run sub-segment revenue mix, resulted in a lower EBITDA margin than normal.

In the Trifork Labs segment, Trifork completed new investments in Promon and Feats in the first quarter of 2022. Promon has been a pioneer within the application shielding software eco-system and has acquired more than 250 customers and more than 25 strategic partners globally. Feats has reinvented the professional network business using verified roles in projects rather than employment history as the organizing principle.

In addition, Triforks newly founded Labs company ComplyTeq launched its first onboarding products. Trifork Labs also completed new investment rounds in current Labs companies Dryp, TSBThree and Arkyn Studios.

In addition, Trifork is cooperating with a leading ESG rating agency and expects an updated and profound rating to be completed in Q2.

Financial outlook for 2022

Guidance for the full year 2022 remains unchanged at revenue of EURm 175-180, Trifork segment adjusted EBITDA of EURm 29.5-32.0 and Trifork Group EBIT of EURm 15.5-18.0.

The Q1 2022 Interim Report can be downloaded from the investor-pages of Trifork on:

https://investor.trifork.com/financial-reports/

Trifork will host a Q1 2022 results presentation today, 4 May at 11:00 in a live webcast that can be accessed under the following link: https://trifork.zoom.us/j/93359108780?pwd=NzVLNEdmOG5XZ0ZTTGw4WDVJcGhpZz09

Passcode: 618331

A recording will be made available on our website. Please visit https://investor.trifork.com/events/ for more information.

For more information, please contact:

Investors

Dan Dysli, Head of Investor Relations

ddy@trifork.com, +41 79 421 6299

Media

Peter Rrsgaard, Trifork CMO

pro@trifork.com, +45 2042 2494

About Trifork

Trifork is a global NextGen IT company that develops innovative software solutions in collaboration with its customers. The company has more than 1,000 employees, across 60 business units, with offices in 12 countries in Europe and the USA, and works in six business areas: Digital Health, FinTech, Smart Building, Cloud Operations, Cyber Protection and Smart Enterprise. Triforks research and development takes place in Trifork Labs, where Trifork continuously co-invests and develops technology start-up companies. Trifork is behind the brand, GOTO, which runs a global tech community with over 284000 subscribers and 32 million views on YouTube.

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Dublin, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Asia Breast Cancer Screening Market, Size, Forecast 2022-2027, Industry Trends, Share, Growth, Impact of COVID-19, Company Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Asia Breast Cancer Screening Market is expected to reach USD 16.5 Billion by 2027 from USD 10.1 Billion in 2021 post recovery from the pandemic

Breast cancer is a disease in which cells in breast tissue change and divide uncontrolled, typically resulting in a lump or mass. Remarkably, Asia is the world's largest continent comprising millions of the human population. Breast cancer is the most familiar type of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in Asia.

Besides, the incidence of breast cancer in Asia varies widely across the continent, and cancer rates are increasing rapidly in parallel to socio-economic development.



Asia Breast Cancer Screening Industry is expected to expand at a CAGR of 8.5% during 2021-2027

The major driving forces for expanding the breast cancer screening market in Asia are increasing breast cancer awareness, government and NGOs supporting breast cancer screening programs, and the aging population.



Nevertheless, critical threats for the breast cancer screening market in Asia are societal fear, misconceptions, and cultural barriers. Another major challenge being faced by almost all Asian countries is the non-availability of national-level screening programs; however, partial or regional screening programs are available in a few of Asian countries.



Mammogram Screening Leads Breast Cancer Screening in Asia

The mammogram is the leading method for breast cancer screening in Asian countries. Further, we have also made the market estimation that China, Japan, and Korea are the top three countries for breast cancer mammogram screening. Other Asian countries included in our study are India, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand for breast cancer mammogram screening.



China Holds Significant Dominance in Asia Breast Cancer Screening Market

The report studies the breast cancer screening market of Asian countries like India, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia.

China, Japan, and Korea are the top-most contributors to the breast cancer screening industry. In addition, China holds significant dominance in the Asia breast cancer screening market. Further, a prominent women population and domestic NGOs initiatives support China to become a leader in the Asian breast cancer screening market.



COVID-19 Impact on the Asia Breast Cancer Screening Industry:

Globally, over a billion people had been affected due to novel Coronavirus for the first time in 2020. The whole world had been facing problems in healthcare and the financial world during the pandemic era.

Besides, most healthcare centers had reserved their team and resources for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, and due to this outbreak, women avoided diagnostics centers as lockdowns were imposed by governments across the world, declining the market.



Key Players:

The market players are considerably contributing to market growth by adopting various strategies, including new product launches, mergers and acquisitions, collaborations with the government, and technological advancements to stay competitive in the market.

The companies contributing to the growth of the Asia breast cancer screening market include

AstraZeneca

Novartis

Sanofi

Pfizer

Bayer AG

GlaxoSmithKline plc

Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd

Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction



2. Research Methodology



3. Executive Summary



4. Market Dynamics

4.1 Growth Drivers

4.2 Challenges



5. Asia Breast Cancer Screening Population Analysis

5.1 Mammography Screening Population

5.2 MRI & Ultrasound Screening Population



6. Asia Breast Cancer Screening Market Analysis

6.1 Breast Cancer Screening Market

6.1.1 Mammography Screening Market

6.1.2 MRI Screening Market

6.1.3 Ultrasound Screening Market



7. Population Share - Asia Breast Cancer Screening

7.1 Mammography Screening Population Share

7.2 MRI & Ultrasound Screening Population Share



8. Market Share - Asia Breast Cancer Screening Analysis

8.1 Asia Breast Cancer Screening Market Share

8.2 Mammography Screening Market Share

8.3 MRI Screening Market Share

8.4 Ultrasound Screening Market Share



9. India

9.1 India Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Population

9.2 India Breast Cancer Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Ultrasound Screening Population

9.3 India Breast Cancer Screening Market

9.3.1 Mammography Screening Market

9.3.2 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Screening Market

9.3.3 Ultrasound Screening Market



10. China



11. Japan



12. Korea



13. Singapore



14. Thailand



15. Malaysia



16. Porters Five Forces

16.1 Overview

16.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers

16.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

16.4 Degree of Competition

16.5 Threat of New Entrants

16.6 Threat of Substitutes



17. Company Analysis

17.1 Overview

17.2 Recent Development

17.3 Revenue

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/wo9ylc

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FREMONT, Calif., May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The LoRa Alliance, the global association of companies backing the open LoRaWAN standard for the internet of things (IoT) low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs), today announced the number of public LoRaWAN networks, which are available globally, has grown by 66% over the past three years.



Historically, public LPWAN network deployment was driven by mobile network operators (MNOs); however, much of the recent growth has been enabled largely by non-MNOs that are building critical dedicated infrastructure to support the expanding needs of LPWAN IoT. Recent investments by satellite and community LoRaWAN network providers, along with roaming availability in over 23 countries, have further accelerated network availability and global coverage (see the current list of LoRa Alliance members that operate public LoRaWAN networks below). At the same time, private networks are also experiencing an explosive rate of growth. This new landscape for LoRaWAN networks shows growth in diversitypublic, community, satellite and private, as well as hybrid network approacheswhich is a competitive differentiator for LoRaWAN.

LoRaWAN network operators are building new types of infrastructure to meet future IoT networking requirements, said Donna Moore, CEO and chairwoman of the LoRa Alliance. This evolution in the types of networks and network providers is expectedand a sign of a healthy and vibrant market. These new network players are nimble, agile and able to grow beyond the constraints of preexisting network infrastructure. They are successfully building profitable business models to maximize the value of their LoRaWAN networks and meet the evolving needs of LPWAN IoT deployments. LoRaWAN is the only LPWAN providing a choice of network types, along with interoperability and roaming between networks, that will continue to drive strong growth in LoRaWAN network capacity.

Todays agile network operators benefit from the markets evolving requirements for coverage, availability and accessibility worldwide. LoRaWAN infrastructure is low cost, easy to deploy and offers flexibility, which is driving the technologys strong growth. This shift in the market toward a choice of infrastructure solutions allows businesses to capitalize on the huge LPWAN market opportunity. This supports the continued evolution in the life cycle of the emerging IoT market.

The installed base of LPWAN devices will exceed 2 billion units in 2025, said Steve Hoffenberg, director and industry analyst at market research firm VDC Research. With LoRaWANs low-cost gateways, ready adaptability to both public and private networks, and satellite capability, it is uniquely positioned to bring connectivity to the widest range of devices and places, helping to drive the market growth of LPWANs.

Moore continued, It is an exciting time to be part of the LoRa Alliance, because the evolving market is driving innovation that can only be addressed by our ecosystem. The variety of IoT use cases demands the flexibility and choice that LoRaWAN can deliver. We have hundreds of members that span numerous verticals developing countless solutions to improve the planet and citizens lives, while also improving businesses performance and profits. With the innovation from our open global ecosystem and flexibility to accommodate a wide variety of business models, LoRaWAN continues to be the thought and market leader in LPWAN.

Please join us at the LoRaWAN World Expo taking place in Paris July 6-7. As the largest official LoRaWAN event, the Expo is the best opportunity this year to learn about LoRaWAN technology and how companies are achieving strong ROI on their deployments, products and services. Register before May 31 with discount code LWE-SAVE10 to save 10% on your event pass.

Media and analysts are invited to attend LoRaWAN World Expo at no cost. Contact lora-alliance@kiterocket.com for registration details.

LoRa Alliance Public Network Operators

There are 170 global LoRaWAN public network operators. LoRa Alliance members that operate the majority of these networks are listed below:

MNOs

Afgan Wireless Communication Company

British Telecommunications Plc

KPN

NTT Business Solutions Corporation

Orange

Proximus

SK Telecom

Swisscom

Telekom Srbija

License-Exempt Operators

3S

A2A Smart City

Alibaba (China) Co. Ltd.

Antenna Hungaria ZRT

API-K

Arteria

AXATEL SRL

Birdz

Cellnex Telecom, S.A.

Ceske Radiokomunikace, a.s.

Charter Communications

Connexin Ltd.

Definium Technologies, Pty Ltd.

digimondo GmbH

Digita Oy

eleven-X

Emitel S.A.

Emrit

ER-Telecom

Everynet

Hangzhou Lowan Information Technology Co.

Hutchison Drei Austria

IHS Holding Limited

Komro GmbH

Last Mile Solutions AS

Lyse AS

Lysir ehf

MachineQ, a Comcast Company

Machines Talk

Meshed Pty Ltd

Minol Zenner Connect GmbH

MIOT Melita.io Technology GmbH

Nesten

Netmore Group

Netze BW

NNNCo

North SV

Nova Track Limited

PacketWorx Inc.

Pingday AB

PT Telkom Indonesia

RSAWEB IOT

SEAS-NVE

Senet

SenRa

SenseWay Inc.

Shenzhen Easylinkin Technology Co., Ltd.

Shenzhen Tencent Computer Systems SoftBank

Spark

Tata Communications

UAB Mainlink

Unidata

UPLINK Network GmbH

Ventia Utility Services Pty Ltd

X-Telia Group Inc.

Satellite Network Operators

Echostar Mobile Ltd

Eutelsat S.A.

Fleet Space Technologies Pty Ltd

Lacuna Space

Community Network Operators

LORIOT

The Helium Foundation

The Things Network Foundation

Roaming Hubs/Virtual Networks

Actility

Everynet

Senet

About LoRa Alliance

The LoRa Alliance is an open, nonprofit association that has become one of the largest and fastest-growing alliances in the technology sector since its inception in 2015. Its members closely collaborate and share expertise to develop and promote the LoRaWAN standard, which is the de facto global standard for secure, carrier-grade IoT LPWAN connectivity. LoRaWAN has the technical flexibility to address a broad range of IoT applications, both fixed and mobile, and a robust LoRaWAN Certification program to guarantee that devices perform as specified. The LoRaWAN standard has been deployed by more than 170 network operators globally, with connectivity available worldwide. More information: lora-alliance.org

LoRa Alliance, LoRaWAN and LoRaWAN CertifiedCM are registered marks.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/17953932-067f-4e0e-9ec0-dc8c3bd4808d
Pune, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global vacuum truck market size is predicted to hit USD 1.93 billion by 2029 and exhibit a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period. The growing need for industrial cleaning applications is anticipated to fuel the markets expansion. Fortune Business Insights has presented this information in its report titled, Vacuum Truck Market Analysis, 2022-2029. The market size stood at USD 1.16 billion in 2021 and USD 1.22 billion in 2022.

Additionally, increasing environmental awareness, rising urban population, and advancements in vacuum trucks are anticipated to foster growth of the market in the coming years.





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Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2022-2029 Forecast Period 2021 to 2028 CAGR 6.8% 2029 Value Projection USD 1.93 billion Base Year 2021 Market Size in 2021 USD 1.22 billion Historical Data for 2018-2020 No. of Pages 141 Segments covered Liquid and Dry Suctioning, Liquid Suctioning Only Growth Drivers Rising Need for Industrial Cleaning Applications to Amplify Market Growth Swift Urbanization to Boost Market Growth in Europe





Drop-in New Vehicles Sales amid COVID-19 to Hamper Market Growth

The swift spread of the COVID-19 pandemic inflicted severe negative impacts on the global automotive industry. The supply chain disruptions and raw material procurement hindrances due to stringent lockdowns and curfews affected the markets growth. Declined revenues and profit margins due to unanticipated suspension of production processes and closed production plants aggravated the situation. The players operating in the market are restructuring their operations and the market is likely to recover in a short span of time.

Drivers & Restraints-

Rising Need for Industrial Cleaning Applications to Amplify Market Growth

Industrial vacuum trucks are globally utilized to clean dry, solid, and slurries. The growing industrialization and development of emerging nations are anticipated to bolster the vacuum truck market growth. Moreover, the expanding urban populace and the surging demand for effective & efficient waste management solutions are expected to complement the markets growth. The increasing collaborations of rental companies with manufacturers to cater to consumer-specific demands are projected to amplify the markets growth.

Lastly, the rising alliances between rental fleet companies and construction apparatus vendors due to the expanding demand for labor-efficient trucks are predicted to flourish in growth for the market.

However, extensive demand for labor-efficient trucks may act as a restraint to the markets growth in the forthcoming years.





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Segments-

On the basis of product type, the market is bifurcated into liquid suctioning only and liquid and dry suctioning.

On the basis of application, the market is categorized into general cleaning, municipal, excavation, industrial, and others.

Geographically, the market is classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World.

Regional Insights-

Swift Urbanization to Boost Market Growth in Europe

Europe is predicted to attain the largest vacuum truck market share in the forthcoming years. The swift urbanization, improving living standards, and the escalating production of vacuum trucks for industrial applications are expected to be the key factors stimulating growth for the market in Europe.

North America is anticipated to gain striking growth due to the increasing numbers of rental fleet owners. Additionally, the supportive government policies for cleaning in Canada and the U.S. are expected to stimulate the regions market growth.

Asia Pacific is projected to witness robust growth due to rising vehicle production and the growing use of autonomous and electric vehicles. Furthermore, the adoption of government initiatives is likely to propel growth in Asia Pacific.





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Competitive Landscape-

Key Players Focus on Development of Technologically Modern Vehicles

The consolidated marketplace embraces the presence of major key players with robust distribution networks and product portfolios. The major players emphasize the development of technologically modern vehicles. They focus on business expansion using various strategies. For instance, Westvac Industrial Ltd. was declared the exclusive dealer of Vac-con products by Vac-con Truck and Manufacturing Inc. in January 2021. The company will offer support, service, and sales to Vac-con customers in Western Canada.

Key Industry Development-

June 2020: Medico Construction Equipment formed a partnership with Vacall Industries to offer Hydro excavators, vacuum trucks, and sewer jetters.

List of Key Market Players-

Federal Signal (U.S.)

Vac-Con (U.S.)

Keith Huber (U.S.)

Sewer Equipment (U.S.)

Vacall Industries (U.S.)

KOKS (Netherland)

Dongzheng (China)

Vactor Inc (U.S.)





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Table of Content:

Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities

Key Insights Key Industry Developments - Merger, Acquisitions, and Partnerships Porters Five Forces Analysis SWOT Analysis Technological Developments Value Chain Analysis Impact of COVID-19 on Electric Bus Market

Global Electric Bus Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2017-2028 Key Findings / Summary



Continued





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Pune, India, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Constantly increasing demand for energy, baked by decreasing fossil fuel resources is anticipated to drive the global offshore wind power market . Fortune Business Insights has recently published a report, titled Offshore wind power: global market analysis, insights, and forecast, 2018-2026. According to the report, in 2018 the global market held an installed capacity of more than 23 GW. The installed capacity of the market is anticipated to expand at an impressive CAGR of 19.2% and reach 94 GW by the end of 2026.

The emergence of COVID-19 has brought the world to a standstill. We understand that this health crisis has brought an unprecedented impact on businesses across industries. However, this, too, shall pass. Rising support from governments and several companies can help in the fight against this highly contagious disease. Some industries are struggling, and some are thriving. Overall, almost every sector is anticipated to be impacted by the pandemic.





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Report Highlights:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2019-2026 Forecast Period 2021 to 2028 CAGR 19.2% 2026 Value Projection 94 GW Base Year 2018 Market Size in 2020 23 GW Historical Data for 2015-2017 No. of Pages 120 Segments covered Charging Type, Charging Type, Installation Type, Application and Region Growth Drivers Offering Higher Capacity, 5 MW and Above Segment to Witness Increased Adoption ABB to Adopt Innovative Strategies to Gain Higher Share in Market





Drivers & Restraints-

Stringent Regulations Imposed on Carbon Emissions by Government will Bode Well for Market

The increasing demand for energy stands as a major offshore wind power market growth driver. Besides this, the rise in the adoption of renewable energy and its increasing adoption in power generation mix is likely to add impetus to the market. In addition to this, governments of various nations all around the world are imposing stringent regulations on carbon emission and are promoting the use of green energy and green technology to reduce carbon footprint. This is further expected to aid in the expansion of the market in the coming years.

On the contrary, heavy investment and maintenance costs of installing offshore wind power systems may pose a major hindrance to the market in the coming years. Nevertheless, the increasing focus on water conservation and discontinuation of nuclear and coal using practices are likely to create lucrative growth opportunities for the market in the coming years.

What is the Scope of the Report?

Competitive landscape of the market

Major industry developments, current trends, and other insights into the market

Key strategies adopted by prominent players to intensify competition

Impact of deep-water installation on the offshore wind power market

Segmentation of the market in details with forecasted figures





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Segment-

Above 30m Segment to Witness Substantial Growth Owing to Current Trend of Floating Offshore Wind Power Projects

Based on water depth, the market is bifurcated into up to 30m and above 30m. Among these, the up to 30m segment holds a majority of the share since installing wind towers is easier in shallow waters and deducts the overall capital expenditure. However, the forecast period may witness the significant growth of the above 30 m segment which is expected to rise to 50% from 30% earned in 2018. This is on account of the rise in investments on floating offshore wind power projects that requires installation in deep waters.





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Regional Analysis-

Increasing Number of Under-construction Projects Undertaken by China will Help Dominate Future Market

The market is widely segmented on the basis of nations, further attributed to their geographical placement and the speed of the wind. Currently, the United Kingdom is holding a majority of the offshore wind power market share, grappled by Germany and China. China is likely to overpower this dominance in the forecast period with the U.K., Germany, France, and Spain at a close competition. In 2018, an estimate of about 40% of the worlds offshore wind power was installed in China, thereby increasing its power generating capacity. This, coupled with the multiple numbers of under-construction projects that China has recently taken up is expected to help this nation emerge dominant during the forecast period.

Competitive Landscape-

Key Players Invest in New Offshore Farms for Multiplying Productivity

Vendors operating in this market are engaged in the installation of new offshore wind farms and are investing heavily in gaining momentum in the market. Besides this, they are also engaging in collaborative efforts such as mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, contracts and agreements, and partnerships to expand their geographical presence in the market.

Some of the key Industry Developments of the Offshore Wind Power Market are listed below:

March 2019  Renexia and Senvion S.A. entered into a joint venture for the installation of 30 MW offshore wind farms in the Italian Mediterranean Sea.

July 2019  The setting up of a zero-subsidy offshore wind farm with a total capacity of 760 MW was bagged by Vattenfall. This offshore farm consists of farms with a rated capacity of 10MW offered by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy.





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Fortune Business Insights lists out the names of some prominent companies in this market. This includes:

Nordex SE

Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Co.

General Electric

ABB Ltd.

Envision Energy

Senvion S.A.

Adwen

Goldwind

Hitachi Ltd.

Suzlon Energy Limited

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy S.A.

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind

Other vendors

Global Offshore Wind Power Market Segmentation:

By Installation

Fixed Structure

Floating Structure

By Water Depth

Up to 30m

Above 30m

By Capacity

Up to 3MW

3MW to 5MW

Above 5MW





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Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. We tailor innovative solutions for our clients, assisting them to address challenges distinct to their businesses. Our goal is to empower our clients with holistic market intelligence, giving a granular overview of the market they are operating in.

Contact Us:

Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd.

Phone:

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UK: +44 2071 939123

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Attachment
New York, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Fiber Bragg Grating Market Research Report by Type, Grating Type, Application, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06258269/?utm_source=GNW



The Global Fiber Bragg Grating Market size was estimated at USD 2,009.68 million in 2021 and expected to reach USD 2,161.62 million in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 7.73% to reach USD 3,142.81 million 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 Fiber Bragg Grating to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets:



Based on Type, the market was studied across Fiber Bragg Grating Filter and Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors.



Based on Grating Type, the market was studied across Regenerated gratings, Standard, or type I, gratings, Type IA gratings, Type II gratings, and Type IIA, or type In, gratings.



Based on Application, the market was studied across Aerospace & Defence, Energy & Utility, Geo-Technical Services, Oil & gas, Telecommunication, and Transportation.



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 Fiber Bragg Grating 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 Fiber Bragg Grating 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 Fiber Bragg Grating Market, including Advanced Optics Solutions GmbH, Advanced Photonics International Inc., Alnair Labs Corporation, FBG Korea, FBGS Technologies GmbH, Fibercore, FLT Inc., fos4x, GEOPTEX bvba (FOS&S), HBM FiberSensing, ITF Technologies Inc, iXFiber, Micron Optics, National Instruments, O/E Land Inc., Proximion AB, Raysung Photonics Inc., Smart Fibres Limited, Technica Optical Components, LLC, TeraXion Inc, Timbercon Inc., and Wuhan Ligong Guangke.



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 Fiber Bragg Grating Market?

2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Fiber Bragg Grating Market during the forecast period?

3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Fiber Bragg Grating Market?

4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Fiber Bragg Grating Market?

5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Fiber Bragg Grating Market?

6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Fiber Bragg Grating Market?

7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Fiber Bragg Grating Market?

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06258269/?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.



__________________________
Pune, India, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global orthodontics market size was USD 4.76 billion in 2020. The market is USD 5.38 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 16.36 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 17.2% in the 2021-2028 period.

This information is published by Fortune Business Insights, in its report, titled, Orthodontics Market, 2021-2028.

According to our research experts, owing to the several medical and visual reimbursement presented by the dental orthopedic treatment, the demand for these products is growing briskly. Furthermore, progressive move towards precautionary oral care, rising apprehension for sanitation of the equipment, and promising health benefits for treatment of dental malocclusion are projected to navigate the orthodontics market growth during the mentioned timeframe.





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Suspended Elective Operations amid COVID-19 to Result in Global Market Revenue Drop

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a prime health crisis across the world. The healthcare industry observed a substantial effect on its income growth. The market on the other hand perceived an adverse growth of -2.9% in the year 2020.

In order to control the spread of COVID-19 virus, numerous preventative procedures were taken into contemplation, among which nation-wide lockdown of dental facilities except for emergency cases. Dental orthopedic emergencies occur infrequently, thus the suspended appointments across the world is one of the primary factor, restraining the growth of the orthodontic industry in 2020.

Orthodontics Market Report Scope & Segmentation

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2021 to 2028 Forecast Period 2021 to 2028 CAGR 17.2% 2026 Value Projection USD 16.36 Billion Base Year 2020 Market Size in 2020 USD 4.76 Billion Historical Data for 2017 to 2019 No. of Pages 215 Segments covered Product, Types, End-Users and Geography Growth Drivers Rising Prevalence of Teeth Malocclusion to Stoke Demand Rising Investments by Startup Dental Supplies to Drive Market in North America Technological Developments in Dental Equipment to Fuel Market Growth





To get to know more about the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market,

Please Visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/orthodontics-market-101587





Orthodontics Market Report Coverage

The report delivers an organized study of the market segments and detailed analysis of the market overview. A considerate assessment of the existing market trends as well as the impending prospects is presented in the report.

Furthermore, it offers a comprehensive examination of the regional understandings and how they assist to form the market growth. The COVID-19 impacts have been conversed in the report to help investors and business owners with a better comprehension of the imaginable risks present in the market. The report further reveals the important players and their vital strategies to stay in the leading position.













Segmentation

Based on product type, the global market can be divided into supplies and instruments. The supplies segment can be further categorized as fixed and removable. The supplies segment was responsible for the maximum market share in 2020 and is predicted to lead in the market throughout the forecast period.

On the basis of end users, the global market is segregated into hospitals, dentals clinics, and others.

In terms of region, the market is further classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, rest of the world.





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Drivers and Restraints

Technological Developments in Dental Equipment to Fuel Market Growth

The advent of dental imaging as well as dental 3D scanners has abridged the requirement for handwritten reports and assisted in operative treatment scheduling with virtual imageries of the teeth, jaw, and mouth of the patient.

Moreover, the presentation of technologically augmented diagnostic gears by important producers for the medical analysis of oral condition as well as the identification of askew teeth has amplified the treatment superiority of dental orthopedic.

Additionally, the amalgamation of 3D technologies, AI-based technologies, CAD/CAM, and IoT software, with dental orthopedic methods to precisely cure the uneven teeth of a patient is magnifying the market growth.

Regional Insights

North America held the maximum orthodontics market shares and was worth USD 2.26 billion in 2020. It is expected to lead the market during the forecast phase. Implementation of advanced gears such as oral scanners aiding in orthodontic cure process and growing capitalization by start-up dental suppliers are projected to augment the market in North America.

The speedy acceptance of dental facilities, particularly in the U.K., France, and Germany and the upsurge in quantity of orthodontists are anticipated to multiply the market size in Europe. Additionally, the surging directory of treatment requirements for dental malocclusions is estimated to stimulate the market growth in Europe.

In Asia Pacific, the requirement for orthodontic equipment is likely to amplify during the forecast period due to the escalation in the amount of separate dental clinics, intensifying occurrence of dental malocclusions, and technical expansions in the dental industry.





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Competitive Landscape

Align Technology, Inc. Held Maximum Market Share and Set to Register Further Improvements

The global market is merged with Align Technology, 3M, Ormco Corporation, and Institut Straumann AG, remaining in the leading position. On the basis of income, Align Technology is responsible for the largest market share which is chiefly owing to the astonishing sale of Invisalign across the globe.

Industry Development

March 2020: Align Technology, Inc. is engaged in a contract intended to acquire Global Holdings GmbH, who is a frontrunner in the dental CAD/CAM software market.

List of Key Players Covered in the Orthodontics Market Report

Institut Straumann AG (Basel, Switzerland)

Dentsply Sirona (Pennsylvania, U.S.)

3M (Minnesota, U.S.)

Ormco Corporation (Brea, U.S.)

DB Orthodontics (Silsden, U.K.)

Henry Schein, Inc. (New York U.S.)

Align Technology, Inc. (San Jose, U.S.)

AMERICAN ORTHODONTICS (Wisconsin, U.S.)

Great Lakes Dental Technologies (Tonawanda, U.S.)

Table Of Contents :

Orthodontics Market Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities

Key Insights Prevalence of Key Orthodontic Diseases, By Key Countries, 2018 Key Mergers, Acquisitions and Partnerships Pricing Analysis, By Key Players, 2018 Technology Advances, Orthodontic Instruments and Supplies

Global Orthodontics Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2015-2026 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Product Type Instruments Supplies Fixed Brackets Bands & Buccal Tubes Archwires Others Removable Aligners Retainers Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By End User Hospitals Dental Clinics Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Rest of the World



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Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Queen of Denmark Margrethe II at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen after his hectic bilateral engagement with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and business community on Tuesday.

"Queen Margrethe II of Denmark received Prime Minister Narendra Modi today at the historic Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen," the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The Prime Minister felicitated the Queen on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of her accession to the throne of Denmark.

He briefed her on the "increasing momentum" in India-Denmark ties in recent years, particularly the Green Strategic Partnership. He also lauded the role of the Danish Royal Family in furthering social causes.

Prime Minister Modi thanked her for the warm reception and hospitality extended to him, the minsitry said.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister held a bilateral meeting with the Frederiksen and discussed wide range of issues including regional and global matters.

The two leaders held talks in a one-on-one format, followed by delegation level talks.

Both Prime Ministers reviewed progress of the India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership. Discussions covered cooperation in renewable energy, especially offshore wind energy and green hydrogen, as well as skill development, health, shipping, water and the Arctic, among others.

The Prime Minister appreciated the positive contribution of Danish companies in India to the government's flagship programmes. Similarly, Prime Minister Frederiksen highlighted the positive role of Indian companies in Denmark.

Both leaders lauded the expanding people to people ties between the two countries, and welcomed the Declaration of Intent on a migration and mobility partnership.
Dublin, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Liquid Soap Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global liquid soap market reached a value of US$ 18.27 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach a value of US$ 27.03 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.50% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, the analyst is continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different End-use sectors. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



Liquid soap is a cleansing agent made from the salts of vegetable or animal fats, which is effective against bacteria and viruses. It has added moisturizers to prevent hands from getting dry and a lower pH level than bar soaps, making it suitable for people with sensitive skin. Due to its easy accessibility, convenience, and cost benefits, liquid soap is widely used for various household purposes, such as floor cleaning, maintaining hygiene, and washing clothes.



Liquid Soap Market Trends

At present, the growing concerns about hygiene and cleanliness, along with the rising adoption of safety measures in homes, offices, and public places, represent one of the primary factors catalyzing the demand for liquid soap worldwide. Apart from this, with the introduction of touch-free hand hygiene dispensers, liquid soap is extensively used to maintain sanitation and sterility in hospitals and healthcare facilities. This can also be attributed to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and rising cases of infectious diseases like cold and chickenpox.

Furthermore, liquid soap is utilized for maintaining hygiene requirements in hotels, quick-service restaurants (QSRs), and food processing. Besides this, key players are offering multi-purpose liquid soap with an advanced cleaning formula that can be used for dish wash, kitchen utensils, vehicles, and furniture.

Moreover, they are focusing on developing organic variants that do not contain perfumes, gluten, dyes, allergens, animal by-products and harsh chemicals, such as phosphates, chlorine and petrochemicals. As these products are made from sustainable, plant-derived ingredients, which enhance their softening properties, reduce crumples, and prevent fading of color, rising environmental concerns among individuals are anticipated to provide a positive outlook for the market in the upcoming years.



Key Market Segmentation

This report provides an analysis of the key trends in each sub-segment of the global liquid soap market, along with forecasts at the global, regional and country level from 2022-2027. The report has categorized the market based on type, product type, distribution channel and application.



Breakup by Type:

Organic

Conventional

Breakup by Product Type:

Bath and Body Soaps

Dish Wash Soap

Laundry Soaps

Others

Breakup by Distribution Channel:

Supermarkets and Hypermarkets

Convenience Stores

Specialty Stores

Online Stores

Others

Breakup by Application:

Households

Commercial

Breakup by Region:

North America

United States

Canada

Asia-Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Australia

Indonesia

Others

Europe

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Italy

Spain

Russia

Others

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Others

Middle East and Africa

Competitive Landscape

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being 3M Company, Cleenol Group Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Company, Godrej Consumer Products Limited, GOJO Industries Inc., Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Kao Corporation, Lion Corporation, Medline Industries LP, Procter & Gamble Company, Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC and Unilever plc



Key Questions Answered in This Report

How has the global liquid soap market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global liquid soap market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the product type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the distribution channel?

What is the breakup of the market based on the application?

What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?

What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry?

What is the structure of the global liquid soap market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Liquid Soap Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Type

6.1 Organic

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Conventional

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Product Type

7.1 Bath and Body Soaps

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Dish Wash Soap

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast

7.3 Laundry Soaps

7.3.1 Market Trends

7.3.2 Market Forecast

7.4 Others

7.4.1 Market Trends

7.4.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Distribution Channel

8.1 Supermarkets and Hypermarkets

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2 Convenience Stores

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Market Forecast

8.3 Specialty Stores

8.3.1 Market Trends

8.3.2 Market Forecast

8.4 Online Stores

8.4.1 Market Trends

8.4.2 Market Forecast

8.5 Others

8.5.1 Market Trends

8.5.2 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by Application

9.1 Households

9.1.1 Market Trends

9.1.2 Market Forecast

9.2 Commercial

9.2.1 Market Trends

9.2.2 Market Forecast



10 Market Breakup by Region



11 SWOT Analysis



12 Value Chain Analysis



13 Porters Five Forces Analysis

14 Price Analysis



15 Competitive Landscape

15.1 Market Structure

15.2 Key Players

15.3 Profiles of Key Players

15.3.1 3M Company

15.3.1.1 Company Overview

15.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.1.3 Financials

15.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.2 Cleenol Group Ltd.

15.3.2.1 Company Overview

15.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.3 Colgate-Palmolive Company

15.3.3.1 Company Overview

15.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.3.3 Financials

15.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.4 Godrej Consumer Products Limited

15.3.4.1 Company Overview

15.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.4.3 Financials

15.3.5 GOJO Industries Inc.

15.3.5.1 Company Overview

15.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.6 Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

15.3.6.1 Company Overview

15.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.6.3 Financials

15.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.7 Kao Corporation

15.3.7.1 Company Overview

15.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.7.3 Financials

15.3.7.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.8 Lion Corporation

15.3.8.1 Company Overview

15.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.8.3 Financials

15.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.9 Medline Industries LP

15.3.9.1 Company Overview

15.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.9.3 SWOT Analysis

15.3.10 Procter & Gamble Company

15.3.10.1 Company Overview

15.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.10.3 Financials

15.3.10.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.11 Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC

15.3.11.1 Company Overview

15.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.11.3 Financials

15.3.11.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.12 Unilever PLC

15.3.12.1 Company Overview

15.3.12.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.12.3 Financials

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4rob5w

Attachment
Immediate revenue and expansion of global footprint

Acquisition transforms Aspargo into a revenue producing company

European market entry positions Aspargo for commercialization of Sildenafil Oral Spray world-wide

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. and BARCELONA, Spain, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aspargo Laboratories, Inc., a privately held specialty pharmaceutical company focused on commercializing innovative formulations of leading medications, today announced the acquisition of the prescription brand BANDOL (sildenafil oral suspension) from Laboratorios Rubio S.A., a specialty pharmaceutical company headquartered in Barcelona, Spain. BANDOL is indicated for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). Concurrent with the acquisition, Aspargo entered into a distribution agreement with Rubio for the continued marketing and promotion of BANDOL in Spain and a license and supply agreement with Farmalider, S.A. (Madrid, Spain) for the supply of BANDOL to the Spanish market.

The acquisition of BANDOL is part of our strategic global growth plan that positions Aspargo to be first to market with an innovative oral spray solution for erectile dysfunction, said Michael Demurjian, Aspargos Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Utilizing BANDOL as our initial venture in Europe, we plan to accelerate the commercialization of Sildenafil Oral Spray in other European countries and globally, subject to regulatory compliance in each country.

BANDOL, offered in a convenient and discreet metered dose container that delivers the equivalent of 12.5 mg per actuation, is manufactured in Spain and is prescribed predominantly by primary care physicians and urologists. Originally licensed by Rubio from Farmalidera pharmaceutical company dedicated to the research, development, and manufacture of pharmaceutical products, and launched by Rubio in 2020BANDOL is the only sildenafil oral spray currently on the market world-wide. The Spanish market for VIAGRA, CIALIS, and their generic equivalents was valued at approximately $80 million in 2021 (IQVIA analytics 2021).

We are pleased to have entered this commercial distribution agreement with Aspargo and look forward to working on additional opportunities together, said Pelayo Rubio, Rubios Chief Executive Officer.

Erectile dysfunction is characterized by the persistent difficulty achieving and maintaining an erection sufficient to have sexual intercourse. While the prevalence of ED has been shown to increase with age, a recent study conducted by the Sexual Medicine and Andrology Unit of the University of Florence, Italy, showed that ED in younger men is likely to be overlooked and dismissed without a proper medical assessment.

About Aspargo Laboratories, Inc.

Aspargo Laboratories, Inc., located in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, is a commercial stage, specialty pharmaceutical company. Aspargos current focus is to commercialize an oral spray formulation of sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient in VIAGRA. Aspargo is the US and international licensee of the patent rights covering Sildenafil Oral Spray from Farmalider, S.A. of Madrid, Spain (www.farmalider.com). For additional information, please visit our website at https://aspargolabs.com/ .

About Laboratorios Rubio

Laboratorios Rubio is a privately held pharmaceutical company, headquartered in Spain. The company engages in the development, manufacturing, marketing & distribution of established products while introducing new products each year that arise both from proprietary formulations and strategic commercial partnerships. For additional information, please visit our website at https://www.laboratoriosrubio.com/.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES



TORONTO, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Water Ways Technologies Inc. (TSXV: WWT) (FRA: WWT) ("Water Ways" or the "Company"), a global provider of Israeli-based agriculture technology, providing water irrigation solutions to agricultural producers, announces that the value of its previously announced (see press release dated April 21, 2022) order to install a smart turnkey blueberries irrigation project in Mexico increased to approximately CAD$1M from the original amount announced of CAD$425,000. The project is expected to be delivered and installed during Q3 of 2022. The Company expects to recognize revenues from the project during Q2 and Q3 of 2022.

About Water Ways Technologies Inc.

WWT through its subsidiaries, is a global provider of Israeli-based agriculture technology, providing water irrigation solutions to agricultural producers. WWT competes in the global irrigation water systems market with a focus on developing solutions with commercial applications in the micro and precision irrigation segments of the overall market. At present, WWTs main revenue streams are derived from the following business units: (i) Projects Business Unit; and (ii) Component and Equipment Sales Unit. WWT is capitalizing on the opportunities presented by micro and smart irrigation, while also making a positive mark on society by making these technologies more widely available, especially in developing markets such as Africa and Latin America and developed markets such as China and Canada. WWTs irrigation projects include vineyards, Cotton fields, Apple and Orange orchards, Blueberries, Medical Cannabis growers, fresh produce cooling rooms and more, in over fifteen countries.

For more information, please contact

Ronnie Jaegermann Dor Sneh Dr. Eva Reuter Director CFO Investor Relations - Germany T: +972-54-4202054 T: +972-54-6512500 +49 69 1532 5857 E: ronnie@waterwt.com E: dor@irri-altal.com E: e.reuter@dr-reuter.eu https://www.water-ways-technologies.com/ https://www.hg-wwt.com/ Twitter: @WaterWaysTechn1

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation. The words "may", "would", "could", "should", "potential", "will", "seek", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions as they relate to Water Ways. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Such statements reflect Water Ways' current views and intentions with respect to future events, and current information available to Water Ways, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Material factors or assumptions were applied in providing forward-looking information. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking information to vary from those described herein should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize. Should any factor affect Water Ways in an unexpected manner, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, the actual results or events may differ materially from the results or events predicted. Any such forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Moreover, Water Ways does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this press release is made as of the date of this press release and Water Ways undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable law. Water Ways' results and forward-looking information and calculations may be affected by fluctuations in exchange rates and its own share prices. All figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/780fe1dc-e272-4820-afbe-dc0583b62c22
Dublin, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Electric Three-Wheeler Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global electric three-wheeler market reached a value of US$ 596.2 million in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach a value of US$ 1,059.10 million by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 9.60% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, the analyst is continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



An electric three-wheeler, also known as an e-rickshaw, operates on high torque electric motors and longer durability batteries. It offers last-mile connectivity, easy access to narrow roads, and a noise-free travel experience. It helps improve urban air quality by reducing total greenhouse gas (GHG) and other emissions. Besides this, as it also aids in lowering additional costs associated with fuel consumption, electric three-wheeler is gaining immense traction as a convenient and eco-friendly mode of public transportation across the globe.



Electric Three-Wheeler Market Trends

Surging levels of air pollution and inflating prices of transportation fuels have resulted in the increasing adoption of green vehicles. This, in confluence with the burgeoning automobile industry, represents one of the key factors bolstering the growth of the market. Besides this, governing authorities of numerous countries are offering subsidies and tax abatements, exempting drivers of electric three-wheelers from toll road or parking fees, and deploying charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs).

Moreover, the batteries of these vehicles can be reused and recycled. Apart from this, the introduction of battery-as-a-service (BaaS) can reduce up-front acquisition costs of electric three-wheelers as it enables customers to lease batteries as a separate component. In addition, BaaS is less time-consuming and requires minimum infrastructure compared to charging the battery at a station.

This, coupled with the growing popularity of shared mobility, which may help reduce traffic congestion and transportation costs, is fueling market growth. Furthermore, rising environmental awareness among individuals, increasing substitution of petrol-powered three-wheelers with electric three-wheelers, and reducing battery prices that aid in minimizing total costs of ownership (TCO) are some of the other factors projected to drive the market.



Key Market Segmentation

This report provides an analysis of the key trends in each sub-segment of the global electric three-wheeler market, along with forecasts at the global, regional and country level from 2022-2027. The report has categorized the market based on vehicle type, power type and battery type.



Breakup by Vehicle Type:

Passenger Carrier

Load Carrier

Breakup by Power Type:

Up To 1000W

1000W To 1500W

Above 1500W

Breakup by Battery Type:

Lithium-Ion

Lead Acid

Breakup by Region:

North America

United States

Canada

Asia-Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Australia

Indonesia

Others

Europe

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Italy

Spain

Russia

Others

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Others

Middle East and Africa

Competitive Landscape

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being ATUL Auto Limited, Bodo Vehicle Group Co. Ltd., E-Tuk Factory, Goenka Electric Motor Vehicles Private Limited, Jiangsu Jinpeng Group Co. Ltd., Kinetic Green Energy & Power Solutions Ltd., Lohia Auto Industries, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited, Omega Seiki Mobility, Piaggio & C. SpA, Scooters India Limited and Terra Motors Corporation.



Key Questions Answered in This Report

How has the global electric three-wheeler market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global electric three-wheeler market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the vehicle type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the power type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the battery 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 electric three-wheeler market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology

3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Electric Three-Wheeler Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Vehicle Type

6.1 Passenger Carrier

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Load Carrier

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Power Type

7.1 Up To 1000W

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 1000W To 1500W

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast

7.3 Above 1500W

7.3.1 Market Trends

7.3.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Battery Type

8.1 Lithium-Ion

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2 Lead Acid

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by Region



10 SWOT Analysis



11 Value Chain Analysis



12 Porters Five Forces Analysis

13 Price Analysis



14 Competitive Landscape

14.1 Market Structure

14.2 Key Players

14.3 Profiles of Key Players

14.3.1 ATUL Auto Limited

14.3.1.1 Company Overview

14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.1.3 Financials

14.3.2 Bodo Vehicle Group Co. Ltd.

14.3.2.1 Company Overview

14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.3 E-Tuk Factory

14.3.3.1 Company Overview

14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.4 Goenka Electric Motor Vehicles Private Limited

14.3.4.1 Company Overview

14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.5 Jiangsu Jinpeng Group Co. Ltd.

14.3.5.1 Company Overview

14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.6 Kinetic Green Energy & Power Solutions Ltd.

14.3.6.1 Company Overview

14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.7 Lohia Auto Industries

14.3.7.1 Company Overview

14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.8 Mahindra & Mahindra Limited

14.3.8.1 Company Overview

14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.9 Omega Seiki Mobility

14.3.9.1 Company Overview

14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.10 Piaggio & C. SpA

14.3.10.1 Company Overview

14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.11 Scooters India Limited

14.3.11.1 Company Overview

14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.11.3 Financials

14.3.12 Terra Motors Corporation

14.3.12.1 Company Overview

14.3.12.2 Product Portfolio

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/u1rm3f

Attachment
English Dutch

Lochem, 4 May 2022

ForFarmers convenes Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders on 23 June 2022

ForFarmers N.V. announces that the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders will be held (as a virtual meeting) on Thursday 23 June 2022, starting at 10.00 am in relation to the appointment of Chris Deen as member of the Executive Board (CEO). The convocation announcement and the agenda and explanatory notes to the agenda are available via the corporate website of ForFarmers ( www.forfarmersgroup.eu/en ) under Investors / General Meeting of Shareholders.

Note to the editor / For additional information:

Caroline Vogelzang, Director Investor Relations

T: 0031 573 288 194 M: 0031 6 10 94 91 61

E: caroline.vogelzang@forfarmers.eu

Company profile

ForFarmers N.V. (ForFarmers, Lochem, the Netherlands) is an internationally operating feed company that offers total feed solutions for conventional and organic livestock farming. ForFarmers gives its very best For the Future of Farming: for the continuity of farming and for a financially secure sector that will continue to serve society for generations to come in a sustainable way. By working side-by-side with farmers ForFarmers delivers real benefits: better returns, healthier livestock and greater efficiency. This is achieved by offering tailored and Total Feed solutions and a targeted approach with specialist and expert support.

With sales of around 10 million tonnes of feed, ForFarmers is market leader in Europe. ForFarmers has approximately 2,500 employees and is active in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom. In 2021, revenues amounted to approximately 2.7 billion. ForFarmers N.V. is listed at Euronext Amsterdam.

ForFarmers N.V., Postbus 91, 7240 AB Lochem, T: +31 (0)573 28 88 00, F: +31 (0)573 28 88 99

info@forfarmers.eu , www.forfarmersgroup.eu/en .




AUSTIN, Texas, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ambiq, a leading developer of ultra-low-power semiconductor solutions that deliver a multifold increase in energy efficiency, was named winner of four Stevie Awards in both the 9th annual Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, and the 20th annual American Business Awards programs. The company captured the Gold statuette for Innovation in Technology and a Silver award for Most Valuable Technical Innovation related to its partnership with Singapore's TraceTogether program to fight COVID-19. Additionally, Ambiq won Silver in the Achievement in Product Innovation, as well as Bronze in the Most Valuable Technical Innovation categories.



The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards are the only business awards program to recognize innovation in the workplace in all 29 nations of the Asia-Pacific region. The Stevie Awards are widely considered to be the world's premier business awards, conferring recognition for achievement in programs such as The International Business Awards for 20 years. 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 nominations  public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small.

Ambiq was recognized for its innovative Subthreshold Power Optimized Technology (SPOT) platform, enabling a diverse portfolio of ultra-low power semiconductor solutions to drive a healthier, cleaner, and more productive world. Our solutions are used across wearables, industrial, smart homes, smart buildings, and automotive end markets as energy efficiency has become both a business and environmental imperative.

Singapore distributed TraceTogether tokens, enabled by Ambiqs Apollo3 Blue SoC, to combat COVID-19 through community contact tracing in June 2020. The prestigious collaboration with the Apollo3 Blue was a significant milestone for Ambiq as it resulted from a multi-party collaboration with EDBI, Excelpoint, iWOW, and various government agencies.

"We are passionate about innovation and strive to achieve our mission of enabling intelligence in all endpoint devices," said Charlene Wan, VP of Branding, Marketing, and Investor Relations at Ambiq. "The awards are a wonderful way to recognize our team members and their contributions in both the US and ASEAN region."

More than 900 nominations from organizations in 22 markets, including the United States, were considered this year. Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 100 executives around the world acting as judges in March and April.

"The ninth edition of the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards attracted many remarkable nominations," said Stevie Awards president Maggie Miller. "The organizations that won this year have demonstrated that they have continued to innovate and succeed despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and we applaud them for their perseverance and creativity."

Regarding the American Business Awards, Miller said, We are so pleased that we will be able to stage our first ABA awards banquet since 2019 and to celebrate, in person, the achievements of such a diverse group of organizations and individuals.

Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word for "crowned," the Asia-Pacific Stevie Award winners will be celebrated during a virtual (online) awards ceremony on Wednesday, 29 June. In the US, the American Business Stevie Awards will be presented to winners at a gala ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York on Monday, June 13. Tickets are now on sale.

Details about the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards and the list of winners are available at www.asia.stevieawards.com. Information about the American Business Awards and the list of winners are available at www.stevieawards.com/ABA.

About Ambiq

Ambiq's mission is to develop the lowest-power semiconductor solutions that enable intelligent devices everywhere to drive a healthier, cleaner, and more productive world. Ambiq has helped leading manufacturers worldwide develop products that last weeks on a single charge (rather than days), while delivering a maximum feature set in compact industrial designs. Ambiq's goal is to take Artificial Intelligence (AI) where it has never gone before in mobile and portable devices, using Ambiq's advanced ultra-low power system on chip (SoC) solutions. Ambiq has shipped more than 150 million units as of February 2022. For more information, visit www.ambiq.com.

About the Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at www.stevieawards.com.

Sponsors and partners of the 2022 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards include Adobo Magazine and PR Newswire Asia. Sponsors of The 2022 American Business Awards include HCL America, John Hancock Financial Services, Melissa Sones Consulting, and SoftPro.

Contact:

Charlene Wan

VP of Marketing, Branding, and Investor Relations

+1 512.980.2850

cwan@ambiq.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4694be11-162a-4aac-a73f-ab84c60656f5
New York, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Web Hosting Services Industry" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p01010182/?utm_source=GNW

-Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

-Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform

-Complimentary updates for one year



Global Web Hosting Services Market to Reach $152.7 Billion by 2026



Web hosting is a kind of service in which companies acting as web hosts provide individuals and companies the means to make their websites available in the World Wide Web. Websites are almost a sacrosanct need in the emerging on-demand era and have become the new battleground for companies to stay competitive and increase revenues. Key factors driving the on-demand era include growing consumer demand for higher levels of customization of products and services, and rising preference for prompt and rapid delivery of services. The on-demand economy, where goods and services are immediately provisioned, is creating a paradigm change in consumer behavior. The Internet, supported by the cloud, is additionally influencing this change by offering convenience, speed and instant gratification. Anytime, anywhere access to messaging, email and media is generating consumer demand for immediate entitlement. Until the emergence of the pandemic digital services were only optional for retailers but ecommerce is now common. Over the coming years, there would be drastic decline in the number of department stores in developed countries and ecommerce would grow significantly. Against this backdrop, demand for web technologies including website design and architecture, is growing as companies scramble to expand and strengthen their online presence.



Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Web Hosting Services estimated at US$71.1 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$152.7 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 13.2% over the analysis period. Shared Hosting, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 15% CAGR to reach US$72.2 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Dedicated Hosting segment is readjusted to a revised 11.1% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 25.5% share of the global Web Hosting Services market. In a shared hosting environment, a website is located on the same server as other websites. Some shared servers host up to several thousands of websites. In this hosting type, the domain names share a number of resources including CPU, and RAM. Since cost of shared hosting is relatively low, this type of hosting is ideal for websites experiencing moderate flow of traffic and running on standard software. A Dedicated hosting service ensures maximum control of the server a website is hosted on since each server is rented by a single user. However, dedicated hosting in expensive and therefore is ideal for large businesses with high traffic websites.



The U.S. Market is Estimated at $30 Billion in 2021, While China is Forecast to Reach $16.9 Billion by 2026



The Web Hosting Services market in the U.S. is estimated at US$30 Billion in the year 2021. The country currently accounts for a 37.35% share in the global market. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$16.9 Billion in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 15.6% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 10.9% and 11.7% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 13.9% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$19.1 Billion by the end of the analysis period.



Collected Hosting Segment to Reach $20.7 Billion by 2026



In the global Collected Hosting segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 11.6% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$8.5 Billion in the year 2020 will reach a projected size of US$18.3 Billion by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$2.5 Billion by the year 2026.We bring years of research experience to this 17th edition of our report. The 293-page report presents concise insights into how the pandemic has impacted production and the buy side for 2020 and 2021. A short-term phased recovery by key geography is also addressed.

Select Competitors (Total 241 Featured) -

1&1 internet Inc.

Alibaba Cloud

Amazon Web Services

DreamHost, LLC

Bluehost Inc.

HostGator.com

Google Cloud Platform

Go Daddy Operating Company, LLC

Hetzner Online GmbH

Host Europe

Liquid Web

LeaseWeb Netherlands B.V.

Media Temple

OVH

Rackspace Technology

STRATO AG







Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p01010182/?utm_source=GNW



I. METHODOLOGY



II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



1. MARKET OVERVIEW

Influencer Market Insights

World Market Trajectories

Impact of Covid-19 and a Looming Global Recession

2020 Marked as a Year of Disruption & Transformation

World Economic Growth Projections (Real GDP, Annual % Change)

for 2020, 2021, & 2022

Impact of the Pandemic on Global Web Hosting Services Market

Web Hosting Services - Global Key Competitors Percentage Market

Share in 2022 (E)

Competitive Market Presence - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial for

Players Worldwide in 2022 (E)

Web Hosting Services: A Prelude

Popular Types of Hosting

Websites: A Vital Need in the On-Demand Economy

Growing Number of Websites on the World Wide Web Expands the

Addressable Market Opportunity for Web Hosting Services:

Global Number of Websites (In Million) for the Years 2010,

2015 2018 and 2020

Mobile Optimized Websites Become a Source of Increased Traffic,

Leads and Sales

A Peek into the Importance of Website Performance

Rising Cost of In-House Design & Ownership of Websites Drives

Demand for Web Hosting Services

Competition

Top Web Hosting Service Providers by Website Numbers (In Millions)

Leading Shared Web Hosting Service Providers in Millions

Market Share of Leading Virtual Private Server Hosting

Companies: 2019

Top Providers of Hosted Websites Solutions by Number of

Websites (in Millions)

Market Share of Leading Providers of Website Builders: 2019

Market Shares of Leading Web Hosting Companies in terms of

Number of Clients for 2020

Market Share of Top-Level Domains in Global Market (October 2020)

Recent Industry Activity

World Brands



2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS



3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

Spurt in eCommerce Drives Demand for Web Hosting Services

Ballooning of the eCommerce Industry into a Trillion Dollar

Industry to Benefit Future Growth of Ecommerce Web Hosting

Services: Global B2C E-Commerce Sales (In US$ Billion) for

the Years 2018, 2021 and 2024

COVID-19 Impact on Global Retail E-Commerce Website Traffic by

Average Monthly Visits: Jan 2019-July 2020

Green Web Hosting Gains Traction

Industry Witnesses Drop in Data Center Count

Strong Gains for Managed Web Hosting

Unrestricted Scalability Drives Popularity of Cloud Web Hosting

Services

Enhanced Security Grows in Importance

Percentage Breakdown of Web Attacks by Type of Attack Method: 2019

Average Annual Cost of Cybercrime (in US$ Million) by Industry

for the Years 2017 and 2018

Shift Towards HTTPS Gains Pace

Companies Opt for Additional Services to Expand Client Base

Attention Grows towards Niche Segments

Pricing Competition Intensifies among Service Providers

Spurting DIY Website Builders & SSDs: A Notable Trend

Virtual Website Hosting Gains Momentum

Benefits Offered by AI in Web Hosting to Drive Adoption

Rising Internet Penetration Catalyzes Broad Based Growth in the

Market

Global Internet Usage: Number of Internet Users (in Billion)

and Internet Penetration Rate (in %) for the Years 2015

through 2020

Breakdown of Internet Users (in %) by Region: 2020

Rise in Mobile Marketing Platforms to Buoy Hosting Services Growth

Rising Adoption of Cloud-based Gaming among Users to Create

Prospects for Web Hosting Service Providers

Service Providers Scramble to Enable IPv6 on Web Hosting Packages

Linux: The Most Popular Web Server OS for Website Hosting

Percentage Breakdown of Number of Websites Running Operating

Systems (OS) by Type for the Year 2019



4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE

Table 1: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan,

China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 2: World Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe,

Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis

of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2012 through 2019

and % CAGR



Table 3: World 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services by

Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for

USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of

World Markets for Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 4: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for

Shared Hosting by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan,

China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 5: World Historic Review for Shared Hosting by Geographic

Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and

Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues

in US$ Million for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 6: World 15-Year Perspective for Shared Hosting by

Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for

USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of

World for Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 7: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for

Dedicated Hosting by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan,

China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 8: World Historic Review for Dedicated Hosting by

Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe,

Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis

of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2012 through 2019

and % CAGR



Table 9: World 15-Year Perspective for Dedicated Hosting by

Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for

USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of

World for Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 10: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for

Collected Hosting by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan,

China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 11: World Historic Review for Collected Hosting by

Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe,

Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis

of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2012 through 2019

and % CAGR



Table 12: World 15-Year Perspective for Collected Hosting by

Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for

USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of

World for Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 13: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for

Virtual Private Server Hosting by Geographic Region - USA,

Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World

Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$

Million for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 14: World Historic Review for Virtual Private Server

Hosting by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China,

Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2012

through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 15: World 15-Year Perspective for Virtual Private Server

Hosting by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value

Revenues for USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific

and Rest of World for Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 16: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for

Other Types by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China,

Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2020

through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 17: World Historic Review for Other Types by Geographic

Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and

Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues

in US$ Million for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 18: World 15-Year Perspective for Other Types by

Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for

USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of

World for Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 19: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for

Public by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China,

Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2020

through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 20: World Historic Review for Public by Geographic Region -

USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of

World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$

Million for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 21: World 15-Year Perspective for Public by Geographic

Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for USA,

Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World

for Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 22: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for

Private by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China,

Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2020

through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 23: World Historic Review for Private by Geographic

Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and

Rest of World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues

in US$ Million for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 24: World 15-Year Perspective for Private by Geographic

Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for USA,

Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World

for Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 25: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for

Hybrid by Geographic Region - USA, Canada, Japan, China,

Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2020

through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 26: World Historic Review for Hybrid by Geographic Region -

USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of

World Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$

Million for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 27: World 15-Year Perspective for Hybrid by Geographic

Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for USA,

Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World

for Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



III. MARKET ANALYSIS



UNITED STATES

Web Hosting Services Market Presence - Strong/Active/Niche/

Trivial - Key Competitors in the United States for 2022 (E)

Table 28: USA Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting,

Collected Hosting, Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other

Types - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million

for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 29: USA Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by Type -

Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual

Private Server Hosting and Other Types Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2012

through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 30: USA 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services by

Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for Shared

Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual Private

Server Hosting and Other Types for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 31: USA Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for the

Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 32: USA Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2012

through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 33: USA 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services by

Deployment - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for Public,

Private and Hybrid for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



CANADA

Canada Web Hosting Market: Market Shares of leading Companies

in terms of number of Clients for 2020

Table 34: Canada Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting,

Collected Hosting, Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other

Types - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million

for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 35: Canada Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting,

Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other Types Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 36: Canada 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services

by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for Shared

Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual Private

Server Hosting and Other Types for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 37: Canada Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for the

Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 38: Canada Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2012

through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 39: Canada 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services

by Deployment - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for

Public, Private and Hybrid for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



JAPAN

Web Hosting Services Market Presence - Strong/Active/Niche/

Trivial - Key Competitors in Japan for 2022 (E)

Japan Web Hosting Market: Market Share of leading Companies in

terms of number of Clients for 2020

Table 40: Japan Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting,

Collected Hosting, Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other

Types - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million

for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 41: Japan Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting,

Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other Types Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 42: Japan 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services by

Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for Shared

Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual Private

Server Hosting and Other Types for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 43: Japan Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for the

Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 44: Japan Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2012

through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 45: Japan 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services by

Deployment - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for Public,

Private and Hybrid for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



CHINA

Web Hosting Services Market Presence - Strong/Active/Niche/

Trivial - Key Competitors in China for 2022 (E)

China Web Hosting Market: Market Shares of leading Companies in

terms of number of Clients for 2020

Table 46: China Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting,

Collected Hosting, Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other

Types - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million

for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 47: China Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting,

Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other Types Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 48: China 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services by

Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for Shared

Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual Private

Server Hosting and Other Types for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 49: China Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for the

Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 50: China Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2012

through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 51: China 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services by

Deployment - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for Public,

Private and Hybrid for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



EUROPE

Web Hosting Services Market Presence - Strong/Active/Niche/

Trivial - Key Competitors in Europe for 2022 (E)

Table 52: Europe Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Geographic Region - France, Germany, Italy,

UK and Rest of Europe Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual

Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 53: Europe Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Geographic Region - France, Germany, Italy, UK and Rest of

Europe Markets - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$

Million for Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 54: Europe 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services

by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues

for France, Germany, Italy, UK and Rest of Europe Markets for

Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 55: Europe Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting,

Collected Hosting, Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other

Types - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million

for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 56: Europe Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting,

Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other Types Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 57: Europe 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services

by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for Shared

Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual Private

Server Hosting and Other Types for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 58: Europe Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for the

Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 59: Europe Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2012

through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 60: Europe 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services

by Deployment - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for

Public, Private and Hybrid for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



FRANCE

Web Hosting Services Market Presence - Strong/Active/Niche/

Trivial - Key Competitors in France for 2022 (E)

France Web Hosting Market: Market Shares of Leading Companies

in terms of number of Clients for 2020

Table 61: France Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting,

Collected Hosting, Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other

Types - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million

for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 62: France Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting,

Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other Types Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 63: France 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services

by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for Shared

Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual Private

Server Hosting and Other Types for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 64: France Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for the

Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 65: France Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2012

through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 66: France 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services

by Deployment - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for

Public, Private and Hybrid for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



GERMANY

Web Hosting Services Market Presence - Strong/Active/Niche/

Trivial - Key Competitors in Germany for 2022 (E)

Germany Web Hosting Market: Market Shares of leading Companies

in terms of number of Clients for 2020

Table 67: Germany Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for

Web Hosting Services by Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated

Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual Private Server Hosting and

Other Types - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$

Million for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 68: Germany Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting,

Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other Types Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 69: Germany 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services

by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for Shared

Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual Private

Server Hosting and Other Types for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 70: Germany Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for

Web Hosting Services by Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 71: Germany Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2012

through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 72: Germany 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services

by Deployment - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for

Public, Private and Hybrid for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



ITALY

Table 73: Italy Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting,

Collected Hosting, Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other

Types - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million

for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 74: Italy Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting,

Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other Types Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 75: Italy 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services by

Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for Shared

Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual Private

Server Hosting and Other Types for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 76: Italy Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for the

Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 77: Italy Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2012

through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 78: Italy 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services by

Deployment - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for Public,

Private and Hybrid for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



UNITED KINGDOM

Web Hosting Services Market Presence - Strong/Active/Niche/

Trivial - Key Competitors in the United Kingdom for 2022 (E)

UK Web Hosting Market: Market Shares of leading Companies in

terms of number of Clients for 2020

Table 79: UK Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting,

Collected Hosting, Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other

Types - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million

for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 80: UK Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by Type -

Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual

Private Server Hosting and Other Types Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2012

through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 81: UK 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services by

Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for Shared

Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual Private

Server Hosting and Other Types for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



Table 82: UK Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Web

Hosting Services by Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for the

Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 83: UK Historic Review for Web Hosting Services by

Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid Markets - Independent

Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for Years 2012

through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 84: UK 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting Services by

Deployment - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for Public,

Private and Hybrid for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



REST OF EUROPE

Table 85: Rest of Europe Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis

for Web Hosting Services by Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated

Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual Private Server Hosting and

Other Types - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$

Million for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 86: Rest of Europe Historic Review for Web Hosting

Services by Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected

Hosting, Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other Types Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 87: Rest of Europe 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting

Services by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for

Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual

Private Server Hosting and Other Types for the Years 2012, 2021 &

2027



Table 88: Rest of Europe Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis

for Web Hosting Services by Deployment - Public, Private and

Hybrid - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million

for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 89: Rest of Europe Historic Review for Web Hosting

Services by Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 90: Rest of Europe 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting

Services by Deployment - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues

for Public, Private and Hybrid for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



ASIA-PACIFIC

Web Hosting Services Market Presence - Strong/Active/Niche/

Trivial - Key Competitors in Asia-Pacific for 2022 (E)

Table 91: Asia-Pacific Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis

for Web Hosting Services by Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated

Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual Private Server Hosting and

Other Types - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$

Million for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 92: Asia-Pacific Historic Review for Web Hosting Services

by Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting,

Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other Types Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 93: Asia-Pacific 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting

Services by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for

Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual

Private Server Hosting and Other Types for the Years 2012, 2021 &

2027



Table 94: Asia-Pacific Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis

for Web Hosting Services by Deployment - Public, Private and

Hybrid - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million

for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 95: Asia-Pacific Historic Review for Web Hosting Services

by Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 96: Asia-Pacific 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting

Services by Deployment - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues

for Public, Private and Hybrid for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



REST OF WORLD

Table 97: Rest of World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis

for Web Hosting Services by Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated

Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual Private Server Hosting and

Other Types - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$

Million for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 98: Rest of World Historic Review for Web Hosting

Services by Type - Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected

Hosting, Virtual Private Server Hosting and Other Types Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 99: Rest of World 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting

Services by Type - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues for

Shared Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, Collected Hosting, Virtual

Private Server Hosting and Other Types for the Years 2012, 2021 &

2027



Table 100: Rest of World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis

for Web Hosting Services by Deployment - Public, Private and

Hybrid - Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million

for the Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR



Table 101: Rest of World Historic Review for Web Hosting

Services by Deployment - Public, Private and Hybrid Markets -

Independent Analysis of Annual Revenues in US$ Million for

Years 2012 through 2019 and % CAGR



Table 102: Rest of World 15-Year Perspective for Web Hosting

Services by Deployment - Percentage Breakdown of Value Revenues

for Public, Private and Hybrid for the Years 2012, 2021 & 2027



IV. COMPETITION

Total Companies Profiled: 241

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p01010182/?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.



__________________________
Boston, Massachusetts, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Digital Utilities Ventures, Inc. (OTC Pink: DUTV) is pleasure to announces the following planned Company Structure:

In the prior two DUTV news releases, we first conveyed that we will be a company of strong ethics and values. We then issued a news release beginning to explain the Easy Energy Systems, Inc. / Digital Utilities Ventures reverse merger in process and the structure of ownership, including the 66.033% majority stock ownership that CEO Mark Gaalswyk will have in DUTV. Now we will explain the Companys next steps and the planned structure of business operations.

A good graphic of the planned operational structure is defined below. Notice that DUTV is serving as the Umbrella Holding Company. This holding company will have three major divisions.

The Modular Manufacturing Division will focus on ramping up the mass assembly line manufacturing of ALL technologies under the master corporate umbrella of DUTV (which will be renamed soon.) As an analogy, think of a large automobile manufacturing company with many different models - all built in the same factory. Likewise, the DUTV Modular Manufacturing Division will oversee the assembly line manufacture of many different modular technologies.

To improve our purchasing power and efficiency, we have attempted to standardize everything we can across the various different modular technologies. This includes items such as modular frames, pumps, piping, sensors, control boxes, and inter-modular connections

For instance, currently we have developed more than 20 different modular technologies, yet we use the same approximately 130 different inventory parts to build the various different modules. This strategy helps provide strong margins for it improves purchasing power, efficiency and also serviceability across the many different modules by our service staff. It also allows us to better prepare for supply part disruptions as we can commit to larger quantities of components from our suppliers ahead of time, knowing that they can be utilized across the many different modules.

The second Modular Technologies Division will focus on developing, testing and demonstrating Disruptive Modular Technologies.

What we have found is that there are hundreds of different applications on different feedstocks and different markets. Before the customers of a market segment will believe your disruptive technology is valid, and even more so, fund a plant everyone desires to FIRST see it operate and also validate both the technical data and the financial data. To solve this problem, Easy Energy Systems, Inc. already has a full-scale demonstration facility that it has already invested approximately $15 million dollars into constructing a full-scale demonstration plant.

If you would like, you can see videos of this facility on the Easy Energy Systems, Inc. website  under the photos and videos tab at www.easyenergysystems.com . It is at this facility we can combine different modules and technologies to demonstrate and optimize the combination of technologies to solve major world problems.

As we find new technologies that we can utilize in combination with existing to improve the efficiency and profitability, we can bring them to this facility to further optimize and validate. This proving is not just done in lab or at pilot, it is accomplished at full commercial scale. This is something that is virtually impossible for most technology startups to fund  saying nothing of the longer delay of building a demonstration facility from the ground up.

Even with the facility in place, performing the validation and optimization for each technology or feedstock is expensive. As each different problem/ feed stock or marketplace has their own champion  investor groups can (or may have already) invested funds into their favorite sub technology entities to then prove out and demonstrate both the technical and financial aspects of each technology. The vision of DUTV is to merge in a number of these technology IP entities as sub companies as seen at the bottom of the org chart illustration above.

The beauty of this model is that now we in essence have placed within the DUTV public umbrella a sort of technology incubator that will serve as a magnet to attract the best and most promising distruptive technologies to combine with our existing.

DUTV can then serve as the big brother to bring these technologies very quickly and efficiently through the cycle of full scale proving and demonstration and then quickly into the market place through our many distribution channels.

For your investors, if you have a promising disruptive technology, consider bringing this in the future under our DUTV umbrella and we will help incubate, demonstrate, manufacture and mass market the technology.

Often times, we pleasantly discover that the millions of dollars a new technology very often needs to be completed - can typically be achieved by simply sliding up next to it another one of our existing disruptive modular technologies already belonging to our DUTV Modular family. This concept can save millions in product development. It also can help make a technology significantly more profitable for end customers as often times a by product of one technology is an input to another.

The third division is the Modular Holdings Division. The concept behind this is that some projects may require DUTV to leave a portion of its very strong margins back into some individual projects The concept of this is that, like the McDonalds Business Module we may need to own the land and buildings on some projects ourselves with the modular (hence removeable) equipment being leased.

We believe the combination of modularity and the organization structure described above will speed up bringing new disruptive technologies to the market by 10 to 20 years  something the problem of solving climate change desperately needs.

We would welcome you to follow the combination of websites, twitter ( https://twitter.com/MarkGaalswyk ) and linked in accounts as they will provide market opportunities, technologies and insights into where we are going.

About Digital Utilities Ventures Inc.:

Digital Utilities Ventures, Inc. is working to become a formidable presence in the green solutions marketplace. We have identified strategic opportunities for acquisitions and joint ventures that will allow us to capitalize on existing and emerging opportunities in this industry. Consumers understand the significance of progressing from conventional assets to inexhaustible sources that produce no ozone harming greenhouse gas emissions from petroleum by-products and lessen air contaminants. Enhancing green solutions such as in energy supply and lessening reliance on imported fuels will assist with economic development by increasing occupations in manufacturing, assembling, and more.

Forward-Looking Statements

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. Factors that would cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, acceptance of the Company's current and future products and services in the marketplace, the ability of the Company to develop effective new products and receive regulatory approvals of such products, competitive factors, dependence upon third-party vendors, and other risks detailed in the Company's periodic report filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. By making these forward-looking statements, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release.

For more information, please contact:

Mark K. Gaalswyk, CEO

https://www.duventures.com

Phone : 617-588-0068

Email : info@duventures.com

SOURCE : Digital Utilities Ventures, Inc.

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Dublin, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "School Furniture Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global school furniture market reached a value of US$ 4.3 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach US$ 6.4 Billion by 2027, exhibiting at a CAGR of 6.5% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



Since students spend a large amount of time in schools, the selection of school furniture plays an important role in creating an effective and high performance learning environment. Unsuitable and uncomfortable desks and chairs used in classrooms can have adverse effects on the students' as well as teachers' wellness. Nowadays, institutions are upgrading their existing resources and procuring new furniture keeping in mind these factors.



Growing demand for ergonomically designed furniture in order to prevent health and posture problems in children represents the key factor driving the market. Creating learning environments that keep students focussed and comfortable has become one of the primary goals of the educators, thereby positively influencing the global school furniture market. With the new age of comprehensive, interactive and dynamic teaching styles such as blended learning and flip classrooms, portable and adjustable furniture with easy reconfiguration has become a necessity.



This report provides a deep insight into the global school furniture market covering all its essential aspects. This ranges from macro overview of the market to micro details of the industry performance, recent trends, key market drivers and challenges, SWOT analysis, Porter's five forces analysis, value chain analysis, etc. This report is a must-read for entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, consultants, business strategists, and all those who have any kind of stake or are planning to foray into the school furniture industry in any manner.



Key Market Segmentation:

The publisher provides an analysis of the key trends in each sub-segment of the global school furniture market, along with forecasts at the global and regional level from 2022-2027. Our report has categorized the market based on product and material.



Breakup by Product:

Desk and Chairs

Storage

Lab Equipment

Others

Breakup by Material:

Wood Based

Metal Based

Plastic Based

Others

Breakup by Region:

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Middle East and Africa

Latin America

Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Herman Miller, HNI Corporation, Steelcase, Knoll, Inc. and Smith System.



Key Questions Answered in This Report

1. What is the market size for the global school furniture market?

2. What is the global school furniture market growth?

3. What are the global school furniture market drivers?

4. What are the key industry trends in the global school furniture market?

5. What is the impact of COVID-19 on the global school furniture market?

6. What is the global school furniture market breakup by type?

7. What is the global school furniture market breakup by material?

8. What are the major regions in the global school furniture market?



Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global School Furniture Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Breakup by Product

5.5 Market Breakup by Material

5.6 Market Breakup by Region

5.7 Market Forecast

5.8 SWOT Analysis

5.8.1 Overview

5.8.2 Strengths

5.8.3 Weaknesses

5.8.4 Opportunities

5.8.5 Threats

5.9 Value Chain Analysis

5.9.1 Overview

5.9.2 Raw Material Procurement

5.9.3 Manufacturing

5.9.4 Marketing

5.9.5 Distribution

5.9.6 End-Use

5.10 Porters Five Forces Analysis

5.10.1 Overview

5.10.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers

5.10.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

5.10.4 Degree of Competition

5.10.5 Threat of New Entrants

5.10.6 Threat of Substitutes



6 Market Breakup by Product

6.1 Desk and Chairs

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Storage

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast

6.3 Lab Equipment

6.3.1 Market Trends

6.3.2 Market Forecast

6.4 Others

6.4.1 Market Trends

6.4.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Material

7.1 Wood Based

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Metal Based

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast

7.3 Plastic Based

7.3.1 Market Trends

7.3.2 Market Forecast

7.4 Others

7.4.1 Market Trends

7.4.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Region



9 School Furniture Manufacturing Process

9.1 Product Overview

9.2 Raw Material Requirements

9.3 Manufacturing Process

9.4 Key Success and Risk Factors



10 Competitive Landscape

10.1 Market Structure

10.2 Key Players

10.3 Profiles of Key Players

10.3.1 Herman Miller

10.3.2 HNI Corporation

10.3.3 Steelcase

10.3.4 Knoll, Inc.

10.3.5 Smith System



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4k9fsb

Attachment
NEW YORK, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GIG Retail, the Leeds, U.K.-based retail media consultancy acquired by Advantage Solutions in January 2021, is expanding its presence and impact in the United States, providing grocery retailers and brands end-to-end solutions to build out their retail media capabilities and grow their revenues.



GIG Retail, which works with some of the worlds largest retailers, provides strategy and execution across all retail media, including digital media, in-store product demos and signage, and curbside signage. The agency offers sales and operational outsourcing, platform development, partner management, data solutions  including data acquisition, architecture, infrastructure and visualization  and return on ad spend reporting, helping retailers to quantifiably demonstrate to brands the value of investing in retail media.

Were a proven partner in conceptualizing, operationalizing and commercializing omnichannel retail media propositions, filling the gaps left by third-party marketing service providers and large consultancies, said Gregory J. Stevens, general manager, GIG Retail U.S., based in New York. Were excited to be working now with next-tier and specialty retailers in the United States to partner with brands who want to connect better with their shoppers online and in stores.

Last year saw 53.4% growth in U.S. digital retail media ad spending , which is expected to exceed $50 billion  nearly 20% of digital ad spending  in 2023, according to eMarketer. There is nearly unlimited potential for retailers to grow their media platforms and for brands to engage with and convert shoppers, Stevens said. Our technology- and data-driven solutions enable us to glean and act on the audience insights at the heart of retail media innovation and monetization.

As the retail media space explodes with opportunity, there is a real and growing need to measure results, prove return on investment and act quickly so that brand partners can maximize both.

About GIG Retail

GIG Retail provides strategy and end-to-end solutions that enable retailers to launch and grow their retail media proposition. Services include sales and operational outsourcing, platform development, partner management, data solutions and ROAS reporting. Learn more at gigretail.com.

About Advantage Solutions

Advantage Solutions is a leading provider of outsourced sales and marketing solutions to consumer goods companies and retailers. Our data- and technology-driven services  which include headquarter sales, retail merchandising, in-store and online sampling, digital commerce, omnichannel marketing, retail media and others  help brands and retailers of all sizes get products into the hands of consumers, wherever they shop. As a trusted partner and problem solver, we help our clients sell more while spending less. Headquartered in Irvine, California, we have offices throughout North America and strategic investments in select markets throughout Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe through which we serve the global needs of multinational, regional and local manufacturers. Learn more at advantagesolutions.net.

Contact

Will Minton

Vice President, Corporate Marketing & Communications

Advantage Solutions
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store in Copenhagen on Wednesday and reviewed the ongoing activities in bilateral relations and discussed future areas of cooperation.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the second India-Nordic Summit in Copenhagen. This was the first meeting between the two leaders since the assumption of office by Prime Minister Store in October 2021.

India's Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said, "Both Prime Ministers reviewed the ongoing activities in bilateral relations and discussed future areas of cooperation."

Prime Minister Modi highlighted that Norway's skills and India's scope provided natural complementarities.

Both leaders discussed the potential for deepening engagement in areas like Blue Economy, renewable energy, green hydrogen, solar and wind projects, green shipping, fisheries, water management, rainwater harvesting, space cooperation, long term Infrastructure investment, health and culture.

Discussions also took place on regional and global developments.

As members of UNSC, India and Norway have been engaging with each other in the UN on global issues of mutual interest.

Modi is on a three-day visit to Germany, Denmark and France, which started from May 2 aimed at further strengthening bilateral cooperation. It is the Prime Minister's first visit abroad in 2022.

On Tuesday, Modi held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen and discussed a wide range of issues, including regional and global matters.

The two leaders held talks in a one-on-one format, followed by delegation level talks.

Both Prime Ministers reviewed progress of the India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership. Discussions covered cooperation in renewable energy, especially offshore wind energy and green hydrogen, as well as skill development, health, shipping, water and the Arctic, among others.

The Prime Minister appreciated the positive contribution of Danish companies in India to flagship programmes. Prime Minister Frederiksen highlighted the positive role of Indian companies in Denmark.
LAS VEGAS, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alkame Holdings, Inc. (OTC PINK: ALKM), a publicly traded diversified holding company, is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary Bell Food & Beverage Inc. has signed an agreement with Hood River, OR. based Oregon Growers & Shippers LLC., one of the largest regional independent jam & preserve companies in the Pacific Northwest.



Oregon Growers, since 2004, has created farm direct specialty foods with a current product line of all natural preserves, specialty condiments, honeys and more. Using locally sourced, fresh in-season fruit from the Pacific Northwest, the farm direct jam products contain no preservatives, no high fructose corn syrup, are Gluten Free and Non-GMO.

"From the farm to the jar! We are happy to produce jams and preserves for Oregon Growers," stated Alkame CEO Robert Eakle. Their client base includes Whole Foods, Safeway, Quality Food Centers (QFC), New Seasons Market among many others.

About Alkame Holdings, Inc.

Alkame Holdings, Inc. is a publicly traded diversified holding company. The Company's wholly owned subsidiaries include proprietary water technology with several unique properties, food and beverage manufacturing and co-packing, CBD /Hemp food and beverage manufacturing, and utilizes their enhanced water technology whenever applicable, along with several company owned developed and acquired consumer brands. The organization is diligently building a strong foundation through the launch and acquisition of appropriate business assets, and by pursuing multiple applications by placement into several emerging business sectors, such as consumer bottled water and RTD products, household pet products, and many other various water-based treatment solutions to both new and existing business platforms.

For more information, visit www.alkameholdingsinc.com.

Alkame Holdings, Inc. Investor Relations

Website: www.alkameholdingsinc.com

Email: info@alkameholdingsinc.com

Disclaimer/Safe Harbor: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act. The statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Among others, these risks include the expectation that Alkame will achieve significant sales, the failure to meet schedule or performance requirements of the Company's contracts, the Company's liquidity position, the Company's ability to obtain new contracts, the emergence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive pricing. In the light of these uncertainties, the forward-looking events referred to in this release might not occur. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Washington, DC, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Association of University Women (AAUW) is thrilled to welcome Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and creator of "The 1619 Project," Nikole Hannah-Jones, as the keynote speaker at its National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL).

As the nations premier conference for college women, NCCWSL has offered leadership, gender equity and advocacy training, networking opportunities and inspiration to thousands of students for more than thirty-five years. This years virtual conference will take place May 24-26, and feature panels and workshops led by experts across a wide variety of fields and professions, including a special half-day session focused on Design Thinking.

NCCWSL is a truly unique event  it brings together such a diverse mix of ambitious and talented college women eager to learn and growand who encourage and inspire each other, said Gloria L. Blackwell, AAUWs Chief Executive Officer. And it makes me feel optimistic about the future to see these remarkable women gain increased knowledge and tools to pursue their full potential as leaders and changemakers.

While designed especially for college women leaders, NCCWSL is open to all women who seek leadership training, professional development and motivation to achieve their professional and personal goals. To learn more and register, visit aauw.org/nccwsl.

# # #

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) advances gender equity for women and girls through research, education and advocacy. Our nonpartisan, nonprofit organization has more than 170,000 members and supporters across the United States, as well as 1,000 local branches and more than 800 college and university members. Learn more and join us at www.aauw.org.
Washington, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New Frontier Data (https://newfrontierdata.com), the premier data, analytics and technology firm specializing in the global cannabis industry, in its latest report, highlights the imperative for leaders in the emerging global cannabis industry to adopt a robust Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) framework. The report will be released at Regenerative Cannabis Live: Sustainable Development for and by the Cannabis & Hemp Industry, a one-day event hosted by Regennabis at the United Nations in New York City on May 5, 2022.

With a global total addressable market (legal and illicit) of nearly $500 billion and legal access quickly expanding as more than 70 countries have liberalized their policies, cannabis is an increasingly influential component of the global economy. The growth of the industry and the diversity of the plants applications present a breadth of opportunities that align with U.N. sustainable development goals (SDGs). The emergence of legal cannabis is legitimized by the welcoming of the industry to the U.N. to explore the ways in which ESG can help build a positively impactful and globally sustainable industry.

It is imperative for North American companies to be proactive and intentional with environmental, social and corporate governance, as they will set the standard the rest of the world will follow, said John Kagia, New Frontier Datas Chief Knowledge Officer. As a newly emerging industry, cannabis has the opportunity to get it right from the start, and this U.N. conference shows just how seriously global policy and industry leaders are taking this issue.

The new report, ESG + Cannabis: The Promise and Path to a New Paradigm, published in partnership with Regennabis, the industrys leading ESG advisor, highlights key areas in which the industry can align with the SDGs, including reducing inequality; prioritizing responsible consumption and production; promoting good health and wellbeing; and advancing peace, justice, and strong institutions. ESG in alignment with the SDGs, offers an especially valuable framework for the industry given the history of cannabis, the industrys resource use, and the timing of the legal markets emergence:

Inequitable prohibition enforcement: There have been over 17 million arrests for cannabis in the U.S. since 1985, and black Americans are nearly four times more likely to be arrested than white Americans, perpetuating the pernicious social impact of inequitable prohibition enforcement and creating a burden of responsibility for the industry to redress prohibitions legacy.

There have been over 17 million arrests for cannabis in the U.S. since 1985, and black Americans are nearly four times more likely to be arrested than white Americans, perpetuating the pernicious social impact of inequitable prohibition enforcement and creating a burden of responsibility for the industry to redress prohibitions legacy. Climate change and cannabis: At least 40% of the U.S. has been under drought conditions for more than a year, with the water shortages most acute in the most productive cannabis producing regions, creating new multi-dimensional challenges for legal market producers and driving the imperative for resource use efficiency.

At least 40% of the U.S. has been under drought conditions for more than a year, with the water shortages most acute in the most productive cannabis producing regions, creating new multi-dimensional challenges for legal market producers and driving the imperative for resource use efficiency. North America will set the standard: With the U.S. and Canada accounting for nearly 97% of global legal sales in 2020, ESG practices adopted in North America will be significantly influential as more countries legalize and begin to capitalize on the half-trillion-dollar global cannabis opportunity.

Download a complimentary copy of ESG + Cannabis: The Promise and Path to a New Paradigm: https://info.newfrontierdata.com/esg-plus-cannabis

About New Frontier Data:

New Frontier Data is the premier data, analytics and technology firm specializing in the global cannabis industry, delivering solutions that enable investors, operators, advertisers, brands, researchers and policy makers to assess, understand, engage and transact with the cannabis industry and its consumers.

Our mission is to inform policy and commercial activity for the global legal cannabis industry. We maintain a neutral position on the merits of cannabis legalization through comprehensive and transparent data analysis and projections that shape industry trends, dynamics, demand and opportunity drivers. Founded in 2014, New Frontier Data is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with a presence in Europe, Latin America and Africa. For more information about New Frontier Data, please visit us at https//www.NewFrontierData.com.

Attachment
Boston, MA, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mass General Brigham today revealed the annual Disruptive Dozen, 12 emerging gene and cell therapy (GCT) technologies with the greatest potential to impact health care in the next several years. The Disruptive Dozen results from interviews of 50 Mass General Brigham senior Harvard faculty followed by a rigorous selection process to identify the 12 most likely to have significant impact on patient care in the next few years.



GCT is widely recognized as a transformational opportunity in medicine, with the potential to stop or slow the effects of disease by targeting it at the genetic level. The Disruptive Dozen were featured as part of this weeks World Medical Innovation Forum in Boston, where clinical experts, industry leaders and venture investors explored how to advance GCT technologies to benefit patients worldwide. The Forum is presented by Mass General Brigham and Bank of America, bringing together two leading organizations with extensive healthcare expertise to advance medical breakthroughs for patients and support Bostons continued growth as a global biotech and investment hub.



The 2022 Mass General Brigham Disruptive Dozen are:



1. Restoring sight by mending broken genes

2. A gene editing solution to increase the supply of donor organs

3. Cell therapies to conquer common forms of blindness

4. Harnessing the power of RNA to treat brain cancer

5. Realizing the promise of gene therapy for brain disorders

6. A flexible, programmable approach to fighting viruses

7. On the move: Cell therapies to restore gut motility

8. CAR-T cell therapies take aim at autoimmune diseases

9. Regrowing cells in the inner ear to treat hearing loss

10. New technologies for delivering gene therapies

11. Engineering cancer-killing cells that target solid tumors

12. Reawakening the X-chromosome: A therapeutic strategy for devastating neurodevelopmental diseases



The culture of innovation at Mass General Brigham fosters continuous discussion and debate about emerging technologies and which ones will have the biggest impact for patients, said Ravi Thadhani, MD, Chief Academic Officer, Mass General Brigham. The Disruptive Dozen reflects this spirit of discovery and underpins our work to identify what has the potential to significantly improve health care.



Mass General Brigham is the nations largest academic research enterprise. More than 150 life science and biotechnology companies have been established in Massachusetts as a result of the more than $2 billion in government funded and privately sponsored research that Mass General Brigham attracts every year. The groundbreaking research performed at Mass General Brigham is integral to developing and commercializing life-changing therapies which sustains Massachusetts competitive advantage in the innovation economy.



Following are descriptions of the 2022 Disruptive Dozen:



1. Restoring sight by mending broken genes



Roughly 200 genes are directly linked to vision disorders. In the last several years, groundbreaking new gene therapies have emerged that can compensate for faulty genes in the eye by adding new, healthy copies  a molecular fix that promises to restore sight to those who have lost it. The approach, known as CRISPR-Cas-9 gene editing, could open the door to treating genetic forms of vision loss that are not suited to conventional gene therapy, and a host of other medical conditions. A clinical trial is now underway to evaluate a CRISPR-Cas 9 gene-editing therapy for a severe form of childhood blindness, Leber congenital amaurosis type 10, for which there currently are no treatments. Although this treatment is still experimental, it is already historic  it is the first medicine based on CRISPR-Cas-9 to be delivered in vivo, or inside a patients body. Similar gene-editing therapies are also under development that correct genes within blood cells.



2. A gene editing solution to increase the supply of donor organs



In the U.S. alone, more than 100,000 people await a life-saving organ transplant. But an inadequate supply of donor organs leads to prolonged waiting times and many patients die before receiving a life-saving organ. The only foreseeable solution to this crisis is xenotransplantation  harvesting organs from animals and placing them into human patients. Advances in gene editing technology make it possible to remove, insert, or replace genes with relative ease and precision. This molecular engineering can sidestep the human immune system, which is highly adept at recognizing foreign tissues and triggering rejection. Over the last 20 years, scientists have been working to devise successful gene editing strategies that will render pig organs compatible with humans. The field has taken another major step forward in the past year: transplanting gene-edited pig organs, including the heart and kidney, into humans. While extensive clinical testing is needed before xenotransplantation becomes a reality, that future now seems within reach.



3. Cell therapies to conquer common forms of blindness



The eye has been a proving ground for pioneering gene therapies and is also fueling new cell-based therapies that can restore sight, offering a functional cure by replacing critical cells that have been lost or injured. One approach involves stem cells from the retina that can give rise to light-sensitive cells, called photoreceptors, which are required for healthy vision. Scientists are harnessing retinal stem cells to develop treatments for incurable eye diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa. Because the immune system doesnt patrol the eye as aggressively as other parts of the body, retinal stem cells from unrelated, healthy donors can be transplanted into patients with vision disorders. Other progress includes cell therapies that harness patients own cells, for example, from blood or skin, that can be converted into almost any cell type in the body, including retinal cells. Another novel treatment being tested utilizes stem cells from a patients healthy eye to repair the affected cornea of the other eye.



4. Harnessing the power of RNA to treat brain cancer



RNA is widely known for its helper functions, carrying messages from one part of a cell to another to make proteins. But scientists now recognize that RNA plays a more central role in biology and are tapping its hidden potential to create potent new therapies for a range of diseases, including a devastating form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. This cancer is extremely challenging to treat and highly adaptable. New approaches that either target RNA or mimic its activity could hold promise, including an intriguing class of RNA molecules called microRNAs. One team identified a trio of microRNAs that plays important roles in healthy neurons but is lost when brain cancer develops. These microRNAs can be stitched together into a single unit and delivered into the brain using a virus. Initial studies in mice reveal that this therapeutic can render tumors more vulnerable to existing treatments, including chemotherapy. Another team is also exploring a microRNA called miR-10b. Blocking its activity causes tumor cells to die. Now, scientists are working to develop a targeted therapeutic against miR-10b that can be tested in clinical trials.



5. Realizing the promise of gene therapy for brain disorders



Gene therapy holds enormous promise for serious and currently untreatable diseases, including those of the brain and spinal cord. But some big obstacles remain. For example, a commonly-used vehicle for gene therapy  a virus called AAV  cannot penetrate a major biological roadblock, the blood-brain barrier. Now, researchers are engineering new versions of AAV that can cross the blood-brain barrier. Using various molecular strategies, a handful of teams have modified the protein shell that surrounds the virus so it can gain entry and become broadly distributed within the brain. These modified viral vectors are now under development and could begin clinical testing within a few years. Scientists are also tinkering with the inner machinery of AAV to sidestep potential toxicities. With a safe, effective method for accessing the brain, researchers will be able to devise gene therapies for a range of neurological conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases, cancers, and devastating rare diseases that lack any treatment.



6. A flexible, programmable approach to fighting viruses



The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the tremendous need for rapidly deployable therapies to counteract emerging viruses. Scientists are now developing a novel form of anti-viral therapy that can be programmed to target a range of different viruses  from well-known human pathogens, such as hepatitis C, to those less familiar, such as the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. This new approach harnesses a popular family of gene editing tools, known as CRISPR-Cas. While CRISPR-based systems have gained attention for their capacity to modify human genes, their original purpose in nature was to defend bacteria from viral infections. As a throwback to these early roots, scientists are now adapting CRISPR tools to tackle a variety of viruses that infect humans. Researchers are studying the potential of these programmable anti-viral agents in the context of several different viruses, including ones that pose significant threats to global health, such as SARS-CoV-2, hepatitis C, and HIV.



7. On the move: Cell therapies to restore gut motility



The human digestive tract  or gut  has its own nervous system. This second brain, known as the enteric nervous system, is comprised of neurons and support cells that carry out critical tasks, like moving food through the gut. When enteric neurons are missing or injured, gut motility can be impaired. Now, scientists are developing an innovative cell replacement therapy to treat diseases of gut motility. Donor cells can be isolated from a patients own gut or from a more readily available source, such as subcutaneous fat. These cells are then cultivated in the laboratory and coaxed to form the progenitors that give rise to enteric neurons. Researchers are also devising off-the-shelf approaches, which could create a supply of donor cells that are shielded from the immune system and can therefore be transplanted universally across different patients. Early research shows that transplanted enteric neurons can also take up residence in the brain. That means these forays in cell therapy for the gut could also help pave a path toward cell therapies for the brain and spinal cord.



8. CAR-T cell therapies take aim at autoimmune diseases



CAR-T cells have emerged as powerful treatments for some forms of cancer, especially blood cancers. By harnessing the same underlying concept  rewiring patients own T cells to endow them with therapeutic properties  scientists are working to develop novel CAR-T therapies for a variety of autoimmune diseases. Several research teams are engineering CAR-T cells so they can seek out and destroy harmful immune cells, such as those that produce auto-antibodies  immune proteins that target and attack the bodys own tissues. For example, one team is using CAR-T cells to destroy certain immune cells, called B cells, as a potential treatment for lupus, a serious autoimmune disease that mainly affects women. Scientists are also developing CAR-T therapies that take aim at other rogue members of the immune system. These efforts could yield novel treatments for diseases with clear auto-immune mechanisms.



9. Regrowing cells in the inner ear to treat hearing loss



In the U.S. alone, some 37 million people suffer from a hearing deficit. Currently, there are no drugs that can halt, prevent, or even reverse hearing loss. Scientists are working on a novel regenerative approach that could restore the cells in the inner ear required for normal hearing, offering hope to millions of patients who grapple with hearing loss. Healthy hearing requires specialized cells in the inner ear called hair cells, which have fine, hair-like projections. If the cells are damaged or lost, which often happens with age or after repeated exposure to loud sounds, the body cannot repair them. But researchers have discovered a potential workaround that can stimulate existing cells in the ear to be converted and give rise to new hair cells. Scientists are now working to convert this molecular strategy, which is being studied in animal models, into a therapeutic that is safe and effective for hearing loss patients.



10. New technologies for delivering gene therapies



A formidable challenge in the field of gene therapy is delivery  getting gene-based therapeutics into the body and into the right target cells. Researchers are exploring the potential of new delivery methods that could expand the reach of gene therapy, including microneedles. When applied to the skin, a microneedle patch can penetrate the outermost layer with minimal pain and discomfort. This novel delivery method can readily access the legion of immune cells that reside in the skin -- important targets for vaccines as well as for the treatment of various diseases, including cancer and autoimmune conditions. Another emerging technology involves an implantable device made of biodegradable materials. When placed inside the body, this device can provide localized, sustained release of therapeutics with few side effects. The approach is now being tested for the first time in cancer patients using standard chemotherapy drugs administered directly at tumor sites. In the future, this method could be customized for the delivery of gene therapy payloads, an advance that could revolutionize cancer treatment, particularly for difficult-to-treat tumors like pancreatic cancer.



11. Engineering cancer-killing cells that target solid tumors



Despite great leaps in cancer treatment, solid tumors remain the most challenging tumors to treat, in part due to the hostile environment in which they grow, which suppresses the immune system. Now, scientists are devising innovative cell therapies that promise to open new therapeutic opportunities for solid tumors. One approach involves making CAR-T cells more like computers, relying on simple logic to decide which cells are cancer and which are not. By building several logic gates and combining them together, researchers are hoping to pave the way toward targeting new tumor types. Scientists are also devising other groundbreaking forms of cancer-killing cell therapy, including one that uses cancer cells themselves. This approach exploits a remarkable feature: once disseminated within the body, cancer cells can migrate back to the original tumor. Researchers are now harnessing this rehoming capability and, with the help of gene editing and other molecular engineering technologies, turning tumor cells into potent cancer killers. An early version of this technology uses patients own cells. Now, the scientists are developing an off-the-shelf version with dual properties  killing cancer cells and modulating the immune system  that can be universally applied to patients.



12. Reawakening the X-chromosome: a therapeutic strategy for devastating neurodevelopmental diseases



The X chromosome is one of two sex-determining chromosomes in humans, and it carries hundreds of disease-causing genes. These diseases often affect males and females differently. In females, one X chromosome is naturally, and randomly, chosen and rendered inactive. Although X-inactivation was once thought to be permanent, scientists are uncovering ways to reverse it. Scientists are now exploiting this unusual biology to reawaken the dormant X chromosome  a strategy that could yield much-needed treatments for a group of rare, yet devastating neurodevelopmental disorders, which predominantly affect females. This new approach could hold promise for females with Rett syndrome, a severe X-linked disorder. A similar strategy could also hold promise for other serious X-linked disorders, including fragile X syndrome and CDKL5 syndrome.



Click here for detailed information on each of the Disruptive Dozen technologies, including video updates. Click here for more information on gene and cell therapy at Mass General Brigham.



About the World Medical Innovation Forum

The World Medical Innovation Forum was established in 2015 in response to the intensifying transformation of health care and its impact on innovation. The Forum is rooted in the belief that no matter the magnitude of change, the center of health care needs to be a shared, fundamental commitment to collaborative innovation  industry and academia working together to improve patient lives. In 2022, Bank of America joined with Mass General Brigham as presenting sponsor of the Forum, bringing together two leading organizations with extensive healthcare expertise and a shared commitment to support Bostons continued growth as a global biotech and investment hub.



About Mass General Brigham

Mass General Brigham is an integrated academic healthcare system, uniting great minds in medicine to make life-changing impact for patients in our communities and people around the world. Mass General Brigham connects a full continuum of care across a system of academic medical centers, community and specialty hospitals, a health insurance plan, physician networks, community health centers, home care, and long-term care services. Mass General Brigham is a non-profit organization that is committed to patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community. In addition, Mass General Brigham is one of the nations leading biomedical research organizations and a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. For more information, please visit massgeneralbrigham.org.





About Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the worlds leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 66 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,300 retail financial centers, approximately 17,000 ATMs, and award-winning digital banking with approximately 41 million active users, including approximately 32 million mobile users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and approximately 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. www.bankofamerica.com

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PHOENIX, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Earnhardt Auto Centers has donated $245,000 to Tops for Kids, a non-profit organization. The money will provide scholarships for needy children who attend Payson Christian School.

"TOPS for Kids provides financial assistance that makes it possible for many children to attend a private school," said owner, Hal Earnhardt. "The assistance is used for low-income, fostered, and disabled kids who need help in meeting educational goals."

The current $245,000 donation will assist children at Payson Christian School; a community school that is accredited by ACSI and Cognia. Established 35 years ago, the private school serves pre-schoolers through 8th graders, from Payson, Arizona, and the surrounding area.

"We are pleased that this will assist children with scholarships at Payson Community Christian School," said Mr. Earnhardt. "It has a reputation for educational excellence, and we know that children prosper there."

Current donations are part of an ongoing effort by the family-owned dealership group to support children and educational institutions. In the last four years, the company has helped dozens of students at Payson Christian School. These scholarships were part of the almost $2.3 million TOPS scholarships contributed by the dealership group over the last four years.

"At Earnhardt Auto Centers, we value education, and we care about children," said Mr. Earnhardt. "It was only natural that our family-owned business would contribute to TOPS."

TOPS for Kids works with hundreds (100s) of private schools across Phoenix, Arizona, and the surrounding region. The non-profit receives public donations and channels those into thousands (1,000s) of scholarships benefitting children statewide.

"Thus far, we have been able to provide almost $2.3 million in scholarships because of the generous giving of the Earnhardt family," said Tanya Delo, TOPS Kids Corporate Coordinator. "It's clear that the Earnhardt family has the heart to help underserved children of Arizona. Thanks to Earnhardt's generosity over the last four years, TOPS has assisted over 655 low-income and disabled students with their tuition needs in 11 different schools."

TOPS for Kids donors can request that their scholarships are directed to a particular school, however, the TOPS board has the final say in distributions. Scholarships are awarded to low-income and/or disabled students as well as displaced children in foster care.

"Payson Christian School is grateful for Mr. Hal Earnhardt's incredible financial support," said Dr. Aaron Walp, Administrator of Payson Christian School. "Hal has made it possible for dozens of students to attend our school over the last four years who could not have done so otherwise."

Earnhardt Auto Centers and the Earnhardt family are involved in numerous ongoing charitable projects. They are continuing the legacy of their founder, Tex Earnhardt.

"Beyond the fiscal assistance, Hal Earnhardt is a friend to our team," said Dr. Walp. "We are grateful for the years of support and look forward to a strong connection as time progresses."

Media Contact:

Earnhardt Marketing

press@earnhardt.com

Related Images











Image 1: Earnhardt Auto Center Donation to Payson Christian School





In Photo: Sara Kariodimedjo, Sam Walter (teachers at Payson Christian), Harry Miller (Exec Dir at TOPS), Hal Earnhardt (Earnhardt Auto Centers), Tanya Delo, (Corp Coord at TOPS for Kids), and the 3rd and 4th grade class at Payson Christian









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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Lewisville, Texas, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Caliber family of brands, including Caliber Collision, alongside Caliber Auto Care and Caliber Auto Glass, is supporting the Food Bank of The Rockies as part of its 11th annual Restoring You Food Drive, which kicked off May 2. This food drive helps demonstrate Caliber's commitment to its purpose of Restoring the Rhythm of Your Life.

According to the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE), 33 percent of Denver's total population was considered food insecure in 2021. Like many people across the country, many residents are feeling the effects of the rising cost of living, including housing, food and gas prices, which directly contribute to the lack of food resources. Caliber specifically targeted a springtime food drive to provide meals for families and children in need, particularly children who will miss out on subsidized meals as schools close over summer break.

"From teammates to partners to customers, I am extremely proud of the positive impact our annual food drive has made over the last decade. We operate as a family at Caliber and are driven by our purpose of Restoring the Rhythm of Your Life  lending a helping hand to children and families facing food insecurity is one of the ways we live our purpose," said Caliber CEO and President Mark Sanders. "During our 11th Annual Restoring You Food Drive, we will continue supporting local food banks that provide urgent food assistance in all of the communities that Caliber serves."

With the goal of donating more than four million meals during its 2022 food drive, the Caliber team needs your support. Non-perishable food and monetary donations can be made at any Caliber location through June 17. As always, 100% of donations go to the Food Bank of The Rockies, where just one dollar provides six meals to children in need. Additionally, to make funds go further, the Caliber Foundation, Caliber's 501(c)(3) non-profit, is matching all monetary donations it receives for the food drive by $.25 for every dollar raised, and donations to the Caliber Foundation are tax-deductible.

To learn more about the Caliber Restoring You Food Drive or make online monetary donations, visit RYFoodDrive.com.

About Caliber

Founded in 1997, the Caliber portfolio of brands has grown to more than 1,450 centers nationwide and features a full range of complementary automotive services, including Caliber Collision, the nation's largest auto collision repair provider across 40 states, Caliber Auto Care for mechanical repair and quick oil change services and Caliber Auto Glass for glass repair and replacement.

Caliber was recognized as the only company of its kind to make the Forbes 2021 list of "America's Best Large Employers," an honor awarded to companies with high employee satisfaction. Caliber was also the only auto service provider to receive an Inc. 2021 Best in Business gold medal in the Extra-Large Company (500+ employees) category, recognizing Caliber for going above and beyond to make a positive impact.

With the purpose of Restoring the Rhythm of Your Life, Caliber's more than 24,000 teammates are committed to getting customers back on the road safelyand back to the rhythm of their lives. Dedicated to providing an outstanding customer experience, Caliber continues to rank among the highest customer satisfaction scores in the industry. Learn more about Caliber at Caliber.com.

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Montreal, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Montreal, Quebec -

Canadian sustainable fashion brand Frank And Oak is urging customers to check out its line of mens underwear that comes in several designs such as the classic trunk, boxer brief, striped trunk, and classic brief. The underwear collection is available in several colours such as navy, grey, black, brown, and dark red. The underwear collection also encompasses a range of sizes such as S, M, L, and XL. For more information on the launch visit: https://ca.frankandoak.com/collections/men-underwear?

A spokesperson for the company said: Underwear is meant to disappear under your wardrobe to the point that you should completely forget that you are even wearing it. That is the sign of true comfort and that is the level of quality that we aspired to achieve when we started working on our mens underwear collection. We believe that we have succeeded, and the results are as clear as day. Our customers love the products that we have so lovingly crafted using the best organic cotton that is sustainably sourced to give you the peace of mind that no ecological system was harmed, and no farming communities were exploited when it came to building these great products. We encourage you to order the design that suits your style from our sizeable collection and feel the difference for yourself. You can check out all the individual items in the Frank And Oak mens underwear collection by heading over to the website.

As previously announced, the materials used in the mens underwear collection include a mix of responsibly grown cotton that is harvested using sustainable methods, and Spandex to give the items that little bit of needed elasticity. Some of the items in the collection are crafted using recycled nylon that is composed of nylon fibres made from discarded nylon textiles re-spun into new yarns, reducing the use of resources. The items in the collection also feature an elastic waistband that is just the right size to keep the experience of wearing them throughout the day as comfortable as possible. The composition of nylon or cotton and spandex varies based on the type of product and its use.

Speaking about the companys ambitions with its sustainable product lineup, a spokesperson said: When we started in Montreal in 2012, our mission was to create an apparel brand that would speak to a new generation of creatives and entrepreneurs. We have managed to achieve our original goals and we are proud of the significant impact we have had on the ecology of the regions from where we source our raw materials and the way we have changed the way the market thinks about sustainable clothing. Beyond 2022, which is our 10th year, we aim to associate with causes that reflect our values and help us form partnerships that work towards achieving the aim that we set for ourselves when we started this company. We design products that blend functionality and lifestyle using better materials and processes for the planet. We will continue down this exciting path and hopefully create even more eye-catching collections for innerwear, outerwear, loungewear, accessories, and more that are sure to make the world stop and take notice.

Frank And Oak offers free standard shipping on orders over $75 to both Canadian and US addresses. For Canadian addresses, the company ships orders below $75 with standard shipping rates of $10 to ship in 3 to 5 days and expedited shipping rates of $20 to ship in 2 to 4 days. For the United States, the company ships orders below $75 with standard shipping rates of $15 to ship in 3 to 5 days and expedited shipping rates of $25 to ship in 2 to 4 days. Buyers who purchase from the website also have 15 days from the date their order is shipped to request a prepaid return shipping label online. To learn more about the the innovative sustainable underwear for men visit: https://ca.frankandoak.com/pages/men

###

For more information about Frank And Oak, contact the company here:



Frank And Oak

Anne Gael Plante

+1-514-889-8701

anne-gael.plante@frankandoak.com

702 St-Viateur E, Suite 702,

Montreal, QC H2T 1A8,

Canada
Trondheim, 4 May 2022: The annual general meeting of NORBIT ASA was held today, 4 May 2022.



All proposals on the agenda were approved by the general meeting, including the boards proposed dividend distribution of NOK 0.30 per share. The dividend will be paid on or about 18 May 2022 to the shareholders of NORBIT ASA as of 4 May 2022. The shares will trade exclusive the right to receive dividend from and including 5 May 2022.

The general meeting elected new members to the board of directors, which now has the following composition:

Finn Haugan (chair)

Bente Avnung Landsnes (deputy chair)

Trond Tuvstein

Christina Hallin

Magnus Reitan

Tom Solberg (deputy board member)



The minutes from the meeting are attached to this announcement.

For more information, please contact:

Per Jrgen Weisethaunet, CEO, +47 959 62 915

Per Kristian Reppe, CFO, +47 900 33 203

About NORBIT ASA

NORBIT is a global provider of tailored technology to selected niches, solving challenges and promoting sustainability through innovative solutions, in line with its mission to Explore More. The company is structured in three business segments to address its key markets: Oceans, Connectivity and Product Innovation & Realization (PIR). The Oceans segment delivers tailored technology solutions to global maritime markets. The Connectivity segment providing wireless solutions for identification, monitoring and tracking. The PIR segment offers R&D services, proprietary products and contract manufacturing to key customers. NORBIT is headquartered in Trondheim with manufacturing in Norway, has around 400 employees and a worldwide sales and distribution platform.

For more information: www.norbit.com

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

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Westford, USA, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Computer security, also known as cyber security or information technology security, is the protecting of computer systems and networks against information disclosure, theft or damage to their hardware, software, or electronic data, as well as disruption or misdirection of the services they provide. The market's growth can be attributed to the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks. Over the last decade, the frequency and severity of cyber scams and crimes have increased, resulting in huge losses for businesses. Businesses around the world have increased their spending on advanced information security technologies to strengthen their in-house security infrastructures as cybercrime has increased significantly. Targeted attacks have grown in popularity in recent years, infiltrating targets' network infrastructure while remaining anonymous. Attackers with a specific goal typically target endpoints, networks, on-premises devices, cloud-based applications, data, and a variety of other IT infrastructures. The primary goal of targeted attacks is to infiltrate the networks of targeted companies or organizations and steal critical information. As a result of these targeted attacks, businesses' mission-critical operations suffer from disruptions, intellectual property loss, financial loss, and loss of critical and sensitive customer information. The consequences of targeted cyber-attacks affect not only the organizations targeted but also their domestic and international customers. Attackers steal Personally Identifiable Information (PII) such as names, phone numbers, addresses, driver's license numbers, and social security numbers, increasing the number of security breaches and identity thefts.

Read market research report, " Global Cyber Security Market segmented by Type (Network Security, Application Security, Mobile Security, Wireless Security, Cloud Security, and Others), Solution (Disaster Recovery, Anti-malware And Anti-virus, Mobile Device Management, Firewalls, Authentication and Authorization, Intrusion Detection And Protection Systems (ID/IP Systems), Network Access Control, Data Loss Prevention, Encryption, DDOS Mitigation, Security Information And Event Management (SIEM), Whitelisting, and Other), Industry Vertical (Government, Defense, Aerospace, Banking and Financial Services Industries, Travel and Transportation, Telecommunication, Healthcare, Retail, Manufacturing, and Others), Services (Consulting Services, Network Vulnerability Assessment, Managed Security Services, Design and Integration, and Others) and By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2027 by SkyQuest

Get sample copy of this report:

https://skyquestt.com/sample-request/cyber-security-market

The cloud computing model is widely adopted due to its powerful and flexible infrastructure. Many organizations are shifting their preference toward cloud solutions to simplify the storage of data, and also as it provides remote server access on the internet, enabling access to unlimited computing power. The implementation of cloud-based model enables organizations to manage all the applications as it provides exceptionally challenging analytics that runs in the background.

Cyber security requirements are growing faster than budgets allocated to address them. Most small businesses do not have the budget or IT security expertise to implement enhanced cyber security solutions to protect their networks and IT infrastructures from various cyber-attacks. Limited capital funding can be a major impediment for some small and medium-sized businesses adopting the cyber security model. Emerging start-ups in developing countries throughout MEA, Latin America, and APAC frequently face difficulties in obtaining finance and appropriate funding to implement cyber security solutions for their businesses. Capital funding in these firms is primarily acquired for the protection of business-critical operations, leaving little or no funding for the advancement of advanced cyber security solutions.

The top players in the Cyber security market are AVG Technologies, Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., Cisco Systems Inc., Cyber Ark Software Ltd., Dell Technologies Inc., FireEye Inc. Fortinet, IBM Corporation, Imperva, Intel Security etc. New players are also entering the segment thus increasing its market penetration and therefore demand growing exponentially.

The report published by SkyQuest Technology Consulting provides in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions.

Browse summary of the report and Complete Table of Contents (ToC):

https://skyquestt.com/report/cyber-security-market

SkyQuest has segmented the Global Cyber Security Market based on Type, Solution, Industry, Services and Region:

Cyber Security Market By Type (Revenue, USD Million, 2020 - 2027) Network Security Application Security Mobile Security Wireless Security Cloud Security

Cyber Security Market By Solutions Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2020 - 2027) Disaster Recovery Anti-malware and Anti-virus Mobile Device Management Firewalls Authentication and Authorization Intrusion Detection and Protection Systems (ID/IP Systems) Data Loss Prevention Encryption DDOS Mitigation Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Whitelisting

Cyber Security Market By Industry Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2020 - 2027) Government Defense Aerospace Banking and Financial Services Industries Travel and Transportation Telecommunication Healthcare Retail Manufacturing

Cyber Security Market By Services Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2020 - 2027) Consulting Services Network Vulnerability Assessment Managed Security Services Design and Integration

Cyber Security Market Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2020 - 2027) North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany France UK Italy Spain Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China India Japan Rest of Asia Pacific Central & South America Brazil Rest of CSA Middle East & Africa GCC Countries South Africa Rest of MEA



List of Key Players of Cyber Security Market

AVG Technologies (Czech Republic)

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (Israel)

Cisco Systems Inc. (US)

Cyber Ark Software Ltd. (US)

Dell Technologies Inc. (US)

FireEye Inc. (US)

Fortinet (US)

IBM Corporation (US)

Imperva (US)

Intel Security (US)

Palo Alto Networks Inc. (US)

Proofpoint Inc. (US)

Rapid7 Inc. (US)

Symantec Corporation (US)

Trend Micro Inc. (Japan)

Speak to Analyst for your custom requirements:

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Global Metaverse Market segmented By Type (Mobile, Desktop), By Technology (Blockchain, VR & AR, Mixed Reality, and Others), By Application (Gaming, Online Shopping, Content Creation, Social Media, and Others) & By Region- Forecast and Analysis 2020-2027

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Global Video Conferencing Market Segmented By Component (Hardware, Solution, Services) By Hardware (Multi Point Control Unit, Hard Codec, Peripheral Devices) By Deployment (On-premises, Cloud) By Application (Corporate Communications, Training And Development, Marketing And Client Engagement) & By Region - Forecast And Analysis 2020-2027

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Washington, DC, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On May 3, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) held the second in a series of five virtual events (titled the Appalachia Envisioned Roadshow) to showcase how ARCs strategic investment priorities are coming to life in all 13 Appalachian states. The event featured engaging discussions with Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee, Governor Jim Justice of West Virginia, and tourism professionals and community leaders from North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia about their successes in leveraging tourism and culture to fuel economic growth.

Immediately following the event, ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin also announced a new $250,000 grant to the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) for the Planning For Outdoor Recreation Industry, Vibrant Economies, & Regional Strategy (RIVERS) project, which will create a roadmap for bolstering the growing outdoor industry sector in Appalachian communities across Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The travel and tourism industry in Appalachia is among the regions fastest-growing employment sectors, generating more than $4.5 billion in local tax revenue and employing more than 577,000 Appalachians.

The RIVERS project will help our region make the most of the burgeoning outdoor tourism industry in Central Appalachia, and provide a model for multi-state collaborations that future ARC grantees can replicate and adapt for success, said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. With the help of our federal, state, and local partners, ARC is committed to doing all we can to help our Appalachian communities maximize opportunities around regional tourism and culture to support quality-of-life for our people and fuel economic development.

New River Gorge Regional Development Authority is honored to serve as the coordinator for a new, regional partnership focusing on cultivation and acceleration of the outdoor recreation industry cluster across six Appalachian states. This planning award will allow us to develop a foundation to formalize our coalition and build on our commonalities to bolster outdoor manufacturing and recreational tourism in a collaborative way throughout Central Appalachia. Were thrilled todays culture and tourism event coincided with the announcement of our project and greatly appreciate Co-Chair Manchins commitment to the Outdoor RIVERS coalitions vision, said Jina Belcher, NRGRDA Executive Director.

Access the recordings of Stop 2 of the Appalachia Envisioned Roadshow: Building Culture and Tourism in North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia below.

Part I [VIDEO] Preserving & Promoting Appalachias Culture and Tourism

Mayor Lynda Sossamon welcomed attendees virtually to Sylva, North Carolina for an engaging opening session featuring a discussion on building regional culture and tourism with ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin, Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee, and Governor Jim Justice of West Virginia.

Part II [VIDEO] Connecting Culture and Tourism to Local Economies

This community-focused session began with a video showcasing Appalachian North Carolinas outdoor recreation and another video showcasing the states work preserving its cultural assets. A live panel of experts from North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia shared their experiences and successes building culture and tourism to create new economic opportunity in Appalachian communities.

Part III [VIDEO] Press Conference Announcing Outdoor RIVERS Grant

ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin announced a new $250,000 grant for the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) for the Planning For Outdoor Recreation Industry, Vibrant Economies, & Regional Strategy (RIVERS) project, which will create a roadmap for bolstering the growing outdoor industry sector in Appalachian communities across Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Learn more about ARCs Appalachia Envisioned Roadshow and how investing in Appalachias tourism industries has fueled economic development.

About the Appalachian Regional Commission

The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARCs mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the Region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation. Learn more at www.arc.gov.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met Sweden Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and discussed possibilities of deepening cooperation in areas like innovation, climate technology, climate action, and green hydrogen.

Their meeting, on the sidelines of the second India-Nordic Summit in Copenhagen, was the first between the two leaders.

India and Sweden have had longstanding close relations based on common values, strong business, investment and R&D linkages, and similar approaches to global peace, security and development. Innovation, Technology, Investment and R&D collaborations provide the bedrock of this modern relationship.

During the 2018 visit of Prime Minister Modi to Sweden on the occasion of the 1st India-Nordic Summit, the two sides had adopted a wide-ranging Joint Action Plan and signed a Joint Innovation Partnership.

In Wednesday's meeting, Modi and Andersson reviewed the progress made in the bilateral partnership.

They also expressed satisfaction at the progress made by the Lead IT initiative - an India-Sweden joint global initiative to set up a Leadership Group on Industry Transition (LeadIT) in September 2019 at the UN Climate Action Summit to help guide the world's heaviest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting industries towards the low-carbon economy. Its membership has now grown to 35 with 16 countries and 19 companies.

Both leaders also discussed possibilities of deepening cooperation in areas like innovation, climate technology, climate action, green hydrogen, space, defence, civil aviation, Arctic, polar research, sustainable mining and trade and economic ties.

Discussions also took place on regional and global developments.

Modi is on three day visit to Germany, Denmark and France, starting from May 2, aimed at further strengthening bilateral cooperation. It is his first visit abroad in 2022.
NEW YORK, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law LLP (Scott+Scott), an international shareholder and consumer rights litigation firm, advises investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed against Riskified Ltd. (Riskified or the Company) (NYSE: RSKD) and certain other defendants, alleging violations of federal securities laws. If you purchased Riskified shares in or traceable to the Companys July 28, 2021 initial public offering (IPO), you are encouraged to contact Jonathan Zimmerman for additional information at (888) 398-9312, or at jzimmerman@scott-scott.com. The lead plaintiff deadline is July 1, 2022.



Riskified is an eCommerce risk management platform that uses machine learning to identify fraud.

The lawsuit alleges that the Companys IPO's Registration Statement, made inaccurate statements of material fact because it failed to disclose adverse facts that existed at the time of the IPO, including that: (i) as Riskified expanded its user base, the quality of Riskified's machine learning platform deteriorated (rather than improved as represented in the Registration Statement); (ii) Riskified had expanded its customer base into industries with relatively high rates of fraud  including partnerships with cryptocurrency and remittance business  in which Riskified had limited experience and that this expansion negatively impacted the effectiveness of Riskified's machine learning platform; and (iii) as a result, Riskified was suffering from materially higher chargebacks and cost of revenue and depressed gross profits and gross profit margins during its third fiscal quarter of 2021. As a result, according to the complaint, the Registration Statement's representations regarding Riskified's historical financial and operational metrics and purported market opportunities did not accurately reflect the actual business, operations, and financial results and trajectory of Riskified prior to and at the time of the IPO.

As this information began to reach the market, the Companys stock declined. At the time of the filing of the complaint, Riskifieds shares traded below $6 per share, or more than 70% below the IPO price.

Lead Plaintiff Deadline

The Lead Plaintiff deadline in this action is July 1, 2022. Any member of the proposed Class may seek to serve as Lead Plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain a member of the proposed Class.

What You Can Do

If you purchased Riskified shares in or traceable to the Companys July 2021 IPO, or if you have questions about this notice or your legal rights, please contact attorney Jonathan Zimmerman at (888) 398-9312, or at jzimmerman@scott-scott.com.

About Scott+Scott

Scott+Scott has significant experience in prosecuting major securities, antitrust, and consumer rights actions throughout the United States. The firm represents pension funds, foundations, individuals, and other entities worldwide with offices in New York, London, Amsterdam, Connecticut, California, Virginia, and Ohio.

This may be considered Attorney Advertising.

Jonathan Zimmerman

Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law LLP

230 Park Ave, 17th Fl, NY, NY 10169

(888) 398-9312

jzimmerman@scott-scott.com
Parsippany, New Jersey, USA, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wireless Telecom Group, Inc. (NYSE American: WTT), a leader in wireless communications and radio frequency instrumentation, announced it will release its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2022 on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, before the market opens.



The Company will host a conference call on Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at 8:30 am EDT in which management will discuss its financial results. To participate in the conference call, dial 800-346-7359 or 973-528-0008. The conference identification number is 818215. The call will also be webcast over the internet at the following URL:

https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/1690/45503

A replay will be made available on the Wireless Telecom website following the conference call.

- END -

About Wireless Telecom Group

Wireless Telecom Group, Inc., comprised of Boonton, CommAgility, Holzworth, and Noisecom, is a global designer and manufacturer of advanced RF and microwave components, modules, systems, and instruments. Serving the wireless, telecommunication, satellite, military, aerospace, and semiconductor industries, Wireless Telecom Group products enable innovation across existing and emerging wireless technologies. With a product portfolio including peak power meters, signal generators, phase noise analyzers, signal processing modules, 5G and LTE PHY/stack software, noise sources, and programmable noise generators, Wireless Telecom Group supports the development, testing, and deployment of wireless technologies around the globe. Wireless Telecom Group, Inc.s website address is wirelesstelecomgroup.com.



Investor Contact

Andrew M. Berger

Managing Director

SM Berger& Company

Tel: (216) 464-6400

andrew@smberger.com

Contact

Michael Kandell

25 Eastmans Road

Parsippany, NJ 07054

Tel: (973) 386-9696

Fax: (973) 386-9191

www.wirelesstelecomgroup.com




SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) today presented the prestigious Clair A. Hill Water Agency Award for Excellence to Alameda County Water District for its Alameda Creek Fish Passage Improvements Program.



Alameda County Water District developed this program to tackle the primary migration impediments in Lower Alameda Creek, while maintaining and protecting the channels critical flood control and water supply functionalities. This multi-phase, multi-year program took more than 20 years of political leadership, technical innovation, community support and inclusive partnerships. ACWD constructed innovative fish ladders over rubber dams for upstream and downstream Steelhead passage to ensure groundwater recharge capacity could still be maintained. The result is opening the Lower Alameda Creek to federally listed migratory fish for the first time in over 50 years, while protecting 40 percent of the water supply for more than 357,000 people.

The Alameda Creek Fish Passage Improvements Program is a wonderful example of a local water agency using collaboration and innovation to create a multi-beneficial solution that enables fish migration while also ensuring a sustainable water supply, said ACWA President Pamela Tobin.

ACWAs Clair A. Hill Water Agency Award for Excellence is an annual award program that recognizes outstanding achievements by public water agencies. The winning agency has the honor of awarding a $5,000 scholarship to a deserving student in the name of Clair A. Hill, founder of the consulting engineering firm Jacobs.

The award, sponsored by Jacobs, was presented during ACWAs 2022 Spring Conference and Exhibition in Sacramento where more than 1,300 leaders of public water agencies in California gathered for programs and panel discussions on a variety of key water issues.

The other finalists for this years award were:

City of Sacramentos Leak Free Sacramento Program: Designed to assist eligible low-income and single-family residential homeowners with water efficient repairs at no cost.

Calleguas Municipal Water Districts Water Supply Alternatives Study: Evaluating more than 123 projects to be used as a resource for future water supply management planning.

San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water Districts Watershed Connect: A regional infrastructure program designed to achieve the long-term ecological health of the Upper Santa Ana River Watershed.



For more information about ACWAs awards programs, please visit www.acwa.com/about/awards.

ACWA is a statewide association of public agencies whose more than 450 members are responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California. For more information, visit www.acwa.com



Contact: Heather Engel, ACWA Director of Communications |C (760) 217-0627

Contact: Sharene Gonzales, ACWD Public Affairs Supervisor | 510.668.4208

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/405c86e6-b488-4b49-b789-5cbfe323642f
New York, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- rePurpose Global, the worlds leading plastic action platform, announced their partnership with Mananalu, actor and environmental activist Jason Momoas drinking water company. This innovative collaboration will fund the removal of ocean-bound plastic from Indonesias vulnerable coastal communities, support local waste workers, and qualify Mananalu as a Certified Plastic Negative brand.

Mananalus mission is to reduce the devastating impact of plastic waste on the environment and provide an alternative to single-use plastic water bottles, particularly for consumers on-the-go. In addition to using infinitely recyclable aluminum cans that produce no plastic waste, the company has taken its impact one step further and partnered with rePurpose Global to remove the equivalent of one plastic bottle from nature for every can sold.

rePurposes Plastic Negative Certification is awarded to brands with ambitious plastic reduction commitments within their supply chains, and who enable the elimination of at least twice as much plastic waste from nature as their own plastic footprint. Specifically, Mananalu funds the recovery and reuse of ocean-bound plastic waste through rePurposes Laut Yang Tenang Project in Bekasi, Indonesia, where garbage is rescued and processed from dumpsites, rivers, households, and other locations within 50 kilometers of the coastline.

This partnership not only creates a positive social impact by enabling the expansion of waste collection in coastal communities highly impacted by plastic pollution, but also supports a crucial income stream for over 200 waste workers, many of whom were previously marginalized by the informal sector.

"The U.S. is the worlds largest market for plastic water bottles, with statistics showing that Americans purchase around 50 billion of them every year. said Peter Wang Hjemdahl, Chief Advocacy Officer and Co-Founder of rePurpose Global. "Progress is never perfect and there is no silver bullet solution to the ocean plastic crisis, but we are so glad that Jason Momoa and the Mananalu team decided to take action and join our movement.

To amplify Mananalus mission, Jason Momoa launched a social media campaign on Earth Day this year to unplastic our planet. His call-to-action, under the hashtag #makewaves and #imwithmomoa, urged consumers and corporations to make changes, big or small, and switch to plastic-free alternatives. To date, the campaign has gained over 60 million impressions, and attracted dozens of other influencers and celebrities to participate.

David Cuthbert, CEO of Mananalu said, Single-use plastic is bad for people and the planet. By partnering with rePurpose Global, we don't just offer an alternative, but actively remove plastic from the environment. That's impact. That's change. Thats what we are a part of.

Learn more about Mananalus partnership with rePurpose Global on this page. A video tour of rePurpose Globals impact project in Indonesia is available here.

ABOUT REPURPOSE GLOBAL

rePurpose Global is the worlds leading Plastic Action Platform dedicated to reducing waste, reviving lives, and restoring natures balance. Through its comprehensive ecosystem of solutions across the value chain, the organization helps people and companies calculate, reduce, and offset their plastic footprint, while empowering innovators on the cutting edge of advancing a circular economy.

To date, rePurpose has been creating change in partnership with hundreds of companies across 26 countries, such as Clorox, AB InBev, Johnson & Johnson, Google, and Colgate. On behalf of its global coalition, the organization is removing over 14 million pounds of plastic waste from nature every year, and in doing so, positively impact the lives of 10,000+ marginalized waste workers and community members worldwide.





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In Sri Lanka, morality in politics has suddenly taken center stage when many who have become such moralists were making meek noises all these years. Perhaps because their own behavior was immoral and unethical.

by Raj Gonsalkorale

Those who desire to treat politics and morals separately will never understand anything of either. The practice of politics not only can, but must be reconciled with the imperatives of honesty - Jean-Jacques Rousseau

It is often said that politicians have the morals of alley cats. Some say asking a politician whether he or she is honest is like asking a prostitute whether she is a virgin. While it is unethical and unfair to label all politicians as lacking in morals, ethics and non-corrupt behavior, recent allegations made by the JVP, reportedly along with some supporting documents, leaves virtually all leading political leaders as being corrupt individuals. Ironically, in terms of morals and ethics, the JVP cannot take the high road as they, as a political party, were responsible for the wanton killing of thousands of innocent people and serious violence in the late eighties to gain power. To the best of knowledge of the writer, they have not had the decency at least to apologise to the families of those who were so brutally murdered, and to the country for what the leaders of their party at that time unleashed on the people to gain power. In the absence of such remorse, some may, with reason, take the view that the JVP could once again resort to violence to win political power if all what they have unleashed does not translate into votes at a future election.

Now, if the JVP has documents that provide prima facie evidence of corrupt activity on the part of some of the political leaders, they should hand over all the documents to the appropriate investigating authority so that the truth and accuracy of these allegations can be established, and legal action taken against those who have been accused. If this is not done, the JVP revelations would appear purely as a mudslinging exercise to demonstrate that other than their party, all other parties are tainted with corruption and are not fit to govern the country. In a democracy, voters, and not guns, change the political fortunes of political parties. Voters will be convinced if the law of the land, and not innuendo, deals with the corrupt politicians. The JVP has the opportunity to take these allegations before the law and there is no doubt that the people will back them with moral support and finances to do this.

However, at a time when millions of ordinary people are undergoing tremendous suffering due to shortages of and high prices of essentials including lifesaving medicines, and standing in queues for some of these for hours if not days, the responsible thing to do for all political parties would have been to bury their political hatchets for the time being, maybe 12 months, and engage in a collective effort to address the immediate problems faced by the millions of people who are undergoing untold, never before experienced suffering. In addition, such a collective effort would have given the opportunity to address the loop holes in the law that allows criminals to escape the net of accountability, and also introduce structural reforms that would curb the unbridled power of governing parties.

Instead, politicians are engaged in selfish, politically motivated one upmanship behavior trying to outdo one another, for one thing and one thing only. Power.While they do this, the country, as they say, is going down the gurgler further and further into a blackhole. They are collectively emulating Nero.

In Sri Lanka, morality in politics has suddenly taken center stage when many who have become such moralists were making meek noises all these years. Perhaps because their own behavior was immoral and unethical.

Honest, corrupt free politicians are an absolute necessity in any society and these characteristics cannot be traded with anything else and compromised for the so called greater good of the public.

In turmoil ridden Sri Lanka accusations about bribery and corruption, money laundering, drug dealer sponsorship of politicians and accumulation of vast amounts of ill-gotten money that belongs to the people of the country are rife. Those at the highest levels of office have not been spared. Whatever investigations done so far have not established these accusations as fact.

It needs to be said that if corrupt activity has spread throughout the society like a virulent cancer, this does not absolve anyone so accused if bribery and corruption has infiltrated into the very investigative and judiciary establishments responsible for investigating and bringing the accused to book for their crimes.

Politicians and senior government officials assets and liabilities statements to be in the public domain

Gomi Senadhira, former Diplomat and public servant writing in the Island on the 2nd of May (225 Honourable Members and their assets and liabilities- https://island.lk/225-honourable-members-and-their-assets-and-liabilities/) has rightly pointed out the need for disclosure and the ability for the public to source information on the declaration of assets and liabilities of politicians past and present and senior government officials. The writer would add that this declaration should be extended to the immediate families of politicians and senior officials based on the allegations made by the JVP.

Senadhira says that in a landmark judgement in 2018, the Supreme Court of India directed the government to set up a permanent mechanism to monitor the accrual of the wealth of sitting Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assemblies, their spouses, and associates. He says further their (politicians) assets and sources of income are required to be continuously monitored to maintain the purity of the electoral process and integrity of the democratic structure of this country, and underlines a candidates constitutional right to contest an election to the legislature should be subservient to the voters fundamental right to know the relevant information regarding the candidate. Senadhira rightly argues that the Sri Lankan electorate should also get similar information on our elected representatives.Echoing Senadhira, the writer would like to point out to all political parties that the people have a fundamental right to know the relevant information on our politicians, and as people demand transparency, it is essential to adopt, as early as possible, laws and regulations to make assets and liabilities of elected representatives available in the public domain.

Morality, ethics, and Buddhism

If these accusations are true, it is ironic that in a predominantly Buddhist country, where most Buddhists believe in Karma, and cause and effect, persons who label themselves as Buddhists would amass millions if not billions of such ill-gotten money. They know or should know that karma, cause, and effect, will catch up with them if what they have accumulated in Sri Lanka and overseas is illegal and ill-gotten. They know or should know that they wouldnt be taking even an iota of such an accumulation when they die, and that when they die, they are as helpless as they were when they were born. A good, clean name and a record of doing good to others is worth far more than the billions of ill-gotten monies and it is these thoughts on such goodness that one experiences at the time of passing that will have a far greater effect on any individual than the thoughts on ill-gotten wealth that cannot be taken by an individual at the time of passing.

Avarice clouds minds and it has no bounds. Buddha taught this, but then, theso-called Buddhists who are corrupt and who practice the opposite of what was taught, does not recognize avarice and lives in deceit and in ignorance.

Buddhism is singled out here for the simple reason that it is this distorted Buddhism that has been used as a political tool to win elections and which has given opportunities to numerous unscrupulous elements to engage in corrupt activity as they are far removed from the essential teachings of Buddha himself.

It needs to be said though that if politicians and others holding or who have held high office have resorted to corrupt activities as alleged, at the expense of the public, such elements need to be pursued, brought before the law, and severely punished if found guilty.

A permanent Independent Anti-Corruption Agency

As stated, it is also equally important to examine the existing law against such corrupt activities, and the laws strengthened should they be inadequate to dissuade would be corrupt elements from resorting to such activity. The retrospectiveness of any such strengthening of the law, is vital as some alleged accusations date back to many years.

The review of existing laws and strengthening them where necessary, however cannot be left in the hands of the Parliamentarians as they, as a collective, cannot be trusted to do this task as they are the ones that have been accused of these violations. Therefore, an independent tribunal of past judges of the Supreme Court, and the High Court and other eminent legal luminaries with international experience should be entrusted this task on behalf of the people of the country.

As part of this exercise, this tribunal should be tasked to investigate the introduction of a permanent Independent Anti-Corruption Agency with sweeping powers, to be the watch dog that oversees all anti corrupt activities. Similar agencies exist in other countries and their performance, areas that need strengthening need to be studied by this tribunal.

An important consideration often ignored or overlooked is that in corrupt activity, there is always a taker and a giver. It is a two-way process and involves two individuals or entities. Giving a bribe has to be considered as a serious crime as much as taking a bribe is a serious crime.
This coming weekend we will go to Miami for the first time in the history of Formula 1 and starting next season there will be a third Grand Prix in America, in Las Vegas. In recent years, the popularity of Formula 1 in America has increased tremendously, so F1 has opted for more races in the country. However, in other countries there is also enough popularity for more races.

Toto Wolff also notes this in conversation with the Chinese news agency Xinhua. The Mercedes team boss spoke to the news agency about the future of the F1 calendar and its increased popularity from circuits all around the world. Due to the coronavirus there has not been a Chinese Grand Prix for quite some time, but according to Wolff F1 will return to China, because of the popularity of F1 there.

Big market to discover in China

Indeed, there is a big market in China for Formula 1, just as there is in America. The advantage of the Chinese is that there is currently a Chinese driving at Alfa Romeo. Guanyu Zhou was active in Formula 2 for a long time, but this year he made the switch to the top of motorsport. So, according to Wolff, there is still a lot of popularity to be gained in China.

"I'd like to not only race in Shanghai, I'd also like to race in Beijing. It's a fantastic market for us as Mercedes. We have three races in the U.S. now, Las Vegas, Miami and Austin and if we can do the same thing in China, that would be great." The space for two additional races in China is not currently there on the calendar, but in the future, Wolff says the growing market in China is definitely something to keep an eye on.
by a Special Correspondent

It has been repeatedly stated by many professionals that the current crises are the consequences of not appointing independent and competent persons to the institutions and establishments, leading to cascading systems failure. Recent Vice-chancellor appointments to the state universities are no exception to this trend. Appointing vice-chancellors to the universities on personal preference of the Head of the state started first at the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka (SEUSL).

In the mid of 2021, of three names recommended to the President by the University Council of SEUSL, Prof. A.M. Razmy had scored the highest marks in the selection process (77.5 marks) against the other two candidates, Dr. S.M. Junaideen (77.1 marks) and Prof. A. Ramees (73.2 marks). Surprisingly, the person in the third order of the merit list was appointed by the Office of the President, despite the facts that the first two candidates are more qualified with the required calibres and experience in academic and administrative affairs.

Later it became evident that among other things the third person had obsequiously pleased the authority by publishing articles in newspapers just prior to the appointments in favor of the governments decision to end the use of inorganic agrochemicals and boasting the port city concept: https://www.sundayobserver.lk/2021/04/25/opinion/colombo-port-city-boost-sri-lankaneconomy, http://www.jaffnamuslim.com/2021/07/a-journey-towards-healthy-and.html. In addition, one of the top persons in the judiciary system in Sri Lanka also played a dirty game, since Professor Razmy was not in favor for a biased request for a nonacademic appointment in the university (records of evidence available for his biased request).

Now again in the University of Colombo, Professor Chandrika Wijeyeratne who was placed No. 1 by the University Council with a score of 89.6 was not appointed, but Prof. H.D. Karunaratne (66 marks) second in the order of merit, has been appointed as Vice-chancellor. He is a Viyath Maga activist and was backed by that organization. This was heavily criticized by the President of the Sri Lanka Bar Association for the political control, and it was requested that the appointments to the offices of VCs be made solely on merit and not on the personal preferences of the Head of State. Up to now three members of the Council of the University of Colombo, Mr. Tilak Karunaratne, Mr. Ajit Gunawardene, and Mr. Sumith Cumaranatunga have resigned from the Council, protesting the appointment and it is learned that three more resignations are to be submitted soon.
The long-awaited and grandly announced Miami Grand Prix is sold out, and yet attendance numbers pale in comparison to those of Australia. As a result, the organizers will be expanding capacity next year.

The Miami event was not only long-awaited and grandly announced, it was also grandly dressed up and some in the F1 world called it an "insane" and "over the top" event in a positive way. Not surprisingly, the Grand Prix sold out. With the 240,000 visitors this weekend, the event did decide to expand capacity.

GP Miami proves popular

At least, that's what Dutch F1 journalist Erik van Haren reports on Twitter: "GP of Miami is sold out. 240,00 spectators over three days. Next years capacity will probably be expanded." It will be an American celebration with many festivities on the grounds along the track. There were also rumors that tickets were sold on the black market for usurious prices of tens of thousands of euros.

It is logical that the organization wants to expand the visitor capacity next year. At the Australian Grand Prix, a record number of 420,000 visitors was achieved. Miami only achieves a good half of this number. However, there may be more room for visitors at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne than on the streets of Miami. In any case, we know that the Miami GP is looking to welcome even more visitors next year.

Grand Prix van Miami is uitverkocht. 240.000 toeschouwers over drie dagen. Komende jaren wordt capaciteit waarschijnlijk uitgebreid.



En het is Amerika, dus veel sterren verwacht: o.a. Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Dennis Rodman, David Beckham en zusjes Williams. #F1  Erik van Haren (@ErikvHaren) May 4, 2022
Hankuk Carbon Co Ltd, a manufacturer of advanced composite materials, has formed a strategic joint-partnership with Dymag, a manufacturer of carbon composite wheels, to enable the mass production of high-performance carbon composite wheels for the worlds leading automotive OEMs.

The collaboration, announced at JEC World in Paris, will apply Hankuk Carbons expertise in advanced materials and industrialization, leveraging Dymags expertise in manufacturing lightweight carbon composite wheels for the high-performance and luxury vehicle markets. This combination of resources and technical expertise will accelerate time-to-market. Enabling economies of scale in the manufacturing of series production carbon composite wheels, the partnership will focus on a scalable and localized approach.





Hankuk Carbon has been producing composite materials, including carbon fiber textiles and prepregs, since 1984. The business has grown into an international provider of composite material solutions, with plants in South Korea and Vietnam and global offices in China, the UK and Germany. The company provides specialist material solutions for many composite applications, including Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) storage tanks for marine bulk carriers and composite material for EV battery cases as well as high-quality prepregs for aerospace, marine and automotive markets.

Dymag was the first to commercialise carbon hybrid composite automotive wheels in 2004. Its wheels feature a carbon fiber rim with a forged aluminum or magnesium centerpiece. The company is also the market leader in the carbon composite wheel aftermarket, with more ethan 15 leading brands using its technology.

Together, the two companies will work to scale-up mass production of Dymags BX-F carbon composite wheel. This technology brings multiple advantages for automotive OEMs across all sectors, from luxury to high-performance, ICE to BEV, offering weight savings in excess of 50% over a traditional cast alloy wheel, but with far greater strength and durability.

Step change benefits include improvements in vehicle range and Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH): two huge advantages that can be applied to all vehicles, but in particular the new breed of luxury EVs, in which every gram impacts performance and range, and where the ICE is no longer masking unwanted noises.

In addition to reducing unsprung mass significantly, and a reduced moment of inertia, Hankuks carbon composite materials will also bring benefits to ride and handling. With less energy required to accelerate and brake the wheel itself, it is easier to control the rotating mass, in turn making it easier to find an optimum compromise between ride and handling in suspension tuning.

The application of carbon composite wheels further benefits a reduced gyroscopic force thanks to the lightness of the rim itself, meaning less steering effort is required.

Dymag wheels are available in sizes of up to 23-inchesrated to 1000kg with even larger sizes to follow.
Morrow Batteries (Morrow) and IBU-tec advanced materials AG have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development and qualification of large-scale supply of European LFP (Lithium iron phosphate, LiFePO 4 ) cathode material to Morrow Batteries planned lithium-ion battery cell facility in Eyde Energy Park, Arendal, Norway.

IBU-tec would supply up to 200 t per year of LFP cathode material to Morrows pilot plant. IBU-tec will supply the first batches of its IBUvolt family of LFP battery material for current year testing. During this phase, both companies intend to work together on the development of high-performance batteries for various applications. Long-term, both companies anticipate a rapidly growing market for a sustainable, European-production based battery materials supply chain.

In IBU-tecs LFP manufacturing proces the raw materials first undergo spray-drying. After refinement in the rotary kiln, only a milling with comparatively low specific energy input and short residence time is needed. Protective screens and magnetic separators remove any impurities and ensure product quality.

The coarser-grained particles of the LFP 400 can provide performance advantages over the widely used LFP 200. The particularly round particle shape enables more uniform charging processes and contributes to higher battery power densities. A combination of IBUvolt LFP200 and IBUvolt LFP400 enables a more homogeneous coating of cathodes, the company says.

IBU-tec first offered its LFP 400 battery material in October 2021 and can now fulfill the first major orders. The company is presently the only manufacturer in Europe producing and supplying LFP battery materials.

IBU-tec is already working on additional further developments of its LFP product line, including a mixture with manganese (LMFP). It can thus offer customers a wide range of different cathode active materials which are not based on nickel-manganese-cobalt compounds (NMC) and thus do without rare, expensive, and ecologically damaging materials.

Morrow Batteries is committed to developing and manufacturing the worlds most cost-effective and sustainable battery cells. The companys vision is to enable and accelerate the transition to green energy through smart cell chemistries and energy-saving cell production processes. In southern Norway, Morrow is currently building a 43 GWh Gigafactory powered by 100% renewable hydropower to produce batteries with the lowest possible CO 2 footprint in the world.

Morrow Batteries was founded in 2020 by dedicated owners and management. Leading investors are Agder Energi Venture, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Agder Energi, NOAH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gjelsten Holding, and the Danish pension fund PKA.
Mercedes-Benz Mobility and BMW Group intend to sell their car-sharing joint venture SHARE NOW to Stellantis. The three companies recently signed an agreement to this effect and agreed not to disclose the details of the transaction. It is also subject to the approval of the relevant antitrust authorities.

SHARE NOW was established in 2019 combines the DNA of car2go, which was developed by the former Daimler AG, and DriveNow, the BMW Groups offering. Together, both shareholders have developed SHARE NOW into the market leader in Europe and continuously developed it further, including new offers such as long-term car sharing.

With the acquisition of SHARE NOW, Stellantis mobility subsidiary Free2move would have the opportunity to expand its car sharing efforts further in Europe. This proposed agreement will add 14 major European cities and 10,000 vehicles to Free2moves existing car sharing fleet of 2,500 vehicles. Free2move also recently announced the acquisition of Opel Rent, accelerating its growth strategy in Germany and Austria and pushing the transition from rent to mobility provider.





Meanwhile, it has accelerated its car-sharing expansion in the United States, with service now available in Washington, D.C., Portland, Oregon, Denver, Colorado, Columbus, Ohio and Austin, Texas. Free2move also operates car sharing in Europe (Paris and Madrid).

The sale of the car-sharing subsidiary contributes to the realignment of the mobility joint ventures: In the future, shareholders intend to concentrate on two central business areas with high growth potential: digital multi-mobility (FREE NOW) and digital services related to the charging of electric vehicles (CHARGE NOW).

We are proud to have founded the free-floating car sharing segment with car2go. Although Mercedes-Benz will focus more strongly on its core business in the luxury segment, car sharing will remain an important part of urban mobility and an essential element in the mobility offer at FREE NOW. With FREE NOW and CHARGE NOW, we are focusing on two growth segments that will continue to offer our customers the entire range of mobility services in the future and support the expansion of electric mobility. Gero Gotzenberger, Director of Strategy and Investments at Mercedes-Benz Mobility

The mobility joint ventures have been pioneers in EuropeFREE NOW and CHARGE NOW have been very successful in building a software platform for as many players as possible in their respective segments. With the apps of FREE NOW and CHARGE NOW, we want to provide our customers with a comprehensive and wide range of digital services. The new orientation enables us to scale our activities faster and thus to achieve further profitable growth in the shortest possible time. Rainer Feurer, Head of Corporate Investments at the BMW Group

FREE NOW is a pioneer of multimodal mobility with its digital Mobility-as-a-Service platform. The company offers access to almost 180,000 vehicles in more than 150 cities in the FREE NOW app through its partner network. With one click users can reach the largest selection of vehicles in Europe, from e-scooters to e-bikes, e-mopeds and car sharing to taxis and chauffeured vehicles. FREE NOW thus meets the increasing desire of customers to be able to choose the best way from A to B freely with a mobility app. The increasing integration of public transport and the implementation of a mobility budget last year demonstrate the aimed growth perspective of the multimodal mobility app.

In 2021, FREE NOW recorded strong growth figures in the multimodal sectori.e. e-scooters, e-bikes, e-mopeds and car sharingand was able to almost triple the number of transactions compared to the previous year despite the pandemic. This year, FREE NOW is further expanding its multi-mobility offeringalso in the field of car sharing: The vehicles of SIXT share, Miles and SHARE NOW can be booked via the app.

A total of ten new mobility partners will be integrated on the platform in 2022, creating further mobility options for the current 56.8 million users. In the first quarter of 2022, FREE NOW's transactions grew by a total of 31.4% compared to the same quarter of the previous year, showing a strong growth trend.
Vitesco Technologies has landed a 2-billion contract to supply its new generation axle drive EMR4 (Electronics Motor Reducer) to Hyundai Motor Group. The order was already mentioned in March at Vitesco Technologies annual press conference without naming the customer.

The highly integrated 400 V/160 kW 3-in-1 unit will be used by the vehicle Hyundai Motor Group in its global B/C-segment electric vehicle.





The electric axle drive will be installed in Hyundai Motor Groups global B/C-segment electric vehicle starting from 2024.  Vitesco Technologies GmbH

EMR4 is a highly integrated 3-in-1 drive platform consisting of an electric machine, power electronics and a gear box. EMR4 is the fourth generation of axle drive, developed by Vitesco Technologies and follows the successful EMR3. Through further optimization measures, the use of new technologies and comprehensive industrialization know-how, the global development team succeeded in making the EMR4 platform even more efficient and powerful.





The EMR4 delivers significantly greater power scaling between 80 kW and 230 kW.  Vitesco Technologies GmbH

The silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors in the inverter of the drive platform, for example, have played a significant role in this.

The new axle drive design supports a particularly high level of scalability. With the EMR4, complete vehicle platforms and also different vehicle segments can be equipped with just one drive system. This was achieved by applying a consistently modular approach with well-defined interfaces and a design-for-manufacturing philosophy.
RTHK: Airlines, regulators set for talks on US 5G rollout

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will meet on Wednesday with telecom and airline industry officials on a push to retrofit and ultimately replace some aeroplane radio altimeters that could face interference from C-Band 5G wireless service.

The altimeters give data on a plane's height above the ground and are crucial for bad-weather landings, but airline concerns about wireless interference from a planned 5G rollout led to disruptions at some US airports earlier this year.

The FAA wants to use the meeting to establish "an achievable timeframe to retrofit/replace radar altimeters in the US fleet," according to a previously unreported letter from the FAA's top aviation safety official Chris Rocheleau. It also asked aviation representatives "to offer options and commit to actions necessary to meet these objectives."

Major airlines group, Airlines for America, declined to comment ahead of the meeting.

AT&T and Verizon Communications voluntarily agreed in January to delay until July 5 switching on some wireless towers and depowering others near airports just hours before the planned January 19 deployment, averting what airlines had warned would cause a potentially "catastrophic" aviation safety crisis.

The delay did not prevent dozens of countries from canceling flights to the United States, casting the US regulatory system in an ugly light.

The planned three-and-a-half hour roundtable meeting will also include a discussion on prioritising retrofits with antenna filters, which mitigate potential interference from 5G.

Antenna filters are currently in production, officials said. A key question is how to determine which planes are most at risk of interference and should therefore get retrofitted first. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2022-05-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Photo taken on May 3, 2022 shows the camp of the meteorological support team for China's new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma.

China has started a new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak on the China-Nepal border.

Weather factors such as temperature, wind speed and humidity will directly affect the completion of scientific research tasks and the safety of research personnel at high altitude. Therefore, a meteorological support team has been launched in safeguards of the scientific expedition.

The team is composed of staff members from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, and the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, etc. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

A scientific research member checks data at the Mount Qomolangma base camp on May 2, 2022.

China has started a new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak on the China-Nepal border.

Weather factors such as temperature, wind speed and humidity will directly affect the completion of scientific research tasks and the safety of research personnel at high altitude. Therefore, a meteorological support team has been launched in safeguards of the scientific expedition.

The team is composed of staff members from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, and the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, etc. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)

Staff members of the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region exchange opinions on weather situation in a meteorological emergency support vehicle at the Mount Qomolangma base camp on May 3, 2022.

China has started a new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak on the China-Nepal border.

Weather factors such as temperature, wind speed and humidity will directly affect the completion of scientific research tasks and the safety of research personnel at high altitude. Therefore, a meteorological support team has been launched in safeguards of the scientific expedition.

The team is composed of staff members from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, and the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, etc. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

A scientific research member checks an Ozone flux unit at the Mount Qomolangma base camp on May 3, 2022.

China has started a new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak on the China-Nepal border.

Weather factors such as temperature, wind speed and humidity will directly affect the completion of scientific research tasks and the safety of research personnel at high altitude. Therefore, a meteorological support team has been launched in safeguards of the scientific expedition.

The team is composed of staff members from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, and the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, etc. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)

A scientific research member checks a microwave radiometer at the Mount Qomolangma base camp on May 3, 2022.

China has started a new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak on the China-Nepal border.

Weather factors such as temperature, wind speed and humidity will directly affect the completion of scientific research tasks and the safety of research personnel at high altitude. Therefore, a meteorological support team has been launched in safeguards of the scientific expedition.

The team is composed of staff members from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, and the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, etc. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)

A weather balloon is launched at the Mount Qomolangma base camp on May 3, 2022.

China has started a new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak on the China-Nepal border.

Weather factors such as temperature, wind speed and humidity will directly affect the completion of scientific research tasks and the safety of research personnel at high altitude. Therefore, a meteorological support team has been launched in safeguards of the scientific expedition.

The team is composed of staff members from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, and the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, etc. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

Scientific research members prepare the radiosonde and ozonesonde to be attached to a weather balloon at the Mount Qomolangma base camp on May 3, 2022.

China has started a new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak on the China-Nepal border.

Weather factors such as temperature, wind speed and humidity will directly affect the completion of scientific research tasks and the safety of research personnel at high altitude. Therefore, a meteorological support team has been launched in safeguards of the scientific expedition.

The team is composed of staff members from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, and the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, etc. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

A scientific research member launches a weather balloon at the Mount Qomolangma base camp on May 3, 2022.

China has started a new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak on the China-Nepal border.

Weather factors such as temperature, wind speed and humidity will directly affect the completion of scientific research tasks and the safety of research personnel at high altitude. Therefore, a meteorological support team has been launched in safeguards of the scientific expedition.

The team is composed of staff members from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, and the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, etc. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

A scientific research member checks a wind radar at the Mount Qomolangma base camp on May 2, 2022.

China has started a new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak on the China-Nepal border.

Weather factors such as temperature, wind speed and humidity will directly affect the completion of scientific research tasks and the safety of research personnel at high altitude. Therefore, a meteorological support team has been launched in safeguards of the scientific expedition.

The team is composed of staff members from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, and the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, etc. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)

Photo taken on May 3, 2022 shows a meteorological emergency support vehicle at the Mount Qomolangma base camp.

China has started a new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak on the China-Nepal border.

Weather factors such as temperature, wind speed and humidity will directly affect the completion of scientific research tasks and the safety of research personnel at high altitude. Therefore, a meteorological support team has been launched in safeguards of the scientific expedition.

The team is composed of staff members from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, and the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, etc. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

A staff member of the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region checks real-time data in an emergency support vehicle at the Mount Qomolangma base camp on May 3, 2022.

China has started a new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak on the China-Nepal border.

Weather factors such as temperature, wind speed and humidity will directly affect the completion of scientific research tasks and the safety of research personnel at high altitude. Therefore, a meteorological support team has been launched in safeguards of the scientific expedition.

The team is composed of staff members from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, and the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, etc. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

Scientific research members inflate a weather balloon at the Mount Qomolangma base camp on May 3, 2022.

China has started a new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak on the China-Nepal border.

Weather factors such as temperature, wind speed and humidity will directly affect the completion of scientific research tasks and the safety of research personnel at high altitude. Therefore, a meteorological support team has been launched in safeguards of the scientific expedition.

The team is composed of staff members from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, and the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, etc. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

Scientific research members check atmospheric data at the Mount Qomolangma base camp on May 3, 2022.

China has started a new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak on the China-Nepal border.

Weather factors such as temperature, wind speed and humidity will directly affect the completion of scientific research tasks and the safety of research personnel at high altitude. Therefore, a meteorological support team has been launched in safeguards of the scientific expedition.

The team is composed of staff members from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, and the Meteorological Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, etc. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)
Norwegian radio hams meet with Government

Norway's NRRL is working to improve understanding about amateur radio in the Government and Legislature, in April they held a meeting with a State Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Public Security



A translation of the NRRL post reads:



NRRL cooperates very well with NKOM, which is the administrative unit for the radio amateurs' activities in Norway. Beyond this, there is a weak understanding at the political level of this unique business that we radio amateurs have through the international agreements and the framework condition we have through the UN / ITU and the social resource this entails, through which the daily activity of radio amateurs is accounted for.



Over the past year, NRRL's management has initiated talks with both the Government and the Storting (Legislature) on roles, frameworks and support for radio amateurs in Norway to ensure the recruitment of new radio amateurs with transmitter licenses.



As part of this work, Thomas LA3PNA (President), Rune LA7KJ (Vice President) and Bjrn LB7ZG (Secretary General) recently had a very positive meeting with Hans-Petter Aasen, a State Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Public Security Emilie Enger Mehl. The efforts of radio amateurs following the 2020 Gjerdrum landslide and not least the international visibility for the importance of radio amateurs in connection with the Ukraine war and international crises are clearly recognized. The work of NRRL's Liaison Service through FORF (umbrella organization for Norway's voluntary rescue service) is visible and applauded.



In addition to the work through FORF, HQ will continue its work at the political level with other ministers as well. Our main goals are to get clear signals centrally from all municipalities and counties to ensure a positive framework for radio amateur activities, to support the local groups' activities, to ensure the technical installations in the network of NRRL.

Source NRRL https://tinyurl.com/IARU-Norway
Svalbard activity

Operator Knut, LA9DSA, may sometimes be active as JW9DSA from the Longyearbyen club station (JW5E) on Spitsbergen Island (EU-026) between May 1-8th. However, Knut will use the callsign JW9DSA/P

during two possible SOTA trips from Svalbard along with Manuel (JW/HB9DQM), Lauris (JW/LB1RH) and Mikhail (JW/LB8CG) between May 1-5th.

This is their second SOTA DXpedition and the plan is to activate 2 summits; exact summits will be selected based on the weather conditions and amount of snow left on the site.

Possible candidates for activation are:

* https://sotl.as/summits/JW/MS-140

* https://sotl.as/summits/JW/MS-095

They will set up a tent and have 2 hours of radio time at each summit.

While on the summits, they would like to prioritize SOTA program participants, thus they would like to ask their correspondents to only spot them on the SOTAwatch cluster, unless asked otherwise.

* JW/LB1RH and JW9DSA will focus on SSB in 15/17/20m

* JW/LB8CG and JW/HB9DQM will focus on CW in 15/17m/20m/30m

Most likely the 20m band will be active all the time. Depending on conditions/pile-up size they will probably work split on CW, so please listen for an "UP" instruction. Their equipment consists of an Elecraft

KX2 + JUMA PA-100D amplifier and Yaesu FT-857D radios and run 100w, and two trapped vertical three-band antennas with elevated verticals:

15/17/20m at the SSB station and 17/20/30m bands at the CW station.

QSL via LoTW and eQSL. NO Bureau. Visit their SOTA Web page at:

https://jwsota.fun/info

OPDX
NEW YORK (AP)  On the original version of Gossip Girl, Penn Badgley's character Dan Humphrey was nicknamed Lonely Boy, an introverted, teenage outsider who longed for a fast-forward button for high school. The actor is tapping into his own familiarity with the angst of a young person by co-creating and hosting a SiriusXMs Stitcher podcast called Podcrushed.''

The podcast devoted to the awkwardness of adolescence launches May 18.

In each episode, Badgley narrates a listener-submitted story in the first person, about that often turbulent time. Some are funny, some cringe-worthy, others are sad. He's then joined by co-hosts  and co-creators  Nava Kavelin and Sophie Ansari to chat with a guest about their own experience. Guests so far include Badgleys former co-stars Leighton Meester from Gossip Girl" and Victoria Pedretti from "You.'' Drew Barrymore and Rainn Wilson also visit. The podcast includes a score and animation that the hosts will share online.

Badgley and Kavelin share a production company, Ninth Mode. Kavelin told the actor that she would be doing a podcast about adolescence, and to her surprise, despite his busy schedule, he wanted in. (David Ansari is also a co-creator.)

He (Badgley) does an amazing job bringing the stories to life, and now I cant picture it without him, said Kavelin.

I just became really enchanted with the stories, said Badgley over Zoom from London where he is filming Netflix's You,'' in which he plays a murderous stalker. Recalling that period of time for me, that was when I moved to LA and started becoming an actor professionally. I do find myself reflecting on that time a lot, the sense of self that I developed since then because of the things I experienced and witnessed.

The bevy of emotions that come up about adolescence is universal, said the actor.

Ask anybody what was going on when they were 12 and you get a response, said Badgley, 35. You dont get no response."

In a call for submissions online, Badgley shared an awkward photo of himself, writing that he was about two years younger than most kids in his grade. It was absolutely painful to appear younger, small and less of a man than my peers.'

I feel like everybody has these sort of pivotal moments that happen to them in middle school that end up becoming common memories that shape who we are for better or worse," said Ansari on the show's relatability.

It's also sometimes extremely amusing to listen to Badgley, a skilled narrator whose voiceovers are in every episode of You.

Its really fun to hear Penn talk about a first period and that like deep voice is really interesting," said Ansari.

Badgley said he loves the opportunity to narrate and enjoys it "more than I enjoy maybe anything. If I could have a full-time career as a narrator, I think I would explore that.

He's also mindful of finding that sweet spot in narrating another person's story that's both respectful and entertaining. He says he's read some submissions that made him almost cry, others turned his stomach.

We dont ever want it to feel like, Whys this dude reading other peoples stories?' Its much more like, the fun of it is that its being narrated in this way, and then I kind of adopt a character each time."

Badgley says we can't underscore just how crucial the adolescent years are for development.

These stories stick out in our minds for more than just like, it was awkward and humiliating and it made me cringe. It sticks out because theyre experiences that form your sense of identity, which underwrites every decision that you make for the rest of your life. Those things can be evolved and changed, but the experiences you do or dont have really tell you whats possible.

Sophie Ansari said theres a theme among the women theyve spoken to in particular. Many received comments about their appearance as pre-teens which they still remember.

One thing that pretty much everyone has experienced is some kind of comment about their body or about just the way that they look that has stayed with them for a long time. And often actually, those comments are just, like, ridiculous,'' Ansari said.
Like religious congregants all over, the people of historic Brown Chapel AME Church turned off the lights and locked the doors at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic because it wasnt safe to gather for worship with a deadly virus circulating. For a time, the landmark church that launched a national voting rights movement in Selma, Alabama, was off limits.

What members found when they returned was heartbreaking: Termites had eaten so much wood that parts of the structure weren't stable anymore, said member Juanda Maxwell, and water leaks damaged walls. Mold was growing in parts of the building, where hundreds met before Alabama state troopers attacked voting rights demonstrators on Bloody Sunday in 1965 at the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

It's in horrible shape, said Maxwell. It's a tough time. Because we were closed for a year it exacerbated the problem with water coming in.

The red brick church, with distinctive twin bell towers and a domed ceiling, tops this year's list of the nation's most endangered historic places, according to the Washington, D.C.-based, National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit organization which works to highlight and preserve sites that are in danger of being lost. Other places on the list include:

 Chicano/a Murals painted on the sides of buildings in Colorado and inspired by the human rights and cultural movements of the 1960s and 70s.

 The Deborah Chapel, a Jewish mortuary building established in 1886 in Hartford, Connecticut.

 Francisco Sanchez Elementary School, the closed centerpiece of the town in Umatac, Guam.

 Minidoka National Historic Site, where more than 13,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II in Jerome, Idaho.

 Camp Naco, a base for Black Buffalo Soldiers dating back to 1919 along the U.S.-Mexican border in Naco, Arizona.

 Picture Cave in Warrenton, Missouri, which holds indigenous artwork dating as far back more than 1,200 years by the Osage Nation.

 Brooks Park Art and Nature Center, the home and art studio in East Hampton, New York, of James Brooks and Charlotte Park, who were important in the abstract expressionism movement in American art.

 Palmer Memorial Institute, a boarding school built in 1902 for Black youths in Greensboro, North Carolina.

 Olivewood Cemetery, an African American burial ground in Houston, Texas, dating to 1875 and containing more than 4,000 graves.

 Jamestown, the site in Jamestown, Virginia, where enslaved people first arrived in America and where the first publicly elected assembly in the United States met.

Brown Chapel, the first African Methodist Episcopal church in Alabama, was the site of preparations for a voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery on March 7, 1965, when police beat marchers led by the late Rep. John Lewis, then a young activist. Weeks later, thousands gathered there before the Selma-to-Montgomery march led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Maxwell is part of a group of Brown Chapel members serving on a foundation that's trying to raise money for repairs estimated to exceed $4 million, she said. The church, located in a public housing community, has only a few dozen members in regular attendance, so it's relying on grants and outside donations to fund the work.

The National Park Service already has provided a grant of $1.3 million for restoration of the church, which was constructed in 1908 by a formerly enslaved Black builder, A.J. Farley, and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1997.

Our goal is to try to receive over $3 million in grants to do the foundational work. After that we hope to get in more private donations, Maxwell said.

With members unable to gather in the building since repair work began in October, Maxwell said, the few who still attend continue meeting online.

Were Zooming. The pastor is searching for a place, she said.
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BOGOTA, Colombia (AP)  As women in the United States find themselves on the verge of possibly losing the constitutional right to abortion, courts in many other parts of the world have been moving in the opposite direction.

That includes in a number of traditionally conservative societies  such as recently in Colombia, where the Constitutional Court in February legalized the procedure until the 24th week of pregnancy, part of a broader trend seen in parts of heavily Catholic Latin America.

It's not yet clear what impact there will be outside the United States from the leaked draft opinion suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

But for women's activists who for years have led grinding campaigns demanding open access to abortion, often looking to the United States as a model, it's a discouraging sign and a reminder that hard-won gains can be impermanent.

It is an awful precedent for the coming years for the region and the world, said Colombian Catalina Martinez Coral, Latin America and Caribbean director for the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights, which was among the groups that litigated the abortion case in Colombias high court.

The February ruling there established a broad right for women to have abortions within the 24-week period, whereas previously they could do so only in specific cases such as if a fetus presented malformations or a pregnancy resulted from rape. Abortion is still allowed after that period under those special circumstances.

The decision fell short of advocates' hopes for a complete decriminalization, but Martinez Coral said it still left Colombia with the most progressive legal framework in Latin America.

Similarly, Mexico's Supreme Court held last year that it was unconstitutional to punish abortion. As the countrys highest court, its ruling bars all jurisdictions from charging a woman with a crime for terminating a pregnancy.

Statutes outlawing abortion are still on the books in most of Mexico's 32 states, however, and nongovernmental organizations that have long pushed for decriminalization are pressing state legislatures to reform them. Abortion was already readily available in Mexico City and some states.

To the south in Argentina, lawmakers in late 2020 passed a bill legalizing abortion until the 14th week and after that for circumstances similar to those described in the Colombia ruling.

It's also widely available in Cuba and Uruguay.

But expansion of abortion access has not extended to all of Latin America, with many countries restricting it to certain circumstances  such as Brazil, the region's most populous nation, where it's permissible only in cases of rape, risk to the woman's life and certified cases of the birth defect anencephaly. Former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking a new term in October, recently said he sees legalizing abortion as a public health issue, eliciting criticism in a country where few approve of the procedure.

Other places have total bans with no exceptions, such as Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. Courts in the latter have given women long prison sentences for aggravated homicide even in cases where prosecutors suspect a miscarriage was actually an abortion.

Many African nations also maintain complete bans, but in October 2021, Benin legalized abortion in most circumstances up to 12 weeks. That significantly increased safe access to the procedure after the health minister reported that nearly 200 women were dying each year of complications from clandestine abortions. Previously abortion was permitted in cases of rape or incest; risk to the woman's life; or severe fetal malformation.

Most European countries have legalized abortion, including predominantly Catholic ones. Ireland did so in 2018, followed by tiny San Marino in a voter referendum last fall. It remains illegal in Andorra, Malta and Vatican City, while Poland last year tightened its abortion laws.

It's also been widely available in Israel since 1978 and relatively uncontroversial, allowed by law before the 24th week with the approval of hospital termination committees that consist of medical professionals including at least one woman.

Laws and interpretations vary across the Muslim world.

Abortion has been legal up to 12 weeks in Tunisia for decades, but in Iran it's been forbidden since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Last year the leader of Cairos top institution of Islamic clerics, Al-Azhar, said abortion is not the solution even in cases where a child is likely to be seriously ill or disabled.

In Japan, abortion is allowed only for economic and health reasons, and requires partners consent, making Japan one of a handful of countries in the world to do so. Victims of sexual violence are excluded from the requirement.

While there is a growing call for women to have the right to make their own decision, Japans government, led by the ultra-conservative Liberal Democratic Party, has long focused on traditional gender roles of women to give birth and raise children.

Japan has not approved abortion pills, though an application for one by a British company is pending at the health ministry.

Abortion has been legal in India since 1971. Women can terminate pregnancy up to 20 weeks, but only on a doctor's advice. Under changes in 2021, a woman can also seek an abortion up to 24 weeks under certain circumstances such as rape or incest, though it requires approval from two doctors.

China is moving to limit abortions, but thats because it has one of the highest rates of abortions in the world.

Last September, the Chinese cabinet, known as the State Council, published new national guidelines that require hospitals to reduce non-medically necessary abortions. In February, Chinas family planning association announced it would launch a campaign to reduce teenage abortions.

When the U.S. Supreme Court's final decision is handed down, expected in late June or early July, the world will be watching.

While moves to decriminalize and legalize abortion in places like Argentina, Ireland, Mexico and Colombia in the last few years have been a huge win for the global community, Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of the human rights group Amnesty International, said in a statement, there are grim signs that the United States is out of step with the progress that the rest of the world is making in protecting sexual and reproductive rights.

___

Sherman reported from Mexico City. Associated Press writers Karl Ritter in Stockholm, Sweden; Almudena Calatrava in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Mauricio Savarese in Rio de Janeiro; Carley Petesch in Dakar, Senegal; Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo; Krutika Pathi in New Delhi; and Huizhong Wu in Taipei, Taiwan contributed to this report.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  The Mexican government is snubbing Texas and moving a proposed border rail link to New Mexico after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott backed up border crossings with state inspections in April.

Mexican diplomats met Tuesday with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and touted a rail line linking Mexican seaports on the Pacific with the San Jeronimo-Santa Teresa crossing in New Mexico, about 20 miles (36 kilometers) west of El Paso, Texas.

Mexico had considered a route through Texas, but in recent days officials have said they can no longer rely on that state. Abbott had required all commercial trucks from Mexico to undergo extra inspections, tying up traffic and causing millions in losses.

Roberto Velasco Alvarez, Mexico's director for North American affairs, wrote in his Twitter account about the meeting in Washington.

There is a regional vision and management of migration, legal pathways and more development options, as well as advances in infrastructure with New Mexico that will allow us to develop immediate alternatives to commercial traffic that currently passes through Texas, Velasco Alvarez wrote.

Mexico's Economy Secretary Tatiana Clouthier was more forceful last week on the fate of a proposed rail line linking the Pacific coast port of Mazatlan in Mexico's Sinaloa state with the U.S. and Canada.

There is a very important project that will hopefully be finished soon that will connect Sinaloa and, we used to say Texas, but I don't think we're going to use Texas anymore because we cannot put all our eggs in one basket and be held hostage to those who want to use trade as a political issue, Clouthier told a business conference.

So we are going to look for another connection point because we cannot go through again what we went through a few weeks ago, she said.

Some truckers reported waiting more than 30 hours to cross during the state inspections. Others blocked one of the worlds busiest trade bridges in protest.

Abbott, who is up for reelection in November and has made the border his top issue, fully lifted the inspections after reaching agreements with neighboring Mexican states that outline new commitments to border security.

But those Mexican states have little authority or manpower to intercept drugs or migrant smuggling  the two issues Abbott cited in implementing the inspections, though state officials found little of either  so the agreements were seen as a way of pressuring Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to act.

Lopez Obrador, has described Abbott's actions as vile." But Abbott hasn't backed down, and has said he is considering invoking defense powers by declaring that Texas is being invaded."

On Monday, Lopez Obrador brushed it off, saying, Now that there are elections, some politicians in the United States are making accusations.

But how are they going to talk about an invasion? Lopz Obrador said, referring to the fact that Texas  like much of the rest of the U.S. Southwest  once belonged to Mexico.

Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said Mayorkas had expressed concerns regarding the scheduled May 23 lifting of Title 42, the pandemic-era health rule that denies migrants a chance to seek asylum.

His perspective is just that there could be a problem with increased (migrant) flows, and for that reason we are going to work regionally on the issue, Ebrard said.

Ebrard also said Mexico continued to argue for Cuba and Venezuela to attend the upcoming Summit of the Americas in June in Los Angeles. The Biden administration has suggested that Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua are unlikely to be invited.
AMSTERDAM (AP)  Dutch King Willem-Alexander laid a wreath Wednesday at a war memorial in Amsterdam during the first national commemoration of the country's war dead since coronavirus restrictions were lifted earlier this year.

Thousands of people  including at least one draped in a Ukrainian flag  observed two minutes of silence at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT) on the Dutch capital's Dam Square. It was a marked difference from the last two May 4 wreath-laying ceremonies in Amsterdam, which were held without public attendance because of COVID-19 lockdown measures.
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NICE, France (AP)  Russia's military has launched a string of attacks on Ukraine's railway network, which has been vital for moving Western arms to Ukrainian forces, evacuating refugees and exporting food.

A Russian official said the aim was to disrupt Western weapons deliveries. Experts say Ukraines railways appeared to be largely spared at the start of the invasion because Russian planners wanted them to move their own troops and arms across captured territory. The latest strikes still seem to seek more to damage than to destroy the system.

Here's a look at the attacks, and their significance.

WHY ARE RAILWAYS SO IMPORTANT FOR UKRAINE?

The largely flat country has a vast railway network, which has proved invaluable from a military viewpoint for supplying key Western arms shipments  and has also helped in the exodus of refugees from Russian air assaults and land advances.

Western weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces blunt Russias initial offensive. It also seems certain to play a central role in the battle for the Donbas in the east, which Moscow now says is its focus following its failure to take the capital, Kyiv.

The U.S. and other Western allies have increased weapons shipments at the urging of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu warned that Moscow will see any Western transport carrying weapons into Ukraine as a legitimate target.

The rail attacks were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Wednesday.

WHAT WERE THE LATEST TARGETS?

Russian forces used sea- and air-launched precision guided missiles to destroy power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine over the past day.

Some attacks were concentrated in and around the western city of Lviv, close to the border with Poland that has been a gateway for the NATO-supplied weapons. Lviv's mayor said the strikes damaged three power substations, knocking out electricity in parts of the city that has seen only sporadic attacks during the war and has become a haven for civilians fleeing the fighting.

HAS THE RAILWAY SYSTEM BEEN STRUCK BEFORE?

A Russian missile hit a crowded train station in eastern Ukraine last month, killing at least 52 people and wounding dozens more.

Thousands of civilians, mostly women and children fleeing the Donbas region, had gathered at the station in the town of Kramatorsk on April 8 when a missile hit.

Zelenskyy accused Russias military of deliberately attacking the station. Russia blamed Ukraine, saying its own forces dont use the kind of missile that hit the station.

In late April, Russian targeted several railway junctions in the west of the country to disrupt weapons deliveries.

WHAT IS RUSSIA'S PLAN?

Russia seems to have largely spared Ukraines rail system at the outset of the invasion because it had planned to use it to move its own troops and arms across the country, which it had hoped to overrun quickly, military experts say.

Now that they know they wont be able to use it, they are striking the rail system that is likely carrying armor and reinforcements to the Ukrainians, said retired French General Dominique Trinquand.

While Russians have been conducting precision attacks on the rail network and firing expensive missiles into its power supply lines in the past week, their goal still appears to be damaging rather than destroying the network.

It wont stop the Ukrainians, but it will disrupt them, said Frank Ledwidge, a former British military intelligence officer. He said the Russians also aim to undermine Ukraine's morale.

It's like saying, Nowhere is safe, Your army cant protect you', We reign over your country at will.

WHAT DOES THE US SAY?

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagons assessment, said that while the Russians have tried to hit critical infrastructure around Lviv, specifically targeting railroads, there has been no appreciable impact on Ukraines effort to resupply its forces.

The official said it is not clear that the Russian strikes have been very accurate, and they also have not impeded efforts to get weapons into Ukraine.

___

Jon Gambrell in Lviv, Cara Anna in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and John Leicester in Le Pecq, France contributed to this report.

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Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  A federal judge refused Wednesday to order New York to hold its congressional and state Senate primaries this spring using district maps declared unconstitutional by state judges, saying a legal effort by Democrats to revive the maps looked unlikely to succeed.

Lets be frank. This is a Hail Mary pass, the object of which is to take a long shot to have the primary conducted on state lines that the court says is unconstitutional, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan said.

A group of voters filed a lawsuit asking federal judges to intervene in New York's redistricting battle after the state's highest court ruled that district maps crafted by the state Legislature had been improperly gerrymandered to favor Democrats. Those maps would have given Democrats a clear edge in 22 of the state's 26 congressional districts.

Replacement maps are now being drawn by an independent scholar at Carnegie Mellon University under the supervision of a state judge. The judge ordered the state's primaries for Congress and state Senate moved from June to August so the redistricting process would have enough time to play out.

A small group of voters, represented by Democratic attorney Marc Elias, asked the federal courts to block that plan, arguing that New York has to hold its primary in June because of a 2012 court order by another federal judge, Gary Sharpe, who is based in Albany.

The lawsuit said that if the state has to hold its primary in June, it is too late to draft new maps, even if the ones crafted by the Legislature were unconstitutional.

Kaplan said forcing the state to use unconstitutional district maps simply to comply with an old court deadline that could easily be changed would trigger chaos.

What are candidates supposed to do? What are voters supposed to do? What are all the people concerned with elections supposed to do? I would be hard pressed to imagine a scenario that would cast into greater disrepute the rationality, the fairness, the consistency of the holding of elections in this great country, than to precipitate that, Kaplan said. Its decidedly against the public interest. And Im simply rejecting the applications.

Kaplan said New York could easily ask for permission to delay primary from Judge Sharpe, who's previously approved New York's requests to tweak its political calendar. State Board of Elections attorney Brian Quail told Kaplan the board would do so by the end of the day Thursday.

Christina Ford, an attorney representing the voters who filed the lawsuit, had argued New York lacks time to craft new maps and meet all voting rights deadlines by August.

New York's gubernatorial and state Assembly primaries are still set to take place June 28.

The state Legislature also retooled Assembly district maps this year, through the same process that the court has ruled was unconstitutional, but Court of Appeals judges said they didn't toss them out because a lawsuit filed by GOP voters didnt specifically challenge them.

On Wednesday, former Democratic candidate Gary Greenberg filed a lawsuit asking a state judge in Steuben County to toss and order new Assembly maps and delay Assembly races until August 23 as well.

___

Associated Press writer Larry Neumeister in New York contributed to this report.
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STAMFORD  A Greenwich socialite who pleaded guilty to voyeurism charges after she filmed three individuals, including a minor, without their consent, was released Wednesday after serving 90 days in prison, court officials said.

Hadley Palmer, 53, had been incarcerated in the York Correctional Institution, the state prison for women in Niantic, since Feb. 4 as part of a plea agreement with state prosecutors.

Assistant States Attorney Daniel Cummings said Wednesday the state had stipulated in the agreement that Palmer would serve prison time before her sentencing to ensure that she served at least the minimum sentence possible.

If it had been part of her sentence, the Department of Corrections couldve cut it short and given her early release. By making it a bond raise, it assured she does all 90 days, Cummings said.

Palmer was arrested in 2021 on charges including employing a minor in an obscene performance, conspiracy to employ a minor in an obscene performance and second-degree child pornography in 2017. On Jan. 19, she pleaded guilty to three counts of voyeurism and risk of injury to a minor, all felonies.

Under the agreement, Palmer faces a sentence of between 90 days and five years in prison and must register as a sex offender.

During a hearing Wednesday in state Superior Court, Judge John Blawie asked whether the state was satisfied with the 90 days served or if prosecutors would be seeking more prison time for Palmer.

The courts question is this: Does the state now consider the 90 days that the defendant just served by agreement to be sufficient in terms of the period of incarceration you will be asking for at sentencing? Blawie asked.

Absolutely not, Cummings replied.

Palmer is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 2.

Before she was released Wednesday, attorney Michael Meehan, who represents Palmer, asked that the court modify the conditions of her release to remove her GPS monitoring.

Meehan also asked that the state strike a condition that prohibited her from owning any cellular or electronic devices.

Cummings ultimately agreed, so long as all camera functionality on electronic devices be permanently disabled.

The specifics of the case that led to Palmers arrest last October have not been released, after a judge in Superior Court in Stamford sealed the case. Blawie cited the presence and involvement of a minor as a reason to prevent public from obtaining information about the case, as did Greenwich police.

The only information about the accusations against her come from a Feb. 1 ruling by Blawie.

Although the case is cloaked in mystery, Greenwich authorities said that Palmer had knowingly photographed, filmed and recorded three individuals, including a minor, according to court records.

Palmer has also been involved in a contentious divorce since 2020, court records show. Hadley and Bradley Palmer were wed in New York City in 1992 and had four children together, three of whom are now young adults.

Bradley Palmer, a finance executive, is seeking sole custody for their youngest child, who is underage, according to the legal filing in state Superior Court in Stamford.

They own a multimillion-dollar seaside mansion in the wealthy Belle Haven neighborhood; it was purchased in 2013 for $6.95 million and boasts seven bedrooms and five fireplaces, according to tax records at Greenwich Town Hall.

Before news of her arrest, Hadley Palmer was routinely photographed at various gala benefits around the region. She grew up in southern Connecticut, and her father, Jerrold Fine, started one of the first hedge funds to operate in the financial field in Westport.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  The Republican-led Michigan Senate on Wednesday approved a 5% increase in base funding for K-12 schools but pared back Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's proposals to recruit and retain teachers and did not include her proposed $1 billion fund for school infrastructure projects.

The $17.8 billion school aid bill, which was advanced 20-15 along mostly party lines, sets the stage for broader budget talks with the Democratic governor and the House, where majority Republicans started passing their own blueprint Wednesday.

The base per-student grant would rise by $450, to $9,150, under the Senate's 2022-23 proposal  slightly more than Whitmer's suggested $435. A $500 million grant program would be created to help combining districts retire some of their debt to avoid raising property taxes. Schools could get $50 more per pupil to address pandemic-related learning loss.

Sen. Wayne Schmidt, a Traverse City Republican who oversees the school budget, called it a very good first start.

Democrats unsuccessfully tried amending the bill so it would more closely align with what the governor outlined in February.

Whitmer has called for $1 billion to be spent upgrading school buildings over six years, which is not in the Senate plan.

She wants $2.3 billion over this fiscal year and the next to recruit and retain educators. That would include awarding annual bonuses to teachers and other staff, competitive college scholarships to would-be educators, stipends to student teachers and grow-your-own grants to help districts support staff who want to become certified as teachers. The Senate bill has about $30 million, mostly for student teachers.

Additional retention and recruitment funding would ensure that educators have the support and recognition they deserve for the challenging and essential work that they do, said Sen. Winnie Brinks, a Grand Rapids Democrat who voted against the legislation. The bill also would allocate less than what the governor requested for student mental health and school safety.

Schmidt said nothing is finalized and funding could be added during negotiations. He noted that the legislation would expand the number of school-based health clinics and boost aid to train and retail mental health staff.

While the next fiscal year begins in October, legislators at a minimum target completing the K-12 budget before July  the start of districts' budget year. The Senate passed most of its overall $74.2 billion spending plan on Tuesday. The House is expected to finish advancing its proposal Thursday.

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Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00
Younger women and Black adults experiencing chest pain  the most common symptom of a heart attack  wait longer to get care in the emergency room than their respective male and white counterparts, potentially placing them at higher risk for poor outcomes, new research shows.

The study, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found women 18 to 55 years old also received a less thorough evaluation for a possible heart attack and were less likely to be admitted to the hospital when presenting with similar symptoms as their male peers.

Despite a decline in the overall number of heart attacks, the number is rising among young adults, lead study author Dr. Darcy Banco said in a news release.

"Whether or not the differences in chest pain evaluation directly translate into differences in outcomes, they represent a difference in the care individuals receive based on their race or sex, and that is important for us to know," said Banco, chief resident for safety and quality in the department of medicine at New York University Grossman School of Medicine.

Chest pain is responsible for more than 6.5 million U.S. emergency room visits and 4 million outpatient visits each year, according to chest pain guidelines issued in 2021 by the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association and others. The recommendations aim to help doctors identify those at highest risk for heart attacks and prevent unnecessary testing in those not at risk. Although chest pain is the most common heart attack symptom for both women and men, women are more likely to also exhibit other symptoms, such as nausea and shortness of breath.

"Minutes count when someone has a heart attack," senior study author Dr. Harmony Reynolds said in the news release. She is director of the Sarah Ross Soter Center for Women's Cardiovascular Research and associate professor of medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. "Calling an ambulance is also helpful because emergency medical technicians can treat chest pain and heart attack right away. People who arrive to the ER by ambulance often receive urgent care and attention sooner compared to people who arrive to the ER on their own."

Researchers analyzed 4,152 medical records from 2014 to 2018 for nearly 30 million emergency room visits for chest pain. Participants were 18 to 55 years old, nearly a third of whom were Black. A small percentage were another race or ethnicity, and the rest were white.

The results showed women and Black adults waited longer than men and white adults, respectively, to be seen by emergency room staff. Women waited an average 11 minutes longer than men  48 minutes versus 37 minutes. Compared to their white peers, women of any other race or ethnicity waited an average 58 minutes, or 15 minutes longer for an initial evaluation. And compared to their white peers, men of other races or ethnicities waited an average 44 minutes to be evaluated, or 10 minutes longer.

The study found no racial differences in how people were evaluated and treated once seen. But women reporting chest pain were less likely than men to be prescribed heart medications or to be admitted to the hospital or kept in the ER for observation. Among men, 17.9% were admitted, compared to 12.4% of women.

Banco said the findings raise many questions for future research.

"Do differences in wait time vary with location?" she said. "Are the differences related to variation in hospital care quality, or are these differences applicable to all ERs? Lastly, do differences in wait time translate to differences in outcomes?"

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Umpqua Valley Amateur Radio Club May Field Day at Singleton Park

Saturday, May 7th, the Umpqua Valley Amateur Radio Club will be gathering at Singleton Park, Roseburg, OR. Members will begin setting up Ham Radio Stations, between 8 and 9 am, to participate in the Area 7 QSO Party, which involves ham radio operators in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho and Wyoming.

This is an event that gives all ham radio operators an opportunity to make contacts with other enthusiasts in these states, and beyond. Its a family event and a wonderful opportunity for others to learn about operating ham radios from experienced operators in the UVARC Club.

The community is welcome to come out and see what it is all about. Event will be from 9am to 3 pm at Singleton Park.

Visit UVARC.NET to learn about the club and other events and information.
Disneyland tickets dont exactly come cheap, but everyones favorite one-stop-shop Target is about to make things a lot easier  and less pricey  for park goers who also carry Targets RedCard in their wallets.

When you use your RedCard, the retailer discounts prices to singles, couples, and families who want to experience the magic of Disney for themselves, whether theyre introducing kids to the park or are planning a couples vacation to have a drink and ride roller coasters.

For example, on Disneylands website, a two-day park pass for ages 10 and up that grants access to one park a day goes for $255. If you want to go to both Disneyland and Disneyland California Adventure Park in the same day, youll have to fork over another $60 per ticket.

Disneyland tickets Disney Target Shop Now

Enter Target, the retail store where you go in  well, log on, in this case  for a toothbrush and now head out with a cartful of Disneyland tickets. Head to the speciality gift cards section of the website, and youll now find a flurry of park tickets coming in at a discount. A ton of pass types are available for both the 10-and-up age group as well as for littler ones, from three-day, one-park-per-day passes to two-day, park-hopper tickets.

Here, instead of paying $255 for a two-day, one-park-per-day pass for ages 10 and up on Disney, you can get the same ticket from Target and save 5 percent using your RedCard, meaning that same ticket drops to $242.25  a savings of $12.75. Or, for example, the 2-Day Park Hopper ticket with Genie+ service normally runs $355, and with RedCard, you'll pay $337.25, a savings of $17.75 per ticket.

Five percent savings might seem like a drop in the bucket, but any little discount goes a long way  and that $12.75 or $17.75 savings will come in handy if youre hungry or thirsty after wandering around for an afternoon (that'll get you 2-3 Dole Whips, for example). Plus, if youre multiplying times four or five people plus adding the cost of a hotel near the resort, then that adds up in a big way.

Keep in mind this is online only, so dont head to the stores  you can get your whole trip going at Target.com.

Get the RedCard over at Target.com (itll save you 5 percent on all Target purchases, which is a great cashback rate) and get your tickets at the same time so youre all set for magical fun this summer.
It may be easy to forget but Google hasn't always promised a ton of software support for its Pixel smartphones. As recently as three years ago the update promise was for three years of security updates. And guess what devices launched three years ago? The affordable Pixel 3a and 3a XL. So you know what that means, right?

The May software update that Google started rolling out yesterday should have been their last one, but as usual the company is giving out a bonus update to devices reaching end-of-life, software-wise. This last update will be delivered to the Pixel 3a and 3a XL "by July", in Google's own words. That doesn't necessarily mean that it will happen in July, or that it will go out in June when the monthly update hits the rest of the Pixels.

But by July if you own a Pixel 3a or 3a XL you will be receiving its last ever software update, so perhaps it's a good time to start looking for an alternative smartphone to buy and use - one that still gets updates, especially security ones, which sometimes can be extremely important.

Anyway, here's Google's full statement on the matter:

In May 2019 at the launch of the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, we announced that the devices would receive three years of software updates and three years of security updates from when our devices first became available on the Google Store. The final update for Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL will rollout to users by July 2022.

The 3a and 3a XL were the first Pixels to venture into mid-range territory, and now their story is almost coming to a close - but the "a" line (for "affordable"?) lives on.

Via
Google's foldable Pixel phone will have a smaller outer display and a similar-sized inner display to the Galaxy Z Fold4, per industry insider Ross Young. The Pixel Notepad, as rumor claims it will be called, will have a 5.8-inch outer display, wider and shorter than the Galaxy Z Fold4's 6.19-inch expected screen.

Since the two foldables are rumored to have similar-sized folding displays, this means that the Pixel Notepad will have a wider aspect ratio than the Fold. This is corroborated by an earlier leak.

Z Fold 4 and Google foldable will have similar sized foldable displays, but the Google cover display will be quite a bit smaller at 5.8". This should mean it will have a wider aspect ratio than the Samsung 6.19" Fold 4. Hear more at our conference next week.  Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) May 2, 2022

Young doesn't share when we can expect Google's first foldable, but a reasonable guess is around the Pixel 7's fall launch. Google's first foldable was widely expected sometime in 2021 before Google reportedly quit on it.

But now it seems the Pixel Fold, now called the Notepad, is on again. It's expected to cost $1,400, have a Find N-esque body type - wide and short, rather than narrow and tall lie the ongoing Galaxy Z Fold3. It will most likely use a Tensor chip but resort to older Pixel camera hardware, namely the 12.2MP IMX363 sensor from the Pixel 2 through 3, 4, and 5 series, a 12MP IMX386 ultrawide sensor, and two 8MP IMX355s for selfies.

The inner selfie could use an elaborate hideaway mechanism, like the one shown below, from a patent Google won.
Attorney Joaquin Kin C. Arriola, a war survivor, former speaker of the Legislature, associate justice of Guams Supreme Court and advocate for the rights of islanders has died at the age of 96.

Arriola was born in 1925, and left the island to attend college after World War II, according to Guampedia. After he returned in 1953, he established a law firm and eventually was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Minnesota, the District Court of Guam, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Court, the U.S. Supreme Court, the District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands as well as the Northern Marianas Supreme Court and Superior Court.

He served as a congressman in the Third and Fourth Guam Legislatures, was speaker of the Ninth and 10th Guam Legislatures and received the Hustisia Award in 2014 and the Judge Cristobal Duenas Excellence Award in 2017.

He campaigned to have an elected governor of Guam, and he was an advocate for unifying the Marianas.

In a 1967 speech to the Marianas District Legislature he said: The reunification of the Marianas within a homogenous political and economic union under one governmental administration is as natural and inevitable as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. The indigenous inhabitants of the Marianas are all of one race, Chamorros. We have a common language as well as a common religion; we have common social customs and traditions. Many of us are related. Geographically, culturally and economically, there is absolutely no reason for continuing our political and economic segregation.

While the Marianas were not unified, the elected governor became a reality. Arriola was a candidate for governor in 1970 and 1974.

After learning of Arriolas death Wednesday, Speaker Therese Terlaje praised Arriolas contribution to the legal profession on Guam.

Speaker Arriolas commitment, dedication, and outstanding public service have greatly influenced the practice of law, having dedicated 67 years of his life in service to the people of Guam, she said.

Vice Speaker Tina Muna Barnes said today, our island mourns the passing of one of Guams esteemed statesmen.

She said Arriola was a tireless champion for justice, civil rights, and self-governance. Speaker Arriola played a critical role in the establishment of local gubernatorial elections, ending a 20-year period of presidential appointments of our islands executive leadership, and for pushing the creation of a Guam delegate in Congress.

Arriola also served as president of the Guam Bar Association, a member of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Bar Association, a part-time associate justiceship at the Supreme Court of Guam, as well as service on boards and commissions in Guam.

The Judiciary of Guam also offered condolences.

Attorney Joaquin C. Arriola was held in the highest esteem by the members of our legal profession  practitioners and judicial officers alike. He will be fondly remembered as a zealous advocate for his clients, while being an utmost professional and respectful officer of the court, advancing and protecting the interests of justice and the rule of law. On behalf of a grateful justice system and legal community, I express my deepest condolences to the entire Arriola family, Chief Justice F. Philip Carbullido said.
Most forms of abortion on Guam would be rendered illegal, should the U.S. Supreme Court choose to overturn a landmark court case that established abortion as a constitutional right.

Thats because Guam already has a law on the books banning abortions, Assistant Attorney General James Canto told lawmakers during a Wednesday public hearing on the Guam Heartbeat Act.

An unconfirmed draft opinion was leaked this week, suggesting that five of the nine Supreme Court were in favor of overruling the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that guaranteed the right to an abortion in the United States, the Associated Press reported. An opinion is expected by June or July.

That would leave the power to decide in the hands of state and territorial Legislatures, and Guam already has a law on the books banning the procedure.

It really becomes a blank slate, if the court does deliver it back down to the states to say this is a right or not by which each state can decide whether to grant to its citizens, Canto said.

In 1990, Gov. Joseph F. Ada signed Public Law 20-134, authored by the late Sen. Elizabeth Arriola and unanimously passed by members of the 20th Guam Legislature. The measure criminalizes abortion in all cases except when the life of a mother is endangered.

Every person who provides, supplies, or administers to any woman, or procures any woman to take any medicine, drug, or substance, or uses or employs any instrument or other means whatever, with intent thereby to cause an abortion  is guilty of a third-degree felony, the law states.

Even soliciting a woman for an abortion was criminalized, and the local abortion law was touted as one of the most restrictive in the entire country. Judge Anita Arriola, then a lawyer  and Sen. Elizabeth Arriolas daughter  represented several people challenging the abortion law. Then-Attorney General Elizabeth Barrett Anderson had Janet Benshoof, a member of the American Civil Liberties Union Reproductive Freedom Project, taken to court and charged with a misdemeanor for advising women to fly to Hawaii for abortions, PDN files show.

The law was ultimately struck down by the District Court of Guam as unconstitutional, and the ruling was upheld by the Ninth District Court of Appeals after a six-year legal battle that cost the government of Guam millions of dollars.

But the measure was never repealed and remains in the Guam Code Annotated, Canto said Wednesday. While it was not being enforced because Roe v. Wades precedent would nullify it, come June, its anybodys guess, he said.

Attorney Vanessa Williams, a member of Guam People for Choice who was also present during Wednesdays hearing, said that lawmakers had to take action on the matter.

Its important, in light of the decision that was leaked yesterday, that senators take meaningful action and repeal those bad laws that are on the books, Williams said.

Public law 20-134 also called for a referendum on the anti-abortion law to be held in November of 1990. Guam voters were supposed to decide whether to keep the ban. But when District Court of Guam Justice Alex Munson found the matter unconstitutional in August of that year, the referendum was rendered moot, PDN files show.

Its unclear what this means for the law.

Access

But even without an outright ban on Guam, the Supreme Court overturning the right to abortion could still impact local abortion access.

There has been no abortion provider on island since Dr. William Freeman retired in 2018. There was effectively no access to legal abortions on island until an injunction was issued by District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood last September, allowing women to seek medication-induced abortions with the virtual consultation of a doctor.

Tydingco-Gatewood upheld arguments from two Hawaii-based doctors who sued the attorney general, the Guam Board of Medical Examiners and the Commission on the Healing Arts of Guam. Physicians Shandhini Raidoo and Bliss Kaneshiro argued that a Guam law requiring women to have in-person consultations before receiving an abortion was unconstitutional because it imposed undue burden on the ability of Guam women seeking the procedure.

The attorney general of Guam subsequently challenged Tydingco-Gatewoods decision in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. But the case is on hold while the Supreme Court sorts out its position on abortion in the case of Dobbs v. Jacksons Womens Health Org.

Appellants in the Dobbs case seek the overturn of Roe and the 1992 case Casey v. Planned Parenthood, which barred states from imposing undue burden on abortion access, defined as substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion before the fetus attains viability.

A decision in Dobbs will likely have a substantial impact on this Courts consideration and analysis of the case, the Office of the Attorney General wrote in a motion to pause its appeal until Dobbs is resolved.

The Democratic Party of Guam and Democrats in 53 other states and territories issued a statement Tuesday opposing the U.S. Supreme Courts possible strike down of abortion rights.

The shockwaves of Donald Trumps presidency are neither gone nor forgotten, the Democratic Party of Guam said in its statement, signed on by Democrat parties in every state but Kentucky and the CNMI.
The Guam Congress Building was filled with residents Wednesday during the first round of public hearings for the Heartbeat Act of 2022, a measure that would ban abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected.

The Legislatures Committee on Health had received 127 written testimonies in support of the bill and another 678 opposed to it on just the first day of hearings, Committee Chair Therese Terlaje said.

Opponents of the bill called the measure intrusive, and the civil enforcement action, which would let residents sue anyone who aids or abets an abortion for a minimum of $10,000, unconstitutional. Supporters were concerned with the safety of unborn children and asserted that similar legislation passed in Texas has stood up to legal challenges.

Sen. Telena Nelson, who introduced the measure, clarified, No section provision in the Guam Heartbeat Act imposes criminal sanctions or civil liability against a woman that has had an abortion.

Assistant Attorney General James Canto said that most of the legal challenges to the Texas Heartbeat Act, which Nelsons bill is modeled after, had to do with standing, whether or not a third party has the right to sue over an abortion that does not involve with them.

The issue of abortion and the right to privacy were far from settled, Canto said.

Attorney Peter Sgro, who helped author the Guam Heartbeat Act, asserted that the Texas measure had stood up to legal scrutiny.

Attorney Vanessa Williams called the Heartbeat Act poor lawmaking which would not end abortions.

Laws like this never have. Theyve only allowed rich people to go fly off island get their abortions in Hawaii and California. That will continue she said, but people who cant afford to travel will be left to terminate their own pregnancies.

Munaeka Flores said the measure was part of a war on human rights. No one had the authority to tell a woman what to do with her body, she said.

Those five sponsors and any other senators who support this bill, are contributing to those harms. If passed into law, this bill will not end abortions, but it will end safe abortions, and that blood will be on your hands.

Ramona McManus, with the faith-based Safe Haven Pregnancy Center, supported the bill. She said Safe Haven provided pregnancy services and support so that mothers didnt have to turn to abortion.

Abortion doesnt empower. We know that women dont walk into an abortion facility feeling powerful. Women walk into an abortion facility feeling powerless, McManus said.

Carlotta Leon Guerrero, a special assistant for the governor, said allowing civil suits against people who aid abortions would let strangers seek to make money off situations that had nothing to do with them.

In this bill, you throw out the judgment of women and you insert money-seeking strangers into their most basic decisions  what should be done for their health, she said.

Maria Leon Guerrero, representing the Guam Womens Chamber of Commerce, said that the bill was more than a pro-life or pro-choice issue.

This is a bill where we must all take responsibility to read and understand the fine print. The bills unique enforcement mechanism ... raises valid concerns that could threaten the viability of local businesses and potentially limit access to health care.

She said aiding and abetting was not clearly defined and could allow lawsuits against financial institutions that provide loans used for abortions, and health insurance companies that reimburse abortions costs.
'The Art of Photography'

The Art of Photography exhibit opens Saturday at Lees Reyes Art Gallery on the second floor of Tumon Sands Plaza.

From 4-6 p.m., meet the artists whose works will be exhibited:

Antoinette Manibusan

Beau Ledesma

Dawn Lees Reyes

Donna Perron

Donovan Brooks

Gian Magana

Jed Espino

Jeremiah Iglesias

Jordan Limtiaco

Joshua Kelly

Justin Green

Linda Frank

Olympia Terral

Richard Olmo

Rose Marie Siguenza

Stephan Wolborski

Mary Jane Wolborski

Victor Consaga

Yuseon Park

The gallery is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.
Conventional wisdom would suggest that the senior-most, Air Chief Marshal Vivek Chaudhari be made CDS and Permanent Chairman Chief of Staff

by Ashok Kumar Mehta

For five months, India did not have a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) after the tragic death of Gen Bipin Rawat on December 9 last year. COAS Gen MM Naravane, who was given additional charge and appointed officiating CDS as a stopgap measure, retired on April 30. Gen Manoj Pande took over as COAS the next day so that there was no void in the Army chain of command. But the CDS post fell vacant as no one has been appointed permanently or in an officiating capacity after April 30. This deficiency may continue as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is traveling abroad and nothing as significant as appointing a new CDS, a personal passion for him, can materialize till he returns tomorrow. As Modi runs a tight ship, decision-making rests with PMO. Hence delays in appointments like CDS and ambassadors. Nepal, a high brand strategic country in Indias neighborhoods First policy is without an ambassador.

NSA Ajit Doval who accompanies Modi during his foreign travels and whose sterling hallmark enhances with seasons has added to his titles of spymaster and James Bond, the label of grandmaster of geopolitics conferred on him by former Maldivian President Nasheed. In short, Doval not Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will help Modi in selecting the CDS. Just two persons constitute the Appointments committee.

For BJP, CDS was so vital for national security that it was included in its election manifesto. And therefore the fanfare that accompanied Rawats appointment as the first incumbent. The Government has not shown similar urgency in appointing CDS after Rawats demise. The widely expected elevation of Gen Naravane to CDS did not happen. Let us study the options the government might be considering.

The Naravane option may be ruled out as he has bid adieu to Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, President Kovind. In the past, the President would host a dinner for the retiring COAS. This time it was merely a call-on. The second option is appointing a retired service Chief and the name of former CNS Adm Karambir Singh is doing the rounds. Its a sound decision to remuster a former Chief and redeploy him. A CDS other than from the Army will be reassuring for the other two services who feel overwhelmed by the operational and numerical dominant Army. Also, it will take the sting out of some of Rawats ill-considered remarks like Air Force, like artillery, is a supporting arm. The question in this resurrection of the retired for CDS is why did the government have to wait for six months to do so?

Instead of appointing Gen Naravane as officiating CDS, the second option could have been implemented. Barring the name of the Admiral, which has appeared in a personal blog, no name has been floated in the mainstream media.

There is a third option: kick upstairs one of the three serving chiefs. Conventional wisdom would suggest that the senior-most, Air Chief Marshal Vivek Chaudhari be made CDS and Permanent Chairman Chief of Staff. The government may have considered other options too. An option the government eliminated quickly was appointing Gen Naravane as CDS soon after Rawat or now another officiating as it did earlier. The first would have entailed locating a COAS from its seven Army Commanders club (including Army Training Command) to replace Naravane. But as I have written earlier on this page, that would have upset the line of succession - applecart according to which Gen Pande would succeed Gen Naravane after 30 April. Clearly, the government had its eye on Gen Pande as COAS and did not wish to create another supersession controversy as it had when Gen Rawat superseded two senior Generals to become COAS.

In order to have a COAS of its choice and not disturb the chain of seniority, the government let a Vice Chief of Army Staff and an Army Commander retire by 31 January and another Army Commander (all senior to Gen Pande) superannuate on March 31. In mid-April, with the grass mowed, Gen Pandes appointment as COAS was announced. Normally the COAS appointment is made public three to four months before he is to assume command. That obviously could not happen as three Generals senior to Gen Pande were in the way of his promotion.

Much has been written about Gen Pandes combat engineer background and that he is the first Engineer officer to breach the red line as COAS. The balance will come from Infantry Lt Gen, BS Raju as VCOAS. He is professionally highly rated: served as a military advisor in Bhutan, commanded the Srinagar Valley Corp, and was Director-General of Military Operations. He is a graduate of Royal College of Defence Studies London and will make a great team-mate for Gen Pande.

By delaying the appointment of a permanent CDS, the government may be having second thoughts on the transformative reform of creating the Department of Military Affairs leaving the defence secretary with just policy and a peripheral charter. The pushback from Defence Secretary to reclaim lost turf is palpable. The five-month and counting CDS void created opportunities for civilian bureaucracy to restore its control over the military. Still a CDS is urgently needed.

(The writer, a retired Lt Gen, was Commander, IPKF South, Sri Lanka, and founder member of the Defence Planning Staff, currently the Integrated Defence Staff. The views expressed are personal.)




Haiti - NOTICE : Permanent baccalaureate 2nd session (2021-2022), registrations open





The Ministry of National Education informs the general public and candidates that failed in particular that the second session of the permanent baccalaureate exams for the 2021-2022 academic year will be held in July 2022.



To this end, candidate registration is open from May 4 to 20, 2022 in all Departmental Directorates of Education (DDE).



Only candidates who failed in the final year (traditional secondary or renovated secondary) are eligible to take part in the exams. Remember that the candidates will compose in the subjects for which they did not have their average (recorded in the BUNEXE database for a period of two years).



Conditions of participation :



Participation sheet for the last exams or certificate from the Ministry;



Two ID photos;



Participation fee of two thousand (2,000) Gourdes per candidate.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















What happened to the girl who dreamt of becoming a medical doctor but turned into a suicide bomber for IS which led to the attacks on Easter in 2019?

by Nilantha Ilangamuwa

Who is Sara? Was she really a suicide bomber brained washed through Islamic extremism or a mole planted by a spy agency to track the motives of Islamic extremists who led the Easter attacks which killed nearly three hundred innocent people and wounded many more? Why is this mysterious lady continuing to dominate headlines while giving conspiracy theoreticians importance? Let us take a close look at the events surrounding her life during the Easter carnage in 2019.

Sara Jasmine ( File Photos)

Two days before the suicide attacks, Zahran Hashim's wife Hadiya alias Siththiya, Muhammadu Hasthun's wife Sara alias Pulastini Mahendran, and Mohammed Azads wife Abdul Raheem Feroza along with a few others left for Kanthankudy to find their safe place to buy time for possible subsequent attacks. They had brought a vehicle from Kattankudy to pick them up. The van was driven by Riyaz, a close associate of Zahran and his family.

Sara and Zahrans Wife left Colombo

On their way to Kattankudy, they did not forget to buy white colour clothes from Jayasundara Textiles, a shop located in Giriulla. Feroza carrying Hadiyas daughter entered the clothing store followed by Hadiya and Sara. It has been confirmed that Hadiya had bought two outfits, Sara four and Feroza three. Authentic sources reaffirmed that they have bought white clothes to use during Iddah after the deaths of their husbands. According to Islam, Iddah or Iddat is an Arabic term which means the period of waiting and is observed by Muslim women. It is a period of chastity which a Muslim woman is bound to observe after the dissolution of her marriage due to the death of her husband or by divorce before she can lawfully marry again.

As per the Quran described, the observing period for a widow is four months and ten days. But some sources suspected that they have bought the white clothes for detonating bombs at targeted locations though there is no evidence to support it. However, investigators have found substantive evidence to prove that they have dressed in white after the Easter attacks.

It was in the afternoon of April 18 in Colombo for the first time that Zahran told Hadiya that he and his group is planning to leave for Hijra known as greater emigration, and request her and the kids to live with his parents if he did not return. In the Islamic tradition, Hijrah refers to Prophet Muhammad's migration from Makkah to Medina in 622 CE. However, the Islamic State (IS) has manipulated this term to attract Muslim followers to its territories. Zahran vowed that all responsibilities would be taken care of by his brother Rilwan alias Abu Kital. Then Zahran asked Rilwan to take his wife and two children along with others in the group to Kattankudy immediately.

As scheduled, the group left Colombo for Eastern Province via Panadura on the morning of April 19 and reached a safe house in Nintavur, Kathankudy at around 2.30 am on April 20. The group included Hadiya, her two children, Sara, Rilwan, Feroza, and Riyaz, who drove the van. It was the first time in months that the extended family members, including Zahran's parents, had met. From April 20 to 26, 2019, the group used various tactics to hide from the security forces. Investigations have revealed that they used several houses in the area as safe houses during this short period. Eventually, their last hideout was a single-story house in the Bolivarian village in the Saindamaradu area.

It was the late afternoon of April 26th 2019, and the area, like many other places in the countrywas drowning in fear due to the most horrendous coordinated terrorist attacks in history. Several people in the mosque turned their attention to two men who went to pray at the Jumma Mosque that afternoon because of their suspicious behaviour. It did not take long to spread the news; many people were sceptical about the newcomers to their village.

The group chose to hide in a house in Bolivarian village in Saindamaradu area and determined that no one would pay attention to them. But their assumption was wrong. Bolivarian village is a Venezuelan-funded housing project for tsunami victims. The land selected for this project was previously used for paddy cultivation but due to its environmental difficulties, it was decided to use for the project. As a result of this project, the area was renamed the Bolivarian Village.

The group chose to hide in asbestos sheeted single floor house which has only one gate to enter or exit. It is a two-door black colour gate about seven feet high. Surrounded by four walls, the house consisted of a fairly large living area followed by a small veranda, two bedrooms, a kitchen and a toilet with a small shower area. The toilet was located near the kitchen, bordering a blind high wall about three feet from the kitchen wall. The house has a back door that allows access to the yard from the kitchen and enters the toilet. Even though that door, there is only one main gate for anyone to leave the house.

As of April 26, 2019, nineteen people, including Zahran's family members, were staying in the house. They had collected a large number of various items, including explosives, and currency notes. According to sources, Zahran's father Hayatu Mohammed, mother Synthi, wife Hadiya and her son Waseeth and daughter Rudaiyna, Rilwan, his wife Fatima Nafna, their children Mhra and Saheed, Sheini, his wife Fatima Afrin, their children Hamama and Umar, Zahrans sister Hidayah, her husband Rishad, and their daughter Rubeiyda, Zahran's second sister's husband Niaz, Sara and Feroza.

Rilwans video message

The security forces received a message that a suspicious group was staying in the house around 4 pm on April 26, according to information provided by the people living in the village and the trustee of the Jumma Mosque. The security forces in charge of the area decided to search the house accordingly. Before the search of the house, the Army immediately deployed security forces to cover the entrance or exit area of the house. That was the time that Rilwan issued the video message saying that the house was surrounded by troops in his term dogs and that they were carrying out their plan in the name of Allah.

"By the grace of Allah, by the grace of Allah, we will get ready for what we have planned to do. we will rid this country of dogs and non-Muslims for they have no place. We will continue our effort until they are punished, may Allah be with us. Even if we died, we will die as martyrs. What we plan to do will take place at every venue. Stay with us, stay strong, believe in our word. Allah never fails to answer the prayers of the faithful. these people who do us wrong will face three times the revenge of God. This is our Jihad. We ask for this on the day of Yamul Qiyamaha where every prayer is answered and every plea is heard by Allah. Allah never fails to answer those prayers," a joint video issued on social media by Rilwan, his father, and Shaini who was holding his son Umar on his lap were pledged.

However, the military operation was launched after they refused to surrender. Shaini and Niaz made a desperate attempt to prevent the army from entering the house and fired at the army. Niaz went out of the gate and tried to shoot at the army, but he was killed by the army in retaliation. His body was found about ten meters from the entrance gate of the house. Shaini's body was also found lying in the yard of the house. Only Zahran's wife Hadiya and her daughter survived with bad injures. Everyone else in the house was killed in the blasts. The other members of the household at the time were believed to beHayatuMohammed, Synthi, Rilwan, Fatima Nafna, Mihra, Saheed, Fatima Afrin, Hamama, Umar, Hidayah, Rishad, Rebeida, Sara, Feroza, and Zahrans son Waseeth all of whom were believed to have died in the series of blasts.

Here, the first focus of the investigation on how Hadiya and her daughter survived was a matter of fate. Accordingly, a lot of important data about the incident was revealed. Realizing that the security force members have surrounded the house, they all began to wash and clean their hands and feet as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, Rilwan was preparing to blow up the gas cylinder in the house and the fuel tank of the motorcycle which was kept inside the living area.

Rilwan then assisted the others to tie up the suicide kits at home after tying up his suicide kit. Since then, Sara and Feroza have been wearing suicide kits. Hadiya has stated that she had witnessed the two of them wearing suicide kits and, Sara invites Hadiya to join them immediately to go to heaven. At that moment, Hadiya had gone with her daughter from the living room to the toilet first and then to the next bedroom. At that moment bombs exploded. Consequently, Hadiya fainted and fell. Hours later, security forces rushed her and her daughter to the hospital, and dead bodies were taken to post-mortems. Only a few bodies were found that could be easily identified. The bodies of all the others who remained in the house were dismembered.

On April 28 and 29, 2019, the forensic pathologist in charge of the area sent the bodies and body parts for post-mortem examination and obtained biopsy samples for DNA testing. After obtaining the approval of the court, the samples were referred to the Government Analyst. Unfortunately, three of those biological tissue samples had expired, the Analyst told the court on May 15, 2019. The police then referred the case to the CID for further investigation.

First and Second DNA tests

Permission was sought from the court on June 7, 2019, to obtain biopsy samples for DNA testing again from the relevant body parts, stating that three of the biopsy samples obtained were tainted. The bodies of ten adults and one child were recovered and samples were taken for DNA testing. The Judicial Medical Officer and the CID were present but for whatever reason, the Analyst's Department officials did not attend. However, the DNA samples taken a second time were immediately sent fortests.

The results of those investigations were reported to the court three months later, on September 19, 2019. According to the relevant test report, the DNA tests could not confirm everyone in the house. Many questions than answers arose. Is it because they are not able to focus on certain parts when taking DNA samples? If not, was the number of persons in the house by the time of the explosions mentioned by Zahran's wife wrong? Did anyone in the house escape before the explosion or at the time of the military operation? These questions made the incident even more controversial. Most people's attention is drawn to Sara Jasmine, who returned from Colombo on April 19 with Hadiya and others. Because DNA tests could not confirm her body but all others.

What happened to Sara Jasmine, the wife of Abu Muhammad alias Mohammed Hashtun, the man who bombed St. Sebastian's Church in Katuwapitiya, Negombo? Some speculators and conspiracy theorists came up with many stories. One such story is that she has fled to India via Mannar with the support of a police officer as she was a mole of a spy agency. It has further complicated the investigations, though the most of stories were based on speculation and unsubstantiated rumours circulating throughout society. Therefore, it is important to look carefully at the actions taken by the officials of the law enforcement agencies in this country.

However, what we can reaffirm now is that the officials responsible for the first DNA tests on the victims of the explosions at the Bolivarian village house in Saindamaruthu did not pay keen attention to taking biopsy samples. Then, samples were taken from only a selected few bodies during the second round of DNA tests.

Evidence, meanwhile, showed that there was a difference between the number of people staying in the house and the number of bodies confirmed by DNA tests after the explosions. This discrepancy led to a wide social controversy and the truth was questioned. The basis for that controversy was that there was a political conspiracy behind this attack, and those who were the behind attacks helped Sara to escape. But when all the incidents in this chain of events are intertwined, it is very clear that there is no positive information or evidence to prove that there is a political conspiracy behind this or anyone who helped Sara to escape.

However, Hadiya has reconfirmed on several occasions that Sara Jasmine was present at the time of the explosions in the house. She also confirmed that she was wearing a suicide kit given by Rilwan. Shaini and Riyaz came out of the house and opened fire on the security forces, while three powerful explosions were reported inside the house. There is no credible evidence that anyone left the house after the explosions. As mentioned above, there is only one gate to enter and exit the house, which is surrounded by over seven feet high walls. It is also reported that a large number of people were watching the operation. Is it possible that anyone could have left the house at or after the explosions under such circumstances? Maj. Gen. Mahinda Mudalige, who commanded the Army in the operation, made it very clear that no one was able to escape after the Army surrounded the house since 6.00 pm on April 26, 2019.

However, the manufactured story about Sara remains as no scientific evidence to prove that she was dead. Meanwhile, a senior police officer attached to the Colombo Crimes Division has been assigned to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate the Easter Terrorist Attacks. It was November 27th, 2019. He reported that Sarah Jasmine had escaped while presenting before the Commission a testimony given by one of his informants as an eyewitness to the incident. Reports indicated that he uses a single statement of the relevant informant without any substantive details to prove the allegation. It is also clear that no detailed background study or mobile phone analysis has been conducted on the informant before presenting the evidence. So this so-called informant had changed his statements from time to time on several occasions.

According to the evidence presented in the Kalmunai Magistrate's Court, the informant of the police officer who worked in the Presidential Commission had obtained information from his driver, Sivalingam Ravindran. Based on his statement, one Selvaraja Devakumar and a Chief Inspector Abubakar, both residents of Kalawanchikudi, were arrested by the Colombo Crimes Division. Both were charged with aiding and abetting Sara Jasmine's escape. However, the person who allegedly provided information to the police officer's informant has made contradictory statements on several occasions and later admitted before the Kalmunai Magistrate's court that he had given false information. He also said that the police officer's informant had asked him to tell him that he had seen the woman fleeing in the hope of getting a cash reward.

Based on the findings of the investigations carried out so far, two basic facts can be inferred. The first is that his informant had misled the police officer who was in charge of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to settle certain personal grievances. Second, Sara Jasmine's escape to India for some reason may have been a deliberate fabrication by all involved including the police officer to get possible benefits.

However, there is still no credible evidence to prove that Sara Jasmine died in the bombings at home. Also, there is no credible evidence to prove that she fled the house at the time of the explosions. But there were serious defects in two rounds of DNA testing and the nature of collecting biopsy samples.

In this context, there are only several ideas that are said to have been given by people who claim to be informants and some of the assumptions that have been made are based on those ideas.

But here are a few basic facts to keep in mind. First, the allegations made by the informants that Sara Jasmine fled with the assistance of a police officer have been admitted by the court to be false themselves. Second, Zahran's wife, Hadiya, has repeatedly stated that she witnessed Sara Jasmine wearing a suicide kit at the time of the blasts. It has also been confirmed that Shyam, a resident of Kalmunai, who was arrested on intelligence, has witnessed that Sara Jasmine was staying in this house. Confirming this, Rilwan also said in his final video message that he had three wives of three people who had gone to heaven a few days earlier with him and that they too would go to heaven soon. Based on these facts, it is not wrong to believe that Sarah Jasmine was present at the time of the house explosion.

Third DNA Tests

Mahendran Pulasthini alias Sara Jasmine was born on March 7, 1996 at the Kalawanchikudi Hospital. Hospital records reconfirmed that the mother had given birth to a baby girl at the hospital at 08.30 am on the same day. Born into a Hindu family, later converted to Islam due to a love affair, Sara's life with many controversial events is very important to understand the different dimensions of the Easter attacks and the nature of the threats that may come in the future. Most importantly what happened to this girl who dreamt of becoming a medical doctor but turned into a suicide bomber for IS which led to the attacks on Easter in 2019? So it is very important to find out if she is alive or if she died in the explosions in the Bolivarian village house.

Against this backdrop, a third official request was made to the Security Council to obtain biopsies of the bodies of those killed in the explosions and to conduct DNA testing. That was two years ago, on the second day of February 2020. The request was made by Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay, director of the State Intelligence Service. He made that request, focusing on several very important issues.

The head of state intelligence, over two years ago, observed that it was important to confirm the status of Sara Jasmine and the failure to do so could lead to serious security, legal, and social implications in the future. However, for a variety of reasons including the pandemic, the third round of DNA tests took a long time than expected.

Finally, several senior police officers went with the Government Analyst on May 7, 2021, for a site inspection of the crime scene to resolve the controversy that was emerging throughout the society. They did not forget to take Zahran's wife Abdul Cader Fatima Hadiya to reconfirm the place. Following the site inspection, on 16 August 2021, the Government Analyst submitted a report to the CID making recommendations and observations on the matter. Saman Weerasinghe, a Chief Investigating officer of the Police, was instructed to retrieve the biopsy samples for further DNA testing to implement those recommendations immediately. Unfortunately, Mr. Weerasinghe died of illnesses, and the process was taken more time to obtain the necessary court order to collect the relevant biopsies.

When the case was taken to court on March 21, 2022, the police were able to obtain the relevant court order and the court was given time from April 08 to April 12 to obtain the relevant biopsy samples. However, the forensic pathologist in charge of the area was informed that he could not attend due to the urgent duties previously assigned to him. Therefore, April 27 was the date on which all responsible parties could participate. Accordingly, the body parts were exhumed and the required samples were taken for DNA testing. This time, the Judicial Medical Officer, Government Analyst and the CID took action to collect samples from all the relevant body parts. Therefore, this time the test will be crucial. It is to be hoped that there will be a clear scientific answer to the widespread rumours about Sara Jasmine.

Enigma of Sara Jasmine

However, no one has the right to say for sure whether Sara Jasmine died in the incident until confirmed by the thorough investigation. The unknown factors of her life as well as her current status have had a more controversial impact. This incident teaches us that it is very difficult and tedious to get the true picture of the incident which is surrounded by misinformation spread in the society through various elements and prejudices.

According to the evidence of those she last met, 23-year-old Sara Jasmine was born into a Hindu family and later converted to Islam and accepted violent extremism as the sole way to forever lasting liberation. Suicide bombers created by the LTTE and suicide bombers manufactured by Islamic extremism have opened up a new social dimension that we were reluctant to see. This abysmal transformation that takes place in someone who sacrifices their life for an individual or ideology highlights the need for an in-depth study of the society in which we live. Preventing the recurrence of such violent tendencies cannot be achieved by clinging to various conspiracies.

Social crises always make man think. How many people adapt to those temptations and focus on studying them? But unfortunately, many people tend to use any social event very easily to achieve narrow political objectives rather than seizing the opportunity to make a greater social contribution. If we close the path to the search for truth ourselves, we will become accustomed to gathering around the delusion. When delusion becomes the primary driving force in our lives, we inherit slavery over individual liberty. This is why the enigma of Sara Jasmine must be scientifically revealed. It is a form of collective social responsibility.

The author is a founding editor of the Sri Lanka Guardian and has been the editor until 2018. The views expressed in this article are his own and do not reflect the official policy or position of any other organisation or employer he is affiliated to.
Published on 2022/05/03 | Source

Actress Kim Hae-in is getting married.

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An official from IOK Company, her agency, told OSEN on the 3rd, "Kim Hae-in is getting married on the 7th. We ask for your understanding that the spouse is a non-celebrity and it is difficult to disclose the details. The ceremony will be held behind closed doors, the official said.

Kim Hae-in was a former member of the 49th Miss Korea Contest in 2005. In the same year, she debuted as an actress through the KBS 2TV drama "Golden Apple".

Since then, she has gained experience in acting by starring in popular dramas such as "The Slave Hunters", "Ojak Brothers", "Queen In-hyun's Man", and "My Love from the Star". In addition, hse has appeared in dramas such as "Crazy Love" and "Reverse" as well as films such as "Arang", "The Terror Live" and "Fist and Furious".

Kim Hae-in's latest work is Channel A drama "Show Window: The Queen's House" in which she played Choi Eun-kyeong, who has both honor and wealth.
A great deal depends on the institutional and management reforms that must take place if the U.N. is to become an effective body and on the willingness of the Group of 77 (G-77) nations to support these changes.

by Anwar A. Khan

The United Nations (UN) was set up in 1945 as an international umbrella organisation with several objectives primarily including the prevention of war and maintaining peace in disputed areas. However, the UN has failed so many times across the world.

The United States has greatly responsible for weakening the U.N. financially, politically, and strategically. Because of this, it has become an impotent body, lacking in legitimacy, financially insecure, and doomed to go down the same path as its predecessor, the League of Nations.

The Oil-for-Food and Congo peacekeeping scandals have had a devastating impact on the U.N.'s reputation, reinforcing the view that the world body is riddled with corruption and mismanagement, as well as a complete lack of discipline in its peacekeeping operations. The spectacular failure of the hugely discredited U.N. Commission on Human Rights (now the U.N. Human Rights Council), populated with some of the world's worst human rights violators, has added to the U.N.'s poor image.

A great deal depends on the institutional and management reforms that must take place if the U.N. is to become an effective body and on the willingness of the Group of 77 (G-77) nations to support these changes. If these reforms are not implemented, if Uncle Sams forced interests are not abandoned,no reforms will take place in the U.N.

There is also a popularly held view that the United States dominates the U.N. and that reform is merely an exercise in enhancing American power.

The history of the United Nations over the past several decadeshas been dominated by scandal, division, and failure. From the disaster of the U.N. peacekeeping missions in Rwanda and Bosnia in the mid-1990s to the U.N.'s slow response to the Sudan genocide, the U.N.'s recent track record has been spectacularly unimpressive. The tenure of Kofi Annan, which began in January 1997 and ends in December 2006, has been one of the least successful of any Secretary-General. His successor will inherit a largely poisoned chalice, a U.N. whose image has slipped to an all-time low.

The U.N.'s failure has been multifaceted and cannot be ascribed to one single cause. It is partly a failure of leadership, combined with poor management, discipline, and widespread inefficiency, as well as a deep-seated culture of corruption. It is also due to a lack of moral clarity on the international stage an unwillingness to confront acts of genocide or totalitarian regimes, coupled with a ready willingness to accommodate tyrants and dictators. It has led to a loss of faith in the U.N.'s ability to stand up even for its own Universal Charter of Human Rights, or protect the world's most vulnerable people, including victims of ethnic cleansing and refugees seeking protection under the U.N.'s flag.

It is a world body that is increasingly ill-equipped for the demands of the 22nd centuryand working its way towards irrelevance unless it undergoes a transformation. The U.N. today is best described as a sickly patient awaiting a blood transfusion.

Human Rights Failures.The United Nations has let down millions of the world's weakest and most vulnerable people in Africa and the Balkans. The U.N.'s failure to prevent the slaughter of thousands of Muslims at Srebrenica in 1995 and the mass killing of hundreds of thousands of Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994 are shameful episodes that will haunt the United Nations for generations.

There are echoes today of Bosnia and Rwanda in the killing fields of Darfur in the Sudan, a tragedy that the U.N. initially refused to categorize as genocide. Over 200,000 people have lost their lives, many of them at the hands of the Janjaweed militias, backed by the Sudanese government. Sudan, a country with an appalling human rights track record, was an active member of the now-defunct U.N. Commission on Human Rights from 2002 to 2005. It used its membership to help block censure from the United Nations. Zimbabwe, another African country with a horrific record of abusing the rights of its citizens, sat on the council from 2003 to 2005.

The council's lack of membership criteria renders it open to participation and manipulation by the world's worst human rights abusers. Tyrannical regimes such as Burma, Syria, Libya, Sudan, and Zimbabwe all voted in favour of establishing the council in the face of strong U.S. opposition. The North Korean dictatorship also gave the council its ringing endorsement. When council elections were held in May,leading human rights abusers Algeria, China, Cuba, Pakistan, Russia, and Saudi Arabia were all elected.

Founded after the Second World War, UNESCO was established "to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of the world." But UNESCO has had a controversial history.

The Congo Peacekeeping Scandal.The U.N.'s human rights failure has been compounded by a series of peacekeeping scandals, from Bosnia to Burundi to Sierra Leone. By far the worst instances of abuse have taken place in the Congo, the U.N.'s second largest peacekeeping mission, with 16,000 peacekeepers.

In the Congo, acts of barbarism have been perpetrated by United Nations peacekeepers and civilian personnel entrusted with protecting some of the weakest and most vulnerable women and children in the world. Personnel from the U.N. Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) stand accused of at least 150 major human rights violations. This is almost certainly just the tip of the iceberg: The scale of the problem is likely to be far greater.

The crimes involve rape and forced prostitution of women and young girls across the country, including inside a refugee camp in the town of Bunia in northeastern Congo. The alleged perpetrators include U.N. military and civilian personnel from Nepal, Morocco, Tunisia, Uruguay, South Africa, Pakistan, and France. The victims are defenseless refugees- many of them childrenwho have already been brutalized and terrorized by years of war and who looked to the U.N. for safety and protection.

Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan acknowledged that "acts of gross misconduct have taken place." A draft United Nations report described sexual exploitation by U.N. personnel in the Congo as "significant, widespread and ongoing." In the words of William Lacy Swing, Annan's special representative to the Congo, "We are shocked by it, we're outraged, we're sickened by it. Peacekeepers who have been sworn to assist those in need, particularly those who have been victims of sexual violence, instead have caused grievous harm."

The sexual abuse scandal in the Congo makes a mockery of the U.N.'s professed commitment to upholding basic human rights. U.N. peacekeepers and the civilian personnel who work with them should be symbols of the international community's commitment to protecting the weak and innocent in times of war. The exploitation of some of the most vulnerable people in the world-refugees in a war-ravaged country is a shameful episode and a massive betrayal of trust.

Corruption: The scandal surrounding the U.N.-administered Oil-for-Food Program has also done immense damage to the world organization's already shaky credibility. The Oil-for-Food scandal is undoubtedly the biggest scandal in the history of the United Nations and probably the largest financial fraud in modern times. It has shattered the illusion that the U.N. is the arbiter of moral authority in the international sphere.

Set up in the mid-1990s as a means of providing humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people, the U.N.-run Oil-for-Food Program was subverted and manipulated by Saddam Hussein's regime, allegedly with the complicity of U.N. officials, to help prop up the Iraqi dictator. Saddam's dictatorship was able to siphon off billions of dollars from the program through oil smuggling and systematic thievery, by demanding illegal payments from companies buying Iraqi oil, and through kickbacks from those selling goods to Iraq-all under the noses of U.N. bureaucrats.

In addition, the 18-month, US$34 million U.N.-appointed Independent Inquiry Committee (IIC) documented a huge amount of evidence regarding manipulation of the US$60 billion program by the Saddam Hussein regime with the complicity of more than 2,200 companies in 66 countries as well as a number of prominent international politicians. The three-member committee was chaired by former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker. The other two committee members were South African Justice Richard Goldstone and Swiss professor of criminal law Mark Pieth.

The 500-page report painted an ugly tableau of bribery, kickbacks, corruption, and fraud on a global scale. It amply demonstrates how the Iraqi dictator generously rewarded those who supported the lifting of U.N. sanctions on Iraq and who paid lip service to his barbaric regime. Oil-for-Food became a shameless political charade through which Saddam Hussein attempted to manipulate decision making at the U.N. Security Council by buying the support of influential figures in countries such as Russia and France.

In future years, the Secretary-General should not be permitted to hand-pick the investigative committee inquiring into a U.N. scandal and then pass it off as "independent." Such inquiries will always be open to the possibility of political interference and manipulation by those being investigated.

Founded in 1945 with lofty ambitions to advance peace, prosperity, and security in the world, the United Nations can point to few significant achievements. Its two finest hours-the defense of South Korea in the Korean War and the liberation of Kuwait from Iraq-were both American- and British-led operations that frankly would have taken place even if the United Nations did not exist. Still then, because of the United States interests, the U.N. is little more than an emperor with no clothes.

-The End 

The writer is an independent political analyst based in Dhaka, Bangladesh who writes on politics, political and human-centred figures, current and international affairs
JINAN, May 4 (Xinhua) -- As a passenger ro-ro ship sailed into the Weihai Port in east China's Shandong Province, 15 container trucks loaded with cargo drove out of the cabin. Within three hours, the goods they contained were ready to be distributed across China.

Via the route, which Shandong has been actively developing since 2008, the distance between the province and the Republic of Korea (ROK) has been shortened to no more than 200 nautical miles.

The existing nine passenger and cargo lines connecting Shandong's Qingdao, Yantai, Weihai and Rizhao with the ROK account for over half of China's total routes to the ROK. Over 50 ship routes operate on the "maritime highway" every week.

With its unique advantages in costs and efficiency, the "highway" has been busy since its launch.

In 2017, it took over 23 hours of travel and clearance procedures for imports to enter China through Weihai's Rongcheng port, and 1.27 hours for exports. However, the travel periods have been slashed to 12.25 hours and 0.94 hours, respectively, in 2021.

Korean trailers, after being pulled into port supervision work sites by Chinese tractors, have since last year been able to travel across China without changing tractors after customs clearance, thanks to upgraded management.

"Our company's business increased by 45 percent last year, thanks to the new customs management mode. With the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement between China and the ROK coming into effect this year, we expect more contracts," said Xu Guangyao, manager of the logistics department of the Sinotrans Central China Company.

On Feb. 1, China adopted the tariff rate it had pledged under the RCEP agreement for selected imports from the ROK.

Official figures show that trade between Shandong and the ROK in 2021 reached 269.55 billion yuan (40.69 billion U.S. dollars), up 29.7 percent over the previous year.

"With the implementation of the RCEP and ensuing tariff reductions and trade facilitation, Shandong's trade with the ROK is expected to keep growing," said Zhao Yang, director of the Department of General Operation of Qingdao Customs. 
New Look Will Transform More Than 2,600 Guest Rooms -

Todd-Avery Lenahan Leads The Resort's Largest And Most Extensive Design Evolution.

Wynn Las Vegas, the largest Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star resort in the world, unveils details of a new room concept that will transform its luxury guest accommodations across Wynn Las Vegas and Wynn Tower Suites. Currently under construction and scheduled to be completed by June 2022, the project is the largest and most extensive design evolution ever made to the tower's 2,674 guest rooms, suites, elevator lobbies, and resort tower corridors.

At its heart, the new guest room design intends to give travelers a sense of escapism that feels instantly comfortable and familiar. Rooted in a polychromatic palette of soft hues, layers of pattern and texture abound. Each room is highlighted by wood accent walls, a range of functional and atmospheric illumination, luxurious textiles and linens, and accents of natural stone, decorative metal, and original artwork.

New furniture, fixtures, lighting, and artwork - all exclusive to Wynn Las Vegas - were either custom designed by Lenahan or commissioned from a diverse collective of global master artisans. Focal points include a dramatic four poster canopy bed exclusive to the Wynn Tower Suites, a collection of commissioned artworks consisting of refined, modern pieces, as well as a lighting design created to enhance the ambient experience both day and night.

Each guest room, from the standard 640 square feet Wynn Resort King to the 1,817 square feet Wynn Tower Suite Salon, offers a retreat-like environment and features a bespoke iteration of the new theme, which is decidedly more residential. Although individual touches have been created to suit differing room layouts, the most notable changes include a reconfiguration to the washroom in the standard guest room to introduce separate vanities and double the storage space; an expanded dressing area with mirrored walls and upgraded closet with new wardrobe; and an extended multi-purpose table in the main living room for working and dining. Additional power and data ports and advanced touchless in-room technologies complete the project.

Under the direction of Todd-Avery Lenahan, the new guest room design propels the resort's signature style ethos of elegance, artfulness, and comfort into a new era of artistic expression. Over the past months, Lenahan debuted original designs including the instantly iconic supper club, Delilah at Wynn Las Vegas, a lavish cinematic masterwork hailed by Forbes as "the evolution of Vegas' future"; The Cocktail Collection on the Lake of Dreams, including Overlook Lounge, Aperitifs & Spirits, Bar Parasol, and Aft Cocktail Deck; and the resort's newest restaurant, Casa Playa, an energetic confluence of coastal Mexican architecture and timeless cultural iconography.

Prior to joining Wynn Resorts, Lenahan was a key collaborator in the creation of more than 50 spaces for the Company's global portfolio of luxury resorts and casinos and is credited with originating several Wynn-brand design tenets referenced to this day. Among his many contributions are Encore Tower Suites in Las Vegas and Macau; SW Steakhouse at Wynn Palace, Cotai; the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas; and The Spa at Encore Las Vegas, which is widely recognized as a tour-de-force and one of the most beautiful spas in the world.

Hotel website
IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world's leading hotel groups, has today announced the appointment of Danny Ha as Development Representative for Korea. In this role, Danny will be supporting the strategic growth of IHG brands in Korea, and as an in-market IHG ambassador, focus on building long and trusted relationships with owners.

Based in Seoul, Danny brings 25 years of experience in hospitality strategy and planning, brand development, contract negotiation and conversions, pre-opening and project management in Korea.

Prior to joining IHG, Danny ran his own hotel consulting practice where he represented owners in various capacities including operator selection searches, asset management, market feasibility, brand strategy and project management consulting. He was also an Owner's representative for high profile projects including JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul for Dongsung Co., Ltd, luxury and dual-branded projects for Dongbu Corporation, and for Gangwondo Development Corporation, owner of IHG's InterContinental Alpensia Pyeongchang Resort, Holiday Inn Resort Alpensia Pyeongchang and Holiday Inn & Suites Alpensia Pyeongchang.
Sunny Goo joins the team as Hotel Manager across both voco Auckland City Centre and Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre, two of Auckland's most anticipated hotel openings.

Having spent the past ten years working with Accor in various roles, Sunny's most recent position was as General Manager of Mercure Auckland Queen Street where she was part of the pre-opening team that launched the property.

Prior to that, she was the Executive Assistant Manager for Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa where she was part of the core executive team overseeing the renovation project from concept proposal to execution.

Sunny will head up both of the new hotels in Auckland, which mark the debut of the voco brand to New Zealand and an exciting new era of travel, offering diverse and differentiated stay experiences for both local and international visitors alike. Holiday Inn Express Auckland will be the second hotel from the globally-loved brand to open in New Zealand.
The richness of Latin American culture welcomes the finest travel brands, advisors and media to our Brazilian home, Sao Paulo. Creating exciting itineraries, bold new business and lifelong bonds all take place in the alpha city.

New advisors, bursting diaries and cultural celebrations sum up the ILTM Latin America experience. Arrive with a great passion for our industry and leave with a jillion new adventures.

This event is organized by RX
LONDON - IDeaS, a SAS company, the worlds leading provider of hospitality revenue management software and services, announced today the winners of the Fabian Specht Future Revenue Innovator Scholarship. The scholarships have been awarded to two international EHL students pursuing a hospitality management education including Lea Ebzant and Arina Syrdybayeva.

In addition to her studies, Ms. Ebzant works and has two contracts as a student ambassador and student assistant at EHL in food and beverage, banqueting, and others. She also works in temporary jobs for hotels such as Beau Rivage, Lausanne Palace, and smaller restaurants.

Ms. Syrdybayeva currently has two part-time jobs, one as a business development intern, working remotely in Hilton Astana, and as a marketing assistant for a security company. She is also an EHL Alliance ambassador in the revenue management company HotelPartners.

IDeaS committed 18,000 to be awarded annually beginning with the 2022-23 academic year. EHL is the world-leading hospitality management university according to QS Rankings, with campuses in Switzerland and Singapore. The scholarships are awarded to students seeking EHLs Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management.

Ms. Ebzant said: It is an honor for me to receive the Fabian Specht Scholarship. I would like to thank IDeaS and EHL for selecting me as one of its recipients and for supporting me in my education as well as in my future in hospitality.

Ms. Syrdybayeva said: "Thanks for this high honour. It means very much to me to be awarded Fabien Specht Future Revenue Innovator Scholarship. Im very happy and through my education and this scholarship award, I will continue to study and work hard to fulfill my future aspirations and hope to become a successful hospitality leader."

Dr. Ravi Mehrotra, president, founder, and chief scientist, IDeaS, said: Fabians passing had a great impact on our industry, and he is greatly missed. While the pandemic forced a delay in awarding the scholarships, we are very glad to see they have been given to these two eager students. Im certain Fabian would be proud to know that his legacy lives on, through these young ladies and through future hospitality students.

About the scholarship: The scholarship was created in memory of EMEA-area vice president of IDeaS Fabian Specht who passed away unexpectedly in December 2019. A passionate and visionary industry leader, Specht was a returning lecturer at EHL, seeking to educate and inspire the next generation of hospitality revenue leaders. The Fabian Specht Future Revenue Innovator Scholarship honors Spechts memory and legacy of lifelong service to the hospitality industry.

Visit ideas.com/about/scholarship for more details on its scholarship programs.

About EHL

EHL Group is the global reference in education, innovation and consulting for the hospitality and services sector. With expertise dating back to 1893, EHL now offers leading educational programs ranging from apprenticeships to master's degrees, as well as professional and executive education, on three campuses in Switzerland and Singapore. EHL also provides consulting and certification services to companies and learning centers around the world. True to its values and committed to building a sustainable world, EHL is committed to providing education, services and working environments that are people-centered and open to the world. www.ehlgroup.com

About IDeaS

IDeaS, a SAS company, is the world's leading provider of revenue management software and services. With over 30 years of expertise, IDeaS delivers revenue science to more than 18,000 clients in 145 countries. Combining industry knowledge with innovative, data-analytics technology, IDeaS creates sophisticated yet simple ways to empower revenue leaders with precise, automated decisions they can trust. Results delivered. Revenue transformed. Discover greater profitability at ideas.com.

Kim Dearborn

+1 909 455 4316

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Hospitality Net, together with Travel Singularity, Olimiant, and HFTP is proud to announce the first First Travel & Hospitality Gathering in the Metaverse. Meta Meetup is being produced as an innovative and experiential event where industry thought-leaders discuss the digital transformation of travel & hospitality.

Traveling Without Moving, how Web3, Metaverse(s), NFT, crypto, DAO, and blockchain are changing the industry. The Meta Meetup will break new boundaries within the hospitality industry as visionaries, technology solutions providers, and hoteliers begin to embrace this new virtual landscape of human interaction.

The list of confirmed speakers is below but continues to expand day by day. The program will include two main sessions, one in the morning (CET) and one in the afternoon (CET). Here are just a few of the avatars speaking:

Simone Puorto - Founder | CEO | Futurist (Moderator)

Floor Bleeker - Chief Technology Officer at Accor

Lennert de Jong - Commercial Director at citizenM

Stephen Burke - Founder and CEO at Robosize ME

Frank Wolfe - Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at HFTP

Pablo Delgado - Managing Partner & CEO America @ MIRAI

Daniel E. Craig - Founder, Reknown

Alexander Edstrom - CEO at Atomize

Sebastien Felix - Founder at Influence Society

Jan Hejny - CEO & Founder at HotelTime Solutions

Paula Marie Kilgarriff - International Lecturer of Web3 Fashion Marketing, Branding & Retail Innovation

Brendan May - Managing Director at Hotel Res Bot

Antonio Picozzi - CEO & Founder at Takyon

Michael Robinson - Product Marketing Manager at Chainlink Labs

Juanjo Rodriguez - Founder, The Hotels Network

Henri Roelings - Founder & CEO at Hospitality Net

Rita Jusztina Varga - CEO RaizUp

The meetup will take place from 11 AM until 6 PM CET, May 20, 2022, in one of the worlds most iconic locations: The Trinita dei Monti steps in Rome, Italy. The Trinita dei Monti is best known for its position above the Spanish Steps, leading down to the famous Piazza di Spagna. Click here for more info.

Make no mistake, this is not a webinar about the Metaverse; this will be a webinar INSIDE the Metaverse, stated Simone Puorto, Founder of Travel Singularity. The Metaverse offers a new way to interact with reality(ies), being real-life, AR, VR, or MR. But, more interesting for the hospitality industry, the Metaverse will most likely be a fully functioning economy.

Attendees can join this event in several different ways. If you happen to be the owner of a VR headset, this will be the optimal way to experience the webinar combined with using a Metaverse platform called Spatial. However, if you do not have a VR system, you can use the link here: https://spatial.io/ and navigate through the webinar. If you need more help, here is a link that outlines everything you need to know when using Spatial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdnSQcCkuo0

The meetup was an idea that came to life extremely quickly, like most things today that are wrapped in technology, said Henri Roelings, Founder of Hospitality Net. Hospitality Net has always prided itself in helping to educate the industry on new trends and innovations and introducing the Metaverse into the hospitality industry is no exception.

Hoteliers will need to reimagine and experiment with what new immersive and consultative experiences could mean to guests. In addition to new opportunities to sell, the Metaverse will also help build loyalty through experiences that go beyond just buying a hotel room, stated Frank Wolfe, CEO of HFTP. These are new days when it comes to Metaverse adoption, but the future looks quite impressive, and events such as this Meta Meetup will help amplify the adoption rate.

Click here for more information and to register for the event.

register now

About Travel Singularity

Travel SingularityTravel Singularity is the only consultancy firm for hotels and travel technology providers whose vision is to solve the growing needs for connecting the dots between digital disruption and change with the existing technology. Its founder, Simone Puorto, is a former hotel General Manager, author of three best-selling books on marketing, MBA lecturer, co-Founder of the video podcast channel Funnel TV, CMO for tech startups such as TellTheHotel and Profiter, and contributor for the major blogs in the industry. He often refers to himself as a Renaissance Futurist, and he is supporter of post-human, anti-speciesists, and transhumanist values. Over his career, spanning across over 20 years, he consulted for hundreds of international hotel groups, travel tech vendors, and startups. To learn more, visit www.travelsingularity.com.

About Olimaint

Olimaint is a company with legal and operational headquarters in Brescia (Italy) and operates in the IT field at 360 degrees. The company designs and operates complex hardware systems and geographic networks, with application programs aimed at small, medium and large commercial and industrial companies, with ERP MICROAREA procedures of great power, functionality and reliability. The speeding up of interventions, combined with technical expertise on applications, hardware, operating systems and software environments, are the best guarantee for all users who grow our customers year after year. To learn more, visit www.olimaint.it.

About HFTP

HFTP is the professional non profit association for financial and IT personnel working in hotels, resorts, clubs, casinos, restaurants, and other hospitality-related businesses. The association provides continuing education and networking opportunities thousands of members and stakeholders globally. HFTP also administers the examination and awards the certification for the Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive (CHAE) and the Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP) designations. HFTP was founded in 1952 as the National Association of Hospitality Accountants. HFTP owns and produces several global products including the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference, HITEC, Pineapplesearch.com, HFTP Club Summit, HFTP Club Forum, and the Uniform System of Accounting for the Lodging Industry (USALI). HFTP has offices in Austin, Texas, USA, Hong Kong, SAR,, and Dubai, U.A.E. To learn more, visit www.hftp.org and www.hftp.org/hitec/

About Hospitality Net

Hospitality Net is the #1 ranked website for the global hospitality community. Recognized as the most influential industry trade (B2B) publication, Hospitality Net attracts the largest number of unique visitors, page views and targeted subscribers through its unparalleled network of sites and partners. Since its inception in 1999, Hospitality Net has been regarded as the most trusted source for industry leaders and experts to connect, share, and learn. Content is distributed to a network of partner sites and associations including HFTP, HSMAI, and HITEC, and supports all facets of the business including opinion articles, press releases, appointments, events, job openings, webinars, reports, sponsored content, and digital advertising. Hospitality Net has the most innovative publishing and distribution technology, as well as robust reporting capabilities to ensure clients can maximize their marketing ROI and measure their success. To learn more, visit hospitalitynet.org.

Henri Roelings

Founder & CEO

Hospitality Net
Hilton seeks to hire prospective Team Members during Chef Recruitment Week, between 9-13 May 2022

Over 30 hotels from Dunblane to Brighton are taking part, with local events taking place including a create your own cookie recipe at DoubleTree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro, to breakfast with the chef at Hilton London Metropole

London, UK  Hilton (NYSE: HLT) will host a Chef Recruitment Week from 9-13 May 2022, as it looks to fill over 100 roles within its bars and restaurants across the UK and Ireland.

Held over five days across the UK, Chef Recruitment Week will allow prospective Team Members to visit their local hotels and learn about the different opportunities available. Among the new job openings, roles range from Apprentice Chef and Junior Sous Chef, to Chef de Partie and Head Chef positions.

Budding hospitality workers can attend events including:

London Hilton on Park Lanes Galvin at Windows will also be hosting a signature event for Hiltons Chef Recruitment Week, including cooking masterclasses and food tastings, on 16th May 2022.

Richard Raven, Regional Director, F&B, UK&I and Israel, Hilton said: We have some incredible chefs working in our restaurants across the UK and Ireland, many of whom have worked all over the world serving up creative and top-class dishes to our guests. During Hilton Chef Recruitment Week we hope to add to that talent and perhaps start someone on their own incredible career journey.

We encourage all potential new Team Members to come down to one of our many Chef Recruitment Week events to find out more about the roles available and hopefully join our team!

Hilton just recently ranked as #3 Best Workplace, and the top hospitality company, in the UK, and #3 on the UKs Best Workplaces For Women by Great Place to Work. As well as a commitment to create a diverse workplace culture through partnerships with Aurora Foxes, Springboard and the Armed Forces, Team Members within F&B are also offered a number of different development opportunities. Among these opportunities are the Venture Beyond initiative, which challenges F&B Team Members to create a three-course meal with wine pairings, and ProChef, an industry-recognised culinary training programme with the Culinary Institute of America.

For those unable to join Hilton during Chef Recruitment Week, it is also possible to search and apply for roles on jobs.hilton.com. To learn more about F&B at Hilton, follow @TasteofHilton.

*Hilton ranked as #3 in the Super Large category of the UKs Best Workplaces list in 2022 and #3 in the Super Large category of the UKs Best Workplaces For Women list by Great Place to Work in 2021.

About Hilton

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 18 world-class brands comprising more than 6,800 properties and more than 1 million rooms, in 122 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, earned a top spot on the 2021 World's Best Workplaces list and been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for five consecutive years. In 2021, in addition to opening more than one hotel a day, Hilton introduced several industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the nearly 128 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can't buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
ATLANTA, Ga.  Following a vote by the AAHOA Board of Directors, Laura Lee Blake, Esq., will be the new President and CEO of AAHOA, the nations largest hotel owners association, effective May 16, 2022. Blake will succeed Ken Greene, who served in the role for a short time in 2021 and part of 2022. Blake has been an attorney for more than 25 years and most recently was a partner with Connor, Fletcher, and Hedenkamp LLP in Irvine, California. She brings decades of experience in the fields of law, government, business, and academia to AAHOA.

But she isnt a newcomer to the organization. Blake previously worked for AAHOA for nearly 10 years, from 2005 to 2014, and says it was one of the highlights of her career.

I was frequently inspired by the work ethic and business acumen of AAHOA Members, and I was surrounded by numerous dedicated Board members, executive staff, and team members  many of whom are still my friends today, incoming President and CEO Laura Lee Blake said. AAHOA Members embody the American dream. They exhibit how success is possible with hard work and an opportunity to grow and expand their businesses under our free enterprise system. There is simply no place like AAHOA to make a real difference for our members, hotel owners, and the industry at large.

During her time with AAHOA, Blake advocated on members behalf, worked with officials at the Federal, State, and local levels to pass laws and regulations that would protect the interests of hoteliers and small business owners, promoted fair franchising, hosted franchise law educational sessions, spoke to members about their legal rights, and much more.

Of course, I was never alone in these endeavors, since there were countless Board members, the AAHOA president and executive team, and committed volunteers who supported the work, Blake said, But in the end, we achieved significant things, and it was a fantastic 10 years working with AAHOA.

As the incoming President and CEO of AAHOA, Blake has the vision to continue to build on the strength and unity of the AAHOA Members.

With the resurgence of interest in AAHOAs 12 Points of Fair Franchising and the future of franchising in general, this is a perfect opportunity to return to AAHOA and open the dialogue with the leading franchisors for the benefit of our members, the brands, and all of the franchise systems, Blake said. Its a great time to follow the lead of our members in building and expanding on the influence of this great association to have a lasting impact for years to come.

Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic and the concerning effect it had on the travel industry, as with any organization, difficulties can arise in reconfiguring the operational structure of AAHOA to ensure efficiency and maximum impact.

As I step into this new role, my immediate task will be to help lead AAHOA as it relaunches its operational mission and moves forward to achieve its goals, with guidance and strategic direction from the AAHOA Board of Directors, explained Blake. From rebuilding the AAHOA Team and refocusing our tactical priorities to preparing for an incredible Regional season and continuing AAHOAs efforts around fair franchising, Im ready to hit the ground running and cant think of anywhere else Id rather be.

Over the years as an attorney, Blake often formed strong, lasting relationships with her clients because she believed in their causes and wanted to do her best to bring them successful results. The AAHOA Board of Directors is confident Blake will take this same approach and apply it to the AAHOA Members as she steps into her new role.

We are so excited to have Laura Lee back as part of the AAHOA family, said AAHOA Chairman Neal Patel. Whether its evaluating the franchisor-franchisee relationship to determine how best to improve the ROI so its more enticing for our members, to promoting fair franchising that will benefit both sides, or hosting franchise law educational sessions, her in-depth knowledge, experience, and advocacy work are just what this organization needs to take our franchising advocacy efforts to the next level. Plus, she will be assisting with prioritizing strategies for legislative advocacy and building alliances with those who understand and support the travel industry. This is a critical time for AAHOA, and Laura Lee will play a key role in getting the job done.

Im excited to be AAHOAs next President and CEO, grateful for the Boards support and faith in me, and deeply committed to serving this great organization, Blake said. With its more than 20,000 members who own 60% of all hotels in the U.S., I am truly honored to have a role in strengthening the position of AAHOA to serve as the one and only voice and foremost advocate for Americas hotel owners.

About AAHOA

AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the nation, with Member-owned properties representing a significant part of the U.S. economy. AAHOA's 20,000 members own 60% of the hotels in the United States and are responsible for 1.7% of the nation's GDP. More than one million employees work at AAHOA member-owned hotels, earning $47 billion annually, and member-owned hotels support 4.2 million U.S. jobs across all sectors of the hospitality industry. AAHOA's mission is to advance and protect the business interests of hotel owners through advocacy, industry leadership, professional development, member benefits, and community engagement.
Cultural frame

Culture matters because it runs deep. The ways in which our cultural frames shape our thinking and behaviors are largely unconscious and very difficult to change. They are inextricably linked to our personalities and workplace personas, clearly labelling them handle with care. Cultivating your cultural intelligence fine-tunes your radar for cross-cultural pitfalls and diversifies your approach to exercising influence, leading to better outcomes for yourself, your team and your company.

This is because influencing is, at least in part, about tuning into how other peoples minds work and how their emotions and values feed into their behavior. Doing this justice in a multicultural environment requires careful consideration of the following points.

Being direct vs. being diplomatic

One of the chief distinguishing factors between cultures is the extent to which people communicate directly with one another. This is referred to as low-context vs. high-context. In low-context cultures, people say what they mean. They value clarity, precision, honesty and frankness. In high-context cultures, there is far greater emphasis on meaning being inferred from context. Contextual cues may include non-verbal behavior, such as body language or eye contact, but also social status, relationship history or setting. Rather than saying no outright, people in high-context cultures might be more likely to say well see  or even yes.

As you optimize your influencing skills, ask yourself whether your counterparts are more or less direct than you are, whether they like to be given details of what is expected or prefer a little more free rein. Regulate how blunt your requests are accordingly, shifting the emphasis from clarity and completeness to diplomatic phrasing as required.

How to motivate your team

Depending on where your counterparts cultures rank on the power-distance index, motivating them may be more or less of a challenge. People from high power-distance societies have greater respect for hierarchies, while in low power-distance societies, individuals aim to distribute power equally. Gauge any resistance you are encountering and adjust course where necessary.

In doing so, recall that influencing people has a great deal to do with making them feel like their contribution is valued. That they are involved in reaching the common goal and they are appreciated. When it comes to providing incentives, consider what is the most culturally fitting form of reward. There are two factors to bear in mind here: masculinity vs femininity and indulgence vs restraint.

People from masculine cultures are more likely to be driven by achievement and desire material rewards for their success, while those from feminine cultures value cooperation and modesty, and look for ways to improve their quality of life. This might translate to something as simple as a preference for bonuses in the former case vs. other perks in the latter.

Meanwhile, team members from more indulgent societies that more readily allow for instant gratification, low-threshold enjoyment and fun might respond well to regular displays of appreciation from management. Those from more restrained societies, however, may feel alienated by overt gestures.

Managing criticism and conflict

Moments of criticism or conflict provide a unique opportunity to exert influence. You will want to be mindful of individualism vs. collectivism in this regard. Individualist cultures are I-centric, while collectivist cultures are we-centric. Members of individualist cultures may welcome conflict and debate as it stimulates diversity and staves off groupthink. They may see conflict as an opportunity to demonstrate their competitive spirit and edge, expect to be challenged and prepared to defend their position. Members of collectivist cultures, however, may prefer to pursue collective goals, share ideas and find consensus. They might respond better to being asked to share their perspective, seeking compromise at worst and a win-win at best. Note that it could be preferable to voice criticism towards members of this group one-to-one to allow them to save face.

Criticism and conflict also provide the perfect opportunity to bolster an important influencing sub-skill: active, empathetic listening. It is not always easy to discern how someones culture impacts how they feel about a given situation, but the first step towards a better understanding is to truly receive their message, maintaining an open mind and responding rather than reacting.

Choosing the right leadership style

Consider the extent to which fostering rapport should form part of your repertoire of influencing skills. Are you looking to influence by transaction or by transformation? The former relies upon top-down, hierarchical structures in which senior management makes decisions and the rest of the organization implements them, while the latter sees leaders mobilize their troops through encouragement, support and empathy.

Depending on your leadership style, you may be looking to openly build rapport or to cultivate an underlying sense of trust. Here, the difference between affective and cognitive trust may be of note. In business, individualist cultures place greater emphasis on cognitive trust, which involves confidence in a persons abilities, experience and reliability. Collectivist cultures favor affective trust, which is based on emotion, character and intentions, and develops thanks to warm relationships.

Consider this when assessing how much time and effort to invest in personal relationships with your team and whether or not to share any personal information. While some might appreciate efficient goal-orientation, others might respond better to more flexible deadlines that allow for more interpersonal exchange. Who knows, the secret to influence may end up being as simple as taking a moment to sit back together with a cup of tea, coffee or whatever culturally-adjusted beverage, reflecting on life and interacting like humans.

About EHL Group

EHL Group encompasses a portfolio of specialized business units that deliver hospitality management education and innovation worldwide. Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, the Group includes:

EHL Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne is an ambassador for traditional Swiss hospitality and has been a pioneer in hospitality education since 1893 with over 25,000 alumni worldwide and over 120 nationalities. EHL is the world's first hospitality management school that provides undergraduate and graduate programs at its campuses in Lausanne, Singapore and Chur-Passugg, as well as online learning solutions. The university of applied sciences is ranked n1 by QS World University Rankings by subject and CEOWorld Magazine, and its gastronomic restaurant is the world's only educational establishment to hold a Michelin Star for a third consecutive year.

EHL Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality has been one of the leading hospitality management colleges for hotel specialists for over 50 years. The College delivers Swiss-accredited federal diplomas of vocational education and training and of higher education in its 19th century spa-hotel in Chur-Passugg, Graubunden, to Swiss and international students from 30 countries.

EHL Advisory Services is the largest Swiss hospitality advisory company specializing in service culture implementation, business consulting, as well as the development and quality assurance of learning centers. EHL Advisory Services has offices in Lausanne, Beijing, Shanghai and New Delhi and has delivered mandates in more than 60 countries over the past 40 years.

www.ehlgroup.com

Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne

Communications Department

+41 21 785 1354

EHL

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At the 2021 Boutique Lifestyle Leadership Conference, leaders in the industry focused on developing deep insight into the complexity of challenging topics, while also remaining on the tangible ground, offering modern solutions to current problems. A wide diversity of voices gave real-world examples of practicing modern sustainability and incorporating wellness in new projects. The BLLA conference effectively answered the question, how do wellness and sustainability relate to one another in the tourist industry, and how can we incorporate these elements into our design? With speakers and panelists from all over the globe, including Bali, Ecuador, Chicago, London, Cape Town, India, Argentina, etc., it is clear wellness and sustainability will be common themes across the board in upcoming tourism and travel.

The conference kicked off its 12th anniversary with the first talk of the day: Wellness: How to Create an Awakening Experience, focusing on how wellness is directly linked to elements of design. The space that surrounds us can cause high levels of stress, or take us to a sense of wellbeing, Romina Nicolino, the Director of Spa and Wellness at AKEN Hotels & Resorts said. When addressing how people are affected by the surrounding spaces, she added; we try to combine our philosophy of wellness with the architecture, this is the key in every space of the spa.

Entre Cielos, AKEN Hotels & Resorts, Argentina Photo by BLLA

Romina was not alone in the sentiment that wellbeing is all in the subtleties. Monica Cuervo, the Senior Vice President and Regional Director, North & South America at WATG, spoke to the idea that hotels can curate the wellness of guests by considering all the small details of the experience; from the moment they arrive at their destination, to the check-out process. She added, I think it has to do with all of the senses,  each of the five senses must be touched, and went on to explain; so many aspects of our stay at a hotel have to do with all of those little details.

In the same conversation, Master Surendran offered a clear definition of wellness. We all could use a reminder, as this buzzword makes its way into bubble bath marketing. Surendran, the accredited Feng Shui Master, Vastu Consultant, and Bio Energetician added that WHUS defines wellness as the total process of having physical, mental, and social wellbeing. You are physically fit, mentally fit, and the environment is supporting you to bring out the best in you. And then, you can contribute towards society. With this definition in mind, we can more clearly understand how elements of design, discussed by associates and suppliers for the span of the conference, are all contingent on the focus of visitors wellbeing in a practical way.

During the conference, most of the conversations regarding design and wellbeing situated themselves within elements of nature, which seamlessly led to the theme of sustainability. By noticing how the environment can effortlessly bring wellness to guests, boutique lifestyle leaders and designers are emphasizing awareness of sustainability and environmental design. Again, Master Surendran laid a foundation for this discussion by emphasizing the importance of connecting to nature and the five elements inserting, water, wood, fire, earth, metal, how do we balance the elements, he emphasized that, everything has to be positioned at the right place; [the elements] have a strong connection to the human body. Practical examples of this included the color and placement of lighting, the chandeliers, the way plants are incorporated into the spaces to create wellness-focused environments with intentional planning.

Other panelists confirmed the idea that curating a space with natural elements is key. During, The Power of the Sense of Sight, Tony Spata, Principal at Spata Global Design Group, and Lori Christopherson, Hospitality Account Sales Director  North America at Lutron Electronics, spoke to how the lighting, texture, and color of spaces directly contribute to establishing the emotional state of visitors. In knowing this, designers can incorporate intentional lighting designs into their spaces. Imitating the natural circadian rhythm to allow guests to fall asleep and wake up easier or allowing guests to control lighting based on individual needs were a few examples of this idea.

During International Boutique Hotels on Wellness, speakers Regina Connell, Founder of Collective Work, and Hannes Illmer, Co-owner of Villa Eden, discussed the value of mindful practices and holistic experiences within luxury hospitality. Speaking to the scale of wellness, Illmer stated, we do not have any hotels here [in Europe] without a wellness situation, and later brings the outdoors into his discussion adding, what is very useful nature is a wonderful solution for mental wellness and keeping even older guests awake and on. We are really lucky because we are living in nature, we are living in the mountains and we are using that.

Villa Eden, Italy Photo by BLLA

Kent Lindvall, in International Hotels on Genuine Sustainability, emphasizes the value of using ones surroundings in designing a sustainable hotel. Lindvall, the Founder and CEO of the Treehotel in Sweden, is clearly passionate about sustainable design in luxury spaces. The Treehotel went viral due to its unique design, and while building the sensational property, the team did not disturb the living trees in the area, instead opting to build the resort directly in harmony with the existing flora.

The crossover between luxury and sustainability was also seen in THE WELLs new wooden hot tub treatment, an idea that elicited excitement from the audience and colleagues. By building a fire-heated tub right into a local river, THE WELL is an example of the way hospitality can offer guests ultra-luxury experiences while maintaining a focus on sustainable design. Using resources sourced from said river, the staff perform treatments on sight, giving guests a completely immersive, elevated experience.Kane Sarhan, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of THE WELL, also proudly added that this feature offers no environmental footprint. In the same conversation, titled Wellness Trends, the Crazy and the Cool, Sam Cooper, Director of Wellness Development at Canyon Ranch, added were seeing a big shift toward spiritual wellbeing,  and the other big shift were seeing is anything nature, anything having to do with the outdoors. Nature-inspired treatments, walks in the woods, healing, and grounding, thats what our guests are gravitating towards.

Its clear to see that, on a large scale, guests and creators of all backgrounds are moving toward wellness and nature. So, how does this translate directly into sustainability? The session: Sustainability. Period. asked panelists to speak on ways in which the luxury hospitality industry can have a positive impact on popular environmental issues. David Rust, CEO of Sagra, wanted to create a hotel that focused on distributing finances to the local economy while also creating an economy based on the preservation of local wildlife. To do this, Rust designed experiences around agrotourism as a unique way of bringing slow-paced tourism into the way guests travel. Rust spoke about how to use an experience-based approach to educate the population on sustainability in a positive and guilt-free way. He also discussed how sustainability relates to wellness by eating local foods and providing natural spaces to unwind. A big takeaway from this discussion was how minor details have the potential to create movements of social change.

Sagra, California Photo by BLLA

An event titled: How Hotels Can Be a Part of Doing Good found panelists taking a deeper dive into practical solutions and encouraged listeners to consider how the hotel industry can make a direct impact on positive change. Jake Haupert, Co-Founder and CEO of Transformational Travel Council, began the conversation by stating, it is time for hotels to develop a vision that goes beyond just making money, spa treatments and encouraging more mindful use of towels and address the bigger challenges that are facing our industry, our planet, and our humanity.

Understanding that traveling is a tool for wellness, the leaders in this room were quick to mention the value of sustainability, while still acknowledging the reality of prioritizing the success of the brand. Haupert brought consumer trends into the conversation by recognizing, an exciting report from Design Hotels shows [that] travelers do not see themselves as consumers anymore, they seek to be contributing and they want their trips to have purpose. By seeing the potential to do good, or interact with travel ethically, sustainability within the tourism industry is able to make significant changes without sacrificing the luxurious element we all crave. To frame wellness and sustainability not as an option, but as a driving force leading the hospitality industry forward, hotel directors, designers, and employees will make ethical choices effortlessly.

Join us on October 24-25 for the Boutique Hotel Owners Conference live in Los Angeles! This will be the 11th annual gathering of what was formerly the Boutique Lifestyle Leadership Conference.

Learn more here!

About the Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA)

Founded in 2009, the Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA) is the official association for the world's top visionaries in the boutique lifestyle industry. Membership with the BLLA includes not just a strengthened sense of communityit offers all the resources necessary for small and independent businesses to thrive in this growing sector, including access to distribution channels, marketing tools, webinars, white papers, reports about the evolving boutique landscape, and more. The organization promotes connection, education, and advocacy. As a pioneer in forecasting the boutique movement, the BLLA's network has grown beyond its hotel foundation to welcome more passionate entrepreneurs, businesses, and purveyors that amplify the boutique lifestyle. BLLA is a catalyst for trends and the future of boutique. blla.org

Boutique & Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA)

BLLA

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Stayflexi, the California-based all-in-one hotel management platform for leading independent hotels, resorts, and multi-property groups, proudly announced the launch of a new podcast series, The Modern Hotelier. You can watch the interviews on YouTube or listen wherever you listen to podcasts.

Hosted in partnership with recognized hospitality industry veteran and former Pegasus CEO David Millili and co-hosted by Stayflexis Director of Sales, Steve Carran, The Modern Hotelier provides a great variety of guests and topics on hotel tech, trends, innovation, and productivity. Each episode features candid and insightful interviews with successful hotel executives, experts, personalities, and influencers, each of whom explores trends that will shape the future rather than things that are obsolete and have already happened.

We're in a new age of hospitality, explains Millili. The expectations of the modern traveler have changed. A new generation of travelers and advancing technology has majorly impacted what is expected from hoteliers. We're here to talk about just that - the industry trends, new technologies, and strategies to help you succeed in this new age of hospitality. The modern traveler needs The Modern Hotelier.

Podcast episodes include:

#1: From a Brooklyn Kid to a TV Star | with Anthony Melchiorri, Creator and host of Hotel Impossible, President of Argeo Hospitality

#2: Technology is the Only Way Forward in Hospitality | with Max Starkov, Entrepreneur, Advisor, Professor of hospitality technology at NYU

#3: Transparency, Loyalty & Relentless Pursuit | with Ellis Connolly, CRO of Laasie, Speaker, Tech Influencer

#4: A Life of Hospitality | with Sarah Dandashy, Award-winning concierge, content creator, travel expert and hospitality, author, and consultant

Podcasts have vast potential to distill incredible amounts of knowledge through inspiring stories that can be consumed on the go, at the gym, or really anywhere, shares Carran. The Modern Hotelier looks at every angle of the hotel industry, including operations, technology, supply management, the new hotel guest, and so much more. We are thrilled by the response weve received and the number of folks already accessing the information we are sharing.

Millili, a well-known industry veteran who offers unparalleled industry acumen, is complemented by Carrans fresh perspective and penchant for technological disruption. Steve is a passionate Gen Y go-getter, ready to take over the world, shares Millili. Having already interviewed some incredible guests for our first episodes, we are excited to dive deeper and offer a new, more engaging form of thought leadership that provides hoteliers with tangible, transformative tools for success.

"I loved the format of the podcast. I enjoyed sharing insights into my background, talking about Hotel Impossible, then talking about the latest trends and technology, said Anthony Melchiorri. It was great to do a podcast with my longtime friend, David Millili, and it was great to meet Steve Carran. I look forward to seeing their future guests and following along!"

This pioneering initiative is on-brand for Stayflexi, a transformative company that developed a next-generation hotel operating system for independent operators. The platform engages with guests from the moment they book until the end of their stay. Unlike other software used by hotels, Stayflexi promotes flexible check-in and check-out times, in addition to the flexible booking of amenity spaces like a business center or conference room for remote workers and other guests. Stayflexi isnt just a game-changing PMS  its an all-in-one system that has captured the attention of hotel brands across the industry.

The Modern Hotelier will challenge hotel industry professionals to innovate more, embrace new technology, create more engaging guest experiences and discover creative ways to drive revenue, shares Venkatesh Sakamuri, the CEO and Co-Founder of Stayflexi. Together, we can achieve anything, and these conversations are a meaningful way of sharing ideas, supporting each other  and finding moments to connect.

"It's rare that you can have so much fun during an interview, and I had an incredible time on The Modern Hotelier podcast, adds Sarah Dandashy. You could tell David and Steve did their research, but they also asked questions that led me to share stories I've never shared before! I think viewers are going to see a different side of my story, which was not only fun for me but is engaging for viewers! Enjoyed sharing a bit more of my experience, my love of hospitality, and also talking about the interesting trends we are seeing. Kudos to Stayflexi for creating this show. It's such a great marketing effort that shows they are really thinking outside the box!"

To listen to the most recent episodes of The Modern Hotelier, click here.

About Stayflexi

Trusted by over 1200+ leading independent hotels, luxury resorts, multi-property groups worldwide, Stayflexi is the industry's first fully automated all-in-one hotel management and automation platform.

Reshaping a legacy hospitality technology landscape, the modern, cloud-based solution provides integrated PMS, Guest Upsells, Channel Manager, Booking Engine, and Revenue Management tools under single sign-on. Packed with powerful features to streamline and automate operations while increasing staff productivity and guest satisfaction, Stayflexi can help hotels maximize profitability. Self-service options like self check-in/check-out, touchless POS, auto room allocations, and auto inventory management can reduce operational costs by 50%, while the upsell engine can increase bookings by 30% while enhancing the guest experience.

The company was founded by computer science majors from Carnegie Mellon and Cornell to address their own problems as hosts as well as travelers and currently serves over 23,000 rooms in 100 cities across 13 countries.

Steve Carran

Sales Director

1 844-234-2363
NEW YORK  As travel continues to ramp up in 2022, hotels are eager to bring in guests to drive much-needed revenue for their businesses. While many are leveraging loyalty programs and perks to entice guests to book again, the consumer of today has changed, and hotels must adapt to meet their unique needs. With 44% of consumers saying loyalty programs play a part in their hotel choice, hotels must determine which perks and incentives are most effective to compete in todays travel market. Hospitality guest experience and retention platform SevenRooms has uncovered the key profiles of todays hotel guests and divulges which incentives drive loyalty in "Booking Behaviors: Exploring Hotel Guest Loyalty.

The study, commissioned through independent third-party research firm YouGov, profiles the Personal Patron and the Business Traveler, diving deep into each guests attitude and preferences when it comes to booking a hotel and, subsequently, returning in the future.

While the study revealed that over a third (34%) of Americans say recognizing their loyalty status upon check-in increases their chance of rebooking, recognition isnt enough.

Rather, it is how hotels appeal to their varying preferences that will prompt these guests to rebook.

The Personal Patron

The Personal Guest is a new breed of leisure traveler, one dreaming of vacation during lockdowns and eager to resume travel with a vengeance this summer. This guest is more likely to be female1 and over the age of 352.

When it comes to booking hotels, the Personal Guest is eager to squeeze the most value out of their stay, with their top motivators for rebooking centering around incentives including:

Getting additional loyalty points for enjoying on-property restaurants and bars (38%)

(38%) Earning enhanced credit card rewards (36%)

(36%) And receiving dining credits for hitting a new loyalty tier (36%)

Yet, surprisingly, this personal traveler is less likely to join hotel loyalty programs. Only 45% of hotel-booking Personal Patrons say theyre loyalty members. However, the majority (57%) of that same group

say they dont travel enough to take advantage of these programs. To secure the loyalty of these guests, hotels should offer targeted dining-only points that can be redeemed or earned at venues in the Personal Patrons own city, or encourage them to book a staycation or use a local hotels amenities, like the spa or pool, for the day to maximize use of their points closer to home.

The Business Traveler

The new Business Traveler may be a junior staffer whose job requires extended stays at various hotel locations throughout the U.S., or a long-distance commuter who is looking for a home base mid-week. In contrast to the Personal Patron, they are more likely to be male4 and between the ages of 18-345.

Business Travelers might not have the bandwidth to venture off the hotel property, so, in addition to racking up loyalty points, they are convinced to rebook with a hotel brand through perks that enhance on-property experiences and make their stay more enjoyable, including:

Getting additional loyalty points for enjoying on-property restaurants and bars (41%)

(41%) Being recognized for their loyalty status upon check-in (40%)

upon check-in (40%) Receiving a complimentary drink or pre-selecting an in-room F&B amenity

upon arrival (35%)

As more active loyalty members, 55% of Business Travelers say the ability to participate in a loyalty program plays a part in where they choose to book.To convert this group into long-term loyal customers, hotels should offer memorable experiences that make their downtime worthwhile, such as a complimentary glass of their favorite wine with a room service order after a busy workday or priority reservations at the lobby restaurant for a power lunch.

The full report can be found at here.

Research Methodology: SevenRooms commissioned YouGov PLC  a third party, professional research and consulting organization  to poll the views of 1,215 individuals who agreed to take part. Fieldwork was undertaken online between March 15 - 16, 2022. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+).

1. 70% of females surveyed vs. 68% of males

2. 70% over the age of 35 vs. 66% of those 18-34

4. 29% of males surveyed vs. 17% of females

5. 32% between 18-25 vs. 18% of those 35 and older

About SevenRooms

SevenRooms is a guest experience and retention platform that helps hospitality operators create exceptional experiences that drive revenue and repeat business. Trusted by thousands of hospitality operators around the world, SevenRooms powers tens of millions of guest experiences each month across both on- and off-premises. From neighborhood restaurants and bars to international, multi-concept hospitality groups, SevenRooms is transforming the industry by empowering operators to take back control of their businesses to build direct guest relationships, deliver exceptional experiences and drive more visits and orders, more often. The full suite of products includes reservation, waitlist and table management, online ordering, mobile order & pay, review aggregation and marketing automation. Founded in 2011 and venture-backed by Amazon, Comcast Ventures, Highgate Ventures and Providence Strategic Growth, SevenRooms has dining, hotel F&B, nightlife and entertainment clients globally, including: MGM Resorts International, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Jumeirah Group, Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, Bloomin' Brands, sbe, LDV Hospitality, Zuma, Australian Venue Company, Altamarea Group, AELTC, D&D London, Corbin & King, Live Nation and Topgolf. www.sevenrooms.com
It may be pseudo-psychiatrics to try and read deep meaning into science fiction movies, but Star Wars offers many insights into core narrative traits from which we can all benefit in real life  and here are my magnificent seven (interestingly another film which has attracted mindful speculation over the years, but lets leave that for another blog.

1. Be open to new possibilities



We are the spark that will light the fire, that will burn the First Order down, says Poe Dameron in the Last Jedi. Effectively hes saying that small actions have wide reaching ripples that impact across much bigger areas - so we should never give up.

2. Hope springs eternal

Through Jyn Ersos theft of the Death Star blueprints the one and only weak spot in its defences can be identified, and, as she puts it: We have hope. Rebellions are built on hope. Hope is the common theme uniting all the movies.

3. Loyalty matters most

When the Resistance is faced with hopeless odds in the Rise of Skywalker, they are reminded by Lando Calrissian how the Rebels originally overthrew the Empire: We had each other. Thats how we won.

4. Just be yourself

Traditional wisdom wisdom delivered by Princess Leia: Never be afraid of who you are.

5. Its never too late to change

Whether in yourself, your colleagues, or your ambitions. As Yoda so explicitly puts it: Do. Or do not do. There is no try.

6. Focus creates a sense of perspective

When Rose Tico utters her final line in the Last Jedi: Thats how were gonna win. Not fighting what we hate, but saving what we love, she removes the what and elevates the sense of why.

7. Different traits can make the best bedfellows

For some the Force can be used for good, for others it is for evil, and for others still it is about hope. No matter what drives the Star Wars characters, it takes many different types to restore order and balance to the galaxy. Worth bearing in mind what Obi-Wan Kenobi actually says in the story: The Force will be with you, always.

For those interested in movie trivia, the phrase May the Force be with you was uttered twice in the movie series, once by General Dodonna as he ridiculed the Rebels for preparing their Death Star attack, and once, ironically, by Han Solo to Luke Skywalker.

For everyone else, lets just say: May the fourth be with you.

Media Contact CWT

CWT

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I have never denied being Americas most successful hotel doctor. No one has made as many visits (passing 18,000) or works at it exclusively. All others do it as a sideline.

Yet time is passing. Im not the only Los Angeles hotel doctor collecting social security. A new generation is muscling in, displaying the energy of youth, fierce marketing skills, and a useful absence of ethics. All are concierge doctors, building cash-only practices that serve patients willing to pay to have a physician at their beck and call.

Even in Los Angeles, these are a limited resource, so concierge doctors have cast an eye on hotels, a major source of cash-payers.

I guess no ones been sick, is the lie I hear when an employee explains why her hotel has stopped calling. Ive been hearing it lately. Despite this, business has not been slacking.

Partly its because my field is consolidating. National housecall services are expanding, and almost all use me. This is no news to my competitors, but marketing to these firms presents difficulties for a concierge doctor.

One obstacle is their spectacular fees: double or triple mine. This may strike you as terrible business practice, but its no problem with hotels; they dont care what a doctor charges unless guests complain. They rarely do.

In addition, when concierge doctors introduce themselves to a hotel employee, extol their virtues, and perhaps offer an amenity for every referral, they have a receptive audience. This doesnt work so well at a corporate office.

Finally, concierge doctors are young and busy. Immediate 24-hour service is a concierge doctor mantra, but providing it is impossible for anyone with a practice and normal social life. My leisure activities are reading and writing.

The result is that concierge doctors ask my help regularly. They send me to their patients but increasingly to my hotels and those of my colleagues. When I retire, it wont be because business is declining.

Mike Oppenheim
Even with the strictest abortion laws in the country, some two dozen clinics in Texas managed to survive. Now, their time might soon be up. Abortion clinics across Texas may soon have to shut their doors, leaving scores of workers without jobs and women without access.

A leaked draft of a Supreme Court decision indicates that the court will likely overturn Roe v. Wade, meaning that for the first time since 1973, abortion will no longer be a constitutional right. It would vary from state whether abortion is legal. About 22 states  including Texas  are poised to ban abortion if Roe is overturned, through trigger laws or legal mechanisms.

Doctors and other experts say it's going to create a huge supply and demand problem. States where abortion remains legal are likely to be overwhelmed by women from states where it would be outlawed, resulting in long wait-lists that will delay the procedure to later in the term and increase costs.

Women also will have to incur costs for traveling. For Texas women, those costs are likely to grow as neighboring states such as Louisiana and Oklahoma are also likely to ban abortion if Roe is overturned. Louisiana and Oklahoma clinics became havens for Texas women after the state last year enacted S.B. 8, which essentially made abortions after six weeks illegal  before most women even know they are pregnant.

What we're seeing emerging is kind of like two different Americas, Amy Hagstrom Miller, CEO of Whole Womans Health, headquartered in Virginia with four Texas locations, said. Some people will have access to health care and reproductive health services because of where they live and other people's access will be restricted because of where they live.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas companies that promise to help employees get abortions despite trigger law

Between September and December, about 1,400 Texans traveled each month for an abortion, according to The Texas Policy Evaluation Project, a University of Texas at Austin group that evaluates the impact Texas legislation has on women's reproductive health. That 1,400 far surpasses the 142 Texans who traveled out of state following widespread clinic closures after a 2013 law placed restrictions on abortion facilities, such as requiring doctors to have admitting privileges at hospitals within 30 miles.

Dr. Stephanie Mischell, a family medicine physician in Texas and fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health, an advocacy group, fears the courts looming decision could have lasting effects in Texas, similar to the 2013 laws. She works at an abortion clinic in the Dallas area, and remembers very clearly when other clinics began shutting down years ago.

Most of the clinics that closed during that time never opened back up, Mischell said. Overturning Roe v. Wade is going to have a devastating impact on not just my practice, but on everyone's practice and it's really going to change the landscape of health care in the state.

After SB 8 went into effect in September, Texas abortions dropped by about half to 2,250 from about 4,500 in September 2020. Meanwhile, Texas women who didnt realize they were pregnant until after six weeks have been driving to Hope Medical Group for Women in Shreveport, La., said Kathaleen Pittman, an administrator at the clinic. The clinics waiting list, which was non-existent before Texas enacted S.B. 8, has grown to about 300. It takes about two weeks to get an appointment, up from about a day.

The influx of patients has been relentless, Pittman said.

If Roe is overturned, Pittman said, the clinic's operations will come to a screeching halt. The Louisiana Legislature passed a trigger law in 2006 that would make abortion illegal in the event Roe v. Wade is overturned, leaving Texas women with fewer options within driving distance. Many to the Texas woman who arrive at Hope Medical Group have low incomes, and buying a plane ticket isnt an option.

Oklahoma is also off the table. The Oklahoma Legislature recently approved a law similar to SB8, and has a trigger law that would ban abortions if Roe were overturned.

As closer options dwindle, waitlists in states where abortion would remain legal would only become longer, said Veronica Jones the chief operating officer of the National Abortion Federation, a professional association of abortion providers, based in Washington. The group maintains a hotline to help people access abortions, particularly in states with restrictive laws.

Destination, haven states where individuals are going to be traveling are going to see a significant surge, Jones said. Were looking at the map and seeing where patients can travel and how providers can be prepared for that surge because it is coming.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Without Roe v. Wade protecting abortions, what options would Texans have?

Beyond New Mexico, the closest state where abortions would likely remain legal is Colorado. As a result, Texas women are going to have to travel farther, incurring costs of airfare, lodging and child care. They might also end up paying more for procedures.

It may delay when they get care, Jones said. They may need later abortion care, which will have higher procedural costs.

On average, a first trimester in-clinic abortion costs roughly $508, according to the National Abortion Federation. Second trimester abortions can cost more than $2,000.

Long-distance travel isnt always conducive to complicated pregnancies, Dr. Lauren Thaxton, an OBGYN and assistant professor with Dell Medical School, UT Austin. But outlawing abortion will leave doctors with impossible choices: have women travel and hope their conditions dont worsen, or wait until their lives are imminently in danger. Texas law would allow abortions to save the life of the mother.

Anybody who provides obstetric care knows that conditions can change on a dime, Thaxton said. We want to do the right thing for the patients, but now we're in this position of having a conversation about how imminent the threat is to someone's health.

becca.carballo@chron.com
The families of high-ranking Citgo executives still detained in Venezuela are intensifying their calls on lawmakers to do more to secure the release of their loved ones and other Americans detained overseas.

Families of the so-called Citgo 6 and other American hostages plan to rally in Washington on Wednesday, and call on President Joe Biden to take decisive action to bring home Americans who have been detained overseas.

Their calls follow last weeks surprise announcement that the Biden administration had negotiated the release of U.S. Marine veteran Trevor Reed as part of a prisoner swap with Russia that also resulted in a convicted Russian drug trafficker being freed from prison in the U.S.

RELATED: After 1,600 days of purgatory, families of detained Citgo officials still pleading for help

Families of the Citgo 6 and other detained Americans want lawmakers to take a similarly proactive approach to their cases.

There are over 55 Americans currently being held hostage or wrongfully detained overseas, the families said in a statement. They are being held because they have a US passport - not for any other reason. We need the White House to use all the tools on the table to bring our family members home. We are requesting to meet with the White House to share our perspective and gain their support.

The Citgo executives have been detained in Venezuela since 2017, when they were called to Caracas for what they said was a routine budget meeting for PDVSA, the state-owned oil company that is the parent of the Houston refiner. Once in the country, they were arrested and charged for an alleged conspiracy to sell off $4 billion in Citgo bonds for their personal gain.

The men were each sentenced to prison terms of more than eight years, and their families have maintained they were detained so that they could be used as bargaining chips by the Venezuelan government in later negotiations with the United States.

On HoustonChronicle.com: 'Citgo 6' member from Katy released after years in Venezuelan prison

In March, one of the Citgo 6, Gustavo Cardenas, 56, was allowed to return home to Katy as the U.S. renewed talks with the oil-rich country after years of sanctions and tension. The negotiations resumed as American officials sought new fuel sources after Russias invasion of Ukraine tightened global supplies and caused global oil prices to skyrocket.

Meanwhile, their families have continued to call for a change to the U.S. governments longstanding no concessions policy in hostage negotiations. They cite decades of research showing that the policy has done little to deter hostage takers, who typically decide to take hostages simply because the opportunity presents itself - and not as a premeditated plan to extract money or concessions from the U.S. government.

On Monday, the Biden administration declared that WNBA star Brittney Griner has been wrongfully detained since earlier this year, when she was arrested in Russia after authorities allegedly found marijuana in one of her travel bags. Griner, a Houston native, plays for the Phoenix Mercury.

The new designation of Griners case allows the Biden administration to be more proactive in their attempts to secure her release, particularly through a recently created office, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs that serves as a liaison between the U.S. government, the families of hostages and their families.

robert.downen@chron.com
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If youre going to make Houstons lushest hummus you might as well start out with choice, organic chickpeas sourced from Canada and Washington State, removing all the skins after boiling to ensure a luxuriantly silken whip.

And if youre going to serve that supple hummus you might as well bake your own pita from a special wood-burning oven that in seconds blisters multi-proofed disks of house-made dough into pliant, steaming puffs.

And if youre going to all that trouble to produce these two exemplars of Middle Eastern cuisine, shouldnt you have a spiffy, comfortable setting to showcase them?

Hamsa the new modern Israeli restaurant opening next week in Rice Village, accomplishes all that, and more. The new concept from Sof Hospitality (Doris Metropolitan steakhouse and Badolina Bakery & Cafe) is finally ready for its much-anticipated unveiling set for May 11 at 5555 Morningside Dr.

Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer

'CUE UP: Two Houston pitmasters compete show their barbecue chops in new "BBQ Brawl" series

Adjacent to Badolina, which has been thrilling with its artisan breads and decadent pastries since it opened in June 2021, Hamsa represents a major step for the Sof partners (Itai Ben Eli, Itamar Levy, and chef Sash Kurgan) who have been eager to assemble this concept since they launched their upscale steakhouse in Houston in 2017. All born and raised in Israel, the Sof team wanted to create a restaurant that represented the style of dining they enjoy (small plates and larger entrees to be enjoyed in progression, family style) focusing on an elevated presentation of Middle Eastern cuisine (vegetable dishes, mounds of hummus, and charcoal-grilled skewers of beef, lamb, chicken, and shrimp).

The idea of Hamsa has been floated since the partners signed the lease for the Rice Village space in 2019. When Badolina opened last year, the connecting space was there waiting for Hamsa. But construction and supply delays during the pandemic slowed its arrival.

Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer

Two years later, here we are, Ben Eli said. Weve never had so much time to work on a project.

But it was well spent, allowing time for the restaurants design (courtesy of Lindsay Madrigal of LM Design) and menu (under Kurgan working with chef Yotam Dolev) to improve and take on nuances. The project also welcomed the know-how of Badolina executive pastry chef Michal Michaeli who will be introducing new desserts, and general manager/sommelier Melissa Rogers who has augmented Old and New World wines with selections from Israeli, Lebanese, Armenian, Turkish, and Greek vineyards.

Houston diners, however, will be most interested in the menu that represents modern Israeli cuisine with flavors from and techniques from throughout the Middle East including North Africa, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, and Morocco.

The menu begins with salatim, or little salads, including matbucha (Moroccan tomatoes) with beets and labneh; baba ghanoush (Levantine eggplant) with squash tahini; red cabbage and roasted red pepper dip; and mango pickled vegetables. Next comes the hummus plates, served with fresh pita hot from the restaurants wood-burning oven. Hummus presentations, garnished with onions, pickles and olives include toppings of lamb and caramelized onions; tahini and brown egg; Merguez sausage; and spiced tomato shakshuka.

Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer

Small plates include whole roasted fennel with goat cheese, walnuts and paprika oil; roasted eggplant with creamy tahini, pine nuts, and tomato; cauliflower couscous served with labneh, cranberries, almonds and mint; mussels in garlic herb butter; beef tartare topped with a soft-boiled egg and challah toast; and falafel served with red cabbage salad and tahini. Charcoal-grilled plates include curry yogurt-marinated chicken, shrimp with preserved lemon chimichurri, beef tenderloin with sumac butter, oyster mushrooms with chimichurri, and lamb and beef kebab with grilled tomato, jalapeno, and tahini.

There are three large plate options: lamb spare ribs served with couscous, spinach and apricots; grilled branzino; and a deconstructed chicken shawarma (instead of wrapped in a pita, the elements are presented on a plate).

Michaelis desserts will include dishes such as grilled pears, basbousa malabi cake, and halvah.

Cocktails also will get a Middle Eastern twist. The cocktail menu includes Israeli Spritz (vermouth, sparking wine, lemon juice and cardamom peppercorn syrup), Red Selek (tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and beet orange syrup); Hamsa G&T (gin, tonic, pink peppercorn and rosemary); The Michal (white scotch, rose water, simple syrup, lemon juice, and egg whites); and Morningside Renewal (vodka, simple syrup, grenadine, lime, mint, and flower water).

Hamsa takes its name from the Islamic and Jewish symbol of a hand that is a protective sign ensuring health and good fortune, recognized throughout the Middle East. Ben Eli also said hamsa means five in Arabic. Since Hamsas physical address is 5555 Morningside, the hamsa fits in well. Here, no evil eyes need apply.

Hamsa will be open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Complimentary valet parking provided.

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.
WASHINGTON - On a February morning in 2021, a trader at the San Antonio utility CPS Energy messaged his counterpart at the pipeline company Energy Transfer to get a price for natural gas to run CPS power plants over the coming weekend.

On a typical day, CPS might have expected to pay $2 or $3 per million British thermal units. But 90 minutes later, the Energy Transfer trader wrote back, Ok, are you sitting down? before quoting $150 per mmbtu  five times Texass previous record for gas, according to a court document filed by CPS in September.

Nine minutes later, before the CPS trader had even responded, Energy Transfer  Texass largest gas supplier  raised the price to $225. Three days later, with a frigid winter storm sweeping across Texas and leaving millions of Texans without electricity, Energy Transfer raised the price to $500 per mmbtu.

The massive increase in natural gas prices during last winters blackout has set off a wave of litigation in state and federal courts and prompted an investigation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, casting a spotlight on the workings of Texass complex, opaque and lightly regulated natural gas market. The Texas market, unlike any other in the United States, provides opportunities for pipeline companies such as Energy Transfer to exercise vast market  sometimes monopoly  power to demand whatever prices they want in times of gas shortages, resulting in soaring costs for customers and profits for the companies, according to experts and legal filings.

In the 15 months since last February's winter storm, power companies such as CPS, Vistra Energy of Dallas and Brazos Electric Cooperative of Waco have accused pipeline firms of price gouging and other practices that contributed to billions of dollars in losses for Texass power sector, forcing some electricity providers into bankruptcy and others to raise rates on customers for years to come.

The skyrocketing prices also left Texas natural gas customers with a $3.6 billion bill that will take a decade to pay off. Coincidentally, Energy Transfer and the Houston pipeline company Kinder Morgan earned combined profits of $3.4 billion during the storm.

Different market

Texass gas market, the nations largest by far, operates differently from most of the country. Under the federally-regulated interstate system on which most states rely, the power of pipeline companies to affect gas prices is limited.

Pipeline companies are prohibited from owning the gas that moves through their lines. Their prices are capped, published and readily available. They must sell transit rights, or space in the pipeline, to buyers and sellers of natural gas. Those rights, sold in small pieces, essentially turn one pipeline into hundreds of pipelines with hundreds of owners, preventing any one entity of gaining too much market power.

On HoustonChronicle.com: CenterPoint customers will pay price for pipeline company profits during Texas freeze

Texass intrastate pipeline system, on the other hand, has no such rules. Pipeline companies not only have sole authority to sell space on their lines but can own the gas that moves through their networks. Data on prices and pipeline flows are not published until days after the gas is sold, leaving buyers and sellers to negotiate with pipeline companies without up-to-date information on how much gas is selling for.

Most of the time, this is not a problem. Cheap gas from regulated interstate pipelines flows into Texas from Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico, providing competition and limiting the power of Texas pipeline owners to dictate prices.

But when supplies are short and gas available from interstate lines is limited  such as when wells across the Southwest froze in February 2021  companies operating pipelines within Texas gain outsized market power as buyers scramble to lock down supplies before someone else does. Since buyers have no idea how much competitors are offering or paying, Texas pipeline companies can sell their gas at whatever price they think the market can bear.

The power companies are over a barrel, said Ken Medlock, an economics professor at Rice University. When youre on the interstate system, its very transparent. Anyone can get a rate sheet and you know what the capacities are. And because the owner of the pipeline does not own the capacity, its very competitive. When you cross over to Texas intrastate, this is not the case.

In the weeks around last Februarys winter storm, analysts at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission noted more than 2,000 instances of unusual market behavior around the country  far above normal, FERC said in a report in November. After conducting surveillance of 10 companies, the analysts referred two cases to the commissions Division of Investigation for further examination.

A FERC spokesman said the investigation is ongoing but declined to comment on which states the unusual market behavior occurred.

At a December workshop hosted by Texas power grid manager, Tom Coleman, chief technical adviser for the North American Electric Reliability Corp, or NERC, said there was anecdotal evidence of market manipulation by in the Texas market during the blackout.

Coleman did not provide additional details. NERC, a nonprofit that sets standards for power grids nationwide, declined to make Coleman available for an interview.

Dominant player

At the center of the controversy is the Dallas company Energy Transfer, which dominates Texas intrastate system with 11,600 miles of pipelines and two sprawling storage facilities that have the combined capacity to supply 16.4 billion cubic feet of gas per day  more than all the gas produced in Texas each day.

Its intrastate system is so vast and dominant that Energy Transfer at times accounts for more than 80 percent of fixed-price gas sales at the Houston Ship Channel, a major delivery hub for energy products, according to CPS Energys lawsuit. The sheer volume of gas sold by Energy Transfer at the Ship Channel and another delivery hub in Katy gives the pipeline company the ability to influence, if not outright control daily pricing, driving up costs for customers, the lawsuit said.

Energy Transfer declined to comment on the specific lawsuits and complaints it faces, but a spokeswoman, Vicki Granado, said, We always strive as a company to do what is right for our customers, our employees and our (shareholders). In fact, Do the right thing is a core value of our company.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Gas failures during blackout primarily due to cold, not power outages, FERC reports

James Mann, general counsel for the Texas Pipeline Association, said the market, not pipeline operators, sets prices. The power companies that got burned in the blackout opted to rely on spot markets, rather than pay a premium for futures contracts that guarantee a price at a later date, he said. These contracts, known as hedges, protect buyers against future spikes in prices.

The market price is set by bids and offers, and if the price went up to $400 its because people were offering to buy it at that price all over the state, he said. People get to choose whether theyre going to have secure supply or get cheap gas, and have to worry for three or four days every few years.

No guarantees

Only fixed contracts are no guarantee in situations like last February, when oil and gas wells froze across West Texas and the Panhandle.

A firm controlled by South Korean utility SK E&S, which imports Texas natural gas through the Freeport LNG terminal south of Houston, sued Chevron for $84.5 million last summer, arguing the oil and gas giant violated the terms of their contract when it invoked a force majeure clause  literally an act of God  to claim it could not deliver gas due to the freezing weather. Vistra CEO Curt Morgan has complained he was inundated with force majeure claims from contracted gas suppliers during the storm, forcing the company to the spot market to pay a hundred times more than normal.

As yet, no evidence has surfaced that any pipeline company withheld gas supplies and diverted them to spot markets to take advantage of the huge price swings. But Texas pipeline companies routinely keep excess gas in storage and on pipelines, to sell when prices are at a premium  which they are forbidden to do on the interstate system.

In conditions like last February, pipeline firms have a clear incentive to withhold supply to drive up prices, said James Bushnell, a professor at the University of California-Davis.

Its a classic market price story. Prices go up when less of something is sold, so even if you sell less, the revenues go up, he said. This is why Congress passed regulations that prevented pipeline companies from owning the gas. It gave them so much market power, especially in places with limited pipelines.

In Brenham, for example, officials of the small city about 70 miles west of Houston were forced to accept a contract with Energy Transfer that raised natural gas rates 400 percent because no other pipelines served their area, according to a complaint filed in April with the Railroad Commission, the states natural gas and pipeline regulator.

Brenham, a spokesman said, had no effective choice but to sign the contract in order to avoid a disruption in gas deliveries as winter arrived.

Lack of confidence

Figuring out if, where and how pipeline companies are abusing their market power is a tall order in Texas.

Under state law, pipeline companies are supposed to charge gas customers in a given area roughly the same rates and then report those transactions with the Texas Railroad Commission. Only the commission keeps the customer names and locations confidential, making it impossible to see what the pipelines are charging other customers in their area, said John Hays, an energy attorney in Austin who is representing Brenham before the Railroad Commission.

Its a complaint driven system, but if the customer cant get the evidence, how can they police it? he said. It makes hash of the whole system when you cant get to first base to make a case.

Understanding how the Texas gas system operates is difficult for even the states highest ranking energy officials.

Brad Jones, interim president of the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas, the grid manager known as ERCOT, said his operators are usually not notified by pipeline companies when they take systems down for maintenance, making it hard to predict how much electricity to expect from gas-fired power plants on a given day. ERCOT is in discussions with pipeline executives about improving communications, Jones said, but there is still not enough information flowing.

Market monitors look for economic withholding and physical withholding. Did you hold gas out of the market that should have been in the market, or did you raise your price so high it was withholding from the market? Jones said. I wont say its being done, but today that is the lack of confidence.

In 2005, former state Rep. Jim Keffer, a Republican from West Texas and former chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, introduced legislation requiring the Railroad Commission to regulate the rates charged by pipeline companies, writing, Natural gas markets are not competitive in many areas of the state because of pipeline monopoly power.

But the pipeline industry resisted, and the bill never came to a vote. Pipeline companies remain free to charge whatever they like for natural gas with little fear of intervention by the state, including the Railroad Commission.

At a legislative hearing last year, Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick explained that the commission did not get involved in gas pricing or contracts between pipeline companies and their customers.

We arent privy to that piece, nor do we know the volumes they put online, she said. That's not our role. Our role is to regulate and permit, not to get involved in those contracts.

On HoustonChronicle.com: 'Collective amnesia': Texas politicians knowingly blew 3 chances to fix the failing power grid

Pipeline companies, along with the rest of the oil and gas industry, are generous donors to the political campaigns of the three railroad commissioners, who are elected to six-year terms. State law does not limit contributions to elected officials who can make or break a project.

Companies with permit applications before the commission donated more than $2.6 million to commissioners campaigns between 2015 and 2020, according to a report by the activist group Commission Shift, which tracks the Railroad Commission.

Among them were executives from Kinder Morgan, who, along with their partners in the 400-mile long Permian Highway pipeline, gave more than $100,000. While building that pipeline in 2020, Kinder Morgan accidentally pumped 36,000 gallons of drilling fluid into an aquifer in Blanco County, contaminating local water wells.

But thats nothing compared to the giving of Kelcy Warren, the 66-year old chairman of Energy Transfer whose net worth is estimated at $3.8 billion, making him one of the richest 300 people in America, according to the magazine Forbes. Warren donated $225,000 to railroad commissioners campaigns between 2015 and 2020. Energy Transfers co-CEO Mackie McCrea gave $135,000 over the same period.

Warren is one of Texass biggest political donors, giving $10 million to a Super PAC supporting former president Donald Trump in 2020 and $1 million to Governor Greg Abbott after last years blackout, from which Energy Transfer reported $2.4 billion in profits.

Energy Transfer declined to make executives available for interviews.

Energy Transfer is the most aggressive; thats a fair way to think about it, said an executive from another pipeline company, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about a competitor. Its a business model that clearly worked for them.

Speak no evil

For many companies, standing up to the pipeline companies is simply not worth the risk. When Vistra refused to pay a penalty assessed by Energy Transfer during last years winter storm, Energy Transfer threatened to cut off service, according to a complaint filed with the Railroad Commission earlier this year.

Small oil and gas companies, lacking in the resources of large corporations like Vistra, are particularly vulnerable. A small firm might only have one pipeline available to bring its product to market, said Richard Beyea, chairman of the Panhandle Producers & Royalty Owners Association.

Whether you think theyre abusing their power thats always been part of the conversation. But I cant get into specifics, he said. Everybodys very cautious around this. Theyve got private contracts, so they dont want to divulge whats in the contract or they dont want to risk screwing up what theyve got.

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Asked about charges that Energy Transfer and other pipeline companies are abusing their power, Mann, the attorney for the Texas Pipeline Association, was incredulous. He said he has heard the complaints for years, but no one has produced evidence of companies withholding space on their pipelines to drive up prices.

Eric Fell, a power market analyst at the energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie, agreed. He said the Texas system has problems, but prices on the federally regulated interstate system also spiked during the storm. On certain interstate pipelines in Oklahoma, he said, prices soared higher than at the Houston Ship Channel.

Yes, the people on the right side of this got windfall gains, he said. But the idea (power companies) got gouged is sour grapes. They got screwed by Mother Nature.

If gas prices went just as high on the interstate system, that would suggest, as pipeline companies argue, that it was the free market that drove up gas prices during the storm, not the companies themselves.

But Medlock, the Rice professor, said it was not so simple. He said that due to the massive size of the Texas gas market, any price spike there will affect gas prices in surrounding states.

Texas is a major producer and exporter of natural gas, he said, so anything that drives up the price in Texas will impact price outside of Texas.

james.osborne@chron.com
Neil Gaiman, fantasy author and the man they call the Prince of Stories, is returning to Houston for a night of readings and audience questions, presented by Performing Arts Houston. True to his name, he spun some tales, even as we badgered him for news on the many upcoming projects that bear his name.

First on everyones lips is the Netflix adaptation of his critically beloved comic series The Sandman. After decades in development hell, the story of the Dream King and his existential crisis over the changing world is finally getting a big-budget production starring everyone from Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer to Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death. Unfortunately, the release date is still in the hands of powers Gaiman does not pretend to understand.

Netflix has mysterious ways of doing things, he says. They dont ever actually explain. There are things they call the algorithm, and in my head, the algorithms are these little gnomes that live in a dark room. The people from Netflix open the door and fling in their offering to the algorithms, then a piece of paper is slipped under the door saying, You can release it in November.

For a long time, Sandman was considered unfilmable. Despite nominally taking place in the DC Comic universe, it features few superheroics or flashy battles. Instead, its the story of an immensely powerful being who fears change so much that it puts even him in mortal danger. That isnt the sort of thing that usually sates a comic-book movie audience, but after shows like WandaVision and Doom Patrol, which explore more esoteric heroics, the world might finally be ready for the adventures of Morpheus.

Or maybe not. Since the casting announcements were made, there have been a fair number of fans upset that some roles originally portrayed as white and male went to people of color and women. Desire, Morpheus gender-fluid sibling, will be played by nonbinary actor Mason Alexander Park. Its pretty common for people to come at Gaiman on Twitter complaining about wokeness and then get gently dunked on by the author.

The subject of trans people came up as we discussed what change meant both for a godlike being and the world 30 years after Sandman debuted. An early story arc in the comic focuses on a trans woman named Wanda, modeled after some of Gaimans friends.

I was watching them have to deal with society being mean to them, he says. Watching them die, and their parents would cut their hair and bury them under their name and gender theyd been born with, not what they were using. I thought that was the worst thing in the world. There was no respect and no politeness and no being willing to see another persons point of view.

Naturally, the conversation turned to Texas, where Gov. Greg Abbott has instructed public agencies to begin investigating the parents of trans kids for child abuse. The move sent shockwaves through LGBTQ+ families in the state as they feared government retaliation. Gaiman says that doesnt mesh with the Texas he has come to know.

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Texas is all about respect for other peoples points of view and how they live their lives, he says. You live yours, Ill live mine, we dont have to get in each others way. That always seemed like the Texas culture I bumped into. I hope some of that still remains and that a story can change peoples minds about doing it right.

Gaiman did have some welcome news for fans. Season 2 of Good Omens has finished filming, and the author says there are still enough plot threads and ideas left over from his original collaboration with late author Terry Pratchett for a third season.

Its been five years since Gaiman released an adult prose book, but he is working on a new novel set in the world of Neverwhere. As for the long-awaited sequel to American Gods that was so cruelly teased in the annotated edition of the book? Well, Gaiman hopes the project will make him functionally immortal, as long as people are waiting.

What Im hoping for is that a lot of people all over the world are determined that I stay alive, he says, Like George R.R. Martin. There are millions of people keeping him in their prayers each night so that he finishes his stories.

Jef Rouner is a Houston-based writer.
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Residents of Houston's Willowbend community teamed up last week to rescue a dog from the Willow Waterhole Bayou, and it wasn't the first time.

After Willowbend resident Rhonda Gibbons heard a dog crying for help Thursday, she enlisted a neighbor's help to find and rescue the desperate pup. The dog was inside a drainage pipe with scratches and bruises from falling down the sides of the bayou.

"We walked above the pipe and it spooked the dog and it ran all the way back into the pipe," Gibbons said. "We couldn't even see it."

Another neighbor posted a sighting of the dog on Nextdoor, and several more people from the surrounding community came out to help.

"More and more people started showing up on the Bayou, trying to help us get the dog out and save it," Greg Roberts said.

Over the course of several hours, neighbors kept track of the dog and repeatedly attempted to lure it out of the pipe, while Gibbons created a makeshift ramp and platform to help it escape.

Shortly after coaxing it out of the pipe, the group managed to trap and rescue the lost pooch. A resident then took the dog, fittingly named Willow, into foster care.

Courtesy / Greg Roberts Courtesy / Rhonda Gibbons Willow the dog was rescued Thursday after getting trapped in the Willow Waterhole Bayou. (Courtesy / Greg Roberts)

Not the first dog rescue

Gibbons, whose backyard runs parallel to the bayou, said this wasn't the first time she's heard a dog needing help after it got stuck in the waterway.

Dogs often get injured when falling down the bayou's steep walls, which don't have steps like Brays Bayou, she said.

"I have a scab on my elbow just trying to get out of the bayou myself," Gibbons said. "It's really hard for a dog to get out unless they walk all the way down to Brays Bayou or they go up one of those drain pipes, wherever they go."

In fact, Angelique Strickler said this was the sixth dog they've helped rescue from the waterhole. "It happens way too often."

OnHoustonChronicle.com: How a Houston flood control project bloomed into a greenspace with trails, fishing pier and dog park

"The waterhole seems to be a dumping place for people to dump dogs," Strickler said. "Probably because they know there are other animal lovers out there so the chances of them being left out there are slim."

Strickler is the founder of the Waiting Under the Willow Foundation, a local nonprofit dedicated to rescuing dogs. She praised the Willowbend community for being really good at coming together and helping trapped animals.

"It's amazing how people come together," Gibbons said. "There were a lot of people who came out that day. But it really does take a village to do this."

That said, Strickler says there are still things that can be done to help avoid situations like Willow's in the future. "I wish there were some cameras up around the bayou because the dumping is pretty bad."

ryan.nickerson@hcnonline.com
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An east Harris County veterans organization has written their last chapter and will close by Memorial Day at the end of the month, but not without first completing their near-decade old mission to remember their brothers in arms.

The Eastside Veterans was an early effort between several community groups.

I believe it was in 2011 that the American Legion, other veterans, and Son Harvest Church, pastored by Richard Amador, worked together to bring the traveling Vietnam War Memorial to Crosby, said long-time president of the organization Bob Ward.

After the auspicious four-day occasion Nov. 3-7, in 2011, Ward said a group of those involved in bringing the memorial wall to the community decided to feed the veterans on Veterans Day and offer their thanks for service to the country.

Thats really where we started the Eastside Veterans celebration committee, and they began to expand on their offerings to the veterans including a parade on Veterans Day, or the closest Saturday to the nationally celebrated day.

We originally started here in the bank parking lot, serving hotdogs and veterans on Veterans Day, said Judy Culbreath, vice president of CommunityBank of Texas in Crosby. We set up a tent out in front, and the bank funded it. The hot dogs really took off and there were a lot of people that showed up.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Kingwood choirs to honor veterans in two concerts

The organization grew to the point they started using the American Legion Hall.

A lot of the patriotic sentiment spread after the death of Retired 1st Sgt. David H. McNerney, a 4th Infantry Division Medal of Honor recipient, who passed away Oct. 10, 2010, at the age of 79. For nine months, McNerney battled lung cancer before succumbing to the disease.

McNerney was well-known and beloved in the community and the American Legion Hall now bears his name. At the time, he was the only living Medal of Honor recipient in east Harris County.

The Crosby resident served as the first sergeant of Company A, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division when he was awarded the nations highest honor for bravery in 1968 by then President Lyndon Johnson for heroics demonstrated during action in Polei Doc, Vietnam.

At the height of remembrances for the decorated sergeant, the Crosby Junior ROTC program, launched in 2004 by Senior Army Instructor Major (R) Quenton L. Farr and Army Instructor SFC (R) Timothy Meadows, named their newest building on the high school campus after the war hero. Their website, even to this day, also bears a salute to McNerney.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Harris County rejects Humble ISDs plan to buy land for school; will instead build affordable housing

Amid the nationalistic sentiment, Ward said the celebration grew, and so did membership.

We gained members from Highlands, North Shore, some from Baytown in addition to those in Crosby, he said. One celebration was at the high school stadium before a large crowd and ended with fireworks.

As the membership grew older, unfortunately, attendance began to dwindle.

We also faced the reality of other organizations in the area wanting to host their own veterans salutes, so we decided to concentrate on leaving a lasting tribute with a memorial, he said.

Raffles, spaghetti dinners, and gambling bus tours helped the fledgling group stash cash to grow the bank account to pay for a memorial in the park next to the library in Crosby.

Ward himself, organized bus trips to the casino once a month for nine months out of the year for nearly 10 years to help earn money for the organization.

It worked until the pandemic hit us and it shut us down, he said.

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Each month, they would earn an average of $350-$400 dollars.

As long as we had 40 people on the bus, Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder, Louisiana would pay for the buses, and had worked out a deal with Western Bus Lines.

The veterans group would charge $10 per person and averaged about 50 per trip.

I would also do Bingo on the trip, and wed give out gift card prizes. Wed also do a cash give-away asking everyone to contribute and at the end of the trip, wed award that to someone on the bus as well, he said.

The logistics also required him to book 30 days in advance.

We took donations wherever we could get them, he said.

Ward thanked Judy Culbreath, vice president of CommunityBank of Texas in Crosby for her expertise in designing, ordering, and securing the placement of the monument.

Culbreath has experience having worked in a funeral home and managing the cemetery.

Ive been with the group from the very beginning, she said, and now to its end. Ward said she had some help from Don Guillory, but they were able to provide the group a layout and design of the obelisk monument, a tip of the hat to the San Jacinto monument a few short miles from their site.

The day we were out there setting it, I was so surprised at the number of people that drove by and asked what we were doing, and I told them, this is a memorial for everybody that served in the military. Its a space where you can come out and just kind of reflect. It does carry all six emblems of all branches of service on it, she said proudly. Two benches on either side of the monument allow respite for visitors.

The group had raised enough for the purchase with a little bit of money left over to be donated to Precinct 2 for upkeep on the site, flowers, and any other improvements.

Since its on county property, they will maintain it in perpetuity, Ward said. He thanked former commissioner for the area Adrian Garcia, and current Pct. 2 Commissioner Tom Ramsey for their support with the project. He also thanked Eddie Foster for his contributions in making sure there was a PA system available at their fundraisers.

Hes been with the organization since day one. And hes always been the man out there to help us with the sound system and was instrumental in organizing the parade, Ward said.

The pandemic affected attendance and fundraising opportunities for the group, and they made a final push to reach the $22,000 mark and call it quits.

Ward has been in the community for decades. He spent 20 years running a computer repair company. During that time, he also served on the board of the Crosby-Huffman Chamber of Commerce for 18 years.

We started here in 1991 and I sold the business in 2012, he said.

While he was officially retired, he and his wife Sharon have spent time working in the Citizens Police Academy and his church Crosby Brethren Church.

The veterans group has been close to Wards heart. He joined the military in 1962 and stayed for an 8-year hitch in the Air Force.

I spent four of those years teaching electronics and during the Vietnam era, my wife and I were in Hawaii for five years, he said.

He served as the NCO in charge of the joint operation switchboard in a really private underground installation and worked with the receiver and transmitters of data back and forth between the mainland and Vietnam, and Manila, Alaska, and anywhere else they needed the data.

The Huffman Junior ROTC presented the colors for the ceremony.

This is not about me. All the workers, everybody that we had in our organization worked hard to make this happen, he said.

The ending of the organization was bittersweet.

We knew our mission, and we completed it, the veteran said.

To learn more about the David McNerney story, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwEzOWo8w4E.

dtaylor@hcnonline.com
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Historian and retired professor Ann Meador stands by the belief that history is a perishable commodity.

Unfortunately once history is gone, its gone forever, she said.

Shes afraid that might soon become true of the early Black fraternal organization The Knights of Tabors history in Conroe.

In an effort to preserve the history of the organization, and as the coordinator for the History Task Force of the Montgomery County Historical Commission Meador is seeking information, artifacts and memorabilia about The Knights of Tabor which was thought to be active in Conroe from about 1900 to 1915 or 1920.

On YourConroeNews.com: Montgomery post office ledger gives glimpse into early history

Were hoping maybe someone will see the article and realize that their ancestor was a member of The Knights of Tabor or maybe they have information at the bottom of a trunk or dresser somewhere, she said. Often times when an older person passes the kids come in to clean out the home if theyre not interested in it or dont know what it is it gets tossed. All were asking is to pay attention to what they have. Even if they dont think its important, bring it to someones attention because someday somebody might want to know something about it. Just because something is old, it doesnt mean its not worth anything. There are groups studying these types of things who would love to have this material.

The journey to learn more about The Knights of Tabor began at the Conroe Community Cemetery during its restoration. Great strides have taken place in the past few years to preserve and restore the final resting place of many of Conroes early Black citizens on 10th Street.

Many of the graves are unmarked, but about 30 or 40 graves are identified. On the grave of George Pruitt the gravestone included 43 yrs 777 333 Sir Knight Boaz Temple 47 K&D Tabor 10012. Three graves of females were marked with DTR or Daughters of Tabor.

Meador had never heard of the Knights or Daughters of Tabor and she began to research the group.

Four tombstones in the Conroe Community Cemetery hint at the existence of a local African American group that once was a vibrant, community-involved organization, but seems to have died out in the early 1920s, she said.

The only tangible evidence discovered so far of its existence are the memorial tombstones of Sir Knight George Pruitt and three Daughters of Tabor including Margarette Stewart, Carrie Johnson and Eliza Evans.

It is not currently known exactly when the organization first formed in the Conroe area, but it apparently was active there during the late 1800s and through the 1920s. The mens group was called a Temple and the women members belonged to Tabernacles. There were also separate groups for young men and women called Tents, she said.

Meador researched the group and wrote an article on The Knights of Tabor to be included in a booklet that will be paired with the upcoming Montgomery County Genealogical and Historical Societys African American Cultural Roots Conference May 14 in the San Jacinto Room, Lone Star Convention Center 9055 Airport Road, Conroe. Featured speakers include noted genealogists Sharon Gillins, Tim Pinnick and Shamele Jordan. Visit www.mcgandhs.com for more and to register for the conference.

On YourConroeNews.com: Dogs help identify unmarked graves at Montgomery cemetery

According to Meadors research Rev. Moses Dickson, born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1824, was the founder of The Knights of Tabor.

Dickson organized a group of 12 men who met in St. Louis in 1846 to devise a plan to end slavery, by armed insurrection if necessary. By 1856, he is said to have enlisted over 47,000 members of the Knights of Liberty all over the South who stood ready to fight for freedom, her article on the organization reads.

In 1856, he also formed a smaller secret group called the Knights of Tabor - Order of the Twelve, in honor of the 12 original members of the Knights of Liberty. However, when the Civil War broke out, the Knights of Liberty, no longer needed in an armed insurrection and disbanded with many of their members enlisting in the Union Army.

After the war, the fraternal Order of Twelve - Knights and Daughters of Tabor membership grew particularly in the former slave states where it offered members burial insurance and weekly sick pay benefits, she said.

One of the most notable Knights of Tabor projects was in Mound Bayou, Mississippi, where the group built a regional hospital for members. This was part of the Taborian general mission to provide services to their members. The Mound Bayou hospital in the Mississippi Delta region opened in 1942, providing the only health care in that region specifically for the Black population until it merged with the county hospital system in 1983 and that building was closed.

In 2012, a successful restoration project was begun on its building and in 2016 it reopened as the Taborian Hospital Urgent Care Clinic.

The Manual of the International Order of Twelve of Knights and Daughters of Tabor written by Dickson in 1891 outlined the elaborate, colorful regalia required to be worn at meetings and burial ceremonies.

Also according to her research there were newspapers published by The Knights of Tabor.

According to the 1913 N.W. Ayer & Sons American Newspaper Annual and Directory as quoted in her article, a Taborian Banner newspaper was being published in Conroe in that year with a circulation of 2,000. Research has not yet been able to locate an existing copy of this paper, but it is believed that it was printed in Conroe for a few years from about 1909 to at least 1913, she said.

The graves in the Conroe Community Cemetery are from 1912, 1913, 1914 and 1915. Shes unsure what happened to the organization in Conroe after 1915.

While the group seemed to decline in the Conroe area after 1920, larger groups in Galveston, Corsicana and other Texas cities remained well into the mid-century.

Now shes turning to family history to learn more about the Conroe group.

The Taskforce can be reached at HistoryTaskforce9@gmail.com if anyone has family information about the Knights and Daughters of Tabor that they would like to share.

shernandez@hcnonline.com
PHOENIX (AP)  Republican officials who oversee elections in Maricopa County issued a blistering retort Wednesday to GOP Attorney General Mark Brnovich accusing the state's top lawman of abusing his position and misleading the public about the 2020 election to advance his U.S. Senate campaign.

The county officials issued a nine-page response after Brnovich last month released an interim report on his findings in a criminal investigation of the 2020 election. The report outlined his concerns with some election procedures but did not provide proof of any major issues despite six months of investigation.

Its disappointing that I have to write this about a person that I previously admired, and considered a friend and a good man, County Recorder Stephen Richer, a Republican, said of Brnovich. Richer was not involved in conducting the 2020 election but has forcefully defended the staff in his office against allegations they broke rules to deny a victory to then-President Donald Trump.

Richer said he's learning to live with Republican officials who privately acknowledge the election was conducted well but publicly raise doubts, but Brnovich should be held to a higher standard as Arizona's chief law enforcement officer.

Where its different is where you have an ethical responsibility as an attorney, Richer said. Where its different is where you have the awesome power, the ultimate power of the state, which is to deprive people of liberty and to ruin their reputation.

Brnovich said in a statement that everyone should want the same thing: fair elections that maintain accuracy and promote public confidence."

Hurling accusations and holding divisive press conferences will not move us any closer to that goal, he said.

Maricopa County, which includes more than 60% of Arizona's voters, has been at the center of the push by Trump and his supporters to advance the lie that the 2020 election was marred by fraud. A widely mocked review conducted on behalf of state Senate Republicans did not dispute now-President Joe Biden's victory in the county but claimed there were a variety of irregularities. The report tried to paint routine election practices as errors, irregularities or sinister efforts to deny Trump another term.

I want to say something now to the Republicans who are listening, said Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Gates, a Republican. We used to be the party of facts. We used to be the party of the rule of law. What happened? What happened, Mr. Brnovich?

Brnovich's highly unusual interim report said some of the forms documenting the transportation of ballots were missing signatures or other information. He also claimed that election officials worked too quickly in verifying voter signatures on mail ballots and contended a drop in the number of ballots with rejected signatures between 2016 and 2018 and again in 2020 warrants scrutiny. And he claimed that county officials were slow in responding to his requests for information.

The county officials said in Wednesday's response that Brnovich's report disregarded obvious explanations and was written to make it appear the election results could be questioned. They said error rates on ballot transfer forms were tiny and no ballots were tampered with and that changes in the law, a larger staff and new technology account for the drop in rejected ballots.

The county officials also took issue with Brnovich's comments on former Trump adviser Steve Bannon's podcast in which he claimed that Maricopa County used artificial intelligence to verify signatures on mail ballots. The officials said every signature was verified by a human.

They suggested Brnovich's public comments about an ongoing criminal investigation may violate his ethical obligations as a prosecutor but stopped short of filing a complaint with the State Bar of Arizona.

Brnovich is courting Trumps endorsement for his Senate run, which would give him a significant boost in a field with no clear Republican frontrunner to take on Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly.

Shortly after his interim report failed to confirm Trump's claims of fraud, Trump indicated he would not back Brnovich's campaign.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  The Brazilian Senates Human Rights Committee is sending a team to Yanomami indigenous territory after reports that a 12-year-old Indigenous girl was sexually violated and murdered.

In a post to his Twitter account Tuesday, Sen. Humberto Costa, who leads the committee, said the purpose of the trip is to guarantee the inviolable rights of Indigenous people.

It is not yet clear how the Senate team will carry out its inquiry. The Associated Press tried to contact Senator Costa by phone and WhatsApp, but was not able to speak with him.

Reports of the crime have sparked outrage in Brazil, where many already were concerned about the treatment of Yanomami people, whose territory on Brazil's border with Venezuela has been overrun by thousands of illegal gold prospectors. During a Supreme Court session Friday, one justice demanded an investigation and the court president called the case very grave.

The alleged crime was first reported on April 25 by Junior Hekurari Yanomami, president of the Yanomami and Yekwana Indigenous District's Health Council. In a video posted to social media, he accused illegal gold miners of responsibility for the crime.

Two days later, Federal Police flew to the remote community of Aracaca. The department said in a statement afterward that they had found no evidence of a girl's murder. Yanomami leadership, however, said in its own statement that the miners had coerced residents into denying the murder.

Rape and death have become commonplace in the densely invaded areas of Yanomami Indigenous land, Carlos Fausto, an anthropologist from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, told The AP via text.

Fausto referenced a report Yanomami Under Attack, published last month by the Hutukara Yanomami Association. It cites an unnamed Yanomami woman as saying there have been three rapes and murders of Indigenous teens since 2020.

Environmental and Indigenous advocacy groups estimate there are some 20,000 illegal miners now in Yanomami territory, which is roughly the size of Portugal. The administration of President Jair Bolsonaro has claimed there are far fewer, only 3,500 invaders. The total Indigenous population there numbers about 29,000, according to the Hutukara association.
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The following excerpt is from Jill: A Biography of the First Lady, by Associated Press journalists Julie Pace and Darlene Superville. The book details the life of Jill Biden. Superville covers the White House for the AP; Pace, a former White House correspondent and Washington bureau chief, is now APs executive editor.

___

Joes first Senate reelection campaign demanded Jills participation.

It was a little overwhelming, she said, the first time that Joe took her to a campaign event. A picnic at Archmere Academy, Joes high school alma mater, was one of Jills first political appearances as Joes wife. She was unprepared for the throngs of people. I felt like I was being pulled and tugged every which way, literally. Everyone wanted to talk to her:

Oh, meet my sister.

Do you know soandso?

Oh, did you meet this person?

Im from Sussex!

I can remember going home, going up into the bedroom and just shutting the door, Jill said. I mean I just had to breathe. It was just so overwhelming for me.

But then she started to travel the state and campaign in earnest. I would go to every senior center and have lunch with seniors, she said. I would go to coffees. Id go to the state fair.

Joes sister and campaign manager, Val, became Jills mentor, helping her practice her public remarks and patiently explaining various political organizations and key people she needed to get to know.

Jill was more at ease in smaller settings, where she felt like she could relate better to people.

She slowly started to get to know Joes colleagues in the Senate and their spouses. They loved Joe and they wanted him to be happy, she recalled. I was just welcomed into the Senate.

Three or four times a year, the sitting senators and their spouses would get together for dinner. The tables were a mix of Democrats and Republicans. These were done to foster good relationships between the senators regardless of party, Marcelle Leahy recalled. Jill began to forge friendships that would last for decades.

___

Joes electoral chances in the upcoming Senate race were bolstered by a guest appearance by President Jimmy Carter at a pair of Wilmington fundraisers in February 1978.

The first, a dinner in the glittering Gold Ballroom at the Hotel Du Pont, was formal but at Carters request did not require black-tie dress. Racks of lamb, seafood, and American wines were served beneath ceiling bas-reliefs of Helen of Troy, Cleopatra and other famous women. Guests paid upward of $1,000 to take photos with Joe and the president, and Jill helped work the crowds as they navigated the ballroom.

Following the dinner, Joe and President Carter attended an additional stop at the Padua Academy, a more accessible event. A thousand or so attendees, many of whom had been supporters of Joes since his initial run for the Senate, paid $35 to support his reelection bid, have a drink, and dance with fellow Delaware Democrats.

The evening was a necessary exercise in party unity. Although Joe had been the first senator to support Carters 1976 run for president, he had recently been critical of the administration. They got to Washington and didnt know how Washington worked, hed said. The president is learning, but not fast enough. Carter, for his part, paid Joe the backhanded compliment that he was independent almost to a fault.

Carter spent only 64 minutes with the Bidens that evening, but his visit helped Joes campaign bring in more than $60,000.

As the campaign year wore on, and political tensions across Delaware began to heighten, demands on Jill began to shift away from hostess duties. Joes rivalry with James H. Baxter, the Republican challenger, started to push her closer to the public arena.

Baxter attacked Biden as a no-show senator, running an ad claiming, Biden misses 502 Senate votes. Baxters main message to the public was that Joe, instead of representing Delawareans in Washington, was out wasting taxpayer dollars traveling on frivolous business trips. In truth, Joe had a typical attendance record for a senator.

Joe played into his opponents hands by missing an event sponsored by the Hadassah Womens Zionist Organization that Baxter and other Delaware officials attended. Jill, Beau, and Hunter attended.

Baxter once again returned to his mockeries of no-show Joe. Ironically, Joes absence was due to a 10 p.m. vote in DC on a bill that he had co-sponsored. This time Baxter was criticizing him for not missing a vote.

Jill stood in as his protector.

I just cannot let this go by, she told the gathering. I just cant let you go out that door thinking that Joe just sloughs off down in Washington! Joe is a smart man and he knows which votes are important . . . If he misses a vote because its an amendment to an amendment, hes made a good decision on that!

Jill increasingly found herself in the local spotlight in the usual ways for a Senate spouse. She headed up Operation Reindeer, an event put on by the Mental Health Association that provided small gifts for the thousands of patients throughout the Delaware state mental health treatment system. And she signed autographs for people who bought copies of a cookbook that included a recipe for Jill Bidens Chocolate Cake that benefited the Wilmington Hadassah.

After being married to Joe for more than a year, Jill was still registered as a Republican. Once the local papers found out, she told them that she planned on changing her party registration to Democrat. But she missed the deadline, meaning that if she wanted to vote in the Senate primary, it would have to be in the Republican contest, where her choice would be to help Joes main rival, James Baxter, or Baxters primary challenger, James Veneman. She voted, but would not tell Joe, the kids, or the press who she voted for.

On Election Day, Joe secured his Senate seat for a second time. He won with more than 93,000 votes to Baxters 66,479.

___

In the spring of 1978, Joe met a young lawyer, Mark Gitenstein, at a Senate hearing on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978. Gitenstein detailed the work on intelligence overreaches by US government agencies that he had done for Minnesota Sen. Walter Mondale as counsel to the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Joe was impressed with Gitensteins command of the issue and invited him to speak privately.

Gitenstein thought Biden wanted to talk about the FISA issues at hand and concentrated on convincing Biden about what should go in the FISA statute. Following a period of civil rights abuses, and the classifying of citizens such as Martin Luther King Jr. as potential threats against the state, FISA and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court were meant to be positive steps toward institutionalizing channels through which intelligence could be collected.

But Joe talked more broadly, asking questions and running Gitenstein through his paces. Eventually Gitenstein realized Joe was interviewing him for a job. Biden invited Gitenstein to dinner in the Senate dining room with his chief of staff, Ted Kaufman, Jill, and the boys. Gitenstein found the Bidens  particularly Jill  delightful.

It was out of that evening that I came away saying, You know what? I like this guy, and I like the way he treats his kids, Gitenstein said.

In those early years, sometimes Gitenstein would travel with Joe and Jill on official trips, and while Joe certainly wielded his own charisma in the right settings, it was Jill who brought the jokes and could cut a rug.

John McCain, the Arizona Republican who would later be elected to the US Senate and run for president in 2000 and 2008, was still in the Navy as a captain and acted as Bidens Navy liaison on a trip to the Mediterranean. Joe would later tell a story about returning from dinner with the prime minister of Greece and finding Jill and McCain dancing on a concrete table in a taverna on an Athens beach. McCain danced with a red bandanna clenched in his teeth, wrote author Robert Timberg.

Jill eventually returned to teaching part-time. They needed reading specialists in the state of Delaware, because Delaware was going through deseg, Jill recalled.

School segregation had deep roots in Delaware. A local court case known as Gebhart v. Belton had been folded into the collection of cases that made up Brown v. Board of Education, ultimately leading to the 1954 Supreme Court decision that determined separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.

Delaware public schools were forced to desegregate, with varying degrees of success. Schools in Wilmington became predominantly Black, while the surrounding suburban schools remained de facto white. Eventually, in 1978, Evans v. Buchanan  a case centered around Wilmingtons eleven school districts  mandated a plan for Black students in the city to be bused to white suburban schools, while white suburban students would be bused into the city.

Busing was opposed by whites who supported de facto segregation, and by some Black residents who saw it as changing the fabric of their communities and adding unnecessary logistical hurdles to their childrens education. In response to his constituents, Joe began voicing his opposition to busing in 1974, arguing in part that housing integration was a better area of focus to address inequality. Over the next four years, he put forward numerous proposals to limit federal and judicial authority on busing mandates.

They wanted reading specialists in a lot of the schools, Jill recalled. After a short time at Concord High School, she began working at Claymont High School as a reading specialist even though she would not finish her masters degree until 1981. Ironically, Claymont had been the first school in the state to integrate, but the school board would later permanently close it in 1990 because of the schools racial imbalance.

Through her role in the public school system, Jill saw firsthand the rapidly shifting situation. They were desperate for specialists, she said, to assist the new Black students who had come from underfunded schools and were behind in their reading skills.

Jill taught in the mornings, which let her keep many of the familys life rhythms the same. She was still there to pick the boys up from school, waiting in the carpool line with the other parents each afternoon.

But Joes presence in the Senate kept her in the public eye. Although Jill registered for her graduate courses under Jacobs, her maiden name, people recognized her.

The country didnt know her, Joes chief of staff, Ted Kaufman, later said, but obviously every single person in Delaware knew her.
ELLSWORTH, Maine (AP)  A former Maine gubernatorial candidate charged with possession of child pornography can get back online, a judge ruled Tuesday, even as an affidavit was unsealed indicating the defendant possessed thousands of videos of young children being sexually abused.

The affidavit indicated law enforcement began investigating Eliot Cutler upon learning of a video showing child exploitation that was allegedly linked to the IP address of Cutler's home in Brooklin.

That was the tip of the iceberg.

A search of the home yielded flash drives, USB drives and external hard drives, and investigators found more videos of children being sexually assaulted, according to the affidavit by Glenn Lang, special agent with the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Task Force. The affidavit didnt indicate Cutler was involved in making or distributing child pornography  just that he possessed it.

The court documents were unsealed Tuesday as a defense attorney attended an initial court appearance on behalf of Cutler.

During the hearing, Hancock County Deputy District Attorney Toff Toffolon described the defendant as having a longstanding, untreated and severe addiction to child pornography.

Defense attorney Walter McKee used the hearing as an opportunity to ask the judge to modify bail conditions so Cutler could have access to the internet for banking and other legal activities.

Justice Robert Murray granted Cutler access to an internet-connected laptop and smartphone under a monitoring plan with special software that produces alerts if sexually explicit images are accessed.

It was the first court appearance since Cutler, 75, was arrested on March 25, two days after the search of the Brooklin home and another home in Portland. No plea was entered Tuesday.

Cutler was released on $50,000 bail after his arrest on four counts of possession of sexually explicit material of a child under 12.

The charges were a shock. Cutler ran for governor twice as an independent and used his personal wealth to bankroll both campaigns. In his first campaign, he lost by less than 2 percentage points to Republican Paul LePage in a multi-candidate race in 2010. He lost again four years later.

Years ago, Cutler served as an aide to the late Democratic U.S. Sen. Edmund Muskie and later as former Democratic President Jimmy Carters top adviser for environmental and energy issues. Cutler went on to serve as an environmental attorney and helped found a law firm in Washington.

The arrest followed a two-month investigation that started with a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

When nearly a dozen law enforcement officers arrived to execute the search warrant, Cutler explained to his wife in the presence of investigators that the search warrant was for child pornography and that investigators "would probably find some on one of his computers, the affidavit said.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  A man was sentenced on Tuesday to 30 years to life in the 2018 shooting death of a woman in New Hampshire.

Justin Belanger, 22, was convicted by a jury in October following a trial.
WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP)  A North Carolina man faces a maximum sentence of 43 years in prison after pleading guilty in the death of a woman he had been dating in 2019.

Jermaine Pompey, 33, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to second-degree murder in the death of Quinchelle Carr, 30, WECT reported. Pompey had been charged with first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
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LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Stanislav Shushkevich, who steered Belarus to independence, served as its first leader and is reported to have taught Russian to John F. Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald in the 1960s, has died. He was 87.

Shushkevich died early Wednesday, according to his wife, Irina, after hospitalization last month for COVID-19.

Shushkevich was a harsh critic of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who succeeded him as the nation's leader in 1994 and has ruled with an iron fist ever since, relentlessly crushing dissent.

When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, Shushkevich criticized Lukashenko for allowing Moscow to use Belarus as a staging ground for amassing troops and launching the war.

When the occupation of Belarus ends, when peace, the law and sovereignty return to Belarus, streets and monuments to Stanislav Shushkevich will certainly appear in Belarussian cities," Belarus exiled opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, said Wednesday.

Memorializing Shushkevich, she said his journey toward a free, peaceful and independent Belarus were continuing, day by day.

Shushkevich, a university professor, became a lawmaker in Belarus during Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's political reforms. Following a botched hardline Soviet coup in August 1991, he was elected to lead the then-republic as the speaker of the Belarusian legislature.

On Dec. 8, 1991, Shushkevich hosted the leaders of Russia and Ukraine at a secluded hunting lodge near Poland to sign an agreement that declared the Soviet Union defunct and formed a new alliance of the three Slavic republics called the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Two weeks later, eight other Soviet republics joined the alliance, effectively terminating the authority of Gorbachev, who stepped down on Dec. 25, 1991.

Shushkevich spoke about the signing of the agreement with pride in an interview last year with The Associated Press. He called the accord he signed with Boris Yeltsin of Russia and Leonid Kravchuk of Ukraine a diplomatic masterpiece.

A great empire, a nuclear superpower, split into independent countries that could cooperate with each other as closely as they wanted, and not a single drop of blood was shed, Shushkevich told the AP.

We decided to shut the prison of nations, he said. There was nothing to feel contrition for.

Shushkevich argued that he and the other leaders saw no point in Gorbachevs efforts to keep the remaining 12 Soviet republics together.

The Baltic republics of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia already had seceded, and the failed August coup against Gorbachev by hard-line Communist Party members had eroded his authority and encouraged other republics to seek independence.

All versions of the union treaty boiled down to the restoration of the old ways or to Gorbachevs proposal of a new structure where he still would be the boss, Shushkevich said.

As Belarus' first post-Soviet leader, Shushkevich faced daunting challenges amid an economic meltdown and political turmoil that followed the breakup of the USSR. Shushkevich's popularity waned, and when the country held its first presidential election in 1994, populist Lukashenko won by a landslide after promising to shore up the crumbling economy, combat corruption and restore Soviet-era social benefits.

Before his prominent role in the breakup of the USSR, Shushkevich became a footnote in another historic event. He taught Russian to Lee Harvey Oswald when they worked at the same radio factory in Minsk in the early 1960s. Oswald went on to assassinate U.S. President John F. Kennedy.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte tweeted about the news of Shushkevichs death that his signature on the declaration dissolving the Soviet Union will live in history, his memory - in our hearts.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Chief Justice John Roberts, in ordering an investigation into an egregious breach of trust in the leak of a Supreme Court draft opinion on abortion, tasked a relatively unknown court official to carry out what could be one of the most high-profile investigations in decades.

The marshal of the Supreme Court has now undertaken the investigation to try to identify the source of the leak  a nearly unprecedented breach of protocol that sent shock waves through the Supreme Court and Washington legal community.

This was a singular and egregious breach of that trust that is an affront to the Court and the community of public servants who work here, Roberts said in ordering the investigation.

But many questions remain about how the investigation will be carried out and whether a federal crime was committed. Separately, there are questions about what powers the Marshal may use to find the person who leaked the documents.

To the extent this betrayal of the confidences of the Court was intended to undermine the integrity of our operations, it will not succeed," Roberts said. "The work of the Court will not be affected in any way."

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Despite the Biden administrations curtailing the governments ability to seize records from reporters, the courts marshal operates outside of that chain of command, opening the possibility for an investigation without traditional guardrails to protect journalists sources.

Heres a look at the investigation and how it could play out.

IS IT A CRIME?

Thats a matter of legal dispute, but many experts say bringing a criminal case would be extremely difficult.

There is no special statute that makes it a crime to disseminate a draft Supreme Court opinion or other private court documents, Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor, said in a tweet.

Nevertheless, some lawmakers, particularly Republicans in the Senate, have called for an extensive investigation and prosecution of the person who leaked the document.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., demanded the FBI investigate the leak. And Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called for the Justice Department to pursue charges if applicable. He said the lawless action should be investigated and punished as fully as possible.

Generally, the Justice Department pursues leak investigations when classified information is unlawfully released to the public, but that isnt the case here. And while there may be an argument that the release of the draft could amount to the theft of government property, the Justice Departments guidelines suggest a prosecution would be unlikely.

Federal law prohibits the theft or receiving of stolen government information. But Justice Department guidelines say it is inappropriate to bring a prosecution under that law if the person had legitimate access to the information or documents and then used it for the purpose of disseminating it to the public.

WHO IS THE MARSHAL DOING THE INVESTIGATION?

The court's marshal, Col. Gail A. Curley, came to the court from the U.S. Army and has been on the job for less than a year. As marshal, she wears several different hats in overseeing the administrative side of the court. She is the courts chief security officer, overseeing a staff of approximately 260 employees including the police force that provides security for the justices and the Supreme Court building. But she is also the building's facilities administrator. And when the court hears arguments it's her job to bang a gavel and announce the justices' entrance into the courtroom with a traditional cry that includes the phrase Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! which means hear ye.

Curley began her job of marshal in the summer of 2021 following the retirement of the courts longtime Marshal Pamela Talkin. The court said then that while working for the Army, part of Curley's duties included providing legal advice and support on national security law to senior Army leadership. Her military career included time in Germany and Afghanistan.

Curley graduated from the U.S. Military Academy and has a law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law. She received two different master's degrees from military schools.

WHAT DOES AN INVESTIGATION LOOK LIKE?

It is very unclear at this point. The marshal could carry out the investigation herself, but she's perhaps more likely to bring on help.

The group of people that has access to a draft opinion includes the court's nine justices, a small number of staff and some three dozen law clerks, young lawyers who help the justices with their work for a year. The marshal could theoretically hire an outside law firm to assist in the probe. And in other cases involving judicial records, the FBI has sometimes been called in to help.

A Justice Department spokesman said Tuesday that the department had not been asked to help assist in finding the person who leaked the document.

All law clerks sign a code of conduct promising confidentiality. The law clerk should take particular care that Court documents not available to the public are not taken from the Court building, a copy of the code from 1989 says.

An investigation is likely also to focus on how and why the information was leaked, whether it was intentionally provided to Politico by a court employee or inadvertently made available to someone who then sent a copy of the draft to the news organization, or whether a different circumstance occurred.

CAN THE MARSHAL SEIZE THE RECORDS OF THE JOURNALISTS?

Maybe. In most cases, though, investigators need to spell out exactly why they believe a crime was committed in order to obtain the records from the companies who would hold telephone or email records.

The investigation is somewhat unprecedented, and the Supreme Court hasnt searched for anyone who leaked information on this scale in the digital age.

The Biden administration has significantly curtailed the use of subpoenas and warrants to seize the records of journalists in leak investigations. But the marshal of the Supreme Court doesnt report to the executive branch of the government, so those restrictions likely wouldn't apply in this investigation.

In July, Attorney General Merrick Garland formally prohibited prosecutors from seizing journalists records as part of leak investigations after an outcry over revelations that the Justice Department  in the Trump administration  had obtained records belonging to journalists at The Washington Post, CNN and The New York Times as part of investigations into who had disclosed government secrets related to the Russia investigation and other national security matters.

Garlands policy  which includes limited exceptions when prosecutors could obtain the records  reversed years of Justice Department policy and aimed to resolve an issue that long vexed prosecutors trying to weigh the medias First Amendment rights against the governments desire to protect sensitive and classified information.

The marshal of the Supreme Court, however, reports directly to the court and the chief justice and wouldnt be subject to those restrictive guidelines. It isnt clear if the marshal or any others involved in the investigation could issue subpoenas or attempt to collect the records of the Politico journalists or others.

The marshal of the Supreme Court has served a subpoena before, though the one publicly known instance came in 1915 after a dispute where a Civil War soldier took Martha Washingtons will, which was later sold to a wealthy New York banker. The state of Virginia later brought the case to the Supreme Court and the subpoena was issued in an effort to collect the will.

WHAT'S NEXT?

It's hard to say. Roberts said only that he had directed the marshal to investigate the source of the leak. He didn't say how long the investigation would take. He didn't say whether it would be limited to the court or extend to the journalists involved in the opinion's publication. And he didn't say whether the results would eventually be made public.

The beginning of the investigation comes during a particularly busy time of year for the court. The justices just finished hearing arguments in cases at the end of April. They spend May and June completing their work on opinions, and those are issued before they take a summer break. They return to the bench to begin hearing new cases in October.
Hundreds of Houstonians gathered at two downtown protests Tuesday to denounce the potential repeal of Roe v. Wade, joining Texans in other cities across the Lone Star State in their demands for safe abortion access.

I'm real angry inside and you know what else, I'm tired. I'm tired of being tired, and I'm tired of being resilient. And I'm tired of having to have the same conversation over and over and over again, with people who just refuse to listen, said Jaylynn Farr Munson, speaking on behalf of Fund Texas Choice to a crowd of over 100 people at Tranquility Park, across the street from Houstons federal courthouse.

Fund Texas Choice, which used to receive about 50 calls for abortion support per month, has gotten about 300 per month since the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 8 which bans abortions after six weeks, last summer, according to Farr Munson.

Jon Shapley/Staff photographer

On Monday, a leaked draft of the Supreme Court's majority opinion to overturn Roe V. Wade was published by Politico, signaling that the court could be ready to remove federal abortion protections and return those decisions to the states. If the court follows through on that decision, it would trigger a blanket ban on abortions in Texas due to another state law passed last spring.

When abortion rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back! the crowd chanted.

Caroline Duble, political director at Avow, an abortion advocacy group, was at a friends birthday dinner when she heard the news of Roes potential repeal. She immediately left the party and pulled over at a gas station to cry, and then stayed up all night organizing Tuesdays protest with other abortion funds and advocacy groups including the Lilith Fund, Fund Texas Choice, the Texas Equal Access Fund, the Houston Womens Clinic and Planned Parenthood.

Speakers told demonstrators to text abortion to 833-947-3755 to stay in the loop about future rallies against the potential abortion ban, and urged the crowd to donate to abortion funds which help Texans get access to safe abortions.

Jon Shapley/Staff photographer

Our state legislature has been trying to ban abortion since the day Roe vs. Wade went into effect almost 50 years ago, and so we are very much in this fight for the long haul, Duble said.

About an hour later, the Democratic Socialists of America, Socialist Alternative and the LGBT Caucus organized a similar protest outside City Hall to repeat the calls to fight against the Supreme Courts potential ruling.

Three counter-protesters on McKinney chanted hell no, we dont need Roe and abortion is murder, but were largely ignored by the much larger crowd at City Hall. By the time they marched to the federal courthouse, chanting whose streets? Our streets, the group had swelled to about 200.

Jon Shapley/Staff photographer

Once they reached the hall, organizers turned the bullhorn over to demonstrators who wanted to address the crowd. Halston Dare, 22, explained how she has a medical condition that prevents her from using birth control and an allergy to the materials used in condoms.

Multiple doctors told her to get married so it wont be a problem or to suck it up, and she felt that abortions might be her only safeguard against an unwanted pregnancy.

These right-wing politicians say they want to ban abortion and say just put them up for adoption, but we dont see them adopting children or donating to orphanages or organizations that help women post-pregnancy. Its pro-choice people who are doing that, the same people that support abortions, and it makes me so angry, Dare said.
Houston Chronicle file

Carl Parker, convicted in the slaying of a 22-year-old driver, was put to death inside the Harris County Jail on May 4, 1922. He was the last person executed in Harris County before the state took over such duties.

A request by a federal judge to halt the execution so that a new plea for a writ of habeas corpus could be heard came too late.
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It's become a fear many Houstonians have when they leave a vehicle unattended: Is a thief coming to crawl underneath and saw off the catalytic converter?

Catalytic converter thefts have soared in Houston and across the country since the pandemic started, leaving millions of car owners facing repairs that can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars - and resulting in deadly confrontations that have killed drivers and police officers.

The rise in thefts was so bad that Houston City Council enacted a ban on the sale of some devices, making it a Class C misdemeanor.

The Chronicle spoke with the Houston Police Department and local scrap metal dealers to answer the most commonly asked questions about catalytic converter theft.

What is a catalytic converter?

Catalytic converters are tubular sections of a vehicle's exhaust system, located near the muffler. Hot engine gases pass through the converter before being emitted. Most vehicles have just one, but larger cars and trucks can have up to four.

Properly functioning converters react with the most dangerous pollutants in car exhaust, turning them into less toxic chemicals. They are required by law to be installed in most vehicles to control pollution.

Why are catalytic converters being stolen?

The answer lies inside the converters, where a honeycomb structure contains small amounts of three precious metals: platinum, palladium and rhodium.

Prices for the metals have soared during the pandemic due to supply shortages and increased global demand from car makers, said Houston Police Officer Oscar Gamez, who works in the metal thefts unit that investigates stolen converters.

"In recent years, more countries are requiring catalytic converters to reduce air pollution, so theres a high demand and low volume of these metals," Gamez said. "The thefts have occurred more often for at least the past 5 years."

Rhodium reached a high of $27,000 per ounce in April 2021 and now trades at $18,000 per ounce, according to precious metals firm Kitco. Meanwhile, palladium currently sells for $2,100 per ounce, while platinum commands $900 per ounce.

Convenience is another reason why thieves prefer to target catalytic converters, Gamez said. Working in pairs or small groups, thieves can quickly saw off dozens of converters from rows of delivery vehicles, church vans and school buses.

Cars left alone for long periods of time at hotels and corporate fleet yards are especially at risk, Gamez said. So are park and ride centers, including Metro's Fuqua Park and Ride in southeast Houston, where thieves reportedly stole 15 catalytic converters during the day on April 12, according to ABC13.

How much is a catalytic converter worth?

Catalytic converters can sell for anywhere from $10 to $750 each, said Dennis Laviage, owner of C&D Scrap Metal. The wide range in price is due to the varying quality of converters sold to scrap metal dealers, including those recovered from junk cars.

Some cars have after-market converters, which are cheaper, said Laviage, while other vehicles have two, three or even four converters that can be sold for higher prices.

As with credit card skimmers and other large-scale thefts, the "cutters" who crawl under vehicles and saw off converters often get the smallest share of the illicit proceeds with the highest risk of arrest, Gamez said. Many have no prior criminal record and are recruited by those further up the value chain that police have struggled to identify.

"The more we look into it, the more we see that theyre organized," he said. "There are several layers of people involved in purchasing and selling this material."

For car owners, the price to replace a stolen converter can be many times what thieves get for them, especially if the car requires the same replacement model rather than a universal model.

Most owners will have to pay $1,000 to $3,000 to repair their car, a cost not covered by basic liability insurance, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

How many catalytic converters are stolen in Houston?

In Houston, data shows catalytic converter thefts have multiplied every year since 2019. That year, 375 people reported thefts to Houston police. By 2020, theft cases had quadrupled to over 1,400 stolen converters before soaring fivefold to over 7,800 reported thefts in 2021.

This year, Houston police received 1,974 reports in January and February, compared to 925 during the same two months last year. If the trend were to continue, it would add up to nearly 16,700 Houstonians having catalytic converters stolen in 2022.

Theft cases can be difficult to solve because many converters police suspect as stolen can't be matched to specific vehicles and victims, Gamez said.

Instead, local officials have resorted to ordinances and rules to make it harder to sell stolen catalytic converters. In April 2021, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner ordered metal recyclers who purchase catalytic converters to enter the year, make, model, and VIN of the source vehicle into a real-time electronic database on the same day that the converter is purchased. Local rules also limit businesses to buying only one converter per person per day.

As thefts continue to rise, the City of Houston imposed a ban on the sale of used or "cut" emissions-controlled devices within city limits. It would be a Class C misdemeanor.

But Laviage, whose scrap metal business is located in the Houston city limits, said Turner's gambit is an ineffective strategy because he thinks thieves will simply sell stolen converters elsewhere in Harris County or smuggle them to other cities and states.

"I know they're mostly not selling them in Houston," Laviage said. "Other than scrap cars, I buy very few (catalytic converters) because the amount of work that's required through the city and state, the ordinances and all the rules, it's not worth it for what we can get."

Which cars have the most catalytic converters stolen in Houston?

Though thieves look for any vehicles left in a vulnerable position, Gamez said Toyota Tundras are a top target for catalytic converter theft because the trucks have four large catalytic converters that command higher prices than those from most vehicles.

Four catalytic converters from a Toyota Tundra could get thieves over $1,000 at some metal recyclers, Laviage said.

Toyota Prius models from 2004 to 2009 are also targeted because their converters contain higher concentrations of precious metals to compensate for the reduced flow of hot gases from hybrid engines, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. A single catalytic converter from an older Toyota Prius can sell for $1,000 or more, the IIHS found.

Can you drive without a catalytic converter?

Aside from Texas laws making it illegal to drive vehicles without pollution control devices installed, driving without a catalytic converter is an unpleasant experience.

Although cars will still function, drivers can tell that their vehicle's converter is missing the moment they turn on the engine from the loud noise that erupts.

Can you prevent theft of catalytic converters by spray painting them?

Some car owners have resorted to spray painting their catalytic converters with heat-resistant neon colors or even engraving their vehicle identification number, hoping it will dissuade thieves.

Police and scrap metal dealers disagreed on whether this strategy is effective as a deterrent, but police said it could help them identify and solve cases as they review photos of resold converters uploaded by metal recyclers.

"If I was looking at a photograph of a catalytic converter and it was fluorescent pink, that would catch my attention," Gamez said. "If it was engraved with a number, we could identify the complainant."

Gamez said anything that makes thieves hesitate could work in favor of owners. But Laviage said the spray paint method has limitations once the precious metals are removed.

Do catalytic converter shield protectors work?

A growing trend among owners of larger cars and trucks is to bolt or weld on catalytic converter cages and protective shields that cover the vehicle's exhaust system.

As with spray painting, the main benefit is that it makes thieves have second thoughts about targeting a particular car, said Gamez.

For Laviage, the real solution to catalytic converter theft seems simple: arresting the thieves on the streets. "The only way they're going to stop this is going to be to catch them in the act," he said.

But confronting thieves can be deadly, even for experienced officers who work on the crime. Earlier this month, Darren Almendarez, an off-duty Harris County sheriff's deputy, died from gunshot wounds in a grocery store parking lot after fighting with two men police said were trying to steal a catalytic converter from his truck.

Days later, a New Caney police officer was injured while trying to arrest three men suspected of catalytic converter theft.

"It used to be, in the past, theyre just getting caught or running away, but now theyre arming themselves and willing to present a firearm or use firearms when confronted," Gamez said. "Itll keep going on until theres no more demand."

Laura Duclos and Sam Ketterer contributed to this report.

charlie.zong@chron.com
A sharp increase in catalytic converter thefts prompted Houstons City Council Wednesday to ban the sale of used or cut emissions-control devices.

The ordinance makes it illegal to possess catalytic converters that have been cut apart to extract the valuable metals from the devices that remove pollutants from car exhaust. The converters, part of a cars exhaust system located near the muffler, are required by law to be installed in most vehicles to control pollution.

EXPLAINER: What to know about soaring catalytic converter thefts as Houston bans some sales

The ordinance applies to catalytic converters that have been cut apart or cut off a vehicle, rather than unbolted, and does not criminalize the sale of new parts or those carried out by citys roughly 100 registered metal recycling facilities.

Mayor Sylvester Turner said Wednesday his administration is doing "everything we can think of" to make it harder for thieves to steal and resell catalytic converters in Houston.

The thefts have surged in recent years due to supply shortages and increased global demand for cleaner cars. Houston police recorded a five-fold increase in theft cases since 2019, with 2022 on track for a record-breaking year at 3,200 thefts so far.

"If you are going to do it, we are going to make it as inconvenient as possible for you," Turner said.

The Houston Police Department has said its officers recover about 100 catalytic converters a day. Without the authority to seize stashes for investigation, however, police cannot make arrests or link suspected stolen parts to specific vehicles and victims.

By creating a new Class C misdemeanor criminalizing the possession of the cut parts, the ordinance will make it easier for police to file charges against a person with catalytic converters that have been cut, a tell-tale sign of theft, officials said. Legitimate mechanics unbolt the part when uninstalling it, making stolen ones  typically cut off by thieves who crawl under vehicles at night  easy to spot.

CATALYTIC CONVERTER THIEVES: 2 charged with capital murder in off-duty Harris County deputy's shooting death

Under the ordinance, suspected thieves will face a separate charge for each catalytic converter found in their possession.

Roy Narvaez, owner of Street Performance and Offroad, said he first noticed the uptick in catalytic converter thefts at the outset of the pandemic in early 2020. Thieves especially seemed to target Toyota trucks, a preference Narvaez attributed to the super exposed placement of the part on the trucks undercarriage.

The trio of metals contained in catalytic converters  platinum, rhodium and palladium  have seen historic price increases in recent years as automobile companies strive to meet tougher emissions standards. The price of rhodium alone has skyrocketed by more than 2,000% in the last five years.

It was as if there were diamonds inside the catalytic converters, Narvaez said. People were acting like that.

At first Narvaez could do nothing to help his customers, who often had to pay thousands of dollars and wait months for replacement catalytic converters. Then he had an idea.

The mechanic designed a simple metal plate that could be welded or screwed onto the trucks undercarriages to deter thieves. After prototyping several designs, Narvaez and his staff began bulk producing the steel shields, known as skid plates for their resemblance to protection devices frequently installed on off-road vehicles. He estimates he installs one or two daily.

Narvaez charges about $550 for each specialized skid plate. Customers often balk at the cost, he said.

They go, Oh no, no, no, he said. Unfortunately, because of the crime, you have to make a decision: do I gamble that it is not going to happen to me?

WATCH: What is a catalytic converter? Here's why people steal them and how to help stop the theft.

Most of Narvaezs customers choose the precautionary shield when faced with the prospect of waiting for a replacement part. Across the United States, catalytic converters are back-ordered up to six months due to high demand, with some manufacturers running lengthy wait lists.

Ultimately, he said, Why not pay $500 out of pocket and have a little peace of mind?

Narvaez supported the ordinance Wednesday, but said it may not be the crime deterrent council members hope it will be.

"At the end of the day, I know thieves don't care about laws," he said.

nora.mishanec@chron.com
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Six years ago, the stabbing death of 11-year-old Josue Flores, killed in an apparently random attack as he walked home after school, outraged not only his Northside neighborhood but all of Houston.

The case frustrated many as police initially arrested an innocent man and then prosecutors dismissed charges against a second suspect, Andre Jackson, because of inconclusive DNA evidence and blood analysis. Jackson would be charged again after a second look found small traces of Josues DNA on his green jacket.

That analysis, along with evidence that included statements Jackson made in a police interrogation, was enough for a Harris County jury to convict Jackson of murder in the boys death. The 12 jurors did so Tuesday following a week and a half of testimony and three hours of deliberations.

Jackson, who appeared calm with the occasional smile throughout the trial, was reduced to tears as the jury stepped into the courtroom.

Oh, God, he sobbed after the jury foreman read the verdict.

His exasperation continued as bailiffs led him out of the courtroom. The judge, rather than the jury, will decide Jacksons punishment on Wednesday.

Josues parents left the courtroom without comment  promising to address the verdict further at punishment.

The verdict followed seven days of exhaustive testimony from law enforcement, DNA experts and witnesses who recollected years-old memories of what they saw unfold in their neighborhood. Jurors heard the 911 call from one neighbor as he rushed to help the mortally wounded child. The attacker, meanwhile, was fleeing on foot and more residents gave chase, authorities said.

Earlier Tuesday, closing arguments from prosecutors and defense attorneys drew a packed courtroom, leaving standing room only in the back. A handful of curious attorneys peeked through a door behind Judge Denise Collins bench to listen until 11:45 a.m., shortly before the case was handed over to the jurors.

Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Defense attorneys questioned the Houston Police Department investigation, the lack of DNA and blood evidence  and argued that what evidence did exist was not be enough to convict their client.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, argued that no other explanation exists for why Josues DNA was discovered on the defendants green jacket  with letters emblazoned on the back  other than that Jackson encountered the boy as he walked home from school and killed him during a random attack.

I think we can all agree that this is the most unique jacket in all of Houston, prosecutor John Jordan said in his final remarks.

Police found the distinctive jacket in Jacksons room at Salvation Army.

Everything points to one person, he continued.

Another prosecutor, Chris Condon, said although many of the neighbors testified inconsistencies about what they saw on that May 17 afternoon, he said it was indicative of their truthfulness.

They didnt attempt to get their story straight, Condon said.

Jackson watched the closing arguments in a powder blue suit and pink tie. He at one point shook his head to disagree when Condon referred to him as a killer to the jury.

The verdict follows two pivitol moments in the years-long investigation. Police arrested the wrong man at first and determined days later that he had an air-tight alibi in Pearland. That man was released and Jackson was apprehended two weeks later.

The Harris County District Attorneys Office in 2017 made the decision to dismiss the charge because of inconclusive DNA evidence and blood analysis at the time. Former prosecutor Tom Berg, who watched closing arguments, said he delivered news of the dismissal to the Flores family on their front porch. Jackson never stopped being a suspect.

It always left kind of an incomplete feeling with me even after I left the DAs office, said Berg, now a federal defense attorney.

He elaborated on his decision to drop the charge, saying that DNA technology then was not quite up to the task in securing a conviction. Prosecutors had only one shot to convict because of double jeopardy, he said.

We felt like he was the one, Berg said, then the countys first assistant district attorney. We had to make the difficult and risky decision to let him go and give the case time to develop, which it did. The science progressed and the science is what brought us to the courtroom today.

In this case, with no witnesses to the crime, prosecutors relied on building a chain of evidence, Berg continued. Prosecutors, he pointed out, dwelled on Jacksons behavior during the interrogation, which he believed showed a consciousness of guilt.

Jordan inferred that guilt when replaying moments from Jacksons interrogation, when the defendant repeatedly asked the detective to show him videos or photos of him stabbing the child  an attempt, he said, to learn what evidence, if any, the investigators had linking him to the crime.

In another clip, Jordan showed the jurors footage of Jackson putting on the green jacket after the attack and suggested that he did so to change his appearance. He played another clip from the interrogation in which Jackson posed a question to the detective as an attempt to explain why nearby cameras showed him running with a jacket in Houstons sweltering heat.

Wouldnt you run if you saw someone getting stabbed, Jackson asked.

Jordan turned to Jackson in the courtroom and answered his question: No, you wouldnt.

Defense attorney Justin Keiter jumped from his seat to object to the comment. The judge shook her head. He moved for a mistrial  a tactic Keiter attempted repeatedly during the past week to no avail.

Prosecutors rested their side of the case Monday after hearing testimony from Josues mother, Maria Flores, about her sons final moments and his routines about walking to-and-from Marshall Middle School.

She used to walk him until Josue asked her to stop. He felt embarrassed when his mother would kiss him goodbye in front of his school friends, Flores told the court.

Surveillance footage showed Josue walking home by himself after a school science club party, moments before he encountered a man. Seven blocks separated his home from the school. He was then stabbed nearly 20 times about three blocks from home, where his mother was waiting.

Jackson, a Marine veteran discharged in 2011, has been held since 2019 in the Harris County Jail, on $500,000 bail, since his re-indictment on the murder charge. He was living in transitional housing at the time of the killing and had been arrested twice before in Harris County. Both were misdemeanor offenses.

The motive in Josues death remains unknown.

nicole.hensley@chron.com
Victor Hugo Cuevas, the man connected last year to the case of the missing tiger in Houston, was convicted on Tuesday on an unrelated murder charge in Fort Bend County, according to court records.

Following a trial in the 240th District Court, a jury found Cuevas, 27, guilty of first-degree murder in the July 2017 shooting death of Osiekhuemen Omobhude, according to Fort Bend County court records.

INDIA THE TIGER: This Houston neighborhood is full of eagle-eyed gossips. How'd they miss a tiger and a beauty queen?

The shooting happened outside of a popular sushi restaurant in the Shops at Bella Terra on Texas 99. Witnesses said they saw two men on motorcycles approach the victim as he was getting into his vehicle in the parking lot.

An attorney representing Cuevas was not immediately available for comment.

Cuevas was indicted last August in Harris County on a felony charge of evading arrest in connection with the tiger incident, court records show.

Police were dispatched to a west Houston neighborhood last May in response to calls about a vicious animal, according to the criminal complaint.

An off-duty Waller County sheriffs deputy who lived in the neighborhood spotted a Bengal tiger sitting on the front lawn of his neighbors home.

According to the complaint, Cuevas ran out of the residence yelling, Dont shoot my cat!

WHERE'S INDIA? How a missing tiger revealed Houston's underground exotic animal trafficking ring

He then put the tiger in the backseat of a white Jeep Grand Cherokee and sped away from Houston police officers with their emergency lights activated, eventually losing them, records show.

Authorities soon arrested Cuevas but did not find the tiger with him, launching a widely publicized hunt for the missing wild animal.

A week later, Cuevas wife surrendered India, the 9-month-old tiger, to BARC. The animal was in good condition and was transported to a tiger sanctuary in Henderson County.

anna.bauman@chron.com
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A Houston police officer was shot and wounded Wednesday in an exchange of gunfire with a man during a traffic stop, authorities said.

Chief Troy Finner said two HPD officers conducted a traffic stop about 11:20 a.m. in the 14300 block of the Gulf Freeway near Astoria in front of an Exxon Gas Station.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Uncle of 4-year-old boy accidentally shot in Katy arrested on weapons charge, sheriff says

The officers -- members of the department's Highway Interdiction Unit -- asked the person to get out of his vehicle. The person exchanged a few words with the officers, got out and "immediately started firing" on the two officers, Finner said.

The officers -- both 10-year veterans -- returned fire, hitting the man multiple times. One officer was shot in his pelvic region, Finner said, and also suffered a minor injury to his torso. The other officer was uninjured.

"Thank god for his ballistic vest and flashlight," Finner said. "It probably saved his life."

The man shot by police is reported to be in critical condition, Finner said.

He had been the subject of a narcotics investigation by a multi-jurisdictional taskforce that included the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Authorities had an active warrant out for the man's arrest, Finner added, and said he'd been out on a $100,000 bond.

Finner, who arrived at the hospital in his dress uniform after having to hastily leave a cadet graduation in north Houston earlier in the day, said he'd spoken with the injured officer, who he said was "in good spirits."

"His wife and children and other family and friends are shaken up," he said, "but he's going to be fine."

Authorities have not yet named either the gunman or the officers who shot him. Finner and other police officials said the wounded officer was a 10-year-veteran who worked in the traffic enforcement's highway interdiction unit. The man's colleagues said he came from a law enforcement family, with a father who had recently retired and a brother who also works for the department.

At the gas station and convenience store, an unmarked police cruiser and HPD patrol car are positioned next to a truck parked near one of the gas pumps. An auto service station is nearby.

HOUSTON TIGER KING: Man who owned India, Houstons famed missing tiger, convicted in Fort Bend murder

"I thought what I heard were firecrackers," Mike Cho, who works at the auto service station, adding as soon as the shots went off police were already converging onto the location.

Garrett Germany, 30, whose daily 4-mile bike route to work takes him along the Gulf Freeway service road, said he was "shocked" at the scene he encountered on his way home Wednesday.

"You don't really see this kind of crime right here at this particular spot," Germany said, adding the area just inside where the incident occurred is largely residential. "This is a low key kind of area."

The shooting will be reviewed, per department policy, by the Harris County District Attorney's Office, Finner's own investigators, and the internal affairs division.

It is the 15th shooting between police and members of the public this year, Finner said.

"Anytime anyone injures anyone in our city, I'm upset," he said. "But I'm very upset by what's going on in our nation, state and county."

He deplored the rise in gun violence here and elsewhere, and defended his officers' actions.

"What can we do when people are firing on us and putting us in that position?" he said.

The chief praised the officers for "immediately" rendering first aid to the man, as well as another officer rushing his injured colleague to the hospital. As he often has said in past shootings, he voiced frustration at the toll gun violence has taken on Houston and elsewhere.

In recent months, the task force has focused on fighting an influx of fentanyl-laced drugs, said Pct. 5 Chief Deputy Brian Harris, whose department works alongside HPD on the group.

Law enforcement and harm reduction groups alike have pointed to a flood of drugs tainted with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid first used in medical settings but which has become popular among illegal drug producers because of its extreme potency.

Over the past few years, authorities have noticed fentanyl added to many types of drugs, from meth to cocaine.

"It's a Harris County-wide problem," he said.
OnScene.Tv

Two men were killed early Wednesday in an apparent head-on collision in southeast Houston, according to police.

A pick-up truck and a sedan crashed around 1:48 a.m. at the 9700 block of Galveston Road near Palmbeach Street, killing both drivers, police said.
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On the north end of downtown, where Interstates 10 and 45 cross, the hallways of a sleek new residential building feature floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing views of the skyline, with POST Houstons leafy rooftop garden in the foreground.

But the most striking features of the new housing cant be seen from the outside  they lie in the affordable rents, which go for $235 a month (beds also can be rented by the week or the day) and the accessible, around-the-clock staff.

Thats because the newest Harmony House building is focused on serving working men who otherwise would be homeless.

Harmony House CEO Meg Pohodich paused on a recent weekday as she walked through the worker dormitory, which was being being readied for its ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday.

A community kitchen, with stovetops that heat special cookware by means of electromagnetic fields, are a new amenity, as are bedside lights and outlets installed alongside each of the eight beds per dorm room. Each person will be able to close off his bunk by drawing a privacy curtain, and each will receive his own locker, under-bed bin, and refrigerator chest.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Years after Beyonce-backed project, Houston developer to build more housing for formerly homeless

Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

This is a huge upgrade, said Pohodich, who joked that the former dormitory had been held together with duct tape and love. I cant wait until the guys see it. The guys are going to love it.

Eleven years in the making, the 128-bed dormitory for working men is serving a much-needed niche in Houstons housing market  homes for those who have an income but who would not otherwise be able to secure housing.

Many do not make enough to cover rent in the Houston area, which averaged $1,220 this April, according to the multifamily data firm Apartment Data. Others face difficulty satisfying common requirements to rent a home, which can include proof of income, a drivers license and a clean background check.

Were always full, Pohodich said. She said the dormitorys waiting list bore testament to the communitys need for such housing, which can be hard to finance and get permits for because many are unfamiliar with the concept.

Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Stephanie Pedigo, architect with GSM Architects, gives a tour of the new 128-bunk building for Harmony House, known for its drug-free shelters for men who are working but homeless, on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, in Houston.

The new facility will be home to a Harris Health clinic (which also will provide dental services), a computer lab and a small store selling food items such as microwavable dinners and ice cream.

Harmony House was established in 1992 by a group of social service, medical and business professionals who saw an unmet need in Houstons homeless population.

While they originally envisioned the organization as a church, it instead has become a nonprofit agency focusing on housing homeless Texans. Besides its dormitory for working men, it provides services to people who have qualified for whats known as permanent supportive housing.

Its original dormitory was next door to its current location, where it had 103 beds. Pohodich had hoped that, upon the new facilitys opening, the nonprofit would more than double its beds for workers, but the 103-bed facility was lost to an electrical fire in October. The men living there were moved into hotels until the new building was completed.

Although rents for the Harmony House worker dorm cover its operations, the nonprofit turned to a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, the citys Housing and Homeless Bond, the Houston Housing and Community Development Department and foundations to fund the new facility. GSMA was the architect for the project, and Axis Builders was the general contractor.

Harmony House will begin moving workers into the new dormitory as soon as its certificate of occupancy is issued, Pohodich said.

rebecca.schuetz@chron.com;

twitter.com/raschuetz
A federal judge ruled this week that the Museum of Fine Arts Houston can keep an 18th-century painting once owned by Nazis, despite pleas from relatives who said their Jewish grandfather sold it under duress to Adolf Hitlers art dealer.

Three grandchildren of Max James Emden sued in federal court last year saying they are the rightful owners of "The Marketplace at Pirna by Bernardo Bellotto, which has been in the museum's custody for more than 60 years. The grandchildren say Emden, a department store magnate and art collector, owned the painting in the 1930s, but was forced to sell it to Nazi art dealer Karl Haberstock due to the extreme economic hardship the Third Reich inflicted on Jewish businesses like his.

RELATED: Texas group hopes playing card deck and rewards will help find art stolen by the Nazis

U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison dismissed the grandchildren's complaint without prejudice, based on the doctrine that the U.S. government may not interfere with the acts of other sovereign governments. The family members are not barred from suing again using a different approach or they could appeal the ruling.

They could also seek help from the U.S. Attorney, who could bring a civil forfeiture action, according to Derek Fincham, a professor who teaches art law at the South Texas College of Law Houston.

The judge determined that after the war the painting came into possession of the Dutch government and government officials mistakenly returned it to an international art dealer, which triggered a chain of events that led to the Bellotto being introduced to the museum's collection. Ellison ruled that under the Act of State doctrine, he couldn't interfere with the ownership of the painting, because the Dutch government committed the alleged error that landed the painting in Houston. The Dutch government still exists, he wrote, and the court may not interfere in state actions.

The Emden grandchildren argued that the Dutch government erred in delivering the artwork to the wrong person. Two other Bellotto paintings were deemed property of Jewish heirs.

On that argument, Ellison determined, "The U.S. government is not a party to the present matter, and certainly has not indicated that application of the Act of State doctrine would not embarrass or hinder it in its conduct of foreign relations with the Netherlands."

The judge also found the Emden heirs dispute over who owned the painting hinged on whether they  not the Museum of Fine Arts  held "good title" to the paintings. MFAH argued that it received good title from the dealer who bought it from the dealer who accidentally received it as restitution from the Netherlands in 1948. He said the heirs could not prevail because, "Reaching into the Dutch governments post-war restitution system would require sensitive political judgments that would undermine international comity."

On HoustonChronicle.com: MFAH investigating claims it owns a painting sold under duress to Nazis

The grandchildren also said the painting was obtained from Emden as his business fell apart due to laws imposed with the aim of cutting off Jews from the German economy and stripping them of their assets. In addition to sending them to concentration camps and exterminating them, Nazis deprived Jews of their citizenship and forced them to surrender their businesses and enterprises, the suit says, and Emdens textile trading company was liquidated and he could no longer access any of his earnings from his home in Switzerland.

"Those sales should be thought of more as a forced sale, where the Nazis in essence were very clever in how they did things," Fincham, the law professor, said. "They made it look like a sale and would give you a receipt  but if you are forced to make the sale very quickly or for 1 percent of what the painting is worth, that's not really an even bargain."

He compared the family's situation to what many are experiencing with the ongoing war in Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled the war-torn country, with many leaving behind or selling precious items and art.

"Works of art are being looted from Ukraine right now," Fincham said.

With the Bellotto, the museums lawyers argued the sale to the art dealer was voluntary and met the owners asking price. The museum noted in a statement, When we thoroughly researched and reviewed the claim, we found no evidence that suggests that the Bellotto had been stolen, seized, or confiscated, and we have extensive documentation that in 1938 Dr. Max Emden, a Swiss citizen and resident, initiated the voluntary sale of our painting.

MORE: Houston has a real-life 'Monuments Men' story

The painting was recovered by a group of European and American curators, historians and librarians who came to be known as the Monuments Men, who found art Nazis had stashed in 1,500 locations, including caves, castles and monasteries. They found the Bellotto among other works stored in an Austrian salt mine.

The Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art became involved in investigating the painting's provenance for the Emdens. In a statement to the Houston Chronicle, the organization said the museum's director in 2021 falsely denied the Bellotto in the collection as a the one the Emdens are seeking but said at that same time "the (museums) own website listed both Max Emden, and Karl Haberstock, Hitlers main art buyer, in the chain of title." The foundation statement called the ruling disappointing, and said the MFAH's refusal to return the painting to its alleged owners is an "example of greed" being prioritized over "grace" by officials at the museum.

"Regardless of any court ruling, a painting once owned by a German Jew, stripped of his assets by the Nazis, now hangs in one of our nations wealthiest museums because of a 1946 clerical error and a 1951 fraud," the foundation said.

gabrielle.banks@chron.com

rebecca.hennes@chron.com
The Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce celebrates its annual State of Hispanics - Data Summit event Wednesday, featuring presentations and discussions looking at the influence and economic impact of the Latino community in the city and Texas.

The event, at the Intercontinental Houston Hotel, includes the Chambers Houston Economic Outlook session that will be presented by Senior Business Economist of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Jesse Thompson, and a data-driven presentation about the Hispanic population by Jim Granato, professor and dean of the University of Houstons Hobby School of Public Affairs.

INTERACTIVE GUIDE: Extraordinarios! 10 Houston Latinos who are making a difference

Hispanics in the region represent one of the fastest-growing and most impactful demographic groups in the region, said Laura Murillo, President and CEO of the chamber.

Murillo said that whether it is representing more than $54 billion in annual spending power or powering 38 percent of the regions small businesses, this much is clear: Hispanics are having a significant impact on our region, our businesses, and our economy.

Hispanics in Texas play a key role in driving population growth, meeting workforce needs of the state, contributing with taxes and spending, and holding substantial voting power, according to Granato.

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.

Hispanics comprise 45 percent of Houston's population, based on 2021 data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The size of its population has increased by 27 percent in the last 10 years, mainly to birth in the U.S., and they comprise the youngest population group.

Latinos are 36 percent of the Houston labor force and Granato said 16 percent of their earnings goes to federal taxes, 9 percent to state and local taxes, and 76 percent to general spending.

Over 600 people registered for the event, according to the chamber. Murillo said that some of the attendants, including investors and traders, are coming from other U.S. cities.

More from Olivia P. Tallet: Over 90% of Hispanics and Latinos dont like to be called Latinx

The chamber said that as a leading Latino organization in Houston, the State of Hispanics 2022 has the purpose to inform people and decisionmakers to promote the advancement of Latinos in the region.

The summit also features a business expo and meetings with elected officials.

We are standing behind the contributions of the community by providing data, so that people can understand that we are over 50 billion in consumer spending, we're all over the city and not just in pockets of the city, Murillo said.

We want people to know that we've got folks that are ready to serve on corporate boards and as elected officials, both areas in which Latinos are significantly underrepresented, said Murillo.

olivia.tallet@chron.com

Twitter.com/oliviaptallet
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A Senate committee on Wednesday approved a bill that authorizes the $31 billion Ike Dike project, advancing the sweeping proposal to protect the Houston and Galveston region from storm surge toward a vote on the Senate floor.

On HoustonChronicle.com: $31 billion Ike Dike project moves another step closer with new bill proposal

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted unanimously to advance the Water Resources Development Act of 2022, a sign that the bill could face minimal opposition going forward. The legislation gives the blessing for various U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects across the country. Funding will be allocated separately.

Included in the bill is the go-ahead for the plan outlined in the Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study, informally known as the Ike Dike. The study is the largest engineering recommendation of its kind that the Corps has ever proposed.

A series of massive gates would span the mouth of Galveston Bay if the idea is carried out, blocking storm surge up to 22 feet that might be pushed across the Gulf of Mexico by a hurricane. Dunes would line Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula, and flood walls and other protections would encircle the bay side of Galveston Island.

Supporters have urged the project forward, saying some defenses are critical as sea levels rise. Environmental advocates have expressed concerns about the impacts the massive infrastructure will have on marine life in the bay and surrounding wetlands.

U.S. Sen. Shelley Capito, a Republican from West Virginia, highlighted the project Wednesday as an example of how Corps efforts can benefit both a local community and the whole country. It will help mitigate the worst hurricane impacts and provide a corridor for the energy industry, she said.

On HoustonChronicle.com: How even the smallest parts of the massive Ike Dike plan will impact Galveston

We are authorizing a significant project for coastal storm risk management on the coast of Texas that will ensure critical port assets can continue to serve our countrys shipping and supply chain needs moving forward, Capito said.

If the Senate passed the measure, it could potentially be merged with a House of Representatives bill that is pending before committee. Ultimately, if passed, the two bills would be merged for a final vote in both bodies.

emily.foxhall@chron.com
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Before a judge handed Andre Jackson his punishment, prosecutors offered him a chance to take responsibility in the death of 11-year-old Josue Flores  fatally stabbed in May 2016 while walking home from school.

He took the witness stand Wednesday, maintained his innocence to the court and offered his theory on how the boys DNA ended up on his distinctive green jacket, the article of clothing authorities flagged as key evidence in the case against him.

I think someone intentionally placed it on (the jacket), Jackson said.

Judge Denise Collins, following about four hours of testimony, handed him a life sentence.

The offense is so terrible  I cant think of anything to mitigate that fact, Collins said.

A jury on Tuesday convicted Jackson of murder after an exhaustive trial that lasted more than a week. The case stems from the Houston Police Department investigation into a Northside neighborhood stabbing in which Josue, while walking home from a science club pizza party, encountered Jackson  living at a nearby Salvation Army facility  and was stabbed nearly 20 times.

The defense earlier opted for the court to decide the punishment, rather than a jury.

Jackson, before the judge handed the sentence, read a lengthy, meandering manifesto to the court that stretched on for more than 15 minutes. He called for a review of his case and spoke of his fear of the people he may meet in a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison. He worries that he may be attacked in prison.

Prison is not where I belong, Jackson said

At the end of his remarks, Jackson expressed his condolences to Josues family.

Defense lawyer R. Scott Shearer pledged outside the courtroom to spearhead Jacksons appeal  saying that the trace DNA evidence used in case should not have been enough to convict the Marine veteran. Much of the trial centered around small amounts of Josues DNA found on the jacket that authorities seized from Jacksons Salvation Army dorm room.

They said it would have been a not-guilty verdict had it not been for the DNA evidence, Schearer said, sharing Jacksons worry that cross-contamination happened during the investigation.

Prosecutors argued that no other explanation could exist for why the boys DNA was discovered on the jacket, other than that Jackson encountered the boy as he walked home from school and killed him during a random attack. The initial murder charge was dismissed in 2017 as prosecutors feared the science behind the DNA evidence was not strong enough to garner a conviction.

Justice has been done

Among the state witnesses was Josues childhood best friend, Angel Nario, who took to the stand to recall their budding friendship in sixth grade and their final walk home from school.

The two walked home together for a portion of the route home after a science club pizza party. During that jaunt, Josue peppered Nario with questions about what he wanted to do when he was older, he said.

He asked me what I wanted to do in the future  I didnt know, Nario said.

Their walk ended at a nearby Fiesta, with Nario stopping to wait for his parents and Josue continuing his walk home  the same path he always took. He waited more than a hour because his parents were late.

During that time, Nario received a text message that Josue had been attacked.

Nario, now 17 and preparing to graduate from high school, recalled to the court that final conversation with his best friend. He took Josues question to heart. Hes preparing to study veterinary science at Sam Houston State University and credits his childhood best friend as his motivation.

I want to make him proud, the teen said.

Josues father, Juan Flores, told the court of his struggling relationship with his six remaining children.

Its been a very difficult time in my life since my sons death, Flores said.

But with Jacksons conviction, Flores said, Justice has been done.

What remains unknown is why Josue was killed, prosecutor John Jordan said.

I think we, all 4 million of us in Harris County, would love to know why Andre Jackson did this brutal crime, Jordan said alongside District Attorney Kim Ogg outside the courtroom. But could there ever be a reason to kill an 11-year-old child who was walking from school?

There may never be an answer to that question, he continued.

Mental health concerns

The defense brought in several more witnesses including Jacksons step-father, mother  both of whom are military veterans, and his step-brother. Jackson left home to enlist in the Marines after high school. He was honorably discharged from the military branch in 2011 as a non-commissioned officer, after having served in Iraq alongside his Marine step-father.

The step-father, Darrell Dorsey, testified that Jackson would do well with an early parole. Theres always room for him to help raise cattle and horses on their familys farm, he continued.

I believe that with all my heart because Andre has a support system, he said.

Jacksons mother, Michelle Dorsey, believes her son had issues transitioning to civilian life after the Marines.

It was kind of a pride thing, Dorsey said, adding he exhibited more anxious and reclusive behavior. He wasnt as talkative, kept to himself. He wouldnt come out of his room.

It wasnt until after his first arrest in 2016 that she learned that he had been hospitalized at the veterans hospital for an unspecified condition. She declined, when asked, to elaborate on what medications Jackson was taking, citing privacy.

Prior to the sentencing, questions surrounding Jacksons mental health were not brought up in the trial. The defense introduced Dr. John Fabian, a forensic neuropsychologist who had spoken with Jackson on four separate occasions since his initial arrest in 2016, to the witness stand to discuss his mental health history.

Jackson maintained throughout his testimony that he does not have a mental health issue  though two medical experts and his family testified that they believe he does.

Hes not always the most consistent historian, Fabian said, referring to Jacksons lack of symptom reporting. He denies mental illness, even with me.

Fabian found signs of depression, anxiety and patterns of marijuana and alcohol dependency. Jackson, at one point, disclosed auditory hallucinations, the doctor said. The hospitalization at a Veterans Affairs facility stemmed from an attempt by Jackson to take his own life, he testified. Doctors prescribed him mood stabilizing medication but he rarely kept up with the treatment.

Jackson tried seeking a Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome diagnosis at his familys insistent but was turned away.

Fabian said Jackson denied evidence of childhood trauma or abuse and was not involved with significant combat in the Middle East  meaning that such a diagnosis was unlikely for him.

A second medical expert, who never examined Jackson, reviewed his Veterans Affairs and Harris County Jail medical records from 2013 until 2021 and testified that the defendants behavior is most consistent with a mood disorder, likely bipolar disorder.

I suspect this is a permanent condition, defense witness Dr. William Michael Bond testified.

nicole.hensley@chron.com
In the 1960s, a Houston OB-GYN was called to examine a young woman with a mysterious infection at a small suburban hospital.

Doctors had not been able to pinpoint the source. But when the OB-GYN, Dr. Harold Miller, introduced himself to her, tears streamed down her face. She had attempted to give herself an abortion, which, before the Supreme Courts 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, was still illegal in Texas and many other states. Millers examination quickly revealed the source of her illness.

The instrument that was used to create this abortion was still in her uterus, he said. I cleaned it out, called an ambulance and moved her to the medical center. Because that small hospital was not capable of handling the problems that she had.

ROE V. WADE IMPACT: Abortion access is already nearly impossible in Texas. Its about to get a lot harder.

Some of the young womans organs had already turned to mush, he said. She died of her bacterial infection three days later  the only patient death Miller had experienced in his more than 50-year career. Now, Miller shares this story widely, warning people of what could happen with more restrictive abortion laws. His perspective takes on new meaning as the high court appears poised to strike down Roe, according to a draft opinion published Monday evening by Politico, opening the door for a near-total abortion ban in Texas.

Its my concern that there are going to be illegal abortions performed with unsterile methods, he told the Chronicle. And youre going to end up losing patients.

Miller, now 85, served as an OB-GYN in the U.S. Air Force before beginning his career in private practice in 1966. He has been affiliated with what was then called Southwest Memorial Hospital, The Methodist Hospital and Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital. He was also a full-time faculty member at Baylor College of Medicine starting in 1995.

He retired two years ago and last year testified with a group of doctors before the Supreme Court against Texas controversial abortion law, which bans the procedure as early as six weeks after pregnancy.

In light of Mondays news, Miller reflected on the many patients he saw before the Roe decision who sought to terminate their pregnancy. Women who tried to perform the operation themselves often developed bacterial infections or damaged their reproductive organs, making it more difficult or impossible to give birth later in life. Sometimes, he said, early treatment could prevent long-term complications. But in those days of widespread social stigmatization, it was more common for girls and young women to hide their medical issues and allow the problem to persist.

IMPACTS: Women are finding other means to abortion despite Texas crackdown

If you are a 14- or 15-year-old, back then you hid these things from your parents, he said. So consequently, the infection became full blown.

Occasionally, Miller said, young mothers disappeared shortly after giving birth. He developed a relationship with a local adoption agency in Houston to find families for the newborn. In other cases, when pregnant women came to him, he referred them to a reliable source who performed abortions on the quiet side and looked for safe places for them to stay in the meantime. Some women struggled with severe fetal abnormalities that threatened their own life or that of the child.

It was all very secret, he said. Because obviously there was a lot of tension between the patient and her family and they were thrown out (of the house). And that put a lot of pressure on me trying to do what I could in finding homes for these women and care for these women.

OPPOSITION: After almost 50 years opposing Roe v. Wade, longtime anti-abortion advocate hopeful

When the Roe decision came down, he breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, he had a legitimate way to refer patients.

Now, he worries about whats coming.

Im saddened by what were facing if they block Roe v. Wade, he said.

julian.gill@chron.com
Houston bars, nightclubs and restaurants must obtain new permits to play amplified music within 120 days under a revised ordinance aimed at cracking down on disruptive late-night noise without sacrificing the citys vibrant nightlife.

City Council approved amendments to the noise ordinance in a 15-1 vote Wednesday, two years after council members first began considering ways to address disputes between homeowners and neighboring businesses. Complaints against bars and clubs nearly doubled in the first three months of 2022.

The revamped noise ordinance sets stricter limits on nighttime noise and requires businesses abutting homes to obtain permits to play amplified music. It also creates a new administrative hearing process for bars and nightclubs that violate noise limits, giving business owners the chance to craft a mitigation plan within 10 days of the violation or risk losing their commercial sound permits for up to a year.

NOISY NIGHTLIFE: Lack of zoning sparks noise complaints as officials tamp down on loud music

The permit will cost business owners $1,200.

Permitted businesses can play amplified music up to 75 decibels, which is about as loud as landscaping equipment, until 10 p.m. on weeknights or 11 p.m. on weekends. After those cutoffs, music would have to stay below 58 decibels until 2 a.m., as measured from the property of any resident who calls the Houston Police Department to complain.

At-Large Councilmember Sallie Alcorn, who shepherded the rule changes to the vote, said the amendments target repeat violators that flaunt the rules and are destroying quality of life in the surrounding neighborhoods.

These changes aim to strengthen current rules and bring more businesses into compliance, Alcorn said Wednesday.

Under the new hearing process, officials with the Administration and Regulatory Affairs Department would have the power to suspend or revoke amplified sound permits from perennially disruptive businesses. Hearing officers would accept written complaints from surrounding property owners, though officials stressed that such complaints will not be the sole basis for suspension or revocation of a permit.

Ahead of Wednesdays vote, council members did not discuss the citys shifting demographics or the apparent connection between gentrification and increased noise complaints. Under the ordinance, enforcement largely will rely on nonemergency calls for service or 311 complaints, a feature experts said may lead to inequitable treatment among neighborhoods.

The changes moved ahead over objections from At-Large Councilmember Michael Kubosh, the sole dissenting vote. Kubosh said he worried it will have little impact while overburdening police officers with enforcement.

Where is the actual solution here? Kubosh said after the vote. Why would we tie up police with noise when they are busy responding to murders, aggravated assaults and people stealing catalytic converters?

TURNER TARGETS BARS: Houston council OKs security camera mandate for bars amid Turners clamp-down on crime

Houston resident Andrew Grimmer is familiar with the limitations of using police to combat noise violations. Loud music from a nearby brewery makes his Garden Oaks home unlivable at times, and it sometimes takes hours for officers to respond to his calls for service, he said. The brewerys frequent concerts have disrupted his childrens sleep and forced them to wear noise-canceling earmuffs at night.

We have to leave the house to do homework, because you cant do homework in our house when its so loud, Grimmer said Wednesday.

The father of two said some of his neighbors are afraid of retaliation if they complain, while others have moved to avoid the nearby concerts and bass vibrations. Grimmer, who has lived in his home for seven years, is determined to stay.

I was living here prior to any of these places moving in, he said. Move? Move to where? What kind of solution is this? Why cant we just follow the law?

Grimmer said hopes the amendments will bring some tranquility and help his children get better sleep. Given how busy police officers are with other crimes, he said, its efficacy will hinge on enforcement.

This ordinance will be great, but they have to enforce it, he said.

nora.mishanec@chron.com
Regarding Essay: You can see all of Houston from POST, (April 30): The Barbara Jordan Post Office failed as a government business. It has stood there underutilized for years even though the Post Office still owned it (no buyers) until 2015, and then it was bought mainly with tax credits at a substantially under-market price. (Clue: The need for a national design competition tells one you are looking at a teardown business opportunity, ala the Astrodome.) I suspect the Barbara Jordan part of the site name is the only reason it was not torn down long ago, and now, after taxpayers and postal customers paid for the place many times over since the 1960s we have paid once again, and even the heroines name has gone away.

There isnt anything to recommend the place as a mall or a set of shopping experiences. Its hard to get to, its pretty homely (architects call that Brutalism I think), Im pretty sure it is a great echo chamber and, lets face it, downtown is a concept that is just not saleable in the car-centric suburban living that all major cities in America predominantly exist in.

For good or evil, so it will be here in Houston as The POST moulders awaiting that glorious day when everyone lives downtown  albeit hundreds of feet in the air. By then it wont be downtown, but Lake Downtown as Houston sucks its groundwater dry and slowly subsides below sea level.

Walt Lind, Nassau Bay

The POST Houston is an asset to this city, in spite of the connection to any history or guilt that is expressed by the writer. Private development is always about potential. To have the view that history should be responsible for future development is naive. As an architect, I feel POST Houston is a far better use of the buildings than what would have happened if the government institutions would have let this asset squander in decay and/or failure. The Astrodome is a prime example of an asset that might not achieve its potential. Government will not solve this issue. One might question the altruism of this project, but it is far better than the alternative.

Jay Larsson, Houston

Trumps legacy

Regarding Biden and Russias war, (May 2): Ray Lawrence agrees with Marc Thiessen that Biden owns the war in Ukraine. He grudgingly admits that Biden was able to pull the NATO countries together  as if this was a small thing  while ignoring, just as Thiessen does, that Donald Trump did all he could to undermine NATO and Ukraine and just recently praised Putin as savvy in the midst of his atrocities. Mr. Lawrence faults Biden for falling short of perfection, while giving Trump  and really, the whole Republican Party  a pass.

Bruce Higginbotham, Houston

As we look at Marc Thiessens timeline of support for Ukraine by the U.S. and NATO and the assignment of blame for opportunities squandered over many years, lets not overlook our last presidents culpability. Mr. Trump undermined NATO, and threatened U.S. withdrawal, making him complicit in the splintering of this vital mechanism meant to maintain world order. He sided with Putin in the dictators war against Ukraine. And then, when President Zelensky was a newly elected political novice, Mr. Trump withheld $400 million in desperately needed military aid as a bribe for Zelenskys cooperation in a scheme to discredit Joe Biden, Trumps political rival.

If were tracing the delays in bringing help to the patriots in Ukraine, lets be sure to include the extortion as well as the reticence weve observed over the years.

Carol Godell, Spring
NASHVILLE  Ive been watching anti-abortion bills sweep the red states this season, and it occurs to me that the week of Mothers Day might be a good time for a red-state mother like me to weigh in. I fervently support a womans right to choose, but I still spend a lot of time thinking about how Republican legislators could achieve their real goal without also trying to undo settled legal precedent.

First, a reminder: Women ended unwanted pregnancies long before Roe v. Wade made abortion safe and legal in the United States, and women will continue to do so even if Roe is overturned. During the 1950s and 60s, before reliable birth control became widely available, between 200,000 and 1.2 million women illegally ended unwanted pregnancies in the United States each year.

To make a real difference in the abortion rate, birth control needs to be affordable and easy to obtain. Instead, our legislators consistently fight to protect employers and insurance companies that want to opt out of paying for birth control in health care plans. Comprehensive sex-education courses significantly reduce adolescent pregnancies, but red-state legislatures favor abstinence-only sex ed, which has no effect on teenage pregnancy rates. Some of these legislators it seems, dont understand the difference between birth control and abortion in the first place.

The demographics can be both unexpected and depressingly familiar. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 60 percent of women seeking abortions are already mothers, and 75 percent are living below the poverty line or are categorized as low-income. So its worth asking: How many of those women would choose to continue their pregnancies if they could afford another child? If they lived in a country that made parenting even modestly more manageable?

This is an important question to ask at any time, but its a particularly important question to ask now, during this coordinated assault on reproductive rights. For poor women, an unwanted pregnancy can make an already hard life feel impossible.

The longitudinal Turnaway Study, which followed women in 21 states, found that being denied an abortion increased the chance that women were living in poverty, were unemployed, had overdue debt or had experienced bankruptcies or evictions, the New York Times reported last December.

Diana Greene Foster, a demographer at the University of California, San Francisco who led the study, explained that many women decide whether to continue an unplanned pregnancy by weighing the long-term economic consequences of having a child.

If somehow magically every pregnancy was supported and all lives would be rosy, people would be taking that into account, she told the Times. Instead, people are looking at their circumstances and thinking things are going to be really hard. And all the things they think are right, because we see those outcomes among the people who are denied abortions.

Unless youre wealthy, being a parent in this country can be extremely hard. Unpaid help from relatives and friends, if youre lucky enough to have it, goes only so far. You might have backup when a child gets sick and needs to come home from school unexpectedly, but you probably cant count on someone else to pay for the child to go to college. Parents in the United States are largely on their own.

Support can make a huge difference in pregnancy and family outcomes, and not just for poor women. Im not talking about Denmark- or Sweden-level support. Im talking about modest but truly life-changing resources that people in other wealthy countries take for granted. Resources like paid family leave, quality day care and a predictable work schedule (a necessity if day care is to be an option). Strong public schools and affordable higher education. Decent health care, a safe place to live, reliable transportation and healthy food.

Surely it goes without saying that nobody  not mothers, not fathers, not one child  should have to sleep under a bridge or go hungry for a single day in a country as wealthy as the United States.

But Republican legislators across the red states are in lockstep when it comes to suppressing family-friendly policies. They oppose a minimum wage that keeps pace with productivity or at least the cost of living. They oppose expanding Medicaid. Theyre finally getting closer to Democrats on the need for affordable day care, but they oppose student loan relief. They are actively trying to destroy public education.

There are no family-friendly measures that would reduce the abortion rate in this country to zero, of course. The social safety net cant address all the reasons a woman would want to end a pregnancy. But weve tried the conservative approach to reducing abortions before, and history has shown that outlawing abortion would end only legal abortion. Its long past time to give the liberal approach a concerted try by weaving the social safety net as tightly as we can.

We already know, for example, that free birth control reduces unintended pregnancies, so its not a leap to expect a significant decrease in abortion if we make reliable birth control free and easily accessible. We almost certainly would see many fewer abortions if we genuinely supported women with policies that made parenting less expensive and less overwhelming. But the so-called right-to-life elected officials arent particularly interested in life  at least not in life as most people actually live it.

The states with the strongest abortion restrictions are also the states with the weakest social safety nets. According to a new analysis of federal data by the Associated Press, states with some of the nations strictest abortion laws are also some of the hardest places to have and raise a healthy child, especially for the poor. In another recent study, the 10 worst places to have a baby were states dominated by Republicans.

Even if this country enacted every family-friendly policy imaginable, access to safe abortions still would be necessary. No matter what other fundamental questions this debate includes, its always going to come down to a womans right to the integrity of her own body. Both safety-net liberals and anti-choice conservatives believe their positions protect human life, but only liberals give women full say in how human life gets protected.

If red-state legislators truly want to limit abortions  legal and illegal  they must create conditions that give women a genuine choice. For Mothers Day to mean anything at all, women need both legal access to abortion and meaningful support for families. Because flowers just wont cut it anymore.

Margaret Renkl is a contributing Opinion writer for The New York Times.
Earlier this year, Emma Hernandez found herself in the same place thousands of Texas women have found themselves: unexpectedly pregnant and past the new six-week abortion limit imposed by the state.

She would have to find another way to get an abortion.

Her ordeal is now a glimpse into the future for women of reproductive age in other states, where legal abortion access hangs in the balance after the leak Monday of a draft Supreme Court opinion overturning decades-long federal abortion protections.

A WARNING: Texas abortion providers say other states will become overwhelmed if Roe v. Wade is overturned

Just knowing that theres going to be more people put in that situation and feeling like they dont have access to the support needed, thats devastating, said Hernandez, 29, of San Antonio.

The effects of Texas unprecedented six-week ban last year were swift.

Legal abortions in the state fell by half, compared with the year before, one study showed. Nearly 1,500 women on average went to seven surrounding states to obtain an abortion each month, 12 times as many as before. Another study revealed that requests more than tripled for abortion pills from a nonprofit provider in Europe, where abortion medications are legal.

IMPACTS: Women are finding other means to abortion despite Texas crackdown

But even that is no true sign of what life could be like in states where abortions are totally outlawed. With the Supreme Court likely to throw out federal protections, obtaining abortions will only become more tenuous in states with anti-abortion leaders. Women would be forced to seek out even more difficult  and for some, impossible  alternatives.

Nationwide, there are about 36 million women of reproductive age who are considered in danger of losing access to abortion in their home states. One in five, or about 7 million, live in Texas.

The burden of providing abortion care will continue to shift to out-of-state providers, and, as is the case now, an unknowable number of pregnant Texans will have no choice but to carry to term, said Kari White, principal investigator at the Texas Policy Evaluation Project at the University of Texas at Austin. And, White said, the repeal of Roe would continue to have an out-sized impact on minority Texans, who are more likely to require the services, and could exacerbate existing racial disparities in maternal mortality.

The key point here is that laws that prohibit abortion do not do anything to affect the many underlying reasons why people need abortion care, White said. It doesnt necessarily change peoples need for abortion.

'THEY'RE NOT ALONE': After almost 50 years opposing Roe v. Wade, longtime anti-abortion advocate hopeful

As anti-abortion activists cautiously rejoiced Tuesday, advocates of abortion rights said this is precisely why theyve been sounding the alarm about the states already-restrictive bill and expressed hope that the news would galvanize voters in the November general election.

Rallies were scheduled for Tuesday night in a dozen cities across the United States, including at the federal courthouse in Austin, where several hundred demonstrators gathered, some wearing green, the color associated with international efforts to legalize abortion. Meanwhile, the Texas-based anti-abortion group Right to Life planned a prayer call to pray for the Supreme Court to bring the draft to fruition.

We have seen this movement coming and have been living in a post-Roe reality in Texas for far too long now, Dr. Bhavik Kumar, medical director of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, said in a call with reporters Tuesday.

WITHOUT ROE V. WADE: What options will Texans have under abortion trigger law?

Even more people across this country will be forced to travel hundreds of miles out of state or carry pregnancies to term against their will, and unfortunately people of color, poor and low-income people, young folks, undocumented people and those living in rural areas will end up suffering the most.

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.

Many of the states where Texans have traveled to seek out abortions during the six-week ban will no longer be options if Roe is repealed because they have trigger laws on the books to end access, leaving states much farther away  mainly on the East and West Coasts.

Gov. Greg Abbott was silent Tuesday on the courts prospective ruling, but Republican legislative leaders said they were cautiously hopeful and prepared to help ease the transition for women who carry their pregnancies to term in the future.

We are steadfastly a pro-life state and have made tremendous efforts to support women in their decision to choose life, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said, highlighting his support for increased funding to crisis pregnancy centers across the state. We will also continue to strengthen adoption programs in Texas and support families who welcome adopted children into their loving homes.

'STAND UP, FIGHT BACK!': Hundreds march through downtown Houston to defend abortion access

Hernandez, whod already had one abortion at age 21, said her most recent experience was very isolating, not only because of the stigma around abortions but also because of her concern over the states six-week ban. The unique law is enforced by citizens who can file a civil suit against anyone who aids or abets an abortion, offering at least $10,000 in damages for successful cases.

She declined to discuss how she obtained her most recent abortion out of concern for prosecution. The law was top of mind even after she had the abortion when she feared she had complications and considered going to a hospital emergency room.

I wasnt concerned about: Is my body OK? she said. It was: What does it look like for me to go to an ER right now, in this context, in this state? I have to deal with a medical provider possibly criminalizing this experience that Im having.

Recalling that isolation is what led Hernandez to start telling her story publicly and eventually to join the leadership team of We Testify, an organization dedicated to raising the voices of abortion patients, particularly those of color.

My decision would have been a lot easier to make if when I was 21 years old, there was someone who looks like me saying, Hey, I made that decision, too. Its not as hard as you might think, she said. Yeah, your moms not going to be happy about it, but its your choice to make.

taylor.goldenstein@chron.com
The tiny bottles hold about a shot of alcohol, are fairly cheap, and often end up as litter. Pittsfield is considering a ban on nips, following the lead of a number of other communities.

Sales of Nip Bottles Could Be Banned in Pittsfield

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  City officials are considering nixing nip bottles.

The 50 millilitre bottles of alcohol are not returnable and often can't be recycled because of their tiny size. And they are a frequent component of litter along the streets.

Local attorney Rinaldo Del Gallo III, who successfully initiated the single-use plastic bag ban, is petitioning the City Council to ban the sale of nips.

The Ordinances and Rules subcommittee on Monday referred the petition to City Solicitor Stephen Pagnotta so that he can review it and give feedback at next months meeting.



"I hereby petition the Pittsfield City Council to ban the sale of alcoholic beverages in what is colloquially known as nip bottles in the City of Pittsfield because of the pollution they cause," Del Gallo read.



"A number of residents in the city of Pittsfield have asked me to petition the council because of all the discarded waste seen on our streets, sidewalks, playgrounds, and green areas caused by nip bottles."



Del Gallo said former ward councilors Kevin Morandi and Nicholas Caccamo found serious problems with nip bottles because of the amount of discarded containers they have seen.



He also referenced other communities in the state that have banned the sale of the tiny liquor bottles such as Chelsea, Falmouth, and Mashpee.



The Newton licensing commission banned the sale of alcoholic beverages less than or equal to 100 millimeters after June 30 and a ban on the sale of nips in Wareham will go into effect on May 11 following Attorney General Maura Healey's approval of a restriction that voters passed at its town meeting last year.



Del Gallo modeled his ordinance off House Bill 7064 filed in the Rhode Island legislature in January. He added that he is open to other suitable ordinances that work, perhaps one modeled after what other municipalities are using.



"I just want to thank attorney Del Gallo for bringing this forward, nip bottles are everywhere, as you stated the other councilors have pointed this out, its been a long-going conversation in the city," Ward 6 Councilor Dina Guiel Lampiasi said.



"One of the things that comes to mind for me is the inventory that businesses may already have, and I want to be sensitive to that."



She added that she wants to make sure that stores can get rid of their inventory of nip bottles before the ban so that they don't lose money.

"I think many of them might be able to give it back to the original distributor, alcohol is an unusual product in that you have to buy it from a distributor and it's a highly regulated business at how you can purchase your product," he said.

"I'd be happy to word it in any way so it will be fair to the package stores."



Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren suggested that a provision is put into the ordinance that a package store is able to sell the remainder of its nip bottle inventory through a waiver as long as there is proof of purchase before the ban.



Del Gallo also said there could be a sunset provision in the ordinance that states it is no longer in effect if the commonwealth passes a deposit on nip bottles.



An act to expand the bottle bill that increases the deposit from five to 10 cents and includes nip bottles is currently in front of the Legislature.



"I know at my house one of the most common things I pick up are nips every time I walk the dog and the lawnmower is constantly hitting them so it's an issue," Councilor at Large Pete White said.



"I wish the state, or actually the voters of the state had passed a five-cent deposit on these and it might help the issue a little but I think even with the deposit there is still going to be a problem."



Del Gallo has proposed other environmental initiatives in the city that were passed.



He first petitioned for the citys single-use plastic and styrofoam bans in 2013. The styrofoam ban was passed in 2015 and the single-use plastic bag ban was passed in 2019 after six years of debate.



At this meeting, he said his other proposals were at first controversial and that he was surprised by the number of people who were against the bans.
CHP Receives Mass Development Grant

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  Community Health Programs (CHP) was awarded $50,000 from the MassDevelopment Community Health Center Grant Program.

MassDevelopment has awarded grants totaling $1,056,010 to 22 community health centers across Massachusetts through its Community Health Center Grant Program. The program offers grants of up to $50,000 each to fund capital improvement projects including construction, renovation, equipment, furniture, technology-related projects, as well as facility needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CHP will use grant funds to upgrade its North Adams Medical and Dental Center practice by equipping two additional dental exam rooms.

"The Commonwealth is fortunate to be home to many first-rate community health centers that provide critical care to families and individuals," said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy, who serves as chair of MassDevelopment's Board of Directors. "The Baker-Polito Administration is pleased to support these health centers that have proven themselves invaluable partners in our collective efforts to combat COVID-19 and address social challenges exacerbated by the pandemic."

The Community Health Center Grant Program is funded by the MassDevelopment/Massachusetts Health Educational Facilities Authority (HEFA) Charitable Trust. MassDevelopment offers other financing options to community health centers, including tax-exempt bond financing and TechDollars, a loan program to help nonprofits buy and install technology equipment

"By providing affordable health care and social services to vulnerable populations across Massachusetts, community health centers are indispensable assets in our neighborhoods," said MassDevelopment President and CEO Dan Rivera. "As we try to bounce back from the pandemic, it's as important as ever to support the critical capital projects and improvements of these organizations through our Community Health Center Grant Program."
Steinhauer Joins Lee Bank Board; Five New Corporators Elected

LEE, Mass.  Ilana Steinhauer, executive director of VIM Berkshires, has been elected to the board of trustees of Lee Bank, and five new corporators have been named.

Steinhauer, a family nurse practitioner, worked in a private medical practice in the Boston area before joining VIM, a nonprofit based in Great Barrington. She earned her master's degree in nursing from Simmons College and a bachelor's degree in religion from Wesleyan University. She lives in Sheffield with her husband and two sons. VIM provides health care, free of charge, to low-income adults in the Berkshires who are uninsured or underinsured.

New corporators, nominated by the board's governance committee, include:

Nicole Antil of Richmond, owner of Antil Creative, a consultancy specializing in branding, communications, culture, and strategy. She also serves as chief creative officer for Graham-Pelton, a nonprofit fundraising and management consulting firm. A graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute with a degree in design, she is also a 2017 graduate of the Berkshire Leadership Program. She has previously worked in marketing roles at Maxymillian Technologies and began her career as an interior architect in the Washington D.C. area. She is also a member of the board of Community Health Programs and she volunteers for EforAll.

Melissa Agosto, a resident of Pittsfield, is director of finance for Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge. An accountant, she has also held financial leadership positions at Canyon Ranch, the College Internship Program and in private accounting practice. She earned her accounting degree from the University of Puerto Rico. She is also a graduate of the 2019 class of the Berkshire Leadership Program.

Michelle Decepida of Pittsfield, systems engineer, is deputy program manager for engineering at General Dynamics Mission Systems in Pittsfield. A graduate of the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering, she earned her undergraduate engineering degree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She worked previously at Pratt & Whitney and other firms. She serves as executive board member and treasurer of Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity and as event coordinator for the General Dynamic Mission Systems Early Career Employee Resource Group.

Mauer Desai, Pittsfield native and resident, entered the hospitality business full-time in 2009 after graduating from Bridgewater State University. He converted the Ramada Inn in Pittsfield to a Best Western Plus and serves on the governor's committee within the Best Western brand. In 2019, the Desai family bought the Black Swan Inn, a lake-side boutique in Lee, and he helped oversee construction and brand management for the Courtyard by Marriott in Lenox. Desai also holds a certificate in hospitality administration from American Hotel and Lodging Association, one of the most prestigious certificates in the hospitality sector. He lives with his family in Pittsfield.

Tannya Romero, a Pittsfield resident and native of Ecuador, works as a quality assurance specialist for Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing. As a digital training management technician, she has worked for Achieve TMS East. She worked previously in residential support for Berkshire County Arc. Romero earned her bachelor's degree in biology with a concentration in pre-medical professions from MCLA, and she earned her associate's degree in biology from BCC. She completed the Bio-Diversity URM Intern leadership program with Partnership Inc., a Boston-based leadership program focused on multicultural leadership development. She is a Spanish-language interpreter for VIM, and has mentored science students at BCC, and has served on the BCC Alumni Board. She has volunteered for Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and for Berkshire Community Action Council. She is the co-founder of Latinas413, a nonprofit dedicated to igniting the collective power of Latinas to expand their social and economic capital across Berkshire County.

Corporators are responsible for electing the trustees and officers of Berkshire Financial Services (Lee Bank's holding company). They approve any changes in the company's bylaws and changes in the corporate structure, but they have no financial stake in the corporation
Vermont Steak House Fundraiser Dinner Returns

BENNINGTON, Vt.  The Vermont Steak House Dinner fundraiser is back after a two-year absence.

The Pinsonneault family and past employees of the former restaurant are hosting the dinner to raise funds for the Cancer Center Community Crusaders, Bennington Turning Point Center and the Vermont Elks' Silver Towers camp for people with disabilities. All proceeds with be shared equally.

The dinner will be held on Friday, May 20, at the Elks Lodge with two seatings: 5 to 6:30 p.m. and 7 to 8 p.m.

Tickets are $30 per person for dining in or takeout and must be purchased in advance. They are available daily at Willy's Variety at 300 Gage St. or from noon to 8 at the Elks Lodge on Washington Avenue (use the back entrance). Tickets are limited and go fast.

Dinner choices include, of course, a rib-eye steak but also chicken teriyaki. The steak comes with the restaurant's famous homemade onion rings and a baked potato and the chicken with carrots and rice pilaf. Both dinners include the restaurant's signature relish tray of chicken liver pate, pineapple coleslaw, macaroni salad, kidney bean relish and dessert.

Relish items are available to go and are being sold by the pint: Pate is $10 and all other items $7.

There will also be a gift card raffle available to anyone, with many local businesses pitching in. If your business would like to donate a gift card, call Kitty Lewis at 802-823-7707 and leave a message or email kttylew@aol.com

Organizers say they are looking forward to seeing many familiar and new faces. The Vermont Steak House closed more than 25 years ago after being run by Ed and Pat Pinsonneault and their children for 35 years. The dinner fundraiser started in 2015 but had to halt because of the pandemic.
MBABANE  Eswatini remains in the dark ages in respect of equal treatment for all.

This is according to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and other international organisations following a ruling dismissing the application for the registration of an LGBTQI association last Friday. This ruling was issued by a full bench comprising of justices Mumcy Dlamini, Mzwandile Fakudze and Cyril Maphanga. The High Court dismissed the application for the registration of the association, which aimed to promote, protect and advance the rights and interests of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex community. The ICJ, reacting to the ruling, said it was hugely disappointed at the outcome.

Disappointing

Hugely disappointing outcome as Eswatini High Court refuses to register an LGBTQI organisation. The court alluded to fundamental rights including, expression and assembly but denied registration anyway, stated ICJ. It further said this confirmed that Eswatini remained in the dark ages in respect of equal treatment for all. Meanwhile, the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) in its news release, said the Eswatini High Court upheld the decision to refuse registration of Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities. The statement said the full bench affirmed the LGBTQIs rights yet denied registration of the communitys organisation. It highlighted the dissenting opinion of Judge Maphanga, in which he agreed with the applicants that the decision of the registrar of companies was unreasonable.

According to SALC, the dissenting opinion notes with concern that in refusing to register ESGM, the respondents acknowledged that the ministry usurped the registrars powers and that the decision to refuse the registration was in fact made by the ministry. The dissenting opinion accordingly, found the decision to refuse ESGMs registration unprocedural, stated SALC. In the Washington Blade, a news publication, SALC Executive Director Anneke Meerkotter said the verdict was lax and influenced by populist ideologies.

The High Courts judgment is a testimony on the anxiousness of Eswatini courts when dealing with matters relating to freedom of association and expression in the current political context, said Meerkotter.

The rights to freedom of association and expression are fundamentally important in a democratic society. These rights grant citizens the freedom to voice their views about all aspects of society and provides individuals with opportunities to engage in dialogue with the government, and to obtain information necessary for their protection and development as individuals, added Meerkotter. The SALC executive director further said across the region, courts had emphasised that any limitation of these rights must be rational and proportional. In contrast, the majority opinion exercised mental gymnastics to find against the applicants, despite acknowledging that their rights had been violated. The judgment highlights once again how hard it is for citizens to assert their rights to association and expression in Eswatinis courts, stated Meerkotter.

Judgment

Andrea Gillespie, an American Senior International Policy Advocate, took to Twitter on Monday, to state that the judgment demonstrated that some spaces had never been open to LGBTQI groups. When talking about closing civil society space, we must remember that some spaces have never been open to LGBTQI groups fighting for the right to legally register, she said. Traditionalist Elliot Mkhatshwa was reached for comment on the recent ruling, in his remarks he said the way in which things worked in the country warranted vast consultation of all relevant and diverse stakeholders. He said such rulings were based on analysis of all angles and it would not have been right for a decision to be made without all stakeholders being engaged. When a ruling is made based on consultation or engagement with stakeholders it is usually not a problem. Therefore, this ruling was correct if indeed all possibilities were exhausted, he said.

Dialogue should be the answer in all circumstances. Such that if there is no consultation and just the issuing of a law without doing so, then that is not correct, said Mkhatshwa.

Anglican Church Executive Member Bhekindlela Magongo said the churchs stance was that God was God for all and people were created in the image of God. Whatever is destroying the image or dignity of a person, be it issues of human rights or anything that infringes on the dignity of a person, we do not support that. However, this was in general and not in particular to the recent ruling, said Magongo. That is why as the Anglican church we are vocal about issues of poverty because such issues impede on the dignity of the person. As the church we took the position that being the image of God, pertaining to the issue you are asking about, we havent arrived to a point where we have said that we endorse same sex marriages. However, what we resolved as the Anglican church is that the LGBTQI community is welcome, because the church belongs to everyone, said Magongo.

He further said this community should not be segregated, however, they were going to continue upholding the principals of the scripture as the church. We are going to continue teaching what the Word of God upholds, but whether a person is gay, lesbian or transgender it is not an issue to us. Everyone is welcome to church, that is a place for everyone, he said.

Magongo said in terms of the ruling, it was unfortunate that they never really got the in-depth details of what exactly the courts considered.

Denied

It is easier to respond when you have seen what the judgment truly entails. In what was considered you can then assess whether the person was denied their right or not. What is in the public domain is not as detailed. The courts usually consider the law in the country in order to issue rulings. As a church we uphold the rule of law and, therefore, we will not then go against what the courts have ruled as long as there is law in the country, which prohibits certain things, said Magongo. He said if the courts ruled according to the law then it was okay but he said he could only comment accurately based on the judgment. At the end of the day, they are part of us and we cannot segregate them. As a church we welcome everybody, he concluded. In the majority judgment, Judge Dlamini said from its objectives, ESGM intended to sell information relating to affectionate or erotic matters of the LGBTQI.
by Pankaj Yadav

NEW DELHI, May 4 (Xinhua) -- India is expected to export more wheat grains to international markets due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The prevailing situation is proving a boon for Indian farmers, who are getting a better price for their crops than in previous years. Payments are more prompt, with private players picking up their crops directly from the fields.

Wheat output overall has risen, and demand for Indian wheat has also grown. Additionally, Indian wheat is cheaper than other countries, say experts.

"Indian traders have signed wheat export deals at between 330-350 U.S. dollars a tonne. This is nearly 50 U.S. dollars a tonne cheaper than rival suppliers as the rally in global prices and large surplus stocks at home have made it easier for Indian suppliers to offer a discount, but still well above domestic prices," a media report quoted a New Delhi-based trader Rajesh Paharia Jain as saying.

Traders opine that India's wheat exports could jump to 12 million tonnes in the financial year 2022-23, thus making it a serious player in the world's wheat markets.

India's wheat exports have seen a record surge this fiscal year, and the federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry has asked wheat traders to scale up shipments to avert global supply chain disruptions.

According to sources in the ministry, India is in discussions with various countries to commence wheat exports.

Indian wheat exports witnessed a massive surge of 387 percent to 1.74 billion dollars from April 2021 to January 2022 compared to the previous year.

India was the second-largest producer of wheat in 2020, with a share of around 14.14 percent of the world's total production. Still, India accounts for less than one percent of the world's wheat exports, although its share has increased from 0.14 percent in 2016 to 0.54 percent in 2020.

According to official figures, India produces around 107.59 million metric tonnes of wheat annually. A significant chunk of it goes towards domestic consumption. The major wheat-growing states in India are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Gujarat.

This year wheat production is expected to rise to 110 million Metric Tonnes, according to one survey.

Although India is not among the top wheat exporters in global trade, its growth rate has surpassed other countries, indicating the rapid strides taken to reach new markets worldwide.

According to a report published in the Economic Times, following a bumper harvest of wheat this season, India's exports are helping offset a supply shortfall resulting from "Ukraine-driven disruptions in the Black Sea region, crop cuts in Canada and quality downgrades in Australia."

As India hopes to see a rise in wheat exports, the country could be in a position to replace the depleted wheat supplies expected from both Ukraine and Russia, which account for more than 25 percent of the global wheat trade. Both Russia and Ukraine are among the world's top wheat exporters.

"Disruption of exports from these countries does provide India an opportunity to increase our export of wheat," India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said in March.

In March, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also urged stakeholders to prepare themselves to meet the growing demand for wheat.

"The globe's attraction towards India's wheat has increased of late. Are our financial institutions, export-import department and the shipping industry ready for this? Are they making comprehensive attempts to cash-in on the big opportunity that has arisen for India," Modi said.

According to the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, the top 10 importing countries for Indian wheat in 2020-21 were Bangladesh, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Afghanistan, Qatar, Indonesia, Oman and Malaysia. They accounted for more than 99 percent of India's wheat exports in 2020-21. 
MBABANE  Police used live rounds of ammunition to quell the violence that erupted in riots during protests which were calling for political change last year.

This was admitted by Detective Assistant Superintendent Sibusiso Dlamini, who is the Shiselweni Regional Crime Branch Officer (RCBO). He was giving evidence yesterday during the trial of Hosea and Ngwempisi Members of Parliament (MPs), Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube. The MPs are accused of inciting members of the public to riot against government, among other offences.

During cross-examination, Dlamini was asked by Advocate Jacobus Van Vuuren, who represents the MPs, if the police used live rounds of ammunition to bring the situation under control during the protests, which he said were marred by acts of violence, and he responded to the positive. Some of the people in the public gallery asked one another if the detective assistant superintendent had indeed admitted to the use of live rounds of ammunition. Did he say yes? they asked among themselves. Dlamini also told the court that some people were killed in the Shiselweni Region during the riots. He said four people died in the region. Advocate Van Vuuren enquired from Dlamini if he was aware that the police fired at the people to quell the violence?

In response, Dlamini told the court that he believed it might have been police officers or other businesspeople, who were trying to protect their businesses, who shot at the protesters.

He further told the court that no one was prosecuted for those murders and when asked why, he stated that investigations were still ongoing. Why does it take so long; its 11 months later now? enquired Advocate Van Vuuren. Dlamini said there were many reasons for the non-conclusion of the investigations. He said some people were found in the morgue and their relatives came to the police station to file missing persons reports.

Investigations

According to Dlamini, after members of the public visited the mortuaries to identify their relatives bodies, we started our investigations, and the most unfortunate part is that no one showed up after they had taken those who were injured to hospital, to report that their relatives had been injured, except for one who died next to his parental homestead. He pointed out that the deaths remained unresolved to date. In his evidence-in-chief, Dlamini said he was aware that government had banned the delivery of petitions to tinkhundla centres on June 24, 2021. He said the ban was as a result of acts of violence witnessed during the delivery of the petitions. He submitted that after the ban, acts of violence were witnessed in various parts of the region (Shiselweni).

Advocate Gareth Leppan enquired from Dlamini if the ban was adhered to, and he said it was not. The reason for the non-adherence to the ban, according to Dlamini, was because MP Mabuza allegedly encouraged people to continue delivering petitions to their various tinkhundla centres despite the ban. He said the MP allegedly advised those who intended to deliver the petitions that it was their constitutional right to do so. MP Mabuza, according to Dlamini, issued a conflicting statement to that issued by the then Acting Prime Minister, Themba Masuku. He submitted that it was easy for the people to listen to MP Mabuza, because he was elected by the electorate to represent them in Parliament.

The people were violent upon hearing his statement, even though he told them not to be violent, said Dlamini. He submitted that on June 28, 2021, while in Nhlangano, he received a report that acts of violence were committed at Lawuba, Hlatikhulu, Nhlangano and other areas. He said he travelled to Lawuba with other officers. While at Lawuba, along Sindzandlala Road, we encountered a group of toyi-toying people, who carried knobkerries and tree branches. We negotiated with their leaders to leave the road because they were disturbing motorists.

He stated that they decided to remain at Lawuba to guard the then Acting Prime Minister, Themba Masukus homestead. We left Lawuba around 8pm and returned to Nhlangano via Hlatikhulu. The town was engulfed in smoke, as shops were burning. We reinforced Hlatikhulu police to chase away looters. We proceeded to Nhlangano where we found the town on fire. The library was on fire, OBC Complex had been burnt, Shiselweni Regional Health Offices and vehicles were burnt. We knocked off at 3am.

Damage

In my government allocated house, I found all the windows broken. At 4am I received reports from all Shiselweni Region Police stations, on damages and looting. I compiled a report and the damage was valued at E171 504 273 in the region Dlamini narrated to the court. During cross-examination, Advocate Van Vuuren said Dlamini, in his report, on which he testified on yesterday, said he recalled that on June 29, 2021, at the headquarters, he received a report on acts of violence due to unrest and outlined vandalised properties and the damage caused. The report was dated October 12, 2021, and he admitted that he had compiled it. However, Advocate Van Vuuren enquired why he had not included what he had just testified to have been said by MP Mabuza, resulting in people allegedly defying the ban on the delivery of petitions.

Dlamini said, I realised after I had written my police report that it is important to mention the June 24, 2021 events. I had already submitted my report when I realised that A1 (MP Mabuza) had made his statement. This prompted Advocate Van Vuuren to enquire how long Dlamini had been a police officer, and he said 32 years. You want to tell me that in the period you have been an officer, you still did not include what you say was said by A1 in your report? I find your answer to be nonsensical, said Advocate Van Vuuren.

Dlamini said there was nothing he could do because he had already submitted the report.

The advocate told the witness that he should have included what he claimed was said by MP Mabuza when compiling the report. Dlamini said kwangishiya. Advocate Van Vuuren continued to say: You see, somebody told you to come and give this type of evidence. The police officer denied that. The advocate further asked Dlamini what the statement he alleged was issued by MP Mabuza, after the ban on the delivery of petitions, was. He said MP Mabuza, on the same day of the delivery of petitions was banned, allegedly encouraged the public to defy the ban.

Did you watch this statement being made by A1? asked Advocate Van Vuuren. Dlamini said: Yes, on a Facebook page. The advocate said MP Mabuza merely said people had a constitutional right to deliver petitions, not that they should go and deliver petitions. Dlamini concurred with the advocate. The matter continues today before Judge Mumcy Dlamini.
MATSAPHA  The University of Eswatini (UNESWA) has been closed; this time around by students.

The closure of the tertiary institution was announced by the students to the Dean of Student Affairs (DSA), Musa Kunene, when delivering a petition bemoaning the shortage of security in the institution. Their concern was subsequent to the sexual assault of three students at the Kwaluseni Campus of UNESWA on Friday night. The survivors are first-year students who were housed in one of the dormitories known as Common Room, which houses learners who are newcomers. According to the students, when presenting their petition, the perpetrator took advantage of the dysfunctional lock at the dormitory. This, they said, was disheartening to them as the office of the warden had been visited several times to report the challenge.

In fact, the students informed the DSA that for seven months, they had raised concerns of poor security and lighting along the institutions corridors. The Students Representative Council (SRC) Kwaluseni Campus Chairperson, Gabsile Ndukuya, before reading the petition, requested the students to pray through singing Nkosi Sikelela iAfrica  which was a modified version of the known hymn, which is also the national anthem of the Republic of South Africa. Ndukuya said the demands and resolutions that were being presented were made by students in a domestic meeting that was held on Saturday, April 30, 2022, following the sexual violation of the trio. She said students were demanding that security at the gate should be tightened such that entry to the institution should be monitored. This, she said, could be through, for an example, the use of student cards.

The secretary general also said the students were demanding that a new professional security company should be hired as the current one had failed them. It was claimed that the security company was incompetent and ignorant. When reading this, the students responded by shouting yebo , which meant that they were in agreement with what was being said. The students, through the petition, also called upon the administration of the institution to install security cameras on all residential blocks of the university. Their last demand was that the office of the warden should be provided with a separate account number, which shall be separate from UNESWAs account.

Challenge

It was said this would avert the challenge of students being without light bulbs, dysfunctional door locks while also dealing with all dormitory maintenance issues. This demand was reciprocated by various shouts and whistling by the students. The students informed the DSA that in many instances, the administration had failed to avail necessities to the wardens and maintenance offices yet they (students) paid accommodation fees, which meant they should be supplied with such.

The students further demanded to know from the office of the DSA how the sexual assault occurred within the institution while also expressing their resolution to stop all learning activities and demanded the immediate closure of the university. They informed Kunene that they were vacating the institution upon delivering of their petition and would wait for a communique from the office of the director of transport and maintenance, which shall assure them that everything had been sorted in campus and that the university was a safe learning place to be in.

Just before Kunene could address the students after receiving the petition, they burst into song with expletive lyrics that were said to be an exact feeling of the students regarding the manner in which the institution was dealing with their needs and concerns. After being given an opportunity to address them, the DSA thanked the leadership of the SRC who contacted him on the wee hours of Saturday and reported the matter. He said communication was established with the parents of the survivors; but that was not the last. He said the issue spoke to the safety of all students.

On the commitments undertaken by the university, I understand that you are saying your return shall be when everything it has promised has been done, Kunene said. He said what was submitted as a petition by the students was well thought of and if it would be analysed by another person, it could still yield the same contents. Kunene bid farewell to the students but requested that the leadership of the university should stay behind, so that they could address the issues immediately. Leading to the delivery of the petition, the students had gathered at the Commerce Block, where they sang political songs before leaving for the offices of the DSA.

As they marched to the administration block, more students joined in as they were estimated to be over 500 when delivering the petition. It is worth noting that the students bid farewell to the administration and informed them that they were leaving the institution as it was not safe for them, just days after the Senate had resolved to beef up security.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), together with the Committee to Protect Journalists, Freedom House, PEN America, Reporters Without Borders, CIVICUS, Access Now, International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, has expressed concern at the Indian authorities increasing targeting of journalists and online critics for their criticism of government policies and practices, including by prosecuting them under counterterrorism and sedition law

Various journalists organisations gathered to participate during the Joint Silent sit-in demonstration, protesting the rampant harassment of Media Persons, at Raisina Road near Parliament in Delhi on February 18, 2021. Credit: Piyal Bhattacharjee/ AFP

In a joint statement released on World Press Freedom Day on May 3, the ten human and media rights organisations urged the Indian authorities to respect the right to freedom of expression, release any journalists detained on politically motivated charges for their critical reporting, and stop targeting journalists and muzzling independent media.

Consistent targeting of journalists, coupled with a broader crackdown on dissent, has emboldened Hindu nationalists to threaten, harass, and abuse journalists critical of the Indian government, both online and offline, with impunity, the groups said.

Amid growing restrictions on media freedom, Indian authorities have arrested journalists on spurious terrorism and sedition charges, and have routinely targeted critics and independent news organisations, including raiding their workplaces, the joint statement said.

The statement also highlights challenges caused by Israeli-produced spyware, Pegasus, to target journalists, with frequent internet shutdowns also hampering the ability of journalists to do their work, including accessing and disseminating information online.

Concerns were also raised at the misuse of various legal provisions related to sedition, counterterrorism, and national security laws to target and prosecute journalists, human rights activists, students, government critics, and peaceful protesters, particularly those in Jammu and Kashmir.

On World Press Freedom Day on May 3, the IFJ, on behalf of the South Asia Media Solidarity Network (SAMSN), released its 20th annual South Asia Press Freedom Report for 2021-22, titled Solidarity and Survival: The Story of South Asia.

According to the reports India chapter, 4 journalists were killed and 12 were arrested between May 1, 2021, and April 30, 2022. Indian media is going through severe trials and tribulations, battling deep economic crises as well as political polarization, the report summarises.

Read the joint advocacy statement here.

Read the South Asia Press Freedom Report 2021-22 (SAPFR) here.
It still has 12 days to go, but the team behind Boona, a buzzy new tandem showerhead, blasted through its $10,000 Kickstarter goal last month, collecting $619,733 in funding so far. While that kind of response is the dream of every founder who goes the crowdfunding route, the campaign is hardly the scrappy amateur effort typically associated with the fundraising tactic. It took the team more than a year to plan and execute.

Boona, the product, was the brainchild of Brett Skaloud, 38, and Jeffrey Feiereisen, 33, who'd worked together on mechanical and hardware engineering for the cashier-less Amazon Go stores. Their story shows how early success on Kickstarter can lead to buzz and traction, becoming a tandem marketing and sales tool that helps a company gain footing on multiple fronts. But it also illuminates that the air of "surprise viral success" on Kickstarter usually is in fact something that requires careful orchestration--and that a campaign that blows past its funding target immediately is no guarantee of lasting success.

Boona's origin story is the simplest part of the product's journey so far. After leaving Amazon, Skaloud and Feiereisen stayed in touch, and their conversations were wide-ranging enough to include their romantic lives and their personal hygiene, and, more memorably, the intersection of the two. "Jeff mentioned the frustrations of showering with his partner. Turns out, my wife had just required us to have two showerheads in the bathroom we were remodeling," Skaloud says.

As engineers, the pair might have been inclined to start by meeting up in a garage and hacking together a two-headed shower prototype. But they'd been indoctrinated by their product-roadmap education at Amazon and unnerved by raised eyebrows from family members. They decided the unconventional idea needed validation by way of a dedicated market of buyers before they dedicated significant time and money to it.

In March of 2021, they embarked on a yearlong effort that included surveying and testing by friends and family, followed by national surveys fueled by social media campaigns, product testing with 50 individuals, Facebook advertising to build up preorders, and then, of course, the Kickstarter campaign. "We've done a lot of due diligence. Each step of the way we spent a little bit more money and increased the amount of feedback that we're getting, to build up that confidence," Feiereisen says. (The pair did, as expected, meet up, learn fluid dynamics, and engineer dozens of versions of the tandem showerhead that would ultimately become Boona, which is available for preorder starting at $249.)

The Kickstarter campaign wasn't part of the initial plan, but it did become a logical step for the Boona founders, who had already collected 7,000 down payments for preorders on their own website. Even with that number, they wanted additional validation. "Kickstarter gives you a feeling of a safe space for creators and customers to come together," Feiereisen says. "We felt it was worth paying for that trust."

That trust, and the larger audience Kickstarter provides, doesn't come cheap. The platform charges owners of successful projects nearly 10 percent of their earnings, through a fee of 5 percent of total funds raised, plus 3 to 5 percent for payment processing of each pledge. According to Kickstarter, to date less than 40 percent of the nearly 560,000 projects launched on the platform over the past 12 years have been successful; 640 of those have raised more than $1 million.

For Boona's creators, the cost was even steeper, in terms of their labor. When not engineering the product, they spent almost all of their working time on their marketing efforts. A lot of those hours went to creating materials that would be used in their Kickstarter campaign, whose main page alone contains 2,006 words, 12 photographs, 11 illustrations, 10 GIFs, and nine videos.

They also dipped significantly into their own pockets, including hiring lawyers to set up the company, and contracting with photographers, designers, and the San Diego crowdfunding consulting firm LaunchBoom. They vetted 20 film studios before hiring LaunchLight Films, a small video outlet in Atlanta that specializes in crowdfunding videos, to make a splashy promotional short of a laughing couple showering together using Boona showerheads.

For the pair of engineers, perhaps the biggest expenditure, though, was the time they spent learning marketing in the lead-up to posting the Kickstarter campaign. Neither had been active on social media, and Skaloud says creating and maintaining a presence while juggling all the other aspects of the startup was his greatest stress of the past year. To Feiereisen, it was making the launch video. "That was really uncomfortable to us as introverts. It was so stressful. It was a cool experience, and we believe in it and wanted to give it our best shot--but I definitely don't want to do that again."

Feiereisen and Skaloud are pleased that their project has nearly 3,000 backers but are hoping for more over the remainder of the campaign. "We have a way to go," Skaloud says. There seems to be a significant disparity between their stated funding goal of $10,000 and their internal one. While they are still setting up their production and supply chain for Boona, Feiereisen says they can fulfill the current orders, without bringing on any employees, by January 2023.

What they are still wrestling with is clarity on whether their idea has truly been market-validated. How do the Kickstarter orders correlate to orders they could project on their own site through 2023 and 2024?

"If you can establish yourself as a preorder opportunity, that's a pretty solid basis to say, 'Maybe there's a business here,'" Feiereisen says. "But, honestly, every step of the way we're learning and trying to figure out what this means in terms of having a real business. How do sales now convert to sales when you are a real company with a product available immediately?"
I've spent a lot of time writing about different companies and their attempts to bring people back to the office. I've written quite a few times about how companies, especially big tech companies, are blending remote and in-office work to create a hybrid work arrangement for their employees.

Of all the companies I've written about, the policy introduced this week by Airbnb's CEO, Brian Chesky, is worth taking a deeper look. You can sum it up, as Chesky did, in four words: Live and work anywhere.

According to Chesky, employees can "work from home or the office--whatever works best for you." That alone isn't particularly unique. A lot of companies are offering some form of a similar plan. All of those companies are trying to figure out how to balance the needs of their business with the desire of employees to have flexibility in their work arrangements.

The thing that makes Airbnb's plan different--and what makes it the best yet, in my opinion--is that it's more than just lip service to hybrid work. Here's how you know the company actually means it:

"You can move anywhere in the country, like from San Francisco to Nashville, and your compensation won't change," Chesky tweeted.

Those last four words are pretty important. In many cases, companies will let you move, but if you end up in an area with a lower cost of living, the company will adjust your salary accordingly. Not at Airbnb.

Airbnb doesn't plan to lower your salary just because you move to an area with a lower cost of living. The company will, instead, have a single pay tier, by country, for a given role.

If you tell people that they can move anywhere, but they will have their pay adjusted if they move to a place with a lower cost of living, you're sending the message you'd really rather they not move. You're telling your employees that this policy is mostly just meant to make the company look like it's being flexible, without actually having to be flexible. Those aren't the same.

One is done so that you can claim you have a hybrid work plan. It's something you do when you want the credit for doing something for your employees, without having to actually do it. Think of the message it sends an employee when you tell them they now have the freedom to move anywhere, but if they do, they'll be worth less to the company than before.

Imagine you're an employee making, say, $145,000 as a programmer living in the San Francisco Bay Area. You move to somewhere in Montana or Tennessee or Texas--because your company encourages employees to have flexibility--only to find out you'll now be paid $125,000. The company just told you that even though it will expect you to do the same job and produce the same level of work as before, you're now worth $20,000 less.

All of the philosophical conversations around hybrid work and letting employees work from anywhere are great. Pay attention to the details, however, because that's where you find out what companies really think. That's where you discover how they really feel about giving their employees flexibility.

Google, for example, is moving to a hybrid model that requires employees to be in the office three days a week. Employees can apply to work remotely full time, but it's not a given. In a recent interview, Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, said the company has "supported 85 percent of those applications."

That means Google is telling 15 percent of the employees who have decided that working remotely is the best fit for their work and their life, "Sorry, you have to come to the office." Pichai didn't say why the company is saying no that often. Maybe those employees have super important jobs that can only be done in an office. Maybe they require access to information or systems that are only available at one of Google's high-tech campuses.

Except, presumably, those employees were working from home for some period of time over the past two years. During that time, Google had several of its best quarters of performance, ever. It doesn't seem like remote work has hurt the company, so it's interesting that Google would tell some employees, "We know you want to work remotely, but we'd rather you come to the office."
Demag, one of the world's leading suppliers of industrial cranes, crane components and comprehensive service, has snapped up its biggest order in 15 years with the closing of the deal with Saudi-based Expertise Contracting Company for delivery of 79 Demag AC cranes.

A German heavy equipment manufacturer, Demag Cranes is now controlled by Japan-based Tadano via a $215 million deal signed in 2019 with Terex. It boasts a wide range of lifting equipment including rough terrain and all- terrain cranes, lattice and telescopic boom crawler cranes and truck cranes.

Owing to the mega order - 50 Demag AC 55-3 units, 17 AC 130-5s and 11 AC 250-5s along with one AC 500-8 unit - Expertise had sent a high-level official delegation to Zweibrucken, Germany, for the contract signing ceremony, said a statement from Demag.

This was not only the biggest order for Demag in the last 15 years but also the largest ever from a customer in Saudi Arabia. A major player in the kingdom, Expertise has been catering to over 1,500 customers from the petrochemical, oil and gas production industry, energy industry, and other industrial sectors across the Middle East.

Confirming the big supply deal, Expertise said the need for such a large number of high-performance all-terrain cranes arose because of its major contract win from Saudi oil major Aramco.

"Demag cranes have a sterling reputation throughout the Arab world, and our experience reflects that, so it went without saying that theyd be our cranes of choice for this project as well," remarked Expertise President and CEO Mohammed Ashif, who travelled to Zweibrucken together with Industrial Services Director Mahammad Ashpak to sign the corresponding contract.

Both of them also emphasised how important it was that the two companies have a long tradition of working together smoothly in an environment characterized by trust.

The German heavy equipment leader's high-level team at the signing ceremony comprised Tadano Demag GmbH CEO Jens Ennen and Tadano Demag Vice President of Production Jan Wieser, Tadano Middle East Senior Sales Manager Deepak Jain and Tadano Middle East Service Technician Benjamin Bernhardt.

"An order of this magnitude is not something you see every day. In fact, were tremendously proud of the fact that one of the biggest names in the Middle East decided to rely on our products," remarked Ennen, thus making it clear just how significant this order was for Demag.

On the mega order, Jain said: "For us at Demag, this contract is a solid vote of confidence in the quality of our products and services from an important customer that we value tremendously."

"On top of that, the fact that a company as important as Expertise decided on Demag is something that will resonate across the entire region," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Yield Guild Games Southeast Asia (YGG SEA), a sub-decentralized autonomous organization (subDAO) of the Philippines-based blockchain gaming startup Yield Guild Games (YGG), today announced the upcoming Initial DEX Offering (IDO) of its $SEA token on the Copper launchpad.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220429005347/en/

(Graphic: Business Wire)

The $SEA Token Launch Auction will commence on the Copper platform on May 9th at 15:00 UTC and it will run through May 14th. A total of 75 million $SEA tokens have been allocated to the IDO public sale, representing 7.5% of the total supply of one billion tokens. The starting price is set at $0.50.

The IDO is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to appreciate our communitys unconditional support, said YGG SEA Co-founder Irene Umar. We are where we are because of the community and we would like the community to own a piece of YGG SEA through the IDO. DYOR, all I can say: what you see today is just the beginning of what will unfold in the coming months.

$SEA is the governance token of YGG SEA. It gives community members the right to vote on governance proposals, ecosystem reward allocations, most desired features/reward models that reflect local needs, and whitelist opportunities for GameFi as well as non-GameFi NFTs.

Since community is at the core of YGG SEA, the guild is committed to giving everyone the opportunity and time to participate in the IDO in a fair and transparent manner. Copper is the most decentralized and user-friendly way to participate in a specific configuration of Balancers Liquidity Bootstrapping Pools (LBPs), allowing more equitable distribution of tokens for all participants.

The Token Launch Auction on Copper allows for real-time price discovery, open and permissionless participation, and fair distribution of tokens. It disincentivizes front-running bots and whales to get the $SEA token into the hands of as many participants as possible.

YGG SEA is the leading guild for Southeast Asia, having invested in 76 projects since November 2021. Ten games have become accessible to the YGG SEA guild members, and many more to launch within this year. It currently has offices in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Following the IDO, YGG SEA plans to expand into three additional countries within six months, with complete SEA coverage planned by 2024.

YGG SEA had earlier raised $15 million across two rounds from notable investors including Crypto.com Capital, Animoca Brands, Solana Ventures, Polygon, and others.

About YGG SEA

YGG SEA, the first subDAO of Yield Guild Games, is a decentralized autonomous organization for acquiring and managing NFTs used in the metaverse. Its mission is to create the biggest and most sustainable play-to-earn virtual economy in Southeast Asia. YGG SEA is a founding member of the Asia Blockchain Gaming Alliance.

For more information, visit:Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220429005347/en/
Trst01 and Rubix announced today a partnership to jointly leverage their unique Web3 green blockchain technology platforms and solutions expertise to help governments, organizations and citizens accelerate their climate actions to significantly reduce the cost of transitioning to a sustained, successful green economy.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220503006135/en/

Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic businesses and communities around the globe have made unprecedented commitments to ESG and Net Zero  including the promise to rethink and where necessary leapfrog current business models, strategies, and digital transformation efforts.

While these commitments are encouraging, there are many barriers to implementation, chief among them a unified approach to digitizing climate actions, said KC Reddy, Rubix chief architect and founder.

Since the onset of remote working, living and learning in early 2020, accelerated digital strategy has become the only option for some businesses and individuals to survive. After launching futureproofed products, services, and business models, these efforts have proved more than a single-use rapid fire response to a once-in-a-century public health crisis. They now play a pivotal role in how people around the world navigate the compounding public health crisis inherent in climate change.

Enterprises and their stakeholders need to have a comprehensive and holistic system to capture, track, inform, and validate information, said Reddy. This will drive transparent business decision making which in turn will improve organizational agility and accelerate climate actions. These next generation efforts to digitize climate actions must be based on Web3 technologies.

COVID became a wakeup call to think about all the potential risks to their business and they quickly realized that they need to do all they can to fight climate change, said Prabir Misra, CEO of Trst01. Businesses and individuals know that they need to tackle climate change with the same collective vision that helped them fight the COVID pandemic. It is inspiring to see unprecedented climate, ESG and Net Zero commitments from businesses and individuals from all over the world, especially those who recognize the growing advantage of problem solving with Web3 technologies.

An innovative first of its kind partnership, defined by its decentralization and peer-to-peer Web3 technology architecture, Trst01 and Rubix will be able to empower users to become integral contributors to the fight against climate change. The joint leveraging of these Web3 technologies does more than mirror the real business world. It recreates an entirely new landscape for capturing information at its source, tracking the owners identity, and preventing tampering and fraud through redundant storage.

Even so, envisioning and executing a zero carbon future requires an understanding that the timeline for addressing climate change continues to be a moving target. A Global Government Forum piece from May 2022 rightly notes that the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) warns that despite steady growth in climate finance, it is nowhere near enough to mitigate climate change. CPI has estimated that the world needs to invest at least US$4.5 trillion to US$5 trillion annually by 2030, a staggering rise of 590% [on current spending levels], to tackle the most damaging aspects of climate change.

Additionally the piece cites, Currently governments, largely through development finance institutions, are the biggest funders of climate finance. According to the CPI report Global Landscape of Climate Finance, the public sector contributed 51% of the worlds climate funding between 2019 and 2020, at US$321bn. This will have to change if climate funding is to reach the levels predictions indicate is needed to bring about real change. Even if we spent every single dollar of public money, we are not going to get there, [Baysa] Naran [a senior analyst who leads the CPIs climate finance tracking] says. The obvious answer is driving more private sector resources.

Trst01 and Rubixs green blockchain technology and solutions can help identify these resources and contribute significantly to changing the dynamic in who shoulders the responsibility of financing the necessary changes for a zero carbon future.

About Rubix Blockchain Pte Ltd: Rubix is a Layer 1 blockchain protocol for peer-to-peer data transfer & transactions. With operations in Singapore, India, the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and the United States, Rubix is a Web scale protocol with Zero transaction fees, minimal infrastructure costs, high security & privacy. With less than 1 kWh per transaction, Rubix has one of the lowest energy consumptions among all computing networks. Rubix software can be freely downloaded on any PC or virtual machine. The Rubix community has more than 12,500 validators. https://rubix.net/

About Trst01:

TRST01 (Trust O One) is a Blockchain-technology company that uses emerging technologies to address Industry Pain points on Trust, Transparency and Traceability. Headquartered in India, TRST01s unique technology platform addresses the emerging Digital Transformation challenges.

https://trst01.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220503006135/en/
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has opened online registration for the 2022 Public Forum, the theme for which is Towards a sustainable and inclusive recovery: ambition to action.



The Forum will be held at the WTOs headquarters, in Geneva, Switzerland from 27 to 30 September.



The Forum's sub-themes are Leveraging technology for an inclusive recovery, Delivering a trade agenda for a sustainable future and Framing the future of trade.



Individuals interested in attending the Forum should complete the online registration form no later than September 7, 2022.



The Public Forum is the WTOs largest annual outreach event. It provides a unique platform for heads of states, parliamentarians, leading global business people, students, academics and non-governmental organizations to come together and debate on a wide range of WTO issues and on some of the major trade and development topics of the day.



Over 1,500 participants attend the Forum each year.  TradeArabia News Service
(Trigger Warning: The story contains graphic details of domestic abuse and sexual violence, which could be triggering for some readers.)

Amber Heards legal team called their first witness in Johnny Depps $50 million defamation trial against the actress. A psychologist who took the stand to testify in favor of Heard told jurors on Tuesday that the Aquaman actress had post-traumatic stress disorder due to physical and sexual abuse by her ex-husband Johnny Depp.

Reuters

Dawn Hughes testified that she diagnosed Heard after examining her for 29 hours and reviewing therapy records. She emphasized that Heard's former husband Depp engaged in a high degree of violence.



Instagram

Hughes recollected several instances of alleged sexual violence, which stemmed from Depps obsessive jealousy and in an attempt to show his dominance and power in their relationship.



Reuters

He threw her on the bed, ripped off her nightgown, and tried to have sex with her, Hughes testified.

Hughes also corroborated Heard's story by recalling incidents in which Depp allegedly penetrated Heard with his fingers and, on one occasion, with a bottle.



Reuters

She said that Depp showed particular jealousy regarding James Franco, with whom he accused and believed Heard had a relationship.

Reuters

These incidents often happened in a drug-fueled rage, she said.

According to reports, Heard will be sharing her fuller account of the alleged abuse after she takes the witness stand on Wednesday.

Reuters

Hughes was called on the stands to rebut the testimony of Shannon Curry, a psychologist called by Depps team last week. Curry told the jury that Heard had a borderline personality disorder.

Curry alleged that she examined Heard for 12 hours on Depps behalf. She testified against Heard and claimed she was prone to give overly dramatic statements and was often full of rage.

Reuters

Hughes, who took the stand to defend Heard, said she disagreed with Currys diagnosis.

Contrary to Curry's diagnosis, Hughes said in her examination, Heards symptoms were consistent with a victim of intimate partner violence.



Hughes also noted that Heard had suffered from parental abuse as a child and carried the baggage of those dysfunctional dynamics and memories as baggage in her relationship with Depp.

Reuters

Hughes said, She also believed she could fix him, just like she tried to fix her father. She truly believed she could fix Mr. Depp and rid him of his substance abuse problems, but that did not work.



Hughes testified that Depp exerted coercive control over Heard and was focused on controlling her career.

Ambition was a weaponized term in that relationship, Hughes said. Depps side presented testimony from a couples therapist, Laurel Anderson, who said they engaged in mutual abuse.

Reacting to the same, Hughes argued that while both parties 'may' engage in verbal or physical abuse, its also essential to look at the balance of power in the relationship.

Amber Heard

What the research talks about very clearly is you have to examine the context, Hughes said. You have to examine the differential of power and control  and coercive control  in the relationship to make a full determination.



In a pre-trial motion, Heards lawyers had sought to have an independent mental examination of Depp. However, Depps attorneys opposed that motion, arguing that the actor's mental state is not at issue. The judge denied the motion.

On Tuesday, the judge presiding over Johnny Depps $50 million defamation lawsuit rejected Amber Heards plea to 'toss out' the case.

Agencies

Amber Heard's lawyers asked the judge to dismiss the case, saying Johnny Depp had not proven his claims. However, Judge Penney Azcarate denied the request regarding two statements in the Washington Post op-ed since there is a 'scintilla' of evidence that a jury may find that they were defamatory.



Agencies

The $50 million defamation trial began on Tuesday with Heard's team trying to counter the accusations laid by Depps lawyers.

The court hears how Johnny Depp sexually assaulted Amber Heard. #IStandWithAmberHeard pic.twitter.com/774bI8GOPd  Ivana Escalera (@IvanaE) May 3, 2022

Depp's lawyer, in multiple attempts, has alleged that Heard was the abuser in their relationship and maintained that Depp would retreat only after 'she instigated fights.'

(To get the latest updates from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.)
Allahabad High Court has upheld a trial court order dismissing a discharge application filed by a man accused of abetting his wife's suicide after observing that that a married woman is extremely possessive about her husband and cannot bear to share him with others.

The accused, Sushil Kumar, had married for the third time and this was apparently the sole reason why his wife died of suicide.

Allahabad High Court

Sufficient reason to die

The court observed that for a wife, her husband marrying another woman in secret is "sufficient reason" to end her own life.

"They (Indian wives) are literally possessive about their husband. It would be biggest jolt for any married woman that her husband is being shared by some other lady or he is going to marry some other lady. In such awkward situation, it would be impossible to expect any sanity from them. Exactly same thing happened in this case too," the bench of Justice Rahul Chaturvedi said.

Married twice, wanted one more wife

According to the complaint filed by the deceased woman, Kumar was already married and had two children.

He did not get a divorce to marry for a second time and, even after that was preparing to tie the knot with a third woman.

BCCL

The woman had lodged an FIR at Manduadih police station in Varanasi against her husband and his six family members under multiple sections of the IPC in September 2018.

This included the charges of voluntarily causing hurt, criminal intimidation and marrying again during the lifetime of the spouse.

Soon after filing the FIR, the woman reportedly consumed poison and died.

Kumar had moved the trial court to discharge him in the abetment of suicide case, but unsuccessful, after which he approached the High Court.

Should be tried under section 306

Ruing the suicide by the woman, the court said, "Coming to know that her husband got married in a clandestine way with some other lady is more than sufficient reason to commit suicide.

Wikipedia

Sushil Kumar, the husband seems to be the main culprit at least to be tried for the offence under section 306 of the IPC (abetment of suicide), the judge said, dismissing Kumar's appeal.

It is the deceased herself who lodged the FIR against all the revisionists (woman's husband and in-laws) for committing atrocities upon her and these charges could be tested only at the time of the trial and as such, no good ground for discharge exists," the judge added.

For more on news, sports and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
In a shocking incident, a 13-year-old gang rape survivor was sexually abused by a police officer inside the station, when she went there to register a complaint.

The incident was reported from Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur district on Tuesday.

The rape survivor, in her complaint, had alleged that she was lured to Bhopal by four youths on April 22, who then sexually abused her.

BCCL

Police tried to hide the crime

She was brought back to her village on April 26 by the accused who dumped her near the Pali Police station.

The cops then allegedly handed the teenager over to her aunt, without informing her parents.

The teenager was also asked to come to the police station the next day to record her statement.

But when the rape survivor and her aunt reached the police station, Station House Officer Tilakdhari Saroj, allegedly took her to another room and sexually abused her.

The teenager was then handed over to Childline Welfare committee.

BCCL

It was during a counseling session by the Childline officials, that the teenager opened up about her ordeal, including the sexual abuse by the cop.



ChildLine welfare committee then reached out to the Lalitpur Superintendent of police about the crime. Following this, the SP immediately filed a case of gang-rape against six people including SHO Tilakdhari Saroj.

SHO on the run

The others booked in the case include the four men who gang raped her - Chandan, Rajbhan, Harishankar and Mahendra Chaurasia and the girl's aunt who was present at the station when the was sexually abused by the SHO.

The accused have been booked under section 363, 376, 376-B, 120-B IPC, section 3, 4 POCSO and section 3(2)(V) SC/ST act.

According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Nikhil Pathak, the SHO has been suspended and he is on the run.

ANI

A team has been constituted for the arrest of all the accused.

"One accused has been arrested and he is being interrogated. The SHO including the others accused is absconding. They will be arrested soon," the SP said.

18-year-old nurse killed on the first day at work

The incident came to light days after an 18-year-old nurse was found hanging from a pillar of a nursing home in Unnao district on her first day at work.

The body of the nurse was found hanging at New Jeevan Nursing Home in the Bangarmau area of the district on April 30, and her family had alleged that she was raped, before the murder.

For more on news, sports and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Air-conditioned restrooms are underway for the porters at Bhopal railway station. Minister of medical education Vishvas Sarang confirmed the same on Monday. The minister attended a meeting with the divisional railway manager Saurabh Bandhopadhyaya, collector Avinash Lavaniya, and Bhopal municipal commissioner, KVS Choudhary, at Vallabh Bhawan when it was discussed and confirmed.

Reuters

Minister Sarang said that an AC restroom having all facilities should be made for porters towards Bhopal railway station platform number-1. This restroom will be built on railway land, where the porters will be able to take a break and rest for some time.

Where will the retiring rooms be constructed?

The retiring rooms would be built on railway land on the side of platform number 1. The officials have also been asked to remove encroachments from the near Aishbagh stadium area to construct Barkhedi minister. They had asked them to remove encroachment from railway land in the Narela constituency. A two-lane ROB will be built from Chola Mandir to platform number 1 of the main railway station to facilitate the movement of people.

Unsplash

Currently, Indian railways has been hit with an acute shortage of coal. Due to several factors, India is staring at a coal crisis, with stock critically low at 108 of its 173 thermal power plants.

train-62711d0970051

The Indian Railways had to cancel trains to prioritize the delivery of coal rakes across the country. As the crisis looms on the Indian Railways amidst coal shortage, it was announced that a total of 753 trips of passenger trains had to be canceled to prioritize the delivery of coal across the country.

AFP

On April 30th, a total of 713 trips of the South East Central Railway were canceled till May 25, while 40 trips of the Northern Railways were canceled till May 8.



According to the Railways, these are non-priority trains, and canceling them will eventually help the more effortless movement of coal to power plants across the country.



(For more on news, sports, and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.)


Pulling her life out of a nightmare, a nurse in Ukraine is rewriting her life's story the way she wants. On March 27, 2022, Oksana, who worked as a nurse in Lysychansk, lost both her legs and four fingers on her left hand after a landmine exploded near her as she was returning home with Viktor.

Even with a massive loss hitting her life, she fought back, went through all medical procedures, and married the love of her life in the hospital.

Twitter

Oksana and Viktor married in the hospital and shared a moving first dance, where the groom can be seen holding the bride in his arms.



Thanks to social media, their heartwarming first dance after tying the knot is now winning the internet. In the clip, Balandina is wearing a white dress and a pink flower crown, as her husband is seen wrapping her in her arms.



This wedding is taking place in a hospital. The bride is a 23-year-old nurse, Oksana, who lost both legs and some fingers in an explosion. The newlyweds have been together for six years. We wish them countless happy years to come. Ukraine stands strong thanks to people like them. pic.twitter.com/oiyZNrEJTo  Stratcom Centre UA (@StratcomCentre) May 2, 2022

The video comes just weeks after she lost her legs and fingers in the explosion. A report in Reuters confirms that Oksana Balandina and Viktor Vasyliv, both 23, celebrated their nuptials at a hospital in Lviv.



Despite going through a tragic phase in their lives, the couple fought back and showed inspiring courage and resilience. Viktor is in awe of Oksana's strength.

Oksana Balandina, a nurse, lost both her legs and four fingers on one hand in a mine explosion in March. The hospital where she is being treated, held a wedding ceremony for her and her partner, Viktor Vasylyev https://t.co/GoW6vHKv98 pic.twitter.com/RMBgqjJEFt  Tina (@tm_desjarlais) May 4, 2022

Sky News confirms that Oksana has undergone four operations, and both of her legs and four fingers on her left hand have been amputated.

Screengrab

After evacuating to Dnipro, Oksana received care, and the couple traveled to Lviv, less than 50 miles away from the Polish border, per The Los Angeles Times. On Monday, the newspaper reported they tied the knot in a civil ceremony at the Lviv Surgery Center.



'You cant postpone living, says the Facebook post accompanying the couples first dance video. Attending their modest wedding celebrations at the hospital were patients and volunteers.

Talking to Reuters, Oksana said her 7-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter are with their grandparents in central Ukraine. She is now preparing to travel to Germany with her husband for further treatment and healing.



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Do you know who the world's tallest woman is? Rumesya Gelgi of Turkey has set the record for being the tallest woman in the world at a staggering height of 7 feet and 0.7 inches. The record was confirmed as the "world's tallest woman alive" by Guinness World Records in October 2021.

Sky News

Gelgi, who wants to inspire people with her height, held the record for the tallest teenager alive in 2014. She is abnormally tall because she was diagnosed early with Weaver syndrome, a rare condition that causes accelerated growth. The condition weakened her ability to walk like a normal person. Now, she needs a wheelchair to get around or walk with the help of a walking frame. However, her unbeatable spirit and pride have inspired youngsters and even people older than her.

What is Weaver syndrome?

Weaver syndrome is a condition that involves tall stature with or without a large head size (macrocephaly), a variable degree of intellectual disability (usually mild), and characteristic facial features.



With appropriate treatment and management, patients with Weaver syndrome appear to do well, both physically and intellectually, throughout their life and have a normal lifespan.



Ms Gelgi has been the recipient of three more Guinness World Record titles for the measurements of her hands, fingers, and back. She now holds a total of four world records.

HuffPost

Her longest finger measures 4.4 inches, her right hand measures 9.81 inches, and her left hand measures 9.55 inches, earning her the record for the largest hands on a living person (female).

Her back, which measures 23.58 inches, is the longest back on a living person (female). Ms Gelgi is also the current tallest woman in the world, but not the tallest woman to have ever lived - that was Zeng Jinlian of China, who measured 8ft 1in before her demise in 1982.

Alchetron (Zeng Jinlian)

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In order to lend a helping hand to Ukraine, the United States government now wants to sell off seized Russian oligarchs' assets to fund their $33 billion (roughly Rs 2,500 crore) Ukraine aid package.

Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer said that the Ukraine aid package includes provisions for the US government to seize the assets from Russian billionaires. The US government is quickly targeting any oligarchs with links to Russian President Vladimir Putin so that the move will influence his actions in Ukraine, and also reduce the power of Putin and his allies.

YouTube (Chuck Schumer)

Mr Schumer said: "Ukraine needs all the help it can get and, at the same time, we need all the assets we can put together to give Ukraine the aid it needs. It's time for sanctioned Russian oligarchs to be held accountable for the ill-gotten wealth that they have received.

Last week, the White House had proposed legislation that would allow the federal government to sell any assets that have been seized from Russian oligarchs and use the proceeds for military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

The proposal included provisions that would streamline the process of liquidating the seized assets in order to help Ukraine.

Schumer added: These oligarchs, loyal to Putin, are extremely wealthy and bought these types of assets, which are here in the United States. This is the kind of stuff we're talking about: yachts, mansions. You may ask, 'Are any of these assets in New York?' Obviously, a whole bunch are.

Not all Russian billionaires have relations with Putin, however, a huge amount of illicit wealth is held by senior officials or those in executive roles in Russian-controlled businesses.

However, there are concerns that the proposal isn't even legal. Professor of Law, Paul B. Stephan, wrote in The Conversation: "Selling off Russian state property such as central bank assets, creates other problems."

"International law provides a certain degree of immunity from confiscation to foreign nations and their assets overseas. Outside of wartime, confiscation of state property, including U.S. deposits of Russias central bank, runs up against these challenges."

NPR

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Cover Image Attribute: Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, the junta's spokesperson, on a televised broadcast, announced Mali's decision to break defense accords with France and Europe. Source: The Office of Radio and Television of Mali/Office de Radiodiffusion-Television du Mali / Date: May 3, 2022

Mali's ruling junta has declared that it is terminating defense pacts with France and other European allies that were signed nearly a decade ago to assist the Malian military in ending a jihadist offensive.





In a televised address, Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, the junta's spokesperson, claimed that Mali had observed: "flagrant violations" of its national sovereignty by French troops. As a result, the Malian authorities stated that they notified France of their intention to terminate the Status of Force Agreements or SOFA. Maiga noted that the decision to revoke SOFA would take effect immediately, while the collaboration agreement with France would expire in six months.









"France considers that this decision is unjustified and contests any violation of the bilateral legal framework," a French foreign ministry spokesman told reporters in Paris after Bamako decided to quit.





Around 4,300 French troops are stationed in the Sahel region, including 2,400 in Mali. Besides Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania, the so-called Barkhane force is active. Col. Pascal Ianni, a spokesman for the French Armed Forces, stated that France's ultimate goal in the Sahel is to reduce its personnel presence to 2,500-3,000.





For a period, tensions between France and the military government in Mali, which seized power in August 2020, rose for some time. In the landlocked Sahel state, the military took control in response to protests over the government's handling of the war against armed jihadist groups. The military first promised to restore the civilian government. Still, it failed to follow through on a previous agreement with the West African body ECOWAS to hold elections in February, provoking regional sanctions. Since then, France's relationship with Mali has deteriorated as the junta government has rejected international pressure to establish a timeline for a quick restoration to democratic administration.





Paris has also expressed opposition to Bamako's detente with the Kremlin. France and the US have accused mercenaries from the Kremlin-linked security firm Wagner Group of deploying and perpetrating human rights violations in Mali. The junta government insists the Russians are merely military instructors assisting in restoring order.





NOTE: Vast areas of Mali are out of government control due to armed group activity that began in 2012 and expanded to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger three years later. Thousands of military and civilian deaths occurred throughout the fight, and hundreds of thousands of people were forced to evacuate their homes.
Cover Image Attribute: Taiwanese soldiers took part in Kaohsiung's urban warfare drill on January 6, 2022. /Source: Photo: RITCHIE B. TONGO, EPA-EFE





For decades, China has pledged to absorb Taiwan, a self-governing island that Beijing views as a renegade province. And for multiple times, Beijing has stated that it will pursue unification through force if necessary. As a result, Taiwan's military has increased its budget and stepped up training in preparation for such an invasion.





China's military has also been modernizing, with the addition of scores of fighter jets and dozens of warships. However, if it invaded Taiwan, it would almost certainly meet a circumstance in which advanced weapons would be ineffective: urban combat.





Taiwan has approximately 23 million people, the majority of whom live in several big cities where an island-wide conflict would be won. China's military is superior on almost every level, but Taiwan has a defense advantage, which its military is betting on.





According to Lt. Col. Kiwi Yang, a military instructor at the Taiwan Army Infantry School, told the news agency AFP, "The Chinese communist troops' battle plans will be invading and landing firstly from coastal towns. Then the fighting will progress into more populated residential and commercial areas and, lastly, push into mountainous villages. Any future battle to protect Taiwan will be urban warfare."





Urban warfare is a complicated military operation. City streets and lanes are easily barricaded, preventing "maneuver warfare." A force must forego agility in favor of raw strength to conquer a city.





Russia's invasion of Ukraine demonstrates how tricky and expensive urban warfare can be. Russian soldiers have been attempting to conquer the southern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol for weeks. Still, they have been repulsed by tenacious defenders armed with advanced anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.





People's Liberation Army is undoubtedly studying Russia's tactical operations in Ukraine to attune its plans for a possible invasion of Taiwan. Still, combat in urban environs will remain expensive for even the most technologically equipped military.





"Much like water, urban warfare is an equalizer. You put a bunch of city blocks in the equation, and all of a sudden, you and the opposition are on a more even scale. You see any technological advantage you have devalue[d]." According to a US Army Special Forces officer, who is on active duty and requested anonymity, speaking to Business Insider The officer explained the inherent benefits of defense are enhanced in an urban setting, citing the Mariupol events as an example.





Success in such an environment necessitates understanding small-unit tactics and close-quarters combat (CQB), which regular infantry often lacks in comparison to elite special-operations troops. "There would be no captives in a structure, and a grenade might solve many problems in such situations," the Special Forces officer explained.





Taiwanese forces are likely to be able to "hold out for an extended period," the official added. "They have a capable military equipped with numerous modern weapon systems. They are well-prepared and anticipate the enemy's approach."





In Taiwan, a mock town created decades ago inside the Army Infantry Training Command in Kaohsiung, Fengshan District is routinely modified to replicate current metropolitan conditions. It enables infantry soldiers to practice house-to-house and street-to-street combat in towns and cities. Thirty-six infantry platoons have been conducting urban terrain operations at the simulated city since November 2019, with each session lasting two weeks.





If China invades Taiwan, it must ensure that it can destroy the resistance within a few days or that it can isolate Taiwan for an extended period without foreign assistance.




The file photo of the US Embassy in Havana is lit up in pink throughout October to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month | Date: October 5, 2016, | Source: U.S. Embassy in Cuba, Wikimedia Commons

According to the latest reports, the United States embassy in Havana began issuing visas for the first time in more than four years, following a four-year hiatus caused by purported sonic attacks on its diplomatic personnel. On Tuesday, a small crowd gathered outside the consular division of the U.S. Embassy in Havana.





Washington ceased consular services in the Cuban capital in 2017 after members of the U.S. military and their families developed mysterious ailments dubbed "Havana Syndrome." It is a group of reported physical symptoms with unknown causes primarily experienced by U.S. government officials and military personnel while traveling abroad. The severity of the symptoms varies from mild to severe, ranging from discomfort and ringing in the ears to cognitive impairments. Since 2017, additional people, including members of the U.S. intelligence and military services and their families, have reported experiencing these symptoms in other countries, including China, India, Europe, and Washington, D.C. However, the illness's etiology and validity have yet to be determined.





The embassy's closure dealt a severe blow to many Cubans eager to relocate to the U.S. and escape their island nation's economic troubles. Following the shutdown of the embassy, Cubans seeking to immigrate to the U.S. faced several challenges, including being forced to go to Colombia or Guyana to apply. Many instead chose the risky route through Central America and Mexico and illegally entered the United States.





U.S. border officials announced last month that the number of Cubans requesting entry into the nation had doubled from February to March to 32,500, more than five times the level in October. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, over 78,000 Cubans entered the U.S. from Mexico between October 2021 and March of this year.





According to existing bilateral immigration arrangements, the U.S. must give 20,000 immigrant visas to Cubans each year, which it has not done.
UW Hosts Women in STEM Conference May 17

During the then-titled Women in Science Conference at UW during 2018, middle school students work together during an Images in Microscopy session taught by John Willford, a UW clinical assistant professor and assistant director of the WWAMI Medical Education Program. This years Women in STEM event is scheduled Tuesday, May 17, from 8:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m. at various locations on the UW campus. (UW Photo)

Nearly 600 junior and senior high school female students from across the state have already signed up to learn more about science and its various disciplines on the University of Wyoming campus.

The Women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Conference, scheduled Tuesday, May 17, from 8:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m., is designed to spark students passion in STEM fields and provide the students with mentors and role models. The conference, now in its 22nd year, formerly was known as the Women in Science Conference.

Our goals for this conference are to provide role models for young women and provide them with information about majors and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, says Megan Candelaria, an assistant research scientist in UWs Department of Physics and Astronomy, and associate director for the Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium. We also have tentatively planned a virtual event for Friday, May 20, to accommodate those who cannot travel to Laramie.

Holly Krutka, executive director of the UW School of Energy Resources (SER), will make a brief introduction before attendees head to their various workshops.

The conference will offer 28 hands-on workshops. Each participant will engage in three workshops and have the opportunity to meet professionals who do science on a daily basis in their careers, Candelaria says.

Volunteers from UW and regional organizations will present workshops on a variety of science and technology-related topics, including wildlife forensics, exploring the brain, women in energy, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, microscopy, atoms, UWs campus geology, palm oil in our daily lives, wildlife diseases in Wyoming, satellite imaging, fossil fish, women in astronomy, drones, plant propagation, women in wildlife and the Shell 3D Visualization Center.

Workshops will take place in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Building, the Animal Science/Molecular Biology Building, Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center, Biological Sciences Building, the Classroom Building, Geological Museum, Harry C. Vaughan Planetarium, Michael B. Enzi STEM Facility, the Physical Sciences Building, Wyoming Union and the Shell 3D Visualization Center, and on Prexys Pasture.

Major supporters of this years conference are the Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium, a UW College of Arts and Sciences Inreach Grant, the UW College of Engineering and Applied Science, SER and Wyoming IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE).

To date, female students from the following communities and schools have registered to participate in Women in STEM:

-- Big Piney Middle School.

-- Casper: CY Middle School.

-- Cheyenne: East High School, South High School and Lumos Academy/Homeschool.

-- Cody: Rocky Mountain Homeschool Academy.

-- Douglas Middle School.

-- Glenrock Junior/Senior High School.

-- Green River High School.

-- Lander Middle School.

-- Laramie: Albany County Homeschool Group, Laramie Middle and High schools and Whiting High School.

-- Lingle-Fort Laramie Middle School.

-- Mountain View Middle and High schools.

-- Pinedale Middle School.

-- Rawlins Middle School.

-- Riverton: Trinity Lutheran School.

-- Saratoga Middle School.

-- Torrington Middle School.

-- Yoder: Southeast Junior High School.

More schools are expected to register before the event. Currently, there are 75 students on the events wait list, Candelaria says.

For more information about the Women in STEM Conference, go to www.wyomingspacegrant.org/k12programs/women-in-stem/.
Way, way back in the early days of .NET and the abortive Windows Longhorn project, one of the underlying technologies was a set of standards that built on the nascent web services model: WS-* and SOAP, the Simple Object Access Protocol. The intent was to build a framework that could deliver service-oriented architectures, where applications published defined service endpoints that could connect them both together and to clients and servers.

Microsoft intended to simplify what could be a complex process, writing WSDL (Web Service Definition Language) endpoint and message descriptions, building those endpoints, and constructing and parsing the XML messages used to connect services. Initially code-named Indigo, Microsofts web services tool was one of the key Longhorn technologies to survive the Vista reset, eventually shipping as WCF, the Windows Communication Foundation.

Was the .NET transition the end of an official WCF?

WCF remained a key part of the .NET Framework, but by the time Microsoft and its .NET Foundation partners began redefining .NET and its key APIs for the transition to .NET Core and the unified .NET, its heyday had passed and new technologies like gRPC were seen as the way forward. WCF was deprecated and handed over to the community, and developers working on .NET 5 and beyond were encouraged to look at alternative approaches to build service-oriented architectures.

The move away from WCF in the new .NET was a block to many enterprise migrations and updates. Although the WS-* family of standards may have been left behind by modern web standards and the move to REST and JSON, those XML APIs are still part of many running enterprise applications. Thats because the underlying standards come from enterprise requirements, with implementations handling many of the most important features of secure, reliable, messaging-driven APIs. Outside of technologies like WCF, you must build your own security wrappers for messages and construct and manage message queues. Without WCF, porting existing web servicesbased code to .NET 5 or 6 would be almost impossible.

Here comes CoreWCF 1.0 with Microsoft support

Although Microsoft felt unable to support WCF in the new .NET, there was still demand for it. An internal proof-of-concept project in 2017 implemented some of the core WCF features on what was then .NET Core but was a long way from feature parity. Microsoft handed this code over to the open source community with the original designer as project lead. Work began in 2019 and was hosted on GitHub. Slowly code was added to the project, but things sped up considerably when a team from Amazon Web Services began adding code to the project, porting several key features. What was to become Core WCF continued to grow, with the project using ASP.NET Core as a target.

Its now time for Core WCF to get its first major release as it now supports enough of the WCF functionality for users to start porting older code to the new .NET. Its not all of WCF yet, so the project name has two meanings: it runs on what was .NET Core, and it supports the core WCF features. Surprisingly for a community project, Microsoft is offering support for the 1.x releases, tying support to the underlying frameworks. For .NET 5 and 6, that support will initially be tied to ASP.NET Core 2.1 and to .NET Framework 4.7. Support will be for the current major.minor release and will end six months after a new version is released.

Having a supported version of WCF for current .NET releases should give enterprise users the necessary confidence to start moving code from older versions. The resulting upgrade will allow them to benefit from both new development tools and from the security and performance improvements that come from a big upgrade to the underlying .NET platform.

Get started with web services using CoreWCF

The release version doesnt have full parity with the .NET Frameworks WCF. However, theres enough here to start bringing across existing SOAP applications, working over HTTP and with tools to generate the service WSDL so your client applications can work with servers. Additional features are planned, and the team provides a road map in its GitHub repository where you can vote for features and provide pull requests with your own implementations.

Using CoreWCF 1.0 is much like working with any modern .NET API. As libraries are now delivered from NuGet, youll install CoreWCF as needed. It builds on top of ASP.NET Core, taking advantage of its built-in web server to handle HTTP connections to your service, so its best to work in Visual Studio. Begin by creating an empty ASP.NET Core application; you wont need to build any HTML content, as youre using this to host your WCF service endpoint.

From the Visual Studio package manager install the CoreWCF HTTP and Primitives packages. Once installed you can start to build your service contracts. These define how your SOAP messages are constructed, with definitions for Service and Data contracts. Usefully, these are much the same as youd have created using the original WCF, and if youre porting code from the .NET Framework you can copy and paste between old and new.

With contracts in place, you can set up endpoint bindings in your service, for example, ensuring that your service only uses TLS, setting up the service URL as part of the binding. Finally, configure your ASP.NET Core server to set up the appropriate ports for your endpoints, using its appsettings JSON file. Youre now ready to start building client software, using familiar WCF service references to build code from the WSDL generated by your service.

CoreWCF goes a long way to being a drop-in replacement for the original WCF. Theres a slight learning curve but nothing too great, and although some features arent yet supported, were already seeing the project respond to community demand and add WS-* features that werent supported in the .NET Framework. With a lot of WCF code still in use, its good to see a supported route that helps bring that code to newer platforms and the .NET cross-platform world where WCF code can now run on Linux servers as well as on Windows.

CoreWCF is an interesting example of a Microsoft-led community project, going from a proof of concept to a set of libraries that are ready to help you bring .NET Framework WCF applications to .NET 6. Its even more interesting to see two big cloud competitors collaborating on a tool that supports their enterprise customers. AWSs commitment to .NET shows in its support for the project and the amount of code it has provided. Its also clear that the 1.0 release is only a landmark, putting a pin on the point where its ready for enterprise use. Theres more to come from an increasingly engaged community supporting CoreWCFs development.
This post is part of a series sponsored by AgentSync.

Oftentimes, the administrative side including the specifics of who needs what license at an insurance agency is anything but straightforward.

Generally, when we ask Who needs an insurance license?, your friendly local agent with their tailored blazer, sculpted hair, and ever-ready smile comes to mind. And you might think, Well, OBVIOUSLY.

But keep in mind that most states criteria for who needs a license is anyone who sells, solicits, or negotiates insurance. And, while producers may have an appointment with a carrier, ultimately they likely are downstream in the distribution channel, meaning there are a few intermediaries between them and the carrier, ultimately. So, what does that look like in terms of licensing for any particular agency?

Before we answer, please allow us a brief disclosure that were insurance geeks, not legal scholars. Hopefully this piece will get you started as far as licensing considerations, but if you need serious help or have non-theoretical questions about your situation, youll want to have a compliance or legal specialist help you out.

DRLP License

When it comes to having fullstack licensure, your agencys MVP is your designated responsible licensed producer (DRLP). Depending on the state, they might also be called your principal agent, your designated responsible person, or some other variation on those themes.

The function of the DRLP is largely oversight. Most state regulations technically require the DRLP to assume compliance oversight of all agents operating under them. Functionally, this comes down to responsibility: the DRLP will likely be held accountable for all agency actions.

While some states do not require a principal agent to be licensed, or they allow multiple agents to cumulatively hold the appropriate licenses, most states require the DRLP(s) to have licenses in all lines of authority (LOAs) the business sells under. Its also good practice to make sure the DRLP has a license in all of the territories you sell in.

Now, your other agents may not have an exclusive relationship with your agency. Theyre still able to write contracts under other LOAs with other DRLPs and other agencies, but for the purposes of your specific agency, broadly speaking, your DRLPs licenses = agencys possible licenses.

Keep in mind, since LOAs and lines of business vary from state to state, youll need to account in your DRLPs licensing for that variance. For instance, not all states have an adjuster license. If your resident state is a nonlicensing state, you may need your DRLP to apply in a state that does license adjusters and make that state their designated home state for that license.

Seven states require the designated person on file to be an officer, director, partner, or member of the agency but otherwise dont require licensure for their designated responsible person. If you plan on working across the states, you will want to ensure your DRLP checks as many boxes as possible.

If youre searching for a DRLP, these questions might help you find your candidate:

Can your DRLP pass a background check? Failing a background check in one state can raise red flags in others.

Are they personally reliable? Some states dont have a backstop if your DRLP quits unexpectedly or loses their license  your business could have to stop selling and refile in those circumstances. This is one good reason to consider making your DRLP a key member of the business whos not likely to leave, even if the state doesnt require them to be.

Do they have the bandwidth for compliance oversight? Many state regulations regarding malfeasance are predicated on whether someone in a position of authority did know or should have known something fishy was up. If someone is a fantabulous salesperson, but they are going to be too busy to meet with other agents and ensure decent compliance hygiene, they may not be the best bet for DRLP.

DRLP licensing is pretty important for an agency, since, in some states, if the DRLP license lapses, the agency is also considered to have lapsed. Or, in the case of Vermont, a DRLP who quits unexpectedly terminates the agencys ability to operate as an insurance agency altogether. For more specifics on the vagaries of state DRLP licensing, check out this blog.

Obtaining your agency licenses

Your agencys license is, in most states, distinct from your DRLPs license or any license of the producers operating under your agency.

Its worth noting that not all states require agencies to be licensed; Iowa, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Wisconsin all consider agency licensing to be optional. BUT, even if your resident state is one of these five states, youll still want to get a license if youre planning to have agents work across the nation. Similar to the rules governing producer licensing, maintaining your agencys resident license makes it easier to obtain licenses in your nonresident states.

LOAs matter here, too. Not only do most states require your DRLP(s) to hold licenses in the lines of authority you sell, some states dont issue licenses for some LOAs or lines of business. Because this can be such an area of disagreement, be sure you understand your resident state laws as they apply to producers, agencies, and as they relate to other states.

For instance, if you intend to transact a line of business not recognized by your resident state, then nonresident states wont have a license to evaluate for reciprocity. If this is the case, you can file in a state that does recognize that license class or line of business, and deem that state your designated home state.

Its important to be incredibly frank and honest on your license applications, as being duplicitous can have a snowball effect of closing a lot of doors. Most state regulators are humans with compassionate hearts; past mistakes can often be explained, learned from, or forgiven, but lying or omitting information can pretty well drain the goodwill out of a situation.

Working across states also means working with different renewal dates for your agency license. Some state agency licenses are perpetual  you never have to renew! Others renew annually, biennially, triennially, or even every four years. To make it even more confusing, some renewals happen on the anniversary of your licensing date while others happen on your birthday. No wonder we came up with a solution to keep track of all this for you!

Insurance agency branch licensing

As you work beyond your resident state, also understand that states differ on the protocol for registering and licensing individual branches in each state, and what that means. A sample of variations across states may give you an idea of what to look for:

Most states require only the main branch of an agency to be licensed, and otherwise dont require new branches to notify the SOS or DOI.

Some states require the agency to notify the SOS or DOI of new branches.

A few states require branch locations to obtain a new license entirely.

Beyond these variations, the definition of what constitutes a branch in each state matters a lot, as well. This became a point of contention early in the COVID-19 pandemic as some states doubled down that agents working from their own homes would need to register their residences as branches. California requires registration of branch locations based on whether it stores records (which can be confusing in todays world of cloud-based record-keeping). And Texass changes in mid-2021 relaxed branch regulations precisely because the state didnt want a newly remote workforce to storm the office with residential branch registrations.

If it seems like a lot to keep straight when maintaining agency license requirements, we think youre right. Thats why AgentSync does what we do. See how we can help you.
A former University of Virginia lacrosse player is liable for fatally beating his girlfriend in 2010 and must pay $15 million in damages in a wrongful death lawsuit, a jury found Monday.

George Huguely V is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence in the killing of Yeardley Love after being convicted of second-degree murder during a 2012 criminal trial. Huguely and Love both played lacrosse at UVA and had a two-year, on-again, off-again relationship before Yeardley was found beaten to death in her off-campus apartment on May 3, 2010.

The lawsuit sought to hold Huguely civilly liable in Loves death and asked the jury to award $29.5 million in compensatory damages, plus $1 million in punitive damages to her mother, Sharon Love, the administrator of her estate.

On Monday, the jury ruled that $7.5 million in compensatory damages should be given to both Sharon Love and Yeardley Loves sister, Lexi Love Hodges. Punitive damages were not awarded.

During the trial in Charlottesville Circuit Court, Huguelys lawyer, Matthew Green, acknowledged that Huguelys actions caused Yeardleys death and said her family was entitled to compensatory damages in an amount to be determined by the jury.

But Green said Huguely had been drinking heavily for more than 24 hours before he confronted Love in her apartment, did not intend to kill her and was unaware that she was dead until police told him while questioning him the next morning. Green argued that Huguelys actions did not rise to the level of willful and wanton conduct needed for a jury to award punitive damages under Virginia law.

Love, of Cockeysville, Maryland, and Huguely, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, were both 22-year-old UVA seniors who were weeks away from graduation.

Loves attorneys told jurors that Huguely and Love had a rocky relationship that was damaged by Huguelys excessive drinking. They said Huguely kicked a hole in Loves bedroom door, then beat her and left her alone in her apartment without seeking medical attention. A medical examiner concluded she died of blunt force trauma to her head.

Huguely testified that he doesnt remember breaking into her room and leaving her fatally injured. He said he had been drinking heavily and compared his memory of the night Love was killed to a slideshow in which 98% of the slides had been removed.

Toward the end of his testimony, Huguely turned to Loves mother and sister and apologized for killing her.

I miss her and think about her every day. I would do anything to take back that night, he said. I take responsibility for what happened to her and I should have never gone over to her apartment that night.

Sharon Love initially filed a wrongful death lawsuit in 2012, but it was voluntarily dismissed years later after court rulings determined that Huguely was not entitled to coverage under a $6 million homeowners insurance policy held by his family.

A new lawsuit filed in 2018 dropped negligence claims, but added a claim alleging that an assault and battery by Huguely was the proximate cause of Loves death.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Education Virginia Universities
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Howden Singapore, Liberty Specialty Markets and OdysseyRe.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

Lim Promoted to CEO of Howden Singapore

Howden, the London-based international insurance broker, announced that it has promoted Jenny Lim to the role of CEO of Howden Singapore, effective this month.

Lim joined Howden in 2015 as executive director, head of Financial Lines, and as a member of the Howden Singapore Executive Committee. Under her leadership, the Financial Lines division has trebled in size, expanded into the sub-specialisms of financial institutions, cyber, healthcare and M&A insurance.

In her new role, Lim will continue to drive Howden Singapores ambitious growth agenda by building on its strong reputation and empowering her colleagues to deliver innovative and seamless solutions for clients.

Since Lim joined Howden  alongside incumbent CEO Goh Chye Huat (who will remain regional CEO for Howden Asia), and three other executive directors, Gerard Lee, Primus Lee and Gracy Khoo  the business has experienced transformational, mostly organic, growth, said Howden in a statement.

Its growth has been driven by specialities that include financial lines, employee benefits and real estate, investing in data and technology, and always focusing on building partnerships with clients for the long-term.

Howden said that Singapore is its largest retail broking operation in Asia, and it is home to Howden Asias regional headquarters.

***

Liberty Specialty Markets Hires Lim as Head of Aviation Claims

Liberty Specialty Markets (LSM), part of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, has appointed Peng Lim to the newly created role of head of Aviation Claims.

Lim is currently international law firm Kennedys Singapore-based global head of Aviation, she will relocate to London reporting to Mike Gillett, LSMs chief claims officer. She takes up her new role in November.

Chief among Lims responsibilities will be leading LSMs claims proposition for aviation and supporting the growth of the insurers aviation book.

Lim joined Kennedys in 2014 to became the firms global head of Aviation. She was formerly with another major international law firm, Clyde & Co.

As an extremely high-profile figure within our industry, she brings unrivalled knowledge of the sector  knowledge that will benefit our clients not only at the point of claim but throughout their relationship with LSM, commented Gillett.

***

OdysseyRe Names Everests Finnegan as Head of U.S. General Casualty Treaty

Odyssey Reinsurance Co. (OdysseyRe) announced that Michael Finnegan has re-joined the company as senior vice president and head of U.S. General Casualty treaty, succeeding Steve Van de Graaf, who is retiring after 27 years of service.

Finnegan had previously served as a vice president in OdysseyRes Casualty underwriting team from 2002 through 2007, and has more than 30 years of experience in the re/insurance industry. He reports to Brian Quinn, CEO of OdysseyRes North America Division.

Finnegan most recently served as senior vice president and head of Wholesale Casualty at Everest Insurance Co. after spending more than a decade in various senior positions at Liberty Mutual, including president and chief operating officer of Liberty Mutual Reinsurance, chief underwriting officer at Liberty International Underwriters and president of Ironshores Specialty Casualty Division. His career began at Aetna Casualty & Surety, followed by several reinsurance companies including OdysseyRe.

Steve Van de Graaf has had a long, distinguished career at Odyssey, which includes bringing our general casualty treaty portfolio to an all-time high in terms of gross premiums written in 2021. We are grateful for his dedication and many contributions over the past three decades, Quinn said.

We are pleased to welcome Michael back to the OdysseyRe family. His extraordinary background, and his blend of casualty expertise, in both the primary and reinsurance markets, will be highly beneficial to our clients, Quinn added.

Finnegan holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Connecticut. He is based in Stamford, Conn.

Topics USA Claims Aviation Casualty
An Oklahoma judge ruled Monday that a lawsuit seeking reparations for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre can proceed, bringing new hope for some measure of justice for three survivors of the deadly racist rampage who are now over 100 years old and were in the courtroom for the decision.

Tulsa County District Court Judge Caroline Wall ruled against a motion to dismiss the suit filed by civil rights attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons in 2020. The Tulsa-based attorney said after Wall announced her ruling that it is critical for living survivors Lessie Benningfield Randle, 107, Viola Fletcher, 107, and Hugh Van Ellis, 101.

We want them to see justice in their lifetime, he said, choking back tears. Ive seen so many survivors die in my 20-plus years working on this issue. I just dont want to see the last three die without justice. Thats why the time is of the essence.

The packed courtroom, which Wall noted may have been over capacity, erupted in cheers and tears after she handed down her ruling.

Solomon-Simmons sued under Oklahomas public nuisance law, saying the actions of the white mob that killed hundreds of Black residents and destroyed what had been the nations most prosperous Black business district continue to affect the city today. The lawsuit also seeks reparations for descendants of victims of the massacre.

In public nuisance cases, it is clear either criminal acts or destruction of personal property constitute a nuisance, said Eric Miller, a Loyola Marymount University law professor working with the plaintiffs. Miller said that racial and economic disparities resulting from the massacre continue to this day.

Chamber of Commerce attorney John Tucker said the massacre was horrible, but the nuisance is not ongoing.

What happened in 1921 was a really bad deal, and those people did not get a fair shake  but that was 100 years ago, Tucker said.

Oklahoma sued consumer products giant Johnson & Johnson using the state public nuisance law for its role in the deadly opioid crisis. Initially, a judge ordered the drugmaker to pay the state $465 million in damages. But the Oklahoma Supreme Court overturned the Johnson & Johnson verdict, ruling that the public nuisance law did not apply because the company had no control of the drug after it was sold to pharmacies, hospitals, and physicians offices and then prescribed by doctors to patients.

Miller said the state courts ruling in the Johnson & Johnson case does not affect the lawsuit.

The massacre began when an angry white mob descended on a 35-block area in Tulsas Greenwood District, killing people and looting and burning businesses and homes. Thousands of people were left homeless and living in a hastily constructed internment camp.

The city and insurance companies never compensated victims for their losses, and the massacre ultimately resulted in racial and economic disparities that still exist today, the lawsuit claims. In the years following the massacre, according to the lawsuit, city and county officials actively thwarted the communitys effort to rebuild and neglected the Greenwood and predominantly Black north Tulsa community in favor of overwhelmingly white parts of Tulsa.

Other defendants include the Tulsa County Board of County Commissioners, Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, Tulsa County Sheriff and the Oklahoma Military Department.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified punitive damages and calls for the creation of a hospital in north Tulsa, in addition to mental health and education programs and a Tulsa Massacre Victims Compensation Fund.

The massacre received renewed attention in recent years after then-President Donald Trump selected Tulsa as the location for a 2020 campaign rally amid the ongoing racial reckoning over police brutality and racial violence. Trump moved the date of his June rally to avoid coinciding with a Juneteenth celebration in the citys Greenwood District commemorating the end of slavery.

Photo: Lessie Benningfield Randle, 107, a survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, attends a hearing at the Tulsa County Courthouse, Monday, May 2, 2022, in Tulsa, Okla. A judge ruled Monday that a lawsuit can proceed that seeks reparations for survivors and descendants of victims of the massacre. (Stephen Pingry/Tulsa World via AP)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Legislation
Juul Labs Inc. failed to block the first trial set in a flurry of more than 2,500 personal injury cases accusing the e-cigarette maker of deliberately targeting minors in marketing its vaping products.

U.S. District Judge William Orrick on Friday rejected Juuls final request to dismiss claims brought by a woman from Tennessee who says her teenage daughter developed an addiction since first using the companys products at age 12.

Juul had challenged claims including fraud and failure to warn users about nicotine content and the health effects of Juul products.

The jury trial, set to start June 16 in San Francisco, is the first among six scheduled bellwether trials covering the larger set of personal injury cases over the companys marketing practices.

Juul didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

The company argued the fraud claim lacks merit because the teen couldnt identify any specific advertisement she was exposed to before she started using Juul products.

Juul also said in court filings that using bouncy young models, bright colors and words like satisfaction to promote vaping products in fruit and dessert flavors was just puffery that wouldnt be taken seriously by a reasonable person.

Orrick ruled that the teen adequately identified the sources for the alleged misrepresentations and omissions underlying her fraud-based claims.

Juuls legal woes grew in 2020 after a 39-state probe was announced into its teen marketing. The e-cigarette makers popularity had ballooned in recent years, with the company coming to dominate the e-cigarette market. That success landed it in the cross-hairs of federal regulators and state attorneys general who worried about Juuls impact on teenagers.

North Carolina, the first state to sue Juul for allegedly advertising to minors, settled its May 2019 complaint against the company last year for $40 million. Washington state settled its case against the company this year for $22.5 million.

The case is In re: Juul Labs Inc. Marketing, Sales Practices & Products Liability Litigation, 19-md-02913, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco).

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Lawsuits


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The Texas Office of the Commissioner of Insurance has given insurtech startup Honeycomb approval to write policies statewide. The digital insurer has built proprietary technology specifically for the estimated hundreds of thousands of multi-family property units in Texas.

Honeycomb began writing insurance policies in the U.S. in June 2021. It now operates in seven states  Texas, Illinois, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania  with plans to launch in seven more this year, covering 60% of the country. The company today insures more than $1 billion of real estate assets.

In January Honeycomb announced it had raised $15.4 million in a Series A funding.

Colorado-based Honeycomb says it leverages proprietary user-generated data, advanced AI, and computer-vision to automate the normally arduous and costly underwriting process.

Topics Texas InsurTech Tech
The nations second-largest bank-owned insurance brokerage, BXS Insurance, is changing its brand name to Cadence Insurance, the company announced.

The BXSI name is changing but the people are not, CEO Markham McKnight said in a news release.

The rebranding comes a few months after Mississippi-based BancorpSouth merged with Cadence Bank, headquartered in Houston, Texas. To win U.S. Department of Justice approval for the bank merger, the banks agreed to sell off seven bank branches in northeast Mississippi late last year. Bancorp adopted the Cadence name, which is traded on New York Stock Exchange.

BXS Insurance has been listed in the top 10% of brokers in the country, based on total revenue, the company said. It has 30 offices in eight states and brokers commercial insurance, surety, and benefits. Cadence Bank has 400 branch locations in the South, Midwest and Texas.

The name change should begin in July, pending regulatory approval, the company said.

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Texas Mississippi
Fallout from the infamous Strems Law Firms litigation practices in Florida continues.

Two years after Coral Gables plaintiffs attorney Scot Strems was suspended from practice for filing thousands of unnecessary lawsuits against property insurers and violating other Bar rules, and two years after the Florida Bar filed a complaint against another attorney with the firm, the state Supreme Court has suspended the lawyer for 91 days.

Gregory Saldamando, 39, represented a South Florida couple in a sinkhole damage claim against American Integrity Insurance Co., after a claims adjuster had the couple sign a retainer agreement with the Strems firm, the Bar explained.

Saldamando did not adequately involve the clients in the settlement process and did not apprise them of the total settlement amount or the amount that Saldamando intended to take as the firms fee, which was substantially higher than the amount the clients would obtain, reads a summary of the Bars case against the attorney, posted this week.

Saldamando also did not provide the clients with any invoices or substantiation of the fees claimed by the firm. And although Saldamando withdrew as counsel before settling the case, the Strems firm took $30,000 from the final settlement obtained by new counsel, for fees and costs.

A judicial referee appointed to hear Saldamandos disciplinary case recommended in April 2021 only that he be publicly reprimanded and that he reimburse the Bar $8,100 for its investigative costs. Referee Dawn Denaro, who normally works as a childrens court judge in Miami, said that Saldamando did not appear to have a selfish or dishonest motive and had taken steps to resolve the fee dispute with the clients.

But the Florida Supreme Court, as it has done several times in the last year, overruled the referee and imposed the 91-day suspension, plus the cost reimbursement. The court said in its March 31 order that Saldamando had violated three Bar rules of professional conduct.

The court said it disapproves the referees recommendation as to discipline, and instead imposes a ninety-one day suspension from the practice of law, effective thirty days from the date of this order so that respondent can close out his practice and protect the interests of existing clients, reads the order, endorsed by all seven justices.

The 91st day makes a difference. A lawyer suspended for 90 days or less is automatically reinstated after the suspension is completed, the Florida Bar explains on its website. A suspension for 91 days or more is considered rehabilitative, which requires the attorney to show he has changed his ways before eligible for reinstatement.

The reinstatement process can take several months, the organization said. The Bar counsel must investigate the petition for reinstatement, and then it goes back to the original referee for another hearing. Lawyers who continue to practice while suspended can be held in contempt of court and may face further disciplinary action or disbarment.

Saldamando and his attorneys could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening. The Strems law firm was closed in late 2020, but several of its attorneys moved to another South Florida firm, Bar officials have said.

Topics Florida
The father of a child who was hit with pepper spray during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in Seattle has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging assault and negligence by police officers.

Their use of force sparked national outrage after video and photos showed medics and other protesters pouring water and milk on the screaming childs face to relieve his suffering, the Seattle Times reported.

An investigation by the Office of Police Accountability determined the boys injuries were inadvertent and not excessive force or a violation of policy. The officer was trying to spray another protester and struck the child instead, OPA said.

The lawsuit filed by the boys father, Armand Avery, alleges the child was in agony and was treated at a hospital for chemical burns. It says the city and officers violated the law against discrimination because Avery and his son are Black and the protest was intended to address disproportionate excessive force used unjustly against African Americans and other people of color.

The use of noxious gases against individuals exercising their constitutional right to speak out about issues of inequity in support of members of a protected class constitutes a violation of the Washington State Law Against Discrimination, the lawsuit claims.

Anthony Derrick, a spokesperson for City Attorney Ann Davison, said the office is unable to comment on pending litigation.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Washington Civil Unrest
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Global Aluminum nitride (AlN) market trend 2022-2030 Spherical aluminum nitride and its preparation method and application process by Newsintegra927

The biggest immediate challenge for the EU will be replenishing its depleted gas inventories. While the EU could still increase LNG imports from countries such as the US, such purchases would be more expensive.

Refilling natural gas storage space to historical average levels this year could cost 70 billion euros, a sevenfold increase, compared to 10 billion euros in previous years. "

A complete replacement for Russian gas is not only very expensive, but it also may not be possible.

In the next 12 months, there is little way to meet the demand for a "normal" year in the absence of Gazprom, which also includes Aluminum nitride (AlN).





Overview of spherical aluminum nitride AlN powder

Aluminum nitride (AlN) is a solid nitride of aluminum. It has a high thermal conductivity of 321w/(m  K) and is an electrical insulator. Its wurtzite phase (w-aln) has a band gap of about 6 EV at room temperature, which has potential applications in optoelectronics working at deep UV frequency.

Aluminum nitride AlN powder is stable at high temperatures in an inert atmosphere and melts at about 2200 C. In vacuum, AlN decomposes at about 1800C. In air, surface oxidation occurs above 700 , and a 5-10 nm thick surface oxide layer is detected even at room temperature. This oxide layer protects the material at temperatures up to 1370 C. Above this temperature, a large amount of oxidation will occur. It is stable at 980C in hydrogen and carbon dioxide atmosphere. The material is slowly dissolved in inorganic acid through grain boundary erosion and in strong alkali through erosion of aluminum nitride grains. The material is slowly hydrolyzed in water. Aluminum nitride is resistant to most molten salts, including chloride and cryolite. Aluminum nitride can be patterned using reactive ion etching based on Cl2.

Aluminum nitride is an inorganic powder of high thermal conductivity material. Because of its excellent comprehensive properties such as high thermal conductivity, good insulation, low dielectric constant and expansion coefficient equivalent to Si material, it has attracted more and more attention. It is widely used in large-scale integrated circuits, high thermal conductivity substrates in electronic field, inorganic thermal conductivity fillers, high-performance structural ceramics and other fields.

With the advent of 5g era, all kinds of electronic devices are becoming more and more integrated, and the power is increasing. Higher requirements are put forward for its heat dissipation performance. For various packaging resins used in the electronic field, the best way for thermal conductive materials to improve their heat dissipation performance is to add inorganic insulating fillers with high thermal conductivity, and aluminum nitride is one of the best choices. Increasing the filling amount requires the powder to be dense spherical and the particle size range from tens of microns to hundreds of microns, so as to ensure the combination of large and small particles and achieve the purpose of high filling and good fluidity.

At present, the known preparation methods of spherical aluminum nitride powder are mainly carbothermal reduction method, direct nitriding method and in-situ nitriding method, but there are some defects in varying degrees, such as poor particle size distribution, insufficient sphericity, low density, loose and porous, which hinder its application in heat conducting materials.

Thermal spraying process: aluminum nitride powder can be thermally sprayed to form electrical insulation and thermal conductive coating. Chemical / physical vapor deposition (CVD/PVD): aluminum nitride coating is deposited by CVD or PVD to provide electrical insulation and thermal conductivity coating.

Powder metallurgy (P/M): aluminum powder is pressed into parts by hot pressing or cold pressing and sintering.

Application of spherical aluminum nitride AlN powder

Aluminum nitride is a kind of inorganic powder with high thermal conductivity. Because of its high thermal conductivity, good insulation, low dielectric constant, and silicon material has considerable expansion coefficient and excellent comprehensive properties, it has attracted more and more attention. It is widely used in the fields of large-scale integrated circuits, electronic substrates, high thermal conductivity, thermal conductivity inorganic fillers, high-performance structural ceramics and so on.

With the advent of 5g era, the integration of various electronic devices is higher and higher, and the functions are more and more powerful. In order to improve the heat dissipation performance of various packaging resins used in the electronic field, the best way is to add inorganic insulating fillers with high thermal conductivity to the materials. Aluminum nitride is one of the best choices. In order to increase the filling amount, the powder is required to be dense and spherical, and the particle size ranges from tens of microns to hundreds of microns, so as to ensure that the particle size and particle size of the composite can achieve high filling and good fluidity

Due to the piezoelectric properties of AlN, epitaxially grown thin film crystalline aluminum nitride is used for surface acoustic wave sensor (SAW) deposited on silicon wafer. One application is RF filter, which is widely used in mobile phones. It is called thin film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR). This is a MEMS device that uses aluminum nitride sandwiched between two metal layers. AlN is also used to construct piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducers that emit and receive ultrasound and can be used for aerial ranging over a distance of up to one meter. The metallization method allows AlN to be used in electronic applications similar to alumina and beryllium oxide. As inorganic quasi one-dimensional nanotubes, AlN nanotubes and carbon nanotubes have been proposed to be used as chemical sensors for toxic gases. At present, a lot of research has been carried out on the development of light-emitting diodes working under ultraviolet light using gallium nitride based semiconductors. Using aluminum gallium nitride alloy, the wavelength as short as 250 nm has been realized. In 2006, low efficiency aln# led emission at 210 nm was reported.

Price of spherical aluminum nitride AlN powder

The price of spherical aluminum nitride AlN powder particles will change randomly with the production cost, transportation cost, international situation, exchange rate, market supply and demand and other factors ofspherical aluminum nitride AlN powder. Tanki new materials Co.,Ltd. aims to help industries and chemical wholesalers find high-quality and low-cost nano materials and chemicals by providing a full range of customized services. If you are looking for spherical aluminum nitride AlN powder, please feel free to send an inquiry to obtain the latest price of spherical aluminum nitride AlN powder.

Spherical aluminum nitride AlN powder supplier

As a global supplier of spherical aluminum nitride AlN powder, Tanki new materials Co.,Ltd. has rich experience in the performance, application and cost-effective manufacturing of advanced and engineering materials. The company has successfully developed a series of powder materials (molybdenum disilicide), lanthanum nitride (LAN powder, calcium silicide, iron boride), high-purity targets, functional ceramics and structural devices, and provided OEM services.

Chemical Composition of Aluminum Nitride AlN powder

AlN N Fe Mn O C Ca Si Ni 99.9% 32% 0.04 0.0005 0.42 0.02 0.009 0.045 0.0002





Cancer cells can "stretch out a big hand" and take away the mitochondria of immune cells. The Harvard Medical School research team cultured mouse and human breast cancer cells and immune cells, such as killer T cells, and used field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) to observe the relationship between cancer cells and immune cells. interactive. Interestingly, they found that cancer cells stick out long nanotubes, typically within 100-1000 nanometers in diameter, each of which connects to multiple immune cells along the way. The researchers used the drug L-778123, which inhibits the formation of nanotubes, for treatment. The higher the concentration of L-778123, the better the treatment effect.



Product name are used in various high-tech fields, so the market demand for Aluminum nitride (AlN) will continue to rise. We are a quality supplier of Aluminum nitride (AlN), please feel free to contact us.



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Global lithium-ion battery market trend 2025-2030 The common problems in the use and maintenance of lithium batteries by Newsintegra927

Australian alumina ban disrupts Rusal lithium-ion battery prices for chemicals. Patel said. "One possible outcome could be Chinese buyers buying alumina and reselling it through eastern Russian ports." Rusal has a 20% stake in the Queensland Alumina Refinery, which has a capacity of 3.95 million tonnes a year, thus providing Rusal with 790,000 tonnes a year, Patel said. In addition, Rusal's Nikolaev refinery in Ukraine, which has an annual capacity of 1.75 million tonnes, has been suspended due to the conflict, he added. WoodMac said Rusal was also experiencing supply chain problems at its 2 million tonne a year Aughinish refinery in Ireland.

1. Basic concepts of lithium-ion battery:

The lithium-ion battery has a nominal voltage of 3.7V (3.6V) and a charge cut-off voltage of 4.2V (4.1V, which has different designs according to the brand of the battery). (The specification for lithium-ion batteries is: lithium-ion secondary batteries

2. Requirements for charging lithium-ion battery (GB/T182872000 specification)

First of all, constant current charging, that is, the current is constant, and the battery voltage gradually increases with the charging process. When the battery terminal voltage reaches 4.2V (4.1V), the constant current charging is changed to constant voltage charging; the voltage is constant, and the current is based on the battery. The saturation level gradually decreases as the charging process continues, and when it decreases to 0.01C, the charging is considered to be terminated. (C is a way of expressing the battery's nominal capacity against the current. For example, if the battery has a capacity of 1000mAh, 1C is the charging current of 1000mA. Note that it is me instead of mAh, and 0.01C is 10mA.) Of course, the standard representation is 0.01 C5A, simplified here.

3. Why do you think 0.01C is the end of charging?

This is stipulated by the national standard GB/T18287-2000, and it is also discussed. In the past, everyone generally ended with 20mA. The industry standard YD/T998-1999 of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications also stipulates that no matter how large the battery capacity is, the stop current is 20mA. The 0.01C specified by the national standard helps charge more fully, which is beneficial for the manufacturer to pass the appraisal. In addition, the national standard stipulates that the charging time should not exceed 8 hours; that is to say, even if it has not reached 0.01C, the charging is considered to be over after 8 hours. (Batteries with good quality should reach 0.01C within 8 hours, for batteries with poor quality, it is meaningless to wait).

4. How to distinguish whether the battery is 4.1V or 4.2V?

Consumers are indistinguishable; it depends on the product specification of the cell manufacturer. Some brands of batteries are 4.1V and 4.2V universal, such as A&TB (Toshiba); domestic manufacturers are 4.2V, but there are exceptions, such as Tianjin Lishen is 4.1V (but it is currently 4.2V).

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Prior to the impact of COVID-19 on the chemicals and materials industry and the price of the lithium-ion battery, many industry observers expected low to flat growth in 2021 in all regions outside Asia, with many countries seeing slower growth compared to recent years. Operational excellence has long been a hallmark of the lithium-ion battery chemical industry, and many companies are financially able to withstand short-term dips in end-market demand due to rapid leverage from reduced capex on hand.

The analysis shows that, whatever the final course of the pandemic, we can expect the inevitable long-term effects. Workplaces are expected to slowly return to pre-COVID-19 practices. Companies investing in enterprise-wide digital initiatives saw these "payoffs" in the early pandemic environment. For more information about lithium-ion battery, please feel free to contact us.

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Columns are hyper-specific to opinion and are written by only columnists employed by the Iowa State Daily. Columnists are unique because they have a specific writing day and only publish on those writing days. Each column undergoes a thorough editing process ensuring the integrity of the writer, and their claim is maintained while remaining research-based and respectful. Columns may be submitted from community members. These are labelled as Guest Columns. These contain similar research-based content and need to be at least 400 words in length. The following requirements should be met: first and last name, email and relation or position to Iowa State. Emails must be tied to the submitted guest column or it will not be accepted or published. Pseudonyms are prohibited and the writer will be banned from submissions.

Read our full Opinion Policies here. Updated on 10/7/2020
More than 10% of business trading were at risk of closing down at the end of last year, new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show.

Almost one in eight micro-enterprises that were trading normally in 2019 were at risk of closing at the end of 2021. This was followed by almost 4% of small enterprises, whereas less than 2% of both large and medium enterprises were in this category.

The highest proportion of enterprises that appeared to be closed by the end of 2021 were in the real estate and the accommodation and food services sectors.

Gyms and hairdressers were among the most at risk for closing by the end of last year, stated the CSO. This was followed by construction enterprises and those in hospitality. All of these sectors were significantly impacted by the restrictions put in place during the pandemic.

There were also more than nine in 10 medium enterprises at 96% and small enterprises at 94% which survived at the end of 2021. Micro enterprises had an 81% survival rate, stated statistician Sorcha OCallaghan.

Although the pandemic restrictions have been lifted and the majority of businesses surveyed by the CSO are still in operation, danger still looms in the form of wage inflation and energy price hikes.

Nearly 90% of Dublin businesses alone reported a rise in non-wage business costs in the past year, with energy prices identified as the main driver.

Meanwhile, 86% face wage inflation, with just under half of these seeing wage costs rise by 6% or more, according to Dublin Chambers most recent Business Outlook Survey.

Decades of poor housing supply in Dublin have exacerbated an already tight labour market. Many firms face double- and even triple-digit increases in energy prices. As a result, companies are looking to implement energy-saving measures, which would have been unviable a few short months ago, said Dublin Chambers director of public and international affairs Aebhric McGibney.

Nearly 80% of businesses surveyed by Dublin Chamber stated that attracting, retaining and upskilling staff was chosen as a key priority for 2022, signalling widespread reports of skill shortages and retention difficulties.

However, when asked how they expected their companys staff numbers to change over the next three months, over half of the respondents had a positive outlook and expect staff numbers to increase.
Waterford Chamber is looking at how the city can leverage its new status as a university city.

The new South East Technological University (SETU) came into being in recent days following the amalgamation of Waterford IT and IT Carlow. It follows a similar merger of former institutes of technology across the country to form new universities.

With support from Enterprise Ireland, Waterford Chamber is now undertaking a feasibility study into revitalising the historic city centre by creating a new university hub.

The aim of the project, which will be carried out by EY, will be to determine the feasibility of the proposal to generate new economic and enterprise activity by developing new student accommodation, a university hub, and associated infrastructure to support services and retail activity.

Gerald Hurley, CEO Waterford Chamber said: "This is an ideal opportunity for the Waterford business community, Waterford City & County Council, SETU and ourselves at Waterford Chamber to come together to deliver a university of substance for Waterford, which is long overdue."

We have fantastic job opportunities for graduates and a quality of life that is second to none. Now is the time for industry to engage with the college and shape the courses of the future. Having a university that young people want to come to from all over the country and beyond, will enhance the city no end, in terms of industry expansion and economic development.

This is an exciting opportunity for Waterford, continued Gerald. By the time the new academic year begins in September 2022, this study will be complete and not only will be have a new university for the South East, under the stewardship of Prof Campbell and the Governing body, chaired by Prof Paddy Prendergast but also a vision for Waterford as a university city of international standing.
The Government has facilitated vulture funds and banks to seize and sell farms in Ireland for too long, rural TD Mattie McGrath has said.

The Rural Independent Group of TDs has introduced a bill that aims to "protect" the family farm from vulture funds and provide for the availability of low-interest credit to farmers. The bill was drafted on behalf of the Rural Independent Group of TDs by the former Master of the High Court Edmund Honohan.

This bill would create a policy platform to tip the scales back in favour of landowners and farmers, and it is all about protecting the small man or woman against predatory financial institutions, Mr McGrath told the Dail.

It is sad we must have this bill but it is vital and necessary in 2022, in the middle of our decade of centenaries.

The agri-food sector and the role of farmers in the Irish economy are critical, Mr McGrath noted, yet farmers are under attack from all quarters.

"Banks and vulture funds continue to seize and sell farms all over the country, with Government policy stacked in favour of those institutions," Mr McGrath said.

We have observed first-hand the destruction and crippling impact these forfeitures and seizures have caused to families."

Read More Protests as family farm put up for sale by vulture fund

Passing its first stage recently, Mr McGrath has urged all TDs to support the bill and the farm families it seeks to assist.

There are many such families. We all have them in our constituencies, Mr McGrath added.

We have all had occasions where we have tried to help and found the tide too strong in favour of the institutions, whether they were banks, vulture funds or whatever.

Much legislation has been introduced that has opened the floodgates for the vulture fund carry-on.

Mr McGrath said that without substantial local agriculture in local ownership, such as family farms, "rural Ireland will continue to decline.

Our bill would pave the way for a new State-run institution to extend low-interest credit to all farm enterprises in a specialised manner.

It would be a major shift in allowing access to capital for rural Ireland, boosting an entire rural economy and providing regional development in the process."
In its 66 years of broadcasting, the Eurovision Song Contest has usually provided joy, hilarity and songs.

Set up with the noble intention of showing that music could unite Europe, it has instead been a glorious failure, with knock-off Slipknots , tone-deaf, bread-baking grannies and Israeli rappers squawking like chickens all emphasising, if anything, the impenetrability of a foreign nations favourite pop music  even when theyre singing in English.

Just in case you were wondering, after watching the performances, whether the continents borders were tumbling, outrageously partisan national voting usually confirms that the spirit of intercontinental togetherness is a mirage. Greece and Cyprus give one another douze points, the Scandinavian countries vote for each other, and poor old Eurosceptic Britain has spent most of the last decade in the bottom three places.

The 2015 contest had anti-booing technology so the audience couldnt hear protests about the invasion of Crimea. This year, however, things might be different.

While nations competing in Eurovision have been at war before  bloody border disputes have erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan for years, while Russia attacked Georgia in 2008 and invaded the Crimea region in 2014  this time the mood against Russians invasion of Ukraine is resolute. After initially saying that Russia could compete, since the contest was apolitical, the organisers reversed their decision and banned the country.

Kalush Orchestra, Ukraine's entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, attends the photocall of Welcome Eurovision PreParty ES 2022 at La Riviera on April 15, 2022 in Madrid, Spain.

If they had been allowed to enter Eurovision this year, it would have symbolised the support of Russias actions, says Oleh Psiuk, frontman of this years Ukrainian entry, folk-tinged hip-hop crew, Kalush Orchestra.

But now, I have the feeling of justice.

For Psiuk and the rest of his six-man crew, this years song contest represents a unique opportunity. In the midst of an unprecedented threat to European security, he also sees an unprecedented desire for the continent to bond together.

I really believe that unity is important at the moment, he explains via Zoom from the hotel room hes staying in during a pre-contest promotional tour of Israel.

Our song has managed to unite so many Ukrainians and I hope that it will unite Europeans  and maybe the whole world.

Back in February, Psiuk came second in his countrys Eurovision selection process with Stefania, a musical tribute to his mother. Then, in a surprise twist, following the withdrawal of the first-placed act due to an alleged visit to the Russian-occupied region of Crimea, he found out he was going to represent Ukraine in this years competition, which takes place in Turin, Italy. At which point, Russia invaded his nation, his song was adopted by his compatriots as a homage to their motherland, and now it soundtracks about 150,000 TikTok clips, from videos of worldwide #Standwithukraine protests to footage of rocket launchers being fired from buildings.

The groundswell of support around the act has seen the Ukrainian government grant them a special permit to travel to Italy, despite initial fears theyd have to perform via video link from a secure bunker, as a result of laws preventing young men from leaving the country. Kalush are now the overwhelming favourite to win this years competition  with the majority of the continent looking set to use their vote to make a statement about Russias aggression.

It gives me a good feeling  its a nice thing to know, says Psiuk  not that he thinks the Russian invasion is entirely responsible for his entrys popularity.

Even before the war, our song was in the top five according to the bookies. This situation that has happened may have influenced the way that we have raced to the first position in the odds, but the fact is that we have a very good song  a great song, in fact.

Read More Russia barred from entering Eurovision Song Contest

This is unprecedented territory for a contest that has previously had an extremely uneasy relationship with inter-European politics. For years, Eurovisions organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), have maintained that it is an intrinsically anti-political spectacle  and have repeatedly stepped in to stifle the expression of opinions that challenge such a claim.

With the benefit of hindsight, its notable that these were often protest songs about Russian hostility towards its neighbours. The EBU banned the 2009 Georgia entry, 'We Dont Wanna Put In' for its less than subtle dig at Russias then prime minister, following the Russo-Georgian war. It had anti-booing technology installed to prevent the worldwide audience hearing the crowds protests against Russias 2015 entrant, following the Crimean invasion.

And while, in 2016, it allowed Ukraine to enter a controversial competition-winning song about Russias deportation of the Crimean Tatar population in the second world war, the broadcasters were quick to condemn Ukraine as host the following year, when the country stopped the Russian contestant Yulia Samoilova from travelling to the final in 2017 due to claims she had illegally entered Crimea. Which the BBCs Moscow correspondent suggested was possibly deliberate Russian provocation, or precisely what Moscow wanted when it chose Samoilova, knowing that she had travelled to Crimea.

Kalush Orchestra's track is quickly becoming a favourite

It also puts Kalush Orchestra in a difficult position when it comes to articulating their feelings about their countrys plight. Just to travel to Eurovision this year, Psiuk has had to step away from the 35-person volunteering organisation he set up to provide access to safe accommodation, transport and medicine for refugees. Kalush Orchestra have had to find a replacement for a band member who is fighting in the Kyiv defence forces.

But the band are driven by feelings that they had an important mission to raise awareness for their country  a feeling Psiuk has turned into something that sounds incredibly like a continent-rousing post-Eurovision acceptance speech.

I have a message that I would like to deliver, Psiuk says.

There are people who may see this conflict as a kind of a war film  something that is really far away and something that cannot happen to them. But it has already happened to us. We didnt believe it beforehand, but it has actually happened.

When you wake up every morning to the sound of explosions, when you wake up without being sure if your girlfriend or family are alive, this is scary  really scary.

"So I would like to urge everyone to support Ukraine, to find the time to think about what they can do to help Ukraine in this situation. If everyone in the whole world does what they can, then we can end this war much sooner  and prevent it happening again in another country.

Nonetheless, even if Ukraine were to win, Psiuks not sure that the rules around overtly political statements would ever allow him to actually say these words.

We want to avoid any kind of politicisation, and that is why we would first of all discuss it with the team before doing anything," he says.

Another big question lies around what the distribution of votes might look like this year. In a continent thats being swept by a new spirit of collaboration, might we see a shakeup of the entrenched system of douze points allocation? Could there be an end to the Scandi, Balkan and ex-Soviet voting blocs?

For Psiuk, theres a feeling that this contest might represent a once-in-a-generation chance to rethink petty European rivalries and for the continent to come together through song like never before.

For Ukraine, this is the most important year ever for Eurovision. And I would really like it to be true for the whole world as well," he says, as he prepares to end the Zoom call.

Thats why were bringing the world a message I would put in one word: love.

Its a lovely reminder of the competitions importance, but one thats not surprising. After all, in the middle of a country torn apart by war, the feeling that theyre backed by their neighbours might be the most important thing they could possibly dream of. Well, almost.

Most of all we would like to have victory at the main frontline. But at this moment, any victory is meaningful and important.

Luckily, Eurovision voters can make at least one of these things happen this year.

 The Guardian
The Department of Education is encouraging all schools to provide summer programmes this year for students with complex needs, disadvantaged students, and students who have recently arrived from Ukraine.

Up to 40m in funding is available for this years summer education programmes, as well as for home-based tuition for children with complex needs if their school does not provide a programme.

The scheme includes the running of numeracy and literacy summer camps in Deis primary schools, school-based programmes in special schools, primary schools with special classes and for mainstream students at risk of educational disadvantage, home-based provision, and an inclusion programme for migrant students.

One of the Department of Educations key objectives with the scheme this year is to increase the number of schools offering summer programmes to their students.

It said it has taken a number of steps to ease the admin process including additional funding to schools for preparation, and the earlier payment of school staff and tutors.

Schools this year can also recruit newly qualified teachers graduating this summer as well as undergraduate student teachers who have registered with the Teaching Council.

As previously reported by the Irish Examiner, just one in five of all students had access in their special school last summer to summer programmes.

The Inclusion Programme this year will also see schools that sign up addressing the needs of migrant students including students who have recently arrived in Ireland from Ukraine.

The plans were brought to Cabinet on Tuesday by Education Minister Norma Foley and Special Education Minister Josepha Madigan.

Ms Foley said she is pleased with the Governments decision to continue this year with an enhanced summer programme as a response to the impact of the pandemic.

We are all acutely conscious that children and young people have had an extended period of disruption to their education," she said.

The disruption has had many adverse consequences for the lives and wellbeing of many children.

Evidence indicates that it particularly impacts children with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage.

We have also listened to concerns of school stakeholders as to the challenges in running summer programmes and have taken significant steps to enhance supports for schools. The overseer and preparation roles permit principals to delegate these functions to other members of staff.

Both of these roles provide exciting personal opportunities for staff to develop their leadership skills and experience with recognition at a whole-school level.

Ms Madigan said: We know it has been a very difficult time for students with additional needs who have had their education and engagement with school disrupted over the last two years.

Parents and families have been rightly worried about the impact it has had on their childs educational development and loss of key skills. I urge all schools to participate if possible, to mitigate the risk of regression and disengagement for children with complex needs.

Further details on the schemes and how schools can apply will be made available shortly on the Government website.
Northern Irelands political leaders have been delivering eve of poll messages ahead of the Stormont Assembly elections.

Voters will go to the polls across 18 constituencies on Thursday to elect 90 MLAs.

DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson spent his final day canvassing in Belfast while Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill spent time in Mid Ulster.

(PA Graphics)

Opinion polls have suggested Sinn Fein is likely to top the poll, and the Alliance Party is tipped to have a surge in support.

If translated into results, expected to start being announced from Friday afternoon, it would be the first time a nationalist or republican party has finished top at Stormont and could nominate a first minister.

Mr Donaldson described the election as a choice between real action on issues that matter to people or a divisive border poll plan.

He described the outcome of the election as critical to the future of Northern Ireland.

Only a first preference vote for the DUP can stop SFs divisive border poll plans. After voting 1 DUP, I ask pro-union voters to maximise the value of their votes by transferring to other pro-union candidates, he said.

Ms ONeill described a moment in history and one for real change.

She said she wants to become a first minister for all.

On day one after this election Sinn Fein will be ready to form an executive and get down to business, she said.

Our MLAs will deliver right across the whole community, for everyone. Our focus will be on our common ground.

On Thursday 5 May, you can elect a first minister for all by voting Sinn Fein.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood visited a number of constituencies on the final day of canvassing to support his candidates.

He is the only party leader who is not running for election on Thursday. He is currently the MP for Foyle.

Mr Eastwood appealed for votes for his party, saying more SDLP MLAs will mean that next Assembly addresses soaring fuel, food and energy bills, tackles the waiting list crisis and puts you and your family first.

To make it happen, vote SDLP tomorrow, he said.

UUP leader Doug Beattie said his party is offering a confident, positive, pro-union alternative that will work for everyone.

Walking away from Stormont won`t solve the problem. The protocol needs to be replaced with a solution that works for everyone so that we can focus on rebuilding the NHS, boosting economic recovery and tackling the rising cost of living. Politicians should not be abandoning their posts at this time, he said.

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long said her party is strongly tipped to make a seismic breakthrough, one that could change the way Stormont works.

History is there to be made on Thursday. But only your first preferences can ensure it, she said.

Polling stations are set to open at 7am on Thursday, and remain open for voters to cast their ballots until 10pm.
It's the worst possible outcome: According to a draft majority opinion published by Politico, the US supreme court has voted to overturn Roe v Wade, along with its sister decision, Planned Parenthood v Casey. This momentous ruling will result in abortion becoming immediately illegal in an estimated 26 states when it is officially issued, likely next month.

The draft opinion, authored by Samuel Alito, the most rabidly hateful member of the courts archconservative wing, will upend 50 years of precedent and undo a landmark ruling that has profoundly shaped legal doctrine, popular conceptions of the law, and millions of American lives.

It will make women prisoners of their own bodies, and of mens ideas of what those bodies must mean. It will make our country weaker, more cruel, stupider, and less vibrant.

Before the court heard oral arguments in the case, Dobbs v Jackson, a challenge to a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks gestational age, some court watchers  mostly male  predicted this outcome was unlikely. They chin-strokingly declared judicial nominees such as Amy Coney Barrett or Neil Gorsuch were really moderates (both have signed on to the draft opinion) or that chief justice John Roberts incrementalist impulses would temper the passions of his more misogynist colleagues.

A crowd protest outside the Supreme Court in Washington. Picture: AP Photo/Anna Johnson

Feminists, meanwhile, were more consistent in measuring the depth of the rights commitment to sexism and more perceptive in understanding the implications for other areas of the law in a world without Roe.

But after oral arguments on December 1, even those pundits originally most committed to their show of sophisticated calm had to admit there was now little doubt this would be the outcome. The hearing, audio-streamed to the public, turned into a carnival of delusional hypotheticals and nodding insistence on the triviality of precedent.

Amy Coney Barrett asked why women needed abortion, now that safe haven laws allowed for new mothers to surrender newborns without being arrested. Kavanaugh rattled off long lists of all the decisions the court had overturned in the past. It was a joke, a festival of misogyny, an unserious legal formality providing a gossamer of legitimacy for a preordained outcome. Roe would be overturned.

In a way, the leaked opinion didnt tell us anything we didnt already know: These are the last days of reproductive freedom in America, and most states will soon ban abortion outright, or restrict it so onerously that it is inaccessible within their borders. But Alitos draft opinion nevertheless represents as odiously maximalist an approach as the court could have taken.

The opinion does not just overturn Roe and Casey; it expresses outright contempt for the notion that the constitution protects bodily autonomy for women. It articulates a rigid and unchanging vision of individual rights, one in which only those freedoms with robust historical precedent and explicit enumeration in the text of the constitution will be recognised by the court.

This an interpretation that, if carried to its logical conclusion, would eradicate many of Americans other rights that the court has recognised based on so-called substantive due process concerns, including the rights to contraception and gay marriage, and the decriminalisation of gay sex.

The courts reactionaries will not stop with ending legal abortion. They aim to hurt, punish, and narrow the lives of Americans in many more cruel and inventive ways.

Legal landmines

The sudden illegality of abortion in most states come June will also create new legal landmines that will rapidly erode other individual rights. As women cross state borders for care, red states will try to limit interstate travel. As activists send abortion pills through the mail, aggressive searches and seizures of packages and personal belongings will become more frequent.

As women find ways to end their pregnancies, many of them will be arrested on criminal charges and some of them will be convicted. As doctors face patients with life-threatening pregnancy complications, many of them will not know what they are legally permitted to do, and in fear, will let their patients die. Some who make the other choice, and help patients live, will be arrested.

All of this will create legal precedents that erode American freedom, making life more burdensome, more brutish, and less safe.

There are ways to fight. Of course, legal rulings aside, American women do not derive their moral right to control their own bodies from the US supreme court; they derive it from their human dignity.

And many of them will seek and provide abortions, whether the court likes it or not, in accordance with this higher, more noble law. Others will donate to abortion funds that will be in dire need of support as costs and demand skyrocket. Still others will spread the word about organisations such as Plan C, which mails abortion pills to women in the US from abroad.

Some will call their senators, and demand that the US Senate seize upon this moment of popular outrage to abolish the filibuster and pass the Womens Health Protection Act before its too late. And some will call their state representatives and urge them to adopt the most aggressive pro-choice laws possible, in advance of what is coming.

Intolerable human cost

But none of this changes the fact that the reversal of Roe will come at an intolerable human cost. Abortion has so frequently been spoken of as a high stakes or hot button political issue that it is easy to lose sight of the foundational dignity that the right provides to women and others. The state compelling a person to be pregnant is not like compelling her to pay taxes. The event doesnt occur in a courtroom or on a balance sheet; it occurs inside her body.

The question at hand is whether half of the country will have control over their own insides, or whether the government can be so intimate and torturous that it can enforce its will even inside an individuals own organs.

And, in turn, the question is whether such a woman can have the dignity and freedom to choose her own family, to shape her own life  or whether that freedom is withheld based on her sex.

Some have raised doubts about whether America can call itself a democracy, now policymaking power has been largely taken over by the unelected courts  whose decisions, like this one, are so radically out of step with, and indifferent to, public opinion. But it is also worth wondering whether any country can call itself a democracy that does not protect abortion rights.

In making abortion illegal, the court is imposing a legal status that is so cruel, so personal, and so life-altering on half its population, that those subject to this imposition cannot be called free. Is there any condition more essential to democratic citizenship than a persons control over her own body? Can we call ourselves a free country without it?

Moira Donegan is a Guardian US columnist
Two US army veterans in their 80s have been convicted of interfering with the operation of Shannon Airport as part of an anti-war protest three years ago.

The jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court acquitted Ken Mayers (85) and Tarak Kauff (80) of criminal damage to an airport perimeter fence and of trespassing at the airport with the intent to commit an offence or interfere with property.
What do you do when the polls arent going your way? Draw a kick at somebody, anybody, to try to remind the great unwashed that you are the man.

On bank holiday Monday Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond issued a press release calling for more prison places.

In order to keep our communities and our prisons safe, it is vital that our justice system is operational in full, he said. To do that, we must ensure that we have sufficient capacity in our prisons to ensure they are safe environments for inmates but also to ensure our communities are kept safe, with justice brought to criminals as soon as possible.

He went on to note that the number of people in custody was on the rise.

With an increase of 44% from 2,763 in 1999 to 3,971 in 2019, we need to ensure that capacity is secured. With Minister for Justice Helen McEntee bringing forward reforms to ensure that we have stronger sentences for serious crimes, we must have sufficient capacity in our prisons to ensure capacity is not a factor when deciding sentences.

Mr Richmond obviously hasnt got a clue about penal policy  or at least he presents himself as not having a clue  because such positioning might help him adopt the dog-eared pose of tough on crime.

When did a judge ever decide not to impose a prison sentence on a serious criminal because of capacity issues?

Mr Richmond appears to be suggesting that judges might refrain from handing down a term of incarceration because there are not enough prison places.

Then there is his heralding of the rising rates of imprisonment over the last 20 years as if this is a good thing or at least reassuring in terms of tackling crime.

Surely the increasing numbers being locked up is a sign of failure to properly address crime and particularly the causes of crime. That may not be of huge interest in the leafy suburbs of Dublin Rathdown represented by Mr Richmond but it is a major issue for society as a whole.

Mr Richmond made his intervention on a weekend in which the latest opinion poll showed Fine Gael languishing in a trough. According to the Business Post/Red C poll published last Sunday, Sinn Fein is at a record support level of 34% while Fine Gael is at 21%.

What to do about the continuing encroachment into middle Ireland of the Shinners? Pull out the old reliable law-and-order card. Lock em up and throw away the key.

Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond appears to be suggesting that judges might refrain from handing down a term of incarceration because there are not enough prison places. File picture: Gareth Chaney

There is no qualitative research done by any mainstream source that claims more prison places lead to safer streets. If anything, the safest communities are those in societies where an enlightened penal policy is adopted.

So what about the existing system in this country, which Mr Richmond wants to see expanded?

In recent weeks, a number of different issues in relation to prisons have come to the fore that would place huge question marks beside any attempt to put more offenders behind bars.

Short-term sentences

At the recent Prison Officers Association (POA) annual conference, Irish Prison Service director general Caron McCaffrey addressed the issue of short-term sentences. She said little could be done to rehabilitate prisoners serving less than a year, a cohort that accounts for around 80% of the 4,000 inmates in the State.

If you come to us for less than 12 months, were unlikely to be in a position to help you deal with your addiction or mental illness, or mental health issues, she told the conference. Were not going to be able to give you a skill, so that means you are not more employable upon release. Were not in a position to give you an education course.

By Mr Richmonds reasoning, there should be even more people in this cohort serving sentences, which cost around 80,000 per prisoner per annum. Thats apart from the acceptance of the head of the service that many of those incarcerated on short sentences have mental health issues.

During the same week that the POA conference was taking place, it also emerged that a major report into practices in the Dochas Centre womens prison is not going to be published.

As first reported in this newspaper, serious issues have arisen in the womens prison to the extent that the justice minister ordered a statutory investigation by the Inspector of Prisons.

These include the manipulation of prisoners by some staff members and the use of prisoners by some staff to target other staff members.

Now Ms McEntee is saying that the report of the investigation is so serious that her advice is not to publish it.

However, what about the prisoners and staff who have been hugely affected by these issues? Are they just expected to stay shtum and put up with it because it might cause too much controversy to air whats going on in an institution charged not just with detaining the women but caring for their welfare?

On another front, research published last week by the Irish Penal Reform Trust shows that non-Irish-born and non-white defendants receive longer sentences for some crimes than those who are Irish born. The study, the first of its kind in the State, found that foreign nationals and minority ethnic communities are over-represented in prison and that members of these groups face significant challenges across the system.

There has been nary a peep from mainstream politics, and certainly not from Fine Gael reps, in response to this research, to the outcome of the Dochas debacle, to the head of the prison services conclusion that there is practically no cost-benefit  for society or the exchequer  in imprisoning for minor offences. Instead, we have Mr Richmond storming the ramparts to demand more prison places. Lock em up and hunt down the cheap votes.

Unfortunately, the sad reality is that he is just a half step ahead of a good share of the whole body politic when it comes to penal policy.
What is the secret to finding the sweet spot in your home for a dream workspace?

The hybrid working style may be here to stay, and lets face it, we are not all going to be in a position to install a palatial loft-style home office anytime soon.

I call Dermot Bannon to find out.

Dermot Bannon launches the RIAI Simon Open Door campaign with Jennifer Kitson and Kathryn Meghen.

Irelands most high-profile architect doesnt miss a beat. Just get your laptop and get yourself set up in the nicest spot in the house, he tells me. Thats what I always say to people. Is your front sitting room bathed in light all day long? Well, you want to be in there.

I am talking to Dermot ahead of the Simon Open Door campaign, which is run in conjunction with the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland and kicks off this week.

Dermot Bannon at home. Picture: Ruth Maria Photography

As I swiftly swivel a few degrees to catch the rays streaming in the window, we talk about other clever tricks people can deploy to tweak their room settings as well as the questions homeowners need to ask to maximise the opportunity the Open Door campaign offers them. You can register at www.riaisimonopendoor.iewww..ie to take part in the event, which runs from May 4-14.

In return for a 95 donation, homeowners receive an hour-long consultation with an RIAI-registered architect to discuss building, rebuilding or renovating their homes.

This year consultations can take place online or in-person and all funds raised go directly to Simon Communities to support their work tackling homelessness.

How did Dermot get involved?

Before I did Room To Improve, I was working for another practice and I used to take part in the Simon Open door event. Ive been taking part in it since its inception, he says.

Then I was asked if I would mind becoming an ambassador. Its a great day. Theres a bit of a festival feel about it  as an architect youre getting to meet people, there are new people in every hour. Its a bit like speed dating.

Many people have lots of questions for architects but they dont feel their project is big enough, notes Dermot.

And for a 95 donation so they dont feel its a big enough spend. Ive often had people come into me with very small problems and they can go away and find they dont need to engage an architect  the architect might have solved the problem in the consultation, he adds.

The tiny matter of huge extensions being a case in point.

Lots of people come in with the need for an extension, says Dermot.

Interiors in the Dairy Farm retrofit in County Wicklow. This project was by Studio Red Architects and arose out of an RIAI Simon Open Door consultation. Picture: Peter Grogan

The good news is often that homeowners may discover they might have more space than they thought, after the consultation.

Many people are not using 80% of their house at all, adds Dermot.

Interiors in a retrofitted home by Brennan Furlong Architects, one of the practices taking part in the RIAI Simon Open Door campaign. Picture: Richard Hatch Photography

I often meet people who are going through milestones, suddenly after years there are just two of them, their children are reared, they are downsizers who have reared all their children, paid for them through college and now its their turn to enjoy life and they have a big clatter of rooms and they are trying to bring all these rooms back to life.

A farmhouse retrofit in County Wicklow. This project was by Studio Red Architects and arose out of an RIAI Simon Open Door consultation. Picture: Peter Grogan

Its often simply about reconfiguring their rooms.

So how should homeowners prepare for a consultation with an architect? Bring plenty of photographs and lots of plans, advises Dermot.

As an architect, I examine the whole house. If someone comes into me and says, I need to put in an extension, I want to try to get a picture of it.

Gather up as much information as you can as well as photos of the house, he adds. What are the nice views; weve got phones now, find out where north is in relation to the house, everyones got a compass on their phone so theres no excuse.

I want to know what Dermot thinks about those echoes we have been hearing, across all those warehouse-like living room/kitchen/dining room/s that the end of open-plan living could be in sight?

Open-plan space in Dermot's own home. Pictures: Ruth Maria Photography

Hes unconvinced. Open-plan saved us during lockdown  it meant that we all tended to be in the same room, he says. The room was big enough that it was suitable for us all to hang out but not to be sitting next to each other  there was psychological comfort there; it was like an open-plan office but still there was the comfort of being in your own bubble.

But hopefully well get back to family gatherings and an open-plan space works for all that.

In fact, its the open-plan area in his own home that is his happy space, he admits.

I love our open-plan space. We have a little spot at the front and we have a couch that we meant to throw out but then lockdown happened and the dog sits up on it and I sit there, and theres a view out to the church opposite, he says. It just goes to show that you can be in a separate area in an open-plan space.

Tricks such as creating alcoves and good use of lighting are what make open-plan and broken-plan spaces work best, he adds.

The kitchen table has to be a space where you can do homework but also during the pandemic you needed to have a takeaway there, so you could turn down the lighting for instance if you needed to create a special space.

Open-plan space in Dermot's own home. Pictures: Ruth Maria Photography

Lighting, furniture, positioning of doors  there are lots of little tricks to making open-plan spaces work. I dont think open-plan is dead at all.

That said, he is also interested in the concept of the getting away from it all room  somewhere you can Zoom call and watch TV.

When renovating his own house, Dermot says he was able to use all the lessons I learned over the years.

 Room To Improve was a gift, in a certain way," he adds.

I now know the perfect layout for a kitchen, because Ive done so many. I know what works. I know the same for a living room  I know what makes a cosy living room and what makes a warehouse. Its kind of like a doctor with 20 or 30 years under their belt  Im the same when it comes to houses.
Former US president Donald Trumps businesses and inaugural committee have reached a deal to pay Washington DC 750,000 US dollars (600,000) to resolve a lawsuit that alleged the committee overpaid for events at his hotel and enriched the former presidents family in the process, according to the District of Columbias attorney general.

Attorney General Karl Racine announced the settlement agreement in the case against the Presidential Inaugural Committee, the Trump Organisation and the Trump International Hotel in Washington in a tweet on Tuesday. The document had not yet been signed by a judge.

The agreement said the case was being resolved to avoid the cost, burden and risks of further litigation and that the organisations dispute these allegations on numerous grounds and deny having engaged in any wrongdoing or unlawful conduct.

We're resolving our lawsuit and sending the message that if you violate DC nonprofit law - no matter how powerful you are - you'll pay

As part of the agreement, the defendants will pay the District of Columbia a total of 750,000 US dollars, which will be used to benefit three nonprofit organisations, the settlement paperwork said.

Were resolving our lawsuit and sending the message that if you violate DC nonprofit law  no matter how powerful you are  youll pay, Mr Racine said in a tweet.

In a statement, Mr Trump blasted Mr Racine and noted that the settlement included no admission of guilt or liability.

As crime rates are soaring in our nations capital, it is necessary that the attorney general focus on those issues rather than a further leg of the greatest witch hunt in political history, Mr Trump said.

This was yet another example of weaponising law enforcement against the Republican Party and, in particular, the former president of the United States.

Mr Racine has said the committee misused nonprofit funds and co-ordinated with the hotels management and members of the Trump family to arrange the events.

He said one of the events planners raised concerns about pricing with Mr Trump, the presidents daughter Ivanka Trump and Rick Gates, a top campaign official at the time.

Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The committee has maintained that its finances were independently audited, and that all money was spent in accordance with the law.

The committee raised an unprecedented 107 million US dollars (85,000) to host events celebrating Mr Trumps inauguration in January 2017. But the committees spending has drawn mounting scrutiny.

Mr Gates, a former Trump campaign aide who co-operated in the special counsels Russia investigation, personally managed discussions with the hotel about using the space, including ballrooms and meeting rooms, the attorney generals office has said.

In one instance, Mr Gates contacted Ms Trump and told her that he was a bit worried about the optics of the committee paying such a high fee, Mr Racine said.

Prosecutors said the committee could have hosted inaugural events at other venues either for free or for reduced costs but did not consider those options.
The owner of an Alabama abortion clinic was flying home from a conference with other abortion providers on Monday night when a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion began ricocheting around the world.

As Dalton Johnson read it, he was struck by the harshness of the language that would end the constitutional right to an abortion, shuttering clinics in about half of American states, including his.

Im still in shock, Mr Johnson said Tuesday.

People on both sides of the abortion divide have been expecting the Supreme Court this summer to reverse the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade case that legalised abortion nationwide.

(Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

But many said it was still staggering to see the draft opinion, forcing them to reckon with the reality the nation is likely to soon enter.

I cant stop crying, said an elated Mississippi state Rep Becky Currie, who sponsored the 2018 law that is the basis for the Supreme Court case.

I am not quite sure I have the words to express how I feel right now, but God has had his hands on that bill since the beginning.

The leaked draft, published late on Monday by Politico, is a 98-page majority opinion in Dobbs v Jackson Womens Health Organisation, which challenged the constitutionality of Ms Curries bill that banned abortion after the first 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Mr Johnson, who owns the last abortion clinic in Huntsville, Alabama, said he was stunned by the certainty of the language.

Roe was egregiously wrong from the start, the draft opinion states. It was signed by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the courts 6-3 conservative majority who was appointed by former president George W Bush.

The draft opinion that circulated in February does not represent the courts final word, and the language could change before the court issues its ruling.

But if the heart of the draft remains the same, it would give states the power to decide the legality of abortion. More than half are likely to quickly ban abortion.

Abortion clinics in those states opened on Tuesday morning, still seeing patients but uncertain about the future.

The daily rituals unfolded as they always do: protesters screamed at people walking inside, clinic escorts tried to shield them and hustle them in the doors.

Please overturn Roe v Wade, said Barbara Beavers, who stood outside the clinic in Jackson, Mississippi, on Tuesday, trying to persuade people against going inside.

Have mercy on our unborn children. Were destroying our future, killing our babies.

Jean Folsom stopped by the clinic on her way to work, to thank the volunteers who help pregnant people pass protesters like Beavers.

I really appreciate their efforts, and obviously based on the news last night, Im worried that this is one of the last times Ill see them, said Ms Folsom.

She and her family eat breakfast every Saturday at a coffee shop near the clinic, and always felt grateful for the volunteers willing to help people in a state where opposition to abortion is strong.

Clinic administrator Shannon Brewer has said physicians travel from other states to work at Mr Jackson Womens Health Organisation because local doctors are either unwilling to do abortions or do not want to face the social pressure that comes with working at the clinic.

Ms Folsom said she felt devastated when she read the news on Monday night.

I kind of cant believe that I live in a country where things seem to be moving backwards, she said.

Inside clinics, the news prompted frantic phone calls. People were confused about whether abortion remains legal, and for how long.

At Mr Johnsons clinic in Huntsville, the phone was ringing more than usual on Tuesday. Women called to ask whether they can still get an abortion. They tried to move up appointment times.

Mr Johnson said his first call of the morning was from a woman who had an abortion scheduled for Friday and wanted to come in Tuesday.

The staff held a meeting, and Mr Johnson says he asked them to focus on the women who are still coming for abortions who need their help.

The opinion was just a draft, he told them, and cautioned that it was not the final decision.

Outside an abortion clinic in Louisville, Kentucky, Angela Minter said she prayed the draft opinion will be the final one.

Im excited today, Ms Minter said. I believe its an indication of whats to come. I believe that the decision is going to come down and it will hold true in June, that Roe v Wade will be overturned, and thats a good thing.

The Louisville clinic was closed for a week last month after the legislature banned abortion, until a court intervened. But if Roe falls, it will likely be shuttered again.

Ms Minter thinks thats God answering her prayers: shes been coming to the clinic most mornings since 2004. She said she had two abortions as a teenager before she was born again into Christianity. She now believes they should be banned completely, no exceptions, and the leaked opinion gave her hope that will happen.

Abortion is not the answer for us, she said, its cost us too much.

Patients tried to dodge her and the other protesters screaming outside. Dont murder your baby, one man shouted at a young woman. Clinic escorts in orange vests helped her into the building.

Christine, a clinic escort who asked that her last name not be used for safety reasons, said she was not surprised by the opinion. They have known it was coming a long time.

But as she read through the opinion, she too was startled at the wording. It felt that if abortion falls, anything else could be next: gay marriage, birth control, any civil right not explicitly written down in the Constitution.

The hole is bottomless, the depths are never-ending, she said.

She is worried about what will happen to pregnant people in places like Kentucky, where abortion will be banned in nearby states in every direction, making it more expensive for those who would need to travel to get an abortion. The closest state will probably be in Illinois, a four-hour drive away.

People with enough money will always find a way, she said. It is the poorest who will suffer, and abortion rights activists are pivoting now to help them travel, she said, because desperate people do desperate things. They are terrified of returning to the pre-Roe world of dangerous back-alley procedures.

The harsh reality felt more certain Tuesday than it had before.

Hope has left the building, she said.
Burma Dont Trust Myanmar Juntas Peace Overtures, Shadow Govt Warns EAOs

Regime opponents hold posters in support of the National Unity Government (NUG) in Taunggyi, Shan State on May 2, 2021. / AFP

The acting president of Myanmars shadow government has warned the countrys ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) not to accept the juntas recent invitation to peace talks, saying military regimes rarely keep their promises.

Regime leader Min Aung Hlaing late last month invited the EAO leaders for talks to end armed conflict.

Myanmar has around 20 EAOs, of which only 10 have signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement so far.

On Tuesday, the shadow National Unity Government (NUG)s Acting President Duwa Lashi La said during a cabinet meeting that discussions with the regime would never bring results, even if they lasted 100 years.

They have never kept their promises. Keeping in mind what has happened over the past 70 years, you should be very careful not to jump at any quick promises [the regime makes], he said, referring to previous Myanmar military regimes failures to keep their word on a number of issues ranging from granting autonomy to the countrys ethnic areas to honoring election results, among others.

In his invitation, Min Aung Hlaing said he would talk to EAO leaders openly and sincerely for the sake of peace. Several EAOs rejected the offer.

The acting presidents warning came after the regimes spokesperson said during a recent press conference that since announcing the invitation the junta had made contact with nine of the 10 ceasefire signatories and eight non-signatories.

The junta chiefs request for talks comes as his regime faces the most serious challenges to its attempt to rule the country since the military staged a coup last year. So far the regime has still not been able to bring the country under its control. The armed wings of some powerful EAOs, including the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), are working with the NUG and fighting alongside resistance forces against regime troops, inflicting heavy casualties. Others are unofficially supporting the resistance movement.

The NUG was formed after the coup by lawmakers from Myanmars ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) and their ethnic allies to challenge the regimes legitimacy at home and abroad. Many in Myanmar take the NUG as their legitimate government, while some Western countries are also informally engaging with the parallel government.

Myanmar has been in social and political turmoil since the military seized power from the countrys democratically elected government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, 2021. More than one year on, the junta still cant control the country properly due to unwavering armed resistance across the country.

In April last year, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Myanmar is a member, adopted a five-point peace plan for Myanmar, urging the junta to immediately end the violence in the country and to hold an inclusive political dialogue, among other steps. The regime, which has killed more than 1,700 civilians so far, has failed to implement the plan.

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Burma Junta Sympathizers Among 100 Killed in Upper Myanmar

Social workers collect dead bodies in Ye-U. / CJ

Over 100 people were killed and their bodies dumped in Sagaing Regions Ye-U Township from last July to April this year, according to local social organizations which collected the corpses and helped cremate them.

The victims included alleged junta informants, administrators and sympathizers, as well as missing persons.

Seven of the victims were identified as regime-appointed village administrators. Most of the bodies were found drifting in a canal, near the canal or in villages, according to the Ponnyakuthala social organization.

Some victims could not be identified. Others were identified by their families who were searching for them, said a member of Ponnyakuthala.

The organization said it helped cremate 12 bodies in April, and the majority of victims were men with gunshot and knife wounds.

A local resident said: They were shot and their throats were slit, and then dumped in the canal. This is the consequence of the militarys coup.

Locals believe the actual number of people killed could be higher.

One leader of a Peoples Defense Forces (PDF) group in Ye-U Township said: It is possible that they were killed either for the revolution or out of personal grudges. There can be many reasons. But for now we cant investigate those reasons. So we cant say exactly whether their deaths are related to the revolution or not.

Pro-junta groups have also been targeting anti-coup civilians recently. In April, a group called Thwe Thout killed National League for Democracy (NLD) members in Mandalay.

In one of its statements, the group vowed to annihilate NLD members and supporters, as well as PDF members and those with ties to PDFs.

On April 28, Thwe Thout raided the house of the actor Hein Htet, who has taken up arms against the regime, in Yangons Mingaladon Township. His grandfather was killed in the shooting.

Both the regime and Thwe Thout have denied having ties to each other. But observers say the group is backed by the military regime.
Burma Resistance Battles Heavy Myanmar Junta Assaults in Sagaing

Members of PDF Kalay.

Fighting between Myanmars junta troops and resistance forces has lasted for a week in southern Kale, Sagaing Region.

Clashes broke out on April 27 near the village of Ashae Si. Junta troops reportedly shelled the village the whole night on April 30. On May 1, around 200 junta troops raided the village and torched houses, said Ko Ei Soe from Kale Township Peoples Defense Force (PDF).

The regime attacked Ashae Si and shelled the village the whole night and the PDF defended the village. They had to withdraw after junta troops continuously fired artillery. As soon as junta soldiers entered the village, they torched houses, he said.

Regime troops suffered heavy casualties when they clashed with PDFs near Ashae Si last year and junta troops attacked again in retaliation, according to the Kale PDF.

The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the reports.

The coalition of PDFs from Kale, the Chinland Defense Force in Kale, Kabaw and Gangaw, Ranger Kale Defense Force, Chin Nationalities Defense Force and other resistance groups clashed through the day with junta troops on May 1.

While fighting resistance forces in Ashae Si, junta troops continuously fired artillery at Yay Shin and Nwar villages.

A 15-year-old girl was killed and a 10-year-old girl seriously wounded by artillery in Yay Shin.

On May 2, junta troops fired artillery at Sha Poe. Around 300 junta soldiers advanced on Sha Poe at noon. They were intercepted by resistance forces and the two sides engaged in fierce fighting until the evening.

Junta troops suffered heavy casualties and weapons and ammunition were seized, said Kale PDF. Some resistance fighters were injured by artillery, said the group.

Regime troops and resistance forces clashed around Ashae Si, Doe Nwe, Kyaukgu and Sha Poe villages on Tuesday and the regime reportedly used helicopters.

Junta troops fired artillery since this morning indiscriminately. They attacked with two helicopters near Sha Poe at noon, said Ko Ei Soe of Kale PDF on Tuesday.

When fighting broke out near Ashae Si and Doe Nwe on April 27, villagers fled across the Myittha River over a small bamboo bridge. Seven villagers, including children, were swept away when the crowded bridge collapsed.

Neighboring villagers have also fled the clashes. The PDF Kale on April 28 warned people not to travel on the Kale-Gangaw road until further notice as more fighting is expected.

There were reports that the juntas leadership has ordered the crushing of the resistance movement in Kale, which is strategically located at the border of Sagaing, Magwe and the Chin hills.

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Commentary Why Wont Myanmars Junta Let Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Meet Foreign Diplomats?

Coup leader Min Aung Hlaing (left) and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

Will the Myanmar junta chief consider allowing any envoys to meet his prisoner, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi? Well before we answer that, let me rephrase the question: Does the all-powerful military chief have the courage to let a 76-year-old woman he has jailed meet foreign dignitaries?

No way.

On Monday, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen urged coup maker Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to allow ASEAN special envoy Prak Sokhonn to meet Myanmars detained leaders, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint, during his next visit to the country in late May.

Hun Sen, as ASEAN chair, was just doing what he was supposed to do during their teleconference: seeking to create a conducive environment for starting a so-called inclusive political dialogue on ASEANs five-point peace plan. But Min Aung Hlaing flatly rejected it, saying only that he would facilitate meetings with other parties concerned, clearly signaling that this excludes the two detained leaders.

His refusal was not the least bit surprising. He has rejected all such demands, not only by the regional bloc, the United Nations and the West, but also by China, whose special envoy made a similar request of the junta last year. No doubt Min Aung Hlaing will continue to reject such calls in the case of his key prisoners, especially Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Why?

Certainly, there are multiple reasons, as the junta chiefs intransigence is motivated by more than just his personal hatred or political jealousy of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The fact is, Min Aung Hlaing is afraid of his most high-profile prisoner. And whether he is conscious of it or not, this is no ordinary fear.

While it appears relatively insignificant, his denial of this request reveals that all of his actions against heroverthrowing her elected government, his arbitrary arrest of her, his filing of groundless lawsuits against her and so onare born of this all-consuming fear.

Just before the coup, Min Aung Hlaing issued a public threat to the entire country that there was nothing he wouldnt dare do. In this instance, at least, he was true to his word: he has since demonstrated that he is willing to engage in any number of illegal, unjust and arbitrary actionsincluding staging a coup and killing innocent peoplethat no normal or decent person would countenance.

Why?

Because, quite simply, he was terrified that the elected civilian government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, after convening the new Parliament on Feb. 1, 2021, would try to reduce or even abolish the militarys role in politics and terminate him as the commander-in-chief, as his term had officially already expired.

The reason for his actions is fear.

Fear is his fundamental motivation; among the other driving forces for his crimes and wrongdoings against Myanmar and its people are his megalomaniacal political ambition and the protection of his familys economic interests.

Indeed, there are sound reasons for him to be afraid of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Here they are:

Vast public support

Since she entered the countrys politics during the 1988 pro-democracy uprising with a commitment to bring about democracy in her authoritarian-ruled country, no one has been able to touch Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in terms of the support she commands from the overwhelming majority of Myanmars estimated 55 million population. And in Myanmars modern history, only her father, independence hero General Aung San, can match her in terms of popularity.

And the support for her is not hollow. It has been hard won through her inspiring words and the dedication and self-sacrifice she has shown on behalf of the countrys democracy movement over many years. The people cannot forget what she has done for them or the country. The 15 years of detention she endured under the previous regime was just the start of her commitment to them. She is now locked up again. She doesnt know where she is, and the people dont know where their leader is. The misery that consecutive ruling generals have subjected her to has led the people to regard her as their true leader. Today, she may well be more popular than ever. Good health to Mother Suu! was one of the popular slogans shouted by anti-regime protesters last year. The same Myanmar people shouted Speedy death to Min Aung Hlaing! on his birthday in July last year while holding mock funerals for him. This undeniable public support for her is most certainly one reason that Min Aung Hlaing should be afraid of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Unassailable mandate

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) have converted this huge support into successive political mandates. Having won landslide victories in general elections in 1990, 2015 and 2020, and one by-election in 2012, the NLD is far and away the most popular party and has never won less than 80 percent of votes in an election. In this respect, Daw Aung San Suu Kyis success is unparalleled even beyond her countrys borders. It is fair to say she is the only leader in the ASEAN region to have repeatedly won elections over a time span of three decades. All of those victories were indisputable political mandates, though the outcomes of the 1990 election and the latest poll in 2020 were ignored by the previous military regime and by Min Aung Hlaing respectively. Daw Aung San Suu Kyis political mandate shows no sign of evaporating, for all Min Aung Hlaings efforts to erase it with his illegitimate coup. He is well aware of this; that unwavering political mandate, which has now lasted for more than 30 years, haunts him.

Min Aung Hlaings lies

If she were allowed to meet an envoy, the whole world would hear the other side of the Myanmar coup story. In other words, her storyas yet untoldwould expose Min Aung Hlaings lies to the entire world.

The regime was hugely embarrassed last year by President U Win Myints court testimony on how he was forced to resign by Min Aung Hlaings henchmen on the day of the coup. When the revelation made headlines, the junta gagged the detained leaders lawyers, preventing them from talking to the media.

For such a fear-struck junta, a meeting between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and an international envoy is unimaginable. From such a meeting the world would hear more striking and true stories of the bullying or baseless persecution of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her team by Min Aung Hlaing and his regime. She could articulate the hitherto untold stories of the coup, as it has unfolded since the morning of Feb. 1, 2021, and of how she was taken to an unknown location. Surely, Min Aung Hlaing doesnt have the courage to let her reveal the truth.

Words sharper than a knife

Through such a meeting, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as their elected leader, could also deliver messages to her people, as well as to the world. Everyone wants and needs to know what she has to say. Given her political integrity and mandate, everyone from the worlds leaders to ordinary Myanmar people would pay attention to her words. Her account would be taken incomparably more seriously than anything Min Aung Hlaing has to say. He knows it well, just as all the generals are aware of their own lies. Min Aung Hlaing wont let her political message escape by greenlighting a meeting with an envoy, even for an hour; doing so could destroy his political ambition and personal interests at a stroke.

As I have discussed above, all of his actions are driven by fear.

In truth, Min Aung Hlaing is not the only general who is afraid of her. All the generals, including his predecessors and ex-generals, even his former bosses like erstwhile dictator Than Shwe and ex-President Thein Sein, are afraid of her, as none of them can compete with her, politically or personally. Almost all military generals and leaders have a grudge against and are jealous of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, keenly aware of their inferiority when it comes to her public support, personal charisma, education and political sophistication.

The generals are only able to achieve their ambitions when she is locked up in prison or under house arrest or at an unknown location. In 2010, they only dared hold an election because she was in detention, such was their bravery.

Before 2010, the previous regime under supremo Snr-Gen Than Shwe and then-Prime Minister General Thein Sein often prevented international envoys from meeting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who was then under house arrest.

True to form, the most recent coup maker, Min Aung Hlaing, has followed their lead. Well, thats hardly surprising These macho, brutal generals seem to find their courage only when they have the old woman locked up in some unknown corner of the world.

Theres only one word for people who act in this way: Theyre all cowards.

The coup maker should remember what he said: that there is nothing he wouldnt dare do. In fact, however, there are certain things he dares not donot even, for example, letting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi meet an envoy.

Min Aung Hlaingwhat a coward.

Naing Khit is a commentator on political affairs.

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The City of Miami recently followed up on a previously approved resolution and co-designated a road in the Silver Bluff area as La Muchachitas de Villa Maria Street. The ceremony took place with 14 of the 40 Muchachitas proudly displaying the yellow rose of Texas and listening to Commissioner Manolo Reyes singing praises of their individual contribution to their communities and society in general.

I am a Muchachita and this is our story:

We were hastened out of Cuba when the Castro revolution allied itself with the Soviet Union and began introducing communism in the Island. The new government seized all private schools, changed the curriculum to embrace a Communist ideology and announced that, at the end of the school year, all students from 6th grade up would spend the summer in work camps in the countryside. The best and brightest would be given scholarships to study abroad in the Soviet Union.

Afraid of the impending indoctrination, my parents began homeschooling my brother Mario Ernesto and me, desperately trying to conceal our whereabouts until they could figure out what to do. But fear started creeping into our household due to the surreptitious rumor that a Patria Potestad decree would soon be issued. Allegedly, the decree mandated that the guardianship of the children that did not attend school would be transferred to the homeland; thus taking over parental custody.

To undermine this new law, James Baker, headmaster at Havanas bilingual Ruston Academy, met with Father (then Monsignor a decade later) Bryan Walsh, director of Catholic Charities in Miami at the time. Together, they developed a program sanctioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorizing unaccompanied minors ages 6 to 18 to seek asylum in the US.

The U.S. The Department of State issued visa waivers for the children and the Chief Executive Officers of Esso Standard Oil Company and Freeport Sulfur Company in Havana, together with other US businesses, funded the childrens flights to the states.

The emigration started December 1960 and ended October 196,2 during the missile crisis at the height of the Cold War Era. The program was eventually coined Operation Pedro Pan by the late Miami Herald Pulitzer Prize Winner Gene Miller, when he ran a story in The Herald about the first boy who arrived in Miami, whose name was Pedro. In his article, he also alluded to the fabled flight of Peter Pan to NeverLand.

News of the covert operation circulated in whispers all over the Island. My parents decided they would rather send us to an unknown fate in the United States rather than let the new government brainwash us with communist ideology. They knew the separation would hurt, but they felt certain it would only be for a temporary span and we would return in a couple of months. They couldnt anticipate that parents and children could be separated for years  or never see one another again.

An exodus of more than 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban minors made the crossover. Once stateside, almost half the children were placed with close family and friends until their parents arrived; the other half overcrowded eight temporary shelters established to house them in Miami. Challenged to find accommodations elsewhere, the charity-run organization arranged foster care for refugee children through donations from Cuban businesses and individuals in exile who flooded in to finance the program.

Catholic archdioceses from around the country stepped up to assist Father Walsh and the Cuban children were scattered to foster homes, schools and orphanages in 100 cities over 40 states. The Religious Order of Mary Immaculate answered the call to help absorb the overflow of displaced minors and solicited 40 girls in the summer of 1962 to be lodged at their boarding house in San Antonio, Texas. The home was named Villa Maria and the girls were dubbed Muchachitas by the Marianist Sisters.

Although we had never met before, we immediately bonded.

We were aware of the extraordinary sacrifice our parents had made, and we knew we had to endure our fate until we met again. The mantra that helped us survive was the hope that the opposition would eventually overthrow the ruling regime and we could return home. When the two-month stay lingered into eternity, our mantra was scaled back to a hope that our parents could escape from Cuba and join us in the US.

As we rotated in and out, the 40 beds that the nuns had allotted for us were occupied over a four-year period. The empty beds would be occupied by other girls in the same situation. In total, there were 57 girls who forged a special sisterly bond, conceivable when dreadful banishment is experienced together at a young age.

Some of us were luckier than others, as the US broke its relationship with Cuba during the missile crisis and stopped the flights between the countries. The ones that had not been claimed by the arrival of their parents were allowed to stay in the federally-funded, foster care program until they turned 19.

The girls at Villa Maria, mainly from the middle class of Cuba, had been pampered with largesse at home. It was hard to understand we had suddenly become paupers and that our childhood dream-world had been crushed. We felt lonesome, frightened and confused. Nobody could replace the care of our loved ones and we longed for home.

However, it is with gratitude that we praise the generosity of the people of the United States  magnanimous souls who were sheltering, feeding and educating us while we were on the program.

Unlike adults, children tend to be happy and have the ability to take pleasure in the simplest things. Inevitably, youth was the miraculous balm that wiped away our tears and helped us smile. We shared all the adventures of young girls living on their own, sneaking out for a late night rendezvous, hiding cigarette butts in an old sofa, and learning to dance the twist. We laughed together, shared clothes and cut and combed each others hair. We dodged the bell-ringing nuns and gave the abode a fresh dose of Cuban revelry. I also have to admit we argued among ourselves.n But we teamed up when external forces turned against us.

In the back of our minds there was the constant reminder of who we were and why we were there. Sometimes, when the hush fell in the stillness of night, we could hear a muffled cry from five hundred feet away and some of us would gather around the bereaved to calm her while forcing ourselves to sleep.

As the bonding toughened, we encouraged each other to assimilate and defy lifes vicissitudes with positivism and courage. The internment was the catharsis that rallied our forces to form and raise our own families in a foreign, but generous and welcoming land.

As we evolved to adults, the Muchachitas contributed to society with multiple professional successes. In our ranks, there are attorneys, a judge, civic activists, philanthropists, artists, marketing experts, real estate agents, bankers, accountants, shopkeepers, nurses, business women, educators, secretaries and translators. Most notable, one of us joined the diplomatic corps in the former Yugoslavia and is now an energy healer after settling in California. Sadly, one of us could not bear her situation, became delusional, and was confined to a mental institution.

Iron is forged with fire and perhaps Villa Maria was the fire that forged us with the strength of iron to overcome the challenges of our kismet. But the most fascinating fact about our group is that, even though we met by chance and not by choice, the time-tested love we profess for each other is still strong after nearly 60 years. Our friendship is sealed till doomsday.
Revenue software provider Clari has appointed Abdul Javed to the role of APAC sales vice president.

"The last year has been a remarkable period of growth for Clari, unlike anything I've experienced in my career," said Clari co-founder and CEO Andy Byrne.

"Clari is the only platform that runs the entire end-to-end revenue process, and skyrocketing demand has resulted in accelerated momentum that now positions us to enter a new phase of international expansion with Asia-Pacific as a cornerstone."

Javed joined Clari from AppDynamics, where he worked as APAC regional sales director.

He previously worked as an enterprise account executive at Oracle, and in sales at Check Point.

Javed holds a bachelor of commerce from Macquarie University,

"As a sales leader and Clari user for over four years, I know firsthand the power of Clari in delivering predictable revenue for businesses," said Javed.

"Our powerful data and insights are a game-changer for all revenue professionals. Over 500 companies around the world use Clari to run their end-to-end revenue process and I'm excited to introduce this secret weapon to more companies in Australia and beyond."

The company's customer roster includes Atlassian.

Clari currently has over 4,000 users in China, Japan, Singapore, and India. The company sees Australia as a natural jumping off point for further expansion in APAC, thanks to its strong economy and startup ecosystem.

The establishment of Clari's Australian presence was facilitated by Austrade, which provided key local contacts, market insights, and advice.

"Australia remains a safe, stable destination for investment. We have a resilient economy and enjoy strong trade ties with the world," said Australia's Consul-General and Senior Trade Commissioner in San Francisco, Nick Nichles.

"We look forward to continuing to work with Clari and wish the company every success as it begins its Asia-Pacific journey."
COMPANY NEWS: LG Energy Solution, a manufacturer of advanced lithium-ion batteries, announced Tuesday that it held its Top Installer Award 2021 ceremony on 22-24 April. Eight representatives of five certified home battery installers in Australia were rewarded for their outstanding sales performance in 2021 with a cruise along the Yarra River on the MV Birrarung, dinner at the Oriental Tea House in Melbourne and a free day to explore the city.

Since its spinoff from LG Chem in 2020, LG Energy Solution has honoured the top installers in its overseas markets at an annual two-day event launched in 2018 to acknowledge their hard work. At each ceremony, LG Energy Solution also interacts with its installation partners with the goal of providing better service to both its partners and customers. The companys home batteries, offered in a variety of models under the name Resu, are compact and easy to install.

This year, the five top-performing Resu battery installers in Australia are:

Origin Energy

Solar Hub

Sky Energy

Clipsal Solar

Solar Integrity

It is significant that LG Energy Solutions products, which are relatively new to Australian customers, are increasingly becoming the focus of awareness, said Origin Energy supply chain and procurement manager Rikki Evangelista. This was only possible thanks to our close partnership with LG Energy Solution.

LG Energy Solution Australia general manager of residential sales Philip Crotty, who oversees sales and marketing for home batteries, hosted the ceremony and personally presented a trophy to each winner. Crotty thanked the installers for their efforts to encourage the wider adoption of LG Energy Solutions innovative products.

If not for our certified installers, LG Energy Solution would not have become one of the regions leading brands in home batteries, Crotty said. We all deeply appreciate our partners and their active support in reaching out to each and every customer in Australia.

Certified installers are the strategic core of LG Energy Solutions presence in the Australian market, as they directly interact with customers at the point of sale. Also, to ensure the quality and consistency of the customer experience and the seamless installation of all products around the globe, the company operates the LG Energy Solution Certified Installer Program. Only after passing all the programs training courses can installers receive certification and get listed as official LG Energy Solution installation partners.

In Australia, LG Energy Solution offers home batteries and the LGES-5048 Hybrid Inverter, which can be connected with a households rooftop solar panels to allow solar power generated in the daytime to be used at night. The company also delivers backup power and keep essential appliances running during grid interruptions or power outages. As more people pursue indoor activities such as videoconferencing, streaming, chatting and gaming, there is growing demand for home batteries. With home batteries, homeowners can optimize solar energy consumption with exquisite flexibility and minimal hassle.

About LG Energy Solution

LG Energy Solution is a global leader delivering advanced lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EV), mobility and IT applications, and energy storage systems (ESS). With 30 years of experience in advanced battery technology, it continues to grow rapidly towards the realisation of sustainable life. With its robust global network that spans the US, Europe, Asia, and Australia, LG Energy Solution is more committed than ever to developing innovative technologies that will bring the future energy a step closer. Under its ESG vision "We charge toward a better future," LG Energy Solution is doing its utmost to prioritise environment, fulfil social responsibilities and shape sustainable future. For more information, please visit LG Energy Solution's website.

About Resu Home Batteries

LG Energy Solutions residential energy storage units, or Resus, are acclaimed for their compactness, their easy installation process and their cutting-edge technology. A variety of models are available to meet customers needs. For more information, please visit Resu's website.
Today

A good deal of sunshine. High 87F. WNW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Low near 55F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph.

Tomorrow

Mainly sunny. High 83F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph.
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.
After the residents of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods went to the checkpoints surrounding the two neighborhoods to break the imposed siege, Damascus government intensified the checkpoints on the two besieged neighborhoods.

A number of well-informed sources told ANHA that members of the Fourth Division had resorted to the Military Security Branch, which set up checkpoints, along with the Fourth Division and the State Security Branch of the Damascus government.

Activists confirmed to ANHA that the current scenes remind them of the scenes in 2012 when the Damascus government used military force to deal with the demonstrations that came out to improve in the country's living conditions.

This policy eventually led to putting the country in a cycle of war that has been raging for more than 11 years. .

Worth to note that Damascus's Fourth Division has imposed a suffocating siege on the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods since the 13th of last March.

A.K

ANHA
Demonstrators gathered in Founders Park on Tuesday in support of abortion rights after a draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court was leaked on Monday suggesting the court is ready to overturn Roe v. Wade  a landmark case from 1973 that legalized abortion nationwide.

Following the leak, which was first reported by Politico, the Women's March organization issued a call for people across the country to rally for abortion rights in their communities.

After a rally in Founders Park, the group of demonstrators marched to the intersection of West State of Franklin Road and Buffalo Street carrying signs and chanting in support of protected access to abortion.

Johnson City Rally to Protect Reproductive Rights Johnson City Rally to Protect Reproductive Rights Johnson City Rally to Protect Reproductive Rights Johnson City Rally to Protect Reproductive Rights Johnson City Rally to Protect Reproductive Rights Johnson City Rally to Protect Reproductive Rights Johnson City Rally to Protect Reproductive Rights Johnson City Rally to Protect Reproductive Rights Johnson City Rally to Protect Reproductive Rights Johnson City Rally to Protect Reproductive Rights Johnson City Rally to Protect Reproductive Rights

Jonathan Roberts Staff Writer Jonathan Roberts is a reporter and photographer for the Johnson City Press covering Jonesborough, healthcare and higher education. He is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and has been with the Press since 2019. Follow Jonathan Roberts 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
Russian forces have launched a major assault on the holdout Azovstal steel plant in the devastated port city of Mariupol while pounding sites across eastern Ukraine, as the European Union moves to punish Moscow with oil sanctions.

Three months into the war, Moscow has focused its fresh offensive on Ukraines east and south, while Western allies continue to provide Kyiv with cash and weapons in a bid to force Russian leader Vladimir Putin to pull back.

In one of a series of assaults Tuesday, 21 civilians were killed and another 28 wounded in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region, local authorities said.

Regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said 10 of the 21 dead were killed in the shelling of the Avdiivka coke plant, one of Europes largest, calling it the highest daily death toll since a Russian strike on a train station in Kramatorsk about a month ago.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksky, meanwhile, said more than 150 people had been successfully extracted in Mariupol evacuation operations.

Today, 156 people arrived in (the Ukrainian-held city) Zaporizhzhia. Women and children. They have been in shelters for more than two months, Zelensky said in a daily address.

Further evacuations from the city were to take place Wednesday with the help of the United Nations and the Red Cross, a Mariupol mayoral adviser said.

But Osnat Lubrani, UN humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, has warned there may be more civilians who remain trapped in the immense underground galleries of the Azovstal steelworks.

As Russias renewed campaign in eastern Ukraine intensified, EU officials on Tuesday handed a draft plan to member states on a new package of sanctions aimed at Moscow.

But several EU officials and European diplomats in Brussels told AFP there were divisions, with at least one member state jockeying to opt out of an oil embargo.

Ambassadors from the 27 European Union countries will meet Wednesday to give the plan a once-over, and it will need unanimous approval before going into effect.

 Civilians reach safety 

Azovstal evacuees who emerged from a caravan of white buses in Zaporizhzhia were met at a makeshift reception centre by crying loved ones and dozens of journalists.

Under permanent fire, sleeping on improvised mats, being pounded by the blast waves, running with your son and being knocked to the ground by an explosion  everything was horrible, evacuee Anna Zaitseva told reporters.

We are so thankful for everyone who helped us. There was a moment we lost hope, we thought everyone forgot about us, Zaitseva said, holding her six-month-old baby in her arms.

Elyna Tsybulchenko, 54, who worked at the site doing quality control before the war trapped her there, described days and nights of endless barrages.

They bombed like every second everything was shaking. Dogs barked and children screamed, she told AFP. But the hardest moment was when we were told our bunker would not survive a direct hit.

The Russian army confirmed its forces and pro-Moscow separatists were targeting Azovstal with artillery and planes in the wake of the evacuation, accusing members of Ukraines Azov battalion and other troops of using the pause in fighting to take up combat positions.

Mariupol was now largely calm elsewhere, AFP journalists saw on a recent press tour organised by Russian forces, with the remaining locals emerging from hiding to a ruined city.

 Battle for democracy 

The war in Ukraine has killed thousands of people and displaced more than 13 million, creating the worst refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.

Western countries have responded by backing Ukraine with cash and increasingly heavy weaponry while imposing unprecedented sanctions against Russia.

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday framed the war as a historic battle for democracy in a speech to workers at a factory producing Javelin missiles, which have wreaked havoc on Russian tanks.

These weapons touched by the hands, your hands, are in the hands of Ukrainian heroes, making a significant difference, Biden said at the Lockheed Martin facility in Troy, Alabama.

Reprising one of his presidencys core themes, Biden said the fight by democratic Ukraine against Putins Russia was a front in a wider contest between democracies and autocracies worldwide, including China.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping had told him that democracies can no longer keep up, Biden said.

Ukraine is the first battle to to determine whether thats going to happen, he said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday pledged another 300 million pounds ($376 million, 358 million euros) in military aid, as he became the first foreign leader to address Ukraines parliament since the conflict began.

Speaking via video link, he evoked Britains fight against the Nazis in World War II in hailing Kyivs resistance as its finest hour, and vowed to help ensure no one will ever dare to attack you again.

 Deadly strikes 

Since abandoning early attempts to capture Ukraines capital Kyiv, Russian forces have shifted to the east, including largely Russian-speaking areas, and the south.

In the town of Lyman, Ukrainian soldiers told AFP they had rigged with explosives a railway bridge over the Donets river and were awaiting orders to blow it up.

Its never easy to destroy one of your own pieces of infrastructure. But between saving a bridge or protecting a city, theres no question at all, said one, going by the nom de guerre of The Engineer.

Russias defence ministry, meanwhile, said its forces had struck a logistics centre at a military airfield in the region around the Black Sea port of Odessa, used for the delivery of foreign-made weapons.

Storage facilities containing Turkeys Bayraktar drones as well as missiles and ammunition from the United States and Europe had been destroyed, it said.

A rocket strike also knocked out power in part of Lviv, the western city near Poland that has turned into a haven for the displaced due to its comparative calm, Mayor Andriy Sadovy said on Twitter.

Missiles also struck far to the countrys west in Transcarpathia, a region bordering Hungary that has largely been spared to date, Victor Mykyta, head of the local military administration, said.

Ukrainian prosecutors say they have pinpointed more than 8,000 war crimes carried out by Russian troops and are investigating 10 Russian soldiers for suspected atrocities in the town of Bucha, near Kyiv.

But in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, Putin accused Ukrainian forces of committing war crimes and claimed the EU was ignoring them, according to the Kremlin.

The United States warned Monday that Moscow was preparing imminently to annex the eastern regions of Lugansk and Donetsk, planning to engineer referenda to join Russia sometime in mid-May.

Pro-Russian separatists in the two regions declared independence in 2014, but Moscow has so far stopped short of formally incorporating them as it did that year with the Crimean peninsula.

burs-ar-sct/cwl/qan

LOCKHEED MARTIN
The bodies of another 20 civilians were found in the past 24 hours in the Kyiv region, police said Wednesday, raising the total number of bodies found there so far to 1,235.

Kyiv regional police chief Andriy Nebytov said the latest discoveries were found in Borodianka and the surrounding villages, some 25 kilometres (15 miles) from Bucha, the town near Kyiv now synonymous with allegations of alleged Russian war crimes.

Others were found in the Vyshgorod area just north of the capital.

A total of 1,235 bodies of civilians have been found, he said in a video released by the interior ministry.

Of that number, more than 800 bodies were examined by experts. Unfortunately, most of them are people who died from gunshots, he said.

Experts have yet to identify 282 bodies, he added.

Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olga Stefanishyna told AFP in Borodianka in late April that the remains of 1,020 civilians were being stored in morgues in the Kyiv region.
A landmark trial against a former Iranian prison official accused of war crimes during a 1988 purge of dissidents wrapped up in Sweden on Wednesday, with a verdict due in July.

The proceedings marked the first time an Iranian official has gone on trial for the purge.

Hamid Noury, 61, faces charges including crimes against humanity and war crimes for his role in the killing of as many as 5,000 prisoners across Iran, allegedly ordered by supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini.

The killings were revenge for attacks carried out by the Peoples Mujahedin of Iran (MEK), an exiled opposition group, at the end of the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-88.

Last week, prosecutors called for a life sentence for Noury, who has been on trial in Stockholm district court since August 2021.

Its ironic, because I was witness to many of my friends being sentenced to death in one-minute trials in Iran. How different it is here, Ramadan Fathi, a former prisoner who testified against Noury, told AFP.

On Wednesday, the final day of the trial, the judge set the date for the verdict on July 14.

I hope these hands will be cleared with the help of God, Noury told the court, his palms raised to the sky and holding a Koran.

Friends, I love you, Im not angry at you, he told those present in the courtroom, his remarks in Farsi translated into Swedish by a court-appointed interpreter.

The defence had contested Swedens principle of universal jurisdiction  which allows it to try the case regardless of where the offences took place  and called into question the plaintiffs testimony.

There is a lot of uncertainty about the way in which the name Hamid Noury arose in the testimonies, Daniel Marcus, one of Nourys two lawyers, told the court, calling the evidence insufficient.

 Small, small holes 

According to the prosecution and survivors who testified against him, Noury was assistant to the deputy prosecutor of Gohardasht prison near Tehran at the time of the events.

He allegedly handed down death sentences, brought prisoners to the execution chamber and helped prosecutors gather prisoners names.

Noury has argued that he was on leave during the period in question, and said he worked in another prison, not the Gohardasht one.

Noury was arrested at a Stockholm airport in November 2019 after Iranian dissidents in Sweden filed police complaints against him.

Throughout the nine-month trial, which briefly relocated to Albania to hear some testimony at the end of 2021, MEK supporters protested loudly outside the Stockholm courthouse.

A lawyer for the plaintiffs, Kenneth Lewis, said the evidence in the case was overwhelming.

The defence tried to find small, small holes, but in my opinion, they werent very comfortable in their argument.

A lawyer representing the MEK expressed however concern that Noury  who is currently held in custody pending the verdict  would flee Sweden if acquitted, before an appeal could be lodged.

Fathi, the former prisoner, said meanwhile he was very happy to see with my own eyes someone from the regime facing justice.

Now that weve reached the end of this trial, I hope a day comes very soon when the entire leaders of this regime, perpetrators of this massacre, are brought to justice here or elsewhere.

The trial has rendered Stockholms already chilly relations with Tehran even frostier.

Iran summoned the Swedish ambassador last week, the same day the prosecutor in Stockholm called for a life sentence against Noury.

According to a statement published on the Iranian foreign ministrys website, Irans foreign minister also called his Swedish counterpart Ann Linde.

Iran considers the arrest and trial process of an Iranian citizen, Hamid Noury, as illegal and demands his immediate release, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was quoted as saying during the conversation.

Amir-Abdollahian also lamented that a terrorist group, referring to the MEK, had taken over the trial through a deceptive campaign.

The Swedish foreign ministry has meanwhile advised its nationals against non-essential travel to Iran.

According to the Iranian news agency Isna, Iran plans to execute Swedish-Iranian academic Ahmadreza Djalali, who was sentenced to death in 2017 for spying for Israel, before May 21.
Seo Ye Ji is unstoppable as she plays a revenge-driven woman in tvN's "Eve."

The 32-year-old actress' return to the small screen is among the highly anticipated K-dramas this 2022.

"Eve" is an upcoming romance drama that focuses on a 2 trillion won or 1.7 billion dollar divorce lawsuit of two chaebols, rocking the entire country with the scandalous affair.

Meanwhile, Lee Ra El, played by Seo Ye Ji, devoted her life to avenging her family, who was torn apart after her father's death.

Joining the lead star is Park Byung Eun, who took the role of LY Group CEO Kang Yoon Gyeom. He is paired up with Yoo Sun, who portrays Han So Ra, the only daughter of a powerful assemblyman.

'Eve' Trailer

As the broadcast network gears for the much-awaited series, tvN teases fans with the second trailer of Seo Ye Ji's new drama.

"Woman who designed revenge vs. people who chose danger! Where is their desire headed?!" the caption reads, alongside a sneak peek of the upcoming K-drama hinting at Lee Ra El's deadly revenge.

As seen in "Eve" trailer, Park Byung Eun held a press conference, confessing about his affair.

"I'm in love with someone other than my wife," he said, followed by a clip of Yoo Sun getting furious over her husband's confession.

Meanwhile, Lee Sang Yeob, who plays Seo Eun Pyung, was also caught up in a messy situation after he got involved with Lee Ra El.

However, the last part of the trailer showed Lee Ra El smiling strangely, suggesting that she is the reason behind the couple's mess.

'Eve': What To Expect About Seo Ye Ji's New Drama

The drama is helmed by Park Bong Sub, the director behind the rom-com series "Dinner Mate." He worked alongside screenwriter Yoon Young Mi who penned the blockbuster K-drama "Birth of a Beauty," and "Nice Witch." The upcoming tvN series is predicted to be a makjang series that would keep viewers at the edge of their seats.

K-dramas are known for their makjang series or unrealistic and exaggerated storyline, which includes complicated relationships among characters.

It revolves around revenge, murders, and violence like "The Penthouse" and "SKY Castle."

Interestingly, with Seo Ye Ji's new character, viewers might see a stellar performance from the actress, proving her versatility.

While "Eve" cast boasts a roster of talented lead stars, the tvN series announced that So Hee Jung, who recently appeared in "Shooting Stars," will also join as a supporting cast.

According to a local media outlet, she will play the role of Kim Gye Young, a loyal assistant to human rights lawyer Seo Eun Pyung. In the drama, viewers will see the significant part of So Hee Jung and her connection with Lee Sang Yeob's character.

Amid the teasers and trailer released by tvN, "Eve" release date is scheduled to hit the small screens on May 25, airing every Wednesday and Thursday.

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung head to France to attend Cannes Film Festival 2022.

The award-winning actors and real-life friends are stars of the upcoming movie "Hunt," alongside Jeon Hye Jin.

Helmed by Lee Jung Jae as his first directorial film, the action drama movie was invited to the 75th Cannes Film Festival, which will be held from May 17 to 28.

Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung to Attend the Cannes Film Festival 2022

In an exclusive report cited by Osen, the two A-listers arrived at Incheon International Airport as they departed for France. Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung are expected to walk the red carpet together as they introduce "Hunt" to a global audience.

As previously cited by Korea Joongang Daily, the upcoming film will be screened at the Midnight Screening, known as the non-competitive section of the festival.

Before Lee Jung Jae's "Hunt," other K-movies screen was the Kim Jee Woon directed action crime film "A Bittersweet Life" in 2005.

Other Korean movies invited to the same selection include "The Chaser" by Na Hong Jin, and Yeon Sang Ho directed "Train to Busan" in 2016.

Interestingly, this was followed by the Sol Kyung Gu and Im Si Wan-led 2017 film "The Merciless" directed by Byun Seong Hyun.

What to Expect in Lee Jung Jae's Directorial Debut' Hunt'

Lee Jung Jae directed the movie "Hunt," is an espionage action drama film set in the 1980s. At the time when South Korea's military regime was at its peak.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Jung Woo Sung Reveals Surprising Reason Why He and Lee Jung Jae are a 'Good Match'

In the forthcoming film, he plays the character of Park Pyung Ho, an elite agent who works under the Agency for National Security Planning. His mission is to hunt down North Korean spies while coming to terms with the truth about his country.

Meanwhile, Jung Woo Sung took on the role of Kim Jung Do, a known rival of Park Pyung Ho.

"Hunt" also highlights how the duo suspect each other as a hidden spy but are surprised upon encountering a huge incident.

While the upcoming espionage drama movie will be aired for the first time at the Cannes Film Festival, viewers will get to see "Hunt" on the big screen sometime this year.

'Squid Game' Season 2 Update

Lee Jung Jae worked on and wrapped up his first-ever directorial movie after Netflix's "Squid Game."

To recall, the Netflix series was the actor's last K-drama project. With the massive hype and overwhelming support from viewers worldwide, the 9-episode series became the streaming giant's biggest show yet, surpassing the reign of the U.S period drama "Bridgerton."

Moreover, the success also prompted director and creator Hwang Dong Hyuk to create the highly anticipated "Squid Game" season 2.

Hwang Dong Hyuk revealed that the second installment will be released in 2024, with Lee Jung Jae and Lee Byung Hun reprising their roles.

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
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The spring semester concert season continues at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside with the UW-Parkside Wind Ensemble and Community Band, performing a joint concert starting at 7 p.m. Thursday in Bedford Concert Hall.

Both groups are conducted by Professor Laura Rexroth.

The Wind Ensemble will perform Renaissance Suite by Tielman Susato. These three dances come from a collection published in 1551, Rexroth said. The final movement imitates trumpet and drum calls from two sides of a battle, she said.

The Wind Ensemble is also performing Rhosymedre by Ralph Vaughan Williams  one of three organ preludes on Welsh hymn tunes composed by Vaughan Williams in 1920. The title means lovely, Rexroth said, and this prelude became the most popular one.

Opa! by Julie Giroux concludes the Wind Ensembles portion of the concert.

The composer said her piece opens with an original Greek prayer setting and ends with a lively dance based on the Greek song Karaguna.

While the piece starts out somber, Giroux said, the music gradually increases in excitement and tempo, ending in a frenetic explosion best described as a love of life.

The Community Band opens its program with Jack Tar March by John Philip Sousa.

The original title for the march was British Tars, Rexroth said.

Sousa hoped this march would be to naval men what Stars and Stripes Forever was to Army men, but that did not become the case, she said. It includes a quote of Sailors Hornpipe. The first two strains of the march are taken from Sousas operetta Chris and the Wonderful Lamp from 1899.

Other pieces on the groups program are:

To Gold in Broadest Blue by Jocelyn Hagen. This uplifting work draws inspiration from the composers home state of North Dakota and grounds itself in possibility, tranquility and peace, Rexroth said.

Be Thou My Vision by David Gillingham. The piece, commissioned by Ray and Molly Cramer in honor of their parents, is heartfelt, expressive and hopefully inspiring, the composer said. The piece includes an Irish ballad played by flute soloist Vera Olguin. The solo part leads to a dramatic statement of Be Thou My Vision by the full ensemble in A-major, the composer said. A heavenly benediction closes the work.

American Salute by Morton Gould. Rexroth calls this classic band piece a musical tour de force, based on When Johnny Comes Marching Home. This outstanding work is full of color and allows every section of the band to present  including a bassoon trio!

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My number one priority as a state representative will always be to stand up for the middle class and working families. That is why I am so concerned about reports of rampant worker misclassification, particularly in the large-scale construction industry from out-of-state contractors, in our region and across the state.

This practice not only exploits the workers, but it also results in tax evasion and fraud that impacts everyone.

Misclassification occurs when employees of large-scale construction companies are misclassified as independent contractors or paid cash off the books all together. We know that many good, local, responsible large-scale tax-paying construction companies play by the rules and treat their workers fairly. Unfortunately, there is a disturbing trend emerging in the past handful of years of large-scale companies who have won bids on very large construction projects, bringing in workers from out-of-state, paying them low wages in under-the-table cash payments and dodging their fair share of taxes. This unfair practice has wide-reaching impacts on taxpayers, the construction industry, and the workers themselves.

Each year, hardworking Wisconsinites pay their taxes to ensure access to the government services we need, such as our first responders, good roads and highways, and our public education system. Misclassification practices are a form of tax and insurance fraud. By failing to declare their workers employees, companies bidding on large projects often avoid paying payroll taxes, unemployment insurance tax, and the appropriate workers compensation premium. It is estimated that the State of Wisconsin loses millions of dollars every year due to these deceptive practices, robbing our communities of funds for our schools, roads, public safety, and other critical programs.

For workers in these work arrangements, cash payments are often the initial draw to the work, but the hidden costs can be devastating. The workers often do not realize that by taking cash payments they are not eligible for worker protections that come with employee status, such as unemployment insurance and a healthy Social Security check upon retirement.

This puts them in the precarious situation of being one workplace injury away from being unemployed without any safety net to keep them afloat while they heal. Besides the costs of missing out on these payroll taxes, taxpayers also bear the burden of emergency room visits that will ultimately be paid for by law-abiding taxpayers. The companies that employed these workers simply cast them aside and find another worker to pay under the table.

You may be shocked to learn that not only is this practice rampant within the large-scale construction industry, but this practice happens all the time on taxpayer-funded projects. This is deeply concerning for a number of reasons. First and foremost, tax cheats should not be the recipients of massive multi-million dollar tax subsidies funded by those who actually pay their taxes.

While every single taxpayer in the state bears the burden of covering the costs of these deceptive practices, those in the construction industry who do things the right way lose the most. Cheating contractors win low-ball bids for large-scale construction projects while honest contractors who play by the rules have trouble competing for these bids. This creates a vicious cycle of tax cheating, leading to more taxpayer funds coming in, more tax cheating, on and on while we all pay the price.

While this misclassification problem is ongoing, I am encouraged that Gov. Evers and others across the state are taking this issue seriously. In 2019, the Governor announced a Joint Task Force on Tax Fraud and Worker Misclassification through the Department of Workforce Development. The task force, comprised of honest employers and workers alike, has done important work in helping identify this problem and increase awareness, but more must be done to stop it and prosecute it.

The department needs more resources to actually go into the field and catch these bad actors red-handed. This should be a no-brainer: these tax cheats need to be held accountable, and back taxes they owe would pay for the extra enforcement costs many, many times over.

State Rep. Tip McGuire, D-Kenosha, represents the 64th District in the Wisconsin State Assembly, which includes parts of Kenosha, Somers, Racine, Mount Pleasant and all of the Village of Elmwood Park.

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In a world of extremes where we are operating in black and white, living in the gray is where the real work happens of confronting truths of left and right, conservative and liberal, and opening up to varying perspectives that reflect diversity.

This is the space where Ive witnessed the possibilities of navigating the divided worlds of pro-life activism and reproductive justice.

Vice President Kamala Harris recently acknowledged the urgency of addressing the Black maternal health crisis in a meeting with cabinet leaders and agency advocates calling for a commitment and a whole of government approach to finding solutions.

As April is National Minority Health Month, it is crucial to acknowledge the history of rape, forced reproduction of Black women through chattel slavery, sterilization, devastating infant and maternal mortality and morbidity outcomes and the myriad of systemic failures that disproportionately affect Black families.

Research by Nancy Krieger, professor of social epidemiology, has found that early-life exposure to Jim Crow laws  which legalized racial discrimination in Southern U.S. states from the late 1870s through the mid-1960s  can lead to negative health effects decades later.

It is critical to pause and ask what methods work best to advance justice for Black women in health care and health outcomes.

The new Oklahoma bill making abortion a felony affects five times more Black women than white women. Idaho adopted a new abortion law set to be enacted later this month, but the state Supreme Court has put a stay on the bill. In contrast, their state Supreme Court recently upheld Texas abortion law. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed a bill into law banning abortion after 15 weeks.

With the myriad of systemic failures that impact Black families today, looking at the facts is only the beginning. It is important to study history to find clarity.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, non-Hispanic Black women die at two to three times the rate of non-Hispanic White women. Newly re-examined information shows those statistics are more like three to four times the rate, and nearly two-thirds of these deaths are preventable.

When looking at the abortion rates amongst Black women and the systems that disproportionately affect their health, it is plausible that these rates are preventable as well.

But perhaps listening to an opposing perspective may cause more harm than good, producing apathy. Black women are still dying. Whether advocating for the fetus in the womb or advocating for the rights of people to do with their bodies what they wish, people are still dying.

According to the National Institutes of Health, Late maternal deaths  those occurring between six weeks and one year postpartum  were 3.5 times more likely among Black women than white women. Postpartum cardiomyopathy was the leading overall cause of late maternal deaths, with Black women having a six-times-higher risk than white women.

In New York State, steps have been made through the State Department of Healths Maternal Mortality Review Board and Maternal Mortality & Morbidity Advisory Council to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce racial disparities not only through thorough research and detailed findings.

They have taken an active role in reporting key findings within their systems that disproportionately affect Black lives. With this data, the state has backed it with action steps that lead to saving lives, including $20 million in annual investment to expand prenatal and postnatal care. The state will also expand pregnancy Medicaid coverage from 60 days to one year postpartum.

In conversations on reproductive health, for some, saying the word abortion can be both triggering and divisive. But knowing the history is critical to engaging in productive dialogue.

In her 2007 book, Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present, author Harriet Washington writes about the eugenic control of African American reproduction through tackling subjects like the Mississippi appendectomy, Norplant, the myth of the crack baby and the negro project. These historical issues are crucial to understanding the present.

And in her 1998 book, Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction and The Meaning of Liberty, Dorothy Roberts offered a basis for clarity on these issues to begin the process of humanizing those often perceived as wrong.

Until whiteness is no longer the standard, Black women will continue to die.

As a Black woman, who was heavily influenced by an evangelical upbringing that steered clear of the gray, I found the freedom to explore, think critically, and humanize those Ive historically dehumanized, even if I was unaware of it at the time.

For many, living in the gray means straddling the fence or being lukewarm and compromising. It almost always has a negative connotation to it.

But viewing those with deep convictions not as the enemy but as co-laborers in this work of finding solution-based practices can cause less harm and more healing.

It is impossible to look at the present and dream of the future without looking at the past. In order to get to the root of issues and get the deeply desired results, I have witnessed in both pro-life activists and reproductive justice activists a deep desire to save lives.

But it is impossible to fix a system with an unwillingness to bend. It means working together to accomplish a goal.

Living in the gray requires a commitment to growth and discomfort. In the gray, it is possible to hold on to deeply held convictions while bending just enough, leading toward personal and collective liberation. That will save lives in a way that causes no harm.

Cessilye R. Smith is a writer, speaker, and activist.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Trolley numbers are skyrocketing at St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny where 46 patients are waiting on a bed today, according to the INMO.

Yesterday (Tuesday), INMO figures showed 36 patients waiting on a bed at the local hospital.

On April 22, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly made a short-notice visit to the hospital to launch the phased opening of the newly built 72 bed Ormond Wing. Phase one was to see 24 beds on the third floor of the five-story building come on stream for inpatient services over two weeks.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has said Government must take action to tackle hospital overcrowding as over 8,717 patients were without a bed during April, including 573 in St Lukes.

It has been an extremely difficult time for nurses and midwives in Irish hospitals. They are incredibly exhausted and burnt out by the conditions in our hospitals. The HSE must uphold their obligation as an employer to provide a safe workplace, INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said.

Up to 300 delegates are expected to attend the INMOS Annual Delegate Conference this week.
The Taoiseach has condemned as sinister a Russian TV mock-up of a nuclear attack on Ireland and the UK.

Micheal Martin, speaking before a Cabinet meeting yesterday (Tuesday May 4) said that there should be an apology in relation to the report on Russian TV.

It is very sinister, intimidatory type tactics by the Russian Federation, but I dont think anyone is going to be intimidated by it, Mr Martin said.

The TV report from Russia did not mention Ireland directly, but showed the island being wiped out as part of a Russian nuclear strike on the UK.

I think it reflects a mindset that is worrying and not in touch with reality.

There should be an apology forthcoming in relation to that, Mr Martin said.

He declined to say whether the Russian Ambassador, Yury Filatov, should be summoned to the Department of Foreign Affairs over the incident.

Mr Martin stressed that the fundamental issue was that Russia should cease hostilities in Ukraine.

He added: The degree of bombardment and the destruction of towns and cities and human carnage that has taken place is without any justification.
Minister Stephen Donnelly has said that the decision on the new site of the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) will come before the Cabinet in two weeks time.

The Minister for Health sought to respond to critics of the ownership arrangements for the long-delayed hospital by publishing legal documents late on Tuesday evening on the HSE website and promising to take questions from the Oireachtas Health Committee.

The planned relocation of the hospital from Dublins Holles Street to a site at Elm Park alongside St Vincents Hospital, as well as its governance and ownership, has been the subject of controversy for some time.

At a briefing on Tuesday, Mr Donnelly said that Cabinet has agreed to publish the legal documents relating to the relocation, and that he would brief the Health Committee on the plans.

A memo will go before Cabinet in two weeks time, he added.

The new hospital will be the greatest investment in infrastructure in womens healthcare that weve ever had, Mr Donnelly said.

He admitted that while questions had been raised, people need not have cause for concern.

Theres various concerns being raised, so around the investment in the state and the investment of the state being protected, but I think the biggest concern that people are raising is they want reassurance.

They want absolutely reassurance that the new hospital will be fully independent, that it will be clinically independent, that it will be operationally independent, and it will offer all services.

That is absolutely the case. There are multiple layers of protection in place.

Mr Donnelly said that he wanted people to see for themselves and be able to see within the memorandum of understanding the clinical protections in the NMH and indeed the obligations on the new National Maternity hospital to provide all services.

The planned decision to push ahead with Cabinet approval on Tuesday had been met with criticism from both protesters and from politicians.

Mr Donnelly indicated that the Government would now try to alleviate those worries.

There is absolutely no ambiguity whatsoever about the clinical and operational independence of the National Maternity Hospital.

Thats absolutely guaranteed with multiple layers of protection in place.

Mr Donnelly, flanked by several health officials including the Master of the National Maternity Hospital, Professor Shane Higgins, and Dr Rhona Mahony, a consultant obstetrician and board member of Vincents Healthcare Group, stressed that there could be no more delays.

He said that the health of women was at stake, after years of delay.

Who owns the land under the building has absolutely no impact on the services provided, or the governance of the building, he said.

He said that the state also does not own the land under GP surgeries or primary care centres.

Mr Donnelly said that a 299-year-lease will give the Irish state a proprietary interest in the land, with the HSE leasing the site for the hospital from St Vincents and owning the hospital itself.

Under the constitution of the new hospital, the health minister will not have day-to-day involvement but will have a so-called golden share in the company, allowing them to intervene to direct the Board to ensure all maternity, gynaecological or neonatal care is provided if it proves necessary.

I really hope were two weeks away from a Government commitment to build this hospital, Dr Mahony said.

She insisted that women were currently facing inadequate maternity care and could not wait any longer.

I know that there are people at the moment who have real concerns about this hospital. And I know that theres been so much misinformation unfortunately in the public domain for many years now.

We must not let this project fall apart because of misinformation.

We must remember at all times what is at stake here, what we can create for women in this country. And this is an opportunity that must not be missed.
Ireland will be the least affected by the impact of the ban on Russian oil of all European countries, Environment Minister Eamon Ryan said.

Speaking earlier today (Wednesday) Minister Ryan said Ireland gets very little of its oil from Russia.

"We are probably least affected in Europe," Minister Ryan said.

He said that Ireland imports very little oil from Russia anyway, and has not done so in months.

"We're the furthest west. We have the least amount of oil, historically, in our stocks. We haven't brought in any Russian oil in the last several weeks. It won't have an immediate affect on our supply," Minister Ryan said.

He added that the ban on Russian oil as part of further sanctions is "the right thing to do".
You might pay more for insurance. Insurance companies consider credit reports and scores when pricing coverage for auto and homeowners insurance, says John Ulzheimer, credit expert for Credit Sesame, a Web site that offers information and advice on credit and debt. Insurers typically offer discounts for those with high scores. If you dont meet the insurers threshold (which varies from company to company), youll miss out on the good credit discount and pay higher rates as a result. Even worse, poor credit can lead to denial of coverage, Ulzheimer says.

Lenders arent the only ones who are looking at your credit score and history. In fact, you might be surprised how much of an impact bad credit can have on many aspects of your life. Here are five examples:

A poor credit history can make it tough to borrow money. Dings on your credit report  late or missed payments, or accounts in collection  can hurt your credit score, which is a factor lenders use when determining whether to extend credit to you. The lower your credit score, the more of a risk youre considered to be. And the riskier borrower you are, the more you will pay in interest  if you can get a loan at all.

Utility companies might require a deposit. Public utilities wont deny services except in extreme situations, Ulzheimer says, but they can insist on deposits. The decision to charge a deposit (or waive a deposit requirement) is largely based on a customers credit report, he says. Remember, utilities are billing you for water, gas, electricity and other services based on the actual amount used, so they need assurances that you can be trusted to pay for what you've already consumed.

You might have trouble getting a cell phone. Wireless carriers will check your credit if you want to buy a cell phone with a service contract, says Gerri Detweiler, director of consumer education for Credit.com. If your score is low, its an indication that you havent handled credit well  and, therefore, might not be a reliable customer. So wireless carriers might charge you a deposit (or higher deposit than what they charge customers with better credit), she says. Or they might limit your options to the most basic service or a pre-paid phone plan. You could run into a similar problem with cable TV and Internet providers, Ulzheimer says.

You might get turned down for a job. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 47% of employers consider credit history when making hiring decisions. Credit history isnt the most important factor employers weigh when deciding whether to hire someone, but it can play a role, according to the SHRM report. Employers who conduct credit checks typically do so to reduce theft or other criminal activity. But nearly 20% of the employers surveyed by SHRM said the primary reason they look at the credit histories of job candidates is to assess their overall trustworthiness.

You might have trouble finding a home. Property management companies screen prospective tenants before handing over the keys to an apartment or house, Ulzheimer says. If you have poor credit, you might have to pay a bigger deposit. Or you might have your lease application denied, he says. Home buyers need a credit score of 740 or more to get the best rates on a mortgage, Detweiler says. Not only will your rate be higher if your score is below 640, she says, but your loan options will be limited, which might put home buying out of reach.
COLUMBIA - It's Children's Mental Health Week, and several organizations in Columbia are using this week to raise awareness.

Missouri ranks 22nd, according to Mental Health America's Youth Mental Health scale. The lower the ranking, the lower prevalence of mental health illness and the higher rate of access to care for youth.

Several mid-Missouri organizations observed the week at Shelter Fountains in Columbia on Wednesday. The supervisor of Burrell Behavioral Health's Connection Center says there are two crucial points to this type of assistance for children.

"We are talking about access to services," Vinita Khanna said. "We're also talking about timing. If somebody is needing help that moment, as a community member, we should be there to assist that person."

According to Burrell Behavioral Health, one in four children under the age of 10 experience a severe behavioral health disorder at some point in their lives.

Burrell offers a number of services to children and families experiencing youth mental health, and to those who may experience barriers to this kind of health care access. This includes a 24/7 crisis line and telehealth services.

"The person who is actually [facing] a crisis does not have to be our client," Khanna said. "Anybody in the community, anybody, can give us a call."

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The gathering Wednesday included the reading of a Children's Mental Health Week proclamation from the Mayor Barbara Buffaloe's office, comments from the event organizers and awareness for mental health resources.

It was also easy to spot lots of green, which is the international color of mental health awareness.

Children's Grove is another organization providing youth mental health care in mid-Missouri. President Kim Dude-Lammi says these services are important now more than ever.

"It's just like if I broke my arm, of course I would go to the doctor to get it fixed," Dude-Lammi said. "If my heart is hurting, or my mental health is not doing well, why in the world would I not go and get help? We need to decrease the stigma of getting help."

You'll be able to catch green for Children's Mental Health Week until May 7. Green lights will shine at night at the following locations:

City of Columbia Keyhole by City Hall

Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services

Shelter Fountain

Missouri Employers Mutual Insurance

Gateway Plaza

Missouri Capitol, as ordered by Gov. Mike Parson
Local sources said that clashes erupted today, Wednesday, between the mercenaries of "Bayraq al-Shaitat" and the so-called military police of the Turkish occupation, in the western countryside of Serekaniye.

According to the source, the clashes erupted in the village of Al-Rawiya in the town of Mabrouka in the western countryside of Serekaniye between the mercenaries, following a dispute over smuggling, as these villages are considered smuggling points due to their closeness to the border.

The source explained that the clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the mercenaries, as the injured were transferred to Turkish hospitals.

On the other hand, the leader of King Shah's mercenaries, known as "Abu Miqdad", was critically injured in a hand grenade in the center of the occupied city of Serekaniye, so that he was also transferred to Turkish hospitals, according to the source.

The areas occupied by the Turkish occupation army and its mercenaries are witnessing a state of security chaos, and clashes between mercenary groups due to disputes over stolen goods and smuggling operations.

A

ANHA
By Martin Schram





The overwhelming vastness of the famed National Cathedral seemed to shrink to mere expansiveness, as Washington's famous names, including three presidents, filled its pews April 27 morning to honor yet another eminent insider with yet another quintessentially Washingtonian farewell.







As the famous names began sharing their informal and funny stories about Madeleine Albright, that great cathedral became almost intimate. Everybody was laughing along. They all felt they knew her well; even those who never actually met her.







That's the way it was with Madeleine.







We were friends for decades. Her then-husband, Joe, was my Newsday colleague who, with his siblings, also owned 49 percent of the Long Island-based paper. They inherited it from their aunt, Newsday's founder, Alicia Patterson. When Joe was about to become the chief of our Washington bureau, where I worked, he called and asked me to check out a house his Realtor found in Washington's exclusive Georgetown. I did and told Joe he and Madeleine would want to fly down and buy it. They did.







But today, we will add some investigative context to Wednesday's eulogies, to properly honor America's first female secretary of state. Hopefully, all young women who are coming of age in the 21st century will be able to visualize Madeleine's World as it existed for mid-20th century women of her generation and a couple of succeeding generations.







The real world those young women were born into really wasn't a globe with smoothly rounded opportunities. Theirs was a cube of a world  its sharp edges often became barriers to their fulfillment.







That's how it was, even for girls of privilege  as Madeleine Korbel discovered on the happy June 1959 day when she graduated with special honors from the elite Wellesley College for women. We heard about that graduation day, just briefly. Wellesley Class of '69 graduate Hillary Clinton mentioned it during a stand-up eulogy that got the whole cathedral laughing. So I investigated and found all we needed in "Madeleine Albright: Against All Odds," the excellent biography by my former Washington Post colleague Michael Dobbs.







Just before Madeleine's 1959 graduation, Wellesley's school newspaper had run an article headlined: "Marriage or Career?" It ended with a very '50s non-conclusion: "In her daydreams she desires everything: a brilliant marriage, a successful career, intelligent children. Time brings her to the point where she must choose."







Wellesley's 1959 commencement speaker, President Dwight Eisenhower's Secretary of Defense Neil McElroy, decided he had just the perfect answer to inspire the graduating young women, who included his daughter:







"No responsible person in America would suggest that young women curtail that most important of careers  homemaking. Your education here at Wellesley in the liberal arts tradition has given you an ideal preparation to serve as the very heart of a home, for the betterment of your family and of your community. ... You have a duty to foster and multiply the society of educated men and women. This you can do most effectively in your own home, where education really starts."







That was the real world Madeleine was entering in 1959. As her eulogizers highlighted the fact that Madeleine was very much a self-made woman, I found myself thinking: She was even more than that.







Madeleine was a self-remade woman of the mid-20th century.







Few who have come of age in the 21st century can easily grasp just how arduous it was for Madeleine to remake herself in that cruel era. The barriers she had to break were virtually invisible to most of her world. But they were real. And breaking them required fortitude, fiber and determination to defeat their era's conventional non-wisdom.







She succeeded, admirably and even heroically. So did a few others. But frankly, we weren't all so enlightened back then.







My mind's eye keeps seeing a snippet that is embarrassing to tell, but it was part of the path we have traveled. Joe's uncle, Ike's former Ambassador to Cuba Harry Guggenheim, was dying of cancer and decided to sell his controlling shares of Newsday to the Times Mirror newspaper chain. Newsday's journalists wanted their paper to remain independently owned. Joe and I spent evenings at his dining room table, scheming to find a way Joe could buy (see also: save) Newsday.







Snippet: The menfolk are at the table. Madeleine, working on a doctorate in international affairs, puts down her books, goes into the kitchen, reappears with coffee and cookies she serves us  and returns to her books.







We never thought of seeking the leadership of the strong, smart woman who would eventually help save NATO, end war crimes in Kosovo  and warn the world of today's new age of fascism.







The self-remaking of Madeleine Korbel Albright was still a work in progress. We desperately need another rescuer. Soonest.









Martin Schram (

.), an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service, is a veteran Washington journalist, author and TV documentary executive. This article was distributed by Tribune Content Agency.






By John J. Metzler





Many people ask, "What's the U.N. doing to stop the Ukraine war?" That's a fair question given that the conflict has been raging for more than two months creating Europe's most costly conflict and humanitarian crisis since WWII. So where is the U.N. or more specifically the Secretary General Antonio Guterres?



Despite very active diplomacy by France, the United States and the United Kingdom in the Security Council, with countless meetings on the situation in Ukraine, the powerful 15-member council still faces the Russian veto to any draft resolutions. Thus any noteworthy council action before and during the Ukraine conflict has been stillborn in a sense given Moscow's capacity to block any initiatives through its veto power.



The 193 member U.N. General Assembly on the other hand has, as this column has regularly recorded, powerfully condemned Russia's aggression and humanitarian actions in Ukraine on three occasions. The fact remains that a true "global majority" to use the phrase is stunned and sickened by Russia's wanton aggression and they are openly saying so with tough resolutions.



Russia was also booted off the U.N.'s Geneva-based Human Rights Council. Moreover when it comes to humanitarian aid for more than four million Ukrainian refugees and millions more displaced people inside Ukraine, the alphabet soup of U.N. specialized agencies are carrying the overwhelming humanitarian burden; U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, (UNHCR), World Food Program (WFP), and the U.N. Children Agency (UNICEF), to name a few. They are working in tandem with massive American, British and European Union economic assistance.



Indeed the U.N. is doing what it does best; supporting humanitarian lifelines to a beleaguered land and to its fleeing refugees. Food aid has reached 2.3 million people, and plans to help four million by May and six million by June.



But where's U.N. Secretary General? While many credit Antonio Guterres with some very tough statements on the churning conflict, why hasn't he engaged in more direct diplomacy until now?



While behind the scenes diplomacy has traditionally been the hallmark of U.N. mediations the reality remains that the world organization has been increasingly marginalized before and during the Ukraine war. Too much tiptoeing and too little direct diplomatic engagement.



In a searingly poignant missive from more than 200 high ranking former U.N. officials and staffers who call for a proactive peace diplomatic policy initiative to counter as they consider, "The Russian invasion of Ukraine severely undermines the post-world war two global order."



Key past officials such as the American Jeffrey Feltman, U.N. undersecretary-general for political affairs 2012-2018, joined the list beseeching the Secretary General to take decisive diplomatic action.



In the past former U.N. Secretary Generals became involved in peace talks either before or during conflicts. Kofi Annan tried unsuccessfully to mediate on the eve of the Iraq war in 2003.



The group warned, "We are horrified at the alternative, the U.N. becoming increasingly irrelevant and, eventually, succumbing to the fate of its predecessor, the League of Nations."



Thus Antonio Guterres made his recent Mission to Moscow and Kiev. Separated awkwardly and figuratively by a long table in the ornate Kremlin, the Secretary General was given a frosty twenty minute meeting with Vladimir Putin. Guterres pressed to open humanitarian lifelines into Mariupol.



Later when visiting Ukraine Guterres lamented his, "sadness upon seeing the ruins" in the towns of Borodianka, Bucha and Irpin and called for the need for a "thorough investigation." He added that "the war is an absurdity in the twenty-first century. The war is evil."



He also addressed the ghastly humanitarian crisis in the battered city of Mariupol; "Mariupol is a crisis within a crisis. Thousands of civilians need life-saving assistance. Many are elderly, in need of medical care or have limited mobility. They need an escape route out of the apocalypse."



Significantly the Secretary General also blamed the U.N. Security Council for not preventing the war, "The Security Council failed to do everything in its power to prevent and end this war. This is a source of great disappointment, frustration and anger."



Clearly the powerful Council remains hostage to the political dictates of Moscow and Beijing. Thus the impasse on Ukraine and equally in Syria now for over a decade.



During a press conference with Ukraine's besieged President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy, Guterres underscored, "I want the Ukrainian people to know that the world sees you, hears you, and is in awe of your resilience and resolve".



This is 2022 not 1942. Now Stop this war before it morphs over into WWIII !





John J. Metzler (jjmcolumn@earthlink.net) is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of Divided Dynamism The Diplomacy of Separated Nations: Germany, Korea, China.










The Solomon Islands must have run out of red carpet after welcoming senior officials from Australia, the United States and Japan in quick succession.

The Solomon Islands must have run out of red carpet after welcoming senior officials from Australia, the United States and Japan in quick succession.





The South Pacific archipelago might not have anticipated the intense reaction to its recent security agreement with China, especially from the region's traditional powers. But while this accord was not China's first foray into Oceania, a foothold in the Solomons will be a milestone in its long swim across the Pacific.







China has already become the world's largest navy by number of ships, but a dearth of overseas bases constrains its blue water ambitions. Aside from one in Djibouti at the entrance to the Red Sea, which opened in 2017, the country has no other official bases abroad. In contrast, the United States has about 800 bases around the world.







As Beijing is not into formal alliances and permanent bases are controversial, it might seek to address its handicap by securing access agreements with geographically strategic countries. Coastal and island states of the Indo-Pacific are natural targets as they would provide the Chinese navy with ideal locations to set up logistics facilities, replenish supplies and temporarily house crews.







Such arrangements also help foster defense ties with host countries which can translate into arms sales, joint drills or patrols and even clandestine basing rights. From this angle, the China-Solomons security pact represents a breakthrough. However, the attention it drew means its implementation will come under severe scrutiny.







While China established official ties with the Solomon Islands in 2019, the new pact could provide some assurance to Chinese investors and tourists who may now flock to the country. Beijing is likely eager to reward Honiara for dropping its recognition of Taipei.







Turning the Solomons into a development showcase could vindicate Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's contentious gambit. The diplomatic switch exposed domestic cleavages between the central government and Malaita province, with the latter unhappy with the shift.







If Chinese security cooperation and economic largesse bring stability and prosperity to the islands, the message will resonate across the Pacific  not least with Taiwan's remaining diplomatic friends, notably the Marshall Islands, Nauru and Tuvalu. From the Solomons, China can better observe the maritime exercises and activities of rivals and project power across the Pacific.







If Beijing delivers and the archipelago becomes the Cambodia of the Pacific, the impact will not stop there. Other countries such as Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Kiribati  which Beijing has also courted  could also be interested in similar access agreements.







For the Solomon Islands, defiance in the face of pressure shows its resolve in diversifying its security partners. While reassuring Australia that it remains a partner of choice, the country is taking a leap of faith in engaging new partners even amid geopolitical rivalries.







Sogavare might be arguing that the Pacific family is not an exclusivist sphere of influence that precludes a member from seeking new friends to address persistent problems. Poverty, unemployment and lack of infrastructure have long plagued the Solomon Islands. Such instability was displayed in the unrest that rocked the capital Honiara in November.







The recent security agreement could enable the country's police to better deal with domestic disturbances and open doors for China to send a contingent of multinational peacekeeping forces to restore order. But the Solomon Islands' move is as much a signal to resident Pacific powers as it is to newfound partners.







The accord is likely to compel mainstay Pacific players to revisit their development assistance programs and climate change policies while recommitting to a region long regarded as a peripheral backwater.







If the Solomon Islands succeeds in playing off one partner against another to extract the most concessions, others in Oceania might follow suit. There are signs that entertaining Beijing's overtures could be paying off.







Early this year, the U.S. announced plans to reopen its embassy in the Solomon Islands after 29 years. Also, the Millennium Challenge Corporation will administer $20 million worth of projects to support the country's forestry and tourism sectors.






Parental concerns about the delivery of guidance services to Big Foot Union High School students headlined the public comment portion of an April meeting of the Big Foot Board of Education, drawing a socially distanced standing-room-only crowd of parents, students and community members.

Big Foot Union High School currently serves 480 grade 9-12 students from Walworth, Fontana, Sharon and a part of the Town of Linn.

In opening the public comment portion of the April 18 school board meeting, board president Edward Hayden said that while citizens were welcome to make public comment on non-agenda items, no action will be taken by the board at the meeting, although issues raised may become part of a future agenda.

Speaking on behalf of the Big Foot Future Farmers of America (FFA) Alumni, Big Foot FFA Alumni president Seth Loudenbeck, a local agricultural producer, former Big Foot student, and father of a potential Big Foot chief, gave a 7-minute address to the five-member board.

The FFA Alumni has observed many changes in the school in the last few years and one in particular we feel needs to be addressed, Loudenbeck said. We would like to see the board consider and act on the addition of a second guidance counselor and we would highly encourage this person to be a female. We are not here to bring up any incompetencies of the current guidance department, but the fact there is too much work and student need for the current guidance staff to provide the best possible services. We understand that COVID has impacted students far more than many realize and we applaud the addition of a social worker to aid in helping students with the challenges caused by COVID. However, even before COVID, the guidance needs of Big Foot still warranted two actual counselors and that continues today. 

Loudenbeck compared guidance staffing levels at Big Foot to those of neighboring school districts.

Just as the American School Counselor Association recommends one counselor per 250 students, Elkhorn High School has just over 1,000 students and has four counselors and one social worker, or one counselor for every 256 students, he said, Badger High School has 1,300 students and nine counselors and one social worker, or one counselor per 147 students, while Big Foot has one counselor for 488 students with one social worker.

Loudenbeck said the Big Foot FFA Alumni want the return of additional guidance department services.

We would also like to see parent-student-counselor individual meetings that used to occur be reinstated for the freshman and junior classes, along with bringing back the school-held job fairs and having time to get into classes to see what is taught to best help students with course selection, he noted. With only one person serving in the counselor position, there are just not enough hours in the day for these valuable conversations, yet these communications can only be positive for public relations.

Loudenbeck said addressing the concerns would be helpful for the Big Foot School District in attracting families and students to the union high school.

We can provide a product that families will still want to choice their children to if we go back to the philosophy of Small School, Big Opportunities, he said That was the focus of Big Foot high School when I went to school there, Big Foot offered a small school vibe but with all the bells and whistles and students thrived. We need to bring that back as a priority, because first and foremost this is an educational institution with our coursework and academic services needing to lead the way. A great place to start this rejuvenation is the guidance department.

Loudenbeck offered the board what he saw as several options for covering the salary and benefit costs of a second guidance counselor, noting cost could be shifted from having to pay the current for working overload, and enhanced guidance services might attract more students to attend Big Foot, with enrollment increases leading to more state funding for the district.

Loudenbeck said the addition of a second guidance counselor at Big Foot would bring many benefits for its students.

A second counselor will help us not have as many seniors find out second semester that they dont have enough credits to graduate and an alternate plan needs to be made with APED classes and less-than-ideal learning options, because more guidance time spent on conferences and student contact can catch credit shortages sooner, he explained. A second counselor will offer more opportunity for students to get scheduling and assistance for the required career portfolio for graduation. A second counselor will give students more than one door available to them when they need them  Again, there is too much work for one counselor when the social worker is dealing with mental health issues and connecting those families to county resources and services. So it can be deducted that currently some of the duties have already been moved to the plate of others since our last guidance counselor was not replaced. If these plates belong to teachers, wouldnt it be better for that not to happen so teachers can focus on teaching, which also might help with our schools high teacher turnover ratio.

Beyond the expressed parental concerns, Loudenbeck encouraged school board members to seek student input.

If our thoughts tonight have not convinced you, we highly encourage you to ask the students, he said. Have an independent source survey the students and ask them if the guidance staff has enough time in their day to meet their needs or at least identify problem areas to be addressed.

Closing out his extended public comment time, Loudenbeck reiterated the concerns shared and asked that the issue be addressed.

The FFA Alumni is requesting you, the school board, to hire a second guidance counselor and the position be filled with a female so students of both genders can seek assistance from the gender that is most comfortable for them, he said. Why? One, because the students need it. Two, families deserve it. Three, teachers believe in it. And four, the community supports it. In other words, we implore you to consider our requests and we encourage you to hold a special meeting to speed up the process so that the best candidates that remain can be in consideration. We know your position on the board is not without challenge and your service is rarely recognized, but we do know that you wouldnt be here if you didnt care about the students. So please, show that care by initiating action on his issue.

Loudenbecks presentation drew widespread applause from meeting attendees.

In a follow-up interview, Big Foot District Administrator Doug Parker said the high schools second guidance counselor position was eliminated in the 2018-2019 school year as the district embraced a different model for service delivery to students.

We wanted to be able to have support for kids year-round, he noted. We knew that we had declining enrollment. What we did, because of other staffing considerations, was we redistributed duties. Most counselors will do things like scholarships, career and technical education, youth apprenticeships, master schedule, work experience, stuff like that. Our counselor doesnt do any of that. All he does is academic counseling and then working with kids.

While one of the schools guidance positions was eliminated, Parker said services to students were expanded.

Our current school counselor (Anthony A.J. Paul) got put onto a year-round contract, he recalled. The two counselors were working on nine month contracts and now we have one counselor working on a year-round contract. He meets with seniors and their families in the summertime and hes also around in the summer to meet kids needs, both academically and for mental health, basically, which has been invaluable during the pandemic, absolutely invaluable.

Additionally, Parker said Big Foot also now has a school social worker, Kayla Guenveur, a position that the district has never had before. Previously, Parker said Big Foot was served by intern female counselors for each of the previous two school years.

We decided to go with a school social worker because of a grant that our school counselor, A.J. Paul, wrote that helps us fund the school social worker position, Parker said.

He noted that the district has also layered in a variety of outside support resources for students.

We also increased the the number of outside resources that we have, he explained. We have three counselors/therapists from Credence Therapy that are available for kids, we have an advisor from Gateway and an advisor from the UW System that come to help kids with academic counseling.

Responding to Loudenbecks calls for more female representation, Parker said the three outside counselors/therapist and two outside advisors are all women, in addition to in-house Big Foot counselor Guenveur.

Im not quite sure what more they want, Parker said.

With the current model now in place for four years, Parker said he was surprised by Loudenbecks calls for the school board to consider and act on his request for adding a second guidance counselor, preferably female.

Weve have this model since the 2018-19 school year and had absolutely zero complaints up until this time, Parker said, declining further comment on Loundenbecks request.

Concerns raised over staff turnover

Also addressing the Big Foot School Board on April 18 was Big Foot district parent and Linn Joint 6 School District (Reek School) board vice president Amy Langelund, who expressed concerns about staff turnover at Big Foot Union High School.

Teacher retention is a big concern of mine, she said. One of the reasons we chose Big Foot was for the relationships that our kids can build with their teachers. You are approving resignations tonight, you approved resignations last month. Last year you approved the resignation of two very strong math teachers. Its a concern because you come here to build relationships and then teachers arent staying. Why is that? As a Reek School Board member, one of the things that we really pride ourselves on is making it a really great climate for our teachers to stay, and that helps build in those students for school choice. And thats something that we need here for our students and for the communityfor our teachers to stay. I know you just received a $5,000 school climate grantcould that help in supporting the teachers, to help given them some incentive to stay? And when teachers resign, are you doing exit interviews and what is the reason that theyre leaving, to try to get them to stay.

Langelunds comments drew applause from the gathered crowd of district parents, students and community members.

In a follow-up interview Parker called staff turnover a situation facing not just Big Foot, but schools across Wisconsin and the nation.

Every school has staff turnover, Parker noted in response to Langelunds comments, saying Reek School has seen some turnover as well. It is what it is.

In Wisconsin, Parker said Act 10 legislation, enacted in 2011, is driving heightened levels of turnover statewide.

Act 10 created a market for teachers to shop for higher salaries, and when retirement benefits got taken away during Act 10 it gives less reason to stay in one place and so its the nature of the beast right now, unfortunately, he explained. Its not just Big Foot. Its everywhere.

Parker said the March 2020 arrival of the global COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. has also had an impact.

Coming out of COVID, there are a lot of teachers who are just leaving the industry and going to the private sector, he noted. If you Google it, you see a lot of articles about it. And its not just teachers, but administrators and support staff as well.

Input welcomed

As the April 18 school board meeting wrapped up, board member Kim Arntz said he was heartened by the large turnout for the school board meeting.

Id like to thank everybody for coming, he said. This makes me feel good. A lot of times theres nobody, which is okay sometimes, but this is a really good thing. Im glad to see the community involved. Thats a very good thing for any school. Its very good to see you involved. Thank you.

In response to a question posed by a meeting attendee after the school board meeting had closed, Hayden elaborated on where the issues raised in public comment stood.

If the board chooses to ask for that to be put on the agenda, then it will be on a future agenda, Hayden said. It may or it may not. I cannot say. Im just not in a position to say at this point What I can say is I have not heard any topic tonight that the board has not discussed, so its not like were in a state of shock and saying, What? Decisions are made and we often revisit decisions over time.

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Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 4 (ANI): Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday called upon the Rajasthan government to maintain communal harmony in the state in the wake of violence over the past two months between groups.

"State government should ensure that no one can play with the sentiments of others, and all efforts be made to ensure communal harmony. In the last two months, there have been instances of communal clashes in Rajasthan, and necessary steps should be taken for peace," Thakur told ANI.

Also Read | Eid-Ul-Fitr 2022: Muslims, Hindus Celebrate Eid Together in Delhis Jahangirpuri.

The minister's remarks came following the Jodhpur and Karauli violence that erupted in Rajasthan over the past two months.

The clashes started on Monday night between two communities over hoisting different flags at Balmukand Bissa at the Jalori Gate intersection circle in Jodhpur, resulting in stone-pelting after Eid prayers. Police resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the mob.

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A total of 97 people have been arrested in connection with the stone-pelting incidents in Jodhpur.

As a precautionary measure, the Jodhpur district administration suspended all mobile internet services in the area till further notice along with the imposition of curfew from 1 pm on Tuesday to May 4 midnight, according to an official order.

While in Karauli, violence broke out after the stone-pelting incident took place at a religious procession in April this year. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bhopal/Khargone, May 4 (PTI) The administration in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone lifted the curfew with immediate effect on Wednesday evening, 24 days after it was imposed following violence during a Ram Navami procession on April 10, an official said.

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The prohibitory orders and all other restrictions were also removed, he said.

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"The administration on Wednesday convened a peace committee meeting, which was attended by the representatives of all the communities. It was decided with consent of all that the prohibitory orders issued on April 10 should be withdrawn immediately," Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Milind Dhoke told reporters after the meeting.

"The prohibitory orders under CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) 144 have ended from today itself. All the restrictions and curfew have been withdrawn. The situation that prevailed before April 10 has been restored," he said.

Earlier in the day, the administration had announced to relax the curfew for 11 hours - from 6 am to 5 pm.

On Tuesday, the curfew was in place for 24 hours and citizens were asked to celebrate Eid-al-Fitr and Akshaya Tritiya festivals at home.

Curfew was clamped in Khargone after the violence on April 10, during which shops and houses were damaged, vehicles torched and stones hurled.

Since April 14, the local administration has been relaxing the curfew for some hours.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Jodhpur, May 4 (PTI) As many as 97 people have been arrested so far in connection with communal clashes over hoisting of a flag before Eid in Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's constituency Jodhpur where curfew continued in 10 police station areas for the second consecutive day on Wednesday.

The situation is under control and no fresh incident of violence has been reported, police said.

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Nearly 1000 policemen have been deployed to maintain law and order.

The Jodhpur deputy commissioner of police had issued orders imposing a curfew besides suspending mobile internet services

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Gehlot, who on Tuesday appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony, has sent two ministers Rajendra Yadav and Subhash Garg, ACS home Abhay Kumar and ADG Law and Order Hawa Singh Ghumaria to Jodhpur.

Tensions broke out past Monday midnight over putting up of Islamic flags on the Jalori gate circle here, which led to stone pelting in which five policemen were injured.

The situation was brought under control in the early hours on Tuesday with heavy deployment of police but tensions escalated again in the morning after prayers at an Eidgah.

Shops, vehicles and houses were pelted with stones near the Jalori gate area.

Members of a minority community were installing Eid flags and they put up a flag on a roundabout alongside the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa. This led to a confrontation as members belonging to another community alleged that a saffron flag, which they had put up there ahead of Parshuram Jayanti, had gone missing.

The issue led to stone pelting and clashes, officials said.

Police had to lob tear gas shells to disperse the mob.

The clashes triggered a war of words between Gehlot and the BJP.

Talking to news channels, Gehlot had charged that it was the agenda of the BJP to defame him.

"It is their job to incite Hindu-Muslim riots. How long can you do politics in the name of polarisation? This country belongs to all religions, all castes and PM Narendra Modi and central government also have to understand this, he said.

The BJP, on its part, targeted the state government over law and order.

Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat claimed that police are working under pressure.

Shekhawat threatened that he, along with other party leaders, will sit on a dharna at the Jalori gate circle if the rioters are not arrested.

"One man was stabbed and is struggling for life in hospital. The miscreants also insulted women and broke the leg of a minor girl. They also tried to damage a temple in the Sunaro Ka Baas area," he alleged.

BJP state president Satish Poonia said, "Putting up an Islamic flag on the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa by anti-social elements and removing saffron flags put up on Parshuram Jayanti is condemnable."

He appealed to the people to maintain peace and demanded that the state government establish the "rule of law".

"A saffron flag was replaced with an Islamic flag at the statue of Bissaji last night and sabotage happened. It is proven from the incident of Karauli that such incidents are happening under the patronage of the state government," Poonia said in a video statement. PTI SDA

(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, May 4 (PTI) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's office on Wednesday said a fake WhatsApp account was created in his name and the matter has been reported to authorities concerned.

"Some miscreants have created fake account in my name with profile photo and sending messages to MPs and others from nos. 7862092008, 9480918183 9439073870. Matter has been reported to authorities concerned. Plz ignore calls/messages from these & other numbers & inform my office," the Speaker tweeted.

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The Odisha Police has arrested three people in the state for their alleged links with cyber criminals who created the fake WhatsApp identity of the Lok Sabha Speaker.

The trio had sold pre-activated SIM cards to the gang and one of it was used to create the fake WhatsApp account by using Birla's picture available in public domain, parliamentary sources aware of the development had said.

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Last month, a person impersonating as Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu had sent messages to people, including VIPs, seeking financial help. His office had then alerted the Ministry of Home Affairs.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bhopal/Seoni, May 4: Police have arrested nine persons in connection with the death of two tribal men who were allegedly assaulted by a group of people over suspicion of cow slaughter in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni district, an official said on Wednesday.

The two tribal men died on Tuesday morning after some people, allegedly belonging to the Bajrang Dal, beat them up over suspicion of cow slaughter in Simaria village under Kurai police station limits.

After the incident, a group led by opposition Congress legislator Arjun Singh Kakodia staged a six-hour-long protest on the Jabalpur-Nagpur highway on Tuesday, demanding job and financial assistance for the kin of the deceased. Madhya Pradesh Shocker: Two Tribals Lynched to Death, One Injured on Suspicion of Cow Smuggling in Seoni.

They ended the protest after an assurance from the district administration.

Local MP and Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste said it is yet not clear whether the accused belonged to any organisation. The dispute started over the meat (of cow) and it would not be correct as of now to say that any organisation is involved in the incident, Kulaste told reporters on Tuesday night in Seoni.

He said action will be taken on the basis of an inquiry and nobody, irrespective of their association, will be spared. According to an FIR registered following a complaint by Brajesh Batti, who was injured in the incident, a group of 15-20 people allegedly hit Sampatlal Batti, a resident of Sagar village, and Simaria resident Dhansay Inwati with sticks accusing them of cow slaughter between 2.30 am and 3 am on Tuesday.

When Brajesh Batti arrived at the spot, he too was assaulted. Inwati and Sampatlal Batti died around 6 am on Tuesday during treatment in the hospital, the complainant said. Following the incident, police arrested Sher Singh Rathore (28), Ajay Sahu (27), Vedant Chouhan (18), Deepak Avadhia (38), Basant Raghuvanshi (32) and Raghunandan Raghuvanshi (20), all of whom have been named in the FIR, the police said in a press release.

Three suspects - Anshul Chourasia (22), Shivraj Raghuvanshi (23) and Rinku Pal (30) - were also arrested, the police said, adding that hunt was on for others involved in the incident. Meanwhile, the district administration in an official release said a financial assistance worth Rs 8.25 lakh has been approved for the kin of each of the deceased.

Also, Sampatlal Batti's daughter Sunita Batti has been appointed as a daily wage employee at a tribal girls' hostel in Barelipar village, and Dhansay Inwati's son Jaiprakash has been appointed as a daily wager at a higher secondary school in Vijaypani village, the release said.

Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath has constituted a committee of three-party legislators - Omkar Singh, Dr Ashok Marskole and Narayan Patta, all belonging to tribal community, to look into the incident, Nath's media coordinator and state Congress spokesman Narendra Saluja said. State BJP president VD Sharma termed the incident as "inhuman" and assured that his party government in the state will not spare any of the culprits.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bhopal/Khargone, May 4 (PTI) The Khargone administration has relaxed the curfew for 11 hours on Wednesday and allowed petrol pumps to open for the first time since violence took place in the Madhya Pradesh city during a Ram Navami procession on April 10, an official said.

Also Read | Loudspeaker Row: Raj Thackeray's Deadline Ends, Heavy Security Deployed in Mumbai, Neighbouring Areas.

Earlier, on Tuesday, there curfew was in place for 24 hours and citizens were asked to celebrate the Eid-al-Fitr and Akshaya Tritiya festivals at home.

Also Read | LIC Mega IPO Opens for Subscription; to Close on May 9.

However, the administration decided to relax the curfew from 6 am to 5 pm on Wednesday.

Petrol pumps can also be opened, but religious places will remain closed, Khargone's Sub-Divisional Magistrate Milind Dhoke told reporters on Tuesday night.

Passenger buses will be allowed to operate during curfew relaxation, he said.

On Tuesday, the festivities were low-key in Khargone as people remained indoors.

Curfew was clamped in Khargone after the violence on April 10, during which shops and houses were damaged, vehicles torched and stones hurled.

Since April 14, the local administration has been relaxing the curfew for some hours.

During the curfew relaxation period, shops selling milk, vegetables, medicines, and barber's shops among others, are allowed to remain open.

(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, May 3 (PTI) Two persons were injured after two men opened fire in northeast Delhi's Bhajanpura area on Wednesday, police said.

Information about the incident was received around 6:10 pm, according to police.

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Vishal and Gaurav suffered bullet injuries in the incident, a senior police officer said.

One of the suspects has been identified as Manish Dedha and it seems he had some personal enmity with Vishal, police said.

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Gaurav, whose wife is in the police, was injured when he was going home with her, they said.

While Gaurav has been discharged, Vishal is still under observation, police said.

They said that it seems the enmity between Dedha and Vishal was over a love affair. In the past, Vishal had too fired on Dedha and he faces the attempt to murder charge, police said.

Dedha has been previously involved in two criminal cases, they said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Colombo [Sri Lanka], May 4 (ANI): Amid the ongoing economic crisis, the underway Sri Lankan parliamentary session stands crucial as the two no-confidence motions against the President and the government by the opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) are likely to be taken up.

This comes at a time when Sri Lanka's main opposition party SJB on Tuesday handed over two no-confidence motions against the government and the President to the Speaker.

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Sajith Premadasa, the leader of Opposition, and Samagi Jana Balawegaya, handed over the two no-confidence motions to the Speaker at his official residence, reported Colombo Page.

"It will now become clear who is betraying the demands of the people," the Opposition leader said.

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As the ongoing economic crisis continues to fuel unrest in the Island country, the protests at 'Galle Face' in Colombo in front of the Presidential Secretariat continued for the 24th day on Monday even as the government faces the prospect of a no-confidence motion in the upcoming parliamentary session.

A large number of people from various parts of the island were present at the protest today as well demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Colombo Page reported.

The protests are being attended by religious leaders, youth, civil activists, artists, university students, journalists, disabled war heroes, trade union representatives, scholars and people from all walks of life from various parts of the country, the report added.

The protestors have also set up supporting facilities including libraries, first aid units and media units at the site.

Meanwhile, the protesters have launched a Public Campaign requesting the public to ask the parliamentarians to vote for the no-confidence motion against the government and impeachment motion against the President by posting the following message on their social media profiles and posting with #GotaGoHome2022 #GoHomeRajapaksas, the report further said.

Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices and power cuts affecting a large number of the people, resulting in massive protests over the government's handling of the situation.

The recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a fall in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as reckless economic policies, like the government's move last year to ban chemical fertilizers in a bid to make Sri Lanka's agriculture "100 per cent organic".Due to an acute shortage of Foreign exchange, Sri Lanka recently defaulted on the entirety of its foreign debt amounting to about USD 51 billion.

The economic situation has led to huge protests with demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kabul [Afghanistan], May 4 (ANI): Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai on Wednesday met Dmitry Zhirnov, Russia's ambassador to Afghanistan and discussed further strengthening ties between both countries.

Karzai said that both of them discussed the current situation and the need to strengthen bilateral ties, TOLOnews reported.

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The meeting comes amid the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities.

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Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations in Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Moscow. These countries have also promised to help Ukraine with military aid to fight Russia.

Earlier, Hamid Karzai had raised concerns over the closure of schools for girls, above grade 6, by the Taliban regime, stating that the people of Afghanistan want their girls to return to schools.

"There is no way... that the country can live without our girls going to school. It can't be. The Afghan people will not allow that and I am sure the schools for girls will reopen because that is what the Afghan people want and want clearly," Karzai said as cited by Tolo News.

The Taliban has received constant backlash from other countries as well owing to its decision to shut schools for girls from grades 7 to 12 and it has been several months since Afghan girls have been barred from going to school.

Several Afghan clerics, notable politicians and members of the civil society have urged the Taliban to consider the reopening of schools for the female students and grant them access to education, reported Tolo News.

Meanwhile, the situation of human rights in Afghanistan has also worsened since the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's return to power in August last year.

Although the fighting in the country has ended, serious human rights violations continue unabated. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
United Nations, May 4 (PTI) Amid communal tensions in Jodhpur ahead of Eid, a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said it is hoped that various communities will work together and the Indian government and security forces will ensure that everyone can go about their activities, including celebrations of the festival, peacefully.

Communal tensions gripped Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's hometown Jodhpur hours before Eid on Tuesday, prompting the authorities to suspend mobile internet services and impose a curfew in 10 police stations areas of the city.

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I think the basic point is our hope that the various communities will work together and that the government and the security forces will ensure that everyone can go about their activities, including their celebratory activities, peacefully, Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said on Tuesday.

Haq was responding to a question on whether the Secretary-General has a response to incidents of violence in Jodhpur coinciding with the festival of Eid.

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Rajasthan Chief Minister Gehlot on Tuesday described communal tensions in Jodhpur as unfortunate and directed officials to take stern action against those responsible for it.

The tension broke out past midnight over the issue of putting up Islamic flags on the Jalori gate circle, which led to stone pelting in which five policemen were injured, the police control room said. The chief minister said instructions had been issued to the administration to maintain peace and order.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Phoenix, May 4 (AP) A judge has ruled that an Arizona prisoner convicted in the 1978 killing of a university student is mentally fit to be put to death next week, keeping on track what would be the first execution in the state in nearly eight years.

In a ruling signed shortly before midnight Tuesday and released on Wednesday, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Robert Olson rejected an argument from defense lawyers that Clarence Dixon's psychological problems prevent him from rationally understanding why the state wants to end his life.

Also Read | World Press Freedom Index: Shehbaz Sharif Slams Imran Khan After Media Watchdog Downgrades Pakistan.

Dixon was convicted of murder in the killing of 21-year-old Arizona State University student Deana Bowdoin.

Lawyers for Dixon said they will appeal the ruling to the Arizona Supreme Court.

Also Read | Pakistan Drops Further on World Press Freedom Index, Down to 157th Position.

Dixon's lawyers argued Tuesday in a court in Florence, Arizona, that executing him would violate protections against executing people who are mentally unfit.

They said he erroneously believes he will be executed because police at Northern Arizona University wrongfully arrested him in a previous case  a 1985 attack on a 21-year-old student. His attorneys concede he was in fact lawfully arrested at the time by Flagstaff police.

Dixon was sentenced to life sentences in that case for sexual assault and other convictions. DNA samples taken while he was in prison later linked him to Bowdoin's killing, which at that point had been unsolved.

Prosecutors, who tried unsuccessfully to get the Arizona Supreme Court to call off the mental competency hearing, said there was nothing about Dixon's beliefs that prevented him from understanding the reason for the execution and pointed to court filings that Dixon himself made over the years.

Defense lawyers said Dixon has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia on multiple occasions, has regularly experienced hallucinations over the past 30 years and was found not guilty by reason of insanity in a 1977 assault case in which the verdict was delivered by then-Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sandra Day O'Connor, nearly four years before her appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Bowdoin was killed two days after the verdict, according to court records.

Authorities have said Bowdoin, who was found dead in her apartment, had been raped, stabbed and strangled. Dixon had been charged with raping Bowdoin, but the charge was later dropped on statute-of-limitation grounds. He was convicted, though, in her death.

In addition to contesting his mental fitness, Dixon's lawyers made a new attempt on Tuesday to stop his execution.

They filed a lawsuit asking a federal judge to hold off on putting Dixon to death until corrections officials show that the compounded pentobarbital to be used in the execution has been given an expiration date.

About a year ago, prosecutors took steps to seek the executions of Dixon and another death-row prisoner, but the litigation was put on hold by the state Supreme Court because of concerns over the expiration date of the drug to be used in the lethal injections.

In the new lawsuit, Dixon's lawyers said corrections officials gave them heavily redacted records documenting the testing of the drug, but that they didn't provide the assigned expiration date.

The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry declined to comment on the lawsuit.

On Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court also issued a warrant setting a June 8 execution date for another death-row prisoner, Frank Atwood, in the killing of 8-year-old Vicki Lynn Hoskinson in 1984. Authorities say Atwood kidnapped the girl, whose body was found in the desert northwest of Tucson.

The last time Arizona used the death penalty was in July 2014, when Joseph Wood was given 15 doses of a two-drug combination over two hours in an execution that his lawyers said was botched.

States including Arizona have struggled to buy execution drugs in recent years after U.S. and European pharmaceutical companies began blocking the use of their products in lethal injections.

Arizona has 113 prisoners on death row. (AP)

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Beijing [China], May 4 (ANI): Minorities like Kazakhs, Tajiks, and Uyghurs inside China's detention camps are constantly subjected to violence and constantly monitored.

According to Just Earth News, Ovalbek Turdakun was held captive as a prisoner in one of China's renowned detention facilities for ten months in 2018. He was tortured, subjected to awful circumstances, and constantly monitored.

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Turdakun was not allowed to speak in a makeshift courtroom within the detention camp where he was being kept and was forced to sign paperwork he had no time to read.

Turdakun is a Chinese resident and a Kyrgyz, one of a few ethnic gatherings - including Kazakhs, Tajiks, and Uyghurs - who has been accused of fake, while possibly not altogether bogus, charges and kept in large confinement camps across Xinjiang, an area in northwest China where most of the ethnic gatherings reside, reported Just Earth News.

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Turdakun is an example of the rare group of persons with direct information within China's detainment camps, including private information on how the Chinese government utilizes innovation, observation, and facial recognition to persecute several Xinjiang inhabitants, which the U.S. officials will involve to investigate human right violations in China and the Chinese organizations that supply reconnaissance innovation to the camps.

Turdakun revealed the conditions of his confinement, severe interrogations, and forced medical treatments in a series of video interviews filmed by Conor Healy, government director at video surveillance news site IPVM before he arrived in the United States.

According to UN watchdogs, China is suspected to have imprisoned at least a million of its own people in detention camps in recent years, but the total is likely to be higher.

Despite Beijing's continuous denial of human rights violations, China's treatment of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities has been labelled "genocide" by the Biden administration.

Turdakun can only share this story because he and his family were granted advanced parole, a temporary legal status that allows them to enter the United States after congressional members pushed on their behalf.

Turdakun recounted the cells where he would be imprisoned alongside two dozen other detainees for months in an interview with TechCrunch, claiming the cameras, all emblazoned with Hikvision logos, were "always on and watching," reported Just Earth News.

If someone spoke in front of the cameras, a loud voice would urge them not to.

He described how the detainees would be forced to spend hours in silence by the cameras and that they would have little other human contacts outside of their cells for long periods; the door would frequently remain shut for long periods, and food would be pushed through an opening in the entryway.

Turdakun was freed in November 2018 under conditions equivalent to home arrest, with a GPS tracker on his wrist that could only be opened with a unique key. Although he was permitted to leave his home and go around his little city, he said that the authorities constantly harassed him.

Turdakun's claim is consistent with previous, if uncommon, accounts from survivors of Xinjiang detention facilities, which TechCrunch could not independently corroborate. Turdakun displayed a diagram detailing the structure of the detention camp during the interview, which corresponded to satellite photos of the camp where he was detained.

Human rights advocates think the former detainee's testimony will be crucial to the case instituted at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, reported Just Earth News. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Copenhagen [Denmark], May 4 (ANI): Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said on Wednesday that Nordic countries and India have different starting points and perspectives on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Store said this in a statement after holding bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the second India Nordic Summit.

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This was the first meeting between the two leaders since the assumption of office by Prime Minister Store in October 2021.

"India is an emerging power and its economy is set to grow rapidly in the time ahead. In today's meeting, we discussed cooperation in areas such as ocean management, climate action and renewable energy, and we agreed to establish a joint task force on energy," Store said in a press statement.

Also Read | Pakistan Drops Further on World Press Freedom Index, Down to 157th Position.

Norwegian Prime Minister said that Nordic countries reiterated their strong condemnation of "Russia's war against Ukraine" and emphasised that the war is not just a European concern.

"However, the Nordic countries and India clearly have different starting points and perspectives," he said.

Underlining the importance of the Ukraine issue, Store said it was important to discuss the situation in depth. "My Indian counterpart listened carefully to our views and it was evident that he understood why we are reacting so strongly to Russia's actions in Ukraine."

In a joint statement of the 2nd India-Nordic Summit, the Nordic Prime Ministers had strongly condemned the "unlawful and unprovoked aggression" against Ukraine by Russian Forces.

According to the statement, the Prime Ministers expressed their serious concern about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

"They unequivocally condemned civilian deaths in Ukraine. They reiterated the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities," it added.

They discussed the destabilizing effect of the conflict in Ukraine and its broader regional and global implications. Both sides agreed to remain closely engaged on the issue.

Moreover, the Prime Ministers affirmed their strong commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Dakar, May 4 (AP) Russian mercenaries allegedly executed, tortured and beat civilians in Central African Republic since 2019, according to a report released this week from Human Rights Watch.

Russian-speaking men carrying military-grade weapons and wearing military gear with no official markings set up a roadblock near the town of Bossangoa in July 2021, stopped men to beat them and shot at least eight dead, according to witnesses who spoke to Human Rights Watch.

Also Read | World Press Freedom Index: Shehbaz Sharif Slams Imran Khan After Media Watchdog Downgrades Pakistan.

The organisation interviewed at least 40 people in person or by phone over a period of more than two years to document abuses likely carried out by mercenaries with the Russian-linked Wagner group. Another incident described by witnesses involved Russian-linked forces detaining and torturing people in Bambari in 2019.

The accusations by the international rights group come after United Nations experts in October called on Central African Republic's government to end all relationships with private military and security personnel, particularly the Wagner Group, whose members they said have violently harassed and intimidated civilians, peacekeepers, journalists, aid workers and minorities and have committed rape and sexual violence against women, men and young girls.

Also Read | Pakistan Drops Further on World Press Freedom Index, Down to 157th Position.

France and the United States also accused Wagner mercenaries of massacres and executions of civilians in January.

The Wagner Group, which portrays itself as a private military contractor, sends mercenary forces  many former Russian soldiers  to several African countries and other places including Ukraine and the Mideast. Although the Kremlin officially denies any connection to Wagner, the group is strategically used to further President Vladimir Putin's ambitions to increase Russia's influence and undermine democracy, analysts say.

Human Rights Watch called on the government of Central African Republic, the country's Special Criminal Court or the International Criminal Court to investigate incidents in its report and other allegations of abuse by Russian-linked forces there.

The Central African government has every right to request international security assistance, but it can't allow foreign forces to kill and otherwise abuse civilians with impunity, said Ida Sawyer, crisis and conflict director at Human Rights Watch.

To demonstrate its respect for the rule of law, and to put an end to these abuses, the government should immediately investigate and prosecute all forces, including Russia-linked forces, responsible for murder, unlawful detention, and torture.

The rights group says it has requested information from the government on inquiries into violence and any agreements with Russia, but has received no reply.

The Central African Republic government in 2021 did acknowledge the serious violation of human rights by Russians, which forced Vladimir Titorenko to leave his post as Russian ambassador to the country. It also said it would set up a special commission of inquiry to establish responsibility, but no findings have been published.

Russian security has helped protect President Faustin-Archange Touadera for years, with Russia's former member of internal security services Valery Zakharov serving as an adviser in Bangui, the capital, on military, political and economic matters. While the government denies hiring mercenaries from Wagner, Zakharov is a key figure in Wagner's command structure, according to European Union documents.

Experts estimate there are between 1,000 and 2,000 personnel in Central African Republic.

The country's ties to the Russian group have also begun to affect its financial contributions.

Central African Republic Budget Minister Herve Ndoba said Tuesday after a visit to Washington that the country should not expect contributions from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

The future seems uncertain for our finances and the national economy, he said.

The two institutions want assurances that their money will not be used to finance the Russian paramilitary group. Last year, France cut its aid to the country because of an anti-French agenda it said was being guided by Russians there. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Prime Minister @narendramodis meeting with Prime Minister of Sweden



This was the first meeting between the two leaders



Read here: https://t.co/qqU31Kvt6f PIB India (@PIB_India) May 4, 2022

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Karachi, May 4: Pakistan has dropped further on the list of countries in terms of protection of journalists in a report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), media reports said. According to the RSF report, Pakistan has fallen by 12 places to 157 out of 180 countries. Last year, Pakistan was ranked 145th on the list, Geo News reported.

Expressing his concern on the worsening situation, the President of Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), Kazim Khan, said that one can disagree with the editorial policy, but no one can impose their decision on an institution.

Fazil Jamili, President of Karachi Press Club, said that freedom of expression will be protected by putting personal interests above everything, Geo News reported. World Press Freedom Day is celebrated every year on May 3 to highlight the fundamental principles of press freedom and present the current state of journalism to the world. Imran Khan Calls Out Joe Biden's Administration for Regime Change 'Conspiracy' in Pakistan.

The day is also celebrated to show solidarity and pay tribute to the journalists who were killed, injured or affected while performing their duties. The 2022 edition of the World Press Freedom Index, which assesses the state of journalism in 180 countries and territories, highlights the disastrous effects of news and information chaos -- the effects of a globalised and unregulated online information space that encourages fake news and propaganda, RSF said.

Within democratic societies, divisions are growing as a result of the spread of opinion media following the "Fox News model" and the spread of disinformation circuits that are amplified by the way social media functions.

At the international level, democracies are being weakened by the asymmetry between open societies and despotic regimes that control their media and online platforms while waging propaganda wars against democracies. Polarisation on these two levels is fuelling increased tension.

The invasion of Ukraine (106th) by Russia (155th) at the end of February reflects this process, as the physical conflict was preceded by a propaganda war.

China (175th), one of the world's most repressive autocratic regimes, uses its legislative arsenal to confine its population and cut it off from the rest of the world, especially the population of Hong Kong (148th), which has plummeted in the Index.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 04, 2022 06:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
The new COVID-19 variants, which are known to be highly transmissible and immune-evading, have already entered the United States. Experts have confirmed the presence of the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub-variants among the new COVID-19 cases in the U.S.

Andy Pekosz, a virologist from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Fortune last week that the BA.4 has been identified in samples from the U.S. States. Pekosz added that the variant is "clearly circulating" in the U.S., but the virologist noted that the spread of the various remains not clear.

Multiple COVID-19 researchers with access to GISAID also noted that the earliest sample of BA.4 in the United States was collected on March 30, while the earliest sample of BA.5 in the country was collected on March 29, Yahoo! Finance reported, citing a separate report from Fortune.

GISAID is an international research database that tracks changes in COVID and the flu virus.

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COVID-19 California, Other States Now Include New Omicron Subvariant

On Monday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided a list of states that have recorded cases of the COVID-19 BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariant.

The locations were reportedly widespread, stretching from West Coast to East Coast states.

The CDC reported at least 13 cases of BA.4 variant from at least nine states. California, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Pennsylvania recorded two cases, while the District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and Texas have one case each.

Meanwhile, there are at least seven cases of BA.5 variant from six states: one each from California, Illinois, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Missouri. Meanwhile, North Carolina has two cases.

A CDC spokesperson explained that the probable positives represented less than 0.1 percent of circulating virus samples collected the week ending April 16.

"The dispersion tells us they're already present across the U.S. and we just haven't detected it yet in any states that haven't been named," Dr. Phoebe Lostroh, a Harvard-trained microbiology professor at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado, said.

Alex Sigal, a professor from the Africa Health Research Institute in South Africa, told Fortune on Sunday that it is still unsure if the new subvariants will take hold in the United States as they have in South Africa.

COVID-19 Variants BA.4 and BA.5

The BA.4 variant was first identified on January 10 in cases sequenced in South Africa, Deadline reported, citing Outbreak.info.

Meanwhile, BA.5 was first detected also in South Africa on February 26.

According to reports, the new COVID-19 variants appear to be more infectious than BA.2 or Stealth Omicron. It can be recalled that BA.2 variant is more contagious than the original Omicron variant.

South African COVID Expert Tulio de Oliveira told Bloomberg on Thursday that the new sub-variants of Omicron have mutations in the lineages that allow the virus to evade immunity.

"We expect that it can cause reinfections and it can break through some vaccines, because that's the only way something can grow in South Africa, where we estimate that more than 90% of the population has a level of immune protection," Oliveira noted.

Sigal mentioned that the COVID-19 new variants have the same symptoms as the regular Omicron, including fever, loss of smell, and malaise. The Africa Health Research Institute Professor also added that he has not seen symptoms of respiratory distress, which is a COVID-specific symptom that makes the disease dangerous.

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Omicron Subvariant Fuels COVID-19 Surge Across US | WNT - From ABC News
At least two wildfires have combined in New Mexico on Tuesday, prompting thousands of people to flee from their homes as the blaze continues to char the lands of the state.

According to CNN, the Calf Canyon Fire and Hermits Peak Fire combined on Tuesday, placing much of the state under the expectations of being in a critical fire threat.

Calf Canyon Fire started on April 19, while the Hermits Peak Fire started on April 6. The cause of the Calf Canyon Fire is still under investigation. On the other hand, details regarding the Hermits Peak Fire were unclear.

The combined blaze has burned more than 145,000 acres of land by Tuesday and is just 20 percent contained as of writing, according to Inciweb. More than 1,000 fire personnel were dispatched to battle the blaze.

Calf Canyon Fire is currently considered the largest burning blaze in the United States, Al Jazeera reported. New Mexico Authorities noted that the Calf Canyon Fire was located a couple of miles from San Miguel County's Las Vegas City, which is the economic hub for most of northern New Mexico. Las Vegas is located 70 miles east of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Calf Canyon has charred 590 square kilometers alone, including mountainside areas and meadows.

San Miguel County Manager Joy Ansley noted that as of Friday, the wildfires ravaged about 270 structures, including 166 homes.

READ NEXT: Arizona Tunnel Fire Chars Over 19K Acres of Land; Prompts Evacuation for People, Animals

New Mexico Wildfires Evacuations

The rapid spread of the New Mexico wildfires prompted evacuations since Friday near San Miguel County.

Ansley claimed that about 3,500 people had been evacuated in and around the city of Las Vegas on Monday.

Also, on Monday, the Behavioral Health Institute in Las Vegas began evacuating its 197 patients, including adult and children psychiatric patients.

Meanwhile, Governor Michelle Grisham noted that officials evacuated at least 6,000 people following the fire.

On Tuesday, fire engines and crews were busy working to safeguard homes and other structures in Las Vegas while bulldozers cleared more fire lines in the outskirts.

Reports also claimed that helicopter pilots took advantage of a break in thick smoke and falling ash in the early hours of Tuesday to fight the blaze from above through water drops and fire retardant.

New Mexico Governor Michelle Grisham Calls for Disaster Declaration

The wildfires that continue to char the lands of New Mexico on Tuesday prompted Governor Michelle Grisham to call on President Joe Biden for a disaster declaration.

Grisham signed a request for a presidential disaster declaration that will be sent out to the White House during a briefing on the fire burning across the state of New Mexico.

Al Jazeera noted that the request was made in hopes that the White House would free up financial assistance for recovery efforts.

Grisham underscored the importance of the declaration being made out in the front end rather than waiting until the fire is out, claiming that she is unwilling to wait.

"I have families who don't know what the next day looks like, I have families who are trying to navigate their children and healthcare resources, figure out their livelihoods and they're in every single little community and it must feel to them like they are out there on their own," New Mexico Governor Michelle Grisham said.

READ NEXT: COVID-19 Cases in the US: Highly Transmissible BA.4, BA.5 Variants Found in California, More States

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Nearly 300 buildings damaged or destroyed in Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak fires - From KRQE
One of the leaders of Haiti's notorious 400 Mawozo gang was extradited to the United States on Tuesday after a request from the U.S. on April 22.

According to BBC, the extradited gang leader was identified as Germine Joly, also known as Yonyon. He was flown to the U.S. for smuggling weapons and kidnapping U.S. citizens.

Joly was sent o the U.S. aboard a special flight with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Authorities did not immediately mention where the gang leader was being taken to, but a source told Miami Herald that Joly will be brought to Washington D.C.

It was unclear what process Joly will undergo once he reached the United States.

Joly had been held at the National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince for several years until his extradition on Tuesday.

He reportedly ran the 400 Mawozo gang from behind bars using his cellphone and negotiated the release of hostages and his freedom, as their gang was known for abductions.

READ NEXT: Haiti Gang Wars Kill 20; Thousands of Families Caught in Crossfire

Haiti's 400 Mawozo Gang

The 400 Mawozo gang in Haiti is one of the largest criminal gangs in the country. The said group is known for kidnapping civilians.

One of their well-known operations happened last year, where Christian missionaries from the United States and Canada were held captive by the group for at least two months.

The group demanded a $1 million ransom for each of the missionaries, but some of them were slowly released by the group.

The Haitian gang was also behind the kidnapping of a Dominican Republic Diplomat Carlos Guillen on Friday. Guillen was reportedly seized by the group while he was traveling in his country.

The Dominican Foreign Ministry refused to elaborate on the details of Guillen's kidnapping. However, a Dominican official said that the 400 Mawozo gangs asked for $500,000 in exchange for the diplomat's freedom.

The 400 Mawozo gang does not pick their target when it comes to kidnapping. According to reports, the victims of the said gang includes priest, busloads of Haitians, foreigners, and even police officers.

The said Haitian group controls a highly strategic area in Haiti for several years. These include the only road to the country's north and the only road that leads Port-au-Prince to the Dominican Republic.

Haiti Gangs Effect

400 Mawozo gang is not the only group that operates in the country.

In recent days, the 400 Mawozo gang has engaged in a fight against rival gang Chen Mechan, paralyzing the northern suburb of Haiti's capital.

On Monday, residents from the impoverished area of Cite Soleil ran away from their homes as gun battles broke out.

The ongoing armed conflict has also led to the deaths of at least 20 civilians over the past nine days, per Miami Herald.

Haiti's gangs have grown in strength since President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in July last year.

Thousands of people took to the streets of Haiti last month to demand the late president's successor, Ariel Henry, to do more in connection with the country's gangs.

READ NEXT: Haiti Gang Leader Threatens to Kill Captive Missionaries

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: In Haiti, Gangs Are Killing With Impunity - From VICE NEWS
Johnny Depp's attorneys on Tuesday rested their case in his defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard, who fired back at the actor with sexual abuse claims.

Leading up to Tuesday, CNN reported that the jurors in a Fairfax, Virginia court heard from more than two dozen witnesses called by Depp's legal team, including the actor himself.

Depp's final witness was forensic accountant Mike Spindler, who testified Tuesday about his analysis of the earnings the actor has lost following the 2018 op-ed the actress wrote for the Washington Post.

"I concluded that Mr. Depp suffered lost earnings of approximately $40 million," Spindler noted.

According to Spindler, that included $20.3 million, after agency commissions, from losing his part in the sixth installment of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" and $20.1 million from booking for non-franchise films

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Amber Heard's Motion to Dismiss Johnny Depp's Case Rejected by Judge

A few minutes after Johnny Depp's legal team rested its case, Amber Heard's camp started presenting their side. Heard's lawyers presented a motion to strike the actor's case, arguing that the actor did not prove his defamation claim, Deadline reported.

Judge Penny Azcarate has partially denied the motion but said she would continue to consider "one other argument if evidence is introduced" by the actress' camp related to it as they present her case.

Azcarate noted that "if there is a scintilla of evidence that a reasonable juror could weigh, then the matter survives a motion to strike."

According to Azcarate, there was evidence that "jurors could weigh that the statements were about the plaintiff, were published, and "the statement was false."

"And that the defendant made the statement knowing it to be false or that the defendant made it so recklessly as to amount to willful disregard for the truth. The weight of that evidence is up to the fact finders," she said.

The judge added that she would not yet rule on whether a defamation claim should survive in connection with one of Heard's tweets. The actress' legal team had no comment on the ruling.

Psychologist Says Amber Heard Reported Experiencing Sexual Assaults by Johnny Depp

Amber Heard's legal team started Tuesday with testimony from clinical and forensic psychologist Dawn Hughes, who evaluated the actress.

Hughes, who specializes in intimate partner violence, testified that Heard told her that she was subjected to sexual abuse by Johnny Depp. She noted that there were multiple incidents of "sexual violence reported in this relationship," and those occurred when the actor "was drunk or high," Deadline reported.

"He threw her on the bed, ripped off her nightgown, and tried to have sex with her," the psychologist said, adding that when the actor was "not able to perform" during such instances, he would become even further "enraged."

According to Hughes, there were different degrees of physical violence and psychological aggression that Heard and Depp perpetrated on one another.

She said she determined through tests that a "high degree of serious violence" was perpetrated by Depp toward Heard, while there was "violence more on the mild level" by Heard toward Depp.

The psychologist pointed out a particular alleged attack in 2015 while the couple was in Australia, where Depp put a bottle inside Heard's body while shouting, "I will kill you."

Hughes said that Heard told her that at that moment of the alleged assault, all she could think of was she hoped the liquor bottle the actor was penetrating her with "wasn't the broken one."

Based on Heard's report, Hughes noted that the actress was subjected to sexual violence, whereas the actor was subjected to "none." She also said she diagnosed the actress with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and it was caused by "the intimate partner violence" by Depp.

The psychologist noted that Heard was not a client but that she conducted an objective evaluation of her in connection with the case. She said she met with the actress for 29 hours starting in September 2019, but she did not meet with Depp.

Hughes will be cross-examined Wednesday morning by Depp's lawyers. Heard is also expected to take the stand later in the day.

Depp and Heard are battling over the 2018 op-ed the actress wrote for the Washington Post, calling herself a domestic violence survivor.

The piece did not mention Depp by name, but the actor claimed he was booted from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise due to the "clear implication" that he was the abuser in his ex-wife's op-ed.

Johnny Depp further alleged that Amber Heard was the actual "perpetrator" of the violent encounters that damaged their relationship. He is asking for $50 million in damages. On the other hand, Heard has filed a $100 million counterclaim against the actor, who she divorced in 2017, for nuisance.

READ MORE: Country Music Icon Naomi Judd Commits Suicide After Years of Struggling With Mental Illness: Report

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WATCH: Amber Heard's Attorneys Motion to Dismiss Johnny Depp's Evidence - From Law&Crime Network
The U.S. embassy in Cuba has resumed issuing visas after more than four years of not doing so due to alleged sonic attacks against diplomatic personnel.

Al Jazeera reported that visas were issued while the island was experiencing an increase in emigration. A Cuban employee told a group of people waiting outside the embassy's consular section in Havana for their appointments on Tuesday, "welcome to the embassy after so much time."

In 2017, Washington closed its U.S. embassy services in Havana, Cuba after U.S. staff and their families suffered from an illness known as "Havana Syndrome."

In 2020, a U.S. government report noted that the illnesses suffered by staff and their families were most likely caused by "directed, pulsed radiofrequency energy."

Many Cubans hoping to migrate to the U.S. to escape the island nation were affected by the closure of consular services in Cuba.

A man whose daughter is in the U.S. told Al Jazeera that they hoped everything goes well as he has been waiting for three years to rejoin his daughter. The man noted that he had not seen his daughter for seven years.

READ NEXT: Havana Syndrome Affects Recruitment in U.S. Diplomatic Corps, Diplomats Say | Here's What May Cause the Mysterious Illness

U.S. Embassy in Cuba Issuing Visas

Cubans who wanted to go to the U.S. faced several obstacles, such as being forced to travel to Colombia or Guyana to submit a request.

Others opted to make a long journey through Central America and Mexico to enter the U.S. as undocumented immigrants, according to Voice of America.

In October 2021 and March this year, the U.S. Customs office noted that more than 78,000 Cubans entered the country from Mexico.

The U.S. should authorize 20,000 immigrant visas every year to Cubans under existing immigration agreements. However, the agreement has not been fulfilled.

Cuba has been experiencing its worst economic crisis in almost 30 years, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a decrease in tourism.

Havana Syndrome in Cuba

In February, U.S. diplomats said the Havana syndrome has affected the recruitment in the U.S. diplomatic corps.

According to Eric Rubin, the head of the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), the Havana syndrome has "dramatically hurt" the morale of the diplomatic corps in the country.

AFSA represents around 17,000 current and former U.S. diplomats and foreign aid workers. Rubin said it is hard nowadays to recruit younger people willing to work abroad due to Havana syndrome. He noted that there was a concern about whether the government would look after them if they got sick from the mysterious illness.

"People have suffered real trauma and real injury, and it has dramatically hurt our morale, our readiness, our ability to recruit new members in the foreign service," the AFSA president said.

In the same month, a panel of technical and medical experts gathered by the U.S. intelligence apparatus found that some cases of the Havana syndrome might be caused by directed electromagnetic energy.

According to Al Jazeera, the experts' findings revealed that a subset of anomalous health incidents (AHI) could not "be easily explained by known environmental or medical conditions and could be due to external stimuli."

The experts noted that it was possible to create concealable devices that would direct electromagnetic energy or ultrasound waves to cause damage to a targeted person using moderate amounts of energy. But the U.S. panel did not clarify if that technology currently exists or which actors may have used it against the U.S. personnel.

A National Academy of Sciences committee earlier said that "directed, pulsed radio-frequency energy" appears to be the most reasonable explanation for the symptoms.

Havana Syndrome causes patients to experience hearing strange sounds, loss of balance, dizziness, nausea, and memory loss. Since the original outbreak of the symptoms, more than 1,000 cases have been reported and studied worldwide.

Many of the cases originated at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, beginning in 2016.

READ MORE: Kamala Harris Arrives in Vietnam After 3-Hour Delayed Flight From Singapore Over 'Havana Syndrome' Cases

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: 'Havana Syndrome': The Mystery Illness Affecting US Spies That Emerged in Cuba - From BBC News






Rosalinda Gonzalez Valencia or "La Jefa," the wife of Jalisco cartel boss Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, will continue to remain in detention, a judge in Mexico ruled.

According to Excelsior, Judge Fernando Isaac Ibarra Gomez, head of the First Unitary Court of Morelos in Mexico, recently dismissed La Jefa's request to continue facing her trial in freedom.

In a new appeal to continue her criminal process in freedom, the lawyers of El Mencho's wife argued that she suffers from a disease that puts her life at risk if she does not receive adequate treatment.

In an expert report, the Federal Public Ministry said La Jefa is suffering from a disease that affects her kidney. She is reportedly receiving corticosteroid-based treatment in two stages, which, if not followed, could cause terminal damage to her organ, Borderland Beat reported.

However, the judge noted that the arguments of La Jefa's defense team were unfounded.

READ NEXT: Jalisco Cartel Leader 'El Senoron' Who Receives Orders From Boss 'El Mencho' Arrested in Mexico

El Mencho's Wife Request Junked by a Mexico Court

Last January, Judge Fernando Isaac Ibarra Gomez ratified the preventive detention order issued by a pre-trial or control judge for El Mencho's wife on November 16.

The judge ruled that Rosalinda Gonzalez Valencia must remain confined in prison because she could escape and evade trial if released, Reforma reported.

Gonzalez Valencia, also known by her alias "the Boss," is facing charges for several crimes, including her involvement in the "illicit financial operation" of the Jalisco cartel.

El Mencho's wife was first captured in May 2018 in Zapopan, Jalisco based on an arrest warrant for money laundering. But four months later, she was released after paying an $82,000 bail bond and with the condition that she had to go to a justice center every Thursday and should not leave the country.

She reportedly failed to comply with these directives. Thus, the court ordered that she'd be arrested again, which was executed last November 15 in Zapopan.

Court records showed that La Jefa was apprehended again because she failed to comply with procedural requirements that made clear that she lacked the will to face her trial "at liberty."

The ruling said El Mencho's wife stopped going every Thursday to sign as a defendant at the Federal Criminal Justice Center of Morelos. She also failed to attend two summonses issued on September 5 and 7, 2018 to appear the following day in the same center.

In its previous appeal, La Jefa's legal team alleged that on November 16, the control judge ordered her to be placed in custody without asking the Morelos women's prison for the medical file of El Mencho's wife.

At the time, her lawyers said La Jefa had a heart condition, glaucoma, and hypertension that required medical care.

The lawyers of El Mencho's wife also argued that the preventive detention order was not appropriate and violated the principle of presumption of innocence and La Jefa's rights to health since it overlooked her age and state of health.

However, Ibarra Gomez ratified the control judge's decision, saying that health problems are not an obstacle to imposing preventive detention. Thus, the judge noted that it was not necessary to collect La Jefa's medical file before ruling a detention order.

"Therefore, it is legal that the control judge, in order to avoid the continuation of the paralysis of the procedure... apply the different justified preventive detention," Ibarra Gomez said.

"Especially, as it was seen, the imposition of pre-trial detention is justified, precisely because of the background information that the federal prosecutor referred to... the lack of will on the part of the accused to face her trial in freedom," the judge added.

Court records showed that a federal investigation had linked El Mencho's wife to a network of 73 companies that allegedly laundered about $53 million for the Jalisco cartel between 2015 and 2016. La Jefa is currently being held at the women's prison in Morelos.

A former Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) chief said that El Mencho's wife is a "financial genius" who holds the key to his drug empire. Mike Vigil noted that La Jefa's arrest could bring El Mencho down.

According to Vigil, La Jefa has been involved in the narco world from a very "early age," as her family established the Milenia cartel in 1970. Vigil noted that she is a key figure within the Jalisco cartel since he believed she has been responsible for laundering the cartel's money.

The former DEA official, who is one of the world's leading experts on Mexican drug cartels, said one thing they know about drug traffickers is that they believe in blood before associates, which means that people they trust have blood ties.

Vigil noted that La Jefa could provide damaging information if officials could get her to cooperate.

El Mencho and the Jalisco Cartel

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel or Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) is considered one of Mexico's most dangerous and powerful drug cartels.

It reportedly had more than 5,000 members and was allegedly involved in mass graves, kidnappings, acid baths, and video recording beheadings.

The Jalisco cartel had risen to power after Mexican security forces killed former Sinaloa Cartel capo Ignacio Coronel, known as "Nacho," in July 2010.

Nacho's death resulted in the split of the Sinaloa Cartel into two factions - "La Resistencia" and "Torcidos." The "Torcidos" became what is now the Jalisco cartel, which has since expanded rapidly in Mexico.

The Jalisco cartel is currently being led by El Mencho, who continues to evade capture. The U.S. government has already offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest. El Mencho remains to be the most elusive criminal and is reportedly hiding in Mexico.

READ MORE: Jalisco Cartel Boss El Mencho's Daughter, La Negra, Freed After More Than 2 Years in U.S. Prison

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: CJNG, Fragmentado Y Debilitado Tras Detencion De Cabecillas - From MILENIO
A dead woman in Peru shocked the attendees of her funeral when she came back to life and knocked on her coffin.

According to Daily Star, Rosa Isabel Cespedes Callaca interrupted her own funeral in Lambayque city in Peru last week by banging on her coffin.

The Sun reported that Rosa Isabel had been mistakenly pronounced dead after a fatal crash on the region's Chiclayo-Picsi road, which also killed her brother-in-law, while her three nephews were seriously injured.

As doctors thought she was dead following the tragedy, Rosa Isabel was put into a coffin for her funeral last April 26. But mourners were shocked when they heard noises coming from her casket at the start of the service.

Her relatives, who had hoisted the coffin onto their shoulders, immediately lowered it and opened the lid to find the Peruvian woman alive and looking at them.

Cemetery caretaker Juan Segundo Cajo said he immediately went to his office and called the police after seeing the Peruvian woman "opened her eyes and was sweating."

Rosa Isabel's family then brought her - still inside the coffin - to the Referential Hospital Ferrenafe in Lambayeque. Medical personnel put Rosa Isabel on life support after noticing that she had signs of life. However, she died a few hours later.

Rosa Isabel's family is now calling on healthcare officials for answers to find out why she was declared dead "in the first place."

The aunt of the Peruvian woman told local media that they wanted to know why her niece pushed and touched the coffin when they were about to bury her, and they have the videos showing it.

Police in Peru were reported to be investigating the bizarre incident.

READ NEXT: Haiti's 400 Mawozo Gang Leader Flown to the U.S. Over Weapon Smuggling, Kidnapping

Like in Peru, Babies in Mexico Declared Dead but Found Alive

The woman in Peru was not the only case in Latin America that came to life after authorities declared her dead.

In Mexico, a premature baby named Jesus Sebastian was presumed dead at the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) No. 16 General Hospital in Torreon in August last year. He was pronounced dead upon birth. He was born to a mother who was 23 weeks pregnant.

Jesus Sebastian was brought to the hospital morgue after doctors believed he died during delivery. Doctors ruled that the incident was a stillbirth.

The baby's mom told the doctors that she saw her child move. However, the doctors stayed firm with their initial assessment. They said it was only a reflex movement of an already deceased baby.

Reports said the family had signed a death certificate. However, they insisted on seeing the four-day-old baby to verify that he was really dead. Morgue personnel eventually noticed that Jesus Sebastian was still breathing and proceeded to save him.

As days passed, the family asked the public for prayers for the baby to come out of the hospital in good health. The baby was reported to be stable for almost a week until he passed away.

The lawyer for the family said medical reports showed that the baby had suffered two heart attacks. As the baby lost his life to alleged medical negligence, the family filed a complaint against the hospital. The hospital said it would carry out its own investigation into the case.

In October last year, another newborn infant in Mexico was declared dead by doctors. However, a funeral home found the baby alive inside a morgue refrigerator.

The said baby was also pronounced dead by doctors from general Hospital La Margarita located in Puebla City. Medical staff from the healthcare facility told the parents that the infant was dead, so the child was sent to the morgue.

The baby was then placed in the morgue refrigerator before the funeral home driver noticed that the baby started to cry and move. The incident prompted at least two parallel investigations from the hospital.

Mexico's Puebla Governor Luis Miguel Barbosa also announced his intention to file criminal complaints against those responsible.

Other People Proclaimed Dead But Were Alive

There were also other people coming back from the dead in other parts of the world. In India, Budh Ram from Rajasthan was declared dead by doctors in 2018.

Daily Star reported that when the grieving family of the 95-year-old man started giving his body a ritual wash, he started shivering and came round. He said he was just having a nap.

In 1996, a farmer's wife named Daphne Banks from Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, England was declared dead at a hospital on New Year's Day. The 61-year-old woman was sent to the mortuary, but luckily, an undertaker noticed her veins twitched on the slab. She was alive.

In Los Angeles, deceased Gerry Allison was in the back of a hearse in 1977 when a burst tire saw it crash. Witnesses were stunned to see him get out of the back of the damaged vehicle and walk away. Daily Star reported that the crash had brought him out of a deep coma.

READ MORE: COVID-19 Cases in the US: Highly Transmissible BA.4, BA.5 Variants Found in California, More States

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: 6 Dead People who Came Back to Life at Their Own Funerals - From Beyond Science
Women are waiting on average over a year for gynaecology outpatient appointments at the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise.

A Perfect storm of pandemic, increased demand and shortage of staff is causing worrying delays in Gynaecology care nationwide according to the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA).

They warned of mounting delays for people waiting for planned Gynaecology procedures as a result of competition between services for scarce capacity and resources. The ICHA named Portlaoise among seven hospitals with the longest average waiting times.

Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the Rotunda Hospital, Professor Sam Coulter-Smith has said the Covid-19 pandemic over the past two years has led to a perfect storm, exacerbating existing constraints caused by increased demand, ageing facilities, insufficient capacity and long-standing recruitment challenges.

Weve had increased demand for Gynaecology services, while levels of anxiety and stress have increased, and referrals to hospitals have increased. At the same time, we have been unable to provide the same level of service that we would like to because we have had staff shortages.

Speaking on behalf of the IHCA as part of its Care Can't Wait campaign, Prof Coulter-Smith explains what this has meant for staff and patients.

In many Irish hospitals, Obstetrics and Gynaecology are competing for scarce resources, and with space at a premium, patients are facing a trade-off between those waiting for planned procedures and those needing urgent care.

Obstetrics and Gynaecology is one specialty, delivered by mostly the same people within the same institutions. With the increasing number of Obstetric patients, Gynaecology takes second place, as demand-led Obstetrics services take precedence. Thats when you can see delays happen, said Prof Coulter-Smith.

This has an impact on staff morale. When you put that together with the fact that many of our institutions are old and not fit for purpose, and with pay levels that are inequitable, it has a very significant effect on the service and our ability to attract and retain our staff.

Around 10-20% of women attending a Gynaecology service will require surgical intervention, either to assess, diagnose or treat a condition. The competing demands for Obstetrics and Gynaecology can lead to long waiting lists for those requiring planned surgical care, which Prof Coulter-Smith says risks leading to delays in cancer investigations or leaving patients to live with painful conditions.

The majority of gynaecological cancers start by going through benign gynae services  thats where they are assessed and diagnosed. The pandemic saw the postponement of a lot of these services leading to referrals without a patient being seen in person, as well as people not being able to attend appointments due to Covid. So between this and the existing waiting lists, there is now a ripple effect of delays meaning it is taking some patients up to six or eight months to get assessed. This can be an issue especially if gynaecological cancer is present, as delays to treatment can reduce the prognosis for that patient.

Alongside the potential for missed early cancer diagnoses, conditions such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids or ovarian cysts can take longer to diagnose and commence treatment, meaning many women face having to live with debilitating pain for months or even years.

Waiting times for gynaecology outpatient appointments vary significantly across the country. The hospitals with the longest average waiting times for a gynaecology appointment at the start of the year were:

Budget 2022 saw 5.3 million committed to enhancing gynaecology services, including the expansion of see and treat Gynaecology clinics, specialist menopause clinics, and specialist endometriosis services  but without adequate Consultant staffing, some of these services may face challenges in getting off the ground, say the IHCA.

Prof Coulter-Smith says increasing these see and treat Gynaecology services can have a significant impact on waiting lists and wait times: In the Rotunda, we have a new ambulatory Gynaecology centre, which has been revamped to provide a gynae service, with day case hysteroscopy, clinics that allow patients to come and go without anaesthetic, have their investigation and possibly their treatment as well.

That has taken some of the patients that would originally have gone to theatre and treated them on an outpatient basis. Thats the sort of thing that will significantly help to reduce the waiting lists for gynae theatre  however, you need the space to develop that, and you need the staff to do it as well.

According to the most recent figures, one in five permanent Consultant posts nationally (over 8,302) are currently vacant or filled on a temporary basis. There were 29 Consultant Obstetrics & Gynaecology posts vacant or filled on a temporary basis in March, of which 15 posts were totally vacant, 11 posts filled on a temporary/locum basis and three posts filled by agency staff. Patients attending hospitals with such recruitment and retention challenges are facing inequitable and delayed access to services.

The bigger teaching hospitals probably find it easier to recruit staff, because thats where most people want to come to work. The smaller hospitals around the country, where theres a more general service and there isnt the same level of sub-specialisation, find it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain staff, explains Prof Coulter-Smith.

What weve done within Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Rotunda is create a hub and spoke model, where weve co-located specialists in bigger hospitals, with smaller, regional hospitals giving them dedicated sessions or clinic time with patients in both areas so everyone can have access to sub-specialist services. Thats worked quite well and is something that could be replicated where appropriate.

Meanwhile, talks on hospital Consultant contracts have stalled since December 2021, despite calls from the IHCA urging the Minister for Health to agree a replacement Independent Chair with the representative organisations to oversee what is an urgent and critical process towards addressing the root causes of the Consultant staffing crisis  which IHCA says includes ending the ongoing pay discrimination faced by Consultants contracted after 2012.
Local Minister of State Senator Pippa Hackett has welcomed the investment of 55 million in the National Parks and Wildlife Service(NPWS).

The investment will see the NPWS employ 60 additional staff, implement 15 strategic actions and restructure its operations to become an Executive Agency.

The NPWS Action Plan and Review will deliver for biodiversity, according to Minister Hackett.

The plan to renew the NPWS was announced by her Green Party Colleague, Minister for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD.

Minister Hackett said: Im delighted to say that the funding investment of 55m was endorsed by my Cabinet colleagues and we have committed to deliver the plan over the lifetime of this Government.

The NPWS has seen significant investment over the life of this Government; now at levels not seen since before the financial crisis. This investment means we are delivering for biodiversity; we are equipping and resourcing the NPWS to lead on conservation and restoration; and that the NPWS will be the voice for nature that Ireland needs, she remarked.

This announcement is timely with biodiversity week coming up and Im looking forward to continuing my Departments excellent relationship with the NPWS, said Minister Hackett, who has responsibility for on-farm biodiversity.

Announcing the plan, Minister Noonan said it is the outcome of a key Programme for Government commitment to review the role and remit of the NPWS, secured by the Green Party.

This Strategic Action Plan aims to deliver an NPWS that is more resilient, better resourced, and better equipped to play its part in Irelands response to the biodiversity emergency, on the national and international stage. The Plan will equip the NPWS with the organisational capability and supporting structures to enable it to deliver its mandate in protecting our natural heritage.
The roads section of the county council will visit a road at Oakvale Cemetery to determine what road safety measures can be put in place.

The move follows a recent motion by Cllr PJ Kelly, who asked: That Laois County Council install measures to slow traffic down at Oakvale Cemetery to allow residents living on the byroad to access the N80 more safely until the new layout there is put in place.

Cllr Paschal McEvoy said the issue has been raised repeatedly over the years. He said meetings had taken place with the residents and Transport Infrastructure Ireland(TII) had been contacted and met in relation to it. Nothing has happened in the last three years, he pointed out.

Cllr Padraig Fleming said the TII were due to come back to the council on the matter but that had been a few months ago. They agreed to come out and look at the issues raised at the meeting, he explained.

Cllr Aisling Moran said the TII had agreed to come out and see the area. As the council has heard absolutely nothing she said, we need a follow up meeting.

In his response to the motion, Assistant Senior Executive Engineer Farhan Nasiem said: Road Design will arrange a site meeting with the elected member to discuss possible measures at this location.

Director of Services Gerry Murphy said he would ask the roads section to contact TII again in relation to the matter. The issue was raised at a recent Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District meeting.
A water bottle that adds a flavour to its contents, and a social media app that censors advertisements, are the two bright ideas that won for Laois in the Student Enterprise Programme.

Portlaoise College has warmly congratulated two entrepreneurial students who scooped a first and second prize, at the All Irfeland National Student Enterprise Finals.

Last month 427 students across 7 schools took part in the Laois Enterprise Awards with Portlaoise College coming out winners in 6 out of the 7 categories. These winners, with the support of the Local Enterprise Office Laois, represented Laois in the National Finals.

On May 3, 2nd Year Portlaoise College students Oisin Grundy and Mosa Hafeez triumphed.

Oisin was the overall Winner in the Junior Creative Video competition where he came up with the innovative idea of designing a water bottle that can change the flavour of your water.

Mosa was placed 2nd in the Intermediate Entrepreneurial Journey Competition. Mosa created a social media app that censors advertising.

The Programme runs from September to May each year, and students get to do everything a real life entrepreneur would do from coming up with the business idea to marketing, sales and preparing a business plan.

Portlaoise College Principal is Noel Daly.

Well done to Mosa and Oisin on their outstanding success in this prestigious student business competition. Also congratulations and thank you to Business teachers Michelle Duggan and James Harvey for their continuous mentoring, encouragement and support of our enterprise students

The skills that our students learn from participating in this competition such as business planning, market research, selling and team-work, will help them become more entrepreneurial throughout their future careers," he said.

Over 26,000 students had entered the awards this year.
Kildare people are now holding hundreds of thousands of euro of cash in digital banks like Revolut and N26.

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced many to ditch cash and shift to banking apps for everyday transactions in cafes and bars and on buses and trains.

Parents on UK-based Revolut are also regularly sending pocket money as quickly as a text message to children and teenagers.

Even with no physical branches, Revolut now has 1.7m users in Ireland while German-owned N26 has nearly 200,000 subscribers using its virtual banking services.

A spokesperson for Revolut would not reveal how much cash was held in Irish bank accounts in Ireland.

He said: "We are not able to disclose the amount of funds held as it's considered commercially sensitive information."

The switch to digital banks has been staggering as Revolut was only founded seven years ago in 2015 whereas traditional banks such as Bank of Ireland are over 200 years old.

To win new customers, Revolut offers 60 cash to members for each friend they recruit.

It tries to get younger customers onboard with the Revolut Junior aimed at children aged 6-17.

The bank has recently starting offering loans of up to 30,000 such as to buy a car or pay for a wedding or holiday.

N26, which is headquartered in Berlin, said it is popular with young people but also has a lot of people aged 65 and older.

A spokesperson said: "N26 has almost 200,000 loyal customers in Ireland with the majority of those aged between 20-34 years old. However, we're also seeing significant customer numbers across all age groups with our second highest customer age group, 65+.

"This demonstrates that N26 is making banking fairer and more efficient for all customers in Ireland. In relation to the total funds held by Irish N26 customers, we do not disclose this information."



A survey published in December claimed Ireland has the greatest level of trust in digital banking in Europe and has recorded one of the fastest adoption rates globally.

According to the N26/Accenture study, which surveyed more than 47,000 banking customers in 28 markets, digital banking adoption is expected to grow to about 70 per cent in the future, meaning a potential market size of over one billion customers.

The report reveals that Ireland came in fourth place overall for digital banking adoption globally between 2018 and 2020, behind Switzerland, Brazil and Australia, but ahead of the UK and France.
A Kildare-based TD for Fine Gael has announced that an extension to a school in Allenwood has been approved by the Department of Education.

Deputy Martin Heydon TD said that Scoil Mhuire NS Allenwood has received formal approval from the Dept for an extension to the school.

This will include three new classrooms and two special education classes.

Deputy Martin Heydon TD and fellow Fine Gael councillor Brendan Wyse

He added: "Well done to principal Ciaran OToole and the board of management at the school led by Nicola Carey, whom I and my colleague Cllr Brendan Wyse worked with on this project."

"The additional accommodation will help to address demand for places in the area.

"Both Brendan & I will continue to work with the board to ensure that this vital school extension is delivered as soon as possible."

In related news, Deputy Heydon made headlines last week after he said that he would be leading a an Irish trade mission to Mexico.
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When shoe lasts and financial records belonging to Newbridge cobblers, the Sheehan Brothers, were discovered by Irish Ceramicist and Co-Founder of SULT Artists Eleanor Swan, the seeds of an idea for an exciting new collaboration were planted. The lasts had been used to make shoes and boots for British Troops stationed in County Kildare up until their withdrawal in 1922, and Eleanor repurposed them to make slip cast moulds for a new sculpture.

SULT Artists approached Newbridge Local History Group and invited them to collaborate in marking this significant political and social change in Kildare in 1922. The aim of the collaboration was to produce a visual response to local stories or an

historical, political or social event of the time.



The resulting exhibition titled Life Goes On opens on Monday 16th May, exactly one hundred years after the withdrawal of British troops. At 10.30am on 16th May 1922, the British Army withdrew their forces simultaneously from the barracks in Naas, Newbridge, Kildare and the Curragh.

Their departures was watched by thousands of people along the route as the constant stream of lorries and troops passed through the Kildare towns on their way to Dublin Port. Almost at the same time, the fledgling Free

State Army, marched into the Curragh and Newbridge to take possession from the departing troops; a month later the Irish Civil War began.

The collection of original paintings, fine art prints, sculptures and mixed media installations will be accompanied by an illustrated, limited edition book combining artwork and historical context. Lectures on that important time in the State's history will be given to visiting groups on request.

Most significantly, the exhibition will be held in what was a former Army barracks located in the Bord na Mona Headquarters campus, in Newbridge, open to the public for the first time.

The exhibition is supported by Kildare County Council Decade of Commemorations Committee and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Decade of Centenaries 2012-23 Initiative.

Life Goes On opens at Bord na Mona Headquarters, Newbridge on Monday 16th May, runs until Sunday 29th May.

See sultartists.com for further information.
The communities of Jamestown and Carrick-on-Shannon have been mourning the sudden death of Sean McKenna who passed away at the weekend and who has been described as "a great character and loved by all who knew him."

Sean McKenna of Yonkers, New York, Connecticut and Jamestown, Co. Leitrim died suddenly on Friday, 29th April in New York.

Predeceased by his father Pat. Deeply regretted and sadly missed by his heartbroken mother Eileen, brother Kevin, sister Eileen McKenna, brother-in-law Trevor McNamara (Roscommon Town), sister-in-law Siobhan, nephews Patrick, Andrew and Brian, uncles, aunts, cousins, relatives, neighbours and his many friends in Yonkers, New York, Connecticut and Ireland.

Removal will take place to the Sacred Heart Church, Jamestown on Thursday evening arriving at 7 oclock. Mass of Christian Burial on Friday at 12 oclock with burial afterwards in Jamestown Cemetery.

Family flowers only by request please. House private please.

Funeral Mass will be streamed live on the link http://www.churchtv.ie/jamestown/

To keep everyone safe please wear face covering and refrain from hand shaking.

Seans family appreciate your sympathy, support and understanding at this time.
The prayers and best wishes of the Leitrim public are with 13-year-old Rachel Mallon who has travelled to London for life-changing spinal surgery this coming Saturday.

Rachel and her mother Edel flew out from Dublin last Monday ahead of the seven hour long surgery in St George's Hospital.

All week the public's imagination has been captured by the little girl with a beautiful smile and donations poured in to assist her and her family meet the costs of the surgery and her post operative care.



A gofundme page was established and it raised almost 70,000 in just one week. Rachel's dad Brian, who hopes to fly over on Friday or Saturday, said the family are overwhelmed by the generosity of people.

He said, however, Rachel is very nervous ahead of the upcoming surgery.

Rachel Mallon was diagnosed with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis on February 8. On that day Rachel's life changed completely as she became aware that she would need major spinal fusion surgery from the middle of her back to her pelvis.

Rachel is to undergo a spinal correction surgery technique called VBT (Vertebral Body Tethering). This involves placing a screw in each vertebrae and attaching a cord to the screws. The cord is pulled tight straightening the spine while maintaining the ability to bend and move freely.

The surgery is expected to last seven hours after which Rachel will spend a week in hospital. She will then spend a further week in a hotel near the hospital which she will visit regularly for monitoring and dressings.

She is expected to return home by boat on Saturday, May 21, and no doubt a large crowd of family and friends will be present to welcome her back.

The Mallon family are so appreciative of all the support they have received in recent days and the kindness of people.

As well as the gofundmepage, there have been other fundraisers, for example, the Leitrim girls Feile competition last Saturday in Pairc Sean MacDiarmada held a very successful cake sale.

There have been other presentations from local clubs and schools for which the Mallon family are very thankful.

In a message from the family, they thanked everyone who supported Rachel's surgery fundraiser. We thank you on behalf of Rachel for all your kind and generous donations from the bottom of our hearts. We have been overwhelmed by the support shown to Rachel and our family. Sincerest thanks to you all and keep us in your prayers for May 7.

Over 69,000 was raised on the gofundmepage. It has now closed for donations, you can keep up to date with Rachel's journey on https://www.facebook.com/RachelScoliosisSurgery/
Students from the Dept of Geography, Maynooth University, together with two of their lecturers Louise Fitzpatrick and Mary Gilmartin recently visited Leitrim and met with community groups and businesses in the county as part of a field trip.

With Kiltyclogher Heritage Centre as their starting point, they heard about the work being done there on developing heritage trails and the flora and fauna of the area.



As a number of the students are doing research on monoculture forestry in Leitrim, they were brought to see a clear fell site in the area and saw first-hand the environmental damage caused by same.

A tour of the Organic Centre gardens and tunnels in Rossinver and hearing about this social enterprise was one of the highlights for the visitors.



The tour of the area taking in Dough Mountain finished at Fulacht Fiadh Cafe, Manorhamilton where the group had lunch and met with members of the Save Leitrim and Save Dough groups. Speakers from these groups shared their knowledge and experience with the students; from Save Leitrim members they heard about the environmental and biodiversity impacts of monoculture forestry in the county, the displacement of young farmers with land prices being inflated by forestry companies and corporate investment in afforestation and the relatively unregulated industry that it is with no environmental impact assessment needed to gain a licence for planting trees.



They were also very surprised to learn that there is no real democratic planning process which allows input by the local authority, elected representatives and local citizens as plantations and forestry operation are exempted development and all such decisions are only taken by foresters in the Department of agriculture. Afforestation is a long term significant industrial land use change which is impacting on many communities and people in Leitrim.



From Save Dough members, the students studying Just Energy Transition were very interested to hear about the outdated guidelines for this industry, the lack of public consultation and the imposition of industrial scale wind farms on communities on fragile landscapes. Similarities with the monoculture forestry in the county, the students heard that the erection of large scale onshore turbines releases carbon from upland bog. In many cases trees are removed to make room for turbines which use huge amounts of energy consuming concrete on these bogs for the infrastructure, leading to possible landslides.



Following a delicious lunch at Fulacht Fiadh Cafe at Manorhamilton Castle, the group heard about the genesis of the cafe, its focus on community, sustainability, heritage and its plans for the future which include a community garden and a food purchasing co-op.

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Mario Draghi, the Italian Prime Minister, during his speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on May 3, 2022. JEAN-FRANCOIS BADIAS / AP

Perhaps it is a habit he picked up when he was a central banker, but one thing is for sure: Mario Draghi uses his words sparingly. But speaking on Tuesday, May 3, before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the Italian Prime Minister was more eloquent than usual and took his time to deliver his vision of the European Union.

The Covid-19 pandemic and, more critically, the war in Ukraine require the European Union (EU) to "move" quickly, Mario Draghi told members of the European Parliament (MEPs). The challenges created by this conflict  in terms of economics, energy, migration, and security  require a worthy response from the 27 member states, but they must also prepare for future crises and put Europe in a position to deal with them. This was the essence of the prime minister's message.

In this context, Mario Draghi called for a "pragmatic federalism" that would also be a "federalism of ideals." With each crisis, he summarized, Europe takes another step towards integration, and now it needs to take a more significant leap, to "accelerate the integration process," to prepare itself for future disruptions.

More specifically, the European Central Bank's former president (from 2011 to 2019) suggested the organization of a conference on defense as soon as possible so that European countries can coordinate their military efforts. "Our security spending is about three times Russia's, but it is divided into 146 defense systems. The United States has only 34 of them," he insisted. He continued by saying that such efforts must be coordinated with a foreign policy whose decisions would no longer be taken unanimously but by a qualified majority.

More on this topic EU Commission president calls for Russian oil ban as part of new sanctions

'Legitimate aspirations'

From a structural standpoint, he considered that it would be impossible to ensure the security of the Old Continent if it closed the door to Western Balkans countries, along with Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia. "The full integration of countries with European aspirations is not a threat to the maintenance of the European project; it is part of its realization," he declared. "We want Ukraine as a member of the EU," he also insisted, after having asked for "the immediate opening of negotiations with Albania and Northern Macedonia," for "a new momentum to be given to negotiations with Serbia and Montenegro" and for "the greatest attention to be paid to the legitimate aspirations of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo."

The Italian prime minister also called for a reform of the Dublin regulation on the reception of migrants, as 5.3 million people have left Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict on February 24. On the energy front, he pushed for a cap on the price Europeans pay to buy Russian gas and a reform of the European electricity market, in which the price of a kilowatt-hour would no longer be linked to the price of gas. Mr. Draghi also said that he was in favor of sanctions against Moscow, despite Italy's heavy reliance on Russian energy.

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Abortion rights in the United States are on hold pending a Supreme Court decision. According to the news site Politico, based on a previously unpublished leak of documents, the court is preparing to reverse its Roe v. Wade ruling. Decided in 1973, the ruling has guaranteed and protected abortion rights in every state in the United States for nearly 50 years.

More on this topic Subscribers only U.S. Supreme Court may be poised to end national right to abortion

The 98-page text is open for negotiation until June 30, but if the Supreme Court's final ruling upholds the conclusions of the draft, the decision would be a major reversal of jurisprudence, a political earthquake and a historic step backwards for women's rights. However, it would not have the same consequences in all states, whose positions on abortion vary considerably.

Only California is very supportive of abortion rights This map shows the level of support for abortion rights in all 50 U.S. states, according to the Guttmacher Institute as of December 30, 2020. Position on abortion rights:

What would be the consequences of such a decision by the Supreme Court?

The right to abortion does not exist in the federal law of the United States, which applies to all 50 states. It was not established by statutory law, but by case law, in this case, that of the Supreme Court, which has a monopoly on the interpretation of the United States Constitution and whose decisions are a key source of law in the U.S.

In 1973, in Roe v. Wade, the highest court in the land ruled that the right to abortion is a right to privacy, guaranteed by the 14th amendment to the constitution, thus obliging the 50 states to respect it. The court confirmed and clarified this jurisprudence in 1992 with the Planned Parenthood vs Casey decision. These rulings allow abortion up to the so-called "viability" stage of the fetus, which is approximately 24 weeks of pregnancy. While states may place "reasonable" restrictions on this right from the second three months of pregnancy, nothing can challenge it during the first three months.

Prior to Roe v. Wade, whether or not there was a right to abortion depended on the laws of the states, each of which has its own constitution and laws. Should the nine justices of the court decide, by majority vote, to reverse Roe v. Wade, abortion would not become illegal throughout the United States. But the constitutional lock would no longer exist. It would therefore again be up to each state to decide whether to establish and guarantee this right in its legislation. And many will not.

More on this topic Women's rights under siege in the United States

Which states have already planned to ban abortion?

More than 20 states could reverse abortion rights This map shows the 50 U.S. states according to whether their local laws protect abortion rights, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. State right to abortion:

For several years, the law established by Roe v. Wade has been pushed back by several conservative states that have tightened their legislation. These laws restricting abortion rights have increased in recent months, with several states anticipating a reversal of Supreme Court precedent after the court refused to block the Texas law banning abortion beyond six weeks in September 2021. In the wake of the leaked draft Supreme Court decision attacking Roe v. Wade head-on, Oklahoma's Republican governor signed a law on Tuesday banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.

According to research institutes, half of U.S. states could ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is revoked. The Guttmacher Institute is certain this will be the case in 22 states, which have already adopted total or near-total bans, currently blocked by case law. According to the New York Times, 42% of American women of childbearing age live in one of these states.

Nine states, including Alabama, Arizona, Mississippi, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Wyoming, still have laws prohibiting abortion that were enacted before the 1973 ruling and have never been repealed. Some of them are among the 13 states that have already passed so-called "trigger laws," designed to take effect automatically, or at least quickly, if the Roe v. Wade ruling was annulled. This is the case in Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.

Other states cut back on abortion rights after 1973, for example, by banning abortion before 24 weeks. Twelve states have also banned abortion beyond six weeks, at which point most women do not even know they are pregnant. Five states, including Oklahoma, have gone so far as to support a near-total ban on abortion, including in cases of rape or incest. Four states have amended their constitutions in such a way that they do not protect abortion rights.

Have any steps been taken to ensure access to abortion, regardless of the Supreme Court's decision?

In contrast to the movement in many Republican-led states, 16 Democratic-leaning states and the District of Columbia have guaranteed access to abortion in their laws, sometimes for the entire duration of the pregnancy. California is among those states that support abortion. Its highest court had already recognized this right in 1969, even before Roe v. Wade. The state has passed legislation that expands and protects women's access to abortion and plans additional bills to make California a "sanctuary" of abortion rights.

In some states, despite a political majority hostile to abortion or even laws restricting the right guaranteed by Roe v. Wade, access to abortion is protected by law or by the decisions of the courts of the states in question. Montana, Nebraska and Florida are in this situation, and it is difficult to anticipate how their legislation would evolve in the event of a change in case law. In Florida, for example, a ban on abortions beyond 15 weeks has been enacted, but according to the courts, the right to abortion is guaranteed by the state constitution.

The Democratic governors of New Mexico and Michigan, where there is no law protecting access to abortion, have announced that they will uphold the legality of abortion despite the Supreme Court's decision.

Traveling to these states may thus become one of the only ways for women to access care if they live in states with laws prohibiting abortion. This would result in major social inequalities. In Louisiana, for example, women who now have to travel 60 kilometers (37 miles) to be attended to would have to travel more than a thousand kilometers (621 miles) to get to the nearest state that allows abortion. The women most affected by the erosion of this right over their own bodies are those who cannot travel easily: those who are the most financially insecure. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 862,320 abortions were performed in the United States in 2017. Three-quarters involved poor or low-income women.

More on this topic Subscribers only In the United States, Democrats are mounting their resistance against the coming conservative revolution

Elea Pommiers and Pierre Breteau Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.
Malians demonstrate against France, and in support of Russia, on the 60th anniversary of independence of the Republic, in Bamako, Sept. 22, 2020. AP

The breakup of diplomatic relations between Mali and France is now official. In a statement released on Monday, May 2, the ruling junta in Bamako announced their withdrawal from the defense agreements signed with Paris and its European partners, stating the "profound deterioration of military cooperation with France" and its "flagrant attacks on Mali's national sovereignty."

Three documents are under fire: the 2013 agreement circumscribing the French forces presence, including that of the soldiers of the "Barkhane" counterterrorist operation, deployed in the Sahel for the past eight years; the defense treaty signed in 2014 and defining the structure of the military cooperation between Paris and Bamako; and the additional protocol, defining the status of the European special forces deployed in the "Takuba Task Force," which has been operating in the North, under French command, since 2020.

The authorities, under the control of the Malians military forces who came to power after a double coup  in August 2020 and May 2021  pointed out the withdrawal from the defense treaty wouldn't take effect for six months. On the other hand, the termination of "Barkhane" and "Takuba" are stated to take "immediate effect". On paper, Bamako has made clear from now on it considers the presence of French and European troops on its soil to be illegal.

Read the second episode: Subscribers only How Emmanuel Macron failed in the Sahel

'New bluff?'

In practice, what would be the repercussions? The question remains unanswered. It was already raised in February, when Emmanuel Macron confirmed the French military withdrawal from Mali, after months of escalating tensions. Bamako had then summoned France to "withdraw (its troops) without delay", thus attempting to thwart the French president's plan, who had wished for a coordinated withdrawal within four to six months.

In the field, the junta's orders had no impact. After closing up its bases in Kidal, Tessalit and Timbuktu at the end of 2021, "Barkhane" had persisted, despite the Malian warning shot, in organizing the departure of its 2400 soldiers still deployed in the country as previously planned. The objective: to leave its last holdings, namely Gossi (which has been closed since April), Menaka and finally Gao, by the month of August.

In Paris, the termination of those agreements worries and raises questions about the junta's real intentions. "Is this a useless military gesture, an other bluff, or an action thought with the intention to provoke a security incident with our forces?" asked a French source, who disputed the justifications given by the transitional authorities.

In its statement, the Malian government cited "multiple violations of (its) airspace by French military aircraft, despite the establishment of a temporary 'no go' zone." - a barely hidden reference to an umpteenth episode of discord between Paris and Bamako, dating back to April 27.

The junta had accused the French army of "espionage" and "subversion", after the French army had released videos shot by a drone. According to the French army, they showed mercenaries from the Russian private security group Wagner burying bodies to create a fake mass grave near the French base of Gossi, with the only goal of implicating Paris. Rebuting the accusation, the military staff highlighted the freedom of movement granted to the French forces... using the 2013 agreement that Bamako is now terminating.

More on this topic Sahel: In the information war, the French army retaliates and accuses the Wagner Group

The fear of a domino effect

The legal tug of war between the two countries is not new. In December 2021, the junta had already asked France to revise the defense cooperation treaty. According to our information, the amendments requested by the Malian side concerned rather subsidiary issues, such as customs and visa exemptions granted to French volunteers. After months of silence, Paris finally sent its response to the Malian authorities on 29 April. Did it displease the Malians, and could it help explain the termination announced on May 2?

Behind this new legal battle instigated by Bamako, some in France prefer to see the hand of Russia, and a response from Wagner's mercenaries to the episode of the sham mass grave in Gossi disclosed by Paris, and that "they would have been stuck on." "This is part of the Russian strategy of disinformation and lies that has been spreading for months, alongside with the junta to fuel the anti-French sentiment in Mali," berated the French source aforementioned.

In any case, on the legal front, the termination of the agreement determining the status of the French detachment "risks complicating the departure of "Barkhane" from Mali and its redeployment in the Sahel," said Julien Antouly, PhD student in armed conflict law at the Universite Paris-Nanterre. "The Malian authorities could question the flexibility granted in terms of visas and customs clearance, with the effect of slowing down the logistical convoys currently put in place by "Barkhane" to leave the country. In the future, the termination will also prevent any French military operations on Malian soil, including air strikes conducted from Niger, for example."

It could also cause a domino effect, pushing other international forces to pack up and leave, further isolating Mali. On April 11, the European mission EUTM-M had already announced that it would "stop" its military training and education missions to focus on modules "on the laws of war," mainly because of the presence of Wagner, which has deployed more than 1,000 troops since January. In the aftermath, Germany had expressed reservations about maintaining its large contingent (1,100 men), deployed in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), whose renewal is to be discussed in June, at the Security Council.

Morgane Le Cam Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.
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A WOMAN who legally changed her name by deed poll to Barbie Kardashian has gone on trial for allegedly making death threats.

Ms Kardashian, aged 20, of no fixed abode, has pleaded not guilty to a total of 11 counts of threatening to kill or cause serious harm to two individuals while in Coovagh House (a special care unit for 11 to 17-year-olds) in Limerick.

The alleged subjects of the threats were her mother and an employee of Coovagh House.

Outlining the case to the jury, John O'Sullivan BL, instructed by state solicitor Padraig Mawe, said it is the task of the prosecution to "prove the case against this lady".

"She enjoys the presumption of innocence. The evidence is what you will hear from the witnesses," said Mr OSullivan.

The barrister told the jury, at Limerick Circuit Court, that Ms Kardashian was born in Ireland to Venezuelan parents who separated when she was "relatively young".

"She was born a male but has identified as a female for a number of years. She legally changed her gender on August 18, 2020. She changed her name by deed poll," said Mr OSullivan.

He told the jury that the prosecution has to prove the case based on evidence beyond reasonable doubt "but not all doubt as that would be impossible".

The first witness in the trial, which opened this Wednesday afternoon, was a former deputy social care manager in Coovagh House. He is not the employee that Ms Kardashian is accused of making threats against.

Mr OSullivan asked him about March 12, 2020 and if Ms Kardashian did talk about feelings in relation to her mother following an assessment being carried out via videolink.

"She clearly expressed she wanted to track her down, identify where she lived and kill her - to murder and rape her," said the witness.

Mr OSullivan asked about a car journey with Ms Kardashian from Cork to Coovagh House on April 17, 2020. The witness said she "expressed a clear desire to rape and mutilate her mothers genitals".

"It was a clear desire to murder her mother, she had a plan to do so and was frustrated that she no longer knew where her mother lives, said the witness.

Mr OSullivan asked him about September 2, 2020 following an assessment in Coovagh House. The witness said Ms Kardashian spoke of her "desire to kill her mother".

"She thought she knew where she lived but she didnt anymore. She was distressed by this. She wanted to track down and murder her," said the witness.

The former deputy social care manager in Coovagh House was asked by Mr OSullivan what his reaction was.

"I kept listening. It is my role to listen and support the welfare of the young person," aid the witness.

Mr OSullivan asked if he believed she would carry out (the threats)?

"I questioned this for a long time. I asked her would you really do this? She said, 'Yes, I would'," said the witness.

Mark Nicholas, senior counsel for Ms Kardashian, described it as "a sad case.

He said his client alleges she suffered significant child sexual abuse at the hands of her parents - especially her father, her mother observed.

"This is her story, Im not saying her story is everyones story," said Mr Nicholas.

He asked the witness if Ms Kardashian acted out, was openly provocative, would say things to get a reaction?

"Yes," said the witness.

Mr Nicholas said his client was able to open up to the witness in a space that was not judgmental. The barrister asked why significant event notifications (SENs) were not filed on the dates of the alleged offences.

"These are regular conversations we were exposed to. We would not be in a position to record them all. We wouldnt be able to listen and support, said the witness, who added that he was in constant communication with her psychiatrist.

Mr Nicholas said the witness made a statement to gardai "six months later".

"Do you see what I am saying? asked Mr Nicholas.

"I see what you are saying," said the witness.

The trial continues.
TWO US army veterans have each been fined 5,000 for interfering with the operation of Shannon Airport during an anti-war protest three years ago.

On Tuesday, a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court acquitted Ken Mayers (85) and Tarak Kauff (80) of causing criminal damage to a perimeter fence at the airport and of trespassing with the intent to commit an offence or interfere with property.

The jury returned a majority guilty verdict on the separate charge of interfering with the operation, safety or management of an airport by entering the runway area and causing the airport to close.

At a sentencing hearing this Wednesday, Tony McGillicuddy SC, prosecuting, told the court the penalty is a fine not exceeding 250,000, two years imprisonment or both.

Carol Doherty, BL, defending Mr Kauff, asked the court to consider the age of her client and the fact that he has already spent just under two weeks in Limerick prison and has been unable to return to his family in the United States.

Michael Hourigan BL, defending Mr Mayers, asked the court to note his client has been fully cooperative throughout both the investigation and the trial.

He highlighted his client's age, his educational history and that he has also spent thirteen days in Limerick prison.

Judge Patricia Ryan said that Shannon Airport was closed for forty minutes and said it was a serious offence. She said she was taking into consideration mitigating factors such as the men's cooperation, age, and excellent work history and that neither men have any previous convictions.

She also noted that both men had already spent thirteen days in prison and were required to remain in Ireland for the past nine months.

Judge Ryan fined the men 5,000 each.

She noted that both men have already lodged 2,500 as condition of their bail and she requested that a further 2,500 be lodged by each defendant as soon as possible.

The five-day trial heard that at around 10am on St Patricks Day 2019 the two men cut a hole in the airport perimeter fence with a pair of bolt cutters - causing 590 worth of damage - before walking on to airport lands.

They were met on a taxiway by an airport officer after staff were alerted to a security breach. When asked what they were doing, the pair said they were peace protesters who were there to inspect US military aircraft. They had a folded-up banner with them.

The airport was shut down for about 40 minutes, the trial heard, with two planes delayed in departing and one cargo plane forced to stay in the air until given the all-clear.

The court heard both men served in the United States military before becoming anti-war activists in the 1960s. They are members of a US-based group called Veterans for Peace.

From the outset, they both admitted cutting the hole in the fence and entering the airport lands.

Giving evidence to the jury, they said they did so to protest against the United States' military use of Shannon as a stop-over enroute to places such as the Middle East.

Mayers, of Monte Alte Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico and Kauff, of Arnold Drive, Woodstock, New York had both pleaded not guilty to trespass, criminal damage and interfering with the operation, safety or management of Shannon Airport on March 17, 2019.
Procad an Autodesk Platinum Partner is Irelands leading provider of design and engineering software solutions, offering software sales, implementation, training, consultancy and product support.

Following the acquisition of Procad in June 2021 the company will now rebrand to Symetri Ireland this July. This partnership will provide customers with more technology and expertise within the full Autodesk portfolio, resulting in leading edge solutions for customers operating within the Manufacturing, Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Infrastructure industries.

Symetri part of Addnode Group operates globally with offices in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Ireland, Germany, the UK and the US has 950+ consultants and technical specialists defining, implementing, and supporting Autodesk products across all industry sectors.

The acquisition of Procad by Symetri ensures customers will benefit from an increase in the breadth of skills Symetri offer with access to a wider range of technologies, including Symetris own in-house developed solutions such as Naviate, Sovelia and CQ Flexmon.

The company works closely with leading Architects, Contractors, and Consultants across the construction industry, ensuring they get the most out of their software investments. Also specialised in the Product Design and Manufacturing industry, the company works with leading national and multi-national organisations to design, create and deliver world class products and services.

Cormac Lyons, CEO says We see a positive future for our customers and employees as Symetri Ireland continues to invest in the development of new technologies and new markets in Europe and in the US. Our current challenge will be to attract qualified talent and fill the many new roles in Symetri Ireland that will be announced in the coming months.

Join Cormac and his team on May 26th for an exciting live virtual event, where these latest technologies will be showcased by industry experts.

The theme of this free event is The Digital Evolution  Staying Competitive, whereby users will see a range of topics from BIM 360 Data Analytics, Naviate Gemini, Revit with Naviate, Modular in BIM as well as Sustainability in design, with more to be announced in the coming weeks. Excellent prizes to be won on the day.

Other exciting events in addition to this partnership, include Procad/Symetri Irelands sponsorship of the WorldSkills Ireland competition. As part of Procads sponsorship, they are offering all future and current users free registration for their upcoming Autodesk Fusion 360 webinar series.

Ray OMahony, Technical Manager at Procad says we employ a team of technical specialists that are the best in their field, so we are honoured to lend our experience and knowledge to inspire the next generation of skilled young people in schools and universities across Ireland.

Lots of positive changes happening for the Limerick based company with new jobs being created for the region. Being part of the global Symetri team allows the company to participate and influence the future development of products and services to an ever-expanding customer base

Delivering a world class service across multiple industries is the way forward for the Limerick based company. Being part of the global Symetri organisation allows the Irish technical team to participate and influence the future development of products and services to an ever-expanding customer base  more to come on this!

For further information please visit www.procad.ie or email sales@procad.ie

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MUMBAI : Insurance behemoth Life Insurance Corp. of India (LIC) has reposed faith in domestic equities in the last quarter of FY22 (Q4FY22) ahead of its mega public market debut that opens today.

The state-run insurers ownership by value across 279 NSE-listed companies, where its holding is more than 1%, rose to 3.83% in the March quarter, against 3.67% in December, according to data from primeinfobase.com. It saw a marginal dip in ownership in Q3. In value terms, it reached a new high of 9.89 trillion in the quarter, clocking a sequential rise of 3.75%.

View Full Image LIC raises stakes in companies

LICs holdings went up in 83 companies quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q). Stocks of these companies saw an average decline of 5.92% during the same period. On the flip side, LIC trimmed holdings in 81 NSE-listed firms, whose average share price rose by nearly 4%, the analysis showed.

The stock markets wobbled in the last quarter on weak global cues, a rise in uncertainty due to inflation and geopolitical tensions. Historically, LIC has been a contrarian investor. In the January-March quarter, there were periods of deep corrections. Going by that precedent, they could have raised stakes. Also, their share (by value of the market) could have gone up as foreign investors reduced their stakes," said Pranav Haldea, managing director, Prime Database Group.

The top holdings of the state-run insurer include 49.2% stake in IDBI Bank, 45.2% stake in LIC Housing Finance and 15.8% stake in ITC as of March. Some of the companies where it has significantly raised stakes in the past two quarters include Bharat Petroleum, Mahanagar Gas, and Tata Consumer Products. The ones that lost favour include Hindustan Aeronautics and Hindustan Copper.

LICs increase in stake lifted the overall share of domestic insurance companies in NSE-listed companies to 4.99% in Q4FY22 compared with 4.79% in the previous quarter. LIC commands the lions share of investments in equities by insurance companies (77%). A total of 21 insurance companies (ones holding greater than 1%) are invested in companies listed on NSE.

Further, the overall share of domestic institutional investors (DIIs), which includes domestic mutual funds, insurance companies, banks, financial institutions, and pension funds rose to 13.7% from 13.21% in Q3FY22. Besides, in value terms, the holding of DIIs also rose to an all-time high of 35.35 trillion, registering an increase of 3.05% q-o-q.
Brooklyn's Mexican community marches down 5th Avenue in the Sunset Park neighborhood during a Cinco de Mayo parade on May 7, 2017.

Observed every year on May 5, the holiday Cinco de Mayo has its origins in a famous Mexican military victory. However, over the years the event has grown into a celebration of Latino heritage and culture, and is now celebrated across much of North America.

Although the pandemic did put a hold on many of the festivals and parades, which had become popular especially in the U.S., celebrations are now returning to normal  eating, drinking, dancing and racing Chihuahuas.

Here are five facts about this holiday and how it is celebrated.

It began because of a famous battle

Detail of a painting by Patricio Ramos Ortega depicting the Battle of Puebla took place on 5 May 1862 near the city of Puebla during the French intervention in Mexico (Image credit: Getty Images / Leemage )

Cinco de Mayo, which means the 5th of May in Spanish, is often wrongly thought to be the date of Mexico's independence from Spain. That date, also a holiday is called Grito de Dolores (or El Grito de la Independencia) and is observed every Sept. 16.

Cinco de Mayo actually marks the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla (May 5, 1862) which took place between the Mexican and the French armies. In 1861 the Mexican government stopped making repayments on a large debt it owed to the French emperor, Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte. To collect the debt, the emperor dispatched French soldiers to occupy portions of Mexico  seizing the money through a land-grab.

At Puebla  which is approximately 80 miles (129 kilometers) east of Mexico City  approximately 4,000 Mexican stood firm against around 6,000 French soldiers. The French, who were much better equipped than their enemy, were were led by Commander Charles Ferdinand Latrille. On the day, the Mexican army, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, inflicted about 1,000 killed, more wounded, and forced the survivors to retreat to Mexico's Gulf coast.



Though the French returned the following year and successfully captured both Puebla and Mexico City, the Mexicans eventually won the war in 1867. The battle against the odds at Puebla on May 5 remains among the most famous Mexican victories.

It's a bigger party in the U.S. than in Mexico

In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is a regional holiday in the state and city of Puebla, and is mainly celebrated with large parades. Neighboring areas, including Veracruz and Mexico City, also observe the holiday with festivities, however unlike Grito de Dolores the holiday is not commemorated throughout all of Mexico.

In the U.S., Cinco de Mayo began to become more popular in the 1940s, during the rise of the Chicano (or Mexican American) movement, according to TIME magazine. Today, Cinco de Mayo is actually more widely celebrated north of the border than it is in the south, with parades, festivals and Cinco de Mayo-themed parties held throughout the U.S.

The world's largest events were in California

Prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Festival de Fiesta Broadway was one of the largest Cinco de Mayo events in the world, attracting as many as 600,000 people with its colorful array of Mexican food, music and dancing.

The festival is named after the street it is held on in Los Angeles, Calif., where every year up to 24 square blocks were barricaded off to make room for the event.



In 2022, festivities are back on the schedule, with events across the country.

It's honored with Chihuahua races and beauty pageants

Chihuahua dog owners release their pets to compete in the "Run of the Chihuahuas" annual race in Washington on May 3, 2014 (Image credit: Getty Images / MLADEN ANTONOV)

Prior to the pandemic, an average of 7,000 people attended the Cinco de Mayo festival in Chandler, Ariz., and although it's not as big as the Festival de Fiesta Broadway, this fiesta has its own unique flair: what it lacks in size, it makes up for in Chihuahuas. Lots and lots of Chihuahuas.

"This festival is known for its Chihuahuas," Alberto Esparza, an official representative for the city government-sponsored event, told Life's Little Mysteries. "We have a Chihuahua parade, as well as Chihuahua races and pageants."

The race has consisted of 150 purebred Chihuahuas and takes place on a tiny track set up especially to accommodate the small breed. After the race winners are announced, the "king and queen coronation" takes center stage. The king and queen Chihuahuas are judged based on who is the best dressed, has the best temperament and is the most fashionable. The winners receive a medal and royal cape.



Since the popularity of the Chihuahua-themed Cinco de Mayo celebrations, other similar events have popped up in different states, including Washington D.C., where the "Running of the Chihuahuas" is set for May 7, 2022.

The Battle of Puebla is re-enacted annually

Mexicans celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a reenactment of the 1862 Battle of Puebla (Image credit: Getty Images / Susana Gonzalez)

Traditionally, the Battle of Puebla is re-enacted by the citizens of Puebla, Mexico, during their Cinco de Mayo festival. Participants dress up in 19th-century uniform, carrying machetes and old-fashioned rifles.

Those representing the French soldiers wear knapsacks with wine bottles sticking out of them, and some dress in the elaborate blue-and-red zouave uniform associated French infantry in this period. In addition, women dress in long skirts and flowery hats represent the soldaderas, or "female fighters" that cooked and cared for the Mexican army.

Rifle shots ring out and cannon blasts roar during the mock battle, until the Mexican and French generals meet face-to-face for a dramatic sword fight finale  the Mexican general of course emerges victorious. Ordinarily the Battle of Puebla is also re-enacted in several parts of the U.S., including San Diego's Old Town and Heritage Park in San Diego, Calif.
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Among the many social movements that arose in the 1960s and 70s, one just about everyone on the liberal spectrum could agree on was anti-nuke. Hiroshima and Nagasaki left behind a lingering horror at the ways technological advancement might be turned to mass destruction. Power plant accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl seemed to confirm fears that this energy sources risks outweighed its benefits. Yet in recent years, some voices have argued that nuclear power is in fact humanitys best option to meet its energy requirements amid escalating environmental and resource crises.

Its an intriguing if unpopular viewpoint that merits clear explanation and debate, things that Atomic Hope ultimately does not provide. Irish filmmaker Frankie Fentons second feature, following the much more intimately focused Its Not Yet Dark, chooses to focus primarily on pro-nuke advocates and their uphill public campaigns  as opposed to the pro-nuke arguments themselves, which are never rigorously addressed. Nor are opponents heard from at all. The result is a slick globe-trotting documentary that holds attention, yet doesnt really leave the viewer more enlightened on the subject at hand than they were before.

Archival footage under the opening credits provides a rapid-fire overview of relevant key events over the last 80 years, from bombing aircraft Enola Gay to climate activist Greta Thunberg. Shes depicted because it is a core belief among current proponents that (as one puts it here) nuclear energy is the fastest way to decarbonize our energy systems, in time to combat climate change. The clock is ticking, environmentally damaging fossil fuels still supply over 80% of energy needs worldwide, and it is estimated that by mid-century those needs will double or even triple.

The first voice heard from here is that of Japanese scientist Moto Yasu Kinoshita, who admits his nations attitude toward nuclear power is very complex for very good reasons (his family came from Nagasaki). But he also says, It is very natural behavior for human beings to overcome our history, allowing, We have already opened the box of the Pandora. We cannot close it again.

Among those enthusiastic about nuclear being the safest, cleanest and most productive energy option going forward are leaders from disparate advocacy orgs Thorium Energy Alliance, Generation Atomic and Mothers for Nuclear. Such is the automatic resistance to their message that they are often barred or shouted down at climate change-related conferences and protests. Few are willing to hear arguments that for all its notoriety, nuclear power has a track record of minimal harm compared to other energy sources. English medical-science research professor Geraldine Thomas calls the general wisdoms about radiation risks, birth defects and cancer misinformation, while biologist Iida Rushalme actually tours Chernobyls exclusion zone to measure the (surprisingly low) remaining radioactivity levels.

But missing here are any knowledgable critics who might refute these points, and allow the advocates to defend their stances in turn. A major figure in Atomic Hope is author and recurrent California political candidate Michael Shellenberger. Hes presented as a plucky, good-humored rebel for his more combative stances as an ecomodernist, notably raining on the parade of those championing renewables, i.e. wind and solar power. The film entirely sidesteps the controversy of his views among many environmental scientists and academics whove termed them misleading or inflammatory.

Indeed, even as it sprawls from San Francisco to Manila, Atomic Hope somehow eludes the harder questions that might have both challenged and ballasted the stances of proponents onscreen. We dont doubt the genuineness of their concern or activism, but the full evidence isnt here to win us over. While it finds some colorful personalities and situations to capture (notably some desperate ploys for public attention), the film errs in assuming activists themselves merit central focus when their cause itself remains so poorly understood.

At heart its a documentary for the converted, at a time when most viewers will still require converting. Barely touched on is how countries like France and Sweden came to buck the general tide by increasing their nuclear power capacities. Never addressed at all is a widespread fear that has greatly heightened with Putins recent actions and statements: Can we fully separate the plusses of nuclear from the threat of leaders who might abuse it?

Beyond hewing to the currently ubiquitous and somewhat gratuitous norm of being structured by themed chapters, Fentons survey is otherwise well-turned in production terms. Theres good use of archival footage, and a polished look to new material shot on myriad locations. Neo-folkies Jose Gonzalez and Stornoway contribute pre-existing songs for the bookending credits sequences.

Reviewed online, May 1, 2022. In Hot Docs. Running time: 83 MIN.

Running Time: Running time: 83 MIN.

Production

(Documentary  Ireland) A Fis Eireann/Screen Ireland presentation of a Kennedy Films production. (World sales: Java Films, London.) Producers: Kathryn Kennedy Fenton, Frankie Fenton. Executive producers: Robert Stone, Jim Swartz, Ray Rothrock, Celine Haddad.

Crew

Director: Frankie Fenton. Camera: Fenton. Editor: John Murphy. Music: Natasa Paulberg.

With

Moto Yasu Kinoshita, John Kutsch, Eric Meyer, Michael Shellenberger, Iida Rushalme, Prof. Jim Smith, Prof. Geraldine Thomas, Dr. Ben Heard, Madison Czerwinski.

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CAA has signed Tolga Karacelik, the Turkish director of Sundance-winning film Butterflies, for representation in all areas.

Based in Istanbul, writer-director Karacelik is one of Turkeys top film creatives and has previously been profiled by Variety. His films Ivy, set aboard a stranded cargo ship, and Butterflies, a dark comedy prompted by the death of his late uncle, both premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

Butterflies went on to receive the Park City, Utah festivals Grand Jury Award in 2018, making Karacelik the first Turkish director to win the prize.

After first getting a law degree in Turkey, Karacelik went on to study filmmaking in New York before eventually returning to Turkey to film his debut feature Toll Booth (2010), about a Turkish toll-station worker with a vivid imagination. The pic won best first film, actor and cinematography at the countrys Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.

Karaceliks second film, Ivy (2015), was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema (Drama) at the Sundance Film Festival, and went on to win awards at dozens of film festivals around the world.

In 2019, Karacelik made the jump into television, directing an episodic series called I, Bartu for the Turkish digital platform BluTV, which was well received by critics and audiences alike. Hes currently developing his fourth feature film, which is scheduled to shoot in 2022.

Recently, Karacelik worked as a director on the Netflix series Yakamoz S-245, a spinoff show set on a military submarine that takes place in the universe of the Netflix sci-fi series Into the Night, in which a hijacked plane must keep traveling to outrace the sun following an environmental event.

Nick Vivarelli contributed to this story.

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Dave Chappelle was attacked Tuesday night in Los Angeles by a man who rushed the stage and tackled the comedian during an event at the Hollywood Bowl.

According to NBC News, authorities identified the suspect as Isaiah Lee, 23. A Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson said Lee  who faces charges of a felony count of assault with a deadly weapon  was reportedly in possession of a replica gun that could eject a knife blade when you discharge it correctly. His bail has been set at $30,000.

LAPD confirmed Lee was in the audience before the attack and lunged at Chappelle as the comedian was about to leave the stage. Event security intervened, pulling Lee off Chappelle before he was detained by police. Although Chappelle was not injured during the incident, police reported Lee sustained superficial injuries and was taken to a local hospital.

A scan of social media accounts early Wednesday morning uncovered a private Instagram account using the name Isaiah Lee under the username @noname_trapper. In a subsequent interview with Rolling Stone, Lees older brother Aaron Lee confirmed the account belonged to his sibling, stating that the younger Lee performed under the moniker Noname Trapper and once released a song titled Dave Chappelle.

The contentious comedian was performing at the historic Los Angeles venue as a part of Netflix Is a Joke Fest, a city-wide comedy festival sponsored by the streaming giant. In addition to Chappelle, the evenings lineup boasted an all-star roster of musicians and comedians  including Black Star, Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, Busta Rhymes, Jeff Ross and Jimmy Carr.

A spokesperson for Chappelle praised the comedians of shows at the Hollywood Bowl and said Chappelle refuses to allow last nights incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment and noted he is fully cooperating with the active police investigation into this incident.

In a statement, a Netflix spokesperson told Variety, We care deeply about the safety of creators and we strongly defend the right of stand-up comedians to perform on stage without fear of violence.

Video posted to social media immediately after the attack showed a group of individuals gathered on the Hollywood Bowl stage attempting to restrain  and possibly kicking  the suspect. Another video making the rounds on Twitter purportedly showed Lee being loaded into an ambulance, his right arm visibly dislocated.

During the initial chaos following the attack, Chappelle stood offstage to gather his composure. It was a trans man, he said jokingly of the attacker, referencing his controversial comments about transgender individuals in his Netflix stand-up special, The Closer. Stephanie Wash, a reporter and producer for ABC in attendance at the event, tweeted that Rock also poked fun at the melee, returning to the stage to ask, Was that Will Smith? (Rock was slapped by the Oscar-winning actor during this years Academy Awards in a shocking moment prompted by a joke made at the expense of Smiths wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.)

A Twitter video shows Chappelle returned to the stage during the curtain call to address the incident, issuing a shout-out to actor Jamie Foxx  who, according to Deadline, was among those who rushed to Chappelles aid during the attack. Whenever youre in trouble, Jamie Foxx will show up in a sheriffs hat, Chappelle said as he brought the actor out on stage. Foxx joked that he thought the scene was part of the show.

This man is an absolute genius. Weve got to make sure we protect him at all times, Foxx said. For every comedian that comes out here, man, this means everything. Youre a genius. Youre a legend. I enjoyed myself thoroughly, and were not going to let nothing happen to you.

Ive been doing this for 35 years. I just stomped a na backstage, Chappelle added. Ive always wanted to do that.

Dave Chappelle just got attacked on stage pic.twitter.com/E4gAfmkPgQ  Hoodville (@Hoodville_) May 4, 2022

This story was updated 5/4/22 at 9:45 a.m. with the identity of the suspect, Isaiah Lee. This story was updated 5/4/22 at 3:25 p.m. ET with a statement from Netflix. This story was updated 5/4/22 at 3:51 p.m. ET with a statement from a Chappelle spokesperson.
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Amidst all the expansive theories and timeline chaos, prepare yourself for a multiverse of madness with the latest entry into the MCU  the new Doctor Strange movie is out now, but if you want to know how to watch it online, and when it will be available to stream on Disney+, read ahead.

Buy: 'Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness' at

Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness is the direct sequel to Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and follow-up to the original Doctor Strange (2016). The film has Benedict Cumberbatch reprising his role as Stephen Strange (a.k.a. Doctor Strange), who has to deal with the consequences of the events of Now Way Home, as well as a dimension-hopping new hero America Chavez (played by Xochitl Gomez), and the return of Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) as the Scarlett Witch.

The film also features several cameos and appearances from heroes and villains of the previous MCU series, and while it would dip into spoiler territory to say anything more, if youre antsy to watch the movie, heres the info on when itll be available to stream online and how to watch Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness online for free.

Courtesy of Marvel Studios Courtesy of Marvel Studios

When Will Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness Be Released?

Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness hit theaters on May 6, 2022 and like many recent movies and like many recent movies, its getting a wide release so you can watch it in-person. Tickets to see the film at your local movie theater are available online now here.

Is Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness Available to Watch on Disney+?

Unlike other Marvel films this year that dropped simultaneously on Disney+ and in theaters, Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Mandess is currently only available to watch in theaters. But due to the massive amount of No Way Home torrents online that popped up after that release, Disney may just decide to push up the digital release date  but it just wont be streaming on Disney+ yet.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is not currently streaming on Disney+, but as with most Marvel Studios films since November 2019, the movie will eventually release on the platform sometime later this year. It will be a theatrical exclusive for at least 45 days (or perhaps longer, given No Way Homes run was extended to 90), so you should expect to see it on the streamer sometime in July or August.

Pricing for a Disney+ subscription starts at just $7.99 a month and will include instant access to watch the original Doctor Strange online, as well as all of Disney+ slate of original shows, movies and exclusive offerings.

Buy: Disney+ Subscription at $7.99

Sign up for Disney+ here for $7.99 and log in with your subscription to stream Doctor Strange (2016) from your phone, laptop, tablet or connected TV.

How to Watch Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness Free Online

Disney+ unfortunately doesnt currently offer a free trial for new subscribers, but there are other ways to stream the MCU movies youll need to catch up on for free, and to have the streamer subscription for when Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness eventually drops on Disney+.

If you are a Verizon subscriber, you may be eligible for their Disney+ On Us deal giving you access to six months of Disney+ for free. Sign-up now or register for the free streaming deal with your Verizon plan here. Then, youll be all set to stream Doctor Strange (2016), WandaVision, and more on Disney+.

Doctor Stranger: Multiverse of Madness 2022 Rating, Runtime, Cast, Description

The runtime for Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness is 2 hours and 6 minutes, and the film has a PG-13 rating. Directed by Sam Raimi (of original Spider-Man fame), the film features several returning actors reprising their roles, including Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange, alongside Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Rachel McAdams.

The film follows Cumberbatchs Doctor Strange grappling with the fallout from Spider-Man: No Way Home. After casting a spell that opens up a doorway into the multiverse, a threat is unleashed that is far too great for him to handle on his own. Together with Wanda Maximoff (Scarlett Witch), Wong, and dimension-hopping hero America Chavez, he traverses the multiverse and must face off against a secret organization known as the Illuminati for his crimes against bending reality.

How to Watch the Original Doctor Strange Movie Online

If you want to catch up on both the original Doctor Strange (2016) film, and the WandaVision series (there might be some easter eggs and references to No Way Home as well), heres how to watch the rest of the MCU films online.

The good news is that Doctor Strange (2016) and WandaVision are both currently available to stream on Disney+. With a Disney+ subscription you can can binge all the MCU movies and exclusive series with unlimited streaming.

Buy: Disney+ Subscription at $7.99

Its a little tricker for Spider-Man: No Way Home, which is currently unavailable to stream on Disney+. But if you want to watch Spider-Man: No Way Home online before heading to the theaters for Doctor Strange, you can purchase and watch the film on demand on Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Google Play, Apple iTunes, Microsoft, and YouTube for $19.99.

Buy: 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' at $19.99
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Howard Stern used the May 3 episode of eponymous SiriusXM radio show to blast the Supreme Court Justices who are considering overturning Roe v. Wade, which has kept basic abortion rights legal since its 1973 ruling. A majority draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito was leaked on May 2. Alito wrote that Roe v. Wade was egregiously wrong from the start and called the reasoning behind the ruling exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. The Supreme Court has since said the leaked draft is not representative of the courts final ruling.

If guys got raped and pregnant, thered be abortions available on every corner. Every street corner a different clinic that would take care of the problem, Stern said on his show (via Mediaite). How women would vote for this agenda is beyond me. Who the hell wants to carry a baby that you do not want? And again, the people who carry these babies who dont want them dont raise these kids and then were stuck with them.

Stern said that the people who are anti-abortion in this country dont give to charity, they dont raise these kids. I dont know who they think is going to raise them. Men were ready to tear this country down because we asked them to wear a mask, let alone have some baby they dont want.

How did we get to this point? Stern asked. How much more are we going to take? How much more of this bullshit that some hillbilly in South Dakota gets a more important vote cause he lives in South Dakota. Let me tell you something. Heres what I say. All the unwanted children should be allowed to live at the Supreme Court building with those Justices and they should raise every one of those babies. That crackpot Clarence Thomas and that wife and all of them. They can raise those babies that they want.

Stern is one of man celebrities standing up for abortion rights in the aftermath of the Supreme Court leak. Amy Schumer, Whoopi Goldberg, Amber Tamblyn and more have all used social media to condemn a potential overturning of Roe v. Wade. Grammy-nominated musician Phoebe Bridgers even shared her own abortion story for the first time, telling fans that everyone should have access to spaces such as Planned Parenthood.

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Stranger Things fans in the U.K. can finally get a glimpse of the Upside Down for themselves when Stranger Things: The Experience comes to London this summer.

Described as a groundbreaking, in-person live multimedia experience which will feature memorable settings and favorite characters, the event was developed with the shows creators and is co-produced by Netflix and experiential events company Fever.

Fans will be co-opted into a new storyline that takes place in a parallel universe where they must run the gauntlet of terrors lurking in the dark and unlock their secret powers to help save the town.

Among the locations fans will be able to see are Hawkins Lab and the Upside Down as well as getting the opportunity to grab a sundae from Scoops Ahoy, play some games at the Palace Arcade, sip cocktails at a Stranger Things themed bar, stop in at Family Video, buy some exclusive merchandise and even get close to a Demogorgan.

We know our Stranger Things fans will embrace the chance to be the heroes of the story, working alongside Eleven, Mike and the rest of the gang to fight the evil threatening to consume Hawkins, said Greg Lombardo, head of experiences at Netflix. Fans love losing themselves in the world when they watch the show. Now, for the first time, they will be able to live out an episode from the series in real life.

Tickets to Stranger Things: The Experience will be released on May 12, starting at 39 ($48). Each ticket entitles visitors to a 45 minute tour through the experience and unlimited time in the retail and food/drink area.

Stranger Things: The Experience will also open in New York this month and San Francisco in June. A drive through Stranger Things experience debuted in L.A. in 2020.

Season 4 of the hit 1980s-themed show will launch May 27 on the streamer.

Tickets can be purchased at strangerthings-experience.com.

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A lawyer for Keith Raniere, the convicted leader of the alleged sex cult NXIVM, focused on the definition of a commercial sex act, alleged sixth amendment violations, and supposedly prejudicial abortion evidence during a hearing in front of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on Tuesday, May 3.

The appeals hearing got under way almost two years after Raniere was sentenced to 120 cumulative years in prison for his role as the leader of NXIVM. The year before, Raniere was found guilty on all seven criminal charges against him, including sex trafficking, racketeering, wire fraud, conspiracy, and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.

The first argument Ranieres lawyer, Joseph Tully, made to the panel of three judges was the court violated Ranieres sixth amendment rights when it prematurely terminated the defenses cross examination of a key witness, Lauren Salzman. Tully claimed the defense didnt have a full and fair opportunity to confront and cross-examine the witness, and as such, the Sixth Amendment was violated.

Another focus of Tullys argument was that the judge overseeing the original trial, U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis, supposedly misled the jury with his definition of a commercial sex act. Tully seemed to suggest that Garaufis had too broadly defined the term when he defined it as, Any sex act of which value is given to, or received, by any person because of such sex act. Tullys argument hinged on the judges use of because of, instead of on account of, arguing the latter carried an implicit quid pro quo necessary to keep the definition narrowly focused. Tully even tossed off a few hypothetical scenarios that he claimed would incorrectly be labeled commercial sex acts because of the because of wording, including a boss and his wife having inter-marital relations one night and the boss buying his staff lunch the next day because hes in a good mood.

The judges on the appeals panel, however, seemed skeptical of Tullys semantic claims. They also pushed back on his earlier claim about the Sixth Amendment violation, with one judge noting that the issues the defense wasnt able to address during the Salzman cross were things that had already been discussed before the jury, including a possible sentence for Salzman, who was cooperating with the prosecution.

Prosecutor Tanya Hajjar picked up on that as well, claiming Tully fails to identify what questions, if any, he wouldve asked on cross-examination. Tully did offer a bit more during a rebuttal later, stating that Ranieres defense counsel at the time wasnt able to end on a crescendo, or elicit testimony from Salzman as it related to her intent on racketeering.

There was one area, however, where Tully seemed to score a bit more purchase with at least one judge  though it wasnt one Tully brought up himself. Early on, Judge Guido Calabresi asked Tully to address what he called the clearly prejudicial admission of evidence regarding abortions performed on two sisters, whod become pregnant by Raniere. One sister testified during Ranieres trial and spoke about the alleged abuse she suffered, but when it came to the details she shared about the abortion, Tully agreed with Calabresis characterization of the evidence, saying whatever value it may have had was far outweighed by its prejudicial effect on the jury.

Hajjar, in turn, argued the abortion evidence was fairly limited in scope, but still valid. She pointed out in particular that medical records tied to the abortion of one of the sisters, Camila, was used to help establish that she was underage when Raniere began a sexual relationship with her.

Along with Ranieres appeal, a lawyer for another marquee NXIVM supporter, the Seagram heiress Clare Bronfman, appeared in court to argue that the prison sentence she received for her involvement was unreasonable. Bronfman pleaded guilty to several charges, including identity theft and immigration fraud, and was ultimately sentenced to six years and nine months in prison.

But Bronfman has claimed that her sentence is too severe because, she argues, she was not involved in the intra-NXIVM group, DOS, that Raniere was accused of running. (DOS infamously comprised masters and slaves, with Raniere serving as the grandmaster; according to testimony, slaves were forced into sex acts and physical labor, forced to submit collateral in the form of explicit photos and other compromising material, and even branded with Ranieres initials.)

While Judge Garaufis, who also oversaw Bronfmans case, acknowledged during her sentencing that shed not been in DOS, he stated that shed been willfully blind to the group. Bronfmans lawyer, Ronald Sullivan, seized on this wording and argued that it led Garaufis to unfairly give Bronfman a punishment that was not only harsher than what prosecutors had originally sought, but harsher compared to other high-profile NXIVM members such as Allison Mack and Kathy Russell.

But like their squabbling with Tully over because of vs. on account of, the panel didnt seem particularly swayed by the willful blindness claim. At one point, Sullivan argued that the notion of Bronfmans willful blindness was brought up only during sentencing, thus not giving Bronfman the opportunity to respond to it. One judge replied, Youre quibbling with the characterization of the use of a phrase, but the facts referenced by that phrase are pretty well explained.

Later during his rebuttal, Sullivan also tried to allege that Bronfman was punished in part for her wealth and privilege, which he called a due process violation that does shock the conscience. A judge, however, jumped in: Im not sure it shocks mine. So explain this to me: If you have tremendous wealth and you use that to destroy the enemies of the people who are opposed to what ends up being a RICO enterprise, thats not something that the court should, or can, consider?

The three judge panel will rule on Raniere and Bronfmans appeals at a later date, though no exact date was given for when their rulings will be announced.
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A 300-year-old violin, reputed to have been played on the Oscar-winning Wizard of Oz score, will go on the auction block next month and could fetch as much as $20 million.

The rare Stradivarius belonged to Odessa-born Toscha Seidel, widely considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century, famed for his rich tone and emotional intensity.

Estimates are that the violin could bring between $16 million and $20 million at auction, partly because of its excellent condition and partly because of its history. There are about 600 Stradivarius violins in existence worldwide; the highest price paid for a Strad was $15.9 million in 2011, so the Seidel instrument could mark a new world record.

Seidel made his American debut at New Yorks Carnegie Hall in 1918 and toured the U.S., Europe and Australia throughout the 1920s. He was a frequent performer on New York-based CBS Radio in the early 1930s but moved to California in 1938 to pursue more lucrative movie studio work.

His best-known film work was in 1939s Intermezzo, which starred Leslie Howard as a violinist who falls in love with his accompanist, played by Ingrid Bergman. Seidel played the violin solos heard throughout the soundtrack. He is also known to have performed on The Great Waltz, Balalaika and Melody for Three, music-themed films from the 1938-41 period.

As for the beloved Judy Garland film: There is some glorious solo violin work in the underscoring, reports John Fricke, author of The Wonderful World of Oz and foremost historian of the MGM classic, although he was unable to confirm that Seidel was the violin soloist in Herbert Stotharts Oscar-winning score.

It is possible, perhaps even likely, as Seidel is known to have been placed under MGM contract in February 1939 and most of the Oz score was recorded in May 1939.

In any case, Seidel played his Stradivarius for nearly four decades and it has been more than 15 years since any instrument from Antonio Stradivaris so-called Golden Period has been offered at auction. This one, crafted in Italy in 1714 and nicknamed da Vinci, made front-page headlines in The New York Times when it was acquired by Seidel for $25,000 in 1924.

Seidel also gave violin lessons to renowned physicist Albert Einstein; together, they later played a Bach double violin concerto at a fundraiser for German-Jewish scientists fleeing the Nazis.

It is our tremendous pleasure to present this instrument, whose exquisite voice still speaks to us through many classical recordings and film scores performed by the incomparable Toscha Seidel, said Carlos Tome, director at Tarisio, which will auction the violin on June 9. We can only imagine the thrill that this instrument has generated for countless musicians and audiences over the centuries.

Tarisio will exhibit Seidels violin in London, Berlin, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and New York between now and auction day.

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Rep. Henry Cuellar and other city and county leaders addressed issues of domestic violence and child abuse in the community, stating that more funding is needed to tackle the problem.

On Tuesday, Cuellar visited Laredo Police Department headquarters to announce his support for the National Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Hotlines and by calling for more increased funding for them in the FY23 Appropriations Bill.

During the event, various local law enforcement officials and city and county officials spoke about the need for more funding, as domestic violence and child abuse are severe problems seen in the community.

In the bill, the congressman is requesting $28 million for the Domestic Violence Hotline and $6 million for both the Maternal Mental Health Hotline and the Child Abuse Hotline.

In the appropriations, I added money for hotlines," Cuellar said. "I know that when someone has a case of child abuse or domestic violence, they should call local law enforcement, they should call the police, the Sheriff's Office or even our (Justice of the Peace courts) or constables if there is an issue that we need to look at. I am putting more money in it so we can connect more with local law enforcement.

The congressman also stated that he would like to also see a pilot program installed so better practices can be learned between agencies as well as enhanced communication so that domestic violence and child abuse issues are not just stopped as much as possible but also prevented.

What we are doing here is not only adding monies to the resources, but we are also looking at asking for another $10 million so we can set up a pilot program with the best practices such as intervention and the preventative methods," Cuellar said. "We can use that because it might be that the sheriff is doing something  or might be that the police are doing something here or the district attorney is handling the best practices, so we need to make sure that we can teach other states or learn from other states."

City of Laredo District V Councilmember Ruben Gutierrez Jr., a former law enforcement officer, took some time during the event to discuss how big a of need this is for the city and for these funds to be brought to the area.

This is great that the congressman is bringing these funds to the City of Laredo, as this is something that is needed here, Gutierrez said. As you all know, the City of Laredo is not very well served, so these monies coming in really does help us out. Sometimes we do not have enough people, enough staff in that facility to talk to people, and they do need this because they are victimized. As you all may know during the past two years of dealing with COVID, the (domestic violence) numbers spiked over and over. So we are seeing these women out there.

Gutierrez stressed that men are also victims of abuse. He stated that 2018 statistics showed that 47% of victims of domestic violence were indeed men.

People tend to forget that men are also abused domestically and children, Gutierrez said. A lot of times, you just hear about these arguments going on and on in their homes, but they dont know why and dont know the resources that they can get to get help or be heard. These are issues that we cant forget.

The councilmember added that the funds and the impact of more help for these hotlines is something that cannot be underestimated, as it will help these children, women and men find an outlet to express what kind of abuse they are feeling while also having someone find them the appropriate help for their respective issues.

City of Laredo Police Chief Claudio Trevino also spoke about the benefit that the hotlines and extra funds bring to the community while highlighting the fact that more is needed to find the best practices to help out victims such as counseling, working with nonprofits to provide assistance to victims and intercepting any potential abuses before they happen.

Trevino states that education is also another vital tool against the problem of domestic violence, as children should be taught from a young age that violence of any kind is not right. They must also be taught not to commit those acts as they grow older.

"We feel confident that any victim at any point in their life can be ready, find the power and more importantly leave any domestic violence situation that is wreaking trouble in their lives, and the domestic hotline is what it is intended for, Webb County Sheriff Department Domestic Violence Investigator Amaury Obregon said.

The congressman stated that the added funds are intended to better the coordination and communication between the various agencies in efforts to provide the help needed against these issues in the community.

Cuellar said that the hotline database is in operation 24 hours a day every week, and it is confidential and provides prompt help for those that need it.

Cuellar thanked all of the law enforcement present at the event and all those in the field for their continued work against domestic violence and child abuse. He also said that future money is coming to the city for various plans including a health clinic on the west side, the revitalization of the Plaza Theatre downtown and $2 million for the streets of Rio Bravo.

Some of the other dignitaries present during the event were City of Laredo District II Councilmember Vidal Rodriguez, Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar, Webb County Commissioner Pct. 4 Cindy Liendo, a representative from State of Texas Representative Tracy King (D-80), a representative of the Webb County District Attorneys Office and others from the community.

The child abuse hotline can be contacted by calling 1-800-422-4543 or by texting that number for more information. For domestic violence incidents, call or text the national hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

The services through these hotlines are provided in Spanish and other languages as well.
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An individual is being sought for allegedly stealing a vehicle, according to the Laredo Police Department.

The LPD Auto Theft Task Force is asking the community's help for assistance in the case.
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A man was shot to death inside his residence on Monday morning, according to the Laredo Police Department.

LPD announced on Monday afternoon that a murder investigation was taking place. The incident occurred in the area near the intersection of N. India Avenue and Guerrero Street.
Laredo's mayor has weighed in on the recent news that the city and state would be losing a major railway project worth billions due to Mexico moving the project in retaliation for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's enhanced truck inspections that led to standstills in traffic and billions of dollars lost for both countries.

The planned railway -- the T-MEC Corridor project -- was to connect the Mexican port of Mazatlan to the Canadian city of Winnipeg, and have new logistics centers along its route. Instead, the project will now go through New Mexico, routed along the edge of West Texas through Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

Mexicos Economic Minister Tatiana Clouthier stated recently that the project would be moving to New Mexico as the country was "held hostage" by Abbott. Mexicos Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard accused Abbott of "extortion."

Abbott stated the April inspections were in retaliation for the Biden administration allowing the CDC to end the Title 42 public health order, but while their purpose was to stop migrants and narcotics, none were ever discovered. The order ended after Abbott held press conferences at each area with Mexican leaders making them pledge to increase border security, while he also threatened each with bringing back the inspections if he deemed they were not living up to their agreement.

The order reportedly cost Texas $4.2 billion over 10 days and $9 billion in GDP.

Following the order's end in mid-April, Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz credited Abbott's "bold move." But he did criticize Abbott on Tuesday for his methods -- despite maintaining the overall blame for the whole incident being border security -- while also stating Mexico was taking "bold actions" with the announcement that greatly impacts his city.

"These are all bold actions that carry very serious economic consequences; ultimately, to be paid by the consumer," Saenz said.

"Trading with Mexico has been and continues to be our strongest economic engine. With all due respect to those involved, please quit politicizing trade and the border. You are hurting the economic prosperity for all of us. The root cause of these actions, in my opinion, is the lack of border security.

"If more bold actions need to take place, they should be by the federal government to once and for all resolve border security issues. Please stop treating the border as a political arena where parties uncaringly score points at the expense of our lives and livelihoods."

The mayor stated that he expects a better way of handling diplomacy with a trading partner than the approach recently taken by the governor, as it only affects the economies of all the stakeholders involved.

Saenz said that short of the country facing an imminent national security threat or action in the magnitude of what is being currently seen in other countries, the governments of the nations and states involved should not negatively impact the economic vitality by disrupting opportunities that will provide prosperity to all involved.

"As a mayor of a border city, there needs to be a better way of exercising diplomacy than by boldly escalating retaliatory measures and threatening the economic vitality of the border, state of Texas, Mexico and the United States," Saenz said. "Mexico is the No. 1 trading partner for Texas and the City of Laredo."

Saenz states that in 2021 alone, over 53% of Texas international trade -- or over $442 billion -- was done with Mexico. He mentioned that Port Laredo alone contributes $242 billion of trade value and 98% is with Mexico.

The mayor stated that he felt "Gov. Abbott borrowed a page or two from President Trumps political strategy book." But given the recent significant losses incurred, Saenz believes that lessons could be learned by all involved to apply better diplomatic measures that will not hurt the areas economic vitality.

If the railway project is indeed constructed in New Mexico, this would benefit the state tremendously which reported greater commercial traffic not only during Abbotts order but afterwards as well. These benefits, of course, were set to go to locals not only in Laredo but also in Texas.

"It is my understanding that this is a proposed new freight rail line being planned for the long-term beginning in the Mexican seaport of Mazatlan to Monterrey, Laredo and further north," the mayor said. "Undoubtedly when constructed, Laredo will directly and/or indirectly benefit from this. Any trade business activity is good for Laredo, being that we are the No. 1 land port in America."

Sanez states that if he could send a message to Abbott and both the Mexican economic minister and the Mexican federal government, it would be that they need to understand attacking each other is not benefiting the economy of either country or all the states and cities caught up in the middle of the political theater.

"There has to be a more effective way of resolving this issue rather than punishing each other economically," Saenz said. "Mexico is Port Laredo and Texas' biggest trade partner by far with 15,000-18,000 trucks crossing daily. Punishing the state of Texas will only result in negative economic consequences for both nations."

The mayor arrived Tuesday in Washington D.C. where he and officials from Nuevo Laredo are set to meet with various federal officials for the international projects of the Binational River Park and the World Trade Bridge expansion. The mayor and his office did not comment whether they will discuss the railway project with any federal officials.
Laredo is united when it comes to major threats, and recently locals banded together in the fight against cancer.

The 2022 Relay for Life event was held at the Bill Johnson Student Activity Center, as hundreds of Laredoans including students, sponsors, volunteers and cancer survivors helped gather cancer research funding for the American Cancer Society.

During the event, both volunteers and survivors united to voice their hope for a cure and also to be back from a two-year hiatus because of the pandemic.

Today, we culminated almost a whole year of fundraising for the American Cancer Society as we asked our community to form teams and help us fundraise, and now here we are to celebrate our survivors. Of course at the same time, remember those who we lost, said Laura Nanez, Relay for Life event leader and also a survivor of cancer herself.

The Relay for Life events in Laredo have been running since 1985 with the exception of 2020-21 when it went fully virtual.

Nanez said the pandemic had a major toll on their efforts at the local level. They used to have more than 80 teams supporting their causes and over $50,000 acquired from donations. This year, they could only get half the participants.

The latest figures from Nanez were that 43 teams -- including high schools from LISD and UISD -- formed the event, and a little more than $50,000 was acquired.

The main focus is cancer research, Nanez said. I am a voice of hope for the south region by the American Cancer Society, and because of groundbreaking research, I am a survivor for 19 years as I took medicine that was funded by the American Cancer Society. Our main goal is to avoid those three dreadful words for our children and our grandchildren.

Nanez states that the color guard for this year was Lyndon B. Johnson High School because of its purple color, which is symbolic of the fight against cancer.

In previous years, Nanez states that the relay event also had elementary and middle schools participate aside from just high schools, but due to the pandemic still ongoing, they tried to limit the number of people to ensure as much safety as possible.

As the relay teams continued to march and get more monetary donations for their efforts throughout the night, members of the event who had survived cancer were treated to a dinner sponsored by Chick-fil-A. Nanez states people gather for them to share their stories of survival and inspire others to continue doing the good fight.

As they get together in the Survivors Dinner, they get to hear others who have experienced (cancer) and realize that they are not alone. This is the whole purpose of this event so they can know that they are not alone, the American Cancer Society is there and the community is there to support them, Nanez said.

One of these survivors was Rosalinda Gomez, who is a parent liaison at UISD and a cancer survivor. She states that she suffered with the disease during the pandemic, which was a difficult period. She had to undergo treatment and the mental challenges almost alone because of the pandemic restrictions. However, she thanks the support of her husband and other family members that helped her beat the disease.

My whole life changed as I was actually diagnosed with endometrial cancer, and I was blessed that my fight was short. The Lord placed good people along the way and the right people to not find a cure yet but rather a way to go to see the right people and get well at this point, Gomez said. This does not only affect the person but it affects the whole family. The whole family goes through cancer, so yeah it the middle of the pandemic you cannot go with your family and they had to just drop you off there.

Gomez also said she had to travel out of the city to get care in San Antonio, Texas and that her only other options to get care were in Houston and Dallas, as the technologies and doctors were not available in Laredo. Due to this, Gomez states that it is time for Laredo to look into bringing more oncologists and cancer-fighting technologies into the city.

Both ladies were also very emotional during the event, as they reported that just last weekend they lost somebody close to them to the disease. Nanez stated that it is hard to continue to see people dying of cancer after all their efforts.

Its my duty to help others, as me personally it has been hard all this week and all this month as I lost friends and two aunts to colon cancer. My daughter calls me and says a friend of hers also has cancer and died just last week on Easter Sunday," Gomez said. "It hits me because I am here and these people are fighting the battle, and I dont know sometimes you feel that you are here but for what? One thing I can say is that I plead for people to get checked, as early detection saves lives.

Gomez states that she did not even go to the doctor to get a cancer screening but rather went to the doctor because of a kidney stone. Fortunately, they located the cancerous tumor that she got treated as soon as possible.

She states that despite her prognosis, she continues to have a hard time getting people in her family to get screened for cancer, especially her husband and brothers as she said men do not like to get checked as much. She pleads for this culture to change in efforts for people to save their lives, as she believes early detection is the best way to do so.

Nanez states that she was extremely proud that this was the first time that Chick-fil-A presented them with a $5,000 sponsor check, aside from the meals, in an effort to continue their donation efforts to fight off cancer.

Marty Speer, a local operator of Chick-fil-A Marketplace, represented the restaurant chain and donated the check while helping serve meals to those in attendance at the Survivors Dinner.

Every year, we partner with Relay for Life, and this year all the four locations of Laredo partnered with Relay for Life as a sponsor. We provide meals for all the survivors and the caregivers, Speer said. It has been a wonderful experience to be able to be here and see these wonderful people that have survived.

Though the event lasted until 1 a.m. Saturday morning, Nanez states the event was actually cut short from previous years, as the event used to run from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. but believes that this schedule might better fit the agenda of the people. This actually saw more teams stay all the way into the night hours instead of seeing teams stay overnight like years prior.

Nanez states that anyone currently battling cancer or knowing somebody battling the disease should call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 where they can get information in either English, Spanish or whatever language they speak. Also she states that people can continue donating to the organization's efforts by going to their website.
A total of 23 individuals were found hiding inside wooden crates, according to the U.S. Border Patrol.

The USBP stated that Hebbronville agents along with a K-9 team discovered the persons illegally present in the country at the Farm to Market Road 1017 checkpoint.
A Missouri man who killed a couple during a robbery at their rural home more than a quarter of a century ago was put to death Tuesday, becoming just the fifth person executed in the United States this year.

Carman Deck, 56, died by injection at the state prison in Bonne Terre. He was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. His fate was sealed a day earlier when neither the U.S. Supreme Court nor Republican Gov. Mike Parson stepped in to halt the execution. Decks death sentence was overturned three times before for procedural issues.

Deck mouthed a few inaudible words as the 5 grams of pentobarbital were administered, then puffed out a couple of breaths before all movement stopped, the process lasting just a few seconds.

My hope is that one day the world will find peace and that we all will learn to be kind and loving to one another, Deck said in a written final statement. We all are a part of this journey through life, connected in every way. Please give love, show love, BE LOVE!

Parson, in a statement, said the couple killed, James and Zelma Long, were innocent victims of Carman Decks heinous violence. Tonight, justice was served.

Just four other people have been executed in the U.S. in 2022  Donald Anthony Grant and Gilbert Ray Postelle in Oklahoma, Matthew Reeves in Alabama and Carl Wayne Buntio n last month in Texas. Eleven people were executed in the U.S. last year, the fewest since 1988.

Court records show that Deck, of the St. Louis area, was a friend of the grandson of the Longs, who lived in De Soto, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) southwest of St. Louis. He knew the couple, in their late 60s, kept a safe in their home.

In July 1996, Deck and his sister stopped at the home under the guise of asking directions. Deck wasnt surprised the couple let them in.

Theyre country folks, Deck told a detective, according to court records. They always do.

Once inside, Deck pulled a gun from his waistband. At Decks command, Zelma Long opened the safe and removed jewelry, then got $200 from her purse and more money hidden in a canister.

Deck ordered the couple to lie on their stomachs on their bed. Court records said Deck stood there for 10 minutes deciding what to do, then shot James Long twice in the head before doing the same thing to Zelma Long.

A tip alerted police to Deck, and he was arrested later that night outside his sisters apartment building in St. Louis County. The decorative tin canister from the Long home was on the floorboard of his car.

Prosecutors said Deck later gave a full account of the killings in oral, written and audiotaped statements. He was sentenced to death in 1998, but the Missouri Supreme Court tossed the sentence due to errors by Decks trial lawyer.

The U.S. Supreme Court threw out his second sentence in 2005, citing the prejudice caused by Deck being shackled in front of the sentencing jury.

He was sentenced to death for a third time in 2008. Nine years later, U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry determined that substantial evidence arguing against the death penalty in Decks first two penalty phases was unavailable for the third because witnesses had died, couldnt be found or declined to cooperate.

In October 2020, a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals restored the death penalty, ruling that Deck should have raised his concern first in state court, not federal court. Appeals of that ruling were unsuccessful.

The clemency petition on behalf of Deck cited abuse he suffered as a child, including beatings that left welts and sexual abuse. It said he and his siblings often were left alone without food. Deck's attorney, Elizabeth Unger Carlyle, said in a statement that Deck also was raped while in prison for theft at age 19.

This experience transformed him from a non-violent thief into the person who committed two terrible murders, Carlyle said. She called his execution unjust and immoral.

The number of executions in the U.S. has declined significantly since peaking at 98 in 1998. The drop has coincided with declining support, falling from a high of 80% in 1994 to 54% in 2021 according to Gallup polls. Since the mid-1990s, opposition has risen from under 20% to around 45%.

Use of the death penalty has become concentrated mostly in a few Southern and Plains states. Last year, Texas executed three inmates, Oklahoma executed two, and one each were put to death in Alabama, Mississippi and Missouri. Three federal inmates were executed in January 2021, toward the end of President Donald Trumps administration.

On Monday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee paused executions in his state for the rest of the year to enable a review of lethal injection procedures after a testing oversight forced the state to call off the execution of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die on April 21.
Tim Karels / 500px/Getty Images/500px

DALLAS (AP)  A 2-year-old child has been hospitalized in critical condition after being mauled by a coyote Tuesday on the front porch of the childs Dallas home, police said.

The attack happened about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in a neighborhood just north of White Rock Lake in Dallas.
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HOUSTON (AP)  A man was convicted Tuesday in the fatal stabbing of an 11-year-old Houston boy as the child walked home from school in 2016.

Jurors deliberated for about three hours before finding 33-year-old Andre Timothy Jackson, guilty of murder in the death of Josue Flores.

Jackson, who has always maintained his innocence, faces up to life in prison.

Authorities say the sixth grader was killed as he walked home from a science club meeting at a school just north of downtown Houston on May 17, 2016. He was only two blocks from home when he was stabbed more than 20 times.

Witnesses told officers they heard loud screams and saw the boy struggling with a man. The boy collapsed on the grass near the sidewalk and the man ran away.

During closing arguments on Tuesday, prosecutors told jurors that the boy's DNA was found on Jacksons jacket.

The reasonable conclusion here is that the victims DNA is on Andre Jacksons jacket because he murdered Josue Flores. Andre Jackson is a killer. He killed a child and the evidence is right here guys, said Harris County Assistant District Attorney Chris Condon.

Police say the jacket was found in the room at the Salvation Army shelter where Jackson had been living in at the time of the killing. Surveillance video from the day of Josues death showed Jackson wearing the jacket.

But Jerome Godinich, one of Jacksons attorneys, suggested to jurors that the amount of DNA found on the jacket was so small that it could have been transferred onto it by someone else at the shelter. Jacksons attorneys said he didnt match the physical description of the suspect seen by people who witnessed the killing and Jackson had no history of violence.

It is a textbook example of how innocent people get convicted, said Justin Keiter, another of Jacksons attorneys.

Jackson said in a YouTube video posted in May 2019: I am not Josues killer. I am not a killer.

The Marine Corps veteran was first arrested weeks after Josues killing. But prosecutors dropped the charge in 2017, saying there wasnt enough evidence to try Jackson or uphold a conviction.

He was rearrested in 2019 after prosecutors said newly tested DNA evidence connected him to the killing.

Jackson wasnt the first person charged in the case.

A 31-year-old man with a long criminal history was charged days after the killing, but that charge was dropped when detectives found evidence to support his alibi.

___

Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter at www.twitter.com/juanlozano70
On a Friday afternoon last March, Sahar Punjwani ran a familiar errand  buying tampons, pads and panty liners. But this time, she was joined by lawyers from a prestigious Houston law firm.

It was weird because we were all crowded into the aisle together, and they were just watching me, waiting for me to hand them my receipt, Punjwani recalls.

That receipt showed that Punjwani had spent $21.56 on menstrual products  and $1.78 on sales tax.

Texas is one of 26 states that charges sales tax on menstrual products, something Punjwani and her organization, the Texas Menstrual Equity Coalition, have been fighting for years to change. That visit to the pharmacy, and the $1.78 in sales tax it generated, was the first step in a new challenge that the group says theyre prepared to take all the way to the state Supreme Court.

Though the whole group is behind this new effort, it was Punjwanis receipt that had to be submitted as evidence, and her name that had to lead the legal filings, because she was the only member of the groups leadership that was legally an adult at the time.

Punjwani, now 20, said its not surprising to her that this effort to repeal the sales tax for menstrual products is being led by a group of teenagers. In her experience, theres still a lot of stigma around discussing periods among older generations.

I think thats translated into a lot of frustration with my peers over not being able to talk about something that is so natural, she said. Weve learned, from social media and other things, to translate that frustration into activism and actual results.

Combating period poverty

Punjwani grew up in Houston in an immigrant family in which menstruation and periods were seen as a taboo subject. When she was a junior in high school, she saw an Instagram post from a national period equity advocacy organization advertising a policy boot camp for young people.

During the training, she learned about how sales tax contributes to period poverty, a lack of affordable, accessible menstrual products for low-income people. Period poverty is widespread in the United States: 1 in 5 teens cannot afford menstrual products, according to a study from the national advocacy group Period, and 84% have either missed class or know someone who has missed class due to insufficient menstrual supplies.

People who use alternative menstrual supplies, like rags and paper towels, are at heightened risk for infection, and there are negative mental health impacts of not being able to afford proper sanitary supplies.

Several states have repealed their sales tax on menstrual products in recent years, but as Punjwani learned in the training, Texas has not. In this training, Punjwani met other Texas teens who were as outraged by this as she was  like Zoe Kass.

Eighteen-year-old Zoe Kass holds a handful of pads in her high school bathroom in Houston on Thursday. Kass is a menstrual equity advocate and has raised hundreds of dollars to purchase menstrual products for students at her school. Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune

Kass, now 18, first got involved with this issue while volunteering in the obstetrics clinic at Ben Taub Hospital in Houston. Some of the patients she interacted with couldnt afford menstrual products or were forced to sacrifice other necessities to pay for pads and tampons.

Kass co-founded The Period Pact Houston, which raises money to donate menstrual supplies to school nurses in the Houston area. Shes also known for filling the womens restroom at her school with pads and tampons, earning her the nickname the period girl.

There was one day that I dropped a box of tampons down the stairs and this boy caught them and his eyes went really wide, she said. I was like, well, were fighting stigma one scared teenage boy at a time.

Many of the young Texans who met during the policy boot camp were already doing these donation drives and fundraisers in their own communities. But they wanted to think bigger. They started meeting regularly in summer 2020, eventually titling their group the Texas Menstrual Equity Coalition.

And their first target? The sales tax on menstrual products.

A lot of people go their whole lives buying menstrual products and never realize theyre paying taxes, said Punjwani. And then there are people who are very conscious of that, and thats who is going to benefit the most from this.

Legislative efforts

The coalition started working with state legislators, including Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, who has filed a bill to make menstrual supplies tax-exempt every session since 2017.

None of those bills ever made it out of committee. But in early 2021, Kass got the call: Howards bill was going before the state House Ways and Means Committee, and she was being asked to testify.

Kass and another member of the coalition skipped virtual school for the day, drove to Austin, sat in front of a panel of state legislators and talked about their periods. She said it was empowering to get a chance to speak to elected officials, especially because I cant even vote for them yet.

But she also knew there was very little chance the bill would pass, a sentiment she said some of the legislators conveyed very clearly.

Not all of them, but some of them definitely saw us and treated us as little girls, she said. Were basically their kids ages in a lot of cases, and what right do we have to tell them how it is?

She said she left the hearing proud but annoyed.

The Legislative Budget Board estimated the sales tax reduction would cost Texas roughly $42 million over the two-year budget cycle. The bill didnt advance to the House floor.

But the coalition was already working on another angle to repeal the tax, starting with Punjwanis receipt for $1.78.

Challenging the comptrollers office

As part of their legislative advocacy work, the coalition met with the Womens Health Caucus, where they first discussed the idea of bringing a legal challenge to the tax on menstrual supplies. Kass asked her dad if he knew any lawyers who could help them explore this avenue, and he connected them with prestigious Houston law firm Baker Botts.

When we started digging into sales tax  regulations promulgated by the comptroller, we saw that there was really this inequity going on in the tax treatment of menstrual products, said Baker Botts associate Laura Shoemaker McGonagill.

Baker Botts agreed to take the case pro bono, which is how they all ended up in the tampon aisle at a store in Houston, watching Punjwani buy menstrual products. They then submitted that receipt to the Texas comptrollers office, requesting a refund on the sales tax shed paid  and a determination that all menstrual products should be similarly tax-exempt.

Their argument is that menstrual products qualify as wound care dressings, which the tax exemption regulation defines as a product that absorbs wound drainage, protects healing tissue, maintains a moist or dry wound environment (as appropriate), or prevents bacterial contamination.

We view this inequitable application of wound care dressings as discrimination on the basis of sex, said Shoemaker McGonagill. For example, gender-neutral products, like Band-Aids, are tax-exempt and feminine hygiene products are not.

She also pointed out that over-the-counter male libido enhancers are tax-exempt under a separate regulation.

Just as a basic layperson looking at this, I think most people would say managing a monthly menstrual flow is much more important and medically necessary to yourself and to others, compared to libido enhancers, Shoemaker McGonagill said.

In February, the comptrollers office rejected Punjwanis request for a refund; she filed an appeal and requested a hearing. If that appeal is denied, they plan to take the case to the courts.

Shoemaker McGonagill said working with the young women behind this movement has been one of the more inspiring experiences of her career.

When I think back to what I was doing when I was 17 or 18, I was not advocating for change at a legislative level, she said. Weve just been blown away by them from the very beginning. Theyre very thoughtful. They have good insight. And I think theyre working really hard to remedy the situation through every avenue available to them.

Bellaire High School senior Zoe Kass demonstrates how students can reach her menstrual product baskets in the high school in Houston. Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune

The fight goes on

While this case wends its way through the administrative system, Kass, Punjwani and their peers are still working to advance understanding about period inequities in their community.

Punjwani is now a sophomore at the University of Chicago, where she has run menstrual supply donation drives alongside other advocacy work. In her own family, she has seen firsthand the power of talking openly about these issues.

I have two younger sisters and they know now that this isnt something you have to be quiet about or use code words for, she said. Her sister has started running similar donation drives at her high school, too.

Kass is finishing up her senior year of high school, still stocking the bathrooms and, through her AP government class, learning a lot more about the process she has been participating in.

Its just been funny, weve been talking about lobbyists and Supreme Court cases and the Ways and Means Committee, and its like, oh, I testified to them, she said. And now working with the lawyers to try to understand the tax code and all that.

When she joined that policy training a few years ago, she said she never would have imagined shed be taking on the states tax code on behalf of all menstruating people.

This is the result of a lot of people trusting us and having confidence in us and taking us seriously, she said. And if were successful, I think it really sets a precedent for other states. Because if Texas can do it, so can everywhere else.

Disclosure: The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts has been a financial supporter 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 Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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Longford artist Una Cahill and fellow artist Ciaran Mac Domhnaill will present a new community art project titled Creative Conversations this month.

This inclusive project will centre on mindfulness and guided meditation as a way of accessing creativity.

As midlands artists, we invite the public to be creative in this free, engaging and positive community project.

The foundation of the project will be a series of virtual workshops held on the 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th of May at 7.30pm.

To be involved, the participant can use any leftover materials and art supplies they have at home.

From this, painter and visual artist Una Cahill will facilitate the workshops in which attendees participate in collective meditation, poetry readings, drawing and painting.

With this workshop of self-enquiry, guests will be encouraged to value the characteristics of found materials and their ability to transform sustainably while also focusing on the importance of positive mental health.

Secondly, the returned material will be gathered and sewn into a tapestry by Ciaran Mac Domhnaill. Lastly, the collaborative art piece will be displayed in the public arena (Co Westmeath, Belfast and Glasgow).

This aims to create a meaningful engagement between the local Midlands community and a wider international audience.

To register for the workshops please visit www.unacahill.com/ creative-conversations.

This community project is a continuum of the previous project, Recaptured and Draped, and was made possible by grant funding from Creative Ireland and Westmeath County Council with additional resources made available by glo Skin Clinic Athlone.
Longford is to enjoy yet another jobs boost as works on doubling the size of the local Technimark plant near completion.

The construction of an extension to the factory will see 100 more jobs brought to Longford, increasing the firms workforce to 230.

Longford County Council granted planning permission for a 40,000 square foot expansion to the Longford town-based firm in May 2021 and works are proceeding acording to plan, with a target of September set for the official opening of the expansion.

Local TD Joe Flaherty, who visited the site last week, has welcomed the news of even more jobs in Longford, on top of recent announcements of 150 new jobs at Framespace Solutions and the potential for hundreds more should government proposals to construct a state of the art advanced factory go to plan.

With Abbott and Avery Dennsion within a stones throw of the Ballinalee Road plant, well see over 2,000 staff employed between the three centres and all firms have seen significant jobs growth over the past two years, said Deputy Flaherty, adding that it is a really positive development for the town and sees Longford very much as an emerging force in the medical device manufacturing sector.

Technimark has traded in Longford for more than fifty years and was previously known as Longford Tool & Plastic. The project is supported by IDA Ireland following the sale of the former Tool & Plastic facility to the US firm, Technimark.

The main contractor for the works is the Co Galway building firm Coolnasilva Ltd whilst Longford firm, Kiernan Steel, are on site at the moment erecting the multi million euro steel building.

It is great to see a local firm heavily involved in the project, said Deputy Flaherty.
Arts & Culture

By Ls Cohen Published: May 04 2022

May the Fourth be with you at these events!

Every year on May the Fourth fans of the beloved space opera celebrate Star Wars Day. Below we listed four ways you can take part today.

Enlist in the the Empire

Want to be a stormtrooper? The somewhat clumsy garrison of Darth Vaders front line who are known to be slightly less than accurate shots but have the coolest armor. Then you can enlist in the Long Island chapter of the 501st Legion. Called the Empire City Garrison, or ECG, and formed in 1999, they are one of the original garrisons of this definitive Star Wars costuming organization. Members portray the bad guys from the franchise.

Join the Jedi

If being a force-wielding knight defending the galaxy from the creeping Dark Side, then you might want to consider training at the Endor Temple, Long Island's local branch of Saber Guild, a Lucasfilm and Disney preferred costume choreography group serving Nassau and Suffolk Counties. This charity-focused group brings Star Wars to life for Long Island children and fans. They specialize in choreographed lightsaber shows at charity and community events, as well as comic book and sci-fi conventions, all to raise money for charity and share their love of Star Wars with fans around the world.

See The Fans Strike Back Exhibit in New York City

Touting itself as an exhibition unlike any other in the galaxy, at The Fans Strike Back Exhibit you can explore the worlds largest private Star Wars collection made by fans, for fans, with more than 600 collectables and figurines, life-size figures and famous costumes, more than 50 one-of-a-kind sculptures, armor, lightsabers, blasters, helmets, masks, and more. On May 4, all guests that show up in Star Wars-related costumes will get a special surprise.



Star Wars Trivia Night at Shandon Court

Get your head out of your cockpit and come to Shandon Court for Star Wars Trivia. Questions will be about anything and everything Star Wars. From the original trilogy to the Mandalorian to a galaxy far far away. Test your Star Wars IQ and prove that you are quite clever, you know for a human being. Win or not win Star Wars Trivia. There is no try! Up to 6 players per team. Sign ups start at 7:30. Quiz starts at 8. $5 per player. Two item minimum per person. Reservations recommended - 631-581-5678 or online at www.shandoncourt.net. Please mention trivia in online or phone reservations. Location: Shandon Court, 15 East Main Street, East Islip.
Local News, Business & Finance

By Long Island Published: May 04 2022

In Letter, AG James and Multistate Coalition Urge President Biden to Cancel All Publicly Held Debts for Student Borrowers

New York Attorney General Letitia James led a multistate coalition of eight attorneys general in urging U.S. President Joe Biden to fully cancel federal student debt owed by every federal student loan borrower in the country. In a letter to President Biden, Attorney General James and the coalition stress that immediate relief is needed for borrowers struggling with the unmanageable burden of student loan debt. The attorneys general acknowledge the administrations commitment to addressing the issue, however, the coalition urges President Biden to immediately exercise his authority under the Higher Education Act to cancel all federal student loan debt for every borrower.

While I commend President Biden for giving serious consideration to forgiving $10,000 per borrower, we must take bolder, more decisive action to end this crisis and provide Americans with the tools they need to thrive, said Attorney General James. Student debt keeps millions of struggling borrowers from reaching financial stability and leads to a cycle of financial burdens that follow them throughout their lives. I join my colleagues in urging President Biden to lead one of the most impactful racial and economic justice initiatives in history by canceling this debt, in its entirety, for all.

Currently, student borrowers owe more than $1.7 trillion to the federal government. In their letter, the coalition argues that a full cancelation of student debt is necessary to address the sheer enormity of debts owed, systemically flawed repayment and forgiveness systems, and the disproportionate impact of the debt burden on millions of borrowers. While state attorneys general have taken key actions to ease debt burdens wherever possible, the coalition contends that only permanent action by the Biden administration can provide the widespread relief that is needed by millions of federal student loan borrowers.

The coalition further argues that the cancelation of federal student loan debts will reduce stress and mental fatigue and provide countless opportunities for borrowers, such as saving for retirement and purchasing new homes.

Joining Attorney General James in sending the letter to President Biden are the attorneys general of Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Washington.

The coalitions letter is the latest action Attorney General James has taken to support student loan borrowers. In April 2022, Attorney General James secured student debt relief for thousands of New York borrowers whose federal loans were allegedly mismanaged by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. In January 2022, Attorney General James secured a $1.85 billion agreement with one of the nations largest student loan servicers, Navient, after it deceived thousands of student loan borrowers into costly, long-term, forbearance plans, causing students to pay more than they should have.

In September 2021, Attorney General James sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education, urging the agency to take robust action to fix the broken Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

July 2020, Attorney General James and a multistate coalition sued the Trump Administrations U.S. Department of Education and former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to block their efforts to repeal critical protections for student-borrowers who have been misled or defrauded by predatory for-profit schools.

Additionally, in June 2020, Attorney General James filed a multistate lawsuit to stop the Department of Education and Secretary DeVos from repealing the Gainful Employment rule, which provides critical protections to students considering enrolling in for-profit colleges and vocational schools that promise students gainful employment in a recognized occupation after graduation.

In January 2019, Attorney General James and the New York state Department of Financial Services obtained a $9 million agreement with a federal student loan servicer, ACS Education Services (currently known as Conduent Education Services), after an investigation revealed that the company had steered borrowers away from income-based repayment plans toward more expensive options.

Additionally, Attorney General James helped negotiate two multistate agreements with loan companies  Student CU Connect CUSO in June 2019 and PEAKS in September 2020  that preyed on ITT Technical Institute students by deceiving them into taking out private student loans. These agreements resulted in $7.5 million in debt relief to nearly 900 New York ITT students. In April 2021, Attorney General James urged the U.S. Department of Education to cancel federal student loan debt of defrauded ITT Technical Institute students.
Local News, Crime

By Long Island Published: May 04 2022

New York Will Receive Over $5.4 Million for More Than 176,000 New Yorkers

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a record multistate agreement with the owner of TurboTax, Intuit Inc. (Intuit), for deceiving millions of low-income Americans into paying for tax services that should have been free. As a result of Attorney General James agreement, Intuit will pay $141 million in restitution to millions of consumers across the nation who were unfairly charged. In addition, Intuit must suspend TurboTaxs free, free, free ad campaign that lured customers with promises of free tax preparation services, only to deceive them into paying. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have signed onto the agreement. New York will receive more than $5.4 million for more than 176,000 New Yorkers who were tricked into paying to file their federal tax return.

Intuit cheated millions of low-income Americans out of free tax filing services they were entitled to, said Attorney General James. For years, Intuit misled the most vulnerable among us to make a profit. Today, every state in the nation is holding Intuit accountable for scamming millions of taxpayers, and were putting millions of dollars back into the pockets of impacted Americans. This agreement should serve as a reminder to companies large and small that engaging in these deceptive marketing ploys is illegal. New Yorkers can count on my office to protect their wallets from white-collar scammers.

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) opened an investigation into Intuit after ProPublica reported that the company was using deceptive digital tactics to steer low-income consumers toward its commercial products and away from federally-supported free tax services.

Intuit offered two free versions of TurboTax. One was through its participation in the IRS Free File Program, a public-private partnership with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which allows taxpayers earning roughly $34,000 and members of the military to file their taxes for free. In exchange for participating in the program, the IRS agreed not to compete with Intuit and other tax-prep companies by providing its own electronic tax preparation and filing services to American taxpayers.

In addition, Intuit offers a commercial product called TurboTax Free Edition, which is only free for taxpayers with simple returns as defined by Intuit. In recent years, TurboTax marketed this freemium product aggressively, including through ad campaigns where free is the most prominent or sometimes the only selling point. In some ads, the company repeated the word free dozens of times in as short as 30 seconds. However, the TurboTax freemium product is only free for approximately one-third of US taxpayers. In contrast, the IRS Free File products were free for 70 percent of taxpayers.

The OAGs multistate investigation found that Intuit engaged in several deceptive and unfair trade practices that limited consumers participation in the IRS Free File Program. The company used confusingly similar names for both its IRS Free File product and its commercial freemium product. Intuit bid on paid search advertisements to direct consumers who were looking for the IRS Free File service to the TurboTax freemium product instead. Intuit also purposefully blocked its IRS Free File landing page from search engine results during the 2019 tax filing season, effectively shutting out eligible taxpayers from filing their taxes for free. Moreover, TurboTaxs website included a Products and Pricing page that stated it would recommend the right tax solution, but never displayed or recommended the IRS Free File program, even when consumers were ineligible for the freemium product.

Intuit will pay $141 million in restitution, of which roughly $2.5 million will be used for administrative fund costs.

Under the agreement, Intuit will provide restitution to nearly 4.4 million consumers who started using TurboTaxs Free Edition for tax years 2016 through 2018 and were told that they had to pay to file even though they were eligible to file for free using the IRS Free File program offered through TurboTax. Consumers are expected to receive a direct payment of approximately $30 for each year that they were deceived into paying for filing services. Impacted consumers will automatically receive notices and a check by mail.

Intuit has also agreed to reform its business practices, including:

Refraining from making misrepresentations in connection with promoting or offering any online tax preparation products;

Enhancing disclosures in its advertising and marketing of free products;

Designing its products to better inform users whether they will be eligible to file their taxes for free; and

Refraining from requiring consumers to start their tax filing over if they exit one of Intuits paid products to use a free product instead.

Intuit withdrew from the IRS Free File program in July 2021.

Attorney General James led the multistate investigation with Tennessee, with support from the attorneys general of Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. All 50 states and the District of Columbia joined this agreement. The states wish to thank the Federal Trade Commission for its assistance in the investigation.

This case was handled by Assistant Attorney General Joseph P. Mueller of the Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau, as well as Assistant Attorney General Jordan Adler, Deputy Bureau Chief Clark Russell, and legal assistants Shirly Huang and Richard Borgia of the Bureau of Internet and Technology. The Bureau of Internet and Technology is led by Bureau Chief Kim Berger. The Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau is led by Jane M. Azia. Both of the bureaus are part of the Division for Economic Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Chris DAngelo and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
(Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers on AIM in London on Wednesday.

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AIM - WINNERS

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Atome Energy PLC, up 30% at 148.56 pence, 12-month range 50.00p-165.00p. The hydrogen and ammonia producer signs a new long-term 60 megawatt power purchase agreement with ANDE, the national electricity supply and distribution company of Paraguay. Says this is the largest single PPA ever signed between ANDE and an industrial user.

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Cap-XX Ltd, up 15% at 5.34p, 12-month range 4.01p-9.39p. The ultra-thin prismatic and cylindrical supercapacitors maker announces a joint venture with Ionic Industries Ltd, a Melbourne-based developer of energy storage devices. CAP-XX Ltd will own 51% of the joint venture, with Ionic Industries owning 49%. The joint venture aims to commercialise reduced graphene oxide for supercapacitors and other energy storage devices, CAP-XX says.

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AIM - LOSERS

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Joules Group PLC, down 36% at 35.19p, 12-month range 33.25p-310.00p. Shares in UK lifestyle retailer hit 12-month low as Chief Executive Officer Nick Jones is set to depart and company warns over future growth. Joules says Jones is to step down during first half of the next financial year and the search for a successor will begin immediately. The retailer also says market conditions have become more challenging during and following the Easter period as consumer confidence has been dented by the rising cost of living. Says these challenges anticipated to continue during the first half of financial 2023 and is cautious about near-term outlook.

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Boohoo Group PLC, down 13% at 69.44p, 12-month range 63.32p-346.66p. The online fashion retailer posts a sharp annual profit plunge driven by high item return rates, subdued consumer confidence, and international woes. Pretax profit in the year ended February 28 drops 94% to GBP7.8 million from GBP124.7 million a year prior. Revenue increases 14% to GBP1.98 billion from GBP1.75 billion. Compared to financial 2020, revenue is up 61%. For the current year, it expects low-single digits revenue growth and an adjusted Ebitda margin between 4% to 7%. boohoo expects to continue being "impacted by pandemic-related factors" this year.

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By Arvind Bhunjun; arvindbhunjun@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Sharecast News) - The European Union is to ban all Russian oil imports, it was announced on Wednesday, as it looks to tighten sanctions against Moscow in response to the war in Ukraine.

Addressing the European Parliament, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said a "complete ban" on seaborne and pipeline crude and refined Russian oil would be introduced in the coming months.

Crude oil supply is scheduled to be phased out within six months, and refined products by the end of the year, although Hungary and Slovakia - both nearly 100% dependent on Russia for fuel - will be given more time.

Von der Leyen told lawmakers: "We are addressing our dependency on Russian oil. Let us be clear: it will not be easy. Some member states are strongly dependent on Russian oil. But we simply have to work on it.

"We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimises the impact on global markets.

"Thus we maximise pressure on Russia while at the same time minimising collateral damage to us and our partners around the globes."

Oil prices rose following the speech. By 1200 BST both benchmark Brent and West Texas Intermediate were ahead 4%, at $109.06 and $106.46 respectively.

The package of sanctions - the sixth round since Russia invaded Ukraine at the end of February - also includes removing Sberbank and two other Russian banks from the SWIFT international payments system, and banning three state-owned broadcasters from distributing content in the EU.

A number of military officers accused of war crimes in Bucha and Mariupol have also been sanctioned.

Von der Leyen concluded: "With all these steps, we are depriving the Russian economy from its ability to diversify and modernise."

EU leaders are expected to green light the sanctions when they meet in Brussels later in the month.

The EU has already pledged to reduce Russian gas imports by two-thirds by the end of 2022.
04.05.2022

CleanTech Lithium PLC ("CleanTech Lithium" or the "Company")

Operations and Corporate Update for Mines and Money Conference

CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL), an exploration and development company, advancing the next generation of sustainable lithium projects in Chile, announces an operations and corporate update.

CleanTech Lithium's CEO, Aldo Boitano, is attending the Mines and Money Conference in London on 4th and 5th May 2022, supported by the Company's Chairman, Steve Kesler and CFO, Gordon Stein. The following update will be referred to during the conference which also includes a short presentation which may be seen in the following link http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/1689K_1-2022-5-3.pdf

Highlights:

 Resource drilling at its two projects, Laguna Verde and Francisco Basin, located in the lithium triangle - the worlds centre for battery grade lithium production, continues to exceed the expected drilling depths and aquifer thickness

 Two drill rigs now in operation at the Francisco Basin project to accelerate the drilling programme

 An upgraded JORC compliant resource estimate for Laguna Verde and a maiden resource estimate for Francisco Basin remains on track for Q2 2022

 Leading Chilean environmental consultants MYMA appointed to undertake Environmental Impact Assessments at both projects, baseline studies to commence immediately

 Lithium sector process engineering company Ad-Infinitum appointed to lead a scoping study for the Laguna Verde project

 Operations team in Chile strengthened by appointments of experienced Chief Operating Officer, Finance Manager and Legal Manager, as we continue to build the team.

Commenting, Aldo Boitano, Chief Executive Officer, of Cleantech Lithium PLC, said: "The resource drilling programmes, which commenced in January 2022 at Laguna Verde and in March 2022 at Francisco Basin, continue to progress well. The Francisco Basin programme has been accelerated with the addition of the second rig, bringing the total number of rigs operating across both sites to three. We are also pleased to have appointed leading consultants to progress key work programmes covering Environmental Impact Assessments at both projects, and the Laguna Verde scoping study. This allows us to maintain momentum on our planned work activities for the year ahead.

"In addition, we have strengthened our team in Chile, with the appointment of key individuals that have significant relevant experience in country and internationally. I am delighted to welcome them to our team and to them bolstering our operating, legal and financial capabilities in country."

Further Information

Laguna Verde Drill Programme Progress Update:

The Laguna Verde project has an existing JORC compliant resource estimate of 77,834 tons of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) in the Measured category, which comprises the surface resource, and 1.16 million tonnes LCE in the Inferred category, which comprises the sub-surface resource. A resource drilling programme commenced at Laguna Verde in January 2022 to upgrade the sub-surface resource from Inferred to Measured and Indicated in accordance with JORC Code. This will provide the basis for undertaking a Pre-Feasibility Study on the project which we plan to commence later in 2022.

The current drilling programme comprises four drill holes, with the third hole LV03 recently completed to 547 metres. Further details on the completed holes LV01 and LV02 were provided in the RNS dated 4 April 2022. CleanTech Lithiums geology team considers hole LV03 to be most representative of the Laguna sub surface stratigraphy, as unlike LV01 and LV02 it is not influenced by the steep mountain along the southern Laguna perimeter. The depth of LV03 and recorded aquifer thickness exceeded the model used for the JORC Inferred sub-surface resource estimate. Hole LV03 is currently being cased and developed and the drill rig will move to the final hole in the programme, LV04, this week.

Francisco Basin Drill Programme Progress Update:

A resource drilling programme at Francisco Basin, consisting of 4 wells in total, is aimed at producing a maiden resource estimate. Two wells are planned during the current drilling season that will form the basis for a JORC Inferred resource estimate, based on a 2.5km radius around each of the drill holes. The drill hole FB01 has recently been completed to 338 metres with the hole currently being cased.

A second drill rig was recently mobilised to the project which has commenced drilling of the second hole, FB02, the location of which is approximately 4km southeast of FB01. FB02 will test a low resistivity zone based on a geophysical survey completed in 2018. That survey showed low resistivity zones appearing consecutively to the southeast from FB01, providing an interpretation that the aquifer between FB01 and FB02 is connected.

Sampling and Resource Estimation Update:

A large number of brine samples from the completed holes at both projects are being collected for laboratory analysis. Results are expected in the current quarter and will be announced to the market after internal review. Based on completion of the four-hole drilling programme at Laguna Verde and two holes at Francisco Basin in the current drilling season, an upgraded resource estimate for Laguna Verde and a maiden resource estimate for Francisco Basin is expected to be completed by the end of the current quarter.

Environmental Impact Assessments to Commence:

CleanTech Lithium has appointed environmental consultants MYMA Ltda to undertake Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) at the Laguna Verde and the Francisco Basin projects. MYMA offers environmental management services for companies in the mining, energy and water sectors, and has completed EIAs for some of the largest operating mines in Chile. Baseline environmental studies at both projects will commence imminently.

Scoping Study on Laguna Verde to Commence:

CleanTech Lithium has appointed Ad-Infinitum, a leading process engineering company in the lithium sector, to lead a Scoping Study for the Laguna Verde project. The principal of Ad-Infinitum, Marcelo Bravo, is the former head of processing at SQMs Atacama project, the worlds largest lithium production base, and is a part of CleanTech Lithiums technical advisory board. Ad-Infinitum have consulted for many of the largest companies in the sector and contributed to lithium project feasibility studies. The scoping study will provide an order of magnitude technical and economic study of the potential viability of the project, necessary to demonstrate that progress to a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) can be reasonably justified. The Company expects, post the completion of the Scoping Study, to immediately progress to a PFS.

Update on DLE:

The results of the laboratory scale DLE work that aims to produce 1Kg of battery grade lithium from the Laguna Verde project, are now expected late May, with pilot plant construction to commence thereafter.

Operations Team in Chile Strengthened with High Quality Appointments:

CleanTech Lithium has recently made a number of key appointments who will contribute to the Chile-based management team, as follows:

 Sergio Videla has been appointed Chief Operating Officer and will commence his role in June 2022. Sergio is a Civil Engineer and has extensive experience in project management, construction and project control - as owner, manager and director of different mining companies and construction contractors in Chile. Since 2017, he has been working as director of Strategic Projects at CODELCO El Teniente Division, the Chilean State copper mining company.

 Alvaro Florez Keim has been appointed Legal Manager, Chile. Alvaro is a lawyer qualified in Chile and Australia, with 12 years of experience focused on mining, corporate matters and project development in Chile and Australia.

 Olivier Loyer has been appointed Finance Manager for an interim period to 31 July 2022. Olivier is an industrial engineer with finance (CFA level-1) and also holds an MBA. He has provided consultancy services to various Chile based organisations and has also worked for Deloitte in Chile.

Group Corporate and Commercial Officer, Luke Jarvis, who played an important role in the Groups financing up to and including the successful listing on AIM, has by mutual agreement left the Company on 30 April 2022 to pursue other interests. Luke continues to hold 4,000,000 shares and 1,100,000 share options that will expire on 29 April 2023.

The Company wishes Mr Jarvis every success and thanks him for the progress on financing over the last three years and to help CleanTech Lithium get listed in London.

Competent Person

The information in this release relates to Exploration Results based on information compiled by Christian Gert Feddersen Welkner, who is an independent Qualified Person to the Company and is a Member of Comision Calificadora de Competencias en Recursos y Reservas Mineras Chile that is a 'Recognised Professional Organisation' (RPO). Mr Feddersen has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralization and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr Feddersen consents to the inclusion in the press release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation 2014/596/EU which is part of domestic UK law pursuant to the Market Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) regulations (SI 2019/310).

For further information contact: CleanTech Lithium PLC Aldo Boitano Jersey office: +44 (0) 1534 668 321 Chile office: +562-32239222 Or via Celicourt Celicourt Communications +44 (0) 20 8434 2754 Felicity Winkles/Philip Dennis cleantech@celicourt.uk Beaumont Cornish Limited (Nominated Adviser) Roland Cornish +44 (0) 207 628 3396 Fox-Davies Capital Limited (Broker) +44 20 3884 8450 Daniel Fox-Davies daniel@fox-davies.com

Notes

CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL) is an exploration and development company, advancing the next generation of sustainable lithium projects in Chile. The Company's mission is to produce material quantities of battery grade lithium by 2024, with near zero carbon emissions and low environmental impact, offering the EU EV market a green lithium supply solution.

CleanTech Lithium has two prospective lithium projects - Laguna Verde and Francisco Basin projects located in the lithium triangle, the world's centre for battery grade lithium production. They are situated within basins entirely controlled by the Company, which affords significant potential development and operational advantages. The projects have direct access to excellent infrastructure and renewable power.

CleanTech Lithium is committed to using renewable power for processing and reducing the environmental impact of its lithium production by utilising Direct Lithium Extraction. Direct Lithium Extraction is a transformative technology which only removes lithium from brine, with higher recoveries and purities. The method offers short development lead times, low upfront capex, with no extensive site construction and no evaporation pond development so there is no water depletion from the aquifer or harm to the local environment.

**ENDS**
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.
As we approach the two full weeks of the Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard difamation trial, there is still more information about her alleged affair with James Franco. On Tuesday, Amber Heard's psychologist friend testified several details about this affair the two actors had when they shared the screen on 'The Adderall Diaries'.

According to Dr. Dawn Hughes, Johnny Depp started arguing with Amber Heard over an alleged affair she had with James Franco during the filming of this movie. However, she confirmed she wasn't present in the event that Amber Heard described. According to Hughes, the actress detailed how Johnny Depp kicked her in the back and she stumbled to the front in a clear rage amid these accusations.

Depp allegedly kept telling Heard the he hoped she 'had fun with her escapades' before kicking her on the back, forcing her to go forward. Hughes was forced then to confirm she wasn't Amber Heard's psychologist when these events took place, she was only her friend. But these accusations pale in comparison to all the evidence that confirms it was Heard the one who abused Johnny Depp, not the other way around.

Not having direct eye witnesses to all the "atrocities" Depp perpetrated on Heard is highly convenient. It has become pretty evident and clear that Heard is currently in a tough position with nobody moving forwar in her support. James Franco still hasn't publicly made any statements about his involvement in the trial.

In May 2014, while on a plane, Heard alleges Depp confronted her about shooting romantic scenes with James Franco, and accused her of having an affair. Depp proceeds to taunt, throw things at, and kick Heard. He later texts her an apology. Depp's assistant confirms the incident. pic.twitter.com/OKQqftmqvB ? van (der woodsen) (@drugproblem) April 21, 2022

Will James Franco testify in Amber Heard's favor?

According to recent information about his whereabouts, James Francos' close circle has already confirmed that the actor wants nothing to do with this trial. He has his own problems to deal with after being accused of sexual misconduct by several university students where he was teaching an acting class.

Going forward to support Amber Heard in any capacity could hurt his already damaged image even further. James Franco's publicist probably wants him as far away from Amber Heard and the trial as possible. It's highly unlikely we will see him testifying during the final two weeks of this trial.
Unfortunately, there is new information from a scoop delivered by TMZ of the untimely passing of Kailia Posey. The famous 'Toddlers & Tiaras' star who also became a world wide phenomenon through a GIF was reported dead by her mother through a Facebook post.

She wrote: "I don't have words or any thoughts. A beautiful baby girl is gone. Please give us privacy as we mourn the loss of Kailia. My baby forever." But many news outlets started investigating further into the s passing of this young celebrity who had many hopes and dreams as she was only 16 years young. According to her own family as reported by TMZ, Kailia apparently decided to take her own life.

Conflicting reports about Kailia's death emerged.

As soon as her passing was reported by her mother, Kailia Posey's mysterious circumstances of the situation began emerging. First, there was a report that suggested she was involved in a car accident in Las Vegas. However, this report didn't match with a description of a juvenile death in Washington State that was reported on Tuesday as well. Trooper Jacob Kennett confirmed Posey was pronounced dead in Birch Bay State Park at around 01:20 pm on Monday.

As the news kept coming, it was the folks at TMZ who got to speak directly with the late star's family to apparently confirm the worst fears. No further details about Kailia's death were given, other than she decided to take her own life. However, only TMZ is reporting this and more research is being conducted from this case. Local authorities also stated they wouldn't release more information because this is an ongoing investigation.

As per TMZ's report, this is what Posey's family revealed: "Although she was an accomplished teenager with a bright future ahead of her, unfortunately in one impetuous moment, she made the rash decision to end her earthly life. She won countless crowns & trophies after competing on the pageant circuit her entire life...

"Her highly acclaimed talent as a contortionist had already led to professional touring job offers, and she had recently been selected to be a cheerleader at her high school next fall." Kailia also had a love for aviation that was taking her to possible get her flying license and eventually become a pilot. She will be sorely missed. May she rest in peace.
In recent weeks, countless news about the personal and couple life of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, who are starring in a defamation lawsuit in which the Pirates of the Caribbean actor is suing his ex-wife for $50 million and the Aquaman actress is countersuing him for $100 million, in the middle of a media show rarely seen before.

Among the revelations about the relationship the actors had, in addition to bringing back memories of old episodes between the Hollywood stars, text messages Heard's parents sent to Depp on May 27, 2016, hours after the actress filed for the restraining order, came to light.

Heard's mother's text messages with Johnny Depp

In those messages, Patricia Paige, Amber's mother, explained to Depp that a restraining order filed by her daughter a few years ago did not do so "willingly or happily," but that the actress' lawyers felt it necessary to file legal documents, according to The Blast.

However, among those messages, Heard's mother calls Depp "son" and tells him she loves him, which has cast doubt on Amber's accusations against the famous actor.

That restraining order filed by Heard happened after Depp asked for the eviction of a luxury apartment of the couple after a fight between them.

Who was Amber Heard's mother?

Patricia Paige (nee Parsons), Amber's mother, was born on October 1, 1956 in Midland, Texas, where she lived for much of her life before moving to suburban Austin with her husband, David Clinton Heard, where they raised Amber and her sister Whitney.

Amber's mother is said to have been an internet researcher, while her father, David, has dabbled in acting with a few roles in 'Machete Kills' (2013) and 'Overhaulin' (2004.)

What did Amber Heard's mother die of?

In May 2020, Heard posted on Instagram that her beloved mother had passed away at the age of 63, although to date the causes of her death have not been revealed.
Tycoon Elon Musk's name has come up again during the defamation trial facing Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, although this time to say that the actress 'felt nothing' when she started dating the Tesla CEO, in addition to phrases like 'my soul was dead' following the Pirates of the Caribbean actor's split.

These claims emerged after Heard's lawyers began presenting their side of the story Tuesday with testimony from Dr. Dawn Hughes, a forensic psychologist who evaluated Heard for the lawsuit.

Notes from the talk between Heard and Dr. Dawn Hughes

Hughes, who determined that Heard had been the victim of dating violence committed by Depp, was shown some of her notes from the 29 hours she spent interviewing the actress.

Among those notes were comments regarding Heard's romantic relationships with other men, such as Musk.

Heard told Hughes that she began dating Musk after seeing him at the 2016 Met Ball, a gala that took place weeks after the fight between the couple that resulted in their split, although Depp has claimed that his ex-wife cheated on him with Musk while the two were still married.

"I was heartbroken. My soul was dead. Felt nothing then," Heard told Hughes about the Musk relationship, according to Hughes' notes.

Heard had previously said she never loved Elon Musk

In recent days, the lawsuit also revealed that Heard spoke to her former agent, Christian Carino, about her relationship with Musk, agreeing that she never loved him.

"You weren't in love with him and you told me a thousand times you were just filling space," Heard told Hughes

"I know, but I wanted time to grieve and recover in my own time," Heard responded.
Update narration See full narration

Hello everybody and welcome in to our American Finances live blog this Wednesday, May 4, as we take a look at today's latest financial news and updates in the United States.

In today's blog, you can stop by throughout the day to check out our money-saving tips and information on the various benefits programs that are on offer.

Our American Finances live blog

Here, we'll spend some time detailing the $835 food stamps check that is available for certain families, as well as explaining why the amount paid in tax on gas in California is about to shoot up by five percent.

We'll outline all the details you need to know about both of these developments in order to save as much money as possible.

Plus, we have a new guide on the Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool, which can be used to make sure you are earning all the Social Security benefits you might be entitled to.

As we do in this space every day, we'll also spend time bringing you the latest news on taxes and tax refunds.

The April 18 deadline for filing your 2021 tax returns if very much in the rearview mirror now, but that means it's now time to focus on getting your tax refund and we'll explain how to do that as quickly as possible.

Also, don't worry if you forgot about the deadline and didn't pay your taxes yet because that can still be solved without costly penalties. We also have guides that outline how to do that.

There really is a lot to discuss here on this Wednesday's live blog on the USA's latest financial news, as there is every day, so follow along with all of our updates.

As is always the case in our live blogs, the most recent updates are those nearest the top.
Unique global collaboration to prepare health systems for a future with new Alzheimers treatments

Pioneering use of blood-based biomarkers with digital cognitive assessments in primary care

Innovative, culturally relevant methods that can scale in high, low-and middle-income countries

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NOTE: To join an upcoming Learning Lab such as Meeting of the DAC Learning Laboratory: Driving Early Detection Across Aging Societies, planned for May 17, 2022, click here. This Lab will feature DAC healthcare system pilot sites and demonstrate the first of many collaborative exchanges championed through DACs initiatives.





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The Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer's Disease

Susan Oliver Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative 703-216-4078 soliver@davosalzheimerscollaborative.org
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The cold weather has lasted for longer than usual in 2022. Spring hasn't yet sprung in full, with temperatures barely cracking 60 and the rain keeping the ground wet. This is causing farmers in the Thumb to push back planting their crops.

"Last year at this time we were planting corn and almost done," said Ubly farmer Ashley Kennedy. "We haven't even gotten started (this year)."

What farmers are able to plant and grow depends on what kind of crop it is, what variety of seed they have, and most of all the weather.

The variety of corn used in Michigan, for example, generally grows faster than it does in warmer parts of the world, due to the growing season being a lot shorter.

With sugar beets, however, the procedure is different. They have to be planted when the ground is dry and the chance of frost is unlikely, which is why the recent cold and wet weather has kept sugar beet farmers from planting their crops. The beets can be harvested as long as it's cold enough that the beets won't rot in the heat.

In 2021, the spring was perfect for farmers, who were able to start planting in March, but with spring being so late as of May 2022, farmers are under a lot of stress.

"We're piling all of our work that could've been spread out over the past month; it's going to be done in a few short days," said Genter-Bischer Farms worker Rita Herford.

"We are concerned about certain spots of our hay, thinking they got winter killed," Kennedy added.

However, the farmers haven't given up hope that they will be able to reap a crop this year, despite the still-cold weather.

"I think we'll be fine if we can get in the fields in the next week or so," Herford said.
BIG RAPIDS  Attorney General Dana Nessel made a stop in Big Rapids this week to visit with professors and students at the Ferris State University Center for Cybersecurity and Data Sciences.

We have been having regular conversations with the Center for Cybersecurity and Data Sciences because they are the only accredited cyber security degree certification program in the state of Michigan, Nessel told the Pioneer. They are widely recognized, and nationally they have the reputation of excellent training and knowledgeable professors. It is really exciting to have a program like that in Michigan.

Nessel added that, right now, it is important for law enforcement agencies to recognize that cybersecurity is one of the most important issues facing them in terms of dangers and threats, and they need all the experts they can get working on those issues.

It is great to know we have the expertise, and we are training young minds that are going to go on to be in the top tier positions, whether it is in government, law enforcement or private industry, she said. It is going to be the Ferris State Bulldog graduates that are going to be providing us with some of the most knowledgeable work in cybersecurity, so it is very exciting to have that at Ferris and in the state of Michigan.

During her visit on campus, Nessel was treated to several cyber-related presentations from the students at the center.

One presentation was about all the information you can find investigating someone just using open-source data, Nessel said. Another student did an entire presentation on deep fakes, a new technology where you can put someones face on videos and photographs, and it looks very real. This is a real threat.

Deep fakes refers to video manipulation created by software that utilizes methods like photoshopping, speeding and slowing videos, lookalikes, and recontextualizing of AV material to create simulations of people, voices, and actions.

Nessel said the student described how the Russians had done something like that to make it appear as though Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was telling his people that Ukraine had surrendered and the war was over, and that it had been broadcast all over Ukraine.

So, this is a really serious threat from both a foreign affairs perspective and domestically, Nessel said. But the students at Ferris are learning all about this type of thing and they will be on the front lines of learning how to spot and combat cheap fakes.

'THE BRIGHTEST AND THE BEST'

Nessel said the attorney generals office hopes to be able to recruit FSU graduates from the program to come and work for the state.

We really need to have the brightest and the best cyber security experts in the country working for us in the state of Michigan and protecting the state of Michigan, Nesel said. Fortunately, we dont have to go very far for it, because those experts are going to come from our own state. That is very exciting for me because these issues are so great.

The disappointing thing is that we have to start recruiting them when they are freshmen and sophomores, she added, because by the time they are juniors they already have jobs lined up. That is how impressive this center is that you have experts from all over the country coming to them and trying to recruit the students at a very early stage.

Nessel said she would encourage high school students from inside the state and outside the state, who are interested in cyber security to look at the FSU program.

If you are looking for an excellent education in cybersecurity, Ferris is one of the best in the country, she said. It is very exciting to have a program like that in the state of Michigan.

In March 2021, the attorney generals office and FSU signed a Memorandum of Understanding that allows the CCDS to provide volunteer consulting services to their office to help combat crime.

Nessel said the purpose of the agreement was to enlist the centers experts in cybersecurity to assist on cases that come to the attorney generals office.

For instance, if we have threats that come in, whether it is to government officials or to private citizens, they are helping us track down where those threats are coming from, she said. Everything is corroborated by law enforcement agencies and there are confidentiality agreements in place to prevent leaks.

I think it is a great tool because the university can tackle actual problems in terms of helping to train students, and it helps us at the department of the attorney general because we need that guidance and that expertise, she continued. I think it is a win-win for us to be working as partners. The type of work we do now requires so much technological expertise and we can use their help.

She added it is a crucial tool because some of their investigations are the biggest in the state, and sometime in the nation.

Some of these investigations require an extensive amount of training and knowledge, and although a lot of investigators are great detectives, they are not necessarily cybersecurity experts, and we need both, she said.

FSU broke ground on a new facility to house the CCDS in 2021. The new Center for Virtual Learning is expected to be ready for occupancy in January 2023. It will serve as a centralized location for the Information Security and Intelligence Program, the School of Digital Media and the School of Education and eLearning.

The center will include secured evidence rooms, examination rooms, presentation rooms and Faraday rooms, which are secured from network and radio transmission, which is necessary when performing examination and experiments on things such as cell phones, mobile devices and malware analysis. It will be the only Faraday room in the state of Michigan, according to information on the FSU website.
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BIG RAPIDS  Ferris State University is wrapping up its 2021-22 academic year with spring commencement Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7, in Big Rapids.

Ferris expects to graduate about 2,100 students with degrees and certificates, including 1,600 planning to take part in five ceremonies over two days inside Jim Wink Arena of the Ewigleben Sports Complex.

3:30 p.m. Friday, May 6: Michigan College of Optometry, College of Health Professions

7 p.m. Friday, May 6: College of Pharmacy, Doctorate in Community College Leadership

9 a.m. Saturday, May 7: College of Business

12:30 p.m. Saturday, May 7: College of Arts, Sciences and Education

4 p.m. Saturday, May 7: College of Engineering Technology

In keeping with tradition, spring commencement includes honorary doctorates awarded to its featured speakers,

Alumnus Phil Hagerman, who will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Business and Industry, will address graduates of the Doctorate in Community College Leadership and the College of Pharmacy at 7 p.m. Friday, May 6.

Hagerman is part of three generations who have earned Ferris Pharmacy degrees. He co-founded Diplomat Pharmacy with his father and led this company for 27 years. During this time, Diplomat grew to be the largest independent provider of specialty pharmacy services in the country.

In addition, Hagerman strongly supported the universitys first-ever comprehensive capital campaign, Now and Always, providing a $5 million lead gift to the College of Pharmacy and a second $5 million gift to boost Ferris past its $115 million comprehensive campaign fundraising goal.

Alumna Dana King, who will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, speaks to College of Business graduates at 9 a.m Saturday, May 7.

King, a broadcast journalist in Los Angeles, San Francisco and national television, earned five Emmys, two Edward R. Murrow Awards, and two Gracie Awards. Currently, she is an award-winning classical figurative sculpturist who creates public monuments of black bodies in bronze.

Recently, she was appointed to The Ferris Foundation Board of Directors, a cabinet member of the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia Building Campaign. King was named a Ferris Distinguished Alumna in 2018.

Later that day, alumnus Dick Shaw, who will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Industry, will address College of Engineering Technology graduates at 4 p.m. in the last ceremony. Shaw earned his associate and bachelors degrees in Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration.

A proud veteran, he joined the Ferris faculty after graduation and served for 27 years; he was recognized as the Ferris Distinguished Teacher in 1978 and served as HVACR program director beginning in 1985. Upon retirement, he became a national consultant for the HVACR industry, recognized by the American Spirit of Independence Award.

Further, Shaw has established and helped to develop multiple scholarship endowments at Ferris, has served on the Ferris Foundation, including chairing the Foundation Board, was highlighted as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2018, and is of the Now and Always Campaign Cabinet.

E-tickets are required to attend all Big Rapids commencement ceremonies. Children 2 years old and younger do not need a ticket. Students planning to participate in Spring 2022 commencement ceremonies can receive up to six electronic tickets. No extra e-tickets will be distributed by the Commencement Office or the individual college commencement coordinators. Likewise, lost tickets will not be replaced.

Guests who do not have tickets can watch the ceremonies via live stream on the Commencement Office website. For people interested in but unable to attend commencement, the ceremonies are streamed live at youtube.com/c/FerrisStateVideo courtesy of Ferris Cable 22.

For more information, visit ferris.edu/current-students/Commencement.
MANISTEE COUNTY  A former judges Manistee County court case has come to an end nearly three and a half years after a call to a tow truck left the 62-year-old man with a misdemeanor charge.

David Parrott, former 34th District Court judge of Romulus, pleaded no contest during a status conference on Tuesday to the 93-day misdemeanor of operating while being visibly impaired.

For the purposes of sentencing, a plea of no contest is treated much the same the same as if the defendant had pleaded guilty.

Jordan Miller, Manistee County chief assistant prosecutor, explained in an email that the original charge was operating while intoxicated, which is also a 93-day misdemeanor but one that carries less severe consequences with the Secretary of State office.

Miller said Parrott was given two days jail time with credit for two days served, as well as fines and costs totaling $926.

Given that he was subjected to pretrial release conditions for two-plus years while his case worked its way through the appellate system, the judge declined to impose a term of probation, Miller said.

The case proceeded in the 85th District Court before Judge Thomas Brunner.

What happened?

Among the conditions of Parrotts pretrial release, he was ordered to use a Soberlink Remote Alcohol Monitoring device for about a year, Miller said.

A Soberlink device is a portable breathalyzer that requires the user to blow into the device up to four times in a day and the results are transmitted and monitored by the probation department, he said.

Parrott successfully completed that requirement with no reported violations.

Parrott was also subjected to standard conditions of pretrial release, including restrictions on his ability to travel out of state. He also attended outpatient alcohol treatment during the case.

According to State of Michigan Court of Appeals documents, Parrott had left a gathering on Dec. 25, 2018 and around 6:20 p.m. he lost control of his vehicle that slid off the road.

Defendant then 'backed down (an) embankment' and into a flat area that turned into a field. Defendant spent the next 30 to 35 minutes attempting to return his car to the roadway. Unable to extricate his car, a tow truck driver was called to assist him, reads part of the background of the case. Shortly after the tow truck driver arrived at the scene, he called the police because he suspected that defendant was intoxicated.

A Manistee County Sheriffs Office deputy was called to the scene near Chrestensen Road and Milarch Road near the Bear Lake Township and Onekama Township line.

The deputy arrived and saw Parrotts vehicle stuck in the ditch, 5 to 10 feet from the roadway and suspected that Parrott was intoxicated.

He noted that defendant smelled like alcohol, had bloodshot and watery eyes and had labored speech, the document reads in part.

Parrott was reported to have denied consuming alcohol and the deputy attempted to give Parrott a field sobriety test, but abandoned the test because defendant was not following his instructions.

About this time, Parrott showed the deputy his badge and asked if anything could be done, the court documents show.

Parrott consented to a preliminary breath test which showed an illegal blood alcohol level of 0.109.

The deputy told Parrott that the test result suggested that Parrott was operating his vehicle over the legal limit, the documents state.

In the documents, it shows that Parrott then said that he was going to lose a quarter of his pay, and again asked the deputy what could be done.

According to his case documents background section, Parrott was arrested for operating while intoxicated and taken to a hospital where a blood draw showed his blood alcohol level to be 0.152 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood.

Over the course of his case, Parrott objected to several aspects such as which evidence was allowed to be used in court. His motions were denied by Manistee Countys district court and he appealed to circuit court where his application for leave to appeal was also denied.

However, the State of Michigan Court of Appeals granted his application to appeal. According to previous Associated Press reports, the appeals court ruled against Parrott in February 2021.

The AP also reported that Parrott lost his bid for reelection in 2020, weeks after he was suspended by the Michigan Supreme Court.

Accountability

Miller pointed out that he is very proud of the Manistee County Sheriffs (Office that) conducted a fair and unbiased investigation in this case despite being pressured to look the other way.

And I am proud of our office, who stood its ground through two-plus years of aggressive pretrial litigation  including an appeal all the way up to the Michigan Supreme Court to send the right message, which is that if you break the law in Manistee County, you will be held accountable no matter who you are, Miller said.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Democratic U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown beat former state Sen. Nina Turner for the second time since last summer, easily prevailing in an Ohio primary billed nationally as a key showdown between the partys more moderate establishment and its activist progressive wing.

Brown, who had campaigned with South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the most senior Black member of Congress, and as a strong ally to President Joe Biden's domestic agenda, had topped Turner in July's special election primary  and did so again Tuesday. The president called Brown on Tuesday night to congratulate her on the victory and released a statement on Wednesday calling her win an important step forward."

Primaries in Ohio and the neighboring, Rust Belt state of Indiana helped kick into high gear a midterm season that will see Democrats attempt to defend their razor-thin congressional majorities this November.

A former Democratic Party county chair, Brown has only been in Congress a matter of months but came into the rematch with the power of incumbency. Turner, a leading surrogate for Bernie Sanders 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, was endorsed by the Vermont senator and top progressive groups, which had hoped for a second-try upset.

The Cleveland district where Brown and Turner squared off is heavily African American and solidly Democratic, making Brown heavily favored to retain her seat in Novembers general election. Our Revolution, the activist group that grew out of Sanders first presidential run, says it devoted 150 volunteers toward boosting Turner in the race, while the pro-Israeli Democratic political organization DMFI PAC announced spending more than $1 million for Brown.

During Rep. Browns five short months in Congress, she has proven to be a tenacious advocate for the people of her district and a fierce fighter for the Democratic agenda and our partys values," DMFI PAC President Mark Mellman said in a statement. Ohio Democrats sent a clear message that they want candidates who seek to unite the party.

Turner tweeted a video of her chanting loudly with supporters, We gon be alright. She told them that was her enduring message to the progressive movement.

Elsewhere, Republican Rep. Warren Davidson turned back a primary challenge from Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich, son of the famous doctor known for the anti-choking maneuver. Davidson had been endorsed by former President Donald Trump  whose backing helped author JD Vance win the much-watched GOP primary for Ohio's open Senate seat on Tuesday  while Heimlich had criticized the former president.

Trump's support proved valuable in other House primaries in Ohio as well.

Former Trump aide Max Miller locked up the Republican nomination in a new district in the northeastern part of the state despite being accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.

Meanwhile, the Akron-area district where another Trump pick, conservative commentator Madison Gilbert won the Republican nomination, should be one of the likely competitive House seats in November's general election. She'll face state Rep. Emilia Sykes, a former Ohio House Democratic leader and a daughter of a powerful political family in the area.

Conservative activist group FreedomWorks for America vowed that Gilbert would get Congress "out from under the thumb of radical Leftists.

Gilbert is the real deal, a fact that Ohioans have echoed with their votes tonight," Noah Wall, FreedomWorks for America executive director, said in a statement. "We are excited to continue mobilizing our grassroots army on Gilberts behalf as she heads into the general election.

Another tough congressional race could be coming to Cincinnati in November, when Republican Rep. Steve Chabot will face Democratic Cincinnati City Council member Greg Landsman.

Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in the state House, has held her seat since 1983 and was unopposed in her primary Tuesday. Trump devotee J.R. Majewski will face her in November.

Majewski, a political newcomer, parlayed praise he won from Trump on Twitter into a political win over two sitting Republican state lawmakers. Thank you to J.R. Majewski, a great Air Force Veteran and Trump Supporter who did a beautiful job of turning his lawn into a giant Trump Sign," Trump tweeted in July 2020.

Kaptur, a popular Democrat in her hometown of Toledo, faces one of her toughest general election battles this fall due to redistricting. Ohios 9th Congressional District, which hugs the Lake Erie coast around Toledo, is now considered a political toss-up under new Republican-drawn boundaries approved by the Ohio Redistricting Commission.

In Indiana, former state Sen. Erin Houchin topped eight other Republicans, including former U.S. Rep. Mike Sodrel, for the party's nomination in the state's only open House seat and will be heavily favored in November. GOP Rep. Trey Hollingsworth isnt seeking reelection in his southern Indiana district as he hints at running for governor in 2024.

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Weissert reported from Washington.

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Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics.
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BIG RAPIDS  Being a member of the military isnt always easy, and one Big Rapids meat processing business is hoping to enliven enlisted spirits by sending venison snacks and donated boxed items their way this spring.

Kellys Deer Processing, at 19077 12 Mile Road in Big Rapids Township, has been in the game-processing business since 1979. During the busiest part of deer season, they will process as many as 80 deer per day. Besides deer, Kellys also has butchered other big game, including moose, elk, bear and caribou.

The venison care packages have been a community donation drive event for 19 years.

Colin Kelly, the owner of Kellys Deer Processing, said the care package project is meant to be a pick-me-up for people in the service that have local connections.

Throughout their season, customers and clients bring in their deer and they politely donate a package or two, or a whole deer or two, and we set that meat aside, Kelly said. We put it away until spring in the freezer, and then they also donate money. They can also drop their name and phone number in a container, and that symbolizes that they've got a soldier in their family or a soldier that they'd like a box sent to.

In March or early April, Ill tell the company that makes the meat into venison snacks and get that done, he added. We call our contacts with the Grand Rapids home for vets, the Marquette Jacobetti Home for Veterans, the local Eagles and American Legions, and all the local fraternal Veterans clubs. The preparation costs about $2,500, and the company came in last week and we got almost 900 pounds of venison snacks.

The projects budget is around $4,500 to $5,000 to package and send out the boxes from start to finish.

The processing center is aiming to advertise on social media heavily to encourage additional donations and items to include in packages.

In addition to processing game for individuals, he also sells individual cuts to restaurants, smokehouses and jerky processors.

'IT TAKES A COMMUNITY'

Kelly said they often will invite military members to help with the project.

We will get soldiers in uniform from the local army recruiting office to come show up in uniform and they'll help fill out customs forms, Kelly said. They'll welcome the people to our event. People will show up with some personal items that they want to give specifically to their son, daughter, husband, wife, whoever.

"We'll all work together on filling these flat rate boxes with the venison snacks, and anything else that's been donated. Things like toothbrushes, baby wipes, and Ice Mountain have had a donation box, he added. In the past, I've also had the Pioneer give us 100 copies of the paper for soldiers to read.

"We send them to about 15 to 20 different countries to have as many different addresses as we can. We send boxes to active-duty soldiers, and even if they're at home we want them to receive it as a thank you gift box, doesn't matter if they're home on leave or home on break.

Kellys Deer Processing will be hosting a donation drive at Jerky For The Troops and Venison For Vets event from noon to 2 p.m. May 9 at CKs Place Banquet Facility, 11515 Northland Drive, Big Rapids.

Some of the top requested items are necessities such as sunblock, socks, underwear, flip-flops, and lip balm. Snacks, including chips, salsa, nuts, cookies, beef jerky, non-melting candy, and trail mix in packaging that isn't easily crushed; and drink mixes in single-serving packets are also a good addition.

Kelly said the venison jerky the packaging company uses is high quality.

It's very lean and very meaty, Kelly said. It's not all greasy and nasty tasting, and it's it has to be shelf-stable, which means it can go unrefrigerated for months, but not forever. Some of the stuff you see in the stores can be good for two or three years now. So it is a small venison package of one pound.

We'll fill the box with a certain number on probably about eight of them in each box, he added. Well leave room for personal items and other things that people supporting or sponsoring a soldier might want to have other things into that container. Years ago, it used to be phonecards, it used to be other things and changed because of the cell phones and changes with privacy. If we do end up with any additional money, then we'll run out to Walmart or Meijer and buy some more things to put in the box.

Making sure the service members know they are cared for is personal to Kelly, as his brother was killed in action and his father served in World War II.

Kelly said he wants to have a positive effect on service members who receive a package.

I know firsthand from my clients and my customers who are feeling the effects of Agent Orange, Kelly said. Their bodies are being eaten alive with chemicals. There are a lot of things that are wrong with the Veterans Association about taking care of that. We're trying to show these younger soldiers that are out there in foreign countries that we care about them. Maybe they missed deer season, and this is the only taste of venison they'll get for a year. We want them to know that we care about them and think about them.

Some soldiers that never get a letter from home, he added. They don't get any mail, they don't get any packages, they don't get anything. Many families don't know even where their son or daughter is for years.

Kelly said these packages are just another pat on the back that soldiers can share with others.

"I just want them to know that we care, but we can't do everything," he said. "It takes a community and takes everybody to help put this together.

Kelly said they are still in need of donations to help pay for the shipping, candy, baby wipes, and other small items.

Receiving packages is a memorable experience for soldiers, according to Kelly.

It really means something to them, Kelly said. To get mail call is special, whether you're at camp when you're 10 years old, or you're in the army and in a foreign country.

For inquiries about the Jerky For The Troops event May 9, contact Colin Kelly at 231-250-8336 or at info@kellysdeerprocessing.com.

For more information about Kellys Deer Processing, call 231-796-5414 or visit the businesss website at www.kellysdeerprocessing.com.
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TOLEDO, Ohio (AP)  Republican Gov. Mike DeWine on Tuesday won his partys nomination for a second term in office and will face Democrat Nan Whaley this fall after he overcame conservative anger of his strict pandemic policies and notable rifts with former President Donald Trump.

Whaley, a former Dayton mayor, became the first woman in state history to receive a major partys backing for the governors office by defeating ex-Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley in a primary race that drew little attention.

DeWine fought off three far-right challengers in the GOP primary and will be a favorite again in November against Whaley, who has far less name recognition in a state that hasnt elected a Democratic governor since 2006.

Whaley thinks having a woman at the top of the ticket will be an advantage for Democrats this time, pointing out that the party has fared better with female voters in states that have nominated women for leadership roles.

She promised during the campaign to protect abortion rights, promote social justice and fight political corruption. She also wants the state to add a $15 minimum wage, universal preschool and better access to child care.

Ohio has elected just one Democrat to be governor in the past three decades. Since then, the state has shifted to the right, especially in recent years under Trumps hold.

The former president did not choose sides in the Republican contest for governor. Former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, who had hoped to win his endorsement, painted DeWine as a moderate whos out of step with Trump and governed like a blue-state liberal.

DeWine, who easily won the states top office four years ago, was careful to say hes still a supporter of Trumps but without fully embracing him. He also dismissed Trumps false claims of a stolen 2020 election.

The governor faced a revolt in some corners of Ohio after enraging the GOP faithful with aggressive stay-at-home mandates, business shutdowns and curfews during the pandemic.

But the four-way Republican primary played to DeWines advantage as voters upset with the governor split their support between Renacci and Joe Blystone, a farmer who jumped in the race early and built a following in rural Ohio, where he fared well in his first bid for office.

Many conservatives complained that DeWine's policies and actions during the pandemic ran counter to what they were hearing from Trump and GOP governors such as Floridas Ron DeSantis and South Dakotas Kristi Noem.

DeWine also lost the backing of some anti-abortion and conservative groups during the primary despite his longtime record of opposing abortion and calling himself the most pro-life governor in Ohio history.

In his first term, DeWine signed a bill banning abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected  at the time one of the most stringent restrictions in the nation. In the past year, he signed a stand your ground law and scored a major win when Intel announced it was investing $20 billion in two semiconductor factories near Columbus.
BIG RAPIDS  Officers with the Big Rapids Department of Public Safety responded to the following calls. All calls may not be reported. All suspects are assumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

 A report of malicious destruction of property was made in the 700 block of Tioga. Roommates allegedly destroyed items belonging to another roommate. Case will be forwarded for review.

 Police were called for assistance of a disorderly assaultive juvenile by school workers in the 500 block of South Michigan. Officer arrived and found student calm and speaking with a school counselor.

 Caller reported a female had left the residence earlier in the morning and had texted suicidal statements to him. Phone was pinged. Michigan State Police contacted the female who said she was fine and not suicidal.

 A civil issue was reported in the 1300 block of North State Street. A customer was upset over bill, and was refusing to pay, according to police.

 Police responded to the 100 block of Gilbertson. A female allegedly refused to get in her adopted mother's vehicle to go home. She eventually got in the van and mom took her back to home, police said.

 Police provided assistance to Children's Protective Service. A mandatory reporter said a juvenile stated she had been touched. Case is under investigation.

 Police responded to a disorderly report in the 100 block of South Michigan. Subject was kicked out and left without incident.

 Police responded to the 100 block of Maple Street where a female allegedly was having a mental episode and believed she wasn't in her own apartment.

Saturday, April 30

 A report of disorderly/assault was made in the 600 block of Oak Street. Staff reported a male had attempted to assault a hospital staff member, but no assault. Later, officers were called back as staff then reported the male had allegedly bitten one staff member and brushed another with his fist.

 Police responded to a report of suspicious activity/stalking in the 400 block of Maple Street. The complainant reported suspicious activity that has been happening at her residence. She reported that multiple strange items have been left at her doorway, including shots of alcohol and deli meats.

 Police executed a warrant arrest after responding to a civil issue reported in the 300 block of South Third Avenue. A male and female were having civil issues. The female was found to have a civil child neglect warrant out of Mecosta County Sheriff's Office.

 Police responded to a report of a civil issue and harassment in the 600 block of Hutchinson Street. Complainant reported civil issues between herself and another person. She was advised to block the person on social media.

Sunday, May 1

 Police conducted a traffic stop near South State and Spring streets. The driver was given an appearance ticket for expired operators license.

 Police executed a warrant arrest after responding to a domestic situation in the 1100 block of Catherine Street. Officers investigated two males who allegedly assaulted each other. One had an active warrant and was arrested. Charges are to be submitted on both.

 Police executed a warrant arrest in the 400 block of Elm Street. Male was picked up in Evart. He was lodged for his contempt warrants.

 A property damage accident was reported near South State and Linden streets.

 A civil issue was reported in the 700 block of Perry Avenue. Officers were dispatched for a customer who was allegedly threatening employees. The customer was told not to come back to the store.

 A juvenile complaint was made in the 1100 block of Catherine Street. Officers were dispatched to the area for kids allegedly throwing rocks at cars. Police determined that the kids were throwing rocks at each other and near cars.

 Police responded to the 300 block of Woodward Avenue. Officers were initially dispatched for a noise issue. However, the noise was not heard. The original complainant was advised that it is not a noise violation for the upper tenant to walk in their apartment.

 Police conducted a traffic stop near North State and Hemlock streets. The driver was given an appearance ticket for no insurance.

 An assault was reported in the 600 block of Oak Street. Officers were dispatched for a reported assault. A male being held for his mental evaluation had allegedly slipped his restraints and assaulted a worker.

 A suspicious situation was reported in the 100 block of DeKrafft Avenue. Officers found a flare falling in the area. They were unable to locate the source, but the area was searched.

 A property damage accident involving a deer was reported in the 800 block of Perry Avenue.

 A civil issue was reported in the 600 block of Oak Street. A female allegedly refused to leave because she didn't believe she felt well enough to be discharged. She called a ride.

 An unlawful entry was reported in the 1100 block of Catherine. A male and female said that while someone was babysitting their children the previous night, the mother of one of the children allegedly came over without permission and began cleaning and waking up the other children. She left upon getting on the phone with the father. The female would not answer the door to be trespassed.

 A suspicious situation was reported in the 700 block of Fuller Avenue. A male said someone stole his SIM card from his phone while he was in the shower because his phone, which had coffee spilled on it and was smashed, would not turn on. He wanted officers to take the phone to the "experts at Walmart."

 Police responded to an alarm in the 800 block of Maple Street. A voice message was left for keyholder. Building secure.

Monday, May 2

 Police responded to an alarm in the 800 block of Clark Street. An employee reportedly inputted a wrong entry code.

 Police responded to an alarm in the 200 block of South Michigan Avenue. Employee error while testing the alarm.

 A larceny was reported in the 200 block of South Stewart Avenue. Officers responded to a larceny that occurred at the hospital.

 Police were called for assistance in the 800 block of Rose Avenue. Officers responded to assist a male who had left his care residence. He was located and returned home. The staff was to contact the guardian of the male.

 A personal injury accident was reported in the 700 block of Perry Avenue.

 Officers assisted Mecosta County Sheriff's Office with TruNarc.

 A suspicious situation was reported in the 1100 block of Fuller Avenue. Police were called for a female sitting by the dumpsters with a needle allegedly in her arm. Contact was made with the female, and police reported she appeared to be fine.

 Police executed a warrant arrest in the 100 block of North Third Avenue. A male was arrested for two Friend of the Court warrants.
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VATICAN CITY (AP)  His appeals for an Orthodox Easter truce in Ukraine went unheeded. His planned meeting with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church was canceled. A proposed visit to Moscow? Nyet. Even his attempt to showcase Russian-Ukrainian friendship fell flat.

Pope Francis hasnt made much of a diplomatic mark in Russias war in Ukraine, seemingly unable to capitalize on his moral authority, soft power or direct line to Moscow to nudge an end to the bloodshed or at least a cease-fire.

Rather, Francis has found himself in the unusual position of having to explain his refusal to call out Russia or President Vladimir Putin by name  popes dont do that, he said  and to defend his very good relations with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, who has justified the war on spiritual grounds.

While the long list of dead ends would indicate a certain ineffectiveness, it is par for the course for the Vatican's unique brand of diplomacy that straddles geopolitical realities with spiritual priorities, even when they conflict.

And in the case of Ukraine, they have: Francis has sought to be a pastor to his local flock in Ukraine, incessantly calling for peace, sending cardinals in with humanitarian aid and even reportedly proposing that a Vatican-flagged ship evacuate civilians from the besieged port of Mariupol.

But he has also kept alive the Holy Sees longer-term policy goal of healing relations with the Russian Orthodox Church, which like the rest of Eastern Orthodoxy is separated from the Catholic Church. Up until recently, Francis held out hope that he would secure a second meeting with Russian Patriarch Kirill, even while Moscow bombed Ukrainian civilians.

Francis recently revealed that their planned June meeting in Jerusalem had been called off, because Vatican diplomats thought it would send a confusing message. Indeed, on Wednesday EU diplomats said they plan to sanction Kirill in the bloc's next round of measures against Russia, further complicating Francis' relationship with him.

To his critics, Francis continued outreach to Moscow even amid reported atrocities harks back to the perceived silence of Pope Pius XII, criticized by some Jewish groups for failing to speak out sufficiently against the Holocaust. The Vatican and insists Pius' quiet diplomacy helped save lives.

Francis is doing what he can, with the right priorities, to stop the war, stop people from suffering, said Anne Leahy, who was Canadas ambassador to the Holy See from 2008-12 and ambassador to Russia in the late 1990s.

But hes keeping channels of communication open in every way he can. Even if it doesnt work, I think the idea is to keep trying, she said.

Leahy noted that a pope must have as a top priority this Gospel-mandated objective to unify Christians, and that relations with the Orthodox therefore must remain at the forefront.

Diplomacy is at the service of the churchs mission, and not the other way around, she said in a telephone interview.

At times, Francis words and gestures seem contradictory: One day he sits down for a videoconference with Kirill that is prominently featured on the website of the Russian Orthodox Church with a statement saying both sides had expressed hope for a just peace. Three weeks later, he kisses a battered Ukrainian flag brought to him from Bucha, where Ukrainian civilians were found shot to death with their hands bound.

The Vatican has a long tradition of this dual-faceted diplomacy. During the Cold War, the policy of Ostpolitik meant that the Vatican kept up channels of communication with the same Communist governments that were persecuting the faithful on the ground, often to the dismay of the local church.

Francis decision to continue with the classic Vatican diplomacy of Ostpolitik, of dialoguing with the enemy and not closing the door, is debatable, said the Rev. Stefano Caprio, professor of church history at the Pontifical Oriental Institute.

Those who are upset that the pope isnt defending them more are right, but those from the diplomatic side who say We cant throw away these relations are also right. They are obviously in contradiction, he said.

But since were not talking about an argument of faith  we aren't talking about the persons of the Holy Trinity  you can have opinions that differ from the pope, he added.

In some ways, Francis role on the sidelines of the Ukraine conflict can be traced to his position when Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and the Holy See appeared at least publicly neutral, despite appeals from Ukrainian Greek Catholics, who are a minority in the majority Orthodox country, for Francis to strongly condemn Moscow.

Instead, Francis described the ensuing conflict as the fruit of fratricidal violence, as if both sides were equally to blame and that the conflict was an internal Ukrainian matter.

My experience in 2014 is that the existence of the (Ukrainian) Greek Catholics was seemingly an embarrassment and a frustration with the Holy Father and the Holy See, said John McCarthy, who was Australias ambassador to the Vatican at the time. Their priority was the relationship with the Russian Orthodox and securing a meeting with Kirill.

Francis eventually obtained that long-sought meeting, embracing Kirill in a VIP room of the Havana, Cuba, airport on Feb. 12, 2016, in the first meeting between a pope with the Russian patriarch in over a millennium.

The two men signed a joint statement that was hailed by the Holy See at the time as a breakthrough in ecumenical relations. But it enraged Ukraines Greek Catholics because, among other things, it referred to them as an ecclesial community as if they were a separate church not in communion with Rome, and didn't mention Russia's role in the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Fast forward to 2022, and Francis again upset the local Ukrainian church: The Vatican had proposed that a Ukrainian and Russian woman carry the cross together during the Vaticans torchlit Good Friday procession at the Colosseum. The gesture, which preceded Francis' unheeded Easter appeal for a truce, was an attempt to show the possibility of future Russian-Ukrainian reconciliation.

But the Ukrainian ambassador objected, and the head of Ukraines Greek Orthodox faithful, Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, decried the proposal as inopportune and ambiguous, since it didnt take into consideration the fact that Russia had invaded Ukraine.

In the end, the Vatican compromised: The women carried the cross but instead of reading aloud a meditation that had called for reconciliation, stood together in silent prayer.

Leahy, the former Canadian ambassador, said the outcome was a classic example of papal pastoral care bridging Vatican diplomacy: Francis listened to Shevchuks complaint and modified the ritual, while keeping his broader agenda of dialogue with Russia alive.

Recalling the word pontiff derives from the Italian word for bridge, she said: Its the job of a diplomat, and certainly of a supreme pontiff who has the word bridge written in his name, to keep the channels open.

The Rev. Roberto Regoli, a professor of church history and an expert in papal diplomacy at the Pontifical Gregorian University, said those diplomatic channels with the Orthodox are important now, but also in the future when eventually Ukraine will have to be rebuilt.

The reconstruction of a country ... requires the involvement of all forces, even religious ones, he said. So keeping these channels open is useful for the present but even more for the future, because it will take decades to rebuild.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
MANISTEE  Operating millages for three Manistee County school districts were approved by voters on Tuesday.

Voters in the Kaleva Norman Dickson Schools, Bear Lake Schools and Onekama Consolidated Schools districts supported 18-mill, non-homestead operating millage renewals in each district.

Public school districts throughout the state of Michigan are required by law to periodically to ask the voters to approve this millage renewal as a result of Proposal A, a system for funding Michigan schools which was passed in 1994.

With 13 of 14 precincts reporting as of Wednesday morning, 1,310 of the county's 10,164 registered voters took part in the election  that's 12.89%.

Jakob Veith, KND and Bear Lake superintendent, had previously emphasized to the News Advocate that the millage is a renewal.

"This is not anything new," he had said. "This is a renewal that occurs everywhere across the state, basically. This is needed for us to receive our full per-pupil funding from the state."

The three districts were requesting a renewal for a period of five years, from 2023 to 2027.

Bear Lake Schools asked voters to authorize a millage limitation of 18.953 mills. This is $18.953 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation. The renewal is expected to raise approximately $970,000 in 2023.

Voters in the Bear Lake district supported the millage 93-23.

Onekama Consolidated Schools asked voters to approve a millage limitation of 19.0299 mills. This is $19.0299 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation. The district can expect to collect approximately $3.24 million in 2023.

Onekama voters approved the millage, 495-121.

KND asked voters to authorize a millage limitation of 18.3867 mills  $18.3867 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation  and authorize an increase of 0.3413 mill  $0.3413 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Headlee Amendment to the Michigan Constitution of 1963.

The district will raise an estimated $2.525 million in 2023.

In the KND district, voters approved the renewal 351-221.

Tuesday night's results are unofficial until certified by the board of canvassers.
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LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Complaining that the West is "stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line targets across the country, as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war Wednesday by proposing a ban on oil imports.

Heavy fighting also raged at the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol that represented the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined southern port city, according to the mayor. A Russian official denied that Moscow's troops were storming the plant, but the commander of the main Ukrainian military unit inside said Russian troops had broken into the mill's territory.

The Russian military also said it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of resorting to the missile terrorism tactics in order to spread fear across Ukraine.

Air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country on Wednesday night, and attacks were reported near Kyiv, the capital; in Cherkasy and Dnipro in central Ukraine; and in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. In Dnipro, authorities said a rail facility was hit. Videos on social media suggested a bridge there was attacked.

There was no immediate word on casualties or the extent of the damage.

Responding to the strikes in his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: All of these crimes will be answered, legally and quite practically  on the battlefield.

The flurry of attacks comes as Russia prepares to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, marking the Soviet Unions defeat of Nazi Germany. The world is watching for whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will use the occasion to declare a victory in Ukraine or expand what he calls the special military operation.

A declaration of all-out war would allow Putin to introduce martial law and mobilize reservists to make up for significant troop losses.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the speculation as nonsense.

Meanwhile, Belarus, which Russia used as a staging ground for its invasion, announced the start of military exercises Wednesday. A top Ukrainian official said the country will be ready to act if Belarus joins the fighting.

The attacks on rail infrastructure were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons.

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagon's assessment, said that while the Russians have tried to hit critical infrastructure around the western city of Lviv, specifically targeting railroads, there has been no appreciable impact on Ukraines effort to resupply its forces. Lviv, close to the Polish border, has been a major gateway for NATO-supplied weapons.

Weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces thwart Russias initial drive to seize Kyiv and seems certain to play a central role in the growing battle for the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Moscow now says is its main objective.

Ukraine has urged the West to ramp up the supply of weapons ahead of that potentially decisive clash. Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which had been slow at first to help arm Ukraine, said his government is considering supplying howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment it has agreed to send.

The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which lies in the Donbas, said Russian attacks left 21 people dead on Tuesday, the highest number of known fatalities since April 8, when a missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk killed at least 59.

In addition to supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. have sought to punish Moscow with sanctions. The EU's top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to ban Russian oil imports, a crucial source of revenue.

We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The proposal needs unanimous approval from EU countries and is likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they won't take part in any oil sanctions. They could be granted an exemption.

The EU is also talking about a possible embargo on Russian natural gas. The bloc has already approved a cutoff of coal imports.

Russias economy is heavily dependent on oil and natural gas exports. Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, said European purchases of Russian energy produce billions in revenue and support the Kremlin's war machine.

Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russias largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.

In Mariupol, Mayor Vadym Boychenko said that Russian forces were targeting the already shattered Azovstal plant with heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft, warships and heavy bombs that pierce concrete 3 to 5 meters thick.

Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult, he said.

Ukrainian fighters said Tuesday that Russian forces had begun storming the plant. But the Kremlin said that was not true. There is no assault," Peskov said.

Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Ukrainian Azov regiment that's defending the plant, said Russian forces have broken into the plant's territory.

Prokopenko said in a video that the incursions continued for a second day, and there are heavy, bloody battles.

The situation is extremely difficult, but in spite of everything, we continue to carry out the order to hold the defense, he added.

His wife, Kateryna Prokopenko, told The Associated Press: We dont want them to die. They wont surrender. They are waiting for the bravest countries to evacuate them."

Meanwhile, the United Nations announced that more than 300 civilians were evacuated Wednesday from Mariupol and other nearby communities. The evacuees arrived in Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles (230 kilometers) to the northwest, where they were receiving humanitarian assistance.

Many came with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, and we will now support them during this difficult time, including with much-needed psychological support, said Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.

Over the weekend, more than 100 people  including women, the elderly and 17 children  were evacuated from the plant during a cease-fire in an operation overseen by the U.N. and the Red Cross. But the attacks on the plant soon resumed.

The Russian government said on the Telegram messaging app that it would open another evacuation corridor from the plant during certain hours on Thursday through Saturday. But there was no immediate confirmation of those arrangements from other parties, and many previous such assurances from the Kremlin have fallen through, with the Ukrainians blaming continued fighting by the Russians.

It was unclear how many Ukrainian fighters were still inside, but the Russians put the number at about 2,000 in recent weeks, and 500 were reported to be wounded. A few hundred civilians also remained there, the Ukrainian side said.

Mariupol, and the plant in particular, have come to symbolize the misery inflicted by the war. The Russians have pulverized most of the city in a two-month siege that has trapped civilians with little food, water, medicine or heat.

The city's fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops to fight elsewhere in the Donbas.

___

Anna reported from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yesica Fisch in Zaporizhzhia, Inna Varenytsia and David Keyton in Kyiv, Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and AP staff around the world contributed to this report.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
What would it feel like to check your bank balance and find a pile of money you didn't know you had? Stop wasting money on goods and services that don't matter in the long run. By plugging the money leaks in your life, it's possible you could see the financial equivalent of working a second job in your wallet.

BUYING FROM A TV OR INTERNET AD. Face it: Infomercial products are overpriced and hardly ever turn out to be as wonderful as presented. And those risk-free trial periods? Don't believe them. You'll likely have to pay the return shipping costs plus a restocking fee, if you ever get around to it.

Plug the money leak: Whenever tempted by an infomercial product, take a second to look up the item on eBay. You'll be shocked to find dozens at a fraction of the price because that's where they unload all the "As Seen on TV" products that get returned. Ask yourself, why so many returns? By then, the infomercial should be over, and you can get on with your day.

IMPULSIVE CRAFTING. Remember the beading supplies and tools that are now sitting in your basement but you bought because you were sure you'd love the activity? Or how about the entire scrapbooking outfit that seemed so perfect when you attended a home party? Did the albums even make it out of the bag? It's way too easy for those of us who share the impulsive gene to make snap decisions.

Plug the money leak: Instead of jumping in with both feet, sign up for a class to check out a new hobby. A few sessions will tell you how committed you are to the craft. And if you decide it's a go, visit an auction website like eBay, Amazon and Overstock. You'll be amazed by what you can find for sale by others who got a bit too anxious and bought the whole caboodle.

INSISTING ON BRAND LOYALTY. Sure, we all have our brand favorites, but opting to pay double for things that don't really matter adds up to one big waste of money.

Plug the money leak: Opt for the store or generic brand whenever it makes absolutely no difference. Flour, sugar, salt, spices, milk, eggs, meat  all of these items must adhere to the same federal standards regardless of brand. Pain relievers like Advil and Aleve all have generic alternatives that share identical active ingredients for half the price. Read the labels to compare. And when a cheaper alternative does not make the grade, return it for an exchange or refund.

FAILURE TO RETURN. It doesn't fit right, or the color is wrong, but who has time to trek back to the store? You do. Failing to return your shopping mistakes is way at the top of the biggest money wasters.

Think of all those clothes you've worn once  or not at all  that could have been converted back into cash had you acted the moment you realized they're just not right.

Plug the money leak: If you still have receipts, try to get a refund for all the NWTs (new with tags) you're harboring. At least try for store credit. If that doesn't work, there's always regifting. In the future, always ask about the store refund policy. Save your receipts, and do not fail to make the return.

GYM MEMBERSHIP YOU NEVER USE. Want to make sure you never exercise? Sign up for a gym membership, and agree to have $39 a month automatically withdrawn from your bank account for the privilege.

Plug the money leak: Call immediately to see what it will take to cancel the membership. Or at the least switch to a month-to-month plan. Or opt to work out for free in the great outdoors.
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SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to speed up the development of his nuclear weapons at the fastest possible pace and threatened to use them against rivals.

The launch, the Norths 14th round of weapons firing this year, also came six days before a new conservative South Korean president takes office for a single five-year term.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired from the Norths capital region and flew to the waters off its eastern coast. It called North Koreas repeated ballistic missile launches a grave threat that would undermine international peace and security and a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions banning any ballistic launch by the North.

The statement said that Won In-Choul, the South Korean JCS chief, held a video conference about the launch with Gen. Paul LaCamera, an American general who heads the South Korea-U.S. combined forces command in Seoul, and they agreed to maintain a solid joint defense posture.

Japan also detected the North Korean launch and quickly condemned it.

North Koreas series of actions that threatens the peace, safety and stability of the international community are impermissible, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters during his visit to Rome.

Kishida said hell discuss the launch when he meets Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi later Wednesday. Naturally, we will exchange views on the regional situation in the Indo-Pacific and East Asia, and I will thoroughly explain the reality of the region including the North Korean missile launch today, to gain understanding about the pressing situation in the East Asia, he said.

Japanese Vice Defense Minister Makoto Oniki said that the missile was believed to have landed in waters outside of the Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone. There has been no report of damage or injury reported from vessels and aircraft in the area.

It wasnt immediately known what missile was launched by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK, the North's official name. South Koreas military said the missile flew about 470 kilometers (290 miles) at the apogee of 780 kilometers (485 miles), while Oniki of Japan said it traveled about 500 kilometers (310 miles) at the maximum altitude of 800 kilometers (500 miles).

U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the latest launch and other North Korean activities using ballistic missile technology only contributes to increasing regional and international tensions.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres again urges the DPRK to fully comply with its international obligations under relevant Security Council resolutions, he said. Diplomatic engagement remains the only pathway to sustainable peace and complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

The United States has circulated a draft resolution to the U.N. Security Council seeking additional sanctions against North Korea for its spate of tests this year. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters Tuesday it is our plan to move forward with that resolution during this month when the United States holds the rotating council presidency.

Were very concerned about the situation there, the numerous violations of Security Council resolutions that the DPRK has engaged in, and it is our hope that we can keep the council unified in condemning those actions by the DPRK, she said.

But diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity because discussions have been private, said the resolution faces an uphill struggle because Russia and China, which have veto power in the Security Council, want to see sanctions against North Korea eased -- not increased.

Observers say North Koreas unusually fast pace in weapons testing this year underscores its dual goal of advancing its missile programs and applying pressure on Washington over a deepening freeze in nuclear negotiations. They say Kim eventually aims to use his expanded arsenal to win an international recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state that he believes would help force the United States to relax international economic sanctions on the North.

One of the North Korean missiles tested recently was an intercontinental ballistic missile potentially capable of reaching the entirety of the American homeland. That missile's launch broke Kim's self-imposed 2018 moratorium on big weapons tests.

There are signs that the North is also preparing for a nuclear test at its remote northeastern testing facility. If made, the nuclear bomb test explosion by North Korea would be the seventh of its kind and the first since 2017.

Last week, Kim Jong Un showcased his most powerful nuclear-capable missiles targeting both the United States and its allies during a massive military parade in capital, Pyongyang. During a speech at the parade, Kim said he would develop his arsenal at the fastest possible pace and warned that the North would preemptively use its nuclear weapons if its national interests are threatened.

North Korea has previously unleased harsh rhetoric threatening to attack its rivals with its nuclear weapons. But the fact that Kim made the threat himself and in a detailed manner have caused security jitters among some South Koreans. Taken together with North Koreas recent tests of short-range nuclear-capable missiles, some experts speculate North Koreas possibly escalatory nuclear doctrine would allow it to launch preemptive nuclear strikes on South Korea in some cases.

Wednesdays launch came before the May 10 inauguration of South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol, who has vowed to boost Seouls missile capability and solidify its military alliance with Washington to better cope with increasing North Korean nuclear threats.

North Korea has a history of raising animosities with weapons tests when Seoul and Washington inaugurate new governments in an apparent bid to boost its leverage in future negotiations.

Yoons power transition office called the latest North Korean launch a grave provocation and urged Pyongyang to stop acts that raise tensions and threaten international peace. It said in a statement that the Yoon government will strongly respond to North Korean provocations in close cooperation with the international community.

Some experts say the Biden administrations passive handling of North Korea as it focuses on Russias invasion of Ukraine and an intensifying rivalry with China is allowing more room for the North to expand its military capabilities.

The Biden administrations actions on North Korea have so far been limited to largely symbolic sanctions and offers of open-ended talks. North Korea has rejected the administrations offer for talks, saying it must first abandon its hostile policy, in an apparent reference to U.S.-led international sanctions and U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises.

___

Mari Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer contributed from the United Nations
A North Carolina man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiring with other members of the far-right Oath Keepers militia group to forcefully halt the peaceful transfer of power after President Joe Biden's 2020 electoral victory.

William Todd Wilson, 44, of Newton Grove, North Carolina, is the third Oath Keepers member to plead guilty to a seditious conspiracy charge stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Brian Ulrich, 44, of Guyton, Georgia, pleaded guilty to the same charge last Friday. Joshua James, 34, of Arab, Alabama, was the first Oath Keepers member to plead guilty to seditious conspiracy.

Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, 55, of Granbury, Texas, and eight others linked to the group have pleaded not guilty to seditious conspiracy and other charges. A trial for some of them is scheduled to start in July.

Unlike James and Ulrich, Wilson wasn't charged in the initial January 2022 indictment for the seditious conspiracy case.

The charge is rarely employed. Before January, the last time U.S. prosecutors brought such a seditious conspiracy case was in 2010 in an alleged Michigan plot by members of the Hutaree militia to incite an uprising against the government.

Wilson was an Oath Keeper member since 2016 and a Sampson County leader of the group's North Carolina chapter, according to a court filing. The filing describes him as a military and law enforcement veteran but doesn't include any details of his service.

Some members of the Oath Keepers, like Wilson, believe that the federal government has been coopted by a cabal of elites actively trying to strip American citizens of their rights, the filing says.

Wilson brought a rifle, pistol, ammunition and other combat gear when he drove to the Washington area on Jan. 5. He left the weapons in a Virginia hotel room but was armed with a pocketknife and wearing a neck gaiter and beanie hat to mask his appearance when he and other Oath Keepers entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, prosecutors said.

Oath Keepers members dressed in paramilitary clothing stormed the Capitol in stack formations. Others amassed firearms on the outskirts of Washington, D.C, and were prepared to bring the weapons into the city on Jan. 6 if Rhodes or his associates believed the need arose, according to prosecutors. In the end, the groups quick reaction force teams didnt bring guns into Washington.

Before he left the Capitol, Wilson joined a mob of people trying to push open the Rotunda Doors from inside the building, according to prosecutors.

Later that afternoon, according to a court filing, Wilson joined Rhodes and others in a hotel's private suite, where Rhodes called somebody over a speaker phone and repeatedly implored the person to tell Trump to '"call upon groups like the Oath Keepers to forcibly oppose the transfer of power." The unidentified person on the phone refused to let Rhodes speak directly with Trump.

After the call ended, Rhodes stated to the group, I just want to fight,'" the filing says.

Several days after he returned home, Wilson tossed his cellphone into the Atlantic Ocean to keep its contents out of law enforcements hands, prosecutors said.

Wilson also pleaded guilty to a charge of obstructing an official proceeding, the joint session of Congress for certifying Biden's victory over former President Donald Trump.

Four other people connected with the Oath Keepers have pleaded guilty to obstruction of Congress and a lesser conspiracy charge, A conviction under the seditious conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years, compared with five years on the lesser conspiracy charge.

More than 780 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6 riot. Over 270 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors. More than 160 of them have been sentenced.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  Oklahoma joined Texas this week to form a region that parts of a nation divided over abortion care might look like if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down its landmark Roe v. Wade ruling.

While abortion providers across the country have been bracing for the possibility that the high court's new conservative majority might further restrict abortion, that has especially been the case in Oklahoma, where lawmakers have passed a half-dozen anti-abortion measures this year.

A bill signed into law on Tuesday by Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt is similar to the law passed in Texas last year that led to a marked increase in women going to neighboring states, including Oklahoma, to get abortions. It prohibits doctors from performing an abortion after fetal activity is detected in the embryo, which experts say is typically after about six weeks and before many women even know they are pregnant. And like Texas' law, it is enforced through civil, not criminal, courts and relies on civilians to inform on one another.

Abortion providers in Oklahoma said they are prepared for the law to take effect and have been helping women get appointments at clinics in neighboring states.

I think something we realized in September (when the Texas law took effect) is that we are already living in a virtual post-Roe world in our region, said Dr. Iman Alsaden, the medical director of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

We have seen people go to extreme lengths to access abortion care: driving all night, doing whatever they can to get the basic health care they need for them and their families. We have been seeing what a post-Roe future looks like in this region of the country already, and its unbelievable.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court declined to temporarily stop the law from taking effect, although the court is still considering a legal challenge.

Stitt's signing of the bill, along with the leaked draft opinion suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court is considering weakening or overturning its Roe v. Wade decision, led more than 100 people to protest on Tuesday at the Oklahoma Capitol.

I honestly and truly never thought we would actually get here," said Sophia Fults, 22, a University of Oklahoma student from Tulsa who held a sign that read: Keep abortion safe, legal and accessible."

Honestly, I was just shocked and I'm still kind of shocked and disgusted. So many women are going to be harmed because of this. It's just horrendous."

The new law authorizes abortions if they are performed as the result of a medical emergency, but there are no exceptions for if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

Like the Texas law, the Oklahoma bill would allow private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion. 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.

Stitt earlier this year signed a bill to make performing an abortion a felony in Oklahoma, but that measure is not set to take effect until this summer, and legal experts say its likely to be blocked because Roe still remains the law of the land.

One of our main responsibilities in government is to protect life, and that has been our deliberate intention," said state Sen. Nathan Dahm, a Republican who wrote the bill to make abortion illegal. I believe here in Oklahoma we'll do everything we can to protect life from conception."

The number of abortions performed each year in Oklahoma, which has four abortion clinics, has declined steadily over the last two decades, from more than 6,200 in 2002 to 3,737 in 2020, which were the fewest in more than 20 years, according to data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health. In 2020, before the Texas law was passed, about 9% of the abortions performed in Oklahoma involved women from Texas.

Before the Texas ban took effect on Sept. 1, about 40 women from Texas had abortions performed in Oklahoma each month, the data shows. That number jumped to 222 in September and 243 in October, according to the most recent data available.

Clinic operators in Texas saw about a 40% decrease in the number of abortions performed there after the law took effect, and Oklahoma operators say they expect similar declines, said Zachary Gingrich-Gaylord, a spokesman for Trust Women, which operates clinics in Oklahoma City and Wichita, Kansas.

In Texas, weve seen that many clinics were able to retain around 60% of their pre-SB 8 patient volume, and it seems reasonable to expect something similar in Oklahoma," Gingrich-Gaylord said, referring to the Texas law by its state Senate bill name. The primary reason to think that we may see far less volume than that is the chilling effect caused by the (Supreme Court) leak that may add to confusion for patients seeking abortions."

According to state health department data, about 47% of abortions performed in Oklahoma in 2020 were for women who were less than six weeks pregnant.
WATERBURY  A city man was injured Tuesday night after a shooting on Willow Street, acccording to police.

Authorities did not release the mans name Wednesday morning, but said the 47-year-old victim was in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.

Waterbury police spokesman Lt. Ryan Bessette said officers were dispatched to the 100 block of Willow Street around 11:38 p.m. after receiving a report of shots fired in the area.

They located the victim, who had sustained a gunshot wound, Bessette said.

Police said the incident is under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Waterbury Police Detective Bureau at 203-574-6941 or Crime Stoppers Anonymous tip line at 203-755-1234.
WFO AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 3, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Austin San Antonio has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Northeastern Llano County in south central Texas...

* Until 530 PM CDT.

* At 439 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Lone Grove,

or 10 miles northeast of Llano, and is nearly stationary.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage

to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...

Buchanan Lake Village, Baby Head, Bluffton, Lone Grove and Tow.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

Large hail, damaging winds, and continuous cloud to ground lightning

are occurring with this storm. Move indoors immediately. Lightning is

one of nature's leading killers. Remember, if you can hear thunder,

you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
In their first public comments since the publication of news about a string of suicides aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, Navy leadership is acknowledging missteps and ordering investigations into the climate aboard ships undergoing repair in shipyards.

Rear Adm. John Meier, commander of Naval Air Force Atlantic, told reporters Tuesday, "If I knew then what I know today, I think we would have clearly delayed crew move aboard," referencing the decision to have hundreds of sailors live on the ship while it was still undergoing major maintenance in Newport News, Virginia.

Sailors have described the conditions on board to Military.com as including incessant, overbearing construction sounds, punctuated by power, ventilation and hot water outages, and a commute that involves driving to offsite parking, shuttle buses and long walks. Meier said that he is aware of some sailors who spent more than three hours a day just commuting.

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Meier also announced that he had ordered two separate investigations -- one to investigate whether the string of deaths is linked and another to "look more deeply at command climate, command culture, onboarding, and what I would describe as systemic stressors to working in the shipyard environment."

The two-star admiral said that the decision to make either report public will be decided by his superiors.

Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., a former naval officer who sits on the House Armed Services Committee and its seapower panel, was also aboard the carrier Tuesday along with Meier's boss, Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander of Fleet Forces Command.

In a press event after her visit, Luria explained that she asked Caudle "why does it take such a tragic string of events for the Navy to really stop and look at all of the things that could have been contributing factors and change their practices?"

She said the admiral conceded that, while Navy leaders are "very good at once there is a problem identified finding solutions and corrective actions  they are not always as proactive in certain circumstances in identifying problems before an incident of some type happens."

Luria observed that that slow response "could be cited when you look at the collisions on McCain and Fitzgerald and other events over time."

In addition to the investigations, Meier also noted that the Navy added additional mental health professionals to help the crew and, as Military.com reported last week, began moving sailors who live on the ship full-time to barracks rooms.

Meier explained that the ship started moving the crew back aboard between April and October of last year. A press release from the shipyard announced that the ship opened one of its cooking and eating areas on April 16, 2021.

But 19 months of delays helped drag out the time the predominantly junior crew members were living aboard in a construction environment.

Meier noted that, while about 95% of the ship's junior sailors have been assigned, only about 65% of its senior enlisted sailors have been.

"Not having that senior enlisted leadership, but having a very large contingent of junior sailors ... I would certainly say that, anecdotally, that could very well be a contributing factor," Luria said.

While extra help is being funneled to the ship, several sailors who spoke with Military.com wondered why it took so many deaths to make it happen.

Meier said that the ship will be taking a two-day operational pause as leaders continue "to look for better ways to improve quality of life here onboard the ship to include cell phone repeaters, Wi-Fi access in the mess decks, and MWR support for off-duty sailors." MWR, or Morale, Welfare and Recreation, refers to services like computers, lounge areas and other recreational facilities for sailors to enjoy in their downtime.

Those remarks are a sharp contrast to April 22, when the Navy's top enlisted leader -- Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Russell Smith -- told sailors that the service "probably could have done better to manage your expectations coming in here."

"What you're not doing is sleeping in a foxhole like a Marine might be doing," Smith told a sailor who asked a question about quality of life aboard the ship.

Luria emphasized that, until the news of the deaths was made public, the quality-of-life concerns that are now being tackled did not appear to be on the Navy's radar.

The congresswoman, who represents the area around Norfolk, said she would encourage the Navy to address "all of those stressors that make sailors' lives in that environment more difficult  but they haven't made any specific requests for that in this budget."

The Navy's latest budget proposal was released at the end of March.

According to figures offered by Meier, the George Washington had suffered six suicides in two years at that point. It would suffer three more in April. Another death in July 2021 is considered a suicide by the Virgiina Office of the Medical Examiner, while the Navy's finding calls it "undetermined."

Luria noted that "this particular string of events" would be discussed at at least one of the congressional hearings where she will ask questions of Navy officials in the coming weeks.

She said the Navy told her the current, problematic parking arrangement -- which adds hours to some sailors' commutes and has been a common issue described to Military.com by service members serving on the George Washington -- costs $15 million for every carrier that undergoes the typically four-year refueling maintenance program.

"If we invested $50 million up front in building a parking garage a block outside the gate, you could alleviate that and our long term," Luria said, explaining that "we could actually invest those resources and solve the problem for the long term."

"Those are the kind of questions I plan to follow up with the Navy," she added.

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: Hundreds of Sailors Being Moved Off Carrier After Surge of Suicides, Captain Tells Crew
A freshman at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, died Tuesday after being hospitalized for nearly two weeks, the school announced in a press release.

Cadet 4th Class Ryong Adams, 23, of Adams, Tennessee, had been hospitalized off-campus in Colorado Springs since April 23 after "a fall" on the academy grounds during "personal recreation," the release said.

Dean Miller, a spokesman for the Air Force Academy, told Military.com that Adams "had a fall involving a skateboard" but didn't clarify additional details about the incident.

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Adams had "severe injuries" as a result of the fall, the academy said in its press release, and died Tuesday.

He had served in the Air Force as an enlisted man prior to being accepted to the Air Force Academy.

"We are heartbroken by the loss of Cadet 4th Class Ryong Adams," Air Force Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Richard Clark said in a statement. "Ryong was a dedicated cadet and served our nation as an enlisted Airman before his arrival at our Preparatory School. He worked hard to join the cadet wing, and he will be dearly missed."

The last death of an Air Force Academy cadet was in June 2021, when a small, private aircraft crashed near Cleburne Regional Airport south of Fort Worth, Texas. Nick Duran, a junior at the school, was one of two people aboard the plane when it crashed leaving no survivors.

"Our thoughts are with Ryong's family and all of the lives he touched at USAFA and in the Air Force," Clark said in a statement.

-- Thomas Novelly can be reached at thomas.novelly@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomNovelly.

Related: Air Force Cadet 1 of 2 Killed in Small Plane Crash in Texas
The Coast Guard's Cold Water Ice Diving (CWID) joint-service course will now occur in the Arctic environment of Camp Ripley, Minnesota.

"Because if you can operate in Minnesota in the dead of winter  you can operate anywhere," said Chief Warrant Officer Sean Eversole, a Coast Guard instructor, regarding the high-risk training held at the National Guard facility for the first time earlier this year.

Students from the joint-service Cold Water Ice Diving course finish staging the dive site to move to the next phase of instruction on Lake Ferrell, Minn., Feb. 2, 2022. (U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Gregory Schell)

Though the Department of Defense recently emphasized its Arctic Strategy because of threats from Russia and China, CWID exercises are not new for the military.

CWID has occurred for decades among the service branches, but when a fatal accident involving two divers occurred in 2006, the Coast Guard took charge of the training, explained Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua Bredesen, lead CWID instructor.

Not only has the Coast Guard trained divers since World War II, but divers have also honed their CWID skills for rescue missions and defending America's borders in the most severe conditions. In addition, they protect maritime environments in extreme climates, like supporting summer rotations to the McMurdo Station, a research station in Antarctica.

At first, bases in Seattle, Washington, and British Columbia hosted CWID, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the divers to look elsewhere. Camp Ripley met the criteria. In fact, the Minnesota grounds proved so ideal, they will now continue to host CWID, Eversole and Bredesen both said.

The instructors also explained that because many divers are stationed in warmer climates, such as the USCG Special Missions Training Center at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, or the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City, Florida, CWID training is a necessity for preparedness.

The 12 Coast Guardsmen, two Navy divers and two Army divers participating this year also followed "a crawl, walk, run" approach to allow for acclimation, according to Bredesen.

First, divers familiarized themselves with equipment outfitted for the extreme temperatures and practiced emergency procedures in a controlled dive tank near the facility at the Minnesota School of Diving Inc. in Brainerd.

Next, students went on to Ripley's frozen Ferrell Lake, where they learned to assess ice thickness, determine if it's safe to work on and cut entry and exit holes.

U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Christopher Tull [left] inspects the holes in the dive site before students make their cuts on Lake Ferrell, Minn., Feb. 2, 2022. (U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Gregory Schell)

Divers then set up tents as they operated in and out of 35-degree water with air temperatures dipping below 40 degrees with wind chills. Even with temperatures above freezing in the enclosed space, the team had to clear ice from the entry and exit holes every hour.

After equipment divers doublechecked equipment for safety, they submerged for 20 minutes at a time so they could adapt to maneuvering under the ice in multiple layers.

In subsequent dives, students advanced to performing tasks that tested dexterity and fine motor skills, such as using wrenches to remove nuts from bolts before egressing through an emergency hole, with the high risk of becoming lost under the ice and murky waters.

Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Casey Connors, a student, detailed the experience. He described dressing in a layering system including thermal wear, wool socks, beanies and gloves before getting into a dry suit and scuba gear, creating the tightest sealing system possible.

Connor explained what it was like being squeezed by the change of pressure when submerged underwater in the frigid lake.

"It's scary and beautiful at the same time," he said, especially "when diving under the ice in Minnesota, knowing there's 15 inches of ice above you  the view is like looking through a glass from underwater."

He reiterated that equipment is more prone to failure in extreme temperatures, including when they experienced an 80-degree change from one day to the next during the course.

But CWID training teaches students "how to deal with potential failures and how not to panic," he stated, and the "point of the course is to also build divers' confidence."

Connor also emphasized that despite the inherent dangers of diving and participating in hazardous training, everyone wants the opportunity to dive.

"Even if it doesn't sound like the greatest job, everyone raises their hand," he said.

The reason being, the camaraderie between the tightknit group of 60 divers makes "being part of the Coast Guard dive family one of the greatest jobs you can get in this world," he added.

Elizabeth Aslakson is a freelance writer whose work revolves around military issues as well as her own Army wife adventures and love of history.

Read the original article on MilitaryFamilies.com
SEOUL, South Korea  North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to speed up the development of his nuclear weapons at the fastest possible pace and threatened to use them against rivals.

The launch, the Norths 14th round of weapons firing this year, also came six days before a new conservative South Korean president takes office for a single five-year term.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired from the Norths capital region and flew to the waters off its eastern coast. It called North Koreas repeated ballistic missile launches a grave threat that would undermine international peace and security and a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions banning any ballistic launch by the North.

The statement said that Won In-Choul, the South Korean JCS chief, held a video conference about the launch with Gen. Paul LaCamera, an American general who heads the South Korea-U.S. combined forces command in Seoul, and they agreed to maintain a solid joint defense posture.

Japan also detected the North Korean launch and quickly condemned it.

North Koreas series of actions that threatens the peace, safety and stability of the international community are impermissible, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters during his visit to Rome.

Kishida said hell discuss the launch when he meets Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi later Wednesday. Naturally, we will exchange views on the regional situation in the Indo-Pacific and East Asia, and I will thoroughly explain the reality of the region including the North Korean missile launch today, to gain understanding about the pressing situation in the East Asia, he said.

Japanese Vice Defense Minister Makoto Oniki said that the missile was believed to have landed in waters outside of the Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone. There has been no report of damage or injury reported from vessels and aircraft in the area.

It wasnt immediately known what missile North Korea launched. South Koreas military said the missile flew about 470 kilometers (290 miles) at the apogee of 780 kilometers (485 miles), while Oniki of Japan said it traveled about 500 kilometers (310 miles) at the maximum altitude of 800 kilometers (500 miles).

Observers say North Koreas unusually fast pace in weapons testing this year underscores its dual goal of advancing its missile programs and applying pressure on Washington over a deepening freeze in nuclear negotiations. They say Kim eventually aims to use his expanded arsenal to win an international recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state that he believes would help force the United States to relax international economic sanctions on the North.

One of the North Korean missiles tested recently was an intercontinental ballistic missile potentially capable of reaching the entirety of the American homeland. That missile's launch broke Kim's self-imposed 2018 moratorium on big weapons tests.

There are signs that the North is also preparing for a nuclear test at its remote northeastern testing facility. If made, the nuclear bomb test explosion by North Korea would be the seventh of its kind and the first since 2017.

Last week, Kim Jong Un showcased his most powerful nuclear-capable missiles targeting both the United States and its allies during a massive military parade in capital, Pyongyang. During a speech at the parade, Kim said he would develop his arsenal at the fastest possible pace and warned that the North would preemptively use its nuclear weapons if its national interests are threatened.

North Korea has previously unleased harsh rhetoric threatening to attack its rivals with its nuclear weapons. But the fact that Kim made the threat himself and in a detailed manner have caused security jitters among some South Koreans. Taken together with North Koreas recent tests of short-range nuclear-capable missiles, some experts speculate North Koreas possibly escalatory nuclear doctrine would allow it to launch preemptive nuclear strikes on South Korea in some cases.

Wednesdays launch came before the May 10 inauguration of South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol, who has vowed to boost Seouls missile capability and solidify its military alliance with Washington to better cope with increasing North Korean nuclear threats.

North Korea has a history of raising animosities with weapons tests when Seoul and Washington inaugurate new governments in an apparent bid to boost its leverage in future negotiations.

Yoons power transition office called the latest North Korean launch a grave provocation and urged Pyongyang to stop acts that raise tensions and threaten international peace. It said in a statement that the Yoon government will strongly respond to North Korean provocations in close cooperation with the international community.

Some experts say the Biden administrations passive handling of North Korea as it focuses on Russias invasion of Ukraine and an intensifying rivalry with China is allowing more room for the North to expand its military capabilities.

The Biden administrations actions on North Korea have so far been limited to largely symbolic sanctions and offers of open-ended talks. North Korea has rejected the administrations offer for talks, saying it must first abandon its hostile policy, in an apparent reference to U.S.-led international sanctions and U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises.

___

Mari Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo.
The wife of an Army veteran in Kansas has followed the Department of Veterans Affairs' pause of dismissals from its family caregiver program, so she was not surprised when a VA rep called to schedule the couple's eligibility assessment, given that VA officials said such reviews would continue during the hiatus.

She was shocked, though, when she received a letter dated April 18 telling her the couple was no longer qualified for the program.

While the letter stressed that no action will be taken during the VA's review, the woman, whose husband once qualified for the highest tier of assistance, was under the impression that no decision would be made until the department completed the task.

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"This means that ... we will have to appeal under the current rules or reapply if the rules are changed," said the wife, who asked that her name not be used out of concern that she and her husband could face retaliation from local VA staff.

VA officials announced March 22 that the department would halt dismissals from the program until they could review changes made to eligibility criteria in 2020.

The pause resulted from an outcry over what appeared to be an inordinate number of discharges from the initiative, known as the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.

Responding to requests from veterans advocates, VA officials began looking at the data and found that roughly 90% of post-9/11 veterans who previously qualified for the program were no longer eligible under the new criteria -- significantly higher than the 33% anticipated by the VA.

During a press conference March 22, VA Deputy Secretary Donald Remy explicitly said the VA would not "remove anyone from the program or decrease any support before we reexamine our current eligibility criteria."

But a disqualification letter such as the one received by the Kansas couple may mean more burden on the veterans who receive them, requiring additional paperwork and assessment interviews.

"I brought up articles [on the pause to my local VA], and they said the facts I needed were on the VA's website and I shouldn't believe everything I read elsewhere," the wife said. "It seems this continuation of removing veterans from this program is being done very quietly."

A VA spokesman said Wednesday that some veterans "unfortunately" still were receiving letters but reiterated that no one would be removed from the program during the review.

"No one has been removed from the program, regardless of any letter they have received. We're continuing to obviously do our review of the program and the folks who are in the program and that continues to go on," VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes said.

Dismissal from the program can result in the loss of $1,800 to $3,000 a month, depending on where a veteran lives. The stipend is meant to reimburse a caregiver for the time and services they provide in lieu of a nursing aide or health assistant, and many caregivers who are enrolled in the program have left full-time jobs to care for their veterans.

The Kansas spouse left her job more than three years ago because her husband began acting erratically, wandering and not taking his medication on his own. He ran up gambling debts and went on spending sprees using the couple's credit cards.

He has been diagnosed with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder and no longer leaves the house, his wife said.

"He'll leave the stove on, won't put cigarettes out. He falls down. Different things like that," she said. "He needs to be watched 24 hours a day."

The moratorium on dismissals confirmed complaints from advocates that the assessments were excluding veterans who require supervision and protection but don't have the severe physical disabilities that are the focus of the new criteria.

In an attempt to ease the financial shock to families of losing the stipend, VA officials said the monthly allotments would continue through March 2023 and would increase immediately for anyone deemed to be eligible for the highest amount.

VA officials have not said how many existing veterans in the program have been reassessed to a higher tier. Only about 1,700 legacy participants will even qualify for the program under the new eligibility criteria.

The review involves soliciting input from caregivers, advocacy groups and veterans service organizations. On April 21-22, Remy met with more than 26 veterans groups and state veterans representatives to discuss the program, as well as the review and the eligibility criteria.

According to documents received by Military.com, some of the groups in the listening sessions included the Independence Fund, Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Veterans Warriors Inc., the Military Officers Association of America, Blue Star Families and more.

The groups received an overview of how the assessments are conducted, including what is known as a Veteran Functional Assessment, while VA officials present received input and feedback from the participants.

Hayes described the event as the first of many "listening sessions" and said no decisions were made at the meeting.

"It was definitely valuable to have the [veterans service organization/military support organization] partners at the table to solicit their feedback. We definitely are taking everything they said to heart and taking it for action," Hayes said. "That information was brought back to leadership ... because we want to get this program right. We want to ensure that our veterans are taken care of."

The program is expected to expand again this fall to include veterans from the period of 1976 to 2001. VA officials have said they do not expect the ongoing review to delay that expansion.

The Kansas spouse said she is happy that the program has been expanded to include veterans from other eras but believes that the new eligibility criteria was a money-saving move.

"I was really proud that the military was taking care of its vets. But when this happened, it's like they are just throwing them by the wayside," she said.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: 'Dehumanizing:' Why Veterans Are Giving Up on the Caregiver Program After Surge of Expulsions
According to a report from National Public Radio (NPR) on December 17, the Biden transition team revealed that the U.S. Congressman Cedric Richmond tested positive for the new crown virus. He also served as Deng consultant has a close relationship.

According to reports, a spokesperson for Richmond said in a statement that Richmond has not had close contact with Biden. He will be quarantined for 14 days and be tested for the new coronavirus twice. He will not return to work until he has fully recovered post.

The spokesperson said that Richmond went to Georgia alone on the 15th local time to participate in activities related to the states Senate election. At that time, Biden and Richmond had interacted in the open arena, but both of them wore masks for no more than 15 minutes.

The spokesperson also revealed that Biden had been tested for the new coronavirus on the 17th local time, and the test result was negative.

According to information published by the Biden camp government transition website (buildbackbetter.com), Richmond is a Democratic congressman from Louisiana. He served as the national co-chair of the Biden campaign team and was Biden earliest support.

After Biden wins the election, Richmond will resign his position in the House of Representatives and become Biden senior adviser and director of the White House Office of Public Participation. It is generally believed that joining Biden White House staff will bring the deep relationships established in Congress to the White House.

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Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8CX Gen 3 is the company's latest attempt at success on The Windows Arm platform

Qualcomm released its latest personal computer flagship chip: Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3. As the name suggests, this chip has achieved success on the basis of last year's 8cx Gen 2, and its performance has also been greatly improved.

The third generation of 8cx is the first Windows computer chip based on the 5nm process. Compared with the second generation, its CPU performance has increased by 85% and GPU performance has increased by 60%. In addition, Qualcomm touts that its new chip is "60% higher than the performance per watt of the x86 platform"-although the company has clearly remained silent when comparing the x86 platform. Qualcomm also claimed that the chip supports "multi-day battery life", although it did not provide too many details.

As expected by the major Qualcomm notebook chips, the main function of 8cx is connectivity. Qualcomm provides support for its Snapdragon X55, X62 or X65 5G modems (depending on what 5G functions the manufacturer wants to provide). In addition, 8cx Gen 3 will support Wi-Fi 6 and 6E when you are out.

The usual artificial intelligence improvements are also here: there is Qualcomm's Spectral ISP, which promises better autofocus, auto white balance, auto exposure for video conferencing, and noise and echo cancellation for better audio.

In addition, Qualcomm has been promoting the power and battery life of its notebook chips since the first release of the first generation of 8cx in 2018; these chips have not really taken off except for the improved version that appeared on Microsoft's Surface Pro X notebooks.

And those computers equipped with Qualcomm chips did not cause too much impact on the dominance of Intel and AMD in the Windows x86 field, developer support was slow, and Apples own arm m1 series chips did not bring revolutionary advances to computers.

In 2023, Qualcomm's next-generation personal computer CPU will replace Apple's m-series chips. Perhaps the third generation of 8cx will change this. But it's hard not to think that 8cx Gen 3 is just a stopgap measure, because Qualcomm is already preparing to launch the next generation of Windows PC chips in 2023. These chips were designed by the Nuvia team, which was acquired by Qualcomm for US$1.4 billion earlier this year, and are "designed to set performance benchmarks for Windows personal computers." A processor comparable to excellent m-series chips.

In addition to 8cx Gen 3, Qualcomm also announced a new Snapdragon 7c Plus Gen 3 platform. Unlike its flagship cousin, the third-generation 7c Plus is still based on the 6nm process, but promises a 60% increase in performance and a 70% improvement in graphics effects over the second-generation multi-threaded CPU. Like 7c Gen 2, 7c Plus Gen 3 is also suitable for Windows entry-level computers and chromebooks, so it is not as powerful as the new 8cx Gen 3. In addition to performance enhancements, Qualcomm has also added an integrated Snapdragon X53 modem to implement 5G on Qualcomm's entry-level notebook chip for the first time.

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CEO of Pfizer partner BioNTech says coming winter will be hard but by April, 300 million immunization units should be ready, which will have an impact on the global pandemic.

If coronavirus vaccinations are rolled out widely, life could return to normal by next winter, one of the scientists behind the front-running coronavirus vaccine told British television on Sunday.

Ugur Sahin, the Turkish co-founder of the German firm BioNTech, told the BBCs The Andrew Marr Show that this winter will be hard, without any major impact from vaccinations.

Together with US giant Pfizer, BioNTech is developing the leading candidate in the worldwide chase for a vaccine. Israel has ordered millions of units of the vaccine, hoping that the first deliveries will arrive in the country by January.

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The Reds have claimed right-hander Robert Dugger off waivers from the Rays. Tampa Bay designated Dugger for assignment on Monday.

After signing a minor league deal with the Rays during Spring Training, Duggers tenure with the club will end after a single game. The Rays selected Duggers contract on May 1 and he tossed 5 1/3 innings of relief work after starter Josh Fleming was hit hard in a 9-3 loss to the Twins.

Dugger has now made at least one appearance in each of the last four MLB seasons, albeit in sparing fashion  he has pitched 76 innings over 24 total games with the Marlins, Mariners, and Rays. Dugger started 12 of those games and has primarily worked as a starter throughout his minor league career, so he automatically becomes a rotation candidate for a Reds team that has been plagued with injuries.

Luis Castillo, Mike Minor, and Nick Lodolo are all still working their way back from the IL, so in the interim, Dugger could potentially start for Cincinnati as early as Saturday, when the Reds host the Pirates in a doubleheader. The struggling Reds dont have another off-day until May 16, so some arms will be needed to eat innings until some of the regular starters return from the injured list.
Veteran actor, Oscar Provencal believes the New Patriotic Party, (NPP) under President Akufo Addo has failed to save Ghanaians from economic hardships as promised.

According to him, government has rather tilted legislation for its parochial interests.

Expressing his thoughts on GTVs breakfast show, Oscar Provencal charged Ghanaians to hold the government accountable.

He was speaking on the back of the newly imposed E Levy which started on May 1, 2022.

The actor, who described the system as unfair, stated that politicians would sit up if citizens hold them accountable.

There is one thing about introducing something, a policy like E Levy and there is another thing like fixing the system. There is so much wastage in the system that Ghanaians have no idea about; weve not been privy to it. Now, thankfully, its opening up and so I am not assigning all these to a government.

"Im assigning it to all of them and it beholds on us to expose all of these and our outrage would be deep because the system is not fair, the veteran actor indicated.

Laying his focus on the ex gratia packages given to article 71 officeholders, Mr. Provencal stated that the system has always been unfair, advocating for the right things to be done.

Youre in a system where you are working for 40 years and at the end of the day, when you go on retirement, you may not even get 20,000 Ghana cedis; someone goes into parliament for 4 years, and collects 400,000 Ghana cedis as ex gratia.

"The inequalities are all over the place. And so, we need to mend the system because if we dont fight for it, no one is going to fight for it. We cannot sit on the fence anymore, we have to sit up, and we have to fight for our rights. You can see gradually that Ghanaians are not taking any more of this nonsense, this nonsense must stop, he said.
As prices of most goods and services in the country continue to rise, renowned actress Nikki Samonas has expressed shock at the price of tomatoes.

The actress may have gone to Madina Market to purchase some tomatoes but was taken aback by the prices.

Taking to her Twitter page, the actress shared, tomatoes at Madina market are 1 billion Ghc per 100gram now. What did we do wrong as a country?

Earlier on, celebrated Ghanaian comedian DKB lamented about the high cost of food items in the country in February this year.

Reacting to the situation, DKB wondered why there was an increase in almost every food item in the market each day after he bought four tiny pieces of tomatoes for Ghc4.00.

He said he had wanted to prepare some salad after he had visited the gym.

So I guess what I just got back from the gym and I bought some tomatoes to prepare salad but look at this. These four abandoned tomatoes have been sold to me at four cedis.

"Eii Ghana! Prices of things keep going high every single day. How can you sell a tomato for one cedi? These puberty tomatoes, he stated in the post.

Meanwhile, some Ghanaian celebrities including Lydia Forson, John Dumelo, Serwaa Amihere, Yvonne Nelson, and others have expressed worry about the state of the nations economy.
The Ejurahene Barimah Osei Hwedie II has praised aspirants of the governing New Patriotic Party NPP for conducting peaceful internal elections in the Ejura Constituency of the Ashanti Region.

Barimah Osei Hwedie II after the conflict-free polls, sent his message to the NPP fraternity with applauds for all stakeholders who took part in the elections.

He said, "Ejura's reputation for violence in any landmark event has sent fears into the spines of people in recent years and so going into this elections, most people had the premonition that something unpleasant might happened.

"For this reason, i lead the traditional council to meet all stakeholders in the elections to discuss peace before and after the polls and i believe the meeting has really played off.

"As chiefs, we are bared to do partisan politics, that notwithstanding, it is our responsibility to ensure that peace prevails in any elections irrespective of the parties involved."

The Head of Protocol at the Office of the Vice President in an interview on Monday May 2, 2022 praised the NPP for achieving such electoral milestone in the constituency.

"But for determination, proper planning and cooperation from party members, security agencies and other stakeholders, this violence free poll wouldn't have been realized.

"On behalf of chiefs in Ejura, i unequivocally extends my profound gratitude to the Elections Committee and all party members for the good work done," he noted.

Barimah Osei Hwedie II is however appealing to all executives and their followers to refrain from any conduct that may undermine the unity within the party.

"We also call on security institutions at Ejura to continue to carry out their responsibilities with professionalism and within the ambit of the Supreme law of Ghana, he added.

The Constituency Secretary for NPP, Gifty Ndoma, after retaining her post which came off on Sunday May 1, 2022, described the election as free fair and transparent.

"The friendly atmosphere under which the elections were organized has indeed proven that the governing party understands democracy.

She however attributed the peaceful elections to the meeting between party executives and the Ejura Traditional Area claiming that the engagement helped the party to settle all differences ahead of the elections.

She praised the Ejurahene, Barima Osei Hwedie II for his quest to bring peace to the area.
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday acknowledged mounting public frustration with South Africa's leadership and institutions, two days after miners booed and drove him from a May Day celebration rally.

Ramaphosa -- a mining union leader under white-minority rule -- was forced offstage and taken to a police armoured personnel carrier after miners shouted him down.

The protest took place during a televised ceremony organised by country's largest union, COSATU, at a stadium in the northwestern town of Rustenburg.

"I was... unable to address the gathering because workers there had grievances that they expressed loudly and clearly," Ramaphosa said in a weekly newsletter.

"While the main grievance appeared to be about wage negotiations at nearby mines, the workers' actions demonstrated a broader level of discontent," he said.

"It reflects a weakening of trust in their union and (COSATU) federation as well as political leadership, including public institutions," Ramaphosa said.

Poverty, inequality and joblessness run high in South Africa, nearly three decades after the end of apartheid rule.

Ramaphosa promised to take "necessary action to improve (workers') lives and their working conditions."

'Regrettable'

COSATU -- the Congress of South African Trade Unions -- is a long-time close ally of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party.

It described the interference in Ramaphosa's address as "regrettable and unacceptable" but said the protest "to a certain extent, reflects the growing frustration among workers in South Africa."

South Africa is the continent's leading economic power but was hit hard by the Covid crisis, and unemployment is at a record 35 percent.

Tension in the labour market has fuelled anti-foreigner sentiment and sporadic demonstrations.

Analysts believe South Africa's political leadership has suffered a slump in trust among the public at every class level, and that the decline has persisted for more than a decade.

"The situation that Ramaphosa as a state president is facing, is similar to the one that was faced by Jimmy Carter around 1979 in the US where people had lost complete confidence in state institutions and in the leadership cohort," said Sandile Swana, an independent political analyst.

Ramaphosa helped found the National Union of Mineworkers in 1982. After the end of apartheid, he entered the private sector, becoming a highly successful businessman before returning to politics, serving as vice president to Jacob Zuma.

He ascended to the presidency in 2018 after Zuma was forced out by mounting corruption scandals.

In 2012, Ramaphosa's image was badly tarnished when police killed 34 striking workers at the Marikana platinum mine, near Rustenburg, and then operated by Lonmin, where he a non-executive director at the time.

Ramaphosa had called for a crackdown on the strikers, whom he accused of "dastardly criminal" behaviour.

Ramaphosa faces a leadership election in the ANC in December.

Swana said he believed Ramaphosa's presidency was secure.

But "what is not secure is the ANC majority vote in 2024 and in 2029" when general elections take place, Swana said.

"The ANC is probably on an irreversible downward spiral and Ramaphosa is the chaperone, the escort of the ANC into the grave," Swana argued.

ANC's electoral support dipped below the 50 percent mark for the first time in municipal elections last November.
Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, Deputy Minister of Energy, has told investors that Ghanas petroleum fiscal regime is investor friendly.

He said it offers higher returns to investors and urged them to take advantage of the favourable petroleum market environment.

Speaking at an investment forum on the side-lines of this year's Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Texas, USA, where world's elite energy professionals met, Dr Adam said our petroleum fiscal regime is investor friendly offering higher returns to investors, the licensing regime is transparent, and provides investor certainty and flexibility.

He mentioned Ghana was aspiring to become a hub for refined petroleum products and petrochemicals in the West African sub-region where numerous petroleum downstream opportunities available for grab.

Government has therefore designated a free zone area for the development of petroleum and petrochemical refineries, storage, and transportation facilities for the export of products to largely African markets. This requires collaboration with the private sector to achieve the objectives of the Hub, he emphasized.

The Deputy Minister of Energy stated that government established the Ghana Petroleum Hub Corporation which was necessitated by investors demands for removal of regulatory fatigue, red tapes and long leads times in project development.

That, he said, was to facilitate the issuance of permits and licenses to potential investors and to play a rapid response role in addressing the challenges investors encounter in delivering on projects.

In a related development, Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam in a brief ceremony, officially opened Ghana's pavilion at the OTC, at the NRG Park in Houston Texas.

The OTC, an annual event, provides energy professionals with the opportunity to meet to exchange ideas and opinions to advance scientific and technical knowledge for offshore resources and environmental matters and has expanded technically and globally with the Arctic Technology Conference, OTC Brasil, and OTC Asia.
Emmanuel Macron will be formally declared president of France for a second time on Saturday following his victory over Marine Le Pen in the second round run-off on 24 April.

His investiture will take place at the Elysee Palace.

"It will be a sober ceremony in the respect of republican principles," said a Elysee Palace spokesperson.

According to protocol, the president of the Constitutional Council will read out the results of the election in front of Macron and dignitaries.

Macron will then be recognised as Grand Master of the Order of the Legion of Honour before signing the minutes and delivering his first speech as re-elected president.

After the pomp and circumstance, the 44-year-old's address will be expected to touch on the plethora of challenges facing him in his second and final term as leader of France.

Approach

The former investment banker has constantly been attacked for seemingly prioritising the interests of the well-off.

Macron and his nearest challenger Le Pen were both dogged by criticism that their agendas failed to embrace serious environmental issues such as climate change.

During rallies to celebrate workers on 1 May, Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of France Insoumise party, urged electors to use June's parliamentary elections to vote in candidates who could stop Macron from carrying out his policies.

Melenchon, who says he wants to be prime minister, has cut a deal with the Green parties with the aim of creating a bloc to thwart Macron.

Talks are underway with the once powerful Socialist party to bolster the group.

Jordan Bardella, the interim president of Le Pen's National Rally party, told supporters at a wreath laying ceremony in Paris on Sunday: I've come to tell the French that the voting isn't over.

"There is a third round  the legislative elections. It would be unbelievable to leave full power to Emmanuel Macron.
C. Ntiamoah Adjei

03.05.2022 LISTEN

Dr Mark Yama Tampuri Jnr has called on Mobile Money and Digital Financial Services providers as a matter of duty of care and adhering to consumer protection standards to immediately dedicate hotlines and physical desks to address the many teething problems arising from the implementation of the Electronic Transfer Levy Act, 2022 (Act 1075) which took effect on Sunday, May 1, 2022. This, the expert believes is needed to build and maintain high levels of trust in the products and services they offer as E-Levy implementation begins. The implementation of the new 1.5% value tax is on electronic transactions above 100 Ghana cedis. He again advised especially Mobile Money Service providers to move towards using purposely designed online APPs, and Whatsapp to receive complaints.

Many Ghanaians have taken to traditional and social media to pour out experiences of displeasure and disappointment they have arising from the implementation of the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy Act (E-Levy).

The International Finance and Economic Policy Expert speaking on the matter has alluded that the chaos being observed as a result of the implementation provides regrettably, evidence that firstly, assumptions that needed to have been ascertained and mitigated before public policies are implemented were not followed through and secondly the government needed to have built the technical systems to conform to the dictates of the E-Levy Act, before implementing it to operate within the remits and requirement of the law and to avert the problems being realised.

`There are concerns about how this E-Levy has been implemented. Knowing the calibre of professionals at GRA especially, I will believe there would have been some understanding of the potential problems that could arise should the implementation be started on May 1, 2022, yet, unmitigated. I see this as a classic example of a policy implementation failure. You see before you even get to implement a public policy, you may have a Theory of Change within which you will have the inputs, outputs to observe and outcomes to see designed in a way towards achieving the objectives of the policy or law. But more importantly, is the ability to identify assumptions within the policy, and here the assumptions are the risks, disturbances and constraints that add noise and inefficiencies which could derail the smooth implementation of the policy, in our case, the E-Levy. I am particularly worried because the E-levy will influence behaviours, such as the use of digital payments hence financial inclusion and tax avoidance potentially. And with these two subjects of financial inclusion and the need for the revenues important to the government, the E-levy implementation could have been handled better and with some stability. Implementing the E-Levy, without fully setting up the technical infrastructure meant that there will be some chaos.

He further said that the chaos being seen is not technical issues only but legal issues that need to be emphasized. ``The Electronic Transfer Levy Act stipulated its applicability and exemptions. If the GRA (Ghana Revenue Authority), therefore, had not fully put the infrastructure up in a way to implement the E-Levy to conform to the E-Levy Act, which has resulted in the teething problems mobile money users are experiencing, then one may ask if this is an issue of infrastructure unreadiness only or the GRA are operating in a way that does not provide the standards to conform to the E-levy Act on day 1 of implementation, therefore resulting in E-levy being misapplied. For me, it would be an interesting legal perspective on why a state institution would implement the Act this way.

However, the expert advised service providers to use this opportunity to improve their ability to provide information, solution and tools on the problems that users are facing and address them. Dr Tampuri said that ``service providers would also need to understand modern trends in customer service and move their customer service mediums to online and even social media. In this day and era, it is not smart for financial service players and banks especially to offer digital payments to users on one end, and on another, users would have to go to physical branches to resolve a problem. Customer needs are rapidly changing. To meet those needs, service providers need to make the customer experience the starting point for process design. Move your customer services to online mediums; WhatsApp, Twitter, designed customer service apps`` should be offered whiles being genuinely interested in addressing users' needs``

Meanwhile, The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Akufu-Addo took to his Twitter handle on the first day of May 2022 to announce the commencement of the implementation of the E-Levy in a tweet ``E-Levy starts today. #YourTaxesAtWork #BuildingGhanaTogether #ELevyForDevelopment `` which was met with very strong views against the tax.

On the other hand, the Former President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama has publicly declared that should the NDC win power in 2025, the government will repeal the E-Levy Act. Addressing Ghanaians on the theme 'Ghana at A Crossroads', on Monday, May 2, 2022. Mahama said, "unfortunately in the face of this self-inflicted economic catastrophe, this government against all sound advise has decided to introduce the E-Levy that heaps more suffering on Ghanaians."

"A new national democratic congress government, God willing, with the votes of the sovereign people of Ghana, in 2025 will repeal the E-Levy Act,"

Written By C. Ntiamoah Adjei
03.05.2022 LISTEN

The General Secretary of the People's National Convention, PNC, Janet Nabila, has denied reports that she was arrested at the partys headquarters on Monday, May 2, 2022.

A statement by the PNC signed by its National Organizer claimed that the embattled General Secretary had been arrested by the Nima Divisional Police Command for defying a court order not to enter the party's headquarters despite her suspension.

Speaking to Citi News however, Janet Nabila described the said arrest as a hoax by party executives to tarnish her image.

This is a blatant lie. There was no arrest. This is a clear attempt by the party executives to make me unpopular.

Meanwhile, the National Youth Organizer of the PNC, Mark Ewusi Arkoh insists the arrest happened.

Whilst our party office is under lock, and the key is with the Accra Police Command, none of the two factions is allowed to access the party office until the National Disciplinary Committee decides. She went there on Saturday and broke into the party office. The Police proceeded to arrest her, so I do not know why she is denying it. She was with the police for about 4 hours. She was only released after some of the party members got the Police to grant her bail.

She has proven not to respect the rules of the party, he added.

---CitiNewsroom
France hit back on Tuesday at Mali's decision to renounce a military cooperation agreement as "unjustified" and said it would not change the military withdrawal that is underway and follows a falling-out with the ruling junta.

After several weeks of threats, Bamako announced on Monday that it was quitting the 2014 accords, accusing French troops of "flagrant violations" of its sovereignty.

It was the latest confirmation of deteriorating relations between the junta in Mali and the former colonial power.

A foreign ministry spokesman told reporters that Paris "considers that this decision is unjustified and absolutely contests any violation of the bilateral legal framework".

France has begun removing soldiers serving in the Barkhane force from Mali following two coups in the country and rising tensions with the military-controlled government.

"France will continue the withdrawal in good order of its military presence in Mali, in line with the commitments it has made to its partners," the ministry spokesman said.

The French army issued a statement adding it considered the defence accords were still valid "until the last French soldier has left Malian territory".

The heated exchanges between the two capitals came as diplomats said the UN Security Council had held a closed-door session on Mali on Tuesday at Russia's request.

Mali had complained to the global body about alleged multiple violations of its airspace by French forces, with Russia accusing Paris of spreading lies against Moscow and Bamako, diplomats said.

Bamako has also recently accused the French army of spying and banned two French broadcasters for making "false accusations".

- 'Profound deterioration'

Junta spokesman Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga had said on Monday, "For some time now, the government of the Republic of Mali notes with regret a profound deterioration in military cooperation with France."

He referred to the June 2021 decision by France to end joint operations with Malian forces and the decision taken in February to pull out thousands of French troops from Mali.

France has already pulled out of advanced bases in Tessalit, Timbuktu and Gossi but still has to leave Menaka and Gao. "The withdrawal will be completed before the end of summer," the army said.

The United Nations is set to decide in June whether to maintain its 14,000-strong military and police mission in Mali.

The France-Mali defence accords were signed in 2014 after Paris intervened to stop a jihadist offensive.

But since a first military coup in August 2020, France's relationship with Mali cooled as the junta resisted international pressure to set a timetable for a swift return to democratic, civilian rule.

The junta initially promised to restore civilian rule, but failed to meet a commitment to West African regional bloc ECOWAS to hold elections in February this year and is now under regional sanctions.

Paris and Washington have objected to the regime's rapprochement with the Kremlin, accusing Bamako of allowing in mercenaries from Kremlin-linked security firm Wagner.

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 conflict led to thousands of military and civilian deaths and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes.
Al-Shabaab jihadists armed with guns and explosives stormed an African Union base in Somalia on Tuesday, triggering a fierce firefight that killed an unknown number of Burundian peacekeepers.

The Somali government and the African Union condemned the "terrorist" attack although they did not disclose how many people had died.

A high-ranking Burundian military officer told AFP about 30 soldiers were killed and another 22 wounded, while a dozen were missing.

AU forces sent in helicopter gunships after the pre-dawn attack on a camp housing Burundian troops near Ceel Baraf, a village some 160 kilometres (100 miles) northeast of the capital Mogadishu, military officials and witnesses said.

"There was heavy fighting and casualties inflicted on both sides," local military commander Mohamed Ali told AFP by phone. "They launched the attack with a car bomb blast before a heavy exchange of gunfire broke out."

It was the first such attack on a peacekeeping base since the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) replaced the previous AMISOM peacekeeping force on April 1.

Al-Shabaab, which has been waging a deadly insurgency against Somalia's fragile central government for more than a decade, claimed responsibility, saying it had taken control of the camp and claimed to have killed 173 soldiers.

It also released a video showing bodies of what appeared to be slain soldiers lying on the ground, according to the SITE Intelligence Group that monitors extremist groups.

The death toll claims and the video could not be independently verified.

'Heinous' attack

Somalia's government said it "condemns in the strongest possible terms the heinous attack targeting ATMIS" and appealed to the international community to do more to support Somali forces and ATMIS "in effectively combatting terrorism".

Map of Somalia. By Vincent LEFAI AFPFile

AU Commission chief Moussa Faki Mahamat said on Twitter he spoke to Burundi's President Avariste Ndayishimiye to pay his respects for the "sacrifice" of the peacekeepers who lost their lives.

The attack highlights the ongoing security woes in the troubled Horn of Africa country, which is also embroiled in a deep political crisis over delayed elections and faces the threat of famine.

The Burundian source said about 400 Islamist fighters stormed the base after blowing up two car bombs. Burundian soldiers then retreated to a nearby hillside where they continued to fight, supported by drones and helicopters.

"Al-Shabaab gunmen stormed the camp early morning, there were heavy blasts and exchanges of machinegun fire. The Burundians vacated the camp and entered Ceel Baraf village before helicopters arrived providing aerial support," said one witness, local resident Weliyow Maalim.

"The helicopters fired missiles and heavy machineguns, we saw smoke rising over the camp but we don't know about the situation exactly," said another witness, Ahmed Adan.

In September 2015, at least 50 AU troops were reported by Western military sources to have died when Al-Shabaab fighters overran a military base southwest of Mogadishu.

In October 2011, Al-Shabaab claimed to have killed more than 70 Burundian peacekeepers in battle and laid out dozens of bodies in military uniform in one of their strongholds outside Mogadishu.

At the time the African Union said it had lost about 10 soldiers, and dismissed the militants' claims as a stunt.

Mandate to December 2024

ATMIS -- made up of troops from Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda -- is tasked with helping Somali forces take primary responsibility for security in a country that has been mired in conflict since 1991.

Under a UN resolution approving its creation, ATMIS is projected to gradually reduce staffing levels from nearly 20,000 soldiers, police and civilians to zero by the end of 2024.

Al-Shabaab fighters controlled Mogadishu until 2011 when they were driven out by AU troops.

But they still hold territory in the countryside and frequently attack civilian, military and government targets in Mogadishu and elsewhere.

Last week, parliament chose new speakers for the upper and lower houses following the completion of delayed legislative elections -- a key step on the path towards a long-delayed presidential vote.

The drawn-out process has been marred by deadly violence and a bitter power struggle between the president and prime minister.

Somalia's international partners have voiced fears the delays were distracting from its myriad problems including the fight against Al-Shabaab and widespread drought which has left millions facing hunger.
04.05.2022 LISTEN

The Lawyers of the Spring Legal Consultancy, a legal firm in Accra on behalf of the Nuumo Nmashie Family of Teshie in the Greater Accra Region have raised red flag over the intended move by the central government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to compulsory acquire the vast lands belonging to the Nuumo Nmashie Family of Teshie.

According to the lawyers, the members of Nuumo Nmashie Family of Teshie had found it extremely difficult to understand why the government forcibly wanted to take over their ancestors land from them without negotiating any compensation packages to them.

This, the lawyers stressed has angered the members of the family to call on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to, urgently intervene into the matter by way of calling for the immediate cessation of any further development-of-the land by persons to whom the government has unlawfully released the lands.

These statements were contained in a strong worded two page petition written by the lawyers of Spring Legal Consultancy on behalf of the members of the family to President Akufo-Addo.

Below is the petition:

THE HONOURABLE MINISTER.

MINISTER OF LANDS & NATURAL RESOURCES, MINISTERIES, ACCRA.

25TH APRIL 2022.

Dear Sir.

HUMBLE PETITION 'BY THE NUMO NMASHIE FAMILY FOR THE RELEASE OF

59.324 ACRES OF LAND CLOSE TO THE ACCRA TRAINING COLLEGE AT MPEHUASEM. ACCRA.

We write this petition as Lawyers for and on behalf of the NIJMO NMASHIE FAMILY of Teshie. Accra.

Our Client informs us that its previous Lawyers by its letter dated 18'h July 2019 earlier on submitted a petition to your office, then headed by your predecessor which unfortunately is yet to be honoured with a response.

Government being a continuum, we deem it in order to remind you of the said petition, which for the avoidance of doubt, we to a large extent repeat hereinafter.

It would be recalled that the Government of the Republic of Ghana under Executive Instrument (E.I) No.72 (STATE LANDS ACCRA MPEHUASEM-SITE FOR ACCRA TRAINING INSTRUMENT, 1974) and 113 of 1977 compulsorily acquired all that land owned by the Djrasee Family of La and Numo Nmashie Family Of Teshie.

The Government of the Republic of Ghana however failed to pay compensation to the Djrasee Family of La and Numo Nmashie Family Of Teshie for their lands that were compulsorily acquired.

By virtue of a Memorandum of Understanding (M.O.U) dated 1 6th December 2008 made between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Djrasee Family of La and Numo Nmashie Family of Teshie and Supplementary Agreement to Agreement On The Revision Of State

Paltncrs: R.A. Aglagoll. A.N.K

Acquired/Occupied Lands In The Greater Accra Region dated 16th

December 2008, the Government amongst other things agreed to release of part of the lands acquired under E.1 72.

That it was a term of the said (M.O.U) dated 16th December 2008 that the lands to be released which is described in the 3d Schedule measuring 59.989 Hectares WOUId be free from all encumbrances. (Attached for ease of reference is a copy of the M.O.U).

Consequent upon the M.O.U dated 16th December 2008 the Government of the Republic of Ghana released and returned the excess lands described in the 3rd Schedule measuring 59.989 Hectares to our Client and Djrasee Family Of La.

(Please find attached a copy of site plan of the area of release).

The said release was duly recognized by publication in the news papers, communication of the Lands Commission to persons attempting to register their title to lands within the release, and a Memorandum from the Regional Lands Officer to Heads- LRD. SMD.

(Attached our copies of the said documents).

We are informed by our Client that the majority of the said 59.989 Hectares released to it has been encroached upon. occupied by third parties and same encumbered, resulting in numerous legal suits pending in court, either commenced by our Client or against our Client.

By the petition dated 18th July 2019, our Client notified your office of a parcel of land lying close to the Training College which covers an approximate area of 59 acres which said land has been lying undeveloped for a long time. In accordance with the said Petition, our client requested the release of the said parcel of land to them.

Our Client intimates to us that, recently, it has noticed the development of the said land by private persons and for purposes contrary to the acquisition of the said land.

Further that, the release of the land to third parties contrary to the purposes for which the land was acquired without granting the first option to the allodial owners is in breach of the laws of Ghana.

By this letter, we have our Client's instruction to humbly petition your office once again for the following:  A request for the release Of the said parcel of land being developed by private persons contrary to the purposes for which th e said land was acquired and the M.O.U dated 16TH December 2008. and without granting first option to our Client to reacquire the Idnd as provided for in Article 20(6) Of the 1992 Constitution.

 Immediate cessation of any further development-of-the land by these persons to whom the government has unlawfully released the lands.

We hope that our Client's humble petition would meet your kind consideration and attention.

cc:

1THE PRESIDENT

REPUBLIC OF GHANA

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT.

2. THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

LANDS COMMISSION CANTONMENTS ACCRA.

3THE HEAD OF FAMILY NUMO NMASHIE FAMILY TESHIE, ACCRA.
Sulemana Braimah

04.05.2022 LISTEN

The Executive Director of Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Sulemana Braimah has bemoaned the lack of commitment by President Nana Akufo-Addo towards press freedom.

This comes after Ghana dropped 30 places in 2022 World Press Freedom Index. In the ranking, Ghana is now 60th from the 30th position in the last edition.

According to Mr. Sulemana Braimah, the report by the 2022 World Press Freedom is not a surprise to him.

Speaking to TV3 on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, during the New Day Programme, he stressed that it is sad the President Akufo-Addo is showing no commitment to guaranteeing the freedom of the press.

For me, the President so far has not shown anything that demonstrates his commitment to press freedom and freedom of expression. That is quite sad, Sulemana Braimah shared.

In the 2022 World Press Freedom Index Report, Ghana government has been accused of being intolerant to criticism from the media in the country.

To protect their jobs and their security, they increasingly resort to self-censorship, as the government shows itself intolerant of criticism, parts of the report reads.
The Convention Peoples Party (CPP) has charged government of Ghana to come up with a better plan to industrialise the nation with the view to creating jobs for the teeming unemployed and underemployed youth in the country.

It said that Ghana deserved better, and all her citizenry deserved more from the government.

In a statement signed by the General Secretary, Nana Yaa Jantuah and copied to the Ghana News Agency to appreciate Ghanaian workers on the May Day celebration, the party asked the government to be accountable to Ghanaians in terms of the management of the nation's financial and natural resources.

The Convention Peoples Party commended the hardworking members of the Ghanaian Labour front for their contributions to the development of the nation.

Our dear Comrades you have worked so hard, all these years with a lot of sacrifices to ensure that the wheels of growth do not come to a halt, your dedication is unsurpassable and your love for our dear Nation is unprecedented.

Ghana is the best. Without your dedication and hard work this country would not have achieved its goals and agenda of making sure that this country is working to the benefit of all, it said.

It also said that the CPP was proud to be associated with the labour front, as its biggest support base had been the working class in this country and through your support, the CPP chalked a lot of successes in the past.

It, however, said that the labour front deserved better, hence, there was the need to ensure that the government provided the needed amenities, incentives and commensurate remuneration that befits the effort and hard work being put in by Ghanaian workers.

The Labour Front deserve better and there is the need to ensure that employers especially government provide the needed amenities, incentives and commensurate remuneration that befits the effort and hard work being put in by the Ghanaian worker, the statement read.

It added that it is time for all of us to come together to put our shoulders to the wheel and ensure that Ghana is delivered from the depth of deprivation and poverty.

The Convention Peoples Party, therefore, expressed surprise that the NPP government chose May 1st, being a Workers' Day to implement what it described as the punitive tax system of E-Levy.

It added that the E-Levy was going to erode the financial gains of the already struggling workers of Ghana.

This is the first time the CPP has encountered a tax system that goes after the savings of the citizenry, it is incongruous and unbelievable, and such a level of insensitivity by the government cannot be comprehended by the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) an unfortunate situation indeed, it said.

GNA
Former Tamale Central Member of Parliament (MP), Inusah Fuseini has said government should have, out of respect for the Supreme Court suspended the implementation of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy).

On Sunday, May 1, 2022, the government through the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) started the implementation of the controversial levy although there is an injunction application before the Supreme Court.

The injunction application was filed last month by three Minority MPs led by Haruna Iddrisu alongside Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Mahama Ayariga.

Speaking to TV3 on Wednesday, Inusah Fuseini said while the GRA had every right to start the implementation of the E-Levy, government should have waited.

An injunction was not secured. The motion was filed and it was brought to the attention of the A-G but the question is if an application is fileddoes it constitute an injunction?

The fact that you filed an injunction does not necessarily injunct the process but out of respect, they [government] should have waited for the determinations by the court, the former MP for Tamale Central said.

The Supreme Court is today, May 4, 2022, set to hear the injunction application case from the Minority MPs.

If a ruling goes in favour of the Minority MPs, the GRA will immediately halt the implementation of the levy.

Should the injunction application be thrown out then aluta continue.
President Nana Akufo-Addo has appointed Mrs Afi Azaratu Yabuku as the new Executive Secretary of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons .

She started work on April 28th, a statement by the Commission said.

The Board of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs Afi Azaratu Yakubu by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo President of the Republic of Ghana as the new Executive Secretary of the Commission effective Thursday April 28th 2022.

Mrs Afi Yakubu replaced the immediate past Executive Secretary Mr Jones B Applerh, the statement added.

Profile of new Executive Secretary

Ms. Afi Yakubu was the immediate past Executive Director of the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) and once the Secretary for the West Africa Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA). She has over twenty (20) years of experience in conflict prevention, peace building and advocacy for security and development in Africa.

EDUCATION:

Ms Afi Yakubu holds an Executive MA in Organisation and Systems Development from the Gestalt Centre for Organisational Development, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, an MA in Television for Development (Development Communication), University of Southampton, UK, a Graduate Diploma in Communication Studies, University of Ghana and a Certificate of participation on a Topical Seminar: The Security Challenge of Small Arms and Light Weapons Proliferation in Africa, from the Centre for Strategic Studies, National Defence University, Washington, USA.

RELEVANT SKILLS

Madam Afi Yakubu has a proven track record in communication and advocacy for peace and security, especially conflict management, both locally and internationally. She has a good understanding of grassroots conflict dynamics and security threats, gender mainstreaming, and is excellent at maintaining partnerships and empowerment of women and the youth. She is a proficient cross-cultural mobiliser. She has led several national and international advocacy campaigns and citizen engagement for policy and social change including those by ECOWAS, AU and the United Nations.

She was once a Trainer of youth groups on Alternative Paths to Peace in the Niger Delta for the Womens Centre for Peace and Development (WOPED) in Nigeria and a Trainer on Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) in South Sudan for the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies (BICC). She trained traditional rulers of the Northern Region on Small Arms and Conflicts in Northern Ghana for the Northern Regional House of Chiefs in 2007.

MEMBERSHIP OF BOARDS AND OTHER NETWORKS

Ms. Yakubu was a Board Member of the Ghana National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (2006 to 2008), a Founding Member of the West Africa Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA), a Member of the National Election Early Warning Working Group under the National Peace Council in 2016 and a Member of Women Situation Room  Ghana (WSR Ghana) established to mitigate conflict before, during and after the 2016 general elections of Ghana. She was a Member of the Drafting Team of the National Action Plan for the Implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on WOMEN, PEACE & SECURITY (GHANAP 1 and GHANAP 2) in 2012 and 2019 respectively.

RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS

Ms. Afi Yakubu has researched and authored numerous articles on a variety of development-related issues including: gender and development, peace and security, social mobilisation with support from the Ghana Government as well as International Development Co-operations. She was the Producer and Editor of: Focus on Small Arms in West Africa; a quarterly newsletter of the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) since 2001. She edited the book: Introduction to Small Arms by Napoleon Abdulai in 2005. Some of her research work include Communicating Difference Between and Among People in Conflict; an MA Research, University of Southampton, England 1997 which was unpublished.

AWARDS

Ms. Afi Yakubu is a recipient of numerous awards. Some of the awards received include:

Martin Luther King Peace and Social Justice Award, Embassy of USA, Ghana, 2013

Rolf Edberg Award on Peace and the Environment, 2006

Dagbon Personality of the Year in recognition of her work in conflict prevention and peace-building in Northern Ghana, 2005

3news.com
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Saturday joined the Blay family and hundreds of people in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis and beyond, to mourn Abraham Blay, a brother of Mr. Freddie Blay, the National Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The burial service, which was well-attended, took place at the Sekondi Wesley Methodist Cathedral.

Also present were the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Second Lady, Samira Bawumia, the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, Mr. Freddie Blay and his wife, H.E Gina Blay who is also Ghanas Ambassador to Germany, and Samia Yaaba Nkrumah, daughter of Ghanas first President, Kwame Nkrumah.

Some of the mourners

NPP stalwarts, including the Chief Scribe of the party, John Boadu, the partys Youth Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye and the NPP National Treasurer, Abankwa Yeboah were also present to bid farewell to the deceased.

The late Abraham Blay, also known as Uncle Abbey, died on January 23, 2022 at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra after a short illness.

The deceased, born in Sekondi in 1946, was an educationist. He attended Mampong Technical Teachers College where he qualified as a teacher.

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the funeral

He later gained admission at the Advance Technical Teachers College (now University College of Education, Kumasi campus) where he obtained Bachelor of Education degree and Diploma in Industrial Arts.

He later got a scholarship to study in Madras University, India where he obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Curriculum Planning and Education Development.

Tributes to the deceased were read by the wife, children, in-laws, grandchildren and the Blay family among others.

The wife, Madam Dorcas Blay, also called Naana, in her tribute described her late husband as an upright, decent and God-fearing man with high moral values.

Preaching the homily, Rt. Rev. Daniel Degraft Brace, the Diocesan Bishop of the Methodist Church in Sekondi said death is not the end of it all as had been perceived, adding, It is appointed unto man once to die and after that judgment.

Speaking on the theme: Just a Reminder, the Methodist priest said, I am reminding you that one day we will all die. However, when and how we will die is a mystery.

He asked the family members to continue to pray for Gods divine protection and not to grieve like people who have no hope.

The mortal remains of the late Abraham Blay were later buried privately.

Pallbearers carrying the casket containing the remains of the deceased out of the church auditorium

DGN online
Ghana will soon offer new oil blocks in the Western and Eastern Basins for exploration through direct negotiations, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, the Deputy Minister of Energy has said.

The offer, he said, was part of enhanced exploration strategies aimed at accelerating extraction to generate revenue, create jobs and support economic growth.

Dr Amin said this on the sidelines of the 2022 Offshore Technology Conference, at Houston Texas, in the United States of America, monitored by the Ghana News Agency.

He stated that Ghana was seeking to maximise resources and that the Ministry would not relent on efforts to create an enabling environment for investments through legal and regulatory reforms.

For example, the government over the last two years amended petroleum regulations to allow for exploration in production and development areas without a requirement for a new petroleum agreement,  he said

We also provided flexibility in determining the size of a development and production area to prevent potential assets near the field from being stranded.

He said in spite of the global energy transition, Africa's oil would continue to play a strategic role as oil fields globally were depleting faster than the decline in global demand.

Ghana is well positioned as production cost remains low in our country. Further to this, our investment environment is very enabling and has been considered one of the most liberal in Africa. Our petroleum fiscal regime adequately rewards investment capital, provides fiscal stability and certainty against future adverse developments he added.

Dr Adam said Ghana's oil investment climate was the most liberal in Africa and investor friendly offering higher returns to investors.

He added that the licensing regime was transparent, and provided investor certainty and flexibility, and also accommodated different financial products, including risk capital as well as concessional facilities for the development of oil and gas resources.

Our oil basins are largely derisked, especially the Western Basin, which contains about 80 prospects and 40 discoveries. This means that the potential to make a discovery when you invest in exploration in Ghana is very high, he noted.

Dr Adam said the potential for growing Ghana's petroleum and energy industries was huge; and the prospects for accelerating the growth of the economy was much brighter in the future.

As already demonstrated by data from the Ghana Statistical Service, real economic growth rate in 2021 is about 5.4 per cent, which outperformed what was projected at 4.4 per cent, a strong indication of the return of our economy to pre-COVID times, he said.

GNA
President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Affail Monney has described Ghanas poor performance on the world press freedom index as depressing.

He stresses that events in the country, particularly the wanton attacks on journalists by the powers that be, lends credence to the countrys current position in the eyes of the world.

Ghana dropped 30 points to 60th position in the latest press freedom index released by Reporters Without Borders, out of 180 countries assessed with a score of 67.43.

This is the countrys lowest ranking in 17 years.

Speaking at the GJAs commemoration of World Press Freedom Day in Accra, today, Wednesday, 4 May 2022, Affail Monney called on the Ghana Police Service to ensure it addresses the situation squarely by applying the law fairly at all times irrespective of who is involved in such heinous crimes.

For his part, the chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Yaw Boadu Aye-Boafo charged the media in Ghana to be mindful of what it churns out by exercising utmost responsibility.

Source: Classfmonline.com
Residents of Nsonkonee, a farming community near Techiman in the Bono East region, are making a passionate appeal to government and corporate institutions to come to their aid and provide potable water and access roads as well as other amenities.

The town, which has a population of about two thousand people, cannot also boast of any recreational and social amenities as it has no electricity, among other challenges.

The only basic school in the area, the Nsonkonee M.A primary school has also not been included in the Ghana School Feeding Programme, thereby impeding academic work there.

The residents, in separate interviews called on the Member of Parliament for Techiman South, Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah and the Techiman Municipal Chief Executive, Benjamin Yaw Gyarko, to, as a matter of urgency, come to their aid to salvage the situation.

Mr. Philip Twum, the Headmaster Nsonkonee M/A primary school, is worried about the lack of furniture for both pupils and teachers, bungalows and good drinking water.

He therefore called on government and non-governmental organisations to come over and assess the situation for themselves and offer them some assistance.

Nana Takyi Ameyaw, the Odikuro of Nsonkonee, for his part, threatened to mobilise his people not to vote in 2024 if their requests do not receive the attention they deserve.

He complained bitterly about the poor nature of the main road leading to the town and described as appalling, the deprived nature of the area and the apparent neglect of the people by authorities.
04.05.2022 LISTEN

The Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), is set to hold its annual Malaria Awareness Campaign in 2022 with research on mosquito breeding sites at Kwabenya in Accra to help develop malaria control measures.

The two-week research exercise, which starts on Thursday, April 28, 2022, will also assess bed net ownership and usage among the residents of Kwabenya.

This was made known by the Director of BNARI, Dr. Michael Osae, during an interaction with Communication Officers of GAEC at BNARI in Accra on Monday to announce a detailed programme of activities for the Institutes one-month-long malaria awareness campaign in commemoration of the World Malaria Day.

The rationale for the campaign held annually, Dr. Osae explained, is to empower communities toward malaria prevention and control and help solve the problem of malaria through research-driven solutions.

Research has shown that urban areas are highly effective breeding grounds for mosquitos, increasing the likelihood of disease transmission. Indeed, disease-carrying mosquitos in dense human populations pose a serious threat to public health, he explained.

According to Dr. Osae, the campaign, corporate social responsibility, and research activity of GAEC has been running for years.

Last year, we were at Atatam in the Adansi Asokwa District in the Ashanti Region, where our research found out that there were two main types of malaria-causing mosquitoes in the Atatam community  the Anopheles gambiae and the Anopheles funestus. Both species had high resistance to all classes of insecticides  organophosphates, organochlorines, pyrethroids, and carbamates  recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for public health use, he added.

He, however, noted that this years campaign is targeted at the people of Kwabenya and its environs because the community had hosted the Commission for decades and that the annual exercise was a reciprocal gesture in appreciation of the support of the people to the Commission.

Throwing light on some key activities of the campaign, Dr. Osae said that apart from the research exercise, there would be an awareness durbar to educate some community schools in Kwabenya and its environs on malaria prevention and control.

He also indicated that there would be a free health screening exercise for school pupils and teachers in Kwabenya and its environs.

Pupils and teachers will be screened for malaria and other health conditions, alongside receiving free consultation and drugs at the event, he stated.

The campaign is expected to end on May 31, 2022, with a public lecture on the topic, What you need to know about malaria?.

citinewsroom
More than 36,000 new refugees arrived in Niger between January and mid-April following violence in Mali, Nigeria and Burkina Faso, bringing their numbers to around 360,000, the UN refugee agency said Wednesday.

The High Commissioner for Refugees "is concerned by these rising numbers as attacks on civilians prompting displacement increase in both frequency and violence," the UNHCR said.

"I'm afraid that we will be getting regular influxes into Niger for as long as there is trouble in the countries surrounding us," it quoted Emmanuel Gignac, the UNHCR's representative in Niger, as saying.

The new arrivals from Mali are fleeing clashes between the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara and the Touarag Movement for the Salvation of Azawad (MSA) in the northern areas of Gao and Menaka, the UNHCR said.

"Nigerian refugees are fleeing increased looting, expropriation of property, assault and kidnapping by armed bandits in the states of Katsina and Sokoto, in the northwest of their country, while displacement from Burkina Faso is caused by ongoing and spreading insecurity," it said.

"The refugees, who are mostly women and children, need shelter, food and water, non-food items and access to basic services such as healthcare and education," the agency said.

"The fact that they are arriving and settling in some of Niger's driest areas makes their situation even more precarious," it said.

"Food prices have risen dramatically in Niger and the ongoing food security crisis triggered by a poor 2021 farming season is putting further at risk already vulnerable refugees and local communities alike."

Some 580,000 forcibly displaced people, including 360,000 refugees from neighbouring countries, live in Niger.

Niger, especially its western part, is suffering from a grave food crisis caused by drought and jihadist violence that has prevented peasants from cultivating their fields, according to the UN and the Nigerien authorities.

Niger's western region of Tillaberi is bearing the brunt of jihadist attacks from neighbouring Mali. By Tupac POINTU AFP

The unstable regions of Tahou and Tillaberi -- in the tri-border region between Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger -- have since 2017 seen deadly attacks linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, which is also very active in Mali et au Burkina Faso.

The southeast of Niger, especially the Diffa border region with Nigeria, is prey to attacks from the Nigerian jihadist groups Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP).

During a visit Tuesday and Wednesday to Niger and Nigeria, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres promised refugees and the internally displaced of both countries that they could count on him to lobby for increased international aid.
Press Release

May 4, 2022 De Lima welcomes US Senators's renewed call for her release, dropping of charges vs her Re-electionist Senator Leila M. de Lima welcomed the recent statement by six US Senators renewing their call for her immediate release and dropping of trumped-up drug charges against her following the recantation by key witnesses of allegations made against her. De Lima thanked US Senators Marco Rubio, Ed Markey, Dick Durbin, Marsha Blackburn, Chris Coons and Patrick Leahy for consistently vouching for her innocence and renewing their call for her release. "The recent development on my case, along with the unwavering trust and faith in me of prominent leaders and co-justice warriors, further bolsters my determination to fight against the lies and see this battle to end in freedom and vindication," she said. "After two witnesses recanted their allegations against me, it is clearer now that the charges against me are politically motivated, obviously invented by the Duterte machine of lies. I thank US Senators Marco Rubio, Ed Markey, Dick Durbin, Marsha Blackburn, Chris Coons and Patrick Leahy, for acknowledging the truth and staying consistent in demanding justice for me," she added. In a joint statement released last May 3, the six US senators stressed that the recent recanting by key witnesses of allegations made against De Lima "warrant her immediate release." "Clearly, the bogus charges against her were, as we suspected all along, politically-motivated and based on false information," they said. It can be recalled that Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos, in his affidavit, retracted his previous statements, affidavits, and court testimonies that he delivered money to De Lima and her former aide Ronnie Dayan. Prior to Ragos's retraction, self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa also recanted all of his allegations against De Lima in relation to illegal drug trade. In the same statement, the US Senators stressed that the fact the De Lima "has lost five years in jail due to these spurious charges is a travesty," adding that "she should be released immediately and any remaining charges should be dropped without further delay." In 2019, Rubio Senators and Markey filed a bipartisan resolution, logged as Senate Resolution No. 142, calling for her immediate release from wrongful imprisonment and invoking Global Magnitsky sanctions against her persecutors. It was supported by Senators Durbin, Blackburn and Coons.
Dr Shetye right interacting with a staff member of the Cold Room

04.05.2022 LISTEN

Wa, May 04, - The supply of an ultra cold chain equipment to the Upper West Region is a major boost for her fight against the COVID-19 pandemic as the region now has the facility to store especially the Pfizer vaccine for the ongoing vaccination exercise.

Madam Rashida Mahama, Upper West Regional Cold Chain Manager, who stated this, said the arrival of the ultra cold chain equipment had also ensured that the region had enough capacity to store a lot more COVID-19 vaccines.

She stated this whilst interacting with officials from the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), who visited the Regional Cold Room in Wa to ascertain impact of health-related projects undertaken by UNICEF with funding from the Government of Japan.

In March, this year, UNICEF with support from the Government of Japan, supplied an ultra cold chain equipment to the Upper West Regional Cold Room to help store Pfizer vaccines being supplied to the region for the COVID-19 mass vaccination exercise.

Prior to this, the Upper West Regional Cold Room had three vaccine fridges, but they could not produce the minus 80 degrees Celsius temperature required for storage of the Pfizer vaccines.

Madam Mahama said Before it came, the space was not enough to store more vaccines. So, its arrival has given us more space to store more vaccines. We have more space to even store other vaccines.

She said So, when the Pfizer vaccines come, that is where we store them before distributing to district health directorates to also distribute to the hospitals and health centres to vaccinate the public.

She added that So, the benefit is that when we are doing distribution, we cannot just put them in normal vaccine fridges. We put them in the ultra cold chain because it is Pfizer vaccine and it needs very low temperature. So, we allocate for the districts and put them there.

She expressed gratitude to the donors for the support saying It is really helping because if it had not been given us, we would not have gotten space for some of our vaccines.

UNICEF has been working with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) over the last three to four years to strengthen the cold chain capacity across the country, and following a nationwide assessment in 2018/2019, and with support from GAVI, UNICEF procured over 2,300 pieces of vaccine fridges, which have been installed all over the country.

Dr Mrunal Shetye, Chief, Health and Nutrition, UNICEF Ghana said In view of this, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit us, we were, from the cold chain perspective, in a slightly better space than we would have been earlier.

He said Following the rapid influx of vaccines, we had vaccines, which now required special requirements; storage conditions of minus 80 degrees and such equipment was not available in the country.

He said So, what UNICEF along with the GHS and the Ministry of Health did was to develop a plan on what cold chain should look like and as part of the plan, the government procured cold chain equipment and UNICEF supported in procuring 36 pieces of ultra cold chain equipment. The support for this was provided by the Government of Japan.

He added that So, now in each region, we have at least one piece of ultra cold chain equipment, which can store the very heat sensitive Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. As we progress, we are now on the phase of expanding the existing capacity. So, one of the places that is going to receive extra cold chain capacity is the Upper West Regional Cold Room.

Dr Shetye announced that UNICEF and partners were in the process of bringing in over 21 pieces of walking cold rooms and walking freezers, which would be installed at the national and regional levels to augment the capacity of the country to store vaccines by multiple times.

He spoke about his impressions after touring the Cold Room in Wa saying What amazes me is the resilience of the health system. The health workers are able to stand up, take charge and deliver well. I think that is very admirable. There are no questions about why not. It is always about we can.

He added that Everything is well organised. It is so functional. They know exactly the number of equipment that needs to be working. There is no wastage. It just speaks of efficiency in management. So, I think that is fantastic as far as the teams that are managing this equipment.
The Leadership of Kekeli Muslim Community wishes to congratulate all Muslims across the globe for the successful 2022 Ramadan Fasting.

Eidul Fitr is the festival in which Muslims all over the world celebrate the end of Ramadan fasting and reflect on its benefits such as self discipline and consciousness, increased devotion, abstinence from wrongful acts, etc and hope to emulate the b nefits afterwards.

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is the fourth pillar of Islam where every sane person is expected to abstain from personal desires such as food, water, matrimonial intimacy among others from the dawn to sunset. It should be noted that only Allah (almighty God) knows the reward His servant receives for adhering to His clarion directive.

The Holy month of Ramadan serves as a reformation period for mankind to absolutely submit his entire live to the worshiping of only Allah (almighty God). This is where sinful persons distance themselves from the unacceptable acts like smoking, taking in of alcohol, promiscuous intimacy relationship and among others instead, giving in charity to the needy that manifest during sahoor and iftar, and supplications to Allah for expiation of sins are highly encouraged.

As the Ramadan 2022 has ended, the leadership of Kekeli Muslim Community is calling on all Muslims to continue to exhibit the beautiful moral character adopted during Ramadan, even after the Fasting.

We further use this opportunity to solicit for support towards a fruitful Eid Feast for our new converts predominantly in the Volta Region. Such kind gesture should be directed to the leadership.

We pray to Allah to provide us with endless peace in Ghana, grant the leadership with wisdom to continue to govern the country for development. We pray for peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians and other faiths in this country for together we build a prosperous nation.

May Allah accept our sawm, dua, salat and charitable deeds. Ameen Eid Mubarak

  Sheikh Asass Ali Abass

Director
CPJ called on Cameroonian authorities to allow freelance journalist Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, who has been held in arbitrary detention without trial for almost two years, to leave prison to attend his fathers funeral on May 6, 2022. Venbatia Fai

04.05.2022 LISTEN

New York, May 3, 2022  Cameroonian authorities should allow freelance journalist Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, who has been held in arbitrary detention without trial in Kondengui Central Prison in the capital Yaounde for almost two years, to leave prison on compassionate grounds to attend his fathers funeral on May 6, and should ensure that he and other jailed journalists are finally released so that they can live and work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.

Njokas father, Shey Rudolf Verla Njoka, died on April 25, and will be buried on Friday, May 6, in Kikaikom village in the restive English-speaking Northwest region, according to the journalists wife Venbatia Fai and his lawyer Amungwa Tanyi, who both spoke to CPJ via messaging app, and a May 2 handwritten letter, reviewed by CPJ, that Njoka wrote to prison authorities.

As we mark World Press Freedom Day, the Committee to Protect Journalists again appeals to Cameroonian authorities to immediately free all the jailed journalists in the country, including Kingsley Njoka, who has been held in lengthy pre-trial detention, said Angela Quintal, CPJs Africa program coordinator. At the very least, Njoka, who is the eldest son in his family and has yet to be tried or convicted after nearly two years behind bars, should be allowed compassionate leave to mourn and bury his father.

Njoka was arrested on May 15, 2020, and held in incommunicado detention until he was charged on June 11 with secession and complicity in an armed gang, according to CPJs research. He was suspected of managing pro-secessionist WhatsApp groups, including the Bui Warriors group based in Kumbo, an English-speaking town in the Northwest region that has experienced armed conflict between government forces and separatists seeking to create the independent state of Ambazonia, according to media reports. Four top prison officials were killed by separatists in Kumbo last month, according to Voice of America.

The head of Kondengui Central Prison, Hamadou Madi, did not respond to CPJs telephone calls or texts via messaging app for comment. The state prosecutor in Yaoundes military tribunal, Major Cerlin Belinga, also did not reply to telephone calls or requests for comment sent via messaging apps.

Cameroon is the fifth-worst jailer of journalists in Africa, with six journalists behind bars on December 1, 2021, according to CPJs annual prison census. One journalist, Emmanuel Mbombog Mbog Matip, has since been released.
04.05.2022 LISTEN

New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate hopeful, Mr. Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen has been admonished to resign from his position as Minister of Trades and Industries to enable him focus on his presidential ambition.

According to NPP leading member, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, it will be in the good interest for Alan Kyeremanten to resign from government in principle.

Speaking on Metro TV, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe stated, I, Nyaho, would have followed him to any place, but he didnt have the courage. If Alan had done that, he would have path a way for his political future.

He added, Alan I expected to have resigned in principle some time ago and if he had done that, the former Ambassador to Serbia stated in an interview with host, Bridget Otoo, monitored by reporter, Kwabena Danso-Dapaah.

Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, who openly declared his support to Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen in the upcoming NPP's presidential primaries, described the Trades and Industries Minister as a man with principles.

I saw Alan as a principle person because people who have principles, their integrity is on the line and if you have to be a leader, that is the key point, he emphasised.
Electronic Transaction Levy, commonly known as E-levy has become the talking point in many discussions within the country, arguably the most discussed among the Ghanaian youth.

The recently passed bill has attracted criticisms within the spectrum of the economic connoisseurs.

In an interview with the Ashanti Regional Chief Imam, Abdul Mumin Haruna on the celebration of Eid Ul Fitr on the Sompa TV programme dubbed 'Na Menim', the religious leader relinquished the need for citizens to pay dues to help grow the economy.

He shares the view that the economy wont survive if people refuse to pay tax.

"In the olden days, the paying of the tithe was a shield to safeguard ones resources (wealth). one becomes financial incapacitated if we fail to pay our tithe, and so is a country retrogressed in its development when citizens refused to pay tariffs. the need to pay for these taxes was ordained even in every religious book.

"The e-levy is also a form of dues (tax) that one pays to support the economic growth of the country. we Muslims have no problem paying our tithes, its equally important that we pay our tax to the country, he told Mr Collins Amo Poku on Sompa TV.
The National Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, who will be seeking re-election to the office of the first Vice-Chairman of his party, H.E Alhaji Said Sinare is optimistic the NDC will bag twice as many votes as it got in the last elections.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) will remain vigilant to guarantee an Election 2024 victory, according to a post on Alhaji Said Sinare's WhatsApp status.

The Party's grassroots commando who has received massive endorsement from the youths of his party ahead of their impending internal election reiterated that their party wants former President John Mahama to return and rescue Ghanaians.

One of the primary methods for securing power in 2024 he stated is to be exceedingly be watchful at all voting polling stations, and collation centers across the country, ensuring that money does not influence the election of the party's next leaders at all levels, from branch to national.

He urges the party to recruit 50 committed and loyal party members for each polling station to police the ballot boxes, challenged loyalists, well-wishers, faithful, and sympathizers to keep an eye on electoral ploys in 2024.

Former President John Dramani Mahama, he claims, is the party's greatest prospect for victory in 2024.
The injunction application filed by Minority in Parliament to halt the implementation of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) has been dismissed by the Supreme Court.

It can be recalled that the Minority in Parliament led by its leader Haruna Iddrisu filed an application at the Supreme Court asking the apex court to grant an interlocutory injunction to stop the implementation of the E-Levy.

The application also had the signatures of Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Mahama Ayariga, Members of Parliament for North Tongu and Tamale Central Constituencies respectively.

While moving the application on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, Lawyer Edudzie Tamakloe who is counsel for the Plaintiff argued that irreparable damage would be caused to Ghanaians if the process is not halted.

On his part, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame opposed the grant of the application and prayed for the application to be dismissed.

The AG said the application has no cause of action and no factual statistics have been filed in the court regarding March 29 proceedings in Parliament.

After hearing both sides, the Supreme Court of seven panels presided over by Justice Nene Amegatcher took the decision to throw out the injunction unanimously.

According to the apex court, great hardship will be caused to Ghanaians if the E-Levy is injuncted.

The Supreme Court taking the decision said the balance of hardship tilt in favour of respondent and the application is dismissed.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has directed the GRA to keep accurate transfers of proceeds received so that, after the substantive hearing no one is disadvantaged if the decision goes in favour of the Applicants.

The Supreme Court at the next hearing will decide on whether Parliament had the numbers to approve the passage of the E-Levy in March in the absence of the Minority MPs.

Other members of the panel who sat on the inunction application include Justice Prof. Nii Ashie Kotey, Justice Mariama Owusu, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, Justice Yonny Kulendi, Justice Lovelace-Johnson and Justice Prof. Herrietta Mensah Bonsu.
Accra, the capital of Ghana, will host a meeting of the ECOWAS Chiefs of Defence Staff from 5 to 6 May 2022. During this meeting, top military brass will discuss the implementation of the recommendations of their 41st session held in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, from 17 to 19 November 2021, where the regional security situation arising from terrorist attacks and the increase in illegal acts at sea was top on the agenda.

It should be pointed out that a number of recommendations were made at their last meeting in Abidjan including: (a) the operational reinforcement of the forces of the frontline countries against terrorism through training and the acquisition of specific equipment, (strengthening the logistical capacity of the forces of the frontline countries and (c) financial support for the planning and conduct of joint operations along the borders of the frontline countries.. In that regard, the ECOWAS Commission will provide financial support for the organization of the joint operation by Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Togo

The meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff will also discuss priorities for operational and logistics support and modalities for allocating capacities to Member States concerned.

It should be recalled that the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff is an ECOWAS institutional body in charge of conflict prevention and management in the region, bringing together all the Chiefs of Defence Staff of the fifteen (15) Member States of the West African Organization.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, spent this years Eid-ul-Fitr touring some Muslim communities in Accra to congratulate Muslims on a successful Ramadan fasting season.

The IGP took advantage of the tour to assess the general security needs of the communities and dialogue with key stakeholders on Police-public partnership in crime fighting for safer communities and bring the police closer to the community to help put in proactive measures for crime prevention and detection.

During the tour, IGP and his team spoke on the new concept dubbed Operation PAARI (Police Action Against Rider Indiscipline) which is aimed at instilling discipline and respect for traffic regulations among the riding public. The team highlighted the need for motorbike riders to register their bikes, acquire the appropriate insurance and riders licence as well as wear helmets while riding and obey all road traffic regulations including stopping at red lights.

As part of the tour, the team paid a courtesy call on the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu at his residence at Fadama.

The team further engaged with the Chiefs, elders and the youth of Fadama Zongo, Abeka, Madina Zongo and the Zabrama communities at Ablekuma-Djoma.

Accompanying the IGP on the tour were the Director-General (DG) ICT, COP/Mr. Edward Tabiri; DG/Operations, DCOP/Mr Suraji Fuseini; DG/Welfare, DCOP/Mrs Habiba Twumasi-Sarpong; DG/PAD, DCOP/Mr. Kwesi Ofori, the Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP/Mr. Iddi Lansa Seidu and other Senior Police Officers.
Humans' relationship with nature is broken . We're transforming the Earth so dramatically that almost one million plant and animals species face extinction. Losing species unravels the tapestry of nature, changing how ecosystems function and, ultimately, damaging society too.

Nature brings huge benefits to people. Some are tangible. In South Africa alone, the value of these benefits to people is estimated at R275 billion annually (about 7% of the country's gross domestic product). That value includes providing the country with crops, wood, water and fuel. There are other, less immediately tangible benefits, too: air purification, water regulation, water purification, recreation, tourism, and cultural and heritage value.

One of the things that contributes to ecosystem degradation in South Africa is invasion by alien plants. This is estimated to cost the nation R6.5 billion annually in damages and the government spends over R400 million annually clearing alien trees. Despite this investment, alien tree invasions continue to increase across the country .

Alien trees threaten biodiversity , increase the risk of more intense and frequent wildfires and also guzzle water. This is an important factor in water scarce regions, like South Africa, that experience droughts.

Alien trees are invading mountainous areas across South Africa. These are important water generating regions and the trees threaten water supplies in several cities, among them Cape Town and Gqeberha. Both have experienced water shortages in recent years.

To find out just how much alien trees threaten water supply, we conducted a hydrological study . The research set up the most fine-scale, detailed models possible to try and estimate how alien trees affect streamflow in four small mountains catchments above some of Cape Town's major dams. This study also used satellite imagery to input accurate information on the types of alien trees and where they are.

Key findings

The models predicted that clearing catchment areas fully infested with mature invasive alien trees can increase streamflow by between 15.1% and 29.5%. Although the catchments modelled are currently not fully invaded, this presents a strong argument for preventing full invasion.

The study also found that streamflow gains from clearing alien trees from rivers were almost twice as high as clearing the alien trees from the surrounding land. That's because alien trees in rivers have access to an almost endless water supply and so use more.

Another interesting finding was that clearing alien trees seemed to have a greater impact on the mid to low flows  in other words during the dry season when the river flow is low, rather than the high flows  during rainfall events in the wet season when the rivers are full.

This makes sense: during rainfall events there is so much water that the negative effects of alien vegetation become less evident. But it is important because it implies that clearing alien trees makes more water available in between rain events, and especially in the dry season. This is useful to improve water security during droughts.

The positive effect of clearing alien trees was also predicted to be higher in dry years compared to wet years. This suggests that clearing alien trees is a viable measure to ensure there will be more water when it is most needed.

It is useful to explain what the savings predicted by our models mean to Cape Town's overall water supply  and to consumers. For instance, we found that clearing the current levels of invasion in the catchments above the Berg River Dam (currently 9% invaded) could increase streamflow by over 1%. This doesn't sound like a lot, but it could mean an increase in mean annual volume of as much as 1.5 million m, or 4.1 million litres per day.

According to the 1:50 year yield model for the Berg River Dam, this equates to a 0.2% increase in yield. Putting this into perspective with a quick first order calculation, from the City of Cape Town's Water Strategy, we have a value of R9 per kilolitre for the operating costs of desalination. If we multiply this by the 0.2% increase in yield each year from clearing alien trees above the Berg River Dam, we get to an estimated annual equivalent value of that water of around R2 million.

However should the Berg River Dam catchment become fully invaded with alien trees, this would reduce the 1:50 year yield by 4.3%, costing us about R38 million each year if we had to source this water elsewhere.

Reversing the damage

Our findings are important for several reasons. First, they can be used to encourage society to redouble its work clearing alien vegetation. Second, they confirm that improved water security is possible for South African cities during their dry seasons or droughts.

It is critical that more work be done to halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems. This is especially urgent in what the United Nations has dubbed the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration . We all have a chance to undo some of the damage we have wrought  and, as our research shows, clearing alien trees must be part of these efforts.

Jason Hallowes contributed to this article. We thank Dr James Cullis for help with the yield calculations and cost estimations.

Alanna Rebelo receives funding from the South African Water Research Commission. This work was funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DANIDA) as part of the SEBEI (Socio-Economic Benefits of Investing in Ecological Infrastructure) Project, grant no: 17-M07-KU. She serves on the boards of the Friends of Tokai Park, South African Wetland Society, South African Hydrological Society, and the International Society of Wetland Scientists: Africa Region.

Karen Joan Esler receives funding from Water Research Commission. She is affiliated with the International Society for Ecological Restoration.

Mark New receives funding from a number of national and international research funders, including the South African National Research Foundation, the International Development Research Centre, UK Research and Innovation, the AXA Research Fund and the BNP-Paribas Foundation.

Petra Brigitte Holden receives funding from the AXA Research Fund, through the AXA Research Chair in African Climate Risk and the International Development Research Centre.

By Alanna Rebelo, Senior Researcher, Agricultural Research Council And

Karen Joan Esler, Distinguished Professor of Conservation Ecology, Stellenbosch University And

Mark New, Director, African Climate and Development Initiative, University of Cape Town And

Petra Brigitte Holden, Researcher, University of Cape Town
The total membership of The Church of Pentecost in Ghana has hit three million, three hundred and thirty-three thousand, six hundred and fifty-four (3,333,654) of December 2021.

The figure constitutes 10.8% of the total Ghanaian population of thirty million, eight hundred and thirty-two thousand and nineteen (30,832,019) as indicated in the 2021 Population and Housing Census Report by the Ghana Statistical Service.

The Church of Pentecost alone constitutes approximately 15.2% of the total Christian population in Ghana, and 34.3% of the Pentecostal and Charismatic community in Ghana.

This was disclosed by the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, during the opening session of the 17th Extraordinary Council Meetings held today at Gomoa-Fetteh, Kasoa in the Central Region of Ghana.

Global Membership

Apostle Eric Nyamekye also revealed that the global membership of The Church of Pentecost has hit three million, nine hundred and one thousand, four hundred (3,901,400) as of December 31, 2021.

Currently, The Church of Pentecost, which is one the biggest global Pentecostal churches, has branches in 135 other nations.

According to the Chairman, The Church of Pentecost, Ghana constitutes 85.2% of the total worldwide membership.

He added: The remaining 14.5%, which is five hundred and sixty-seven thousand, seven hundred and forty-six (567,746) was accounted for by our external (foreign) branches, including the two autonomous nations namely Benin and La Cote dIvoire.

Apostle Nyamekye iterated that the total number of assemblies (churches) in the external branches stood at 6,533, while the number of districts stood at 1,187. These represents a percentage increase of 6.0% and 5.5% respectively.

He pointed out that the membership in the non-autonomous nations increased by 28,673, resulting in an overall total membership of 372,706, while the two autonomous nations recorded a membership decrease of 2,076 in the reporting period. This, he explained, resulted in their total membership decreasing from 197,116 in 2020 to 195,040 in 2021.

The Church of Pentecost has an additional 27 new nations joining the already existing 109 nations. They are Algeria, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Cambodia, Columbia, Comoros, Croatia, Cuba, Djibouti, Fiji, Georgia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Maldives, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Oman, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, and Sudan.

Apostle Nyamekye, however, stated: In as much as we must thank God for the numerical growth of the church, I would want to put across that our measure of the growth as a church should not only be statistical but also the spiritual and moral development of the members. It is therefore my prayer that our numbers will translate into righteousness to impact the society.
The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said although the Minoritys injunction application against the implementation of the E-levy was denied, the plaintiffs take solace in the order of the Supreme Court to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to ensure that they keep adequate records for a possible mass refund to all Ghanaians in the event that they succeed with their substantive case of declaring the passage of the E-levy unconstitutional.

Mr Ablakwa, one of three Minority MPs who petitioned the courts said this on Wednesday, 4 May 2022 shortly after the Supreme Court in a unanimous decision threw out their application for interlocutory injunction on the implementation of the 1.5 percent E-levy.

The Apex Court, however, ordered the GRA to keep accurate records of all e-levy deductions to enable a refund to payees if it is later determined that the law was passed unconstitutionally.

The court composed of Nene Amegatcher as President, Her Ladyship Mariama Owusu, His Lordship Professor Ashie Kotey, Her Ladyship Getrude Torkornoo, Her Ladyship Lovelace Johnson, His Lordship Emmanuel Yony Kulendi and Her Ladyship Professor Henrietta Mensah Bonsu said the Republic would suffer a great deal if the government is temporarily stopped from deducting the levy from electronic transactions.

Meanwhile, the plaintiffs are awaiting the decision on an earlier suit at the apex court challenging the passage of the e-levy bill by a one-sided parliament.

They claim the number of legislators in the chamber when the bill was passed did not form a quorum as declared by the Supreme Court.

The opposition MPs want the Supreme Court to set aside the passage of the e-levy bill by the 136 MPs of the Majority Caucus present in the chamber of parliament on 29 March 2022 as unconstitutional, null and void.

What the plaintiffs were seeking to do with the injunction which has failed was to stop the commencement of the levy until the final determination of the substantive case of declaring the levy as null and void.

Source: Classfmonline.com
Mr Nicole Chulick, the Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy, has called on government and other stakeholders, including the public, to ensure that the media have freedom to operate independently.

He said it was only a safe, free, professional and responsible media that could support democratic principles and inform current public policy debates to enable voters make informed decisions.

Journalists shed light on both the positive and negative aspects of public policy and contribute to accountable governance and without a free press, few democracies cannot survive and Ghana is no exception, he said.

Mr Chulick made the call at the observation of the 2022 World Press Freedom Day in Accra by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and UNESCO, on the theme: Journalism under Digital Siege.

The call came after Ghana dropped from its 30th ranking in the Global Press Freedom Index by the Reporters without Border to 60th in 2022.

He said: You, as Journalists, have a critically important role to play. Who else can help the public understand, discuss, and assess public policies? Who else can help the public hold government accountable for its policies?

Journalists need to have the space to report legitimately sourced information without intimidation or harassment.

Mr Chulick said the US was a proud supporter of press freedom thus partnering the GJA to advocate press freedom and protection of Journalists.

There are many Ghanaian Journalists working to fight corruption, holding government accountable, and calling out abuse and injustice. This often comes at a great personal risk. We have seen multiple arrests of Journalists in Ghana for their reporting Of course the government has a role to play in protecting public safety, he stated.

Mr Chulick reminded Journalists of their responsibility to guard against misinformation and disinformation, adding that it was better to publish late and accurately than first and falsely.

He bemoaned the lack of development on the murderers of investigative Journalist, Ahmed Hussein-Suale, saying, Its been more than three years, the case has not been solved and his murderers are free.

Mr Affail Monney, the President, GJA, said dropping in ranking had been anticipated due to a confluence of anti-media factors, however, he said the Association did not expect the drop to be so precipitous  fall from third to 10th in Africa, and 30th to 60th worldide, a 100 per cent decline.

We watched with shudder and heard with shiver, merciless arrests and reckless attacks and animalistic disregard for the rights of a number of journalists in the line of duty.

The deterministic outcome has been as sharp deterioration of the safety of journalists. Death threats rained on investigative journalists also went uninvestigated, let alone punished, while law enforcement officers who were supposed to protect journalists rather brutalised them, he noted.

Mr Monney noted that three years on, the assassination of Ahmed Suale in the most heinous of circumstances had been a stain of Ghana's reputation as a land of freedom and justice, a citadel of media freedom and a beacon of democratic accomplishment in Africa.

Assurance upon assurance of arresting the perpetrators have remained a hollow rhetoric, he added.

The GJA President said nonetheless, the global index still recognised Ghana as a regional pillar of democratic stability.

The drive for resurgence of the media, he said, called for a clear, radical and resolute stance to deal surgically with the cancerous spread of impunity.

He explained that impunity ignited a self- propelling and re- energising cycle, which became hellishly difficult to defeat, if not tackled from the root through application of the law fairly and squarely, to all offenders, at all times, regardless of their partisan stripes, material wealth or social standing.

Mr Monney who bemoaned the long 'incubation' of the Broadcasting Bill designed to address the lingering challenges on the airwaves, said it was also crucial to orchestrate a conversation to take a hard look at the ownership structure of the media.

That was because ownership controlled the media, to the extent of dictating content to the professionals they employed, he said, adding: We dare say that this issue poses the greatest threat to media freedom in modern memory.

Mr Monney said it was also time to consider the poor conditions of service of Journalists.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) bluntly puts it that there can be no press freedom if journalists exist in conditions of corruption, poverty or fear, he said.

In the face of the cost of living challenges, the time has come, more than ever before, to address the flip -flop poverty in the media, Mr Monney stated.

GNA
Mali's junta said France no longer has a "legal basis" for carrying out military operations in the country after Bamako quit key defence accords, in the latest round of a spat between the two former allies.

The announcement late Tuesday came a day after the junta walked out of several agreements underpinning French and European missions in the jihadist-hit state.

Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop declared on state TV that it would take six months for the formal end of a 2014 defence cooperation agreement with France to take effect.

However, the legal end of agreements signed in 2013 and 2020 on France's Barkhane and Europe's Takuba operations in Mali applied immediately, he said.

"So, as of May 2, the agreement covering Barkhane and the agreement covering Takuba cease taking an effect with regard to Mali... which means that as of this moment, there is no legal basis for France to operate on Malian soil," Diop said.

France deployed thousands of troops in Mali, backed by drones and warplanes, under its Barkhane operation -- a mission aimed at helping fragile allies in the Sahel fight a brutal jihadist insurgency.

But the once-close relationship between Paris and Bamako soured after disgruntled officers seized power in August 2020, toppling Mali's elected president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

Tensions rose to near-breaking point after the junta brought in paramilitaries that France and others say are mercenaries from the controversial Wagner group.

In February France, citing "obstructions" by the junta, announced a pullout of its forces from Mali -- a measure that also applies to Takuba, a French-led mission comprising special forces from European allies.

Mali's decision to quit the agreements has raised questions about the repercussions for the French withdrawal -- expected to be completed in the coming months -- and whether French operations will continue in the interim.

Diop said that Barkhane was already withdrawing from Mali and France could continue to work on the pullout.

However, "anything which takes place on the territory of a sovereign state should be discussed and agreed with the state which is in place," he said.

The host state, "quite responsibly, will ensure that things are being carried out correctly and on time with what the government wishes to be appropriate," he said.

'Unjustified'

France's foreign ministry on Tuesday said Mali's renunciation of the agreements was "unjustified."

It also contested that the agreements covering Barkhane and Takuba could be ditched with immediate effect.

Mali denies having called in Wagner and has indicated willingness for state-to-state cooperation with France.

Mali. By Elonore HUGHES AFP

In Brussels on Wednesday, the European Union's foreign policy service said Mali's withdrawal was "regrettable."

"We believe that we need to combat the terrorist threat in Mali. We'd like to see constructive work with the international forces in Mali and with the transitional authorities in Mali," said its spokesman, Peter Stano.

On April 11, the EU said it was "halting" its training missions in Mali, although it would maintain a presence in neighbouring countries.

The announcement came after reports of a massacre of civilians in the central Malian village of Moura in March involving government forces and white foreign soldiers, suspected to be Wagner operatives.

UN question

The EU has several hundred troops and experts in Mali, where they are helping to train the army and national guard.

The mission lies outside the framework of Barkhane, Takuba and the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, MINUSMA, which has several contingents from European nations.

The MINUSMA force in Mali is one of the UN's biggest peacekeeping operations in the world. By FLORENT VERGNES AFP

With 14,000 troops and police, MINUSMA -- the Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali -- is one of the UN's biggest peacekeeping forces.

It has also suffered heavy casualties, with 159 dead and 426 seriously wounded, according to its website.

The UN mandate for the force authorises French forces to support MINUSMA "when (it is) under imminent and serious threat."

Asked by AFP as to the impact on French backing from Mali's renunciation of the accords, MINUSMA spokesman Olivier Salgado said "we highly appreciate this support."

"If the situation changes on this issue, that will obviously lead to consequences that... we will have to take into account in plans for adapting," Salgado said.
The West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), in collaboration with the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) and with funding support from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), has organised a three-day residential training workshop for biomedical and medical laboratory scientists of CHAG.

The workshop, which took place at the WACCBIP Conference Hall, brought together over 40 participants from all the CHAG facilities across the 16 regions of Ghana to provide them with the required skills in genome sequencing and also to expose them to the regulatory affairs related to the laboratory.

The workshop instructors and organisers included Professor Osbourne Ouaye-Head, Department of Biochemistry Cell and Molecular Biology; Dr Peter Quashie, Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Director for Research at WACCBIP; Dr Gloria Amegatcher, a Postdoctoral Fellow at WACCBIP; Dr Koby Sarpong, Dr Paulina Tindana, a Bioethicist at the School of Public Health, University of Ghana and Dr Justice Yankson, Vice President of the Ghana Medical Association. Others were Dr Daniel Oduro-Mensah, Ing. Senam Tengey, from the Medical Waste Services Ltd, a subsidiary of the JOSPONG Group of Companies; Dr Theresa Manful Gwira, Coordinator, Graduate Admissions and Examinations at WACCBIP; Dr Yaw Aniweh, Senior Research Fellow and Head of Technology at WACCBIP; Ms Joyce Ngoi Next-Generation Sequencing Manager, Dr Lucas Amenga-Etego, a Senior Research Fellow; Mr Francis Dzabeng, Data Manager and Mr Collins Misita Moranga, a Bioinformatician at WACCBIP.

The participants were taken through topics such as bioethics, medical-legal issues related to the laboratory, specimen management, genome sequencing, medical waste disposal data management, and antigen/antibody testing. They were also taken through practical sessions on protein expression, genomic sequencing, as well as a microscopy rotation session.

The workshop's final day was dedicated to a special session on bioinformatics where participants were prepared for the influx of data, associated methodologies, and data-driven projects against the backdrop of advances in computers for the tech industry and convergence between computer technologies and data and emerging high throughput molecular assays. They proceeded to have a group session where they presented on the analysis of SARS-CoV-2 sequencing data to bring the 3-day workshop to an end.

The workshop was a huge success, garnering acclaim from participants. The following are the impressions some participants made of the workshop:

"This is my first time attending a WACCBIP workshop. It is also my first time attending a workshop of this nature where they infused practical with theory. It has been a one-of-a-kind workshop, Emmanuella Dentaa Asibuo of the SDA Hospital.

"The workshop was very interactive. It has provided us with information on a variety of topics. The resource people were likewise up to the task. We will also educate our colleagues on the things we have learned here, Eugene Kwame Abugre-Bawku Presbyterian Hospital.

"This is my first time coming to a WACCBIP workshop. The workshop was beneficial. The organisers and resource people were fantastic. I like how the resource persons limited medical jargon for easy comprehension," Prince Minkah-St. Peters Hospital.

This workshop has been beneficial. It has enlightened us. The facilitator did very well. I will implement the things I have learned here when I go back," Francis Opoku Gyebi, a laboratory manager at St. Gregory Catholic Hospital.

Dr Paulina Atindana delivers a session on Bioethics

Dr Justice Yankson delivers a presentation on some medical-legal regulatory issues related to the laboratory.

Participants were taken through some protocols for handling medical samples
The Young Democrat Union of Africa (YDUA) has conferred on H.E. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo the Africa Peace Award for his enormous contributions to the peace and freedom not just in Ghana but the West African sub-region and Africa as a whole.

The Award, which was presented on behalf of the Union by the Rt Hon Stephen Harper, former Prime Minister of Canada and Chairman of the International Democrat Union assisted by Mrs Louisa Atta-Agyemang, President of YDUA, was received on behalf of President Akufo-Addo by the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, at the Jubilee House, Accra on Wednesday, 4th May, 2022.

A citation accompanying the award partly reads : In recent years it has taken very strong personalities in leadership to foster the rule of law, democracy and media tolerance on the African political landscape. These strong persons continue to serve not only as stewards of the democracy and peace on the continent but the standard of lessons for many young people.

At the Young Democrat Union of Africa, we believe strongly that honouring the standards of yesterday and today is a critical part of creating the standards of tomorrow. This principle embodies the many steps we have taken towards today.

This award represents our collective values as a people and center right leaders, our values of Rule of Law, Respect for Human Freedom and Rights, Democracy, Peace and Stability

Our decision to honour the works of this very astute man for his decades of service to rule of law, democracy, press freedom and peace is not only admirable but presents great lessons to many. From his staunch advocacy against human rights violations to his work to repeal the Criminal Libel Law of Ghana that placed so much restrictions on freedom of expression, his famous decision to accept the verdict of Ghanas Supreme Court after the controversial 2012 elections will continue to hang as standards for everyone who puts peace above personal interest.

In recent times, his work to restore peace in the Dagbon Kingdom of Ghana after almost 2 decades of Kingship related conflict has been celebrated by many, both in Ghana and on the international scene.

In all, his efforts to ensure that Ghana is enjoying peace and stability is enviable and his steps towards averting the urge for undemocratic regime change in West Africa as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, we believe is worth commending considering the prospects.

On this day, 4th May, 2022, on behalf of Young Democrat Union of Africa, I invite Rt Hon Stephen Harper to help us, present to His Excellency the 5th President of the 4th Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, YDUA AFRICA PEACE AWARD.

In brief remarks, Vice President Bawumia commended the leadership of YDUA for the High-Level Lecture Series on Governance, designed to equip the youth with information and education for effective participation in the political and democratic processes.

It is more refreshing to note that the maiden edition will have the very venerable Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, whose work in promoting democracy, good governance and the values of center right, both during his time as Prime Minister of Canada and as Chairman of the International Democrat Union, as Keynote Speaker.

I am of the conviction that this is not only a suitable choice but very ideal to ensure that the project starts off on a good footing. Prime Minister Harper has his reputation preceding him in the promotion of democracy and center right ideals all over the world, he emphasized.

Dr Bawumia expressed gratitude to the leadership of the YDUA for the Award, saying On behalf of the President and the people of Ghana, we are grateful for the recognition. You have the assurances of the President to continue to pursue programmes and policies which consolidate our gains in our democratic credentials and work towards a peaceful and sustainable Africa."

The quest for peace and stability on the continent cannot be toned down; it is an essential bedrock in realizing resilient and sustainable societies.
04.05.2022 LISTEN

The Golden Stool (Sikadwa) is historically renowned for its capability of uniting the Ashantis as one people with a common destiny. This is especially so when it comes to uniting the various chiefdoms within Ashanti region.

It is highly respected for being a symbol of unity, ably cohesively to bring all the chiefs and their subjects in Asanteman together. The Golden Stool is revered for its intrinsic characteristic of uniting and holding together all the chiefdoms and subjects in Asanteman, formerly the Asante Confederacy or Asante Kingdom. By this, we believe and trust it to dispense justice but not injustice, or else, it loses its relevance and inherent ability to hold the chiefdoms together.

However, a recent shocking development comes to raise doubts in the minds of many a discerning Ashanti or subject of Asanteman, about the long held belief of the Golden Stool serving honestly as a symbol of unity, treating each one fairly and truthfully.

How can the Golden Stool task a chief from another chiefdom in Asanteman to commit an injustice against another chiefdom, or some true royals in another chiefdom, and still holds itself as credible symbol of unity requiring Asanteman people to look up to it for succour and solace? Could this be possible? No!

Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has committed what may be considered a disgusting blunder, if not surely an intentional act, to deprive some true royals of their birthright. However, when his decision was challenged by a person he least expected to point out his crafty ploy to him, having been caught off guard, he, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, sought an escape route via the Golden Stool.

The whole incident is alleged to have unfolded as following.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in November 2012, at his Manhyia palace, pronounced his verdict on a long chieftaincy dispute involving two royal families in Essumeja. The dispute was about who was eligible to ascend the Essumeja stool following the demise of their paramount chief, Odeneho Oduro Numapau.

In his verdict declaration, Otumfuo directed the Aduana family head (Aduana abusuapanin) of Essumeja to proceed home to nominate from potential claimants a royal to be installed as the successor chief to the late Odeneho Oduro Numapau. Further to his directives, the Abusuapani should do as requested in consultation with the female head of the Aduana royal family, Obaapanin Nana Adwoa Aborah.

During the hearing on the chieftaincy dispute, credible historical facts and narratives were adduced to convincingly prove that really, the antecessors and descendants of Obaapanin Nana Adwoa Aborah are the true royals of Essumeja hence Otumfuo ruling in her familys favour.

The Ghana Chronicle newspaper in its edition of 26 November 2012 published thus, THE END of the Essumeja Chieftaincy dispute is in sight as Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, has directed the Abusuapanin (head of Aduana Royal family) of Essumeja to immediately nominate a royal for installation as chief. The nomination is to be done in consultation with the Obaapanin of the family, Nana Adwoa Aborah in order to choose from among potential claimants within a week.

Otumfuo gave the directive last Thursday, when the Asanteman Council met to determine the dispute bordering on the eligibility of the Queen mother of Essumeja, Nana Adwoa Obro Pokuaa Nyankronpon and a royal of Aduana family, Madam Adwoa Abora

Read More: Otumfuo Orders Immediate Nomination Of New Essumeja Chief

Nevertheless, this same Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has today turned around to say there is no any royal, or true royal family, in Essumeja. Therefore, the Essumeja stool belongs to him, and him only. Subsequently, he can give it to whomever he pleases, he says.

He made the above declaration following the townsfolk silent opposition to him for selecting, and ensuring the enstoolment of, one Mr George Yaw Okyere Ntramah, as the paramount chief of Essumeja.

The said person he has forced on Essumeja as their paramount chief is a complete outsider, unknown to the royal family, as far as the eligibility for ascension to the throne goes, a reliable source reveals.

By tradition, that person is nowhere near the royal family, so he cannot, and should not, under any circumstance, be enthroned as the paramount chief (Omanhene) of Essumeja.

Essumeja is the head of the left wing stools of Asanteman.

Dr Yaw Sarfo, the self-styled Kumawuhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua, in the meeting conveyed to the attention of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II that Nana Adwoa Aborah is his (Dr Yaw Sarfos) sister. Therefore, she is a true Aduana royal of Essumeja whose family has been ruling with her own mother once the queen of Essumeja.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II caught off guard by Dr Yaw Sarfos statement and with his head hanging in shame, is alleged to have said, Sikadwa appeared to me in my dream. It mentioned exactly the name George Yaw Okyere Ntramah, his mothers name, the house and family he comes from, the work he does, and ordered me to give the Essumeja stool to him. I was directed by Sikadwa to select the person I have, as described above. Therefore, there was nothing I could do, whether or not the person is a royal, but to follow the directives given to me by Sikadwa

Point of public interest:

Dr Yaw Sarfo is the person Otumfuo has illegally imposed on Kumawu as their paramount chief but being challenged by the likes of Rockson Adofo. Otumfuo has absolutely no right of say in the nomination, selection and enstoolment of a royal candidate as Kumawuhene, let alone, impose one on Kumawu as he has done, using brute force aided by government machinery.

I find his submission in defence of installing an outsider as the paramount chief of Essumeja completely uncustomary and untraditional, if not false. He has not the conventional right to appoint who becomes the chief of Essumeja, but the Essumeja royal family head in consultation with their Obaapanin. It is the sole prerogative of the Aduana family head and the queen and the Obaapanin of Essumeja.

How could Sikadwa do something that is contrary to what it stands for  unity in truth? How can Sikadwa remove the originators of a stool from it, when they have done nothing untoward to warrant their removal, to give the throne to a complete stranger? This does not make sense to any intelligent, honest and serious person except fools and sycophants.

By Otumfuos submission, we can say without fear that if that is how Sikadwa has decided to behave, irresponsibly of course, then it is not worth anyones time and efforts to venerate it any longer.

I know from my heart of hearts that Sikadwa has not directed Otumfuo as he alleges but out of his own self-serving behaviour, overflowing with corruption, insatiable greed, bullying and taking others for fools, he decided to give the Essumeja stool to that stranger.

I understand the person is rich. He is the Managing Director of both Anglogold West Africa and Newmont Ghana. It is alleged he was recommended to Otumfuo for enstoolment by Mr Samuel Esson Jonah, popularly known as Sam Jonah, Otumfuos best super rich friend.

How I hope Otumfuo had not taken some huge sum of money from him prior to offering the stool to him.

The truth will surely out as long as God remains Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent.

Why are the Asanteman chiefs always mute when Otumfuo Osei Tutu II does things tailored toward rewriting the Ashanti history to suit his selfish parochial greedy and corrupt interests?

If they will not talk to correct him, the proud and fearless son of Kumawu/Asiampa soil, Rockson Adofo, shall.

Otumfuo must come again as his offered reason does not make sense one bit. It is completely deceptive. It denigrates Sikadwa.

To conclude, the public must note that there exists a true royal family in Essumeja contrary to the assertion by Otumfuo that there is no true royal, or any royal family, in Essumeja. The Essumeja stool does not belong to him to award to whomever he chooses, contrary to his claim in that respect.

Before Kumasi or Asanteman came to be, Essumeja was, and it has had royals ruling the town.

Why was Essumeja called Asantemanso? Was it not the place from whence came the Asantes from a hole in the ground? Does not a forest still exist in Essumeja to precise exactly where Asantemanso is?

Therefore, for Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to claim that Essumeja belongs to him and that the town or the division has never had any true royals is just the figment of his warped imagination.

More to follow so stay tuned.

Wednesday, 4 May 2022
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described the 'Ghana at a Crossroads' address delivered by former President John Dramani Mahama as a self-preservation move.

Yaw Buaben Asamoa, the Communications Director of the ruling NPP said at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, May 4, 2022.

Many very significant national reverses occur under the six years of John Mahamas presidency. He has since been rejected twice in general elections. It is possible his recent address was motivated by self-preservation towards his confused leadership of the NDC into 2024 given that both insiders and external observers are righting him off, Yaw Buaben Asamoa told journalists.

According to him, the NPP is not being carried away but will stay focused on making needed reflections to ensure victory is achieved in the 2024 general elections.

Indeed, the NPP believes we must reflect deeply. For, if we do, we will accept, as the record show, that significant change to our political institutions and conduct, economic structure and management, and positive social impact have mostly happened under the NPP watch in the fourth republic, Mr. Asamoah noted.

Amongst the many other things touched on during his Ghana at a Crossroads address, John Dramani Mahama accused the Akufo-Addo government of failing the Ghanaian citizenry.

He said although President Akufo-Addo promised to transform the economy in 18 months, he has rather subjected the citizenry to excruciating hardships.

He emphasised that the next NDC government will repeal the E-Levy being implemented by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
Guinea said Wednesday it would prosecute former president Alpha Conde, who was toppled in a military coup last September, for murder and other crimes committed during his time in office.

Conde is among 27 former senior officials who face prosecution for "murder, assassination and complicity," according to a document given to journalists by prosecutor Alphonse Charles Wright.

Other alleged crimes include detention, torture, kidnapping, disappearances, rape and other sexual abuse and looting.

The list of names includes a former president of the constitutional court, ex-speakers of parliament, a former prime minister and many former ministers, legislators and heads of the security services.

In a message to AFP, Wright, who was appointed by the junta, said the prosecution was launched following a complaint filed in January by the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC), an umbrella group that had spearheaded protests against Conde.

The documents given to journalists appear to focus on alleged crimes committed in the last two years of Conde's presidency.

Conde, today aged 84, was ousted by mutinous soldiers amid anger at his successful bid for a third term.

In 2010 he had become the first democratically elected president in the history of the West African country.

But his popularity dived in his second term as critics accused him of authoritarianism, and opposition protests were violently repressed. Dozens died, the overwhelming majority of them civilians.

Tension escalated bloodily in the runup to elections in October 2020.

The vote, boycotted by most of the opposition, followed a controversial referendum on constitutional change months earlier.

Protests, often brutally repressed, erupted over Conde's bid for a third term. By JOHN WESSELS AFP

Critics said that Conde was limited to two terms in office, but he argued that the change to the constitution meant that the clock had been reset to zero.

He was deposed on September 5, 2021 by army officers led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, a former special forces commander.

Doumbouya has since been sworn in as interim president and implemented a crackdown on alleged corruption by the former regime.

Those being held in custody include former prime minister Ibrahima Kassory Fofana, former parliament speaker Amadou Damaro Camara and ex-electoral chief Louceny Camara.

Conde question

Conde's future became a major issue between the junta and the regional bloc ECOWAS after the coup.

He was initially detained and then allowed to go to the United Arab Emirates for medical treatment in January, returning home on April 10.

On April 22, the junta declared it was informing "national and international opinion that the former president of the republic is finally free" -- an assertion contested by Conde's Rally of the Guinean People (RPG) party.

Guinea. By Gillian HANDYSIDE AFP

Mineral-rich but deeply poor and saddled with a reputation for corruption, Guinea has enjoyed few periods of stability since gaining independence from France in 1958.

Many Guineans initially welcomed the coup but there is growing discontent in the nation of 13 million people.

On April 30, Doumbouya said he planned to restore civilian rule in 39 months -- a timeline that dismayed those clamouring for earlier elections.
04.05.2022 LISTEN

VP of Ghana, Dr. Bawumia, NPP, advocates for Digital Ghana, and so does the NDC. Both parties hold high in the shining lights of TV cameras and the marketplace places words of democracy like transparency and accountability of the political spectrum. Anti-corruption slogans are blasted constantly into the ears of the electorate from both parties.

Critical observers from within Ghana and outside the nation ask themselves the question: where does the money come from MPs or the aspirants for Parliament use when donating bikes, motorcycles, oil, sugar, and cars to the locals and elites in the villages. This is regularly done before the election or in times between to hit the news when others are on vacation.

Personal funds, collected donor contributions, taking part of the monthly allowances each MP is entitled to and sharing it with the constituency, funding by their parties, etc. do not explain the vast amount of money spent for the good work.

In such cases in Europe citizens check the website of their Parliament to see what income and assets alongside activities and former work each MP has and has done. This helps citizens to ensure corruption is kept in place and low. MPs must declare extra income from lobbying for companies, have income from consulting services, and private company ownership among others.

Someone wanting to do the same will find the website of the Parliament of Ghana has no such information. The history of the parliament, the various committees even the state budget presented to Parliament can be seen on this website. Besides the photos of the MPs, no information is provided as to his income and activities like standards in the EU.

As this is a simple but vital exercise of Democracy that Ghana claims to be part of critical observers take thinking a bit further. Why is it that both parties, NPP and NDC, during their time in Parliament since 1992, for good thirty years, have not made the personal income of the MPs public and transparent like a common standard in many countries around the world? The critical thinker tends to believe such information would be in the interest of the public but against the lifestyle of both parties, shouting faul when the opposition is in power and vice-versa.

When logos and faces are different but development is nowhere to be seen except in the numbers of citizens ready to leave for greener pastures even the die-hard party loyal has to confess to himself before falling asleep that both parties hide in the shadow of politics...good night Ghana!
The Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has welcomed the Supreme Court's dismissal of an injunction application filed by the NDC MPs against the implementation of the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-levy).

I am fully content with the outcome today, and it underscores the point that you should not go to court based on conjectures, Mr. Dame told the media, following the Court's ruling.

In a unanimous 7-0 decision, the Supreme Court dismissed the application for an injunction against the implementation of the E-levy.

The MPs  Haruna Iddrisu, Mahama Ayariga, and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa filed the injunction application on Tuesday, April 19, following the passage of the bill on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, despite a walkout by the Minority MPs.

They had sought to stop the government from implementing the levy until an earlier case they filed to challenge the passage of the law was determined by the apex court.

On the substantive matter before the court, Mr. Dame observed that the Minority fell short of providing convincing evidence to prove its case that Parliament did not have the required numbers to approve the tax policy.

We found before the court a bundle of speculations as to even the numbers on which Parliament voted to approve the e-levy and I feel that is really below the standard.

He said the Minority was also not certain about what number that approved the e-levy bill

That for me that is very material because with the current composition of Parliament now, the absence or presence of one Member of Parliament makes a difference. You cannot go to court and say that either 136 or 137 approved it. The fact that there are only 274 validly elected members of Parliament and the fact that the election of one member of Parliament has been canceled reduces the quorum.

Mr. Dame views the Minoritys submissions as a confirmation that the approval of the e-levy was legal.

For me, it actually goes to buttress my point that the e- levy was validly approved. If you go to court and there is no evidence of irregularity about the proceedings of Parliament then in my view you have not satisfied the basic test for the grant of an injunction.

The three MPs are among others, praying for the Supreme Court to declare that the said approval is contrary to law.

---citinewsroom
04.05.2022 LISTEN

A group calling itself the Concerned Members of the New Patriotic Party(NPP) is displeased with the General Secretary of the party, John Boadu's decision to defy his own ground rules of a temporary ban on all forms of campaign activities for the party's national executives contest slated for 2022.

We find it very repugnant and reprehensible that Mr. John Boadu who together with other national officers of the party drafted the rules governing the 2022 NPP internal elections could go contrary to same and campaign in the Northern parts of the country under the guise of meeting regional and constituency officers of the party a portion of a statement from the group said.

It believes the temporary campaign ban is a Machiavellian tactic to intimidate and disadvantage other contenders for the General Secretary position.

It thus called on on Mr. John Boadu to desist from campaigning and render an unqualified apology to the rank and file of the NPP.

Below is the statement from the group

RESPECT YOUR OWN RULES AND GUIDELINES, JOHN BOADU ADVISED

Concerned members of the New Patriotic Party in the Northern Region finds it very disappointing for the General Secretary of the NPP, Mr. John Boadu to defy his own ground rules of a temporary ban on all forms of campaign activities on the impending NPP internal National Executives contest slated for 2022.

We find it very repugnant and reprehensible that Mr. John Boadu who together with other national officers of the party drafted the rules governing the 2022 NPP internal elections could go contrary to same and campaign in the Northern parts of the country under the guise of meeting regional and constituency officers of the party. It is very instructive and evidently clear that Mr. John Boadu in his recent tour of the Northern parts of the country touted his purported achievements as the General Secretary of the NPP and subsequently urged party delegates to renew his mandate for him in the 2022 contest.

We find the temporary campaign ban as a Machiavellian tactic to intimidate and disadvantage other contenders for the General Secretary position. We therefore condemn in no uncertain terms the ban itself and the decision of Mr. John Boadu to violate same to his advantage. The NPP as a firm believer and practitioner of true democratic practices must eschew all forms of intimidation, incumbency abuse and provide a level playing field for all members of the party in an internal contest. Concerned NPP Members -Northern Region therefore call on Mr. John Boadu to desist from campaigning and render an unqualified apology to the rank and file of the NPP.

Signed Alhassan Muniru President of Concerned NPP Members, Northern Region.
Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education, has said the government is mobilising the requisite resources to equip Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-based schools for effective academic work.

The agenda is to make sure that those schools functioned as expected to build the skills and expertise of the students in those disciplines for productive lives.

According to the Minister, not only does STEM provide a new way of thinking and learning to students, but it also builds their creative and innovative acumen toward national development.

Dr Adutwum was addressing students of the Bosomtwe Girls' STEM Senior High School (SHS), at Deduako near Kuntenase in the Ashanti Region, after the officials of Huawei Technologies (Ghana) S.A. Limited, donated some educational materials to the school.

The items included 20 laptops, one projector and notebooks, and were meant to aid academic work.

The Education Minister said one of the greatest educational initiatives to be embarked on by the Nana Akufo-Addo-led Administration was the construction of STEM schools at the basic and second-cycle levels across the country.

This was being done purposely to churn out a new breed of self-motivated youth with the requisite knowledge in the sciences for accelerated growth.

Dr Adutwum advised beneficiary students of the STEM schools to study hard to realise their academic goals.

They should avoid behaviours and practices that had the tendency to jeopardise their future since a lot of resources had gone into their education, the Minister observed.

Ms Jennie Zhou, Director of Public Relations, Huawei Technologies (Ghana) S.A. Limited, said the company was happy to be associated with Ghana's efforts to transform its human resource base through technical and vocational education and training.

The company, she said, had resolved to provide computers and other educational materials to help the STEM schools achieve their goals.

GNA
Convener for Fixing The Country Movement, Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah has refuted claims by former President John Dramani Mahama that Ghana is at a crossroads due to the mismanagement of the ruling government.

On Monday, May 2, 2022, the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2020 general elections delivered a lecture on the topic "Ghana at a crossroads".

In his speech, he argued that Ghana needs leadership that listens. He also called on the government to do a cabinet reshuffle among other proposals he thinks the government ought to do to help build a genuine consensus on nation-building.

Reacting to this at a press briefing in Accra today, Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah, the Convener for Fixing The Country Movement and Political Strategist said Ghana is not at a Crossroads.

He stressed that should Ghana finds itself at a crossroad, Ghanaians will never need directionless Mahama to show the way.

According to Owusu Bempah, the Akufo Addo-led administration over the last five years has expanded the Ghanaian economy and is doing more to build a better society as compared to Mahama's erstwhile administration.

He added that Ghana under Mahama faced the multiple problems of a rising cost of living, collapsing businesses, an unsustainable national debt, a lack of inclusive economic growth to address unemployment, poor infrastructure, and rising fiscal and balance of payment deficits.

The fundamental truth here is former President John Dramani Mahama is not an alternative to solving Ghanas problems.

"The man doesn't have a single solution to the country's problems. Mahama is just desperate to rule the country again, hence his penchant for making false claims of having all the answers to the countrys problems," he stated.

The convener emphasised that President Akufo-Addo will continue to respect the dignity of the people and push for substantial changes to the world financial architecture "so we can also help our people out of distress."

Below Is The Full Press Statement

Statement By Fixing The Country Movement At A Press Conference Held On Wednesday 04/05/2022 In Accra On John Mahamas Ghana at Crossroad lecture

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen of the media, we are compelled to assemble you here once again to do justice to some pertinent issues with regards to former President John Mahama's so-called Ghana at the crossroad lecture held at Kempinski Hotel on Monday 2 May 2022.

The Kempinski event which seeks to draw light on the supposed crossroad that the country currently stands actually exposed Mahamas nakedness. Indeed, Mr Mahama succeeded in dancing naked in front of the intelligent public by the swipe he took at the Akufo-Addo government on what he termed as the politicisation of independent state institutions and the dismissal of those who dared to ensure what is right.

Even the attacks on President Akufo-Addo's economic policies were such a surreal mix of myth and fantasy.

Mr Mahama practically gaslighted himself and sounds terribly in touch with his self-serving inner self. He just plonked another dead cat in front of the public to get outraged about.

Hear him;

President Nana Akufo-Addo and his Head of the Economic Management Team, rather appallingly, remain nonchalant in the face of this serious crisis and have limited their response to the imposition of very harsh and regressive tax measures, one of which is the E-Levy, which has been roundly rejected by the people of Ghana.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, how utterly shameful for Mr Mahama to try to compare his 'failed' administration to the Akufo-Addo one?

We are not really surprised by Mahamas callous attempts to try and take a positive credit out of the current global economic crisis and post-pandemic political-economic vulnerabilities, and attempt to present himself as a credible alternative. He's obviously looking for endorsement within the NDC as a result of the looming tsunami of a leadership struggle within the NDC.

However, for John Mahama to hold a public lecture to boast about his governance prowess when we all know what he dished out for four years as the president says a lot about his split personality. The simple truth is, that Mahama has just exposed himself to public ridicule.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, we were all in this country and witnessed the presidency of John Mahama. We all saw the highs and lows of the accidental president and his lack of obvious know-how.

When Mahama was confronted with challenges in government, he infamously compared himself to a dead goat saying, I have seen more demonstrations and strikes in my first two years. I dont think it can get worse. It is said that when you kill a goat and you frighten it with a knife, it doesnt fear the knife because it is dead already. I have a dead goat syndrome.

In actual fact, the height of Mahama's incompetence was displayed at the 2015 ECOWAS Summit where he complained about his missing speech.

Where is my speechI am missing certain pages in my speech, he said openly while delivering his remarks.

John Mahama  who many people say came into politics by accident happened to be the worst president ever in the history of Ghana.

When the then Vice President John Dramani Mahama became the president of Ghana by default on 24 July 2012, not many people considered him presidential material enough to lead Ghanas quest for full middle-income status. Having attained the rank of lower middle income during the Kufuor era, Ghana  with a large and rising middle class, estimated at over 47% of the population at the time  was yearning to transit to full middle-income status. Due to the efforts of the Kufuor regime, the country had shown progress in reducing poverty and it outranked its peers on most measures of human development. But Mahamas incompetence denied Ghana the much-needed respite for economic emancipation.

Even former President Jerry Rawlings, the man who founded the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party that Mahama now leads, the man who gave Mahama his first government job as deputy minister and later full minister, publicly expressed a lack of faith in Mahamas ability to steer the ship of state.

So, is Ghana really at the crossroad?

Ghana under Mahama faced the multiple problems of a rising cost of living, collapsing businesses, an unsustainable national debt, a lack of inclusive economic growth to address unemployment, poor infrastructure, and rising fiscal and balance of payment deficits.

The fundamental truth here is former President John Dramani Mahama is not an alternative to solving Ghanas problems.

The man doesn't have a single solution to the country's problems. Mahama is just desperate to rule the country again, hence his penchant for making false claims of having all the answers to the countrys problems.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, it is a trite knowledge that Mr Mahama lost the 2016 election due to his mismanagement of the country's economy which resulted in the worsening plight of the ordinary Ghanaian. It is also a known fact that Mr Mahama has nothing to offer except to draw back the countrys progress if Ghanaians mistakenly give him power again.

Isn't it intriguing that whereas Mr Mahama is claiming to have solutions to the country's unemployment situation, it was during his tenure that the country witnessed the formation of the unemployed graduates association?

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, John Mahamas loutish behaviour and name-calling have given the true meaning of the adage that; if you want to dismiss a fool, promote him.

We are talking about a man who claimed to have the interest of the poor at heart, yet he never introduced any pro-poor policy or intervention during his administration.

Interestingly, Mahama and his opposition NDC had been fighting all social intervention policies introduced under the various NPP administrations, including the free SHS, Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), and National Health Insurance Scheme.

The noise and the so-called alternative solutions that Mahama claims to have are a ruse just to scheme to get power in order to come back to continue his mismanagement of the country and the usual "lotocracy"

The problem with Mahama and his delusional enablers who are on this path is that they are under the false impression that Ghanaians have a weak memory.

President Akufo-Addo over the last five years has expanded the Ghanaian economy and is doing more to build a better society.

Take, for instance, the Akufo-Addo's management of the Covid-19 pandemic, the positive appraisal by the World Health Organisation(WHO) against Mahama's Management of the Cholera outbreak in 2014. Can Ghanaians be informed of the measures instituted by John Mahama during the 'Dumsor' crisis, and the Cholera outbreak that kills over 200 Ghanaians?

Again, what exactly did Mahama's so-called Covid-19 advisory team do to help during the crisis?

Under Mahama, Ghana experienced the worst enemy crisis in the history of Ghana. Indeed, the 'Dumsor' crisis actually crippled Ghana's economy for four years, and there was not a single mitigating measure offered to businesses and individuals.

So you see, Ghana is not at a crossroads.

The president will continue to respect the dignity of the people. He will continue to push for substantial changes to the world's financial architecture so we can also help our people out of distress. He will continue to champion programmes that support the delivery of crucial infrastructure, and create jobs and incomes.

The president will continue to offer clear visionary leadership, not Mahamas version of incompetent leadership, that not only diagnoses problems but seeks to resolve them. He will continue to offer hope and belief in the Ghanaian and Ghana as a whole.

As Ghanaians, we must not allow our future to be decided by a load of bigoted inbreds who have failed to update their politics from the 17th century, and who think without them, this country can't survive.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, just like Shakespeare observed in King Lear, the 'unrepentant thief' is the one who sees political power as a substitute for welfare.

Let Mr Mahama take heed of this Shakespearean advice and comport himself in the public space.

In any case, should Ghana finds itself at a crossroad, we are not sure Ghanaians will ever need directionless Mahama to show the way. Let's not forget his leadership was the worst since independence.

We know better.

Long live Ghana!!

(Signed)

Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah

Political Strategist, Convener- Fixing The Country Movement)
The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR) in partnership with JICA, organized a Consultative Seminar for Development Partners on Wednesday, 27th April, 2022 at the Coconut Groove Regency Hotel in Accra.

The seminar was aimed at calling on Development Partners to pledge their support to working towards the fight against Child Labour Free Zones (CLFZs) in Ghana through the Child Labour Unit (CLU) of the Labour Department under Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations.

The occasion was used to share the Government of Ghanas progress and prospects of initiatives and successes on the implementation of CLFZ as spelt out in the Framework of the National Plan of Action Phase II (NPA II), towards the elimination of Child Labour. The NPA II expired on December 2021. Meanwhile, a consultant has been contracted to assess the NPA11 and advice Government on extension of the NPA 11 or to have another NPA111.

The programme was also an opportunity to discuss the possible coordination among donors that would contribute to the achievement of CLFZs in Ghana.

JICA in 2020 supported the Ministry to launch the Establishment of CLFZs Protocols and Guidelines in Ghana. Between October 2020 and April 2022, the Agency through its Study Team together with the Ministry agreed to conduct pilot activities on some 8 indicators in the guidelines.

The essence was to ascertain the effectiveness and efficiency of the document so as to be able to assess and to declare their intervention areas as CLFZ. Specifically, Atwima Mponua District Assembly (AMBA) in the Ashanti Region and Bibiani Anhwiaso Berkwai Municipality (BABMA) in Western North Region were piloted.

Speaking at the seminar, the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Hon. Ignatius Baffour Awuah, commended all the development partners for honouring the invitation as well as JICA for the great initiative to pioneer the CLFZs project in Ghana.

The Hon. Minister lamented on how often times foreigners and NGOs conducted research on the country's cocoa grown areas where they churn out huge figures on child labour, for which as a country, "we have tried to put up defence."

He revealed further that the recent statistics produced by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) shows child labour data is relatively low as compared to those reported by foreign researchers, although not ruling out the fact that child labour is prevalent in the country. He cited the indictment of Ghana and La Cote DIvoire in the US Notch Report as examples that have serious implications on Ghana's cocoa.

Hon. Baffour Awuah echoed that the current CLFZs initiative supports Ghana having to come out with a holistic data from all partners and which will also be a home grown one. He called on all the partners to support the initiative to inform policy decision.

The Hon. Minister also highlighted the new emerging trend of forced labour issues as the country scale up on the issues of Child Labour. He was to quick say that forced labour are issues of advanced criminality and urged all to report such matters to his office so that collectively issues relating to the child labour menace can be completely eradicated.

On his part, Ms Ozawa Maki, representative from the JICA, Ghana Office express her heartfelt appreciation to the Government of Ghana and the collaboration with the MELR. She noted the dissemination of the study result by JICA was to solicit the inputs from other donors so together they can accelerate the way forward.

Ms Maki also agreed to the Chief Labour Officers statement that no individual partner can succeed alone in addressing the problem, adding that there is the need to build concerted efforts, synergies and collaboration on resource mobilisation, and where to channel resources and ultimately generating a holistic national data on child labour to meet the global SDGs target 8.7 of reducing child labour to the barest minimum by 2025.

She reiterated JICAs readiness to continuously support the fight towards a child labour free Ghana and child labour free world.

In all there were sixty-nine (69) development partners including the World Bank, Verite Ghana, ILO, IOM, ICI, GIZ, UNICEF, and FAO.

In respect of their pledges to work towards the implementation of the CLFZs process, the ILOs said it is convinced that CLFZ is the way to go, saying more importantly that it is measuring result unlike the previous times where it was difficult to get into areas. The representative said because CLFZs is situated in the NPA II, he urged all partners to work within the context of the National Plan.

Verite Ghana disclosed they are already championing forced labour and are ready to support CLFZs to ensure the last child is out of labour.

International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) added its voice saying coordination is central to the CLFZs concept, pointing out that it is already partnering with government and would continue help scale up the issues of child labour.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the organization have had over four discussions with the CLU on the CLFZs and with funding support from the European Union( EU),they are ready to help the CLFZs programme.

The GIZ added that partners should identify the areas where there are gabs, discuss them and bridge the linkages to make sure every child is safe in Ghana.

UNICEF urged government to take a look at how to support children in the referral systems, indicating that child protection issues should be addressed as well as social support and functioning systems in place. The representative pointed out the areas to invest in child protection in order to have a comprehensive way to help every child in need. This he said will to a large extent compliment the CLFZs in the country.

The International Organization for Migration opined child trafficking, human trafficking and exploitation were very much relevant to the success of the CLFZ process. He revealed they have partnered with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) and would be happy to collaborate with other partners, especially in the areas of data generation for policy decision.

The World Bank commented on the new environment coupled with the social protection of the child. The Bank advocated that it is prepared to work with the others towards the realization of CLFZs in Ghana.

As part of the closing remarks, Madam Emma Ofori Agyemang, Director Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation said, the NPA II has expired and is under review. She noted that as part of the process there was need for government to lead the process to have lessons learnt and shared.

She indicated what is clearly distinct about the CLFZ process is the response and fulcrum on child centeredness. She told partners even though they may have their interest, most of which is focused on the Cocoa Product.

She used the platform to encourage partners to become more policy responsive where "we all would put the child first." She mentioned for example that there are issues of standard of living targeted at farmers and their families, health related and educational issues, child protection, referrals and remediation issues. According to her, the matter largely goes beyond an individual and requires collaboration where partners need to be interested in the tangibles including improved coordination, establishment of monitoring systems, child labour monitoring, data collection and reporting among others.

Madam Emma recalled at the international level that Ghana had no records of happenings when it comes to reporting on interventions. She said donors intervention were on adhoc and piece meal basis but going forward, donors must become more specific about their interventions. She noted that must meet each other halfway and also to avoid duplication.

The Director concluded by saying that, Ghana needed one solution, which was home-grown research and therefore called all the partners to come on board with the MELR and JICA to have a Ghana Child Labour Free country.
Traders at the New Kejetia Market in the Kumasi Metropolis of the Ashanti Region have hinted on suspending payment of market premium if managers of the facility refuse to compensate them over incessant destruction of wares by floods.

Their agitation follows when one of the pipes at the ceiling of the market burst on Sunday May 1, 2022 destroying merchandise and interrupting business activities.

The traders accused management of the market of failing to fix the problem on time claiming it took them closed to 24 hours to maintain the pipe allowing heavy water to soak their wares.

The traders in their collective bargaining power have also vowed to resist any attempt by managers of the facility to collect electricity bills, service charges and other monthly charges until the affected persons are compensated.

Speaking to this reporter on Wednesday May 4, 2022, some traders disclosed that about 39 shops were affected.

"One of the pipes at the ceiling of the market burst on Sunday destroying our merchandise and halting business activities.

"This is one of the many instances where traders have lost millions of cedis in a similar disaster but none of the victims have received any compensation.

"We are not happy at the rate at which we are losing our capital in this new market that is why we are contemplating on halting payment of any money to managers of the facility," One of the victims cried out.

Meanwhile the leadership of all identifiable trading groups in the market is set to hold an emergence meeting over the situation.

The Chairman of Concern Central Market Traders Association Frank Antwi said a committee will be set up to investigate the disaster and come out with the necessary recommendations.

He noted that their calls on the facility's managers to compensate them in previous disasters have proven futile, adding that they will not let it go this time round.
May 04, 2022 On Lavrov's Spat With Israel - Who Is Right? Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is in a spat with Israel over its support for Nazis militia in the Ukraine. The immediate cause is a passage in an interview Lavrov had with the Italian TV network Mediaset: Question: This is how you see it, while Vladimir Zelensky puts it differently. He believes denazification doesnt make any sense. He is a Jew. The Nazis, Azov  there are very few of them (several thousand). Vladimir Zelensky refutes your view of the situation. Do you believe Vladimir Zelensky is an obstacle to peace? Sergey Lavrov: It makes no difference to me what President Vladimir Zelensky refutes or does not refute. He is as fickle as the wind, as they say. He can change his position several times a day. I heard him say that they would not even discuss demilitarisation and denazification during peace talks. First, they are torpedoing the talks just as they did the Minsk agreements for eight years. Second, there is nazification there: the captured militants as well as members of the Azov and Aidar battalions and other units wear swastikas or symbols of Nazi Waffen-SS battalions on their clothes or have them tattooed on their bodies; they openly read and promote Mein Kampf. His argument is: How can there be Nazism in Ukraine if he is a Jew? I may be mistaken but Adolf Hitler had Jewish blood, too. This means absolutely nothing. The wise Jewish people say that the most ardent anti-Semites are usually Jews. Every family has its black sheep, as we say. The Zionist entity in Palestine reacted with harsh words: The Israeli prime minister, Naftali Bennett, condemned on Monday a recent claim by the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, that Jews were the biggest antisemites. The Israeli Foreign Ministry also summoned the Russian ambassador to Israel to explain Mr. Lavrovs remarks, while the Israeli foreign minister, Yair Lapid, demanded an apology.

...

Mr. Bennett said that he viewed Mr. Lavrovs remarks with the utmost severity, saying that the comments were untrue and their intentions are wrong. Mr. Bennett added, The goal of such lies is to accuse the Jews themselves of the most awful crimes in history, which were perpetrated against them, and thereby absolve Israels enemies of responsibility. Separately, Mr. Lapid said that Mr. Lavrovs comments were both an unforgivable and outrageous statement as well as a terrible historical error. Jews did not murder themselves in the Holocaust, he added. The lowest level of racism against Jews is to accuse Jews themselves of antisemitism. Mr. Lapid has a big mouth that hides the whitewashing of Jewish Nazi collaborators in which his own family was involved. But first let us tackle the question of Adolf Hitler's ancestry. The History channel has a piece on it: In the decades since Adolf Hitlers death, the Nazi leaders ancestry has been a subject of rampant speculation and intense controversy. Some have suggested that his father, Alois, born to an unwed woman named Maria Schickelgruber, was the illegitimate child of Leopold Frankenberger, a young Jewish man whose family employed her as a maid. (She subsequently married Johann Georg Hiedlerlater spelled Hitlerwhose surname her son adopted.) In 2019 the Jerusalem Post reported of new research on the issue: [A] study by psychologist and physician Leonard Sax has shed new light supporting the claim that Hitlers fathers father had Jewish roots. The study, titled Aus den Gemeinden von Burgenland: Revisiting the question of Adolf Hitlers paternal grandfather, which was published in the current issue of the Journal of European Studies, examines claims by Hitlers lawyer Hans Frank, who allegedly discovered the truth. Hitler asked Frank to look into the claim in 1930, after his nephew William Patrick Hitler threatened to expose that the leaders grandfather was Jewish. In his 1946 memoir, which was published seven years after he was executed during the Nuremberg trials, Frank claimed to have uncovered evidence in 1930 that Hitlers paternal grandfather was a Jewish man living in Graz, Austria, in the household where Hitlers grandmother was employed, and it was in 1836 that Hitlers grandmother Maria Anna Schicklgruber became pregnant, Sax explained.

...

Sax writes in the study that according to the letters in Franks memoir, Frankenberger Sr. sent money for the support of the child from infancy until its 14th birthday. The motivation for the payment, according to Frank, was not charity but primarily a concern about the authorities becoming involved: The Jew paid without a court order, because he was concerned about the result of a court hearing and the connected publicity, the letters state. It seems to me that Lavrov has that one right. It really seems that Adolf Hitler had some Jewish ancestors who even paid for the upbringing of his father. Now onto the other issue, Lavrov's claim that: .. the most ardent anti-Semites are usually Jews. Every family has its black sheep, as we say. Yair Lapid does not agree with that. Well, his father didn't either until, to his embarrassment, some new facts proved him wrong. There is for example the well known case of Rudolf Kasztner in which Lapid's father was involved. As the Times of Israel reported in 2016: [The British Jewish historian Paul] Bogdanor was extremely shocked to find that everything pointed towards Kasztners having been a collaborator with the Nazis, and a betrayer of the Zionist movement and the Jewish people. Bogdanors new book, Kasztners Crime, published in October, sets out the case against the Jewish leader in damning detail. Even the most devoted defender might have second thoughts after reading his book.

...

Kasztner was a leader of a small Zionist grouping in Budapest towards the end of World War II. He led a Jewish rescue committee which, before the Nazis entered Hungary, did succeed in saving the lives of a number of Jews. But once the Nazis arrived, Kasztner, an ambitious lawyer, became embroiled in prolonged negotiations with the Nazi leadership, particularly Adolf Eichmann. After complex dealings with Eichmann, Kasztner succeeded in getting the Nazis to agree to the deportation of a group of 1,684 Hungarian Jews, the so-called Kasztner Train, who eventually ended up in freedom in Switzerland. But thousands more continued on the doomed path to Auschwitz. Bogdanor says that not only did Kasztner know they were being sent to their deaths, but that he actively kept such information secret from other Jews in Hungary and the wider Jewish world. Kasztner deliberately put selected strong Zionists who wanted to emigrate to Palestine on his list. Those Hungarian Jews who did not want to emigrate were deceived by him to believe that the Nazis were no danger to them. Kazstner himself later found a role in the Zionist establishment: Kasztner himself did not get on the train, but survived the war and made his way to Palestine. By 1952 he was a spokesman for the Ministry of Trade and a would-be member of Knesset, though he did not succeed in obtaining a place high enough on the Mapai list to become elected. Nevertheless, when, in 1953, an embittered Hungarian Jew named Malkiel Gruenwald distributed a pamphlet about Kasztner, naming him as a Nazi collaborator, the Israeli government thought highly enough of him to bring a libel suit on his behalf, accusing Gruenwald of defamation. During the trial, dozens of witnesses testified about Kasztners actions during the war. The case lasted 18 months and did not end well for him. The presiding judge ruled that Kasztner had indeed collaborated, and in words which echo down the years, said he had sold his soul to the devil. The Israeli government of the day fell and Kasztner and his family became virtual prisoners in their home. He resigned from his post, his wife sank into depression and his daughter spoke, years later, of having been ostracized and mocked by other children at school. On March 3, 1957, right-wing extremists shot Kasztner dead. The following year, too late for him, the court verdict was reversed, suggesting that much of what was claimed against him was not correct. Leading the campaign in ensuing years to rehabilitate Kasztner was journalist and political Tommy Lapid, himself a Hungarian Jew and father of Yair Lapid, the leader of todays Yesh Atid party. The father of the current Foreign Minister of Israel Yair Lapid tried to rehabilitate Kasztner. But the British historian found that Kasztner was indeed guilty: Kasztner didnt start out as someone evil, says Bogdanor. He started out as someone who wanted to rescue Jews, and before March 1944, he did rescue Jews. But when the Nazis occupied Hungary, he began negotiating with them and, very quickly, I argue, he became a collaborator.

...

The central charge made against Kasztner by the surviving Hungarian Jews was, says Bogdanor, not just that he failed to warn them [of the Nazis intention]. It was that Kasztner had instructed local Jewish leadership to mislead them, and to deceive them into boarding the trains to Auschwitz. After Kasztner had visited the local communities, the leadership spread false information  which he had given them  that the Jews were going to be resettled inside Hungary. Agranat and the other judges overlooked this matter of deception. Bogdanor admits to being profoundly shocked by the depth and extent of what he found out about Kasztner. It would have been bad enough, he argues, if Kasztner had passively collaborated with the Nazis. But he actively collaborated, he says, taking steps to mislead both Jews inside Hungary and his Jewish contacts in the outside world. Yair Lapid, just like his father, is wrong. There were quite a number of Jewish collaborators and some were even officers in Hitlers Wehrmacht. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to Yair Lapid's false accusations: Michael Elgort  @just_whatever - 9:18 UTC  May 3, 2022

Today Russian @mfa_Russia has officially replied on its telegram channel to @yairlapid statement that you see below and this reply deserves to be translated and posted in full. A long thread with full translation below, link to the source in the end The complete translation of the Foreign Ministry statement is here. It says (format edited for readability): We paid attention to the anti-historical statements of Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, which largely explain the course of the current Israeli government to support the neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv. The Israeli minister said literally the following: The Jews did not destroy themselves during the Holocaust. Blaming Jews for antisemitism is a blatant level of racism against Jews. For some reason, the Western press (and some of our liberals) still argue about whether there are neo-Nazis in Ukraine. The Jewish origin of Vladimir @ZelenskyyUa is given, as one of the "reinforced concrete" arguments. The argument is not only untenable, but also crafty. History, unfortunately, knows tragic examples of cooperation between Jews and the Nazis. In Poland and other countries of Eastern Europe, the Germans appointed Jewish industrialists as heads of ghettos and Jewish councils (Judenrats), some of whom are remembered for absolutely monstrous deeds. Jakub Leikin in Warsaw conducted surveillance of the Jews and reported everything to the German occupation administration, dooming his compatriots to certain, and sometimes painful death, and Chaim Rumkowski generally offered the Jews of Lodz to give their children to the Nazis in exchange for saving the lives of adult residents of the ghetto, there are many evidence of his words. It only remains to agree with H. Dreyfus a professor of history at Tel Aviv University, that the complicity of Jews in the Holocaust is a marginal phenomenon (but not a taboo and is the subject of research). ... The Foreign Ministry then points to Israeli government sources which documented a big increase of antisemitism in Ukraine since the 2014 Maidan coup: Since the coup in 2014, antisemitism has flourished in Ukraine. The report of the Minister for Relations with the Diaspora of Israel, @naftalibennett (PM now), indicates that in 2017 the number of antisemitic incidents including dozens of acts of vandalism in museums, synagogues and memorials, increased manifold in Ukraine. Ukraine has become the leader among all the countries of the former USSR in terms of the number of antisemitic incidents, and some publications indicate that Ukraine generally surpasses all the countries of the former USSR combined in their number. One of the prominent representatives of the Jewish movement in Ukraine, Eduard Dolinsky, recently feared the termination of the activities of his organization (Ukrainian Jewish Committee). There is a certain tradition of collaboration between Zionists and antisemitic people. Event the founder of the Zionist movement to establish a 'Jewish state', Theodor Herzl, was guilty of it: [A]s the Austro-Hungarian writer Theodor Herzl was about to publish his manifesto The Jewish State in February 1896, he faced intense pressure from Viennas Jewish community to halt publication. Herzl rejected the pleas, published the book, and launched a movement that ultimately led to the establishment of modern Israel. Around the same time, the residents of Vienna elected an anti-Semitic mayor. To the relief of Viennas Jews, the emperor refused to approve Karl Lueger, but Herzl lobbied the prime minister to accept the peoples choice, arguing that boycotting the populist leader would only increase hatred of Jews. Herzl had hoped that the installment of an anti-semitic mayor would push more Jews in Vienna towards supporting his idea of a 'Jewish state'. Israel's arming of fascist militia in Ukraine may well have a similar motive: Israel is keen on bringing in Ukrainian Jewish refugees for the purpose of maintaining Jewish demographic supremacy over the Palestinian population, academics and analysts say. Since the outbreak of the war with Russia on February 24, the Israeli government has called on Ukrainian Jewish refugees to immigrate to Israel and removed bureaucratic hurdles to secure their arrival as quickly as possible. We call on the Jews of Ukraine to immigrate to Israel  your home, Israels Ministry of Immigration and Absorption said in a statement on February 26. Does that also explain why Igor Kolomoiski, the Ukrainian Jewish oligarch who lives in Israel, has financed the Azov battalion and other fascist militia in Ukraine? Posted by b on May 4, 2022 at 10:33 UTC | Permalink Comments next page  next page 
Cryptocurrency is rapidly rising around the globe, and the Permian Basin is playing an increasing role in the technology.

Bitcoin  a cryptocurrency created in 2009  mining utilizes a lot of computing power and electricity, and Permian Basin natural gas is increasingly utilized to power those computers. In fact, bitcoin mining has grown so significantly in the Permian Basin over the last six months that the Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance (MOTRAN) Wednesday held a workshop on the subject.

Kat Galloway, chief executive officer of Artemis Energy and founder of Bright Sky Environmental, told a packed auditorium at the Petroleum Museum that the two industries work well together because they solve each others problems.

Bitcoin needs energy, oil and gas operators need to reduce their emissions, she said.

She explained that instead of flaring the natural gas, it could be put to use generating electricity for other purposes, such as bitcoin mining. That natural gas can be used to power equipment on site, a concept that is not new, Galloway said. What is new is what we do with that power, which is bitcoin mining.

She estimated that using oilfield gas for bitcoin mining -- instead of flaring it -- reduces volatile organic compound emissions by 98 percent, carbon monoxide emissions by 69 percent, nitrogen oxide emissions by 43 percent and greenhouse gas emissions in the form of carbon dioxide equivalents by 28 percent.

By using flared gas to reduce emissions, bitcoin mining can be pollution abatement, she said, adding that if the infrastructure is designed properly, it provides real and credible emissions reduction for operators.

It is also a revenue generator for operators, she said, estimating bitcoin mining generates $10 to $30 per Mcf in revenue.

Cole Harrison, business development manager for Baseline Energy Services, a rental provider of natural gas generators across the country, said bitcoin miners have been using his companys larger generators for their operations.

For oil and gas producers to effectively partner with bitcoin miners, Harrison said they need to provide a consistent supply of gas and room on well pads for the generators. Off-grid mining utilizes flared gas, stranded gas or excess gas to power their operations.

Were seeing operators wanting to diversify and delegate some of their gas production to bitcoin miners, he said.

Not only does bitcoin mining reduce emissions but creates jobs for pumpers, information technology specialists, electricians and construction workers who need to extend well pads, Harrison said. It also provides new revenue streams in terms of increased royalties and production taxes.

Education in the Permian Basin as well as the city of Midland could benefit as bitcoin mining expands and matures in the region, said Paul Cockerham, who currently manages Fortress Energys operated assets as operations engineer and Verde Minings flare gas bitcoin mining.

Bitcoin mining could attract highly-skilled workers to Midland and drive innovation, Cockerham said. It could also help area schools  Midland College and the University of Texas Permian Basin  attract research grants and projects.

Focusing on education, Cockerham said he wants to start touting the benefits to high school students before they head to college. If theyre able to study the technology at local schools, he said, they may stay and build their careers.

Cockerham also sees tax benefits through tax abatements for those who use natural gas to power mining operations, such as those offered in Wyoming. He predicted that could bring about an end to gas severance taxes.

Midland will also have a cleaner environment  lower emissions, better air quality, less light pollution. When I first moved here, I could see stars, he said.
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP)  A South Carolina judge has denied bond for a former American Idol contestant accused of killing a man by barreling into him with his pickup truck after using a marijuana vaping device.

Country music singer Caleb Kennedy will remain in jail after his February arrest on a charge of driving under the influence resulting in death. Police say Kennedy drove his truck up a private driveway in Spartanburg County and struck Larry Duane Parris, 54, driving Parris into a building.

Circuit Judge Grace Gilchrist Knie ruled Friday that Kennedy would present a danger to himself and the community if he was released from jail. Knie said she might reconsider bond for Kennedy following a psychiatric evaluation in 45 days, news outlets reported.

Prosecutors at a Thursday hearing sought the bond denial and referred to a toxicology report showing Kennedy had marijuana and Prozac in his system at the time of the crash.

Kennedys attorney, Ryan Beasley, had asked the judge to set a $20,000 bond, citing Kennedy's remorse and cooperation with law enforcement, according to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal.

Beasley told news outlets he was disappointed in the judge's decision.

A 17-year-olds mental health is much better at home than in a jail," Beasley said.

Beasley has said previously that his client had been placed on suicide watch at the jail.

Kennedy advanced into the Top 5 of the television talent show last year, but dropped out of the singing competition after a video circulated of him sitting next to someone wearing what appeared to be a Ku Klux Klan hood. Kennedy apologized at the time for the video, saying it displayed actions that were not meant to be taken in that way.

Kennedys mother, Anita Guy, told news outlets the video was filmed when Kennedy was 12 and had been taken out of context. She said Kennedy had been imitating characters from the film The Strangers: Prey at Night.

Kennedys hometown is listed as Roebuck, which is just south of Spartanburg.

He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  A private burial and memorial service was scheduled Wednesday for a man known by many as the father of the Mississippi Republican Party.

Wirt Yerger Jr. died Monday at his home in Jackson, Wright and Ferguson Funeral Homes confirmed. He was 92.

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker described Yerger as a trailblazer for the modern Mississippi Republican Party, who had a vision for what principled, conservative leadership could mean for our state and nation.

In a statement, Wicker said he stood on Yerger's shoulders and has benefited from the foundation he helped to create.

I appreciate his good leadership and will miss his friendship. Gayle and I send our condolences to his family, including his wife, Mary, and their children, as they mourn his loss and celebrate a life well-lived, Wicker said.

Gov. Tate Reeves remembered Yerger as a visionary and as a friend, adding, We are terribly saddened to hear of his passing, but we are confident that his legacy will endure for many years to come.

Yerger, was named chairman emeritus of the Mississippi Republican Party in 2009 and was one of Mississippis six electors who cast an Electoral College vote during the 2016 presidential election. He voted for Donald Trump.

He was fiercely committed to both the party and the cause of conservatism, said Grant Callen, founder, and CEO of Empower Mississippi, a nonprofit advocacy organization. When Empower was only an idea, I went to Wirt to ask for his advice. Not only did he warmly encourage the idea for Empower, he wrote one of the very first checks to support the mission and volunteered to join our board of directors.

Over the last eight years, he and I would visit often, and he never stopped telling me how proud he was of the work we were doing.

Yerger, a Jackson native and a graduate of the University of Mississippi, served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Forces Strategic Air Command. He later joined Ross & Yerger, Inc., Mississippis first insurance agency, which had been founded in 1860. according to an obituary provided by the funeral home.

He served as state chair of the Republican Party from 1956 to 1966 and was also chairman of the Southern Association of Republican State Chairmen. In 2009, he was named chairman emeritus of the state GOP for his work in building a two-party political system in Mississippi.

Yerger is survived by his wife, Mary; two sons and a daughter and 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery at 10 a.m. Wednesday, followed by a memorial service at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson.
LiveRamp Promotes Sharma for New Global Revenue Role

Enterprise data connectivity and analytics platformLiveRamphas promoted Vihan Sharma to the newly created role of EVP of Global Revenue. Meanwhile Diego Panama will step down as Chief Commercial Officer, to pursue an opportunity outside the organization.



LiveRamp was acquired by Acxiom Corporation in 2014, but by 2018 had become such a key part of it that Acxiom sold its original Marketing Solutions business (AMS) to marcoms giant Interpublic Group for $2.3bn in cash, with the remaining unit taking the LiveRamp name. Its Safe Haven privacy-first data collaboration platform enables secure, permission-enabled data sharing for brands and their partners.



Sharma (pictured) joined seven years ago, and currently serves as SVP of Safe Haven and MD Europe. He spent the previous nine years at Acxiom, where he latterly served as MD for France, and Director Product Management, Europe; before which, he was Panel Development Manager at Ciao! In his expanded role, Sharma will oversee all global commercial functions, including in the US, while continuing to serve as MD of Europe. This appointment is part of LiveRamp's new leadership structure, that will unite the company's global sales force.



CEO Scott Howe comments: 'Vihan has been integral to LiveRamp's European growth and operations, as well as the success of our Safe Haven business, where he has overseen significant milestones including expanding to multiple industries across retail and CPG, media, telecommunications, and financial services. We are grateful for Vihan's leadership and look forward to further benefiting from his expertise as we build on the strong momentum underway with our enterprise platform.'



Panama is to leave the business after joining eight years ago as MD, Strategic Accounts, and having earlier held multiple product and sales roles at Microsoft.



Web site: www.liveramp.com .




John Jack and Phyllis Seaman celebrated Jacks 103rd birthday with a gift to Michigan Technological University that ensures the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum will continue to impact students, scientists and the public for generations to come.

The John and Phyllis Seaman Endowment for Curation of the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum will provide perpetual support for a museum curator. Current director and curator John Jaszczak has been named the inaugural appointee to the newly endowed position. The curator holds the responsibilities of caring for, growing and utilizing the museums collections of minerals and related objects for exhibit, education and research.

From left Jack Seaman, John Jaszczak, Phyllis Seaman, and Bill Roberts gather to celebrate Jack's birthday and the Seaman's generous support for the mineral museum named in honor of the original curator, his grandfather A.E. Seaman. (Image Credit: Katherine Jaszczak )

Jaszczak, who has served as a professor in Michigan Techs Department of Physics since 1991, has been an avid mineral collector since childhood. His love of minerals inspired him to become a scientist and his career achievements include discovering new minerals.

We believe the vitality, value and stature of the museum is linked both to the extraordinary quality of its collection as well as to the integrity, passion and creativity of its people  from supporters and donors to employees past and present, said Jaszczak. We are most grateful to Jack and Phyllis for their visionary support, and for partnering with us in pursuit of continued excellence as we work together to share and discover the wonders of minerals.

John Jaszczak is a life-long appreciator and student of minerals whose research has led to new discoveries. Fun fact: his favorite minerals aren't flashy or sparkly colored, they're gray (like graphite).

The Seamans also established a Student Support Fund for students involved with the museum in honor of Jean Petermann Kemp Zimmer 39, who served as museum curator from 1975-86, and Jacks sister, Jeanne Seaman Farnum. These two pioneering women studied geology under Wyllys Seaman.

Many members of the Seaman family have served as pioneers in Michigan Tech history, and were proud to carry on their tradition of excellence here, said Bill Roberts, Michigan Tech vice president for advancement and alumni engagement. We are thankful to Jack and Phyllis for this gift and their longtime commitment to Tech. Their exceptional generosity will leave a lasting legacy on the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum, which provides benefits to the University and greater community. We deeply appreciate their support and friendship.

A Legacy to Treasure A.E. Seaman in an undated historical photo from the Michigan Technological University Archives. The endowment is a fitting honor to Jacks grandfather, Arthur Edmund Seaman (1858-1937), and father, Wyllys A. Seaman (1886-1972). Arthur founded the museum and served as its first curator 120 years ago, when Tech was called the Michigan College of Mines, and Wyllys served as the museums third curator. Both were Michigan Tech alumni and faculty members.

Nationally and internationally recognized as one of the best mineral museums in North America, A. E. Seaman Mineral Museums mission to curate a comprehensive collection of minerals and educate people about their importance traces back to the state of Michigans Enabling Act (#207) of 1861 seeking to establish the Michigan Mining School at or near the village of Houghton. Today, the museum curates approximately 40,000 cataloged objects in the Michigan Tech collection and the University of Michigan collection, held under the Michigan Mineral Alliance. The museum houses the worlds finest collection of native copper and other Upper Peninsula minerals, a superb collection of minerals from around the Great Lakes Region and a broad representation of fine minerals from around the world, displayed in its 8,000-square-foot building. The museum and gift shop are located on the south end of Michigan Techs campus with easy access off Sharon Avenue in Houghton. Watch this Mineral Museum mini-tour from Keweenaw Convention and Visitors Bureau to learn more about the museum's history and collections.

The grandchildren of the first and the current A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum curators shake hands, representing 120 years of history and a special moment for both families. (Image Credit: Katherine Jaszczak)

Amethyst and other eye-popping specimens draw visitors to A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum on the Michigan Tech campus.

The gift shop and museum entrance at A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, the University offers more than 125 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP)  The African Union says a number of Burundian peacekeepers were killed in Tuesday's attack by Islamic extremist rebels who targeted a remote military base in Somalia.

The African Union condemned the attack and paid tribute to the Burundian peacekeepers who lost their lives helping to bring peace and stability to Somalia, in a statement issued Wednesday.

That statement did not say how many peacekeepers were killed. African Union authorities generally do not give casualty tolls when peacekeepers are killed in Somalia.

The Islamic extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack on the base in El Baraf, a small town 150 kilometers (93 miles) north of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, in the Middle Shabelle region. The group circulated a video purporting to show the dead bodies of peacekeepers as well as military equipment seized in the attack.

Al-Shabab claimed to have killed 173 soldiers, but the group regularly inflates death tolls after attacks by its fighters. The death toll and al-Shabab's purported video from the scene could not be independently verified.

Tuesday's attack was the latest by al-Shabab, which opposes the presence of foreign troops in Somalia. The group, which is fighting to impose Islamic Shariah law across the Horn of Africa nation, has stepped up its attacks in recent months amid political tensions as Somalia tries to elect a new president.

Burundi is one of the African countries contributing troops to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, now known by its initials as ATMIS. Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti also have deployed soldiers to the mission.

The African Union statement urged the international community to increase support to the Somali security services and the ATMIS mission commensurate with the security challenge at hand."
The shockwaves over a leaked U.S. Supreme Court opinion that would end the constitutional right to abortion were being felt Tuesday in west-central Illinois  and being met with both dismay and elation.

"It should be overturned. It was a bad law," said Jeanne Strubbe of Chapin, a member of the group Lutherans for Life.

The website Politico first reported that the Supreme Court decided in December to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that guaranteed constitutional protection for abortion rights. The decision was not expected to be released for months; it was the first time in history that a copy of a Supreme Court decision in draft form was leaked publicly.

Four of the other justices on the Supreme Court  Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett  voted with Justice Samuel Alito, Politico reported.

"Roe was egregiously wrong from the start," Alito said in writing the majority opinion. The ruling also would overturn Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a decision that cemented Roe.

"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled," Alito wrote in the draft. "It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives."

The draft essentially says there is no constitutional right to abortion services. It would leave it to individual states to more heavily regulate or ban the procedure.

Strubbe said abortion laws should be left to the states. But she acknowledged that likely would mean Illinois would see few if any changes.

"Unfortunately, in Illinois, it won't make any difference," she said. "They took care of that when (Gov. J.B.) Pritzker signed that law. As long as liberals run the state, it won't change."

Strubbe said the state has been historically supportive of abortion rights and that won't change unless the political party in charge changes.

"For the foreseeable future, Illinois will likely not change," Strubbe said.

She denounced the leak of the opinion, although supporting its apparent decision.

"The very act that it was leaked was atrocious ... it was an intentional move. It could have been leaked to fire up the Democratic base," Strubbe said.

Pritzker has been an outspoken advocate of abortion rights and, in 2019, signed sweeping legislation that called access to the procedure a fundamental right. It also required insurance coverage for abortion.

However, in 2017 then-Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican, signed a law to allow state health insurance and Medicaid coverage for abortions. It also removed language in state law that expressed a desire to make abortion a criminal act if Roe v. Wade ever was overturned.

Pritzker on Tuesday said he would "fight like hell" to keep Illinois "a beacon of hope in an increasingly dark world" when it came to reproductive rights.

"No matter what atrocity of an opinion the Supreme Court officially rolls out this summer in regards to Roe versus Wade, abortion will always be safe and legal here in Illinois," he said Tuesday at a news conference.

Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement Tuesday that the opinion in the draft is disturbing for women across the country.

"Laws such as Illinois Reproductive Health Act, which my office supported, are more important than ever in ensuring that, regardless of the Supreme Courts final decision, Illinois women will remain free to make highly personal reproductive health decisions in consultation with their medical providers" Raoul said.

He said that when states such as neighboring Missouri attempt to "virtually regulate abortion clinics out of existence" the impact spreads into other states, like Illinois. More than a dozen states have passed "trigger laws" that will criminalize abortion as soon as the Supreme Courts opinion is final.

Raoul said he foresees more women seeking care in states that protect abortion rights.

"As neighboring states take Draconian steps to eliminate reproductive freedoms, we have taken action to fight abortion access restrictions and are proud that Illinois will remain a reproductive health care oasis," Raoul said.

Illinois is one of 16 states, along with the District of Columbia, that have protected access to abortion in state law. In January, the Chicago Tribune reported a 29% increase in women traveling into the state for abortion access, with nearly 10,000 women doing so.
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP)  Islamic extremist rebels have killed at least seven people in an attack in northeast Borno state in Nigeria, witnesses told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The rebels attacked Kautukari village in the Chibok area of Borno on Tuesday evening, said residents. The attack happened at the same time that U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was in the state to meet with survivors of jihadi violence.

The Chibok area is 115 kilometers (71 miles) away from Maiduguri, the state capital, where Guterres met with former militants being reintegrated back into the society and thousands of people displaced by the insurgency.

They came in large number with superior firepower (and) took over the community, said Hassan Chibok, a community leader. Troops from a nearby military base were deployed to repel the attack but the damage had been done, Chibok said, adding that casualties are up to 10.

Another resident Yana Galang said at least seven people were killed in the latest violence before the Nigerian military intervened.

Nigerian police did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of the attack.

Nigeria, Africas most populous country with 206 million people, continues to grapple with a 10-year-old insurgency in the northeast by Islamic extremist rebels of Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province. The extremists are fighting to establish Shariah law and to stop Western education.

More than 35,000 people have died and millions have been displaced by the extremist violence, according to the U.N. Development Program.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said earlier this week that the war against the extremists is approaching its conclusion, citing continued military airstrikes and the mass defection of thousands of the fighters, some of whom analysts say are laying down their arms because of infighting within the jihadi group.

The violence however continues in border communities and areas closer to the Lake Chad region, the stronghold of the Islamic State-linked group, ISWAP.

Things are getting worse in Kautukari village in Chibok and adjourning areas closer to the forest, said community leader Chibok, saying the extremists' presence near the forest is a contributing factor.
A Jacksonville church will have services Thursday for the National Day of Prayer.

First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St., is hosting two sessions for self-guided prayer, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

The theme of the day's prayer sessions is "Exalt The Lord Who Has Established Us," based on Colossians 2:6-7.

National Day of Prayer was formally established by Congress in 1952, though similar days were observed as early as 1775. It is held annually on the first Thursday in May and encourages Americans to pray and meditate.
Smile, you're on not-so-candid camera.

Among the dozens of bills sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker in the waning hours of the legislative session was one that would expand the network of state-highway cameras into dozens of counties, including Morgan.

House Bill 4481 was sent to the governor April 20 after passing 95-10 in the House and 48-5 in the Senate.

If signed  which is expected, because Gov. J.B. Pritzker included $20 million in the next budget for such an expansion  it would add hundreds of cameras by opening about 6,600 more miles of state roads for potential monitoring.

In addition to Morgan County, state highways and expressways would be eligible in Sangamon, Boone, Bureau, Champaign, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Henry, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Macon, Madison, McHenry, Peoria, Rock Island, St. Clair, Will and Winnebago counties.

That's not really new, given that there have been three traffic cameras along the state-maintained West Morton Avenue for years to monitor traffic flow. But a companion piece of legislation, House Bill 260, apparently would broaden the scope of how law enforcement authorities could use the cameras.

That bill also was sent to the governor's desk April 20 after passing 97-10 in the House and 44-12 in the Senate. It would allow a 2020 pilot program in Cook County using license plate-reading cameras to address crime to be rolled out to other areas. The pilot program was in response to a series of shootings on the Dan Ryan Expressway but, under House Bill 260, could be used to "investigate vehicular hijacking, aggravated vehicular hijacking, terrorism, motor vehicle theft, or any forcible felony, including but not limited to offenses involving the use of a firearm" and to "detect highway conditions and facilitate highway safety and incident management."

They could not be used to prosecute low-level offenses such as speeding, according to authorities.

Yet unanswered is where specifically the cameras would be placed. Instead, the bill would allow Illinois State Police, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority to hammer out that decision. A state police spokeswoman told Capitol News Illinois that details about locations would be provided if the bills are signed.

While the bills enjoy the support of a majority of lawmakers, Illinois State Police and the state's attorney general, groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union have expressed concerns about how the technology is used and the transparency about its use.
Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m., noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Story Time: 10 a.m., Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave. Free | Stories and a craft. For more information, call 217-243-5435 or email clangdon@jaxpl.org.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Commodity Food Distribution: 1:15 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. Free | For income-eligible residents of Morgan County. Bring proof of residence and a box for food.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

Community Walking Group: 3:30 p.m., Boyd Hospital Wellness Center, Eighth and School streets, Carrollton. Free for wellness center members, $1 for non-members. | For more information or to sign up, all Dawn at 217-942-6946, extension 1352.

County Line Dance Club Class: 6:30 p.m., The Hangout Bar & Grill, 901 W. Superior Ave. $5.

Thursday

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door.

Tales from the Vault: Illinois River Survey: noon-1 p.m., Illinois State Museum Research and Collection Center, 1101 E. Ash St., Springfield. Free | Featured speaker is anthropology curator Logan Pappenfort. In-person and online at bit.ly/TFVMay22. To register or for more information, email events@illinoisstatemuseum.org or call 217-782-6044.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

Central Park Market: 4-8 p.m., southeast side of square, downtown Jacksonville. Prices vary. | Extended business hours for bars, shops and restaurants, vendors, food trucks and mobile bars. First Thursday of every month through September.

Business After Hours: 4-6 p.m., Jacksonville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, 310 E. State St. | Celebrate local tourism during National Travel and Tourism Week. Cinco de Mayo snacks and drinks. RSVP to visitors@jacksonvilleil.org or call 217-243-5678.

Poetry Open Mic: 7 p.m., Soap Co. Coffee House, 207 S. Sandy St. Free | Read or listen to poetry. Masks preferred. For more information call 217-742-5777 or email robertseufert@frontier.com. First Thursday of each month.

Styx: 7:30 p.m., UIS Performing Arts Center, 1 University Plaza, Springfield. $54-$199. | This is rescheduled event from November. Original tickets valid for this event. For tickets and more information go to uispac.com or call 217-206-6160.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  An Oklahoma man claiming to be a film financier was convicted Tuesday in South Florida of participating in a scheme to steal more than $60 million from investors and producers seeking financing for movies and Broadway shows.

A federal jury in Fort Lauderdale found Jason Van Eman, 44, guilty of conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering, according to court records. His sentencing is scheduled for July 21.

According to court records, Van Eman and co-defendant Benjamin McConley, operating as Weathervane Productions, offered to provide financing to investors and producers seeking funds to produce motion pictures, theater performances and other projects. McConley and Van Eman promised the victims they would match their cash contributions and use the combined funds to secure financing from financial institutions in South Florida and elsewhere, investigators said.

Benjamin Rafael, a former Wells Fargo bank employee recruited by McConley and Van Eman, furthered the scheme by lying to victims about the security of their funds, prosecutors said. Victims lost millions of dollars and their contributions were never matched. Instead of financing projects, the money was transferred to personal and corporate bank accounts and spent on luxury automobiles, personal watercraft, real estate, stocks, jewelry, home furnishings, designer clothes, hotel accommodations and air travel.

McConley was previously sentenced to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Rafael previously pleaded guilty to his part in the scheme, as well as another case involving fraudulent applications for COVID-19 relief loans. He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.
Dutch king lays wreath, thousands attend remembrance event View Photo

AMSTERDAM (AP)  Dutch King Willem-Alexander laid a wreath Wednesday at a war memorial in Amsterdam during the first national commemoration of the countrys war dead since coronavirus restrictions were lifted earlier this year.

Thousands of people  including at least one draped in a Ukrainian flag  observed two minutes of silence at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT) on the Dutch capitals Dam Square. It was a marked difference from the last two May 4 wreath-laying ceremonies in Amsterdam, which were held without public attendance because of COVID-19 lockdown measures.

Amid the memories of past conflicts, Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema alluded to the war in Ukraine when she described in a speech photographs of death and destruction following a bombing raid on the Dutch capital during World War II. They are old photos, but the imagery is current, she said.

The national day of commemoration, at which flags fly at half staff from buildings throughout the country, honors military personnel and civilians killed in conflicts around the world since the outbreak of World War II. It is followed Thursday by celebrations to mark the countrys liberation from Nazi German occupation at the end of the war.

Earlier Wednesday, staff at a war cemetery in the eastern city of Nijmegen discovered pro-Ukraine graffiti sprayed on graves and buildings. Police were investigating the vandalism at the Jonkerbos cemetery, which is home to the graves of more than 1,600 Allied soldiers killed during World War II.
Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors May 3rd meeting View Photo

Sonora, CA  Whether or not to put an advisory measure on the November ballot to get citizens feedback about potentially allowing, and taxing, cannabis cultivation and dispensaries failed to get approval from Tuolumne Supervisors.

More than 30 individuals spoke at the public hearing on the issue. A majority, all but four, were against the measure, raising concerns about crime, dangers to children, and a poor investment of tax dollars. Even Tuolumne County Sheriff Bill Pooley interjected that it is too expensive and never pays for itself with the youth paying the price.

The handful of proponents countered that it brings added revenue in the form of jobs and taxes, which allows for more safety measures like hiring more law enforcement. The owner of the Hazy Bulldog also handed in a petition in favor of the measure, signed by 2,000 residents.

District 3 Supervisor Anaiah Kirk sided with those opposed to the measure. Regarding dispensaries, he stated, You can buy pot locally. Jurisdictionally, you dont need dispensaries because you can order it online and theyll deliver because they do daily weekly drops. Kirk also noted cultivation issues, explaining, This comes from CSAC, (California State Association of Counties): California state and local governments have licensed a far greater number of supply versus demand cannabis businesses. So, there is a huge supply and demand issue, way too much on the market.

District 5 Supervisor Jaron Brandon explained why he wanted the board to look at this issue again. I just look at a recreation program that right now because of compensation and hiring is struggling to find enough people to work at Standard Park. I look at the pay gap. We gave a big increase to deputies last year. And how were going to pay for that and the continuance of that. We do have huge staffing issues, and this was one of the things that I was exploring for revenue.

The supervisors nixed the idea with a 3 to 2 vote. Those opposed were Kirk, Dist. 2 Ryan Campbell and Dist. 4 Kathleen Haff. Those in favor were Brandon and Dist. 1 David Goldemberg.
Live updates | Ukrainians wait in Mexico City for US entry View Photo

MEXICO CITY  Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees are camping out in Mexico City and waiting for the U.S. government to allow them into the country.

About 500 evacuees were waiting Tuesday in large tents under a searing sun on a dusty field on the east side of Mexicos sprawling capital. The camp has been open only a week and from 50 to 100 people are arriving every day.

Some refugees have already been to the U.S. border in Tijuana where they were told they would no longer be admitted. Others arrived at airports in Mexico City or Cancun.

The U.S. government announced in late March that it would accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. Hundreds entered Mexico daily as tourists in Mexico City or Cancun and flew to Tijuana to wait for a few days to be admitted to the U.S. at a San Diego border crossing on humanitarian parole.

Giorgi Mikaberidze, 19, arrived in Tijuana April 25 and found the U.S. border closed. He went from being just yards from the United States to some 600 miles (966 kilometers) away in the Mexico City area. He said he traveled to Mexico alone.

Its very difficult to wait. We dont know how the program will work, he said.

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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:

 Russia storms Mariupol steel plant as some evacuees reach safety

 Debt drama far from over for Russia even though it dodges default

 Biden visit highlights strain on US weapons stockpile

 Pope Francis offers to meet Putin, but hasnt heard back

 German opposition leader visits Ukraine; chancellor refuses to go

Follow all AP stories on Russias war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

WASHINGTON  President Joe Bidens national security adviser met Tuesday with a Swedish foreign affairs officials and committed to continuing close coordination on security issues, a U.S. National Security Council spokesperson said.

NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson said National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Oscar Stenstrom, state secretary for foreign affairs to Swedens prime minister, discussed the security situation in Europe in light of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The topics included ongoing efforts to support Ukraine and impose costs on Russia, Watson said.

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WASHINGTON  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the war in Ukraine has worsened problems in the Western Hemisphere caused by the coronavirus pandemic, such as rising poverty.

Concerns about the war decreasing the availability of food and increasing prices have sparked fears of increasing hunger and starvation in other nations. Blinken told the annual Conference of the Americas Luncheon on Tuesday that the effects of the war are being felt after the pandemic inflicted massive economic harm throughout the region.

Giving the luncheons keynote address in Washington, Blinken said: Now, with the Russian governments brutal war of aggression on Ukraine, many of these preexisting problems, these preexisting conditions, have been made worse, raising the price of essential commodities throughout the Americas, from fertilizer to wheat to petroleum, cutting off key export markets for many industries in the Americas, and forcing households across the region to make very wrenching choices as the cost of living skyrockets.

Blinken plans to chair two United Nations meetings later this month aimed at spotlighting how the war in Ukraine and other conflicts is affecting the availability of food and prices.

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KYIV, Ukraine  Ukrainian officials say the Russian military has struck railroad infrastructure across the country.

Oleksandr Kamyshin, the head of the Ukrainian railways, said the Russian strikes on Tuesday hit six railway stations in the countrys central and western regions, inflicting heavy damage.

Kamyshin said at least 14 trains were delayed because of the attacks.

Dnipro region Gov. Valentyn Reznichenko said Russian missiles struck railway infrastructure in the area, leaving one person wounded and disrupting train movement.

The Ukrainian military also reported strikes on railways in the Kirovohrad region, saying there were unspecified casualties.

Ukraines railroads have played an important role in moving people, goods and military supplies during the war as roads and bridges have been damaged.

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TROY, Ala.  President Joe Biden on Tuesday credited the assembly line workers at a Javelin missile plant for doing life-saving work in building the antitank weapons that are being sent to Ukraine to stifle Russias invasion as he made a pitch for Congress to approve $33 billion so the U.S. can continue hustle aid to the front lines.

Youre allowing the Ukrainians to defend themselves, Biden told the workers, his podium flanked by Javelin missile launchers and shipping containers. And, quite frankly, theyre making fools of the Russian military in many instances.

The presidents visit to the Lockheed Martin factory in Alabama also drew attention to a growing concern as the war drags on: Can the U.S. sustain the cadence in shipping vast amounts of arms to Ukraine while maintaining a healthy stockpile it may need if conflict erupts with North Korea, Iran or elsewhere?

The U.S. has provided at least 7,000 Javelins, including some transferred during the Trump administration, or about one-third of its stockpile, to Ukraine in recent years, according to an analysis by Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies international security program. The Biden administration says it has committed to sending 5,500 Javelins to Ukraine since the Feb. 24 invasion.

Analysts also estimate that the United States has sent about one-quarter of its stockpile of shoulder-fired Stinger missiles to Ukraine. Raytheon Technologies CEO Greg Hayes told investors last week during a quarterly call that his company, which makes the weapons system, wouldnt be able to ramp up production until next year, due to parts shortages.

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UNITED NATIONS  The U.N. humanitarian chief in Ukraine says about 30 people who came out of the besieged Avostal steel plant in Mariupol chose not to leave the city, saying they were horrified at its total devastation and first wanted to find out if their loved ones were still alive.

Osnat Lubrani told a virtual press conference from the Ukrainian-held city of Zaporizhzhia soon after the arrival Tuesday of 127 people evacuated from the plant and the town of Manhush on Mariupols outskirts that she wants to believe the successful operation will be a stepping stone to more such operations from Avostal and other towns and cities being shelled and bombarded by the Russians.

She said there is knowledge that there are civilians still trapped in the Avostal plant, but the U.N. has no numbers.

Some of them may have been afraid to come out, some of them probably couldnt make it, Lubrani said. Its a huge area and some of the elderly people could hardly walk and a broken bus with flat tires was used to help some of them leave.

Speaking of the people who wanted to stay in Mariupol, she said, These are people that have lived their lives and worked in Mariupol and so it was difficult for them to just leave without knowing what the fate of their loved ones is.

Lubrani said the people still trapped underground in the Avostal plant will hear about the safe evacuation to Zaporizhzhia which is very important, so if we do another operation, I think hopefully more will come out.

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The Russian military says its artillery has hit over 400 Ukrainian targets during the last day.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Tuesday that the targets included Ukrainian artillery positions, troops strongholds and two fuel depots.

Konashenkov said Russian aircrafts have hit 39 other targets, including concentrations of troops and weapons and two command posts.

He charged that a U.S.-supplied artillery radar, four air defense radars and six ammunition depots were among the targets destroyed with precision-guided weapons over the last day.

Konashenkovs claims couldnt be independently verified.

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LVIV, Ukraine  Russian strikes have apparently targeted the western Ukraine city of Lviv.

The strikes happened in multiple directions just before 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday  about about an hour and a half after air raid sirens sounded in the city and reportedly went off across the entire country. At least four distinct explosions could be heard from downtown Lviv.

Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said the strikes damaged three power substations, knocking electricity off in parts of Lviv. Two pump stations were also without power, affecting water supply in the city. Two people were injured in the attack, according to the mayor.

Sadovyi wrote on a social message app that those in the city should take shelter. Trains coming out of Lviv stopped service. Car alarms went off after the blasts, and emergency sirens could be heard.

The mayor on Monday had a news conference with the countrys top U.S. diplomat, discussing how America planned to reopen its diplomatic presence in the city located near the Polish border.

The last major attack targeting the city came April 18, which killed at least seven people. Lviv has become a haven for those fleeing the wars front line in the east.

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PARIS  French President Emmanuel Macron, in a phone call Tuesday with Vladimir Putin, stressed the extreme gravity of the consequences of Russias war of aggression in Ukraine, and called on the Russian leader to allow evacuations from the Mariupol steel mill to continue, the Elysee Palace said.

Macron urged Russia to rise to the level of its responsibility as a permanent member of the U.S. Security Council by ending this devastating aggression, an Elysee statement said.

Macron asked Putin to restart evacuations at the Azovstal plant, which has served as a refuge for Ukrainians, in coordination with humanitarian units, while allowing evacuees to choose their destination, as called for under international law.

It was the first time that the French president has had a conversation with Putin since March 29  before the discovery of the exactions in the Ukrainian town of Bucha  after multiple telephone talks. The call came three days after Macron last spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Concerned about world food security, Macron said he was willing to work with international organizations to try to help seek a lifting of the Russian blockade on exports of food goods via the Black Sea, according to the statement.

He also restated his willingness to work on conditions for a negotiated solution to the war, for peace and for full respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and reiterated his oft-stated demand for a cease-fire, the statement said.

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KYIV, Ukraine  The Donetsk regional governor said the Russian troops on Tuesday shelled a chemical plant in Avdiivka, a city in eastern Ukraine, killing at least 10 people and wounding 15 more.

The Russians knew exactly where to aim  the workers just finished their shift and were waiting for a bus at a bus stop to take them home, Pavlo Kyrylenko wrote in a Telegram post. Another cynical crime by Russians on our land.

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GENEVA  A top Red Cross official helping oversee a dramatic, five-day effort that led to the evacuation of dozens of civilians from the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol to a government-held city said he remains extremely concerned about new clashes between Ukrainian and Russian forces there  with some other civilians still inside.

Pascal Hundt, who heads the Ukraine office of the International Committee of the Red Cross, said the humanitarian agency and the United Nations carried out the evacuation after Russia and Ukraine agreed that it would only include civilians. He said some people simply chose not to leave, and he didnt know why  but suspected fear about continued fighting played a part.

A total of 127 people were evacuated from Azovstal and the Mariupol area in buses that arrived in government-controlled Zaporizhzia on Tuesday.

We are today with a mixed feeling. We have done everything to help these people to basically leave the place where they were  to leave hell, Hundt said in a call with reporters from Kyiv. But we would have hoped that much more people would be able to join the convoy and to get out of hell.

Hundt said about a dozen people taken out in the convoy were sick or injured, but none were in critical condition.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Latvia has summoned Russias ambassador to the Baltic country over Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrovs anti-Semitic statements, the Latvian foreign minister said Tuesday.

The ambassador was to provide explanations on May 5 and receive a protest, Edgars Rinkevics wrote on Twitter.

In an interview with an Italian news channel, Lavrov said that Ukraine could still have Nazi elements even if some figures  including the countrys president  were Jewish, claiming that Hitler also had Jewish origins.

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BRUSSELS  The European Unions top diplomat says the blocs executive branch is on the cusp of proposing a new raft of sanctions against Russia, including on oil.

EU policy commissioners have been discussing the new sanctions and are set to send their proposals later Tuesday to the 27 member countries for debate.

The unions foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a tweet that the executive is working on the 6th package of sanctions which aims to de-swift more banks, list disinformation actors and tackle oil imports. Swift is the most widely used international system for bank transfers.

Member countries have been involved in drawing up the proposals, but they routinely take days to endorse them. The sanctions can only enter force once they are published in the EUs Official Journal. Hungary and Slovakia have already expressed reservations about signing on.

EU ambassadors are scheduled to meet on Wednesday. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is also likely to explain the proposals early Wednesday at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

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MOSCOW  Russian President Vladimir Putin has told French President Emmanuel Macron that Moscow is ready for talks with Ukraine.

The Kremlin said in its readout of Tuesdays call that despite Kyivs inconsistency and its lack of readiness for serious work, the Russian side is still ready for dialogue.

The Kremlin added that Putin also informed Macron about the course of Russias special military operation. It added that the two leaders also discussed the global food security and Putin underlined that Western sanctions have exacerbated the situation.

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ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine  The U.N.s aid coordinator for Ukraine says 127 people have been evacuated from the besieged Azovstal plant in Mariupol and nearby areas to a government-controlled city, in an operation carried out along with the international Red Cross.

Osnat Lubrani, the humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, said Tuesday that those evacuated included 101 people who could finally leave the bunkers below the Azovstal steelworks and see the daylight after two months.

Another 58 people joined the convoy in Manhush, a town on the outskirts of Mariupol.

Today, we brought people safely to Zaporizhzhia, Lubriani said. However, I worry that there may be more civilians who remain trapped.

The evacuees were receiving humanitarian assistance, including health and psychological care, from the U.N, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and partner agencies after arriving in Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday.

Some of the evacuees opted to be dropped off before arriving in the city, which is in government-controlled territory, Lubriani said in a statement.

 This item has been corrected to fix the spelling of Osnat Lubranis last name.

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KYIV, Ukraine  The deputy commander of the Azov Regiment that is holed up in the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol has confirmed to The Associated Press that Russian forces have started to storm the plant on Tuesday.

The move comes almost two weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered its military not to storm the plant, but rather block it off.

Asked about the reports in Ukrainian media that the huge steelworks  the last holdout of Ukrainian resistance in a city otherwise controlled by Moscows forces  was being stormed, Sviatoslav Palamar told the AP that it is true.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mariupol patrol police chief Mykhailo Vershinin was quoted by Ukrainian television as saying that the Russian military have started to storm the plant in several places.

The reports come amid a U.N. effort to evacuate civilians from the plant, which helped scores of people escape the sprawling facility.

According to Denys Shlega, commander of the 12th Operational Brigade of Ukraines National Guard who is also currently at Azovstal, 200 civilians including children remain at the plant.

Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk told reporters Tuesday that about 150 civilians have been taken from Azovstal and a few hundred remain at the plant. We need a few more days to continue this operation, Vereshchuk said.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Denmarks Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has urged her visiting Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, to try to influence Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

Putin has to stop this war, Frederiksen said Tuesday, adding immediately, I hope that India will influence Russia.

Indias neutral stance in the war has raised concerns in the West and earned praise from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who lauded India for judging the situation in its entirety, not just in a one-sided way.

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LONDON  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told Ukraines parliament that their country has achieved the greatest feat of arms of the 21st century by repelling Russias attempt to capture Kyiv.

Johnson addressed lawmakers in Ukraines legislature, the Verkhovna Rada, by video link on Tuesday. He is the first world leader to do so since Ukraine was invaded on Feb. 24.

Johnson, one of Ukraines most prominent international supporters, announced a new 300 million pound ($375 million) package of military aid to Ukraine, including radar, drones and armored vehicles.

Johnson said Ukraine had exploded the myth of (Russian President Vladimir) Putins invincibility, and expressed confidence Ukraine would win the war.

The British leader said Western allies had not done enough to stop Russia after it annexed Crimea and triggered a conflict in eastern Ukraine in 2014, and said Ukraines allies should not press it to give up territory to make peace.

He said you are the masters of your fate, and no-one can or should impose anything on Ukrainians. We in the U.K. will be guided by you and we are proud to be your friends.

By The Associated Press
Norman Mineta, transportation secretary in 9/11 era, dies View Photo

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  Norman Mineta, who broke racial barriers for Asian Americans serving in high-profile government posts and ordered commercial flights grounded after the 9/11 terror attacks as the nations federal transportation secretary, died Tuesday. He was 90.

John Flaherty, Minetas former chief of staff, said Mineta died peacefully at his home surrounded by family in Edgewater, Maryland, east of the nations capital.

His cause of death was a heart ailment, Flaherty added. He was an extraordinary public servant and a very dear friend.

Mineta broke racial barriers for Asian Americans in becoming mayor of San Jose, California early in his political career. He later became the first Asian American to become a federal Cabinet secretary, serving under both Democratic President Bill Clinton and Republican George W. Bush.

Bush went on to award Mineta the nations highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In a statement, the former president said Mineta was a wonderful American story about someone who overcame hardship and prejudice to serve in the United States Army, Congress, and the Cabinet of two Presidents.

As my Secretary of Transportation, he showed great leadership in helping prevent further attacks on and after 9/11. As I said when presenting him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Norm has given his country a lifetime of service, and hes given his fellow citizens an example of leadership, devotion to duty, and personal character, the former president said.

The son of Japanese immigrants who spent two years of his childhood at a World War II internment camp, Mineta began his political career leading his hometown of San Jose before joining the Clinton administration as commerce secretary and then crossing party lines to serve in Bushs Cabinet.

As Bushs transportation secretary, Mineta led the department during the crisis of Sept. 11, 2001, as hijacked commercial airliners barreled toward U.S. landmarks. After a second plane crashed into the World Trade Center, Mineta ordered the Federal Aviation Administration to ground all civilian aircraft  more than 4,500 in flight at the time. It was the first such order given in U.S. aviation history.

Mineta was subsequently tasked with restoring confidence in air travel in the aftermath of the terror attacks. He oversaw the hasty creation of the Transportation Security Administration, which took over responsibility for aviation security from the airlines.

Within a year, the TSA had hired tens of thousands of airport screeners, put air marshals on commercial flights and installed high-tech equipment to screen air travelers and their luggage for bombs.

The effort was derided at the time for wasteful spending and causing long lines at airports. But Mineta, widely liked and respected in Washington for his deep knowledge of transportation issues, managed to escape the brunt of that criticism.

In 2006, he resigned at age 74 after 5 and 1/2 years in his post, making him the longest-serving transportation secretary since the agency was created in 1967.

Born on Nov. 12, 1931, Norman Yoshio Mineta was 10 and wearing his Cub Scouts uniform when he and his parents were transported to be incarcerated in Wyoming after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

He went on to graduate from the University of California, Berkeley, with a bachelors degree in business administration and served as an Army intelligence officer in Korea and Japan. After three years with the military, he returned to San Jose to run his fathers Mineta Insurance Agency.

Minetas foray into politics came in 1967, when San Joses mayor tapped him to fill a vacant seat on the city council. He won re-election and served four more years on the council before winning the citys top seat in 1971, making him the first Asian-American mayor of a major city. It now has an airport that bears his name.

Mineta was elected to Congress in 1974 and served 10 terms representing Silicon Valley. During his tenure, he pushed for more funding for the FAA and co-authored a landmark law that gave state and local governments control over highway and mass transit decisions.

The co-founder of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus also scored a personal victory when he helped win passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which required the U.S. government to apologize to the 120,000 Japanese Americans forced to live in wartime internment camps. Former internees also received reparations of $20,000 each.

In 1993, Mineta became chairman of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee  another first  but he quickly lost that job after Republicans won control of the House in 1994.

Mineta resigned from Congress in 1995 to join Lockheed Martin Corp. as senior vice president of its transportation division, which built and operated electronic toll collection systems.

But Washington came calling again five years later when Clinton, in the final months of his presidency, appointed him to replace William Daley as commerce secretary.

Mineta then became the first cabinet secretary to make the switch directly from a Democratic to Republican administration. He was the only Democrat in Bushs cabinet.

As transportation secretary, Mineta successfully promoted private investment in roads and bridges such as the Chicago Skyway and Indiana Toll Road and helped secure passage of a $286 billion highway spending plan after almost two years of wrangling with Congress.

After overseeing the rapid launch of the TSA, Mineta had his department downsized by almost two-thirds when the TSA and Coast Guard were moved to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003 in the biggest government reorganization in nearly six decades.

After retiring from public service, he joined the public relations firm Hill & Knowlton as vice chairman and settled with his wife, Danealia, in Maryland near the Chesapeake Bay.

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Chea reported from San Francisco.

By BRIAN WITTE and TERENCE CHEA

Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP)  A Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy has been charged with assaulting a woman last year while he was on duty and then lying about it, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Deputy Konrad Thieme and two other deputies responded to a disturbance call in the San Fernando Valley on April 10, 2021, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. Thieme allegedly assaulted a 32-year-old woman there.

Prosecutors allege that Thieme then wrote a false account of what had occurred in a report. Parts of the incident were captured on his body-worn video camera.

The alleged victim, Sarah Jafari, filed a lawsuit in December against Los Angeles County and the deputy, alleging she was deprived of her civil rights during the assault. The lawsuit has since been moved to federal court and remains ongoing.

Thieme, 37, is charged with two felony counts of assault under the color of authority and one felony count of making false statements in a report.

We look forward to all of the facts and evidence coming to light in this case and proving Deputy Thiemes innocence, his attorney, Steven Alvarado, said in an email.

Thiemes arraignment has not yet been scheduled.

Police accountability is an essential component of a fair and just criminal legal system, District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement. Our office will not tolerate abuses of power that result in criminal acts by law enforcement officers who are sworn to protect our community.

Deputy Alejandra Parra, a spokesperson for the sheriffs department, said that the agency investigated the alleged assault and presented the case to the prosecutors. Thieme is on paid administrative leave.

Representatives for Los Angeles County and the union that represents deputies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Vincent Miller, an attorney for Jafari, said in an interview that his client was homeless for a while after the alleged attack. She did not want to return to her mothers house because the Thieme and the other deputies knew where she had lived, Miller said.

Shes lived in fear that hes going to come back to her house and murder her, which is understandable, Miller said. She didnt want to come home, she was terrified.

Jafaris lawsuit said that she is mentally disabled and suffers from a history of psychiatric problems with medical diagnoses of mental illness. She alleged that Thieme and other unnamed deputies saw an opportunity to violently toy with a disabled person when they were called to her mothers home last year.

Jafaris mother called the sheriffs department in April 2021 when Jafari began banging a door against a wall. Her mother feared for her daughters well-being and hoped law enforcement would help, the lawsuit said.

Jafari was walking backwards, away from the deputies, with her hands empty and outstretched when Thieme allegedly suddenly punched her in the throat, knocking her to the ground, according to the lawsuit.

They shocked her with a stun gun, the lawsuit said, even though she was being passive and was not resisting. She cried out in pain and Thieme allegedly grabbed Jafari by the hair and tossed her into the back of the patrol car like a rag doll, the lawsuit said. Jafari was taken to the hospital and then jailed.

The lawsuit alleged that the deputies then wrote a false report, claiming Jafari had resisted arrest. They later allegedly tried to get her mother to say Jafari had had a knife at the time, but she refused.

Jafaris lawsuit said the attack destabilized her mental health and left her with physical and emotional injuries. Miller, her attorney, said Jafari is seeking a jury trial but is open to mediation. The lawsuit also seeks unspecified financial damages.

By STEFANIE DAZIO

Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP)  The release of Trevor Reed from a Russian prison last week was cause for unadulterated celebration for his family. For Elizabeth Whelan, the experience was far more bittersweet.

When Whelan learned in an early-morning phone call from U.S. government officials that Reed was on his way home but that her brother, Paul, also imprisoned in Russia, was not, she says she uttered words that cannot be repeated," threw her phone onto the sofa in exasperation and knew she'd have to call her parents  in their 80s  to break the difficult news.

This is not something a normal family, just an everyday family, has to ever deal with. It is horrific," said Whelan, whose brother is serving a 16-year sentence on espionage-related charges that his family says are bogus. The U.S. government also considers Whelan's detention unjust and officials have called on Russia to release him.

Once we finally calmed down later in the morning, Elizabeth Whelan said, the family recognized that "we need to get in touch with the (Reeds) and let them know we're not upset about Trevor coming home. We're upset about Paul not coming home."

Reeds release in a surprise prisoner swap triggered similar mixed emotions for the families of Americans wrongfully detained overseas. It has also emboldened them: They hope to build off that rare burst of momentum and employ the same publicity tactics that worked for the Reeds.

I do think that the fact that they couldnt get them both out at the same time has re-energized that effort, and I hope it brings back the attention to all of these cases, Whelan said.

On Wednesday, relatives of American captives in countries including Venezuela, Iran and Rwanda gathered outside the White House to plead for the Biden administration's attention and to launch a new initiative to get their loved ones home. Several also urged the administration to consider additional prisoner swaps like the one that brought home Reed, who was exchanged for a convicted Russian drug trafficker.

Everett Rutherford, whose nephew, Matthew Heath, is jailed in Venezuela, said the Biden administration needs to display courage and moral fiber." He said no one in Congress will ever bash" President Joe Biden over a deal that gets a wrongfully jailed American home.

And we need action from the man who occupies the house behind me, Rutherford said, referring to Biden.

Heath, a former U.S. Marine corporal, was arrested in 2020 at a roadblock in Venezuela and accused by President Nicolas Maduro of being a terrorist and spying for Donald Trump. His family and supporters maintain that he is innocent.

Responding to the families' concerns, State Department spokesman Ned Price said Wednesday that the administration is doing everything it can  almost all of it unseen, almost all voted unsaid in public  to bring home American hostages and detainees.

Reed's release came one month after his parents traveled to Washington and stood outside the White House in hopes of getting a meeting with Biden, whose attention they had earlier tried to attract during a presidential visit to Texas. The Reeds got the meeting they sought, giving other families incentive to try to get in front of the administration too.

You have to go the president  the one who's going to have to make the tough decisions to solve these particular cases, Elizabeth Whelan said. Either that, or there needs to be a better approach to wrongful detention so that were not constantly knocking on his door.

The last week has yielded an unusual flurry of activity. Besides Reeds release, Biden met at the White House on Monday with the parents of Austin Tice, an American journalist abducted in Syria in August 2012. Their meeting came after Tices mother, Debra, attended the White House Correspondents Association Dinner on Saturday night.

The following day, the State Department announced that it had reclassified Brittney Griner, a WNBA star imprisoned in Russia on a drug-related charge, as wrongfully detained. The designation assigns her case to the office of the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, which negotiates for the release of hostages and wrongful detainees.

Price, the State Department spokesman, declined to offer specifics about the reclassification, but said that factors for designating someone as wrongfully detained include an indication of innocence; if the detention is based on someone being a U.S. national; and if the detainee's due process has been sufficiently denied or impaired.

In March, the U.S. secured the release of an American oil executive in Venezuela, Gustavo Cardenas, as well as another American jailed there. But five other of Cardenas's colleagues, known collectively as the Citgo 6 for the Houston oil company where they all worked, were left behind.

Alexandra Forseth, whose father and uncle remain jailed in Venezuela as part of the Citgo 6, said there's always a roller coaster of emotions  from joy that a prisoner is being released to terror over how much political capital the U.S. government may have expended to make a deal happen, and whether enough will remain for additional deals.

If you think of it as a pressure system  pressure builds and they take action, because their policy right now is very reactive, Forseth said.

They just let off some off some pressure by reuniting Trevor," she added. So our question, is, OK, now we're kind of starting again: How much pressure do we need to build before they take another action, and how many more times do we have to do that before all the families are free?"

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Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP
JERUSALEM (AP)  Hecklers interrupted Israel's prime minister for several minutes during a Memorial Day address on Wednesday in which he called for unity, laying bare the country's internal divisions even as it mourns its dead.

At least two people shouted swindler and shame as Naftali Bennett cast ongoing friction among Jews as an existential threat to the country. At one point, Bennett, whose family has received death threats in recent weeks, put his hand over his heart as he looked out over the crowd at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem.

Bereaved families are holy. You are allowed to shout, you are allowed to mourn, he said as the yelling and screaming continued. I hear the pain."

Bennett has faced vicious criticism from erstwhile allies on Israel's nationalist right for forming a coalition government with left-wing parties and an Arab faction last year following a series of gridlocked elections.

Israeli media identified one of the hecklers as Herzl Hajaj, whose daughter was killed in an attack in Jerusalem in 2017 and who became an outspoken critic of Bennett last year.

It was a sharp display of bitterness on a day and in a setting that are among Israel's most solemn. A few hours earlier, sirens wailing for two minutes called the country to a halt. People stopped and stood, heads bowed, in honor of more than 24,000 people lost in the nation's conflicts. In addition to the soldiers killed, Memorial Day honors more than 3,000 people killed in militant attacks.

Bereaved families visit cemeteries and attend memorial ceremonies, as television and radio shift programming to somber music, broadcasts of memorial services and documentaries about slain soldiers. At sundown, the occasion turns festive, and on the following day Israelis celebrate Independence Day with military flyovers and barbecues.

Bennett's unity theme was familiar, and personal.

Last week, as Israel remembered the 6 million Jews killed during the Holocaust, Bennett pleaded for Israelis to refrain from fighting one another even at a time of great division in the fragile government he leads.

Bennett said national unity is Israel's duty to the fallen.

Brothers and sisters, if we are not together, we will not be at all. We have no existence as conflicting tribes, rather, only as a varied and united nation, Bennett said.

Israel has fought several wars with neighboring Arab countries, battled two Palestinian uprisings and endured scores of deadly militant attacks since its establishment in 1948.
LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Complaining that the West is "stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line targets across the country, as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war Wednesday by proposing a ban on oil imports.

Heavy fighting also raged at the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol that represented the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined southern port city, according to the mayor. A Russian official denied that Moscow's troops were storming the plant, but the commander of the main Ukrainian military unit inside said Russian troops had broken into the mill's territory.

The Russian military also said it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of resorting to the missile terrorism tactics in order to spread fear across Ukraine.

Air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country on Wednesday night, and attacks were reported near Kyiv, the capital; in Cherkasy and Dnipro in central Ukraine; and in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. In Dnipro, authorities said a rail facility was hit. Videos on social media suggested a bridge there was attacked.

There was no immediate word on casualties or the extent of the damage.

Responding to the strikes in his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: All of these crimes will be answered, legally and quite practically  on the battlefield.

The flurry of attacks comes as Russia prepares to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, marking the Soviet Unions defeat of Nazi Germany. The world is watching for whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will use the occasion to declare a victory in Ukraine or expand what he calls the special military operation.

A declaration of all-out war would allow Putin to introduce martial law and mobilize reservists to make up for significant troop losses.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the speculation as nonsense.

Meanwhile, Belarus, which Russia used as a staging ground for its invasion, announced the start of military exercises Wednesday. A top Ukrainian official said the country will be ready to act if Belarus joins the fighting.

The attacks on rail infrastructure were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons.

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagon's assessment, said that while the Russians have tried to hit critical infrastructure around the western city of Lviv, specifically targeting railroads, there has been no appreciable impact on Ukraines effort to resupply its forces. Lviv, close to the Polish border, has been a major gateway for NATO-supplied weapons.

Weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces thwart Russias initial drive to seize Kyiv and seems certain to play a central role in the growing battle for the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Moscow now says is its main objective.

Ukraine has urged the West to ramp up the supply of weapons ahead of that potentially decisive clash. Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which had been slow at first to help arm Ukraine, said his government is considering supplying howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment it has agreed to send.

The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which lies in the Donbas, said Russian attacks left 21 people dead on Tuesday, the highest number of known fatalities since April 8, when a missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk killed at least 59.

In addition to supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. have sought to punish Moscow with sanctions. The EU's top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to ban Russian oil imports, a crucial source of revenue.

We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The proposal needs unanimous approval from EU countries and is likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they won't take part in any oil sanctions. They could be granted an exemption.

The EU is also talking about a possible embargo on Russian natural gas. The bloc has already approved a cutoff of coal imports.

Russias economy is heavily dependent on oil and natural gas exports. Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, said European purchases of Russian energy produce billions in revenue and support the Kremlin's war machine.

Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russias largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.

In Mariupol, Mayor Vadym Boychenko said that Russian forces were targeting the already shattered Azovstal plant with heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft, warships and heavy bombs that pierce concrete 3 to 5 meters thick.

Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult, he said.

Ukrainian fighters said Tuesday that Russian forces had begun storming the plant. But the Kremlin said that was not true. There is no assault," Peskov said.

Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Ukrainian Azov regiment that's defending the plant, said Russian forces have broken into the plant's territory.

Prokopenko said in a video that the incursions continued for a second day, and there are heavy, bloody battles.

The situation is extremely difficult, but in spite of everything, we continue to carry out the order to hold the defense, he added.

His wife, Kateryna Prokopenko, told The Associated Press: We dont want them to die. They wont surrender. They are waiting for the bravest countries to evacuate them."

Meanwhile, the United Nations announced that more than 300 civilians were evacuated Wednesday from Mariupol and other nearby communities. The evacuees arrived in Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles (230 kilometers) to the northwest, where they were receiving humanitarian assistance.

Many came with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, and we will now support them during this difficult time, including with much-needed psychological support, said Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.

Over the weekend, more than 100 people  including women, the elderly and 17 children  were evacuated from the plant during a cease-fire in an operation overseen by the U.N. and the Red Cross. But the attacks on the plant soon resumed.

The Russian government said on the Telegram messaging app that it would open another evacuation corridor from the plant during certain hours on Thursday through Saturday. But there was no immediate confirmation of those arrangements from other parties, and many previous such assurances from the Kremlin have fallen through, with the Ukrainians blaming continued fighting by the Russians.

It was unclear how many Ukrainian fighters were still inside, but the Russians put the number at about 2,000 in recent weeks, and 500 were reported to be wounded. A few hundred civilians also remained there, the Ukrainian side said.

Mariupol, and the plant in particular, have come to symbolize the misery inflicted by the war. The Russians have pulverized most of the city in a two-month siege that has trapped civilians with little food, water, medicine or heat.

The city's fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops to fight elsewhere in the Donbas.

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Anna reported from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yesica Fisch in Zaporizhzhia, Inna Varenytsia and David Keyton in Kyiv, Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and AP staff around the world contributed to this report.

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Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Courtesy of H-E-B LP

As H-E-B continues its rapid growth into Central and North Texas, the store has broken ground on a new location outside of Austin. Construction began on the 121,000-square-foot store at 1010 W University Avenue in Georgetown, located in a new 164-acre residential and retail development called Wolf Lakes Village on the corner of Interstate 35 and State Highway 29, according to a news release.

The new H-E-B will replace the 67,000-square-foot store at 1100 South I35 that opened in 1989.
Fredericksburg is one of the Texas Hill Country's oldest communities and the whole community is celebrating the city turning 175-years-old with a weekend full of events. From Friday, May 6 to Sunday, May 8, locals and visitors alike can enjoy free events to honor Fredericksburg and its history.

Starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, the "Last Friendship" ceremony will be at the Gillespie County Fairgrounds.

"During our friendship ceremony we will welcome our guests in multiple languages that have been spoken in Fredericksburg during the last 175 years," said Tony Klein, Chairman of the 175th Anniversary Steering in a news release. Guest will be welcomed in English, German, Spanish, and Comanche.

New Braunfels representatives Anne Miller and Benno Engel will present Fredericksburg with a special 175th anniversary gift. New Braufnels was founded in 1845, one year before Fredericksburg.

The Cowboy cookout dinner begins at 7:15 p.m. and includes sausage and potato meals by donation. At 7:30 p.m., the 175th anniversary beard contest winner will be announced. The Sam Whiskey Band will play at 8 p.m. The fireworks show will begin at 9:30 p.m., but may be rescheduled depending on the Gillespie County burn ban, with music to resume after the fireworks conclude.

Miguel Sotomayor/Getty Images

Fredericksburg 175th Anniversary Parade

The parade will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The parade will feature 13 themes: lasting craftsmanship, lasting traditions, lasting family heritage, lasting stewardship of land, lasting education, lasting healthcare, lasting innovation, lasting faith, lasting service, lasting leadership, lasting commerce, lasting arts and music, and lasting friendship. There are over 30 floats confirmed for the parade, according to a news release.

Trish McCabe-Rawls/Fredericksbur/San Antonio Express-News

The parade route will begin at the intersection of Main and Adams Street, U-turn at Washington Street in front of the National Museum of the Pacific War, before proceeding West on Main Street for eight blocks and end at the intersection of Main and Bowie Street.

Founders Day Celebration

On Saturday, a Founders Day Celebration will take place from 11 a.m to 3 p.m. at the Pioneer Museum.

"We hope the citizens of Fredericksburg will come celebrate the city's 175th Geburtstag at their own Pioneer Museum. Free admission for the day with lots of German music, great food from community service organizations, and lots of historical displays and demonstrations that the family will enjoy," said event organizer Marty Kaderli in a news release.

There is free admission to the Pioneer Museum, Old Jail and Vereins Kirche Museum. Family-friendly events include blacksmithing, corn shellers, grist mills, fencing, and rope making demonstrations along with early period farming tractors will be on display.

At noon, H-E-B and Natural Grocers will have a free community ice cream social. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Yodel Blitz will perform followed by the Fredericksburg Accordion Club from 2 to 3 p.m.

Pat's Hall Night at Marktplatz Honors

The free to attend night will pay homage to the bygone era of dancing. The live music and dancing will begin at 5 p.m. Saturday. Pat's Hall opened in the 1920s as Seipp's Hall. There are two dance floors, one indoors and one under a historic oak tree.

"We are excited to recreate the ambiance of Pats Hall, a longtime favorite dance hall of locals. Since I moved here in the late 70s many people have shared wonderful memories listening to music and dancing there," said Debbie Reeh, a 175th committee member, in a news release. "One I remember well was the outdoor pavilion and dancing around in a circle under the huge oak tree. I, too, got to dance under that tree. For our Pats Hall evening, Karen Oestreich and I went to Friendly Natives to inquire about a tree. They donated a 22-foot oak tree for us to dance around. The tree will be under the Adelsverein Halle on May 7th."

Music starts with the Bill Smallwood Band followed by the Wagon Aces from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Mark Scott will play from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Darrel and Mona McCall with Tony Booth will play from 7:45 to 9:30 p.m., and closing the night will be George Chambers and the Country Gentlemen from 9:45 to 11 p.m. Guest are invited to bring their own chairs, drinks and snacks.

Meusebach-Comanche Peace Treaty Exhibit

The free two-day only exhibit on Saturday and Sunday will display the original Meusebach-Comanche peace treaty in a temporary gallery in the National Museum of the Pacific War at 311 East Austin Street. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"The original Meusebach-Comanche Treaty was signed between the German Immigration Company and the Comanches on May 9, 1847, says Mike Hagee, President and CEO of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation in a news release. "It was the only treaty with Native Americans never broken by either side. The document is normally stored at the Texas State Library and Archives in Austin."

For a full list of activities in Fredericksburg, check out their website.
Whether you're debating if Dash Rendar is still canon or you just love how cute Baby Yoda is, there is something for every level of Star Wars fan going on in San Antonio this weekend. Star Wars Day, also known as May The Fourth, is a day to celebrate the fandom and legacy of the films, video games, comic books, and popular TV series. San Antonio is the place to do that considering we got a blessing from the Mandalorian himself.

I love Star Wars as much as the next fan, so much so that I stick to a particular order in which I watch the Skywalker Saga. I don't even include Episode 1. Trust me, with this order you won't end up ruining the biggest revelation in Episode 5 or sitting through the worst entry in the saga.

But most of you reading this might be more casual fans, enjoying the spectacle, characters, and visual effects of the iconic films at a surface level. That is completely fine. Movies are made to be enjoyed.

Luckily San Antonio has plenty to do help every fan celebrate.

Lightsaber Pub Crawl

This event by It's A Pub Crawl Thing isn't on Wednesday, May 4, but let's be honest, you probably want to celebrate Star Wars into the weekend. The Lightsaber Pub Crawl will help you do just that with libations and costume. If you come with the best costume you could win $15,000 in prizes.

It may not start at the Mos Eisely cantina, but the pub crawl will begin at Coyote Ugly Saloon at 409 E Commerce Street at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 7.

Find out more here.

May The 4th (Be With You) @ The Bonham

Maybe you want to get a little gay and a little dark to celebrate Star Wars Day. San Antonio's biggest gay nightclub, The Bonham Exchange, will be hosting at Star Wars theme Ritual event, which features dark, industrial, and goth dance music.

The event kicks off at 9 p.m. on May 4 at 411 Bonham. All are welcome.

Find out more here.

Trivia Night: May the 4th Be With You @ 1917 Restaurant and Bar

So this event is probably for the more serious fans, but maybe padawan level Star Wars fans want to try their knowledge at this trivia night.

The event will be held at the 1917 Restaurant and Bar at 7610 S New Braunfels Avenue starting 6:30 p.m. on May 4. There is a $5 entry fee.

Find out more here.

SARR May the 4th Be With You Run @ McAllister Park

This one is for Star Wars fans who want pay homage to films while getting in a workout at this May the 4th Be With You Run on May 4. There is also special course for a kids fun run and participants are encouraged dress in costume.

Sign up for the 4-mile and 2-mile courses will end at 6:30 p.m. on May 4, and participants can choose a "light side" or "dark side" course. Sign up for the kids 400-yard fun run will end at 5:45 p.m. Packets can be picked up at the McAllister Park Pavilion No. 2 at 13298 Buckhorn Road.

Sign up for a race here.
Press Release

May 4, 2022 Support for TESDAMAN snowballs further with endorsement from Iglesia ni Cristo Senator Joel TESDAMAN Villanueva is "humbled and thankful" for the endorsement of the Iglesia ni Cristo, the latest in the diverse list of sectors backing his reelection bid. "I am grateful to the Iglesia ni Cristo led by its Executive Minister Ka Eduardo V. Manalo for their invaluable support. Tunay na isang malaking karangalan ang ma-endorso sa pagka-Senador ng buong kapatiran ng INC. Much is given, much is required kaya hihigitan pa po natin ang ating nagawa para paglingkuran ang ating mga kababayan", he said in a statement. Villanueva said the support he is getting from various associations and groups representing sectoral interests "is a validation of the good work we are doing in the Senate." "If you are doing your best for the good of your fellow men, regardless of their politics, creed, beliefs and social status, then probably these are rewards you reap," Villanueva said. The INC leadership bared its list of senatorial candidates it supports on Tuesday evening over Net25. Meanwhile, a sample ballot circulated among the Iglesia membership lists Villanueva as among the candidates it supports. On the other hand, the El Shaddai charismatic community invited Villanueva to its weekly gathering in Paranaque City on Saturday, joining 10 other senatorial candidates who sought the blessing of its leader Bro. Mike Velarde. Expressing gratitude to the support, Villanueva said these endorsements "are both a blessing and a burden." "With those endorsements come the responsibility to perform even better, to work even harder, to exercise the mandate with excellence, to always do what is right," Villanueva said. While these endorsements come once every six years, "you have to honor the trust every day of your incumbency. You have to repay it with good deeds and honest work," he said. "Ang paniniwala po natin sa buhay ay hindi dapat sila mapahiya sa tiwalang ibinigay sa atin," said Villanueva, who rose out of nowhere in the 2016 general elections to finish second in a tight field with a mandate of 18,459,222 votes. "Ipagpapatuloy po natin ang ating krusada na gumawa at lumikha pa ng maraming trabaho bilang inyong TESDAMAN sa Senado," he said. "In addition to the oath I keep, that is the social contract for the common good I have to live up to," Villanueva said. Villanueva, who has logged 15 years in both houses of Congress, has secured endorsements from different sectors and religious groups. The lawmaker, known as TESDAMAN, expressed gratitude to the broad support backing his reelection bid. Villanueva is also a common candidate of presidential aspirants Vice President Leni Robredo, and Senators Ping Lacson and Manny Pacquiao, and vice presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. President Rodrigo Duterte also conveyed his support for the Senate reelection bid of Senator Villanueva.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  An Oklahoma man claiming to be a film financier was convicted Tuesday in South Florida of participating in a scheme to steal more than $60 million from investors and producers seeking financing for movies and Broadway shows.

A federal jury in Fort Lauderdale found Jason Van Eman, 44, guilty of conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering, according to court records. His sentencing is scheduled for July 21.
Hundreds of locals gathered for the San Antonio rally defending abortion rights in front of the Federal Courthouse on Tuesday, May 3. The emergency protest was held after Politico leaked a draft opinion that showed a majority of Supreme Court justices agreeing to vote to strike down Roe v. Wade.

The draft revealed how it would overturn the 1973 case Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion nationwide. It's unclear if the draft represents the court's final word on the matter. Politico reported justices can and sometimes do change their votes as draft opinions circulate.

But, if voted through, the draft stated it would return the issue of abortion to the states and the people's elected representatives.

When the news broke, many voiced their disapproval of the draft. Demonstrators rallied outside the U.S. Supreme Court on the night of Monday, May 2 after the draft was leaked. Most were pro-abortion rights protesters, according to AXIOS. A small group of anti-abortion demonstrators was also present.

The rally in San Antonio was part of a nationwide effort to stand for pro-abortion rights. Women's March asked folks to protest outside their respective federal courthouse buildings across the U.S. on Tuesday. Around 250 people showed up to chant and share their testimonies at the rally.

"The Supreme Court is acting in defiance of the American people," Tahira Mammen, chair of Womens March of Central Texas said at the San Antonio rally. "Eighty percent of Americans support abortion. We are not the minority, we are in the majority."

Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales showed up at the San Antonio rally in support of the demonstrators. He spoke to the media saying, "I'm here because I stand with this group. I'm here because I believe in a woman's right to choose. I'm here because I don't believe the government has any business interfering with a woman's decision regarding her own health."

In Texas, abortion rights are already limited. Last year, Gov. Greg Abbott signed into a law a measure that would prohibit abortions as early as six weeks  before some people know they are pregnant  and open the door for almost any private citizen to sue abortion providers and others. The law went into effect in September.

However, in Bexar County, Gonzales says no one will be prosecuted as long as he's District Attorney.

"I'm here to tell the entire community of Bexar County that they don't need to be worried about whether or not anybody's going to prosecute them for making a decision about their own body," Gonzales said.
By Lambert Strether of Corrente

Bird Song of the Day

Warbler Week Two at Naked Capitalism. From Manitoba, Canada ion 1958 (!). Seven minutes of intermittent warbling, with trail sounds and night birds.

* * *

Politics

But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? James Madison, Federalist 51

They had learned nothing, and forgotten nothing. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord

When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. Hunter Thompson

Capitol Seizure

Biden Adminstration

Im going to skip all the liberal Democrat aghastitude on the Alito draft over-turning Roe, because weve heard it all before, and present instead such posts as I can find on the legal cases against Alito; theyre pretty thin on the ground. Biden checked with President Manchin on that filibuster thing: If the Court overturns Roe, it will fall on our nations elected officials at all levels of government to protect a womans right to choose. And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November.  Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 3, 2022 THOMAS E. DOBBS, STATE HEALTH OFFICER OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, ET AL, PETITIONERS v. JACKSON WOMENS HEALTH ORGANIZATION, FT AL. (PDF) [Supreme Court of the United States]. This is Alitos draft. Appendix A is contains statutes criminalizing abortion at all stages of pregnancy in the States existing in 1868. The statutes appear in chronological order. And so Missouri (1825) is first on the list (and Im not sure, frankly, that Missouri (1825) is the killer argument Alito seems to think it is). Here is a critique of Appendix As list: Two of the states he includes in the 28 count and quoted in his own appendix only forbade abortion via dangerous poisons, not via common surgical procedures. See Nebraska (@ p.82) (abortion via "poison or other noxious" substance)) & Louisiana (@ p.76 (via "drug or potion").  Aaron Tang (@AaronTangLaw) May 3, 2022 The thread is long, and does make me wonder if Appendix A is an example of conservative copy-pasta. The Supreme Courts draft opinion on overturning Roe v. Wade, annotated (not paywalled) [WaPo]. For example, a clever tactic by Alito: If anybody has a post defending Roes drafting, please add in comments; I find Alitos excoriation pretty convincing (which says nothing about the effects of his draft, if it becomes the law of the land). Its impossible to wall off reversing Roe from landmark marriage and contraception rulings [CNN]. In the draft, Alito said that what sharply distinguishes Roe, and the 1992 follow-up Casey v. Planned Parenthood, from those other cases is that abortion destroys potential life. None of the other decisions cited by Roe and Casey, involved the critical moral question posed by abortion, he said. They do not support the right to an abortion, and by the same token, our conclusion that the Constitution does not confer such a right does not undermine them in any way. But critics of the draft decision will take cold comfort in Alitos words attempting to wall off abortion from everything else They believe that if Alitos opinion is ultimately rendered, it will represent an opening salvo in a push to target other rights grounded in privacy and liberty. It will also destabilize the law by rendering the legal doctrine of stare decisis  the notion that courts should follow their precedents even if they disagree with them, to protect the cohesion of the law  a dead letter. And it will raise new questions about the politicization of the court legal experts are skeptical that the fallout wont be swift. They point to another part of Alitos draft opinion. He noted that the Biden administration had relied upon decisions like Lawrence v. Texas (the right to engage in private, consensual sexual acts) and Obergefell v. Hodges (the right to marry a person of the same sex) in defending Roe. These attempts to justify abortion through appeals to a broader right to autonomy and to define ones concept of existence prove too much, Alito wrote. He said that such criteria at a high level of generality could license fundamental rights to illicit drug use, prostitution, and the like. None of these rights has any claim to being deeply rooted in history , he said.  To say that legal reasoning has knock-on effects is not to refute the reasoning. That said, this deeply rooted in history catchphrase  What is deep? What is rooted? Who decides?  which Alito fondles as if it were a rosary, doesnt impress me much. Slavery, after all, was rooted in history. So was the idea that the State couldnt set maximum working hours (Lochner). One might, in fact, argue that in history, the only constant is change. That is the root. Gay marriage, other rights at risk after U.S. Supreme Court abortion move [Reuters]. Abortion is among a number of fundamental rights that the court over many decades recognized at least in part as what are called substantive due process liberties, including contraception in 1965, interracial marriage in 1967 and same-sex marriage in 2015. Though these rights are not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, they are linked to personal privacy, autonomy, dignity and equality. Conservative critics of the substantive due process principle have said it improperly lets unelected justices make policy choices better left to legislators. Alito reasoned in the draft that substantive due process rights must be deeply rooted in U.S. history and tradition and essential to the nations scheme of ordered liberty. Abortion, he said, is not, and rejected arguments that it is essential for privacy and bodily autonomy reasons.  Roots grow downward, as the tree grows. Hence, the most deeply rooted roots are the newest, not the oldest, as Alito would have it. Block that metaphor! Deeply rooted in this Nations history and tradition [Hogelands Bad History]. For precedent [on deeply rooted], Alito cites Washington v. Glucksbergthats the source of the material in the quotation marks above. In that 1997 decision, the court came up with what Justice Kavanaugh has called the Glucksberg test, a concept that the legal right wing has adopted as the standard for determining which if any rights not enumerated in the Constitution are protected and which are not. In 2018, the writer Ian Millhiser pointed out in a ThinkProgress article that in his confirmation hearing, Kavanaugh asserted that all roads lead to the Glucksberg test,; from which Milhiser deducedcorrectly, we now know, if we didnt beforethat Kavanaugh was eager to overturn Roe v. Wade. Millhiser also noted that in a 2017 speech, Kavanaugh had already explicitly connected the Glucksberg test to the idea that the Roe case had been wrongly decided. All of which Senator Collins either didnt notice or care to notice, or pretended not to notice, when she claimed shed reject any nominee who would overturn it. But wait. A principle so rooted in the traditions and conscience of our people as to be ranked as fundamental? Thats a rule? I meanranked by whom? How? And the conscience of which of the people? Not of the very essence of a scheme of ordered liberty? Who decided whats of the very essence of such a scheme? When? Alitos draft thus cites precedent that itself relies on decisions denying federal protections for trial by jury and against self-incrimination. Along with Kavanaughs and others elevating such stuff as the basis for a so-called hard-and-fast test, all of this suggests to me that the roots of the deep-rootedness run pretty deeply into an Anglophile national fantasia wrapped in a wishful oratory framed in the passive voice.  Well worth a read as Hogeland traces back the case law. No, Justices Did Not Commit Perjury in Their Confirmation Hearings When Asked About Roe [Jonathan Turley]. In recent hearings, some of us have criticized Democratic members for demanding assurances on how nominees would vote on particular cases or issues. However, both Democratic and Republican nominees have largely stuck to rote responses on Roe and other cases to refuse to make such commitments. As Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg famously insisted, there would be no forecasts, no hints. The problem is that politicians often display a type of selective auditory attention problem: they hear what they want to hear. Indeed, confirmation hearings are highly choreographed on both sides. Each senator seeks to secure a thirty-second clip showing that he or she secured assurances or trashed a nominee. For pro-choice senators like Sen. Collins, it is essential to have some answer that would support a claim that, despite seemingly antagonistic judicial philosophical views, a nominee would not likely overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.  I think Turley is logic-chopping, here. I dont think the issue is perjury, or what was said at the hearings (confirmation nonspeak). Certainly, for Collins, the issue is that Kavanaugh looked her in the eye in her office and lied to her face. I dont know what the legalities of that are. (I mean, is lying to a Senator like lying to the FBI? During a job interview.) Structurally, the issue is credentialism-blinded liberal Democrats made the hearings all about professional qualifications, when they should have hammered on ideology from the beginning. Bork should have been the start of that, not the ending. Democratic Party Betrayal, Abortion, and the Supreme Court [Black Agenda Report]. The lead: Democrats have been fooled into thinking that only the courts can protect abortion rights. In fact, legislation could protect abortion permanently, but their party has refused to do that. Now that SCOTUS control is lost because of their corruption and betrayals, they continue to spin lies that bamboozle the party faithful.  Yep. It does occur to me that working class women lost the right to a legal abortion years ago. The voters the Democrats hope to activate, one might speculate, are suburban women. If thats true, it will be interesting to see how the Republican attempt to nationalize issues with the schools play out, since schools are also a matter of great concern to these women. What Now? [Amy Walter, Cook Political Report]. But, what about a blue state, like Virginia. In the 2021 gubernatorial contest, Democrat Terry McAuliffe spent more than $2 million on ads like this one accusing his GOP opponent, Glenn Youngkin of wanting to ban abortion and defund Planned Parenthood. Even so, that was less than half the amount that the McAuliffe campaign on ads trying to link Youngkin with Donald Trump. This suggests that the abortion issue, even in a state as blue as this one, wasnt moving the needle for the voters the McAuliffe campaign was targeting. Exit polls in that race found that Youngkin did better among the 54 percent of Virginia voters who fall in the middle of the spectrum on the issue of abortion. Youngkin took 37 percent of the vote among those who want abortion to be legal in most cases, while McAuliffe took just 12 percent of the vote among those who want abortion to be illegal in most cases. Bottom Line: We are in the very early stages of what could be the first major change to abortion laws in 50 years. As such, we need to watch the above benchmarks like salience and enthusiasm about the issue very closely. And, given that these battles will take place at the state level, well also need to get more state by state data to make any projections on the impact it could have on individual statewide races.

2022

* * * Trump flexes and the center shrinks: 5 takeaways from a key primary night [Politico]. Trump probably has one more chance to run for president, in 2024. But the 75-year-old former president is putting an imprint on the party in the midterms that could last for decades, regardless of whether he runs again. Vance, his endorsed candidate in the Ohio Senate race, is only 37. Max Miller, a former Trump aide who won his House primary in Ohio in a landslide, is in his early 30s. In a northeast Ohio House race, Trump-backed attorney Madison Gesiotto Gilbert, who is 30, was running ahead in early returns. Rep. Ted Budd, who has a comfortable lead in North Carolinas Senate primary, which will be held later this month, is 50. If Trumps candidates keep winning, it will all add up to a lot of Trump loyalty coursing through the party for years. Also and interestingly: Of all of Mike Pences carefully plotted maneuvers ahead of a possible 2024 presidential bid, it was his endorsement of a close friend in a little-watched Indiana county prosecutor race that proved most pivotal in his backyard. In the GOP primary for Hamilton County prosecutor, Pence backed challenger Greg Garrison, his handpicked successor on his old radio show The Mike Pence Show. Pence pulled out all of the stops for Garrison, who beat longtime incumbent D. Lee Buckingham Tuesday night. And: Theres one area in which the activist wing of the Republican Party appears likely to keep struggling  dispatching incumbent governors. OH: Vance Wins Republican Senate Primary in Ohio After Nod From Trump [New York Times]. J.D. Vance, the best-selling author whose Hillbilly Elegy about life in Appalachia illuminated a slice of the country that felt left behind, decisively won the Ohio Senate primary on Tuesday after a late endorsement by Donald J. Trump helped him surge past his rivals in a crowded field. Casting himself as a fighter against the nations elites, Mr. Vance ran as a Trump-style pugilist and outsider who railed against the threats of drugs, Democrats and illegal immigration, while thoroughly backpedaling from his past criticisms of the former president. Mr. Vance had been trailing in most polls behind Josh Mandel, a former Ohio state treasurer who had also aggressively pursued Mr. Trumps backing, until the former presidents mid-April endorsement helped vault Mr. Vance ahead. Trump-style Republicans did not prevail in the other top contest on Tuesday. Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio, a more traditional Republican who has held offices in the state for more than 40 years, finished far ahead of his multiple primary rivals after a strong right-wing challenge never gained traction despite some conservative backlash to Mr. DeWines early and assertive response to the coronavirus pandemic. In the Senate race, Mr. Vance will now face Representative Tim Ryan, a 48-year-old Democrat from the Youngstown area who has positioned himself as a champion of blue-collar values and has not aligned with some of his partys more progressive positions.  The press fell in love with Hillbilly Elegy, no doubt because of its emphasis on personal risk assessment responsibility. (If you want to get a real look at whats happening out in the biomass, look at Chris Arnades photographs, which are brilliant and far more interesting than Vance, who after all grew up to be a venture capitalist, and a good friend of Peter Thiel, though not, so far as we know, an actual blood bag.) The Trillbillies wont think much of Vances victory, I would venture to guess. OH: House Incumbent Tops Progressive as Democrats Wrestle Over Focus [Bloomberg]. Representative Shontel Brown easily turned back a challenge from progressive activist Nina Turner in Tuesdays Democratic primary for a U.S. House seat in Ohio that was seen as part of the struggle for influence between the partys two wings. With most of the ballots counted in the Cleveland-based district, Brown had 66% of the vote to Turners 33%, according to a tally compiled by the Associated Press.  Yikes. Sadly, I think Turner needs to find another line of work. PA: Another Fetterman/Lamb/Kenyatta debate, seemingly with few fireworks: Dem Senate debate on WURD starting now! https://t.co/skSQ2clZhn https://t.co/QXHc47fV5g  Julia Terruso (@JuliaTerruso) May 4, 2022

2024

Democrats en Deshabille

I have moved my standing remarks on the Democrat Party (the Democrat Party is a rotting corpse that cant bury itself) to a separate, back-dated post, to which I will periodically add material, summarizing the addition here in a live Water Cooler. (Hopefully, some Bourdieu.) It turns out that defining the Democrat Party is, in fact, a hard problem. I do think the paragraph that follows is on point all the way back to 2016, if not before: The Democrat Party is the political expression of the class power of PMC, their base (lucidly explained by Thomas Frank in Listen, Liberal!). It follows that the Democrat Party is as unreformable as the PMC is unreformable ; if the Democrat Party did not exist, the PMC would have to invent it. If the Democrat Party fails to govern, thats because the PMC lacks the capability to govern . (PMC modulo class expatriates, of course.) Second, all the working parts of the Party reinforce each other. Leave aside characterizing the relationships between elements of the Party (ka-ching, but not entirely) those elements comprise a network  a Flex Net? An iron octagon?  of funders, vendors, apparatchiks, electeds, NGOs, and miscellaneous mercenaries, with assets in the press and the intelligence community. Note, of course, that the class power of the PMC both expresses and is limited by other classes; oligarchs and American gentry (see industrial model of Ferguson, Jorgensen, and Jie) and the working class spring to mind. Suck up, kick down. * * *

Our Famously Free Press

Sen. Josh Hawley introduces bill to dissolve Bidens unconstitutional DHS disinformation board [FOX].  Hawleys bill could, of course, be performative (though Republicans do tend to get things done). If Republicans deliver on this, Im gonna have to give serious consideration to no longer giving Democrat candidates the deference I would normally give them. (I try to be cynical, or realistic, enough, I really do, but never, never would I have imagined that a shadowy combination of Silicon Valley tech firms and Blob drones would try to deny writers the means to make a living by exercising their First Amendment rights. Its astounding. And under a Democrat Administration, too. (The idea that the dominant factions of the PMC, after 2016, gobsmacked by the loss of their champion to Trump, simultaneously came to class consciousness and declared a state of exception gives an account of such events.) Consortium News had less than $10,000 in their PayPal account when the ban hammer came down. Thats the catering bill for a half-day conference of weapons manufacturers on Capitol Hill. Why the hysterical reaction to a tiny venue? Blob Fragility?

RussiaGate

To Spy on a Trump Aide, the FBI Pursued a Dossier Rumor the Press Shot Down as Bullshit' [RealClear Investigations]. Though the FBI presumably had access to better sources than the newspaper, agents did little to verify the rumor that Trump foreign policy adviser Carter Page had secretly met with sanctioned Kremlin officials in Moscow. Instead, the bureau pounced on the dossier report the day it received it, immediately plugging the rumor into an application under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to wiretap Page as a suspected Russian agent. The allegation, peddled to both the press and FBI in the summer of 2016 by Fusion GPS, an opposition research firm hired by Hillary Clintons campaign to dig up dirt on Trump during the presidential race, proved to be the linchpin in winning approval for the 2016 warrant, which was renewed three times in 2017  even though the FBI learned there were serious holes in the story and had failed to independently corroborate it. The revelations of early media skepticism about the Trump-Russia narrative before journalists embraced it are included in a 62-page batch of emails between Fusion and prominent Beltway reporters released by Special Counsel John Durham, who is scouring the FBIs investigation of the Trump campaign for evidence of abuse and criminal wrongdoing. The documents suggest that some journalists, as keen as they were to report dirt on Trump, were nevertheless more cautious than FBI investigators about embracing hearsay information served up by Clinton agents. (The FBI declined comment.)

Realignment and Legitimacy

The Institutionalists Dilemma [Alex Pareene]. One of the more consequential contradictions of the Democratic Party is that the vast majority of its staffers, consultants, electeds, and media avatars, along with a substantial portion of its electoral base, are institutionalists. They believe, broadly, in The System. The System worked for them, and if The Systems outputs are bad, it is because we need more of the right sort of people to join or be elected to enter The System. But when the party does manage to win majorities, it depends on support from a substantial number of anti-system people. Barack Obama defeated the Clintons with this sacred knowledge, before he started reading David Brooks. Institutionalists, in my experience, have trouble reaching an anti-system person, because they think being against The System is an inherently adolescent and silly mindset. But believing in things like the integrity of the Supreme Court has proven to be, I think, much sillier, and much more childish. I think some people in the White House have some sick hope that the end of Roe will galvanize the midterm electorate. Something like that may indeed happen. But if they wish to understand why the president has been bleeding youth support for the last year they should try to imagine these young people (and young, at this point, has expanded to like 45) not as the annoying and hyper-engaged freaks they see on Twitter every day, but as ones they dont see anywhere, because, having been urged to pay furious attention by people in the party, they discovered that those people had absolutely no realistic plans to overcome entrenched, systemic obstacles to progress. Maybe some of those voters went back to brunch. I suspect many of them went back to work brunch.

#COVID19

Carnival Cruise Ship passengers say COVID overwhelmed ship [Associated Press]. Passengers on a Carnival Cruise Ship that docked Tuesday in Seattle say more than 100 people aboard the ship tested positive for COVID-19 and the ship was overwhelmed. Multiple people say theyre in quarantine at Seattle-area hotels after testing positive or being exposed to someone with COVID-19. Carnival Cruise Line would not confirm how many people tested positive, but said there were a number of positive cases, KING5 reported. Darren Sieferston, a passenger on the cruise from Miami to Seattle, is in quarantine after testing positive. He said the crews response was chaotic. They didnt have enough staff to handle the emergency that was happening, period, said Sieferston. They were overwhelmed and they didnt have a backup course in how to handle about 200 people affected with COVID. We all suffered. Passengers tell KING 5 they waited hours for meals, werent properly isolated and couldnt get ahold of medical staff.  Yes, this is what living with Covid means. Whats the issue here? Petri dishes gotta Petri!

Because Covid is over (1):

Emailed kids school committee twice in recent weeks asking for mask plan when we enter high risk CDC Community Level. No response. Posted about it on parent Facebook forum. Post blocked by moderator. In neither case did I advocate a position  I simply wanted to know the plan.  Jon Levy (@jonlevyBU) May 3, 2022

The account is BUs Chair of the Department of Environmental Health.

WHCA superspreading event (1):

Reporters and staffers from CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Politico, and other news organizations test positive for COVID-19 after White House Correspondents' Dinner; exact number unknown  CNN  BNO|Medriva Newsroom (@medriva) May 4, 2022

WHCA superspreading event (2):

Still shaking my head that @whca & @HiltonWash rejected free installation of indoor air disinfection measures to prevent / reduce #COVID19, especially after Gridiron dinner recently. @WHCA has horrible consultants advisorsshould be fired. #COVIDisAirbornehttps://t.co/QvmgZLwSRJ  Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) April 28, 2022

WHCA superspreading event (3):

(Via KHN.)

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Lambert here: I am but a humble tape-watcher, but if some trusting, non-realist soul tells you that Covid is over, you can tell them that cases are up, transmission is up, test positivity is up, hospitalization is up, rapid riser counties are up, and wastewater is up, too. And this is all from data designed to support the narrative that Covid is over, and gamed within an inch of its life. So, if signals like that are flashing red, consider what the real signal must be like. (Note also this is all with BA.2 only, and with what the establishment considers an immune wall made from vaccination and prior infection. Since semper aliquid novi Africam adferre, and weve let er rip at the airports. Well, I just hope we get lucky with BA.4 and BA.5. God has a special providence for fools, drunkards, and the United States of America. Otto von Bismarck.

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If you missed it, heres a post on my queasiness with CDC numbers, especially case count, which I (still) consider most important, despite what Walenskys psychos at CDC who invented community levels think. But these are the numbers we have.

* * *

Case count by United States regions:

Looks like the train is rolling, now. Remember these data points are weekly averages, so daily fluctuations are smoothed out. Also remember, its 100% certain the cases numbers are significantly understated. Theyve always been gamed, but its worse than before. One source said they though cases might be undercounted by a factor of six. Gottlieb thinks we only pick up one in seven or eight. The black Fauci Line is a counter to triumphalism, since it compares current levels to past crises. The Democrat-blue Biden Line shows what the case count would be if it were 57,000 * 6 = 342,000, i.e. not gamed. (I changed the Biden Line from dotted to solid because the dotted line was too hard to draw properly in my crude tool.)

Here are the cases for the last four weeks:

Worth noting that cases have nearly doubled in four weeks.

Newer, fitter descendants of Omicron variant begin to drive their own coronavirus waves [CNN].  Theres no denying the numbers: Even with spotty [crippled] reporting, Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising again in the United States . Not to preen [lambert preens] but NC readers already know this. More: Cases are trending up in most states and have increased by more than 50% compared with the previous week in Washington, Mississippi, Georgia, Maine, Hawaii, South Dakota, Nevada and Montana. In New York, more than a quarter of the states population is in a county with a high Covid-19 community level, where the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends indoor masking. Average daily hospitalizations are up about 10% since last week, according to data collected by the US Department of Health and Human Services. The culprit this time appears to be a spinoff of Omicrons BA.2 subvariant called BA.2.12.1, which was first flagged by New York state health officials in April.  Er, no. The culprit is a public health establishment that not only failed to protect the public, but actively worked to harm them (and that establishments masters and owners).

NOTE I shall most certainly not be using the CDCs new Community Level metric. Because CDC has combined a leading indicator (cases) with a lagging one (hospitalization) their new metric is a poor warning sign of a surge, and a poor way to assess personal risk. In addition, Covid is a disease you dont want to get. Even if you are not hospitalized, you can suffer from Long Covid, vascular issues, and neurological issues. For these reasons, case counts  known to be underestimated, due to home test kits  deserve to stand alone as a number to be tracked, no matter how much the political operatives in CDC leadership would like to obfuscate it.

From the Walgreens test positivity tracker:

Im leaving the corporate logo on as a slap to the goons at CDC.

Both North and South services have turned up.

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) service area includes 43 municipalities in and around Boston, including not only multiple school systems but several large universities. Since Boston is so very education-heavy, then, I think it could be a good leading indicator for Covid spread in schools generally.

From Biobot Analytics:

Northeast unflattened, and  hat tip to readers for pointing to this  it looks like past aggregation was adjusted up.

Cases lag wastewater data.

From CDC Community Profile Reports (PDFs), Rapid Riser counties:

California slightly worse. Oregon worse. (Remember that these are rapid riser counties. A county that moves from red to green is not covid-free; the case count just isnt, well, rising rapidly.) It would be nice if the falling wastewater measures in California presaged a drop in cases. (OTOH, the Biobot data is only as good as the non-representative sample it uses, so).

Well spotted by alert reader Lou Anton:

Rapid Riser Counties: As the COVID weather pattern moves NE to Midwest (and maybe West to SW in the future?), I can see the big metropolitan areas and college towns are getting hit: Illinois: NE Cluster is Chicagoland, central Illinois is college towns (University of Illinois, Illinois State, Illinois Wesleyan), SW is the Metro East of St. Louis. Wisco: Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay Indiana: Gary, South Bend, West Lafayette, Indianapolis Michigan: Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Battle Creek Ohio: Youngstown and Akron, Cincinnati meeting soon, meet you in the middle Columbus. Let. er. rip.

Confirming: The one red county in Kansas is Sedgwick, home of Wichita State. But dont worry. All those kids will soon by traveling home for the summer! Oh, wait

The previous release:

Here is CDCs interactive map by county set to community transmission. This is the map CDC wants only hospitals to look at, not you:

The Northeast remains stubbornly and solidly red. Now California is red as well. The Upper Midwest is moving that way, too. (The Unorganized Territories in Maine are back to red, good job.)

Hospitalization (CDC Community Profile):

Hospitalization is most definitely up in many places. (Note trend, whether up or down, is marked by the arrow, at top. Admissions are presented in the graph, at the bottom. So its possible to have an upward trend, but from a very low baseline.)

Death rate (Our World in Data):

Total: 1,021,581 1,021,089 . I have added an anti-triumphalist Fauci Line. A blip upward, but every previous blip has been followed by continued decline, at least in the recent past.

Covid cases in top us travel destinations (Statista):

Still a bumpy ride. (Note the quality of these numbers varies wildly. For example, the UK is cutting back on testing data.

Stats Watch

United States ISM Non Manufacturing PMI [Trading Economics]. The ISM Services PMI for the US fell to 57.1 in April of 2022 from 58.3 in March and below forecasts of 58.5, mostly due to the restricted labor pool which caused employment to fall (49.5 vs 54) and the slowing of new orders growth (54.6 vs 60.1).

* * *

Shipping: Maersk Exits Russian Assets While Navigating China Congestion [Bloomberg].  [Russia] accounted for 2% of its business. We are writing down all the assets that we have in Russia to zero basically and will try to divest those port and warehousing assets in coming quarters, [CEO Soren Skou] says. It will take a little while, I suspect, but there are active talks. We are seeing the impact related to a lack of labor to move goods, he says. The ports right now are open for business, but it only really works if the landside is also. Maersk is seeing a negative impact on our volumes out of China right now from Covid-19 lockdowns  not as much as you may expect, but were certainly seeing an impact.'

Tech: Black Twitter Is Not a Place. Its a Practice. [Tressie McMillem Cottom, New York Times]. On a typical day last week, my iPhone was logged into Twitter for over five hours. Thats all? More: Twitter is a small commons, not commonly held. It is nowhere near the largest or most profitable social networking site, but it is loud. It is a kaffeeklatsch for educated, middle-class cultural workers who kind of hate their jobs. Young people think we are old for using Twitter. Normal people think we are strange. I disagree on this. Twitter has plenty of normal verticals; aerosol science being one such. More: If you are a billionaire who wants to buy Twitter, you probably want to buy the Twitter that changes conversations and innovates culture. But the Twitter that Elon Musk is buying is not guaranteed to be that Twitter. Twitters significance is not about revenue or advertising platforms or new features. It is about communities that create ideas. The real Twitter lives in the practices of people who can migrate at any time. User migration and social fragmentation are the real present threat to Twitters cultural dominance.  This is well worth a read, including the origin of Black Twitter in Live Journal (!),

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Todays Fear & Greed Index: 34 Fear (previous close: 32 Fear) [CNN]. One week ago: 29 (Fear). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated May 4 at 1:36 PM EDT.

The Gallery

Indeed:

Edward Hopper, Gas, 1940 pic.twitter.com/sQ0eCqq9sq  Arte y mas (@Arteymas_) May 2, 2022

Class Warfare

See the KHN chart under #COVID19.

News of the Wired

What Birds Really Listen for in Birdsong (Its Not What You Think) [Scientific American]. when researchers analyze birdsong, we usually break it down into smaller units, termed notes or syllables. We then group the syllables into sequences called phrases or motifs that have characteristic rhythms and tempos. In this way, we can measure potentially important aspects of song, such as the number of syllable types in a birds repertoire or the patterns in which phrases are arranged. These descriptions also parallel the ways we mark the relations among words in human syntax or among notes in musical compositions. But what do the birds think about all these features? How does birdsong sound to them? Recent research that my colleagues and I have conducted, along with work from a growing number of other scientists around the world, has revealed that birdsong sequences do not sound to birds like they do to us. Moreover, birds appear to listen most closely not to the melodies that catch our ears but rather to fine acoustic details in the chips and twangs of their songs that lie beyond the range of human perception.

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Contact information for plants: Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) find out how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal and (b) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi and coral are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. From Marku52:

Marku52 writes: The adequately named Redbud, pursued by Sasquatch.

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NOTE ON PAYPAL: As some readers may know, PayPal whacked Consortium Newss account, for no justification that I can see. Its to be hoped that Consortium News has its account restored, and that NC doesnt come under the same ban hammer. In the meantime, until I/we can come up with an alternative, I must continue to rely on PayPal (and rely I do). I will be cleaning out the account daily, and PayPal does give a heads-up, so your risk is minimal. Please carry on as before, or, if you feel you must, write me and I will send you directions for sending a check. Please put PayPal in the subject line. Thank you for your support! It is much appreciated, and helps me with responsibilities. lambert

Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the recently concluded and  thank you!  successful annual NC fundraiser. So if you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldnt see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals:







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If you hate PayPal, you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. Thank you!
Yves here. Recall that agnotology does not consist solely of the effort to implant false knowledge, like Big Tobaccos campaigns to deny that smoking caused cancer, but also the loss of knowledge. As an example of the latter, the book Agnotology mentioned birth control techniques of ancient cultures.

By Lynn Parramore, Senior Research Analyst at the Institute for New Economic Thinking. Originally published at the Institute for New Economic Thinking website

Throughout the ages, abortion has been a crucial feature of womens lives. So argues John M. Riddle, a distinguished specialist in the history of medicine, who has spent a long career uncovering information nearly lost in the mists of time. His work shows that people going all the way back to ancient Egypt relied on a variety of herbal abortifacients (abortion-inducing substances) and contraceptives to control fertility and continued doing so well into the Middle Ages. Whats more, he argues that contrary to what many historians and demographers have maintained, these ancient drugs actually worked.

In Eves Herbs: A History of Contraception and Abortion in the West, Riddle posits that while we may think of ancient and medieval people as superstitious and prone to rely on useless remedies, when it came to abortion, many knew what they were doing.

The historian illustrates how their methods, most commonly drugs taken orally, were developed through careful observation of nature (noticing, for example, which plants caused livestock to bear fewer offspring), experimentation, and the accumulation of botanical knowledge passed down by word-of-mouth, and also occasionally in written form, including a text by a thirteenth-century physician, Peter of Spain, who later became Pope John XXI!

These botanical substances blocked or stimulated hormones, caused contractions, or otherwise acted on the body to prevent or end pregnancies, thus enabling women and their families to make reproductive choices in their best interest. Riddle points out that it wasnt just elites who knew the secrets of which herbs to use and howcommon people knew and purposefully regulated family size for a variety of reasons, including the desire to space out children, economic pressures, and the health of the mother.

As Riddle details, the Egyptians listed abortifacients in medical texts. The Greeks were so accustomed to abortion drugs that the playwright Aristophanes joked about them, describing in Lysistrata a desirable young woman trimmed and spruced with pennyroyal, a well-known abortion drug. Riddle holds that the plant silphium (related to giant fennel / Ferula family) was popular with the Greeks and Romans primarily because it was used to terminate pregnancies  so much so that the city-state of Cyrene (in modern-day Libya) based its whole economy on the plant until it was overharvested to extinction. His research reveals that in the Middle Ages, abortion drugs were also integral to economies. The typical European village would have available a wise woman or midwife, and later, an apothecary, who knew exactly what herbal remedies to give women who did not wish to be pregnant and could produce reliable results. Through such fertility intervention, he says, family size was managed in ways that may well have impacted whole populations, causing some government officials associating large families with economic prosperity to view women who controlled fertility as potential enemies of the state.

Riddle shows that what was once widely known and tolerated came under increased scrutiny as the Middle Ages gave way to the Early Modern period. Eventually, he explains, female experts in botanicals fell under suspicion of witchcraft, and their persecution served to eliminate or dilute knowledge of herbal abortifacients. As these women were pushed out of reproductive healthcare, those remaining, along with physicians and apothecaries who competed with them for business (and often knew far less about abortion and contraception), began to deal with abortifacient drugs through circumlocutions and evasions, noting that a particular drug brought down the courses or aired the womb, expecting female clients to know what they meant. In time, Riddle argues, knowledge of effective antifertility agents was lost through centuries of laws, religious doctrine, changing social mores, and witch hunts. By the late nineteenth century, a woman in New York or London might have to rely on purchasing nostrums advertised by unknown parties in newspapers rather than going to a trusted family member or midwife for assistance. Yet before the pill and legalized abortion, and even after, Riddle describes how women in many parts of the word, including Appalachia, continued to use botanicals to control fertility.

Riddle is convinced by his research that drugs that check fertility have shaped human history in ways that are not fully appreciated. Today, as women in America and elsewhere fall under attack for trying to do what their foremothers were long able to do, some in favor of restrictions argue that they are following ancient precepts, such as the Hippocratic oath. But according to Riddle and others, they are engaging in revisionist history, often unknowingly.

Riddle recently spoke to the Institute for New Economic Thinking about what we know of abortion in ancient societies and how we know it.

Lynn Parramore: Your work shows that abortifacient plants were fundamental to ancient economies. Why were they so important? And how do we know these herbal treatments worked?

John Riddle: Why shouldnt they be important? Theres nothing more fundamental to human society than reproduction  or lack thereof.

How do we know they worked? Let me tell you about a sixth-century man whose Latin name was Germanus, a Gallo Roman in central France who became a saint. He became bishop of Paris and is buried at the abbey Saint-Germain-des-Pres, named after him. His biography, recorded in a life of saints, states that his mother had a number of children, and when she became pregnant again, decided that she didnt want another one just then. It was a matter of spacing with her. So she got a poison and she took it. After she took it her insides were in turmoil and she had pain, which extended for a period of time. But finally Germanus was born, and seeing such a lovely baby and so forth, she said she had made a mistake. There is a question with saints that you cant be one unless you produce miracles. Well, his miracle happened when he was a fetus  the first fetal miracle!

To me, this story of Saint Germain challenges people who have said that ancient abortions couldnt have worked. Its actually the reverse  it took a miracle to prevent them from working! People were accustomed to abortifacients being effective.

LP: Lets talk about Cyrene, the Greek city-state. You have argued that its economy was based entirely on an abortifacient plant called silphium, so highly coveted that it was eventually over-harvested and went extinct. Whats the evidence, in your view, that its popularity was based on its use as an abortion-inducing drug?

JR: Silphium was very basic in its association to the city of Cyrene. After I got interested in the plant, I started researching beyond the literary accounts, of which there are a number. I found a big volume on ancient Greek coins in the British Museum, and the coins of Cyrene take up a big section. Virtually every one of them has silphium  this extended for three centuries. I found no reference to it as a food. Theres a plant thats related to it botanically that gives Worcestershire sauce its distinctive aroma, but thats modern.

LP: And the high demand was because so many sought to use it to manage fertility?

JR: Im as certain of it as anything one can be certain of in the ancient world. In one play, Aristophanes talks about its high price, and much later, Pliny notes that silphium is worth its weight in silver  a span of 300 years. Others referenced its use as an abortifacient. Theres no other purpose for it. They didnt have Worcestershire sauce, and its too expensive to be used as a food.

LP: Just recently, an article in the Washington Times asked if health professionals who follow the Hippocratic oath should have to perform abortions. Lets talk about this oath, which contains a prohibition on using a pessary (a vaginal insert) to induce abortion. You observe that translators often changed the meaning to suggest a prohibition against all methods of abortion, not just pessaries, and note that in the modern era, people have misunderstood who wrote the oath and how it was used. How did the oath come to be taken by modern physicians as a moral charge not to perform abortions?

JR: I learned a lot tracing that down. The Hippocratic oath was not taken as an oath by most physicians in antiquity. Theres no reference to it and there are few copies. Copies in the Middle Ages developed the notion that ancient physicians had to abide by it. Actually, it was not until the late nineteenth century that some medical schools required it. Classical scholars then did not know that ancient people had effective birth control methods other than pessaries  that they used drugs. A friend of mine at the University of Pittsburgh and another colleague found that 100% of medical schools use the oath today; some pass around a printed copy at graduation and say that students are bound to it while others make the students stand up and take the oath. But thats a modern development.

When Roe v. Wade was first argued, the question of the oath came up. This is where it gets intriguing to me: [Dallas County District Attorney] Wade said we cant allow abortions because physicians are bound to the oath and the oath doesnt allow it. But someone at the Supreme Court, directly or indirectly, asked classicist Ludwig Edelstein at Johns Hopkins if that was true. He wrote an article, which was published, arguing that it wasnt an oath in antiquity.

LP: You note that the oath wasnt even written by Hippocrates, nor were medical texts generally ascribed to him.

JR: Yes, weve given up on finding the real Hippocrates  hes like Santa Claus. I think what happened, and this is conjectural, is that the librarians at Alexandria made a concerted effort to get anything that had been written in Greek. Treatises came from all over, and anything medical was ascribed to Hippocrates. So at that point, medical treatises become associated with Hippocrates.

LP: The oath referred only to a prohibition on pessaries to induce abortion, but you point out that this was not the most common way of ending a pregnancy. Does that imply that the more common form of abortion, induced by drugs, would have been permitted?

JR: Abortion by pessary was absolutely not the most common method. The part about pessaries was not stated for ethical reasons, but for medical reasons, because pessaries could cause ulcerations and didnt work that well. Translations later change the meaning to a total ban. Even Edelstein messed up on that. He used a more general term, something like abortative remedy, instead of pessary.

LP: So we ended up with the misguided idea that the Greeks prohibited abortion, which has fueled restrictive attitudes in the present day.

JR: Thats right.

LP: You do note that the Greeks and even more so, the Romans, had some misgivings about abortion as it concerned male property rights since the fetus was assumed to be the property of the father. You show that later, Christian theologians began building on the male property-rights anxiety and adding concern about when the soul entered the fetus and promoting prohibitions against abortion after quickening. Physicians, lawmakers, and theologians began to demand restrictions, but what about ordinary people? How did they view it?

JR: They absolutely had a much higher degree of tolerance for contraception and abortion. Keep in mind, it all gets murky, but early-term abortion was not really considered to impact a living fetus, even among theologians. There was the concept of quickening, which was thought to occur when a woman could feel the fetus kicking.

LP: Lets say Im a thirteenth-century English peasant woman who is pregnant but doesnt want to carry the pregnancy to term because I have too many kids to feed already. How do I go about this? Who do I consult?

JR: You would have talked to people you trusteda mother, an aunt, women in the village, and above all, the midwife. The transmission of the knowledge, I think, is more oral than it is written. I found very few cases in the Middle Ages or the early modern period where they go and consult a book.

LP: And I would have a pretty high expectation that the remedies indicated would work?

JR: Yes.

LP: If, as you argue, the limiting of family size through abortion drugs was common, how do demographers view the role of abortion in populations?

JR: Therein is a swamp. Two demographers of good standing said that abortions could not have worked to the level that affected gross population. However, since then, I found two demographers with different findings. One of them wrote a long article on demography in Spain in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, when Spains population is going down. He goes into the reasons, one by one, as to what could have caused it. Economic depression? No, Spain was not different from other places that were reasonably prosperous, and there were no widespread famines, which will reduce populations. So he concludes that the only possible reason for a steady, century-old decline was birth control (which includes the use of abortifacients). The thing that is so logical to me is that the placebo effect just doesnt work in the case of pregnancy. If your peasant woman in the village is given a remedy to restart her menstrual cycle so that she will not have a baby  if she has the baby, then she knows the remedy doesnt work in a very, very real way. Its self-correcting. The midwife giving the abortion remedy that didnt work wouldnt be able to stay in business  not very long in that village. She might get by with one failure, but not two.

LP: Weve talked about how important abortifacients were to ancient economies, what about the medieval period? How do we know they were fundamental?

JR: In the late Middle Ages, German towns forbade the growing or possession of juniper, which was used by midwives to control fertility. To have the knowledge of using juniper for that purpose would make you suspected to be a witch. I wrote to several people when I was researching juniper in the history of pharmacy and asked if they could think of any other time period where a government agency had prohibited possession of a substance, and they couldnt. So it must have been very important.

Two German researchers published work concluding that whenever there was an area where there were virulent witch hunts, that area had big increases in population. They concluded that the burning of what were often called wise women, who were midwives, had something to do with this rise in population.

LP: The common wisdom was that abortion was not a criminal offense, despite theologians and the bishops sometimes pushing for it, right?

JR: Thats right. Ive read two recent works  one is by a researcher at Ohio State who just got through studying legal assizes in England where there was an abortion case, and like me, she never found a jury that convicted a woman. The jury found all kinds of excuses. One was where the baby was born but died five days later, which was attributed to poison the mother had taken. She was up for homicide, but the jury wouldnt do it.

LP: If you were a medieval woman operating as an herbalist, consulting on abortions and contraception, you might have a thriving business and some economic independence. In times of economic turmoil, was the persecution of women for witchcraft a convenient way to bring the economy back into the hands of men?

JR: Its terrible to think of men doing that, but they do. Men have the notion that they have the power to reproduce, and they dont want that power taken away from them. They associate that power with the economy and the well-being of the community.

LP: And yet prohibiting the management of fertility actually has negative consequences to the community.

JR: Yes, that is correct.

LP: Do you see the motivations of women to control fertility consistent throughout history?

JR: Theres no way to deal with it statistically. You just have to extrapolate the factors that you think would be at work, other than the occasional individual. Spacing has to account for some of it  just like Germanuss mother. Were dealing with human nature here. The motives should the same in antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the present.

Why is it that in the United States that it tends to become associated with politics? Some states outlawing abortion and others not? From the point of view of jurisprudence, the thing that comes into play in Roe v. Wade was that she (Roe) wanted an abortion but couldnt get one because she couldnt afford it. Why should one person have a right in a state and another not? The question becomes economic.

On the question of when life begins, there is so much that isnt measurable. If youre going to talk about life beginning at conception, well, is it when the sperm enters the egg? One of the various stages after that? Implantation? Would Queen Annes lace, the seeds of which women have used after coitus to control fertility, be considered an abortifacient?

LP: We know from history that women desperate to end a pregnancy will try anything. Do you see vitamin supplement hawkers and dubious vendors on the internet capitalizing on the new restrictions and the distrust of mainstream medicine to promote botanical abortions? You note that a person today would be ill-advised to try this because there are so many factors involved in the efficacy of plants for this purpose  when theyre harvested, how extracted, the dosage, the frequency, etc., and that without precise knowledge of toxicity levels, they can be dangerous.

JR: I dont doubt that people will try to sell herbal remedies for fertility control. A vendor in California had a website and it began with a quote, Dr. Riddle says It was a quote lifted out of context which purported to show that whatever herb they were promoting worked. Im a Ph.D. in history, not an MD. I ask legal consultants if I had any legal remedy, and they said that because the quote was accurate, I didnt.

The first book I published was on the Greek physician Dioscorides herbal treatise, and I decided Id put in the frontispiece a warning that the discussions about the medical use of plants and other substances are purely for historical examination. The same goes for my book on contraceptives and abortion in history. Some people think that they need natural remedies, but the body doesnt know whether its natural or not. All it knows are molecules. And it doesnt make any difference where the molecule comes from.

I dont know if the lawmakers in Texas, or the people who support them, have thought through the implications of what theyre doing. Its obvious to me that the educators of the general public are going to have to be journalists.

LP: Does it surprise you, given your historical perspective, where we are today on this topic? It would seem that history is not linear.

JR: Yes I am surprised. I thought Roe v. Wade was rightly decided, and I didnt think it would be reversed. You could have a district attorney, a prosecutor responsible for a large area, marshaling a whole force of law enforcement on this.

As you say, history is not linear. We can regress, and we do, in so many different ways.
Lambert and I, and many readers, agree that Ukraine has prompted the worst informational environment ever. We hope readers will collaborate in mitigating the fog of war  both real fog and stage fog  in comments. None of us need more cheerleading and link-free repetition of memes; there are platforms for that. Low-value, link-free pom pom-wavers will be summarily whacked.

And for those who are new here, this is not a mere polite request. We have written site Policies and those who comment have accepted those terms. To prevent having to resort to the nuclear option of shutting comments down entirely until more sanity prevails, as we did during the 2015 Greek bailout negotiations and shortly after the 2020 election, we are going to be ruthless about moderating and blacklisting offenders.

Yves

P.S. Also, before further stressing our already stressed moderators, read our site policies:

Please do not write us to ask why a comment has not appeared. We do not have the bandwidth to investigate and reply. Using the comments section to complain about moderation decisions/tripwires earns that commenter troll points. Please dont do it. Those comments will also be removed if we encounter them.

* * *

Darwin Was Right: Birds Really Are More Colorful In The Tropics Forbes (Robert H)

Pet-friendly offices are in high demand following pandemic boom Washington Post (furzy)

Canadian police fatally shoot polar bear that wandered into Quebec community Guardian (resilc)

See The Exquisite New 100 Megapixel Photo Of Two Galaxies Merging 40 Million Light-Years From Us Forbes (David L)

AI research is a dumpster fire and Googles holding the matches The Next Web (David L)

#COVID-19

Climate/Environment

China?

Why Europe will have to face the true cost of being in debt to China BBC (resilc)

North Korea fired ballistic missile, South Korean and Japanese officials say CNBC

BRICS+ 2.0: Toward a polycentric world order Asia Times (resilc)

El Salvador: Evidence of Serious Abuse in State of Emergency Human Rights Watch (furzy)

Brexit Made Boris Johnson. Now He Has to Face Its Costs Bloomberg

New Not-So-Cold War

Syraqistan

Israel Plans Zip Line for Ancient Jerusalem New York Times. Resilc: Soon strip club with Ukie grrrls???

Big Brother is Watching You Watch

Woman tried to drive her SUV down a flight of stairs because her GPS told her to BoingBoing (resilc). This famously happened too in NYC many years ago when GPS told a driver to go down stairs from Riverside Drive into Riverside Park. But there were no conflating factors there.

Imperial Collapse Watch

Medicare at 60 would have harmful unintended consequences STAT (Dr. Kevin)

GOP Clown Car

Supremes

Our No Longer Free Press

The Aerospace Industry Is Grappling With A Titanium Supply Shortage OilPrice

How the Fed lost the plot Edward Luce, Financial Times. Luce was Larry Summers speechwriter.

Class Warfare

Some Latinos are just as likely to be discriminated against by Latinos than people outside their ethnic group, survey finds CNN (resilc). Observations like this are why Dems are losing Latino support. Hispanics is probably more accurate since what they share is a language, and it aint Latin. Just like there are plenty of subtle and not so subtle prejudices among various whites (come to the Upper Peninsula, where the Scandinavians are seen as outclassing the Poles and French Canadians), its pretty rich to assume Cubans and Puerto Ricans and Dominicans and Mexicans are just one big happy family. In addition, some Hispanics are not keen about undocumented workers. Beyond GDP: Time to measure inclusive wealth and change economics ScienceBlog (Dr. Kevin)

Antidote du jour. Kiyo T: Sure sign of spring here in Maine. A happy snapper!

And a bonus (furzy):

See yesterdays Antidote du Jour and Links here.
Why has Russia taken so long to retaliate against Western sanctions? One possibility is its because Putin and his team didnt see the need to do all that much immediately given economic blowback. A second is that they wanted to wait for the gas for roubles arm wrestling to play out before applying new pressure. Third is they do have a war and internal restructuring going on, so economic counterattacks are lower on the priority list. Fourth is Russia wasnt yet ready to make a negotiated settlement to the war on the ground impossible, despite that Lavrov snorted at the idea that Zelensky would stick to any position for as long as a day.

Regardless, Putins executive order sets up an initial framework for what we like to call sanctions. I wish Russia had posted the actual order; the embedded document below is a summary.

Putin pointedly calls these punishments retaliatory special economic measures. This may seem like a distinction without a difference, but Russia and China both take the view that economic sanctions are illegal unless approved by the UN, which clearly is not happening here. When I come across an explanation of how Russia thinks it has threaded this particular legal needle, Ill be sure to make mention in Links or a post.

The executive order directs Putins staff to come back in ten days with initial targets, which at this point are only individuals, and to

define additional criteria for transactions whose implementation and obligations shall be banned under the Executive Order.

Admittedly this document is broader and less specific than Putins announcement that Russia would require payment for gas by unfriendly countries be paid for in roubles, where he included enough additional boundary conditions as to considerably constrain how the process might work (thats why we were able to outline the mechanism in advance, with the actual version adding only a couple more wrinkles). And its clearly intended to be expanded in scope.

The basis for the countersanctions is the violation of international law. The seizure of $300 billion of foreign exchange reserves and the German Gazprom operations, and Polands moves to expropriate Novateks pipeline infrastructure would all seem to be on the list.

Even though the initial targets are to be individuals, the text indicates the scope is broader: special economic measures are to be applied to certain legal entities, individuals and organisations under their control.

The document at points describes individuals at targets and at other points legal entities and organizations; I doubt the underlying Executive Order is imprecise as to what applies to whom, but well have a better idea in due course. But here is the potential zinger:

In addition, the document imposes a ban on exporting products or raw materials manufactured or extracted in Russia when they are delivered to individuals under sanctions, or by individuals under sanctions to other individuals.

Limiting this section to individuals seems almost besides the point, since individuals are seldom in the business of buying Russian products or commodities. However, its not hard to see that if and when the list expands to include organizations and companies, Russia could inflict a lot of pain by limiting exports of key commodities. If I were them, materials critical to weapons manufacture would be at the top of the list. Cars might be next given how important auto manufacture is to many economies.

Russia will soon let the West know how bloody-minded it intends to be about this retaliation. If you think things are ugly now, just see what happens if Russia really tightens the thumbscrews.

Update 10:30 AM: Reader CzechAgain helpfully found the text of the decree in Russian, and in comments explained some key legal terms. The bottom line is that the summary below, which is more or less a press release, is inaccurate in depicting the initial list of sanction targets due in ten days as individuals only. It will include companies/legal entities.
(Natural News) Americans need to stand their ground to fight for their rights, according to well-known Donald Trump impersonator and comedian Captain Deplorable. And hes dead serious about it.

I just want everyone to hold the line; stand your ground. We all draw on a line. Weve all drawn lines in the sand. And a lot of times we compromise on those lines and they kind of get blurred, and then we start to give ground. Theres no such thing as giving ground anymore, Captain Deplorable, whose real name is Shawn Farash, told host Ohio Brett Bohl during the April 27 episode of The Ohio Brett Show on Brighteon.TV.

When you push back and show a little bit of resistance, youre going to see just how weak your opposition is. And you are going to come out on top, so hold the line, draw your line in the sand, give no ground, take ground back and fight to make America great again.

Farash stressed that the American people should not give any more ground because their rights are being stripped away as shown throughout the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID 19) pandemic. (Related: An orchestrated fake COVID pandemic was used to destroy health, civil liberty and the doctor/patient relationship.)

The founder of Long Island Loud Majority in the state of New York stressed that America was founded on religious and individual liberties, so the government should not be bullying the American people.

The fact that the government, local, state and federal governments, deemed themselves powerful enough to tell you that youre not allowed to run your business, that youre not allowed to gather with your friends, that youre not allowed to go to church. Draw your line in the sand, and when somebody crosses that line, push back because that is the schoolyard bully, Farash said.

The comedian said he and his team are excited to keep fighting for people who repeatedly had their voices shut down by unfriendly media, unfriendly people or a combination of both.

We give them a place to go to voice their opinions, to be patriotic, freedom-loving and liberty-loving Americans. And thats really who I am and what I care about deeply. I love this country with every fiber of my being. And Im going to fight like hell to make sure that this country does not get lost to the Marxists, Farash said.

Americans need to be aware of the important issues

Farash, who is known for his style and comedic relief, said he wants to bring awareness to the very important issues that America is facing right now. The Long Island Loud Majority founder noted that when people start to treat scientists and elected representatives as godlike figures, that is when they lose their way.

He also mentioned that children are now learning about horrendous things in some public schools at a young age. Farash said these things come directly from people who are doing the work of evil willingly, and this happens when people lose their moral compass.

The comedian added that raising awareness of different issues in a funny way has enabled him to open the eyes of other people and allow them to start thinking for themselves. He added that Americans need to restore the important institutions in the country and give the powers back to the people because that is what inherently makes America great.

Farash also mentioned that he has no intention to appear on NBCs Saturday Night Live (SNL) show.

I just want to say one thing because a lot of people had mentioned, You know your impersonation is so good that should be on SNL. And Ive said this over and over. Ive said it publicly and privately. I love to say it publicly. If Saturday Night Live ever called and asked me to be on their show the answer would be a resounding no. I will not let NBC. I will not let these people make money off of me to serve their agenda. Thats never going to happen, Farash said.

Resist.news has more stories about Americans fighting for their rights and freedom.

Watch the full April 27 episode of The Ohio Brett Show below. Catch new episodes of the program every Wednesday at 4-5 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

Thomas Renz to Americans affected by COVID pandemic lies: We need to hold them accountable  Brighteon.TV.

Schools are running secret grooming operations on children, pushing parents out of the loop.

Bidens DOJ set to APPEAL federal court decision to strike down mask mandates for public transportation.

Sources include:
(Natural News) The release of the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, was no accident, according to Chinese virologist Dr. Li-Meng Yan.

Li-Meng previously fled China after discovering that the disease was concocted in a laboratory, despite claims from Beijing that it came from bats. Now, she is upping the ante by claiming that the lab release was intentional.

So, its definitely not from nature and its definitely not an accident come out in a lab, Li-Meng says.

Also, it starts from Wuhan and the Wuhan Institute of Virology get involved but I need to tell people that this is not an accident.

As a high-level lab worker herself, Li-Meng says it is impossible for a disease to just escape on accident and trigger a global plandemic. (Related: Li-Meng had also warned that the Chinese Communist Party might have tried to use the Olympics as a means of releasing a hemorrhagic fever bioweapon.)

And there are a lot of motives behind that but the most important thing is Chinese communist government develop this and they want to use it to destroy the world order, she says.

And I think that because its out of control we never saw it out of control in Wuhan.

Imposing global medical fascism was always the plan

The purpose of an intentional release of covid could have been to disrupt the Western world order, reports suggest.

After all, most everything was brought to a grinding halt once the lockdowns and mask mandates were imposed, stalling the economy and damaging the supply chain.

When the virus was first released, we had a booming economy and a fantastic president, and many other western nations were doing well, writes Jesse Martin for 100percentfedup.com.

Within a year, the leader of the U.S. is an incompetent fool and the economy was a wreck. The rest of the free world experienced similar levels of disruption.

The only problem is that China itself was disrupted, and is still disrupted as Shanghai and possibly Beijing both enter another round of lockdowns to fight the latest subvariant of the disease.

There does not appear to be any end to the covid plandemic, at least as far as government intrusion goes. The tyranny seems to be a never-ending affair, which was probably the plan all along.

Li-Meng can continue dropping these bombshells but the question remains: Will anything ever be done about it?

Just like the FBI had the Hunter Biden laptop for a year and did nothing with it, nothing will happen with this, either, suggested a commenter at 100percentfedup.com.

Twice Tucker Carlson interviewed her, wrote another. No one else cared enough to try to talk to her.

Someone else echoed these same sentiments, explaining that Li-Meng has said similar things before and been ignored, so what is going to suddenly change now?

Are they finally so sick of lying for FJB [Joe Biden] and his globalist / communist bosses that they have suddenly developed a conscience and dont want to be on the wrong side of history?

I believe her too, but Im not sure our own deep state did not somehow participate in the charade. This was planned, it was not random, but they will not win, because the truth always comes out eventually.

Perhaps part of the plan on Xi Jinpings part is to make China the new hegemony in the world, hence the specifically timed release of covid.

All Xi Jinping cares about is to go down in history as the greatest leader China has ever known, wrote another commenter.

The latest news about the plandemic can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

100percentfedup.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Idahos child protective services (CPS) has kidnapped a baby over a missed medical appointment.

Diego Rodriguez shared the story of how his grandson, baby Cyrus, was taken by CPS from his parents. Baby Cyrus is the child of Diegos daughter Marissa and her husband. Following a breastfeeding regimen for seven and a half months, the babys parents introduced him to solid foods.

Baby Cyrus, however, did not tolerate solids, leading Marissa and her husband to visit different hospitals to find out what was wrong. Despite this, doctors found no issues with baby Cyrus and discharged the infant with a clean bill of health.

Rodriguez added that a review of the infants condition done at the Functional Medicine of Idaho (FMI) medical facility went fine and that the schedule for baby Cyrus next visit was already set. But a day before the next scheduled visit, baby Cyrus got sick again and vomited, leading the nurse practitioner doing the review to determine that he had lost 35 grams. The nurse ordered Marissa to bring the baby the following day at 10 a.m.  which she agreed to.

Marissa did not feel well on the day of the second visit, so she informed FMI to cancel her appointment. According to Rodriguez, the hospital called her, but she was unable to answer as she was sleeping. The nurse practitioner then notified Idaho CPS 20 minutes after the original appointment time. The babys grandfather said Idaho CPS then texted Marissa and sent two police cars to escort both her and baby Cyrus to a center for abuse victims, but Marissas husband refused.

The family later paid a visit to a family friend, who was a former police officer, to talk about the predicament. But after they left the friends house, they realized that law enforcement was following their truck into a gas station.

[They] take my son-in law [and Marissa], arrest my other daughter [Miranda Chavoya], pull them out and slam them against the truck [and] handcuff them. They mistreated [Marissa], abused her, falsely accused her and then arrested her for no reason whatsoever, recounted the grandfather. (Related: Texas CPS lists parents on the child abuse registry after unlawfully snatching their 4-year-old child.)

Baby Cyrus returned to his family following public outcry

An ambulance with two emergency medical technicians (EMTs) soon arrived, with Marissa being asked to enter. But once she entered, one of the EMTs demanded she give baby Cyrus to his companion and threatened her with arrest for noncompliance. You need to give [baby Cyrus] to the [other] EMT and you can go on your merry way with your friends and your family, or I remove him from you and you go to jail.

Rodriguez said his daughter adamantly held on to her son, forcing the EMTs to remove baby Cyrus out of her hands. The EMTs then returned the infant to FMI.

Idaho gubernatorial candidate Ammon Bundy and several others gathered in front of the hospital later that night to protest baby Cyrus state-mandated kidnapping, but he was later arrested for trespassing. Bundy first made news in January 2016, when he and several others occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Ridge in Oregon. He was later exonerated of all charges related to the Malheur occupation in October of that year.

The next morning, we sent out alerts to everybody we know. We have a fairly visible following here with some political action that weve already done here before. [Soon enough], there were over 400 people at the hospital protesting, and they [did so] every single day nonstop for seven days, said Rodriguez. Bundy was a close friend of Rodriguezs family, and his arrest brought attention to the case.

The resulting emails and phone calls from concerned individuals, alongside negative publicity from around the U.S. and worldwide, forced FMI to move baby Cyrus out of the hospital. A week later, he was reunited with his parents. Rodriguez lamented, however, that the baby was still technically the legal property of the state of Idaho, simply under the current care of his parents until the next adjudicatory hearing.

Rodriguez said the kidnapping of baby Cyrus was state-subsidized child trafficking, explaining that it clearly fell under the forceful taking of a child from his parents or family and putting [them] into the hands of somebody else for profit. He continued: The reason why this happens is because  all 50 states get paid by the federal government when a child is taken out of the custody of his parents by the state. Once they place that child into foster care, they get a secondary payment.

Trafficking.news has more stories about CPS forcibly abducting children.

Watch Diego Rodriguez recount the story of baby Cyrus kidnapping to Dr. Bryan Ardis on the Brighteon.TV program The Dr. Ardis Show.

This video is from the BrighteonTV channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

His Glory broadcast: Child Protective Services is the largest child trafficking ring in history  Brighteon.TV.

The Dr. Ardis Show: Baby Cyrus grandfather accuses CPS of kidnapping his grandson  Brighteon.TV.

Simply EVIL: States are taking away children from parents to collect money.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) A group of Hispanic lawmakers met with YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki to discuss further plans to censor Spanish-language misinformation.

Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) met with the head of the video sharing site on April 28 to discuss the urgency of addressing Spanish-language dis/misinformation, content moderation and YouTubes initiatives and policies centering on the issue. Established in 1976, the CHC seeks to tackle issues affecting Hispanics in the mainland U.S. and its territories, including Puerto Rico.

Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), who chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Media and Broadband, shared what had transpired during the CHCs April 28 meeting with the Big Tech platform.

Wojcicki committed to releasing core internal accountability metrics at YouTube, including their violative view rate, for Spanish-language content. Thats a good start, he said. Lujan stressed that as a global platform, Alphabet-owned YouTube has a responsibility to ensure everyone is safe from harmful and hateful content, regardless of the language they speak at home.

Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM) added that she and the other CHC lawmakers pushed the CEO and asked her to provide data [showing] that Spanish-language disinformation is taken down as quickly as English-language disinformation. Fernandez, who is the CHCs vice chair of communications, added that the caucus will continue to call on the Federal Communications Commission to build much-needed infrastructure to monitor Spanish-language media.

Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA), the CHC chairman, expressed appreciation toward Wojcicki for meeting with other lawmakers. Lies cost lives, and the CHC continues to call for strengthened oversight and to push social media companies to bolster their infrastructure to combat dis/misinformation on their platforms. Addressing the rampant spread of Spanish-language dis/misinformation remains an urgent priority for the CHC as Hispanics across the country increasingly turn to social media for vital information, he said.

Meanwhile, Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL) lauded the extremely productive meeting between YouTube and the CHC. He added that he hopes to see the video-sharing platform use ample resources against content deemed as disinformation and/or misinformation.

With more and more people turning to social media to receive information, we must ensure that content is reviewed thoroughly before reaching mass audiences. As more and more bad actors purposely aim to spread lies to vulnerable populations, platforms like YouTube have a responsibility to prevent them from having the power to influence public opinion, said Soto.

Censorship only applies to content that goes against the government narrative

It appears, however, that the censorship espoused by the CHC during its meeting with Wojcicki would only apply to content that goes against the government narrative. This overarching suppression not only applies to regular Americans, but also to elected officials.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) is one such individual who found himself experiencing first-hand the censorship YouTube is standing by. Back in June 2021, the Republican lawmaker was slapped with a seven-day ban for posting about Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) treatments  hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in particular. (Related: SUPPRESSING THE CURES: YouTube suspends Sen. Ron Johnson for uploading videos about hydroxychloroquine.)

Johnsons video that caused his seven-day ban criticized federal officials for discouraging the use of HCQ and suppressing information about its benefits when used to treat COVID-19. It always baffled me that there was such a concerted effort to deny the American public the type of robust exploration research into early treatment early in this pandemic, he said, adding that both HCQ and ivermectin are effective in treating COVID-19 yet are incredibly safe.

A YouTube spokesperson explained: We removed [Johnsons] video in accordance with our COVID-19 medical misinformation policies, which dont allow content that encourages people to use HCQ or ivermectin to treat or prevent the virus.

The ban did not sit well with the GOP lawmaker, who said in a statement that YouTube and other Big Tech firms have accumulated too much unaccountable power.

Big Tech and mainstream media believe they are smarter than medical doctors who have devoted their lives to science and use their skills to save lives. They have decided there is only one medical viewpoint allowed, and it is the viewpoint dictated by government agencies. How many lives will be lost as a result? How many lives could have been saved with a free exchange of medical ideas?

YoutubeCensorship.com has more stories about the Big Tech video sharing platforms censorship activities.

Watch this video below that talks about who really is behind YouTubes censorship.

This video is from the high impact Flix and more!!! channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

FDA ordered Google to remove covid videos from YouTube because agency didnt like their message.

YouTube to remove all DISLIKES from public view in bid to protect White House and mainstream media.

Facebook, YouTube censor Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for pointing out that covid vaccines destroy immune function.

YouTube purges Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Dr. Joseph Mercola and a wide range of experts who arent afraid to tell the truth about vaccines.

YouTube bans all harmful vaccine content from its platform, meaning any commentary that doesnt worship the official narrative of Big Pharma.

Sources include:

ReclaimTheNet.org

CHC.House.gov

TheEpochTimes.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) The French are about to feel the heavy boot of Emmanuel Macrons second term as the dictator readies to mandate a fourth dose of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination on the country.

Macron wasted no time after his alleged reelection unveiling a digital identity assurance app for French peoples phones that will verify their injection status for participation in French society.

The European Union at large is planning to adopt the very same app, which is being touted as a way for Europeans to enjoy the greater flexibility ideal for post-pandemic life.

Just two days after being installed in office for a second time, Macron launched a new law that is compliant with the demands of Brussels. The Digital Identity Guarantee Service, or SGIN, will require French citizens to maintain a digital identity card in compliance with the EU Commissions European Digital Identity program.

In response to all this, Les Patriotes leader Florian Philippot is urging French voters to fight in any way they can against Macrons legislation, which threatens to enslave the entire country under total medical fascism (Related: Macron wants all unvaccinated people, except for migrants, to be banned from French society).

Just after the election, the government announces the launch of a digital identity application!' Philippot tweeted. The goal: to put social credit in the Chinese way. control and surveillance company! Lets totally reject this application and fight by any means!

Protesters pelt Macron with tomatoes over digital ID enslavement program

Part of the SGIN paradigm for all of the EU will require a connection to social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Users vaccination status will be tied to their online status, and the government will have full access to this information.

After learning about the plan, the French reportedly pelted Macron with tomatoes to express their disapproval. On Twitter, many decried Macrons initiative as representing one more step towards absolute control of citizens.

Its all starting to get very dystopian, someone wrote on Twitter. The SGIN to connect to Twitter, Facebook or any other social exchange platforms. What is optional and trivial at the beginning will be essential and cumbersome in the long term. Resist!

Another warned that it starts in France for the moment, but will soon be the same everywhere.

Just like what occurred in the United States in 2020 (and likely in many previous elections as well), fraud was apparently rampant in Macrons reelection.

According to reports, the French government created an advanced polling system in which ballots were somehow taken a week before using election voting machines. Philippot openly criticized this decision, warning that it would increase voter fraud.

On election night, France 2 showed a dramatic decrease in votes counted for Marine Le Pen. At 9:10 p.m., she had 13,899,494 votes. At 10:45 p.m., however, the count somehow dropped to 11,558,051.

In other words, Macron is probably not Frances legitimate president, and Le Pen more than likely won without fraud  just like Donald Trump more than likely won reelection in 2020, despite the installment of fake president Joe Biden and his rotten regime.

Even so, Macron is moving full-steam ahead with plans to force his digital ID program in France after a failed attempt to do the same back in 2019. Dubbed Alicem, the proposed system at that time was deemed too controversial and was ultimately scrapped.

It has now been resurrected, however, in a simpler format that is more digitized. Biometric ID cards can now be incorporated into a state-of-the-art smartphone app and phone that contains a special Near-Field Communication (NFC) microchip.

The latest news about how the plandemic is apparently here to stay can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

DailyExpose.uk

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) American constitutionalists are on the brink of a victory they have sought for nearly half a century  the Supreme Court overturning 1973s Roe v. Wade decision imposing legal abortion on the entire country.

(Article republished from Revolver.news)

In an unprecedented development Monday night, someone inside the Court leaked a draft opinion to Politico before the opinions official release. And in fitting fashion, the draft opinion is an earthquake:

The draft opinion is a full-throated, unflinching repudiation of the 1973 decision which guaranteed federal constitutional protections of abortion rights and a subsequent 1992 decision  Planned Parenthood v. Casey  that largely maintained the right. Roe was egregiously wrong from the start, [Justice Samuel] Alito writes. We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled, he writes in the document, labeled as the Opinion of the Court. It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the peoples elected representatives. [Politico]

For decades, America has been ruled by a series of radical 60s and 70s Supreme Court precedents. Some of those decisions, like Roe, invented new rights out of whole cloth. Others, like Griggs v. Duke Power Co., turned the tenets of wokeness into legal mandates. None of these rulings had the slightest grounding in the actual text of the Constitution. Many, like decisions endorsing affirmative action, directly contradict the Constitution. For the last fifty years, a majority of the Courts justices have been Republican appointees, yet these decisions have remained immovable.

Suddenly, all that is up for grabs. And the feminists are going berserk with rage and terror.

MASHUP! Pro-abortionists are losing their minds over the thought of not being able to kill babies. pic.twitter.com/0oqFZyMpu5  Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 3, 2022

Abortion is basic healthcare. And the argument over when life begins is a red herring that has no place in this debate. Without Roe, women have fewer rights than a corpse.#ROE#RoeVWade#SCOTUSpic.twitter.com/GYDJC6KSEp  ? Keeping Colorado Blue! ? (@ColoradoKeep) May 3, 2022

Thousands of abortion foes and supporters squared off overnight outside the Supreme Court. Many abortion fans were, to say the least, not taking things well.

Get angry!

Cope and seethe, you guys lost Tensions running high in the crowd gathering at the Supreme Court pic.twitter.com/qHj56oTTH7  Nate Hochman (@njhochman) May 3, 2022

Once-somewhat respectable non-profits beclowned themselves as badly as any mentally-imbalanced 20-year-old college activist.

Abortion is a human right

Abortion is a human right

Abortion is a human right

Abortion is a human right

Abortion is a human right

Abortion is a human right

Abortion is a human right

Abortion is a human right

Abortion is a human right

Abortion is a human right  Amnesty International USA (@amnestyusa) May 3, 2022

At the New York Times, one reporter warned that a rollback of abortion was equal to the loss of democracy itself, using the Disinfo Industrial Complex trigger phrase democratic backsliding.

The erosion of abortion rights is extremely rare in the world, and almost exclusively occurs in backsliding democracies. Heres my reporting on the link between those two forces: https://t.co/aHgPWMv83T  Max Fisher (@Max_Fisher) May 3, 2022

One Democratic congressman, meanwhile, warned that the loss of Roe made America the equivalent of Viktor Orbans Hungary (Oh no!). Incidentally, Hungarys abortion laws have been the same since 1992:

The draft SCOTUS opinionallowing laws banning abortion in all cases, including rapeshows a right-wing majority poised to destroy Roe, Casey and the constitutional right to privacy. Striking down fundamental rights, they seek to usher in an Orban-style illiberal democracy.  Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) May 3, 2022

And as they so often do, when the left wasnt screaming at the sky, they were screaming at each other, pointing fingers.

Sending special love tonight to the RBG fangirls out there. How does that lace collar you got for Halloween feel now?  Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) May 3, 2022

Just checking in with all those folks who thought it wasnt that important to vote for Hillary Clinton. How are you doing tonight?  David Corn (@DavidCornDC) May 3, 2022

Suck my dick. Democrats had 49 years to codify Roe v Wade into federal law & didnt do shiteven when they had nigh-supermajority in both the House & the Senate during the following years: 1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

2010

2011 https://t.co/J1oBCGtxlL  There are no bad foods! (@IWriteAllDay_) May 3, 2022

Never forget that, when Obama had a filibuster-proof Senate majority in 2009, he broke his promise to Planned Parenthood to codify Roe v. Wade into law because it was not my highest legislative priority. pic.twitter.com/DQ9JyculjL  Q. Anthony Omene (@qaomene) May 3, 2022

 Obama not codifying Roe

 RBG not retiring under Obama

 Obama not fighting for Justice Garland

 Clinton elevating Trumps campaign

 Clinton not campaigning in swing states

 Clinton losing to a reality TV star

 Biden not codifying Roe Just blame it all on Bernie bros!  Gritty is the Way (@Gritty20202) May 3, 2022

This rabbi was NOT happy.

But before there is too much gloating, a warning: This ruling is not final. The Court could still cave, reverse course, and deliver a decision reaffirming Roe. Whoever leaked this draft clearly did so with intimidation in mind, and abortion zealots certainly havent missed that subtext.

Is a brave clerk taking this unpredecented step of leaking a draft opinion to warn the country whats coming in a last-ditch Hail Mary attempt to see if the public response might cause the Court to reconsider?  Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) May 3, 2022

Alitos not there. Go to his house. https://t.co/U4LvdtAV7Z  Kevin Murphy (@kcm74) May 3, 2022

Leak their addresses next  No Wars ??? No Borders ??? No States (@Vicky_ACAB) May 3, 2022

Besides underhanded threats, many Democratic lawmakers and bluechecks also signaled that an imminent reversal of Roe is the prompt that finally justifies irreversible moves like abolishing the filibuster, jurisdiction stripping, and outright packing of the Supreme Court. Abortion, after all, is not merely necessary, but sacred.

Lets be clear: The right to an abortion is sacred. Democrats have to act quickly  get rid of the filibuster to pass the Womens Health Protection Act + finally codify Roe into law. We cannot afford to wait.  John Fetterman (@JohnFetterman) May 3, 2022

John Fettermans view, that abortion is a sacred sacrament of our democracy, is commonly shared among liberals. Fetterman is the Democratic frontrunner for a Pennsylvania senate seat, and hes on record saying there should be no limits on abortion whatsoever. So much for Safe, Rare, and Legal.

Bernie, the aging octogenarian millionaire, blustered.

Congress must pass legislation that codifies Roe v. Wade as the law of the land in this country NOW. And if there arent 60 votes in the Senate to do it, and there are not, we must end the filibuster to pass it with 50 votes.  Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 3, 2022

Many liberals engaged in impotent fantasy.

Pack the Court. Strip jurisdiction. Now.  Anthony Michael Kreis (@AnthonyMKreis) May 3, 2022

Theyre completely detached from reality and suffering from arrested development. Most appear to live in a world of Harry Potter, Disney, and the Avengers.

In my fantasy, Schumer calls the caucus together in the morning and goes, Were going to kill the filibuster, pack the court, codify abortion rights, and were going to do it in three months. Any questions? Sure I could have worked a dragon in, but then its about a dragon.  Christopher Moore (@TheAuthorGuy) May 3, 2022

The Court yielding to public pressure is a real fear. In 1992s Planned Parenthood v. Casey decision, Justice Anthony Kennedy initially joined a majority overturning Roe, only to get cold feet, joining a convoluted ruling that slightly curtailed but fundamentally reaffirmed abortion rights. In the days and weeks to come, there will be a fanatical push  by the press, by non-profits, and by peaceful protesters  to push the justices into moderating their decision, or altering it completely.

American patriots must hold firm  in public, on the airwaves, and online  against this push to break the Courts resolve. For decades, globalists and radicals have used a mix of hysterical screaming, threats, and moral imperialism to pressure their foes into surrendering without a fight. This leaked opinion is a test, must like the meltdown over Floridas sex education law or the panic over Elon Musk buying Twitter. If the justices and conservatives more generally can hold the line, they will discover that the lefts threats are ultimately empty. When the lefts moral authority is denied and emphatically rejected, its power crumbles into nothing except impotent screaming and empty tears.

Another important note: The ruling, if it holds up, will be the culmination of a half century-long battle by millions of activists to overturn one of the Supreme Courts most indefensible decisions. But it will also be a triumph and vindication for Donald Trump.

Because of Donald J. Trump, Roe v. Wade will be overturned.  Madison Cawthorn (@CawthornforNC) May 3, 2022

In 2016, many voters were skeptical of Trump, but rallied behind his candidacy after he released his list of potential Supreme Court nominees to replace the deceased Antonin Scalia. In a 2016 exit poll by CNN, twenty-one percent of voters said the Supreme Court was the single most important issue in the election for them, and those voters backed Trump by fifteen points. That support was decisive in a close election, and afterwards Trump delivered for his base in unprecedented fashion. President Reagan and both Bushes promised their supporters judges who would overturn Roe v. Wade, and each of them delivered a Supreme Court pick who flopped when it counted most. President Trump was able to name three justices, and right now, it appears that all three will deliver.

Much to the chagrin of Joe Biden and his lunatic fringe.

Even better, if this ruling holds up, it also justifies optimism on many other issues of importance. Along with abortion, the Court is also addressing affirmative action this term, in the case Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. If the Court is brave enough to throw out Roe, it may also be brave enough to overturn Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, abolish affirmative action, and once again make America a country where racial discrimination is banned rather than mandated.

On free speech, on transgender propaganda, on woke capital, and now on abortion, Americans are learning that they have the power to ignore and overpower the woke left. As long as their courage does not fail, there is no limit to what can be accomplished.

Read more at: Revolver.news
(Natural News) A recent broadcast by Russian state-owned television station Russia-1 featured a discussion regarding the possibility of nuclear strikes against Berlin, Paris and London, including a simulation.

On Thursday, April 28, the Russia-1 program 60 Minutes brought on as a guest Member of Parliament Aleksey Zhuravlyov, who also serves as the leader of the Rodina party.

One Sarmat [missile] and thats it  the British Isles are no more, said Zhuravlyov to husband and wife co-hosts Evgeny Popov and Olga Skabeyeva.

The politician raised this topic following a segment that included a clip from a British television station featuring a British politician talking about how the United Kingdom is providing military support to Ukraine.

Zhuravlyov is referring to the RS-28 Sarmat superheavy intercontinental ballistic missile. This nuclear-capable missile system recently conducted a successful test.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said no other nuclear weapon systems in the world would be able to compete with the Sarmat for a long time. It would also make those who, in the heat of frenzied aggressive rhetoric, are trying to threaten our country think twice before acting against Russia.

The new complex has the highest tactical and technical characteristics and is capable of overcoming all modern anti-missile defense systems, said Putin. (Related: Putin warns of lightning-fast response if America, West try to intervene in Ukraine war.)

After Zhuravlyov suggested striking the United Kingdom with a nuclear missile, Skabeyeva and Popov directed their viewers to an animated infographic that suggests the nuclear missiles could be launched from Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave bordering Poland and Lithuania.

The infographic suggested that nuclear missiles launched from Kaliningrad could reach Berlin in 106 seconds, Paris in 200 seconds and London in 202 seconds.

Since we are talking about these weapons, the question is can they shoot it down, said Zhuravlyov, referring to the Sarmat missiles. This missile cant be intercepted. Their abilities are limited. They say they can shoot it down. Well see about that.

They need to be shown this picture, said Zhuravlyov, referring to the infographics. Count the seconds. Can you make it? Let them think about it. Get a stopwatch, count 200 seconds. Thats how you talk to them, they dont understand anything else.

Russian TV keeps threatening nuclear strikes against Western nations, desperately trying to deter them from continuing to help Ukraine. On a side note, this is the first state TV host who doesnt seem to be eager to die for the Motherland, arguing with a trigger-happy lawmaker. pic.twitter.com/PBvBP5V1lk  Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) April 28, 2022

Russia ready to wage nuclear war

Even before the 60 Minutes discussion and Zhuravlyov openly supporting pre-emptive nuclear strikes against European nations, Russian media outlets regularly discuss the possibility of the war spreading beyond Ukraine. Some discussions on Russian media even claim that it might be inevitable that Russia has to go to war against Europe and the world to protect its territorial integrity.

Putin himself said the Russian armed forces and its newest weapons, including the Sarmat, could be ready to lay siege to the U.K. by autumn.

Before this, Putin vowed to respond at lightning speed to countries that attempt to intervene in the war in Ukraine. During an address with politicians in St. Petersburg, he said: We dont brag [about our nuclear weapons], we will use them.

Officials from the United States and the U.K. have all dismissed Putins rhetoric as mere saber-rattling. But they have agreed that the possibility of Putin escalating the war on Ukraine without using nuclear weapons is a reality.

A non-nuclear escalation of the war entails Putin declaring an all-out war on Ukraine. This would enable the country to launch a general mobilization of the population, which could swell the Russian armed forces numbers by hundreds of thousands, if not millions.

With the Kremlins nuclear threat, the possibility of non-nuclear military escalation and the West outright refusing to even negotiate and keeping its severe economic sanctions against Russia in place, tensions are only expected to get worse.

Learn more about the possibility of a nuclear war in Ukraine at NuclearWar.news.

Watch this episode of The Pete Santilli Show as host Pete Santilli discusses the Russian threat to launch nuclear missiles against London, Berlin and Paris.

This video is from The Pete Santilli Show channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

USA / NATO gearing up for counterattack against Russian forces in July or August, with high risk of escalated retaliatory strikes by Russia using EMP or nuclear weapons.

Russia warns that NATOs proxy war in Ukraine poses serious, real threat of NUCLEAR WAR.

Tension escalates as Putins Tu-160 nuclear bomber flies near Ukraine border.

Zelensky warns Ukrainians to prepare for possible Russian nuclear attack.

Heightened fears of nuclear war increase demand for potassium iodide worldwide.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

EurAsianTimes.com

Newsweek.com

JPost.com

Metro.co.uk
(Natural News) Food shortages are plaguing the globe. Starvation and famine appear to be at the center of the next phase in the consolidated attempts of various governments to make people surrender their freedoms.

In the April 27 episode of the Merritt Medical Hour on Brighteon.TV, Dr. Lee Merritt and The New American magazine senior editor Alex Newman talked about the next phase of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) Plandemic, which is the controlled demolition of the food supply.

This food supply demolition, according to Newman, is happening worldwide. At the same time, the controlled demolition of the U.S. dollar is also underway.

So I think were headed into some very tough times, starvation and famine is going to be used as a weapon to get people to agree to things that they never would have agreed to before: the surrender of freedoms, the loss of national sovereignty, the granting of all these new powers to government at all levels, including at the international level, he said. (Related: Food crisis incoming: War in Ukraine threatening global food supplies, half a billion people at risk of hunger.)

Newman said this has been going on for a while because nobody can destroy the global food supply overnight. It was a long-term process under the guise of COVID-19 measures, such as the lockdowns. And then there were animal diseases, with governments instructing farmers to kill their pigs and chickens.

There is also an ongoing bird flu hysteria, which resulted in the mass extermination of chickens in places like Israel and Germany.

Dozens of food processing plants blown up, burned down in recent months

In the U.S., there are dozens of major food processing facilities that have either blown up or burned down in a couple of months. They happened too often to be considered mere accidents.

Earlier in April, an explosion occurred at Shearers Foods in Hermiston, Oregon. Shearers Foods makes different types of snacks and is one of the largest employers in the Hermiston area. While nobody died in the fire, seven workers of the building suffered injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital.

There wasnt any explanation as to why the explosion happened, but it wasnt the first. At least 18 food processing plants have burned down in the U.S. in the last few months.

Food processing plants have also burned down in San Antonio and El Paso, Texas; Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania; St. Clair County, Illinois and Salinas, California.

Despite the incidents making headlines in local news, there had been no coverage from national news outlets. Whats even more intriguing is that all these have been happening around the same time that President Joe Biden warned the country that there will be food shortages in the future. (Related: World Alternative Media: Global food shortage is part of Great Reset agenda.)

Of course, he blamed the shortages on the sanctions imposed on the Russia-Ukraine war, but that doesnt seem like a good enough explanation for many.

Fox News host Tucker Carlson noted that while industrial accidents could happen, this seems to be a lot of accidents at food processing facilities at a time when the president coincidentally said there will be food shortages.

Jason Rantz, an afternoon drive time talk show radio host interviewed by Carlson, said when you have over a dozen food processing plants and warehouses getting destroyed or damaged at a time when the food supply is already vulnerable, there will be suspicions about it and it could lead to serious food shortages.

Lots of people have been speculating about whether or not all these incidents were planned. After all, it is statistically impossible for this many food processing plants to blow up or burn down out of nowhere.

Newman noted that the human mind is designed to detect patterns, and there is a pattern to all these explosions. We need to expose this whole thing before its too late, he said.

Follow FoodSupply.news for the latest news about food shortages.

Watch the full April 27 episode of of Merritt Medical Hour below. Catch new episodes of the program every Wednesday at 7-8 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

Food shortage around the world may have been engineered to control populations.

Wheat prices soar in countries dependent on Eastern Europe for grain.

Food shortage around the world may have been engineered to control populations.

Russia-Ukraine war will further worsen global food shortage as poor nations face starvation, unrest.

More Americans preparing for coronavirus-related food shortage by buying up seeds for pandemic gardens.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

EvieMagazine.com
(Natural News) A scheme concocted by the Biden regime to actively police what people share on the internet is running into a snag, thanks to efforts by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) to kill it before it even gets off the ground.

Legislation proposed by Boebert would defund the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) new disinformation board, which has been tasked with eliminating misinformation related to homeland security, focused specifically on irregular migration and Russia from social media.

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently appeared on fake news corporation CNN to reveal that the new disinformation unit will not have operational authority, but will rather disseminate those best practices to the operators that have been executing and addressing this threat for years.

Boebert wants to nip the thing in the bud before it ever gets launched, which she hopes to do by getting her new legislation passed as soon as possible.

This kind of stuff is terrifying, Boebert said during a Fox News segment about the Biden regimes new Ministry of Truth. We in Congress have the power of the purse. It is our duty to shut down this department immediately.

Im calling on leadership in the Republican Party  Leader McCarthy, Whip Scalise, and others  to join me in calling for this department to be shut down and defunded.

Boebert went on to state that not a single tax dollar should be used to fund any federal attempt at trampling the First Amendment and silencing the truth online like Big Tech did with the Hunter Biden story.

Bidens pick to lead his Ministry of Truth says that free speech makes her shudder

Comparing the Biden regimes Ministry of Truth to what George Orwell warned about in his famous book 1984, Boebert further chastised Democrats for taking that literary piece and using it as a guide rather than a warning.

This really is a department of propaganda, Boebert stated plainly about the situation. To say that the federal department has a say in whats right and whats wrong. Whats truth and what is not. This is a very dangerous place that weve come to.

Boebert is now looking for co-sponsors for her bill and is expected to introduce it officially in the next week.

Nina Jankowicz, the woman chosen to head up Bidens new Ministry of Truth, has publicly stated that free speech makes her shudder. The use of this one word tells us everything we need to know about what will happen should the DHS be allowed to proceed with the agenda.

She also ludicrously cited Christopher Steele as an expert on disinformation, wrote Sean Adl-Tabatabai about Jankowiczs errant positions.

Steele was the author of the infamous Clinton campaign-funded Trump peegate dossier that turned out to be an actual product of disinformation. Jankowicz previously called Elon Musk an online abuser, while arguing for more censorship when she asserted, The free speech vs. censorship framing is a false dichotomy.'

In the comment section at Newspunch, someone wrote that it is highly unlikely that mainstream RINO (Republican in Name Only) politicians wills support Boeberts bill, which could kill it right out of the gate.

As long as the Democrats control the Congress, I dont hold out much hope that the bill will pass, wrote another, skeptical about the likelihood of this actually moving forward.

But Im extremely doubtful that the Democrats will even allow the midterm elections to be held. They know that if the elections do take place, they will lose in a landslide  Therefore, I wouldnt put it past these globalists to create a false flag event so they can declare martial law and suspend the elections.

More related news about the importance of protecting the First Amendment and fighting against the Biden regimes censorship efforts can be found at FirstAmendment.news.

Sources include:

Newspunch.com

ReclaimTheNet.org

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) CDC, FDA, NIH Workers Did Not Report Incidents of Political Interference, Fearing Retaliation, Government Watchdog Agency Says

CNN Health reported:

Just because incidents of political interference within the United States top health agencies are not reported, does not mean they dont happen, a new federal report finds. The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report Wednesday detailing how four public health agencies that were reviewed  the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response  do not have procedures in place that define political interference in scientific decision-making. The report also recommends how such incidents of interference should be reported and addressed. Yet the GAO report notes that employees at the CDC, FDA and NIH have revealed in interviews and via a confidential hotline that they observed incidences they perceived to be political interference but did not report them for various reasons: being unsure how to report the issue, believing that agency leaders already were aware of the incident and fearing retaliation.

(Article republished from ChildrenHealthDefense.org)

LA County Keeps Mask Mandate at Airports, on Public Transit, Despite Federal Changes

Los Angeles Times reported:

Despite recent changes at the federal level, Los Angeles County is continuing to require travelers to mask up when aboard public transit or in indoor transportation hubs such as airports. The new health officer order, which went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday, means the nations most populous county again has face-covering rules that go beyond those set by the state. L.A. Countys mask order covers commuter trains, subways, buses, taxis, Ubers and Lyfts; as well as indoor transportation hubs, including bus terminals, subway stations, seaports and other indoor port terminals, according to Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. It applies to everyone ages 2 and older, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status. The order affects Los Angeles International Airport and Hollywood Burbank Airport.

How a Single Judges Ruling Upended National COVID Policy

The Washington Post reported:

For more than a year, a little-known group called the Health Freedom Defense Fund has been working to roll back vaccine and mask mandates all over the country, often filing lawsuits one community at a time  from a tiny town in Idaho to the Los Angeles Unified School District and beyond. The group, created last year by a former Wall Street executive turned anti-vaccine activist to advocate for bodily autonomy, saw mixed results, with some local officials bending under the pressure and others winning efforts to dismiss lawsuits they viewed as coming from a fringe organization. Until this week. The decision Monday by a federal judge in Florida to invalidate the government-imposed mask mandate on public transportation handed the group a major legal victory, instantly upending national policy and setting off a cascade of reactions that reflected the impact on millions of Americans.

Philly Lifts Mask Mandate, Hours After Mayor Jim Kenney Defended It

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported:

Philadelphias Board of Health rescinded its indoor mask mandate Thursday night  three days after it went into effect, and hours after Mayor Jim Kenney defended the controversial policy that made his city an outlier in the national COVID-19 response. The city still strongly recommends masking in indoor public spaces, city spokesperson Kevin Lessard said. Officials from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health have said from the day the mandate was announced they hoped it would be brief, but they projected it being in place for weeks, not days. The mandate, which required people to wear masks at all indoor public settings, including businesses, offices, and gyms, went into effect Monday.

Louisiana House OKs Bill Aimed at Stopping State and Local Government Vaccine Mandates

KATC News reported:

A bill that would prohibit state and local governments from issuing vaccine mandates that require proof of vaccination in Louisiana has passed the House. On Wednesday, the bill authored by Representative Thomas Pressly passed the house on a final vote of 64-31. It will now go to the Senate. If passed the bill would stop the issuing or enforcing proof of COVID-19 vaccination requirements for entry into public or private entities or to receive goods or services of any kind from public or private entities. The bill would not apply to any COVID-19 vaccination mandate that is required by federal law or regulation. It would also not stop private businesses from implementing vaccination policies, procedures or requirements.

Boston Urges Masks as Battle Brews Over Transit Rule

Associated Press reported:

Boston urged people to start wearing masks Thursday and the Biden administration weighed its next legal step in what is shaping up to be a high-stakes court fight over the abrupt end of the national mask mandate on airplanes and mass transit. The Boston Public Health Commission noted a rise in hospitalizations, as well as a 65% increase in cases and an even larger spike in COVID-19 levels in local wastewater samples. It also stressed that the guidance was merely a recommendation, not an order.

Stricter Pandemic Policies Took Toll on Mental Health  Women Tended to Be More Affected Than Men

MedPage Today reported:

Peoples mental health suffered when strict COVID-19 control measures were put in place by their governments, according to two new studies. In one longitudinal analysis drawing on data from 15 countries excluding the U.S., policies with higher stringency were associated with higher mean psychological distress scores during the first 15 months of the pandemic (standardized coefficients ?=0.014, 95% CI 0.005-0.023), reported Rafael Goldszmidt, PhD, of the Brazilian School of Public and Business Administration in Rio de Janeiro, and colleagues. People living in areas with stricter containment policies also ranked lower in scores of self-reported life evaluations (?=-0.010, 95% CI -0.015 to -0.004), they noted in Lancet Public Health. When breaking down the policies individually, certain ones had a greater effect on mental health than others. After controlling for pandemic intensity, restrictions on gatherings, stay-at-home requirements, and international travel restrictions were each tied with greater psychological distress scores and lower life evaluations.

COVID: Quebec Prolongs Mask Mandate to Middle of May Now

Global News reported:

Quebec will extend its mask mandate in public spaces again  this time until mid-May  as the province continues to deal with the sixth wave of COVID-19. Luc Boileau, the provinces interim public health director, announced the decision Thursday to prolong the requirement by another two weeks. Masks will also remain mandatory on public transit.

Locked-Down, Shanghai Residents Skirt Censorship to Vent Online

The Washington Post reported:

Over recent weeks, social media posts out of Shanghai have painted a dire picture of life under the Chinese government lockdown. To mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, residents have been trapped at home, while others are stuck in temporary quarantine centers, unsure when theyll be set free. Posts, mostly through the Chinese blogging service Weibo and messaging service WeChat, describe loved ones dying after being given improper care and people starving amid food shortages. Though the government has responded with denials about food and medical problems, the outcry has increased pressure on Chinas communist party to respond to the allegations its citizens are making. China possesses one of the most sophisticated censorship programs in the world, but it has been unable to keep the furor contained within its borders. Its unclear just how people are escaping strict censorship protocols to share videos of life in Shanghai and questions remain about whether Chinas censorship regime will eventually stifle dissent.

Twitters Reaction to Elon Musk Only Proves Change Is Needed

Fox Business reported:

Twitter bans hate speech  specifically, speech it hates. If Elon Musk is successful in his mission to acquire Twitter  which he will be  he will pull back the curtain. We will finally be privy to the process the company uses to decide which ideas they deem suitable for us to hear. Musks takeover bid is a classic example of the free market at work. He is exercising what essentially amounts to personal antitrust action, taken in the name of free speech. The reaction from Twitter proves hes onto something. They are shaken to the core at the idea of having to be more transparent about how they conduct business at what has become the worlds virtual public town square. Musks takeover is doable. Twitter, in spite of its enormous societal impact, is a relatively small company compared to other tech firms. Apple is estimated to be worth $2.7 trillion. Google parent Alphabet is $1.7 trillion. Musk is the richest man in the world. He has a personal net worth several times greater than the $50 billion or so he would probably have to pay for outright ownership of Twitter.

House Republicans Press Twitter Board to Preserve All Records of Elon Musks Offers to Buy Company

The Hill reported:

House Republicans are asking Twitters board of directors to preserve all records related to Elon Musks offer to buy the company, according to a letter sent Friday. The request, led by House Judiciary Committee ranking member Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and signed by 17 colleagues, raises the possibility of Republicans probing the Twitter boards decisions regarding the offer if the GOP wins back the majority power in the fall. As Congress continues to examine Big Tech and how to best protect Americans free speech rights, this letter serves as a formal request that you preserve all records and materials relating to Musks offer to purchase Twitter, including Twitters consideration and response to this offer, and Twitters evaluation of its shareholder interests with respect to Musks offer, they wrote. The letter adds to Republicans unsubstantiated accusations that tech companies, particularly Twitter, are censoring content in a way that demonstrates an anti-conservative bias.

Twitter Is Worried About Free Speechin Canada

The Daily Wire reported:

Following proposed legislation in Canada that would give the government greater oversight and control over the content on social media, Twitter has expressed opposition to the bill due to its effect on freedom of expression. In statements provided to the government, Twitter explained its objections to the proposal put forth by Liberals in parliament known as the online harms bill. According to The National Post, The online harms bill would take aim at online posts in five categories  terrorist content, content that incites violence, hate speech, intimate images shared non-consensually and child sexual exploitation content. The social media giant said that the proposed law sacrifices freedom of expression to the creation of a government-run system of surveillance of anyone who uses Twitter and warned that flagging and removing posts might be used as a political tactic.

Read more at: ChildrenHealthDefense.org
(Natural News) The Executive Director of the Biden White Houses newly launched Disinformation Governance Board celebrated the censorship of news reports regarding Hunter Bidens hard drive, appearing to describe the story as Russian disinformation.

(Article by Natalie Winters & Raheem J. Kassam republished from TheNationalPulse.com)

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) created the board to coordinate countering misinformation related to homeland security focusing on irregular migration and Russia, according to POLITICO. The report also revealed that Nina Jankowicz  whose career has focused on partisan operations and advising foreign governments, rather than news reporting  will serve as its executive director.

Partisanship & Foreign Influence

While participating in U.S. Congressional hearings, Jankowicz dismissed documented links between Ukrainian energy company Burisma and the Biden family, while calling for an increase in federally-funded media outlets and an oversight agency of social media platforms.

She described the well-documented business ties between the first son and Burisma as perhaps the most well-known example of information laundering and unsubstantiated and misleading.

Jankowicz is a former disinformation fellow at the partly government-funded Wilson Center, and even advised the Ukrainian government as recently as 2016.

Additionally, she has repeatedly discussed Hunter Bidens leaked hard drive on her Twitter account, where she has championed the censorship of stories containing reports of his foreign business deals with countries such as China, Russia, and Ukraine.

Surprised (but pleased) to see this, she tweeted in response to a statement from Andy Stone, Facebooks Policy Communications Director, detailing how the platform would follow Twitters lead in censoring The New York Posts original Hunter Biden hard drive story.

Jankowicz also appeared to amplify a statement from over 50 former intelligence community and national security officials dismissing the Hunter Biden hard drive as Russian disinformation.

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. Trump says Russia, Russia, Russia, she wrote on October 22nd, 2020.

Responding to a now-deleted tweet, Jankowicz likened the origins story of Hunter Bidens hard drive  a laptop repair shop in Delaware  to a fairy tale.

Not to mention that the emails dont need to be altered to be part of an influence campaign. Voters deserve that context, not a fairly tale about a laptop repair shop, she wrote on October 22nd, 2020.

Jankowicz also expressed support for the following tweet, which has since been deleted by its author:

Come on media  you should be better than this! This entire year should have prepared you for a GOP Burisma-Biden smear campaign. The president was *impeached* for trying to orchestrate this very event. You dont have to fall for this and take it seriously.

She proceeded to craft a multi-tweet thread claiming that the firing of Ukraines former Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin, who was investigating the Hunter Biden-linked energy firm Burisma, was something the entire international community was seeking and brought more scrutiny to Burisma, not less. Speaking in 2019, Biden admitted he withheld U.S. government aid to Ukraine in order to pressure the countrys leaders into firing Shokin.

Also, consider the source. Are we really supposed to trust that some of these documents havent been forged or altered? she concluded her thread, posted the day The New York Posts original Hunter Biden expose broke.

Jankowicz also participated in a a virtual Congressional hearing in October of 2020 on misinformation and conspiracy theories online.

Jankowicz has singled out stories about Joe Biden and his sons ties to Ukrainian energy company Burisma, claiming that malign actors like Russia are relying on an increased use of information laundering to deliver foreign disinformation.

Perhaps the most well-known example of information laundering and one that this committee knows intimately is the nexus of conspiracy theories related to Ukraine and Vice President Joe Biden. These unsubstantiated and misleading narratives promoted by self-interested and corrupt individuals seeking power and personal gain, were endorsed by the presidents advisors, treated as fact by portions of the media, and legitimized within the halls of Congress, she continued.

Individuals that served as sources for these theories have since been discredited, sanctioned, and revealed to have active connections to Russian intelligence services, despite not providing the identities of any such sources.

She also calls for increased content moderation from social media platforms, lamenting how they allow the organization of these groups without any oversight speaking in reference to the individuals  many of whom were federal agents  involved in the plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

In addition to calling for more state-funded journalism in the U.S.  which Jankowicz euphemizes as investing in journalism as a public good  she has also pushed for a federal oversight agency controlling content moderation on social media platforms.

Read more at: TheNationalPulse.com
(Natural News) Workers at one of the worlds largest egg factories spent nearly a month pulling the dead birds from their cages and dumping them in carts before they were piled high in nearby fields to be buried in huge pits.

One morning in March, Rembrandt Enterprises workers were told to forget about their usual routine of collecting the eggs and feeding the birds because the factory started slaughtering over five million chickens when they detected a single case of avian flu.

Even their supervisors had to work on dragging the hens out of packed cages to be buried, as the factory based in Rembrandt, Iowa, raced to contain the spread of the virus amidst what is now the largest bird flu outbreak in the United States in seven years.

The culling also happened at chicken and turkey farms in 28 other states, with over 22 million birds killed in the attempt to contain the outbreak. The majority of it, however, is in Iowa, which is the biggest producer of eggs in the United States. The slaughter of the 5.3 million hens at Rembrandt is the largest culling in the country.

The company culled the chickens using a ventilation shutdown plus (VSD+) system, which closes off air to the barns while pumping in heat until temperatures rise above 140 degrees, essentially cooking the birds alive.

Animal Outlook, an animal rights group, used the freedom of information laws to obtain records of experiments from the North Carolina State University that showed VSD+ causing extreme suffering to the hens as they writhe, gasp, pant, stagger and even throw themselves against the walls of their confinement in a desperate attempt to escape.

However, James Roth, an adviser to the federal government on biosecurity, said VSD+ is the most efficient way of containing the spread of bird flu.

Over 250 cut off from work following culling

After the killing and burying of the animals, Rembrandt Enterprises cut off about 250 employees, leaving only a few dozen people to staff the factory. (Related: Government says bird flu responsible for rising egg prices.)

Oscar Garcia, a former supervisor at the plant, said everybody was worried about the chickens. But while the bird flu does pose a real problem, it was inhumane the way the chickens were killed, and people who worked in those barns to pull out dead birds were working in terrible conditions during their 12- to 14-hour workdays.

They couldnt protest because then theyd be fired and lose their redundancy pay. Then theyre thrown out of work and no one speaks for them, he said.

However, after all the chickens have been buried, workers were told to attend a meeting, where they found a stack of yellow envelopes. Thats like showing a knife to a chicken. You know whats going to happen next. We worked ourselves out of a job. I saw people who had years and years of experience just being let go. It was totally unexpected, a worker said. (Related: Pandemic? Bird flu found at multiple poultry farms in Alabama.)

Some thought the layoff may be temporary, but they were given redundancy payments and told to find other jobs, raising questions about the future of the plant.

Influenza.news has more stories about the avian flu outbreak.

Watch the video below for more information on the culling of chickens and other news of the bird flu that is spreading across the United States.

This video is from the Evolutionary Energy Arts channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Americas poultry giants have sold tens of thousands of meat products contaminated with DEADLY BACTERIA.

BLOODY SECRET: Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos want us eating LAB MEAT grown from the fetal blood of unborn baby cows.

White striping disease found in 99% of store-brand chicken sold in major supermarkets.

Real meat for me, but not for thee: Globalists pushing lab-grown meat for the masses.

Sources include:

StrangeSounds.org

TheGuardian.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) New documents obtained by The National Pulse show that Tony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) greased the wheels for a treasonous relationship between the United States and Communist China as it pertains to bioweapons research and development.

We now know that Galveston National Laboratory (GNL), a Fauci project, forged an agreement with the infamous Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), granting the latter the ability to force the former to destroy and/or return the secret files, materials and equipment without any backups.

GNL has maintained a multi-year collaborative relationship with the WIV, we also now know. This included hosting exchange programs and training seminars at the WIVs Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) facility where some believe the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) was created and released.

None of this would have been possible without the taxpayer-funded grants that Fauci awarded to GNL. In fact, GNL would not even exist in the first place had Fauci not funneled American taxpayer cash into its creation, only to then partner it up with the WIV to presumably build bioweapons such as the Fauci Flu.

Directors from both GNL and the WIV bragged about working with the worlds most dangerous pathogens. Their other allies and partnerships include Peter Daszaks EcoHealth Alliance, which is also linked to the Ukrainian biolabs that Russia is uncovering and destroying.

Will Tony Fauci ever receive the justice he deserves?

The government watchdog group U.S. Right to Know (USRTK) uncovered additional materials showing the extent to which GNL and the WIV are partnered, thanks to Faucis treasonous activities.

An official contract entitled Memorandum Of Understanding Of Cooperation Between Wuhan Institute Of Virology, Chinese Academy Of Sciences, And The University Of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston details more about the partnership.

The contracts 16th section  confidentiality  reveals that the Wuhan Institute of Virology could ask the Galveston lab to destroy and /or return the secret files, materials and equipment without any backups,' writes Natalie Winters for the Pulse.

All cooperation and exchanges, documents, data, details and materials shall be treated as confidential information by the parties, adds the contract.

Among the objective of the cooperation between the two entities include strengthening the academic and talent exchanges between the parties, as well as promoting the research cooperation between China and the United States for controlling infectious diseases.

Another key detail of the agreement is that deadly bioweapons can be exchanged between GNL and the WIV, traveling back and forth between the U.S. and China, if need be, for scientific research purposes.

Carolee King, GNLs senior vice president and general counsel, as well as GNL director James LeDuc, both appear to have signed off on this deal under the banner of Faucis bioweapons research agenda.

Before it was erased in early 2021, the WIV website listed Faucis National Institute of Health (NIH) as a partner. Fauci, meanwhile, claims that he was never involved with the WIV, which we now know to be a bald-faced lie.

Unfortunately, we ALL need to be vigilant at least enough to know whats really going on, wrote someone in Natural News.

More and more folks are finally waking from the obfuscations of truth and reality. The lies are crumbling by the minute. This may be the time of the biggest mass awakening of humanity.

When the next release happens, it will be the Russians fault, said another about how the script will likely go for the next engineered plandemic. The American way: if you cant legally make biological weapons in the country, fund their development overseas. Then lie about it.

Others suggested that perhaps the Ukrainian biolabs were used, in part, to develop the Chinese Virus along with GNL and the WIV.

More related news about Fauci can be found at Treason.news.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) A judge from the state of Florida recently overturned the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) mask mandates, leading many airlines and transportation companies to repeal and end their own. However, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is trying to overturn the ruling, saying that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still has the authority to force all Americans to wear masks when traveling.

Alex Newman discussed the mask mandate issue in the April 29 episode of The Sentinel Report on Brighteon.TV, saying that it will be interesting to know how the mask mandates could affect the midterm elections.

There are very few things less popular than the mask mandate as evidenced by all the videos from all over the country when it was announced that it came down. People cheered and celebrated.

U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, from the Middle District of Florida, called the mask mandates unlawful, saying that the CDC overstepped its legal authority by imposing them in February 2021.

According to her ruling, the mandate, which forces people to wear masks aboard planes, trains, buses and other forms of public transportation, violates the procedures required for agency rulemaking.

Airlines for America, which represents major North American airlines, welcomed the ruling. In a statement, the group said: U.S. airlines have been strong advocates for eliminating pandemic-era policies and are encouraged by the lifting of the federal transportation mask mandate. (Related: Studies show how mask mandates, lockdowns and COVID vaccines have failed to deliver.)

Following the ruling, several airlines, such as United, Delta, American and Alaska, issued statements that they are making masks optional.

However, there has not been any consensus among local public transit agencies across the U.S. regarding the matter. New Yorks Metropolitan Transportation Authority said that it would continue to follow CDC recommendations as the new decision is being reviewed, while the New Jersey Transit said that masks will still be required onboard its trains. Amtrak, meanwhile, said that masks would no longer be required on trains.

Mask mandates arbitrary and capricious

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are two women and the Health Freedom Defense Fund, a Wyoming nonprofit that challenged vaccine and mask mandates in other parts of the country.

According to the suit, the CDC mandate was arbitrary and capricious because it gave exemptions to certain groups, such as children under two years old, but not others.

Ana Carolina Daza, one of the plaintiffs, said that her anxiety should qualify as a medical exemption to the CDC rule. The other plaintiff, Sarah Pope, said that she has constricted breathing from wearing a mask, which worsened her panic attacks. (Related: Medical professionals, students decry mask mandates and other Covid measures in schools.)

Brant Hadaway, the attorney who introduced the lawsuit, told NBC News via a text message that The court agreed that the CDC overstepped its statutory authority when it ordered every person who enters a travel conveyance or travel hub to wear a mask.

Meanwhile, Biden administration lawyers have argued that Congress provided broad authority to take reasonable public health measures to prevent the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). They said that the mask mandate was a conventional sanitary measure within the authority of the CDC. Well-fitted, high-quality masks are said to help control COVID-19 transmission by preventing people from spreading the virus or inhaling those that are expelled by others.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a briefing: This is obviously a disappointing decision. The CDC continues recommending wearing a mask on public transit.

Follow Pandemic.news for more news related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Watch the full April 29 episode of The Sentinel Report in the video below. Catch new episodes of the program every Friday at 4-5 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

Democratic campaign chairman WALKS BACK on mask mandates.

California drops mask mandates for schools, indoor masking for the unvaxxed.

CDC drops indoor mask mandates for many areas in the US.

Congress drops mask mandates ahead of Bidens State of the Union Address.

Study reveals mask mandates are NOT linked to lower COVID-19 transmissions in Spain.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

NBCNews.com

TheGuardian.com
(Natural News) Investigative journalist Jefferey Jaxen and host Del Bigtree lauded the states that are leading the pushback against Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) mandates during a recent episode of The HighWire.

Jaxen cited an April 22 press release by Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announcing a ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates and passports. Reeves signed House Bill (HB) 1509 into law on that day, which bans public institutions and agencies from discriminating against individuals based on their COVID-19 vaccination status.

Bigtree said of Reeves announcement: I love that its not just banning it, but [also] making it illegal to even attempt to mandate it for one of your establishments. Thats really just taking down the road; Mississippi is a place Ive traveled to so often, always fighting for the vaccine rights. I think this is a huge step in the right direction.

Now theres nine other U.S. states where COVID vaccination requirements have been banned by legislation. Across the entire U.S., we now have a large subset of states that are really pushing back against this, said Jaxen, adding that HB 1059 was really good news for a lot of people.

Under HB 1059, state agencies, public officials, state institutions of higher learning, public community or junior colleges, county, municipality, and other political subdivisions are prohibited from banning unvaccinated individuals from applying for a job or discriminating against them when it comes to compensation and other benefits. (Related: Mississippi officially bans COVID-19 vaccine mandates and passports.)

It also bans children from getting the COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of attending a school, kindergarten or similar type of facility intended for the instruction of children, whether public or private. This ensures that students will not be forced to make a decision between receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and not being able to attend Mississippi colleges and universities, added the statement.

RI bill seeking to penalize the unvaccinated fails to gain ground

Jaxen and Bigtree also discussed a proposal over at the state of Rhode Island that sought to penalize the unvaccinated for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. The S2552 bill introduced in the Rhode Island Senate in March said individuals refusing the vaccine could face a monthly fine of $50 and pay double the state income tax. For unvaccinated Rhode Islanders 16 years old and below, the fines would be imposed on their parents and guardians.

This is insanity, this goes against everything. Whether you want to call [refusing the COVID-19 vaccine] a religious decision  or a critical thinking decision, youre going to isolate them and tax them more? We wouldnt accept this on any other group of people, Bigtree said.

Its incredible that we live in a time that a politician even thinks that this should happen in a free country. It shows you how bad this disease is in our political system that it exists at all. We definitely need some [chemotherapy] in there to burn this out.

According to Jaxen, S2552 received so much criticism from Rhode Islanders that some of the state senators who introduced the bill eventually distanced themselves from it. State Sens. Sam Bell, Cynthia Mendes, Jonathon Acosta and Tiara Mack were responsible for the bill. A WJAR 10 report said both Acosta and Mack refused to comment on the bill during a phone interview. Bell, meanwhile, said he did not have time for an interview when the news outlet reached out to him.

The investigative journalist remarked: These people are so confident to put their names in this bill, [but] they cant take one minute for a comment to a newspaper article talking about how great this bill is. Surely, they have some talking points to sell this bill, dont they?

Its only a matter of time before we start seeing these rights being rolled back. You have to know that the powers that be are going to try with all of their will to stop that, but boy, we have a tailwind behind us right now, Bigtree concluded.

Resist.news has more stories about the pushback against mandatory COVID-19 vaccination bills.

Watch Jaxen and Bigtree discuss the pushback against COVID-19 vaccine legislation below.

This video is from The HighWire with Del Bigtree channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Insane! Rhode Island Dems introduce bill to double income taxes for parents of unvaccinated children.

VAX TAX ATTACK: Rhode Island wants to DOUBLE state income tax for parents of unvaccinated children.

California State Sen. Richard Pan PAUSES mandatory COVID vaccination bill for schoolchildren due to LOW vaccine uptake.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

Mailchi.mp

TurnTo10.com
(Natural News) There are lots of stories emanating from the Russia-Ukraine war that are horrific on the surface, but many of them are proving to be phony, including one about mass graves near besieged Mariupol.

According to previous reports that were allegedly based on satellite photos, Russian troops buried nearly 10,000 Ukrainian citizens in a layered mass grave near the city. But an independent journalist who visited the area says those reports are not true, according to her first-hand account published in NewsPunch.

Canadian independent journalist Eva Bartlett traveled to the Ukrainian city of Mangush on April 23 but didnt find any mass graves.

What I saw were new, orderly grave plots including some still empty ones  an extension of a cemetery that already exists at the spot. No mass pit. Many of the graves have placards with the names and dates of birth of the deceased when available, and the remaining plots were numbered according to burial, she noted.

Since the media is essentially copy-pasting from the same source  the former mayor of Mariupol, Vadym Boichenko (who seems to be far from the city now)  Ill cite from the Washington Posts article, Bartletts account noted further, adding:

Boichenko, the article notes, called the site the new Babyn Yar, referring to one of the largest mass graves in Europe located in the outskirts of Kyiv, where 33,000 Jews where killed by Nazis in 1941 during World War II.

This is ironic on several levels. A mayor who is whitewashing the neo-Nazis who have run amuck in his city  notably those from the Azov Battalion, who have used civilians as human shields, occupied and militarized civilian infrastructure, point-blank executed civilians  is comparing an alleged (non-existent) mass grave to a Nazi massacre of WW2.

Meanwhile, the Kyiv regime has re-written history, making WW2 Nazis and their collaborators heroes of the nation. The most notorious example being the World War Two figure Stepan Bandera, the Canadian journalist continued.

Boichenkos other alarming claim was that the alleged mass grave was the biggest war crime of the 21st century,' she continued. We are only 22 years into it, but weve already seen the US-led invasion and destruction of Iraq, the leveling of Syrias Raqqa, Saudi Arabias ongoing war in Yemen  all of which are much stronger contenders than the nowhere-to-be-found mass graves of Mangush.

She went on to describe what appears to be just an ordinary burial plot with individual marked graves.

In reality, the site has around 400 individual plots, including nearly 100 empty ones. The 9,000 bodies and biggest war crime of the 21st century were unverified claims made by a mayor who fled his city, promoted by media which down the page admitted they could not independently verify the claims  but by then, the damage had been done, she wrote, noting that the story went viral throughout the West, thanks to the fake news media.

As she visited the site, Bartlett said a couple of men who are responsible for maintaining it approached and she asked them directly about the claims of mass graves.

This is not a mass grave and no one is throwing bodies into a pit, one of the men told her.

She noted: According to them, they bury each person in a coffin and separate grave, details are logged in the morgue, and when any documents regarding name and age are given, the plot is marked with a placard containing those details. Otherwise a number is used.

One of the men also noted that a section of the site was used to bury Ukrainian soldiers. Theyre human, too, he said.

Bartlett also offered up proof of her own claims, including photos.

For those in doubt as to the location, see Romans report: his drone footage shows that its precisely the same location as shown in the satellite images used by Western media, she wrote.

Sources include:

NewsPunch.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) A newly published study by Israeli scientists confirms  again  that there are natural ways to fight back against COVID-19 without resorting to harmful and useless vaccines.

According to peer-reviewed research published in the journal PLOS One last week, Israeli scientists said they have found the most compelling and convincing evidence to date that boosting vitamin D levels helps people who have contracted the virus dramatically reduce the risk of serious illness or death, The Times of Israel reports.

Scientists from Bar Ilan University and the Galilee Medical Center said that vitamin D actually has such a major impact on lessening the severity of the illness that they can predict how infected people will respond to the virus based on their levels of the vitamin and their age, the report continued.

And to that point, lacking in vitamin D greatly increase the danger of becoming seriously ill or dying from COVID, the researchers note.

The Times Of Israel notes further:

The study is based on research conducted during Israels first two waves of the virus, before vaccines were widely available, and doctors emphasized that vitamin supplements were not a substitute for vaccines, but rather a way to keep immunity levels from falling.

Vitamin D deficiency is endemic across the Middle East, including in Israel, where nearly four in five people are low on the vitamin, according to one study from 2011. By taking supplements before infection, though, the researchers in the new Israeli study found that patients could avoid the worst effects of the disease.

We found it remarkable, and striking, to see the difference in the chances of becoming a severe patient when you are lacking in vitamin D compared to when youre not, said Dr. Amiel Dror, a Galilee Medical Center physician and Bar Ilan researcher who took part in the study.

Dror went on to say that the teams study took place before the omicron variant began to spread, but he added that doesnt matter because COVID-19 does not fundamentally change between variants to negate the effectiveness of vitamin D in fending off serious illness.

What were seeing when vitamin D helps people with COVID infections is a result of its effectiveness in bolstering the immune systems to deal with viral pathogens that attack the respiratory system, he told the Israeli news outlet. This is equally relevant for Omicron as it was for previous variants.

The data on how well boosting vitamin D levels can treat or prevent COVID-19 has not been widely reported, though health officials in Israel and a number of other countries have been recommending it for quite some time. But of course, most of Western society is unduly influenced by a corrupt corporate media industry and Big Pharma, both of which are in bed with authoritarian deep staters and politicians who have a vested interest in keeping people misinformed and hooked on treatments that produce profits.

For instance, last June researchers published what were preliminary findings at the time, indicating that 26 percent of COVID-19 patients died if they were deficient in vitamin D right before being hospitalized. That compared with just 3 percent who had sufficient or normal levels of the vitamin.

They also determined that hospitalized patients who were vitamin D deficient were 14 times more likely, on average, to end up in severe or critical condition than others, The Times of Israel reported, adding: While the scientific community recognized the importance of the results, questions arose as to whether recent health conditions among the patients might have been skewing the results.

Some researchers suggested that perhaps vitamin D deficiency was a side effect of coronavirus and that by causing levels to fall, that made patients more susceptible to serious infection and death.

But Drors team answered that question by delving deeper into the data, examining each patients vitamin D levels over the course of two years prior to infection.

They found that the strong correlation between sufficient vitamin D levels and ability to fight the coronavirus still held, and the level of increased danger in their preliminary findings remained almost identical, the outlet reported.

Its true: Low-cost all-natural treatments for COVID-19 are every bit as effective as any Big Pharma treatment. If our country had honest media, this would be front-page news for days.

Sources include:

TimesOfIsrael.com

AlternativeMedicine.news
(Natural News) Epidemiologist Dr. Astrid Stuckelberger appeared on an episode of Conversations That Matter with The New American magazines Alex Newman to discuss the World Health Organization (WHO), a product of the United Nations that she says represents the tip of the spear for global tyranny.

Right now, the WHO is attempting to usurp for itself even more power over the world with a new international health regime proposal that would grant the entity more control over public health.

Stuckelberger had been working directly with the WHO throughout the plandemic to form public health policy, and what she saw during that time with the push towards global totalitarianism apparently shocked her, causing her to become a whistleblower.

One major thing she took issue with was the use of PCR tests, which are not meant to be diagnostic tools. Stuckelberger says it was very strange that these were used since they have no validity in verifying the presence of covid disease.

We have never seen that in the WHO that the test and the diagnostic technology  its not a diagnostic actually; its a technology for research that suddenly becomes the tool of the world the tool of WHO to prove cases, and cases were transformed into sick people, and contagious, and asymptomatic  and that was one thing that was very disturbing.

Stuckelberger went on to discuss how the WHO was creating fear from the very beginning, which violates the WHOs own 2005 International Health Regulations, which task the entity with communicating ethically, not for shock value to push some ulterior agenda. (Related: The WHO is also involved in bioweapons research.)

Until it is proven to exist, there is no such thing as covid, scientifically speaking

Even though SARS-CoV-2 has never been isolated, purified or analyzed, the WHO ran with the lockdown narrative almost immediately out of the gate. And much of the world followed suit, especially throughout the West.

The WHOs power and influence in this regard is why Stuckelberger says that the WHO is the tip of the spear of a global tyranny matrix in which all member countries just obey without question.

WHO gave directives that were totally non-commensurate with the research, Stuckelberger says.

They did not give the data that there is a causality between a coronavirus and the sickness, which usually you have to purify, take pictures of, study and replicate in animals  and we never had this.

Stuckelberger says that normally there is an extensive process involved with identifying a perceived threat and determining the risks involved. Instead of going through that process, the WHO just went ahead and promoted lockdowns and the halting of the global economy.

What you basically have to do is not stop commerce and trade, and not lock down people immediately  thats the thing to avoid, she says. Everything looked very suspicious to me from the beginning.

The house of cards is falling down, and what we do will echo after that, Stuckelberger says.

There were many red flags right from the start that caught Stuckelbergers attention. And as she put the pieces together, she came to the realization that fraud was more than likely involved with the WHOs plandemic response.

The more you put the pieces together, the more (you see that) its deliberate, she says. And now we have the proof from the U.S. that it has leaked from a Wuhan lab  it didnt actually leak, though, it was an intentional spread.

Be sure to check out the full interview with Stuckelberger and Newman at The New American website.

More related news can be found at Fascism.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheNewAmerican.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Reports last week noted that the Czech Republic sent about a dozen tanks along with armored fighting vehicles and some artillery pieces to Ukraine in its fight against Russia, as some suggested the weapons transfers were part of a quiet U.S. effort to assist Kyivs war effort.

The rumors also addressed the notion that, if indeed Washington and NATO countries have begun a behind-the-scenes effort to provide Ukraine with much more military assistance than previously revealed, it could be a substantial escalation and result in a legitimate third world war.

We Are Change reports:

On Tuesday it was confirmed that Ukraine has received over a dozen Soviet-designed T-72M tanks from the Czech Republic amid a big push among Western powers to bolster Ukrainian defenses amid the continued Russian war, and as the Russians are beginning to cut off much of the east and south.

The initiative by the Czech government, which is a member of NATO, is the first by an external power that has provided armor and heavy weapons support to the Ukrainians following Russias Feb. 24 invasion. Also, the transfer of the tanks involved the U.S. government, as has been reported by Politico and a few other outlets.

According to the outlet, which cited a New York Times report, the transfer of the tanks and other equipment only came after the Biden regime signed off on it following a request from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy:

Following Zelenskyys appeals last week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had said it would be very difficult to supply Ukraine with tanks and jets, adding that NATO and G7 countries felt agony over their inability to help Ukraine more decisively.

But according to the Times report, while the official on Friday declined to say how many tanks would be sent, or from which countries they would come, the tanks would enable Ukraine to conduct long-range artillery strikes on Russian targets in Donbas, which contains the separatist provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Also, as The Wall Street Journal reports, those support efforts could be ramped up in the coming days, making it increasingly likely that the West appears to be sleepwalking into World War III with a well-armed nuclear power.

In a potentially even more important development, both the Czech Republic and neighboring Slovakia, which shares a border with Ukraine, are considering opening their military industrial installations to repair and refit damaged Ukrainian military equipment, the WSJ noted.

Independent journalist Michael Tracey noted on Twitter that Secretary of State Antony Blinken said yesterday that he cant get into whether the Times report is accurate, and that the US will now be sending tanks into Ukraine. According to the Biden Administration, the public has no right to know the details of these daily escalations in an intensifying US proxy war.

Blinken said yesterday that he cant get into whether this report is accurate, and that the US will now be sending tanks into Ukraine. According to the Biden Administration, the public has no right to know the details of these daily escalations in an intensifying US proxy war pic.twitter.com/JAUnSPJlSb  Michael Tracey (@mtracey) April 4, 2022

Early last week, Russian officials hinted that President Vladimir Putin would be ordering his commanders to refocus military efforts on the eastern Ukrainian regions after weeks of attacks on Ukrainian cities across the country. That announcement was viewed widely throughout the West as the Kremlins tacit acknowledgment that its forces had become bogged down in a meat grinder as Ukrainian resistance had become unexpectedly stiff, which forced a change in strategy.

Video reports from Ukraine have revealed masses of destroyed Russian tanks, vehicles, and equipment. There have also been videos of Russian helicopters being shot down as the war drags on.

But make no mistake, the bigger weapons are certainly held by Putin and if he uses them, the West will have to respond. Its just a matter of time.

Sources include:

WeAreChange.org

Politico.com
(Natural News) Like most of the legacy media, the Washington Post allowed itself to be used as a conduit for fake news and disinformation by the deep state intelligence apparatus during Donald Trumps term, publishing one false, unverified report after another to tarnish his America First presidency.

Now that Trump is out of office, the Post, like the others, continues to serve as a propaganda outlet for the deep state, but occasionally, in order to keep up the appearance of being a legitimate news source, the paper is forced to publish accurate information.

Last week, the Post made an admission about the real purpose behind a military unit in Ukraine it had long dismissed as Russian disinformation and a conspiracy theory, as it  and most other media outlets  serves as cheerleaders for Kyiv, while also taking the opportunity to smear Republicans and conservatives in America.

In an article published on April 6th, 2022, the Post noted in its headline: Right-wing Azov Battalion emerges as a controversial defender of Ukraine, with the National Pulse noting further:

The report cites Hans-Jakob Schindler, a senior director at the Counter Extremism Project, who admitted the allure for Neo Nazis in Ukraine is not surprising, in WaPos words.

Theres nothing shocking about it, he said. Its the only conflict you can join.

He added: Where you want to go? To Syria, where Muslims killing Muslims, to West Africa, where Black people kill Black people? As youre a Nazi, thats not the conflict you want to join.

The Post goes on to concede:

Despite their military successes, the Azov continued to be criticized as adherents to neo-Nazi ideology. Even as they have consistently denied any Nazi affiliations, their uniforms and tattoos on many of their fighters display a number of fascist and Nazi symbols, including swastikas and SS symbols. In 2015, Andriy Diachenko, the spokesperson for the regiment at the time, told USA Today that 10 to 20 percent of Azovs recruits were Nazis.

But of course, the Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper could not simply let it go at that, as, cheerleading for Ukraine is still important, too, as the public must be told which side to root for in a conflict the Post and the rest of the mainstream media would love to see go global:

The Azov battalion is also not what it was in 2014. Ever since it was incorporated into Ukraines National Guard late that year, they had to purge a lot of those extremist elements, said Mollie Saltskog, a senior intelligence analyst at the Soufan Group. There was much more control exerted over who is affiliated with the battalions.

The Post spoke with Col. Andriy Biletskiy, a co-founder and commander of the battalion, who has gone on record saying he wanted to lead the white races of the world in a final crusadeagainst Semite-led Untermenschen [subhumans]

We dont identify ourselves with the Nazi ideology, said Biletskiy. We have people of conservative political views, and I see myself as such. But, as any person, I dont want my views to be defined by others. Im not a Nazi. We completely reject it.

But author Michael Colborne, who was also interviewed for the Post story, noted that while he wouldnt call [Azov] explicitly a neo-Nazi movement There are clearly neo-Nazis within its ranks.

There are elements in it who are, you know, neo-fascist and there are elements who are maybe more kind of old-school Ukrainian nationalist, he said.

At its core, its hostile to liberal democracy. Its hostile to everything that comes with liberal democracy, minority rights, voting rights, things like that.

And even the Post admits: the battalions far-right nationalist ideology has raised concerns that it is attracting extremists, including white supremacist neo-Nazis, who could pose a future threat. When Putin cast his assault on Ukraine as a quest to de-Nazify the country, seeking to delegitimize the Ukrainian government and Ukrainian nationalism as fascist, he was partly referring to the Azov forces.

Its all just another example of how our media is a tool of the left-wing, anti-American deep state.

Sources include:

WashingtonPost.com

TheNationalPulse.com
Biologists have observed a troubling fall in insect abundance over the last decade, which some belief may herald the end of the arthropod apocalypse.

These studies, however, are mostly focused on temperate zones, leaving the tropics, which are home to the great majority of insect species, virtually unexplored.

In new research, biologists enlist the help of park rangers in Ecuador's Yasuni National Park, one of the world's most biodiverse environments, to analyze changes in insect abundance.

Plummeting number of insects

Last February 2019 from The Guardian, with the first worldwide scientific analysis, the world's insects are on the verge of extinction, risking a "catastrophic breakdown of nature's ecosystems."

According to the study, more than 40% of bug species are falling, and one-third are endangered. Extinction rates are eight times quicker than those of mammals, birds, and reptiles.

According to the best-known statistics, the total mass of insects is decreasing at a rate of 2.5 percent every year, implying that they may go extinct within a century.

The Earth is on the verge of its sixth mass extinction, with massive losses already observed in bigger creatures that are simpler to examine.

Insects, on the other hand, are by far the most diverse and plentiful creatures, outweighing humans by 17 times.

The new study chose the 73 greatest research done so far to estimate insect loss. Butterflies and moths have been particularly hard damaged.

Between 2000 and 2009, for example, the number of common butterfly species declined by 58 percent on agricultural land in England.

The UK has had the highest reported insect declines overall, albeit this is likely because it has been examined more intensively than most other areas.

Read more: Beatles, Butterflies Population Thriving While Some Insects Decline in Numbers

Building alternatives to save biology from its risks

According to lead author Maria Checa, a research scientist at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador and a former doctoral student at the Florida Museum of Natural History, "such an analysis has obvious benefits for scientific knowledge and conservation, but it was also important that it included social benefits for the people we worked with," as per ScienceDaily.

They still understand very little about the effects of climate change in tropical places because there aren't enough researchers with the skills to examine these areas, she says.

Because local actors are crucial stakeholders in conservation, researchers must provide them with this information.

Conservation scientists sometimes encounter a stumbling hurdle early in their careers: the bulk of the world's biodiversity is unevenly distributed in the tropics, yet the majority of experts who study it largely dwell in temperate regions.

As a result, many industrialized nations' flora and fauna are reasonably well-studied and benefit from large monitoring programs, such as Germany's decades-long study of insect decreases.

In 1976, the United Kingdom established a similar initiative that used butterflies as a proxy for the health of insect ecosystems, and it has subsequently been replicated by at least 19 additional European nations.

These continuous surveys give scientists a plethora of data, but the patterns they uncover represent just a sliver of the worldwide changes that are taking place.

"In the United Kingdom, there are less than 60 butterfly species, but in Yasuni, there are possibly more than 1,500," said senior author Keith Willmott, collector and chairman of the Florida Museum's McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity.

Even with the assistance of forest rangers, it is impossible to sample the richness of a full rainforest. Instead, scientists rely on indicator species, which are creatures that are widely spread and simple to discover yet are sensitive enough to environmental change to be used to infer how closely related groups are faring.

The rangers rapidly learned how to gather butterflies with bait traps and identify the most frequent species while working with Checa, Willmott, co-author Sofia Nogales from Ecuador's National Institute of Biodiversity, and their colleagues.

They've been doing frequent surveys since 2017, with accuracy rates equivalent to those of expert field biologists. Their contribution to the study, however, did not stop there.

The rangers desired to be more engaged in the process, so Checa and I started discussing drafting a text together.

In Quito, researchers organized a session in which they brought computers and trained participants on how to do basic statistical analysis on butterfly data.

Related article: Butterflies Consume Live Young to Increase Supply of Mating Pheromones
Recent research released today in Animal Behaviour demonstrated for the first time that the brilliant luminescence and smooth surface discovered in certain animals can serve a protective function by acting as a type of deceptive warning coloration and that the main aspect of iridescence, its changing colors, is essential for this effect.

This stunning kind of structural coloring, in which the hue and intensity of colors vary depending on the angle of view, has developed independently in several insects, including rose chafers, rosemary beetles, and the demoiselle.

The iridescence of beetles calls for a warning

A group of scientists from Bristol University's CamoLab explored why this vibrant metallic hue has evolved so many instances in the animal kingdom and what made this spectacular animal coloration such a good anti-predator tactic by examining its biological activities, as per ScienceDaily.

Scientists had previously shown that iridescence may operate as a very efficient type of camouflage, but whether certain spectacular forms of morphological coloring could also safeguard prey post-detection, and if so, what optical features were key for this effect, remained unclear until now.

They investigated whether and how iridescence could help prey survival after diagnosis by displaying both iridescent and non-iridescent prey, as well as glossy and matte variants of the two, to birds with no prior experience with such prey, and then assessing the birds' eagerness to strike the prey.

They discovered that iridescence considerably decreased the birds' attack-willingness, and that gloss had an independent impact as well.

Also Read: New Beetle Species Discovered in Bustling Metropolis

Iridescence can also be a camouflage

Some beetles have beautiful, glistening carapaces that seem like metal or a diamond.

Iridescence is the name given to that brilliant shine.

It occurs when small features in the carapace interact with specific wavelengths of light, causing distinct hues to be seen from different angles.

It's rather frequent in insects and certain bird feathers.

Beetles do not employ brilliant, dazzling colors to attract a partner since iridescence is prevalent in both sexes and throughout non-reproductive phases of the insect's life in most species.

This begs the issue of why an animal might stand out in such away.

The brilliant hues of Monarch butterflies warn prospective predators that they are toxic.

Iridescence, on the other hand, does not serve as a warning since most shimmering beetles are not toxic.

But, a group of British scientists has discovered intriguing evidence that iridescence may be used as an efficient kind of camouflage.

The first hint came when the scientists demonstrated that iridescence interfered with bumblebees' ability to detect items.

The optimal test would have been to see if predators are better at detecting iridescent or non-iridescent targets, which is exactly what they performed next.

They used a tasty mealworm to bait the wing cases of iridescent and non-iridescent beetles.

In a forested region, they set up over 800 targets like this. Birds located and ate 85% of non-iridescent targets but just 60% of iridescent objects.

Humans also noticed that the shimmering targets were more difficult to identify.

They have successfully tested each of these two aspects on their own for the first time, and proven that both iridescence and gloss may protect prey even after identification, offering another adaptive rationale for the development and ubiquitous presence of iridescence, Dr. Kjernsmo continued.

Related article: The Discovery of a Fossil Beetle in a Coconut Gives Fresh Light on Neotropical Rainforests
The asteroid JF1 had previously been on the European Space Agency's Near-Earth Objects Coordination Center's list of major risks, but it was removed from the top ten in February.

It was previously assumed that it had a 1 in 4,000 probability of colliding with the planet during a near visit in May, but fresh data has reduced that danger to 1 in 1,700,000.

The asteroid that will pass earth

As the name implies, asteroid 2009 JF1 was discovered in 2009, but researchers lost sight of it and were unable to determine its orbital path or how near it would approach Earth.

Asteroid orbit determination tools have improved since then, and a new look at existing data has brought the asteroid's risk level into focus.

According to the ESA, "the asteroid has now lost its prominence on our danger list, and is relegated together with other more routine objects that represent a minor hazard," as per CNET.

The asteroid is predicted to be 33 feet (10 meters) in diameter or roughly the size of a school bus. The ESA even labeled a potential impact as "not of substantial concern."

To put the asteroid's proximity to Earth into context, the Asteroid Miss Information Twitter account converted its distance from Earth into other ones.

As a result, you could squeeze 898 moons between us and the asteroid.

The asteroid menace is not a figment of one's imagination.

Although there have been big hits in the past, there is no reason to be concerned about every space pebble that goes through the area.

As CNET's Eric Mack argues, it's generally not the ones in the news that we should be concerned about.

That is why astronomers are concentrating their efforts on discovering and detecting new objects, as well as developing planetary protection missions.

You are welcome to just wave when asteroid 2009 JF1 passes safely by later this week.

Also Read: Asteroid Impact: NASA Estimates Space Rock the Size of the Great Pyramid May Hit Earth on May 6

The discovery of the asteroid

As per a statement from the European Space Agency, the 230-foot-wide (70-meter) asteroid 2022 EA1 was spotted on Jan. 7 and alarmed space defenders since it looked to be on course to smash our planet on July 4, 2023, too soon to launch a deflection mission (ESA).

In January of this year, they were alerted of an asteroid with the highest Palermo scale ranking in more than a decade, reaching -0.66, according to Marco Micheli, an astrophysicist at ESA's Near-Earth Object Coordination Center (NEOCC) in Italy.

The Palermo scale assesses the risk presented by near-Earth asteroids depending on the chance of impact and the estimated force.

Experts predict that an asteroid the size of 2022 EA1 would destroy a city of the same magnitude as the nuclear bomb detonated on the Japanese town of Hiroshima at the conclusion of World War II.

Orbit calculations performed by the NEOCC team in the first week following the asteroid's discovery, as well as data from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, initially showed a growing impact danger.

The asteroid then vanished from scientists' sight for a week due to the brilliant glare of the full moon.

When EA1 resurfaced in 2022, further measurements altered the calculations, finally demonstrating that space rock will escape our planet, traveling at a safe distance of around 6.2 million miles (10 million kilometers).

According to the ESA, this is more than 20 times the distance to the moon.

Related article: Gigantic Asteroid Will Pass By Earth in 7 Years, Do We Have Defense Against Such Threats?
Flooding due to torrential rain in Tanzania has killed several people and caused the displacement of several thousand residents, based on reports as of Tuesday, May 3.

The incident was a result of prolonged heavy rain since late April in the Mbeya and Songwe regions of the East African nation.

Severe Flooding

Deadly flash floods killed a total of five people and injured 21 with five others missing in the Kyela area.

Approximately 3,150 people from 630 households have been displaced.

The severe flooding has brought extensive damage to the Rungwe and Kyela districts in Mbeya Region and in Ileje in Songwe Region, according to Tanzania Red Cross, as cited by Floodlist.com, a natural disaster monitoring site.

The floods damaged 10,000 hectares (24,710 acres) of cropland, water infrastructure like drinking water wells, and multiple roads, including at least four bridges.

More than 400 houses have been damaged and 318 were destroyed.

Other buildings, including educational institutions and places of worship, have also been damaged by the raging floodwaters.

So far, displaced families are staying in temporary evacuation sites such as schools and public buildings.

Also Read: Africa's Little-Known Struggles with Climate Crisis Over the Past Months

Recovery Measures

During a joint customs office meeting on April 30, the governments of Tanzania and Malawi have overseen the impact of the flooding.

Mbeya Regional Commissioner Juma Homera confirmed the fatalities when their houses were swept away by the floods on April 27 and April 28, as per Tanzania-based news outlet Mwananchi, a subsidiary of Kenya-based Nation Media Group.

Homera added they are continuing to plan on how to help the homeless people affected by the floods and are contacting the Prime Minister's office in the Disaster Management Unit for instructions to address the crisis.

Furthermore, authorities are reportedly ensuring food and other necessities are available, as per Mwananchi.

Tanzania Wet Season

There are two rain seasons in Tanzania, the first is called "masika" which transpires from mid-March to May and the second called "vuli" occurs from November to mid-January every year.

Meanwhile, the dry season is from May to October, as per Natural Habitat Adventures, a travel and ecotourism company based in Colorado, United States.

However, the country's wet season is marked by deadly natural disasters as low-lying areas and communities on mountainsides are vulnerable to potential risks such as flooding and landslide triggered by heavy rain.

Previous Natural Disasters

Over recent years the following torrential rain-related natural disasters have occurred across Tanzania, as compiled by Floodlist.com:

In February 2020, at least 13 people were killed and five others went missing due to flooding in the Lindi region.

Local authorities reportedly estimated that approximately 15,000 people were displaced with 8,000 staying in evacuation centers, as floods destroyed their homes.

In May 2019, another deadly floods in Kyela District, Mbeya Region, in the south killed at least seven people and caused the displacement of around 2,500 people.

The floodwaters were triggered by the overflow of the Mbaka River due to torrential rain in Mount Rungwe.

In April 2016, heavy rain and flood killed at least three people and displaced hundreds of residents in the Kilimanjaro, Mbeya, and Zanzibar regions.

Related Article: South Africa: Torrential Rain Causes Flash Floods and Landslides in KwaZulu-Natal Province
Mississippi residents are collecting meteorites after a fireball struck the state last week, causing the sprinkling of meteoroid fragments in the area.

The flaming meteor shone across three states on April 27, emitting light brighter than the moon.

Confidential Location

Local authorities have declined to disclose the exact locations of the meteorite fragments, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Meteor Watch's Facebook post below.

However, there are already confirmed reports of meteorites in an area east of Natchez.

Over recent days, the number of eyewitnesses has increased.

However, the NASA post cited that existing law stated that the sole basis of ownership of meteorites will depend on the location, such as the "property" in which they fell.

Furthermore, NASA urged people not to send them any rock samples (photos) since their main focus is protecting astronauts and spacecraft from meteoroids.

Thus, the US space agency will not be able to identify any space rocks submitted.

Also Read: Astonishing Discovery Buried in Meteorites From 500 Million Years Ago

Profitable Space Rocks

Late April's meteor impact reportedly created shockwaves and released a force equivalent to three tons of TNT, said NASA.

The blazing meteor also paved the way for potential profit as the meteorites can be sold to the market or to space rock enthusiasts, as long as they abide to the existing law.

According to Geology.com, meteorite fragments can be sold depending on their weight and property.

Rare or special meteorites can be sold for up to $1,000 per gram.

Nevertheless, unclassified black space rocks can only be sold at $0.50 per gram.

Meteorite, Meteor, and Meteoroid

According to NASA, meteorites are relatively small fragments or shattered pieces of meteoroids after making an impact on the ground after entering a planet.

This entails that meteorites are also rocks but they are not native to Earth.

Meteoroids or space rocks can range from dust grains to small asteroids or comets.

When meteoroids enter Earth's atmosphere at a high speed and burn up, resembling the appearance of a fireball or shooting stars, they are called meteors.

In summary, a meteoroid that survives a trip through the atmosphere is called a meteorite, said NASA.

Why Do Space Rocks Burn?

In the movie "Armageddon" (1998) and other films related to potential apocalyptic scenarios caused by meteors, it is noticeable that all these space rocks turn into fireballs upon entering the atmosphere and before reaching the ground.

The films portray that meteor impacts are always followed by powerful burning shockwaves or tidal waves, if it hits the ocean.

A work of art they may be, these movies are also somehow grounded in reality.

Since the Earth's atmosphere consists of various layers that act not only as a site of the water cycle or as trapped greenhouse gases, these layers also serve as a protection from external threats from space.

For instance, the ozone layer protects us from the ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun.

With regards to fireballs, meteoroids that enter the atmosphere rub against air particles, creating friction and heating up the meteors. Such heat vaporizes most meteors.

As a result, the initial size and mass of space rocks can be significantly decreased, as per Space.com.

Related article: "Treasure Map" Reveals Where 300,000 Meteorites Are Possibly Buried Beneath Antarctica
According to information published by Dott Fanculo on May 4, 2022, the United Kingdom will supply the Ukrainian Forces with Maloy T150 drones capable of delivering cargo, or weapons to the front line.

Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

T150 drone with REMUS 100 AUV on HMS Prince of Wales during trials (Picture source: Royal Navy)

With the ability to reliably lift 68kg in all weather, the T150 can deliver the goods, such as REMUS 100 AUV, anywhere. With a removable battery, it's not necessary to wait hours to send the vehicle back out, increasing cargo cadence and value for money.

The T150s redundant avionics and drive system allow focusing on the task  not the vehicle. The UAS has been designed for the toughest military environments, with demonstrated operations in the arctic circle, desert, and at sea.

The device can be controlled from a laptop and delivers the package to its target based on predefined points on a map. The drone is battery-powered, but the company is working on a way to charge the device wirelessly in flight.

The device is kept airborne by four sets of two propellers, so if anyone fails, the T150 will still be able to land safely. Tests have shown it can fly in all weather conditions, so strong winds and snow won't hinder its operation. It can fly 70 kilometers on a single charge and has a maximum flight time of 36 minutes.

About REMUS 100

The REMUS 100 takes its name from its max operating depth of 100 meters. The US Navy operates a derivative of the REMUS 100, in addition to the standard REMUS 100, designated Mk 18 Mod 1 Swordfish. It can travel at speeds of up to 5 knots (9.3 km/h) and has an endurance of up to 22 hours at its standard cruising speed of 3 knots (5.6 km/h).
The winners of a critical FCC auction for midband spectrum that ended last November have received their official grants of license to use the airwaves for which they spent a total of $22.4 billion, the FCC announced Wednesday.

A total of 4,041 licenses were issued to 23 different bidders, according to the commission. Licensees hoping to use the spectrum for 5G rollouts still have to reimburse incumbent non-federal users of the band, which had been in use for radiolocation purposes, and the FCC said that further details about those costs would be laid out in a subsequent filing.

Auction 110 saw the government sell off 100MHz of spectrum in the midband  around the 3.45GHz range  divided into 10 10MHz blocks for each Partial Economic Area or PEA that the FCC adopted in 2014. (There are 416 PEAs covering the US, meaning that 119 specific licenses were not sold in the auction.)

AT&T top spender for 5G spectrum

The spectrum is expected to be used mostly by major wireless telecom companies to provide 5G service around the country. Hence, prices for spectrum in sparsely populated PEAs were relatively low, while prices for blocks covering major cities saw enormous bids. The auction's top spender was AT&T, which spent more than $9 billion for numerous spectrum blocks covering major cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., in addition to many licenses in less populated areas.

Close behind was DISH Network, which spent more than $7.3 billion on a similar range of spectrum across both major population centers and more rural areas. T-Mobile also snapped up important spectrum blocks in both high- and low-population areas, for a total spend of almost $2.9 billlion.

Mid-band spectrum is thought to be particularly valuable to carriers rolling out 5G because it sits in a "goldilocks zone" of the airwaves. Particularly high frequencies  in, for example, the millimeter-wave bands of 45GHz and above  tend to have much wider available channels, and can thus support extremely high levels of throughput, but are limited in the range at which they usefully propagate. Lower frequencies, in the sub-GHz range, by contrast, can cover enormous geographic areas from a single access point, but generally feature smaller channels and thus, can't provide the same level of throughput.

The midband, then, between roughly 2GHz and 6Ghz, is a sweet spot for wireless service providers, since it features both a useful propagation range and enough channel availability to support fast connections.
Champaign City Council members listen to Michael Dale of private security firm AGB Investigative Services answer questions about officers' use of force and other details before voting 9-0 to approve a contract for five AGB officers to patrol the downtown area on weekends through the end of the year.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. High 89F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Cloudy early with peeks of sunshine expected late. High 89F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
AP

The United Nations says more than 300 civilians from the besieged southeastern city of Mariupol and four other towns have been evacuated to Ukrainian-held Zaporizhzhia in a second successful operation to get civilians out of areas subject to Russian shelling and attacks
Caroli disease (CD) is a rare, congenital disorder involving malformation of the liver. Also known as congenital communicating cavernous ectasia of the biliary tree, it involves segmental dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts. It is called Caroli syndrome (CS) when present with liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.

The simple CD is uncommon, with congenital liver fibrosis complicating the majority of cases. For the first 520 years, the patient's clinical course is normally asymptomatic, and symptoms may only appear on rare occasions later in life.

Image Credit: mi_viri/Shutterstock

Caroli disease patients have a higher risk of bile stasis and stone development, which can lead to complications. Current CD treatments mostly address consequences rather than preventing disease development.

Causes and Symptoms

Dr. Jacques Caroli, a French gastroenterologist, initially described Caroli's disease in 1958. CD is a type of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) caused by mutations in the protein kinase H1 gene. In animal models, PKHD1 encodes the protein fibrocystin, which is found in the kidneys, bile ducts, pancreatic ducts, heart, major arteries, testes, trachea, and sympathetic ganglia. Fibrocystin may play a role in cellular proliferation, differentiation, cell-matrix interactions, and cell polarity modulation, while its exact function is unknown. Fibrocystic alterations in the kidney and liver are caused by genetic mutations in this protein.

CD can affect both the kidneys and the liver, resulting in renal and hepatic problems as clinical symptoms. Because the kidneys are the organ most damaged, the initial symptom is polycystic kidneys, which can be seen in newborns (ARPKD). Hepatic problems appear later in life because the defective fibrocystin gene is expressed less in the cholangiocytes than in the renal tubular cells.

Caroli disease causes biliary stasis and sludge accumulation, resulting in bile flow restriction. As a result, patients typically present with recurrent bacterial cholangitis symptoms such as abdominal pain, fevers, chills, and jaundice, which are similar to ascending cholangitis symptoms. Pruritis is another common symptom of intrahepatic cholestasis, and it is caused by hyperbilirubinemia.

Image Credit: Designua/Shutterstock

Rarely, the condition manifests itself later in life, after the onset of hepatic fibrosis. Caroli disease patients are at an elevated risk of developing cholangiocarcinoma. In CD or CS patients, the chance of developing intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma is 100 times higher than in healthy people.

Along with scleral icterus, hepatomegaly due to gross enlargement due to cystic illness is a common occurrence. The fluctuating dullness and fluid thrill of ascites can be appreciated after the development of hepatic fibrosis. Other symptoms of liver cirrhosis include the appearance of spider naevi.

Read More: What is Cirrhosis?

PKHD1 gene

PKHD1 is a large gene found on chromosome 6p12 that is mostly expressed in the kidney but also in the liver and pancreas. There are over 100 mutations in this gene, and the majority of affected patients have compound heterozygosity for it, which means both alleles have two separate mutations, leaving the gene faulty and resulting in aberrant fibrocystin protein. This shows the wide range of mutations that the PKHD1 gene has to deal with. This protein is found in the cilia on the luminal side of cholangiocytes in the liver and is an essential receptor in the bile composition-controlling protein signaling pathway.

It detects mechanical, chemical, and osmotic stimuli in the bile, which modify the composition of bile via complicated intracellular signaling pathways. This protein also controls cell proliferation, which aids in the appropriate development of the liver and kidneys. As a result, it's reasonable that the full lack of this protein, or a major irregularity of it, would cause structural damage to the liver parenchyma, as observed in Caroli disease's gross cystic dilatations, eventually leading to hepatic fibrosis. This cystic dilatation causes biliary stasis and sludge, resulting in intra-hepatic lithiasis and blockage, which manifests as cholangitis early on.

Epidemiology

As the condition is rare, accurate data regarding its incidence and frequency are unknown, however, it is expected to occur in about 1 in 10,000 live births. Males and females are equally affected, and people of Asian ethnicity are more likely to be affected. The disease is most common in early adulthood, with more than 80% of individuals presenting symptoms before the age of 30.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Ultrasonography, which demonstrates saccular dilatations of intrahepatic ducts, is frequently the first test in diagnosis. A dysmorphic liver with gross dilatations and a characteristic "central dot sign," which is a black cystic dilatation around a central bright spot marking the portal tract, can also be seen on a CT abdomen. Canaliculi of the intrahepatic bile duct may also be detected.

Cholangiography using ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) or MRCP (magnetic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) reveals non-obstructing cystic dilations communicating with the biliary tree. The advantage of ERCP is that it allows for therapeutic stone removal via sphincterotomy and balloon sweep.

Image Credit: Thomas Andreas/Shutterstock

Supportive and customized therapy is the mainstay of treatment, depending on the presentation. Antibiotics that cover both gram-negative and anaerobic rods are used to treat cholecystitis caused by biliary blockage. Patients sometimes require indwelling catheters with periodic flushing and replacing of the catheter since a PTC (percutaneous trans-hepatic catheter) is usually more effective at draining intra-hepatic blockage.

Ursodeoxycholic acid is a drug that is used to treat cholestasis. Hepatic decompensation, recurrent cholangitis that is refractory to treatments, and the development of localized adenocarcinoma are the three indications for liver transplantation in Caroli syndrome.

As cholangiocarcinoma has such a poor prognosis, timely surgical therapy is critical. Studies have revealed that liver resection in unilobar illness and liver transplant in diffuse Caroli disease complicated by cholangitis and/or portal hypertension have excellent long-term outcomes.

References

Shi, W., & Yang, A. M. (2021). Caroli disease: an update on pathogenesis. Chinese medical journal, 134(23), 28442846. https://doi.org/10.1097/CM9.0000000000001827

Khan, M. Z., Kichloo, A., El-Amir, Z., Shah Zaib, M., & Wani, F. (2020). Caroli Disease: A Presentation of Acute Pancreatitis and Cholangitis. Cureus, 12(7), e9135. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.9135

Fahrner, R., Dennler, S. G., & Inderbitzin, D. (2020). Risk of malignancy in Caroli disease and syndrome: A systematic review. World journal of gastroenterology, 26(31), 47184728. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v26.i31.4718

Umar J, Kudaravalli P, John S. Caroli Disease. (2020). In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing, Treasure Island (FL). PMID: 30020679.

Hwang, M. J., & Kim, T. N. (2017). Diffuse-Type Caroli Disease with Characteristic Central Dot Sign Complicated by Multiple Intrahepatic and Common Bile Duct Stones. Clinical endoscopy, 50(4), 400403. https://doi.org/10.5946/ce.2016.150

Further Reading
The experimental study led by the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) showed that air-circulating green walls installed inside offices modified microbiota affecting employees skin health and enhanced the immune systems regulation. Effects could already be seen during one month.

It is estimated that one out of five people living in developed countries suffers from autoimmune disorders, such as allergies, atopy, type 1 diabetes and inflammatory bowel diseases. The resulting costs for society are estimated at more than a hundred billion euros per year.

A recent study shows that green walls installed inside offices diversify employees skin microbiota. Diverse skin microbiota has been inversely associated with atopy in earlier studies. Based on our results, green walls offer ideal solutions in workplaces and other indoor areas to balance peoples regular microbiota. Even though it is often necessary to medically treat autoimmune disorders, it would be important to enhance the prevention of these disorders and alleviate symptoms through contact with nature. This is the first study in which the addition of plants indoors is shown to be linked not only to microbiota, but also to immune regulation, says Laura Soininen, a doctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki, commenting on the study published in Scientific Reports.

Green walls supporting health

In the study, volunteering employees were randomly divided into two groups, one of which received a water-circulating green wall in their rooms and the other acted as a control group without any green wall installed. The green walls were installed in conventional office buildings and a hospital area. The green walls were built by Finnish Naava Group Oy and included heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron scandens), dragon tree (Dracaena sp.) and birds nest fern (Asplenium antiquum).

Already in two weeks, an increase in the relative abundance of lactobacilli was identified on the skin of the employees whose offices had green walls installed. In previous studies, skin lactobacilli have been found to prevent pathogens and skin infections. During a month, an increase in the diversity of gammaproteobacteria was identified in employees working in offices with green walls installed compared with the control group. Diverse gammaproteobacteria on skin were linked to a decrease in the concentration of IL-17A cytokine that contributes to inflammations. In Lukes previous greening study concerning outdoor areas of day-care centers, gammaproteobacteria were linked to effective immune regulation in children.

In the study, the level of TGF-1 cytokine, linked to effective immune regulation, increased in the blood of those who worked in rooms with green walls installed during a month compared with the control group. Changes in blood cytokine concentrations were identified in the employees who worked in the office buildings participating in the study.

Solutions are needed to maintain contact with nature

Natures diverse microbes help the immune system develop and operate normally. In urban societies, people are less in contact with nature, which is why we need innovative nature-based solutions to maintain nature contact and reduce autoimmune disorders.

The results indicate that we can support peoples health with relatively easy nature-based solutions. However, urban societies need, in addition to these types of solutions, broader societal changes to maintain and increase healthy and useful contact with nature. These results encourage us to investigate this further. Marja Roslund, research scientist at Luke

The study was conducted in the Business Finland-funded ADELE 2 (Immune Defence and Living Environment) project between Luke, the University of Helsinki and the University of Tampere. The research group of Heikki Hyoty, Professor of Virology, participated in the study from the University of Tampere, and the study is part of the doctoral thesis of Laura Soininen, master of science in ecology (University of Helsinki).
On Tuesday morning, emotions were raw on the sidewalks and street separating the U.S. Capitol and the Supreme Court building  a microcosm of the reactions rippling across the country after Politico published a news bombshell Monday night.

The story detailed a leak of a majority draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito that suggested the high court was poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, the court case that guarantees the constitutional right to abortion.

Not even 12 hours later, the fervor on both sides of the issue was evident as people descended on the plaza in front of the Supreme Court building. There was a mix of tears and glee, bitterness and smiles. And clear signs that neither side saw this development as the last skirmish in a long battle.

Anti-abortion and pro-abortion rights activists  some veterans of earlier protests, some lawmakers, some tourists, and some local residents  gathered in front of the court building. The night before, police had put up barricades to prevent demonstrators from getting too close.

Among the abortion opponents, the activists were excited and celebrating, yet the message stayed very controlled. When KHN reporters approached asking for interviews, they were referred to the group's leaders or designated spokespeople.

"Obviously, we're waiting to celebrate until it's official," but the leaked draft opinion reflects what her group has been hoping for, said Tina Whittington, executive vice president of Students for Life of America, a group that opposes abortion. "We've been working almost 50 years to have this set straight."

Members of the organization were nearby, chatting to one another. At one point, they gathered in a prayer circle.

Reactions at Supreme Court to Leaked Abortion Opinion Play

Noah Slayter, a 19-year-old student at Catholic University of America and a Students for Life ambassador, said he started getting a bunch of texts the night before that alerted him to the unprecedented leak. He predicted that if the court does strike down Roe, the decision would help candidates opposed to abortion in November's midterm elections.

"When we have victories, people are galvanized to go out and vote and keep succeeding and keep winning," said Slayter. "So I think it could be a good thing."

Among the demonstrators who support abortion rights, emotions ranged from frustration and fear to disbelief and a determination to fight back.

"I told myself to hope that it was fake," said Erica Palladino, a 28-year-old who works in the maternal health field and lives in Washington, D.C. She was compelled to walk by the Supreme Court after her morning Orangetheory class. "I went to bed just saying, 'OK, like, you'll wake up and everything will be OK, we're not going to go back 50 years.' And, instead, I woke up and realized it was true."

Maine resident Sue Fitzgerald, 81, happened to be sightseeing with a friend in Washington when the news dropped Monday.

"We met for breakfast this morning, and both of us agreed that we had to be here because this is too important to miss," said Fitzgerald. She said she is a lifelong supporter of women's reproductive rights, having protested in front of the Supreme Court building in the 1980s. "I am so upset and concerned by the way this country is heading, and I'm afraid gay rights is going to be next," Fitzgerald said.

Groups of schoolchildren walked from the Capitol to the Supreme Court to observe, and the crowd grew bigger as the morning closed in on lunchtime.

Meanwhile, the halls of Congress were abuzz as lawmakers were swarmed by reporters asking for their reactions to the leaked opinion.

Republicans mostly focused their hand-wringing on how the draft opinion came to light, saying the leak could influence the justices and amplify attacks on the court's credibility, rather than on the implications of the draft ruling itself.

"Let's focus on what happened, which is putting the justices in jeopardy with public opinion when they are an independent judicial institution, and what this does to the institution," said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). "It's absolutely wrong."

Democrats jumped immediately to what such a ruling would mean for access to abortions. They also urged voters to elect more candidates who support abortion rights.

"Women have been telling the nation for the last 10 years that these ultra-conservative justices' and President Trump's ambition was always to undermine reproductive freedom," said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). "And so we are now going to fight to make sure we elect candidates across the country who believe in women's civil liberties and civil rights and believe women deserve bodily autonomy."

Democratic senators gave public speeches on the Capitol steps, where they said voters need to ensure that a majority of senators support abortions rights. They also called on the Senate to pass the Women's Health Protection Act, a bill that has been passed by the House and includes protections for abortion rights.

Yet frustration was palpable among the abortion rights supporters. After Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) finished saying Democrats needed to send President Joe Biden legislation that would protect abortion, a demonstrator shouted, "Do something!"

Some of the senators walked across the street to the Supreme Court, where reproductive rights groups held a rally on a temporary stage, spontaneously joining speakers such as Planned Parenthood President Alexis McGill Johnson to talk to the crowd.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told the growing crowd of abortion rights supporters that reproductive freedom and women's rights would be on the ballot in November. In response, a voice from the crowd shouted, "We already voted  do something" and "Primary Sinema," referring to moderate Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Sinema is on record supporting abortion rights. But she doesn't support eliminating the filibuster in the Senate, a step that many progressives have argued should be taken so Democrats can pass national abortion legislation with a simple majority.

At times during the early afternoon, the anti-abortion crowd seemed to dwindle, with only a few people continuing to hold signs and argue with abortion rights supporters. But, suddenly, the members of Students for Life of America reappeared  as if with a second wind  and started singing.

One of the group's leaders played his guitar and led a chant as other members waved signs and danced: "We're gonna dance on the grave of Roe v. Wade. We're gonna dance on the grave of Roe v. Wade."

By evening, the number of abortion rights supporters had swelled, filling the entire Supreme Court plaza, as well as the street running in front of it, and overflowing onto parts of the Capitol lawn.

As speakers cycled through, protesters raised signs and clothes hangers, representing self-administered and back-alley abortions. Chants of "abortion is health care" and "pro-life is a lie, you don't care if women die" sporadically rang out.

Demonstrators continued to show up over the next hour, with no sign of flagging. It was a historic day in Washington, and everyone wanted to be there to witness it.
Over 40% of parents of primary school students and 38% of parents of secondary school students felt their child found remote learning 'difficult' or 'very difficult', according to new data from the Schools Infection Survey (SIS).

'Struggling with motivation' was reported as the main barrier to learning at home by 39% of primary school pupils' parents, 44% of secondary school pupils' parents and 55% of secondary school students themselves.

The main concern for teachers about providing remote education was a lack of engagement from pupils (69% in primary and 74% in secondary).

Secondary school pupils absent from school due to a COVID-19 related reason during the autumn term reportedly spent longer on remote learning, 3.4 hours on average, than primary school pupils, who spent 2.5 hours on average.

It is concerning to find that even in this volunteer sample of pupils, engagement and motivation is considerably reduced when remote learning is required. More than a third of pupils had to revert to remote learning at some point in autumn 2021, which required fast, flexible responses and greater school resources. This work would not be possible without the active involvement of parents, pupils and headteachers. It is providing timely and important information to policymakers in order to help support resilience and, hopefully, recovery within schools for children and adolescents. We also hope that this will help inform those developing good practice for remote learning in the future to try to ensure pupils are getting the same benefits and experience they do from face-to-face learning." Professor Punam Mangtani, co-chief investigator of the study, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)

These findings were collected from the second round of the 'Headteacher, Parent and Pupils' questionnaires, with 2,482 pupils and parents on the health of 7,010 children responding between 18 January and 9 February 2022, and 125 headteachers providing responses between 26 January and 11 February 2022.

The SIS project is jointly led by LSHTM, Office for National Statistics (ONS) and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

The proportion of pupils reporting that they always wore face coverings in lessons was 50%, compared to 80% reported before the government recommendation for secondary school pupils to wear face coverings in lessons was removed on 20 January 2022.

61% of headteachers and 70% of secondary school pupils said that wearing face coverings in school definitely or probably should be made mandatory, compared to 97% of primary school headteachers who said that face coverings definitely or probably should not be made mandatory.

Professor Mangtani said: "Parents and older pupils were clearly aware of the protection and benefit of wearing a mask when there was a new wave of high infection rates with a new variant, with a high percentage of secondary pupils and parents reporting that face masks help keep others and themselves safer. This is extremely promising and suggests that, should the need arise, the reintroduction of mask wearing could be understood and sustainable. For primary school children there is a finer balance between benefit and risk, and other interventions should be adequately resourced such as good ventilation, smaller classes to reduce mixing in schools and possibly regular preventive testing."

Fiona Dawe, Deputy Director, Wider Surveillance Studies at the ONS, said: "Today's data, collected through in-depth questionnaires completed by pupils, parents and headteachers show that a high percentage of pupils found remote learning to be difficult, according to their parents.

"We can also see how pupils' behavior has changed, with nearly half of pupils continuing to always wear face coverings in lessons even after the government recommendation to do so was removed.

"Learning about the kinds of challenges faced by schools over the last two years wouldn't be possible without the pupils, parents and head teachers that have participated in this study - thank you."

Dr Shamez Ladhani, Consultant Paediatrician at the UK Health Security Agency and the study's chief investigator, said: "These findings show the impact of the pandemic on children, young people and their parents, and the difficulties of remote learning.

"Keeping students in school, where they feel more motivated and where more support is available, remains vital to their health, wellbeing and future prosperity.

"Schools are not only important for children's education, but also for their health and wellbeing and for helping to deliver routine childhood immunizations such as flu, HPV, meningococcal ACWY and the 3-in-1 booster for tetanus, diphtheria and polio. Many children and young people may have missed out on their vaccinations because of the pandemic. Parents are encouraged to contact their GP to get their child vaccinated where eligible, to protect themselves and those around them."

Data from the parent and pupil questionnaires are weighted to population totals for pupils in England. Headteacher questionnaire data are unweighted due to small sample sizes.
For years, women recovering from cesarean section (C-section) deliveries have been given devices that let them, with a button, control the flow of opioid painkillers into their IV line. But as researchers and policymakers push to curb the use of opioids, clinicians are developing new strategies for treating pain after C-sections.

A study by UT Southwestern obstetrician-gynecologists, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, shows how one approach, which primarily uses non-opioid drugs, successfully managed women's pain while boosting breastfeeding rates and decreasing the use of opioids by more than 75%.

There's been a big push to decrease opioid use across all surgical fields. Unlike other surgical patients, women who have just had a cesarean delivery need to be able to care for their infant right away. So it's especially important that we're minimizing the use of opioids in these patients." Elaine Duryea, M.D., Lead Author, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UTSW and Medical Director of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Clinic at Parkland Health

Opioids are a class of drugs that include the prescription pain relievers oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, methadone, and fentanyl, as well as the illegal drug heroin. The rate of opioid misuse and overdoses is at an all-time high, and research has previously found that more than 1 in 300 women who are given opioids for the first time after a cesarean delivery become persistent users of the drugs.

In July 2020, the pain management strategy for cesarean deliveries at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas was changed. Previously, all women who had C-sections were given a morphine patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) device for 12 hours after delivery, allowing them to release morphine into their IV line as needed. After the transition, women were instead administered nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on a schedule. They were given IV oxycodone or hydrocodone only as needed, based on their pain rating.

"We're increasingly realizing that we shouldn't just always go immediately to the strong opioids for every patient," said Dr. Duryea.

To assess the new approach, Dr. Duryea and her colleagues studied 778 women who delivered babies by C-section at Parkland in 2020, either before or after the transition. In the 48 hours after cesarean delivery, women who used the PCA required a median of 128 morphine milligram equivalents  a measure of overall opioid use  while women who followed the scheduled non-opioid strategy required only a median of 28 morphine milligram equivalents, about five times less. In addition, breastfeeding rates among mothers who planned to breastfeed were slightly higher after the transition; only 9% used formula compared to 12% before the switch.

Women in the morphine PCA group reported slightly lower pain scores in the 12 hours after delivery, but there was no difference in pain at 24 hours post-delivery. At 48 hours post-delivery, women in the non-opioid group had less pain than the PCA group.

"Patients shouldn't go into a C-section, or any other surgery, with the expectation that they'll be completely free of pain, but they should expect their pain to be manageable," Dr. Duryea cautioned.

The data were encouraging enough that Dr. Duryea and her colleagues are not only sticking with the new pain management system at Parkland but are implementing other ways to minimize opioid use, including customizing the number of painkillers sent home with patients to individual needs rather than giving all new mothers 30 opioid pills at discharge.

"Considering we do more than 12,000 deliveries a year here, that's a lot of pills that can end up out in the community, and aren't all needed," said Dr. Duryea.

Other UTSW researchers who contributed to this study include Devin Macias, Emily Adhikari, Michelle Eddins, David Nelson, a Dedman Family Scholar in Clinical Care, and Don McIntire.
Are astronauts more likely to develop blood clots during space missions due to zero gravity? That's the question NASA is trying to answer with help from UNC School of Medicine's Stephan Moll, MD, professor in the UNC Department of Medicine. A new publication in Vascular Medicine shows the results of an occupational surveillance program spurred by the development of a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the jugular vein of an astronaut, which is described in detail in a New England Journal of Medicine publication from 2020.

Moll was consulted by NASA when the discovery of the blood clot was made during the astronaut's mission on the International Space Station (ISS). This was the first time a blood clot had been found in an astronaut in space, so there was no established method of treatment for DVT in zero gravity. Moll, a member of the UNC Blood Research Center and a clinical hematologist, was called upon for his knowledge and treatment experience of DVT on Earth. In the ultimate act of telemedicine, Moll and NASA physicians helped treat the astronaut over several months, until they safely returned to Earth.

This astronaut's blood clot was asymptomatic  they didn't have any symptoms that would have otherwise indicated there was a clot. The DVT was discovered when the astronaut was taking ultrasounds of their own neck for a research study on how body fluid is redistributed in zero gravity. If it wasn't for the study, there's no telling what the outcome could have been. That's why Moll has continued to work with NASA to research how blood flow and blood clots behave in space.

I've always been a space enthusiast. When I was young I wanted to be an astronaut, so when NASA called on me to help, it was pretty incredible. And it's been amazing to then continue working with NASA doing research on blood clots in space that will help develop the health and safety protocols for future space travel." Stephan Moll, MD, Professor, UNC Department of Medicine

Moll and fellow researchers, led by NASA's James Pavela, MD, monitored 11 astronauts over a combined total of 2,150 days in zero gravity on the ISS. All astronauts were evaluated before leaving Earth to get a baseline of their blood flow and blood vessel size in the veins of their neck. Once in space, astronauts performed ultrasounds on their own necks with guidance from a radiology team on Earth to monitor any changes that occurred in zero gravity.

"We expected some changes in flow based on the absence of gravity," Moll said. "Gravity pulls fluid in your body down. It also creates a force on your blood vessels and this increased pressure in the veins of the legs leads to leakage of fluid from the blood vessels into the soft tissues. You can notice this when you stand for a long time and develop swelling in your ankles, feet, and sometimes hands.

"Without gravity, fluids like blood redistribute in your body. When astronauts arrive in space, the lack of gravity causes the blood vessels in the neck to expand due to fluid shifting to the upper part of the body. Astronauts develop swelling of the neck and face from this shift. That is a normal and expected finding."

The question Moll and NASA wanted to answer is if this difference in flow and vessel size could put astronauts at risk for the development of blood clots. While abnormal flow characteristics were recorded in six of the eleven astronauts, none developed blood clots. However, the findings of slowed blood flow in the neck veins, abnormal echo findings on the examination, and even reversal of blood flow in two astronauts raises the question whether these abnormalities could predispose these space travelers to blood clots.

Because this was a small study, researchers cannot make firm conclusions. Moll says more research is needed, but due to the challenges of such investigations and the small pool of astronauts to participate in future studies, it may take some time to draw definite conclusions.

In the meantime, this research helps inform what medical supplies, like blood thinners, should be available for current and future spaceflight missions. The data will also help guide the use and development of interventions designed to minimize the potentially increased blood clot risk of spaceflight.
If the Supreme Court's conservative majority affirms the leaked decision overturning abortion rights in the U.S., the effects would be sweeping for 40 million women in more than two dozen states where Republican-led legislatures have been eagerly awaiting the repudiation of the right to terminate a pregnancy.

Long before the Supreme Court heard challenges to Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, seminal decisions that affirmed a federally protected right to abortion, conservative lawmakers in 14 states had crafted so-called trigger laws that would automatically go into effect in the event a nationwide right to abortion were struck down, according to a KFF analysis. The Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights, has identified an additional dozen states likely to restrict or ban abortion without Roe.

The list of states with trigger laws includes deep-red bastions such as Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Idaho, but also Texas, the nation's second-most-populous state. Texas, with a population of 30 million, is a region of particular concern for abortion rights advocates, who have already been grappling with the impacts of a 2021 law that bans nearly all abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.

Under a law passed last year by the Republican-led legislature and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas would criminalize abortion, except in cases in which the mother is facing death or severe impairment, 30 days after a Supreme Court ruling that strikes down Roe. Under the law, doctors who perform abortions could be sentenced to life in prison and fined up to $100,000. And if Roe falls, Texas will be nearly encircled by states  Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana  with their own trigger laws, creating a vast region where women have no access to legal abortion services.

Politico published the leaked draft decision Monday night. The court has confirmed the draft is authentic but said it is not final. Nonetheless, reproductive and sexual health rights advocates are girding for the worst.

"This is going to impact our human and civil rights," said Aimee Arrambide, executive director of Avow Texas, a legislative and policy advocacy group. For low-income people and minors who "don't have the means to travel, the distances [to obtain an abortion] will be exponentially longer," Arrambide said.

A Supreme Court ruling reversing a woman's right under privacy protections to terminate her pregnancy would sharply split the country into states that staunchly support abortion rights and states that are staunchly anti-abortion.

"We've had a racial reckoning in this country, but we have yet to have that reckoning where we take seriously the value, equality, and lives of women," said Michele Goodwin, a professor of law at the University of California-Irvine.

In the leaked draft, Justice Samuel Alito wrote, "Roe was egregiously wrong from the start." He added that "the Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely," referring to the 14th Amendment.

"It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives," wrote Alito.

If the court's conservative majority affirms the draft decision, abortion would be expressly protected in 15 states and Washington, D.C.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democratic lawmakers in California, which already guarantees the right to abortion through state law and court decisions, aim to put a constitutional amendment before voters in November that would enshrine the right to abortion.

"We know we can't trust the Supreme Court to protect reproductive rights, so California will build a firewall around this right in our state constitution," Newsom and Democratic legislative leaders said in a statement.

Democratic lawmakers had already proposed a wave of measures this year to shore up abortion access for Californians, as well as women traveling there from states that restrict abortions. Among the measures are bills that would increase the ranks of clinicians who can provide abortions, boost legal protections for those who perform abortions, and create a fund to help women seeking abortions with expenses such as travel and lodging. The measures are pending in the legislature.

In March, Newsom signed a law to eliminate abortion-related copayments and other out-of-pocket costs for women covered by state-regulated health plans, effective Jan. 1, 2023.

In the Mountain West, Colorado is viewed as an island of abortion access after codifying the right into state law last month. Dr. Rebecca Cohen, medical director of the Comprehensive Women's Health Center in Denver, said her clinic has seen increased demand from out-of-state patients for months.

"We're seeing people at later gestational ages, and we're seeing a lot more people with much more medical complexity," said Cohen, adding that the clinic's services extend beyond health care. "We're helping people find hotel rooms. We're helping people find transportation."

On the other side of the spectrum, 26 states are certain or likely to ban or severely restrict abortion without Roe, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

Georgia  which has emerged as a critical access point for abortion services in the South  is among them. Gov. Brian Kemp vowed that if the Supreme Court's leaked ruling becomes final, he would lead efforts to criminalize abortion.

"If abortion access is limited in Georgia, it affects the entire region dramatically," said Kwajelyn Jackson, executive director of the Feminist Women's Health Center, an Atlanta clinic that provides medication abortions and abortion procedures.

Georgia has many more clinics that provide abortions than neighboring states, she said, making it a "haven" for people seeking care from states like Alabama and Mississippi. Jackson said her main concern now is making sure that people know the leaked draft is not the court's final decision.

"We want to continue to remind people that if they need abortion care today, that abortion is still legal and accessible to them, and don't want people to get so confused by the headlines that they are not able to access the care they need immediately," she said.

The court's draft decision would put the United States at odds with nearly every developed nation. "We are seeing countries like Mexico, Argentina, and Ireland that have historically criminalized abortion now make abortion available to people in their countries," said Alina Salganicoff, director of women's health policy at KFF.

If abortion is criminalized across the U.S., "it will not stop women from having abortions," she added. "Before abortion was legal, women went through extreme means, often risking their life and fertility to get abortions. We have other options now, but it's not going to dissuade women from seeking abortions."

Anti-abortion lawmakers and activists have vowed to go further than state-level bans, including barring women from traveling out of state for abortions. Anti-abortion and religious groups have embarked on a full-throttle push for Congress to enact a federal ban that would outlaw the procedure in all 50 states.

In a recent letter to congressional Republican leaders, anti-abortion groups noted the historic moment within their grasp.

"The prospect of seeing Roe v. Wade undermined or overturned and the momentum currently behind the pro-life movement is unlike any we have seen before," said the letter, signed by dozens of major pro-life groups. "Therefore, as Republican leadership readies its conservative agenda for the next year, we urge you to ensure that any commitment to America includes a bold, clear, and articulate plan to protect the most vulnerable among us, the unborn."

At the same time, the Biden administration and Democratic leaders have vowed with equal measure to pursue a path to enshrine abortion rights in federal law.

"If the Court does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nation's elected officials at all levels of government to protect a woman's right to choose," President Joe Biden said in a prepared statement. "And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November."

KHN correspondents Rae Ellen Bichell, Rachel Bluth, and Sam Whitehead contributed to this report.
For some people with alcohol use disorder, it might be the sight of a familiar bar or a favorite bottle; for others, it might be the feeling of leaving the office after a stressful day at work or stepping into a crowded party. Most people who struggle with drug or alcohol addiction have particular cues that set off their cravings.

Now, scientists at Scripps Research have discovered how, in rats dependent on alcohol, environmental cues that become associated with drinking during withdrawal are much more powerful than those learned during the early phases of alcohol use, leading to more irresistible cravings. The new findings, published online in the British Journal of Pharmacology, could eventually lead to new treatments to minimize cravings in people with addictions.

We already knew that the craving produced by environmental stimuli typically intensifies over time in severe alcohol use disorder, but no one had teased apart, at both a behavioral and neurobiological level, why that is until now." Friedbert Weiss, PhD, Professor, Scripps Research Institute

An estimated 14.5 million people in the United States have alcohol use disorder, which encompasses a range of unhealthy drinking behaviors. Like other drug addictions, alcohol addiction is characterized by cycles of withdrawal, abstinence and relapse. Cravings set off by environmental stimuli-; like those present when driving past a local bar-;are powerful drivers for relapse. Similarly, rats that have learned to associate a particular smell with alcohol will seek out alcohol when exposed to the smell.

In the new work, Weiss and his colleagues sought to understand whether the experience of repeatedly drinking alcohol during withdrawal-;rather than just the length of time or severity of the addiction-;helps strengthen the learned associations that lead to cravings. They conditioned rats that were not dependent on alcohol to associate an anise or orange scent with alcohol. Then, a subset of those animals went through cycles of withdrawal, during which they were conditioned to associate a different scent with alcohol consumption.

"This allowed us to separate, for the first time, the learning that happens during the original, non-dependent state, and the learning that happens during withdrawal," says Weiss.

When all the animals were then tested to see what lengths they would go to for alcohol in the presence of a conditioned scent, Weiss' group discovered that cues learned during withdrawal were far stronger at eliciting a reaction. In other words, the experience of learning how alcohol relieves negative withdrawal symptoms led to even stronger cravings than the original experience of learning alcohol's feel-good effects.

"It is commonly thought that people drink because it makes them feel good. But in people who have developed dependence, the 'feel-good' sensation that the drug produces is actually a reversal of feeling terrible," says Weiss. "When this reversal of feeling terrible is experienced repeatedly, then environmental cues that become associated with this experience produce a much more powerful craving than the initial 'feel-good' craving."

Rats that had learned to associate a scent with alcohol during withdrawal were much more persistent in the presence of that scent; during a 30-minute time period, they pressed a lever attempting to obtain alcohol twice as many times as animals that had only been conditioned during early alcohol drinking while not yet dependent. This persistence remained even when they received a small electric shock upon pressing the lever, or when the task of lever pressing was made increasingly more difficult.

"If an alcoholic comes home from work and there's nothing in the refrigerator, what lengths will they go to for alcohol? Will they run next door to the liquor store? What if it's snowing outside and the store is a five-mile walk away? What we're seeing is that in rats, they'll work much harder to overcome obstacles and are willing to endure adverse consequences if they've been conditioned with cues during withdrawal," says Weiss.

Moreover, the team found that the new conditioning actually weakened older cues that had been learned before the animal became alcohol dependent. If an animal originally associated alcohol with an anise scent, but was later made dependent and conditioned to associate alcohol with an orange scent while drinking during withdrawal, the anise scent was no longer as strong a cue for setting off alcohol-seeking behaviors compared to the second scent that was associated with alcohol drinking during withdrawal.

The researchers then studied the amygdala, the part of the brain associated with drug and alcohol addiction in humans and rats, to see how it changed during each conditioning experiment. Different areas, they discovered, were activated depending on whether rats were learning a scent during initial alcohol exposure while not dependent, or during withdrawal after having been made dependent.

"Identifying how learned associations between drug and environment are instantiated in the brain was the really exciting part of this paper for me," says one of the authors, Hermina Nedelescu, PhD, a Scripps Research staff scientist. "Once we can narrow in on which circuits in the brain are responsible for this withdrawal-associated learning, we can start thinking about how to target them with therapeutics."

The group is now planning future experiments to more specifically identify the exact groups of neurons involved.
Several coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines require multiple doses for long-lasting immunity. However, a new study published in the journal Biomacromolecules has developed a promising single-dose vaccine platform using an injectable hydrogel containing an epitope-labeled plant virus, Cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV).

Study: Injectable Slow-Release Hydrogel Formulation of a Plant Virus-Based COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate. Image Credit: New Africa / Shutterstock

Two-dose vaccines

Cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) is a potent candidate for vaccine development. However, following injection, viral particles degrade rapidly in the body. Consequently, multiple doses are needed for long-lasting immunity, which is not ideal for global mass vaccination campaigns. So the researchers at the University of California San Diego formulated CPMV nanoparticles in injectable hydrogels to achieve slow particle release and prolonged immunostimulation.

Hydrogels

Chitosan is a polysaccharide obtained after the deacetylation of chitin. It is biocompatible, nonimmunogenic, and biodegradable. It is considered safe and is approved for products like BST-CarGel for cartilage regeneration. Several studies have shown that chitosan can enhance immune responses when used as a vaccine adjuvant. When mixed with glycerophosphate (GP), chitosan forms a liquid at room temperature that forms a gel at body temperature. These hydrogels are easy to prepare and inject. Chitosan/GP hydrogels have uses in drug delivery, tissue regeneration/repair, and a slow release of nanoparticles.

CPMV in hydrogels

CPMV was isolated from infected black-eyed pea plant leaves. The viral particles were conjugated with cyanine 5 (Cy5), a fluorescent marker. These CPMV particles were dispersed in hydrogels formed by mixing chitosan and GP. Liquid formulations of chitosan and GP were mixed with CPMV particles at room temperature. The gelling behavior of chitosan/GP mixture with CPMV was characterized to identify ideal concentrations. The mixtures containing high-molecular-weight chitosan and 04.5 mg/mL CPMV gelled at 37C in 58 minutes and slowly released Cy5-CPMV particles in vitro and in vivo.

The Cy5-CPMV particles slowly released from the hydrogels even though the gels remained stable for 21 days, the testing time period. Thus, the CPMV particles could diffuse through the hydrogel pores. While the liquid formulation released 100% of the particles after 10 days, the hydrogels released only 1012% of the particles after 21 days. Thus, slow particle release could be achieved through chitosan/GP hydrogels.

The chemically modified CPMV particles maintained their physical integrity after encapsulation within the hydrogels and also after release from the hydrogels.

CPMV in hydrogels as a single-dose vaccine

The CPMV particles were conjugated with a portion of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike (S) protein. This selected peptide sequence is B-cell epitope 826. It is highly conserved among SARS-CoV-2 variants. It is not affected by the mutations that generated the Delta and Omicron variants.

The hydrogel containing 826-CPMV particles was injected into mice via a single subcutaneous injection to evaluate its immunogenicity. The mice produced anti-826 antibodies. Compared to the soluble formulation, the hydrogel formulation improved the levels of anti-826 antibodies between weeks 12 and 20 post-injection.

High antibody levels were also observed at week 20 post-injection.

Higher antibody levels were observed in mice injected with hydrogels when compared to mice injected with a single dose or two doses (prime-boost) of the soluble 826-CPMV formulation.

The hydrogel vaccine initially generated a Th1 cell-biased response that shifted to a Th2 cell-biased response. Th1 cell-biased response induces phagocytic activity against intracellular pathogens. Th2 cell-based response induces the production of neutralizing antibodies against pathogens.

Both soluble and hydrogel vaccines induced similar antibody profiles at week 4 post-injection. The differences in antibody profiles were evident at week 12. The hydrogel vaccine-elicited response shifted to Th2-biased at week 12. The soluble vaccines retained the Th1 bias.

The comparative release profiles of soluble particles versus hydrogels have to be studied to determine whether CPMV vaccines inherently elicit a Th1-biased immune response or whether the epitope determines the Th1/2 bias.

Conclusion

CPMV particles can be encapsulated in chitosan/GP hydrogels. They are released as intact particles for several months, eliciting a sustained immune responsethe immune response shifts from Th1-biased to Th2-biased profiles. The injectable hydrogel containing epitope-labeled CPMV is a promising candidate as a single-dose vaccine platform. This strategy paves the way for developing long-lasting nanomedicines based on plant viruses.

Implications

Repeat vaccinations have been implemented by many nations in order to ensure sustained immunity and to combat COVID-19.

Due to the slow release of vaccine antigens over several months, slow-release formulations could provide long-lasting immunity. The use of single-dose formulations that last longer will reduce the number of vaccination appointments needed to achieve population-wide coverage. This could reduce the burden placed on global health systems.
In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers determined the threshold neutralizing antibody (nAb) titer for effective coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescent plasma (CCP) therapy.

Background

More than half a million hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been infused with CCP in the United States (US) since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and authorization by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for in-patient use. Benefits of CCP like accelerated recovery and lower mortality observed in randomized control trials (RCTs) were not observed in large RCTs.

Challenges while conducting or interpreting CCP trials stem from the heterogeneity in CCP source, variability in the breadth and potency of anti-SARS-CoV-2 nAbs, and antibodies lacking neutralizing activity. Further, recent observational studies revealed that the use of CCP with higher antibody titers reduced the risk of in-hospital death and hospitalization risk for outpatients.

Although the antibody content remains a critical determinant of the safety and efficacy of CCP, currently, no standardized assay has been developed to distinguish a clinically beneficial CCP from a non-beneficial or harmful CCP.

About the study

In the present study, researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind phase 2 clinical trial of CCP with predefined nAb titers on hospitalized COVID-19 patients with severe disease. The effect of standard CCP with recommended nAb titer (1:160) was compared with four-fold higher titers (1:640).

Eligible participants were aged 18 years or more with a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection with one or more of the following symptoms: sore throat, shortness of breath, cough, difficult breathing, loss of smell/taste, nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting. Those excluded from the study were prior or current recipients of immune-based therapies, including SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell or antibody-based therapies, ABO-incompatible plasma, contraindication to blood transfusion, and inability to infuse first CCP unit within two days of enrolment. Each participant received two CCP units approximately 24 hours apart within two days of randomization besides the standard care. Participants were randomized by the ABO blood group and assigned for standard or high titer CCP units.

All coordinators, treating physicians, clinical physician investigators, participants, and members of healthcare teams were masked to therapy assignment. Only blood bank physician coinvestigators were non-blind to the study. CCP was donated by volunteers who recovered from COVID-19. nAb titers were quantified using the SARS-CoV-2-WA1 reporter neutralization assay. Hospital staff monitored CCP recipients after each infusion.

The primary safety endpoint was the cumulative incidence of serious adverse events (SAEs) 14 and 28 days after the first infusion of CCP. The number of days to discharge post-fist CCP infusion was the primary clinical effectiveness endpoint. Each participant was followed-up until hospital discharge.

Findings

Of the 316 patients screened from August 28, 2020, to December 4, 2020, 55 were infused with CCP, with 14 receiving the high titer CCP and 41 standard titer CCP. All except one patient received two units of CCP. The median age of patients was 61 years; 36% of them were females, 33% were Hispanics, and 25% were Black. Median nAb titers before CCP infusion were 1:26 for the high titer group and 1:24 for the standard titer group. The median nAb titer of high-titer CCP units was 1:1080 compared to 1:316 for standard-titer CCP.

Similarly, median nAb titers for pseudovirus neutralization were 1:1380 and 1:593 for high- and standard-titer groups, respectively. Thirteen patients from the high titer group and 37 from the standard titer group experienced one adverse event within 14 days of CCP infusion.

Overall, 27 patients (four from the high titer group and 23 from the standard titer group) experienced a grade 3 adverse event. No high-titer participant experienced cumulative adverse events graded greater than severe (fatal) through 14 days compared to 14 patients from the standard titer group who underwent such adverse events. No adverse event was directly attributed to CCP infusion.

High-titer CCP recipients had a shorter time to discharge than standard-titer recipients. A higher hospital discharge rate was strongly associated with the non-requirement of invasive or non-invasive ventilation. Although statistically insignificant, a higher proportion of standard-care recipients died relative to high-titer recipients through 55 days post first infusion.

Conclusion

The authors noted that patients who received CCP with higher nAb titers had shorter recovery times with lower morality than standard titer group patients. While adverse events were observed across both groups, they were not attributable to the intervention but rather to the underlying COVID-19-related pathological conditions.

These findings have important implications that potent nAb-based therapies could play an essential role in managing patients who progress to severe disease. Notably, the study lacked a group of patients not on CCP therapy. Given that the SARS-CoV-2 D614G variant was predominant during the study period, these findings could not be extrapolated to other emergent variants. In conclusion, the researchers suggested that CCP titers exceeding 1:640 could potentially have clinical benefits.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
What policy is the best approach for developing health systems in low- and middle-income countries?

Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and the University of New Mexico report that Universal Health Coverage (UHC), has come to dominate discussions around how best to reform low- and middle-income countries' (LMIC) health systems.

The researchers believe these findings are important because UHC reforms don't necessarily entail equal and equitable access to services for the entire population regardless of ability to pay, as is the case in other possible health system reforms such as National Health Services that provide care without insurance companies involved or copayments that block access.

The study examined the history of UHC and found its popularity stemmed from the concerted efforts of multiple institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Health Organization.

The roots of UHC can be traced to policies enacted by international financial institutions such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund during the latter half of the twentieth century that caused the debt of low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) to rise precipitously and public sector services to become underfunded." Daniel Smithers, Study Corresponding Author and Fourth-Year Medical Student, Boston University School of Medicine

According to Smithers, these same institutions and others such as the World Health Organization (WHO) then advocated for UHC as a method for reforming the health systems of LMICs. Generally, UHC implies a financial reform in which health insurance is expanded in varying degrees to segments of a population and can entail the involvement of private for-profit corporations in the provision of health insurance.

Using both quantitative and qualitative analysis, the researchers found that UHC was mentioned in the health policy literature far more frequently than other health policy options that entail public funding and delivery of health services. When UHC was mentioned in a publication, more than 40 percent of the time the definition used by the authors was sufficiently vague that the definition could be open to misinterpretation or misunderstanding by less informed readers.

The study looked at not only whether UHC was defined in a paper, but also how it was defined. Greater than 40 percent of definitions mentioned finances with respect to UHC, and definitions focused almost entirely on individual-level financial issues. However, these discussions did not suggest that individuals should face no out-of-pocket costs, such as copayments, nor did they touch on other financial aspects of health system reforms such as global budgeting or socialization of health insurance. Over a quarter of definitions also discussed tiering of benefits which could entail differing benefits for the poor and non-poor.

"When a policy such as UHC predominates in the literature to this extent, it's very important to examine its history critically, how it's defined, and who's involved in pursuing it. Policy isn't crafted in a political, economic or social vacuum," added Smithers, who in June will start his internal medicine residency in Boston at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School.

"There are many other organizations advocating for equitable health system reforms in LMICs beyond the dominant transnational organizations such as the World Bank and WHO," said senior author Howard Waitzkin, PhD, MD, a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of New Mexico. "The People's Health Movement, the Latin American Social Medicine Association (ALAMES), and Physicians for a National Health Program in the United States are organizations that advocate for alternative health system reforms such as Health Care for All, a single national health program in which access and services don't differ for any groups in a population. It's imperative that arguments for UHC not detract attention from these more fundamental and equitable ways to assure universal access to care."

These finding appear online in the journal Social Science & Medicine.
The century-old Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine against tuberculosis is one of the world's oldest and most widely used vaccines, used to immunize 100 million newborns every year. Given in countries with endemic TB, it has surprisingly been found to protect newborns and young infants against multiple bacterial and viral infections unrelated to TB. There's even some evidence that it can reduce severity of COVID-19.

What's special about BCG vaccine? How does it protect infants so broadly? It turns out little is known. To understand its mechanism of action, researchers at the Precision Vaccines Program at Boston Children's Hospital partnered with the Expanded Program on Immunization Consortium (EPIC), an international team studying early life immunization, to collect and comprehensively profile blood samples from newborns immunized with BCG, using a powerful "big data" approach.

Their study, published online May 3 in Cell Reports, found that the BCG vaccine induces specific changes in metabolites and lipids that correlate with innate immune system responses. The findings provide clues toward making other vaccines more effective in vulnerable populations with distinct immune systems, such as newborns.

Small babies, big data

First author Joann Diray Arce, PhD, and her colleagues began with blood samples from low-birthweight newborns in Guinea Bissau who were enrolled in a randomized clinical trial to receive BCG either at birth or after a delay of six weeks. Both groups had small blood samples taken at four weeks (after BCG was given to the first group, and before it was given to the second group).

Using metabolomics and lipidomics, the team comprehensively profiled the impact of BCG immunization on the newborns' blood plasma. They found that BCG vaccines given at birth changed metabolite and lipid profiles in newborns' blood plasma in a pattern distinct from those in the delayed-vaccine group. The changes correlated with changes in cytokine production, a key feature of innate immunity.

The researchers had parallel findings when they tested BCG in cord blood samples from a cohort of Boston newborns and samples from a separate NIH/NIAID-funded Human Immunology Project Consortium study of newborns in The Gambia and Papua New Guinea.

We now have some lipid and metabolic biomarkers of vaccine protection that we can test and manipulate in mouse models. We studied three different BCG formulations and showed that they converge on similar pathways of interest. Reshaping of the metabolome by BCG may contribute to the molecular mechanisms of a newborn's immune response." Joann Diray Arce, Study First Author, Boston Children's Hospital

"A growing number of studies show that BCG vaccine protects against unrelated infections," says Ofer Levy, MD, PhD, director of the Precision Vaccines Program and the study's senior investigator. "It's critical that we learn from BCG to better understand how to protect newborns. BCG is an 'old school' vaccine -; it's made from a live, weakened germ -; but live vaccines like BCG seem to activate the immune system in a very different way in early life, providing broad protection against a range of bacterial and viral infections. There's much work ahead to better understand that and use that information to build better vaccines for infants."

The study was supported by the NIAID (U19AI118608, U01 AI124284), the Precision Vaccines Program at Boston Children's Hospital, and the Mueller Health Foundation. Levy is a named inventor on several Boston Children's Hospital patents relating to human microphysiologic assay systems and vaccine adjuvants. Coauthors Scott McCulloch and Greg Michelotti are employees of Metabolon Inc. The other authors declare no competing financial interests.
New research from the University of California, Irvine, finds that drug withdrawal-induced anxiety and reinstatement of drug seeking behaviors are controlled by a single pathway in the brain and centered around dopamine cells.

The study, "An extended amygdala-midbrain circuit controlling cocaine withdrawal-induced anxiety and reinstatement," was published today in Cell Reports.

Addiction occurs in phases: initial drug exposures are rewarding, repeated administration leads to tolerance or sensitization to the drug's effects, and withdrawal leads to anxiety and a negative affective state, which, in turn, contribute to reinstatement of drug taking/seeking.

In order to prevent relapse among drug users, specifically cocaine users, we need to understand the factors in the brain that contribute to drug seeking behaviors and the vulnerability to relapse. In this study, we identified a brain circuit that is responsible for drug withdrawal-induced anxiety as well as relapse-related behavior, along with the identification of a potential target for therapeutic interventions." Kevin Beier, PhD, Assistant Professor, Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine

The negative affective state induced by withdrawal from use of drugs of abuse is a critical factor causing drug users to relapse.

"Both the drug withdrawal-induced anxiety and reinstatement of drug seeking are controlled by a single pathway centered around dopamine cells in the ventral midbrain," explained Beier. "That a single pathway controls both sets of behavioral changes may help to explain many addiction-related behavioral phenomena. Importantly, it links them both directly to dopamine, which is more typically linked to reward-related behaviors."

Although midbrain dopamine circuits are central to motivated behaviors, the knowledge of how experience modifies these circuits to facilitate subsequent behavioral adaptations is limited. This study demonstrates the selective role of a ventral tegmental area dopamine projection to the amygdala for cocaine induced anxiety, but not cocaine reward or sensitization. Silencing this projection prevents development of anxiety during protracted withdrawal after cocaine use.

According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, there are roughly 70,000 drug overdoses each year in the United States. In 2017, nearly one in five drug overdose deaths was cocaine-related, with the highest rate of cocaine-related overdoses and deaths occurring among non-Hispanic black populations. Between 2012 and 2018, the rate of cocaine-related overdose deaths increased from 1.4 to 4.5 percent. The American Addiction Centers state recent drug relapse statistics show that more than 85 percent of individuals relapse and return to drug use within a year following treatment.

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, American Parkinson Disease Association, Alzheimer's Association, New Vision Research, and the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation.
Too many women are getting unnecessary mastectomies and other invasive procedures because of a knowledge gap about differences in cancer genes. A new study offers a path to closing the gap.

Nearly a decade ago, Angelina Jolie made famous that preventative mastectomies can help women with BRCA gene mutations -; changes that alter gene function. These women may have more than four times higher than normal chances of getting breast cancer. Mutations in BRCA genes can also increase risks for ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancer.

Far fewer headlines covered the fact that around 40% of changes to the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are a black box. Are these gene variants harmful, harmless, or somewhere in between? Scientists don't fully know -; and that carries consequences.

"The evidence is that people with variants of uncertain significance are overtreated, because people just see it as a bit of a red flag and can't help thinking it must be important," said Amanda Spurdle, a cancer epidemiologist at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute near Brisbane, Australia.

A 2017 study found up to half of surgeons prescribed the same treatment whether a BRCA variant was uncertain or known to cause disease. Women with uncertain variants commonly underwent double mastectomies, a painful procedure with serious risks. Other cancer treatments, like ovary removals, may prevent people from having children. (People of all genders may be tested and treated for BRCA gene mutations.)

Even just receiving genetic test results indicating "variant of uncertain significance" can lead to anxiety in both patients and their clinicians.

Researchers have the tools to crack which variants are harmful or harmless. But they lack the raw materials, which are locked away in highly-protected databases of people's genomes and medical records.

Share the data recklessly, and depending on where they live, patients could risk losing their jobs, health insurance, civil liberties, and trust in healthcare. Scientists could run afoul of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other rules that carry serious penalties for infractions.

Keep the data completely private, and thousands of people may undergo difficult treatments, such as losing their breasts and ovaries, for no reason -; or find out about their serious risk of cancer far too late.

Now, for the first time, researchers have used a data-sharing innovation called "federated analysis" to categorize 16 uncertain variants as benign or likely benign.

Patients with those variants may be able to skip invasive and irrevocable surgeries.

Those women can let out a big sigh of relief and go on with their lives." Melissa Cline, Study Senior Author and Santa Cruz Research Scientist, University of California

Cline serves on the Steering Committee of the Global Alliance for Genomics & Health (GA4GH), the international genomic standards-setting organization.

A global solution commences over coffee

Several years ago, Cline co-founded the BRCA Exchange to share the latest findings on which variants cause harm, format the data using GA4GH standards so everyone can understand them, and share crucial information with patients and clinicians. GA4GH helped launch the Exchange as one of its Driver Projects, now championed by Spurdle and Cline.

But the team ran into a problem. Mystery variants often crop up in just a handful of individuals per dataset, or none at all. To confidently label a variant harmful or benign, researchers don't just need more data -; they need to link up more databases, in order to better approximate the world's great genetic diversity.

"The global approach to variant interpretations is really important, because you may get information from one dataset that you wouldn't get from another," said Spurdle, who co-authored the new paper.

"So if you found a rare variant in, say, African Americans, but then you see it's extremely common in Outer Mongolia, that straightaway tells you it can't be causing higher risk of breast cancer or ovarian cancer," she said.

Yet many genomic studies overwhelmingly look at people with European ancestry, an imbalance compared to global populations.

In October 2018, BRCA Exchange leaders traveled to Basel, Switzerland, for the Plenary Meeting of GA4GH.

During a coffee break, one of Cline's collaborators spotted Yukihide Momozawa, an investigator at Japan's RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, and they started chatting. Did Momozawa know about the BRCA Exchange's database of variants? What kind of data could he share from his recent study of 7,051 Japanese women confirming several harmful variants for breast cancer?

That conversation over coffee sparked a collaboration to link up databases in order to better understand tricky variants.

But a major hurdle remained: Momozawa could not transfer the BioBank Japan data. Due to government privacy regulations, records of patient health, tumors, and genetics almost never left the RIKEN servers in the seaside city of Yokohama, south of Tokyo.

8,361 kilometers away in the redwood forests of California, Cline turned to a pioneering new approach: federated analysis.

Bringing California code to Japanese data

With enormous potential to speed the rise of medical treatments tailored precisely to people's genes, federated analysis is a clever idea.

Instead of downloading health data to your own computer, or convincing institutions to pool their patient records in a central hub -; each a political and ethical minefield -; you bring your code to the data.

"Data custodians rightly need to protect the data in their care and respect the consent and governance associated with that data," said Susan Fairley, GA4GH Chief Standards Officer. "Through a 'pipelines to the data' model, data custodians retain control over data use and access, while researchers can minimize time-consuming data transfers."

In California, Cline and her team assembled a "container" -; a virtual computational machine or "bot" that could visit Momozawa's data and run a series of tests. The bot relied on standard ways of describing health data, including the GA4GH Variant Call File Formats. The researchers shared their software on Dockstore, enabling researchers around the world to find and apply it using the Tool Registry Service (TRS).

To ensure their bot followed the rules while visiting RIKEN's data, the Santa Cruz team consulted with Adrian Thorogood, formerly the GA4GH Regulatory & Ethics Work Stream Manager.

"GA4GH frameworks like the Ethics Review and Recognition Policy are important for federated analysis, because it becomes a bit blurred who's doing the research and, thus, which institution's research ethics board should be overseeing it," said Thorogood, now a research and development specialist in law and ethics at the University of Luxembourg.

"The federated approach potentially simplifies trust for individuals," he added. "They know that there's only one copy of their data, maintained by an organisation they've actually interacted with, rather than having to trust unknown institutions around the world."

Once filled with all the key components, the container docked in Yokohama.

"One important issue was to make sure the software behaved in our institute as it was developed to behave," said Momozawa.

His team ran the software on RIKEN servers and collaborated with the Santa Cruz group to fix a few problems. They also conducted crosschecks to show the analysis was sound.

"We were able to use tumor pathology data to replicate a table in one of Momo's earlier papers to verify that the software was working properly," said Cline, referring to Momozawa by nickname.

Next, the bot sent its findings another 7,140 kilometers to the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, near the skyscraper-lined banks of the Brisbane River.

"We received summary information," said Spurdle. "We wouldn't know what the patient ID numbers were -; we just knew that there were, say, three people with one variant who'd had breast tumors and were 40 to 45 years old."

Spurdle and colleagues used a number of statistical tricks to comb through the summary data and find new evidence about whether or not a variant would cause cancer.

"Our collaboration yielded better interpretation of several variants, contributing to better personalized medicine," Momozawa said. That included the 16 variants of previously uncertain significance, now clearly labeled "benign" or "likely benign."

Finally, the knowledge journeyed back across the Pacific to Santa Cruz, where it was added to the BRCA Exchange database. Patients with those variants can now feel more confident about their true risks when deciding about surgeries and other procedures.

Sharing knowledge without sharing your data

Federated analysis is poised to help fill the genetic risk knowledge gap -; leading to fewer unnecessary medical treatments, and more patients discovering their danger in time.

And not just for breast cancer: the Canadian CanDIG and African, Canadian, and European CINECA projects use federation to build large networks of health data to help tackle heart conditions, infectious disease, and beyond.

Cline and Spurdle see great potential for federated analysis to open up knowledge in many locations, from diagnostic companies, to the ENIGMA Consortium for analysis of variants in breast-ovarian cancer genes, to stores of human samples in Europe locked away by GDPR data privacy laws.

"If we can get our friend Momo to do this, then maybe we could go to our friend, say, in Saudi Arabia who had a dataset they couldn't release," said Spurdle.

Because the bot the team developed uses the GA4GH Workflow Execution Service (WES), its software can communicate with different computing and cloud environments around the world.

To make this kind of technical know-how for visiting data more widely available, GA4GH is actively building federated analysis tools into a regularly-updated Starter Kit for researchers.

"The work of Melissa Cline and collaborators is a great example of why global data sharing is so important. Information from around the world, when shared, can massively improve our capacity to interpret genomic variation -; to the benefit of everyone. It is to support this type of work that GA4GH creates standards and policies that will let researchers responsibly access information, including through federated analysis," said Fairley, the GA4GH CSO.

"Through initiatives to further integrate our standards and apply them to real-world problems, such as through the Federated Analysis Systems Project (FASP), we hope to support the development of the global, standardized infrastructure needed to see the full benefits of genomics for human health," added Fairley.

All told, it took a round-trip journey of 26,881 kilometers to arrive at an improved understanding of the genetics of breast cancer. Yet intimate details of bodies and lives stayed exactly where patients left them.

"For a number of collaborators, they cannot release protected data from their building, let alone their country. Federated analysis looks like a great route forward for allowing those scientists to share knowledge from their data," said Cline.
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson addressed the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.Johnson said the West made the mistake of not helping Ukraine in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea.We, your friends, should be upset about what happened in 2014, because Ukraine was invaded before, then Crimea was taken from Ukraine, and now the war has started in Donbas. "We can not repeat the same mistake for Vladimir Putin, Johnson said.Today, the British Prime Minister presented a new military aid to Ukraine worth 300 million euros.Johnson said military assistance includes radars, heavy crane drones, and thousands of night-vision devices.The use of veils will be mandatory only in transport and in clinics, in all other enclosed spaces, including schools, the obligation to wear a veil is removed.Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili said about it at the government session.According to him, before making a decision Minister of Health Zurab Azarashvili met with specialists in the field.We have a very stable picture. The situation with Covid has stabilized. The situation is very calm in this direction. This allows us to ease the regulations even more, Gharibashvili said.In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus, wearing a veil was mandatory in all enclosed spaces.
(Newser)  Update: The man who was duct-taped to his seat last year after groping two flight attendants on a Frontier Airlines flight and punching another was sentenced Tuesday. Max Berry, now 23, will spend 60 days in jail followed by a year of supervised release, ABC News reports. Berry pleaded guilty to three counts of assault within maritime and territorial jurisdiction, and in court, he apologized and said he has felt remorse ever since the immediate aftermath of the incident. Two of the flight attendants, however, said 60 days behind bars was not enough. Berry has received treatment for substance abuse issues, depression, and anxiety since the incident. Our original story from Aug. 3, 2021, follows:

A passenger on a flight from Philadelphia to Miami spent part of the flight duct-taped to his seat and was arrested on arrival Sunday morning. Ohio resident Maxwell Berry, 22, allegedly groped the breasts of two Frontier Airlines flight attendants and punched a third before he was restrained, the Washington Post reports. According to a police report, Berry ordered two alcoholic drinks from a flight attendant and brushed his cup "inappropriately" against her backside while ordering another. He then spilled that drink on his shirt. When he went to the lavatory and emerged shirtless, a flight attendant helped him get a new shirt from his luggage and he then groped two attendants while walking around the plane, the police report states. The Post reports that Berry was heard boasting about his parents' net worth.

The police report says Berry punched a male flight attendant in the face after he was asked to stay in his seat. Video recorded by other passengers shows Berry swearing at flight attendants. Berry was restrained with the help of other passengers and the attendant had to "tape him down to the seat and tie him with a seat-belt extender" for the rest of his flight, according to the report. Berry was charged with three counts of battery and taken to the Miami-Dade County Jail, ABC7 reports. "The flight attendants will be, as required in such circumstances, relieved of flying pending completion of investigation of the events," the airline said in a statement. The airline said the attendants are on paid leave and it is "fully supporting their needs." (This Texas man was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 15-year-old passenger on a flight to Montana.)
(Newser)  A Pennsylvania mother is accused of shooting her two young sons in the head Monday morning as they lay in bed in their Bucks County home. Police responded to the Upper Makefield Township scene at 7:05am, called there by another person who lives at the address who reported Trinh Nguyen, 38, had given him a box of photos and asked him to give it to her ex-husband, the man's colleague. Then, the man told police, Nguyen tried to shoot him in the face, but her gun failed to fire, NBC Philadelphia reports. The man disarmed her, and she drove off in a minivan. Police then found her sons, ages 9 and 13, in their beds with gunshot wounds to their heads; they were apparently shot while sleeping, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

They were rushed to a hospital and one underwent surgery, but authorities say they won't survive. They are now on life support until their organs can be donated. Nguyen was located and arrested a few hours later; video of the arrest shows her wearing what appear to be pajamas, and police believe she was driving under the influence of drugs and that she may have taken narcotics in an attempt to end her own life, NBC News reports. She is charged with three counts of attempted homicide and a count of possession of an instrument of crime, and the DA says those charges will be upgraded to murder if the boys die.

Records show Nguyen's former sister-in-law, Corinna Tini-Melchiondo, owns the residence in the wealthy Philadelphia suburb where Nguyen and the children lived along with other members of the Melchiondo family (including the one Nguyen allegedly tried to shoot), and that Nguyen owed $11,000 in back rent and was due to be evicted Tuesday. Nguyen had divorced her landlord's brother Ed Tini, the father of the younger boy, in 2015. "I have two kids, and this couldnt hit any closer to home, the DA said during a press conference. "Ive kept saying my prayers since I got the call this morning." (Read more Pennsylvania stories.)
(Newser)  A sizable polar bear wandered into a Canadian community some distance from its traditional territory over the weekend before it was shot and killed by police. As the Guardian reports, such incidents are likely to become more common as climate change decimates Arctic sea ice. The 650-pound bearthe first to be spotted on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, per the Canadian Presswas sighted near the town of Madeleine-Centre on Quebec's Gaspe peninsula; that's roughly 360 miles northeast of Quebec City. It may have traveled on sea ice from the South Labrador Sea, where polar bear food is abundant this time of year.

"Anywhere else in the Arctic, they are usually a little bit on the thin side, but this one was very fat," Ian Stirling, an expert on polar bears at the University of Alberta, tells the CP. However, the bear would've needed to swim for the last leg of its journey to the peninsula. The provincial police service warned residents after the bear was spotted near Madeleine-Centre on Saturday. It was shot dead around 8:30am Sunday following a search involving drones and a helicopter. Per the CP, officials didn't have access to equipment to capture and relocate the bear, which was twice the size of the black bears found in the region.

"These bears have never been there before in modern history, so this is not something that I think wildlife agencies can be prepared for," Andrew Derocher, a professor of biology at the University of Alberta, who's currently doing fieldwork on polar bears more than 1,300 miles northwest, tells the CP. Though officials could have waited for the expensive equipment to arrive from elsewhere, "there were too many risk issues," Derocher says. Simply put, the bear "got into a place where it couldn't stay." (Read more polar bear stories.)
(Newser)  Its not a new problem, but its worse than ever. Last year alone, the FAA recorded over 9,700 cases in which laser beams struck cockpits, per the New York Times. It was a record high, but some 70,000 cases have been reported since 2010, andworldwideits happened over 100,000 times since 2004, says Patrick Murphy, a laser safety expert who advises the FAA. He told the Times there are two types of people who point lasers into cockpits: those who are ignorant and those who are antisocial. He added, "Its a guy thing  like having a Star Wars light saber," which apparently makes certain men feel special.

When a laser hits the cockpit, it can temporarily blind, disorient, or even "completely incapacitate" a pilot, according to the FAA. Although no crashes have been attributed to lasers, the problems they cause are more than a matter of discomfort or inconvenience. For example, the Times describes one 2018 episode in which an emergency services chopper pilot was forced to abandon a rescue mission after a laser beam "overwhelmed his night vision goggles." He said the attack damaged his vision and left him unable to fly for months.

Its a federal crime that puts pilots and passengers at tremendous risk, especially since most attacks occur during takeoff and landing. Perpetrators can get five years in prison plus fines, but they are hard to catch. Sometimes, pilots can pinpoint laser locations and give police a chance to respond. There is no shortage of recent stories: earlier this year, a 52 year-old Mississippi man was sentenced to home confinement for lasering planes near Memphis Airport; last month, a 36-year-old Philly man received a year in prison; and this week, a 19-year-old Miami woman was arrested for attacking a police helicopter (so maybe its not just a guy thing after all). Lasers are getting cheaper and more powerful, experts say, so the industry must adapt. Pilots are being trained to look away, if possible, and the Air Force is developing special protective eyewear. (Read more FAA stories.)
(Newser)  Prosecutors in Idaho have confirmed that they will seek the death penalty for Lori Vallow if she is found guilty of any of the first-degree murder or conspiracy to commit first-degree murder charges against her. Vallow and husband Chad Daybell face multiple charges in the deaths of Vallow's two children, 7-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, NBC reports. They have also been charged in the death of Tammy Daybell, Chad Daybell's first wife. The doomsday author married Vallow days after Tammy Daybell's death on Oct. 2019.

The state is also seeking the death penalty for Chad Daybell. In a filing Monday, prosecutors listed multiple reasons why the pair are eligible for the death penalty, the Idaho Statesman reports. They said the alleged murders were committed for financial gain and were "especially heinous, atrocious, cruel, or manifesting exceptional depravity." They said the defendants have shown "an utter disregard for human life."

Prosecutors also asked a judge to shift Vallow's trial from October to January so she can be tried at the same time as Daybell. In 2020 a judge said they would be tried together but Vallow, unlike Daybell, did not waive her right to a speedy trial, Fox 13 reports. Prosecutors said the evidence and witnesses would be the same in both trials and it would be most cost-effective to hold them together. (Vallow also faces a conspiracy to murder charge in Arizona.)
(Newser)  The Supreme Court looks poised to "reverse nearly 50 years of precedent" and "relegate the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues," according to former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama, who've issued a concerned statement on the leaked Roe v. Wade opinion, per the Hill. It's "a blow  to all of us who believe that in a free society, there are limits to how much the government can encroach on our personal lives."

"What Roe recognized is that the freedom enshrined in the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution requires all of us to enjoy a sphere of our lives that isn't subject to meddling from the state," they write, per Fox News. But the draft opinion doesn't balance personal freedoms with circumstances worthy of government intervention, like child abuse. It "simply forces folks to give up any constitutionally recognized interest in what happens to their body once they get pregnant. Under the Court's logic, state legislatures could dictate that women carry every pregnancy to term, no matter how early it is and no matter what circumstances led to iteven rape or incest."

Those without the means to travel or take time off work or school will seek out "illegal abortions that inevitably pose grave risks to their health, their future ability to bear children, and sometimes their lives. That's a result none of us should want," the couple adds before urging those who support abortion rights to protest, volunteer on campaigns, and to vote. "Because in the end, if we want judges who will protect all, and not just some, of our rights, then weve got to elect officials committed to doing the same." (Amazon just announced it will cover workers' travel expenses for abortion.)
(Newser)  The stunning leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade has shocked and dismayed abortion rights supporters nationwideincluding at least two Republican senators. Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski both supported the nominations of Supreme Court justices who voted to strike down the 1973 decision in the draft opinion, and they said at the time that they believed the justices would leave Roe in place, the Washington Post reports. Collins voted to confirm Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, while Murkowski voted for Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.

According to the leaked rulingwhich Chief Justice John Roberts has confirmed is genuine but not finalall three Trump-nominated justices voted with Clarence Thomas to support a decision signed by Samuel Alito. In a statement Tuesday, Collins said the leaked decision is "completely inconsistent" with what Gorsuch and Kavanaugh said in private meetings and their confirmation hearings, the Hill reports. Asked by reporters if she felt misled, she said her "statement speaks for itself." Murkowski said the draft ruling doesn't reflected the direction she believed "the court would take based on statements that have been made about Roe being settled and being precedent."

If the decision "goes in the direction that this leaked copy has indicated, I will just tell you that it rocks my confidence in the court right now," Murkowski told reporters. Senate Democrats declined to directly criticize the two senators but they said there had been clear signs that Trump had sought judges who would overturn Roe, the Post reports. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer accused the three Trump-nominated justices of lying during their confirmation hearings, the AP reports. Senate Democrats plan to hold a vote on legislation to protect abortion rights, but it would have little chance of beating a GOP filibuster even with Murkowski and Collins on board. (Roberts has launched an investigation of the leak.)
(Newser)  You're not usually supposed to throw back Holy Communion wine like it's last call at the local watering hole, especially if you're only 7, but Brynley Heidebrink just broke the mold. The Sioux Falls Argus Leader reports that the little girl celebrated her first communion on April 23 in Brandon, SD, with her mom, Stefanie Heidebrink, recording the event from her seat. The video, now shared online, shows an angelic-looking Brynley head up to accept the wafer said to be the body of Christ, then the wine said to be Christ's blood. What happens next, however, is what has since made Brynley an internet star, as she holds the chalice and takes not a sip of the consecrated wine, but a hearty, prolonged chug.

"I just kept thinking, 'Please stop drinking,'" Heidebrink, who can be heard laughing in the clip, tells KELO. The patient priest eventually starts laughing, too, until Brynley finally has enough and hands the chalice back to him. Heidebrink says Brynley had practiced for the big event earlier that day, and had seemed particularly curious about the wine imbibing part of the ceremony. "I told her to just let it touch your lips; you don't even have to take a sip," Heidebrink recalls. She's not sure why her daughter went full-on gulp, and it doesn't seem like Brynley knows, either.

"I said, 'Well, why did you keep drinking?' And she's like, 'I don't know,'" Heidebrink tells the Argus Leader. "I'm like, 'Well, did you like the taste?' And she goes, 'No.'" Heidebrink also tells Newsweek that Brynley was somewhat embarrassed at the laughter in the church after her huge quaff. Brynley's video has since gone viral on TikTok, and the rest of her special day went off without a hitch, with a big spaghetti dinner to cap it all off. "She ... ate her spaghetti and she slept really good that night," Heidebrink tells the Argus Leader. She also confirms it was real wine in the chalice, not grape juice, as some people online are speculating. (Read more communion stories.)
(Newser)  North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to bolster his nuclear arsenal "at the fastest possible pace" and threatened to use them against rivals. The launch, the North's 14th round of weapons fired this year, also came six days before a new conservative South Korean president takes office for a single five-year term. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired from the North's capital region and flew to the waters off its eastern coast, per the AP. It said the South Korean military is monitoring possible additional weapons launches by North Korea.

Japan's Defense Ministry said North Korea had fired a possible ballistic missile, without providing further details. The Japanese coast guard urged vessels traveling off Japanese coasts to stay away from any possible fragments, while Japan's government set up an emergency task force to deal with the missile launch. Observers say North Korea's unusually fast pace in weapons testing this year underscores its dual goal of advancing its missile programs and applying pressure on Washington over a deepening freeze in nuclear negotiations. They say Kim eventually aims to use his expanded arsenal to win international recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state, which he believes would help force the United States to relax international economic sanctions on the North.

One of the North Korean missiles tested recently was an intercontinental ballistic missile potentially capable of reaching the entirety of the American homeland. That missile's launch broke Kim's self-imposed 2018 moratorium on big weapons tests. There are signs that the North is also preparing for a nuclear test at its remote northeastern testing facility. During a speech last week during a military parade in Pyongyang, Kim said he'd develop his arsenal at the "fastest possible pace" and warned that the North would preemptively use its nuclear weapons if its national interests are threatened. North Korea has previously unleased harsh rhetoric threatening to attack its rivals with its nuclear weapons. But the fact that Kim made the threat himself and in a detailed manner have caused security jitters among some South Koreans.

(Read more North Korea stories.)
(Newser)  Dave Chappelle performed Tuesday evening at the "Netflix Is a Joke" comedy fest in Los Angeles, but what happened to him at the end of his set definitely wasn't a planned part of the night's humor. Cops say the 48-year-old comedian, who was performing at the Hollywood Bowl, was rushed by a man with a replica gun as his show was wrapping up, with various video clips showing a person who appears to be Chappelle getting knocked to the ground as multiple people dashed onstage to help him, per NBC Los Angeles. There aren't too many angles available showing what happened, as guests' phones were supposed to be confiscated at the door (one person who shot video claimed it slipped their mind they had a second phone in their bag).

Police, who aren't talking motive yet, say the weapon the alleged attacker had featured a knife blade that can pop out, though it's not clear if he tried to use it on Chappelle during the incident. Chappelle wasn't injured. He can be seen back on his feet just seconds later, joking about what had just happened. "I am going to kill that [unclear]," Chappelle said after picking the mic up off the floor, as seen in the video shown on NBC. Among those reportedly on hand to come to Chappelle's rescue: fellow comedian Jamie Foxx, notes Deadline. "Whenever you're in trouble, Jamie Foxx will show up in a sheriff's hat," Chappelle joked later. "I thought that was part of the show," Foxx replied.

BuzzFeed journalist Brianna Sacks, who was on the scene as a ticket-holder, reported that several security guards "punched and kicked" the alleged attacker, per the New York Times. Sacks posted video on Twitter showing the man being placed into an ambulance. He was taken to a hospital with "superficial injuries," per the LAPD. Sacks added that, right before the attack, Chappelle "had literally just said he now has more security because of all the uproar from his jokes about the Trans community." Deadline notes the incident took place just weeks after Will Smith took to the stage at the Oscars to slap Chris Rock. Newsweek reports on an Instagram post showing Rock, who'd performed Tuesday before Chappelle, come onstage to embrace Chappelle after the incident, joking into the mic, "Was that Will Smith?" (Read more Dave Chappelle stories.)
(Newser)  There's no shortage of opinion pieces on the shocking leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade. Some say it's "a journalistic coup of the highest order." Others say it's "a fundamental assault upon the institution." Six wide-ranging takes:



A political court exposed: "The court pretends to rise above politics," writes Jack Shafer at Politico. But the leak, which appears to be lawful, "reveals a court-decision-in-process as a purely political document that aligns five conservatives against the court's liberals and, presumably, the chief justice." The upside is that the public has a preview of the court majority's plan "in a midterm year straight from the horse's pen," which "amounts to a journalistic coup of the highest order."

'A public service': The leaker "has done a public service, both by giving Americans who support reproductive rights a head start on mobilizing for a post-Roe legal order and by damaging the Court's mystical aura of legitimacy at precisely the moment when it deserves to be damaged," writes David Klion at New York. Indeed, "the elite reverence" for the judiciary is "untenable now that a supermajority of the Court consists of trained right-wing ideologues," who seek to strip away a law that a majority of Americans support and assumed to be permanent.

The leaker "has done a public service, both by giving Americans who support reproductive rights a head start on mobilizing for a post-Roe legal order and by damaging the Court's mystical aura of legitimacy at precisely the moment when it deserves to be damaged," writes David Klion at New York. Indeed, "the elite reverence" for the judiciary is "untenable now that a supermajority of the Court consists of trained right-wing ideologues," who seek to strip away a law that a majority of Americans support and assumed to be permanent. 'Violating the sacred trust': "The merits of an opinion on abortion can wait for another day," as "the precedent of violating the sacred trust of the court during its deliberative process is a fundamental assault upon the institution of the judiciary," writes Jim Trusty at Fox News. "Courts and judges, by design, are supposed to rise above the din of passion and mob emotionalism." But now, that emotionalism could make it easier to usher in new justices or term limits.

'Accomplished nothing': "The leaker might have truncated, temporarily, the court's deliberative process, much as the Jan. 6 mob temporarily truncated a constitutional process in the Capitol," argues George F. Will at the Washington Post. But in the end, they "accomplished nothing but another addition to the nation's sense of fraying and another subtraction from the norms that preserve institutional functioning and dignity."

"The leaker might have truncated, temporarily, the court's deliberative process, much as the Jan. 6 mob temporarily truncated a constitutional process in the Capitol," argues George F. Will at the Washington Post. But in the end, they "accomplished nothing but another addition to the nation's sense of fraying and another subtraction from the norms that preserve institutional functioning and dignity." Court as partisan tool: "Diminished public trust in the Court is a good thing," according to Ian Millhiser at Vox, who argues the institution "does not deserve the reverence it still enjoys in much of American society," even after a "history of union-busting, of supporting racial segregation, and of upholding concentration camps." The opinion looks to be "the culmination of a decades-long effort by Republicans to capture the institution and use it ... to implement an unpopular agenda they cannot implement through the democratic process."

Now 'we can prepare': "Thank God" for the leak, "so we can prepare. So we can rage," writes Roxane Gay at the New York Times. After all, "we should not live in a country where bodily autonomy can be granted or taken away by nine political appointees, most of whom are men and cannot become pregnant. Any civil right contingent upon political whims is not actually a civil right." It could be rights to contraception and marriage equality that are rolled back nexta "terrifying" prospect. "How are we free, under these circumstances?"

(Read more US Supreme Court stories.)
(Newser)  Some 25% of all oil imports to the EU came from Russia last year. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is ready to take that figure down to zero. Von der Leyen on Wednesday proposed a total ban on Russian imports to the EU as part of a sixth package of sanctions, under which crude oil would be banned within six months and refined products by year's end. What you need to know:

Context: Most of the oil the EU gets from Russia is used for gasoline and diesel for vehicles (14% of the EU's diesel comes from Russia), reports the AP. That could make trucking even more expensive. This proposal doesn't touch natural gas, which is used to heat homes and generate electricity. The EU gets about 40% of its natural gas from Russia, and alternatives are tougher to find.

Most of the oil the EU gets from Russia is used for gasoline and diesel for vehicles (14% of the EU's diesel comes from Russia), reports the AP. That could make trucking even more expensive. This proposal doesn't touch natural gas, which is used to heat homes and generate electricity. The EU gets about 40% of its natural gas from Russia, and alternatives are tougher to find. Von der Leyen's standout lines: "Let us be clear: it will not be easy. Some member states are strongly dependent on Russian oil. But we simply have to work on it. We now propose a ban on Russian oil. This will be a complete import ban on all Russian oil, seaborne and pipeline, crude and refined," she said, per the Guardian.

Next steps: The Wall Street Journal reports all 27 member states will need to give the proposal the OK. A decision is being sought within the week.

The Wall Street Journal reports all 27 member states will need to give the proposal the OK. A decision is being sought within the week. The asterisk: Under the proposal, Slovakia and Hungary would get an extra year to wean themselves fully off of Russian oil due to their current dependence on it. But the BBC reports Slovakia's economy minister is seeking a three-year period to do so, and the New York Times quotes Hungarys foreign minister as saying, "It is physically impossible to operate Hungary and the Hungarian economy without crude oil from Russia."

Under the proposal, Slovakia and Hungary would get an extra year to wean themselves fully off of Russian oil due to their current dependence on it. But the BBC reports Slovakia's economy minister is seeking a three-year period to do so, and the New York Times quotes Hungarys foreign minister as saying, "It is physically impossible to operate Hungary and the Hungarian economy without crude oil from Russia." Oil prices: Predictably, they jumped. Prices were up more than 3% on the news. The Journal notes it's unlikely that every barrel the EU were to refuse would find a home elsewhere, meaning the global supply could shrink.

Predictably, they jumped. Prices were up more than 3% on the news. The Journal notes it's unlikely that every barrel the EU were to refuse would find a home elsewhere, meaning the global supply could shrink. Yellen's concern: The Journal points out that US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in early April pointed out the likelihood that a full ban could cause prices to soar; that could soften the blow of the lost EU revenue and lessen the impact of the sanctions on Russia.

The Journal points out that US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in early April pointed out the likelihood that a full ban could cause prices to soar; that could soften the blow of the lost EU revenue and lessen the impact of the sanctions on Russia. That EU revenue. The Guardian cites calculations by NGO Europe Beyond Coal, which estimates the EU has paid roughly $22 billion to Russia for oil since the start of the invasion.

(Read more Russia stories.)
(Newser)  A German prosecutor was unequivocal in a TV interview Wednesday: "We are sure that he is the murderer of Madeleine McCann." Hans Christian Wolters was speaking of Christian Brueckner, the German national who was declared a formal suspect in the case less than two weeks ago. Wolters has been investigating Brueckner, a child sex offender and convicted rapist, since 2020 in connection with this and other cases of rape and molestation. The Guardian reports that in the Portuguese TV interview, the interviewer brought up the subject of an item of Madeleine's allegedly being found in Brueckner's camper van. "You can't deny it, can you?" he was asked.

"I don't want to deny it," was Wolters' reply, and he added this: "The investigation is still going on and I think we found some new facts, some new evidencenot forensic evidence, but evidence." Wolters was being interviewed by Sandra Felgueiras; the Times of London reports she claimed a police source told her something belonging to the British toddler had been found in the van.

Madeleine disappeared while on vacation in Portugal on May 3, 2007. On the 15th anniversary of that date, People reports her parents released a statement that read in part, "Regardless of outcome, Madeleine will always be our daughter and a truly horrific crime has been committed. It is true though that uncertainty creates weakness; knowledge and certainty give strength, and for this reason our need for answers, for the truth, is essential." (Read more Madeleine McCann stories.)
(Newser)  Update: The Scheherazade isn't going anywhere anytime soon. The 459-foot, $700 million superyacht that's believed to be tied to (and possibly owned by) Russian President Vladimir Putin was ordered by the Italian government to be seized on Friday, reports Reuters. Police impounded the six-deck vessel in the port of Marina di Carrara, where it's been getting some fixes done since September. Signs had recently emerged that the yacht was getting ready to leave port soon. A statement on the seizure from Italy's finance ministry didn't say who the yacht's owner is, but noted that person had "significant economic and business connections" with "prominent elements of the Russian government and with others subject to EU sanctions," per the Guardian. Our original story from Wednesday follows:

With repairs completed, a $700 million superyacht went back into Italian waters Tuesday and is nearly ready to sail out of Marina di Carrara. The Scheherazade has been tied to Vladimir Putin and may be owned by him, the New York Times reports. That could make the 459-foot ship, which has been in the Tuscan port since September, subject to sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine or even seizure. But if the yacht takes off, probably after a few spins to make sure it's seaworthy, efforts to sanction or seize the Scheherazade become complicated. And police say they wouldn't be able to stop it from leaving.

Authorities can't do anything until they determine who owns the yacht, and they're still investigating. The ship's captain won't say who it is but said in March that the owner isn't on anyone's sanctions list. News outlets in Italy have reported that the owner is Eduard Khudainatov, an oil tycoon who's an associate of Igor Sechin, chairman of the Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft. Khudainatov is not on any sanctions list, but Sechin, who is close to Putin, is thought to be the owner of another superyacht that was seized in March. It's possible that Khudainatov is the ship's owner on paper only.

A former crew member told the Times that he'd never heard of Khudainatov but that the talk on the Scheherazade is that Putin owns it. US officials have said it's connected to the Russian president, though they haven't said how. European Union, British, and US officials have seized some superyachts owned by oligarchs; others have evaded sanctions for months by staying in Turkish waters, the Maldives, or even heading to Russia. On Tuesday, Fiji gave the US the go-ahead to seize a $325 million yacht held there after agreeing the ship is owned by Suleiman Kerimov, who's been sanctioned by the US and others, per CBS News. The company the Amadea is registered to argued the real owner is Khudainatov. (Read more Russia sanctions stories.)
(Newser)  Future visitors to historic Jamestown might need to bring scuba gear. The Virginia site of the first successful English settlement in America is being threatened by climate change, and preservation groups warn that it could be doomed if action isn't taken soon, the BBC reports. The 400-year-old site on the James River is threatened by a rising water table, higher tides on the river, and flooding caused by frequent and intense storms. "There are multiple challenges and they're all related to climate change," says James Horn, president of the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation. "Essentially, we can't get rid of the water."

On Wednesday, the National Trust for Historic Preservation placed Jamestown on a list of America's 11 most endangered historical places, the Washington Post reports. "We have a five-year window to make an impact," says Katherine Malone-France, the trust's chief preservation officer. "This isnt something that can wait 10 or 15 years." Archaeologists say the site is still yielding finds, but they are being outpaced by rising waters and an encroaching swamp. The Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation has raised around $2 million to bolster a 100-year-old sea wall, but officials say much more needs to be done, including replacing the site's drainage system.

Horn describes Jamestown as a "world-class archaeological site and a place of national and international significance." The BBC notes that the site is considered the "birthplace of both democracy and slavery in America." Settlers arrived in 1607 and held the first General Assembly in 1619. Months later, a ship carrying enslaved Africans arrived. (In 2013, scientists said they had found evidence of cannibalism at Jamestown.)
(Newser)  Rome is being overrun not by Visigoths, but by wild boar. The animals have been considered a nuisance in the Italian capital for years, but unpleasant encounters between boar and Romans appear to be on the rise, the Guardian reports. After a spate of attacks, including one in which a woman was knocked to the ground, six neighborhoods in the north of the city have brought in a form of curfew, strongly advising residents not to venture outside after 8:30pm. Residents say there are few people on the streets after that hour, meaning anyone attacked by a boar at night might find that nobody is around to help.

Franco Quaranta, founder of a residents' activist group, tells La Repubblica citizens are organizing because the government isn't doing enough about the boars and it could be only a matter of time before a child is attacked. "With their teeth a bite on the leg is enough to endanger the life of a person," he says. There are believed to be around 6,000 wild boar in Rome and they are increasingly being seen in the daytime as well as at night. Wildlife groups say they only attack if they perceive a threat to their offspring or their food sourcebut that can include garbage cans.

Authorities say they are fencing off some public garbage cans and installing barriers to try to keep the boar inside parks. David Granieri, head of the agricultural association in the surrounding Lazio region, is pushing for hunters to be allowed to cull boar inside city limits, CBS reports. "The people of Rome are being held hostage by wild boar," he says. But not all residents support culls: In 2020, the New York Times reported that residents were outraged when authorities euthanized a mother boar and six piglets in a playground near the Vatican, where children had been feeding them. (Last year, Shakira said she was attacked by boar in Barcelona.)
(Newser)  The company behind the TurboTax tax-filing program will pay $141 million to customers across the United States who were deceived by misleading promises of free tax-filing services, New York's attorney general announced Wednesday. Under the terms of a settlement signed by the attorneys general of all 50 states, California-based Intuit Inc. will suspend TurboTaxs "free, free, free ad campaign and pay restitution to nearly 4.4 million taxpayers, New York Attorney General Letitia James said.

James said her investigation into Intuit was sparked by a 2019 ProPublica report that found the company was using deceptive tactics to steer low-income tax filers away from the federally supported free services for which they qualifiedand toward its own commercial products instead, the AP reports. "For years, Intuit misled the most vulnerable among us to make a profit. Today, every state in the nation is holding Intuit accountable for scamming millions of taxpayers, and were putting millions of dollars back into the pockets of impacted Americans," James said in a statement.

Under the agreement, Intuit will provide restitution to consumers who started using the commercial TurboTax Free Edition for tax years 2016 through 2018 and were told that they had to pay to file even though they were eligible for the version of TurboTax offered as part of the IRS Free File program. Consumers are expected to receive a direct payment of approximately $30 for each year that they were deceived into paying for filing services, James said. They will automatically receive notices and checks by mail. (In March, the FTC sued Intuit over its ads for "free" TurboTax services.)
Sources:

 Architectural drawings for First Presbyterian Church, Skagway, Alaska. American Historic Building Survey. No date

 Buildings of Alaska. Alison K. Hoagland. Oxford University Press. 1993

 Skagway and White Pass District, National Historic Landmark Nomination. National Park Service, 1999

 Skagway, District of Alska  1884-1912: Building the Gateway to the Klondike. Robert Spude. University of Alaska. 1983

 Skagway: Gateway to the Klondike (Teaching with Historic Places). National Park Service. 2021

Ray Bonnell is a freelance artist, writer and longtime Fairbanks resident. See more of his artwork at www.pingostudio.us.
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Snow this morning will taper off and give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High near 45F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 80%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Low 28F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

National Communication Centre (NCC) Chief Executive Officer Yousif Mohammed Al Binkhalil has affirmed the professional role played by Bahrains media institutions through undertaking their national tasks with responsibility to contribute to Bahrains progress march.

He thanked the unlimited support of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and interest of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Al Binkhalil expressed pride in HM King Hamads message marking the World Press Freedom Day, observed worldwide every May 3.

The NCC chief asserted that Bahraini press institutions have succeeded in launching initiatives that keep pace with digital transformation. He noted that what distinguishes the Bahraini press experience is the spirit of ethical responsibility in practising the profession, which motivates national press and media personnel to continue undertaking their role in the national action march as effective partners in advancing the kingdoms development process.

Al Binkhalil said that the growing involvement of the press and media institutions in the digital field has provided them with promising opportunities to expand their audience base, and thus increase the volume of media influence, which is the role envisaged by the media to be interactive with the digital technology requirements of measures to preserve the flow of information and privacy.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Municipal Councils and Capital Municipality members have hailed the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Plannings efforts in sustaining the rapid urban development progress in Bahrain.

They noted the major projects that prove effective in coping with the increasing number of vehicles to achieve smooth traffic and facilitate the movement of citizens, residents and visitors.

These initiatives come in line with Bahrains Vision 2030 to keep pace with the economic recovery plan and pursue the goals of sustainable development. They pointed out that the ministry is implementing many initiatives that contribute to the development of the road network and the distribution of traffic through the expansion and development of existing streets as well as the establishment of alternative and new streets.
Nikkei - May 05

Russia said Wednesday it will ban the entry of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and many high-ranking officials for an indefinite period in a fresh round of sanctions against Japan, amid rising tensions between the two countries over the crisis in Ukraine.
Starbucks sales climbed to record levels in its fiscal second quarter, but its profits took a hit from climbing labor costs.

And those costs are set to grow even higher in the coming months as Starbucks introduces new pay raises and other benefits to improve its employee experience __ and head off a growing unionization movement.

The Seattle coffee company __ which welcomed back former CEO Howard Schultz last month as its interim leader __ said revenue rose 15% to a record $7.6 billion in its 13-week quarter, which ended April 3. That was in line with Wall Streets estimates, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

But net earnings rose just 2% to $674 million. Starbucks adjusted earnings of 59 cents per share fell short of analysts forecast of 60 cents.

Starbucks noted that it faced higher employment costs during the quarter. Last fall, the company announced a $1 billion investment in employee wages and benefits in an effort to lift U.S. workers pay to at least $15 per hour by this summer.

On Tuesday, after a series of meetings with workers around the country, Schultz unveiled $200 million in additional investments in worker pay and training. That includes raises for employees who have been at the company for at least two years as well as a near doubling in training time __ from 23 hours to 40 hours __ for new baristas and shift supervisors. Starbucks is also reintroducing a coffee mastery program for employees and considering other benefits like increased sick time.

But theres a catch: Workers who have voted to unionize or stores that have petitioned to hold a union election wont be eligible for the enhanced benefits announced Tuesday. Instead, Schultz said U.S. labor law requires stores to negotiate their own contracts with Starbucks.

We do not have the same freedom to make these improvements at locations that have a union," Schultz said.

Starbucks Workers United, the group behind the unionization effort, disagrees, and said it filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board against Starbucks on Tuesday. The group said the company is violating labor law for threatening to exclude unionized stores from receiving the new benefits.

These benefits, including ones weve demanded since the beginning of our campaign, are a response to our organizing efforts and we should celebrate the hard work that partners who stood up to Howard Schultzs bullying put in to make this happen, the group said Tuesday in a statement.

As of Tuesday, workers at more than 250 U.S. stores have filed petitions with the labor board to hold union elections, labor organizers said. At least 50 of those stores have voted to unionize with Workers United, a branch of the Service Employees International Union.

Schultz opposes unionization. But he noted that employees are under tremendous strain due to strong customer demand and pandemic-related changes in the business, including a surge in mobile and drive-thru orders. Stores are built to serve hot drinks, for example, but 80% of U.S. orders are now cold drinks.

These young people have completely valid concerns given todays uncertainty and economic instability. They look around and they see the burgeoning labor movement as a possible remedy to what they are feeling, Schultz said. But compare any union contract in our sector to the constantly expanding list of wages and benefits we have provided our people for decades, and the union contract will not even come close to what Starbucks offers.

Schultz said the new investments will improve employee recruiting and retention. Starbucks also plans additional changes it will outline at an investor meeting in September, including adding credit and debit card tipping in its stores and accelerating the rollout of new ovens and espresso machines.

If we want to exceed the expectations of our customers, we have to exceed the expectations of our people," Schultz said.

Schultz bought the Starbucks chain in 1987, led it until 2000 and then led it again between 2008 and 2017. He returned as interim CEO and rejoined Starbucks' board in April after former CEO Kevin Johnson announced his retirement.

Schultz said the board is interviewing candidates and expects to name its new CEO in the fall. After training that person, Schultz said he plans to leave the company __ but not the board __ in early 2023.

Investors seemed glad to have him back. Starbucks shares were up 5% in after-hours trading Tuesday.

Schultz said customer demand for Starbucks remains strong despite several price increases over the last year.

Starbucks' same-store sales __ or sales at stores open at least a year __ rose 7% globally in the second quarter, surpassing Wall Streets estimate of 6.5%. That was largely on the strength of the business in North America, where same-store sales rose 12%.

International same-store sales fell 8%, largely due to coronavirus restrictions in China. China, which is Starbucks' largest market outside the U.S., saw same-store sales plummet 23% in the quarter, the company said. Roughly one-third of stores in China were closed or offering mobile ordering only at the end of the second quarter.
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FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP)  Actor Amber Heard suffered post-traumatic stress disorder from violence she suffered at the hands of her ex-husband Johnny Depp, including multiple acts of sexual assault, a psychologist testified Tuesday.

The sexual assaults included being forced to perform oral sex and having Depp penetrate her with a liquor bottle, the psychologist, Dawn Hughes, told jurors at Depp's libel trial against Heard. He accuses her of falsely claiming in a newspaper op-ed piece that she was a victim of domestic violence.

Hughes' testimony contradicts that of a psychologist hired by Depp's lawyers, who said Heard was faking her symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and suffered from borderline and histrionic personality disorders. Hughes disputed that Heard suffers from any personality disorder.

Hughes was the first witness to take the stand on Heard's behalf after Depp's lawyers rested their case Tuesday morning.

Hughes said there is corroboration of many of the instances of abuse, including apologies and admissions made by Depp to Heard and admissions he made to friends in text messages about his bad behavior when he drinks. In some cases, Heard told her therapists about the abuse contemporaneously, Hughes said.

Depp has said he never physically attacked Heard, and that she was the aggressor who routinely hit him and threw things at him through the course of their relationship.

Hughes, in her testimony, said Heard acknowledged that she did at times push and shove Depp, call him names and insult his parenting.

But Hughes said there's a difference in the violence when a smaller person strikes at a larger person, and that Depp's violence was intimidating and threatened her safety, but Heard's violence did not have the same effect on Depp.

That's just physics; that's just proportional force, she said.

Much of the violence, Hughes said, stemmed from Depp's obsessive jealousy. He insisted she avoid nude scenes, if she worked at all, and accused her of affairs with actors Billy Bob Thornton and James Franco. If she did work on a film, Depp would call the director and others on set and say he had eyes there who would report to him if she fraternized improperly, Hughes said.

And Heard, who identifies as bisexual according to treatment notes introduced at trial, also faced scrutiny in her interactions with women. Hughes said Depp on one occasion manually penetrated Heard in anger after witnessing Heard's interactions with a woman.

Amber got accused of women hitting her, and she got accused of men hitting on her, Hughes said.

Heard blinked back tears, and her lips and chin quivered at times as Hughes described the abuse.

Hughes said she based her testimony on 29 hours of interviews with Heard, as well as interviews with her therapists and a review of court documents.

Earlier Tuesday, Depp's lawyers rested their case, and a judge rejected a motion from Heard's lawyers to dismiss the case. Heard's lawyers argued that Depp had failed to make his case as a matter of law and that no reasonable jury could find in his favor.

But the judge, Penney Azcarate, said the standard for dismissing a case at this point in the trial is exceedingly high, and that the case should be allowed to move forward if Depp has provided even a scintilla of evidence backing up his claims.

Depp and his lead lawyer, Benjamin Chew, patted each other on the back after the judge ruled the case can proceed.

Chew argued that the jury has a wealth of evidence to conclude that Heard falsely accused Depp of abuse. In fact, he said, the evidence shows that Ms. Heard physically abused him. She's the abuser.

Heard's lawyer, J. Benjamin Rottenborn, said the evidence is clear over the last three weeks of testimony that Heard's allegations of abuse are truthful.

We havent gotten to put on our case yet, he said. This is all evidence that has come in while plaintiff controls the playing field.

Depp is suing Heard for $50 million in Fairfax County Circuit Court after Heard wrote a December 2018 op-ed piece in The Washington Post describing herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse. The article never mentions Depp by name, but Depps lawyers say he was defamed nevertheless because its a clear reference to abuse allegations Heard levied in 2016, in the midst of the couples divorce proceedings.

The judge on Tuesday did say she's reserving judgment on whether the article's headline in online editions should be part of the libel lawsuit because she said the evidence is unclear at this point whether Heard wrote the headline or is responsible for it. The online headline reads, "I spoke up against sexual violence  and faced our cultures wrath. That has to change."

Hughes will be cross-examined Wednesday, and Heard is expected to take the stand Wednesday as well.
The legislature gave final passage Tuesday to three wide ranging measures that would expand access to and boost resources for childrens mental health, with some lawmakers calling it the defining issue of Connecticuts 2022 legislative session.

The Senate approved House Bill 5001, a proposal that focuses on services in the medical sector and in the community. The House passed Senate Bill 1, which features resources for schools, and Senate Bill 2, which concentrates on early childhood interventions. All three now head to the governors desk for his signature.

Passage of the bills was a first step toward confronting what lawmakers and health providers have called an escalating crisis in Connecticut and elsewhere.

Theres a saying: Dont waste a crisis. Connecticuts been wasting one crisis after another when it comes to mental health, said Sen. Derek Slap, a West Hartford Democrat. Every time a child falls asleep in the emergency department in the hallway because there are no beds, thats a crisis. Every time a child dies by suicide because they didnt get the support and help they needed, thats a crisis. Every time children suffer in their rooms, dont go to school and dont function, thats a crisis. And its gotten worse.

Our children have been suffering for a long, long time, and weve been failing.  I think [these bills are] going to shine some light on our children  give them some hope. Its the most important thing were going to do this legislative session.

During the pandemic, the number of children and teens waiting in emergency departments for inpatient psychiatric beds increased. In February, for example, that number more than doubled in Connecticut  to 56, up from 26, according to the Connecticut Hospital Association. An average of 38 children waited for care on any given day during that time. Of those 38, an average of 31 were between 13 and 17 years old, and seven were 12 or younger.

Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney, D-New Haven, called the bills major signature achievements of this General Assembly session.

This is a mobilization and a recognition that this is an area that has been a crisis in our state for some time, he said. It is now, finally I think, reaching the level of urgency, the public spotlight, and the mobilization of this General Assembly to deal with it as we should.

Each piece of legislation tackles different aspects of a sweeping problem.

House Bill 5001 includes 73 different sections with a slew of programs and funding. It would make license reciprocity possible for out of state providers, especially those who treat children. It also would set up a grant program for local and regional boards of education to hire additional school mental health specialists, and create a second grant program for school boards and operators of youth camps to help cover mental health services for students.

Under the bill, certain health plans would have to offer coverage for two mental health wellness examinations per year performed by a licensed mental health provider and waive the requirement for prior authorization. The measure also mandates that the state health care advocate designate an employee to handle services specific to minors, and launches a peer-to-peer mental health support program.

The proposal won unanimous final passage in the Senate with a vote of 36-0.

Senate Bill 1, which would bolster mental health programs in schools, increase wages for child care workers and create a minority teacher scholarship fund, among other priorities, passed the House Tuesday by a vote of 138-10.

The measure would set aside $10 million for grants to expand services at school-based health centers. It also would create a grant program to help boards of education hire and retain social workers, nurses, psychologists and counselors in schools.

The bill would devote $70 million to salary enhancement grants for child care and early childhood education workers, and increase the number of infant and toddler slots in child development centers across the state to 2,800 spaces, up from 1,500.

Under the proposal, school boards would be provided with information about how to acquire no-cost opioid antagonists like Narcan, and school employees would be trained on its proper usage and handling. The measure would allow pharmacists and prescribing providers to dispense Narcan to school boards, and require schools to designate one employee to administer the medication in the event that a school nurse is unavailable.

The bill also directs the state Department of Education to devise strategies for streamlining and improving pathways to teacher certification, and it would create a task force to address teacher shortage and retention. One million dollars would be set aside for a new minority teacher candidate scholarship program.

The proposal also would launch a task force to help combat ableism, the discrimination or social prejudice against people with disabilities, in school settings.

Senate Bill 2, which includes 46 sections targeting a range of initiatives, cleared the House with a vote of 129-17. Sixteen Republicans and one Democrat opposed the measure. Rep. Catherine Abercrombie, D-Meriden, was the lone Democrat voting against it.

The bill would expand access to mobile crisis centers throughout the state, making them available seven days a week, 24 hours a day. It also would set up a fund to address social determinants of mental health, the factors  such as housing instability, a lack of access to healthy food, poverty, racial discrimination, unemployment and adverse early life experiences  that influence a persons mental health. Families dealing with these problems could apply for financial support.

The proposal would also require Connecticuts commissioner of public health to convene a working group to study methods of recruiting and retaining psychiatric and behavioral health providers, the prospect of a loan forgiveness program for people who go into the field, and the effect of the health insurance landscape on limiting access to care, among other issues. The group must report its findings to the state no later than Jan. 1, 2024.

Under the bill, the state would partner with the University of Connecticuts Neag School of Education to conduct a study of the impact of social media and mobile phone usage on the mental health of K-12 students. The study will examine children in elementary school, middle school and high school. The authors will submit their report to the state by Jan. 1, 2024.

During the House debate of Senate Bill 2, some Republicans took issue with different sections of the proposal. Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco, R-Wolcott, questioned the value of using money from the American Rescue Plan Act to fund certain initiatives. The bills include financial backing from the states general fund and from ARPA money.

I think things are a little - Im going to be blunt, if I may - messed up, she said. We put a plan together  and were utilizing ARPA money. Are we not thinking of what the consequences are going to be when that money runs out? Are we not sitting here thinking that, you know what, two years from now or a year from now, we dont have that funding anymore? We are going to have to figure it out.

Proponents of the bills have said that the ARPA money would be used to support short-term initiatives, while the general fund money would cover longer term programs. For example, ARPA funds could be used to purchase a mobile unit - a one-time cost - while the staff running that unit would be paid from the general fund.

Others voiced support for the measure, calling it one of the major mental health bills of the session.

Its so critical that we keep reminding that we have so many mental health needs with our students, said Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey, D-Fairfield. And this is a bill that attempts to look at those and help in the best way we can.  I think its going to be doing some really good work.
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DANBURY  A leaked U.S. Supreme Court opinion suggesting the court could overturn Roe v. Wade has shocked local activists and ignited fear and hope on both sides of the abortion debate.

The draft opinion, which the chief justice has said doesnt represent the courts final opinion on the issue, has stirred up emotions in the Danbury area from those who oppose and support the 1973 decision that legalized abortion in the United States.

I am not surprised by the decision that is pending, but I am so very angry, said state Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, during a news conference at the state capitol on Tuesday, days after she had shared her story of receiving an abortion at 25 due to medical reasons.

In Connecticut, where state laws protect womens right to an abortion, Danbury-area abortion rights activists say theyll continue to fight for people in other states and vulnerable people who do not have access to this care.

Those who are against abortion hope the draft opinion reflects the courts ruling and that access to abortion services are determined on the state level. The court is expected to release its decision before its term ends in late June or early July.

I just hope it holds, said Kristin Gawley, a Danbury resident and mother of seven children. I hope they stick with what their opinions are and it is overturned.

The Danbury Area Justice Network, meanwhile, aims to hold a rally in the coming days to advocate for reproductive rights. Activists are concerned about women in other states who would be unable to access abortions and did not have the resources to travel to a state like Connecticut.

The next step is to make sure that abortion and reproductive rights are codified in each state, founder Will Love said.

We cannot go back

Love said they were dismayed when they saw the leaked opinion on Monday night.

The best way to describe it is the light inside me dimmed a little bit, they said. I saw the headline come across my phone. I had to pause my TV and stop what I was doing and just breathe for a second and then read the article.

State Rep. Aimee Berger-Girvalo, D-Ridgefield, heard about the draft opinion from a colleague while at the state Capitol on Monday evening.

When he showed me the article, even though we all know this was coming, I felt as though the wind had been knocked out of me, she said. Many of my fellow reps in the Reproductive Rights Caucus and I just seemed to find one another, and together we read the language in the opinion. Much to our collective horror, we found language that was not only dripping in misogyny, but also that appeared to lay a clear path to reversing gay marriage, restricting access to contraception, and to the calculated stripping of numerous other rights.

Making abortion illegal wouldnt stop abortions, she said. They become dangerous and deadly.

She has shared her story on the floor of the House chamber of getting an abortion at 18. Since then, women have opened up to her about their own experiences, she said.

And I have listened to every one of them, Berger-Girvalo said. And I suspect this SCOTUS opinion will prompt more people to tell their stories. Listen to them, please. Make space for them. Everyone loves someone who has had an abortion. Lets destigmatize abortion through our collective stories  and lets fight this like hell.

For Kushner, the draft opinion was a reminder of what it was like to grow up in a time when abortion was legal only in certain states. During Tuesdays news conference, she told the story of her friend who was forced to fly to Washington, D.C. in order to get access to one.

She should not have had to get on that plane by herself and fly to Washington, D.C. and experience a miscarriage by herself, Kushner said. But what about the woman who didnt have the resources to fly to D.C.? What about those women? And thats exactly what weve returned to, a time where if you have the resources, you will still have access to free and legal abortion, but if you dont you wont have any options.

Days before, while advocating for a bill that would make Connecticut a safe harbor for those seeking abortion care, Kushner told her story on the state Senate floor of receiving an abortion at 25. She was married at the time and thrilled to be pregnant, but learned a medication she took had a high risk of causing birth defects, she said.

She recalled getting the abortion at a clinic where she didnt know any of the doctors.

It was unnerving to be in this place that felt like a very secretive kind of place, said Kushner, who now has three children and four grandchildren. Prior to Roe v. Wade, her aunts traveled to Iowa to receive an illegal abortion, she added.

We cannot go back, Kushner said Tuesday. We must resist.

Indefensible

The Gawley family has traveled to Washington D.C. for the March for Life, an annual anti-abortion rally, about five times, including this past January, where Kristin Gawley said many had hope that Roe would be overturned.

It was great, she said. Its always a really positive vibe down there.

Christopher Gawley, her husband, said he became passionate about this issue in high school.

It wasnt a religious issue for me, he said. It was just something even at a very young age I could never understand, so its been something for the entirety of my adult or semi adult life I have thought was abhorrent, terrible that it happened, that it existed.

Kristin Gawley said she sympathizes with women who have considered getting abortions, adding its important to have compassion and understanding of both sides.

Im not against women, she said. Im a woman. I have five daughters. Obviously, Im pro-woman. I dont think its (abortion) good for women at all. I think its a myth. I think women have been lied to about all of it.

In fact, she used to support abortion rights until she had to argue the anti-abortion side in a class debate in college.

I started researching it and I found it to be indefensible, she said of abortion.

Legal concerns

Christopher Gawley, an attorney, has moral and legal concerns about Roe v. Wade.

The problem with Roe at a meta level is Roe is a political decision masquerading as a judicial one, he said. Its the kind of thing that the legislature, decided by the president, should do, not the court. It failed to create consensus.

However, he described the draft opinion from Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. as a powerful statement of reality because it acknowledges that the right to an abortion is not based in the text of the Constitution.

But Gawley, who once worked as a clerk for a federal trial court, said he was shocked the opinion leaked and was concerned about the politicization of the court.

Judith Griesmann, head of the League of Women Voters for Northern Fairfield County, agreed. The retired history and government teacher at Joel Barlow High School in Redding recalled how she used to teach her students about how the rule of law was so critical to democracy.

I was horrified because of the damage this does to the institution of the court and its reputation, she said.

She said she worried the Supreme Courts ultimate decision could further divide the country, noting the 1857 Dred Scott case related to slavery led up to the Civil War.

State Rep. Steve Harding, R-Brookfield, also an attorney, emphasized that this draft opinion is not final.

My understanding is that folks do change opinionspluralities change, and so it is uncertain what their final outcome is going to be  we have to see what the court is ultimately going to decide and my understanding is that is going to be sometime in June, likely.

Love is trying to find hope in this uncertainty.

Im trying to convince myself that its a possibility that this decision might change, they said.

Trevor Ballanytne contributed to this report.

CORRECTION: A photo posted with this article incorrectly identified a building as the Planned Parenthood building in Danbury. The photo has been removed.
COVID cases and hospitalizations are rising in Connecticut, according to state data, but health experts say the infections are not as severe as they were earlier in the pandemic.

On Tuesday, the state reported the seven-day positivity rate was just shy of 10 percent, as high as its been since the omicron wave over the winter. COVID hospitalizations have now surpassed 200  nearly tripling over the past month.

Speaking at a Tuesday news conference, Yale New Haven Health Medical Director Tom Balcezak said COVID hospitalizations at his health system have more than doubled in the last month.

The number of cases we are seeing in our hospitals is just not translating into the number of ICU patients or ventilated patients that happened during the first one or two waves of COVID, he said.

The state reported Tuesday that 6,310 new COVID cases had been identified over the last seven days, out of 63,159 reported tests, a positivity rate of 9.99 percent.

We've seen an uptick in cases over the last couple of weeks, Balcezak said. You've seen the positivity rate across the state of Connecticut continue to increase as well.

Connecticut had a net increase of 45 COVID hospitalizations over the past seven days, increasing the statewide total to 236 patients  nearly triple the number of hospitalizations over the past month: On March 31, 88 patients were in Connecticut hospitals, according to state data.

Though the positivity rate and hospitalizations have increased, Balcezak said it is not translating into the number of hospitalizations that we've seen in the past.

I think that's great empiric evidence that the vaccinations and the boosters work, Balcezak said.

Though a federal court case ended a nationwide mask mandate on public transit, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a statement Tuesday, encouraging the use of masks on airplanes, buses and trains, and in transportation hubs.

At this time, CDC recommends that everyone aged 2 and older  including passengers and workers  properly wear a well-fitting mask or respirator over the nose and mouth in indoor areas of public transportation, the CDC wrote in its guidance.

Balcezak said some businesses, including all hospitals in Connecticut, have continued to require the use of masks.

That's really for the protection of our most vulnerable patients, he said. We have many patients that have immune systems that are not quite up to par, even if they've been vaccinated. They still may not be protected and we want to make sure that as always, safety is our primary concern for our patients in their families.
State lawmakers are poised to enact a number of reforms to Connecticuts school construction office as a federal investigation continues into the multibillion-dollar grant program.

Legislators in the House folded several changes to the program into the states annual budget bill, which they passed early Tuesday morning. The Senate is expected to take up the legislation Tuesday night.

The reforms tighten the bidding procedures for school construction contracts and set stricter deadlines for completing audits of school building projects.

The state Office of School Construction Grants and Review has been in the spotlight since February, when state officials revealed that a federal grand jury subpoenaed records related to the school grant program.

That subpoena  and similar summons that were sent to at least five municipalities  suggest that federal prosecutors are focused on investigating the work of former Office of Policy and Management deputy secretary Konstantinos Diamantis, who ran the school construction office for more than six years.

Diamantis, who previously served as a state Democratic lawmaker, was removed from both his state jobs last October.

Since then, Gov. Ned Lamonts administration has been reviewing the school construction office in an attempt to foster confidence in the grant program and the financial assistance it provides to municipalities.

The legislation that lawmakers are poised to pass this week came out of that review. Leadership at the state Department of Administrative Services, where the school construction office is housed, asked lawmakers to take up several reform measures at the beginning of this years legislative session.

One of the biggest changes requested by the state agency involves so-called construction management companies, which often oversee the budgets, schedules and bidding processes for school construction projects in the state.

In 2019, Diamantis convinced state lawmakers to pass a bill that would enable those construction firms to manage a construction project and simultaneously build part of the schools they were overseeing. The bill referred to that as self performance.

That law has remained on the books despite several industry groups complaining that the setup threatened to upend the normal bidding procedures for school construction projects by giving construction management firms an unfair advantage.

Noel Petra, the interim director for the school construction office, told lawmakers earlier this year that the language that was introduced in 2019 could allow a construction manager to perform work on a project without seeking bids from other companies.

They actually wouldnt be required to bid it, Petra said.

Those concerns should be alleviated by the legislation currently wending its way through the General Assembly.

The bill bans construction management firms from performing any of the physical construction work on future school projects. Instead, all of that work will need to be put out to bid to subcontractors.

Prohibiting self-performance helps ensure consistency between state and municipal projects, promotes competitive bidding along with opportunity and competition in the trades industry and creates a more level playing field between construction managers and subcontractors, said Lora Rae Anderson, a spokeswoman for DAS.

We are grateful for the collaboration of our legislators, municipalities, and industry leaders in this process and are hopeful this provision, along with others will help further strengthen the integrity of the school construction grants program, she added.

The other legislative fix that lawmakers are pursuing involves the financial audits that are performed once a school construction project is complete.

Recent reports have shown that the state is extremely slow in completing those audits, which determine whether municipalities properly used the grant funding they received.

The Connecticut Mirror obtained several recent audits showing the school construction office reviewed projects that were completed more than a decade ago.

To fix that problem, lawmakers plan to implement new deadlines for each construction project. Under the new rules, the state will have five years to complete the audit once students are in the building.
;ll IA leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion, which would overturn Roe v. Wade, has set off a flurry of speculation about a post-Roe America including warnings that other major rulings on same sex marriage and the right to contraception could be at risk.

Critics of the majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito, which is not final and could change, said it cast doubt on other civil rights that Americans have come to expect, in some cases, for decades.

The theoretical basis that they seem to be taking in this opinion would be equally applicable to LGBTQ rights, interracial marriage, contraception, a whole host of other rights that have been established over the past 70 or so years, said state Rep. Matt Blumenthal, D-Stamford, co-chair of the legislative Reproductive Rights Caucus.

In the 98-page opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization , which challenges the constitutionality of a Mississippi law banning abortion after the first 15 weeks of pregnancy, Alito wrote that Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. But he also asserted that overturning the 1973 decision would not jeopardize other decisions by the courts based on the right to privacy.

Its impossible to see how those rights could be upheld consistently with his decision here, said Anne Dailey, a professor of law at the University of Connecticut.

Dailey compared the decision Roe to the Supreme Courts 2003 ruling in the case of Lawrence v. Texas, which established that criminalizing gay sex was unconstitutional.

They both draw on notions of individual liberty, and in some sense, privacy, and the ability of a person to choose how to lead their life, she said.

Those cases drew on a precedent established in Griswold v. Connecticut, in which the Supreme Court in 1965 struck down a state ban on contraceptives.

In the wake of the leaked opinion, many in the LGBTQ community expressed fear that their rights would soon be eroded. On social media, some same-sex couples said they were considering drafting a power of attorney and other documents to provide added protection against any potential future challenges.

We are afraid that things like marriage equality would be next on the target list, said Juancarlos Soto, deputy director of the New Haven Pride Center. Soto said he read the entirety of Alitos opinion, which he called a blatant attack on civil rights.

Dailey said conservative states would likely start challenging same-sex marriage and other major rulings, setting up test cases, similar to whats happened in the lead up to the Supreme Court decision with anti-abortion states moving to pass laws seeking to criminalize the procedure beyond their borders. Legal scholars expect inter-state conflicts to erupt if the federal right to abortion goes away.

A bill approved by the Connecticut General Assembly, which Gov. Ned Lamont has vowed to sign, seeks to combat actions by anti-abortion states by creating a legal safe harbor for abortion providers and patients. The measure also protects access to birth control and expands who can provide aspiration abortions in Connecticut.

julia.bergman@hearstmediact.com
NEW FAIRFIELD  One of the Board of Finances newest members is facing backlash for remarks about special education that some found insensitive and demeaning.

Residents are demanding a public apology from David Coleman, an alternate on the finance board. Residents are calling for his censure or resignation after comments he made about the special needs community left a number of residents feeling upset and disrespected.

The remarks were made during the Board of Finances April 20 meeting.

While talking about rising special education costs, Coleman said he feels sorry for any family who winds up in a situation with a child like that  referring to families of special education students who go to residential facilities. He also made a remark that suggested special education students arent likely to graduate.

Coleman could not be reached for comment.

In two sentences, (he) managed to demean and diminish an entire segment of our population in this town, parent and school board member Samantha Mannion said in a Facebook post April 21.

Mannion, who has an autistic son, was not only shocked by Colemans comments  which she said seem to suggest that he views children with special needs as less than  but that they came from an elected town official.

When you took your oath of office, you swore to uphold the public trust, and to represent ALL members of your community, she said. Your community, and your oath, includes special needs children, which is what makes your comments so much more appalling and deeply concerning on so many levels.

Several residents spoke out against Colemans comments during Board of Finances April 20 meeting.

One parent whose child received extra services this school year said she was really offended by Colemans comments, and suggested he consider practicing something New Fairfield children are taught in schools: kindness.

Another resident suggested sensitivity training, saying its clearly needed.

Dominic Cipollone, who chairs the Board of Education and has a son with a disability, called Colemans comments abhorrent.

You insulted me and every family like mine  with your comments, he said. Children with special needs or other challenges are part of this community and they are to be treated as part of this community  not as a burden.

Cipollone said he repudiates Colemans comments and finds them troubling.

Theres no place for that type of prejudice against a unique segment of our population who oftentimes do not have a voice, he said. Theres no place for it in this community.

Mannion and other residents say they believe Coleman owes the New Fairfield community a public apology.

I sincerely hope that he is big enough to own his mistakes so that we can restore decency and move forward, Mannion said.

At least one resident, Olivia Micca, has reached out to the Board of Finance, requesting that the board not only require Coleman to issue a public apology, but either be censured by the board or resign.

In her email to the board, Micca called Colemans remarks about special education students disgusting, offensive and demeaning, and said someone who makes such comments should not hold public office.

The comments insinuated that a child like that is a burden to their families, along with the comment if they even graduate, she wrote. Mr. Coleman has made disgusting comments in the past and last night was the last straw for a lot of the public.

While discussing special education cost increases during the finance boards April 20 meeting, Coleman said, It sort of implies to me, from the way the costs move, that  part of why the price went up is that some number of students are probably going to residential facilities instead of being transported on a daily basis  I certainly feel for any family who winds up in a situation with a child like that, but Im just trying to get a better feel for whats going on.

Later  in response to finance board member Cheryl Reedys comments about special education funding over the years and the possibility of such spending decreasing next year if fewer students need services  Coleman said, It depends how many are going to graduate out of special education, but I dont think its going to go down much.

Since the meeting, Board of Finance Chair Wes Marsh said the finance board has received at least one or two requests from residents asking for Coleman to make a public apology, and that he either be censured or resign.

Marsh said the requests will be discussed at the finance boards next regular meeting on May 18.

Coleman, a Republican, was elected to the finance board as an alternate in November.

Over the last several weeks, residents have called him out for what they consider disruptive behavior and offensive remarks.

Earlier in April, Coleman faced backlash after insinuating that overwhelming resident feedback in support of the 2022-23 budgets may be the result of pressure groups.

I dont know for sure whether thats happening here  but be aware that when you get a small, very vocal group, that may be whats happening, he said during the boards April 6 meeting.

Several residents said Colemans remarks were insulting, belittling and disrespectful.

One resident also called him out, though not by name, for interrupting board members.

One member has consistently  interrupted other members of the board, especially women. Its disgusting. Tonight, he interrupted the chairman (and) hes done it before, the resident said during the finance board's April 6 meeting. This is unacceptable behavior ... That member consistently feels like maybe hes running the meeting. Hes an alternate.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  Oklahomas Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a Texas-style abortion ban on Tuesday that prohibits abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, part of a nationwide push in GOP-led states hopeful that the conservative U.S. Supreme Court will uphold new restrictions.

I want Oklahoma to be the most pro-life state in the country," Stitt tweeted after signing the bill.

Stitt's signing of the bill comes on the heels of a leaked draft opinion from the nation's high court that it is considering weakening or overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nearly 50 years ago.

The bill Stitt signed takes effect immediately with his signature, and the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday denied an emergency request to temporarily halt the bill. Abortion providers say now that the new law is in effect, they will immediately stop providing services for women after six weeks of pregnancy.

While the law is in effect, which it now is because the governor signed it, abortion services after six weeks will be largely unavailable," said Rabia Muqaddam, a staff attorney for the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing Oklahoma abortion providers in the case. Its a short-term loss, but were hopeful that the Oklahoma Supreme Court will still grant us relief."

The new law prohibits abortions once cardiac activity can be detected in an embryo, which experts say is roughly six weeks into a pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. 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.

Dr. Iman Alsaden, the medical director of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said Texas' law that took effect in September has given their employees an idea of what a post-Roe country might look like.

Since that day, my colleagues and I have regularly treated patients who are fleeing their communities to seek care," Alsaden said. Theyre taking time off of work, taking time out of school and taking time away from their family responsibilities to get the care that until September 2021 they were able to get safely and readily in their communities."

The bill authorizes abortions if performed as the result of a medical emergency, but there are no exceptions if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

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.

Stitt earlier this year signed a bill to make performing an abortion a felony crime in Oklahoma, but that measure is not set to take effect until this summer, and legal experts say it's likely to be blocked because the Roe v. Wade decision still remains the law of the land.

The number of abortions performed each year in Oklahoma, which has four abortion clinics, has declined steadily over the last two decades, from more than 6,200 in 2002 to 3,737 in 2020, the fewest in more than 20 years, according to data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health. In 2020, before the Texas law was passed, about 9% of the abortions performed in Oklahoma were women from Texas.

Before the Texas ban took effect on Sept. 1, about 40 women from Texas had abortions performed in Oklahoma each month, the data shows. That number jumped to 222 Texas women in September and 243 in October.
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LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP)  Firefighters slowed the advance of the largest wildfire in the U.S. as heavy winds relented Wednesday, while President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration that brings new financial resources to remote stretches of New Mexico devastated by fire since early April.

U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez announced the presidential disaster declaration during an evening briefing by the U.S. Forest Service about efforts to contain the sprawling wildfire in northeastern New Mexico, which has fanned out across 250 square miles (647 square kilometers) of high alpine forest and grasslands at the southern tip of the Rocky Mountains.

It will help us do that rebuilding and it will help us with the expenses and the hardship that people are facing right now, the congresswoman said. We're glad it happened this quickly.

Fire bosses said they are seizing upon an interlude of relatively calm and cool weather to keep the fire from pushing any closer to the small New Mexico city of Las Vegas and other villages scattered along the fires shifting fronts. Airplanes and helicopters dropped slurries of red fire retardant from the sky, as ground crews cleared timber and brush to starve the fire along crucial fronts.

Bulldozers for days have been scraping fire lines on the outskirts of Las Vegas, population 13,000, while crews have been conducting burns to clear adjacent vegetation. Aircraft dropped more fire retardant as a second line of defense along a ridge just west of town in preparation for intense winds expected over the weekend.

An estimated 15,500 homes in outlying areas and in the valleys of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains that border Las Vegas have been affected by mandatory evacuations. The tally of homes destroyed by the fire stands around 170.

The president's disaster declaration releases emergency funds to recovery efforts in three counties in northeastern New Mexico where fires still rage, as well as portions of southern New Mexico where wind-driven blazes killed two people and destroyed over 200 homes in mid-April.

The aid includes grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other relief programs for individuals and businesses, a statement from the White House said.

Local law enforcement officials acknowledged the physical and emotion toll of prolonged evacuations. Las Vegas Police Chief Antonio Salazar said his officers would provide burglary patrols of evacuated areas and help maintain order at a local Walmart as people line up to purchase supplies.

Repopulation, that's one thing we're very interested in, San Miguel County Sheriff Chris Lopez said. Everybody wants to get back home.

Dan Pearson, a fire behavior specialist with the federal government, said weather forecasters are anticipating two days of relatively light winds before the return of strong spring gales.

Our prayers are working because we've had advantageous winds throughout the fire area today, he said. We'll take advantage of this fact over the next few days. ... What we can do is build resilient pockets."

The fire was contained across just 20% of its perimeter. Its flames on Wednesday were about a mile (1.6 kilometers) away from Las Vegas, where schools were closed as residents braced for possible evacuation.

Officials at Los Alamos National Laboratory were warily tracking another wildfire that crept Wednesday within about 5 miles (8 kilometers) of facilities at the U.S. national defense laboratory based in Los Alamos.

Fire crews worked to widen a road that stands between the fire and Los Alamos while clearing out underbrush and treating the area with fire retardant.

Wildfires have become a year-round threat in the drought-stricken West  moving faster and burning hotter than ever due to climate change, scientists and fire experts say. Fire officials also point to overgrown areas where vegetation can worsen wildfire conditions.

Nationally, the National Interagency Fire Center reported Wednesday that a dozen uncontained large fires have burned about 436 square miles (1,129 square kilometers) in five states.

___

Montoya Bryan reported from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Associated Press writers Paul Davenport in Phoenix and Morgan Lee in Santa Fe, New Mexico, contributed to this report. Attanasio is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. Follow Attanasio on Twitter.
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HARTFORD  The state Senate on Tuesday night put the finishing touches on the $24.2 billion state budget that will take effect July 1.

The 24-12 vote at 10:40 p.m. included two veteran Republicans, Sen. Kevin Witkos of Canton and Sen. Heather Somers of Groton, siding with all Democrats except one  Sen. Dennis Bradley, D-Bridgeport who voted against the budget.

Driven by a surplus for the current fiscal year estimated at $4.8 billion, the 2022-23 budget spends 6.4 percent more than the current year; keeps the emergency reserves overflowing at $3.3 billion; and transfers $3.58 billion into the underfunded pensions, which have accumulated a $39 billion shortfall over the last few decades.

The budget for the coming year also cuts taxes by $600 million, an amount Gov. Ned Lamont calls a record  but which Republicans tried to double.

After about 14 years in a dark tunnel, we are now seeing some light, said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven. And its our obligation when we see that light, to bring others into that light with us. And thats what were doing with this budget.

Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly called the spending increase too much to bear, even with the surplus. How do the families across Connecticut sustain that burden? he asked. And he railed against a tax cutting package that will average $160 per person, though the average for households is considerably higher.

The bill reached the floor for debate shortly before 7 p.m., with Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, the co-chairwoman of the budget-writing Appropriations Committee, stressing the need to use the states robust surplus to support Connecticuts children with mental health initiatives. The Senate debate began just as the state House was discussing final action on the third of three bills aimed at helping the states children with wide-ranging mental health and trauma support.

The plan, negotiated by Lamont and Democrats, includes a lower limit on municipal tax rates for personal vehicles, 32.46 mills, down from the current 45 mills  which will save $100 million for residents in 75 cities and towns. Osten vowed that if reelected in the fall, she will make it a point to try to finally end local car taxes next year.

Sen. John Fonfara, D-Hartford, co-chairman of the tax-writing Finance Committee, said the seeds of the last couple of spending plans were sown in a 2017 bipartisan budget that set financial limits that gave the state more fiscal discipline.

We are enjoying the fruits of that effort today, Fonfara said. This is what our constituents want and expect from us.

For Sen. Marilyn Moore, D-Bridgeport, the massive investments in childrens programs, especially violence intervention, are the hallmark of the spending plan. It is so important that we really do dig deep and start to deal with some of these issues that lead to so many ills in our community, that leads to crime. And it leads it to where my heart is today that I am so proud of, to create this gun violence and intervention program. Its not about the guns itself. Its about getting our kids off the street, making them understand what the possibilities of their lives are.

The budget includes $250-per-child tax credits for about 600,000 children, up to $750 per family, to be paid this coming September; and a $300 property tax credit for a larger number of filers than are eligible for the current $200 credit.

The states 25 cents-per-gallon gas-tax holiday and free bus service will continue through Dec. 1 under the plan. The phase-out of the tax exemption on pensions and annuities will be complete next year.

State Sen. Craig Miner of Litchfield, the top Republican on the Appropriations Committee, warned that with the hundreds of millions of dollars planned for the year after the 2022-23 budget, lawmakers are jeopardizing the kind of fiscal health that was created by the spending and borrowing limits of 2017. We are showing signs, stronger than the last time, of how to work outside the budget, Miner said.

The budget passed the House shortly after midnight on Tuesday in a straight party-line vote.

As I have said for quite a while now, many in Hartford believe that because the states finances are overflowing in money from various sources, that families across Connecticut are feeling and experiencing the same condition. Unfortunately thats not the case, Kelly told reporters outside the Senate chamber before the debate.

Kellys caucus tried to double the Democrats planned tax relief to $1.2 billion. Democrats had said that level of tax break was not allowed under federal rules because the state had used part of its pandemic relief money in the budget.

But Kelly announced Tuesday that a new analysis from nonpartisan staff, based on the latest surplus calculations, showed that a $1.2 billion tax cut was in fact permissible.

There was no reason that we cant deliver that. It does not violate federal law, he said.

At 8:30 p.m., Sen. Henri Martin, R-Bristol, a top Republican on the Finance Committee, introduced the amendment for higher tax breaks. The proposal included reductions in the state income tax for middle-income households and an end to the highway use tax for heavy trucks, set to raise $45 million in the coming year, then $90 million a year after that.

We have $4.8 billion of overcollected tax revenue, Kelly said. We could certainly give back a $100 million crumb. Lets give the people of Connecticut the help they need now. Lets give the people historic tax relief. The GOP amendment failed 23-12, along party lines, before the final vote on the budget.

Lamont hailed what he called a bipartisan budget, saying in a written release late Tuesday, We are transforming Connecticut, making it a place where people and businesses want to grow and set down roots.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
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OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP)  Washington Gov. Jay Inslee decried a draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion that would throw out the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling and said the state would provide sanctuary for women outside the state seeking abortions and would explore ways to codify abortion rights in the state's Constitution.

Inslee, joined by other Democratic leaders at a rally Tuesday in Seattle, also said he would work to ensure the state had adequate resources to provide abortion services to those traveling to the state for the procedure.

They will be welcome, and they will be safe, Inslee said.

The leaked draft of the U.S. Supreme Court opinion  which could change before the court is expected to officially rule next month  was published by the news outlet Politico late Monday.

Abortion has been legal in Washington state since a 1970 referendum. A 1991 ballot measure, also approved by voters, declared a womans right to choose physician-performed abortion prior to fetal viability and further expanded and protected access to abortion in the state if Roe v. Wade was overturned. And in 2018, the Democratic-led Legislature passed a measure that would require Washington insurers offering maternity care to also cover elective abortions and contraception.

Earlier this year, Inslee signed into law a measure that increases the number of providers who can provide abortions, granting specific statutory authorization for physician assistants, advanced registered nurse practitioners and other providers acting within their scope of practice.

The measure also prohibited legal action against people seeking an abortion and those who aid them, a move designed to rebut recent actions by conservative states. Conservative legislatures in several states have either passed or proposed new abortion restrictions in anticipation of possible changes to the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling.

Washingtons measure, which takes effect in June, prohibits the state from taking any action against an individual seeking to end their pregnancy or for assisting someone who is pregnant in obtaining an abortion.

The language is in response to a Texas law, which took effect last September, and which bans abortion after roughly six weeks of pregnancy and makes no exceptions in cases of rape or incest. The enforcement of the law is left up to private citizens, who can collect $10,000 or more if they bring a successful lawsuit against a provider or anyone who helps a patient obtain an abortion.

If Inslee pushes for a constitutional amendment, as Democratic leaders in California have announced they would do, Democratic leaders would need to secure bipartisan support since the Democratic majority in the Washington Legislature does not hold a supermajority in either chamber, and it takes a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot.

Democratic Speaker Laurie Jinkins said in a phone interview that a constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution is hard to achieve but thats an option we would consider.

She said for now though, her focus was to protect the current protections in state law and to continue to make sure that everyone in this state has access.

Inslee also noted that the state Supreme Court could codify abortion rights in the state constitution, but said that would take litigation and time.

Senate Republican Leader John Braun said that the court opinion does not change much in our state.

Democrats have been quick to point out that the law here in Washington continues to provide opportunities for abortion procedures, he said in a written statement. Whatever the law, whatever your politics, fewer abortions should be a common goal.

Twenty-six states are certain or likely to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, according to the pro-abortion rights think tank the Guttmacher Institute. Of those, 22 states already have total or near-total bans on the books that are currently blocked by Roe, aside from Texas. The Texas law banning it after six weeks has been allowed to go into effect by the Supreme Court due to its unusual civil enforcement structure. Four more states are considered likely to quickly pass bans if Roe is overturned.

Sixteen states and the District of Columbia, meanwhile, have protected access to abortion in state law.
CGLNG will welcome more than 80 influential speakers from leading energy companies, 500+ senior-level delegates and over 5,000 industry professionals. Over the course of the three-day program, speakers and delegates will address the latest benefits and challenges of the dynamic Canadian natural gas market and discuss how LNG can be a strong enabler of the energy transition. In addition to the 85+ strategic and technical sessions, attendees will have networking and business development opportunities throughout the event.

"Alberta and British Columbia fields have generations' worth of abundant natural gas. As a high-level strategic conference, exhibitions and speaker sessions play a vital role in bringing together industry leaders to identify opportunities, challenges and solutions facing the Canadian gas and LNG sector," stated Nick Samain, Vice President, Energy, dmg events. "We are so excited to bring CGLNG back to Vancouver, a city that has long been a predominant hub for LNG businesses across Canada, and foster conversations that are crucial to growing Canada's economy and developing greater global LNG businesses.

The CLNG Exhibition will offer one-on-one interactive Q&A sessions hosted by more than 50 exhibitor organizations, along with local and global energy value chains showcasing the latest natural gas and LNG innovative technologies, equipment, products, and services. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet energy experts and industry professionals as they hear about major products in Canada including Newfoundland Labrador LNG, Woodfibre LNG, LNG Canada, and projects in the Northwest Territories.

Vancouver-based oil and gas company Woodfibre LNG is thrilled to be sharing the stage this year with CGLNG to discuss their first Indigenous approved project and the impact it will have on job opportunities within the energy sector, and what this means in regard to steps toward reconciliation. An estimated 50 to 100 First Nations representatives are expected to attend and collaborate on how to build future opportunities for all communities.

Media interested in attending must register here. For more information on the eighth Canada Gas & LNG Exhibition and Conference, please visit canadagaslng.com.

About Canada Gas & LNG Exhibition and Conference

The Canada Gas & LNG Exhibition and Conference (CGLNG) is the largest event in Canada dedicated to global gas and LNG industries. The event couples a technical exhibition with a high-level strategic conference, and it successfully brings together the full value chain including pipeline and LNG projects, transportation companies, petrochemical players and power producers. CGLNG provides an engaging, innovative and informative platform to discuss the opportunities, challenges and solutions for Canadian gas and LNG.

CGLNG Media Contact:

Edelman on behalf of CGLNG

Daisy Xiong

[email protected]

Cell: 604-209-0891

Narmina Rafiyeva

Marketing Director

dmg events

[email protected]

Cell: 403-512-1213

SOURCE dmg events
OTTAWA, ON, May 4, 2022 /CNW/ - Throughout Emergency Preparedness Week, the Government of Canada is working alongside partners across the country to highlight how important it is to Be Ready for Anything. The past two years have shown all of us that large scale emergencies  like a pandemic  can strain our resources. When these events happen, the federal government is a partner for provinces and territories ensuring that their needs are met and responded to quickly through Requests for Federal Assistance (RFAs). This includes supporting non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in responding to events such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and increasingly frequent climate-change related disasters from coast-to-coast-to-coast.

Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, announced $150 million for the Supporting a Humanitarian Workforce to Respond to COVID-19 and Other Large-Scale Emergencies (HWF) program to support both capacity building and domestic response resources to four of Canada's top emergency management NGOs.

To date, the Government of Canada has provided more than $78 million to the Canadian Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, The Salvation Army, and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada (SARVAC) through this investment. This funding has allowed these organizations to mobilize in response to emerging events more quickly and deploy critical on-the-ground support to provincial, territorial and local governments.

Specifically, this funding has gone to support vital services on the ground for several provinces and all three territories that have requested federal assistance, including critical care nurses in hospitals, support in long-term care facilities and retirement homes, and epidemic prevention and control, and vaccination support. It has also supported deployments to respond to outbreaks in remote Indigenous communities.

In 2022-23, the program will continue to provide funding for these organizations to build their capacity, hire staff, rapidly deploy to areas impacted by emergencies, and fund deployments in response to RFAs that may arise. With this funding, organizations will continue to maintain a highly skilled and qualified group of emergency responders and emergency management professionals, will help fund the development of emergency management systems, deliver top-tier training, and acquire some equipment needed for rapid mobilization.

Quotes

"Through this program, we're supporting Canadians who step up to serve their neighbours, and the organizations that facilitate this important work. Today's announcement demonstrates our commitment to ensure that our emergency management organizations can mobilize quickly, and have the tools and resources they need to continue providing relief to Canadians in times of need."

 The Honourable Bill Blair, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness

"The Red Cross is known around the world for its ability to quickly mobilize and provide support to communities affected by large-scale disasters. Over the past two years, through the support of the Government of Canada, the Canadian Red Cross has deployed more than 7,500 personnel in response to COVID-19 and other emergencies from coast to coast. Together, our efforts have resulted in an increased capacity to respond and support long-term care homes, vaccinations, and in response to devastating fires and flooding across the country."

 Conrad Sauve, President and CEO, Canadian Red Cross

"St. John Ambulance is proud to be part of the Humanitarian Workforce Program. We look forward to working with the other NGO's to provide emergency health services to Canadians in times of need. We remain committed to helping Canadians improve their resilience in the face of emergencies wherever they may occur."

 Jerry Rankin, Chief Executive Officer, St. John Ambulance  National Office

"Since the Halifax Explosion in 1917, The Salvation Army has been there for Canadians facing emergencies of all sizes. From the British Columbia floods to ongoing emergency response in the face of COVID-19, support from the Humanitarian Workforce Program helped us serve more Canadians last year than ever before, filling urgent needs, providing hope and letting people know they're not alone."

 Commissioner Floyd Tidd, Territorial Commander, The Salvation Army Canada

"SARVAC is honoured to be an integral part of the Humanitarian Workforce Program, along with other NGO's. This program and its federal support will allow us to provide emergency assistance to communities in need across Canada for many years to come."

 Janelle Coultes, President, Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada

Quick Facts

A humanitarian workforce can rapidly deploy to provide surge capacity to support emergency responses to major events, including the COVID-19 pandemic and other all hazards events, such as flooding and wildfires.

Since its inception, 14 deployments have been funded under the HWF program. Additionally, 11 deployments have previously been funded under the Readiness of the Canadian Red Cross for Urgent Relief Efforts Related to Covid-19, Floods and Wildfires program.

program. To date, the Canadian Red Cross has provided assistance in over 90 long term care facilities and 13 isolated travellers sites; administered over 90,000 vaccines and over 1,500 COVID-19 tests. This includes activities funded under the deployment stream of the program, as well as bilateral engagements with provinces and territories, drawing on the capabilities supported by the capacity-building stream of the program.

The 2020 Fall Economic Statement announced its intention to invest $150 million over two years, starting in 2021-22, to support the Canadian Red Cross and other non-governmental organizations in building and maintaining a humanitarian workforce to provide surge capacity in response to COVID-19 outbreaks and other large-scale emergencies.

over two years, starting in 2021-22, to support the Canadian Red Cross and other non-governmental organizations in building and maintaining a humanitarian workforce to provide surge capacity in response to COVID-19 outbreaks and other large-scale emergencies. This initiative supports the priorities of the Emergency Management Strategy for Canada which seek to strengthen the resilience of Canadian society by 2030. This investment contributes to enhancing disaster response capacity and coordination and fosters the development of new capabilities.

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SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada

For further information: Annie Cullinan, Press Secretary, Office of the President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, [email protected]; Media Relations: Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]
Rural communities to benefit from increased connectivity to high-speed Internet

OTTAWA, ON, May 3, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed how we live, work, learn and do business, and now more than ever, Canadians across the country need reliable high-speed Internet to access services, supports and opportunities. Through the Universal Broadband Fund's (UBF) Rapid Response Stream, the Government of Canada is taking immediate action to get people living in rural and remote communities connected to high-speed Internet.

Today, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, announced more than $5.3 million in funding for Bell Canada, Golden Rural High Speed and HuronTel to bring high-speed Internet to 1,662 households in rural Ontario. Communities that will benefit from these projects are Alberton, Bogies Beach, Burnt River, Caledon Village, Glen Orchard, Jerseyville, Juddhaven, Kinmount, Minett, Mount Pleasant, Port Carling, Port Sandfield and Tower Manor.

Today's announcement builds on the Government of Canada's progress toward making sure that 98% of Canadians have access to high-speed Internet by 2026. As we work to rebuild from the pandemic, the Government of Canada will continue to make investments in infrastructure to build strong communities and a more competitive and resilient Canada for everyone.

Quotes

"We need to close the connection gap and ensure that every nook and cranny of Ontario has access to reliable high-speed Internetwhether that's in Oil Springs or Carlsbad Springs or all the way on the shores of Lake Superior. Today's announcement of more than $5.3 million in new funding to connect 1,662 rural households in the province is a milestone for Ontarians. Investments like these help create jobs, improve access to health care and online learning services, and keep us connected to our loved ones. The Government of Canada will continue to make investments like these to help achieve our national target of connecting 98% of Canadians by 2026 and 100% by 2030."

 The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development

"Today's announcement is great news for the people of southern Ontario. High-speed Internet access is an essential tool that has only been made more vital due to the pandemic. Our government understands that it is critical to connect Canadians, especially in rural and remote regions, and we will continue to make investments that connect Canadians across the country."

 The Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

"Access to high-speed broadband networks is helping drive Canada's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and will be a key driver of future social and economic prosperity. We are proud to partner with the Government of Canada to provide residents in Alberton, Jerseyville, Port Carling, Minett, Juddhaven, Port Sandfield, Glen Orchard and Caledon Village with access to the fastest fibre home Internet speeds available. Through our own fully funded capital expansion plan and through partnerships like this, Bell is proud to help connect more communities across our footprint."

 Bruce Furlong, Senior Vice-President, Access Engineering and Deployment, Bell Canada

"We are very excited at Golden Rural High Speed, which has been serving our community since 2013, to expand our service offering to include fibre to the home. In our combined projects, we will be connecting almost 400 rural households, which would be cost prohibitive without the Universal Broadband Fund. Working from home and doing online schooling have become a necessity in the last two years, and we see it becoming even more important, making high speed and reliable Internet increasingly an essential service."

 Ryan Moore, CEO, Golden Rural High Speed

"HuronTel is pleased to now offer fibre optic broadband services to this previously underserved area around Bogies Beach. This project builds on HuronTel's commitment to serve the residents and businesses in our small towns and rural communities with much-needed high-speed Internet."

 Ryan McClinchey, General Manager, HuronTel

Quick facts

The projects announced today are receiving over $5.3 million in Government of Canada funding to bring high-speed Internet to 1,662 households in Alberton , Bogies Beach, Burnt River , Caledon Village , Glen Orchard , Jerseyville , Juddhaven, Kinmount , Minett , Mount Pleasant , Port Carling , Port Sandfield and Tower Manor, Ontario .

in Government of Canada funding to bring high-speed Internet to 1,662 households in , Bogies Beach, , , , , Juddhaven, , , , , and Tower Manor, . Canada's Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload.

The Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) is a $2.75 billion investment by the Government of Canada designed to help connect 98% of Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% connectivity by 2030. Only the hardest-to-reach households may take until 2030 to get connected.

investment by the Government of Canada designed to help connect 98% of Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% connectivity by 2030. Only the hardest-to-reach households may take until 2030 to get connected. To date, 180 projects supported through the UBF's Rapid Response Stream have been announced. These projects will bring high-speed Internet to more than 92,000 households in rural and remote communities across Canada.

The UBF is part of a suite of federal investments to improve high-speed Internet. Find out more on the High-speed Internet for all of Canada page.

Since 2015, Government of Canada funding has supported projects to bring improved Internet speeds to over 1.2 million households in rural and remote communities across Canada.

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Twitter: @ISED_CA , Facebook: Canadian Innovation , Instagram: @cdninnovation and LinkedIn

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

For further information: Luka Vujic, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Rural Economic Development, 343-571-9582, [email protected]; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, [email protected]
As a result of the Company's significant cash flow generation throughout 2021 and continuing in Q1 2022, the Company's Board of Directors has approved implementation of a dividend policy. Under this newly established policy, the Company anticipates paying two cash dividends per calendar year, following the release of second quarter and year end results, respectively. Subject always to the board's discretion, the Company anticipates declaring and paying an inaugural semi-annual dividend of $0.20 per share (equivalent to approximately $100 million annually based on currently issued and outstanding shares) pursuant to the policy after the announcement of the Company's Q2 2022 financial results.

Ron Hochstein, President and CEO commented, "I am delighted to announce that the strong operational and financial results achieved in 2021 have continued in Q1 2022. It is clear that Fruta del Norte is generating significant free cash flow providing Lundin Gold the opportunity to begin returning capital to shareholders. With continuing strong performance, Lundin Gold will be in the enviable position of being able to distribute a portion of its free cash flow directly to its shareholders by way of dividends, while still enabling the Company to accelerate debt repayments, carry out expanded exploration programs, potential future capital projects, and pursue growth opportunities. I believe Lundin Gold is poised to perform well this year and continue to create shareholder value."

First Quarter of 2022 Financial Overview

The Company sold a total of 119,282 oz of gold, consisting of 75,928 oz of concentrate and 43,354 oz of dore at an average realized gold price 1 of $1,862 per oz for total gross revenues from gold sales of $222.1 million . Net of treatment and refining charges, revenues were $216.5 million .

of per oz for total gross revenues from gold sales of . Net of treatment and refining charges, revenues were . Cash operating costs 1 and AISC 1 were $619 and $696 per oz of gold sold, respectively, mainly due to continued improvements in recoveries and low sustaining capital during the quarter.

and AISC were and per oz of gold sold, respectively, mainly due to continued improvements in recoveries and low sustaining capital during the quarter. Income from mining operations was $111 million . The Company generated cash flow of $127.3 million from operations and ended the quarter with a cash balance of $337 million . Free cash flow 1 for the quarter was $91.8 million or $0.39 per share.

. The Company generated cash flow of from operations and ended the quarter with a cash balance of . Free cash flow for the quarter was or per share. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization 1 ("EBITDA") and adjusted EBITDA 1 were $98.8 million and $133.5 million , respectively.

("EBITDA") and adjusted EBITDA were and , respectively. Net income was $23.2 million after deducting derivative losses, corporate, exploration, finance costs, and associated taxes on earnings. Adjusted earnings1, which exclude derivative losses, were $57.6 million , or $0.25 per share.

_____________________________ 1 Certain additional disclosures for these specified financial measures have been incorporated by reference and can be found on page 11 of the Company's MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2022 available on SEDAR

First Quarter of 2022 Production Overview

The mine maintained its strong operating performance during the quarter with 379,629 tonnes mined at an average grade of 8.7 grams per tonne.

Underground mine development also continued as planned with a total of 2,253 metres completed. Development rates averaged 25.0 metres per day in the first quarter.

The mill processed 373,407 tonnes of ore at an average throughput rate of 4,149 tpd, near design capacity, notwithstanding downtime for both SAG and ball mill relining.

The average grade of ore milled was 11.2 grams per tonne with average recovery at 90.2%.

Gold production was 121,665 oz, comprised of 78,601 oz of concentrate and 43,064 oz of dore.

First Quarter of 2022 Operating and Financial Highlights

The following two tables provide an overview of key operating and financial results.



Three months ended March 31

2022 2021 Tonnes ore mined 379,629 365,471 Tonnes ore milled 373,407 324,591 Average mill head grade (g/t) 11.2 11.4 Average recovery (%) 90.2% 87.8% Average mill throughput (tpd) 4,149 3,607 Gold ounces produced 121,665 104,137 Gold ounces sold 119,282 81,805



Three months ended March 31

2022 2021 Net revenues ($'000) 216,474 139,991 Income from mining operations ($'000) 111,207 64,031 Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization ($'000) 1 98,813 129,966 Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization ($'000) 1 133,537 78,443 Net income ($'000) 23,182 85,980 Free cash flow ($'000) 1 91,806 43,580 Average realized gold price ($/oz sold) 1 1,862 1,765 Cash operating cost ($/oz sold)1 619 672 All-in sustaining costs ($/oz sold) 1 696 830 Free cash flow per share ($)1 0.39 0.19 Adjusted net earnings ($'000) 1 57,550 37,409 Adjusted net earnings per share ($)1 0.25 0.16

_____________________________ 1 Certain additional disclosures for these specified financial measures have been incorporated by reference and can be found on page 11 of the Company's MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2022 available on SEDAR

Liquidity and Capital Resources

At the end of the first quarter of 2022, the Company is in a strong financial position

(in thousands of U.S. dollars) As at March 31, 2022 As at December 31, 2021 Financial Position:



Cash 336,939 262,608 Working capital 273,680 217,221 Total assets 1,735,223 1,685,113 Long-term debt 752,482 739,977

The change in cash during Q1 2022 was primarily due to cash generated from operating activities of $127.3 million and proceeds from the exercise of stock options, warrants, and anti-dilution rights of $5.9 million. This is offset by principal, interest and finance charge repayments under the gold prepay and stream credit facilities totalling $30.3 million, the first cash sweep payment under the senior debt of $12.9 million and cash outflows of $12.2 million for capital expenditures, which include costs for the SVR and sustaining capital.

The Company generated strong operating cash flow during the first quarter of 2022 and expects to continue to do so for the remainder of the year based on its production and AISC guidance. At current gold prices this strong operating cash flow will continue to support aggressive debt repayments, regional exploration and underground expansion drilling at FDN, planned capital expenditures, growth initiatives and now dividends under the recently approved dividend policy.

Capital Expenditures

South Ventilation Raise: The SVR progressed in accordance with the revised work plan defined in 2021, and completion is still expected to occur near the end of the second quarter of 2022. Following mobilization of equipment and personnel, the set up of the head frame was completed in March with the 5.1 metre slash and concrete lined shaft reaching 30 metres by the end of the quarter.

The SVR progressed in accordance with the revised work plan defined in 2021, and completion is still expected to occur near the end of the second quarter of 2022. Following mobilization of equipment and personnel, the set up of the head frame was completed in March with the 5.1 metre slash and concrete lined shaft reaching 30 metres by the end of the quarter. Sustaining Capital: Planning for the third raise of the tailings dam was carried out during the first quarter and construction has now commenced. Resource expansion drilling at Fruta del Norte continued to progress with 3,006 metres completed during the quarter continuing to focus on expansion of the inferred resource at the south end of the deposit. Expenditures for other sustaining capital projects will ramp up throughout the remainder of the year.

Health and Safety

The health and safety of personnel at site is of paramount importance, and stringent procedures remain in place to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on the workforce. Through vaccination campaigns by Ecuador's Ministry of Public Health, 100% of the Company's employees and on-site contractors were vaccinated and as at March 31, 2022, 71% have received a booster shot.

Two lost time incidents and two medical aid incidents were recorded during the first quarter of 2022. The Total Recordable Incident Rate during this period was 0.36 per 200,000 hours worked.

Community

Various community projects supported by the Company are under way in 2022, including sponsoring the establishment of micro businesses providing ancillary services to Fruta del Norte and the community, such as a textile manufacturer and fire extinguisher maintenance provider. These are in addition to ongoing projects such as road maintenance, education projects and economic development. The public bridge over the Zamora River, for which Lundin Gold provided the funding, opened during Q1 2022.

Exploration

The Company's 2022 regional exploration program continued on the Barbasco and Puenta Princesa targets. Drilling is ongoing, with two rigs currently turning, and 3,100 metres completed during the first quarter of 2022. Results will be announced when available.

Mr. Andre Oliveira was announced as the Company's new Vice President, Exploration during the quarter with responsibility for regional exploration, near mine exploration and resource expansion programs.

Early in the second quarter, Newcrest International Pty Ltd. ("Newcrest"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Newcrest Mining Limited, met the first expenditure requirement under the Earn-In Agreement covering eight of Lundin Gold's early-stage concessions to the north and south of Fruta del Norte. The initial program is focused on testing priority copper-gold porphyry targets. Two core holes were completed during the quarter which detected low-level porphyry style copper mineralisation. Drilling is ongoing. Newcrest must exercise its option to proceed to the second stage of the earn-in by May 28, 2022. Through completion of the second stage, Newcrest would earn an initial indirect 25% interest in the eight concessions through a joint venture entity with Lundin Gold.

Outlook

Lundin Gold's exceptional performance in Q1 2022 provides a robust foundation for the rest of the year, and the Company's production guidance of 405,000 to 445,000 oz and AISC1 of $860 to $930 for 2022 remain unchanged.

The SVR is the last remaining scope of work under the original FDN construction project. Completion of the SVR remains on track for the second quarter of 2022 with no anticipated impact on production in 2022.

Sustaining capital will ramp up substantially starting in Q2 2022 with construction of the third raise of the TSF beginning, and completion expected in Q4 2022. Our FDN drilling program for the conversion of inferred resources and definition of additional resources is ongoing. Several other capital projects are planned for 2022 and are expected to ramp up starting in Q2, contributing to an expected increase in sustaining capital costs during the balance of the year.

The 16,500 metre regional exploration drill program continues at Puente-Princesa and Barbasco. At Barbasco, the drilling program will continue exploring for a large geochemical anomalous area. In addition, prospecting continues throughout the Company's regional concessions to identify new areas for future drilling.

An exploration data review carried out during the first quarter has indicated several potential targets in areas immediately near the Fruta del Norte deposit. These targets, located in areas coincident with geochemical anomalies on surface, display similar geological characteristics to the Fruta del Norte deposit but have not been tested by drilling. Based on this review, an additional near mine exploration drill program has been developed with an expected cost of $4 million to be incurred during the remainder of the year.

Following the approval of the dividend policy, the Company anticipates declaring and paying an inaugural $0.20 per share dividend after the announcement of the Company's Q2 2022 financial results.

_____________________________ 1 Certain additional disclosures for these specified financial measures have been incorporated by reference and can be found on page 11 of the Company's MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2022 available on SEDAR

Qualified Persons

The technical information relating to Fruta del Norte contained in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Ron Hochstein P. Eng, Lundin Gold's President & CEO who is a Qualified Person under NI 43-101. The disclosure of exploration information contained in this press release was prepared by Andre Oliveira, P.Geo, Lundin Gold's V.P. Exploration, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101.

Webcast and Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call and webcast to discuss its results on Wednesday, May 4 at 8:00 a.m. PT, 11:00 a.m. ET, 5:00 p.m. CET.

Conference Call Dial-In Numbers:

Participant Dial-In North America: +1 416-764-8659 Toll-Free Participant Dial-In North America: +1 888-664-6392 Participant Dial-In Sweden: 0200899189 Conference ID: Lundin Gold / 78094940

A link to the webcast is available on the Company's website, www.lundingold.com. A replay of the conference call will be available two hours after the completion of the call until May 18, 2022.

Toll Free North America Replay Number: +1 888-390-0541 International Replay Number: +1 416-764-8677 Replay passcode: 094940 #

About Lundin Gold

Lundin Gold, headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, owns the Fruta del Norte gold mine in southeast Ecuador and a large exploration land package that hosts the Fruta del Norte deposit at its northern edge. Fruta del Norte is among the highest-grade operating gold mines in the world.

The Company's board and management team have extensive expertise in mine operations and are dedicated to operating Fruta del Norte responsibly. The Company operates with transparency and in accordance with international best practices. Lundin Gold is committed to delivering value to its shareholders, while simultaneously providing economic and social benefits to impacted communities, fostering a healthy and safe workplace and minimizing the environmental impact. The Company believes that the value created through the development of Fruta del Norte will benefit its shareholders, the Government and the citizens of Ecuador.

Non-IFRS Measures

This news release refers to certain financial measures, such as average realized gold price per oz sold, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, cash operating cost per oz sold, all-in sustaining cost, free cash flow, free cash flow per share, and adjusted earnings, which are not measures recognized under IFRS and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. These measures may differ from those made by other companies and accordingly may not be comparable to such measures as reported by other companies. These measures have been derived from the Company's financial statements because the Company believes that, with the achievement of commercial production, they are of assistance in the understanding of the results of operations and its financial position. Certain additional disclosures for these specified financial measures have been incorporated by reference and can be found on page 11 of the Company's MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2022 available on SEDAR.

Additional Information

The information in this release is subject to the disclosure requirements of Lundin Gold under the EU Market Abuse Regulation. This information was publicly communicated on May 3, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time through the contact persons set out below.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements

Certain of the information and statements in this press release are considered "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" as those terms are defined under Canadian securities laws (collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements"). Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "is expected", "scheduled", "estimates", "pending", "intends", "plans", "forecasts", "targets", or "hopes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "will", "should" "might", "will be taken", or "occur" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements and information involve assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict, and are usually beyond the control of management, that could cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed by these forward-looking statements and information. Lundin Gold believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. This information speaks only as of the date of this press release, and the Company will not necessarily update this information, unless required to do so by securities laws.

This press release contains forward-looking information in a number of places, such as in statements relating to the Company's 2022 production outlook, including estimates of gold production, grades recoveries and AISC; expected sales receipts, cash flow forecasts and financing obligations; its estimated capital costs and the expected timing and impact of completion of capital projects including the south ventilation raise; the Company's declaration and payment of dividends pursuant to its dividend policy; the timing and the success of its drill program at Fruta del Norte and its other exploration activities; and the Company's efforts to protect its workforce from COVID-19. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as Lundin Gold's actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of the factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section in Lundin Gold's Annual Information Form dated March 21, 2022, which is available at www.lundingold.com or on SEDAR.

Lundin Gold's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement or that could have a material impact on the Company or the trading price of its shares include: risks associated with the Company's community relationships; risks related to political and economic instability in Ecuador; risks related to estimates of production, cash flows and costs; the impacts of a pandemic virus outbreak; risks inherent to mining operations; failure of the Company to maintain its obligations under its debt facilities; shortages of critical supplies; control of the Company's largest shareholders; risks related to Lundin Gold's compliance with environmental laws and liability for environmental contamination; the lack of availability of infrastructure; the Company's reliance on one mine; exploration and development risks; risks related to the Company's ability to obtain, maintain or renew regulatory approvals, permits and licenses; uncertainty with the tax regime in Ecuador; risks related to the Company's workforce and its labour relations; volatility in the price of gold; the reliance of the Company on its information systems and the risk of cyber-attacks on those systems; deficient or vulnerable title to concessions, easements and surface rights; inherent safety hazards and risk to the health and safety of the Company's employees and contractors; the imprecision of Mineral Reserve and Resource estimates; key talent recruitment and retention of key personnel; volatility in the market price of the Company's shares; measures to protect endangered species and critical habitats; social media and reputation; the cost of non-compliance and compliance costs; risks related to illegal mining; the adequacy of the Company's insurance; risks relating to the declaration of dividends; uncertainty as to reclamation and decommissioning; the ability of Lundin Gold to ensure compliance with anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws; the uncertainty regarding risks posed by climate change; limits of disclosure and internal controls; security risks to the Company, its assets and its personnel; the potential for litigation; and risks due to conflicts of interest.

SOURCE Lundin Gold Inc.

For further information: Ron F. Hochstein, President and CEO, Tel (Ecuador): +593 2-299-6400, Tel (Canada): +1-604-806-3589, [email protected]; Finlay Heppenstall, Director, Investor Relations, Tel: +1 604 806 3089, [email protected]
RICHMOND HILL, ON, May 4, 2022 /CNW/ - Mazda Canada Inc. (MCI) today reported April sales of 5,999 vehicles, representing a decrease of 13.2 percent versus April 2021. Sales year-to-date (YTD) are 18,918, which is a decrease of 13.8 percent compared to the same period in 2021.

APRIL 2022 HIGHLIGHTS:

Mazda MX-30, the brand's first battery electric vehicle, received 5-star ratings in frontal and side crash tests, and a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

CX-30 recorded best-ever April sales with a 6.1 percent increase over April 2021 .

. CX-5 sales recorded the second-highest April tally on record, narrowly missing the previous April benchmark set last year.



April April YOY YTD YTD YOY

2022 2021 Change 2022 2021 Change Mazda3 1,038 1,103 -5.9% 4,110 3,760 9.3% Mazda6 0 121 -100.0% 0 536 -100.0% MX-5 58 190 -69.5% 350 508 -31.1% Passenger Car 1,096 1,414 -22.5% 4,460 4,804 -7.2% MX-30 72 0 0.0% 316 0 0.0% CX-3 451 828 -45.5% 2,266 2,338 -3.1% CX-30 1,217 1,147 6.1% 2,424 3,556 -31.8% CX-5 2,748 2,807 -2.1% 8,190 9,244 -11.4% CX-9 415 716 -42.0% 1,262 2,012 -37.3% Light Truck 4,903 5,498 -10.8% 14,458 17,150 -15.7% MAZDA TOTAL 5,999 6,912 -13.2% 18,918 21,954 -13.8%

Mazda Canada Inc. is responsible for the sales and marketing, customer service and parts support of Mazda vehicles in Canada. Headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Mazda Canada has a nationwide network of 163 dealerships. For additional information, visit Mazda Canada's media website at www.media.mazda.ca.

SOURCE Mazda Canada Inc.

For further information: Chuck Reimer, Mazda Canada Inc., [email protected]; Sandra Lemaitre, Mazda Canada Inc., [email protected]
The Prime Minister met with his Nordic counterparts in a series of bilateral meetings and attended the second India-Nordic summit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in France on Wednesday after a constructive visit to Denmark, where he had a series of bilateral meetings with Nordic peers and attended the second India-Nordic summit.

The Prime Ministers Office tweeted, After a fruitful visit to Denmark, PM @narendramodi departs for Paris.

Denmarks bilateral connections have been strengthened. Collaborations with the Nordic countries and the region have improved. The visit of Prime Minister @narendramodi to Copenhagen has come to a close. PM Modi is presently on his way to Paris to meet with French President @EmmanuelMacron Arindam Bagchi, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), sent out a tweet.

Mr Modi, who arrived here on Tuesday from Berlin as part of a three-nation European tour, held constructive meetings with his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen and attended a business gathering to promote commercial ties.

He also spoke to the Indian community and mingled with the Royal Family of Denmark.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the second India-Nordic conference on Wednesday, which focused on post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change, renewable energy, and the changing global security landscape.

Prime Minister Modi conducted separate bilateral discussions with his colleagues from Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Finland on the sidelines of the summit, during which he discussed ways to expand bilateral ties and exchanged views on regional and global trends.

After Mr Macrons re-election, Mr Modi congratulated him.

Congratulations on the re-election of my friend @EmmanuelMacron. Mr Modi had tweeted, I look forward to continuing to work together to expand the India-French Strategic Partnership.

President Macron was very recently re-elected, and my visit just ten days after the result will not only allow me to send my personal congratulations in person, but also reinforce the deep connection between the two countries, Mr Modi said in a statement before leaving for Europe. This would also provide us the opportunity to set the tone for the next chapter of the Strategic Partnership between India and France.

President Macron and I will discuss our perspectives on a variety of regional and global challenges, as well as our current bilateral collaboration. I am convinced that two countries with such comparable visions and ideals for the global order must work closely together he had stated.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan suggested on Tuesday that general elections should be held in the country under the supervision of a neutral chief election commissioner (CEC)

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan suggested on Tuesday that general elections should be held in the country under the supervision of a neutral chief election commissioner (CEC).

He claimed that the chosen administration was pushed on the population by planning and plotting, therefore, an election must be conducted as soon as possible, or democracy will suffer a major blow.

Khan, on the other hand, stated that the elections should be overseen by a qualified chief election commissioner (CEC). This comes after he referred to CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja as the PML-Ns agent last week.

He also stated that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-(PTI) Insafs administration was overthrown as a result of a conspiracy and that a committee should be constituted to investigate the incident under the chairmanship of Pakistans chief judge.

Khan added saying that he is not anti-America or any other country when asked about the role of the US in guaranteeing his ouster through the no-confidence motion.

He believes that US frequently instigates regime change for its own profit, not the interest of the countries concerned while claiming foreign plans for removing him from the position.

Furthermore, he added saying that he has the evidence against those who had been visiting the US embassy in Pakistan on a regular basis.

He claims that Hussain Haqqani met Nawaz Sharif in London and devised this plot.

Earlier, PTI has held multiple protests around the country against the US for allegedly orchestrating a foreign conspiracy to depose Imran Khan, who was deposed after the Oppositions no-confidence vote was carried in the National Assembly.
Traditional security is necessary for CPEC projects, but state institutions cannot overlook the strategic and political environment.

A Pakistani security personnel walks next to a damage bus, which was carrying Chinese engineers, after a suicide attack in Dalbandin region, around 340 kilometres (211 miles) from Quetta, the capital of southwestern Balochistan province, on August 11, 2018. - A suicide attack on August 11 in Southwest Pakistan targeted a bus carrying Chinese engineers, wounding at least five people including two Chinese nationals, officials said. The attack came in Dalbandin region, around 340 kilometres (211 miles) from Quetta, the capital of southwestern Balochistan province, when the Chinese engineers working on a mineral project were being transported to the city. (Photo by Ali Raza / AFP) (Photo credit should read ALI RAZA/AFP/Getty Images)

The suicide bombing at Karachi Universitys Confucius Institute, which targeted a van carrying Chinese academics, was a strike against Chinas soft influence. The attackers appeared to understand that the institute represented Chinas cultural and civilisational expression, and that China, more than any other country, wanted to convey a soft image.

Second, the attackers chose a female suicide bomber to maximise the impact and gain more worldwide attention. This has sparked a discussion on the Baloch insurgent movements shifting dynamics.

Chinas response was swift and forceful, with the Chinese foreign ministry declaring that anyone responsible for the event will be held accountable. The announcement will put more pressure on Pakistans leadership. Pakistan responded to the strike in a more coordinated manner this time than in the past. When terrorists from the banned TTP assaulted a bus carrying Chinese employees at the Dasu dam site in 2021, the then-government attempted to conceal the facts, claiming that the event was caused by a vehicle malfunction. Only as a result of Chinese pressure did the government reverse its position and allow Chinese investigators to assist Pakistani agencies in their investigation of the incident.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on the other hand, raced to the Chinese embassy after the Karachi University bombing to express his sympathies and promise to bring the murderers to justice.

China may appreciate Sharifs overture, but to resolve Beijings security worries, state institutions in Pakistan will need to take steps that satisfy Beijing. This is also necessary for the successful completion of the CPEC projects.

Pakistan has already spent a significant amount of money protecting Chinese nationals and ensuring the security of CPEC projects. In 2016, the Special Security Division was established. It consists of two light infantry divisions, each with 15,000 personnel (the first was formed in September 2016 and the second in 2020, according to reports). The SSD also has the support of 32,000 Frontier Corps, police, and Levies security officers, as well as a dedicated intelligence network to identify or neutralise terrorism-related threats.

According to the Global Times, a state-owned Chinese tabloid, Chinese enterprises working on CPEC-related projects are satisfied with the security measures. The cost of security, to which China contributes, is, however, extremely significant.

Second, the overall strategy for securing CPEC is fairly traditional, focusing mostly on securing work sites and escorting convoys of engineers and labourers. Companies in China are nevertheless concerned about the safety of their employees in big cities.

The expense of security is another key issue that drives up the cost of CPEC projects. Pakistan has again postponed the approval of a Rs36 billion project to offer security to Chinese nationals working on the multibillion-dollar ML-I project, according to media reports. The latter is a massive undertaking that necessitates a hefty security blanket. Aside from that, the Chinese are concerned about the management, training, and screening of security personnel.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was greeted warmly by the Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark, Margrethe II, at the ancient Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen on the second day of his tour to Europe

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was greeted warmly by the Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark, Margrethe II, at the ancient Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen on the second day of his tour to Europe.

At the completion of his commitments in Copenhagen on Tuesday, Prime Minister was set to attend a private dinner hosted by the Danish Queen. On this occasion, Prime Minister Modi met with members of the royal family.

MEA in a tweet mentioned, Her Majesty, the Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark, Margrethe II extended a warm reception to PM Modi. Prime Minister felicitated Her Majesty on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of her reign.

Her Majesty, the Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark, Margrethe II extended a warm reception to PM @narendramodi.



Prime Minister felicitated Her Majesty on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of her reign. pic.twitter.com/7DGqMz0n2j  Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) May 3, 2022

PM Modi landed in Copenhagen earlier in the day and met with his Danish counterpart, Mette Frederiksen, to discuss the situation in Ukraine, as well as other regional and bilateral concerns between the two countries.

PM Modi was also seen socializing with the Indian diaspora in Copenhagen, trying his hand at playing an Indian dhol (drum) in a lighthearted moment.

After meeting PM Modi, Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen stated, Many of our values are similar. We are two democratic countries that believe in an international system founded on rules. In times like this, we need to strengthen our bonds even further. We also discussed the war in Ukraine as close partners.

PM Modi and his Danish counterpart Frederiksen also spoke at a joint press conference where a number of agreements between India and Denmark were signed.
During his three-day tour to Europe, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the second India-Nordic summit in Denmark today before flying to Paris to meet newly re-elected President

During his three-day tour to Europe, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the second India-Nordic summit in Denmark today before flying to Paris to meet newly re-elected President Emmanuel Macron.

Among the attendees include, Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. The second India-Nordic summit in Denmark will follow up on the first summit held in Stockholm, Sweden in 2018.

Addressing his visit to Denmark, Prime Minister Modi said The Summit will focus on topics such as post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change, innovation and technology, renewable energy, the evolving global security scenario, and India-Nordic cooperation in the Arctic region.

Following the summit, Prime Minister May is expected to fly to Paris for a meeting with Emmanuel Macron, Frances newly re-elected President.

Meanwhile, PM Modi has attended bilateral meetings with the leaders of Germany and Denmark, as well as addressed Indian diaspora events in both Berlin and Copenhagen, during his current visit.

During his tour to Germany and Denmark, Prime Minister Modi met with business leaders in both countries.

However, on Monday, Prime Minister Modi arrived in Berlin and conducted bilateral talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz before attending the sixth India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations.

India and Germany signed a total of nine agreements, including a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) on Green and Sustainable Development Partnership, in which Germany promised to provide India with an advance commitment of 10 billion euros in new and additional developmental assistance until 2030.

Modi also spoke to the Indian community in Berlin on his governments accomplishments, particularly in the field of merging technology and governance.

The two leaders then spoke at a joint press conference, where a number of agreements were formally signed between the two countries, including a Declaration of Intent (DoI) on Migration and Mobility, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the fields of skill development, vocational education, and entrepreneurship, and the start of a ministerial-level energy policy dialogue.

Furthermore, nine agreements were exchanged between the two countries.

According to MEA statement, the event drew around 1000 members of the Indian community in Denmark, including students, researchers, professionals, and business people.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a visit to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, in Nepal's Bhairahawa region on Buddha Jayanti

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a visit to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, in Nepals Bhairahawa region on Buddha Jayanti.

PM Modis visit to Nepal comes just over a month after his Nepalese counterpart, Sher Bahadur Deuba, paid a visit to India.

During PM Modis visit to Lumbini, Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is likely to be there.

As per the reports, this visit is the only thing on the itinerary is a trip to Lumbini. There will be no bilateral discussions or other activities.

PM Modi will participate in a lamp-lighting ceremony at the Maya Devi Temple, which is also the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, according to a source familiar with the visit.

Modis visit to Nepal will be his first after his re-election in 2019. During his previous tenure, he had visited Nepal four times.
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STAMFORD  Genomic-testing provider Sema4 announced this week the completion of its acquisition of another testing provider, GeneDx, whose chief executive officer will now lead Sema4.

The new leadership structure differs from the plan outlined in January when the companies announced the acquisition deal. At that point, they said Eric Schadt, Stamford-based Sema4s founder and its CEO since its 2017 launch, would serve as co-CEO of the expanded company alongside Katherine Stueland, who was then GeneDxs CEO and president.

But in a news release and filings this week to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Sema4 said Stueland had started at the company as the sole CEO, while Schadt had become president and chief research and development officer, and would report to Stueland. Additionally, Stueland has been elected to Sema4s Board of Directors, while Schadt has kept his seat on the board.

Sema4s acquisition of GeneDx and the announced leadership changes make us a stronger company today and better positions us to deliver a future where precision medicine is the standard of care, Sema4 said in a statement provided by a company spokesperson, in response to an inquiry from Hearst Connecticut Media. Both Sema4 and GeneDx have established legacies in innovation, strong technical capabilities and best-in-class datasets. We will continue to develop and scale our innovative health intelligence platform and further establish the organization as a transformative health care company.

The company declined to comment further on the reasons for Stueland becoming the sole CEO. The company said it would share more information during a first-quarter earnings call on May 12.

In a statement included in this weeks news release, Stueland said, I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead Sema4 as we embark on this next chapter for the combined company, with a focus on growth, operating efficiency, scaling toward profitability and transformational partnerships.

In his own statement, Schadt said, we are very excited to add GeneDxs complementary capabilities and are equally thrilled to welcome Katherine as our new CEO, given her extensive leadership, commercial and operational experience.

At the same time, the acquisitions total price has decreased from the amount originally announced in January  apparently as a result of a recent decline in Sema4s stock price.

The acquisition involved an upfront payment of $150 million in cash, plus 80 million shares of Sema4s Class A common stock, with up to an additional $150 million in revenue-based milestones during the next two years. Based on Sema4s closing stock price as of April 29, the trading date on the closing of the transaction, the total upfront consideration is approximately $322 million. The total aggregate consideration, including potential milestones, is about $472 million.

When the acquisition agreement was announced, Sema4 said the total upfront consideration would be about $473 million and the total aggregate consideration, with possible milestones, would be about $623 million. Those numbers were based on Sema4s closing stock price as of Jan. 14.

The company declined to comment on the change in the acquisition price.

Sema4 shares closed Wednesday at $2.44, up 13 percent from Tuesday. In the past 52 weeks, they have reached a high of $15.21 and a low of $2.10.

Related to the acquisition, the company also reported this week that it had issued and sold, in private placements, $200 million worth of stock to institutional investors, including pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. The operations of Pfizer include a research-and-development center in Groton.

A growing force in genomic testing

Founded in 2000 by two scientists from the National Institutes of Health, Gaithersburg, Md.-based GeneDx had operated as a subsidiary of pharmaceutical-and-diagnostics provider OPKO Health.

GeneDxs data will bolster Sema4s approximately 12 million clinical records  genomic information that is crucial to detecting and treating many diseases such as cancer. In January, Sema4 said that by acquiring GeneDx it would become one of the largest and most advanced providers of genomic clinical testing in the U.S., with projected pro forma revenues of $350 million in 2022.

Sema4 was one of the largest providers of COVID-19 testing in Connecticut during the first two years of the pandemic, but it announced last December that it would discontinue those operations by March 31.

Schadt said in January that the decision reflected Sema4s desire to solidify the focus on its traditional areas of expertise  and not because of the controversy about investment in the company from the Greenwich-based venture capital firm co-founded by Annie Lamont, who is married to Gov. Ned Lamont. The states ethics office did not find a conflict of interest with Connecticuts contract with Sema4 regarding Ned or Annie Lamont.

Along with Stueland, GeneDxs approximately 700 employees would join Sema4, company officials said in January. At that point, Sema4 already employed about 1,200  the resounding majority of whom are based in Connecticut. Sema4s main offices are at 333 Ludlow St., in Stamfords South End, while it operates laboratories in Stamford and Branford.

The company declined to provide this week an updated headcount.

As CEO, Stueland will receive an annual base salary of $675,000 and also be eligible to receive an annual performance bonus with a target amount equal to 100 percent of her base salary, according to the companys filings to the SEC. In addition, Stuelands employment agreement includes an initial grant of stock options and restricted stock units with an aggregate grant-date value of $9 million.

pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott
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TORRINGTON  Mays event calendar at the Warner Theatre is filled with musical acts, comedy, live theater performances and two Met in HD shows. For tickets and information, go to warnertheatre.org, or call the box office at 860-482-7180.

May 7: Torrington Symphony Orchestra presents "A Night of Broadway Music", 8 p.m. in the main theater. The show is in conjunction with the Warner Stage Company, under the direction of conductor Maurice Steinberg. The concert will feature music from Annie, The Sound of Music, Guys and Dolls, Evita and others. Performances by members of the Warner Stage Company include Alyssa Bunel, Roxie Quinn, Noel Roberge, Steffon Sampson, Kelly White, and a childrens chorus.
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Often our lives are so stressful that we barely see those we pass by. Women particularly tend to push their feelings, wants and needs aside just to get through the day.

In the new play Bee Trapped Inside the Window, Romanian playwright Saviana Stanescu examines the lives of three women, all of whom live within the margins of society, giving the audience a glimpse into their feelings of isolation.

This intimate drama focuses on the interwoven stories of a Russian emigre, her biracial daughter, and an Asian-American cleaning woman who has been trafficked into domestic service.

Reflecting themes of isolation and connection, Stanescu's lyrical play is running at HartBeat Ensemble's Carriage House Theater in Hartford. It was originally commissioned and produced by Civic Ensemble as part of Civic Acts: New Plays Toward the Beloved Community.

Stanescu said the title of the play comes from the metaphor of a bee struggling for freedom while stuck inside a window.

They can see the outdoors, she said. It is right there, but they are trapped.

The play started as a shorter work performed at Ithaca College, where Stanescu serves as an associate professor of theatre arts. Since her work is intrinsically tied to activism, particularly for women and the marginalized, Stanescu calls herself an ARTivist.

Having been on the front lines of the Romanian revolution, Stanescu said she firmly supports freedoms for these groups.

May is an Asian-American cleaning woman for a wealthy family with kids; Sasha is a Russian-American corporate executive with a drinking problem; and Mia is Sashas black daughter, who is exploring and gradually understanding her own biracial identity.

The three women spend most of the play speaking in monologues, which emphasize the isolation they all feel. It is only towards the end when they can actually see each other for their experiences. May, for example, has her plight play out right before her neighbors eyes.

Bee Trapped Inside the Window explores the effects of modern-day domestic servitude on the lives of three women of different backgrounds and ethnicities in the leafy suburbs of Connecticut.

Written as intercut interior monologues sliding into dialogue, it follows Mia's coming-of-age story over the course of 15 years through her relationships with her mom and her neighbor, while offering a window into the lives of domestic workers and immigrants.

Stanescu said human trafficking for domestic service is much more rampant than people realize.

They come here on a visa, and when the visa expires they have no choice, she said. They often dont have a full command of the language; they have no money, they cant drive. They are often paid very little, and they are too afraid to ask for help.

"Saviana was already an award-winning playwright and journalist in Romania before she migrated to the United States, HartBeat Ensemble Artistic Director Godfrey L. Simmons, Jr. said. She has an unerring ear for the brutal poetry of work and isolation that haunts all women who migrate to the U.S.

The cast of Bee Trapped Inside the Window features Mami Kamura, Erin Lockett and Jennifer Dorr White. The production is directed by HartBeats Vernice P. Miller with stage management by Rachel Russo.

Performances run through May 8 at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

General admission tickets are $25; students, seniors and Lets Go Arts cardholders pay $20.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting HartBeatEnsemble.org or at door subject to availability. Masks and proof of vaccination will be required.
I turned down the idea three or four times, admits Nicolas Cage, referring to The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. But then he received an impassioned letter from co-writer/director Tom Gormican (who wrote the script with Tim Etten) which made him reconsider.

In this absurdist movie, Cage plays an aging, depressed movie star, increasingly alienated from his ex-wife Olivia (Sharon Horgan) and teenage daughter Addy (Lily Sheen), who dont share his passion for old horror films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920).

If he werent so deep in debt  owing $600,000 to the Sunset Towers Hotel, a.k.a. the fabled Chateau Marmont where hes been living for the past year  hed retire. But then his agent (Neil Patrick Harris) shows him a $1 million offer to make an appearance at the birthday party of billionaire Javi Gutierrez (Pablo Pascal) in Mallorca, Spain.

Much to the dismay of his arrogant, obnoxious, much younger alter-ego, known as Nicky, Cage reluctantly accepts. Then hes recruited by two C.I.A. agents (Tiffany Haddish, Bo Barinholtz) to spy on Gutierrez, whom they identify as a dangerous international arms dealer.

Apparently, Gutierrez has kidnapped a politicians teenage daughter who is being held captive somewhere on his compound. So under the pretext of working with Gutierrez on the screenplay hes written for him, Cage takes LSD and goes cliff-diving. Meanwhile, hes snooping around.

So much for plot. Thats basically irrelevant compared with copious references to Cages extensive filmography, including The Rock, Leaving Las Vegas, Face/Off, National Treasure, along with Captain Corellis Mandolin, Guarding Tess, Mandy and The Wicker Man remake. Plus, there are cameos with director David Gordon Green and actress Demi Moore.

Emphasizing the close relationship between Nicky and Cage, he French kisses himself. And in the credits, the sleazy character of Nicky is played by Nicolas Kim Coppola, which is Cages birth name. Hes a nephew of Francis Ford Coppola.

On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a satirical, surrealistic, self-mocking 6, playing in theaters.

Susan Granger has been an on-air television and radio commentator and entertainment critic for more than 25 years. Raised in Hollywood, Granger appeared as a child actress in movies with Abbott & Costello, Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, and Lassie. She currently resides in Westport.
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WASHINGTON (AP)  The traditionally insular Supreme Court is about to face the full force of public pressure and abortion politics as justices make a final decision on whether to throw out the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling.

The justices are entering a politically explosive new era, drafting what may well be the most consequential opinion on womens health and privacy in 50 years, while a watchful public primed by the nations culture wars looks over their shoulders and tries furiously to influence the outcome.

Justice Samuel Alito appeared to be bracing for the onslaught, stiffening the spines of his conservative court colleagues in his leaked draft opinion for the court's majority that would overturn the 1973 ruling and its constitutional right to abortion.

"We cannot allow our decisions to be affected by any extraneous influences such as concern about the publics reaction to our work, Alito wrote in the February draft document that was circulated to fellow justices as they prepare a final decision, expected by June.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi often says, quoting Abraham Lincoln, public sentiment is everything. But justices, unlike lawmakers, don't have to run for reelection.

At one point this week, more than 1,000 people flooded to the steps of the Supreme Court. In Los Angeles, police put the city on tactical alert after a confrontation between abortion rights supporters and police downtown. Fresh polling showed most Americans support preserving some access to abortion services.

"Let us fight with everything weve got, Vice President Kamala Harris said in a speech at the EMILY"s List political action committee's national conference.

While President Joe Biden and fellow proponents of abortion access are fired up to defend Roe v. Wade, the pushing is far from one-sided. Republicans who have labored toward this moment for decades with efforts to fill the court with conservative justices  gaining three during the four years of the Trump administration  are determined to finally accomplish their goal.

Urging the justices to stick to their process, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell promised that senators would "have their backs, no matter what.

In a televised speech from the Capitol just across the street from the court, McConnell, who is a chief architect of a campaign to confirm conservative judges, encouraged the justices to tune out the bad faith noise and feel completely free to do their jobs.

The leaked draft gave Americans a rare, up-close sneak preview of the typically private, hidden deliberations of the high court, and the disclosure is propelling a public outpouring of opinion and protest reflective of the nations long debate over abortion policy  all in the run-up to the fall's contested congressional elections.

It's unclear if the justices will be swayed by the intense public scrutiny. But the disclosure has launched the most dramatic pulling back of the curtain on the high court's work in modern memory. Not since the 1970s have the Supreme Court's private deliberations become so public  in fact, the final Roe v. Wade decision leaked hours before it was announced.

Political pressure campaigns are being launched and millions of dollars unleashed on all sides, to save or end abortion access in the U.S., all while the justices privately draft their final opinion.

While the justices themselves have lifetime appointments and are shielded from the need for campaign contributions that can influence views, elected officials and candidates running for the House, Senate and offices throughout the states will be confronted with untold efforts to force them to take sides.

Every single American is going to see where every single senator stands on protecting a woman's right to choose, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer promised. Americans will be watching.

To be sure, for Democrats and others trying to preserve abortion access, public opinion is about the only tool on their side, with Congress very unlikely to salvage the Roe v. Wade ruling on its own.

The House, led by Democrats, has already approved legislation that would protect abortion access by putting the Roe ruling into law. But the narrowly split Democratic Senate will not have the votes to follow suit without support from Republicans.

Just two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, publicly support abortion access. And while they have introduced their own bill to keep abortion legal, it is not at all clear they would buck their own party leadership to help pass a Democratic measure.

Other Republicans, following McConnells lead, have been quick to focus on the leaking of the high courts private draft, rather than the prospect that millions of American women could lose access to abortion services if Roe v. Wade is struck down.

Speculation is swirling over the rare leak and whether it was meant to build pressure for the outcome that Alito was proposing or against it.

Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, a former law clerk to Alito, described the security around the court's work, complete with burn bags to collect and double-shred the day's discarded documents. He decried the breach even as he welcomed the direction the court was taking under the draft opinion.

While I'm convinced this leak may have been an attempt to intimidate the justices in the majority, perhaps an effort to try to get them to change their positions, I'm also confident this attempt will not succeed and it must not succeed, Lee said on the Senate floor.

Chief Justice John Roberts has ordered an investigation into the leak, but it is unclear how long that will take and whether it would be resolved before the court issues its rulings at the end of June or early July.

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, who has supported bills to limit abortion and is up for reelection in Wisconsin, said in a statement that neither personal beliefs nor pressure from the radical left to intimidate sitting Supreme Court justices, should be the basis on which this profound moral issue should be decided for all of society.
The Massachusetts child protection system failed to prioritize the needs of a 5-year-old New Hampshire girl who vanished in 2019 after her father was awarded custody, according to a much-anticipated independent review released Wednesday.

Harmony Montgomery suffered from a ripple effect of miscalculations of risk and unequal weight placed on parents rights versus a childs wellbeing, said Maria Mossaides, head of Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate.

We do not know Harmony Montgomerys ultimate fate, and unfortunately, we may never, Mossaides said at a news conference. But we do know that this beautiful young child experienced many tragedies in her short life, and that by not putting her and her needs first, our system ultimately failed her.

The review was promised earlier this year, not long after police in Manchester, New Hampshire, learned the child had been missing for two years and began a massive investigation. She is still considered a missing person.

Her father Adam Montgomery said he brought Harmony to be with her mother in Massachusetts around Thanksgiving in 2019, but her mother hadnt seen her since a video conversation that Easter. Adam Montgomery and her stepmother, Kayla Montgomery, pleaded not guilty on charges related to her wellbeing. They remain in jail. A message seeking comment on the report was left with Adam Montgomerys lawyer.

Investigators have narrowed the window for her disappearance to 13 days in late 2019, coinciding with the eviction of her father and stepmother and witness accounts of the family living in cars.

Harmony Montgomery was born in Massachusetts in 2014 to unmarried parents who were no longer together and had a history of substance abuse, according to the report by the independent agency. Her father was in prison when she was born.

She is blind in one eye and has behavioral needs, and was in the custody of child protective services in Massachusetts since she was 2 months old. She was moved between the homes of her mother and her foster parents multiple times, the report said, causing significant trauma and harm.

Harmony wasnt made a priority in her own legal case, the report said, with neither the judge nor the attorneys putting her medical, behavioral and educational needs or safety at the forefront of custody discussions. The report also said they did not enforce requirements that govern the placement of children from one state into another.

With the exception of the attorneys for Massachusetts child services, all of the other attorneys in the case did not object to Harmony being returned to her father without a home study and didnt have objections to the fact that he had never had an overnight visit with her that we are aware of, Mossaides said. She said the child services attorney did not make a strong enough case, though, and was hampered by the inability to effectively assess Montgomery.

Massachusetts Department of Children and Families released a statement Wednesday saying it remains deeply concerned about Harmonys disappearance and agrees with the child advocate office that children's safety should be the priority not only of DCF but of all the participants in our child protection system.

As the OCA report states, the Department continues to make meaningful and lasting reforms, the statement said.

According to the report, Massachusetts' child services department had focused primarily on Harmonys mother, Crystal Sorey. Harmony was removed from her care several times and sent to live with a foster family. The report said that although Adam Montgomery was non-responsive for long periods of time, during the times when he appeared to be in communication with the DCF case management team, they were not able to engage him, except to facilitate his supervised visits with Harmony.

Soreys lawyer, Rus Rilee, said in a statement Wednesday that despite the admitted failures in the Massachusetts report, the ultimate responsibility for Harmonys disappearance falls on New Hampshires Division for Children, Youth and Families for failing to remove Harmony from her fathers care and custody after reports that he physically abused her, for which he has been arrested.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  A Chicago man who was pardoned after spending more than seven years in prison for an armed robbery he didn't commit has reached a $7.5 million settlement with a northern Indiana city and former police officers, his attorney and a city spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Keith Cooper's attorney, Elliot Slosar, said it is the largest wrongful conviction settlement in Indiana history and that his lawsuit exposed the systemic pattern of police and prosecutorial misconduct that exists in Elkhart, Indiana."

Mr. Coopers wrongful conviction did not happen by accident nor was it an aberration," he added in a news release.

Corinne Straight, Elkharts director of communications, confirmed the $7.5 million settlement, the details of which were not specified in a notice lawyers for the plaintiffs and defendants filed Tuesday in a South Bend federal court.

Straight said city officials hope the settlement brings to a conclusion the obvious injustice that has been rendered to Mr. Cooper.

On behalf of the entire city of Elkhart, to Mr. Cooper and his family, we regret the suffering you have experienced, she said in a statement.

Cooper was pardoned in February 2017 by Gov. Eric Holcomb, who said he believed Cooper had been wrongly convicted in a 1996 armed robbery in Elkhart during which a teenager was shot and wounded. Holcomb cited the state parole boards support for the pardon, along with the backing of the prosecutor and witnesses in the case.

Cooper was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the robbery, but advances in DNA testing and a nationwide offender database excluded him as the attacker and identified another person.

The Indiana Court of Appeals overturned his co-defendants conviction in 2005, and Cooper was given the choice of being released with a felony record or facing a new trial before the same judge who convicted him. He elected to be released in 2006.

Coopers pardon by Holcomb was followed in March 2017 by a judges approval of the expungement of his armed robbery conviction.

Cooper had sought a pardon since 2009 and the deputy prosecutor who handled his trial asked then-Gov. Mike Pence in 2015 to approve the pardon to remove the felony conviction.

But Pences general counsel notified Slosar in September 2016, two months after Pence became Donald Trumps vice presidential running mate, that he believed Cooper needed to first exhaust all his options in court for having the conviction overturned before a pardon would be considered.

Cooper sued Elkhart, its then-police chief and three officers in November 2017, alleging that the officers framed him for the crime and nearly destroyed his life." Two of those officers are no longer Elkhart officers and the third is dead, Slosar said.

At the time of his arrest, Cooper had no criminal convictions, was a married father of three and was employed and providing for his family, according to his suit. But after he was wrongfully incarcerated, his wife was forced to sell their belongings and had to live in shelters to survive, it states.

Cooper, 54, said during a news conference in Chicago that he hopes the settlement will build a better tomorrow for me and my family.

Theres no amount of money that can get back the time I lost, he said.

Coopers lawsuit accused the Elkhart Police Department of employing a routine practice of pursuing wrongful convictions through reckless and profoundly flawed investigations that included false evidence and reports and coerced evidence.

Straight said Wednesday that Elkhart's current administration and police leadership have set upon a path of accountability in that hopes that this kind of case will never occur again."
Connecticut will receive $1.2 million as part of a nationwide settlement with Intuit, the company that operates the TurboTax tax-filing software, state Attorney General William Tongs office announced Wednesday.

The payout is part of a national $141 million between Intuit and all 50 states, over allegations the company directed users eligible for a free version of the tax filing software to one that was marketed as free, but actually ended up charging a fee.

TurboTax marketed their services as free, free, free, but what they really meant was fee, fee, fee. More than 40,000 Connecticut consumers were tricked into paying for these supposedly free tax services, Tong said in a statement. Our agreement forces TurboTax to pay back $141 million in restitution nationwide  including $1.2 million to Connecticut consumers.

Tong said residents who are eligible for restitution dont need to take action, and will receive a check in the mail for $29.64.

Intuit is pleased to have reached a resolution with the state attorneys general that will ensure the company can return our focus to providing vital services to American taxpayers today and in the future, said Kerry McLean, Intuits executive vice president and general counsel, in a statement. Intuit is clear and fair with its customers, including with the nearly 100 million Americans who filed their taxes free of charge with our products over the last 8 years  more than all other tax prep software companies combined. In coming to a resolution on this matter, we admitted no wrongdoing and are pleased to be able to continue our strong partnership with governments to best serve the needs of taxpayers across the country.

Tongs office said the investigation into the companys practices began after reporting by ProPublica revealed the companys practices led consumers away from a free filing option, available on the IRS website, to a commercial version of its software.

Intuit has offered two free versions of TurboTax. One was through its participation in the IRS Free File Program, a public-private partnership with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which allows taxpayers earning roughly $34,000 and members of the military to file their taxes for free, Tongs office said. In exchange for participating in the program, the IRS agreed not to compete with Intuit and other tax-prep companies by providing its own electronic tax preparation and filing services to American taxpayers.

But Tongs office alleges the company heavily advertised a freemium version of their software called TurboTax Free Edition, which in practice was only free for a small number of users, about a third of U.S. taxpayers, Tongs office said, compared to 70 percent who are eligible for the free file program.

Intuit withdrew from the free file program last year.

In addition to the settlement, Tongs office said Intuit also agreed to change its business practices, including to how it markets free products, and a practice that required users to restart their tax filings if they exited a paid program to use a free product instead.
Children who begin identifying as transgender at a young age tend to retain that identity at least for several years, a study published Wednesday suggests.

The research involved 317 youngsters who were 3 to 12 years old when they were recruited to the study. Five years later, at the studys end, 94% were living as transgender and almost two-thirds were using either puberty-blocking medication or sex hormones to medically transition.

Most children in the study were from white, high-income families who supported their transitions. On average, the kids began identifying as transgender at around age 6.

Its unknown whether similar results would be found among youngsters from less advantaged backgrounds or those who begin identifying as transgender as teenagers. The study was published online in Pediatrics.

Politicians seeking to outlaw or criminalize medical treatment for transgender youth have cited evidence suggesting many change children their minds or retransition.

Some doctors say that's why transgender medication or surgery shouldn't be offered until affected kids reach adulthood, but rigorous research on the numbers is lacking. The Pediatrics study is one of the largest to look at the issue, although not all kids had started treatment and none had transgender surgery.

The study is incredibly timely  and sorely needed, said Coleen Williams, a psychologist who works with Boston Childrens Hospitals Gender Multispecialty Service, a clinic that treats transgender kids.

If youre in the trenches doing this work day-in and day-out with trans kiddos and their families, this is what we see, said Williams, who was not involved in the study. A majority of transgender youth and kids who make a social transition remain living in their affirmed gender.

Families were recruited to participate in the study from social media groups for trans kids, camps, conferences and word of mouth in about 40 states.

Kristina Olson, a Princeton University psychologist who led the study, said a few of the children transitioned back briefly during the study but by the end, most had returned to a transgender identity.

It suggests that our model of thinking about people as theyre either X or Y, theyre either cisgender or transgender  is kind of an antiquated way of thinking about gender," Olson said.

She noted that when the study began, in 2013, nonbinary wasnt a common term and the children studied used male or female pronouns. That may change as the researchers follow them through their teen years. The youngsters were around age 12 on average when the study ended.

The Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine, a nonprofit group of health professionals who are concerned about medical transition risks for minors, said other evidence shows high numbers of kids outgrow transgender identities by puberty or adulthood. Some researchers point to flaws in that data.

Dr. William Malone, an advisor to the group, said the new study appears to reinforce concerns that early social gender transition may cement a young persons transgender identity, and lead minors on the path to eventual medicalization, with all its inherent risks and uncertainties.

___

Follow AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner at @LindseyTanner.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP)  A former Fort Worth police officer will face his murder trial next month in the city where he fatally shot a Black woman through a window of her home in 2019, a Texas judge ruled Wednesday.

Judge David Hagerman denied a motion by the lawyers for Aaron Dean, who were seeking to move his trial for the killing of Atatiana Jefferson to another county because of media coverage that they claimed had tainted the jury pool against the 37-year-old. But he agreed to their request to postpone the case, moving it back a month.

The decision means Dean will go on trial in June a few miles from where he shot Jefferson through a rear window while responding to a call about the front door being open. The 28-year-old Black woman's killing shattered already fragile relations between the city's police department and its Black community.

After nearly three days of hearings, Hagerman ruled that news coverage about the shooting had not been inflammatory and that Dean's case will proceed in Tarrant County, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Dallas, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Dean's trial has been delayed for years as the COVID-19 pandemic ground courts across the country to a standstill. It had been set to begin on May 16, but the former officer's lawyers asked for further delay Wednesday because one of them is in poor heath.

Hagerman set the trial for June 23 and said it will proceed with or without the attorney, KXAS-TV reported.

Dean resigned after he was charged with murder in Jefferson's Oct. 12, 2019, death.

Jefferson was watching her 8-year-old nephew when a neighbor called a nonemergency police line to report that a door was ajar. Police have said that Dean opened fire from outside through a window after perceiving a threat.

Hagerman has issued a gag order has been issued that prevents prosecutors and defense attorneys from speaking publicly about the case.
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SALTA, Argentina (AP)  Feminist groups have rallied to the support of 18 cloistered Carmelite nuns who have filed an unusual complaint of gender violence against the local Catholic archbishop.

Dozens of activists gathered Tuesday in the esplanade of the Convent of St. Bernard in Salta, some 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) northwest of Buenos Aires.

The nuns, members of the Discalced Carmelites order, have filed a complaint with a local court accusing Salta Archbishop Mario Antonio Cargnello, Bishop emeritus Martin de Elizalde and vicar Lucio Ajalla of physical, psychological and economic violence.

The archbishop has denied the accusations and the position of the other two is unclear because they have not given statements or officially named attorneys.

Elizalde had been designated by the Vatican to hear the nuns' complaints, but they complain he had accepted the behavior they denounced.

Protesters carried posters reading Sister, We Believe You and Enough of Violent Priests! The woman joined hands and spread out around the historic structure in a symbolic hug.

Sometimes one thinks that the sisters are in harmony, in a contemplative live, but the violence of the church itself has made them say, enough!" said Irene Cari of the Forum of Women for Equal Opportunities, one of several groups that participated in the demonstration.

The cloistered nuns have long been at odds with Cargnello over their support for a local woman who professes to have seen visions of the Virgin Mary that he does not accept.

Attorneys for the nuns say the archbishop was upset when an image of the Madonna del Cerro was placed at the funeral of a nun in 2020 and that Ajalla lunged at a nun to stop her filming the scene. They say the archbishop himself, as well as Ajalla, hit the prioress' arm when she recovered the device used to film.

The attorneys say there were other threats and aggressions but did not detail them, citing a court gag order. The archbishops defense says the problem is rooted in economic issues and the administration of the Carmelite properties.
WASHINGTON (AP)  When the Supreme Court heard arguments in a major abortion case from Mississippi in December, it was clear to observers that there was substantial support among the court's conservative majority for overruling two landmark decisions that established and reaffirmed a womans right to an abortion.

So when a draft of the opinion in the case written by Justice Samuel Alito was leaked late Monday the potential outcome  the overruling of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey  was not the surprise. It was that the draft was leaked at all.

Even before arguments in the current case, however, the justices themselves have had a lot to say about abortion over the years  in opinions, votes, Senate confirmation testimony and elsewhere. One justice, Clarence Thomas, has openly called for overruling Roe and Casey.

A sampling of their comments:

CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS

Roberts voted to uphold restrictions in two major abortion cases, in the majority in 2007 to uphold a ban on a method of abortion opponents call partial-birth abortion and in dissent in 2016 when the court struck down Texas restrictions on abortion clinics in a case called Whole Womans Health. But when a virtually identical law from Louisiana came before the court in 2020, Roberts voted against it and wrote the opinion controlling the outcome of the case and striking down the Louisiana law. The chief justice said he continues to believe that the 2016 case was wrongly decided but that the question was "whether to adhere to it in deciding the present case.

Roberts views on when to break with court precedent could determine how far he is willing to go in the Mississippi case. At his 2005 confirmation hearing, he said overturning precedent is a jolt to the legal system, which depends in part on stability and evenhandedness. Thinking that an earlier case was wrongly decided is not enough, he said. Overturning a case requires looking "at these other factors, like settled expectations, like the legitimacy of the Court, like whether a particular precedent is workable or not, whether a precedent has been eroded by subsequent developments, Roberts said then.

In the same hearing, Roberts was asked to explain his presence on a legal brief filed by the George H.W. Bush administration that said Roes conclusion that there is a right to abortion has no support in the text, structure, or history of the Constitution. Roberts responded that the brief reflected the administration's views.

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS

Thomas voted to overturn Roe in 1992, in his first term on the court, when he was a dissenter in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. He has repeatedly called for Roe and Casey to be overturned since.

In 2000, he wrote in dissent when the court struck down Nebraskas ban on partial-birth abortion. Recounting the courts decision in Roe, he wrote, In 1973, this Court struck down an Act of the Texas Legislature that had been in effect since 1857, thereby rendering unconstitutional abortion statutes in dozens of States. As some of my colleagues on the Court, past and present, ably demonstrated, that decision was grievously wrong. Abortion is a unique act, in which a womans exercise of control over her own body ends, depending on ones view, human life or potential human life. Nothing in our Federal Constitution deprives the people of this country of the right to determine whether the consequences of abortion to the fetus and to society outweigh the burden of an unwanted pregnancy on the mother. Although a State may permit abortion, nothing in the Constitution dictates that a State must do so.

JUSTICE STEPHEN BREYER

Breyer has been the lead author of two court majorities in defense of abortion rights, in 2000 and 2016. He has never voted to sustain an abortion restriction, but he has acknowledged the controversy over abortion.

Millions of Americans believe that an abortion is akin to causing the death of an innocent child," while millions of others fear that a law that forbids abortion would condemn many American women to lives that lack dignity, he wrote in the Nebraska case 21 years ago, calling those views virtually irreconcilable. Still, Breyer wrote, because the Constitution guarantees fundamental individual liberty and has to govern even when there are strong divisions in the country, "this Court, in the course of a generation, has determined and then redetermined that the Constitution offers basic protection to the womans right to choose."

JUSTICE SAMUEL ALITO

Alito has a long track record of votes and writings opposing abortion rights, as a jurist and, earlier, a government lawyer.

Alito has voted to uphold every abortion law the court has considered since his 2006 confirmation, joining a majority to uphold the federal partial-birth abortion law and dissenting in the 2016 and 2020 cases.

As a federal appeals court judge, he voted to uphold a series of Pennsylvania abortion restrictions, including requiring a woman to notify her spouse before obtaining an abortion. The Supreme Court ultimately struck down the notification rule in Casey and reaffirmed the abortion right in 1992 by a 5-4 vote.

Working for the Reagan administration in 1985, Alito wrote in a memo that the government should say publicly in a pending abortion case that we disagree with Roe v. Wade." Around the same time, applying for a promotion, Alito noted he was particularly proud" of his work arguing "that the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion.

JUSTICE SONIA SOTOMAYOR

Sotomayor joined the court in 2009 with virtually no record on abortion issues, but has voted repeatedly in favor of abortion rights since then. Recently, when the court allowed Texas restrictive abortion law to take effect, Sotomayor accused her colleagues of burying their heads in the sand. She was in the majority in the Texas and Louisiana abortion clinic cases.

Sotomayors displeasure with the court's recent Texas ruling was evident at a virtual appearance she made. I cant change Texas law, but you can, she said.

JUSTICE ELENA KAGAN

Kagan also has repeatedly voted in favor of abortion rights in more than 11 years as a justice. She is also arguably the most consistent voice on the court arguing for the importance of adhering to precedents and can be expected to try to persuade her colleagues not to jettison constitutional protections for abortion.

Kagan was in the majority when the court struck down the Texas and Louisiana restrictions on abortion clinics. More recently, Kagan called Texas' new abortion law "patently unconstitutional and a clear, and indeed undisputed, conflict with Roe and Casey.

Kagan had already grappled with the issue of abortion before becoming a justice. While working in the Clinton White House she was the co-author of a memo that urged the president for political reasons to support a late-term abortion ban proposed by Republicans in Congress, so long as it contained an exception for the health of the woman. Ultimately, President George W. Bush signed a similar late-term abortion ban without a health exception. The Supreme Court upheld it.

JUSTICE NEIL GORSUCH

Gorsuch has perhaps the shortest record on abortion among the nine justices. He was in the majority allowing Texas restrictive abortion law to take effect. In dissent in 2020, he would have upheld Louisianas abortion clinic restrictions. As an appeals court judge before joining the Supreme Court in 2017, Gorsuch dissented when his colleagues declined to reconsider a ruling that blocked then-Utah Gov. Gary Herbert from cutting off funding for the state branch of Planned Parenthood. But Gorsuch insisted at his Senate confirmation hearing that he was concerned about procedural issues, not the subject matter. I do not care if the case is about abortion or widgets or anything else, he said.

JUSTICE BRETT KAVANAUGH

Kavanaughs name was added to President Donald Trumps shortlist of Supreme Court candidates shortly after he sided with the administration in a 2017 case involving abortion. Trump chose him for the court the following year. As a justice, Kavanaugh dissented from the Louisiana decision and voted to allow the new Texas law to take effect, though he has taken a less absolutist stance than some of his conservative colleagues. In the Louisiana case, for example, Kavanaugh wrote that more information was needed about how the state's restrictions on clinics would affect doctors who provide abortions and seemed to suggest his vote could change knowing that information.

Kavanaughs most extensive writing on abortion came while he was a judge on the federal appeals court in Washington. The Trump administration had appealed a lower court ruling ordering it to allow a pregnant 17-year-old immigrant in its custody to get an abortion. The administrations policy was to decline to help those minors get abortions while in custody.

Kavanaugh was on a three-judge panel that postponed the abortion, arguing that officials should be given a limited window to transfer the minor out of government custody to the care of a sponsor. She could then obtain an abortion without the governments assistance. The full appeals court later reversed the decision and the teenager obtained an abortion. Kavanaugh called that decision out-of-step with the "many majority opinions of the Supreme Court that have repeatedly upheld reasonable regulations that do not impose an undue burden on the abortion right recognized by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade."

Kavanaugh was criticized by some conservatives for not going as far as a colleague, Judge Karen Henderson, who stated unambiguously that an immigrant in the U.S. illegally has no right to an abortion. At his appeals court confirmation hearing, Kavanaugh dodged questions on his own personal beliefs on Roe v. Wade.

Kavanaugh voted to allow the Texas law to go into effect in September, but during oral arguments in November he appeared to have doubts about its novel structure and whether it would lead to a spate of copycat laws on abortion and other rights protected by the Constitution.

JUSTICE AMY CONEY BARRETT

Barretts one public vote on the Supreme Court concerning abortion was to allow the Texas fetal heartbeat law to take effect. She also cast two votes as an appeals court judge to reconsider rulings that blocked Indiana abortion restrictions.

In 2016, shortly before the election that would put Trump in office, she commented about how she thought abortion law might change if Trump had the chance to appoint justices. I ... dont think the core case  Roes core holding that, you know, women have a right to an abortion  I dont think that would change, said Barrett, then a Notre Dame law professor. She said limits on what she called very late-term abortions and restrictions on abortion clinics would be more likely to be upheld.

Barrett also has a long record of personal opposition to abortion rights, co-authoring a 1998 law review article that said abortion is always immoral. At her 2017 hearing to be an appeals court judge, Barrett said in written testimony, If I am confirmed, my views on this or any other question will have no bearing on the discharge of my duties as a judge.

Although Barrett allowed the Texas law to take effect, she joined Kavanaugh during oral arguments in raising skeptical questions about its structure, asking about provisions of the law that force providers to fight lawsuits one by one and, she said, dont allow their constitutional rights to be fully aired.

___

A version of this story was previously published on Nov. 29, 2021.
Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media

A New Haven man was sentenced to more than two years in prison Tuesday for illegally having an unregistered, sawed-off rifle, according to federal prosecutors.

On Aug. 26, 2020, federal task force and New Haven Police officers searched the home of Angel Rodriguez-Mendez, now 25, in New Haven. There, they found a loaded, sawed-off rifle without a serial number, a shotgun with a barrel of less than 18 inches. They also discovered a loaded handgun, ammunition, 37 wax folds containing a mix of heroin and cocaine, and about 74 grams of cocaine, according to court documents.
SMITHFIELD, N.C. (AP)  A North Carolina man is facing murder and abuse charges after his 3-month-old son died this week. a sheriff's office said.

The Johnston County Sheriffs Office said Andrew Chance Weckesser, 27, was charged on Wednesday with murder for the death of his son, who died on Tuesday from his injuries, news outlets reported.
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Getting a dog made all the difference for Leigh Ann Carmona Diaz.

Sophie, Carmona Diazs Miniature Pinscher, has helped her cope with the death of her brother, she said.

But Carmona Diaz does not think she would have been able to maintain Sophies care if not for the Senior Paw Project, a program that aims to keep pets with their owners by providing food and veterinary services.

An initiative of the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation, an animal sanctuary based in Newtown, the project serves elderly persons as well as people with disabilities. It has been ongoing for several years but recently expanded to New Haven and other municipalities, according to the foundation.

A Danbury resident, 57-year-old Carmona Diaz lives in housing dedicated to senior citizens and people with disabilities, she said.

She adopted Sophie a couple of years ago, as she was facing a significant trauma following the death of her brother.

I was very depressed with the loss of my brother and almost losing my mom, Carmona Diaz said. This dog has been everything to me, and I dont know where Id be without her.

But circumstances make it difficult for Carmona Diaz to care for Sophie on her own. She has various disabilities, including trouble with her legs, she said.

Thats where the Senior Paw Project comes in.

Its been an absolute godsend I would say, because without them I dont know what I would do being on a fixed income having a pet, Carmona Diaz said.

As of last month, the Senior Paw Project served 27 towns, up from 16 at the start of the year, according to Jenny Hubbard, the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundations executive director.

The organization was founded to honor Hubbards daughter, Catherine, who was killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings.

She was 6 years old.

We are honoring Catherines commitment to all animals. She just loved them. She loved all creatures, Hubbard said. The sanctuary honors that  by honoring the human-animal bond.

At the time of Catherines death, the family had a yellow lab they called Sammy Girl. Though Sammy Girl was aging and had arthritis, none of that showed when Catherines school bus arrived each afternoon.

By the time Catherine would make her way up the street Sammy would have managed to hop up and youd never know that Sammy had arthritis, Hubbard said.

As coincidence would have it, another Labrador retriever inspired the Senior Paw Project. Hubbard recalled meeting the dog during a visit to a shelter in Ithaca, N.Y.

There was this beautiful lab that was so sad and left in one of the cages, and this dog haunted me for weeks and weeks, she said. (The dog) was surrendered by a senior who couldnt care for (the dog) anymore.

Thats how the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation began thinking about how to become a stop gap for seniors thinking about having to surrender their dogs.

We have a mobile vet that we work with, and what weve found is that a lot of older adults in these communities are foregoing wellness care for their pets, either because financially they cant afford it or they have mobility issues, she said.

A big limitation is just physical ability to bring a pet to a hospital as well as, you know, financial limitations, said Emily Andersen, a veterinarian with a mobile practice.

Though veterinarian Nicole Sabo provides most of the Senior Paw Projects services, Andersen said, she helps when Sabo cannot.

Pets and (the) human-animal bond is really important in our culture and in our lives, she said. When people cant do well by their pets, its very demoralizing.

For some Paw Project clients, their pet is their only companion, Hubbard said. She remembered one senior who reported forgoing needed groceries in order to afford pet food.

The Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation provides pet food, medication and veterinary care, according to Hubbard. The organization works directly with social services and residence directors to identify residents needs, she said.

Whenever Sophie needs to be seen by a vet, the foundation immediately sets up an appointment, according to Carmona Diaz, who said there are several other Paw Project clients in her complex.

Without the initiative, they wouldnt have a comfort or a service dog, she said. This organization is really helping a lot of people and I hope that it continues to be able to do that.

The Senior Paw Project currently serves more than 300 clients, Hubbard said.

It is made possible by donations and grants, she said. Those wishing to contribute can visit cvhfoundation.org.

meghan.friedmann@hearstmediact.com
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  A man suspected of leading police on a chase in two states has been fatally shot by officers, police said.

Mekiah Harris, 26, of Kansas City, Kansas, was killed in the shooting Tuesday night near Platte City, Missouri, police said
Ekiti Governor Kayode Fayemi is continuing his visits to All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains as he joins the 2023 presidential race. ...

Ekiti Governor Kayode Fayemi is continuing his visits to All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains as he joins the 2023 presidential race.

The governor gave an update in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

Fayemi announced that he met with Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and Nasarawa Governor Abdullahi Sule on Tuesday.

The Ekiti helmsman said the parleys were for further consultations regarding the APC Presidential Primary election.

Fayemi also met former Benue Governor and Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume.

The meetings provided an avenue to listen to and exchange ideas on the best approaches to advance the frontiers of the national agenda, he noted.

Fayemi added that they also discussed ways to re-engineer Nigerias governance system and its responsive capacity to issues of national co-existence.
Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, on Wednesday, formally declared his presidential ambition on the platform of the All Progressives ...

Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, on Wednesday, formally declared his presidential ambition on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.

While declaring his ambition in Abuja, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum listed some challenges he intends to fix if he becomes the president of the country in 2023.

13 aspirants have so far joined the APC presidential race. Some of them are Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and Senator Rochas Okorocha.

Others are Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige; Minister of State for Education, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajuba; Governor David Umuahi of Ebonyi State; Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, and former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole.





The Ekiti State governor explained that he wants to be a president to ensure peace, and secure a future for Nigerias children.

Fayemi also said he has enough public service experience to pilot the affairs of Nigeria.

He said, Beyond my early forays into the public sphere as a student leader, my abiding faith in the oneness of our country has been further reinforced by all my subsequent engagements in national affairs as a scholar, civil society voice and institution-builder, community and political organiser with an unapologetic pan-Nigerian and pan-African outlook, tireless advocate for human rights and democratic governance, two-term governor, federal minister, a founding Coordinator of the Progressive Governors Forum, and two-term Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum.

Here then is my motivating testament and confession: I am a patriot born in these climes in the course of the first decade of our countrys independence, and I stake a bold claim to say that I am a full-blooded child of Nigeria. I grew up as did many of my generation socialised into the ideals of a united and virile nation. In my lifetime, I have witnessed some heart-warming moments of nation- and state-building that would make any citizen anywhere immeasurably proud.

But I have also seen some truly challenging days in our journey of nationhood which have tested our collective resolve and demanded the exercise of considerable political savvy by our leaders over the years. I have taken as a key lesson from the admixture of high and low points we have experienced as a country that when and where we are charitable to one another and allow our shared humanity, innate spirit of solidarity, hard work, perseverance and underlying patriotism to prevail, we always succeed in overcoming and thriving through adversity.

Hope such as I offer with my candidature is premised on a shared vision on which we can all agree, and for which we collectively strive, of a nation that is more confidently and uncompromisingly at one with itself, serving as home for all of us regardless of ethnicity, class, gender, age, disability, region or religion.

The promises

Fayemi promised that he would in the course of this campaign adhere to the highest standards of decorum, decency, and respect that Nigerians expect of their leaders.

He pledged to bring to full fruition his promises to the pride of all Nigerians and the admiration of the world.

Some of the promises he made are:

 To give full effect to this, concrete programmes of action will be launched in priority areas that will allow for a revamping of the credibility of the Nigerian state, the promotion and fulfillment of an enhanced social contract, and the rebirth of the national identity.

 Programmatically, as the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress, I will be leading the implementation of a holistic and integrated response to the multifaceted security crises confronting us. To this end, the retooling of our armed forces, intelligence agencies, and border guards will be pursued in tandem with an overhaul of our policing system and the phasing in of bold universal social policies that will enable us decisively tackle poverty and upgrade human capital and security.

 The adoption of broad socio-economic measures that enhance our capacity to fight insecurity must be done at the same time as investments in reinforcing the deterrent capacity of the state through its armed forces, security agencies, and policing authorities. Authority and legitimacy coupled with deterrence and rapid response go hand in hand, just as we must better design and interface economic policies with broad social objectives and goals of political inclusivity towards a well-defined outcome, namely, sustained peace, stability, and progress of our country.

 Let there be no doubt: For the economy to serve broader social and political purposes that enhance human and state security, stem poverty, and promote national prosperity, my agenda for Nigeria encompasses attention to questions of productivity, diversification, domestic value addition, investments in and incentives for research, development, and innovation, and the expansion of domestic revenue mobilisation, among others.

 Considerable work is already ongoing on the upgrading and expansion of our infrastructure and one of my prime objectives would be to accelerate this both through public investments and partnerships with the private sector whilst simultaneously ensuring that we enforce accountability and get much greater value for money.

 By the same token, a major rescue and investment programme for the education sector, the health system, the civil service, and the local government system will be launched to re-orient each of them for the task of overall national development, and progress and prosperity.

 I fully understand that we cannot secure our prosperity without ensuring that our agricultural sector is able to deliver self-sufficiency in critical food markets, feed our efforts at agro-allied industrialisation and thus meaningfully enable the transformation of the unemployed into gainful employment, reinvigorate the rural areas, foster the coordinated expansion of commodity exchanges, and boost the flow of foreign exchange into the economy.

 No vision of national prosperity however impeccable or programme of national transformation however comprehensive can deliver the outcomes desired without attention to the planning system of government writ large. We must build on recent successes in restoring our national planning system and statistical capacity in order to open new, forward-looking approaches to development management that is research and data-driven.

 As part of this commitment, a holistic approach to decentralisation will be embraced and institutionalised so that government and its services are brought closer to the people. Our programme of decentralisation will also feed into the goals of a stronger, more united, and stable Nigeria, outcomes which are not only good for our domestic prospects but which will also benefit West Africa, the rest of the African continent, and a troubled international multilateral system.
Abidemi Rufai, suspended aide of Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun, has pleaded guilty in a US district court in Tacoma to wire fraud and agg...

Abidemi Rufai, suspended aide of Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun, has pleaded guilty in a US district court in Tacoma to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Rufai was arrested at New Yorks JFK Airport on his way to Nigeria in May, 2021.

In a statement on Tuesday, the US department of justice said Rufai admitted using stolen identities to receive thousands of dollars in pandemic-related unemployment benefits.

He was also admitted to have since 2017 obtained identifying information for more than 20,000 Americans, submitted $2 million in claims for disaster relief and other federal benefits, and received more than $600,000,





The largest amount of fraud was committed against the Washington state employment security department, which paid out $350,763 in fraudulent pandemic unemployment claims to accounts controlled by Rufai.

Rufai was also said to have submitted fraudulent pandemic unemployment claims in at least 17 other states including Hawaii, Wyoming, Massachusetts, Montana, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Rufai also defrauded the Small Business Administration (SBA) by attempting to obtain Economic Injury Disaster loans (EIDL) tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. Between April 8, 2020, and June 26, 2020, he submitted 19 fraudulent EIDL applications. SBA paid out $10,000 based on the applications, the statement reads.

Between 2017 and 2020, Rufai attempted to obtain more than $1.7 million in IRS tax refunds by submitting 675 false claims. The IRS paid out $90,877 on these claims.

Rufais efforts to enrich himself with false disaster claims did not start with COVID-19. In September and October 2017, he submitted 49 disaster relief claims connected to Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma. He filed $24,500 in false claims and was paid on 13 claims totaling $6,500.

The US authorities said Rufai has agreed to make full restitution to the defrauded agencies.

Rufai faces up to 32 years in prison for wire fraud related to a presidentially declared disaster and aggravated identity theft but the US justice department said prosecutors have agreed to recommend no more than 71 months in prison.

It, however, added that the recommendation is not binding on Benjamin Settle, US district judge, who will determine the appropriate sentence on August 15, 2022, after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, says comprehensive, simultaneous efforts by the security agencies can rid the north-west and n...

Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, says comprehensive, simultaneous efforts by the security agencies can rid the north-west and north-central of terrorism.

The governor said some communities in his state celebrated Eid-el-Fitr in fear due to the lingering security crisis.

The governor spoke on Tuesday at an event organsied by the Zazzau emirate council.

El-Rufai said the state government continues to seek support from federal security agencies to tackle the rising terrorist attacks.

The governor said he is convinced that comprehensive, simultaneous military and security operation in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Plateau and Niger states is vital to stopping the terrorists and reasserting the authority of the Nigerian state in the ungoverned spaces.

Citizens in some of our communities fasted and worshipped amidst lingering fears and anxiety about their security. The Kaduna state government continues to do everything it can to mobilise and support the federal security agencies to defeat the terrorists and criminals that menace our people, he added.

It is a matter of regret that the necessary follow up operations were not sustained by the security agencies.





We created a specialised Ministry of Internal Security, and we continue to support the federal security agencies with logistics and other resources. We are engaging the highest echelons of government and the security structure on resolute action to protect the lives, liberty and livelihoods of our people.

The governor said the criminal elements behind the unrest in the state are being assisted by a network of informants in many communities.

He appealed to the traditional institutions to mobilise their networks to expose criminals and support the security forces with the necessary intelligence.
No less than 10 bandits were killed by security operatives during an attempt to disrupt the Eid-el-Fitr celebration in Rafi LGA of Niger s...

No less than 10 bandits were killed by security operatives during an attempt to disrupt the Eid-el-Fitr celebration in Rafi LGA of Niger state.

Emmanuel Umar, the commissioner for local government, chieftaincy affairs and internal security, confirmed the incident on Tuesday.

Recently, cases of attacks and kidnapping have heightened across many communities in Niger, with residents forced to relocate in search of safety.

According to Umar, the gunmen attacked Kawo and Uregi villages on Monday.

He said operatives of the joint security task force rescued 14 kidnapped victims and recovered seven motorcycles from the gunmen.

On 02/05/2022 at about 1700hrs, armed bandits on motorcycles attempted to attack Kawo, Uregi villages in Rafi LGA to disrupt Sallah celebration in the state, he said.

On the receipt of this information, joint security tactical teams responded swiftly and mobilised to the area where the hoodlums were engaged around Uregi, Kiribo villages and as a result, about ten among bandits were neutralised, 14 kidnapped citizens rescued and seven motorcycles recovered with arms from them.

Abubakar Bello, governor of Niger, commended the security operatives, including the local vigilante members, for their efforts towards ensuring the safety of citizens of the state.

The governor appreciates this uncommon sacrifice and encouraged the security agencies not to relent in their efforts towards mitigating against terrorism/banditry and other criminality in the state, he added.

He urged the citizens to continue to support the security agencies to encourage them in the fight against insecurity in the state.

He added that the government is committed to restoring peace in all banditry affected communities in the state.
Victor Oshioke, media aide to Adams Oshiomhole, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says his principal will a...

Victor Oshioke, media aide to Adams Oshiomhole, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says his principal will announce his intention to contest the presidency on Wednesday.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Oshioke said the former Edo governor will make an official declaration at 3pm at the Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts and Culture in Abuja.

He added that the event was scheduled to hold on an earlier date, but was later postponed for further consultations.

The formal declaration of Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole to contest for the office of President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, in the 2023 general election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress which was postponed has now been rescheduled, after extensive consultations, the statement reads.

We apologise for the short notice and hope that your love for Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole will motivate you to attend, irrespective of any unforeseen constraints.

The development comes weeks after Oshiomhole declared his interest in contesting for a seat in the senate.

Speaking at an event to mark his birthday in April, Oshiomhole had expressed his intention to represent Edo north in the upper legislative chamber in the 2023 polls.

Meanwhile, Francis Alimikhena, the senator currently representing the constituency, has purchased his nomination and expression of interest forms to contest for the senate seat in the 2023 general election.
The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has denied knowledge or support of a banner supporting the presidential declarat...





The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has denied knowledge or support of a banner supporting the presidential declaration of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio at the Ikot Ekpene township stadium.





The PDP said the banner was the handiwork of mischief makers aimed at smearing the pristine image of the party.





A banner of the PDP was seen hanging conspicuously in solidarity with the presidential aspiration of Akpabio who is declaring under the platform of the All Progressives Congress





The banner tagged, Peoples Democratic Party, Akwa Ibom State Chapter in support of His Excellency, Chief Dr Godswill Akpabio for President in 2023, was erected at Ikot Ekpene Township Stadium, the venue of the Ministers presidential declaration.





The controversy was anchored on the fact that the State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel who is a PDP stalwart, has already thrown his hat in the ring for the presidential race in 2023.





Reacting to the banner, however, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Borono Bassey in a statement on Wednesday, said mischief-makers were out to use the name of the PDP to score cheap political points.





The PDP spokesman wondered why the trouble makers would choose such a day to embarrass their principal by reminding him that his political aspirations amount to nothing if it is not on the platform of the only ruling in the state.





The statement reads in part We have seen a photograph of a banner with an inscription to the effect that a party with the name  People Democratic Party is in support of the presidential rally of the Minister of Niger Delta, Chief Godswill Akpabio.





Whereas the aforementioned Party does not exist as a duly registered Political Party in Nigeria and certainly not in Akwa Ibom State, we understand that the innuendo that the mischief-makers set out, but failed to achieve was to use the name of our Party  The Peoples Democratic Party to score points.





In light of this, we are moved by sympathy to wonder why Akpabios handlers chose a day like this to embarrass their principal by reminding him that any of his political aspirations will amount to nothing if such aspiration does not come on the platform of the only Party in Akwa Ibom State  the Peoples Democratic Party.





As a Party, we are glad by this overwhelming decision by Chief Akpabio and his handlers to again admit the obvious truth, that without the platform of the PDP, electoral victories in the state are impossible.





More importantly, we are motivated by the reverberating message by Akwa Ibom People that the only party they have come to accept is the Peoples Democratic Party.





Our commitment as a Party in Akwa Ibom State is to continue to stay as a platform for the emergence of leaders and representatives who offer superlative stewardship to our people.





Again, we must remind the mischief-makers and people with unrealistic political ambitions that although we will not be the ones to throw the first salvo, we will stop at nothing to visit our sledgehammer on any political fly that wants to perch on and abuse our pristine image as a Party.
His Holiness, Pope Francis, has warned Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, not to transform himself to be Russian P...





His Holiness, Pope Francis, has warned Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, not to transform himself to be Russian President Vladimir Putins altar boy amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.





The Pope also slammed Kirill for endorsing Russias stated reasons for invading Ukraine.





I spoke to him [Patriarch Kirill] for 40 minutes via Zoom, the Pope told Italian daily Corriere della Sera.





The first 20 minutes, he read to me, with a card in hand, all the justifications for war.





I listened and told him: I dont understand anything about this. Brother, we are not clerics of state, we cannot use the language of politics but that of Jesus.





The Patriarch cannot transform himself into Putins altar boy, he said.





Meanwhile, in March, Kirill said that the war between Russia and Ukraine was an extension of a fundamental culture clash between the wider Russian world and Western liberal values, exemplified by expressions of gay pride.





Both Russia and Ukraine have been fighting for over two months and many casualties have already been recorded as of today.
Researchers have found that children who were praised for their effort were more interested in pursuing harder problems, and more likely to feel they could improve, but that doesnt mean parents cant say good job to their child when they feel is warranted. Pexels
South Africa: Reconstruction projects underway in KZN

Reconstruction projects aimed at rebuilding are currently underway in parts of KwaZulu-Natal following the devastating floods that damaged infrastructure and roads across the province.

Addressing the media on the response to the floods on Tuesday, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala said that the construction of Residential Temporary Units has started.

Constructors are on site in Ilembe District in ward 11 and 12 KwaSonkombo, Ugu at Malangeni under uMdoni and at Ray Nkonyeni, Nquthu and eThekwini (Emachobeni in Inanda, Molweni)  having started on Friday in line with the commitment we made. We are finalizing the assessment of some sites in Durban in terms of their suitability for construction, Zikalala said.

The Premier said that throughout the districts and eThekwini they are clearing temporary shelters such as halls and other government buildings as they return communities to their homes or Temporary Residential Units (TRUs).

He said that those who move to the TRUs may not be back home, but in the TRUs they will find the privacy and dignity that comes with having your own space.

"As we continue with the construction of TRUs, our focus is to accommodate more than 4 396 families that are accommodated in halls, churches, schools. We are also paying special attention to those accommodated by neighbours and relatives, he said.

Zikalala said that the provincial government is encouraged by the support it is getting from the national government. He said that an integrated approach involving the three spheres of government is assisting to ensure speed and efficiency in the interventions.

Zikalala stressed that although government has reprioritized R1 billion towards disaster relief interventions, the province needs more than R1.9 billion to complete its work.

Search and Rescue efforts

The Premier has expressed gratitude to the search and rescue teams for tirelessly working to save lives and recover the bodies of those who have died during the disaster.

Zikalala said that this disaster has cost lives, taken away bread winners and wiped out entire families while destabilizing communities.

We must again give hope to the hopeless and in the process rebuild our communities on the basis of trust and a renewed commitment to a better future and a better KwaZulu-Natal, he said.

To date, the Search and Rescue Teams have attended to 542 calls and recovered 62 bodies and rescued 164 people, while 63 reported bodies are still unaccounted for or missing.

As of Tuesday, Zikalala said that 19 113 households have been affected by the disaster wherein 128 743 people were affected.

Sadly, 435 people lost their lives and to date 63 are still reported missing. A total of 6 814 people are currently homeless as a result of this disaster, he said.

Update on Funerals

Premier Zikalala said that up to 364 bodies have been identified, 412 autopsies conducted and a total of 364 bodies have been released.

The Department of Social Development, SASSA and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs are continuing with profiling, provision of psychosocial services and provision of food vouchers.

The Premier, MECs and Local Government leaders attended various burial services over the last few days and further deployment plans will be done.

In this regard we are pleased to highlight the support of the Motsepe Foundation in processing 59 out of 85 claims received with money already paid to various funeral service providers. In this regard we would like to express our appreciation that the KwaDukuza Municipality has indicated that they have already waived burial site costs for all the flood victims in their district, Zikalala said.

Further to this, he said KwaDukuza has paid R15 000 to support the burial of each of the 13 deceased who were from their municipality as per their policy.

The Premier has also expressed appreciation to Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa for his leadership of the Technical Committee which comprises religious and faith-based leaders.

The Technical Team has representatives from eThekwini municipality and the Premiers Office and includes a representative deployed by his Majesty King Misuzulu ka Zwelithini.

He added that they are also pleased that Dr Patrice Motsepe and Dr Precious Moloi- Motsepe have found time to be part of the meetings held to date.

Provincial Government will provide groceries for the affected families through up to the day of the funeral. We are engaging municipalities to waive the grave site costs for all affected families, he said.

Water and electricity

While water and electricity has been restored in many areas, some localities in both urban areas and rural areas are still experiencing irregularities or no running water.

Zikalala said that water provision continues to improve although areas such as Nagina, Clarewater, Ntshongweni, Ntshangwe and Zwelibomvu are still without water.

However, we are pleased that the repairs on the south coast pipeline have been completed, people will now be able to provide water in most areas in the south up to Umkhomazi.

Our teams have worked throughout the night to finalise repairs on the pipeline that supplies water to Prince Mshiyeni Hospital and surrounding areas. Our teams have assured us that this pipeline will be able to supply water the end of business today, he said.

Zikalala has assured those affected that government is attending to all service delivery complaints that are being reported and urged community members to be patient and desist from blockading roads as this delays the full restoration of services.

With regards to electricity, over the past few days, Zikalala said the eThekwini Municipality was able to reconnect power to numerous areas, thanking technicians who in the aftermath of the floods, have been working unceasingly.

Roads and site visits

The Premier said that they are conducting ongoing site visits to assess progress being made in returning critical infrastructure of our province back to normal.

Zikalala and team conducted a site visit to the Durban South Water Aqueduct and ended with a clean-up campaign to the Rossburgh Testing and Licensing Centre.

He said that this party of oversight and monitoring is being carried out by Members of the Executive Council together with MPLs, Mayors and Councillors through the province.

With regards to roads, Zikalala reported that the N2 in Umkhomazi and Umgababa SANRAL has commenced with temporary construction of a detour which will be within the N2 space.

This will allow flow of traffic from the south to the north which has been blocked since the flood incidence. SANRAL estimates that the construction of the detour will be complete by this coming Friday, he said.

He said that this will soon be followed by the permanent construction of the damaged roads which SANRAL will pronounce on shortly.

This work is led by a local contractor. The teams are working day and night to ensure that a project that would otherwise take months will be completed in a matter of weeks.

As the province continues with the task of rebuilding, Zikalala said that most of access is now open and traffic is flowing.

While there are still delays, he said this is temporary as teams do their best to return the province to normality.

The approach we are taking in seeking to rebuild KwaZulu-Natal after these floods is that we want projects to be completed in record time and we are pleased that the contractors and the workers are playing their part in this regard, the Premier said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-05-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
As news spread Tuesday night of a fire aboard the Steamboat Natchez, a large segment of the population suffered pangs of apprehension.

The Natchez isn't just some boat, after all. The paddlewheel steamer has been the centerpiece of the French Quarter riverfront for almost half a century, the sweet notes from its calliope floating along the Mississippi River breezes like a musical landmark.

Built in 1975 as a working replica of a 19th-century riverboat, the Natchez has carried countless sightseers on trips up and down the river. Two former riverboats carrying the name were destroyed by fire and some feared the current Natchez might join them.

Firefighters were able to bring Tuesday night's fire under control within an hour, but battling a blaze on a historic boat meant employing a different set of tactics from those used on land.

Really, really hot

The crews reported a lot of smoke, said David Castle, a chief deputy with the New Orleans Fire Department, "and the guys were saying it was really, really hot.

Fighting a vessel fire, Castle said, is a different animal, much different from a structure fire.

Every gallon of water they pour onto the blaze weighs 8 pounds, Castle said. Pumping thousands of gallons into the hull of a ship can cause the vessel to list. So you dont spray continuously, he said. Luckily, the Natchezs bilge pumps were able to keep pace.

Extremely hazardous conditions

During the Natchezs renovation, a big hole had been cut in the side of the boat to switch out the old boiler for a new one. Firefighters used the gangways to board the smoking boat and went through the hole to find the location of fire, in the engine room near the paddlewheel.

The Coast Guard was on standby, as was the Port of New Orleans' General Kelley fireboat, but we didnt pull the trigger, Castle said.

Meanwhile, a special thermal camera allowed firefighters to monitor the temperature of the Natchezs steel structure to be sure the fire didnt spread.

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Castle, a 30-year veteran, said the situation could have been a lot worse, but the guys did a tremendous job. Eight fire units, consisting of 24 firefighters, helped save the vessel. The captain of the Natchez and some crew members were on the scene in the blink of an eye, Castle said, and helped firefighters understand the boat's layout.

The only steam-powered river excursion boat

The owners of the Natchez claim its the only steam-powered excursion riverboat remaining on the Mississippi. Others just look like steamers.

When the COVID-19 pandemic brought the tourist trade to a halt in 2020, the New Orleans Steamboat Co. took the opportunity to lay the old boat up for a major overhaul, including replacing the boiler.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. According to a Fire Department news release, crews were torching the gear panels in the engine room earlier in the day.

Coincidentally, a 1988 fire that threatened another New Orleans landmark, the historic Cabildo on Jackson Square, was reportedly started by a workman's torch.

Nerve-wracking

It was obviously nerve-wracking not knowing the extent of the fire, Greg Hoffman, chief administrative officer of the New Orleans Steamboat Co., said of the anxious moments Tuesday night.

Certainly, any kind of fire can spread quickly, he added.

Before the fire, Hoffman said, the company had hoped the Natchez would be back in service in June or July.

The return schedule is unknown now, he said.

Hoffman said the public areas on the boat were mostly unaffected by the fire and he hopes repairs can be made in the next few months. In the meantime, the companys Riverboat City of New Orleans will continue to stand in for the Natchez as it has during much of the two-year renovation.
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA: Development of a technical research and exchange center, T-REX, at Xavier University of Louisiana will benefit from a multiyear, multimillion-dollar grant from Takeda, a Japanese pharmaceutical company. The center's ultimate goal is advancing health equity and creating community wellness.

LSU HEALTH NEW ORLEANS: Jovanny Zabaleta, an associate professor of interdisciplinary oncology at the LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, has won a Fulbright Award to Colombia in academic year 2022-23. Zabaleta will make trips there three times over the next two years to mentor students who will be coming to train at LSU Health New Orleans. In Zabaletas lab, students are trained in the latest molecular techniques used in sequencing.
A New Orleans judge sentenced Trae Williams to 28 years in prison Wednesday for shooting and killing his uncle eight years ago, the second time Williams has been sentenced for the crime after an earlier conviction by a non-unanimous jury was overturned.

Williams was convicted of manslaughter for killing Eddie Salvant III outside Salvant's mother's house in Algiers. Family members of Salvant and Williams appeared in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Wednesday and were sharply divided on whether Judge Kimya Holmes should show leniency to Williams or levy a harsh punishment.

Holmes said she recognized the rifts created by the crime, noting that this is a family situation gone horribly wrong, before she sentenced Williams to nearly three decades in prison without the possibility of parole or probation.

Williams, 35, was convicted in March. Louisiana law says that Williams could have received as many as 40 years for his conviction. But Holmes said it was difficult to weigh the competing interests of family members.

I dont know that 20 [years] is a sentence that is just in this case, and I dont know that 40 [years] would be a sentence that is just in this case, she said before delivering her sentence and imploring Williams to think not only of how his actions affected himself, but his children.

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Wednesday marked the third time Williams was tried for the killing and the second time he was sentenced.

Williams was first tried in 2017 but the jury deadlocked, unable to return a verdict.

Four years ago, a jury voted 10-2 that Williams was guilty of manslaughter and he was sentenced to 60 years in prison for the slaying. But in 2020, the Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeal remanded the case back to Criminal District Court, and Williams was retried earlier this year.

In March, a jury sat through a three-day trial and deliberated for about five hours before rendering its guilty verdict.
Samsung has just previewed the latest in its storage solutions for hardware such as smartphones, tablets. The OEM has indicated that these new chips could help these devices use and transfer data up to twice as fast as their predecessors, while using as little as half the power. These new UFS 4.0-compatible chips could also boost portability in these products, not to mention their compatibility with more demanding use-cases, perhaps even VR/AR.

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Currently, OEMs looking to hammer the premium appeal of its new smartphones or tablets home might advertise them in terms of internal storage rated for UFS 3.1 speeds, meaning it meets the latest JEDEC standards for universal flash storage (UFS) quality and speed at the time of their manufacture. However, this buzzword has now been supplanted by a new one, UFS 4.0, and Samsung has confirmed that it can offer storage that meets these criteria.

The South Korean electronics giant has indeed announced new UFS chips with the most up-to-date JEDEC-approved specs. They include a bandwidth that may go as high as 23.2 gigabits per second (Gb/s) per lane of memory, or twice that under UFS 3.1.

This speed is to facilitated by cutting-edge 7th-gen, 176-layer V-NAND, which will come with an in-house controller in Samsung's version of UFS 4.0 storage. The OEM touts it as capable of advanced 4,200 megabyte per second (MB/s) sequential read speeds, not to mention sequential write speeds of up to 2,800MB/s.

These new UFS chips are also already backed to be more power-efficient than ever before, with an estimated sequential read speed of 6MB/s per milllamp (mA), a saving of 46% compared to their predecessors.

Therefore, Samsung asserts that they are more than capable of boosting internal memory performance in next-gen mobile devices, and are also rated for implementions such as 5G use or distribution, extended reality (XR) or next-gen smart vehicles.

The OEM currently projects that this next-gen UFS 4.0 storage will be in mass production by the third quarter of 2022, at which point they will be made as markedly thin and small (~11 x 13 x 1 millimeters (mm)) individual chips that go up to 1 terabyte (1TB) in capacity.
President Joe Biden will visit Asia this month. It will be his first trip there since becoming president.

An important stop on that trip will be meeting South Koreas next president, Yoon Suk-Yeol. Yoon has taken a harder stance against North Korea, while the dictatorship steps up its threats of nuclear war.

NTD spoke with Morse Tan, Trump administration State Department ambassador and Liberty University School of Law dean, to learn more.
A job fair is returning to Michigan City next week.

More than 50 local employers will meet with job seekers from 2 to 6 p.m. May 10 in the Stardust Room at the Blue Chip Casino at 777 Blue Chip Drive. People can learn about a wide array of career opportunities in health care, financial services, manufacturing, education, social services, law enforcement, retail, mental health services, government and nonprofits.

The Economic Development Corporation Michigan City, Michigan City Chamber of Commerce, Blue Chip Casino, Northwest Indiana Workforce Board and Work One are sponsoring the 6th Annual Michigan City-LaPorte County Community Job Fair.

Employers in attendance will include American Licorice Company, Howmet Aerospace, 1st Source Bank, Horizon Bank, Dekker Vacuum Technologies, Chicago Faucets, HarperCollins Publishers, Boss Industries, Bosak Automotive Group, Four Winds, Kelley Education, JW Hicks, Bowen Center, General Insurance Services, Franciscan Health, Peepers by PeeperSpecs, VanAir Manufacturing, Kaberlin Ace Hardware, Jet Fabricators, HealthLinc, Sullair and Sullivan-Palatek.

Attendees should dress professionally, bring copies of their resumes and be prepared to do interviews on the spot.

Job fairs have always been a vital platform for both employers and employees to connect and meet in a welcoming and relaxed environment, said EDCMC Executive Director Clarence Hulse. As there is a new workforce landscape out there, we hope our in-person event will help both job seekers and region employers.

For more information, call 219-873-1211, email info@edcmc.com or visit www.edcmc.com.

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The Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center has been honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration for excellence and innovation.

The Crown Point-based agency that helps entrepreneurs start or grow businesses won the SBDC Excellence & Innovation Center Award, which recognizes small business development centers for providing valuable guidance and assistance to entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds and advancing program delivery and management using innovative programming and methods.

Our team is humbled to be honored with this award for our role in assisting small businesses here in our region, NW-ISBDC Regional Director Lorri Feldt said. It was wonderful to be handed our award in person amongst a gathering of entrepreneurs and community partners after years of virtual events."

The Northwest ISBDC was honored at a recent Financial Literacy Month event at the ArtHouse in downtown Gary. The event featured a panel of entrepreneurs including Shelice Tolbert of the law firm Tolbert & Tolbert, April Glueckert of Calumet Lumber, Joslyn RW Kelly of Js Breakfast Club and Emily Edwards of Paradise Spreads.

We want to make sure small business owners focus on what theyre really passionate about and what they know best  their craft. We are here to make sure you manage your cash right, SBA Regional Administrator Geri Aglipay said. Were excited to hear what you have to say. Its with your voice that we know what you need so that we can better meet you where you are at. Were on this journey together.

The Northwest ISBDC provides no-cost services such as one-on-one consulting to small business owners. It serves entrepreneurs in a seven-country region in Northwest Indiana with services like training, workshops and referrals.

National Small Business Week is the first week of May. At the SBA, we think every day is Small Business Week, SBA Indiana District Director Stacey Poynter said.

For more information, call 219-644-3513, northwest@isbdc.org or visit isbdc.org/locations/northwest-indiana-sbdc.

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The first week of May is traditionally Small Business Week, celebrating the nation's 32.5 million small businesses and their contributions to the economy.

Indiana is recognizing the week of May 1-7 as Small Business Week to recognize the 529,000 small businesses statewide. Small businesses employ an estimated 1.2 million people in the Hoosier State.

"This week, we recognize all the small businesses driving our states economy forward," Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said. "Indiana is laser-focused on fostering a healthy ecosystem for small businesses, startups and businesses looking to expand their footprint. It is the entrepreneurial drive, determination and grit that has become woven into the Hoosier spirit and vital to the great quality of life we enjoy in Indiana.

Indiana is recognizing eight businesses that worked with the Indiana Small Business Development Center to start, expand or reposition their ventures. Rockablock in Merrillville will be honored as Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year. Rockland Page founded the lifestyle brand that sells T-shirts, other apparel and accessories.

The SBA estimates that 99.7% of U.S. employers are small businesses, which account for 64% of new private sector jobs, 49.2% of private sector employment, 42.9% of private sector payroll, 46% of private sector output and 43% of high-tech employment. They also account for 98% of firms exporting goods and 33% of exporting value.

Entrepreneurship has reached record highs in recent years largely because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Thanks to the resilience of the American people, Americas entrepreneurial spirit has never been stronger," President Joe Biden said in a proclamation declaring it Small Business Week. "New business applications grew by more than 30 percent over the course of the pandemic, with almost 5.4 million new applications in 2021 alone. More Americans than ever before  including more women and people of color  are following their dreams and starting new enterprises. My administration will continue to support them, build upon this remarkable resurgence, and strengthen the foundation of our economy with Americas small businesses at the forefront."

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CROWN POINT  A Hammond man admitted Monday to forcing a blind and mentally disabled woman into prostitution from May 2020 to May 2021, court records show.

Stefon T. Collins, 25, pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution, a level 5 felony.

If Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez accepts Collins' plea agreement, Collins would be required to register as a sex offender.

Collins agreed to a one-year sentence in the Lake County Jail, which he already has served, a plea agreement states.

Collins admitted he made an application on a cellphone that allowed men to find the woman for sex, and he accepted money from men to have sex with the woman.

According to charging documents, the men picked the woman up in Hammond and took her to other locations, where she was forced to have sex even though she told them no.

Collins threatened to take away the woman's housing if she didn't go on dates with the men, his plea agreements states.

Vasquez scheduled Collins' sentencing for May 23.

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VALPARAISO  When 6-month-old Braxson Jones arrived at St. Mary Medical Center during the early hours of July 24, 2016, doctors found the infant struggling to breathe with a low body temperature and elevated heart rate, a pediatric doctor told jurors Wednesday morning.

They all also found swelling and bruising on the child's forehead, and tests revealed bleeding beneath the boy's scalp and his brain swelling, said Shannon Thompson, of Riley's Children Hospital in Indianapolis, who reviewed the alleged abuse case for prosecutors in the case against the boy's father, Curtis Jones.

Due to the severity of the child's condition, the decision was made to transfer him to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, where a surgeon removed part of the child's skull to relieve pressure from the swelling brain, Thompson said. Braxson then spent nearly three weeks in intensive care.

Over the repeated and unsuccessful objections of the defense, Thompson described the child's medical history before, during and following the alleged abuse and said none of his prior medical problems would have led to the bleeding in the skull and brain swelling.

The testimony came as prosecutors wind down their case against Jones after presenting nearly two weeks of evidence.

Jones, 52, who is a former Porter County police officer now living in Florida, is on trial on felony counts of battery resulting in serious bodily injury to a person less than 14 years of age and two counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious injury. Each of the felony counts carries a potential sentence of three to 16 years behind bars.

Braxson, who is now 6, survived, but needs constant care, Porter County Deputy Prosecutor Kristen Klink has said.

He is blind, needs diaper changing, is fed through a tube, must be moved by others and no longer communicates on his own, she said.

A doctor at the Lurie Children's Hospital said the child suffered "the worst brain injury I have ever seen," according to court documents. The doctors determined the injuries were consistent with being shaken and must have occurred July 24, 2016, when he was in the care of Curtis when his former wife and the boy's mother was at her overnight nursing job.

Wednesday began with prosecutors failing in an attempt to disqualify a juror, who admitted to having discussed the case months earlier with his wife.

The man said he is concerned about subconscious bias, but believes he can render a fair and impartial verdict based on the facts he hears at trial.

"Yeah, we're hanging on to him," Porter Superior Court Judge Mike Fish said.

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VALPARAISO  When a member of a large trauma team working on 6-month-old Braxson Jones yelled out that a bruise had been located, the boy's mother, Susan Jones, suddenly stopped crying, a jury was told late Monday morning.

"There's no bruise," the mother blurted out, according to Ashli McMiller, a social worker at Advocate Children's Hospital in Illinois.

Susan then looked over to her husband at the time, Curtis Jones, and said, "You need to tell me right now what happened."

Curtis Jones shrugged and said he did nothing, McMiller said.

The testimony came as the second week of trial began for Curtis Jones, who is accused of battering Braxson while alone with his son the morning of July 24, 2016, at their Lakes of the Four Seasons home and leaving the boy disabled and with a much shorter life expectancy.

Jones, 52, who is a former Porter County police officer now living in Florida, is on trial on felony counts of battery resulting in serious bodily injury to a person less than 14 years of age and two counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious injury. Each of the felony counts carries a potential sentence of three to 16 years behind bars.

McMiller said Susan Jones also said to her husband at one point during the trauma response: "You need to tell me what's going on. What happened? What happened?"

Defense attorney John Vouga attacked the testimony, arguing that McMiller had not put at least some of those details in her narrative report at the time.

Vouga asked if McMiller had been aware that the parents had taken young Braxson to three emergency rooms during a 48-hour period just a couple months earlier.

He then asked McMiller if she was aware there is controversy over shaken baby syndrome. She replied that she would not call it a "great controversy" and said it was backed up by science.

Earlier in the morning, Steven Nanini, an emergency room doctor at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn said he saw Braxson during the early morning hours of May 29, 2016, when he was brought in with congestion, vomiting and trouble drinking.

It turned out the child had a cold but otherwise appeared to be in good health, he said.

"He appeared to be a happy child," Nanini said.

In response to questioning from Vouga, the doctor said he did not measure the circumference of the child's head but would not typically do that anyway in the emergency room.

He said all the child's symptoms were consistent with a cold and were not uncommon.

While the defense has portrayed Braxson as having health problems prior to the alleged abuse, Susan Jones testified last week that there was nothing but bouts of congestion, an incident of vomiting and dehydration, and hiccuping, which turned out to be nothing unusual.

She said Braxson was hitting all his developmental "milestones," including earlier on the day of the alleged abuse.

Jurors were shown a video taken by Curtis Jones of Braxson's birth and shown photos updating his normal development up to the alleged abuse.

Braxson, who is now 6, survived, but needs of constant care, Porter County Deputy Prosecutor Kristen Klink has said.

He is blind, needs diaper changing, is fed through a tube, must be moved by others and no longer communicates on his own, she said.

The trial is before Porter Superior Court Judge Mike Fish.

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The premature release of a preliminary U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning the right to abortion is poised to become a top issue for both Democratic and Republican candidates in this year's general election in Indiana.

Even before the votes were tallied in Tuesday's primary election, Hoosier candidates already were responding to the draft opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, scrapping the landmark Roe v. Wade decision (1973) and setting the stage for states or the federal government to completely prohibit abortion, potentially even in cases of rape or incest.

U.S. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., on the day he won the Republican nomination to run for a second term, said he welcomes such a decision from the nation's high court  though he's waiting for the official ruling before cheering the result.

"I do believe that Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided and that the American people should be able to decide, through their elected officials, what our laws are when it comes to protecting life and protecting women," Young said. "Im committed to standing for life and supporting pregnant women."

Records show Young told Indiana Right to Life when he was running for his first Senate term in 2016 that he believes "abortion should never be legal," a position shared by few Indiana voters.

The 2019 Hoosier Survey, sponsored by Ball State University, found just 17% of Hoosiers favor a ban on abortion in all cases.

Another 28% said abortion should be illegal in most cases, while the nonpartisan poll found 48% of Hoosiers believe abortion should legal in all or most cases.

Young's hardline anti-abortion stance could create an opening for Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., Indiana's Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, who said Tuesday overturning Roe v. Wade will take rights away from women.

"Senator Young voted to confirm three justices to the (Supreme) Court, all who whom will apparently vote against womens reproductive rights," McDermott said.

"Tomorrow, using the same logic, it could be union rights, same-sex marriage, civil rights, voting rights, etc."

In fact, U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., told The Times in March he hopes the U.S. Supreme Court rescinds many of its key civil rights decisions of the past 70 years, including nationwide legalization of abortion, interracial marriage and access to contraception, and instead allow states to address those issues as they see fit.

Indiana, for example, only legalized interracial marriage in 1965 when Braun was 11 years old. That also was the last time Democrats controlled both chambers of the General Assembly and the governor's office at the same time.

A similar dynamic is playing out in Northwest Indiana's U.S. House race with Jennifer-Ruth Green, the Republican nominee, encouraging the Supreme Court to ban all abortion, and U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Hammond, saying he trusts women to make their own life decisions.

Green said if she's elected Nov. 8 to represent Lake, Porter and northwest LaPorte counties in Congress she will work to "rebuild a culture in America that values life."

"I'm praying for our country, praying for the 60 million+ unborn babies lost since 1973, and praying that the Supreme Court does not back down from the unprecedented campaign of fear being waged by the radical left," Green said.

Mrvan said, as the father of two daughters, he will fight to ensure that they and every woman can make the best decisions they wish to make about their own bodies, their own futures and their own economic opportunities.

"I am a pro-woman public official, with a record of cosponsoring and supporting the Womens Health Protection Act, because I believe in equality for women, and that women should have every protection under the law to be treated fairly, paid fairly and have every right to access safe reproductive care," Mrvan said.

Should the draft Supreme Court opinion ultimately become the ruling of the court, the Indiana Statehouse is likely to be the primary battlefield over abortion rights in the Hoosier State.

Already 100 Republican lawmakers urged Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb in March to call a special session of the General Assembly as soon as possible if the U.S. Supreme Court limits or rescinds the constitutional right to abortion.

"We have a responsibility to Hoosiers to ensure that our state laws are aligned with the Supreme Court's decision if Roe v. Wade is wholly, or partially overturned," the letter said.

The letter was signed by, among others, House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, and Senate President Rod Bray, R-Martinsville.

The Northwest Indiana lawmakers who signed the letter were: state Rep. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron; state Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores; state Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso; state Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell; state Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point; state Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie; state Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville; and state Sen. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso.

Olthoff said Wednesday she's looking forward to hearing the Supreme Court's final decision on the abortion issue.

"I recently joined my fellow colleagues in urging the governor to call us into a special session if Roe is either partly or completely overturned. I stand by that call, and hope to have the opportunity to strengthen our state's protections for the unborn," Olthoff said.

The governor so far has remained noncommittal on an abortion special session, even though Holcomb never has failed to enact any abortion restriction approved by the Republican-controlled General Assembly  including several that were clearly unconstitutional and subsequently struck down in federal court.

"Before further commenting on a leaked draft document out of the Supreme Court, like the rest of the country, Ill wait to review the official and final decision they release on the matter in the few weeks and months ahead," Holcomb said.

The Indiana Democratic Party, on the other hand, repeatedly has emphasized overturning Roe v. Wade "does not end abortion. It ends access to safe and legal abortions  especially for vulnerable communities nationwide."

"Democrats know that health care decisions should be made in consultation with a doctor or health care professional  not a politician."

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Longtime Region official John Petalas hopes to reclaim the position of Lake County treasurer after winning the Democratic nomination.

Petalas ran against Josefina Magallanes for the nomination Tuesday.

"I am familiar with both the offices of the auditor and treasurer," Petalas said. "I think this is providing continuation and stabilization to the role."

Petalas has been a public official for 31 years. He has held offices as a clerk-treasurer for Merrillville and he was selected to be Lake County's treasurer in 2005 by Lake County's Democratic precinct committee, succeeding Peggy Holinga Katona.

Between 2006 and 2014, Petalas was elected for two four-terms as county treasurer. He currently serves as the Lake County auditor following his win of two four-year terms, the latter which is up at the end of the year.

Petalas was endorsed by all county Democratic precinct organizations as well as the steelworkers, Northwest Indiana building trades and the Greater Northwest Indiana Realtors Association.

Magallanes is a graduate of East Chicago Central High School and has attended Calumet College of St. Joseph, Purdue, Texas Women's University, University of Texas at Arlington and Walden University. She has earned several degrees in the fields of law, education, Spanish, information technology and cybersecurity and has experience in court procedures, government regulation, financial reports, corporate filings, general ledger, accounting, regulatory compliance and account reconciliation. She is a former educator, insurance agent, technical analyst and para-professional.

Magallanes previously ran for the treasurer position in 2014 and 2018. She said she chose to run for the position to serve the community and to make a positive impact in the role by keeping the public informed, as well as use her skills to update the county's technical systems and efficiently manage them.

Moving forward, Petalas said his aim will be to continue to grow efficiency in the auditor and treasurer offices, establish internal controls against misappropriation and have oversight on the county police pension plan.

When it comes to the new technological system "Oracle" being used for county finances, Petalas said he looks forward to the transition.

"We have been training on Oracle for about half a year and being familiar with the old software, it will be an easier transition because we will be using both systems at the same time for a period of time," he said. "I think otherwise it would have been more of a status quo, but I look forward to a new challenge and I'm ready for it. The new software will make it interesting."

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VALPARAISO  Republican Becky Gesse Harper led Sue (Suzette) Neff early Tuesday night in the Porter County assessors race.

The winner will face Democrat Valeri Wasemann in November.

Both Neff and Harper are employed in the assessors office and were looking to succeed their boss, Jon Snyder.

Harper served in the auditors office, helping with abatements, before moving to the assessors office eight years ago.

Neff has spent much of her career working in public education, including serving as a facilities director, transportation director and construction manager, directing a staff of over 30 people and managing multimillion-dollar budgets.

Neff now serves as the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals administrator. She has served on the Tri-Creek School Board for 14 years, including five years as president.

Neff promised she would work full time as assessor if elected.

Harper said among her first actions would be to meet individually with each employee to both hear their ideas of how to make the office work more efficiently and to make sure theyre on board with her vision for the office.

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A Northwest Indiana entrepreneur appears to have won the Republican primary for Lake County Council District 4.

Unofficial results show Pete Lindemulder, of Schererville, prevailed Tuesday in the GOP contest over Tony Ferraro, also of Schererville.

The Republican nominee next will compete at the Nov. 8 general election for a four-year term against Nick Petrovski, of Crown Point, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Lindemulder, the owner of three local businesses, including Premier Porta Potty, said his management experience and service on multiple not-for-profit boards of directors make him ideally suited to oversee spending by Lake County government.

"Lake County has so much to offer those who live here," he said. "I want to make sure we continue building on the current momentum of the state of Indiana so that families from not only across the border in Illinois, but also from around the country, can look at Lake County as a great place to raise their families, open businesses and thrive."

Specifically, Lindemulder wants to improve transparency by simplifying, consolidating and better organizing county financial documents to more easily compare the council's 500-odd pages of appropriations with how the money actually is being spent.

He also plans to make bidding on county government contracts more accessible to local businesses to attract more bidders and score better prices for the products and services purchased by Lake County taxpayers.

"I have owned and worked with multiple successful businesses that each had a budget ranging from a few hundred thousand dollars a year to a few hundred million dollars a year. I've also worked on several local and international not-for-profit boards of various sizes. The common denominator for each entitys success was consistent and easy to understand financials. I believe Lake County's citizens deserve the same," Lindemulder said.

The 4th District spans nearly all of St. John Township, except its northeast corner, and also takes in the northwest corner of Center Township, including most of Dyer, Schererville, St. John and part of Crown Point.

Its current council member, Republican Dan Dernulc, of Highland, is giving up his seat on Lake County's financial governing body to run this year for Indiana Senate District 1.

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Republican voters living in south Lake County seemingly have decided to replace Councilman Christian Jorgensen, R-St. John, as their preferred representative on the countys financial governing board.

Unofficial election results show Jorgensen was defeated Tuesday by Cedar Lake Town Council President Randy Niemeyer in the GOP primary contest for Lake County Council District 7.

The new Republican nominee next will compete at the Nov. 8 general election for a four-year term against Michael Jacobi, of Winfield, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Niemeyers campaign was centered on ending what he called a "ridiculous power struggle" over purchasing authority between the county council and the county commissioners, including a lawsuit now pending at the Indiana Court of Appeals that he said initially was instigated by Jorgensen.

The 45-year-old CEO of Niemeyer Milk Transfer Inc. also said if hes elected in the fall he plans to focus on improving the countys finances and making Lake County government more accessible by broadcasting meetings and other events and more consistently updating the county's website.

"I have 14 years of successful local government experience in which my community grew while tax rates dropped, services and infrastructure improved and home values increased," Niemeyer said.

"I have spent my entire life in the 7th District and will not forget that I serve the people of the district first and not the government contractors and special interests which have been the priority of my opponent and so many Lake County politicians for generations."

Niemeyers primary election victory brings him one step closer to continuing a long streak of Niemeyers serving the southern half of Lake County on the county council, after both his cousin, state Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, and uncle, the late Ernie Niemeyer, represented District 7 at different times over the years.

Notwithstanding his election loss, Jorgensen is expected to continue representing District 7 on the county council until his term expires Dec. 31.

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Lake County voters appeared poised to overlook Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr.'s felony indictment Tuesday and send him cruising to victory in a race against three Democrats seeking to block his bid for re-election.

Unofficial vote tallies showed Martinez was expected to win his party's nomination following challenges from former Gary Police Chief Richard D. Ligon, sheriff's Officer Maria D. Trajkovich and Anthony Williams.

Martinez said he was proud voters chose him and thanked his supporters, his volunteers and the "brave men and women of the Lake County Sheriff's Department" for his victory.

The sheriff said he was eager to continue the work he started four years ago, including "aggressive crime fighting" and investment in law enforcement technologies, training and equipment for officers.

Most of all, Martinez wanted to continue to keep the communities of Lake County safe, he said.

"I think the people of Lake County recognize that and want me to continue to serve as sheriff," he said.

No Republicans sought their party's nod for sheriff, so Martinez currently is unopposed. The GOP still could select a candidate to run against Martinez in November's general election.

The sheriff's path to the fall election remains unclear.

Martinez was indicted in January by a Lake Criminal Court grand jury on a felony count of resisting law enforcement and misdemeanor reckless driving.

He's accused of driving at speeds of up to 50 mph over the limit in September as two Crown Point police officers chased his unmarked Jeep TrackHawk with their lights and sirens activated.

Martinez pleaded not guilty and characterized the indictment as a "political witch hunt" by a "rival politician." He pointed out he's not accused of political corruption.

A trial is currently scheduled for August, but Martinez recently won a special judge's permission to ask the Indiana Court of Appeals to consider reviewing an earlier decision not to dismiss his indictment. If the appellate court accepts transfer, it's possible the trial could be delayed.

If Martinez were to be convicted of a felony, he would be automatically removed from office.

Martinez, who has served as a sheriff's officer for about 29 years, unsuccessfully ran for his department's top job in 2010 and 2014, losing to former Sheriff John Buncich.

A Democratic caucus first elected Martinez as sheriff in fall 2017 to replace Buncich, who was removed from office following his federal conviction for taking bribes.

Martinez won his first four-year term as sheriff in 2018.

His looming indictment drew criticism this year from Ligon and Trajkovich, both of whom were perennial sheriff's candidates.

Ligon ran unsuccessfully in 2010, 2014 and 2018, while Trajkovich unsuccessfully ran in the 2017 caucus and in 2018.

Trajkovich, a 24-year veteran of the department, vowed "to solve the problem, not be the problem."

"I took the oath to serve, protect and defend the community, not for the community to serve, protect and defend me," she told The Times last month.

Ligon said Lake County residents needed a sheriff they can trust.

Ligon served in the U.S. Army and Indiana National Guard for 36 years, worked as a law enforcement official for the U.S. Postal Service from 1981 to 2004 and was Gary's police chief from January to June 2020.

"If you're a leader, you lead by example," he said. "If you're out doing bad things, or you're not doing what you say you're going to be doing, then the morale is low and you lose respect."

Both Ligon and Trajkovich raised concerns about morale and alleged favoritism within the department.

Martinez maintained he was "the only candidate with a verified track record of keeping a balanced sheriff's budget, while providing officers with the highest level of technology and training to fight crime and respond to emergencies safely and effectively."

He said morale in the department was "higher than ever before," and he vowed to continue "aggressive policing policies, including overnight enforcements targeting crimes like carjackings."

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WINFIELD  Voters on Tuesday picked two Republicans and two Democrats who will vie in the fall for two at-large Winfield Town Council positions.

The four candidates will be narrowed to two in a runoff in the General Election.

The two elected individuals selected in the fall will begin serving a four year term starting Jan. 1.

Only two Republicans ran in the primary: Zachary Beaver, an incumbent, and Michael Lambert, a former Winfield Town Councilman, so both will go on to the fall election.

The apparent top vote getters in the Democratic primary were Louie Gonzalez and Sara Kubik followed by Stacey Wachowski and Mark Lash.

Wachowski, a 39-year-old former teacher, wasn't actively campaigning.

Beaver, 34, is the only incumbent, having been elected in 2019 for a three-year at-large term along with fellow Republican Gerald Stiener, who presently serves as Town Council president.

Stiener, who held the other at-large position, has chosen not to run.

Beaver, a former Indiana State Trooper, now serves as a corporate lawyer working in Chicago.

Lambert, 52, who was born and raised on a family farm in Winfield, serves as a criminal defense lawyer with his offices located in Crown Point.

Kubik, 50, also a lawyer, moved to Winfield four years ago to raise her two children.

Louis Gonzalez, 47, has worked at Laborers Local 41 for over 15 years. The East Chicago native has lived in Winfield for 15 years.

Gonzalez, who stood outside the Winfield Municipal Complex most of the day, said he thanked voters for coming out in the rain to vote for him.

"I'm looking forward to meeting as many voters as possible. I will work hard to make changes where needed," Gonzalez said.

Mark Lash, 52, has worked for U.S. Steel for 27 years, serving in different capacities. He currently serves as president of United Steelworkers Local 1006.

All candidates during the election agreed that the growth in Winfield, which is one of the fastest-growing communities in the state, is of main concern, along with management of infrastructure and public safety.

The Democratic candidates also said theyd like to see more transparency in the towns dealings and more diversity on the Town Council, with more women and minorities serving on the board.

Candidates also said they'd like to see Winfield have more of an identity.

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Photos provided by Ukrainian officials showed victims splayed on the ground, surrounded by scattered luggage and debris. In a video, a woman screams, There are so many corpses, there are children, there are just children!

Kramatorsk has been a main departure point for thousands trying to escape to safety this week as Russia shifts the focus of its war to the eastern Donbas region. Moscow aims to create a land corridor to Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.

Ukraines foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said that the Russians knew that the train station in Kramatorsk was full of civilians waiting to be evacuated. This was a deliberate slaughter. We will bring each war criminal to justice, he said.

After the strike, the Ukrainian police inspected the remains of a large rocket with the words for our children in Russian next to the train station. It was unclear who had written the message and where the rocket came from.

Ukrainian officials said they were scrambling to find cars and buses to evacuate civilians to western areas. Ukrainian Railways said that trains would continue to leave from nearby Sloviansk, a city to the north, where shelters and hospitals have been stocked with food and medicine in anticipation of an imminent Russian offensive, according to the mayor.
Democratic leaders in Albany decried the news coming out of the Supreme Court on Tuesday, suggesting they were considering a range of options that would help to enshrine New York as a safe haven for women seeking reproductive care.

If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, as it appears poised to do, New York and other states with strong support for abortion rights could see an influx of people seeking abortions traveling from states that ban the practice.

State Senator Liz Krueger of Manhattan has introduced a bill that would protect New York doctors who treat those patients by prohibiting law enforcement from cooperating with out-of-state investigations on abortion cases.

Connecticut lawmakers passed a similar bill on Friday, and Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, has said he intends to sign it. The bill would also expand the pool of people who can do certain types of abortions, to include nurse-midwives, physician assistants and other professionals.
Theres a bunch of other states that have, still, their pre-Roe abortion bans on the books, and those could start to be enforced. The estimates Ive seen are that in somewhere between 24 and 26 states, abortion will be banned. So in blue states, abortion will still be available. Although whats going to happen is, its going to become harder to access, just as a matter of crowding. Every state with functioning clinics is likely to be overrun.

The other thing I think is going to happen is that women who have miscarriages are going to come under a lot of suspicion  maybe not all women, maybe not white middle-class women with private doctors, but a woman who shows up in the hospital having a miscarriage, its going to be, What did you do to cause this?

And so its just going to be a mess, because again, so many of these decisions are going to be left to individual prosecutors. And also because doctors are going to have to operate under sort of the worst-case scenario of how this legislation can be interpreted.

Its also worth talking about what Jesse said about these fetal personhood laws, because these have already been enacted in many, many states. The idea is to set a precedent for fetal personhood that would make it easier to conceptualize the fetus as a distinct person in the law, in the culture. The reason I think this is really, really important is because before Roe, women by and large were not going to prison for clandestine abortions. They would sometimes be threatened with prosecution in order to get them to testify against doctors or against abortion providers, but abortion was the crime  the crime wasnt murder. And so we now have a very different situation after 49 years of arguing about fetal personhood, of arguing that abortion is kind of a type of homicide.

Youre already seeing a bunch of cases where women have been prosecuted under fetal homicide laws or fetal endangerment laws for doing drugs while they were pregnant, for attempting suicide while they were pregnant. And its only been Roe v. Wade that has stopped prosecutors from prosecuting women who have abortions. Theyve always had to have an exception in these fetal endangerment and fetal homicide laws for abortion because of Roe v. Wade. But that, in a few months, likely changes. So we already have some intimations of what this is going to look like.

Jane Coaston: There has been a lot of doom-saying and doom-scrolling going on online, particularly talking about what this could mean  that this will obviously mean that Loving v. Virginia is gone. Obergefell is gone.

Theres a whole paragraph of the draft decision that ties Casey to a bunch of decisions, including Loving v. Virginia, which struck down laws against interracial marriage. The case Skinner v. Oklahoma, which was about the right not to be sterilized without consent. Very disturbing. It also discusses such cases as Lawrence v. Texas, which ended sodomy bans, and Obergefell v. Hodges, which instilled marriage equality across the land. As someone who now has been married for seven years  huge fan.
The five Iranian women of Wish You Were Here, which opened on Tuesday night at Playwrights Horizons, joke about sex and their bodies. They file one anothers toenails and lick their cheeks with a disarming degree of comfort. And they show off their psychic connections by playing rounds of What am I thinking?

Yet these friends can also be vicious, mocking one another with the targeted hits of a loved one who knows where to stick the knife.

The playwright Sanaz Toossi drops in on this group in 10 scenes  one for almost every year from 1978 to 1991, a period encompassing the Islamic Revolution, the Iran-Iraq War and the countrys steps toward economic stability. Pushing that upheaval somewhat awkwardly to the background, Toossi focuses instead on the women and how their relationships to one another  and to themselves  change with marriages, deaths and sudden departures. Their friendship is its own saga of constantly fluctuating degrees of intimacy and friction.

We meet the women at around 20 years old, all preparing for a wedding in a living room in Karaj, Iran: Salme (Roxanna Hope Radja) is the bride, wearing a snowy-white dune of lace and tulle, big in a way that sort of feels humiliating, according to the neurotic Shideh (Artemis Pebdani). Rana (Nazanin Nour), a rambunctious firecracker still dressed in her red silk pajamas, promises never to get married or have kids. Same goes for the churlish, eye-rolling Nazanin (Marjan Neshat), whos aiming for an engineering degree. Zari (Nikki Massoud), carelessly reposed over a very 1970s floral couch, gives the impression of a naive youth. These women taunt and prod one another, their insecurities and fears often colliding like bumper cars at a carnival.
On the calendar at Jackson Womens Health Organization on Tuesday, every appointment slot was filled. Patients drove in from across Mississippi, as well as from Louisiana, Tennessee and as far away as Texas, taking the long trip to obtain an abortion from a clinic that now seemed doomed.

A draft opinion leaked from the Supreme Court has indicated that a majority of the justices were in favor of overturning the constitutional right to abortion, a decision that could spell the end of clinics like this one, the lone provider in Mississippi and the named plaintiff in the case that will lead to the most consequential abortion rights decision in decades.

But on Tuesday, as it will until an official ruling arrives, the clinic remained open. Volunteer escorts showed up to usher patients past the activists who arrive each day to discourage women from going inside. The doctor and staff pledged to keep working for as long as they possibly can.

Were going to continue to see patients, Shannon Brewer, the director of the clinic, said. I dont know anything different we would do other than see patients.
A 23-year-old Ohio man who the authorities say groped two flight attendants and punched a third before being duct-taped to his seat amid jeers from his fellow passengers on a flight last summer was sentenced on Tuesday to 60 days in jail.

Parts of the episode, which occurred during a Frontier Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Miami on July 31, 2021, were recorded on video. It was among many altercations between service workers and angry customers that have received widespread publicity during the pandemic, particularly on commercial flights.

In February, the man, Maxwell Berry of Norwalk, Ohio, pleaded guilty in United States District Court in Miami to three counts of assault. In addition to the jail term, Mr. Berry was fined $2,500 and ordered to pay more than $1,500 in restitution.

Mr. Berrys lawyer, Jason Kreiss, had argued in a memo to the court that he should not go to jail for the crime, saying that what he had done that day was out of character and that he had already suffered a severe punishment in the form of damage to his reputation.
The Biden administration, in a brief supporting the abortion providers in the new case, argued that overruling Roe would threaten many rights, including to same-sex marriage and contraception.

None of those practices is explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, the brief said, and most of them were widely prohibited when the 14th Amendment was adopted.

Justice Alito rejected that view.

To ensure that our decision is not misunderstood or mischaracterized, we emphasize that our decision concerns the constitutional right to abortion and no other right, he wrote. Nothing in this opinion should be understood to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion.

All the court was doing, he said, was returning the question of whether and how to restrict abortion to elected lawmakers. Roe and Casey must be overruled, Justice Alito wrote, and the authority to regulate abortion must be returned to the people and their elected representatives.
Many had wondered whether it was advisable to gather a crowd of 2,600 into the packed hotel ballroom of the Washington Hilton hotel. Their concerns were underscored after dozens of people, including several members of Mr. Bidens cabinet, recently tested positive after attending a smaller political gathering, the Gridiron Dinner.

Attendees at that event were required to show proof of vaccination, but no same-day coronavirus test results. The White House Correspondents Dinner required proof of vaccination and a same-day negative test, and boosters were strongly encouraged. Masking was optional at both.

Mr. Karls positive test was first reported by Politico, which also reported that he shook hands with President Biden at the event.

The White House, asked about that encounter, pointed on Tuesday night to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which considers close contact to mean at least 15 minutes spent within six feet of an infected person. White House protocols also required anyone who would have been onstage in proximity to the president, including Mr. Karl and the comedian and cable television host Trevor Noah, to take a medically certified test, according to a person familiar with the protocols.
Before the 2016 election, J.D. Vance called Donald J. Trump cultural heroin and a demagogue who was leading the white working class to a very dark place.

On Tuesday, Mr. Vances triumph in a crowded Republican field for Senate in Ohio was thanks largely to an endorsement, late in the race, from the former president he once denounced.

The conversion of Mr. Vance, an author and venture capitalist, from Trump skeptic to full-on Trump ally might fill a second memoir, a sequel to his best-selling Hillbilly Elegy, Mr. Vances story of growing up poor in Kentucky and Ohio. When that book was published in 2016, it was devoured by the coastal elites he now rails against as a means for them to decode white working-class support for Mr. Trump.

Mr. Vances book pointed inward to explain the woes of his community: He blamed a personal lack of agency for drug abuse, welfare dependency and chaotic lives. But as a politician, he has pointed the finger outward, at external enemies, just as Mr. Trump did.
Mr. DeWine had almost double the votes of his closest rival, Jim Renacci, a former House member. In the fall, he will be running against Nan Whaley, the former mayor of Dayton, who won the Democratic nomination on Tuesday, becoming the first woman in Ohio history to be nominated by a major party for governor.

In the Senate race, Mr. Vance will now face Representative Tim Ryan, a 48-year-old Democrat from the Youngstown area who has positioned himself as a champion of blue-collar values and has not aligned with some of his partys more progressive positions.

If Mr. Vance prevails in the fall, the 37-year-old graduate of Yale Law School and investor would become the second-youngest member of the Senate, the chambers youngest Republican and a rare freshman who would arrive in Washington with a national profile.

His book had achieved best seller status not just from conservatives but liberals, who in the wake of the 2016 election had used it as something of a decryption key to understand Mr. Trumps appeal in rural reaches of the country.

Mr. Vances metamorphosis from an outspoken Never Trump Republican in 2016 to a full-throated Make America Great Again warrior in 2022 echoes the ideological journey of much of the party in recent years. Republicans have moved closer and closer to the former presidents hard-line policy positions on issues like trade and immigration, and to his combative posture with Democrats and on cultural issues that divide the two parties. For some Republican voters, the primary was animated by fears that traditional family values and a white American culture were under attack by far-left Democrats, establishment Republicans and elites.
Opponents and supporters of abortion rights had expected for months that the Supreme Court would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, but the leaked draft opinion late Monday came as if out of the blue, setting off shock, outrage and jubilation on both sides of the nations deeply polarized abortion debate.

Activists took to the streets to declare their intention to fight harder, especially over control of Congress in this years midterm elections. Candidates sought to raise money off the news. And in states that are poised to ban abortion or guard access to it, politicians and governors declared that they were ready to act.

Yet many Americans woke up stunned, not realizing  and some still not believing  that Roe and the constitutional right to an abortion that it has guaranteed for five decades could disappear within a matter of weeks.

Connie Wright, a Des Moines-area grandmother of eight, was getting ready for bed on Monday night when her phone lit up with a friends text about the leak. Searching online to confirm it, Ms. Wright fell to her knees. I feel like this is something Ive been praying for forever, she later said. And that it was answered prayer. And I just kept thanking the Lord for these innocent babies lives that are being saved.
Amber Heard, an actress defending herself against a defamation lawsuit filed by her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, took the stand on Wednesday, recalling how a whirlwind romance that started on a movie set descended into a pattern of violence perpetrated against her by the actor.

The couple first got to know each other in 2009 on the set of The Rum Diary, a movie that Mr. Depp produced and starred in, and they fell in love on the movies press tour, Ms. Heard testified. But by 2012, she said, Mr. Depp was repeatedly accusing her of infidelity and his anger would often escalate to physical attacks, despite her denials.

He would explode, Ms. Heard said, recounting how Mr. Depp would punch walls next to her head, shove her to the ground and slap her repetitively.

Ms. Heard often grew emotional during her testimony as she explained the physical confrontations in graphic terms, at times appearing chagrined as she gave reasons for staying in the relationship despite her misgivings.
In one of my first performances of George Balanchines Agon, I stood onstage, uncomfortable, while my partner, Teresa Reichlen, danced her short solo. Id just cranked her foot to her head a few times and we were about to reunite for a kind of rubber-banding push-and-pull section. I thought: I shouldnt be out here.

It was winter 2019, and conversations happening offstage and in the press about toxicity in the ballet world, particularly toxic masculinity, had altered my experience of ballets I love. I understood Agon to require a machismo that I didnt think I possessed and that I knew I didnt want. My dancing lacked conviction. I didnt know how to make sense of dance at a moment when audiences seemed to see misconduct in all aspects of our art form.

Ballet has governed my life and shaped my body for 27 years. I have been a principal dancer with New York City Ballet since 2017, a dancer with the company since 2007, and in ballet studios since 1995, when I was 6. I have been dancing so long that the stylized specificity of ballet, even when painful, makes sense to me. Despite its rigidity, ballet has given me a freedom I havent found anywhere else.

But in recent years ballet has felt fraught, and finding a place for myself in the works I dance, more difficult. As the ballet world grapples with questions of relevance and representation, I dont think Im alone when I say I have been unsure of how I want to exist onstage. Unsure of how to be a ballet dancer today.
Dave Chappelle was finishing his standup act at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles late Tuesday night when a man armed with a fake gun hurled himself at the comedian, knocking him to the floor and shocking the crowd, according to the police and witnesses.

Mr. Chappelle, 48, was uninjured, the police said. The weapon found at the scene was a handgun replica that contained a blade, according to the police, who identified the attacker as Isaiah Lee, 23.

Videos showed security guards punching and kicking Mr. Lee, who was later treated at a hospital. He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, with bail set at $30,000, the Los Angeles Police Department said. His motive was unknown.

Mr. Chappelle had been performing as part of Netflix is a Joke: The Festival, an event featuring more than 100 artists at venues across Los Angeles. The festival was scheduled to run from April 28 through Sunday.
In 2015, Blanchett performed in Manifesto, a 13-channel video art installation by the German artist Julian Rosefeldt, in which she played at least a dozen different characters, from news anchor to homeless man, reciting various artistic and political manifestoes. (It was later released as a feature film.) That was inspiring, Sherman said, adding that she felt like shed done some of those characters too. It was a nice confirmation, of feeling like were on the same wavelength a little bit.

In what was less a conversation than a cosmic matchup, they talked about getting into character, childhood play, the value of makeup, and the horror of clowns. These are edited excerpts.

How do you make use of each others work?

CATE BLANCHETT Filmmaking can be very literal. So, I find anything you can do to move yourself to a more abstract space. Sometimes its a piece of music. But invariably its an object. Oftentimes, Ill make a whole tear sheet composition about the feeling around something I cant articulate, images that had nothing to do on a conscious level with what Im doing. Like the Clown series, for instance. I cant even begin to express my revulsion and terror  the visceral feeling of seeing those works [Shermans series of lurid clowns]. I tore it out for [the Guillermo del Toro film] Nightmare Alley recently.

I find if you slam something left of field up against what you need to do as an actor, it can create something slightly more ambiguous. It doesnt always work.
On a computer screen, the still life Basket of Wild Strawberries by the 18th-century French painter Jean Simeon Chardin is quiet and unassuming.

His talent in capturing the reflection of light off the rim of a water glass is muted in that setting. In person, though, it casts a spell.

Its deceptively simple, and its absolutely captivating and its magical, said Eric Lee, the director of the Kimbell Art Museum, which bought the work at auction in France in March for more than $22 million. The painting completely mesmerized me, and it mesmerizes almost anyone who sees it.

But now the Kimbell, whose successful bid for the work was first reported by the Art Newspaper of France, has to wait to see whether it can actually export the picture, which it purchased at the auction house Artcurial in Paris.
Personally, I got suspicious when Neil Gorsuch stopped wearing his pussy hat.  STEPHEN COLBERT

Thats right, it looks like the Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade. Apparently, they decided masks arent mandatory, but Mothers Day is.  JIMMY FALLON

Yeah, that means all across the country, women in places like South Dakota or Missouri or even Texas will have the exact same abortion rights as women in Afghanistan under the Taliban. Yeah, and just think about that: We just evacuated people out of Afghanistan, and now were going to have to evacuate them out of Tennessee?  TREVOR NOAH

Most people thought the freedom to choose was just how America was. No one ever thought the G.O.P. could roll it back by playing a reverse Uno card.  TREVOR NOAH

For perspective, consider this: It wasnt until the year after Roe v. Wade that women in America got the legal right to have a credit card without a man. Think about that. Yeah. And I think we would all agree it would be a little weird if the court was suddenly like, Look, if the founders wanted women to have credit cards, they would have said so. They would have.  TREVOR NOAH
The undertaking aims to upgrade the overall visitor experience, improving the circulation from one building to the next, refreshing the bookstore and cafe and creating a 10-minute film about the history of the Jews in Venice.

A ground-floor museum will expand, with the help of three newly acquired properties, and will feature galleries for temporary exhibitions to encourage locals repeat visits.

The museums chronology will go backward, from the 20th century and the Holocaust (250 Jews were taken to Auschwitz from Venice, Landau said); to the 19th century, when Jews were able to prosper, owning banks and founding the insurance company Generali; to the great thinkers, philosophers, doctors and poets of the 18th and 17th centuries; to the great books printed in Hebrew in the 16th century and the arrival of the refugees who built the temples.

The project aims to increase annual attendance to 250,000 from 70,000, in part by reinvigorating the synagogues.

They havent been maintained and preserved for decades because of lack of funds, Calimani said. What were trying to do now is value this patrimony, give new life to the ghetto that once was not even looked at. We want the ghetto to live again.

The restoration is addressing the woodwork, gilding, Torah arks and bimahs, or altars. Torah finials and hanging brass oil lamps will be buffed, Torah covers repaired, windows and curtains revitalized. Many of these objects are still used in Jewish festivals.
Most one-term presidents recede from the political scene, with their partys voters happy to see them go. But Donald Trump continues to dominate the Republican Party a year and a half after he lost re-election.

Yesterdays Republican Senate primary in Ohio confirmed Trumps influence. J.D. Vance  the author of the 2016 book Hillbilly Elegy  won the nomination, with 32 percent of the vote in a primary that included four other major candidates.

Vance trailed in the polls only a few weeks ago, running an uneven campaign that suffered from his past negative comments about Trump. But after apologizing for them, Vance received Trumps endorsement two and a half weeks ago. Vance quickly surged in the polls and will now face Representative Tim Ryan, a moderate Democrat, in the general election this fall.

J.D. Vances win shows that Donald Trump remains the dominant force in the Republican Party, Blake Hounshell, who writes The Timess On Politics newsletter, said.
Supreme Court confirms authenticity of leaked draft

The Supreme Court confirmed that a leaked draft ruling to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision on abortion rights was authentic, but said it was not final. The disclosure triggered protests outside the court, as well as political upheaval with potentially broad electoral and legal consequences. Heres a guide to the Mississippi law at the center of the decision.

A final decision is not expected to be issued until June or early July, and it is conceivable that the ruling may be narrower than the draft envisions. Such drafts routinely change as they are traded among the justices, who offer suggestions, make objections and at times even change their votes.

With the fall midterm elections looming, Democrats vowed to make abortion rights a defining issue. If this decision holds, its really quite a radical decision, President Biden told reporters. John Roberts, the chief justice, called the leak an egregious breach of trust and ordered an investigation, while Republicans accused liberals of orchestrating the leak to intimidate the court.

Effects: If the court follows through as anticipated, the constitutional right to abortion would be negated, allowing individual states to decide whether the procedure should be legal in their jurisdictions. The result would be a patchwork of different laws, unless Congress steps in and sets a single national policy again.
The E.U. may ban Russian oil

With no end to the Ukraine conflict in sight, the European Union took a major step on Wednesday toward weakening Moscows ability to finance the war, proposing a total embargo on Russian oil.

If approved this week as expected, it would be the blocs biggest and costliest step yet toward supporting Ukraine and ending its own dependence on Russian fossil fuels.

The measure could fly in the face of Russias Victory Day holiday on May 9, a grandiose celebration of the Soviet triumph over Nazi Germany. Western officials fear that President Vladimir Putin could use the event to whip up Russian support for expanding the scope of the conflict.

The British defense secretary suggested that Putin might recast what he has thus far called a special military operation into an all-out war, calling for a mass mobilization of the Russian people. Here are live updates.
Even more recently, corporate leaders were reminded of how fraught engagement can be. Disney, for example, faced internal backlash when its leadership declined to take a strong stance against Floridas Parental Rights in Education act, which critics often refer to as the Dont Say Gay law. But when the chief executive did take a public stance, the company was crucified on social media, and the state revoked its special tax benefits.

Now, with the expected demise of the countrys landmark abortion law, corporate leaders are confronting the hottest of hot-button issues. In a Pew Research poll in 2021, 59 percent of Americans said they believed that abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 39 percent said it should be illegal in all or most cases. People on all sides of the issue feel strongly about it, with nearly a quarter of Americans saying they will vote only for candidates who share their views on abortion, according to Gallup.

That all adds up to many reasons a company would want to avoid making any statement on abortion  and all the more reason that customers and workers could come to see it as necessary. A companys position on the end of Roe could have repercussions for how it hires in an increasingly competitive labor market, and how customers view its brand.

Abortion is a health care issue, health care is an employer issue, so abortion is an issue for employers, said Carolyn Witte, chief executive of Tia, a womens health care company. On Tuesday, Tia announced that it would provide medication abortions through its telemedicine platform in states where it operated and where doing so was legal.

For some major companies that have been known to weigh in on political and social issues, this week has been unusually quiet. Walmart, Disney, Meta, PwC, Salesforce, JPMorgan Chase, ThirdLove, Patagonia, Kroger and Business Roundtable were among the companies and organizations that declined to comment or take a position, or did not respond to requests for comment about whether they plan to make public statements about their stance on abortion. Hobby Lobby, which in 2014 brought a suit to the Supreme Court challenging whether employer-provided health care had to include contraception, made no public statement and did not respond to a request for comment.

Other companies did wade in. United Talent Agency said it would reimburse travel expenses for employees affected by abortion bans. Airbnb said it would ensure its employees have the resources they need to make choices about their reproductive rights. Levi Strauss & Company, which has said its benefits plan will reimburse employees who have to travel out of state for health care services such as abortions, said abortion was a business issue.
German exports to Russia plunged 62.3 percent in March from the previous month, government statistics showed Wednesday, as sanctions aimed at starving the Russian economy as punishment for President Vladimir V. Putins decision to invade Ukraine took hold.

The European Union and the United States have imposed increasingly severe economic sanctions on Russia since the Feb. 24 invasion, and Brussels is expected to adopt an additional package of measures, including a plan to ban oil, by the end of the week.

The sharp decline in exports to Russia reflects the close economic ties built up between the two countries in recent decades. Many German companies, including Volkswagen, have stopped exporting their products to Russia.

But German companies nevertheless sold goods worth 1 billion euros (about $1.06 billion) to Russia in March, as some firms not affected by the sanctions have been reluctant to sever ties with the country. Packaged medicines are among the most important items that Russia continues to buy from Germany. Along with food, seeds and medical equipment, they have remained exempt from sanctions.
For years, the maker of the TurboTax software claimed that people could file their tax returns online for free. Millions of customers signed up, only to pay hidden fees later in the process.

That was the finding of a multistate investigation led by Attorney General Letitia James of New York. Ms. James announced on Wednesday that Intuit, the company creating the software, would pay back $141 million to more than four million Americans who were unfairly charged for tax services that were falsely advertised as free. Refunds will be sent automatically to affected taxpayers.

The company cheated millions of low-income Americans out of free tax filing services they were entitled to, Ms. James said, adding that the settlement, signed by the attorneys general of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, was a clear reminder to companies that deceptive marketing ploys are illegal.

The settlement also requires Intuit, which enticed customers with its free, free, free ad campaign, to stop misrepresenting its tax products. Intuit said in a statement that the company did not admit any wrongdoing and agreed to pay the settlement fee to put this matter behind it.
Yet some question whether these philanthropic investments can make a difference when it comes to a planetary crisis.

I dont see how giving a billion dollars to a rich university is going to move the needle on this issue in a near-term time frame, said David Callahan, author of The Givers: Wealth, Power, and Philanthropy in a New Gilded Age. Its nice that hes parting with his money, but that billion dollars could be better spent trying to move this up on the scale of public opinion. Until the public sees this as a top tier issue, politicians are not going to act.

Arun Majumdar, who was named as the schools inaugural dean and has advised the Obama and Biden administrations on energy issues, said the school would provide context and analysis around climate change issues, but would stop short of advocacy. We will not go into the political arena, he said. Thats a very slippery slope for us.

Mr. Majumdar, who currently holds a chair at Stanford named for Jay Precourt, a businessman who made his name in the oil business, also said that the new school would work with and accept donations from fossil fuel companies.

Not all oil and gas industries are on board, but there are some who are who are under pressure to diversify, otherwise they will not survive, Mr. Majumdar said. Those that want to diversify and be part of the solutions, and they want to engage with us, we are open to that.

Mr. Doerr said he was first inspired to address climate change in 2006, after he watched Al Gores film, An Inconvenient Truth, with his family. He said that, at dinner after the film, his daughter told him, Your generation created this problem. You better fix it. The next year, Mr. Gore joined Kleiner Perkins, Mr. Doerrs venture capital firm.

In the years that followed, Kleiner Perkins made several major investments in clean energy companies and Mr. Doerr delivered a TED Talk titled Salvation (and Profit) in Greentech. But during the financial crisis of 2008, when the cost of natural gas plummeted due to fracking, many of those clean energy companies failed.
The video is mesmerizing: As three whitish-gray geysers gush eastward from the mountains of New Mexico, a sheet of brown spills down from the north like swash on a beach.

What it represents is far more destructive.

The image, a time-lapse captured by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite, shows two devastating events happening in the Western United States. The first is a wildfire outbreak in northern New Mexico that started last month and has intensified in the past two weeks, fueled by extreme drought and high winds. The second is a dust storm caused by violent winds in Colorado.

Both are examples of the sorts of natural disasters that are becoming more severe and frequent as a result of climate change.
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PARIS  Happening, Audrey Diwans film about a 1960s back-street abortion in France, isnt for the fainthearted. In fact, audience members have fainted at several screenings, including at the Venice Film Festival last September, where it won the Golden Lion.

Its often men who say the experience took them to the limit of what they could bear, Diwan said in a recent interview, because they had never imagined what it might be like.

While Happening, which will be released in the United States on May 6, has struck a chord with viewers worldwide, it has also fed into larger debates in France around the perception of abortion. The film is based on a real-life experience  that of the celebrated French author Annie Ernaux, who chronicled her 1963 abortion in a book of the same name, published in 2000. At the time, ending a pregnancy was illegal in France, and it would remain so until 1975.
When he ran for mayor, Eric Adams positioned himself as a champion for the working class  a lifelong New Yorker who had grown up in poverty and won support from voters in the boroughs outside Manhattan.

But in his first months in office, he could oversee rent increases of up to 9 percent for the citys roughly one million rent-stabilized apartments.

The powerful Rent Guidelines Board, which the mayor effectively controls, will take a preliminary vote on Thursday on proposed rent increases of 2.7 to 4.5 percent on one-year leases and 4.3 to 9 percent on two-year leases. A final vote is expected in June.

Critics say those rates are too steep  9 percent would be the largest increase since 1990  and unfair when the states eviction moratorium ended in January and market-rate rents across the city are rising.
George D. Gould, a Wall Street financier who was a figure of calm in New Yorks convulsive mid-1970s fiscal crisis and an original member of the state agency created to borrow on behalf of a nearly-bankrupt New York City, died on April 26 at his home in Palm Beach, Fla. He was 94.

His death was confirmed by his stepdaughter, Julie Frist.

Mr. Gould was at home one day in 1975 when Mayor Abraham D. Beame of New York called him after midnight to invite him to breakfast that morning. There, Mr. Gould was recruited to join the board of the Municipal Assistance Corporation, which New Yorkers were rushing to create to raise money and stave off bankruptcy.

Big M.A.C., as it became known, was established after banks and other financial institutions refused to buy more municipal bonds and short-term notes because, they said, the market was saturated and the citys ability to repay its debt had become too precarious.

For decades, though, these institutions had reaped hefty fees from the city and become complicit in what amounted to its fiscal gimmickry leading up to the crisis.
He added that Mr. Glover seemed to have shed his contrition.

The Nathaniel Glover who took responsibility on the day of the killing is not the man who stands before you today, Mr. Dahl said. He blames everyone but himself.

Speaking to the judge, Mr. Glover said that he was disappointed at how the case had played out, adding that he had been portrayed as a person who has no remorse or humanity. He said that he expected to be exonerated.

Mr. Celestin said that he would appeal and, outside the courtroom, said Justice Rodney had exercised outsize influence over the trial.

He took issue with her not having allowed a cultural expert to testify that the term whats up  the words with which Mr. Glover said Mr. Jolly had greeted him  could be viewed as a threat. And he said that the judge had not allowed Mr. Glover to argue that he had been defending himself that night, even though jurors had asked whether they could take self-defense into account.

A cousin of Mr. Jolly, Cheryl Horry, said that she, too, was disappointed and said that Mr. Glover should have received the maximum sentence, noting that he showed no remorse.

He didnt say sorry, she said. He didnt even say sorry to his own family. That shows a lot.

Mr. Jollys death was devastating to his family and those who knew him, said the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg. Every life we lose to violent crime ripples throughout our entire city, and we will continue to ensure everyone in our borough can live their lives with the sense of safety and security they deserve.

As one of the Furious Five, Mr. Glover was a key member of a group that brought hip-hop from the block parties where it was born into the recording studio. He was featured on early singles like Superrappin and Freedom, and his brother, Melvin Glover, who uses the stage name Melle Mel, rapped on the groups biggest hit, The Message. Another member, Keef Cowboy, is often credited with having invented the term hip-hop.

The group broke up in the late 1980s. While Melvin Glover continued to make music with another member of the group, Scorpio, Mr. Glover was soon working a temp job and living in a modest Bronx rooming house. He was still living there in August 2017, on the night he encountered Mr. Jolly.
On Wednesday morning at the miniature tent city across the street from Tompkins Square Park, the protesters were ready.

The official notice from the city had gone up four days before: A cleanup crew would remove any belongings the campers did not remove themselves. It was the seventh sweep in six weeks at the site in Manhattans East Village that has become ground zero for the small but vocal resistance to Mayor Eric Adamss campaign to clear New York Citys streets of homeless encampments.

Five tents lined the sidewalk under the scaffolding by a shuttered school, a strip the people who live there call Anarchy Row. Human lives enclosed (do not discard), read a sign affixed to one tent.

Dozens of officers, a sanitation truck and a single homeless outreach worker arrived.

A recording blared from a police loudspeaker: You are obstructing the Department of Sanitation from performing their duties. You are ordered to leave the area so that they may conduct a cleanup.
To the Editor:

Re Draft Abortion Ruling Signals Seismic Political Shift (front page, May 4):

Im 22 years old and Im starting to get used to the seismic shifts in American politics and society. I knew that the Supreme Court would gut or overturn Roe, but even so, reading Justice Samuel Alitos draft opinion provoked a deep fear that I had not anticipated.

The leaked opinion is not the final draft, but it clearly signals that this 50-year era of imperfect reproductive freedom has ended. There will be nothing to stop a state from enacting an all-out ban.

As I watch the world around me change and convulse in the face of climate change, Trumpism, a global pandemic and everything else that seems to be going downhill, I need to be able to control my body. I cant imagine choosing to bring a child into this world, and am appalled by the idea of being forced to carry and raise a child that I didnt plan for and that I have no idea how to raise.

I am scared.

Maggie Shields

Flagstaff, Ariz.

To the Editor:

An egregious breach of trust.

Chief Justice John Roberts was referring to the leak of the draft ruling on the right to abortion. The irony of his remark, though, is that it so aptly describes the deceptions of conservative members of the current Supreme Court who, during their nomination hearings, either obfuscated their intentions to rule against abortion or asserted that they viewed Roe v. Wade as precedent or established law. And yet, at least five of them will likely join this ruling.
Last month, Florida rejected dozens of math textbooks because, the state found, they included references to critical race theory or had inclusions of Common Core or the unsolicited addition of social emotional learning. The New York Times reporters Dana Goldstein and Stephanie Saul reviewed 21 of the rejected books and said that while in most of the books, there was little that touched on race, they did include aspects of S.E.L., which they described as a practice with roots in psychological research that tries to help students develop mind-sets that can support academic success.

S.E.L. is the latest front in the educational culture wars, and its painted as a kind of gateway drug to critical race theory by its opponents. Christopher Rufo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a right-leaning think tank, told Goldstein and Saul that while S.E.L. seems uncontroversial, in practice, S.E.L. serves as a delivery mechanism for radical pedagogies such as critical race theory and gender deconstructionism.

As a parent, I read this and felt completely exhausted. Partly because I dont care all that much about whether textbooks explicitly address social and emotional learning. Good teachers, those who care about all of the students in their classes, incorporate these concepts whether or not theyre spelled out in a textbook. My fourth grader constantly tells me that practice makes progress, instead of practice makes perfect, because her school is teaching her to keep working at something even if she isnt great at it right off the bat.

What I care deeply about is whether my kids are learning the math they are supposed to be learning at their grade level. And I find that very little of the recent political battles over what schools are teaching actually focuses on how American students are doing compared with students in other parts of the world. While most of these culture war conversations are kick-started from the right, there are also unpopular ideas from the left that draw backlash, like recommending against accelerated math in middle school and making standardized college entrance exams optional  despite only 14 percent of Americans believing that standardized tests shouldnt be a factor in college admissions decisions, according to Pew Research.
The leak of a draft Supreme Court decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade is not a surprise, but it is something of a mystery.

Whats unsurprising is that the accelerating politicization of the judiciary that began with Roe itself would overwhelm attempts to sustain an apolitical charisma around the operations of the court. Every development and controversy and scandal along the way  the Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas hearings, the multistage death of the filibuster, the pocket veto of Merrick Garland, the Brett Kavanaugh affair, the liberal enthusiasm for court-packing  cut away some element of the apolitical illusion. The leak of a draft decision, a violation of the secrecy around deliberations, is another escalation, but its part of the same pattern, the same trend thats defined judicial politics for two generations now.

But the mystery lies in the strategy behind the leak.

All we know right now, from the leak and related reporting, is that Samuel Alitos draft reflected the breakdown of the court about three months ago, when his draft first circulated  five votes to overturn Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, three votes against, John Roberts in the middle. But plenty of decisions have changed between the initial vote and the final ruling, including the Obamacare decision in 2012 (where Roberts switched sides) and Casey itself (where Anthony Kennedy wrote the decision upholding abortion rights after initially voting to overturn Roe). And in this case, it always seemed imaginable that an initial stark split would give way, through some kind of intra-judicial persuasion, to the kind of minimalist ruling that Roberts in particular favors.

So if you were simply following a crude strategic logic, the fact that whats been leaked is a draft from months ago might suggest that a leaker on the conservative side hopes to freeze a wavering justice  Kavanaugh being the obvious candidate  into their initial vote, by making it seem like the very credibility of the court rests on their not being perceived to cave under external pressure.
Economists generally believe that more information makes for better decisions. But when it comes to the news business, you have to wonder. The more that producers and editors know about their audiences, the more theyre tempted to give them exactly what they want. The customer is always right is a fine principle when the product is breakfast cereal but problematic when youre selling news and opinion.

I looked into this topic after reading a multipart series by the news side of this newspaper on Tucker Carlson, the host of Fox Newss flagship program, Tucker Carlson Tonight. The second part of the series included this description of Fox Newss efforts to track its viewers preferences in fine-grain detail:

The teams working on Foxs evening lineup began to make wider use of expensive ratings data known as minute-by-minutes. Unlike the quarter-hour ratings more commonly used in cable newsrooms, which show how each 15-minute block performed, the minute-by-minutes allow producers to scrutinize an audiences real-time ebb and flow. Mr. Carlson, determined to avoid his fate at CNN and MSNBC, was among the networks most avid consumers of minute-by-minutes, according to three former Fox employees.

You know that rush of excitement you get when you post something on Facebook that gets a lot of likes? Imagine how much more powerful the rush is for TV anchors and their teams when their words and images strike a chord with viewers.

Its not just pride; its also money. Advertisers pay more for bigger audiences. As the Times series shows, Carlson discovered that ratings soared when he stoked his viewers fears on topics such as immigration and crime. So he gave them more of it.

They talk to the audience where the audience is, and it works, Al Tompkins, a former TV journalist who teaches journalism at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla., told me. Ford and Chevy and Toyota would love to have such loyal customers.
Amherst, Mass. | $475,000

A 1948 Cape Cod-style house with four bedrooms and two bathrooms, on a 0.3-acre lot

Amherst is a charming college town in the Pioneer Valley region of western Massachusetts, with a highly ranked liberal arts school and a flagship state university. This house is a few blocks from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and half a block from a bus stop; the bus ride to Main Street, lined with restaurants and country inns, takes about 10 minutes.

Northampton and Holyoke are also easily accessible by bus or car, making the location of this property convenient for faculty and staff of the schools that make up the Five College Consortium.

Size: 1,579 square feet

Price per square foot: $301

Indoors: From the driveway, a gravel path leads to the red front door in the center of the facade. Just beyond is a living room with hardwood floors, built-in bookshelves and a fireplace with a wood-burning insert.

Through the living room is a bright dining room with an original built-in china cabinet. A sunroom with built-in shelves and a window seat is off this space. To the left of the dining room is a kitchen with a farmhouse-style sink, concrete counters and a subway-tile backsplash.
In September 2017, as President Vladimir V. Putin presided over the televised destruction of what he called the last of Russias chemical arms, he hailed their elimination as a huge step towards making the modern world more balanced and safe.

Now, years later, President Biden and Western leaders are warning that Russia may carry out chemical strikes in Ukraine. No hard evidence has emerged of chemical arms deployed in or near the theater of combat, in contrast to the Russian leaders clearer nuclear warnings. Analysts nonetheless see the threat of chemical warfare as real because Mr. Putin has long shown a willingness to ignore the international ban on chemical weapons. This helps him create an atmosphere of toxic intimidation, they say, that may give Russia a battlefield edge without ever having to fire a shot.

Hes already scaring people, said Hanna Notte, an expert on Russias use of chemical arms at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, Calif. The wide apprehension, experts noted, is prompting the West to provide Kyiv with gear and training meant to thwart any chemical strikes.

Its a war of narratives, Nikolai Sokov, a former Soviet diplomat who negotiated arms-control treaties, said of Ukraine and Russia, which have each accused the other of preparing for chemical warfare. He added that they blame each other, so theres definitely an attempt at scoring points in an information war.
Unlike Mr. Zamora, Mr. Roberts was, at the outset, not particularly motivated by activism. His boyfriend during the filming of The Real World: New Orleans, an Army officer named Paul Dill, appeared on the show using only his first name, and his face was hidden to conceal his identity. These were the days of Dont ask, dont tell, the Bill Clinton-era policy that allowed L.G.B.T.Q. people to serve in the military under the condition that they stayed in the closet, and Mr. Dill could have lost his job if he had been revealed.

The couple took the risk of going before MTVs cameras not in protest of the policy, but because they couldnt bear to be apart. Mr. Dills blurred-out face in his several appearances became an enduring symbol of the injustice of Dont ask, dont tell, as well as the liminal space gay people occupied.

I really didnt know what Dont Ask, dont tell was, Mr. Roberts said. I didnt know the ramifications. We really should have at least changed his name.

The decision would have consequences. After baring himself to the cameras, Mr. Roberts returned to everyday life only to be forced back into a new kind of closet as he tried to continue the relationship.

Every day, we lived with fear, he recalled. Of his career being destroyed. Of being dishonorably discharged. And I had my own fear. He was stationed in North Carolina, so were in the South, and every kid out there knew who I was.
Im positive! Do I need to self-isolate or quarantine?

If you test positive, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you should isolate and delay travel for 10 days, regardless of symptoms or a negative test taken within the isolation period. The country where you are staying may have its own rules for quarantine and isolation. The rules differ from country to country and isolation periods may be longer than the 10 days recommended by the C.D.C. Across Europe, many countries follow guidance from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, which recommends that fully vaccinated people should self-isolate after testing positive. If their symptoms improve and they feel better for at least 24 hours and they test negative for the virus twice within a 24-hour period, they can stop isolating. Or, if after six days they test negative once, they can stop isolating. Unvaccinated people are advised to self-isolate for 10 days, but can leave isolation if they meet the same requirements for negative tests.

Some other destinations, particularly in Asia, may require mandatory quarantine or isolation in a government facility or designated hotel for 14 days or more.

Am I required to tell government officials that Im positive?

This will depend on the regulations in the country you are visiting, so be sure to check what they say on local health ministry websites. In most places, tourists are not required to officially report a positive test result to the government, although if you took your test in person at a local health facility, the results are often sent to the regional or national health authority.

Where can I stay if I have to isolate?

Most countries, including popular European destinations like Greece, Italy and France, allow visitors testing positive to choose their own accommodation for the recommended period of self-isolation. You can find this information on U.S. embassy websites. If you have booked a hotel or Airbnb for your trip, it is worth calling ahead of time and seeing what their policy is for isolation and whether they have availability should you need to extend your stay.

Some lodging facilities will require you to isolate alone in a separate room, even if your family members or travel companions test negative. You should also ask about access to food and medical facilities, particularly if you are staying in a remote area.

Its useful to have a plan B in place in case your hotel or rental cannot accommodate you, or to have a cheaper option available if you do have to self-isolate for 10 days. Many countries have designated quarantine hotels or apartments and some resorts in popular tourist destinations like Spain, Portugal and Mexico allow guests to quarantine at a discounted rate.

Feeling fine, yet still positive. What now?

While most people are likely to test negative within 10 days of a positive coronavirus test, for some it can take weeks or even months, according to the global health partnership Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. If you find yourself in that position, and feel well enough to travel, you can return to the United States but will need to obtain documentation of recovery.
Out of 50 states, there are 13 that have passed so-called trigger laws that would outlaw abortion if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. But whats happening in states that do not have a trigger law?

California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, as well as the District of Columbia, have laws that protect the right to abortion, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research group that supports abortion rights.

Heres what lawmakers have specifically pledged in their efforts to reinforce protections for people seeking an abortion.

California: Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, tweeted less than an hour after the Supreme Court memo was leaked, emphatically supporting the right to an abortion. In March, Mr. Newsom signed legislation to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for abortion services. Though abortion rights are already protected by a right to privacy in the State Constitution, Mr. Newsom and other lawmakers proposed an amendment to bolster said protections that would be put in front of voters in the November election. The state has positioned itself as a refuge state of abortion rights, including more funding for abortion providers and improving access for those seeking abortion services.
If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, it would not outlaw abortion. Instead, states would be able to individually determine the procedures legality.

Thirteen states across the country have signaled their readiness to ban abortion by passing so-called trigger laws, which would effectively ban abortions almost immediately after a decision from the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Some states that are very strongly anti-abortion, having been frustrated that they couldnt ban abortion because of Roe v. Wade, decided to pass laws that would be on the books and operative immediately in the future event that the court ever removed the protections of Roe, said Donna Crane, an adjunct professor at San Jose State University with an expertise in womens rights and reproductive rights.

These are the 13 states that have passed trigger laws and what those laws entail:

Arkansas

In Arkansas, a trigger law would ban almost all abortions, with an exception for saving the life of a pregnant woman in a medical emergency. Performing an abortion, or attempting to perform one, could lead to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to $100,000.
LOS ANGELES  Deaths from Covid. Aging baby boomers. Fewer children. Restrictions on immigration.

These factors, not to mention the soaring cost of living, are forcing California  long associated in the public imagination as a destination and place of growth  to confront the fact that it is a shrinking state.

For the second time in two years, the California Department of Finance has reported a drop in the states population.

California lost 117,552 residents last year, driven largely by the Covid death toll and a sharp drop in foreign immigration. This followed a slightly bigger decline in 2020, when the state lost 182,083 residents  the first time in more than a century that California got smaller.

Officials recorded about 275,000 people leaving California last year, up from about 180,000 in the years before the pandemic. That decline is typically offset by the arrival of immigrants from abroad, but last year that figure plummeted. Before the pandemic, the average annual influx of immigrants was 140,000 people; last year the figure dropped to 43,300.
It was an early night in Ohio.

Despite questions about turnout amid bad weather, the results of the states primary elections on Tuesday didnt produce many surprises.

In the nights biggest race, J.D. Vance, the Hillbilly Elegy author who remade himself as a die-hard supporter of Donald J. Trump, won the closely watched Republican Senate primary after his struggling campaign was lifted by a crucial endorsement from the former president last month.

Here are a few key takeaways from one of the first major primary nights of the 2022 midterm cycle:

It was a good night for Donald Trump, and not just because of Vance.

Mr. Vances victory over a crowded field, in which he consolidated support the day of the vote, was unequivocally good news for Mr. Trump. The former presidents endorsement on April 15 came when Mr. Vance had been all but left for dead. Instead, with help from Mr. Trump and allies including Donald Trump Jr., Mr. Vance turned his campaign around.

If Trump supports Vance, then we know he will be good, said Kurt Oster, 59, a voter in Eaton, Ohio.
The morning after the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion in a case concerning Mississippis only abortion provider, Derenda Hancock arrived at the clinic around sunrise, just as she does most days, to lead a group of volunteers escorting patients. Wednesday morning, the group was back to do it again.

Women regularly come to the clinic, Jackson Womens Health, from across Mississippi, as well as Louisiana and Texas. This week, at least one came from Tennessee.

The clinic challenged the Mississippi law that would shut down abortions there, in a case that has climbed to the Supreme Court and paved the way to what will surely be one of the most consequential decisions on abortion rights in decades.

Often, it can seem like a wide gulf separates the legal fight in Washington from the practical realities on the ground. But the draft opinion has brought renewed concern about the fate of the clinic once the final ruling arrives.
A New Jersey man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for his role in an online dating scheme in which he and others, posing as U.S. military personnel serving overseas, stole $1.75 million from more than 40 victims over four years, federal prosecutors said.

Rubbin Sarpong, 38, of Millville, pleaded guilty in November to charges of wire fraud, money laundering and tax evasion. In addition to the prison term, a federal judge also sentenced Mr. Sarpong on Tuesday to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay more than $3 million in restitution to 36 victims.

From January 2016 to September 2019, Mr. Sarpong and his co-conspirators, most of whom live in Ghana, set up profiles on dating websites, including Plenty of Fish, Ourtime.com and Match.com, often claiming to be U.S. military service members stationed in Syria, federal prosecutors said in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in New Jersey.

After contacting victims, wooing them with words of love and initiating long-distance romantic relationships, Mr. Sarpong and his team asked for money, according to an F.B.I. investigator cited in the complaint. Many victims were told that the money would cover the cost of shipping gold bars that they had recovered or been awarded in Syria to the United States, and that they would be repaid once the gold bars were received. Victims mailed personal checks or cashiers checks or used money-transfer services to send money to various bank accounts mostly controlled by Mr. Sarpong, prosecutors said. About $454,000 was sent to his co-conspirators in Ghana, the F.B.I. investigator said.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has tested positive for the coronavirus, the State Department announced on Wednesday, nearly a week before he was scheduled to travel to diplomatic meetings in Europe and Morocco.

A spokesman, Ned Price, said Mr. Blinken, 60, had mild symptoms, and had not seen President Biden in several days.

Mr. Blinken, who is fully vaccinated and boosted, will work at home and looks forward to returning to the department and resuming his full duties and travels as soon as possible, Mr. Price said in the statement.

Mr. Blinken joins a handful of other prominent figures who have tested positive after attending the White House Correspondents Dinner on April 30. Among them are Steve Herman of Voice of America and, according to a person familiar with the matter, Jonathan Karl of ABC News.
Dan Epps, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis who clerked for former Justice Anthony Kennedy in 2009 and 2010, said some of the justices might balk at the idea of their clerks being subjected to interrogation.

Some of them might just be a little bit wary of subjecting their clerks and their staff to the kind of jurisdiction of somebody else whos not in their chambers, he said. My guess is, you know, some of them would just say, I will have a conversation with my clerks personally.

Mr. Epps said it is not out of the question that the justices might share their work with family members. (A common conspiracy theory on Twitter  offered with no evidence  is that Ginni Thomas, a conservative political activist and the wife of Justice Clarence Thomas, leaked the draft.) And some people have mused online about the possibility that the courts computers might have been hacked by someone who then gave the draft to Politico  though there is no public evidence of such an event.

There has also been much speculation about the authors of the Politico report, and whom they might know inside the court.

Josh Gerstein is a veteran legal affairs reporter who is well connected across Washington. He is also a prodigious user of the Freedom of Information Act to wrest information out of federal agencies whose leaders are not so inclined to see their emails and memos in the press. He has covered the court for years.

Alex Ward, Mr. Gersteins co-author, is a less likely candidate to have a byline on the story. A national security reporter, Mr. Ward has covered the White House and was an associate director in the Atlantic Councils Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security, according to his bio on Politicos website.

While the disclosure of a draft opinion months before the courts official ruling has never happened, there have been a few other leaks  and at least one investigation.
What the leak and the draft have in common, he said, is a disregard for the legal and public legitimacy of the court  and a failure to register that the justices and their clerks are temporary occupants of an institution that is greater than themselves.

Even before the impending decision to revisit abortion rights reopened painful national divisions, public faith in the court had deteriorated sharply. A national survey by Pew Research Center conducted early this year found that 54 percent of U.S. adults had a favorable view of the Supreme Court, compared with 65 percent last year.

An overwhelming majority of adults  84 percent  said the justices should keep their political views out of their judicial decisions, but only 16 percent of that group felt the court did a good or excellent job of it. Over the past three years, Pew found, approval of the court had declined 15 percentage points, reaching its least positive rating in nearly four decades.

A Morning Consult-Politico survey released on Wednesday found that about 66 percent of respondents said they support setting term limits for justices, with about 21 percent disapproving.

Nicole Lamarche, pastor of Community United Church of Christ in Boulder, said on Tuesday that she traced her disillusionment to the Republican senators blockade of Mr. Obamas Supreme Court nominee after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia in 2016.

To me, when they refused to appoint Merrick Garland, or even begin the hearings process, that to me was a sign of a different time, Ms. Lamarche said.

But the fast and furious appointment of three conservative justices during the Trump administration sent the court veering to the right, with the confirmation of Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh in particular deepening divisions.
I was honestly very afraid, she said.

Business leaders and workers whose livelihoods depend on the plant warn that if it does not come back online, the area will deteriorate, like many rural Japanese communities that are experiencing steep population decline. Currently about 5,500 people are working to maintain the idled plant, although employment would be likely to grow if it reopened.

Many local residents work in the plant or know friends and family who do. I think that there are more people who understand the necessity of the plant, said Masaaki Komuro, chief executive of Niigata Kankyo Service, a maintenance contractor at the facility.

Public polling presents a muddier picture. According to a 2020 survey by the city of Kashiwazaki, close to 20 percent of residents want to decommission the plant immediately. About 40 percent would accept the temporary operation of some reactors, but ultimately want the plant shut down. Just over half of prefectural residents oppose a nuclear restart, according to a 2021 survey by Niigata Nippo, a local newspaper.

The public wariness will be tested in an election for governor this month in Niigata Prefecture. The current governor, Hideyo Hanazumi, 63, is backed by the governing Liberal Democrats but has remained vague about his restart intentions. His challenger, Naomi Katagiri, a 72-year-old architect, promises to block the resumption of operations in Kashiwazaki and Kariwa.

The stakes are high because an unwritten government policy requires local political leaders to ratify nuclear reboots. Kariwas mayor, Hiroo Shinada, 65, is a vociferous proponent, while the mayor of Kashiwazaki, Masahiro Sakurai, 60, is investing in wind power but would support the temporary operation of some reactors.
KARACHI, Pakistan  Shari Baluch was a 30-year-old mother of two children and a schoolteacher. Late last month, on a university campus in Karachi, Pakistans biggest city, she detonated a suicide bomb, killing herself and four others, including three Chinese teachers.

Releasing a photo of her wearing fatigues and flashing a victory sign, the Baluchistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility, extending a recent wave of deadly attacks by Baluch separatists.

Baluch separatism is just one of the forces threatening the nations already tenuous unity and stability, including violent insurgencies by the Islamic State affiliate known as ISIS-K and the resurgent Pakistani Taliban.

An ethnically fragmented nation of more than 200 million people, Pakistan has long suffered from lack of economic development, corruption and volatile politics. The nuclear-armed military and its feared intelligence service exert significant influence over governments, and in the past have overthrown them.
MARINA DI CARRARA, Italy The Italian police are in a race to finish investigating the ownership of a $700 million superyacht, which U.S. officials say is linked to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, before the vessel is put to sea and able to elude possible sanctions.

They may be running out of time.

After spending months dry-docked in the Tuscan port of Marina di Carrara, the 459-foot vessel, called the Scheherazade, was put into the water again on Tuesday. Crew members milled about topside as water slowly filled the dry dock. The British captain, who had previously spoken to reporters, did not respond to questions.

A former crew member said that the ship could be ready to sail immediately, but that first it was likely to undergo sea trials to check its equipment  common for a ship that has been under repair and, in this case, in port since September.

The Scheherazade has so far avoided the fate of some luxury yachts linked to powerful Russians, which have been seized in the effort by the European Union, Britain and the United States to go after the wealth of oligarchs and officials in Mr. Putins inner circle in response to the Ukraine invasion. In March, the Scheherazades captain, Guy Bennett-Pearce, said the vessels owner  whom he didnt identify  was not on any sanctions list. The Italian media reported that the owner was Eduard Khudainatov, an oil tycoon not currently under sanctions. He is a longtime associate of Igor Sechin, a close Putin ally and chairman of the Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft, who is believed to be the owner of a superyacht seized in March.
In years past, Mr. Putin has used May 9  a near-sacred holiday for Russians to remember the 27 million Soviets who died in World War II  to mobilize the nation for the possibility of a new battle ahead. When he addressed the nation from his rostrum at Red Square on May 9 last year, he warned that Russias enemies were deploying once again much of the ideology of the Nazis.

Now, Russian state media is referring to Ukrainians who have resisted the Russian invasion as Nazis, and portraying the fight as the unfinished business of World War II. It seems almost certain that Mr. Putin will use his May 9 speech next week to invoke the heroism of Soviet soldiers in World War II to try to inspire Russians to make new sacrifices. The narratives Mr. Putin has been spinning to justify his war in Ukraine are very much in line with the grand, nostalgic narratives of Victory Day.

Analysts who follow Russia closely, however, say it is far from certain that Mr. Putin will declare an official state of war and announce mass mobilization, which could entail a military draft and a prohibition on Russian men of military age being allowed to leave the country.

Although a shared respect for the sacrifices of World War II remains a unifying force in Russia, a new draft or travel restrictions could provoke a blowback. Russian forces have suffered heavy losses in Ukraine  Western officials estimate that more than 7,000 Russian soldiers have been killed  and some families of service members have questioned the official silence about the scope of casualties.
Lika Spivakovska closed her two art galleries in Kyiv, Ukraine, hours after Russia invaded her country and felt helpless as she traveled across Europe, seeking refuge with her two children. Artists stuck in Ukraine had been messaging her all week, saying that their home workshops and studios had been destroyed by attackers.

Explosions in eastern Ukraine had damaged about 20 dedicated spaces for artists, leaving canvasses charred, paintings tattered and entire livelihoods lost, according to text messages sent to Ms. Spivakovska. I am without studio, paints, canvasses and none of my own works, one artist lamented in a message.

I felt so guilty, said Ms. Spivakovska, 38, who has been championing emerging Ukrainian artists for nearly a decade, placing their work in one of her galleries, Spivakovska Art:Ego, which opened in 2014.

Now it was her responsibility, she believed, to help them throughout the war.

She posted a call for help on Facebook in February, asking if someone could connect her with a person familiar with NFTs, or nonfungible tokens  a kind of digital collectible item that is stamped with a unique bit of code that serves as a permanent record of its authenticity.
With the Russian military still struggling, Western officials and Ukraines traumatized residents are looking with increased alarm to Russias Victory Day holiday on May 9  a celebration of the Soviet triumph over Nazi Germany  fearing that President Vladimir V. Putin may exploit it as a grandiose stage to intensify attacks and mobilize his citizenry for all-out war.

While Russia has inflicted death and destruction across Ukraine and made some progress in the east and the south over the past 10 weeks, stiff Ukrainian resistance, heavy weapons supplied by the West and Russian military incompetence have denied Mr. Putin the swift victory he originally appeared to have anticipated, including the initial goal of decapitating the government in Kyiv.

Now, however, with Russia about to be smacked with a European Union oil embargo, and with Victory Day just five days away, Mr. Putin may see the need to jolt the West with a new escalation. Anxiety is growing that Mr. Putin will use the event, when he traditionally presides over a parade and gives a militaristic speech, to lash out at Russias perceived enemies and expand the scope of the conflict.
BEIRUT, Lebanon  President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey this week announced a dramatic expansion of his countrys plan to entice refugees from Syrias civil war to return to their home country by building homes for them in Syria near the Turkish border.

Speaking by video link at the inauguration of new cinder block homes in northern Syria intended for returning refugees who had been living in Turkey, Mr. Erdogan said that in addition to the tens of thousands already built, Turkey would construct enough new buildings to house 1 million more refugees. But it is not clear that many Syrians will take him up on the offer.

The program, he said, was an extension of Turkeys initial welcome of millions of Syrians fleeing the war. Turkey is the host of more Syrian refugees, by far, than any other country.

We didnt just open our doors to save the lives and the honor of the oppressed, Mr. Erdogan said. But we made, and are making, every effort for them to return to their homes.
Ohio 11th Congressional District Primary Election Results

Representative Shontel Brown is defending her seat in a rematch against Nina Turner, a Bernie Sanders ally, in the Democratic primary.
Inspired by the comfort of the classic dog bed, a couple of university students designed Plufl, the worlds first dog bed for humans.

If youre thinking that the Plufl is just an oversized dog bed, youre technically right, but according to its creators, University of British Columbia students Noah Silverman and Yuki Kinoshita, its also much more than that. Apparently, the Plufl was engineered to provide the optimal napping experience and maximize comfort and foster a sense of security, delivering relief for those who have ADHD, stress, and anxiety-related issues.

Recently launched on the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform, the Plufl has already blown past its funding goal of $25,000, securing over $155,000 from hundreds of backers. Even though its not the cheapest dog bed in the world at $400, the Plufl seems to have quite a lot of fans already.

Noah Silverman and Yuki Kinoshita told Sleepopolis that they came up with the idea for a dog bed for humans while hanging out at a coffee shop in Vancouver called Great Dane Coffee, where they befriended both the owners and their pet Great Dane, Lady. It was apparently seeing Lady lounging in her custom-made bed that made Silverman ask himself Why shouldnt people have this too?

Unlike an actual dog bed, the Plufl is allegedly much more comfortable, thanks to the memory foam cushioning and the reinforced edge that allows users to rest their heads on it when they want. They also added straps and included a bag with each Plufl, so that it can be easily stored or transported.

The oval shape encourages fetal position (the most common and comfortable sleep form according to research), while the thick pillow border allows users to tuck their hands and feet, fostering a feeling of security, the official description reads. The orthopedic memory foam provides ample support and the faux fur is soft and calming to the touch.



You can still pledge to the Plufl via its Kickstarter page, but its unclear when the first orders are going to be delivered, or when the dog bed for humans will finally become commercially available.
Two men have appeared in court charged in connection to a violent street brawl in Longford town on Sunday evening which left a man with head injuries.

Ben Curry (21), St Marthas Hostel, Knocknahaw, Dublin Road, Longford and David Nevin (18), 8 Camlin Meadows, Farneyhoogan, Longford were both brought before a sitting of Longford District Court today following an incident less than 48 hours earlier.

Mr Nevin was charged with assaulting two men at Tesco Car Park, Longford Shopping Centre.

He was further charged with producing a clawhammer during the course of an alleged assault.

Mr Curry, meanwhile, was charged with the possession of a knife at Five Star Pizza Shop, Main Street, Longford contrary to Section 9 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990.

Both men were arrested and detained at Longford garda station after gardai were alerted to reports of an unruly incident in the centre of town shortly before 8pm.

Mr Nevin, who was accompanied by his mother, stood with his hands clasped behind his back in the custody suite of the court as Garda Anthony Scanlon gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

He said both men made no reply when details of the charges were relayed to them before 11pm last night.

Garda Scanlon told the court the incident both men had been charged with began in the car park of the county towns shopping centre before spilling out onto its main street moments later.

He said gardai had no objection to bail being granted to Mr Curry subject to certain conditions being imposed.

They included orders that the accused observe a 10pm to 8am curfew, to sign at Longford garda station three times a week, refrain from entering Longford Shopping Centre while also providing a mobile phone number to gardai and remaining contactable at all times.

Defence solicitor for Mr Nevin, Frank Gearty said his client would be consenting to a short remand in custody after Judge Bernadette Owens was informed gardai would be objecting to bail being granted to the teenager.

He also revealed Mr Nevin was an individual who suffered from ADHD and asked the court to ensure his client be medically examined while in custody.

Judge Owens said, in those circumstances, she would be granting a psychiatric report to be carried out on Mr Nevin.

Legal aid was also granted to both men with Mr Nevin due to reappear next Tuesday (May 10) while Mr Curry is set to return before Longford District Court on July 5.
The Irish 1,000 Guineas has emerged as a possibility for Ralph Becketts Prosperous Voyage following her fine effort in the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday.

The Zoffany filly was sent off at 33-1 for the first fillies Classic of the summer, but outran her odds in going down by just a neck to brave winner Cachet.

Becketts immediate thoughts in the aftermath suggested a move up in trip would be on the cards for his talented three-year-old and although the initial musings of a trip to ParisLongchamp for the Prix Saint-Alary remain a realistic option, the Kimpton Down handler has not ruled out sticking at eight furlongs and supplementing his Guineas runner-up for the Tattersalls-sponsored Irish equivalent.

 @the_doyler does the 2000-1000 Guineas double Nell Gwyn heroine Cachet makes virtually all to win the first Fillies' Classic of the season to provide @gbougheyracing with a first Classic success@NewmarketRace | @HighclereRacing pic.twitter.com/6rdRhdcrKN  Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 1, 2022

Shes come out of Newmarket well, she would have to be supplemented for the Curragh, but that is a possibility, otherwise we will stick to our original plan which was the Prix Saint-Alary, explained Beckett.

I have to decide where her future lies over the next spell before making a decision on the Saint-Alary. It may be that she doesnt want a mile and a quarter and the Saint Alary is a step too far, but we are only going to find that out by running her, so Im as open-minded as ever.

Looking back on the fillys run in the 1000 Guineas, Beckett was delighted she justified his faith that she would run a big race and despite her place in the market, was far from shocked to see her fighting it out at the finish.

It was a terrific effort, a huge run, but we expected her to run a big race. As I said afterwards her work with New Mandate had been good 10 days previous and it was nice to see that vindicated.
A midland-based enterprise, The Factory, has won Green Small Organisation of the Year in the 2022 Green Awards. The award was announced during the ceremony held at Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, Dublin on April 31st, where critically acclaimed author and comedian Colm ORegan was host on the night.

The Factory provides eco-printing, branding, design, website development and sign-making services to local and national clients. The business is located in Offaly about 10km from Birr near the village of Fivealley.

The Factory was shortlisted together with five other eco-conscious organisations that included some well know brands: Ballymaloe Foods, Falcon Green, Mortgage 123, Swords Pavilions Shopping Centre and The Kind Brand Company. To come out on top was a remarkable achievement for this innovative enterprise. The expert panel of judges noted, every business needs to strive to achieve what The Factory have.

Lisa Dooley, Creative Director at The Factory, who accepted the award said: "It is incredibly motivating and I know this will encourage us to do even more on our sustainability journey. Lisa emphasised the importance of both staff and clients: a massive thank-you to our incredible team; we wouldnt have achieved so many milestones without everyone working together. She also thanked their supportive and encouraging clients, and said, "the award really belongs to both The Factory team and it's clients as they made it possible".

Considering the comprehensive range of sustainability actions put in place by the eco-enterprise, it becomes apparent why they won this national award. The list includes: installing a solar panel array, erecting a wind turbine, installing batteries to store electricity, investing in an electric vehicle for local deliveries, fitting a modern air-to-water heating system, upgrading lighting to energy efficient LED bulbs, printing with plant-based/eco toner (ink), using only plastic-free packaging, managing five acres of surrounding land for biodiversity, developing a design process to empower clients to make eco-decisions, creating the product passport to highlight planet positive choices, offering weekly yoga classes and implementing a four day work week to promote healthy work-life balance, placing bee hives and a barn owl nesting box on the property, sharing the eco-journey on social media, providing further education opportunities to staff, and installing a rainwater harvesting system. They also created an eco-design brief for graphic design students at TUS, Athlone. These remarkable sustainability actions have been a cornerstone of the company attracting eco-conscious clients from all over Ireland.

Many who are familiar with The Factory will know that sustainability is not new for the enterprise. In fact, they previously published Irelands journal on sustainable living, The Local Planet, which is set to return later this year. They were also the first commercial print enterprise in Ireland to use plant-based inks and rainwater as part of the lithographic printing process.

When asked about the financial investment involved in implementing so many measures, Lisa said this was significant. "Back in 2018, an idea formed that the business was to become sustainable or fail trying. This may have seemed risky, but we felt that an even bigger risk would be not to act. We decided not to wait for any future incentives or grants as it seemed there was always another reason not to act. I recall the phrase pay it forward' being used at the time".

Lisas dad and Managing Director of The Factory, Brendan Dooley, who accompanied her to the Green Awards event in Dublin, remarked how the investment risk has in fact made the business stronger. He said: we have many new customers who are supporting us on this sustainability journey who understand the importance of all businesses becoming sustainable as quickly as possible. I mean if we cannot become sustainable, then, ultimately, we wont have a future. It is clear that we cannot wait for others. Each enterprise must urgently plot their respective sustainability path now. This cannot be done by someone else, every enterprise must take responsibility for the environmental impact of their own organisation.

I strongly believe that business owners who make the necessary decisions and put sustainability at the top of their agenda will find that this will be one of the best decisions they ever make. They are in effect putting the interests of future generations first, but will also find the journey rewarding today, in terms of team morale and through additional support from customers, and I suspect, attracting many new clients. This is not to mention the many benefits that relate to waste reduction and resource/energy saving.

Recently three team members have completed sustainability business courses in GMIT, which has helped the enterprise accumulate the necessary knowledge. With this theory and the practical information gained though The Factorys own eco-actions, Lisa and the team believe they are in a position to help other small businesses transition to more sustainable practices. They have recently founded The Eco School and are currently developing a number of short courses that will be held on-site at The Factory.

Lisa said: as many small enterprises have a limited number of employees, time and resources, these courses could help reduce risks and accelerate their sustainability journey. By sharing its sustainability experiences in a practical setting, participants might be able to visualise and better understand how to implement similar eco-initiatives in their specific enterprise, perhaps learning from what The Factory has done right and the mistakes made along the way. They plan to publish details on both thefactory.ie and ecoschool.ie when course details are finalised. Keep up to date with their eco-journey on instagram: @thefactory.ie, @ecoschool.ie and @thelocalplanet.

Fellow award winners on the night include, An Post, Hotel Doolin, Gas Networks Ireland, Tesco, Lidl, SSE Airtricity and Palm Free Irish Soap. Another notable award, Green Leader 2022, went to former President of Ireland and Chair of The Elders, Mary Robinson. The main sponsor of this years awards was Bord na Mona.
There is not yet a clear date for when the Government will cut the student contribution fee, the Higher Education Minister has said.

Minister Simon Harris was speaking this morning (Wednesday May 4) as he prepared to unveil 307 million (260 million) of extra funding for Irish colleges and universities, following years of debate and discussion about a new funding arrangement for the sector.

Minister Harris reiterated his belief that the 3,000 student contribution charge is an austerity-era measure, and that it needs to be cut to alleviate financial pressure on students and their families.

But while he was adamant that student loans are off the table for the Government, he was not able to say when students will see the contribution charge cut.

The minister said the 307 million will be spent over the coming years.

We will spend about 2,000 more per student in college each year, he said. So its an investment of about 2,000 more in your education.

Were going to invest more, though, to change the system.

We want to see more lecturers in our colleges, we want to see a better ratio between students and lecturers.

We want to fund our education system to an equivalent level across the European Union.

He said the Cabinet yesterday (Tuesday May 3) agreed to a number of measures designed to cushion students from the cost of college in the coming years.

Im delighted to say that yesterday the Government agreed that every year in advance of the Budget, I, and in due course my successors, will publish a paper showing how we can reduce the cost of education for working families.

Minister Harris said the options are either improving the grant system, reducing fees, or a combination of both.

However, in an interview with RTE radio, Minister Harris declined to provide specific details about a mooted cut to the student contribution fee.

He insisted it is not just aspirational and the exact approach to saving students money needs to be debated.

I think it is just at a level that is of an austerity era, he said.

While not giving specifics, he pledged action will be taken for students in the upcoming Budget.

What there will be in the October Budget is a package to support students, Minister Harris said. Well look at both the grants and the fees.

Let me be really clear in case anybody thinks Im in any way ambiguous on this: I believe that the 3,000 registration fee is too high. I believe it needs to come down. Ive said that many times.

He rejected any suggestion of introducing a student loan scheme.

The Government agreed yesterday and made a formal decision that student loans are off the table, that theyre not equitable.

They burden young people with more debt when they leave college at a time theyre trying to meet lots of other pressures in life.

Theyre not fair. And, quite frankly, they also dont work.
Are you a current print subscriber? You qualify for online access to the Omak Chronicle. To receive your access, create a website account and then verify your print subscription or e-edition subscription with your subscriber number, which may be found on your bill or mailing label.
Novak Djokovic looked sharp in his opening match at the Madrid Open on Tuesday, defeating Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the third round.
A three-year-old girl is in a critical condition after being left in a bus for almost six hours in central Queensland.
Russia's military struck power sites near five railway stations in a likely bid to interrupt the flow of Western military aid to Ukraine. Meanwhile, the EU unveiled plans for an oil embargo on Moscow. DW has the latest.
Social media is celebrating a Ukrainian fighter pilot for shooting down six Russian enemy planes. But does the "Ghost of Kyiv" exist? DW checks the facts.
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Germany's Cabinet has wrapped two days and talks, with the war in Ukraine and its impact on the German economy top of the agenda.
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Karolina fled to France after Russia's invasion. But she hopes to return to Ukraine one day and resume swimming at a high level.
The premier of the British Virgin Islands, who is accused of money laundering and conspiring to import cocaine, will plead not guilty to drug trafficking, his lawyer has said.
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Bharat Biotech has sought permission from India's drug regulator to conduct a phase 2/3 study of its Covid vaccine Covaxin as a booster dose among those aged two to 18 years, sources told PTI. Presently, precaution dose of Covaxin and Covishield is administered to all those aged above 18 who have completed nine months after the second dose.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met French President Emmanuel Macron here on Wednesday and discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interests as well as regional and global developments, amid Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
Reaction continues to come in after a bombshell draft was leaked from the U.S. Supreme Court on abortion rights. CBS2's Dana Tyler spoke to Hofstra Law School professor James Sample about what may come next and how we got here.
FactCheck.org 09 May 2022

In the wake of the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that indicates the court could overturn Roe v. Wade, some lawmakers have..
A Russian cruise missile attack has targeted electrical substations in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. The attack on Tuesday night came after air raid sirens sounded throughout the city. (May 4)


Deutsche Welle 10 May 2022

Meanwhile, the US military says it has "indications" Ukrainians are being forcibly taken to Russia, and President Joe Biden dusts..
The EU chief concedes that that getting all 27 member countries  some of them highly dependent on Russia for energy supplies  to agree on oil sanctions will be difficult.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said the move would be costly to the bloc's economy. "It will not be easy," she said.
The Kremlin has so far only referred to the war in Ukraine as a "special military operation".
Zoltan Kovacs says the proposal is against the country's interests and would ruin the Hungarian economy.
Pragmatic Play Makes a Generous Donation of 100,000 to the British Red Cross

Published May 4, 2022 by Florin P

Pragmatic Play donates 100,000 to the British Red Cross to help the millions of people from Ukraine affected by the brutal war.

Pragmatic Play is one of the leading content providers in the online gaming industry. It is also a company that understands the importance of helping those in need and giving something back to the community. Its latest involvement is supposed to make a difference for the millions of people affected by the war in Ukraine. The company has recently donated 100,000 to the British Red Cross, to help the organization in its efforts to provide relief in the war-torn country.

100,000 for the Ukraine Crisis Appeal

The British Red Cross is one of the most respected organizations and a natural partner for Pragmatic Play. 100,000 will be put to good use as it will support the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement response. The organization has provided invaluable help to more than 1 million people in Ukraine and continent-wide. The aid includes everything from food, water, and clothing to psychological and social help.

Money is not enough to make a difference, but in the hands of dedicated volunteers from all over the world, it can make a meaningful impact. Pragmatic Plays contribution goes towards those who need help, and assistance is delivered through a trustworthy humanitarian organization. Through the CSR program, the leading content provider for the online gaming industry makes a positive difference for those in need.

Bringing Aid to Those Most in Need

Pragmatic Play has been supporting charities and nonprofit organizations for many years, well before the war in Ukraine started. However, the company understood the importance of helping those caused by this vicious conflict and doubled its efforts. The financial contribution of 100,000 isnt a huge amount, but it is a sum of money large enough to make a difference for those in need. Whats most important is the fact that the money is put to good use by British Red Cross, therefore it makes a huge impact.

Julian Jarvis, CEO of Pragmatic Play highlighted the importance of helping with Ukrainian people during these trying times. The company works with incredible people from this country and everyone at the headquarters was touched by their drama. Helping them and their families was the natural thing to do and this donation represents just the tip of the iceberg. Edward Davies, Chairman of the Gibraltar Red Cross was quick to acknowledge the importance of such generous contributions from private companies.
Solunus Inc., a leading provider of Salesforce services is pleased to announce it has received the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification. The certification is awarded by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to institutions that meet a set of stringent requirements for information security. The award demonstrates Solunus' commitment to maintaining information security standards of the highest order. To obtain the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification, the company underwent an extensive organization-wide information management systems 
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Tereasa Nims.

Tuesday, May 3

10 p.m. - Police were called to the 5600 block of Waldo Avenue for a general assist.

9:16 p.m. - A deputy was dispatched to a Jasper Township residence regarding a 15-year-old girl who was receiving harassing social media messages from a 15-year-old boy acquaintance. The girls father requested a report for documentation only.

8:31 p.m. - A deputy was dispatched to a Jasper Township residence to assist child protective services with an alleged child abuse incident. A deputy spoke with a 42-year-old Jasper Township man and his 46-year-old wife regarding their 6-year-old child. The allegation was investigated and determined to be unfounded.

4:52 p.m. - Officers were called to Eastman Avenue and W. Wackerly Street for an injury crash.

3:51 p.m. - Deputies responded to a Jerome Township residence reference a 911 hang-up call. Deputies spoke with neighbors and found that the occupants from the house where the 911 call was placed had left recently and appeared to be fine. Deputy spoke with the 34-year-old Jerome Township woman who made the call who advised that the call was accidental, and she did not need any emergency services.

2:29 p.m.  Deputies were called when an unknown person failed to pay for $59.41 in fuel from a Coleman gas station. Suspect drove a black Blazer, no plate was obtained.

2:11 p.m. - Officers responded to Jefferson and Eastlawn for a personal injury crash.

1:22 p.m. - Deputies responded to a Greendale Township residence for report of a missing person, however prior to their arrival the missing person returned home, and Deputies were not needed.

12:55 p.m. - A 37-year-old Lincoln Township woman reported a men knocked on her door asking to do a cleaning demonstration. The woman felt uncomfortable and asked the man to leave. The man asked if he could come back later, and she told him no. The man left the area. Deputies checked the area for the male to let him know he wasn't welcome at her house but didn't locate him.

10:03 a.m. - Police were called to a property damage crash at East Carpenter and South Rodd streets.

9:53 a.m. - Animal Control Deputy received a call regarding a stray dog in that bit a horses leg while it was being rode down the road in Lee Township. Horse owner does not know where the dog came from.

9:04 a.m. - Officers responded to the 600 block of East Carpenter for a private property crash.

8:54 a.m. - A deputy was on patrol when a dog ran into the road in Lee Township. The deputy was able to avoid a collision with the dog. The dog was returned to its 58-year-old male owner who advised they forgot to put the fence collar on the dog.

8:35 a.m. - Animal Control Deputy contacted a dog owner regarding a dog that has on several occasions been seen running loose. Verbal warning issued and owner instructed to properly license her dog.

7:40 a.m. - Deputy responded to a Lincoln Township business regarding an unwanted subject inside the store. The subject left prior to arrival. The business did not want contact and they were satisfied when he left.

7:34 a.m. Deputies assisted BAYANET with executing a search warrant for narcotics in the City of Midland.
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP)  Police in Armenia's capital on Monday detained 180 anti-government demonstrators that were blocking streets to protest against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Protests demanding that Pashinyan step down reignited in Armenia last month, after he spoke in the country's parliament about the need to sign a peace agreement with Azerbaijan.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a decades-old conflict over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is part of Azerbaijan but has been under Armenian control since early 1990s. In a six-week war in the fall of 2020, Azerbaijan was able to reclaim control over large swaths of land in and around the region before signing a Russia-brokered truce with Armenia. Pashinyan has faced backlash at home for agreeing to the deal.

As Armenia and Azerbaijan edged closer to reaching a proper peace agreement this year, opposition forces in Armenia have resumed protests against Pashinyan. Rallies in the capital, Yerevan, are being held almost daily since April 17.

On Sunday, demonstrators in the center of Yerevan set up tents for a round-the-clock protest and said they wouldn't leave until Pashinyan and his team step down. The Interfax news agency reported that barricades were erected from garbage cans and street benches, and that traffic on France Square, a major road connecting four main avenues of the Armenian capital, stopped.

Demonstrators  including opposition lawmakers  chanted Armenia without Nikol! Protest leader and deputy parliamentary speaker Ishkhan Sagatelyan told reporters that protesters would clear the streets by Monday afternoon, so that another rally could gather on the square in the evening.

Some of the detentions on Monday were carried out with the use of force, and journalists covering the protests were reported to have been pushed around by the police. Police spokespeople told Interfax the demonstrators were detained on charges of refusing to obey police officers.
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WASHINGTON (AP)  There is little credible information about the new Disinformation Governance Board.

And that has made it an instant target for criticism.

The board, part of the Department of Homeland Security, was announced last week. But DHS has released few details on how the board will function and what powers it will have.

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was attacked again Wednesday by Republican members of Congress who have already called for the board to be disbanded. Some civil liberties advocates also worry the group could violate freedom of speech.

With disinformation campaigns working to shape opinions on everything from the war in Ukraine to the presidential election in the United States, the rocky start for the board may undermine its effectiveness and hurt the efforts to staunch the harm that false narratives can cause.

It is just an episodic failure, said Brian Murphy, a former director of DHS intelligence arm, of the boards launch. And it has set the true disinformation professionals, wherever they live, back.

Testifying before Congress on Wednesday, Mayorkas said the board would examine how DHS currently counters disinformation and make sure the agency does not infringe on freedom of speech, rights of privacy, civil rights and civil liberties. DHS already has an office of civil rights and civil liberties.

It is going to establish what should have been established years ago: standards, definitions, guidelines and policies, he said.

The boards bungled rollout could also hurt existing efforts to identify and stop foreign disinformation campaigns, which have been labeled a national security threat by both Republican and Democratic administrations.

Russia, China and other adversaries have used social media to push messages at U.S. audiences that stoke division and spread conspiracy theories or falsehoods. In recent months, Russia has waged an aggressive disinformation campaign across platforms to claim images and reports of dead bodies and attacks in Ukraine are fake.

The top Republicans on two key congressional panels wrote to the department on Friday demanding more information. Even privately, congressional staffers say they know little about the board or how it's being funded beyond the spare public announcements made by the department's leadership.

Given the complete lack of information about this new initiative and the potential serious consequences of a government entity identifying and responding to disinformation, we have serious concerns about the activities of this new Board, wrote Reps. Mike Turner of Ohio and John Katko of New York, the top Republicans on the House Intelligence and Homeland Security committees.

DHS that same day held a call with congressional staffers and the boards new director, Nina Jankowicz, an author and expert on Russian disinformation.

According to one person on the call, Jankowicz said there was a broad vision for what the board would do but did not offer specifics to some questions, including how her organization would work with existing anti-disinformation efforts with DHS. The department also has not provided Congress with detailed written plans beyond a summary it sent to Capitol Hill on Wednesday, the same day the department publicly announced the creation of the board.

The person was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Ninety-five percent of Americans identified misinformation last year as a problem when theyre trying to access important information, according to a poll conducted by The Pearson Institute and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

But the difference between opinion and disinformation is often contested  and many argue the government shouldn't be responsible for drawing the line.

The boards creation spurred outrage across social media, with dozens of conservative pundits and Republican politicians dubbing it the Ministry of Truth, a reference to the government agency responsible for creating propaganda in George Orwells novel 1984. The term Ministry of Truth trended on Twitter for hours.

Thousands of posts focused on Jankowicz, including past social media posts that criticized Republicans and questioned the veracity of stories about Hunter Biden, the president's son. Other posts used anti-Semitic language to attack Jankowicz, who is not Jewish, and Mayorkas, who was born to Jewish parents.

While the board was set up in part to combat Russian disinformation, it instead fueled conspiracy theories and more stories in Russian state media. One Kremlin-backed piece carried the headline: Bidens Ministry of Truth is another propaganda tool.

Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah on Wednesday echoed that point to Mayorkas directly on Wednesday, calling the board a terrible idea that communicates to the world that were going to be spreading propaganda in our own country.

Homeland Security initially said the board would have the two-part mission of countering Russian disinformation activities and false narratives smugglers use to induce people in Latin America to try to reach the U.S.-Mexico border.

For anyone whos out there who may be concerned about the increase in migrants to the border, this is the kind of apparatus thats working to address disinformation, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during a briefing on Monday.

On Monday, the department also announced it would provide quarterly reports to Congress.

Trying to tamp down concerns about thought police, Mayorkas said in a television interview to CNN on Sunday that we in the Department of Homeland Security dont monitor American citizens.

In fact, DHS does. The sprawling department, created in response to the security failures leading up to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, has broad authorities to track and collect data on American citizens. It has repeatedly been accused of misusing those powers. In a bulletin earlier this year, DHS said it was using social media to identify potential conspiracy theories that might inspire domestic violence or terrorism. In a statement on Monday, the agency also released examples of how it has responded to misinformation in the past, including during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 when falsehoods spread about drinking water and shelter locations.

And organizations tracking disinformation monitor social media, where its sometimes impossible to determine the nationality or location of individual users. Disinformation researchers often identify popular conspiracy theories and trending falsehoods in the U.S. by monitoring public social media groups, pages and accounts.

DHS wont have the ability to remove posts or accounts that it deems are spreading disinformation. That power still rests with the tech companies themselves, said Katie Harbath, a former public policy director for Facebook who is now the International Republican Institutes technology and democracy director.

The new disinformation board could help the platforms spot some information operations they might be missing, she said.

DHS is going to have to do what they normally do, Harbath said. If theres a post they think should be taken down or fact-checked, they can report that to the platforms, but the platforms are going to make their own call.

___

Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri and Ben Fox contributed to this report.

___

This story was first published on May 4, 2022. It was updated on May 5, 2022, to make clear that Disinformation Governance Board Director Nina Jankowicz is not Jewish and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was born to Jewish parents.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP)  A bipartisan group of Georgia lawmakers is asking congressional budget writers to reject the Biden administration's plan to close a training facility for military pilots in the state.

The five Georgia congressmen, led by Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, sent a letter to key members of House and Senate subcommittees that oversee defense budgets to request $11.5 million to keep open the Combat Readiness Training Center in Savannah.

President Joe Bidens proposed budget for fiscal 2023 would eliminate funding for the Air National Guard center that conducts air-to-air combat training missions for both reservist and active-duty fighter pilots.

"As members of Congress, we recognize that budgets have limits and hard decisions must be made to protect our countrys bottom line," said the April 28 letter. But our militarys capacity to conduct realistic, live training sets us apart from our adversaries."

The letter continued: "We can see from Russias tactical incompetency in Ukraine how disastrous it can be if a nation does not properly prepare its warfighters. That is exactly why the Savannah CRTC must remain open.

The fight over the training center has put Biden at odds with some members of his own party in Georgia. Warnock and fellow Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff signed the letter opposing the closure. So did Democratic Rep. Sanford Bishop and Republican Reps. Buddy Carter and Austin Scott.

The U.S. military has proposed closing the Savannah center in part because of fiscal constraints as well as changes in training requirements and user demand, said Maj. Amber Schatz, a spokeswoman for the Air National Guard.

The Air National Guard operates three similar pilot training centers in Gulfport, Mississippi; Alpena, Michigan; and Camp Douglas, Wisconsin. If the Georgia facility closes, the remaining three can absorb the full spectrum training requirements needed to be ready today while modernizing to be stronger tomorrow, Schatz said in an emailed statement.

The Georgia lawmakers say the Savannah training center is more efficient, in part because it shares an airfield with another Air National Guard unit, the 165th Airlift Wing. It's located near the coastal city's commercial airport.

The congressmen contend that closing the Savannah training center would eliminate roughly 100 military and civilian jobs. They also say it would waste roughly $25 million spent building a new hangar for fighter maintenance that's scheduled for completion in August.

The Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, which is also fighting to keep the center open, says the facility conducted more than 2,000 training missions last year and hosted nearly 6,000 personnel.
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MANISTEE  If you live in Michigan, youve probably heard the term brownfield.

A quick search in the Michigan open geographic information system map of brownfields shows at least 951 results with four of those in Manistee alone.

City of Manistee Chief Financial Officer Edward Bradford explained its significance to Manistee.

What is a brownfield

"A Brownfield traditionally is considered to be a site that has some kind of environmental contamination on it or challenging conditions whether it's old underground, various storage tanks or maybe there was a manufacturing plant or whatever," Bradford explained.

"And so the legislature many years ago created Public Act 381 of 1996 to pass the Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Act  that was a financing tool that will allow communities to help redevelop and clean up these sites," he said.

How do they work

Brownfield plans use what is called tax increment financing to "reimburse brownfield-related costs incurred while

redeveloping contaminated, functionally obsolete, blighted or historic properties," according to a brownfield fact-sheet from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

The sheet also notes that the Brownfield programs are also responsible for "managing the Single Business Tax and Michigan Business Tax Brownfield Credit legacy programs (SBT/MBT Brownfield Credits)."

The MEDC fact sheet also notes the following:

"The Brownfield Redevelopment Authority is the local jurisdiction entity that manages the development of brownfield

plans. After approval of a brownfield plan by the local governing body, the BRA may request capture of state school

taxes via a work plan submitted to the MEDC and/or the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. There are 295 BRAs in Michigan and approximately 467 brownfield plans that are active or have been completed across the state (as reported to the MEDC in September 2015).

Among the types of actions that are eligible in redeveloping sites for the tax increment financing are:

 Demolition

 Lead and asbestos abatement

 Site preparation

 Infrastructure improvements

 Assistance to land banks and local government units.

With the exception of assistance to land banks, the single business tax and Michigan business tax brownfield credits allow the same types of activities as the tax increment financing and will additionally allow new construction and finance the purchase or lease of new equipment.

Brownfields in Manistee

Bradford noted in the past Manistee did not use Brownfield Financing as a development tool as frequently as today. He notes that there is a specific reason for that.

"The reason that they're getting used more and more is that it's becoming more challenging in this (economic) environment to be able to build and (also) because we're considered a core community by MEDC (Michigan Economic Development Corporation)  which means we're built out; kind of a mature community," Bradford said.

He notes brownfield plans are very attractive for developers, and often they are the only way to get new developments in certain places, as it may not be profitable enough for developers to move forward without a brownfield.

"The brownfield act allows us to use the tax increment financing to do more things. So not only can we (the city) clean up contamination, but we can also do things like help the developer pay for site preparation (and) we can help the developer pay for public infrastructure. So we can do a little bit more financing tools to help the project move forward," Bradford said.

The Hampton Inn project is using a brownfield plan and the Spirit of the Woods Gateway project is also planning to apply for a brownfield plan according to Bradford.

Developers and cities

Bradford explained, how in practice, brownfield financing works for both developers and cities.

"... The idea is that you take this old site, maybe as an obsolete building or (one that) has contamination, not in productive use, and you get rid of it," he said.

He said then a city or developer can then make productive use of the site, whether that's a new building or housing or whatever it might be and the taxable value of those properties is going to rise by capturing the taxes between what the value was and what it is or will be.

"We can deploy some of that (tax revenue) to not only help build public infrastructure but also to help the developer so that the project can move forward. Because otherwise sometimes developers aren't going to be able to go ahead because the numbers don't make sense," Bradford said.

Bradford also notes that more complex projects  like the Spirt of the Woods Gateway project  can take as long as six months to a year between the application by a developer or other organization, and until final approval by the local brownfield authority.

Brownfields are not unique to Michigan according to Bradford, "other states have brownfield laws but Michigan has been recognized as kind of a leader in this area. And so we have a very strong very comprehensive statute that allows some of the stuff to happen."

However, developers often try to find more than one source of financing, and brownfields are more often used for larger redevelopment projects within a certain area, Bradford said.

"....Developers are always looking to put together different sources of financing for their project," he said. "Brownfield is very attractive because it's well understood. And you can do a lot of things underneath that. The source of the revenue is from property taxes. It's a difference between what the value (of the property) was and what the value is going to be."

Bradford also notes there are different types of brownfield plans that depend on the type of tax revenue they collect.

"The increase in taxes is what is captured by the brownfield plan. Now, a city can do what's called a local-only brownfield plan, and a local-only brownfield plan only captures the local taxes. It doesn't capture any of the state taxes. You can approve those without any state approval," he said.

If the city wants to capture the state taxes, which are primarily the school operating taxes as a state education, then that has to get approved by the MEDC according to Bradford.
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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  The judge overseeing the federal civil rights cases of four former Minneapolis police officers in the killing of George Floyd said Wednesday that he has accepted the terms of Derek Chauvin's plea agreement and will sentence him to 20 to 25 years in prison.

Chauvin pleaded guilty Dec. 15 to violating Floyds civil rights, admitting for the first time that he kept his knee on Floyds neck  even after he became unresponsive  resulting in the Black mans death on May 25, 2020. The white former officer admitted he willfully deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure, including unreasonable force by a police officer.

Under the plea agreement, which Chauvin signed, both sides agreed Chauvin should face a sentence ranging from 20 to 25 years, with prosecutors saying they would seek 25. He could have faced life in prison on the federal count. With credit for good time in the federal system, he would serve from 17 years to 21 years and three months behind bars.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson deferred accepting the agreement pending the completion of a presentence investigation. He said in a one-page order Wednesday that the report had been issued, so it was now appropriate to accept the deal. He has not set a sentencing date for Chauvin.

Chauvin is already serving a 22 1/2 year sentence for his murder conviction in state court last year, though he is appealing that conviction. He would serve the federal sentence concurrently with the state sentence.

The federal plea deal means Chauvin will probably spend more time in prison than he faced under his state sentence. State prisoners in Minnesota typically serve one-third of their sentence on parole, which for him would mean 15 years in prison.

Chauvin waived his right to contest his federal conviction if Magnuson accepted the plea agreement.

Magnuson also has not set sentencing dates for three other ex-officers who were convicted of related federal civil rights charges in February. The presentence investigations for Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng are still underway. They're scheduled to go on trial next month in state court on charges of aiding and abetting Chauvin in Floyd's murder.

Prosecutors revealed at a pretrial hearing last month that the three had rejected plea agreements on the state charges. Terms were not disclosed. Lanes attorney, Earl Gray, said it was hard for the defense to negotiate when the three still didnt know what their federal sentences would be.

On Wednesday, Gray renewed his motions for a change of venue, and for postponing the trial until after the federal sentencings, or even until next year. He wrote that it's abundantly clear from questionnaires returned by prospective jurors that a fair and impartial jury for the trial can never be seated in Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis, because of the public hatred of the defendants.

It is clear that the vast majority of the Hennepin County community has a deep and bitter prejudice against police officer defendants and this case, Gray wrote.

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Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
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Country music star Luke Bryan is set to perform at a Michigan family farm for the second year in a row as part of his six-date tour this fall.

The announcement was made on Bryans Facebook page Friday morning. The Michigan stop is at Kubiak Family Farm on Sept. 17 and also includes musicians Riley Green, Jameson Rodgers, The Peach Pickers and DJ ROCK as support, according to the Facebook post.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  Eligibility for a Michigan fund that reimburses crime victims and their survivors for health care costs and funeral expenses would be expanded under a bill passed Wednesday by the Legislature.

Michigan has the lowest application rate nationally for accessing victim compensation funds and in 2018 about a third of applications were denied in the state, according to data from the Alliance for Safety and Justice, a nonprofit organization that works to support crime victims and reduce incarcerations.

Current law allows funding eligibility for victims, a person who was harmed intervening on behalf of a victim and certain family members or representatives affiliated with a victim.

The new legislation refines the language of who can apply and would allow reimbursement for primary caregivers of victims. Those who a crime victim was a guardian or primary caregiver of also would be eligible. Others would include roommates and those the victim was frequently dating.

The current law requires claimants to file for reimbursement within one year of the crime. The claimant is not eligible if the crime was not reported to law enforcement within 48 hours. Critics of the restrictions argue that the financial implications of holding a funeral for a loved one, seeking psychological help and recouping from time lost from work after victimization are not always at the forefront of peoples' minds when healing.

Under the legislation passed Wednesday with bipartisan support, the 48 hour rule would be removed and victims would have five years to file. The bill now goes to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Victims of criminal sexual conduct under the age of 18 must file a claim by their 19th birthday to be eligible for reimbursement under the current law. The legislation would bump up the age to 28 if a claimant has cause for the delay.

The cap on the total amount each claimant could receive would be increased to $45,000, up from $25,000, and applications for reimbursement for funeral expenses would increase to $8,000, from $5,000.

The legislation will bring support to those in the state that need it most, bill sponsor Rep. Bronna Kahle said in a news release.

Michigan crime survivors stood up as one and demanded change. Todays victory was made possible because of their courage and persistence, the Adrian Republican said. With these reforms, we are proving to the nation that Michigan can adopt proven solutions to stop cycles of victimization."

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Anna Liz Nichols 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. Nichols reported from Lansing.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  The Michigan Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a spending bill that would fund new college scholarship program for high school graduates and increase operations funding for state universities by 11% overall.

The legislation, one of 14 budget bills to clear the chamber, was passed 31-4 with broad bipartisan support and will be further negotiated in talks with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the House, which is expected to advance its own budget plan starting Wednesday. It would be the largest higher education increase and budget in decades, at a time the state has surplus tax revenue.

Republicans who control the Senate also set aside $2 billion for tax cuts in hopes that an agreement can be reached between GOP legislators and the Democratic governor, who have been at odds over the size and breadth of tax reductions. Senators split along party lines on many other spending bills Tuesday and will pass a K-12 measure Wednesday.

The Senate did overwhelmingly agree to propose awarding achievement scholarships to 2022 high school graduates, with a goal of continuing the new program in future years. Students attending in-state four-year colleges could get up to $6,000 a year, while those at in-state community colleges could qualify for up to $3,000 annually. More than three-quarters of this year's graduating class would be eligible.

The aid would cover tuition or mandatory fees not already offset by need-based federal Pell Grants or Michigans tuition program for Medicaid recipients. The state has previously launched tuition-free community college assistance for adults ages 25 and older and frontline pandemic workers.

When our young people put in the work and demonstrate they are capable of being successful, we should ensure they have the freedom to pursue a postsecondary degree that fits their career paths, said Sen. Kim LaSata, a Niles Republican who chairs the Senate's higher education budget subcommittee.

The Democratic governor had proposed a 10% boost to operations funds for 15 universities.

The Senate bill includes an 11% hike along with $361 million for the scholarships and $562 million from the school aid fund to pay down pension liabilities of seven universities that are part of the Michigan Public Employees Retirement System.

Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr. of East Lansing, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the investments are are incredibly important. For 30 years, Republicans and Democrats have failed our students.

The current $1.8 billion higher education budget is lower than it was 20 years ago and was gradually cut to below $1.4 billion as of 10 years ago. It would jump by nearly $1 billion in the next fiscal year.

Democrats unsuccessfully tried to amend various spending bills to align with Whitmer's proposal. They sought, for instance, to use $500 million of federal rescue aid to give hero" bonus pay to essential pandemic workers.

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Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00
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As warmer weather returns to mid-Michigan, producers and food vendors from around the state are returning to Midland to sell their wares.

The Midland Area Farmers Market will open for the season on Saturday, May 7 in the Dow Diamond east parking lot.

Emily Lyons, farmers market manager, reported that at least 30 vendors will be present on Saturday, offering baked goods, desserts, fresh produce and plants. Jason Dean will provide live music.

If the weather agrees, itll be a great day, Lyons said.

Due to state and federal regulations in place, no pets are allowed at the market. However, two vendors will be selling pet treats: Oatcakes and Nagel Acres, LLC.

The market is partnering with Isabella Bank to offer the token program. Customers who dont have cash on hand can visit the banks kiosk with their credit, debit or Bridge Card to purchase tokens. The tokens have no extra cost to buyers or vendors.

The market also accepts Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)/EBT cards, Project Fresh coupons, Senior Project FRESH coupons, Midland County Prescription for Health coupons, Double Up Food Bucks, and debit and credit cards.

Seventy-eight vendors are signed up for this season, according to the Midland Business Alliance, which manages the market. The market will also host local nonprofits, including Adoption Option, Hidden Harvest, Senior Services of Midland County, Disability Network of Mid-Michigan and Studley Grange.

New vendors this year include food trucks Falsetta's On Fire, Ignite Donuts and Sawadee; as well as Ma Ma C's Gourmet Food Products and Serenity Farms.

Its always nice to see new producers, Lyons said. We have a nice diversity.

The Midland Area Farmers Market welcomes vendors from around the Great Lakes Bay Region, and as far west as Grand Rapids and south to the Lansing area.

I think our location is conducive to being able to welcome those who arent necessarily next door, Lyons said.

This year marks the third season that the Midland Area Farmers Market will be held at Dow Diamond. Lyons explained the decision to return to Dow Diamond was made in the winter when COVID case numbers were high. She is unsure if or when the market will return to its former location down by the Tridge.

(The former location) is a more aesthetically pleasing location, but with COVID and that most people are not interested in rubbing shoulders with strangers, we want to make people comfortable, Lyons said.

In addition to its vendors, the Midland Area Farmers Market will provide fun activities throughout its season. Area musicians will give live performances, visitors can participate in Dump Your Drugs, and the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library will be hosting storytime.

Other notable events include National Pollinator Week from June 20-26 and National Farmers Market Week from Aug. 7-13.

More details can be found by visiting www.MBAmi.org/farmersmarket, calling the Midland Business Alliance at 989-839-9901 or visiting the Midland Area Farmers Market Facebook page. Tune into Sunny 97.7 FM weekly on Wednesdays at 8:10 a.m. and listen to Brad Morgan and Market Master Stephanie Frye talk about what is happening at the market.

The market will continue to operate 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays from May 7 to Oct. 29. It will also be open 9 a.m.-noon on Saturdays, Nov. 5, 12 and 19.
MARIETTA, Ga. (AP)  A Republican won a special Georgia state House election Tuesday in Cobb County, but may never serve a day on the floor of the legislature.

Republican Mitchell Kaye won 57% of the vote, beating Democrat James Dustin McCormick, who won 43%, according to final unofficial returns. Kaye previously served a decade in the state House, leaving office in 2003.
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MANISTEE  As the nation debates what a leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion on a case that could overturn Roe v. Wade means for abortion rights, some in northern Michigan are more focused on how the information came to light.

"It is truly unfortunate that a SCOTUS decision as crucial as the future of a womans right to choose what happens to her own body is leaked like a tawdry piece of gossip. This leak will hurt the integrity of our judicial system and cause even more distrust in our federal government," said John Helge, chair of the Manistee County Democratic Party, in an email to the News Advocate.

Mary Haan, of Honor and a member of Grand Traverse Area Right to Life, feels the information was brought to light in an "underhanded" way.

"It was definitely manipulation by somebody because it came to us in kind of an underhanded, unethical manner," she said. "So certainly, it's very suspicious that there is a pattern behind it of wanting to coerce people who want to keep abortion legal to really martial up and get cracking and make it loud and clear that this can't happen."

Jose Luis Magana/AP

The nation's capital has a long tradition of stunning leaks, from national security secrets to political scandals, but this week's disclosure of a draft Supreme Court decision is one for the history books. The document obtained by Politico shows a majority of justices could be poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that created a constitutional right to abortion.

Its authenticity was confirmed by the court on Tuesday. The draft was written by Samuel Alito, one of the most conservative justices. According to Politico, four other justices  Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett  have agreed with the opinion, enough for a majority.

If the decision stands as written, it would also overturn Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a 1992 decision that protected abortion services even though it allowed states to add some limitations.

Its not surprising that the court, which has a strong conservative majority after former President Donald Trump appointed three justices during his single term in office, would seek to curb abortion rights. However, the breadth of the draft opinion startled advocates and sent shockwaves through American politics.

"I see the recent SCOTUS draft opinion as a good thing. Abortion has been almost a silent right," said Nancy Brown, Manistee County Right to Life recording secretary, in an email. "'Nice' people don't acknowledge it or talk about it or take a side. I was surprised when I helped petition against dismemberment abortions that some people didn't know we had abortion facilities in Michigan."

However, Helge feels that banning abortion won't stop it from happening.

"It will only make it more dangerous, especially for underserved women living in states where it is outlawed," he said. "Thank goodness that Gov. Whitmer has already taken steps to strike down the antiquated legislation banning abortion in Michigan. We will have the opportunity to make Michigan a state where a woman has the right to choose by voting wisely on Nov. 8."

One day after the report came out, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took to Twitter.

"The Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade," she wrote, adding that "I promise you this: I will fight like hell to make sure abortion remains safe, legal and accessible in our state."

Additionally, Whitmer noted on Twitter she brought a lawsuit to the Michigan Supreme Court last month to overturn the state's abortion ban from 1931.

Chris Urso/AP

The current version of Michigans law criminalizing abortion without exceptions for rape or incest was enacted in 1931. In 1973, the passage of Roe v. Wade rendered Michigans 1931 ban unconstitutional and abortion became legal in the state of Michigan. This year, Roe could be overturned in the Dobbs v. Jackson case, triggering Michigans 1931 abortion ban.

The Supreme Court draft opinion becoming public is the first in the modern history of the court to be disclosed publicly while a case was still pending. The ruling will not be final until it is published, and the document was noted as being dated Feb. 10, Politico reported. No other news organization has been able to verify the authenticity of the document.

"Roe was egregiously wrong from the start," a leaked draft of the majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito, obtained by Politico, read. The ruling also overturns Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a decision that cemented Roe.

"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled," Alito wrote in the draft. "It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives."

The draft effectively states that there is no constitutional right to abortion services and would allow individual states to more heavily regulate or ban the medical procedure.

"I think the Roe and Casey rulings made it easy for people to sweep the reality of abortion under the rug because they were so distanced from it, let them have an it's-not-up to-me attitude," said Brown. "I hope that in having governance of abortion turned back to the states, closer to the people, more people will give this serious thought and see that it is up to them, it is up to us, to say no to wholesale slaughter of life in the womb."

The court is expected to rule on the case before its term ends in late June or early July.

Hearst Michigan digital reporter Angela Mulka and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The Willow Labyrinth and Creative Spirit Center will debut a new indoor labyrinth for this years World Labyrinth Day, May 7.

Karen Price, who has the labyrinths at The Best of Times Farm at 720 Port Crescent Street near Port Austin, said the building housing the new labyrinth took a couple of months to complete, which she found shocking that it came together so quickly given supply shortages. A friend of hers from Vermont, who is a professional labyrinth builder, painted it on the floor of the indoor space.

With Michigan weather as it is, we wanted an option to walk a labyrinth inside, Price said. Its painted on the floor so people can walk that. Someone in a wheelchair can roll through and enjoy the benefits of walking a labyrinth.

According to the Labyrinth Society, a labyrinth is a meandering path, often unicursal, with a singular path leading to a center. They are an ancient archetype dating back 4,000 years or more, used symbolically, as a walking meditation, a site of rituals or ceremonies, or tools for psychological and spiritual transformation.

No changes have been made to the outdoor labyrinth, though a bonfire area has been added for different kinds of activities there. Price also plans to offer classes that help boost peoples creativity and spirituality.

We want to make use of the whole property, Price said. Well still a small goat farm. People still want to see the animals.

Whereas the outdoor labyrinth used to be open just for the spring, summer, and early fall, the indoor one can be open all year. Price already has plans for an event called Mommy and Me tea with Mrs. Claus during the Christmas season.

Later this year, the center will host walks during the Memorial Day and Fourth of July holidays to remember veterans and fallen troops, a blessing of bikes where kids can have their bikes looked at, made sure they are secure, and blessed, a helmet giveaway, a butterfly release, and full moon walks.

As described by the Labyrinth Society, World Labyrinth Day is an annual event to provide worldwide action to walk as one at 1 local time to create a rolling wave of peaceful energy across the globe.

People on every continent will walk a labyrinth, meditate, or pray for people, for personal, and for environmental issues, Price said. The idea is people coming together regardless of differences in politics or what country you are from and focusing on the greater good.

While the outdoor labyrinth is always open for people to walk, the indoor one can only be walked during events or by appointment.

We have people come constantly, Price said. Even when we dont have an open sign, people will stop by.

More information about the labyrinths can be found at either www.bestoftimesfarm.com or by calling Price at 989-971-8555.
SCOTTVILLE  Over 175 West Shore Community College students are eligible to receive degrees and certificates at the colleges 51st commencement, which will be held this weekend.

Two ceremonies will be held, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday in the colleges Center Stage Theater.

Speakers for the identical events will be WSCC President Scott Ward; Richard Wilson Jr., vice chairman of the board of trustees; and Sam Gillette, president of the Student Senate. Sean Henne, professor of English and education, will provide the faculty address, according to a news release.

The graduates will be presented by Dr. Mark Kinney, vice president of academics and student services. Wilson, along with the board of trustees and Ward will award the degrees.

Following each commencement ceremony, a reception for the graduates and their families will be held in the Schoenherr Campus Center.

For those unable to attend a ceremony in person, both will be live streamed, starting at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The streams will be accessible via YouTube at youtube.com/channel/UCmv1U_MQRfxb4dwXuEXYBtA or Facebook at facebook.com/westshorecc/events/.

To receive notifications on future live programs, like, follow, and/or subscribe to WSCC channels.

West Shore Community Colleges Law Enforcement Academy cadets will be recognized during the Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony at 4:30 p.m. on May 5 at the Riemer Regional Public Safety Training Center, located at 6050 N. U.S. 31.

The training academy is 16 weeks long, and there are over 30 instructors who assist with the academy. A reception will follow the ceremony.

The West Shore Community College nursing program will honor 18 graduating nursing students in a symbolic pinning ceremony to be held at 6:30 p.m. on May 5 in the Center Stage Theater.

Each graduate will receive a time-honored pin, a symbol of a nurses service to others, and their induction into the nursing profession.

This ceremony will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person. Live streams can be accessed via WSCCs YouTube or Facebook pages.

For more information, visit westshore.edu.
Google is making it easier for people to remove their personal information from its search results.

People can ask for their contact details like a phone number, email or street address to be stripped from appearing in search results by submitting a removal request.

Google announced the change on April 27. The company previously would remove content from search results "in limited cases" if it was "highly personal content" that would "cause direct harm to someone if made public." For example, in cases of doxxing, or information like bank account or credit card numbers that could be used for financial fraud, according to the company.

The policy expansion also allows for the removal of additional information that may pose a risk for identity theft, such as confidential log-in credentials, when it appears in search results, according to the company.

"The availability of personal contact information online can be jarring," Michelle Chang, Google's global policy lead for search, said in a statement as she announced the change. She noted that the data could result in "unwanted direct contact or even physical harm."

For those looking for removal instructions, you'll find those here.

The Federal Trade Commission reported that consumers lost $5.8 billion to scammers last year, a jump of 70% from the previous year. Much of that fraud is perpetrated through online scams, such as romance swindles, as well as through telephone solicitations and identity theft.

Michigan consumers have experienced these types of scams. According to a new report from the online investigation service Social Catfish, Michigan was the No. 12 most scammed state in 2021 due to romance scams, losing $20 million last year.

"Its important to remember that removing content from Google Search wont remove it from the internet, which is why you may wish to contact the hosting site directly if you're comfortable doing so." Chang continued in the statement.

Chang said Google will "evaluate all content on the web page to ensure that were not limiting the availability of other information that is broadly useful, for instance in news articles." Google will not remove your information from search results if it is part of a public record, such as a court filing or a government website.
Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - The Gambia Press Union (GPU) says journalists still operate under the threat of digital surveillance and digital intrusion
Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - The Guinean government has taken important measures in favour of the press with a view to consolidating its freedom, Information and Communication Minister Rose Pola Pricemou said here Tuesday in a radio and television message
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Prime Minister of the National Unity Government, Abdelhamid Al-Dbaiba, and the Tunisian President, Kais Saied, on Wednesday exchanged views on issues of common interest in the region and bilateral relations between the two countries
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The chairman of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed al-Manfi, has hailed journalists on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, urging them to contribute to national reconciliation
Digital freight forwarder sennder has announced its plans to enter the Romanian market with the launch of a new office in Bucharest.

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The new office in Bucharest will add to sennders growing presence in Central and Eastern Europe, together with its Polish and Baltic offices. With more than 90,000 drivers and 25,000 transportation companies, Romania is one of the fastest-developing logistics markets in Europe and an essential gateway between Central and Eastern Europe.

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Tom Christenson, chief operations officer (COO) at sennder, said, We are excited to announce our expansion to Romania, one of the largest logistics markets in Europe. Opening this office is an important step to bring our vision of leveraging technology to lead logistics into a sustainable future within the region. As we grow our footprint across Europe, we continue to unlock opportunities for carriers and shippers, enabling more efficient and transparent road logistics in a complex and unpredictable market environment.

Sennder plans to further expand the team in Bucharest from 11 to 40 employees by the end of the year, with positions in HR, finance and sales.

Bogdan-Gabriel Steliean, senior manager, operations, sennder, said, The office expansion is a logical next step to bring more density to Europes largest network of carriers. With European logistics experiencing volatility, we are looking to shore our position in Central and Eastern Europe with more carriers and shippers. We look forward to being a reliable partner to carriers and shippers in Romania who will benefit from sennders digital platform to help mitigate shortcomings in the market.

Sennders mission is to leverage data to create an efficient road freight network. Through its digital platform, sennder directly connects enterprise shippers with small and medium-size trucking companies.
Photo: (Photo : Getty images )

When she was ten years old, Sherry Johnson became a mother and a wife. She was raped at eight, but her mom would not believe her. When she got pregnant, her mom forced her to marry the guy who raped her, who was twice her age. Johnson shared the ordeal of being a child-wife. She now advocates against child marriages in the U.S. and worldwide, as per the AHA Foundation.

Sexually assaulted through childhood

As a little girl, Johnson lived with her mother in Tampa. Her mom belonged to an apostolic church and worked as a substitute teacher. Their church required them to go to church six days a week, sometimes seven.

Her mother spent little time with her.

When Johnson was eight, the bishop summoned her into his bedroom. He then forced her to lie on the bed, used petroleum jelly, and raped her. Blood dripped on her legs after, and she washed them and went to school. She did not have any idea what had just happened.

The rape never stopped after that. The bishop and a church deacon sexually assaulted her repeatedly. When she tried to tell her mom about it, she would not believe her. It happened so frequently that Johnson accepted it as part of growing up.

Read Also: 3 Common Pressures of Stay-at-Home Moms

Didn't quite understand the word pregnant

According to Original Newsbreak, she was summoned by the nurse after several months. She examined her and sent her back to class. She again heard her name through the intercom. She recalled being made to collect her things and wait in the office for her mother to pick her up.

When she was in the car, her mom blurted that she was having a baby and asked who the father was.

She told her mom that she had already told her, but she refused to believe it. Her mom would eventually tell everyone that she was lying and blamed her for shaming the family.

Later, a doctor confirmed that she was indeed pregnant. She knew right then that it was the deacon's child.

When she gave birth, a child welfare worker came by to ask questions. Since the men who raped her were adults, they would likely face statutory rape if she confessed. Her mother bought her a white dress and a veil and accompanied the bride and groom to the Hillsborough County courthouse in Tampa. Johnson was 11 at the time; her soon-to-be husband was 20.

The child wife

The judge in Tampa refused to marry her because of her age. A month later, her mom and the deacon brought her to Pinellas County, where the judge allowed the marriage despite knowing her age.

She became a mother in 1971. The couple lived with her mom. Since her church did not allow birth control, she was pregnant every year. Initially, she tried to go to school, but since she got pregnant every year, and her husband left her every time she got pregnant, she had to drop out. The couple struggled financially, and the marriage was miserable.

The couple divorced when she was 17 years old. She then moved out of her mom's house and the church. She married twice after, but both marriages failed.

Advocate against child marriage

Johnson became a founder of the Svon Foundation, an organization advocating against child marriage. She also published a book, "Forgiving the Unforgivable," published in 2013.

She has spent the past years advocating the anti-child marriage bill. They were successful, with Texas and Virginia enacting new laws that limit marriage to those 18 and over. She said she wants to help girls from getting into child marriages, CNN reports.

Related Article: What to Expect When Your Child Has Down Syndrome
Photo: (Photo : Getty images )

A father who lost his 16-year-old son, Daniel, to a fentanyl overdose in 2020 was disappointed by the state Assembly's Public Safety Committee's decision to "shoot down" a bill that will combat the growing fentanyl crisis, increasing the punishment for drug traffickers and enforcers on April 19.

The father, Jaime Puerta, is a California resident and president of the advocacy group Victims of Illicit Drugs. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 100 times more potent than morphine, Epoch Times reports.

Assembly Bill (AB) 2246

In the hopes of addressing the fentanyl crisis, Democratic California Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 2246 in February.

The bill is meant to curb fentanyl poisoning by imposing harsher penalties for the possession, trafficking, and sale of the drug. The policy also focuses on those trying to sell drugs to children through social media platforms.

For now, possession of fentanyl is still considered a misdemeanor offense, like a "slap in the wrist," Puerta said. The bill proposed that possession of two or more grams of fentanyl is considered a felony. One gram of fentanyl can kill 500 people, the Drug Enforcement Agency said.

The bill also seeks special penalties for selling fentanyl in areas where young people frequent, like schools and playgrounds. The measure would have placed fentanyl at the same level as heroin and cocaine, Puerta said.

It also introduces a penalty for illegally selling fentanyl online. Distribution of fentanyl that resulted in the user's death would face a 20-year life penalty.

According to Petrie-Norris, the legislation targets drug traffickers in California by increasing penalties against those selling fentanyl in counterfeit prescriptions and exploiting social media to distribute fentanyl to children and teens. She added that the proposed bill aims to ensure those profiting from the fentanyl crisis and poisoning the kids must have a punishment that fits the crime, the Orange County Register reported.

Petrie-Norris, also a mom, said that drug dealers no longer stand on dark corners to sell. Instead, they now use platforms like Snapchat, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, which worries her as a mom.

Read Also: Boy, 13, Dies Due to Fentanyl Exposure From Connecticut Middle School

Dangers of fentanyl in California

Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said that fentanyl was flooding the community and described that aside from COVID-19, fentanyl overdose is the worst epidemic to hit the country.

He added that his office seized more than 205 pounds of fentanyl and more than 140,000 clandestine-produced illicit pills that contained fentanyl in January and February of 2022 alone, as per Long News Journal.

In 2020, California recorded more than 5,500 opioid overdoses, with 3,900 deaths linked to a fentanyl overdose. Petrie-Norris said that around ten people die from fentanyl use in California.

Puerta added that while kids continue to die daily due to fentanyl overdose, the federal and state governments are not doing anything about it.

The bereaved father, parents, and residents feel that the California lawmakers favor the interest of nefarious actors like the drug dealers who are preying on their children on social media.

Related Article: Family of Opioid Crisis Victim Confronts Sackler Family, Owner of Oxycontin Maker, Purdue Pharma
Photo: (Photo : Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images for Barbie: A Cultural Icon Exhibition)

A 21-year-old woman who aspired to be a human Barbie Doll has been ex-communicated by her parents and the rest of her family after she had a drastic physical transformation through plastic surgery.

Jessy Bunny, who works as an Instagram model, told Daily Mail that she spent more than $70,000 on cosmetic surgeries to look like the iconic Barbie. But while she has achieved her dreams, she also unexpectedly lost her family.

According to the model, her parents have blocked her calls while her grandparents and brothers have refused to talk to her. Jessy admitted that her family's choice to ex-communicate her has made her sad, but she wanted to change her physical appearance because it did not feel like her "true self."

Read Also: Bella Hadid Comes Clean About Having Plastic Surgery at 14 Years Old

Jessy Bunny Enjoys Getting the Looks from People

Jessy's plastic surgeries entailed three breast augmentations, a nose job, lip injections, and buttocks injections. She gets the funds for her surgeries and cosmetic enhancements from her Only Fans profile.

According to News 24, Jessy still plans to get more surgeries to remove two ribs so her body can be shaped similarly to the famous Barbie Dolls. She said she loves the attention she gets from people when she's out in public.

Jessy Bunny reveals her family refuse to speak to her after she spent $70,000 turning herself into a human Barbie doll - https://t.co/VidFVvDlLd pic.twitter.com/iJ8IRosruq  TSB News (@TSBnewsnigeria) May 1, 2022

Despite the criticisms of her enhanced appearance, Jessy said that she is extremely satisfied with her "super feminine body on steroids." She understands that she might look fake since she has the biggest set of breasts, the lumpiest lips, and the tiniest waist like Barbie's, but it's exactly what she dreamed for herself. She wakes up every day happy and comfortable in her own skin.

Jessy hinted that her obsession with looking like a Barbie Doll might have stemmed from her parents not allowing her to play with the toy as a young girl. She described her parents as very conservative people who frowned on her penchant for wearing sexy clothes in her teens during the summer season in her hometown of Germany.

Russian Mom Disowns Her Son

Another model disowned by his mother is Jean-Michel Shcherbak, who also lives in Germany, not because of physical appearance but because of a difference in their beliefs, as he does not support the Russian-Ukraine war. The Russian actor and model shared via CNN that his mother has stopped speaking to him because of his outspoken stance against the invasion.

Shcherbak said that the last message he got from his mother was that she refused to speak with traitors and Russophobes. His mother also told him that he was no longer her son. In response, Shcherbak said on his Instagram that he would never do what his mother did if he had kids, but she will always be welcome in his life if she ever wants to talk to him again.

He believes that his mother has been influenced by the propaganda of the Russian media, compared to him, who has been exposed outside and has access to other information about the conflict. He also has many friends in Ukraine who are directly impacted by the atrocities of the war.

Related Article: Russian Families Clash and Block Each Other on Facebook Over Opposing Views of War in Ukraine
Photo: (Photo : Scott Heins/Getty Images)

Former Philadelphia police officer Edsaul Mendoza, who fatally shot a 12-year-old boy back in March, has been charged with murder, according to Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner.

According to NBC News, the district attorney announced during a news conference on Monday, May 2, that a grand jury charged the 26-year-old disgraced policeman with first-degree murder, third-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, and possession of an instrument of a crime in the fatal shooting of Thomas "TJ" Siderio.

According to Krasner, the evidence presented to the grand jury showed Mendoza firing three shots at Siderio after the boy most likely shot a gun at an unmarked police vehicle, causing three plainclothes' officers at the time to duck for cover.

Mendoza fired three shots during a foot chase

Krasner said that Mendoza fired the three shots during a "tactically unsound" foot chase. Siderio then tossed his gun around the second shot from Mendoza's weapon. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Siderio was only half-a-car length away from Mendoza and fell face down on the ground when the cop fired the third shot.

According to Krasner, it was unclear if Siderio fell or dove to the ground shortly before he was fatally shot. Evidence indicated the juvenile might have been turning toward Mendoza to surrender before he was shot and killed by the officer.

Krasner said that Thomas Siderio was unarmed, having discarded the gun approximately 40-feet away at the time of the last two shots. Krasner added that the evidence shows Mendoza was aware that Siderio was unarmed and told a police officer who arrived on the scene where the weapon was after the deadly shooting.

Krasner said that Mendoza knew the 12-year-old, 5-foot tall, 111-pound Thomas Siderio no longer had a gun, but he fired a shot through his back nonetheless that killed him. A reporter later asked Krasner if Siderio's shooting was an assassination.

Read Also: Florida Teen Seth Settle Accused of Killing Mom Who Told Him to Stop Smoking Inside Their Home

Did Edsaul Mendoza assassinate TJ Siderio?

Krasner answered that it is important not to characterize the shooting at this point, saying, "We are going to have a case that goes before a Philadelphia jury. And a Philadelphia jury is going to have to make a decision that is completely fair. I can tell you that I find this very, very disturbing."

Krasner confirmed there is a video of Siderio's shooting, without elaborating about it, according to NPR. Krasner and prosecutors also revealed that it was unclear why the plain-clothed police officers stopped the juveniles, to begin with.

They noted that diverging accounts were given to the grand jury by officers. Krasner said that under the circumstances, it is not unfathomable that Siderio and the other juvenile with him might not have known they were dealing with cops instead of a group pulling up "to do them harm."

Krasner also said that Mendoza made "untruthful" statements about where he fired the second and third shots from. He is being held with no bail as of Monday.

Related Article: Covid-19 Pandemic Worsens Mental Health Crisis For High School Students in the United States
Photo: (Photo : Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

More than 100 people, including elderly women and mothers with small children, left the rubble-strewn Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol on Sunday, May 1. According to authorities and video released by the two sides, the evacuees, including a two-month-old baby, set out in buses and ambulances for the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia, which is located about 140 miles (230 kilometers) to the northwest of Mariupol.

Mariupol Deputy Mayor Sergei Orlov told the BBC that the evacuees were making slow progress out of Mariupol and would probably not arrive in Zaporizhzhia on Monday as they had hoped. Ukrainian authorities did not explain the delay in their arrival.

At least some of the Ukrainian civilians evacuated were apparently taken to a village controlled by Russia-backed separatists. According to the Russian military, some civilians chose to stay in separatist areas, while dozens decided to leave for Ukrainian-held territory.

Russian bombardment has started again

Ukraine has accused Moscow's troops in the past of taking civilians against their will to Russian-controlled areas or Russia. The Kremlin has vehemently denied this allegation. Ukraine's Azov Battalion, which is helping to defend the Azovstal mill, announced on the Telegram messaging app that Russia's bombardment of the sprawling plant by tank, ship, and air picked up again after the partial evacuation of civilians.

Mayor Orlov said that high-level negotiations were underway with Russia, Ukraine, and international organizations on evacuating more people in the area. If successful, the steel-plant evacuation in Mariupol would represent rare progress in easing the suffering of Ukrainians caught in the middle of this almost 10-week war.

The Guardian reported that previous attempts to open safe corridors out of the southern port city of Mariupol and in other places in Ukraine have broken down, with Ukrainian authorities accusing Russian troops of shelling and shooting along previously agreed-on evacuation routes.

Read Also: Ukrainian Mom Writes Contact Details on Daughter's Body in Case Her Family is Killed During Invasion

Many Ukrainian civilians still trapped in Azovstal steel plant

Before the evacuation this past weekend, which was overseen by the Red Cross and the United Nations, about 2,000 Ukrainian defenders were believed to be in the mill and an estimated 1,000 civilians. Russia has demanded the surrender of the Ukrainian fighters in the plant, but they have refused.

As many as 100,000 Ukrainians overall may still be in the ravaged city of Mariupol, which had a population of more than 400,000 people before the war. Vladimir Putin's army has pounded much of the port city into rubble, trapping helpless civilians with little water, food, heat, or medicine.

Mariupol resident Yaroslav Dmytryshyn was among those fortunate to escape the hellish situation in Mariupol. In a vehicle with a back seat full of youngsters, he made his way to a reception center in Zaporizhzhia. Two signs were taped to the car's rear window, with the message "Children" and "Little ones."

Dmytryshyn told the Associated Press that there is no Mariupol anymore, and it will take millions of tons of gold for someone to rebuild it. They lived just across the railroad tracks from the ruined steel plant. Dmytryshyn added that the factory is gone completely.

Related Article: Ukrainian Children With Cancer Flown to the U.K. for Treatment Remain Separated From Families
Photo: (Photo : ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

Rochester School of the Arts teacher Patrick Rausch has been placed on leave, according to a statement from the Rochester City School District Board of Education. He allegedly made his seventh-grade students pick seeds out of cotton during a school lesson one parent said was about slavery.

Parents alleged that Rausch gave pieces of cotton to all of his students in the seventh grade last week and instructed them to pick the seeds out of the cotton as part of an assignment. Precious Morris, a mother of a 13-year-old student at Rochester School of the Arts, told CNN on Sunday, May 1, that Rausch allowed the White students in his class to throw their cotton away and forgo the assignment. They were instructed to work instead on their Chromebooks.

Morris said that her daughter, Ja'Nasia Brown, attempted to throw her cotton away, but Rausch allegedly did not allow her to do so. Rausch said that if Brown, who is Black, threw her cotton away, she would receive a poor grade on the assignment. According to Morris, Rausch's actions were not only rude but also disrespectful.

Patrick Rausch made a mockery of slavery in his class

Morris did not mince any words when talking about Rausch's actions, telling the New York Post that "he is making a mockery out of slavery." Morris added that she would never have thought a teacher would do such things. Morris said that when you send your kid to school, you are sending them to school in the hands of those teachers.

Morris was emotional when talking about Rausch's inappropriate lesson, saying her daughter was looking on the floor and should not have experienced something like that. Morris added that it is disrespectful, and Rausch should not have put their kids in any situation like that, given their history. According to Morris, that hurts her to the core.

Another mother made the same allegation against Rausch, with Vialma Ramos-O'Neal saying that her 13-year-old son Jahmiere O'Neal was taught the same lesson in a separate social studies class. According to Ramos-O'Neal, Jahmiere is half Black and half Puerto Rican.

Read Also: Three Women at Lexington Child Care Center Windsor Academy Arrested Over Child Abuse Charges

Rausch refuses to comment about the allegations and school investigation

Both parents are calling for the teacher's license of Rausch to be revoked following his controversial teaching methods. Rausch, who is White, told WXXI News he had no comment about the allegations or the ongoing school investigation.

Jahmiere said that part of the lesson that day was about slavery and how cotton was processed. He noted that Rausch gave the whole class cotton, and they were made to pick out the cotton seeds. According to Jahmiere, Rausch told him to "better clean it right, boy." Jahmiere said that most of his classmates are Black and brown, and they were all shocked by what Rausch was making them do in his class.

Related Article: Toddler Ruby Ann Cervantes Survives Dog Mauling After Mom Jamie Morales Stabs Pit Bull to Death
AMD shrugged off the concerns about supply-chain issues and COVID-related Chinese manufacturing shutdowns, reporting record revenue of $5.887 billion (up 71 percent) for the first quarter of 2022. And while AMDs rivals expressed uncertainty regarding ongoing chip shortages as a result of COVID-related manufacturing shutdowns in China, AMD appears less worried. The topic wasnt even mentioned in the companys press release.

Intel warned that COVID shutdowns in China could negatively affect the companys revenue for the rest of the year. Microsoft, too, also said it was taking a conservative approach to the threat of COVID as well. But AMD chief executive Dr. Lisa Su said that the company had worked hard to mitigate supply-chain concerns. Attacking the premium segments of gaming PCs also insulated the company, she said. AMD reported record revenue in its Computing and Graphics segment, with Radeon GPUs and Ryzen CPUs selling for higher average prices than before, and Su said that the company continues to gain a greater chunk of the total client processor market in terms of revenue, as it has for the last two years.

Although the PC market is experiencing some softness coming off multiple quarters of near record unit shipments, our focus remains on the premium gaming and commercial portions of the market where we see strong growth opportunities, and we expect to continue gaining overall client revenue share, Su said.

By emphasizing the premium segments of the market, AMD can ship fewer processors, with potentially fewer disruptions. Su didnt rule out being affected by chip shortages, though she did minimize them: AMD expects the PC market during the second half of the year to grow seasonally, as it usually does. However, Su said that she expects sub-seasonal growth for the PC market, and that AMD has taken a bit more of a conservative perspective on the PC.

That being the case I think weve managed through the supply situations very well, Su added.
AMD said Tuesday afternoon that it has made a change to its mobile CPU roadmap, adding an extreme gaming laptop CPU for 2023, code-named Dragon Range.

AMD made the announcement at a small press conference following the release of its second-quarter 2022 earnings, which showed a reported record revenue of $5.9 billion on net income of $786 million.

Dragon Range, like AMDs Raphael desktop processor, will use the companys Zen 4 architecture disclosed this past January at CES 2022. There, AMD announced the Ryzen 7000 processor thats presumed to be Raphael; it will be launched before the end of 2022, AMD said.

AMD

Dragon Range and Phoenix will be AMDs CPUs for gaming laptops in 2023. AMD describes Dragon Range as a CPU for extreme gaming laptops that are thicker than 20mm, and Phoenix as the CPU for slimmer thin-and-light gaming laptops, according to a slide AMD showed during the press event. Dragon Range, described as new for 2023, will achieve the highest core, thread, and cache ever for a mobile gaming CPU, AMD said.

Robert Hallock, the technical marketing director for AMD, declined to discuss the specifics of the new chips. However, the slide reveals a few key details: Dragon Range will support DDR4 and PCI Express 5, and consume more than 55 watts; Phoenix will support LPDDR5 memory, PCI Express 5, and consume between 35W and 45W. In response to a question, Hallock declined to say whether the memory designations would be exclusive, or whether Dragon Range could add support for additional memory types like DD4.

Hallock also declined to clarify other specifications of the Dragon Range chip, though he did say that AMD is trying to achieve the pinnacle of gaming performance. We are targeting to have both gaming and multi-thread performance leadership, Hallock said.

In regards to Dragon Range, Hallock said he expects that the part will carry an HX suffix, designating it as a premium processor. The big takeaway here is that the Dragon Range part thats a new area for us, a new type of SoC for us in our portfolio, and thats a direct result of that leaning into [the] premium market, Hallock said.
Alphabet unit Google (GOOGL.O) on Monday urged Europe's second-highest court to dismiss a 1.49-billion-euro ($1.6 billion) fine imposed by EU antitrust regulators three years ago for hindering rivals in online search advertising.



The case is one of three that has resulted in a total of 8.25 billion euros in European Union antitrust fines on the world's most popular internet search engine.



The European Commission in its 2019 decision said Google had abused its dominance to stop websites using brokers other than its AdSense platform which provided search adverts. The Commission said the illegal practices occurred from 2006 to 2016.



Google subsequently challenged the EU finding in the Luxembourg-based General Court. The company will set out its case during a three-day hearing starting on Monday.



The EU competition enforcer's assessment of Google's dominance and the Commission's decision that search ads and non-search ads do not compete were wrong, Google said in a court document.



It also took issue with the Commission for saying the company's exclusivity, premium placement and minimum Google ads clauses were abusive.



Google suffered a setback last year when it lost its court fight against a 2.42-billion-euro antitrust decision over the use of its own price comparison shopping service to gain an unfair advantage over smaller European rivals.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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With subsidiaries Hollard Insurance and Hollard Life Assurance, Hollard Ghana has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) in Accra. As part of the Hollard X Academia, the MOU seeks to establish students post academics.



Hollard X Academia is a comprehensive programme that provides a platform to enable the better future of students through Hollards Streetwise Finance initiative, mentoring, engagement, corporate experience, and resource sharing programmes for three years subject to renewal.



Commenting at the brief signing ceremony at the University of Ghana Business School, Accra, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Hollard Ghana, Patience Akyianu, described the partnership as part of the groups corporate social investment efforts for nation-building.



As an ambassador for UGBS, it brings me joy to witness this day. To achieve maximum impact, we have been intentional about our choice of public universities. Im proud to say that we have four schools on board to bridge the gap between academia and the field of work. Hollard X Academia started as a dream, and after several months of aligning on what works best for the students, we are here to sign an MOU with this premier university. This speaks to our purpose of being a catalyst for positive and enduring change.



As an entrepreneurial driven company, we aim to enable more people to create and secure a better future. To this end, we have developed a power-packed programme for our future leaders. The 5 module includes rewarding top-performing students for triple winning in academia, entrepreneurial mindset, and personal development. The second module also seeks to support the achievements of exceptional sustainable and inclusive growth in academic work. Thirdly, to offer a better corporate experience and future success through Hollard-based corporate engagements. Fourthly, to show care and dignity to the academic community by being a corporate resource for learning. Finally, to be a catalyst for positive and enduring change by setting the agenda for achieving corporate ideals in academia. We are convinced that by the end of this relationship will have yielded a triple win for all parties involved. A win for the students, the school, and Hollard Ghana, as unusual company alliances are an important element of our business., she added.



The University of Ghana Business Schools (UGBS) previous and current strategic plans identify partnerships, especially partnerships with corporate Ghana, as a key strategic thrust. Our partnership with Hollard marks a strategic move for enhancing our brand, and the value proposition from Hollard will serve as an important contribution to training our students. This is particularly exciting because the Group CEO of Hollard is our proud alumna and Champion of our Alumni Association. What a great icing on the cake of this great collaboration. Our team is excited about this MoU, which will deepen our collaboration which has already begun in many areas of mutual interest. Long Live UGBS and Hollard Collaboration, said Prof Justice Nyigmah Bawole, Dean, University of Ghana Business School.



About Hollard Ghana



The countrys favourite insurance group is Hollard Ghana, with subsidiaries Hollard Insurance and Hollard Life Assurance. The group combines its deep local knowledge of the market having previously operated in Ghana for 25 years as Metropolitan Insurance with the world-class expertise of an international insurance brand in 18 countries across the world. With feet firmly planted on Ghanaian soil but headquartered in South Africa, Hollard delivers innovative insurance solutions customized to the unique risks Ghanaians face. Hollard offers various life and general insurance products including funeral, personal accident, motor, business, travel, home, and more; and can be reached via the following means: 0501603967 (Hollard Insurance) and 0501533698 (Hollard Life). Beyond various nationwide office branches and Hollard 2U franchise shops, Ghanaians can find Hollard at Shell Fuel Station Welcome Shops, Melcom stores and online at www.hollard.com.gh and www.jumia.com.gh for all their insurance needs.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Bitcoins latest fans are about as far as you can get from Silicon Valley crypto bros. War-torn Central African Republic (CAR) on Wednesday adopted the digital currency as legal tender read more . Its even odder than when El Salvador did the same thing last year. The surprise expressed by the regions central bank and President Faustin-Archange Touaderas military reliance on Russian mercenaries are red flags. Bitcoins path to the currency mainstream just became thornier.



El Salvadors crypto conversion in September generated lots of headlines and much huffing and puffing from the International Monetary Fund. Within months, nearly 4 million people, or two-thirds of the population, had piled into the Central American countrys new Chivo e-wallet system. However, all but a handful stuck to exchanging digital U.S. dollars, rather than bitcoin. Six months on, only 14% of Salvadoran merchants had processed a crypto transaction, according to the El Salvador Chamber of Commerce.



The case for crypto in CAR looks even more tenuous. Most of the former French colonys 5 million citizens, who enjoy just $525 of GDP per capita, lack access to broadband or 4G phone reception, a prerequisite for bitcoin-based transactions. And unlike El Salvador, which has a third of its people working in the United States, there are few overseas Central African migrants wanting to send money home.



Furthermore, residents of Bangui, its riverside capital, already have access to digital currency via mobile money networks run by operators like Frances Orange (ORAN.PA). And  unlike many deeply impoverished countries  they also have a stable currency thanks to the six-country CFA franc, which is pegged to the euro, underpinned by the Bank of France and overseen by the regional Bank of Central African States (BEAC) in neighbouring Cameroon. Swapping that for the wild gyrations of bitcoin sits uneasily with Touaderas vision of a new era of crypto-fuelled peace and prosperity.



The BEACs surprise at Banguis bitcoin gambit raises serious eyebrows. So too does the presence since 2018 of large numbers of Russian mercenaries, who have been accused by the United Nations of atrocities including torture, rape and summary executions. Paying their employer, Wagner Group, will have been complicated by U.S. and European sanctions imposed after Russias invasion of Ukraine. Bitcoin  as well as CARs reserves of gold and diamonds  may be an alternative medium of remuneration. If so, the cryptocurrency will be tarred by association.





Source: REUTERS









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The European Union is expected to outline oil sanctions against Russia on Wednesday as its forces pounded targets in eastern Ukraine, unleashing rockets on a steel plant that is the last redoubt of resistance in the port city of Mariupol.



Scores of evacuees who managed to leave the city under U.N. and Red Cross auspices reached the relative safety of Ukraine-controlled Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday after cowering for weeks in bunkers beneath the sprawling Azovstal steel plant.



Weary-looking evacuees, including children and old people, clambered off buses after escaping the ruins of their home town in southeastern Ukraine where Russia now claims control.



"We had said goodbye to life. We didn't think anyone knew we were there," said Valentina Sytnykova, 70, who said she sheltered in the plant for two months with her son and 10-year-old granddaughter.



Russia is targeting Mariupol as it seeks to cut Ukraine off from the Black Sea and connect Russian-controlled territory in the south and east. Parts of the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk were held by Russian-backed separatists before President Vladimir Putin launched the Feb. 24 invasion.



More than 200 civilians remain in the plant, according to Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boichenko, with 100,000 civilians still in the city. read more



"Where am I to go? Let them blow me up here," a 67-year-old woman told Reuters in the city, as she boiled water on an open fire amid the rubble of a destroyed apartment block.



Pummelled by Western sanctions, Russia now faces new measures from the EU that would target its banks and oil industry - a major step for European countries that rely heavily on Russian energy.



European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to spell out the proposed new sanctions on Wednesday, including a ban on imports of Russian oil by the end of this year.



Russia showed no signs of backing down nearly 10 weeks into what it calls a "special military operation," a war that has killed thousands, destroyed cities and driven 5 million Ukrainians to flee abroad. Russia's own $1.8 trillion economy is heading for its biggest contraction since the years following the 1991 break-up of the Soviet Union.



Putin raised the economic stakes for Kyiv's Western backers by announcing plans to block exports of vital raw materials.



Russian forces have turned their heaviest firepower on Ukraine's east and south after failing to take Kyiv, the capital, in the opening weeks of the war.



But there were also new attacks in the west on Tuesday. The mayor of Lviv said Russian missile strikes had damaged electricity and water networks in the city near the Polish border, across which flow Western arms supplies for Ukraine's military.



Russian forces also struck six railway stations in the centre and west of the country, the head of Ukraine's railways, Olesksandr Kamyshin, said. There were no injuries to civilians, he added on Twitter.



In the east, Russian attacks in Donetsk on Tuesday killed 21 civilians and injured 27, regional Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.



Attacks and shelling also intensified in Luhansk, with the most difficult area being Popasna, where it was impossible to organise evacuations, regional Governor Serhiy Haida said.



"There are no safe cities in Luhansk region," he said on the Telegram messaging service.



In a daily update on the conflict zone, British military intelligence said Russia has deployed 22 battalion tactical groups near Ukraine's eastern city of Izium in an effort to advance along the northern axis of the Donbas region, and added that it was likely that Russian forces intended to capture the cities of Kramatorsk and Severodonetsk.



Reuters could not immediately verify the report.



Ukraine's general staff said its forces had repelled an attempted Russian advance through Dovgenke, about 108 km (67 miles) east of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city.



In the south, Russia said it had struck a military airfield near the Black Sea port of Odesa with missiles, destroying drones, weapons and ammunition supplied by the West. Ukraine said three missiles targeted the Odesa region and all were intercepted.



Adding to Ukraine's concerns, neighbouring Belarus, a close ally of Russia, said on Wednesday that it had begun sudden large-scale military drills to test combat readiness.



Mariupol, a city of 400,000 before the invasion, has seen the bloodiest fighting, enduring weeks of siege and shelling.



A ceasefire broke down with some civilians still trapped in bunkers beneath the steel works despite a U.N.-brokered evacuation.



President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russia of breaching agreements to pause fighting to allow civilians to escape.



"They're still fighting. They're still bombarding and shooting," Zelenskiy said via video link at a Wall Street Journal event. "We need a breather."



U.S. President Joe Biden used a visit to a Lockheed Martin defence plant to press the U.S. Congress to approve his proposed $33 billion assistance package for Ukraine, which includes more than $20 billion in military aid.



"If you don't stand up to dictators, history has shown us, they keep coming, they keep coming," Biden told workers at the plant in Alabama.



Britain announced an additional 300 million pounds ($375 million) in aid.

Source: REUTERS









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The Church of Pentecost in 2021 spent a total amount of seven million, twenty-seven thousand and seventy-six Ghana Cedis, eighty-five pesewas (GH7,027,076.85) in sponsoring the education of its members in Ghana.



This was disclosed by the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, in his State-of-the-Church Address delivered at the Opening Session of the 17th Session of the Extraordinary Council Meeting of the church on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh, near Kasoa in the Central Region.



The gesture by The Church of Pentecost goes a long way to give hope to parents and the beneficiary students who hitherto had no hope of pursuing education at the tertiary level.



According to the Chairman, the church gave full scholarships to two hundred and forty-eight (248) students during the 2020/2021 academic year.



In his address, the Chairman indicated that the beneficiaries of the churchs educational support were drawn from the various districts, areas, and ministries, together with the headquarters.



Apostle Nyamekye indicated that out of the total amount spent on the scholarships, the Headquarters alone contributed GH 500,735.35 under the Pentecost Education Scholarship Scheme (PESS), only meant for tertiary students.



Most of the beneficiaries are students of the Pentecost University (PU), which is now a fully chartered tertiary institution.



According to the Chairman, The Church of Pentecost is committed to supporting its members to be educated, as it holds education in high esteem.



He pointed out that the Pentecost Social Services (PENTSOS), the social services wing of the church, operates a total of 98 basic schools, two (2) senior high schools, and two (2) vocational training institutes in the country.



He added that PENTSOS also collaborated with the Pentecost Education and IT Workers Guilds to develop a robust integrated school information management system to strengthen the supervision and monitoring in Pentecost Schools.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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The Narcotics Control Commission has drafted a National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP) to deal with the problem of substance abuse through a multi-sectoral approach.



The Plan, first of its kind in the history of the Commission, aimed at protecting and improving the well-being of the society and individuals, protecting and promoting the public and offering a high level of security to the public.



Mr Kenneth Adu-Manfoh, Acting Director General of the Narcotics Control Commission, said "the NDCMP is an innovative blueprint document designed on the fundamental principles of national drug prevention law, Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020, (Act 1019)."



He said this at a validation workshop of the National Drug Control Master Plan where experts from the country and Economic Community of West Africa State (ECOWAS) met to review and validate Ghana's Master Plan.



The Plan provides a framework for coordinated and joint action and forms the basis for external cooperation in the field of drug prevention.



The strategies proposed aimed at reducing or reversing the harms caused by addictive substance use in society.



The Acting Director General said drug abuse, illicit drug trafficking and related crimes had become a threat to the nation and the international community, therefore, the menace ought to be addressed through a multi-sectoral approach.



Mr Adu-Amanfoh said the Commission would use resources invested efficiently to uphold the fundamental values of the citizenry for human dignity, liberty, democracy, equality, solidarity, the rule of law and human rights.



He said the implementation of the NDCMP would help reduce the supply of illicit drugs, the craving and use and attendant health problems.



The initiative to have a National Drug Control Master Plan is in line with the ECOWAS Action Plan on illicit drug trafficking, related organised crime and drug abuse.



Mr Baba Gana Wakil, ECOWAS Permanent Representative in Ghana, said the NDCMP would provide the necessary evidence-based guidance to address drug abuse, illicit drug trafficking and related crimes in member States.



Speaking on behalf of Dr Siga Fatima Jagne, Commissioner, Social Affairs and Gender, ECOWAS, he said, with the plan, it would be easier for development partners to pick activities they could support member States on.



"So far, 14 member States, including Ghana had had their National Drug Control Master Plan validated. Burkina Faso is yet to get its validation due to the political situation in the country," Ambassador Gana Wakil noted.











Source: GNA









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Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has told British government to stop meddling in the country's affairs, the state-owned Herald newspaper reports quoting the president's spokesman.



It follows criticism of a proposed law, the Private and Voluntary Organisation Bill, that critics say will give government more control over civil society groups.



The government says the bill will end money laundering and foreign funding of local politics, but campaigners say it will give the authorities powers to interfere with operations of NGOs.



The bill will be passed regardless of the criticism, President Mnangagwa is quoted as saying, as he sharply condemned the country's former colonial power.



"They must mind their own business, they cut relations with us (and) we got nothing from them... we don't pay attention to what they are saying," he said.

Source: BBC









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The Member of Parliament for Manhyia South in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has sent warmest felicitations to the Muslim Community within the constituency.



I wish to express my sincerest joy for our Muslim brothers and sisters for successfully going through the Ramadan, he said.



In a message, Dr. Prempeh who is also the Minister of Energy said: Let us use the Eid celebrations to fashion out how to co-exist peacefully with one another.



Over the years the people of Manhyia South have displayed oneness irrespective of the diverse religious backgrounds and that status quo should not be changed, he said.



He said that with peaceful co-existence and unity, Manhyia South will continue to develop as expected.



Dr. Prempeh called on the Manhyia South Muslims to continue to pray for the area, Ashanti Region and Ghana as a whole.



Continue to pray for Manhyia, continue to pray for Asanteman and Ghana as you always do and let us continue to be together as one people always, he said.



I wish you all Barka Da Sallah on the occasion of this years Eid and may His Merciful Allah continue to bless us all, he said.

Source: graphiconline.com









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It was all joy as Muslims from all corners of the capital flocked to the Independence Square in Accra to celebrate this years Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of the Ramadan fasting season.



Both the young and old were dressed elegantly as they gathered in large numbers to commemorate the Day.



Babies and toddlers were also spotted in elegant attires, hijabs and headgears.



The celebration caused traffic jam on major routes leading to the Independence Square for close to three hours.



It was also a stunning sight to see beautifully decorated horses, some with young riders, parading the Square.



Photographers had a field day, as everyone wanted to take pictures to mark the Day.



Food vendors and traders in items, including Islamic books and CDs also made good sales.



Nafisatu Mohammed from Kasoa-Bortianor, a suburb of Accra, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that the Eid-ul-Fitr celebration was a call on all Muslims to show love to relatives as well as empathise with the poor and the distressed.



It is a day of visiting family members, friends and loved ones and having fun with them but also we must remember that we are not permitted to do anything that may cause pain to one another, she said.



She added that Eid-ul-Fitr celebration served as a reminder to all Muslims to pray to God and remember that human beings are just a breath away from death.



During Ramadan, Muslim families get up early for suhoor, a meal eaten before the Sun rises and after the Sun sets, the fast is broken with a meal known as iftar.



Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, literally meaning the Festival of Breaking the Fast.



During Eid-ul-Fitr, people dress in their finest clothes, adorn their homes with lights and decorations, give treats to children, and enjoy visits with friends and family.



Eid-ul-Fitr is one of the two most important Islamic celebrations (the other one is the Eid-ul-Adha after Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca).



In Islam, fasting is also an opportunity to practice self-control and to cleanse the body and mind, and in this most sacred month, fasting helps Muslims feel the peace that comes from spiritual devotion as well as kinship with fellow believers.

Source: GNA









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Otumfuo is leading a contingent of paramount and divisional chiefs, royals, and stool attendants of the Golden Stool to participate in the festival in Memphis, Tennessee.



Otumfuos visit will highlight some of Ghanas culture and traditions and as part of his visit, he will meet with government and business officials and visit areas of attraction in Memphis.



The Asantehene arrived in the U.S. on Saturday, April 30, 2022, and was met on arrival at Washington Dulles International Airport by Ghanas Ambassador to the U.S., Hajia Alima Mahama and some officials of the Embassy of Ghana in Washington D.C..



Also present for the welcome were the President of Asanteman Association of Washington D.C. Metro Area, Golash Opoku Akyeampong Adadey, Asantefuohene of Washington D.C. Metro Area, Owoahene Barima Owusu Acheampong, Nana Aduse Pokuaa, - Asantefuohemaa, Nana Owusu Appia-Dankwah Kwandahor, Manwerehene of Amoafo Traditional Area, Aduanaba Frempong, Aduanahene of Washington Metro area, Nana Kwame Ampem Darko, immediate past Asantefuoheane of Washington Area and other traditional leaders of the Asanteman Association.



The Asantehene left Washington for Memphis on Tuesday to honour an invitation to participate in the Memphis in May International Festival which this year is themed as a salute to Ghana.



The King is also scheduled to attend a Ghana Live Riches and Rhythms performance at the Orpheum Theatre on Thursday, May 5 with some of Ghanas top rap musicians, including Okyeame Kwame and Sarkodie in performance.



Then on Friday, May 6, Otumfuo will also attend the Black Star Black Tie Gala which will celebrate His 72nd birthday and also honor Ghanas Ambassador to the United States H.E. Hajia Alima Mahama.



The King will also address local college students in a public speech, whilst in Memphis.



The climax of the week-long program in Memphis will be a traditional durbar on Saturday, May 7. Activities of the week will then conclude with a Church service on Sunday, May 8, 2022.



Each year, Memphis in May International Festival aims to bring the world to Memphis and Memphis to the world. While the honored country is visible in all event themes, a whole week is dedicated each year to honor a country during the International Salute  Ghana was picked for 2022.













Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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The Managing Director of Imperial General Assurance, Robert Wugah, has commended the National Chief Imam, Dr Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, for serving as a symbol of religious tolerance resulting in the continuous peace and unity of the country.



Mr Wugah said the Chief Imams love and support for people from different religious backgrounds and all walks of life was worthy of emulation.



He gave the commendation during a courtesy call on the National Chief Imam at his residence in Accra.



The MD of Imperial General Assurance also used the opportunity to extend financial support, bags of rice, gallons of cooking oil and other foodstuff on behalf of the board, management and staff of the company to the Office of the Chief Imam.



Cautious celebration



The Board Chairman of Imperial General Assurance, Ivan Avereriyeh, used the occasion to congratulate the Chief Imam for celebrating his 103th birthday and asked for his prayers for the company.



He appealed to Muslim youth to be cautious in their celebrations during the Eid-il-Fitr festival to mark the end of Ramadan, noting that caution was required to avoid motorcycle accidents.



For his part, Sheikh Sharubutu thanked Imperial for the gesture and underscored the importance of giving, particularly during Ramadan, to invoke the blessings of Allah.



He called on Ghanaians to protect the peace of the country by living in peace and harmony with one another.



Other members of the Imperial delegation included Hajia Hamida Nuhu, Board Secretary; Kofi Kyereh-Darkwah, a Consultant; Josephine Asumbire, Chief Operations Officer and Eric Paakow Selby, Head of Corporate Affairs among others.



Imperial General Assurance is a fully re-capitalised non-life company in line with the new minimum capital requirement by the National Insurance Commission of Ghana.



It is a wholly owned Ghanaian insurance company and prides itself in handling all kinds of general insurance business with the attainment of the new minimum capital requirement by the NIC.









Source: graphiconline.com









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A seven-member Supreme Court panel on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, denied an injunction application filed by three members of parliament.



The three MPs made of Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, Mahama Ayariga and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, asked the apex court to stop the Ghana Revenue Authority from implementing a 1.5% Electronic Transfer Levy until the determination of a substantive suit against the approval of the act backing the levy by parliament.



This was after the minority MPs in a suit filed on March 30, 2022 asked the court to declare the passage of the E-Levy as unconstitutional and to set aside its approval.



However, when the Supreme Court sat on the injunction application on Wednesday, the bench disagreed with the applicants on their request and denied the injunction.



The court in its ruling relied on section 37 of the Evidence Act to note that Acts of Parliament are presumed to have been regularly performed until determined otherwise by a court.



We are therefore enjoined by law pending the determination of the substantive matter to presume the regularity of the Act passed by Parliament, the court is quoted to have stated.



In their statement of case asking for the court to grant an injunction against the E-Levy, the MPs argued that irreparable damage will be caused to the public if the court reneges on granting the injunction.



This the court disagreed with stating that the applicants arguments were based on conjecture.





Applicants submit in Paragraph 19 of their statement of case that irreparable damage will be done. It is not clear how they came to this conclusion and can only concede that it was just a conjuncture, the Supreme Court indicated.



In their application, the applicants noted that the implantation of the E-Levy would cause hardship to users of electronic payment and money transfer platforms.



However, the court disagreed with the applicants on the matter of hardship.



According to the court, it is rather the state that stands a greater risk of hardship if it goes ahead to grant the injunction.



The court noted that while the GRA could be made to refund the collected levies, the state would not be able to recoup lost revenues if the injunction is granted and the substantive case is lost.



In our opinion, greater hardship will be on the state and the balance of power tilts in favour of the state.



The court in line with the decision to reject the injunction application, ordered the GRA to keep accurate records of the levies that will be collected so as to ensure there will not be a disadvantaged party when the substantive matter is determined.



We order the GRA to keep accurate records of the amounts deducted so that at the end of the substantive matter nobody will he disadvantaged, the court ruled.



The Supreme Court panel was made up of Justices Nene Amegatcher, Prof. Nii Ashie Kotey, Mariama Owusu, Avril Lovelace Johnson, Gertrude Torkornoo, Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu and Yonny Kulendi



Meanwhile, the Ghana Revenue Authority has since May 1, 2022, commenced the deduction of a 1.5% levy on electronic transfers in line with the E-Levy act.









Source: ghanaweb.com









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A separatist group from south-eastern Nigeria has dismissed as laughable the accusation that it beheaded two soldiers - a couple - who were attacked on their way to their traditional wedding.



The army blamed the armed wing of the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) for the killings which happened in Imo state over the weekend.



Ipob wants a group of states in the southeast, mainly populated by people from the Igbo ethnic group, to break away and form an independent nation called Biafra.



Ipob has no hands in the said atrocity which is an abominable act in Igbo tradition, a statement issued by the secessionists spokesperson Emma Powerful said.



Before the army jumped into their jaundiced conclusion that such an abominable act was masterminded by Ipob, what investigations did they carry out to substantiate their claims?



The latest allegation is part of their propaganda to stain our global reputation.

Source: BBC









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The authorities in Guinea say they will prosecute former President Alpha Conde for murder and other crimes committed during his time in office.



Mr Conde, who is 84, was toppled in a military coup last September.



A document from Guinea's public prosecutor says he is among 27 former senior officials who are facing a long list of alleged crimes.



These include murder, illegal detentions, abductions, torture, rape and kidnapping.



It seems the allegations relate to the final months of Mr Conde's time in office when the security forces were used to crush opposition to his third term.



Dozens of people were shot dead for taking to the streets.



The public prosecutor - who was appointed by Guinea's military rulers - said the case was launched following a complaint filed by FNDC - an umbrella group that spearheaded the protests.

Source: BBC









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The Government of Ghana has reiterated the need for a collaboration between the media and state actors to fight the spate of disinformation in the country and address once for all the poor economic conditions of journalists.



This comes at the back of the downgrade in Ghanas 2022 press freedom ratings by International Ratings Agency, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) from 30th to 60th.



The dip in the ranking was largely influenced by two of the new parameters introduced by the RSF, namely, the Economic Context and Safety of Journalists where the country scored 47.22% and 62.25% respectively.



Responding to the ratings for the first time, Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah acknowledged that to address the RSF concerns, a lot more needs to be done particularly by stakeholders in the media space to up Ghana's rankings on the new model.



He said one of the ways to address the concerns is for state actors to work in collaboration with the National Media Commission (NMC) to deepen the execution of the Coordinated Mechanism on the Safety of Journalists to oversee the safety of journalists. This the Minister said the newly created office needs a lot more support than it is currently given by stakeholders to function properly.



The Minister also maintained that on the governments part, it will continue to lend support to media associations to improve the working and economic conditions of journalists. However, he called on stakeholders to also assist this exercise towards creating sustainable incomes for media men and women in the country.

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.

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Mr Seth Kwame Acheampong, the Eastern Regional Minister, has commended workers in the region for their enormous contribution to socio-economic development despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy over the past two years.



He said to sustain economic growth, the Government must protect jobs and incomes and put policies and programmes in place to alleviate the impact of the pandemic on citizens.



One of such policies implemented in the post-COVID-19 period was the 100 billion Ghana cedis towards the revitalisation of enterprises, dubbed the: Ghana CARES Obatanpa Programme," he said.



Addressing workers of the various labour unions during the May Day celebration in Koforidua, he said the programme was three and a half years comprehensive seeking to make a significant impact on agriculture, trade and industry, tourism, housing, science and technology, and financial services.



He entreated workers to exercise patience with the government as it put measures in place to better their conditions.



The 2022 May Day celebration was on the theme: "Protecting Jobs and Income in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond."



Twenty-three workers unions converged at the Jubilee Park in Koforidua to celebrate the Day.



They held banners and placards with inscriptions such as "Now that you have E-Levy, reduce the tax for us, Workers are assets, Renewable energy is future; Leading the solar revolution, United we stand, divided we fall."



Among the unions were the Concerned Teachers Association, National Association of Registered Midwives, Industrial and Commercial Workers Union, and the Ghana Private Road Transport Union.



Citations in recognition of hardwork were presented to some individuals and unions while Madam Constance Asiamah, the Chief Accountant of the Ghana Highway Authority, Koforidua, was adjudged the 2022 Best Worker of the Eastern Region.



A statement read by Mrs Philips Agyeman, the Regional Secretary of the Trades Union Congress, urged the tripartite technical committee constituted to review the Single Spine Pay Policy, during the 2022 National Labour Conference, to present its report by the end of June, this year.



That, she said, would pave the way for it to be captured in the 2023 National Budget.



She appealed to the Government to assist retirees with the Social Security and National Insurance Trust scheme to enjoy better benefits.



May Day, also called Workers Day, is a worldwide event to commemorate the historic struggles and gains made by workers and labour movements.













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.

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The Mortuary Workers Association of Ghana says twenty (20) of their colleagues who passed on last year alone may have died from the terrible working conditions they work in.



According to the Association, mortuaries in Ghana make huge sums of money, and using just one percent of the monies for maintenance will make a difference.



For over 35 to 40-years the situation hasnt changed and is worsening and it is not only Korle-Bu that we have such a mess. I have always advocated maintenance. Some people have got their own idea of protecting themselves and job security forgetting that they are exposing others to health and safety issues.



This is where I have a problem. Last year alone we lost almost 20 of our members and it is possible that its through infection and these types of things that is making them die. So its difficult, especially being their General Secretary. It is actually a nightmare for me, the General Secretary for Mortuary Workers Association of Ghana, Richard Kofi Jordan told Francis Abban on the Morning Starr Wednesday May 4, 2022.



He continued Because workers there are paid by the government, it is not Korle-Bu or any other person who pays them. So what do you use the money for? This is my position.



GHOne TV in an expose uncovered the deplorable condition of the Korle-Bu Mortuary in Accra.



In the report, reporter Godwin Asediba filmed and exposed the bad working condition of workers and the terrible condition of the morgue for Ghanas premier hospital.



The General Secretary alleged that there are some persons canvassing for some mortuaries in the country to be privatized.



Some people have got the idea that we cannot be able to manage it so we can give out and while they are still at home they can still be making some money. Look, we are becoming sick of this type of leadership.



Ghanaians have to appreciate that people are not thinking about our welfare at all. They are only interested in how they can milk people and put money into their pockets. Because it doesnt make sense for a whole facility of this nature to be in this mess in the 21st Century. It doesnt make sense, this is slavery to my understanding, Mr. Jordan disclosed





Source: starrfm









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.

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The Young Democrat Union of Africa (YDUA) has conferred the Africa Peace Award on H.E. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his enormous contributions to the growth and sustenance of peace and freedoms not just in Ghana but the West African sub-region and Africa as a whole.



The Award, which was presented on behalf of the Union by the Rt Hon Stephen Harper, former Prime Minister of Canada and Chairman of the International Democrat Union and assisted by Mrs Louisa Atta-Agyemang, President of YDUA, was received on behalf of President Akufo-Addo by the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, at the Jubilee House, Accra on Wednesday, 4th May, 2022.



A citation accompanying the award read in part:

In recent years it has taken very strong personalities in leadership to foster the rule of law, democracy and media tolerance on the African political landscape. These strong persons continue to serve not only as stewards of the democracy and peace on the continent but the standard of lessons for many young people.



At the Young Democrat Union of Africa, we believe strongly that honouring the standards of yesterday and today is a critical part of creating the standards of tomorrow. This principle embodies the many steps we have taken towards today.



This award represents our collective values as a people and center right leaders, our values of Rule of Law, Respect for Human Freedom and Rights, Democracy, Peace and Stability



Our decision to honour the works of this very astute man for his decades of service to rule of law, democracy, press freedom and peace is not only admirable but presents great lessons to many. From his staunch advocacy against human rights violations to his work to repeal the Criminal Libel Law of Ghana that placed so much restrictions on freedom of expression, his famous decision to accept the verdict of Ghanas Supreme Court after the controversial 2012 elections will continue to hang as standards for everyone who puts peace above personal interest.



In recent times, his work to restore peace in the Dagbon Kingdom of Ghana after almost 2 decades of Kingship related conflict has been celebrated by many, both in Ghana and on the international scene.



In all, his efforts to ensure that Ghana is enjoying peace and stability is enviable and his steps towards averting the urge for undemocratic regime change in West Africa as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, we believe is worth commending considering the prospects.



On this day, 4th May, 2022, on behalf of Young Democrat Union of Africa, I invite Rt Hon Stephen Harper to help us, present to His Excellency the 5th President of the 4th Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, YDUA AFRICA PEACE AWARD.

In brief remarks, Vice President Bawumia commended the leadership of YDUA for the initiative to organize a High-Level Lecture Series on Governance, designed to provide information and education to young people to equip them for effective participation in the political and democratic process.



It is more refreshing to note that the maiden edition will have the very venerable Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, whose work in promoting democracy, good governance and the values of center right, both during his time as Prime Minister of Canada and as Chairman of the International Democrat Union, as Keynote Speaker.



I am of the conviction that this is not only a suitable choice but very ideal to ensure that the project starts off on a good footing. Prime Minister Harper has his reputation preceding him in the promotion of democracy and center right ideals all over the world, he emphasized.



Dr Bawumia expressed gratitude for the leadership of the YDUA for the Award, saying On behalf of the President and the people of Ghana, we are grateful for the recognition. You have the assurances of the President to continue to pursue programmes and policies which consolidate our gains in our democratic credentials and work towards a peaceful and sustainable Africa.



The quest for peace and stability on the continent cannot be toned down; it is an essential bedrock in realizing resilient and sustainable societies.

Source: Daily Guide









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There is currently a keen contest in the ongoing New Patriotic Party(NPP) constituency elections in the Ashanti Region.



The second batch of the elections held from Thursday 28th April to Monday 2nd May 2022 across the country pulled a lot of surprises and shocks as some persons alleged to be from the incumbent regional Chairman, Wontumi's camp lost their position with fresh entrants making their way to represent the party at the constituency level ahead of 2024 general elections.



Over 70 percent of Wontumi's candidates have lost seats to new entrants.



The contest which appears to be between Wontumi and the contender, Odeneho Kwaku Appiah has gathered momentum as party people are seen in a jubilant mood when results are declared in favour of persons perceived to be Odeneho Kwaku Appiah candidates at the various polling centres.



Purefmonline.com visits to over 38 constituencies indicate a resounding victory for COKA candidates whereas the incumbent regional Chairman's candidates lost.



Out of the 41 constituencies which have voted, Wontumi's candidates, both incumbent and new entrants who contested in the region, unfortunately, lost to the chagrin of some party members gathered at the polling centres.



Strangely, in his(Wontumi) own backyard, Bosomtwi constituency, he lost 6:4 to COKA's team respectively.



Also in COKA's constituency, Afigya Kwabre South, he was given a resounding victory of 10:0 as persons perceived to be Wontumi's candidates lost.



During our visit to the election centres, there were cheers from the crowd(COKA b3ba), meaning literally as COKA will come,- as winning teams are announced in their favour.



With the exception of Manhyia North, Fomena, Atwima Kwawoma, Mampong and Kumawu that are yet to vote because of pending court cases, the remaining constituencies fell for COKA which makes it quite difficult or almost impossible for the incumbent chairman to retain his seat.



Data available on this website indicates out of a total of 47 Constituencies, 42 have conducted elections. With 225 Incumbent elected officers and 193 newly elected officers representing a total of 53.84% and 46.17% respectively.



The party is supposed to elect a total of 420 officers. However, 418 have been elected with 2 positions currently suspended.



Further Explanation:



What this translates to is that about 82% of the Newly elected officers are from areas strongly dominated by the incumbent regional chairman-Wontumi, whereas 8% of the incumbent who retained their position are also believed to be on the side of his contender, Odeneho Kwaku Appiah.



Some of the Newly elected Executives who spoke with the media indicated that the regional Chairmanship contest was between Odeneho Kwaku Appiah and Bernard Antwi Boasiako. When asked why they arrived at such a conclusion they said;



"The party must reorganize early enough for the 2024 General elections. Involving all the new regional chairman contestants is a complete waste of everyone's time. Our focus right now is the two contestants, and that's what we're going to decide on."



The Regional Executives Elections is scheduled for May 27, 2022, barring any last-minute changes.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Former President John Mahama says "a new National Democratic Congress Government, God willing and with the votes of the sovereign people of Ghana  in 2025  will repeal the E-Levy Act.



The controversial Electronic Transactions Levy which started on Sunday, 1st May 2022, has been strongly opposed by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).



Meanwhile, the Minority Leader in Parliament Haruna Idrissu and two NDC MPs have urged the Supreme Court to block the implementation of the e-levy.



The case is expected to be heard on Wednesday, May 4.



Delivering an address titled Ghana at Crossroad on Monday, May 2 Mahama said: we in the NDC do not oppose taxation as a principle. We will not be pretentious and couch fanciful slogans to condemn the principle of taxation like the NPP did in the past. We are, however, implacably opposed to distortionary and burdensome taxes like the e-levy that only force Ghanaians to endure more suffering".



Mahama has also asked President Akufo-Addo to sack the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.



It is inconceivable that the Minister of Finance still remains at post, Mahama said, adding he must be sacked without delay.







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.

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Former Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, has called on Ghanaians not to fall for what he believes are the tricks and lies by former President John Dramani Mahama who intends to come back to power in 2025.



The former Minister advised the citizenry to note that John Mahama and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) have nothing better to offer them.



He was speaking in relation to John Mahama's speech on the topic "Ghana at a crossroads" on Monday, Monday, May 2, 2022.



Delivering a public lecture at the Kempinski Hotel, former President John Mahama lambasted the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration and pointed out to Ghanaians that his return to government will see to an improvement in their living conditions with particular emphasis on repealing the government's E-Levy policy aimed at enhancing infrastructure development in the country.



To him, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's acclamation as the "messiah" of Ghanas economy is nothing but a scam.



The current head of the Economic Management Team [Dr. Bawumia] has clearly fallen from his ivory tower as a self-styled economic messiah to a poster boy for economic mismanagement, and his leadership of the Economic Management team is no longer tenable, Mahama said.



He added; The economic management team has failed and must be reconstituted immediately with fresh ideas and perspectives having supervised the worst public debt build-up, worst budget deficit, worst debt to GDP ratio, worst credit rating downgrade, worst-performing currency in the world, worst crisis of confidence in the economy.



On the E-Levy, Mr. Mahama assured Ghanaians that "a new National Democratic Congress government, God willing and with the votes of the sovereign people of Ghana  in 2025  will repeal the E-Levy Act".



He argued; "Even as this government remains fixated with taxing their way out of economic mismanagement, the Akufo-Addo government has been wasteful. They have failed to demonstrate prudence in public financial management. The people of Ghana cannot be called upon to pay more taxes only for the accruing money belonging to the people of Ghana, to be dubiously and wastefully shared among family and friends through various fraudulent procurement practices."



But to Kwamena Duncan, Mr. Mahama has once again displayed his incompetence in his lecture.



He reminded Ghanaians of the former President's bad track record that plunged Ghana into an abyss of economic recession, wondering why anyone would believe his promise of a better Ghana when voted back into power.



"It is annoying because this man run this country aground . . . He so abysmally performed that, as an incumbent, he lost electoral votes close to 1 million between himself and his close contender. The Ghanaian people spoke. The Ghana, he describes, as being at a crossroad; I don't know this particular crossroad he talks about. He's able to identify the roads. Which roads is he identifying? He's capable of knowing which road Ghana must go? He is capable of knowing the crossroads, which one Ghana must go? He is capable? Then he tells us that Ghana is at a crossroad; my goodness!", he said.



He admonished Ghanaians to continue having hope in the governing New Patriotic Party stressing "we admit there are some hardships due to the way things are going in the world but the alternative cannot and must not be the NDC".



Kwamena Duncan made these submissions on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' Wednesday morning.





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.

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Bernard Allotey Jacobs, a former NDC Central Regional Chairman, has called the bluff of former President John Dramani Mahama following the latter's claim that he will repeal the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) introduced by the Akufo-Addo government.



The E-Levy, which is a 1.5% charge on all electronic transactions, began on Sunday, May 1, 2022.



Speaking at a public lecture at Kempinski Hotel on Monday, May 2, under the theme "Ghana at a crossroads", the former President described the E-Levy as a repressive tax and promised Ghanaians he will repeal it when voted for during the 2024 elections.



"A new National Democratic Congress government, God willing and with the votes of the sovereign people of Ghana  in 2025  will repeal the E-Levy Act. Even as this government remains fixated with taxing their way out of economic mismanagement, the Akufo-Addo government has been wasteful. They have failed to demonstrate prudence in public financial management. The people of Ghana cannot be called upon to pay more taxes only for the accruing money belonging to the people of Ghana, to be dubiously and wastefully shared among family and friends through various fraudulent procurement practices," he said.



But to Allotey Jacobs, the former President is throwing dust into the eyes of Ghanaians.



According to him, it is a typical character of politicians to use sophistry in their communication in hope so as to gain political advantage.



Sophistry is explained as a deliberately invalid argument displaying ingenuity in reasoning in the hope of deceiving someone.



Allotey Jacobs expounded that this is a common tool used by politicians but however wondered when will politicians ever tell the masses the truth.



He, therefore, admonished politicians to stop being deceitful to those they are soliticiting votes from to come into power.



On this note, without mincing words, Allotey Jacobs stated that neither former President John Mahama nor any other government will cancel the E-Levy.



"Have you seen how they have diluted the minds of Ghanaians about E-Levy?", he queried, emphasizing that "if any other government in the future comes, it won't repeal the E-Levy. I state categorically that no government will cancel the E-Levy when it knows the E-Levy is generating revenues for the government".



"Government is not a magician to conjure money from the sky...Every politician knows that tax is used to develop a nation, not magic", he added.



Allotey Jacobs made these comments during a panel discussion 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.

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Former Member of Parliament for Bantama constituency and the Chief Executive Officer for the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), Henry Kwabena Kokofu, has disclosed that former President John Dramani Mahama will only change the name "E-Levy" but not the policy in case he is elected into power in 2025 as he says.



He says the former President failed to change certain government policies when he was President, he was only able to change the names of those policies because he was benefitting immensely from them.



Former President John Dramani Mahama has stated that the next National Democratic Congress (NDC) government will repeal the Electronic Transactions Act, describing it as a regressive tax, which imposed hardships on Ghanaians.



A new National Democratic Congress Government, God willing and with the votes of the sovereign people of Ghana  in 2025  will repeal the E-Levy Act, he said.



Mr. Mahama who spoke at a lecture in Accra last Monday on the theme Ghana at a Crossroads', the NDC was not opposed to the principle of taxation, the NDC was, implacably opposed to distortional and burdensome taxes such as the E-Levy that only force Ghanaians to endure more suffering.



Unfortunately in the face of this self-inflicted economic catastrophe, this government against all sound advice has decided to introduce the E-Levy that heaps more suffering on Ghanaians, he said.



He also emphasised that it was even more saddening that the levy was implemented on May Day, when workers were supposed to be celebrated.



But speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that the former President who is bereft of ideas will only end up taking the country back to IMF which only took us back to the era where Ghana had to be dependent on the IMF.



The E-Levy has provided means and medium which is not only convenient for Ghanaians to transact their business but also a means to generate revenue for government.



The IMF conditions bites so hard that you do not have room to even employ graduates who will use their acquired knowledge to help in the development of their country. Former president John Mahama will not even dare to repeal E-levy when he is even able to come power.



"The far he can go is to change the name and give it something that will clandestinely deceive Ghanaians into thinking that he has been able to repeal the E-levy act as he is claiming," he stressed.



The E-levy policy will help the country to accelerate in development and I don't think any well meaning President or government will even temper with the policy if he has Ghanaians at heart," he added.



"The NPP government is noted with policies that provides infrastructure for the country, and the Akufo-Addo government has shown the way and I believe that former president John Dramani Mahama should rather applaud the government for such a genius policy than what he is doing now."



"I think Ghanaians deserve better than that," he added.



Watch video below





Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by   (@utvghana)







A seven-member Supreme Court panel presided over by Justice Nene Amegatcher, has dismissed an application for interlocutory injunction that sought to stop the government and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) from implementing the E-Levy.



Three National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament applied for an interlocutory injunction at the Supreme Court to restrain the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) from implementing the E-Levy.



The three MPs include the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, the MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga and the MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.



The NDC MPs sued the Attorney-General arguing that Parliament did not have the required number of at least half of its members present when the E-Levy was approved.



On 29 March 2022, Parliament passed the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) by a vote of MPs from the Majority Caucus of the House after the Minority staged a walkout.



The Majority in Parliament has described the Minoritys move to stop the implementation of the E-Levy as an exercise in futility.



According to the Majority side, the best option available to the Minority side is to file a motion of rescission in Parliament for consideration.



Speaking on behalf of the Majority, the leader of the governments business in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, said the reliefs being sought by the Minority are factually inaccurate in stating that E-Levy is yet to be implemented when the implementation module has already commenced.



He said: They [Minority] say they want to stop the implementation but the bill is already being implemented. So I dont what they mean by that. Upon the accent of the president a bill, if Parliament has not postponed the operation of a bill, immediately after the ascent it comes into operation



So this bill is in operation, the necessary structures are being put in place now. It doesnt mean its not being implemented.



Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu also took a swipe at the minority for heading to the supreme court to challenge the approval of the electronic transfer levy bill over the lack of a proper quorum.



The Majority insists that the bill was legally passed.



 Ill just say that the burden of proof lies on the Minority to go to court and prove their case. Im sure no Supreme Court anywhere indulges in processes and procedures relating to Parliament



No quorum



Three National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament have applied for an interlocutory injunction at the Supreme Court to restrain the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) from implementing the E-Levy on 1 May 2022.



The three MPs include the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, the MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga and the MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.



The NDC MPs have sued the Attorney-General arguing that Parliament did not have the required number of at least half of its members present when the E-Levy was approved.



On 29 March 2022, Parliament passed the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) by a vote of MPs from the Majority Caucus of the House after the Minority staged a walkout.



The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said his side still opposes the E-Levy, hence the walkout.





Source: UTV/asaaseradio









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.

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The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described as a scam, a promise by former President John Mahama to abolish the E-Levy if elected in 2024.



According to the New Patriotic Party, Mahama and his NDC are no alternative in deciding a direction at the crossroads, because they cannot be trusted to move the country towards prosperity.



Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, 4th May 2022, the national communications director of the NPP, Yaw Buaben-Asamoa, said, Just like the one-time premium and the repeal of talk tax that John Mahama and his NDC promised, but failed to implement when they were in power, this promise is just a political talk.



In any event, can John Mahama explain the difference in his 17.5% tax on financial transactions and his manifesto pledge to impose a uniform tax on all electronic transactions? Are these measures E-Levy in disguise and does he stand by them? Asamoa asked.



If we reflect deeply, Asamoa said, We will accept, as the records show, that significant change to our political institutions and conduct, economic structure and management and positive social impact, has mostly happened under the NPPs watch.



Many very significant national reverses occurred under the six years of John Mahamas Presidency. He has since been rejected twice in elections. Its possible his recent address is motivated by self-preservation towards his continued leadership of the NDC into 2024, given that both insiders and external observers are writing him off, he said.



He added: Under John Mahamas leadership, Ghana will slip backwards into chaotic incompetence. Just like his autobiography tells all, he cannot take decisions. As he says in his book, he will ride this country like a bicycle, out of control and dangerously downhill, merely hopeful of survival.



The 2024 presidential election is expected to be about two choices: whether we choose to build on the significant gains so far made under President Akufo-Addo with a new presidential candidate from the NPP who comes with his or her own fresh ideas as well or to choose the candidate the NDC are threatening to bring back, John Dramani Mahama.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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On April 29, Russian Senator Andrey Klimov briefed journalists from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries on the situation in Ukraine.

He rehashed several debunked talking points about Ukraine, including the false claim that Ukraine intended to launch a nuclear weapons program. (Ukraine, in fact, gave up its nuclear weapons in return for security assurances that Russia and others would respect its independence, sovereignty and existing borders.)

Klimov claimed that illegal actions against Russia, and not Russias illegal war, have disrupted international relations and sparked rising prices and social tensions around the world.

He also claimed that unarmed Ukrainians are free to leave the country at any time, while Russia provides humanitarian assistance that is attacked by Ukrainian forces.

Russia is the only country that delivers direct humanitarian aid to people (food, water, provide medical care). Sometimes Russian humanitarian caravans are bombed with weapons that NATO supplies to Ukraine. As the American bombers used to do when they bombed Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Russias Embassy in the Philippines summarized Klimov as saying.

There is no evidence Ukrainian forces are bombing Russian humanitarian convoys with NATO weapons.

It is also unclear what Klimov meant by direct humanitarian aid. As Russia invaded Ukraine and occupies parts of its territory, he could mean the Russia military is in a position to provide direct aid to civilian populations (without transferring it through international aid organizations or other mechanisms).

Still, dozens of countries are providing humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in response to the catastrophe Russia has created.

Chief among them is the United States.

The United States is the largest single-country donor of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, a spokesperson for the United States Mission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) told Polygraph.info.

The United States has already provided over $653 million in humanitarian assistance to refugees, the displaced, vulnerable populations and communities in the region since Russia first invaded Ukraine eight years ago, including nearly $302 million this year, the OSCE spokesperson said.

Our assistance covers critical needs, such as safe drinking water, shelter, winterization services, livelihoods assistance, sanitation, hygiene supplies, emergency health supplies, and protection services to meet the needs of hundreds of thousands of people, as well as emergency food assistance.

The OSCE spokesperson also noted a March 24 White House announcement that the United States is prepared to provide an additional $1 billion in humanitarian assistance for those affected by Russias war in Ukraine and beyond, in part due to a marked rise in food insecurity.

Russias invasion of Ukraine has led to what the United Nations called a grave humanitarian crisis, creating an estimated 5.6 million refugees, 7.7 million internally displaced people, thousands of civilian casualties, and millions of people in need, including children.

The head of the World Food Program said Russias war in Ukraine could lead to the worst global food crisis since World War II.

Many countries and organizations are working to prevent catastrophe.

The United States, for example, delivers humanitarian aid through U.S.-funded nongovernmental groups and international organizations like the United Nations.

Data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs also show that the United States and its partners remain the largest donors for U.N. humanitarian response plans and funds.

The European Commission, through its EU Civil Protection Mechanism to Ukraine, has channeled nearly 24,000 tons of aid to Ukraine from 29 countries  all 27 E.U. member states, plus Norway and Turkey. The U.K. also has pledged about $240 million in humanitarian assistance.

United Nations-led inter-agency convoys, working with non-governmental partners, had delivered supplies to Ukraine five times as of April 24.

And more than 100 Ukrainian non-governmental organizations are working across the country to prevent disaster. One Ukrainian NGO said the biggest threat to its work was constant shelling and bombing by Russian forces.



Whatever aid Russia is giving is dwarfed by the destruction its illegal invasion has caused. And Russian forces have shelled aid workers, ambulances and fleeing civilians.

CNN reported that Russia had conducted double-tap strikes against first emergency services  [h]itting a target, waiting a few minutes for the first responders to arrive, and then hitting the same spot again.

That fits into a broader pattern of attacks on civilians and infrastructure.

Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations commissioner for human rights, told The Associated Press on April 22 that international humanitarian law had seemingly been tossed aside since Russia invaded on February 24.

Russian armed forces have indiscriminately shelled and bombed populated areas, killing civilians and wrecking hospitals, schools and other civilian infrastructure  actions that may amount to war crimes, a statement from her office read.

Attacks on health care facilities are systematic.

The World Health Organization has documented more than 100 attacks on Ukraines health services as of April 7  89 targeting health facilities and 13 transport, including ambulances.

Klimovs claim that non-combatant Ukrainians are free to leave is contradicted by reports that civilians are being sent to filtration camps, where those suspected of Ukrainian government or independent media links have reportedly faced interrogation, torture and even murder.

Russia has accused Ukrainian forces of shelling humanitarian aid and refugee convoys. Those claims have not been independently verified, and while they should be investigated, Russian state media reports are compromised by a complete lack of press freedom and fealty to the Kremlin.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, almost all independent [Russian] media have been banned, blocked and/or declared foreign agents, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said.

Other media outlets are subject to military censorship.
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Words of advice from the past were given out to the Aiken Technical College class of 2022 during the commencement celebration on Tuesday.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of ATC, the school invited back 11 alumni who graduated in the early class of ATC. The school asked the alumni what they would've liked to have been told when they graduated, and some of the responses were read during the ceremony.

William Bryan, who graduated in 1974 with the first ATC associate's degree when he received a degree in textile management, said his advice to graduates would be to keep going.

Don't ever quit, Bryan said. "Keep going, don't quit. Because once you quit it's easy to quit again and not go back. But don't ever quit.

Dr. Forest Mahan, Aiken Tech president, commended the graduates for their perseverance over the last few years in regards to starting school during the coronavirus pandemic.

It is a journey that for most has occurred against the backdrop of the pandemic, Mahan said. "You as a class faced events that no other class in the history of Aiken Tech, many of us in this room would acknowledge, have faced. And the fact that you persevered and most of you began your credential in the midst of the pandemic is a testament to not only your tenacity, but if you can do this in what you had to face, there is nothing you can't accomplish and you are to be applauded for that.

Those receiving degrees, a diploma or certificate also included several seniors from Midland Valley High School who received associate's degrees from ATC before they will receive their high school diplomas next month. These students are part of the early college program, which is a dual enrollment partnership with MVHS, Mahan said.

The first thing that they said when we were freshman was that it would shave two years off your college and it's free, so that was kind of the first thing that really got me interested," said Emma Troup, one of the dual enrollment graduates. "Since then I've figured out it's been the best way to prepare me for a four-year degree and the classes I'll be taking there because high school is really different than college, and now I feel ready to go to USC Beaufort.

Mahan also said Troup made history when she received the Buck Grant Award, which is the top academic award at ATC.

Nancy Lopez-Reyes, who graduated with an Associate of Arts in criminal justice, said she had a good experience at ATC and enjoyed meeting people as a campus ambassador.

Here at Aiken Tech, I got here in 2020, so pandemic, and a lot of people told me what was going on on campus was not what was usually goes on on campus, Lopez-Reyes said. But I also tried to find ways to get involved and campus ambassadors was the best way to do it, and I'm really glad I did it because there was a lot of interaction with other people.

During the ceremony, Mahan recognized Patricia Buckner and Jermone Williams, two students who passed away last year before they could graduate. They were awarded their degrees posthumously. There were seats were placed in the front row in their honor.

The college awarded and presented their credentials to their families and private ceremonies, Mahan said.

Two faculty members were also recognized during the ceremony. Dr. Crystal Ratliff, dean of student success and retention, received the staff member of the year award and Aherial Polite, department chair of chemistry, physics and nuclear science and chemistry instructor, received the faculty member of the year award.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Mainly sunny. High 78F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 57F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.
Shipping delays have left Charleston without a bike share system for the last few months, but a new program from the micromobility giant Lime is almost ready to launch.

The kickoff of the program is set for May 6. To start, 200 of Lime's bikes will be available to rent.

The two-wheelers being used in Charleston are Lime's latest version of its motorized "e-bike" which gives riders an electric boost while they pedal.

"This is brand new technology coming to the city," said Robert Gardner, Lime's director of government relations for the mid-Atlantic region.

How to Ride Riders will have to download the Lime app to rent the e-bikes. Riders can pay per minute or purchase ride passes that include unlimited rides for a set time period. Ride pass prices listed on the app as of May 3, 2022 were: $11.99 for one hour

$16.99 for 24 hours

$33.99 for three days Per-minute rates can change and can be found on the app when the system launches live May 6. Discounted rides are available for anyone enrolled in local, state or federally-run assistance programs via Lime Access.

Gardner said the launch will be celebrated midday Friday at the Medical University of South Carolina campus.

MUSC is the title sponsor for the program. The MUSC Health logo appears on the bikes, which are painted black and white except for front baskets that feature Lime's signature shade of bright green.

The e-bikes will be stationed at the existing docking stations that were used for the Holy Spokes bike share program that was operated by the locally based mobility company Gotcha. The stations have been empty since the city's contract with Gotcha ended in February.

Gotcha removed its light blue vehicles then, and, initially, the city had hoped to replace them more quickly with Lime's bikes. But shipping delays put off the launch timeline.

In late March, city transportation director Robert Somerville said people had asked about when bike share services would be available again.

None of us want any more delays, he said at the time, estimating the first Lime bikes would arrive by mid-April.

The first shipment of bikes did arrive last month, and the city and Lime have been preparing for the launch since then.

Lime is eventually expected to provide 500 e-bikes.

The San Francisco-based company was chosen from a pool of six vendors, including Gotcha, that the city considered after seeking new bids last year.

Lime also offers electric scooter programs, but the city's deal with the company is limited to e-bikes.

The e-bikes can reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour, and their speed can be restricted in specific geographic areas, for safety purposes.

That feature will be utilized in Charleston's program. For example, the bikes won't be able to go faster than 8 miles per hour in the area around Charleston's historic City Market, city spokesman Jack O'Toole said. The company and the city are still studying the areas where speeds should be limited, Gardner said.

There will also be areas where people can't ride the bikes. Those, and the places where speeds are limited, are all marked on Lime's app.

To prepare for Friday's launch, Gardner recommended downloading the app and reviewing the provided safety information.

Gardner said the company is eager, after months of preparation, to make the bikes available later this week.

"Weve had some shipping concerns, but now we are ready to go, and we will be continuing to improve the service we provide," he said.
The Charleston area's latest retail newcomers include a bagel cafe on the peninsula, a handmade soap vendor in Mount Pleasant and a pet supply shop on James Island.

Also, a discount grocer is doing away with plastic bags, a new fitness site is now open on the lower peninsula and a shopping center will reward one lucky mom with a $500 gift package.

In downtown Charleston, Holey City Bagels is eyeing a mid- to late-May launch at 43 Cannon St. The tentative target dates are May 19 or May 20, according to owner Greg Odachowski.

The cafe, coming to where Five Loaves restaurant once operated, also plans to offer beer and wine for on-site use.

Soaping up

In Mount Pleasant, a new retail shop offering plant-based soap and body products that are made by hand on-site is on the way.

Buff City Soap will open May 5 at 1485 Highway 17 beside T.J. Maxx in the Walmart-anchored Wando Crossing Shopping Center.

The Dallas-based company will host extended hours during its initial launch with what it calls VIP events May 5-8, when the first 50 people who visit the store each day will receive free soap for a year. A grand opening is set for June 24-26, when customers will have another chance to win free items.

Founded in 2013, the retailer says it offers alternatives to commercial soap products that include "harsh chemicals, detergents, animal fats and sulfates." The store will offer more than 30 different scents across an array of offerings.

Store hours during the VIP event on May 5-7 are 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and on May 8 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Normal business hours will be 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday.

Pet project

A new pet products store is now open on James Island.

Michigan-based Pet Supplies Plus can be found in the Harris Teeter-anchored James Island Center at 1739 Maybank Highway.

The shop also offers amenities such as grooming, self-pet wash stations and carry-out service for heavy items to customers' vehicles. Dogs are allowed inside.

Andrew Nebel and his father, Peter, a franchise owner for the past decade, own the store as well as the shop in Summerville.

They also plan to partner with local animal shelters, rescue organizations and non-profits to host year-round adoption events, fundraisers and pet food and product drives.

The shop is open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.

Bagging it

Discount grocer Aldi plans to eliminate all plastic shopping bags from its stores by the end of 2023.

Aldi U.S. operates in 38 states, but it does not provide free grocery bags. The penny-pinching grocer requires shoppers to bring their own bags or customers can currently buy plastic bags at the store.

Jason Hart, CEO of the U.S. operation based in Batavia, Ill., said the move will eliminate 4,400 tons of plastic from the environment every year from its 2,200 U.S. locations.

The company has removed plastic shopping bags from nearly 500 stores already.

Aldi operates five stores in the Charleston area, with two in Summerville and one each in Goose Creek, Mount Pleasant and North Charleston.

Getting fit

A new wellness studio is now open in downtown Charleston.

Koniver Wellness and Aesthetics opened FORM Charleston on May 1 in the mixed-used Jasper development on Broad Street on the lower peninsula.

The studio offers two ways to get fit.

The Lagree Method workout is a 50-minute class that employs a spring-loaded, moving platform called a Megaformer that blends traditional Pilates with low-impact and high-intensity strength and cardio training. Cool Tone is a non-invasive body contouring treatment that uses magnetic muscle stimulation technology to strengthen, tone and firm.

Weekday classes start at 6 a.m. while Saturday classes begin at 8 a.m. and Sunday classes at 9 a.m.

Mom makeover

Citadel Mall wants to give one lucky mom a treat for Mother's Day.

The West Ashley shopping center is accepting entries for a deserving mother through 3 p.m. on May 6 for an estimated $500 gift package of products, gift cards and services. The winner will be announced May 6 after a random drawing. For rules and to enter, go to citadelmall.net.

New on King

A new provider of hydration and recovery for hangovers is opening a brick-and-mortar shop in downtown Charleston.

The Drip Lounge will make its debut at 9 a.m. May 6 at 564 King St.

The shop, with 10 semi-private stations that include recliners, will offer IV injections of vitamins, electrolytes, amino acids and minerals directly into the bloodstream.

The lounge also provides therapies to improve sleep, neurological function, support brain cell regeneration, boost energy and metabolism, maximize muscle growth and aid weight loss. It also includes a vitamin shot bar for those looking to get a quick boost of nutrition, energy and hydration.

After its debut, the shop will be open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday through Monday. Its mobile lounges are available for events and private house calls.
An American Airlines flight from Charleston to Dallas-Fort Worth was forced to divert to an Alabama airport May 3 after the aircraft lost part of its wing, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Flight 3729 "encountered severe turbulence" and diverted to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, where the crew reported the Embraer E-175 was missing a piece of the right winglet, according to an FAA spokesman.

A winglet is a vertical fin on the tip of an aircraft wing that helps reduce drag and improve range and fuel efficiency. It's unclear where the missing piece landed.

The plane had reached about 36,000 feet, according to reports. Operated by regional carrier Envoy Air, it landed safely at 6:45 p.m. Central Time, according to an American Airlines spokesman.

"The aircraft was taken out of service for evaluation by our maintenance team, and all customers were transferred to another aircraft," spokesman Andrew Trull said.

The alternative flight departed for Dallas at 10:17 p.m. Tuesday, according to Birmingham airport chief operating officer Jim Payne.

The flight took off from Charleston at 5:54 p.m. Eastern time with 71 passengers and four crew members onboard. The aircraft's seatbelt sign was illuminated during the turbulence, and no one was injured, Trull said.

"We thank our team members for their professionalism and action to ensure the safety of our customers and crew," Trull said.

The FAA is investigating the cause of the incident.

The aviation website Simpleflying.com reported that the jet was six years old, citing data from ch-aviation.com.
PAWLEYS ISLAND  Pawleys Island Town Administrator Ryan Fabbri is stepping down effective June 2.

Mayor Brian Henry announced Fabbri's resignation in an email to town property owners on May 4. No reason was given for the administrator's departure after nine years. Efforts to reach Fabbri were not successful.

"We certainly appreciate his service to the town," Henry wrote in the email. "I would like to personally thank Ryan and wish him the best in his future pursuits."

Henry said a search for a successor would begin immediately.

"I believe this is a very desirable position and am confident that we will source a well-qualified and experienced replacement in the near term," he wrote.

Fabbri's resignation comes at a time when Pawleys Island, as with the rest of the Waccamaw Neck, is growing. The town has a population of 130, but the areas surrounding Pawleys Island are growing.

At an April meeting, the Pawleys Island Town Council moved to hire a consultant to develop a rising sea level plan to open up the town to grant money for adaptation strategies.
GEORGETOWN  The Georgetown County Sheriff's Office is searching for a 5-year-old reported missing on the night of May 3.

Collins Elizabeth "Lenny" Lusk was reported missing from 277 Cherokee Dr. in Georgetown, last seen around 7 p.m.

Lusk was last seen playing in a backyard sandbox wearing a dark pink T-shirt and light pink leggings.

No other details were released.

Anyone who sees the child should call 911, the sheriff's office said.
GEORGETOWN  Understaffing within Georgetown County's fire departments and emergency medical services is high as the county approaches approval of its next budget.

County Emergency Services Director Brandon Ellis told county councilmembers recently that staffing was down about 25 percent each at Georgetown County Fire Department/EMS and Midway Fire Rescue.

While Sheriff Carter Weaver had a more specific request of eight deputies for council, Ellis said he just wants to see his departments stay competitive in the labor market and retain the employees they have before adding more.

Some employees leave for reasons such as a difference in opinion or culture, Ellis said, but the "vast majority" are leaving for neighboring jurisdictions that pay more.

Pay has become a common denominator in exit interviews, Ellis said, to the point that some outgoing staff say they won't reiterate the issue of pay because Ellis already knows it is an ongoing problem.

"It's unfortunate," he told the council. "We even lost a few to the private sector who compensate at an even higher rate for private EMS services, and we can't compete with that."

The gap in salary between Georgetown County Fire Department/EMS and Midway Fire Rescue, both of which serve Georgetown County, and neighboring jurisdictions can run as high as $10,000 a year in some cases, Ellis told Georgetown Times.

Meanwhile, the county is pushing staffing as far as it can go to meet the needs of county residents and visitors, Ellis said. That means trying to staff 15 paramedic positions with just eight paramedics, and having five overtime slots open for the Georgetown County Fire Department on May 4 alone.

"We have to try to maximize the resources that we have available, which our number one resource is obviously our personnel," Ellis said.

Volunteers are important, Ellis said, especially with his department's May 3 response to a report of a missing 5-year-old child whose body was later found in the Black River. But he noted volunteerism  no small feat given the training required of volunteer firefighters  is down, and the county doesn't have an especially large volunteer base.

Ellis said he knows the county doesn't have the capacity to compete with Myrtle Beach and Horry County's funding outright, and credits administration for doing what they can. But keeping in mind the essential nature of his employees is important, he said.

"It's all about being competitive, right?" Ellis said. "I think that we've got to remain competitive in nature."
This is the first time this plant has been recorded in North America: Can you name this week's mystery plant?
ISLE OF PALMS  Not far from Fort Sumter, talk of secession is brewing. But this time the driving issue is not the Confederacy but a 2021 state law regulating beach parking.

The secessionist ringleaders are former Mayor Jimmy Carroll and current Councilman Blair Hahn. With the minimal amount of non-existent power they have, they have unilaterally dubbed the barrier island "The Palm Republic."

As proof of their intent, they are planning a powdered-wig signing of a new declaration of independence for the island. It will be held at The Windjammer, a beachfront bar known for hosting live music and a bikini contest when it's not serving as "the Capitol Building of the Palm Republic."

It might sound like a marketing plan to promote the island and sell some T-shirts, but Hahn and Carroll say it's about Home Rule, the state constitution and politicians overstepping their authority.

The part-farce and part-serious vibe is deliberate, modeled on what Key West, Fla., did in 1982 to protest federal government roadblocks where cars heading north were searched for drugs and undocumented migrants.

The Florida city declared itself the Conch Republic, the roadblocks eventually came down and last month the Conch Republic's 40th anniversary was celebrated with "10 days of fun and zany events for all ages" and merchandise sales.

Were trying to do it with a sense of humor, but this is very serious," Hahn insisted. It may ultimately become a lawsuit."

The grievances Hahn and Carroll are airing stem from the state's refusal to allow the island to eliminate most of the free parking on state roadsides there, and a related state law prohibiting communities eligible to receive beach renourishment funds from eliminating parking without state Department of Transportation approval.

This is absolutely not about parking," Hahn said. Its about our right to govern ourselves as we see fit."

In addition to being a city councilman, Hahn is now The Palm Republic's "attorney general, also known as His Beaudacious Highness, Admiral and Grand Ruler of All Seas Less than 1 Fathom," a Palm Republic statement announced.

The legislation that spurred The Palm Republic's grievances, Senate Bill 40 sponsored by Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Bonneau, was about who has the authority to regulate parking.

Hahn and Carroll said Grooms was pandering to the Charleston Area Public Beach Access and Parking Group, which The Palm Republic called "a small radical group" in a prepared statement.

"Most local folks like going to the beach, and Isle of Palms was restricting local folks from going to the beach," Grooms said about the issues that led to the IOP revolt. "The beaches belong to all of us, but if you're not able to park you're not able to use the beach."

He said parking is certainly the issue, something Carroll denies.

In September 2020, when Carroll was still mayor, the barrier island's City Council voted 7-1 to eliminate 200 free parking spots near the beach and announced plans to charge fees for the free spaces that remained.

The next day, state Department of Transportation Secretary Christy Hall told the town there was no public safety issue to warrant the parking reduction. Instead of eliminating parking, the DOT added more.

Shortly afterward, Grooms' legislation passed the Statehouse requiring DOT approval for parking changes in beach communities.

Gov. Henry McMaster described the legislation as a clarification of existing state law when he signed it, but Hahn says it was an egregious violation of the state constitution.

Our Legislature has turned their back on the constitution," he said.

Grooms, noting The Palm Republic hired Democratic strategist Tyler Jones to do their bidding, said the "whole Palm Republic movement is a creation of a left-wing Democrat political organization with strong ties to (Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former congressman) Joe Cunningham ..."

Carroll is a Republican, but supported Cunningham for Congress.

Hahn said they picked May 13 to sign the The Palm Republic's declaration of independence because it was on the 13th (of October 1307) when the king of France had the Knights Templar arrested to face the Inquisition.

It was tyranny then and its tyranny now," he said.

Hahn also alleges that "because her feelings were hurt," DOT director Hall ordered bike lanes added to the Isle of Palms connector, eliminating a center emergency lane in the process. He and Carroll believe that was a bad idea.

I see some folks are wanting to rewrite history and are intent on throwing mud," Hall responded on May 4. "I will continue to take the high road."

The Palm Republic plans to sell "passports" with discounts at local businesses, and branded merchandise, just like Key West has done for decades with the Conch Republic.

The republic already has a flag and logos at the ready, displaying a pelican with a fish in its mouth and the Latin motto Gravissima Fabula est Negotia, which they claim translates to Play is Very Serious Business.
COLUMBIA  Former Palmetto State Bank chief executive Russell Laffitte has been indicted by the State Grand Jury on charges alleging he helped disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh steal from his legal clients.

The 21 charges against Laffitte come four months after the Hampton-based bank ousted him as its CEO amid concerns about his oversight of legal settlements that Murdaugh allegedly pilfered. The indictments accused Laffitte and Murdaugh of conspiring to steal nearly nearly $660,000 in settlement proceeds owed to the family of Hakeem Pinckney, a deaf man who was left severely disabled after a 2009 car accident that also injured several of his relatives.

Laffitte also helped Murdaugh steal nearly $1.2 million from accounts he controlled at Palmetto State Bank, including to pay back loans Laffitte had issued him from a client's account, the grand jury alleged.

"Screw them guys," said Justin Bamberg, an attorney for the Pinckney family. "Today is a great day for justice in the state of South Carolina.  All chickens come home to roost."

Laffitte, 51, is expected to turn himself in to authorities and face a bond hearing on May 6, according to Robert Kittle, a spokesman for Attorney General Alan Wilson. Laffitte becomes the second of Murdaughs friends to face criminal charges naming them as co-conspirators in the suspended Hampton County lawyers schemes.

Beaufort lawyer Cory Fleming, Murdaughs longtime friend and college roommate, was indicted by the grand jury on 18 charges in March and again on five new counts this week. Fleming, who is out of jail on bond, stands accused of helping Murdaugh steal nearly $3.5 million from wrongful death settlement proceeds meant for the sons of Murdaughs late housekeeper.

Fleming and Murdaugh were also hit with superseding indictments, Wilson's office announced May 4. The indictments lodge four new counts against Murdaugh, bringing the total number of charges against him to 79. Fleming faces 23 total charges.

Among the new charges are allegations that Fleming helped himself to more than $8,000 in client funds to take himself, Murdaugh, and another attorney on a private plane to the 2012 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. The money came from an account for Pamela Pinckney, Hakeem Pinckneys mother. Fleming directed $4,560 from her account to Murdaugh under the false and fictitious guise of unspecified case expenses, Wilsons office alleged. And he helped Murdaugh steal another $89,000 from her account, indictments stated.

Defense attorneys for both Laffitte and Fleming have insisted they were victims  not enablers  of Murdaughs alleged treachery.

Laffitte was fooled by Alex Murdaugh and taken advantage of, Bart Daniel, one of the bankers lawyers, told The Post and Courier in late April. Hes been paying the price ever since.

On May 4, Daniel and co-counsel Matt Austin issued a statement saying that Laffitte has been cooperating throughout the investigation while maintaining his innocence. "We intend to fight the charges vigorously and look forward to our client having his day in court," they said.

Murdaugh attorney Dick Harpootlian declined to comment on the new indictments. Fleming's attorney, Debbie Barbier, could not immediately be reached for comment.

The scion of a wealthy legal family that wielded great influence in the southern tip of South Carolina for a century, Murdaugh has sat in the Richland County jail since mid-October, unable to afford his $7 million bond. He awaits trial on charges alleging he defrauded legal clients, law partners and other victims of nearly $8.5 million.

Laffitte, too, has deep roots in that corner of the state. His family has owned and operated Palmetto State Bank for the past 70 years, rising to prominence in S.C. banking circles and forging close ties to the Murdaughs and their law firm. The firm told The Post and Courier it had kept its operating and client trust accounts at the hometown bank for the past 26 years.

Those ties have faced great scrutiny as Murdaughs alleged financial crimes have come to light.

Prosecutors say Murdaugh, with help from friends, spent the past decade lining his pockets as he betrayed legal clients and other victims who trusted him.

In several cases highlighted by the grand jury, Murdaugh would advise his clients who were about to receive a big settlement or judgment to hire Laffitte to manage their money. Once they ceded control, Murdaugh plundered their accounts for himself, investigators allege.

That was the case as Murdaugh represented the Pinckney family in a lawsuit against the manufacturer of their car's tires after the 2009 crash. As conservator for both Hakeem Pinckney and Natarsha Thomas, Pinckney's cousin, in that case, Laffitte was responsible for protecting their financial interests.

Instead, he helped Murdaugh steal more than $350,000 owed to Thomas and nearly $310,000 meant for Pinckney, indictments allege.

In other cases, Murdaugh used a fraudulent bank account to steal money meant for lawsuit plaintiffs. Murdaugh named the account Forge to make it appear to be affiliated with Forge Consulting, an Atlanta-based financial firm that lawyers often hire to structure settlements for their clients. Murdaugh had settlement proceeds directed to that account before pocketing them himself.

Murdaughs alleged financial crimes have come to light as authorities investigate the still-unsolved double murder of his wife, Maggie, and son Paul at the familys hunting lodge last June. Murdaugh is the only known person of interest in that State Law Enforcement Division probe.

Laffitte also is said to be a target of the parallel federal grand jury investigation into Murdaughs financial schemes. That secretive probe has yet to produce any charges. In addition to criminal charges, Laffitte also faces potential penalties from banking regulators, including a possible lifetime ban from working in the profession.

Bamberg filed paperwork on April 18 indicating that Pinckneys family plans to file a lawsuit against Laffitte that could result in liens against six of his properties, including a family home in Varnville that Laffitte recently put on the market for $549,900.

The latest indictments charge Murdaugh, Laffitte and Fleming with breach of trust, computer crimes and criminal conspiracy.
When Justice Alito was nominated to the Court by President Bush in 2005, the editors of National Review invited John and me to comment. Our article was published in the November 21 issue of the magazine that year. I thought it might be a timely moment to take a look back. This is what we had to say (below the break).

* * * * *

When the White House nominated Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court, it appeared to many conservatives that it had drawn the wrong conclusion from the smashing success it had achieved with the nomination of John Roberts. The White House seemed to have concluded that its success was owing to the number of key points on which the Democrats could not fix Judge Roberts  a kind of negative capability (to misuse Keatss phrase) that he had maintained despite the length and breadth of his distinguished career. Harriet Miers exceeded Judge Roberts in negative capability. Her negative capability, however, was unadorned by any explicit signs of devotion to constitutionalism or conservative principle. In due course the president withdrew her nomination and replaced her with the anti-Miers, Third Circuit Judge Samuel Alito Jr.

Alitos nomination to the Court marks an epochal moment. Despite the presence of seven Republican appointees on the Court, its usurpation of power from the elected branches and from the states has continued more or less unabated since the 1960s. Richard Nixons four appointees barely retarded the Courts transformation into the most dangerous branch: Lewis Powell, for example, voted with the Roe majority and was the author of the mischievous controlling opinion in the Bakke case that has so damaged the ideal of a colorblind society. Ronald Reagan appointed Anthony Kennedy and Sandra Day OConnor, who extended the encroachments of the Warren Court.

There is a good explanation for why, until now, Republican appointments have so often been disappointing to conservatives. The revolt against activist liberal judges was populist, and the legal profession was generally hostile to it. In the early years of the conservative revolt, the profession simply didnt offer much in the way of a talent pool from which originalist jurists, primed to reject government by judiciary and reclaim the Constitution as the charter of limited government, could be drawn.

Thankfully, times have changed and the Federalist Society deserves a great deal of the credit. Founded in 1982, the Federalist Society has been a forceful advocate for the proposition that it is the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is, not what it should be. The Society has provided a forum for lawyers from all walks of the profession and of all persuasions to debate issues of law and public policy. Among the federal appellate judges who have participated in Federalist Society forums are D.C. Circuit judges A. Raymond Randolph and David Sentelle, Fourth Circuit judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III, Fifth Circuit judge Edith Jones, Seventh Circuit judge Frank Easterbrook, Eighth Circuit judge Pasco Bowman, Ninth Circuit judges Alex Kozinski and Diarmuid OScannlain, and, yes, Third Circuit judge Sam Alito.

Over the past 20 years, Republican presidents have populated the lower federal courts with these and many other highly credentialed conservative lawyers. How much they could accomplish in those positions has been limited, however, by the fact that District Court and Court of Appeals judges are bound to follow the precedents laid down by the Supreme Court.

A good example is Alitos dissent in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the opinion that has most often been attacked by Alitos liberal critics. The issue in Casey was the constitutionality of a Pennsylvania statute that placed certain restrictions on abortions, including a requirement that wives, in most cases, notify their husbands before getting an abortion. The Third Circuit majority upheld most aspects of the challenged statute, but held the requirement of spousal notice unconstitutional (a view that was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court); Judge Alito dissented on that issue.

Abortion opponents may be disappointed by Alitos technical and dispassionate dissent. The issue on which he differed with his colleagues was whether the notification requirement constituted an undue burden on the right to abortion, under the Supreme Courts jurisprudence as it then existed. The opinion conveys no hint of Alitos own views on the topic of abortion, or even of his opinion as to how (if at all) the Constitution should bear on the subject of abortion. Rather, and somewhat ironically, his dissent is an effort to follow the twists and turns of Justice OConnors various opinions on undue burden, and apply them to the record before him. The most one can fairly say is that Judge Alitos dissent in Casey does not evince any reflexive hostility to restrictions on abortion, and does reflect the vagaries of Justice OConnors previous (controlling) deliberation over undue burdens on the right to abortion. It also reflects what most conservatives regard as an appropriate deference to the legislatures role as arbiter of public policy.

A circuit-court judge, like a district-court judge, takes Supreme Court jurisprudence as he finds it. His opinion as to whether Supreme Court rulings are right or wrong is entirely immaterial. His duty is to apply the relevant Supreme Court decisions to the case before him, as best he can. This changes once a judge is appointed to the Supreme Court. As a Supreme Court justice, he is entitled to follow his own views on the proper interpretation of the Constitution and of federal statutes. He is not bound to follow the Courts past rulings as an appeals-court judge is; instead, he is constrained only by the looser concept of stare decisis, the doctrine that an issue, once decided, should ordinarily not be revisited. Stare decisis is a doctrine that, in principle, is approved of by both liberals and conservatives (historically, more so by conservatives).

But everyone agrees there are occasions when the Court should deviate from the usual rule of fidelity to its past decisions. The Court does, and should, overrule itself when it becomes convinced that an important issue has been wrongly decided. Where liberals and conservatives disagree is not on this principle, but on its application; they have different lists of wrongly decided cases. During Judge Alitos confirmation hearing, Democratic senators will ask for his views on stare decisis and try to lead him to pledge fealty to bulwarks of liberal jurisprudence like Roe v. Wade. But the liberals enthusiasm for stare decisis is selective. In 2003, the Supreme Court held in Lawrence v. Texas that there is a constitutional right to commit acts of homosexual sodomy. In so ruling, the Court overturned Bowers v. Hardwick, which had held the opposite. And Bowers was not ancient history; it was decided in 1986. If any liberal objected to Lawrence on the ground of stare decisis, we missed it.

The Alito nomination, together with John Robertss accession to the post of chief justice, marks a generational changing of the guard. The talented, principled conservatives who began their legal careers in the aftermath of the Warren Court have served their apprenticeships in the executive branch, in private practice, and on the lower federal courts. In those positions, their influence has been real but limited. But now, the moment that rank-and-file conservatives have awaited since the Nixon administration is at hand: A Republican president has a deep roster of talented and highly qualified conservatives on which he can draw in making Supreme Court nominations.

There is every reason to believe that Samuel Alito will prove the kind of Supreme Court justice that Republican presidents have promised, but rarely delivered, since 1969, and that the Court will shift in a more conservative direction as a result.
Nollywood veteran, Segun Arinze, alongside Bimbo Manuel, Bimbo Akintola, Jude Orhorha, and Kelvin Ikeduba, are the lead actors in a new movie titled IVIE.

The movie is produced by Kingsley Omoefe, executively produced by Opa Williams and directed by renowned Nollywood filmmaker Patience Oghre-Imobhio.

The film, which will be released in September, is currently being filmed in locations around Lagos state.

PREMIUM TIMES visited one of the locations in Ajah Lagos State on Wednesday, where the producer Mr Omoefe shared more details about the project.

Though not a biopic, the producer said Ivie was named after the protagonist of the story, which centres around a true-life story in Benin, Edo State.

According to the Mr Omoefe, the movie tells a relatable story of rape, family values and comic relief.

Speaking about the growth in Nollywood, the filmmaker said:

So far, so good people are beginning to recognise our movies, our audience has grown so large, even beyond the shores of Nigeria. I work with the Caribbeans, and our movies are popular there. Some of our actors are popular there. Even someplace in Nigeria is yet to know some of our actors. Some parts of East Africa now call themselves Nollywood.

Storyline

Mr Omoefe, who is famous for some of his works, like Better Than the Beginning (2015), Four Crooks and a Rookie (2013), and On My Honour (2021), revealed that the movie has 34 crew members, ten main actors, and 80 extras.

He also noted that the film was also shot in different busy real-time locations like motor parks, schools, ghettos and other areas of the state to give the movie a feel of reality.

The producer also noted that the script is crafted to leave the viewers to decide whats best for the films protagonist.

Segun Arinze, one of the cast, also told our correspondent that the film highlights gender issues and would resonate with a significant part of the society.

The movie talks about battering, the female child getting involved in sexual malice. It is a movie that reminds us why we need to put a strong focus on the girl child, he said.

The story focuses on rape and its aftermath.

It also tells the story of a victim of societal depravities who became traumatised by the reality of being molested by her familys most trusted benefactor.

It also raises questions like what becomes the fate of the mother of two teenage daughters in a world of the unimaginable?
Abidemi Rufai, an official of the Ogun State government until his arrest, has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Mr Rufai, 45, admitted using stolen identities to claim hundreds of thousands of dollars in pandemic-related unemployment benefits, U.S. Attorney, Nick Brown, said.

Abidemi Rufai has been in custody since his arrest at New Yorks JFK airport in May 2021. At the time of his arrest, Rufai was the Special Assistant to the Governor of Nigerias Ogun State.

According to the plea agreement, since 2017, Abidemi Rufai unlawfully obtained the personal identifying information for more than 20,000 Americans to submit more than $2 million in claims for federally funded benefits under a variety of relief programs. The various agencies involved paid out more than $600,000.

The largest amount of fraud was committed against the Washington State Employment Security Department, which paid out $350,763 in fraudulent pandemic unemployment claims to accounts controlled by Abidemi Rufai.

The Nigerian also submitted fraudulent pandemic unemployment claims in at least 17 other states.

Mr Rufai also defrauded the Small Business Administration (SBA) by attempting to obtain Economic Injury Disaster loans (EIDL) tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. Between April 8, 2020, and June 26, 2020, he submitted 19 fraudulent EIDL applications. SBA paid out $10,000 based on the applications.

Between 2017 and 2020, Abidemi Rufai attempted to obtain more than $1.7 million in IRS tax refunds by submitting 675 false claims. The IRS paid out $90,877 on these claims.

Mr Rufais efforts to enrich himself with false disaster claims did not start with COVID-19. In September and October 2017, he submitted 49 disaster relief claims connected to Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma. He filed $24,500 in false claims and was paid on 13 claims totaling $6,500.

Abidemi Rufai has agreed to pay full restitution to the defrauded agencies.

Wire fraud in relation to a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency is punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Aggravated identity theft is punishable two years in prison to follow any prison term imposed on another charge.

Prosecutors have agreed to recommend no more than 71 months in prison. The recommendation is not binding on U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle, who will determine the appropriate sentence on August 15, 2022, after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

Abidemi Rufais case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and the United States Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General. The Washington Employment Security Department is cooperating in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Wilkinson and Cindy Chang of the Western District of Washington.

On May 17, 2021, the U.S. Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud such as the one perpetrated by Abidemi Rufai.

The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Justice
The Lokogoma Community in Abuja has been hit by floods, again, following a downpour on Wednesday in the nations capital.

Some residents of Efab Estate, one of the estates in the community, woke up to see their homes and some roads ravaged by the floods.

The rain, accompanied by heavy wind, it was learnt, started before 6 a.m.

A resident of the estate, Inya Ode, in a Facebook post shared on Wednesday, raised the alarm as she lamented the recurring flood incidents in the area.

She called on residents who may be leaving for their respective places of work to hold on for the water level to subside.

Ms Odes post was accompanied by several pictures of the flooded area and a video of a saloon car stuck in the middle of it.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm! Every year, the same issue! All employers should just chill for Lokogoma people today biko We go late small o! the resident said in a post seen by this newspaper.

An executive member of the estates landlord association, who identified himself as Alhaji Shettima, confirmed the unfortunate development to PREMIUM TIMES.

It is in our estate, the same Efab Estate, Lokogoma. It is the same issue of poor channelisation of water ways. It is the same problem, he told this reporter on Wednesday.

PREMIUM TIMES in 2019 reported how residents of estates in Lokogoma suffered heavy losses from flooding.

The June 2019 flood rendered at least seven families homeless while several other properties were destroyed in Efab Estate alone, a development the Abuja authorities ascribed to the estates developer.

Since then, the area has been exposed to lighter flood incidents with little or no action from the concerned authorities.

Mr Shettima, against the backdrop of the 2019 incident, told this newspaper Wednesday that the residents are still pleading with the government to help their situation.

We have pleaded with the government and we are still pleading. These waterways cut across about six estates in Lokogoma. When this thing happened in 2019, you were there when we engaged Development Control. But you know how the government works, unless you know somebody from upstairs for them to do the needful, he said.

PREMIUM TIMES will provide updates of the flooding in subsequent reports.
The leadership crisis within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has deepened, with the party now having two headquarters in the state.

The headquarters of the APC in Uyo is at Ikot Ekpene Road.

But a faction loyal to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, recently opened a new headquarters elsewhere in the city, at Ekpo Obot Street, off Oron Road.

Some officers inside a pickup truck manned the entrance of the new office most of the time, apparently to scare away potential troublemakers.

The other faction of the party is loyal to the former national secretary of the APC, John Akpanudoedehe.

It is led by Austin Ekanem, who until March, was the chairman of the APC in Akwa Ibom before he and others were sacked via an order of a Federal High Court, Abuja.

But it later turned out that Stephen Ntukekpo, the man who leads the APC faction loyal to Mr Akpabio, had presented forged documents to the court to secure the judgement against Mr Ekanem.

Meanwhile, the former national secretary of the party, Mr Akpanudoedehe, has gone to the Court of Appeal, Abuja, to challenge the ruling of the lower court.

The APC chieftain, Sheriff Banki, who headed a seven-man committee that conducted the October 16, 2021 APC state congress in Akwa Ibom, said it was Mr Ekanem, and not Mr Ntukekpo, that was elected the chairman of the party in the state.

Mr Banki said Mr Ntukekpo forged his signature on the result sheet and presented it as an exhibit before the court.

He (Banki) filed a petition with the APC, the police, the State Security Service, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the matter. He called for the criminal prosecution of Mr Ntukekpo in his petition.

Mr Ntukekpo was not even at the venue of the party congress, Mr Banki said.

A certified authentic copy of the results of the congress obtained from INEC by PREMIUM TIMES corroborated Mr Bankis claims that the documents presented in court by Mr Ntukekpo were forged.

The law mandates INEC to monitor how political parties in Nigeria elect their leaders.

Ntukekpos reaction

I wasnt the author, I didnt manufacture, I didnt produce in any form or fashion the so-called result sheet of the congress, the chairman of the APC in Akwa Ibom, Mr Ntukekpo, told PREMIUM TIMES, Saturday.

Mr Ntukekpo did not argue that the documents he presented in the court were not forged.

I want to tell you clearly that the person who should actually be in a better position to confirm whether that document was forged, is the APC as a party. So, all the questions should be addressed to the national office of the APC, he said to this newspaper.

When our reporter told Mr Ntukekpo that PREMIUM TIMES has a certified true copy of the results of the APC state congress from INEC, he retorted: Which of the INEC are you talking about, is it Akwa Ibom State INEC or the national INEC?

He wanted to talk about the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom, Mike Igini, but he suddenly pulled himself back.

Youre talking about Mike Igini. Mike Igini knows what he knows, Mr Ntukekpo said at the beginning of his response.

He paused, and then said, I dont want to make any accusations on this.

If youre talking about Akwa Ibom State INEC, I dont understand what youre talking about because I have told you, INEC has absolutely no legitimacy to conduct a party congress, he said, in conclusion, without really answering the question why the result sheets he presented at the Federal High Court, Abuja, is completely different from the certified true copy that INEC.

PREMIUM TIMES asked Mr Ntukekpo why, apart from Mr Akpabio, other chieftains of the APC in Akwa Ibom were not in support of his leadership.

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Those few individuals are not APC, he responded.

They are just members of APC. So, I would rather advise you to go to the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja and ask them who the state chairman of the APC is.

Mr Ntukekpo confirmed he was interrogated for forgery by the police in Abuja.

Jackson Udom, the media aide to Mr Akpabio, declined comment on the matter, saying the minister would not want to comment on a matter that is already before their Lordships.

APC chieftains abandoning the party

Apart from the APC now having two headquarters in Akwa Ibom, the two factions of the party have been issuing conflicting statements on the affairs of the party in the state.

Solomon Johnny, the spokesperson for the faction loyal to Mr Akpanudoedehe, issued a statement on Tuesday to counter the activities of Mr Ntukekpos faction.

Anything done by the impostor as the State Chairman of the party is null, void and of no consequence whatsoever, Mr Johnny said in the statement which he posted on Facebook.

Many members have left the APC in Akwa Ibom lately because of the festering crisis.

Not less than 25 chieftains have left the APC in state in the past months, with the latest being Inibehe Okorie, the party candidate for the 2015 election for the Akwa Ibom North-West District.

Mr Okorie is now a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Godwin Udoedehe, a brother to Mr Akpanudoedehe, has also defected from the APC to the PDP.

Mr Akpabios relative, Ibanga Akpabio and several of Mr Akpabios political allies have left the minister to pitch tent with his rival  Mr Akpanudoedehe.

A former minister of petroleum, Don Etiebet and several other party leaders in Akwa Ibom are supporting Mr Ekanem whom they all voted for as the chairman of the APC in the state.

Mr Etiebet has made a few unsuccessful attempts at persuading Mr Akpabio to recognise Mr Ekanem, and not to foist Mr Ntukekpo on the party.

We cannot condone an illegality of causing Stephen Ntukekpo who was not even at the congress to be sworn-in as the elected chairman of the APC in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Etiebet told PREMIUM TIMES.

Adamus role in the crisis

Abdullahi Adamu-led national leadership of the party has compounded the crisis in Akwa Ibom APC.

Mr Adamu, apart from allegedly taking side with Mr Akpabio to shield Mr Ntukekpo over the forgery, had hurriedly sworn-in Mr Ntukekpo as the APC chairman in Akwa Ibom in defiance of the order of the Court of Appeal.

The APC national leadership has also made an attempt to frustrate the case at the Court of Appealthe case is likely to expose the forgery against Mr Ntukekpo.

KufreAbasi Etuk, a former member of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, said he and over 600,000 members of the APC in Akwa Ibom are worried over the leadership crisis in the party.

Honestly, I do not know who to direct this memo to, having witnessed the degree of polarisation in my party in Akwa Ibom State, he said in a Facebook post, on April 14.

Mr Etuk said the 2023 general elections could be the best chance for the APC in Akwa Ibom, if only the party can quickly resolve its leadership crisis in the state.

Politicians seeking for elective positions in Akwa Ibom may become unwilling to do so under the APC because of the crisis, he said.

Let the leaders of the party sit down, lets talk, he said, as a way forward for the APC in Akwa Ibom.

Imaobong Akpan, a member of the APC in Akwa Ibom, said Messrs Akpabio, Akpanudoedehe and other leaders of the party need to seek a common ground that could enable them to build the party back and prepare it for the 2023 elections.
As President Muhammadu Buhari begins a two-day visit to Ebonyi State, South-east of Nigeria on Thursday, a pro-separatist group in the region, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), has demanded the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu from detention.

The group also called for a president of Nigeria of Igbo extraction in 2023.

MASSOB made the demands in a statement by its leader, Uchenna Madu, on Wednesday.

Mr Kanu is the leader of another separatist group in the region, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

He was arrested last year and charged to court on allegations of terrorism and treasonable felony. He has denied the charges.

MASSOB and IPOB are seeking the carving out of an independent state of Biafra from the regions five states and some parts of South-south region of the country.

He remains in detention.

The region has witnessed increasing and regular attacks on security agencies and facilities, government institutions and high-profile individuals following Mr Kanus arrest last year.

Visit

While noting that MASSOB is not against the presidents visit to the region, the MASSOB Leader said the release of Mr Kanu will douse tension in the region.

As President Muhammadu Buhari visits Ebonyi State, MASSOB reminds Mr President that only the release of IPOB leader will douse tension in the zone as well as restoring a peaceful atmosphere to the entire country.

MASSOB also reminds President Muhammadu Buhari that the continuous detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody will only worsen the security challenges facing the country, it will also continue to affect the economy, he said.

Mr Madu also said a president of Igbo extraction to succeed the president will help to diffuse already bottled anger which is fuelling the agitations across the region.

MASSOB will not be against the visit of President Buhari to Ebonyi State. We are making these two major demands as part of our own contributions to peace as being clamoured by well meaning citizens.

MASSOB request from President Muhammadu Buhari to facilitate and ensure that one of the many South-east presidential aspirants succeeds him in 2023 to help the country diffuse many bottled anger which has fuelled agitations, Mr Madu said.

Buhari commissions projects

Meanwhile, while on the visit, Mr Buhari is expected to commission numerous projects executed by the Governor David Umahi administration.

Mr Umahi in a welcome message said the president will be in the state for two days: Thursday and Friday.

He said: We feel deeply honoured as this presidential visit shall offer us opportunities to showcase for commissioning some of the life-transforming projects executed under our Divine Mandate administration.

The projects include: King David University of Medical Sciences & King David University Twin Flyover, Margaret Umahi International Market, International Market Ring Road, International Market Twin Flyover.

Others are the Uburu-Mpu dualised concrete road, President Muhammadu Buhari 4-way Light Tunnel, State Shopping Mall, New Government House, new Governors Office and new State Executive Council Chambers.

We acknowledge with the deepest appreciation, your fatherly love and support to Ebonyi State like you do extend to other states irrespective of their party affiliations and which has made our modest achievements possible, Mr Umahi said.
The National Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Iyorcha Ayu, has returned N405 million, which he was accused of fraudulently receiving from the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, sources familiar with the matter have told PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Ayu, a former university lecturer and Third Republic senate president, returned the money in two instalments shortly before he was elected PDP chairman in October 2021, the sources said. He paid with cheques drawn in favour of the federal government.

The money, described by a source as ill-gotten N405Million, was recovered by a presidential panel investigating the alleged illicit transfer of public security funds to politicians and other individuals by Mr Dasuki during the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Mr Dasuki, appointed NSA by Mr Jonathan in 2012, was arrested on December 1, 2015 by the State Security Service. He was later accused of diverting $2.1 billion in arms funds and of awarding phantom contracts to beneficiaries that included politicians helping Mr Jonathan and the PDP win the 2015 election, which they lost. He denied the allegations and the case is ongoing.

Mr Ayu, also a former minister in the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, was one of the named beneficiaries. Sources told PREMIUM TIMES that the panel investigating and recovering the diverted funds is currently operating out of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

According to the sources, when Mr Ayu delayed refunding the fund, a mansion he owned in Abuja was seized from him. The property was returned to him after he paid up, our sources said.

Mr Dasuki, alongside a former Director of Finance at the ONSA, Shuaibu Salisu, were in 2015 accused of fraud and money laundering by the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Messrs Dasuki and Salisu were accused of criminal breach of trust for transferring N350 million from the CBN account of the NSA to the account of a Starbriid Limited with Stanbic IBTC Bank and GTB. The accounts were allegedly controlled by one Emmanuel Lawani on behalf of Mr Ayu, for the construction of a shopping mall at Jabi, Abuja.

However, the accused were said to have disguised the payment as being for satellite charges and security equipment, in what investigators described as breaching Nigerias penal code.

It was after the initial accusation in 2015 that the investigative panel discovered that Mr Ayu received more than N350 million from Mr Dasukis office without offering any service to the government, our sources said.

Starbriid Limited, the company allegedly used to receive the funds, was incorporated by Mr Ayu in 1996 to engage in the business of general contract and merchandise. He, his son, Shima Ayu and one Bula Isaac are directors and shareholders of the Jos-based company.

Mr Ayu did not answer or return calls made to him on Tuesday night seeking his comment for this story. He also did not respond to a text message sent to him. On Wednesday afternoon, the PDP chairman picked up his call but then made no comment as our reporter held the line.

EDITORS NOTE: This post has been updated to correct the amount recovered from the PDP chair. It is N405 Million and not N450 Million as initially reported.
Two persons were killed, on Wednesday, when bomb exploded at an oil facility in Izombe, Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.

The explosion occurred at the facility operated by Addax Petroleum Development Nigeria Limited.

Addax Petroleum is one of the three multinational oil companies located in the community. The other two include: American multinational corporation, Chevron and British oil company, Shell.

The incident was a suspected bomb attack on the oil facility.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the victims were the carriers of the bomb which exploded when they were trying to enter the oil facility.

Police spokesperson in the state, Michael Abattam, confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES, Wednesday evening.

He said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mohammed Barde, has already deployed a squad from the commands anti-bomb unit and some of its operatives to the area to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

Yes. It is confirmed. There was a bomb blast this morning at the facility but the commissioner has deployed our men to the site, he said.

Mr Abattam said the command would soon release a press statement on the incident.

The latest incident comes 12 days after several persons were feared killed when an explosion rocked an illegal crude oil refinery in Abaezi forest, Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of the state.
An Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court on Wednesday sentenced a 54-year-old pastor, Michael Oliseh, to life imprisonment for raping his friends 12-year-old twin daughters.

Delivering judgment, Abiola Soladoye described Mr Oliseh, the assistant Pastor of the Anointed Chosen Vessel Ministry in Okota, Lagos, as a serial rapist who took turns raping his friends daughters.

She held that the prosecution had convincingly proved the charges of defilement against Mr Oliseh beyond any reasonable doubt.

The judge sentenced Mr Oliseh to life imprisonment on the two-count charge bordering on defilement.

She said, The testimony of the defendant portrayed him as a serial rapist who took turns to defile the survivors.

What a disloyal and untrustworthy pastor, who shamelessly and audaciously had sexual intercourse with his friends children who were entrusted in his care.

His conduct is unbecoming of a pastor.

Having been found guilty as charged with the two offences, the defendant is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.

She said the sentences should run concurrently, adding that the convict should have his name entered in the Sex Offenders Register of the Lagos State Government.

Mrs Soladoye also berated the parents of the survivors for lack of discipline by sending the survivors to stay with the convict.

Parents of the survivors lack discipline and ought not to have sent their children to go stay in Olisehs house.

Children are not to be entrusted with randy adults. They should be kept in the hands of responsible adults who have their goodwill at heart.

The need for responsible parenting cannot be overemphasized, the judge said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that five witnesses testified at the trial and five exhibits were tendered.

According to the prosecution counsel, Olufunke Adegoke, Mr Oliseh committed the crimes sometimes in November 2017 in Ago, near Okota, a suburb of Lagos.

Ms Adegoke said the defendant raped the survivors after their father had entrusted them in his care and travelled to the village for a burial.

She said that Mr Oliseh then threatened the survivors that their father would become jobless if they told anyone about the sexual encounter.

She also submitted that Mr Oliseh was caught by one of the neighbours after he had chased one of the survivors in the compound and dragged her with her pant.

NAN reports that the prosecution said the offences violated Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015. (NAN)
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State formally joined the 2023 presidential race on Wednesday with a promise to resolve the multifaceted security crises confronting the nation.

Mr Fayemi, who is running on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made his formal declaration at Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.

He had said in a statement by his media aide, Yinka Oyebode, on Tuesday, that he would officially join the overcrowded presidential race on Wednesday following the consultations he held across the nation over his bid.

Mr Fayemi, who is the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), has become the fourth sitting APC governor to declare their intention to run for president.

The others are Governors Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, and Ben Ayade of Cross River State .

Others bidding for the APC ticket include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; former Lagos Governor, Bola Tinubu; former Ogun governor and serving senator, Ibikunle Amosun; former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and former APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, may likely join the race.

During a question and answer session moderated by veteran journalist, Cyril Stober, Mr Fayemi, who holds a doctorate degree in War Studies from the University of London, said bureaucratic impediment had prevented Nigeria from recruiting the needed personnel to tackle insecurity.

He lamented the inability of the government to embark on massive recruitment into the military and the police.

This country was able to recruit in an emergency manner in 1967, it moved to 250,000 from an army of 10,000 within a space of one year. Today, there are all sorts of bureaucratic impediments that have not allowed us to expand our men and women in the armed forces and police.

We dont have enough men in uniform, the little we have are still doing policing work. There is no state in Nigeria, where you dont have soldiers patrolling, he said.

Mr Fayemi, who will round off second term as governor in October, added that if the country is unable to recruit, then it should draw from the reserve, mainly retired armed forces personnel.

He also pointed to a link between the decline of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in the North-east and the resurgence of bandits in the North-west, noting that military exercise was not enough to address the problem.

You need to tackle the forces of hunger, the forces of ignorance, the forces of inequality in our society that are responsible for these challenges.

The North-east has witnessed a significant reduction in the insurgencyall commendation to the current administration. We have also witnessed almost simultaneously the surge in the North-west of criminality, he said.

Mr Fayemi, however said, if elected president, he would be leading the implementation of a holistic and integrated response to the multifaceted security crises confronting us.

On the economy, Mr Fayemi said it is not the function of the government to provide jobs but to create an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive and create the needed jobs.

He harped on the need for technological development and innovation to drive job creation in the country.

We cannot secure our prosperity without ensuring that our agricultural sector is able to deliver self-sufficiency in critical food markets, absorb an important swathe of the unemployed into gainful employment, feed our efforts at agro-allied industrialisation, reinvigorate the rural areas, foster the coordinated expansion of commodity exchanges, and boost the flow of foreign exchange into the economy.

Read Mr Fayemis full declaration speech below:
Judiciary workers in Oyo State, on Wednesday, called on the state government to ensure prompt payment of their salaries to ensure efficiency.

The workers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan that some of them stayed off their offices because of the recurrent delay in salary payment.

NAN reports that the entrance gate to court premises and some offices were open for commencement of work after the Eid-el Fitr and May Day holidays.

However, some workers stayed away from their various duty posts, while others, who were present, sent their colleagues home to ensure that none of them was around.

The Chairman of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in the state, Kayode Matins, confirmed the delay in payment of salary of his members.

Mr Matins said that although the union was not on strike, many of the workers could not transport themselves to and fro work because of lack of money.

We agreed that those who can afford to come to office should do so, as we are all managing the situation, he said.

The chairman added that the union was making efforts to seek stakeholders help on what the workers could do to ensure prompt payment of salary.

One of the workers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, decried the delay in salary payment, adding that they needed to draw the attention of the public to the development.

The reason judiciary staffers are saying off work is because of delay in payment of their salaries, which has been on for a while.

The workers no longer have money to transport themselves to and from work, and this has been affecting our productivity.

While staffers of other parastatals have collected their April salaries, those in the judiciary have yet to collect theirs.

The delay in salary has been on since December 2021. We received March salary on April 17, the staff member said.

The worker further said that the action was to draw governments attention to the irregular payment of their salaries.

If we receive our salaries today, we will resume work immediately. We have been appealing to the state government for long but nobody is telling us the reason for the delay, the staff member said. (NAN)
The House of Representatives has passed for third reading a Bill for an Act to repeal the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011 and the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.

The bill sponsored by the Executive and passed by the House during plenary on Wednesday in Abuja sought to enact the Terrorism Prohibition and Prevention Bill 2022.

The terrorism prevention bill is expected to provide an effective, unified and comprehensive legal, regulatory and institutional framework for the detection, prevention, prohibition, prosecution and punishment of acts of terrorism.

The bill would also see to terrorism financing, proliferation and financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in Nigeria.

The House also passed a bill for an Act to repeal the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended) and enact the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Bill, 2022.

This would provide comprehensive legal and institutional framework for the prevention and prohibition of money laundering in Nigeria.

The bill if assented to by the President would also established the special control unit under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the House also passed a bill for an Act to provide framework for the support,

management and protection of witnesses who provide information, evidence.

The bill also sought to provide assistance to law enforcement agencies during inquiries, Investigations and prosecution

A bill for an Act to repeal the Public Complaints Commission Act, 2004 and enact the Public Complaints Commission Bill, 2022 also passed for third reading

The bill is for the establishment of the Public Complaints Commission with wide powers to inquire into complaints by members of the public.

The bill is concerned with the administrative actions of any public authority and companies and their officials.

(NAN)
The United States Ambassador to Nigeria Mary Leonard has been named keynote speaker at the 13th commencement ceremony of the American University of Nigeria (AUN).

The annual graduation ceremony, scheduled for Saturday, May 21, at the AUN main campus, will be preceded by the traditional Honor Society Award Night on Thursday and the Graduation Award ceremony on Friday.

Students, who have distinguished themselves in academics, service and leadership will be recognised and honored.

The 13th Graduation ceremony will feature the award of Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate degrees to graduates who have met all the requirements for the award of the prestigious American University of Nigerias diplomas from the Schools of Information Technology and Computing, Law, Business and Entrepreneurship, and Arts and Sciences.

President of AUN, Margee Ensign, described the choice of Ambassador Leonard as keynote speaker as historic and significant.

Ambassador Leonards visit to the American University of Nigeria is a reminder of the close ties and shared values between our two countries; countries committed to supporting education and democracy at a time when it is under threat in much of the world. We are honored to welcome her to our beautiful campus and look forward, as do our students, to her remarks on this important occasion.

The AUN Governing Council and Senate have approved the conferment of a Doctor of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa) on the keynote speaker.

Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard will be continuing a tradition of exchange and interaction between high-level officials of the U.S. Government and AUN.

Throughout its history, high-ranking U.S. Government officials and public figures have often visited the University, interacting with and mentoring students.

Ambassador Leonards distinguished diplomatic service career will resonate with students and faculty at a historic moment when women have assumed significant leadership positions at the University.

The American University of Nigeria is committed to creating an enabling atmosphere for women to excel in learning, career, and leadership as reflected in membership in both the universitys Honor Society and in elected positions in the student government.

Ambassador Leonard is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor.

From 2016-to 2019, Ambassador Leonard was the Representative of the United States of America to the African Union, with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, serving concurrently as U.S. Permanent Representative to the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). She was previously the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Mali from 2011-to 2014.

The ambassador graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. from Boston University, majoring in economics with a minor in French. In 1988, she earned a masters degree in international relations, emphasizing African studies, from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

In 2004, she received a Master of Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College with distinction. Being multilingual, Ambassador Leonard also speaks French, Spanish, Afrikaans, and Dutch.

Ambassador Leonard joins a respected array of diplomats, intellectuals, and civil society icons who have delivered keynote addresses at AUN.

These include the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu (2009); former European Union ambassador to Nigeria, David Macrae (2011); National Security Adviser to President Jimmy Carter, Robert Pastor (2012); Civil Rights icon, Charlayne Hunter-Gault (2013); former U.S. Ambassador to the African Union, John A. Simon (2014); Columbian educationist, Victoria Colbert; and the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, Akinwumi Adesina.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has approved the postponement of the partys Local Government Congress to elect one LGA National delegate earlier scheduled for Thursday.

The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in Abuja, on Wednesday, said a new date for the LGA Congress would be announced.

Mr Ologunagba said the NWC regretted any inconveniences the postponement might have caused.

He advised all leaders, critical stakeholders and members of the party across the country to take note.

Similarly, the party declared the three-man ad hoc delegate congress in Ebonyi as null and void, saying the congress would hold on May 5.

Mr Ologunagba said the attention of the NWC had been drawn to reports of purported conduct of a three-man ad hoc delegate congress in Ebonyi on, Wednesday.

For the avoidance of doubt, the said 3-man ad hoc delegate congress in Ebonyi on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, is by law, null and void and as such unrecognised.

This is because such congress is by law, subject to be monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which in this case, is not available to monitor the exercise.

Based on the unavailability of INEC to monitor the exercise, the NWC rescheduled the conduct of the 3-man ad hoc delegates congress in Ebonyi for Thursday, May 5.

Mr Ologunagba advised all members of the party in Ebonyi to discountenance any exercise conducted on Wednesday as the PDP three-man ad hoc delegates congress in the state would hold on Thursday.

(NAN)
At least 23 persons who died, and more than 60 others injured in the August 26, 2011 Boko Haram attack on the United Nations building in Abuja are unsung heroes, the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has said.

Mr Guterres said this on Wednesday in Abuja during his two-day formal first visit to Nigeria since his appointment.

He said: August 26, 2011, is a date that is burnt into the collective memory of the UN family. On that tragic, a bomb terrorist attack on the UN house left 23 UN employees and civilians dead and more than 60 injured.

Those staff members who lost their lives were unsung heroes who proudly served Nigeria through our organisations work.

They worked for organisations that continue to support Nigerians. UNDP, WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS and UNODC.

But they are also mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters and cherished friends. All but one were Nigerian nationals and today we mark their tragic death from that dark day.

Since the Boko Haram insurgency began in around 2009, the terrorist organisation, which started as a pressure group, has continued to wreak havoc in the North-eastern part of the country, with its breakaway factions also reported to be contributing to the banditry ravaging the North-west and the North-central.

Over 20,000 people, including civilians and security personnel were said to have died in the insurgency-associated attacks while approximately 8.4 million people were said to have been displaced in the three most affected states- Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe.

A bomb blast attributed to Boko Haram at the United Nations building in Abuja, Nigerias capital, killed over 20 people and injured 60 others on August 26, 2011.

Paying tributes to the victims, Mr Guterres said the United Nations family stands in sympathy with their families, as well as the women and men who worked at the UN House everyday to serve and support the Nigerian people.

Demand for justice

He also demanded that the perpetrators of the bombing attack on the UN House be brought to justice.

He said: And we stand in solidarity with all Nigerians whether enduring similar violence in their own communities.

In our victim-centred approach, perpetrators must be held accountable. We remain steadfast in our commitment to support a peaceful Nigeria for all people. And I thank the government of Nigeria for repairing this house which has allowed our staff to return here.

Earlier, the minister for women affairs, Pauline Tallen, who led delegates to meet with Mr Guterres, discussed gender equality and womens participation in politics in Nigeria.

His coming to Nigeria today has given us hope because we know that he will lend his voice to all the issues affecting women, gender-based violence, early marriage, lack of implementation of some of our laws, she said.
National and State House of Assembly aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State have expressed worry over the inconclusive delegate election in the state.

The aspirants, who addressed journalists at the party secretariat in Awka, on Wednesday, regretted that the committee which was in Anambra to conduct the election for three-man ad hoc delegates could not conclude the task.

Onyebuchi Offor, an aspirant for Anambra House of Assembly, who read the communique signed by no fever than 70 concerned aspirants, called on the National Working Committee of the PDP to intervene and spare the party from electoral doom in the state.

According to him, the party may not produce candidates in the 2023 general election.

They urged the party to conduct the botched delegate election in or before May 5 or allow the existing ward and local government executives to conduct the exercise.

We note with pain and dismay the inability of Jibrin Ahmed led committee to conduct the three-man ad-hoc Delegate election that was to hold on April 30 but was rescheduled to May 1 due to unavailability of original result sheets.

We passionately call on the national leadership of our great party, PDP, to expeditiously repeat the botched exercise on Thursday, May 5 so as not to jeopardise our chances in the 2023 elections.

Or in the event of exigency of time, the already existing ward and LGA executives can go ahead to conduct the primaries.

The same committee for the repeat three-man Ad Hoc Congress, could equally be mandated to conduct the national delegate elections the next day, he said.

The aspirants said they reaffirmed their resolution in a meeting with the panel set up by the national leadership of the party headed by Taofeek Arapaja in a meeting held on April 26 where they agreed that Anambra congresses should be concluded.

They urged the national leadership of the party to do the needful in Anambra to enable the state leadership to lead their campaigns in the forthcoming general elections and in the interest of peace.

We reaffirm our confidence in the leadership of our great party and trust their ability to lead us to victory in the forthcoming general elections, he said

(NAN)
Borno South senator, Ali Ndume, has said the north will be better off in the area of infrastructure development, if a southerner becomes president in 2023.

Mr Ndume stated this while featuring on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television, on Tuesday.

The senator was responding to the demand on Tuesday by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should zone the presidency to the South.

Mr Akeredolu, the chairman of the Southern Governors Forum, made the call in a statement titled Our party, APC, must thread the path of equity.

He said the party must limit the possibility of disagreement to a region of the country, in order to micro-manage it.

Mr Akeredolu stressed that it is the turn of the south to produce the next president after eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is from Katsina State (North-west).

Last week, the Senate Chief Whip and former Abia governor , Orji Uzor Kalu, said he may drop his presidential ambition because the APC had not micro-zoned the presidency to the South-east.

Justifying his position that a southern presidency would benefit the north, Mr Ndume recounted that under the administration of former President Goodluck, a southerner, the north benefited hugely.

He also cited several ongoing projects in the south under the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, to back his claim.

Mr Ndume, who is the director-general of the Rotimi Amaechi Campaign Organisation, the campaign organisation of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said zoning the presidency to the south is for the sake of fairness and equity.

Personally, I feel we (north) will be better off with a president from the south. The current president comes from the north, if you look at it analytically, the south has benefitted more. If the president comes from the south, we will benefit more, just as we did previously under Jonathan.

In the area of infrastructure, the south benefitted more. We have the 2nd Niger bridge, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Train. We have the Deep-sea port. We (north) will benefit more if the south gets the presidency, Mr Ndume said.

Mr Ndume said the poor people in the north are against injustice just as he advised the party to heed the advice of Mr Akeredolu and others on rotating it to the south.

He cited the case of 2014 when the party agreed in principle to field a candidate from the south. The senator said Rochas Okorocha, the only aspirant from the South east, did not contest but rather participated.

In 2015, when it was also agreed in principle that the president should come from the north. Nobody, particularly from the South west or South-south went into the contest. It was not because there are no capable hands, it was based on that principle.

The only person that contestedI dont even want to use the word contestedthat participated was Okorocha, even as at that time, Okorocha had his gubernatorial ticket in his pocket or in the custody of his son in law, he said.

Mr Ndume also dismissed the argument that if the opposition party, PDP, decides to nominate a northern candidate, they could lose the election.

He cited instances where northern presidential candidates have been defeated by southern candidates.

Buhari, as popular as he is, he contested against Jonathan and he lost. Atiku contested against Jonathan and he lost.

Many northerners believe in justice, especially the poor. And my religion believes in justice.

Overcrowded field

In the past couple of weeks, several aspirants, mostly from the south, have declared interest to compete for the ticket of the APC.

They include the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Rochas Okorocha, Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, former Ogun governor, Ibikunle Amosun and others.

There are also four governors in the race; Ben Ayade of Cross River State, Yahaya Bello of Kogi, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti and David Umahi of Ebonyi State.

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A former National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, is expected to join the race soon, just like the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan. Mr Lawan is from Yobe State.
President Muhammadu Buhari has met behind closed doors with former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the Presidents Photographers, Sunday Aghaeze, confirmed this in pictorial reports on Tuesday night in Abuja.

The agenda of the meeting between the president and the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.

Mr Tinubu had on Friday picked the ruling APC presidential nomination and expression of interest forms at the partys national secretariat in Abuja.

James Faleke, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, picked the forms for the APC national leader, who had since informed the president of his presidential ambition in 2023.

Mr Faleke was accompanied by a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, and hundreds of members of the Tinubu Support Groups (TSG) to the partys secretariat.

Mr Tinubu had recently returned from Saudi Arabia, where he performed the lesser hajj alongside some of his political associates and family members.

(NAN)
Ahead of their participation at the 21st edition of the Annual Nigerian International Book Fair, holding from May 12-14, 2022, the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Premium Times Books (PT Books), and the Network of Book Clubs and Reading Promoters in Nigeria (NBRP) are presenting copies of the book, Remaking Nigeria: Sixty Years, Sixty Voices, to political aspirants, public libraries and book clubs across the country.

The book, which was produced to commemorate Nigerias 60th independence anniversary, is a compendium of essays by 60 young Nigerians edited by Chido Onumah, the coordinator of AFRICMIL, and published by PT Books.

According to Mr Onumah, the essays are analytical, insightful, pragmatic and offer solutions to the trouble with Nigeria. We hope that they will inspire a new generation of Nigerians on what the country needs to do to fulfil the promise and hope of independence.

Mr Onumah said the three organisations involved in the project were using the opportunity to donate books to aspiring presidential candidates and other contestants, book clubs, media organisations and public libraries in the country to increase political literacy and awareness of issues affecting the country.

We hope that this action would encourage greater and more robust discussions on the future of the nation at such a critical time, Mr Onumah noted.

The CEO of Premium Times, the parent company of PT Books, Dapo Olorunyomi, said the gesture was to help stimulate national conversation and give young Nigerians the opportunity to raise important questions about the direction that the country is headed and interrogate the people seeking to govern in the next political dispensation.

Three copies of the book will be donated to each of the presidential aspirants in all the registered political parties. Copies will also be made available to media houses, youth organisations, public libraries, and book clubs across the country.

Richard Mammah, NBRP President, noted that as a reading promotions organisation, NBRP was interested in always calling attention to the positive values and benefits that can be reaped from greater and continuous immersion in the world of books and ideas.

You do not get it wrong when you read and our politicians and citizens alike need to be continually reminded of the benefits of sustaining a continual and life-long reading habit, he said.

The Network of Book Clubs and Reading Promoters in Nigeria was established in February 2020 and is an agglomeration of book clubs and reading promotions organisations drawn from all over Nigeria.

On October 1, 2020, Nigeria celebrated its 60th year of political independence. After 60 years of independence, most Nigerians, particularly the youth, hold the view that the country has failed to work for them in a way that is satisfactory and enduring. Remaking Nigeria: Sixty Years, Sixty Voices seeks to give voice to young Nigerians, the critical change agents, to help the country understand and sharpen its focus on those issues that hold the key to its collective survival.

Contributors to the book are young Nigerians with fresh ideas on nationhood, democracy, and development. The book focuses on issues such as federalism, elections and democracy, constitutionalism, environmental justice, data and ICT, the economy and social inclusion, media and press freedom, youth engagement, law and human rights, education and social services, religion and multiculturalism, leadership challenge and good governance, corruption and accountability, foreign policy and regional cooperation.
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, on Tuesday, told former President Olusegun Obasanjo that he was ready to rescue Nigeria if elected president in 2023.

Mr Emmanuel, a Peoples Democratic PartyPeoples Democratic Party presidential aspirant, met the former president at his home in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The governors visit was in continuation of his ongoing consultation with strategic stakeholders in the country.

At the meeting, Mr Emmanuel said he has sufficient private and public sector experience with remarkable results to show for it.

He also said the major issues plaguing Nigeria can be solved by a focused, sincere and capable leadership.

He, however, assured Mr Obasanjo that if given the opportunity to be president, he would boost the economy and return Nigeria to her glory days.

In his response, Mr Obasanjo appreciated the presidential aspirant for the show of respect in coming to inform him of his aspiration.

Mr Obasanjo also told the governor that although Nigeria is a complex country, it is not complicated to govern.

The former president added that all the country needs is the application of honesty, fairness, and justice.

Knowing you the way I do and the knowledge that you possess, which you have expressed in your brief speech, I have no doubt that if you have the opportunity, you will fix the economy of Nigeria, said Mr Obasanjo.

I know that you are a man of conscience who fears God and will apply these guiding principles in your leadership.

You have shown what you can do for Nigeria by what you have done in your state. It is, therefore, logical that when the opportunity presents itself, you will bring what you have done in your state to bear on the larger community.

Your presidential bid is a fair and legitimate thing to ask for.

The presidential aspirant was accompanied by a member of the National Executive Committee of the PDP, Paul Ekpo, two members of the House of Representatives, Pat Ifon and Nsikak Ekong and Ini Ememobong, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Strategy.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied responsibility for the killing of a military couple in Imo State.

Spokesperson of the group, Emma Powerful, stated this in a statement on Wednesday.

He was reacting to a statement by the military accusing IPOB of being response for the gruesome murder of the couple.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the couple were on their way to their wedding in the state when they were killed by unknown gunmen.

But Mr Powerful, in the statement, described the accusation by the military as fallacious.

While describing the killing of the couple as an abominable act and an atrocity, the IPOB spokesperson rather accused the military of being responsible for their deaths.

Our attention has been drawn to the laughable and fallacious statement credited to the Nigeria Army that IPOB is responsible for the killing of couple on transit in Imo State after their marriage ceremony.

We, therefore, wish to place on record that IPOB has no hands in the said atrocity which is an abominable act in Igbo tradition.

No true Igbo will hurt an in-law, how much more a married daughter (Ada) in Igbo land. Even the ancestors will avenge such wickedness, he said.

Mr Powerful wondered when the military conducted its investigation to arrive at the conclusion that IPOB was responsible for the killing.

Before the Army jumped into their jaundiced conclusion that such abominable act was masterminded by IPOB, what investigations did they carry out to substantiate their claims?

When have armed gunmen or criminals recruited by evil politicians in connivance with the same security agencies in their desperation to demonise IPOB, become IPOB members?

They have always looked for occasion to attack innocent Igbo youths. Who knows the number of innocent Biafrans they will rope in in the aftermath of this abominable act and tag them the suspects? Mr Powerful said.

He urged the Nigeria Army to leave IPOB alone because we are not unknown gunmen and those who are pursuing them adding that the monster they created is now after them, yet they keep pointing accusing fingers at us.

He said the allegation is part of the militarys propaganda to stain IPOBs global reputation.

We understand their game plan. All they are after is to blackmail IPOB before our international friends who understand our predicaments in the region.

Keen watchers who are honest can testify that any time hoodlums carry out their evil act in Biafra land the Nigeria Army or Police will rush to the press and say IPOB was behind it so that Google will be flooded with the stories that IPOB is now a terrorists organisation but we are not.

But ironically when worse crimes are committed in the North by bandits and other terrorists in the North, the same hypocritical security agencies will keep mute.

Mr Powerful noted that the group is against violence, adding that it should not be regarded as the unknown gunmen causing havoc in the region.

Nigeria security agencies should please leave us alone. We hate bloodletting. We are not killers. We have on our own been battling these same criminals, those we can lay our hands on that are unleashing sorrow even on our innocent people.

IPOB/ESN made it categorically clear to all and sundry severally that we are not unknown gunmen and can never be, but because of hatred and envy, Nigeria Government and its security agencies have continued to link us with atrocities going on in our land.

We are letting the world know that Nigeria Army and police are confused institutions. They are beclouded to see the truth because of their bias against us and delivering good jobs correctly.

IPOB is, and will remain a non-violent movement. No amount of blackmail by Nigeria Government and its security agencies cannot make us change our resolve to restore Biafra through non violence, he said.

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IPOB is a group seeking for an Independent state of Biafra to be carve out of present day South-east of Nigeria made up of Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra, Abia and Imo States, and parts of southsouth region of the country.

The security situation in the South-east east has continued to worsen with attacks on security agencies and facilities, government facilities and officials and high profile individuals occuring regularly

Many have been killed while properties worth millions have been destroyed in the attacks.

The police and military have continued to blame the group for the attacks but the group has denied responsibility.

The attacks worsened following the arrest and detention of IPOBs Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, last year by the Nigerian government.

Mr Kanu is facing prosecution for alleged treason and terrorism.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Wednesday said telecommunication operators are expected to begin the roll out of fifth generation technology services in August 2022, after it handed over the final letters of award of 5G spectrum licences to winners of the December 3.5GHz spectrum auctions.

With the letters, the winners of the auction, MTN and Mafab Communication, are now expected to accelerate the deployment of 5G network that will usher Nigeria into a more robust Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and a more digitised Nigerian economy.

In line with the terms and conditions of the 5G license, the licensees are expected to commence roll out 5G services effective from August 24, 2022, the NCC said in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Ikechukwu Adinde.

Mafab Communication and MTN Nigeria emerged the two successful winners of the 3.5gigahertz(GHz) spectrum auction for the deployment of 5G technology while Airtel had opted out of the bid.

After 11 rounds of bidding for eight hours the winners emerged. The commission had fixed the minimum price of $197.4 million, and the two winners got the nod of the regulator at $273 million each.

The Commission said the 5G network will provide a lot of benefits and opportunities that will accelerate growth and smart living in the country.

It added that the technology is also expected to bring substantial network improvements, including higher connection speed, mobility and capacity, as well as low-latency capabilities.

After the government handed over the 5G policy to the commission, on February 24, NCC acknowledged the full payment of $273.6 million each by the two spectrum winners, in addition to spectrum assignment fee paid by MTN, for the 5G spectrum licence.

The Commission is optimistic that effective implementation of the National Policy on 5G will accelerate the actualisation of the national targets in the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030, as well as other sectoral policies designed to enhance Nigerias digital transformation, the statement said.

While the licensees are expected to meet the timetable regarding their 5G network rollout obligations, the NCC requires collective efforts and support of the private-sector and government toward transforming every aspect of the nations economy through 5G, which will herald greater transformation than what the nation witnessed with the 1G, 2G, 3G and 4G.
The emir of Zazzau in Kaduna State, Ahmed Bamalli, has approved suspended four district heads from participating in the subsequent Durbar festival for allegedly using thugs to disrupt public peace during the just concluded Sallah celebration.

The thugs, locally known as Yan Tauri, were brandishing weapons during the traditional durbar ceremony performed immediately after Eid prayers called Hawan Sallah.

During the ceremony, district heads and traditional title holders of the Zazzau emirate wearing ceremonial regalia usually pass by the emir with their entourage.

This year the emirate warned district heads not to have such Yan Tauri thugs among their entourage during the procession.

Among those suspended is the son of the late Emir of Zazzau, Bashir Shehu Idris, who is the district head of Soba, and a member of the Kaduna State House of Representatives, Wakilin Birnin Zazzau, Suleiman Ibrahim Dabo.

Other suspended district heads are Uban Garin Zazzau, the district head of Soba; the district head of Kubau, Shehu Umar Aliyu, Wakilin Birnin Zazzau and Garkuwan kudu Zazzau and Bursar, Federal College of Education, Zaria, Muhammad Sani Uwais.

The media and publicity officer of the Emirate, Abdullahi Aliyu Kwarbai, in a statement seen by PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday said the action of the district heads violated a standing order against such acts and therefore; they were suspended with immediate effect.

Mr Kwarbai said the district heads violated Article 3 of the emirate rules and regulations governing durbar horse riding.

The rule directs all titleholders against the use of local thugs known as Yan Tauri brandishing local weapons during any occasion.

And the four district heads have violated this rule during the traditional Sallah durbar, despite a series of warnings.

A source from the emirate, who doesnt want his name to be published because he is not authorisd to speak, told PREMIUM TIMES that this order was invoked by the emirate to prevent bad people from taking advantage of the celebrations to disrupt the festivities.

You know what we are facing in Kaduna and even Zaria. The issue of insecurity is making things difficult. The emirate did this so anything thuggery will not be part of this celebration.

The security operatives will be able to identify who is a bad egg among the people but the district heads ignore the order and went ahead to invite the Yan Tauri. If you are there you will see the kind of dangerous weapons they are (were) holding. Any bad person could have taken advantage of it and it would have been bad.

Suleiman Dabo reacts

PREMIUM TIMES spoke with Mr Dabo, one of the suspended district heads. He said he had met with the emir to clarify the matter and narrated to him what exactly happened.

Mr Dabo said he was represented at the event but his representatives did not have the Yan Tauri thugs in their midst.

I want to say it here that it was a mistake from those who reported my case. First of all, I was not the person riding the horse that day because I returned from Saudi Arabia that Sallah morning.

I asked my younger brother to represent me. And what happened was my riders rode from my home well organised in a good manner but on getting to the entrance gate where you will meet the emir who is seated and watching, some of the thugs Yan Tauri standing by the entrance jumped into my entourage and started displaying with swords, knives and sticks. We never had them in our entourage.

We never know them and we dont know how they came to that place and join my people.

Mr Dabo also said he has met with the emirate and the emir and told him what really happened.

I also show the emir video of my procession and my riders from my home to the palace and how unknowingly the Yan Tauri joined my riders. He has seen it. I am sure the emirate is looking at my case.

I am a member of the House, a government official. I should safeguard not break laws. And again let me clear the air, the suspension is for participating in subsequent durbar not from our throne pending the decision of the emirate after listening to all of us.
The Commissioner for Religious Affairs in Zamfara State, Tukur Jangebe, has resigned his appointment after he allegedly learned of a plan to sack him from the state cabinet following his style of preaching some unnamed top officials of the state consider critical of the state government.

The commissioner, who is also a popular cleric in the state, was also accused of extolling a political opponent of the governor during his Ramadan sermons.

A top government official, who asked not to be named because he had no authority to speak with the media, told PREMIUM TIMES that the Islamic preacher got wind of a plan to sack or disgrace him after Eid celebrations so resigned before being officially sacked.

When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Jangebe, who spoke with this newspaper on the phone, confirmed that had resigned but refused to give further details when prompted.

Yes, Ive resigned from the government. I sent in my resignation letter on the 1st of May, 2022. You can write that. May God make it easy for all of us, he said.

Letter

In the purported letter of resignation seen on social media, Mr Jangede thanked the governor of the state, Bello Muhammed, for giving him the opportunity to serve. He did not state the reason for resigning in the letter as well.

Meanwhile, Zailani Bappa, the media aide to the governor of the state, said he had seen the purported resignation letter on social media but is yet to be briefed officially.

Ive also not heard his voice on any radio confirming the said resignation so, Ill assume its still a rumour, Mr Bappa said.

However, the immediate past chief press secretary to the governor, who is now the publicity secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Yusuf Idris, said the commissioner resigned to contest for a political office in 2023.

If you observe, commissioners from Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna and Katsina have been tendering their resignation letters because they have the interest to contest, and I think that of Jangebe is not an exception, he said.

Another narrative

But the government source insists some of the governors top aides were angry with the preaching style of the commissioner.

You know how Malam is. He is used to being blunt in a humorous way. I, just like most of the state officials, were always at the sermons on the evening and we hear how he conducted his preaching as usual, he said.

According to him, even in 2021, some appointees of the governor complained that Mr Jangebe didnt use the opportunity to promote the governors image to the large audience that usually attend his sermons.

But you know His Excellency when he likes you, he hardly allows anyone to paint you black. But to be honest with you, all of us were angry with his preaching this year because he was always praying for our opponents and you know this is politics. If as a commissioner, he can resort to applauding our opponents while at the same time criticising the government he belongs to, I dont think its okay for him to remain on that seat, he added.

He said there was a plan to sack Mr Jangebe immediately the governor returned from Saudi Arabia where he went to perform Umrah.

Not new to controversies

Mr Jangebe was first appointed commissioner in 2007 by a past governor of the state, Mahmud Shinkafi.

Mr Jangebe, however, continued his annual Tafsir (Quranic Translation) sessions in the Muslim Foundation Mosque, which is the official praying mosque for state officials.

In 2010, Mr Shinkafi sacked him but made him an adviser in the Quranic schools allegedly over his critical sermons. But that did not stop him from continuing his criticism of the governor.

In an interview with BBC Hausa monitored by Premium Times, Mr Jangebe said he uses humour to drive his message home.

I use humour to send messages across to the people and they only get to know what I mean when I leave. I dont hurt anyones feelings but what I do is to ensure that I say what Allah and His Messenger said, he said.

The last straw?

During the just-concluded Ramadan fasting, Mr Jangebe prayed for the end of banditry in Nigerias troubled North-west region. He, however, never stopped calling on the the well-to-do to help the poor.

In one of his sermons this year, Mr Jangebe called on the state government to release funds for the less privileged to ease their plight during the Ramadan period.

There is poverty in the land, he said. I, therefore, call on the government and well-to-do individuals to bring out their money and help the people. Its not easy. Life is hard for the common man and its a duty upon you to ensure your brothers and sisters also share in the joy of Ramadan.

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How could anyone be happy when he has nothing to eat? Therefore, bring our money and feed the poor among you, he had said in one of the sessions this Ramadan.

Mujittaba Bakura, a follower of the cleric, said it was possible the government was angry with the cleric for praying for a certain politician.

In the last days of the fasting month, there was a day that Malam prayed and asked us to pray for Dauda Lawal because he brought a lot of money to the mosque. The money would be used for the upkeep of the mosque and the foundation which caters for orphans and other less privileged.

You know how Malam is, so he said it after the session that Dauda Lawal has brought money and it has been handed to the foundation committee and we prayed for Dauda, Mr Bakura said.

Mr Lawal is a former Executive Director at the First Bank and contested for the governors seat in 2019 under the APC. He is seen as one of the governors arch-rivals.
The prices of crude oil rose four per cent on Wednesday, after the European Union unveiled plans to phase out imports of Russian oil as part of sanctions for Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Brent crude futures rose $3.99, or 3.8 per cent, to $108.96 a barrel by 1121 GMT. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose $4.05, or 4 per cent, to $106.46 a barrel, Reuters reported.

The development came immediately after the EU announced it is proposing to ban all oil imports from Russia by the end of the year.

On Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that European Union countries would stop importing Russian oil in the next six months.

We now propose a ban on Russian oil. Lets be clear, it will not be easy. But we simply have to work on it. We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, to maximize pressure on Russia while minimizing the impact on our economies, she said during a speech to the European Parliament on Wednesday.

Crude oil supply would be phased out within six months, and imports of refined oil products by the end of 2022, she added.

Russia is the worlds second-biggest crude oil exporter, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Reuters quoted SEB chief commodities analyst, Bjarne Schieldrop, as saying Russian oil is now bad oil.

This energy war of good oil versus bad oil has just started, Mr Schieldrop said.

OPEC and its allies have agreed to meet on Thursday for crucial talks on monthly output for June 2022.

Any rise in price favours Nigeria which relies mostly on oil for its revenue and foreign earnings.
Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has declared his intention to run for president on the partys platform.

Mr Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo State, formally joined the presidential race on Wednesday at the Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts and Culture, Area 10, Abuja.

He had earlier declared to contest Edo North Senatorial District election.

Before then, he attended the formal declaration of the Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, for president in April.

While unveiling his ambition, Mr Oshiomhole said despite the efforts of the President Buhari-led administration, the economy remains an unresolved issue.

He said poverty, insecurity and unemployment are interrelated, saying one does not have to be a professor to know poverty, unemployment breeds insecurity.

He also said he will address the lingering Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) problem in order to maintain the academic calendar.

Mr Oshiomhole said his plan is to make Nigeria the smartest country in Africa.

I want Nigeria to be described as the smartest country on the continent under my presidency, he said.

The former President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), said his record as a labour leader will speak for him in his quest to he president of the country.

I believe many of you who are of my age or 40 years and a little less than that will have memories of those days. We spoke truth to power about policies whether they were economic policies, social policies, healthcare policies among others, he recounted.

With his declaration, he will be joining the growing list of aspirants under the ruling APC.

Currently, over 15 persons have declared interest to the battle for the ticket of the APC.

They include the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo; former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu; Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Rochas Okorocha; Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, and others.

There are also four governors in the race, namely Ben Ayade of Cross River State, Yahaya Bello of Kogi, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti and David Umahi of Ebonyi State.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State are expected to join the race soon.
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, has formally joined the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential race for the 2023 election.

Mr Akpabio made the declaration Wednesday before a mammoth crowd at Ikot Ekpene Stadium in Akwa Ibom State.

It was at the same venue Mr Akpabio announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to the ruling APC three years ago.

Mr Akpabio, a former two term governor of the Akwa Ibom State and immediate past Senate Minority, promised to place priority on security and economy if elected.

Mr Akpabio has now joined his colleague, Minister of Transport and former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi in the race to succeed their boss in 2023.

Messrs Amaechi and Akpabio served from 2007 to 2015 as governors of Rivers and Akwa Ibom States, respectively.

Mr Akpabios successor as governor, Udom Emmanuel, is also in the presidential race on PDPs platform.

Let me pronounce to you that youve had a lot of declarations, this one is uncommon. The message is not only a message of hope, not only a message of positive continuity; it is also a message that very soon the Egyptians you see today will see them no more.

Therefore, I hereby declare my intention to seek the nomination of my great party, the All Progressive Congress to become not just a candidate but to become the next president in 2023.

This declaration is being watched live from 59 countries in the world, Mr Akpabio boasts. I have never seen a politician so loved by this country like Godswill Akpabio.

Declaration amidst party crisis

Mr Akpabio made the declaration to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 amidst a deeply divided party in the State.

The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the APC is divided into two factions.

One faction led by Stephen Ntukekpo is loyal to Mr Akpabio. Mr Ntukekpos faction was on ground at the stadium during the declaration.

However, the second faction led by Austin Ekanem, which is loyal to the former secretary of the party, John Akpanudoedehe, was conspicuously absent at the venue of Mr Akpabios presidential declaration.
Telecommunication operators under the auspices of Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), have proposed a 40 per cent hike in call and SMS tariffs.

They operators said they decision was necessary considering the rising cost of business in the country, PUNCH reported Wednesday, citing a letter by ALTON to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The letter said the fee for calls will increase from N6.4 to N8.95 while the price cap for SMS will increase from N4 to N5.61.

The association said the telecommunications industry had been financially challenged by an economic downturn that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

They noted that the war had resulted in a 35 per cent increase in their operating expenses due to an increase in energy costs.

ALTON added that the introduction of the five percent excise duty on telecom service providers has heightened the burden of multiple taxes and levies on the industry.

ALTON considers it expedient for the telecommunications sector to undergo periodic cost adjustments through the commissions intervention in order to minimise the impact of the challenging economic issues faced by our members, it said.

Upward review of the price determination for voice and data and SMS. Given the state of the economy and the circa 40 per cent increase in the cost of doing business, we wish to request for an interim administrative review of the mobile (voice) termination rate for voice; administrative data floor price, and cost of SMS as reflected in extant instruments.

For data services, we wish to request that the commission implements the recommendations in the August 2020 KPMG report on the determination of cost-based pricing for wholesale and retail broadband service in Nigeria. Excerpts from the report are attached and marked Annexure 2 to provide a further illustration, it added.

The spokespersons for the phone companies and the regulator, NCC, did not respond to calls and messages seeking comments.
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep condolences to the Nigerian Army, the families of Audu Linus, a master warrant officer, and his partner, Gloria Mathew, a private, who were brutally murdered by terrorists in Imo State recently.

The deceased soldiers were beheaded after being shot by the terrorist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on Saturday, as confirmed by the Nigerian Army.

The corpses were inhumanely treated and gleefully posted on social media platforms.

The president, in a statement by his media aide, Garba Shehu, on Wednesday, in Abuja, said he joined fellow citizens in expressing deep sense of shock over the unfortunate incident.

Mr Buhari, who condemned the barbarism of the perpetrators of the incident and similar acts of violence against law enforcement agents, described it as alien to all cultures and civilizations.

He, therefore, directed the military authorities and other security agencies to do their utmost in apprehending the perpetrators of the barbaric acts and bring them to justice.

The president also called on all communities, regional and national leaders to speak with one voice, to show that the entire country is one against this cruel and barbaric act of violence. This is unacceptable.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of this sad and tragic incident.

(NAN)
Nigeria has an Igbo problem, and no matter how many times people try to deny it, it is there. It manifests in so many ways. Think about Danladi Umar, Abubakar Malami, Remi Tinubu, and Muhammadu Buhari, just as examples. Nobody has as much as censured any one of them, and more people are taking a lead from these rather bad examples, as Igbo bashing is becoming more of a staple on social media.

One of the best pieces written about Nigerias Igbo problem by a non-Igbo person was recently republished by David Hundeyin in his BusinessDay column. There are two parts to it, here and here . I highly recommend that you read them.

Reading the articles, no one should be surprised about the almost visceral reaction to a tweet I made a few days ago in which I quoted a statement written by Chinua Achebe in his 1983 book, The Trouble with Nigeria. Professor Achebe said, Nigerians will probably achieve consensus on no other matter than their common resentment of the Igbo.

The interesting thing is that if all the people who predictably attacked me and talked about victim mentality and bigotry and disunity had bothered to look at the tweet I had put up just before that, theyd have realised that my tweet was actually addressed to my own people. But expecting people who are entering a discussion with predetermined opinions to bother to do basic digging would be expecting snow in the Sahara. Such people are so caught up in their own bigotry, that what they simply do is project their own mindsets on others.

It is true that many Igbos in Nigeria have paranoia regarding our relationship with the country. But you really cant blame them. Incidents of mass bloodletting in which Igbo people are the sacrificial lambs are still in living memory. I know people who saw, first-hand, the slaughter of 1966, and since my grandfather (and some of my uncles) were killed in the Asaba Massacre, only his wife (my grandmother) and his first son who survived the Massacre (simply because he was abroad when it happened) have passed away. In other words, there are people alive who faced a firing squad 55 years ago just because their ancestors spoke a dialect of the language that was classified as Igbo by TE Dennis around 1908. I have not talked about people who survived attacks in places like Kano and Kaduna in the 1990s and 2000s, again, simply because of where their ancestors came from.

You see, Nigeria has an Igbo problem, and no matter how many times people try to deny it, it is there. It manifests in so many ways. Think about Danladi Umar, Abubakar Malami, Remi Tinubu, and Muhammadu Buhari, just as examples. Nobody has as much as censured any one of them, and more people are taking a lead from these rather bad examples, as Igbo bashing is becoming more of a staple on social media.

Having said all of this, I must say that I am increasingly moving towards the view that even we, ndi Igbo, have some work to do on ourselves. There is need for us to change our ways and adapt to our environment, which is even more urgent as Nigeria is headed for an enforced renegotiation. We would be making a strategic error if we enter that renegotiation as the group that everyone loves to hate. I struggle to recollect, ever, a period in Nigerias post-independence history where we have had a deliberate campaign to teach our people about the benefits of holding an individual, not his group, responsible for his actions. You see it in the way our security forces behave until this day: A man is accused of fraud and absconds, and police go to his house and arrest his wife. Some youths kill a soldier, and the army goes in and razes their village.

Something I have been consistent with is this: While the idea has some merit, Id rather not have an Igbo man replace Buhari as Nigerias president next year, for the simple fact that the disaster the man has wrought on Nigeria is so great, and it is his successor who will be blamed for it.

You see, asides having a collective short memory and living in the moment, Nigerians tend to do collective guilt. This means that more often than not, we blame the sins of one person on his entire natal group, be it his ethnic or religious group. It is the way weve been trained since colonial times. Yes, all those punitive expeditions conducted by people like Hugh Trenchard trained us to hold a village responsible for the actions of an individual, and you cant undo that in a few short years of concerted efforts, which is something we have not even started. I struggle to recollect, ever, a period in Nigerias post-independence history where we have had a deliberate campaign to teach our people about the benefits of holding an individual, not his group, responsible for his actions. You see it in the way our security forces behave until this day: A man is accused of fraud and absconds, and police go to his house and arrest his wife. Some youths kill a soldier, and the army goes in and razes their village. This is how we roll, and this has affected the relationship of Nigerians with members of its third-largest ethnic group.

There are two counter-arguments to my argument about not wanting an Igbo man to succeed Buhari. The first one was made by my friend Tunde Leye, and its about how such a hypothetical Igbo president would use the awesome powers that the Nigerian presidency bestows on its holder. That argument is theoretical, but Im certain that whoever succeeds Buhari will not have the goodwill that Buhari came in with, which helps such a person harness the security forces to the maximum. Whoever succeeds Buhari will face all sorts of oppositions, open and hidden, from day one. If he tries to clamp down on any, many of those who have hitherto been silent as Buhari unleashed the security forces on Shiites, IPOB and peaceful protesters at Lekki, would suddenly find their voices. Buharis successor is going to have an uncomfortable time, of this I am certain.

The other counter-argument is that Igbo people should not be afraid of pushing our best forward to change things in the challenging environment that will be post-2023 Nigeria.

This argument has merit, and our culture encourages people to take on challenges. After all, our ancestors said, Mberede nyiri dike, mana mberede ka eji ama dike. (A hero is determined by the impossibility of the task before him).

This is true, but our ancestors also said, Ikpe aghahi ima ochicha ebe okuko nuo. (A cockroach is never innocent in a gathering of fowls). It is patently unfair that at various times, Nigeria has been able to agree that its the turn of a group Yoruba (presidency in 1999), Niger Delta (vice presidency in 2007 with a view to replacing the North in 2015 before fate intervened), North in 2015, then suddenly when the Igbo use the same argument, the rules appear to change. But as Ive pointed out, I dont want an Igbo person to take this poisoned chalice

This brings the question, which will happen to a putative Igbo president first post-Buhari? The hero part, or the cockroach part?

Sadly, despite all the apparent suffering in the country, Nigerians are not quite ready to have that conversation about the hard decisions necessary to change the fundamentals of the country, so there is no point in putting one of ours in the bulls eye to make those decisions. I am of the opinion that the whole thing has to run completely aground first, and stay aground for a while before peoples eyes will begin to clear. Nigeria is not there yet, and wouldnt be for another five to 10 years. As an example, whoever attempts to remove the petrol subsidy in June 2023 is going to face mass action. Whoever attempts to repeal the Land Use Act will face a massive kick. Id rather it is not an Igbo person, simply because we have the weight of history on our backs. An Igbo man making these tough but necessary decisions will have the blowback of the inevitable escalated short-term suffering that follows the decisions visited on the entire group.

Having said all that, if the rest of the country decides that they want an Igbo person to succeed Buhari, then Ill go with the maxim that vox populi vox Dei, even though I dont believe that God speaks through anyone in Nigeria any longer.

However, my point is buttressed by the attention, scorn, and near disdain that is greeting the opposition to Peter Obis attempts by various quarters, so lets remind ourselves of a bit of fairly recent history. In 1999, a majority of the country accepted that the Yoruba people had been cheated of the presidency six years earlier, and as a result, for the first time in our history, every other group stepped back and only one group, the Yoruba, produced the candidates for the election. I was just a young man of 19 at the time preparing to vote for the first time ever, but I dont recall anyone telling the Yoruba that you are not united, give us just one person to vote for, but you have threatened to leave Nigeria, and other such crap weve recently heard.

This is the kind of language that we have been hearing from a lot of quarters in this day, when many Igbo people and even non-Igbos, such as my friends Dapo Oluyomi and Gege Ediae, who both feel, rightly or wrongly, say that it is time to give the presidency to the South-East.

Is that fair?

It is patently unfair that at various times, Nigeria has been able to agree that its the turn of a group Yoruba (presidency in 1999), Niger Delta (vice presidency in 2007 with a view to replacing the North in 2015 before fate intervened), North in 2015, then suddenly when the Igbo use the same argument, the rules appear to change. But as Ive pointed out, I dont want an Igbo person to take this poisoned chalice because, for us, the rules change, and that is a reality we have to live with and plan according to.

For those who like to pretend that Nigeria has no Igbo problem, udo diri unu.

Cheta Nwanze is a partner at SBM Intelligence.
A system that was designed in 1944 has run its course. It is time for holistic transformation to render the UN and its organs and agencies democratic. Not only should, one country, one vote be adhered to, but the votes must be equal. While the permanent and non-permanent membership structure has some merits, permanent membership must be expanded to accommodate countries from all continents with other factors, such as population size taken into account.

In response to Russias attack on Ukraine and the complexity of the United Nations (UN) conflict resolution mechanism, the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, called for the transformation of institutions of global governance during the plenary session of the South Africa-Botswana Bi-National Commission. On April 28, UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres joined the international community in condemning the UN Security Council (UNSC) for failing to prevent or stop the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Describing the 15-member UNSC as paralysed, he made it clear that the UN was set to take over and end the war. What does the UN chief have in mind?

It is exceedingly difficult to compel obedience without military capacity. When former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Anan was asked if he had power, he bluntly replied, No, I dont. Like Anan, Guterres has no power, and no army. He has no authority over the UNSC and clearly, only the UNSC has the power to deploy military personnel. Therefore, any intervention he makes will have minimal effect if the Russian leader remains resolute. Will sanctions work? Experience has shown that they do not deter states from going to war, but may influence the duration of the conflict. In any case, by the time the sanctions begin to become unbearable, monumental damage would have been done, as the current Russia/Ukraine war has shown.

The inadequacy of the global peace architecture  adopted in 1945 by 51 of the 193 current UN members  to ensure order in the contemporary world, is as glaring as the obstructive tendencies of the veto power enjoyed by the Councils permanent members (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States  the P5). The operational framework of one of the most important institutions within the UN system, the UNSC, is antithetical to global peace and security. Indeed, reforming the UN should be a matter of urgency and it ought to be declared a global emergency.

The Russia/Ukraine war has exposed the incapacity of global institutions to act decisively in averting large-scale destruction of lives and property, partly due to the multiple interests of member states and different factions within the UNSC, which have impeded any attempt to stop the monumental damages to global resources  both human and material. The membership of states in other international organisations or interest blocs has the tendency of influencing their voting on issues of global concern. For instance, none of the BRICS member states (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) voted against Russia at the UN.

Africa, South America, and Australia have no representation in the P5. Apart from its minimal role at the UN, Africa has been relegated to the background of global governance. It has no say in decisions in institutions like the IMF and World Bank. Nine votes are required to pass a resolution at the UN and the P5 only need the support of four other countries among the Elected 10

Furthermore, global institutions such as the UNSC, International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank are undemocratic and operate in an environment that negates the principles of the liberal democracy that they are aggressively marketing across the world. The P5 control the UNSC, with the ten non-permanent members of the Council (the Elected 10) having minimal power. Their strategic influence also means that they dictate to the world. The P5s veto power has derailed every attempt to transform the global institution and dismantle the permanent seats. Indeed, Russia has used its veto to prevent the UN and UNSC from taking effective action during the Russia/Ukraine conflict. This reflects the undemocratic environment in which global institutions operate.

Africa, South America, and Australia have no representation in the P5. Apart from its minimal role at the UN, Africa has been relegated to the background of global governance. It has no say in decisions in institutions like the IMF and World Bank. Nine votes are required to pass a resolution at the UN and the P5 only need the support of four other countries among the Elected 10, which include the three African representatives at the UNSC (A3). If the A3 were to vote in opposition, as has sometimes happened, the UNSC would still have the required vote to pass a resolution.

With 54 African countries as members of the UN, the continent makes up 25 per cent of the bodys membership, yet it is excluded from the P5. Asias 48 members have China as a permanent member of the UNSC, while the 50-member Europe has three. This is despite the fact that around 75 per cent of the Councils resolutions relate to Africa.

A system that was designed in 1944 has run its course. It is time for holistic transformation to render the UN and its organs and agencies democratic. Not only should, one country, one vote be adhered to, but the votes must be equal. While the permanent and non-permanent membership structure has some merits, permanent membership must be expanded to accommodate countries from all continents with other factors, such as population size taken into account. The permanent members veto should be reconsidered, as it has caused more havoc than good.

Adeoye O. Akinola is a Head of Research and Teaching at the University of Johannesburgs Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation, South Africa.
Believe me, Nigeria is worth living for and it is up to us to make the living worthwhile. Be reassured that help is on the way and hope will be restored. This then is my pledge to you today, delivered before man and God: Together, we shall bring that dream to full fruition in our life time and it will blossom to the pride of all Nigerians and the admiration of the world. Let the work begin. I am ready.

I am highly honoured by your presence here today in such large numbers to participate in this town hall event. Your presence reinforces my personal conviction that we are at a moment in the history of our country  and of the world at large  where we must, as a people, make the choices that will ensure that our nation is able to prosper in peace, unity, safety and security in the comity of nations. Trying times, such as we are traversing as a nation and which we are witnessing on a global scale can, if properly managed, be converted into transformatory moments that allow both for the achievement of a fundamental national reset and a major leap forward in our affairs.

The words that fellow Nigerians from various walks of life have spoken in recent times assure me that as a people, guided by the right leadership coalition, we are determined not to allow tough times to lead us either to lose sight of some of the gains of the six decades of our independent statehood or drive us into the cesspool of a self-deprecating pessimism from which there are no exits. Instead, we share a strong desire to seize the moment and strive for a wholesome recalibration that enables us to build upward and higher in unity and unison. That is the Nigerian genius that the world has seen displayed intermittently  though without always sufficiently understanding. Combined with an uncommon spirit of fortitude, this genius has helped us to defy all doomsayers and naysayers to triumph over adversity, anomie, and discontent. It is one reason for hope; it is also partly why, like my fellow travellers, some of whom are here with us in this hall, I am proudly Nigerian and will always remain one.

My own journey into public life has taught me that while we must never as a people be complacent about our circumstances, there is also no noble project of national advancement that is beyond our grasp when we act as one with a clear vision and the requisite commitment. I began my journey into the public sphere in earnest as a student leader at the University of Lagos. It was at a time in our national history when we were all fired by genuine and well-founded hopes of the heights to which we could soar as a leading actor in global African and world affairs. It was the time when the roots of my unshakable faith were sunk that our future as a nation, and our place in the global comity of nations, resides in the consolidation of our unity and cohesion. For it is out of unity and cohesion that we have always found the strength to transcend all barriers, defend our freedom and dignity, scale new heights, and provide leadership for Africa.

Beyond my early forays into the public sphere as a student leader, my abiding faith in the oneness of our country has been further reinforced by all my subsequent engagements in national affairs as a scholar/public intellectual, civil society voice and institution-builder, political organiser with an unapologetic pan-Nigerian and pan-African outlook, indefatigable advocate for human rights and democratic governance, two-term governor, federal minister, an active member of the Progressive Governors Forum, and two-term Chair of Nigeria Governors Forum. I have been privileged to witness first hand, the underlying commitment and sense of solidarity which Nigerians from all parts of the country share about the promise of the fatherland. And it has been my singular honour to have been an active part at various times of different detachments of the committed army of compatriots from various walks of life, labouring with determination for our national progress to be both sustained and advanced.

Compatriots, it is in the spirit of this abiding faith in our country and the promise of its unfinished greatness that I stand before you today, in total humility and with all sense of responsibility, to solemnly declare to all our party cadres and Nigerians at large, my decision to accept for my name to be put forward for consideration by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership and membership as the partys standard bearer in the upcoming contest for a successor to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari. This is not a decision which I have taken lightly. Indeed, to arrive at this point, I carried out a a long and deep self-introspection with the help of close family, friends, and colleagues, including my wife and devoted partner, Erelu Bisi Fayemi. I have also traversed the length and breadth of our country to consult and explore with our esteemed elder statesmen and women, traditional rulers, a cross section of party leaders and rank and file members, and various non-partisan leaders of thought and opinion.

I embarked on these outreach visits neither with prior assumptions about what they would yield nor with any sense of personal entitlement. However, after a careful consideration of where we are as a nation and the many perspectives which are emerging about the challenges, old and new, which we must gird our loins to tackle and transcend, I am convinced that my entry into the race to bear the standard of the APC will offer our members and Nigerians the opportunity to examine competing visions for national rebirth in the best interest of our country. And it is on the foundation of a clear vision accompanied by a carefully thought out programme of action that I present my candidature. I do so fully convinced on the basis of what I have experienced, heard, and seen about the demands of the times and the aspirations of our people that the agenda that I am proposing for our country is one which will find favour with APC members and win resounding traction with the generality of Nigerians.

Here then is my motivating testament and confession: I am a patriot born in these climes in the course of the first decade of the independence of our country, and I stake a bold claim to say that I am a full-blooded child of Nigeria. I grew up, as did many of my generation, socialised into the ideals of a united and virile nation. In my life time, I have witnessed some heart-warming moments of nation- and state-building that would make any citizen anywhere immeasurably proud. But we have also seen some truly challenging days in our journey of nationhood which have tested our collective resolve and demanded the exercise of considerable political savvy by our leaders over the years. I have taken as a key lesson from the admixture, high and low points we have experienced as a country that when and where we are charitable to another and allow our shared humanity, innate spirit of solidarity, and underlying patriotism to prevail, we always succeed in containing and overcoming adversity.

Fellow Nigerians, that is why on this fourth day of the month of May 2022, before this august assemblage of Nigerians from all walks of life and the four corners of this beautiful land, I can boldly and confidently say to our party members and the generality of Nigerians: Let us together, as one people, dig deep into our history and our hearts to revive hope and do the work of faith that will positively re-energise our homes and our lives for the common and greater good. Despair is easy to spread. Hope can be daunting to sustain. And faith can be severely shaken. But while the night may be long, the dawn must come  and it always does. I offer myself as the leadership figure who is willing and primed to work with you, beloved compatriots, to launch and drive the hard work of surmounting difficult times, fostering trust, and building bridges with a view to carrying us in unity, equity, and justice into our new dawn of progress and prosperity.

Hope such as I offer with my candidature is premised on a shared vision on which we can all agree, and for which we collectively strive, of a nation that is more confidently and uncompromisingly at one with itself, serving as home for all of us, regardless of ethnicity, class, gender, age, disability, region or religion. It is a vision of a nation of multiple diversities in which each and every one of us can recognise ourselves in its fabric and workings as equal stakeholders and co-constructors, complete with all the rights, freedoms, and duties provided under the constitution for citizens. The ideal of Nigeria as home to all of us who are its children is one which we can all rally around as a starting point for the work of unfinished national greatness that must be taken to its next phase. To give full effect to this, concrete programmes of action will be launched in priority areas that will allow for a revamping of the credibility of the Nigerian state, the promotion of an enhanced social contract, and the revamping of the national identity.

Programmatically, as the standard bearer of the APC, I will be leading the implementation of a holistic and integrated response to the multifaceted security crises confronting us. To this end, the retooling of our armed forces, intelligence agencies, and border guards will be pursued in tandem with an overhaul of our policing system and the phasing in of bold universal social policies that will enable us to decisively tackle poverty and upgrade human capital and security. In this perspective, the deliberate expansion of employment opportunities, youth entrepreneurship, skills development, and innovation, support to the weak and vulnerable, such as we have done in Ekiti State for the elderly, and womens socio-economic empowerment, will be treated as just one dimension of our comprehensive response to the costly security crises that have destabilised us, as will the pursuit of broad welfare policies that are embedded in a new state-society bargain and the empowerment of citizens.

The adoption of broad socio-economic measures that enhance our capacity to fight insecurity must be done at the same time as investments in reinforcing the deterrent capacity of the state through its armed forces, security agencies, and policing authorities. Authority and legitimacy, and deterrence and rapid response go hand in hand, just as we must better interface economic policies with broad social objectives and goals of political inclusivity, towards a well-defined outcome, namely, the sustained peace, stability, and progress of our country. And let there be no doubt: For the economy to serve broader social and political purposes that enhance human and state security, stem poverty, and promote national prosperity, my agenda for Nigeria encompasses attention to questions of productivity, diversification, domestic value addition, investments in and incentives for research, development, and innovation, and the expansion of domestic revenue mobilisation, among others.

Considerable work is already ongoing on the upgrading and expansion of our infrastructure and one of my prime objectives would be to accelerate this both through public investments and partnerships with the private sector, whilst simultaneously ensuring that we enforce accountability and get much greater value for money. By the same token, a major rescue and investment programme for the educational sector, the health system, the civil service, and the local government system will be launched in order to re-orient each of them for the task of overall national development, progress and prosperity. Each of these domains can benefit much more from a deliberate and systematic deployment of digital technologies as appropriate to their contexts; the opportunities will be followed through as integral parts of our programme of rebirth.

I fully understand that we cannot secure our prosperity without ensuring that our agricultural sector is able to deliver self-sufficiency in critical food markets, absorb an important swathe of the unemployed into gainful employment, feed our efforts at agro-allied industrialisation, reinvigorate the rural areas, foster the coordinated expansion of commodity exchanges, and boost the flow of foreign exchange into the economy. We will prioritise the sector for the multiple benefits it can bring to the agenda of national prosperity and transformation that we will be pursing with unrelenting vigour. As part of this commitment, issues of streamlined and transparent access to agricultural finance, and the expanded adoption of agricultural technology by farming populations will rank high in the priority areas for focus.

No vision of national prosperity however impeccable or programme of national transformation however comprehensive can deliver the outcomes desired without attention to the planning system of government writ large. We must build on recent successes in restoring our national planning system and statistical capacity in order to open new, forward-looking approaches to development management. This will form an integral part of the new elan that we will be bringing to governance as a whole, driven by a philosophy of efficient service delivery, the enthronement of a civic culture, and the encouragement of an empowered citizenry to engage with public affairs, understanding that it is the repository of power. As part of this commitment, a holistic approach to decentralisation will be embraced and institutionalised so that government and its services are brought closer to the people. Our programme of decentralisation will also feed into the goals of a stronger, more united, and stable Nigeria. These are outcomes which are not only good for our domestic prospects but which will also benefit West Africa, the rest of the African continent, and a troubled international multilateral system.

Friends and compatriots! I have, for this occasion, shared just a few snippets of what I hope will be the core of the Nigeria agenda under my watch. The die is now cast. I embark on this journey with a determination to play my part to the end. I do so buoyed by your many good wishes freely expressed and your prayers fervently offered. I want to commit before you that I will, in the course of this campaign, adhere to the highest standards of decorum, decency, and respect, which Nigerians expect of their leaders. As we go along, I will have occasion to share even greater details of my vision for our national prosperity and progress, and the programme underpinning it. For now, I wish to pay tribute to His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari for his fatherly counsel all through the period that I have been privileged to work with him. I wish also to thank all our other living leaders who, even out of office, continue quietly to labour for the unity and peace of the country. Above all, I want to thank the everyday Nigerian, male and female, young and old, worker and retiree, who have refused to give up on the Nigerian dream. Believe me, Nigeria is worth living for and it is up to us to make the living worthwhile. Be reassured that help is on the way and hope will be restored. This then is my pledge to you today, delivered before man and God: Together, we shall bring that dream to full fruition in our life time and it will blossom to the pride of all Nigerians and the admiration of the world. Let the work begin. I am ready. Are you?.

God bless you. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

J. Kayode Fayemi is the governor of Ekiti State and chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).

This is the text of the statement he made on the occasion of his formal declaration as an aspirant for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday, May 4 at the Congress Hall, Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
Increase in number of working women across the globe, rise in healthcare expenditure by the government, favorable reimbursement scenario, and technological developments in electric breast pumps drive the demand for the global breast pumps market.

PORTLAND, Ore., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, titled, "Breast Pumps Market by Product Type (Closed System Breast Pumps, Open System Breast Pumps), by Technology (Manual Breast Pumps, Electric Breast Pumps), by Application (Personal Use Pumps, Hospital Grade Pumps): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2030." According to the report, the global breast pumps industry was pegged at $461.10 million in 2020, and is expected to reach $890.73 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 6.8% from 2021 to 2030.

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Drivers, restraints, and opportunities-

Increase in number of working women across the globe, rise in healthcare expenditure by the government, favorable reimbursement scenario, and technological developments in electric breast pumps drive the demand for the global breast pumps market. However, risk of contamination with foreign substances and high pricing of breast pumps impede the market growth. On the other hand, surge in various developmental strategies among the key players, high market potential in untapped developing countries, and development of pipeline products are anticipated to pave the way for multiple opportunities in the industry.

COVID-19 scenario-

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic negatively impacted the global breast pumps market. A large number of clinics and hospitals around the world were reconfigured to boost hospital capacity for theCovid-19 patients. Due to the substantial increase in Covid-19 cases, non-essential procedures took a potential backlog.

Manufacturing and shipping of healthcare essentials were both disrupted due to the imposed lockdown. The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in lockdown restrictions and availability of mothers at home, thus lowering demand for breast pumps.

However, following the pandemic, women will begin to return to work, and the prior trend will continue, stabilizing the market over the projected period.

The open system breast pumps segment held the lion's share in 2020-

Based on product type, the open system breast pumps segment held the lion's share in 2020, contributing to more than half of the global breast pumps market, and is expected to continue its lead during the forecast period. Moreover, this segment is expected to witness the highest CAGR of 6.9% by 2030, owing to their wide availability. The report also includes an analysis of the gasification segment.

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The electric breast pumps segment to dominate by 2030-

By technology, the electric breast pumps segment accounted for nearly three-fifths of the global breast pumps market share in 2020, and is anticipated to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. This is owing to the rapid output and higher availability of single as well as double electric based breast pumps. Moreover, the same segment is expected to witness the highest CAGR of 7.0% by 2030.

North America, to lead the trail in terms of revenue-

By region, North America, garnered the major share in 2020, contributing to nearly half of the global breast pumps market and is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period. However, Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 8.2%. This is due to the rise in infant population, the surge in awareness regarding the importance of breast milk, and increasing employment among the women.

Key players in the industry-

Ameda, Inc.

Medela AG.

Pigeon Corporation

Koninklijke Philips N.V.

Hygeia Healthcare

Babybelle Asia Ltd.

Linco Baby Merchandise Works Co. Ltd.

Ardo Medical AG.

Albert Manufacturing USA

Willow Innovations, Inc.

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About Us

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

Pawan Kumar, the CEO of Allied Market Research, is leading the organization toward providing high-quality data and insights. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

Contact:

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SOURCE Allied Market Research
Advantages of melamine formaldehyde in construction industry and increase in its usage in building and construction industry drive the growth of the global melamine formaldehyde market.

PORTLAND, Ore., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Melamine Formaldehyde Market by Form (Liquid and Powder) and Application (Laminates, Wood Adhesives, Molding Compounds, Surface Coatings, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030". According to the report, the global melamine formaldehyde industry generated $652.6 million in 2020, and is anticipated to generate $1.16 billion by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 6.0% from 2021 to 2030.

Prime determinants of growth

Advantages of melamine formaldehyde in the construction industry and increase in its usage in paints, furniture, textile, and automotive industries drive the growth of the global melamine formaldehyde market. However, stringent government regulations and fluctuation in the cost of raw materials hinder the market growth. On the other hand, effective solutions for waste management present new opportunities in the coming years.

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Covid-19 Scenario

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the growth of the global melamine formaldehyde market, owing to a sharp decline in demand for melamine formaldehyde from various industries, such as furniture, paper, and construction.

The governments imposed a ban on imports and export activities, thereby causing severe disruptions in the supply chain. This, in turn, hampered the melamine formaldehyde market growth to an extent.

However, the market is going to recover soon as the demand from various industries grows steadily as daily operations begin with full capacity.

The powder segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

Based on form, the powder segment held the highest market share in 2020, accounting for more than half of the global melamine formaldehyde market, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This is due to its increase in use in glazing, and lamination on particleboard flooring. However, the liquid segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 6.8% from 2021 to 2030, attributed to rise in demand from laminates, surface coating, wood adhesives, and molding compounds.

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The laminates segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period

Based on application, the laminates segment accounted for the largest share in 2020, contributing to more than two-fifths of the global melamine formaldehyde market, and is projected to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. This is due to its wide usage in renovation and furniture applications for residential construction. However, the surface coatings segment is expected to portray the largest CAGR of 7.0% from 2021 to 2030. Its demand from aerospace, auto refinishing, furniture finishing, metal can-coating, paper coating is growing, which in turn, drives the segment.

Asia-Pacific, followed by Europe & North America, to maintain its dominance by 2030

Based on region, Asia-Pacific, followed by Europe & North America, held the highest market share in terms of revenue 2020, accounting for more than half of the global melamine formaldehyde market. Rise in industrialization and increase in construction activities are projected to maintain leading position in the market over the forecast period. However, the LAMEA region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 8.1% during the forecast period, owing to high growth in automotive and construction industries in the region.

Leading Market Players

Allnex GMBH

Arclin Inc.

BASF SE

Georgia-Pacific Chemicals LLC

Hexion,

Hexza Corporation Berhad

Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.

Pacific Texchem Private Limited

Prefere Resins Holding GmbH

Sprea Misr.

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Melamine Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2030

About Us:

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

Pawan Kumar, the CEO of Allied Market Research, is leading the organization toward providing high-quality data and insights. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.



Contact:

David Correa

5933 NE Win Sivers Drive

#205, Portland, OR 97220

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Toll Free: 1-800-792-5285

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SOURCE Allied Market Research
Earlier studies in Belgian and Italian hospitals showed synbiotic cleaning to be a promising new technology for healthcare facilities (Caselli E, et.al 2 ). A new study conducted at the renowned Charite-Universitatsmedizin Hospital in Berlin (Charite Berlin) investigated and compared the effects of different cleaning and disinfecting strategies on the surface microbiome in a clinical setting. Three surface treatments (Incidin Pro ECOLAB disinfectant, Brial Top ECOLAB cleaner, and HeiQ Synbio synbiotic cleaners) were applied subsequently in nine independent patient rooms at a neurological ward (Charite, Berlin). Weekly sampling of different surfaces demonstrated that synbiotic cleaning is a superior new method in hospital hygiene management and confirmed the prior findings from Caselli et.al. 3-6 where HeiQ Synbio cleaners reduce antimicrobial resistance on hospital surfaces by up to 99.9%, reduce the incidence of healthcare associated infections by up to 52% and reduce healthcare associated infections related costs by up to 75%. These results are groundbreaking and induce a mindshift in hospital infection control strategies.

The full Charite Berlin study can be found here, and a detailed presentation will also be made at a seminar on May 11, 2022, at Interclean 2022 in Amsterdam, NL.

HeiQ responds to growing consumer interest in health, hygiene and safety with sustainable technology

Following its acquisition of Chrisal, a specialist biotech company with patented probiotic & synbiotic technology, HeiQ, the Swiss IP creator and established global brand in materials innovation, recently launched its new HeiQ Synbio cleaning range featured here. HeiQ Synbio uses synbiotics, the unique synthesis of pre- and probiotics towards sustainably improve microbiomes for people, pets and the environment.

A microbiologist himself and the original creator of the HeiQ Synbio technology, Dr. Robin Temmerman, CEO of HeiQ Chrisal, comments, "In their pursuit of perfect cleanliness, people have been using antibiotics, disinfectants and biocides for far too long and in excessive amounts, which can result in resistant microorganisms, so-called "super bugs", that are a huge problem in hospitals. Our inspiration for the creation of synbiotic cleaning products at HeiQ Chrisal was founded in our conviction that synbiotics are the only true sustainable and effective solution to maintain outstanding cleanliness and reduce antimicrobial resistance. Synbiotic cleaners have been used for 10 years in hospitals contributing to decreasing infection rates. Today, more than 50 hospitals in Europe clean with HeiQl Synbio products."

HeiQ Seminar on Synbiotic Cleaners and Healthcare Associated Infections at Interclean

HeiQ will be holding a Seminar highlighting the spectacular efficacy of synbiotic cleaning in healthcare facilities. A panel of experts will explain synbiotic cleaning  the technology, products and applications and present the results of the study conducted by Charite Berlin.

Registration: here

Speakers and topics:

Dr. Tilman Klassert , Jena University, "Evaluation of probiotic cleaning in Charite University Berlin"

, Jena University, "Evaluation of probiotic cleaning in Charite University Berlin" Elad Amir , Design Cleaning Services Ltd, "Benefits of Synbio cleaning for facilities" and user cases

, Design Cleaning Services Ltd, "Benefits of Synbio cleaning for facilities" and user cases Dr. Robin Temmerman , HeiQ Chrisal, "Synbiotic hygiene  technology, products and applications"

Seminar: HeiQ Seminar - Beyond Clean - Revolutionary Synbiotic Cleaning for Healthcare Facilities

Date: 11th May 2022, from 14.30 till 16:30

Venue: Interclean, Amsterdam, NL, Rooms E104 & E 105, near the entrance of Hall 10

Registration: here

About HeiQ

HeiQ (LSE: HEIQ) is a Swiss IP innovator and established global brand in materials and textile innovation. Founded in 2005 as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) and listed on the London Stock Exchange Main Market since 2020, HeiQ is focused on improving the lives of billions of people world-wide by adding hygiene, comfort, protection and sustainability to the products we use every day. HeiQ has strong IPs which are at the forefront of global technology. Active in multiple markets: textiles, carpets, antimicrobial plastics, conductive coatings, medical devices, probiotic household cleaners, personal care and hospital hygiene, HeiQ has created some of the most effective, durable and high-performance technologies in these markets today.

A trusted innovation partner for over 300 global brands and with a substantial R&D pipeline, HeiQ has won multiple awards such as the Swiss technology and the Swiss Environmental award and gained a strong reputation for the ESG and sustainable downstream effect of its innovations. HeiQ researches new solutions for partners, delivers scaled up manufacturing from its sites across the world and helps partners with go-to-market launches - aiming for lab to consumer in months. www.heiq.com

[1] 2022. Klassert TE et al., Comparative analysis of surface sanitization protocols on the bacterial community structures in the hospital environment, Clinical Microbiology and Infection, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2022.02.032

[2] Caselli, E. et al. Reducing healthcare-associated infections incidence by a probiotic-based sanitation system: A multicentre, prospective, intervention study. PLoS ONE 13, e0199616 (2018).

[3] Tarricone, R., Rognoni, C., Arnoldo, L., Mazzacane, S. & Caselli, E. A Probiotic-Based Sanitation System for the Reduction of Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistances: A Budget Impact Analysis. Pathogens 9, 502 (2020).

[4] Caselli, E. et al. Impact of a probiotic-based hospital sanitation on antimicrobial resistance and HAI-associated antimicrobial consumption and costs: a multicenter study. Infect. Drug Resist. 12, 501510 (2019).

[5] Caselli, E. Hygiene: microbial strategies to reduce pathogens and drug resistance in clinical settings. Microb. Biotechnol. 10, 10791083 (2017).

[6] Caselli, E. et al. Impact of a Probiotic-Based Cleaning Intervention on the Microbiota Ecosystem of the Hospital Surfaces: Focus on the Resistome Remodulation. PLOS ONE 11, e0148857 (2016).

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CONTACTS

HeiQ Materials AG

www.heiq.com

info@heiq.com

+41 56 250 68 50

Media contact for interview or high-res image:

Loraine Stantzos

VP Marketing Communications

loraine.stantzos@heiq.com

SOURCE HeiQ Materials AG
Marks Teachstack's first partnership in Indonesia , at the heels of recent ed-tech partnerships across Bangladesh and Malaysia .

JAKARTA, Indonesia, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Teachmint group-owned Teachstack announced its entry into Indonesia with its first partnership with Terampil - a fast-growing ed-tech startup focused on career building and on-demand training. Teachstack will support Terampil's vision of delivering a distinctive online learning experience to its students by providing a ready-to-launch classroom solution.

Teachstack is Teachmint's Video-as-a-Service offering for edtech organizations across the globe to enable them with their proprietary, state-of-the-art plug and play live class solutions. The offering reduces the go-to-market time for ed-tech players by helping them integrate native classroom infrastructure with minimal code.

Mihir Gupta, Co-founder & CEO of Teachmint, said, "With our innovation in education infrastructure, we want to power the global ed-tech economy by partnering with startups solving unique, scalable problems in their geographies. We're delighted to partner with Terampil with our technological offerings and be a part of their journey. Through Teachstack, we're looking forward to building more such partnerships which would revolutionize digital education across the globe."

Terampil is an online learning platform to build wealth, career & business through active learning and certified training that is easy to access, supervised, and affordable. Terampil currently offers 130 courses on-demand from 100+ expert mentors. Their repository covers critical areas of upskilling like Personal & Business Foundations, Marketing & Branding, Sales, Operational & Technology, Finance & Accounting & Human Capital.

Amrullah Azmy, Founder & CEO of Terampil said, "We started this journey in October 2021 with a vision to build agile human resources ready for global competition. Interactive learning experiences are critical for us to drive impactful learning outcomes. Our partnership with Teachstack aims to strengthen this. Teachstack is a one of a kind innovation that solves for live streaming within our apps in the simplest and fastest way possible; hence our choice was simple! We look forward to a fruitful partnership in bringing quality learning experiences to the world."

About Teachmint

Teachmint is a leading education infrastructure startup. Available in 20 languages, with 10+ million teachers & students from 30+ countries on its platform, Teachmint today is the only solution catering to end-to-end infrastructure needs of all education providers; from K-12 schools to after-school tutoring, universities, creators and edtechs.

Media Contact:

Purnima Joshi

purnima@teachmint.com

+91-9535042561

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SOURCE Teachmint
Deal extends unmatched onsite solutions to construction/maintenance industry challenges across a broader footprint. Tweet this

Tim Fries, F&M MAFCO's CEO, was named chief growth officer of both organizations and president of F&M MAFCO. He will report directly to AMECO CEO Gary Bernardez and be responsible for developing and implementing a long-term growth strategy that fully leverages the synergies of both businesses to drive comprehensive solutions to clients. Fries will oversee all joint strategic planning, business development, marketing and client success initiatives while maintaining his role as president of F&M MAFCO.

Fries commented, "I am very excited about the growth potential that a combined AMECO and F&M MAFCO product and services offering can have on our businesses. Both companies have great brand recognition and reputations in the marketplace. More importantly, we share common core values and company cultures, which will be a key ingredient in delivering exceptional service to clients and securing our future success."

Bernardez added, "In today's business environment, the ability to deliver onsite solutions that provide cost certainty, reduce redundancy of sitewide services, enhance site ESG and sustainability programs, increase uptime and improve labor efficiencies is a huge win for our clients. Together, AMECO and F&M MAFCO will deliver unmatched levels of innovation, efficiency and value across multiple industries. We make a powerful team."

AMECO is a portfolio company of One Equity Partners, a middle market private equity firm focused on transformative combinations within the industrial, healthcare and technology sectors in North America and Europe.

About AMECO

Based in Greenville, South Carolina, AMECO is a privately held company owned by middle-market private equity firm One Equity Partners (OEP). As a Site Services company, AMECO delivers unique solutions for efficient planning and management of construction indirect products and services, such as scaffolding, tools, water and ice distribution, fueling, vehicles and construction equipment, throughout the project life cycle to the construction and maintenance markets in North America. Industries served include energy, chemicals, advanced technology, biotech, manufacturing, infrastructure, mining and government. For more information, please visit www.ameco.com.

About F&M MAFCO

Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, F&M MAFCO is a leading international tool and equipment rental, sales and service company. The company specializes in providing tool and equipment rental, sales and service programs in the construction and heavy industrial markets across many industry segments, including power generation, manufacturing, petrochemical, chemical, bridges, marine, pulp and paper and mining. For more information, please visit www.fmmafco.com.

About One Equity Partners

One Equity Partners is a middle market private equity firm focused on the industrial, healthcare and technology sectors in North America and Europe. The firm seeks to build market-leading companies by identifying and executing transformative business combinations. OEP is a trusted partner with a differentiated investment process, a broad and senior team and an established track record generating long-term value for its partners. Since 2001, the firm has completed more than 300 transactions worldwide. OEP, founded in 2001, spun out of JP Morgan in 2015. The firm has offices in New York, Chicago, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. For more information, please visit www.oneequity.com.

Media Contact: JoAnne Laffey Abed |BRIGHT+CO for AMECO

[email protected] | 773.308.5519

SOURCE AMECO
Mr. Corrigan will maintain his role on the Company's Board of Trustees

CALABASAS, Calif., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH) ("American Homes 4 Rent" or the "Company"), a leading provider of high-quality single-family homes for rent, today announced that Jack Corrigan will be retiring from his role as Chief Investment Officer effective May 31, 2022, and will continue to assist in the transition of his role over the balance of the year. Mr. Corrigan will also continue to serve on the Company's Board of Trustees.

"Jack was one of the original members of the American Homes 4 Rent team and had the foresight in the early days of the single-family rental industry to create a nimble, strategic approach to home acquisitions that helped lay the foundation for our growth," said David Singelyn, Chief Executive Officer of American Homes 4 Rent. "Thanks to Jack and his team, who drove the expansion of our acquisitions to include land for the development of new home communities, today we are one of the nation's top builders."

From 2012 to 2019, Mr. Corrigan served in a dual role of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Investment Officer of American Homes 4 Rent. Previously, he was Chief Operating Officer of American Homes 4 Rent Advisor, LLC, the Company's former manager, from 2011 to 2013.

"During his tenure with the Company, Jack always championed our team, engaging, inspiring and guiding many of our current leaders into the thriving careers they have today," added Mr. Singelyn. "As he steps away from our day-to-day business, we wish him nothing but the best and thank him for his vision, expertise and optimism in helping to build American Homes 4 Rent into the leader it is today. We look forward to his continuing contributions as a Trustee."

"I feel proud to be a part of the team that we've created at American Homes 4 Rent and am confident that I'm leaving the operation in good hands," said Mr. Corrigan. "Early on, we contributed to the rehabilitation of many neighborhoods during the Great Recession, creating thousands of jobs in the process. Today, we're doing our small part to alleviate the housing shortage through the development of our new home communities. I'm grateful to all the current and former team members who collectively made all of these accomplishments possible."

About American Homes 4 Rent

American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH) is a leader in the single-family home rental industry and "American Homes 4 Rent" is a nationally recognized brand for rental homes, known for high-quality, good value and resident satisfaction. We are an internally managed Maryland real estate investment trust, or REIT, focused on acquiring, developing, renovating, leasing, and operating attractive, single-family homes as rental properties. As of December 31, 2021, we owned 57,024 single-family properties in selected submarkets in 22 states.

Additional information about American Homes 4 Rent is available on our website at www.americanhomes4rent.com.

Contacts:

American Homes 4 Rent

Megan Grabos

Media Relations

Phone: (805) 413-5088

Email: [email protected]

American Homes 4 Rent

Nicholas Fromm

Investor Relations

Phone: (855) 794-2447

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE American Homes 4 Rent
AVA founder Jacqueline Timmer touts forthcoming model legislation as antidote to "disdain for democracy and contempt for the will of the people."

AMHERST, Va., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacqueline Timmer, founder and director of the American Voter's Alliance, issued the following statement reacting to the premiere of Dinesh D'Souza's new documentary about illegal ballot harvesting, 2000 Mules.

"2000 Mules validates everything AVA and The Amistad Project have been doing for the past two and a half years. This film does an excellent job of shining light on one of the many worrisome practices that took place during the 2020 election  a practice funded by billionaires in pursuit of partisan gain.

"Ballot harvesting of any kind violates the principle of 'one person, one vote' and contributes to voter apathy, distrust of institutions, and lack of faith in the legitimacy of our elected officials. The kind of organized, large-scale ballot harvesting  more appropriately, ballot trafficking  depicted in 2000 Mules is the worst possible kind, demonstrating a disdain for democracy and contempt for the will of the people.

"Free and fair elections must be transparent, inclusive, and accountable  but that's not currently the case in many parts of the country. The status quo is unacceptable, and it has to end. Every legal vote should count, and fraudulent votes should never count. We have been developing a framework to accomplish just that.

"The American Voter's Alliance has been working overtime to develop legislative solutions, in consultation with state lawmakers and an unparalleled team of experts with decades of experience fighting vote fraud. This model legislation will better hold public officials accountable and correct the egregious irregularities and unlawful behaviors such as ballot harvesting that we witnessed in 2020."

For more information, please visit https://americanvotersalliance.org/

SOURCE American Voter's Alliance
Klaus will lead the scale-up of AMSilk's protein production with existing CMOs

Klaus will be responsible for developing and implementing the future AMSilk strategy for protein production, including the development of capacities and new CMOs worldwide

Klaus brings more than 25 years' biotechnology experience in global operations

MUNICH, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AMSilk GmbH ("AMSilk"), a world leader in supplying innovative high-performance bio-based silk materials, today announces the appointment of Klaus Kjedal as Chief Production Officer (CPO) and Managing Director (MD).

Klaus was most recently Head of Operations Enzymes at BASF and has previously worked for Uniobio, Novozymes and Orkla Foods leading their global operations and manufacturing. He has considerable experience in global operations and brings a deep understanding of product development, purchasing, engineering, process improvements, internal logistics and contract manufacturing. Klaus has worked across Europe, the US and Asia with multiple different strategies, processes and technologies.

Dr. Wolfgang Colberg Chairman of the Advisory Board, AMSilk, said: "The Board and I are very pleased to welcome Klaus to the AMSilk Management Team. AMSilk is entering a new phase of growth and the appointment of Klaus is a testament to AMSilk's growth strategy, as we continue to drive the industrial upscaling of the Company."

Ulrich Scherbel, Chief Executive Officer, AMSilk, said: "To have Klaus join the team is validation of our role as one of the world's leading suppliers of innovative high-performance biotech materials. Klaus' knowledge and experience of global manufacturing will be invaluable as we scale-up AMSilk's protein production in 2022."

Klaus Kjedal, Chief Production Officer and Managing Director, AMSilk, added: "I am excited to be joining AMSilk and help progress the Company through the production and operations growth phase. AMSilk is a truly innovative company looking to make real change and I share its passion for making high-performance biotech materials that are accessible to everyone."

AMSilk develops and supplies smart bio-fabricated silk materials for use in everyday life. The environmentally friendly, sustainable silk biopolymers can be fully recycled and are 100% biodegradable. These materials are leading the change to better and more sustainable products as well as driving state-of-the-art biomedical developments.

About AMSilk

AMSilk GmbH is the world's first industrial supplier of vegan silk biopolymers and has its headquarters in Munich, Germany. AMSilk's high-performance biopolymers have the unique functional properties of the natural product they are based on. AMSilk offers its innovative range of high-performance Biosteel fibers for textiles and industrial applications worldwide and has announced collaborations and partnerships with world leading brands like Adidas and Airbus. The organic high-performance material can be used in multiple ways and is suited for medical devices as well as for personal care products. AMSilk biopolymers give such products unique properties. Among other things, the polymers are biocompatible, safe and robust. AMSilk invites you to discover more at www.amsilk.com.

SOURCE AMSilk
Increasing demand for use in solar power production and telecommunications industries is projected to boost the global anti-reflective coatings market

Automotive industry has surfaced as a key end-use segment in the global anti-reflective coatings market due to increasing usage in high-transmitting windows and dashboards of several vehicles

ALBANY, N.Y., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global anti-reflective coatings market stood at US$ 4.2 Bn in 2020. The global market is predicted to rise at a CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast period, from 2021 to 2031. The global anti-reflective coatings market is likely to attain valuation of US$ 11.65 Bn by 2031. Anti-reflective coatings are growing in popularity in a multitude of industries as their applications broaden. Touchscreens in electronic gadgets, eyeglasses, smartphone displays, and flat panel displays make use of anti-reflective coatings. The growth of the global anti-reflective coatings market is mostly due to the increasing usage in these existing application areas.

The global anti-reflective coatings market is likely to profit primarily from increasing demand from telecommunications and solar power industries. These coatings are thin optical films that minimize reflections from a range of surfaces. Anti-reflective coatings improve transmission by lowering light loss due to reflection. Almost 4% of all light falling on glass at a perpendicular slant is lost, owing to reflection at the point wherein glass meets air. In such circumstances, the proportion of light lost increases as the incidence angle of the light rises.

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Light reflected by solar panels, in particular, is light that is wasted. The use of anti-reflective coatings on panes of solar panel helps to reduce light reflection and hence, improve light transmission. In order to gain a competitive advantage, players in the global anti-reflective coatings market are speeding up the development process and opening up new revenue streams. Market participants are overcoming obstacles and expanding their service offerings to gain strategic advantage in the market.

Key Findings of Market Report

The global market is driven by increasing use of anti-reflective coatings in solar, eyeglasses, electronics, and automobiles, among other applications. The eyeglass industry is now one of the leading end users of anti-reflective coatings, and the trend is likely to continue in the upcoming years. Anti-reflective coatings are in great demand in the market for products with strong light transmission and comfortable eyewear and contact lenses.

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Anti-reflective coatings are also used extensively in the electronics industry. The electronics sector is a significant end consumer of the market due to flourishing smartphone industry, rising demand for flat panel displays, and usage of anti-reflective coatings during photolithography in semiconductor production. The automotive industry has evolved as a major end-use industry in the global anti-reflective coatings market due to growing usage in products such as high-transmitting windows and dashboards in a range of vehicles.

In 2020, North America held about 35% of the global anti-reflective coatings market. Due to the sheer presence of well-established solar power, eyewear, and automotive industries, the Europe anti-reflective coatings market has seen consistent development in recent years.

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Anti-reflective Coatings Market: Growth Drivers

Anti-reflective coatings are applied on Yttrium aluminum garnet (YaG), glass, sapphire, and quartz, among many other substrates. Video glasses, kiosk displays, telescopes, binocular lenses, and riflescopes all use these coatings. In the next few years, the global anti-reflective coatings market is likely to be propelled by rising demand from the telecommunications industry as well.

The Asia Pacific anti-reflective coatings market is predicted to exhibit strong growth prospects in the years to come. High demand from the electronics industry coupled with steady expansion of the regional solar power & automotive industries is projected to drive the regional market in the near future.

Global Anti-reflective Coatings Market: Key Competitors

Honeywell International Inc.

Carl Zeiss AG

Essilor International S.A.

JDS Uniphase Corporation

Optical Coatings Japan

Royal DSM N.V.

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Global Anti-reflective Coatings Market: Segmentation

End User

Eyewear

Electronics

Solar

Automobile

Others

Chemicals & Materials Industry battles Tangible Impact of Economic and Cultural changes, Explore Transparency Market Research's award-winning coverage of the global Chemicals & Materials:

Low NOx Burner Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/low-nox-burner-market.html

Phenylpyrazole Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/phenylpyrazole-market.html

About Transparency Market Research

Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyse information.



Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

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SOURCE Transparency Market Research
"At Aspen Dental, we're committed to breaking down barriers to care  especially when it comes to our nation's veterans, who have given so much to all of us," said Arwinder Judge, DDS, chief clinical officer at Aspen Dental. "Day of Service is a powerful opportunity for Aspen Dental care teams across the entire country to make a difference in the lives of veterans and connect them with the care they often desperately need."

Since 2014, doctors and their dental care teams from Aspen Dental offices across the country have donated more than $23 million in dentistry services to more than 30,000 United States military veterans and people in need through the company's Healthy Mouth Movement.

Millions of Americans struggle to access dental care every year, and military veterans are no exception  in fact, veterans are ineligible for dental benefits through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs unless they're 100% disabled, have a service-related mouth injury, or were a prisoner of war. Many Americans have experienced additional oral care challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as dentists report increasing amounts of teeth-grinding, cavities and gum disease, largely attributed to pandemic-related stress and changes in health habits.

How Veterans Can Schedule an Appointment

Starting today, veterans can call 1-844-277-3646 (1-844-ASPENHMM) to find a participating Aspen Dental office in their community and schedule an appointment. Advance appointments are required.

During the Day of Service, Aspen Dental doctors and their dental care teams focus on treating the most urgent dental needs to help get veterans out of pain, from fillings and extractions to hygiene and basic denture repairs.

For more information about Day of Service and the Healthy Mouth Movement, visit www.HealthyMouthMovement.com.

About Aspen Dental

Aspen Dental was founded in 1998 in New York by Bob Fontana with a simple goal in mind: to break down the barriers that doctors and patients face when it comes to dental care. Today, more than 20 years later, with nearly 1,000 Aspen Dental locations nationwide, the mission of the company remains the same  to bring better care to more people. Aspen Dental is the largest group of branded dental offices in the world. For more information, visit aspendental.com, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

About TAG - The Aspen Group

TAG  The Aspen Group was built on the simple idea of bringing better health care to more people. TAG and the independent health care practices it supports operate more than 1,100 locations in 45 states through its four health care support companies: Aspen Dental, ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers, WellNow Urgent Care and Chapter Aesthetic StudioSM. Combined, the companies serve more than 35,000 patients a day and more than 8 million patients each year. TAG is headquartered at 800 W. Fulton Market in Chicago. For more information, visit teamtag.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

SOURCE Aspen Dental
"I decided to get from Ukraine because I was so scared for my daughter's life," Herasymenko said. She said they were able to escape with the help of Florida Attorney Dan Newlin. Last week, Newlin's team assisted in coordinating the family getting from their basement to an awaiting bus after a church contacted him.

With the approval of United States Customs and Immigration, the mother and daughter then traveled to Poland, Germany and Mexico before finally touching down in the USA. Violetta and Ulliana arrived at Orlando International Airport in Newlin's private plane Wednesday afternoon, where they received a warm welcome from Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Newlin's law firm donated a home in Melbourne, Florida for one year and local Brevard churches and residents vowed to lend additional support.

"I am honored that I am in a position to help the people of Ukraine, I traveled to Ukraine several times over the years and really enjoyed the people and culture. I am truly heart broken to see the horrors we are all witnessing," Newlin said.

Dan Newlin has also funded Ukrainian rescue operations that sent a complete medical/surgical team into Ukraine where numerous emergency surgeries were performed by American surgeons on children in need of emergency medical care. Newlin has also sent several cargo air shipments of medical and humanitarian supplies to Ukraine, and he says he plans to continue to provide tactical support and humanitarian support to Ukraine. Newlin said, "We still have much to do. This is what we're supposed to do as humans to help others."

SOURCE Dan Newlin Injury Attorneys
The company provides low-cost quality healthcare to patients in North Florida.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bellevue Psychiatric Urgent Care, a leader in psychiatric patient care, is announcing it is the first and only psychiatric urgent care in North Florida to serve those in desperate need and have limited access to mental health services.



"We are here to serve the growing population of low-income communities, underserved areas, and those in dire need of psychiatric care with our walk-in, same day and telehealth visits," says the founder of Bellevue Psychiatric Urgent Care, Dr. Bih Tambi.



"The United States suffers from a dramatic shortage of psychiatrists, leaving individuals and families without mental health services they desperately need. Our team aids in this shortage by skipping roadblocks to get immediate, convenient, and affordable mental health treatment."



We treat different conditions adults and children over the age of seven including

Major Depression

Bipolar Disorder

ADD/ADHD

Insomnia and sleep-related disturbances

Anxiety Disorders

Eating disorders

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Alcohol Use Disorder

Opiate Use Disorder

Services offered at Bellevue Psychiatric Urgent Care:

Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluations

Medical Second Opinions

Medication Management

Telepsychiatry

Disability Evaluations

Ketamine Infusions

IV infusion Therapy

Independent Medical Exams.

"Our experienced staff will work closely with each patient to cultivate specialized, ongoing support for all mental and emotional needs," concludes Dr. Tambi.

The clinic is located at 3101 University Blvd S, #206, Jacksonville FL 32216, and is open from 8 am to 5 pm on weekdays and 10 am to 2pm on Saturdays.

For more information, visit https://bpsychiatry.com.

Email us [email protected]

Call 904 886 0361 to make an appointment.

About Bellevue Psychiatric Urgent Care

Bellevue Psychiatric Urgent Care was founded in 2015 by Dr. Bih Tambi, a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. She is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is a licensed psychiatrist in Florida, Georgia, California, Virginia, and Nevada. Dr. Tambi completed her residency at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, and has over ten years of experience helping individuals move forward towards healthier, more fulfilling futures.

Bellevue Psychiatric Urgent Care aims to cut wait times by helping patients skip roadblocks and get immediate, convenient, and affordable mental health treatment. The clinic also provides services on a walk-in basis, including extended Saturday opening times.

SOURCE Bellevue Psychiatric Urgent Care
Longtime local favorite Little India is serving coffee and Denver community youth organizations with an all-new coffee shop with an inspiring backstory.

DENVER, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lil Coffea Shop is welcoming customers to enjoy handcrafted beverages and made-from-scratch foods at their Denver coffee shop, a new business backed by top-rated restaurant Little India. Since its opening, the coffee shop has garnered considerable attention for its excellent menu and service, as well as its community service efforts and inspiring story.

Lil Coffea Shop opened its doors in October of 2021, but truly grasping the meaningful nature of this new business requires an understanding of what came before. Robert (Bobby) Yoakum was a staff member at Little India for nearly a decade, eventually leaving the restaurant in 2013. Sadly, his battles with addiction took hold of his life and led to incredible challenges  all of which he managed to overcome. In February 2020, he was working his job at a Denver Jiffy Lube when he heard a familiar voice say his name. It was Simeran Baidwan, owner of Little India and well-known member of the Denver community.

That moment would prove pivotal for both Yoakum and Baidwan, eventually leading to the idea for a new Denver coffee shop. When the concept finally came to fruition late last year, locals wasted no time making it an often-frequented business and a community staple. Yoakum and Baidwan are partners in Lil Coffea Shop, with their success representing the power of giving someone a second chance.

All items on the Lil Coffea Shop menu, from the freshly-roasted coffee to the grab-and-go foods, are locally sourced. The coffee shop features Denver-based coffee roaster, Huckleberry Roasters, as well as Olive and Finch. Open daily from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Lil Coffea Shop has quickly become a local institution for Denver residents and visitors alike.

But it's not just the menu that demonstrates the great care that goes into every aspect of Lil Coffea Shop; the business is also heavily involved in community organizations and charitable efforts. Through donations, volunteer efforts, and job opportunities, Lil Coffea Shop supports local youth organizations such as Urban Peak. For those familiar with the family and owner behind Little India, the sister business to Lil Coffea Shop, it comes as no surprise to learn that this new venture consistently puts customers and the community first.

Additional details about Lil Coffea Shop, including the coffee shop's menu, can be found on their website athttps://www.lilcoffeashop.com/.

About Lil Coffea Shop: For more than two decades, award-winning Denver restaurant Little India has been a mainstay of the city's culinary scene and community. Owner Simeran Baidwan has partnered with a former longtime Little India employee, Robert Yoakum, to open Lil Coffea. The coffee shop opened its doors in October 2021, serving a variety of hot and cold beverages and healthy, grab-and-go foods. The Lil Coffea Shop team makes significant efforts to support local troubled youth organizations in Denver, including Urban Peak, via donations, work opportunities, and staff volunteering.

For more information about the Lil Coffea Shop, please contact Robert Yoakum at (720)589-0963 or [email protected].

SOURCE Lil Coffea Shop
ELSTREE, England, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bio Products Laboratory (BPL), a leading manufacturer of plasma-derived protein therapies, based in Elstree, UK, announced today it has received orphan drug marketing authorization for Coagadex in Mexico.

Coagadex is the first and only treatment specifically for Hereditary Factor X Deficiency, a very rare inherited clotting disorder that causes problems with blood clotting due to not having enough Factor X in the blood. People with Factor X Deficiency can have serious and life-threatening bleeding episodes.

This approval is critical to meet the needs of Mexican patients, where currently there is little epidemiological information on ultra-rare bleeding disorders and there is limited knowledge of the disease among health professionals.

This is the second milestone in Mexico for BPL, who announced in December its first ever direct sale in Mexico of Zenalb 20%, another important supply that is critical to meet the needs of Mexican patients who will benefit from albumin.

Bob Rossilli, Chief Commercial Officer, Global Business, said, "BPL continues its focus on delivering high-quality and clinically differentiated medicines like Coagadex to new markets around the world and we are honoured that this designation means we can soon bring to market another of our life-enhancing products to patients in Mexico, in addition to Zenalb 20%.

BPL continues to strengthen its global commercial presence by launching products into new markets  as demonstrated by the recent news that BPL was granted its first ever approval for a BPL product, Albuminex 25% in China - the largest albumin market globally.

Thank you to all those involved for the great collaborative work during a long journey to make another success happen to benefit patients in Mexico and around the world."

Leonardo Torres, General Manager for BPL Mexico, said, "We are delighted with this key success for BPL. In addition to our first product delivery of Zenalb 20% this year in Mexico, we will soon be able to provide Coagadex, which is of major importance for patients suffering from Hereditary Factor X Deficiency in the country and is another example of BPL's commitment to enhance patients' lives and serve more people who depend on our products."

Registro Mexicano de Coagulopatias. Federacion de hemofilia de la Republica Mexicana. [Internet] Citado el 14 de diciembre de 2021. 6 p. Disponible en: https://hemofilia.org.mx/la-importancia-de-estar-registrado/

About Bio Products Laboratory (BPL)

Recognising the importance of plasma and with many years of experience in the industry, BPL supplies high-quality plasma derived medicines to meet the needs of clinicians, patients, and customers globally. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, with US offices in Durham, NC, and plasma collection centres across the United States, we are dedicated to producing medicines for the treatment of immune deficiencies, bleeding disorders and infectious diseases as well for critical care. BPL invests in the latest R&D, technology and manufacturing methods, and continuously adapts to ensure that we continue to serve all our stakeholders effectively. For more information visit http://www.bplgroup.com or https://www.bpl-us.com.

BPL consists of two operating divisions  BPL Plasma and BPL Therapeutics. BPL Plasma, headquartered in Austin, Texas and operating in the USA, collects plasma from donors in around 29 centers across the U.S. BPL Plasma employs over 900 staff to support the needs of donors and to ensure high-quality plasma collection in all their centers. Plasma collection is regulated by both FDA and MHRA, and BPL Plasma follows industry guidelines. BPL Plasma operates plasma facilities, staffed with trained personnel, dedicated to supporting donors through the process that leads to the donation of plasma. Plasma is shipped to the headquarters of BPL Therapeutics in Elstree, United Kingdom. The plasma is fractionated, purified, and filled through the efforts of our over 1,000 employees involved in production, quality, R&D, commercial, customer services, and administrative activities. BPL's plasma-derived medicines are commercially available in the U.K., USA, and 30 plus other countries around the world through our network of local affiliates and distribution partners.

SOURCE Bio Products Laboratory USA
The inaugural red-carpet benefit at the Alex Theatre on July 30, 2022 launches Asian Hall of Fame's Brain Injury Endowment for trauma survivors and funds brain injury research. Inductees will welcome a new Medical Professionals Guild that will advance the cause including renowned neurosurgeon and brain cancer vaccine pioneer Dr. Linda M. Liau , Monster Founder and CEO Noel Lee , and Ren Hanami , National Chairman of the SAG-AFTRA Asian Pacific American Media Committee.

Asian Hall of Fame elevates Asian excellence, cross-cultural collaboration, and multiracial equity to overcome anti-Asian violence. Asian Hall of Fame is a Founding Supporter of the Academy Museum and operates from Robby Krieger's legendary Los Angeles studio.

Danny Seraphine and Robby Krieger are Asian Hall of Fame Ambassadors, honored annually to non-Asian icons who support Asian Hall of Fame's mission. Both artists have performed in the Induction Ceremony, charity records and Stop Asian Hate concerts.

The VIP reception starts at 4:00 with a heritage celebration of artisans, traditional performers, and cuisine from Japan, Korea, Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand. Autographed memorabilia will be auctioned including items from The Eagles, U2, Chicago and others. Doors open at 6:00 with a pre-curtain showcase. Commendations begin at 7:00 and Asian Hall of Fame will unveil Class of 2022. The concert is 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. Early bird tickets are available on the Asian Hall of Fame website.

Media can request credentials here.

ABOUT ASIAN HALL OF FAME

Established in 2004, Asian Hall of Fame is a global recognition program that overcomes anti-Asian bias by advancing cultural unity, multiracial equity and Asian contributions in the United States and around the world. Year-round programming promotes cross-cultural content and women-led innovation through the Tech & Entertainment Program, supports trauma survivors with the Brain Injury Endowment, expedites crime reporting with Make Hate Crime A Crime, and develops ESL, special needs and diversity fellows with Team Member Fellowships. Visit asianhalloffame.org or contact Rochelle Srigley at [email protected].

SOURCE Asian Hall of Fame
Record Quarterly Revenue of $70.8 Million

First Quarter Revenue Up Over 24% Year-Over-Year

13 Consecutive Quarters of 98% Gross Revenue Retention

BOISE, Idaho, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CWAN) ("Clearwater Analytics" or the "Company"), an industry-leading SaaS solution for automated investment data aggregation, reconciliation, accounting, and reporting, announced today its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2022.

"Clearwater Analytics had an extremely strong quarter, achieving significant top-line growth across all of our industry verticals, especially asset management," said Sandeep Sahai, Chief Executive Officer. "We added marquee logos in our core markets, including T. Rowe Price and Nuveen Asset Management, where we will optimize investment accounting operations as they grow their businesses. Also, we won our first insurance client in France and our first European foundation. Based on this solid start to the year, we are excited about the continued runway for growth spanning the rest of 2022 and beyond."

First Quarter 2022 Financial Results Summary

Revenue: Total revenue for the first quarter of 2022 reached $70.8 million , an increase of 24.4%, from $56.9 million in the first quarter of 2021.





Total revenue for the first quarter of 2022 reached , an increase of 24.4%, from in the first quarter of 2021. Gross Profit: Gross profit for the first quarter of 2022 was $49.6 million compared with $42.6 million in the first quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP gross profit for the first quarter of 2022 was $52.5 million , which equates to a 74.2% non-GAAP gross margin. Non-GAAP gross margin continues to be strong, even as the Company continues to hire ahead of expected new client demand in continental Europe and Asia . The decrease in gross margin as reported under GAAP is primarily due to increased equity-based compensation expense related to equity grant activity and the increase in grant date fair value and modification of equity awards in connection with the Company's recent IPO.





Gross profit for the first quarter of 2022 was compared with in the first quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP gross profit for the first quarter of 2022 was , which equates to a 74.2% non-GAAP gross margin. Non-GAAP gross margin continues to be strong, even as the Company continues to hire ahead of expected new client demand in continental and . The decrease in gross margin as reported under GAAP is primarily due to increased equity-based compensation expense related to equity grant activity and the increase in grant date fair value and modification of equity awards in connection with the Company's recent IPO. Net Income: Net income for the first quarter of 2022 was $0.5 million compared with net income of $3.4 million in the first quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP net income for the first quarter of 2022 was $12.8 million compared with non-GAAP net income of $7.8 million in the first quarter of 2021.





Net income for the first quarter of 2022 was compared with net income of in the first quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP net income for the first quarter of 2022 was compared with non-GAAP net income of in the first quarter of 2021. Net Income Per Share and Non-GAAP Net Income Per Share attributable to Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc.: Net income per basic and diluted share was $0.00 and non-GAAP net income per diluted share was $0.05 in the first quarter of 2022.





Net income per basic and diluted share was and non-GAAP net income per diluted share was in the first quarter of 2022. Adjusted EBITDA: Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter of 2022 was $18.9 million , compared with $18.1 million in the first quarter of 2021. Adjusted EBITDA margin for the first quarter of 2022 was 26.7%. The Company continues to produce solid Adjusted EBITDA margins, balancing growth and profitability, while at the same time absorbing incremental public company costs.





Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter of 2022 was , compared with in the first quarter of 2021. Adjusted EBITDA margin for the first quarter of 2022 was 26.7%. The Company continues to produce solid Adjusted EBITDA margins, balancing growth and profitability, while at the same time absorbing incremental public company costs. Cash: Cash and cash equivalents were $263.7 million as of March 31, 2022 .

First Quarter 2022 Key Metrics Summary

Annualized Recurring Revenue: As of March 31, 2022 , annualized recurring revenue ("ARR") reached $287.1 million , an increase of 23.5% from $232.5 million as of March 31, 2021 .



ARR is calculated at the end of a period by dividing the recurring revenue in the last month of such period by the number of days in the month and multiplying by 365.





As of , annualized recurring revenue ("ARR") reached , an increase of 23.5% from as of . ARR is calculated at the end of a period by dividing the recurring revenue in the last month of such period by the number of days in the month and multiplying by 365. Gross Revenue Retention Rate: As of March 31, 2022 , the gross revenue retention rate was 98%. The Company has reported a gross revenue retention rate of 98% for thirteen consecutive quarters.



Gross revenue retention rate represents annual contract value ("ACV") at the beginning of the 12-month period ended on the reporting date less client attrition over the prior 12-month period, divided by ACV at the beginning of the 12-month period, expressed as a percentage. ACV is comprised of annualized recurring revenue plus contracted-not-billed revenue, which represents the estimated annual contracted revenue for new and existing client opportunities prior to revenue recognition.





As of , the gross revenue retention rate was 98%. The Company has reported a gross revenue retention rate of 98% for thirteen consecutive quarters. Gross revenue retention rate represents annual contract value ("ACV") at the beginning of the 12-month period ended on the reporting date less client attrition over the prior 12-month period, divided by ACV at the beginning of the 12-month period, expressed as a percentage. ACV is comprised of annualized recurring revenue plus contracted-not-billed revenue, which represents the estimated annual contracted revenue for new and existing client opportunities prior to revenue recognition. Net Revenue Retention Rate: As of March 31, 2022 , the net revenue retention rate was 107%, representing healthy performance as existing clients, in particular asset managers, continued to increase their assets on the platform. While healthy, first quarter net revenue retention was impacted by slower growth from acquisitions within the Company's insurance client base and decreased pricing of the Company's clients' fixed income securities.



Net revenue retention rate is the percentage of recurring revenue from clients on the platform for 12 months and includes changes from the addition, removal, or value of assets on our platform, contractual changes that have an impact to annualized recurring revenues and lost revenue from client attrition.

Recent Business Highlights

The Company continued building its client onboarding and service capabilities in Europe and Asia with new offices in Singapore and London and expanded capacity in Edinburgh and Noida to enhance the delivery of high quality, global, follow-the-sun services, as momentum continues to build worldwide.





and with new offices in and and expanded capacity in and Noida to enhance the delivery of high quality, global, follow-the-sun services, as momentum continues to build worldwide. New asset management clients added during the first quarter of 2022 included T. Rowe Price and Nuveen Asset Management, who both chose Clearwater Analytics to optimize investment data aggregation and reporting performance, as well as a large East Coast-based asset manager.





and Nuveen Asset Management, who both chose Clearwater Analytics to optimize investment data aggregation and reporting performance, as well as a large East Coast-based asset manager. Insurance companies continue to turn to Clearwater Analytics as evidenced by several large insurers in North America choosing the Clearwater Analytics platform, along with a large multi-national insurer in the Asia-Pacific region, further demonstrating the Company's growing presence in Asia .





choosing the Clearwater Analytics platform, along with a large multi-national insurer in the region, further demonstrating the Company's growing presence in . The Company's Prism offering continues to gain traction, adding a large multi-family investment firm based in Silicon Valley to its client base. While dozens of our clients have added Prism to their operations, this is the first instance where Clearwater Analytics was not the incumbent or the investment accounting solution.





A study commissioned by the Company with independent consultants at Hobson & Company confirmed the disruptive nature of our platform by enabling growth and improving efficiency, decreasing cost and increasing AUM with the Company's data in the hands of investment professionals.

Second Quarter and Full-Year 2022 Guidance

"We are very pleased with our continued strong financial performance in the first quarter of 2022. Once again, our quarterly results exceeded our guidance for revenue and Adjusted EBITDA, as the demand for our differentiated solution remains strong from both new and existing clients," said Jim Cox, Chief Financial Officer. "Based on our first quarter results, we are raising our full-year revenue guidance, which we now expect to be in the range of $303 million to $305 million."





Second Quarter 2022

Full Year 2022 Revenue

$73 million to $73.5 million

$303 million to $305 million Year-over-Year Growth %

~20%

~21% Adjusted EBITDA

$19 million to $20 million

$80 million to $82 million

Certain components of the guidance given above are provided on a non-GAAP basis only without providing a reconciliation to guidance provided on a GAAP basis. Information is presented in this manner, consistent with Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") rules, because the preparation of such a reconciliation could not be accomplished without "unreasonable efforts." The Company does not have access to certain information that would be necessary to provide such a reconciliation, including non-recurring items that are not indicative of the Company's ongoing operations. The Company does not believe that this information is likely to be significant to an assessment of the Company's ongoing operations.

Conference Call Details

Clearwater Analytics will hold a conference call and webcast on May 4, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time to discuss first quarter 2022 financial results, provide a general business update, and respond to analyst questions.

A live webcast of the call will also be available on the Company's investor relations website. Please visit investors.clearwateranalytics.com at least fifteen minutes prior to the start of the event to register, download and install any necessary audio software.

If you are unable to participate live, a replay of the webcast will be available following the conference call on the Company's investor relations website, along with the earnings press release, and related financial tables.

About Clearwater Analytics

As the industry-leading SaaS solution for investment accounting and reporting, Clearwater Analytics enables growth of assets under management (AUM) for more than 1,100 clients including pension plans, governments, global insurers, asset managers, and corporations. Each day, Clearwater Analytics automates data collection, reconciliation, compliance, risk, and performance reporting across $5.9T of AUM with its comprehensive cloud platform and best-in-class service team.

Use of non-GAAP Information

This press release contains certain non-GAAP measures, including non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP diluted earnings per share and free cash flow.

The non-GAAP measures are not based on any standardized methodology prescribed by GAAP and are not necessarily comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. However, the Company believes that this non-GAAP information is useful as an additional means for investors to evaluate its operating performance, when reviewed in conjunction with its GAAP financial statements. These measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, and because these amounts are not determined in accordance with GAAP, they should not be used exclusively in evaluating the Company's business and operations. In addition, undue reliance should not be placed upon non-GAAP or operating information because this information is neither standardized across companies nor subjected to the same control activities and audit procedures that produce the Company's GAAP financial results.

The Company's non-GAAP statement of operations measures, including non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP diluted earnings per share and free cash flow, are adjusted to exclude the impact of certain costs, expenses, gains and losses and other specified items that management believes are not indicative of its ongoing operations. These adjusted measures exclude the impact of share-based compensation and eliminate potential differences in results of operations between periods caused by factors such as financing and capital structures, taxation positions or regimes, restructuring, impairment and other charges. Please refer to the reconciliations of these measures below to what the Company believes are the most directly comparable measures evaluated in accordance with GAAP.

Use of Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management. Forward-looking statements include information concerning the Company's possible or assumed future results of operations, business strategies, technology developments, financing and investment plans, dividend policy, competitive position, industry, economic and regulatory environment, potential growth opportunities and the effects of competition. Forward-looking statements include statements that are not historical facts and can be identified by terms such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "seek," "should," "will," "would" or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms, but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond Clearwater Analytics' control, that may 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 statements. These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially from Clearwater Analytics' current expectations and include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to keep pace with rapid technological change and competitors in its industry, the possibility that market volatility, a downturn in economic conditions or other factors may cause negative trends or fluctuations in the value of the assets on the Company's platform, the Company's ability to manage growth, the Company's ability to attract and retain skilled employees, the possibility that the Company's solutions fail to perform properly, disruptions and failures in the Company's and third parties' computer equipment, cloud-based services, electronic delivery systems, networks and telecommunications systems and infrastructure, the failure to protect the Company, its customers' and/or its vendors' confidential information and/or intellectual property, claims of infringement of others' intellectual property, factors related to the Company's ownership structure and status as a "controlled company" as well as other risks and uncertainties detailed in Clearwater Analytics' periodic public filings with the SEC, including but not limited to those discussed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 filed on March 16, 2022, and in other periodic reports filed by Clearwater Analytics with the SEC. These filings are available at www.sec.gov and on Clearwater Analytics' website.

Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Also, forward-looking statements represent management's beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this press release and should not be relied upon as representing Clearwater Analytics' expectations or beliefs as of any date subsequent to the time they are made. Clearwater Analytics does not undertake to and specifically declines any obligation to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of Clearwater Analytics.

Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. Consolidated Balance Sheets (In thousands, except per share amounts, unaudited)





March 31,



December 31,





2022



2021

Assets











Current assets:











Cash and cash equivalents

$ 263,674



$ 254,597

Accounts receivable, net



53,179





50,190

Prepaid expenses and other current assets



17,765





16,551

Total current assets



334,618





321,338

Property and equipment, net



11,854





10,738

Operating lease right-of-use assets, net



23,183







Deferred contract costs, non-current



5,331





5,687

Debt issuance costs - line of credit



874





922

Other non-current assets



5,748





5,670

Total assets

$ 381,608



$ 344,355

Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity











Current liabilities:











Accounts payable

$ 967



$ 1,416

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities



18,822





27,032

Notes payable, current portion



2,750





2,750

Operating lease liability, current portion



5,285







Total current liabilities



27,824





31,198

Notes payable, less current maturities and unamortized debt issuance costs



50,491





51,157

Operating lease liability, less current portion



19,400







Other long-term liabilities



129





132

Total liabilities



97,844





82,487

Stockholders' Equity











Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share; 1,500,000,000 shares authorized,

55,450,149 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2022, 47,948,888 shares

issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2021



55





48

Class B common stock, par value $0.001 per share; 500,000,000 shares authorized,

4,507,496 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2022, 11,151,110 shares

issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2021



5





11

Class C common stock, par value $0.001 per share; 500,000,000 shares authorized,

47,377,587 shares issued and outstanding



47





47

Class D common stock, par value $0.001 per share; 500,000,000 shares authorized,

130,083,755 shares issued and outstanding



130





130

Additional paid-in-capital



404,884





388,591

Accumulated other comprehensive loss



(260)





(34)

Accumulated Deficit



(183,180)





(191,926)

Total stockholders' equity attributable to Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc.



221,681





196,867

Noncontrolling interests



62,083





65,001

Total stockholders' equity



283,764





261,868

Total liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

$ 381,608



$ 344,355



Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. Consolidated Statements of Operations (In thousands, except per share amounts, unaudited)





Three Months Ended

March 31,





2022



2021

Revenue

$ 70,778



$ 56,894

Cost of revenue(2)



21,172





14,322

Gross profit



49,606





42,572

Operating expenses:











Research and development(2)



21,294





15,836

Sales and marketing(2)



11,993





7,211

General and administrative(2)



15,040





7,543

Total operating expenses



48,327





30,590

Income from operations



1,279





11,982

Interest expense, net



429





8,449

Other expense, net



85





78

Income before provision for income taxes



765





3,455

Provision for income taxes



237





44

Net income



528





3,411

Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests



130







Net income attributable to Clearwater Analytics

Holdings, Inc.

$ 398



$ 















Net income per share attributable to Class A and Class D common stock(1):











Basic and diluted

$ 0.00



NMF















Weighted average shares of Class A and Class D common stock

outstanding:











Basic



178,517,480



NMF

Diluted



246,916,663



NMF







NMF - not meaningful (1) Basic and diluted net income per share of Class A and Class D common stock is applicable only for the periods after the IPO and related transactions. (2) Amounts include equity-based compensation as follows:

Cost of revenue

$ 2,311



$ 523

Operating expenses:











Research and development



4,305





1,652

Sales and marketing



3,296





832

General and administrative



5,964





1,858

Total equity-based compensation expense

$ 15,876



$ 4,865



Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (In thousands, unaudited)





Three Months Ended March 31,





2022



2021

OPERATING ACTIVITIES











Net income

$ 528



$ 3,411

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:











Depreciation and amortization



959





677

Operating lease expense



1,540







Equity-based compensation



15,876





4,865

Amortization of deferred contract acquisition costs



965





727

Amortization of debt issuance costs, included in interest expense



69





470

Deferred tax expense



24







Changes in operating assets and liabilities:











Accounts receivable, net



(2,989)





(8,594)

Prepaid expenses and other assets



(1,113)





(10,471)

Deferred commissions



(811)





(359)

Accounts payable



(345)





(576)

Accrued expenses and other liabilities



(7,787)





(8,518)

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities



6,916





(18,368)

INVESTING ACTIVITIES











Purchases of property and equipment



(2,227)





(1,310)

Net cash used in investing activities



(2,227)





(1,310)

FINANCING ACTIVITIES











Proceeds from issuance of common unit options









1,560

Proceeds from exercise of options



5,613







Minimum tax withholding paid on behalf of employees for net unit settlement









(587)

Repurchase of common units









(626)

Repayments of borrowings



(687)





(769)

Payment of costs associated with offering



(214)







Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities



4,712





(422)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents



(324)





(50)

Net change in cash and cash equivalents during the period



9,077





(20,150)

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period



254,597





61,088

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

$ 263,674



$ 40,938

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION











Cash paid for interest

$ 268



$ 7,863

Cash paid for income taxes

$ 370



$ 41

NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITES











Purchase of property and equipment included in accounts payable and accrued expense

$ 



$ 120

Tax distributions included in accrued expenses

$ 11



$ 



Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA (In thousands, unaudited)





Three Months Ended March 31,





2022



2021

Net income

$ 528





1 %

$ 3,411





6 % Adjustments:























Interest expense, net



429





1 %



8,449





15 % Depreciation and amortization



959





1 %



677





1 % Equity-based compensation



15,876





22 %



4,865





9 % Other expenses(1)



1,070





2 %



713





1 % Adjusted EBITDA



18,862





27 %



18,115





32 % Revenue

$ 70,778





100 %

$ 56,894





100 %



(1) Other expenses includes management fees to our investors, income taxes, foreign exchange gains and losses and other expenses that are not reflective of our core operating performance including the costs to set up our Up-C structure and Tax Receivable Agreement.



















Three Months Ended March 31,





2022



2021

Up-C structure expenses

$ 158



$ 

Management fees and reimbursed expenses



591





591

Provision for income tax expense



237





44

Miscellaneous



84





78

Total other expenses

$ 1,070



$ 713



Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. Reconciliation of Free Cash Flow (In thousands, unaudited)



Three Months Ended March 31,



2022



2021

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities $ 6,916



$ (18,368)

Less: Purchases of property and equipment

2,227





1,310

Free Cash Flow $ 4,689



$ (19,678)



Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Information (In thousands, except per share amounts, unaudited)



Three Months Ended March 31,



2022



2021

Revenue $ 70,778



$ 56,894













Gross profit $ 49,606



$ 42,572

Adjustments:









Equity-based compensation

2,311





523

Depreciation and amortization

606





367

Gross profit, non-GAAP $ 52,523



$ 43,462

As a percentage of revenue, non-GAAP

74 %



76 %











Cost of Revenue $ 21,172



$ 14,322

Adjustments:









Equity-based compensation

2,311





523

Depreciation and amortization

606





367

Cost of revenue, non-GAAP $ 18,255



$ 13,432

As a percentage of revenue, non-GAAP

26 %



24 %











Research and development $ 21,294



$ 15,836

Adjustments:









Equity-based compensation

4,305





1,652

Depreciation and amortization

224





205

Research and development, non-GAAP $ 16,765



$ 13,979

As a percentage of revenue, non-GAAP

24 %



25 %











Sales and marketing $ 11,993



$ 7,211

Adjustments:









Equity-based compensation

3,296





832

Depreciation and amortization

66





57

Sales and marketing, non-GAAP $ 8,631



$ 6,322

As a percentage of revenue, non-GAAP

12 %



11 %











General and administrative $ 15,040



$ 7,543

Adjustments:









Equity-based compensation

5,964





1,858

Depreciation and amortization

63





48

Management fees and reimbursed expenses

591





591

Up-C structure expenses

158







General and administrative, non-GAAP $ 8,264



$ 5,046

As a percentage of revenue, non-GAAP

12 %



9 %











Income from operations $ 1,279



$ 11,982

Adjustments:









Equity-based compensation

15,876





4,865

Depreciation and amortization

959





677

Management fees and reimbursed expenses

591





591

Up-C structure expenses

158







Income from operations, non-GAAP $ 18,863



$ 18,115

As a percentage of revenue, non-GAAP

27 %



32 %











Net income $ 528



$ 3,411

Adjustments:









Equity-based compensation

15,876





4,865

Depreciation and amortization

959





677

Management fees and reimbursed expenses

591





591

Up-C structure expenses

158







Tax impacts of adjustments to net income(1)

(5,321)





(1,779)

Net income, non-GAAP $ 12,791



$ 7,765

As a percentage of revenue, non-GAAP

18 %



14 %











Net income per share(2) - basic, non-GAAP $ 0.07



NMF

Net income per share(2) - diluted, non-GAAP $ 0.05



NMF













Weighted-average common shares outstanding - basic

178,517,480



NMF

Weighted-average common shares outstanding - diluted

251,165,707



NMF

















NMF - not meaningful (1) The estimated non-GAAP effective tax rate was 29% for the first three months ended March 31, 2022 and has been used to adjust the provision for income taxes for non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP basic and diluted net income per share. (2) Basic and diluted net loss per share of Class A and Class D common stock is applicable only for the periods after the IPO and related transactions.

SOURCE Clearwater Analytics
DALLAS, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dallas-based intellectual property and business litigation law firm Caldwell Cassady & Curry has been retained as lead trial counsel by Texas-based VidStream, LLC, in the company's long-running patent lawsuit against Twitter, Inc.

Caldwell Cassady & Curry is one of the most successful patent law firms in the world, with more than $2 billion in favorable client verdicts and settlements since the firm's launch in 2013. In addition, the firm has prevailed in high-stakes cases against notable companies such as Apple Inc., SAS Institute, DePuy Synthes, and others.

"We are honored to represent VidStream," says Brad Caldwell, a name principal at Caldwell Cassady & Curry. "They deserve justice."

The lawsuit was updated in 2021 to detail how Twitter became aware of VidStream's patented technology as far back as 2013 when Twitter engaged in business discussions with YouToo Technologies  the original owners of the patents.

According to VidStream, Twitter was provided access to a digital "sandbox" so that it could evaluate YouToo's technology. Additionally, VidStream's complaint implicates many of Twitter's top executives in the misappropriation of YouToo's patented technology, including:

Dick Costolo , Twitter's former CEO;

, Twitter's former CEO; Fred Graver , Twitter's former Global Head of Twitter TV;

, Twitter's former Global Head of Twitter TV; Adam Bain , Twitter's former COO;

, Twitter's former COO; Anthony Noto ; Twitter's former CFO and COO; and

; Twitter's former CFO and COO; and Mike Rusignola , Twitter's former Product Innovation Lead

VidStream's retention of Caldwell Cassady & Curry comes after the company scored two critical legal victories against Twitter. The case has been on hold for several years. Twitter unsuccessfully challenged the VidStream patents' validity through inter partes review petitions filed at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Patent Trial and Appeal Board, which ruled against Twitter and in favor of VidStream for numerous patent claims.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit rejected Twitter's appeals and affirmed the Board's findings in 2020. In another blow to Twitter, the district court judge recently denied Twitter's bid to invalidate the claims as ineligible.

"Twitter has lost two significant defenses, and this case has been pending since 2016," says Caldwell Cassady & Curry name principal Austin Curry. "The amount Twitter owes purely from unpaid royalties is beyond $600 million at this point."

The case is VidStream LLC v. Twitter Inc., Case No. 3:16-cv-764, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division.

Caldwell Cassady & Curry represents companies and individuals in high-stakes civil litigation, including patent infringement cases, trade secrets claims, fiduciary duty cases, class actions, and disputes involving company founders. The firm has tried and won some of the nation's top verdicts against the largest companies in the world. Learn more about the firm at www.caldwellcc.com.

For more information, contact Bruce Vincent at 214-763-6226 or [email protected].

SOURCE Caldwell Cassady & Curry
Full-featured debit card will support wide range of employee benefits programs

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DataPath, Inc., a leading developer of technology solutions for employee benefits administration, announced today the highly-customizable COMPASS debit card.

COMPASS enables third-party administrators (TPAs) to utilize a full-featured debit card in support of almost any type of benefits program. DataPath will provide end-to-end processing services for COMPASS card transactions.

"The employee benefits industry has experienced unprecedented change over the last few years," said Bo Armstrong, chief marketing officer for DataPath. "As employers look to attract and retain employees with the help of creative benefit programs, the COMPASS card will enable TPAs to innovate and serve the needs of their employer groups."

The COMPASS card is designed for use with lifestyle spending accounts (LSAs), employee perks and bonus plans, qualified disaster relief payments under IRS Section 139, and similar employee benefit programs. COMPASS will also support Medicare Advantage and Medigap/Medicare Supplement reimbursement plans for active employees and retirees.

Backed by DataPath's decade-plus of experience in debit card processing, COMPASS will address employer-specific plan parameters, usage restrictions, and supported benefit accounts while delivering a first-class customer experience.

COMPASS card can be used with the DataPath Summit cloud-based all-in-one benefits administration system.

About DataPath

Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, DataPath, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is a leading provider of technology solutions for the benefits administration industry. DataPath's Summit platform is the only cloud-based solution designed specifically for all-in-one, seamless administration of CDH, HSA, and COBRA accounts. The company holds several product patents as well as multiple national awards for its Captain Contributor employee education and engagement program. Learn more at dpath.com.

Media Contact:

Erin Carlile

[email protected] 614.736.0538

SOURCE DataPath, Inc.
CENTENNIAL, Colo., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DHI Group, Inc. (NYSE: DHX) ("DHI" or the "Company") today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022.

During the second quarter 2021, the Company completed the spinoff of its eFinancialCareers ("eFC") business to the eFC management team. The results of the eFC business for all periods on or before June 2021 are reported as discontinued operations.

First Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights

Total revenue was $34.3 million , up 29% year over year.

, up 29% year over year. Total bookings 1 were $50.7 million , up 32% year over year.

were , up 32% year over year. Income from continuing operations was $1.3 million , or $0.03 per diluted share, compared to income from continuing operations of $2.0 million , or $0.04 per diluted share in the year-ago quarter.

, or per diluted share, compared to income from continuing operations of , or per diluted share in the year-ago quarter. Net income was $1.3 million , or $0.03 per diluted share and net income margin of 4%, compared to net income of $2.7 million , or $0.05 per diluted share and net income margin of 10%, in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted earnings per diluted share 2 for the quarter was $0.01 versus earnings of $0.00 in the year-ago quarter.

, or per diluted share and net income margin of 4%, compared to net income of , or per diluted share and net income margin of 10%, in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted earnings per diluted share for the quarter was versus earnings of in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted EBITDA 2 was $6.9 million , an Adjusted EBITDA margin 2 of 20%, compared to $5.6 million and 21% in the year-ago quarter.

was , an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 20%, compared to and 21% in the year-ago quarter. Cash flow from operations was $9.2 million , compared to $6.4 million in the year-ago quarter.

, compared to in the year-ago quarter. Cash was $5.0 million and total debt was $33.0 million at quarter end.

1See definition later in this press release.

2 See "Notes Regarding the Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" later in this press release.

Commenting on the quarter, Art Zeile, President and CEO of DHI Group, Inc., said:

"We are pleased to report continued strong total revenue growth as more employers are using our subscription-based offering to find, attract, engage and hire the highest quality tech professionals. Dice bookings continued to grow across all Dice teams, increasing 32% year over year, while revenue grew 29% year over year. Dice added 245 net new customers during the quarter and its revenue renewal rate improved to 104%, up from 82% a year ago. Similarly, ClearanceJobs performed extremely well in the first quarter with bookings growth of 31% and revenue growth of 27%, and a 104% revenue renewal rate. ClearanceJobs also added 50 net new customers during the quarter.

During the first quarter, U.S. employers posted 1.1 million tech jobs, 43% more than a year earlier. As demand for technologists continues to grow at a rapid pace, we believe more employers will need our growing community of technologists, and our sophisticated tool set, to find and attract the right tech candidates. We believe the total addressable market for our subscription-based offering is vast and wide and we are just scratching the surface as open tech job postings reach record levels."

Financial Guidance

"Based on our continued strong bookings growth, we expect second quarter total revenue to be in the range of $35.0 million to $36.0 million, representing growth of between 22% and 25% year over year," commented Kevin Bostick, CFO of DHI Group, Inc. "For the full year 2022, we expect total revenue to be in the range of $144.0 million to $146.0 million, representing growth of between 20% and 22% year over year. We will continue to operate the business to Adjusted EBITDA margins at or near 20% throughout 2022 as we continue to balance our strong financial performance with increased sales and marketing investment to drive continued double-digit revenue growth. We expect net income margins to be negligible for the second quarter and full year 2022."

Conference Call Information

Art Zeile, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Kevin Bostick, Chief Financial Officer, will host a conference call today, May 4, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the Company's financial results and recent developments.

The call can be accessed by dialing 844-890-1790 (in the U.S.) or 412-380-7407 (outside the U.S.). Please ask to be placed into the DHI Group, Inc. call. A live webcast of the call will simultaneously be available through the Investor Relations section of the Company's website, https://www.dhigroupinc.com, and available for replay after the call ends.

About DHI Group, Inc.

DHI Group, Inc (NYSE: DHX) is a provider of AI-powered career marketplaces that focus on technology roles. DHI's two brands, Dice and ClearanceJobs, enable recruiters and hiring managers to efficiently search for and connect with highly skilled technologists based on the skills requested. The Company's patent-pending algorithms manage over 100,000 unique technology skills. Additionally, our marketplaces allow technology professionals to find their ideal next career opportunity, with relevant advice and personalized insights. Learn more at www.dhigroupinc.com.

Investor Contact

Todd Kehrli or Jim Byers

MKR Investor Relations, Inc.

212-448-4181

[email protected]

Media Contact

Rachel Ceccarelli

VP of Engagement

212-448-8288

[email protected]

Notes Regarding the Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company has provided certain non-GAAP financial information as additional information for its operating results. These measures are not in accordance with, or alternatives to, measures in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP") and may be different from similarly titled non-GAAP measures reported by other companies. The Company believes that its presentation of non-GAAP measures, such as Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share provides useful information to management and investors regarding certain financial and business trends relating to its financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the Company's management uses these measures for reviewing the financial results of the Company and for budgeting and planning purposes. The non-GAAP measures apply to consolidated results or other measures as shown within this document. The Company has provided required reconciliations to the most comparable GAAP measures elsewhere in the document.

Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share

Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share is a non-GAAP metric and performance measure that is useful to investors and management in understanding our ongoing operations and in the analysis of operating trends. Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share is computed as diluted earnings per share plus or minus the impacts of certain non-cash and other items, including non-cash impairments, costs related to reorganizing the Company, including severance and related costs, gains or losses from the sale of businesses, discontinued operations, or investments, and discrete tax items.

Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share is not a measurement of our financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to diluted earnings per share, net income, or any other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP as a measure of our profitability.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin are non-GAAP metrics used by management to measure operating performance. Management uses Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin as performance measures for internal monitoring and planning, including preparation of annual budgets, analyzing investment decisions and evaluating profitability and performance comparisons between us and our competitors. The Company also uses these measures to calculate amounts of performance based compensation under the senior management incentive bonus program. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income plus (to the extent deducted in calculating such net income) interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, non-cash stock-based compensation, losses resulting from certain dispositions outside the ordinary course of business including prior negative operating results of those divested businesses, certain write-offs in connection with indebtedness, impairment charges with respect to long-lived assets, expenses incurred in connection with an equity offering or any other offering of securities by the Company, extraordinary or non-recurring non-cash expenses or losses, losses from equity method investments, transaction costs in connection with the credit agreement, deferred revenues written off in connection with acquisition purchase accounting adjustments, write-off of non-cash stock-based compensation expense, severance and retention costs related to dispositions and reorganizations of the Company, and losses related to legal claims and fees that are unusual in nature or infrequent, minus (to the extent included in calculating such net income) non-cash income or gains, including income from equity method investments, interest income, business interruption insurance proceeds, and any income or gain resulting from certain dispositions outside the ordinary course of business, including prior positive operating results of those divested businesses, and gains related to legal claims that are unusual in nature or infrequent.

Adjusted EBITDA Margin is computed as Adjusted EBITDA divided by Revenues.

We also consider Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin, as defined, to be important indicators to investors because they provide information related to our ability to provide cash flows to meet future debt service, capital expenditures, working capital requirements, and to fund future growth. We present Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin as supplemental performance measures because we believe that these measures provide our board of directors, management and investors with additional information to measure our performance, provide comparisons from period to period by excluding potential differences caused by variations in capital structures (affecting interest expense) and tax positions (such as the impact on periods or companies of changes in effective tax rates or net operating losses), and to estimate our value.

We understand that although Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin are frequently used by securities analysts, lenders and others in their evaluation of companies, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider them in isolation, or as a substitute for analysis of our liquidity or results as reported under GAAP. Some limitations are:

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin do not reflect our cash expenditures, or future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments;

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin do not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs;

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin do not reflect interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our debt;

Although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized often will have to be replaced in the future, and Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin do not reflect any cash requirements for such replacements; and

Other companies in our industry may calculate Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin differently than we do, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures.

To compensate for these limitations, management evaluates our liquidity by considering the economic effect of excluded expense items independently, as well as in connection with its analysis of cash flows from operations and through the use of other financial measures, such as capital expenditure budget variances, investment spending levels and return on capital analysis.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin are not measurements of our financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to revenue, net income, net income margin, operating income, cash provided by operating activities, or any other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP as a measure of our profitability or liquidity.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and oral statements made from time to time by our representatives contain forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on those statements because they are subject to numerous uncertainties and factors relating to our operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, information concerning our possible or assumed future results of operations. These statements often include words such as "may," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "estimate" or similar expressions. These statements are based on assumptions that we have made in light of our experience in the industry as well as our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. Although we believe that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, you should be aware that many factors could affect our actual financial results or results of operations and could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, our ability to execute our tech-focused strategy, competition from existing and future competitors in the highly competitive markets in which we operate, failure to adapt our business model to keep pace with rapid changes in the recruiting and career services business, failure to maintain and develop our reputation and brand recognition, failure to increase or maintain the number of customers who purchase recruitment packages, cyclicality or downturns in the economy or industries we serve, the potential impact of COVID-19 on our operations and financial results, the uncertainty in respect of the regulation of data protection and data privacy, failure to attract qualified professionals to our websites or grow the number of qualified professionals who use our websites, failure to successfully identify or integrate acquisitions, U.S. and foreign government regulation of the Internet and taxation, our ability to borrow funds under our revolving credit facility or refinance our indebtedness and restrictions on our current and future operations under such indebtedness. These factors and others are discussed in more detail in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, all of which are available on the Investors page of our website at www.dhigroupinc.com, including the Company's most recently filed periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and subsequent filings under the headings "Risk Factors," "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations." You should keep in mind that any forward-looking statement made by the Company or its representatives herein, or elsewhere, speaks only as of the date on which it is made. New risks and uncertainties come up from time to time, and it is impossible to predict these events or how they may affect us. We have no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date hereof, except as required by federal securities laws.

DHI GROUP, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) (in thousands, except per share amounts)





















For the three months ended

March 31,







2022

2021













Revenues $ 34,334

$ 26,676













Operating expenses:





Cost of revenues 4,099

3,702 Product development 3,942

3,602 Sales and marketing 13,941

9,771 General and administrative 7,766

6,154 Depreciation 3,958

3,631



Total operating expenses 33,706

26,860 Operating income (loss) 628

(184) Income from equity method investment 155

 Interest expense and other (245)

(195) Gain on investment 

2,513 Income before income taxes 538

2,134 Income tax expense (benefit) (763)

122 Income from continuing operations 1,301

2,012 Income from discontinued operations, net of tax 

659 Net income $ 1,301

$ 2,671













Basic earnings per share - continuing operations

$ 0.03

$ 0.04 Diluted earnings per share - continuing operations

$ 0.03

$ 0.04













Basic earnings per share - discontinued operations

$ 

$ 0.01 Diluted earnings per share - discontinued operations

$ 

$ 0.01













Basic earnings per share

$ 0.03

$ 0.06 Diluted earnings per share

$ 0.03

$ 0.05













Weighted-average basic shares outstanding

44,702

46,993 Weighted-average diluted shares outstanding

47,170

48,606















DHI GROUP, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited) (in thousands)

















Three Months Ended

March 31,





2022

2021 Cash flows from (used in) operating activities:







Net income $ 1,301

$ 2,671 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash flows from (used in) operating activities:







Depreciation 3,958

4,096

Deferred income taxes (1,823)

(304)

Amortization of deferred financing costs 37

37

Stock-based compensation 2,235

1,758

Income from equity method investment (155)



Gain on investment 

(2,513)

Change in accrual for unrecognized tax benefits 93

59 Changes in operating assets and liabilities:







Accounts receivable (3,820)

(3,345)

Prepaid expenses and other assets 386

629

Capitalized contract costs (483)

(794)

Accounts payable and accrued expenses (3,941)

(6,270)

Income taxes receivable/payable 954

1,127

Deferred revenue 10,640

9,351

Other, net (164)

(78) Net cash flows from operating activities 9,218

6,424 Cash flows used in investing activities:







Purchases of fixed assets (4,091)

(3,703) Net cash flows used in investing activities (4,091)

(3,703) Cash flows from (used in) financing activities:







Payments on long-term debt (4,000)

(5,000)

Proceeds from long-term debt 14,000

5,000

Payments under stock repurchase plan (7,499)

(1,669)

Purchase of treasury stock related to vested restricted and performance stock units (4,202)

(1,343) Net cash flows used in financing activities (1,701)

(3,012) Effect of exchange rate changes 

(30) Net change in cash and cash equivalents for the period 3,426

(321) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 1,540

7,640 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 4,966

$ 7,319













DHI GROUP, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) (in thousands)











ASSETS March 31, 2022

December 31, 2021 Current assets







Cash and cash equivalents $ 4,966

$ 1,540

Accounts receivable, net 22,205

18,385

Income taxes receivable 

354

Prepaid and other current assets 3,557

4,177



Total current assets 30,728

24,456 Fixed assets, net 20,712

20,581 Capitalized contract costs 9,615

9,131 Operating lease right-of-use assets 6,445

6,888 Investments 3,932

3,769 Investments, at fair value 3,000

3,000 Acquired intangible assets 23,800

23,800 Goodwill 128,100

128,100 Other assets 2,087

1,853



Total assets $ 228,419

$ 221,578























LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY





Current liabilities







Accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 11,916

$ 15,859

Deferred revenue 55,787

45,217

Income taxes payable 599



Operating lease liabilities 2,424

2,388



Total current liabilities 70,726

63,464 Deferred revenue 999

929 Operating lease liabilities 6,360

6,982 Long-term debt, net 32,767

22,730 Deferred income taxes 7,492

9,315 Accrual for unrecognized tax benefits 878

785 Other long-term liabilities 992

1,011



Total liabilities 120,214

105,216



Total stockholders' equity 108,205

116,362



Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 228,419

$ 221,578













Supplemental Information and Non-GAAP Reconciliations

On the pages that follow, the Company has provided certain supplemental information that we believe will assist the reader in assessing our business operations and performance, including certain non-GAAP financial information and required reconciliations to the most comparable GAAP measure. A statement of operations and statement of cash flows for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 and balance sheets as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 are provided elsewhere in this press release.

DHI GROUP, INC. NON-GAAP & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA (Unaudited) (in thousands, except per share and customer data)





















Revenue



Q1 2022

Q1 2021

$ Change

% Change Dice(1)

$ 24,634

$ 19,051

$ 5,583

29% ClearanceJobs

9,700

7,625

2,075

27% Total Revenues

$ 34,334

$ 26,676

$ 7,658

29%

















Income from continuing operations(2)

$ 1,301

$ 2,012







Income from discontinued operations, net of tax

$ 

$ 659







Net income

$ 1,301

$ 2,671







Net income margin(3)

4%

10%







Diluted earnings per share - continuing operations

$ 0.03

$ 0.04







Diluted earnings per share - discontinued operations

$ 

$ 0.01







Diluted earnings per share

$ 0.03

$ 0.05







Adjusted diluted earnings per share

$ 0.01

$ 







Adjusted EBITDA

$ 6,930

$ 5,611







Adjusted EBITDA margin(3)

20%

21%

























(1) Includes Dice and Career Events.















(2) For the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company recorded severance and related costs, net of tax, and discrete tax items that positively impacted income from continuing operations by $0.7 million. For the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company recorded a gain on investment and severance and related costs, all net of tax, and discrete tax items that positively impacted income from continuing operations by $2.0 million. (3) Net income margin and Adjusted EBITDA margin are calculated by dividing the respective measure by that period's revenues.



Bookings1

Q1 2022

Q1 2021

$ Change

% Change Dice $ 36,819

$ 27,926

$ 8,893

32% ClearanceJobs 13,865

10,593

3,272

31% Total Bookings $ 50,684

$ 38,519

$ 12,165

32%















(1) Bookings represent the value of all contractually committed services in which the contract start date is during the period and will be recognized as revenue within 12 months of the contract start date. For contracts that extend beyond 12 months, the value of those contracts beyond 12 months is recognized as bookings on each annual anniversary of each contract start date valued as the amount of revenue that will be recognized within 12 months of the respective anniversary date.



Average Annual Revenue per Recruitment Package Customer1

Q1 2022

Q1 2021

$ Change

% Change Dice $ 14,112

$ 13,536

$ 576

4% ClearanceJobs $ 18,408

$ 16,476

$ 1,932

12%















(1) Calculated by dividing recruitment package customer revenue by the daily average count of recruitment package customers during each month, adjusted to reflect a 30-day month. The simple average of each month is used to derive the amount for each period and then annualized to reflect 12 months.

DHI GROUP, INC. NON-GAAP & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA (CONTINUED) (Unaudited) (in thousands, except per share and customer data)





Renewal Rates Renewal Rate on Revenue: Q1 2022

Q1 2021 Dice 104%

82% ClearanceJobs 104%

89%







Renewal Rate on Count:





Dice 86%

71% ClearanceJobs 87%

82%











Recruitment Package Customers

March 31, 2022

March 31, 2021

Change

% Change Dice 6,249

5,200

1,049

20% ClearanceJobs 1,928

1,753

175

10%



Deferred Revenue and Backlog

March 31, 2022

December 31, 2021

$ Change

% Change Deferred Revenue $ 56,786

$ 46,146

$ 10,640

23% Contractual commitments not invoiced 49,262

46,497

2,765

6% Backlog(1) $ 106,048

$ 92,643

$ 13,405

14%















(1) Backlog consists of deferred revenue plus customer contractual commitments not invoiced representing the value of future services to be rendered under committed contracts.



Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share

Q1 2022

Q1 2021 Diluted earnings (loss) per share $ 0.03

$ 0.05 Severance and related costs, net of tax 

0.01 Gain on investment 

(0.04) Discrete tax items (0.02)

(0.01) Income from discontinued operations, net of tax 

(0.01) Adjusted diluted earnings per share $ 0.01

$ 0.00







Weighted average shares- diluted earnings per share 47,170

48,606

DHI GROUP, INC. NON-GAAP & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA (CONTINUED) (Unaudited) (in thousands, except per share and customer data)























Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliations



Q1 2022

Q1 2021 Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA:





Net income $ 1,301

$ 2,671

Interest expense 245

188

Income tax expense (benefit) (763)

122

Depreciation 3,958

3,631

Non-cash stock-based compensation 2,235

1,604

Income from equity method investment (155)



Gain on investment 

(2,513)

Severance and related costs 109

562

Income on discontinued operations, net of tax 

(659)

Other 

5 Adjusted EBITDA $ 6,930

$ 5,611







Reconciliation of Operating Cash Flows to Adjusted EBITDA:





Net cash provided by operating activities $ 9,218

$ 6,424

Interest expense 245

188

Amortization of deferred financing costs (37)

(37)

Income tax expense (benefit) (763)

122

Deferred income taxes 1,823

304

Change in accrual for unrecognized tax benefits (93)

(59)

Change in accounts receivable 3,820

3,345

Change in deferred revenue (10,640)

(9,351)

Discontinued operations results 

(1,656)

Severance and related costs 109

562

Changes in working capital and other 3,248

5,769 Adjusted EBITDA $ 6,930

$ 5,611

SOURCE DHI Group, Inc.
CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- First Citizens Bank today announced that its Middle Market Banking business provided up to $50 million as a senior secured line of credit to an affiliate of Morningstar Properties, a leading investor in and operator of self-storage facilities.

The line of credit is structured as a $35 million revolving line of credit with a $15 million accordion feature expanding the total available financing up to $50 million. Proceeds from the financing will be used for growth opportunities and general working capital purposes.

"The fundamentals supporting self-storage facilities remain exceptionally strong, as consumers and businesses continue to demand secure and affordable spaces for safeguarding their possessions," said Wesley Carter, CFO of Morningstar Storage. "This financing will enable Morningstar to effectively manage its capital resources and efficiently grow its portfolio of assets. First Citizens is a critical partner for Morningstar and we appreciate their expertise in arranging this financing."

"Morningstar Properties is well-known as a smart and experienced investor and operator of self-storage facilities," said Brendan Chambers, First Citizens' lead executive for Middle Market Banking. "We were pleased to provide this financing to support their business objectives."

Middle Market Banking business delivers a range of financial solutions to midsize clients through a relationship banking model. The business offers deposit solutions, loans, treasury services and other banking products to manufacturers, distributors and a wide variety of service industries.

About First Citizens Bank

First Citizens Bank helps personal, business, commercial and wealth clients build financial strength that lasts. As the largest family-controlled bank in the United States, First Citizens is continuing a unique legacy of strength, stability and long-term thinking that has spanned generations. Founded in 1898 and headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., First Citizens also operates a nationwide direct bank and a network of more than 600 branches in 22 states. Industry specialists bring a depth of expertise that helps businesses and individuals meet their specific goals at every stage of their financial journey. First Citizens Bank brings together personal service and powerful tools to help customers do more with their moneyand make more of their future. Visit firstcitizens.com. First Citizens Bank. Forever First

About Morningstar Properties

Founded in 1981, Morningstar Properties is a vertically integrated fund manager, developer, owner and operator of specialty real estate assets. The company primarily focuses on self-storage and marinas, in the South and Mid Atlantic United States. Since its inception forty years ago, Morningstar Storage has been consistently recognized as one of the premier private platforms in the storage industry. Morningstar has developed, acquired and operated over 250 self-storage projects across the country, totaling in excess of 15 million square feet. A pioneer in today's expanding marina sector, Morningstar also acquires and operates marinas under the brand name Morningstar Marinas. The company is headquartered in Charlotte, NC.

MEDIA RELATIONS:

John M. Moran

212-461-5507

[email protected]

SOURCE First Citizens Bank
PHILADELPHIA, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --

FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC), a leading global agricultural sciences company, has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Aceto US, LLC ("Aceto"). The complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, alleges Aceto is infringing on FMC patents relating to chlorantraniliprole, FMC's leading insecticide ingredient branded as Rynaxypyr active.

The complaint alleges Aceto received shipments of chlorantraniliprole from suppliers in India and China in violation of FMC's patent rights. FMC is requesting damages and injunctive relief restraining Aceto from infringing FMC patents relating to chlorantraniliprole.

"FMC has received numerous patents around the world that protect compositions and processes relating to chlorantraniliprole and its production," said Michael Reilly, executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of FMC. "We will continue to protect our investment in researching, developing and commercializing chlorantraniliprole by vigorously enforcing our intellectual property rights in the United States and worldwide."

FMC is committed to bringing farmers the latest and most innovative crop protection solutions. FMC's commitment is evidenced by the continued investment in the research, development and commercialization of chlorantraniliprole, a proprietary, breakthrough technology designed to control a wide variety of destructive insects that can destroy a farmer's crops and dramatically lower food production. The company maintains an extensive patent estate for its proprietary chlorantraniliprole technology, including patents that cover active ingredient composition of matter, manufacturing processes, intermediate chemicals, formulations and other areas protected by intellectual property laws in the U.S., China, India, and other important agricultural markets throughout the world. FMC markets its products that contain chlorantraniliprole under several brand names around the world, including Rynaxypyr active, Altacor, Coragen, Elevest, Prevathon and Vantacor insect control products.

"Our intellectual property rights enable FMC to drive innovation and long-term investment in the crop protection market," said Ronaldo Pereira, executive vice president and president of FMC Americas. "As a leading agricultural sciences company, FMC is committed to developing novel, high-quality crop protection solutions that address our customers' evolving needs today and in the future."

About FMC

FMC Corporation is a global agricultural sciences company dedicated to helping growers produce food, feed, fiber and fuel for an expanding world population while adapting to a changing environment. FMC's innovative crop protection solutions  including biologicals, crop nutrition, digital and precision agriculture  enable growers, crop advisers and turf and pest management professionals to address their toughest challenges economically while protecting the environment. With approximately 6,400 employees at more than 100 sites worldwide, FMC is committed to discovering new herbicide, insecticide and fungicide active ingredients, product formulations and pioneering technologies that are consistently better for the planet. Visit fmc.com to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Rynaxypyr, Altacor, Coragen, Elevest, Prevathon and Vantacor are trademarks of FMC Corporation or an affiliate. Always read and follow all label directions, restrictions and precautions for use. Products listed may not be registered for sale or use in all states, countries or jurisdictions.

Statement under the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release contains forward-looking statements, which are based on management's current views and assumptions regarding future events, future business conditions and the outlook for the company based on currently available information. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. These factors include, among other things, the risk factors and other cautionary statements included within FMC's 2021 Form 10-K filed with the SEC as well as other SEC filings and public communications. FMC cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the above cautionary statement. FMC undertakes no obligation, and specifically disclaims any duty, to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date on which they were made, except as otherwise required by law.

SOURCE FMC Corporation
Exhibition Features Works by Judy Chicago, Robert Irwin, Helen Pashgian, James Turrell, Doug Wheeler, and Many More

June 3September 4, 2022

NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Frist Art Museum presents Light, Space, Surface: Works from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, an exhibition of sculptures, paintings, and immersive installations by a loose-knit group of artists working in Southern California from the 1960s to the present. Organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Light, Space, Surface will be on view in the Frist's Ingram and Gordon Contemporary Artists Project Galleries from June 3 through September 4, 2022.

Featuring 50 works by 22 artists that range from small sculptures to experiential environments, this visually alluring exhibition explores how the properties of light and space as well as highly polished surfaces can themselves be art forms. "This show challenges us to rethink what art can be and the materials that artists can use to create their work," says Carol S. Eliel, Senior Curator of Modern Art at LACMA. "Although these works might evoke Southern California for visitorsits sunshine, open spaces, and glossy surfaces on surfboards and carsthe roots of Light and Space and "finish fetish" go much deeper."

The renowned "light and space" and "finish fetish" artists are united by an interest in manipulating the medium of light, projected or reflected, to alter the perception of form, architectural space, and surface qualities. Going beyond the tradition of representing light through paint or photography, artists like Robert Irwin, James Turrell, and Doug Wheeler create installations in which the actual light takes a form that seems to exist between presence and absence, providing a means of entering a mysterious immaterial world.

"In the 1960s and 1970s, various Southern California artists began to create works that investigate perceptual phenomena: how we come to understand form, volume, presence, and absence through light, seen directly through other materials, reflected, or refracted," says Eliel. "Many of the artists used newly developed industrial materials such as cast resins, fiberglass, neon fixtures, and sprayed paint to link art and technology in a cool aesthetic that echoes the emotional detachment of pop art and minimalism of the period."

The most widely recognized figure in the exhibition is James Turrell (b. 1943), whose work directly addresses light's power to create illusory space. In one of his works in the exhibition, Afrum (White), projected light generates the appearance of a radiant cube floating in the corner of the room.

As Frist Art Museum audiences may remember from a 2014 solo exhibition in our Gordon Contemporary Artists Project Gallery, Helen Pashgian (b. 1934) has been fascinated by the complex relationship between light and surface since early childhood. In Untitled, one of two works by Pashgian in the exhibition, she set a bent acrylic rod within a cast resin object, complicating the way her almost transparent sculpture reflects and refracts light.

Mary Corse (b. 1945) has explored various ways to bring light to the medium of painting through the use of glass microspheresthe tiny beads used for highway lane lines and signage, which reflect and refract the car headlights. This led to Corse's signature White Light paintings, which she continues to make today. The microspheres transform ordinary paintings into light-responsive canvases that shift in appearance depending on the viewer's position. Such works exist as ever-changing perceptual experiences in which the viewer is an active participant.

Peter Alexander (b. 1939) believed only perfectly polished finishesas seen in his wedge sculptures in the exhibitionwould fully immerse the viewer. He came to polyester resin as a sculptural material through surfing, intrigued by the translucent, moldable nature of the liquid resin he used to glaze and repair his surfboard. Larry Bell (b. 1939) also considers the surfaces of his works to be paramount and was attracted to the surface properties of glass. Through a process of vacuum coating, he modifies the way glass absorbs, reflects, and transmits light, allowing him to create infinite variations in color, transparency, and reflectivity.

To further enhance the multisensory experience in the galleries, the Frist has collaborated with the Nashville Ambient Ensemble, who composed new music inspired by select works in the exhibition that will be featured on the audio tour instead of verbal commentary. Organized and led by electronic composer Michael Hix, the Ensemble's lineup is made up of some of the city's most creative and innovative artists, including Belly Full of Stars, Diatom Deli, and Jack Silverman. While Hix says he normally opts for warm, analog synth sounds in his music, for this project he chose to create a "clean, digital palette to complement the show's focus on industrial materials, light, and electricity." As an additional resource, a behind-the-scenes video of the Nashville Ambient Ensemble recording the audio tour at Club Roar in Nashville will be accessible via a QR code in the gallery and on FristArtMuseum.org. The Ensemble's debut album, Cerulean, was released in 2021 on the Nashville record label Centripetal Force.

Exhibition Artists

Peter Alexander, Larry Bell, Billy Al Bengston, Judy Chicago, Gisela Colon, Ron Cooper, Mary Corse, Ronald Davis, Guy Dill, Laddie John Dill, Fred Eversley, Robert Irwin, Craig Kauffman, John McCracken, Bruce Nauman, Helen Pashgian, Roland Reiss, Roy Thurston, James Turrell, De Wain Valentine, Doug Wheeler, and Norman Zammitt.

Exhibition Credit

Organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Supporter Acknowledgment

Platinum sponsor: HCA Healthcare/TriStar Health

Education and community engagement supporter: Windgate Foundation

Hospitality sponsor: Union Station Hotel

Funded in part by the Hays Foundation and the Gordon CAP Gallery Fund

With additional support from the Frist Art Museum's Friends of Contemporary Art

The Frist Art Museum is supported in part by The Frist Foundation, the Metro Nashville Arts Commission, the Tennessee Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Connect with us @FristArtMuseum #TheFrist #LightSpaceSurface

About the Frist Art Museum

Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Frist Art Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit art exhibition center dedicated to presenting and originating high-quality exhibitions with related educational programs and community outreach activities. Located at 919 Broadway in downtown Nashville, Tenn., the Frist Art Museum offers the finest visual art from local, regional, national, and international sources in exhibitions that inspire people through art to look at their world in new ways. Information on accessibility can be found at FristArtMuseum.org/accessibility. Gallery admission is free for visitors ages 18 and younger and for members, and $15 for adults. For current hours and additional information, visit FristArtMuseum.org or call 615.244.3340.

SOURCE Frist Art Museum
The expanded portfolio positions F!VE with amazing new beverage brands in high growth categories for introduction to U.S. consumers.

MIAMI, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- F!VE, the premium ready-to-drink cocktail company, today announced it has merged with Better Drinks of Brazil. Better Drinks is an emerging beverage group with leading brands in canned cocktail, craft beer, canned wine, yerba-mate and canned water beverage categories in Brazil. Better Drinks was formed when Felipe Szpigel (former ABI and F!VE Founder) and Felipe Della Negra (former ABI, Red Bull, & Kraft Heinz) brought F!VE canned cocktails to Brazil and subsequently formed the emerging beverage group.

Merger positions F!VE with amazing new beverage brands in high growth categories for introduction to U.S. consumers. Tweet this Felipe Szpigel, Co-Founder and CGO of BETTER DRINKS

Better Drinks intends to disrupt and transform traditional beverage occasions with creative and innovative solutions around customer needs and operational efficiencies. "This is an exciting day for Better Drinks, as it marks the first entry into a market outside of Brazil," said CEO Della Negra. "With our innovative portfolio and new team in the U.S., we look forward to introducing U.S. consumers to our brands in the coming months."

Inspired by the model of Boston Beer Company and Mark Anthony Group, Better Drinks owns 100% of the brands in the group. All founders and original investors of the incorporated brands are partners in the business. "Our Founders created the vision for their brands, and we count on them to continue to grow their part of the overall Better Drinks business", says Chief Growth Officer Spiegel.

About Better Drinks



The new group was born from the fusion of brands Bear-Mate, F!VE, Mamba, Praya and Vivant.

After 2 years in operation, Vivant, is the leading canned wine brand in Brazil. With innovative and inclusive packaging, they continue to see triple digit growth. Rio de Janeiro's Praya is a leading craft brewer with beers that are 100% natural, vegan, and with no additives. Baer-Mate, provides consumers with a healthy alternative to caffeinated soft drinks, offering carbonated drinks made with yerba-mate, apples, and natural caffeine. Canned water brand Mamba, a sustainable canned water with philanthropic goals, completes the portfolio of brands.

To learn more, please visit Better Drinks on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterdrinks/

About F!VE

F!VE is a line of mixologist-developed, ready-to-drink cocktails crafted with real ingredients and premium spirits. F!VE was created by five friends and industry veterans with a goal to bring straightforward and delicious bar-quality cocktails anywhere.

To learn more about F!VE, please visit www.fivedrinks.co or find them on Instagram and Twitter @fivedrinks.co

CONTACT:

Paula Soares

[email protected]

SOURCE Five Drinks Co.
Event will celebrate Galen Robotics milestones and expansion since relocating to Baltimore, feature proclamations and robotic demonstrations

BALTIMORE, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Galen Robotics today announced that the Honorable Mayor Brandon Scott will be attending the Galen Robotics First Open House on Friday, May 6, at 11:00 am. The lineup also includes remarks from President & CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation Colin Tarbert, Galen Robotics President & CEO Bruce W. Lichorowic and Jane Shaab, Senior VP, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Associate Vice President for Economic Development, RPC, as well as representatives honoring Galen Robotics on behalf of Maryland Secretary of Commerce Mike Gill. The event will last from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and held at Galen Robotics headquarters at 1100 Wicomico Street, Suite 725 in Baltimore.

In addition to presentations and proclamations, the Open House will feature live demonstrations of robotic technology by Galen Robotics CTO Dave Saunders and from the Baltimore Bolts (the local high school FIRST robotics team sponsored by Galen). At the reception, guests will have the chance to chat over light hors d'oeuvres and refreshments. Local notables from Johns Hopkins University, the Greater Baltimore Tech Council, the Maryland Tech Council and the Baltimore Development Corporation will be in attendance, as well as politicians and other key figures who had a role in bringing Galen Robotics to Baltimore from Silicon Valley.

Galen Robotics is one of the biggest success stories to come out of the federal Opportunity Zones program. Bruce W. Lichorowic will share some of the company's impressive accomplishments since the relocation, including millions of dollars of investment in the future of Galen Robotics and the future of Baltimore.

Members of the media interested in attending should contact [email protected] to arrange for a press pass. The Galen Robotics media team will also be arranging a limited number of interviews at the event; please contact [email protected] to learn more.

SOURCE Galen Robotics
VANCOUVER, BC, May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Galiano Gold Inc. ("Galiano" or the "Company") (TSX: GAU) (NYSE American: GAU) advises its Annual General Meeting of shareholders ("AGM") will be held virtually on Thursday, June 2, 2022 at 10 am PDT. Shareholders who intend to participate in the AGM should refer to the Company's management information circular (the "Proxy Circular") for details regarding how to participate.

The AGM is being held to (i) receive the audited financial statements of the Company for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 and the report of the auditor thereon, (ii) elect directors of the Company for the ensuing year, (iii) appoint the auditor of the Company for the ensuing year and to authorize the directors to fix their remuneration, (iv) authorize and approve a non-binding advisory resolution accepting the Company's approach to executive compensation and (v) transact such other business as may properly come before the AGM.

The Company has nominated seven nominees for election as director, being current directors Paul Wright, Gordon Fretwell, Michael Price, Judith Mosely, Dawn Moss and Matt Badylak, and proposed new director Greg Martin. Current directors Marcel de Groot and Shawn Wallace will not be standing for re-election as directors of the Company. The Company thanks each of Mr. de Groot and Mr. Wallace for their more than 10 years of service as directors of the Company. If elected, it is expected that Mr. Martin will replace Mr. de Groot as the chair of the Audit Committee and add financial experience and acumen to the Company's board of directors.

The Company has elected to use the notice-and-access provisions under National Instrument 51-102  Continuous Disclosure Obligations and National Instrument 54-101  Communication with Beneficial Owners of Securities of a Reporting Issuer for the AGM. Materials for the AGM, including the Proxy Circular, have been filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov and are also available on the Company's website at: www.galianogold.com/investors/annual-meeting. Any shareholder who wishes to receive a paper copy of the Proxy Circular should contact the Company at Suite 1640, 1066 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6E 3X1, by telephone: (604) 683-8193, by telephone toll-free: 1-855-246-7341, by fax: (604) 683-8194 or by email: [email protected]. A shareholder may also use the toll-free number noted above to obtain additional information about the notice-and-access provisions.

About Galiano Gold Inc.

Galiano is focused on creating a sustainable business capable of long-term value creation for its stakeholders through exploration and disciplined deployment of its financial resources. The Company currently operates and manages the Asanko Gold Mine, located in Ghana, West Africa which is jointly owned with Gold Fields Ltd. The Company is strongly committed to the highest standards for environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighbouring communities. For more information, please visit www.galianogold.com.

SOURCE Galiano Gold Inc.
DUBLIN, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Wi-Fi Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global Wi-Fi market reached a value of US$ 24.2 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach a value of US$ 54.53 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 13.70% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, the analyst is continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different End-use sectors. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



Wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) refers to a wireless networking technology that is used for connecting multiple electronic devices, including laptops, desktops, smartphones, and wearables, with the internet. It operates by sending radio signals from the wireless router to nearby gadgets, which translates the signal into data. These waves are further decoded and transmitted back to the router that assists in connecting the internet by wire and cable. Wi-Fi offers greater flexibility, scalability, reliability, convenience, and mobility at cost-effective prices, due to which it is extensively used in various applications. At present, it is commercially available in high-density and enterprise-class Wi-Fi density types.



Wi-Fi Market Trends

The widespread adoption of Wi-Fi across the information technology (IT), telecom, education, retail, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on account of the increasing need for responsive, effective, and quality wireless network connectivity is primarily driving the market growth. the increasing deployment of Wi-Fi across organizations has also enabled businesses to streamline multiple operations and ensure rapid and responsive development, while keeping track of the network.

This is acting as another major growth-inducing factor. In line with this, significant technological advancements, such as the introduction of wireless-enabled devices, including smartphones, tablets, television, and laptops, that helps in reducing network wiring cost and offers improved mobility is also supporting the market growth.

Additionally, the consequent implementation of nationwide lockdown due to the sudden outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic have led to the employment of Internet of Things (IoT) and bring your own device (BYOD) corporate models, which, in turn, is facilitating the demand for Wi-Fi across the globe. Other factors, such as favorable initiatives undertaken by the government of several countries for promoting digitalization, higher penetration of internet connectivity, and increasing utilization of electronic gadgets for performing tasks, are creating a positive outlook for the market.

Competitive Landscape

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being AT&T Inc., Broadcom Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Extreme Networks, Fortinet Inc., Fujitsu Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Juniper Networks Inc., Motorola Solutions Inc., Panasonic Corporation, Singapore Telecommunications Limited, Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, Telstra Corporation Limited and Ubiquiti Inc.



Key Questions Answered in This Report

How has the global Wi-Fi market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global Wi-Fi market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the component?

What is the breakup of the market based on the density?

What is the breakup of the market based on the location type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the organization size?

What is the breakup of the market based on the industry vertical?

What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?

What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry?

What is the structure of the global Wi-Fi market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology

3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Wi-Fi Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Component

6.1 Hardware

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Solutions

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast

6.3 Services

6.3.1 Market Trends

6.3.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Density

7.1 High-Density Wi-Fi

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Enterprise-Class Wi-Fi

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Location Type

8.1 Indoor

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2 Outdoor

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by Organization Size

9.1 Large Enterprises

9.1.1 Market Trends

9.1.2 Market Forecast

9.2 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

9.2.1 Market Trends

9.2.2 Market Forecast



10 Market Breakup by Industry Vertical

10.1 IT and Telecommunication

10.1.1 Market Trends

10.1.2 Market Forecast

10.2 Education

10.2.1 Market Trends

10.2.2 Market Forecast

10.3 BFSI

10.3.1 Market Trends

10.3.2 Market Forecast

10.4 Healthcare

10.4.1 Market Trends

10.4.2 Market Forecast

10.5 Logistics and Transportation

10.5.1 Market Trends

10.5.2 Market Forecast

10.6 Retail

10.6.1 Market Trends

10.6.2 Market Forecast

10.7 Government

10.7.1 Market Trends

10.7.2 Market Forecast

10.8 Others

10.8.1 Market Trends

10.8.2 Market Forecast



11 Market Breakup by Region



12 SWOT Analysis



13 Value Chain Analysis



14 Porters Five Forces Analysis



15 Price Analysis



16 Competitive Landscape

16.1 Market Structure

16.2 Key Players

16.3 Profiles of Key Players

16.3.1 AT&T Inc.

16.3.1.1 Company Overview

16.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.1.3 Financials

16.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.2 Broadcom Inc.

16.3.2.1 Company Overview

16.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.2.3 Financials

16.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.3 Cisco Systems Inc.

16.3.3.1 Company Overview

16.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.3.3 Financials

16.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.4 Extreme Networks

16.3.4.1 Company Overview

16.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.4.3 Financials

16.3.4.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.5 Fortinet Inc.

16.3.5.1 Company Overview

16.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.5.3 Financials

16.3.5.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.6 Fujitsu Limited

16.3.6.1 Company Overview

16.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.6.3 Financials

16.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.7 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company

16.3.7.1 Company Overview

16.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.7.3 Financials

16.3.7.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.8 Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.

16.3.8.1 Company Overview

16.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.8.3 SWOT Analysis

16.3.9 Juniper Networks Inc.

16.3.9.1 Company Overview

16.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.9.3 Financials

16.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.10 Motorola Solutions Inc.

16.3.10.1 Company Overview

16.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.10.3 Financials

16.3.10.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.11 Panasonic Corporation

16.3.11.1 Company Overview

16.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.11.3 Financials

16.3.11.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.12 Singapore Telecommunications Limited

16.3.12.1 Company Overview

16.3.12.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.12.3 Financials

16.3.12.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.13 Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson

16.3.13.1 Company Overview

16.3.13.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.13.3 Financials

16.3.13.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.14 Telstra Corporation Limited

16.3.14.1 Company Overview

16.3.14.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.14.3 Financials

16.3.14.4 SWOT Analysis

16.3.15 Ubiquiti Inc.

16.3.15.1 Company Overview

16.3.15.2 Product Portfolio

16.3.15.3 Financials

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/grv72j

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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SOURCE Research and Markets
Tiago Alves brings close to a decade of experience of fund-raising, go-to-market strategy development and product innovation to advance the firm's FirstIN strategy to build the region's next unicorn

SINGAPORE, May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Golden Gate Ventures, a venture capital fund in Southeast Asia founded by Silicon Valley natives, today announces its first Entrepreneur in Residence, Tiago Costa Alves, as the firm deepens its portfolio growth strategy for what is calls the '1.5  2nd generation' of founders emerging in Southeast Asia.

As the Southeast Asia startup ecosystem enters a new decade, attracting more sources of capital as it gains global recognition for its status as an innovation hub, there will also be a sharp rise in startups vying for the attention of investors and partners in the next decade. While the attention was focused very much on funding support in the last decade, the next decade will be about VCs providing more holistic support to the '1.5  2nd generation founders'. Golden Gate Ventures' appointment of its first Entrepreneur in Residence is aimed precisely at providing a deeper level of support for this new breed of founders.

A part of the firm's portfolio services platform strategy, which it bolstered with the announcement of Partner Angela Toy last year, the Entrepreneur in Residence role has been structured to help entrepreneurs win in a new environment that has both increased opportunities but also greater pressures and threats.

"The Southeast Asia startup ecosystem has come into its own in the last decade. But with that maturity comes different expectations: first, for founders to lead innovation and create new business models; second, for founders to build startups that will grow into the next generation of multi-nationals; third and most importantly, the world is looking to SEA to create a global game-changer. This requires a different level of support altogether. We have redesigned our portfolio growth strategy grounded in these very different goals. The Entrepreneur in Residence position is a key part of the strategy," said Angela Toy, Partner for Portfolio Growth.

To this end, Tiago Costa Alves, formerly Vice President Asia Pacific at leading mobile app marketplace Aptoide, fits the bill, having spent close to a decade on Aptoide's startup development journey. Building up its go-to-market strategy, driving two successful rounds of fund-raising, establishing strategic partnerships with leading global smartphone players like Huawei, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo, driving product innovation, and hacking revenue growth were all in a day's work for Alves. He combines this experience with a strategic eye for marketing and a deep understanding of SEA's unique cultural dynamics.

"Our founders are already operating at a much higher level than before  some of them are building their second or even third startup; they are well-connected across the region; and they understand the changing market dynamics. Our choice of Entrepreneur in Residence, therefore, must be able to operate at an already accelerated pace. We believe Tiago has the right mix of experience, big vision and a tremendous knack for problem-solving to challenge our founders and help them stretch their ideas into new spaces. Tiago will also benefit from Golden Gate Ventures' extensive connections and deep resources to help him find his next venture. We look forward to being that first institutional investor cheque into the next game-changer across the tech startup space beyond the region," said Vinnie Lauria, Founding Partner.

Lauria also predicts that SEA will see the EIR role grow in prominence in the next couple of years as the ecosystem matures and there are more founders with the right depth of experience to contribute to the ecosystem in the region's next wave of growth.

"The Entrepreneur in Residence role is important in building a dynamic startup ecosystem, especially where SEA is at in terms of its development. It creates a different level of connectivity that generates new ideas, solutions and innovations. This is exactly what is needed for a more mature ecosystem and more established founders. The first order of the day is for me to spend a lot of time reaching out to founders both within and beyond our portfolio. I am looking forward to cracking difficult challenges and finding the next breakthrough in tech startups," said Alves, newly-appointed Entrepreneur in Residence, who has committed to spending time in startup hubs and co-working spaces across the region as part of his role.

In the last decade, Golden Gate Ventures has been on a winning streak with early investments into SEA's growing cadre of startups that have gained unicorn and soonicorn status within the past 18 months, among which are Xendit, Carousell, Codapay, Carro, Omise, Bukuwarung, Xfers and Fuse. This has been driven by the firm's FirstIN strategy  as the first institutional investor cheque into startups. As Entrepreneur in Residence at Golden Gate Ventures, Alves will play a key role in identifying new investments for the firm, while the firm similarly looks to create new opportunities in partnership with Alves, under the banner of its FirstIN approach.

About Golden Gate Ventures

Golden Gate Ventures is a VC fund in Southeast Asia (SEA) founded by Silicon Valley natives. Since 2011, Golden Gate Ventures has launched four funds and invested in over 60 companies. The firm focuses on investing in the rising consumer internet class in Southeast Asia. Breakout companies include Carousell (mobile classifieds), CodaPay (mobile payments), Appota (Vietnam mobile publishing platform), Alodokter (HealthTech), Carro (Auto Marketplace), and Xendit (Payment Processing).

Bio  Tiago Alves



Tiago's entry into the startup world came serendipitously in 2015 when he was given the opportunity to move from a senior technology role in Europe to join Aptoide in Asia Pacific in its early founding days. It was his first startup experience in a completely new region and the demands were tremendous, covering the breadth of fund-raising, product development, go-to-market strategy development and growth hacking.

Close to a decade on, Tiago has successfully led two rounds of fund-raising, a traditional USD 4m Series A round and an USD 15m ICO (Initial Coin Offering) in a record 5 months, developed strategic SaaS partnerships with some of the world's biggest smartphone brands  Xiaomi, OPPO, VIVO and Huawei, and drove aggressive growth across a number of Aptoide's key in-app solutions surpassing the 100m MAUs (Monthly Active Users) milestone.

Prior to his startup experience, Tiago spent time in both the US and Europe telco sector, in key business and product development roles  always with an eye on growth hacking through new solutions and revenue models.

As Entrepreneur in Residence at Golden Gate Ventures, Tiago will be working closely with founders across strategic areas of fund-raising, partnership development and growth hacking. He will also be working closely with Golden Gate Ventures' partners to identify potential portfolio companies under the firm's FirstIN strategy to be the first institutional investor cheque into startups, as he scouts for his next venture.

Tiago holds an MBA in Tech Management from the University of San Francisco, a Masters in Mandarin Chinese from the Beijing Language and Culture University in China, and a Bachelor's in Software Engineering from the University of Macau.

Having lived and worked across three continents, Tiago is a natural linguist and is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, Mandarin and English. For kicks, Tiago enjoys playing Rugby on the weekends and taking care of his Betta fish collection to unplug.

SOURCE Golden Gate Ventures
Savills' Junior Broker Development Program

CBRE's Workforce Representation Program

Related's DEI Task Force

Basis Investment Group: The Basis Impact Foundation

Artemis Real Estate Partners: The Artemis Summer Enrichment Program

L+M Development Partners: Rise Up Program

Gilbane's Economic Inclusion Task Force

The HOK Diversity Advisory Council

Bozzuto: Belonging At Bozzuto

Read more about the honorees & their programs here .

Executives from Ivanhoe Cambridge, Amazon, Artemis Real Estate Partners, Nuveen, The World Bank Pension Fund and other major players took the stage at Rise to speak on important discussions around strategies to attract, retain and advance diverse talent within CRE firms.

Kimberly Dowdell of honoree company HOK commented, "Bisnow has shown great leadership in launching The Rise Initiative to bring more awareness about diversity, equity, belonging and inclusion within the CRE industry. HOK established our Diversity Advisory Council in 2013 to help create a culture where people with all sorts of backgrounds, perspectives, skills and experience can thrive. We're grateful for being acknowledged as a changemaker for our efforts so far, but realize there is still much to be done. We look forward to working with and being inspired by our peers across the industry as we continue on this important journey together."

More than 300 industry leaders attended the gala with a palpable buzz and spirit of optimism amongst the crowd. Bisnow Vice President Natascha Bhuiyan created the program in 2021 with the mission to continue the conversation spurred by Bisnow's Race & Accountability series , an investigative news report that began in 2020.

Bhuiyan shared, "Our industry has a lot of work to do on the diversity front and given all the things that we can do, the truth is that we often end up doing nothing. As our speakers on stage said, 'hope is not a strategy' and 'diversifying is not finite.' Small actions matter. If we focus on the things we can control, like internal company initiatives, we individually make forward progress that adds up across the industry. I hope that The Rise Initiative becomes a place where we share the actions that we takesmall and bigto change the face of CRE and inspire others to follow."

BentallGreenOak joined the initiative as a founding partner, working with Bisnow throughout the nomination process and planning of the event. Sonny Kalsi, co-CEO of BentallGreenOak said, "At the heart of The Rise Initiative is an industry-wide recognition that our efforts to drive progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion are better served through knowledge sharing and collaboration. We know we aren't alone in this mission and through our commitment to learning from and working alongside our peers across the commercial real estate sector, we firmly believe that change will come."

The inaugural gala was sponsored by Nuveen, Keller Augusta, Savills, BentallGreenOak, Cohn Reznick, Blace, Invesco & Avalon Bay.

Bisnow plans to continue and expand the initiative, with additional events and new geographies to be announced later this year. Bisnow CEO Will Friend expanded, "The Rise Initiative is a major step forward for Bisnow and CRE as a whole. As so many of our partners have told us recently, the time for action is now  the time for solutions is now. We are proud to promote these honorees and their paths of achieving DEI success. Bisnow is committed to change and we will do everything we can in the years ahead to continue building Rise."

About Bisnow

Bisnow is the world's leading B2B platform serving the commercial real estate professionals in more than 50 local markets. From events and news to branded content and recruiting solutions, Bisnow powers the industry to do more business. Learn more at www.bisnow.com .

To find out more about Bisnow & The Rise Initiative, email [email protected] .

SOURCE Bisnow
Full-page ad in The New York Times thanks travel advisors; acknowledges vital role advisors play in the world of planning travel

NEW YORK, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Internova Travel Group, one of the world's largest travel services companies, is unwavering in its commitment to human capital as it looks to bring the knowledge, experience and service of advisors to travelers everywhere. The company is taking out a full-page ad in The New York Times on May 4  Global Travel Advisor Day  to thank the more than 70,000 travel advisors represented in its portfolio of travel brands.

Here is the full text from the Internova Travel Group ad in The New York Times:

Related Documents View PDF Internova Travel Group Celebrates Global Travel Advisor Day

Where to from here?

The travel industry is a business of change. Always has been, really. Since humans began putting one foot in front of the other, we've seen unbelievable new destinations. Planes that can get you there faster than ever thought possible. Ships resembling entire cities traversing the globe.

And while overall our industry has changed for the better, we've endured a tremendous amount of difficult change as wellwith most in recent memory. Constantly changing rules and restrictions. Changes to schedules, itineraries, and stock prices. Not to mention an exhausting race to the bottom with a customer experience to match.

But there's one thing I believe will never change: the importance of personal connection. The past two years have exposed the flaws of a system designed only to sell, not to care. How many were left stranded when that system failed? It's been made quite apparent that in times of turbulence, we don't turn to robots and computers, but to humans. Travel is a deeply human experience, and it's at its best when it starts with the wealth of firsthand knowledge and connections that only humans can have. The relationships, advice, and ingenuity of a travel advisor fundamentally change how you traveland how travel changes you. It's a superior experience that a machine will never replicate.

That's why we've staked our entire company's future on our people. More than 70,000 travel advisors around the globe to whom I owe my most sincere gratitude. Today marks Global Travel Advisor Day, but it deserves to be said year-round. I want to personally thank every one of our incredible advisors who have thrived through times of exceptional changeand prepared us for what I believe will be the best year travel has seen.

Through everything, we can all agree that the most important change isn't within our industryit's in the lives of the travelers we help see the world.

Go human.

J.D. O'Hara

Chief Executive Officer

Internova Travel Group

"Our incredible advisors have thrived despite a tremendous amount of change over the past two years, and this is my way of saying thank you," said J.D. O'Hara, CEO of Internova Travel Group. "In a time of great disruption, our advisors demonstrated the importance of a human connection, providing the personal service that no online booking tool could ever match. Our advisors have prepared us for what I believe will be the best year that travel has ever seen, and I am grateful to them and remain committed to supporting their work."

Global Travel Advisor Day is the perfect time to honor these experienced professionals across the country and around the world. They prove their value to their clients every day. Travel advisors are passionate about their craft, with firsthand knowledge of destinations at home and abroad. They have the expertise that comes from ongoing education and years of working with clients to plan a variety of travel. And, most importantly, the peace of mind that their experience provides is priceless.

Travel advisors are committed to the success of supplier partners as well. Airlines, cruise lines, hotels and resorts, among others, continue to face many challenges, but travel advisors are available to provide their expertise so suppliers can focus on providing the best travel experiences for their customers. The strong relationships that travel advisors have with suppliers also give them an advantage when it comes to obtaining the best value for their clients.

"All of us at Internova are united in one common belief: humans do it better," continued O'Hara. "When it comes to travel, booking sites are programmed to do only one thing: sell. Our company fundamentally believes in a human's superior ability to plan, book and manage travel. That's why today, and every day, we celebrate how humans are the way we connect the world to the joy of travel."

About Internova Travel Group

Internova Travel Group is one of the largest travel services companies in the world with a collection of leading brands delivering high-touch, personal travel expertise to leisure and corporate clients. Internova manages leisure, business and franchise firms through a portfolio of four distinctive divisions:

Global Travel Collection (GTC) includes the well-established networks of Protravel International, Tzell Travel Group, and Colletts Travel, as well as Andrew Harper, In the Know Experiences, All Star Travel Group and R. Crusoe & Son.

Internova's corporate travel division, led by ALTOUR and Travel Leaders Corporate, includes CTS (Corporate Travel Services) in Mexico, YES (Your Event Solutions) in the U.K., and an international network that allows it to service its clients in over 80 countries around the world.

Leading travel consortium Travel Leaders Network sits at the center of Travel Leaders Group. Barrhead Travel, CruCon Cruise Outlet, Cruise Specialists, Nexion Travel Group and Roadtrips are also part of Travel Leaders Group.

Bonotel Exclusive Travel is a hotel wholesaling business focused exclusively on the leisure hotel segment.

CONTACT:

Elizabeth Gaerlan

[email protected]

212-944-1125

SOURCE Internova Travel Group
CHICAGO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) today announced the appointment of Lucy Brady as president of Grocery & Snacks, effective June 15, 2022.

In this role, Brady will lead the ongoing modernization and growth of Conagra's grocery and snack portfolio, which includes brands such as Slim Jim, Duncan Hines, and Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, with a focus on delivering products that reflect evolving consumer demand and trends.

"Lucy has a tremendous background and proven leadership skills that will be critical as we continue to grow our successful Grocery & Snacks business," said Tom McGough, executive vice president and co-chief operating officer. "We're excited to have Lucy join Conagra and build on the momentum we have created for our iconic and emerging brands."

Lucy brings extensive experience in marketing, corporate strategy, innovation, business development, and value creation. She spent the last six years with McDonald's Corporation as Chief Digital Customer Engagement Officer and Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy, Business Development and Innovation. In these roles, Lucy and her team were responsible for some of McDonald's most significant growth drivers that helped elevate and modernize the McDonald's customer experience, including delivery, loyalty, digital ordering and pickup and personalized communications. Prior to McDonald's Corporation, she spent 19 years at Boston Consulting Group, including nine years as a Senior Partner and Managing Director, where she advised some of the world's largest consumer companies on growth, innovation and transformation.

Brady earned a bachelor's degree from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA with highest honors from Stanford Graduate School of Business.

About Conagra Brands

Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), headquartered in Chicago, is one of North America's leading branded food companies. Guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, Conagra Brands combines a rich heritage of making great food with a sharpened focus on innovation. The company's portfolio is evolving to satisfy people's changing food preferences. Conagra's iconic brands, such as Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Healthy Choice, Marie Callender's, Reddi-wip, and Slim Jim, as well as emerging brands, including Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, Duke's, Earth Balance, Gardein, and Frontera, offer choices for every occasion. For more information, visit www.ConagraBrands.com.

For all media inquiries, please contact:

Dan Hare, Conagra Brands

312-549-5355

[email protected]

SOURCE Conagra Brands, Inc.
VANCOUVER, BC, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - MANTARO PRECIOUS METALS CORP. (TSXV: MNTR) (OTCQB: MSLVF) (FSE: 9TZ) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Matthew Anderson to the position of Chief Financial Officer of the Company. The Company would like to express its sincere appreciation for Mr. Kelvin Lee's dedication and contributions as Chief Financial Officer since it was founded in mid-2020.

Mr. Anderson is a Managing Director with Malaspina Consultants Inc., a private company that provides accounting and administrative infrastructure to junior public companies primarily in the natural resource sector. He has extensive experience in financial and accounting related functions and has served as CFO of various junior public companies since 2010. Mr. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University and obtained his Chartered Professional Accountant designation in 2008 while articling at a large accounting firm.

In connection with Mr. Anderson's appointment as Chief Financial Officer, the Company has granted a total of 100,000 options at a price of $0.35 per share for a period of five years from the date of grant.

About Mantaro Precious Metals Corp.

Mantaro Precious Metals Corp. is a British Columbia company that holds a diversified portfolio of gold and silver focused mineral properties in Bolivia and Peru. The Company's holds an option to acquire up to an 80% interest in the advanced Golden Hill Property ("Golden Hill"), located in the underexplored, orogenic Bolivia Shield, Bolivia.

The Company also has a 100% interest in the high-grade Santas Gloria Silver Property as well as a 100% interest in each of the San Jose, La Purisima, Cerro Luque and Huaranay Properties (collectively, the "Silver Properties"). The Silver Properties are located in Peru.

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. The Company 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 the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Company's limited operating history and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. 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, the Resulting Issuer undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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 release.

SOURCE Mantaro Precious Metals Corp.
PROVO, Utah, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: NUS) today announced first quarter 2022 results.

Executive Summary

Q1 2022 vs. Prior-year Quarter

Revenue: $604.9 million; (11)% (3)% FX impact or $(17.2) million Earnings Per Share (EPS): $0.76; (16)% Customers: 1,321,451; (13)% Paid Affiliates: 251,436; (14)% Sales Leaders: 52,462; (22)%

"Despite heightened global uncertainty and COVID-related obstacles, we are pleased with our first quarter results, which exceeded guidance," said Ryan Napierski, Nu Skin president and CEO. "Demand remained strong for our most recent product introductions, ageLOC Meta and Beauty Focus Collagen+, and the momentum from these product launches helped drive strong revenue growth in several markets including the U.S., Taiwan and Southeast Asia. Our business in Mainland China and several other markets was disrupted due to severe COVID-related lockdowns and other factors, and the conflict in Ukraine and Russia negatively impacted business throughout the EMEA region.

"As we look ahead to the remainder of the year, we are focused on the strategic imperatives that underpin Nu Vision 2025, including: EmpowerMe, our personalized beauty and wellness strategy with connected beauty device introductions beginning in the third quarter; expansion of our affiliate-powered social commerce business model; and the continued enhancement of our digital platform. While we anticipate near-term headwinds given the dynamic macro environment, we remain confident in the significant growth potential of our business, achieving our vision for the future and driving value for our shareholders."

Q1 2022 Year-over-year Operating Results

Revenue: $604.9 million compared to $677.0 million (3)% FX impact Gross Margin: 73.3% compared to 74.8% Impacted by product mix and promotions

Nu Skin business was 76.5% compared to 77.8 % Selling Expenses: 40.1% compared to 40.8% Nu Skin business was 43.0% compared to 43.7% G&A Expenses: 24.6% compared to 24.8% Operating Margin: 8.6% compared to 9.3% Other Income / (Expense): $(1.5) million compared to $1.6 million Income Tax Rate: 23.6% compared to 26.5% EPS: $0.76 compared to $0.91

Stockholder Value

Dividend Payments: $19.3 million Stock Repurchases: $10.0 million $235.4 million remaining in authorization

Q2 and Full-year 2022 Outlook

Q2 2022 Revenue: $590 to $620 million; (16) to (12)% Approximately (3) to (4)% FX impact Q2 2022 EPS: $0.75 to $0.85; (35) to (26)% 2022 Revenue: $2.51 to $2.62 billion; (7) to (3)% Approximately (3) to (4)% FX impact 2022 EPS: $3.60 to $3.90; 26 to 36% on a reported basis, or (13) to (6)% non-GAAP

"Our results outperformed expectations in the first quarter including a beat in revenue and earnings per share driven in part by sales late in the quarter ahead of an April 1 price increase," added Mark Lawrence, chief financial officer. "In light of the ongoing global uncertainties, including increasing COVID-related factors, foreign exchange pressure and geopolitical conflict, we are adjusting our annual guidance. Our 2022 revenue guidance is $2.51 to $2.62 billion with a 3 to 4 percent foreign currency headwind and EPS of $3.60 to $3.90. We are projecting second quarter revenue of $590 to $620 million with a 3 to 4 percent foreign currency headwind and EPS of $0.75 to $0.85."

Conference Call

The Nu Skin Enterprises management team will host a conference call with the investment community today at 5 p.m. (ET). Those wishing to access the webcast, as well as the financial information presented during the call, can visit the Investor Relations page on the company's website at ir.nuskin.com. A replay of the webcast will be available on the same page through May 18, 2022.

About Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc.

Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: NUS) is a leading beauty and wellness company, powered by a dynamic affiliate opportunity platform. The company helps people look, feel and live their best with products that combine the best of science, technology and nature. Backed by more than 35 years of scientific research, Nu Skin develops innovative products including Nu Skin personal care, Pharmanex nutrition and the ageLOC anti-aging brand which includes an award-winning line of beauty device systems. Nu Skin operates in approximately 50 markets worldwide in the Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa and the Pacific. Rhyz Inc. is the company's strategic investment arm that includes a collection of technology and manufacturing companies to support growth in the core Nu Skin business. Nu Skin is committed to sustainability, including global initiatives such as transitioning to reduced and sustainable packaging for all products by 2030. The Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation also strives to improve children's health, education and economic circumstances throughout the world. For more information, visit nuskin.com.

Important Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that represent the company's current expectations and beliefs. All statements other than statements of historical fact are "forward-looking statements" for purposes of federal and state securities laws and include, but are not limited to, statements of management's expectations regarding the company's performance, growth, shareholder value, strategies, vision, transformation, initiatives, product pipeline and product introductions, digital and social-commerce tools and initiatives, customers, sales leaders and affiliates; operational improvements, projections regarding revenue, expenses, operating income, earnings per share, foreign currency fluctuations, uses of cash and other financial items; statements of belief; and statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "outlook," "guidance," "remain," "become," "plan," "opportunity," "expand," "will," "would," "could," "may," "might," the negative of these words and other similar words.

The forward-looking statements and related assumptions involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from any forward-looking statements or views expressed herein. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following:

risk that epidemics, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and other crises could negatively impact our business;

adverse publicity related to the company's business, products, industry or any legal actions or complaints by the company's sales force or others;

risk that direct selling laws and regulations in any of the company's markets, including the United States and Mainland China, may be modified, interpreted or enforced in a manner that results in negative changes to the company's business model or negatively impacts its revenue, sales force or business, including through the interruption of sales activities, loss of licenses, increased scrutiny of sales force actions, imposition of fines, or any other adverse actions or events;

any failure of current or planned initiatives or products to generate interest among the company's sales force and customers and generate sponsoring and selling activities on a sustained basis;

political, legal, tax and regulatory uncertainties associated with operating in international markets, including Mainland China;

uncertainty regarding meeting restrictions and other government scrutiny in Mainland China, as well as negative media and consumer sentiment in Mainland China on our business operations and results;

risk of foreign-currency fluctuations and the currency translation impact on the company's business associated with these fluctuations;

uncertainties regarding the future financial performance of the businesses the company has acquired;

risks related to accurately predicting, delivering or maintaining sufficient quantities of products to support planned initiatives or launch strategies, and increased risk of inventory write-offs if the company over-forecasts demand for a product or changes its planned initiatives or launch strategies;

regulatory risks associated with the company's products, which could require the company to modify its claims or inhibit its ability to import or continue selling a product in a market if the product is determined to be a medical device or if the company is unable to register the product in a timely manner under applicable regulatory requirements;

unpredictable economic conditions and events globally, including trade policies and tariffs;

the company's future tax-planning initiatives; any prospective or retrospective increases in duties on the company's products imported into the company's markets outside of the United States ; and any adverse results of tax audits or unfavorable changes to tax laws in the company's various markets; and

continued competitive pressures in the company's markets.

The company's financial performance and the forward-looking statements contained herein are further qualified by a detailed discussion of associated risks set forth in the documents filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements set forth the company's beliefs as of the date that such information was first provided, and the company assumes no duty to update the forward-looking statements contained in this release to reflect any change except as required by law.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures: Constant-currency revenue change is a non-GAAP financial measure that removes the impact of fluctuations in foreign-currency exchange rates, thereby facilitating period-to-period comparisons of the company's performance. It is calculated by translating the current period's revenue at the same average exchange rates in effect during the applicable prior-year period and then comparing that amount to the prior-year period's revenue. The company believes that constant-currency revenue change is useful to investors, lenders and analysts because such information enables them to gauge the impact of foreign-currency fluctuations on the company's revenue from period to period.

Earnings per share and adjusted earnings per share growth, each excluding impairment and restructuring charges, also are non-GAAP financial measures. Impairment and restructuring charges are not part of the ongoing operations of our underlying business. The company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors, lenders and analysts because removing the impact of impairment and restructuring charges facilitates period-to-period comparisons of the company's performance. Please see the reconciliations of these items to our earnings per share and earnings per share growth calculated under GAAP, below.

The following table sets forth revenue for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 for each of our reportable segments (U.S. dollars in thousands):



Three Months Ended March 31,





Constant-

Currency

2022

2021

Change

Change Nu Skin





















Mainland China $ 124,495

$ 149,593



(17)%



(18)% Americas

123,580



133,761



(8)%



(6)% Southeast Asia/Pacific

90,236



83,289



8%



11% South Korea

72,133



81,131



(11)%



(4)% Japan

61,791



69,864



(12)%



(3)% EMEA

52,968



76,180



(30)%



(25)% Hong Kong/Taiwan

38,494



36,345



6%



6% Other

620



878



(29)%



(29)% Total Nu Skin

564,317



631,041



(11)%



(8)% Rhyz Investments





















Manufacturing

40,341



45,985



(12)%



(12)% Rhyz other

241















Total Rhyz Investments

40,582



45,985



(12)%



(12)% Total $ 604,899

$ 677,026



(11)%



(8)%

The following table provides information concerning the number of Customers, Paid Affiliates and Sales Leaders in our core Nu Skin business for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2022 and 2021:



Three Months Ended March 31,



Customers 2022

2021

Change Mainland China

289,060



316,000

(9)% Americas

318,458



374,867

(15)% Southeast Asia/Pacific

165,657



185,435

(11)% South Korea

140,648



152,390

(8)% Japan

122,616



126,525

(3)% EMEA

216,037



296,001

(27)% Hong Kong/Taiwan

68,975



66,042

4% Total

1,321,451



1,517,260

(13)%



Three Months Ended March 31,



Paid Affiliates 2022

2021

Change Mainland China

22,762



41,944

(46)% Americas

46,281



52,767

(12)% Southeast Asia/Pacific

43,262



45,871

(6)% South Korea

49,328



51,006

(3)% Japan

38,059



38,283

(1)% EMEA

33,834



43,696

(23)% Hong Kong/Taiwan

17,910



17,885

 Total

251,436



291,452

(14)%



Three Months Ended March 31,



Sales Leaders 2022

2021

Change Mainland China

14,146



23,013

(39)% Americas

9,547



11,394

(16)% Southeast Asia/Pacific

8,012



8,446

(5)% South Korea

6,072



6,682

(9)% Japan

5,977



6,135

(3)% EMEA

5,455



7,479

(27)% Hong Kong/Taiwan

3,253



3,755

(13)% Total

52,462



66,904

(22)%

"Customers" are persons who have purchased directly from the Company during the three months ended as of the date indicated. Our Customer numbers include members of our sales force who made such a purchase, including Paid Affiliates and those who qualify as Sales Leaders, but they do not include consumers who purchase products directly from members of our sales force.

"Paid Affiliates" are any Brand Affiliates, as well as sales employees and independent marketers in Mainland China, who earned sales compensation during the three-month period. In all of our markets besides Mainland China, we refer to members of our independent sales force as "Brand Affiliates" because their primary role is to promote our brand and products through their personal social networks.

"Sales Leaders" are the three-month average of our monthly Brand Affiliates, as well as sales employees and independent marketers in Mainland China, who had achieved certain qualification requirements as of the end of each month of the quarter.

NU SKIN ENTERPRISES, INC.

Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)

(U.S. dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)







Three Months Ended March 31,

2022

2021











Revenue $ 604,899

$ 677,026 Cost of sales

161,499



170,566 Gross profit

443,400



506,460











Operating expenses:









Selling expenses

242,699



275,965 General and administrative expenses

148,556



167,582 Total operating expenses

391,255



443,547











Operating income

52,145



62,913 Other income (expense), net

(1,453)



1,582











Income before provision for income taxes

50,692



64,495 Provision for income taxes

11,976



17,065











Net income $ 38,716

$ 47,430











Net income per share:









Basic $ 0.77

$ 0.94 Diluted $ 0.76

$ 0.91











Weighted-average common shares outstanding (000s):









Basic

49,991



50,706 Diluted

51,066



52,172

NU SKIN ENTERPRISES, INC.





Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)





(U.S. dollars in thousands)















March 31,

2022

December 31,

2021 ASSETS





Current assets:





Cash and cash equivalents $ 302,216

$ 339,593 Current investments

15,313



15,221 Accounts receivable, net

52,171



41,299 Inventories, net

381,585



399,931 Prepaid expenses and other

97,923



76,906 Total current assets

849,208



872,950











Property and equipment, net

448,822



453,674 Operating lease right-of-use assets

132,949



120,973 Goodwill

206,432



206,432 Other intangible assets, net

74,874



76,991 Other assets

179,964



175,460 Total assets $ 1,892,249

$ 1,906,480











LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY









Current liabilities:









Accounts payable $ 40,719

$ 49,993 Accrued expenses

343,737



372,201 Current portion of long-term debt

110,000



107,500 Total current liabilities

494,456



529,694











Operating lease liabilities

100,844



88,759 Long-term debt

258,995



268,781 Other liabilities

103,754



106,474 Total liabilities

958,049



993,708











Commitments and contingencies





















Stockholders' equity:









Class A common stock  500 million shares authorized, $0.001 par value, 90.6

million shares issued

91



91 Additional paid-in capital

599,258



601,703 Treasury stock, at cost  40.4 million and 40.7 million shares

(1,526,778)



(1,526,860) Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(69,528)



(73,896) Retained earnings

1,931,157



1,911,734 Total stockholders' equity

934,200



912,772 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 1,892,249

$ 1,906,480







NU SKIN ENTERPRISES, INC.





Reconciliation of Earnings Per Share Excluding Impact of

Restructuring and Impairment to GAAP Earnings Per Share





(in thousands, except per share amounts)

Year Ended

2021 2022 EPS

Guidance

 low end 2022

Projected

Annual

Growth

Rate  low

end 2022 EPS

Guidance 

high end 2022

Projected

Annual

Growth

Rate  high

end











Net income $147,266







Impact of restructuring and impairment:









Restructuring and impairment 51,870







Inventory write-off 6,656







Income tax impact 6,933







Adjusted net income $212,725







Diluted earnings per share $2.86 $3.60 26% $3.90 36% Diluted earnings per share, excluding restructuring and impairment impact $4.14 $3.60 (13%) $3.90 (6%) Weighted-average common shares

outstanding (000s): 51,427









SOURCE Nu Skin Enterprises
New module provides a comprehensive view of subscription performance and helps publishers identify and optimize the most effective touchpoints on the path to conversion

PHILADELPHIA, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Piano , a leading digital experience platform, today announced the launch of Composer Insights, a critical integration between Piano Analytics and the company's flagship drag-and-drop customer journey management tool, Composer. This marks the true initiation of Piano's vision to combine powerful digital analytics with industry-leading activation tools to help brands and publishers understand their customers and activate those insights across multiple channels.

"As publishers continue to become more sophisticated with their monetization strategies, it's imperative for them to understand precisely what user journeys, pricing schemes and products are driving not just conversion, but ongoing revenue and retention," said Trevor Kaufman, CEO, Piano. "Existing analytics tools, and even those designed for publishers, simply aren't configured to deliver this level of granular insight about the user journey. Filling this gap, Composer Insights gives publishers the deep insight into user behavior that they will require to be successful in the next era of digital business."

Composer Insights allows publishers to optimize pivotal moments along the subscription journey and generate lasting customer relationships by providing a detailed view into how consumers discover and interact with their site, the content they engage with, the reasons they subscribe, and the experiences that drive them to renew. With this module, publishers can now:

Accurately report on subscription health with an aggregate view of performance across experiences, conversions, traffic sources, exposures, etc.





Understand the subscriber journey and the path to conversion by identifying the experiences, tactics and content that resonate best with the audience





Identify and fix errors in real time to avoid lost revenue





Perform custom and deep data mining on subscription data to uncover transformative customer insights

Piano has grown more than 240% in the last two years and has been recognized annually on the Inc. 5000 and Deloitte Technology Fast 500 lists. The company has continued to expand its global presence and product offering with the acquisitions of AT Internet and CeleraOne in 2021, and SocialFlow in 2022. Piano's platform has been named Overall Data Tech Solution of the Year in the Data Breakthrough Awards , New Product of the Year in the Business Intelligence Group's BIG Awards for Business , Best Subscription Platform in the Digiday Technology Awards and more.

Learn more about Composer Insights in Piano's first look webinar on Tuesday, May 24. Register here .

About Piano

Piano's Digital Experience Platform empowers organizations to understand and influence customer behavior. By unifying customer data, analyzing behavior metrics and creating personalized customer journeys, Piano helps brands launch campaigns and products faster, strengthen customer engagement and drive personalization at scale from a single platform. With offices across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, Piano serves a global client base, including Air France, the BBC, CBS, IBM, Kirin Holdings, Jaguar Land Rover, Nielsen, The Wall Street Journal and more. Piano has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing, most innovative technology companies in the world by World Economic Forum, Inc., Deloitte, American City Business Journals and more. For more information, visit piano.io.

Piano Media Contact

Elissa Hill

1-814-952-1170

[email protected]

SOURCE Piano Software Inc
"We are passionate about serving those who protect our country and are grateful for organizations like Hire Heroes USA that are helping find meaningful and successful careers for these highly skilled service men and women," said Shameek Konar, CEO of Pilot Company. "Pilot appreciates and recognizes the strong leadership qualities and talents that they bring to our team and is proud to have veterans employed across our organization. We hope partnerships like this will bring more veterans into the workforce."

Hire Heroes USA is one of the most influential employment assistance organizations in the country, helping transitioning service members secure thousands of jobs each year. With this $100,000 donation, Hire Heroes USA will be able to take 100 military members through the transition process and into great careers.

"It is thanks to long-time partners like Pilot that our veterans and military spouses are empowered to secure well-fitting and well-paying jobs," shared Andrew Sandoe, CEO of Hire Heroes USA. "We at Hire Heroes USA are thankful for Pilot's belief in our organization and commitment to our nation's veterans."

Job seekers are encouraged to apply with Pilot Company. As the largest network of travel centers, the company is actively hiring more than 10,000 positions in retail and food service at its stores, to transport fuel and DEF as company drivers, and in corporate positions at its offices in Knoxville, Atlanta, Dallas and Houston. For more information and to apply, visit jobs.pilotflyingj.com.

Pilot Company is extending its thanks during Military Appreciation Month with exclusive offers in May and a year-round 10% discount on food and beverages for the military and their families. To redeem these special deals**, including free pizza and fountain drink, free Full Throttle energy drink, and 50% off hats, download the myRewards Plus app*, verify through ID.me and visit a participating U.S. Pilot or Flying J travel center. Canadian military veterans can also validate their military status through ID.me and utilize the year-round 10% military discount when checking out at a participating Flying J travel center in Canada**.

More information on Hire Heroes USA is available at https://www.hireheroesusa.org/. To learn more about Pilot Company and its longstanding commitment to giving back, visit pilotcompany.com/about.

*Data rates may apply. Other terms and conditions may apply.

** Offers are only available at Pilot and Flying J locations in the US and only for US veterans verified through ID.me. The year-round discount applies to US and Canadian veterans verified through ID.me.

About Pilot Company

Pilot Travel Centers LLC ("Pilot Company") keeps North America's drivers moving as one of the leading suppliers of fuel and the largest operator of travel centers. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot Company has grown its network to more than 800 retail and fueling locations and as the third largest tanker fleet in North America, supplies more than 14 billion gallons of fuel per year to the market. Its energy division also supplies DEF, bio and renewable fuels and provides hauling and disposal services to the oil field sector. Pilot Company serves 1.5 million guests per day and provides over 70,000 fleet customers with solutions for fuel, credit, factoring, services and rewards. Its Pilot Flying J Travel Center network includes over 750 locations in 44 states and five Canadian provinces with more than 790 restaurants, 75,000 truck parking spaces, 5,300 deluxe showers, 6,200 diesel lanes and offers truck maintenance and tire service with Southern Tire Mart at Pilot Flying J. The One9 Fuel Network connects a variety of fueling locations to provide smaller fleets and independent professional drivers with everyday value, convenience, credit and perks. More information on locations and rewards are available in the myRewards Plus app.

Pilot Company is currently ranked No. 7 on Forbes' list of America's Largest Private Companies. For additional information about Pilot Company, its 28,000 team members and commitment to giving back, visit www.pilotcompany.com.

About Hire Heroes USA

Hire Heroes USA is a nonprofit organization that empowers US military members, veterans, and spouses to succeed in the civilian workforce. We offer personalized one-on-one coaching, professionally revised resumes, mentoring, workshops, a job board, career fairs, and more to tens of thousands of job-seeking veterans and military spouses annually. Funded exclusively through public donations and private grants, we provide our services at no cost to clients. Since Hire Heroes USA's founding, more than 65,000 Hire Heroes clients have found success in their job search.

SOURCE Pilot Company
Dean of Colangelo College of Business to succeed retiring Hank Radda

PHOENIX, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Grand Canyon University didn't have to look far to find its new Provost, promoting Colangelo College of Business (CCOB) Dean Dr. Randy Gibb to the position once Dr. Hank Radda retires on July 15.

Gibb, a former Air Force Colonel and command pilot who also held academic leadership roles at the US Air Force Academy and Arizona State University, has overseen the GCU business college for the past eight years. During that time, CCOB has more than tripled its traditional campus enrollment (from 1,900 to more than 6,000), launched a major business incubation center that hires GCU's students, debuted a new hospitality program centered around the GCU Hotel, created a pathway for students in financial services to complete the Securities Industry Essentials exam while still in school through the new Charles Schwab Foundation Finance Center, and fostered a student-focused entrepreneurial mindset that  like the University itself  emphasizes the ideals of free enterprise and using business as a servant leadership ministry to help others.

"Dr. Gibb very much fits the mold of Dr. Radda in that he is accomplished academically but also understands the operational part to be able to build on what Hank has done," said GCU President Brian Mueller. "A big part of that comes from his military background and his ability to lead a team. That is evident in everything he has accomplished as dean of one of the fastest-growing business colleges in the country."

Radda is retiring after 12 years as GCU's chief academic officer, overseeing a remarkable time period in which:

The number of academic programs, degrees and certificates at GCU tripled to almost 300.

Academic programs in high-growth job fields such as engineering, computer science, information technology and cybersecurity were added.

The University successfully completed a flurry of regional and programmatic accreditations.

An Honors College was created that now numbers 2,800 students, with incoming grade point averages of 4.1, from throughout the world.

GCU became a leader in online innovation and assessing learning outcomes for students.

"It's been incredible," Radda said of his time at GCU. "When you look back on everything we've accomplished with the great team we have here, we've done it by thinking about education not only as the development of the person intellectually but also their character and who they are as people, supporting their growth and development from a Christian perspective. That's not being done in a lot of places."

In addition to naming Gibb the new Provost, GCU also chose Dr. Jennifer Lech as its Vice Provost. In her 18 years at GCU, Lech has been instrumental in nearly every aspect of academic affairs. She built the Curriculum Design and Development Department and also has overseen Academic Web Services, Office of Assessment, Institutional Research, Library, Faculty Services, Academic Compliance, State Compliance, Accreditation, Office of Academic Records, Resolution Office, Title IX, Student Disability Services, Proctoring Center and the LOPES program.

"Dr. Lech has built excellence into what GCU does academically and operationally, but at a scale with systems and processes that many universities are not able to achieve," Mueller said. "She brings an organizational capacity to literally every aspect of what we do from an admissions perspective to accreditation to state compliance. She is also responsible for creating student teaching opportunities, internships and clinical placements in all 50 states, giving our students real-world experience to help them succeed."

About Grand Canyon University: Grand Canyon University was founded in 1949 and is Arizona's premier private Christian university. GCU is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers nearly 300 academic programs, emphases and certificates for both traditional undergraduate students and working professionals. The University's curriculum emphasizes interaction with classmates, both in-person and online, and individual attention from instructors while fusing academic rigor with Christian values to help students find their purpose and become skilled, caring professionals. For more information, visit gcu.edu.

SOURCE Grand Canyon University
NEW YORK, May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Cano Health, Inc. f/k/a Jaws Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: CANO) (NYSE: CANO.WS) (NYSE: JWS) (NYSE: JWS.U) (NYSE: JWS WS) between May 18, 2020 and February 25, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important May 17, 2022 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Cano Health securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Cano Health class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=4271 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than May 17, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Cano Health overstated its due diligence efforts and expertise with respect to acquiring target businesses; (2) accordingly, Cano Health performed inadequate due diligence into whether the Company, post-Business Combination, could properly account for the timing of revenue recognition as prescribed by ASC 606, particularly with respect to Medicare risk adjustments; (3) as a result, Cano Health misstated its capitated revenue, direct patient expense, accounts receivable, net of unpaid service provider costs, and accounts payable and accrued expenses; (4) accordingly, Cano Health was at an increased risk of failing to timely file one or more of its periodic financial reports; and (5) as a result, defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Cano Health class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=4271 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]com

www.rosenlegal.com

SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Safelite, the nation's leading vehicle glass services and recalibration company, announced today its partnership with Make-A-Wish America through a nationwide Wipers for Wishes campaign.

From May 8 to August 6, Safelite will donate $1.00 from each new wiper blade sold across its retail locations to Make-A-Wish, supporting local Make-A-Wish chapters and families in communities nationwide. In total, Safelite will contribute a minimum of $250,000.

"We are honored to partner with Make-A-Wish in fulfilling wishes for children with critical illnesses," said Renee Cacchillo, Safelite's president and CEO. "This is an unprecedented opportunity for us to join with our customers to make a difference and help children in the communities where we both live and work."

Make-A-Wish has created life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses for more than 40 years. For wish kids, just the act of experiencing their wish come true can give them the courage to comply with their medical treatments.

"Research has shown that wishes can combat the fear and anxiety of a critical illness by providing hope, strength, joy, confidence and self-esteem," said Richard K. Davis, president and CEO, Make-A-Wish America. "Without generous partners like Safelite, we wouldn't be able to continue granting wishes that can often serve as a turning point in a child's medical treatment."

Experts recommend replacing wiper blades every six months or 6,000 miles. Customers interested in participating in the campaign can purchase wipers at any Safelite retail location.

Visit safelite.com to find a location closest to you.

Safelite AutoGlass

With more than 7,700 MobileGlassShops and stores in all 50 states, Safelite AutoGlass is the nation's largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement and recalibration services. Last year, close to 7 million customers chose Safelite AutoGlass for its 24/7 national contact centers, advanced online scheduling, superior repair and replacement systems, and the industry's only nationwide lifetime guarantee.

Safelite AutoGlass is a member of the Safelite Group family of brands, which together make a difference in the lives of nearly 9 million customers annually. This leading service organization, founded in 1947, is reaching record growth thanks to its People Powered, Customer Driven strategy. The Columbus, Ohio-based company employs nearly 16,000 people across the United States.

Media Contact: To connect with a Safelite spokesperson email [email protected] .

SOURCE Safelite Group
With three locations in Georgia, Illinois, and Texas, the premium dog grooming brand looks to expand its national footprint

NORMAL, Ill., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As the pet industry continues experiencing explosive growth, with 63.4M households owning at least one dog  Salty Dawg Pet Salon, the premium dog grooming brand that challenges people to "Pet Differently," has announced their national franchising opportunity. Salty Dawg Pet Salon has innovated the approach to pet grooming with an organic solution: sourcing licensed hairstylists and barbers and providing them with an exclusive dog grooming training program to transition from styling humans to styling our furry companions.

"When people visit a salon, they expect a great haircut, style, and service, and they expect an experience," says Salty Dawg co-founder and CEO John Kanski. "Why should your pet be treated any differently? At Salty Dawg, we create a safe, loving experience that leaves your pets feeling as beautiful as they look. We're excited about expanding our footprint, offering an unparalleled opportunity to our franchise partners and a one-of-a-kind grooming experience to dog parents nationwide."

Kanski founded Salty Dawg Pet Salon in 2018, when he noticed that typical grooming shops took his Springer Spaniel behind closed doors and left her in an anxious state during her visit. Kanski, a Paul Mitchell School owner with locations across four states, dreamed of redefining the grooming experience by creating an expedited process to teach licensed hairstylists and barbers to groom animals. Turning his dream into a reality, Kanski teamed up with Winn Claybaugh, founder and co-owner of Paul Mitchell Advanced Education (the franchisor of 100+ cosmetology and/or barbering schools operating under the Paul Mitchell School brand), and Gary Ratner, a lifelong expert in the beauty industry with over 40 years of experience in retail, real estate, store operations, and franchising.

Thanks to their robust experience in the hairstyling industry, the three co-owners offer ties to prestigious talent pools, giving Salty Dawg an array of options when it comes to finding pet stylists. The brand works to develop relationships with potential candidates rising through the beauty industry to ensure that the stylist's and brand's mission align. In addition, Salty Dawg's tailored training program caters to the stylist's individual learning style, allowing them to thrive. This approach, replicating that of the Paul Mitchell School network, has resulted in talented and prepared pet stylists who feel confident in their transition from human to pet clientele. This attractive program not only trains candidates but offers a successful career path.

"Salty Dawg's unique approach to attracting and training stylists is certainly a key ingredient to our success, but what truly sets us apart is our culture," Claybaugh adds. "We've built a culture of being nice, structured on meeting three basic needs: helping our customers and pet stylists feel safe, feel that they belong, and feel that they have a purpose."

Claybaugh developed the "Be Nice" culture when he founded Paul Mitchell's school division. It translated into a national phenomenon, leading Claybaugh to become a bestselling author and speaker as well as the dean of 100-plus schools nationwide. Implementing his approach at Salty Dawg Pet Salon has ensured that the brand provides a welcoming community for customers and employees alike. The brand is also committed to pursuing philanthropic endeavors.

Although Salty Dawg may be a new player in the pet grooming industry, the brand's founders have been in the beauty and hair industry for over 40 years and have an impressive record of investing in their communities. To date, Salty Dawg's co-founders have been instrumental in helping the nationwide network of Paul Mitchell Schools raise more than $23 million for charity, including $700,000 for animal-related nonprofit organizations, donated through the Andrew Gomez Dream Foundation. The primary animal-related recipients include American Humane Society, Best Friends Animal Society, and Morris Animal Foundation. "One of my fondest memories was working personally with Morris Animal Foundation trustee, board president, and spokesperson Betty White, as we raised over $520,000 for the animals she loved so much," Claybaugh says.

With three locations currently operating in Georgia, Illinois, and Texas, the grooming brand is actively seeking single and multi-unit franchise partners in 41 states. While they encourage those with franchise experience to apply, Salty Dawg's approachable system is designed to accommodate first-time franchise partners as well. Above all else, Salty Dawg Pet Salon wants partners who embody the Salty Dawg culture and have a love for dogs. Including the franchise fee, the initial investment for a Salty Dawg Pet Salon location ranges from $145,300 to $414,000.

For more information about Salty Dawg Pet Salon's franchise opportunity, visit https://saltydawgpetsalon.com/franchising.

About Salty Dawg Pet Salon

Founded in 2018, Salty Dawg Pet Salon "pets differently" with a unique, service-centered culture inspired by the "Be Nice" culture found in the Paul Mitchell Schools network. Our transparent and stress-free environment lets pet parents feel good, knowing their pets are having an amazing experience. Our expedited process lets licensed hairstylists and barbers build on their previous training in scissor cutting, clipper-over-comb technique, and knowledge of hair texture, skin, and nail conditions to become competent and confident pet stylists. For more information, visit https://saltydawgpetsalon.com/

SOURCE Salty Dawg Pet Salon
The Salt Lake City team will leverage Savills unified platform of resources to generate new clients and partnerships. They will support clients across sectors, including industrial, life sciences, healthcare, and professional services users, focusing on Silicon Slopes, a bourgeoning tech-centric community within Salt Lake Valley.

"Salt Lake City is a logical next step for the firm's expansion goals, especially as Utah continues to be one of the fastest-growing markets in the nation," said Richard Schuham, vice chairman and director of Savills Northwest Mountain region. "We are looking forward to bringing our best-in-class services and solutions while harnessing our local approach and global insights to address the needs of tenants and space occupiers in the region."

McNally joined Savills in 2021 following the company's acquisition of T3 Advisors, the leading real estate workplace solutions advisor to life sciences and technology companies, where he was a partner. He has a track record of representing high-growth technology companies and is an expert in developing effective real estate strategies for clients across the country.

Teseros joins the firm from Newmark, where he was vice president of office leasing and sales and specializes in investment sales and tenant representation. Over his 15 years of industry experience, he has overseen some of the largest build-to-suit and headquarters relocations in Salt Lake Valley for major clients, including Alliance Data Systems, Barrick Gold, Clearlink, and Esurance.

Joining McNally and Teseros is industry veteran Kate North, who began at Savills in January. In her newly appointed role as executive vice president of client experience, North will oversee the firm's Portfolio Solutions Hub and serve as a single point of contact for brokers and consultants who have multimarket and multiservice pursuit opportunities.

"It's no secret that Salt Lake City has become a popular destination for companies to plant their respective flags," said McNally. "Utah boasts an incredibly strong labor market, and it had the second-largest population growth in the United States in 2021. The market offers substantial, cost-effective space options. There are more than 2 million square feet of new development and construction, providing tenants with an unparalleled opportunity to grow their presence in this region."

"Utah's business-friendly climate and access to outdoor recreation has provided a lifestyle that has accelerated the state's growth not only organically, but from other parts of the country and world," said Teseros.

In recent months, Savills has continued to position itself as a 360-degree real estate advisor. In addition to acquiring T3 Advisors in June of 2021, the firm recently announced a strategic partnership with SRS Real Estate Partners, supplementing its existing North American retail capabilities and enhancing its tenant advisory services. In addition to recruiting and retaining top talent, the firm has also significantly expanded its capabilities in industrial services, workplace strategy, workforce strategy, site selection, business incentives, project management, and digital services. With its Utah outpost, the firm currently has over 40 offices with more than 900 professionals across North America.

About Savills Inc.

Savills helps organizations find the right solutions that ensure employee success. Sharply skilled and fiercely dedicated, the firm's integrated teams of consultants and brokers are experts in better real estate. With services in tenant representation, workforce and incentives strategy, workplace strategy and occupant experience, project management, and capital markets, Savills has elevated the potential of workplaces around the corner, and around the world, for 160 years and counting.

For more information, please visit Savills.us and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

SOURCE Savills
The sterile medical packaging market is expected to register a CAGR of 9.2% during the forecast period (2022 - 2032). The COVID-19 pandemic has opened up opportunities for innovation, with hospital sterilization centers under pressure to ensure the safety of both patients and frontline healthcare workers. This market is propelled by the growth in demand for primary and secondary packaging solutions for various types of sterile drugs and products.

NEWARK, Del. , May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Future Market Insights predicts ampoules and vials are the most preferred products among sterile packaging industry manufacturers. The sterile Packaging Market is expected to reach US$ 38.1 Bn in 2022, likely to surge at a vigorous 9.2% CAGR during the assessment period.

One of the key factors propelling the growth in the sterile packaging market is the growing demand for multi-compartment packaging products such as thermoformed trays, and blister packs.

Besides convenience and ease of handling, ampoules, vials, pre-filled syringes and cartridges also ensure safety as well as drug overfill reduction. Consequently, pharma manufacturers are likely to prefer these drug administration forms.

Moreover, the emerging trend of pharmaceutical manufacturers to opt for plastics over glass for parenteral packaging is proving to be an economical and value-based approach for manufacturers. Plastic finds a wide range of applications in sterile packaging. Pouches, thermoformed trays, clamshells and other packaging products are manufactured with plastic.

The adaptability of plastic as the most preferred material for moulding into various shapes and high barrier products makes it suitable for a wide range of sterile packaging products. Regionally, North America is expected to dominate the global market on the back of the expansion of the U.S. pharmaceutical industry.

Request a Sample to Obtain Authentic Analysis and Comprehensive Market Insights at https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-14608

Key Takeaways from Sterile Packaging Market

As per the product type segment, vials & ampoules are expected to hold around 21% of the market share by the end of 2032.

of the market share by the end of 2032. Plastic is considered the most used material type by sterile packaging manufacturers over the forecast period.

Based on end use, sales of sterile packaging used for surgical & medical end-use is estimated to grow at 8.9% CAGR between 2022 and 2032.

between 2022 and 2032. Europe and North America , collectively, are anticipated to account for approximately 50% of the total sales of sterile packaging in 2022.

and , collectively, are anticipated to account for approximately of the total sales of sterile packaging in 2022. India is anticipated to emerge as the fastest growing sterile packaging market over the forecast period of 2022 and 2032

"Burgeoning demand for hygienic and antimicrobial packaging across pharmaceutical industry will propel the global sales of sterile & anti-viral packaging solutions," says an FMI analyst.

Leading Market manufacturers in the Sterile Packaging Market are:

Becton, Dickinson and Company

Berry Global Inc.

Amcor Plc

BillerudKorsnas AB

Placon Corporation Inc

Wipak Group

ProAmpac LLC

SteriPack Group

Nelipak Corporation

Puracon GmbH

Oliver Healthcare Packaging, LLC

And Others

Feel Free to Ask an Analyst at https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-14608

Prevalence of Chronic Diseases and Improved Healthcare Infrastructure to Boost Sterile Packaging Market

The sterile packaging industry is anticipated to grow due to prevalence of chronic illnesses and advancement of healthcare facilities across the glove. This is likely to propel the demand for all types of medicinal products such as trays, clamshells, bags, pouches and many more.

The sterile packaging market is projected to gain traction backed by the adoption of technologically advanced manufacturing practices. Sterile packaging increases the shelf life of products, this results in a longer lifespan of a product. Thus, the rise in the number of people having a chronic illness and improved healthcare facilities fuels the sales of sterile packaging.

Sterile Packaging Market Landscape

Becton, Dickinson and Company, Berry Global Inc., Amcor Plc, BillerudKorsnas AB, Placon Corporation Inc, Wipak Group, ProAmpac LLC, Sonoco Products Company, and West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. are some of the top players operating in the sterile packaging. Furthermore, SteriPack Group, Nelipak Corporation, Puracon GmbH, Oliver Healthcare Packaging, LLC, Westfield Medical Ltd, GS Medical Packaging Inc. are also noticeable players in the market. Tier-1 players will hold 15-20% of the overall sterile packaging market.

Sterile Packaging Market Report

Future Market Insights, in its new report, offers an unbiased analysis of the sterile packaging market, analysing historical demand from 2015 to 2021 and forecast statistics for 2022 to 2032.

The study reveals growth projections on the sterile packaging market based on product type (thermoform trays, bottles/containers, vials & ampoules, caps & closures, pre-filled syringes, blisters & clamshells, IV bags & pouches, wraps, others), material type (plastics sterile packaging, glass sterile packaging, metal sterile packaging, paper & paperboard sterile packaging), end-use (pharmaceutical & biological, surgical & medical instruments, food & beverage, other end-use) across seven regions.

For More Information or Query or Customization Before Buying, Visit @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/customization-available/rep-gb-14608

Sterile Packaging Market by Category

By Product Type:

Thermoform Trays

Bottles/Containers

Vials & ampoules

Caps & Closures

Pre-filled syringes

Blister & clamshells

IV Bags & pouches

Wraps

Others (Lids, etc.)

By Material Type:

Plastic Sterile Packaging

Glass Sterile Packaging

Metal Sterile Packaging

Paper & paperboard Sterile Packaging

By End Use:

Pharmaceutical & Biological

Surgical & Medical Instruments

Food & Beverage

Other End-Use

By Region:

North America

Latin America

Europe

South Asia

East Asia

Oceania

Middle East & Africa (MEA)

Explore wide-ranging Coverage of FMI's Packaging Market Insights Landscape

Carton Liners Market  The carton liners market is likely to register a CAGR of 5.2% during the forecast period and is anticipated to reach a carton liners market share of US$ 52.05 Billion in 2032, from US$ 31.35 Billion in 2022.

Safety Box for Syringe Market  As per the study, the global market is expected to reach US$ 9.1 Billion in 2032 and exhibit growth at a considerable CAGR of 7.5% in future years.

Vapor Barrier Films Market  The global market is expected to be valued at US$ 22.8 Billion in 2022 and exhibit growth at a CAGR of 6.4% in the forecast period (2022-2032).

About Us

Future Market Insights (ESOMAR certified market research organization and a member of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce) provides in-depth insights into governing factors elevating the demand in the market. It discloses opportunities that will favour the market growth in various segments based on Source, Application, Sales Channel and End-Use over the next 10-years.

Contact:

Future Market Insights Inc.

Christiana Corporate,

200 Continental Drive,

Suite 401, Newark, Delaware - 19713, USA

T: +1-845-579-5705

For Sales Enquiries: [email protected]

Website: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com

Report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sterile-packaging-market

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SOURCE Future Market Insights
Increase in the occurrence of sexually transmitted disease and technological advancements drive the growth of syphilis testing market.

PORTLAND, Ore., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, titled, "Syphilis Testing Market by By Type (Primary & Secondary Syphilis, Others), by Location of Testing (Laboratory testing, Point of care (POC) testing): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2030." According to the report, the global syphilis testing industry was pegged at $1.1 billion in 2020, and is expected to reach $1.9 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2021 to 2030.

Download Sample PDF at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/675

Drivers, restraints, and opportunities-

Increase in the occurrence of sexually transmitted disease including syphilis and technological advancements drive the growth of syphilis testing market. However, high proportion of health and economic burden for the developing countries due to Syphilis and avoidance and refraining from voluntary / CICT Syphilis testing hinder the uptake of diagnostic tests or testing volume, thus restraining the growth of the syphilis testing market. Moreover, rapid development in diagnostic kits, improved healthcare infrastructure, and availability of test kits are expected to create opportunities for market growth during the forecast period.

COVID-19 scenario-

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic negatively impacted the global syphilis testing market. This is owing to decrease in the number of patient visits to hospitals and clinics for testing, as a result of the suspension of various elective procedures and outpatient visits, which reduced the demand for syphilis tests.

Between March 2019 and May 2020 , the Syphilis testing rate fell by 64%.

The primary & secondary syphilis segment to dominate by 2030-

By type, the primary & secondary syphilis segment accounted for nearly two-thirds of the global syphilis testing market share in 2020, and is anticipated to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. This is attributed to increase in syphilis infection rate, availability of screening test such as automated treponemal tests (TTs) that includes enzyme immune-assays (EIAs) under primary syphilis & RPR card, the serological test VDRL, and USR for secondary syphilis. Moreover, the same segment would showcase the fastest CAGR of 5.7% by 2030.

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The laboratory testing segment held the lion's share in 2020-

Based on location of testing, the laboratory testing segment held the lion's share in 2020, contributing to more than four-fifths of the global syphilis testing market, and is expected to continue its lead during the forecast period. However, thepoint of care (POC) testing segment is expected to witness the highest CAGR of 6.8% by 2030, due to increase in prevalence of syphilis infection, the laboratory test is cost efficient, convenient and confidential for use in hospitals & clinics.

North America, to lead the trail in terms of revenue-

By region, North America, garnered the major share in 2020, contributing to more than one-third of the global syphilis testing market and is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period. However, LAMEA region is expected grow at the fastest CAGR of 6.2% by 2030.

Leading market players-

Becton Dickinson And Company

Hologic, Inc.

Cepheid Inc.

DiaSorin

Abbott Laboratories

Bio-Rad Laboratories

Beckman Coulter Inc

F. Hoffmann-La Roche

Affymetrix, Inc

Siemens healthcare

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About Us

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

Pawan Kumar, the CEO of Allied Market Research, is leading the organization toward providing high-quality data and insights. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

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SOURCE Allied Market Research
ROCKVILLE, Md., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCQB: RGRX) ("RegeneRx"), a clinical-stage drug development company focused on tissue protection, repair, and regeneration, is reporting that researchers have demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of Thymosin Beta 4 (T4) as a combination treatment against hyperglycemia (diabetic)-induced changes in human corneal epithelial cells.

"Our study elucidates for the first time that a T4 and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) combo treatment plays a crucial role in regulating the tight junction stability and cytoskeleton rearrangement [of the cornea], which are closely related to barrier integrity. Furthermore, T4 strongly establishes its role as an adjunctive treatment for diabetic corneal impediments with no side effects, thereby easing the disadvantages of present methods of [eye] care," according to the research team.

The research was presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2022 meeting, held May 1-4, 2022, in Denver, Colorado. The research team included scientists and physicians from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, MI; the University of Central Florida College of Health Professors and Sciences in Orlando, FL; and Mansoura University in Mansoura, Egypt. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Eversight Center for Vision and Eye Banking Research, and Research to Prevent Blindness.

About RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.

RegeneRx is focused on the development of novel therapeutic peptides, including Thymosin beta 4 (T4) and its constituent fragments, for tissue and organ protection, repair, and regeneration. RegeneRx currently has three drug candidates in clinical development for ophthalmic, cardiac/neuro and dermal indications, four active strategic licensing agreements in the U.S., China, and Pan Asia (Korea and Japan, among others), and the EU, and has patents and patent applications covering its products in many countries throughout the world.

Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements made under the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release include but are not limited to statements from us, our partners, or within research published by third parties. There can be no assurance that positive results from any research or clinical trial by the Company, its collaborators, or independent parties in the U.S. or any other country will result in subsequent clinical confirmation or future value. There can also be no assurance that any of the Company's drug candidates will result in any approved products in the U.S. or any other country. Please view risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including those identified in the "Risk Factors" section of the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and subsequent quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q, as well as other filings it makes with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements in this press release represent the Company's views only as of the date of this release and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update this information, as a result of future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
"As the steward of Miami's most iconic property, The Raleigh, I am thrilled to partner with preeminent luxury hotel brand, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, and world-renowned architect Peter Marino to reimagine and secure the rich legacy of The Raleigh, creating a new, unparalleled hospitality experience in Miami Beach," says Michael Shvo, Chairman and CEO of SHVO. "We are excited to introduce the hotel as well as the residences at The Raleigh, which offer the unique opportunity, for the first time ever, to live on property."

Acclaimed American architect and frequent SHVO collaborator Peter Marino is helming the design and restoration of the property in collaboration with Miami-based Kobi Karp Architects, engaging celebrated artists and craftsmen to imagine an elegant and authentic contemporary design. Keeping The Raleigh's distinct Miami history in mind, The Raleigh's famed gathering places, the Martini Bar and Tiger Room, will be restored and reborn with an eye for both Miami's historic Art Deco elegance and its modern roots.

"At Rosewood, we are committed to preserving historical gems that truly embody their destinations, while also breathing new life into the properties," says Sonia Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Rosewood Hotel Group. "Our commitment to the local community is to ensure that The Raleigh honors its legacy for locals and visitors to once again relish this long-cherished property."

Originally constructed in the 1940s by Miami architect Lawrence Murray Dixon, The Raleigh will be complemented with the addition of its two historic neighbors, the Richmond and South Seas Hotels, with each buildings' historic Art Deco facade restored and integrated within the ultra-luxury hotel, in line with Rosewood's guiding A Sense of Place philosophy. SHVO is developing The Raleigh, South Seas, and Richmond Hotels together with Deutsche Finance America.

Working closely with the Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board, SHVO's comprehensive and meticulous restoration plans are now underway and include Miami's most iconic swimming pool known for its curvaceous design and tropical foliage, designated the most beautiful pool in America by Time Magazine.

"This fresh, historic restoration and renovation of The Raleigh joins a private beach club with a Latin beat and elegant residences of demure black, white and ivory. This mixture is the best Miami cocktail that I can imagine," says Peter Marino.

The contemporary new tower adjacent to the historic Raleigh hotel will house Rosewood Residences Miami Beach featuring 44 private homes with unobstructed ocean views and prime ocean proximity. The tower's facade features white columns and black mullions that create rhythm and movement while prioritizing large windows for maximum light, air, and ocean views. In the interiors, a calm material palette featuring artisan plasters, hand-painted millwork, and noble stones with impeccable detailing create a serene and elegant place for living. The residences are accessible via private porte-cochere and two dedicated residential lobbies featuring art and furnishings curated by Peter Marino.

For more info, visit www.TheRaleigh.com. High-resolution images linked here.

About SHVO

SHVO is a real-estate development and investment firm built on the vision of founder and CEO, Michael Shvo, to create culture-defining experiences in iconic properties. Headquartered in New York City with offices in Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago, SHVO owns and operates a national portfolio with more than $8 billion in assets under management with more than 4.5 million square feet across industry sectors, including commercial office and retail, hospitality, and luxury residential assets. The firm's selective portfolio of architecturally significant properties, from innovative ground up new developments to revitalized landmarks that define skylines in the world's leading cities, includes the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco, The Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach, 333 South Wabash Avenue also known as, "The Big Red," in Chicago, Mandarin Oriental Residences at 9200 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, Mandarin Oriental Residences Fifth Avenue in New York City and the AMAN New York, hotel and residences at the Crown building. With a proven track record of acquiring, developing, and managing super-prime assets, SHVO stands for iconic properties in cherished locations, distinctive design aesthetics, and unmatched quality. By emphasizing the unique experience and individual nature of each property, SHVO's record of increasing demand while achieving exceptional premiums has secured investments from the world's most selective institutional investors. Renowned and trusted for its expertise, SHVO is fully integrated with highly diversified industry experience in every aspect of acquisitions, finance, development, design, sales, leasing, property management, hospitality, and sustainability.

For more information visit www.shvo.com

About Peter Marino

Peter Marino, AIA, is the principal of Peter Marino Architect, a 160-person, New Yorkbased architecture practice founded in 1978. Working globally across a broad range of project types and scales, Marino is widely credited for redefining modern luxury through equal emphasis on architecture and interior design. The practice is recognized for its award-winning residential, retail, cultural, and hospitality projects worldwide. Well known for integrating art within architectural designs, Peter Marino has commissioned more than 300 site-specific works of art. PMA projects currently in design or recently completed include a Cheval Blanc hotel in the historic 'La Samaritaine' in Paris; the Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills Hotel; a flagship for Bulgari in Place Vendome, Paris; a flagship for Dior on Avenue Montaigne in Paris; new buildings for Chanel in Miami and Beverly Hills; a complex of buildings in Greece; a Louis Vuitton flagship in Ginza, Tokyo; an art foundation in Southampton, New York; condominiums in Miami; numerous private residences worldwide. Peter Marino purchased and restored the former Rogers Memorial Library at 11 Jobs Lane in Southampton, New York, and opened Peter Marino Art Foundation in the summer of 2021. Peter Marino's distinguished honors include 22 citations from the AIA for architectural design excellence. He is Chairman of Venetian Heritage Foundation and on the board of directors for International Committee of L'Union Centrale des Arts Decoratifs. He holds an architecture degree from Cornell University and began his career at Skidmore Owings & Merrill, George Nelson and I.M. Pei/Cossutta & Ponte.

For more information: www.petermarinoarchitect.com

About Rosewood Hotels & Resorts

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts manages 29 one-of-a-kind luxury hotels, resorts and residences in 17 countries, with 24 new properties under development. Each Rosewood property embraces the brand's A Sense of Place philosophy to reflect the individual location's history, culture and sensibilities. The Rosewood collection includes some of the world's most legendary hotels and resorts, including The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel in New York, Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas and Hotel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel in Paris, as well as new classics such as Rosewood Hong Kong and Rosewood Sao Paulo. For those who wish to stay a little longer, Rosewood Residences offer a distinct opportunity for the ownership or rental of properties co-located with a Rosewood hotel or resort and of standalone for-sale residences. Rosewood Residences are defined by the brand's commitment to Enriched Living through thoughtful details and experiences that enhance the quality of life while evoking a sense of discovery and inspiration. For more information: www.rosewoodhotels.com

Media Contacts

SHVO:

Elise Merghart

BeccaPR

Telephone: + 1 203 216 1023

Email: [email protected]

Rosewood:

North America

Kendall Trainer

Nike Communications

Telephone: +1 646 654 3438

Email : [email protected]

SOURCE SHVO
The Celebrity Personal Assistant Network was founded in 2007 by veteran celebrity assistant Brian Daniel , who has worked with Hollywood A-list, American aristocracy, billionaires, and royalty. He is now a staffing consultant , career coach , and executive coach . Mr Daniel's firm specialises in providing celebrities and high-net-worth families with world-class staff throughout North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East, which explains why he was keen to form a relationship with Tutors International.

Mr Daniel elaborates: "For a while, I've been wanting to get more mileage out of my website by having some more branding with a vendor that compliments my website." So, what is it that distinguishes Tutors International from other tutor placement companies?

Elite Residential Tuition: Academic Excellence and Personalised Curricula

Adam Caller, CEO and Founder of Tutors International, sheds some light on why Tutors International is considered to be a world-leader in private tuition: "We are not merely a placement agency; we offer guidance and support in the achievement of academic goals, working with both Clients and their Tutors to ensure a world-class private education of the highest professional and academic standards."



He continues: "Unlike almost all other tutoring companies, Tutors International conducts a customised global search for every Tutor, as per each individual Client's specifications. This personalised service and attention to detail ensures that the private home tutor and the family are perfectly matched and that the ideal tutor is working in each placement."

World's Best Tutors

The tutors employed by Tutors International are matched with their students by means of a completely tailored recruitment process with placements that might take them to various destinations around the world. Tutors International claims that it excels at finding the world's best tutors. With this in mind, we asked a number of its current employees to describe their tutoring experiences in an attempt to discover what sets them apart. It was evident from the tutors' responses that each of them was able to use their extraordinary experiences to enhance their teaching, adjusting their expectations and teaching methods so that each of their students was able to learn to the best of their ability.

Integrity and confidentiality are central to the Tutors International ethos, and so the identities of the tutors and their Clients have not been revealed.

The Life of a Private Tutor: No Two Days Are the Same

One tutor describes how her tutoring placements necessitated being open to frequent changes in her teaching timetable and in her teaching style:

"There is no such thing as a typical day! While in all my roles I have had always had a routine and timetable in place  one of the myriad advantages of working one-on-one/one-to-few is the ability to adapt and be flexible depending on the needs of the student(s), family and environment."

"While working on a 67m sailing yacht with two primary-aged boys, our planned routine was formal schooling in the designated onboard classroom in the mornings, and activities in the afternoons. The latter varied hugely on where we were: from horse-riding, beachcombing, kayaking, snorkelling and exploring when anchored up; to sanding the teak or baking on sea days. Then there were full day excursions where no formal schooling took place  but the learning experience involved trekking up an active volcano or spending the day with local land diving villagers on Pentecost Island."

"The same is true of most land-based roles I have worked on. A timetable is put in place and adhered to when it works for everyone. But if a student is curious about a particular concept or idea, then the freedom to follow that curiosity and explore more in depth is another perk of this personally tailored approach to education."

"I have been fortunate enough to travel in many positions and even organised a three-month round-the-world itinerary with two of my students. As a big believer in the learning experiences afforded by the exposure to different places, cultures and languages, the opportunity to travel is another of the huge benefits of having a private tutor. Whilst moving, the more formal classroom hours are few and far between; the learning becomes more experiential and location-oriented."

"Suffice to say, there is nothing typical about being a tutor!" she concludes.

Being prepared for impromptu changes to routine is clearly commonplace in the life of a private tutor, endorsed here by another tutor who refers to the spontaneity that a travelling tutor can experience:

"Flexibility is key! I have been in four countries in one day before now - I've also had someone knock on my hotel door at 5am with a quick: 'Change of plan, we're leaving in 10 minutes, not at 9am', message - but it's all utterly exhilarating and keeps you on your toes!"



"Being a travelling/residential tutor, you become part of a household - yes, you're the educator, but you're also the mentor, occasional nanny, shoulder to cry on, confidante and travel buddy - naturally, no two days can be the same in such a multifaceted role with a plethora of ever-changing requirements."



"Of course, you need to be highly organised and have a plan/structure - but the ability to adapt allows you to make the most of each and every teaching and learning opportunity."

Uninterrupted Learning on the Move

Caller revealed that many of his Clients have families who travel between multiple homes around the world and who don't want to be restricted to living in one location because of their children's schooling:

"They may be based in New York, have a yacht in France and a house in Mexico and in South Africa, and they want to use them all," Caller explains. "They know that education is important; with home schooling and a tutor, they can travel wherever they want and still get to be with their children."

Caller elaborates on his point: "Full-time home tuition completely solves the challenges for a travelling family. Home tuition with a personalised tutor can incorporate transferable skills, Project-Based Learning (PBL) and development in personal growth."

"There can be difficulties in reconciling globalisation and individual cultural identity. A private tutor can bridge theses dichotomies. By incorporating place and global learning into their teaching, our tutors contextualise their student's learning, whilst being able to honour the culture, values and attitudes of the household in which they teach."

It's Not All Jet-Setting and Adventures!

Being a private tutor to the rich can have its downsides too. Another Tutors International educator has never lived in one place for more than three years. In his current position, his day might see him accompanying the family to Florida, London or New York. He also describes how the unpredictability of the parents' desires for their child means that the ability to keep calm under pressure can be a useful quality to possess:

"The emotional dynamics can sometimes prove difficult", he admits. "Clients may need anything at a moment's notice and you have to get it right the first time. So there's not a whole lot of patience for error. It's difficult to navigate what parents want for their kids when often, they don't seem to know themselves and there's the added complication that their child's former school may not have communicated to them what areas need addressing."

"You can forget about consistency", the tutor continues, "I may have an academic outline for the day but nine times out of ten, it won't go to plan". He stresses the importance of adaptability in the face of daily hiccups. "A private tutor will get to know their student and their family very well", he explains. "Whilst in a classroom setting, a teacher won't know that a child's parents have had a row for example, but a private tutor will, so they can adjust their teaching and daily plan accordingly to adapt to the situation."

Parents may also have unrealistic expectations for tutors, especially when it comes to helping their children get into the best colleges. Our tutor expands on this:

"The parents of one of my students were very keen for me to help her graduate from university; she had started to have difficulties in the first semester because of learning disabilities. The only problem was her major was not a subject in which I took any coursework at university. I found I had to study the subject myself in order to be able to teach it to her effectively, but without the benefit of sitting in the classroom and listening to the professor."

Looking After the Interests of both Client and Tutor

Tutors International requires constant feedback and performance reports from both their tutors and their Clients to try and keep everyone happy. It also provides a unique service where an account manager is on hand to support Clients and tutors for the duration of the contract period. Tutors International is the only private tutoring company in the world offering this level of personalised service.

If you are interested in employing a private tutor, please contact us now. If you are a tutor who would like to be considered for employment with Tutors International, you can find more information here: https://www.tutors-international.net/

About Tutors International

Tutors International provides an unparalleled private tutoring service that matches the right private home tutor with the right child, in order for the student to fully reach their personal potential and academic excellence. Delivering an international private tuition service for children of all ages at different points in their educational journeys, Tutors International is founded on a commitment to finding the perfect tutor to realise the specific goals and aspirations of each student. Tutors are available for residential full-time positions, after-school assistance, and homeschooling.

Founded in 1999 by Adam Caller, Tutors International is a private company based in Oxford, a city renowned for academic excellence. Our select clientele receives a personally tailored service, with discretion and confidentiality guaranteed.

Contact Details

Web: www.tutors-international.com

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +44 (0) 1865 435 135

Tutors International

Clarendon House

52 Cornmarket Street

Oxford

OX1 3HJ

UK

SOURCE Tutors International
WASHINGTON, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- United to Safeguard America from Illegal Trade (USA-IT) today applauded the introduction of the bipartisan Senate Resolution 610 urging Congress to step up efforts to combat illegal trade, international criminal organizations and trade-based money laundering (TBML). The resolution was introduced on Tuesday by Sens. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), John Cornyn (R-TX), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Todd Young (R-IN).

"This resolution is an important step in the fight against illegal trade and the dangerous criminals who profit from it," said Matt Albence, USA-IT spokesperson and former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). "Supply chain delays and the growth of the internet economy have made it easier than ever for criminal networks to raise and launder money that is then used to fund other criminal activities such as drug and human trafficking. This resolution would help ensure that our intelligence community, law enforcement agencies, and the private sector are better coordinating our efforts to fight back against these threats."

Illegal trade fuels a $2.2 trillion-per-year industry of global transnational crime. Dangerous criminal networks get rich from many forms of illegal tradeincluding engaging in trafficking illegal drugs, counterfeit medicines, and PPE; illegal guns, cybercrime, organized retail crime; and smuggling stolen, counterfeit, and pirated goods and even human beings. These criminal activities fund gangs and drug cartels and terrorist organizations.

"We are grateful for the senators' leadership on such an important issue, and we urge other lawmakers to support this resolution and tackle this growing danger of illegal trade and trade-based money laundering (TBML) to American communities." said David M. Luna, executive director of the International Coalition Against Illicit Economies (ICAIE). "These criminal enterprises are smart and agile, and our efforts to combat them and seize their dirty money must be as well. No single government or industry can address this complex problem on its own. It will require a comprehensive and cooperative approach like USA-IT is helping to lead."

Since its launch in June 2021, USA-IT is working across 15 states to unite and empower local officials, law enforcement, and other leaders with new information and training programs and raise public awareness of the depth and severity of illegal trade. To date, the coalition has trained more than 29,000 law enforcement officials, held over 150 briefings with organizations and policymakers, and presented at more than 30 events across the United States. USA-IT has put forward a set of policy recommendations to help dismantle illicit marketplaces and disrupt illegal trade. The 2021 USA-IT policy recommendations include:

Establishing a national framework against illegal trade and organized crime;

Addressing challenges posed by e-commerce;

Confronting the abuse of small parcels in contraband trade;

Disabling foreign Free-Trade Zones (FTZs) from promoting illegal trade; and

Disincentivizing illicit activities through stronger sanctions and penalties for criminal and corrupt actors

For more information about USA-IT's efforts to combat illegal trade and to get involved, visit USAIT.org or email us at [email protected].

For media requests, please email [email protected]

About USA-IT

United to Safeguard America from Illegal Trade (USA-IT) is a public education initiative to combat black-market trade. Supported by a coalition of more than 70 national and state brand enforcement experts, law enforcement agencies, academics, and leading business organizations, USA-IT provides public officials, law enforcement, and other leaders with new information and training programs to help tackle illegal trade and engages media to raise public awareness of the depth and severity of this crime.

Illegal trade takes many nefarious forms, connected by shadowy webs of bad actors. But no single company, industry, or government can address this complex problem on its own. Tackling illegal trade requires cooperation and public-private partnerships, making full use of existing expertise, information sharing, innovative solutions, and evolving technologies. Public actors, the private sector, and civil society alike all have a role to play.

SOURCE United to Safeguard America from Illegal Trade (USA-IT)
The 120-pages report segments the global packaged rice snacks market by product (rice cakes, RCCB, and rice crisps) and geography (APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and MEA).

The rice cakes segment will have the largest share of the market. Rice cake is available in various flavors such as chocolate crunch, white cheddar, apple cinnamon, and caramel corn. Variations of rice cakes are available in different countries. The increasing popularity of rice cakes is encouraging vendors to introduce certified organic variants of rice cakes. For instance, Lundberg Family Farms offers organic variants of caramel rice cakes, brown rice cakes, salted rice cakes, and sweet rice cakes. Besides, the increasing number of new product launches and the emergence of organic varieties of rice cakes are fostering the growth of the segment.

Identify other potential segments in the market. Download a Sample Report

The market is driven by the health benefits offered by packaged rice snacks. In addition, the increasing number of new product launches is anticipated to boost the growth of the packaged rice snacks market during the forecast period.

Rice snacks are among the healthiest snack variants. They rice snacks made from brown rice, which has significant health benefit as it is rich in fiber, photochemicals, and carbohydrates. Also, these snacks contain iron, magnesium, and zinc. They provide complex carbs for energy and antioxidant phytochemicals for healthy cells. The fiber content in packaged rice snacks helps in reducing inflammation, improving gut health, and boosting metabolism. Moreover, rice is considered to be a significant energy source as it contains a high amount of whole grain. Many such health benefits associated with the consumption of rice snacks are driving the growth of the market.

Download a Sample Report to identify other key drivers, trends, and challenges impacting the growth of the market.

Major Vendors in Packaged Rice Snacks Market:

The global packaged rice snacks market is fragmented with the presence of many vendors offering various products. Vendors operating in the market are trying to increase sales and market share by launching new variants, expanding their production capacity, and launching marketing campaigns to increase awareness among consumers. However, the increasing popularity of other types of packaged snacks and product recalls might challenge their growth.

Technavio identifies the following as the dominant players in the market.

Element Snacks Inc.: The company offers different types of packaged rice snacks that are made of organic rice and also offers organic dark chocolate dipped rice cakes, and organic milk chocolate dipped rice cakes.

The company offers different types of packaged rice snacks that are made of organic rice and also offers organic dark chocolate dipped rice cakes, and organic milk chocolate dipped rice cakes. Hunter Foods LLC: The company offers different types of packaged rice snacks such as Gourmet Brown Rice Crackers Multigrain, Black Sesame, Sea Salt, and others.

The company offers different types of packaged rice snacks such as Gourmet Brown Rice Crackers Multigrain, Black Sesame, Sea Salt, and others. KAMEDA SEIKA CO. LTD.: The company offers packaged rice snacks under its brands Ajicul Co. Ltd. (Ajicul), Toyosu Co. Ltd. (Toyosu), and Nisshin Seika Co. Ltd. (Nisshin Seika).

The company offers packaged rice snacks under its brands Ajicul Co. Ltd. (Ajicul), Toyosu Co. Ltd. (Toyosu), and Nisshin Seika Co. Ltd. (Nisshin Seika). Kellogg Co.: The company offers packaged rice snacks under its Kellogg and Pringles brands.

The company offers packaged rice snacks under its Kellogg and Pringles brands. Lundberg Family Farms: The company offers organic variants of caramel rice cakes, brown rice cakes, salted rice cakes, and sweet rice cakes.

View Our Sample Report for highlights to get more insights into the vendor landscape and other vendor profiles.

Related Reports:

Rice Cakes Market by Type and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Rice Market in Spain by Distribution channel and Type - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Packaged Rice Snacks Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 5.66% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 4.16 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 5.11 Regional analysis APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and MEA Performing market contribution APAC at 84% Key consumer countries Japan, China, US, India, and South Korea (Republic of Korea) Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Element Snacks Inc., Hunter Foods LLC, KAMEDA SEIKA CO. LTD., Kellogg Co., Lundberg Family Farms, Mars Inc., PepsiCo Inc., Ricegrowers Ltd., SanoRice Holding BV, and Tastemorr Snacks - A Division of Basic Grain Products Inc. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2020

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

Five Forces Analysis

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Product

Market segments

Comparison by Product

Rice cakes - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

RCCB - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Rice crisps - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by Product

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Element Snacks Inc.

Hunter Foods LLC

KAMEDA SEIKA CO. LTD.

Kellogg Co.

Lundberg Family Farms

Mars Inc.

PepsiCo Inc.

Ricegrowers Ltd.

SanoRice Holding BV

Tastemorr Snacks - A Division of Basic Grain Products Inc.

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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SOURCE Technavio
DUBLIN, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Aircraft De-Icing Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global aircraft de-icing market reached a value of US$ 1.2 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach US$ 1.6 billion by 2027, exhibiting at a CAGR of 5.44% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, the analyst is continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different End-use sectors. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



Aircraft de-icing refers to the process of removing ice, snow and frost from the surface of the aircraft. De-icing agents are usually manufactured using ethylene glycol and propylene glycol-based fluids, along with water, corrosion inhibitors, wetting agents and dyes. These agents reduce the freezing point of water and assist in cleaning various components of the aircraft, such as wings, fuselage, control surface, fan blades, engine inlets, propellers, sensors and landing gear. De-icing agents are commonly available in type I, II, III and IV variants that are also used for decontaminating the aircraft body prior to the take-off. As a result, they find extensive applications across the military and commercial aviation sector.



Significant growth in the aviation industry is one of the key factors creating a positive impact on the market. Aircraft manufacturers are increasingly emphasizing on enhancing passenger comfort and ensuring secure take-off and landing operations, especially during winters.

Furthermore, modernization and improvements in the airport ground for handling equipment are also augmenting the market growth. Various technological advancements, such as the advent of novel infrared, hot water, tempered steam, forced air, electro-expulsive separation and electro-mechanical expulsion de-icing systems, are acting as other growth-inducing factors. In line with this, de-icing agents manufacturers are also developing environment-friendly product variants, thereby contributing to the market growth. Airlines are adopting these recyclable agents to minimize the operational costs of the aircraft and reduce the risks of icing hazards. Other factors, including rising passenger and cargo traffic across the globe, along with increasing construction of new airports, especially in the developing countries, are expected to drive the market further.

Competitive Landscape

The report has also analysed the competitive landscape of the market with some of the key players being B/E Aerospace Inc. (Rockwell Collins Inc.), BASF SE, Clariant AG, General Atomic Technologies, Global Ground Support LLC (Air T Inc.), JBT Corporation (FMC Technologies), Kilfrost Ltd., The Dow Chemical Company, Tronair Inc., UTC Aerospace Systems (Collins Aerospace) and Vestergaard Company A/S.



Key Questions Answered in This Report

1. What is the expected growth rate of the global aircraft de-icing market?

2. What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global aircraft de-icing market?

3. What are the key factors driving the global aircraft de-icing market?

4. What is the breakup of the global aircraft de-icing market based on the fluid type?

5. What is the breakup of the global aircraft de-icing market based on the application?

6. What are the key regions in the global aircraft de-icing market?

7. Who are the key players/companies in the global aircraft de-icing market?



Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Aircraft De-Icing Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Fluid Type

6.1 Type I

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Type II

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast

6.3 Type III

6.3.1 Market Trends

6.3.2 Market Forecast

6.4 Type IV

6.4.1 Market Trends

6.4.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Application

7.1 Military

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Commercial

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Equipment

8.1 De-Icing Trucks

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2 Sweepers

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Market Forecast

8.3 Others

8.3.1 Market Trends

8.3.2 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by Region



10 SWOT Analysis



11 Value Chain Analysis



12 Porters Five Forces Analysis



13 Price Analysis



14 Competitive Landscape

14.1 Market Structure

14.2 Key Players

14.3 Profiles of Key Players

14.3.1 B/E Aerospace Inc. (Rockwell Collins Inc.)

14.3.1.1 Company Overview

14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.2 BASF SE

14.3.2.1 Company Overview

14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.2.3 Financials

14.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.3 Clariant AG

14.3.3.1 Company Overview

14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.3.3 Financials

14.3.4 General Atomic Technologies

14.3.4.1 Company Overview

14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.5 Global Ground Support LLC (Air T Inc.)

14.3.5.1 Company Overview

14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.6 JBT Corporation (FMC Technologies)

14.3.6.1 Company Overview

14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.6.3 Financials

14.3.7 Kilfrost Ltd.

14.3.7.1 Company Overview

14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.7.3 Financials

14.3.8 The Dow Chemical Company

14.3.8.1 Company Overview

14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.9 Tronair Inc.

14.3.9.1 Company Overview

14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.10 UTC Aerospace Systems (Collins Aerospace)

14.3.10.1 Company Overview

14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.10.3 Financials

14.3.11 Vestergaard Company A/S

14.3.11.1 Company Overview

14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.11.3 Financials

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/2zy5b9

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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SOURCE Research and Markets
OREM, Utah, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Businesses face many cyber risks, threats, and vulnerabilities. Securing payment data and other sensitive information is an ongoing battle. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard ( PCI DSS ) was established in 2006 to help businesses protect payment data, and compliance with the PCI DSS is an industry requirement for any company that accepts major credit cards.

To help companies better understand their options for protection, SecurityMetrics released their 7th edition of the PCI DSS Compliance Guide .

With the ever-rising amount of cyberattacks, it's crucial for businesses to do all they can to protect their data. The majority of SMBs that experience a data breach will go out of business and even large corporations struggle to stay open after the financial and social impact of a data breach.

In 2021 SecurityMetrics found that 88.89% of Shopping Cart Inspect reviews identified malicious, suspicious, and/or concerning issues on researched e-commerce sites, with 25.3% of inspected e-commerce sites containing malicious issues, which were stealing card data. E-commerce attacks continue to increase and propose a uniquely dangerous threat to businesses because they are so difficult to detect.

The PCI Guide is an ongoing, collaborative effort, with recommendations and original research from the SecurityMetrics Audit, Penetration Testing, Forensics, Support, and Executive teams.

Audit Director, Matt Halbleib (CISSP, CISA, QSA), said "Our guide was specifically created to help merchants and service providers address the most problematic issues within the 12 PCI DSS requirements, including auditors' best practices and IT checklists."

The 2022 PCI DSS Guide has been updated to include:

Information about the PCI DSS 4.0 launch

Key PCI DSS 4.0 requirement updates

PCI DSS 4.0 implementation tips

2022 forensic data breach predictions

Tips for applying the PCI DSS in a cloud environment

E-commerce security trends and statistics

Information on e-commerce attacks including iFrame hacks

How to set up a PCI-compliant remote workforce setup

Interactive IT checklists for each requirement

Brand new PCI compliance trends and customer data

Tips and experiences from PCI Auditors (QSAs)

"Businesses who utilize the Guide to PCI DSS Compliance can better organize their compliance efforts and understand the way PCI compliance requirements affect cybersecurity. On top of that, the PCI Guide is a great training tool when assigning new resources to your PCI compliance effort," said SecurityMetrics VP of Assessments Gary Glover (CISSP, CISA, QSA.)

Download the 2022 SecurityMetrics Guide to PCI DSS Compliance here.

To learn more about SecurityMetrics, PCI DSS compliance , or for help with a PCI audit , please call 801.705.5656 or email [email protected].

For press inquiries, call 801.995.6516 or email [email protected].

About SecurityMetrics

SecurityMetrics secures peace of mind for organizations that handle sensitive data. They have tested over 1 million systems for data security and compliance. Industry standards don't keep up with the threat landscape, which is why they hold their tools, training, and support to a higher, more thorough standard of performance and service. Never have a false sense of security.

As an Approved Scanning Vendor , Qualified Security Assessor , Certified Forensic Investigator, and Managed Security provider, SecurityMetrics guides organizations through data security testing and compliance mandates (PCI, HIPAA, GDPR, HITRUST). SecurityMetrics has over 20 years of forensic investigations, penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, and compliance audits. The privately held company is headquartered in Orem, Utah where it maintains a Security Operations Center (SOC) and 24/7 multilingual technical support.

SOURCE SecurityMetrics, Inc.
Attendees Can Interview, Receive Offers on Site

EIGHTY FOUR, Pa., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 84 Lumber, the nation's largest privately held building materials supplier, is recruiting for 10 immediate openings at locations in Geneva and Victor, NY, as the company's business continues to expand nationwide. Interested job seekers can interview for open positions at a hiring event on May 11, 2022, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the company's Geneva location (1080 Routes 5 and 20, Geneva, NY 14456).

"At 84 Lumber, we are on the leading edge of the ongoing rise in residential construction across the nation," said Phil Garuccio, divisional vice president at 84 Lumber. "Greater demand for our products means a need for more motivated, dedicated employees who want to take advantage of the phenomenal growth opportunity in our industry. If you have a strong work ethic and are eager for something new, you could be the perfect fit for us."

Hiring event attendees will participate in job interviews, and learn more about 84 Lumber's company culture. Some attendees may receive a job offer on site. Open positions include:

Field operations managers will assist with operations projects at various locations and train store associates on advanced operations skills, including marketing, sales, and merchandising. Starting compensation for field operations managers is $51,000 per year.

will assist with operations projects at various locations and train store associates on advanced operations skills, including marketing, sales, and merchandising. Starting compensation for field operations managers is per year. Manager trainees (MTs) , who enter an intensive, one-on-one, on-the-job training program that teaches them about the company's business and puts them on a path to become a future leader within the enterprise. Starting compensation for manager trainees is $43,000 to $50,000 per year.

, who enter an intensive, one-on-one, on-the-job training program that teaches them about the company's business and puts them on a path to become a future leader within the enterprise. Starting compensation for manager trainees is to per year. Yard associates/Non-CDL truck drivers applicants need no prior experience and perform essential functions behind the scenes  from the management of supply shipments to the operation of equipment. Starting pay is between $15 and $16 per hour.

applicants need no prior experience and perform essential functions behind the scenes  from the management of supply shipments to the operation of equipment. Starting pay is between and per hour. Window service technicians are responsible for servicing windows to builders including installing screens, balancing windows, and replacing glass. Applicants may also be responsible for loading and unloading trucks as well as stocking warehouse inventory. Starting compensation is $17 to $20 per hour.

are responsible for servicing windows to builders including installing screens, balancing windows, and replacing glass. Applicants may also be responsible for loading and unloading trucks as well as stocking warehouse inventory. Starting compensation is to per hour. Cashiers are responsible for greeting customers, answering phones, creating material lists, and assisting in additional daily store operations. Starting compensation is $15 per hour.

"As a family-owned company, 84 Lumber is committed to helping our employees build a long-term career with us. We are proud to say that 95% of our store managers started in our manager trainee program," Garuccio said. "We believe that a wide variety of candidates can find a home with the company and open doors for themselves  a person with no construction experience but a desire to learn, military veterans ready to open their next chapter, or someone simply ready to make a fresh start. We'll give every one of them the tools to grow."

Candidates interested in participating in the Hiring Event should pre-register online and complete the form. Registrants will then receive an email from 84 Lumber with the link to apply for the desired position. To save time, Garuccio strongly encourages candidates to apply for positions online before they attend the event.

On-site pre-employment drug screening will be available for applicants at the hiring event. Candidates who advance in the process will also be required to pass a background check prior to employment.

To learn more about 84 Lumber, follow the company on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

ABOUT 84 LUMBER

Founded in 1956 and headquartered in Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, 84 Lumber Company is the nation's largest privately held supplier of building materials, manufactured components and industry-leading services for single- and multi-family residences and commercial buildings. The company operates nearly 250 stores, component manufacturing plants, custom door shops, custom millwork shops and engineered wood product centers in more than 30 states. 84 Lumber also offers turnkey installation services for a variety of products, including framing, insulation, siding, windows, roofing, decking and drywall. A certified national women's business enterprise owned by Maggie Hardy Knox, 84 Lumber was named by Forbes as one of America's Largest Private Companies in 2018 and one of America's Best Large Employers in 2019. For more information, visit 84lumber.com or join us at Facebook.com/84lumber and linkedin.com/company/84-lumber .

Contact: Jeff Donaldson, BLD Marketing

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (412) 347-8039

Photos: http://www.bldpressroom.com/84lumber/geneva

SOURCE 84 Lumber
Emergency physicians and nurses call for end to attacks on health care workers

WASHINGTON, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaders and members of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) called on Congress Wednesday to pass legislation aimed at reducing violence against health care workers.

Emergency physicians and nurses from the two organizations  which partnered in 2019 on the No Silence on ED Violence campaign  spoke during a Capitol Hill event to raise awareness about the frequency of attacks within the emergency department and to push the Senate to move forward with the "Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act."

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., the bill's lead sponsor, joined the event to express strong support for the dozens of emergency nurses and physicians in attendance, and the thousands across the country, who consistently face the threat of violence in the emergency department.

ACEP and ENA have been longtime proponents of legislation aimed at mitigating workplace violence and strengthening criminal penalties for anyone who assaults a health care worker. The current bill which passed the House in April 2021 and was introduced in the Senate this week by Baldwinfocuses on directing OSHA to require employers to develop and implement workplace violence prevention plans focused on the safety of health care workers and patients.

ACEP President Gillian Schmitz, MD, FACEP, emphasized the legislation's importance to health care workers and patient care.

"The pandemic continues to show everyone how vital emergency care can be, but it has only exacerbated many of the factors that contribute to violence in the emergency department," Dr. Schmitz said. "The health care professionals in our nation's emergency departments are fully dedicated to caring for patients and saving lives. Now Congress has a critical opportunity to pass legislation to protect each of them from violent attacks on the job."

"Every emergency nurse has lived through the physical and emotional pain caused by violence in the emergency department. When these incidents are dismissed as 'part of the job,' it minimizes the human toll on health care professionals who are injured merely because they went to work to care for patients," said ENA President Jennifer Schmitz, MSN, EMT-P, CEN, CPEN, CNML, FNP-C, NE-BC. "When we say No Silence on ED Violence, it's a call for more health care professionals to speak up about their experiences so that hospital leaders, law enforcement, prosecutors and legislators cannot ignore the chorus calling for change. Sen. Baldwin is helping lead the way toward meaningful, long-term solutions when it comes to workplace violence and, for that, ENA is thankful to her and her congressional colleagues for standing with us."

The bill provides fundamental support to protect health care workers victimized by violence on the job, according to Sen. Baldwin.

"Our nurses, doctors, social services workers and health care professionals deserve to work in a safe environment free from violence," Sen. Baldwin said. "Health care workers have faced unprecedented obstacles just to stay healthy and do their jobs through the pandemic, and on top of it all, they have seen senseless violence against them. It is unacceptable and we must provide basic protections and safety standards to a workforce that serves people during some of their most vulnerable times."

Learn more about the No Silence on ED Violence campaign by visiting stopedviolence.org.

The American College of Emergency Physicians is the national medical society representing emergency medicine. Through continuing education, research, public education, and advocacy, ACEP advances emergency care on behalf of its 40,000 emergency physician members, and the more than 150 million patients they treat on an annual basis. For more information, visit www.acep.org and www.emergencyphysicians.org.

About the Emergency Nurses Association

The Emergency Nurses Association is the premier professional nursing association dedicated to defining the future of emergency nursing through advocacy, education, research, innovation, and leadership. Founded in 1970, ENA has proven to be an indispensable resource to the global emergency nursing community. With 50,000 members worldwide, ENA advocates for patient safety, develops industry-leading practice standards and guidelines, and guides emergency health care public policy. ENA members have expertise in triage, patient care, disaster preparedness, and all aspects of emergency care. Additional information is available at www.ena.org.

SOURCE American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)
Zurich Insurance Group Ltd partners with innovator Adapt Ready to address business interruption and supply chain risks. Tweet this

"The lack of data with context is the biggest hurdle in understanding supply chain risk," says Adapt Ready CTO Sandeep Chandur. "Adapt Ready uses proprietary technology and comprehensive data about the global supply chain to identify companies and assets at the most significant risk from business interruption."

"This is especially true when planning for climate change," says Adapt Ready Advisor Chris Walker. "Modeling for the climate is only as good as the data underneath. Adapt Ready's platform fills a huge knowledge gap in understanding the complexity to help with climate adaptation and measuring climate risks."

"Investors who understand the real backbone of our technological advantages are aware that our intellectual property strategy, coupled with the complexity of the problems, creates solid entry barriers," says Rao. "Similarly, insurers ready to adopt the latest tech can address these challenges and help close the coverage gap for Contingent Business Interruption by unlocking $63 billion in opportunities. Adapt Ready will equip them with best-in-class tools and insights."

US and UK-based Adapt Ready's ground-breaking risk intelligence software platform is designed for commercial insurers, brokers, and corporate clients. Our patent-pending technology optimizes external data and delivers insights that enable our clients to manage risk better and enhance their growth and profitability.

Press: [email protected]

Investors: [email protected]

Phone US: +1 (347) 467-1211

Phone UK: +44 20 7097 4767

SOURCE Adapt Ready
Travis Mahan, President of ADVALight shared, "We are excited to partner with Dr. Chilukuri of Refresh Dermatology to offer the ADVATx to address patients' skin concerns from acne and scarring to wrinkles, hyperpigmentation (including melasma) and sun damage with one of the most sophisticated lasers in the market. As a thought leader in the cosmetic dermatologic space, Dr. Chilukuri's backing of the ADVATx furthers our mission of bringing easy to use, results driven lasers with minimal downtime to consumers across the country."

ADVATx from ADVALight combines the industry standard wavelength for eliminating vascular abnormalities with the new gold standard for non-ablative resurfacing allowing physicians and health care providers to treat 25 FDA/CE cleared indications ranging from vascular abnormalities to acne, wrinkle reduction, and warts.

"We are thrilled to offer the ADVATx to our patients. For over 20 years I have focused on advancing cosmetic dermatology to help patients reach their skincare goals and the ADVATx is a great tool to do just that. The minimal downtime with significant visible results for all skin types make it easy for patients to integrate it into their routine. " - Suneel Chilukuri, MD

Two of the most popular treatment options with the ADVATx include:

ADVA Bright : A combination of high powered yellow and infrared laser energy that improves skin tone, texture, and overall skin health by targeting the vascular components of melasma, dyschromia, sun damage and unwanted pigment while simultaneously reducing wrinkles, limiting oil production and shrinking pore size. This treatment will ensure that you'll leave the clinic with a youthful glow to your skin.

: A combination of high powered yellow and infrared laser energy that improves skin tone, texture, and overall skin health by targeting the vascular components of melasma, dyschromia, sun damage and unwanted pigment while simultaneously reducing wrinkles, limiting oil production and shrinking pore size. This treatment will ensure that you'll leave the clinic with a youthful glow to your skin. ADVA Clear: Combining pure yellow and high-powered infrared laser energy this treatment eliminates rosacea, acne, acne scars and undesired vascular abnormalities such as telangiectasia, hemangiomas and venous lakes, restoring your skin to a more youthful and healthy state.

Treatments will be available at Refresh Dermatology starting May 5, 2022.

Scheduling Contact:

Jeannette at Refresh Dermatology

(713) 344-0450, [email protected] , or DM @refreshderm on IG

Press Contact:

Eunique Griffin

The Woods & Co.

[email protected]

SOURCE ADVALight
SAO PAULO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AEGEA Finance S.a r.l. (the "Issuer"), which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AEGEA Saneamento e Participacoes S.A. ("Aegea"), announced today the early tender results in connection with its previously announced cash tender offer (the "Tender Offer") for any and all of the outstanding U.S.$400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 5.750% Senior Notes due 2024 (the "Notes"). The Issuer also announced receipt of the requisite consents in connection with its previously announced consent solicitation (the "Consent Solicitation") from the holders of the Notes (the "Holders") to the adoption of the Proposed Amendments (as defined below).

The terms and conditions of the Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation are described in the Offer to Purchase and Consent Solicitation Statement, dated April 21, 2022 (the "Offer to Purchase"), previously distributed to Holders.

The Issuer has been advised that as of 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on May 4, 2022 (such date and time, the "Early Tender Payment Deadline"), U.S.$340,986,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Notes, representing 85.25% of the outstanding Notes, had been validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) pursuant to the Tender Offer and consents delivered pursuant to the Consent Solicitation. The Issuer intends to purchase all Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) at or prior to the Early Tender Payment Deadline on May 20, 2022 (the "Settlement Date").

The total consideration payable to Holders for each U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Payment Deadline and purchased pursuant to the Tender Offer will be U.S.$1,028.75 (the "Total Consideration"), plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but not including the Settlement Date. The Total Consideration includes an early tender payment of U.S.$30.00 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes (the "Early Tender Payment"), payable only to Holders who validly tendered (and do not withdraw) their Notes and validly deliver (and do not revoke) the related consents to the Proposed Amendments at or prior to the Early Tender Payment Deadline.

Pursuant to the Consent Solicitation, the Issuer solicited consents (the "Consents") from Holders to the proposed amendments (the "Proposed Amendments") to the indenture pursuant to which the Notes were issued (the "Indenture"), which would (i) eliminate substantially all of the restrictive covenants, as well as various events of default and related provisions contained in the Indenture and (ii) reduce the minimum required notice period for the redemption of Notes from 30 days to three business days prior to the date fixed for redemption (maintaining the maximum notice period of 60 days). In order for the Proposed Amendments to be adopted, Consents must be received in respect of at least a majority of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Notes (not including any Notes which are owned by Aegea or any of its affiliates) (the "Requisite Consent"). The Issuer has obtained the Requisite Consent and intends to execute a supplemental indenture (the "Supplemental Indenture") to the Indenture which will effectuate the Proposed Amendments. Any Notes not tendered and purchased pursuant to the Tender Offer will remain outstanding and will be subject to the terms of the Indenture as amended by the Supplemental Indenture.

Holders who have not yet tendered their Notes have until 11:59 p.m. (New York City time), on May 18, 2022, unless extended by the Issuer (such time and date, as it may be extended, the "Expiration Time") to tender their Notes pursuant to the Tender Offer. Holders of Notes who validly tender their Notes after the Early Tender Payment Deadline but at or prior to the Expiration Time will not be entitled to receive the Early Tender Payment and will be entitled to receive only the Tender Offer Consideration, as described in the Offer to Purchase, plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but not including, the Settlement Date.

The Issuer's obligation to accept for purchase, and to pay for, Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Tender Offer is conditioned upon the satisfaction or, when applicable, waiver of certain conditions, which are more fully described in the Offer to Purchase, including, among others, a financing condition as described in the Offer to Purchase. In addition, subject to applicable law, the Issuer reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to (i) extend, terminate or withdraw the Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation at any time or (ii) otherwise amend the Tender Offer and/or the Consent Solicitation in any respect at any time and from time to time. The Issuer further reserves the right, in its sole discretion, not to accept any tenders of Notes with respect to the Notes. The Issuer is making the Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation only in those jurisdictions where it is legal to do so.

Banco BTG Pactual S.A.  Cayman Branch, Itau BBA USA Securities, Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Banco Bradesco BBI S.A. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC are acting as dealer managers for the Tender Offer and as solicitation agents for the Consent Solicitation and can be contacted at their respective telephone numbers set forth on the back cover page of Offer to Purchase with questions regarding the Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation.

Copies of the Offer to Purchase are available to holders of Notes from D.F. King & Co., Inc., the information agent and the tender agent for the Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation. Requests for copies of the Offer to Purchase should be directed to D.F. King at +1 (800)-249-7148 (toll free), +1 (212) 269-5550 (collect) or [email protected].

Neither the Offer to Purchase nor any related documents have been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, nor have any such documents been filed with or reviewed by any federal or state securities commission or regulatory authority of any country. No authority has passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the Offer to Purchase or any related documents, and it is unlawful and may be a criminal offense to make any representation to the contrary.

Any new notes will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the " Securities Act "), and will be offered only in transactions exempt from or not subject to the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

The Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation are being made solely on the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase. Under no circumstances shall this press release constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell the Notes or any other securities of Aegea or any of its subsidiaries, including the Issuer. The Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation are not being made to, nor will the Issuer accept tenders of Notes or deliveries of consents from, holders in any jurisdiction in which the Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation or the acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities of blue sky laws of such jurisdiction. This press release also is not a solicitation of consents to the Proposed Amendments to the Indenture. No recommendation is made as to whether holders should tender their Notes or deliver their consents with respect to the Notes. Holders should carefully read the Offer to Purchase because it contains important information, including the terms and conditions of the Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation.

Important Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are information of a non-historical nature or which relate to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. No assurance can be given that the transactions described herein will be consummated or as to the ultimate terms of any such transactions. Neither the Issuer nor Aegea undertakes any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events or for any other reason.

DISCLAIMER

This press release must be read in conjunction with the Offer to Purchase. This announcement and the Offer to Purchase contain important information which must be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation. If any holder of Notes is in any doubt as to the action it should take, it is recommended to seek its own legal, tax, accounting and financial advice, including as to any tax consequences, immediately from its stockbroker, bank manager, attorney, accountant or other independent financial or legal adviser. Any individual or company whose Notes are held on its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee or intermediary must contact such entity if it wishes to participate in the Tender Offer. None of Aegea, the Issuer, the dealer managers and solicitation agents, the information and tender agent and any person who controls, or is a director, officer, employee or agent of such persons, or any affiliate of such persons, makes any recommendation as to whether Holders of Notes should participate in the Tender Offer.

SOURCE AEGEA Finance S.a r.l.
MARE ISLAND, Calif., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Springs for Life is a partnership between Pacific Forest Trust and a group of companies  Crystal Geyser, Harney & Sons, and Affinity Creative Group  committed to protecting and restoring critical forested headwaters where pure, natural springs are sources of drinking water for people across the USA. From permanently protecting our critical source springs to conserving whole watersheds and working tirelessly to restore healthy, fire-resilient forests, Springs for Life works tirelessly to protect our natural resources.

As a trusted partner, Affinity Creative was the natural choice to create the new Springs For Life website pro bono. Tweet this Springs For Life brand video by Affinity Creative Group Springs For Life website mockup, Affinity Creative Group Springs For Life brand video screen capture, Affinity Creative Group

As one of its trusted partners, Affinity Creative Group was the natural choice to create the new Springs For Life website pro bono.

Pacific Forest Trust envisioned a website that would both educate and delight visitors and showcase the natural grandeur of California's forested watersheds. With that in mind, Affinity shot stunning video and still photography at Black Butte Spring and Burney Falls, both important natural water sources in Northern California.

Production then moved to a nearby farm to capture agricultural and irrigation scenes, which illustrate California farmers' reliance on constant access to fresh water and highlight the vital connection between farmers and our food sources.

"Affinity Creative Group is an incredible agency to work with and one of our most valued resources. With a clear strategy, compelling design, seamless functionality, and dynamic visualsthis project surpassed our expectations in every regard. Not only was the work first-rate, but we're also filled with gratitude to have a partner that believes in the value of our work and so generously donated their considerable time and resources to help us tell our story in the digital space. It is a gift to work with such talented people who want to also make the world a better place through their work." - Connie Best, Co-founder, Pacific Forest Trust.

About Springs For Life: Springs for Life is an alliance between Pacific Forest Trust and the companies that are committed to restoring and protecting our most precious resource: The critical forested headwaters where natural, pure drinking water is sourced. Visit springsforlife.net for more information.

About Affinity Creative Group: From our unique creative campus, along historic officer's row on Mare Island, California, Affinity Creative Group provides brand design, digital media, and retail activation marketing services, particularly for wine, spirits, and other luxury categories. For more information about Affinity Creative Group, please visit: AffinityCreative.com or call 707.562.2787.

Photos: Click Here

SOURCE Affinity Creative Group
"We are very pleased to name Dan as our President and CEO," said John Myers, Chairman of the Board. "Under Dan's direction, we are confident A.I.M. Mutual will remain an industry leader in the workers' compensation space and the preferred carrier for thousands of employers throughout New England."

Dan Landers succeeds Michael E. Standing, who passed away in October.

Dan brings more than 30 years of workers' compensation insurance experience to the role. Previously, he had been Vice President & Chief Operating Officer for A.I.M. Mutual, responsible for workers' compensation insurance operations, agency management and strategic planning. In addition, he has held positions as Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Director of Field Operations, Director of Marketing, and Regional Manager. Prior to joining A.I.M. Mutual in 2002, he worked at EBI Companies as Branch Manager and for The Hartford Insurance Company in its loss control operation.

Dan, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire, lives in Bow, New Hampshire, with his wife Amy and six children.

About A.I.M. Mutual

Established in 1989, A.I.M. Mutual is a workers' compensation insurance carrier serving 18,000 policyholders throughout New England. The company has earned a financial strength rating of A (Excellent) from AM Best Company, the industry's leading rating agency, and is sponsored by Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the Commonwealth's largest employer organization. For more information about A.I.M. Mutual click here: www.aimmutual.com

SOURCE A.I.M. Mutual Insurance Companies
ABU DHABI, SINGAPORE and RIO DE JANEIRO, May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AirCarbon Exchange (ACX) successfully hosted the world's first micromobility carbon credits auction, in collaboration with Bolsa Verde Rio, Tembici, BlockC and ZCO2.

"The ACX Brazil auction is yet another milestone in our quest to bring transparency and efficiency to the carbon markets," said William Pazos, Managing Director & Co-Founder of ACX. "The unique Tembici carbon credits reached an international audience covering 30 countries through ACX's network. We are pleased to bring these international players to the Bolsa Verde."

The auction, which ran for 24 hours from April 27th to April 28th, offered credits generated from Rio de Janeiro's shared bike scheme run by Tembici, one of Latin America's leading micromobility technology companies. This was the first time micromobility carbon credits had been publicly available with the event attracting interest from a wide range of companies with StoneX Financial Inc. and ClimateSeed ultimately winning with bids of $8.45-$8.50.

"We're at the point where we urgently need to rethink the impact we're having on the environment so it is gratifying to see companies like StoneX and Climate Seed helping to construct a more sustainable world," said BlockC CEO Carlos Martins. The credits have been issued using the AMS-III.BM.: Lightweight two and three wheeled personal transportation calculation methodology developed by the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). The credits generated by Tembici were calculated by ZCO2, which is part of the BlockC group of companies dedicated to the decarbonization journey.

"We are pleased with every element of this pioneering auction. Our success in working alongside our strategic partners points to the start of a very promising business opportunity," said Leandro Fariello, Tembici's CFO. "The credits that were auctioned have a key point of difference to other carbon credits in that they are generated within an urban setting. This theme will become increasingly important so we will reinvest the revenue generated back into the business on new technologies and bicycles."

About AirCarbon Exchange

AirCarbon Exchange ("ACX") is a global exchange revolutionizing the voluntary carbon market. The Exchange's client base comprises corporate entities, financial traders, carbon project developers and other industry stakeholders. ACX provides its clients with an efficient and transparent trading platform which is easy to use, frictionless and with the lowest commission fees available on the market. Its underlying technology will allow the carbon market to scale efficiently to meet global ambitions of Net Zero.

As of May 2021, ACX is the world's first carbon negative exchange, having offset its carbon emissions 12 months into the future (to May 2022) through the Onil Stoves Guatemala Uspantan project. ACX is committed to continuing to offset all of its emissions 12 months forward. In 2022, ACX was named as the 'Best Solution in Energy Trading' by Wired UK and Publicis Sapient at their Global EnergyTech Awards, which spotlighted the companies that are 'Winning the Race to Reinvent Energy'.

For more information or to trade carbon, please reach out to [email protected] or visit www.aircarbon.co

About Tembici

Tembici is the leading micromobility company in Latin America, responsible for more than 60 million trips by bicycle in the main Brazilian cities, including Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Salvador, Recife, Porto Alegre and Brasilia as well as in Santiago, Chile, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was named as one of the most promising and innovative startups in the country, in the list of the 100 Startups to Watch 2020 and 2021 and featured in the Mobility category in the "Best of ESG 2021", by Exame. Over the last few years, the company has boosted growth of the micromobility sector.

Press information: [email protected] / [email protected]

About BlockC

BlockC is a Brazilian company that has developed a blockchain-based platform offering a reliable, transparent and effective solution for organizations that want to make their transition to a low carbon economy. A solution that provides reliability, transparency and effectiveness to the decarbonization journey of companies through the use of disruptive technologies. A member of a group of companies with more than 20 years of experience in greenhouse gases and environmental assets, BlockC is a partner of AirCarbon Exchange and the City of Rio de Janeiro in the Brazilian operation of ACX.

For more information, visit: www.blockc.com.br

About ZCO2

ZCO2 is an innovative coalition for environmentally-conscious individuals and companies engaged. It promotes responsible consumption and seeks to fight the causes of climate change, through tokens backed by carbon credits, transacted into digital wallets and inserted on a relationship platform.

For more information, please visit: www.zco2.com.br

SOURCE AirCarbon Exchange
CHICAGO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Angeles Investors  the investment community finding, funding, and growing the most promising startup ventures  will recognize Dr. Jerry I. Porras as the 2022 inaugural Adelante Award recipient. Dr. Porras will be recognized with this prestigious award during the Angeles Q2 Pitch Night Event & Awards in Silicon Valley on May 12, sponsored by Silicon Valley Bank.

The Angeles Investors' inaugural Adelante Award is given to a leader who has demonstrated exceptional dedication to advancing entrepreneurship within the U.S. Hispanic and Latinx community - moving the United States of America forward...Adelante!

"Having the opportunity to celebrate Dr. Porras as our North Star is so rewarding and so appropriate," shared Frank Carbajal , Best Selling Author, Founder & President of Es Tiempo LLC, and Angeles Investors Advisor. "He represents the best of our entrepreneurial heritage and embodies the Angeles mission," said Frank.

"Professor Porras is a visionary with passion and energy that has created opportunities for Latino businesses throughout the United States. His work advances our mission of investing in and supporting Latino startups," said Adela Cepeda, Angeles Investors Board Chair and Director at BMO Financial Corp.

Dr. Porras is an American organizational theorist, Lane Professor Emeritus of Organizational Behavior and Change at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and Co-Director, Latino Entrepreneurship Program. He is best known as co-author of the 1994 bestseller Success Built to Last: Creating A Life That Matters, written with James C. Collins.

Professor Porras received his BSEE from Texas Western College, his MBA from Cornell University, and his Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles. Among the honors he has received are the Brilliante Award from the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, the Silver Apple Award from the Stanford Business School Alumni Association, and the Kanter Medal from the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology.

Angeles Investors will celebrate Dr. Porras and the top 100 startup ventures with Hispanic DNA, called the Angeles 100, during the Angeles Q2 Pitch Night Event & Awards on May 12 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California.

Join the celebration! Tickets to this event may be purchased online . Sponsorship opportunities and event tables are also available on a first come first serve basis.

Media are invited to attend.

SOURCE Angeles Investors
Experience the Brand's Newly Remodeled Cafes and Take Part in Celebration Week

RALEIGH, N.C., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Another Broken Egg Cafe is unveiling its newest cafe redesign on May 9, 2022, at its Raleigh location. The Raleigh Cafe is the latest Another Broken Egg Cafe location to adopt the brand's "New South" design. The cafe will host a celebration week full of daily giveaways to thank its loyal fans and show off the new look. In addition to the "New South" re-imaging, the award-winning brand is one of the fastest-growing, national breakfast and brunch concepts with a full bar producing hand-crafted cocktails.

Fresh New Look - New South Design Another Broken Egg Cafe Crab Cake Benedict

After the official reopening, the cafe will host a celebration week starting Monday, May 9 to Friday, May 13. Guests will have the opportunity to win prizes and merchandise among other giveaways while experiencing the fresh design. Each day of the week will feature a new special promotion, such as "free breakfast for a year" for the first 12 lucky guests. This event will help celebrate the "New South" re-imaging while giving back to the brands loyal fans as a thank you for all their support. To learn more about these events, please visit https://grandopening.newatabe.com/another-broken-egg-cafe-raleigh.htmlhttps://bit.ly/3BXigS3.

Another Broken Egg Cafe has recently introduced its "New South" design with the vision of a re-imagined brunch experience. Many cafes are in the process of being re-imaged and, moving forward, new cafes will feature this light, bright, modern design that honors the brand's Southern-inspired heritage while appealing to all who enjoy dining out for breakfast and brunch. Most importantly, the New South design significantly highlights the full bar, which drives incremental sales of Another Broken Egg Cafe's signature, hand-crafted cocktails  a must-have for many brunch consumers today.

Additionally, the design includes the opportunity to double a cafe's bar seating by providing bar access to on-patio diners.

The brand is one of the fastest-growing, franchised breakfast and brunch concepts in the nation  and the only franchised brand in the daytime cafe segment with a full bar producing signature, hand-crafted cocktails.

Another Broken Egg Cafe offers a Southern-inspired menu, featuring traditional options like Lemon Blueberry Goat Cheese Pancakes, Crab Cake Benedict, and Shrimp 'N Grits; a seasonal menu which currently features items such as the Louisiana Creole Benedict and Bloody Molly; as well as an abundance of signature cocktails, including the Spiked Spiced Rum Cold Brew, Pomegranate Mule, and ABE Famous Infused Mary.

About Another Broken Egg Cafe 

Another Broken Egg of America Franchising, LLC is an upscale breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant that specializes in award-winning, Southern-inspired menu options with innovative twists and signature cocktails. Another Broken Egg Cafe is one of the fastest-growing daytime-only franchised concepts in the country, with more than 80 locations in 15 states and dozens more in development. With over 26-years' experience in the daytime cafe category, the company was honored by FSR magazine as its Breakout Franchise Brand of the Year for 2020, one of the most challenging years ever for the restaurant industry. The brand is well-positioned for expanded growth in 2022 with a new prototype, re-engineered menu and bar of the future initiatives designed to drive incremental sales and profits for the individual cafes. For more information about franchising opportunities, please visit https://anotherbrokeneggfranchise.com

Media Contact:

Jan Barnett, Another Broken Egg of America Franchising, LLC

[email protected]  720.280.6743

SOURCE Another Broken Egg of America Franchising, LLC
WASHINGTON, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will provide live coverage of the upcoming return activities for the agency's SpaceX Crew-3 mission. The mission will depart from the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Kayla Barron, Raja Chari, and Tom Marshburn, as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer.

NASA and SpaceX are targeting 12:43 a.m. EDT on Friday, May 6, for the splashdown and conclusion of the Crew-3 flight, wrapping up a nearly six-month science mission. The spacecraft is scheduled to undock from the space station to begin the journey home at 1:05 a.m. on Thursday, May 5.

The return and related activities will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency's website.

In advance of the return of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, the Crew-3 astronauts will share farewell remarks, and station commander Tom Marshburn of NASA will hand over command of the station to Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev.

The Dragon spacecraft, named Endurance by crew, will autonomously undock, depart the space station, and splash down at one of seven targeted landing zones in the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida. Endurance also will return important and time-sensitive research to Earth.

NASA's SpaceX Crew-3 return coverage is as follows (all times are Eastern):

Wednesday, May 4



2:35 p.m.  Crew-3 farewell remarks and change of command ceremony aboard the space station

11 p.m.  Hatch closure coverage begins for 11:20 p.m. hatch closing

Thursday, May 5

12:45 a.m.  Coverage begins for the 1:05 a.m. undocking. NASA will have continuous coverage from undocking to splashdown

11:53 p.m.  Deorbit burn

Friday, May 6

12:43 a.m.  Splashdown off the coast of Florida

2:30 a.m.  Return to Earth media teleconference call from NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston with:

Kathryn Lueders , associate administrator, NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington

, associate administrator, NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Steve Stich , manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida

, manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA's in Joel Montalbano , manager, International Space Station, NASA Johnson

, manager, International Space Station, NASA Johnson William Gerstenmaier , vice president, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX

, vice president, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX Frank De Winne , manager, International Space Station Program at ESA

To participate by phone, media must contact the Johnson newsroom at: [email protected] or 281-483-5111 by 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 5. Those following the briefing on social media may ask questions using #AskNASA.

Learn more about space station activities by following @space_station, and @ISS_Research on Twitter, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts and the space station blog.

See full mission coverage, NASA's commercial crew blog, and more information about the mission at:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

SOURCE NASA
"Thanks to companies like Atlas Tube, Mississippi County continues to lead the country as a premier steel producer," Governor Asa Hutchinson said. "Their $150 million will go a long way to improving the quality of life for Arkansans not only in Blytheville, but also the surrounding areas. We are thrilled to celebrate with Atlas Tube today and look forward to many great things ahead."

Atlas Tube recently hosted a grand opening event to celebrate the new mill alongside members of the community. Attendees at the event were given an opportunity to tour the facility and hear from Barry Zekelman, executive chairman and CEO of Zekelman Industries; Mike Preston, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Commerce; and Clif Chitwood, president of the Great River Economic Development Foundation. The new mill is expected to create over 75 new jobs in the community.

"It is a great day in Blytheville," Secretary Preston said. "Two years ago, we were excited to announce that Atlas Tube would build the world's largest continuous ERW tube mill in Blytheville. Today, we celebrate the fruition of our efforts as we celebrate the grand opening of the company's newest mill. We are ready to see what exciting things will come to Mississippi County as a result of this project."

"We're very happy over Atlas Tube's grand opening," Chitwood said. "They have been a good company for Mississippi County. The fact that two years ago, Mr. Zekelman decided to double the mill's capacity was a real win for Mississippi County, and we wish them all success as they continue forward."

About Zekelman Industries

Zekelman Industries includes the operating divisions of Atlas Tube, Picoma, Sharon Tube, Wheatland Tube, Western Tube and Z Modular. It is the largest independent manufacturer of hollow structural sections (HSS) and steel pipe, and the top producer of electrical conduit and elbows, couplings and nipples in North America. Zekelman Industries delivers a broad range of pipe and tube solutions that build its customers' success.

SOURCE Zekelman Industries
"We are thrilled to receive this recognition for the second year in a row," said Mike Bianco, CEO of AvAir. "It means so much to us to be honored by our peers in the industry and celebrate the hard work, dedication and services we provide to our clients."

Additionally, Mike Bianco, CEO of AvAir was placed in the top 10 of the prestigious "CEO of the Year" rankings by Airline Economics' Aviation 100 awards. CEO of the Year is judged on the performance of the company over the past 12 months, personal involvement with deals, expansions, agreements and suppliers.

The company had many milestones in 2021 while continuing to be agile and flexible to meet the needs and challenges presented by the global coronavirus pandemic and its effects on the industry. Several strategic partnerships were finalized, notably, the ones with GE Aviation, Iberia Maintenance and HAECO all with the mission to better serve more than 3,100 clients. These partnerships also continued to support the more than 26 million in-stock rotable and consumable components that AvAir manages.

AvAir also proudly retained 100% of its employees and grew the teams by 33% across both the Arizona and Ireland offices. The Dublin facility celebrated its one-year anniversary and received its customs warehouse accreditation from Irish Tax and Customs. This status allows the company to expedite the process of receiving and storing parts it acquires, continuing to save clients both time and money.

With an unmatched financial purchasing capability, AvAir looks to continue to grow its pool of inventory throughout this year and beyond.

AvAir offers solutions for customers and suppliers to buy, sell, exchange, loan, lease, or consign inventories with more than 26 million in-stock parts. The company is ISO 9001, AS9120, and ASA 100 certified, and adheres to the highest quality standards in all phases: purchasing, receiving, stocking, sales, and shipping.

For more information about AvAir, visit AvAir.aero.

About AvAir

Founded in 2000, Arizona-based AvAir is a global leader in the aviation aftermarket, providing customized inventory solutions for airlines, OEMs, and MROs. AvAir offers solutions for customers and suppliers to buy, sell, exchange, loan, lease, or consign inventories with more than 26 million in-stock parts. Recognized as a global leader, AvAir has been named "No. 1 Parts Supplier of the Year" by Airline Economics, and "Fastest Growing Companies in America." by Inc. 5000. For more about AvAir, visit AvAir.aero .

Contact: Claire Natale

Email: claire @evolveprandmarketing.com

Phone: 202.294.5999

SOURCE AvAir
"By supporting students today, we further the intersection of technology and art, which drives innovation for the world of tomorrow," said Don Manvel, Chairman, AVL Americas. "Bosch and the Bosch Community Fund have demonstrated a strong commitment to STEM education with their early support in the development of A World In Motion program and sponsorship of the SAE Foundation Annual Celebration."

In addition to critical funding, around 200 Bosch associates volunteer in A World In Motion classrooms each year. Their support has impacted nearly 24,000 students since 1998.

"On behalf of Bosch, we are honored to receive the Gordon Millar Award; our company, associates and the Bosch Community Fund have been long-time supporters of SAE," said Kathleen Owsley, President, Bosch Community Fund, who accepted the award with Jason Keith, Director of Sales for Powertrain Solutions and Commercial Vehicles at Bosch. "A great example of our continued engagement with volunteers and funding is A World in Motion, which provides high quality, experiential STEM education experiences for students."

Gordon Millar joined SAE International in 1949. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1975 and, in 1984 served as SAE President, the same year that he concluded a noteworthy career at John Deere. He was a noted author and a consultant to the Southwest Research Institute, as well as a recognized expert in the history and restoration of classic marine engines. Millar was a lifetime advocate for improving STEM education and encouraging women to seek engineering careers."

About AVL

With more than 11,000 employees and $ 1.9 bn. worldwide sales in 2020, AVL is the world's largest independent company for development, simulation and testing in the automotive industry, and in other sectors. Drawing on its pioneering spirit, AVL provides concepts, solutions, and methodologies to support customers in shaping their future mobility trends. AVL creates innovative and affordable technologies to effectively reduce CO2 by applying a multi-energy carrier strategy for all customer applicationsfrom hybrid to battery electric and fuel cell technologies. The company supports customers throughout the entire development process from the ideation phase to serial production. To accelerate the vision of smart and connected mobility, as well as advancing propulsion systems, AVL has established competencies in the fields of ADAS, autonomous driving, and digitalization.

AVL's passion is innovation. Together with an international network of experts that extends over 26 countries and with 45 Tech- and Engineering Centers worldwide, AVL drives sustainable mobility trends for a greener future.

AVL Michigan Holding Corporation is headquartered in Plymouth, MI, and has additional locations in Plymouth, Ann Arbor, MI, and Lake Forest, CA. Visit www.avl.com for more information.

Media Contact

Joshua Lupu, Marketing Director, North America

[email protected]

About Bosch Community Fund

The Bosch Community Fund is the corporate foundation for Bosch in North America. Established in 2011, the Fund has awarded over $34 million in grants to various 501(c)(3) organizations and educational institutions in 39 Bosch site locations. The Bosch Community Fund focuses primarily on the enrichment of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, the advancement of environmental sustainability initiatives and eco+STEM, a cross-section of the two.

About Bosch

Having established a regional presence in 1906 in North America, the Bosch Group employs 35,300 associates in more than 100 locations, as of December 31, 2021. According to preliminary figures, Bosch generated consolidated sales of $13.6 billion in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. For more information, visit www.bosch.us, www.bosch.ca and www.bosch.mx.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 402,600 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2021). The company generated sales of $93.1 billion in 2021. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. As a leading IoT provider, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, Industry 4.0, and connected mobility. Bosch is pursuing a vision of mobility that is sustainable, safe, and exciting. It uses its expertise in sensor technology, software, and services, as well as its own IoT cloud, to offer its customers connected, cross-domain solutions from a single source. The Bosch Group's strategic objective is to facilitate connected living with products and solutions that either contain artificial intelligence (AI) or have been developed or manufactured with its help. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is "Invented for life." The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 440 subsidiary and regional companies in some 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch's global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. With its more than 400 locations worldwide, the Bosch Group has been carbon neutral since the first quarter of 2020. The basis for the company's future growth is its innovative strength. At 128 locations across the globe, Bosch employs some 76,100 associates in research and development, of which more than 38,000 are software engineers.

The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (18611942) as "Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering." The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant upfront investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-four percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The remaining shares are held by Robert Bosch GmbH and by a corporation owned by the Bosch family. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust.

Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.iot.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com, www.twitter.com/BoschPress

Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.1830

About SAE Foundation

The mission of the SAE Foundation is to increase student achievement and participation in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to build a STEM-fluent workforce. Funds raised by the SAE Foundation support SAE International's award-winning A World In Motion (AWIM) program, Collegiate Design Series (CDS), awards and scholarships. SAE's STEM education programs enable students to develop the 21st century skills needed to succeed in real-world work environments and connect classroom learning with real-life application. SAE's STEM programs have reached more than 6 million students worldwide and engaged more than 30,000 STEM industry professionals as volunteers. SAE International is a global organization engaging nearly 200,000 engineers, technical experts and volunteers to advance mobility knowledge and solutions for the benefit of humanity. Get involved today http://www.saefoundation.org.

SOURCE AVL
SEOUL, South Korea, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AXIS-Y's annual 5.5 day is fast approaching, and the climate-inspired Korean skincare company has been busy excitedly planning their campaign for 2022. The brand established the campaign date as May 5th, or 5.5, because 5.5 is the natural pH of the skin. AXIS-Y has always been a community focused brand, and this campaign was inspired by their core values. Through their unique campaign, the brand aims to directly listen to their community and share appreciation and love, while giving back in any way that they can.

This will be AXIS-Y's fourth year running this campaign. The past 2 years were dedicated to making donations to different non-profit organizations. In 2020, their NGO of choice was the Wildlife Conservation Society, and in 2021 they donated to WWF. They encourage their audience to engage in their campaign by determining their donation value by the number of comments shared by their audience on a specified instagram post. Because the core value of their campaign is giving back, the guidelines for participating in the campaign is to tag someone in their comment and explain how the person has helped inspire them in their skincare journey and express their gratitude.

This year, the organization AXIS-Y will be donating to is the Coral Reef Alliance. Founded in 1994, the Coral Reef Alliance is one of the biggest global NGOs dedicated to helping the coral reefs of the oceans all over the planet. With the help of advanced science and engagement from their community, this NGO has worked for almost 30 years towards helping the coral reefs and educating the world on ways they can help protect coral reefs as well. They have expertise in clean water, healthy fisheries, habitat protection and coral bleaching, with their main mission being to help keep coral reefs healthy and help to prepare them for the effects of climate change. The company picked the Coral Reef Alliance because they felt their beliefs were aligned as a brand who is concerned about the protection of coral reefs. AXIS-Y's Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen is made with only reef-safe ingredients and ensuring it would not be damaging to coral reefs was a crucial factor for the brand when developing their holy-grail sunscreen.

How can you participate?

On May 5th, their 5.5 community day, AXIS-Y will be posting a reel on their official Instagram, @axisy_official, to announce their campaign and what inspired them to start it in the first place. To make your own contribution, simply comment on the video, tagging the person that inspired you on your skincare journey, and describing how they helped you. For each comment that includes a tag, AXIS-Y will be donating $1 to the Coral Reef Alliance. Additionally, during the duration of the campaign (from May 5th-8th), 10% of the sales made from their reef-safe Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen will also be donated to the Coral Reef Alliance.

And don't forget there's a chance to win! The 10 people with the most comments will win a limited edition AXIS-Y T-shirt as well as a free Complete No-Stress Physical Sunscreen .

Find AXIS-Y: https://www.axis-y.com/

SOURCE AXIS-Y
MONTREAL, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Cannara Biotech Inc. ("Cannara" or the "Company") (TSXV: LOVE) (OTCQB: LOVFF) (FRA: 8CB), a vertically integrated producer of premium-grade cannabis and derivative products with two mega facilities based in Quebec spanning over 1,650,000 sq. ft., today announced the Company's Chief Financial Officer, Nicholas Sosiak, will be presenting at Canaccord Genuity's 6th Annual Cannabis Conference at 10:30am Eastern on May 11th, 2022. Mr. Sosiak will present the Company's corporate highlights and also provide an update on the company's second quarter financial results.

In order to watch the Company's presentation, please register here.

Mr. Sosiak will also be available for virtual 1x1 meetings during the conference. If you would like to arrange a 1x1 meeting with Mr. Sosiak, please contact your Canaccord Genuity salesperson to schedule.

The Company also announced that it has retained Bristol Capital Ltd. ("Bristol") a leading investor relations firm servicing Canadian and US microcap and small cap companies across international markets, to provide investor relations and communication services.

Bristol has agreed to comply with all applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") in providing the Services.

Bristol has been engaged by the Company for an initial period of 12 months (the "Initial Term") which shall be renewed automatically for successive one-year periods thereafter, unless terminated in accordance with the provisions of agreement. Bristol will be paid a monthly fee of up to $14,000, plus applicable taxes. In addition, the Company has agreed to grant Bristol an aggregate of 400,000 options at an exercise price of $0.18 per share for a period ending 36 months from the date of grant. Neither Bristol nor its principals or affiliates have an interest, directly or indirectly in the Company or its securities, and act at arm's length to the Company. The appointment of Bristol remains subject to regulatory acceptance of applicable filings with the TSXV.

About Cannara Biotech Inc.

Cannara Biotech Inc. (TSXV: LOVE) (OTCQB: LOVFF) (FRA: 8CB) is a vertically integrated producer of premium-grade cannabis and cannabis-derivative products for the Quebec and Canadian markets. Cannara owns two mega facilities based in Quebec spanning over 1,650,000 sq. ft., providing the Company with 125,000kg of potential annualized cultivation output. Leveraging Quebec's low electricity costs, Cannara's facilities produce craft-cultivated premium-grade cannabis products at an affordable price. For more information, please visit cannara.ca.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information

This information release contains certain forward-looking information. Such information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by statements herein, and therefore these statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. All forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to it as well as other factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified by the Company in its public securities filings, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. 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.

SOURCE Cannara Biotech Inc.
NEW YORK, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Insight Partners published latest research study on "Cardiovascular Devices Market Forecast to 2028  COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis  by Device [Electrocardiography (ECG), Pacemaker, Stent, Defibrillator, Cardiac Catheter, Guidewire, Heart Valve, Event Monitor, and Others]; Application (Coronary Heart Disease, Sudden Cardiac Arrest, Stroke, Cerebrovascular Heart Disease, and Others), and End User (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgery Centers, and Cardiac Centers)", the global cardiovascular devices market is expected to grow from $48.10 billion in 2021 to $76.52 billion in 2028; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.9% from 2021 to 2028.

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The cardiovascular devices market growth is driven by the increasing prevalence of chronic heart diseases and rising demand for minimally invasive diagnostic tests.

Report Coverage Details Market Size Value in US$ 48.10 Billion in 2021 Market Size Value by US$ 76.52 Billion in 2028 Growth rate CAGR of 6.9% from 2021 to 2028. Forecast Period 2021- 2028 Base Year 2021 No. of Pages 217 No. Tables 85 No. of Charts & Figures 84 Historical data available Yes Segments covered Device; Application, and End User Regional scope North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; MEA Country scope US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Argentina Report coverage Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends

Cardiovascular Devices Market: Competition Landscape and Key Developments

Several companies are adopting organic strategies, such as product launch and expansion, and inorganic growth strategies, including partnerships and collaboration. These growth strategies have supported the market players in growing their business and enhancing their geographic presence. Further, market growth strategies such as acquisitions and partnerships helped strengthen their customer base and increase the product portfolio. Medtronic and Abbott implemented various inorganic developments, which have bought dynamic improvements in the cardiovascular devices market.

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In May 2021, BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) announced its board of directors had unanimously authorized management to proceed with a plan to spin off the company's Diabetes Care business toward an independent, publicly-traded company ("NewCo").

In December 2021, Royal Philips announced that it had signed an agreement to acquire Vesper Medical Inc., a US-based medical technology company that develops minimally-invasive peripheral vascular devices. Vesper Medical will further expand Philips' portfolio of diagnostic and therapeutic devices with an advanced venous stent portfolio to treat deep venous disease.

In January 2022, Medtronic announced that it would acquire cardiac mapping and ablation technology developer Affera. The company expects the transaction to close in the first half of its 2023 fiscal year.

In February 2022, GE Healthcare announced that it had received approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for additional imaging modalities for its stress agent Rapiscan (Regadenoson), an established pharmacological stress agent in SPECT MPI for adult patients. Rapiscan is now approved for use in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), and Positron Emission Tomography (PET).

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In February 2022, Boston Scientific Corporation announced that it acquired Baylis Medical Company Inc., which offers advanced transseptal access solutions and guidewires, sheaths, and dilators used to support catheter-based left-heart procedures.

In April 2022, Abbott announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Aveir single-chamber (VR) leadless pacemaker for the treatment of patients in the US with slow heart rhythms. This marks a significant advancement in patient care and brings new features to patients and their physicians.

Cardiovascular Devices Market: Key Insights  Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic

In North America, during the initial phase of the COVID-19 crisis, the demand for cardiovascular devices was disrupted due to a temporary shift in the provision of healthcare services and the prolonged shut down situation. In Europe, hospitals were severely affected due to the pandemic. The increased pressure owing to the growing rate of COVID-19 patients' hospitalization led to the re-profiling of many hospitals and departments, including cardiology clinics for treating patients with COVID-19. Countries in Asia Pacific also faced similar scenarios, where the COVID-19 outbreak created an extraordinary emergency that significantly disrupted healthcare services. The restrictions on healthcare services have put the healthcare research industry in a critical situation.

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Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic led the Japanese economy to contract by 29% annually. According to the International Council of Nurses, due to high infection transmission, the number of mortalities among health professionals in Brazil is higher than in other nations. As Brazil has many populated areas and regions with small houses with 6-7 people per house, the people were infected with COVID-19 rapidly. However, the South & Central American countries are speedily increasing their clinical programs to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Cardiovascular Devices Market: Segmental Overview

Based on application, the cardiovascular devices market is segmented into heart disease, sudden cardiac arrest, stroke, cerebrovascular heart disease, and others. The coronary heart disease segment held the largest share of 42.62% in 2021; it is expected to retain its dominance during the forecast period. However, the stroke segment is estimated to register the highest CAGR of 7.7% during the forecast period. The rise in incidences of coronary heart disease and its growing awareness are expected to bolster the market growth for the coronary heart disease segment in the coming years.

According to a recent report by The American Heart Association, cardiac arrest remains a public health challenge. There are over ~356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) annually in the US, ~90% of them fatal. The incidence of EMS-assessed nontraumatic OHCA in people of any age is estimated to be ~356,461, or ~1,000 people each day. After hospital discharge of EMS-treated cardiac arrest patients, the survival rate declines to ~10%.

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Browse Adjoining Reports:

Cardiac Monitoring Devices Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Cardiovascular Devices, Multi-Parameter ECG Monitors, Patient Monitoring Devices, Ambulatory Cardiac Monitoring, and Cardiac Monitors), Product Type (Portable Monitor, Smart Wearable Monitor, and Standard Monitor), Application (Coronary Heart Diseases, Sudden Cardiac Arrest, Stroke, Arrhythmia, Congenital Heart Diseases, Heart Failure, Pulmonary Hypertension, Heart Function (HF/LVEDP), Pulmonary Artery Pressure (PA), and Others), and End User (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Cardiac Centers, Home Care, Clinics, and Others)

Electro-Diagnostic Devices Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - By Device (Electroencephalography (EEG), Electroretinography (ERG), Electrocardiography (ECG), and Electrogastrography (EGG)), End User (Hospitals & Clinics, Diagnostic Centers, Rehabilitation Centers, and Other End Users), and Geography

Holter ECG Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Component (Wired Holter Monitors, Wireless Holter Monitors, and Holter Analysis Systems & Software) and End User (Hospitals & Clinics, Home Settings, Ambulatory Surgical Centers, and Other End Users)

Pacemakers Market to 2027 - Global Analysis and Forecasts By Product Type (Implantable Pacemakers, External Pacemakers) By Technology (Single Chambered, Dual Chambered, and Bi-Ventricular), By End User (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centers, and Others) and Geography

Artificial Heart Stent Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Product (Bare-Metal Stent (BMS), Drug-Eluting Stent (DES), Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold (BVS)); Application (Acute Myocardial Infarction, Unstable Angina, Angina Pectoris); End User (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Center, Others)

Defibrillator Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product Type (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (Transvenous ICD and Subcutaneous ICD) and External (Manual, Fully Automated External Defibrillators, and Wearable), End User (Hospitals and Clinics, Prehospital Care, Public Access, Alternate Care Facilities, and Home Care Settings), and Geography

Vascular Guidewires Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - By Material (Nitinol, Stainless Steel, Hybrid); Application (Coronary Guidewires, Peripheral Guidewires, Urology Guidewires, Neurovascular Guidewires); Coating Type (Coated, Non-Coated); End User (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Specialty Clinics) and Geography

Peripheral Guidewires Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - By Material (Stainless Steel, Nitinol, Hybrid); Application (Diagnostic Guidewires, Interventional Guidewires) and Geography

Artificial Tissue Heart Valve Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Transcatheter Heart Valve, Surgical Heart Valve); Application (Aortic Stenosis, Aortic Regurgitation, Others) and Geography

Artificial Transcatheter Heart Valve Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product (Aortic Heart Valve, Mitral Heart Valve, Tricuspid Heart Valve); Application (Aortic Stenosis, Aortic Regurgitation, Others) and Geography

Aortic Heart Valve Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Product (Valve Type, Suture Type); Procedure (Minimally Invasive Surgery, Open Surgery, Others); End-User (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgery Centers)

Cardiovascular Implants Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - by Product (Coronary Stent Devices, Prosthetic Heart Valves, Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices); Application (Congestive Heart Failure, Arrhythmias, Acute Myocardial Infarction, Myocardial Ischemia, Others) and Geography

Tissue Heart Valves Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Type ( Natural Material, Synthetic Material ); Application ( Heart Surgery, Cardiovascular Disease )

About Us:

The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials.

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If you have any queries about this report or if you would like further information, please contact us:

Contact Person: Sameer Joshi

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SOURCE The Insight Partners
PORTLAND, Ore., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CareAvailability is proud to announce its expansion into Florida. CareAvailability remains a NEW industry standard as the first and only website that delivers real-time reporting of availability for senior care to the minute. The site first launched in Oregon during the COVID pandemic as an effort to help hospitals find care for patients needing to transition out of beds.

Senior advocates and health professionals rely on Care Availability to put together comprehensive lists of care options, as well as allowing people to self-navigate searching for care providers. Instead of care providers needing to update multiple paid sites, Care Availability is an easy one-stop resource, as they do not charge hospitals, physicians, health clinics, social workers or any health team for their services. Medicare Ratings are also included to support Patient Freedom of Choice.

CareAvailability continues to alleviate the search for senior care in an already trying time. Options can be overwhelming, especially when families don't know where to start. In Florida, there are 4,500 new providers now listed in our database of resources. This includes more than: 2,417 assisted living communities, 1,477 home care providers, and 641 skilled nursing facilities. To assist in the terminology for specific states' levels of care, the team at CareAvailability has taken extra steps to provide educational articles to help families better navigate the maze of Long Term Care and aging, by providing links to state agencies, as well as explaining local terminology and regulations.

"There are tons of website that offer senior care and housing listings, but CareAvailability.com is the only one that lists every agency at no cost to the providers to be included, and does not require families to share their personal information to view the search results," CareAvailability's CEO, Amy Schmidt, says. Ms. Schmidt further explains, "It is truly the first comprehensive resource site."

Care Availability's expansion to Florida means an additional 4,500 providers are now listed in Care Availability's database of resources, which includes more than 2,417 assisted living communities, 1,477 home care providers, and 641 skilled nursing facilities.

About Care Availability

Care Availability is a website dedicated to helping seniors, their families, and healthcare professional find care in real time. Specific questions can be directed to the Care Availability Team's contact page or connect with them on Facebook.

Contact:

Amy Schmidt

503-308-8545

[email protected]

SOURCE CareAvailability.com
LIMA, Peru, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cementos Pacasmayo S.A.A. and subsidiaries (NYSE: CPAC; BVL: CPACASC1) ("the Company" or "Pacasmayo") a leading cement company serving the Peruvian construction industry, will host an Analyst and Investor Day ("Pacasmayo Day") on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at the NYSE in New York, NY.

This event will be held for equity analysts and institutional investors and will feature presentations by Humberto Nadal del Carpio, Chief Executive Officer, Manuel Ferreyros Pena, Chief Financial Officer, and other members of the Company's leadership team.

In-person registration and breakfast is scheduled to begin on June 29 at 9:00 a.m. ET and presentations will begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by a question and answer session. In-person attendance is by invitation only.

Pre-registration is required; to register please email your name, title and company affiliation to Cinthya Werner at [email protected]. Confirmation and additional event details will be provided to those who register.

About Cementos Pacasmayo S.A.A.

Cementos Pacasmayo S.A.A. is a cement company, located in the Northern region of Peru. In February 2012, the Company's shares were listed on The New York Stock Exchange - Euronext under the ticker symbol "CPAC". With more than 60 years of operating history, the Company produces, distributes and sells cement and cement-related materials, such ready-mix concrete and precast materials. Pacasmayo's products are primarily used in construction, which has been one of the fastest-growing segments of the Peruvian economy in recent years. The Company also produces and sells quicklime for use in mining operations.

For more information, please visit: http://www.cementospacasmayo.com.pe/

SOURCE Cementos Pacasmayo S.A.A.
Great Place to Work evaluates more than 60 elements of team members' experience on the job. Questions cover topics such as employee pride in the organization's community impact, belief that their work makes a difference, and feeling their work has special meaning. Rankings are based on the experience of employees at all levels of the organization.

ChenMed team members scored the company higher than the industry benchmark for "respect," "camaraderie" and "pride," including questions about how employees feel about the company's contributions to the communities in which it operates, celebrating special events, and feeling pride around what they accomplish. Words repeated in team members' responses about what makes ChenMed a Great Place to Work include: everyone wins, VIP care, values, transparency, family-oriented, mission-driven, accountability, proud, integrity, growth, purposeful, amazing patients, transforming healthcare and the important work of saving seniors.

"We are so proud of continuing our Great Place to Work certification for two years running" said Stephanie Chen, Chief Legal and Culture Officer at ChenMed. "Our team members are the best! They are passionate about changing healthcare and serving our seniors. We couldn't be where we are without our incredible team, despite the restrictions faced due to COVID-19, we continued to safely celebrate, recognize, and love on them."

Iconic worldwide brands that also rely on Great Place to Work research include Cisco, American Express, Bank of America, Regeneron, Target, Comcast, Farmers Insurance and Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants.

ChenMed is constantly recruiting primary care doctors and care team members who are committed to the company's mission and values of improving the health of underserved seniors and building strong relationships with patients and the communities where it works. Employee benefits at ChenMed that make it a Great Place to Work include multiple health care and dental programs, health savings accounts, wellness credits on health care premiums and rewards for healthy behaviors, continuing education classes and cultural celebrations to recognize the diverse mix of team members. Several team members cited ChenMed's substantial investment in training and onboarding, advancement potential and its commitment to truly living the mission and values on which ChenMed was founded.

In addition, the company offers a competitive Shared Success Bonus Plan which rewards employees for doing their best for the business. Employees who refer candidates for hard-to-fill positions, such as primary care physicians, are also eligible for referral bonuses.

"We applaud ChenMed for seeking certification for the second year in a row and publicly sharing its employees' feedback," said Dr. Jacquelyn Kung of Great Place to Work's senior care partner Activated Insights. "These ratings measure its capacity to earn its own employees' trust and create a great workplace for high performance."

In addition to the Great Place to Work Certification, ChenMed was recently named one of South Florida Business Journal's "Best Places to Work," a "Top Workplaces USA for 2022," and a Richmond Times-Dispatch "Top Workplaces 2022."

About ChenMed

ChenMed, headquartered in Miami, is a privately owned medical, management and technology company that delivers the high-touch and personalized primary care Medicare-eligible seniors need to enjoy better health. The company operates nearly 100 senior medical centers in 12 states. Named a Fortune 2020 "Change the World" company , a "Most Loved Workplace" by Newsweek Magazine, and a certified Best Place to Work by the Best Place to Work Institute, ChenMed brings concierge-style medicine and better health outcomes to the neediest populations. ChenMed brands include Chen Senior Medical Center, Dedicated Senior Medical Center and JenCare Senior Medical Center. Thanks to its nimble and growing software entity, Curity, ChenMed also was recently named "A Best Place to Work in IT" by IDG's Insider Pro and ComputerWorld.

About Activated Insights and Great Place to Work

Activated Insights is the senior care affiliate of Great Place to Work, the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through its aging services certification program, Activated Insights helps Great Place to Work recognize outstanding workplace cultures in the aging services industry and produce the annual Fortune "Best Workplaces for Aging Services" as well as other Great Place to Work Best Workplaces lists for Millennials, Women, Diversity, Small & Medium Companies, and various regions. Through its employee engagement platform, Activated Insights helps clients create great workplaces that outpace peers on key business metrics like revenue growth, profitability, and retention. Learn more at ActivatedInsights.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

SOURCE ChenMed
The company is also announcing that the Chopra Meditation & Well-being App is now available on Android in addition to iOS

NEW YORK, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of National Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Chopra Global is inviting the public to join a free Global Meditation with wellness icon, Dr. Deepak Chopra on May 18, 2022, recorded live from Chopra's Meditation Immersion Retreat in Hawaii. Participants can register to join the online meditation here.

Chopra Global Chopra App images on Android

In addition to the meditation event, the company is offering a suite of free programming in its Chopra Meditation & Well-Being App in conjunction with its Journey to Well-Being initiative. The featured content focuses on the May theme of work-life balance and workplace wellness and also includes a program on depression and anxiety relief.

As the world continues to grapple with work-related stressors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in the Great Resignation, higher prioritization of work-life balance and return to office hesitancy, the need for mental health and wellbeing access has never been more relevant and acute. Studies show that 81% of employees agree that the stress from work affects their relationships with friends, family, and coworkers, and 71% of employees find it difficult to concentrate at work, compared to 46% in 2018.

"Mental and emotional wellbeing is an important component of our overall wellbeing and allows us to have healthy relationships with ourselves, our loved ones, our colleagues, and our communities," said Dr. Sheila Patel, Chopra Global's Chief Medical Officer. "Given that we spend a disproportionate amount of time at work, focusing on oft-overlooked wellbeing in the workplace can play an important part of achieving overall wellbeing. We are pleased to offer these life-changing tools and practices to the global community at this time."

May's programming includes a 6-part series focused on achieving a purposeful work-life balance. Hosted by master wellbeing educator and Chopra Global's Chief Impact Officer, Devi Brown, the content addresses myriad facets of workplace wellbeing including how to communicate your mental health needs, creating work-life balance, and finding purpose and meaning in your work. Previous collaborators announced in the Journey to Well-Being include Ismael Cala, Mallika Chopra, Lalah Delia, Sarah Finger, Dr. Amishi Jha, Londrelle, Apolo Ohno and Kimberly Snyder, and announcing for the first time, spoken word artist IN-Q will also be participating in the initiative.

In addition, other featured May programming in the Chopra App includes a 4-part series from actress Gabriella Wright, an advocate for suicide awareness and prevention and co-founder of the NeverAlone initiative, entitled "Freedom from Suffering  From Depression to Joy." This program is intended to help listeners find a solution for the existential suffering that plagues so many.

"We are sleepwalking our way to extinction," said Dr. Deepak Chopra, Founder of The Chopra Foundation and Chopra Global. "Waking up to reality, collectively, is urgent. Join us and be the change."

The company is also announcing that the Chopra Meditation & Well-being is now available to Android users, providing Chopra's global community with access to its world-class tools and practices. To learn about all of these mental health initiatives and much more, please visit www.chopra.com/mental-health-journey.

About Chopra Global:

Chopra Global is a leading whole health company that is empowering personal transformation for millions of people globally to expand our collective well-being. Anchored by the life's practice and research of Dr. Deepak Chopra, a pioneer in integrative medicine, Chopra Global's signature programs have been proven to improve overall well-being through a focus on physical, mental and spiritual health. Chopra Global has been at the forefront of health and wellness for more than two decades with a portfolio that includes an editorial archive of more than 2000 health articles, expansive self-care practices and meditations, a comprehensive mobile app, masterclasses, teacher certifications, immersive live events and personalized retreats. By providing tools, guidance and community, Chopra aims to advance a culture of well-being and make a healthy, peaceful and joyful life accessible to all. For more information, interact with the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Kristen Marion

623-308-2638

[email protected]

SOURCE Chopra Global
VIDEO: General Electric faces new call by Schumer, Warren, coalition of U.S. military, climate and labor leaders to abandon failed strategy, reinvest in American manufacturing

BOSTON, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of today's General Electric Annual Shareholders Meeting, a national coalition says GE must reinvest in U.S. manufacturing to fix domestic supply chain problems and strengthen its renewable energy and defense aviation divisions. Click here for the video .

On Monday, the Coalition for Sustainable and Secure Energy and Aviation Manufacturing convened U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown, and Ed Markey, along with leaders from Greenpeace USA, Sierra Club, the U.S. military, labor, industry experts, and GE employees from across the country.

The coalition is urging participants in GE's Annual Shareholder Meeting to vote to include an employee representative on its Board of Directors. Since Trian hedge fund took a minority stake and active role in GE in 2015, the company has spent tens of billions of dollars on stock buybacks, sold off entire business divisions, cut 12,000 jobs , and seen its stock price drop over 53 percent.

The call comes as GE continues its $2.5 billion plan to split the company . Financial experts forecast that private equity buyers will carve up GE after the initial split, underscoring an uncertain future for GE workers and stakeholders.

The coalition says GE must reinvest in the U.S. manufacturing vital to its long-term success, commit to building a sustainable domestic supply chain, and stop American manufacturing job cuts . This is the only way GE can secure its role as a leader advancing green energy with American-made wind turbines and supporting U.S. troops with vital military aviation equipment.

IUE-CWA President Carl Kennebrew: "We're calling on GE to put the industrial future of America first, with a bold $5 billion investment in its U.S. manufacturing and an end to its offshoring and outsourcing, letting workers have a seat on the Board of Directors, and letting shareholders vote on the planned break-up."

Communications Workers of America President Chris Shelton : "Driven by Wall Street, GE is about to spend $2.5 billion to break up the company and $3 billion on new stock buybacks. That's $5.5 billion that is going to bankers and lawyers and middlemen instead of updating and expanding manufacturing facilities, paying good union wages, and making sure we are not dependent on other countries for the critical components of our green energy supply chain."

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) : "I secured $29 million to make the Port of Albany a wind manufacturing hub that would make it possible for GE to manufacture turbines in Upstate New York. We need big investment to deploy our renewable energy opportunities like offshore wind and I want to make sure all of that is done with union labor."

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) : "GE is paid hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars every year which fund its defense, aviation, and energy business. GE must reinvest these dollars back into American workers and our economy."

Greenpeace USA Chief Program Officer Tefere Gebre : "GE has lost its way and needs to step up now to build the next generation of green manufacturing right here in the United States with offshore wind production. As we see climate change and its destructive effects growing worse by the day, it's clear we need companies like GE to act now."

U.S. Army Brigadier General (Ret.) John Adams : "When defense contractors like GE wipe out good jobs by offshoring U.S. military manufacturing, it compromises our ability to respond quickly in a crisis. GE has received billions of dollars in U.S. military contracts. Our taxpayer dollars should be spent for the benefit of our country."

Academic-Industry Research Network President, Dr. William Lazonick: "GE has put the pursuit of high stock yields for parasitic shareholders ahead of rewards to the company's employees for their productive contributions."

UMass Boston Professor, Dr. Nick Juravich, co-author of Building a Sustainable Future for GE : "American workers and communities whose taxes bankroll GE deserve stable, sustainable investment from GE in return, not more of the same disinvestment that has decimated GE's U.S. workforce for decades."

SOURCE Coalition for Sustainable and Secure Energy and Aviation Manufacturing
"OMAGE pays homage to cognac's history and artistry, while showing what's possible with American grapes," said Grant, Chairman/CEO of spirits producer and marketer The Brand House Group. "Because of the freedoms brandy offers, we are building on the cognac-making process using a unique blend of high-quality, varietally-expressive grapes and oak variations to enhance flavor while reducing the sweetness typically found in the value-brandy entries. OMAGE offers a more natural, authentic spirit produced using similar cognac processes and featuring beautifully balanced flavor profiles that will also resonate with consumers of high-end bourbon, whiskey and scotch."

Produced in classic California style by using grape varietals selected for their prime ripeness, OMAGE integrates advanced distillation in both pot and column stills with aging in charred and toasted American bourbon and French oak barrels, depending on style. Whether enjoying OMAGE VS, VSOP or XO, the result is a refined, approachable, super premium brandy that can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or used as a modern twist in classic cocktails.

OMAGE VS is aged two plus years and is dominated by juicy apple aromas giving way to a nutty, vanilla finish; OMAGE VSOP is aged four plus years and has inviting, bright aromas of fresh citrus and stone fruit complemented by a floral, toasty vanilla oak finish; OMAGE XO is aged six plus years and has a distinct aged character marked by a dried apricot aroma with hints of jasmine and honeysuckle balanced by tempered oak and a smooth caramel finish. OMAGE VS, VSOP and XO retail for $25.99, $35.99 and $89.99 respectively.

"As a long-time cognac devotee, I noticed a gap in the US market for an elite American brandy that reduces the sweetness that you get in lower-priced brandies while balancing the oak flavor that you get from the cognac brands," added Grant. "OMAGE fills this void and we're excited that distributors, retailers and consumers are as enthused about OMAGE as we are."

OMAGE is available at wines & spirits retailers in major markets nationwide, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Chicago, Baltimore, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, Boston and Milwaukee, among others. Further growth throughout other regions is expected over the coming months. OMAGE can also be purchased at www.shop.omagebrandy.com , Drizly, Instacart, Wine.com and delivered to locations where it is permissible by law to receive alcohol products by mail.

About The Brand House Group

Founded in 2019 by wine and spirits industry veteran Julious Grant, who for the past 30 years has held senior leadership roles in sales and marketing at some of the world's most successful wine and spirits companies, The Brand House Group, through Grant's leadership as Chairman, creates and markets innovative spirits brands across a variety of categories. The Brand House Group's current portfolio includes the recently-debuted OMAGE, a California artisanal brandy crafted in the style of a French cognac. In addition, The Brand House Group is parent to Iconic Spirits, a line of high-quality Japanese spirits which currently includes: Shunka Shuto, a variety of super-premium blended Japanese whiskies evoking the four seasons; Bikoku, a pure malt made from the underground waters of Mt. Fuji; Teitessa, a super-premium Japanese single-grain whisky; and Awayuki Gin, infused with the finest pink and white strawberries grown in Japan's Nara Prefecture.

Prior to launching The Brand House Group, Grant served as Chief Commercial Officer, US Beam Suntory; President/CEO of Bacardi/Brown-Forman House for the UK and Ireland; Senior Vice President/National Sales Director of Bacardi U.S.A; Vice President at Moet Hennessy USA; and Marketing Director at both Schieffelin & Somerset and Diageo North America before starting his career at Seagram.

SOURCE OMAGE Brandy
Hundreds of genes in the brain fall under the control of estrogen . Fluctuating levels of the hormone cause shifts in mood, energy balance, and behavior throughout life, in addition to sculpting developing neural circuits early on. These effects occur when activated estrogen receptors sit directly on a cell's DNA to turn genes on or off.

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Assistant Professor Jessica Tollkuhn, graduate student Bruno Gegenhuber, and their colleagues, have been mapping exactly where estrogen receptors latch onto DNA inside mouse brain cells. They've looked at both males and females and compared the brains of adults to the still-developing brains of young pups. In the journal Nature, they report on the hormone receptor's targets in the brain and show that estrogen sets up physical differences in the brains of males and females during development.

Tollkuhn explains that estrogen is present in the brains of both males and females: some neurons make it themselves out of testosterone. In male mice, estrogen generated through a surge of testosterone that is released soon after birth shapes developing circuitry. As a result, certain brain regions are larger and contain more cells in males than they do in femalesa difference that affects a range of behaviors in adulthood, including mating, parenting, and aggression.

"There's this critical period when the brain is developing and wiring up that it has to get this input in order to make these permanent changes in the brain wiring. This is a transient surge, but it seems to have extremely long-lasting effects on brain development."

Tollkuhn's team examined where estrogen receptors landed after this hormonal surge, focusing on a brain region called the BNST, which is larger in males than females in both mice and humans. They found a host of genes that were under estrogen's control, including many involved in neurodevelopment and neuronal signaling. And although estrogen itself remains in the brain for only a few hours, it seems that the hormone-controlled genes remain active for weeks.

Now that they know what genes estrogen is targeting in the brain, Tollkuhn's team plans to explore exactly how those genes mediate the hormone's diverse effects on brain development, behavior, and disease.

About Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Founded in 1890, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has shaped contemporary biomedical research and education with programs in cancer, neuroscience, plant biology and quantitative biology. Home to eight Nobel Prize winners, the private, not-for-profit Laboratory employs 1,100 people including 600 scientists, students and technicians. For more information, visit www.cshl.edu

SOURCE Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Technology tackles complexity of human manipulation, enabling robotic dexterity

SYDNEY, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Australia-based company Contactile has closed US$2.5 million in seed funding to develop and pilot tactile sensors that give robots a human sense of touch and enable robotic dexterity. The round was led by Silicon Valley's True Ventures with participation from Flying Fox Ventures, Radar Ventures and UNSW Founders, the last of which is a program launched by the university where Contactile's three co-founders developed the company's core technology.

What makes Contactile's sensor technology superior is its ability to measure 3D forces and torques, partial slip and friction  all essential parameters for enabling robotic dexterity.

"To hold an object without letting it slip from our grasp, we squeeze it with our fingers," said Dr. Heba Khamis, Conctactile co-founder and CEO. "When an object is heavier, we squeeze harder, and when an object is slippery, we squeeze harder. People know how hard to squeeze an object because they can feel the weight and the slipperiness by touching the object. But robots haven't been able to feel these things before now."

Khamis co-founded Contactile with Benjamin Xia, CTO, and Associate Professor Stephen Redmond. The three co-founders have been developing tactile sensors together for eight years, beginning at UNSW Sydney, where they each studied or taught, and performed research in electrical, software and biomedical engineering. Together, they've developed deep expertise in human tactile physiology, artificial tactile sensing, signal processing and machine learning, and control.

"We're delighted to partner with True and this amazing group of investors, each of whom brings deep experience in different aspects of rapidly scaling businesses," said Khamis. "They understand the massive opportunity in robotics and the need for smarter, more flexible and more reactive robots that can help do the jobs that are too dull, dirty and/or dangerous for people to do."

While robots currently on the market can pick up and place items, they must be precisely programmed for every object they encounter; they cannot adapt to pick up new objects without new, more advanced programming. As such, their behavior is un-human-like and incapable of complex manipulation. Opening jars, turning door handles, and even operating tools are triumphs. Contactile's technology enables robotic grippers to autonomously handle objects never before encountered but also to perform more complex manipulation through touch sensor feedback, enabling robots to use their 'hands' in a more flexible, versatile way.

Contactile is looking to solve both short-term and long-term problems  from warehouse fulfillment  e.g., autonomous gripping of thousands of unique products in a grocery store  to space applications  e.g., versatile robots for building infrastructure on planets other than Earth.

"We're thrilled to partner with the Contactile team and join their bold vision to lead the tactile revolution in robotics," said Rohit Sharma, partner at True Ventures. "Their innovations in tactile-grip sensors have the potential to transform robots from single-task machines to multi-purpose handy helpers. Applications of Contactile's technology span multiple industrial and consumer robotics scenarios and our investment will accelerate the development of their products and pilots worldwide."

There is a mega trend towards robotics and automation in every sector, including agriculture, warehousing and logistics, security and rescue, health and medicine, and space. Rich tactile sensing and dexterous robots will be required in these industries as robots are needed to perform more human-like tasks.

Contactile will use this funding round to pursue further research and product development in addition to executing a number of pilots to demonstrate the value of tactile sensing.

About Contactile

Contactile's sensing technology gives robots a human sense of touch and enables dexterous robotic gripping. The technology was developed at UNSW Sydney with initial funding support from the Australian Research Council and US Office of Naval Research Global. To learn more, visit www.contactile.com .

About True Ventures

True Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm focused on early stage technology startups. With more than $2.8 billion under management, True provides seed and Series A financing to entrepreneurs in today's fastest growing markets. To learn more, visit www.trueventures.com .

About Flying Fox Ventures

Flying Fox Ventures injects early stage capital to propel Australian and New Zealand companies across the globe. They look for amazing people who deeply understand the challenges around them and are breaking the mould on how to solve them. To learn more, visit www.flyingfox.vc

About Radar Ventures

Radar Ventures is a private fund based in Australia and New Zealand, investing globally in companies developing frontier technologies that aim to solve some of the world's biggest challenges. Partners are Atlanta Daniel and Rod Drury (founder of Xero).

About UNSW Founders

UNSW Founders is Australia's leading university-based entrepreneurial program. Contactile is one of 62 graduates from its flagship 10x accelerator program, which has helped its startups raise $70 million of investment capital post program, create 175+ jobs and rapidly expand to new markets. To learn more, visit unswfounders.com/

SOURCE Contactile Pty Ltd
Due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, Family Month is changing. Events that were once held for each special day of the month have all been canceled, and now people catch up and send gifts online instead of visiting in person.

Parents' Day, a day for children to show appreciation to their parents for giving birth to them and raising them, is considered the most important holiday in Korea after Chuseok and Lunar New Year. Traditionally, children would pin carnations, the symbol of Parents' Day, on their parents' chests to express their appreciation and devotion.

However, this tradition is becoming a thing of the past. Due to the prolonged spread of COVID-19, parents are concerned and are telling their children, "Don't visit," and children are also hesitant to visit their parents due to the concern of infection. For this reason, many Koreans are paying more attention to gifts, which is the only way to express their gratitude.

Last year, a Korean online shopping mall conducted a survey titled "The Gift You Want to Give Your Parents on Parents' Day." The top choice was "cash" followed by "health food," including red ginseng. Around 60% of people in their 20s and 30s, also referred to as Millennials and Generation Z, chose gifts such as "health food" rather than "cash," indicating that more consumers care about their parents' health in the aftermath of COVID-19.

Red ginseng is Korea's representative health food and is produced by steaming and drying six-year-old ginseng. The combination of substances produced during this process, including saponin, ginseng polysaccharide, amino sugar, and minerals, relieve fatigue by reducing the concentration of fatigue substances and stimulating energy-producing hormones. In addition, red ginseng helps boost immunity by activating macrophages, which kill viruses.

The benefits of red ginseng have been officially recognized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, which is the Korean ministry that regulates the safety of food and drugs. Recognized for its various health benefits, including boosting immunity, reducing fatigue, improving blood circulation and memory, and having antioxidant properties, red ginseng is the top selling functional health food in Korea. As interest in immunity has grown due to COVID-19, more and more Korean consumers are seeking out red ginseng.

Korea's leading red ginseng brand is "CheongKwanJang," which accounts for around 70% of the Korean red ginseng market. To produce the highest quality red ginseng, CheongKwanJang starts by inspecting the soil where the ginseng will be planted and guarantees its six-year-old domestic red ginseng through 100% contract farming. Moreover, CheongKwanJang produces products that consumers can trust by conducting safety inspections on 430 items over the course of eight years, from two years of soil management when selecting the plot to when the final product is shipped, including six years of cultivation.

CheongKwanJang's sales analysis shows that red ginseng products targeting middle-aged people are popular gifts for children to purchase for their parents in May, which is known as "Family Month." Sales of CheongKwanJang's signature products, including its "Korean Red Ginseng Extract," a concentrated red ginseng product; "Korean Red Ginseng Tonic," a traditional liquid product favored by middle-aged men; and "Hwa Ae Rak," a functional red ginseng product for women experiencing menopause, increased by more than 7080% compared to the previous month for people in their 20s and 30s.

CheongKwanJang stated that in the aftermath of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Koreans have been paying more attention to health and immunity. Added that this year, CheongKwanJang is receiving a lot of product inquiries from people who are concerned about their parents' health.

SOURCE KGC (Korea Ginseng Corp.)
SAN PEDRO GARZA GARCIA, Mexico, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cydsa, S.A.B. de C.V. ("Cydsa") (BMV: CYDSASA) today announced the expiration of and the final results for its previously announced "modified Dutch Auction" tender offer to purchase for cash (the "Tender Offer") its outstanding 6.250% Senior Notes due 2027 (the "Notes"). The terms and conditions of the Tender Offer were made pursuant to the terms of an Offer to Purchase dated April 6, 2022 (as amended, the "Offer to Purchase").

Cydsa has been advised that as of 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on May 3, 2022 (the "Expiration Time"), U.S.$64,619,000 aggregate principal amount of the Notes had been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn. As the aggregate principal amount of the Notes validly tendered would result in an aggregate purchase price that exceeds the Maximum Amount (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) of U.S.$47,680,380, as previously increased, Cydsa intends to consummate the purchase of U.S.$48,162,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes on May 5, 2022 (the "Settlement Date") at the "Clearing Price" of U.S.$990 per U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes, in accordance with the terms of the "modified Dutch Auction" procedure described in the Offer to Purchase. Cydsa expects to accept all Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the Early Tender Time (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) with a bid price equal to or less than the Clearing Price and that no accepted tenders will be subject to proration. Any Notes tendered (i) with a bid price greater than U.S.$990 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes or (ii) after the Early Tender Time will not be accepted in the Tender Offer. Holders whose Notes have been accepted for purchase in the Tender Offer will also receive accrued and unpaid interest from the last interest payment date up to, but not including, the Settlement Date.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. acted as the dealer managers for the Tender Offer and can be contacted with questions regarding the Tender Offer at the following telephone numbers: Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC: +1 (800) 828-3182 (toll-free) and +1 (212) 357-1452 (collect); and Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.: +1 (212) 225-5501 (collect).

Cydsa's obligation to accept for purchase, and to pay for, any Notes validly tendered pursuant to the Tender Offer is conditioned upon the satisfaction or, when applicable, waiver of certain customary conditions, which are more fully described in the Offer to Purchase, including, among others, a financing condition as described in the Offer to Purchase. Cydsa expects that all such conditions, including the financing condition, will be satisfied as of the Settlement Date.

Neither the Offer to Purchase nor any related documents have been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, nor have any such documents been filed with or reviewed by any federal or state securities commission or regulatory authority of any country. No authority has passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the Offer to Purchase or any related documents, and it is unlawful and may be a criminal offense to make any representation to the contrary.

The Tender Offer was made solely on the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase. Under no circumstances shall this press release constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell the Notes or any other securities of Cydsa or any of its affiliates.

About Cydsa

Cydsa is a Mexico-based holding company, headquartered in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon, operating through subsidiaries located in nine cities throughout Mexico, engaged in the industrial sector. Since the incorporation of the company in 1945, Cydsa has grown into a diversified company and Cydsa's current products and services range from edible salt to specialty chemicals for diverse industries to clean energy alternatives and hydrocarbon storage. Cydsa sells over 100 different products in more than 15 countries, including Mexico, the United States, Canada, Central America, South America and Europe. As part of Cydsa's strategy, it offers the first system in Mexico and Latin America dedicated to processing and underground storage of hydrocarbons in salt caverns, offering clean, efficient and safe storage of hydrocarbons, while helping reduce the hydrocarbon storage deficit in Mexico. Cydsa currently operates through its chemical manufacturing and specialties business group and its energy processing and logistics business group.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Cydsa's perspectives and expectations, are forward-looking statements. All statements that express belief, expectation, estimates or intentions, as well as those that are not statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Such statements use forward-looking words such as "proposed," "anticipate," "project," "potential," "could," "should," "continue," "estimate," "expect," "may," "believe," "will," "plan," "seek," "outlook" and other similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. Cydsa cautions you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Although the expectations in the forward-looking statements are based on Cydsa's current beliefs and expectations, caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements because such statements speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by federal and state securities laws, Cydsa undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason.

Contact: Oscar Abundio Casas Kirchner

Corporate Finance Director

[email protected]

+52 (81) 8152-4500

SOURCE Cydsa, S.A.B. de C.V.
CHANDLER, Ariz., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DBSI, the leader in creating transformed banking experiences, was honored to host Local First Arizona's "Move Your Money" event April 27 at its headquarters in Chandler, Ariz.

The event, connecting small businesses with local banks and credit unions, was held in DBSI's Ideation Center, an interactive showroom featuring the latest design, build, digital signage and banking technologies.

DBSI was honored to host Local First Arizonas Move Your Money event April 27 at its headquarters in Chandler, Ariz.

"We know firsthand just how dedicated these banks and credit unions are to the local community," said Jared Jones, director of sales. "After helping so many financial institutions transform, there is something special about those in Arizona. We're very proud to support that by partnering with Local First to stage this event in our Ideation Center, where we have helped financial institutions right in our backyard innovate and engineer their client experiences."

DBSI has transformed branches for Vantage West, OneAZ and others that attended the event, where they met local small businesses to discuss their financial services.

"Community banking is essential for building stronger communities in Arizona," said Thomas Barr, vice president of business development for Local First Arizona. "We know that local banks and credit unions are deeply invested in the well-being of small businesses, families and neighborhoods throughout the state. We're proud to partner and connect businesses and individuals to the quality options they have in our local Arizona banks."

About DBSI

DBSI helps banks and credit unions create highly efficient, profitable branch and headquarters spaces with a uniquely smarter experience. Founded in 1998, DBSI celebrated its 24-year anniversary in 2022. Along the way of helping more than 1000+ financial institutions, DBSI has received numerous awards, including being named one of Inc. 5000's fastest-growing companies, Top Design Firm, Most Admired, and Most Innovative. DBSI is headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, and provides comprehensive banking transformation services such as design-build, technology, digital signage, and facilities maintenance to solve some of banking's biggest challenges. For more information, please visit dbsi.com.

Media Contact:

Jenna Warner

Director of Marketing

[email protected]

217-840-0501

SOURCE DBSI
ANTWERP, Belgium, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Antwerp-based marketing solutions developer DESelect has officially announced the launch of its new product, DESelect Connect . The app was designed to make it easy for marketers to integrate any data source into Salesforce Marketing Cloud. This new solution means marketers can connect e-commerce platforms like Shopify, content management systems like Magenta, or any other no-code content enabling solutions to SFMC.

Speaking of this latest product innovation, DESelect's CEO and co-founder Anthony Lamot said: "Someone recently asked me whether I'd be so bold as to suggest this was the Zapier of SFMC. Well, I'm a big fan of Zapier, but as it goes, we don't zap; we just drag and drop. He added: "DESelect Connect is all about delivering a real-time data source connection to SFMC. We built it especially for marketing automation specialists to help them integrate and maintain any data source via webhooks.

One theme kept resurfacing with our Segment and Search solutions: Organizations loved our products but didn't yet have the data integrated into SFMC. Our mission is to bridge the gap between SFMC marketers and their data. We're always looking to solve problems between IT, Marketing, and the business. As we see more connections between these departments, we hand them solutions so they can work flawlessly together. We're very excited about what DESelect Connect offers to marketers; it was the missing piece of the puzzle."

As is standard with all Salesforce Marketing Cloud solutions, the app will be distributed via SFMC's AppExchange.

About DESelect

Founded in 2019, with offices in Antwerp, Belgium, and Austin, Texas, DESelect is a leading drag-and-drop SFMC solution designed exclusively for Salesforce Marketing Cloud. In extensive surveys, marketers who have used DESelect Segment reported they launch their campaigns 23% faster and save 52% of time spent on data management.

SOURCE DESelect BV
SAN FRANCISCO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global digital lending platform market size is expected to reach USD 44.50 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 25.9% from 2022 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The growing adoption of digitalization in the BFSI sector is expected to create new opportunities for market growth. According to the European Central Bank, in 2020, 46% of European banks could process mortgages digitally in two days compared to 8% in 2015.

Key Insights & Findings from the report:

The lending analytics segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The benefits provided by the lending analytics solution, such as reduced operation risk, labor hours, operational cost, and others, are driving the segment.

The risk assessment segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR from 2022 to 2030. The strong emphasis financial institutions are putting on ensuring proactive responses to various cyber threats and resuming normalcy in the event of a cyberattack is expected to drive the growth of the risk assessment segment.

The cloud segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Cloud deployment helps in reducing up-front costs, particularly for new entrants contemplating a foray into the lending business.

The peer-to-peer lending segment is expected to emerge as the fastest-growing end-use segment during the forecast period. The adoption of digital lending platforms is expected to gain traction as the digitally savvy consumer base continues to expand.

North America accounted for the largest share of the market in 2021. The region is home to a large number of technology providers and hence provides immense opportunities for the adoption of digital lending platforms.

Read 120-page market research report, "Digital Lending Platform Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Solution, By Service, By Deployment, By End-use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030", published by Grand View Research.

Digital Lending Platform Market Growth & Trends

The funding raised by the digital lending providers worldwide is also one of the major factors expected to drive market growth. For instance, in April 2021, Auxmoney, a digital lending platform provider, announced that it raised USD 271.4 million. The company uses this funding to enhance its digital lending platform for consumer credit. Furthermore, companies operating in the digital lending space are focused on partnerships to enhance their offerings and market position. For instance, in April 2022, the two fintech companies, UI Enlyte and Exaloan, announced that they are launching a strategic corporation. Through this initiative, the companies will link their platforms for digital assets and lending.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a positive impact on market growth. The established digital lenders adopted new partnerships to cater to the borrower's funding demand amid the COVID 19 pandemic. At the same time, efforts taken by the banks to digitalize their process due to the pandemic also paved to be one of the major factors driving the market growth.

Digital Lending Platform Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the digital lending platform market based on solution, service, deployment, end-use, and region:

Digital Lending Platform Market - Solution Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2017 - 2030)

Business Process Management

Lending Analytics

Loan Management

Loan Origination

Risk & Compliance Management

Others

Digital Lending Platform Market - Service Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2017 - 2030)

Design & Implementation

Training & Education

Risk Assessment

Consulting

Support & Maintenance

Digital Lending Platform Market - Deployment Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2017 - 2030)

On-premise

Cloud

Digital Lending Platform Market End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2017 - 2030)

Banks

Insurance Companies

Credit Unions

Savings & Loan Associations

Peer-to-Peer Lending

Others

Digital Lending Platform Market - Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2017 - 2030)

North America

U.S.



Canada

Europe

U.K.



Germany

Asia Pacific

China



India



Japan

Latin America

Brazil

Middle East & Africa

List of Key Players in the Digital Lending Platform Market

Ellie Mae , Inc.

, Inc. FIS

Fiserv, Inc.

Newgen Software

Nucleus Software

Pegasystems Inc.

Roostify

Sigma Infosolutions

Tavant

Wizni, Inc

Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research:

Digital Transformation Market - The global digital transformation market size is expected to reach USD 3,810.05 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 23.1% from 2022 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The development is ascribed to the increasing need for the establishment of innovative solutions that are equipped to engage customers as well as employees to seamlessly integrate data, operations, IT, and business.

The global digital transformation market size is expected to reach by 2030, registering a CAGR of 23.1% from 2022 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The development is ascribed to the increasing need for the establishment of innovative solutions that are equipped to engage customers as well as employees to seamlessly integrate data, operations, IT, and business. IT Professional Services Market - The global IT professional services market size is expected to reach USD 1921.33 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 11.2% over the forecast period, according to a recent report by Grand View Research, Inc. This is due to the rise in the demand for technology consulting services integrated with the rapidly growing cloud services.

- The global IT professional services market size is expected to reach by 2030, registering a CAGR of 11.2% over the forecast period, according to a recent report by Grand View Research, Inc. This is due to the rise in the demand for technology consulting services integrated with the rapidly growing cloud services. Payment As A Service Market - The global payment as a service market size is expected to reach USD 25.7 billion by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 16.9%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Digital disruption in the money transfer ecosystem, combined with the rise in need for quick money transfer methods, has transformed the payment gateway model. As a result of digital money transfer methods, consumers now demand secure digital transaction processing systems to transfer money to their merchants and individuals.

Browse through Grand View Research's Next Generation Technologies Industry Research Reports.

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

Contact:

Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc.

Phone: +1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Email: [email protected]

Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com

Grand View Compass | Grand View Pipeline

Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter

SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc.
Read the report with TOC on "Digital Signature Market Analysis Report by End-user (BFSI, Government, Healthcare, Legal, and Others) and Geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA), and the Segment Forecasts,2021-2025".Gain competitive intelligence about market leaders. Track key industry opportunities, trends, and threats. Information on marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales and supply functions. View our Report Snapshot

Major Five Digital Signature Companies: Key offerings

Adobe Inc. - The company provides Acrobat Pro DC software with e-sign makes document signing fast and easy.

The company provides Acrobat Pro DC software with e-sign makes document signing fast and easy. Dropbox Inc. - The company provides an electronic signature solution to create and e-sign documents within Dropbox to keep your files more organized and secure.

The company provides an electronic signature solution to create and e-sign documents within Dropbox to keep your files more organized and secure. Entrust Datacard Corp. - The company provides digital signing solutions to help establish trusted identities and ensure authenticity for digital documents, emails, code, and mobile devices.

The company provides digital signing solutions to help establish trusted identities and ensure authenticity for digital documents, emails, code, and mobile devices. SIGNiX Inc. - The company provides seamlessly integrated digital signature and online notarization software to partners in highly regulated industries like real estate, wealth management, and healthcare.

The company provides seamlessly integrated digital signature and online notarization software to partners in highly regulated industries like real estate, wealth management, and healthcare. Thoma Bravo LP - The company provides SignDoc to digitally transforms workflows with trustworthy, secure, and convenient electronic signatures.

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Digital Signature Market End-user Outlook (Revenue, USD bn, 2020-2025)

BFSI - size and forecast 2020-2025

Government - size and forecast 2020-2025

Healthcare - size and forecast 2020-2025

Legal - size and forecast 2020-2025

Others - size and forecast 2020-2025

Digital Signature Market Geography Outlook (Revenue, USD bn, 2020-2025)

North America - size and forecast 2020-2025

- size and forecast 2020-2025 Europe - size and forecast 2020-2025

- size and forecast 2020-2025 APAC - size and forecast 2020-2025

South America - size and forecast 2020-2025

- size and forecast 2020-2025 MEA - size and forecast 2020-2025

Do you want to learn about the contribution of each segment of the market? View an Exclusive Sample Report

Regional Analysis

North America will account for 33% of the market's growth during the forecast period. Market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the market in the South American and MEA regions. The US is the key country for the digital signatures market in North America.

The high adoption of cloud technology in the US and Canada will drive the digital signature market growth in North America during the forecast period. In addition, some of the major vendors, such as Adobe, DocuSign, Oracle, SIGNiX, Entrust Datacard, and OneSpan, are present in North America. Almost all these vendors offer digital signature products based on the cloud. Cloud-based digital signature service allows organizations to access the digital signature functionality through document workflow providers such as Adobe, creating a true end-to-end solution.

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Digital Signature Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 30% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 7.10 billion Market structure Concentrated YoY growth (%) 24.85 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA Performing market contribution North America at 33% Key consumer countries US, Germany, UK, China, and Japan Competitive landscape Leading companies, Competitive strategies, Consumer engagement scope Key companies profiled Adobe Inc., DocuSign Inc., Dropbox Inc., Entrust Datacard Corp., GMO Internet Inc., OneSpan Inc., Oracle Corp., SIGNiX Inc., Thales Group, and Thoma Bravo LP Market dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, Market condition analysis for the forecast period Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2020

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

Five Forces Analysis

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by End-user

Market segments

Comparison by End-user

BFSI - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Government - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Healthcare - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Legal - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Others - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by End-user

Customer landscape

Overview

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Adobe Inc.

DocuSign Inc.

Dropbox Inc.

Entrust Datacard Corp.

GMO Internet Inc.

OneSpan Inc.

Oracle Corp.

SIGNiX Inc.

Thales Group

Thoma Bravo LP

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Saleem Musallam, Excite Medical's CEO & Founder, met with U.S. Ambassador, executives, medical distributors

TAMPA, Fla., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Excite Medical, the maker of the revolutionary DRX9000 spinal decompression machine, participated in a successful trade mission to Quito, Ecuador April 47, facilitated by Enterprise Florida.

Excite Medical's President, Saleem Musallam in Quito w/ U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador Saleem Musallam Presenting DRX9000 in Quito Ecuador

"It was an honor to participate in this trade mission to Ecuador, meet leaders and executives, and help spread the word about non-surgical, drug-free treatments for low back pain," said Saleem Musallam, Excite Medical's CEO & Founder. "Low back pain is a global public health concern affecting hundreds of millions of people, and we want people to know there are effective alternatives to back surgery and opioids."

Excite Medical's DRX9000 machine can help people with degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, and bulging discs get safe treatment for their spines and avoid back surgery. According to Mr. Musallem, the trade mission participants were interested in the DRX9000, in addition to the orthotics the company offers.

The Export Sales Mission was hosted at the JW Mariott Hotel Quito. In addition to pre-arranged meetings, Mr. Musallam was honored to have met Michael Fitzpatrick, U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador, Scott Higgins, U.S. Economic Councilor to Ecuador, and Rocio Velarde, CEO at Citibank in Ecuador.

About Excite Medical:

Excite Medical (Excite) is an FDA-registered medical device company headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Excite's flagship product, the DRX9000, is available in over 45 countries and can be found in over 900 U.S. clinics. When compared to minimally-invasive and invasive spinal procedures, the DRX9000 is the world's most advanced and safest option to treat herniated discs, bulging discs, and degenerative disc disease. Patients suffering from low back pain, sciatica, and neuropathy caused by those disc conditions had a profound success rate in resolving their symptoms when treated on the DRX9000. Since its inception, Excite has been led by CEO & Founder Saleem Musallam. Mr. Musallam is a seasoned professional in the healthcare arena with over 18 years of experience. Mr. Musallam's passion to advance the DRX9000 has led him to pursue a postgraduate degree at Johns Hopkins University. For more information about the DRX9000 or Excite Medical, call or text +1 813-210-1000.

You can find Saleem Musallam on Linkedin and follow the DRX9000 on Facebook.

Media Contact:

Dominick Chiechi

+1 813-210-1000

[email protected]

The New Story is Available @ ExciteMedical.com/News

SOURCE Excite Medical
FAIR Health launched the tools, which pair FAIR Health's cost information with EBSCO Option Grid decision aids, on its free, award-winning consumer platform, fairhealthconsumer.org . The tools offer clinical optionsand show the associated costsfor type 2 diabetes, uterine fibroids (separately, medication options and procedural options) and slow-growing prostate cancer. Along with these new tools, FAIR Health Consumer also features new educational content about the three conditions, patient-oriented checklists with suggested questions that patients can ask their providers and links to external resources relevant to the three conditions. The decision aids, checklists and patient resources, along with content tailored toward providers, are also available on fairhealthprovider.org , a provider-oriented platform with educational content on how to facilitate shared decision-making discussions with patients. FAIR Health Provider was launched in 2021 with funding from The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation.

Shared decision making, or the discussion between clinicians and patients and/or their patient caregivers to decide on treatment options that incorporate patient values and preferences, has been shown to increase patient engagement and satisfaction, reduce healthcare costs and improve treatment outcomes. Decision aids are commonly used to facilitate shared decision-making discussions. However, most decision aids do not include information about costs related to the condition. The tools created with support from NYSHealth offer both clinical options for the conditions and estimated costs for those options based on FAIR Health's private healthcare claims database, which includes over 36 billion claim records from all 50 states and Washington, DC. By providing cost estimates related to each of the clinical options featured in the decision aids, patients can obtain a fuller view of the financial aspect of each treatment option, and thereby have more informed decision-making discussions with their healthcare providers. FAIR Health will disseminate the tools to patients, patient/consumer advocates, community organizations and healthcare providers and organizations throughout New York State.

Dr. Ndumele said, "Shared decision-making conversations are vital to advancing patient self-advocacy and more engaged and informed healthcare decision making. The tools that FAIR Health has launched, along with the accompanying educational content, will help patients of color have those important shared decision-making conversations."

FAIR Health President Robin Gelburd added, "We thank the New York State Health Foundation's generous support of this endeavor. In keeping with FAIR Health's consumer-oriented mission, we believe that this initiative will empower patients of color to engage in shared decision-making discussions regarding relevant treatment options with their healthcare providers."

NYSHealth President and CEO David Sandman said, "Patients, especially people of color, have often been marginalized rather than placed at the center of the healthcare system. FAIR Health's decision aids are a step toward a more equitable healthcare system by equipping patients of color with the clinical and cost information they need to make informed decisions with their healthcare providers."

To access the new shared decision-making tools, click here.

Follow us on Twitter @FAIRHealth

About FAIR Health

FAIR Health is a national, independent nonprofit organization that qualifies as a public charity under section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code. It is dedicated to bringing transparency to healthcare costs and health insurance information through data products, consumer resources and health systems research support. FAIR Health possesses the nation's largest collection of private healthcare claims data, which includes over 36 billion claim records and is growing at a rate of over 2 billion claim records a year. FAIR Health licenses its privately billed data and data productsincluding benchmark modules, data visualizations, custom analytics and market indicesto commercial insurers and self-insurers, employers, providers, hospitals and healthcare systems, government agencies, researchers and others. Certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as a national Qualified Entity, FAIR Health also receives data representing the experience of all individuals enrolled in traditional Medicare Parts A, B and D; FAIR Health includes among the private claims data in its database, data on Medicare Advantage enrollees. FAIR Health can produce insightful analytic reports and data products based on combined Medicare and commercial claims data for government, providers, payors and other authorized users. FAIR Health's systems for processing and storing protected health information have earned HITRUST CSF certification and achieved AICPA SOC 2 compliance by meeting the rigorous data security requirements of these standards. As a testament to the reliability and objectivity of FAIR Health data, the data have been incorporated in statutes and regulations around the country and designated as the official, neutral data source for a variety of state health programs, including workers' compensation and personal injury protection (PIP) programs. FAIR Health data serve as an official reference point in support of certain state balance billing laws that protect consumers against bills for surprise out-of-network and emergency services. FAIR Health also uses its database to power a free consumer website available in English and Spanish, which enables consumers to estimate and plan for their healthcare expenditures and offers a rich educational platform on health insurance. An English/Spanish mobile app offers the same educational platform in a concise format and links to the cost estimation tools. The website has been honored by the White House Summit on Smart Disclosure, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), URAC, the eHealthcare Leadership Awards, appPicker, Employee Benefit News and Kiplinger's Personal Finance. FAIR Health also is named a top resource for patients in Dr. Marty Makary's book The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Careand How to Fix It and Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal's book An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back. For more information on FAIR Health, visit fairhealth.org.

Contact:

Rachel Kent

Senior Director of Marketing

FAIR Health

646-396-0795

[email protected]

SOURCE FAIR Health
New development would add 241 mixed-income apartments to the campus as well as amenities, ground-floor commercial space, and underground parking

NEWARK, N.J., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fairstead, a purpose-driven, vertically integrated real estate company committed to sustainable development and the creation and preservation of high-quality housing, and LIHC Investment Group today announced a new ground-up development proposal for a mixed-income building at Essex Plaza in Newark, New Jersey. The six-story, 365,000-square-foot proposed development would consist of 241 residential apartments, ground-floor commercial and amenity space, and underground parking. The development would be built as part of New Jersey's Clean Energy Program, taking a whole-building approach to saving energy with a tailored energy reduction plan to promote efficiency and sustainability. See renderings of the proposed new development here .

"To support the future of our cities, we need a variety of housing options serving affordable, workforce, and market-rate renters. Having a sustainable place to live is the foundation everyone needs to work in and give back to their communities," said Brett Meringoff, Managing Partner, Development, at Fairstead. "Fairstead and LIHC are preserving and revitalizing the existing housing stock at Essex Plaza and proposing a new vision for additional housing at the site to further our investment in and partnership with the Newark community."

"The sheer depth of the affordable housing crisis requires that our industry use every available lever. We must build and also preserve, and we must achieve greater affordability for low-income families and seniors while providing options for renters who increasingly find themselves priced out of the middle market," said Andrew Gendron, Principal, LIHC Investment Group. "Essex Plaza is a chance to do it all, holistically, while making huge strides toward a more green and sustainable Newark."

"I will be working together with Fairstead to continue to bring more affordable housing to the seniors and working families of Newark, and to develop more apartments at a market-rate. This helps our renters who are so in need and brings investment to the Newark community," said Newark Council President Luis A. Quintana.

The proposed development is at the site of the existing parking lot behind 1060 Broad Street, located on Orchard Street, between Camp and Pennington Streets in Newark. Of the planned 241 apartments, 40% would be set aside as affordable housing for those making up to 60% of the Area Median Income ($64,400 for a household of four people). The apartments would be a mix of one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom homes.

The development would be constructed as part of New Jersey's Clean Energy Program to minimize energy consumption and is expected to achieve LEED Silver certification. The building would feature a range of amenities including a resident lounge, in-unit laundry, fitness center, package room, bike room, rooftop green space, and a doorman.

In November, Fairstead and LIHC acquired the Essex Plaza portfolio to preserve 691 units of low-income housing in Newark. Fairstead and LIHC are investing $27 million for sustainable renovations and improvements, as well as on-site support services, at 1060 Broad Street, Essex Plaza's 450-apartment affordable senior housing building. Renovations are underway, with seniors moving into apartments with brand new kitchens with sustainable appliances, new bathrooms, flooring, fresh paint, and more. See photos of the new apartments here .

The Essex Plaza portfolio is located in the Lincoln Park Historic District of Newark, just steps away from Newark City Hall, Newark Symphony Hall, and the Prudential Center.

In addition, Fairstead and LIHC plan to propose additional new developments in the future for a total of more than 400 new mixed-income apartments in Newark.

About Fairstead

Fairstead is a purpose-driven vertically integrated real estate developer specializing in creating sustainable, high-quality housing. The firm's national footprint includes more than $6 billion in assets and identified pipeline. With offices in New York, Maryland, and South Carolina, Fairstead's team manages 90+ communities across the country and runs its comprehensive real estate platform, which includes acquisitions and development, venture capital investments in prop tech, design and construction, energy and sustainability, property management, marketing, and leasing. The firm also administers one of the industry's most proactive community impact programs to provide on-site support services to residents. For more information, visit www.fairstead.com .

About LIHC Investment Group

Led by Charlie and Andrew Gendron, LIHC Investment Group has grown to become one of the most respected real estate investment groups in the industry. The firm holds an ownership interest in more than 35,000 units of multifamily housing nationwide, the vast majority of which is affordable. Our expertise in preservation transactions means we know how to work creatively and deliver results that benefit owners, investors, tenants and the community. To learn more, visit: https://lihc.com/

Media Contacts

Fairstead: Jovana Rizzo, 917-836-0618, [email protected]

LIHC Investment Group: Kelly Magee, 212-203-3597, [email protected]

SOURCE Fairstead
MIAMI, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Brand Institute is proud to announce working with rare disease specialist, Orphalan, in developing the brand name CUVRIOR, approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration on April 28, 2022.

CUVRIOR is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with stable Wilson's disease who are de-coppered and tolerant to penicillamine. Wilson's disease is a rare genetic disorder that prevents the body from removing extra copper, causing copper to build up in the liver, brain, eyes, and other organs. Without treatment, high copper levels can cause life-threatening organ damage.

"The entire Brand Institute and Drug Safety Institute Team congratulates Orphalan on the FDA approval of CUVRIOR," said Brand Institute's Chairman and C.E.O., James L. Dettore.

About Brand Institute and our wholly owned regulatory subsidiary, Drug Safety Institute

Brand Institute is the global leader in pharmaceutical and healthcare-related name development, with a portfolio of over 3,800 marketed healthcare brand names, 1,200 USAN/INN nonproprietary names for 1,100 clients. The company partners on over 75% of pharmaceutical brand and nonproprietary name approvals globally every year with healthcare manufacturers. Drug Safety Institute is composed of former naming regulatory officials from global government health agencies, including Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), Health Canada (HC), American Medical Association (AMA), and the World Health Organization (WHO). These regulatory experts co-authored the name review guidelines while with their respective agencies, with many responsible for ultimately approving (or rejecting) brand name applications. Now working for a private company, these professionals provide Brand Institute's clients with industry-leading guidance pertaining to drug name safety (i.e., preventing medication errors), packaging, and labeling.

Contact:

James Dettore

Chairman & C.E.O.

[email protected]

www.brandinstitute.com

SOURCE Brand Institute, Inc.
Download Our Sample Report! to discover industry potential and make informed business decisions

Regional Forecast & Analysis

58% of the market's growth will originate from APAC during the forecast period. China and India are the key markets for fire and gas detection systems in APAC. Market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the market in other regions. The development in IoT and remote monitoring will facilitate the fire and gas detection system market growth in APAC over the forecast period.

Download Our Sample Report for more insights on the market share of various regions

Segmentation Forecast & Analysis

The fire and gas detection system market share growth by the oil and gas segment will be significant during the forecast period. Factors such as the ongoing exploration of new oil and gas fields and refinery units and increased expansions in onshore and offshore production activities are expected to drive the market during the forecast period. In addition, the oil and gas industry in APAC is estimated to grow during the forecast period, mainly due to the rising demand for automobiles and, subsequently, the growing need for petrol and diesel.

Download Our Sample Report to gain further insights on the market contribution of various segments

The Fire and Gas Detection System Market Covers the Following Areas:

Fire and Gas Detection System Market Sizing

Fire and Gas Detection System Market Forecast

Fire and Gas Detection System Market Analysis

Rising Production of Shale Gas to Drive the Market Growth

Shale gas has changed the structure of oil and gas energy globally owing to the supply glut it brought into the market, which eventually led to price drops. Unlike traditional natural gas, shale gas exploration emits larger amounts of methane and hence, has a higher greenhouse gas footprint. CH4 is not only harmful to the environment but also a source of explosion hazards. The increase in shale gas production from countries such as the US, Russia, Iran, Qatar, Canada, China, Norway, and Saudi Arabia has increased the scope for the adoption of gas detection products and solutions. In addition, the increased urge to minimize casualties and rise in the number of government mandates have given rise to the adoption of the latest safety tools such as fire and gas detection systems in the shale gas production processes, owing to their functional benefits. An increase in shale gas production will drive the global fire and gas detection system market.

High Maintenance Cost of Fire and Gas Detection Systems to Challenge the Market Growth

The ongoing advances in nanotechnology and availability of faster Internet have enhanced the functions of F&G detection systems. However, these systems need periodic maintenance and an around-the-clock monitoring system. On average, F&G detection systems require testing every 90 days to maintain the calibrated standards that vary with requirements. These tests are necessary to ensure the detection of target flames and gases. The need for the frequent maintenance of F&G detection systems adds to the cost incurred by end-user industries. This has negatively affected the adoption of these systems by industries. Also, vendors of F&G detection systems may take advantage to create a vendor lock-in situation by offering systems that can only be serviced by them.

Download sample Report for insights on the drivers, trends, and challenges that will help companies evaluate and develop growth strategies for 2021-2025

Companies Mentioned

The report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several market vendors, including:

ABB Ltd.

Crowcon Detection Instruments Ltd.

Emerson Electric Co.

ESI Engineering for Science and Industry ( Malta ) Ltd.

) Ltd. GIL Automations Ltd.

Honeywell International Inc.

Johnson Controls International Plc

Kongsberg Gruppen ASA

MSA Safety Inc.

Omega Integration Pte Ltd.

Moreover, the market is fragmented and the vendors are deploying organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market.

Download Our Sample Report for more vendor insights with product offerings & news

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Fire Protection System Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The fire protection system market share should rise by USD 12.66 billion from 2022 to 2026 at a CAGR of 6.58%. To get more exclusive research insights: Download Our Sample Report

Fire and Gas Detection System Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Decelerate at a CAGR of 3.59% Market growth 2021-2025 $ 949.07 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 4.10 Regional analysis APAC, North America, Europe, MEA, and South America Performing market contribution APAC at 58% Key consumer countries China, US, Germany, India, and Russian Federation Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled ABB Ltd., Crowcon Detection Instruments Ltd., Emerson Electric Co., ESI Engineering for Science and Industry (Malta) Ltd., GIL Automations Ltd., Honeywell International Inc., Johnson Controls International Plc, Kongsberg Gruppen ASA, MSA Safety Inc., and Omega Integration Pte Ltd. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for forecast period, Customization preview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2020

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

Five Forces Analysis

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by End-user

Market segments

Comparison by End-user

Oil and Gas - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Chemical and petrochemical - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Pharmaceutical - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Others - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by End-user

Customer landscape

Overview

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

ABB Ltd.

Crowcon Detection Instruments Ltd.

Emerson Electric Co.

ESI Engineering for Science and Industry ( Malta ) Ltd.

) Ltd. GIL Automations Ltd.

Honeywell International Inc.

Johnson Controls International Plc

Kongsberg Gruppen ASA

MSA Safety Inc.

Omega Integration Pte Ltd.

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Now in its 21st year, the national nonprofit surpasses $35 million invested in teacher professional learning & leadership

HOUSTON, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Just in time for Teacher Appreciation Week, non-profit organization Fund for Teachers (FFT) announced the names of the 295 public, private and charter school teachers to receive $1.19 million in grants for self-designed fellowships this summer.

FFT encourages the self-directed professional development of preK-12 educators from across the country and has invested $35 million in more than 9,100 educators to date. The nonprofit is nationally unique in that it gives educators the freedom to explore topics related to specific learning gaps and goalsfor themselves, as well as for their students. By pushing beyond their classrooms to pursue experiential learning during the summer, FFT Fellows bring new knowledge and insights back to impact students, colleagues and school communities.

"Fund for Teachers strives to value, not just appreciate, educators," said Karen Eckhoff, FFT executive director. "Value connotes merit, courage and virtue traits evidenced in our Fellows' grant proposals, then demonstrated on fellowships and, ultimately, applied in the classroom. Now more than ever, it is imperative we validate and invest in this caliber of teachers."

This year, FFT granted summer fellowships to 295 educators from 35 states, including New York, Texas, Ohio, California and Connecticut. These newest grant recipients will be joined by 2020 and 2021 cohorts who deferred their fellowships due to the pandemic. In total, more than 600 teachers will be learning around the world this summer with $2.5 million in Fund for Teachers grants. The 2022 fellowships range from circumventing Iceland with a team of scientists to facilitate students' understanding of geological processes, to attending a conference on fostering safe social and emotional spaces in which student can thrive.

Read the complete list of 2022 grant recipients and their plans here.

Media Contact

Madison Mann

[email protected]

SOURCE Fund for Teachers
Excellent timing for both companies: UAE and Germany celebrate their 50th anniversary of political relations this year

celebrate their 50th anniversary of political relations this year Swvl & door2door welcome German Consul General in Dubai discussing how to further strengthen relationships between UAE and Germany

discussing how to further strengthen relationships between UAE and This week's acquisition of Volt Lines in Turkey marks another milestone in the company's expansion strategy

DUBAI, UAE, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Last week, Germany's Consul General in Dubai, Holger Mahnicke, followed an invitation of Swvl and door2door, visiting the company's headquarters in Dubai. In open discussion they discussed with the Consul General how to further strengthen the relations between UAE and Germany. 2022 is a very special year: both countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Both teams from Swvl and door2door explained how important and at the same time unique the construct of this cooperation is. It is enriched by complementary technologies, products and services, offering intercity, intracity, B2B and B2G transportation across more than 115 cities across 18 countries and four continents. The foundation of this is a multinational culture of people collaborating and cooperating in order to provide safer, better and more reliable transportation, improving mass transit and reducing GHG emissions.

Holger Mahnicke, Germany's Consul General in Dubai, said "I very much enjoyed our conversation about making cities smarter. Germany and UAE relations have been prosperous in the past 50 years. This is a great cooperation to shape a sustainable future together for the next 50 years ahead."

Mostafa Kandil, Swvl Founder and CEO, said: "The merger of door2door and Swvl is a perfect example of companies from the middle east and central europe working together on a better future, providing safe, affordable transportation options, unlocking social, economic, and educational opportunities while reducing emissions. It has been an honor to discuss with Consul General Mahnicke how Swvl and door2door can contribute to strengthening German-UAE relations."

Youssef Salem, Swvl CFO, said: "As our group is expanding globally, our company's contribution in international relations becomes more important. Our combination with door2door and today's discussions demonstrate the strong economic ties between Europe and the Middle East. I am very happy we had an open exchange with the Consul General, his perspectives and advice have been highly appreciated by our team."

Tom Kirschbaum and Maxim Nohroudi, door2door Founders & Co-CEOs, said: "The merger of both our companies is a strong signal into our industry, and beyond: it is an economic and international relations signal, as it shows that a new global mobility champion is formed on the shoulder of UAE-German relations. Stakeholders across sectors recognized this strong move, and with this week's acquisition of Volt Lines from Turkey we're continuing our path of building a global mobility company."

About door2door

door2door is a European high-growth mobility platform providing software solutions for on-demand shared mobility, multimodal routing and mobility analytics. The Berlin-based company licenses its B2G/B2B mobility software to municipalities, mass transit operators, transit agencies, corporations, and automotive companies, with 70 deployments across 10 European countries and approximately 24% market share in Germany, Europe's largest mass transit market. Founded by Dr. Tom Kirschbaum and Maxim Nohroudi with the goal of making cities smarter, door2door has been appointed by LinkedIn as "Top-10 Startup in Germany" and "European Company of the Year".

About swvl

Swvl is a global provider of transformative tech-enabled mass transit solutions, offering intercity, intracity, B2B and B2G transportation across more than 115 cities across 18 countries and four continents. The Company's platform provides complimentary semi-private alternatives to public transportation for individuals who cannot access or afford private options. Every day, Swvl's parallel mass transit systems are empowering individuals to go where they want, when they want  making mobility safer, more efficient, accessible, and environmentally friendly. Customers can book their rides on an easy-to-use proprietary app with varied payment options and 24 / 7 access to high-quality private buses and vans.

Swvl was co-founded by Mostafa Kandil, who launched Carmudi in the Philippines, which became the largest car classifieds platform in the country in just six months. He then served as Rocket Internet's Head of Operations. In 2016, Kandil joined Careem, a ride-sharing company and the first unicorn in the Middle East, where he launched services in multiple new markets.

If you are interested in an interview or need additional information, please contact us at the following address:

Katja Diehl

[email protected]

Tel: +49 163 8141730

SOURCE door2door
As the exclusive sponsor of Global Travel Advisor Day 2022, Sandals Resorts and ASTA are honoring travel advisors with a virtual event and Facebook Live that will feature guest speakers, prize giveaways, special incentives and more. Taking place in two parts from 11am-12pm EST and 3pm-4pm EST, the event will include a one-on-one session with Gary C. Sadler, the Executive Vice President of Sales at Unique Vacations Inc., an affiliate of the worldwide representatives for Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, and ASTA President Zane Kerby.

"It's a fascinating day as we join with ASTA to recognize and celebrate travel advisors and the leading role they play in our industry's success and way forward," said Sadler, who today is hosting a group of more than 40 advisors for a celebratory luncheon at Beaches Turks & Caicos. "We're proud and grateful to our incredibly loyal travel advisor community who have been in our corner for forty years and counting. As our revered partners on this journey, we celebrate you today, and every day, with the utmost gratitude."

As a token of appreciation, Sandals and Beaches Resorts' Business Development Managers (BDM's) are extending spa credits to be used by advisors on their next visit to a Sandals or Beaches Resort for travel now until December 2023. Additionally, travel advisors who make new bookings of 6 nights or longer directly with Unique Vacations Inc. today through May 6th, 2022, for travel in 2023 & 2024, will be eligible for added incentives ranging from $50-$100 depending on room category booked.

Sandals and Beaches Resorts credits its extensive BDM team, the largest and most active sales force globally, for the trust the organization has built with their travel advisor partners. With a mission to establish itself as the easiest brand to do business with, the resort company provides travel advisors with an array of tools and programs designed to help them sell more effectively, including its signature Certified Sandals Specialist and Preferred Sandals Agency programs, Points to Paradise, booking bonus incentives and more. The company continues to enhance its offerings, launching new initiatives such as its "Let's Talk" webinar series and "Back to the Beach" series hosted by BDM's.

"From resort updates, webinars, and ongoing training to helping advisors take advantage of getting their car wrapped by Sandals to promote their agencies around town, our commitment to the industry is second to none. We rise together which is why we are fierce in our support of critical partners such as ASTA and why we will continue to demonstrate our loyalty to travel advisors, offering them the professional training and ongoing programming to keep them successful," says Sadler.

For more information and details on the company's special Global Travel Advisor Day incentives, please visit: https://taportal.sandals.com/.

About Sandals Resorts International

Founded in 1981 by the late Jamaican entrepreneur Gordon "Butch" Stewart, Sandals Resorts International (SRI) is the parent company of some of travel's most recognizable vacation brands. The company operates 24 properties throughout the Caribbean under four separate brands including: Sandals Resorts, the Luxury Included brand for adult couples with locations in Jamaica, Antigua, the Bahamas, Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia and a resort opening in Curacao; Beaches Resorts, the Luxury Included concept designed for everyone but especially families, with properties in Turks & Caicos and Jamaica, and another opening in St. Vincent and the Grenadines; private island Fowl Cay Resort; and the private homes of Your Jamaican Villas. Family-owned and operated, Sandals Resorts International is the largest private employer in the region. For more information, visit Sandals Resorts International .

Contact:

The Decker/Royal Agency

[email protected]

SOURCE Sandals Resorts International
DUBLIN, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Real World Evidence Solutions Market Share, Size, Trends, Industry Analysis Report, By Component; By Therapeutic Areas : By End-User; By Region; Segment Forecast, 2022 - 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global real world evidence solutions market size is expected to reach USD 3.96 billion by 2030, according to a new study. The report gives a detailed insight into current market dynamics and provides analysis on future market growth.



With regulatory authorities encouraging RWE solutions, the global evidence results industry will likely grow significantly throughout the forecast period. Regulators use RWE to observe the security of marketed pharmaceuticals by combining traditional pharmacovigilance approaches with modern digital tools.



Legislators also recognize the significance of RWE. It encourages patient-centered medication development and has improved clinical trial design and review. Regulators also indicate a desire for RWE to play a prominent role in their operations. However, industry growth is likely to be spurred by drug development delays, which would increase development costs.



Further, RWE is used by regulatory agencies to monitor the safety of packaged goods using traditional pharmacovigilance tools and newer digital tools such as the FDA Sentinel Initiative, a comment active safety surveillance system. RWE is presently being utilized in pre-approved efficacy decisions. It can be used more extensively in oncology, uncommon diseases, and pediatric ailments where randomized controlled clinical trials are impractical or unethical. Simultaneously, legislators realize the importance of RWE.



Based on the end-user, the pharmaceutical and medical devices segment accounted for the leading share in the industry in 2021. This segment is also expected to increase at the fastest rate over the projected period. This end-user segment's substantial share and rapid expansion can be related to the growing use of RWE studies in medication approvals and the increasing requirement to evaluate drug performance in world situations.



Industry players such as Clinigen Group plc, CLARIVATE PLC, Cognizant Technology Solution Corporation, PerkinElmer Inc., IBM Corporation, Flatiron Health Inc., ICON plc, IQVIA Holdings Inc., Medpace Holdings Inc., PAREXEL International Corporation, Oracle Corporation, PPD Inc., Symphony Innovation LLC, SAS Institute Inc., SYNEOS HEALTH Inc., and UnitedHealth Group Incorporated are key players operating in the global industry.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction



2. Executive Summary



3. Research Methodology

3.1. Overview

3.1.1. Data Mining

3.2. Data Sources

3.2.1. Primary Sources

3.2.2. Secondary Sources



4. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market Insights

4.1. Real World Evidence Solutions - Industry Snapshot

4.2. Real World Evidence Solutions Market Dynamics

4.2.1. Drivers and Opportunities

4.2.1.1. Support from regulatory bodies for the use of RWE solutions

4.2.1.2. Rising focus on end-to-end RWE services

4.2.2. Restraints and Challenges

4.2.2.1. Reluctance to rely on real-world studies

4.3. Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.3.1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers (Moderate)

4.3.2. Threats of New Entrants: (Low)

4.3.3. Bargaining Power of Buyers (Moderate)

4.3.4. Threat of Substitute (Moderate)

4.3.5. Rivalry among existing firms (High)

4.4. PESTEL Analysis

4.5. Real World Evidence Solutions Market Industry Trends

4.6. Value Chain Analysis

4.7. COVID-19 Impact Analysis



5. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Component

5.1. Key Findings

5.2. Introduction

5.2.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Component, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

5.3. DataSets

5.3.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by DataSets, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

5.3.2. Disparate Datasets

5.3.2.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Disparate Datasets, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

5.3.2.2. HER/Clinical setting data

5.3.2.2.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by HER/Clinical setting data, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

5.3.2.3. Claims and billing data

5.3.2.3.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Claims and billing data, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

5.3.2.4. Pharmacy data

5.3.2.4.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Pharmacy data, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

5.3.2.5. Patient powered data

5.3.2.5.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Patient powered data, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

5.3.2.6. Other Datasets

5.3.2.6.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Other Datasets, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

5.3.3. Integrated datasets

5.3.3.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Integrated datasets, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

5.4. Consulting and Analytic

5.4.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Consulting and Analytic, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)



6. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Therapeutic Areas

6.1. Key Findings

6.2. Introduction

6.2.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Therapeutic Areas, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

6.3. Oncology

6.3.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Oncology, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

6.4. Cardiovascular

6.4.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Cardiovascular, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

6.5. Neurology

6.5.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Neurology, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

6.6. Immunology

6.6.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Immunology, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

6.7. Others

6.7.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Others, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)



7. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by End-User

7.1. Key Findings

7.2. Introduction

7.2.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by End-User, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

7.3. Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Companies

7.3.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Companies, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

7.4. Healthcare Providers

7.4.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Healthcare Providers, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

7.5. Healthcare Payers

7.5.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Healthcare Payers, by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)

7.6. Others

7.6.1. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Others , by Region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Billion)



8. Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market, by Geography



9. Competitive Landscape

9.1. Expansion and Acquisition Analysis

9.1.1. Expansion

9.1.2. Acquisitions

9.2. Partnerships/Collaborations/Agreements/Exhibitions



10. Company Profiles

10.1. CLARIVATE PLC

10.1.1. Company Overview

10.1.2. Financial Performance

10.1.3. Product Benchmarking

10.1.4. Recent Development

10.2. Clinigen Group plc

10.2.1. Company Overview

10.2.2. Financial Performance

10.2.3. Product Benchmarking

10.2.4. Recent Development

10.3. Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation

10.3.1. Company Overview

10.3.2. Financial Performance

10.3.3. Product Benchmarking

10.3.4. Recent Development

10.4. Flatiron Health Inc.

10.4.1. Company Overview

10.4.2. Financial Performance

10.4.3. Product Benchmarking

10.4.4. Recent Development

10.5. IBM Corporation

10.5.1. Company Overview

10.5.2. Financial Performance

10.5.3. Product Benchmarking

10.5.4. Recent Development

10.6. ICON plc

10.6.1. Company Overview

10.6.2. Financial Performance

10.6.3. Product Benchmarking

10.6.4. Recent Development

10.7. IQVIA Holdings Inc.

10.7.1. Company Overview

10.7.2. Financial Performance

10.7.3. Product Benchmarking

10.7.4. Recent Development

10.8. Medpace Holdings Inc.

10.8.1. Company Overview

10.8.2. Financial Performance

10.8.3. Product Benchmarking

10.8.4. Recent Development

10.9. Oracle Corporation

10.9.1. Company Overview

10.9.2. Financial Performance

10.9.3. Product Benchmarking

10.9.4. Recent Development

10.10. PAREXEL International Corporation

10.10.1. Company Overview

10.10.2. Financial Performance

10.10.3. Product Benchmarking

10.10.4. Recent Development

10.11. PerkinElmer Inc.

10.11.1. Company Overview

10.11.2. Financial Performance

10.11.3. Product Benchmarking

10.11.4. Recent Development

10.12. PPD Inc.

10.12.1. Company Overview

10.12.2. Financial Performance

10.12.3. Product Benchmarking

10.12.4. Recent Development

10.13. SAS Institute Inc.

10.13.1. Company Overview

10.13.2. Financial Performance

10.13.3. Product Benchmarking

10.13.4. Recent Development

10.14. Symphony Innovation LLC

10.14.1. Company Overview

10.14.2. Financial Performance

10.14.3. Product Benchmarking

10.14.4. Recent Development

10.15. SYNEOS HEALTH Inc.

10.15.1. Company Overview

10.15.2. Financial Performance

10.15.3. Product Benchmarking

10.15.4. Recent Development

10.16. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

10.16.1. Company Overview

10.16.2. Financial Performance

10.16.3. Product Benchmarking

10.16.4. Recent Development



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xwuskn



Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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SOURCE Research and Markets
IRVINE, Calif., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Golden State Foods (GSF), one of the largest diversified suppliers to the foodservice and retail industries, is pleased to announce two recent appointments, including Dorn Van Cleave as group vice president, corporate development and strategy, and Melissa Vieira as group vice president, human resources.

Based in Irvine, California, Van Cleave leads GSF in developing strategies to heighten company profitability, identifying merger and acquisition opportunities, assisting in bank financings, and helping to create business proposals. Frisco, Texas-based Vieira leads all human resources functions and activities to ensure that Quality Custom Distribution (QCD), as well as GSF sales and product development teams, recruit and retain a qualified workforce to meet internal and customer objectives.

"Dorn is a great person to work with  always professional and a trusted and valued member of our GSF team," said Joe Heffington, GSF corporate senior vice president and chief financial officer. "His business acumen and counsel on strategy, acquisitions, and business growth opportunities contributes greatly to our record of growth and performance."

In his newly expanded role, Van Cleave will continue to focus on bank financings, provide thought leadership on business strategy, and manage GSF's mergers and acquisition efforts. Additionally, he will oversee the company's flight operations, as well as deferred compensation and 401(k) plans, while also assuming increased responsibility for monitoring shareholder value.

Van Cleave joined GSF in 2001 as director of corporate development and earned a promotion to senior director, corporate development in 2009. Previously, he served as vice president with the Chicago-based private equity firm Glencoe Capital. A Certified Financial Analyst, he earned a Master of Business Administration from The University of Chicago's Booth School of Business and a bachelor's degree in economics and history from Northwestern University.

"Throughout 2021, in partnership with the QCD leadership team, Melissa has led with a focus on the associate value proposition, organizational structure, recognition, development at all levels of the organization, and a robust succession planning process," said GSF Corporate Senior Vice President and QCD President Ryan Hammer, who also oversees Golden State Foods' expanding sales team. "In her newly expanded role, Melissa's experience, energy, and leadership will help QCD and GSF continue to support the success of our people and the customers they serve."

Since joining the company in 2015, Vieira has held various leadership roles of increasing responsibility, starting as GSF's regional human resources manager, Southwest Region and most recently as QCD's senior director, human resources. Her key accomplishments include helping re-launch the GSF University online in partnership with LinkedIn Learning, supporting GSF's crisis management efforts, guiding development of GSF's Safe at Work and COVID-19 Prevention Training, implementing a paperless performance management process, spearheading the global associate survey, and collaborating to create GSF's Supervisor Training Program.

In 2019, the Orange County National Human Resources Association selected Melissa among its "Rising Star" honorees, and she later served on the organization's board. Earlier in her career, Vieira earned recognition for outstanding service and teamwork, while managing HR department operations for The Dry Bar (Irvine, California). She started her HR career with the grocery retailer Albertsons, after a promotion from her prior position as warehouse clerk. Melissa earned her bachelor's degree in Business Administration from California State University, Fullerton, and participated in HR Management Certificate courses from the University of California, Los Angeles.

About Golden State Foods

Golden State Foods (GSF), one of the largest diversified suppliers to the foodservice and retail industries, feeds one billion people every day! Headquartered in Irvine, California, the multi-national company is values-based with proven performance in superior quality, innovation, and customer service. Established in 1947, GSF and its family of companies currently service 100+ leading brands (125,000+ restaurants/stores in more than 50 countries) from its 50 locations on five continents. Its core businesses include: manufacturing of liquid products, protein, produce, dairy/aseptic, and provides custom distribution services. The company employs approximately 6,000 associates and is management-owned and run. Golden State Foods also operates a national non-profit organization, the GSF Foundation.

Media Contact:

Marline Valencia, Porter Novelli

[email protected]

(310) 754-1919

SOURCE Golden State Foods
New integrations will allow customers to leverage collaborative features of Google Docs and Google Sheets directly from within their SAP software workflows

SUNNYVALE, Calif, and WALLDORF, Germany, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Google Cloud and SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) today announced an expansion of their relationship, unveiling new integrations between Google Workspace and SAP's flagship cloud ERP, SAP S/4HANA Cloud. These native integrations will allow customers to connect core SAP software designed for running all mission-critical processes in the cloud, with the collaborative capabilities of Google Docs and Google Sheets to innovate how work gets done across the enterprise.

SAP is a leading ERP software provider for enterprises. Its RISE with SAP solution provides a comprehensive set of products and services  including SAP S/4HANA Cloud  to help companies on their journey toward becoming intelligent and sustainable enterprises. Google Workspace enables teams of all sizes to connect, create and collaborateto drive innovation from any device, and any location. Built on the industry's leading cloud-native communication and collaboration platform, Google Workspace brings together the apps loved by billions of people  Gmail, Chat, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Meet and more  into a single integrated workspace.

Google Docs and Google Sheets, integrated with SAP S/4HANA Cloud, will enable new business capabilities, use cases, and opportunities for collaborative tasks within small and large organizations alike. First scenarios are planned in finance and in many additional solution areas, where data exports and collaborative document management create a more seamless user experience, with more to follow. Customer benefits include:

The efficiency of ready integration, enabling users to adopt the solution quickly.

The ability to export and import data between SAP software and Google Docs and Google Sheets for instant access to real-time editing and simultaneous collaborative engagements on these documents and spreadsheets.

The confidence of having a clean data source due to the one-step integration, which enables version control and removes layers of potential translation when sharing application data and documents.

For example, imagine a finance specialist working on SAP S/4HANA Cloud to manage financial records in a safe, reliable, and compliant manner. The employee will be able to access Google Docs and Google Sheets to edit documents collaboratively, as part of their standard business processes, knowing that SAP S/4HANA Cloud provides a clean data source with version control and process reliability.

"Native integration with Google Docs and Google Sheets has been a common request from many joint customers," said Philipp Herzig, SVP, Head of Intelligent Enterprise & Cross Architecture, SAP. "This integration will further pave the way for people to work collaboratively on any business documents and manage them closely along with their most critical business processes and data managed through SAP  all in the cloud"

"The move to hybrid work signals enterprises can no longer rely on legacy tool sets that can create silos and barriers to collaboration," said Javier Soltero, Vice President and General Manager, Google Workspace. "With the expansion of our partnership with SAP, these new in-depth integrations will enable employees working in complex datasets within SAP S4/HANA to tap into the real-time collaboration capabilities of Google Workspace, enabling teams to simultaneously access SAP data and more efficiently drive projects forward."

The initial set of features is planned to be included as a standard functionality in SAP S/4HANA Cloud later this year. It is being built on SAP Business Technology Platform, enabling its tight integration and a consistent user experience across SAP software supporting business processes end-to-end.

About Google Cloud

Google Cloud accelerates every organization's ability to digitally transform its business. We deliver enterprise-grade solutions that leverage Google's cutting-edge technology  all on the cleanest cloud in the industry. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted partner to enable growth and solve their most critical business problems.

About SAP

SAP's strategy is to help every business run as an intelligent, sustainable enterprise. As a market leader in enterprise application software, we help companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best: SAP customers generate 87% of total global commerce. Our machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics technologies help turn customers' businesses into intelligent enterprises. SAP helps give people and organizations deep business insight and fosters collaboration that helps them stay ahead of their competition. We simplify technology for companies so they can consume our software the way they want  without disruption. Our end-to-end suite of applications and services enables business and public customers across 25 industries globally to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a difference. With a global network of customers, partners, employees, and thought leaders, SAP helps the world run better and improve people's lives. For more information, visit www.sap.com .

This document contains forward-looking statements, which are predictions, projections, or other statements about future events. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to materially differ. Additional information regarding these risks and uncertainties may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the risk factors section of SAP's 2021 Annual Report on Form 20-F.

 2022 SAP SE. All rights reserved.

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.

SOURCE Google Cloud
Tech24 Completes Eighth Add-on Acquisition

GREENVILLE, S.C., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tech24, backed by HCI Equity Partners, announced today it acquired Facilities Management, LLC, and Peltz Services, Inc. ("Facilities Management" or the "Company") based in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 2, 2022. Tech24 is a national provider of repair and maintenance services for foodservice and commercial HVAC equipment. Facilities Management is Tech24's eighth add-on acquisition in the highly fragmented foodservice repair and maintenance market. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Facilities Management is a provider of repair services, preventative maintenance, and installation for foodservice equipment to the restaurant industry in central and northern Indiana. The Company provides emergency and routine service for refrigeration, hot-side equipment and HVAC. The acquisition provides Tech24 with expansion into an attractive geography in the Midwest, complementary service offerings and new talent for the combined organization.

"We are thrilled to have Facilities Management join the Tech24 family," said Dan Rodstrom, CEO of Tech24. "We look forward to working closely with Rick Peltz and the team. The addition enables us to cover the greater Indiana area and extends the growing Tech24 footprint."

Rick Peltz, President of Facilities Management, said, "Our company has been built on a 'consider it done' approach. Our existing service partners will continue to receive the same high level of service they have come to expect. We are excited about the new opportunities to grow our company and the new services we can offer to our customers under the Tech24 national umbrella."

Doug McCormick, HCI's Managing Partner commented, "HCI continues to be pleased with the pace of our consolidation strategy execution for the Tech24 platform. Facilities Management provides a specialized expertise to Tech24, and when you combine that with their accelerating growth and team expertise, it makes for a winning addition for the platform."

Quarles and Brady served as legal counsel to Tech24.

About Tech24

Tech24 provides installation, preventative maintenance, and repair for foodservice facilities across the US. The Company specializes in cooking, refrigeration, beverage, and specialty foodservice equipment, as well as performs HVAC, electrical, and plumbing services. For more information, please visit www.mytech24.com.

About HCI Equity Partners

HCI Equity Partners is a lower middle market private equity firm focused on partnering with family and founder owned distribution, manufacturing, and service companies. HCI is headquartered in Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.hciequity.com.

Contacts:

Kelsey Clute, VP, Director of Communications, HCI

[email protected]

Lisa Baker, Lambert

[email protected]

Darby Dame, Lambert

[email protected]

SOURCE HCI Equity Partners
Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, 18 schools in Hillsborough County will offer advanced coursework developed at the University of Cambridge's Exam Board.

HILLSBOROUGH, Fla., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hillsborough County Public Schools is delighted to announce a strategic expansion of the Cambridge International program, the world's largest education program provider for K-12. With this expansion, the Cambridge International curriculum will serve an additional 14 high schools and one middle school, with a total of 18 schools across Hillsborough County Public Schools. This expansion will serve thousands of students for the upcoming school year.

"AICE exposes our students to high-level college courses and affords them the opportunity to earn college credit. Expanding these opportunities across our district now ensures more students can access Cambridge International's rigorous courses and will be on a path to success," said Hillsborough County Public Schools Superintendent Addison Davis.

Schools in 35 states now utilize the Cambridge Advanced (AS & A Level) program, developed by Cambridge International, part of the University of Cambridge, one of the world's top five universities. Cambridge International uniquely provides an instructional system across four stages (Primary through Advanced) aligning rigorous curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment for all students in grades K-12. Schools can use this curricula alongside other programs.

Cambridge International AS & A Level exams offer students the opportunity to earn college credit and prepare for their college and career. Florida students are rewarded for their high academic achievement, not only earning college credit, but the opportunity to save four years of tuition, over $25,000, through the Bright Futures scholarship program. Additionally, in a recent study , 90 percent of Cambridge students enrolled at Florida State University graduated within 4 years, compared to 78 percent of students who enrolled with no credit via advanced high school programs.

"We are excited to announce that Hillsborough County will be offering the prestigious Cambridge International program to more of their students," said Mark Cavone, Regional director of Cambridge International in North America. "The enthusiasm from educators across Hillsborough public schools to expand our partnership is rewarding as our rigorous curriculum produces well-rounded students who are prepared for college and career. We look forward to continuing our long and productive relationship with Hillsborough County Public Schools."

About Cambridge Assessment International Education

Cambridge Assessment International Education prepares school students for life, helping them develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning. We are part of the University of Cambridge.

Our Cambridge Pathway gives students a clear path for educational success from age 5 to 19. Schools can shape the curriculum around how they want students to learn  with a wide range of subjects and flexible ways to offer them. It helps students discover new abilities and a wider world, and gives them the skills they need for life, so they can achieve at school, university, and work.

Learn more! Visit www.cambridgeinternational.org

SOURCE Cambridge International
In 2020, nearly 600,000 Americans were regularly unhoused (source: National Alliance to End Homelessness) and today there are double the number of households who are behind on their rent and at risk of eviction than before the COVID-19 pandemic, due to surging housing costs (source: OECD Forum).

HomeStart is partnering with Cornerstone , the first photorealistic metaverse, to build an apartment complex in its new virtual world. HomeStart was given early access to Cornerstone for this project, and people who buy apartments will be some of the first who can enter the virtual world. Cornerstone is being created by ZOAN, a virtual studio based in Helsinki, Finland, and is set to open at the end of 2022.

"One of HomeStart's strategies is to prevent homelessness before it starts by helping high-risk households maintain their housing and avoid going to shelters or the street," said Matt Pritchard, President and Executive Director at HomeStart. "Just as we identify and incubate innovative solutions to homelessness, HomeStart is always looking for innovative ways to engage more community members to help prevent homelessness. INVERSE is an ambitious project that brings purpose to the metaverse, creating a never-seen-before connection between the virtual and physical worlds that we hope raises awareness to a crisis that has ready-made solutions."

The building is designed by the award-winning Boston-based architecture firm ICON. Each apartment will be a unique non-fungible token (NFT), and purchasing the NFT will make the buyer the owner of that apartment. There will be a total of 49 NFTs or units for sale and investors can choose between eight floor plans. Prices will range between one and five ETH, which roughly translates to the cost of protecting one to five families from eviction, based on current rates.

Sales of the NFT apartments commenced on Tuesday 3 May, 2022 with 100% of profits from the original sale and 10% of all resales going to HomeStart. The NFTs can be purchased at https://www.inverseapartments.com/ .

INVERSE is built on the Ethereum blockchain as individual NFTs, specifically ERC-721 tokens, so users can easily verify the ownership and transaction history of each NFT. TBWA, Cornerstone and ICON worked with Unreal Engine, to ensure real-time rendering of the high-quality graphics and photorealistic designs.

The building will also have two community floors for future brand partnerships.

Bringing purpose to the metaverse

While the prospect of exploring what virtual worlds have to offer is exciting, companies preparing for Web3 have been met with questions around sustainability, diversity and their values. INVERSE aims to solve a real world problem, so it was crucial to choose a metaverse that lives up to the purpose and ambition of the project. In Cornerstone, creators and landowners (Cornerstonians) have the freedom to express themselves by creating what they want. At the same time, the platform creators have set principles for the community based on inclusivity, freedom of self expression and diversity, and are also including measures to help people monitor their screen time.

"The metaverse is often cast with the stigma of excess," added Bert Marissen, Creative Director at TBWA\Chiat\Day LA. "After all, why are people investing in virtual worlds when there are so many problems to address right here on earth? But we believe we can create something that allows people to do both."

Access the press kit here .

About HomeStart

HomeStart is a Massachusetts-based nonprofit dedicated to ending homelessness by assisting individuals and families in obtaining and stabilizing their housing situations by developing strategies to prevent homelessness before it starts. Over the course of the last 27 years, HomeStart has permanently housed more than 14,000 individuals living on the street and in shelters and has prevented more than 4,000 families from experiencing homelessness by way of nonpayment eviction. HomeStart's Renew Collaborative eviction prevention program is an economically sustainable and scalable program that prevents homelessness due to non-payment eviction. The Renew Collaborative is premised on a simple and compelling fact  the cost of a property owner executing a non-payment eviction in many places is three to five times more than the expense of stopping the eviction and preserving the tenancy. Therefore, property owners can actually save money by financially supporting eviction prevention while also supporting the health and safety of tenants and communities, and HomeStart is expanding the Renew Collaborative program now. HomeStart's clients include single parents and their children, victims of domestic violence, veterans, and persons with disabilities.

About ZOAN

ZOAN is a virtual reality studio focused on photorealistic virtual solutions founded in Helsinki in 2010. We have lived alongside the evolution of the virtual realm unlocking ways to connect the latest technologies with high-quality graphics. During the past 12 years, we have served industry-leading brands, startups, and cultural entities to create immersive, meaningful experiences. Together, we have shaped transcendent experiences surpassing the ordinary by entering the virtual frontier. For more information about ZOAN and Cornerstone.land, visit http://www.zoan.fi . and https://cornerstone.land/ .

About ICON

ICON Architecture, a 50-person Boston-based, women-owned firm focuses on sustainable urban projects that create new paradigms for city living and range from transit-oriented development to innovative adaptive reuse, and from low-rise to high-rise construction. ICON has contributed to the design and construction of over 25,000 housing units throughout New England, with 2,000 under design or in construction this year, including Modular and Passive House designs. ICON projects have been case studies for nationally distributed books on sustainable housing, published by the ULI, Harvard University Press, and Global Green, and honored by multiple national awards.

About TBWA\Chiat\Day

TBWA\Chiat\Day LA is the original Disruption company. Shunning the conventions of Madison Avenue, Chiat\Day kick-started the West Coast ad boom in 1968 and has been disrupting for more than fifty years. As stewards of the brand, TBWA\Chiat\Day LA has spawned some of the world's most iconic brands by finding the white space through its Disruption methodology and driving dramatic business results through brave creativity. Specializing in brand strategy and creative strategy, design, social, data and analytics, multicultural, purpose, user experience and production, TBWA\Chiat\Day's client roster includes Gatorade, Discover, Jack in the Box, QuickBooks, Principal Financial, Behr Paint, The Recording Academy and more. TBWA has been named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies for the past four years and was Adweek's 2021 Global Agency of the Year.

SOURCE HomeStart
Access our detailed report and exhibits on "Indoor Positioning And Indoor Navigation (IPIN) Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025". View our Report Snapshot

Major Five Indoor Positioning and Indoor Navigation (IPIN) Companies: Key Offerings

bluepath AG - The company offers indoor positioning and navigation and real time mobile tracking.

The company offers indoor positioning and navigation and real time mobile tracking. GiPStech Srl - The company offers advanced indoor localization and navigation technology with device orientation free inertial engine.

The company offers advanced indoor localization and navigation technology with device orientation free inertial engine. MazeMap AS - The company offers blue-dot experience with a seamless transition from outdoor to indoor navigation.

The company offers blue-dot experience with a seamless transition from outdoor to indoor navigation. Navigine Corp. - The company offers Navigine Tracking, which is an equipment tracking system and employee monitoring solution.

The company offers Navigine Tracking, which is an equipment tracking system and employee monitoring solution. Nextome Srl - The company offers wayfinding and navigation solutions through Nextome IPS.

Get lifetime access to our Technavio Insights! Subscribe to our "Basic Plan" billed annually at USD 5000

Indoor Positioning And Indoor Navigation (IPIN) Market Application Outlook (Revenue, USD bn, 2020-2025)

Retail - size and forecast 2020-2025

Aviation - size and forecast 2020-2025

Healthcare - size and forecast 2020-2025

Manufacturing and logistics - size and forecast 2020-2025

Government and public sector - size and forecast 2020-2025

Indoor Positioning And Indoor Navigation (IPIN) Market Geography Outlook (Revenue, USD bn, 2020-2025)

North America - size and forecast 2020-2025

- size and forecast 2020-2025 Europe - size and forecast 2020-2025

- size and forecast 2020-2025 APAC - size and forecast 2020-2025

South America - size and forecast 2020-2025

- size and forecast 2020-2025 MEA - size and forecast 2020-2025

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Regional Analysis

North America will account for 40% of the market's growth during the forecast period. Market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the market in Europe and MEA. The US and Canada are the key countries for the indoor positioning and indoor navigation (IPIN) market in North America.

The number of smartphones used in this region is increasing each day, and there is a high deployment of Wi-Fi hotspots in public places. In the US, 97% of the population owned smartphones as of 2021, and many different indoor location services can be availed via these devices. An average user spends a major portion of his/her time indoors. Thus, indoor positioning and navigation play a major role in efficient customer assistance. As most of the customers can access real-time data via digitized services, marketers are focusing on proximity-based advertising to promote brands, offers, and deals. These factors will drive the indoor positioning and indoor navigation (IPIN) market growth in North America during the forecast period.

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Indoor Positioning and Indoor Navigation (IPIN) Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 33.21% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 23.03 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 32.90 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA Performing market contribution North America at 40% Key consumer countries US, UK, Germany, Canada, and China Competitive landscape Leading companies, Competitive strategies, Consumer engagement scope Key companies profiled bluepath AG, GiPStech Srl, IndoorAtlas Ltd., MazeMap AS, Navigine Corp., Nextome Srl, Pinmicro K K, Pointr Ltd., Sensewhere Ltd., and Spreo Market dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, Market condition analysis for the forecast period Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2020

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

Five Forces Analysis

Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Application

Market segments

Comparison by Application

Retail - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Aviation - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Healthcare - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Manufacturing and logistics - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Government and public sector - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by Application

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

bluepath AG

GiPStech Srl

IndoorAtlas Ltd.

MazeMap AS

Navigine Corp.

Nextome Srl

Pinmicro K K

Pointr Ltd.

Sensewhere Ltd.

Spreo

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
CHICAGO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Industrial Burner Market by Type (Regenerative, High Thermal, Radiant, Direct-Fired), Fuel Type (Oil, Gas, Dual, Solid), End Use (F&B, Petrochemical, Power, Chemical, Metals & Mining), Operating Temperature, Automation, Region - Global Forecast to 2027", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Industrial Burner Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period, from an estimated USD 5.9 billion in 2022 to USD 7.9 billion in 2027. Increasing power generation worldwide coupled with the surging adoption of dual-fuel industrial burners to lower the imprint of depleting fossil fuels is fueling demand for industrial burners. The increasing use of biofuels, hazardous waste, and hydrogen-based industrial burners creates numerous opportunities for industrial burner manufacturers.

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=86869676

The oil segment, by fuel type, is expected to be the most significant Industrial Burner Market during the forecast period

The oil segment has the largest share of the global Industrial Burner Market owing to the ease of availability of fuel and increasing urbanization and industrialization in the developing economies. Oil is the most efficient fuel type where natural gas is not easily available. Many developing countries lack a proper distribution network for natural gas. In addition, oil-fired industrial burners emit less CO2 in comparison with coal-fired industrial burners.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Industrial Burner Market"

147  Tables

53  Figures

239  Pages

View Detailed Table of Content Here: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/industrial-burner-market-86869676.html

The direct-fired burner segment is anticipated to be the fastest-growing Industrial Burner Market by burner type, during the forecast period

The direct-fired burner is expected to have the largest market share during the forecast period. A direct-fired burner can produce more heat compared to an indirect fired burner, resulting in a smaller equipment footprint. These burners are most commonly used in power plant boilers, which produce high-pressure steam in order to generate electricity. The increasing demand for boilers in the power generation sector and a variety of heating and combustion equipment are the main factors driving the demand for direct-fired burners in the Industrial Burner Market.

Asia Pacific is expected to dominate the global Industrial Burner Market during the forecast period

In this report, the Industrial Burner Market has been analyzed for 5 regions, namely Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Middle East & Africa, South America. Asia Pacific is expected to lead the market during the forecast period.

The Industrial Burner Market in Asia Pacific is witnessing significant developments in the power generation and manufacturing sector due to industrialization, which has supported the demand for industrial burners across countries of the region. The industrial sector in China contributes more than 50% of its GDP, and the growth of this sector has tremendously increased power production and consumption in the country. These factors have made China one of the most lucrative markets for the power industry. Moreover, the chemicals and petrochemical sectors are also well-established in the region and are expected to contribute to the growth of the Industrial Burner Market. New policy reforms in India to support the growth of industries have made the country a very lucrative market for OEM manufacturers. This is also likely to create a huge demand for industrial burners in the region.

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To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes the profiles of some of the top players in the Industrial Burner Market. These include including ANDRITZ Group (Austria), NIBE Group (Sweden), Honeywell International Inc. (US), Ariston Group N.V. (Italy), Fives (France), and Riello S. p. A. (Italy). The leading players are trying to establish themselves in the markets of developed countries and are adopting various strategies to increase their respective market shares.

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Steam Boiler System Market by Component (Boiler, Economizer, Superheater, Air Preheater, and Feed Pump), Type (Watertube Boiler, and Fire Tube Boiler), Fuel (Coal, Gas, Biomass, Oil, and Electric), End-user, and Region- Global Forecast to 2023

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.

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Vendor Insights

The industrial lead-acid battery market is fragmented, and the vendors are deploying growth strategies such as organic and inorganic strategies to compete in the market. The report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several market vendors, including Amara Raja Batteries Ltd., Panasonic Corp., EnerSys, Exide Industries Ltd., HBL Power Systems Ltd., The Furukawa Battery Co. Ltd., Leoch International Technology Ltd., Crown Battery Manufacturing Co., East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc., and Coslight Technology International Group Co. Ltd. among others. The key offerings of some of the vendors are listed below:

Amara Raja Batteries Ltd. - The company offers products with brand names including PowerStack, Amaron Volt, Amaron Sleek, Amaron Volt, Amaron Brute, and Amaron Quanta.

The company offers products with brand names including PowerStack, Amaron Volt, Amaron Sleek, Amaron Volt, Amaron Brute, and Amaron Quanta. Coslight Technology International Group Co. Ltd. - The company offers industrial lead-acid batteries with brand names including OPzS Series, OPzV Series, GFMZ Series, 6-GFM(C) Series, 6-GFM Series, and 6-GFM(X) Series.

The company offers industrial lead-acid batteries with brand names including OPzS Series, OPzV Series, GFMZ Series, 6-GFM(C) Series, 6-GFM Series, and 6-GFM(X) Series. East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc. - The company offers industrial lead-acid batteries with brand names including Deka D-Series, Deka MaxPowr, Deka HydraSaver, Deka FastCharge, Deka Dominator, Deka MaintenanceSaver, Deka ChargeMate, and Deka PowrMate.

Find additional highlights on the growth strategies adopted by vendors and their product offerings. Read a Sample Report.

Geographical Market Analysis

APAC will provide maximum growth opportunities in the industrial lead-acid battery market during the forecast period. According to our research, the region will contribute 52% of the global market growth during the forecast period. China and India are the two major markets in the region. The growing use of industrial lead-acid batteries in the renewable energy and industrial sectors will drive the industrial lead-acid battery market growth in APAC during the forecast period.

Know more about this market's geographical distribution along with the analysis of the top regions. View our Report Snapshot

Key Segment Analysis

The industrial lead-acid battery market share growth by the FLA batteries will be significant during the forecast period. FLA batteries are highly used in the UPS application space owing to their advantages, such as compatibility, high energy density, cost, and ability to supply high currents when compared to other rechargeable batteries.

View our Report Sample: to know additional highlights and key points on various market segments and their impact in the coming years.

Key Market Drivers & Challenges:

The rising focus on green telecom towers is driving the industrial lead-acid battery market growth. The growth in the global telecommunication industry has increased the number of telecom tower installations. This has encouraged the vendors to invest in green telecom towers. Moreover, the rising demand for clean energy in the telecom sector is promoting investments in battery technology.

The economics of fuel cell solutions for material handling equipment is challenging the industrial lead-acid battery market growth. Forklift batteries need to be replaced or charged more than once a day, which increases the complexity during logistics management. Conventional batteries, such as lead-acid batteries, require a long recharging period, hold less energy with each charge, and have to be replaced every two or three years. Fuel cells have higher energy density than any other battery technology and are considered clean. Therefore, shifting consumer preferences toward fuel cells over lead-acid batteries owing to superior efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and eco-friendly attributes may challenge the industrial lead-acid battery market growth during the forecast period.

Download our report sample for highlights on market drivers & challenges affecting the market.

Customize Your Report

Don't miss out on the opportunity to speak to our analyst and know more insights about this market report. Our analysts can also help you customize this report according to your needs. Our analysts and industry experts will work directly with you to understand your requirements and provide you with customized data in a short amount of time.

We offer customization at the time of purchase. Speak to our Analyst now!

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Stationary Lead-Acid (SLA) Battery Market by End-user and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Electric Vehicle Battery Market by Battery Type and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Industrial Lead-Acid Battery Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 4.8% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 3.95 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 4.55 Regional analysis APAC, Europe, North America, MEA, and South America Performing market contribution APAC at 52% Key consumer countries China, US, Japan, Germany, India, and UK Competitive landscape Leading companies, Competitive strategies, Consumer engagement scope Key companies profiled Amara Raja Batteries Ltd., Panasonic Corp., EnerSys, Exide Industries Ltd., HBL Power Systems Ltd., The Furukawa Battery Co. Ltd., Leoch International Technology Ltd., Crown Battery Manufacturing Co., East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc., and Coslight Technology International Group Co. Ltd. Market dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, Market condition analysis for forecast period Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of Contents

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Application



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Type



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 09: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 10: Parent market



Exhibit 11: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 12: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 13: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026

Exhibit 14: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 16: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 17: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 18: Five forces analysis - Comparison between2021 and 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 19: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 20: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 21: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 22: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 23: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 24: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026

5 Market Segmentation by Application

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 25: Chart on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 26: Data Table on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Application

Exhibit 27: Chart on Comparison by Application



Exhibit 28: Data Table on Comparison by Application

5.3 SILAB - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 29: Chart on SILAB - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 30: Data Table on SILAB - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 31: Chart on SILAB - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 32: Data Table on SILAB - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 MPILAB - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 33: Chart on MPILAB - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: Data Table on MPILAB - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 35: Chart on MPILAB - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 36: Data Table on MPILAB - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Market opportunity by Application

Exhibit 37: Market opportunity by Application ($ million)

6 Market Segmentation by Type

6.1 Market segments

Exhibit 38: Chart on Type - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Type - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

6.2 Comparison by Type

Exhibit 40: Chart on Comparison by Type



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Comparison by Type

6.3 FLA batteries - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 42: Chart on FLA batteries - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 43: Data Table on FLA batteries - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 44: Chart on FLA batteries - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 45: Data Table on FLA batteries - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

6.4 VRLA batteries - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 46: Chart on VRLA batteries - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 47: Data Table on VRLA batteries - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 48: Chart on VRLA batteries - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 49: Data Table on VRLA batteries - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

6.5 Market opportunity by Type

Exhibit 50: Market opportunity by Type ($ million)

7 Customer Landscape

7.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 51: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

8 Geographic Landscape

8.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 52: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 53: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)

8.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 54: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 55: Data Table on Geographic comparison

8.3 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 56: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 57: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 58: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 59: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 60: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 61: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 62: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 63: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.5 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 64: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 65: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 66: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 67: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.6 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 68: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 69: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 70: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 71: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.7 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 72: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 73: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 74: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 75: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.8 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 76: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 77: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 78: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 79: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.9 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 80: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 81: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 82: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 83: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.10 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 84: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 85: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 86: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 87: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.11 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 88: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 89: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 90: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 91: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.12 India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 92: Chart on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 93: Data Table on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 94: Chart on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 95: Data Table on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.13 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 96: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 97: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 98: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 99: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.14 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 100: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

9.1 Market drivers

9.2 Market challenges

9.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 101: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026

9.4 Market trends

10 Vendor Landscape

10.1 Overview

10.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 102: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

10.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 103: Overview on factors of disruption

10.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 104: Impact of key risks on business

11 Vendor Analysis

11.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 105: Vendors covered

11.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 106: Matrix on vendor position and classification

11.3 Amara Raja Batteries Ltd.

Exhibit 107: Amara Raja Batteries Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 108: Amara Raja Batteries Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 109: Amara Raja Batteries Ltd. - Key news



Exhibit 110: Amara Raja Batteries Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 111: Amara Raja Batteries Ltd. - Segment focus

11.4 Coslight International Group

Exhibit 112: Coslight International Group - Overview



Exhibit 113: Coslight International Group - Product / Service



Exhibit 114: Coslight International Group - Key offerings

11.5 Crown Battery Manufacturing Co.

Exhibit 115: Crown Battery Manufacturing Co. - Overview



Exhibit 116: Crown Battery Manufacturing Co. - Product / Service



Exhibit 117: Crown Battery Manufacturing Co. - Key offerings

11.6 East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc.

Exhibit 118: East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 119: East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 120: East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 121: East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc. - Key offerings

11.7 EnerSys

Exhibit 122: EnerSys - Overview



Exhibit 123: EnerSys - Business segments



Exhibit 124: EnerSys - Key news



Exhibit 125: EnerSys - Key offerings



Exhibit 126: EnerSys - Segment focus

11.8 Exide Industries Ltd.

Exhibit 127: Exide Industries Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 128: Exide Industries Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 129: Exide Industries Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 130: Exide Industries Ltd. - Segment focus

11.9 Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 131: Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 132: Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 133: Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 134: Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd. - Segment focus

11.10 HBL Power Systems Ltd.

Exhibit 135: HBL Power Systems Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 136: HBL Power Systems Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 137: HBL Power Systems Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 138: HBL Power Systems Ltd. - Segment focus

11.11 Leoch International Technology Ltd.

Exhibit 139: Leoch International Technology Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 140: Leoch International Technology Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 141: Leoch International Technology Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 142: Leoch International Technology Ltd. - Segment focus

11.12 Panasonic Corp.

Exhibit 143: Panasonic Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 144: Panasonic Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 145: Panasonic Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 146: Panasonic Corp. - Segment focus

12 Appendix

12.1 Scope of the report

12.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 147: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 148: Exclusions checklist

12.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 149: Currency conversion rates for US$

12.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 150: Research methodology



Exhibit 151: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 152: Information sources

12.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 153: List of abbreviations

About Us:

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
DUBLIN, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Offshore Helicopter Services Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global offshore helicopter services market reached a value of US$ 2.43 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach a value of US$ 2.96 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 3.10% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, the analyst is continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different End-use industries. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



Offshore helicopter services refer to the practice of monitoring and inspecting oil rigs and the transportation of goods and passengers. Medium, heavy and light are some of the commonly used types of helicopters in these services. They are also widely used for drilling, production, relocation, decommissioning, and transporting supplies and equipment during construction and subsea exploration. Offshore helicopter services consist of a ground station, transceiver, processor, combat cabinet, and power supply. They widely offer services to oil and gas rigs, offshore windfarms by delivering urgent supplies, evacuating people in medical emergencies and transporting crew to the platform. These services ensure operation efficiency and safety, and increase situational awareness, thus resulting in reduced accidents and operational costs.



Offshore Helicopter Services Market Trends

Significant growth across the offshore wind power industry across the globe is creating a positive outlook for the market. Offshore helicopter services are used for transferring the crew to the platforms for the maintenance of the wind turbines as they face rougher, harsher and corrosive environments. In line with this, the increasing demand for exploration activities, coupled with the ultra-deep-water and deep-water activities is favoring the market growth.

Moreover, the large-scale incorporation of the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and real-time data in helicopter services to enhance safety and assist pilots in decision-making during flights are also providing an impetus to the market growth. Additionally, the development of lightweight and highly autonomous helicopters that offer reliable, faster, and user-friendly technologies are positively impacting the market growth. Other factors, including increasing demand for oil and gas drilling activities and extensive fundings in research and development (R&D) activities, are anticipated to drive the market further.

Competitive Landscape

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Airbus SE, Bristow Group Inc., CHC Helicopter, Falcon Aviation Services, Gulf Helicopters, Heligo Charters Pvt. Ltd., Heli-Union, Leonardo S.p.A., Lockheed Martin Corporation, NHV Group, Omni Helicopters International S.A. and Petroleum Helicopters International Inc.



Key Questions Answered in This Report

How has the global offshore helicopter services market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global offshore helicopter services market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the application?

What is the breakup of the market based on the End-use industry?

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 offshore helicopter services market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Offshore Helicopter Services Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Type

6.1 Light Helicopters

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Medium and Heavy Helicopters

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Application

7.1 Drilling

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Production

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast

7.3 Relocation and Decommissioning

7.3.1 Market Trends

7.3.2 Market Forecast

7.4 Others

7.4.1 Market Trends

7.4.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by End Use Industry

8.1 Oil and Gas Industry

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2 Offshore Wind Power Industry

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Market Forecast

8.3 Others

8.3.1 Market Trends

8.3.2 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by Region



10 SWOT Analysis



11 Value Chain Analysis



12 Porters Five Forces Analysis

13 Price Analysis



14 Competitive Landscape

14.1 Market Structure

14.2 Key Players

14.3 Profiles of Key Players

14.3.1 Airbus SE

14.3.1.1 Company Overview

14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.1.3 Financials

14.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.2 Bristow Group Inc.

14.3.2.1 Company Overview

14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.2.3 Financials

14.3.3 CHC Helicopter

14.3.3.1 Company Overview

14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.4 Falcon Aviation Services

14.3.4.1 Company Overview

14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.5 Gulf Helicopters

14.3.5.1 Company Overview

14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.6 Heligo Charters Pvt. Ltd.

14.3.6.1 Company Overview

14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.7 Heli-Union

14.3.7.1 Company Overview

14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.8 Leonardo S.p.A.

14.3.8.1 Company Overview

14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.8.3 Financials

14.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.9 Lockheed Martin Corporation

14.3.9.1 Company Overview

14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.9.3 Financials

14.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis

14.3.10 NHV Group

14.3.10.1 Company Overview

14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.11 Omni Helicopters International S.A.

14.3.11.1 Company Overview

14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

14.3.12 Petroleum Helicopters International Inc.

14.3.12.1 Company Overview

14.3.12.2 Product Portfolio

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/9xi46i

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets
DUBLIN, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Crosspoint Switch Market - Forecasts from 2022 to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global crosspoint switch market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.07% over the forecast period to reach a market size of US$63.883 billion in 2027 from US$34.784 billion in 2020.



Introduction

The crosspoint switch is widely regarded as the next-generation high-performance packet switch. Crosspoint switches are mostly used in packet switching and telephony to move data at a faster rate. Crosspoint switches are also employed in a variety of applications, including mechanical, medical, audiovisual, and military. This is due to the fact that digital crosspoint switches are capable of handling many protocols, clock sources, and data streams.

Chip-to-chip serial lines have been created by semiconductor companies in recent years and have been used in a variety of commercial routers and switches. For two reasons, a crosspoint switch allows for great performance: first, faster data transfer, and second, high-speed data. The digital crosspoint switch market offers opportunities for numerous integrated circuit manufacturers due to the fast pace of innovation, changing market conditions in the telecommunications industry, and the proliferation of standards.

The performance and configuration of crosspoint switches differ. Data acquisition, computers, commercial, avionics, automotive, and audio applications all benefit from digital crosspoint switches. Other crosspoint switches, on the other hand, are intended for audiovisual, military, medical, and industrial use. Digital crosspoint switches may have on-chip electrostatic discharge protection, temperature control, fault tolerance, and short circuit protection, among other characteristics.



Digital crosspoint switches provide critical connectivity technology and signal integrity, which aids in the resolution of high-speed networking difficulties. In communication and networking infrastructure, digital crosspoint switches are often employed as multiplexers. With the growing demand for less expensive, smaller, and more powerful crosspoint switches, the price of digital crosspoint switches is likely to rise significantly. Furthermore, the growing demand for 3G wireless services, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and wireless web gadgets has increased the demand for high-bandwidth communication systems. The migration of broadcasting services such as multimedia-on-demand and cable TV to packet-oriented networks is predicted to represent a major opportunity for this industry, as digital crosspoint switches are designed to lower the cost of establishing such systems.



Market Trends

The demand for crosspoint switches has been increasing in applications of information processing, including telephony and circuit switching, which is anticipated to boost the growth of the global crosspoint switch market during the forecast period. The benefits of a cross point switch matrix architecture, such as high performance, no blocking, decreased bandwidth constraints, one-at-a-time connection, and the flexibility of connecting any input to any output, are all driving market expansion. The mechanical sorting machines and video switching in professional and home theatres are some of the areas in which the demand for crosspoint switches is anticipated to surge in the coming years. However, the market's expansion may be hampered by the crosspoint switches' sophisticated design. Furthermore, the complicated placement of cross points may stymie market expansion.



Growth Factor

Data is becoming increasingly important.

The demand for high-speed, high-quality data will be enormous in the coming years. Broadband networks will rely on dependable technology to meet users' high-speed internet needs. For smooth data transmission, broad networks send data to private and public networks. The use of crosspoint switches are required during this operation. The demand for high-speed internet will give the cross-points switching industry potential growth prospects. The point switch manufacturing process will be increased in the predicted term as a result of this scope.

The technological requirements will be high, and manufacturing will expand to fulfil the demand. In addition, 5G will be adopted in the coming years. The deployment of fifth-generation smartphones will result in an increase in internet users. According to the Cross Point Switch Market Analysis, the cross-point market will eventually offer a promising growth opportunity. In the next few years, this expansion possibility will boost profitability and demand. These advancements will also result in the growth of the cross-point switch industry.



COVID-19's Impact on the Crosspoint Switch Market:

The demand for cross-point switches is growing at a breakneck speed. The trends in the crosspoint switch market have been healthy throughout the year. During the pandemic, the number of people who utilise the internet has increased. In addition, the demand for high-quality videos is growing. All of this has resulted in a surge in demand for cross-point switches. Network providers and data centres are using more modern cross point switches during the epidemic. The market for analogue crosspoint switches is shrinking. On the other hand, the high voltage cross point switch is in higher demand. However, there is still some supply disruption during COVID-19. Restrictions have made it impossible to get the goods to end customers. The post-COVID market trends appear to be positive. In addition, the market is being boosted by key companies' boosting output.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction

1.1. Market Definition

1.2. Market Segmentation



2. Research Methodology

2.1. Research Data

2.2. Assumptions



3. Executive Summary

3.1. Research Highlights



4. Market Dynamics

4.1. Market Drivers

4.2. Market Restraints

4.3. Porters Five Forces Analysis

4.3.1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.3.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers

4.3.3. The threat of New Entrants

4.3.4. Threat of Substitutes

4.3.5. Competitive Rivalry in the Function

4.4. Function Value Chain Analysis



5. Global Crosspoint Switch Market, By Type

5.1. Introduction

5.2. Digital

5.3. Analog



6. Global Crosspoint Switch Market, By End-User Industry

6.1. Introduction

6.2. Communication and Technology

6.3. Semiconductor

6.4. Energy and Power

6.5. Aerospace and Defense

6.6. Others



7. Global Crosspoint Switch Market, By Geography

7.1. Introduction

7.2. North America

7.2.1. United States

7.2.2. Canada

7.2.3. Mexico

7.3. South America

7.3.1. Brazil

7.3.2. Argentina

7.3.3. Others

7.4. Europe

7.4.1. UK

7.4.2. Russia

7.4.3. France

7.4.4. Italy

7.4.5. Spain

7.4.6. Others

7.5. Middle East and Africa

7.5.1. UAE

7.5.2. Israel

7.5.3. Saudi Arabia

7.5.4. Others

7.6. Asia Pacific

7.6.1. China

7.6.2. Japan

7.6.3. India

7.6.4. Australia

7.6.5. Taiwan

7.6.6. Thailand

7.6.7. Indonesia

7.6.8. Others



8. Competitive Environment and Analysis

8.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis

8.2. Emerging Players and Market Lucrativenessness

8.3. Mergers, Acquisitions, Agreements, and Collaborations

8.4. Vendor Competitiveness Matrix



9. Company Profiles.

9.1. MACOM

9.2. Analog Devices, Inc.

9.3. ON Semiconductor

9.4. Maxim Integrated

9.5. Texas Instruments Incorporated

9.6. Microsemi Corporation

9.7. Microchip Technology Inc.

9.8. Renesas Electronics Corporation

9.9. Semtech Corporation

9.10. Mouser Electronics



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/9gikv9

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets
SAN FRANCISCO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hagens Berman urges IonQ, Inc. (NYSE: IONQ) investors who suffered significant losses to submit your losses now. The firm is investigating possible securities law violations.

Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/IONQ

Contact An Attorney Now: [email protected]

844-916-0895

IonQ, Inc. (NYSE: IONQ) Investigation:

The investigation focuses on IonQ's statements about its 32-qubit machine which the company claims is "the world's most powerful quantum computer." IonQ's representations allowed the company to go public through a SPAC-merger in late Sept. 2021.

But on May 3, 2022, the claims came into question after activist short-seller Scorpion Capital published a 183-page scathing report alleging the company's claims of a 32-qubit machine are a "brazen hoax." The firm points out that past employees stated in interviews the technology "doesn't exist," that "it was totally made up," and that the company is "trying to cover up that it is not there."

Scorpion determined that IonQ's only actual machine is an old 11-qubit toy computer for demonstration purposes that ex-employees, leading quantum experts, and key partners "all described as primitive, useless, doomed by fatal error rates inherent to the technology, unreliable with low uptime, and so slow that a useful calculation could take 3 years."

In addition, Scorpion accused IonQ of recording fictitious revenue via sham transactions and related-party round-tripping and, thereby, creating the illusion of commercial momentum.

In response, the price of IonQ shares sharply fell.

"We're focused on investors' losses and whether IonQ misrepresented the existence of- and commercial prospects for- its 32-qubit computer," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.

If you invested in IonQ and have significant losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, click here to discuss your legal rights with Hagens Berman.

Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding IonQ should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email [email protected].

About Hagens Berman

Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation law firm focusing on corporate accountability through class-action law. The firm is home to a robust securities litigation practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and fraud. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.

Contact:

Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895

SOURCE Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP
Leading online lender recognized for supporting small businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic and for its strong performance in the recovery.

ATLANTA, Ga., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - IOU FINANCIAL INC. ("IOU" or "the Company") (TSXV: IOU), a leading online lender to small businesses (IOUFinancial.com), announced today it has been named winner of the Silver Stevie Award for "Achievement in Finance" at the 20th Annual American Business Awards.

IOU's award nomination was based on the success of its Pandemic Resilience Plan enabling its teams to instantly transition to a 100% remote workforce, as well as the strong growth the Company has shown since implementing its Post-Pandemic Growth Plan in 2021.

"We are proud to be recognized for the resilience our teams and partners showed during the pandemic and for the strong growth in loan originations we are achieving during the recovery" said Robert Gloer, President and CEO.

The Company's Pandemic Resilience Plan heavily leveraged the agility of the IOU360 technology platform to connect brokers, merchants and IOU team members in real time. It supported a fully remote workforce and allowed IOU to avoid any interruption in service during the pandemic. In 2021 the Company outlined its Post-Pandemic Growth Plan focused on three strategic areas in innovation: technology, products and distribution.

"American companies have thrived in the face of hardship and have adapted to the needs of their workforce," said Stevie Awards President, Maggie Miller. "What makes IOU Financial stand out is their Pandemic Resilience Plan to continue supporting small business owners while adapting their operations to the new conditions during the Pandemic," added one Judge. "Top financial performance during a pandemic is worthy of commendation and the ability of the workforce to quickly transition to hybrid work was a big positive," added another Judge.

The American Business Awards are the U.S.A.'s premier business awards program. More than 3,700 nominations were considered from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry, for a wide range of categories including Startup of the Year, Best New Product or Service of the Year, App of the Year, and Achievement in Finance. More than 240 professionals worldwide acted as judges and their average scores determined the winners.

"Ultimately we are inspired by the courage and resilience of American small business owners," concluded Gloer. "Fueling the growth of small business  in challenging times and in good times  is what defines our purpose as a responsible lender."

IOU Financial recently reported its 2021 Financial Results, highlighting record loan originations showing 90.3% year/year growth, a return to profitability on an annual IFRS basis, and updates on its Post-Pandemic Growth Plan.

About IOU Financial Inc.

IOU Financial Inc. is a wholesale lender that provides quick and easy access to growth capital to small businesses through a network of preferred brokers across the US and Canada. Built on its proprietary IOU360 technology platform that connects underwriters, merchants and brokers in real time, IOU Financial has become a trusted alternative to banks by originating in excess of US$1 billion in loans to fund small business growth since 2009. IOU trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol IOU (TSXV: IOU), and on the US OTC markets as IOUFF. To learn more about IOU Financial's corporate history, financial products, or to join our broker network please visit www.IOUFinancial.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of IOU including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, dependence upon regulatory and shareholder approvals, the execution of definitive documentation and the uncertainty of obtaining additional financing. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. IOU does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, 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.

SOURCE IOU Financial Inc.
Momoa is the founder of Mananalu, an aluminum bottle water company on a mission to end single-use plastic water bottles and remove plastic from ocean-bound waste for every bottle sold (Drink One, Remove One). Mananalu launched its #makewaves social media campaign on Earth Day, reaching over 60M impressions and growing.

BOONE, N.C., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jason Momoa inspired a movement to unplastic the planet by leveraging his Instagram (@prideofgypsies) to launch Mananalu's #makewaves and #imwithmomoa social media Earth Week campaign. The do-good, feel-good campaign encouraged audiences to join Momoa and share how they make waves, big or small, by swapping single-use plastic for sustainable options like Mananalu, made from infinitely recyclable aluminum.

The campaign has reached over 60M impressions and roughly 2M engagements, according to data gathered by Mananalu.

"The idea is to make a change to help our Earth," Momoa said in his Instagram video announcing the campaign's launch.

Momoa shared his swaps on his Instagram; the content includes his signature vibe: human, passionate, and entertaining. The content features Momoa showering in the parking lot of Sprout's Farmers Market (Mananalu's first retail partner) to showcase alternative personal care products, followed by Momoa shopping for Mananalu in a pink robe.

Other swaps posted to his Instagram include Momoa biking to work instead of driving and utilizing recyclable aluminum cups from Ball Corporation, Mananalu's aluminum bottle producer. Momoa's planet-first initiative drew support from his celebrity friends and inspired global audiences to create and share UGC content with the hashtag #imwithmomoa.

Mananalu's corporate partners have also joined the #makewaves cause. Hawaiian Airlines, which now sells Mananalu's 16-ounce aluminum bottles in-flight, organized a beach clean-up over Earth Day weekend and promoted the content using the #makewaves hashtag. rePurpose Global, which already removes one bottle of ocean-going plastic waste for every bottle of Mananalu sold, is mobilized to remove an additional 1 million plastic bottles to encourage participation and build momentum for the #makewaves campaign. And rest assured that this wave is only just beginning for Momoa, Mananalu, all the (future) wavemakers, and, most importantly, our planet.

About Mananalu

Mananalu is a water brand on a mission to empower the world to stop drinking from single-use plastics. "Mana" means the sacred spirit of life in Hawaiian. "Nalu" means a powerful wave that pushes across the ocean. Founded by actor, environmentalist, and Hawaiian-native Jason Momoa, Mananalu creates a wave of change and fights plastic pollution by bottling water in infinitely recyclable aluminum. To learn more, visit www.mananalu.com or follow us on Instagram ( @mananalu.water , #mananalumovement).

SOURCE Mananalu
NEW YORK and DEARBORN, Mich., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- JDRF, the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization, announces the launch of the 2022 vehicle sweepstakes for JDRF. This year one lucky winner will win Ford's highly anticipated new electric F-150 Lightning.

"Building on the excitement around F-150 Lightning is an excellent way to help JDRF fund research and help find a cure for type 1 diabetes," said Linda Zhang, F-150 Lightning chief program engineer. "One lucky individual will win an F-150 Lightning, but being involved in helping to raise funds and awareness for JDRF is a big win for everyone."

Launched on April 26, 2022, the F-150 Lightning is the smartest, most innovative F-150 Ford has ever built, with the freedom of a 10-kilowatt smart power plant on wheels and software updates that will make it even better over time.

"For more than 25 years, the Ford Motor Company's generosity has helped raise awareness of type 1 diabetes and support the funding of transformative research," said Katie Doyle, JDRF Assistant Vice President of Corporate Development. "JDRF is proud of this longstanding partnership and thankful for the continued support."

As they have in past sweepstakes, Ford Motor Company has donated the grand prize vehicle to JDRF.

Eligible donations start at $10, with all proceeds going to support the JDRF mission to improve lives today and tomorrow by accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. The annual fundraiser, which has raised nearly $2,000,000 to date, will conclude following National Diabetes Awareness Month with a drawing on December 1, 2022, from Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.

To make a donation and view the sweepstakes please visit, winfordlightning.com.

The prized 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat will feature:

Extended Range Battery with an EPA estimated range of 320 miles

Dual Electric Motors: 580 horsepower and 775 lb.-ft. of torque

Mega Power Frunk : 400-liter lockable, drainable front trunk

: 400-liter lockable, drainable front trunk Leather-trimmed heated and ventilated front seats

Heated Rear seats

Power Tailgate with Unique Rear Signature Lighting

SYNC 4A with 15.5-inch touchscreen

Geometric Gray-Ion satin grille

20-inch Dark Carbonized Gray wheels

Pro Power OnBoard - 9.6 kW with 11 outlets available

Ford Charge Station Pro Included  80 amp power delivery

Twin Panel Moon Roof

About JDRF

JDRF's mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $2.5 billion in research funding since our inception. We are an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on a national stage to pool resources, passion, and energy. We collaborate with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers throughout the United States and our five international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement and our vision of a world without T1D. For more information, please visit jdrf.org or follow us on Twitter (@JDRF), Facebook (@myjdrf), and Instagram (@jdrfhq).

About Type 1 Diabetes

T1D is an autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. It occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, called beta cells. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. Its onset has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There is nothing you can do to prevent T1D, andat presentnothing you can do to get rid of it.

SOURCE JDRF
PokerKamers.nl, one of the Netherlands' first and largest poker affiliate sites, introduced a new policy that fully complies with the regulatory changes that came in effect after the Dutch Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit/ KSA) introduced its set of rules for operators to offer legal poker in the Netherlands.

AMSTERDAM, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As of October 2021, PokerKamers.nl, a Dutch spoken website existing since 2006, launched its new website. The founders introduced a policy to comply with new regulations, after the new Dutch gambling law took effect on October 1st of 2021.

"Being fully compliant meant saying farewell to online poker sites that did not receive a license to legally operate in the Netherlands; this includes renowned sites like partypoker and bwin, as parent company Entain's initial application got rejected," said PokerKamers.nl founder Joris Koningsberg.

Entain plc, one of the world's largest gambling/ gaming, poker, and betting operators, did not receive a license to offer their brands in the Netherlands, including their online poker sites, because they continued to accept Dutch customers after the market closed due to the Dutch Remote Gambling Act (Kansspel op Afstand/ KOA) on April 1st of 2021.

"It was an easy decision, because the only other option was working with illegal poker sites. And besides, one of our favorite partners (ed: Hillside plc's bet365) did receive their license," said Joris Koningsberg.

Meanwhile, all Entain brands now comply to the Dutch Gambling Authority's cooling off period and the company is expected to obtain a license in the first half of 2022.

With the decision to be fully compliant to Dutch law and regulations, PokerKamers.nl also improved the overall quality of its website. A new look and feel, a comprehensive audit of all existing pages and many new, were completed before the launch of their new website.

"And there is more," said PokerKamers.nl co-owner Oscar Oosterling, "We have added a poker course, several tools including a tournament filter and the M-Calculator, and poker cheat sheets. And our to-do list is only getting bigger."

PokerKamers.nl is a website to keep on your radar the next few months. New gambling licenses will be issued, and this website will only list the very best of them. You can expect continuous updates and new features that improve the overall quality and user experience. And with PokerKamers.nl being a compliant poker affiliate, you can rest assured that you're not going to be misled into signing up with shady - or illegal poker sites.

Media Contact:

Joris Koningsberg,

PokerKamers.nl,

https://www.pokerkamers.nl/,

[email protected]

SOURCE PokerKamers.nl
May 4th to June 4th Every Year

NEW YORK, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 04, 2022, the office of Dr. Surajit Khanna's Post Incarceration Juvenile Justice Reformation Act Initiative, also known as his ReturningYouth Initiative, announced that the Registrar at National Day Calendar proclaimed National Returning Youth Month to be observed annually May 4 to June 4.

Returning Youth Initiative

Each year between May 4 and June 4, National Returning Youth Month brings awareness to young adults transitioning into society after incarceration. This monthly observance encourages all Americans to remove the stigma associated with those coming out of incarceration. Most importantly, National Returning Youth Month opens well-deserved dialog to support post-incarcerated youth.

Credit for establishing National Returning Youth Month belongs to Dr. Surajit Khanna, founder of the Returning Youth Initiative, which is a program designed to restore the hopes and dreams to returning youth. This monthly observance begins on Dr. Khanna' birthday in honor of his dedication as an advocate for post-incarcerated young adults and lasts an entire month.

Many believe young adults in our society have unlimited resources that will guide them towards successful adulthood. Unfortunately, nearly 11 percent of all teenagers and young adults in the U.S. are faced with lack of support and resources to become productive citizens. According to Measure of America, 4.1 million young adults between ages 16 and 24 are falling behind in the U.S. Sadly, these disconnected youth do not attend school or maintain employment. Oftentimes, many resort to making bad decisions in order survive. As a result, they are often incarcerated and labeled for the rest of their lives.

Returning to daily life after incarceration can be stressful and discouraging. But, by providing the right tools, post-incarcerated youth can become productive members of society. The key to success and most effective way to achieve that success is offering guidance, access to resources, and provide alternative solutions to avoid future incarceration.

Dr. Khanna celebrates a birthday on May 4, which is the same day National Returning Youth Month begins. Incidentally, this is the same day we celebrate National Star Wars Day. The Returning Youth Initiative want today's youth to be with their loved ones and not to be incarcerated. When saying "May the 4th be with you," on National Star Wars Day, remember to also say "May the youth be with you" to kick off the first day of National Returning Youth Month.

There will be a virtual conference for announcing this special event at 4pm EST. It will be streamed live from the initiative's headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. We are going live on WPAT Radio, YouTube, Facebook and National Day Calendar's social media platforms.

About Dr. Khanna's Returning Youth Initiative: Dr. Surajit Khanna, a youth advocate, founded "Returning Youth" to give post-incarceration juveniles with a road to self-sufficiency and a productive life when they are released from jail. The initiative is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation registered in the state of New York.

ReturningYouth.com

For Press & Media Inquires

Heather Malloy- Davis, Public Relations

2137095749 or 6096383645

[email protected]

SOURCE Returning Youth Initiative
Les Monts  French for "the mountains", pays homage to Klugman's European heritage as well as his own journey as an artist. Klugman says, "mountains are symbolic of the uphill journey creative individuals will endure when going for what they love. They also serve as a reminder that good things, like a journey towards a personal goal or the production of our handmade goods themselves, take time to develop. And, while the journey to reach that goal may prove fickle, there is often great value to be found at the finish line." The collection is manufactured in Northern Italy, where Les Monts collaborates with one of the region's most revered manufacturers. The new label will be known for its use of resplendent materials, high-gloss finishes, and exaggerated frame profiles; all gracefully executed using traditional craftsmanship practices. The exclusive collection of micro-production sunglasses has four drops planned for 2022, with several more expected in 2023.

While focused on delivering masterful spectacles as distinguished as the creative society it represents, Les Monts has an important secondary mission. The company is partnering with Mental Health America, the nation's leading mental health non-profit organization, to generate conversation on the topic of mental health. Each year Les Monts will donate a percentage of annual revenue to Mental Health America (MHA) in support of their continued efforts to promote mental health for all.

Casey Klugman, Creative Director and Founder of Les Monts, revealed: "I'm thrilled to launch Les Monts as a luxury brand with purpose. While offering world-class spectacles is our primary goal, we're proud of our commitment to give back to the community. Our partnership with Mental Health America is as important to our brand as anything else. My hope is that Les Monts can transcend traditional brand ideologies, and become a beacon of optimism that inspires."

Les Monts' Series I retails from $375.00 to $415.00 and features six unisex styles, each available in two to three unique colorways. The collection is now available exclusively on www.lesmonts.com.

More information on Les Monts can be found on Instagram: @Les_monts.

About Les Monts

Founded in 2022, Les Monts is a luxury sunglasses brand, made with an artist's attention to detail. Born from fearless creativity and fine craftsmanship, the brand champions creatives in all fields, celebrating those who dive fearlessly into their endeavors. The handmade collection, known for its warmth and use of rich materials, is designed in New York City and handmade in Italy. Each limited-edition spectacle is created to go beyond its pragmatic purpose, providing courage and meaning to those who view the world through its lens. The company is privately held. To learn more about Les Monts, please visit www.lesmonts.com.

CONTACT: Paula Kalnina at Issa PR - [email protected]

SOURCE Les Monts
ARLINGTON, Va., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial companies consume over half of the energy and produce one-fifth of greenhouse gas emissions globally, giving the sector a significant opportunity to support climate initiatives. A new report from Manufacturers Alliance Foundation and Infosys (NYSE: INFY), "Delivering on Carbon Neutral Goals," outlines the progress manufacturers have made to-date on reducing carbon emissions across three scopes: direct emissions, indirect emissions from electricity purchases, and indirect emissions derived from a manufacturer's value chain. The report also shares steps on how manufacturers can move forward in reducing emissions and provides examples from manufacturing executives across sectors at various stages in their carbon neutrality journey.

"The manufacturing sector is an important player in helping reduce the global carbon footprint," notes Stephen Gold, President and CEO of Manufacturers Alliance. "This report shines a light on where U.S. manufacturers are today and how they can continue to support sustainability and growth."

Findings include:

45% of manufacturers are exploring how to expand their carbon footprint initiatives, with 28% already expanding initiatives beyond factories.

The aerospace and automotive industries are ahead of the pack with over 30% of respondents, (which is more than double other industries covered in the survey), saying they are tracking across all three scopes of emissions.

94% of respondents noted that capturing a product's carbon footprint was difficult as only 28% have a system in place to track the carbon footprint of their products.

Digital technologies were identified as a key resource for emission tracking, with four stages of maturity identified in the digitalization journey. 45% of respondents are already using data to track and monitor emissions.

"Providing visibility and insights from manufacturing operations data is key to accelerating progress on sustainability goals," says Jasmeet Singh, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Manufacturing, Infosys. "Digitalization tools will enable manufacturers to meet the sustainability goals while continuing to optimize performance."

About Manufacturers Alliance Foundation

Manufacturers Alliance Foundation is the 501(c)(3) partner of Manufacturers Alliance. The Alliance Foundation provides educational opportunities for the manufacturing community and its stakeholders through insights, events, and tools for today's most critical business decisions. The Alliance Foundation focuses on talent, technology, digital transformation, and competitiveness. Learn more about the Alliance Foundation: manufacturersalliance.org/foundation

About Manufacturers Alliance

Manufacturers Alliance powers leaders. We bring together an unparalleled network of manufacturing executives to advance their careers, grow their companies, and support the whole community. We accomplish our mission through peer communities, education, and business insights on the topics that matter most to the sector. Learn more: manufacturersalliance.org.

About Infosys

Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in more than 50 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem.

Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NSE, BSE,NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next.

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements concerning our future business opportunities and growth prospects. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. These filings are available at https://www.sec.gov/. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. In addition, please note that any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of the date of this press release. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the company unless it is required by law.

Media contact:

Manufacturers Alliance

Kristin Graybill

703.841.9000

[email protected]

Infosys

[email protected]

SOURCE Infosys
NEW YORK, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MCAP Inc. (OTC: MCAP), a financial technology company and electronic securities market maker, today announced a senior hire in its Exchange Traded Funds ("ETF") division. The company's broker dealer subsidiary, MCAP LLC, hired Nicholas Phillips as Director of ETF Capital Markets. He will play key role in the expansion and growth of the company's ETF market making and liquidity services to MCAP LLC's institutional customer base. MCAP LLC continues to position itself as a leading technology, execution & customer service driven market maker.

Mr. Phillips joins MCAP from Van Eck Associates where he served as Director of ETF Capital Markets. Prior to joining Van Eck, he was an ETF Market Maker at firms including Goldman Sachs; Gelber, Old Mission, and Susquehanna. At MCAP, he will be focused on continued expansion of MCAP's ETF infrastructure and functionality to support customers execution and liquidity needs.

Will Dennis, President at MCAP, stated, "Nick's time on the issuer side of the business working on ETF liquidity, product structure and market formation, paired with his extensive market making experience, provides MCAP a significant competitive advantage in ETF space. We are excited to have Nick join our team and look forward to improving our existing offering to our customers."

David Menn, CEO at MCAP, commented, "We are excited to have Nick join as we expand further into ETF's. Nick's expertise in international equity ETF's is a great fit for us and we look forward to providing liquidity as a service to our existing and expanding customer base, in addition to providing them access to our trading technologies and platforms."

MCAP Inc. operates as a financial technology company. The company has three subsidiaries- MCAP Technologies LLC, MBIT LLC and MCAP LLC. MCAP Technologies LLC develops financial technology software utilized in various global financial markets. MBIT LLC is a digital asset company focused on crypto-currency, decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols and blockchain integration in the global financial markets. The company's subsidiary MCAP LLC is a U.S. based broker-dealer focused on electronic securities market making. MCAP LLC connects institutional investors, broker-dealers and companies to the global equity and fixed income markets on a 24/7 basis. MCAP focuses on developing technologies to provide customers with customized trading solutions and unique market access.

Please visit our website: www.mcaptech.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. The matters discussed in this news release involve goals, forecasts, assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

SOURCE MCAP Inc.
Expanded and reimagined facility provides companies a hands-on, immersive experience in the latest digital technologies to prepare companies and workforces for the future of advanced manufacturing

ATLANTA, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- McKinsey & Company today formally relaunched their expanded innovation and learning center, the Digital Capability Center Atlanta, a state of the art facility that provides companies the inspiration, knowledge, and skills to adopt next generation digital technologies.

At the Digital Capability Center Atlanta, organizations' leaders and frontline workers can experience and see firsthand how digital technologies work in practice to increase productivity and develop the skills critical to transform American manufacturing and its workforce.

"As we approach the 45th anniversary of our Atlanta office, the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia have flourished over that time, and McKinsey is honored to be part of the community. We see an exciting path forward with this investment and it's a testament to Atlanta being the economic incubator of the region, attracting businesses, investment, and top diverse tech talent," said Steve Reis, Managing Partner of McKinsey's Atlanta office.

Through immersive learning programs tailored to the needs of a specific company, the Digital Capability Center Atlanta enables organizations to sustain their transformation with new workforce capabilities using the latest advanced technologies, data, and analytics solutions in hyper-realistic simulations.

"We know digital and analytics capabilities will enable organizations to better meet the needs of their customers, deliver higher profitability, attract and retain workers, and reach their sustainability commitments. However, many companies have yet to scale their technology trials to realize the benefits of their investments," said Mike Doheny, Atlanta-based senior partner with McKinsey & Company. "In operations, a key reason technology results in impact is when people are able to make different decisions and work more productively, often in tailored environments. That's why McKinsey has made a significant investment to create a state-of-the-art facility where clients experience the technology firsthand and understand the full set of requirements to achieve meaningful and sustainable impact."

The Digital Capability Center brings McKinsey's deep expertise in transforming manufacturing, planning, and logistics through advanced analytics, digital process adoption, and physical automation, to Atlanta, a burgeoning technology hub. It features a fully operational shop floor, including tea brewing and refrigerator compressor lines, a mock warehouse, and procurement and sales functions. The space is outfitted to meet each organization wherever they are in their transformation journey, with multiple environments to simulate different types of factories, lines, offices and new ways of working.

Participants in the workshops can expect to experience:

Inspiration to implementation and impact: The innovative facility enables leaders to be immersed in tech-enabled environments and experiment with advanced technologies, data, and analytics solutions from an ecosystem of providers and focus on reimagining operations functions within and beyond the four walls of a manufacturing facility, deploying digital capabilities, and scaling the new way of work across the workforce.

Immersive learning: Leaders from companies of all sizes can participate in single and multi-day workshops designed to build awareness of tech-enabled operations. Managers and operators can take advantage of learning programs to develop the confidence, skills, and mindsets for a transformation that sticks, powered by a new continuous improvement approach..

The Digital Capability Center Atlanta mock manufacturing? lines transform in stages from a current, non-digitized line into a higher-performing, digitally-enabled production line of the future that includes advanced analytics, augmented reality, and digital assistance for the operators.

The Digital Capability Center Atlanta is part of McKinsey's global network spanning 12 locations across Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia. The global network supports over 450 organizations each year, with an average of 13,000 participants. In addition to the 250 McKinsey experts involved in this global network, the Digital Capability Center network also has partnerships with 150+ tech companies and startups.

About the Digital Capability Center Atlanta

The Digital Capability Centers for Operations are advanced tech-enabled innovation and learning hubs that guide the imagination and realization of an organization's digital future. The Digital Capability Center Atlanta brings together a technology ecosystem and deep expertise to allow companies to experience the latest digital and analytics opportunities across the value chain and build the skills to apply them for holistic, lasting impact.

About McKinsey & Company

McKinsey is a global management consulting firm committed to helping organizations accelerate sustainable and inclusive growth. We work with clients across the private, public, and social sectors to solve complex problems and create positive change for all their stakeholders. We combine bold strategies and transformative technologies to help organizations innovate more sustainably, achieve lasting gains in performance, and build workforces that will thrive for this generation and the next.

CONTACT

Danielle Switalski

312- 371 8822

[email protected]

SOURCE McKinsey & Company
Increase in demand for medical ceramics from the healthcare industry and several government initiatives for R&D activities drive the growth of the global medical ceramics market.

PORTLAND, Ore., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Medical Ceramics Market by Application (Devices, Implant, Disposables, Packaging), by Type (Bioinert, Bioactive, Bioresorbable, Piezo Ceramics): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2030". According to the report, the global medical ceramics industry generated $17.5 billion in 2020, and is anticipated to generate $29.4 billion by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 5.3% from 2021 to 2030.

Prime determinants of growth

Increase in demand for medical ceramics from the healthcare industry, increase in awareness of oral hygiene and aesthetics, and several government initiatives for R&D activities drive the growth of the global medical ceramics market. However, volatility in prices of medical ceramics due to varying mining outputs and trade sentiments hinder the market growth. Contrarily, sharp rise in global population and increase in geriatric population is driving the sales of medical devices and implants, which presents new opportunities in the coming years.

Request PDF Brochure: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/1858

Covid-19 Scenario

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the growth of the global medical ceramics market, owing certain factors such as unavailability of skilled labor, supply chain disruptions, and closure of production hubs.

Increase in the demand for pharmaceuticals, on the other hand, has created an opportunity for manufacturers to expand the market.

The implant segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

Based on application, the implant segment held the highest market share in 2020, accounting for more than two-thirds of the global medical ceramics market, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. Rise in aging population and increase in prevalence of chronic diseases are acting as driving factors for the segment. However, the disposables segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 6.4% from 2021 to 2030, owing to huge production of many types of disposable devices.

Get Detailed COVID-19 Impact Analysis on the Medical Ceramics Market @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/1858?reqfor=covid

The bioinert segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period

Based on type, the bioinert segment accounted for the largest share in 2020, contributing to more than two-fifths of the global medical ceramics market, and is projected to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. This is due to its wide usage in the orthopedic & dental industry. However, the piezo ceramics segment is expected to portray the largest CAGR of 6.4% from 2021 to 2030, owing to the presence of an array of applications.

North America to maintain its dominance by 2030

Based on region, North America held the highest market share in terms of revenue 2020, accounting for nearly two-fifths of the global medical ceramics market. This is attributed to the high prevalence of dental decay, increasing injuries, and the rapid adoption of medical ceramics. However, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 6.2% during the forecast period. The presence of huge population and increasing awareness of the advantages of medical ceramics among the individuals are major factors for the demand of medical ceramics in this region.

Leading Market Players

3M ESPE

CoorsTek Inc

DePuy Synthes

H.C. Starck GmbH

Kyocera Corporation

Morgan Advanced Materials

Nobel Biocare Services AG

Straumann

Stryker

Zimmer Biomet

Interested in Procuring This Report? Visit Here:

https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/medical-ceramics-market/purchase-options

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Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

Pawan Kumar, the CEO of Allied Market Research, is leading the organization toward providing high-quality data and insights. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

Contact:

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United States

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SOURCE Allied Market Research
With Approximately $1.1 Billion AUM/A, Sanford Expands Mercer Advisors' Central U.S. Presence

DENVER, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercer Global Advisors, Inc. ("Mercer Advisors"), a national Registered Investment Adviser (RIA), today announced the acquisition of Sanford Advisory Services, LLC ("Sanford"), a respected wealth management firm headquartered in Portage, Michigan. Sanford serves approximately 1,100 clients with assets under management and advisement (AUM/A) of approximately $1.1 billion. Sanford was founded by Todd Sanford, CFP, Partner in 2000 who, with 4 decades of industry experience, was responsible for stewarding Sanford's growth. Scott Williams, CFP, has been with Sanford since its inception in 2000, and became a partner of the firm in 2006. Brent Kerstetter, CFP, MBA, Partner, joined Sanford in 2004, becoming its third partner. Sanford's talented team of ten professionals will also be joining Mercer Advisors.

Sanford approaches financial management by developing a personalized comprehensive financial plan for its clientele with an understanding that each client's financial situation is unique. Sanford partners with clients as a professional advisor and advocate to allow their plan to be maintained through the inevitable bumps that life brings.

Commenting on the transaction, Founder Todd Sanford ("Todd") stated: "The core values of this organization lie in being honest, having integrity, and putting clients first. Everybody that walks in the door is an extended member of the family. Speaking for myself, Scott, and Brent, we knew we were at an inflection point in our business and needed to build the scale to support our significant growth or join a firm that already had it. In talking with David Barton, Vice Chairman and Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at Mercer Advisors, we knew we had found the right partner that shared our core values and as he put it, 'the only interests to consider are the best interests of our clients.' It was clear we shared the same mission, vision, and values and that was the most important thing to us along with providing career development opportunity to our fantastic staff." Scott Williams ("Scott") added: "I loved that we could offload back-office activities to Mercer Advisors, creating excess capacity for us to do what we do best, service existing clients and win new ones." Brent Kerstetter stated: "We go deep with our clients and lead with financial planning. The fact that Mercer Advisors has in-house estate planning services and a full legal team, as well as providing in-house tax return preparation services along with highly desirable corporate trustee capabilities will allow us to bring enhanced offerings to our valued clientele. Everyone wins."

David Barton, Vice Chairman, who led this transaction on behalf of Mercer Advisors added: "Todd, Scott and Brent are not only exceptional leaders and entrepreneurs, but they are also salt of the earth people dedicated to the success of their staff and clients. For them, every decision is client centric. They walk their talk. This is precisely why they are one of the fastest growing firms in Michigan and a perfect fit for Mercer Advisors. Our two firms' collective commitment to our staff and clients is ever present. Do right by them and good things typically happen. We believe that together we represent a formidable juggernaut and look forward to a bright future together."

Dave Welling, Chief Executive Officer of Mercer Advisors, said, "Todd, Scott and Brent have built a great business with a strong team, and they are highly respected wealth management professionals that give back to their community. We are thrilled to be expanding our presence in Michigan and look forward to working together to deliver meaningful results for our shared clients."

About Mercer Advisors

Established in 1985, Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ("Mercer Advisors") is a total wealth management firm that provides comprehensive, fee-based investment management, financial planning, family office services, retirement benefits and distribution planning, estate and tax planning, insurance solutions, and corporate trustee and trust administration services. Mercer Advisors Inc. is a parent company of Mercer Global Advisors Inc. (RIA), majority owned by both Oak Hill Capital and Genstar Capital, one of the largest Registered Investment Advisors and financial planning firms in the U.S. with over $38 billion in client assets. Headquartered in Denver, Mercer Advisors is privately held, has over 670 employees, and operates nationally through 60+ offices across the country. For more information, visit www.merceradvisors.com.

Data as of March 30, 2022. AUM includes affiliates and wholly owned subsidiaries.

Mercer Global Advisors Inc. is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and delivers all investment-related services. Mercer Advisors Inc. is the parent company of Mercer Global Advisors Inc. and is not involved with investment services.

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning documentation preparation and other legal advice is provided through its affiliation with Advanced Services Law Group, Inc. Corporate trustee services are offered through National Advisors Trust Company. Tax preparation and tax filing are a separate fee from Mercer Advisors' investment management and planning services

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the CFP certification mark, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification mark, and the CFP certification mark (with plaque design) logo in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Contact: Chris Tofalli

Chris Tofalli Public Relations, LLC

914-834-4334

SOURCE Mercer Global Advisors Inc.
Going beyond just art and fashion, the Pa-ardy World collection will consist of 9,180 Genesis NFTs as ERC-721A tokens on the Ethereum (ETH) blockchain, featuring Hardy Hardy's line of premium streetwear fashion apparel as donned by Paisus, an avatar created by TheFinalBosses. Each Pa-ardy World NFT is randomly generated, with over 400 unique hand-drawn traits in the mix to create a truly one-of-a-kind collectible.

The whitelist of Pa-ardy World starts from 18 May '22, followed by a public minting on 29 May '22. A reveal on OpenSea will be made on a later date.

Upcoming Roadmap

Following the release of Pa-ardy World, 2,000 collectible designer figurines in 7" size, bundled with meaningful messages, will be airdropped to random NFT holders to thank them for their support.

MetaBosses plans to collaborate with more brand partners in the future, where holders have options to evolve their Genesis NFTs into a new NFT, potentially allowing all Genesis NFTs to mutate into multiple brand collections within the 9,180 NFTs. This serves to expand the community's collections and exclusivity.

To increase social responsibility, Meta Bosses Club is partnering with The Giving Block to donate up to USD 200,000 of the NFT sale proceeds to charity funds chosen by the NFT holders.

Interested collectors can keep up with the MetaBosses Club and the Pa-ardy World collection through the website , Twitter , Discord, Instagram .

About Hardy Hardy

Founded in 2015, HARDY HARDY, advocates the American Rock Spirit. With signature tattoo art, the brand conveys joy, power and passion through bright totems, mysterious skulls and shining elements.

About TheFinalBosses



TheFinalBosses creates limited edition designer toys. The "Originals" toy line is designed to raise awareness on prevailing problems that are usually overlooked around the world, with each design following a set storyline.

About Meta Bosses Club

Meta Bosses is a metaverse lifestyle company, partnering with lifestyle brands to bring new concepts for phygital products in the evolving NFT space. Visit our newsroom .

Media Contact

[email protected]

SOURCE Meta Bosses Club
The Anejo comes on the heels of Mijenta's highly acclaimed Blanco and Reposado expressions, which launched in September and December 2020 respectively. Mijenta Anejo Gran Reserva is produced using the award-winning Blanco as its base, a limited quantity of which is reserved expressly to produce this spirit. The tequila undergoes an intricate 18-month aging process during which it matures in four different types of hand-selected casks, each of which brings a unique property to the final expression. This aging process creates a complex, intense and refined profile distinct from other anejo tequilas.

From sourcing the best agave and hand-selecting bespoke barrels, to aging and bottling the spirit, the entire development process of the Anejo was overseen by Ana Maria Romero Mena. One of the most trusted, respected and awarded tequila authorities in Mexico, Romero's artistry and precision celebrates the traditions of Mexican craftsmanship, the best of the land and its people, while allowing the distinctive terroir of the Jalisco highlands to shine through. A renowned virtuoso, Mijenta Anejo Gran Reserva is her latest masterpiece.

On the subtleties behind its bespoke aging process, the Maestra Tequilera shared, "We developed a unique approach to create Mijenta Anejo Gran Reserva that makes it unlike any other aged tequila. The process begins by allowing the tequila to mature in American white oak barrels before it is transferred to French oak barrels, which begin to develop its flavor profile and texture. Further aging in acacia barrels enhances the body while adding a light herbal and citrus note before the final two months are completed in cherry oak casks  as opposed to the more traditional sherry casks  which enhances the fruity notes. Importantly, Mijenta tequila never includes additional sweeteners or flavors  its taste profile comes entirely from the agave, traditional distillation methods and time spent maturing to perfection."

On the nose, Mijenta's Anejo has notes of cacao, butterscotch and tobacco, while the palate is presented with a beautiful cornucopia of dried stone fruits and elegant spices, including mace, anise and saffron. Flavors of soft caramelized cooked agave expand joyfully on the tongue, along with elegant vanilla and subtle coffee notes that come from the individually selected variety of barrels.

"Crafted to be a peerless ultra-premium tequila, Mijenta's carefully curated Anejo is truly exceptional. When coming together with family or friends in celebration, this tequila won't just mark a special occasion  it will be an occasion itself. Aged in four types of the finest casks for 18 months, the Anejo has a depth, complexity and palate that is extremely refined and completely unique," added Mijenta Co-Founder and Mixologist, Juan Coronado.

"I'm thrilled that the Blanco and Reposado have resonated with such an ardent community of tequila-lovers, and it's incredibly exciting to share our long-anticipated Anejo. The care, artistry and innovation shine through in a way that make this Anejo unlike anything else on the market," said Co-Founder and Lead Investor Mike Dolan. "While each expression of our tequila is completely unique, the true soul of Mijenta is the core set of values that flow through all aspects of the company, including the tequila itself, the packaging and our commitment to the community."

Created by Co-Founder and Director of Sustainability, Elise Som, Mijenta Anejo Gran Reserva's packaging design is inspired by the midnight blue sky in the highlands of Arandas where the Centzon Totochtin folk story is depicted under a glowing crescent moon. Mijenta is always carefully crafted with a commitment to environmental sustainability and support for the local community. All paper-related components (label and box) are made of agave waste and the organization is committed to sustainable practices, minimizing its environmental impact.

Priced at $199 (750ml) the tequila will be available to order in the U.S. from May 2, 2022 at shopmijenta.com and siptequila.com . Mijenta Anejo Gran Reserva will be exclusively sold online for the first two months, after which it will be available at fine retailers in select states.

For more information and updates please visit www.mijenta-tequila.com or follow Mijenta Tequila on Instagram at www.instagram.com/mijentatequila.

PR INQUIRIES

PURPLE

New York: +1 212 858 9888

Los Angeles: +1 424 284 3232

[email protected]

ABOUT MIJENTA

Mijenta is an artisanal, sustainable, additive-free tequila from the highlands of Jalisco, offering a unique super premium proposition. The award-winning spirit was created by a passionate collective who believes in doing well by doing right, and is crafted by Mexico-based Maestra Tequilera Ana Maria Romero. Inspired by legends, Mijenta celebrates the best of the land, culture and people of Mexico, exclusively using fully mature, certified Blue Weber Agave from the highlands of Jalisco, a region renowned for its rich red soils and microclimate. Mijenta launched in September 2020 with its first expression, Blanco, followed by Reposado in December 2020 and Anejo in May 2022.

SOURCE Mijenta Tequila
Mologic leverages Alamar's ultra-high affinity antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics

Partnership will facilitate rapid responses to future pandemics

BEDFORDSHIRE, England and FREMONT, Calif., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Alamar Biosciences (Alamar), a platform company focused on transforming the field of proteomics to enable the early detection of cancer and other diseases, and Mologic, Ltd. (Mologic), part of the recently formed social enterprise Global Access Health and a leading developer of lateral flow and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), today announced a collaboration to utilize Alamar's novel antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid (N) protein for Mologic's future COVID-19 RDTs.

Easy-to-use and cost-effective RDTs are a key tool for controlling the spread of COVID-19, including in low resource settings. Mologic has already launched COVID-19 antigen tests ("COVIOS" and "COVIGO" for personal self-testing) based on its lateral flow assay technology, utilizing high affinity, paired antibodies specific for the SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein antigen. Second generation tests with even greater sensitivity are now in development leveraging the latest generation of engineered antibodies with ultra-high affinity, discovered through Alamar's proprietary Attobody platform, together with Mologic's novel electronic lateral flow immunoassay (eLFIA) technology.

Professor Paul Davis, Chief Scientific Officer & Co-Founder of Mologic, said: "We are very pleased with the increased sensitivity attainable with Alamar antibodies, especially in view of the speed with which they can be developed. We look forward to continuing our collaboration to create the road map for unprecedented speed of response to new pandemic threats of whatever origin. Fast-track discovery and deployment of antibodies with the highest possible affinity and specificity will be the central pillar of this new Pandemic Preparedness, very much aligning with Mologic's mission to better enable humanity to cope with the long-term presence of COVID-19."

Dr. Yuling Luo, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Alamar, commented: "Rapid and highly sensitive COVID-19 detection will remain an essential global health challenge in the coming years, and we must learn from the global COVID-19 experience to ensure a better, robust Pandemic Preparedness. We are excited to continue working with Mologic to meet these needs."

Alamar's proprietary Attobody platform produces a highly diverse pool of antibodies with single digit picomolar affinity and exquisite specificity. Compared to traditional antibody engineering, the Attobody platform deploys an accelerated antibody design and engineering process to generate novel antibodies without the need for affinity maturation.

About Alamar Biosciences, Inc.

Alamar Biosciences is a privately held life sciences company with a mission to transform the field of proteomics to enable the early detection of cancer and other diseases. The company's two proprietary technology platforms, NULISA and Attobody, work seamlessly with the latest advances in genomics to achieve single-digit attomolar detection sensitivity, greatly surpassing the most sensitive protein detection technology on the market today. The Attobodies have picomolar affinity and built-in high specificity and have the potential to expand antibody therapeutics to many targets intractable with conventional antibodies. For more information, please visit http://www.alamarbio.com.

About Mologic, Ltd.

Mologic is a leading developer of advanced lateral flow and rapid diagnostic technologies. Leveraging its core technology platforms, the Company is structured as a social enterprise, working with international organizations across many disease targets, to help deliver fast, reliable and affordable diagnostics globally, at the point-of-care. The creativity, insight and knowledge that led to the first ground-breaking testing inventions in pregnancy and women's health have guided Mologic since its formation in 2003, underpinning many of the organization's existing and future innovations.

Mologic is headquartered in Bedford in the United Kingdom and has a US subsidiary, Mologic Inc. situated in New Gloucester, Maine (https://mologic.co.uk/).

SOURCE Alamar Biosciences, Inc.
AURORA, Colo., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Oman Investment Authority (OIA) and MycoTechnology, Inc. have established a groundbreaking joint venture that will use locally-grown dates to produce high-quality mushroom-based protein. The two parties will collaborate on building a state-of-the-art production facility in Oman to scale up and commercialize this novel source of nutritious, sustainable protein. It represents the next generation of innovation driven by MycoTechnology's proprietary fermentation platform, which harnesses mushroom mycelia to create transformative ingredients.

MycoTechnologys proprietary fermentation platform harnesses mushroom mycelia to create transformative ingredients

The strategic partnership between OIA and MycoTechnology is in line with Oman Vision 2040, which aims to attract modern technologies to the country. It links OIA's local knowledge and public sector relationships with MycoTechnology's cutting-edge technology. It aspires to transform the food supply landscape in the region and reflects OIA's commitment to achieving a sustainable future by increasing local food production.

Oman is one of the world's top 10 producers of dates, growing about 400 thousand tonnes per year. However, more than half goes to waste or animal feed. The new joint venture is expected to upcycle a significant portion of these excess dates, using the natural sugar present in the fruit as a source of carbon to fuel the production of mushroom-based protein.

Construction of the new facility is due to start in the first half of 2023 on a 10-hectare site. Commercial production is scheduled to begin by the second quarter of 2025, with up to 16,000 tonnes of dates to be processed each year. Once operational, the partners intend for the new facility to evolve into the Middle East's leading innovation hub for food technology.

Alan Hahn, MycoTechnology CEO, commented:

"MycoTechnology is excited to be co-operating with Oman Investment Authority to build this highly innovative food oasis in the desert. It represents a breakthrough in the quest to bring food security to Oman and the wider region. This initiative will be transformative  and not just for the Middle East. We are foraging for the future, unlocking the ancient power of culinary mushrooms to feed the world's growing population with a solution that's been beneath our feet all along."

Ibrahim Al Eisri, Director of Private Equity at OIA, said:

"In our international investments at OIA, we target localizing advanced modern technologies. Our partnership with Mycotechnology will deliver substantial local benefits as we pioneer the proteins of tomorrow. It will support our mission to enhance food security, diversify the Omani economy, and create well-paying jobs in an eco-friendly new sector. This joint venture will be the foundation that enables Oman to foster a new generation of talent in the sphere of food technology, here and further afield."

Colorado-based MycoTechnology is the world's leading explorer of mycelia  the powerful but invisible mushroom 'root system'. OIA is a sovereign wealth fund located in Muscat, the capital of Oman. The new joint venture will operate as Vital Foods Technologies LLC.

For more information, contact:

Richard Clarke, Ingredient Communications

Tel: +44 (0)7766 256176 | Email: [email protected]

About MycoTechnology, Inc.

Established in 2013 and based in Aurora, Colorado, MycoTechnology creates products from mushroom mycelia that solve the biggest challenges in the food industry. The world's leading explorer of mycelia, MycoTechnology is dedicated to increasing the availability of healthy, sustainable, clean label, and high-quality food options through natural mushroom fermentation. Its product portfolio includes ClearIQ flavor, a line of transformative mushroom-derived flavor modulation tools that decrease the perception of bitter and off-notes, enable the formulation of products with higher nutrient density, and reduce salt and sugar across a broad spectrum of applications. MycoTechnology also offers FermentIQ protein, a line of plant protein products produced via a proprietary fermentation process that harnesses the power of mushroom mycelia to make plant proteins that are more functional and easier to digest, and more delicious. MycoTechnology is a team of nearly 100 employee-shareholders and continues to recruit additional colleagues to aid expansion and growth.

About Oman Investment Authority (OIA)

Oman Investment Authority (OIA) is Oman's sovereign wealth fund. It is entrusted with managing, investing, and developing the Sultanate's national and international assets. It has diverse investment portfolios both nationally and internationally, whereby it invests in over 40 countries across various sectors including food, energy, logistics, ICT, public services, finance and investment, food security, tourism, mining, industry, and aviation.

SOURCE MycoTechnology, Inc.
WASHINGTON, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Media are invited to join NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy and Representatives Ed Perlmutter, Joe Neguse and Jerry McNerney for a tour of the Westminster, Colorado-based aerospace company Advanced Space Thursday, May 5.

NASA has partnered with Advanced Space to launch a technology demonstration under the agency's Artemis program  the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE). Melroy and the representatives will see a full-size CAPSTONE model, tour the Mission Operations Control Room, and visit the company's development facilities.

CAPSTONE will test the unique lunar orbit planned for Gateway  an orbiting outpost built by NASA and its commercial and international partners to support long-term operations at the Moon.

The event will begin at 8:45 a.m. MDT at Advanced Space headquarters at 1400 W 122nd Ave., Suite 200, Westminster, Colorado. Following the tour at around 9:45 a.m., Melroy and Advanced Space leadership will be available to answer questions about CAPSTONE, NASA's Moon to Mars plans including Artemis, and Colorado's role in the agency's plans for exploration throughout the solar system.

Members of the media who wish to attend must be U.S. citizens. To participate, media should RSVP to Justin Weiss at: [email protected] at least one hour prior to the start of the event.

Melroy is visiting Colorado to discuss NASA's Moon to Mars strategy with the science community at an agency workshop and to visit industrial and academic partners in Colorado that support NASA.

CAPSTONE spacecraft is a microwave oven-sized CubeSat weighing 55 pounds and slated to launch no earlier than May 2022. The mission will help reduce risk for future spacecraft by validating its orbit and testing innovative navigation technologies.

Advanced Space owns and operates the CAPSTONE CubeSat. This technology demonstration represents an innovative collaboration between NASA and industry to provide rapid results and feedback to inform future exploration and science missions. It will also demonstrate an innovative spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation technology developed by the company through NASA's Small Business Innovation Research awards.

For more information about NASA's Moon to Mars plans, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/topics/moon-to-mars

SOURCE NASA
Mr. Gonzalez brings over 30 years of experience from such notable companies as Unilever, Molson Coors/SABMiller and Sara Lee. His success in leading positive transformations to deliver both savings and growth through supply chain improvements helped him stand out as an excellent leader to help Nature's Sunshine transform its supply chain capabilities and expand their global footprint.

"We are fortunate to have someone of Martin's caliber and deep commitment to operational excellence join our team," said Terrence Moorehead, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Taking our industry-leading supply chain to the next level will be a significant focus for us as we position our company for sustainable customer growth."

Gonzalez joins Nature's Sunshine from Bowery Farming, where he served as Vice President of Operations and Excellence and helped build vertical farms in the US. Prior to Bowery Farming, he served as Vice President Supply Chain and Operations North America for Cerelia North America (formerly Sara Lee), where he implemented a new ERP, optimized the network footprint and delivered significant savings through supply chain improvements. Gonzalez also held numerous leadership roles over nine years at Molson Coors/SABMiller where he led end-to-end operations across Peru, Canada and the U.S. He spent the first 15 years of his career in various global positions at Unilever.

Mr. Gonzalez holds a Global MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Universidad de Los Andes in Bogota, Colombia.

"I am honored to be a part of a company with such a tremendous history and global footprint," said Gonzalez, "and I'm excited to be a part of its ongoing transformation and to reimagine our operations through a world class supply chain."

Gonzalez will report directly to the CEO in his new role and will serve as a member of the Company's Executive Committee.

About Nature's Sunshine

Nature's Sunshine Products (NATR), a leading natural health and wellness company, markets and distributes nutritional and personal care products in more than 40 countries. Nature's Sunshine manufactures its products at its state-of-the-art facilities to ensure its products continue to set the standard for the highest quality, safety, and efficacy on the market today. Additional information about the Company can be obtained at its website, www.naturessunshine.com.

Contact:

Porter Novelli

Alina Freeman

[email protected]

216-327-0320

SOURCE Natures Sunshine Products
~ The lawsuit comes weeks before New York's highest court will hear arguments in support of an elephant's right to liberty in an already historic Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) case ~

~ In April, the zoo was named one of The 10 Worst Zoos For Elephants in North America ~

SAN FRANCISCO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) has filed a habeas corpus petition in the San Francisco Superior Court demanding the right to liberty and release to sanctuary of three elephants held in captivity at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo in California.

Last month, In Defense of Animals named the Fresno Chaffee Zoo one of The 10 Worst Zoos for Elephants in North America .

The NhRP is initially requesting an Order to Show Cause under the state's common law of habeas corpusin other words, for the San Francisco Superior Court to require the Fresno Chaffee Zoo to come before the Court to attempt to justify the continued imprisonment of elephants Nolwazi, Amahle, and Vusmusi . The NhRP has secured the world's first such orders on behalf of nonhuman animals in its New York chimpanzee and elephant cases.

Seven of the world's most renowned elephant scientists with expertise on elephant cognition, including Dr. Joyce Poole and Dr. Keith Lindsay , have submitted affidavits in support of the NhRP's habeas petition, which brings together centuries of case law including landmark common law and civil rights cases, the science of elephant cognition, the origin of legal rights, judicial rulings from outside the US that have granted rights to nonhuman animals, and ethical arguments against elephant captivity.

"This lawsuit is as much about the suffering of our clients, who need and deserve to live freely, as it is ensuring we continue to expandas a matter of justice and rightly evolving social normswho counts as a rights-holder," said NhRP attorney Jake Davis, who will argue the case on behalf of the NhRP.

Nolwazi is a female African elephant believed to be 27 years old . She was born in Hlane National Park in eSwatini (formerly known as Swaziland). Amahle is a female African elephant believed to be 12 years old . She is Nolwazi's daughter and was also born in Hlane National Park. Nolwazi and Amahle were among 39 elephants who roamed approximately 12,000 acres of the 54,000-acre park. In 2016, they and 15 other elephants, most of them breeding-age females, were taken from their natural habitat and imported to US zoosa highly controversial arrangement which Charles Siebert detailed in a 2019 investigative essay for The New York Times Magazine.

Vusmusi (also known as Moose and Musi) is an 18-year-old male African elephant . He was born in the San Diego Zoo Safari Park to an elephant named Ndulamitsi , who was pregnant with him when she was imported to the US from eSwatini in 2003, also despite global public outcry and with zoo and eSwatini officials making the same claims about the elephants needing to be killed otherwise.

The elephant exhibit is approximately four acres and located across from a nightclub and restaurants surrounded by major transportation arteries and railways. When the handers are off duty or it's too cold outside, the elephants are further confined in a largely concrete barn. In Defense of Animals based its assessment of the Fresno Chaffee Zoo in part on the fact that three of the elephants in its custody died prematurely in a relatively short period of time. NhRP affiant Keith Lindsay sees these deaths as "indicative of a poor husbandry record" at the zoo.

The Fresno Chaffee Zoo's "imprisonment of Nolwazi, Amahle, and Vusmusi violates their common law right to bodily liberty protected by habeas corpus and is therefore unlawful because it deprives the elephants of their ability to meaningfully exercise their autonomy and extraordinary cognitive complexity, including the freedom to choose where to go, what to do, and with whom to be," the NhRP writes in its petition. "Whether Respondents are in compliance with animal welfare statutes is irrelevant to the lawfulness of the elephants' imprisonment as none of those statutes address the right to bodily liberty."

While the zoo is in Fresno, the San Francisco Superior Court is free to consider habeas corpus cases filed anywhere in the state under California law. The Court must issue an order to show cause or deny the petition within 60 days of the filing date or, of its own volition, extend the deadline for a decision.

The NhRP is the only civil rights organization in the US dedicated solely to securing rights for nonhuman animals. The Atlantic has called the NhRP's ongoing litigation to free an elephant named Happy from the Bronx Zoo to a sanctuary "the most important animal-rights case of the 21st century." On May 18th, 2022 , New York's highest court will hear the NhRP's arguments in support of Happy's right to liberty.

"We're excited to be bringing the fight for nonhuman animal rights to Californiaa state with a powerful history of protecting the vulnerable and disenfranchised at a time when the issue of nonhuman animals' legal status is part of a broader public conversation to an extent it's never been before," Davis said. "Judges are beginning to rigorously consider nonhuman rights for the first timein some cases, ruling boldly to recognize nonhuman animals as rights-holders. We believe it's time for the California courts to consider the Fresno Chaffee Zoo elephants' fundamental right to liberty."

CASE NO: CPF-22-517751

About the Nonhuman Rights Project

The Nonhuman Rights Project is the only civil rights organization in the United States working through litigation, legislation, and education to secure fundamental rights for nonhuman animals.

SOURCE Nonhuman Rights Project
The Cutting Edge Mobile App Allows Users to Pilot Real-time Animated Characters Using Their Facial Expressions & Brings NFTs to Life in a Unique Way for the First Time Ever

LOS ANGELES, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- immi, the only real-time animation platform making full-body 3D cinema-quality characters and facial tracking technology accessible to anyone, anywhere, officially launches today in the App Store and announces strategic investments from Paris Hilton's 11:11 Media, billionaire business leader and Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, life and business strategist Tony Robbins, worldwide sensation Pitbull, Grammy-nominated artist Steve Aoki, and NFT investor GMoney. For the first time, casual creators will have the ability to make animated content using only their facial expressions, democratizing animation by allowing anyone to create fun feature film-quality clips that can be shared instantly and leading a new era of content creation. Additionally, immi exclusively offers select users the opportunity to bring their NFT's to life in a way that has never been done before.

Using the app is like having your own animation studio in your pocket, enabling casual creators to pilot one-of-a-kind characters that convey emotion, tell stories, and embody personality and flair. "immi's groundbreaking technology provides an opportunity for casual creators to freely express themselves, piloting studio-quality animated characters through their iPhone in real time," said Josh Jenkins-Robbins, CEO and co-founder of immi. "Users can step into unique and lively personas across numerous character genres that rival the likes of Pixar. immi sparks creativity, joy and fun while allowing users to become whoever they want to be."

immi encourages self expression through a form of digital cosplay while connecting character fanatics and animation lovers worldwide. Through augmented reality tools, immi users can place their animated personas wherever they wish as vehicles for communication on their preferred social media channel, in the metaverse, or just for fun adding an elevated, unexpected twist to content creation.

At launch, immi will offer nine character genres, including two free characters per genre such as the highly-coveted Bored Ape #1398 NFT, a fearless superhero, an anime rebel, and the "Karen" we all know and love. Over time, immi plans to bring thousands of characters into the app including its own original IP, licensed IP from gaming and movie studios, as well as animated versions of popular NFT's. Later this summer, immi will be the first to launch an entire genre of characters as unique NFT's, bringing a level of utility that has been missing in the space.

"I love how immi puts the power of creativity in the hands of creators and brings such unique utility to NFTs," said Paris Hilton, co-founder of 11:11 Media.

Through immi's exclusive, advanced animation capabilities, select NFT holders will be able to bring unrivaled utility to their own NFT's for the first time ever. Starting with Bored Ape Yacht Club and My Pet Hooligan projects, a premiere group of NFT owners can now pilot their beloved NFT and bring it to life, as demonstrated by the immi-powered animated Bored Apes of Paris Hilton, Mark Cuban, Snoop Dogg, Jimmy Fallon, and GMoney.

immi is available on Face ID enabled iPhones (iPhone X or higher) and iPads, and can be downloaded on iOS . To learn more please visit https://immi.io .

About immi

immi exists to inspire self-expression through animation. For casual creators and character fanatics who want to experience the fun, joy, and freedom of being anyone they want to be, immi, through empowering self-expression, is the only real-time animation platform making full-body 3D cinema-quality characters and facial tracking technology accessible to anyone, anywhere. Unlike any other real-time animation platform, we believe animation has power, creativity ignites connection, and when we fully express ourselves, we bring more to life. Our team is comprised of tech veterans (from places like Twitter and SNAP) and former entertainment executives who are committed to infusing joy and fun into the world. AMGI Studios, immi's strategic partners, are comprised of the highest caliber animators who have walked the halls of Pixar, Disney and Dreamworks, and are reshaping the landscape of animated content through powerful storytelling for generations to come. With our cutting edge technology and creation of extraordinary characters, together we are immi. Where imagination meets animation.

SOURCE immi
Optimal seeding rate is hybrid specific and environment dependent. Depending on agronomic characteristics, the grain yield potential of some corn hybrids is more easily influenced by increasing seeding rate.

"When determining the optimum seeding rate, it's important to consider things like the hybrid's ear type," said Bernhard. "Hybrids that exhibit ear flex tend to produce a larger ear at lower planting populations and a smaller ear at higher populations, while fixed ear hybrids produce the same number of kernels per ear, regardless of population."

Golden Harvest offers a couple hybrids that are a good choice for farmers looking to increase seeding rate to maximize yield potential, including Golden Harvest corn hybrid G10D21.

"This hybrid retains ear size with increased seeding rates, making it extremely responsive to higher populations in high-yield environments," said Bernhard. "However, it also maintains yield potential in lower-yield environments at average seeding rates, as it frequently produces a second harvestable ear."

Selecting the appropriate seeding rate for each hybrid's agronomic characteristics is crucial to helping achieve high yield potential in corn production.

Precisely place fertilizer

Precision fertilizer placement provides available nutrients close to the plant. The use of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen helps corn plants develop strong roots, stems and foliage to increase corn yield potential.

Systems for precision fertilizer application include planter-applied fertilizer, banded fertilizer and strip-tilled fertilizer. Differing from broadcast applications, which increase the fertilizer rate, precision fertilizer application works best by concentrating the same or reduced fertilizer rate in a more concentrated area near the plant.

There are a few Golden Harvest corn hybrids that respond well to precision fertilizer applications.

"I would describe Golden Harvest corn hybrid G14N11 as a management-driven hybrid," said Bernhard. "This hybrid consistently responded better to banded and planter-applied fertilizer applications than other hybrids in trials throughout 2019 to 2021. Similar results were seen with Golden Harvest corn hybrid G15J91: Planter-applied fertilizer increased yield by 40 bushels per acre (bu/A) at our Slater, Iowa, trial site in 2021."

Proper fertilizer placement can increase late-season standability to ultimately increase yield potential in farmers' fields.

Apply fungicide to maximize return on investment

Fungicide applications can prevent plant diseases like tar spot, Southern rust and gray leaf spot from developing, while also helping suppress disease pressure that may already be present in a field.

"But the right fungicide can do even more for your corn plant health than prevent disease," explained Wilkens. "Fungicide applications can also lead to increased standability and stay-green, which prolongs photosynthesis and can boost yield potential."

In trials, Golden Harvest corn hybrid G11V76 consistently showed a large response to fungicide applications in both high and low disease environments. Across 14 trials, most of which had low disease pressure, the hybrid averaged a 12 bu/A yield response to fungicide.

Golden Harvest corn hybrid G14N11 also saw significant improvement in yield and late-season plant health from fungicide applications in high and low disease environments. Yield response to fungicide applications averaged 10 bu/A across 22 research trials for this hybrid.

"Providing research insights on hybrid response to different management systems is one of the ways Golden Harvest shows its commitment to our farmers," said Wilkens. "Farmers can connect with their local Golden Harvest Seed Advisor for more recommendations to maximize corn yield potential this growing season."

For more considerations as farmers get deeper into the 2022 growing season, Golden Harvest offers a library of agronomy articles with actionable data and local insights to help manage fields for maximum yield potential. The Agronomy in Action 2022 Research Review also gives access to more insights and recommendations pertinent to your field.

To find better solutions for your corn and soybean acres, contact a Golden Harvest Seed Advisor at GoldenHarvestSeeds.com.

About Golden Harvest

Golden Harvest Seeds has been working with and listening to farmers with intention since 1973, offering in-depth seeds expertise combined with the local agronomic know-how of an independent Golden Harvest Seed Advisor to help identify custom solutions for every corn and soybean acre. Today, each Golden Harvest hybrid or variety is bred with the individual needs of hardworking farmers in mind. Golden Harvest corn hybrids feature elite genetics with proven performance and the most complete above- and below-ground insect control solutions with the Agrisure Duracade and Agrisure Viptera trait stacks. Golden Harvest soybean varieties include the industry's broadest trait choice and exclusive genetics that set a new standard for performance and yield potential.

Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GldnHarvest, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/goldenharvestseeds/ and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GldnHarvest.

The content of this release is for information purposes only. This release is not, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell or issue or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or other property interests.

Web Resources:

Golden Harvest

E-Luminate

Golden Harvest Agronomy Articles

Agronomy in Action sites

Newsroom

Thrive

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This document may contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by terminology such as 'expect', 'would', 'will', 'potential', 'plans', 'prospects', 'estimated', 'aiming', 'on track' and similar expressions. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from these statements. For Syngenta, such risks and uncertainties include risks relating to legal proceedings, regulatory approvals, new product development, increasing competition, customer credit risk, general economic and market conditions, compliance and remediation, intellectual property rights, implementation of organizational changes, impairment of intangible assets, consumer perceptions of genetically modified crops and organisms or crop protection chemicals, climatic variations, fluctuations in exchange rates and/or commodity prices, single source supply arrangements, political uncertainty, natural disasters, and breaches of data security or other disruptions of information technology. Syngenta assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changed assumptions or other factors.

All photos are either the property of Syngenta or are used with permission.

Product performance assumes disease presence.

 2022 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label and bag tag instructions; only those labeled as tolerant to glufosinate may be sprayed with glufosinate ammonium-based herbicides. LibertyLink, Liberty and the Water Droplet logo are registered trademarks of BASF. HERCULEX and the HERCULEX Shield are trademarks of Corteva Agriscience LLC. HERCULEX Insect Protection technology by Corteva Agriscience LLC. Under federal and local laws, only dicamba-containing herbicides registered for use on dicamba-tolerant varieties may be applied. See product labels for details and tank mix partners. Golden Harvest and NK soybean varieties are protected under granted or pending U.S. variety patents and other intellectual property rights, regardless of the trait(s) within the seed. The Enlist E3 soybean, LibertyLink, LibertyLink GT27, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend, Roundup Ready 2 Yield and XtendFlex soybean traits may be protected under numerous United States patents. It is unlawful to save soybeans containing these traits for planting or transfer to others for use as a planting seed. Only dicamba formulations that employ VaporGrip Technology are approved for use with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend and XtendFlex soybeans. Only 2,4-D choline formulations with Colex-D Technology are approved for use with Enlist E3 soybeans. The trademarks or service marks displayed or otherwise used herein are the property of a Syngenta Group Company. ENLIST E3 soybean technology is jointly developed with Corteva Agriscience LLC and M.S. Technologies, L.L.C. The ENLIST trait and ENLIST Weed Control System are technologies owned and developed by Corteva Agriscience LLC. ENLIST and ENLIST E3 are trademarks of Corteva Agriscience LLC. GT27 is a trademark of M.S. Technologies, L.L.C. and BASF. Roundup Ready 2 Xtend, Roundup Ready 2 Yield, XtendFlex and YieldGard VT Pro are registered trademarks used under license from the Bayer Group. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. More information about Syngenta corn traits is available at http://www.biotradestatus.com/.

SOURCE Golden Harvest
With Six Promotions and Two Senior Advisor Hires on the Portfolio Services Team, Norwest Expands Strategic Leadership to Support Portfolio Companies

PALO ALTO, Calif., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Norwest Venture Partners , a leading venture capital and growth equity investment firm, today announced that it named Lisa Ames as the firm's first chief marketing officer and principal. Ames joins Norwest's Portfolio Services organization, which offers founders and their teams comprehensive advisory services, a vibrant community, and a range of impactful resources to help companies grow and thrive. Working closely with the firm's investors, Norwest's Portfolio Services provides access to advice, resources and collaborative support in the areas of greatest value to today's companies.

In addition to appointing Ames as CMO, the firm announced six promotions and two advisory team hires on the Portfolio Services team across critical functions including talent acquisition; people advisory; M&A and capital markets; environmental, social and governance (ESG); and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

"Norwest prides itself on providing holistic support to our founders, CEOs and executives. Whether we're partnering with our companies to build and retain a team, establish a strong culture, launch or expand into new markets, or prepare for an IPO, we are dedicated to helping them succeed at every stage of their journey," said Katie Belding, partner at Norwest, who spearheaded and leads the firm's Portfolio Services team. "Adding Lisa Ames as our first CMO and promoting several key leaders on the Portfolio Services team underscores Norwest's ongoing commitment to delivering strategic value and meaningful connections to our portfolio companies."

Ames brings more than 20 years of B2B marketing experience to Norwest, where she leads the firm's brand strategy and collaborates with portfolio company leaders to help optimize and scale their businesses for growth. She served as an operating executive with Norwest for the past two years and is continuing in that role in addition to her CMO responsibilities. Prior to joining Norwest, she was vice president of Marketing at Lucidworks and has held leadership roles at VC-backed B2B SaaS companies, including Demandbase and Castlight Health. As a certified Account-Based Marketing (ABM) expert, Ames was a frequent speaker on ABM best practices while at Demandbase.

"As we interviewed our founders and CEOs to better understand Norwest's value proposition, three significant themes were echoed back to us: Our portfolio leaders rely on Norwest for support in building their teams and culture, activating their brands and taking them to market, and maximizing their valuations," said Ames. "These insights motivated us to increase our investment in the Portfolio Services team, reflected in today's promotions and important additions to our ESG and DEI senior advisory team, as well as the creation of our first chief marketing officer position, which I'm honored to hold."

Ames will also continue to advance Norwest's ESG and DEI initiatives in partnership with the firm's senior advisors, investors and portfolio services team. As one of the prominent leaders on Norwest's ESG and DEI steering committee, she helps Norwest execute on programs related to these initiatives while partnering with the portfolio services team to educate companies on how to develop their own best practices.

Norwest also recently promoted six key members of the Portfolio Services team:

Laura Boyd , principal, head of M&A and Capital Markets  Boyd provides M&A, capital markets, debt and private capital advisory support for Norwest's portfolio companies. Previously she was an investment banker at Harris Williams, Morgan Keegan and UBS, focused on technology and consumer M&A, private placements and structured derivative financings.

 Boyd provides M&A, capital markets, debt and private capital advisory support for Norwest's portfolio companies. Previously she was an investment banker at Harris Williams, and UBS, focused on technology and consumer M&A, private placements and structured derivative financings. Laurie Tennant , principal, People Advisory  Tennant advises portfolio company leaders on people management practices and programs; people operations and team infrastructure; policies and compliance; as well as facilitates sharing and learning opportunities for our community of people leaders. She brings more than 20 years of experience in HR leadership at startups and large companies.

 Tennant advises portfolio company leaders on people management practices and programs; people operations and team infrastructure; policies and compliance; as well as facilitates sharing and learning opportunities for our community of people leaders. She brings more than 20 years of experience in HR leadership at startups and large companies. Teri McFadden , principal, Talent  McFadden co-leads Norwest's Talent team and drives growth for enterprise portfolio companies by helping them build world-class management teams and boards of directors. She also adds tremendous value to the portfolio with her compensation advisory work across all sectors. She was previously human capital partner at ComVentures and a senior recruiting partner at Accel Partners.

 McFadden co-leads Norwest's Talent team and drives growth for enterprise portfolio companies by helping them build world-class management teams and boards of directors. She also adds tremendous value to the portfolio with her compensation advisory work across all sectors. She was previously human capital partner at ComVentures and a senior recruiting partner at Accel Partners. Kris Snodgrass , principal, Talent  Snodgrass co-leads Norwest's Talent team and specializes in board, advisor and executive leadership placements for Norwest's consumer companies. She leverages more than a decade of retained executive search experience recruiting VP- and C-level executives, previously as a principal at Howard Fischer Associates, Bialla & Associates and Heidrick & Struggles.

 Snodgrass co-leads Norwest's Talent team and specializes in board, advisor and executive leadership placements for Norwest's consumer companies. She leverages more than a decade of retained executive search experience recruiting VP- and C-level executives, previously as a principal at Howard Fischer Associates, Bialla & Associates and Heidrick & Struggles. Lauren Heller , vice president, Talent  Heller works closely with Norwest's healthcare investment team and its portfolio companies on strategic hiring and talent searches. Previously she served as chief of staff to the CEO of Caremore Health and was a director at Oxeon Partners, where she partnered with innovative, early-stage healthcare IT and services clients to build high-performing executive teams.

 Heller works closely with Norwest's healthcare investment team and its portfolio companies on strategic hiring and talent searches. Previously she served as chief of staff to the CEO of Caremore Health and was a director at Oxeon Partners, where she partnered with innovative, early-stage healthcare IT and services clients to build high-performing executive teams. Julia Noellert , vice president, Talent  Noellert supports the Norwest Growth Equity team and its wide-ranging portfolio with talent and retention expertise. She brings extensive experience recruiting executives across finance and operations from her previous role at Robert Walters, where she partnered with executive teams and founders to drive pivotal searches at early- and late-stage startups.

The firm also strengthened its commitment to ESG and DEI with recent additions to its advisory team:

Shu Dar Yao , senior advisor, ESG  Yao educates and guides Norwest and its portfolio companies on strategic ESG initiatives, including climate change, social inequality, and related risks and opportunities. She is the founder and managing partner of Lucid Capitalism and brings 20 years of ESG and impact investing expertise.

 Yao educates and guides Norwest and its portfolio companies on strategic ESG initiatives, including climate change, social inequality, and related risks and opportunities. She is the founder and managing partner of Lucid Capitalism and brings 20 years of ESG and impact investing expertise. Rachel Williams , senior advisor, DEI  Williams educates and guides the firm and its portfolio companies on diversity and inclusion strategies and best practices. She currently serves as the chief diversity and inclusion officer at The Motley Fool, where she applies her expertise on recruiting, leadership development, employee engagement and retention. Williams was previously the head of DEI at X, the moonshot factory at Alphabet.

About Norwest Venture Partners

Norwest is a leading venture and growth equity investment firm managing more than $12.5 billion in capital. Since its inception, Norwest has invested in more than 650 companies and currently partners with more than 200 companies in its venture and growth equity portfolio. The firm invests in early- to late-stage businesses across a wide range of sectors with a focus on consumer, enterprise and healthcare. The Norwest team offers a deep network of connections, operating experience, and a wide range of impactful services to help CEOs and founders scale their businesses. Norwest has offices in Palo Alto and San Francisco, with subsidiaries in India and Israel. For more information, please visit www.nvp.com . Follow Norwest on Twitter @NorwestVP .

All brands, names or trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Norwest Venture Partners
connectRN introduces "NursesWeakGifts" campaign as new data reveals 63% of nurses say the ways in which employers show their appreciation feel patronizing

WALTHAM, Mass., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nurses save lives. And how do they get recognized, celebrated, and thanked by their employers during Nurses Week? With a lollipop ("for days that suck") and pet rocks (with the words "you rock").

No joke. These are just some of the real gifts nurses have received from their employers at medical facilities they work for. So much so that nurses now wait for Nurses Week to post memes about their employer gift fails.

connectRN connectRN connectRN

It comes as a new OnePoll survey from connectRN, the leading platform that connects the nursing community with flexible work opportunities and to each other to build a supportive and thriving network reveals that the majority of nurses - 63% - in America say the typical ways in which employers show their appreciation feel patronizing.

That's why, this annual National Nurses' Week, connectRN is launching NursesWeakGifts a vow to exchange weak gifts with proper presents.

Through a series of videos that highlight common Nurses Week gift fails, connectRN encourages nurses to share a photo of their most ridiculous employer gifts on social media and tag connectRN. If they're among the first 1,200 to submit, they'll receive thoughtful appreciation from connectRN, including gift boxes of scented candles, gourmet chocolates, and tea and mugs.

"We launched NursesWeakGifts to make the point that two years into the pandemic, nurses are working harder than ever and feeling underappreciated," said connectRN CEO Ted Jeanloz. "Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system, which would collapse without them. We at connectRN believe Nurses Week is a time to show nurses how much we appreciate them and remind employers out there to take a beat and think about a thoughtful way to acknowledge their hard work."

Over 50% of nurses intend to leave their profession. Enter connectRN, a platform of 200,000 nurses that allows them to stay in the profession they love by connecting them to flexible work shifts that meet their needs and schedules, as well as offering them a community of support.

Almost nine in ten nurses believe that nobody understands the work they do, according to connectRN/OnePoll's survey of 1,000 about how they're perceived in their profession and by the public. Meanwhile, a whopping 83% feel under-recognized for their work and 63% feel like nurses aren't seen as "human" by patients and doctors.

However, the pandemic has had a positive impact on public perception of nurses. Prior to the pandemic, 55% said they were portrayed positively by the media. This has since climbed to 63% now. Nurses still love what they do  66% describing the work as rewarding and 41% saying it's joyful  and now is the time for employers to show them appreciation and recognition in a genuine and thoughtful way.

More information about connectRN's NursesWeakGifts campaign can be found at nursesweakgifts.com.

About connectRN:

connectRN is the leading nurse-centric platform that is reinventing the way nurses and other healthcare professionals are finding work. By leveraging technology, connectRN connects the nursing community to flexible work opportunities and each other to build a supportive and thriving network. The platform offers career development resources and flexible shift offerings for nurses, while alleviating staffing shortages at healthcare facilities. connectRN is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts and serves clinicians across the U.S. To learn more about connectRN, please please visit www.connectrn.com.

Media Contact:

Brittany Gbur

646-650-5003

[email protected]

SOURCE connectRN
ATLANTA, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Oakbridge Insurance Agency LLC is pleased to announce that Scott Kiser has joined the company as senior vice president, private client group practice leader. Kiser is an accomplished Property & Casualty leader, with 28 years' experience cultivating profitable business growth with brokers and agency networks throughout the Southeast.

Scott Kiser

In his new role, Kiser will be dedicated to growing Oakbridge's personal lines, advancing market relationships and enhancing service capabilities through leadership, employee development and training, and strategic planning and outreach.

"We are very excited to have Scott join as the newest member of Oakbridge's leadership team. Scott is a crucial hire who will help cast the vision for our growing personal lines division, an incredibly important offering for our clients that we hope to expand in the months ahead," said Oakbridge COO Michael Dollar. "Scott's strategic thinking ability, communication skills and team building experience will be a welcome addition to the senior management team."

Prior to joining Oakbridge, Kiser led the Southeast region's sales and marketing efforts for Donegal Insurance Group, where he held progressively responsible positions as personal lines underwriter, senior territory sales manager, southeast region sales manager, and assistant vice president. In these roles, he grew the Southeast region's total written premium from $44M to $110M and helped to develop an incentive plan for territory sales managers companywide.

"I am excited to lead and expand Oakbridge's high-performing personal lines division," Kiser said. "I look forward to working with the talented and consummate professionals at Oakbridge to enhance recognition and adoption of the agency's personal lines offerings throughout the Southeast."

Kiser received his bachelor's degree in business administration, with a concentration in risk management and insurance, from the University of Georgia.

About Oakbridge Insurance Agency LLC

Founded in 2020 through the merger of four leading insurance and risk management firms in the Southeast, Oakbridge Insurance Agency LLC is a rapidly growing partnership model for firms seeking accelerated growth, access to capital and an expanded suite of resources with which to serve clients. Ranked a "Top 100" insurance brokerage by Business Insurance and Insurance Journal magazines, Oakbridge is now one of the largest privately owned insurance, risk management, and employee benefits agencies in the region. The agency has specific experience in the agriculture, bond/surety, construction, financial, health care, manufacturing, municipalities, non-profit, senior living, and transportation industries. Learn more: www.oakbridgeinsurance.com.

Contact: Christen Engel

Poston Communications

(404) 875-3400

[email protected]

SOURCE Oakbridge Insurance
WAPATO, Wash., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pace International, a leading provider of sustainable postharvest solutions and technologies for the fresh produce industry, is hosting its 10th Annual Postharvest Academy May 4, 2022, at the Suncadia Resort in Roslyn, Wash. The customer-exclusive event brings together industry thought leaders to learn about the latest research, innovations, and services in postharvest.

"The annual opportunity to invite our customers to come together and learn the newest and latest innovations and technologies offered in postharvest is a privilege of ours and one we greatly look forward to," said Jorge Gotuzzo, Sr. Global Marketing Director at Pace International. "Our goal for Pace's Postharvest Academy is to continue to be the premier source of postharvest education that supports efficient and sustainable operations at our customer sites that are in sync with global market trends."

The return-to-in-person gathering features a roster of thought leadership from across the fresh produce industry. Attendee customers will hear from Jessa Allen, CAE, USApple, Vice President of Membership & Events, during the presentation, "The Voice of America's Favorite Fruit." Carolina Torres, M.S., PhD., Associate Professor Endowed Chair in Postharvest Systems, Department of Horticulture, Tree Fruit Research & Research Extension Center, Washington State University, will present on "Storage Technologies for Organic Apples." And, Trevor Suslow, Trevor Suslow Consulting, LLC, will present on "Emerging Pillars of Produce Safety Optimization."

Members of Pace International's staff will also engage attendee customers during the Postharvest Academy event. Scott Christie, Pace International, Sr. Engineering & Application Services Manager, will present "Keeping Pace with Postharvest Technology and Innovation," and Christian Aguilar, Pace International, Senior Biology Scientist, Plant Pathology, will present "Postharvest Fungicide Resistance Management" using blue mold (Penicillium expansum) of pome fruit as a case study.

About Pace International LLC

Pace International LLC is a subsidiary of Valent BioSciences LLC, a Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. business. Pace collaborates with growers, packers and agricultural organizations to develop innovative solutions to enhance, protect, and preserve fruit and vegetable quality and freshness. Pace is the leading global provider of sustainable postharvest solutions and technologies, equipment and technical services to maximize efficiencies in packing operations and increase the freshness and value of harvested crops. For more information, visit the company's website at paceint.com .

About Valent Biosciences LLC

Headquartered in Libertyville, Illinois, Valent BioSciences LLC is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. Valent BioSciences is the worldwide leader in the development, manufacturing and commercialization of biorational products, with sales in 95 countries around the world. Valent BioSciences is an ISO 9001 Certified Company. For additional information, visit the company's website at valentbiosciences.com .

SOURCE Pace International
CHICAGO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas will conduct the annual sale of delinquent property taxes from May 12  18, 2022. This Tax Sale is for delinquent property taxes from Tax Year 2019, which were due in two installments in 2020.

Approximately $175.6 million in unpaid 2019 property taxes are overdue on 37,176 properties in Cook County. The properties include homes, businesses and vacant land throughout Chicago (17,709 properties) and Cook County suburbs (19,467 properties). Less than $1,000 is owed on 19,350 properties.

Owners of these properties were sent notices via certified mail informing them that their unpaid taxes are to be auctioned, which would put a lien against their properties. However, the U.S. Postal Service has returned nearly 15,000 bills and subsequent notices.

"Many residents may be unaware that their property is eligible for the Tax Sale," Pappas said. "The majority of the taxes offered are for properties in minority communities. I started 'Black and Latino Houses Matter' to help homeowners find refunds and apply for tax exemptions."

How To Get Your Property Off The Tax Sale List:

Log on to cookcountytreasurer.com

Search for your home or other property by entering your Property Index Number

Pay any delinquent taxes and interest before May 12

Under Illinois law, the Cook County Treasurer's Office is required to put delinquent taxes, not the property itself, up for auction.

Visit cookcountytreasurer.com and click on "Avoid the Tax Sale" for more information and to see if your property is on the Tax Sale list.

SOURCE Cook County Treasurer's Office
TORONTO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Payfare Inc. ("Payfare" or the "Company") (TSX: PAY) will be hosting a conference call on Thursday, May 12, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss the Company's financial results for the first quarter of 2022. The complete financial results are expected to be released after market close on Wednesday, May 11, 2022.

A short presentation in connection with the conference call will be made available ahead of time on the Company's website at https://corp.payfare.com/investors/ . Management will also host a live question and answer session on the conference call with analysts.

To access the conference call, please dial (438) 803-0546 or (888) 440-2009. Please call the conference telephone number 10-15 minutes prior to the start time so that you are in the queue for an operator to assist in registering and patching you through.

An archived recording of the conference call will be available until May 20, 2022. To listen to the recording, call 647-362-9199 or 1-800-770-2030 and enter passcode 2151054.

About Payfare

Payfare is a global financial technology company powering digital banking and instant payment solutions for today's gig workforce. Payfare partners with leading platforms and marketplaces, such as Uber, Lyft and DoorDash, to provide financial health for their workforce.

For further information please visit www.payfare.com or contact:

Cihan Tuncay, Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Development

1 (888) 850-2713

[email protected]

SOURCE Payfare
MYSTIC, Conn., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- International pet communicator Nancy Mello celebrates National Pet Week from May 1-7. Mello is offering a free live question and answer to the general public on Friday, May 6, on Instagram Live at 7 pm EST. If you can't wait until then, Mello offers tips and tricks to get those tails wagging, ears up, and those noses moving for all your four and two-legged friends.

Nancy Mello acclaimed Animal Communicator

Nancy has communicated with animals since she was a little girl on her family's farm in Northern California. Nancy works with pets all over the world virtually from her home base in Mystic, CT She explains that increasing your pet's happiness will depend on a variety of factors, from the type of pet they are to where the pet came from before you gave them a home.

"A happy pet is more than just understanding your type of pet- whether cat, dog, lizard, rabbit, Guinea pig, etc.," Mello explains. "It also depends on where your pet lived before. Did they come from a pet store? A rescue? Were they fully weaned from their mother? How many homes has your pet had? Every answer gives you a glimpse into your pet's personality." The animal communicator continued, "This will lead them to enjoy certain things more than others. A dog that has been in a shelter for a long time may be wary of loud noises and be happier in quieter environments. A parrot with multiple owners may be less trusting and find happiness in one person."

So what can you do daily to increase your pet's happiness level regardless of background or personality? "Talk to them," Mello advises. "Speak to them like they are a toddler. Ask them how they slept or how their day has gone. Before you leave, explain how long you will be gone. They might not understand every word, but they will understand the connotation."

Like with people, the happiness of a pet will vary from day to day. What should you be on the lookout for to see if your pet is in a bad mood? "A cat's ears back is always a sure sign your cat isn't happy," Mello explains. "A dog will have their tail down and possibly try to hide." Even hamsters and Guinea Pigs will show you signs. "They will burrow or stay in the corner of their enclosure." Nancy reasons.

If you want insight into what makes your pet happy, plan on attending the free live question and answer on Instagram at 7 pm EST/4 pm PST this Friday, May 6.

To learn more about Nancy Mello and animal communication, visit nancymello.com. You may also follow her on Tik Tok, Instagram, or Facebook.

Media Contact:

Nancy Mello

[email protected]

860-829-9444

SOURCE Nancy Mello
Access our detailed report with exhibits on "Pet Insurance Market by Geography and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026". View our Report Snapshot

Market Driver and Challenge

The rising pet population is driving the growth of the market. In the US, around two-thirds of households have at least one pet. Other countries such as China, India, and Brazil are also witnessing an increase in pet population. According to a study on the psychology of pet owners, the majority of pet owners believe that their pets have a positive impact on their physical and mental health, which has resulted in a growing market for pets. This connection with their pets has encouraged three out of four pet owners to take pet insurance for their pets. Therefore, pet insurance providers are taking into consideration the growing population of pets worldwide to broaden their portfolios and develop pet-specific insurances. Thus, the rising pet population is expected to contribute to the growth of the global pet insurance market in the upcoming years.

The low adoption in developing countries will challenge the pet insurance market during the forecast period. Countries in APAC, such as India, Sri Lanka, China, Indonesia, and the Philippines, do not have such strict regulations regarding the safety of pets. Governments in these countries mainly focus on the safety of endangered species. This lack of attention toward pets' safety discourages pet owners from keeping pets or adopting pet insurance.

Major Pet Insurance Companies:

Agria Pet Insurance Ltd

Anicom Holdings Inc.

Dotsure Ltd.

Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd.

Hollard Insurance Co. Ltd

JAB Holding Co. Sarl

Oneplan Underwriting Managers (Pty) Ltd

Petplan Iberica S.L.

Porto Seguro Companhia de Seguros Gerais

WHITE MOUNTAINS INSURANCE GROUP LTD

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Pet Insurance Market Geography Outlook (Revenue, USD bn, 2021-2026)

North America - size and forecast 2021-2026

- size and forecast 2021-2026 Europe - size and forecast 2021-2026

- size and forecast 2021-2026 APAC - size and forecast 2021-2026

South America - size and forecast 2021-2026

- size and forecast 2021-2026 MEA - size and forecast 2021-2026

Do you want to learn about the contribution of each segment of the market? View an Exclusive Sample Report

Regional Analysis

North America will have significant market share growth during the forecast period. The increasing pet insurance, high pet ownership, and technological developments in the diagnostics field will drive the pet insurance market growth in North America during the forecast period. Market growth in North America will be faster than the growth of the market in other regions. The US is the key market for pet insurance in North America.

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Pet Insurance Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 27.11% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 12.05 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 26.15 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA Performing market contribution North America at 59% Key consumer countries US, China, UK, France, and Germany Competitive landscape Leading companies, Competitive strategies, Consumer engagement scope Key companies profiled Agria Pet Insurance Ltd, Anicom Holdings Inc., Dotsure Ltd., Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd., Hollard Insurance Co. Ltd, JAB Holding Co. Sarl, Oneplan Underwriting Managers (Pty) Ltd, Petplan Iberica S.L., Porto Seguro Companhia de Seguros Gerais, and WHITE MOUNTAINS INSURANCE GROUP LTD Market dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, Market condition analysis for the forecast period Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2021

Market outlook: Forecast for 2021 - 2026

Five Forces Analysis

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Pet type

Market segments

Comparison by Pet type

Dogs - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Cats - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Market opportunity by Pet type

Customer landscape

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 MEA - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Agria Pet Insurance Ltd

Anicom Holdings Inc.

Dotsure Ltd.

Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd.

Hollard Insurance Co. Ltd

JAB Holding Co. Sarl

Oneplan Underwriting Managers (Pty) Ltd

Petplan Iberica S.L.

Porto Seguro Companhia de Seguros Gerais

WHITE MOUNTAINS INSURANCE GROUP LTD

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Petuum's customers have seen improvements of 50% or more in time to value and productivity of ML team and resources. Tweet this

Petuum helps enterprise AI/ML teams operationalize and scale their machine learning pipelines to production with the world's first composable platform for MLOps. After years of development at CMU, Berkeley, and Stanford, as well as dozens of customer engagements in finance, healthcare, energy, and heavy industry, Petuum announced a limited release of their platform through an exclusive private beta for select customers.

"We have spent the last five years working with customers on the hard problems in MLOps, and have learned how to multiply AI team productivity through extensive research. The Petuum Platform helps AI teams do more with less."  Aurick Qiao, CEO

Petuum's enterprise MLOps platform is built around principles of composability, openness, and infinite extensibility. With universal standards for data, pipelines, and infrastructure, AI applications can be built from reusable building blocks and managed as part of a repeatable assembly-line process. Petuum's users don't need to worry about infrastructure or DevOps expertise, glue code, or tuning, and can instead focus on rapidly deploying more projects in less time, with less resources, and with less help from others.

"In training alone, we have seen 3 to 8 times greater time to value. Infrastructure orchestration and Pythonic deployment system are easy enough for a data scientist to use."  Tong Wen, Director of Engineering

The end-to-end platform includes the AI OS with low/no-code Kubernetes optimized for AI. Universal Pipelines allow low-expertise users to compose and execute DAGs with modular DataPacks for any kind of data. The low/no-code Deployment Manager can upgrade, reuse, and reconfigure pipelines in production with observability and user management. The platform also hosts a revolutionary experiment manager for amortized autotuning and optimizing pipelines of models and systems.

Petuum's award-winning team has grown out of the CASL open source consortium and comprises thought leaders across all categories of machine learning operations. Petuum's customers have seen improvements of 50% or more in time to value and productivity of ML team and resources. These unparalleled efficiencies only increase with scale.

"This is the Petuum omniverse. With Petuum AI OS you can wrap up anything and everything, as long as it runs with Docker and normal compute systems. In that sense, you not only have this graph system, you also want to standardize all of your pipelines."  Guowei He, Inception Institute of Artificial Intelligence

To learn how your team can rapidly #ScaleMLOps apply for the free private beta at petuum.com or email [email protected] .

About the Speakers

Aurick Qiao is the Chief Executive Officer at Petuum. Aurick received his PhD from Carnegie Mellon University, where he researched distributed machine learning systems. His work on elastic scheduling for deep learning training recently won the Jay Lepreau Best Paper Award at OSDI 2021. Together with his experience at top technology companies such as Microsoft, Facebook, and Dropbox, Aurick is building products to support the next generation of AI/ML operations.

Tong Wen is an Architect and Director of Engineering at Petuum. Tong joined Petuum from Microsoft where he was a member of the founding team of Azure Machine Learning. Tong has 10+ years of experience in building innovative and high-impact AI/ML and HPC platforms with a proven track record. Before his first startup experience in 2008, Tong was a researcher in computational science and engineering at IBM Research and Lawrence Berkley National Lab. He holds a PhD degree in applied mathematics from MIT.

Follow Petuum for News and Updates

LinkedIn

Twitter

GitHub

Medium

SOURCE Petuum
Insurance and technology industry experts join Pie to support the insurtech's rapid growth and mission to enable small businesses to thrive

DENVER, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pie Insurance ("Pie"), an insurtech company specializing in workers' comp insurance for small businesses, announced it appointed new senior leadership team members including David Samuels as the first chief commercial officer, Dimitrius King as the first chief claims officer, Kelly North as vice president of business development, and Jen Straus as the first vice president of people operations. Pie also appointed insurance veteran Laura Bishop to the company's board of directors . These executives will apply their valuable experience to help lead Pie in its next phase of growth.

Samuels joins Pie after nearly a decade at SAP/Concur, where he most recently held the position of chief customer officer. As Pie's first chief commercial officer, Samuels is responsible for setting Pie's operational strategy and overseeing all premiums generated from our insurance agents and brokers.

As Pie's first chief claims officer, King is responsible for leading and implementing the company's claims strategy. He joins Pie most recently from Liberty Mutual, where he was a vice president of the workers' compensation division.

North joins Pie as vice president of business development, overseeing the team responsible for growing and maturing the company's insurance agency channel. Prior to Pie, she spent two years at Beam Dental as the company's vice president of business development.

Straus is responsible for Pie's compensation, benefits, people operations and analytics, as well as learning and development. She joins the company with a wealth of people operations experience at hyper-growth startups, including Kabbage and Alteryx.

In addition to the new leadership team hires, Pie added Laura Bishop to its board of directors. Bishop brings nearly 40 years of executive leadership experience at publicly traded and privately held companies, including almost 20 years at USAA, most recently as its chief financial officer.

"We are honored to have these exceptional leaders join our team of nearly 400 passionate and mission-driven Pie-oneers," said John Swigart, CEO and co-founder of Pie. "These leaders are the best at what they do and are uniquely positioned to help us continue on our journey of making insurance less expensive, simpler, and more transparent for small business owners."

Pie continues to expand its team of talented Pie-oneers across the country. To learn more about the company's culture, benefits and open positions, visit: https://pieinsurance.com/careers/ .

About Pie Insurance

Pie Insurance is leveraging technology to transform how small businesses buy and experience commercial insurance, with the goal of making it affordable and as easy as pie. Pie's intense focus on granular, sophisticated pricing and data-driven customer segmentation enables Pie to match price with risk accurately across a broad spectrum of small business types, which allows Pie to offer more affordable insurance to small business owners. Since 2017, Pie has received over $300M in funding and commitments for future funding, grown its gross written premium to over $100M, and partnered with over 1,000 agencies nationwide.

SOURCE Pie Insurance
Defendants include Olin Corp., Dow Chemical

PLAQUEMINE, La., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- An Iberville Parish resident who was hospitalized with severe chemical exposure reactions has filed the first injury lawsuit relating to a chlorine gas leak on April 18, 2022. The lawsuit is against the owners and operators of the Olin Chlor Alkali plant at the Dow Chemical facility in Plaquemine, located 15 miles south of downtown Baton Rouge.

The lawsuit, filed today in the 18th District Court in Iberville Parish, alleges that Brandi Spriggs was injured when a compressor at the facility caught fire, releasing dangerous levels of toxic chlorine gas across nearby neighborhoods. Local officials later issued shelter-in-place orders to residents after the leak was reported, but Ms. Spriggs had already been exposed, according to the lawsuit.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists chlorine as "severely irritating on contact with moist tissues such as the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and upper respiratory tract. At high exposure levels, irritation of the upper respiratory tract and accumulation of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema) contribute to a sensation of choking."

In addition to Ms. Spriggs, more than 35 other nearby residents were reportedly hospitalized due to the leak.

"Storing toxic chemicals requires abiding by extensive safety and security standards that the owners of this facility were not following," says Charles Cicero, an attorney for Ms. Spriggs in the New Orleans office of the Potts Law Firm. "Not only does it appear that basic safety protocols were not followed, but there was also a significant and unacceptable delay in reporting the fire and chemical leak to law enforcement, leading to an even greater number of residents being exposed."

The April 18th leak is said to be the longest and largest chemical release at this facility. Since 2015, the plant has experienced five other chlorine leaks.

The lawsuit seeks damages on behalf of Ms. Spriggs, as well as a temporary restraining order to preserve all company documents, video and other materials related to the leak. The Potts Law Firm already represents more than 100 Plaquemine residents injured due to chemical exposure from the incident.

Media Contact:

Barry Pound

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Potts Law Firm
Annual feature celebrates graduating business students for achievement and influence

OAKLAND, Calif., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Poets&Quants, the leading news source for graduate business education, has released its 8th annual "Best & Brightest MBAs" feature, which honors 100 of the most accomplished full-time MBAs from the Class of 2022.

"This class was relentless," says Jeff Schmitt, Poets&Quants' senior writer, who launched the series in 2015. "Many of the Best & Brightest are looking to create more options for their classmates. They focused heavily on producing new ways for their classmates to connect with employers, alumni, thought leaders, and each other. This class had to shoulder a heavy burden too. For the past two years, COVID has moved many things online. The Best & Brightest were often the ones who led the charge to return life to normal. That's going to be their legacy."

This year's class includes students like Sam Buck, a University of Michigan MBA who co-founded the first student-run climate tech investment fund. At South Methodist University, Annabel Reeves helped to design and launch the school's first business accelerator program. Daniel Bu achieved a similar feat at the University of Oxford. Here, he co-founded [email protected], which connected the entrepreneurial ecosystem across the university. At the same time, Wharton's Andrea Madu partnered with several leading MBA programs to produce a DEI conference that attracted 600 students from the likes of Harvard, Northwestern, and Dartmouth.

The Best & Brightest were also a highly decorated group. Nikita Acharya has made the Forbes 30 Under 30 in Asia, while Georgetown's Richard Williamson earned a Joint Services Commendation Medal for his work supporting Syrian Civil War refugees. The Best & Brightest also includes a variety of students  many with backgrounds that don't fit the perception of a traditional business background. Before HEC Paris, Samuel Deason earned a Ph.D. in music and taught at Northwestern. Vanderbilt's Jacob Schrimpf started as an actor and arts teacher before landing a spot at the Boston Consulting Group.

To compile this year's Best & Brightest MBAs, Poets&Quants reached out to 75 top graduate business schools to nominate their best candidates for the honor. Responses were judged by P&Q editorial according to three criteria: extracurricular activities, academic and professional achievements, and overall insightfulness. Ultimately, P&Q received 232 nominations from 73 programs, including nearly every MBA program ranked among the world's best. The 2022 list includes representatives from the most prestigious programs, including Stanford, Wharton, MIT, INSEAD, Northwestern, and the University of Chicago. By gender, Best & Brightest women outnumber men by a 56-to-44 margin, with 37 students hailing from outside the United States. This year, McKinsey hired the largest number of Best & Brightest MBAs with six, followed by Deloitte with five.

The "Best & Brightest MBAs" is the second of a four-part series recognizing the world's top business students. In April, Poets&Quants For Undergrads unveiled its Best & Brightest Business Majors for 2022. This summer, Poets&Quants will recognize its "Best & Brightest Executive MBAs" and "Best & Brightest Online MBAs." In the fall, P&Q will continue its series on the top incoming full-time MBA students at over 40 top business schools.

To read about the "100 Best & Brightest MBAs: Class of 2022", CLICK HERE.

About Poets&Quants:

Poets&Quants is the leading resource for complete coverage of graduate business education. We feature multiple tools and authoritative content, including: consolidated B-school rankings, news and in-depth features, videos, podcasts, two searchable directories and events, empowering our community with information needed to make decisions along their journey from pre- to post-MBA.

This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

SOURCE Poets&Quants
RALEIGH, N.C., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Professional Mail Services, Inc. (PMSI) announced today that two new executive positions have been named; Lyle Blue as Chief Executive Officer and Bill Kohrummel as EVP of Sales, Chief Operating Officer.

Bill Kohrummel Lyle Blue

"We're excited to announce that we've added both Lyle Blue and Bill Kohrummel to the PMSI leadership team," said Paul Hamilton, Owner of Professional Mail Services, Inc."I'm extremely proud of what our team has accomplished in the past 6 years since I acquired the company. To accelerate our momentum towards the vision I have had for PMSI, the time has come for me to transition out of the role as CEO. The addition of Lyle and Bill to our leadership team will position PMSI to offer a better client experience, provide expanded software and service offerings, enter additional vertical markets, and lead the overall growth of PMSI."

Lyle Blue, an NC State Mechanical Engineering grad, owned and ran a commercial wholesale printing company, Business Card Express for 26 years. For the past 6 years, he's held positions as Business Development Manager and Client Manager at Bell and Howell, The leading provider of automation and mechatronics equipment, software, and service.

"The potential here [PMSI] is huge and I am looking forward to the growth and opportunities our new leadership will provide for our dedicated, loyal employees. Former CEO [Paul Hamilton] has put together a great team, I can see everyone pulling in the same direction. This means expansion in all directions," says Blue.

Bill Kohrummel brings over 38 years of experience in the consumer communications industry, focused on both print and mail as well as digital communications. Most recently served as President and COO for a customer communications company headquartered in Northern California. 30 years prior, he held many leadership positions, and for the last 15 years served as an executive at one of the world's largest communication providers both in the printing and digital space. His career spans almost four decades, developing industry-leading technologies, lean operational processes, and organizational team development.

"Customer communications has been my focus and passion for the past 4 decades," said Kohrummel. "I'm looking forward to expanding the operational technology experience to help facilitate building out PMSI's client's customer communication experience platform of the future."

Together, their unique qualifications in sales, customer service, lean manufacturing, operational excellence, technology development, and organizational team development will uniquely position PMSI to be the leader in communications for its clients.

2022 will be an instrumental year for PMSI to position advances in their technology platform and additional offerings. By assembling this highly experienced team PMSI is able to better understand the needs of customers; from transactional print & mail, direct mail, digital archives, presort and commingling, and more. Our expanded resources will allow us to help clients in today's changing market. If a client needs help in growing their own business  Professional Mail Service, Inc. is here to help.

Media Contact:

Ferris Monge

310-666-0755

[email protected]

http://mailpros.com/

SOURCE Professional Mail Services
The Provident team was extremely professional, yet very personal on every level. Tweet this

"Our company, DHS in Kansas City, is excited about joining GI Alliance. We worked with Provident as our investment banker in this process and found the team to be key in every step, making even the most complex issues easier to understand. The Provident team was extremely professional, yet very personal on every level. They were accessible to all of our doctors and no question ever went unanswered. I would strongly recommend them to any other group," stated Thomas J. Shireman, M.D, Partner at Digestive Health Specialists.

"We're very pleased to have represented the 18 owners of DHS through this transformational transaction. DHS has grown into a leading GI practice in the Midwest and provides GI Alliance with a hub for expansion into the fragmented Kansas and Missouri markets," commented Major.

"We were proud to represent the outstanding physicians and leadership of DHS in their transaction with GI Alliance. DHS' clinical excellence and position as a leader in the fragmented Kansas City market yielded a highly competitive marketing process for the practice. DHS chose to partner with the GI Alliance to leverage their successes with growth and benefit from the operational efficiencies and support of a national platform," noted Duffey.

About Digestive Health Specialists

Digestive Health Specialists serves metropolitan Kansas City and Northwest Missouri through three practices, Consultants in Gastroenterology, Digestive Health Specialists of St. Joseph, and Summit Gastroenterology, with 28 providers practicing at nine hospitals, five offices and seven ambulatory surgery centers. The company is patient-focused and doctor-driven, delivering high-quality health care for all GI needs. Visit https://digestivehs.com/ for more information.

About GI Alliance

GI Alliance is a physician-led and majority physician-owned GI practice with over 670 independent gastroenterologists operating in Texas, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Utah, and Washington. GI Alliance practices focus on providing the highest-quality care to their patients. In addition to providing operational support for practices, GI Alliance is working to unite gastroenterologists nationwide by aligning interests and improving patient care. For additional information, visit https://gialliance.com/.

About Provident Healthcare Partners

Provident is a leading healthcare investment banking firm specializing in merger and acquisition advisory, strategic planning, and capital formation for healthcare companies. The firm has a comprehensive knowledge of market sectors and specialties, including gastroenterology services. Provident also has unsurpassed experience and insight into the M&A process, which includes working with a number of buyers such as private equity firms and strategic consolidators. For additional information, visit www.providenthp.com or follow on LinkedIn.

Contact:

Provident Healthcare Partners

Gina Casiello

877-742-9800

SOURCE Provident Healthcare Partners LLC
Parent Market Analysis

Technavio categorizes the global Quick Service Restaurants Market as a part of the global restaurants market within the overall hotels, restaurants, and leisure market within the global consumer discretionary market. The global restaurants market covers companies, owners, and operators of restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, fast-food joints, take-out facilities, and food catering services. To know more about the levels of growth of the quick service restaurants market throughout the forecast period, Download a sample report.

Quick Service Restaurants Market Value Chain Analysis

The end-to-end understanding of the value chain is essential in profit margin optimization and evaluation of business strategies. The data available in our value chain analysis segment can help vendors drive costs and enhance customer services during the forecast period.

To unlock information about vendor drive costs and customer service, download our sample report.

Vendor Insights

The quick service restaurants market is fragmented, and the vendors are deploying various organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market. To make the best of the opportunity, the market vendors should focus more on the fast-growing segments' growth prospect while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the quick service restaurants market, including some of the vendors such as American Dairy Queen Corp., Chick-fil-A Inc., Doctors Associates LLC, Dominos Pizza Inc., Dunkin Brands Group Inc., Inspire Brands Inc., McDonald Corp., Starbucks Coffee Company, The Wendys Co., and YUM Brands Inc. among others.

Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the quick service restaurants market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile, and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

Product Insights and News

American Dairy Queen Corp. - The company offers a wide range of snacks, meals, and beverages through its chain of quick service restaurants named Dairy Queen.

The company offers a wide range of snacks, meals, and beverages through its chain of quick service restaurants named Dairy Queen. Chick-fil-A Inc. - The company offers a wide range of snacks and meal options through its chain of quick service restaurants named Chick-fill-A.

The company offers a wide range of snacks and meal options through its chain of quick service restaurants named Chick-fill-A. Doctors Associates LLC - The company offers a wide range of snacks, meals, and breakfast through its chain of quick service restaurants named Subway.

The Quick Service Restaurants Market forecast report offers in-depth insights into key vendor profiles and offerings  Download a Sample Report

Key Market Dynamics-

Quick Service Restaurants Market Key Drivers:

Rise in the number of quick service restaurants

The number of quick service restaurants is increasing, mainly due to the rising demand for fast food in emerging economies. Hence, fast-food chains are expanding domestically and internationally. Varied tastes and preferences for different types of premium coffee have further led to the emergence of specialty coffee shops. Moreover, growth in infrastructure, such as new airports and expressways in developing countries, gives scope to the major coffee chains to establish their outlets.

Download a report sample for highlights on market Drivers & Trends impacting the Quick Service Restaurants Market.

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Don't miss out on the opportunity to speak to our analyst and know more insights into this market report. Our analysts can also help you customize this report according to your needs. Our analysts and industry experts will work directly with you to understand your requirements and provide you with customized data in a short amount of time.

We offer customization at the time of purchase. Speak to our Analyst now!

Related Reports:

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Take out Fried Chicken Market by Distribution Channel and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Quick Service Restaurants Market Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 3.55% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 119.20 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 2.87 Competitive landscape Leading companies, Competitive strategies, Consumer engagement scope Key companies profiled American Dairy Queen Corp., Chick-fil-A Inc., Doctors Associates LLC, Dominos Pizza Inc., Dunkin Brands Group Inc., Inspire Brands Inc., McDonald Corp., Starbucks Coffee Company, The Wendys Co., and YUM Brands Inc. among others. Market dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, Market condition analysis for the forecast period Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary

2. Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 01: Parent market

Exhibit 02: Market Characteristics

2.2 Value chain analysis

Exhibit 03: Value Chain Analysis: Education Services

2.2.1 Inputs

2.2.2 Inbound logistics

2.2.3 Operations

2.2.4 Outbound logistics

2.2.5 Marketing and sales

2.2.6 Services

3. Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 04: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 05: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2020

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

3.4.1 Estimating growth rates for emerging and high-growth markets

3.4.2 Estimating growth rates for mature markets

Exhibit 06: Global - Market size and forecast 2020 - 2025 ($ million)

Exhibit 07: Global market: Year-over-year growth 2020 - 2025 (%)

4. Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces analysis

Exhibit 08: Five forces analysis 2020 & 2025

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

4.4 Threat of new entrants

4.5 Threat of substitutes

4.6 Threat of rivalry

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 14: Market condition - Five forces 2020

5. Market Segmentation by Service

The segments covered in this chapter are:

Eat-in service

Takeaway service

Drive-thru service

Home delivery service

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 15: Service - Market share 2020-2025 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Service

Exhibit 16: Comparison by Service

5.3 Eat-in service - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 17: Eat-in service - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)

Exhibit 18: Eat-in service - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.4 Takeaway service - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 19: Takeaway service - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)

Exhibit 20: Takeaway service - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.5 Drive-thru service - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 21: Drive-thru service - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)

Exhibit 22: Drive-thru service - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.6 Home delivery service - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 23: Home delivery service - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)

Exhibit 24: Home delivery service - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.6 Market opportunity by Service

Exhibit 25: Market opportunity by Service

6. Customer landscape

Technavio's customer landscape matrix comparing Drivers of price sensitivity, Adoption lifecycle, importance in customer price basket, Adoption rates and Key purchase criteria

Exhibit 26: Customer landscape

7. Geographic Landscape

The regions covered in the report are:

North America

APAC

Europe

South America

MEA

The five regions have been ranked based on their market size in 2020. North America ranked first as the largest region, while MEA was the smallest region in 2020. In 2025, the five regions will maintain their position as that of 2020.

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 27: Market share by geography 2020-2025 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 28: Geographic comparison

7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 29: North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)

Exhibit 30: North America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.4 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 31: APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)

Exhibit 32: APAC - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.5 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 33: Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)

Exhibit 34: Europe - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 35: South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)

Exhibit 36: South America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.7 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Exhibit 37: MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion)

Exhibit 38: MEA - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

7.8 Key leading countries

Exhibit 39: Key leading countries

7.9 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 40: Market opportunity by geography ($ billion)

8. Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.1.1 Rise in the number of quick service restaurants

8.1.2 Changing lifestyles and rise in demand for on-the-go food

8.1.3 Growing innovation and customization in food menu

8.2 Market challenges

8.2.1 Fluctuations in raw material prices

8.2.2 Growing preference for home-cooked food

8.2.3 Risks associated with suppliers

Exhibit 41: Impact of drivers and challenges

8.3 Market trends

8.3.1 Innovations in packaging and serving of food

8.3.2 Rise in demand for nutritious foods and drinks

8.3.3 Growing popularity of online and mobile app-based food ordering

9. Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

Exhibit 42: Vendor landscape

9.2 Landscape disruption

The potential for the disruption of the market landscape was moderate in 2020, and its threat is expected to remain unchanged by 2025.

Exhibit 43: Landscape disruption

Exhibit 44: Industry risks

10. Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 45: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 46: Market positioning of vendors

10.3 American Dairy Queen Corp.

Exhibit 47: American Dairy Queen Corp. - Overview

Exhibit 48: American Dairy Queen Corp. - Product and service

Exhibit 49: American Dairy Queen Corp. - Key offerings

10.4 Chick-fil-A Inc.

Exhibit 50: Chick-fil-A Inc. - Overview

Exhibit 51: Chick-fil-A Inc. - Product and service

Exhibit 52: Chick-fil-A Inc.- Key news

Exhibit 53: Chick-fil-A Inc. - Key offerings

10.5 Doctors Associates LLC

Exhibit 54: Doctors Associates LLC - Overview

Exhibit 55: Doctors Associates LLC - Product and service

Exhibit 56: Doctors Associates LLC- Key news

Exhibit 57: Doctors Associates LLC - Key offerings

10.6 Domino's Pizza Inc.

Exhibit 58: Domino's Pizza Inc. - Overview

Exhibit 59: Domino's Pizza Inc. - Business segments

Exhibit 60: Domino's Pizza Inc. - Key offerings

Exhibit 61: Domino's Pizza Inc. - Segment focus

10.7 Dunkin Brands Group Inc.

Exhibit 62: Dunkin Brands Group Inc. - Overview

Exhibit 63: Dunkin Brands Group Inc. - Business segments

Exhibit 64: Dunkin Brands Group Inc. - Key offerings

Exhibit 65: Dunkin Brands Group Inc. - Segment focus

10.8 Inspire Brands Inc.

Exhibit 66: Inspire Brands Inc. - Overview

Exhibit 67: Inspire Brands Inc. - Product and service

Exhibit 68: Inspire Brands Inc.- Key news

Exhibit 69: Inspire Brands Inc. - Key offerings

10.9 McDonald Corp.

Exhibit 70: McDonald Corp. - Overview

Exhibit 71: McDonald Corp. - Product and service

Exhibit 72: McDonalds Corp.- Key news

Exhibit 73: McDonald Corp. - Key offerings

10.10 Starbucks Coffee Company

Exhibit 74: Starbucks Coffee Company - Overview

Exhibit 75: Starbucks Coffee Company - Business segments

Exhibit 76: Starbucks Corp.- Key news

Exhibit 77: Starbucks Coffee Company - Key offerings

Exhibit 78: Starbucks Coffee Company - Segment focus

10.11 The Wendys Co.

Exhibit 79: The Wendys Co. - Overview

Exhibit 80: The Wendys Co. - Business segments

Exhibit 81: The Wendys Co. - Key offerings

Exhibit 82: The Wendys Co. - Segment focus

10.12 YUM Brands Inc.

Exhibit 83: YUM Brands Inc. - Overview

Exhibit 84: YUM Brands Inc. - Business segments

Exhibit 85: YUM Brands Inc. - Key offerings

Exhibit 86: YUM Brands Inc. - Segment focus

11. Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.1.1 Market definition

11.1.2 Objectives

11.1.3 Notes and caveats

11.2 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 87: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.3 Research Methodology

Exhibit 88: Research Methodology

Exhibit 89: Validation techniques employed for market sizing

Exhibit 90: Information sources

11.4 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 91: List of abbreviations

About Us:

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Global leader in fashion apparel and accessories will implement core execution and optimizations platform for retail merchandising associates.

BENTONVILLE, Ark., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Movista, Inc. Randa Apparel & Accessories (RAA), an industry leading privately-held company that produces men's and women's apparel & accessories under owned and licensed brands including Haggar Clothing, Tribal Sportswear, Levi's, Dickies, Columbia Sportswear, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, is leading the way in creating extraordinary retail experiences and transforming how shoppers interact with apparel.

RAA recently selected Movista, the leading enterprise-class retail execution and workforce management platform, as its partner to optimize and plan its retail merchandising associates' daily activities and to generate real-time actionable insights from the data those activities produce.

"RAA is in the business of owning, creating and expanding powerful lifestyle brands. Today, more than ever, flawless in-store merchandising execution is critical to our success," said David J. Katz, EVP, and Chief Marketing Officer at RAA. "We are excited to work with Movista. Their platform will provide our retail merchandising associates with a 'live' work companion and provide us with full visibility as projects are executed. By utilizing Movista we will increase workforce productivity, visibility and productivity for ourselves and our retail and brand partners."

With Movista, Randa will have a 360 view of work plans to optimize its territories, routes and daily schedules while using real-time, field-collected data around mileage, expenses payroll and job completion with photos and surveys to identify and act on key business innovation insights.

"We are thrilled to collaborate with Randa, a company built on helping retail partners adapt to the evolving changes in the apparel industry," said Movista's Chief Customer Officer, Eric Wilson. "Our platform will give Randa the tools to optimize their reps' scheduling, log in-store service hours, mileage and expenses through one app with flexible configurations to increase savings each year."

About Randa Apparel & Accessories

Randa Apparel & Accessories, founded in 1910, is a leading men's and women's apparel and accessories business selling over 100 million units per year, including Haggar, America's #1 dress and casual pant brand; Tribal Sportswear, the #1 women's sportswear brand in specialty distribution; and Randa Accessories the leading provider of men's and women's accessories under 30 brands. RAA distributes its products globally through more than 20,000 stores and employs over 1,000 associates at 27 offices located in 12 countries. Learn more at www.randa.net.

About Movista

Movista is a global leader in retail execution and workforce management solutions. At Movista, we believe the future of work is radically transparent and collaborative. As the world's first and only SaaS platform to enable collaboration between retailers, brands, service providers and distributors, Movista is transforming the execution of all work and engagement by all teams in the retail ecosystem. Learn more at www.movista.com.

SOURCE Movista
"Good finance leaders will need a full toolkit to navigate both the tremendous opportunities and the challenges we'll experience in the housing industry in the coming years," said Mike Clear , who oversees all core business units at Realty ONE Group including Accounting/Finance, Legal, Marketing, Human Resources and Operations as well as the company's title and brokerage services. "I'm honored to make this list with other fine leaders and to continue guiding and mentoring our future leaders."

Clear joined Realty ONE Group in 2017 with more than three decades in the industry, more recently as Vice President of Operations for American Home Shield but also in multiple roles at HSA Home Warranty including President, COO, Chief Information Officer and Chief Sales & Marketing Officer. Clear has also been named an Influencer on RISMedia's Newsmaker list which features some of real estate's most impactful leaders.

HousingWire Finance Leaders are chosen based on their professional achievements, contributions to the overall housing economy, client impact and personal success.

Realty ONE Group now has more than 18,000 real estate professionals in more than 400 offices in 49 states, Washington D.C. and Canada and will be opening in Ecuador, Costa Rica, Italy, Singapore and Spain, in addition to the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.

Learn more at www.OwnAOne.com .

About Realty ONE Group

Founded in 2005, Realty ONE Group is an industry disruptor, radically changing the face of real estate franchising with its unique business model, fun coolture, technology infrastructure and superior support for its real estate professionals. The company has rapidly evolved to include more than 18,000 real estate professionals in over 400+ offices across 49 U.S. states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Canada, Italy, Spain, Singapore and Costa Rica. Realty ONE Group ranks in the top one percent in the nation by REAL Trends, has been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as a Top 5 Real Estate Franchise and has been on Inc. 500's list of the Fastest-Growing Companies for seven consecutive years. Realty ONE Group is surging ahead, opening doors, not only for its clients but for real estate professionals and franchise owners. To learn more, visit www.RealtyONEGroup.com.

SOURCE Realty ONE Group
MIAMI , May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Remoov, a San Francisco-based tech-enabled decluttering and reselling service, wants to give back by allowing its clients to donate directly to Ukrainian refugees resettling in the United States. Remoov is working with Welcome.US , a national initiative to engage and mobilize all Americans to welcome and support refugees, beginning with individuals and families who evacuated from Afghanistan and have expanded to those fleeing the violence in Ukraine.

In partnership with resettlement agencies, community leaders, nonprofits, businesses, faith-based organizations, veterans organizations, universities, governors and mayors, and many others, Welcome.US provides a single point of entry for Americans who want to get involved and support people settling into new homes in the United States. Clients of Remoov will be able to play a role in helping more than 75,000 Afghans and 100,000 anticipating Ukrainians who have been forced to flee their homes and leave their belongings behind.

Remoov will join the Welcome Exchange and Employment Exchange through Welcome.US. The Welcome Exchange is an online portal for matching businesses that are willing and able to offer support and resources with the specific local needs of nonprofits and resettlement organizations that serve Afghan and Ukrainian newcomers in communities across the country. Remoov will also participate in the Employment Exchange across the three cities they service. The Employment Exchange is a portal that will connect Afghan and Ukrainian refugees resettling in the United States with companies and skills-based job opportunities as they resettle in new communities in the United States. Through the Welcome Employment Exchange, resettlement agencies and refugees will be able to find open positions at a variety of levels and be connected to company job boards where they can apply for jobs that best match their skills.

To help Ukrainian refugees soon arriving to the United States, clients of Remoov can opt to donate their goods and earmark specific items in the cities that Remoov services. With its recent expansion to Miami, South Florida residents will get multiple benefits, like a top-of-the-line decluttering service right at their fingertips and tax benefits for donated items.

The company automates the appraisal and resale process of pre-owned items quickly and efficiently, Remoov helps homeowners and corporations declutter by picking up unwanted goods, selling what they can for the owner's profit, donating what can be repurposed, and responsibly disposing of remaining items. After a successful 2020, due in part to the work-from-home lifestyle spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, Remoov more than doubled its profits and is now going nationalexpanding to Miami from its headquarters in San Francisco.

"Remoov, who is already involved in the donation process for local charities, wanted to be the first to step up and help millions of people who have been affected by the global crisis in Ukraine," said Luis Perez, Founder, and CEO of Remoov. "We wanted our clients to be a part of our efforts to help those forced to flee Ukrainian and who are arriving in the United States so we have decided to partner with resettlement organizations to make this possible."

Remoov San Francisco is located at 160 Sylvester Rd, South San Francisco, CA 94080, tel: 415-857-2791.

Remoov Phoenix is located at 1415 E Jackson St, Phoenix AZ, 85034, tel: 480-542-0442.

Remoov Miami is located at 7457 NW 55th St, Miami, FL 33166, tel: 305-317-5121.

For more information about Remoov's services, visit www.remoovit.com or follow @remoovit on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you'd like more information on the not-for-profit resettlement organizations Remoov is working with, please contact DeepSleep Studio | [email protected]

About Remoov

Remoov is a tech-based pickup service that sells, donates, and disposes of a home or office's pre-owned or used goods. A product of the accelerator program at 500 Startups, the San Francisco-born service uses one-of-a-kind algorithms to determine an item's value. Remoov serves the San Francisco Bay, Phoenix, and Miami communities and plans for a national expansion by the end of 2022. For more information about Remoov, visit www.remoovit.com or follow @remoovit on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Welcome.US

Welcome.US was founded to unite, inspire, and empower Americans to support those seeking refuge here, beginning with Afghan refugees evacuated to the United States after the fall of Kabul in August 2021. Welcome.US has one overarching goal: to grow that outpouring of public support into building durable capacity and codifying commitments to welcome all newcomers. In partnership with local and national resettlement agencies, community organizations and leaders, refugees, community sponsorship groups, nonprofits, businesses, faith-based institutions, veterans, universities, four former Presidents and four former First Ladies, Welcome.US is a single point of entry for Americans who want to get involved and support those who are starting new lives in the United States. To learn more about Welcome.US, please visit welcome.us

Media Contact: DeepSleep Studio | [email protected] | (305) 877 1031

SOURCE Remoov
Experienced in engineering management, software architecture & development, and growing & scaling healthcare startups, Singh will guide product and software technology strategy and development as company expands its U.S. footprint

Singh joins Resilience Lab's executive team with unique expertise in clinical care, business, operations and technology

NEW YORK, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Resilience Lab , a behavioral health-tech company enabling communities of clinicians to collaborate to improve outcomes and access, today announced it has appointed Vijay P. Singh to its executive team as head of product and technology. He will be responsible for implementing the company vision of using AI and machine learning to deliver care-treatment insights to support its clinical team.

Vijay's deep experience comes from serving as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at healthtech companies during the last 15 years, building web and mobile experiences for consumers, providers and payers as well as advising startups regarding product and technology strategy. Previously, Vijay served as CTO at Bravado Health, focused on care coordination and e-prescription solutions. Prior, he was co-founder and CTO at Yaro, a company focused on care navigation solutions, from which he exited following acquisition by Virgin Pulse. He also served in various engineering roles at R1 RCM. Vijay earned a Master of Science, Information Systems from Iowa State University and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from University of Illinois Chicago.

"Vijay's amazing combination of experience and skills are an incredible asset for this stage of our growth and progress," said Marc Goldberg, co-founder and CEO, Resilience Lab. "He will lead our software and product teams as we continue to grow and support both our clinicians and clients in new ways."

"I'm inspired by what Resilience Lab is aiming to accomplish, especially around solving for timely access to mental health care for clients, while building thriving communities for clinicians," said Singh. "We will build on Resilience Lab's world class product and engineering organization, with a mission to support accelerated growth via products across client, clinical, learning and backend office functions. These products, in turn, will support outcome based care, leveraging analytics and machine learning at scale."

Resilience Lab recently announced expansion into New Jersey and Connecticut, now totaling 130 clinicians across the tri-state area, with plans to scale throughout the northeast and then across the country to mitigate the therapist shortage and be able to reach all Americans who seek care.

About Resilience Lab

Resilience Lab is a creating a world where communities of clinicians work collaboratively to produce better outcomes and improve mental health access. Our diverse team of best-in-class therapists are committed to improving clients' care experience throughout their therapeutic journey, by sharing peer insights, treatment plans, and outcome measurements. Technology powers Resilience Lab care delivery, automating all non-clinical work to foster therapeutic alliance and team-based care.

Psychotherapists who join our community-led movement have access to clinical supervision, training, and advanced certification as they provide treatment in a supported environment. Clients who match with Resilience Lab therapists benefit from holistic, evidence-based, high-quality, and affordable care that meets them where they're at, wherever they are.

Resilience Institute is an institute for the modern mental health clinician, offering post-graduate, licensed cliniciansincluding mental health counselors, psychologists and social workerswith continued training to guarantee patients the highest quality of service and contemporary care.

Together, we are achieving therapeutic excellence at scale. Join us: www.resiliencelab.us/

Media Contact

[email protected]

SOURCE Resilience Lab
Demetrius Comes, former CISO and VP of Engineering at GoDaddy, joins Sovrn to drive platform evolution

BOULDER, Colo., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sovrn, a publisher technology platform that empowers content creators to remain independent and thrive on the Open Web, announced today that Demetrius Comes has joined the company's leadership team as chief technology officer to oversee all of its technology efforts, innovations and platforms. With an extensive technical background and experience leading interdisciplinary teams that develop systems working at internet scale, his hire brings to Sovrn a fresh perspective and vision to amplify and evolve its easy-to-use, multi-product publisher platform.

Comes, a product-minded executive leader, brings more than three decades of experience in distributed architectures; software development, engineering and operations; and cyber security, both on premises and in the cloud. In his role with Sovrn, Comes will partner with CEO Walter Knapp and the executive leadership team to create and drive company strategy, goals and execution to align diverse technology and teams to a single, cohesive platform.

"I am thrilled to have Demetrius at the helm of technological and solution innovation at Sovrn," said Knapp. "His deep expertise in digital transformation, cloud-based scale and leading diverse teams will help us achieve our vision."

Most recently, Comes was the chief information and security officer and vice president of engineering at GoDaddy where he spearheaded all cyber security related matters and led its application services team, responsible for all core technologies at the company, including its Amazon Web Services cloud excellence team. Previous roles at GoDaddy during his seven years with the company included a role as the vice president of engineering hosting where he led the architecture of all hosting products, responsible for over $500 million in revenue. Prior to his tenure at GoDaddy, Comes held senior-level positions at several technology companies, primarily in the gaming industry, including at ELine Media, Warner Bros. Games and Petroglyph Games. Comes holds a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from the University of Akron in Ohio.

"I'm excited to join Sovrn at such a transformational stage in the company's journey," said Comes. "I look forward to collaborating with the executive, engineering, product and go-to-market teams to scale and drive product innovation and exceptional customer experience."

About Sovrn

Sovrn provides products and services to thousands of online publishers to help them understand, operate and grow their business. Sovrn is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, with offices in New York, London and San Diego.

With thousands of customers deploying advertising, affiliate marketing, and data products across more than 60,000 websites, Sovrn reaches over 400 million active consumers across more than 20 billion page views every day. Sovrn has been a leader in online publisher technology since its founding and has been recognized by IAB, JICWEBS, and TAG for its role in combating fraud and promoting pro-transparency initiatives. Sovrn is dedicated to helping content creators do more of what they love, and less of what they don't. www.sovrn.com

SOURCE Sovrn Holdings, Inc.
CULVER CITY, Calif., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cinco de Mayo is a few days away and Marlo Richardson, the owner of Stage21 Bar & Lounge in Culver City California has partnered with Top Drawer Distillery to produce four signature ready-to-drink margaritas.

The four margaritas were uniquely created by Marlo and will be exclusively available at Stage21 Culver City starting on Cinco de Mayo. The 6-ounce signature margaritas will be $8 dollars each glass between the hours of 10 AM and 6 PM on May 05, 2022. Stage 21 will also sell their signature tacos usually only available on Taco Tuesdays.
VIDA intelligence adopted by over 1,000 sites globally Tweet this

"At VIDA, we are tapping into the growing biopharma market demand for clinical data intelligence to address inefficiencies and data quality issues in developing lung and respiratory therapies," said Susan Wood, Ph.D., VIDA's president & CEO. "The new funding supports strategic senior hires, builds on revenue momentum and accelerates the pace of innovation, particularly as biopharma companies seek new strategies to support the digitization, automation and decentralization of clinical trials."

To broaden VIDA's strategic opportunities and to support rapid commercial growth, Jon Freeman recently joined VIDA as chief financial officer. Freeman has a long track record of strategically guiding innovative healthcare companies through fundraising and acquisitions.

"I've been fortunate to provide strategic financial counsel to some exciting growth companies," said Freeman. "I was drawn to VIDA's compelling value proposition, the team's passion and commitment, and the company's growth trajectory. The opportunity to build on that strong base was highly attractive."

Other senior team members joining the team based on VIDA's strong potential include Keshav Datta, Ph.D., vice president research & development; and Martin Henehan, vice president, business development. Collectively, Freeman, Datta and Henehan bring decades of experience building and growing financially successful biopharma and healthcare intelligence companies.

In early April 2022, VIDA received market authorization in Japan for its VIDA Insights software, which is a complementary data-driven solution used by lung care teams at the point of care, aiding them to detect disease early, diagnose with more confidence, make more personalized treatment decisions and use precision lung intelligence to better manage population health.

VIDA will be showcasing its lung intelligence solutions, including the VIDA Intelligence Portal, at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference May 13  18 in San Francisco and at the Precision Medicine World Congress (PMWC) June 28  30 in Santa Clara. At PMWC Dr. Susan Wood will deliver a talk, AI-Powered Lung Intelligence to Drive Clinical Trial Efficiencies.

About VIDA Diagnostics

VIDA is a precision lung health company, accelerating therapies to patients through AI-powered lung intelligence. VIDA DiscoverySM services enable more efficient respiratory clinical trials by providing more precise quantitative endpoints, AI-powered data quality controls, site training, and more to help biopharma sponsors save millions in drug development costs. VIDA Insights empowers physicians to better manage patients with or at risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial lung disease, asthma, emphysema, lung cancer, and COVID-19. VIDA's software is FDA cleared, CE-marked, Health Canada licensed, TGA registered, and PMDA certified for clinical use in the US, European Economic Area, Canada, Australia, and Japan. Learn more at https://vidalung.ai. Follow @vidalung on Twitter and LinkedIn.

SOURCE VIDA Diagnostics, Inc.
BALTIMORE, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- T. Rowe Price, a global investment management firm and a leader in retirement services, announced today it has been ranked the highest in customer satisfaction according to the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Self-Directed Investor Satisfaction Study.

The U.S. Self-Directed Investor Satisfaction Study measures self-directed investors' satisfaction with their investment firm based on performance in seven factors, of which T. Rowe Price ranked the highest in all seven factors. In order of importance, these factors include: trust, digital channels, the ability to manage wealth how and when wanted (convenience), products and services, value for fees, people, and problem resolution. T. Rowe Price scored 768 on a scale of 1,000, which is 60 points above the segment average.

"This is a meaningful recognition for T. Rowe Price and our associates given our passion for providing the best possible service to our clients," said Phil Korenman, head of Individual Investors at T. Rowe Price. "This survey evaluates the attributes most important to investors, confirming our client-centric model is being well received."



The study is based on responses from 4,888 investors who make all their investment decisions without the counsel of a full-service dedicated financial advisor and was fielded from November 2021 through January 2022. For more information, visit jdpower.com/awards.

ABOUT J.D. POWER

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (ai) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

J.D. Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company's business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The J.D. Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

ABOUT T. ROWE PRICE

Founded in 1937, T. Rowe Price (NASDAQ-GS: TROW) is an independent global asset management company with $1.55 trillion in assets under management as of March 31, 2022. The firm is focused on delivering investment excellence and retirement services for institutional, intermediary, and individual investors. Our strategic investing approach, driven by independent thinking and guided by rigorous research, helps clients feel confident in pursuing financial goals. For more information, visit troweprice.com , Twitter , YouTube , LinkedIn , Instagram , or Facebook .

SOURCE T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.
Set to draw more than 5,000 attendees, TRS is estimated to bring more than $2M in revenue to Dallas-area businesses. Tweet this

Registration for the 2022 Texas Restaurant Show is now open.

The Texas Restaurant Show schedule is stacked. Opportunities kick off Saturday, July 9 with pre-conference education. An ideal way to begin the event, this year's pre-conference education sessions include an "investment bootcamp" hosted by the TRA and VRA Partners that offers exclusive insights from leading industry experts to guide attendees through the process of franchising, becoming a franchisor, or growing one's brand through capital investment. Additionally, attendees may complete their ServSafe Food Manager certification in English or Spanish. And finally, James Pogue, acclaimed expert in diversity and inclusion, will be presenting his renowned DIBS workshop.

On Sunday, July 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Texas Restaurant Show expo opens, giving attendees the opportunity to attend a variety of education programming on the Coca-Cola Main Stage, A Closer Look Tech & Innovation Stage, and the Texas Beef Council Culinary Demonstration Stage. Leading-edge trends in food, techniques, technology, beverages, and more will be showcased alongside the newest products and services designed to increase restaurant efficiency. Day two of the Texas Restaurant Show expo is Monday, July 11, offering another full day of exhibitors, education, and networking opportunities from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

"The Texas Restaurant Show is a catalyst for our industrycreating a unique opportunity for our leaders to gather, collaborate, and reinvent the future of hospitality as we rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic," said Dr. Emily Williams Knight, Ed.D., President & CEO of the TRA. "The past two years have demonstrated the value of working together and learning from each other. We are proud to present the Texas Restaurant Show in Dallas this year, an event and a city which embody the spirit of collaboration and innovation that will carry us into the future."

The evening of July 10, participants may also enjoy the Texas Restaurant Foundation's Annual Lone Star Bash featuring the Texas Restaurant Awards at the legendary venue Gilley's Dallas. This year's Lone Star Bash will highlight signature dishes and cocktails from more than 30 esteemed chefs and 15 cutting-edge mixologists, each respectively competing for the title of People's Choice for Best Dish and Craft Cocktail. The competition will be followed by a live performance by Red Dirt rocker Stoney LaRue, with all proceeds benefiting the important work of the Texas Restaurant Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Additional details, VIP tickets, and concert-only tickets for the Lone Star Bash are available here.

Limited exhibit space at the Texas Restaurant Show is still available, including specialty areas like the culinary innovation stations and the international and GoTexan pavilions. Book a booth here.

ABOUT THE TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION

Formed in 1937, the Texas Restaurant Association (TRA) serves as the advocate and indispensable resource for the foodservice industry in Texas. As a leading business association, the TRA represents the state's $70 billion restaurant industry, which comprises approximately 50,000 locations and a workforce of 1.3 million employees. Along with the Texas Restaurant Foundation, the workforce development arm of the TRA, the association proudly continues to protect, advance, and educate a growing industry as the TRA enters its 85th anniversary year. For more information, please visit www.txrestaurant.org.

Media Contact: Rachel Austin, [email protected]

SOURCE Texas Restaurant Association
INDIANAPOLIS, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Thompson Thrift, a full-service nationally recognized real estate company, announced today that Daniel R. Sink will be joining the company as chief financial officer for Thompson Thrift Development. In his new role, Sink will oversee the finance, accounting, capital markets, tax and IT areas and will also be involved as part of the executive team to help develop and execute on the overall strategy to operate and expand the business.

"We are honored to have Dan join the Thompson Thrift team," stated Paul Thrift, Thompson Thrift's CEO. "Dan has earned a reputation as a 'hands on' leader and an excellent collaborator. He is well-equipped to work with our senior executive team as we continue our focus on delivering long-term value across our portfolio of multifamily and commercial developments."

Sink brings 33 years of experience in various aspects of the real estate and construction industries to Thompson Thrift. Recently, he was the CEO for a $1.3 billion investment and development company focused primarily on lodging and office projects in the Cincinnati area. Prior to that, Sink spent almost 19 years as executive vice president and CFO for Kite Realty Group, an Indianapolis-based REIT. During his tenure he helped lead the company through its initial public offering in 2004, the timely closing of a $2 billion merger, and aided in positioning the company to achieve investment-grade ratings from Moody's and S&P. Sink is also a CPA and has 11 years of public accounting experience specializing in construction/real estate tax.

Sink takes the reins from longtime CFO Ken Howell, who recently announced that he would step down later this summer after working with the team to ensure a smooth transition.

"I feel grateful joining the successful Thompson Thrift team," said Sink. "Having played a leadership role in similar business situations and industries, I am confident that we can develop and execute plans that will further the rapid growth the company has experienced in recent years. I'm thrilled that we have such a bright future together."

Sink has served on various boards, including Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and School on Wheels. He is a graduate of Indiana University with a bachelor's in accounting.

About Thompson Thrift Real Estate Company

Thompson Thrift is an integrated full-service real estate company with offices in Indianapolis and Terre Haute, Indiana, Houston and Phoenix. Three business units drive Thompson Thrift's successThompson Thrift Residential which is focused on upscale Class A multifamily communities and luxury leased homes, Thompson Thrift Commercial which is focused on ground-up commercial development, and Thompson Thrift Construction, a full-service construction company. Through these business units, Thompson Thrift is engaged in all aspects of acquisition, development, construction, leasing, and management of quality multifamily, mixed-use, retail, industrial and commercial projects across the country. We are passionate about our customer's success and strive to ensure our projects not only meet the needs of our customers but also the communities we serve. For more information, please visit www.thompsonthrift.com

Contact:

Jennifer Franklin

Spotlight Marketing Communications

949.427.1385

[email protected]

SOURCE Thompson Thrift
TORONTO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Thornhill Medical, a leading developer of innovative mobile medical technology for use in global conflict zones and disaster relief scenarios, has convened the company's first Military Advisory Council.

Assembled with the guidance of Thornhill Medical's senior military consultant and 30-year military-medical leader Frederick Gerber (COL USA Ret), the Council comprises five distinguished military medical experts from three nations. These elite military leaders and physicians will draw on decades of senior field experience in casualty care and medical leadership around the world to provide valuable expertise and insights, informing Thornhill Medical's mission of improving casualty care and survivability.

The Council members are:

LTG (Dr.) Honorable James B. Peake, US Army, Ret

40th Surgeon General of the United States Army, 2000 - 2004



6th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 2007  2009

VADM (Dr.) Forrest Faison , US Navy, Ret

Surgeon General of the United States Navy, 2015-2019

LTG Professor (Dr.) Martin Charles Marshall Bricknell , British Army, Ret

Surgeon General of the British Armed Forces, 2018 - 2109

Colonel (Dr) John B. Holcomb , US Army, Ret

Trauma, Critical Care and Acute Care Surgeon, US Army 1985 - 2008

Colonel (Dr.) Ishay Ostfeld , Israel Defense Forces, Ret

Cardiothoracic Surgeon and Medical Commander, IDF

Thornhill Medical President & CEO, Lesley Gouldie, and Chief Scientific Officer & Co-Founder, Dr. Joe Fisher, will co-chair the Council.

"These accomplished Military Advisory Council Members will advise Thornhill Medical on the needs of critically ill and injured civilians and warfighters in global conflict, as we continue to advance our technology," said Fisher.

"Thornhill Medical has always sought to learn from innovators, thought leaders and subject matter experts in different fields, and to collaborate with industry-leading companies to push the boundaries of what's possible," said Gouldie. "The formation of our new Military Advisory Council is a natural step forward to this end, and we are honoured and eager to work with these esteemed military medical leaders."

About Thornhill Medical

Thornhill Medical is a leading developer of innovative medical technologies, including its proprietary MOVES SLC integrated life-support technology and MADM, a portable in-line vapor anesthesia delivery device that turns ventilators into anesthesia workstations. Thornhill Medical draws on its wide range of scientific and technological expertise in physiology, critical care medicine, mechanical, electrical, industrial, and software engineering to develop unique products to support emergency health care providers, military medical teams, and disaster relief responders.

SOURCE Thornhill Medical
Island Princess departed Ft. Lauderdale on April 27 on a Panama Canal cruise; Royal Princess sailed from Vancouver on May 2 for the popular "Voyage of the Glaciers" Alaska season; and Crown Princess is scheduled to depart Seattle on May 7 for a summer program of Inside Passage Alaska cruises.

"We're so excited to have three more Princess MedallionClass ships return to service and our shipboard teams are ready to help our guests create a lifetime of vacation memories," said John Padgett, Princess Cruises president. "It's so gratifying to see tens of thousands of guests each week enjoying their vacations with us and the friendly and attentive service that is a Princess Cruises hallmark."

Island Princess  Panama Canal  Departed Ft. Lauderdale on April 27

Celebrating the 55th anniversary of the cruise line sailing to the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal, Island Princess departed on a 14-day Ocean-to-Ocean Panama Canal voyage from Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles on April 27, and will return on a subsequent voyage from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale on May 11. Princess first sailed to the Panama Canal in 1967 aboard Princess Italia. Island Princess will then depart Ft. Lauderdale for Europe, sailing various British Isles, Northern Europe (including Iceland and the Arctic Circle) and Mediterranean voyages.

Royal Princess  Alaska  Departed Vancouver on May 2

Sailing on the cruise line's top-rated "Voyage of the Glaciers" itinerary, Royal Princess departs on back-to-back northbound and southbound cruises from Vancouver and Whittier (Anchorage). Every sailing includes two days of glacier viewing featuring Glacier Bay National Park, plus Hubbard Glacier (southbound) or College Fjord (northbound). Port visits include Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway. These cruises can also be combined with one of the cruise line's 20 cruisetour options featuring an unforgettable land tour visiting the magnificent Denali National Park and Princess Wilderness Lodges.

Crown Princess  Alaska  Scheduled to Sail from Seattle on May 7

Departing on Saturdays from Seattle, Crown Princess is scheduled to depart on 19, seven-day Inside Passage voyages to Alaska through September 10, 2022. She will then move to Los Angeles for a season of California Coast and Hawaii sailings.

Return to Service Schedule  All 15 Princess Ships

The cruise line's fleet of 15 ships are currently sailing or are scheduled to return to service by September 2022, to worldwide destinations including Alaska, Australia, the California Coast, Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico and the Panama Canal. Cruise ships, return dates, 2022 itineraries in chronological order include:

Majestic Princess

Sailing since July 25, 2021

Alaska, California Coast, Mexico

Regal Princess

Sailing since July 31, 2021

Caribbean, Europe

Sky Princess

Sailing since August 30, 2021

Caribbean, Europe

Grand Princess

Sailing since September 25, 2021

California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico

Emerald Princess

Sailing since October 15, 2021

Panama Canal, Europe

Ruby Princess

Sailing since October 31, 2021

California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama Canal

Enchanted Princess  NEW SHIP

Inaugural season began Nov. 10, 2021

Caribbean, Europe

Caribbean Princess

Sailing since November 28, 2021

Caribbean, Panama Canal

Discovery Princess  NEW SHIP

Inaugural season began March 27, 2022

California Coast, Mexico, Alaska

Island Princess

Sailing since April 27, 2022

Panama Canal, Europe

Royal Princess

Sailing since May 2, 2022

Alaska

Crown Princess

Returning May 7, 2022

Alaska

Coral Princess

Returning June 16, 2022

Australia

Diamond Princess

Returning September 1, 2022

California Coast, Mexico

Sapphire Princess

Returning September 24, 2022

California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico

Princess MedallionClass Vacations

Princess delivers Princess MedallionClass Vacations which begins with the Medallion wearable, a quarter-sized, device that enables everything from expedited contactless boarding to locating loved ones anywhere on the ship, as well as enhanced service like having whatever guests need, delivered directly to them, wherever they are on the ship. In addition, guests can share their favorite cruise moments using MedallionNet, the best Wi-Fi at sea, as well as stay connected with friends and family back home, work remotely anywhere on the ship, quickly post content and stream favorite movies and shows.

For the latest Princess COVID-19 health protocols, please visit https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/covid-19-guest-protocols/.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel advisor, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237), or by visiting the company's website at http://www.princess.com/.

About Princess Cruises :

One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is the world's leading international premium cruise line and tour company operating a fleet of 15 modern cruise ships, carrying millions of guests each year to 330 destinations around the globe, including the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Europe, South America, Australia/New Zealand, the South Pacific, Hawaii, Asia, Canada/New England, Antarctica, and World Cruises. A team of professional destination experts have curated 170 itineraries, ranging in length from three to 111 days and Princess Cruises is continuously recognized as "Best Cruise Line for Itineraries." In 2017 Princess Cruises, with parent company Carnival Corporation, introduced MedallionClass Vacations enabled by the Medallion device, the vacation industry's most advanced wearable device, provided free to each guest sailing on a MedallionClass ship. The award-winning innovation offers the fastest way to an effortless personalized vacation, giving guests more time to do the things they love most. The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE:CUK).

In line with the latest advice from health officials about COVID-19, Princess Cruises is currently enhancing health and safety protocols with input from medical experts and government bodies and assessing how they may impact future itineraries. Actual offerings may vary from what is displayed in marketing materials. Click on the following links to stay updated on current Cruise Updates and Health & Safety protocols .

SOURCE Princess Cruises
Alliance makes Kiu the first Passenger Service System (PSS) to integrate this technology

MIAMI, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, TravelX , the company building the travel industry's blockchain-based distribution protocol, announced a partnership with Kiu System Solutions via Kiu PSS - the comprehensive commercialization solution for airlines providing tools to manage inventory, reservations and tickets. This enables 73 airlines to tokenize and distribute inventory as NFTs through the blockchain ecosystem.

"At Kiu, we are focused on developing innovative and efficient solutions. This has been possible due to our vast experience in the industry and desire to provide new and better technologies to our clients and passengers. Through this partnership, we are excited to provide a new and innovative sales channel to our customers," commented Alberto Desimone, CEO and co-founder of Kiu.

The strategic alliance allows airlines operating with Kiu to reduce distribution and transaction costs and increase revenue, while improving the traveler experience, by tokenizing and globally distributing inventory as NFTickets. NFTickets can be exchanged between actors in the blockchain network in accordance with smart contracts or parameters predefined by the service provider, generating additional revenue streams. Additionally, through transactions on the blockchain, refunds and exchanges are immediate and governed by automatically executed smart contracts, which saves money and time associated with customer service.

"We are very excited to be a part of the industry's first integration between a blockchain distribution protocol and PSS with the global reach of Kiu. Through this, more airlines will be able to experience the benefits that tokenization and blockchain provide in terms of cost efficiencies and revenue generation," adds Juan Pablo Lafosse, CEO and co-founder of TravelX. "We are proud that our partnership makes this all possible for airlines without the need for additional investments or technological developments on their side, as tokenizing inventory through blockchain is as easy as logging on and updating their agreement with Kiu."

TravelX was born in 2021 to reimagine the travel industry and accelerate its adaptation to Web3. One of TravelX's most innovative propositions is the tokenization of E-tickets, evolving them into NFTickets. The company plans to launch its first service and marketplace later this year.

For more information, visit https://www.travelx.io .

About TravelX

TravelX is building a blockchain-based distribution protocol designed to create a more secure, decentralized, frictionless, transparent and efficient travel industry. The company's technology allows travel suppliers to more efficiently manage their inventory, unleashing use cases that enhance both travelers' flexibility and suppliers' profitability.

SOURCE TravelX
10:04 | Lima, May. 4.

The measure was stipulated by Supreme Decree No. 046-2022-PCM , published on Wednesday in the Official Gazette El Peruano
Student entrepreneurs from across the state will pitch their startups at Texas A&M this Friday

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Uncharted Learning , a national nonprofit committed to helping students develop resilience and problem-solving skills through entrepreneurship, congratulates the high school teams competing in Texas High School Ideas Challenge , hosted by the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship at Texas A&M. 32 of the 42 teams have developed their products and pitches through the Uncharted Learning INCubatoredu entrepreneurship curriculum, which focuses on problem-solution identification, customer and idea exploration, and authentic pitching opportunities.

"It is such an honor for teams to be selected as finalists in the Texas High School Ideas Challenge and we're so proud to see that 32 of the 42 teams chosen have completed the INCubatoredu curriculum. The creativity and critical thinking demonstrated by these teams illustrates the power of offering authentic entrepreneurship opportunities in high school," said Christy Scott, Executive Director of Uncharted Learning.

The following INCubatoredu teams are competing:

Alamo Heights High School, Alamo Heights ISD

FYDER, LLC

Boerne Champion High School, Boerne ISD

Bonsai Chef

Canyon High School, Comal ISD

Stoozies

Centennial High School, Frisco ISD

Chance Tickets

Investa Sport

iPath American English

sMile

Trainee

WorkBee

Elgin High School, Elgin ISD

Gspeak

House of Hope

Infinity

Frisco High School, Frisco ISD

H.E.M.A.

Heritage High School, Frisco ISD

J.S.I. Wind Turbine EV

Stewup

Lake Belton High School, Belton ISD

FamilyPod

Lake Travis High School, Lake Travis ISD

512View

Fli-Ball

Genetic-Fit

LogSense

Midlothian High School, Midlothian ISD

AirLivery

Carseat Infant Detection System

Compactables

Tesoro

Vista Ridge High School, Leander ISD

AutoCans

Capacipack

FlashFish

Paw Pantry

SmartWeights

Traverse Marketplace

Westlake High School, Eanes ISD

M.T. Equipment Backpacking Table

PharmAssist

The Texas High School Ideas Challenge is the only statewide entrepreneurial contest offered exclusively to high school students across Texas. The Challenge is modeled after the Raymond Ideas Challenge available to current Texas A&M students. On Friday, May 7, finalist teams will compete in front of a panel of judges for nearly $15,000 in prize money from 11am to 4pm. Awards, including a People's Choice Award, will be announced during the Reception from 5pm to 7pm. Complete details can be found here .

About Uncharted Learning

Uncharted Learning is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to kick start students for life by equipping them with real-world skills. The company helps inspire them to discover their passions, strengthen their capabilities and create their own futures. Its programs offer authentic, rigorous entrepreneurship experiences to students in 250 schools across the U.S. and Australia. Since 2013, Uncharted Learning's year-long INCubatoredu program has prepared students to succeed in a changing global economy.

SOURCE Uncharted Learning
Following federal approval in March 2022 by the U.S. EPA, Oxitec has received approval from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services including reviews from the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to continue to pilot its mosquito technology in the Florida Keys.

by the U.S. EPA, Oxitec has received approval from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services including reviews from the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to continue to pilot its mosquito technology in the Florida Keys. This project will be a continuation of Oxitec's partnership with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District following a successful 2021 pilot project.

Federal and state regulators concluded that the Friendly mosquito projects pose no risks to human health or the environment.

OXFORD, England, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Oxitec, the leading developer of biological pest control solutions, is proud to announce approval from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), including reviews from seven State of Florida agencies to continue the pilot project for its safe Aedes aegypti just-add-water mosquito control technology in the Florida Keys. The work will be carried out in partnership with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD).

In March of this year the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved plans for the continuation of the pilot project as an extension of the Experimental Use Permit (EUP) granted in 2020. Following the EPA federal approval Oxitec submitted a permit application to FDACS for state review, which has now been approved. The 2022 project is expected to launch the week of May 9th.

In Florida, Oxitec works closely with its government partners, local residents, and a broad range of stakeholders, all of whom help guide, shape and contribute to the projects. Data from this additional pilot project will contribute to Oxitec's application to the EPA for commercial approval of this technology.

Oxitec's safe, sustainable and targeted biological pest control technology does not harm beneficial insects like bees and butterflies, and is proven to control the invasive and disease transmitting Aedes aegypti mosquito. The Aedes aegypti mosquito has invaded communities in Florida and other U.S. states, increasing the risk of transmission of dengue, chikungunya, Zika, yellow fever and other diseases.

Grey Frandsen, CEO of Oxitec, said, "We're immensely grateful to be working with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District and to the communities who have welcomed us in the Keys. We look forward to continuing our work with our world-class partners in Florida to deliver accessible, effective, and environmentally friendly solutions to control the increasing threat of invasive, disease-carrying mosquitoes."

Oxitec welcomes all media inquiries.

Additional resources:

About Oxitec

Oxitec is the leading developer of biological solutions to control pests that transmit disease, destroy crops and harm livestock. Founded in 2002 at the University of Oxford, Oxitec is led by a passionate team comprised of 15 nationalities and is supported by world-class public, private and non-profit partners.

Learn more at oxitec.com .

SOURCE Oxitec
This program is supported by the California Department of Public Health, Office of Binational Border Health, and the COVID-19 Testing Taskforce.

SAN DIEGO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A collaboration between the Ventanilla de Salud program of the General Consulate of Mexico in San Diego, the State of California, and the U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership (BPP) has begun providing free COVID-19 rapid testing to California-bound travelers, two years and older, at the Cross Border Xpress (CBX) facilities in San Diego, California.

"This partnership among the Ventanilla de Salud of the General Consulate of Mexico in San Diego, the State of California, and the U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership will continue to serve the unique community of U.S. and Mexican nationals who travel regularly in our binational border region," said Andy Carey, Executive Director of the BPP.

"I congratulate the Border Philanthropy Partnership, an ally of the Consulate in the Ventanilla de Salud program that operates daily at our offices, for having been selected to provide rapid tests at CBX," said Ambassador Carlos Gonzalez Gutierrez, Consul General of Mexico in San Diego. "It is testament to their professionalism and commitment to our communities."

Funded by the California Department of Public Health, the initiative is supported by the California Office of Binational Border Health and the California COVID-19 Testing Task Force. The program will allow these agencies to track and monitor COVID-19 results, detect COVID-19 variants, and provide free in-home COVID-19 tests and educational materials to travelers entering California at the CBX international hub.

CBX operates a 390-foot enclosed bridge that connects its San Diego terminal with Tijuana's Abelardo L. Rodriguez International Airport, making traveling between the U.S. and Mexico convenient and fast. Staffed by bilingual outreach workers, this is the first on-site COVID-19 testing program serving the thousands of passengers who arrive at the Tijuana Airport and cross into California daily using CBX.

"We are glad to collaborate with the Ventanilla de Salud, the State of California, and the U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership to promote the safe recovery of tourism through our facilities for the benefit of the communities that we serve and all of our passengers," said Jorge Goytortua, CEO of CBX.

About the BPP

The BPP is a binational membership organization whose mission is to support a network of organizations that build prosperity through leadership, collaboration, and philanthropy in the U.S.-Mexico Border region. For more information about the BPP, please visit www.borderpartnership.org.

About the Ventanilla de Salud

The Ventanilla de Salud is a program of the Government of Mexico developed by the Department of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented through the Mexican consulate network in the United States and local partner organizations. The Ventanilla provides reliable information on health topics, counseling, and referrals to available and accessible health services.

Media Contact: Susy Villegas

[email protected]

619-947-5742

SOURCE U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership
US TAX COFFERS LOSE $640 BILLION OF TAXABLE PROFITS DUE TO TRADE-BASED TAX EVASION AND MONEY LAUNDERING IN 2021 Tweet this

According to John Zdanowicz, the concept is simple, "buy nothing for something or sell something for nothing."

Here is how it works: A US company or criminal imports products from a subsidiary or colluding partner at extremely high prices (buying nothing for something) increasing its cost of goods sold, thus decreasing its taxable income and tax obligation. Meanwhile the money itself moves offshore undetected. Working from the other end of the transaction, a US company or criminal can also shift money and taxable income out of the US by exporting products to a subsidiary or colluding partner at extremely low prices (selling something for nothing) which under reports revenues.

Other examples Zdanowicz cites include:

Rubies  Cut Not Set imported from Mozambique for $14,355.71 per carat

for per carat Mufflers & Exhaust Pipes imported from Germany for $1.039.09

for Smart Cards  Recorded imported from Korea for $7,008.36

Rubies, Emeralds & Sapphires exported to Thailand for $2.71 per carat

for per carat Radiators for Tractors exported to Brazil for $.20

for Steering Wheels and Columns exported to China for $.08

China tops the list of countries with the highest amount of estimated US tax losses and money laundering due to abnormal trade pricing in 2021.

International Trade Alert's evaluation, an in-depth computer analysis, included every import transaction and every export transaction for every product and for every country, during 2021.

According to Zdanowicz, losses in US tax revenues will continue to be a growing problem. The 2021 figure shows a 15% increase over the $556.51 billion moved out of the US by illicit financial flows in international trade in 2020.

"Criminals and tax evaders have discovered that moving money through the banking system is risky, especially with the new reporting requirements for financial institution under the Patriots Act and other banking regulations," Zdanowicz said. "However, moving money is virtually undetectable in international trade. Some companies avoid taxes by moving their corporate headquarters offshore through tax inversions. Manipulating their international trade prices allows companies to remain in the US but move their taxable income offshore," said Zdanowicz.

Zdanowicz developed and perfected the sophisticated computer software necessary to analyze every US trade transaction contained in the US Department of Commerce Merchandise Trade database and detect every abnormally priced import and export transaction. Zdanowicz stated that the abnormal transactions he discovered are "hidden in plain sight."

Notes

The executive summary of the Trade-Based Tax Evasion and Money Laundering report can be viewed here February 2022 recommendations by Sek Strategies to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's (FinCEN) review of the US Bank Secrecy Act regulations and guidance with input from International Trade Alert can be viewed here In his study, Zdanowicz assumed that import and export prices were abnormal if they deviated above or below the interquartile range of prices, as defined in the 1994 "Intercompany Transfer Pricing Regulations Under Section 482" of the Internal Revenue Service tax code.

SOURCE Sek Strategies
In partnership with the actress and caregiver, the brand kicks off CareWalks, a pledge to caregivers across the country that offers resources and encourages movement through a new video series, a charitable donation and more

WARREN, N.J., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 1 in 5 Americans provide care to family members or loved ones,1 a task that's inherently connected with physical pain. With many caregivers also dealing with the added challenges of experiencing joint pain, GSK Consumer Healthcare (LSE/NYSE: GSK) today announced Voltaren Arthritis Pain Gel is partnering with actress and caregiver Jennie Garth for the launch of CareWalks, an initiative dedicated to those who care for others.

Jennie Garth, a Voltaren user herself, stars in the CareWalks video series, speaking with other real-life caregivers with joint pain about their shared experiences and challenges, to help raise awareness for this community nationwide. Through CareWalks, I have had the opportunity to walk alongside other caregivers and encourage one another to take time for ourselves to get moving, said Jennie Garth.

Data shows 94% of caregivers nationwide report musculoskeletal pain, 76% report lower back, knee and shoulder pain and 43% report wrist pain. Further, nearly 4 out of 5 Americans (78%) say that pain has affected their ability to provide care.2 To bring caregivers with joint pain from osteoarthritis (OA) to the forefront, Voltaren has introduced CareWalks, a video series (available on the brand's website and social channels) that sheds light on caregivers' stories. The brand will also share resources directly with caregivers via email programs and online engagement, and partner with iHeart Radio to make a charitable donation to Volunteers of America, a nonprofit organization committed to aiding caregivers across the country. Jennie will also be a featured guest on Voltaren's mini-podcast series, CareWalks, created in partnership with iHeart Radio.

As part of CareWalks, Voltaren has teamed up with Jennie Garth, who was recently diagnosed with osteoarthritis and who served as the primary caregiver to her father before his passing. Jennie, a Voltaren user herself, stars in the CareWalks video series, speaking with other real-life caregivers with joint pain about their shared experiences and challenges, to help raise awareness for this community nationwide.

"When I heard Voltaren was supporting caregivers, I knew I wanted to be involved," Jennie said. "Through CareWalks, I have had the opportunity to walk alongside other caregivers and encourage one another to take time for ourselves to get moving. So many caregivers, like myself, have arthritis pain, and Voltaren is here to show we're not alone. Voltaren helps me manage my OA pain."

CareWalks encourages movement with less pain, especially for those with OA, the most common type of arthritis. By finding joy in movement, caregivers can get back to connecting to those they love.

"Caregivers work so hard to take care of their friends and family, and making themselves a priority can prove difficult," said Rishi Mulgund, Brand Director, Pain Relief at GSK Consumer Healthcare. "Voltaren is proud to support the 48 million unpaid caregivers in the U.S.,1 highlighting their unique stories and bringing a voice to those who so often get overlooked."

Millions of Americans experience joint pain as a result of their arthritis. As a world leader in arthritis joint pain relief, Voltaren is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people living with joint pain due to OA. For powerful arthritis pain relief, Voltaren delivers the triple effect of relieving arthritis pain, reducing stiffness, and improving mobility.

To learn more about Voltaren, access caregiving resources or hear the stories of real-life caregivers that inspired CareWalks, visit www.voltarengel.com.

About Voltaren Arthritis Pain Gel

The active ingredient in Voltaren Arthritis Pain Gel, diclofenac sodium, is an effective medicine that is clinically proven to relieve joint pain due to arthritis. Voltaren penetrates through the skin at the application site to deliver arthritis pain relief. Voltaren offers consumers who suffer from OA a well-tolerated alternative to oral analgesics. For more information, visit www.VoltarenGel.com.

About GSK Consumer Healthcare

GSK Consumer Healthcare combines science and consumer insights to create innovative world-class health care brands that consumers trust, and experts recommend for oral health, pain relief, respiratory, and wellness.

About osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis. OA occurs when the cartilage between joints begins to break down and wear away, resulting in joint pain and stiffness. OA occurs more frequently with age, and the pain can gradually worsen over time. The most common symptoms associated with OA include joint pain, stiffness, and decreased range of motion.

GSK's commitment to pain relief

We are the world leader in pain relief. With a portfolio of (systemic and topical) products to relieve pain, our range brings comfort and ease to millions. World-leading brands including Advil, Panadol and Voltaren; and beloved local brands like Excedrin in the US and Fenbid in China help people manage their symptoms so they can enjoy life to the fullest.

Important safety information about Voltaren Arthritis Pain Gel

Before using the product, consumers should read the Voltaren Arthritis Pain Gel Drug Facts Label.

References

AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving. Caregiving in the United States 2020. Washington, DC : AARP. May 2020. https://www.aarp.org/ppi/info-2020/caregiving-in-the-united-states.html Study from researchers at The Ohio State University led by Amy Darragh , PhD, an occupational therapist at Ohio State's School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. particularly among the estimated 14 million "high-burden" caregivers (defined by the National Alliance for Caregiving and the AARP as people who spend more than 21 hours a week assisting care recipients with activities of daily living).

Media Inquiries

GSK Consumer Healthcare Meghan Sowa +1 919 864 0953 Warren Edelman Jessica Moschella +1 201 953 1547 New York City

SOURCE GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare
Winners to Share $140K Prize Purse for Creating Novel, Miniaturized Lunar Payloads in Preparation for Sustained Presence on the Moon

HOUSTON, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HeroX, the leading platform and open marketplace for crowdsourced solutions, today announced the winners of the "Honey, I Shrunk the NASA Payload, the Sequel" Challenge. The Challenge sought designs for miniature payload prototypes that could be sent to the Moon to help fill gaps in lunar knowledge.

Winners to Share $140K Prize Purse for Creating Novel, Miniaturized Lunar Payloads in Preparation for Sustained Presence on the Moon

The first "Honey, I Shrunk the NASA Payload Challenge" launched on April 9, 2020. Fourteen teams were recognized and rewarded for their innovative approaches to miniature payload development. These fourteen teams were invited to participate in the sequel challenge, which launched on October 15, 2020. From among those fourteen teams, four finalist teams were selected who then relied on crowdsourcing to recruit new team members and fill any resource gaps they might have. Two of these expanded teams completed the next step of the challenge and were each awarded up to $225,000 that was used to develop their proposals into functioning, flight-ready payloads. In addition, a third team was awarded $65,000 to develop their proposal. Two years later, these teams have completed their hardware development and testing, and could one day see their payloads operate on the Moon.

The first, second and third place teams will now receive $100,000, $25,000, and $15,000, respectively, in prize money from HeroX, but all three finalist teams are also being evaluated by NASA for potential accommodation on a future flight to the Moon.

First place winner, Sunslicer - Miniaturized XRAY Spectrometer by Team Sun Slicer

Team SunSlicer is a collection of space and space science enthusiasts with founding members Phillip Jobson, Garrett Jernigan, John Doty and Brian Silverman. Garrett, John and Brian are MIT alumni that have co-developed cubesats for educational purposes. Brian Silverman built and mentored the 3-man software team which included Vadim Gerasimov (Scientist, Google Software Engineer and co-developer of the original TETRIS Game) who performed the invaluable heavy lifting for the payload firmware implementation, BLDC motor controller and user interface development. Phil Jobson led the SunSlicer project and was responsible for all aspects of the payload project management, hardware development, implementation, procurement and testing.

SunSlicer is an innovative, miniature, low power, versatile, TRL7 flight ready XRAY spectrometer with custom packaging and thermal design to adapt it for a harsh, miniature rover-deployed lunar environment. A key feature of SunSlicer is the lunar dust mitigation concept that utilizes a rotary shutter/filter wheel and wiper system that is driven by an extremely compact custom motor implementation and geartrain. SunSlicer has many impactful mission possibilities for the Artemis program in both identifying lunar resource potential and characterizing the lunar environment including prospecting for rock forming elements leveraging solar flares, measuring flare producing solar active regions to high angular accuracy and monitoring background XRAY radiation.

Second place winner, Puli Lunar Water Snooper by Puli Space Technologies

The Puli Lunar Water Snooper is a neutron spectrometer that detects hydrogen atoms in lunar regolith. Hydrogen concentrations indicate whether water and other hydrogen bearing volatiles are present. Since these neutrons are generated by cosmic rays, hydrogen can be detected several meters below the surface. A low-cost, simple, and extremely lightweight solution for this capability is critical for future robotic explorations on the Moon.

Puli Space Technologies is also helping explore the rough lunar terrains & harsh lunar environment with an experienced team of engineers and scientists passionate about the Moon http://pulispace.com

Third place winner, RAD, A Micro-Scale Lunar Radiation Detector by Christian Haughwout and Thomas (Joey) Murphy.

RAD is proposed by a two-person team composed of Christian Haughwout and Thomas (Joey) Murphy. Christian and Joey are graduate students at MIT pursuing PhDs in space systems engineering in the department of aeronautics and astronautics.

Radiation is one of the greatest threats to extended human habitation in space. Shielding from and mitigating the effects of this radiation for the Artemis program will require detailed surveys of the radiation environment at the lunar pole. Currently existing devices capable of making the required measurements are too large and too expensive for widespread deployment on Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) rovers and landers.

Therefore, Team RAD's payload is a miniaturized radiation measuring instrument with many of the same features as the radiation assessment detector (RAD) on the Curiosity rover, but whose size, weight, and power (SWaP) are compatible with smaller exploration vehicles.

To view the challenge, visit https://www.herox.com/NASAPayload2

ABOUT HEROX

HeroX is a platform and open marketplace for crowdsourcing innovation and human ingenuity, co-founded in 2013 by serial entrepreneur, Christian Cotichini and XPRIZE Founder and Futurist, Peter Diamandis. HeroX offers a turnkey, easy-to-use platform that supports anyone, anywhere, to solve everyday business and world challenges using the power of the crowd. Uniquely positioned as the Social Network for Innovation, HeroX is the only place you can build, grow and curate your very own crowd.

Explore the latest challenges at www.herox.com

Media Contact:

Alexandra Pony

250.858.0656

[email protected]

SOURCE HeroX
DUBLIN, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Automotive Flooring Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global automotive flooring market reached a value of US$ 686.1 million in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach a value of US$ 950.3 million by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.40% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, the analyst is continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different End-use sectors. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



Automotive flooring refers to carpets and mats installed on the bottom surface of automobiles for providing protection against dust, wear, tear, dirt, and corrosion. It is manufactured using low density, lightweight materials, such as nylon, rubber, polyurethane, vinyl, fiber, polypropylene, and rayon materials that provide chemical and thermal stability. They are commercially available in varying shapes, sizes, colors, and designs. Automotive flooring assists in keeping the interior clean, improving performance, reducing vibration transmission and increasing durability. Apart from this, they are widely installed in passenger cars (PCs), light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and heavy commercial vehicles (HCVs) to improve their aesthetics.



Automotive Flooring Market Trends

The increasing production and sales of vehicles across the globe is creating a positive outlook for the market. Automotive flooring is widely used to enhance the appearance of the vehicle interior and provide protection to the floor. In line with this, the increasing awareness regarding the benefits offered by the product, such as easy maintenance, ease of availability, durability, customization and protection from water, dirt, and grime, is further facilitating their widespread adoption in automobiles.

Moreover, various product innovations, such as the utilization of eco-friendly materials for the manufacturing of carpets and mats that provide improved performance and thermal stability, are providing an impetus to the market growth. Additionally, the widespread adoption of polypropylene material due to its chemical stability, low density, cost-effectiveness and resistance to corrosion and chemical leaking is also contributing to the market growth. Apart from this, the increasing consumer expenditure capacities, the rising need for customization and the implementation of various government initiatives to provide safe and economical automotive floorings are anticipated to drive the market further toward growth.

Competitive Landscape

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being 3M Company, Auria Solutions (Shanghai Shenda Co. Ltd.), Auto Custom Carpets Inc., Autoneum Holding AG, Borgers SE & Co. KGaA, Conform Automotive, Foss Performance Materials LLC (AstenJohnson Inc.), German Auto Tops Inc., Hyosung Corporation, Suminoe Textile Co. Ltd., Toyota Boshoku Corporation and Walser GmbH.



Key Questions Answered in This Report

How has the global automotive flooring market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global automotive flooring market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the product?

What is the breakup of the market based on the material?

What is the breakup of the market based on the vehicle type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the distribution channel?

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 automotive flooring market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Automotive Flooring Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Product

6.1 Carpets

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Mats

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Material

7.1 Polyurethane

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Polypropylene

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast

7.3 Nylon

7.3.1 Market Trends

7.3.2 Market Forecast

7.4 Rubber

7.4.1 Market Trends

7.4.2 Market Forecast

7.5 Others

7.5.1 Market Trends

7.5.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Vehicle Type

8.1 Passenger Cars

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2 Light Commercial Vehicles

8.2.1 Market Trends

8.2.2 Market Forecast

8.3 Heavy Commercial Vehicles

8.3.1 Market Trends

8.3.2 Market Forecast



9 Market Breakup by Distribution Channel

9.1 OEM

9.1.1 Market Trends

9.1.2 Market Forecast

9.2 Aftermarket

9.2.1 Market Trends

9.2.2 Market Forecast



10 Market Breakup by Region



11 SWOT Analysis



12 Value Chain Analysis



13 Porters Five Forces Analysis



14 Price Analysis



15 Competitive Landscape

15.1 Market Structure

15.2 Key Players

15.3 Profiles of Key Players

15.3.1 3M Company

15.3.1.1 Company Overview

15.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.1.3 Financials

15.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.2 Auria Solutions (Shanghai Shenda Co. Ltd.)

15.3.2.1 Company Overview

15.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.3 Auto Custom Carpets Inc.

15.3.3.1 Company Overview

15.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.4 Autoneum Holding AG

15.3.4.1 Company Overview

15.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.4.3 Financials

15.3.5 Borgers SE & Co. KGaA

15.3.5.1 Company Overview

15.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.6 Conform Automotive

15.3.6.1 Company Overview

15.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.7 Foss Performance Materials LLC (AstenJohnson Inc.)

15.3.7.1 Company Overview

15.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.8 German Auto Tops Inc.

15.3.8.1 Company Overview

15.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.9 Hyosung Corporation

15.3.9.1 Company Overview

15.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.9.3 Financials

15.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis

15.3.10 Suminoe Textile Co. Ltd.

15.3.10.1 Company Overview

15.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.10.3 Financials

15.3.11 Toyota Boshoku Corporation

15.3.11.1 Company Overview

15.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

15.3.11.3 Financials

15.3.12 Walser GmbH

15.3.12.1 Company Overview

15.3.12.2 Product Portfolio

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/m42s1l

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets
Premium fast-casual chain offers 'Zaxified' family pictures commemorating Mother's Day

ATHENS, Ga., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Zaxby's, the premium quick-service restaurant known for its Chicken Fingerz, wings and signature sauces, is celebrating Mother's Day by providing fans the chance to get a classically "awkward" family photo via social media. While the whimsical activation plays out on Twitter leading up to Mother's Day, customers in Knoxville, Tennessee, have the opportunity to create an actual family portrait in person on Mother's Day at the Zaxby's Miller Place Way location.

Zaxbys celebrates Mothers Day with Zax Family Packs and a family portrait. The premium fast-casual chain offers Zaxified family pictures commemorating Mothers Day on Sunday, May 8.

"We wanted to create something truly memorable for Mother's Day by providing the opportunity to capture the one thing on every mom's wish listthe perfect family portrait," said Zaxby's Chief Marketing Officer Joel Bulger.

Brand fans looking to surprise their mothers with a quirky, Zaxby's-branded family picture are encouraged to upload their images to @Zaxby's on Twitter starting on Wednesday, May 4. Zaxby's will randomly "Zaxify" select pictures to create a truly unique digital family portrait for a memorable Mother's Day momento.[1]

Families in Knoxville, Tennessee, are invited to visit Zaxby's at 2936 Miller Place Way, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to pose for a free family portrait. Zaxby's encourages the purchase of a Zax Family Pack for the perfect Mother's Day pairing.

Zax Family Packs are specifically designed to meet the needs of families with generous portions, offering a choice of 20 Chicken Fingerz or 30 boneless wings, plus crinkle fries, Texas toast and a variety of sauces. Customers may add on additional items such as drinks and desserts.

Family Packs can be ordered ahead, online or in the Zaxby's app. Customers are encouraged to sign up for Zaxby's loyalty program, the Zax Fanz Club, available on zaxbys.com and for download on Google Play and the App Store.

"Now everyone has the chance to give a truly one-of-a-kind family photo to Mom. We suggest serving it up with a Zax Family Pack for the perfect Mother's Day meal," Bulger added.

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11:59 | Lima, May. 4.

In a statement, the Head of State denied the accusations by the aforementioned report, based on software that claims he had copied the information, which he described as "malicious."





"I deny any irregular act. The thesis work was validated under the respective educational quality standards. The research relied on an advisor and was supported in the presence of members of a qualifying jury who later awarded me the corresponding degree," he underlined.





The thesis document presented by a TV news magazine he warned lacks legitimacy because it does not have any record or stamp that confirms that it is official.





"This complaint is political in tone and is part of a destabilizing plan," Mr. Castillo said.





"I have not copied or attributed authorship (to myself) from third parties, as they irresponsibly attempt to make the population believe," he added.





The top official deemed as worrying the fact that freedom of the press and expression lends itself to private and anti-democratic interests, constructing journalistic narratives with the aim of generating political instability for the Government and, consequently, for governance in the country.





"Some media outlets insist on tarnishing my honor and undermining the legitimacy that the Peruvian people gave me in a transparent and democratic election endorsed by national and international organizations. The conspiracy by certain power groups and coup sectors is deplorable," he said.





According to him, journalistic practices outside of objectivity, truth, and ethics remind people of the dark period of journalism in the 90s when the media's editorial lines, newspaper front pages, and politically-motivated false information were up for sale.








"Even after the increase in the capacity of students able to attend schools, there is no risk to them, because increasing the capacity does not mean overcrowding," said Mario Izquierdo, a Minsa physician who specializes in public health, in an interview with Andina news agency





"Children need a desk to perform activities at school, which should be apart from one another. Otherwise, they could not store their notebooks or flex their arms to grab a pen. Increasing capacity does not mean that they will be crowded," he added.





The expert underscored that schoolchildren shall wear face masks at all times, noting that the space between desks will help them maintain the one-meter distance requested by health authorities in order to avoid infection.





"Schools are safe spaces, and there is no risk of getting infected there if they ensure good ventilation in classrooms, if children are vaccinated, if teachers are immunized and present an affidavit confirming they have no symptoms of COVID-19," Izquierdo said.





"We cannot deny children the possibility or the right to be educated," he remarked.





The expert commented that children and teenagers were the most infected ones in the most critical moments of the pandemic because they had not been vaccinated.





"When a virus seeks new hosts, it is expected to choose those who are not vaccinated and, at that time, children were the last to be immunized," he explained.





(END) KGR/LIT/RMB/MVB

The return to school has been a wise decision that does not pose any risk to children and teenagers, due to high vaccination rates in the country and the protective measures that are still in place with respect to enclosed spaces, such as the permanent use of face masks, experts from the Ministry of Health (Minsa) have pointed out.Publicado: 4/5/2022
United Nations, May 4 : Renewed battling between gangs in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince has killed 26 civilians, injured 22 others and forced hundreds of people to flee their homes, UN humanitarians has said.

The UN and partners support the mayor's office of Tabarre and Haiti's Civil Protection Agency in distributing hot meals and dry food, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. "While working on a plan to relocate families housed in spontaneous sites, humanitarians prepared such essential items as hygiene kits, blankets, kitchen kits, and baby kits." The office said the latest clashes took place in the Croix-des-Bouquets commune, Cite Soleil, Bas Delmas and Martissant. Reported clashes in the commune of Croix-des-Bouquets displaced 1,200 people.

The OCHA believes the casualty count will go much higher. Dozens of houses were burned, schools, medical centers and markets were closed, and the looting of a hospital was reported in Marin.

Humanitarians said the displaced need access to clean water, food, sanitation kits, children's and kitchen kits, mattresses, blankets and clothing.

The world body said it is ready to provide hot meals and additional assistance with national authorities. Haiti's Civil Protection General Directorate leads a national coordination committee of UN agencies and non-governmental organization (NGO) partners.

The OCHA said local NGOs started psychosocial activities for children at the displacement sites, including recreational activities, child-friendly spaces for learning, and counseling.
New Delhi, May 4 : During the height of the Pandemic, artist Veer Munshi made several trips to Kashmir, a place not unfamiliar to quarantine, though of a different kind. There, he began photographing people he knew through their windows who were in confinement owing to Covid.

"I tried to use architecture, spaces, heritage buildings and houses. To confine people beyond that architectural space is how I did this body of work," he tells IANS about 'How Green is My Valley', a grid of 14 photographs and one video that was displayed at the recently concluded India Art Fair. The video was made at an abandoned silk factory in the Valley, with a performance by a local Kashmiri woman. "Considering the fact that the politics there also keeps going in circles, I brought that metaphor into the work." Some of the people in the photographs were those he would speak to everyday, stressing that to be in a studio is one thing, but to have an inclusiveness outside of it is different. "I work a lot with theatre people and see their role and anguish into how they express their dynamics around their work," he says.

For Munshi, who was forced to leave Kashmir like many other Pandit families, art is an extension of one's life and experiences. Though his training at Baroda was different from what he does now, he says things can change when one is hit by life. "I loved to be in Kashmir after college but the political scenario that forced us to leave hit me deeply -- something that comes out in my works. There was political unrest and homes were in shambles, how could I be left unaffected?" Admitting that he did one to emerge out of it, but his mind was just not in rest, he says, "Well, after a few years, I did change my work, but when I went back to the Valley, it started again. However, I decided to look beyond my personal displacement." For someone whose house was burned down, he started documenting abandoned houses there. "This was the first time I had explored photography, and started investing in cameras. And 15 years later I again went back to Kashmir, and I got caught between stone pellets and security. The next day, I saw automobiles parked in a very different way and that stayed with me. After I got back to Gurugram, I started drawing them." Believing that every time he goes to Kashmir, something emerges, he adds, "Once I get a body of work back home from here, I feel I am done but something new strikes. Just like during the Pandemic times -- confinement caught my eye, I did not have to struggle for it, it just came out." He says that while some ideas work and some do not, he does not necessarily go with the notion that he has to create something. "The same is with my papier-mache. I meet different people downtown on my walks, and they have their own stories to tell." Talking about the art form (papier-mache), Munshi is sad that it is dying as it is not lucrative enough for the next generation in Kashmir and youngsters would prefer corporate jobs rather than knitting or creating art. "I brought my art into this so I can identify where my ideas are from. I wanted to bring it into the contemporary world so that it can bring another layer of life. Without art we cannot make a statement about who we are, so we have to take a call," he says.

Munshi who along with some other artists had started a conversation around 'Srinagar Biennale' says that it would have been able to sensitise people about the the place and could have brought artists from across the country to Kashmir. "Kashmir is seen as a politically unstable area but we did reach a point where an effort was made to bring artists who left Kashmir and went to other places. We need intellectual property to be restored there -- artists, theatre people and writers. The Biennale can happen anytime and anywhere and we are inviting anyone who can come and initiate it," says Munshi whose next project will be a collaboration of his individual works and those of craftspeople.

(Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in)
Vancouver, May 4 : Members of Punjabi Press Club of British Columbia (PPCBC) have come out to hold a rally against growing repression of journalists and shrinking press freedom.

Held at the Holland Park in Surrey on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on Tuesday, the rally was attended by the Mayor Dough McCallum and city councillor Mandeep Nagra, besides BC Federation of Labour Secretary-Treasurer Sussanne Skidmore. The three of them addressed the gathering and strongly condemned the attack on press freedom.

Special messages of solidarity with the media from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and two MPs -- Sukh Dhaliwal and Parm Bains -- were also read out by the organisers.

The event started with Canadian national anthem and a moment of silence for journalists who laid down their lives in the line of their duty globally.

Many of the rally participants believe India is becoming unsafe for journalists.

The speakers were unanimous in their demand for the release of jailed journalists in India, and halting physical and mental harassment of mediapersons by authorities and their supporters.

They agreed that the female journalists remain more vulnerable. Slogans in support of press freedom were also raised by the participants.

Those who spoke on the occasion were PPCBC president Baljinder Kaur, former presidents Gurvinder Singh Dhaliwal and Jarnail Singh Artist, cofounder of the club Gurpreet Singh Sahota, secretary Khuspal Gill and a veteran member Kuldeep Singh. Gurpreet Singh, the publisher of Radical Desi, an online magazine also spoke.
Presidente Pedro Castillo: "Hemos presentado un proyecto de ley para que se le consulte al pueblo peruano la elaboracion de una nueva Constitucion. Las voces del Peru profundo deben ser escuchadas. Tambien hemos recibido el apoyo de muchos congresistas".#SiempreConElPueblo pic.twitter.com/4lgigWrBuF
Copenhagen: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Queen of Denmark Margrethe II at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen after his hectic bilateral engagement with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and business community on Tuesday, May 03, 2022.(Photo:@narendr Image Source: IANS News

Copenhagen: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Queen of Denmark Margrethe II at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen after his hectic bilateral engagement with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and business community on Tuesday, May 03, 2022.(Photo:@narendr Image Source: IANS News

Copenhagen: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Queen of Denmark Margrethe II at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen after his hectic bilateral engagement with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and business community on Tuesday, May 03, 2022.(Photo:@narendr Image Source: IANS News

Copenhagen: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Queen of Denmark Margrethe II at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen after his hectic bilateral engagement with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and business community on Tuesday, May 03, 2022.(Photo:@narendr Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, May 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Queen of Denmark Margrethe II at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen after his hectic bilateral engagement with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and business community on Tuesday.

"Queen Margrethe II of Denmark received Prime Minister Narendra Modi today at the historic Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen," the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The Prime Minister felicitated the Queen on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of her accession to the throne of Denmark.

He briefed her on the "increasing momentum" in India-Denmark ties in recent years, particularly the Green Strategic Partnership. He also lauded the role of the Danish Royal Family in furthering social causes.

Prime Minister Modi thanked her for the warm reception and hospitality extended to him, the minsitry said.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister held a bilateral meeting with the Frederiksen and discussed wide range of issues including regional and global matters.

The two leaders held talks in a one-on-one format, followed by delegation level talks.

Both Prime Ministers reviewed progress of the India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership. Discussions covered cooperation in renewable energy, especially offshore wind energy and green hydrogen, as well as skill development, health, shipping, water and the Arctic, among others.

The Prime Minister appreciated the positive contribution of Danish companies in India to the government's flagship programmes. Similarly, Prime Minister Frederiksen highlighted the positive role of Indian companies in Denmark.

Both leaders lauded the expanding people to people ties between the two countries, and welcomed the Declaration of Intent on a migration and mobility partnership.
United Nations, May 4 : US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken will be holding a ministerial-level meeting in the United Nations on action for global food security in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is pushing several developing countries into "desperate hunger situations," according to US Permanent Representative, Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

The meeting will take place on May 18 on the eve of a Security Council debate on "Conflict and Food Security" as the US ramps up its campaign to forestall the war's fallout in creating a food crisis, she told reporters on Tuesday after taking over as President of the Security Council.

A former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, who has also served on that continent, Thomas-Greenfield said, "I've seen starvation up close with my own eyes." "We cannot look away from the millions who are worried about where they'll find their next meal or how they'll feed their families," she added.

"The meeting will include Foreign Ministers from many regionally diverse countries to review urgent humanitarian needs and take steps to build future resilience," Thomas-Greenfield said.

While the looming crisis is being addressed at other fora, "our intent is to expand the circle, including both donors and countries, most affected by the spike in food insecurity," she added.

She said Ukraine was the "breadbasket for the developing world" but because Russia has "blocked crucial ports and destroyed civilian infrastructure and grain silos, desperate hunger situations in Africa and the Middle East are getting even more dire".

Cooperation between the US and India on averting a food crisis figured in talks between the leaders of the two countries in April.

India is sitting on a wheat stockpile estimated at nearly 100 million tonne, far in excess of a safety net.

"Our countries are working together to try to bring more food to world markets, as well as to the World Food Programme," Blinken said after the ministerial meeting between him, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Jaishankar said it also came up at the virtual summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden.

World Trade Organisation's restrictions on exporting food procured by governments at support prices is one of the barriers to India, which is the world's second-largest producer of wheat after China, from exporting more of its surplus.

Thomas-Greenfield said the impact of digital technology on international peace and security would be another signature event of the US leadership of the Council.

The event "will contribute to the Council's understanding of the evolving landscape, and it will offer a chance to share national perspectives as well as best practices, highlight the importance of capacity-building, and help us all identify ways the UN can continue to adapt its efforts," she added.

The US took over the rotating Council presidency from Britain and it can keep up the pressure on Russia.

While it was the President, Britain delayed a request from Russia for an emergency meeting.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in)

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Los Angeles, May 4 : The Cannes Film Festival, which kicks off on May 17, is significantly loosening its Covid health and safety protocols.

The annual celebration of movies won't be testing attendees, as it did last year, and will not institute a mask mandate at screenings and events, reports 'Variety'.

Variety spoke exclusively with Cannes general secretary FranAois Desrousseaux, who has been hammering out protocols with the festival's organisers, producers and Cannes regional authorities for the past two years.

One big change compared with 2021 is that the health pass that made it mandatory for all attendees to show a proof of vaccination, immunity or test results, has been scrapped since March 14.

"Since the health pass is no longer in application in France, guests will not have to show a proof of testing or vaccination to enter the Palais," Desrousseaux said.

According to 'Variety', the executive said "most participants will likely be vaccinated anyway, because France has made it very complicated for non-vaccinated travellers to enter the country." He also pointed out that roughly 95 per cent of the adult population in France has already received two shots of the vaccine.

"We're in a very different situation than last year because the curve of Covid-19 infections is going down, instead of going up," the Paris-based executive said.

As of April 29, Covid cases in France had dropped by 30 per cent, a sign that the rate of infection is slowing. However, film festivals and awards shows have been super-spreader events, with the likes of SXSW, the Oscars and the British Academy Film Awards resulting in numerous cases of Covid.

Desrousseaux said the absence of compulsory testing should come as a relief to all those whose vaccination cards didn't qualify for the health pass last year -- notably British and American guests -- and therefore had to go through a demanding saliva test every two days in a pop-up lab adjacent to the Palais.

Although Cannes won't be setting up its 300-square-meter testing lab again, guests will be able to get a PCR test in a lab located in the city of Cannes, a five-minute walk from the Palais.

Non-French citizens will be charged 43 pounds ($45), said Desrousseaux.

Another change from last year is that masks will not be mandatory indoors, but will instead be strongly recommended. Desrousseaux said Cannes staffers will be wearing masks, however. He said the Palais des Festivals was France's first congress venue to be awarded the GBAC STARTM facility label (an American certification that is issued by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council) and the eCOVID label.

"That basically means that the Palais reinforces cleaning procedures and is using top-of-the-line CO2 sensors which are verified twice a day, and we're renewing the air conditioning constantly," said the executive.

A couple of initiatives will be brought back for this 75th edition.

For instance, the medical office located inside the Palais will be staffed with a team dedicated to Covid-19, as well as a call center called Conciergerie Medicale that will offer international guests advice on how to navigate the French medical system and get a doctor's appointment.

Video consultation will be free and can be scheduled within 24 hours upon request.

Looking back at the efficiency of last year's stricter health protocol, Desrousseaux said there were only up to 10 positive cases out of 1,500 tests per day.

"During the last few days, the number of cases rose to 20 because the third wave was about to kick off, but we were really lucky to avoid it," he said.

In terms of participation, Desrousseaux said the festival was on track to welcome approximately 35,000 accredited guests, compared with roughly 24,000 last year. The biggest spike in participation is coming from North America and Western Europe.
Lucknow, May 4 : The Uttar Pradesh STF, which was set up on May 4, 1998 to eliminate dreaded gangster Shri Prakash Shukla, who had unleashed terror in Uttar Pradesh, has completed 40 years.

The story of how the STF was born is not only unusual but also interesting.

Shri Prakash Shukla, a young man from Gorakhpur, had hit the headlines in 1997 when he shot dead another mafia don Virendra Pratap Shahi in Lucknow.

This was followed by a series of high-profile kidnappings, extortions and killings over railway contracts in Uttar Pradesh.

Shukla was known to be ruthless and brutal and his terror increased when he shot dead a police official in an encounter in Lucknow.

Finally, the then Kalyan Singh government decided to set up a dedicated task force to deal with Shukla and the mafia. A team of 50 police personnel was set up and the Special Task Force (STF) was born.

The STF was tasked with the collection of Intelligence about mafia gangs and Intelligence based action against such gangs, preparation of action plan and its execution, action against listed gangs in coordination with the district police, effective action against gang of dacoits, especially inter-district gangs, action against inter-district gangs of organised criminals.

Meanwhile, Shukla was getting bolder. He gunned down Bihar minister Brij Bihari Prasad in Patna.

Intelligence reports indicated that he had taken a contract to eliminate the then Chief Minister Kalyan Singh. The input created panic and the STF used all available technology to track down Shukla.

Shukla, sources said, had a penchant for using mobile phones which had then been launched.

The STF used electronic surveillance to track down the gangster and the then STF chief Arun Kumar led his team to Delhi where Shukla was hiding.

The gangster was finally cornered on September 23, 1998 and shot dead in a fierce encounter.

After Shukla's death, there were talks of disbanding the STF but the state government decided to further empower the task force.

Since then, the STF has been known for its crackdown on organised crime and mafia and is now one of the most feared agencies in the state.

"It has been a glorious journey. For the first time, there was a force where there was no political interference and we were given full freedom to act. We worked as a close-knit team, determined to eliminate the most feared gangster of that time. I am proud to have been a part of that journey," said one of the IPS officers who has now retired.
Kiev, May 4 : Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said Ukraine has received 4.5 billion euros (about $4.73 billion) in financial international aid since the start of the conflict with Russia, the government press service said.

Over the past week, Ukraine received $500 million in grant funds from the World Bank, Shmyhal added on Tuesday.

"We are especially grateful for such support. This helps us to maintain all social benefits in full, as well as to open new assistance programs," he said.

He informed that the government had launched a platform which would help raise funds for the country's post-conflict recovery, Xinhua news agency reported.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Moscow/Kiev, May 4 : Russian forces have been attacking the firing positions of the Ukrainian armed forces at the Azovstal steel plant in the southern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, the Russian Defence Ministry has said.

The fighters of the Azov Battalion and Ukrainian troops took advantage of the ceasefire at the steel plant to move into their firing positions, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing Russian Defence Ministry Spokesman Vadim Astafyev on Tuesday.

Astafyev added that artillery and aircraft were being used to destroy the firing positions, Xinhua news agency reported.

Russian troops were trying to break into the Azovstal plant from several places, the Ukrinform news agency reported on Tuesday, citing Mariupol Patrol Police Chief Mykhailo Vershinin.

"There was artillery and aviation training for almost a day ... now they stormed the plant in several places. We are defending. We are fighting back," Vershinin was quoted as saying.

Both the Russian and Ukrainian militaries said on Monday that more than 100 people were evacuated from Mariupol, local media reported.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Chennai, May 4 : The BJP unit of Salem, Tamil Nadu has come out against the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital authorities where some unidentified people were found distributing copies of the Bible to patients.

In a social media post, the party alleged that some people had distributed Bibles at the general ward of Salem Government Medical college on May 1. The post also said that these persons had asked the patients to pray with Bible to end their difficulties.

The BJP district leadership said that this was not the first time that Bible was being distributed at the Salem Government Medical College Hospital and that the party will have to organise protests against the concerned authorities if it continues.

Party Salem district secretary Gopinath told IANS: "This is not the first instance of Bible being distributed in the Government Medical College among patients. Earlier in 2017, there was such an issue and we had warned the authorities against it. We will take this up seriously if such incidents are repeated." Salem Medical College Dean Dr Valli Satyamoorthy while interacting with IANS said: "Yes, the BJP leaders had informed me. We are strictly monitoring all the wards and will not allow any religious activities inside the medical college hospital premises." The BJP Salem district unit has already issued a communication to all its local units asking them to be vigilant. It has asked the party cadres to monitor all the local government hospitals in the district against this.
New Delhi, May 4 : BJP's women wing is starting a nationwide training programme for its cadre with a three days session in Bhopal, beginning from May 13.

BJP Mahila Morcha national vice president Rekha Verma told IANS: "Being world's largest party, it is necessary that everyone connected with us must understand and be aware about our history and ideology. We have planned to train all our workers through a training programme. This training programme of Maihila Morcha will start from Bhopal." Through these training programmes, the saffron party is trying to establish a long relationship with the cadre who joined recently.

"If a person is not ideologically connected with the party, then the way he joined, he may leave also. By explaining our ideological commitment, we will try to ensure that the person stays in the party forever by inculcating BJP's values and culture," Verma said.

National office bearers of BJP Mahila Morcha, state president, state in-charge, among others are likely to attend the event.

Further, the state presidents along with the head of training of programmes of state units will draw plans to conduct training sessions further at state level and district levels.

A similar training programme for all the morchas (wings) and main organisation will also be held to prepare the organisation for upcoming assembly polls and 2024 general elections.

A senior BJP leader said that trained workers help in growth of the party in new areas and sections of society.
Seoul, May 4 : North Korea fired an unidentified projectile toward the East Sea on Wednesday, South Korea's military said, in the recalcitrant regime's 14th show of force this year.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced the launch in a text message sent to reporters. Details were not immediately available.

The latest launch came after the North test-fired what it claimed to be a tactical guided weapon on April 16, Yonhap news agency reported.

Concerns have persisted that the North could continue to carry out provocations, such as another intercontinental ballistic missile or a nuclear test.
New Delhi, May 4 : Some defence forces veterans have complained of not receiving their pension for April and that the authorities have no answer for it.

They have stated that their pension was not credited on April 29 or 30 and they are still awaiting it.

Lieutenant General DS Hooda (Retd) in a tweet said: "Veterans complaining of pension stopped without explanation. For most, this is the only source of income. Is this how the we say 'Thank you for your service to the nation'? Request @rajnathsingh to intervene." There is no word so far from Defence Ministry over the issue. The problem started after the defence ministry introduced online system.

In keeping with the Digital India vision of the Government of India, the Ministry of Defence implemented System for Pensions Administration - Raksha (SPARSH) for pensioners of the Indian Armed Forces as well as Defence Civilians as an integrated system for automation of sanction and disbursement of defence pension. The armed forces and other organisations were onboarded to the platform in phases, beginning with the Indian Army from August 2021.

This web-based system processes pension claims and credits pension directly into the bank accounts of defence pensioners without relying on any external intermediary.

The Defence Accounts Department has been the nodal implementing agency for Project SPARSH, which is envisaged on a 'whole of the government' approach and carefully integrates over 3,000 pension initiating, sanctioning and disbursement agencies and brings pensions services right at the door step of the veterans - from digital process of pensioner verification to real time tracking of grievance redressal.
A frozen Apollo 17 sample being processed inside a nitrogen-purged glove box at NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston. The sample is one of many being studied as part of the ANGSA program. Credits: NASA/Robert Markowitz

Scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, recently received samples of the lunar surface that have been curated in a freezer at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston since Apollo 17 astronauts returned them to Earth in December 1972.

This research is part of the Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis Program, or ANGSA, an effort to study the samples returned from the Apollo Program in advance of the upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon's South Pole.

However, the process of getting the samples from Johnson to researchers at Goddard - as well as researchers at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley, the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., and the University of Arizona, Tucson - wasn't simple. It's a process that began more than four years ago when NASA's Julie Mitchell and her Artemis curation team at Johnson began designing and retrofitting a facility to process the frozen Apollo 17 samples. This was a new approach and scientists were excited to employ a technique that could be applied to future lunar missions.

"We started this in early 2018 and there's been a lot of technical challenges that we've had to overcome to get to this point," said Mitchell. "This was seen as a practice run for preparing a facility for future cold sample processing."

"By doing this work we're not just facilitating Artemis exploration, but we're facilitating future sample return and human exploration into the rest of the solar system," Mitchell added. "I feel very privileged to contribute in this small way by developing the capabilities for us to collect these materials, bring them home safely, and curate them for the long term."

Once the facility was ready, Ryan Zeigler, Apollo sample curator in the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Division at Johnson, and his team had to adapt to the unique conditions designed by Mitchell's team to keep the samples frozen during processing, which included decreased visibility due to frost and challenges manipulating the samples while working with thick gloves in a nitrogen-purged glove box, all of which took place inside a walk-in freezer maintained at minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 20 C). Being able to keep samples frozen will be important for Artemis as astronauts potentially return ice samples from the Moon's South Pole.

"Everything we do involves a lot of logistics and a lot of infrastructure, but adding the cold makes it a lot harder," said Zeigler. "It's an important learning lesson for Artemis, as being able to process samples in the cold will be even more important for the Artemis mission than it is for Apollo. This work gives us some lessons learned and a good feed forward for Artemis."

Once the frozen samples were processed and subdivided at Johnson by lunar sample processor Jeremy Kent, the samples were then express shipped in a cooler with dry ice, immediately opened at Goddard, and stored in a secure freezer. For the scientists now working with the treasures, there's something special about receiving samples that haven't been investigated in nearly five decades.

Jamie Elsila, a research scientist in the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory at Goddard, is focusing on the study of small, volatile organic compounds for her research and analysis of the sample. Previous research showed that some lunar samples contain amino acids, which are essential to life on Earth. Her team wants to understand their origin and distribution in the solar system.

"We think some of the amino acids in the lunar soils may have formed from precursor molecules, which are smaller, more volatile compounds such as formaldehyde or hydrogen cyanide," said Elsila. "Our research goal is to identify and quantify these small organic volatile compounds, as well as any amino acids, and to use the data to understand the prebiotic organic chemistry of the Moon."

Natalie Curran, principal investigator for the Mid Atlantic Noble Gas Research Lab at Goddard, focuses on understanding the history that the samples may have experienced during their lifetime on the Moon. The surface of the Moon is a harsh environment and unlike the Earth, it doesn't have an atmosphere to protect it from exposure to space.

"Our work allows us to use noble gases, such as argon, helium, neon, and xenon, to measure the duration a sample has been exposed to cosmic rays, and this can help us understand the history of that sample," said Curran. "Cosmic rays can be damaging to organic material that may be in a sample, so understanding the duration helps to determine the effects that exposure has had on the organic."

Both Elsila and Curran are in possession of frozen and non-frozen lunar samples. When these samples were brought to Earth, a portion was stored at room temperature and another portion was frozen, allowing for comparison between the two groups. Scientists will analyze both sets of samples to ascertain if there are differences in the organic content. Understanding any variations caused by the different curation methods might inform future decisions about how to store samples returned by Artemis astronauts, part of what the ARES team at Johnson will be doing.

For Elsila, "it's very cool to think about all the work that went into collecting the samples on the Moon and then all the forethought and care that went into preserving them for us to be able to analyze at this time," she noted.

As for Curran, "when you think of how these samples have come from another world, how far they have travelled and the solar system history they have preserved inside of them, it always blows my mind," she added.

Learn more about how NASA studies Apollo samples and other celestial bodies at: https://ares.jsc.nasa.gov

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YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. Prosecutor-General of Armenia Artur Davtyan said that the law enforcement agencies still have a lot of work to do both in terms of investigative actions and tactical-intelligence activities in the October 27 case  the 1999 assassination of Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan and Speaker of Parliament Karen Demirchyan, and several other government officials.

Weve publicly spoken about the October 27 criminal case, Davtyan said in parliament. Lawmakers know about this. At my decision, the case on the organizers in this criminal case was reopened, the investigation was reopened. There is a lot to be done in this criminal case, both in terms of investigative actions and tactical-intelligence activities. I can confidently say that all required prosecutorial measures have been done and are being done to uncover this case and hold those guilty to account, Davtyan said.

On October 27, 1999 a group of five heavily armed gunmen led by Nairi Hunanyan stormed into the parliament while it was in session and assassinated Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, Speaker of Parliament Karen Demirchyan, Deputy Speakers Yuri Bakhshyan and Ruben Miroyan, as well as three lawmakers and a Cabinet member. The gunmen held the remaining MPs in parliament hostage until surrendering to authorities the next day.

The five perpetrators, which include Hunanyans younger brother and uncle, were sentenced to life in prison in 2003.

In 2020, authorities re-opened the investigation to reveal the masterminds of the attack.
Srinagar, May 4 : Three persons, including a Sarpanch, hav been arrested with contraband substances in J&K's Budgam district.

The arrests were made on Tuesday evening. "Three persons were arrested with 350 tablets of Alprazolam and Heroin like substances by a police party during 'Naka' (Checkpost) checking at Dadina in Budgam district yesterday evening.

"The arrested persons have been identified as Shuja Abbas, National Conference Sarpanch of Waterwani village, Shahid Ali Rather of Khumani Chowk and Barkat Ali of Labertal Budgam.

"FIR under relevant sections of law has been registered against the accused persons and further investigation is going on", police sources said.

A case under FIR No. 130/22 under section 8/21-22 NDPS Act was registered at police station Budgam and further investigations have been set into motion.
Hyderabad, May 4 : Boats were out in parts of old Hyderabad to rescue people as heavy rains accompanied by gusty winds lashed the city early Wednesday morning.

Authorities said there was cloudburst leading to heavy rains in a short duration, inundating low-lying areas, disrupting vehicular traffic and electricity supply in many parts of the city.

Image Source: IANS News

The residents of Hyderabad and suburbs woke up to thunderstorms on Wednesday as high intensity rains in a couple of hours left low-lying residential areas and roads inundated.

The gusty winds also uprooted trees and led to blackouts in several areas.

Water-logging on key roads in several areas in Hyderabad, including Basheerbagh, Khairatabad, Lakdi Ka Pul, Secunderabad, Kukatpally, Malakpet, Alwal and Uppal disrupted vehicular traffic.

Image Source: IANS News

Disaster Response Force (DRF) teams of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) were out with boats in the worst-affected areas in the old city to rescue people from marooned localities. Boats were pressed into service in Madina Nagar and Dhobhi Ghat in Yakutpura constituency. Some areas in Bahadurpura constituency were also badly hit with flood water entering the houses.

"DRF teams clearing water stagnation, tree falls and providing citizens assistance in wake of inundation caused by sudden cloud burst," tweeted director, enforcement, vigilance, disaster management, GHMC.

The state-run Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS) recorded 6.8 cm to 11.1 cm rainfall in parts of Hyderabad and surrounding districts.

Maredpally and Musheerabad in Hyderabad recorded rainfall of 8.68 and 7.73 cm.

Nalgonda, Medchal Malkangiri, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, Siddipet, Peddapalli, Jagtiyal and other districts also received heavy rainfall with gusty winds and lightning.

Unseasonal rains provided relief to people reeling under sweltering heat but caused massive losses to farmers.

Paddy stored by farmers near procurement centres in various districts was damaged due to overnight and early morning rains. Farmers said they were waiting for their produce to be procured by authorities and appealed to the government to compensate for their losses.

-- Syndicated from IANS
New Delhi, May 4 : The Congress on Wednesday reacted sharply to reports that pensions of retired ex-servicemen have been stopped.

The comments followed Lieutenant General DS Hooda (Retd) tweet which read: "Veterans complaining of pension stopped without explanation. For most, this is the only source of income. Is this how the we say 'Thank you for your service to the nation'? Request @rajnathsingh to intervene." Responding to it, Randeep Surjewala, Congress General Secretary replied ,"This is not the first assault on interests of Armed Forces, nor is it the last.- Denial of OROP, including opposing it in Supreme Court. Taxing the Disability Pension.

Cutting ECHS Budget. Denial of Non Functional Upgrade. Denying Short Service Commission Officers treatment in Military Hospitals." Urging the Army veterans to take up the cause, he said: "I urge decorated champions like you, @Vedmalik1, @rwac48 & other leading veterans to take up the cause of our Ex-Servicemen in a bi-partisan fashion and ensure justice is done." He added: "Injustice in 7th Pay Commission- Denial of Pay Level & Risk Allowance akin to Civilians. Denying allocation of Petrol Pumps/Gas Agencies/Coal India Contracts for rehabilitation of Ex Servicemen. Curbs on Purchase of Items in CSD Canteens & imposing GST".

"Ex Servicemen & Armed Forces betrayed by our own Govt, which opposed right of persons holding the same rank, with the same length of service to get same pension, irrespective of the date of retirement," the party had said.

Taking to Twitter, Rahul Gandhi said in Hindi: "After the deception of 'One Rank, One Pension', now the Modi government is adopting the policy of 'All Rank, No Pension'." Insulting soldiers is an insult to the country. The government should give the pension of ex-servicemen at the earliest.
Chennai, May 4 : Actress Simran, who will be seen next in the Tamil thriller 'Andhagan', featuring actor Prashanth in the lead, has heaped praise on the unit, saying it was a 'superb experience' to be a part of the project.

Taking to Instagram, Simran, who was at one point one of the top heroines of the Tamil and Telugu film industries, said, "Movie making is hard, what makes it a pleasure is the people, the team. 'Andhagan' was one such team, it was a superb experience being part of it. Thank you so much Team 'Andhagan'. Special thanks Anjana, I enjoyed the talk!" The film has been in the making for quite a while. Well known actor and producer Thiagarajan acquired the remake rights of the hit Hindi film 'Andhadhun' and chose to remake it in Tamil as 'Andhagan' in 2019.

Thiagarajan said the plot of 'Andhagan' would be slightly different from that of 'Andhadhun' as it had been changed to suit the sensibilities and tastes of the Tamil audience.

Initially, the remake was to be directed by Jayam Raja. However, that was not to be the case and it was announced that director J.J. Fredrick would direct the film. He too pulled out of the project and eventually, Thiagarajan himself chose to direct the film.

Thiagarajan had pointed out that Prashanth was ideal to play the lead in 'Andhadhun' as it revolved around a piano master. Thiagarajan had pointed out that his son, Prashanth was a trained piano player and that he had studied western music and piano at the Trinity College of Music, London. The film has now been completed and is ready to hit screens soon.
Panaji, May 4 : The state Ministry for Factories and Boilers' prima facie probe into the death of three labourers in an accident at the Zuari Agro Chemicals plant in South Goa has found lapses on part of the company's processes, Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar said on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters a day after the accident claimed three lives, Halarnkar also said that the fatal industrial accident occurred after workers attempted to cut open a gas tank with a flaming gas cutter.

"Labourers were trying to open the gas tank with a gas cutter. The nuts and bolts had rusted. This led to the blast," Halarnkar told reporters here.

"The company has committed negligence. There was no plant manager site manager (onsite)," he also said.

Halarnkar also said that his department would carry out a thorough investigation into the tragedy.

"Prima facie investigation has been conducted. Department will carry out a thorough investigation and it appears that there was a lapse on part of the company," Halarnkar said.
Thiruvananthapuram, May 4 : Around 3 lakh mothers in Kerala would be provided training in cyber safety from Saturday onwards.

The state government has entrusted the training task to Little KITEs IT Clubs set-up by Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE).

K.Anvar Sadath, CEO, KITE said the cyber safety training would be imparted on a first come-first serve basis, who register in the High Schools which have Little KITE IT Clubs.

"The training programme would be completed within three hours, including five sessions of 30 minutes each. The first session would be an introductory session on new technologies comprising smart phones, internet and its safe usage. The second session would focus on the usage of mobile phones and the safety of passwords such as OTPs and PINs.

The unseen side of news which focuses on identifying fake news, FACTS Checking, and preventing Fake News forms the third session. The fourth session which is titled athe Traps in Internet' will highlight on Cyber attacks and precautions to be taken while undertaking online transactions. The final session takes the participants through Internet-the World with infinite scope," said Sadath.

The training would be conducted in batches of 30 participants which would be led by 4 Little KITES members of that school along with teachers who are KITE Masters.

Training for the state and district level trainers has been completed for 4,000 teachers and 8,000 students and all arrangements have been made for the massive training to be held from May 7 to 20", added Sadath.

It is an attempt to create awareness about the importance of cyber-safety and its secured usage among teachers, students and parents in the present scenario where online systems are expanded to almost all areas.
Patna, May 4 : At least 15 women filed complaints with the Kotwali police station here after they lost their gold chains inside the ISKCON temple premises, police said on Wednesday.

The thefts were reported on Tuesday night after the temple was inaugurated by Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

After the inauguration, a large number of devotees assembled there for Puja. The police said that more than 30,000 people assembled inside the premises of the temple. The snatchers, probably taking advantage of the large gathering, snatched gold chains of more than 15 women.

"We have received written complaints from eight women so far. Besides, some of them also approached the police control room and registered their complaint about their missing gold chains," said Sunil Kumar Singh, SHO of Kotwali police Patna.

"We have detained a suspected woman, named Shiwani Rao, a native of Kolkata, from the ISKCON temple but the gold chain was not recovered from her. We are scanning CCTV footage of the temple to find some clues," he said.
New Delhi, May 4 : The Press Club India (PCI) has landed in a controversy after The Kashmir Files director Vivek Agnohotri accused it of denying booking to him for a press conference.

Agnihotri said his booking was first cancelled by the Foreign Correspondent Club (FCC) allegedly over objections raised by some of the members and later the Press Club of India followed the suit.

Now, the press confernce is being held in a hotel on Thursday.

Taking to Twitter, Agnihotri said: "Wow! @PCITweets also cancelled me. The watchdogs of democracy and messiah of free speech not only banned me undemocratically but are also lying through their teeth. 1. Encl are the facts.

2. They have booked earlier through our agency without any member's recco. Receipt encl." In a series of Tweets, Agnihotri said: "When my video on FCC cancellation went viral, @PCITweets conspired with them and cancelled our presser.

These anti- free speech, anti-Truth, agenda driven elite clubs flourish on Govt's sprawling properties in Lutyen's Delhi. It's time for us to expose these arrogant cheats." Agnihotri insisted that the club has been booking for him through an agency and did not require any member's endorsement on the receipt. He tagged the earlier receipts issued by the PCI.

On Tuesday, the PCI said in a tweet: "The Press Club of India is not facilitating any event on May 5 by any individual or organisation. The Club allows press conferences only with advanced booking. There is a due process, and bookings have to be done through a member of the Club." Controversy broke after the FCC cancelled the event organised by the film director. He then said that he will organise the same in PCI but Agnihotri alleged that he was not booked for May 5 programme despite his agency pursuing it with the PCI staff.

The letter alleged that when Agnihotri's agency called the PCI staff for booking, he was told that it can be booked as slot is vacant in May 5 and asked for making payments but when the agency employee reached there, the PCI did not book the premises and did not respond to calls.

Now, the event has been shifted to a hotel near to the Press Club of India. "Inviting all democratic and free speech, pro-TRUTH believers, media people, correspondents, reporters media activists and those with empathy for Kashmir Genocide victims tomm at 3.30 PM at Le MERIDIEN, New Delhi. ITS AN OPEN HOUSE PRESS CONFERENCE. ASK ME TOUGHEST QUESTIONS," the filmmaker tweeted.
Ramallah, May 4 : Palestine has urged the United Nations Security Council to stop Israel from escalating tensions against Palestinians after Jewish activists reportedly decided to break into a holy mosque in East Jerusalem.

On Tuesday, Israeli media reported that activists of some Jewish organisations called for an "incursion into Al-Aqsa Mosque's compound," which will be launched on Thursday morning until the afternoon.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the activists' plans to raise Israeli flags and sing the Israeli national anthem at the mosque, saying in a statement that "these violations reflect the official Israeli insistence to escalate the situation and implement its plans to perpetuate the occupation".

The Ministry called on the Security Council "to take the necessary measures to pressure Israel to stop its escalation against the Palestinian people".

Hussein Al-Sheikh, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, called the extremists' plans "an outrageous disregard of the feelings of Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims" and "a continuation of extremist racist campaigns." The Israeli government did not comment on the Israeli extremists' calls, Xinhua news agency reported.

Since the start of the the Muslims' fasting month of Ramadan early April, tension between Israelis and Palestinians has been running high.

The compound of Al-Aqsa mosque, known as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City, has long been a focal point of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Vijayawada, May 4 : A man allegedly committed suicide in a police station in Andhra Pradesh's Eluru district on Wednesday.

Appa Rao (38), who was arrested in a theft case three days ago, was found hanging in the washroom of Bhimadu police station.

Relatives of the man alleged that he was tortured by police resulting in his death. They demanded an impartial probe into the incident.

Police shifted the body to government hospital at Eluru for autopsy.

The man was picked up by police in connection with a chain snatching case.

Police said the accused resorted to the extreme step by hanging himself in the washroom.

This is the second case of custodial death in Andhra Pradesh this year.

A 42-year-old man had allegedly committed suicide in Nellimarla police station in Vizianagaram district in February.

Police had claimed that the habitual property offender killed self by hanging due to family problems.

However, the deceased's family had alleged that torture in police custody led to his death.

Human Rights Forum (HRF) had demanded judicial probe into the incident.

Authorities had ordered magisterial inquiry and suspended a sub-inspector and constable for negligence.
YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan met with Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili in Tbilisi on the sidelines of his working visit, Grigoryans office said.

Armen Grigoryan conveyed the warm greetings of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to the Georgian PM. Both sides highly valued the warm relations between the Armenian and Georgian PMs, expressing hope that such a positive quality of relations will be transferred to the Armenian-Georgian cooperation in other levels.

The Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia presented the processes of the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations.

The officials also discussed a number of issues relating to the security situation in the region, during which Armen Grigoryan presented Armenias vision on the solution of the security problems in South Caucasus and the maintenance of stability in the region.

The prospects of Georgias mediation to regional economic and humanitarian affairs were discussed. The conversation also focused on the current situation in Ukraine and its impact on the region.
Bengaluru: Transgenders displayed their vaccination certificate after getting Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine at Manipal hospital during vaccination drive, in Bengaluru on Tuesday, June 29, 2021 (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Chennai, May 4 : A Tamil Nadu-based social organisation, 'Thozhi', has joined hands with a hospital to provide free Hepatitis vaccine for the transgender community. Hepatitis B is a life-threatening liver ailment caused by the Hepatitis B virus which can turn chronic.

The NGO, 'Thozhi', in a statement said it has been working among the transgender community for several years and is now associating with the SIMS hospital for providing Hepatitis B vaccine to the community in order to prevent their contracting the Hepatitis B disease that can turn fatal in many cases.

The drive, which is aimed at providing vaccination to 1000 transgender people, commenced on May 1 and will continue till May 5.

The statement also said that chronic Hepatitis B leads to liver failure, cancer in the liver, and liver cirrhosis that can last a lifetime.

The SIMS hospital authorities told IANS that they are planning to conduct awareness campaigns about Hepatitis B, especially among the school and college students.

While speaking to IANS, Dr Raju Sivaswamy of SIMS hospital said, "We are planning to conduct a Hepatitis B awareness campaign among students from schools and colleges." He added that Hepatitis B can turn into a chronic illness and once contracted will create major problems including liver cirrhosis that can leave a lasting scar on the liver.

While speaking to IANS, Kalki Subramaniam, a transgender and also an artist and public speaker said, "This is a novel initiative by 'Thozhi' for the marginalised transgender community. I wholeheartedly appreciate the initiative of the SIMS hospital management along with 'Thozhi' for the noble endeavour."
New Delhi, May 4 : BJP national office-bearers meet will be held on May 20 in Jaipur. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the meeting through video conference.

National office-bearers, state in-charge and co-incharge, state presidents and state general secretary (organisation) will attend the meeting. The day-long meeting will start at 10 a.m. and conclude in the evening.

Subsequent to the national office-bearers meeting, state general secretaries (organisation) meeting will also be held in Jaipur on May 21.

The state presidents and state general secretaries (organisation) have been asked to bring complete reports of the organisational activities undertaken in the state. It is learnt that the agenda of the meeting will be soon shared with the participants. The meeting will be presided over by BJP chief J.P. Nadda.

Sources said that the current political situation and organisation issues will be discussed during the meeting which also include party preparation for the year-end Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls.

"A detailed discussion will be held on the organisation functioning which includes functioning of the state units. Future organisational plans will be also discussed along the preparation of upcoming Assembly polls," party sources said.
Kyiv, May 4 : Men and boys are among the alleged victims of rape by Russian soldiers in Ukraine, UN and Ukrainian officials said, The Guardian reported.

"I have received reports, not yet verified ... about sexual violence cases against men and boys in Ukraine," said Pramila Patten, UN special representative on sexual violence in war, at a press conference in Kyiv.

Patten added that it can be particularly challenging for male rape survivors to report the crime. "It's hard for women and girls to report (rape) because of stigma amongst other reasons, but it's often even harder for men and boys to report ... we have to create that safe space for all victims to report cases of sexual violence," the report said.

She warned that dozens of cases of sexual violence that are under investigation so far "only represent the tip of the iceberg", as she urged survivors to come forward, and the international community to find perpetrators and hold them responsible. "Today's documentation will be tomorrow's prosecution," she said, The Guardian reported.

Ukraine's prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova said on Tuesday that her office had collected reports of sexual violence by the Russian troops against men and women of all ages, from children to elderly people, The Guardian reported.

Speaking at a news conference in the shattered Kyiv suburb of Irpin, one of a cluster of small towns whose names have become synonymous with Russian war crimes, Venediktova said Moscow had used rape as a deliberate strategy. "This is, of course, to scare civil society ... to do everything to (force Ukraine to) capitulate." There have been few public accounts of sexual violence in Ukraine. Some victims have left the country, and others who have stayed are frightened of speaking about their experience, Venediktova said, the report said.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Phnom Penh, May 4 : Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand are due to host three important leaders' meetings in the Southeast Asia region this year, according to a joint statement released by the Foreign Ministries of the three countries on Wednesday.

Cambodia will host the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Related summits on November11-13; Indonesia will host the Group of 20 (G20) summit on November 15-16, and Thailand will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' meeting on November 18-19, the statement said.

ASEAN, G20 and APEC processes share commonalities that provide a unique opportunity for all participants to jointly advance the collective global and regional agenda and efforts to bring peace, prosperity and sustainable and inclusive development to all our people, the statement added.

The upcoming ASEAN summit expresses the leaders' determination to strengthen ASEAN resilience in the face of global uncertainties and maintain ASEAN's central role in the regional architecture, the statement said, adding that it is also to accelerate joint efforts to recover from Covid-19 impact.

The G20 summit aims to facilitate a strong and inclusive recovery for all, it said, adding that Indonesia is committed to ensuring the G20 is relevant not only for its members but also for the world at large, particularly the developing countries.

"Three priority areas have been identified, namely, strengthening global health architecture, digital transformation, and energy transitions, so that the G20 can serve as a catalyst for a strong and inclusive global recovery," the statement said.

As for the APEC summit, a unique forum of the economies in the Asia Pacific, work continues on how to accelerate regional economic integration to achieve shared prosperity, it added.

"It aims at advancing the vision for an open, dynamic, resilient and peaceful Asia-Pacific community," the statement said.

The three ASEAN member states vowed to work with all partners and stakeholders to ensure a spirit of cooperation and strengthen ASEAN centrality, credibility and relevance in maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world, according to the statement.
Lalitpur : , May 4 (IANS) The entire Pali police station has been sent to lines by ADG zone Bhanu Bhaskar over the alleged rape of a minor by the station house officer when she went to lodge a complaint.

ADG (law and order) Prashant Kumar told reporters in Lucknow on Wednesday that DIG, Jhansi, has been asked to probe the incident in which a case has been lodged against six police personnel, including the SHO who is now absconding.

Three persons have been arrested in the matter.

Lalitpur District Superintendent of Police Nikhil Pathak said that four boys, all residents of Pali, had allegedly lured the 13-year-old girl and took her to Bhopal on April 22 where they gang-raped her for three days.

Later, they brought the girl back to Pali in Lalitpur, handed her over to Pali police station in-charge Tilakdhari Saroj and fled.

The police station in-charge then sent the girl, along with her aunt, to the Child Line centre.

Two days later, the police station in-charge called the girl on the pretext of taking her statement on the incident. He then allegedly raped her behind closed doors.

The girl was then again sent back to the Child Line centre, where, during a counselling session, she narrated her ordeal.

Following this, the Child Line team registered a complaint with the Superintendent of Police.

Taking note of the incident, the Superintendent of Police lodged a case against six people including the Pali police station in-charge under Sections 363 (kidnapping), 376 (rape), 376 B, 120 B (party to a criminal conspiracy), Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and SC/ST Act of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Station in-charge Tilakdhari Saroj was suspended and three accused were arrested in connection with the case. Meanwhile, teams were formed to nab other accused.

Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted on Wednesday that even police stations in UP were not safe for women.

She said that law and order was being buried under the noise of bulldozers. She urged the state government to increase presence of women police personnel in police stations.
Panaji, May 4 : Even as the Bombay High Court bench in Goa continues to hear the constitutional validity of the lifetime cabinet status bestowed on former Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane by the BJP-led coalition government, Congress in-charge of Goa Dinesh Gundu Rao on Wednesday urged the veteran leader to "gracefully" reject the position.

Rao on Wednesday tweeted saying accepting such a position would "set a bad precedent" politically.

"For a man of Shri Pratapsing Rane's stature, he should gracefully reject this #Cabinetstatus conferred. Neither does he require it nor will it enhance his status. It sets a bad precedent & I'm sure it's not permissible as per law. So why suffer the humiliation of a #HC order," Rao tweeted.

Rane is one of the tallest Congress leaders in the state and has served as chief minister on several occasions spread over 15 years. His only son, Vishwajit, incidentally is a Health Minister in the current BJP-led coalition government.

Incidentally, Rane was supposed to contest the February 14 (2022) Assembly polls, but withdrew from the fray following a public rebuke by his son. The BJP had later promised to offer Rane with a lifetime cabinet status and a notification to the effect was issued in April this year.

A city lawyer Aires Rodrigues has challenged the Goa government's decision to allot lifetime status to Rane in the Bombay High Court. Rane, who is one of the respondents in the case, said that it was up to the Court to decide on the legality of the position.
Seoul, May 4 : Top South Korean and Japanese nuclear envoys denounced North Korea's latest missile test on Wednesday and urged for the reclusive regime to return to the dialogue table, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said.

Noh Kyu-duk, Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, met his Japanese counterpart Takehiro Funakoshi in Seoul, as North Korea staged its 14th known show of force this year around at Tuesday afternoon.

They pointed out the launch is a clear violation of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions and poses a "serious threat" not only to the Korean Peninsula but also to the international community, Yonhap news agency reported.

"They urged North Korea to immediately cease further destabilising acts and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy," the Ministry said.
London, May 4 : Vitamin B12 deficiency in infants leads to poor motor development and anaemia, according to a study which stated that its deficiency is an enormous yet overlooked problem.

For many years, there has been a focus on vitamin A, zinc and iron deficiencies when it comes to malnutrition across the globe, whereas there is a paucity of research on B12 deficiency.

A lack of vitamin B12 doesn't just potentially lead to anaemia, it can damage the nervous system. And for young children, B12 is crucial for brain development.

"B12 deficiency is one of the most overlooked problems out there when it comes to malnutrition. And unfortunately, we can see that the food relief we provide today is not up to the task," said Henrik Friis, first author of the study and a professor at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports.

A team from University of Copenhagen and Doctors Without Borders conducted a study among 1,000 children with acute malnutrition aged 6-23 months in Africa's Burkina Faso.

The results, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, showed a strong correlation between vitamin B12 deficiency and poor motor development and anaemia.

The children's B12 levels were measured both before and after three months of daily food relief rations containing the recommended B12 content. During the period when children were provided with food relief, their B12 levels increased, before decreasing considerably once the programme was stopped.

Even after three months of food relief, one-third of the children continued to have low or marginal levels of B12 stored. The unfortunate explanation is that there is a cap on how much B12 can be absorbed.

"A child's gut can only absorb 1 microgram of B12 per meal. So, if a child is lacking 500 micrograms, it will take much longer than the few weeks that they have access to emergency food relief," explained Vibeke Brix Christensen, paediatrician and medical advisor with Doctors Without Borders.

She points out that it might make a difference to divide the necessary amount of vitamin B12 across several meals, which would probably allow children to absorb the same amount of B12 each time.
New Delhi, May 4 : Following the incidents of violence and communal tension in the city of Jodhpur on Tuesday, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has been monitoring the situation in the town as well as in the state, sources in the Ministry said here on Wednesday.

In the early morning hours before Eid on Tuesday, communal tension gripped Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's hometown Jodhpur where two groups clashed over the issue of flags hoisted by them.

The Jodhpur police has imposed curfew in 10 police station areas of the city till Wednesday night and mobile Internet services have been suspended by the authorities as a precautionary measure.

According to police officials, over 50 persons have been arrested so far. The administration has asked the police to deal with the perpetrators with an iron hand.

Tension gripped the area Monday midnight over putting up of Islamic flags on the Jalori gate circle, which led to stone pelting in which five policemen were injured. The situation was brought under control by the early hours of Tuesday with heavy deployment of police. However, the situation became critical again after prayers at an Eidgah when stones were pelted at the shops, vehicles and houses near the Jalori gate area.

It was reported that members of a minority community were installing their flags on a roundabout alongside the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa. This led to a confrontation as members of the other community alleged that a saffron flag, which they had put up there ahead of Parshuram Jayanti, had gone missing and the issue led to stone pelting and clashes on Tuesday.

CM Ashok Gehlot has directed officials to take stern action against those responsible for the violence, irrespective of their religion, caste or class. He also accused the BJP of inciting communal violence in Jodhpur.
Seoul, May 4 : The transition team of South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol strongly condemned North Korea's ballistic missile launch on Wednesday, saying the incoming government will deal sternly with any provocations.

The warning came hours after North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea with just days to go until Yoon's inauguration on May 10, Yonhap news agency reported.

The launch was the North's 14th show of force this year and came amid concern the regime could stage an intercontinental ballistic missile or nuclear test.

"The transition team strongly condemns North Korea's provocation and again urges an immediate halt to actions creating tension and threatening international peace," the Committee said in a statement.

"The Yoon Suk-yeol government will deal strongly with North Korea's provocations by working with the international community on the basis of thorough cooperation between South Korea and the United States," it said, promising "more fundamental deterrence measures" to counter the North's nuclear and missile threats.

The South Korean President-elect has signaled a hardline stance on North Korea with suggestions of carrying out a pre-emptive strike in the event of an imminent threat and purchasing additional units of the US THAAD anti-missile system.

The transition team denounced the launch as a direct violation of UN Security Council resolutions banning North Korea's use of ballistic missile technology while also describing it as a "grave provocation" threatening peace on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.

The Committee called on the outgoing Moon Jae-in administration to come up with tougher measures against North Korea's threats and to protect the people's safety.
YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. Opposition demonstrators began marching in the direction of the parliament building after one of their leaders, Vice Speaker Ishkhan Saghatelyan from the Hayastan faction delivered a speech in the France Square in downtown Yerevan.

Saghatelyan referred to his earlier speech on April 5, where he had published the principles that any government should be guided by. He said that deviating from these principles would mean a loss of Artsakh and that any government that would deviate from these principles must resign.

Saghatelyan then demanded PM Pashinyan to step down.

He also denied the intelligence agencys statement that accused them of plotting to seize the parliament building. We are not going to seize any building, we wont do any provocations, he said.
Lucknow, May 4 : The Yogi Adityanath government, in its second innings, has further intensified the 'Swachh Bharat Mission' so that the benefits of the scheme reach every village and every poor.

The state government is sparing no efforts to make the state free from open defecation.

According to the government spokesman, a target has been set to construct community toilets and Izzatghar in every village.

It is noteworthy that the state government's plan to construct house-to-house toilets, which is part of the campaign to make the villages clean, has had a great impact in the last five years. This has not only changed the lives of the village people but insecurity has also disappeared from the minds of women.

To accomplish this, an action plan is being prepared to build 1,494 community toilets and 2.41 lakh Izzatghars in villages in the first 100 days of the second term of the Adityanath government.

For this, the Panchayati Raj department is playing an important role in realising the dream of the Swachh Bharat Mission.

The spokesman said that the construction of toilets has also reduced the risk of diseases to a great extent.

It is worth mentioning that the government has made all the Gram Panchayats of the state open defecation free during the last five years. This major achievement was accomplished by constructing 2.18 crore individual toilets.

Also, the target of constructing at least one community toilet per Gram Panchayat is being met. Under the scheme, as many as 58,189 community toilets are to be constructed.
Kathmandu, May 4 : After the controversy over his appearance at a Kathmandu-based nightclub, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has shifted to a resort nearby Kathmandu valley.

Gandhi, who arrived in Kathmandu on Monday evening to participate in a marriage function of his Nepali friend, Sumnima Udas, was earlier staying at a five-star hotel in Kathmandu.

After the marriage ceremony was over, Rahul and some other guests attending the wedding of Udas, shifted to Lakhuri Bhanjyang-based lavish resort, the Terrace Resort, on Tuesday, two security officials confirmed to IANS.

Terrace resort is located on the outskirts of the Kathmandu valley and is famous for sightseeing of the majestic Himalayas that also provide organic food to its guests.

The resort is owned by the Sherpa family whom Sumnia got married into on Tuesday evening. Rahul's Kathmandu visit has courted controversy after he was seen with a woman in a Kathmandu-based nightclub on Monday night. A video went viral in India and lots of comments were pouring in. Some even criticized that the woman, who was seen with Rahul at the nightclub, was the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Hou Yanqi.

'How one can imagine that a diplomat joins with the leader of a foreign nation in a third country at midnight,' security sources said, adding that this was baseless rumour and there was no truth in it. She could be someone from the family of the bride's side, an official added.

After Rahul's visit was dragged into controversy in the Indian media, now Nepal Police has deployed some security personnel in plain clothes for his security.

It is said that Rahul and some of his Indian friends, who arrived to attend the marriage function of Sumnina, will stay in Kathmandu until Friday. The Udas- family has organised a reception on Friday evening at a five-star hotel in Kathmandu.

Sumnima is the daughter of former Nepali ambassador to Myanmar, Bhim Udas.

Sumnima, a former CNN correspondent, has married Nima Martin Sherpa. Sherpa family owns many family businesses in Nepal, including hotels, resorts, and manufacturing units among others. Currently, Sumnina is working on a project in Lumbini where she is setting up a Buddhist Museum in Lumbini, the birth place of Gautam Buddha.

Sumnima was working as CNN's correspondent in New Delhi and was responsible for covering key political, economic, social, environmental, and general interest stories from the country. When she was in Delhi with CNN, it is said that Rahul and Sumnina became friends.

According to CNN's website, she covered the 2014 Indian General Elections, the diplomatic row between India and the US after the arrest of an Indian diplomat, and the various rape cases like Nirbhaya. Udas travelled to Malaysia to report on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. She also investigated the barbaric kidney trafficking trade in Nepal for CNN. Udas was awarded the 'Journalist of the Year' prize at the inaugural Women's Empowerment (WE) Journalism Awards in March 2014 for her reporting on gender issues.

In August 2018, Rahul Gandhi had visited Kathmandu on his way to Kailash Mansarovar, a famous pilgrimage site in the Tibet Autonomous Region in China.
Seoul, May 4 : Yun Duk-min, a well-known expert on Japan, is likely to be incoming South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's first Ambassador to Tokyo, sources said on Wednesday.

Yun, a former Head of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, is being considered for the job after having worked closely with Yoon's presidential campaign as a Foreign Policy Adviser, the sources added.

The diplomat travelled to Japan last week as a member of The President's policy consultation delegation and has decades of experience as a professor and expert on South Korea-Japan relations, North Korea and other national security issues, Yonhap news agency reported.

If nominated, Yun will take on the responsibility of carrying out Yoon's commitment to improving badly frayed relations with Japan and increasing trilateral cooperation with the United States and Japan.

Recent years have seen Seoul-Tokyo ties plunge to their worst level in decades amid disputes over wartime sex slaves, forced labour and other issues stemming from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.

Other names being mentioned for ambassadorships include Rep. Cho Tae-yong for Ambassador to the United States and Chung Jae-ho, a professor of political science and international relations at Seoul National University, for ambassador to China.
New Delhi, May 4 : As India prepares the next-generation of coders, Amit Kumar, a data scientist at cure.fit, won the virtual 'HackerCamp'22' for his idea of bringing computer vision, sensors and AI-based fitness solutions to mobile devices, its organisers said here on Wednesday.

Healthcare technology company Innovaccer, along with Microsoft and conversational messaging platform GupShup, organised 'HackerCamp'22' -- one of the largest coding events that brought together ideas ranging from Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, big data analytics and more from over 50,000 coders.

The winners received incubation opportunities, cash prizes and other packages worth more than Rs 12 Lakh.

While Kumar won in the professionals' track category, the winner of the freshers' track was Vishwas Modi, a B.Tech student at LNMIIT, Jaipur, for his 'intelligent yoga trainer' with Leaderboard.

"HackerCamp'22 opens the path for the tech wizards of the new age, offering them a platform to demonstrate their innovative ideas," said Ankit Maheshwari, President, R&D and India operations at Innovaccer.

The runner-up for the freshers' track was Apurva Sharma, a B.Tech. student at VIT, Vellore, for her web app that uses a range of cutting-edge models to transform the profession of ophthalmology.

S Dhanya Abhirami, a software engineer at Visa, became the runner-up in the professional track with her self-awareness methodology solution that helps teenagers and young professionals limit their screen time.
Kolkata, May 4 : With the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in the backdrop and considering the drooping morale of the common party workers in West Bengal, the BJP leadership in the state is depending on its top central leadership's visit to the state to boost the confidence of grassroots-level party workers.

Besides hoping that the two-day visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on May 5 and 6, will have some positive impact on the declining morale of the party workers, the state leadership is trying hard to persuade Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party's national president J.P. Nadda to visit the state in the coming months and cheer up the party workers through vocal tonic.

According to party's national vice-president and MP Dilip Ghosh, while Nadda is expected in the state in June to hold meetings with state leaders as well as attend public rallies, there is also an attempt to ensure a visit by the Prime Minister either in July or in August.

"We have invited all our major central leaders to come to the state. The home minister is coming tomorrow on a two-day visit. In all probability, our national president is also coming to the state in June. We hope that the Prime Minister will also come after that," said Ghosh, also the past state president of BJP in West Bengal.

Political observers feel that considering the scattered organisational network of BJP in the state and growing infighting in state leadership, the party's West Bengal unit is getting heavily dependent on the presence of central leadership for a satisfactory result in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP bagged victory in 18 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Trinamool Congress leadership has ridiculed these possible trips of central BJP leaders to West Bengal. According to Trinamool Congress's state general secretary and the party spokesman Kunal Ghosh, without a mass base such trips will not succeed in winning the confidence of the voters.

"Before the 2021 West Bengal Assembly polls, the Prime Minister, home minister and BJP's national president made several trips to the state. But in the polls, the voters rejected the BJP," Ghosh said.
Jammu, May 4 : The Indian Army on Wednesday handed over a civilian to Pakistan authorities who had inadvertently crossed the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K's Rajouri district.

Defence sources said that the Army repatriated the civilian from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Tuesday.

"Mehmood Hussain son of Shah Wali of village Kotli had inadvertently crossed over to the Indian side from Manjakot tehsil on April 28. The area is under operational supervision of Bhimber Gali Brigade.

"During detailed questioning, it was established that Mehmmod Hussain had crossed over the LoC inadvertently.

"A message was sent and contact was established with the Pakistan Army through Hotline, sharing with them details about the individual and the decision to repatriate and reunite him with his family at the earliest.

"On reaching a mutual consensus, the person was handed over to Pakistan Army at Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing point, which was opened at 12.39 p.m. yesterday," sources said.
Moscow, May 4 : Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has said that NATO vehicles arriving in Ukraine with weapons and ammunition for Ukrainian troops would be destroyed, RT reported.

Shoigu stressed that the US and its NATO allies continue to pump weapons into Ukraine.

"Any transport of the North Atlantic Alliance that arrived on the territory of the country with weapons or materiel for the needs of the Ukrainian armed forces is considered by us as a legitimate target for destruction," he said.

Shoigu added that Mariupol is under the control of the Russian army. "Peaceful life is being established in the territories of the LPR and DPR and Ukraine liberated from nationalists. Including Mariupol, the largest industrial and transport hub on the Sea of Azov. It is under the control of the Russian Army," he said at the meeting.

The Russian Ministry of Defence also announced the destruction of six traction electrical substations in Ukraine.

It is noted that through these facilities the Ukrainian troops were supplied with weapons manufactured in the US and European countries.

The West can help stop "war crimes" allegedly carried out by Ukrainian forces if it uses its influence over Kiev and ceases the supply of weapons to the country, Russian President Vladimir Putin told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, according to the Kremlin, RT reported.

During their phone conversation, which reportedly lasted for more than two hours, Putin congratulated Macron on his recent re-election and updated him on developments in Ukraine, including the evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal plant in Mariupol, according to a readout of the call.

Putin claimed that the EU nations have ignored "the war crimes of the Ukrainian security forces, massive shelling of cities and towns of Donbass, resulting in civilian casualties."

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
New Delhi, May 4 : Russian friendly countries, including India, could be helping Western manufactured components to make their way into Russian weapons used in Ukraine, British defence and security think tank --Royal United Services Institute --claimed in a report.

New Delhi, May 4 (IANS) Russian friendly countries, including India, could be helping Western manufactured components to make their way into Russian weapons used in Ukraine, British defence and security think tank --Royal United Services Institute --claimed in a report.

The report, titled "Operation Z: The Death Throes of an Imperial Delusion", published two weeks ago, stated the Russian military equipment found in Ukraine contain foreign-made components prohibited under embargoes.

"Russia's modern military hardware is dependent upon complex electronics imported from the US, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Israel, China and further afield." Without an assured supply chain to manufacture more, the Russians are having to retain a large proportion of the stockpile, which would restrict their ability to strike Ukraine in the coming months. But here the Russian military industries face a problem, for Russia's latest weapons are heavily dependent upon critical specialist components manufactured abroad.

Technical inspection of Russian weapons and vehicles, conducted by the Central Scientific Research Institute for Armaments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reveals that there is a consistent pattern across all major Russian weapons systems recovered from the battlefield. The 9M949 guided 300-mm rocket that forms the backbone of Russian precision artillery as a munition for the Tornado-S multiple launch rocket system uses a US-made fibre-optic gyroscope for its inertial navigation.54 The Russian TOR-M2 air-defence system - one of the most potent short-ranged air-defence systems in the world - relies on a British-designed oscillator in the computer controlling the platform's radar.

This pattern is true in the Iskander-M, the Kalibr cruise missile, the Kh-101 air-launched cruise missile, and many more besides. It is also true of much tactical battlefield equipment.

"An examination by the technical labs of the Ukrainian intelligence community of the Aqueduct family of Russian military radios (R-168-5UN-2, R-168-5UN-1 and R-168-5UT-2), which form the backbone of the Russian military's tactical communications, for instance, reveals critical electronic components manufactured in the US, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea and Japan," the report stated.

The pattern is universal. Almost all of Russia's modern military hardware is dependent upon complex electronics imported from the US, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Israel, China and further afield.

In some instances these components are civilian dual-use electronics that can be procured commercially.

In many more, however, they are pieces of military or specialised technologies for which there are a small number of regulated suppliers.

Although Russian weapons are full of Western manufactured components, it is not clear that the companies manufacturing them knew that the Russian military was the end-user.

Many components are dual-use technologies. Meanwhile, Russia has established mechanisms for laundering these items through third countries.

Restricting access, therefore, likely means preventing export to countries such as India of goods that are in some instances used for civilian purposes.

"This would, unfortunately, strengthen the Russian argument that the West is prepared to inflict economic pain around the world for the sake of punishing Russia and, in doing so, reduce compliance with Western sanctions. Russia is also prepared to use blackmail to keep these channels open. For example, many of the computer components in Russian cruise and ballistic missiles are purchased ostensibly for civilian use in Russia's space programme," the report stated.

Although Russian weapons are full of Western manufactured components, it is not clear that the companies manufacturing them knew that the Russian military was the end-user. Many components are dual-use technologies.

Meanwhile, Russia has established mechanisms for laundering these items through third countries. This channel is now increasingly constrained. But there are many others.

Moreover, there are myriad companies based around the world, including in the Czech Republic, Serbia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, India and China, who will take considerable risks to meet Russian supply requirements.

Constraining these supply routes without alienating the governments in these states will be a delicate policy needle to thread. It likely requires a systematic targeting of Russia's special services tasked with orchestrating these supply chain operations, the report added.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Mumbai, May 4 : 'Bigg Boss 15' fame Pratik Sehajpal recently entered the reality show 'Lock Upp' during an Eid special episode. He interacted with inmates and also announced that Prince Narula is the second finalist. He has to decide between Azma Fallah and Prince.

He created a major suspense and said whoever he will give the pendant to is the second finalist.

Firstly he called Azma and everyone thought she was the second finalist but he asked her to give it to Prince: "Go give it to prince". Post his announcement, Anjali Arora and Munawar Faruqui jumped in joy.

Lastly, Pratik questioned: "Who should remain in the house and who should be locked out?", to which Shivam Sharma replied: "Payal" and Munawar replied: "Azma." Payal created a ruckus as Pratik left the house, questioning why Shivam chose her name, and Azma cross-questioned Munawar, he replied: "I like you but I thought you might get eliminated." 'Lock Upp' streams on ALTBalaji and MX Player.
Kiev, May 4 : The death toll from a road accident in Ukraine's western Rivne region has risen to 26, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.

In a Telegram post, the Ministry added that 12 other people were injured on Tuesday in a collision on the Kiev-Chop highway near the village of Sytne, where a passenger bus with 34 people on board, a minibus and a fuel truck collided and caught fire.

One vehicle attempting to overtake another caused the accident, according to a preliminary investigation, Xinhua news agency reported.
YEREVAN, 4 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 4 May, USD exchange rate up by 3.84 drams to 454.63 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 5.08 drams to 478.59 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.10 drams to 6.61 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 5.66 drams to 569.06 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 372.09 drams to 27328.83 drams. Silver price down by 9.01 drams to 330.78 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams.
Bengaluru, May 4 : In an embarrassment to the ruling BJP in Karnataka, a delegation of advocates on Wednesday lodged a complaint with the CID against state's Higher Education Minister and some officers in connection with the PSI scandal, and have sought a thorough investigation in the matter.

The delegation of advocates, under the banner 'We are against corruption', has submitted their complaint to the ADGP, CID. They have also urged the CID to probe into the alleged role of the son of a former Chief Minister in the PSI scandal.

The complaint underlined that so far, that the only candidates who have given money for jobs, or middlemen have been arrested so far, but the investigating authorities have not bothered to question Higher Education, IT and BT Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan, ADGP, Recruitment, Amruth Paul and other officers.

As far as the Assistant Professor recruitment scandal is concerned, the police have arrested the Registrar of Dharwad University and a research scholar and stopped the investigation there, the complaint says.

A.P. Ranganath, who headed the delegation of advocates, stated that in both scandals the corrupts are protected. "The authorities must investigate the corrupt minister, officers and accused persons without buckling under pressure," he said.

"The candidates are alleging the role of a son of the former Chief Minister in the PSI scandal. He should also be investigated," he said.

Sources said that the 63 candidates have paid up to Rs 50 to Rs 70 lakh and they have not got jobs. Sources further said that the fingers are pointed at B.Y. Vijayendra, son of former CM B.S. Yediyurappa in this connection.

Suryamukundraj, an advocate, demanded immediate arrest of Ashwath Narayan in connection with PSI and Assistant Professor recruitment scandal.

The Karnataka government has announced re-exams for 545 PSI posts following the scandal. The exams were held for these posts on October 3, 2021. The government has also ordered comprehensive analysis of answer sheets of all candidates.

As many as 54,041 candidates appeared in the exams. The results were announced this January.

Later, the allegations surfaced that candidates who fared very poor in descriptive writing got maximum marks in Paper 2. However, the Police Department and the Home Minister denied any irregularities in PSI exams.

One of the candidates filed an RTI application seeking information on OMR sheets of one of the candidates. Though the application was rejected, the OMR sheet of the candidate appeared in public domain. Police sources say that Veeresh, the candidate, had attended only 21 questions in paper 2 but got 100 marks. He was given 7th rank.

Congress MLA Priyank Kharge had alleged that more than 300 of the 545 candidates had paid Rs 70 to 80 lakh bribe to officials and ministers to become PSI. Ruling BJP has challenged him to produce evidence before CID.
New Delhi, May 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store in Copenhagen on Wednesday and reviewed the ongoing activities in bilateral relations and discussed future areas of cooperation.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the second India-Nordic Summit in Copenhagen. This was the first meeting between the two leaders since the assumption of office by Prime Minister Store in October 2021.

India's Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said, "Both Prime Ministers reviewed the ongoing activities in bilateral relations and discussed future areas of cooperation." Prime Minister Modi highlighted that Norway's skills and India's scope provided natural complementarities.

Both leaders discussed the potential for deepening engagement in areas like Blue Economy, renewable energy, green hydrogen, solar and wind projects, green shipping, fisheries, water management, rainwater harvesting, space cooperation, long term Infrastructure investment, health and culture.

Discussions also took place on regional and global developments.

As members of UNSC, India and Norway have been engaging with each other in the UN on global issues of mutual interest.

Modi is on a three-day visit to Germany, Denmark and France, which started from May 2 aimed at further strengthening bilateral cooperation. It is the Prime Minister's first visit abroad in 2022.

On Tuesday, Modi held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen and discussed a wide range of issues, including regional and global matters.

The two leaders held talks in a one-on-one format, followed by delegation level talks.

Both Prime Ministers reviewed progress of the India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership. Discussions covered cooperation in renewable energy, especially offshore wind energy and green hydrogen, as well as skill development, health, shipping, water and the Arctic, among others.

The Prime Minister appreciated the positive contribution of Danish companies in India to flagship programmes. Prime Minister Frederiksen highlighted the positive role of Indian companies in Denmark.
Beijing, May 4 : The arrest of an individual with the last name 'Ma' in China left people in utter shock who dumped shares in Alibaba that eroded a massive $27 billion in its share value, as investors thought the person arrested was the billionaire Jack Ma.

China's state broadcaster CCTV first reported that police in Hangzhou, Alibaba's home city, had taken "compulsory measures" against an individual with the last name 'Ma'.

CCTV alleged late on Tuesday that Ma had been apprehended on charges of using the internet to engage in activities endangering national security.

The shocked Investors quickly dumped their shares, causing the stock to crash by as much as 9.4 per cent, erasing about $27 billion in share value.

According to Nikkei Asia, an ambiguous news report that sparked a fall in the shares of Alibaba Group Holding became the subject of intense speculation in China on Wednesday.

CCTV had later revised its report "to reflect a clarification issued by Hangzhou's police: The arrested individual's full name has three characters".

The individual in question was a hardware research director at a Chinese tech company.

'Ma' is the 13th most common surname in China, according to a 2019 report by China's Ministry of Public Security.

Hangzhou, a city of 12 million people, may have more than 100,000 people surnamed Ma.

Earlier this year, China's state broadcaster implicated Jack Ma's Ant Group in a corruption scandal, ratcheting up pressure on the billionaire following a crackdown that has wiped billions of dollars from his internet empire.

The fintech group with more than 1 billion users struggles to overhaul its business to comply with the authorities' demands.

Chinese regulators first pulled the plug on a $37 billion initial public offer planned by the company in 2020 and forced it to restructure.

Ant this year suffered a setback to its government-led reform efforts after a state-owned asset manager pulled out of a deal to invest in the fintech's lending arm without explanation, according to reports.
New Delhi, May 4 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday did not agree with the Centre's submission that court should wait for the President to take a call on the mercy plea of Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict A.G. Perarivalan.

A bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao and B. R. Gavai said that it will place the matter for hearing and the decision of the President would not have any bearing on it, and it will examine the issue raised by the petitioner.

Pointing out to the Centre's counsel that the question was whether the Governor had the authority to refer the mercy plea to the President, it noted that under Article 161 of the Constitution, the Governor was bound by the aid and advice given by the Tamil Nadu Council of Ministers. In September 2018,the Council of Ministers of Tamil Nadu had recommended Perarivalan's release.

The Tamil Nadu Governor had referred the Perarivalan's mercy plea to the President for a decision.

The bench said the Governor had no authority to transfer the mercy plea to the President.

Noting Perarivalan had already served close to 30 years in prison, the bench said in the past, the court had passed judgments in favour of life convicts who have served over 20 years of their sentence and there cannot be any discrimination in this case.

Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj, representing the Centre, contended that the Governor has referred the mercy plea to the President, and if the President refers it back to the Governor, then there is no need to discuss this issue at all. He added that the President will decide if the Governor could have referred the file to him or not.

But the bench said: "We will place the matter for hearing. The decision of the President will not have any bearing on us for sure".

As Nataraj urged the court to leave this decision - whether to pardon or reject, or if he decides to send the matter back to the Governor - to the President, the bench said: "We thought it was our duty to interpret the law and not the President's.......".

Justice Rao told the Centre's counsel: "We cannot shut our eyes to something that is happening against the Constitution. We have to follow our Bible, the Constitution..".

The bench said the main question is, whether the Governor was correct in referring to the state Cabinet's wish to the President, rather than exercising his duty under Article 161, and this has to be decided by the court.

Pointing out that the Governor sent the matter to the President in January last year, the bench said enough time has been given to the Centre. Justice Gavai said, "This is a matter concerning personal liberty." As Nataraj contended that Perarivalan is already out on bail, the bench replied that the sword is still hanging over him.

Citing Perarivalan's good conduct in jail and several diseases which impact his health in prison, the bench said: "If you are not willing to consider these aspects, we will consider ordering his release." The bench emphasised that the state government has asked for his release and the Governor is bound by the state's advice under Article 161, and the President has no role under this provision.

Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, representing the Tamil Nadu government, disagreed with Centre's argument on waiting for the President's decision on the mercy plea , and added that this is not in the interest of federalism.

Concluding the hearing, the top court asked the Centre to bring on record the referral order of the Governor and scheduled the matter for further hearing on Tuesday.

The top court on April 9, granted bail to convict Perarivalan who was serving a life sentence.
Lucknow, May 4 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will visit Ayodhya on May 6 to review the progress of development works there.

The Chief Minister thereafter will visit all 18 divisions in the state to take stock of the ground realities of different development projects.

According to official sources, the Chief Minister will visit Jhansi on May 7. In every division, he will see the progress report of wheat procurement during his review meetings.

The Chief Minister has already prepared the roadmap for development in his second term and ministers and officials are already touring the state to assess the level of development.

Under the 'Sarkar Janta Ke Dwar' programme, all the 18 Cabinet ministers, including both the Deputy CMs, have visited the 18 divisions.

The group of ministers has also prepared the report after meeting the office-bearers in the divisions for three days. This report has been sent to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
Guwahati, May 4 : President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday said that promotion of local languages is the responsibility of the society and the government while the National Education Policy-2020 has also emphasised on the promotion of the local language.

Addressing the valedictory function of the 61st annual conference of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS), a regional language literary meet, in western Assam's Tamulpur, the President said that the BSS significantly contributed for the past 70 years in strengthening the Bodo language, literature and culture. Noting that so far 17 writers have been awarded Sahitya Akademi Awards for their works in Bodo language, Kovind said that out of that, 10 have been awarded for poetry work and this shows the natural inclination towards poetry among Bodo writers.

"Many women are writing in different genres of Bodo literature. But it has also been observed that only two women are among senior writers who have received the Sahitya Akademi Award for original work," he said, urging the BSS to encourage women writers. The President said that to keep any literature alive and relevant, the participation of the younger generation is very important. Therefore, special encouragement should also be given to young writers by BSS.

Saying that literature and languages united people, he expressed his happiness that the works in other languages are being translated into the Bodo language with great enthusiasm. Kovind expressed confidence that such translated literature would give an opportunity to the readers of Bodo language to get acquainted with other Indian languages as well as world literature. The President appealed to the Assam Government to make efforts to promote the Bodo language.

Kovind told the gathering that he has been familiar with the Bodo language since he was a member of the Rajya Sabha. He said that the Bodo language was incorporated in the eighth schedule of the Constitution when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister. The President said that the founder-president of the BSS, Joy Bhadra Hagzer and General Secretary Sonaram Thosen had made commendable efforts in recognition of Bodo language. This Sabha has also played an important role in the use of Bodo language as the medium of school education and place in higher education, he added.

Kovind is the first President who attended and addressed the BSS meet.

The three-day conference of BSS began on Monday and several thousand delegates attended the meet from across the country and abroad. Apart from Assam, a large number of people speaking the Bodo language live in Bangladesh, Nepal, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and West Bengal.

Inspired by the Assam Sahitya Sabha, the BSS was formed in 1952 for the development of literature, culture, and language. The Bodos (or Boros) were once a powerful and dominant race in the northeast. The Assam government recognised the Bodo language as an associate official language of the state in 2020 after the signing of the Bodo peace accord between the Centre, Assam government and four Bodo militant outfits in January 2020. Assam Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, his Meghalaya and Sikkim counterparts Conrad K. Sangma and Prem Singh Tamang respectively and dignitaries from Bangladesh and Nepal attended the mega event of the BSS.
Hyderabad, May 4 : In yet another major drug haul at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Customs officials seized heroin worth Rs 11.53 crore from a Tanzanian national.

The Customs officials said 1,389 kg of heroin was seized from the male passenger who arrived from Johannesburg via Abu Dhabi on April 26.

The passenger purged 108 capsules containing the contraband heroin over a period of six days.

The passenger was arrested and remanded to judicial custody. Further investigation is on, the officials said.

This is the fourth seizure of heroin at Hyderabad in less than two weeks.

Eight kilogram cocaine worth Rs 80 crore was seized from two passengers by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) late on May 1.

The contraband was seized in two separate cases. A male Tanzanian national, travelling from Cape Town to Hyderabad on a business visa and a lady passenger from Angola, with itinerary Angola - Mozambique - Lusaka - Dubai - Hyderabad on a tourist visa were arrested.

A total of eight kg of cocaine, each passenger carrying 4 kg, were seized from the passengers from the packets concealed in the false bottom of their trolley bags.

Earlier, the Hyderabad Customs along with DRI had seized 1,157 grams of cocaine worth Rs 11.57 crore from a Tanzanian national. The passenger had arrived at Hyderabad Airport from Johannesburg via Dubai on April 21.

A total of 79 ingested capsules were recovered over a period of 5 days.

According to DRI, the instances of smuggling drugs through air have increased with easing restrictions on air travel and increased passenger traffic.

While Indian Customs have facilitated the clearances smoothly, the alert officers have busted the drug smuggling syndicates and nabbed carriers on multiple occasions across the country.

Ingenious ways of transporting the contraband have been noticed by way of laminating drugs finely into their baggage which are almost invisible to the naked eye or by concealment in shampoos and food items or at times the passenger becomes body carrier by ingesting drugs in laminated capsules.

Sustained efforts of DRI has led to seizure of more than 350 kg of cocaine, estimated to be worth Rs 3,500 crore in illicit market, across the country after January, 2021. This includes a big haul of about 303 kg of cocaine, seized from a containerised cargo at Tuticorin Port.
New Delhi, May 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met his Iceland counterpart Katrin Jakobsdottir in Copenhagen and discussed strengthening bilateral economic cooperation.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 2nd India-Nordic Summit.

Both Prime Ministers warmly recalled their first meeting during the 1st India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm in April 2018. They noted that this year, both countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations.

Modi and Jakobsdottir discussed ways to further strengthen economic cooperation especially in the sectors of geothermal energy, Blue Economy, Arctic, renewable energy, fisheries, food processing, education including digital universities, and culture.

Geothermal energy, in particular, is an area where Iceland has special expertise, and both sides stessed on collaboration between universities of both countries in this sector.

Modi lauded Jakobsdottir's personal efforts at promoting gender equality and briefed her on India's advances in this regard.

Discussions also took place on expediting the India-EFTA trade negotiations. They also held discussions on regional and global developments.

Modi is on three day visit to Germany, Denmark and France, starting from May 2, aimed at further strengthening bilateral cooperation. It is his first visit abroad in 2022.

On Tuesday, Modi held a bilateral meeting with his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen and discussed wide range of issues including regional and global matters.

The two leaders held talks in a one-on-one format, followed by delegation level talks.

Both Prime Ministers reviewed progress of the India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership. Discussions covered cooperation in renewable energy, especially offshore wind energy and green hydrogen, as well as skill development, health, shipping, water and the Arctic, among others.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New York, May 4 : Asthma in children is likely to get worse after a Covid-19 infection, finds a large-scale nationwide study in the US.

Six months after a Covid infection, asthmatic children showed significant increases in emergency department visits, hospitalisations, emergency inhaler use, and steroid treatments, compared to children without Covid, researchers reported in a pre-print of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

A team from Children's Hospital of Orange County in California examined 61,916 asthmatic children aged 2-17.9 years who were infected with Covid between March 2020 and February 2021.

"Our data demonstrates that while asthma outcomes were improved for those who tested negative for SARS-COV-2, asthmatic children who were definitively diagnosed with Covid-19 have worse asthma control in the first six months after infection," said Dr. Christine C. Chou from the Hospital's Department of Paediatrics.

On the other hand, children who tested negative for Covid virus had improved asthma control for the next six months, meaning fewer emergency department visits and hospitalisations for asthma, and less asthma treatment, the study showed.

Previous studies hypothesised that there was an overall improvement in asthma control during the last two years of pandemic. Respiratory viral infections are major triggers of asthma exacerbations, including coronaviruses. It was therefore unexpected that asthmatic children have not experienced increased exacerbations during the Covid-19 pandemic SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Chou said that it was due to hygiene and public health measures, and/or decreased exposures to particulate matter and viral triggers.

"In fact, we previously found a dramatic reduction in asthma morbidity after mid-March 2020 compared to previous years, plausibly associated with fewer respiratory viral illnesses during stay-at-home measures," Chou said.

"The asthma-triggering effect of SARS-CoV-2 was likely masked by the overall decrease in asthma exacerbations during the stay-at-home measures when other asthma triggers were less present in the community," she noted.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Chandigarh, May 4 : In a bid to give fillip to bilateral trade, Australian High Commissioner Barry O'Farrell on Wednesday evinced keen interest to forge collaboration especially in the field of agriculture and skill development with Punjab on the pattern of Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Responding to O'Farrell's proposal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann assured him of all cooperation and support in this regard so as to propel Punjab in the high growth trajectory by concretizing these plans of mutual interest.

A three-member Australian delegation led by O'Farrell, including Member Parliament Gurmesh Singh and Second Secretary Political Jack Taylor, called on the Chief Minister here.

Apprising Mann about the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (IndAus ECTA), O'Farrell said it is the India's first bilateral trade agreement with a large, developed economy in 10 years, which aims to double two-way trade.

He mentioned that Australia's goal is to lift India into their top three export markets by 2035 and make it third largest outward investment destination in Asia.

Pointing out further, O'Farrell said Punjab could be immensely benefitted by forging collaboration with Australia especially in the field of agriculture and agro-industry as its progressive farmers have a proven track record of vast experience and expertise in food production.

Taking part in the deliberations, Mann said that Punjabis due to their enterprising and resilience nature have fairly contributed in the overall socio-economic development of all the major countries across the globe, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, the US, Italy, etc.

Mann said: "Punjab has several franchises in the different parts of the world viz. there is a big Punjab in Vancouver, Toronto, Sydney, Auckland, besides a mini-Punjab in the UK".

The Chief Minister asked the visiting delegation to be in touch with his team of officers headed by his Additional Chief Secretary A. Venu Prasad, who was also present in the meeting, to fructify these proposals of mutual interest between the both sides on the ground.

Expressing gratitude to the Chief Minister, O'Farrell emphasised on the much needed synergy to boost bilateral ties for promotion of trade and business with Punjab.

He assured Mann that their team would also pro-actively engage with Punjab to further strengthen their economic cooperation.
YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. The official visit of the Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan to Georgia started on May 4. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Defense Ministry of Armenia, after the official welcoming ceremony, Suren Papikyan met with his Georgian counterpart Juansher Burchuladze.

During the meeting, the Defense Ministers of Armenia and Georgia touched upon a number of issues related to regional security.

Suren Papikyan and Juansher Burchuladze also discussed the prospects of developing bilateral cooperation in the directions of military education, exchange of experience, ethics and human rights, social security and other areas.

At the end of the meeting, the sides signed a military cooperation plan between the Defense Ministries of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Georgia for the period until 2022.
Patna, May 4 : RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday said that his party will not allow any census in Bihar until caste headcount is done.

"BJP is an anti justice party in the country. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai has denied in writing that the caste based census will not take place in the country. In that context, we will not allow any census to take place in Bihar," Yadav said.

"The caste based census' resolutions have been passed twice in the Bihar Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha). Even a delegation of all parties led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to press for the demand of caste-based census," Yadav said.

Responding to his statement, BJP OBC Morcha's National General Secretary Nikhil Anand said: "Central government must investigate the scam of Rs 5,500 crore done by UPA in the name of caste census in 2011." "The 2011 caste census conducted during the UPA government was a scam. Centre should investigate that caste-based census and punish the culprits who cheated the OBCs of India," Anand said.

"Those who are demanding caste census should first ask Congress why they continuously betrayed OBCs since independence. Is Tejashwi Yadav aware of this shameful fact. Will he demand an inquiry into the 2011 caste census scam of UPA in which RJD was a partner?" Anand said.

Anand said that there was a detailed debate in the Parliament in 2010 regarding the conduct of caste census in 2011.

Those blaming the BJP should read the documents from the records of Parliament and hear what BJP leaders Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Gopinath Munde and others had said on the issue. After the said debate in the House, the UPA government agreed to conduct the caste census, Anand said.

"In 2011 the caste census conducted by UPA showed 4,28,000 caste lists in the country and it had more than 10 crore errors," he said.
Chennai, May 4 : The four government owned general insurers are looking to hire a consultancy firm that has advised and completed at least one organisational transformation assignment for public sector organisations during the last five years.

However, a top leader of a major union is of the view that consultants come and go regularly but nothing much has changed except the companies getting poorer by lakhs of rupees as their fee.

As per the stipulations laid down by the four insurers, the public sector organisation could be a bank/insurance company or a central public sector enterprise with pan India presence, having a turnover of more than Rs 10,000 crore and a minimum employee base of 5,000.

Further the bidder or its parent company should have an average annual turnover of at least Rs 100 crore in the past two financial/calendar years, preceding the date of submission of the request for proposal (RFP).

The four general insurers have decided to restructure the organisation towards profitable growth and have called for RFP from consultancy firms.

The assignment is called 'Organisational Efficiencies and Performance Management in Public Sector General Insurance Companies.' The four insurers are: The Oriental Insurance Company Limited, National Insurance Company Limited, The New India Assurance Company Limited and United India Insurance Company Limited.

Of the four, The New India Assurance is listed in the stock exchanges.

As per the tender, the companies are calling for one consultant for the assignment which is logical as the process, human resource policies and procedures are uniform in the four companies, a senior industry official told IANS.

"The unions are not against the management. The management could have called us and asked for our views. The companies are engaging consultants regularly but the outcome is not much. The consultants get their fat fee," K. Govindan, General Secretary, General Insurance Employees All India Association (GIEAIA), told IANS.

Several years ago, United India Insurance, The New India Assurance and The Oriental Insurance had hired Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and National Insurance Company had hired PwC. But nothing much has come out of that exercise except setting up of some claims hubs, he added.

The consultants had recommended a three-tier structure -- operating offices, regional office and head office. But nothing has changed, Govindan added.

"As per BCG recommendations, the Oriental Insurance and United India Insurance had set up centralised claims hubs, went in for operating offices that handled corporate accounts," a retired official told IANS.

Referring to the government's decision to shelve its earlier proposal to merge The Oriental Insurance, United India Insurance and National Insurance, Govindan said even the consultant Ernst and Young seems to have recommended the same.

"It is still not known why the government did not proceed with the merger of the three companies. The Boards of the three companies had passed resolutions and the government had also amended the law in favour of the merger," Govindan added.

As on March 31, 2022, the four insurers together have procured a total premium of Rs 75,116 crore with a market share of around 34 per cent.

The total employee strength is around 44,743 spread over 6,759 offices.

Govindan said the management went on opening offices as per the direction of the government and later started closing down the same saying the offices are not viable.

"The management should be professional. Do a market study before opening new offices. Further closing down offices that are fetching sizable premiums will pave the way for private players to set up shop there and reap the benefits," he said.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in)
New Delhi, May 4 : Tech giants Meta and Adobe on Wednesday announced that they have teamed up for a training programme, Express Your Brand, that provides free education and tools to help small business owners (SBOs) easily and confidently grow their businesses online.

The year-long initiative will couple tangible skills training with inspiration and community-building to empower small businesses across the country.

"As a part of this effort, Adobe announced partnership with Meta to provide resources, tools and community to support a diverse community of small businesses. This includes granting business owners a one-year premium subscription to Adobe Express," the company said in a statement Introduced last year, Adobe Express is a new unified task-based web and mobile product that makes it easy to create and share beautiful, rich, multimedia content.

The programme, which kicks off on May 17, will cover a wide range of essential digital marketing topics.

The monthly training sessions tackle how to build a brand, the art of driving engagement on Instagram, how to develop personalised ads through Ad Manager, and so much more.

Community is also an essential part of the Express Your Brand programme. The centralised hub will house all training sessions, as well as create a forum to connect SBOs with one another to personalise the learning experience.
Kolkata, May 4 : Senior Congress leader and former Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, who is a leading lawyer too, on Wednesday faced the ire of a group of Congress-affiliated lawyers within the Calcutta High Court premises, as he appeared to argue a case on behalf of the state's Trinamool Congress government against his party.

He came to appear against a petition filed by the state Congress President and party leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, challenging the West Bengal government's dilution of its 47 per cent share in Metro Dairy to private entity Keventer Agro Ltd.

While Chidambaram was coming out of the high court, a group of Congress- affiliated lawyers, led by Congress leader and advocate, Koustav Bagchi, surrounded him and started shouting "Go Back" slogans. Some of them were even heard addressing the senior Congress leader as a "pimp of West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee". Chidambaram, however, did not react and maintained his calm throughout.

His bodyguards somehow escorted him to his vehicle and he departed silently.

Later, Bagchi said that this is an insult to Chowdhury since he himself had filed the petition against the disinvestment of state government stake in Metro Diary. "Thousands of ordinary Congress workers are homeless because of atrocities by ruling Trinamool Congress goons. In such a situation a senior leader like Chidambaram is appearing on behalf of the state government. I have talked to our state President and clearly told him that next time such leaders come to West Bengal, he would be welcomed by a garland of shoes," Bagchi said.

Contacted for comment, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member, Pradip Bhattacharya told IANS that he finds no justification behind Chidambaram taking up the brief for the state government. "I understand that this is their profession. But when you represent a particular political party, it is not fair to take up the brief on behalf of any other rival party or any government ruled by a rival party," he said.

Chowdhury challenged the petition on grounds that a short while after the state government sold its entire share to Keventer Agro Ltd, the latter transferred 15 per cent of its share to a Singapore-based firm at a much higher price.
New Delhi, May 4 : Stating the need to keep people at the heart of any infrastructure growth story and providing them with high quality, dependable, and sustainable services in an equitable manner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asserted that resilient infrastructure can prevent disasters not only for this generation but for many future generations.

"Infrastructure is not just about creating capital assets and generating long-term return on investment. It is not about the numbers. It is not about the money. It is about people. It is about providing them high quality, dependable, and sustainable services in an equitable manner. People must be at the heart of any infrastructure growth story. And, that is exactly what we in India are doing," he said in his pre-recorded address at the inaugural session of the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

The conference is being held jointly with the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Launched by PM Modi at the Climate Action Summit in New York in 2019, CDRI is a multi-stakeholder global partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks, the private sector, academic and knowledge institutions.

Giving examples of when a bridge is washed away in floods, when a power line is broken by cyclonic winds, when a communication tower is damaged by forest fires, Modi said: "It disrupts the lives and livelihoods of thousands of people directly. The consequences of such infrastructure damage can last for years, and affect millions of people. So, the challenge before us is quite clear. With modern technology and knowledge at our disposal, can we create resilient infrastructure that is built to last? Recognition of this challenge underpins the creation of the CDRI." The Prime Minister also gave examples of success stories resulting from CDRI's work.

Strengthening the resilience of power systems has already benefited communities in coastal India, by reducing the duration of power disruption during cyclones, he said.

"As this work progresses to the next phase, it can be scaled-up to benefit over 130 million people who are exposed to tropical cyclones every year. CDRI's work on Resilient Airports is studying 150 airports around the world. It has the potential to contribute to the resilience of global connectivity," he added.

About a 'Resilient Infrastructure Transition', which is the primary focus of the conference being held in Delhi, Modi asserted: "Resilient infrastructure can also be the centerpiece of our wider adaptation efforts. If we make infrastructure resilient, we prevent disasters not only for ourselves but for many future generations." The inaugural session of the ICDRI 2022 witnessed the heads of government from CDRI member countries share their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges to build climate and disaster resilience in transitioning infrastructure systems.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina also spoke on the occasion through video addresses.
Guwahati, May 4 : Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Wednesday said that language defines the identity of a tribe as he urged the President Ram Nath Kovind to include the Garo and Khasi language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.

Addressing the valedictory function of the 61st annual conference of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS) in Assam's Tamulpur, Sangma said that there are similarities between Garo and Bodo languages.

"I strongly feel that inclusion of languages of different tribes and different communities in the constitution would only lead to a stronger integration of this very diverse but great nation of us," he said.

President Kovind was the chief guest in the BSS meet while Assam Chief Ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma and Sikkim's Prem Singh Tamang, among other dignitaries, also spoke in the regional language literary meet.

Noting the Meghalaya Language Act, 2005 recognises Khasi and Garo as the states associate official languages, Sangma urged the President to support the aspiration of the northeast's people and to ensure that languages from the region are included in the Eighth Schedule to protect and promote the language and identity of the people.

"Not just Garo and Khasi but all the different communities and tribes and their languages in the northeast are different. They may be small but their identity comes from the language and the culture that they have," Sangma added.

Recalling his father P.A. Sangma, he said that P.A.Sangma was somebody who had a great affinity for the poor and when he was an MP, when Bodoland was undergoing through many issues, he raised his voice for the Bodos and Bodoland in the Parliament.

"Your (President) presence in a programme like this is not just an inspiration to the people of Bodo areas, but it shows your concern and your respect for all the tribes of the northeast," Sangma said.

Praising the President for his frequent visits to the northeast, Sangma said that this sent a very powerful message to the people of NE that every single community is important.
Chennai, May 4 : The Tamil Nadu police which is under fire for the back-to-back deaths of two suspects in police custody has initiated a fresh move to safeguard its reputation.

Director-General of Police, C. Sylendra Kumar has directed the police personnel not to detain suspects at night in police custody. This is following the death of Vignesh in Chennai and Thangamani in Virudhunagar.

Vignesh was taken into custody by the police at night on April 18 along with another person Suresh for possessing machetes and half a kilogram of ganja. According to police, Vignesh suffered seizures while the police were giving him breakfast on the morning of April 19 and subsequently he died on reaching the general hospital.

There were reports that Vignesh and Thangamani, both habitual offenders, were tortured at the police station and that the former died of custodial torture. The family of Vignesh alleged that police personnel had paid them Rs 1 lakh to remain quiet but later they returned the money and are cooperating with the investigation. The Chief Minister himself had to answer in the state legislative assembly on the incident.

The Chennai police commissioner's office in a statement said that Sub Inspector Puzham Perumal of Greater Chennai Police Control room, Constable Ponraj, and Home Guard Deepak were suspended and put on the waitlist.

In a similar incident Thangamani (43) of the Mala Kuravar (SC) community was taken into custody by the Prohibition Enforcement Wing (PEW) of the Tamil Nadu police on April 26 on charges that he was in possession of illicit liquor and that he was brewing liquor illegally. According to the police, he was remanded to judicial custody but he had seizures in the sub-jail and died.

The family alleged that Thangamani was subjected to extreme torture by the police. On investigation, four personnel of the PEW including Deputy Superintendent of Police, Rajan, Inspector Nirmala, and constables Jayachandran and Jayakumar were suspended.

The CB-CID of the Tamil Nadu police has commenced investigation into the two incidents after the Chief Minister announced in the state assembly that a detailed investigation will be carried out into the two deaths.

There was a major uproar in the assembly with the opposition AIADMK and the BJP demanding an immediate inquiry and arrest of the erring police officers and sought an answer from Chief Minister Stalin who is also in charge of the home department. The legislators have also demanded a response from the DGP regarding custodial torture.

The directive of the DGP, C. Sylendra Kumar directing police not to detain suspects at night in the police station has come after the uproar by the opposition in the legislative assembly which is in session.
Brussels, May 4 : The European Union (EU) has proposed its toughest measures yet against Russia, including a total ban on oil imports and sanctions on war crimes suspects, BBC reported.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the package was aimed at maximising pressure on Russia while minimising damage to Europe.

Russian crude oil would be phased out within six months, BBC reported citing Ursula von der Leyen Military officers involved in suspected war crimes in Bucha and Mariupol would also face new sanctions.

"This sends another important signal to all perpetrators of the Kremlin's war: We know who you are, and you will be held accountable," von der Leyen told the European Parliament on Wednesday.

The EU has been focusing for weeks on how to wean itself off Russian oil and gas. It has already pledged to reduce gas imports by two-thirds by the end of 2022 and now plans to phase out crude oil over six months and refined products by the end of 2022.

"We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion," the Commission president said.

Slovakia and Hungary, which currently rely on Russian oil, would be given an extra year to find alternative suppliers. A Hungarian government spokesman said they had not yet seen plans or guarantees for a transition.

Last year, Russia supplied the EU with a quarter of its oil imports, and Germany was the biggest buyer. However, Germany has dramatically reduced its reliance on Russian oil imports, down from 35 per cent to 12 per cent. The UK, which is no longer in the EU, is already phasing out Russian oil, which accounts for 8 per cent of its imports.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, May 4: Maldivian youth are holding protests in front of former President Yameen Abdul Gayoom's home demanding his re-arrest. Yameen, who is now the opposition leader, was released from prison in November 2021 after the Supreme Court overturned charges of corruption and embezzlement against him.

The Maldives Youth Force, a local youth group, organised the protest in front of Yameen's residence, saying that Yameen is a "thief" and should be put behind bars again. The group also alleged that the former president is bringing disrepute to the country's military by associating it with a foreign entity, reports The Times of Addu.

Earlier, the group had put up a video criticising the former president for starting the "India out" campaign. The Maldives Youth Force posted a comment on Twitter, saying: "We cannot compromise the future of our young generation with a racist agenda of one person to create hate, racism and fear in Maldives.

"We are Maldives Youth Force MYF and we stand against Hate, Racism and Xenophobia. We are coming out strong against all these issues, Join Us!" After his release last year, Yameen, who heads the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), alleged that the nation's current leaders, President Ibrahim Solih and Speaker Mohamed Nasheed, have invited the Indian military into the archipelago nation. He also started the "India out" campaign seeking curbs on Indian investment and ousting a handful of military personnel deployed for training purposes.

Yameen is known to be close to China and had invited the communist giant to invest in his country.

His opponents, including Speaker Nasheed, have alleged that during his presidency Yameen was swayed by China's notorious debt diplomacy which entails the construction of mega projects with Chinese loans and Chinese companies. Nasheed has also said that Yameen had given away a dozen islands to China.

President Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has made it clear that the country will follow the "India First" policy and will not invite Chinese investments which are essentially "land grab" policies. It recently introduced legislation that bans the anti-India campaign and has launched an investigation into the campaign in a bid to improve relations with New Delhi.

Nasheed has often hinted that China has been playing a role in the India Out campaign by instigating Yameen.

Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue last month, Nasheed said that his nation has come under Chinese debt. Mentioning Sri Lanka he said that it is important for the international community to understand how nations are falling into debt that they cannot repay.

As Maldives heads for elections in 2023, the political situation is hotting up in the country. With the parties deeply divided into pro-India and pro-China camps, the elections too will be fought on the same lines.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New Delhi, May 4 : People from two communities clashed with each other in Central Delhi's Hauz Qazi area on Eid after their vehicles collided with each other.

Around four to five persons got injured in the incident. Soon after, police were deployed to prevent any untoward incident in the area.

The police said that they have lodged cross FIRs in this connection and were looking into the matter. They would take action against those who were trying to give it a communal colour.

According to the police, three persons came to meet their relatives in the Hauz Qazi area from North East Delhi's Jafrabad on Eid on Tuesday.

"After meeting their relatives they were going back home on a scooty and a motorcycle when their vehicles collided with the vehicles of some local residents. The locals gathered at the spot after this and a heated argument took place. This was nothing but a matter of road rage. Both the parties also clashed with each other and a few of them got injured. All were taken to a nearby government hospital for treatment. We have recorded the statements of the injured and lodged cases based on their statements," said the police.

The police said that they have deployed extra personnel at the incident spot.

Senior police officials said that they would take strict action against those who spread rumours.
Jetstar's Return for Free sale sold out fast in 2021 and this year is expected to be no different. (Source: Getty)

Jetstar is celebrating its 18th birthday in style, announcing a sale on 400,000 airfares with return flights free of charge.

The sale includes domestic fares starting from $69 and international fares starting from $199, all with a free return flight to the departing destination.

A total of 59 domestic routes and 29 international routes are featured in the sale, including all major Australian cities as well as Bali, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, New Zealand and Seoul.

The sale will only be running for a total of 48 hours, starting at 12am AEST on Wednesday, May 4 and ending at 11:59pm AEST on Thursday, May 5, unless sold out prior.

Club Jetstar members have the luxury of early access to the popular sale from midday on Tuesday May 3, 2022.

Those wishing to take advantage of the sale need only visit the Jetstar site, and book a starter fare on an outbound flight as per travel times and booking conditions to receive one return starter fare free.

Fare highlights per state

Some of the highlights of the Return for Free sale are as follows:

NSW:

Sydney to Bali from $359

Sydney to Seoul from $550

Sydney to Honolulu from $389

Sydney to Ho Chi Minh City from $339

Sydney to Auckland from $266

VIC:

Melbourne to Phuket from $379

Melbourne to Honolulu from $389

Melbourne to Christchurch from $264

Melbourne to Gold Coast from $99

Melbourne to Singapore from $339

Melbourne to Sydney from $69

QLD:

Brisbane to Perth from $202

Cairns to Melbourne from $190

Gold Coast to Queenstown from $260

Cairns to Tokyo from $394

Cairns to Bali from $239

SA:

Adelaide to Bali from $299

Adelaide to Hobart from $111

NT:

Uluru to Melbourne from $199

Darwin to Bali from $199

Darwin to Singapore from $200

WA:

Busselton to Melbourne from $189

Perth to Bali from $189

Perth to Sydney from $212

Story continues

TAS:

Hobart to Gold Coast from $162

Launceston to Sydney from $87

Jetstar also launches limited edition 18th birthday drinks

As a play on reaching Australias legal drinking age, Jetstar has also released a limited edition range of alcoholic seltzers for its 18th birthday, which are named after some of the airline's most popular travel destinations.

The seltzers have been brewed in collaboration with Victorian-based Hop Nation Brewing Co. (Source: Jetstar)

The Bali flavour features the fruity and floral flavours of rambutan and hibiscus, while the Gold Coast flavour showcases coconut and fairy floss with a hint of sea salt.

The Melbourne seltzer pays homage to Victoria's coffee culture with a deconstructed cafe latte flavour, and the Queenstown evokes the winter warmers of mulled wine, cloves and cinnamon.

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New Delhi, May 4: After Egypt, many more countries are now looking to purchase wheat from India. Egypt, the world's largest importer of wheat, is already looking to source the cereal from India after the Russia-Ukraine war dented supplies. Most of Egypt's wheat until now came from Ukraine. Several other countries from Europe and West Asia are also expected to soon start purchasing Indian wheat.

Besides Egypt, the other large wheat importing countries are China, Turkey, Nigeria and Indonesia.

After exporting a record 7.85 million tonnes of wheat in 2021-22, India's worldwide supply of the grain could touch 20 million tonnes this financial year amid rising concerns over food security as the Russia-Ukraine crisis deepens.

Russia and Ukraine accounted for about a third of the total global wheat exports estimated at around 180 million tonnes.

"For India, new markets for wheat exports are opening up. Egypt has already placed orders..we are expecting many new markets to start buying the grain from us. Many countries which have been already purchasing Indian wheat could now source a larger amount of the grain," Anil Monga, managing director, Emmsons International that deals in trading of agro products, told India Narrative. Monga added that the trend could continue in India's favour as Ukraine will not be in any position to immediately resurrect its agricultural land after the war ends.

However, for the wheat growers the current heat wave that has gripped north India is posing serious challenges. Farmers fear that the sharp increase in temperature would dent agriculture productivity.

"Production may drop by 10-15 per cent due to this heat wave but despite that we have more that sufficient stocks to protect our own people and expand exports," Anil Ghanwat, senior leader of Shetkari Sangathana, a Maharashtra based farmers union.

However, surplus stocks of the previous years are still lying with the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

"Though we don't see any threat related to food security we hope this is not the case next year as well," Ghanwat said.

The Russia-Ukraine war has choked vital supply chains globally.

Later this month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to hold a ministerial-level meeting in the United Nations on action for global food security.

According to Eurasian Research Institute, wheat provides more than 35 per cent of the cereal calorie intake in the developing world, 74 per cent in the developed world and 41 per cent globally from direct consumption.

Almost 70 per cent of wheat is used as food, while the rest is used as feed for livestock and industrial processing.

The World Economic Forum said that between 720 million and 811 million people in the world faced hunger in 2020. The Covid 19 pandemic, climate change and conflict are among the main drivers of global food insecurity.

Almost 40 per cent of Ukraine's wheat and corn exports go to the Middle East and Africa, which are already grappling with hunger issues. Increased food prices and shortage could even stoke social unrest, the WEF warned.

India's rice exports have already surged in the last two years. Its markets include Bangladesh, China, Guinea, Vietnam and Malaysia among others. Rice exports in the current financial year is also set to be robust. "We have already got orders and we are hoping that this year will also be a good one," Monga said.

"Indian farmers are feeding the world.... Our farmers have ensured our granaries overflow & we are ready to serve the world," Union Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted a few days earlier.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative

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Hong Kong, May 4 : Alibaba, co-founded by Chinese e-commerce giant Jack Ma, saw its Hong Kong-listed shares plunge as much as 9.4 per cent after Chinese state media reported that an individual surnamed 'Ma' in the city of Hangzhou -- where Alibaba is based -- was detained on national security grounds, media reports said.

According to China's state broadcaster CCTV, the suspect was placed under "compulsory measures" on April 25 on suspicion of "colluding with overseas anti-China hostile forces" to "incite secession" and "incite subversion of state power".

The one-sentence report, which was swiftly picked up by other state media outlets and alerted across Chinese news platforms, triggered panic selling in Hong Kong, erasing an estimated $26 billion from Alibaba's market value within minutes, CNN reported.

Amid the frenzy, Hu Xijin, the former editor-in-chief of the state-owned nationalist tabloid the Global Times, rushed to clarify on China's Twitter-like Weibo that the report was misleading because the name of the suspect in question has three characters.

Jack Ma's Chinese name, Ma Yun, has only two characters. (CCTV later quietly updated its original report to match Hu's assessment).

To further dispel concerns, the Global Times reported that the accused man was born in 1985 in Wenzhou (while Jack Ma was born in 1964 in Hangzhou) and worked as the director of hardware research and development at an IT company, CNN reported.

The clarifications led to a rebound, with Alibaba recovering the majority of its losses by the day's end.

The market's roller-coaster reaction is the latest sign of just how skittish investors are getting over China's embattled tech sector, which has been a target of the Chinese government's heavy-handed regulatory crackdown since late 2020, the report added.
New Delhi, May 4 : The Centre has sought a week's time to file its response on petitions challenging the sedition law, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The top court had scheduled the matter for hearing on Thursday. On April 27, the Supreme Court allowed the Centre to file its response on petitions demanding striking down of the sedition law, by the end of the week.

After seeking one day's time on Sunday, the Centre filed another application seeking an additional week's time to file its response on the petitions. In its fresh application, it said the response awaited the approval from the competent authority.

Last week, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted before a bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana that the reply on the petitions is almost ready and sought two days to finalise, and then it will be filed in the court.

The bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, recorded that Centre will file the reply by end of this week and listed the matter for final disposal on May 5.

Attorney General K.K. Venugopal also appeared, since the court had issued notice to him, and said he will assist the court in the matter. The Chief Justice said no adjournment will be granted in the matter. The matter was last heard in July last year.

The top court was hearing petitions filed by Maj Gen S.G. Vombatkere (retd) and the Editors Guild of India and others, challenging the constitutional validity of Section 124A which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Vombatkere's plea argued that a statute criminalising expression based on unconstitutionally vague definitions of 'disaffection towards government' etc. is an unreasonable restriction on the fundamental right to free expression guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) and causes constitutionally impermissible 'chilling effect' on the speech.

In July, last year, the top court had questioned the Centre on the utility of having a sedition law even after 75 years of gaining independence from the British, and also frowned on the misuse of law by the police against people.

Then, a bench headed by Chief Justice Ramana said: "It is a colonial law used by the British to silence Mahatma Gandhi, (Bal Gangadhar) Tilak. Still, is it necessary after 75 years of independence?" "I am indicating what I am thinking," the Chief Justice told Venugopal

Citing the example of continued usage of Section 66A of IT Act, which was quashed, but abused to arrest thousands for airing their views, the top court pointed out that sedition law (Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code) is also not immune to misuse by police to fix persons who speak against the government.

"It is like you give a saw to a carpenter and he will cut the entire forest. This is the impact of this law," the Chief Justice said.

The AG replied that he completely understands the concern of the top court and submitted that the court can lay down fresh guidelines to restrict the use of the sedition provision only for protection of nation and democratic institutions, instead of taking out the entire law. The Chief Justice said the situation on the ground is grave, and if one party does not like what the other is saying, Section 124A is used.
Washington, May 4 : It's time to accept that as the presence of Covid will remain inevitable, the need for annual vaccination may be the new norm to "blunt future outbreaks", according to officials at the US Food and Drug Administration.

Writing in a paper published in the medical journal JAMA, the officials said the US needs to update its Covid-19 vaccines each year, which may also include an annual Covid vaccine alongside a seasonal flu shot.

While many people are hoping that the worst of the pandemic is over, "it is time to accept that the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid, is the new normal," Dr Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Dr Janet Woodcock, Principal Deputy Commissioner, and new FDA Commissioner Dr Robert Califf wrote in the study.

"It will likely circulate globally for the foreseeable future, taking its place alongside other common respiratory viruses such as influenza.

"And it likely will require similar annual consideration for vaccine composition updates," they noted.

Covid-19 vaccines, developed and deployed in record time based on foundational scientific and clinical research conducted over the preceding decade, have conservatively saved tens of thousands of lives in the US and many more across the globe.

Studies from several countries including the US and Israel have supported the need for third and fourth booster doses of Covid vaccine.

Meanwhile, the FDA last week announced plans to convene its vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee on June 28 to discuss whether the composition of the current Covid-19 vaccines should be modified, and if so, what updates should be selected for the fall.

By this summer, "decisions will need to be made" on who should be eligible for additional Covid shots in the fall, and by June, the composition of the vaccines will need to be determined, the officials wrote.

The composition of the current vaccines must be updated to target circulating coronavirus variants. The officials noted that this coming fall and winter, three factors may increase the risk of Covid: waning immunity, seasonal waves of more coronavirus spread, and the further evolution of the virus, leading to the birth of new variants.

"With the plan for implementation of this year's vaccine selection process, society is moving towards a new normal that may well include annual Covid vaccination alongside seasonal influenza vaccination," they said.

Vaccines, as public health interventions, have been responsible over the past century for reducing an unimaginable amount of morbidity and for saving millions of lives.

The eradication of smallpox and near elimination of several other infectious diseases are an unambiguous triumph of modern medicine, the officials said.

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Mumbai, May 4 : The Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital (KDAH) on Wednesday acquired its third da Vinci Robotic Surgical System, making it the only hospital with three such robots, and also completed 4,500 robot-assisted surgeries, an official said here.

The KDAH was among the first in the country to introduce the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System in June 2012 and it has now completed over 4,500 robot-assisted surgeries across specialities for adult-paediatric urology, gynaecology, bariatric and ENT, plus cancer.

It has also become the first hospital in the country to achieve 2,600 robot-assisted surgeries for patients with prostate, kidney and urinary bladder cancer with minimally invasive surgeries.

"Robotic surgery represents the next era of surgical innovation with many advantages over traditional open surgery. It makes difficult urological procedures easier and safer with more precise surgery, less blood loss or infections, quicker recovery and reduced hospital stay," said Yuvaraja T.B., Head of the KDAH Robotic Surgery department, and Consultant, Uro-Oncology.

KDAH Executive Director and CEO Santosh Shetty said that they had realised the potential of robotic surgery in helping patients at an early stage and were among the first to bring it to the country 10 years ago.

"We ensured that our surgeons are specially trained in diagnosing and treating various conditions using advanced robotic technologies and our foresight has benefited thousands of patients as they are cost-effective and recognised by health insurance companies," Shetty said.

Robotic surgery is not an automated process but is remote-controlled by a human surgeon, using minimally-invasive approach. Robotic surgery is performed through small incisions with extreme precision, particularly in hard-to-access parts of the body, with a computer providing a digital interface between the surgeon's hands and the surgical instruments, besides providing improved visualisation with a magnified hi-definition 3-D image.

Named after renowned Italian inventor and painter Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), the da Vinci system was developed using technology pioneered by NASA and the Scripps Research Institute and was approved for surgical use in 2000.

Today, there are more than 6,500 da Vinci robots installed in 67 countries with over 55,000 trained surgeons, who have performed over 10 million procedures using this system.
New Delhi, May 4 : Kamal Bawa, a noted, Indian born, conservation biologist and president of the Bengaluru-based Ashoka Trust for Research and Ecology and Environment (ATREE), was elected to the US National Academy of Sciences, ATREE said on Wednesday.

The election to the 170-year-old Academy is recognition of his significant contributions to science by its members. Bawa, who is also an elected fellow of the Royal Society (London) and the American Philosophical Society, was elected to the US National Academy of Sciences late last night India time.

"The election is the reaffirmation of our important work on the ecology, conservation, and management of tropical forests that are declining all over the world but are critical to humanity's well-being," said Bawa.

Biodiversity in tropical forests and other natural habitats is an important source of many ecosystem services and for the mitigation of climate change. ATREE is well recognised for its work on assessing and managing biodiversity, climate change, and water.

A few years ago, Bawa brought together scientists from India's leading institutions to develop the National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Wellbeing under the banner of the Biodiversity Collaborative. The effort was supported by the office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Indian government and is currently funded by the Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, ATREE said in a statement.

"Biodiversity is an integral part of our lives and the ways we can enhance and use it to secure food, nutrition, fight climate change, and restore our degraded landscapes, are some of the important goals of the mission in the making," said Rohini Nilekani, philanthropist.

"Kamal Bawa's election underscores the importance of our biodiversity and ATREE's important work in this crucial area that is so important for our future," remarked P Balaram, former Director of the Indian Institute of Science, and co-chair of ATREE's Board of Trustees.
Chennai, May 4 : A worker has lost his life in a blast at a firecracker unit at Kathalampatti in Tamil Nadu's Virudhunagar district, officials said on Wednesday.

The deceased has been identified as Solai Vignesh (26) of Sundarakudumbanpatti village.

Ammapatti police in Virudhunagar district have registered a case. The unit is owned by Peiyakaruppan and has a license from the district revenue authorities.

Virudhunagar district police told IANS that the blast occurred when Vignesh was mixing chemicals required for making crackers in a shed. The blast occurred due to friction.

He was killed on the spot. The entire shed was destroyed in the blast.

Fire and Rescue personnel rushed to the spot and took the deceased to Sattur Government hospital for post-mortem.
Mumbai, May 4 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has named dismissed police officer Pradeep Sharma as the 'main conspirator' in the "cold-blooded murder" of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran, in its affidavit in the case pertaining to planting a SUV with 20 gelatin sticks outside Antilia, the home of industrialist Mukesh Ambani.

Aware of the entire conspiracy, the NIA told the Bombay High Court that Hiran was considered the 'weak link' in the larger conspiracy to terrorise the billionaire Ambani family, when the SUV was discovered on February 25, 2021, sending shockwaves across the country.

Opposing the bail plea of Sharma - nabbed on June 17, 2021 and currently in judicial custody - the NIA affidavit said he was not innocent and had committed offences of criminal conspiracy, murder and terror acts.

A division bench comprising Justice A. S. Chandurkar and Justice G. A. Sanap has kept Sharma's bail plea -- challenging the Special NIA Court's rejection of his bail application in February 2022 -- for further hearing on July 17.

"Pradeep Sharma was an active member of a gang that had conspired to terrorise people, including the Ambani family, and murdered Hiran as he was a weak link in the conspiracy," said the NIA, adding that Sharma and other accused were charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for heinous and serious offences.

Hiran was aware of the entire conspiracy of parking the SUV outside Antilia that day and the accused (Sharma and co-conspirator and sacked cop Sachin Vaze) feared that he (Hiran) could spill the beans making it difficult for the duo to gather the fruits of the larger plot.

The NIA said that from the evidence gathered, it was crystal clear that Sharma was directly involved in the crime and committed offences of conspiracy, terrorist act, being member of a terror gang, kidnapping, murder and destruction of evidence.

It said Sharma willingly and intentionally entered into a well-organised criminal conspiracy for the execution of Hiran which was a direct outcome of the terror acts committed by Vaze and the other accused.

The NIA also claimed that Hiran was eliminated after he refused to take the blame for parking the SUV outside Antilia.

"When Hiran refused to take blame for the crime, Vaze hatched a conspiracy with Sharma and other accused to kill Hiran so that he does not divulge that Vaze was the one who parked the vehicle outside Antilia," the NIA said in its affidavit.

The larger conspiracy in the case involved parking of the SUV, and circulating threat letters in the name of 'Jaish-ul-Hind' to terrorise the Ambani family and local people.

The NIA pointed out that after killing Hiran, the accused (Sharma-Vaze) attempted to show it as a suicide. Shockingly, Sharma had attended meetings in the Commissioner of Police premises where the alleged conspiracy was hatched.

As the main conspirator, Sharma hired henchmen to kill Hiran by paying Rs 45 lakhs he had got from Vaze, and after the murder, asked the co-accused to flee from Mumbai to Nepal.

The NIA argued that Sharma was famous as an 'encounter specialist', influential and if released on bail, he would tamper with the evidence and influence the witnesses.
Kolkata, May 4 : One person was killed while another was severely injured in a shootout at Magrahat in South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal on Wednesday.

The deceased has been identified as Moyajjem Dhali, a private moneylender by profession, while the injured person has been identified as Rijwan Dhali, who has been admitted to the Diamond Harbour District Hospital where his condition is stated to be critical.

The local people told the police that they heard the sound of firing and found Moyajjem Dhali and Rijwan Dhali lying on the ground in pool of blood.

The local people immediately informed the Magrahat police station following which the police took the duo to the hospital. While Moyajjem Dhali was declared dead at the hospital, Rijwan was admitted for treatment.

Police sources said that in all probability, the offender is a person named Monohor Dhali, who owed money to Moyajjem Dhali. Monohor is absconding.

It is learnt that on Wednesday, Moyajjem and Monohor entered into a quarrel following which the latter opened fire. At that time, Rijwan chased Monohor, who again fired, injuring the former.
New Delhi, May 4 : The government on Wednesday expressed happiness that Indian farmers are gaining from increased exports of wheat that is meeting the large-scale demand surge in view of the Russia-Ukraine war and said that more and more countries are giving market access for Indian wheat.

Both Russia and Ukraine have been the largest exporters of wheat in the international markets. Ever since the war broke out in late February, the supply has been disrupted with increase in demand.

Indian traders have been buying wheat directly from the farmers at increased prices leading to a shortfall in government procurement.

"In Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat etc. farmers are selling to traders/exporters at prices (Rs 21-24 per kg) better than MSP (Rs 20.15 per kg) while in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh production is lesser due to early summer and shrivel grain," an official said.

Wheat export in 2019-20 was 2.17 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) that had increased to 21.55 LMT in 2020-21, which in turn increased to 72.15 LMT in 2021-22. "This season, about 40 LMT wheat has been contracted for export and about 11 LMT has already been exported in April 2022," he said.

Similarly, rice export was 94.90 LMT in 2019-20; 177.79 LMT in 2020-21 and 211.87 LMT in 2021-22.

"We are happy that they are getting higher prices. For now, Indian farmers are benefitting from the small window in the international market as Argentinean wheat is expected to hit the global market in June," Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey told media persons here.

Stating that due to all out efforts by the government, most of the countries, including Egypt and Turkey have given market access to India (for wheat), Pandey said, "There are two countries from Europe - Italy and France - that too are likely to grant market access to India for wheat selling." Pandey informed the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Exports Authority (APEDA) is going to take a delegation of traders to some countries to discuss wheat exports.

"Farmers, traders are also holding some quantities, expecting higher prices of wheat after some months," he said.

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Don't miss CoinDesk's Consensus 2022, the must-attend crypto & blockchain festival experience of the year in Austin, TX this June 9-12.

Veteran magazine journalist Matt Taibbi just reported out the case for bitcoin  perhaps without knowing it. Yesterday, the Rolling Stone alumnus, known for his acerbic prose and a writing style reminiscent of Hunter S. Thompsons, published a new story about how PayPal, the internet payments giant replete with its own founding mafia, has selectively deplatformed alternative media sites.

The story, PayPal's IndyMedia Wipeout, focuses on alt publishers Consortium News and MintPress, which Taibbi said have been consistently anti-war and critical (with the earned opinion from doing actual reporting) of U.S. intelligence agencies.

This article is excerpted from The Node, CoinDesk's daily roundup of the most pivotal stories in blockchain and crypto news. You can subscribe to get the full newsletter here.

But Taibbi is making a grander claim about censorship, and how it has recently moved from just the inconsistent, poorly explained suppression or booster of online content to something more perverse: financial strangulation.

Taibbi writes:

See also: Why I'm Skeptical of FATF's 'Extreme Right Wing' Watch | Opinion

As readers of CoinDesk may already know, Taibbi isnt tilting at windmills. Authorities are increasingly willing, it seems, to quash dissent through financial machinations  like during the Canadian Truckers protest where hundreds of mostly peaceful (if loud) protestors lost access to bank accounts without due process.

A similar sea change happened after SWIFT took the unprecedented move to cut Russias central bank from its global financial messaging service. Taken together, the two stories show how any institutions operating with the U.S. dollar-denominated economy could be choked off.

The threat grows more severe in his mind now that the U.S. has its own ministry of truth, and as the government is increasingly willing to publicly say who or what is worth hearing.

Story continues

As Taibbi said: Deleting posts or censoring content is one thing, threatening an organizations existence is another. He also quotes MintPress founder and executive director Mnar Adley correctly placing this current era of content moderation as beginning with PayPals historic decision in 2010 to halt donations to Wikileaks.

Unsaid was how this moment in time led to a bifurcated path. Theres the tightly managed, heavily surveilled ecosystem of established media and powerbrokers, and its underbelly, the world of crypto.

Bitcoin founder Satoshi Nakamoto famously pleaded people to not fund WikiLeaks using his creation, thinking it would draw a hornets nest of suppression from the government to shutdown Bitcoin before it really got going.

Of course, bitcoin was already then bigger than its founder, and people decided to fund WikiLeaks anyway. Crypto today is still a primary source of funding for WikiLeaks, as it is for many offbeat operations like SciHub and Gab.

See also: Blackballed by PayPal, Scientific-Paper Pirate Takes Bitcoin

This is crypto at its best  functioning, non-state aligned financial rails open for anyones use.

Alternatives?

Writers like Taibbi have been notably skeptical or silent about crypto, perhaps hoping that some alternative system will come along that offers similar solutions without cryptos libertarian baggage.

And, indeed, there has been notable growth in that regard. In the reporters sphere alone, there are figures like Saagar Enjeti and Krystal Ball who fund a growing alternative mainstream media ecosystem (by which they mean they pay friends and politically aligned voices to do occasional reporting or commentary) through subscriptions.

Matt Taibbi is another example, who, after an ill-fated stint at The Intercept, was able to leave the pages of Rolling Stone magazine for Substack.

Insofar as Enjeti, Ball, Taibbi and others still have to clear their paychecks in dollars, however, they might still find similar financial exclusion (or at least the threat of it). Substack has owners and investors, and though the email platform seems committed to allowing a diversity of writers to use its financial system  ultimately, they only have their reputation to fall back on. The world waits for when it will finally be attractive enough to cash that in.

There is a sense that all of this could blow up in the establishments face  that in seeking to diminish or destroy critics it could instead be directing them support  if viable alternatives exist. The Streisand effect was in play recently, with some $25,354 in donations flooding to Consortium News after its PayPal was cut. That may be nearly halfway to Consortiums $60,000 spring pledge drive, but something tells me it needs something a little more sustainable.

Crypto comes with its own problems  its environmental footprint, its weird politico-economic cults, its never-ending series of Ponzi-like scams  and Id be thrilled if its use was kept to only the marginalized, only those who need it most (rather than onboarding the world).

See also: Humans Are the Last-Mile Problem of Bitcoin Crowdfunding | Opinion

But its not for me to say who should or shouldnt use it or for what, thats its strength and hopefully it will be there for anyone when they need it. Crypto needs your support today  if only in your mind  and hopefully before you need to scramble to learn how to use a bitcoin wallet.
Chandigarh, May 4 : Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday appealed to all Panthic organisations to unite on a common platform to create a movement to ensure the release of 'bandi-Sikhs' (Sikh prisoners), who have been languishing in jail even after expiry of their life sentences.

Addressing the media here, Badal appealed to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President to take the lead and call a meeting of Panthic organisations to devise a joint strategy to fulfill the demand of Punjabis worldwide to free the Sikh prisoners on humanitarian grounds.

"We may have individual and political differences, but let us shed them aside for the cause of the bandi Sikhs," he said.

He asserted that the coordinated approach would be adopted in consultation with all Panthic organisations and parties as well as Singh Sabhas and the Sant Samaj. This could include leading a delegation to the Prime Minister to ensure the speedy release of the Sikh prisoners, Badal said.

He thanked Akal Takth jathedar, Giani Harpreet Singh, for taking the lead in this direction by setting the tone for Panthic unity on this crucial issue which concerned the sentiments of Sikhs worldwide.

Asserting that the release of the 'bandi Sikhs' was a long pending issue and that the entire Khalsa panth as well as Punjabis in general were pained at the delay being shown in releasing them, Badal said it was most unfortunate that the release was not taking place despite a national commitment made by the Union government in this regard by approving the release of Sikh prisoners on the occasion of the 550th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev in October 2019.

He said around 50 Sikh prisoners were incarcerated in various jails across the country and they should all be released immediately.

Badal said the way had also been cleared for the release of Balwant Singh Rajoana whose death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the Union government in 2019 even as the Supreme Court had commuted Bhullar's death sentence to life on the grounds of inordinate delay in deciding his mercy petition.

He said it was unfortunate that Rajoana was not being released even while the Supreme Court had directed the Central government to take a decision on his mercy petition.

"Similarly the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of Delhi is blocking the release of Bhullar with the government's sentence review board not taking a decision in the matter. AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann owe an explanation on this count to the Sikh community," he added.
New Delhi, May 4 : Almost a week after the export ban on palm oil by Indonesia, the Centre on Wednesday said it is looking at the situation "very seriously" while reiterating its position that there is sufficient stocks of all edible oils to cover the lean period.

The international oil trade market was already on the edge since the Ukraine-Russia war broke out in late February. It faced a double whammy when Indonesia imposed the export ban from April 28 owing to domestic reasons.

"The government is looking at the situation very seriously after the oil ban by Indonesia became operational. The National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) has upped its efforts. (But) the problem cannot be solved overnight," Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey told reporters here.

"However, India has 40-45 Lakh metric tonnes (LMT) stock that is sufficient to take care of this time period. Of its 460-odd LMT production, Indonesia's domestic consumption is only 200 LMT. They have no option but to export the rest," he said.

Last week, the government had stated a similar thing in a statement. On the other hand, trading bodies too are optimistic that Indonesia will need to deal with its own continuing production of both crude palm and palm oil and hence will not be able to continue with the export ban for long.

Palm oil (crude and refined) constitutes roughly around 62 per cent of the total edible oils imported and are imported mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia, while soybean oil (22 per cent) is imported from Argentina and Brazil, and sunflower oil (15 per cent) is imported mainly from Ukraine and Russia.

The government data last week had shown that the stock of all edible oils in the country was 21 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) approximately and 12 LMT approximately was in transit arriving in May 2022. "Therefore, the country has sufficient to cover the lean period due to the ban on export by Indonesia," the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution had said then.

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Srinagar, May 4 : The Indian government has stood by its commitment to curb terrorism and militancy in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

Since the abrogation of Article 370, J&K police has effectively curbed militancy and improved law and order.

Taking the mission of curbing militancy and terrorism further, the Jammu and Kashmir police have set a target to bring down the number of active militants below 100 by the end of 2022.

Although Jammu and Kashmir police have focused on community policing and taking the people along for improving law and order, it has been very stern in dealing with terrorism and militancy.

In the first four months of 2022, the J&K police eliminated about 64 militants who were planning to kill innocent people and pervade terror and fear.

This has brought down the number of operational militants to 150. The J&K police is very careful in its fight with militancy and terrorism, mostly aided and abated from across the border.

The encounters of militants have been carried out only after certainty about their involvement. That is why the approach of the police has been "gradual and steady" rather than hasty.

J&K police has succeeded in boosting the trust and confidence of the people through its commitment to "community policing".

On April 16-17, a two-day seminar on "community policing" was convened in Udhampur in the Sher-I-Kashmir Police Academy. Nineteen Police Officers in the rank of SI to SSP participated in the seminar which discussed the ways to explore best practices in community policing and steps to be taken for improvement.

The government of J&K also has rehabilitation policy for those militants and terrorists who give up their arms and surrender.

The latest policy revision in 2019 included Rs 6,000 monthly stipend for those who surrender but excluded hardcore militants involved in heinous crimes.

This new policy puts stronger emphasis on socio-economic re-integration. Under this policy, returning militants or 'renouncers' were entitled to a fixed deposit of Rs 500,000 or Rs 600,000 contingent on good behaviour for a period of three years. They could also apply for self-employment under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).

J&K police officials view that bringing the number of militants down would require "constant, high speed operations and local support".

He also revealed that logistical support for terrorists was on decline in J&K, which has slowed down their operations n the valley. The militants were reported in few districts of South Kashmir more than others, which included Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama.

But the J&K police, by analysing a few years' data have concluded that it is now not "ultras" but "hybrid militants" who are posing more challenges.

The hybrid militants are radicalized and trained enough to carry out terror attacks and then slip back into normal life as most of them are teenagers and highly motivated.

Along with stern action against the militants and terrorists, the government of India has also initiated a "Civic Action Programme" (CAP) in J&K to act as a bridge between the security forces and the local people by ensuring meeting of immediate and necessary requirements of the people through various programmes which are area specific and need based.

The main objective of the CAP is the upliftment of the youth below the poverty line and unemployed families which are vulnerable to "indoctrination" by the militant and terrorist outfits.

The government of India is following a multipronged strategy to eradicate militancy from Jammu and Kashmir which includes development initiatives and investment, stern policing and winning the hearts and minds of the people through welfare programmes, rehabilitation and improvement in overall security.
New Delhi, May 4 : Ahead of the MCD polls, the Delhi Congress internal feud has reached the AICC with former MLAs and ministers on Wednesday meeting state in-charge Shakti Singh Gohil and complaining about the functioning of the current Delhi Congress chief, Anil Chaudhary.

Mangat Ram Singhal, a former minister and Naseeb Singh met Gohil and demanded that Chaudhary be removed and a more mature leader appointed ahead of the municipal body polls. The leaders said that the Congress block presidents list is a major concern as those people were appointed who left the party and then rejoined it, ignoring the loyalists, sources said.

The Delhi Congress has been mired in internal feuds since PC Chacko was in-charge. He had serious differences with former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit and even after her demise her son former MP Sandeep Dikshit had written to Sonia Gandhi blaming Chacko for her death.

Later Subhash Chopra was appointed ahead of the assembly polls but the Congress was wiped out in a state it had ruled for 15 years. Those who met on Wednesday were ex-MLAs, ex-Mayors and former ministers. Sources say that the feud may widen if the All India Congress Committee doesn't step in soon and pacify the warring factions.

The Delhi municipal polls are like 'straw' for the Congress which can help the grand old party strengthen its foundation and make future strategy but after the unification of the MCDs the Congress has to rethink its strategy.

In the 2017 Delhi municipal polls, the BJP had bagged the highest number of votes -- 38.59 per cent in East Delhi, 35.96 per cent in North Delhi and 35.88 per cent votes in South Delhi.

The AAP had bagged the highest number of votes at 27.98 per cent in North Delhi Municipal Corporation, while the Congress secured 22.74 per cent votes in East Delhi.
New Delhi, May 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday participated in the second India-Nordic Summit in Denmark, where discussions were held on multilateral cooperation in post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change, sustainable development, innovation, digitalisation, and green and clean growth.

The summit, with his counterparts Mette Frederiksen (Denmark), Katrin Jakobsdottir (Iceland), Jonas Gahr Store (Norway), Magdalena Andersson (Sweden), and Sanna Marin of (Finland) provided an opportunity to review the progress of the India-Nordic relations since the 1st India-Nordic Summit, which was held in 2018 in Stockholm.

Discussions were also held on cooperation in maritime sector with a focus on sustainable ocean management.

Modi invited Nordic companies for investing in the Blue Economy sector, especially in India's Sagarmala project. He also invited the sovereign wealth funds of the Nordic countries to invest in India.

India's partnership with the Nordic region in the Arctic region was discussed and he noted that India's Arctic Policy provides a good framework for expansion of India-Nordic cooperation in the region.

The leaders also held discussions on regional and global developments.

During the Summit, the Prime Ministers pledged to continue to deepen cooperation between the Nordic countries and India and focused their discussions on key issues related to international peace and security, including the conflict in Ukraine, multilateral cooperation, green transition and climate change, the blue economy, innovation and digitalisation.

The Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of free trade as a driver for achieving inclusive growth and realising the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Nordic Prime Ministers reiterated their strong condemnation of the unlawful and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine by Russia, and expressed their serious concern about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

Unequivocally condemning civilian deaths in Ukraine, they reiterated the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

They emphasized that the contemporary global order has been built on the UN Charter, international law and respect for sovereignty and the territorial integrity of states.

They discussed the destabilizing effect of the conflict in Ukraine and its broader regional and global implications. Both sides agreed to remain closely engaged on the issue.

The Prime Ministers affirmed their strong commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation. The leaders agreed that pressing challenges such as tackling climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, biodiversity loss and increasing food and energy insecurity across the world required international cooperation, a collective response and global solidarity.

India and the Nordic countries were committed to doing so and to working together in multilateral fora to promote international cooperation and promote human rights as well as equal opportunities for all people without prejudice

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Patna, May 4 : Bihar Minister Jama Khan on Wednesday said that he will welcome Prashant Kishor if the poll strategist, who has been hinting at a political career, joins his Janata Dal-United (JD-U).

Khan said that Kishor was associated with the party in the past and his personal relation with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is also well known.

"We would welcome Prashant Kishor if he comes to our JD-U. If he joins the JD-U, the party will become stronger in Bihar and other states too. He worked with the party in the past and he is having good relations with our Chief Minister Nitish Kumar," he said.

Earlier, Nitish Kumar refused to comment on PK, saying that he has nothing to do with it.

Kishor, in a series of tweets on Monday, hinted at starting a new innings from Bihar.

"My quest to be a meaningful participant in democracy and help shape pro people policy led to a 10 years rollercoaster ride.

"As I turn this page, time to go to the Real Masters. The people to better understand the issues and to path to Jan Suraj - People good governance starting from Bihar," he said.

Following his tweet, the BJP and the RJD had expressed sharp reactions. Deputy Chief Minister Tar Kishore Prasad, of the BJP, said: "Prashant Kishor has no base in Bihar if he starts his own political party. He is unnecessarily talking like this to attract media attention."
New Delhi, May 4 : The West Bengal BJP hopes that Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the state will help the party to put the house in order. The saffron party feels that Shah's visit will boost the morale of the cadre and re-energise them.

Shah will be on a two-day visit to Bengal from May 5. This will be his first visit to the state after the last West Bengal assembly polls.

On May 6, Shah is expected to meet with elected representatives and office bearers of the party in Kolkata in the afternoon.

Sources said Shah would discuss strategies to strengthen BJP in West Bengal ahead of next general election 2024 by forgetting differences.

"Shah will discuss in detail the ongoing infighting in the state unit between old guards and newcomers which have been intensified after recent defeat in by-poll of Asansol Lok Sabha. West Bengal is crucial for mission 2024 as last time, the BJP won 18 seats from the state," they said.

The Home Minister is expected to have detailed discussions with state leaders about the functioning of the party and ways to address the concern of cadres who are constantly under attack from the ruling Trinamool Congress workers after declaration of last year's assembly polls on May 2, 2021.

Shah will also meet RSS leaders in West Bengal to discuss the state of the affairs.

Another party leader said that one of the main challenges for the West Bengal BJP unit is to keep its cadre intact as many have resigned from state to block committees in the last three weeks.

"The state leadership has failed to act to keep everyone together. We hope that after Shah's visit, it will act to control the damage caused to the party in the last one year after assembly polls by addressing the concerns of the cadre who built the party to keep our fight on against Trinamool Congress," another party leader said.

In the last year's assembly polls result declared on May 2, the BJP emerged as the main opposition party by winning 77 seats.

However, few of its MLAs left the party and joined Trinamool Congress.

The BJP also failed to win any by-polls or local bodies polls in West Bengal after assembly polls.
Hyderabad, May 4 : A collaborative study by a group of scientists from the CSIR-CCMB, Hyderabad and the CSIR-IMTech, Chandigarh, with hospitals in Hyderabad and Mohali has confirmed the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

The study has been published in the Journal of Aerosol Science.

The exact mechanism of spread of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has remained elusive. Earlier thought to spread by surfaces, epidemiologists found that countries where people wore masks in the pandemic were affected less severely. However, quantitative evidence that shows the infectious coronavirus particles in air was lacking.

The scientists analysed the coronavirus' genome content from air samples collected from different areas occupied by Covid-19 patients. These included hospitals, closed rooms in which only Covid-19 patients spent a short period of time, and houses of home-quarantined Covid-19 patients.

They found that the virus could be frequently detected in air around Covid-19 patients and that the positivity rate increased with the number of patients present in the premises. They found the virus in ICU as well as non-ICU sections of hospitals, suggesting that patients shed the virus in air irrespective of the severity of infection. The study also found viable coronavirus in air that could infect living cells, and these viruses could spread over a long range of distance. Scientists still suggest wearing face masks to avoid the spread of coronavirus.

"Our results show that coronavirus can stay in the air for some time in absence of ventilation in closed spaces. We find that the positivity rateof finding the virus in air was 75 per cent when two or more Covid-19 patients were present in a room, in contrast to 15.8 per cent when one or no Covid-19 patients occupied the room in these studies," said Dr Shivranjani Moharir, a scientist involved in the study.

"Our observations are concurrent with previous studies that suggest that the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA is higher in indoor air as compared to outdoor air; and in indoor, it is higher in hospital and healthcare settings that host a larger number of Covid-19 patients, as compared to that in community indoor settings," he added.

"As we are back to conducting in-person activities, air surveillance is a useful means to predict infection potential of spaces like classrooms, meeting halls. This can help refine strategies to control the spread of infections," said Dr Rakesh Mishra, the lead scientist of the work, CSIR Distinguished Emeritus Professor at the CCMB, and Director, Tata Institute for Genetics and Society.

He also added that the air surveillance technique is not just limited to coronavirus but can also be optimised to monitor other air-born infections.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, May 4 : Stressing the need of protecting trees in cities, the Delhi High Court has observed that trees, that form an essential part of people's lives, are not allowed to be cut needlessly or wantonly.

"In this capital city with its ever-burgeoning populating, the cacophony of voices and rampant commercialisation of every other street - robbing the residents of the familiar ambience of their residential neighborhood, the ever-increasing motor-vehicular traffic, the choking air pollution and the ever-creeping concretisation, trees hold out as welcome and assuring living entities of hope, sanity, environmental redemption and even companionship. The more solitary the tree, the greater its significance," said Justice Najmi Waziri in an order dated April 28.

The observation came after advocate Aditya N. Prasad, petitioner's counsel in a contempt case informed the court that a tree is cut down every hour in Delhi under official sanction.

"This is a worrying issue because on the one side, the endeavour is said to be underway to maintain and augment the green cover of Delhi while simultaneously fully grown trees are allowed to be cut down. This self-defeating exercise by the Forest Department, GNCTD needs to be arrested at the earliest," he argued.

The bench said: "In the circumstances, it would be appropriate that the Tree Officer(s) give due consideration to transplantation of each tree which is sought to be cut, before granting any further permission for cutting of trees. This would entail inspection of the trees which are sought. The reason for grant or denial of permission would have to be spelled out in the order of the Tree Officer along with photographs of each tree." The matter will be further heard on Thursday.
Washington, May 4 : Venture capitalist and author J.D. Vance was just one of the many candidates in the field for the Republican nomination to contest for US senate from Ohio state till a fortnight ago. He won the race handily Tuesday as the primary elections season got under way for the 2022 mid-term elections in November.

Vance owed his victory to a late endorsement by former President Donald Trump, whose grip on the Republican party faced and cleared its first electoral test. Trump has endorsed many Republican candidates and nearly 40 of them will be facing their primaries this month, further testing his hold.

"I have absolutely got to think the 45th president (of) United States Donald J. Trump," Vance said in a victory speech in Cincinnati, Ohio. The media, he added, "wanted to write a story that this campaign would be the death of Donald Trump's America First agenda. Ladies and gentlemen it ain't the death of the America first agenda".

Vance, whose memoir "Hillbilly Elegy" became a Netflix film, had once called Trump an "idiot". He had since changed and became a loyalist and it paid off. He was languishing in the primary for the US senate from Ohio until Trump endorsed him mid-April, giving his polls a boost that carried him through to victory. Trump himself had won Ohio by wide margins in both 2016 and 2020; his word counts there.

Unlike past US presidents Trump has not retired from active politics. Operating from Mar-a-Lago, his club and home in Florida, Trump has stayed very engaged and kept a tight grip on the Republican party. Detractors have had to either toe the line, such as the Republican leader in the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy, or leave politics and that is a long list.

A recent ABC/Washington Post showed 60 per cent of Republican and Republican-leaning voters want the Republican party to follow his leadership and 34 per cent want it to go in another direction.

Trump's support among Republicans has remained unchanged from 57 per cent just days after the January 6 insurrection in 2021, although it is down considerably from 76 per cent in 2018, when he was still in power.

The former president has also endorsed candidates running against state Republican leaders who refused to cooperate with him in furthering his lies about the 2020 presidential election, which he has continued to maintain, falsely, was stolen from him, such as Georgia state's Republican governor Brian Kemp and secretary of state Brad Raffensperger.

He has also withdrawn his endorsement of Mo Brooks, an Alabama congressman who was once a staunch loyalist but has since turned.

The primary season that got underway Tuesday for both Republican and Democrats will lead up the November midterm elections when all 435 seats of the House of Representatives and a third of 100-member senate will be up for grabs. Republicans are widely expected to win control of the House.

That could set up Trump's second run for the White House. He has teased its possibility and many experts and political pundits expect him to run. But that has not stopped other Republicans -- Florida governor Ron DeSantis is already a favorite and there is Ted Cruz, the Texas senator who finished second against Trump in 2016.
Police and protesters clashed in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday night during an abortion rights rally over the Supreme Court's possible overturning of Roe v. Wade.

According to Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore, police were escorting a group of about 250 demonstrators marching from the federal courthouse to Pershing Square when a segment of the crowd "began to throw rocks and bottles at police. Moore said that one officer was injured.

One police vehicle was seen with its window smashed, and a citywide police tactical alert was was briefly declared.

Videos posted to social media showed a chaotic scene as an officer tackled a protester, nearly hitting a fire hydrant, while another officer struck protesters with a baton.

A police officer wiedling a baton is surrounded by a group of abortion rights demonstrators in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. (Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP Photo)

Another clip showed an officer who arrived in a Homeland Security vehicle tell a female protester to "back up." The unidentified male officer is then surrounded by demonstrators.

A DHS spokesman did not immediately return a request for comment.

Demonstrators surround a Homeland Security vehiclenear Pershing Square in Los Angeles on Tuesday. (Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP Photo)

Abortion rights demonstrators clash with police officers in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. (Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP Photo)

There was no immediate word of any arrests or additional injuries.

The protest was one of dozens triggered by the publication of a draft opinion by Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito suggesting the court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

Thousands abortion rights protesters gathered in cities across the country on Tuesday. And most were peaceful.

New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks as thousands of abortion rights demonstrators gather at a protest at Foley Square in lower Manhattan on tuesday. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

In New York City, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Manhattan's Foley Square, where New York Attorney General Letitia James joined the protest, saying that she announced that nearly two decades ago, she walked proudly into Planned Parenthood.

Similar demonstrations were held in cities including Austin, Boston, Denver and Washington, D.C., where protesters rallied outside the Supreme Court for most of the day.

See photos from the protests below.

Providence, R.I.

Demonstrators in Providence, R.I., gather on Tuesday to protest the news that the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. (David Goldman/AP Photo)

Brown University medical students attend an abortion rights rally in Providence, R.I., on Tuesday. (David Goldman/AP Photo)

Reno, Nev.

Protesters hold signs outside the federal courthouse during an abortion rights rally Reno, Nev., on Tuesday. (Ty O'Neil/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Protesters gather in front of the federal courthouse in Reno, Nev., Tuesday. (Ty O'Neil/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Tuscon, Ariz.

Abortion rights demonstrators gather outside of the federal courthouse in Tucson, Ariz., on Tuesday. (Rebecca Noble/Reuters)

A sign decorated with bloody coat hangers and names of Supreme Court justices is seen during a demonstration outside of the federal courthouse in Tucson, Ariz., on Tuesday. (Rebecca Noble/Reuters)

Philadelphia, Pa.

Women gather with signs during an abortion rights demonstration outside the federal courthouse in Philadelphia on Tuesday. (Tom Gralish/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

Abortion-rights activists and supporters protest outside Philadelphia's federal courthouse on Tuesday. (Heather Khalifa/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, File)

Boston, Mass.

A person holds a sign calling for the codification of Roe v. Wade during a protest at the Massachusetts State House in Boston on Tuesday. (Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Hundreds of abortion rights activists march during a protest in downtowj Boston on Tuesday. (Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Columbia, Mo.

Story continues

A pair of young activists embrace during a rally for abortion rights outside the Boone County Courthouse in Columbia, Mo., on Tuesday. (Maya Bell, Columbia Missourian/AP Photo)

People gather for an abortion rights rally outside the Boone County Courthouse in Columbia, Mo., on Tuesday. (Maya Bell, Columbia Missourian/AP Photo)

Houston, Texas

Abortion rights demonstrators gather outside of the federal courthouse in Houston on Tuesday. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

People demonstrate in support of abortion rights near City Hall in Houston on Tuesday. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Denver, Colo.

Hundreds of people gather in support of abortion rights at a rally outside of the Colorado State Capitol building in Denver on Tuesday. (Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

People hold up signs during an abortion rights rally outside of the Colorado State Capitol building in Denver on Tuesday. (Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

New York, N.Y.

Hundreds of people take part in an abortion rights march in New York City on Tuesday. (Jeenah Moon/Reuters)

Protesters hold up photographs of Supreme Court justices during an abortion rights demonstration in New York's Foley Square on Tuesday. (Jeenah Moon/Reuters)

San Francisco, Calif.

A woman holds up a coat hanger, a symbol of the reproductive rights movement, at an abortion rights rally in San Francisco on Tuesday. (Nick Otto/AFP via Getty Images)

Abortion rights demonstrators gather at a protesters in San Francisco on Tuesday. (Nick Otto/AFP via Getty Images)

Washington, D.C.

Pro- and anti-abortion rights activists confront one another in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
New Delhi, May 4 : Indian exports of plastics in 2019-20 were at $10 billion, and are expected to reach $25 billion by 2025, Plastindia Foundation President, Jigish Doshi said on Wednesday.

"The current business environment, bolstered by the launch of the government of India's 'Atmanirbhar' movement and 'Vocal for Local' initiative gives an impetus to the plastics industry to grow and provides excellent export opportunities. We are expecting that the exports would reach $25 billion by 2025," he said at an event for unveiling the logo, brochure and the goals of PLASTINDIA 2023 to be held in February 2023 here.

Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister, Mansukh L Mandaviya, who unveiled the logo, assured the plastic industry of full support and an enabling environment to further boost its performance and potential.

"The industry is contributing significantly to the economic development of India. We are committed to making the sector Atmanirbhar." Stating that India is poised to become the plastics processing hub of the world, Doshi said: "The industry that employs about four million people and comprises more than 50,000 processing units, is expected to reach Rs 9.1 lakh crore ($102 billion) by 2025." Plastindia Foundation said they are committed to work closely with the government and the industry to facilitate growth and to work towards innovative and modern manufacturing techniques that "will be sustainable for the environment and the economy". It claimed that "over the years, the plastics industry has reinvented itself with advanced innovations and developed environment-friendly processing and utilisation techniques that do not affect the environment".

The 10 goals shared by the Plastindia Foundation include, among others, making India the number one destination for manufacturing plastics, creating employment opportunities to empower the economy of the country, to encourage new innovative techniques and to increase the processing capacity of the plastic industry.
New Delhi, May 4 : Stating that wheat procurement is down this year compared to last year, the Centre on Wednesday assured that it has ample stocks of wheat and rice to cater to the domestic needs, even when more and more farmers are turning to sell their produce in open markets aimed at exports.

Due to early summer, food grain production is estimated at 1,050 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) against the earlier estimate of 1,113 LMT.

While on the one hand, large wheat growing areas experienced early heat wave this year, impacting wheat production, on the other hand, due to the Russia-Ukraine war -- both countries are largest exporters of wheat -- there is a large-scale demand in the international market.

As of now, the procurement of wheat this year, i.e., 2022-23, has been only 195 LMT compared to 433 LMT in 2021-22. Compared to 273 LMT in 2021-22, the opening balance this year is 190 LMT, which makes the total availability 385 LMT this year, compared to 706 LMT last year.

Of these, 305 LMT will be required to be allocated/distributed to the beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Other Welfare Scheme (OWS), and Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY).

"The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has closing stocks of 80 LMT, as against the minimum stocking norms of 75 LMT as on April 1. However, from the overall grain management side, we are still in a surplus situation," Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey told reporters here.

"Due to the increased market price and higher demand by private players, the purchase by the government is less (this year), but the farmers are getting good prices. And, even when the closing stock is 80 LMT this year, we are in fact happy. From next year, we are switching to fortified rice for PDF/ICDS/PM Poshan, everywhere. So, it is incumbent upon the government in a manner that we procure fortified rice and distribute it," Pandey added.

The government has also decided to allocate 55 LMT rice in place of wheat in PMGKAY for the states that asked for it.

"The re-allocation order came after consultation with all the states. For 25 states, there is no change. Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh -- all wheat preferring states -- will get 100 per cent wheat and the rice preferring southern states will get all rice," Pandey said.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
New Delhi, May 4 : Delhi on Wednesday reported 1,354 fresh Covid infections in last 24 hours, a marginal decline against 1,414 cases the previous day, while there was one death too, as per the Health Department bulletin.

The Covid positivity rate has risen to 7.64 per cent in the city, while the number of active cases stands at 5,853.

With 1,486 patients recovering in the last 24 hours, the total number of recoveries has gone to 18,56,374. The number of patients being treated in home isolation stands at 4,319.

With new Covid cases, the total caseload of the city has jumped to 18,88,404 and the death toll to 26,177.

The number of Covid containment zones stand at 1,343 in the city.

A total of 17,732 new tests -- 15,400 RT-PCR and 2,332 Rapid Antigen - were conducted in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 3,79,43,157, while 5,905 vaccines were administered - 389 first doses, 1,404 second doses, and 4,112 precaution doses.

The total number of cumulative beneficiaries vaccinated so far stands at 3,35,85,828 according to the health bulletin.
New Delhi, May 4 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to grant interim bail to Chhattisgarh's suspended Additional Director General of Police Gurjinder Pal Singh in a case filed against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

A bench, headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli, said: "We see no reason to interfere with the impugned order passed by the High Court dismissing the interlocutory application filed by the petitioner seeking interim bail." However, the top court asked the high court to dispose of the matter, pending adjudication before it, expeditiously, on its own merits and in accordance with law.

Singh had moved the top court challenging the Chhattisgarh High Court order, which declined to grant him interim bail in a corruption case, contending that no case under Section 13 (1) (b) and 13 (2) of Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Acy 2018, as well as under Section 201, 467, and 471 of the Indian Penal Code is made out against him.

Singh added that he is suffering severely in custody and it is gravely jeopardising his career in the Indian Police Service and causing deep humiliation to him. He contended that the state agency has not sought any extension of his police custody, but rather sought judicial custody before the lower court.

The Chhattisgarh government was represented by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi and advocate Sumeer Sodhi. The state government, in its affidavit, said during the course of investigation, it was found by the investigating agency that Singh had indulged in the commission of offences punishable under various sections of IPC.

"It is also worth mentioning that the answering respondent granted every opportunity to the petitioner after the vacation of interim protection to join investigation but since the petitioner did not do the same, the answering respondent was left with no other remedy available under the law, but arrest the petitioner," said the affidavit.

The state government added that source information received by the EoW/ACB indicated disproportionality and discrepancy between the assets, expenditure and income of the petitioner and consequently, an FIR was registered on July 29, 2021.

In January, the Chhattisgarh Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested Singh, who is under suspension, and charged him with corruption, sedition, and promoting enmity.

On January 3, this year, the top court junked a plea by Singh, challenging the high court order, which denied him protection against arrest in a case under Prevention of Corruption Act.
Chennai, May 4 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said on Wednesday that Governor R.N. Ravi has forwarded the National Eligibiliy-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) Exemption Bill to the Union Home Ministry.

Announcing this in the state Assembly, Stalin said he was informed by the Governor's secretary that the NEET Exemption Bill has been forwarded by the Governor to the Union Home Ministry for President Ram Nath Kovind's assent.

Stalin said the next step in the struggle against NEET is to urge the Central government to get the President's assent for the Bill.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly had passed the Bill on September 13, 2021, but the Governor had returned it to the Speaker for reconsideration of the Assembly on February 1, terming it against the interest of the students.

In a statement issued by the Raj Bhavan, it was said that the Governor was of the opinion that the Bill was against the interest of the students, especially the rural and economically poor students of the State.

According to the statement, Ravi came to the conclusion after detailed study of the Bill for admission to undergraduate medical courses seeking exemption from NEET, and the report of the high-level committee constituted by the state government in this regard.

However, the Tamil Nadu Assembly reconsidered the Bill and passed it again. The Bill was again forwarded to Ravi for onward transmission for President's assent in February 2022.

The Bill was pending with Ravi for a long time, forcing Stalin to say that not forwarding the NEET Exemption Bill to the President is an act of 'insulting the people'.
New Delhi, May 4 : Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturer Bharat Biotech has sought permission to conduct booster dose trials of its Covid vaccine Covaxin for below 18 population.

According to a source, Bharat Biotech has sought approval from apex drug regulator Drug Controller General of India to conduct a Phase 2/3 study of Covaxin as a booster dose for the 2 to 18 years population.

The study is likely to be conducted at six placed which also includes AIIMS Delhi and Patna, the source said.

Under the national vaccination drive, vaccines Covaxin and Covishield are being administered as precaution doses to above 18 plus population.

India began administering precaution doses of vaccines to the healthcare and frontline workers and for above 60 from January 10 this year. Later, all those aged above 18 were also included.

As per the Health Ninistry report on Wednesday evening, so far 2,88,62,660 precaution doses have been administered among the eligible beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, India's Covid-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 189.60 crore with over 12 lakh doses being administered by Wednesday evening as per the ministry report.
New Delhi, May 4 : RJD President Lalu Prasad on Wednesday hit out at the BJP and the RSS for trying to instigate people on the loudspeaker and Hanuman Chalisa row.

Lalu Prasad, who was granted bail recently by Ranchi High Court in fodder scam case, was admitted in AIIMS Delhi due to illness. He was discharged on Wednesday afternoon and reached his daughter Misa Bharti's official residence in the national capital.

"It is extremely unfortunate... wrongful things going on in the country. It is just like breaking the country. Why are you going near the mosques to read Hanuman Chalisa? If you want to read Hanuman Chalisa, read it in the temples. They (BJP and RSS) are trying to instigate people of a particular community to react to it so that they could do riots. Such a situation is very bad for the country," he said.

On a possible alliance with Nitish Kumar in Bihar, Lalu Prasad said that there was no such political scenario appearing before him.

Asked to react on the claim of Tej Pratap Yadav who said that he had secret talks with Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad said: "Tej Pratap is my son and I am the chief of the party so I would take the decision and not him." Lalu Prasad, who looked healthy and in a pleasant mood while interacting with media persons, also said that he will go to Patna after one week.
Hyderabad, May 4 : In a setback to the Congress, the Telangana High Court on Wednesday refused to direct Osmania University authorities to allow party leader Rahul Gandhi to visit the campus on May 7.

A division bench refused to intervene in the issue and left the final decision to varsity Vice Chancellor.

The court dismissed the petition by K.A Manavatha Roy, a leader of students JAC (Joint Action Committee) and three others, seeking directions to the university authorities to allow Gandhi to visit the university and interact with the students.

The court observed that the petitioners can submit a fresh application to the university and it is for the Vice Chancellor to take a decision on it.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the division bench upheld the judgment of a single bench delivered on Monday, refusing to pass any orders.

The standing counsel of the vice-chancellor conveyed to the court that the university is currently conducting examination for M Sc, M Com and MBA and any political event on the campus could have law and order problems.

Manavatha Roy and three other members of the Congress' student wing National Students Union of India (NSUI) had approached the Vice Chancellor seeking permission for Rahul Gandhi's visit. However, the Vice Chancellor rejected their request on the grounds that there was a resolution not to allow any programme that had political overtones.

The petitioners alleged that the Vice Chancellor had not accorded permission under pressure from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government.

They argued that the Gandhi's visit is not political as he wants to go around the campus, hostel and mess and interact with students to know their problems.

The denial of permission for the visit has created tension on the campus as NSUI and JAC have been staging protests for the last few days.

Some activists on NSUI were arrested during a protest near the Vice Chancellor's office on May 1 and sent to judicial custody for 14 days. They were booked for unlawful assembly, assault, rioting, trespass and preventing public servants from discharging their duties.

NSUI Telangana unit President Venkat Balmoor was among those arrested and jailed.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief Revanth Reddy on Monday submitted a representation to the Superintendent of the Chanchalguda jail seeking permission for Gandhi to visit the arrested students.

Meanwhile, tension prevailed on the campus on Wednesday after a group of students tried to take out a rally demanding permission for Rahul Gandhi's visit. Police arrested the protestors and shifted them to a police station.
Mumbai, May 4 : With the Cannes Film Festival celebrating its 75th edition this year and India being the Country of Honour, the festival will screen Satyajit Ray's acclaimed movie 'Pratidwandi' (1970).

'Pratidwandi' has been officially selected for a special screening in the Cannes Classic section this year.

Based on a novel by the same name by Sunil Gangopadhyay, the film unfolds the story of Siddharta, an educated middle-class youth caught in the turmoil of social unrest, dealing with his struggle to find a job.

The film is known for experimenting with specific techniques such as photo-negative flashbacks. It bagged three National Awards, including Best Direction, in 1971. It also won a nomination for the Gold Hugo Award at the Chicago International Film Festival in 1971.

Last year on the occasion of Ray's birth centenary, NFDC-NFAI kickstarted a project of digitally restoring his films in 4K resolution. 'Pratidwandi' was one of the first films selected for the purpose.

Ravinder Bhakar, Managing Director, National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), said, "Ray set out many firsts in the world of cinema. 'Pratidwandi' is known for experimenting with techniques such as photo-negative flashbacks, among others. The NFAI (National Film Archive of India) has been diligent about this while restoring the original negative. We are pleased to roll out the first of the 'Calcutta Trilogy' of Ray at the Cannes Film Festival." Seemabaddha (1971) and Jana Aranya (1976) were the next two films directed by Ray that formed his 'Calcutta Trilogy'.

The 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival will take place from May 17 to 28.
New Delhi, May 4 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Maharashtra State Election Commission to notify the local bodies election programme in two weeks.

A bench headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar said: "Accordingly, the election programme of such local bodies must proceed and the State Election Commission is obliged to notify the election programme within two weeks from today in respect of such local bodies including to continue with the process from the stage as on March 10, 2022, on the basis of the delimitation done prior to coming into force of the Amendment Act(s) w.e.f. March 11, 2022".

The bench, also comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and C.T. Ravikumar, added that the delimitation as it existed prior to March 11 in respect of local bodies concerned be taken as notional delimitation for the conduct of overdue elections and to conduct the same on that basis in respect of each of such local bodies.

The top court was hearing a challenge to amendments passed by Maharashtra, taking over the process of delimitation and creation of new electoral wards.

In March, the Maharashtra government passed amendments to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act and Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats, Industrial Townships Act, 2022, allowing the state government to take over the power of delimitation, which was earlier with the SEC.

The bench, in its order, said: "We observe and hold that the process of delimitation, being a continuous exercise, may be continued by the state of Maharashtra, subject to the outcome of these petitions, but that would be relevant only for future elections after such exercise is completed." On the aspect for reservation for other backward classes (OBCs), the bench added that compliance of triple test as predicated by it in Vikas Kishanrao Gawali Vs State of Maharashtra (2021) must be adhered to. "Absent such compliance, no reservation can be provided in the local bodies for that category which may go for elections with immediate effect in terms of this order," it added.

The top court clarified that until the delimitation is done by the state government in terms of Amendment Act(s) of 2022, the SEC shall give effect to this order also in respect of upcoming elections in respect of local bodies which would become due by efflux of time.

It scheduled the matter for further hearing on July 12 and sought a compliance report from the SEC.

The top court sought explanation from the SEC, why the elections in a large number of local bodies (2,486) across Maharashtra, though overdue, and in some cases, even overdue for two years, have not been taken forward despite the peremptory direction given by the court vide successive orders.

The SEC contended that it had taken steps in right earnest until the amendment act(s) came into force; and further until the delimitation was done by the state government under the stated amendment act(s), it was not possible for it to proceed in the matter.
A Cayuga County grand jury has handed up a new indictment against the man charged with stabbing a sheriffs deputy in 2020.

Luke Gaffney was arraigned in Cayuga County Court Tuesday on charges second-degree attempted murder, aggravated assault upon a police officer and first-degree assault. The indictment supersedes an earlier grand jurys decision to charge Gaffney with just the first-degree assault charge.

All of the charges are class B felonies punishable by up to 25 years in prison. The aggravated assault upon a police officer has a 10-year minimum sentence, compared with five years for the other charges.

Cayuga County Acting District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci said she couldnt discuss the specific reasons for the new charges.

"I sat down and reevaluated all of the evidence and presented it to a new grand jury," Grome Antonacci said Wednesday.

Gaffney was arrested following an incident on Oct. 23, 2020. The sheriffs office said two deputies and New York State Police trooper attempted to execute a court order to seize firearms belonging to Gaffney, who was 39 at the time, at 6616 Route 90 in the town of Aurelius. The officers found Gaffney at the property and advised him of the court order, but he refused to comply, began fighting with the officers, stabbed a deputy and then retreated to his house. The deputy was rushed to a Syracuse hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Sheriff's office: Aurelius man in custody, charged with felony after stabbing deputy An Aurelius man is facing a felony assault charge after fighting with law enforcement officers and stabbing a sheriff's deputy in Aurelius Fri

Gaffney refused to leave the house and threatened to use his weapons against officers, the sheriff's office said. After a standoff involving several hours of crisis negotiations, he surrendered without incident and was taken into custody.

The officers had come to take Gaffneys firearms because of a court order connected to his arrest earlier that week in which he was charged with third-degree assault, criminal obstruction of breathing and fourth-degree criminal mischief for an incident involving a man in a relationship with Gaffneys ex-wife.

That case against Gaffney was resolved last fall with an adjournment in contemplation of a dismissal that included a protection order for the victim.

Gaffney served about 11 months in jail before posting bail of $200,000 bond in September in the case involving the sheriffs deputy. He remains free on that bail following this weeks arraignment.

His attorneys could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

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New Delhi, May 4 : The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) to provide details regarding the compensation to victims who suffered sexual offences.

"Let the DSLSA give a detailed tabulation indicating cases where no offence has been made, cases where compensation has been paid, and cases where compensation is yet to be paid. The affidavit shall also indicate further steps taken by DSLSA in that regard," said Justice Jasmeet Singh in an order dated April 26.

The bench took note that Kanwal Jeet Arora, Secretary, DSLSA, and counsel for DSLSA submitted that they have collated a list of 87,405 FIRs between January, 2012 to December 2017 wherein the FIRs were not forwarded from Delhi Police to the DSLSA.

He submitted that out of 87,405 FIRs, there may be some cases in which no offence has been made out and there may be some cases where compensation has been paid.

The matter will be heard further on May 31.
New Delhi, May 4 : After some veterans from the armed forces complained that their pension for the month of April has has not disbursed till now, the Defence Ministry said that banks could not confirm identification of 58,275 pensioners and neither their identification was received directly on SPARSH by the time of monthly closing.

The ministry said to avoid hardships to such pensioners, a one-time special waiver has been accorded to these 58,275 pensioners to get their identification done by May 25.

The ministry, including the Defence Accounts Department, is undergoing a major transformation with an aim to bring transparency and efficiency in various processes and procedures.

With the broader agenda of digitisation and modernisation of legacy systems, the System for Pension Administration (Raksha) [SPARSH] as an initiative of the Ministry of Defence was envisaged to provide comprehensive solution to the administration of pension to the defence pensioners in line with the government's vision of Digital India, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and Minimum Government, Maximum Governance.

The ministry said that all pensioners were told to complete annual identification in order to continue receipt of monthly pension, which is usually done in the month of November (2021) by all banks acting as pension disbursing agencies.

Due to the Covid situation, the government had extended the window for annual identification due on November 30, 2021 up to March 31, 2022.

Accordingly, SPARSH has been successfully disbursing monthly pension to over five lakh pensioners, including 4.47 lakh pensioners who migrated from legacy system to SPARSH up to March 31, 2022.

However, during the processing of pension for the month of April 2022, it came to light that annual identification of around 3.3 lakh pensioners was not updated.

A list was shared with all the pension disbursing banks to share updated identification data, if any, and as a result identification status of more than 2.65 lakh pensioners was updated on SPARSH by April 25, leading to successful processing of pension for all these pensioners.

However, the banks could not confirm the identification of 58,275 pensioners and neither was their identification received directly on SPARSH by the time of monthly closing, so the pensioners were not paid their April pension by April 30.
New Delhi, May 4 : In view of the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, a conference was held on Wednesday at Army's Chinar Corps to address the security and administrative issues with the Central Armed Police Forces and the Jammu and Kashmir administration in Srinagar.

According to the officials of the CRPF, the security and other logistics-related aspects were discussed in details to arrange a fool-proof security for the Yatra.

The Amarnath Yatra was suspended for the last two years due to Covid pandemic. A mass pilgrimage is expected this year during the Yatra which is going to commence from June 30, and continue till August 11.

The meeting deliberated on all aspects related to the annual pilgrimage and also discussed the plan to deploy the security forces, a source in the know of things said.

He also said that to cater the needs of the huge number of pilgrims and provide them a safe and secured passage in Jammu and Kashmir will be a major task for the security forces and the Jammu and Kashmir administration this year.

The source also said that the Army and other wings of the CAPFs also discussed the requirement of the para-military forces for this Yatra as it is expected that over 6 lakh pilgrims may visit the Holy Cave this year.

The coordinating meeting was chaired by Major Gen SS Slaria, the General Officer Commanding Kilo Force under Chinar Corps and brought out the aspects of coherent efforts of Indian Army, Paramilitary Forces and civil administration in ensuring complete safety and administrative needs for the pilgrims.

All the participants gave out their preparations on the Amarnath Yatra and assured the other stakeholders for a better synergy among them in view of the annual pilgrimage.

The conference was attended by senior officers of security forces and officials of the J&K administration.
New Delhi, May 5 : Annoyed with the delayed promotions , the officials of Central Secretariat Service (CSS) on Wednesday said that they will go on strike from May 15 if their demands including the delay in promotions are not sorted out.

In a letter written to the Secretary of Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the CSS officials gave an ultimatum saying that if their demands are not met, they will go on strike from May 15.

The officials have been demanding an expedited decision on promotion of cadre officers which is delayed by six years.

They also said that as a mark of protest from Wednesday, they would work in slow mode, will not be sitting in the office beyond 6 p.m., and will attend office in black clothes once a week.

According to CSS officials, there are 6,210 officers in the rank of Section Officer, Under Secretary, Deputy Secretary and Director while a total of 1,839 posts are lying vacant in these officers' cadres.

These employees have been complaining that nearly 30 per cent positions in the CSS are vacant in middle to senior management rank in various Central government ministries as the DoPT has not promoted officials of the CSS cadre in the past six years.

An employee on the condition of anonymity said that they have petitioned the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to issue promotion orders as many officials have retired in recent years that deprived them of enhanced salary and pension benefits.

Considered as the backbone of the Central government offices as most of the files, documents and orders are processed by these officers, their promotions have been stuck on the pretext of pending court cases.

However, with an aim to ease the crisis, the DoPT promoted 2,770 officials on an ad hoc basis recently as out of 4,400 officers, more than 60 per cent have been working on an ad hoc promotion.
United Nations, May 5 : The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) is in talks with India to procure wheat for countries facing a food crisis because of the disruption of supplies due to the Ukraine war, according to the organisation's Chief Economist Arif Husain.

"We are in talks with India on procurement of wheat a that is something that is ongoing," he said on Wednesday during a news conference here to release the 2022 Global Report on Food Crises.

The report gave a bleak picture of the global food situation warning that about 193 million people in 53 countries or territories are facing an acute problem and need urgent assistance.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in the foreword to the report, "The war in Ukraine is supercharging a three-dimensional crisis - food, energy and finance - with devastating impacts on the world's most vulnerable people, countries and economies." The war was expected to add 47 million people to the 276 million who were already facing acute hunger in 81 countries, Husain said.

The Ukraine war was pouring "more fuel on a fire that is already burning hot" because of the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.

Asked about the World Trade Organisation's restrictions on exports by India, Husain referred to a joint statement by the WTO, WFP and other organisations last month that "it is especially important not to impose export restrictions on humanitarian food purchases by the UN's World Food Program".

India has a wheat stockpile estimated at about 100 million tonnes, which exceeds the requirements for a safety net.

WTO restricts exports of food procured by governments at support prices limiting wheat exports from India, which is the world's second-largest producer of wheat after China.

Earlier this year, India began sending wheat to Afghanistan through the WFP overcoming Pakistan's opposition. India has pledged 10 million tonnes of wheat donations to Afghanistan.

The Global Report on Food Crises added Pakistan to the list of the ten largest food crises replacing Zimbabwe.

The other countries on the list were Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Yemen, Nigeria, Syria, Sudan, South Sudan and Haiti.

In Pakistan, 4.66 million people were in a crisis or worse situation mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Sindh, the report said.

Bangladesh continues to grapple with the economic recovery from the economic impacts of two years of Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine, the report said.

Bangladesh "is one of the world's biggest wheat importers, buying around 6 million tonnes annually, chiefly from India, Canada, the Russian and Ukraine, it said.

Husain said the world needs to diversify the sources of food and agricultural inputs to avoid crises caused by overdependence on a few sources.

Russia and Ukraine together account for about 30 per cent of the total global exports of wheat.

Husain said that currently, the world was facing a crisis of accessibility and affordability because of not being able to distribute existing supplies and the increase in costs, but a crisis of supply and affordability was looming because shortages of fertilisers will reduce the amount of foodstuff that will be produced.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed @arulouis)

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City of New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced a $100,000 contest at last months New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW). Known as The Mayors Web3 Challenge, the pledge is a partnership between the City of New Orleans and non-profit accelerator The Idea Village, annual producer of NOEW. The well-funded contest is intended to produce the best local ideas for utilizing Web3 technology so that New Orleans place as a hub for culture tech businesses will be further realized.

The competition will ask the citys creative community to build on-ramps for artists and infrastructure for culture, community and creativity using the new technologies enabled by Web3, the next wave of the internet enabled by blockchain technology, and to create new pathways to tap into the Web3 movement. The winner of the Web3 challenge will receive $100,000 in non-dilutive seed investment from The Idea Village which is funded by the City of New Orleans.

Web3 technology allows professionals and community organizers to more efficiently monetize and retain the value of their work, said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Because were known around the world for our creativity and community building, Web3 and the new era of the internet present a huge opportunity for New Orleans, our world-renowned culture bearers and our cultural economy she said.

New Orleans focus on Web3 technology mirrors that of New York City and Miami. Additional details on The Mayors Web3 Challenge will be announced soon. For updates, please visit https://www.ideavillage.org/ and sign-up for The Idea Villages newsletter.

New Orleans has been one of the leading places in the world for the creation of culture for generations. It is also a place with a deeply rooted sense of community that truly understands the power of intentional and sustainable community building. Why cant we also own the channels that bring these innovations to market in new digital ways? asked Jon Atkinson, CEO of The Idea Village. Web3 is reshaping the relationship between creators of culture and consumers of culture which will create new generational opportunities where New Orleans and New Orleanians can lead. We are honored to support the Mayors vision to make New Orleans a Web3 city, he said.

New Orleans and her people are our greatest strength, said Mayor Cantrell. Our beautiful, diverse melting pot of a city can only reach its full potential if everyone is at the table. In order to be a true entrepreneurial powerhouse, we need the whole community engaged and growing alongside the economy of tomorrow.

About The Idea Village

The Idea Village's core belief is that entrepreneurship is an agent of social and economic change. As an early champion of entrepreneurship in New Orleans, the organization has played an integral role in catalyzing the city's entrepreneurial movement. In addition to supporting over 14,955 entrepreneurs, The Idea Village has successfully elevated New Orleans' reputation as a hub of innovation, entrepreneurship, and business. By serving as a catalyst and developing programs that provide direct support and education to founders and early-stage companies, The Idea Village helps entrepreneurs build innovative and industry-leading companies that generate revenue and jobs and help create a more vibrant, inclusive and resilient local economy. http://www.ideavillage.org
Testnet Singapore: CapBridge Financial, Matrixport, Huobi Singapore, and RioStox Notabenes crypto regulatory sandbox scenarios and outcomes help various types of VASPs prepare their Travel Rule processes and share insights and challenges with their prospective regulators as they wait for their Digital Payment Token (DPT) license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Notabene, an end-to-end solution for crypto regulatory compliance, has announced the successful completion of a Travel Rule testnet with Singapore digital finance group CapBridge Financial, Matrixport, Asias fast-growing digital assets financial services platform, Huobi Singapore, a leading digital assets exchange platform, and RioStox, a licensed securities exchange building a global multi-market tokenized ecosystem for digital securities and digital assets.

With global money-laundering watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) introducing novel guidelines to regulate virtual asset service providers (VASPs) as regulated financial entities, companies that custody and exchange virtual assets on behalf of customers have begun testing compliance solutions. FATFs Travel Rule mandates novel VASP to VASP collaboration to share verifiable customer information for transactions over jurisdiction-specific thresholds. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has incorporated the Travel Rule as part of the Payment Services Act (PS Act).

Notabenes testnet is a sandbox environment created for a cohort of exchanges and financial institutions to test out Travel Rule compliant transfers and data exchanges across different protocols and jurisdictions.

The collaborative framework provides a low-risk environment for CapBridge Financial, Matrixport, Huobi Singapore, and RioStox to test complex Travel Rule transactions as they gear up to comply with impending regulations in Singapore and Hong Kong.

CapBridge Financial, Matrixport, Huobi Singapore, and RioStox tested the following scenarios utilizing Notabenes Testnet:



Sending Travel Rule compliant transfers: Singapore to Singapore, within the Notabene network, Cross-jurisdictions and within Notabenes network (where transactions with the counterpartys jurisdiction are not allowed) and Cross-jurisdictions and outside of Notabenes network.

Receiving Travel Rule compliant transfers from other exchanges (within Notabenes network with automated workflows).

Requesting missing required data for completed transactions from the Originator VASP (outside of Notabenes network).

Over twenty crypto exchanges and financial institutions have utilized Notabenes proprietary Testnet, including Crypto.com, Luno, Tether, Okcoin, and more, to work with Notabenes Subject Matter Experts on their Travel Rule data transfer flows.

Johnson Chen, Chairman, and Founder of CapBridge Financial comments: As a leading digital finance group headquartered in the financial hub of Singapore, security and compliance are an integral part of our DNA. This successful Travel Rule testnet trial with Notabene underscores our commitment to deliver secure and practical solutions to our clients while keeping abreast of industry standards, as well as our continued pursuit of innovations. Our current suite of services deliver a crucial dual-pronged growth financing for both companies and investors. These solutions will continue to evolve in value alongside our continual efforts to enhance counterparty risk management for subsidiaries such as 1x Exchange, an MAS-regulated public blockchain-based private securities exchange, and PONTE, our specialist division dedicated to non-fungible tokens (NFTs). I look forward to strengthening the Groups partnership with Notabene as we expand our digital offerings.

Darren Ong, CEO of Huobi Singapore, comments: As a leading digital assets exchange platform, Huobi Singapore is committed to complying with global regulatory standards set by financial regulators, with a strong focus on implementing a rigorous anti-money laundering program and a robust Know-Your-Customer framework. Through Notabenes testnet environment, Huobi Singapore is able to better understand the data exchanges between VASPs and the different complex scenarios that can take place. With Notabenes solution in place, Huobi Singapores platform will be able to provide our individual and corporate users with a regulated and FATF Travel Rule-compliant trading experience.

James Anderson, CEO, and Co-Founder of RioStox adds: RioStox is establishing a global network of blockchain-based exchanges, and thereby creating multiple interoperable market places for digital securities and digital assets, providing a new level of access, liquidity, and transparency in the financial markets. RioStox aims to be a single point of access for the issuance, trading and settlement of digital securities and digital assets on regulated exchanges globally, providing issuers and investors access to global liquidity and price discovery. Compliance with the FATF Travel Rule is a vital step in RioStoxs goal to provide a safe, secure and compliant exchange environment for our retail, institutional & issuer customers. Through this collaboration with Notabene, our compliance to global financial regulatory standards and strong framework to counteract money laundering, terrorist financing, and relatated offences will ensure RioStox performs to the best practices expected of global players in the emerging virtual assets service providers (VASP) space.

Notabene COO Alice Nawfal comments: Were thrilled to work with CapBridge Financial, Matrixport, Huobi Singapore, and RioStox to solve Travel Rule compliance, a critical component of the FATFs current Virtual Asset Service Providers recommendations. Notabenes crypto regulatory sandbox scenarios and outcomes help various types of VASPs prepare their Travel Rule processes and share insights and challenges with their prospective regulators as they wait for their Digital Payment Token (DPT) license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore. We look forward to continuing to provide a forum for cryptocurrency businesses, DeFi platforms, and financial institutions to collaborate on cross-jurisdictional Travel Rule execution.`

Christopher Liu, Chief Compliance Officer at Matrixport, says:

Incepted in Singapore, Matrixport is fully committed to implementing the highest compliance standards, including anti-money laundering (AML) requirements outlined by FATF and MAS. Against the evolving regulatory landscape for digital assets and dynamic typologies of AML and combating financial terrorism, it critical to embrace best-in-class RegTech innovation that instils confidence amongst clients and stakeholders. Our partnership with Notable on its testnet for the Travel Rule, enables us to fine-tune our compliance strategies, including assessment of providers and protocols in the market.

Notabenes protocol-agnostic solution presents the first privacy-preserving technology for VASPs to send and receive counterparty identification alongside blockchain transactions to any counterparty in the world. With participation in this testnet, CapBridge Financial, Matrixport, Huobi Singapore, and RioStox are one step closer to becoming Travel Rule compliant in Singapore and Hong Kong.

By bringing a trusted data layer to blockchain transactions, Notabenes product assists companies in managing counterparty risk to deliver a best-in-class transfer experience to its customers. Notabene sets up regular collaborative Travel Rule test environments for crypto exchanges and financial institutions to test sending and receiving regulated transactions. Sign up for the next Notabene Travel Rule testnet.

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About Notabene

Notabene is a reg-tech SaaS solution that turns regulatory compliance into a competitive advantage. Notabene is working to make crypto transactions a part of the everyday economy by providing software, tools, and comprehensive data to manage regulatory and counterparty risks in crypto transactions. Companies leverage our end-to-end FATF Travel Rule solution to identify virtual asset accounts, perform mandated VASP due diligence, and manage global transactions from one dashboard. Trusted by leading exchanges, Luno, Bitso, Crypto.com, and more. Notabene is headquartered in New York with offices in Zug and Santiago de Chile. Download a copy of Notabenes State of Crypto Travel Rule Compliance Report. To learn more, visit http://www.notabene.id. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About CapBridge Financial

CapBridge Financial is a digital finance group that helps companies and investors unlock value via a uniquely integrated private markets approach. Headquartered in global financial centre Singapore, our integrated services deliver dual-pronged growth financing and customer engagement solutions for companies and investors.

Our comprehensive private markets infrastructure includes CapBridge Pte. Ltd., a digital wealth management platform with a Capital Markets Services license granted by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The platform enables HNWIs and the mass affluent segments to invest in highly sought-after private equity (PE) products and is a separate legal entity from CapBridge Financial; 1X Exchange Pte. Ltd, a public blockchain-based private securities exchange with a Recognised Market Operator license granted by MAS and regarded as the third board in the financial centre, as well as PONTE, a unit dedicated to the marketing and trading of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and separate from the licensed platforms.

About Matrixport

Matrixport is one of Asias fastest-growing digital asset financial services platforms. With $10 billion in assets under custody & management, it provides one-stop crypto financial services with over $5 billion in monthly trading volumes. The offerings include Cactus Custody, spot OTC, fixed income, structured products, lending as well as asset management. Headquartered in Singapore, Matrixports mission is to make crypto easy for everyone, and its motto is Get More From Your Crypto. The company holds licenses in Hong Kong and Switzerland and serves both institutions and retail customers across Asia and Europe. For more information, visit http://www.matrixport.com.

About Huobi Singapore

Huobi Singapore, a subsidiary wholly owned by Huobi Technology Holdings Limited (Huobi Tech), is a leading global digital assets exchange platform based on blockchain technology. Driven by our mission to shape the future of the global financial system, Huobi Singapore seeks to bring together a global network of digital assets issuers and investors, providing secure, trustworthy, and world-class services to our clients. Huobi Singapore is currently operating with a licensing exemption granted by the Monetary Authority of Singapore under the Payment Services Act. For more information, visit http://www.huobi.sg.

About RioStox

RioStox has a multi-market vision to use digital financial markets infrastructure with state of the art trading and settlement technology to build an entire global tokenised ecosystem to reduce costs, increase efficiencies, develop fresh practices and build a secure and controlled environment for the issuance, trading, and holding of digital securities and digital assets for all investors, issuers and market participants everywhere. RioStox intends to operate in Asia, Europe, the Americas, and elsewhere globally via regulated and licensed digital securities and digital asset exchanges and marketplaces.
Bobby Bryant, CEO/Founder of DOSS DOSS dissected the entire real estate process and rebuilt a modern-day digital real estate brokerage with a FLEX-MODEL that's best suited for today's agent, consumer, and franchisee.

DOSS, a digital real estate startup, today announced that it has been officially registered federally and in the State of Texas as a franchise, making it the first African American-founded real estate brokerage brand in history to do so. The real estate industry was formalized in 1908. For more than a half-century later, African Americans were marginalized, redlined, and not allowed to refer to themselves as a REALTOR. Following the Civil Rights Movement to now, things have slowly begun to change for the better throughout the country, from a real estate perspective. African Americans have purchased and operated real estate franchise brands like Berkshire, Century 21, ERA, RE/MAX and more. However, no African American has ever created and franchised a real estate brokerage brand to scale nationwide.

On April 22, 2022, Bobby Bryant, the CEO and Founder of DOSS, officially became the first African American in American History to create and franchise a real estate brokerage brand. Bryant celebrates this moment with the support of Chris Norton, Co-Founder/COO and Jon Wagner, Team Attorney.

DOSS built a modern-day digital real estate brokerage with a FLEX-MODEL that's best suited for today's agent, consumer, and franchisee. Agents get a flat-fee compensation plan with options to select the one that best fits their personal goals and production level. Consumers now have transparent and upfront buyer and seller packages that are designed to meet them at their individual point of need. Franchisees get a progressive brand that lowers their expenses, increases their bottom line, and provides cutting edge technology.

DOSS is a recipient of the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund. The company has spent the last few years building a digital real estate intelligent assistant that empowers people to speak, text, or type any question about any property in the country to get accurate, easy, and instant answers. The companys objective is to better leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve the way people search, service, and transact real estate. DOSS has launched and is continuing to develop what they believe will become one of the best real estate portals in the world.

Starting Monday May 30, 2022, DOSS will begin selling the first 50 franchise territories in its home state of Texas for $7,500 each. Exclusive territories will be on a first come, first approved basis. Starting in Q3 2022, DOSS will begin accepting applications for the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia.

About DOSS

DOSS is a digital real estate marketplace that empowers people to search, service, and transact all things real estate in the palm of their hands. As a technology company, we want our users to be able to speak, text, or type any question about any property in the country to get accurate, easy, and instant answers. Being an Agent and Consumer Centric marketplace, our objective is to provide a flex-model that gives everybody in our ecosystem the opportunity and options to save both time and money. Because of our flex-model approach, our Agents are able to drastically reduce their expenses, increase their revenue, and provide all the support, technology, and training they need to succeed. As for consumers, we empower them to choose the level of service they need and want based on their experience in the pursuit of having a successful real estate transaction that meets them at their individual point of need. Buyers can get a 1% Buyer Rebate up to $5,000 to lower their closing cost. Sellers can preserve some of their equity by selecting one of our packages ranging from Doing it Yourself(DIY) to Full-Service, at a fair price.

DOSS: BETTER. FASTER. SMARTER.

Website: http://www.AskDoss.com
Great Point Partners, a global health care investment firm today announced the closing of its fourth lower middle market growth buyout fund, Great Point Partners IV (GPP IV), focused on rapidly growing health care companies in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe. GPP IV, which closed on $506 million was significantly oversubscribed in four months of fundraising and closed at its hard cap.

Great Points combination of both a private and public fund health care strategy enables us to have a team of approximately 30 people dedicated to generating and sharing thematic ideas across the full spectrum of the health care field. This concentration of health care focused talent working cooperatively differentiates our investment process. Since our first private equity fund launched in 2005, our private equity funds have generated a 3.9x gross multiple on realized investments as of March 31, 2022, said Jeffrey Jay, MD, Founding Managing Director.

Since GPP I, we have focused on lower middle market health care investments in pharmaceutical services and products, health care information technology enabled services, medical contract manufacturing, and health care services. We seek to create long-term value for our investors by maintaining a best-in-class proprietary sourcing program, partnering with great entrepreneurs, and investing in sectors with sustainable tailwinds of growth, added Noah Rhodes, Managing Director.

GPP IV will target majority and minority investments in profitable companies generally with $1 to $10 million of EBITDA. We are pursuing the same strategy we started two decades ago, said Rohan Saikia, Managing Director. We have had particular success helping companies based solely in either the US or Europe become global companies with operations in multiple countries.

We are grateful for our investor support, especially in a hectic and crowded fundraising environment, added Emily St. Thomas, Head of Investor Relations and Marketing for the private equity funds and the public life sciences fund. We continue to diversify our investor base, particularly in Europe. We manage capital for some of the most sophisticated investors in the world. It is gratifying that we are able to make a positive societal impact, as a firm that is dedicated to investing in companies that improve the health and well-being of people across the globe.

About Great Point Partners

Great Point Partners, founded in 2003 and based in Greenwich, CT, is a leading health care investment firm with 30 professionals, investing in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe. GPP is currently making new minority and majority private equity investments from GPP III. Including GPP IV, Great Point manages $1.7B of capital in its private funds and public life sciences equity strategy. Great Point Partners has provided growth equity, growth recapitalization, and management buyout financing to more than 200 growing health care companies. The private equity funds invest across all sectors of the health care industry with a particular emphasis on biopharmaceutical services and supplies, alternate site care, medical device, and information technology enabled businesses. The firm pursues a proactive and proprietary approach to sourcing investments and tuck-in acquisitions for its portfolio companies.

Past performance is not indicative of future results and there can be no assurance that any fund will achieve comparable results or avoid substantial losses. The information provided is solely to educate Great Points current investors and potential portfolio companies and intermediary partners about Great Points performance and does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation of any security or any other product or service by Great Point Partners or any other third party regardless of whether such security, product or service is referenced. Great Points private equity funds are closed-end funds and therefore are not accepting any new investors. The net multiple on realized and unrealized investments of the private equity funds is 2.3x which is a ratio equal to the value of distributions made by all funds plus Great Points valuation of the fair value of all unrealized investments divided by the total amount of capital paid into the funds as of December 31, 2021. This is calculated after accounting for management fees, carried interest, and all fund expenses. Recalled distributions are subtracted from the numerator and reinvested capital is subtracted from the denominator. Gross multiple on realized investments is a ratio equal to the value of distributions made to date by all funds divided by the total amount of capital paid into the funds to make such investments. Distributions include cash (generated by sale proceeds and dividends) as well as shares from one public company. Gross multiple on realized investments does not take into account management fees, carried interest, and fund expenses which in the aggregate are significant. Net multiple on realized investments is not presented as it is unable to be calculated at the individual investment level and across funds. No investor has received the returns listed here because these returns are across multiple funds. Net returns reflect those of fee-paying investors and exclude those amounts invested by co-investors and Great Point related investors.
If Common Cause New York gets its way, Cayuga County would be kept whole in a congressional district stretching from the North Country to the Pennsylvania border.

The good-government group on Tuesday submitted its own redistricting proposal with plans to file it with the state Supreme Court in Steuben County, which is overseeing the process after the state Court of Appeals agreed with lower court rulings that the maps drawn by state lawmakers were unconstitutional. A court-appointed special master will now draw congressional district lines that will be in place for the next 10 years.

Common Cause's proposal would put Cayuga County in the 23rd Congressional District. The district would include all or parts of 13 counties  Cayuga, Chemung, Jefferson, Livingston, Ontario, Oswego, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne and Yates.

If the district is adopted, it would be a Republican stronghold. Former President Donald Trump won the district with nearly 58% of the vote in 2020.

Common Cause explained that its proposal follows constitutional mandates and laws, including the federal Voting Rights Act. To draw its maps, the organization used existing districts as a starting point. It aimed to avoid splitting counties and towns and respect communities of interest.

Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, criticized the actions that led to the maps being drawn by a special master.

A constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2014 required the creation of an independent redistricting commission, with eight of the 10 commissioners appointed by Democratic and Republican legislative leaders.

After the commission failed to reach a consensus on new maps, the Democratic-led state Legislature took over the process. The end result was a map with 22 of the 26 districts being Democratic-friendly seats.

Republicans filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the maps. Their challenge to get the map tossed was successful.

Now, the special master will draw new congressional and state Senate district maps. The court is allowing outside entities to submit proposals and provide feedback.

Lerner said the independent redistricting commission "was always designed to fail voters.

"Common Cause/NY has long maintained that people, not politicians, should decide what the maps look like," she said. "If New York lawmakers want to make sure this chaos never happens again, they must advance an amendment that enshrines a citizen-led redistricting process  based on the gold standard in California  into the constitution now."

Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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With these new extended hours and the addition of an associate veterinarian, Clover Basin Animal Hospital can offer their services to more patients, as well as offering greater appointment availability.

Clover Basin Animal Hospital is proud to welcome Dr. Amie Gilbert to their team of veterinarians. Dr. Gilbert attended Louisiana State University where she obtained her DVM degree. Dr. Gilbert also holds a BS in Cell and Molecular Biology.

Dr. Gilbert believes that animals can teach us so much about love and trust. It was that strong human-animal bond that drew her to veterinary medicine in the first place. Prior to moving to Colorado, Dr. Gilbert worked as an emergency veterinarian. She missed the connections and relationships built with patients and their families. Dr. Gilbert has devoted her time to providing the best all around care as well as expressing special interest in soft tissue surgery, critical care, and internal medicine.

When Dr. Gilbert is not caring for her patients, she enjoys spending time with her dog Jolie, and her one-eyed cat Mowgli, who is also known as Bubba. Bubba also has a love for helping others, as he was a blood donor at LSUs School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Gilberts hobbies include: cooking, painting, reading, hiking, and learning to snowboard. Originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Dr. Gilbert made the decision to join Clover Basin Animal Hospital after meeting with the team. She found that Clover Basin Animal Hospitals commitment to providing exceptional medical care and their patient-first mentality aligned with her beliefs as a veterinarian. She is looking forward to continuing to offer that same level of care and helping to build on Clover Basin Animal Hospitals newly established involvement in the community.

About Clover Basin Animal Hospital

Clover Basin Animal Hospital is based in South West Longmont, CO. As a locally owned veterinarian practice with a unique outlook on pet-care, they believe in working collectively with other veterinary professionals in the area to establish the highest quality care for their animal companions. They proudly offer services ranging from: standard preventative care, dermatology, surgery, urgent care, dentistry, and even acupuncture. Clover Basin Animal Hospital offers a Wellness & Preventive Care plan for your furry family members. These plans include annual exams and diagnostics to keep your furry family members in tip top shape and are customizable to you and your pet's specific needs. They offer services bundled into one convenient package, keeping in mind the best quality of life for your pet. Payments for these plans are made on a monthly schedule throughout the year to help keep the cost of care for your pet manageable and affordable. These plans are specific to Clover Basin Animal Hospital and are one of a kind.

Clover Basin Animal Hospital is currently accepting new patients and has appointments available daily. Clover Basin Animal Hospital offers a $25 introductory office visit to all new patients. Appointments can be requested online via their website or made via phone.

Clover Basin Animal Hospital New Extended Hours

With these new extended hours and the addition of an associate veterinarian, Clover Basin Animal Hospital can offer their services to more patients, as well as offering greater appointment availability. The new extended hours began on Monday, February 7 and will be as follows:

Monday 7:30-5:30

Tuesday 7:30-5:30

Wednesday 7:30-5:30

Thursday 7:30-6:30

Friday 7:30-6:30

Saturday 8:00-5:00

Sunday Closed

Request an appointment at CloverBasinVet.com or call 720-600-2450

Clover Basin Animal Hospital is excited to share that they are currently working towards becoming one of only 12%-15% of veterinary practices in the United States and Canada that are American Animal Hospital Association accredited.

About the American Animal Hospital Association

The American Animal Hospital Association, AAHA, was founded in 1933. The organization aims to provide veterinary professionals with resources to effectively manage their businesses and deliver the best in companion-animal care. The AAHA headquarters is located in Lakewood, Colorado and employs over 60 people and produces the publications, Trends Magazine and the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association.

The American Animal Hospital Associations mission is to:



Enhance the abilities of veterinarians to provide quality medical care to companion-animals.

Enable veterinarians to successfully conduct their practices and maintain their facilities with high standards of excellence.

Meet the publics needs as they relate to the delivery of small-animal veterinary medicine.

The association developed standards for what they describe as high-quality animal practices through accreditation and other initiatives. AAHA offers educational programs as well as the latest and most up to date informational publications to all of their members. To become AAHA accredited, Veterinarian practices are tested and held to certain standards. They are evaluated with regular visits to the hospital by an AAHA representative expert who examines the practice and procedures. The practice is then evaluated on more than 900 standards to determine its accreditation status. The standards range from patient care and pain management, to team training and medical record keeping. Clover Basin Animal Hospital is currently conducting their practice to the AAHA standards and are hoping to officially obtain their AAHA accreditation soon.
Located in the Yangtze River Delta in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing is known not only as one of Chinas great ancient capitals, but also an epicenter of both traditional and modern Chinese cuisine.

Located in the Yangtze River Delta in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing is known not only as one of Chinas great ancient capitals, but also an epicenter of both traditional and modern Chinese cuisine. In fact, five of the citys top dining establishments were recently recognized as Black Pearl Restaurants, the Chinese equivalent of receiving a Michelin Star. There are plenty of opportunities to sample local Jinling cuisine, recognized as one of Chinas four great cuisines, alongside Cantonese, Shandong, and Sichuan, throughout the citys restaurants and street food stalls. Read on for some of the culinary experiences in Nanjing that cannot be missed.

Restaurants & Tea Houses

Jiangnan Wok  There are only five Black Pearl restaurants in Nanjing, and Jiangnan Wok is the citys only two-star rated. The restaurant also holds the honor of Trip Advisors Travelers Choice Award and is rated the top restaurant in Nanjing on TripAdvisor. Located inside the Shangri La Nanjing, it is an excellent dining experience for visitors to enjoy authentic Huaiyang and Jingling cuisine. Notable dishes include the minced pork meatball known as the Lions Head and braised pork in brown sauce. All parties are encouraged to make a reservation several days in advance.

Maxiangxing Restaurant  As one of the citys oldest Halal restaurants, Maxiangxing Restaurant serves as a cross between Middle Eastern and Chinese cuisine. It is located off of Yunnan Road, just a short walk from Xuanwu Lake Park, and is a favorite among locals. Originally started by a Muslim refugee, it is celebrated for its Four Famous Dishes which were favorites of influential politicians and scholars during Nanjings time as the capital city. Famous dishes include squirrel-shaped fish, Phoenix-tailed shrimp, shrimp shumai with egg wrappers, and Professor Hus tofu.

Lao Cui Tea House  Originally created in Nanjing, Rain Flower Tea is considered one of the Top 10 Most Famous Teas of China. One of the best places to try it is at Lao Cui Tea House, located inside Nanjings city wall. Brewing Rain Flower Tea requires a high level of skilled and Lao Cui Tea House is home to exceptional tea connoisseurs who teach visitors the art of tea making.

Notable Dishes

Nanjing Salted Duck  Nanjings signature dish has a history dating back hundreds of years to the Qing Dynasty. The dish is served cold but packs a punch thanks to its flavorful marinade. In Nanjing, Salted Duck is at its peak shortly before and after mid-autumn, when the sweet, newly bloomed Osmanthus Flowers are added to the spice mixture.

Jingming Steamed Buns  The Jiming Steamed Bun Restaurant is home to some of the citys most delicious steamed buns. Hot and juicy, the locals have instructions on how to eat this delicacy: move it near your mouth gently, lift up slowly, take a small bite, and then enjoy the gravy. Typically produced from leavened dough with fillings, this famous dish can also be found throughout Nanjings restaurants and street food stalls.

Bean Curd Jelly  Bean curd jelly is a local favorite local treat, and Santiaoying Alley in the Laomendong neighborhood is a great place to try it out. The dish is a sweet and salty blend, similar to a pudding texture, that locals often pair with a duck oil pancake

Sesame Pancake  This crumbly pastry is served two different ways  a savory oval with minced pork and spring onion or a sweet round presentation topped with delectable sugar. Fluffy and soft, this dish uses a lump of pork fat in the mixture before it is baked to produce the flavor and texture. This traditional and beloved street snack is popular for Nanjingers.

About Nanjing

Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province, is situated in the Yangtze River Delta area 190 miles northwest of Shanghai. Recognized as one of the four great ancient capitals of China, Nanjing has served as the capital city of 10 Chinese dynasties and regimes for a total of more than 1,800 years. A sophisticated metropolis and a modern center of history, education, and culture, Nanjing is home to some of the countrys most significant historical attractions such as the Xiaoling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Dr. Sun Yat-sens Mausoleum; The Presidential Palace; and a City Wall that dates back more than 600 years. Popular attractions also include Chinas oldest public library and one of the countrys first museums, the Nanjing Museum.

Nanjing is accessible by Nanjing Lukou International Airport (NKG) with daily flights from North America. Three train stations  Nanjing Railway Station, Nanjing South Railway Station, and Nanjing West Railway Station  connect Nanjing to all of Chinas major cities, including Shanghai, which is a 90-minute ride via bullet train or three hours by car.

For more information on Nanjing, visit http://www.GoToNanjing.com or follow the destination on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube at @GoToNanjing
Vivian Tsai, Chair, College Savings Foundation Todays high school students have their feet on the ground and their eyes on the future. They and their parents are saving for higher education, and in addition their family discussions are focused on their long-term career plans. -- Vivian Tsai, College Savings Foundation Chair

Gen Z High School students are emerging from two years of disrupted schooling with a determination to choose and fund the higher education paths that will lead them to the jobs and careers they want. In a national survey of more than 1,000 seniors, juniors and sophomores, the College Savings Foundation (CSF) found that the majority are saving, working and intending to pay for part or all of their higher education. At the same time, they desire more pragmatic education options tied to real work experience and the possibility of finishing their requirements faster.

Todays high school students have their feet on the ground and their eyes on the future. They and their parents are saving for higher education, and in addition their family discussions are focused on their long-term career plans, said Vivian Tsai, Chair of CSF, a leading nonprofit helping American families save for education. This is CSFs 13th Annual Youth Survey sharing insights into the changing dynamics of young people looking at higher education.

In keeping with the fiscally-responsible reputation of Gen Z individuals, or zoomers born between 1995  2012, the survey respondents expressed their strong work, saving, and cost-cutting ethics. 90% of those surveyed had higher education plans. Key findings:



82% plan to work full-time (23%) or part-time (59%) while attending higher ed; and 61% are already working to help cover costs.

59% are saving for their higher education; and 72% of those have saved more than $1,000 (50% between $1,000-$5,000 and 22% more than $5,000).

54% intend to pay for part (35%) or all (19%) of their higher education.

21% said their families are using 529 education savings plans, including students (9%) and parents (12%).

66% plan on living at home.

What the Perfect Higher Education Looks Like for Gen Zs

These Gen Z students desire practical higher ed outcomes. When asked how they would design their perfect higher education, Classes based on practical work experience was the top-ranked choice. The second-ranked choice was for classes with competency-based testing that could result in finishing their requirements sooner and cost less. The third-ranked answer was getting credit for actual work experience done in conjunction with the higher ed institution

Reflecting this preference for useful learning, 63% of all high schoolers think of Technical and Career Education or Apprenticeship Programs in the same way as they do college. This is the highest level in the surveys history since this question has been asked. 28% of students know they can use 529s to fund Technical and Career Education.

Overall, students are headed to cost-effective options: 38% expect to go to Public College and 27% to Community College. In an interesting comparison, Technical and Career Education and Private College are evenly ranked as higher ed destinations, with 10% planning to go to Technical and Career schools, only slightly behind 12% to Private Colleges.

A smaller percentage, 4%, plan to go into the Military and 1.5% to Apprenticeship Programs.

These trends are reinforced with the finding that 38% of students said they needed to change their higher ed choices due to costs. Of those, 41% are going to Community College, 25% to a state school, 13% to Technical and Career Education, 10% to work, and 6% to an Apprenticeship Program.

Along with high costs, students worry about student debt. 67% are concerned about it; and in a separate question, one-quarter (24%) of all respondents said they were changing their higher education choices because they dont want the debt.

Students said that the primary way they will reduce reliance on student loans will be to save more money (21%), work while attending school (17%), attend a Community College (15%), an in-state school (12%), or live at home (12%), among a variety of answers.

The Role of Parents in Saving and Planning

While independent thinking and acting, 78% of students have talked to their parents about funding their higher education. 41% of all students said the career path they want to follow is the number one topic with their parents.

Parents are chipping in to help. 57% are saving, with 56% of them having saved more than $5,000. Among savers, nearly a quarter (21%) are doing so primarily through 529 education savings plans.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted higher education plans for over one-quarter (28%) of students, with 30% of those planning to study closer to home, 27% starting at a Community College and transferring to a four-year school, 16% pursuing a trade or technical training, 15% taking a gap year, and 10% attending an online university.

In a ranking question about the importance of traditional colleges, the first-ranked response was that the career the student is pursuing requires more technical/theoretical and/or liberal arts courses that they can only get from a traditional higher ed institution. The second-ranked response was that traditional college will be a more valuable educational credential over the course of their lives; and the third-ranked response was that it will help create long-term friends and contacts for their future.

Other findings:



22% are planning to take a gap year; and, of those, 65% are doing it to work.

51% plan on receiving financial aid.

Only 23% plan to borrow, but an additional 41% say its possible.

College Savings Foundations survey of 1,007 high school students across the country was conducted through Survey Monkey with parental permission. The College Savings Foundation (CSF) is a Washington, D.C.- based not-for-profit organization helping American families achieve their education savings goals.

To view an Infographic on these findings, please go to:

http://www.collegesavingsfoundation.org
There is a clear need for an airport-wide information system for freight forwarders (on- and off-tarmac), ground handlers and truckers to track and accurately schedule cargo pickups.

A new feasibility study of the air cargo supply chain process at JFK International Airport (JFK) makes a case for how a new, connected airport-wide Truck Flow Management System (TFMS) would streamline cargo operations for truckers and airport personnel, save time, money and fuel, and improve quality of life for residents, business owners and workers in the surrounding community. The feasibility study, JFK Cargo View: A System to Speed Truck Traffic Flow at JFK International Airport, was conducted by Rutgers Universitys Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) and commissioned by GatewayJFK, a Business Improvement District representing the off-airport cargo community, a vital link in the worlds supply chain.

The JFK Cargo View report makes the business case for the implementation of new technology that would include electronic data interfaces, cargo notifications via a mobile app, paperless truck check-in and dock scheduling to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness, and reduce idling time and diesel fuel usage. The goal of the TFMS is to improve efficiency and recoup the JFK cargo traffic lost since 9/11.

According to the Port Authoritys monthly (January 2022) Air Traffic Report, JFK Airports cargo tonnage was 103,096 short tons, or a projected 1.25 million short tons at years end, ranking it #8 among US airports based on air cargo tonnage. This is in contrast to 2000, when JFK Airport cargo tonnage ranked #3 among landed weight at US airports with 1.8 million tons. Maintaining JFK Airports prominent market position in the top 10 is challenged by US airports like Memphis, Louisville, Los Angeles, and Miami that currently generate between 2.0 million and 4.7 million in tonnage annually.

Key findings of the GatewayJFK/Rutgers Study

According to the Study:



A TFMS system would reduce truck dwell time by an average of 38%.

Truckers would be informed about when cargo, docks, forklifts and personnel are ready, optimizing both import and export sides of the cargo process.

A TFMS would reduce truck congestion and lower the environmental impact of idling trucks. For example, CO2 emissions would be reduced each year by 80 to 512 metric tons based on the time savings scenarios outlined in the study.

A TFMS would save an estimated $2.5-$16.0 million in direct trucking costs annually as a result of reduced manhours and fuel and operational efficiencies.

There is a clear need for an airport-wide information system for freight forwarders (on- and off-tarmac), ground handlers and truckers to track and accurately schedule cargo pickups, said Frank Liggio, Chair of GatewayJFKs Board of Directors. Implementing a connected system would optimize the entire cargo experience for all (on-airport and off-airport) stakeholders by saving time, money and fuel and reducing emissions.

The Port Authoritys development plans for JFK airport cargo facilities are a significant first step; however, the pilot program currently being tested at a single facility by a single cargo handler must inform, and be part of, an integrated, airport-wide communications system for cargo, Liggio noted.

Background

The existing cargo management technology on-airport at JFK is not reflective of the available technology in todays marketplace. With the exception of fully integrated carriers such as Amazon and UPS, truckers currently have no way to know when cargo is ready for pickup, creating delays in the transfer process and economic losses for stakeholders within and beyond the logistics system. Other pertinent issues cited in the study are poor GPS to get to the facility, inefficient dock scheduling, and on-site congestion due to multiple trucking companies arriving at the same time, with no available staging area, and exacerbated by the reduced pickup window from 48 hours to 24 hours. Additionally, updated Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations and mandatory inspection regulations from the Transportation Security Administration have added to cargo processing times on the ground.

For example, logistics company M.R.Z. Trucking Corporation has dealt with challenges at JFK Airport for decades. President Mike DeVivo said, We work from our off-airport location to satisfy an unrealistic 24-hour pickup window, and risk incurring costly storage fees at the airport. There must be a serious effort to expand, modernize and fully integrate the cargo handling facilities on airport, with all the benefits modern technology offers.

The inefficiencies have contributed to a decline in cargo tonnage at JFK Airport, with cascading effects:



From 2004 to 2009, JFK air cargo-related jobs fell from 50,000 to 30,000, wages from $3 billion to $1.75 billion and sales from $8.5 billion to $5.2 billion.

In 2019, JFK Airport handled 1.3 million tons of cargo, down from 1.7 million tons in 2004.

The Study surveyed area freight forwarders, brokers, airlines and truckers; 95% rated wait times as poor or extremely poor, with 85% rating JFK wait times worse or much worse than other airports.

Ground handling capacity and dock door availability were cited as the most common reasons for the long wait times.

Area residents and businesses must deal with the environmental impact of diesel emissions, noise and road congestion from lengthy truck dwell times and other factors.

Ed Figueroa, branch manager at global supply chain provider Kuehne + Nagel, confirms the frustration around cargo logistics at JFK Airport. A well-thought-out plan must be undertaken by the Port Authority that truly reflects supply chain complexities and the insights, coordination, and communications across the public and private sectors.

"GatewayJFK seeks to assist the Port Authority and the off- and on- airport cargo facilitators to firmly establish a plan to improve all aspects of supply chain logistics that are so critical to the local, national and worldwide economies," said Liggio. Implementing a TFMS airport-wide can play an important role in reversing the domino effect that JFK Airports lost market share has had on revenues, jobs, and quality of life in the area. With the support and sustained attention it requires, New Yorks air cargo sector has the potential to grow with industry trends and not miss out on the opportunity to preserve and increase jobs, strengthening its economic significance overall.

To read the full study and stakeholder survey results, go to http://www.gatewayjfk.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/JFK-Cargo-View-Truck-Traffic-Flow-2022-Full-Rpt.pdf.

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About the Study

JFK Cargo View: A System to Speed Truck Traffic Flow at JFK International Airport, jointly funded by GatewayJFK and the Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) at Rutgers University, was conducted from April to December 2021. The study, which used prototype operational process simulations, was conducted by Rutgers in partnership with Cayuga Partners, Farmingdale State College and Econsult Solutions Inc.

Site visits and stakeholder interviews were done in the off-airport GatewayJFK cargo district and JFK Airport cargo facilities to obtain input and observe operations. Participants included on-airport cargo ground handlers, representatives from off-airport transportation companies and area residents. In addition, the research team visited the district to observe truck movement, business activity and the impact of adjacent warehouse and logistics properties to residents. Online and in-person surveys were conducted to gauge stakeholder satisfaction and insights, as well as ascertain the difficulty of getting to JFK Airport, the level of congestion experienced, delays related to the loading/unloading of cargo on-airport, and the challenges inherent within the off-airport GatewayJFK district itself. The preliminary results of this Phase I study are a compelling business case for an airport-wide Truck Flow Management System (TFMS) and a list of future investments intended to retain and grow air cargo business at JFK Airport, shorten delivery to consumers, and enhance and support the on- and -off-airport synergy vital to the worlds supply chain.

About Rutgers CAIT

Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) tackles some of the countrys most pressing infrastructure challenges, especially those endemic in high-volume multimodal corridors like the Northeast. The bulk of its efforts are in assessing and monitoring the health of bridges, roads, and pipelines; creating revolutionary technologies, materials, and tools; formulating strategies to prolong the service life of infrastructure; and training the current and future workforce. CAIT develops practical tools and processes that can be applied as mainstream tools in the hands of transportation professionals solving real-world problems right now. Since 1998, CAIT has been a University Transportation Center (UTC)an elite group of academic research institutions sanctioned and supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation. It was named one of only five National UTCs in 2013 and selected to lead the Region 2 UTC in 2018.

About GatewayJFK

GatewayJFK, a notforprofit 501(c)(3) publicprivate partnership, is the off-airport cargo community that provides logistical support to the tons of goods that flow through JFK Airport and major ocean ports of call each year. It is structured as a NYC Business Improvement District (BID) to provide technical and professional services, supplemental services and improvements, and advocacy for the districts businesses and residents. Located adjacent to the northern JFK Airport boundary, it is home to over 600 businesses and almost 8,000 workers, occupying approximately 4.1 million square feet of industrial and commercial buildings. Cargo-related businesses exist alongside other light industrial and retail uses, hotels, community service and government facilities, as well as 154 single-family homes. For more information, visit http://www.GatewayJFK.org.

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Shane Whiteside - President and CEO Each entity brings capabilities to the Summit portfolio that will further strengthen our ability to serve our customers in both high-performance commercial and defense markets, as well as broaden our relationships into additional sectors - Shane Whiteside, President & CEO

Summit Interconnect is pleased to announce the acquisition of Royal Circuit Solutions with California operations in Hollister and Santa Ana and affiliate Advanced Assembly located in Aurora, Colorado. The acquisition expands Summits PCB offering in rigid, flex, rigid/flex and ATE PCBs, significantly strengthens engineering and service resources providing CAM, DFM/A, PCB design/layout, and also adds quick-turn, prototype SMT assembly services.

The combined company will provide best-in-industry use of software applications that integrate and automate engineering, stack ups, quoting, production management and customer interface. This highly developed platform will significantly improve speed and service to our valued customers.

Shane Whiteside, President and CEO of Summit Interconnect, Inc. stated, This combination aligns the Royal and Advanced quick-turn, vertically integrated model with Summits differentiated production capabilities. Each entity brings capabilities to the Summit portfolio that will further strengthen our ability to serve our customers in both high-performance commercial and defense markets, as well as broaden our relationships into additional sectors. This is a very exciting milestone for Summit, Royal Circuits and Advanced Assembly and we welcome our new employees to the Summit team.

Milan Shah, Owner and CEO of Royal Circuits commented, We are very excited to align ourselves with the tremendous team at Summit and bring our automated software-powered approach to the Summit organization. Together, we will continue to build and scale a world-class company delivering technology solutions to solve the most complex printed circuit board challenges across all end markets.

About Summit Interconnect: Summit Interconnect is a leading provider of complex printed circuit boards focused on fast growing defense and high-performance commercial sectors in the North American market. Summit offers solutions ranging from advanced cutting-edge prototyping to complex high mix, low-to-mid volume production. Summits facilities are located across California, Illinois, Colorado and Toronto, Canada. For more information, please visit: summit-pcb.com

About Royal Circuit Solutions: Established in 1998 and headquartered in Hollister, CA, Royal is one of North Americas leading providers of quick-turn, advanced technology prototype printed circuit boards. Royal provides customers across the industrial, medical, automotive, consumer, semiconductor, datacom and space markets with technology driven printed circuits in hours, not days. For more information, please visit: royalcircuits.com

About Advanced Assembly: For nearly twenty years, Advanced has helped engineers assemble PCBs in three days or less. Offering a full-range of manufacturing services for prototypes and low volume quantities. Advanced Assembly delivers at the speed of imagination. For more information, please visit: aapcb.com
SkipHireComparison.co.uk has retained specialized M&A firm, OODIENCE, to begin exploring strategic acquisition offers.

The 4-year-old skip hire price comparison and booking marketplace SkipHireComparison.co.uk (SHC) that now operates in all 2.6 million UK postal codes in the UK with 370 skip-suppliers continues to grab market share.

The company recently added a sales department for the first time since their launch to supplement their organic search, affiliate and word-of-mouth based growth.

SHC has begun entry into 4 new markets: New Zealand, South Africa, USA and, their newest region, Ireland.

SHC services predominantly residential consumer skip hire bookings and now works with increasingly more construction, land development and government agencies as well.

The award-winning website, founded by code developer Roman Pahulyi and co-founder, SEO industry veteran Marc Ferguson, utilizes custom built tech to automate and supplement much of the steps in selecting and scheduling a skip hire, for both the end-customer and the suppliers.

SkipHireComparison.co.uk has retained specialized M&A firm, OODIENCE, to begin exploring strategic acquisition offers.

About SkipHireComparison.co.uk

WasteTech disruptor with a rapidly growing marketplace for skip hire (bin rental) bookings, reaches millions of consumers across multiple international regions. All based on organic growth without an ad budget, growth team or outside investors.

About OODIENCE

Specialized mergers and acquisitions firm with 100% deal close rate. OODIENCE provides exit advisory and sale representation services to media, publisher, community and marketplace businesses in deal prices ranging from $250,000 - $25,000,000.
EverLine Coatings was named as a recipient of the Franchisees Choice designation on April 11, 2022, during the Awards Gala at the 2022 Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) National Convention in Ottawa, Ontario. This is the 12th year for the Franchisees Choice Designation Program, and EverLine Coatings was honored for its accomplishment in receiving this designation.

The Franchisees Choice designees are CFA member franchise brands who voluntarily took part in an independently-administered survey. This year, more than 70 CFA member franchise brands participated in the survey. Franchisees were asked to assess their franchisor in key areas of the franchise business model, including the franchisee selection process, franchisee information package, leadership, business planning and marketing, training and support, as well as ongoing operations and the relationship between the franchisor and franchisee.

Receiving the Franchisees Choice Designation from the Canadian Franchise Association is something our entire organization is proud of, says John Evans, Founder and CEO, Everline Coatings. It really speaks to the dedication and meticulous attention to detail that our team exhibits day-in and day-out. Were all about having a supportive culture here at EverLine Coatings and are thankful for the opportunity to train and support business leaders across different communities in North America.

In the due diligence process of investigating a franchise opportunity, speaking with existing franchisees about the opportunity being explored is essential. For prospective franchisees, the Franchisees Choice Designation identifies that a franchise brand has received a solid endorsement through its satisfaction ratings from its franchisees. The 2022 Franchisees Choice Designees are representative of the spectrum of franchise opportunities and the diversity and standard of excellence of CFA members.

We celebrate Franchisees Choice Designees for exemplifying franchising's core principle of working in partnership, sharing success and Growing Together, says Sherry McNeil, CFA President & Chief Executive Officer. Our congratulations go out to this years Franchisees Choice Designees on receiving this outstanding vote of confidence from their franchisees.

EverLine Coatings focuses on pavement and parking lot maintenance (https://everlinecoatings.com/ca/pavement-maintenance/). Founded in 2012, the company started off with a bang, being featured on CBCs hit show Dragons Den. For the past decade, EverLine Coatings has been servicing parking lots of all shapes and sizes, including office parking lots, airports, private businesses, shopping centers, distribution warehouses, municipalities, and more. Services include parking lot painting, asphalt sealing and crack filling, asphalt repair, parking block and speed bump installation, sign and bollard covers installation, custom stenciling, and other related services. The company also provides interior flooring solutions for businesses and commercial enterprises, including epoxy flooring and non-slip coatings. There are currently franchise locations all throughout Canada and the United States.

To learn more about EverLine Coatings, visit https://everlinecoatings.com/ca

For more information about Franchisees Choice designation and a full list of winners, visit https://cfa.ca/fcd-winners-2022/.

About EverLine Coatings

EverLine Coatings is a North American line painting and pavement maintenance company that helps property managers keep their parking lots safe and appealing with professional line painting and pavement maintenance services. Since being founded in 2012, EverLine coatings has won numerous awards and has been recognized on some of the biggest stages. In addition to being seen on CBCs Dragons Den show, EverLine Coatings is the proud recipient of the 2012 Breakout Business of the Year (Calgary Chamber of Commerce), the 2015 NextGen Grand Prize (International Franchise Association), and the Grand Prize and Gold winner of the 2022 Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) Awards of Excellence. Learn more about EverLine Coatings at https://everlinecoatings.com/ca.

About the Canadian Franchise Association

The Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) helps everyday Canadians realize the dream of building their own business. CFA advocates on issues that impact this dream on behalf of more than 700 corporate members and over 40,000 franchisees from many of Canadas best-known and emerging franchise brands. Beyond its role as the voice of the franchise industry, CFA strengthens and develops franchising by delivering best-practice education and creating rewarding connections between Canadians and the opportunities in franchising. Canadian franchises contribute over $100 billion per year to the Canadian economy and create jobs for more than 1.9 million people. Learn more at http://www.cfa.ca or http://www.FranchiseCanada.online.

CFA Media Contact:

Krystal Novis

Fishman Canada Inc.

Tel: (647) 881-9384

E-mail: krystal@fishmancanada.com
This is a testament to our commitment to using data and AI for good. We will continue to create technology that helps people make strategic decisions that have a positive impact on our communities and world.

RS21 has been awarded a Gold Stevie Award in the Company of the Year category in the 20th Annual American Business Awards. RS21 received the highest honor in the computer software, small businesses category.

More than 230 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this years Stevie Award winners. Some of the comments made by judges included very innovative company building solutions at the intersection of descriptive and predictive analytics and [the] company has benefited people and customers directly with its groundbreaking problem solving using artificial intelligence.

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 nominations  public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. More than 3,700 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year.

I am proud of our team and honored to receive this recognition from the American Business Awards, said Charles Rath, RS21 President and CEO. This is a testament to our commitment to using data and AI for good. We will continue to create technology that helps people make strategic decisions that have a positive impact on our communities and world.

In the past two years, RS21 has developed 82 data science and analytics solutions since 2020 for government, healthcare, Fortune 500, and non-profit clients. Examples of its work include an artificial intelligence solution for satellite fault prediction, which is currently funded by an AFRL SBIR Phase II contract for $750,000, and an integrated informatics system for cancer research and population health in partnership with the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Centerin the top 3% of the nations elite cancer centers.

In addition to this Stevie Award, RS21 has received national recognition as an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company two years in a row and a Fast Company Best Workplace for Innovators. RS21s founder, Charles Rath, was also named an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2020 Mountain Desert Region Award winner.

Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word meaning crowned, the awards will be presented to winners at a gala ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York on Monday, June 13. Tickets are now on sale.

We are so pleased that we will be able to stage our first ABA awards banquet since 2019 and to celebrate, in person, the achievements of such a diverse group of organizations and individuals, said Maggie Miller, president of the Stevie Awards.

Details about The American Business Awards and the list of 2022 Stevie winners are available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/ABA.

About the Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.

Sponsors of The 2022 American Business Awards include HCL America, John Hancock Financial Services, Melissa Sones Consulting, and SoftPro.

About RS21

RS21 is a rapidly growing data science company that uses artificial intelligence, design, data engineering, and modern software development methods to empower organizations to make data-driven decisions that positively impact the world. Our innovative solutions are insightful, intuitive, inspiring, and intellectually honest. With offices in Albuquerque, NM and Washington, DC, RS21 is an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company two years in a row and a Fast Company Best Workplace for Innovators.

We help clients achieve programmatic goals, improve efficiencies, reduce costs, and maximize productivity using MOTHR, our human-centered, artificial intelligence-driven engine that allows users to seamlessly integrate data and reveal insights at hyper speed. We navigate complex data issues in the fields of healthcare, defense, safety, urban planning, energy, cyber, land use, climate, disaster preparedness, disaster recovery, space, and social equity.

For more information, visit http://www.rs21.io.
The Series 7 Plus delivers an average of 60 miles of range per charging hour, which encourages drivers to plug in and explore Elizabeths local businesses. Were honored to help provide EV charging infrastructure to this developing area and we look forward to supporting the Elizabeth community.

The Village of Elizabeth has installed a new SemaConnect Series 7 Plus charging station for public use near the new splash pad at Terrapin Park. The high-powered, dual port charging station will encourage residents and tourists to plug-in while visiting Terrapin Park, the Grand Antique Company, and Elizabeths downtown area.

Electric vehicle charging stations are becoming more popular in municipalities like Elizabeth. Level 2 charging stations like the Series 7 Plus deliver an average of 60 miles of range per charging hour, which encourages drivers to plug in and explore Elizabeths local businesses. With a J-1772 plug, which is compatible with all plug-in electric vehicles in North America including Tesla, Ford F-150 Lightning, and the Chevrolet Bolt, Elizabeths new SemaConnect charging station is ready for all drivers. The dual plug station can charge two vehicles up to 19.2 kW simultaneously, a faster speed than most commercial Level 2 charging stations.

The Village Board of Elizabeth has made it a priority to keeping Elizabeth progressive and looking forward to the future, said Michael Dittmar, president at the Village of Elizabeth. Our EV charger at the park is our most recent addition to that goal. It is great to share this endeavor with our partners, Rose Noble with Galena Country Tourism and Jeff Finn with Smart Energy Solutions.

Galena Country Tourism supports the desire for more responsible and authentic travel, said Rose Noble, CEO at Galena Country Tourism. There are many sustainable accommodations, attractions, and amenities in our destination, and the addition of electric vehicle chargers in Elizabeth makes it easy for eco-friendly travelers to recharge in the village and enjoy all it has to offer. We are pleased to help sponsor this project.

While the focus on electric vehicles began in large cities, smaller communities like Elizabeth are where the next phase of growth will happen, said Tony Sargent, vice president of sales at SemaConnect. Especially in the Midwest, where drivers traveling along highways need places to stop where they can charge with easy-to-use, public Level 2 charging stations. Were honored to help provide EV charging infrastructure to this developing area and we look forward to supporting the Elizabeth community.

The Series 7 Plus charging station in Elizabeth features the cloud-based SemaConnect Network, which provides top features for station owners including access controls, custom pricing, and sustainability and usage reports. EV drivers will receive 24/7 customer support with numerous ways to start charging, including: SemaConnect mobile application, SemaConnect website, automated system at 1-800-663-5633, SemaConnect Pass, and third-party applications such as PlugShare and ChargeHub. For more information on station status, directions, and pricing, please visit the SemaConnect app.

About SemaConnect:

SemaConnect is a leading provider and pioneer of electric vehicle charging infrastructure solutions to the North American commercial, residential and fleet market. A complete EV support partner, SemaConnect is making transportation electrification possible in this decade through innovative, elegantly designed charging stations, a robust and open network platform, and an unparalleled charging experience for drivers and station owners. Since our founding in 2008, SemaConnect has installed thousands of smart charging stations at top companies like CBRE, JLL, Hines, Greystar, Nike, Electrify America, and SP Plus. SemaConnect remains the preferred charging solutions partner to municipal, parking, multifamily, hotel, office, retail and commercial fleet customers across the United States and Canada. For more information, visit https://semaconnect.com/.
Valerie Carboni, Wrapify's New VP of Marketing With Valerie's knowledge and experience, Wrapify aims to help marketers understand the reach and measurability of out-of-home (OOH) ad tech." James Heller, CEO and Founder at Wrapify

Wrapify, the innovative and performance-driven out-of-home (OOH) advertising platform, announces Valerie Carboni as their first Vice President of Marketing. Valerie brings more than 12 years of experience in B2B marketing, most recently leading a global marketing team at TrustYou. Previously, Valerie worked at Cvent (CVT), leading the product marketing efforts for their Hospitality Cloud solutions.

In an effort to empower more brands with measurable OOH campaigns, Valerie will ensure that all marketers are fully aware of the benefits, best practices, and positive results of this form of advertising. Her experience running global marketing strategies, which required a clear return-on-investment, make her uniquely qualified to be a trusted resource for brands and agencies looking to do the same.

What excites me most about this role is the opportunity to bring campaigns that work to marketers who are seeking real, attributable success, explains Valerie. Far too often, marketers come up against the challenge of spending money in the wrong places and missing the mark when it comes to ROI. Wrapify is their opportunity to change that.

James Heller, Wrapify CEO and Founder, adds, Many brand marketers, especially those focused on ABM or digital marketing, may not know the benefits of high-recall OOH. With Valeries knowledge and experience, we aim to help marketers understand the reach and measurability this medium offers.

With over seven years of experience in the industry, Wrapify delivers measurable high-recall campaigns for brands like Molson Coors, Zoom, and Amazon. To learn more about what they offer, visit http://www.wrapify.com/brands.

About Wrapify:

Wrapifys mission is to empower brands by combining their performance-driven OOH and omnichannel ad tech platform with the gig economy. Founded in 2015, Wrapify deploys over 450,000+ drivers from Uber, Lyft, and other delivery services for nationwide brand campaigns. They connect offline and online advertising channels that drive measurable results while putting cash back into the pockets of drivers. Learn more at http://www.wrapify.com.
Josh Riley does not know what district he will be running in, but he is gathering more support in his campaign for Congress.

Democracy for America, a national progressive organization founded by Howard Dean, has endorsed Riley, D-Ithaca, for Congress. The group has previously supported central New York candidates for Congress, including Dana Balter in 2020. Balter, a Syracuse Democrat, has backed Riley in his bid for the House.

"Right now, voters in upstate New York face multiple crises at once: Bad trade deals and corporate greed that have moved good jobs overseas, a climate crisis threatening the natural beauty of the region, a democracy that remains imperiled by dark money, special interests, and partisan gerrymandering, and now, a potentially dangerous court ruling rolling back a woman's right to choose," said Chris Scott, DFA's chief political officer.

"We know that in Congress, Josh Riley will be a champion for equal rights and working families, taking on corrupt corporations, fighting to put people over politics, and making bold investments that will not only save our planet, but create good-paying union jobs in the process. We are excited to endorse his candidacy and look forward to working with him when elected."

Democracy for America is the latest national group to endorse Riley for Congress. Defend the Vote, a national voting rights organization, announced its support of Riley's campaign in March.

Riley has been endorsed by the state Working Families Party and the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters Local 277, a building trades union.

Democracy for America's support will likely come with a donation. In the past, candidates have received financial help from the organization after winning its endorsement.

In a statement, Riley said he's proud of the endorsement from Democracy for America.

"Together with DFA's grassroots-driven organization, we are going to make our democracy stronger, our economy fairer, our planet greener, and women's reproductive rights more secure," he said. "I'm grateful for DFA's support, and I'm looking forward to all we will accomplish together."

Riley and other New York candidates will get their new districts later this month. After the state Court of Appeals ruled that the maps are unconstitutional, a special master is tasked with redrawing congressional district lines.

Before the decision, Riley was a candidate in the now-former 22nd Congressional District, which included part of Cayuga County and all of Onondaga County.

Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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Sunset Inn & Cottages: 7925 W Gulf Blvd, Treasure Island, FL 33706 Evan did a stellar job in presenting this property to the market and has become a top advisor by capturing the essence of the properties that he represents, consistently setting records for obtaining the highest value for his clients.

Engel & Volkers Florida today announced the record-breaking sale of Sunset Inn & Cottages, located at 7925 W Gulf Blvd. Evan Pedone, an advisor with Engel & Volkers Madeira Beach, represented both the buyer and seller, who wish to remain anonymous. The $5.5-million transaction set a new record as the most expensive sale in Treasure Island for overall price and price per square foot at $834 per square foot.

This was a special property to represent, said Pedone. The historical significance of the cottages, the beach breezes and relaxing retro Florida design are just a few reasons this property will forever hold a place in my heart. The number of parcels and acreage the property occupies was rare and played a significant role in the value. You dont find beachfront opportunities like these often. I have sold ten of these income property hotels and have been able to get record prices for them.

Located in the idyllic community of Sunset Beach, the Sunset Inn & Cottages features 13 classic hotel rooms and small cottages as guest quarters; all of which have been renovated to a high standard, with luxurious finishes. The $5.5-million price tag crowns it as the most expensive property sold in Treasure Island  beating the previous record-holder by $1.2-million. The typical price for a property in Treasure Island is $618,822 US dollars, where prices have risen by 36-percent over the past year.

Our area has been discovered as one of the last remaining beach communities that still represents a good value for investors, said Michael Wyckoff, Managing Broker of Engel & Volkers Madeira Beach. This beautiful property stands out as an example of the quaint character of the area and is a haven for visitors to become immersed in the idyllic nature of Treasure Island. Evan did a stellar job in presenting this property to the market and has become a top advisor by capturing the essence of the properties that he represents, consistently setting records for obtaining the highest value for his clients.

Pedone has become the go-to real estate advisor for notable clients in his market thanks to his successful representation of professional athletes, celebrities and business executives. In the last two years alone, hes facilitated 21 transactions totaling more than $31-million.

Evan is a shining example of our advisors who leverage the Engel & Volkers brand and utilize our systems and tools to gain listings and clients that they otherwise could not with other companies, said Peter Giese, CEO Engel & Volkers Florida. We look forward to supporting him to continue setting new sales records as a top real estate advisor in the Tampa Bay area.

###

Press contact:

Linzee Werkmeister, Junior Vice President, Marketing & Franchise Support

Email: Linzee.Werkmeister(at)evrealestate.com

Tel: (239) 348-9000

About Engel & Volkers:

Engel & Volkers is a global luxury real estate brand. Founded in Hamburg, Germany in 1977, Engel & Volkers draws on its rich European history to deliver a fresh approach to luxury real estate in the Americas with a focus on creating a personalized client experience at every stage of the home buying or selling process for today's savvy homeowner. Engel & Volkers currently operates approximately 263 shop locations with 5,000 real estate advisors in the Americas, contributing to the brand's global network of over 15,000 real estate professionals in more than 30 countries, offering both private and institutional clients a professionally tailored range of luxury services, including real estate, yachting and aviation. Committed to exceptional service, Engel & Volkers supports its advisors with an array of premium quality business services; marketing programs and platforms; as well as access to its global network of real estate professionals, property listings and market data. Each brokerage is independently owned and operated. For more information, visit http://www.evrealestate.com.

About Engel & Volkers Florida:

Engel & Volkers Florida is the Master License Partner of the global luxury real estate brand Engel & Volkers in the state of Florida. Recognized for uniquely recruiting, training and equipping some of the top professionals in the real estate industry, Engel & Volkers Floridas exclusive business model positions its franchisees at the top of the premium market to gain market share and support their bottom line. The company represents franchise locations in 42 markets: 30A Beaches, Amelia Island, Belleair, Boca Raton, Bonita Springs-Estero, Cape Coral, Clermont, Delray Beach, Destin, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers Downtown, Gainesville, Islamorada, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Jupiter, Madeira Beach, Marco Island, Melbourne Beachside, Melbourne Central, Melbourne Downtown, Miami Coconut Grove, Neptune Beach, Ocala, Olde Naples, Orlando, Orlando Downtown, Orlando-Winter Park, Palm Beach, Palm Coast, Pompano Beach, Sarasota, South Tampa, St. Augustine, St. Pete, St. Pete Beach, Stuart, Tampa Water Street, Venice Downtown, Vero Beach, Wellington, and Windermere.

Engel & Volkers Florida is continuing to strategically strengthen and expand its presence in premium real estate markets across the state of Florida. If you would like to know more about the Engel & Volkers brand or how to join its global networkwhich is known for demonstrating competence, exclusivity and passion, feel free to call our corporate office, located at 633 Tamiami Trl N, Suite 201, Naples, FL 34102 USA. Tel: +1 239-348-9000. For more information about Engel & Volkers Florida, please visit http://www.florida.evrealestate.com
It is an honor to team up with the Mixed Roots Foundation to continue to raise awareness and funds to support the needs of foster youth, especially those aging out of the foster care system - I look forward to going on tour and leveraging our platform to spotlight our community partners this year

Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind, & Fire, founder of the Music Is Unity Foundation, and Holly Choon Hyang Bachman, Korean adoptee/founder and president of the Mixed Roots Foundation will team up once again for the 3rd Annual #FosterChallenge during May to raise awareness and funds during National Foster Care Month.

The national tour will spotlight the foundations community partners in select cities, promote their community events, and raise funds for the urgent needs of foster youth across the country. Individuals who participate in the #FosterChallenge from May 1st - May 31st will have a chance to win VIP Tickets to see Earth, Wind and Fire currently on tour in the San Francisco Bay area, Denver, Minneapolis, Boston and New York. In addition to VIP tickets to see the iconic group, participants are also eligible to win a variety of items and experiences. Americans across the country are invited to accept the #FosterChallenge by texting fosterchallenge to 76278 or visit http://www.fosterchallenge.org.

It is an honor to team with the Mixed Roots Foundation to continue to raise awareness and funds to support the needs of foster youth, especially those aging out of the foster care system, said Philip Bailey, founder of the Music Is Unity Foundation. I look forward to going on tour with Earth Wind and Fire and leveraging our platform to spotlight our community partners who serve this very special group of youth. Our foster youth did not choose to be in the system. If we can all take action we can help, support, and make a difference in one life, especially as we continue to navigate the uncertainty of the pandemic and ongoing issues of civil and economic unrest.

We are thrilled to go live on tour with Mr. Bailey and the Music is Unity Foundation after hosting a series of virtual events for the past two years. We look forward to making our #FosterChallenge campaign another successful partnership, said Holly Choon Hyang Bachman, founder and president of Mixed Roots Foundation. Our focus this year is to build and expand on the work that our community partners are doing in their cities. Together we will make a greater impact both locally and nationally.

Throughout National Foster Care Month, the #Foster Challenge will showcase the community partners who provide important programs and services to foster youth. 100% of the donations received will benefit the #FosterChallenge Emergency Fund which provides foster youth and the community partners that serve them with essential resources and services including shelter, food, technology, education, and transportation.

To donate or for more information about the community partners, cities, dates, and events taking place throughout the country during National Foster Care Month, please visit http://www.fosterchallenge.org or text fosterchallenge to 76278.

About the Music Is Unity Foundation (MIU)

MIU is a leading non-profit created by Mr. Philip Bailey to focus on youth aging out of the foster care system. Since 2007 MIU has provided grants to non-profit, community-based organizations and agencies offering supportive services to the over 23,000 youth who are emancipated from the U.S. Foster Care system each year. For more information about MIU, please visit musicisunity.org, and follow them on Facebook, Instagram at @musicisunity.

About Mixed Roots Foundation (MRF)

Founded in 2011, Mixed Roots Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization celebrating its

11-Year Anniversary based in Los Angeles, CA with regional offices in San Francisco, CA, Minneapolis, MN and New York, NY and serves as the first and only national / global multicultural foundation for adoptees and their families representative of the international, domestic, and foster care adoption experience and improves the lives of those touched by adoption and foster care by leveraging philanthropy and grassroots fundraising to support important post-adoption resources including mentoring, DNA testing and unique scholarships/grants for adoptees, foster youth and their families. For more info, please visit mixedrootsfoundation.org, Follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @mixedroots.
Bob Kovalchik has completed his new book Strange Facts of Flight: a gripping and potent work that shares fascinating information about aviation.

Author Bob Kovalchik has worked for twenty-seven years as a volunteer docent, or guide, and logged 2,087 hours. He has also worked as a travel consultant for groups in Europe, Russia, and China. His writings include chapters for Europe Experience: Government and Culture as well as articles for NASN docent monographs.

Bob Kovalchik introduces his work, writing, I spent twenty-seven years compiling and using these stories gleaned from books and monographs. So many aircraft crews, astronauts, veterans, and scientists made this a better and safer planet, and they also contributed. It is my fervid hope for someone who followed my tour or read the book will step on Mars or return to the moon. I had 2,087 tours of all types, so I settled with two hundred miscellaneous stories. I did not add 300 student and adult tours given at the College Park Aviation Museum in Maryland or my flying experiences at its airport. Numerous travels to Europe and US enhanced the work.

Published by Page Publishing, Bob Kovalchiks engaging work provides readers with a deeper understanding of the world of aviation.

Readers who wish to experience this informative work can purchase Strange Facts of Flight at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
Kenneth Allen Coleman, has completed his new book No More Pigs in the House!: an engaging and entertaining childrens story that captures the hearts of young readers and listeners as they follow along with the family of Princess Tocina as they attempt to raise and train her.

Author Kenneth Allen discusses the meaning behind his pet pigs name, writing, Her name, Tocina, is a play on the Spanish word for bacon, but be assured our little princess is a wonderful and well-loved pet loaded with personality. She has changed our archaic beliefs that pigs are filthy, lazy, and even unintelligent farm animals. Tocina is a fun, smart, and treasured member of this family and will enjoy a long happy life!

Published by Page Publishing, Kenneth Allen Colemans heartfelt story is filled with colorful and fun illustrations that represent the animal characters and their personalities.

Readers who wish to experience this cheerful work can purchase No More Pigs in the House! at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
Bobby Chestnut Joins the McGrory Glass Architectural, Fire-Rated Glass, and Security Glazing Divisions Were thrilled that Bobby has joined McGrory Glass. His deep background in glass fabrication and his active involvement in National Glass Association committees and decorative glazing guidelines uniquely positions him to understand the manufacturing process from start to finish.

McGrory Glass, one of the largest family-owned architectural glass companies in the country, announced that Bobby Chestnut has joined the company as Senior Manager, Architectural Products, overseeing solutions in the Architectural, Fire-Rated, and Security Glazing Divisions.

Staying true to an architects design vision while keeping building occupants safe from weather, fire, or intruders, can be a tricky balancing act. Chestnut comes to McGrory with 20 years of end-to-end experience in glass fabrication and a deep understanding of how to marry decorative and safety glazing.

Were thrilled that Bobby has joined McGrory Glass, says Chris McGrory, President and CEO of McGrory Glass. Bobbys background in glass fabrication and his active involvement in National Glass Association committees and decorative glazing guidelines uniquely positions him to understand the manufacturing process from start to finish. He is able to recommend the solutions our clients need to build out their visions, from both aesthetic and life safety points of view.

A long-standing member of the National Glass Association, Chestnut has served as Vice Chair of the Fabricating Committee for the last four years. Hes also the Chairman for guidelines on decorative glazing products in interior and exterior applications.

Since I oversee both architectural and life safety solutions, I can act as a knowledgeable resource to provide glazing for our clients entire build. For example, take a hospital project in the Health & Wellness sector: we can provide lobby glass plus mounting systems, fire-rated glass and framing, privacy glass, x-ray glass, stair rails with custom branded interlayers, cladding with built-in wayfinding, and so much more.

Prior to joining McGrory Glass, Chestnut spent 15 years at Standard Bent Glass where he first ran the Metal Division and then moved to an estimator position for five years. Then, he was promoted to Sales Manager for Decorative Glass, his position before he came to McGrory Glass. Before that, for five years, he was a project manager for Custom Glass Corp., overseeing projects involving detention, bomb, blast, and ballistic glass.

Residing in the Greater Pittsburgh area, Chestnut travels across multiple states to provide client consultations, in-person customer service, and American Institute of Architects (AIA)-accredited Lunch & Learns on topics such as Fire-Rated Glazing and Health, Safety & Wellness Architectural Solutions.

Its exciting that McGrory Glass is constantly evolving, innovating and growing, Chestnut says. Im thrilled to join a single-source glass manufacturing company that has such a breadth of architectural and performance glazing solutions. As salespeople, were empowered to provide architects with end-to-end solutions and support.

About McGrory Glass:

Founded in 1984, McGrory Glass is still family-owned after over three decades of growth. With three facilities spanning 200,000+ square feet, the management team is committed to the environment and sustainability. The 2.2-acre solar-paneled roof of the main warehouse brought McGrory recognition as one of the first major glass fabrication companies to hit net-zero energy consumption. The company offers comprehensive architectural and life-safety glass solutions, including the patented CaptiveHook Glass Wall, Seismic, & Ceiling Mounting System, as well as an in-house Print Division specializing in innovative structural interlayers and custom decorative films.

To learn more, please visit: https://mcgrory.com/
California Closets Greensboro Storefront From design to installation, we are all looking forward to bringing an incredible five-star experience to Greensboro!  Graziella Marengi, Franchise Owner

California Closets franchise owners, Joe and Graziella Marengi, announce that they will be reinvigorating their Greensboro design center. They are also actively recruiting designers to work out of the enhanced space. The developments ensure that Triad-area homeowners can visualize organization solutions for their home and see the craftsmanship of the latest California Closets organization systems.

Renovation plans are regularly scheduled for each of our five design centers in North Carolina and Virginia, explained Joe Marengi, franchise owner. We established our roots in Greensboro in 2014 and moved to the Friendly Center in 2019. With this refresh, were making sure that homeowners always have a place to see the latest trends and our products in person. We invite everyone to visit so they can have an in-person look at the incredible range of colors, finishes, accessories, and storage solutions, or they can book a virtual visit.

California Closets has been featured in journals such as The Atlantic and The Wall Street Journal. Its known for its innovative custom closets and storage solutions for your entire home, not to mention best-in-class customer service. I cant say enough about the fantastic one-on-one attention our design consultants give to each customer, Joe concurred.

The Greensboro-High Point real estate market is experiencing housing prices on the rise, according to Roofstock. Home values have increased 19.7% over the last year, and over the last five years, Greensboros home values have increased more than 63%.

Greensboro is the third most populated city in North Carolina, which is one of the many reasons we have a design center here," explained Joe. "When you see this kind of data, where home prices are going up and inventory is low, homeowners tend to stay where they are. They invest in maintaining the beauty and value of their homes, whether it's for themselves because they can't afford to move, or because it's an investment that maintains its value every day."

The Greensboro team is actively recruiting design consultants so they can service the area with their well-recognized commitment to customer satisfaction. California Closets provides ample employee flexibility, mentorship opportunities, and growth potential, said Joe. These are all factors that appeal to motivated designers aiming to hone their craft, so this is a great place for someone whos passionate about design and helping clients find the right organizational system.

Meanwhile, the current team members enthusiastically anticipate the improved workspace. The entire Greensboro team is thrilled about the upcoming design center refresh, said Elizabeth Jackson, design consultant. Elizabeth graduated from UNC-Greensboro with a degree in interior architecture and has been a designer at the California Closets-Greensboro location for two years. I use my structural knowledge in architecture to design a beautiful but functional space. Its so gratifying to work with clients to understand what works or doesnt work for them and then design multiple solutions to use that space to address their needs and wants. Were ready to create a system that works with each clients lifestyle, home, needs and budget.

Joe co-owns five California Closets franchise locations with his wife Graziella. Together, they share more than three decades of expertise in ensuring customer satisfaction. Were continuing to grow and I hope that would-be designers like Elizabeth will stop by our Greensboro design center and find their career here, said Joe.

Its unbelievable what exceptional design can bring to your homes space, said Graziella. Our whole team loves to see the satisfaction our customers note, whether its pride for realizing a beautiful space, or turning a chaotic area into a calm, organized sanctuary. From design to installation, we are all looking forward to bringing an incredible five-star experience to Greensboro!

The Greensboro California Closets design center is conveniently located at 3316 West Friendly Avenue, Suite 103, Greensboro, NC 27410. The revamped space will serve as a home base for designers looking to attract and work with incoming clients, as well as customers looking to view their future designs.

To book a complimentary design consultation, visit the California Closets Greensboro web page.

About California Closets

As leaders in premium and luxury space-management, California Closets helps people get more out of their homes, while allowing people to show their individuality, add value to their homes, and make their lives easier.

Franchise owners Joe and Graziella Marengi offer California Closets custom storage solutions throughout North Carolina and Virginia. They understand the fast pace of peoples lives today and love the way custom storage can transform the most chaotic home into an organized sanctuary. With design centers in Raleigh, Greensboro, Wilmington, Virginia Beach, and Richmond, they and their expert teams strive to provide every customer with unrivaled personalized service tailored to their organizational needs.
The Pacific Redwoods Missing & Murdered Indigenous People Crisis Action Fund aims to rally community support to address the root causes of this ongoing public safety threat. The national tragedy of MMIP has been all but ignored by philanthropy. Today, and every day until it is no more, we are called to face the crisis. We can do something to end this now."  Bryna Lipper, CEO of the Humboldt Area and Wild Rivers Community Foundation

Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild Rivers Community Foundation are standing with Tribal communities in the Pacific Redwoods region to mark Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) Awareness Day.

Homicide is the third leading cause of death for Indigenous women and girls. In some Tribal communities, indigenous women face murder rates that are more than 10 times the national average.

These rates are disproportionately high in the Pacific Redwoods region, which accounts for two-thirds of Californias MMIP cases. California is home to the nations fifth-highest number of MMIP incidents.

MMIP Awareness Day, which takes place on May 5, is a national effort to draw attention and resources to address this devastating pattern of violence and injustice.

The Foundations, which are supporting Native leaders efforts to end this tragedy, today announced that they are launching The Pacific Redwoods Missing & Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Crisis Action Fund with seed funding from individual donors and the Foundations discretionary fund.

The fund will support regional research, policy advocacy, crisis response and recovery, and will aim to close technical assistance gaps. It will also allow for the Foundations continued partnership with Tribal leaders and Indigenous experts to facilitate community support and address the root causes of this public safety threat.

The national tragedy of MMIP has been all but ignored by philanthropy, said Bryna Lipper, CEO of the Humboldt Area and Wild Rivers Community Foundation. These are our girls, our friends, our community. Their absence is devastating to us all. Today, and every day until it is no more, we are called to face the crisis that is Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons. We can do something to end this now.

Californias most populous Tribe, the Yurok Nation, has developed internationally recognized MMIP justice efforts, working with the regions Inter-Tribal Court to advocate for public and philanthropic resources, elevate research, and help bridge barriers to services. Some of those barriers are a result of legal and jurisdictional issues arising from a 1950s era Congressional Act known as Public Law 280 (or PL 280), which applies to California and five other states. Tribes were neither consulted nor consented to the sweeping change.

This law has been used as justification to deny law enforcement funding to Tribes and has dramatically altered criminal justice in Indian Country, according to the Department of Justices Institute for Justice.

"We, all of those who are left behind, are failing. Our people are going missing. They are being trafficked and murdered," said Judge Abby Abinanti, Yurok Tribal Court Chief Justice. We will not stop fighting for a fair and reasonable share of resources for our region, for our people, and our justice partners. Failures are mounting and we must unite and ensure justice as the right of all.

You can help by getting involved in Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Awareness Day on Thursday, May 5. Community members are invited to:

 Contact your state and federal legislative representatives, requesting significant expansion in judicial, social, and health resources.

 Follow activities in the California State Capitol, including CA Native American Legislative Caucus and CA Legislative Womens Caucus, and contact Governor Newsoms office to call for budgetary and coordination support.

 Wear red in honor of those individuals who are and have been affected by MMIP and learn their names and stories.

 In the Redwoods Region, show solidarity by joining in the Yurok MMIW Programs Community Walk on May 5. The event starts at the Yurok Tribal Office in Klamath, with a ceremony to lay red flowers over the Klamath River.

 Make a charitable donation to support the work of the Yurok Tribal Court and the families they assist through its nonprofit Kee Cha E Nar.

 Contribute to the Pacific Redwoods Missing & Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Crisis Action Fund.

 Learn more about the Karuk coming-of-age ceremony and how it fosters community safety and wellness by watching the award-winning documentary A Long Line of Ladies. You can also support cultural revitalization and arts in Native communities.

The Foundations will continue to support and partner with Tribal and community leaders to advocate for awareness and healing. We will also champion efforts to advocate with our elected leaders and educate the public about the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous victims, said Paula (Pimm) Tripp-Allen, Senior Advisor to the Humboldt Area Foundation. With sustained efforts of philanthropic support and public action, we can begin to work together to forge a path of healing and prevention of this national and local crisis.

For more information on how to support Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day and the Pacific Redwoods Missing & Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Crisis Action Fund, please visit the Foundations website.

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About Pacific Redwoods Missing & Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Crisis Action Fund

The epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous people (MMIP) is a national humanitarian crisis, with California ranking fifth in the nation for incidents of MMIP, and the far north of the state accounting for most cases. The Pacific Redwoods Missing & Murdered Indigenous Peoples Crisis Action Fund supports prevention and response to violence against indigenous people in our region. Your investment in the Pacific Redwoods Missing & Murdered Indigenous Peoples Crisis Action Fund supports regional research, policy advocacy, crisis response, recovery, and more. Funds allow for our continued partnership with Tribal leaders and indigenous experts to facilitate community support and address the root cause of this public safety threat.

About Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild Rivers Community Foundation

The Foundations serve the residents of Humboldt, Trinity, Del Norte Counties in California and Curry County in Oregon, along with 26 Tribal Nations and Indigenous territories by promoting and encouraging generosity, leadership and inclusion to strengthen our communities. We envision a thriving, equitable, healthy, and just region for the generations ahead.
The new 30-Day Pet Parasite Forecast Maps at PetDiseaseAlerts.org are designed to alert pet owners and veterinarians about vector-borne diseases before they occur. CAPC recommends Michigan pet owners talk to local veterinarians about year-round protection from Lyme and Ehrlichiosis  transmitted by ticks  with annual testing and preventatives.

The nonprofit Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC)  the nations leading source on parasitic diseases that threaten the health of pets and people  is forecasting higher-than-normal risk for Lyme disease and Ehrlichiosis in Detroit, Michigan, as well as throughout Wayne, Washtenaw, Macomb, Oakland, and Livingston counties for May 2022.

In its mission to monitor and report emerging threats to companion animals, CAPC developed 30-Day Pet Parasite Forecast Maps to alert pet owners of impending disease outbreaks in their local communities. These monthly forecast maps can be found at PetDiseaseAlerts.org and currently forecast four parasitic diseases (Lyme, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis and Heartworm) based on analysis of recent disease prevalence trends in every county across the United States.

Lyme Disease and Ehrlichiosis are serious threats to pets in Michigan that are increasingly vulnerable to these debilitating and potentially fatal illneses, said Dr. Rick Marrinson, DVM, and CAPC board member. The new 30-Day Pet Parasite Forecast Maps at PetDiseaseAlerts.org are designed to alert pet owners and veterinarians about vector-borne diseases before they occur.

Please click here for pre-packaged video news segment for download/use highlighting details outlined below:



Lyme disease and Ehrlichiosis Forecast in Michigan  May 2022

Lyme disease and Ehrlichiosis are bacterial illnesses that can be transmitted to humans, dogs and other animals by certain species of ticks. The ticks that carry Lyme and Ehrlichiosis are often found in tall grass, thick brush, marshes and woods. Although found in Michigan year-round, ticks tend to be more active in warm weather, so pets are at greater risk in the spring and summer. Analysis of 30-Day Pet Parasite Forecast Maps for the state of Michigan indicate higher-than-usual activity in Detroit and throughout Wayne County, with nearby counties such as Washtenaw, Macomb, Oakland and Livingston showing infection risk levels that are higher than past years. Overall, the forecast maps indicates the Ixodes tick that transmits Lyme and Ehrlichiosis is moving into Michigan from the northwest with counties in the northwestern part of the state forecasted to be high risk, with the risk moving southward. CAPC expects this trend to continue throughout 2022.

Why Should Pet Owners Be Concerned?

Lyme disease and Ehrlichiosis are bacterial infections transmitted through the bite of an infected tick and can infect both dogs and their families. These diseases are similar in that many dogs dont show signs of infection, but those that do exhibit symptoms such as fever, depression, loss of appetite, lethargy, joint pain and stiffness. In some cases, if undetected or untreated, Lyme disease can lead to issues such as kidney failure, heart issues and/or neurological issues. Similarly, dogs infected with Ehrlichiosis can experience eye issues, lameness and/or bleeding issues and anemia. People cannot catch Lyme disease or Ehrlichiosis directly from an infected dog, but the same ticks that bite dogs can also bite humans. This means that if there are infected dogs in an area, there are infected ticks that may transmit disease to humans.

What Should Pet Owners Do?

As we head into summer and spend more time outdoors with our pets, talk to your local veterinarian about testing for tick-borne diseases and year-round tick-prevention. Pet owners should be diligent about checking for ticks after spending time outdoors. Both Lyme and Ehrlichiosis are treatable with antibiotics if identified early.

Its difficult to prevent a dogs exposure to ticks, especially when they are outdoors in areas ticks inhabit. Year-round use of tick preventatives help limit infestations. This will also help prevent pets from bringing ticks into the home, limiting exposure to family members, as these diseases can also affect humans. For dogs in areas with high risk for Lyme disease, pet owners should also talk to their veterinarian about vaccinating against Lyme. Staying aware of the threat level of tick-borne disease in your local community and areas where you travel with your pet is also important.

Pet Disease Alerts 30-Day Pet Parasite Forecast Maps help pet owners visualize high-risk areas for Lyme and Ehrlichiosis, and also serve as an early-warning system for areas of emerging risk. If dogs test positive in an area for Lyme or Ehrlichiosis, then humans are at increased risk too. The 30-Day Pet Parasite Forecasts are updated monthly so pet owners can see the risks at home and across the country before they occur. CAPC encourages pet owners and veterinarians to consult these maps regularly in order to protect pets and families from parasitic diseases.

Recognized as the global expert in forecasting vector-borne diseases of U.S. companion animals, CAPC indicates that risks have increased nationally due to:

Increased travel with pets

Rehoming of pets due to natural disaster and the transportation of rescue pets

Distribution and prevalence of vector (mosquito and tick) populations

Shifting wildlife populations, and their incursion into newly developed and reclaimed areas

Short- and long-term changes in climatic conditions

Changes in habitat due to natural or human-induced processes

CAPCs forecasts  supported by ongoing research by parasitologists and statisticians in leading academic institutions across the United States  highlight areas where more should be done to lower the risk of companion animals exposure to disease vectors, such as mosquitos and ticks. The foundation of these prevention strategies are recommendations that veterinarians and pet owners test their pets annually for disease and protect them with products that kill or repel mosquitos and ticks, as well as year-round heartworm prevention.

Because of the zoonotic potential of parasitic diseases  meaning they can be transmitted from animals to humans  we created our 30-Day Pet Parasite Forecasts to alert communities of the risk to people and pets locally, said Dr. Christopher Carpenter, DVM, and CEO of CAPC. Over the years, weve seen the risk for parasitic diseases increase and expand into areas that have had historically lower prevalence. CAPCs monthly Pet Parasite Forecasts are critical to alerting pet owners to the risks and reinforcing CAPCs recommendation that all pets need to be annually tested and protected year-round.

To view local 30-Day Pet Parasite Forecast Maps, as well as the daily Flea Forecast, visit http://www.petdiseasealerts.org.

How the Forecasts Are Created

The 30-Day CAPC Pet Parasite Forecast Maps are a collaborative effort from parasitologists and statisticians in leading academic institutions across the United States who engage in ongoing research and data interpretation to better understand and monitor vector-borne disease agent transmission and changing life cycles of parasites. The forecasts are based on many factors including temperature, precipitation and population density.

About Pet Disease Alerts

Pet Disease Alerts (http://www.petdiseasealerts.org) is a nonprofit focused on alerting pet owners to the threat of pet diseases in their local areas. Established by the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) in 2018, Pet Disease Alerts was founded to directly communicate crucial, time-sensitive information about disease threats, encouraging pet owners to be proactive by visiting their veterinarian to get their pets tested and protected.

About the Companion Animal Parasite Council

The Companion Animal Parasite Council (http://www.capcvet.org) is an independent not-for-profit foundation comprised of parasitologists, veterinarians, medical, public health and other professionals that provides information for the optimal control of internal and external parasites that threaten the health of pets and people. Formed in 2002, CAPC works to help veterinary professionals and pet owners develop the best practices in parasite management that protect pets from parasitic infections and reduce the risk of zoonotic parasite transmission.

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Creative Environments, an Arizona-based multi-award-winning landscape design and build company located in the heart of Phoenix, was recently recognized for its design efforts at The Major Achievements in Merchandising Excellence (MAME) Awards. The event was broadcasted on April 7, 2022. In its 36th year, MAME recognized the exemplary efforts of builders, land developers, interior designers, architects, building professionals and sales associates who make the Valleys home building industry one of the nations leaders. Creative Environments was recognized in the following categories for their design work within Toll Brothers award-winning projects:



Best Outdoor Living Space ($600,000 to $1 Million) - Caleda - The Triana by Toll Brothers

Best Outdoor Living Space (Under $600,000) -The Preserve At San Tan - The - Peletier by Toll Brothers

Best Community Amenity Feature (More Than 900 Lots) -Sterling Grove by Toll Brothers

Best Outdoor Living Space (Over $1 Million) -Bridle Ranch - The Ambrosia II by Toll Brothers

Creative Environments was also recognized as finalists in the categories below:

Best Community Amenity Feature (Less than 900 Lots) - Azure, Paradise Valley Gathering Spot by Shea Homes

Best Outdoor Living Space (Under $600,000) - Beacon in Estrella by Toll Brothers

Best Outdoor Living Space (Over $1 Million) - Azure Residence 1 by Shea Homes

Best Outdoor Living Space (Over $1 Million) - Flora at Morrison Ranch - The Ariane by Toll Brothers

Best Outdoor Living Space (Over $1 Million) - Prelude at Storyrock - Plot 7523 by Shea Homes

We are honored to be recognized for our exterior design efforts, said Jim Lucas, Creative Environments Vice President of Sales. We pride ourselves on providing luxurious, cutting-edge designs for our clients outdoor living environments. These accolades drive us to further create and push the boundaries on creative landscape design.

Creative Environments is known for its award-winning landscapes and continues to win local and national awards from industry peers. Most recently, the company won first place at the 2021 Arizona Landscape Contractors Association Awards as well as the 2021 National Association of Home Builders The Nationals Gold and Silver Awards.

The MAME Awards are one of the home building industrys most coveted awards. This competition recognizes the exemplary efforts of builders and land developers, interior designers and architects and sales managers and sales associates within Central Arizona. The MAME Awards seek to honor the best in advertising, design, merchandising, and sales of the home building industry.

For more information on Creative Environments, please visit http://www.creativeenvironments.com/. For more information on the Major Achievements in Merchandising Excellence Awards, please visit https://www.mameawards.com/

About Creative Environments

Creative Environments is a multi-awarded design-build company located at the heart of Phoenix Valley. Voted as the #1 Phoenix Landscaping and Build Company, the firm continues to provide Arizona residents with stunning exterior design and build for decades. Creative Environments currently ranks #1 in Arizona; 5th in the Southwest region and 54th nationally in terms of annual revenue ranked by the 2019 Landscape Management Revenue Data. Creative Environments prides itself in providing cutting-edge professional landscape design services for residential and commercial settings. We build quality outdoor living environments and ensure on-time production while remaining committed to customer service and delivering 100% customer satisfaction. For more information, please visit http://www.creativeenvironments.com.
LOS ANGELES  Camming Lifes Sex Tales returns for episode seven of season two with the AVN Hall of Fame performer, director, bestselling author and troll slayer, Stormy Daniels.

Sex Tales gives fans a behind the scenes peek of the adult industry, courtesy of Chaturbate broadcasters Lana Del Bae and Melody Kush and top performers and industry insiders.

The latest episode features Melody and Lana talking with Stormy Daniels about her career in sex workwhich has spanned everything from feature dancing, to posing in magazines, to performing in and directing big-budget adult films for Wicked Pictures.

She also discusses her bestselling autobiography Full Disclosure, her work as a paranormal investigator and her new show Spooky Babes, and, of course, her role in American political history thanks to former President Donald Trump.

To say we are excited to have Stormy Daniels as a guest on Sex Tales is an understatement, said Shirley Lara, chief operating officer for Chaturbate. Stormy is a true star, and she has no shortage of fascinating stories about her professional and personal life, and the adult industry too. You dont want to miss a single minute of this episode!

Now in its second season, Sex Tales hosts Lana and Melody offer tips and tricks on sex, adult industry gossip and a unique look at the world of sex work. Every episode features a different guest, including porn stars, cam stars, influencers and other industry insiders.

To find Stormys episode, tune into Sex Tales here.

Audio Link: https://sex-tales.simplecast. com/

Episode Title: Stormy Daniels and the Orange Elephant in the Room

Episode Description: What do a bestselling autobiography, paranormal investigations and a former president have in common? Why, Stormy Daniels, of course! Sex Squad, you do not want to miss a single minute of this episode as the legend herself dishes with Melody Kush and Lana Del Bae about the worst injuries she suffered as a stripper, how she almost became a veterinarian instead of an award-winning performer and director in adult films, her newest venture as a paranormal investigator and her show Spooky Babes, and the story of what really went down between her and former President Donald Trump.

To watch the full episode, check out the Camming Life YouTube channel here.
CSG is excited to partner with Connecticut on this important initiative to serve the needs of the States children and families, says Tim Lenning, Director of CSGs Child Support Practice.

CSG Government Solutions, a national leader in government program modernization, today announced that it has been selected by the Connecticut Department of Social Services, Office of Child Support Services, to provide quality assurance services for its Child Support Enforcement System Replacement Project.

Connecticut is replacing its legacy child support system with a modernized solution that employs automation, customer self-service, and data analytics capabilities. CSG is providing QA services throughout the full project life cycle, including establishing quality standards, assessing project processes, documentation, and adherence to industry standards, and providing recommendations to improve quality and mitigate risks.

CSG is excited to partner with Connecticut on this important initiative to serve the needs of the States children and families, says Tim Lenning, Director of CSGs Child Support Practice. Our national child support system modernization experience and advanced QA methodology will help assure that the implementation is successful and achieves the States goals.

Contact:

Tim Lenning

Director, Child Support Practice

CSG Government Solutions

180 N. Stetson Ave

Suite 3200

Chicago, IL 60601

Office: 312.444.2760 Fax: 312.938.2191

tlenning@csgdelivers.com

About CSG Government Solutions:

CSG Government Solutions is a leading government operations consulting firm helping states modernize critical program enterprises. We help governments leverage innovative technology and processes to meet the challenges of administering complex programs. Founded in 1997, CSG clients include 47 state and territory governments, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Labor, and large municipal governments. For more information, visit http://www.csgdelivers.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
'Operation Cuckoo Bees research highlights a 12 month investigation into the intricate and extensive efforts of the Chinese state-sponsored Winnti Group (APT 41) to abscond with proprietary information from dozens of global organizations,' said Lior Div, Cybereason CEO and Co-founder

Cybereason, the XDR company, today published new research on Operation CuckooBees, a 12 month investigation into Winnti Groups (APT 41) global cyber espionage campaign targeting manufacturers across North America, Europe and Asia in the Defense, Energy, Aerospace, Biotech and Pharma industries.

During its Operation Cuckoo Bees investigation, Cybereason discovered that Winnti went undetected on many networks since at least 2019, likely siphoning thousands of gigabytes of intellectual property and sensitive proprietary data from dozens of companies. Cybereason published two reports, the first examining the tactics and techniques of the overall campaign, and the second providing a detailed analysis of the malware and exploits used.

Operation Cuckoo Bees research is the culmination of a 12 month investigation that highlights the intricate and extensive efforts of the infamous Winnti Group (APT 41) to abscond with proprietary information from dozens of global organizations. The most alarming revelation is that the companies werent aware they were breached, going some as far back as at least 2019, giving Winnti free unfiltered access to intellectual property, blueprints, sensitive diagrams and other proprietary data, said Lior Div, Cybereason CEO and Co-founder.

Operation CuckooBees Key Findings:



Attribution to the Winnti APT Group: based on the analysis of the forensic artifacts, Cybereason estimates with medium-high confidence that the perpetrators of the attack are linked to the notorious Winnti APT group. This group has existed since at least 2010 and specializes in cyberespionage and intellectual property theft.

Multi-Year Cyber Espionage Intrusions: The Cybereason IR team investigated a sophisticated and elusive cyber espionage operation with the goal of stealing sensitive proprietary information from technology and manufacturing companies mainly in East Asia, Western Europe, and North America.

Newly Discovered Malware and Multi-Stage Infection Chain: The research examines both known and previously undocumented Winnti malware, which included digitally signed, kernel-level rootkits as well as an elaborate multi-stage infection chain that enabled the operation to remain undetected since at least 2019.

The Winnti Playbook: This research offers a unique glimpse into the Winnti intrusion playbook, detailing the most frequently used tactics, as well as some lesser-known evasive techniques that were observed during the investigation.

Discovery of New Malware in the Winnti Arsenal: The reports expose a previously undocumented malware strain called DEPLOYLOG used by the Winnti APT group, and highlights new versions of known Winnti malware, including Spyder Loader, PRIVATELOG, and WINNKIT.

Rarely Seen Abuse of the Windows CLFS Feature: The attackers leveraged the Windows CLFS mechanism and NTFS transaction manipulations, which allowed them to conceal their payloads and evade detection by traditional security products.

Intricate and Interdependent Payload Delivery: The reports include an analysis of the complex infection chain that led to the deployment of the WINNKIT rootkit composed of multiple interdependent components. The attackers implemented a delicate house of cards approach,where each component depends on the others to execute properly, making it very difficult to analyze each component separately.

The security vulnerabilities that are most commonly found in campaigns such as Operation CuckooBees are exploited because of unpatched systems, insufficient network segmentation, unmanaged assets, forgotten accounts and lacking multi-factor authentication products. Although these vulnerabilities may seem be easy to fix, day-to-day security is complex and its not always easy to implement mitigations at a grand scale. Defenders should follow MITRE and/or similar frameworks in order to make sure that they have the right visibility, detection and remediation capabilities in place to protect their most critical assets, added Div.

About Cybereason

Cybereason is the XDR company, partnering with Defenders to end attacks at the endpoint, in the cloud and across the entire enterprise ecosystem. Only the AI-driven Cybereason XDR Platform provides planetary-scale data ingestion, operation-centric MalOp detection, and predictive response that is undefeated against modern ransomware and advanced attack techniques. Cybereason is a privately held international company headquartered in Boston with customers in more than 40 countries.

Learn more: https://www.cybereason.com/

Follow us: Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Media contact:

Bill Keeler

Senior Director, Global Public Relations

Cybereason

bill.keeler@cybereason.com

+1 (929) 259-3261
Daniel L. Maya In today's day and age where trust and integrity are often missing those are the guiding principles that I lead my real estate business in.

Daniel Maya is an expert in his local area and loves to help others. He has been the successful owner of a private investigative company in Florida for the past 25 years. He is a former Medicare Fraud Investigator and when he left Medicare for the amazing opportunity to open his investigative company in 2006, it was a journey that gave him a love for the real estate industry. He was successful in obtaining a contract investigating mortgage fraud for the largest PMI insurer throughout the mortgage crisis. One of the things that motivated him to help the South Florida community buy and sell real estate is that he wants to help his customers the right way so that their best interests are met. In today's day and age where trust and integrity are often missing, those are the guiding principles that lead his real estate business. It would be his honor to help others in this journey.

Visit Daniel L. Maya's Haute Residence Profile: https://www.hauteresidence.com/member/daniel-l-maya/

ABOUT HAUTE RESIDENCE

Designed as a partnership-driven luxury real estate portal, Haute Residence connects its affluent readers with top real estate professionals, while offering the latest in real estate news, showcasing the worlds most extraordinary residences on the market and sharing expert advice from its knowledgeable and experienced real estate partners. The invitation-only luxury real estate network, which partners with just one agent in every market, unites a distinguished collective of leading real estate agents and brokers and highlights the most extravagant properties in leading markets around the globe for affluent buyers, sellers, and real estate enthusiasts. HauteResidence.com has grown to be the number one news source for million-dollar listings, high-end residential developments, celebrity real estate, and more.

Access all of this information and more by visiting http://www.hauteresidence.com
Dr. Neil Gordon Spoke About Deep-Plane Rhytidectomy At the 7th International Chosun Symposium on Facial Rejuvenation In Korea

Last year, The 7th International Chosun Symposium on Facial Rejuvenation took place at The Korean College of Cosmetic Surgery and Medicine. Dr. Gordon was invited to this event as an honored guest and special lecturer.

Dr. Gordon, a Facial Rejuvenation and Rhinoplasty expert, was one of the only featured speakers presenting his experience with "Deep-Plane Rhytidectomy from Novice to Expert ''. His lecture went over the foundations of facial aging and was based on Dr. Gordons published studies which defined the etiology of facial aging.

After explaining the basics, Dr. Gordon displayed his expert knowledge of deep-plane rhytidectomy, also known as a deep-plane facelift. Facelifts are one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries worldwide. This procedure helps provide patients with a more youthful appearance and natural look.

There are many different surgical techniques used to perform the Rhytidectomy. However, Dr. Gordon has pioneered and perfected this specific cosmetic technique. In addition, he has backed up the importance of this procedure through academic research and exploration. His seminar went over Deep-Plane Rhytidectomy in detail and explained the technique from novice to expert level.

The nuances and details of the Deep-Plane Rhytidectomy were expounded upon, this way the plastic surgeons in attendance could better understand how to perform this advanced procedure in their practices.

In the future, Dr. Gordon plans on attending future international conferences to share his surgical techniques and expertise. He was particularly proud about his lecture at this event though, as The 7th International Chosun Symposium brings together the best surgeons and experts in the field of cosmetic surgery at one of the largest conferences in the world.

With over 25,000 attendees, from mainly Asia, Dr. Gordon was able to share his knowledge with a wide range of health experts and professionals from all over the globe, and he wants to continue to bring the international cosmetic community together through his lectures. He will be the special international guest speaker at the 9th International Facial Plastic Surgery Course, hosted by the Facial Reconstructive Cosmetic Society of India Trust later this year in May, in Bangalore, India.

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To learn more about The Retreat At Split Rock and Dr. Neil Gordon, contact The Wilton, CT office- Phone-(203) 834-7700.

The Retreat At Split Rock is located at 539 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897. Two additional offices can also be contacted. Visit The Retreat At Split Rock website here to contact our other locations and learn more about Dr. Neil Gordon and his practice.

To find future events featuring Dr. Gordon, use this link. Dr. Gordon will be attending other conferences as a guest speaker throughout the year.


E.C. Lin, an immigrant from the island of Formosa and recognized songwriter, has completed his new book Swan Songs and Swine Songs: a heartfelt compilation of more than a hundred song compositions that will surely put a smile on ones face and a little bit of pang in their hearts.

This volume is a combination of pun and fun. Some of the compositions included were written thirty years ago, some were written thirty days ago. So, the readers can expect a wide range of songs providing nostalgic stories from different generations.

Published by Page Publishing, E.C. Lins endearing tome is the fruit of his decades of passion for music. What makes this piece a special one is that ten percent of the proceeds will go to the homeless people of America and Formosa.

Readers who wish to experience this heartening work can purchase Swan Songs and Swine Songs at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com
Endurance Warranty Services "[Our] dedicated representatives are on the front lines, helping drivers every day with their coverage questions, breakdowns, and repair claims. I am proud of the team for earning another distinguished customer service award. - CEO Rich Holland

Endurance, a leading provider of auto protection plans, announced today that it has been selected for a 2022 Excellence in Customer Service Award by Business Intelligence Group (BIG). Much of the companys success results from a dedication to customer service at every step of the consumer journey, from quote to claim, with special attention on building trust and empowering drivers.

For nearly two decades, Endurance has offered customizable vehicle service contracts (commonly known as extended auto warranties) to motorists across the nation. Consumers choose Endurance as their provider because the company provides comprehensive auto protection supported by exceptional customer care. Hundreds of customers leave positive reviews on their experience with customer service monthly. From claims assistance to general questions on their policy, customers are treated like family to ensure they feel empowered while connecting with the Endurance team.

Endurance ranks high among vehicle protection providers on popular review sites, including:



Our customer support and experience team is the backbone of our company, shared Endurance CEO Rich Holland. These dedicated representatives are on the front lines, helping drivers every day with their coverage questions, breakdowns, and repair claims. I am proud of the team for earning another distinguished customer service award.

Over the last few years, Endurance has been recognized numerous times with industry awards, including multiple Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, Selling Powers 50 Best Companies to Sell For, and more. The 2022 BIG Excellence in Customer Service Award celebrates those who support their own customers and those who are developing the tools to help others find success. Awards were given out to consultants, outsource partners, and technology providers for their superior customer service performance over the past 12 months.

Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer of the Business Intelligence Group, stated: Customer service professionals and suppliers have had to make significant changes to adapt to our evolving world. It is our honor to recognize Endurance as they are leading by example and making real progress on improving the daily lives of so many.

About Endurance Warranty Services, LLC

For the most comprehensive auto protection plans in the industry, drivers turn to Endurance. Endorsed by real customers, recommended by auto experts, and highly rated on consumer advocate websites, Endurance plans shield drivers from the high costs of parts and labor when an unexpected breakdown occurs. Since 2006, the company has paid over $185 million in claims, helping customers save thousands on vehicle repairs and Empowering Confidence for the Road Ahead.

Endurance Warranty Services, LLC, operates corporate headquarters in Northbrook, Ill., with additional offices in downtown Chicago and St. Louis, Mo. To learn more about Endurance vehicle protection plans and car maintenance packages, visit http://www.endurancewarranty.com.

About Business Intelligence Group

The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry award programs, business executivesthose with experience and knowledgejudge the programs. The organizations proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and then rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers.
United States' Largest State Public Health Laboratory Is Critical in the Fight Against COVID.

The joint venture of Gilbane Building Company and Turner Construction Company in association with design firm HOK has been awarded an initial contract to advance the creation of a new $750 million state-of-the-art public health laboratory on the Harriman State Office Campus Complex in Albany. New York Governor Kathy Hochuls announcement of the teams selection is an important step forward for the new laboratory, which will serve New York State's public health needs.

Gilbane is honored to team with Turner and HOK to advance New Yorks public health preparedness, said John LaRow, Senior Vice President, Gilbane Building Company. We look forward to working with our team of building and design experts and partnering with the Hochul administration to deliver the state-of-the-art public health facility that New York deserves.

It is an honor to partner with the State of New York as well as Gilbane, HOK, and the trade partners on this world-class facility that will help protect and improve the health of the people of New York, said Carl Stewart III, Vice President and General Manager, Turner Construction. It is so incredibly rewarding to collaborate on a project enhancing New Yorks capabilities to efficiently and effectively prepare for and respond to public health matters.

HOK is excited to team with Gilbane | Turner and the New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center on this critical project for all New Yorkers, said David Schwartz, AIA, HOKs leader of Science + Technology in New York. The Wadsworth Laboratory has been at the forefront of public health since its inception. This is a significant opportunity to redefine the future of public health for both New York and the country.

Gilbane | Turner and HOK have been selected for the design and construction of a new Wadsworth Laboratory that will consolidate operations currently spread out across several Capital Region facilities. The contract will be made up of several phases. This initial investment will explore options for a new basis of design, ranging from partial to full consolidation of Wadsworth facilities. A primary goal is to enhance the State's readiness to effectively respond to potential future public health crises.

The Wadsworth Laboratory, which played a central role in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic, focuses on a wide range of critical public health concerns, including responding to public health threats, studying emerging infections, analyzing environmental exposures, and licensing clinical and environmental laboratories, among many other critical responsibilities. Since its origin developing communicable diseases treatments in 1901 and the development of the Division of Laboratories and Research in 1914, the Wadsworth Center has grown to become the largest and most diverse state public health laboratory in the United States.

The Governors press release on the announcement can be found here.

About Gilbane Building Company

Gilbane Building Company provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services  from pre-construction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, close-out and facility management services  for clients across various markets. A family business founded in 1870, Gilbane has active participation from the 4th, 5th, and 6th generations of the Gilbane family.

Since 1949, Gilbane has delivered construction services in New York State for clients across multiple market sectors, including commercial office, multi-unit, and high rise residential, cultural, education, healthcare, public sector, science and technology, and mission-critical.

For more information, visit http://www.gilbaneco.com.

About Turner Construction Company

Our vision is to be the highest value provider of construction services. We deliver our services on complex and challenging building projects of all types and sizes throughout North America and in 30 countries around the world. We seek to make a difference in the lives of people, clients, and communities. We have earned a reputation for integrity, working safely, and driving innovation. The firm is a subsidiary of HOCHTIEF, one of the worlds leading international construction service providers. For more information, please visit http://www.turnerconstruction.com.

About HOK

With offices around the globe, HOK designs buildings and spaces that respond to the needs of people and the environment. HOK designers are rooted in technical excellence, driven by imagination and focused on a solitary goal: to deliver solutions that inspire clients and communities. HOK's Science + Technology practice specializes in creating buildings and spaces that advance innovative scientific discovery.
Golden Bridge Awards by GLOBEE The Golden Bridge Awards is the worlds premier business awards program honoring achievements in every industry around the world. Identify, recognize, and nominate executives, professionals, and employees for their achievements no matter how small or large.

The Globee Awards, organizers of the worlds premier business awards programs and business ranking lists, announced today that the last chance entry deadline for the Annual 2022 Golden Bridge Awards has been extended till May 27 due to the numerous requests for individual deadline extensions.

Subscribe to the Globee weekly Newsletter

Subscribe to Globee Awards YouTube channel

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Watch the Globee video

The coveted annual Golden Bridge Awards program recognizes and honors the worlds best in organizational performance, products and services, innovations, executives and management teams, women in business and the professions, case studies and successful deployments, public relations and marketing campaigns, product management, websites, blogs, white-papers, videos, advertisements, creativity, partner programs, and customer satisfaction programs from every major industry in the world.

Learn more about the 2022 Golden Bridge Awards and how to nominate here: https://globeeawards.com/golden-bridge-awards/



People | Innovator, Lifetime Achievement, Maverick, and Women Awards Categories Group

People | Entrepreneur Awards Categories Group

People | Executive, Management, and Professionals Awards Categories Group

People | Professional and Staffer (non-executive) of the Year

New Product & Service Innovation | AI, Information Technology & Cyber Security Awards Categories Group

New Product & Service Innovation | Content Technologies and Information Management Awards Categories Group

New Product & Service Innovation | Education Awards Categories Group

New Product & Service Innovation | Energy/CleanTech Industry Awards categories

New Product & Service Innovation | Health Care Awards Categories Group

New Product & Service Innovation | Industry and Vertical Markets Awards Categories Group

New Product & Service Innovation | Best New Product or Service Awards Categories Group

Product & Service Development | People Awards Categories Group

Product & Service Development | Campaign, Outstanding Achievement, Project or Initiative, and Team-Department Awards Categories Group

Company | Innovative Company of the Year Awards Categories Group

Company | Best Company Awards Categories Group

Company | Startup Awards Categories Group

Corporate Communications and PR | People Awards Categories Group

Corporate Communications and PR | Campaign, Outstanding Achievement, Project or Initiative, and Team-Department Awards Categories Group

Creative | App & Mobile Website Awards Categories

Creative | Live Events Awards Categories

Creative | Publications and Print Awards Categories

Creative | Digital and Online Campaign Awards Categories

Creative | Video, Commercial, Advertising, and Film Awards Categories

Creative | Web, Social Media, and Online Presence Awards Categories

Creative | Campaign, Outstanding Achievement, Project or Initiative, and Team-Department Awards Categories Group

Customer Service & Support | People Awards Categories Group

Customer Service & Support | Campaign, Outstanding Achievement, Project or Initiative, and Team-Department Awards Categories Group

Customer Success of the Year Awards Categories Group

Human Resources | People Awards Categories Group

Human Resources | Campaign, Outstanding Achievement, Project or Initiative, and Team-Department Awards Categories Group

Information Technology Users | People Awards Categories Group

Information Technology Users | Campaign, Outstanding Achievement, Project or Initiative, and Team-Department Awards Categories Group

Marketing | People Awards Categories Group

Marketing | Campaign, Outstanding Achievement, Project or Initiative, and Team-Department Awards Categories Group

Milestone of the Year Awards Categories Group

COVID-19 Business Response Awards Categories Group

Winners of previous years are listed here: https://globeeawards.com/golden-bridge-awards/winners/

Stay posted and read success stories of organizations by subscribing to the Globee Newsletter: https://globeeawards.com/subscribe/

A worldwide judging panel of executives and professionals representing a wide spectrum of industries will determine the winners. Winners will be presented and honored in a virtual ceremony attended by the finalists, winners, judges, and industry peers from all over the world. Industry experts and end-users or consumers of products and services can participate in the judging process. More details to register as an industry expert and help as a judge are available at https://globeeawards.com/golden-bridge-awards/judges/

About the Globee Awards

Globee Awards are conferred in nine programs and competitions: the American Best in Business Awards, Business Excellence Awards, CEO World Awards, Cyber Security Global Excellence Awards, Disruptor Company Awards, Golden Bridge Awards, Information Technology World Awards, Sales, Marketing, Service, & Operations Excellence Awards, and Women World Awards. Learn more about the Globee Awards at https://globeeawards.com

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Abby Royer will be graduating from Northern Arizona University this weekend with a bachelor's in criminology and criminal justice (CCJ), and after pushing herself into new experiences throughout college, she'll be trying to go further by serving in the Peace Corps.

After graduating high school, one of the few things that caught her interest was the idea of potentially going to law school or potentially joining law enforcement," Royer said. She is also in the Honors College and has minors in Forensic Anthropology and Law, Rights and Justice. Shes been committed to the CCJ program since her first visit to NAUs campus in November of 2018.

I just realized that serving other people was what I really wanted to do and helping with bettering communities was right up my alley, she said.

Royer originally wanted to study film but realized it was more of a hobby." But she still maintains a YouTube channel, chronicling her time studying abroad in Liverpool, for example.

Royer is a first-generation college graduate. Her parents both started careers after high school and her older sister attended community college in their hometown near San Diego.

I was the first one to leave for school -- which was kind of a big deal because Im the youngest, Royer said. ...I think overall it went well and my parents supported me through it since day one. They dont care about straight As, they just care that Im doing what makes me happy.

Royer came to the Flagstaff campus at the age of 17. Part of what made her interested in the university was NAU's recruitment visits to her high school, so she had familiar people with her when she started.

College has exceeded all my expectations, she said. I only grew up in the same household, the same city, same everything. When I came here, it was a whole new world."

The biggest thing Royer learned from the experience was independence.

It was a big change, but I really took it on full force and tried to take advantage of everything," she said. "... I decided I wanted to study hard and learn what career I was heading towards."

As part of a capstone project for the Honors College, Royer created a podcast on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) in 2020. It started with research into cold cases in Coconino County, shifting focus as she saw how many involved Indigenous people.

I couldnt even look back. I was like, 'Forget the cold cases. This is really important, especially in Arizona,' she said.

The four-episode podcast series contains interviews with experts from around Flagstaff about trafficking, reasons Indigenous women are targeted, jurisdictional issues and the Miss Hopi committees community response.

"Jurisdiction is one of the number one reasons Indigenous women get swept under the rug in the media, because within federal and tribal boundaries, a lot of those cases are just everyone pointing a finger about who should be taking the case. Depending on the location of where the crime occurred, they go back and forth and nothing gets solved, she said of her interview with Department of Politics and International Affairs lecturer Andrew Dzeguze.

It's a potential career focus for her in the future, she said, though as a white woman, she wanted to make sure shes working next to, not in front of tribal members.

There's a lot of respect that comes into it, she said. ...I don't want to totally disregard their system."

She added: "That's not what they need. They need people supporting them.

Another project she took on as part of her major was a criminal justice capstone about restorative justice.

A group project for the course involved coming up with a program using restorative practices. Called Better Future for Flagstaff students (BFF), Royers group's program focused on implementing talking and healing circles to reduce suspension and expulsion rates at Flagstaff High school.

It was just really nice to see that theres other solutions rather than just the prison system and conventional justice in that way, she said. Anyone whos taking a CCJ capstone, I would really recommend that restorative justice program."

Royer was also president of NAUs mock trial club in the 2021-22 school year, with the team winning the Spirit of Mock Trial Award in the American Mock Trial Association regional and NAUs High Pines Commitment to Justice award in 2022.

Everyone was very committed and excited, she said. All I did was encourage them and they did the rest.

After graduating, Royer plans to return to her hometown and work with the Boys and Girls Club (where shes volunteered over the summer for many years) while she applies to the Peace Corps.

I kind of got obsessed with the idea of joining after meeting some recruiters at an NAU event, she said. ...I cant imagine a career where I dont serve other people. What better way to do that than to fully immerse yourself for two years in a different country away from everyone and serving the community. Thats how I want to live.

While shes nervous and said her mom is "guilt-tripping" her about missing the first two years of her nieces life, Royer is committed to continuing to push herself.

I came to school for four years right out of high school and that wasnt so hard, and then I went abroad and that wasnt hard either," she said. "I just want to keep pushing the line a little bit, doing things I like."

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Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP continues the strategic expansion of its London office with the addition of Rebecca F. Meads who joins as a Shareholder and Chair of the London White Collar Crime & Investigations Team. Gavin Costelloe and Alex Swan join as Senior Associates.

Meads is highly regarded within the white collar community having been at the boutique practice of Peters & Peters Solicitors since 2011. She focuses her practice on advising clients on cross border inquiries into bribery and corruption, fraud, and money laundering. Recent work highlights include the successful defence of a former Serco Geografix Director in a Serious Fraud Office prosecution arising from the companys highly publicised Deferred Prosecution Agreement.

Greenberg Traurigs culture of flexibility and innovation, reputation for laser-focus on client service, and unique platform attracts top talent like Rebecca. The strategic growth of this team in London is critical for our many multinational clients who are increasingly involved in investigations due to the globalization of regulations affecting compliance, fiscal regulations, and international business dealings, said Richard A. Rosenbaum, Greenberg Traurig Executive Chairman. Great talent appreciates and responds to our core values of respect, trust, empowerment, meritocracy, entrepreneurship, and collaboration. In addition, they understand our commitment to our five European offices, which in addition to London, are Amsterdam, Berlin, Milan, and Warsaw, and to their growth in response to client needs worldwide.

Rebecca is a great hire for us. She is first class and brings with her a true understanding of what it is to advise and defend those under investigation by law enforcement. She is highly regarded in the market here and abroad and has a great reputation for fighting her clients corner. With a great deal of the work being cross-border, Rebecca is well-versed in handling multi-jurisdictional litigation, said Jo Rickards, Co-Chair of Greenberg Traurigs Global White Collar Defence & Special Investigations Practice.

Meads has extensive experience acting for individuals and corporations across a broad range of criminal and regulatory offences with a focus on cases brought by the Serious Fraud Office and Financial Conduct Authority. She advises on and conducts internal investigations on behalf of corporations, often spanning multiple jurisdictions, with a view to self-reporting and/or compliance related advice.

Jo and Rebecca are developing a top-flight white collar team in London and have helped attract Gavin and Alex, two senior associates, both of whom are earmarked as future leaders in the white collar and investigations space, said Fiona Adams, Managing Shareholder of the Greenberg Traurig London office and Co-Chair of its Global Corporate Practice.

Moving to Greenberg Traurig represents an excellent opportunity to help develop and grow the London White Collar Practice. The firm has a global platform that I am keen to take advantage of. Most importantly, Greenberg Traurig has an excellent reputation and is highly respected across practices and markets, Meads said.

Meads is recognized by Legal500 as a Key Lawyer under the Fraud White Collar Crime (Advice to Individuals) category. She is described by clients as an outstanding professional in every respect. She is often asked to speak on key international white collar law topics by leading professional organizations at key events, including the International Bar Association Crime Conference, Madrid (Autumn, 2021); the Defence Extradition Lawyers Association, London (Autumn Conference, 2018); the European Fraud and Compliance Lawyers Association, Milan (Summer, 2018); Cumplen, Asociacion de Profesionales de Cumplimiento Normativo Conference (Association of Regulatory Compliance Professionals Conference), Madrid (Spring, 2018); and the European Criminal Bar Association, Oslo (Spring, 2018).

She is a member of the Fraud Lawyers Association, European Criminal Bar Association, European Fraud and Compliance Association, and the Female Fraud Forum.

Rickards joined Greenberg Traurig in late 2021, in what has been reported as one of the largest nonmerger moves among London law firms; a total of 18 litigation lawyers joined the firms London office. The wholesale move of these 18 litigation lawyers created an expanded litigation, regulatory, and white collar hub of more than 40 lawyers designed to meet the needs of clients with multidisciplinary requirements on a global scale.

Costelloe is a former lawyer and prosecutor for the UKs Serious Fraud Office. His practice is focused on business crime investigation, defence, compliance, and risk mitigation. He is experienced in liaising with overseas law enforcement including the U.S. Department of Justice and Securities & Exchange Commission as well domestic UK law enforcement.

Swan focuses on white collar crime, including allegations of bribery and corruption, fraud, and money laundering. Alex has experience advising high-profile individuals and corporates at all stages of domestic investigations and prosecutions. His portfolio of work regularly involves complex cross-border matters, including handling domestic cases with parallel investigations or prosecutions taking place in other jurisdictions, such as France, Gibraltar, India, and the United States.

About Greenberg Traurigs White Collar Defence & Special Investigations Practice: Greenberg Traurigs White Collar Defence & Special Investigations Practice defends companies and individuals in a wide range of criminal, civil and regulatory enforcement proceedings around the world. Our team of over 70 lawyers in the U.S., Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific are at the forefront of white collar defense, with representative experience involving alleged securities and commodities fraud, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations, health care/pharmaceutical fraud, environmental crimes, money laundering, financial services fraud, public corruption/campaign finance, tax corruption, defense contracting, and bankruptcy fraud.

About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2400 attorneys in 43 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm, often recognized for its focus on philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono, reported gross revenue of over $2 Billion for FY 2021. The firm is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law 100, Am Law Global 100, NLJ 250, and Law360 (US) 400. On the debut 2022 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard, it is a Top 15 firm. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab and net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com.
Michaels years of success and experience in securities and corporate law, and specifically the broker-dealer space, enables him to advocate strategically with clients and the firm.Michelle L. Jacko, Founder and Managing Partner of Jacko Law Group, PC. 

Jacko Law Group, PC ("JLG"), a San Diego-based law firm that provides securities and corporate counsel to the financial industry and beyond, announced that it has added Senior Attorney Michael Blackburn. Mr. Blackburns practice areas include SEC and FINRA Regulatory Counsel, Corporate Law, Governance and Due Diligence, Real Estate Law, and Intellectual Property.

We are very excited to have another highly experienced securities regulatory counsel joining Jacko Law Group, said Michelle L. Jacko, Founder and Managing Partner of Jacko Law Group, PC. Michaels years of success and experience in securities and corporate law, and specifically the broker-dealer space, enables him to advocate strategically with clients and the firm.

I am honored to be working alongside attorneys who are industry thought-leaders in securities, M&A, and corporate law, said Blackburn. I am thrilled to bring my skill set and areas of expertise to this knowledgeable group of professionals. I look forward to aiding clients and collaborating with the Jacko Law Group team towards solutions for advancement and innovation within the industry, Blackburn added.

Mr. Blackburn has served as Chief Compliance Officer and legal counsel for multiple FINRA and SEC-regulated entities. Michael is a seasoned leader, holding his Anti-Money Laundering Specialist Certification (CAMS) and FINRA series 7, 24, and 63 licenses.

Prior to joining JLG, Mr. Blackburn served as outside general counsel for TENICA and Associates LLC, where he oversaw legal matters for the well-known IT-consulting firm. Michaels specialties included intellectual property, real estate and corporate law matters. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President of Compliance and a Chief Compliance Officer for multiple investment advisory and broker-dealer firms in New York City. These firms included Rockefeller Capital Management, PJ Solomon Securities LLC, and DeMatteo Research LLC. It was within these positions that he developed a deep passion and understanding for the financial securities industry.

I am excited about this opportunity, and I am thrilled to be working with Michelle and the rest of the Jacko Law Group team, said Blackburn. How they apply their knowledge and experience within the corporate law and across multiple industry is exciting, and I am thrilled to be joining the team.

Mr. Blackburn earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the Touro School of Law in 2014, graduating with a 4.0 GPA and where he received the CALI Award for Oral Argument Skill.

Mr. Blackburn also was an Editor of the Law Review. Previous to graduating from the Touro School of Law, Michael received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Hofstra University in 2011. He is currently admitted and in good standing with the NY State Bar.

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About Jacko Law Group

Jacko Law Group, PC is a full-service dedicated team of professionals with extensive expertise in the securities, corporate and financial industries. Jacko Law Group, PC serves registered investment advisers, broker-dealers, private equity firms, hedge funds, investment companies, financial advisors, and corporate organizations of all sizes across America with headquarters in San Diego and additional offices in other major markets, including Los Angeles and San Francisco. Jacko Law Group, PC offers tailored, comprehensive legal services to registered investment advisers, broker-dealers, private equity and hedge funds, financial professionals and organizations of all sizes. From SEC regulatory exams and investment adviser counsel to private equity concerns and general corporate counsel, our team is well-equipped to provide the sophisticated legal insight and advocacy our clients require. Jacko Law Group, PC, its Managing Partner & Founder, Michelle Jacko is a proud member of the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL). Jacko Law Group, PC is a team of like-minded legal professionals, trusted partners and thought leaders who bring deep industry knowledge and experience to the table. For more information, please visit http://www.jackolg.com.

Contact:

Aimee Lastrella

Marketing Specialist

Jacko Law Group, PC

aimee.lastrella@jackolg.com

T: 619.298.2880 | F: 619.298.2882
Jill Feinberg, Vice President of Development and External Affairs at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital, has been named to The Daily Records 2022 Marylands Top 100 Women list. Jill has made a positive and lasting impact on our organization through her leadership, community involvement, and mentoring.

Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital (MWPH), a leader in pediatric care for 100 years, is proud to announce that Jill Feinberg, Vice President of Development and External Affairs, has been named to The Daily Records 2022 Marylands Top 100 Women list.

It comes as no surprise that Jill was selected as one of Marylands Top 100 Women, said Sheldon Stein, MWPH President and CEO. During her five years overseeing development and external affairs, Jill has made a positive and lasting impact on our organization through her leadership, community involvement, and mentoring. Im constantly wowed by her ability to successfully manage so many different initiatives, people, and moving parts.

Jill leads MWPHs 10-person development, marketing, and community benefit team, supports the Foundation Board, and manages three consulting firms. She is currently tasked with overseeing the hospitals largest capital campaign in its 100-year history and recently launched a year-long awareness campaign to celebrate its centennial. Dedicated to her community, Jill has spent five years on Baltimore Hebrew Congregations board and was recently elected as Vice President for the upcoming term. Additionally, Jill is a board member of the Fund for Educational Excellence, a member of the University of Maryland Parent Advisory Council, and was selected into GBCs The Leaderships class of 2020-2022.

"This year's Maryland's Top 100 Women work hard, play hard, and create better lives for their teams, their networks, and their families. They are inclusive change agents who are not afraid to face adversity and stand up for what they believe," said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, senior group publisher of The Daily Record. "Their community impact and commitment to mentoring are outstanding. We at The Daily Record are proud to honor them."

Marylands Top 100 Women was founded in 1996 to recognize outstanding achievements by women demonstrated through professional accomplishments, community leadership, and mentoring. More than 1,700 women have been presented with the honor over the years. Over 450 nominations were received this year, and the final applications were reviewed by a panel of business professionals, previous Marylands Top 100 Women honorees from throughout the state, and a representative of The Daily Record.

Jill will be profiled in a special magazine that will be inserted into the May 10 issue of The Daily Record and will be available online at TheDailyRecord.com. The Top 100 Women winners will be honored at a reception and awards celebration on May 9 at 4:30 p.m. at the University of Maryland Riggs Alumni Center, 7801 Alumni Drive in College Park.

About Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital: Celebrating 100 Years

Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital celebrates 100 years of providing family-focused, coordinated care to all children, including those with serious, chronic, or complex medical needs. MWPH was founded in 1922 by Hortense Kahn Eliasberg, who sought to open a home where children could safely recover from illness and surgery. Today, 100 years stronger, the hospital treats more than 8,500 patients each year, helping them to heal, grow, and learn the skills that lead to happier, more independent lives. The 102-bed hospital is a jointly owned affiliate of the University of Maryland Medical System and Johns Hopkins Medicine with locations in Baltimore City, Prince Georges County, Harford County, via Telehealth, and in the community. For more information, please visit mwph.org.

About The Daily Record

The Daily Record is a digital first, daily newsroom with frequent updates on business and law at TheDailyRecord.com. The Daily Record publishes a print edition on weekdays in addition to more than 25 special products a year including Power Lists ranking the key people in Maryland in a variety of industries, Doing Business in Maryland, Way to Be and Expanding Opportunities. It also focuses on women business leaders with Women's Perspectives, including a monthly podcast, webinar series, every-other-week email newsletter and a special quarterly print content package along with Maryland's Top 100 Women, Leading Women and Women's Leadership Summit events. The Daily Record hosts 11 annual events to recognize excellence and provide leadership opportunities. These events include Most Admired CEOs, Influential Marylanders, Health Care Heroes, Icon Honors and more. The Daily Record also facilitates monthly webinars bringing local experts from the business community together to discuss current topics and trends. Its Digital Marketing Solutions helps customers with social media, search engine marketing and optimization, retargeting, email marketing and more. The Daily Record, with 134 years of editorial excellence, is part of BridgeTower Media, one of the countrys leading business-to-business media companies with more than 40 print and digital publications in more than 25 U.S. markets.
Working with Palomar College, we are able to create a clear and quick pathway for students and working nurses toward better opportunities and greater contributions. - Randy C. Frisch, NU Interim President

National University and Palomar College have partnered to create a new path for nursing students and professional nurses to more quickly earn advanced nursing degrees, save money on their education costs, and position themselves for better career opportunities after graduation.

At National University, our mission is to provide workforce-relevant education to working adults, who can then go on to meet their goals and make meaningful contributions to society, National University Interim President Randy C. Frisch said. Working with Palomar College, we are able to create a clear and quick pathway for students and working nurses toward better opportunities and greater contributions.

The nursing program at National University (NU), a non-profit with a 50-year history of serving adult learners, includes a pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program which is one of the largest in California. The program serves students in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Fresno. Other programs include the registered nurse (RN) to BSN, RN to Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), and MSN with specializations as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). Students also have opportunities to pursue post-graduate certifications as FNPs or MHNPs.

We are excited to partner with National University on this groundbreaking effort to provide our frontline healthcare workers with the training and certification they need in less time and at a lower cost, said Palomar College Superintendent/President Dr. Star Rivera-Lacey. This will give our nursing students a direct pathway to a bachelors degree, leading to better prospects and more options after graduation.

The partnership creates a pipeline for students seeking their associates level Registered Nurse degrees and working RNs to quickly and easily transition to the NU Bachelors program, saving time by allowing them to take classes that simultaneously apply to both programs, saving money through 25 percent and 50 percent scholarship opportunities, and making themselves more competitive in the job market.

A nurse with a BSN has an advantage with increased qualifications and career advancement options. Nurses who earn a BSN are also able to pursue other nursing career paths, including advanced education, administration, and teaching, that are not available to nurses without a bachelors degree.

Palomar College graduates an average of 40 RN students every semester, all of whom could benefit from this new RN to BSN program. Starting in June of 2022, there will be an exclusively online RN-BSN cohort for RN Palomar College students and alumni. Once accreditation agencies approve the program for onsite instruction, it will be offered at Palomar Colleges Rancho Bernardo location.

Working through the RN to BSN program, nursing students with associates degrees can complete their bachelors degrees in as few as eight to 11 months, take one-subject-per-month classes designed to allow them to continue working full time, enroll at any time in order to fit their schedules, gain hands-on experience working with leaders and community partners, and become eligible for the California Public Health Nurse (PHN) certificate upon graduation.

About National University: National University, a veteran-founded nonprofit, has been dedicated to meeting the needs of hard-working adults by providing accessible, affordable, achievable higher education opportunities since 1971. As San Diegos largest private nonprofit university, NU offers over 75 online and on-campus programs and flexible four-week classes designed to help students reach their goals while balancing busy lives. Since its founding, the NU community has grown to over 30,000 students and 185,000 alumni around the globe, many of whom serve in helping industries such as business, education, health care, cybersecurity, and law and criminal justice. Learn more at NU.edu.

About Palomar College: Palomar College is a public two-year community college. Palomar College has four campus locations in San Diego County (Rancho Bernardo, Escondido, Fallbrook, and the main campus in San Marcos). A National University office is located on the second floor at the Palomar College, Rancho Bernardo location. Palomar enrolls approximately 25,000 full-time and part-time students. Residents of California are charged only $46 per unit. At Palomar, students may choose from more than 200 associate degree and certificate programs, complete the first two years of a bachelors degree, train for a career, or enjoy personal enrichment classes for lifelong learning.
Rentec Direct announces integration with RentReporters, giving renters the option to report on time rent payment information to credit bureaus. "We bridge the gap between renters who want their rent payments reported and landlords who need an automated solution to do so, explains Nathan Miller, President of Rentec Direct.

Award-winning property management software company, Rentec Direct, announced a new integration with RentReporters, a rental reporting service that reports on time rent payment information to credit bureaus. This integration creates an automated system for Rentec Direct landlords and property managers to share rent payment data with credit bureaus, giving their renters a credit boost.

RentReporters gives renters the option to report on time rent payment information to credit bureaus by communicating directly with a renters landlord or property manager to verify payment details.

"If you pay your single largest monthly expense on time, you deserve credit for it. That's been our mission since day one," says John Simpson, CEO RentReporters. "Our integration with Rentec Direct allows us to bring better credit and better lives to more of the renter community. We look forward to working with a company that shares our vision for better access to credit."

By integrating with Rentec Direct property management software, landlords and property managers can automatically verify payment details to RentReporters, who will share this data with credit bureaus. This service allows renters to add positive payment history to their credit report and will also establish credit history for renters who dont have credit.

RentReporters is making a positive impact on the rental industry by giving renters the chance to use their rent payments to improve their credit, explains Nathan Miller, President of Rentec Direct. We want the process to be as easy as possible for landlords and property managers to help their renters improve their credit, which is why we chose to integrate with RentReporters. We bridge the gap between renters who want their rent payments reported and landlords who need an automated solution to do so.

To use the service, Rentec Direct landlords and property managers invite their residents to sign up for RentReporters in the Rentec Direct Tenant Portal. Once a renter has a RentReporters account, up to 2 years of rent payment history will be automatically reported to the credit bureaus. Once their rent payments are reported through the service a renters credit score can improve by an average of 40 points within 10 days, according to RentReporters.

Rent payments are one of the biggest expenses in a renter's budget, says Miller. It makes sense that these routine payments should be accounted for in a renters credit history. RentReporters is making this possible for renters to let their rent payment history improve their credit and we are proud to be an integrated part of this process.

To learn more about the integration between Rentec Direct and RentReporters visit: https://www.rentecdirect.com/blog/rentec-direct-helps-renters-boost-their-credit-score-with-rentreporters/

About Rentec Direct

Rentec Direct offers industry-leading property management software and tenant screening solutions for real estate professionals. Features include online rent payments, tenant and owner portals, the industrys largest vacancy listing syndication network, full property, tenant, and owner accounting, 1099-MISC reporting and more. Rentec Direct was recognized as Real Estate Company of the Year in the 2021 American Business Awards, was named one of the Most Customer Friendly Companies of the Year in the 2021 Best in Biz Awards, has been named to the Inc. 5000 List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies for five years in a row (as of 2021), and was also included on the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Entrepreneur360 list for Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America. http://www.rentecdirect.com
The Liberation of John Gruneburg: a cerebral work that explores personal and mental health challenges. The Liberation of John Gruneburg is the creation of published author Robert H. Laudeman, a retired federal employee with years of experience creating technical documents and reports in both industry and government

Laudeman shares, The Liberation of John Gruneburg is a suspense novel whose theme is the timeless struggle of good over evil. This fictional narrative focuses on an exceptional Naval Officer who is devoted to duty, honor, and country.

The main character, John Gruneburg, struggles to escape from memories of his past. He becomes his own defender and prosecutor, knowing his past actions were wrong while trying to justify why he did not have the moral strength to reject the unethical orders imposed upon him. Reoccurring nightmares, tied to Johns violent past and connected to his entanglement with a top-secret CIA covert operation, lead to Johns treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Always loyal to the chain of command, John perseveres to complete each mission, being told that he is saving American lives. Psychologically broken, his sense of right versus wrong is overshadowed by his dedication to duty. Lifelong family friends come to his rescue by combining their energies to support Johns struggle to avoid the efforts of corrupt officials to frame him for crimes that he did not commit. In the end, John finds liberation from his past through the inspiration and support of dedicated friends and colleagues.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Robert H. Laudemans new book is a compelling and revamped second edition.

Laudeman offers readers an engaging fiction that will have readers on the edge of their seats as they witness an honorable mans struggle.

Consumers can purchase The Liberation of John Gruneburg at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about The Liberation of John Gruneburg, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Companies coming out of this intensive program are truly ready to talk to angel and venture capital investors and provide well-thought-out, coherent due diligence that facilitates investment.

In a move that will accelerate the funding knowledge and business-building skills of Colorado startups, Rockies Venture Club today announced it is offering its HyperAccelerator program at no cost to Colorado-based entrepreneurs developing companies in the states seven Advanced Industries. These industries include advanced manufacturing, aerospace, bioscience, electronics, energy and natural resources, infrastructure engineering, and technology and information.

The HyperAccelerator is a robust mentor-driven, practical educational program for companies ready to raise capital immediately or within the next six months. Developed and delivered by experienced investors, the intense weeklong program follows a Learn, Do, Present and Defend model that dives deep into what investors want to know about a company, including business strategy, due diligence, proformas, valuations, term sheets and fundraising. The program closes with a Demo Day to kick off syndicated investment that includes more than 100 accredited investors and startup supporters in attendance.

The HyperAccelerator fills a gap that other accelerators dont cover, said Peter Adams, Rockies Venture Club executive director. Companies coming out of this intensive program are truly ready to talk to angel and venture capital investors and provide well-thought-out and coherent due diligence that facilitates investment.

To date, more than 110 startup companies across 17 cohorts have participated in RVCs HyperAccelerators since 2015.

The Summer 2022 RVC HyperAccelerator will run from June 20 through June 25. The HyperAccelerator and Demo Day will be held live in Denver with a virtual option for remote participants.

The Rockies Venture Club HyperAccelerator is made available at no cost to Colorado founders through a grant from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

To Apply: Founders and prospective mentors interested in applying to the HyperAccelerator can visit http://www.hyperaccelerator.org. The deadline for applications is May 21, 2022. A fully refundable deposit of $200 is required at registration to reserve a place in the program and will be reimbursed upon graduation.

About Rockies Venture Club: Rockies Venture Club, a nonprofit organization, is the longest running angel investing group in the U.S., founded in 1985. Its mission is to advance economic development by actively connecting the most promising entrepreneurial companies with angel investors, venture capitalists and other community members. Each year, Rockies Venture Club offers more than 140 educational programs, mastermind groups, angel forums and two major conferences for both investors and entrepreneurs leading to over 25 investments per year.

Rockies Venture Club HyperAccelerator, HyperAccelerator and Hyperaccelerator are registered trademarks of the Rockies Venture Club.

Contact:

Pam Peccolo

Rockies Venture Club

Director of Partnerships

(720) 479-8217

pam@rockiesventureclub.org

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Roland DGA's new Atlanta Imagination Center houses the company's newest digital devices, including advanced large-format inkjet printers, making it easy to see these innovative machines in action. These regional offices  alongside our network of world-class resellers, roadshow program, and strong online presence  ensure our customers and partners can engage with us and see Roland DGA products in any way that suits them best." Andrew Oransky, Roland DGA President and CEO

Roland DGA Corporation, a leading provider of wide-format inkjet printers, vinyl cutters, 3D milling machines, and other innovative digital devices, has opened a new regional office in Atlanta, Georgia  the Atlanta Imagination Center  which will allow customers, prospects and partners to access Roland DGAs latest technologies in this important and popular region of the country.

The Atlanta Imagination Center houses many of Roland DGAs newest and best-selling products, including the recently launched third-generation TrueVIS Series printer/cutters, allowing visitors to see the impressive capabilities of these state-of-the-art devices firsthand through live product demonstrations. Staffed by experienced application specialists, the new 5,600 square-foot facility will also serve as a hub for both in-person and virtual training and events.

Roland DGA conducted a grand opening event for the new Imagination Center on May 3, in conjunction with the start of ISA International Sign Expo 2022 in Atlanta. The well-attended afternoon event allowed invited sign and graphics industry professionals, already in the area to attend the Expo, to be on hand for the festivities. The event included a welcome address by Roland DGA Vice President of Sales Amado Lara, an official ribbon-cutting ceremony and guided tours of the facility, plus a DJ, food and drinks.

We are thrilled about the opening of our new Atlanta Imagination Center, and we were pleased that so many people could join us to mark the occasion and celebrate with us, said Oransky. In addition to this new Atlanta office, we have another in Boston thats centrally located for those in the Northeast and one in the Toronto, Canada area as well, expanding Roland DGAs reach beyond our California headquarters. These regional offices  alongside our network of world-class resellers, roadshow program, and strong online presence  ensure our customers and partners can engage with us and see Roland DGA products in any way that suits them best.

For more information on the new Atlanta Roland DGA Imagination Center, visit rolanddga.com/company/contact. To learn more about Roland DGA Corporation, or the complete Roland DGA product line, visit https://www.rolanddga.com.

About Roland DGA Corporation

Roland DGA Corporation serves North and South America as the marketing, sales, distribution and service arm for Roland DG Corporation. Founded in 1981 and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Roland DG of Hamamatsu, Japan is a worldwide leader in wide-format inkjet printers for the sign, apparel, textile, personalization and vehicle graphics markets; engravers for awards, giftware and ADA signage; photo impact printers for direct part marking; and 3D printers and CNC milling machines for the dental CAD/CAM, rapid prototyping, part manufacturing and medical industries.
Sunday, May 1

On this date in 1859, Father Joseph P. Machebeuf was named the first American Catholic priest in Arizona.

On this date in 1880, The Tombstone Epitaph was established by publisher John P. Clum, who said, every tombstone needs an epitaph.

On this date in 1914, the University of Arizona was the site for a demonstration of the new four-wheel drive truck which had been successfully tested by the National Guard.

On this date in 1914, the funeral of Sara Sorin took place. Sorin was the first woman to be admitted to the Arizona Bar Association and she had practiced before the U.S. Supreme Court. She specialized in mining law.

On this date in 1930, major copper companies throughout Arizona announced a 5% cut in wages because of a four-cent per pound reduction in copper prices.

Monday, May 2

On this date in 1872, two earthquake shocks were felt in Yuma at 5:45 p.m.

On this date in 1873, the first legal hanging in the state is said to have taken place across the street from a school in Yuma. The teacher, not wanting her students to witness the hanging, dismissed classes for the day.

On this date in 1878, the first issue of the Arizona Silver Belt was published at Globe City which contained an editorial suggesting the word city be dropped from the towns name.

On this date in 1913, a gold nugget weighing 29 ounces (822 grams) and worth over $500 was brought in to Tucson by a man who had found it on the ground after a hard rain.

On this date in 1932, John Clum, Apache Indian agent, mayor of Tombstone and editor of the Tombstone Epitaph, died at age 80.

Tuesday, May 3

On this date in 1882, President Chester A. Arthur warned Arizona that he would place it under martial law unless it showed more respect for law and order. The warning was directed chiefly at Cochise County.

On this date in 1910, Harold Steinfeld, born and educated in Tucson, was made assistant general manager of Macys Department Store in New York.

On this date in 1913, two motorcycles set a speed record for the Tucson-Nogales run. Their total time was three hours and five minutes.

Wednesday, May 4

On this date in 1887, a heavy earthquake hit most of the state at 2:12 p.m. In Tucson the few two-story buildings swayed threateningly, clocks were stopped and entire mountain sides in the Catalinas gave way with great clouds of dust visible for days afterward. Volcanoes were reported in the Dragoon Mountains and other mountain ranges.

On this date in 1897, the Tucson chief of police asked the city council for a horse and saddle or a buggy for patrolling the town, but his request was refused because it would cost $12 a month to feed the horse.

On this date in 1898, the Arizona Column of the Rough Riders left Prescott for Cuba amidst the greatest demonstration in that citys history.

On this date in 1919, Tucson boys from the 158th Infantry came home from France.

On this date in 1929, the largest single land deal in the history of Yuma County to that date was consummated with the sale of 30,000 acres of land in the San Christobal Valley to a California syndicate for the purpose of growing dates, citrus fruits and pecans.

Thursday, May 5

On this date in 1910, Tucson citizens celebrated the opening of the Tucson-West Coast of Mexico Railroad.

On this date in 1917, the state legislature appropriated funds to purchase the old governors mansion at Prescott with the provision that the property should be used as a museum.

On this date in 1929, a company with main offices is Tulsa, Okla., took over 79 mining claims in Chloride, Arizona. The combined mining claims had a shipping record of over $1 million in copper, silver, lead and gold.

Friday, May 6

On this date in 1896, the Bisbee Daily Review newspaper was established.

On this date in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt made his first trip to the Grand Canyon.

On this date in 1908, the federal government ordered all river steamers to be equipped with fog bells, including those that travel on the Colorado River where there are no fogs. River Capt. Jack Mellon said the order would be followed, but said, its a good deal like ordering snow plows attached to all trains on the Yuma-Tucson division of the Southern Pacific.

On this date in 1909, Richard Sloan, Arizona Supreme Court Justice, became the last Territorial Governor.

Saturday, May 7

On this date in 1872, the first lawyers were admitted to practice law in Maricopa County.

On this date in 1913, Fred Maish, once a mayor of Tucson and wealthy cattleman of the Maish and Driscoll Cattle Co., died alone in an old adobe shack in Tucson at nearly 80 years of age.

On this date in 1916, the Yuma Game Warden reported that civil war in Mexico was scarring big game across the international line into the Yuma and Mohave Mountains.

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Sandler Partners, a leading independent technology solutions broker, and one of the nations fastest-growing private companies, welcomes Andrew Rustad to their growing Sales Engineering team. In his new role as Director, Sales Engineer  East, he will support Partners, and their customers, to identify solutions and help guide them towards crucial approaches, including cloud and cybersecurity, that organizations are embracing to be positioned competitively into the future.

For over 20 years, Andrew has been a presence in the Florida Channel, providing Sales Engineering expertise for brands both small and large. Andrew is respected and regarded highly for both his work ethic and aptitude for assessing critical business issues to deliver the highly effective solutions that meet customers needs. His extensive experience will help Eastern Partners deliver value to their customers, and be a resource for growing new and existing customer business.

Andy has a stellar background in a lot of different technology disciplines, states Gerry Davis, SVP of Sales Engineering, from UC and Contact Center, to Security and Advanced Networking, to emerging areas like IoT and Automation. This tremendous breadth of experience will help our Partners drive revenue while teaching them how to position and expand their sales across the spectrum. Partners can increase revenue, while going wide and deep within their accounts. I could not be more pleased to have Andy working directly with our East Coast Partners, and helping us nationally continue to develop education and push the envelope in our emerging technologies.

Andrew will play a key role in Sandler Partners East Coast operations, providing direct hands-on sales engineering support. While Sandler Partners is known for this kind of active support, and nurturing the Human Element, Partners also have access to 24/7 real-time empowerment via the Sandler Portal suite of enhanced online tools. Leading the way with intelligence and expertise, both human and tool-based, is just part of the story of how Sandler Partners helps Partners thrive."

About Sandler Partners

Sandler Partners is Americas fastest-growing technology solutions brokerage and distributor of connectivity and cloud services. In 2021, Sandler Partners was included on the Inc. 5000 list of Americas Fastest-Growing Private Companies for the 12th straight year. Over the years theyve expanded beyond their telecom roots to deliver best-in-class cloud, colocation, mobility, continuity, and security solutions from 200+ suppliers through a network of 9,000+ expert technology sales Partners  agents, VARs, and MSPs  to thousands of small, medium, and enterprise organizations nationwide.

How Partners Benefit

Independently owned. Independent spirit. The Sandler Partners community gains access to an industry-leading support network of sales, marketing and engineering professionals, plus the Sandler Portals Marketing Center (with customizable campaigns), and sales tools like SCOUTs real-time cable pricing and the Solution Finder. Sandler Partners also have the industrys strongest agreements and a team with a proven track record of ensuring all commissions are found, tracked, and paid.
Stevie Awards

Shaip has won Silver in the 20th Annual American Business Awards and Bronze in the 9th Annual Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, in the category - Startup of the Year (Business Services Industries) and Most Innovative Tech Startup of the Year (Services) respectively.

The winning nominations are among Shaips solution that helps organizations with all aspects of AI training data (i.e., data licensing, collection, transcription, annotation & de-identification) to solve their most demanding AI initiatives enabling smarter, faster, and, better results. We can quickly scale and exceed quality KPIs to help you jump-start your AI Project.

Vatsal Ghiya, CEO, Shaip, said, It gives us immense pleasure to have received the prestigious awards. We continuously thrive on innovation to build capabilities around next-gen tech to offer best-of-breed AI solutions to multiple Fortune 500 companies. We are are overwhelmed with the tremendous growth across all our products & services, and are confident that our upcoming ShaipCloud 2.0 Platform will further fuel the growth required to win the prestigious award next year.

The 20th Annual American Business Awards and 9th Annual Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards attracted many remarkable nominations, said Stevie Awards president Maggie Miller. The organizations that won this year have demonstrated that they have continued to innovate and succeed despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and we applaud them for their perseverance and creativity.

Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word for crowned, The Stevie Awards are widely considered to be the worlds premier business awards. More than 3,700 nominations were considered in the judging process by more than 240 professionals, whose average scores determined the winners of The American Business Awards, whereas more than 900 nominations from 29 nations, were considered in the judging process by more than 100 professionals, whose average scores determined the winners of the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

About the Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: The American Business Awards, the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more at http://www.stevieawards.com.

About Shaip

Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Shaip is a fully managed data platform designed for companies looking to solve their most demanding AI challenges enabling smarter, faster, and better results. Shaip supports all aspects of AI training data from data collection, licensing, labeling, transcribing, and de-identifying by seamlessly scaling our people, platform, & processes to help companies develop their AI and ML models. To learn how to make your data science team and leaders life easier, visit us at http://www.shaip.com.
Sudoc selected by Fast Company for its 2022 World Changing Ideas Award Sudoc's sustainable chemistry platform is the foundation for a series of brands that promise to change how we think about cleaning products and a range of other applications. This chemistry truly has the ability to reduce the chemical burden of our planet.  Roger Berry, Founder & CEO

Sudoc, Inc (Sudoc), a new chemical industry company committed to environmental sustainability, has been recognized by Fast Company as a 2022 World Changing Idea. Sudocs NewTAML chemistry is a platform technology with remarkable oxidation capabilities that replace and eliminate toxic chemicals in a wide range of cleaning and environmental treatment applications. The Fast Company award comes after Sudoc was recently named a Top Ten Start-Up to Watch by Chemical & Engineering News and demonstrates the momentum being built by the company and its sustainable chemistry.

Fast Companys World Changing Ideas program annually awards organizations, businesses, products, concepts, and policies that are generating innovation for the benefit of society and the planet. In this sixth annual selection, there were several new categories and pioneering ideas highlighted for leading change in the world. Sudoc was selected for Fast Companys On the Rise category of World Changing Ideas. Winners in other categories include Ford Motor Company, Johnson & Johnson, and Siemens Corporation.

With a mission to outperform toxic chemicals to remove them from our planet, Sudoc is a different kind of chemical company.

A Founder and CEO of Sudoc, Roger Berry, states We are honored to be recognized by Fast Company and included among a prestigious group of companies contributing to a sustainable future. Sudocs sustainable chemistry platform is the foundation for a series of brands  Dot, Neat, and Umo to start -- that promise to change how we think about cleaning products, water treatment solutions, waste pharmaceutical disposal, pesticides, and a range of other applications. This chemistry truly has the ability to reduce the chemical burden of our planet and every household. We are very proud that Fast Company has recognized the importance of this mission.

Dr. Terry Collins, a Founder of Sudoc and Head of Carnegie Mellons Institute for Green Science who has led the development of TAML chemistry, comments Its just so important that we change the way we think about and use chemicals. Our planets chemical burden threatens life itself. Sudoc is our contribution to how we answer to that challenge. I could not be more proud and grateful.

The principal investor in Sudoc, Hunter Lewis, a pioneering innovator and former CEO of Cambridge Associates LLC, states Over the last hundred plus years, industry has continued to pour chemical after chemical into our environment to the point where we are doing serious damage to life of all kinds. We have to change course and reduce our chemical burden. That is the fundamental mission of Sudoc. That is why we have made a substantial investment in this important company. I applaud the Sudoc team for its work and believe its chemistry does in fact stand as a World Changing Idea. Thank you to Fast Company for recognizing the importance of this mission.

Sudoc is in business to put chemistry in balance with nature. Formed in 2020 with operations in Cambridge, MA, Charlottesville, VA, and Pittsburgh, PA, Sudoc is committed to developing products that reduce chemical burden in a range of applications. Sudoc is a mission-driven company, and its shareholding structure reflects that commitment. Sudocs largest shareholder is a pair of Trusts established by Dr. Collins and Dr. Pete Myers, a Sudoc Founder and Co-Author of Our Stolen Future, that as the company grows will fund research into the problem of endocrine disrupting chemicalstoxic chemicals that disrupt the hormone systems of living beings, reducing human fertility, increasing disease states, and adversely affecting developmental behavior. Our Stolen Future was one of the first books to link our planets chemical enterprise with the problem of endocrine disruption.

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About Sudoc

Sudoc is an innovative chemical industry startup developing a sustainable but powerful chemistry that can outperform toxic chemicals in many applications. Born from a breakthrough in science, our patent-protected catalysts developed at Carnegie Mellon Universitys Institute for Green Science, supercharge other chemicals to oxidize a wide variety of compounds. TAML catalysts yield faster, dramatically more active, yet controllable catalytic processes that have game-changing possibilities. Our first brand, Dot -- Dilute Oxidation Technology -- will use this chemistry to address a series of difficult cleaning problems beginning with mold stains. Dots simple dry powder formulation mixes with water on site, replacing highly toxic chemical liquids packaged in bulky plastic jugs. Dot Mold Stain Cleaner is more powerful, less toxic, and highly effective for professional mold remediators. Sudocs mission is to outperform toxic chemicals to remove them from our planet. Led by a world-class team, Sudoc is a business founded on the principle of doing well by doing good. To learn more, visit: https://www.sudoc.com
2022 Herb Alpert Award in the Arts Winners The ten artists we celebrate this year are explorers, unafraid of the unknown - Herb Alpert.

May 4, 2022 will mark the 28th annual celebration of the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts (HAAIA) and as in 2021, doubling of awardees, from five to ten risk-taking, mid-career artists  experimenters - who are challenging and transforming art, their respective disciplines, and society. Fifteen highly regarded leaders in the arts made up the panels reviewing the candidates and selecting two award recipients in each of five disciplines: dance, film/video, music, theatre and visual arts.

The 2022 Herb Alpert Award in the Arts winners

DANCE: Yanira Castro, nia love

FILM/VIDEO: Bani Khoshnoudi, Terence Nance

MUSIC: Tomeka Reid, Cory Smythe

THEATRE: Aleshea Harris, Virginia Grise

VISUAL ARTS: Guadalupe Maravilla, Martine Syms

The awards were founded and conceived by legendary musician, philanthropist and artist Herb Alpert, and his Grammy-winning vocalist wife, Lani Hall. Now in its 28th year, the HAAIA has to date been awarded to 140 artists. Each awardee receives a $75,000 unrestricted prize and residency at CalArts (California Institute of the Arts) which administers the prize on behalf of the Herb Alpert Foundation.

Herb Alpert and Lani Hall created the Herb Alpert Foundation in 1985 and over thirty years and more than $200 million dollars later, Herb Alpert remains one of Americas most important and loyal advocates for the arts and arts education.

Among the 140 past HAAIA winners are noted artists: Carrie Mae Weems, Taylor Mac, Suzan-Lori Parks, Julia Wolfe, Michelle Dorrance, Tania Bruguera, Kerry James Marshall, Lisa Kron, Sharon Lockhart, Ralph Lemon, Arthur Jafa, Cai Guo-Qiang, Okwui Okpokwasili and Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah to name a few.

Rona Sebastian, President of the Herb Alpert Foundation describes what drives the Alperts tireless commitment to the arts. "Support to artists, whose voices are the heart and soul of our democracy, has always been important to Herb and Lani. It led them to start the Herb Alpert Award 28 years ago. And now, as art makers and performing artists return fully to their creative lives, the Herb Alpert Foundation is delighted to champion ten of them.

Ravi Rajan, president of CalArts, which administers the award, adds, The generosity of Herb and Lani is legendary, and their work supporting artists to take risks, through The Alpert Awards, has propelled artmaking in this country for decades, " said CalArts President Ravi Rajan. "The list of past honorees is testament to how the award gives artists the space and time to create work that transforms the world.

Irene Borger, Director of HAAIA since its inception, reflects on this years Award: All ten artists, each with their singular voice, share a number of factors: they work across genres; they view audiences as participants; they provocatively connect the past to the present to imagine a new future.

The following summaries highlight why the 2022 panelists chose these ten extraordinary artists:

DANCE PANEL SUMMARY

The Dance Panel has selected choreographer, director, and educator nia love for her resilience, commitment and determination to make performances that tell urgent stories of human capacity, her innovative ways of moving, and an artistic practice that is looking back to imagine forward.

The Dance Panel has selected interdisciplinary artist and choreographer

Yanira Castro for her abundant intelligence imbued with humanity, commitment to progressive values, fierce advocacy for others and redefining the function of what an audience member brings to a performance.

DANCE PANELISTS

Roya Amirsoleymani - artistic director & curator of public engagement, Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Portland, OR

Thomas F. DeFrantz - performer, professor of theatre and performance studies, Northwestern University, Chicago

Olga Garay-English - international arts consultant, Los Angeles

FILM/VIDEO PANEL SUMMARY

The Film/Video Panel honors filmmaker and artist Bani Khoshnoudi for her distinctive ability to speak to the conditions of transience and exile, to consider complex ethical relationships, for her pursuit of the unspoken and under-represented, and her invigorating, empathetic, essential body of work.

The Film/Video Panel honors artist Terence Nance for his omnivorous curiosity, for his vision of cinema as portal, channel, cosmic material, divination tool, decolonizing work and experimental vernacular and for making radical insertions into the pop universe.

FILM/VIDEO PANELISTS

Romi Crawford - art historian, professor of Visual and Critical Studies, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago

Beatriz Santiago Munoz - artist, Herb Alpert Award Winner, San Juan, PR

Deborah Stratman - filmmaker/artist, professor of Art, University of Illinois at Chicago, Herb Alpert Award Winner, Chicago

MUSIC PANEL SUMMARY

The Music Panel celebrates cellist, improvisor, composer and organizer Tomeka Reid for her tremendous drive, perspicacity, and broad expressive capabilities. As a composer, her rigorous, dazzling music spans many idioms; as a performer she expands what the cello can do.

The Music Panel celebrates pianist, improviser, and composer Cory Smythe for his conceptual audacity, intellectual curiosity, fecundity of imagination, virtuosic performances, sonic innovations and diversity of expressive means, all of which extend ones notion of musicality.

MUSIC PANELISTS

George Lewis - composer, Edwin H. Case Professor of American Music, Composition & Historical Musicology - Columbia University, Herb Alpert Award winner, New York

Gustavo Matamoros - composer, interdisciplinary artist, founder, Subtropics Festival, Miami

Myra Melford - pianist, composer, improvisor, professor, UC Berkeley, Herb Alpert Award winner, Berkeley, CA

THEATRE PANEL SUMMARY

Interdisciplinary artist Virginia Grise was chosen by the Theatre Panel for her urgent and probing drama, fluid poetic forms, mammoth undertakings; for her generous, spirit-fueled practice, and, as a cause and creature of community, for converting craft to kinship, wish to mandate, and verse to plan of action.

The Theatre Panel chose playwright Aleshea Harris for her furious and playful vision, intense intellectual rigor and experimentations with form, her celebrations of Black life in the midst of historic, systemic, and present-day Black death, and for constructing a theatre that challenges not just the art of playwriting, but the cultural conversation it confronts.

THEATRE PANELISTS

Erik Ehn - playwright, educator, Herb Alpert Award winner, Albuquerque, NM

Maria Manuela Goyanes - Artistic Director, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Washington, D.C.

Lloyd Suh - playwright, Herb Alpert Award winner, South Orange, NJ

VISUAL ARTS PANEL SUMMARY

Artist and healer Guadalupe Maravilla was named Visual Arts prizewinner for his captivating practice and its dynamic sense of ethics and purpose. Through his sculpture, performance, and sound baths, he has transformed his personal understanding of trauma into a path of healing and service. The generosity embodied in his work upsets hierarchical relationships between artist and viewer, and unlocks the potential of the imagination.

Artist and filmmaker Martine Syms was named Visual Arts prizewinner for the resolutely unforgiving ways in which her work  contending with central issues of our time - combines profound ethical questioning with challenging aesthetic codes as she exercises command over bold image-making, birthing the radical imagination of the imminent future.

VISUAL ARTS PANELISTS

Cecilia Fajardo-Hill - independent curator, art historian, writer, Los Angeles

Eungie Joo - Curator of Contemporary Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco

Claire Tancons - curator, writer, researcher, Paris, works in situ

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About Herb Alpert

Herb Alpert is a musician, record producer and executive, sculptor, painter and philanthropist. His albums have sold over 72 million copies, and 29 of his records have reached the Billboard 200. Billboard also listed Alpert as #7 on their "Greatest Of All Time Billboard 200 Artists." He co-founded A&M Records with Jerry Moss in 1962 turning it into one of the most successful independent record labels in history. In 2012 Alpert was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

About the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts

The Herb Alpert Award in the Arts is an unrestricted prize of $75,000 given annually to risk-taking, mid-career artists working in the fields of dance, film/video, music, theatre and the visual arts. The prize was initiated and funded by the Herb Alpert Foundation and has been administered by the California Institute of the Arts since 1994. The Award honors and supports artists respected for their creativity, ingenuity, and bodies of work, at a moment in their lives when they are poised to propel their art in new and unpredictable directions. The Herb Alpert Award recognizes experimenters who are making something that matters within and beyond their field.

About The Herb Alpert Foundation

The Herb Alpert Foundation envisions a world in which all young people are blessed with opportunities that allow them to reach their potential and lead productive and fulfilling lives. Since its inception, the Foundation is dedicated to championing and investing in the Arts, primarily arts education, a focus on jazz, and support to professionals. This includes programs that see access to arts education as an issue of social justice and that the work of artists in society is what helps us not only to appreciate our differences but also to celebrate them.

This work often dovetails with the Foundations support in the area of Compassion and Well-Being, which invests in organizations that understand the importance of empathy and cooperation in our daily interactions with others and the positive effects inherent in restoring individuals and families abilities to stand independently. Please note: the Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.
Booktopia CEO Tony Nash announced he will step down from the role after the Australian online bookseller saw earnings plunge, despite a growth in sales. In the nine months to March 31, sales were up 9% to AUS$177.8 million ($126.2 million), units shipped rose 7% 6.75 million, but EBITDA was down 63% to AUS $5.5 million ($3.9 million), compared to the nine-month period in the previous financial year.

Part of the decline can be blamed on the lifting of lockdownswhich had helped the online retailer grow significantly in the past two yearsas well as a delay to the start of the academic year and fewer foreign students attending university in Australia. Perhaps the biggest factor overall was high costs association with the company distribution center, which it expanded in 2021 after its late 2020 IPO. The company is also battling the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) investigation into the company over allegedly false or misleading claims made to customers over their rights to get refunds.

Along with the announcement, Booktopia lowered its outlook for the full year, predicting total revenue of AUS $242 million ($172 million) and an EBITDA of between AUS $3 million ($2.1 million) and AUS $4 million ($2.85 million). That said, the company is anticipating an overall net loss, something which may be deeper than expected should the ACCC find the company guilty of violations and levy a fine.

In announcing his change of position, Nash defended his record. Building Booktopia from a budget of just $10 a day in 2004 into Australias leading online book retailer has been an incredibly rewarding journey, said Nash, adding. "As an entrepreneur, my natural talent is making the invisible visible. I look forward to continuing to find ways to grow the business while handing over the duties that come with being the CEO of a larger and listed entity, It's time to hand over the leadership reins to someone who is more capable than me at that job description. I am genuinely looking forward to working with, and for, the new CEO. Nash will continue as CEO until a replacement is found.
Renowned for his multidimensional roles as a jazz musician and arranger, composer, record producer, and for his work in film and TV, 89 year-old Quincy Jones, aka Q, has almost single-handedly managed to shape modern popular music over the course of seven decades. In his new book, 12 Notes: On Life and Creativity, out now from Abrams, Jones looks back over those decades to compile a compendium of inspiring aphorisms and experiential wisdom focused on the development of creativity and the power of self-expression.

Beginning with a shocking account of his mothers tragic and frightening struggle with mental illness, Jones looks back over the traumas of his life as well as his triumphsdiscovering the power of music in Seattle in the 1940s, his apprenticeship in jazz, and working with such stellar musical artists as Frank Sinatra, Dinah Washington, Count Basie, and Ray Charles, as well as producing Michael Jacksons Thriller, the best-selling record album of all time, and Jacksons all-star musical collaboration, We Are the World.

Publishers Weekly talked with Jones via email about how he turned personal tragedy into triumph, and how the study of music can bring harmony to your life.

Publishers Weekly: What inspired you to write 12 Notes?

Quincy Jones: I was very fortunate that as my lifes journey in music began, I had people who put me on their shoulders and taught me about music and the world so that I could achieve all of my dreams. People who shared their knowledge with me like Lionel Hampton, Ray Charles, Clark Terry, Count Basie, Benny Carter, and countless others. They all taught me lessons that I carry with me to this day and their knowledge and faith in my abilities is what helped me to get to where I am. For me, sharing that knowledge is just a natural inclination. 12 Notes is a way to impart some of my life lessons on to the next generation.

You wrote Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones in 2001 and Q on Producing (with Bill Gibson) in 2010. Is your latest book a continuation and synthesis of those books?

Not necessarily. Both of those earlier publications are more of a chronicle of my lifes journey and experiences. 12 Notes reflects some simple lifes lessons and principles based on my journey that I think can be applied to any aspect of life or work. Its a book that I wish I couldve had access to as a young person, especially as a young musician.

You experienced and overcame a lot of tragedy in your life. Does an artist have to experience trauma to produce great art?

Ive never subscribed to the idea of the tortured artist. Its a theory that gets mythologized and romanticized, and that is a dangerous principle to operate from because in reality, for every successful artist who has had trauma in their life, there are dozens upon dozens more who have not and are incredibly successful. It is true that for me music became a replacement for my not having a mother, and it was an outlet for me to express my emotions creatively. But that was my individual journey. I recommend avoiding the trauma, if you can, and just focus on making great art (laughs).

In the book you write about music being an equal combination of science (mathematical concepts) and soul (intuition). Could you expound on that?

Music and mathematics are the only two absolutes in the world, but music stands alone because it draws on both the left and right brain simultaneously. That is why music is the most emotionally powerful artform. You cant touch it, see it, taste or smell it. All you can do is feel it deep down in your soul. It can make you cry, laugh, dance, calm you or make you recall a memory. It is the only medium that has the ability to spark the entirety of the range of human emotions.

How are you able to keep such a positive, youthful attitude?

I have what I like to call serial curiosity and serial optimism. The embrace of both of those two traits keeps me going and keeps me excited about tomorrow. There is always something new coming over the horizon and if youre not paying attention and open to embracing it, it will run over you like a freight train. And most importantly do what you love, and love what you do. Love, laugh, live and give that is my mantra.

You are a jazz musician at your core. Does the mastery of that music allow you to be fluent in other musical genres?

Im a be-bopper/arranger at my core, but I always had an innate desire to learn all that I could about music. When I studied with the great classical music teacher and conductor Nadia Boulanger in Paris in the 1950s, she would say Quincy, there are only twelve notes. Until there is a thirteenth, learn everything that everyone has done with those twelve. And that is exactly what I did. That is my foundation, and because of it, there is nothing that gives me pause musically, or in any other medium that Im working in.

In the book you pay homage to your mentors, including your childhood friend Ray Charles, the legendary Count Basie, and to Boulanger. Tell us about the powerful advice given to you by the great tenor saxophonist Ben Webster.

On my first trip to Europe when I was 19, playing trumpet with Lionel Hamptons band, the great sax player Ben Webster pulled me aside and told me that if you really want to learn about people, wherever you go, eat the food the real people eat, listen to music the real people listen to, and learn thirty to forty words in every language. And that is exactly what I did and still do. Ive traveled the world hundreds-of-times over in my life and because of that simple piece of advice I received when I was nineteen, theres not a country on the planet that I dont feel comfortable in. And it doesnt apply just to musicians. Everyone should do it. The world would be a better place for it.

You lament in the book that the United States does not have a minister of culture. Why do you feel that it is important that such a department be established?

Ours is only one of two Western countries that doesnt have a Minister of Culture and I think it is a great detriment to our country, especially our young people, because they are disconnected from the entirety of our cultural heritage and its importance. It is Americas artistic contributions, especially its music, that is universally embraced by other cultures, pushing aside their own indigenous music and adopting ours as their Esperanto. I am of the mindset that you have to know where you come from to get to where youre going. The arts, particularly our music, are the soul of our country. They are an expression of our spiritual ideals and a timeline of the emotional state of our nation  scars and all. It is a disservice to every American to not recognize them in their proper light.

In many ways you have been our unofficial minister of culture. How do you feel about your leading role in shaping the culture of the world for seven decades?

That is very kind of you to say. Im just grateful that I was born at the time that I was, experienced all that I have, and been fortunate enough to live a wonderful life doing what I love to do. And Im not done yet.
Matt Hurley, a sales rep for Publishers Weekly from 1989 to 2011, died on April 22. He was 64.

Hurley first joined PW as Midwest sales manager in 1989, calling on accounts throughout the region. Over time, his responsibilities grew to include publisher accounts throughout the U.S., while also calling on publishers in Canada and northern Europe. Hurley also led the push to expand PWs coverage of religious and spirituality publishing in the 1990s, and coverage of that segment of the market was expanded again in 2011. Hurley saw the broadening of the religion market as part of his commitment to serving the needs of the changing publishing and bookselling community. Health issues forced Hurley to retire in late 2011 when he moved to Fort Pierce, Fla., where he remained active in many volunteer activities.

Cevin Bryerman, PW publisher and CEO and Hurleys former boss, recalled Hurley as a great colleague committed to doing what was right for his clients. Matt was a friendly, gregarious colleague and a pleasure to work with. He was a true professional in every sense, dedicated to helping publishers find the best way to reach their trade clients. Most importantly, Matt was a good friend. The PW family mourns his loss.

A celebration of Hurleys life and a traditional Irish wake will be held June 14 at St. Benedicts Church in Fontana, Wis. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Benedicts Church Choir in Fontana.
The first day of the ECPAs Leadership Summit in Philadelphia concluded with the 2022 Christian Book Awards on May 3, honoring the years best in Christian publishing. The kick-off events were well-attended, with most saying it was their first industry outing since before the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

Anglican priest Tish Harrison Warren took the nights top honor, the Christian Book of the Year, for Prayer in the Night (IVP), which explores themes of vulnerability, suffering, and the nature of God, framed around the nighttime prayer of Compline. The book also won in the ECPAs Christian Living category. Accepting the award on Warrens behalf, IVP v-p of editorial & associate publisher, trade Cindy Bunch said every word in Prayer in the Night speaks to the current moment, and credited Gods timing. Warren is also the author of Liturgy of the Ordinary.

Timothy Keller received the Pinnacle Award in recognition of literary contributions and their impact on society as well as the church. The 71-year-old theologian is the founder of New York Citys Redeemer Presbyterian Church and author to over two dozen books, including most recently, Hope in Times of Fear (Viking). During a pre-recorded acceptance speech video, Keller referenced deep divisions among evangelicals as well as a time of fracture and warranted, rightful criticism among the denomination. He then exhorted evangelicals to seek to build bridges between tribes.

The evening also included remarks by Latasha Morrison, author of Be the Bridge (WaterBrook) who spoke of the power of books to changes mindsets and guide readers toward becoming the best version of themselves. She referenced Frederick Douglass' journey to literacy as an enslaved child and his work as an abolitionist and toward justice before asking, what if hed been silenced? Seek out voices from the fringe, Morrison told publishers in the room. Take a deep look, ask yourselves, have I perpetuated broken systems? Have I hindered access to all? Whose voices are missing? Where are the gaps in culture?

Michelle Ami Reyes was named new author of the year for Becoming All Things: How Small Changes Lead to Lasting Connections Across Cultures (Zondervan Reflective). In it, the Indian American writer, speaker, and activist explores the concept of cultural accommodation in 1 Corinthians 9:1923.

Max Lucados Whered My Giggle Go, illustrated by Sarah Jennings, won the childrens Christian Book Award. Lucado is the author of over 100 adult nonfiction books, including most recently, You Are Never Alone (Thomas Nelson). His next book with Thomas Nelson, You Were Made for this Moment, is slated for publication on Sept. 28.

Levi Luskos Roar Like a Lion: 90 Devotions to a Courageous Faith, illustrated by Catherine Pearson (Tommy Nelson), won the Young Peoples Literature Christian Book Award. Lusko, a pastor and radio personality, is also the author of Through the Eyes of a Lion, which delved into the death of his five-year-old daughter, Lenya.

Other 2022 Christian Book Award winners include Jemar Tisbys How to Fight Racism (Zondervan Reflective) in the faith and culture category; With Fresh Eyes by Karen Wingate (Kregel) in devotion and gift, and When Faith is Forbidden by Todd Nettleton (Moody) in the biography and memoir category.

For a full list of the winners, click here.
Ian Hyatt, the State Command Chief for the Rhode Island Air National Guard and Purdues chief information officer, is joined by Brig. Gen. Kimberly A. Baumann, Assistant Adjutant General for the Rhode Island Air National Guard, at his retirement ceremony in April. Baumann served as presiding officer for the event. (Photo provided)

When Ian Hyatt is not guiding Purdue Universitys systemwide information technology as head of Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP), he serves as the State Command Chief for the Rhode Island Air National Guard. Now, Hyatt is putting a cap on the military-side of his life, retiring after a distinguished 37-year career, including the last three decades as a national guardsman and senior non-commissioned officer with the Rhode Island Air National Guard.

Departing after 37 years turns out to be tough, Hyatt says. While there is a little relief from duties and responsibilities, I also feel some sadness at the lost connections, and worry about the folks that still serve that I cant be there for going forward.

A retirement ceremony was held in Hyatts honor on April 2 at the Quonset Air National Guard Base in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Brig. Gen. Kimberly A. Baumann, Assistant Adjutant General for the Rhode Island Air National Guard, was the presiding officer for the event.

Chief Master Sergeant Ian Hyatt has directly and indirectly guided the almost 1,100 Airmen of the Rhode Island Air National Guard to successfully prepare for and excel in mission and life challenges, Baumann says.

As a senior leader, I have relied on Ian for honest feedback and perspectives from the workforce to enable better decision-making. With his leadership, strategic thinking and understanding of every mission, he has managed to ensure smooth operations and positive morale. In addition, the relationships and trust he has built with his army peers have been a joint force multiplier in protecting life and property in the state, she says.

As the State Command Chief for the Rhode Island Air National Guard since January 2019, Hyatt represented the highest level of enlisted leadership directly responsible for the management, training and discipline of all enlistees. He also advised the Adjutant General and the Assistant Adjutant General on quality-of-life issues and concerns of the enlistees.

Ive spent 69% of my life on Earth serving our country  all my adult life since I signed on the dotted line at age 17, Hyatt says. The U.S. Air Force came into existence September 18, 1947, so Ive had the honor of being an airman for 50% of the existence of the Air Force.

Highlights of his nearly four decades in the military are many, but Hyatt notes a few special moments of his career that stand out. Those include:

His deployment to the Iraq War in 2010 where he served as the First Sergeant for Security Forces at Sather Air Base. The U.S. secured its military air terminal operations for the war at Sather, which was located at Baghdad International Airport.

Deployment to Honduras in the 1990s with the Army/Air Force Joint Task Force 105, known as JTF Bravo, to build a road through the mountains to help residents and the economy.

Working in the 1980s for the Air Force Space Command at the Satellite Test Center, originally called Sunnyvale Air Force Station and later renamed Onizuka Air Force Station for Lt. Col. Ellison Onizuka, who died in the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger mission.

Being recognized in 2009 as First Sergeant of the Year for Rhode Island for contributing to impeccable inspections for over 10 years.

Change, he says, has been a way of life since the start of his military career in 1985. After the U.S. and Russia found common ground during the 1980s, Hyatt says he was forced to change his plans of becoming a security forces defender on a Ground Launched Cruise Missiles team in Europe.

Enter his new role as a computer and communications systems operator, assigned to the 1999th Communications Squadron at the Sunnyvale Air Force Station in California, earning a badge as part of Space Command.

Hyatt left active duty in October 1989 but decided he wanted to remain serving and joined the Rhode Island Air National Guard in December 1991.

And now, as he heads into retirement from the military, Hyatt reminds the Airmen and soldiers of the Rhode Island National Guard and other units to be ready for change as the one constant that remains.

Dont ever let failure deter you or define you, he says. Through all of this and over all the years, Ive always known that I could count on my brothers and sisters to my left and to my right, in all places, times and conditions to watch out for me, and I wouldnt give up a minute of any of it, the good, the bad, the ugly and everything in between.
Update: 04-05-2022 | 13:13:12

Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee and Fatherland Front Committee have solemnly held a get-together to celebrate the 47th anniversary of the South Liberation, National Unification Day (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2022) and the 132nd anniversary of President Ho Chi Minhs birthday (May 19, 1890 - May 19, 2022). The get-together took place when the Covid-19 pandemic in the province is under control, strongly recovering socio-economic development activities and making efforts in emulating and setting up achievements in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Binh Duong's construction and development.

Heroic tradition

In the warm, emotional and proud atmosphere of the get-together, Vo Van Minh, Vice-Secretary of provincial Party Committee, Chairman of provincial People's Committee reviewed the historical stages of the struggle for national liberation and unification. The speech of provincial People's Committee Chairman emphasized: Our nation's history of thousands of years associated with wars to defend the country has forged the spirit of self-control together indomitable will, helping the Vietnamese nation make resounding victories in fighting foreign invaders and defending the country.

Provincial leaders award the Party insignia to Party members at the event

The success of August Revolution in 1945 brought our people from being slaves to becoming the owners of a sovereign country. Not long ago, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was established, our people continued entering the long-term resistance war and won victory against French colonialists, completely defeating the new colonial war of the American empire. On April 30, 1975, the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign won completely. The South and the whole country were filled with red in celebration of the great festival - The great victory day of the whole nation, proving the great stature of Vietnamese peoples intelligence and spirit in the Ho Chi Minh era under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Together with the soldiers and people of the South and the whole country, despite being subjected to barbaric and brutal oppression, with a strong and indomitable will, and a firm belief in the leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, in the cause of national unification, Binh Duong's army and people under the leadership of provincial Party Committee fought bravely and achieved many resounding victories; made valuable contributions to Vietnamese military art. Those feats contributed to breaking and smashing the will of the US imperialists invasion, changing the situation of the battlefield. During the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign, the army and people of Thu Dau Mot rose up and completely defeated the puppet forces, smashed the puppet government apparatus and liberated the homeland, contributing to paving the way for our main troops on the offensive direction in the north of Saigon from Binh Duong to quickly attack the last stronghold of the puppet regime, successfully ending the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign, liberating the South, reunifying the country, ending 21 years of the resistance war against the US, 30 years of the fight for national liberation.

With great contributions to the cause of the resistance against the US for national independence and freedom, the Party Committee, army and people of Thu Dau Mot-Binh Duong were honored to be awarded the title of "Hero of the People's Armed Forces" by the Party and State in 1976.

Towards comprehensive development

The get-together is even more meaningful when the province has successfully organized a scientific workshop on "Following tradition, Binh Duong province with a quarter-century journey: Achievements and prospects". The workshop was an opportunity for the Party Committee, authorities and people of Binh Duong province to express their gratitude to their ancestors who worked hard to build, preserve and constantly cultivate the tradition of solidarity, dynamism, creativity and gratitude of the people of Song Be - Binh Duong. This was also an opportunity for domestic and foreign scientists, researchers, experts, scholars, entrepreneurs, managers to have research works and articles with multi-dimensional perspectives to participate in reviewing the overall development results of Binh Duong over the past 25 years; thereby learning from valuable experience and contributing to shaping the development path of Binh Duong province during the new period. Looking back at the 47-year journey after liberation and following the tradition, the 25-year journey of separation from Song Be province, Binh Duong province has been growing strongly from a locality with a low starting point in economy. The province has become a developing province with high speed of industrialization and urbanization in the southern key economic region, creating many imprints in socio-economic development, raising the material and spiritual lives of the people and the people can reach a full and happy life... ", emphasized Comrade Vo Van Minh's speech.

Provincial leaders attend the announcement ceremony of provincial People's Council's resolution on Thu Dau Mot park, activities to celebrate the 47th anniversary of the South Liberation and National Reunification Day; the 132nd anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birthday and the 10th founding anniversary of Thu Dau Mot city

Assessing the advantages, opportunities as well as challenges in the coming time, comrade Vo Van Minh stated a number of key tasks, including focusing on Covid-19 prevention and control, effectively implementing the local planning for the period of 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050; effectively carrying out Party building; continue implementing central resolutions, conclusions and directives, especially the conclusions of the 4th Plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee on accelerating Party building and rectification; focusing on directing and administering drastically, ensuring that the guidelines, tasks and solutions for the province's socio-economic recovery and development are implemented quickly and synchronously; ensuring workers' lives and jobs, further creating conditions and opportunities for each citizen to create a better and better life; firmly maintaining national defense - security; well implementing measures against crimes and social evils, strengthening external events, promoting Binh Duong's image, brand and development potential...towards the goal of creating important changes in both quantity and quality, both in awareness and action in all fields of society-economy, national defense - security, foreign affairs, Party building

Appreciating the great merits of generations of leaders, cadres, Party members, people from all strata and the business community to the development of Binh Duong province today, comrade Vo Van Minh affirmed: With the deep belief in the wise leadership of the Party, with the tradition of indomitability full of creativity, knowing how to uphold the strength of solidarity, the advantages of the local position in the resistance war, in construction and in the face of renewal requirements and for the success of the province's development process, provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee and Fatherland Front Committee fully believe that the whole political system and all comrades, compatriots, cadres, soldiers and people from all strata in the province will continue uniting closely, working together to overcome all challenges in order to obtain higher achievements, helping Binh Duong develop faster, more comprehensively, more sustainably, soon complete the goals and tasks of the Resolution of the 11th provincial Party Congress and the Resolution of the 13th national Party Congress.

At the get-together, provincial leaders awarded the second-class Labor Medal of the State President to Nguyen Thi Le Trinh, Chairwoman of provincial Red Cross Society; the third-class Labor Medal of the State President to provincial Farmers' Association for outstanding achievements in the 2016-2020 period, contributing to the cause of socialism building and national defense. On this occasion, provincial Party Standing Committee awarded the 30 to 75-year Party membership insignia to 263 Party members. This is the recognition of the Party for the dedication of comrades to the cause of national liberation, reunification, national construction-defense and the development of Song Be province - Binh Duong in particular.

Reported by Tri Dung-Translated by Kim Tin
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Tiffany G. Townsend, Ph.D. is eager to strengthen Purdue University Globals robust reputation as a leader in online education. She has been hired as vice president of organizational culture and chief diversity officer, beginning July 1 and reporting to Chancellor Frank Dooley as a member of the universitys senior leadership team.

In this newly created position, Townsend will support Purdue University Globals mission and strategy by fostering a learning environment that is diverse, inclusive and equitable for all students, faculty, staff and administrators. She will guide and implement diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at both the institutional and department levels, while supporting and building systems of inclusion through policies, procedures, practices, customs and leadership. In addition, Townsend will foster collaborative relationships within the Purdue University system to align strategies and initiatives.

As an online, public university that is tied to a very strong educational legacy, Purdue University Global is well positioned to dramatically change the landscape of higher education, particularly as it relates to making education more accessible and affordable to a vast array of students, Townsend said. I am extremely excited to join the team at Purdue Global, and I look forward to working with the Purdue Global community to reimagine higher education.

As a clinician and scholar, Townsend has worked for over two decades to ensure that all individuals, regardless of ethnicity, sex or socio-economic status, have access to the knowledge and resources necessary to facilitate healthy functioning and overall wellbeing.

The entire university is excited that Dr. Townsend is bringing her expertise, experience and insights to Purdue University Global, Dooley said. With her as a key member of our team, we will be a better and more relevant university.

Townsend comes to Purdue University Global from Augusta University, where she has held dual positions of chief diversity officer and associate professor of psychological sciences since 2019. She established a comprehensive DEI training program that included a suite of diversity courses, in-person workshops and online training modules to ensure that all students, staff and faculty were exposed to fundamental DEI concepts and principles.

Townsend also currently serves as president of the Georgia Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education and has been selected as a fellow with the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education.

During the search process, I was very impressed by Purdue Globals commitment to creating an equitable work and learning environment for its students, staff and faculty, Townsend said. I want to thank the search committee, members of the university community and especially Chancellor Dooley for entrusting me to be the first to lead this effort.

My role as the inaugural chief diversity officer will be to harness the energy for DEI that is already present at the university and work to co-create a plan with the Purdue Global community to realize its equity vision.

Prior to Augusta University, Townsend was senior director of the Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs for the American Psychological Association from 2011-19. She previously held faculty positions at Georgetown University Medical School (2006-19) and Penn State University (1998-2006).

Townsend earned her bachelors degree in psychology from Spelman College. She earned her masters and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from George Washington University. Her work has been featured in several journals, books and media outlets, including the Washingtonian, Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union-Tribune.

About Purdue University Global

Purdue University Global delivers personalized online education tailored to the unique needs of adults who have work or life experience beyond the classroom, enabling them to develop essential academic and professional skills with the support and flexibility they need to achieve their career goals. It offers personalized paths for students to earn an associate, bachelors, masters or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, desired pace, military service, previous college credits and other considerations  no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue University Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It is affiliated with Purdue Universitys flagship institution, a highly ranked public research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue University also operates regional campuses in Fort Wayne and Northwest Indiana, as well as serving science, engineering and technology students at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. For more information, visit purdueglobal.edu.

Media Contact: Tom Schott, tschott@purdue.edu

Sources: Frank Dooley

Tiffany Townsend
The Empire is hunting down Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi in the latest trailer for Disney+'s newest Star Wars series, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

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The trailer was released on Wednesday to mark Star Wars Day, also known as May the 4th.

Obi-Wan watches over a young Luke Skywalker and lives in hiding on the desert planet of Tatooine following the events of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith in the clip.

Luke's Uncle Owen (Joel Edgerton) tells Obi-Wan to leave them alone and doesn't want the fallen hero to train Luke in the ways of the Jedi.

"When the time comes, he must be trained," Obi-Wan says.

"Like you trained his father?" Uncle Owen replies back, in reference to how Anakin Skywalker turned to the dark side and became Darth Vader ( Hayden Christensen ).

The Empire is still searching for Obi-Wan with Inquisitors tracking him down to Tatooine.

The trailer ends with Obi-Wan seemingly coming face to face with Vader once again.

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Disney+ also released a new poster for the series, that features Obi-Wan and Vader.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is a limited series coming to Disney+ on May 27 with two episodes. New episodes will then be released every Wednesday.

Co-stars include Moses Ingram, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell and Benny Safdie.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is directed by Deborah Chow and executive produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, Chow, McGregor and Joby Harold.
Update: 04-05-2022 | 15:25:19

The Thai Government has urged relevant agencies to step up the promotion of organic rice to raise the income of farmers and create sustainability in the agricultural sector.

According to Boonyarit Kalayanamit, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, as Chairman of the National Rice Policy Committee, recently ordered related agencies to rev up promotion of the second phase of the organic price promotion plans for 2022-25.

The PM also assigned responsible agencies to focus more on research, plant breeding and rice technology to upgrade farmers' income and quality of life, while the government should be able to lower its financial burden for the price guarantee scheme over the long term, Boonyarit said.

There is 700,000 rai of organic rice, mainly planted in the Northeast (a rai equal to 1,600 square metres).

In a related development, the National Rice Policy Committee approved 146 million baht (4.2 million USD) to support organic rice farming this year./.

VNA
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The three courses and wine pairings from the monthly Tuesday Wine Dinner at Heirloom Cafe in Athens, Georgia, on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021. Three of the four dishes served for the dinner came with its own unique wine pairing to complement the flavors of the food with the flavors of the wine. (Photo/Melanie Velasquez; mvelasquez@randb.com)
Nhan dip ai le Phat an Phat lich 2566  Duong lich 2022, chieu ngay 10/5/2022, Ban CHQS TP.Phan Thiet a toi tham, chuc mung Ban tri su Giao hoi Phat giao Viet Nam thanh pho va mot so co so Phat giao tren ia ban.
With music and the smell of food filling the air, people pop in and out of different booths that dot the land at the outdoor Brattleboro Area Farmers Market that opened for the season on Saturday, May 7, 2022, and will run every Saturday until Oct. 29.
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Peter Fish Case is a man with an opinion. He offers up a weekly podcast discussion that can be heard at www.theearspoon.com. Questions, compliments and complaints can be sent to him at fish@theearspoon.com. The opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of the Brattleboro Reformer.
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LITCHFIELD  A lawyer turned himself in Wednesday in connection with a fatal shooting outside his law firm last June, according to law enforcement sources.

Robert Fisher was charged with first-degree manslaughter and released on $50,000 bond, sources confirmed to Hearst Connecticut Media.

Fishers attorney, William Conti, of the Law Offices of Conti, Levy & Salerno, verified Wednesday that his client had turned himself in.

This is a case of appropriate self-defense, Conti told Hearst Connecticut Media.

State police were called to the law firm, Cramer & Anderson, in Litchfield, around 5 p.m. June 7, 2021, for a disturbance with gunfire. There they found 39-year-old Matthew Bromley, a former Torrington resident, shot in the head in the parking lot. He was later pronounced dead, according to previous reports.

The law firm placed Fisher, one of its senior partners, on leave after the shooting as state police previously identified him as the subject of the investigation.

Bromleys family and Cramer & Anderson were not immediately available for comment Wednesday evening.

Matthew Bromley, who lived in Virginia at the time, was visiting his mother while she was under end-of-life hospice care, his sister, Ericka Bromley, said in a previous story. He was also looking for job opportunities to stay in the state.

It wasnt fair to my brother to have his life taken from him, Ericka Bromley said in previous reports.

State police previously said they believed Fisher and Bromley knew each other, but were unsure how exactly.

Cramer & Anderson released a statement in July 2021 stating that there was no record of Bromley ever being a client of the firm, or being listed as an adversarial party.

A complete conviction history was not available for Bromley, but court records showed Bromley was convicted of carrying a dangerous weapon and second-degree burglary in two separate incidents in Torrington in 2003. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison for both offenses, which he served at the same time as the weapon charge, according to previous reports.

Bromley was also arrested in 2002 on charges of carrying a weapon and carrying a weapon in a motor vehicle in Harwinton. He pleaded guilty and was given a three-year suspended sentence with three years of conditional discharge. In 2011, Bromley pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and traffic violations, previous reports stated.

Several other court files associated with Bromley had been destroyed as of 2021, judicial system staff said in previous reports.

Fisher most recently specialized in real estate law but worked on civil and criminal defense cases early in his career, according to the law firms website.

Litchfield County Bar Association President Ryan Henry said last year that Fisher, a Vietnam veteran, was a well-liked and respected member of the bar. He also said Fisher was not someone he would expect to be involved in a confrontation, calling Fisher a cool, calm guy, in a report last year.
Just two days before the Democratic nominating convention, Latino officials from two organizations are calling on Gov. Ned Lamont to support a Hispanic candidate for the open seat for Secretary of the State.

The officials want Lamont to back their pick: state Rep. Hilda Santiago, D-Meriden, one of two Hispanic women in the race, over Maritza Bond, New Havens health director.

Rep. Gerry Reyes, D-Waterbury, chairman of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus in the General Assembly, and Miguel Castro, chair of the Connecticut Hispanic Democratic Caucus, are among the group lobbying for Santiago.

The top of the ticket has to look like a cross-section of the population, Reyes said at the Capitol Wednesday. We believe its well past time for a Hispanic to be at the top of the ticket.

Connecticut has not had a Hispanic person elected to any statewide office, at least in recent memory.

In total, 13 people from the group, a combination of state and local legislators and members of the CHDC, have signed onto an open letter to the governor, to be published online Wednesday, underscoring the years-long effort to elect a Latino to statewide office.

The Democratic Party has closed this door to our people time and time again, they said in the letter. This has to stop.

State Reps. Minnie Gonzalez and Edwin Vargas, and Aidee Nieves, president of the Bridgeport City Council, are part of the group signing the letter. The states most prominent Latino elected official, House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, is not among the names listed.

We ask that you, as our Governor, get involved in this critical race and make your preference known by endorsing Hilda Santiago. the group said. We had your back in 2018, and we ask that you have ours in 2022.

In addition to Bond and Santiago, state Sen. Matt Lesser, D- Middletown, and state Reps. Stephanie Thomas, D-Norwalk, and Josh Elliott, D-Hamden, are running to be Connecticuts top election official. The Democrats nominating convention is Friday and Saturday in Hartford.

Castro said Santiago received 98 percent of the vote when the CHDC voted earlier this year on which candidate to endorse. He called Santiago a trailblazer who has an extensive history of legislation and advocacy.

It is time for our Latino community to have a seat at the table, he said.

Bond, on Wednesday, earned the endorsement of New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker. Elicker and his predecessor Toni Harp plan to hold a press conference Thursday to announce their support for Bond.

The races for Secretary of the State and state Treasurer have drawn the most interest of the six statewide constitutional offices. The office of the Comptroller, also an open seat, only has one Democratic candidate, Rep. Sean Scanlan, D-Guilford, who will face little or no opposition

When asked about his support for specific candidates in recent weeks, Lamont has said he doesnt want to weigh in before the convention. But the governor has expressed privately that he wants a Hispanic candidate for Secretary of the State, multiple sources said.

A statement issued by the governors campaign Wednesday indicated he would remain neutral  for now.

Governor Lamont believes the delegates of the Democratic party should have the ultimate choice in who to endorse and will work closely with any of the fantastic candidates who will ultimately be part of the ticket to win in November, campaign spokesman Jake Lewis said.

Democrats have emphasized the importance of having a ticket in November that balances race, gender, and ethnicity. For decades, the party has nominated a Black candidate for Treasurer, which has been critical in ensuring that we Democrats win at the state level and that a degree of equity is on our ballot every four years, the letter from Castro and the others says.

The time has come for Latinos to be granted the same opportunity and similar, equitable representation at the statewide level, they added.

A Hispanic candidate at the top of the ticket would increase Latino turnout, Castro said, helping Democrats up and down the ballot. A 15 percent increase in Latino turnout would result in 30,000 extra votes for Democrats, according to an analysis of election data by CHDC.

In the letter, he and the other officials issued a warning about the importance of this voting bloc for Democrats: Nationally, 38 percent of Hispanic voters cast their ballots for Republicans. It is only a matter of time before that trend begins to hit Connecticut.

julia.bergman@hearstmediact.com
Liz Truss, UK Foreign Secretary, delivered what the Financial Times described as a "hawkish set-piece" speech at a banquet in London on Wednesday. Her target was China. She said "NATO must have a global outlook," and "needs to preempt threats in the Indo-Pacific." Then she bluntly pointed out that they "must ensure that democracies like Taiwan are able to defend themselves." It's fair to say that Truss' remarks are the most blatant and ambitious statements among those made by US and Western politicians for a while about "the globalization of NATO."

It's reported that Truss' remarks came as NATO members were discussing the bloc's new "strategic concept." There is a fierce debate among NATO countries over how much emphasis should be placed on the "security threat" posed by China in the Indo-Pacific region. On the same day, the US Indo-Pacific Commander said that NATO is a "pretty good model" for the Indo-Pacific region, for those nations that value freedom. People have become very familiar with such pattern of the US and the UK echoing each other.

Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, some politicians in the US and the West have been constantly distorting facts, deliberately linking the Russia-Ukraine conflict to the Taiwan question in an attempt to play the "Taiwan card" to contain China. Truss took advantage of the Ukraine crisis to hype the "China threat" as early as before the conflict broke out. She "warned" that China could use the Russia-Ukraine conflict as an opportunity to launch aggression of its own in the Indo-Pacific. Even former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating harshly criticized her as being "demented" and suffering "illusions of grandeur."

There is indeed frenzy in British foreign policy right now because of the Ukraine crisis. The UK, which has already left the EU and has a "special relationship" with the US, thinks it has a more flexible position than the US and the EU, and often parrots words very "conscientiously," saying and doing things that are inconvenient for Washington and at times being even more aggressive. Some politicians in London now increasingly see this as a source of uniqueness and superiority. The more they do this, the more they seem to feel the lingering warmth of the UK's prior status as "The Empire on which the sun never set."

Although after Brexit, the UK sees "Global Britain" as its strategic goal, hoping that the UK can become a leading country across the world. But over the years, the so-called Global Britain only seems to cling more tightly to the US. Truss claimed she would become the "modern-day Thatcher," but she only looks like the head of the US State Department's London office. Since taking office as the UK Foreign Secretary, Truss has pointed her fingers at China on almost all major China-related issues, including the Taiwan question and Hong Kong and Xinjiang issues. She has followed Washington's lead. And the pragmatism of diplomacy that the British used to talk about has increasingly descended into opportunism and radicalism. In Washington's redeployment of the global system, the UK is increasingly willing to be a "pebble."

Last July, the UK sent its Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier to the South China Sea, but it needed fighter jets and warships from Italy to make a fleet. In late March, during Truss' visit to India, she tried to persuade India not to buy Russian oil, but Indian's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar defended India's purchase of discounted Russian oil. "If you look at the major buyers of oil and gas from Russia, I think you'll find most of them are in Europe," Jaishankar said, refusing the unreasonable demand of the UK.

Even as their own strengths continued to decline, some British and American politicians began to fantasize about "mind control" - namely to re-establish the global "superiority" of Anglo-Saxon civilization. Truss herself does not hide this, calling on Britain in a speech last year to stop the guilt about colonial history and instead be proud of its identity and status. This is why it is not surprising that although UK politicians have recently taken turns to win over India, emphasizing the special relationship between the UK and India and praising India with all kinds of nice words, the domestic response to this in India has been mediocre. Indians say that the UK still adopts a colonial mentality toward India.

In fact, India is hardly the only country that has seen through this. More and more countries have recognized the nature of a series of small-circle activities carried out by the UK and the US in the name of the so-called common values and the culture that prioritizes Anglo Saxons. Truss and her ilk attempt to bring NATO to Asia and try to destabilize the Pacific, but they are doomed to fail. Treating China as a "systemic competitor" is also definitely a big misjudgment in the "Global Britain" strategy.
Event Invites Gen Z, Millennials to 'Give Up Gadgets, Rediscover God'

'Stressed' generation will 'experience Christ' at Set Apart 2022, say Francis Chan, K.P. Yohannan, George Verwer





'STRESSED' GEN Z, MILLENNIALS INVITED TO 'GIVE UP GADGETS FOR A WEEK, REDISCOVER GOD:' Under 30s are being invited to "detox from their phones and gadgets" in order to "experience God" and discover his purpose for their lives. Popular speaker Francis Chan and mission pioneers K.P. Yohannan and George Verwer will headline GFA World's first-ever Set Apart 2022 retreat (http://www.gfa.org/press/SetApart) June 20-26 at the organization's campus near Dallas, Texas.



NEWS PROVIDED BY

GFA World

May 4, 2022



WILLS POINT, Texas, May 4, 2022 /Standard Newswire/ -- Under 30s are being invited to "detox from their phones and gadgets" in order to "experience God in solitude and silence" and discover his purpose for their lives.



Popular speaker Francis Chan and mission pioneers K.P. Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan) and George Verwer will headline GFA World's first-ever Set Apart 2022 retreat (http://www.gfa.org/press/SetApart) June 20-26  an event that will invite 18-30 year olds to "exchange the constant pinging of their phones for a week of enjoying God's presence in life-transforming solitude and silence."



Immersed in a manic media culture, 18-30 year olds  a group fast disappearing from America's churches  desperately need to "experience the living Christ" in quiet, says Chan, author of the bestselling book Crazy Love and a hugely popular speaker with 67,000 Twitter followers.



Nearly two-thirds of 18-29 year olds who grew up in the U.S. going to church have dropped out, according to faith-based research group Barna, citing boredom and a feeling that God is "missing."



Escaping the Craziness

"Some of you, your minds are going so fast," Chan said. "You are on that phone, you are on all these gadgets, and it's so important that you learn to just be silent so your soul can create a bond with God."



Set Apart 2022 is a chance for young people to "detox from all their gadgets for a week and truly connect with God," says Yohannan, founder of GFA World (www.gfa.org), a faith-based global mission agency working among the poor in Asia and Africa.



He hopes young people coming to the one-of-a-kind retreat at the organization's campus near Dallas, Texas, will have their lives transformed. "I see this week of young people gathering here as the wardrobe in C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia series, where their eyes are opened at last to see the real world of Christ and His incredible invitation to find true meaning in life."



Yohannan and Chan will be joined by Verwer, founder of Operation Mobilization, one of the world's biggest evangelical mission organizations.



People can learn more about the event at http://www.gfa.org/press/SetApart.



GFA World (www.gfa.org) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and teaching to provide hope and encouragement in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.



SOURCE GFA World



CONTACT: Gregg Wooding, 972-567-7660, gwooding@inchristcommunications.com


A Gage County man was arrested for failing to meet registration requirements as a sex offender.

On Monday at approximately 8:11 a.m. an investigator and a deputy from the Gage County Sheriffs Office arrested 49-year-old Craig A. Dorn, a registered sex offender from rural Beatrice, for failure to verify his information with the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry.

Dorn was required to come to the Gage County Sheriffs Office during April 2022 and verify his information on the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry, but failed to do so.

He was arrested in the lobby of the Gage County Sheriffs Office by a uniformed deputy and an investigator. He was then taken to the Gage County Detention Center and booked into jail on the felony county of a violation of the Nebraska Sex Offender Registration Act.

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The Hainan, named after the island province, is Chinas first Type 075 amphibious assault ship.

Chinas largest Type 075-class amphibious assault ship Hainan has conducted combat training and live fire drills in the South China Sea, Chinese media reported.

The exercise took place on April 22 but news about it only emerged this week on an online Chinese military network. The Hainan is the second- largest type of vessel in the Chinese Navy, after its two aircraft carriers.

The latest photos show Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) personnel carrying out coordinated training, supply maneuvres and ammunition firing at an unspecified location in the South China Sea.

Helicopters were seen rehearsing taking off and landing on the ships deck.

The drills were said to aim at consolidating the basic skills of officers and soldiers, optimizing the ship deployment and command process, and effectively improving the comprehensive combat capability.

The Hainan, named after the Chinese island in the South China Sea, is Chinas first Type 075 amphibious assault ship, commissioned into service only a year ago.

It was built in Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai and listed under the Southern Theater Command which is responsible for the South China Sea.

It has a total displacement of 40,000 tons. The Hainans deck layout is similar to that of China's Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers.

As tall as a 15-storey building, it can carry a number of helicopters, amphibious hovercrafts, tanks and armored vehicles. The vessel is equipped with weapon systems including missiles and ship guns but its main task is transporting helicopters and amphibious vehicles to conduct amphibious operations.

Type 075 vessels

A day before the Hainans exercise, on April 21, the PLAN also announced the commissioning of its second Type 075 amphibious assault ship, the Guangxi.

The Chinese Navy only officially started development work on the Type 075 in 2011 but has already launched three ships, two of which are fully operational and the third is on sea trials. A total of eight vessels are said to be on order for the PLAN, reported the Naval News portal.

Chinese state media said the Type 075 will play vital roles in possible operations on the island of Taiwan, as well as islands and reefs in the South China Sea.

Experts said that the commissioning of the three ships will place China in the second rank in terms of global amphibious capabilities, second only to the United States.

A U.S. Defense Department report released last November said China has the biggest maritime force on the globe with 355 vessels. The number is projected to increase to 420 ships within the next four years and 460 by 2030.

The state media report about the live-fire drill with the Hainan emerged days after a Chinese navy flotilla led by the Liaoning aircraft carrier was spotted sailing from the East China Sea towards the Pacific Ocean. Both the Japanese and Taiwanese militaries said they were monitoring the flotilla.




Musk's recent U.S.$44 billion acquisition of the social media platform was questioned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos soon after it was finalized, with Bezos tweeting on : "Interesting. Did the Chinese government just gain a bit of leverage over the town square?"



The tweet came in response to an earlier one from New York Times reporter Mike Forsythe, who noted that China was the second-biggest market for Musk's Tesla electric cars in 2021, with the company relying heavily on Chinese battery-makers to make electric vehicles.



"After 2009, when China banned Twitter, the government there had almost no leverage over the platform," Forsythe tweeted on , adding: "That may have just changed."



The same question was posed to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Foreign Press Center in Washington on .



While Blinken declined to comment on private companies, he responded in more general terms: "Free speech, including free media, including platforms of one kind or another, are incredibly important to to the Biden administration," he said.



Blinken also accused Beijing of waging "hybrid warfare" against the democratic island of Taiwan, "including disinformation, including cyber attacks."



"These are designed to basically distort the information environment and democratic processes," Blinken said. "So we've partnered with Taiwanese authorities on civil society organizations, to support independent fact based journalism, to try to build societal resilience to disinformation, and other forms of foreign interference."







"We've been deeply concerned about what we're seeing from [China], in terms of its misuse of technology to try to do things like increased surveillance, harassment, intimidation, censorship, of citizens, journalists, activists, and others," Blinken said. Elon Musk's Twitter takeover has sparked fears that the platform may now be more vulnerable to Beijing's influence, amid an ongoing overseas influence and infowar campaign by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).Musk's recent U.S.$44 billion acquisition of the social media platform was questioned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos soon after it was finalized, with Bezos tweeting on: "Interesting. Did the Chinese government just gain a bit of leverage over the town square?"The tweet came in response to an earlier one from New York Times reporter Mike Forsythe, who noted that China was the second-biggest market for Musk's Tesla electric cars in 2021, with the company relying heavily on Chinese battery-makers to make electric vehicles."After 2009, when China banned Twitter, the government there had almost no leverage over the platform," Forsythe tweeted on, adding: "That may have just changed."The same question was posed to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Foreign Press Center in Washington onWhile Blinken declined to comment on private companies, he responded in more general terms: "Free speech, including free media, including platforms of one kind or another, are incredibly important to to the Biden administration," he said.Blinken also accused Beijing of waging "hybrid warfare" against the democratic island of Taiwan, "including disinformation, including cyber attacks.""These are designed to basically distort the information environment and democratic processes," Blinken said. "So we've partnered with Taiwanese authorities on civil society organizations, to support independent fact based journalism, to try to build societal resilience to disinformation, and other forms of foreign interference."Blinken also indirectly touched on more detailed concerns expressed on Twitter in recent days that Musk might consider making it easier for Beijing to identify who is posting on Twitter, or tolerate CCP-sponsored propaganda accounts, which have previously been deleted in large numbers from the platform."We've been deeply concerned about what we're seeing from [China], in terms of its misuse of technology to try to do things like increased surveillance, harassment, intimidation, censorship, of citizens, journalists, activists, and others," Blinken said.





A Tesla model 3 is seen during the 19th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition in Shanghai, April 19, 2021. Credit: AFP. Tesla needs Beijing's goodwill "These very same leaders in Beijing are using the free and open media that we ensure that are protected in democratic systems to spread propaganda to spread disinformation."

He also warned that Beijing is keen to extend its censorship and propaganda efforts internationally.



"It also appears that they are further using these systems to stalk, harass and threaten critics who are outside [their] territory," Blinken said. "We condemn and we've taken action against these efforts and will continue to defend the principles of free press an open secure, reliable, interoperable internet and the benefits that flow from it."



Taiwan Association for Strategic Simulation deputy secretary Ho Cheng-hui said Tesla is heavily dependent on Beijing's goodwill to maintain current operations.



"There is their megafactory in Shanghai, and all of his supply chain, like batteries, comes from China," Ho told RFA. "The Chinese government has always been very good at controlling companies ... and has always placed strong controls on big capital and on freedom of speech."



Musk's acquisition of Twitter will make it much easier for China to wield influence there and affect freedom of speech internationally, and that includes exerting influence over foreign companies, he said.



"The Chinese government will never relent, even in part, on controlling freedom of speech, especially where it wants to protect itself or prevent speech that isn't in its interest," Ho said. "I can't see them letting an opportunity to interfere with a platform like that go."



After the takeover, Musk took to Twitter to invite his "worst critics" to stay on the platform and keep the tradition of free speech alive there.



But he added that speech could only be free



"I want even my worst critics to stay on Twitter, because that's what free speech is all about," Musk said after acquiring Twitter. However, he also tweeted, "By free speech, I simply mean that which matches the law."



Foreign companies, including Cambridge University Press, have previously used the notion of compliance with laws and regulations to justify implementing Beijing's censorship demands.



Love-hate relationship?

Musk tweeted on : "I am against censorship that goes far beyond the law. If people want less free speech, they will ask government to pass laws to that effect."



Taiwan strategic analyst Shih Chien-yu said Musk appears to have a love-hate relationship with the CCP.



"Musk is a global entrepreneur who has tried to have restrictions and rules in different countries changed to create ways of operating and values that are conducive to the ongoing development of his business," Shih told RFA. "Twitter is part of his business [empire] now."



But he said it was hard to predict how far Musk would be willing to use Twitter as leverage with Beijing.



"We also don't know how far Musk's control of Twitter is going to result in enabling or breaking free speech," Shih said.



Teslas financial report released in showed that its annual revenue from the Chinese market was worth U.S.$13.844 billion for the whole of 2021, compared with U.S.$6.662 billion for the whole of 2020, a year-on-year growth rate of 107.8 percent.



Reuters reported on that authorities in Shanghai had helped Tesla transport more than 6,000 workers and carry out necessary disinfection work to reopen its factory last month amid the city's lockdown, according to a letter that Tesla sent to local officials.



Tesla reopened its factory in Shanghai on after a 22-day hiatus amid widespread coverage from state media.



The letter lauded a company run by the Lingang Group had arranged for 6,000 Tesla workers to be bused in to the factory and disinfected the whole premises to enable production to start up again, Reuters said.



The letter also mentioned plans for further expansion of the Shanghai facility, the agency said.



Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin declined to comment when asked about possible CCP influence over Twitter on .



"You're really keen on guesswork, but there is no factual basis for this," Wang told a regular news briefing in Beijing.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
About 800 laborers in Dandong spent their May Day holiday getting tested for the disease

In this file photo, workers at a seafood processing plant where North Korean workers are distinguished from the Chinese workers by blue overalls, wash up after work in the city of Hunchun, in northeastern China's Jilin province.

Around 800 North Korean workers in the northeastern Chinese city of Dandong spent their May Day holiday getting tested for COVID-19 after about 20 of their coworkers began showing symptoms for the disease and were quarantined, sources in China told RFA.

The North Korean women are employed by a clothing company in the citys Zhenan district. They are among the 80,000 to 100,000 North Koreans dispatched to Chinas three northeastern provinces to earn foreign currency for their cash-strapped government.

Dandong has been locked down as part of Chinas zero-COVID policy since last week. Workers would typically have off for May Day, an annual celebration of the fight for labor rights and an important holiday in communist countries. But workers were instead called into the factory for testing, a source in the city told RFAs Korean Service on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

The factory where the 800 women work is an important one in the battle against COVID-19, as it produces protective medical gowns, the source said.

On April 27, about 20 suspected cases of COVID-19 were detected among North Korean workers at the company and the factory closed, the source said. The COVID-19 Pulmonary Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Command in Dandong diagnosed the suspected symptoms as laryngitis instead of COVID-19.

The 20 or so North Koreans who appear to have symptoms of COVID-19 are currently being treated in isolation inside the factory, the source said. It is absurd to say that it is laryngitis when there are hundreds of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Dandong and the municipal government and disease control authorities are blocking roads and alleys and restricting the movement of people.

COVID-19 has swept through companies employing North Korean workers before, but it was always kept a secret, the source said.

Perhaps if it was confirmed that North Korean workers had COVID-19 there would be considerable ramifications if it became known to the public. I know that the North Korean consulate in Dandong and the Chinese government are fabricating information to cover it up, he said.

Even though it is a holiday for workers around the world, the North Korean workers are locked up in their company and taking nucleic acid tests.

A health official from Zhenan district told RFAs Mandarin Service on Tuesday said that there were confirmed coronavirus cases in the factory, but she could not say whether it was North Korean or Chinese workers who were infected. She said that information would not be released.

RFA Mandarin attempted to contact the factory but received no response.

Another source in Dandong told RFAs Korean Service that because the company is making protective gear, the factory had to continue operations on the holiday.

They dont have time to enjoy the day because they are too busy producing COVID-19 protective suits and isolation gowns, he said on condition of anonymity to speak freely. They are working while wearing what they make.

There was a recent scare after North Korean women working in restaurants, hostess bars and public baths had a few suspected cases, he said.

The source spoke of another case where four young North Korean women working at a hotel in Dandong were suspected cases.

I heard from an acquaintance who works with them that they were immediately placed into quarantine because they were showing symptoms, the second source said.

As COVID-19 spreads here in Dandong, production rates at companies with North Korean workers fell dramatically. Companies that bought materials in advance, before things got so bad, are still forcing the North Koreans to come to work, even with the lockdown, he said.

Millions of residents of major Chinese cities are facing rigid lockdowns and strict testing regimens as the country tries to stop the spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19 under the Communist Partys zero-COVID policy.

RFA reported last week that Dandong, which lies across the Sino-Korean border from North Koreas Sinuiju, started shutting down on April 25 and stopped all rail freight on May 1, just months after it resumed after an almost two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

North Korean labor exports were supposed to have stopped when United Nations nuclear sanctions froze the issuance of work visas and mandated the repatriation of North Korean nationals working abroad by the end of 2019.

But Pyongyang sometimes dispatches workers to China and Russia on short-term student or visitor visas to get around sanctions.

Translated by Claire Lee and RFAs Mandarin Service. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Sources say the military regime wont allow ASEANs envoy to meet Aung San Suu Kyi.

Myanmar's armed forces chief Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing (R) talking to Cambodia's Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn (L), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) special envoy to Myanmar, in Naypyidaw, March 21, 2022..

Myanmars junta on Tuesday poured cold water on calls from Malaysia for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) talks with the National Unity Government (NUG), calling the parallel, civilian administration that opposes military rule terrorists groups.

Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah last month revealed hed had contact in mid-February with the shadow government, the first ASEAN country to acknowledge such an interaction. He was responding to calls from ASEAN lawmakers urging the bloc to immediately and publicly meet with the NUG.

More than a week later the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar quoted the juntas foreign ministry as saying it protests and rejects the Malaysian foreign ministers remarks, because they could abet terrorism and violence in the country, hampering the Myanmar Governments anti-terrorism efforts and infringe international agreements related to combatting terrorism.

The junta, which overthrew Aung San Suu Kyis elected government in a coup on Feb. 1, 2021, has branded opponents of military rule as terrorists. The military regime has jailed Aung San Suu Kyi among thousands of political prisoners and killed 1,800 people, mostly anti-coup protesters.

The Ministry cautions the government officials and parliamentarians of Malaysia against making contacts or communicating as well as providing support and assistance to those terrorist groups and their representatives in future, the junta ministry statement said.

Last October, Saifuddin, Malaysias outspoken foreign minister had said he would open talks with the NUG if the junta kept stonewalling in cooperating with ASEANs conflict resolution efforts.

The rebuff to Malaysia came a day after Cambodia's Foreign Ministry said Prime Minister Hun Sen had urged the Myanmar junta to allow ASEANs special envoy to visit and meet deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

In a video conference Sunday, Hun Sen called on Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing to allow the meetings and take other steps to implement a five-point agreement the junta leader reached between ASEAN's foreign ministers in April 2021.

Cambodia is the current rotating chair of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and Hun Sen visited Myanmar in January and met Min Aung Hlaing and urged steps to resolve the political crisis sparked by his coup.

Hun Sen requested "further cooperation in facilitating the second visit to Myanmar by the ASEAN Chair's Special Envoy special chairs envoy, possibly at the end of May," the ministry said.

"He reemphasized the importance of access for the Special Envoy to meet all parties concerned in Myanmar, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and former President Win Myint, for creating (a) conducive environment to start an inclusive political dialogue," the ministry said.

Aung San Suu Kyi and Win Myint are in detention and undergoing trial in military courts for what supporters say are politically motivated charges.

The Cambodian statement said Min Aung Hlaing had "pledged to facilitate meetings with other parties concerned."

Asked by RFA about Hun Sens appeal, junta spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun did not give a definite answer about the envoy meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi, instead focusing on peace talks and meetings with leaders of ethnic groups with longstanding conflicts with the army that pre-date the coup and have little bearing on the current crisis.

The previous visit in March to Myanmar by the ASEAN envoy, Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, discussed mainly him meeting with the relevant ethnic armed groups on his next visit, the spokesman said.

Little meaningful progress has been made on the five-point agreement, which included an end to violence, the provision of humanitarian assistance, an ASEAN envoys appointment, all-party dialogue, and mediation by the envoy.

Kyaw Htwe, a senior member of Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy, said the ASEAN envoy was not likely to meet the 76-year-old Nobel laureate.

"In the current situation, based on the violence they have meted out on the country, I dont think the military will have the guts to allow Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Win Myint to meet with the ASEAN special envoy, he told RFA.

But political analyst Sai Kyi Zin Soe said Min Aung Hlaing might try to find a way out of its isolation by granting assess to the detained leader.

He might give the envoy a chance because of the current domestic crisis and his political dilemma, especially when the people and the world are all against him, he told RFA.

Bo Hla Tint, the NUGs special representative to ASEAN, urged all diplomatic partners to reconsider their approach and talk to the civilian leaders.

"We urge the United States and the European Union and the world community to work for a more pragmatic solution through direct coordination with NUG, a nationally recognized government, he told RFAs Myanmar Service.

It is clear that efforts to find a solution centered on the ASEAN Five-Point Agreement cannot get any results.

Myanmar will be on the agenda of a May 12-13 summit between the U.S. and leaders of ASEAN, where the White House is keen to advance its vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific and discuss efforts to counter Chinese influence.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Paul Eckert.
Dozens of reporters are jailed in Myanmar, named fifth worst abuser of the media in a global index.

Police arrest Myanmar Now journalist Kay Zon Nwe in Yangon, Feb. 27, 2021, as protesters take part in a demonstration against the military coup.

There was little to celebrate on World Press Freedom Day in Myanmar, where the junta has jailed 135 journalists since it seized power last year and reporters routinely face harassment, arrest and even death for doing their jobs, members of the media and watchdog groups said Tuesday.

Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that in the 15 months since its Feb. 1, 2021, coup, the junta had obliterated a decade of moderate press reforms in Myanmar, prompting it to name the country the worlds fifth worst abuser of the media freedom in its annual global index.

Speaking to RFAs Myanmar Service on Tuesday, Han Zaw of the Detained Journalists Information said his group had documented the arrest of 135 journalists in Myanmar since the coup, adding that nearly half of them remain in detention.

Eighty-three of them  13 women and 70 men  have been released so far, some on amnesty, some after completing their sentences and some after serving a short-term detention, he said.

More than 80 journalists have been charged. There are currently 51 detained journalists  13 women and 38 men.

Myanmar is recognized by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists as the worlds worst jailer of journalists after China. Since the coup, authorities have arrested and sentenced outspoken members of the press on vaguely worded criminal charges that include publishing false information and defamation, as well as on charges of terrorism.

Freelance journalist Soe Yar Zar Tun was detained on Feb. 28, 2021, while covering anti-coup protests and is being held in Yangons Insein Prison facing a trial for violating the countrys Anti-Terrorism Law.

His brother, Zar Ni Tun, told RFA that the junta has no right to arrest members of the media for reporting the news.

Its completely hypocritical, he said. They have harassed and arrested and tortured people in the past and are still doing it.

An editor from the Shwe Phi Myay News Agency, which is based in Shan state, said that in addition to the threat of arrest, journalists are now regularly in danger of losing their lives while doing their jobs.

We know that once a person is arrested, it is very difficult for them to be released. At worst, they could be arrested, tortured or even killed, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.

Its not just the army in this area. There are many ethnic armed groups too. And so, we could get arrested and detained at any time and face a life-threatening situation.

Japanese journalist Yuki Kitazumi raises his hands as he is escorted by police upon arrival at the Myaynigone police station in Sanchaung township in Yangon, Feb. 26, 2021. Credit: AP Photo Risking death

Veteran journalist Myint Kyaw said journalists in the country now find themselves in the worst situation they have faced since the military coup.

We had the case of the first journalist to be killed while covering an armed conflict last January, he said, referring website editor Pu Tuidim, who was abducted by junta troops while reporting on military clashes with armed ethnic soldiers in Chin state and later shot dead by his captors.

Armed conflicts have escalated in cities as well as in rural areas. Journalists will be killed even more, as there are now death threats to journalists and their family members. And so there might be more bad news for us.

According to RSF, Pu Tidim was the third journalist to be killed in less than a month in Myanmar. His murder followed the Dec. 25, 2021, death of Federal News Journal editor Sai Win Aung from gunfire during a clash between the military and anti-junta Peoples Defense Force (PDF) paramilitaries in Kaiyn state. Freelance photographer Soe Naing became the first journalist to die at the juntas hands under torture on Dec. 14, four days after being arrested while covering a protest in Yangon.

Journalists are also increasingly facing death threats for reporting news that portrays the junta in a bad light.

Last week, the pro-junta Thway Thauk, or Blood Comrades, militia called for the deaths of reporters and editors working for news outlets in Myanmar including The Irrawaddy, Mizzima, Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) and The Irrawaddy Times  as well as their family members.

Observers say groups like the Thway Thauk have been emboldened by the military regimes open disdain for the media, which was again demonstrated  days ahead of World Press Freedom Day  by junta deputy information minister, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, when he accused several news outlets of being destructive elements in Myanmar during an April 27 press conference in the capital Naypyidaw.

When asked by RFA for comment on the number of reporters currently detained or in prison, Zaw Min Tun responded that the junta had not arrested anyone for working in the media.

They were arrested for inciting people and for having contacts with terrorist organizations, he said.

All media outlets, with the exception of those that have been declared illegal, are working freely here, he added.

In this image made from video taken on Feb. 27, 2021, Associated Press journalist Thein Zaw is arrested by police in Yangon, Myanmar. Credit: AP Photo Plummeting index rank

Global media watchdog RSF disagreed with that assessment Tuesday when it dropped Myanmar to 175th out of 180 countries in its 2022 World Press Freedom Index from 140th a year earlier. The group said that in the 15 months since seizing power, the junta had obliterated a decades worth of modest media reforms that began when the countrys last military regime disbanded in 2011.

The new ranking put Myanmar behind only North Korea, Eritrea, Iran and Turkmenistan as the worst place in the world to be a journalist.

RSF said that after seizing power from Aung San Suu Kyis democratically elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government on Feb. 1, 2021, the junta immediately banned a number of outspoken media outlets, leaving a handful to continue the work of informing their fellow citizens without offending the countrys military leadership.

The military regime enforces a strict regimen of censorship that prevents the press from reporting on its many human rights abuses, the group said, while leader Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing openly promotes a policy of terror towards journalists who do not toe the juntas line.

RSF noted that reporters are regularly arrested and sentenced to lengthy jail terms on criminal charges of false information or defamation if anyone disputes what they have written.

What with the risks of being jailed, tortured or murdered, journalism is an extremely dangerous profession in Myanmar, which has become one of the worlds biggest jailer of journalists, second only to China, the group said.

The few accounts emerging from Myanmars jails indicate extremely harsh conditions and systemic use of torture, it added.

Sein Win, executive editor of Mizzima, told RFA that journalists who try to uncover the truth in Myanmar are now being targeted.

Dictators hate newspapers. True journalism always speaks the truth and thats why these monsters do not want to see what journalists write or report, he said.

Troops have killed civilians and burned down houses in Chin and Karenni states and in Sagaing region, but they dont want the news to come out. We were reporting the truth and they tried to cover up. They were afraid of it. Similarly, we report on their extrajudicial killings. Its not just about them. We will report any wrongdoings, regardless of who committed them, in the search for truth.

Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Authorities took other educators form the school to re-education centers, but they later were released.

Students respond to questions from a teacher in a classroom at a bilingual middle school for ethnic Uyghur Muslims and Han Chinese students in Hotan, northwestern China's Xinjiang region, in a file photo.

At least seven educators from a high school in the third-largest city in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) have been imprisoned by Chinese authorities, a local police officer and school employees said.

The seven imprisoned are among more than 10 teachers from the No. 8 High School in Ghulja (in Chinese, Yining) arrested in recent years amid an intensification of a crackdown on Uyghurs in the turbulent region that began in 2017, the sources said.

RFA reported in April that Dilmurat Abdurehim, the schools former principal who went missing nearly a year ago, was being detained in the city, according to municipal education officials and a Uyghur living in exile who provided information on the mans disappearance.

The Uyghur in exile, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal by the Chinese government, told RFA that he found out that at least 10 other teachers from the high school had been arrested by authorities and provided the names of Abdurehim along with two others  Nighmet and Shohret.

Through calls to local police and school employees, RFA confirmed that at least seven of the 10 were currently in prison.

When RFA called a local police station located in the same area as the high school, a police officer said that around 20 to 30 teachers had been taken to re-education centers and seven or eight of them had been sentenced to prison.

He also said that the other two who were imprisoned were Elshat and Nighmet.

There were 29 teachers [who were arrested or detained], he said. Around 20 have been released so far.

Around seven or eight [were arrested], he said. Ones name is Elshat. He is around 40 to 50 years old. The other one is Nighmet.

Ghuljas No. 8 High School has about 4,000 students, about half of whom are ethnic Uyghurs and the other half Han Chinese, and 200 staff members, including Uyghur, Kazakh and Chinese teachers. It has provided what it calls bilingual education since 2010, requiring Mandarin to be used as the primary language of instruction in schools, with the Uyghur language and literature taught as subjects.

A school official contacted by RFA acknowledged that some teachers had been detained by authorities but said that he did not know them and could not provide details because it was a state secret. He said the schools human resources department would have more information about the imprisoned educators.

When asked if Abdurehim, Nighmet and Shohret were among those arrested, he told RFA to contact municipal education officials.

I cant tell you this, he said. This is definitely a state secret. If you insist on knowing know, you can ask the city education bureau.

An employee in the schools human resources department said she could not provide information about the arrested teachers since she was fairly new to her position there, but she did not deny that some educators had been arrested by Chinese authorities.

If I knew all the names and details, I would tell you, but since I am new, I dont have those details, she said.

A school security official told RFA that three Kazakh teachers had been taken to re-education camps but later were released and continued to work at the high school

There are some Kazakh teachers who were taken to re-education. Qemer, Nurjan and Ewzel were taken to re-education and came back later, he said.

Founded in 1934, the No. 8 High School was one of only two high schools in Ghulja at the time. After 1949, the school was renamed after Ehmetjan Qasimi, president of the Republic of East Turkistan which was established in the northern part of what is now the XUAR by Uyghurs and other Turkic ethnic groups in 1944 with help from the former Soviet Union.

Qasimi and other republic leaders died in a mysterious airplane crash while flying to Beijing for a political consultation with the then Communist leaders of Peoples Republic of China in 1949.

Authorities have targeted teachers and intellectuals in Xinjiang because they are the brains of Uyghur society and the most significant means of passing on Uyghur culture and identity, Abdureshid Niyaz, an independent Uyghur researcher based in Turkey, told RFA in a 2021 report.

More than 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities are believed to have been held in a network of detention camps in Xinjiang since 2017. Beijing has said that the camps are vocational training centers and has denied widespread and documented allegations that it has violated the human rights of Muslims living in in the region.

The purges are among the abusive and repressive Chinese government policies that have been determined by the United States and some legislatures of Western countries as constituting genocide and crimes against humanity against the Uyghurs.

Translated by RFAs Uyghur Service. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Thousands have taken to the streets of Yerevan and hundreds have been arrested after Armenia's prime minister appeared to hint at a handover of long-disputed land to Azerbaijan.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have long been at odds over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan. In 2020, Azerbaijan's military recaptured several regions that had been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces since the 1990s. The flare-up in violence killed thousands on both sides of the conflict and led to a political crisis in Armenia.
OMAHA -- A man fatally shot himself early Tuesday after Bellevue police officers stopped the pickup truck he was driving, police said.

Shortly after 1:50 a.m., Bellevue officers were called to check on the well-being of Matthew Slowik, 42, of Bellevue after his wife reported that he was making suicidal statements.

Just before 4 a.m., officers located Slowik's Ford F-150 pickup near Victoria Avenue and Sunbury Drive, which is east of Fort Crook Road and north of Harlan Drive. After Slowik stopped the pickup, officers heard a single gunshot from inside. Officers found Slowik dead in the vehicle.

As required by state statute, the incident is being investigated as an in-custody death, Bellevue Police Sgt. Howard Banks said in a prepared statement. The Omaha Police Department and the Nebraska State Patrol are assisting in the investigation. Information will be submitted to the Sarpy County attorney pending a grand jury investigation.

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Protests by opposition parties demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian over his handling of a territorial dispute with Azerbaijan over the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region have continued for the fourth consecutive day in the Armenian capital. The protesters clashed with police in central Yerevan on May 4 as thousands took to the streets in the city center to demand that Pashinian step down.
President Vladimir Putin has justified Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine as a necessary move for "defending the motherland," a claim Britain said mirrored the fascism and tyranny that sparked World War II, as Russian forces pressed ahead with their offensive in the east and south of the country.

In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy promised his war-ravaged nation that Ukraine will soon have two Victory Days, as the last Ukrainian defenders at the besieged Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol vowed to fight to the end against Russian troops who have surrounded them.

Putin, who presided over a military parade in Moscow's Red Square to mark the Soviet Union's role in the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, reiterated his accusation that NATO was creating threats right next to its borders and claimed that the invasion of Ukraine was a necessary preemptive action.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the major developments on Russia's invasion, how Kyiv is fighting back, the plight of civilians, and Western reaction. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

He also addressed soldiers fighting in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, which Russia has pledged to "liberate" from Kyiv.

"Defending the motherland when its fate is being decided has always been sacred," he said.

In his own speech marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, Zelenskiy on May 9 likened the Allies' fight against Hitler with his country's struggle to repel Russia's aggression.

"We will never forget what our ancestors did in World War II, where more than 8 million Ukrainians died. Every fifth Ukrainian didn't return home," Zelenskiy said, adding, "Soon there will be two Victory Days in Ukraine. And someone will not have even one left. We won then. We will win now, too," he said.

Meanwhile, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace called out the "absurdity of Russian generals -- resplendent in their manicured parade uniforms and weighed down by their many medals," saying they were "utterly complicit in Putin's hijacking of their forebears' proud history of...repelling fascism."

"All professional soldiers should be appalled at the behavior of the Russian Army," as they not only have "engaged in an illegal invasion and war crimes, but their top brass have failed their own rank and file to the extent they should be court-martialed," he said in a speech at the British National Army Museum.

"Through the invasion of Ukraine, Putin and his inner circle of generals are now mirroring the fascism and tyranny of 77 years ago, repeating the errors of the last century's totalitarian regime," he added.

U.S. President Joe Biden on May 9 signed largely symbolic legislation to reboot the World War II-era lend-lease program that helped defeat Nazi Germany.



Before signing the bill, Biden said that "Putin's war" was "once more bringing wanton destruction of Europe," drawing a reference to the anniversary of the Allied victory in 1945.

Although there had been speculation that Putin might officially declare war on Ukraine, his 11-minute speech offered no assessment of progress in the war and gave no indication of how long it might continue.

Russian forces have so far failed to complete the occupation of the strategic Sea of Azov port of Mariupol, where an estimated 2,000 Ukrainian fighters continue to resist in the sprawling network of underground tunnels and bunkers of the Azovstal steel mill.

Azovstal has achieved a symbolic value in the conflict, as Russian forces sought a celebratory win ahead of May 9. Zelenskiy warned of more intense attacks against the remaining defenders, who vowed to fight to the end.

The complete capture of Mariupol would also deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to complete a land corridor to the illegally annexed Crimean Peninsula, and free troops up for fighting elsewhere.

On the battlefield, intense fighting raged in Ukraine's east, the port of Odesa in the south came under missile attack, and Russian forces sought to finish off the Ukrainian defenders of the steel plant, who have vowed to fight to the end.



The Odesa city council said late on May 9 that three missiles were fired from an aircraft, destroying five buildings. Two people were injured and taken to hospital, a statement from the council said.



According to the city council, rescuers managed to save a dog from under the debris.



"This is how they celebrate their Victory Day. Apparently, the only thing the occupiers have won is common sense and humanity," said Maksym Marchenko, head of the Odesa regional military administration.



Russian troops earlier on May 9 fired four missiles into the Odesa region from occupied Crimea. The missile strike occurred as European Council President Charles Michel visited the city.



In Washington, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said there were indications that Ukrainians had been "taken against their will into Russia."



Asked about statements from Kyiv that more than 1 million Ukrainians were being sent to Russia and placed in camps, Kirby said, "I can't speak to how many camps or what they look like." He called these actions "unconscionable" and "not the behavior of a responsible power."

On May 8, the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) commemorated the anniversary of the end of World War II by pledging to "spare no effort" to hold Putin and the architects "and accomplices of this aggression," including the regime of Alyaksandr Lukashenka in Belarus, accountable for their actions.

The leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States said Putin's actions "bring shame on Russia and the historical sacrifices of its people."

WATCH: Fighting continues to rage near Vuhledar, a city in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. Because of the ongoing, unpredictable shelling by Russian forces, many people are living in basements. The buildings have been cut off from electricity, water, and gas. Civilian casualties are buried in an improvised cemetery.

The United States after the meeting announced sanctions against three Russian television stations and executives from Gazprombank along with a ban on Americans providing accounting and consulting services to Russians.

Zelenskiy also told the G7 leaders that 60 civilians had died in the bombing of a school on May 7 in the eastern Luhansk region.

"They were hiding from shelling in the building of a regular school, which was attacked by a Russian air strike," he said.

British officials announced an extra $1.6 billion in military aid for Ukraine, while Britain's Defense Ministry said in its regular bulletin on May 9 that Moscow's invasion "has revealed shortcomings in its ability to conduct precision strikes" on a large scale and has shown utter disregard for the lives of civilians.

"Russia has subjected Ukraine's towns and cities to intense and indiscriminate bombardments with little or no regard to civilian casualties," the ministry said.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, and dpa
A Swedish-Iranian citizen sentenced to death in Iran on charges of spying for Israel is to be executed on May 21, Iran's semiofficial ISNA news agency said on May 4.

Ahmadreza Djalali, a medical doctor and lecturer at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, was arrested in Iran in 2016 during an academic visit.



He was accused of providing information to Israel to help it assassinate several senior nuclear scientists.



Iran's Supreme Court in 2017 upheld the death sentence. Amnesty International in November urged Tehran to drop all charges against Djalali and release him.

Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde reacted to ISNA's report on Twitter.



"[Sweden] and [the EU] condemn the death penalty and [demand] that Djalali be released," Linde said. "We have repeatedly stated this to Iranian representatives. We are in contact with Iran."



The ISNA report, which cites unnamed sources, comes as Hamid Nouri, a former Iranian prosecution official arrested by Swedish authorities in 2019, faces a life sentence in Sweden at a trial relating to the mass killings ordered by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1988.

Nouri is charged with international war crimes and human rights abuses in connection with the murders of more than 100 people at the Gohardasht prison in Karaj, Iran.

Tehran on May 2 summoned Sweden's ambassador over "baseless and false allegations" made against Nouri.



Under Swedish law, courts can try Swedish citizens and other nationals for crimes against international law committed abroad.

With reporting by Reuters and AP
The evacuation from Lyman, a town in the north of Ukraine's Donetsk region, has been under intense Russian shelling, with some areas reduced to rubble. On May 2, RFE/RL correspondent Levko Stek accompanied Ukrainian police officers who evacuated civilians from the Ukrainian town in the path of Russia's offensive.
The European Union has unveiled a proposal to ban Russian oil imports by the end of the year, impose more banking sanctions against Moscow, and cut off some Russian broadcasters in Europe saying that the Kremlin has to pay dearly for its aggression Ukraine.

With Russia intensifying its attacks on eastern Ukraine on May 4, the EU said that its sixth round of sanctions against Moscow will comprise phasing out the importation of Russian crude and refined oil products by the end of the year despite pushback from some of the bloc's members, including Slovakia and Hungary.

"We will phase out Russian supply of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year," the head of the bloc's executive European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the major developments on Russia's invasion, how Kyiv is fighting back, the plight of civilians, and Western reaction. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

"This will be a complete import ban on all Russian oil, seaborne and pipeline, crude and refined," she said, adding that "[Russian President Vladimir] Putin must pay a high price for his brutal aggression."

Von der Leyen, however, conceded that getting unanimity on oil sanctions will not be easy.

The commission chief, however, conceded that getting unanimity on oil sanctions will not be easy.

The measures require approval from all 27 EU countries to take effect and soon after von der Leyen's announcement, Hungary, Slovakia, and Bulgaria announced that they would seek exemptions from the embargo voicing concerns about energy security. Hungary and Slovakia are heavily dependent on Russian energy imports.

The Czech Republic, meanwhile, said it would seek a temporary exemption period of two or three years in order for pipeline capacities to be increased.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said EU countries blocking an oil embargo would be "complicit" in Russia's crimes in Ukraine.

Whatever their arguments are, if they oppose (the) oil embargo, it means one thing: they play on the Russian side. They share responsibility for everything Russia does in Ukraine, full stop, Kuleba said in a video posted on Twitter.

Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russias largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.



The EU will also ban three Russian state-owned broadcasters, she said, without naming the channels directly.



"They will not be allowed to distribute their content anymore in the European Union, in whatever shape or form, be it on cable, via satellite, on the Internet or via smartphone apps," von der Leyen told EU lawmakers.

According to a document seen by RFE/RL, the package also contains a list of 58 individuals sanctioned over Russia's military action in Ukraine that includes the Patriarch of Russia's Orthodox Church, a close ally of Putin's.



Von der Leyen also proposed launching a recovery package for Ukraine to help it rebuild after the war.



"This package should bring massive investment to meet the needs and the necessary reforms," von der Leyen said. "Eventually, it will pave the way for Ukraine's future inside the European Union."

The European Union accounts for nearly a half of Russia's crude and refined oil products. But the Kremlin, in a first reaction to Brussels' announcement, put on a brave face, warning that the embargo is a "double-edged sword" and that EU consumers will pay the price.

"The cost of these sanctions to the citizens of Europe will grow by the day," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on May 4.

Peskov said the Kremlin was looking at "various options" for its response to the new sanctions.

In Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden said he was "open" to imposing more sanctions on Russia and would be discussing measures with allies from the Group of Seven (G7) leading industrialized nations in the coming days.

On the battlefront, Moscow deployed 22 battalions near Izyum, an eastern city, in a bid to push into the Donbas region, the British Defense Ministry said in its daily bulletin on May 4, adding that Russia's apparent goal is capturing the cities of Kramatorsk and Severodonetsk in the east, "despite struggling to break through Ukrainian defenses." A Russian battalion usually consists of 700-800 soldiers.



According to the British intelligence bulletin, capturing the two cities "would consolidate Russian military control" of northeastern Ukraine.

In neighboring Belarus, the armed forces began "surprise" large-scale drills on May 4 to test their combat readiness, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said.

Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said there was "heavy fighting" at the Azovstal plant on May 4 and said city officials had lost contact with Ukrainian forces inside.

Boychenko told Ukrainian television that Russian forces were attacking with heavy artillery, tanks, and warplanes, and said warships off the coast were also involved.

Russian troops are on the territory of the plant, according to David Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation that has held now-stalled peace talks with Russia.

"Attempts to storm the plant continue for the second day. Russian troops are already on the territory of Azovstal," Arakhamia said, citing the commander of the Azov Regiment, which is defending the plant with other Ukrainian troops. He contradicted Boychenko, saying Ukrainian authorities have contact with the defenders at the plant.

The commander announced the storming of the plant by Russian troops the day before and called again for the evacuation of civilians.

Boychenko said on May 3 that more than 200 civilians were still holed up with fighters in the sprawling plant.

In his video address, Kuleba denied that Azovstal was under Russian control.

On May 4, Peskov denied Ukrainian reports that Russian troops had stormed the Avozstal steel plant soon after the latest group of civilians made it out of the sprawling complex.

"There is no storming," Peskov told reporters, contradicting claims by Ukrainian soldiers inside the steelworks.

"The order was publicly given by the supreme commander-in-chief to cancel the assault," Peskov said, referring to a statement Putin made on April 21 that called off a direct assault on Azovstal because it would result in too many Russian casualties. Instead, forces should seal off Azovstal so tightly that "even a fly can't get out," Putin said.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Rikard Jozwiak, Reuters, AP, and AFP
Two women are facing federal charges connected to an armed casino robbery and chase that ended at a Billings elementary school.

Makyla Shayd Fetter, 27, and Taliah Jeneane Ramirez, 22, have been charged in U.S. District Court with robbery affecting commerce, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime and possession of a firearm in a school zone. They made their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan on April 26.

Billings police responded to an armed robbery at Magic Diamond Casino on Main Street on March 20. The suspects were two women, one of whom fired a round from a pistol into the air during the robbery. The two drove off in a blue car.

Officers lost the car in traffic, but with the assistance of Yellowstone County deputies they found the vehicle near Ponderosa School on the South Side of Billings later that evening. They arrested one woman seen running away from the vehicle, where police allegedly found a handgun. She was later identified as Fetter and booked into Yellowstone County Detention Facility.

County prosecutors charged Fetter March 21 with felonious robbery, criminal endangerment and tampering with evidence. She was also charged with two misdemeanor counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle and obstructing an officer.

The same morning that charges were filed against Fetter, a kindergarten student at Ponderosa Elementary School found a loaded handgun on the school playground. After the student picked it up, a teacher was alerted who secured it before giving it to the principal.

Fetter and a woman who went unnamed in county charging documents allegedly took several bottles of alcohol from Magic Diamond Casino. Surveillance footage showed two women walk into the casino wearing black sweatshirts with the hoods up and their faces covered. Footage showed one woman in blue jeans, identified later as Fetter, pulling several bottles from a shelf and then brandishing a firearm. She allegedly pointed it at two casino employees. One employee heard a shot while the two women made their way to the blue sedan in the parking lot.

A responding Billings police officer tracked the sedan traveling about 80 mph through the area of Third Avenue South. A pursuit was called off to avoid endangering the public.

Deputies reportedly found the vehicle after it crashed through a chain link fence surrounding Ponderosa Elementary, according to charging documents. Officers allegedly found Fetter laying facedown nearby. During a subsequent search, they also found several bottles of whiskey inside the car and a handgun in the area where Fetter ran from the vehicle.

Federal prosecutors filed charges against Fetter and Ramirez on April 21, following an investigation by the FBI, alleging that the two disrupted interstate commerce by robbing the casino with the threat of violence. They also allegedly brought a firearm onto the property of Ponderosa Elementary School knowing that the area was a school zone, federal court documents say.

Fetter and Ramirez have a tentative trial date scheduled for June 21. Ramirez is currently in custody at YCDF. If convicted of the most serious crime, they face a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Both women have previously been charged in Yellowstone County with drug offences, and their cases are currently ongoing. Fetter was charged in February 2021 with two counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and one count of obstructing an officer. Police allegedly found her carrying meth and prescription painkillers after stopping a vehicle she was traveling in.

County prosecutors charged Ramirez in October 2021 with four felonies, including possession with intent to distribute and child endangerment. Police allegedly found meth in her vehicle after a traffic stop. Three children were also in the vehicle, and were not restrained in any way, according to court documents.

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STARIY BYKIV, Ukraine -- As the bitter memories came rushing back, Viktoria Vovk couldn't hold back tears.

When Russian troops entered Stariy Bykiv on February 27, three days after the invasion of Ukraine began, they took her adult son and son-in-law from her courtyard by force, saying they would be questioned and then released later in the day.

They did not come back that evening, though, and when they had still not returned the next morning, Vovk, growing anxious, set off with a cousin to search for them.

She found them not far from her home -- lying dead along with four other bodies next to an abandoned, windowless, one-story building.

"They were shot in the head," Vovk told RFE/RL in an interview at her home in Stariy Bykiv, about 100 kilometers east of Kyiv in the Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine.

An examination conducted by Ukrainian authorities weeks later indicated that her son, Bohdan Hladkiy, 29, and son-in-law, Oleksandr Mohyrchuk, 38, had been tortured before they were shot. One had an artery cut while the other had punctures to the heart and broken ribs, Vovk said.

"They tormented our children. For what? They didn't hurt anyone!" Vovk said, tears running down her face as she clutched portraits of the two men. "I don't know how to survive all this."

Rolling into northern Ukraine from Belarus in the first days of the invasion, Russian forces pressing south toward Kyiv occupied numerous towns and villages while pounding parts of the capital and the city of Chernihiv with bombs, rockets, and artillery.

In many towns and villages, Russian forces abducted male residents, sometimes accusing them of passing information about their location to Ukrainian forces or being members of local defense units.

Vovk said her son had just arrived by train from Kyiv, where he worked for a private postal company, because he thought the sleepy village would be safer than the capital. It was a fatal decision for him and for many others who left Kyiv and other large cities in the early days of the war. Vovk described her son as a "regular guy" who had no interest in the military.

Olha Yavon, another resident of Stariy Bykiv, is also grieving: Her sons Ihor, 32, and Oleh, 33, were among the six whose bodies were found outside the abandoned building. They too were snatched off the street, purportedly on suspicion of passing on information.

Russian forces retreated from areas around Kyiv weeks after the invasion began, unable to seize the capital, and the Russian offensive is now focused on eastern and southern Ukraine.

But they left behind thousands of victims, and the accounts of bereaved survivors like Vovk are part of a growing body of evidence and allegations of war crimes that are being examined by Ukrainian authorities and international organizations.

In an April 3 statement, Human Rights Watch said that the "summary executions" of Hladkiy, Mohyrchuk, and the four men whose bodies were found with them were among several cases it has documented that "amount to unspeakable, deliberate cruelty and violence against Ukrainian civilians."

Some of the most prominent evidence has emerged in Bucha, a town northwest of Kyiv. Ukraine says more than 1,000 bodies of civilians have been discovered in or around Bucha after Russian troops withdrew. Many bodies showed signs of torture.

Russian troops occupied Stariy Bykov as well as Novy Bykiv, the neighboring village across the Supiy River, for more than a month before being pushed back by Ukrainian forces at the end of March. They left a trail of death, destruction, and agony that residents will never forget.

Russian troops occupied the local school, kindergarten, and hospital and set up their headquarters in a bomb shelter beneath Noviy Bykiv's cultural center. They rounded up dozens of residents from both sides of the river, saying they suspected them of aiding Ukrainian forces and keeping them locked up in the small, one-story boiler building that supplied hot water to the cultural center.

Some of the hostages, including Maksym Didyk, were held in the dark, narrow cellar below the boiler building. Didyk, who was held for 12 days, told RFE/RL there were about two dozen people kept captive in the boiler building, including in the cellar, during his detainment. Overall, more than 40 people were held there during the monthlong occupation, locals said.

Among the captives was Viktoria Andrusha, a 25-year-old schoolteacher who lived elsewhere but had returned to Stariy Bykiv after Russia's invasion to be with her parents. Russian troops seized her on March 25 and brought her to the boiler room, according to Didyk. They took her away two days later, and she has never been seen since.

Nor has Oleksandr Ihnatov, a 52-year-old who suffered from amnesia following a car accident a few years ago. Residents who were held hostage said that Russian soldiers abused Ihnatov most of all.

Several residents who were held in the boiler building did not survive, Didyk says.

As Russian troops were preparing to pull out of Noviy and Stariy Bykiv in late March, the commander called out several hostages one at a time and shot them, says Didyk, who heard the gunshots from inside the boiler building.

Three hostages were later found on the ground about 100 meters away with fatal gunshot wounds. Among the dead were Volodymyr Vovk, a 38-year-old worker at a school for orphans who himself was raised in an orphanage.

Russian troops destroyed more than 100 buildings in the two villages as well as nearly all its infrastructure.

Written by Todd Prince based on reporting by Dmytro Dzhulay of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
The Student Ambassador Exchange Program is seeking families to host international high school students from Spain, Italy, Brazil, and Asia for the 2022-2023 school year.

The international students are between the ages of 15 and 18, speak English, and are eager to learn more about American culture. They can attend any public high school, host families are only required to provide a room, meals, transportation, and a loving environment. There are no expenses for the host family.

You can choose a student to host based on their hobbies, interests, and much more.

Grace, a previous host mother, said, "We have hosted two times between 2017 and 2019. Our first student came from Spain with SAE. This experience changed our family forever. Through this exchange program, I gained children who I can now call my own. Even though they only stay for 10 months, they will always be mine. We have learned so much about ourselves and the countries we have hosted from.

Curious families can visit www.saeglobal.org for more information, email veronica@childrenofallnations.com or jeanne_gwcabj@163.com, or call 512-323-9595.

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Voters roundly rejected the $1.5 million mill levy Billings Public Schools was seeking for its high school district

Results from the Yellowstone County Elections Office show the levy failing 12,712 votes in support to 21,671 against, or 36.72% to 62.6%.

The $1.5 million was sought by the high school district to fund the expansion and modernization of the career technical education space at Senior High School, among other career pathway costs. Billings Public Schools is technically two districts, elementary and high school.

Montana funds public schools at roughly 80% of their budgets, requiring local voters to make up the additional 20% through annual mill levy elections. Not every school district opts to go to voters every year.

SD2 last sought a high school levy in 2019, which voters approved  the first time that had happened for the high school district in 12 years.

BPS has been more successful passing levies for the elementary school district.

Also on the ballot were contested races for four seats on the SD2 school board. Two of the candidates running as incumbents, Zach Terakedis and Scott McCulloch, appear to be keeping their seats. A third incumbent, Brian Yates, appears to have lost by just two votes.

Candidate Teresa Larsen, with 2,393 votes, won over Shannon Johnson with 2,314 votes, or 47.90% to 46.32%. The two were running for the open seat in District 3 being vacated by Greta Besch Moen, who chose not to seek reelection this year.

In the District 4 race, Terakedis topped challenger Nelson 1,627 votes to 1,541 votes, or 48.31% to 45.75%.

In the board's only three-way race, District 5's Scott McCulloch beat challengers Kristen Gilfeather and Kayla Ladson by a small margin. McCulloch had 1,860 votes or 43.96%, Gilfeather followed with 1,817 votes or 42.94%, and Ladson received 293 or 6.93%.

The night's closest race was divided by two votes and will likely trigger a recount. Challenger John VonLangen led incumbent Yates for the District 7 seat, 2,568 votes to 2,566 votes or 45.25% to 45.22%.

Yellowstone County election policy requires a recount for races closer than one quarter of a percentage point or within 10 votes.

Other county results

Laurel School District

Vote for two

Jennifer Jones, 964, 19.92%

Christopher W. Lorash, 1,166, 24.09%

Donnie McVee, 779, 16.10%

Anaise R Morgan, 371, 7.67%

Rene Teeters Roth, 921, 19.03%

Write-in totals, 16, 0.33%

Totals, 4,840, 100.00%

Elder Grove

Danielle Lackman, 560, 41.18%

Lacy Nations, 113, 8.31%

Steve Nicola, 67, 4.93%

Rich Pope, 321, 23.60%

Write-in totals, 36, 2.65%

Totals, 1,360, 100.00%

Huntley Project District 24

Vote for 1

Tim ley, 784, 60.03%

Jerry simonson, 440, 33.69%

Write-in totals, 5, 0.38%

Totals, 1,306, 100.00%

Huntley Project unexpired

vote for 1

Bill cook, 808, 61.87%

Ludell heaton, 422, 32.31%

Write-in totals, 5, 0.38%

Totals, 1,306, 100.00%

Huntley Project general fund

For, 545, 41.73%

Against, 726, 55.59%

Totals, 1,306, 100.00%

Lockwood

Vote for two

Jamie Fandrich, 613, 25.82%

Timothy S Sather, 603, 25.40%

Josh Skidmore, 663, 27.93%

Write-in totals, 13, 0.55%

Totals, 2,374, 100.00%

Elder Grove general fund

For, 292, 21.47%

Against, 1,050, 77.21%

Totals, 1,360, 100.00%

Elysian general fund

For, 549, 58.72%

Against, 369, 39.47%

Contest totals, 935, 100.00%

Elysian bond question 1

Bonds yes, 565, 60.43%

Bonds no, 361, 38.61%

Contest totals, 935, 100.00%

Elysian bond question 2

Bonds yes, 517, 55.29%

Bonds no, 408, 43.64%

Contest totals, 935, 100.00%

Pioneer bonds

Bonds yes, 122 33.33%

Bonds no, 244 66.67%

Totals 366

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The General Statistics Office last week reported that in April, Vietnams index for industrial production (IIP) increased 9.4 per cent on-year thanks to good control of COVID-19 and enterprises taking the bigger initiative in labourers and business and production plans for expansion, in which the manufacturing and processing sector creating 80 per cent of industrial growth expanded 11.3 per cent on-year. In the first four months of this year, the IIP increased 7.5 per cent on-year, as the manufacturing and processing sector expanded 8.3 per cent on-year.

Growing production has resulted in rising demand for electricity and fuel. The Ministry of Planning and Investment reported that the economys production and distribution of electricity in April increased 2.8 per cent on-year. In the first four months, the rate increased 6.6 per cent against the same period last year, when it decreased 6.5 per cent on-year.

State-run Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) reported that all of its activities were increasing on-year in the first quarter of 2022. Specifically, its gross output of industry is estimated to be VND88.83 trillion ($3.86 billion), up 7.15 per cent, while the produced and purchased electricity volume is nearly 60 million kilowatt-hours, up 7.4 per cent; and commercial electricity totalled nearly 54.47 million kWh, up 7.15 per cent. Electricity for agro-forestry-fishery climbed 7.73 per cent, while the rate is 3.34 per cent for construction and industrial activities, 13.6 per cent for households, and 1.55 per cent for trade and hotels. EVNs total revenue from electricity sales is about over VND101.41 trillion ($4.4 billion), up 9.26 per cent on-year.

Meanwhile, state-owned PetroVietnam reported that its total revenue in Q1 2022 is estimated to be over VND158 trillion ($6.87 billion), up 32 per cent on-year. The group exploited 2.85 million tonnes of crude oil, up 5 per cent on-year, and produced 457,700 tonnes of nitrate, up 11 per cent. The groups export turnover totalled $792 million, up 71 per cent.

The General Statistics Office (GSO) said that in the first four months, enterprises confidence has been growing since last October when the government applied a flexible pandemic policy, making it easier for businesses to perform.

Having operated in Hanoi for 13 years, Japanese-funded Alphan Industries has been manufacturing spare parts for vehicles and had to halt material imports from Japan and a number of foreign markets for a few months last year. Production resumed as quickly as possible and has gradually amplified an increase in exports.

A company representative said that in the first four months of 2022, the business industrial gross output climbed 8 per cent as compared to the 6 per cent rise in the corresponding period last year, while the import turnover expanded by nearly 9 per cent per cent since October 2021. The firm is working to expand export markets to Europe, the United States, and Africa, he said.

Located not far from Alphan Industries is Japans Kaya Industry Co., Ltd., churning out cutlery and hand tools which are sold in Vietnam and exported to Japan.

Since early this year, the enterprise has been recruiting workers in its plan to expand production and witnessing a rise of about 8 per cent in import turnover of materials used for its production.

It is expected that the 4-month revenue of the company increased about 7 per cent on-year, as compared to a 5 per cent climb in the same period last year, said Nguyen Anh Mau, head of sales at Kaya Industry. The companys leadership has set a target of 10 per cent in revenue expansion this year, with export turnover swelling by 11 per cent.

Takeo Nakajima, chief representative of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in Hanoi cited a recent JETRO survey as stating that 55 per cent of Japanese companies in Vietnam answered that they would expand their business in Vietnam in the next 1-2 years, the highest number in ASEAN. The rate of Japanese with the answer of Shrink/withdraw their business in Vietnam is only 2 per cent. Those who said expand hope for the recovery of overseas markets. About 71 per cent of the respondents pointed that sales increase in the export markets is the driver for expansion.

Vietnam welcomes the investment of foreign companies, and they can enjoy low tariffs on import and export - a very favourable investment environment for foreign enterprises, Nakajima said.

GSO figures showed that in the first four months, the Vietnamese economys total export-import turnover is estimated to stand at $216 billion, including $116 billion from exports, up 25 per cent on-year; and $110 billion from imports, up 27 per cent on-year.
St. Vincent Children's Healthcare is hosting the 7th annual Kids Fun Day at ZooMontana on June 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event will showcase animal encounters, a climbing wall, emergency vehicles, safety demonstrations, and much more. Admission for the public is $3 with free admission to ZooMontana members, SCL Health caregivers and their families, and NICU graduates. There will be complimentary snacks available for children and additional food for sale via food truck.

Kids Fun Day is a celebration of St. Vincent's long standing commitment to providing the highest quality pediatric care in the region through their services and specialists at St. Vincent Children's, Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital and the University of Utah School of Medicine.

St. Vincent Healthcare is also hosting free prenatal education classes from May 31 to July 5. On June 11 there will also be a free interactive class about Lamaze birthing practices. To register for these events or learn more information visit sclhealth.org/classes-events/.

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When dozens of 30-year-old eucalyptus trees along Grand Avenue in downtown Escondido were cut down last year, a view to the east was revealed that for decades had gone unseen.

Looking east down Grand over the soon-to-be demolished former Palomar Hospital is Bottle Peak, a boulder-pocked mountain covered in coastal sage scrub and chaparral.

Its as if the street had been built with the view in mind.

The removal of the eucalyptus trees, which were non-native, invasive anyway, and were killing the rest of the landscape, has really exposed the beauty of the hillsides, said City Councilwoman Olga Diaz during a recent meeting.

Last May dozens of tall, view blocking eucalyptus trees were removed from the medians along Grand Avenue in Escondidos historic downtown area. (Bill Wechter)

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You can see Bottle Peak now, she said. You can stand on Grand Avenue and look toward that direction and see the mountains. It is gorgeous. Since Ive lived here, Ive never seen it that way before. Once the trees were gone, it really made it look more picturesque.

Bottle Peak has played a big role in Escondidos history beginning in the late 1800s, when gold was thought to lie in the hills, said Francis Ryan, an Escondido historian and author in an interview she gave in 1978. No gold was found.

However, a quartz mine did operate from 1897 to about 1914, which included a 67-foot-long tunnel running into the mountainside.

In 1904, a wildfire devastated the peak and surrounding area and prompted U.S. Forest Ranger E.D. Bish eight years later to build the countys first fire lookout tower atop a large rock known as The Devils Anvil at the peaks 2,136-foot summit.

Even before the fire lookout was placed on the rock, locals were calling the mountain Bottle Peak because it looked like a bottle. The fire tower only added to the impression.

A 1967 historical piece in the Escondido Times Advocate said some in the area mistakenly thought the mountain derived its name from a mineral spring bottling operation that once existed in the area.

From it, a great expanse of country can be seen  as far north as Pala, south beyond San Diego, west to the ocean and east to the mountains back of Warner Hot Springs. From it, in clear weather, the forester in charge is able to keep a close watch for forest fires over a big expanse of territory, according to an article published in 1912 in the San Diego Union.

Bish built the tower with his own money and labor, but was later reimbursed by the forestry department. He was then transferred to Hot Springs Mountain near Warner Springs where he built a similar lookout at the top of the countys highest mountain.

The Bottle Peak lookout was listed as abandoned in a 1938 National Geodetic Survey data sheet, according to the Forest Fire Lookout Association website, but still stood into the 1950s when the wooden structure was destroyed by another fire.

Both the Bottle Peak and Hot Springs Mountain lookouts are gone now, though their foundations still exist.

The Bottle Peak property exchanged hands numerous times over the past 100 years, but became a 418-acre County of San Diego open space preserve, not open to the public, in 2013.

It is unclear, according to historical records, whether Grand Avenue (it was originally called San Pasqual Road) was built so that a view of the peak would be directly to the east, though most assume so. It should be noted that the same view exists as travellers drive east on E. Valley Parkway.

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
Montana State Prison officials closed a wing of the facility last week due to staffing shortages, the Montana Department of Corrections confirmed Tuesday.

The department did not say how many inmates were affected by the closure of the prison's F unit. Spokesperson Alexandria Klapmeier said in an email it wasn't possible to answer some of the Montana State News Bureau's questions about the closure because providing detailed, operational information could pose a security risk to staff and inmates.

The closure comes just months after Montana State Prison Warden Jim Salmonsen reported to lawmakers a 20% hole in the 328 correctional officer workforce at any given time. Those shortages often mean cutting gym or yard time for inmates when staff can't step away from mandatory posts, officials told lawmakers in February.

"This action was undertaken to assist with staffing needs at the prison," Klapmeier said Tuesday. "Sharing the number of mandatory posts in any of our units presents a security risk, so the department declines to share that information."

Klapmeier said inmates who had been moved within the facility were placed in "appropriate housing."

The F unit that was closed also housed the prison's sex offender programming. Klapmeier said that programming is housed in a "different, appropriate area. No programming was shut down."

The corrections department has been working to beef up its recruitment and retention efforts for the state prison, a 1,600-bed facility for men outside of Deer Lodge. Officials over the last year told lawmakers they were working with the governor's budget office to bring wages up after years of losing correctional officers to county jail jobs, where pay has traditionally been higher.

In March, the department reached a new contract with correctional officers at MSP, providing a $2-per-hour raise for correctional officers at the state prison, and implementing changes to the employee grievance process, a suggestion that not all complaints with the rank-and-file centered on money.

Still, Klapmeier said Tuesday that voluntary and mandatory overtime shifts are in place at the prison while staffing needs are still acute at the facility.

"Beyond that, it poses a security risk for the DOC to share detailed operational information," she said.

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A homicide investigation is underway after two people were found dead in a Bridger casino last month.

The deaths of John Ahles, 33, and Marla Murray, 71, are being investigated as suspicious, according to a statement Wednesday from the Carbon County Sheriffs Office. First responders found their bodies after quashing a fire at Honest Toms Saloon and Casino on April 20.

A passerby reported smoke rising out of the bar that morning, and crews from Bridger, Fromberg and Belfry brought the fire under control within 30 minutes. Ahles and Murray were pronounced dead at the scene.

They were the only people in the building at the time of the fire, and no other injuries were reported. The casino was a total loss due to the smoke damage from the fire, Carbon County Sheriff Josh McQuillan previously told the Gazette.

Other details about the investigation, such as whether any suspects have been identified, the victims cause of death and the cause of the fire, are not being released at this time, McQuillan said.

"There'll be more to add in the future. We just wanted to get this out here because we said we would update folks," he said.

The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting in the investigation, which McQuillan told the Gazette is the first homicide case for CCSO since the 2018 death of James Jimmy McGregor. Thomas Joseph Schifferns was sentenced to life in prison in 2019 for fatally shooting McGregor.

There is no threat to the public at this time, according to the statement released Wednesday.

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Fifty years ago I was unbelievably blessed to be the research staff for the Declaration of Rights Committee of the Montana Constitutional Convention. As we approach the 50th anniversary, I must give a solemn nod to the recent passing of two giants: Bill of Rights Committee Chairman Wade Dahood and Committee member Bob Campbell. They were the primary reasons Montana has such a spectacular document. They had a lot of help, from committee members Chet Blaylock, Dorothy Eck, George James, Don Foster, Marshall Murray and Lyle Monroe as well as other delegates, including Mae Nan Ellingson, Arlyne Reichert, and Leo Graybill. While only 10 of the original 100 are still with us, they left a legacy unmatched in any state or national constitutions.

The Montana Constitutions Declaration of Rights remains the strongest assemblage of protections of civil liberties and political freedoms ever put to paper and adopted. In Sources of Democracy, renowned constitutional scholar Saul Padover surveyed hundreds of years of historical documents and concluded his book with Montana's Declaration of Rights. He saw it as the very best in the long history of documents designed to favor rule by the governed over control by elites or monarchs, by the privileged, or by authoritarians and other deniers of the belief that principled citizens are the best guides in public life, so long as they search for the common good. Wade, Bob and their fellow delegates monumentally succeeded in that.

Montanas declaration of rights includes: the fundamental rights of free speech, assembly and religion; an inalienable right of all citizens to a clean and healthful environment; the right to pursue life's basic necessities. Here the dignity of the individual is an inviolable right. Montanas strong right of individual privacy can be infringed only on showing of a compelling state interest. Our right to know and obtain documents is limited only when the demand of individual privacy clearly exceeds the merits of public disclosure. Montana is the only state with a Constitutional right of participation in governmental decision-making before the decisions occur. Citizen access and ability to participate is a requirement placed upon all levels of government in Montana, including the previously secretive Legislature. Government often fights that, but the Constitution prevails.

There are limits on the ability of the government to shield itself from lawsuits brought by citizens who have been harmed by government, overcoming the ancient rationalization that the "king can do no wrong." Our strong anti-discrimination provision applies to government, but also to private entities that can and have denied civil or political rights on account of race, color, sex, culture, social origin or condition or political or religious views. The Equal Rights Amendment is enshrined right there  the delegates made it clear on the floor that Montana should not stand by and wait for the federal government to see the light and constitutionally guarantee women equal rights, something that still has not happened.

There is a clear guarantee of equal protection of the laws. The right of suffrage is not to be impaired in any way, an issue that is maddeningly still under attack, a threat all too real in our discomfiting history. Persons under the age of majority are guaranteed the same rights as adults unless special protections are warranted. The criminal justice system is required to prevent crime, promote reformation, public safety and restitution. Felons are to obtain full rights upon completion of their penalty. There is an individual right to keep and bear arms that provides the same individual right that was found in the 1889 Montana Constitution. In fact, the 1972 Constitutional Convention adopted all rights in the earlier Constitution and built upon them. To the ends of the Earth, you will look in vain for another comparably broad and inclusive Declaration of Rights. No one has more rights and protections than the citizens of Montana.

While some lightly or cavalierly attack our Constitution and Declaration of Rights for political advantage, the late, great Chairman Wade Dahood, the man I have called the shepherd of the Bill of Rights, bluntly stated in his last recorded interview that Montanas Declaration of Rights should be left alone, respected and protected by citizens and public officials alike. For the ages.

In addition to his work at Montanas 1972 Constitutional Convention, Rick Applegate, originally from Libby, has over the last half century worked in Montana, in Congress and the Northwest on a broad range of critical natural resource issues.

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The Student Ambassador Exchange Program is seeking families to host international high school students from Spain, Italy, Brazil, and Asia for the 2022-2023 school year.
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The leaked decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe vs. Wade was met with protests at the federal buildings in both San Francisco and Oakland on Tuesday afternoon and evening.

Shortly before 5 p.m., several hundred people gathered in front of the Phillip Burton Federal , many of them holding homemade signs bearing slogans such as, We wont go back, You can only ban safe abortions and My body, my choice.

At the same time, hundreds gathered at the Ron V. Dellums Federal Building in downtown Oakland bearing their own homemade signs with slogans, including Keep your laws off my body. The crowd whooped and cheered as elected officials, labor leaders, community activists and health care officials called for keeping abortion safe and legal.

Everyone must fight to be sure we do not regress, said Oakland City Council president pro tem Sheng Thao. When abortion is illegal, more women die.

Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Protesters rallied in cities across the nation following news of a leaked draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito and published by the web site Politico on Monday night. The draft suggested that a majority of the justices  Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barret  had agreed to strike down the landmark 1973 law that legalized abortion along with a 1992 decision to affirm that right.

Draft opinions are subject to change before publication but if the Alito opinion is affirmed it will likely mean the end to federally sanctioned abortion rights in the United States. It would then be left to the individual states to craft their own laws on abortion. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has already stated that he will fight to protect the right to abortion in the state, but that was not protection enough for the protesters.

We are lucky here in San Francisco and here in California but it should not be about luck, Mayor London Breed said in a brief speech at the Burton building. This is a health crisis  This is about saving lives.

Breed blasted the patchwork abortion protections across the country and said California is expecting an influx of abortion seekers if the Supreme Court does overturn Roe v. Wade. Rally participants cheered, yelled and clapped as speakers discussed what they said was a dire need to protect Roe v. Wade and to overturn state-by-state barriers to reproductive health care and defend queer and trans people, among other demands.

We are out here to fight; we are out here to show them that we mean business! shouted Kristina Lee, an organizer with the National Mobilization for Reproductive Justice.

Nancy Kato, another organizer with the National Mobilization for Reproductive Justice, said seeing the Supreme Courts draft decision Monday evening was gut wrenching, because it was real. We knew, we anticipated it, but to actually see it in writing was like, Wow, Kato said.

Shannon Olivieri Hovis, director of NARAL Pro-Choice California, rallied the crowd while carrying her infant daughter Catalina in a harness on her chest. She called the draft decision the most alarming, the most horrifying thing imaginable. This is not a drill.

She encouraged rally-goers to vote for political candidates who champion reproductive freedom, hold accountable senators who voted in favor of installing antiabortion justices on the Supreme Court, ask their federal representatives to vote to end the filibuster so that Congress can pass nationwide abortion protections and to be loud and make more noise than you have ever made in your life.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta assured the crowd that the state government will fight to safeguard reproductive rights in the state.

We have a choice: Do we accept what so many have said is inevitable, the decision by the Supreme Court? Or do we fight? Bonta said. California stands with you, he added, and the audience roared.

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The Oakland rally lasted about 20 minutes but the people who came out were not ready to disband. A spirit lingered, as if this were just the start of something. The crowd milled around chatting until a spontaneous chant broke out: Fight, fight, fight! Abortion is a right followed by My Body, my choice.

It carried across the plaza and through the rolled up windows of automobiles carrying commuters home along Clay Street. Horns started to honk. The message was being heard.

Across the bay, the San Francisco rally lasted more than an hour and included remarks by assembly members Phil Ting and Rebecca Bauer-Kahan. Speakers cast the fight for abortion access as an expansive issue that affects people of color, people living in poverty, queer and trans people, and other groups that are marginalized. The right to choose what one does with their body, when and where one wants to do it, is critical for these groups especially, speakers said.

They also emphasized the parallel importance of ending environmental and medical racism, guaranteeing affordable child care and shoring up voting rights, among other causes.

The crowd, estimated at 400 people by a police officer, eventually left the Burton Building and marched toward the Castro. Police closed off the westbound lanes of Market Street to make way for the marchers as they continued with their battle cry, My body, my choice.

As the sun set and the marchers approached the Castro, people at restaurants, hotels and other Market Street businesses clapped and pumped their fists in support. Many also simply watched in silence.

They heard us today but they need to keep hearing us, Kristina Lee said in the middle of the intersection of Market and Castro streets. We will keep coming out as the real decisions come out.

Andres Picon, Carolyn Said and Sam Whiting are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: andy.picon@hearst.com; csaid@sfchronicle.com; swhiting@sfchronicle.com
California Gov. Gavin Newsom quickly capitalized on news that the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, launching a campaign ad touting his support for abortion rights and giving an impassioned press conference blasting the decision Wednesday morning.

How about all of those women and girls raped in states where they dont even make an exception for rape? Newsom said during an event in Los Angeles, where he was flanked by a crowd of women wearing pink Planned Parenthood T-shirts. Thats how extreme the Republican Party is.

Newsoms comments come on the heels of a draft decision written by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito that would end the nationwide right to abortion, and instead let states decide whether to allow the procedure. The draft opinion is not yet official, but it reveals the court is gearing up to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that guaranteed abortion rights in the U.S.

Politico published the draft decision Monday evening, sparking protests from abortion rights supporters across the country.

In the ad released Wednesday, Newsom touts his endorsement by Planned Parenthood and his vocal opposition to the 2021 Texas law that banned most abortions in the Lone Star State.

This will be the defining issue of the 2022 election, Newsom wrote in a tweet promoting his ad.

In the ad, he attacks state Sen. Brian Dahle, a Republican from Bieber (Lassen County) challenging him in the governors race.

GOP endorsed Sen. Brian Dahle stands with Donald Trump, the Newsom campaign ad says. Dahle wants to roll back abortion rights, punishing women and doctors.

Dahle said that his voting record speaks for itself. He has voted against bills written by Democrats aimed at shoring up abortion access in the past and says he plans to vote against a bill currently moving through the Legislature that would strengthen prohibitions against prosecuting women for having abortions or miscarrying. He said the governors comments on abortion are an attempt to distract from the policies hes enacted.

The governor knows that his policies arent helping Californians, Dahle said, pointing to crime and homelessness as issues he says Newsom and other Democrats are responsible for. Nothing is going to change in California with the Supreme Court ruling. Hes just using this to stir up his base.

Dahle is right that abortion will remain legal in California even if the court overturns Roe v. Wade because Democrats who support abortion rights control the state Legislature and the governors office.

Other California Democrats facing competitive midterm races are also promoting their support of abortion rights. Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is seeking election to the job Newsom appointed him to last year, put out a press release Tuesday highlighting his offices commitment to defending abortion rights. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara sent out a statement through his campaign touting his endorsement by Planned Parenthood.

At the event in Los Angeles, Newsom promoted an amendment he and legislative leaders are proposing that would enshrine the right to an abortion in Californias Constitution. Newsoms office has said he intends to push for the Legislature to put the proposed amendment on the November ballot.

That would ensure the issue of abortion appears on midterm ballots in California, where voters will also be deciding critical congressional races that will help determine control of the House of Representatives.

Newsom has presented California as a haven for people seeking abortions, highlighting his and lawmakers efforts to increase access. If other states ban abortion, as many are ready to do if the Supreme Court overturns Roe, California could see a massive influx of women seeking to terminate their pregnancies here.

Campaigning on his support for abortion helps Newsom and other Democrats rally voters who may be more moderate and less inclined to vote in the midterms, said Kim Nalder, a political science professor at California State University Sacramento, pointing to polling that shows big majorities of Americans support at least some level of abortion rights.

Its a winning issue not just for people on the hard left, she said. People across the spectrum are going to be very concerned.

Newsom criticized Republicans who oppose abortion but dont support liberal proposals that would increase funding for prenatal care, child care and paid family leave that actually strengthen the family.

They claim to be pro-life, Newsom said. Theyre pro-birth. Thats all.

He also criticized his own party, including Democratic U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, who have blocked efforts to pass legislation by refusing to override Senate filibuster rules.

Where is the Democratic Party? he asked. Wheres the counteroffensive?

Sophia Bollag is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sophia.bollag@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophiaBollag
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Californias promise to create an abortion haven for women in more conservative states is set to be tested if the Supreme Court follows through on overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.

The pending decision  laid out in a draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito leaked to Politico  would allow an estimated 26 states to make abortion illegal, and California is preparing to fill a colossal gap in service. But big questions remain: How many women will travel to the state for the procedure? And will California and its already strained health care system be ready to meet that need?

Already the state where the most abortions are performed, California has a wealth of trained clinicians, an abortion-rights-friendly government that is preparing supportive legislation and longtime funding sources to help people travel west to get care.

We have the infrastructure in place already, said Jessica Pinckney, executive director of Access Reproductive Justice, a three-decade-old statewide organization that provides funds to women to access abortion care in California. We know how to get people the support they need. We know how to get people on planes, we know how to get them in hotel rooms.

Its difficult, however, to prepare for what happens next when the scale of the potential influx is unknown. The Guttmacher Institute, a think tank that researches reproductive health, said in a recent report that the number of out-of-state women of childbearing age who would find their nearest clinic in California would increase from 46,000 now to 1.4 million.

The report, however, doesnt predict how many of those people would come to California. Or where they might go instead. Or how they would get there. Neighboring Nevada is another state that could become a haven for women seeking abortions.

Its really frustrating too, because we just cant anticipate it, Pinckney said. Were constantly saying that abortion funding is an art, not a science. We try to see trends in our data. And sometimes there are, and sometimes there arent.

More than 132,000 abortions were performed in California in 2017, the institute reported, about 15.4% of the nations total. It isnt known how many women traveled to the state for those procedures.

The California Future of Abortion Council  a group of more than 40 organizations including Planned Parenthood, Black Women for Wellness Action Project and the ACLU  has been working for months on creating legislation, pumping up funding sources and whiteboarding big-picture ideas to prepare for Roes death. Advocates are studying everything from creating small clinics along the states eastern border to how to train more people to perform abortions.

More questions remain than answers: What will happen to poor and rural Californians who will now be competing with out-of-staters for a type of health care that cant be delayed? While California has some of the strongest access to abortion services in the country, 40% of the counties in the state do not have a clinic where the procedure is performed.

Advocates wonder whether California will devolve into a haven only for the wealthy who can afford to fly here, have their procedure, recover in a hotel room and then return home. What about undocumented people who might be reticent to cross a state line? Advocates are adamant that they dont want to perpetuate the inequities that already skew health care access toward the rich and well-connected.

In 2021, Access Reproductive Justice used roughly $100,000 to help 500 people to defray travel costs as well as the price of the abortion. The group has a network of volunteers who help drive people to their appointments or to and from the airport and lodging. Over the first three months of this year, the number of calls from out of state has doubled.

Nationally, Pinckney said, there are 80 abortion access funds designed to help defray costs.

In California, advocates are asking for $20 million in this years state budget to go toward such funds, said Lisa Matsubara, general counsel and vice president of policy at Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California.

She said many of the travel estimates that have been been done so far have really focused on driving distances. But as large portions of the country lose access (to abortion), driving is probably not the best option for many people who need to travel out of state to get the care.

One concern that many advocates share is that only people of means will be able to travel to California, said Rebecca Taub, an East Bay obstetrician and gynecologist who travels to other parts of the country to provide abortion services in communities where there is a paucity of providers.

Its definitely going to be people with resources who can get on a plane and be able to take the time off of work and be able to get the child care and be able to afford to do this, Taub said. And it is going to be primarily Black pregnant people, poor pregnant people and pregnant people of color who are going to suffer disproportionately from the effects from (the end of Roe).

In San Francisco, Supervisor Hillary Ronen said Tuesday that she will roll out plans to try to better define how much creating an abortion haven in the city would cost.

She is asking the citys budget and legislative analyst to determine the cost of a program to sponsor women seeking to fly to San Francisco, stay in a hotel and obtain an abortion. Ronen chairs the Board of Supervisors budget and finance committee, and told The Chronicle she intends to launch such a program in the coming fiscal year and accommodate as many women as we can.

A good starting place for a pilot program would be to sponsor 1,000 women, Ronen said, noting that the city could find ways to lower costs, for instance by procuring a block of hotel rooms at a reduced price.

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The idea would be not only to do it here, but to encourage other cities throughout the state to ... sponsor women across the country ... so that poor women arent required to seek dangerous, life-threatening operations as has happened prior to Roe v. Wade, Ronen said.

On Tuesday, Democratic lawmakers in Sacramento highlighted a package of bills moving through the Legislature intended to shore up abortion access in California.

The bills include a measure to create a fund to pay for abortions for low-income people. The states health insurance program for low-income Californians, Medi-Cal, already covers abortion services, but lawmakers said the money could further expand access to low-income people and could fund abortions for women from other states.

Sen. Nancy Skinner, a Berkeley Democrat who is co-authoring the legislation, said that she wants the state to use some of its multibillion-dollar surplus to start the fund but that ultimately she anticipates private donations will provide most of the money.

State Senate leader Toni Atkins of San Diego introduced a bill to let nurse practitioners perform first-trimester abortions without being under a doctors supervision.

On Tuesday, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved spending $3 million to expand medical services and training at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, Californias largest Planned Parenthood clinic, which anticipates serving an additional 200 to 500 patients from out of state each week once the Supreme Court ruling becomes law.

The Mar Monte clinic saw an increase of 80 patients after Texas severely restricted abortions last year, and health workers expect the number to tick up dramatically once states have the latitude to enact their own bans.

But raising money to help defray travel costs answers only part of the question about how to deal with the effects of Roe falling, Taub said. Working people seeking an abortion face even bigger hurdles.

If we give you the money to come here and you get fired from your job if you take the time off, Taub said, then thats another very tricky situation.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Sophia Bollag and Rachel Swan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com, sophia.bollag@sfchronicle.com, rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli, @SophiaBollag, @rachelswan
Lisbeth Golden McKinley was 19 when her doctor informed her she was pregnant during a routine checkup. Shed been using birth control and was stunned it had failed. The year was 1978, half a decade after the Supreme Court legalized abortion, and the college student never questioned her next move.

She terminated the pregnancy at a New York hospital. Days later, after she returned to college in Boston and began hemorrhaging, the emotions caught up with her: Terror at the blood. Grief at the loss of a life that would never be. And a sense of shame  she still isnt sure why.

I was a child myself, recalled McKinley, now a small-business owner in Oakland. This is the single worst choice that anybody has to make. It is a lose-lose choice. But not having a choice is a thousand times worse.

Almost immediately after Politico on Monday published a draft Supreme Court opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade, women began talking about their own abortions, finding power in making the political personal.

On social media, in families and elsewhere, women felt compelled to share their personal experiences, an outpouring reminiscent of the #MeToo movement that brought sexual assault and harassment into the light, and an echo of what LGBTQ people have done for decades by emerging from the metaphorical closet.

One in four American women has had an abortion by age 45, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Its no stretch to imagine that, after Mondays bombshell, many of them considered what their lives would have been like if the procedure had been illegal.

(W)e desperately need to destigmatize abortion, tweeted Michaela Okland, who said she is still scared to speak of the abortion she had at 19.

Without an abortion, I would have been stuck in an abusive relationship, said a woman who goes by the name Beanbo Baggins on Twitter. And a woman called nor wrote that without an abortion, I would have killed myself.

Courtesy Janja Lalich

Janja Lalich, a professor emeritus of sociology at Chico State University, told The Chronicle that she had an abortion soon after the procedure was legalized. But she said she will never forget what happened after her mother brought her older sister home from an illegal abortion around 1960.

I could hear my sister in the bathroom screaming, Lalich recalled. That was the kind of back-alley abortions women had to get back then. And now it looks dire, doesnt it?

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, also had what she called a back-alley abortion in the 1960s. An honor student, cheerleader and two-time recipient of a music scholarship, Lee had just turned 16 when she became pregnant. She had never taken a sex ed class. None had ever been offered, Lee told a congressional hearing in September convened to hear the implications of losing Roe.

Im sharing my story  even though I truly believe its personal and nobodys business, and certainly not the business of politicians, Lee testified. But Im compelled to speak out because of the real risks of the clock being turned back to the days of before Roe v. Wade, to the days when I was a teenager and had a back-alley abortion in Mexico.

Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

Lee and her family lived in California at the time. I missed my period. I was confused. Afraid. In the mid-1960s, women and girls were told to take quinine pills, sit in tub of water, or use a coat hanger if nothing else worked.

She shared her secret with her mother, who asked Lee if she wanted an abortion. She did, and her mother contacted a friend who arranged the procedure.

I was one of the lucky ones. A lot of girls and women died from unsafe abortions, she said. Before Roe, unsafe abortions were the primary killer of African American women, Lee told the panel. We cannot, and will not, return.

Shame and fear are by no means universal emotions around abortion.

Courtesy Ivy LaVelle

I WAS NOT traumatized by my abortions, said bookkeeper Ivy LaVelle, 41, of Big Sur, who had an abortion around 1999 and another in 2004.

What she feels, she said, is grateful.

I was a young person who was having a lot of sex and enjoying it. And when I became pregnant and didnt want to be, I went to Planned Parenthood, LaVelle said. I am so incredibly grateful to that organization, and to the people there who were nonjudgmental and queer-friendly and compassionate.

The worst part of the first abortion, she said, was that I still had to walk through a fing picket line of assholes screaming at me that I was a murderer and a sinner who was going to hell.

The morning-after pill, also called Plan B, can prevent a pregnancy within 72 hours after conception, long before women know if theyre pregnant. Its used as birth control and was not yet approved for over-the-counter sales in 2005, when Amanda Michelle Robertis boyfriends condom broke.

Courtesy Amanda Michelle Roberti

There followed a desperate effort by the teenagers to locate a Planned Parenthood the next day. But it was Sunday, and the clinic was closed. The hours ticked by. On Monday, Roberti skipped work and waited at Planned Parenthood to be seen.

I knew that each day that passed decreased the efficacy of the pill, said Roberti, who eventually got the pill and never got pregnant. She had been working at a deli. Her boyfriend worked at a YMCA.

We wouldnt have been able to financially support a child, Roberti said. Without the pill, I dont know that I would have gone to get my bachelors, masters, or Ph.D. because Id have a teenager at this point.

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Today, she is an assistant professor of political science at San Francisco State University.

Similar medical abortion pills might be what women have to turn to if the Supreme Court strikes down Roe, Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Francisco, told The Chronicle on Tuesday.

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images

My hope is that the president will act, as he is empowered to act, and provide medication abortion throughout the country in a manner that all women can access, said Speier, who in 2011 became the first member of Congress to go public about having had an abortion.

That night, Speier had intended to testify more generally about health care for women. But Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., began reading an inaccurate description of what second-trimester abortion looks like, written by an antiabortion activist.

I just started to fume. I was so outraged, Speier recalled. I spoke directly to him: You have no idea what youre talking about.

The congresswoman had had a second-trimester abortion when she was about 40 because her fetus had moved into the wrong position and was not going to live.

I lost a baby, Speier said into the microphone. For you to stand on this floor and to suggest as you have that somehow this is a procedure that is either welcomed or done cavalierly or done without any thought is preposterous.

McKinley, the student who hemorrhaged and felt grief and shame about her experience, looks back with new eyes.

Courtesy Lisbeth Golden McKinley

My entire life, I have been fuming as Ive watched this argument about whether a human being has a right to make a health care decision about their own health, she said. It would be like if someone told me: You dont have a right to make a decision about your cancer. Or your heart disease.

These stories need to be told.

Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov
Editor's note: A shorter version of this story was originally published in 2016.



The first thing the creators of The Empire Strikes Back snow walker scene want you to know is this: They were not inspired by the Port of Oakland cranes.

The ever-expanding myth is frustrating, because the real story is so much better. A small group of young artists, some with almost no film experience and on a tough deadline, commit to the near-impossible task of one-upping the 1977 film Star Wars. And through pure talent and failure-driven ingenuity, they create one of the greatest action and special effects scenes of all time  a sequence in the 1980 sequel that still thrills more than a generation later.

Krause, Johansen / Courtesy Lucasfilm Courtesy Lucasfilm On the left, a finished scene from the 1980 movie "The Empire Strikes Back"; right, Jon Berg pops out of a hatch to animate a snow walker. Photos courtesy Lucasfilm.

The battle of Hoth is my personal favorite not only because its one of the most visually stunning, but because it was a small, creative group of specialists who did the majority of the work, says Joe Johnston, who designed the walkers and many other iconic objects in the original Star Wars trilogy. There was a true sense of camaraderie and the feeling that we were pushing the frontiers.

In the spirit of the Star Wars holiday May the Fourth, weve remastered this 2016 tribute to The Empire Strikes Back snow walker battle, featuring interviews with the key figures who created the scene. This article started with an attempt to settle an urban legend and ended with exclusive, rarely-seen photos from Lucasfilm  plus a historical account that sounds more like an Oceans Eleven-style heist than the smooth and well-staffed production that the finished product suggests.

After the exploding Death Star and medal ceremony that ended Star Wars, director George Lucas entered The Empire Strikes Back needing a huge early action sequence from his Industrial Light & Magic special effects crew. It would establish that the villainous Empire was still ruthless and dominant, surprise-attacking and destroying a rebel base.

There was a long period of drawing where anything goes. We tried wheeled vehicles, hovercraft, tank-like treaded vehicles, Johnston says. I personally felt that wheels and treads were too Earth-based, not exotic enough for the Empire.

Johnston remembered seeing a U.S. Steel brochure while he was in the industrial design program at Cal State Long Beach. It had a drawing by futurist Syd Mead, featuring what looked like a white garbage truck, walking through the snow on four insect-like appendages. Johnston expanded on the design, making the walkers seven stories tall, giving them a head with turrets, and a blockier body and gray paint job that matched the Empires Brutalist architectural look. The ILM workers called them only the walkers; the formal name AT-AT (All Terrain Armored Transport) was adopted by Lucasfilm merchandising long after the sequence was completed.

Adam Savage, a former ILM model shop worker and MythBusters star who was 14 years old when the movie came out, calls the design genius, even though a spaceship attack might have made more strategic sense.

Its a hilariously terrible idea for a weapon  and yet youre totally enraptured, and its perfect, Savage says. The scale of the walkers is terrifying. The idea that you have that a long period of time to watch your doom trudge toward you. The fact that theyre slightly anthropomorphized, but not too much, which is also amazing.

As the crew got to work in ILMs old Kerner Boulevard studio near the freeway in San Rafael, it considered making robotic walkers, but Dennis Muren, who had worked on Star Wars, helped persuade Lucas to use the comparatively ancient art of stop-motion animation.

The biggest puppets were the size of a greyhound puppy. Ray Harryhausen, at the time almost 60 years old and the most experienced living stop-motion animator, was reportedly approached to bring them to life.

Instead, Lucas ended up with a collection of long-haired artists  Tom St. Amand, Doug Beswick, Jon Berg and Phil Tippett  who could pass for a high school garage band. I was actually surprised I got hired, because my skill level was not where it needed to be, recalls Tippett, who was in his mid-20s when he joined the crew.

Courtesy Lucasfilm

But that would be a common theme on the set, where Lucas took chances and nurtured talent. Tippett remembers 21-year-old Mike Pangrazio showing up out of the blue, and freehand painting the flawless matte backdrop for the frozen planet that appears in the film.

The walker puppets were created by armature builder Tom St. Amand, an artist who had his own machine shop. Tippett and Johnston said there were a few small changes from the original blueprints so they could function as puppets  the legs became chunkier for one  but Johnston's design remained mostly unchanged.

Jon Berg, Joe Johnston and Tom St. Amand on their own volition got excited about a two-legged walker, Tippett said. So they just built it on their own on the weekends, and showed it to George. And he was like, Yeah, throw it in the movie.

That two-legged walker, seen briefly in the Hoth sequence, became a centerpiece in the Return of the Jedi battle on the forest planet Endor.

Animating the Hoth sequence was a slog. With no animation software at the time, the stop-motion artists had to keep track of walker movements in their heads. But the most challenging shots may have been two scenes where the walkers crash and blow up, which were shot in real time. The FX artists worried it might not work, but the shots mesh seamlessly with the stop motion.

Courtesy Lucasfilm

Beswick, Berg and Tippett looked like a human game of Whack-a-Mole, popping out of hatches on the volleyball-court-sized set, making almost imperceptible changes to their puppets, then disappearing so the next stop-motion image could be captured on film. They wore masks, or held their breath, because the Hoth snow was actually baking soda, and a sneeze could ruin a scene.

Simulating the mass of the vehicles was a major challenge. To get the performance right, artists put chalk marks on the legs of Marine World elephants to study their movements. Sound designers Ben Burtt and Randy Thom chose booming audio cues, including a Dumpster opening and closing, to simulate moving leg joints.

And startlingly low-tech shortcuts were common. At one point, the animators added two more walkers to a scene with photo cutouts.

The very first time you see the walkers, I think there was like five of them, Tippett says. There were three stop-motion puppets. For the background ones, we just took Polaroids, cut the Polaroids out and just threw them back there.

Courtesy Lucasfilm Courtesy Lucasfilm Courtesy Lucasfilm Courtesy Lucasfilm Joe Johnston, top left, works on the leg of a walker; top right and bottom left, Jon Berg animates a walker puppet; bottom right, a finished scene from "The Empire Strikes Back." Photos courtesy Lucasfilm.

Filming continued to the drop-dead date, with more animation to be finished, and a new production starting in the space the next day. Then Berg got the flu.

I got to animate both of the walkers, all day long. It was like, Open one hatch  make your moves  close it. Open another hatch  Tippett says, laughing. I couldnt do it today.

Muren and Johnston say they were thrilled with the finished product, but no one expected the adulation that followed, from the films release on May 21, 1980, until today.

I would put the Hoth (effects) sequence as one of the three best ever made, Savage says. I dont think its an overstatement. Its just such a flawless sequence.  It makes me sad that Im not 15 years older. Its a place that I would have loved to have been, up at Kerner Boulevard in 1979, working on these things.

As for the rumor of the Oakland port cranes as inspiration, its not clear where it came from or when it started. There are popular bootleg T-shirts that stoke the myth, including one with the word oakland underneath a port crane that has thought a bubble with a snow walker inside.

Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle

Star Wars creator George Lucas addressed the rumor directly in a 2007 interview with The Chronicle, claiming, with more than a little exasperation, Thats a myth. That definitely a myth.

Johnston also has zero patience for port crane talk.

The urban myth about the Oakland port cranes comes from the same fantasyland that claims the Millennium Falcon was inspired by a hamburger with an olive stuck to it with a toothpick, Johnston said. Who sticks an olive to a hamburger bun unless theyre reverse engineering an urban myth?

The group involved with The Empire Strikes Back walker scene went on to win a combined 17 Academy Awards. Tippett started a Berkeley-based special effects house, Tippett Studio. Muren still works at ILM as the senior visual effects supervisor and creative director. Joe Johnston directed his own films, including The Rocketeer and Captain America: The First Avenger.

Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle

Johnston says he doesnt think the Star Wars original trilogy effects crew should be remembered as a well-oiled machine or a crack team with a clear road to success. They were something less than that  and also more.

I firmly believe that the key to the success of ILM lay in the fact that we often had no idea how to solve a particular problem, Johnston says. We made a lot of mistakes and shot a ton of film that no one will ever see, but we ultimately put images on the screen that helped make the trilogy a new milestone in cinema. And what better way to learn than from your mistakes?

Peter Hartlaub (he/him) is The San Francisco Chronicle culture critic. Email: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaub
WASHINGTON  It was 10:42 a.m. and Sen. Alex Padilla was already on his fourth interview of the morning about Roe v. Wade.

The California Democrat was squeezing in this one, with a reporter from USA Today, as he had a minute of downtime before heading into the Senate chamber to preside for an hour, a task that falls to junior members of the Senate majority like him.

Congress should act now, Padilla told the reporter as he once more delivered his talking points that the nations lawmakers should codify a right to abortion in federal law. I do think things changed last night, he said, referring to the stunning revelation late Monday night by Politico that a leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion overturns the 50-year-old decision establishing that a woman has a right to terminate her pregnancy.

He told the reporter that the stakes of Novembers midterm and state-level elections were suddenly dramatically higher.

As Padilla moved from engagement to engagement in the Senate at a rapid clip, abortion politics were front and center at every turn  and it was clear that Democrats saw the news as a possible tide-turning event, politically.

Padilla was in demand and ubiquitous, as he has been virtually since he arrived in Washington in January 2021 as the replacement for Kamala Harris when she became vice president. An hour before the USA Today interview, his morning started with a phone interview with Vox in the office he inherited from Harris in the Hart Senate Office Building, followed by a TV interview on MSNBC two buildings over, where he joked with the cameraman as if they were old friends.

In between the interviews, Padilla was working the issue in non-public ways. He held a call with Jodi Hicks, CEO of Planned Parenthood of California, to check in and offer his support in whatever way necessary. He particularly noted security issues for abortion providers like Planned Parenthood. Though only Padillas side of the conversation was audible, it was clear the two were close. I mean, Im pissed, but otherwise, yes, Padilla said at one point in response to Hicks.

After they hung up, a staffer informed him that Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine had put out a statement on the leaked opinion in which she said that if the leaked draft was accurate, it would be completely inconsistent with what the conservative nominees she had supported for the court had said.

Well, thats one vote, Padilla replied.

Flanked by staff, Padilla then walked across the street to the Supreme Court building, where protesters had gathered en masse to voice their views on both sides of the abortion debate. Finding the crowd noisily dominated by a group chanting Hey hey, ho ho, Roe v. Wade has got to go, Padilla and his team peeled away. But they didnt leave before a handful of other media had spotted him, walking with him toward the Capitol for his third interview, with reporters from Politico and Fox News. Once inside the Capitol, the USA Today reporter took her turn.

Just before calling his three children back in California on their way into school, which Padilla fit in before his shift presiding over the Senate, the 49-year-old former California secretary of state sat down briefly with The Chronicle, taking a moment to think about the significance of the day.

I think its a tremendous example of there is no typical day in this job, Padilla said. Were constantly trying to anticipate, but responding as necessary.

Padilla first heard the news about the leaked Supreme Court opinion draft the night before, seated at a private bipartisan dinner on a separate issue with Senate colleagues. He said the push alert flashed across the phone of Delaware Democratic Sen. Chris Coons, and, shortly thereafter, colleagues started exiting the dinner. He said for him, there was an emotional gravity to the situation.

He said while Democrats knew the court dismantling Roe was a possibility, seeing in stark relief that it was likely happening changed the terrain, including possibly motivating some colleagues who were previously against codifying abortion rights into federal law to change their minds.

I think its palpable, Padilla said. Prior to last night, was it a concern? Absolutely. But now its real. Right, its gone from being a possibility to being imminent. So for the couple Democrats that might not be there yet, you know, maybe they are now.

His hour presiding over the Senate, listening to colleagues give speeches to an empty chamber on topics like energy sources and nominations, was the one part of his day not dominated by the news.

Shortly thereafter, Padilla joined his Democratic colleagues in descending the Capitol steps to speak on the rulings impact. They brushed past Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn, who was downplaying the significance of the ruling and his states own law banning abortion before many women even know theyre pregnant to a scrum of reporters.

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As they stood on the steps, the lawmakers spoke about their fears of an erosion of rights beyond abortion, including the right to gay marriage and birth control.

The Democrats then went inside for their closed-door weekly lunch, where the topic continued to dominate conversation.

The sentiment inside was very sober, and a combination of, What can we do now? whether its a vote or multiple votes to let the public know where every member of the Senate stands on this fundamental issue, and the dangers this precedent would set, Padilla said.

Outside the Democrats lunch room, Republicans had their weekly news conference. When Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was asked if he feels personally responsible for taking away abortion rights for millions of Americans, McConnell responded that the story today was actually the leak from the Supreme Court itself, about which he called for an investigation. Padilla later called Republicans response a a very weak effort to deflect whats really going on here.

As Padilla took meetings in his office during a break in his stops around the Capitol, on TVs across the rooms, MSNBC played live scenes from outside the court, where police had established barricades shutting down the road to traffic and physically separating the two sides.

The day ended with one last interview, in front of a raucous crowd of abortion rights supporters filling the street in front of the Supreme Court. He also recorded a video in English and Spanish for his social media and local press.

When we go to vote in November, this is whats at stake, Padilla said, as crowd noise roared behind him. If Republicans take the majority, then undoing Roe v. Wade is just a sign of things to come.

Tal Kopan (she/her) is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan
Drivers in California continue to pay the highest prices for gas in the country, according to the American Automobile Association.

In the Bay Area, drivers are seeing some of the states highest average prices, and will soon pay even more for a gallon of gas as the states gas tax is scheduled to increase by about 3 cents on July 1.

Prices began rising in California and the U.S. after Russia, the worlds third-largest producer of petroleum and other oil in 2020, invaded Ukraine in February.

Since then, the price of crude oil has risen from $90 per barrel to more than $100.

Demand is still ahead of supply, which has kept oil elevated, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.

And there hasnt been meaningful long-term improvement in the supply situation with sanctions on Russia still effectively keeping some of their oil off the global market, he added.

In response to Russia invading Ukraine, President Joe Biden in March announced a ban on Russian oil, gas and coal, although the U.S. received only about 3% of crude oil from Russia in 2021, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

In the Bay Area, gas stations in San Francisco and San Mateo, Napa and Sonoma counties had some of the states most expensive gas as of Wednesday, according to data by AAA.

Napa County and San Francisco had the highest prices in the Bay Area, according to the AAA. The average price for a gallon of regular gas was running at $5.93 and $5.91 on Wednesday, respectively, compared to a year ago, when they were at $4.23 and $4.16.

The lowest average prices on Wednesday were in Contra Costa County at $5.77, according to the AAA.

Average gas prices on Wednesday, according to AAA data, were $5.91 in San Mateo County; with $5.79 in Santa Clara County; $5.80 in Alameda County; $5.68 in Solano County; $5.87 in Sonoma County; and $5.86 in Marin County.

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De Haan said California drivers have seen some relief at the pump compared to a month ago when average gas prices were at $5.85. The current average is at $5.75 per gallon, according to AAA.

But its still unclear when prices will start to go down. De Haan predicted that until theres a positive ending to the Russia war on Ukraine, prices will remain high.

Summer is likely to be bumpy as it doesnt look like the Kremlin will be giving up its war on Ukraine anytime soon, he added.

Jessica Flores (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesssmflores
By Azernews





By Vafa Ismayilova

This year marks the 30th anniversary of notorious U.S. Section 907 against Azerbaijan, Consul-General to Western United States Nasimi Aghayev has said on his official Twitter page.

2022 marks the 30th anniversary of infamous Section 907 that was passed against Azerbaijan by Congress at the behest of the Armenian lobby. In 1993, Strobe Talbott of the State Department argued against it saying that it undercut U.S. ability to be an honest broker between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Aghayev tweeted on May 4.

In late September 2021, President Ilham Aliyev explained very clearly and concisely the principles standing behind Section 907 passed by the U.S. Congress.

After all... the decisions that were made by some countries, they simply defy any logic. While it was Azerbaijani territory that was occupied, the U.S. Congress passed the notorious amendment to the Freedom Support Act, Section No. 907, which deprived Azerbaijan of direct military assistance, direct U.S. assistance, not only military. And we, the affected country, we were essentially discriminated against, Aliyev said in an interview with Russias Natsionalnaya Oborona magazine.

He said that the rationale behind it was that Azerbaijan was blocking Armenia. Just imagine - Zangilan, Gubadli, Lachin and Kalbajar districts are occupied. And this is described as a blockade of Armenia.

He stressed that Armenias diaspora organizations and also the media controlled by the Armenian lobby distorted the essence of the then conflict.

The fact that Armenia is an aggressor, an occupier which committed ethnic cleansing and an act of genocide in Khojaly, destroyed all historical and cultural buildings  all this was concealed, Aliyev said.

In April 2021, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a telephone conversation with Aliyev in 2021 too the waiver of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act was extended.

On October 24, 2001, the Senate adopted an amendment to the Act that would provide the President with the ability to waiver Section 907.

Well-known expert Svante Cornell described the term blockade as unjustified since it ignored the fact that Armenia itself had imposed an embargo on Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave, and the closure of the border with Armenia took place due to the occupation of the Azerbaijani lands. Moreover, the use of the term "blockade" in itself is misleading, as Armenia has close economic ties with Georgia and Iran.

To recap, Azerbaijan was one of the first countries to join the global anti-terror coalition assembled by the U.S. government. Azerbaijan opened its airspace to the allied forces and assured its agencies would cooperate and provide information that would assist in American-led efforts.

Azerbaijans contributions to the U.S-led anti-terror campaign also included deploying a peacekeeping contingent in Afghanistan. Azerbaijani peacekeepers began serving there in November 2002, and by 2021 the contingent consisted of 120 servicemen. They left the country more than a week after the Taliban seized power on August 15, 2021.
Federal officials have rejected an argument that BNSF Railway does not own the Bismarck-Mandan Rail Bridge, a move that might prompt a local preservation group to sue to try to save the structure from demolition.

The railroad on Tuesday said it will "defend at all cost" against any lawsuit because an unfavorable decision "would impact many other river bridges across the Midwest and West."

The Friends of the Rail Bridge nonprofit maintains that the state has held ownership of the Missouri River bed up to the high-water mark since statehood, along with any permanent fixtures attached. The bridge spanning the river was built in 1883, six years before North Dakota became a state, with the spans replaced in 1905.

The preservation group believes state ownership of the bridge would bolster its efforts to stop BNSF from razing the aging structure to make way for a modern bridge. But the state Attorney General's Office has twice refused to weigh in on ownership, saying that no state agency or entity is involved in the dispute.

The U.S. Coast Guard decides on projects proposed along that part of the Missouri River and has been overseeing the permitting process for a new bridge for years. The armed forces branch in a Tuesday letter to FORB President Mark Zimmerman and BNSF Bridge Maintenance Director Mike Herzog said, "It is undisputed that BNSF has sufficient ownership rights necessary to operate and maintain the existing bridge as it has done, and its predecessors have done, since the bridge was constructed."

The letter from Bridge Permits and Policy Chief Shelly Sugarman said the Coast Guard "is not qualified to serve as an arbiter of property ownership disputes" and that it asked the North Dakota Attorney General's Office for an opinion on the matter but was denied.

"Given that the state has considered the positions advanced by FORB and BNSF, and elected not to assert an ownership interest in the rail bridge or otherwise take a position on this dispute, the Coast Guard has determined that BNSF is the proper party to submit an application for a replacement bridge," Sugarman wrote. "As such, the Coast Guard will continue to process the application package submitted by BNSF."

The Coast Guard is scheduled in late June to complete a final environmental impact statement -- one of the final steps in the permit process. A draft statement released last year lists removing the existing bridge and constructing a new one as a proposed alternative, and retaining the bridge and building a new one with three potential designs as others.

A 2019 feasibility study conducted by North Dakota State University estimated the cost to turn the structure into a foot bridge at just under $7 million. The preservation group has not said how much money it has raised.

FORB met on Tuesday night and decided to make another case to the Coast Guard for state ownership of the bridge, according to Zimmerman.

Bridge supporters say that if the state does indeed own the bridge, the structure could not be destroyed without approval from the State Historical Board. State Historic Preservation Officer Bill Peterson has already determined that the bridge is historically significant and that removal would be "an adverse effect on a historic property."

FORB issued a statement Tuesday criticizing the Coast Guard for proceeding with the permitting process, contending in part that "a railroad right-of-way is not ownership of the bridge itself." The group also noted that the state has asserted its claim to the historical riverbed in an unrelated mineral rights dispute with the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, and that "it is evidence that the state has a direct interest in resolving the (bridge) ownership issue."

The preservation group is asking the Coast Guard to put the bridge permitting process on hold until the ownership issue is resolved. If that pitch fails, "the only option left is to seek court action," Zimmerman told the Tribune.

Attorney General Drew Wrigley seemed to suggest the same in an April 27 letter to State Sen. Tracy Potter, D-Bismarck, who independently sought an opinion on the bridge ownership matter.

"There are ... some situations which are unsuited for an attorney general opinion, including when the question presented requires a factual determination," Wrigley wrote. "Such matters are best reserved for another forum where the factual assessments can be weighed and rendered."

BNSF Railway has called the claim of state ownership "facially and legally absurd."

Spokeswoman Amy McBeth on Tuesday told the Tribune that "This Hail Mary by FORB should be seen for what it is -- an abuse of the regulatory process and harmful to North Dakotas shippers."

"FORBs threats of litigation are further evidence of not participating in the consulting process in good faith and instead appear to be using the federal regulatory process to delay and increase costs for a private company," she said. "Supporting FORBs efforts to save the old bridge is inconsistent with supporting rail safety, infrastructure investment in North Dakota and the countrys supply chain."

Reach News Editor Blake Nicholson at 701-250-8266 or blake.nicholson@bismarcktribune.com.

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California has a reputation as one of the nations liberal bulwarks  and already theres talk that the state could become a refuge for women seeking abortions if the Supreme Court follows through on overturning Roe v. Wade.

Still, residents opinions on whether the case should be overturned vary by geography and income, according to a survey conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California in July 2021.

The firm asked more than 1,500 Californians the following question: As you may know, the 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade established a womans constitutional right to have an abortion. Would you like to see the Supreme Court overturn the Roe v. Wade decision, or not?

Statewide, 77% of respondents said the court should not overturn the precedent, while 21% said the justices should and 2% said they didnt know.

But data shows differing opinions based on where the respondents lived.

The Central Valley, for instance, showed less support for maintaining Roe v. Wade. There, 71% of respondents wanted the court to uphold the decision, while 26% did not and 3% didnt know. The Inland Empire and Los Angeles area were roughly in line with the state as a whole  76% and 75%, respectively, were in favor of keeping the ruling. Orange County/San Diego (as grouped by the survey) and the San Francisco Bay Area were more liberal leaning, with 80% and 84% voicing support for the precedent, respectively.

There were also differences on the question depending on income level  the less a respondent made, the more likely they were to want the court to overturn the ruling. Of those making less than $40,000 a year, 69% supported Roe v. Wade; of those making between $40,000 and $79,000, 79% did; and those making more than $80,000, 82% did.

Unsurprisingly, political affiliation was also a reliable indicator of ones position on the matter. Only 10% of Democrats want to see the ruling overturned, compared to 40% of Republicans and 20% of independents.

Ryan Kost is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rkost@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @RyanKost
A South Bay woman who solicited more than $100,000 in donations by pretending that she had cancer was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in San Jose to five years in prison, prosecutors said.

The woman, Amanda Christine Riley, had pleaded guilty in October to one count of wire fraud for a seven-year scheme based on the fraudulent claim that she had cancer and needed money to pay for medical treatments, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of California said in a news release.

In truth, Riley neither needed nor received any of the medical treatments she claimed to be raising money for on social media, prosecutors said.

After soliciting $105,513 from at least 349 individuals, Riley was found out in 2019 through an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service and the San Jose Police Department, and was charged in July 2020, the release said.

In addition to her prison sentence, Riley was ordered to pay restitution of $105,513 as well as serve a three-year period of supervision after her release.

Beginning in 2012, Riley, then a San Jose resident, claimed to have been diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma, and used Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and a blog to solicit money she falsely claimed would be used to cover medical expenses, prosecutors said. She posted pictures of medications, of herself at hospitals, and of herself suffering what she falsely claimed were side effects from chemotherapy, according to an October news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Riley also shaved her head to make it seem as though she was receiving cancer treatment, falsified medical records, forged physicians letters and medical certifications, and persuaded her family members to support her false claims, according to information provided at the sentencing hearing.

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She also organized several fundraisers, including in-person events at her church in San Jose, to raise money for her supposed cancer-related expenses, according to the release.

In truth, Riley had no medical expenses, prosecutors said. The donations she received were deposited into her personal bank accounts and used to pay her living expenses.

Annie Vainshtein (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avainshtein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @annievain
Less than a year after opening in Redwood City, the highly anticipated Indonesian restaurant Warung Siska has closed.

Owner Anne Le Ziblatt said it became impossible to operate the 917 Main St. business amid the Bay Areas labor shortage, which has contributed to other local restaurant closures.

Without enough staff, Warung Siska was caught in an unending cycle, Ziblatt said. The restaurant couldnt open more than five nights a week, and the limited hours meant the business wasnt reaching its revenue projections. Without more sales, the owners couldnt afford to hire more employees to cover when someone called in sick or requested time off. Ziblatt and managing partner Ervan Lim often filled in as the sole front-of-house staff the past six months.

It wasnt realistic to continue to operate that way. It was like a tower being held together with a lot of Band-Aids, Ziblatt said.

Warung Siska was the first full-blown Indonesian restaurant to open in the Bay Area in years. Ziblatt, who opened Vietnamese spots Tamarine, Bong Su and Nam, initially teamed up with Lim and chef Siska Silitonga of popular Indonesian pop-up ChiliCali. From Ziblatts former Nam Vietnamese Brasserie space, Warung Siska served chicken sate, Balinese roast duck and other Indonesian fare. Its debut coincided with a booming underground Indonesian food movement in the region, with the hope of bringing the underrepresented cuisine into the mainstream.

In January, Silitonga announced she had parted ways with the restaurant. Ziblatt said at the time that Silitonga was brought on as the restaurants opening chef to develop our culinary program and write recipes for us, and had planned to depart in early 2022. In an Instagram post following this storys publication, Silitonga said this was false and that she had been a partner in the business, which carried her name. The owners maintain they had hoped to develop a partnership with Silitonga but that didnt happen.

Ziblatt said she considered alternatives to closing, including further paring down the counter service concept to be able to function with fewer employees. But she didnt think the worker shortage, which restaurants throughout the Bay Area have been grappling with since last year, would end anytime soon. Many workers moved out of the Bay Area during the pandemic or decided to leave the hospitality industry for good.

The lack of staffing affected quality at the restaurant, Ziblatt said.

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When youre short-staffed, you dont do your best work. The people there are stretched thinner  and that affects the experience, she said. Its this self-fulfilling cycle.

While the downtown Redwood City restaurant space is closed, Warung Siska will continue to offer delivery through website Locale as long as the demand and staffing are there to justify it.

This story has been updated to include further information about the relationship between the restaurant and its former chef.

Elena Kadvany is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com
When Square Pie Guys announced its next expansion location of Ghirardelli Square, some fans were surprised. The hip, very online Detroit-style pizza outfit doesnt exactly align with images of a touristy development near Fishermans Wharf.

But Ghirardelli Square has changed dramatically over the past decade, ever since developer Jamestown bought the retail portion in 2013. The company, known for curating famous food halls such as Chelsea Market in New York, wanted to do the same thing with San Franciscos historic square: make it a destination for locals, anchored by excellent restaurants.

If you build a place for tourists, locals wont come, said Jamestown President Michael Phillips.

To accomplish that, Phillips said his strategy was drawing local small businesses that feel uniquely San Francisco. He quickly brought on beloved food nonprofit La Cocina for an extended pop-up, which set the tone for choices to come. Then arrived San Francisco Brewing Co. and the Cheese School. Pop-ups cycled in and out, from a boba tea shop to wood-fired bagel outfit Daily Driver.

Latin spot Barrio opened last year, becoming a quick go-to for margaritas on its sunny patio. But the biggest game-changer arrived in 2019: Palette Tea House, the stunning dim sum destination from the team behind Koi Palace, brought serious food credentials to the square.

Paul Chinn/The Chronicle 2020

The parlance is that Ghirardelli Square is very touristy, but theres a huge difference in the vibe and the feel in the square versus down the wharf, said Square Pie Guys co-owner Marc Schechter.

Locals who havent visited in years might remember the 100,000-square-foot complex as being nearly half empty in 2013. Now Ghirardelli Square is fully leased. Not all tenants have been announced, however, and Phillips said to expect more openings in the summer.

Square Pie Guys takes over one of the most prominent remaining spaces at 3,300 square feet, plus a 1,000-square-foot patio. Co-owner Danny Stoller said he hopes San Francisco residents will regularly come to dine and enjoy the sweeping views, but even if they dont, he said, the location is advantageous for another reason: its delivery radius.

Provided by Square Pie Guys

It would suck if people could never rebrand (Ghirardelli Square) in their minds because its genuinely an amazing place to be, he said. Its gorgeous.

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Despite Jamestowns efforts, business owners say that before the pandemic, the majority of foot traffic still came from tourists. That changed dramatically in 2020  but the shutdowns came with a silver lining.

The really neat thing about the pandemic and all of this is that we got to see a lot more locals, said Jeanine Egan, owner of the Cheese School, which operates a wine bar at Ghirardelli Square. Now were seeing more people coming in from out of state, but for the most part, its locals and folks driving in from the greater Bay Area.

Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker
In April, an alarming letter arrived at Tsar Nicoulai Caviars headquarters in Concord.

Handwritten in both Russian and English, the letter demanded that the decades-old Bay Area caviar company Go back to Russia! Or suffer severe consequences!

The owners were shocked, not only by the threat, which they reported to the police, but by the threats mistaken assumption. Despite Tsar Nicoulais name, the famed caviar producer has no ties to Russia. It was founded in San Francisco in the 1980s by a Swedish family, who chose a European-sounding name because California caviar wasnt taken seriously at the time. Today it remains a California business, raising sturgeon at a Sacramento County farm and selling its coveted caviar to fine-dining restaurants throughout the Bay Area and at a new cafe at the Ferry Building in San Francisco.

Yet since the start of the war in Ukraine, Tsar Nicoulai has become a target of hateful messages and threats of boycotts from people who mistakenly believe its a Russian company. Sales have fallen by 50%, while the company has had to increase security at its Concord facility and Ferry Building outpost out of concern for staff safety. Employees at the Ferry Building cafe now wear blue-and-yellow pins that read support Ukraine, down with Putin and field frequent customer questions about the companys origin.

Theres nothing Russian about Tsar Nicoulai, said president Ali Bolourchi. Captain Crunch wasnt a pirate. Its just a brand association.

Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Tsar Nicoulai is not the only Bay Area food business feeling backlash due to perceived or real connections to Russia. Pushkin, San Franciscos only Ukrainian restaurant, is changing the name it took from the famed Russian poet after receiving negative messages. Businesses in San Franciscos Little Russia have reported similar pushback. Bars in San Francisco and across the country stopped serving Russian-named liquors and drinks, including products from Latvian vodka company Stolichnaya  which quickly changed its name to Stoli.

When Mats and Daphne Engstrom started Tsar Nicoulai in 1984, they hoped the name they chose would provide a positive association. Much as the European wine world looked down on Napa Valley wines at the time, California-produced caviar was perceived as lower quality. So they tacked the royal title tsar onto Daphne Engstroms grandfathers name, hoping to authenticate the fledgling company, said Bolourchi, whose family took over the business in 2014. (The companys legal name was once California Sunshine Inc., but the caviar has long been marketed as Tsar Nicoulai.)

The business grew to become one of Californias leading caviar companies, also known for its sustainable farming practices. But since late March, Tsar Nicoulai has been grappling with how to correct the misperception that it is a Russian company.

Typical was one Instagram comment in which a former customer, whose annual holiday tradition was to indulge in Tsar Nicoulai caviar, said they were now boycotting the company. It was a big discussion at our table and Id would (sic) think many other families too, the poster wrote. Even neighbors of the caviar farm in Wilton (Sacramento County) have reached out to make sure were the same Americans that started the farm back in the 80s, Bolourchi said.

Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

To battle the bad publicity, the company has donated caviar to restaurant fundraisers in support of Ukraine and is planning to host charitable events at its Ferry Building cafe.

Tsar Nicoulai employees are feeling unnerved and unsure how to get that monkey off their back, Bolourchi said.

Im old enough and weathered enough to deal with it, but some of my staff members, they take it personally and feel really bad, he said. Why arent people educating themselves?

Tim Harper, a server at the Ferry Building location, planted a few small Ukrainian flags in view of diners and suggested that the restaurant remove references to Russian caviar from the menu. (While Osetra caviar is often called Russian caviar because the species once came from that country, Tsar Nicoulai imports it from Greece and tries to de-emphasize its historical connection to Russia, company vice president Marai Bolourchi said.) On three occasions, people walking by the cafe have yelled and cursed at Harper, telling him things like, Go back to Russia and You dont belong here in this country. Others have asked him if hes Russian, he said.

Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Anna Voloshyna, a Bay Area chef and food blogger born in Ukraine, said its disappointing to see people misdirecting their anger about the war at businesses like Tsar Nicoulai or Pushkin. But, she said, getting rid of a Russian name may be the most prudent decision.

The resentment to everything Russian will continue, she said. They will get this association for a long time.

When Pushkin owner Sergey Shukaylo, whos from Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, named his restaurant for Russian poet Alexander Pushkin five years ago, he hoped it would be a unifying symbol. But since the start of the war, its drawn negative comments. Your naming is really bad for a place that markets itself as a Ukrainian restaurant. Stop spreading russian imperalistic (sic) narratives, it stinks, one person commented on a Pushkin Facebook post about a Ukraine fundraiser.

Shukaylo has since decided to rename the restaurant. Its new name will be Leleka, which means stork in Ukrainian. Shukaylo, who has family in Ukraine, cited similar efforts to remove Russian street names and statues in his homeland, including one of Pushkin. Names have power, he said.

This is our form of protest, Shukaylo said. Were a Ukrainian restaurant and we want to be more representative of who we are.

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Kimberley Hasselbrink

Birch & Rye, Noe Valleys buzzy new Russian

restaurant, which opened two weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine, hasnt received any serious pushback, said owner Anya El-Wattar. But some diners have mentioned feeling wary when they arrive, she said.

They come in either anxious or apprehensive. Is this the right place to be, at a Russian restaurant? El-Wattar said.

Like Tsar Nicoulai, Birch & Rye has worked to publicly signal its support for Ukraine. Every table is set with a vase wrapped in blue and yellow ribbon for the colors of the Ukrainian flag, and filled with sunflowers, the national flower of Ukraine. In April, a Birch & Rye dinner raised $108,000 for nonprofit World Central Kitchens work in Ukraine. El-Wattar and chef Voloshyna are teaming up to host a fundraising pop-up at Birch & Rye that will celebrate pre-Communist Ukrainian and Russian dishes. Voloshyna also plans to contribute a dish that will go on the Birch & Rye menu, with a portion of proceeds going to a Ukrainian charity.

El-Wattar, who was born in Moscow and has Ukrainian grandparents, says she is hopeful that a Russian restaurant in San Francisco can provide opportunities for positive dialogue. She said Ukrainian diners often stop to talk with her about the war.

The Bolourchis, meanwhile, are considering shortening the Tsar Nicoulai name to T&C. They feel torn between preserving the companys history and countering modern-day perceptions.

Maybe Shakespeare was right, Marai Bolourchi wrote in an email, Whats in a name?

Elena Kadvany is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ekadvany
As COVID-19 case rates tick up across the Bay Area and California, San Francisco and Santa Cruz counties reported the highest rates of coronavirus infections in California so far this week. The Bay Area saw a 167% increase in coronavirus infections in April, the same month that California dropped most of its COVID mitigation measures, like mask requirements on public transit.

(For the May 5 live blog, click here.)

Latest updates:

Will catching COVID become as normal as getting the flu? Health officials are saying it, friends are saying it: COVID-19 seems on track to become as common and familiar to us as influenza. But experts stress that there are still limitations to this comparison  COVID is still, and may always be, no ordinary flu. Read the full story here.

Los Gatos High School reports big COVID outbreak: At least 65 Los Gatos High students and nine school staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus over the past two weeks, according to a letter sent to parents Tuesday by Principal Kevin Buchanan and obtained by NBC Bay Area. School administrators have sent out more than 2,000 exposure notices in that time, to nearly everyone at the high school. At least 50 of the students were potentially infectious while on campus. The school is increasing testing and strongly recommending that students wear masks indoors. Despite what might be happening nationally, we are seeing a local increase, especially at our school, said Buchanan.

U.S. Secretary of State tests positive for COVID-19 after press dinner: Secretary of State Antony Blinken tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, the State Department said. Blinken, who is vaccinated and boosted, was in attendance at the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington on Saturday, where several other guests were reportedly infected. He is experiencing mild symptoms. President Biden was also at the event but the State Department said he is not considered a close contact and has not seen Blinken in person for several day. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the president tested negative on Tuesday. Comedian Trevor Noah, who performed at the dinner and mocked guests for attending after the breakout at the Gridiron Dinner, said, It is my great honor to be speaking tonight at the nations most distinguished superspreader event. He added, You guys spent the last two years telling everyone the importance of wearing masks and avoiding large in-door gatherings, then the second someone offers you a free dinner, you all turn into Joe Rogan.

CDC forecasts COVID deaths to rise for first time in months: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts that the number of newly reported COVID-19 deaths will likely increase over the next four weeks, with 1,600 to 4,600 new deaths likely reported in the week ending May 28. The agencys ensemble forecast shows that the U.S. will reach a total of 1,000,000 to 1,007,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths by that date. The figures mark the first time virus-related deaths have increased since February, following a steep decline after the winter omicron surge. Deaths in California are also expected to trend up in that period.

Los Angeles County tightens rules to control COVID spread in schools: Facing a rise in coronavirus cases, students in Los Angeles County TK-12 schools who have been exposed to COVID-19 but are asymptomatic will be required to wear masks indoors for 10 days after their most recent exposure, according to updated health department guidelines. While the students will not be required to quarantine if they do not show symptoms, they must provide proof of a negative virus test within three to five days. Officials in the nations largest county also expanded the definition of a close contact for large indoor spaces to include a pre-defined group, such as an entire club or a team, in addition to anyone who comes within 6 feet of the infected person for more than 15 minutes. The changes went into effect Wednesday.

Growing share of U.S. population wrongly blames Asian Americans for pandemic: The proportion of adults in the U.S. who wrongly blame Asian Americans for the COVID-19 pandemic has nearly doubled, increasing to 21% this year from 11% in 2021. Asian Americans, who make up 7% of the U.S. population, are also facing increasing discrimination, with one in six adults experiencing a hate crime or hate incident in 2021. Those findings were shared Wednesday in a new study from the nonprofit Leading Asian Americans to Unite for Change and the Asian American Foundation. On the surface, we thought it was COVID and Trump. Deeper down we know its related to the model minority myth and perpetual foreigner stereotypes. But even deeper, it really [shows] the embedded systemic racism in this country against Asian Americans, Norman Chen, the co-founder of the nonprofit, said in a statement.

Coachella Valley cases rise 41% following music festivals: Following two weekends of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and an additional weekend of the Stagecoach country music festival at the Empire Polo Club in Southern Californias Coachella Valley, the region is seeing a rise in coronavirus cases. There was a 41% increase reported between April 19 and 26, according to data analyzed by The Desert Sun. Riverside County, where the festivals took place, also experienced a 44% increase in COVID-19 infections over the same period. The true epidemiological impact of the festivals is hard to measure because thousands of people from outside of the area where they took place traveled to attend.

Oakland implements mask mandate for large indoor gatherings: The Oakland City Council voted Tuesday to implement a mask mandate for indoor gatherings of 2,500 people or more. The council also voted to remove the citys proof of vaccination requirement at restaurants, bars, gyms and other businesses. Residents will still have to show a proof of vaccine to enter senior centers. Read the background on this story here.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

S.F. and Santa Cruz top state in infection rates: San Francisco and Santa Cruz counties have the highest coronavirus infection rates in the state, as of Tuesday, each reporting an average of 38 cases per 100,000 residents. Thats up from about three per 100,000 a month ago. The numbers counts are likely undercounts since now-prevalent at-home tests do not typically get reported to the system. San Franciscos coronavirus test positive rate reached 7.9% on Tuesday, according to new city data. The rate is more than double the 3.2% test positive rate for California as a whole, and above the 5% threshold public health experts consider acceptable for controlling the spread of the virus. Read more here.

New Bay Area infections up 167% in a month: An upturn in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the Bay Area is beginning to gather steam, as new COVID-19 infections in the region have risen 167% in the same month that saw the state dropping most mitigation measures, including vaccine verification and mask requirements for schools and public transit. Read the full story.

San Mateo County officials not concerned about uptick in hospitalizations: COVID-19 transmission, test positivity and hospitalizations are increasing in San Mateo County, but county health officials said Tuesday that hospitalizations number fewer than during last summers delta surge, even though the level of viral transmission is similar. The level of COVID-19 hospitalizations is higher than it was in early April, San Mateo County Health Chief Louise Rogers told county supervisors Tuesday. But it is still relatively low, and were not concerned about the level of hospitalizations. As of Monday, there were 21 hospitalized COVID patients in the county.

Bay Area expands test to treat sites: Starting Wednesday, College of San Mateo will be a test to treat location where people who test positive for COVID-19 can receive a telehealth appointment and get connected with treatments they may be eligible for, county health officials told supervisors Tuesday. President Biden in March announced the test to treat initiative to make prescription treatments available on the spot once someone has tested positive. San Mateo joins other local health departments in this push to make the public more aware of treatments, like the antiviral pill Paxlovid. Paxlovid must be taken within five days of the onset of symptoms, so its critical that people get the prescription soon after they test positive. Contra Costa County last week opened a phone line for patient consultations with doctors who can prescribe medication as appropriate. About 70 people have used it to get appointments, many receiving prescriptions, said Contra Costa County Health Director Anna Roth.

Vaccines for youngest children may arrive by June: The Food and Drug Administration has scheduled dates in June to review COVID-19 vaccine data for children 5 and under, the last remaining age group not yet cleared for the shots. The FDA meetings are typically the final step before authorizing the rollout of vaccines. The agencys outside panel of experts will meet on June 8, 21 and 22 to review applications from Moderna and Pfizer for child vaccines. The dates are tentative. We intend to move quickly with any authorizations that are appropriate once our work is completed, said Peter Marks, director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
San Francisco was a wildly different place in 1932. Neither the Golden Gate Bridge nor the Bay Bridge were complete. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission oversaw Muni and the airport. And the Refuse Collection and Disposal Ordinance was installed in the city charter.

Things have changed substantially in the past 90 years, and part of San Franciscos evolution as a city must be a critical review of our decades-old ordinances. Proposition F, on the citys June 7 ballot, would do that by amending the Collection and Disposal Ordinance to create oversight and transparency to combat corruption.

Recology is granted a monopoly to collect refuse in San Francisco under the 1932 ordinance, and it appeals to the San Francisco Public Works when it wants to raise rates on consumers. With no dedicated staff for reviewing these raise proposals, Public Works assembles an ad hoc group to analyze each rate hike application, and the departments director then unilaterally issues an order.

History shows the danger of a system this haphazard.

Last year, Recology was ordered to reimburse San Franciscans over $94 million for years of overcharges that occurred under the leadership of former Public Works Director Mohammad Nuru, who pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges in January. Nuru admitted to accepting jewelry, wine, trips and other goods from city contractors and developers, while offering them special favors and information about city contracts.

A 14% rate increase Nuru implemented in 2017 was found to be twice what should have been allowed. That rate was allowed to stand even after Recology notified Public Works of the error; the charges piled on for two years. To date, Recology claims this was a simple mistake. But it is clear that awarding rate setting power to the head of one department invites the potential for opaque decision making, errors and corruption.

Under Prop. F, all proposed rate increases would be reviewed by the city controllers office. This is a logical move: the controller oversees the citys finances, managing everything from processing payroll to monitoring the citys budget. In addition, a Refuse Rate Board would be established, made up of the city administrator, general manager of the Public Utilities Commission and a ratepayer representative, to create transparency in the process of rate setting  not just for residential customers, but commercial entities as well. Finally, the city would be granted the power to cancel Recologys monopoly on trash collection without returning to the ballot.

Prop. F was created with due diligence. For a full year, an internal city working group, consisting of representatives from the controllers office, city administrators office and Department of the Environment convened to review paths forward. Simultaneously, an external task force, made up of building owners, the tenants union and environmental organizations discussed fair practices. Both groups concluded amending the 1932 ordinance  rather than immediately dissolving Recologys monopoly  was the best path.

They werent alone. Mayor London Breed and all 11 members of the Board of Supervisors have thrown their support behind the measure, a rare feat.

We concur. Reforming our 90-year-old system of reviewing refuse rates is clearly needed. And there isnt a timely option for phasing out the citys reliance on Recologys monopoly in favor of a municipal collection system or a competitive bidder. In the meantime, there needs to be a stringent process for reviewing rates to protect San Franciscans from overcharges. We recommend voters support Prop. F.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.
On Monday, the country was shocked to read a draft of the Supreme Courts decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization. Never before had an opinion been leaked to the press before it was officially released by the court. But no one should be surprised that five justices appear poised to overrule the abortion protections of Roe v. Wade.

For decades, conservatives have railed against Roe. Once Justice Amy Coney Barrett replaced Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, it was clear that there were five staunch conservatives on the bench who almost certainly would vote to overrule Roe: Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Barrett. At the oral argument in Dobbs on Dec. 1, 2021, these justices did nothing to hide their views that Roe was wrongly decided.

But abortion is just one of many areas where constitutional law appears ready to change dramatically. In the next few months, the Supreme Court is likely to decide cases expanding gun rights, lessening the restrictions on prayer in public schools, prohibiting affirmative action by colleges and universities, and enshrining the right of people to use religion as a basis for discriminating against gays and lesbians in business dealings and employment.

Will these rulings effect Californias laws? Almost certainly.

It will be crucial to distinguish the situations where the Supreme Court concludes that there is no constitutional right  such as if it holds that women do not have a constitutional right to abortion  from those where the court finds a constitutional right that limits what the government can do.

If the Supreme Court holds that there is no constitutional right, then the issue will be left to the political process for the states and perhaps Congress. In Justice Alitos draft opinion, he explicitly says that overruling Roe will mean that courts will no longer enforce limits on what states and Congress can do in regulating abortion. States will unilaterally be able to prohibit abortion or allow abortion, whatever they choose. Over half of the states are therefore likely to outlaw all or virtually all abortions.

But abortion will remain legal in many states, such as California, New York, Illinois and Connecticut. In California, there is no law that prohibits abortion and the state Legislature would almost certainly never adopt such a statute. The California Constitution also has a clause protecting the right to privacy, which has been held to safeguard a right to abortion.

Women who want to terminate their pregnancies and live in states where abortion will be illegal will travel to states where abortion is allowed  but only if they have the resources to do so. Poor women, often teenagers, will have to choose between an unwanted child and an unsafe abortion. But states that prohibit abortion will also likely try to adopt laws forbidding women from leaving the state to obtain an abortion.

The constitutionality of such efforts is uncertain.

Until that constitutionality is decided in court, states can implement travel bans unless Congress enacts blanket abortion protections for the entire country. Congress, for example, could adopt a law creating a right to abortion for all women in the United States. Alternatively, a Republican president and Congress could adopt a law to prohibit all abortions. In 2003, Congress adopted the federal Partial Birth Abortion Act, which outlawed that particular abortion procedure. If Congress were to prohibit all abortions, California and other states would be powerless.

Once the court overrules Roe, many other rights protected under the liberty of the due process clause will be in jeopardy. For instance, in 2015, in Obergefell v. Hodges, the court ruled that gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry. But, under the reasoning expressed in Justice Alitos draft opinion, this case, too, would be found to be wrongly decided because it protects a right that is neither in the text of the Constitution nor part of its original meaning. States could therefore allow or prohibit same-sex marriage per their whims. In fact, in California, same sex marriage would likely be immediately outlawed by the state Constitution, which was amended when voters passed Proposition 8 in 2008. The law was ultimately struck down by courts as a violation of the U.S. Constitution, but if the Supreme Court overrules Obergefell then the California Constitutions prohibition of same-sex marriage would go back into effect.

There may also be cases where the Supreme Court finds a constitutional right. It is expected that in the next two months, the court will strike down a New York law prohibiting concealed weapons in public without a permit. This likely will mean that a similar California law also is unconstitutional. And if the court holds, as many believe it will, that teachers have the right to pray at school, this would apply in California and elsewhere.

America is on the verge of radical changes in constitutional law. These decisions will affect all of us, often in the most important and intimate aspects of our lives.

Erwin Chemerinsky is the dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law at UC Berkeley School of Law.
San Francisco voters will decide on eight ballot measures when they vote in the June 7 election, including the marquee initiative to recall District Attorney Chesa Boudin.

If successful, the recall would make Boudin the fourth local elected official removed from office this year, after three school board members were voted out in February.

At the same time, the electorate will also choose whether to reform the recall process itself, possibly raising the threshold to remove officials in the future. Other items on the ballot include funding for Muni improvements and the creation of a new city government office dedicated to victim rights.

For a full look at Bay Area elections and California primary races, visit the S.F. Chronicle Voter Guide at www.sfchronicle.com.

Heres a breakdown:

Proposition A

A $400 million Muni Reliability and Street Safety Bond that would fund various upgrades to the citys transportation infrastructure. Bond proceeds would pay for improvements at bus yards and related equipment, smart traffic signals and wider sidewalks at bus stops, faster and more reliable Muni trains, pedestrian countdown signals at crosswalks, more bicycle infrastructure, and speed-reduction measures, among other initiatives. Landlords would be allowed to pass along 50% of any property tax increases that result from the bonds.

It needs two-thirds approval to pass.

 Read The S.F. Chronicle Editorial Boards endorsement on Prop. A.

Proposition B

A charter amendment that would change the required qualifications and appointment process for the citys seven-member Building Inspection Commission, which oversees the Department of Building Inspection.

Currently, each of the seats has to come from a specific profession or background or be affiliated with a certain industry.

The charter amendment would instead mandate that two of the people appointed to the commission by the mayor be an engineer, architect or home builder, and one person appointed by the president of the Board of Supervisors be a tenant or employee at a housing nonprofit. The mayor would appoint the DBI director instead of the commission.

It needs a simple majority to pass.

 Read the S.F. The Chronicle Editorial Boards endorsement on Prop. B.

Proposition C

A charter amendment to place new limits on recalls of San Francisco elected officials.

No recall vote could occur within one year of the regularly scheduled election for the role in question, and the initiation of recall petitions could not start until one year after the official has taken office, instead of the current six months.

Whoever the mayor appoints to fill a vacancy created by a successful recall would no longer be allowed to run for the office in the next election.

It needs a simple majority to pass.

Proposition D

It would create a new Office of Victim and Witness Rights in City Hall.

The office would be responsible for coordinating city services for victims and witnesses of all types of crime, including translation for people who dont speak English, interpretation for those who are deaf or hard of hearing, follow-ups to make sure victims and witnesses get whatever help they need from the city, field visits to clients homes or businesses, and assistance for the elderly. The office would also launch a pilot program for fiscal year 2023-24 to provide free legal representation for domestic violence victims.

Its not yet clear how much the city would have to spend to create the office.

The measure needs a simple majority to pass.

Proposition E

It would add new restrictions around behested payments, which are donations solicited by public officials to benefit a government agency or private organization. City officials would be banned from seeking behested payments from contractors who have business before the city government. Its a response to the wide-ranging corruption scandal surrounding disgraced former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru. Changes to the law could only happen if they are approved by the city Ethics Commission and two-thirds of supervisors.

It needs a simple majority to pass.

 Read the S.F. The Chronicle Editorial Boards endorsement on Prop. E.

Proposition F

It would allow San Francisco to more closely oversee trash-hauling giant Recology, which has a city-sanctioned monopoly on waste collection and was also entangled in the Nuru scandal.

The measure would put the city controller, instead of the Public Works director, in charge of proposing new trash-collecting rates to the Refuse Rate Board.

A new ratepayer representative would replace the controller on the board. The board would be allowed to set a maximum rate for commercial customers, and applicants for trash-collection permits would have to explain how they would avoid service disruptions.

An eight-member supermajority of the Board of Supervisors would be allowed to make further changes to the city Refuse Ordinance.

It needs a simple majority to pass.

 Read the S.F.The Chronicle Editorial Boards endorsement on Prop. F.

Proposition G

A measure to mandate public health emergency leave for large employers. Companies with more than 100 worldwide employees would be required to provide up to 80 hours of paid time off that San Francisco workers can use during public health crises. The leave would be available for employees who cannot work  remotely or in person  due to recommendations or requirements of an emergency-related health order. It would also apply to people who cant work because they are experiencing symptoms of an infectious disease associated with a public health emergency, or they are caring for an ill family member. Members of vulnerable populations who cant work outside during air-quality emergencies  such as an extreme amount of wildfire smoke  would also be eligible.

It needs a simple majority to pass.

Proposition H

The district attorney recall. If a majority of voters decide to remove Boudin from office, he will be replaced by someone appointed by Mayor London Breed. Read up on the key moments that led to the Boudin recall here.

 Read theThe Chronicle Editorial Boards endorsement on the Chesa Boudin recall.

J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris
U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland wants to do more than just put a bandage on a crisis that she says has been decades in the making. Haaland on Thursday announced the members of a commission that will craft recommendations on how the federal government can better tackle unsolved cases in which Native Americans and Alaska Natives have gone missing or have been killed. Haaland blamed the disproportionately high number of such cases on a lack of urgency and coordination. The commission is expected to hold public hearings and gather testimony over the coming months. Meanwhile, some tribes and states, including New Mexico, have created their own response plans to address the problem.
SACRAMENTO  If the right to privacy that courts have ruled is provided by the U.S. Constitution were a home, Roe v. Wade would be the foundation and subsequent rulings enshrining LGBTQ rights would be akin to the floors built above.

LGBTQ activists and legal scholars say thats why the revelation that the Supreme Court is set to overturn Roe v. Wade, the historic case protecting abortion rights, sent a wave of panic through the community as many question whether rulings protecting same-sex marriage and consensual sexual acts could be targeted next.

If the foundation of a house crumbles, the whole house is threatened, said Samuel Garrett-Pate, a spokesperson for Equality California, an LGBTQ advocacy group. The court is clearly telegraphing exactly where they plan to go next.

A draft opinion leaked to Politico revealed that the courts conservative majority is preparing to repeal Roe v. Wade, though it has not issued a formal ruling yet. The draft ruling, if made official, would allow individual states to decide whether to ban the procedure.

The situation led many in the LGBTQ community to question if overturning such a foundational section of privacy law in the United States could lead to a patchwork of laws in Republican states that roll back the communitys rights.

That worry was exacerbated by a section of Justice Samuel Alitos draft opinion in which he references, and seems to balk at, some gay rights rulings: Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 ruling that guaranteed same-sex couples the right to marry; and Lawrence v. Texas, the 2003 ruling that granted the right to engage in private consensual sex acts, preventing states from criminalizing anal sex.

These attempts to justify abortion through appeals to a broader right to autonomy and to define ones concept of existence prove too much, Alito wrote. None of these rights has any claim to being deeply rooted in history.

State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, warned of the implications for LGBTQ rights during a news conference Tuesday about a separate bill he is carrying to make California a refuge for families with transgender children who live in states where Republican-led legislatures have banned gender-affirming health care.

Ill be honest, we are living in very, very scary times, he said of the Roe v. Wade draft opinion.

Wiener, who is gay, stepped up his warnings in a series of tweets, likening the situation to The Handmaids Tale, a dystopian book and TV drama about a fanatical religious government that kills queer people and enslaves women to bear children.

Theyre coming for us next, Wiener wrote. Theyll stop at nothing to make us second-class citizens & push us back into the shadows.

Ken Cedeno / Corbis via Getty Images

Alitos draft opinion does, however, cast distinctions between Roe v. Wade and other privacy-related cases, including those dealing with birth control. He wrote that those other cases are inapposite because they dont involve the critical moral question of the life of an unborn human being.

But none of these decisions involved what is distinctive about abortion: its effect on what Roe termed potential life, Alito wrote of several related privacy cases.

Yet Alito didnt extend that same differentiation to rulings protecting LGBTQ rights, including Obergefell v. Hodges and Lawrence v. Texas. Some commentators said that may telegraph his intention to reconsider those cases and roll back privacy rights in other areas.

Stanford law Professor Bernadette Meyler said that despite Alitos assurances that the birth control cases were different and not at risk, It seems hes calling into question the right to privacy. She noted that the draft said privacy was unmoored in the Constitution.

Meyler also said the draft doesnt read like a final opinion, with a tone more like Alitos dissents. It seems likely other justices will want narrower language that doesnt call all privacy rights into question, she said.

Jennifer Pizer, law and policy director for Lambda Legal, the LGBTQ legal advocacy group, said the sharp and caustic language of the draft opinion has laid bare how deeply intertwined reproductive and LGBTQ rights are as a matter of law. She said Alitos interpretation that privacy rights not explicitly spelled out in the Constitution dont exist is an extreme view out of step with modern society.

In some ways, this type of analysis is part of an effort to turn the clock back to a time when only white male land owners had legal rights, Pizer said. The American public of 2022 is not going back to 1792.

LGBTQ legal experts said Alitos draft seems purposefully coy about how the ruling could alter cultural norms surrounding privacy rights more broadly.

Shannon Minter, legal director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said Alito appears to try to avoid confronting same-sex marriage and sexual privacy cases too directly in his draft opinion, potentially to avoid alienating some of the courts other, less staunchly conservative justices.

Nevertheless, Minter said, the draft opinion sets a troubling precedent of the court tossing aside a long-standing and fundamental right. He said the situation should be a wake-up call for LGBTQ people to work to elect politicians who will pass laws to protect their rights at the federal level, rather than relying on judicial rulings.

The LGBT community has really come to rely on the courts too much for protection, Minter said. That vulnerability is now hitting home.

Chronicle staff writer Bob Egelko contributed to this report.

Dustin Gardiner (he/him) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner
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REYNOSA, MEXICO  An open-air migrant encampment just south of the Texas border was razed early Tuesday morning, displacing hundreds of occupants, many of whom had traveled hundreds of miles and some of whom had waited a year to request asylum in the U.S.

By daybreak, migrants from Haiti, Honduras and other Central American countries were gone as armed soldiers with the Mexican National Guard patrolled the perimeter, and bulldozers and cleaning crews swept up tents, tarps and other survival gear in Reynosas Plaza de la Republica.

Migrants have found themselves stuck in Mexican border towns like Reynosa due to Title 42, the public health policy used to effectively shut the U.S. border during the pandemic.

Reynosa Mayor Carlos Victor Pena Ortiz told The Chronicle that his government receives no funding from the United States to help provide shelter or meet the needs of the migrant community. The camp, which abutted the crossing on the Mexican side of the border with Hidalgo, Texas, has long been a cause of concern for local residents, he said.

We are cleaning the plaza, obviously trying to make it as beautiful as possible as quickly as possible so that we can all return to normalcy here in Reynosa, and we can all be proud of our Plaza de la Republica, the mayor said in Spanish during a morning press conference.

Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News

Ortiz said his government partnered with local charities and nongovernmental organizations to safely transport the displaced migrants on buses to the grounds of religious organization Senda de Vida, which has two large compounds in which they provide shelter and other services to migrants. One compound is currently empty but is being readied for the migrants.

We built the new shelter with the help of Senda de Vida to give all migrants in Reynosa a more dignified life with better conditions for health and security, Ortiz told reporters.

The mayor and a city official said the compound  covered in gravel and fenced in by cinder-block walls  is ready for occupancy.

A day earlier, the compound had no electricity, minimal restrooms and only a handful of tents. Ortiz told The Chronicle that each migrant would bring their own tent that is being donated by the American NGOs.

That wasnt the message from every city official.

Eliacib Leija Pecina, coordinator of public services for the city of Reynosa, said the plaza encampment was demolished because local authorities want the migrants to live in better conditions.

The migrants were not living in adequate conditions here, he said in Spanish. The reason they didnt have time to take things is because there are going to be new tents, new mattresses and everything new. So they only had to take their clothes with them.

The city estimated the plazas migrant population to be as high as 2,400, but a recent census count conducted by the Sidewalk School, an American NGO, estimated the number of people to be much smaller. Sidewalk School director Felicia Rangel-Samponaro told The Chronicle that there were 438 people residing in the camp on Sunday.

The rapid disassembling of the camp came as a shock to those in it, according to one migrant who only gave his first name. Nicolas said that around midnight, and without warning, women with babies, families and those sleeping in tents and under tarps had to gather their belongings and leave.

Nicolas said families were bused to the main compound of Senda de Vida while the rest had to walk. By the time he and his wife arrived around 1 a.m., there was no more space for them inside the compound.

We were in the line, but because there were so many people, we didnt get in, Nicolas said in Spanish.

He and his wife sat on a bench in the plaza close to where their tent used to be. The couple have been waiting in Reynosa for four months, he said, having fled Haiti.

Shortly after touting the good intentions behind the camps razing, Ortiz appeared at Senda de Vida where he and its director, Pastor Hector Silva, shook hands in front of the waiting migrants and gathered media.

Silva quietly asked the mayor in Spanish, Do you think you can lend a hand with a little food (for the migrants)?

The mayor turned to The Chronicle and said, You know what you should do, you should help us get food for this place.

Deepa Fernandes is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: deepa.fernandes@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @deepafern
Hundreds of people rallied in San Francisco and Oakland on Tuesday to support abortion rights and express outrage over the United States Supreme Court draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade.

While the Supreme Court decision is not final, hundreds of people took to the streets to protest the very real possibility that the precedent protecting abortion access could be struck down.

Photo courtesy of Brandon Mercer

A throng of people flooded the plaza at SF's Phillip Burton Federal Building at 450 Golden Gate Ave., where speakers included Mayor London Breed, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Planned Parenthood Northern California CEO Gilda Gonzales.

"I can say here in California, we're going to do everything we can to protect everyone: providers and patients," Gonzales said.

Kevin Kelleher/Special to SFGATE Kevin Kelleher/Special to SFGATE The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Im Jessica Christian/AP People rallied in Oakland and San Francisco to support abortion rights, on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (Images via Kevin Kelleher/Special to SFGATE & via AP) People rallied in Oakland and San Francisco to support abortion rights, on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (Images via Kevin Kelleher/Special to SFGATE & via AP)

Nancy Kato is one of the leaders of National Mobilization for Reproductive Justice, a group that organized rallies across the country including the one in San Francisco.

"We have to protest because we may lose the legalized right to abortion," Kato said. "But you don't even have to support abortion to be outraged. What we're trying to educate people on is that it's about more than abortion, it's an attack on civil liberties. The right wing has been working for decades to get to this point. They're already going after voting rights. Plus you have legislation against trans children, really? We see this as all being connected."

Yalonda M. James/AP

Jessica Christian/AP

Kato said that her group has been preparing for this, and the leaked decision is giving people an opportunity to organize and build a movement.

"It took a movement to win Roe," she said.

NICK OTTO/AFP via Getty Images

After the speakers, the crowd walked down Market Street to the Castro.

"We marched to the Castro for a reason last night ... gay marriage, contraception ... it's all under attack," Kato said.

Kevin Kelleher/Special to SFGATE

The Alameda Labor Council led a rally at Oakland's Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building on Tuesday evening.

"If Roe is overturned, the impact would fall hardest on low-wage women, women of color, immigrants and other vulnerable groups," the council said in a statement. "The direct link between this unprecedented attack on womens core freedoms and the ongoing assault on working people threatens the fabric of democracy. Leaders will call for a renewed commitment to building a truly intersectional movement to fight these attacks  in the streets and at the ballot box  to preserve our fundamental rights."

Photo courtesy of Marc Paschke Photo courtesy of Marc Paschke Photo courtesy of Marc Paschke Jessica Christian/AP Signs from the rally in support of abortion rights, in San Francisco, on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (Images courtesy of Marc Paschke and via AP) Signs from the rally in support of abortion rights, in San Francisco, on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (Images courtesy of Marc Paschke and via AP)

The draft, first issued by Politico, was written by Justice Samuel Alito and says abortion is not a right protected by the United States Constitution, sending full control of abortion policy to the states.

While California protects abortion access, 13 states are poised to ban abortion immediately or very quickly, the New York Times said. California is considering a state constitutional amendment that would enshrine a right to abortion and "abortion sanctuary laws" that would make it easier for residents seeking abortions in conservative states to travel to California for the procedure.

Kevin Kelleher/Special to SFGATE

Jessica Christian/AP
HOPKINS, Minn. (AP) _ Digi International Inc. (DGII) on Wednesday reported fiscal second-quarter net income of $2.8 million.

The Hopkins, Minnesota-based company said it had profit of 8 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 41 cents per share.

The provider of communication adapters posted revenue of $94.7 million in the period.

For the current quarter ending in July, Digi International expects its per-share earnings to range from 37 cents to 40 cents.

The company said it expects revenue in the range of $94 million to $98 million for the fiscal third quarter.

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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on DGII at https://www.zacks.com/ap/DGII
Federal officials are promising to add air traffic controllers and take other steps to improve the flow of planes in Florida, which airlines say has become a weak link in the national airspace.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday that it will add staff at a key air traffic control center in Jacksonville and other places, although it didn't provide numbers.

The promise came during a two-day meeting between FAA officials and representatives of about a dozen airlines. The airlines told the FAA that the number of Florida flights will shoot past 2019 levels.

Air traffic to Florida picked up more quickly during the pandemic than many other places, and airlines have scheduled even more flights for this summer. That is raising concern about the potential for massive disruptions that could ripple far beyond the states borders.

The FAA said it also agreed to update airlines more often about space launches and other events that can squeeze routes airlines use over Florida. Airlines say they have been caught off guard by route closings, forcing them to cancel flights.

Most noteworthy, Southwest Airlines blamed bad weather and air traffic control in Florida for cascading problems that led it to cancel more than 2,000 flights over three days last October. JetBlue Airways blamed those and other factors for widespread cancellations last month.

The FAA said it will make more use of alternate routes  sometimes at lower altitudes, which would increase fuel burn  to keep planes moving after disruptions. The agency said it will also develop a plan for responding to snarls, similar to what it does in the New York City area.
The reddish glow of the alcove booth envelopes and partially obscures me. I lean against the stony wall, trying to blend in as I absorb my surroundings  flying casual, if you will.

At the horseshoe bar ahead, shafts of blue light bathe the quite large Ithorian talking to a Mandalorian and a Rodian who is dressed like Audrey Hepburn from "Breakfast At Tiffany's." At a high-top table, a bearded bloke in a brown hooded cloak has Jedi written all over him. In the booth to my left, a human smuggler and Dathomirian on a date debate over who is going to spend credits (shorthand for Imperial credits, which are the currency in galaxies far, far away) on the next round.

Above the hiss-whirr of igniting lightsabers and the occasional Wookiee roar, someone nearby makes a crass thermal exhaust port joke. Then, things take a sharp turn towards the weird(er): a Star Trek fan dressed as a redshirt from the old-school Enterprise walks in, and nearly runs into someone dressed as ALF, the fuzzy little dude from Melmac.



As for me? Im just a simple man making his way through the galaxy of Los Angeles as I hunt the bounty of tasty cocktails. Speaking of which, my right hand rests on my blaster while my left lifts a glass full of sweet blue booze to my lips  and it is the drink Ive been looking for.

Courtesy of Scum & Villainy Cantina

It seems harsh to call Scum & Villainy Cantina wretched, but this is undoubtedly built in the spirit of the wretched hive of scum and villainy Obi-Wan Kenobi describes in Star Wars: Episode IV  A New Hope. And it is the best possible place to celebrate May the Fourth, aka Star Wars Day.

Opened by J.C. Reifenberg and his partner Jen Smith in 2017, S&V began as a pop-up before quickly becoming a permanent spot on Hollywood Boulevard. It bills itself as an intergalactic bar, and your friendly neighborhood geek bar serving the best drinks in the star system. But many folks just as often describe it as the Star Wars bar.

Courtesy of Scum & Villainy Cantina

The themed spot, which also incorporates elements from other sci-fi and fantasy fandoms like Marvel and Harry Potter, borrows its name from the first "Star Wars" movie. In the 1977 film, Obi-Wan Kenobi warns Luke Skywalker of the Mos Eisley Spaceport, which includes a darkened, rundown cantina populated by criminals, smugglers, neer-do-wells and the house band Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes (but there are no droids allowed). The immersive seven-minute sequence is arguably one of the most important in the entire franchise as it establishes a diverse, dangerous galaxy, and also provided a locale that scruffy-looking nerf herders wished existed in real life.

Julie Tremaine

The Galaxys Edge areas of Disneyland, and Disneys Hollywood Studios in Florida, brought the Star Wars watering hole experience to life when the company opened Ogas Cantinas on both coasts in 2019. Set in the Black Spire Outpost on the outer rim planet Batuu, Ogas has the look and feel of a cleaner joint in a galaxy far, far away.

For a May the Fourth celebration, Ogas is the most officially authentic Star Wars experience, thanks to the Imagineers and high production value. But if you cant make the leap to lightspeed to Anaheim, or just want to celebrate outside of the theme park, Scum & Villainy is the best spot this side of the Outer Rim to toast fellow nerds on the pop culture holiday (a close third is probably San Franciscos Cinch Saloon).

Costumes and props are allowed and encouraged at S&V, according to the website. This is a distinction from Disneyland, where the park understandably prohibits costumes that look too professional or similar to specific characters, which might cause confusion amongst guests. Additionally, while Galaxys Edge is firmly set at a point in the Star Wars timeline  between Episode VIII  The Last Jedi and Episode IX  The Rise of Skywalker  Scum & Villainy exists without continuity concerns. So, you might have three Darth Vaders partying down with Kylo Ren and Voldemort on the same night.

Courtesy of Scum & Villainy Cantina

Beyond cosplaying bar patrons, S&V is brimming with other nods to Star Wars. A faded 1138 is posted on one wall, referencing creator George Lucas feature film debut THX 1138. The distillery parts hanging from the bar are reminiscent of the combustion chamber in a Rolls-Royce Derwent jet engine seen in the Mos Eisley Cantina  and repurposed as the head of the IG assassin droids. And a tactical display screen glows a transparent blue, like what General Leia Organa used to check ship positions.

And along with spotting Grogu (OK, Baby Yoda as we all really know him) amongst the bottles, other fantasy franchises are represented at S&V as well. Potterheads will take note of the Dobby perched over the TV menu showing the cocktail specials, and theres a bowtruckle hidden amongst the piping above the bar. Lord of the Rings fans will notice Gollum standing watch over the liquor bottles, near a license plate that reads 2MORDOR.

And a new life-size moisture vaporator from Tatooine is being installed by May Fourth to serve as, you guessed it, a water station.

Julie Tremaine

The homages to Star Wars extend to the bar's signature cocktails. The cosmic bartenders whip up the Wretched Blue Milk, and Green Milk  the preferred bevvies of both younger and older Luke Skywalker. The blue variety is more like a classic blue Hawaii (with cream of coconut, rum, pineapple juice and blue curacao), and the minty green one is akin to a grasshopper (with creme de menthe, creme de cacao, vodka and soy milk).

There are similarly named cocktails on the drink menus of both Scum & Villainy and Ogas, but each take different paths (neither being the Dark Side or Light Side, but equally boozy sides).

For instance, the blue and green milks at Galaxys Edge in Disneyland are frozen, non-alcoholic drinks with fruity flavors. Ogas serves a Jedi Mind Trick (with botanical vodka, velvet falernum, curacao, white grape juice, lime juice and grapefruit bitters), and S&Vs Mind Trick is tequila-based with Aperol, elderflower liqueur, lime juice and bitters.

Courtesy of Scum & Villainy Cantina

While Ogas ode to singing Ewoks, the Yub Nub, is a fruity rum punch, Scum & Villainys Endor-rific Forest Moon includes gin and a lot of green in the form of mint and cucumber. And for those looking for a unique, and slightly unusual, taste sensation, S&V makes the Asteroid Field with vodka, blue curacao, cotton candy and Pop Rocks  making it way different but also quite fizzy like Ogas Fuzzy Tauntaun (with peach vodka, peach schnapps, orange and tangerine juice, and "Buzz Button Tingling" foam).

As far as holiday festivities go, last year on May the Fourth, Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd  known for their roles in Peter Jacksons "Lord of the Rings" films  showed up at Scum & Villainy to sing Hobbit drinking songs.

This year, the bars blast doors are set to be open from 10 a.m. until 2 a.m., with trivia kicking off at 11 a.m., hosted by Eliot Sirota, 2011 George Lucas Fan Film award winner, and Jett Lucas, son of George. The bar will also be selling blue milk to go, and handing out commemorative May the Fourth buttons to the first 100 guests. And there will be a special cocktail menu, featuring the Thats No Moonshine, and Qui-Gon Jinn and Juice.

Courtesy of Scum & Villainy Cantina

Outside of Star Wars Day, in general the bar has become a destination to spot a whos who of famous nerds. Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin record their "FatMan Beyond" podcast here, and "Star Wars" actors Greg Grunberg, Sam Witwer and Kelly Marie Tran (in a Porg costume no less) have made appearances.

But the stars of the show at Scum & Villainy on May the Fourth are most definitely going to be the fans: the bounty hunters, Sith, Jedi and even Trekkies joining the cantina hive.
With Mothers Day approaching on Sunday, SFGATE asked Bay Area chefs about how their mothers influenced their culinary upbringing. Look for more upcoming features this week through Sunday that highlight the maternal mentors of some of the areas most well-known restaurateurs.

Through the comforting ritual of simmering home-cooked meals on a stovetop, as the pleasant sounds of bubbling pots and welcome aromas fill the kitchen with such warmth  cooking becomes an extension of a mothers love for her family.

With each spoonful, favored recipes not only have the power to conjure childhood memories, but they can also transport mom back to cherished moments when little hands helped peel potatoes and fava beans decades ago.

For Josefina Simon, the easiest way to revisit her time living in Lima, Peru, a country where she raised six children, is through a hearty pot of beef stew. Simon happens to be the mother of chef Carlos Altamirano, a man known for highlighting his Peruvian roots across seven restaurants throughout the Bay Area.

Courtesy La Costanera Courtesy La Costanera Courtesy La Costanera Some of the dishes available at La Costanera. (Courtest La Costanera) Some of the dishes available at La Costanera. (Courtest La Costanera)

Simon said eating beef was considered a luxury in her community, so it was a dish reserved for special occasions such as birthdays and holidays.

My family loved when I would cook estofado de carne (beef stew), Simon told SFGATE. They knew that when I brought carrots, potatoes and English peas from the market, it was going to be a special dinner because those are some of the main ingredients of the dish. To this day, they still love it when I make this dish. It is my favorite because it reminds me of their childhood.

As the mother of a decorated chef, she said shes proud of her son and all hes accomplished since leaving Peru. La Costanera is Altamiranos Michelin-recognized establishment that overlooks the Pacific harbor in Half Moon Bay.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

As a mom, I think its important to embrace and support your childrens passions, Simon said. Carlos showed a passion for cooking at a young age, and I made sure he knew that if this is what he wanted to do in life, then he should pursue it and also work hard for it.

The ambition Simon instilled in all of her children was a driving factor behind Altamiranos successes. Besides La Costanera, he also operates tapas and ceviche hot spots such as Mochica in Potrero Hill, Piqueos in Bernal Heights and Parada in Walnut Creek, among others.

His legacy as a restaurateur over the past 18 years is a testament to his push to succeed in a country he saw as one filled with opportunity, a place where he could further develop his genuine love for cooking, encouraged by his mother through simple lessons in the kitchen that would later lay the foundation of his culinary empire.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

I was her helper in the kitchen all the way, because as a son, she taught me a lot about cooking. Im one of the only brothers that she picked like, OK, you are going to stay in the home and help me today. Youre going to peel fava beans or English peas or peel potatoes, said Altamirano, sitting at a neatly set table inside La Costanera. I was that kid for my mom. So thats why shes very attached to me in the way of cooking experience.

Beautiful, aromatic, tasty food

A cascade of windows line the restaurants second floor dining room with lovely views of small boats slowly bobbing in the nearby marina. Altamirano, with jet black hair combed straight back, wears a warm smile as he talks about Peruvian food. His beaming enthusiasm comes through in many ways, from the manner he describes just how precisely he plates a dish to his wide-eyed demeanor when discussing the upcoming fresh corn and artichoke season.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Im excited. When the summer comes, Im going to use a lot of corn. Last season, we started fresh corn on the cob, locally, he said. I created a nice butter for that: chimichurri butter. So you grill it, just like that, when it comes out you brush it with the chimichurri butter, you cut it and then you go with a little mix of cheese, our sauces and then dig in!

He slaps his hands together with such energy, truly inspired by the possibilities of roasted corn slathered in herbaceous chimichurri butter. For Altamirano, cooking with the bounty of seasonal ingredients from surrounding farms in Half Moon Bay all the way to Atascadero is akin to cooking with his mother as a boy in Peru, where they raised chickens and utilized what was available at the local market.

There are many staple Peruvian ingredients Altamirano leans on across all of his Bay Area restaurants, starting with the chiles such as aji amarillo and rocoto, humble starches like potatoes and rice, followed by herbs like cilantro and mint. But huacatay, a black mint used in many Peruvian dishes, is one of his favorites.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Chef Carlos Altamirano and his staff prepare a meal in the kitchen at La Costanera. (Douglas Zimmerman / SFGATE) (Douglas Zimmerman / SFGATE)

Its a very unique herb. You can make a sauce with it. You can throw it in a soup, just like that, or you can make a chimichurri with it, he said. The aroma is very, very strong, pero when you do something with it  it turns into beautiful, aromatic, tasty food.

Its one of the many ingredients Altamirano uses for his restaurants most popular green sauce called ocopa, one he said is very traditional from Peru.

The way my mom used to make it is cilantro, mint and huacatay. Blend it with some queso fresco, a little bit of toasted corn, we call cancha maiz, and then a little bit of milk, he described, throwing ingredients one by one into an invisible blender. Blend it, and then it turns into this green sauce, but its a very, very Peruvian dish. You can use it with dipping, you can eat it with rice. Its so good.

When I came to America, it was a dream

Altamirano moved to San Francisco in 1994 and started working in restaurants throughout his early 20s, but never forgetting the home-cooked dishes that first inspired his passion for cooking. As he worked his way through the ranks of respected Bay Area kitchens, Altamirano learned from renowned chefs such as Reed Hearon from Restaurant Lulu and Rose Pistola, and Bradley Ogden of One Market Restaurant.

Back at Lulu, Reed, my mentor, he taught me not just about being a chef, but also about being a manager, a server, and throughout the years, I learned a lot, Altamirano said. As a restaurateur, you have to know all of that. He brought me up from scratch, basically, and taught me everything that I know.

In January 2004, Altamirano opened his first restaurant, Mochica, on Harrison Street in San Francisco, blending his fine dining experience with his mothers Peruvian recipes. San Francisco diners gobbled up chicharron pollo (crispy chicken marinated in lime juice with chile rocoto aioli) during happy hour, and savored every spoonful of aji de gallina and lomo saltado for dinner, two of his favorite childhood dishes.

Courtesy La Costanera

Mochica was such a success, it expanded into a larger space a decade later in the Potrero Hill neighborhood. Now, Altamirano operates seven restaurants with more than 200 employees, some whove worked for the chef since Mochica first opened in 2004.

When I came to America, it was a dream. So when I give a check to my employee, I feel so happy because they might feed their family with that, he said. Im just the kind of chef that Im happy when I pay them or when they get the check for the family, for the wife, for the kid for school, and theyre happy.

Its a point of pride for Altamirano, who sits up straight from his dining room seat. He said theres no better feeling than cultivating young talent, encouraging his chefs creativity and instilling the values his mentors taught him throughout his career.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Still, whenever he walks into his restaurants and the chefs are simmering aji de gallina, his mothers comforting, creamy chicken stew in large pots on commercial stoves, the aromas and homey feelings it evokes are ones that transport Altamirano back to a time when he would help mom peel potatoes in their kitchen in Lima.

I still remember when my mom used to cook when I was a little kid back home in Peru, and she always made soup. Soup was part of our life, he said. When I come to the restaurant in the kitchen and I see theyre making the aji de gallina, I say, I was there in Peru when my mom used to teach me how to make the aji de gallina. It turns out to be like this yellow, creamy chicken stew. I love aji de gallina. Its so good.
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Laredos first-ever economic development director is leaving the city as he instead will be taking an opportunity to serve as part of a major Hispanic nonprofit.

Telco Garcia is leaving to be part of the Hispanic nonprofit Chicanos Por La Causa. He plans to still work in economic development there.

Garcias last day in office will be Friday, May 13.

Garcia began working for the city in August 2019 and like many others was tested as he served during the pandemic. He is part of several major projects currently ongoing in the city such as working in the expansion of the World Trade Bridge, the proposing of Bridge 4/5 and forming part of the I-27 highway expansion.

"Im proud to announce I have accepted the position of Vice President, CPLC Texas," Garcia said in a statement. "An exciting opportunity to work for a major community development organization and its dedicated servants at Chicanos Por La Causa."

Garcia expressed that he was extremely grateful to be a part of the City of Laredos economic development team. He has always said he was proud to serve the largest port in the northern hemisphere.

"It has been an absolute pleasure to serve as the City of Laredos first-ever economic development director," Garcia said. "In my three years, weve been able to create hundreds of new jobs (700-plus), sign six performance agreements ($250 million), $2 billion in TIRZ agreements and execute $5 million in small biz grants all while trying to manage North Americas No. 1 land port."

Garcia also provided his thanks to all members of city management and those who allowed him to form a part of the citys economic development team.

"Thank you so much to all those who welcomed me and worked hand-in-hand to bolster the city," Garcia said. "From elected leadership to management, my team and the private sector, Im very appreciative for the opportunity."

Garcia also expressed gratitude for David Adame, Ruben Ramos, Max Gonzales and the Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. family for the special opportunity provided to them. He stated that the organization is inspired by Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez, as CPLC advocates equity in education, politics and economic development, among other issues.
SEATTLE (AP)  Seattle firefighters were working to determine the cause of a fire that broke out Tuesday afternoon and that virtually destroyed three boats and a boathouse on the Duwamish River waterway near downtown.

It also left one person dead, KOMO-TV reported.
WEST POINT, Miss. (AP)  A 19-year-old man and three teenagers each face a capital murder charge in the mid-March death of a Mississippi man, authorities said.

The Clay County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday arrested Emerson Houston, two 17-year-old boys and a 15-year-old boy, all from West Point, in the March 11 death of Mikel Craven, 41. Investigators said Craven was found in a ditch with gunshot wounds.

Investigators said the suspects allegedly intended to rob Craven. Robbery is the underlying felony that allowed the state to charge them with capital murder. Sheriffs investigators, in conjunction with the district attorneys office, continue to investigate the case.

Judge Thomas Hampton denied bond for three of the suspects, who are being held in the Clay County Detention Center, news outlets reported. Sheriff Eddie Scott said the youngest suspect was the only one given a conditional bond, set at $75,000 and includes the wearing of an ankle monitor.

It was unknown if any of them have an attorney who could speak on their behalf.

While all three are charged as adults with capital murder, only Houston could face the death penalty if convicted. In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court banned capital punishment for crimes committed by those under 18.

The four defendants are to appear in court again May 19 for a preliminary hearing.

Scott said the investigation is ongoing and anyone with any information is asked to contact the Clay County Sheriffs Office or Crime Stoppers.
Attorneys in the program will receive an incentive of $45,000 given in five equal, annual payments. The Supreme Court will pay 50%, the city or county will pay 35% and the North Dakota Bar Foundation will pay 15%. The program is open to all attorneys, whether they plan to work or are already working in the public or private sector.

It is up to each locality to reach an agreement with a participating attorney, after which a contract of obligations will be inked.
Jeffrey Collins/AP

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  A South Carolina judge has approved a second round of refunds for customers of a utility that poured billions of dollars into two nuclear power plants that never produced a watt of power.

About $61 million is being set aside for Dominion Energy South Carolina after the utility sold a number of properties as part of the settlement of a class-action lawsuit by 1.1 million of its customers over the never completed plants at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station near Columbia.
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Alert: Judge finds Arizona prisoner mentally fit to be executed in the 1978 killing of university student
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP)  Ugandan police say 20 people have been killed after a passenger bus crashed into a tea estate off a highway in western Uganda.

Police said at least seven of the victims in the Wednesday morning accident are minors.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)  A man accused of shooting at a candidate for mayor of Louisville will remain in federal custody until his trial, a judge has ruled.

Quintez Brown should remain locked up because prosecutors showed by clear and convincing evidence that the proposed conditions on release cannot reasonably assure the safety of the community, U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Beaton said in a ruling Tuesday, according to Louisville media outlets.

A federal magistrate judge had granted Browns request for release to home incarceration, but prosecutors appealed, describing him as erratic, unpredictable, and likely to disappear, and warning that he could attempt another shooting.

Brown, 21, was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 6 in the Feb. 14 shooting at the office of mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg. Brown is charged with interfering with a federally protected right, and using and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence by shooting at and attempting to kill a candidate for elective office.

Greenberg, a Democrat, said he was at his campaign headquarters with four colleagues when a man appeared in the doorway and began firing multiple rounds. He was not hit by the gunfire but said a bullet grazed his sweater. One staffer managed to shut the door, which they barricaded with tables and desks, and the shooter fled.

Brown has pleaded not guilty in state and federal court. He faces ten years to life in prison if convicted of all federal charges, in addition to any sentence on state charges of attempted murder and wanton endangerment.

Browns attorneys acknowledged the serious nature of the allegations, but insisted that incarceration would have a detrimental impact on Browns mental health and wellbeing.
JUNO BEACH, Fla. (AP)  The director of a nonprofit research and environmental center in Florida has resigned amid continuing water-quality issues in sea turtle rehabilitation tanks and an exodus of staff.

Kyle Van Houtan stepped down Tuesday, less than a year after becoming CEO of the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, according to news release.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  A Democratic legislative candidate in Michigan won a special election for a heavily Republican seat over a GOP opponent who made controversial comments about rape, Russias war in Ukraine and other issues, narrowing Republicans state House majority.

Carol Glanville defeated Robert RJ Regan by 11 percentage points Tuesday in a Kent County district that her Republican predecessor carried by 26 points in 2020.

Regan had been denounced by GOP leaders since shortly after his upset victory in a four-person primary. In March, while advocating for decertifying the 2020 presidential election during a livestream hosted by a conservative group, Regan responded to a panelist who said it is too late to do anything that her attitude is like what he tells his three daughters: Well if rape is inevitable, you should just lie back and enjoy it. That's not how we roll. That's not how I won this election. We go right at it.

Regan said he regretted using the analogy but claimed it was taken out of context by members of his own party and reporters. He also had called Russias invasion of Ukraine a fake war just like the fake pandemic" and had shared antisemitic social media posts.

With Glanville's win, Democrats shaved Republicans' edge to 57-53.

Glanville, a Walker city commissioner, said voters "stood up against hate, conspiracies and Republican extremism, and stood up for our shared west Michigan values of decency, community and working together to solve problems.

The House Republican Campaign Committee did not help Regan in the race, unlike its efforts in other special elections Tuesday. The Michigan Freedom Network, an independent political action committee with ties to the DeVos family, spent $3,500 supporting Republican write-in candidate Mike Milanowski.

Regan told a conservative talk radio host Wednesday that his loss was a big, big win for... the RINO establishment who proved beyond a shadow of doubt that they would rather have a Democrat in office than an America First Republican candidate like me. ... It's just despicable what they're doing."

Michigan Republican Party spokesperson Gustavo Portela responded that Regan was possibly the worst candidate Ive ever seen," tweeting that he failed to coalesce his own party because of his gaffes. He said the GOP will win back the seat, which is changing under redistricting, in November.

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Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP)  Police are investigating after several ducks were shot to death at a Southern California park.

Four ducks were found dead two weeks ago at TeWinkle Park in Costa Mesa, ABC 7 reported Monday.
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BRUSSELS (AP)  The European Union's top official on Wednesday called on the 27-nation bloc to ban oil imports from Russia and target the countrys biggest bank and major broadcasters in a sixth package of sanctions over the war in Ukraine.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, proposed having EU member nations phase out imports of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year.

We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets, von der Leyen said.

The proposals must be unanimously approved to take effect and are likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Von der Leyen conceded that getting all 27 member countries  some of them landlocked and highly dependent on Russia for energy supplies  to agree on oil sanctions will not be easy.

The EU gets about 25% of its oil from Russia, most of which goes toward gasoline and diesel for vehicles. Russia supplies about 14% of diesel, S&P Global analysts said, and a cutoff could send already high prices for truck and tractor fuel soaring.

If approved, the ban on oil imports would be the second package of EU sanctions targeting Russias lucrative energy industry since the country invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

In a video message posted on Twitter, Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba welcomed Von der Leyen's proposal for an oil embargo. He said Ukraine is not happy it will be delayed for several months, but its better than nothing.

I think what should be clear now is that (the time) for half-sanctions or half-measures when it comes to sanctions is gone, Kuleba said, arguing that the EU can no longer support Ukraine on one hand by imposing sanctions, while continuing to pay Russia for oil and gas and support their war machine.

As long as Russia continues to receive revenues in billions ... from the European Union ... we cannot speak of defeating Russia," he said. "They will continue financing their war machine from oil and gas revenues.

In addition to sanctions on various entities and individuals, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and members of his family, the EU previously approved an embargo on coal imports.

The EU has started discussions on a possible natural gas embargo, but consensus among member countries on targeting the fuel used to generate electricity and heat homes is more difficult to secure. The region gets about 40% of its natural gas from Russia.

Hungary and Slovakia previously said they wouldn't take part in any oil sanctions. Von der Leyen didn't elaborate on whether they would receive an exemption from the sanctions, although it appeared likely.

Slovak Economy Minister Richard Sulik said Wednesday that Slovakia was not against the punishing measures but is asking for a transition period of three years. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said his country is ready to support the package but also needs to be allowed more time  about two or three years  before it can implement a ban on Russian oil, in order to increase the capacity of pipelines to get oil from other sources.

Ukraine's Kuleba said that any country which continued to oppose the embargo on Russian oil could be considered complicit in the crimes committed by Russia in the territory of Ukraine.

The EU and Russia are playing a game of chicken. It is hard to say who will swerve/blink first. The Russians for fear of running out of money. Or Europe for fear of the lights going out, James Nixey, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at Londons Chatham House think tank, said.

Von der Leyen also said that the EU should target high-ranking military officers and others who committed war crimes in Bucha, a suburb of the capital Kyiv. Ukrainian officials have alleged that retreating Russian troops carried out mass killings of civilians in Bucha.

This sends another important signal to all perpetrators of the Kremlins war: We know who you are. We will hold you accountable. Youre not getting away with this, von der Leyen told the lawmakers.

EU diplomats confirmed that the European Commission's plans also include an asset freeze and travel ban on the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. The diplomats have direct knowledge of the discussions but were not authorized to speak publicly as negotiations continue.

Kirill is a longtime Putin ally and has justified Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Von der Leyen said that Putins intention is to wipe out Ukraine from the map, but predicted he will fail in his deadly enterprise. Ukraine has risen in bravery and in unity," she said. And it is his own country, Russia, that Putin is sinking.

Banks are also in the EU executive arms sights, and notably Russia's biggest, Sberbank. Von der Leyen said the aim is that we de-SWIFT Sberbank." SWIFT is the major global system for financial transfers, and the EU has already excluded several smaller Russian banks from it.

We will also de-SWIFT two other major banks in Russia. By that, we hit banks that are systemically critical to the Russian financial system and Putins ability to wage destruction," she said.

Von der Leyen added that those alleged to be spreading disinformation about the war in Ukraine would be targeted.

We are banning three big Russian state-owned broadcasters from our airwaves. They will not be allowed to distribute their content anymore in the EU, in whatever shape or form, be it on cable, via satellite, on the internet or via smartphone apps, she said.

Von der Leyen didn't name the broadcasters but branded the television channels as mouthpieces that amplify Putins lies and propaganda aggressively. We should not give them a stage anymore to spread these lies.

___

Danica Kirka in London and Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this report.

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Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
SALEM, Mass. (AP)  A former Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor who once staged his own shooting has been found guilty of forgery and other charges for trying to swindle millions of dollars from his dead son's estate.

John Donovan Sr., 80, of Hamilton, was convicted Tuesday by a Salem Superior Court jury after a monthlong trial and four hours of deliberations, according to a statement from the office of Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett.

Donovan forged 25 documents, including will codicils, deeds, land transfers, mortgages and releases of judgments against him at the county registry of deeds in December 2016, prosecutors said. His youngest son, John Donovan Jr., died in April 2015 at age 43 after being diagnosed with cancer.

The elder Donovan and his children are estranged and according to witness testimony, the son did not want his father to have anything to do with his family, prosecutors said.

The forged documents would have given the older Donovan land worth $5 million from his late sons estate, prosecutors said.

The general public relies upon the integrity of documents filed with the Registry of Deeds," Blodgett said in a statement. Thanks to the diligence and professionalism of the staff at the registry, who raised concerns about the documents filed by Mr. Donovan, this fraudulent scheme failed.

Sentencing was scheduled for May 16.

The senior Donovan was a wealthy businessperson who made a name for himself as a technology guru, starting more than a dozen companies and publishing books. He taught business at MIT from 1969 to 1997.

Tuesday's conviction was not his first brush with the law.

He was found guilty in 2007 of staging his own shooting outside his business office in Cambridge in December 2005. He said he was attacked by two Russian hitmen hired by another son.

But prosecutors at the time said he shot himself in the abdomen and fabricated the story to frame the son in an effort to gain the upper hand in a legal battle over control of millions of dollars worth of trusts. He was convicted of filing a false police report and was sentenced to two years of probation.
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MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade would leave regulating abortion up to the states  and potentially create a legal morass in Wisconsin. The state has had a law banning abortion on its books since 1849, and it has long been presumed that Roe's fall would mean the end of legal abortion in Wisconsin.

But some liberals, including Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul, are arguing that the statute is so old that it's unenforceable. That could lead to a complicated court battle to clarify the ban's breadth and status.

Here's a look at what a decision overturning Roe could mean for the state:

WHAT DOES WISCONSIN LAW SAY ABOUT ABORTIONS?

Wisconsin passed a law in 1849 making an abortion a felony offense. The law isn't absolute, however. The language allows a woman to legally destroy her own fetus or embryo and grants immunity if an abortion is needed to save a woman's life and is performed at a hospital.

A 1985 law prohibits abortions performed after a fetus reaches viability, which is the point at which a child could viably survive outside of the womb. The law pre-dated a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that affirmed Roe v. Wade and established that women have a right to an abortion prior to viability, generally considered to be the 24th week of pregnancy. The 1985 law also includes an exception to save a woman's life, but it appears to conflict with the 1849 ban since it allows abortions before the point of viability.

WOULD THOSE LAWS COME INTO PLAY IF ROE V. WADE IS OVERTURNED?

Maybe. A series of political and legal battles would probably come first.

WHAT WOULD THE BATTLE LINES LOOK LIKE IN THE STATEHOUSE?

Republicans would likely would push new legislation tightening up the laws.

I think there are some things that we can do to refine that law and improve that law, said Julaine Appling, executive director of the anti-abortion group the Wisconsin Family Council. "And I would hope as soon as we start this new legislative session, that we will take a close look at doing just that.

That puts the onus on the 2022 elections. Republicans already control the Legislature, but if they win veto-proof majorities or capture the governor's office, they would have a clear path to rewrite the laws to their liking. If Democratic Gov. Tony Evers wins a second term and Republicans can't achieve veto-proof majorities, nothing would happen to the laws.

WHAT ABOUT IN COURT?

That's where things could get messy. If Republicans can't impose a blanket ban through legislation, legal observers expect the GOP or its allies to file a lawsuit asking the conservative-controlled state Supreme Court to interpret the ban's limits.

Democrats likely would mount a counter argument that the ban is unenforceable because it's been dormant for so long. A legal theory known as the desuetude doctrine allows statutes that haven't been enforced over a period of time to lapse.

Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul has cited that doctrine as a way to challenge the ban, which is now more than 170 years old and hasn't been enforced in almost 50 years. Kaul stopped short of saying whether the Department of Justice would challenge the ban, saying agency attorneys are examining all options. Still, he predicted very significant litigation.

This is a hugely important issue," University of Wisconsin-Madison law professor David Schwartz said. "I would expect a preemptive lawsuit seeking a declaration clarifying the ban is still valid and enforceable. I think it will be a big mess.

Appling said legal experts her group consulted believe the 1849 ban will be enforceable as its currently written, but that she expects a legal challenge.

Mike Murray, a spokesman for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, declined to comment about his group's legal strategies. If nothing is done, emergency room doctors faced with a pregnant woman in distress would have to call their hospitals' attorneys to see if they can legally perform an abortion, he said.

"Youre going to have attorneys probably playing a pretty significant role in whether or not incredibly sick pregnant women can get the health care they need in Wisconsin," Murray said. We certainly do not think the abortion ban should spring back to life.

The fight also could begin when the first county prosecutor learns of an abortion within his or her jurisdiction and must decide whether to bring charges, Schwartz said. Kaul already has said he won't allow the state Justice Department to investigate or help local prosecutors with abortion cases.

The state's only abortion clinics are in liberal-dominated Madison and Milwaukee. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that it would be a mistake for police and prosecutors to insert themselves between a woman and her doctor, but he declined to say whether he would enforce the ban. Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne didnt immediately respond to an email asking if he would enforce the ban.

WHERE DOES THE STATE SUPREME COURT STAND?

Conservatives control the court 4-3. One of them, Justice Rebecca Bradley, wrote a piece for her college newspaper in 1992 comparing abortion to the Holocaust. In blog posts in 2005 and 2006, before he joined the court, Justice Brian Hagedorn, a conservative who has sometimes sided with the court's liberal bloc, called Planned Parenthood a wicked organization" more devoted to killing babies than helping women.

No one can force a justice to recuse himself or herself from case. That's up to the justices themselves. A decision upholding the ban could affect majority control of the court next year though. Eighty-two-year-old conservative Justice Patience Roggensack isn't seeking reelection next April, and a ruling upholding or expanding the abortion ban could energize Democrats to elect a liberal justice.

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Associated Press writer Scott Bauer in Madison contributed to this report.
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PEPILLO SALCEDO, Dominican Republic (AP)  In a blue bay that spans the border of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, fishermen from both countries recently aired grievances in a rare face-to-face meeting thanks to the efforts of marine biologist Jean Wiener.

The meeting, overseen by Dominican naval officers with rifles, was no small feat for Wiener, who has been forced to work on conserving this biologically sensitive region from afar  his house in Bethesda, Maryland  because of rampant violence in Haiti, his homeland. Now the prize-winning biologist stood in the Caribbean heat at the mouth of a spot called the Massacre River, trying to bring together the two sides and find a solution that will not only save their livelihoods but also vital marine resources in a region under extreme pressures from climate change.

The constant fishing, or overfishing, in these areas has decimated an entire ecosystem, said Rodolfo Jimenez, director of an agricultural border project in the Dominican Republic.

The Haitian fishermen, standing across from Jimenez on the beach, agreed. But they also said they were not to blame for the damage in the Monte Cristi National Park in northwestern Dominican Republic.

Wieners work has grown in significance over the years in large part because of charcoal vendors in Haiti who hack down trees for cooking fuel and, more recently, wade into the countrys mangroves, the tropical vegetation that is a natural barrier against the Caribbeans destructive hurricanes.

It was the first trip for Wiener, leader of Foundation for the Protection of Marine Biodiversity, since November 2021, his absence largely attributed to the violent gangs that have engulfed the Haitian capital in recent years. Nominally present already and undermined further with the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, the government has done little to wrest control from the gangs.

For years, Wiener used to visit Haiti every month or so, but now restricts his trips to only a few times a year while being compelled to work remotely and delegate more responsibility to staff members dispersed throughout the country. Haiti is just too dangerous otherwise. So when he does come, as he did for three weeks in March, he hopscotches the country via puddle-jumper plane; travel by road is too perilous.

Its a conundrum that bedevils Jean and others like him around the world. As climate change plays a greater role in contributing to conflicts, that in turns makes it more difficult to carry out scientific research and work on environmental projects that seek to offset the effects of climate change. The environmental group Global Witness released a report last year noting that 2020 saw a record number of environmental activists killed around the world; the death toll of 227 was the highest number recorded for a second consecutive year, with Colombia having the highest number of recorded attacks, with 65, and Mexico second, with 30.

The extent to which failed states make it difficult for scientists and the international scientific community to work on these issues simply means it will be more difficult to solve these problems, said Peter Gleick, president emeritus and a senior fellow with the Pacific Institute, an Oakland-based research group that focuses on water issues.

In several reports released in October, the U.S. signaled that climate change would occupy a central role in security strategy, a policy shift that underscores how climatic changes are exacerbating long-standing problems. One of the studies identified 11 countries that were of greatest concern, because they were especially vulnerable to climate change and unable to deal with the attendant problems. Haiti was among them.

The Caribbean nation has the highest travel advisory from the U.S. State Department due to kidnapping, crime and civil unrest. Kidnapping, the State Department says, is widespread and victims regularly include U.S. citizens.

The kidnappings have persisted for years, rising significantly after the 2017 departure of a U.N. peacekeeping mission. In October, a group of missionaries was abducted by a powerful gang and held for ransom.

The March meeting took place at the mouth of a river with a name that harkens back to a bloody episode on the island of Hispaniola: The Massacre River, also the Dajabon River. Though named for an earlier massacre, its mostly known for when Dominican soldiers in 1937 executed thousands of Haitian families and Dominicans of Haitian descent.

The antipathy toward Haitians persists today, not least with Dominican President Luis Abinaders newly launched plan to build a multimillion-dollar, 118-mile (190-kilometer) wall along the border.

In the end, the March trip to Haiti proved fortuitously uneventfulthough danger wasnt far away.

When Wiener visited the southwestern part of the country, his driver got wind of protesters plans to storm the local airport. The attack didnt happen until after Wiener flew out, a few days later: People ran onto the tarmac and torched a small plane.

One day during his recent visit to northern Haiti, Wiener gave a snorkeling lesson. While wading in the surf, a pufferfish floated toward the group.

Wiener gently picked up the prickly fish with both hands, walked a few steps out and sent the pufferfish into the ocean.

We really know that theres a part, you know, where you can be in a classroom, Wiener said later from the hotel, where a few security guards patrolled the grounds. But it is critically important that people actually get out and touch and see and feel the environment.

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Associated Press journalist Trenton Daniel reported from New York.

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Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about APs climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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SAN ANTONIO (AP)  Just a day after Democrats forcefully recommitted to protecting abortion rights, a U.S. House leader swooped into Texas on Wednesday to defend and stand side-by-side with Rep. Henry Cuellar, one of the last anti-abortion Democrats in Congress.

The small campaign rally in San Antonio, where Cuellar is in the toughest reelection fight of his 17 years in office, put on full display the awkward timing of House leadership showing unwavering support for an abortion opponent as the party simultaneously rages over a leaked draft of a U.S. Supreme Court opinion that would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision from 1973 that legalized abortion.

U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, the third-ranking Democratic leader in the House, rejected that his campaigning for Cuellar undercuts the urgency of the the partys election-year promises to defend the constitutional right to an abortion.

I would ask anybody, which is more important: to have a pro-life Democrat or an anti-abortion Republican?" Clyburn said. Because come November, that could very well be the choice in this district."

But making it on the November ballot is far from a guarantee for Cuellar. He must first get past a May 24 primary runoff against Jessica Cisneros, an immigration lawyer who supports abortion rights, and who finished roughly 1,000 votes behind Cuellar in March, when neither candidate met the majority threshold to win outright.

Cisneros called on House leaders to drop their backing of Cuellar in the heavily Hispanic district that runs to the U.S.-Mexico border.

The stakes are high. Theyre absolutely high, Cisneros said in an interview this week with The Associated Press. South Texans deserve a champion for their rights and freedom.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has also previously affirmed her support for Cuellar, an endorsement that Cuellar played up in front of his supporters.

Cuellar said the draft opinion goes too far and that there must be exceptions in cases of rape, incest and dangers to the life of the mother. He waved off whether the leak surfacing just weeks before the runoff would impact the outcome.

There's always issues that come up," Cuellar said. Every time you have an election there's always things that happen. You just go with your position and move on.

Cuellar's campaign had announced the rally with Clyburn before Politico published the leaked draft late Monday. It is one of the congressman's biggest events during his campaign since FBI agents searched his home in January as part of an investigation related to the former Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan. Cuellar has denied wrongdoing, and his lawyer said last month that federal authorities told them Cuellar is not the target of an investigation.

The draft Supreme Court opinion on abortion was written in February, and the language could change before the court issues its final ruling. As written, it would give states the power to decide the legality of abortion. In Texas, that would mean an outright ban that would take effect almost immediately.

Cuellar was the only House Democrat last year to vote against the Women's Health Protection Act, which sought to bolster access to abortion. It was just one more example of how Cuellar's centrist record has sometimes put him more aligned with Republicans, including with his support for gun rights and his criticism of President Joe Biden's handling of the border.

Back in March, despite months of outrage by Democrats over Texas' restrictive new ban on abortions after roughly six weeks of pregnancy, abortion had largely receded from the spotlight in the state heading into the first round of voting between Cuellar and Cisneros.

Mini Timmaraju, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, thinks the leaked Supreme Court decision could change that dynamic. She described the Cisneros race as critical.

We think this is going to be very motivating," she said. People are very angry.

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Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ap_politics
HOUSTON (AP)  A Houston police officer was shot and wounded on Wednesday while conducting a traffic stop as part of a drug investigation, according to officials.

At 11:20 a.m., two police officers pulled over a truck at a southeast Houston gas station, said Houston Police Chief Troy Finner.

The driver, whose name was not immediately released by authorities, had been the focus of a multi-agency drug investigation and had a warrant for his arrest, Finner said.

After the truck had stopped at the gas station, the officers asked the driver to get out of his vehicle.

The suspect got out of the car and immediately started firing upon our officers, Finner said. The officers returned fire, both of them, striking the suspect multiple times.

One of the officers was shot and wounded in his pelvic area. Finner said the officer was also shot in his chest but only suffered a minor injury because his bulletproof vest and a flashlight stopped the bullet.

Hes going to be fine, Finner said of the wounded officer. The other officer was not injured.

The suspect was wounded and taken to an area hospital, where he was in critical condition.

Both officers were placed on administrative leave while police and the Harris County District Attorneys Office investigate the shooting.

Finner said this was the 15th shooting involving a Houston police officer this year.
North Dakota regulators have approved a water pipeline for Heskett Station north of Mandan and will soon hear a proposal for a natural gas pipeline meant to facilitate a pilot project in the Williams County oil patch.

Those were two of several energy-related projects that came before the Public Service Commission on Wednesday.

The three commissioners voted unanimously to permit a water pipeline for fire protection and evaporative cooling at Heskett, which is operated by Montana-Dakota Utilities. The company plans to extend a municipal water line by 2,684 feet.

The project is estimated to cost $1.6 million.

MDU recently retired the coal units at the power plant and is in the process of adding a second gas unit. The gas turbines operate as peaking plants, sitting idle until demand for electricity spikes, at which point they can quickly fire up.

Gas pipeline

The commission will hold a hearing next month for a 3-mile pipeline that will carry natural gas to be used for an enhanced oil recovery pilot project in Williams County.

The pipeline will connect to an existing WBI Energy transmission line and end at Continental Resources Buddy Domindgo well pad. Enhanced oil recovery involves injecting a substance -- in this case gas -- down a well to try to boost oil production.

Continental is developing the pipeline, which is expected to cost $3.55 million, according to an application the company filed with the PSC. Construction is expected to take three months.

The hearing will take place June 6 at 9 a.m. in the Williston City Halls John Kautzman Chamber Room, 22 E. Broadway in Williston.

Wind farm

Commissioners are considering a request to upgrade a wind farm in north-central North Dakota and increase its capacity.

Xcel Energy is asking the PSC to remove the limit on the Border Wind facility's capacity written into its permit. The wind farm has a 150-megawatt capacity, and its operator wants to install new blades and other equipment, which would boost the capacity to 165 megawatts.

Border Winds would continue to operate at the 150-megawatt level, however, under the terms of an agreement with its power grid operator, according to an application Xcel filed with the PSC.

The PSC has fielded several requests in recent years to "repower" aging wind farms with new equipment.

Reach Amy R. Sisk at 701-250-8252 or amy.sisk@bismarcktribune.com.

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PHOENIX (AP)  A judge has ruled that an Arizona prisoner convicted in the 1978 killing of a university student is mentally fit to be put to death next week, keeping on track what would be the first execution in the state in nearly eight years.

In a ruling signed shortly before midnight Tuesday and released on Wednesday, Pinal County Superior Court Judge Robert Olson rejected an argument from defense lawyers that Clarence Dixons psychological problems prevent him from rationally understanding why the state wants to end his life.

Dixon was convicted of murder in the killing of 21-year-old Arizona State University student Deana Bowdoin.

Lawyers for Dixon said they will appeal the ruling to the Arizona Supreme Court.

While Olson found that Dixon does suffer from schizophrenia, the judge said Dixon is rational and understands the proceedings in his case well enough to show he is competent.

Dixons lawyers argued Tuesday in a court in Florence, Arizona, that executing him would violate protections against executing people who are mentally unfit.

They said he erroneously believes he will be executed because police at Northern Arizona University wrongfully arrested him in a previous case  a 1985 attack on a 21-year-old student. His attorneys concede he was in fact lawfully arrested at the time by Flagstaff police.

Olson rejected that argument, saying that on one hand it is an elegant theory that could make all of his legal problems go away; on the other hand, the chance of success with this argument was highly improbable (if not non-existent)... but that Dixon stuck to it.

One of Dixons attorneys, Eric Zuckerman, said in a statement that the judge relied on testimony from an expert he called discredited and unqualified to arrive at the conclusion that Dixon was competent. He called that deeply alarming.

We will ask the Arizona Supreme Court to apply the correct standard and ensure that Mr. Dixon is not executed while mentally incompetent in violation of the Eighth Amendment, Zuckerman said.

Dixon was sentenced to life sentences in that case for sexual assault and other convictions. DNA samples taken while he was in prison later linked him to Bowdoins killing, which at that point had been unsolved.

Prosecutors, who tried unsuccessfully to get the Arizona Supreme Court to call off the mental competency hearing, said there was nothing about Dixons beliefs that prevented him from understanding the reason for the execution and pointed to court filings that Dixon himself made over the years.

Defense lawyers said Dixon has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia on multiple occasions, has regularly experienced hallucinations over the past 30 years and was found not guilty by reason of insanity in a 1977 assault case in which the verdict was delivered by then-Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sandra Day OConnor, nearly four years before her appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Bowdoin was killed two days after the verdict, according to court records.

Authorities have said Bowdoin, who was found dead in her apartment, had been raped, stabbed and strangled. Dixon had been charged with raping Bowdoin, but the charge was later dropped on statute-of-limitation grounds. He was convicted, though, in her death.

In addition to contesting his mental fitness, Dixons lawyers made a new attempt on Tuesday to stop his execution.

They filed a lawsuit asking a federal judge to hold off on putting Dixon to death until corrections officials show that the compounded pentobarbital to be used in the execution has been given an expiration date.

About a year ago, prosecutors took steps to seek the executions of Dixon and another death-row prisoner, but the litigation was put on hold by the state Supreme Court because of concerns over the expiration date of the drug to be used in the lethal injections.

In the new lawsuit, Dixons lawyers said corrections officials gave them heavily redacted records documenting the testing of the drug, but that they didnt provide the assigned expiration date.

The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry declined to comment on the lawsuit.

On Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court also issued a warrant setting a June 8 execution date for another death-row prisoner, Frank Atwood, in the killing of 8-year-old Vicki Lynn Hoskinson in 1984. Authorities say Atwood kidnapped the girl, whose body was found in the desert northwest of Tucson.

The last time Arizona used the death penalty was in July 2014, when Joseph Wood was given 15 doses of a two-drug combination over two hours in an execution that his lawyers said was botched.

States including Arizona have struggled to buy execution drugs in recent years after U.S. and European pharmaceutical companies began blocking the use of their products in lethal injections.

Arizona has 113 prisoners on death row.

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Associated Press writers Bob Christie and Paul Davenport contributed to this report.

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Associated Press writer Paul Davenport in Phoenix contributed to this report.
PHOENIX (AP)  A judge plans to issue a ruling Tuesday night on a request by an Arizona prisoner to stop his May 11 execution on the grounds that his psychological problems keep him from rationally understanding why the state wants to end his life.

Lawyers for Clarence Dixon, who would be the first person executed in Arizona in nearly eight years, argued Tuesday in a court in Florence, Arizona, that executing their client for his murder conviction in the 1978 killing of 21-year-old college student Deana Bowdoin would violate protections against executing people who are mentally unfit.

Dixons lawyers say he erroneously believes he will be executed because police at Northern Arizona University wrongfully arrested him in a previous case  a 1985 attack on a 21-year-old student. His attorneys concede he was in fact lawfully arrested then by Flagstaff police.

Dixon was sentenced to life sentences in that case for sexual assault and other convictions. DNA samples taken while he was in prison later linked him to Bowdoins killing, which at that point had been unsolved.

Prosecutors, who tried unsuccessfully to get the Arizona Supreme Court to call off the mental competency hearing, said there was nothing about Dixons beliefs that prevent him from understanding the reason for the execution and pointed to court filings that Dixon himself has made over the years.

Regardless of his beliefs, his pleading for years have made clear that his execution is based on his conviction of murder and he understands the connection between his guilty verdict and his planned execution, said prosecutor Jeffrey Sparks.

Eric Zuckerman, one of Dixons lawyers, said the mental health problems experienced by his client spanned four decades. Zuckerman said Dixons thoughts are polluted by persecutory delusions and he believes that the state wants to put him to death to protect lawyers and judges from what he perceives as embarrassment in the NAU case, not for his actions in Bowdoins killing.

In addition to contesting his mental fitness, Dixons lawyers made a new attempt on Tuesday to stop his execution.

They filed a lawsuit asking a federal judge to hold off on putting Dixon to death until corrections officials show that the compounded pentobarbital to be used in the execution has been given an expiration date.

About a year ago, prosecutors took steps to seek the executions of Dixon and another death-row prisoner but the litigation was put on hold by the state Supreme Court due to concerns over the expiration date of the drug to be used in the lethal injections.

In the new lawsuit, Dixons lawyers said corrections officials gave them heavily redacted records documenting the testing of the drug, but they didnt provide the assigned expiration date.

The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Defense lawyers say Dixon has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia on multiple occasions, has regularly experienced hallucinations over the past 30 years and was found not guilty by reason of insanity in a 1977 assault case in which the verdict was delivered by then-Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sandra Day OConnor, nearly four years before her appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Bowdoin was killed two days after the verdict, according to court records.

Authorities have said Bowdoin, who was found dead in her apartment, had been raped, stabbed and strangled. Dixon had been charged with raping Bowdoin, but the charge was later dropped on statute-of-limitation grounds. He was convicted, though, in her death.

On Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court also issued a warrant setting a June 8 execution date for another death-row prisoner, Frank Atwood, in the killing of 8-year-old Vicki Lynn Hoskinson in 1984. Authorities say Atwood kidnapped the girl, whose body was found in the desert northwest of Tucson.

The last time Arizona used the death penalty was in July 2014, when Joseph Wood was given 15 doses of a two-drug combination over two hours in an execution that his lawyers said was botched.

States including Arizona have struggled to buy execution drugs in recent years after U.S. and European pharmaceutical companies began blocking the use of their products in lethal injections.

Arizona has 113 prisoners on death row.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  For the second time in as many weeks, a judge on Wednesday ordered that records related to the Republican-ordered investigation funded by taxpayers into the 2020 election in Wisconsin not be deleted, saying she was amazed such an order was necessary.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos hired former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman to investigate the election won by President Joe Biden. Vos last month extended Gableman's contract beyond its April 30 end-date, citing ongoing legal challenges to subpoenas he has issued. Vos and Gableman are also defendants in three open records lawsuits filed by the liberal watchdog group American Oversight.

Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington on April 21 ordered Gableman not to delete or destroy any record that is or may be responsive to the groups open records requests. Remington made the order after Gablemans attorney told American Oversight that it routinely deletes documents and text messages that are not of use to the investigation.

On Wednesday, another judge issued a similar order directed at Vos not to destroy records collected during a three-month period requested by American Oversight, saying he has control over Gableman since he contracted with him to do the work.

I dont want any records destroyed, Dane County Circuit Judge Valeria Bailey-Rihn said. Im frankly amazed that I have to say, `Dont destroy records that are subject to an open records request,' order that to occur. All of us know what the law is.

Vos' attorney Ronald Stadler argued that Gableman knows what the open records law requires, and has been ordered by Remington not to destroy records, so it does nothing to order Vos to tell him not to delete records. But the judge said Vos, as the contractor, has responsibility for Gableman and his actions and could be found in contempt if Gableman deleted records.

I just cant believe the explanation is We cant control our contractors," Bailey-Rihn said. "That doesnt seem to be satisfactory to the court. ... They have to control their contractors.

The nonpartisan Legislative Council, attorneys who advise the Legislature, said in October that deleting such records, even by a state contractor like Gableman, is a violation of Wisconsin law.

Gablemans attorney, James Bopp, has argued in court filings that the record retention law does not pertain to contractors.

American Oversight attorney Christa Westerberg argued Wednesday that there is evidence that Gableman deleted records that were in his control for the period covered by the open records request between June and Aug. 30 last year. She said American Oversight has received just 27 pages of records from Gableman.

In response to another lawsuit, Vos has produced roughly 20,000 deleted records related to the investigation. The case on Wednesday pertained to records held by Gableman.

These contractors are run amok with respect to the records of the investigation, Westerberg said. She said that Vos and Assembly Clerk Ted Blazel were "exercising no control over their contractor with respect to these records.

Stadler argued that Vos has produced all of the records he has.

Where are the deleted records?" he said. "Where is their proof of deleted records?
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP)  A diplomat from the Dominican Republic had been freed four days after being kidnapped in neighboring Haiti, the Dominican foreign minister said Wednesday.

The minister, Roberto Alvarez, said in a tweet that Carlitin Guillen Tatis had been released safe and sound, though he did not give further details.
The world's largest population of Africa's rarest falcon may have been discovered living in Mozambique's Niassa Special Reserve, a protected area not listed in the bird of prey's range, according to a news release Monday.

A team of conservationists from BirdLife South Africa found 37 Taita falcons living in an area of Miombo woodland, a landscape dotted with rocky outcroppings. Taita falcons nest on cliffs overlooking forests, from which they hunt small avian prey. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Peregrine Fund provided support for the surveys.

The group studied likely nesting sites to make their assessment using helicopters. The Taita falcon is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. They are one of Africa's rarest raptor species and occur sporadically from southern Ethiopia to northeastern South Africa.

There are scattered records of small populations in Uganda, Zimbabwe and South Africa. A known breeding population of Taita falcons recently disappeared from Zimbabwe's Bakota Gorge, showing the need for further research to accurately assess the risk of extinction for the species, WCS wrote.

The team recommends protecting the woodlands around the rocky outcroppings to protect the nesting population.

Niassa has been the site of other conservation success stories in recent years. WCS has worked closely with the government of Mozambique to reduce elephant poaching, as the country recovers from the elephant poaching crisis which hit the region hard in the 2010s, according to the press release.

The Niassa National Reserve in northern Mozambique is one of Africas largest (17,104 square miles or 42,300 km2), wildest, and most spectacular landscapes, comprising 28% of Mozambiques conservation areas. The area exhibits a very low human footprint, and although this is growing, it is likely to grow at a slower rate than surrounding areas. The reserve harbors some of Mozambiques most significant populations of wildlife, including elephants, lions, leopards, wild dogs, sables, kudu, wildebeests and zebras.
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)  A Maine man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to killing his longtime girlfriend and the mother of his two children.

Authorities charged Nicholas Lovejoy of Waterville with the death of Melissa Sousa, 29, in Waterville in 2019. The 31-year-old Lovejoy agreed to a plea deal that will cap his sentence at 45 years in prison, the Kennebec Journal reported.
CAMDEN, N.J. (AP)  A man who helped dupe dozens into sending millions of dollars to people posing as U.S. military personnel in an online dating scheme has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison.

Rubbin Sarpong, 38, of Millville, New Jersey, must also pay more than $3 million in restitution to 36 victims under the sentence imposed Tuesday, as well as more than $385,000 to the Internal Revenue Service. He had pleaded guilty last November to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering and tax evasion counts.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP)  A Missouri House committee advanced a new plan for dividing up the state's congressional districts Wednesday, seeking to break a standoff with the Senate and avoid the need for court intervention to adopt voting districts for this year's elections.

The new proposal comes with a little over one week remaining in Missouri's legislative session and, if adopted, is expected to continue Republicans' current 6-2 advantage over Democrats in the U.S. House delegation.

Missouri is the only state where lawmakers have not at least passed a congressional redistricting plan, though New Hampshire lawmakers also are working on revisions after a pledged veto. Courts in Kansas and New York have overturned maps enacted by state lawmakers, and legal challenges also are pending in other states.

Though Republicans control both the Missouri House and Senate, they have been sparring about how aggressively to draw district lines to their favor and which communities should be split to ensure each district has an equal number of voters. The latest plan was put forth by House Redistricting Committee Chairman Dan Shaul and adopted by the panel without Democratic support.

It believe it stands a chance of passing, Shaul said. It was created to try to make sure it survives the Senate.

The new plan comes as lawsuits are pending in state and federal courts seeking to order new maps based on the 2020 census. The suits say the maps adopted after the 2010 census are no longer constitutional, because district populations no longer are equal.

The Missouri House and Senate each previously passed their own versions of a redistricting plan. One sticking point has been the 2nd District in suburban St. Louis, held by Republican Rep. Ann Wagner. The district is the only one that's close to being politically competitive, and Republicans want to fortify their hold on it.

Under the latest plan, the 2nd District would include part of St. Louis County plus portions of St. Charles, Warren and Franklin counties to the west. Republican candidates would have fared better in the proposed district than under current boundaries, according to political data provided by Missouri House staff.

Though much of the focus has been on the 2nd District, some of the biggest population shifts would occur in the neighboring 3rd District, which stretches from suburban St. Louis to central Missouri. About 40% of its people would be new to the district, according to figures cited by Shaul.

The city of Columbia would be split, with the southern part  including the University of Missouri campus  in the 3rd district and the northern part in the 4th District, which stretches west to the Kansas border.

The new proposal also would split Webster County between the 4th District and the 7th District, which includes Springfield. During testimony Wednesday, several people from Webster County urged lawmakers to put their entire county in the 7th District.

Our economic and cultural affinities lie more with the Springfield market and southwest Missouri than other regions of the state, Webster County Clerk Stan Whitehurst said.

Shaul said the new plan could be considered by the full House on Monday, allowing time for the Senate to consider it before the May 13 deadline to pass bills.
NANTUCKET, Mass. (AP)  Nantucket is a step closer to allowing anyone who chooses regardless of gender to go topless on the Massachusetts resort island's beaches.

The Gender Equality on Beaches bylaw amendment passed 327-242 at Tuesday night's annual town meeting, according to published reports. The measure is not a done deal. It still requires approval from the state attorney generals office.
The U.S. Supreme Courts first major ruling on the meaning of the First Amendments Establishment Clause was in Everson v. Board of Education, in 1947, when it upheld a state law that provided busing of students to parochial schools. The courts entry into this constitutional maze foreshadowed the controversy that surrounds to this day governmental acts and programs that promote religion.

At issue in Everson was a New Jersey statute that authorized local school boards to reimburse parents, including those whose children attended Catholic parochial schools, for the cost of bus transportation to and from school. Arch Everson, a local resident and taxpayer, contended this program violated the Establishment Clause, which provides: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.

Justice Hugo Black delivered the courts 5-4 opinion, which began with a review of the history of the Establishment Clause and the contributions to it of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Justice Black said of the meaning of the clause: Neither a state nor the federal government can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions or prefer one religion over another. No tax in any amount, large or small, can be levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever they may be called, or whatever form they may adopt to teach and practice religion.

And then, in words familiar to Americans across the land, Black added: In the words of Jefferson, the clause against the establishment of religion by law was intended to erect a wall of separation between church and State.

Justice Blacks review of the background to the Establishment Clause emphasized that American settlers believed that religious liberty could best be achieved by a government stripped of all power to tax, support, or otherwise assist religion. For this conclusion, he relied on the writings, teachings and efforts of Jefferson and Madison who, in 1785-86, led a successful fight against a tax to support Virginias established church.

Madisons famous essay, Memorial and Remonstrance, written in 1785, championed a complete separation of church and state, which he believed was the only guarantee of the equal right of every citizen to the free exercise of religious liberty. Madison, who was the principal author of the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights, conceived of religious freedom as an unalienable right to be exercised solely on a voluntary basis. Religion, he asserted, should be exempt from the power of society, the legislature and the magistrate. A true religion, he contended, did not need the support of state tax dollars. Its standing hinged on the support of its faithful.

Madisons elaborate argument led to the rejection of the tax measure and to the enactment of Jeffersons famous Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom.

Justice Blacks historical review of the origins of the Establishment Clause seemed to point the way to a ruling that would declare the New Jersey law unconstitutional. To the surprise of his colleagues, however, he pivoted and upheld the law on grounds that the state assistance was a public safety measure enacted to protect students and not to be interpreted as aid to church-related schools.

Black introduced the Neutral Benefit principle and explained that the Establishment Clause requires the state to be neutral in its relations with believers and non-believers alike. The state, he said, should neither favor nor handicap religion. The state should not be an adversary of religion. The busing program, he asserted, provided no funds to parochial schools, but simply sought to assist parents in getting their children to school safely.

Drawing on Jeffersons words, Black concluded that there was no violation of the Establishment Clause. The First Amendment has erected a wall between church and state. The wall must be kept high and impregnable. We could not approve the slightest breach.

Four Justices dissented. They shared Blacks analysis of the historical origins of the Establishment Clause yet believed he had erred in applying that history to the case at hand. In short, they thought he had missed the point.

Justice Robert Jackson wrote a dissent in which he declared that the undertones of Blacks opinion were at odds, indeed, utterly discordant with its conclusion. The case which irresistibly comes to mind as the most fitting precedent, he wrote, was Lord Byrons epic poem, "Don Juan," in which Julia, who whispering I will neer consent, consented.

Justice Wiley Rutledges dissent characterized Everson as the courts first breach in the wall of separation between church and state and forecast a future in which additional breaches would occur: Thus with time the most solid freedom steadily gives way before continuing corrosive decision.

Whether subsequent church-state cases would constitute a breach of the wall would be the subject of considerable, often heated debate. Yet, as we shall see, the high, erect wall envisioned by Jefferson and Madison, has become, through the courts interpretations, a winding, serpentine wall, leaving citizens in a state of confusion about the legal line separating church and state.

David Adler is president of The Alturas Institute. This "We the People" series is provided by the North Dakota Newspaper Association and Humanities North Dakota.

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SEATTLE (AP)  A calf has been born into the K pod family of southern resident orcas, the first in 11 years.

Deborah Giles, science and research director for the nonprofit Wild Orca, confirmed the birth this week, The Seattle Times reported. Giles said the baby was born to K20, a female also known as Spock.

Giles says the new orca was first spotted by a person fishing off the Oregon coast on April 28. The babys sex is not known.

For it to be a female would be ideal, she said. But anybody in K pod is just so special and hopeful.

Recent births among the southern residents have skewed heavily male.

Both K and L pods have been seen recently off the Oregon coast.

This is the second birth to the southern residents this year. J pod saw the birth of J59 this winter.

With the newest birth, the population of endangered southern residents is now 75  if an L pod whale that so far has not been seen this year, L89, turns up.

The southern residents are struggling to survive several threats including lack of adequate Chinook salmon in their foraging range, pollution and underwater noise that makes it harder for them to hunt.
Jason DeCrow/AP

NEW YORK (AP)  New York Attorney General Letitia James, who has long been outspoken about defending abortion rights, publicly disclosed Tuesday that she had an abortion herself almost two decades ago.

Pregnant as a newly elected New York City Council member, I chose to have an abortion, James told protesters who gathered in Manhattan to decry a U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized the constitutional right to an abortion nationwide.
ROME (AP)  The European Union plans to sanction the head of the Russian Orthodox Church in its next round of measures to punish Russia's invasion of Ukraine, EU diplomats said Wednesday, opening a new religious front in Europes sanctions regime.

The proposal, which must be approved by the 27-member bloc, drew immediate criticism from the Russian Orthodox Church, which also lashed out Wednesday at Pope Francis for his recent comments about Patriarch Kirill.

Kirill, the head of one of the largest and most influential churches in Eastern Orthodoxy, has justified Russias invasion on spiritual grounds, describing it as a metaphysical battle against the West and its gay parades.

Three EU diplomats with direct knowledge of the discussions said negotiations to add Kirills name to the EU list of sanctioned individuals were continuing Wednesday. If approved by EU members, Kirill would face travel bans and a freeze of assets, joining 1,093 individuals, including Putin and oligarchs, as well as 80 entities already subject to the punishing measures.

In a statement Wednesday, the Russian Orthodox Church vowed the sanctions would never intimidate Kirill and would just prolong the conflict.

Patriarch Kirill comes from a family whose members have been subjected to repression for decades for their faith and moral standing during the days of militant communist atheism, and none of them were intimidated by the prospect of imprisonment and repression, church spokesman Vladimir Legoyda said in a statement on his messaging app channel. You have to be completely unaware of the history of our church to think that its possible to scare its clergy and believers by putting them on some kind of lists.

He added that the measure would only delay the prospect of peace "for which the Russian Orthodox Church prays on the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch in every liturgy.

Kirill has echoed Putins unfounded claims that Ukraine was engaged in the extermination of Russian loyalists in Donbas, the breakaway eastern region of Ukraine held since 2014 by Russian-backed separatist groups. And in his most recent published remarks, he denied Russia had even launched the invasion.

We dont want to fight anyone. Russia has never attacked anyone, he said Wednesday at the end of a Divine Liturgy at the Archangel Cathedral in Moscow, according to a text of his remarks on the church website. It is amazing that a great and powerful country never attacked anyone  it only defended its borders.

The pope has tried to keep a dialogue open with Kirill, given the Vaticans longstanding efforts to heal relations with Russian Orthodoxy. Francis and Kirill had a videoconference call March 15, and were due to meet for a second time next month in Jerusalem, but the meeting was called off on the advice of Vatican diplomats.

Francis told Italian daily Corriere della Sera in an interview published Tuesday that Kirill spent the first half of their 40-minute videocall reading from a piece of paper justifying the invasion.

I listened and told him: I dont understand any of this. Brother, we are not clerics of the state, we cannot use language of politics, but that of Jesus. For this we need to find the paths of peace, to stop the firing of arms.

He added that Kirill cannot turn into Putins altar boy, a dismissive term used by a top U.S. Ukrainian Greek Catholic archbishop.

In a statement Wednesday on its website, the Moscow Patriarchates foreign relations office said it was regrettable that Francis chose the wrong tone to convey the content of the conversation during the interview.

Such statements are unlikely to contribute to the establishment of a constructive dialogue between the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches, which is especially needed at the present time, the statement said.

The statement then said that Kirill had used the call to explain the origins of the conflict, citing attacks on Russian speakers in Ukraine dating from 2014 and NATOs eastward expansion.

___

Petrequin reported from Brussels.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP)  The Rhode Island Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a 2019 state law that protects abortion rights in the state when it rejected a legal challenge to a lower court's decision.

The decision came just two days after a U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion was leaked suggesting that a majority of the justices are prepared to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade opinion that legalized abortion nationwide.

The state high court's 27-page opinion upheld a Superior Court judge's decision to dismiss a challenge to the law known as the Reproductive Privacy Act, brought by anti-abortion activists, who argued that the law violated the state constitution.

The activists claimed in their challenge that the lower court committed reversible error by dismissing their claims based on lack of standing; reaching the merits of the case; and shifting the burden of proof to the plaintiffs."

But the state high court rejected those arguments while acknowledging that the case involves a monumentally controversial issue as reflected in a deep and enduring societal divide."

Rhode Island's 2019 law says the state will not restrict the right to an abortion prior to fetal viability or afterward if an abortion is necessary for the health or life of the mother. It repeals older state abortion laws deemed unconstitutional by the courts.

Democratic State Attorney General Peter Neronha, whose office defended the state in the case, welcomed the decision on what he called a meritless" legal challenge.

The passage of the Reproductive Privacy Act and its continued viability ensures, during an uncertain national climate, that Rhode Island will not return to the days of illegal and unsafe abortions that put the lives of women in danger and created criminal liability for physicians, he said in a statement.

Diane Messere Magee, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a social media post that her clients are disappointed but view the decision in light of the pending U. S. Supreme Court decision likely overturning Roe and Casey."

One of the plaintiffs also released a statement through Magee.

I do not subscribe to the entirety of the language in the majoritys opinion that leads to that dispositive holding, Servants of Christ for Life President Tyler Rowley said. Despite this decision by the R.I. Supreme Court, we will continue to speak for the children who cannot speak for themselves.

An appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is being considered, Magee said.
DAKAR, Senegal (AP)  Russian mercenaries allegedly executed, tortured and beat civilians in Central African Republic since 2019, according to a report released this week from Human Rights Watch.

Russian-speaking men carrying military-grade weapons and wearing military gear with no official markings set up a roadblock near the town of Bossangoa in July 2021, stopped men to beat them and shot at least eight dead, according to witnesses who spoke to Human Rights Watch.

The organization interviewed at least 40 people in person or by phone over a period of more than two years to document abuses likely carried out by mercenaries with the Russian-linked Wagner group. Another incident described by witnesses involved Russian-linked forces detaining and torturing people in Bambari in 2019.

The accusations by the international rights group come after United Nations experts in October called on Central African Republic's government to end all relationships with private military and security personnel, particularly the Wagner Group, whose members they said have violently harassed and intimidated civilians, peacekeepers, journalists, aid workers and minorities and have committed rape and sexual violence against women, men and young girls.

France and the United States also accused Wagner mercenaries of massacres and executions of civilians in January.

The Wagner Group, which portrays itself as a private military contractor, sends mercenary forces  many former Russian soldiers  to several African countries and other places including Ukraine and the Mideast. Although the Kremlin officially denies any connection to Wagner, the group is strategically used to further President Vladimir Putins ambitions to increase Russias influence and undermine democracy, analysts say.

Human Rights Watch called on the government of Central African Republic, the countrys Special Criminal Court or the International Criminal Court to investigate incidents in its report and other allegations of abuse by Russian-linked forces there.

The Central African government has every right to request international security assistance, but it cant allow foreign forces to kill and otherwise abuse civilians with impunity, said Ida Sawyer, crisis and conflict director at Human Rights Watch.

To demonstrate its respect for the rule of law, and to put an end to these abuses, the government should immediately investigate and prosecute all forces, including Russia-linked forces, responsible for murder, unlawful detention, and torture.

The rights group says it has requested information from the government on inquiries into violence and any agreements with Russia, but has received no reply.

The Central African Republic government in 2021 did acknowledge the serious violation of human rights by Russians, which forced Vladimir Titorenko to leave his post as Russian ambassador to the country. It also said it would set up a special commission of inquiry to establish responsibility, but no findings have been published.

Russian security has helped protect President Faustin-Archange Touadera for years, with Russias former member of internal security services Valery Zakharov serving as an adviser in Bangui, the capital, on military, political and economic matters. While the government denies hiring mercenaries from Wagner, Zakharov is a key figure in Wagners command structure, according to European Union documents.

Experts estimate there are between 1,000 and 2,000 personnel in Central African Republic.

The countrys ties to the Russian group have also begun to affect its financial contributions.

Central African Republic Budget Minister Herve Ndoba said Tuesday after a visit to Washington that the country should not expect contributions from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

The future seems uncertain for our finances and the national economy, he said.

The two institutions want assurances that their money will not be used to finance the Russian paramilitary group. Last year, France cut its aid to the country because of an anti-French agenda it said was being guided by Russians there.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  A lawsuit challenging Minnesota's restrictions on abortions that was set to go to trial next month has been delayed indefinitely, under an order from the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

The appeals court said late Tuesday that the lawsuit, filed by Gender Justice and other groups that support abortion rights, can't proceed while the state's appeal over which parties have legal standing to participate is pending. It's not clear how long that appeal will take.

The trial was due to begin June 27 in Ramsey County District Court before Judge Thomas Gilligan, who had expected it to take three weeks.

If the U.S. Supreme Court follows through on a leaked draft opinion to strike down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, abortion will still be legal in Minnesota. A 1995 state Supreme Court ruling known as Doe v. Gomez established a right to abortion under the Minnesota Constitution.

But Gender Justice and its allies are challenging a list of restrictions that Minnesota has enacted over the years, including a 24-hour waiting period, a requirement that minors notify both parents before getting an abortion, and a requirement that only doctors can perform abortions. The lawsuit relies in part on precedents set in Doe v. Gomez.

We know our case will ultimately move forward to the merits, said Jess Braverman, legal director for Gender Justice. The question now is when. We are weighing all available legal options at this time.

Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison, whose office is fighting the lawsuit, told reporters Wednesday that he strongly supports abortion rights. But he said his office has the legal obligation to defend all state statutes, and that changing the laws should be up to the Legislature.

I want to be real clear: there's not one of these impediments to abortion that I would have voted for as a legislator, said Ellison, a former state representative and congressman. I would have voted against all of them. I think they're all bad policy."
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee declined to sign off on a bill criminalizing camping by homeless people and in parks and other local public property, but let it become law without his signature.

The measure the Republican governor declined to sign Tuesday will take effect July 1. Lee had told reporters earlier this week that he was worried about the unintended consequences of the bill but added that he was also worried about the issues of people on public property.
The fallout from the Dakota Access Pipeline protests never seems to end. The latest development provides a victory for the public with an open records decision by the North Dakota Supreme Court.

Thousands of documents related to security during the construction of the pipeline were at issue. North Dakotas Private Investigation and Security Board received the documents during a case involving the operations of TigerSwan, a North Carolina company hired by Energy Transfer, the company building the pipeline, to oversee security during construction.

The case centered on whether TigerSwan operated illegally in the state. It ended with a settlement in 2020 in which the company agreed to pay $175,000 to the board but didnt admit to any wrongdoing.

Later in 2020, the Intercept nonprofit online news organization sued to get access to the documents for investigative reports related to environmental justice and the treatment of Indigenous peoples and workers.

There were two rulings by the Supreme Court. The first was that the documents are public records and the second was that Energy Transfer could argue to state regulators that some of the documents are privileged company records that should remain private.

The public should be pleased with the first ruling. It reinforces the states open records law which guarantees access to most official records. It provides transparency for the public. The TigerSwan case involved the first major clash in the DAPL protests and involved security personnel and dogs.

Questions have been raised about whether TigerSwan was licensed to operate in the state and the extent of cooperation between private security and law enforcement. The documents may provide some answers.

Even if they dont, we know our open records law remains strong. North Dakota Newspaper Association Attorney Jack McDonald called the decision a big, big win for open records in North Dakota. Hes been a strong advocate of open records for years.

The decision could be weakened if state officials decide a large number of the documents are privileged. The intent of the courts first ruling indicates a desire to make the material public, which should guide officials.

Open records and open meetings are at the heart of good government. Without those laws it would be difficult for the public to make reasoned decisions. Unfortunately, open records and open meetings laws are often under attack. Too many people dont want to be held accountable or dont want to take the time to be transparent.

The Supreme Courts rulings were unanimous, which speaks to how fervent the justices are on open records. The public should be pleased.

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By Sue Gilmore

Bay City News Foundation

Planners' spirits are especially high this year, as the eighth annual Bay Area Book Festival gears up to bring nearly 100 events to indoor and outdoor stages throughout the coming weekend. That's because the Berkeley-based literary extravaganza -- the largest such festival in Northern California -- is finally returning, after two pandemic-plagued years, to letting participating authors and their readers meet and greet in the flesh, at 11 different locations in the downtown area from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Admission is free for the outdoor events, and tickets for those indoors will be $15 for a weekend pass or $12 for guaranteed seats to an individual event, with $20 weekend and $5 per event streaming passes available for those who cannot attend in person. Masks and proof of vaccination are required indoors; find more information at https://www.baybookfest.org/.

We are heartily recommending the weekend pass route, as there are intriguing authors in every genre imaginable who are booked to explain themselves to us. Here are five such highlights:

Omani author Jokha Alharthi, winner of the 2019 Booker International Prize for her novel "Celestial Bodies" and, amazingly, the first Arab author to do so, has a new novel out in a few days (May 10). "Bitter Orange Tree" (Catapult, 224 pages, $26) revolves around Zuhour, an Omani university student in Great Britain, as she tries to both grapple with her past on the Arabian Peninsula and envision a future in which she can be fully empowered. Interviewer John Freeman engages her in conversation from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday at the Goldman Theater in the Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way.

"The Fierce Voice of Nature" is the chosen international theme, as Marie Mockett moderates a panel of authors from Spain, Norway and Japan. Catalan author Irene Sola's startling first novel, "When I Sing, Mountains Dance" (Graywolf Press, $16 softcover, 216 pages), opens with thunderclouds armed with lightning bolts doing the narration and gets even more fascinating and bizarre from there on. Norwegian author Maja Lunde has already won acclaim for the first two novels in her Climate Quartet, "The History of Bees" and "The End of the Ocean." Now comes "The Last Wild Horses" (HarperVia, $27.99, 448 pages), which takes us on a wild ride from 1881 St. Petersburg to 1992 Mongolia to 2064 in Norway in a battle on behalf of the planet. Masatsugu Ono's "At the Edge of the Woods" (Two Lines Press, $16.95 softcover, 184 pages) is a hair-raising little novel set in an unnamed country where a three-member family, just settling in those woods, begins to hear and see things that are unnervingly unnatural. The panel takes place from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the same location as above. (Grab your seat and stay there!)

The inimitable Karen Joy Fowler, the prolific Santa Cruz author known for "The Jane Austen Book Club" and the unforgettable, Booker-nominated "We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves," has a history of digging into real lives for her art, as she is doing now with "Booth" (G.P. Putnam's Sons, $28, 480 pages). Her new novel reimagines the life of Abraham Lincoln's assassin in the context of his extended theatrical family. San Francisco author Lee Kravetz also mines the experiences of a tragic real figure in his novel "The Last Confessions of Sylvia P." (Harper, $25.99, 272 pages), based on a chapter in the poet Sylvia Plath's life. The two will be featured in a "Writer to Writer" exchange on their methods at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the Berkeley City College Auditorium, 2050 Center St.

To delight both the fledgling and accomplished birders among us come two Bay Area authors who are undeniable avian experts. Marthine Satris will be moderating a lively discussion with Jack Gedney, author of "The Private Lives of Public Birds" (Heyday, $26, 224 pages) and Alex Harris, author-illustrator of "Birds of Lake Merritt" (Heyday, $25, 80 pages) at an 11 a.m. session Sunday in the Brower Center's Goldman Theater. In his 15 essays on individual species, Gedney can teach us not only how to recognize their songs or calls but also help us interpret what they're singing about! Novelist Amy Tan, who owns more than 100 bird books, says she has put this one near the top of her list. Harris' gorgeous little field guide takes note of those goopy geese around the lake, but also more than a dozen other waterbirds, including the startlingly orange-eyed black-crowned night heron -- the city of Oakland's official bird.

For as tiny a place as the Emerald Isle is, it has produced a great outpouring of fine literature. That tradition is continuing, as the festival's "New Writing From Ireland" session moderated by novelist Rosemary Graham will amply demonstrate at 11 a.m. Sunday in the Magnes Auditorium, 2121 Allston Way. Colin Barrett, whose story collection "Young Skins" captured numerous international awards, including a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35, is back with "Homesickness" (Grove Press, $27, 224 pages), another anthology also based in his native County Mayo and shot through with his now trademark blend of pathos and humor. And Claire-Louise Bennett, whose short-story collection "Pond" was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize, is back with "Checkout 19" (Riverhead, $27, 288 pages), a novel critics are labeling "masterful" about a grocery store clerk unraveling the powers of her imagination. Author Roddy Doyle comments: "I fell into 'Checkout 19' and didn't want to climb back out."

And from prize-winning author Sarah Moss comes "The Fell" (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $25, 192 pages), a taut but revelatory short novel about a woman whose impulsive walk to escape lockdown turns problematic. "Room" author Emma Donoghue, well-acquainted as she is with tension and confinement, declares "I gulped down 'The Fell' in one sitting."

The 2022 Bay Area Book Festival takes place from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in downtown Berkeley. For tickets, information and COVID guidelines, visit https://www.baybookfest.org/.

Copyright  2022 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Copyright  2022 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
IN SUMMARY

Democrat Malia Cohen wants to expand the role of state controller and advance equity and diversity in the job. In an 80-minute interview with CalMatters, she says the state's COVID response proves the need to do better on both those goals.

By Sameea Kamal

CalMatters

There are two parts to the controller's job, Malia Cohen says.

There are the everyday functions -- writing checks, conducting audits, making policy recommendations and serving on nearly 80 boards, including ones that oversee state employee retirement funds.

But Cohen says the position is also a platform to make California more equitable and to promote more diverse leadership -- goals that she is passionate, even emotional, about and a role that she says she is well prepared for from her time on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and state Board of Equalization.

"I think that we do need to elect strong people with strong values that are not afraid to stand up and are not afraid to speak out," the Democratic candidate told CalMatters reporters and editors.

"I think that we need to have more diversity, I think we need to have more conversations about equity, what that looks like in the distribution of tax dollars....I don't want to see strong programs, child care programs, educational programs after-school programs, food programs not get funded because they don't have a lobbyist, they don't have an advocate."

Cohen says the state's response to COVID revealed the dire, sometimes deadly, consequences of ignoring communities of color.

"I'm going to make sure that we learn from the mistakes from the pandemic," she said. "Why did it happen? Because the constituency that I represented where I come from -- people suffered, people died, people got sick, people lost their jobs. And I saw people coming to a side of the town that they would not normally come into just to get vaccination, cutting the line."

If Cohen convinces enough voters that she's the right candidate, she would be the second controller in a row to move up from the Board of Equalization, following Betty Yee, who has served two terms and is no longer eligible to run for re-election. But first, she has to finish among the top two vote-getters in a competitive June 7 primary just to make it to the November general election.

Here are three other key takeaways from her CalMatters interview:

Cohen's vision

A controller's role is to ensure the state is spending its money wisely, including cutting waste. But what does that mean to the average person?

"I explain it like, well, I make sure that big corporations like Amazon don't snake through loopholes and that they're paying their fair share when it comes to property taxes," Cohen said. "I say making sure that corporations like PG&E...[are] paying their fair share in taxes. Small taxpayers, people who own their homes, they're paying their taxes, and we want to be very fair and very consistent and also transparent."

As chairperson of the Board of Equalization, Cohen has overseen the distribution of $80 billion in tax revenue to local governments and schools. She also cut spending on office space and launched an initiative in 2019 to modernize property tax collection.

She pledges to continue the watchdog role as controller, saying that she wants to scrutinize the Employment Development Department and the Department of Motor Vehicles, plus the state's homelessness programs. Cohen also intends to audit companies receiving research and development tax credits to ensure the jobs promised are being created. She also wants to advance pay equity, beginning with a review of the controller's office, according to her equity roadmap.

"I am running to say, 'I'm here, I'm in this space, I'm at the table and I'm watching and I am going to keep people accountable,'" she said.

Cohen says she will also give the public critical analysis on issues such as abortion, housing and tax policy -- and do more so taxpayers know where their money is going.

"I could be lazy, I could just sit back and do just the bare minimum of the requirements," she said. "And quite honestly, as I've been talking about this race and my vision for the controller seat, a lot of people have not been receptive of a big picture of what a controller's office could actually be, and I've been told that I'm running for the wrong position. And I vehemently disagree."

Policy stances?

Despite seeing an expanded policy role for the controller, Cohen did not take a stand on some pressing issues now before the Legislature, such as another stimulus payment, or a pause on the gas tax.

Instead, she focused on the administrative functions, pledging to "get those checks to Californians as quickly and as efficiently as possible, ensuring that there isn't any fraud, any loss or anyone receiving money when they don't qualify."

Cohen also didn't take a stand on whether the state's public pension funds ought to divest from Russian companies in response to the invasion of Ukraine. She said she needed more information first.

As for projections that the state won't be able to pay all the pensions it has committed to public employees, Cohen acknowledges the competing interests that need to be weighed. "State employees that have worked really hard, teachers that have worked really hard, I do believe that they should be able to retire and to count on their retirement," she said.

At the same time, Cohen notes, the state can't continue to rely on always having a robust budget.

"I am concerned about the fiscal health for the state of California, just the economic direction that we're going to be going in," she said. "I don't see it as a sustainable long-term strategy."

Working with fellow Democrats

Since 1975, voters have elected only Democrats to the office. Cohen has the official party endorsement. One of her primary challengers, Republican Lanhee Chen, is promising to be an independent watchdog on the Democratic Legislature and administration.

While Cohen said her party affiliation won't hurt her effectiveness in the job, she plans a more collaborative approach.

"My style is not, 'I got you, aha.' I'm not trying to catch you in the hot seat," she said. "I'm not trying to catch you in a lie or even embarrass you. That has never been my leadership style."

"My style really is if I find an audit and I find something that is glaring or could potentially be embarrassing, talking to the person. Just having an honest conversation and saying, 'This is what I found, what can we do about this?'"

If elected, Cohen would also become California's first Black controller, but doesn't see that affecting how she does the job, either. But she does urge voters to consider her background:

"I think that being the sum total of a different set of life experiences does make me a unique candidate in this race."

Copyright  2022 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Copyright  2022 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
California Rep. Eric Swalwell took to Twitter earlier this week to deliver what is undoubtedly one of the more milquetoast takes on the current furor surrounding abortion rights.

There is one and only one way to preserve #RoeVWade and protect a women's right to choose and that's to #VoteBlueIn2022," he tweeted.

The replies to that tweet were filled with people pointing out the obvious: Democrats control Congress and the White House. Users reiterated that Swalwell should try speaking with Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, whose opposition to removing the Senate filibuster has been a perennial roadblock to Democratic initiatives for the last 18 months. Also, users said, simply voting harder does nothing for folks in red states where access to the ballot box has been severely restricted.

One of the more eyebrow-raising replies, though, came on Tuesday. It was interesting not because of its substance, but because of its author: Actress Susan Sarandon, famous for supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential primaries and not supporting Hillary Clinton in the general election.

She quoted Swalwells original tweet with this response:

A lot of good that did in 2020. Dems are going to use this to fundraise and get you to vote for them again despite sitting on their hands for the last two years. Instead of actually standing for anything, their only strategy is scaring you into voting blue.

Shes not wrong in saying Democrats will use this moment as a fundraising opportunity (Ive received five texts asking me to donate to Democrats since the Supreme Court opinion leaked on Monday) but it's sort of difficult to figure out what her point is. Whats the alternative, Susan? Should people who oppose Roe v. Wade being overturned vote for Republicans instead?

Instead of seizing a chance to absolutely blast her, or to at least point out the things Democrats do stand for, Swalwell  this time from his professional account  replied with, Can everyone all at once tell @SusanSarandon to sit this one out? Shes caused enough trouble. Us real progressives will take it from here.

People did  though perhaps not because famously progressive Eric Swalwell told them to.

Here's a tweet that Swalwell retweeted from his personal account: The chick has learned NOTHING since 2016. And the Dems dont have to scare us into voting for them. Were scared by the real life #HandMaidsTale coming due to twits like Sue who face ZERO life-altering consequences for their bad faith digs at Democrats.

Heres another one that Swalwell retweeted: Susan, with all due respect, take a seat. In fact take every fucking seat you can find within your eyesight.

While we do enjoy Swalwells pettiness, the exchange could easily be characterized as the most unproductive Twitter spat of the week on this issue. Its only Wednesday, though, so theres still time for someone to one-up it.
WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, May 4, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Northern Randall County in the Panhandle of Texas...

Southeastern Potter County in the Panhandle of Texas...

* Until 245 PM CDT.

* At 145 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Umbarger, or

11 miles west of Canyon, moving northeast at 30 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Minor damage to roofs, siding, and trees is possible.

Hail damage to vehicles is expected.

* Locations impacted include...

Amarillo, Canyon, Lake Tanglewood, Mescalero Park and Timbercreek

Canyon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, May 4, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Northern Armstrong County in the Panhandle of Texas...

Carson County in the Panhandle of Texas...

* Until 445 PM CDT.

* At 344 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Washburn, or

13 miles east of Amarillo, moving northeast at 35 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Minor damage to roofs, siding, and trees is possible.

Hail damage to vehicles is expected.

* Locations impacted include...

Panhandle, White Deer, Groom, Skellytown and Washburn.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for the Panhandle

of Texas.

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, May 4, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Midland has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Central Pecos County in southwestern Texas...

North central Terrell County in southwestern Texas...

* Until 430 PM CDT.

* At 345 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 26 miles southeast

of Fort Stockton, moving northeast at 20 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage

to roofs, siding, and trees.

* This severe thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of

central Pecos and north central Terrell Counties.

This includes Interstate 10 between mile markers 274 and 287.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for southwestern

Texas.

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, May 4, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Midland has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Southeastern Crane County in western Texas...

Upton County in western Texas...

* Until 545 PM CDT.

* At 458 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 7 miles north of

McCamey, moving northeast at 35 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage

to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...

Crane, McCamey, Upton County Airport, King Mountain, Midkiff and

Crane County Airport.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for western

Texas.

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, May 4, 2022

_____

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT

Special Weather Statement

National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX

501 PM CDT Wed May 4 2022

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southeastern Terrell

County through 545 PM CDT...

At 500 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 18

miles south of Dryden, moving northeast at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around

unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is

possible.

This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of southeastern

Terrell County.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for southwestern

Texas.

LAT...LON 2981 10181 2979 10182 2981 10185 2980 10187

2980 10191 2978 10193 2980 10194 2980 10196

2982 10197 2980 10199 2980 10204 2979 10205

2980 10214 3030 10187 3024 10176 2978 10176

2978 10181

TIME...MOT...LOC 2200Z 210DEG 34KT 2979 10204

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN

MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH

The National Weather Service in Lubbock Texas has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Northwestern Dickens County in northwestern Texas...

Eastern Floyd County in northwestern Texas...

Northeastern Crosby County in northwestern Texas...

Northwestern Motley County in northwestern Texas...

* Until 545 PM CDT.

* At 500 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 7 miles northwest

of Mcadoo, or 16 miles northeast of Crosbyton, moving northeast at

50 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage

to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...

Matador, Dougherty, Flomot, Northfield and Roaring Springs.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for northwestern

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN CROSBY COUNTY IS

CANCELLED...

The severe thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out of

the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 515 PM CDT

FOR NORTHWESTERN DICKENS COUNTY...

At 505 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 4 miles east of

Mcadoo, or 8 miles northwest of Dickens, moving northeast at 35 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to

roofs, siding, and trees.

Locations impacted include...

Mcadoo.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, May 4, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Midland has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Southeastern Terrell County in southwestern Texas...

* Until 615 PM CDT.

* At 510 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 14 miles southeast

of Dryden, moving northeast at 30 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage

to roofs, siding, and trees.

* This severe thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of

southeastern Terrell County.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for southwestern

Texas.

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

...FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...

* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be

possible.

* WHERE...Portions of Oklahoma and northern Texas, including the

following counties, in Oklahoma, Alfalfa, Atoka, Blaine, Bryan,

Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Cleveland, Coal, Comanche, Cotton,

Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Grant, Hughes, Jefferson, Johnston, Kay,

Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, Love, Major, Marshall, McClain,

Murray, Noble, Oklahoma, Payne, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Seminole,

Stephens and Tillman. In northern Texas, Archer, Clay, Wichita and

Wilbarger.

* WHEN...Through Thursday morning.

* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers,

creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.

Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Flooding may occur

in poor drainage and urban areas. Low-water crossings may be

flooded. Extensive street flooding and flooding of creeks and

rivers are possible.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...

- Showers and thunderstorm chances will continue through

Thursday morning, with 2-4 inches of storm total rainfall

expected in the watch area.

- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

East central Pecos County in southwestern Texas...

* At 513 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 16 miles west of

Sheffield, moving east at 15 mph.

* Locations impacted include...

Sheffield, Iraan and Iraan Municipal Airport.

This includes Interstate 10 between mile markers 307 and 327.

The National Weather Service in Lubbock Texas has issued a

Northern Dickens County in northwestern Texas...

Northwestern King County in northwestern Texas...

Southwestern Cottle County in northwestern Texas...

Southeastern Motley County in northwestern Texas...

* Until 600 PM CDT.

* At 514 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Afton, or 9

miles north of Dickens, moving northeast at 35 mph.

HAZARD...Ping pong ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts.

IMPACT...People and animals outdoors will be injured. Expect hail

damage to roofs, siding, windows, and vehicles. Expect

wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

Delwin, Afton, Dumont and Roaring Springs.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for northwestern

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather


2022429 () 





1985

Amana10Doug and Jody Fairbanks400206

8

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Chinese Ambassador Qin Gang: Looking back on a journey to the Heartland and to my heart

I leave the Heartland with my heart filled with friendship and cooperation, and more importantly, filled with confidence in the future of China-US relations.

Qin Gang Guest columnist View Comments

Qin Gang is Chinese ambassador to the United States.

As I conclude my first visit to Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota and return to Washington, my heart remains in the vast American Heartland. I came with friendship and cooperation in my heart, and I take back even more of it, plus many days of fond memories.

I have been touched by the stories of win-win cooperation. Agriculture took a major part of my visit. At the Kimberley farm, I promoted American beef and bacon on live-stream and tried my hand at driving a John Deere crawler tractor. At the Syngenta parent seed lab, my team and I joined the workers in selecting seeds and learned about their market in China. At the Zoetis plant in Charles City, we were informed that most of the plants animal vaccine products are exported to the Chinese market. During the lunch we had with workers at the Smithfield processing plant in Denison, we were delighted to know that the worlds largest pork producer has created thousands more American jobs since its acquisition by a Chinese company.

More:Chinese ambassador visits Story County farm, drives tractor, amid heightened U.S., China tensions

We were also at Marquis Energy to discuss how to restore the company's export of ethanol fuel and DDG to China. The journey to the Heartland has afforded the entire Chinese delegation a panoramic understanding of the whole industrial chain of Americas agriculture, from which we see that American farmers and agricultural companies need China, benefit from China, and look forward to further cooperation with China. China and the United States are natural partners for agricultural trade. With the Chinese market wide open, the two sides have broad space for further agricultural cooperation, and this is a call to action to create conditions for two-way, normal agricultural trade and lift the additional tariffs and other obstacles.

On top of that, our cooperation should not just be about buy and sell; it can go deep into agricultural technology, climate action and sustainable development. Economic and trade ties, especially those in agriculture, are the ballast of China-US relations, and the American business community and farmers are the backbone of a stable China-US relationship  this trip has deepened my belief in this basic fact.

I have been touched by the stories of friendship passed through generations. My colleagues and I visited the Sino-US Friendship House in Muscatine, where President Xi Jinping stayed during his visit to Iowa in 1985, and we met with old friends Sarah Lande and Luca Berrone who twice welcomed Xi. Their recollection of the time-honored friendship was heart-stirring. There we also attended the signing ceremony for Chinese enterprises to sponsor local Iowa students to study in China. We could tell that the seeds of friendship first sown by Xi have taken root, sprouted, blossomed and borne fruit in Iowa. We could also see from this experience that the bond between China and the United States is unbreakable, and such bond is forged by all those people who champion the cause of China-US friendship and cooperation.More: Glad in Muscatine: What one Chinese businessman and his millions mean to this Iowa river town

I have been touched by the common qualities of Chinese and Americans. Every place we visited, we felt keenly how nice and sincere, how friendly and hard-working the Americans are, and we were often overwhelmed by their hospitality. One night, we reached Amana at 10 p.m. after a long drive, and were so moved to know that the local museum had remained open just for us. Doug and Jody Fairbanks have raised as many as over 400 cows on their dairy farm, for 20 years without letup. Smithfield workers begin their workday at 6 a.m., and in winter, they literally work from dark to dark. Chinese and Americans have so much in common  they are both kind and genuine, and they both do all they can to earn a better life for themselves and their families. These shared qualities have made our two nations who we are today, and they are why we have natural affinity for each other.

I have been touched by young peoples respect and appreciation for the other country and its culture. At the University of Chicago and Iowa State University, we saw Chinese students pursue their study alongside their American friends, a telling example of China-US communication and cooperation. At Yinghua Academy, a Chinese immersion charter school in Minnesota, we watched its K-8 students sing Chinese songs, play Chinese musical instruments, recite ancient Chinese poems, and recount their stories of learning the Chinese language. These young people are like the seedlings of China-US friendship, who will one day grow up, take over this great cause and carry it forward into the future.

I leave the Heartland with my heart filled with friendship and cooperation, and more importantly, filled with confidence in the future of China-US relations. Just as the mighty Mississippi River cannot be stopped by any undercurrent in its course to the sea, I am convinced that the China-US relationship will also keep surging ahead, towards a better tomorrow.

American Heartland, until we meet again!

Qin Gang is Chinese ambassador to the United States.
WFO SAN ANGELO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, May 4, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in San Angelo has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Northwestern Jones County in west central Texas...

Northeastern Fisher County in west central Texas...

* Until 630 PM CDT.

* At 604 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Hitson, or 10

miles west of Hamlin, moving northeast at 55 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage

to roofs, siding, and trees.

* This severe thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of

northwestern Jones and northeastern Fisher Counties, including the

following locations... Hitson and Tuxedo.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of

a building.

Prepare immediately for large hail and deadly cloud to ground

lightning. Seek shelter inside a well-built structure. Stay away from

windows.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement

agency. They will send your report to the National Weather Service

office in San Angelo.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to

flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for west central

Texas.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
Pupils are visiting the AI Education and Training Center of VNU-HCMC

Vietnam needed around 1 million IT engineers in 2020, as cited in the project Turning Vietnam into an ICT Giant, approved by the Prime Minister in 2010. Sadly, the whole country now has only 177,000 undergraduates in the fields of IT, electronics, telecoms learning in over 400 universities and colleges. There will only be about 600,000 IT laborers, let along specialized AI employees.

Dean of the IT Department in University of Science (Vietnam National University  HCMC) Dinh Ba Tien stated that the training of AI human resources for the digital economy must ensure both quantity and quality, which means a provision of in-depth knowledge for graduates to become AI solution developers in the future, not merely AI solution users.

Until now, this university has poured over VND80 billion (US$3.48 million) of investment in specialized AI labs so that their graduates become true researchers, developers, and startups of AI-related smart systems. In a long term, the university hopes to professionally upgrade the teaching staff, including hiring newly AI graduates from abroad to participate in in-depth AI research as well as conducting academic exchanges with famous international AI research centers.

VNU-HCMC has lately asked to the Minister of Education and Training to allow it to cooperate with other key universities in adopting the project Training Digital Human Resources for Digital Transformation, Digital Economy, and Digital Society, aiming at doubling the number of high-quality IT engineers to 10,000 in the next 5 years.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Hai Quan, Director of VNU-HCMC, proposed the strategy Expanding the Training Capacity of Scientific-Technological Human Resources to Approach AI via Additional and Long-term Education Investment. This strategy has three main parts of establishing a three-partner relationship among educational institutes  the government  employers; upgrading AI knowledge to the current scientific human resources through shared learning resources and clubs; developing AI curricula from primary to territory levels.

The role of the Government in this strategy is to introduce a legal corridor and corresponding policies as well as providing state budget. Educational institutes are responsible for improving existing training programs by integrating online learning, hiring capable teachers, building more classrooms and workshops to expand the training scale. Businesses are in charge of supporting universities with infrastructure construction for research activities, scholarships, practical project participation.

President of Thaco Board of Director Tran Ba Duong shared that as an enterprise, he is highly aware of the influences of Industry 4.0. We can only win the race with a strong foundation. Being one key factor, the AI human resources trained by universities must be able to integrate their digital skills, professional knowledge, and administrative expertise. Therefore, educational institutes must change their training curricula so that their graduates can fulfill digital transformation tasks.

President of My Lan JSC. Board of Director Nguyen Thanh My added that technological businesses always want to work with universities to address human resources shortage and limits in tools for basic research. This partnership is expected to create more novel products and technologies, plus easily commercializing research results. Thus, related state agencies and ministries should remove any barriers caused by outdated policies and tackle problems related to intellectual property, the rights to use results of joint projects between a business and a university.

Many technological businesses commented that right now, it is necessary to hire foreign AI experts for the digital transformation process. However, to master advanced technologies in a long term, domestic training centers should cooperate with one another to be more proactive in human resources.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Hai Quan informed that the digital economy is assigned to contribute 25 percent and 40 percent to HCMCs GRDP in 2025 and 2030, respectively. VNU-HCMC, in turn, is asked to train the ICT and AI human resources that can match international standards in order to fulfill the above goals. At present, the IT and AI major group of the university has 2,000 students, along with another 2,000 in computer-related majors like math, telecoms, automation. It plans to increase enrollment in these majors in the next 5 years.

He further stated that AI is the core technology in establishing innovative and smart urban areas as well as sustainable digital economic growth, as cited in the program Researching and Developing AI Applications in HCMC from 2020-2030, with a Vision to 2030. This means the AI industry and IT industry in general will become the main element in GRDP growth of HCMC, and the city will become the national and regional center for AI technology research and transfer.

By Tan Ba, Thanh Hung  Translated by Thanh Tam
In Cincinnati, Ohio, animal control officers seized Adam Kordes's emotional support monkey, named Neo, back in February. Apparently, a vet who had seen video of Neo felt that the animal had likely been drugged and was "in dire need of veterinary care." Court documents state that the monkey's urine indicated it had ingested amphetamines. Since then, Kordes's attorney Lisa Rabanus has filed a motion stating that Neo is Kordes's emotional support animal and should be returned to him.

Prior to animal control seizing Neo, Kordes had reached out to Misfitland Monkey Rescue's Teresa Bullock concerned about Neo's health. It was Bullock who sent video of Neo to the vet who then called animal control. From Fox19:

Bullock also was concerned because Kordes had owned a capuchin monkey that died shortly before he got Neo. She believes Kordes gave drugs to the other monkey. Bullock provided videos of Neo, apparently shot on Feb. 6, to her friend, the veterinarian in Florida, Jodi Thannum. On Feb. 7, Thannum called Cincinnati Animal Care, according to the search warrant, saying Kordes had a monkey "that was being given narcotics, such as adult amounts of Xanax and/or cocain(e)," and warned that the monkey could die.

(Thanks, Gil Kaufman!)
Page Content

Starting in 2025, Maryland workers may have an easier time making ends meet when they take otherwise unpaid leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Thanks to Maryland's newly enacted Time to Care Act of 2022 (TTCA), Maryland workers will be able to apply for paid leave benefits from a state fund beginning on Jan. 1, 2025.

[On April 8, the Maryland state legislature overrode a legislative veto by Gov. Larry Hogan.]

As the TTCA will be phased in incrementally over the next two years, employers will have time to plan and prepare, become familiar with the TTCA's benefits scheme, and project the potential additional costs that the TTCA will impose on them. Employers also may want to plan for the effect the TTCA may have on existing leave policies and bargaining agreements.

Guidance in the form of regulations from the Maryland Department of Labor is expected by June 1, 2023. In the meantime, answers to some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the TTCA are provided below.

How does the Time to Care Act of 2022 work?

The TTCA creates a Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Fund to provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave to covered individuals as part of a new FAMLI program. The state treasurer will be the custodian of the fund and will manage it according to regulations that will be promulgated by Maryland's secretary of labor.

The TTCA's benefits will be paid to eligible individuals directly by the state of Maryland. Individuals will need to submit applications to the state, which is required to notify employers when their employees apply. The money to fund the benefits will come from payroll deductions.

The TTCA's benefits are not limited to employees. The law permits self-employed individuals to elect to contribute to the FAMLI Fund and receive paid leave benefits at the same level as employees. The TTCA also allows employers to opt out of the payroll tax scheme by adopting private programs of their own, provided they are equivalent to the TTCA.

When does the TTCA become effective?

The TTCA's official effective date is June 1, 2022, but its provisions do not take effect all at once. Contributions from employees and employers (and self-employed individuals who participate in the program) are not required until Oct. 1, 2023. Covered individuals can submit claims for benefits beginning on Jan. 1, 2025.

Whom does the TTCA cover?

The TTCA defines "employer" as "a person or governmental entity that employs at least one individual" in Maryland, but the law does not limit coverage to employees employed within Maryland. Accordingly, it is not clear how the law would apply to Maryland employees who divide their work time between Maryland and the neighboring District of Columbia, which has its own paid family and medical leave law.

Who is eligible to apply for paid leave benefits under the TTCA?

Paid leave benefits are available to a "covered individual," a term that includes certain employees and certain self-employed individuals. An employee is a "covered individual" if he or she worked "at least 680 hours over the 12-month period immediately preceding the date on which leave is to begin." The term "covered individual" also includes a "self-employed individual who elects to participate in the program by filing a written notice of election with the secretary [of labor]," in accordance with regulations that the secretary is required to establish. (A self-employed individual who elects to participate must "participate for an initial period of not less than 3 years.")

What are the types of leave for which a covered individual may seek paid leave benefits under the TTCA?

Under the TTCA, there are five broad categories of leave for which a covered individual may obtain paid leave benefits. They include leave taken to:

Care for a newborn child or a child newly placed for adoption, foster care, or kinship care during the first year after the child's birth, adoption, or placement. Care for a family member with a serious health condition. Attend to a serious health condition that results in the covered individual being unable to perform the functions of the covered individual's position. Care for a service member with a serious health condition resulting from military service who is the covered individual's next of kin. Attend to a qualifying exigency arising out of the deployment of a service member who is a family member of the covered individual.

The TTCA provides definitions for its key terms (e.g., "serious health condition," "family member," and "service member").

How much do covered individuals receive in TTCA benefits?

Individuals receiving TTCA benefits are paid a weekly benefit amount once every two weeks. The amount of the weekly benefit is determined on a case-by-case basis using a formula that takes into account the state average weekly wage and the individual's average weekly wage, calculated based on total wages paid over the preceding 680 hours the covered individual worked. There is a partial leave benefit available when a worker is working a portion of each week during the leave.

The amount of an individual's weekly benefit can range from a floor of $50 to a ceiling of $1,000. The ceiling is subject to adjustment by the secretary of labor during each succeeding twelve-month period beginning on Jan. 1, 2025. The adjustments are tied to the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area.

How do employers make contributions to the FAMLI Fund?

Beginning in 2025, the TTCA requires the secretary of labor to determine on a biannual basis, "in consultation with [s]tate agencies and relevant stakeholders," the appropriate total rate of contribution, and the appropriate formula for allocating between employers and employees their respective shares of contributions to the FAMLI Fund.. Under one formula, employers would contribute 75 percent and employees the remainder. Under the alternative formula, employees would contribute 75 percent, and employers would contribute the remainder.

Employee contributions are made through payroll deductions from employee wages.

May an employer opt out of Maryland's TTCA scheme?

Yes. An employer is permitted to satisfy the requirements of the TTCA through a private employer plan that must be filed with the Maryland Department of Labor for approval. The private plan may consist of employer-provided benefits, insurance, or a combination of both, but it must meet or exceed the rights, protections, and benefits provided by the TTCA and must cover all of the employer's eligible employees. An employer with an approved private plan is exempted from making contributions to the FAMLI Fund.

Are TTCA benefits available for leave taken on an intermittent basis?

The TTCA states that benefits are available to employees taking family or medical leave on an intermittent basis. "If leave is taken on an intermittent leave schedule, the covered individual shall: (i) make a reasonable effort to schedule the intermittent leave in a manner that does not unduly disrupt the operations of the employer; and (ii) provide the employer with reasonable and practicable prior notice of the reason for which the intermittent leave is necessary."

How does the TTCA affect existing paid leave policies?

The TTCA states that employees must "exhaust all employer-provided leave that is not required to be provided under law" before receiving TTCA benefits. The TTCA also states that "[a]n employee's right to benefits may not be diminished  by an employer policy" and that an agreement to waive an employee's rights under the TTCA is "void as against public policy."

How does the TTCA impact benefits for employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement?

The TTCA states that an employee's right to benefits "may not be diminished by a collective bargaining agreement." Employers may want to review their collective bargaining agreements, as well as any benefits provided thereunder, to determine whether any adjustments are needed to harmonize an agreement's terms or existing paid leave benefits with the TTCA. A failure to address those issues prior to renewing or signing a bargaining agreement could be costly to employers, especially where the bargaining agreement calls for paid leave benefits that are duplicative of the benefits employees will receive under the TTCA.

Are employees receiving unemployment insurance or workers' compensation benefits eligible for TTCA benefits?

The TTCA states that the Maryland Department of Labor must report to the state legislature by January 1, 2023, whether covered employees who receive benefits under the FAMLI Fund should also be eligible for unemployment benefits.

The TTCA states that workers who are receiving wage replacement benefits under Maryland's workers' compensation law are not eligible for TTCA paid leave benefits, with the sole exception of workers who are receiving compensation for a permanent partial disability.

Are there notices that employers must provide to employees?

Yes. An employer must "provide written notice to each employee" of his or her rights and duties under the TTCA "at the time of hire and annually thereafter." In addition, "[w]hen an employee requests leave under [the TTCA], or when an employer knows that an employee's leave may be for a reason under [the TTCA]," the employer has five business days to provide the employee with notice of eligibility to take leave for which TTCA benefits may be provided. Both notices "shall be provided in accordance with regulations adopted by the [s]ecretary [of labor]."

Does the TTCA include job restoration protections?

Yes. An employee who receives benefits under the TTCA or takes leave for which TTCA benefits may be payable is entitled to be restored to an equivalent position on the expiration of leave. With respect to continuation of employee benefits during leave for which workers receive TTCA benefits, the TTCA borrows the group health plan provisions set out in Maryland's Parental Leave Act. Specifically, the employer must maintain an employee's group health plan coverage for the duration of the leave and in the same manner that coverage would have been provided if the employee had continued in employment continuously for the duration of the leave. Under the Parental Leave Act, if an employee fails to return after the end of the authorized leave period, the employer is entitled to recover the premiums that it paid to maintain the employee's coverage.

When will Maryland promulgate regulations under the TTCA?

The TTCA requires the state to issue regulations on or before June 1, 2023. The regulations are essential to establish the process by which covered individuals can apply for TTCA benefits, including the forms they are required to use to certify their eligibility as well as the justification for the leave. The regulations also are necessary to provide the specific content of the notices that employers will be required to provide to their employees.

Although full implementation of the law is more than two years away, Maryland employers have some decisions to make in the near term. Those decisions include whether to incur the payroll costs to fund the state's program or instead seek state approval for a privately funded solution. Employers also may want to consider whether and how to restructure existing paid leave polices or modify benefits for employees covered by collective bargaining agreements.

James J. Murphy is the office managing shareholder in the Washington, D.C., office of law firm Olgetree Deakins.  2022, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. All rights reserved. Republished with permission.
Without exaggeration, a wedding can be called the most grandiose and important event in the Indian life. This event lasts for several days and shows the India life in miniature. There is a place for joy, grief, and a broken heart at the same time. To hold a traditional wedding on a grand scale and with all the rituals for hundreds of relatives, the bride and groom parents are ready to spend large sums, often borrowed. Every day wedding photographers in Mumbai are looking for new ways to tell wedding stories, capture the festive atmosphere, where the sun always shines, and the mystical component of Indian wedding traditions.

Family event

In India, a wedding is a family event rather than a holiday for those who get married. This is an occasion for parents and grandparents to show their power and status, so they invite absolutely everyone. And such invitations are taken very seriously  people are ready to cross oceans just to be present at the celebration; and all these guests need to be properly fed and entertained. A wedding is perhaps the most high-profile event in the life of a single family, so a young father begins to postpone it from the moment he finds out that he will have a daughter.

Marriages in India are still most often arranged not for love, but by agreement. This means that the decision is made by the elders  father, brothers, uncles. Husband and wife may not even see each other before the wedding. When choosing a bride and groom, their origin, level of wealth, as well as astrological compatibility are taken into account. Astrologers draw up a map of spouses, according to which they look at:

what kind of their character;

how many children they will have;

what is the life expectancy and future illnesses of the wife and husband;

the possibility of infidelity and much more.

Although in modern India the rules have become less strict, so relatives take into account the opinion of the newlyweds, and also allow them to meet under adult's control before the wedding, personal sympathy still does not matter much.

Wedding preparations

A distinctive feature of weddings in India is the splendor of the solemn procession and the observance of many rituals. The incredibly beautiful wedding vestments  a colorful sari for the bride, a turban, a sherwani jacket and churidar trousers for the groom cannot be replaced with the usual lush snow-white dress and a classic suit.

Dowry

Traditionally, the bride's family prepares a dowry and gives it to the groom so that the newlyweds have everything they need for life until they get established. These are dishes, jewelry and clothes. It is also important to decorate the bride as beautiful as possible, so the groom's relatives give she gold jewelry and sari for the wedding. This goes back to the understanding that the bride is a representative of the goddess of prosperity Lakshmi. And if you treat her well, prosperity enters the house together with the daughter-in-law.

Preliminary rites

Various auspicious rites precede the wedding ceremony. They take place separately in the groom's and bride's houses. Especially striking is the ritual when the groom takes the bride from her father's house. The bride dips her palms in turmeric and leaves traces on the walls of her parents' house and the faces of her relatives. At the same time, everyone is filled with sincere tears. Such a farewell can last for several hours, and the bride's crying does not stop all this time. The fact is that a girl who has never left home alone is very much attached to her parents. Moreover, in the following customs of Indian families, the daughter is treated with great respect and care, like a goddess. With marriage, her carefree life ends. She moves into a new large family, where she will have to live together with other relatives of her husband, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and so on. And in her husband's house she is no longer a goddess, but a servant. If everyone in her father's house served her, now she herself must serve and please everyone. Therefore, you can understand the fear that a girl experiences with a change in her life.

Decoration and jewelry

Great importance is attached to the decoration for the newlywed. Traditionally, the bride makes up her eyes with black antimony, puts favorable patterns and lines on her hands and puts on 16 ornaments. Such as earrings in the ears and nose, hand and anklets, tika, rings on the toes and others. And also decorates the hair with flowers.

Another great tradition is mehendi, which is the application of henna patterns. Usually the bride's hands are decorated with complex drawings that mean strong feelings, and the shade that appears, yellow, brick or black, predicts further family life. The clothes on the newlyweds should be new. The bride's sari is usually red, gold or shiny. The groom wears all white.

The room is also decorated, it can be a wedding tent pandal, an altar room in a temple, the roof of a house or just someone's apartment. They hang garlands of fresh flowers, mango leaves, which symbolize fertility, put vases with fragrant flowers, pots with banana trees, symbolizing prosperity, lay out coconuts and other green plants, set up colored flags, light incense and lamps with melted butter.

During the ceremony, a large number of flower petals are used to sprinkle them on the newlyweds, flower garlands are also needed for the young, the priest, relatives.
MAGA favorite Robert Regan, who told his daughters to "lie back and enjoy it" if they were being raped, was trounced by Democrat Carol Glanville in a special election yesterday for a Michigan state House seat.

Glanville won in a district that The Washington Post says "twice voted overwhelmingly for Trump." But even Regan's best MAGA efforts to smear Glanville as a "groomer," suggest that the Covid-19 pandemic and Russian invasion of Ukraine were hoaxes, and that the election was stolen from Trump were insufficient to win the seat.

From The Washington Post:
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Hannum said he then caught the crypto bug and went west, working for Blockchain Capital, which paid him in Bitcoin, and helped run a green-energy-focused initial coin offering. That venture, he said, netted King  and professional investors Stan Bharti and Jim Rogers  many millions of dollars in a matter of weeks. There is a nasty price to seeing only what we want to see: Slowly and then all at once, lying in public has come to feel like a reasonable strategy to getting or staying ahead. We need a little less mythmaking and a lot more fact-checking. Enamoured investors soon lined up to give Hannum more money, or so he said. Rich people always have some extra dollars laying around that theyre willing to throw away, or at least theyre willing to risk a little bit, he said on The Fundamental Value podcast. Hannum told the podcast that he had put up the first million and that King had given him $US4 million  as well as access to other well-heeled investors. He opened up his Rolodex, and that opened up tons of doors that I should have probably never had access to, Hannum said.

Eventually, Hannum claimed, he had $US100 million under management and was placing bets on blockchain infrastructure. He said that one of those investments was ZenLedger, and that he had joined its C-suite after investing his funds money. Given the credibility that comes with a fancy title, it was only natural that people might have wanted to hear what he had to say and not stop to question it. (Forbes said it was looking into the details of the profile, which was written by a non-staff contributor who it said had looked up basic details about Hannum but had not checked on his employment or education history.) I first encountered Hannum in March, when I talked to him about crypto and taxes. Nothing about the advice he offered in our phone conversation set off any alarms  in fact, it all checked out with the IRS. But the life story he told me didnt quite add up. The University of South Carolina is a fine school, but not the first place snobby Wall Street banks look for new hires. And was Larry King, who died last year, really investing millions of dollars in crypto?

Hannum claimed to have paid millions in taxes alone on his crypto winnings, but his office in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he worked remotely, looked generic on Zoom. And dont all the crypto people live in Miami, anyway? Loading So I started asking around. It didnt take long to figure out that Hannum had made up a lot of it. I could pick up the thread of his life only in college; juvenile court records are hard to come by. He did attend the University of South Carolina  he emailed me a picture of his student identification card before he went dark  but the school said he had completed neither an undergrad nor a graduate degree. And Goldman, Morgan Stanley and TD Ameritrade had no record of his being an employee. W. Brad Stephens, a founder and managing partner of Blockchain Capital, also said Hannum had never worked for him. I vaguely remember first meeting him around 2017, a meeting at our office for something he was trying to start, Stephens said in an email. We didnt invest. But he seemed like a nice young guy who was extremely excited about Bitcoin and blockchain.

What about the three investors for whom Hannum claimed to have made millions? The offering never formally launched, according to a lawyer for the investment company that Bharti founded. While talk show host Larry King once appeared in a video for Hannums initial coin offering, his widow says the talk show host never had any crypto investments. Credit:AP No profits were made by anyone, said the lawyer, Neil Said, responding to questions for Bharti, who was involved in the venture that sought to offer the coin. Larry King did record a video for the nascent initial coin offering, but his widow, Shawn, told me that he never had crypto investments and that she didnt know Hannum. Rogers, who ran an investment fund with George Soros and wrote the book Investment Biker said he had briefly been a sceptical adviser on the project since he did not expect it to work. He added that he had never bought cryptocurrency, let alone via Hannum.

I have never heard of him, he told me by email. This is all absurd. So how did Hannum end up at ZenLedger? Mr. Hannum was referred to ZenLedger through a professional relationship and was cleared by a federal background check with no flags regarding his education or work history, the companys statement said. Once it became evident that he had misrepresented his education and work history, as well as the nature of his role with ZenLedger, his employment with the company was terminated that day. So what really happened here? Cuban, whose firm was also part of last years funding round, offered some additional explanation in an email.

Most of us are naturally trusting, trying to focus on making our business a success, rather than looking underneath every resume, he wrote. Fabricators can be a problem at any company, and had even bitten The New York Times, he noted. Loading People lie, and sometimes they are really good at lying, he said. All a company can do is move on. ZenLedger, at least, seems to have learned its lesson. Its new chief strategy and chief operations officers did stints at the CIA and in the Green Berets. (I checked.) And when Larsen said on Twitter in late March that ZenLedger was looking for a great leader and communicator to step into Hannums old job, the posting he linked to highlighted work-from-anywhere flexibility and the option of getting at least part of your salary in crypto. It also came with a warning: We will check references.
When he appeared before the parliamentary inquiry into housing affordability and supply in November, economist Saul Eslake asked MPs whose interests they were most concerned about: The 11 million Australians who already own at least one property, and the more than 2 million who own more than one, or the minority, albeit a growing minority, who have been unable to buy?

With cost of living at the centre of the federal election campaign and the Reserve Bank announcing the first of several expected interest-rate rises on Tuesday, this division  between Australian property owners and investors and those for whom buying a home is a receding dream  is once again in the spotlight.

At the last election, while both major parties promised assistance to first-time buyers, voters were presented with a clear choice between the Coalitions emphasis on increasing supply and Labors proposal to wind back deductions on capital gains tax and limit access to negative gearing  policies designed to keep control of prices and help usher more younger people into the property market. Labor lost that battle and, under Anthony Albanese, it has abandoned those policies, giving credence to the widespread view that keeping property prices high is a vote-winner.

Instead of reforming the tax regime, Albanese is now spruiking the government as an investor in and creator of housing. The Help to Buy policy Labor announced last week, would see it contribute to the purchase of new and existing homes for 10,000 people a year. Several states already operate such schemes and in opposition Scott Morrison argued for such a move during the Global Financial Crisis.

Like the governments guarantee scheme, which helps 50,000 buyers with a deposit of as little as 5 per cent by acting as guarantor for the remaining 15 per cent, it does not address the core problem of rising prices. In fact, it carries the risk of exacerbating the issue by simply giving the would-be buyer a financial leg up if they are lucky enough to have scored one of the limited number of places. Labors accompanying plan to increase the supply of social and affordable homes by funding 30,000 over the next three years, while a welcome shift of focus, is a drop in the bucket.
An accountant siphoned off $1.8 million from her employer to fund her million-dollar gambling addiction, and to help cover living costs after her husband lost his job.

The 67-year-old has offered almost $900,000 in restitution, which she claims is all the money she has left, excluding frozen assets. She also faces deportation back to Scotland after her sentence.

Sandra Balfour, 67, is likely to be deported to Scotland after her release from jail. Credit:Facebook

Sandra Balfour pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Wednesday to one count of fraud. She wiped away tears as she was handed a prison sentence.

The victim was her employer of 24 years, A.P. Eagers, which owns car dealerships across the country. She specifically worked for the Brisbane Motor Auctions dealership in Brendale, north of Brisbane, and the Platinum Vehicle Sales arm of the business.
The company behind the Eatons Hill and Sandstone Point hotels has unveiled plans for a new music festival site in south-east Queensland.

As live music emerges from the dark days of the pandemic, the Comiskey Group wants to create a 150-hectare festival site at Coochin Creek, about 35 minutes south of Maroochydore and one hour and 20 minutes north of Brisbane.

Coochin Fields will be the newest festival site in south-east Queensland.

The site, to be named Coochin Fields, is currently home to turf and strawberry farms, which the Comiskey Group expects will remain when the site welcomes festivals and performances from top-tier artists.

Director Rob Comiskey said Coochin Fields would expand on the major events the company already hosts at Eatons Hill and Sandstone Point.
Convicted killer Bandali Debs has told a murder trial he was referring to himself and Jason Roberts when he used the words us and we in a detailed account he gave a family member about the night two police officers were shot dead.

The Supreme Court heard on Wednesday that 18 months after Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rodney Miller were fatally shot in Moorabbin after midnight on August 16, 1998, Debs discussed the shooting with the man he considered his father figure, Malik Debs.

Sergeant Gary Silk (left) and Senior Constable Rodney Miller.

In a recording of the conversation captured by a police listening device on February 15, 2000, Debs used the words us, we and him when explaining what happened in Cochranes Road, Moorabbin, to Malik.

Debs, in a second day of giving evidence via a video link from the Goulburn Correctional Complex in NSW, told a trial on Wednesday those words referred to himself and Roberts.
Smart Energy Council chief executive John Grimes has rejected complaint by the government that his organisation is acting politically and instead accused the federal government of committing an economic crime against the Australian people by blocking the renewable energy industry.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Energy Minister Angus Taylor campaigning at an oil refinery. Credit:James Brickwood

This federal government has actively worked for nine years to retard, frustrate and hold back the uptake of [renewable energy] technology. There are tens of thousands of jobs across Australia in this industry. That is an economic crime.

Grimes was responding to a complaint made by Liberal senator Andrew Bragg, who has asked the charities regulator to urgently investigate whether the Smart Energy Council should be deregistered for what he called clear, direct and repeated breaches of laws forbidding charities from promoting political parties or candidates.

As part of the complaint, Bragg said the SEC had concerning links to political operatives who are active during the current federal election, noting Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes a Court sits on its board. He also noted the councils government relations manager Wayne Smith once worked for Labor leader Anthony Albanese [as a climate change adviser before 2007].
The University of Melbourne has condemned as anti-Semitic a vote by its student union demanding the university cut ties with Israeli institutions and academics and boycott companies complicit in and profiting from the Israeli apartheid.

On Wednesday the university, which is one of the countrys top-ranked tertiary institutions, stressed that the student unions move was not reflective of its views.

The University of Melbourne is one of Australias top-ranked universities. Credit:Wayne Taylor

This anti-Semitic motion ... is not the position of the University of Melbourne; nor is it one that is endorsed or supported by the university, a spokesman said.

The University of Melbourne Student Union is a self-governing body and operates as a separate entity to the University.
By Azernews





Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and French Foreign Ministrys Ambassador for Eastern Partnership Brice Roquefeuil have discussed Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization in Baku, the ministry has reported.

At the meeting, the process of normalization of interstate relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and steps taken in this direction were discussed. In particular, the sides exchanged views on the implementation of the agreements reached after the Brussels meeting, the ministry said.

Moreover, the sides also touched on the current regional situation, as well as other international problems.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and European Council President Charles Michel met in a trilateral format in Brussels on April 6.

The meeting was held for a continuation of the discussions on the situation in the South Caucasus region and the development of EU relations with both countries.

The leaders took stock of developments since their last meeting in Brussels in December 2021 and their videoconference, together with French President Emmanuel Macron, in February 2022. They reviewed progress on the implementation of undertaken commitments. The leaders discussed the recently reported tensions and reiterated the necessity of adhering fully to the provisions of the 9/10 November 2020 trilateral statement.

Both Aliyev and Pashinyan have expressed a willingness to work quickly toward a peace agreement between their countries. To that end, it was decided to instruct foreign ministers to begin work on drafting a future peace treaty that would address all of the issues.

At the same time, it was also agreed to convene a Joint Border Commission by the end of April. The Joint Border Commission's mandate will be to: delimit the bilateral border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and ensure a stable security situation along and in the vicinity of the borderline.
Senator Ron Johnson, Republican science denier of Wisconsin, thinks it "may be true" that Covid vaccines can give people AIDS.

Speaking to anti-vax mouthpiece Todd Callender, who said Dr. Anthony Fauci should be held criminally accountable for the Covid vaccine push, the Senator is seen on video, tweeted by Heartland Signal (and shown below), as open to the bizarre alternative fact that the coronavirus vaccination can some how inject a person  deliberately  with AIDS.

"You've got more than 100 doctors here, all of whom will tell you that these shots caused vaccine-induced AIDS. They purposefully gave people AIDS," Callendar baselessly claimed. "They knew all of this, and yet they licensed these shots anyway  This is criminal intent."

"You got to do one step at a time," Johnson replied, suggesting that Callendar wasn't necessarily wrong in his senseless statements, but that he was just moving too fast.

"Everything you say may be true, but right now the public views the vaccines as largely safe and effective, that vaccine injuries are rare and mild. That is the narrative," Johnson said. "That's what the vast majority of the public accepts. So until we get a larger percentage of the population with their eyes open, to: Whoa, these vaccine injuries are real. Why? You've got to do step by step."

On Rumble, anti-vaxxer Todd Callender says "[COVID] shots caused vaccine-induced AIDS. They purposefully gave people AIDS."



Ron Johnson: "You gotta do one step at a time. Everything you say may be true. But right now, the public views the vaccines as largely safe and effective." pic.twitter.com/BhnulgiasF  Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) May 3, 2022

Via The Washington Post
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Honorable Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs Silveria E. Jacobs attended EarthX 2022 Forum in Dallas, Texas from April 20 until April 23, for a working visit, profiling St. Maarten on an international level. The trip, dubbed a success for St. Maarten, served as a means to cultivate relationships and form partnerships to advance advocates, investors, accelerators, and researchers on sustainable environmental activities. The EarthX Forum is the world's largest annual environmental forum aimed at showcasing initiatives, research, innovations, policies, and corporate practices serving the environment. The series of conferences further seeks to connect world leaders with innovative international and local organizations/ideas, committed to sustainability and making the world a better place.

The event kicked off on April 20, with a series of panel discussions, presentations, and interviews. Prime Minister Jacobs opened the first session with a speech on women's leadership in the sustainable fashion movement. The fashion event emphasized the environmental impacts of fast fashion, provided information about alternative materials, and highlighted the importance of women leading the charge in the sustainable fashion world.

E-Capital

On April 21, Prime Minister Jacobs participated in a session with Nicholas J. Davis, CEO of GridMarket, whereby they discussed the St. MaartenGridMarketIsland Resilience Partnership engagement and the opportunity to invest in the National Energy Transitions of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). It is through the partnership with GridMarket that St. Maarten is now exploring and securing the transition to renewable and sustainable energy. This will allow St. Maarten to receive support in developing an energy roadmap aligned with the new global roadmap issued last September by the United Nations (UN) which seeks to achieve a radical transformation of energy access and transition by 2030, while at the same time contributing to net zero emissions by 2050.

As SIDS, we are part of the smallest and most remote states in the world. We are a diverse group of islands differing in population, size, and development opportunities. Yet, we share common challenges and vulnerabilities that often prevent us from being able to invest in resilient and sustainable development, particularly as it pertains to renewable energy. With the global challenges of climate change, it is pivotal that we strengthen the relationship between and amongst our sister islands as well as the outermost regions such as islands in the Pacific Ocean as the challenges they face today, will be the challenges we face tomorrow. EarthX offers the platform for partnership engagement as it stimulates and facilitates discussions between investors and SIDS leaders. Therefore, prospects for tangible investments are fostered by attending such illustrious events.

Youth Summit

Following the E-Capital discussion, Prime Minister Jacobs was given the opportunity to address a gathering of youth at the Youngo Summit, a partnership for the goals (SDG 17). This summit was focused on launching the Preparing the Youth to become Negotiators for the Goals, an initiative launched on April 22. As an educator by profession, I have long been captivated by the youths willingness to peel back the layers to examine, critique, and question norms. This is their strength! Often unhindered by tradition and full of optimism, this willingness to dissect combined with fresh ideas means youth are often well-equipped to address the ever-changing and multidimensional issues that form our common agenda, Prime Minister Jacobs stated as she addressed the gathering.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands has a voice in the global climate crisis discussions, and SIDS must be empowered to highlight our issues at these stages as well. As the only Caribbean island in attendance, I am proud to have been invited to promote St. Maarten on such a world stage and be able to bring awareness to the challenges we face, she continued.

Prime Minister Jacobs expressed the need for us as SIDS to make use of our lessons learned, and to bring awareness to support our plight in the fight against climate change, among other SDGs. Creating spheres for collaboration between next-generation leadership and island leaders offers a very nuanced and dynamic approach, particularly in the use of social media and immersive technology, to raise awareness and bring about innovative solutions to tomorrows challenges, she stated.

Her participation in the summit culminated in an activity introducing the concept of a reciprocity ring. Designed to foster skills in stakeholder building and negotiation, participants sat in a circle posing clear requests, accompanied by a timeline. Fellow group members then indicated their ability to assist or offered guidance or suggestions to achieve the request. Prime Minister Jacobs expressed her enjoyment of the activity as an empowering tool for supporting youth engagement and promised to connect the organization with youth leaders and change-makers from Sint Maarten.

Earth Day

On April 22, Earth Day, as the only Caribbean island represented, Prime Minister Jacobs had the privilege of delivering the Island Resilience Partnership keynote address. The Island Resilience Forum brings island leaders from all around the world together, not only to discuss solutions to the UN SDGs but also to develop partnerships to achieve these goals. In attendance this year, were the Ambassadors of various Pacific Islands (Tonga, Tuvalu, Samoa, Kiribati) and the ambassadors to the Solomon Islands. They all spoke of their challenges with climate change, whether it be the loss of islands due to the rise in sea level, the adverse effects of overfishing and trawling, to other natural disasters. Islands share one commonality, though small, they are greatly impacted by the effects of climate change.

In her keynote address, Prime Minister Jacobs highlighted the importance of securing our utility sectors, based on our history with Hurricanes Luis in 1995 and Irma in 2017. They revealed energy vulnerabilities such as having our sole energy plant in a low-lying coastal area while damage to overhead cabling required a large-scale recovery effort to restore power in specific areas. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed social, economic and financial vulnerabilities. It resulted in the loss of employment, and a rise in the cost of living since St. Maarten is heavily dependent on imported goods and services, which experienced significant disruption in the supply chains. Our response to this so-called new normal has been to redouble our efforts for sustainable national development, Prime Minister Jacobs mentioned.

Energy, in this regard, is seen as one of the main drivers that affect the cost of living. It affects transportation costs, food prices, healthcare expenses, and, of course, utility costs. Needless to say, energy also affects our environment. The fluctuating world prices of petroleum constitute an enormous financial burden on the people and their quality of life.

UN Family Offices for Sustainable Development (FOSD)

Prime Minister Jacobs was invited to speak on the role of private investment in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on April 22. Organized by the UN Family Offices for Sustainable Development (FOSD), the program is managed by PVBLIC Foundation & the UN Office for Partnership. FOSD brings together small groups of global family offices, privately-held companies that handle investment management for a family of means, committed to advancing the completion of the SDGs to create greater impact via collaboration with UN agencies and with each other. In her address, Prime Minister Jacobs spoke on the importance and opportunities of investing capital in parts of the world that are on the front line of the climate crisis.

UN SDG Media Summit

On April 23, Prime Minister Jacobs held a dynamic talk at the UN SDG Media Summit under the theme Fostering Leadership, wherein she highlighted the youth of St. Maarten building awareness of the UN SDG goals, as well as their view on the approach to achieve them. The UN SDG goals video featuring St. Maarten students expressing their knowledge, awareness, and ideas about the SDS including Climate through the arts, received a resounding commendation from the audience. One audience member stated, the video brought me to tears.

The Media Summit exchanged ideas as it seeks to ensure the best use of media is used to bring more awareness of climate change in particular, and the SDGs in general to the general public to increase participation in the achievement of the goals. The clear conclusion was to ensure the messenger is relatable, conscious of its audience, representative of all of humanity, and that all possible and variety of media forms should be used with messaging being repeated often.

BlockChain

Based on the overall impact of Prime Minister Jacobs addresses throughout the week, the moderator of the Blockchain Impact Finance Summit requested that she close off the summit on April 23. During this session, Prime Minister Jacobs highlighted the importance of technology and innovation in supporting emerging economies around the world, especially for us as SIDS. Our Minister of Finance, being a millennial himself, is a proponent of the emerging blockchain innovation, and has been trying to educate us as a Council of Ministers and Parliament of the proponents and the adverse effect it can have on our economy, as we work to diversify our one pillar economy, said Prime Minister Jacobs. Its their world, they were born to it, were the immigrants, Prime Minister Jacobs mentioned referring to the age of information and the forward-thinking innovators we call our youth.

With this in mind, St. Maarten has established a public-private partnership utilizing artificial intelligence to accelerate our national energy transition. As countries (not only SIDS), focus should be on the emerging technologies, as this can help us in achieving SDG goals 1 eradicating people in poverty and 2, ending world hunger. Combining these innovations to achieve SDG 1&2, with the partnership for the goals SDG 17 is observed as a more viable option for SIDS to achieve and sustain our populations for continued financial and economic resilience beyond 2030, stated Prime Minister Jacobs.

We must consider the environmental impact of the new technologies being developed to support economies, otherwise, we may achieve development goals - but they will not be sustainable. It is therefore imperative that we work together to achieve the UN SDGs by 2030, to ensure the phase after 2030; our evaluation phase, where we begin to give back to the earth what weve taken.

Conclusion

A high-level gala was organized on the last day, to celebrate partnerships and thank this years participants. The EarthX 2022 Forum was a huge success for St. Maarten as the island was heavily featured on the international stage for 4 consecutive days. The feedback received was very encouraging lending to potential prospects for investment, creating new partnerships, and most importantly may accelerate our goal for renewable forms of energy in St. Maarten way before the 2030 goal! Funding possibilities exist and I am committed to finding them for St. Maarten. I would like to thank my team for their support, making it possible for St. Maarten to be represented throughout all discussion sessions, stated Prime Minister Jacobs.

Next steps

In the coming months, St. Maarten will continue building on the foundation laid at the EarthX 2022 Forum, having already scheduled meetings and follow-up plans with several key stakeholders. Using this momentum, I encourage all local stakeholders to also do their part in St. Maarten.

By the end of 2022, and early on in 2023, a roadmap with GridMarket will be established, paving the transition to renewable energy prospects. On behalf of the Government of St. Maarten, Id like to thank EarthX founder Tramell Crowe, EarthX organizers, GridMarkets entire team, Nick, Peter, Matt, and Jillian for all their hard work and dedication in ensuring the goal of St. Maarten, Partnerships for the goals were achieved, concluded Prime Minister Jacobs.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Delegations from the Parliaments of Curacao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten met today, Tuesday, May 3, 2022, for a Tripartite discussion.

The goal of todays meeting was to prepare for the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultation as well as to discuss topics of mutual interest. Among the topics were, a discussion on a proposal for a Dispute Regulation; current relations within the Kingdom, bottlenecks, and proposals for improvement; a discussion on the proposal for the Caribbean Reform and Development Agency (COHO); Presentation by a delegation of the Island Council of Sint Eustatius regarding the matter of democracy, or the lack thereof, in Sint Eustatius and by extension the kingdom and restoring the regular democratic order in Sint Eustatius; and discussion on the petition submitted on behalf of the Parliament of Sint Maarten to the UN Special Rapporteur on Racism.

The meeting was deemed to have been very successful.

After the deliberations, Members of the delegations of Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten along with Members of the Parliament of Sint Maarten who were present as observers, posed for a group photograph.

The Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (IPKO) will commence tomorrow, Wednesday, May 4, 2022; at 10.05 hrs. with the opening and welcome address by the Chairlady of Parliament of Sint Maarten, Mrs. Grisha Heyliger-Marten and a short speech and presentation by each delegation leader.

The Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (IPKO) sessions can be followed live via Parliaments Website: www.sxmparliament.org ; and Parliaments YouTube channel: sxmparliament
Bridgetown, Barbados:--- When the Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum (CREF) gathered for its 14th session in Miami, Florida, recently, CIBC FirstCaribbean was named the recipient of the award for Best Renewable Energy Financing in the 2022 CREF Industry Awards.



The forum returned to its first in-person gathering where over 25 countries, including regional stakeholders, were in attendance for the April 26-28 caucus.



CIBC FirstCaribbean was recognized for its innovation and leadership in corporate financing of key initiatives in the renewable energy sector. Between 2020-21, the bank spearheaded the refinancing of project portfolios of two major renewable energy players in the Caribbean: BMR Energy, a developer of wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) assets in multiple territories of the region and Central America; and WRB Energy, an investor in the largest utility-scale solar PV plant in Jamaica. In so doing, the bank continued to express its confidence in the sector by demonstrating that regional financial institutions are at the table to support the regions energy transition and emphasize that renewable energy investments can access financing options within our region to accelerate this transition.



Chief Executive Officer, Colette Delaney observed that the banks commitment over the period for which the award was adjudicated, represents a departure from the historical construct where extra-regional development banks have been the main financiers of renewable energy projects within our region. Renewable energy developers now understand that our support for projects in the sector means that there is more than a single pathway to financing their projects in the region.



Our bank will continue to focus on the types of investments that can be a catalyst to our regions recovery, such as renewable energy investments. Infrastructure investment, in general, is important to stimulate the economy, put people back to work, create new jobs and encourage increased cash flow circulation to resuscitate our economies and ensure our future success, noted Ms. Delaney.



CIBC FirstCaribbean continues to be acknowledged for its role in arranging similar financing initiatives in the renewable energy space. In 2017, the bank received the CREF Project Finance Deal of the Year award for financing of the first utility-scale solar PV project in the Cayman Islands.



CREF is the largest annual gathering of the energy market in the Caribbean, with a particular focus on clean energy. Through events, webinars and market intelligence, the conference organisers, New Energy Events LLC, has supported the global transition to clean energy since 2009. The forum continues to bring together policymakers, regulators, utilities, investors, developers and financiers in an environment which encourages the market to meet and network, with a view to inspiring action in the industry.
PHILIPSBURG:--- With the current IPKO meetings scheduled for this week being of such importance, Pro Soualiga would like the Dutch IPKO Delegation to answer the following questions:

1) Is the Dutch IPKO delegation aware that the International Court of Justice in its Advisory Opinion of 2019, stated that "A people under authority cannot exercise genuine free will"?

2) Is the Dutch IPKO delegation aware that the Dutch State declared before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2018 that "the right of self-determination of peoples is not exhausted by a one-off exercise, but is a permanent, continuing, universal and inalienable right with a peremptory (dwingend recht) character "?

3)Is the Dutch IPKO delegation aware that the right to self-determination is a peremptory norm (dwingend recht) from which there can be no derogation?

4) Is the Dutch IPKO delegation aware that the Dutch State declared before the ICJ in 2018 that "it must also be concluded that the decisions on the political status and the economic, social and cultural development are made by the people itself, or its legitimate representatives, not by others. Moreover, such decisions shall be made in full freedom, without any outside pressure or interference"?

5) Can the Dutch IPKO delegation confirm that because the right to self-determination is also a "jus cogens" or peremptory norm (dwingend recht) that it prevails over the Rijkswet COHO there is no lawful way to circumvent or, derogate from, a peremptory norm (dwingend recht)?

6) Can the Dutch IPKO delegation confirm that the right to self-determination also prevails over the Kingdom Charter or "Het Statuut"?

On April 28th, 2022, Pro Soualiga sent a letter with similar questions to State Secretary Van Huffelend with an expected reply within three weeks of said date.
MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP):--- On Wednesday, a federal judge in Miami ordered that British Virgin Islands Premier Andrew Fahie be released on $500,000 corporate surety bond.

Fahie was taken into custody last week in South Florida on cocaine smuggling charges.

Fahie has since requested his release, claiming he is immune from prosecution because he is the elected, constitutional head of government of the British overseas territory.

An attorney for Fahie made the request in a filing with Miami federal court.

Fahie was arrested during a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration sting as he was preparing to board a private jet in Miami.

According to a criminal complaint, Fahie and Oleanvine Maynard, his ports director, had been at the airport to meet who they thought were Mexican drug traffickers but in reality were undercover DEA agents.

In the criminal complaint, Maynard refers to Fahie as a little crook sometimes who wouldnt hesitate to profit from a plan cooked up with the help of self-proclaimed Lebanese Hezbollah operatives to move mass quantities of cocaine and drug proceeds through the Caribbean island.

The shock arrest roiled the British Virgin Islands, where Fahie was already facing allegations of widespread corruption and seemed to bolster calls to suspend the constitution for two years to clean up government and return to home rule by officials from London.

Fahie, who also serves as the finance minister, was said to have traveled to Miami to attend a conference for the cruise industry and ahead of his departure had appointed a deputy to act as premier in his absence.

However, any battle to assert immunity is likely to face numerous obstacles.

Immunity doesnt protect you if youre on your own private boondoggle, said Dick Gregorie, a former federal prosecutor in Miami who in the 1980s indicted the prime minister of Turks & Caicos, another British colony, on drug charges and then Panamanian strongman Gen. Manuel Noriega.

Still, prosecutions of foreign officials are rare and going after the Caribbean islands top elected official would certainly have been greenlighted at the highest levels of the U.S. Justice Department and State Department given the potential impact.

For example, federal prosecutors in New York waited for Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez to step down this year before indicting him on allegations of drug trafficking that first came to light in the trial of his brother.

This isnt done willy-nilly. Prosecutors are clearly very confident in the evidence, said Gregorie.

The string of islands of 35,000 people east of Puerto Rico is currently under a 2007 constitution giving it limited self-governance.

Gov. John Rankin, who is Queen Elizabeth IIs representative to the islands and its ultimate executive authority, said the arrests prompted him to release  earlier than originally intended  a report by a commission of inquiry launched in January 2021 to investigate allegations of widespread government fraud.

Gov. Rankin said the inquiry concluded that millions of dollars were spent on projects, some of them linked to allies of the premier, that were abandoned or found to be of no public benefit.

Some of them were, on their face, false, the governor said.

The commission had concluded that unless the most urgent and drastic steps are taken, the current situation with elected officials deliberately ignoring the tenants of good governance will go on indefinitely, Rankin told the televised news conference.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Protocol having been established, I would like to simply say good afternoon, goede middag, bon tardi, to all of you here with us today and viewing online.

It is an honor for me to on behalf of the host country and Sint Maarten delegation at this IPKO to give you a presentation today on the State of Affairs of Sint Maarten.

I would like to pause here to mention MP William Marlin, a veteran politician and mentor to many of us in Parliament, myself included, who is not with us today due to a medical procedure abroad but sends his warmest regards to you all. Wishing you a speedy recovery William, and hurry up come back so you can come back to cooking that delicious pig foot souse.



This presentation consists of 2 parts. Part 1 will focus mainly on what has transpired at the Parliament of Sint Maarten since the last IPKO and the 2nd part will focus on recent developments, finances, economic development, Covid 19, and COHO.

Part 1: State of Affairs Parliament of Sint Maarten

Members of Parliament 2020-2024 and Committees

Since the last IPKO, the Parliament of Sint Maarten currently consists of 7 factions, namely the National Alliance, the United Peoples Party, the United St. Maarten Party, the Party for Progress, and the United Democrats, independent Member Mr. C.T. Emmanuel, and independent Member Mr. A.E. Arrindell. The Parliament now also has a substitute Member in the person of Mr. C.E. Brownbill.

We have seen an increase in the activities of the Permanent and Ad Hoc Committees of Parliament. The Committee of Justice is currently having in-depth discussions and proposals on the draft Penal Procedure Code and the Committee for Constitutional Affairs and Decolonization hosted its first expert round table panel discussion on the Kingdom Charter. Other committees have been very active such as the education committee meeting with education and youth stakeholders, the district councils committee where we hear from the community councils directly, finance committee which is the main point of contact with CFT, Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten and the Bankers association, the integrity committee that is working on a draft code of conduct, health and labor committee that has had various initiatives laws explored and discussed including a senior benefits law and national health levy, among many others.

The Ad Hoc Committee New Parliament Building envisions in the not too distant future have its own building, as opposed to renting the building as we do now. This is seen as more effective to finance a mortgage locally than to continue paying rent.

Legislation, Amendments and Motions etc.

After much deliberation, the Budget of Country Sint Maarten for 2022 was accepted on January 24, 2022, with a deficit of 124.1 million guilders. There was much debate regarding the manner in which the handling of the Budget 2022 took place. This stemmed from the fact that no approval had been received for deviation from the budget standards prior to its approval as stipulated in the Kingdom Financial Supervision, for which a request was made.

However, the Budget for 2022 was accepted by Parliament and subsequently published by Government on March 30, 2022.

During the handling of Budget 2022, 9 motions were tabled and passed. These motions touched on topics such as promoting the culture and heritage of Sint Maarten, sports, the feasibility of the implementation of a late fee for motor vehicle tax, and filling critical vacancies at the government. There was also a motion recognizing Esports as a legitimate form of sports, which is a growing phenomenon in all our countries. And CBCS facilitates with the creation of consumer banking laws, with the motion acknowledging in its considerations that:

The banks and their policies have become increasingly cumbersome for banking consumer. There have also been various amendments presented by MPs to various laws including the national budget. The parliament continues to be very engaged in fulfilling its function as co-legislator, by means of motions and amendments.

Part 2: Recent developments on Sint Maarten

Sint Maarten was hit by hurricane Irma in September 2017. However, during your stay in Sint Maarten, you would have noticed that there is still much construction to be done. As a matter of fact, the first thing you would have seen is our Airport, still under construction since 2017. It is noteworthy that Schiphol is involved in the reconstruction of the airport, as per the agreements made for the financing of the reconstruction.

The Trust Fund that was established in April 2018 is still in place, and the National Recovery Program Bureau, by National Decree, the Government extended the working time of the Temporary National Ordinance National Program Bureau Reconstruction by two years per March 30, 2022.

You will learn more about the trust fund and the activities during your work visit this week. However, it does appear that the general sentiment amongst the population of Sint Maarten is that the entire bureaucratic process that was chosen for the disbursements of the recovery funds with regard to the aftermath of the hurricanes Irma and Maria has not yielded satisfactory results.

Finance and economy

An important motion that was passed by the Parliament in June 2021, was that of the Member Pantophlet which requested the Government to take into the discussion with the Dutch government the topic of debt cancellation. It is important to note here that the current debt of Sint Maarten is currently at 930 million guilders. For perspective, you can more or less divide the guilder figure by 2 to get the Euro amount. There has been debate about the starting debt of the country but according to our latest budget under Staat van opgenomen langlopende geldleningen Id like to share some figures:

St. Maarten started with a debt of 304 million in 101010 to the Dutch government, some of which has since been paid off. As a new country in need of significant investment, between 2010 through 2017 (Irma), 320 million in debt was accumulated mostly for crucial investments, which is about 40 million per year. Then since 2017, about 600 million was accumulated mostly due to the hurricane and pandemic, unforeseen circumstances that would put any country in the need to borrow. Questions have been raised in debating the debt cancellation motion, as to whether the aforementioned debts should even have been debts in the first place, as some members believe that those investments were an obligation by the Netherlands and should have been grants. Debt cancellation is seen as an important remedy to lower monthly interest expenses, a better debt to GDP ratio, and a more honest financial picture for St. Maarten.

What has also been a major concern is the 12,5% cuts for civil servants that were requested by the Dutch government. It is noteworthy that the Governments are currently renegotiating these cuts and we look forward to a positive outcome regarding this for our people, as these cuts cause significant negative social and economic problems.

I mentioned earlier the improvement of the economy. A lot of that has to do with St. Maarten taking a balanced approach to COVID-19 where we knew, depending on 85% tourism, we could not completely close our country. Our Minister of Health is also our Minister of Labor, so this allowed for a strategy that balanced the need to keep our people safe and healthy, with their ability to provide for themselves.

This has proven to be an effective strategy since St. Maarten has, every quarter since March 2020, exceeded economic expectations. Tying business closures to hospitalizations, a robust vaccination program, recognizing natural immunity to COVID-19, free testing and an expanded COVID-19 unit proved to be a formula that balanced the health of our people with the ability to make a living. For the period where closures were unavoidable, the SSRP was launched to support businesses payroll expenses.

Despite our best efforts to improve the economy of Sint Maarten's increase after the hurricanes and once again after the harsher part of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have needed liquidity support in order to help our situation. At this moment the Ministry of Finance has indicated that Sint Maartens financial status is uncertain given the transition we are going through, and while we perform economically better than expected, reserves are limited.

And Although Sint Maarten has been performing financially better than expected, CFT has now asked the Government to cut another 50 million guilders from the 2022 budget instead of looking at reinvesting in our economy or withstanding some social deficiencies that have exacerbated since COVID 19. It is also important to note here that the consensus Kingdom Law Financial supervision was recently evaluated, and the committee concluded that the supervision should continue.

COHO

The Parliament of Sint Maarten also received the draft consensus Kingdom Law Caribbean Reform and Development Agency on February 11, 2022. The Parliament, under the guidance of the CKAIR committee, decided to use different instruments in researching this draft that is currently on the table at the Parliaments. We have not only requested advice from our Council of Advice, but we have also requested the Social Economic Council to give their view on it, and we have also had different experts come into Parliament to discuss the pros and cons of this consensus Kingdom Law.

The Government has publicly provided Parliament with a list of concerns that they still have with the draft and some factions have already provided or points of concern or their full position on the draft COHO as is. The Prime Minister has stated in our public interpellation with her regarding COHO, that she felt under duress and pressure to accept the conditions, due to the importance of liquidity support. However, the Parliament of Sint Maarten has not yet taken a position on this draft as yet and we are in the handling phase of the trajectory.

I think it is important for me to repeat the word consensus, and I look forward to our discussions today and tomorrow regarding not only this draft but essentially this type of law and the role that we as Parliamentarians play in this concept of consensus laws. The question can be asked if the planning of the handling of such a consensus law should not also happen in consensus. Nevertheless, we have informed the Second Chamber that we will be sending our report by May 20, 2022."

This then brings me to the end of this presentation. If there are any questions I will be happy along with the rest of the delegation to answer them.



I thank you for your attention and wish you all a pleasant and fruitful remainder of this IPKO.
SABA:--- As is customary on May 4, Memorial Day, the victims of World War II were remembered at the war monument in The Bottom. On the monument are the names of 130 persons of the Netherlands Antilles, including 12 Sabans, who perished during the 1940-1945 war.

Formerly, there were 129 names on the war monument, but on December 19, 2021, the name of the 130th person, Thelma Esther Polak was added. She was a Jewish nurse who was born on Saba in 1920 as the daughter of a Surinam Jewish doctor who worked on Saba. She perished at concentration camp Sobibor in 1943. The original, larger plaque contains the names of 11 Saba seafarers who died on sunken oil tankers during WWII.

Island Governor Jonathan Johnson, Island Secretary Tim Muller, several Members of the Island Council, a group of more than 20 students of the Sacred Heart School (SHS) and the Saba Comprehensive School (SCS), civil servants, and other members of the community were present at the solemn ceremony. The SHS had students of grade 6 and staff present, while the SCS had delegated at least one student of each grade, students of the Saba history program, and staff.

Cherish freedom

Island Governor Johnson, Island Council Members Hemmie van Xanten and Carl Buncamper, and four students laid wreaths at the monument following the one-minute silence at 2:00 pm, the exact same moment of Memorial Day observance in the Netherlands and in other parts of the Dutch Kingdom.

We are very lucky to live in freedom on Saba. We should cherish and enjoy this freedom, and remember what it means, especially now with the war in Ukraine, stated Johnson in a short address at the start of the ceremony. He also mentioned that since December last year, the name of Thelma Polak was added to the monument on a separate small plaque. We remember her as well as she too was born on Saba, said Johnson. He noted that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony did not take place last year.

Seafarers

The victims of WWII were commemorated at the war monuments throughout the Dutch Caribbean. The 129 victims whose names are engraved on the identical plaques, which were installed in 1957 on all six islands, include merchant navy personnel, persecuted people, civil and resistance victims, and the military. The majority of the Antillean victims were seafarers who worked on oil tankers. The oil refineries in Aruba and Curacao supplied fuel for the allied forces.

A large group of students was present at Wednesdays commemoration. It is important to have our students appreciate freedom, to observe the importance of living in a safe environment, and to remember that freedom is not a given, said SCS Principal Anton Hermans.

Freedom breakfast

On Liberation Day, May 5, the SCS will hold a freedom breakfast at eight locations on Saba from 8:00 to 10:00 am at the Flight Deck, Bizzy B in the Windwardside, Island Flavor, Bottom Bean, Queens Garden, Ecolodge, the Home, and the SCS. Students, former students, and many others will assist with this breakfast which serves to observe and celebrate freedom. It is a true community effort, said Hermans. Besides Saba, freedom breakfasts and meals will be held in Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, and St. Maarten.
Jericho Road Community Health Center has completed its $2.05 million purchase of a former assisted-living facility in Buffalo, with plans to renovate the structure and move its Vive Shelter program for asylum seekers into the space by late 2022.

It brings new life to the former Bristol Home facility at 1500 Main St., which dates to 1868 but closed in early 2021 under the weight of major financial pressures.

"To people running from violence, war, persecution and other desperate conditions, Vive represents hope for a new beginning in a safe place," Jericho Road founder and CEO Dr. Myron Glick said. "This shelter is where people finally feel that they dont have to look over their shoulders or sleep with one eye open anymore. Moving Vive into 1500 Main St. will help us give our residents the warm and welcoming refuge they deserve."

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Glick said he expects renovations to the three-story building to cost no more than $2 million. The plans include: upgrades to the building's systems; a kitchen and cafeteria; a classroom; a medical clinic for Vive residents; a quiet room; a barbershop; legal and program offices; and recreational areas that include an indoor playroom and an outdoor playground on the site's green space.

Vive's current home at 50 Wyoming Ave. is 24,000 square feet while the Main Street building measures 38,500 square feet. The move's goal is not to increase volume, however, as the new and old buildings have the same capacity of 120 residents. Instead, Jericho Road said, the intention is to provide a better, safer and more comfortable atmosphere for residents.

One of the main challenges of Vive's current location on the East Side, Glick said, is its "dormitory style." Most of that building's sleeping and living spaces are large dorms that accommodate several people, with the rooms assigned by gender  meaning families often get separated.

Jericho Road plans asylum emergency shelter for former Main Street assisted-living home According to a variance application Jericho Road submitted to the city's Zoning Board of Appeals, the agency plans to modernize the property to provide short-term shelter, food, supportive services and access to legal help for refugees.

Since the Wyoming Avenue facility was originally a school and wasn't designed to be a residential structure, that also has led to overburdened plumbing and HVAC systems and costly recurring repairs.

Once Vive completes its move, Jericho Road plans to retain the Wyoming Avenue building for a yet-undetermined new purpose.

Jericho Road has owned the Wyoming Avenue building since 2015, when it acquired Vive.

Vive, founded in 1984, assists those making a refugee claim in Canada or are seeking asylum protection in the United States by providing them with safety, shelter, food and legal help.

Vive served 1,741 people in 2019, a figure that fell during the pandemic to 918 in 2020 and 1,235 last year. Glick expects those numbers to grow moving forward.

"Given all the turmoil in the world, that just makes us suspect and plan for continued busyness at Vive," he said. "We wish we didn't live in a world where folks had to flee their homes and try to find a home somewhere else, but we do live in such a world. So that's why we're here. That's why we're trying to stand in the gap.

Jon Harris can be reached at 716-849-3482 or jharris@buffnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByJonHarris.

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Miller & the Other Sinners

5:30 p.m. Friday, May 6 at the Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St.; $10.

The regions preeminent Southern soul ensemble is prepping for a busy summer of touring, with dates at festivals in New Mexico and Arizona peppered between appearances in the Northeast. Most recently, the David Michael Miller-led band headlined a tribute to Bill Withers and Bobby Blue Bland at Photo City Music Hall in Rochester, and performed as part of the maiden voyage of the Buffalo Blues & Roots Festival at Buffalo RiverWorks.

Local fans can delight in the fact that Miller and crew will be performing Happy Hour shows at the Sportsmens Tavern the first Friday of every month, throughout the summer.

Testament - The Bay Strikes Back Tour, with Exodus & Death Angel

7 p.m. Friday, May 6 at the Town Ballroom, 681 Main St.; $39.50.

Testament is one of the most significant bands in the history of American metal, and part of the onslaught of West Coast bands that bridged the gap between melodic British metal and the punk-influenced thrash movement. The Bay Strikes Back Tour was waylaid by Covid, but now this mini-festival of deeply influential Bay Area bands is good to go. Note that guitarist Alex Skolnick, one of the finest metal players ever, is back in the Testament fold, which makes this show even more of a must-see event.

Tauk with Lespecial

8 p.m. Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7 at Buffalo Iron Works, 49 Illinois St.; $20/$25.

Las time I caught New York-born instrumental quartet Tauk at Buffalo Iron Works, I remember thinking I was clever when I said These guys have invented a new genre  Prog-Hop. OK, its not all that funny, but you get the point. Tauk brings a progressive approach to bear on a multitude of musical influences, and in the process, has assembled a legion of devout followers. Buffalo is full of such fans, which explains why Tauk is playing a two-night mini-residency, its genre-bending Lespecial along on both nights.

Richard Lloyd Group with the Waves and Matt Smiths Nervous System

6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 7 at Mohawk Place, 47 E. Mohawk St.; $15/$20.

The co-founder and co-guitarist of Television is one of the most influential guitarists of the rock era, one whose work has informed the efforts of indie-rockers to jam bands. For this rare show, Lloyd will be joined by Kevin Tooley of Paul Young/Katrina and the Waves, Tom Currier of Dave Davies/the Kinks and David Leonard. Another legendary guitarist  our own Matt Smith (the Headhunters/the Real McCoys)  will open with his new project, Matt Smiths Nervous System. For anyone interested in the roots of alternative music, I recommend reading Lloyds 2017 autobiography, Everything Is Combustible: Television, CBGB's and Five Decades of Rock and Roll: The Memoirs of an Alchemical Guitarist.

Ten Cent Howl album release party

8 p.m. Saturday, May 7 at the Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St.; $10.

Buffalos Ten Cent Howl understands that Americana and roots music is about what we share, not about what divides us  the minutiae of everyday living that offers a microcosmic glimpse of the human condition. Thats why this bands music smacks of something that feels like home  theres a sense of the universal in the songwriting, and an eloquence in the playing and singing that soothes while it elevates. This Sportsmens Tavern gig finds the band marking the release of new EP Where the Lowly Go by performing it in its entirety, with guest contributors, and dipping into the back catalog as well.

All Them Witches, with the Swell Fellas

8 p.m. Sunday, May 8 at the Town Ballroom, 681 Main St.; $22.

This Nashville-born quartet is one of my favorite of the more recent class of stoner rock outfits, precisely because of the deep Southern soul that sits at the heart of every riff-o-rama. ATWs 2020 release Nothing As the Ideal is one of my most-played rock albums of that year, and newly released single Silver To Rust suggests more full-length greatness to come.

Black Sabbitch

7 p.m. Wednesday, May 11 at the Sportsmens Tavern, 326 Amherst St.; $15.

Its time for Buffalo to find out what Los Angeles fans of heavy music have known about for a good while, among them Dave Grohl. Black Sabbitch, the all-female Black Sabbath tribute ensemble, plays the Black Sabbath canon with passion, precision and fire. This one is gonna melt some faces.

Also worth checking out:

Mystery Skulls & Su Lee, 7 p.m. May 10 at the Rec Room, 79 W. Chippewa St.; $18.

The Wailers, 7p.m. May 11 at Buffalo Iron Works, 49 Illinois St; $25/$28.

Sponge, Hearts & Hand Grenades, The Impunity, Tokyo Monsters & Wacko Fest, 7 p.m. May 5 at Mohawk Place, 47 E. Mohawk St.; $15/$20.

The Music of David Sanborn and Marcus Miller, featuring Jon Lehning and Dave Schiavone, 7 p.m. May 7 at Pausa Art House, 19 Wadsworth St.; $10/$15.

Resident pianist Richie English, 8 p.m. May 6 and 7 at the Bittersweet Piano Lounge, Lafayette Hotel, 391 Washington St., free.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  The State Department said Wednesday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken has tested positive for COVID-19 after attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner and related events over the weekend.

Spokesman Ned Price said Blinken tested positive in a PCR test on Wednesday afternoon. Price said Blinken is fully vaccinated and is experiencing only mild symptoms.

Blinken tested negative Tuesday and again earlier Wednesday morning with antigen tests but took the PCR test after devloping symptoms. Blinken has not met in person with President Joe Biden for several days and is not considered a close contact of the president, according to the White House and State Department.

Before testing positive, Blinken met Wednesday at the State Department with the Swedish foreign minister and on Tuesday with the Mexican foreign secretary. Price said the department is tracking all close contacts that Blinken has had over the past several days and notifying them of the situation.

Blinken had been scheduled to give a speech Thursday about the Biden administrations China policy, but Price said that speech has been indefinitely postponed.

Price said Blinken, who attended the White House Correspondents Association dinner on Saturday as well as a number of receptions related to it through the weekend, would isolate at home and work virtually until the quarantine period is over.

He is the latest Biden administration figure to test positive. Vice President Kamala Harris was cleared to return to to the White House on Tuesday after testing positive last week.
HARTFORD  Connecticut lawmakers voted to make Juneteenth an official state holiday on Wednesday, following a lengthy debate that inflamed passions over a conservative lawmakers remarks about slaverys inclusion in the Constitution.

The June 19 holiday, which commemorates the date in 1865 when U.S. Army troops entered Galveston Bay and spread the news of emancipation to enslaved people in Texas, has been celebrated for more than 150 years, and is recognized as a paid holiday in five states, including New York and Texas.

The House passed legislation Wednesday to establish Juneteenth as the 13th state holiday by a vote of 148-1. The bill now heads to Lamont, who has said he is open to enshrining the holiday as a paid day off for state workers.

A spokesman for Lamont said on Wednesday that the governors office would review the bill and its associated costs.

During the nearly two-hour debate on the bill, several Black lawmakers rose to rebuke comments from state Rep. Kimberly Fiorello, R-Greenwich, during a discussion of the founding fathers attitudes toward slavery. Fiorello said she sought to set the record straight on the Three-Fifths Compromise  a section of the Constitution under which slaves were counted as three-fifths of a person  calling it a compromise toward freedom that was pushed by northern, free states.

Fiorello, who voted in support of the Juneteenth holiday bill, had earlier complained that since the time I have been here, I have seen a focus on race that I think is unhealthy.

Those comments prompted a succession of speakers, starting with Rep. Robyn Porter, D- New Haven, who pushed back on Fiorellos comments.

The fact that Black people  men, women and children  were not seen as whole human beings for the purposes of taxation and representation, that is what the Three-Fifths Compromise was rooted and grounded in, Porter said, surrounded by several dozen of her Democratic colleagues.

Us being recognized as whole human beings, I hope that is what this holiday will bring, Porter said.

Connecticut has recognized Juneteenth as a commemorative holiday since 2003. A number of prominent companies in the state, including The Hartford and Stanley, Black and Decker, began observing the holiday with a day off for workers in recent years.

President Joe Biden signed legislation in 2021 establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday.

This is something that for years Black folk have been trying to see emerge from just a commemorative day, said state Rep. Anthony Nolan, D- New London. Having a commemorative day is nice, but having a holiday in regard to some significant moments in Black history is just so important for Black people, and we dont have that.

The chairman of the Connecticut Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, state Rep. Geraldo Reyes, D- Waterbury, said emotions in the room were palpable as lawmakers  some of whom have pushed for unsuccessfully for recognition of the Juneteenth holiday in past sessions  saw their efforts come to fruition.

Personally to be able to be on that dias, I was able to actually look and feel and look at the room, and honestly when the bill passed I almost hit the gavel with tears in my eyes, Reyes said.

Despite the back-and-forth between Democrats and Republicans on Wednesday, only one lawmaker  state Rep. Gale Mastrofransesco, R-Wolcott  voted against the bill after raising concerns about the estimated price tag of $1.8 million to $2.3 million to give state employees the day off.

In addition to the costs to the state, making Juneteenth a paid holiday would add extra overtime costs of less than $50,000 a year to municipalities, according to a fiscal analysis.

It is out of control, Mastrofransesco said, noting that most state employees already receive several weeks of vacation and sick days. What will be next that will be paid for? We could come up with many holidays.

The bill would treat Juneteenth as a non-premium state holiday, meaning that employees who work on that day would not be eligible for bonus pay such as they may receive on holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Banks and credit unions would remain closed, as they are for state holidays.

The state holiday would be celebrated on either June 19 or on the nearest Friday or Monday, if that day falls on a weekend.
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Connecticuts COVID positivity rate surpassed 10 percent Wednesday, but that number means something different than earlier in the pandemic  and even a few months ago when the omicron variant caused widespread outbreaks in the state, the Department of Public Health commissioner said.

We are going through a swell, DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani said in an interview Wednesday with Hearst Connecticut Media Group. People have talked about an uptick and a spike and a surge or whatever. I kind of like swell because it's sort of like a rolling tumble up, and we don't know where it's going to go, when it's gonna come down.

Though the metrics are concerning, Juthani said they should be considered in context.

The number 10 percent today means something very different than it did even in the height of omicron, Juthani said. At 10 percent positivity in omicron, we had many more hospitalizations when we went through the winter.

The last time the Connecticut positivity rate hit 10 percent was in January, according to state data. The wave caused by the omicron variant was waning from its peak a month earlier, and hospitalizations were also declining. At the time, there were 1,270 COVID-related hospitalizations.

On Wednesday, the state said there had been 6,198 new cases identified over the previous week among 60,077 reported tests, a seven-day positivity rate of 10.32 percent. There were 35 more COVID hospitalizations over the past week for a total of 245.

Because hospitalizations have remained low, Juthani reiterated that statewide mandates are not expected.

If our hospitals are able to manage then, as a state, we are not in mandate mode, she said. That is not where we need to be.

Juthani also said positivity rates only tell part of the story. In April, the state stopped requiring negative rapid test results to be reported. Negative and positive PCR test results must still be reported to the state, as are positive rapid tests.

Why is our positivity 10 percent? In part, because I think the people getting PCRs already know they're positive and want that confirmation by PCR, or had been testing negative on self-test kits, but are symptomatic and are going in and getting a PCR, Juthani said. So I think our positivity rate does not necessarily reflect what it did before.

As for the future of disease transmission in Connecticut, Juthani said, We don't know. It's anybody's guess. We just don't know where this is gonna go.

The omicron variant caused an immediate increase in transmission and hospitalizations. But the omicron subvariant, BA.2, which is making up more than 98 percent of tested samples, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has not resulted in the same dynamic.

I continue to be amazed by this virus, Juthani said. We had omicron, it did a steep up and a steep down. And now what we're getting is a swell from a subvariant. It's the same variant, it's a subvariant of omicron, and it's not doing a steep up and a steep down again.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The State Department said Wednesday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken has tested positive for COVID-19 after attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner and related events over the weekend.

Spokesman Ned Price said Blinken tested positive in a PCR test on Wednesday afternoon. Price said Blinken is fully vaccinated and is experiencing only mild symptoms.

Blinken tested negative Tuesday and again earlier Wednesday morning with antigen tests but took the PCR test after devloping symptoms. Blinken has not met in person with President Joe Biden for several days and is not considered a close contact of the president, according to the White House and State Department.

Before testing positive, Blinken met Wednesday at the State Department with the Swedish foreign minister and on Tuesday with the Mexican foreign secretary. Price said the department is tracking all close contacts that Blinken has had over the past several days and notifying them of the situation.

Blinken had been scheduled to give a speech Thursday about the Biden administrations China policy, but Price said that speech has been indefinitely postponed.

Price said Blinken, who attended the White House Correspondents Association dinner on Saturday as well as a number of receptions related to it through the weekend, would isolate at home and work virtually until the quarantine period is over.

He is the latest Biden administration figure to test positive. Vice President Kamala Harris was cleared to return to to the White House on Tuesday after testing positive last week.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
STAMFORD  Longtime Shippan resident and recreational sailor David Tunick has been preparing for most of his life, and particularly over the past three years, for a trip he plans to make this spring.

In late May, the 78-year-old intends to embark on a journey of about 5,000 nautical miles from Spain to Connecticut on his personal sailboat. He said he will do the trip alone and only make stops if he runs into major problems.

I love being alone out in the ocean, Tunick said, especially at night under the stars and moon. I mean, I love having guests when we're coastwise  whether it's Cape Cod or Sweden or Norway or, wherever, Spain. I love having guests and sharing the experience. But in the ocean, I do like to be alone.

It wont be the first time Tunick has singlehanded. He said he has taken solo trips for more than 40 years, including to Bermuda, Maine and across the North Sea.

Tunick sailed alone from Connecticut to England about 20 years ago. That was a 22-day voyage. He said he is expecting the trip back to the United States to take five to seven weeks because of the route.

Tunick, a New York art gallery owner and Stamford Yacht Club member, said he is in great shape and walks four to six miles a day. Nevertheless, in the past three years, he said he has seen every specialist under the sun  including a pulmonologist, a cardiologist and an orthopedist  and had dental work done as well because you dont want to have to pull your own tooth out on the water.

Hes even had his gallbladder removed, eliminating any possibility of having to deal with gallstones, he said.

Tunick has also been getting his well-used, decades-old sailboat, Night Watch, ready for the journey. In recent years, the generator and engine have been rebuilt and the mast has been repaired. Last summer, he took the 55-foot vessel on a shakedown cruise from the Netherlands to Spain to see if there were any problems he needed to address.

contributed by David Tunick contributed by David Tunick Left: David Tunick works on the mast. Right: Night Watch sits in storage in a boatyard in Spain. | Contributed by David Tunick Left: David Tunick works on the mast. Right: Night Watch sits in storage in a boatyard in Spain. | Contributed by David Tunick

His family does have some concerns about him doing the trip, he said, but they know Ive done it before and they know that Im OK at it.

On board, he will have medical supplies, plenty of food  including pasta, canned meat and farm fresh eggs  a tracking device and a communication system. He will be in regular contact with a meteorologist.

As for sleep, he said he puts his head down for one-and-a-half to two-and-half hours at a time then gets up to check on the boat. But if he is in an area where he may cross paths with other boats, he takes power naps, with a timer waking him up every six to eight minutes.

On deck, he always wears a harness and tethers himself to his boat. On the off chance the tether breaks and he goes overboard, he has a long, yellow line trailing behind the boat with a lightweight plastic container attached to the end that he could try to grab.

contributed by David Tunick contributed by David Tunick contributed by David Tunick contributed by David Tunick Clockwise: David Tunick standing at the helm, Night Watch racing in Denmark, Tunick in Sweden, and Night Watch at the Isle of Skye in Scotland. | Contributed by David Tunick Clockwise: David Tunick standing at the helm, Night Watch racing in Denmark, Tunick in Sweden, and Night Watch at the Isle of Skye in Scotland. | Contributed by David Tunick

Tunick said he is passionate about boating safety  and has strict rules for when people are aboard his boat.

One of those rules: Once we leave a dock, we leave a mooring, we haul anchor, you must be wearing a life preserver, Tunick said. I dont care how calm a day it is, how hot a day it is. I dont care what the conditions are. Even if theres no wind, youre wearing a life preserver on my boat.

Is he ever afraid when he is on a solo trip?

I think that a little bit of fear is a good thing because it helps to keep you alert, he said. It's really all about the preparation.

Another question Tunick said he is often asked is: Dont you get bored? How can you stand being by yourself the whole time?

Ive never really minded, he said. Theres always something to do  to fix, to check, to write in the log, to try to get some sleep, to cook dinner, to do the dishes.

And one of the upsides of being alone: No one sees when he makes a mistake.

I don't think of myself as a great sailor, Tunick said. I'm a careful sailor, but I'm not a great, great sailor. And so I do make mistakes. And I like very much the idea of self-reliance and the accomplishment of achieving a passage and doing it correctly and properly.

Something is bound to go wrong on a trip of more than 1,000 miles, he said, and you have to have the wherewithal to fix it yourself.

contributed by David Tunick Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media Left: The bow of Night Watch. Right: David Tunick at the Stamford Yacht Club. | Contributed by David Tunick | Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media Left: The bow of Night Watch. Right: David Tunick at the Stamford Yacht Club. | Contributed by David Tunick | Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media

Tunick said he has always been crazy about the water. He recalled going with his father and uncles on power boats from Greenwich Harbor to Island Beach, where they would fish or swim. His uncles even had a model boat made for him  though it sank as soon as they put it into a pond at Bruce Park.

His first exposure to sailing was at camp.

Then, when Tunick was about 20 years old, he bought his first boat with a partner, splitting the $300 cost. It was a 19-foot day racer with an open cockpit and no cabin, but he said he preferred to use it for cruising. Sometimes he and a friend would take the boat out on Long Island Sound, sail to Oyster Bay or Huntington Bay, sleep in a sleeping bag on the beach and sail back the following day.

I love just being on a boat, Tunick said. I race around every day in New York in my day job. So when I'm out there, I don't want to have that feeling that I must be somewhere a tenth of a mile before somebody else or two minutes before somebody else.

He later bought the boat that he has now owned for close to 40 years: a Sparkman & Stephens-designed, Abeking & Rasmussen-built vessel with an aluminum hull.

There's no place I'd rather be, if not in my own house, than floating around on that boat, he said.

brianna.gurciullo@hearstmediact.com
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP)  A 5-year-old boy was in critical condition after being shot last weekend by a relative in what South Bend police are calling a very tragic accident.

The shooting happened Saturday night in a home on the city's west side. South Bend police said Monday that the boy was shot by a 9-year-old relative and was hospitalized in critical condition.
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NEW HAVEN  More than 100 people gathered at a New Haven rally to assert that rolling back reproductive rights in the country would harm millions of people.

I can remember when abortion was not legal, said rally speaker Ellen Rosenthal. It makes me so angry. Women are being cast aside, thought of as baby-making machines.

Politico Monday reported on a leaked draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion to strike down Roe v. Wade, a 1973 court decision establishing the federal legality of abortion.

The Connecticut legislature took proactive measures to expand abortion rights in the current session, passing a bill to protect state abortion providers from being charged under other states laws for providing medical care to patients from outside Connecticut. Gov. Ned Lamont affirmed in a statement Tuesday that he would sign the bill once it reaches his desk.

The state codified the right to abortion in 1990.

Rosenthal said that abortions happened before Roe v. Wade and will continue after. She worries that without clinic staff ensuring the procedure is safe, it can be very dangerous or even deadly.

We must not allow that again, she said.

The New Haven rally on the steps of the federal courthouse was organized by Unidad Latina en Accion, Workers Voice CT and Socialist Revolution, although representatives of several groups spoke.

Elizabeth Curtis, a student in the Yale School of Nursings midwifery program, said making abortion illegal wont end abortion  but it will put people at risk. She said those most in danger will be working class people looking to terminate pregnancies, especially those in states where abortion is illegal.

People are still struggling to get abortions now. Its just going to get worse, she said.

The most critical way Connecticut residents can respond, she said, is by providing money for abortion funds that provide flight, travel, lodging and medical expenses.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker spoke at the rally, saying he is outraged. He said he spoke with Planned Parenthood of Southern New England executive staff earlier that day and told them the city stands with the clinic and reproductive health care organization every step of the way.

Margo Nicolson, a postpartum doula based in New Haven, also offers her services as an abortion doula.

I emotionally accompany people who make this choice for themselves, which is no less valid, she said.

Nicolson said there are many pressures on both people who give birth and those who choose to terminate a pregnancy. She said the pandemic has highlighted some of the unique challenges of motherhood, such as the difficulty of raising a newborn and working at the same time or locating child care.

Nicolson said that, because of state law, the Supreme Cout opinion likely will not have the same impact on Connecticut residents as it does on vulnerable pregnant people in more politically conservative states.

Those of us who believe in choice will be standing in solidarity with women across this country, she said.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
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SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP)  The first overseas deployment of the Vermont Air National Guards F-35 fighter jets will have the pilots and their aircraft patrolling the skies of Europe during one of the most tense periods in recent history.

More than 200 Vermont air guard personnel, their equipment and eight F-35s are now in Europe, where the pilots will fly what are called enhanced air policing missions along NATOs eastern flank to monitor the area for intrusions by Russian aircraft.

The deployment marks the first time the Vermont Air National Guard, the first guard unit in the country to fly the F-35s, has deployed overseas with the Air Forces newest airplane.

The deployment comes only months after the Vermont guard had completed its conversion from the F-16 fighter planes they used to fly to the F-35s, which began arriving in Vermont in September 2019.

Were there to defend NATO, said F-35 pilot Lt. Col John Rocky MacRae, a squadron commander within the Vermont Guards 158th Fighter Wing. Were not there to to be aggressive or start anything. Were there to posture in defense of NATO and support our allies.

The F-35s from Hill Air Force Base and the Vermont National Guard are among a small but growing number of F-35 units ready for combat after years of efforts.

NATO, the military alliance of 30 countries from Europe, the United States and Canada, was created in the aftermath of World War II to counter the military threat from the former Soviet Union. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has highlighted the modern importance of the alliance.

NATO says the enhanced air policing mission is part of a broader series of measures introduced after Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine. It involves a continuous presence of fighter aircraft and crews who are ready to react to possible airspace violations.

On April 29, NATO reported jets scrambled in the preceding days to track and intercept Russian aircraft in the Baltic and Black sea regions. The Russian aircraft, which often do not transmit a radio code indicating their position and altitude, do not file flight plans, nor do they communicate with air traffic controllers, NATO says.

The alliance said that the Russian aircraft never entered NATO airspace and that the interceptions were conducted in a safe and routine manner.

The Vermont aircraft now in Europe are replacing F-35s from Hill Air Force Base in Utah, which arrived in Europe in February, just before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Retired Maj. Gen. Donald Shepperd, a former head of the Air National Guard, said that there is always a learning curve on a unit's first deployment with a new aircraft but that he felt the Vermont unit would adapt as needed.

Theyre very capable of doing anything," said Shepperd. And theyre also in the best airplane, the best fighter that the United States Air Force has. That's a real first for them to fly it, the first to deploy it and the first operational deployment."'

Shepperd said it highlights how the role of the Air National Guard has evolved over the years from a time when guard units received old equipment to where it is now, playing a regular role in Air Force deployments with the newest equipment available.

The Air Force describes the F-35 as its fifth-generation fighter that combines stealth technology with the ability to carry out multiple missions. Different models are being built for the Air Force, Navy and Marines, and the jets are being sold to U.S. allies across the world.

The F-35 program is also the U.S. militarys most expensive weapons system of all time, with an estimated total cost of $1.5 trillion over the expected half-century life of the program. The model of planes based in Vermont cost about $94 million each.

The Air Force is in the process of equipping more of its units with F-35s both in the active duty Air Force and the Air National Guard. Vermont was the first Air Guard unit to receive the planes.

The Vermont guard began sending its personnel to Europe last week to take part in the air policing mission. Eight Vermont F-35s arrived Monday at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, after making the trans-Atlantic flight from their base at the Burlington International Airport.

Vermont guard officials won't say where their planes will be patrolling in Europe. But the fighters from Utah operated from Estonias Amari Air Base, Lithuanias Siauliai Air Base, along the Baltic Sea, and Romanias Fetesti Air Base near the Black Sea, the Air Force says.

MacRae, the Vermont F-35 pilot and a combat veteran of flying in Iraq and Syria making his seventh deployment downplayed how pilots could feel flying such missions when the tension between NATO and the Russians are at one of the highest points in recent memory. He said they are trained for any eventuality.

But Shepperd, a combat veteran of Vietnam, said that he was sure the Vermont pilots and other personnel know how important the mission is and that they will be briefed on the conditions. The pilots know they are not supposed to do anything provocative.

Everybody knows we are able to defend ourselves if anything bad happens," Shepperd said. But you dont want to be the guy that causes World War III."
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JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  If you are Black or Hispanic in a conservative state that already limits access to abortions, you are far more likely than a white woman to have one.

And if the U.S. Supreme Court allows states to further restrict or even ban abortions, minority women who already face limited access to health care will bear the brunt of it, according to statistics analyzed by The Associated Press.

The potential impact on minority women became all the more clear on Monday with the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion suggesting the court's conservative majority is poised to overturn the landmark 1973 decision legalizing abortion. The draft decision is not yet final but it sent shockwaves through the country. Overturning the Roe v. Wade decision would give states authority to decide abortion's legality. Roughly half, largely in the South and Midwest, are likely to quickly ban abortion.

___

EDITORS NOTE  This is an updated version of a story released earlier this year.

___

When it comes to the effect on minority women, the numbers are unambiguous. In Mississippi, people of color comprise 44% of the population but 81% of women receiving abortions, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, which tracks health statistics.

In Texas, theyre 59% of the population and 74% of those receiving abortions. The numbers in Alabama are 35% and 69%. In Louisiana, people of color represent 42% of the population, according to the state Health Department, and about 72% of those receiving abortions.

Abortion restrictions are racist, said Cathy Torres, an organizing manager with Frontera Fund, a Texas organization that helps women pay for abortions. They directly impact people of color, Black, brown, Indigenous people ... people who are trying to make ends meet.

Why the great disparities? Laurie Bertram Roberts, executive director of the Alabama-based Yellowhammer Fund, which provides financial support for women seeking abortion, said women of color in states with restrictive abortion laws often have limited access to health care and a lack of choices for effective birth control. Schools often have ineffective or inadequate sex education.

If abortions are outlawed, those same women  often poor  will likely have the hardest time traveling to distant parts of the country to terminate pregnancies or raising children they might struggle to afford, said Roberts, who is Black and once volunteered at Mississippis only abortion clinic.

Were talking about folks who are already marginalized, Roberts said.

Amanda Furdge, who is Black, was one of those women. She was a single, unemployed college student already raising one baby in 2014 when she found out she was pregnant with another. She said she didnt know how she could afford another child.

Shed had two abortions in Chicago. Getting access to an abortion provider there was no problem, Furdge said. But now she was in Mississippi, having moved home to escape an abusive relationship. Misled by advertising, she first went to a crisis pregnancy center that tried to talk her out of an abortion. By the time she found the abortion clinic, she was too far along to have the procedure.

She's not surprised by the latest news on the Supreme Court's likely decision. Most people who aren't affected don't consider the stakes.

People are going to have to vote," said Furdge, 34, who is happily raising her now 7-year-old son but continues to advocate for women having the right to choose. "People are going to have to put the people in place to make the decisions that align with their values. When they dont, things like this happen.

Torres said historically, anti-abortion laws have been crafted in ways that hurt low-income women. She pointed to the Hyde Amendment, a 1980 law that prevents the use of federal funds to pay for abortions except in rare cases.

She also cited the 2021 Texas law that bans abortion after around six weeks of pregnancy. Where she lives, near the U.S.-Mexico border in the Rio Grande Valley, women are forced to travel to obtain abortions and must pass in-state border patrol checkpoints where they have to disclose their citizenship status, she said.

Regardless of what legislators say, Torres insisted, the intent is to target women of color, to control their bodies: They know who these restrictions are going to affect. They know that, but they dont care.

But Andy Gipson, a former member of the Mississippi Legislature who is now the states agriculture and commerce commissioner, said race had nothing to do with passage of Mississippis law against abortion after the 15th week. That law is the one now before the Supreme Court in a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade.

Gipson, a Baptist minister who is white, said he believes all people are created in the image of God and have an innate value that starts at conception. Mississippi legislators were trying to protect women and babies by putting limits on abortion, he said.

I absolutely disagree with the concept that its racist or about anything other than saving babies lives, said Gipson, a Republican. Its about saving lives of the unborn and the lives and health of the mother, regardless of what color they are.

To those who say that forcing women to have babies will subject them to hardships, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, a white Republican, said it is easier for working mothers to balance professional success and family life than it was 49 years ago when Roe was decided.

Fitch, who is divorced, often points to her own experience of working outside the home while raising three children. But Fitch grew up in an affluent family and has worked in the legal profession  both factors that can give working women the means and the flexibility to get help raising children.

Thats not the case for many minority women in Mississippi or elsewhere. Advocates say in many places where abortion services are being curtailed, theres little support for women who carry a baby to term.

Mississippi is one of the poorest states, and people in low-wage jobs often dont receive health insurance. Women can enroll in Medicaid during pregnancy, but that coverage disappears soon after they give birth.

Mississippi has the highest infant mortality rate in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Black infants were about twice as likely as white infants to die during the first year of life in Mississippi, according to the March of Dimes.

Across the country, U.S. Census Bureau information analyzed by The Associated Press shows fewer Black and Hispanic women have health insurance, especially in states with tight abortion restrictions. For example, in Texas, Mississippi and Georgia, at least 16% of Black women and 36% of Latinas were uninsured in 2019, some of the highest such rates in the country.

Problems are compounded in states without effective education programs about reproduction. Mississippi law says sex education in public schools must emphasize abstinence to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Discussion of abortion is forbidden, and instructors may not demonstrate how to use condoms or other contraception.

The Mississippi director for Planned Parenthood Southeast, Tyler Harden, is a 26-year-old Black woman who had an abortion about five years ago, an experience that drove her to a career supporting pregnant women and preserving abortion rights.

She said when she was attending public school in rural Mississippi, she didnt learn about birth control. Instead, a teacher stuck clear tape on students arms. The girls were told to put it on another classmates arm, and another, and watch how it lost the ability to form a bond.

Theyd tell you, If you have sex, this is who you are now: Youre just like this piece of tape  all used up and washed up and nobody would want it, Harden said.

When she became pregnant at 21, she knew she wanted an abortion. Her mother was battling cancer and Harden was in her last semester of college without a job or a place to live after graduation.

She said she was made to feel fear and shame, just as she had during sex ed classes. When she went to the clinic, she said protesters told her she was killing the most precious gift from God and that she was killing a Black baby, playing into what white supremacists want.

Hardens experience is not uncommon. The anti-abortion movement has often portrayed the abortion fight in racial terms.

Outside the only abortion clinic operating in Mississippi, protesters hand out brochures that refer to abortion as Black genocide and say the late Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood and a proponent of eugenics, desired to eradicate minorities. The brochures compare Sanger to Adolf Hitler and proclaim: Black lives did not matter to Margaret Sanger!

The Mississippi clinic is not affiliated with Planned Parenthood, and Planned Parenthood itself denounces Sangers belief in eugenics.

White people are not alone in making this argument. Alveda King, an evangelist who is a niece of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., is among the Black opponents of abortion who, for years, have been portraying abortion as a way to wipe out people of their race.

Tanya Britton, a former president of Pro-Life Mississippi, often drives three hours from her home in the northern part of the state to pray outside the abortion clinic in Jackson. Britton is Black, and she said its a tragedy that the number of Black babies aborted since Roe would equal the population of several large cities. She also said people are too casual about terminating pregnancies.

You just cant take the life of someone because this is not convenient  I want to finish my education, Britton said. You wouldnt kill your 2-year-old because you were in graduate school.

But state Rep. Zakiya Summers of Jackson, who is Black and a mother, suggested theres nothing casual about what poor women are doing. Receiving little support in Mississippi  for example, the Legislature killed a proposal to expand postpartum Medicaid coverage in 2021 -- they are sometimes forced to make hard decisions.

Women are just out here trying to survive, you know? she said. And Mississippi doesnt make it any easier.

____

Associated Press reporters Noreen Nasir in Jackson, Mississippi, and Jasen Lo in Chicago contributed to this report.
WEDNESDAY, May 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Despite what you may have heard, rats and other city wildlife aren't likely to trigger future pandemics in people, according to a new study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has scientists trying to determine where future outbreaks are most likely to start. It's long been suspected that critters in cities might act as reservoirs for viruses that could cause outbreaks in humans.

An international team of scientists decided to find out if that's true.

To start, the investigators examined studies on viruses and other pathogens hosted by nearly 3,000 species of mammals. They found that city-dwelling mammals can carry about 10 times more diseases than mammals outside of cities, but don't pose a greater threat to people.

"There are plenty of reasons to expect urban animals to host more diseases, ranging from their food to their immune systems to their close proximity to humans," said study leader Greg Albery, a postdoctoral fellow in biology at Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C.

"We found that urban species do indeed host more diseases than non-urban species, but the reasons for this appear to be largely associated with the way we study the ecology of disease. We've looked more at animals in our cities, so we've found more of their parasites  and we've started to hit diminishing returns," he explained in a university news release.

"Stunningly, although urban-adapted species have 10 times as many parasites, more than 100 times as many studies have been published on them. When you correct for this bias, they don't have more human pathogens than expected  meaning that our perception of their novel disease risk has been overinflated by our sampling process," Albery said.

The study was published May 2 in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.

While the study suggests that urban animals are not "hyper-reservoirs" of infectious disease, they still pose risks.

The findings likely mean "that urban animals aren't hiding as many important novel pathogens as we might think  those pathogens that might cause the next 'Disease X,'" Albery said.

"But they are still incredibly important carriers of many pathogens that we do know about. Rats, raccoons, and rabbits are still good at co-existing alongside us, and they still spread a lot of diseases to humans living in urban areas," he added.

Raccoons, for instance, can spread roundworm and a disease called leptospirosis, experts say.

What the study "really accentuates is that we need to design more evenly distributed, more equitable sampling regimes if we want to find novel pathogens of humans; sampling needs to be more focused in wild areas of the world, but also in urban areas in less well-studied places," according to Albery.

He explained this will not only help find the new ones, "but will improve surveillance of the old ones, and will ultimately help to address ages-old geographic biases in ecology."

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on animal diseases and your health.

SOURCE: Georgetown University, news release, May 2, 2022

Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.
College students crack down on their studies for finals week at First United Methodist Church of Starkvilles Exam Slam.
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LONDON (AP)  A British parliamentary committee scrutinizing draft online safety legislation has invited Elon Musk to discuss his plans to buy Twitter and the changes he's proposing for the social media platform.

Parliament's digital committee asked the Tesla CEO on Wednesday to give evidence about his proposals in more depth.

Musk said it's too early to give an answer.

I am honored and thank the Parliament for their invitation, but it would be premature at this time to accept, given that there has not yet been a shareholder vote" to approve the deal, he said in an email to The Associated Press.

The committee said it's interested in Musk's plans, especially his intention to roll out verification for all users, which echoes its own recommendations to the U.K. government.

Musk has said he wants Twitter to  authenticate all humans, an ambiguous proposal that could be related to his desire to rid the website of automated spam accounts.

The U.K. government's online safety bill, which is being examined by lawmakers in Parliament, would give regulators wide-ranging powers to crack down on digital and social media companies.

Among the bill's measures aimed at combating online abuse is a requirement for the biggest platforms to give users the option to verify their identity and the choice not to interact with unverified users.

At a time when social media companies face the prospect of tighter regulations around the world, were keen to learn more about how Mr. Musk will balance his clear commitment to free speech with new obligations to protect Twitters users from online harms, committee chair Julian Knight said.

It's not the first time the committee has invited a tech boss to testify. In 2018, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg declined an invitation to answer questions as part of its investigation into fake news.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
As many as 71,410 travelers of whom 7,767 Ukrainian nationals entered Romania on Tuesday (by 15 pct more compared to the previous day), with 4,323 Ukrainian nationals crossing into Romania at the border with Ukraine (by 26.2 pct more), and 1,710 entering the country at the border with Moldova (by 42.6 pct more), the General Border Police Inspectorate (IGPF) reports.

As many as 851,035 Ukrainian nationals had entered Romania as of May 3 at 24:00 hrs since the start of the military conflict in the neighboring country, and the number of Ukrainians who crossed into Romania since the pre-war date of February 10 is 885,564, IGPF said. AGERPRES
The Bucharest municipality sends, on Wednesday, a first humanitarian convoy to Ukraine, with medicines and sanitary materials requested through the embassy of this state, Bucharest general mayor Nicusor Dan said on Wednesday.

"It is a convoy that has only medicines and medical supplies in the two trucks and in a car that has left earlier. It is a joint effort, on the one hand of the Ukrainian Embassy and on the other hand of my colleagues and of the Red Cross. What we are sending comes as a result of specific requests, which we received through the Embassy of Ukraine," Nicusor Dan said in a press statement at the Red Cross warehouse near Bucharest and sent on Wednesday to AGERPRES.

He mentioned that other convoys would follow.

Last but not least, he expressed his admiration for the fight of the Ukrainian people.

In his turn, the general director of the Romanian Red Cross, Ioan Silviu Lefter, specified that there were many requests for such transport and that without the support of the General City Hall and the Administration of Hospitals and Medical Services Bucharest, the legal conditions to send it would not have been met.

"The Romanian Red Cross has so far sent 69 trucks to Ukraine, in addition to two, which were donations made by Romanian companies and national Red Cross companies in Europe. Without these donations we would not have been able to be present from the first days in Ukraine. (...) This week we will send a truck to Romexpo, for that social food store, and on Monday - also there - a truck with hygiene products and baby diapers. We also ordered 50,000 powdered milk cans, which are requested by our colleagues from the Ukrainian Red Cross," added Ioan Silviu Lefter.

AGERPRES
President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday that regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine there was no actual intelligence that Moldova was indeed militarily threatened or targeted by someone.

Moldova is a "very important" subject in Romania, Iohannis told a joint news conference with visiting German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

"Moldova is a very important subject in Romania, it concerns us and it is obviously a subject that concerns both of us. Romania and Germany have cooperated very well in terms of the relationship with Moldova. I think things will continue the same (...) As far as NATO and the EU are concerned, we need to differentiate a little bit. Moldova has declared itself a neutral state. There are joint projects, but Moldova remains a neutral state. Speaking of the war in Ukraine, we have no actual intelligence that Moldova is threatened in a concrete way militarily or that it is targeted by someone. Certainly there have been provocations in Transnistria, without any concrete consequences. We were all worried, it made us think about this situation," said Iohannis.

He reconfirmed that Romania supports the integration of Moldova with the European Union.

"The integration has been requested by Moldova, who has submitted an official membership request, it has been wanted by Romania for a long time, we support Moldova. Romania has sent teams of experts for many years to help with the integration of Moldova, so we see things the same way the people of the Republic of Moldova want, and there is support there for EU integration and such support has grown a lot in recent years among the population of Moldova, which is an opportunity for us to hope that Moldova, in - a reasonable amount of time - will become part of the EU, and Romania and Germany support that," Iohannis explained.

In his turn, the German president said Russia's chances of destabilising Moldova are well known, but Moldova's national leaders are strong enough to oppose them.

"We are living at a time when it is difficult to exclude certain things. We have been surprised too many times by announcements from Russia that would contradict its conduct of past years. Now, there is this war of aggression that Russia is waging against Ukraine at maximum brutality. Therefore, in terms of the risks of this war to the neighbourhood, we have deepened that in our conversation, and as far as your question about Russia's military activities in the Republic of Moldova is concerned, our concern about the destabilisation of Moldova is not new, and worries about military activities are in any case generated by Russia's influence in Transnistria. On my visit there, I witnessed some threats from Russia to Moldova to shut down the gas supply and then the gas supply was renewed but at a disadvantage for Moldova. So, we cannot rule out anything, but Russia's ways of destabilising Moldova are well known. Russia is using them, and [Moldova's] President Maia Sandu and the government are strong enough to oppose them," said Steinmeier.

He added that Moldova needed help not only in the form of aid, but also with the large number of refugees arriving from Ukraine.

AGERPRES
On Wednesday, Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca welcomed visiting President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Government House to discuss Ukraine war and its regional impact.

According to a government press statement, the two dignitaries underscored the importance of European and Euro-Atlantic unity in providing support to Ukraine and its citizens, as well as in managing the impact of the situation on Eastern Europe and the implementation of sanctions against Russia.

Ciuca and Steinmeier agreed on the need to support Ukraine refugees, being acknowledged Romania's effort in that regard. Ciuca also underlined the importance of bilateral and Europewide co-operation in ensuring energy security and managing the problems posed by the blockage of supply chains.

He added that Romania's support to Ukraine also includes facilitating exports of Ukrainian agricultural produce, currently affected by the blockade on Ukrainian Black Sea ports, to third markets. He also pointed out that Romania is making efforts to diversify its energy sources, emphasising the national steps to increase exploitation of natural gas resources.

Ciuca pleaded for Germany's support in strengthening Black Sea security, thanking Germany for its participation in enhanced air policing in Romania.

Ciuca and Steinmeier underscored the quality of bilateral relations, highlighting the ample potential for expanding Romanian-German economic co-operation.

The Romanian official voiced interest in diversifying investment and co-operation between the two countries in strategic areas, such as energy, technology, and infrastructure.

On the other hand, he added that Romania is meeting all the standards for full accession to the Schengen area, ensuring de facto and effective protection of the EU external borders amid the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. AGERPRES
Work standards and the rights of the Romanian citizens who are working in Italy and the Italians' in Romania need to be respected in accordance with EU regulations, PM Nicolae Ciuca said on Wednesday, while signing a memorandum in the field of work inspection by the Romanian and Italian select Ministers.

"The Government's main concern is the Romanian citizen, wherever they are. It is our duty, of the Ministries of Labor from Romania and Italy, to identify those solutions and to take measures, so that we can ensure the European social protection standards for Romanian citizens that are working in Italy, we are talking about over 1 million Romanians in Italy, as well as Italian citizens in Romania, approximately 9,000. Through today's activity we can ensure those elements of collaboration and coordination between the Romanian and Italian Labor Ministries in order to coordinate their instruments better, so that the standards can be respected in order for Romanian and Italian citizens to benefit from the rights provided nationwide in Italy and Romania and to respect the rights in accordance with the EU regulations," the Prime Minister declared.He took part in signing the memorandum of understanding regarding the collaboration and information exchange in the area of work inspection by the Minister of Labor and Social Solidarity, Marius Budai and the Minister of Labor and Social Policies from the Italian Republic's government, Andrea Orlando.The Prime Minister expressed his belief that such actions will be continued for Romanians that are working in other countries and in the European Union and not only."We are looking forward that in the future we will continue such bilateral activities and why not, we will have a meeting at premiers and Government level in order to help consolidate the relations between our countries, Romania and Italy," the PM concluded.AGERPRES
President Klaus Iohannis will welcome, on Wednesday, at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, on the occasion of the official visit the latter is conducting to Romania, at the invitation of his Romanian counterpart, with special attention to be granted to regional, European and Euro-Atlantic security, generated by the illegal aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

The visit of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier takes place in the context of celebrating 30 years since the signing, on April 21, 1992, of the Treaty between Romania and Germany regarding friendly cooperation and partnership in Europe, framework-document emblematic of the contemporary history of the bilateral relationship, the Presidential Administration informs.Thus, consultations between the Romanian and German presidents will focus on the concrete ways to develop and deepen the Romanian-German relation, which is strategic in character, being defined by a very active political-diplomatic dialogue, an economic dynamic in continuous growth and special inter-human contacts, facilitated by the German minority in Romania and the Romanian community in Germany.The two heads of state will also approach the perspectives of consolidation of economic cooperation between the two countries, given that Germany is the first commercial partner of Romania, with exchanges totaling in 2021 over 35 billion euro, and the third investor in the Romanian economy. Furthermore, the stimulation of reciprocal investments and deepening of sectorial cooperation will be discussed, the quoted source mentions.Special attention is to be granted to developments in regional, European and Euro-Atlantic security, generated by the illegal aggression of the Russian Federation on Ukraine. The two heads of state will approach, in context, the support granted to Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees, energy security, measures to consolidate the deterrence and defence posture on the Eastern Flank of the North Atlantic Alliance, the coordination of positions on the regional, European levels and in preparation for the NATO Summit in Madrid.Furthermore, the agenda for discussions will comprise aspects regarding the active and comprehensive support necessary, in the current regional context, to the states in the European Union Vicinity, especially the Republic of Moldova, Georgia and states in the Western Balkans, including support for their European integration, the Presidential Administration also mentions.The President of Germany is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca at the Victoria Governmental Palace.AGERPRES
On Wednesday, the Government approved the draft law on the ratification of the Agreement with the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on defence cooperation, which was signed in Riyadh on January 24, 2022.

The agreement includes provisions on bilateral cooperation in military training and education, information exchange, technology transfer, research and development, telecommunications, medical services, the defence industry, protection of classified information, according to a press release of the Executive.

The document also mentions the relevant authorities in the application of the Agreement, the protocols for resolving the differences, the entry into force, the duration, as well as the termination of the validity of the Agreement, the same source also shows. AGERPRES
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  If you are Black or Hispanic in a conservative state that already limits access to abortions, you are far more likely than a white woman to have one.

And if the U.S. Supreme Court allows states to further restrict or even ban abortions, minority women who already face limited access to health care will bear the brunt of it, according to statistics analyzed by The Associated Press.

The potential impact on minority women became all the more clear on Monday with the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion suggesting the courts conservative majority is poised to overturn the landmark 1973 decision legalizing abortion.

EDITORS NOTE  This is an updated version of a story released earlier this year.

When it comes to the effect on minority women, the numbers are unambiguous. In Mississippi, people of color comprise 44% of the population but 81% of women receiving abortions, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, which tracks health statistics.

In Texas, theyre 59% of the population and 74% of those receiving abortions. The numbers in Alabama are 35% and 69%. In Louisiana, people of color represent 42% of the population, according to the state Health Department, and about 72% of those receiving abortions.

Abortion restrictions are racist, said Cathy Torres, an organizing manager with Frontera Fund, a Texas organization that helps women pay for abortions. They directly impact people of color, Black, brown, Indigenous people ... people who are trying to make ends meet.

Why the great disparities? Laurie Bertram Roberts, executive director of the Alabama-based Yellowhammer Fund, which provides financial support for women seeking abortion, said women of color in states with restrictive abortion laws often have limited access to health care and a lack of choices for effective birth control. Schools often have ineffective or inadequate sex education.

If abortions are outlawed, those same women  often poor  will likely have the hardest time traveling to distant parts of the country to terminate pregnancies or raising children they might struggle to afford, said Roberts, who is Black and once volunteered at Mississippis only abortion clinic.

Were talking about folks who are already marginalized, Roberts said.

Regardless of what legislators say, Torres insisted, the intent is to target women of color, to control their bodies: They know who these restrictions are going to affect. They know that, but they dont care.

But Andy Gipson, a former member of the Mississippi Legislature who is now the states agriculture and commerce commissioner, said race had nothing to do with passage of Mississippis law against abortion after the 15th week, which is now before the Supreme Court.

Its about saving lives of the unborn and the lives and health of the mother, regardless of what color they are, said Gipson, a white Republican who is also a Baptist minister.

To those who say that forcing women to have babies will subject them to hardships, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, a white Republican, said it is easier for working mothers to balance professional success and family life than it was 49 years ago when Roe was decided.

Fitch, who is divorced, often points to her own experience of working outside the home while raising three children. But Fitch grew up in an affluent family and has worked in the legal profession  both factors that can give working women the means and the flexibility to get help raising children.

Thats not the case for many minority women in Mississippi or elsewhere. Advocates say in many places where abortion services are being curtailed, theres little support for women who carry a baby to term.

Across the country, U.S. Census Bureau information analyzed by the AP shows fewer Black and Hispanic women have health insurance, especially in states with tight abortion restrictions. For example, in Texas, Mississippi and Georgia, at least 16% of Black women and 36% of Latinas were uninsured in 2019, some of the highest such rates in the country.

Problems are compounded in states without effective education programs about reproduction. Mississippi law says sex education in public schools must emphasize abstinence to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Discussion of abortion is forbidden, and instructors may not demonstrate how to use condoms or other contraception.

The Mississippi director for Planned Parenthood Southeast, Tyler Harden, is a 26-year-old Black woman who had an abortion about five years ago, an experience that drove her to a career supporting pregnant women and preserving abortion rights.

She said when she was attending public school in rural Mississippi, she didnt learn about birth control. When she became pregnant at 21, she knew she wanted an abortion. Her mother was battling cancer and Harden was in her last semester of college without a job or a place to live after graduation.

She said she was made to feel fear and shame, just as she had during sex ed classes. When she went to the clinic, she said protesters told her she was killing the most precious gift from God and that she was `killing a Black baby, playing into what white supremacists want.

Tanya Britton, a former president of Pro-Life Mississippi, often drives three hours from her home in the northern part of the state to pray outside the abortion clinic in Jackson. Britton is Black, and she said its a tragedy that the number of Black babies aborted since Roe would equal the population of several large cities. She also said people are too casual about terminating pregnancies.

You just cant take the life of someone because this is not convenient  I want to finish my education, Britton said. You wouldnt kill your 2-year-old because you were in graduate school.

But state Rep. Zakiya Summers of Jackson, who is Black and a mother, suggested theres nothing casual about what poor women are doing. Receiving little support, they sometimes must make hard decisions.

Women are just out here trying to survive, you know? she said. And Mississippi doesnt make it any easier.

Associated Press reporters Noreen Nasir in Jackson, Mississippi, and Jasen Lo in Chicago contributed to this report.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  A Chicago man who was pardoned after spending more than seven years in prison for an armed robbery he didn't commit has reached a $7.5 million settlement with a northern Indiana city and former police officers, his attorney and a city spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Keith Cooper's attorney, Elliot Slosar, said it is the largest wrongful conviction settlement in Indiana history and that his lawsuit exposed the systemic pattern of police and prosecutorial misconduct that exists in Elkhart, Indiana."

Mr. Coopers wrongful conviction did not happen by accident nor was it an aberration," he added in a news release.

Corinne Straight, Elkharts director of communications, confirmed the $7.5 million settlement, the details of which were not specified in a notice lawyers for the plaintiffs and defendants filed Tuesday in a South Bend federal court.

Straight said city officials hope the settlement brings to a conclusion the obvious injustice that has been rendered to Mr. Cooper.

On behalf of the entire city of Elkhart, to Mr. Cooper and his family, we regret the suffering you have experienced, she said in a statement.

Cooper was pardoned in February 2017 by Gov. Eric Holcomb, who said he believed Cooper had been wrongly convicted in a 1996 armed robbery in Elkhart during which a teenager was shot and wounded. Holcomb cited the state parole boards support for the pardon, along with the backing of the prosecutor and witnesses in the case.

Cooper was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the robbery, but advances in DNA testing and a nationwide offender database excluded him as the attacker and identified another person.

The Indiana Court of Appeals overturned his co-defendants conviction in 2005, and Cooper was given the choice of being released with a felony record or facing a new trial before the same judge who convicted him. He elected to be released in 2006.

Coopers pardon by Holcomb was followed in March 2017 by a judges approval of the expungement of his armed robbery conviction.

Cooper had sought a pardon since 2009 and the deputy prosecutor who handled his trial asked then-Gov. Mike Pence in 2015 to approve the pardon to remove the felony conviction.

But Pences general counsel notified Slosar in September 2016, two months after Pence became Donald Trumps vice presidential running mate, that he believed Cooper needed to first exhaust all his options in court for having the conviction overturned before a pardon would be considered.

Cooper sued Elkhart, its then-police chief and three officers in November 2017, alleging that the officers framed him for the crime and nearly destroyed his life." Two of those officers are no longer Elkhart officers and the third is dead, Slosar said.

At the time of his arrest, Cooper had no criminal convictions, was a married father of three and was employed and providing for his family, according to his suit. But after he was wrongfully incarcerated, his wife was forced to sell their belongings and had to live in shelters to survive, it states.

Cooper, 54, said during a news conference in Chicago that he hopes the settlement will build a better tomorrow for me and my family.

Theres no amount of money that can get back the time I lost, he said.

Coopers lawsuit accused the Elkhart Police Department of employing a routine practice of pursuing wrongful convictions through reckless and profoundly flawed investigations that included false evidence and reports and coerced evidence.

Straight said Wednesday that Elkhart's current administration and police leadership have set upon a path of accountability in that hopes that this kind of case will never occur again."

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
When the people of Buffalo elected brewer Frank X. Schwab as mayor in 1921, voters knew that Schwabs Buffalo Brewing Company had been busted for violating the Volstead Act  the law that banned the production and distribution of alcoholic beverages.

In fact, it was the reason theyd voted for him. Schwab ran on a strong anti-Prohibition platform and won. He was sworn in as mayor in January 1922.

The charges were eventually dropped after Schwabs company paid $10,000 in taxes on the 350,000 gallons of beer that was brewed with more than .5% alcohol. However, five months after Schwab took office, Buffalos U.S. Attorney  Col. William Wild Bill Donovan  reopened the case calling it one which must be passed on by jury.

The case never made it to a jury. Monday, May 29, 1922, was a quiet day in downtown Buffalo. Memorial Day was held on May 30th each year, not the Monday closest to the 30th. Most people were taking a long weekend when Mayor Schwab quietly showed up the day before Memorial Day at Buffalos federal court house, was arraigned, and pleaded nolo contendere, (essentially no contest) to the charges.

The entire proceedings occupied but a few minutes, reported The Buffalo Express. Judge John R. Hazel ordered the mayor to pay a $500 fine. When the amount of the fine was named, the mayor produced his roll and paid the fine.

After peeling the bills off his wad of cash, Mayor Schwab strolled back to City Hall.

When seen in his office after his return from the Federal building this morning, the mayor was questioned about his plea, reported the Buffalo Commercial.

Yes, he acknowledged, I went in before the judge and said, Good mornin, Judge. 

The Commercial reported thats all hed say about his time in court, but from the happy smile which graced his countenance, it was apparent that the mayor was glad to be out from under the indictment of the federal court.

Mayor Schwab later told The News, I pleaded guilty because I didnt want to spend time at a trial, and in order to pay the governments expenses I paid $500. Thats all there is to it.

The whole affair went away rather quietly  even to the point where Schwab marched in the Memorial Day parade the next day as a knight in the Catholic Order of St. John.

The Buffalo Times reported that Schwab was warmly welcomed by his comrades and the public, but made no mention of his federal plea the day before. He was re-elected in 1925, and died in 1946 at the age of 71.

Steve Cichon writes about Buffalo's pop culture history for BN Chronicles, has written six books, and teaches English at Bishop Timon - St. Jude High School.

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Emerson, the diversified manufacturer based in Ferguson, said on Wednesday that it would exit its business in Russia, adding that it would explore strategic options to divest Metran, its subsidiary in the country.

We are committed to an orderly transfer of these assets and will support our employees through this process, said Chief Executive Officer Lal Karsanbhai.

Emerson also reported net earnings to common stockholders of $674 million, or $1.13 per share, for the three months ended March 31, up from $561 million, or 93 cents per share, a year earlier.
TUESDAY, May 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Urinary incontinence can plague men as they age, but a new study suggests it may be more than just a bothersome condition and might actually be a harbinger of early death.

"This indicates the importance of assessing the general health, risk factors and major co-morbidities among men with LUTS [lower urinary tract symptoms]," wrote the researchers, who were led by Jonne Akerla from the department of urology at Tampere University Hospital in Finland.

The team analyzed LUTS in more than 3,000 Finnish men who had enrolled in a study in 1994, when they were 50, 60 or 70. The research included a 24-year follow-up in 2018 of 1,167 of the men. About half had died during the intervening years.

The team looked at the men's lower urinary tract symptoms as a risk factor for death, adjusting for age and other medical conditions and considering whether the symptoms "bothered" the men.

In general, moderate and severe lower urinary tract symptoms were markers of poor health, according to the team.

Dr. Craig Comiter, a professor of urology at Stanford University School of Medicine in California, found the study intriguing, as prior studies have not shown a link between mortality and incontinence.

"The authors are to be lauded for their measured conclusions, hypothesizing that urinary symptoms are more of a marker of poor health than a direct cause of death," Comiter said. He described LUTS as any disorder that affects urinary storage, including excess urine production, incomplete bladder emptying, neurologic and myogenic (muscular) disorders of the bladder and benign prostate obstruction.

These urinary dysfunctions can be caused by a variety of common medical conditions, including heart disease or neurological conditions, diabetes, sleep disorder, restricted mobility, Parkinson's disease, dementia, stroke and multiple sclerosis.

In this study, men who had moderate to severe bladder-emptying symptoms (such as hesitancy, weak stream and straining) had a 20% increased risk of death during the study period. Those who had what are considered "storage" symptoms, such as frequent daytime urination, incontinence and nocturia (waking at night to urinate), had a 40% increased risk of death during the study.

Even for those in the study with mild symptoms, if they had daytime frequency, death risk was increased by 30%. If they had nocturia, death risk was increased by 50%.

Needing to urinate at night or more than every three hours in the daytime could be "patient-important," especially if persistent, the researchers said.

Frequent urinary incontinence had a particularly strong association with risk of death, which suggests that urinary urgency has a significant impact on health and functional status in aging men, the authors said, and may have been a reflection of long-term neurological or vascular disease.

The findings were published online recently in The Journal of Urology.

Dr. Anthony Schaeffer, a professor of urology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, said he thinks the results may be statistically significant, but not clinically significant.

"There's a light increase in mortality, but co-morbidities [other health conditions] exist in those men," Schaeffer said.

"What do you do about it? What you do about it is what we all do, we treat these folks," he said.

Schaeffer said there is no evidence that treating people for LUTS improves their life expectancy.

LUTS is typically diagnosed by symptoms, and doctors treat them with a variety of options under American Urological Association guidelines, Schaeffer said, including medication and surgery.

He pointed out that randomized controlled trials (the gold-standard for research) would be necessary to show that treating LUTS lowers your risk of early death.

No prior studies have linked incontinence to death, said Comiter, adding that the fact that this study shows urgency incontinence and premature death may in fact be related is important.

"Further research must investigate the role of 'restricted mobility' as a link between frailty and incontinence, as such restricted mobility may be the factor that transforms frequent and urgent urination into frank incontinence," Comiter said. "Furthermore, studies on younger populations are vital to see if there is a true causative link between urinary symptoms and mortality or if it [is] simply a marker of poor health in the elderly."

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on lower urinary tract symptoms in men.

SOURCES: Craig Comiter, MD, professor of urology and professor of obstetrics & gynecology (by courtesy), Stanford University College of Medicine, Stanford, Calif.; Anthony Schaeffer, MD, professor of urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago; The Journal of Urology, April 26, 2022, online

Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.
After years of trying to have a baby without success, Brenna Kaminski and her husband, Joshua Pritt, decided to try in vitro fertilization.

Only 15 states require insurance to cover fertility treatments, and Florida, where Kaminski and Pritt live, isnt one of them. Still, the couples insurance, from Pritts job at an energy company, did  putting them among the fortunate minority of Americans whose insurance plan covers the pricey fertility procedure. Kaminski and Pritt gamed out what their share of the cost would be for one round of IVF: $2,700, the out-of-pocket maximum under their policy.

Instead, after many twists and turns with two specialty practices, they paid more than $15,000 for two rounds of IVF, including all medicines. And, as is true for the majority of the procedures nationally (success rates vary from 12% to 49% depending on a patients age), neither round resulted in a viable pregnancy. This whole thing has been a nightmare, said Kaminski, 37, who does freelance marketing and writing. The stress has been unbelievable.

About 1 in 5 women have trouble getting pregnant, and IVF has become a common path to parenthood for many. But even as demand grows, insurance coverage remains limited. About 27% of companies with 500 or more employees covered IVF in 2020, up from about 24% in 2015, according to Mercer, a consulting firm.

Infertility is a disease and should be treated as such, and insurance coverage should reflect that, said Dr. Kara Goldman, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University. Coverage is often incomplete because people too often dont see infertility as equal to other diseases.

Kaminskis insurer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, offered a list of in-network IVF providers near the couples home in Melbourne, Florida. For in-network care, the couple would be responsible for 20% of the costs. For out-of-network care, they would have to pay 40%.

The first in-network specialists they tried, in spring 2020, had an office nearby, in Viera, Florida. But after seeing a doctor, they learned they had to travel 3 hours to Miami, where the physician performed the IVF procedures over three separate visits.

The couple paid about $2,700 out-of-pocket for the medicines alone. They also paid an additional $500 because the fertility clinic required them to use an out-of-network lab for blood tests.

In November 2020, the couple decided to try again, with another fertility medical group listed in their Blue Cross provider network. It was in Winter Park, Florida, about an hours drive from their home.

Kaminski visited with doctors at the Center for Reproductive Medicine, and they scheduled her to begin the procedure at their facility in the same building. But that facility, the Orlando Avenue Surgery Center, was not in the Blue Cross network.

Kaminski said the surgery center told her that it was likely to be added to the Blue Cross network soon, and she appealed to the insurer for a waiver to have the centers care considered in-network. She was told by customer service agents for the insurer that shed get the waiver, but she didnt get that confirmed in writing. Still, she went through with the procedure.

It took place in 2021, and Kaminski again expected to pay about $2,700 out-of-pocket for the care from the IVF specialist in Winter Park. She knew she would face separate out-of-pocket costs for the medications used in IVF.

But because her care was deemed out-of-network by Blue Cross, Kaminski said, she was billed more than $6,000 by the clinic and its surgery center. That was in addition to nearly $4,000 in out-of-pocket drug costs.

Kaminski has spent nearly a year trying to get Blue Cross to treat her second round of IVF as in-network. She said its unfair for Blue Cross to have listed the Winter Park fertility clinic in its provider network if its doctors performed the actual IVF procedure in an out-of-network surgery center. The surgery center is owned by some of the clinics doctors.

In a statement to KHN, the Center for Reproductive Medicines executive director, Stephen Brown, wouldnt address Kaminskis case specifically even though she had given permission for him to discuss it. In an email, Brown wrote that the clinic was transparent with all its patients that its surgery center was not in Blue Cross network.

Brown said low reimbursement rates arent what has kept the surgery center out of the Blue Cross network. Instead, he said, the insurer didnt act quickly, taking more than four years to add the surgery center to its provider network. The reason for not initially being in-network with BCBS was based solely on the lack of response from BCBS, Brown said.

Before any treatment is done, Brown said, the clinic gives its patients estimates of the costs of their procedures based on their insurance. Kaminski received an estimate that said she could expect to pay $3,000 to $4,000 just for the transfer of the embryos grown in the lab into her uterus.

In March 2021  about a month after Kaminski completed her treatment  the Winter Park surgery center was added to Blue Cross provider network.

In February 2022, KHN reached out to the provider and insurer. Within two weeks, Blue Cross told the couple it would consider all the services they received at the surgery center in-network, and it paid all its bills in full. Kaminski and Pritt no longer owed anything to the center. Blue Cross had initially said it would pay a nominal portion of disputed bills that totaled $21,450 for care in 2020 and 2021 because the surgery center was out of its network.

Blue Cross also confirmed to the couple that in January 2021 it had granted them a waiver so all the surgery centers bills could be considered in-network. Mistakenly, the waiver hadnt been applied, so they faced the high out-of-network charges.

Its finally making logical sense, Pritt said after learning that their billing dispute was resolved. Its good to know we wont be getting any more bills.

After Blue Cross decided to cover the IVF in Winter Park, the couple received $1,600 back from Orlando Avenue Surgery Center.

John Simley, a spokesperson for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, said: With non-routine waivers, mistakes can happen. The good news is they generally get fixed quickly.

In this case, though, it took nearly a year.

Experts say Kaminskis case shows that even when people have coverage for IVF, they can be left with huge bills. Also, insurers lists of in-network providers are not always accurate. It feels like a bait-and-switch, said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor and co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University.

A new federal insurance law, the No Surprises Act, went into effect in January 2022. It says patients dont have to pay more than the in-network cost-sharing amount if the insurers provider directory gave inaccurate information.

Whether the law would apply in cases such as Kaminski and Pritts is unclear. Even if it did, the law took effect too late for them.

Betsy Campbell, chief engagement officer at Resolve: The National Infertility Association, a patient advocacy organization, said Kaminskis case shows that insurance coverage isnt always designed around the patient. Infertility treatment is a series of very complex procedures involving lab work, surgery, anesthesia, and it needs to be provided in a way that the insurance system has not always respected, she said.

Too often, insurance makes a couple jump through hoops to get the care they need, Campbell said. Everyone should have the right to build a family, and it should not matter what employer you work for, or what state you live in, or how big a check you can write, Campbell said.

Kaminski and Pritt arent giving up on having children. For now, theyre pursuing other fertility treatments that arent IVF.

Bill of the Month is a crowdsourced investigation by KHN and NPR that dissects and explains medical bills. Do you have an interesting medical bill you want to share with us? Tell us about it!

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

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NEW YORK  If the U.S. Supreme Court reverses its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision guaranteeing abortion rights nationwide, demand for abortion pills, which can be prescribed through online telemedicine visits, will likely rise. Conservative states have already rushed to restrict the practice, and if Roe falls, they will be able to ban it altogether, experts say.

What is a medication abortion?

In a medication abortion, a patient takes a drug called mifepristone, also known as RU-486, followed by a second drug called misoprostol, to end a pregnancy rather than having a surgical procedure. Over half of abortions in the United States are medication abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights advocacy research group.

How does the federal government regulate medication abortions?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved mifepristone in 2000, but until very recently, the FDA mandated that patients get it at a doctors office, clinic or hospital.

After easing those restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency in December permanently did away with the requirement that it had to be dispensed in person, allowing patients to consult with healthcare providers via telemedicine appointments and receive the pills by mail.

That increased access to abortion for patients living in remote areas without providers nearby and women unable to take time off from work or not able to get to clinics for other reasons. The drugs are approved for use through the 10th week of pregnancy.

Do states restrict medication abortion?

Medication abortions have become a target of anti-abortion politicians and activists. At least 116 restrictions, including eight measures that ban the practice outright, have been introduced this year, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

Thirty-two states allow only physicians to dispense abortion pills, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Six states, including Texas and Missouri, ban any use of telemedicine for medication abortion. Another 21 states do not have blanket bans but require at least one in-person visit, meaning patients cannot simply have a telemedicine appointment and receive the pills by mail, according to the foundation.

What is the impact on medication abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned?

If the Supreme Court overturns Roe, conservative states are poised to ban or sharply restrict abortion altogether, including 13 with so-called trigger laws that would take effect immediately or soon after the court acts. Missouri is among those states. They would apply to medication abortions. Some trigger laws ban abortions almost completely, while others would outlaw abortion after six weeks or 15 weeks.

Can a patient in a state where medical abortion is illegal get the pills from an out-of-state provider where it is legal?

That depends. It is illegal for a medical professional to prescribe the pills via a telemedicine appointment to a woman in a state where they are illegal, legal experts say.

The laws around telemedicine generally say that the location of the patient controls, said Amanda Allen, senior counsel at the Lawyering Project, an organization that represents abortion providers. Doctors who prescribed abortion pills to a patient in a state where they are illegal could lose their licenses in that state, or even face criminal charges, she said.

A woman who lives in a state where abortion is illegal, such as Missouri, could travel to a state where it is legal, such as Illinois, have a telemedicine visit, and have the medication mailed to an address there.

In some cases, thats somewhat less burdensome and costly than to travel all the way to a brick-and-mortar clinic in a neighboring state, she said, noting that patients who travel to clinics in other states have sometimes faced weeks-long waits for appointments.

Are there currently lawsuits challenging state restrictions on medical abortion?

Yes. GenBioPro Inc., a company that sells mifepristone, has already challenged Mississippi restrictions on telemedicine by arguing that they are preempted by the FDA, meaning that the federal approval of the drug overrides any state law. There has not been a ruling in that case, which is pending in Mississippi federal court.

Similar challenges have succeeded before. In 2014, a Massachusetts federal judge struck down a state law seeking to regulate opioid drugs more stringently than federal law on the grounds that it was preempted.

Those challenges, though, could ultimately end up at the Supreme Court, which is unlikely to strike down the state restrictions.

Can patients get abortion pills from other countries?

Yes. Women in states cracking down on telemedicine abortion have increasingly turned to ordering pills online from overseas.

While the practice is not legal, state authorities have said they have no effective way of policing orders from foreign doctors and pharmacies.

Raymond reported from Boston.
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS  Metro East abortion clinics are forecasting a surge in out-of-state patients  by more than double  if the Supreme Court overturns federal abortion protections.

The news of the courts draft opinion, confirmed Tuesday by Chief Justice John Roberts, also fueled protests across the country, including in St. Louis, where hundreds rallied in support of abortion access. The draft, which Roberts said did not represent the courts final decision, shows the court overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that established a constitutional right to abortion.

U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-St. Louis, promised the crowd at a rally in St. Louis that she would push for a federal abortion-rights law.

If we dont do everything we can, then abortions will continue to happen, they just wont be safe, Bush said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Colleen McNicholas, chief medical officer for reproductive health services at Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis region, said that if Roe v. Wade was overturned and abortions banned in Missouri, Southern Illinois Planned Parenthood and the Hope Clinic for Women in Granite City expect to see up to 15,000 additional patients per year, up from 6,000 to 7,000.

The clinics have the physical capacity to serve the additional patients, she said, but more staff would be needed, including the case workers who help patients get to a clinic.

Missouri already limits access to abortions. Planned Parenthoods facility in the Central West End is the last remaining clinic in Missouri that provides abortion care.

Should the court follow through with the decision, McNicholas said, Missourians would lose the very limited access that remains here. Those who stand to be the most affected by the decision include those who are financially insecure, homeless or uninsured, she said.

Without insurance, a first-trimester abortion can cost $300 to $500, McNicholas said, not including transportation and hotel costs. There are also logistical barriers, like needing a car that is reliable enough to travel 800 miles to a clinic, or getting time off work.

As has always been true, the burden of this restriction ... will be felt disproportionately by those who are already the most marginalized, she said.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker in a press conference said that the Supreme Court decision would not affect abortions in the state, and lauded legislators for having passed laws that protect access.

Let me be clear, no matter what atrocious opinion the Supreme Court officially rolls out this summer in regards to Roe v. Wade, abortion is safe and legal in Illinois, the Democrat said.

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, in a statement Monday evening, said right-wing politicians are working overtime to strip away our most personal and fundamental freedoms, including abortion access, voting rights, civil rights and LGBTQ rights.

Several anti-abortion organizations didnt return calls seeking comment on Tuesday, including the Archdiocese of St. Louis and Missouri Right to Life. Rachell Highley, chief of staff for Maryland Heights-based Coalition Life, said even if the Supreme Court proceeds with the opinion, that would not eliminate all abortions.

We just encourage everybody to not let their guard down or take this as a reason to relax, Highley said.

More than 250 St. Louis-area residents gathered Tuesday evening outside the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse to protest the possibility that Roe v. Wade might be overturned.

Stacy Deleste, 60, a retired social worker from Webster Groves said news of the court opinion makes her feel like the country is stepping back 100 years.

Kelsie Eversmeyer, 28, of Pacific, was raised as an evangelical Southern Baptist, and had an extremely conservative upbringing. She said she was taught from an early age that God was against abortions, but started to change her opinion after talking to a friend whod had one.

Something just didnt add up, Eversmeyer said.

Now, she said, she views abortion bans as incredible government overreach.

Maggie Judson, 39, of OFallon, Illinois, attended the rally with her 11-year-old son.

I wanted him to see the importance of coming out, and standing up for the things you believe in, Judson said.

Living in Illinois, which is far less restrictive of abortions, Judson said, feels safer.

Gas prices are higher, but thats fine, she said. Ill pay my $4.59 (per gallon).

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Annika Merrilees business reporter Follow Annika Merrilees Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
A 41-year-old Buffalo man sentenced last month in connection with a fatal 2020 crash into the McKinley Monument in Niagara Square has been accused of attacking another inmate and a jail deputy in the Erie County Holding Center, the Sheriff's Office said.

Paul Tolbert III allegedly punched another inmate at about 9:34 a.m. Monday during a prayer service in the jail, the Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

After deputies removed the victim from the area, Tolbert allegedly punched and kicked deputies attempting to restrain him. A deputy who was punched in the face and grabbed by the throat was treated at Erie County Medical Center, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The incident is being investigated by detectives in the Sheriff's Office, who said Tolbert could face criminal and administrative charges.

Tolbert was sentenced April 21 to 7 to 15 years in prison for the Nov. 26, 2020, crash that killed Angel Marie Cobb, 34, a passenger in Tolbert's vehicle.

Reach Aaron at abesecker[at]buffnews.com or 716-849-4602.

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Joe Holleman Joe Holleman is a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Joe Holleman 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

Illia Ponomarenko is a Ukrainian journalist for the Kyiv Independent, covering his nation's war with Russia through its heaviest fighting.

With more than 1.1 million Twitter followers, he is one of the most popular English-speaking reporters in the world.

So it was good to see that the combat correspondent had time last week to recall his peaceful, but pandemic-abbreviated, stay in 2020 in Columbia, Missouri.

Ponomarenko was a member of that year's fellowship class of Alfred Friendly Press Partners at the University of Missouri's School of Journalism.

And surprisingly on April 29, he posted a shot of downtown Columbia, focusing on an American flag waving over a Jiffy Lube near Broadway.

The caption reads: "My happy days in Columbia MO. I think this is the most typical American street view ever seen."

When a follower replied they had lived in the area shown in the photo, Ponomarenko replied, "Same here. I lived on W. Broadway just in front of John A. Steward Park."

David Reed, program director for Alfred Friendly Press Partners, said he got to know Ponomarenko fairly well during his stay.

"He really fell in love with the Midwest, and he was only here for like four and a half weeks," Reed said, adding that Ponomarenko especially enjoyed borrowing Reed's bicycle to ride the Katy Trail.

"Given that he's a cyclist, you can guess he's outgoing. And he has a great sense of humor," Reed said.

Arriving in Columbia in early March 2020, one week before most businesses closed in the college town, Ponomarenko and the other fellows managed to get in about four weeks of training before heading out, Reed said.

Ponomarenko began writing combat dispatches five years ago, when he was a college student. Then he plied his trade for the Kyiv Post, which was his employer when he was in Missouri.

When that paper abruptly dismissed its staff in late 2021, he and his recently unemployed colleagues started the online Independent.

Reed said that since the 2020 fellowships were cut short by COVID-19, Reed said the program hopes at some point to get those fellows back in the U.S. to finish their stints  which for Ponomarenko will be to work with the Pentagon reporter for USA Today.

Reed said that for Ponomarenko, and other Ukrainian journalists who have been Friendly Fellows, the conflict with Russia was foremost in their minds, even if it did not always register as heavily with Americans.

"We've had (Ukrainian reporters) since 2014 and they've always talked about it," Reed said. "They'd keep telling us, 'This is a real war.'"

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An East St. Louis woman who admitted driving to and from a carjacking that killed photographer James "Anthony" Sapone in 2019 was sentenced Wednesday to 11 years in federal prison.

Surrayah Hill, 24, pleaded guilty in January in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to a felony charge of aiding a deadly carjacking. She admitted driving her vehicle after two others, Keombra James and Demario Hunter, carjacked Sapone's Ford Escape about 9 p.m. March 18, 2019, at Cherokee Street and Iowa Avenue.

Hunter, 35, was sentenced in December to 25 years in prison for fatally shooting Sapone during the carjacking. James, 28, was sentenced in January to 15 years in prison. James also struggled with Sapone's fiancee, who successfully fought her off after Hunter shot Sapone.

After the shooting, Hill drove James, her cousin, and Hunter, the father of one of her children, from the scene. Authorities said Hill and Hunter had recruited James to help them rob people.

Sapone was about to go to an anniversary dinner with his fiancee, Amy Sprandel, when they were carjacked.

Hill apologized in court to the judge, the community and the victims.

In sentencing Hill on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge John Ross accepted the defense and government's position that Hill was the least culpable of the three defendants. He considered her criminal history, pattern of abusive relationships and mental illness and also described the severity of the crime.

"This is the type of crime that sparks fear in the community," Ross said. "The crime itself is terrifying."

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BRIDGETON  A former city councilman here has been criminally charged and accused of stealing his council salary by moving out of the district.

Andrew Purcell, 36, has been issued a summons for a felony charge of stealing by deceit, St. Louis County prosecutors said Wednesday. Purcell moved out of Bridgeton and registered to vote at his address in Carterville, in Williamson County, Illinois, making him ineligible for a position on the Bridgeton city council, charging documents say.

Purcell registered to vote in Illinois on Nov. 5, and stated under oath at a March 25 Electoral Board meeting in Williamson County that he'd been living in Williamson County since March 2021, the charges say. Carterville is near Carbondale, more than two hours away from St. Louis.

Purcell was appointed to the Bridgeton council in April of 2018 and elected in April of 2020 to a two-year term, prosecutors said. He did not run for re-election and his term expired on April 5, they said. Purcell was paid $500 per month as a council member.

The charge carries a potential penalty of one to seven years in prison and a $10,000 fine. No lawyer is listed for Purcell.

The Marion Republican newspaper reported in March that Purcell was seeking a seat on the Williamson County board before the Republican party challenged his qualifications, triggering the Electoral Board hearing. Purcell had been working as a prosecutor there, and had only sporadically attended council meetings in Bridgeton, the newspaper said.

St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, a former councilman, said in a statement announcing the charges that living in a district "ensures that elected leaders are visible and accessible to the residents they serve. Bridgeton Mayor Terry Briggs and I discussed how these alleged actions by the defendant not only distract from the very difficult and often thankless work that he and the rest of the Bridgeton City Council do every day, but is also a black eye on all those who choose public service as a way of giving back to their community."

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UPDATED at 11 a.m. Thursday with arrest of man, additional details on boy

ST. LOUIS  A 3-year-old boy was in critical condition Wednesday after he found a gun and accidentally shot himself in the head, police said.

The shooting happened about 1:20 p.m. Wednesday in the 3500 block of North 11th Street, police said. The scene is in the city's Hyde Park neighborhood.

Police said Thursday that officers have arrested a 22-year-old man on suspicion of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, resulting in serious injury. The Post-Dispatch does not typically identify suspects until charges are filed.

Police learned about the shooting Wednesday afternoon once the boy arrived at Barnes-Jewish Hospital for treatment. He had been rushed there in a private vehicle.

The boy had found the gun under a mattress, police said.

Police spokeswoman Evita Caldwell said the arrested man is not the boy's father. She didn't know their relationship.

Kim Bell of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

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ST. LOUIS  A woman suffered a serious injury after jumping from a second-floor window of a burning home Wednesday morning in south St. Louis.

She was taken to a hospital after the 6 a.m. blaze, in the 4100 block of Nebraska Avenue.

The injured woman was in serious condition. She suffered a leg or ankle injury.

Firefighters were dispatched to what they were told was a vacant house on fire in the city's Dutchtown neighborhood. Heavy smoke poured from the first and second floors.

They found hoarding conditions, with cardboard boxes and other items stacked throughout the home, waist high in some places. They conducted two searches to make sure no one was left inside.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Laurie Skrivan of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

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JEFFERSON CITY  Teacher salaries in Missouri would rise to a base level of $38,000 annually under a budget plan heading toward final approval in the House and Senate.

As part of a proposed $45.1 billion spending blueprint for the fiscal year beginning July 1, budget negotiators agreed to insert $37 million to help school districts boost pay from the current nationally low base of $25,000.

I think as a state we need to make it a priority. Were in a teacher shortage crisis, said Sen. Lauren Arthur, D-Kansas City.

The increase, which had won earlier approval in the Senate, but not in the House, is among a series of changes made to the dueling versions of the budget as the two chambers head to a Friday deadline to send the plan to Gov. Mike Parson.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Dan Hegeman, R-Cosby, called the overall budget transformative as negotiators went line by line through the massive document covering everything from education spending to road building costs.

Its been a big budget to work with, Hegeman said. Its a give-and-take. Not everybody gets all they want.

But many got more than they would have in less financially robust times for state coffers.

Brimming with unexpected growth in tax revenue and billions of dollars in federal pandemic stimulus aid, the massive blueprint includes help for school districts, increases at public colleges and universities and scores of pet projects for lawmakers in their home districts.

Were flush with cash, said Sen. Mike Cierpiot, R-Lees Summit, who served as one of the negotiators.

The House and Senate started out the day $1.2 billion apart on spending after the Senate last week approved a $45.1 billion plan for the next fiscal year.

An additional $245 million in funding for schools is aimed at addressing staffing shortages that have led to almost one-fourth of the states school districts going to four-day school weeks.

School transportation will be fully funded under the plan. The $214 million will provide school districts with a 70% match for at least the coming school year.

On teacher pay, negotiators had initially sought a lower amount to address rural school districts who were worried about the added cost.

They were very concerned about that, said Rep. Rusty Black, R-Chillicothe.

But, committee members on both sides of the aisle successfully lobbied for the $38,000 level, arguing that the current rate amounts to about $12 an hour.

The National Education Association, which represents teachers, ranks Missouri 47th in average teacher pay at $51,557. The state ranks 50th in the nation for starting teacher pay at an average of $33,234.

The budget also offers school districts $50 million in grants designed to help children recover from learning losses that occurred during school shutdown related to the coronavirus pandemic.

The House had sought $75 million for the program, while the Senate hadnt put any money toward the effort.

The budget also includes $500,000 for a civics program designed to teach children about being an American.

It would be education with a patriotic theme, Hegeman said.

Sen. Karla Eslinger, R-Ozark, said the program would train teachers to instruct children on the love of country.

The panel also kept $500,000 in the budget that would have funded child care centers for students at Roosevelt High School and Vashon High School in St. Louis.

Big-ticket items like the states Medicaid system are fully funded under the plan. The cost to continue to fund the voter-approved expansion of the MO HealthNet program is pegged at $2.5 billion.

In the Missouri Department of Transportation budget, lawmakers earmarked $100 million to repair and upgrade rural roads as part of a request from Parson.

The Jefferson County Port Authority would receive $25 million to expand its port, which is being eyed for a container shipping terminal.

Negotiators also budgeted $2.4 million to restore Amtrak service between St. Louis and Kansas City to two round trips per day.

And, they placed $7 million into a fund to help public transit systems.

Transit is going to get a lot of money, Hegeman said.

The states aging computer systems, which have been blamed for delays in processing benefits for health insurance, will receive an influx of money for upgrades, including $12 million for cybersecurity updates and $6 million for new interactive chatbots.

The panel agreed to fund $500 million requested by Parson as a deposit to shore up the Missouri State Employees Retirement System and another $100 million for early retirement of state debt.

At the Department of Mental Health, the budget includes more than $16 million for a mental health hotline program similar to the 911 hotline for emergency calls.

Programs serving urban areas also are in line for a ramp-up in state grants. The Save Our Streets anti-violence program will receive $1 million, as will the Better Family Life Cultural Center in St. Louis.

There were politics in play as well during the hourslong session.

The panel sided with the Senate in failing to fund $500,000 sought by Attorney General Eric Schmitt to hire five attorneys in the solicitor general unit.

The decision was pushback against Schmitt for suing more than 40 school districts over mask rules in January.

Schmitts office in March announced an end to dozens of lawsuits he had filed against school districts with mandatory masking policies.

By contrast, the state public defenders office received $1.1 million to hire 24 non-attorneys to offset a long-running backlog of cases due to a shortage of staff.

While the states general spending plan is heading to a final vote, lawmakers also are considering a separate $3 billion budget for construction projects and other individual initiatives.

A vote on the measure could come next week as the General Assembly attempts to wrap up its business for the year.

But, some lawmakers are concerned that the massive spending plan could fall by the wayside amid infighting among Republicans in the upper chamber.

I have no assurances that (the bill) will make its way through our chamber in the last six days of session, said Sen. Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, who is vice-chairman of the Senate budget panel.

Originally posted at 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 4.

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JEFFERSON CITY  Lucas Kunce and Trudy Busch Valentine, the two highest-profile Democrats running for U.S. Senate in Missouri, both looked to harness Democratic voter energy Tuesday as the U.S. Supreme Court appeared poised to strike down Roe v. Wade.

Im a nurse and a mother. All my life, Ive worked to help others, Busch Valentine said Tuesday. I have always believed women deserve quality, compassionate health care  including access to contraception and abortion care.

Valentines statement that shes always believed in access to abortion could play a growing role in the Aug. 2 Democratic primary as voters focus on the issue. A leak from the Supreme Court on Monday showed a conservative majority was poised to leave abortion rights up to states, which would trigger an immediate end to most abortions in Missouri.

Kunce, during his first campaign for public office in 2006, described himself to the Yale News as a pretty conservative Democrat opposed to abortion. But on Tuesday, he noted how his views have evolved.

I grew up in a pro-life family, but Ive seen firsthand what countries without individual freedoms look like when I served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Kunce said on Tuesday. This Big Brother stuff has no place in America.

Pro-Choice Missouri, formerly NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri, has yet to make an endorsement in the Aug. 2 Democratic primary, which features nine additional and lesser-known contenders.

Following the leak, first reported by Politico, both Kunce and Valentine called for Congress to protect access to abortion in federal law.

Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Pro-Choice Missouri, described the current Democratic race as tight and contested.

The Pro-Choice Missouri PAC will continue to deliberate before they make a decision on which candidate we think can best serve the interests of Missourians in Washington, D.C., she said.

Schwarz said Pro-Choice Missouri wouldnt hold a candidates past views against them.

In a state like Missouri, so many people grow up indoctrinated into the anti-abortion mindset that so many of our schools forced on young people, she said. There is all of the room in the world for someone to change their mind.

... We welcome folks into our movement always, Schwarz said, but we need the commitment to reproductive health rights and justice to be authentic to be about our collective fight for liberation and not be a position taken for political opportunism.

Political forecast

Democrats are looking to capitalize on the issue during what appears to be an otherwise dim year politically for the party.

But opinions differ as to how any decision striking Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that made access to abortion a constitutionally protected right, would resonate in conservative Missouri.

Former Sen. Claire McCaskill, a two-term Missouri Democrat, said the decision should matter in every state election due to a 2019 anti-abortion law Republicans approved.

It includes a trigger outlawing nearly all abortions in the event the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.

What has happened in Missouri is far from the mainstream, McCaskill said Tuesday. And I dont think most Missourians realize how extreme it is. But they will now.

It should have an impact on every race thats run in the state, she said.

James Harris, a Republican consultant, doubted Democratic claims of extremism would resonate.

Democrats try to label Republican candidates as extremists routinely, he said. But in Missouri, time and time again, it does not work.

Its a good thing for whoever wins the Republican primary because Missouri is a majority pro-life state, said Jean Evans, a former state representative and executive director of the Missouri Republican Party.

She said a decision to overturn Roe v. Wade could help Democrats compete in some suburban legislative races, where voters are more supportive of abortion rights.

Evans said Democrats are already attempting to mobilize donors and voters.

Quite frankly, they need something because on every major issue nationally, theyre trailing popular opinion, she said. Their base is also disenchanted with the administration.

McCaskill said past actions by Missouri lawmakers would factor into even more issues if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

She said because Missouri law states life begins at conception, a decision by the high court to overturn the right to an abortion casts a very long shadow on the ability to have IVF, in vitro fertilization.

It even casts a shadow on the ability to use an IUD or to take a morning-after pill if youve been raped, she said.

In half the country, unless voters, you know, change things, there will be a lot of scared, very young women that have been victims of rape and incest that will have nowhere to go, McCaskill said.

Nationwide, Americans are more likely to hold mixed views on abortion than believe strongly the procedure ought to be banned or allowed, according to Gallup polling.

Forty-eight percent of Americans who participated in a Gallup survey last year supported legal abortions only under certain circumstances, while 32% of Americans expressed support for abortions under any circumstances. Nineteen percent wanted to outlaw abortions in all cases.

In Missouri, according to a Remington Research Group survey published in June, 64% of likely 2022 general election voters surveyed described themselves as generally pro-life while 30% of voters said they were generally pro-choice.

Republicans embrace decision

Major Republicans running for U.S. Senate embraced the potential decision.

The implications of the Heartbeat Bill could soon become a reality in Missouri, which would be a major victory in the pursuit of protecting innocent life, said Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, who voted for the 2019 Missouri law.

Attorney General Eric Schmitt, another Republican running for U.S. Senate, said he would file the legal opinion necessary to outlaw abortion in Missouri, except when a mothers life is in jeopardy, if the Supreme Court struck Roe v. Wade.

Im prepared to immediately issue the opinion that would protect the unborn in Missouri, he said Tuesday morning.

I am optimistic that these reports are true, and that the Supreme Court will do the right thing, finally overturning this travesty of a decision, U.S. Rep. Billy Long, R-Springfield, said in a statement. I have always stood up for the Right to Life, and will continue to do so.

U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, said she hoped the Supreme Court stays true to this potential decision.

Posted at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 3.

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JEFFERSON CITY  The backer of a plan to fully legalize marijuana in Missouri said Im pretty sure the bill is dead on Wednesday as the legislative session moved closer to its final week.

Rep. Ron Hicks, R-Defiance, said GOP leadership gauged caucus support, which came back light, so Im being told.

Were running out of time as it is, Hicks said. I needed that thing done today really, to tell you the truth. Otherwise I was out of time.

With Hicks doubting his bills prospects, and as the chamber refocuses on congressional redistricting, the campaign to fully legalize marijuana through an initiative petition expressed growing confidence Wednesday that its effort would make the November ballot.

Legal Missouri said it had collected more than 325,000 signatures  nearly twice as many as will be necessary to make the ballot, if all are deemed valid. The campaign must also turn in signatures from six of eight congressional districts, further complicating the task.

The campaign faces a Sunday deadline to turn in signatures.

Were confident that our historic signature count provides the necessary cushion to qualify for the ballot, said John Payne, campaign manager for Legal Missouri.

But were not taking any chances and will continue to pound the pavement these next several days to ensure our proposal exceeds the required threshold, he said.

Hicks bill has drawn support from cannabis legalization activists opposed to the current medical marijuana program and Legal Missouri, which builds on it.

State officials initially limited licenses to the minimum required under the 2018 constitutional amendment authorizing the program  and hundreds of lawsuits from rejected applicants followed.

At the same time, many in the established medical marijuana industry  recipients of the limited number of licenses  have differed with Hicks on license limits; his bill initially contained no limits.

Hicks expected his bill to be debated Monday but said then he was told more discussion was necessary.

His legislation didnt initially include license caps. An amendment in a House committee would require the state to double the amount of licenses issued, effectively raising the current cap. Hicks said he had prepared an amendment to reverse that.

But he said he was told the caps were wanting to stay because Lyndall Fraker had mentioned that he wanted caps.

Fraker is the director of the states Section for Medical Marijuana Regulation.

House Majority Leader Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres, said he had a conversation with Fraker and Fraker would like to see some kind of caps on them, Hicks said Monday. Which Im OK with. You want to talk about caps, lets talk about them, but how do we talk about them if we never get the damn bill to the floor?

Fraker confirmed Tuesday he had spoken with Plocher.

Lyndall denies ever arguing for caps, said Lisa Cox, spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Senior Services, in an email. However, he and the department have always been clear about not supporting unlimited licenses for many reasons, she said. We chose to start with the minimum required and have issued more licenses than the minimum already.

Hicks said in a Facebook post Monday Plocher was blocking his bill.

Plocher, asked about the Cannabis Freedom Act on Monday afternoon, said Im doing my job as he rushed onto the House floor.

Everybody wants their bills heard, he said.

Originally posted at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 4.(tncms-asset)ee04cae0-c01c-11ec-81f9-00163ec2aa77[0](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)29c0d150-bc3f-11ec-b440-00163ec2aa77[1](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)56a7c1a8-af6d-11ec-9416-00163ec2aa77[2](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)0e97cfba-b153-11ec-87ee-00163ec2aa77[3](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)07fcac82-ab7e-11ec-b2f1-00163ec2aa77[4](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)b67ecec2-9ee3-11ec-af8e-00163ec2aa77[5](/tncms-asset)

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JEFFERSON CITY  With a little more than a week left in session, the Missouri Senate has advanced election legislation that carries many GOP priorities.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. John Simmons, R-Washington, was initially a renewed voter ID law but grew to encompass other issues, including the mandated use of paper ballots.

Democrats, who were skeptical of the legislation, stretched negotiations well into Tuesday night. But after winning key changes to the bill, including the authorization of no-excuse absentee voting and mitigating certain GOP proposals, they eventually stood down.

The bills first-round approval late Tuesday broke the two-day deadlock after Democrats filibustered an anti-transgender athlete bill sponsored by Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove. Moon retaliated by stalling any Senate operations through Monday night.

Democrats said despite the negotiations, the bill, which obtained House approval in March, was largely counterproductive to securing voting rights.

This is born out of the Big Lie, said Sen. Doug Beck, D-south St. Louis County, referring to claims that former President Donald Trump actually won the 2020 presidential election. Born out of something that never happened. And were now trying to correct our elections. At the end of the day, does this get more people voting? How are we helping people passed barriers to voting?

The Senate sponsor of the bill, Sen. Sandy Crawford, R-Buffalo, pushed back on the criticism.

I dont want to and I dont think anyone in this room wants to prohibit anyone whos eligible to vote from voting, she said.

Crawford also spoke against the personal attacks shed received from voting advocates over the bill, saying theyd been a real challenge to deal with.

Under the bill, voters without a photo ID on election day could cast a provisional ballot. These provisional ballots may be verified if a voter returns to the polling place with a photo ID or the election authority verifies the ballot signature matches a signature on file.

The bill also prohibits election authorities from receiving private funding.

An amendment proposed by Sen. Eric Burlison, R-Republic, allowing the secretary of state to withhold state funds from local election authorities generated hours of debate.

Democrats argued this, along with a provision giving the secretary of state control over audits of local voter registration records, gave the official unprecedented power.

Under another heavily debated amendment, local election authorities could only receive private donations collected and distributed by the secretary of state in a funding shortage.

GOP senators also added amendments to allow voters the option to register with a political party and require cybersecurity reviews of local election authorities by the secretary of state or a qualified firm.

Democrats won concessions during the debate, eventually adding an amendment to adopt two weeks of no-excuse absentee voting before elections.

The provision, which would allow voters to vote at designated sites before an election, is tied to the voter ID provision and will be canceled if courts strike down the photo ID requirement.

The bill will come up for another vote in the Senate before returning to the House for consideration.

The legislation is House Bill 1878.

Originally posted at 11:35 a.m. Wednesday, May 4.

Grace Zokovitch gzokovitch@post-dispatch.com
Kathy Hochul isn't just the first woman governor of New York State. On Sunday, the Buffalo native became the first grandmother to serve in the office.

"Welcome to the world, Sofia!" Hochul tweeted at 9:38 p.m. Sunday.

"My son Billy and daughter-in-law Christina are going to be the best parents  this new grandma couldn't be happier," Hochul added, punctuating her statement with a smiley face emoji covered in hearts.

Included in the tweet was a photograph of the 63-year-old first-time grandmother holding her infant granddaughter.

According to the Daily News, Hochul traveled outside of the state to Washington, D.C., on Sunday to meet her new granddaughter, and returned to Albany later the same day. That left New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins as acting governor while Hochul was away, since the state is without a lieutenant governor following the resignation last month of former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin in the wake of federal public corruption charges.

Bill Mahoney, a writer for Politico, tweeted Tuesday that Stewart-Cousins said "it was fun," referring to the few hours she spent as acting governor .

Meanwhile, Hochul's first deputy press secretary, Avi Small, on Tuesday said the governor was busy traveling with her replacement for lieutenant governor, U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado, who has represented the central Hudson Valley in the U.S. Congress since 2019.

The State Legislature on Monday passed a bill that allows an indicted candidate to be removed from the state election ballot, which enabled Delgado to run on the June 18 Democratic primary ballot as Hochul's lieutenant governor.

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JEFFERSON CITY  Letting some food stamp recipients buy hot meals isnt welfare expansion, but a way to address challenges some poor people face, proponents said during a House committee hearing Wednesday afternoon.

The measure, sponsored by Sen. Angela Mosley, D-Florissant, would create a Restaurant Meals Program within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The program would allow elderly, disabled or homeless recipients to receive meals at certain restaurants at a reduced price.

Mosley and other supporters of the legislation said access to hot meals can be key for people who may have a difficult time preparing their own food or those who lack a place to cook and store food.

When theres a need to take a bunch of ingredients and get into a kitchen and cook all those things, thats a real burden for a lot of people, said Jeremy LaFaver, lobbyist for Empower Missouri.

The measure was approved by the Senate last month, gaining enough bipartisan support after heated debate.

Several advocates of the legislation spoke to the falsehoods coming out of the Senate, noting the bill does not constitute a welfare expansion.

The bill would not add new people to the program, Mosley pointed out, and with the existing support in federal law, has a very low cost.

The program would have a $30,000 startup cost and then require $3,000 of state funding a year, according to a nonpartisan fiscal analysis.

Senate conservatives also drew attention to the idea that federal funds could go to fast food purchases. Mosley addressed the concern, saying that restaurants must apply to be part of the program and are chosen at the discretion of the Department of Social Services, considering factors like cost and options.

I take issue with people wanting to police what people, especially veterans, are choosing to eat, said Rep. Raychel Proudie, D-Ferguson. I dont want anybody with disabilities, or our seniors, or our veterans to have the least of anything.

Rep. Barry Hovis, R-Whitewater, questioned some technical details like whether adding the greater cost of prepared meals would result in a loss in the quantity of food participants are able to purchase per SNAP dollar.

Proponents responded if an individual is unable to prepare the food, the amount may not matter.

The measure will have to receive committee and House approval by May 13 in order to be signed into law.

Similar programs have been adopted in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Rhode Island and Virginia.

The legislation is Senate Bill 789.

Posted at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 4.

Grace Zokovitch gzokovitch@post-dispatch.com
ST. LOUIS  Workers on Wednesday morning cleared the homeless camp under the Interstate 44 overpass near Cole Street downtown, the last of three sites there that the city had planned to remove.

A few hours later, an aldermanic panel advanced a bill to make it illegal to pitch a tent in public rights of way. The legislation was spurred by growing concern over a separate homeless encampment along the River Des Peres near Gravois Avenue on the citys south side.

At the downtown camp, residents packed belongings into shopping carts and boxes. About 18 workers were on site and hauled away the remaining items.

The city originally gave the residents 10 days notice to vacate, with a deadline of Monday. On Monday, the city cleared the first two camps, displacing one or two people, according to advocates and city officials.

At the encampment that was cleared Wednesday, four or five people had been staying there in recent weeks.

The city had also planned to evict a camp of people about a quarter mile to the east, who have been living under a pavilion along the Mississippi River.

But on Friday the city said that while it had enough shelter beds available for the 15 to 20 residents of the Riverfront Community, it would delay the sites closure until it had options that are not in group settings.

The bill barring tents and similar shelters from public rights of way was endorsed 7-0 by the aldermanic Public Safety Committee and sent to the full Board of Aldermen. The measure covers streets, alleys, sidewalks, easements and other city-controlled property.

The sponsor, Alderman Tom Oldenburg of the 16th Ward, said camps like the one along the River Des Peres are dangerous for the people staying there.

Motorists using adjacent River Des Peres Boulevard over the years have lost control of their vehicles and swerved onto grassy areas such as those where some homeless people in recent weeks have pitched tents, he said.

This is a safety issue but ... also a homelessness issue, Oldenburg said. He said once the tents are cleared, then get them plugged into the services they need.

Alderman Bret Narayan, one of two committee members who voted present on the bill, said he worries what happens to those forced to leave such pop-up encampments.

I just dont know where people are supposed to go, he said.

Narayan, of the 24th Ward, said he also worried that the measure might prevent the city from setting up a supervised intentional encampment with some services for homeless people who wont go to traditional shelters.

Several people testified against the bill in the teleconference hearing.

Kennard Williams, a housing organizer with Action St. Louis, said the bill was a prime example of the criminalization of poverty and homelessness that doesnt address the root causes of either. Among other opponents were members of Tent Mission StL and Unhoused StL, two homeless aid groups.

Alderman Carol Howard, 14th Ward, said she receives more complaints about tent encampments than support from residents in her south side area. Unfortunately we did not hear from those people today, she said.

She added that while the city needs to offer services to help people in such camps, there also needs to be motivation to take advantage of those services.

Committee chairman Joe Vaccaro, 23rd Ward, suggested allowing the encampments only in wards where the local alderman supports the idea.

Alderman Bill Stephens, in whose 12th Ward the River Des Peres camp is located, said the bill puts the cart before the horse and that he has been working to find a solution.

Stephens, who isnt on the committee, asked that the bill be delayed until the city counselors office compiles a report on whether previous court rulings would even allow such a ban.

Posted at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 4.(tncms-asset)52f4aace-ca45-11ec-965f-00163ec2aa77[0](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)c89ff4fc-c9ac-11ec-89b2-00163ec2aa77[1](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)119df9f8-c8a2-11ec-bdb7-00163ec2aa77[2](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)5397d536-c7e4-11ec-9685-00163ec2aa77[3](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)d7e13d3e-c26a-11ec-8ff4-00163ec2aa77[4](/tncms-asset)

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The commander of the main defending force at the Azovstal steel mill in the strategic Ukrainian port city of Mariupol says Russian troops have broken into the territory of the mill, where limited evacuations of besieged civilians occurred last week.

The Russian government, meanwhile, pledged to facilitate humanitarian corridors from Thursday through Saturday to enable more evacuations.

In a video posted Wednesday, Denis Prokopenko, commander of the Ukrainian Azov regiment, said the incursions had continued a second day and there are heavy, bloody battles.

Azovstal remains one of the biggest hubs of Ukrainian military resistance and has been subjected to massive Russian aerial bombardments and shelling. Russian State TV showed smoke rising over Azovstal.

Hundreds of Ukrainian forces from different parts of the army, as well as civilians, remain in the plant's underground shelters.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:  AP evidence points to 600 dead in Mariupol theater airstrike

 EU takes major step toward Russian oil ban, new sanctions

 Russia storms Mariupol steel plant as some evacuees reach safety

 Pope Francis struggles to make progress in Ukraine peace effort

 EU eyes sanctions for head of the Russian Orthodox Church

Follow all AP stories on Russias war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

Swedens foreign minister says the United States is willing to provide security assurances during the application period if Sweden and neighboring Finland seek membership in NATO.

Ann Linde spoke to Swedish public broadcaster SVT on Wednesday from Washington after meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Linde said there is great interest from the U.S. in Sweden and Finland joining NATO.

Jolted by Russias invasion of Ukraine, Sweden and Finland appear ready to revoke their long-standing policy of military non-alignment and apply for NATO membership.

Russia has warned of unspecified consequences if that happens and both countries have been looking for some form of NATO protection from the moment they apply to when they become members, a process that can take months.

A Russian government statement said its armed forces and their allies would open a humanitarian corridor on specified hours from Thursday through Saturday from the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol, Ukraine, so civilians can be evacuated.

The statement appeared on the Telegram messaging app Wednesday and pledged the forces would refrain from military actions, withdraw to a safe distance and facilitate the withdrawal of the civilians to any destination they choose.

But there was no immediate confirmation of those arrangements from other sources and similar promises to set up evacuation corridors have collapsed, because of what the Ukrainians blamed on continued fighting by Russians. A United Nations spokesman said discussions about future evacuations were ongoing.

Air raid sirens sounded in cities across Ukraine on Wednesday night and missile fire followed shortly after in the cities of Cherkasy, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia.

In Dnipro, Mayor Borys Filatov said one strike hit the center of the city. The strikes in Dnipro also hit a railroad facility, authorities initially said, without elaborating. Ukrainian Railways said none of its staff were injured in the Dnipro attack.

Complaining that the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line points across the country. Meanwhile, the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war by proposing a ban on oil imports, a crucial source of revenue for Russia.

BERLIN  German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says the sanctions imposed by his country and others against Moscow over its war in Ukraine will set back Russias economic development by decades if they remain in place.

Scholz told reporters in Berlin on Wednesday that Russia cannot hope to win a peace with Ukraine unless Kyiv supports it.

A peace by diktat will not work, he said.

In a video message posted on Twitter, Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba welcomed the European Unions decision to propose an embargo on Russian oil. He said Ukraine isnt happy it will be delayed for several months, but its better than nothing.

Kuleba said it should be clear now that times for half-sanctions or half-measures when it comes to sanctions is gone. He says the EU can no longer support Ukraine on one hand by imposing sanctions, while continuing to pay Russia for oil and gas and support their war machine.

He also said if any country continues to oppose the embargo on Russian oil, it will be a reason to say the country is complicit in the crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine.

The proposals need unanimous approval from EU countries and are likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they wont take part in any oil sanctions. They could be granted an exemption.

BUDAPEST, Hungary  Hungarys foreign minister says the country wont support a European Union proposal for banning oil imports from Russia in a move that could derail the blocs efforts to apply united pressure against Moscow over its war in Ukraine.

In a video on social media, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Wednesday that Hungarys energy supply would be completely destroyed by an EU embargo of Russian oil, which he said would make it impossible for Hungary to obtain the oil necessary for the functioning of the Hungarian economy.

Szijjartos statement came as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed that EU member nations phase out imports of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year as part of a sixth package of sanctions against Russia.

The proposals must be unanimously approved to take effect, and reluctance by governments in Hungary and Slovakia to support sanctions against Russian fossil fuels has placed roadblocks before a united EU response.

Szijjarto said Hungary would only support the sixth round of sanctions if oil imports were exempted.

LONDON  Britain announced a further raft of sanctions against Russia, banning the country from doing business with management consultants, accounting and PR firms in the U.K.

The British government also imposed asset freezes and travel bans on journalists working for state-owned media and other broadcast organizations the U.K. accuses of spreading propaganda.

The sanctioned individuals include three journalists embedded with Russian forces in Ukraine: Evgeny Poddubny, Alexander Kots and Dmitry Steshin.

The British government said the new sanctions would mean social media, internet services and app stores must take action to block content from two of Russias major sources of alleged disinformation, RT and Sputnik. Both have been pulled from British airwaves.

Tech and Digital Economy Minister Chris Philp said RT and Sputnik have churned out dangerous nonsense dressed up as serious news to justify Putins invasion of Ukraine.

BERLIN  German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Russian President Vladimir Putin has completely miscalculated with his brutal war of aggression against Ukraine because it has led NATO to strengthen its eastern flank, resulted in comprehensive sanctions against Russia, and prompted large-scale military support for the Ukrainian side.

Scholz said Wednesday that Germany is currently considering supplying Ukraine with howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment the government has already agreed to send.

He spoke to reporters in Meseberg, near Berlin, alongside German Finance Minister Christian Lindner, who announced plans to require that Russians who are subject to sanctions have to disclose their assets in Germany or risk fines.

Economy Minister Robert Habeck said the government is also planning to make it easier for Russians fleeing their home country to find work in Germany.

We can really use them, he said, but added that there would be security checks to ensure that we dont bring a lot of spies over here. ___

SOFIA, Bulgaria  Bulgarias parliament has approved providing additional aid to war-torn Ukraine following a debate that had rattled the governing coalition.

The proposal, introduced by the centrist party of Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, was supported by 200 legislators. Sixteen were against, one abstained, while 23 lawmakers were not present.

The vote took place after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent a letter to the parliament in Sofia. Instead of weapons deliveries, he reportedly asked for damaged Ukrainian military equipment to be repaired at Bulgarian plants and then sent back.

While three of the parties in the four-party ruling coalition had been in favor of sending weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, the fourth party, the pro-Russian Socialists, threatened to quit the coalition if such aid were approved.

The decision also includes Bulgarian assistance for the export of Ukrainian grain via Bulgarias Black Sea ports, and Bulgaria importing electricity from Ukraine.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark  British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace reaffirmed his countrys strong support for Finland and Sweden potentially joining NATO.

Finland and Sweden are expected to announce next week whether to seek membership of the 30-nation alliance.

I cannot conceive that we would not come to support, Wallace told reporters. We will do whatever we need to do.

Wallace said Finland was in a pole position to join NATO and the British Parliament would be able to ratify a Finnish membership quickly.

Wallace on Wednesday observed a military exercise in western Finland involving troops from the United Kingdom, Latvia, the United States and Estonia.

KYIV, Ukraine  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country could not accept a deal with Moscow that would allow Russian troops to remain in occupied territory.

Speaking to participants in the Wall Street Journal CEO Council Summit, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had halted the Russian offensive in what he described as the first stage of the conflict.

In the second stage, he said, Ukraine would expel Russian troops from its territory and in the third, would move to fully restore its territorial integrity.

Zelenskyy said he would not accept a cease-fire deal that would allow Russian forces to remain in their current positions. We will not accept a frozen conflict, the president said without giving further details.

Zelensky emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin must agree to meet him to negotiate any deal to end the fighting.

He said it was important to continue peace talks but noted that until the Russian president signs it or makes an official statement, I dont see the point in such agreements.

LVIV, Ukraine  New satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press suggest fighting may be ongoing at a besieged steel plant in Mariupol.

The Kremlin is denying that Russian forces are trying to storm the Azovstal plant, the last remaining holdout of Ukrainian fighters in the port city.

An image shot by Planet Labs PBC at dawn Wednesday showed black smoke rising at one side of the plant near a canal. Buildings at the plant, including one under which hundreds of fighters and civilians are likely hiding, showed large, gaping holes in the roof. Debris littered the grounds.

Meanwhile, another satellite photo showed that a recent Russian missile attack tore a hole in a key bridge near Odesa.

Russia has attacked the bridge on three occasions. Though it is still standing, a chunk of the bridge is missing toward its south end, the image shows.

KYIV, Ukraine  Ukraines Interior Ministry says a road crash in the western Rivne region has killed 26 people and injured 12 more. The collision involved a bus, a van and a fuel truck, the ministry said. The bus had been headed to Poland, which has been a key destination for Ukrainian refugees.

According to a ministry statement, the accident occurred because the van performed a maneuver to overtake another vehicle, and drove into the oncoming lane, where it collided with a fuel truck.

It wasnt immediately clear how a Poland-bound bus with 34 passengers on board became part of the accident.

___ MOSCOW  The Kremlin has rejected media reports that President Vladimir Putin might formally declare war on Ukraine on May 9, when Russia celebrates the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, and announce a broad mobilization.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the reports as untrue and nonsense at a daily conference call with reporters.

Western media reported earlier this month, citing U.K. and U.S. officials, that Putin might pivot from a special military operation to an all-out war with Ukraine, which would allow him to introduce martial law and mobilize reservists.

The reports said Putin could announce the changes during Victory Day celebrations on May 9, Russias most important holiday. ___

MOSCOW  The Russian defense minister has warned that Moscow will see any Western transports carrying weapons into Ukraine as legitimate targets.

Sergei Shoigus statement Wednesday comes as the U.S. and other Western allies have increased shipments of weapons to Ukraine. Speaking at a meeting with top military officials, Shoigu denounced the West for stuffing Ukraine with weapons.

Any NATO transports carrying weapons or resources for the Ukrainian military that arrives in the countrys territory will be seen by us as a legitimate target to be destroyed, he said.

The Russian military has repeatedly reported strikes on Ukrainian depots containing Western weapons. Striking Western transports delivering them would mark a significant escalation in the conflict.

MOSCOW  Belarus has announced snap military exercises amid the Russian war in Ukraine, while insisting it would not threaten any neighbors.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry said the exercises that began Wednesday would be used to assess the readiness and capability of the countrys armed forces, and the militarys ability to operate on unknown terrain in a rapidly changing situation.

The ministry did not say how many troops are involved in the exercises but noted that their number would be gradually increased.

It said the maneuvers do not threaten the European community in general and any neighboring countries in particular.

Belarus allowed its ally Russia to use its territory as a staging ground before Moscow launched its military action in Ukraine on Feb. 24.

KYIV, Ukraine  Ukrainian officials say evacuations from the besieged port of Mariupol will continue on Wednesday.

Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said evacuations from Mariupol and three other locations to Zaporizhzhia, a city in southeast Ukraine, would take place if the security situation permits.

The governor of the Donetsk region, Pavlo Kyrylenko, confirmed that evacuation buses had already left Mariupol and would stop at three other locations to pick up more passengers.

Kyrylenko said the effort is supported by the United Nations and the International Red Cross.

BRUSSELS  The European Union plans to sanction the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, in its next round of measures against Russia, according to several EU diplomats.

The three people with direct knowledge of the discussions were not authorized to speak publicly as negotiations on the sixth EU package of sanctions between the 27-nation blocs ambassadors were ongoing Wednesday.

Kirill is a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has justified his countrys invasion of Ukraine.

Kirill has also echoed Putins unfounded claims that Ukraine was engaged in the extermination of Russian loyalists in Donbas, the breakaway eastern region of Ukraine held since 2014 by Russian-backed separatist groups.

If the sanctions proposed by the EUs executive arm are approved by EU member countries, Kirill would be added to the EUs updated list of individuals facing travel bans and a freeze of assets.

A total of 1,093 individuals, including Putin and oligarchs, as well as 80 entities, are already subject to the punishing measures.

 Reported by Samuel Petrequin

BRUSSELS  The European Unions chief executive is proposing that the bloc ban oil imports from Russia over its war on Ukraine, and target the countrys biggest bank and major broadcasters in a new round of sanctions.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers Wednesday that the sanctions should involve a complete import ban on all Russian oil, seaborne and pipeline, crude and refined.

She says the aim is to make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets.

The sanctions proposals are to be debated by the 27 EU member countries. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they would not take part. The two are landlocked and heavily dependent on Russia for their energy supplies.

Banks are also in the EU executive arms sights, notably the giant Sberbank. Von der Leyen says the aim is to de-SWIFT Sberbank, as well as two other banks. SWIFT is the major global system for financial transfers.

Von der Leyen says those alleged to be spreading disinformation about the war in Ukraine should be targeted, notably three big Russian state-owned broadcasters. She did not identify any of the outlets.

KYIV, Ukraine  Ukrainian authorities say that scores of civilians have been killed and wounded in the latest attacks in the countrys east.

Donetsk regional Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said that 21 civilians were killed and another 27 were wounded in Russian attacks Tuesday.

He said in a statement on a messaging app early Wednesday that it marked the highest number of civilian victims in the region since April 8 when a Russian missile attack on a railway station in the city of Kramatorsk killed at least 59 people.

In the neighboring Luhansk region, Gov. Serhiy Haidai said at least two civilians were killed in Russian shelling during the last 24 hours and two others were wounded.

The Russian military has intensified attacks in eastern Ukraine as part of its offensive in the region.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Regarding Draft Supreme Court decision would end nearly all abortions in Missouri (May 3): In my opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court would make one of its worst decisions if justices overturn Roe v. Wade. Some states are outlawing abortions for women now who are raped and victims of incest, and some states have no regard for the life of the mother.

Throughout history, the court has not always made perfect constitutional decisions, but they more often than not have done the right thing. Now I believe there is no more moral compass in all of our government. Congress has been paralyzed by members who simply dont want to reach any sort of compromise and certainly dont offer any alternatives.

There have been very few examples of Republicans willing to do the right thing since Sen. John McCain served. As a lifelong Republican and a devout Catholic, I am sickened by the behavior of most of our elected officials. There is nothing Republican or Christian about any of their behavior, in either thought or deed.

Christine Owens  St. Louis
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 turned a local problem into a conflict with global impact. These were the result of economic disruption caused by the fighting inside Ukraine and unexpectedly severe economic sanctions imposed on Russia. Both nations were key components of the global food, energy and raw materials supply system.

In addition to the sanctions, Russia found that their armed forces were far less effective than they and other nations believed. This had different implications depending on whether you were an ally of Russia or a potential victim. The Russian military was revealed to be ridden with corruption, poor leadership and a government that underestimated how serious those known problems were. Ukraine was the first widespread and intensive heavy use of Russian weapons by Russian troops since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Many of the Ukrainian weapons were similar or even identical to those used by Russia but Ukrainians were more motivated and better prepared for combat than the Russian invaders. Another embarrassing revelation was that the Western weapons Ukrainians used heavily, especially portable anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems, were far more effective than the Russians expected. Russia has long been a major arms exporter and existing and potential customers are revising their purchasing plans. Nations already equipped with a lot of Russian weapons and military gear also have to revise their military plans.

Russia is also a major exporter of fuel, food and raw materials. Russia is the major supplier for some raw materials. Customers can find other suppliers but often at great expense, especially when time is a factor. European nations have become increasingly dependent on Russian oil and natural gas. The Russians assured skeptical European customers that it was in everyones interest to honor these energy export deals because Russia had become dependent on tech, manufactured goods and specialized services supplied by their European energy and raw materials customers. The extent of the economic sanctions imposed by the West in response to the Ukraine invasion came as a surprise to Russia. As did the realization that their former European customers could afford to pay the high cost of switching suppliers. The smaller and weaker Russian economy was unable to shield the average Russian from the sanctions economic impact. The Russian government tried to shift the blame to the unreliable foreigners. That excuse was showing its age and more Russians are inclined to blame their own government, the same government that eventually outlawed any public expressions of doubt in the capabilities of government officials.

Foreign trade accounts for about 28 percent of Russian GDP and about half of it has been disrupted by the 2022 sanctions. China is Russias largest trading partner and, together with Belarus and a few other nations, continues to trade with Russia. The other half is currently halted by the sanctions with major problems for the Russian economy. The disrupted exports are a more manageable problem for the trading partners involved, which are mainly industrialized nations in the West.

All this degrades future Russian economic prospects. That has a negative impact on Russian allies. These foreign supporters now see their powerful patron as less powerful than believed and now feel desperate or simply afraid. And then there is China, which does not have allies, only trading partners and tribute states. Russia is now moving from trading partner to the lower tribute state status.

China has territorial claims on Russia on or near the Pacific coast. Japan has a dispute with Russia over the ownership of some Pacific Coast islands that Russia took at the end of World War II. Until recently Japan was rather timid in its requests to Russia about these islands. Once it became clear how poorly Russia was doing in Ukraine, Japan has become more open and aggressive about the island dispute and Russian efforts to keep Japanese fishing boats out of areas they have long worked in.

China has, since the 1990s modernized and expanded its armed forces to the point where on paper China has stronger ground, air and naval forces than Russia. Chinese forces have not been in combat since the 1970s and back then found the less numerous but more experienced and motivated Vietnamese surprisingly effective. Russia encountered a similar situation in Ukraine. A major difference between China and Russia is that the Chinese study and learn from their mistakes and the mistakes of others. Russia did not pay attention, especially to what was going on in Ukraine between 2014 and 2022. China has paid attention to how Ukraine prepared and how the West responded. This is important for China because of their efforts to take Taiwan and the South China Sea. Taiwan was also paying attention, especially since 2014 and has increased its preparations to defeat a Chinese attack. Massive sanctions on China would be another matter because China is now the largest trading nation in the world, followed by the U.S. and Germany. These three nations are the only ones with trade exceeding a trillion dollars. Russia was 19th before the sanctions and with the sanctions will be fortunate to remain in the top 30 nations. If China did face the degree of sanctions Russia received, the results would be catastrophic because while the Chinese economy is much larger than Russias, it is much more sensitive to major disruptions. While China is still a communist police state, there is greater risk of major internal unrest if the economy is mismanaged. Incurring heavy sanctions is seen as mismanagement.
by Austin Bay May 4, 2022

NATO has 30 members. By the end of June, the roster may grow to 32, should Finland and Sweden join.

The Nordic duo has fans. On April 29 U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the House Foreign Affairs Committee America will "strongly support" NATO membership for Sweden and Finland. On April 28 Jans Stoltenberg, a Norwegian and NATO's secretary-general since October 2014, told international press that "Finland and Sweden are our closest partners, they are strong, mature democracies, EU members, and we have worked with Finland and Sweden for many, many years."

Stoltenberg added: "We know that their armed forces meet NATO standards, are interoperable with NATO forces. We train together, we exercise together..."

Translation: Finland and Sweden field modern military forces that meet NATO standards. They operate effectively with U.S., Canadian, British, French and Italian forces.

Fact: For years both nations have trained with NATO forces, initially on the sly but since 2018 in public view. In March 2022 Finland and Sweden formed a combined brigade that participated in a NATO exercise in Arctic Norway.

Circa 2015 major media began paying attention to polls assessing public support for neutrality in Finland and Sweden. As usual, major media were and still are years behind reality.

March 18, 2014, spurred Finnish and Swedish suspicion of neutrality. On that day Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the annexation of Crimea.

The historically informed know aggression, annexation and expansion by a major European power leads to mass slaughter across the Continent. In the 20th century, aggression and expansion produced two global wars.

By invading and annexing Crimea, Russia created two other peace-destroying facts. Russia violated a multilateral diplomatic agreement guaranteeing Ukraine's territorial integrity. The violated agreement, the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, traded Ukrainian nuclear weapons for mutual security guarantees. Then-President Bill Clinton signed it. It was part of a larger post-Cold War diplomatic framework forwarding disarmament, economic development, cooperation and democratic development in former Iron Curtain countries.

The Budapest Memorandum was supposed to provide an example of successful nuclear disarmament and be a guide to halting nuclear proliferation.

So, no-nuke peaceniks in the U.S., Canada and U.K. -- I'm calling you out. How come you dupes failed to show up en masse in Red Square to oppose Putin's attack on nuclear arms control and fight for the survival of our planet?

One answer: because the dupes' media carping was a substantially Russian-financed propaganda campaign.

Finnish and Swedish intelligence know the paid propaganda ruse to be true. That's one reason Swedish sources say Russian intelligence and propaganda agencies are extremely interested in influencing Swedish politicians who favor joining NATO. Russian subversion warfare is a real threat to the security of every targeted nation.

However, 2022's violent reality of the Russian tank, infantry, artillery, aircraft and missile invasion of Ukraine -- the evil deeds -- supersedes twisted Kremlin words, fake tweets, faux scandals and cyber hacks.

Understand Sweden has not fought in a war since 1814. However, a recent opinion poll found 57% of Swedes wanted to join NATO, if Finland does. Some 65% to 70% of Finns support NATO membership.

Joining NATO requires amending NATO's Washington Treaty. That can take time -- up to a year. All 30 alliance members must ratify the amendment. But so far RUMINT indicates NATO members will fast-track Finland and Sweden.

Finland and Sweden are already functionally members of NATO. There are other nations that are functionally part of NATO -- unofficial, off-the-books allies beyond the protection of the NATO treaty's Article 5. That is a subject for a future column.
Presidential elections take place in two days and the leading candidate is the son of Ferdinand Marcos, the most corrupt president to ever hold the office in the Philippines. This notorious kleptocrat, who died in 1989, has a son, 64-year-old Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The younger Marcos favors the nickname Bongbong, which comes from a popular stew but can also be interpreted as fiery or inspirational. The younger Marcos also favored BBM (Bong Bong Marcos). Politicians often adopt a nickname to enhance their popularity and such was the case with the son of Ferdinand Marcos, who has spent his entire adult life in politics and striving to revise the bad reputation of his father and his notoriously spendthrift wife Imelda. His father stole as much as $14 billion while in office and much of it has not been recovered. After the Marcos family fled to the United States the government established the PCGG (Presidential Commission on Good Government) in 1986 and gave it legal powers to track down and retrieve the billions stolen by the former president Ferdinand Marcos. Since then, the PCGG has identified over half the stolen billion and recovered about half of that, which comes to $3.5 billion. Less than half of that has actually been returned to the Philippines and some of that was in turn stolen by senior politicians then in power. Based on BBMs past performance, if elected the PCGG will be gradually weakened and disappeared. BBM has been caught trying to withdraw some of the family billions before the PCGG but he lawyered up and carried out a PR campaign to repair the damage. BBM may have successfully gained access to some of the foreign bank accounts where much of the stolen money was hidden. No one has been able to prove this and that becomes a lot more difficult if BBM is elected president.

The current president, Rodrigo Duterte was elected on the promise of reducing crime, drug related violence and corruption. Duterte had been doing this locally, as mayor of a major southern city, successfully since the 1990s and proposed trying to make it happen nationally. He did and his term-limited job as president lasts until mid-2022. His successor will find Duterte a tough act to follow and BBM was considered a longshot candidate. BBM, like other candidates, promised to keep current anti-drug and anti-terrorism efforts going but is vague on anti-corruption plans.

President Duterte considered running for the senate after his term as president but withdrew that effort at the end of 2021. Duterte is 76 and is waiting to see who his successor is and how his successor operates. C orrupt Filipinos, especially those from wealthy old families, believe that once Duterte is gone the good old ways will return. Presidents can only serve one term of six years and that is never long enough to make a serious dent in corruption. Duterte did this when he went after corruption at the highest levels and encountered formidable resistance. F ormer presidents, especially effective ones, retain a lot of influence on who gets elected and what happens after the election.

Dutertes anti-corruption efforts will need all the help they can get if BBM replaces Duterte. Ferdinand Sr. was an extraordinarily corrupt politician who illegally held onto power from 1972 to 1986. Marcos was finally ousted by Cory Aquino, who was elected in 1986 and served one term. She allowed Marcos family members to return from exile in 1991. Many did and managed to stay out of jail. After Cory Aquino came several more traditional presidents, who paid attention to their Old Family connections and the term limits.

Duterte was unique because he lacked such strong connections. Through his mother he was distantly related to several Old Families, but his father was an outsider, with ancestors who came from China. This makes you less acceptable to the Old Families. President Dutertes predecessor was an Aquino, whose mother also served as president and the one who led the effort to overthrow dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Now a son of Ferdinand Marcos is the leading contender to replace Duterte. The Marcos and Aquino clans are considered Old Families. The Aquinos, mother Cory and son Benigno Aquino III, both tried and failed to make much of a dent in corruption.

The major obstacles for any new president are family and friends, especially if both come from Old Families. The Aquinos are one of a few thousand families that control the economy, and have done so for centuries. This control predates the Spanish conquest of the Philippines in the 16th century. The tribal confederations the Spaniards encountered already had their elite families in control, and the conquering Spanish married into these clans, creating a Spanish/Malay ruling class which persists to this day.

These ruling families never fully accepted democracy, which was imposed by America a century ago, after having deposed the Spanish colonial government. The Spanish controlled the Philippines by working with the rich families. It was a feudal arrangement that the United States was unable to change much. The families feud a lot, but will unite to face a threat to the feudal system that keeps them in control. If any new president is going to succeed, he or she will have to prosecute and jail many members of their own class, including friends and family. That's hard to do. When Cory Aquino was president, she herself was not corrupt, but could not bring herself to punish family and friends who were. Any new president cracking down on corruption risks triggering a civil war, or at least a lot of violence because many of the families have private armies. After all, most of the corruption is among people who are the government. And those people are related to most of those most qualified (by education and experience) to replace them. Many members of the ruling families favor changing the rules, eliminating (or at least greatly reducing) corruption, and making it easier to grow the economy. But most powerful people like things just the way they are.

Duterte was not Old Family and unexpectedly won by promising to do nationwide what he had done in a southern city that went from lots of crime to little crime when Duterte was mayor. Duterte kept his promises, including efforts to go after the corrupt officials in the government, who were largely Old Family and could not pull any family strings to avoid prosecution. His successor was always considered likely to be Old Family and after several months of campaigning the leading candidate was Bongbong Marcos, son of one of the most corrupt Old Family presidents who says he will continue the Duterte policies, except for trying to negotiate with China. Old Families prefer to handle such negotiations with threatening foreigners unofficially. The official Old Family posture towards China is more inflexible.

April 29, 2022: In the south (Surigao del Sur province) NPA gunmen are increasingly going non-violent and are attacking politicians seen as corrupt. In several cases armed NPA men raided homes of candidates and stole weapons. The homes raided are those of candidates that refused demands for extortion. This less-violent (than usual) NPA effort to influence the May elections began this year. These NPA tactics are a result of declining membership and increasingly effective efforts by the military to defeat NPA violence. The NPA is trying to rebuild support in rural areas and reduce the number of tips sent via cell phones to security forces reporting NPA activity.

April 18, 2022: In the south (Sulu province) soldiers encountered another Abu Sayyaf bomb. This is the fifth such incident thus year and indicative that the local Abu Sayyaf group have a skilled bomb builder. Most areas have poorly trained and equipped Abu Sayyaf members and more of them are quitting or surrendering with their weapons to obtain amnesty. With fewer active Abu Sayyaf it is less likely that former Abu Sayyaf members will be hunted down and killed by still-active Abu Sayyaf. More and more areas in the south have Abu Sayyaf groups that have reached that tipping point.

April 15, 2022: In the south (North Cotabato province) troops responding to a tip encountered a well-known local NPA leader and an associate. These two opened fire and were killed. NPA leaders often refused to surrender but try to shoot their way out. The NPA leaders are usually killed, preventing the army from interrogating him.

In the far north (Cagayan province) a similar encounter between troops and NPA gunmen left three communist rebels dead. NPA forces in this province have suffered heavy losses so far this year. Former NPA members often aid the army, especially in finding NPA storage sites for ammunition, weapons along with NPA documents. Local villagers often aid in the search because former NPA men often do not know the exact location of the hidden weapons. The NPA often hides weapons so members can travel about unarmed as ordinary citizens. The exact location of these sites is normally known by only a few local NPA leaders.

April 8, 2022: In the south (South Cotabato province) troops tracked down and confronted four notorious NPA tax collectors. These are the veteran NPA members to collect extortion payments and transfer those funds to other NPA specialists who take care of disbursing the funds to purchase needed supplies or services.

April 6, 2022: In the south (Bukidnon province) troops encountered a group of armed NPA rebels and after a two-hour gunbattle killed four armed men. All of them turned out to be senior NPA leaders.

April 5, 2022: In the south (Davao del Norte province) three NPA gunmen surrendered with their weapons and equipment. Surrender means eligibility for amnesty, in which NPA members who are not wanted for capital crimes (murder, kidnapping and rape) are not punished. Amnesty also requires answering questions about local NPA operations. In this area that often includes more evidence of low morale and shortages of food, medical supplies and local support from civilians. These hardships often result in small NPA units and their leaders surrendering. Abu Sayyaf only has a few hundred active members and are short of cash, local support and new recruits. Kidnapping used to be a good source of cash, especially if foreigners could be taken. That has become more difficult and riskier because the military has increased the number and effectiveness of its land and naval patrols. Thats one reason for the move across the Sulu Sea, where Malaysian security forces stay in contact with their Filipino counterparts to locate and eliminate remaining Abu Sayyaf groups. Those now in Malaysia are not very active at all. They have few local supporters and consider Malaysia a refuge rather than an operating base for local attacks.

April 2, 2022: In the south (Basilan province) an army patrol encountered a large group of armed Abu Sayyaf Islamic terrorists. At first there was a gun battle but the Abu Sayyaf men were able to flee and were pursued. This eventually led to another gun battle that left four soldiers wounded before the Abu Sayyaf men broke contact again, leaving two dead and taking four wounded men with them. Whenever possible, Abu Sayyaf carry their dead and wounded with them because if bodies are left behind the army can gain information about local Abu Sayyaf operations.

March 26, 2022: In the south (Basilan province) an army patrol encountered and killed a senior Abu Sayyaf leader. This was a serious loss because there are few senior Abu Sayyaf leaders left.

March 18, 2022: President Duterte said the Philippines would allow the United States to use Filipino bases if the Ukraine crisis spread to Asia. The Philippines has an MDT ( mutual defense treaty) with the United States but it is not always adequate to deal with Chinese tactics. American government priorities can change radically every four years because of presidential elections. The current U.S. president is seen as less steadfast in dealing with China and Russia. The Americans did join NATO efforts against the Russians and the Philippines hopes that extended to increased aggression from China in the South China Sea.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Legend Power Systems (TSXV:LPS)(OTCQB: LPSIF), a global leader in commercial electrical system solutions, today announced an agreement with RXR, a leading owner, investor, and developer of real estate, whereby Legend will assess electrical performance in several of RXR's commercial buildings in New York City.

RXR is committed to building socially, economically and environmentally responsible communities and towns. RXR operates 93 iconic properties in New York City and other core regions in the United States, with a significant concentration of large Class A office buildings located In Rockefeller Plaza, Madison Avenue, Park Avenue, and Avenue of the Americas.

Legend's SmartGATE Insights and Power Impact Report are valuable tools that demonstrate the financial impact the power grid has on buildings and how SmartGATE solutions can solve these issues, improving buildings' financial performance and environmental footprint. This allows building owners to make more decisions faster than ever before based on the real-time data for each property.

The assessments will begin with several notable commercial office properties and are part of the extensive GHG Reduction and ESG initiatives for RXR.

"RXR has an industry-leading commitment to ESG initiatives," says Alex Gulagaci, Director of Engineering at RXR Realty. "Our partnership with Legend gives us additional, detailed visibility to understand how our buildings are impacted and the magnitude of the resulting financial and operational costs. We are keen to review the findings of Legend's assessments and recommendations for turnkey SmartGATE solutions as it could help us to refine our GHG reduction and ESG strategies and ensure that the RXR portfolio of buildings continues to be the best buildings in the New York City area."

The first round of assessments is scheduled to be completed in the coming months.

About SmartGATE"

SmartGATE" is an industry-leading, turnkey solution that identifies and fixes underperformance and waste in the electrical system of a commercial building. These performance issues often impact key areas of commercial real estate metrics including occupant safety and satisfaction as well as financial performance. This waste can also lead to higher operating costs, lower net operating income, and other potential financial risks to the building owner, including adverse tenant experiences.

About RXR Realty

aaRXR is an innovative investor, developer and place-maker committed to applying a customer and community-centered approach to building properties, services, and products that create enduring value for all stakeholders. Headquartered in New York with a national platform strategy, RXR is a 500+ person, vertically integrated operating and development company with expertise in a wide array of value creation activities, including ground up real estate, infrastructure and industrial development, uncovering value in underperforming properties, repurposing well-located iconic properties, incorporating cutting edge technologies and value-added lending. The RXR platform manages 83 commercial real estate properties and investments with an aggregate gross asset value of approximately $22.4 billion, comprising approximately 30.2 million square feet of commercial properties, a multi-family residential portfolio of approximately 7,300 units under operation or development, and control of development rights for an additional approximately 3,700 multi-family and for sale units as of December 31, 2021 adjusted for transactions through January 6, 2022. Gross asset value compiled by RXR in accordance with company fair value measurement policy and is comprised of capital invested by RXR and its partners, as well as leverage.

To learn more about RXR Realty, please visit rxrrealty.com

About Legend Power Systems Inc.

Legend Power Systems Inc. (http://www.legendpower.com/) provides an intelligent energy management platform that analyzes and improves building energy challenges, significantly impacting asset management and corporate performance. Legend's proven solutions support proactive executive decision-making in a complex and volatile business and energy environment.

For further information, please contact:

Sean Peasgood, Investor Relations

+ 1 647 503 1054

[email protected]

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Press Release may contain statements which constitute "forward-looking information", including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities and operating performance of the Company. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities or performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Such risks, uncertainties and factors are described in the periodic filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities, including the Company's quarterly and annual Management's Discussion & Analysis, which may be viewed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results to not be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements other than as may be required by applicable law.

SOURCE: Legend Power Systems Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:
Just a few days ago, Republican State Sen. Edward A. Rath III of Williamsville officially faced the reality of reapportionment  he would not run for a second term in a district suddenly overflowing with Democrats.

But that was before last week's decision by the Court of Appeals nullifying the district lines ultimately drawn by Democratic legislators and assigning the task to a court appointed "special master." Now Rath, and possibly many others around the state, are re-evaluating the situation. They expect the special master to fashion much more balanced districts that were not gerrymandered by the Legislature, and may very well renew their candidacies.

"I am absolutely moving forward with running for re-election," Rath said Monday, lamenting what he called the loss of a Western New York district to New York City.

"This district has been together for six decades," he added, "and there has been a lot of work and issue advocacy and a voice for here that would have been taken away to New York City."

Rath's renewed candidacy hardly seemed possible just a week ago. The redistricting process that was ultimately controlled by Democratic super-majorities in the Assembly and Senate extended his traditional Amherst-based territory into the cities of Buffalo and Lackawanna, creating a new district with a 3 to 1 Democratic advantage. He would also face incumbent Democratic Sen. Timothy M. Kennedy of Buffalo and his campaign treasury of at least $1.5 million.

Amherst Republican Chairman Brian D. Rusk explained Rath realized the futility of facing Kennedy in Democratic Buffalo and Lackawanna after losing thousands of Republican voters in Genesee and Monroe counties. But the situation changed after the Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that the redistricting process violated the State Constitution when an Independent Redistricting Commission created by a 2014 amendment deadlocked.

Now he said Rath looks to run in lines more akin to the traditional 61st District.

"He believed the constitutional argument would stand and it has," Rusk said. "I believe he will run and I believe he will win big."

Once the new lines are drawn by the special master and approved by a judge, it is expected Rath and others who previously declined their designation will collect an abbreviated total of petition signatures during a shortened circulation period.

Other Republican Senate candidates like former County Executive Joel A. Giambra, who over the weekend officially declared against Democratic incumbent Sean M. Ryan of Buffalo, say the possibility of different district lines has not diminished his resolve.

"I'm committed to running," he said Monday. "I'm prepared to offer the solutions I have talked about in the past and even some new ones."

Giambra said he would re-evaluate if lumped into a new district represented by Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, which he does not expect. He previously had been encouraged by new district lines that included many Italian-American voters in the West Side, Town of Tonawanda and Niagara Falls, noting the long line of Italian-Americans who have represented the district over the years.

But he said he still expects to challenge Ryan, no matter the new lines.

Meanwhile, the New York Daily News reported last week that a new lawsuit could also affect Assembly lines, which were not addressed in last week's Court of Appeals ruling. The Daily News reported that Gary Greenberg, part owner of the Vernon Downs Casino in Oneida County was preparing to file a suit to challenge Assembly lines as well.

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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 4, 2022 / Tsodilo Resources Limited ("Tsodilo" or the "Company") (TSX-V:TSD) (OTCQB: TSDRF) (FSE:TZO) announces that its request for a Management Cease Trade Order ("MCTO") was denied on May 4, 2022, by the Ontario Securities Commission ("OSC").

Pursuant to National Policy 12-203 - Management Cease Trade Orders ("NP 12-203"), the Company notified OSC on April 27, 2022, that it anticipated a delay in filing its financial statements for the year-ended December 31, 2021, and the related management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A") and certifications (the "Annual Filings") and requested that a MCTO be issued. The Annual Filings were due to be filed by May 2, 2022. The OSC determined that the Company was not entitled to the MCTO as the Company's shares did not meet NP 12-203, Section 6 (d) requirement with respect to having an "active, liquid market for its securities in Canada".

The Company will work with its auditors to complete the audit of the Company's consolidated financial statements and expects to file the Annual Filings by May 31, 2022. The delays were as the result of primarily the impacts of the COVID pandemic locally (Botswana) as well as receiving license confirmations from the Botswana Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Department of Mines.

Until the Company completes the Annual Filings, the Company will comply with the alternative information guidelines set out in National Policy 12-203 - Cease Trade Orders for Continuous Disclosure Defaults for issuers who have failed to comply with a specified continuous disclosure requirement within the times prescribed by applicable securities laws. The guidelines, amongother things, requirethe Company to issue bi-weekly default statusreports by way of a news releaseso long as the AnnualFilings have not been filed.

The Company reports that: (i) there has not been any other specified default by the Company under NP 12-203, and no such default is anticipated; (ii) the Company is not subject to any insolvency proceedings; and (iii) there is no material information concerning the affairs of the Company that has not been generally disclosed.

About Tsodilo Resources Limited

Tsodilo Resources Limited is an international diamond and metals exploration company engaged in the search for economic diamond, metal deposits and industrial stone at its Bosoto (Pty) Limited ("Bosoto"), Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited ("Gcwihaba") and Newdico (Pty) Ltd. ("Newdico) projects in Botswana. The Company has a 100% stake in Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. which holds the BK16 kimberlite project in the Orapa Kimberlite Field (OKF) in Botswana and the PL216/2017 diamond prospection license also in the OKF. The Company has a 100% stake in its Gcwihaba project area consisting of five metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth) prospecting licenses all located in the North-West district of Botswana. The Company has a 100% interest in its Newdico industrial stone project located in Botswana's Central District. Tsodilo manages the exploration of the Newdico, Gcwihaba, and Bosoto projects.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

James M. Bruchs Chairman and Chief Executive Officer [email protected] Head Office Telephone +1 416 572 2033 Facsimile + 1 416 987 4369 Website http://www.TsodiloResources.com

SOURCE: Tsodilo Resources Limited

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Leading Assessment of Diversity Management in Corporate America Elevated AIGs Rank Every Year Since 2018

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- For the fifth consecutive year, American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG) has been named one of DiversityIncs Top 50 Companies for Diversity, the leading assessment of diversity management in corporate America. AIG has elevated its rank every year since first reaching the Top 50 in 2018 and improved from 37th to 32nd place in 2022.

The list reflects DiversityIncs evaluation of performance in six key areas of diversity and inclusion management: human capital diversity metrics, leadership accountability, talent programs, workplace practices, supplier diversity and philanthropy. DiversityInc reported a 40% year-over-year increase in companies that participated in the survey submission process.

In addition to the Top 50, AIG was recognized on three of DiversityIncs Specialty Lists:

Top Companies for Executive Diversity Councils

Top Companies for Talent Acquisition for Women of Color

Top Companies for Philanthropy

AIG Chief Human Resource Officer Rose Marie Glazer said: As a leader in the global risk management industry, seeking and embracing diverse perspectives is essential to AIGs long-term success. We are better and stronger because our global colleagues work together to strive for excellence and incorporate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion principles in all they do every day. We stand as allies for one another and take pride in our continuous efforts to be inclusive.

AIG Chief Diversity Officer Ronald Reeves said: By listening to and learning from all our stakeholders, AIG has made great progress on our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion journey. While we know there is more work to be done, we are gratified by this recognition of AIGs longstanding commitment and heightened efforts to advance diversity. We will continue to demonstrate our dedication to fostering a culture of belonging through our actions.

For information about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at AIG, visit https://www.aig.com/about-us/diversity-equity-and-inclusion. Some of AIGs notable 2021 efforts include:

Striving to be a diverse organization from top to bottom. Our Board nominees and our executive leadership team are over 40% diverse. Each member of the Executive Leadership Team has a DEI goal embedded in their individual performance goals that is tied to their annual short-term incentive awards.

Launching the Signature Series: Recruiting for Success, a diversity recruitment training program to source, attract, and hire diverse global talent.

Kicking off a Global Sponsorship Program, which intentionally matches mid-level diverse colleagues with senior leaders to provide mentorship and leadership training.

Offering Conscious Inclusion training for global people managers to help them better understand biases and form an action plan for implementing inclusive behaviors.

Hosting 1,180 global Employee Resource Group events and programs for colleagues, including more than 500 events and programs focused on allyship and education, and more than 150 events and programs focused on wellness.

For more information about DiversityInc, visit https://www.diversityinc.com/about-diversityinc/.

About AIG

American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is a leading global insurance organization. AIG member companies provide a wide range of property casualty insurance, life insurance, retirement solutions and other financial services to customers in approximately 70 countries and jurisdictions. These diverse offerings include products and services that help businesses and individuals protect their assets, manage risks and provide for retirement security. AIG common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Additional information about AIG can be found at www.aig.com | YouTube: www.youtube.com/aig | Twitter: @AIGinsurance www.twitter.com/AIGinsurance | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/aig. These references with additional information about AIG have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release.

AIG is the marketing name for the worldwide property-casualty, life and retirement and general insurance operations of American International Group, Inc. For additional information, please visit our website at www.aig.com. All products and services are written or provided by subsidiaries or affiliates of American International Group, Inc. Products or services may not be available in all countries and jurisdictions, and coverage is subject to underwriting requirements and actual policy language. Non-insurance products and services may be provided by independent third parties. Certain property-casualty coverages may be provided by a surplus lines insurer. Surplus lines insurers do not generally participate in state guaranty funds, and insureds are therefore not protected by such funds.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005913/en/

Quentin McMillan (Investors): [email protected]

Claire Talcott (Media): [email protected]

Source: American International Group, Inc.
PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

The Shareholders Meeting of Air Liquide (Paris: AI), chaired by Benoit Potier, Chairman and CEO, in the presence of the members of the Board of Directors, was attended by 2,492 people on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, at the Palais des Congres in Paris. After two General Meetings held behind closed doors due to the sanitary crisis, this was the Group's first General Meeting to allow its Shareholders to join again in person. The Shareholders, who represented 55.60% of the voting rights, i.e. 90,295 Shareholders present or represented, approved all of the resolutions that were submitted.

The theme of this year's General Assembly was "Ready for the Future". With a focus on innovation, Benoit Potier, alongside the Directors of the Board, presented the Group's main strategic progress over the last years as well as its outlook. Francois Jackow, Executive Vice President, presented ADVANCE, the new strategic plan of the Group for 2025. More than 40 minutes of discussion followed with the audience.

The proposed dividend, with an ex-date of May 16 and a payment date of May 18, 2022, was approved : it will be 2.90 euros per share (and 3.19 euros per share eligible for the loyalty bonus). A free share attribution, equal to one free share for every 10 held (with a 10% increase in the number of bonus shares distributed in respect of shares benefiting from the loyalty bonus), will take place on June 8, 2022.

The Shareholders renewed, for a period of four years, the terms of office of Ms. Annette Winkler and Mr. Benoit Potier. Mr. Francois Jackow, who will take over as Chief Executive Officer as of June 1, 2022, replacing Mr. Benoit Potier in this role, was elected Director of the Board for a period of four years. The terms of office of Ms. Sin Leng Low and Mr. Jean-Paul Agon having come to an end at the close of the General Meeting, the Board of Directors expressed its sincere thanks for their respective contributions.

The term of office of Mr. Philippe Dubrulle as Director representing the employees was renewed by the Group Committee in France for four years.

The Board of Directors is thus composed of 12 members : 10 members elected by the Shareholders, very largely independent (80% of independent Directors) out of which 5 women (50% of the Board) and 4 Directors of foreign nationality, and 2 Directors representing the employees. The current composition of the Board offers a diversity of profiles, experiences, nationalities and cultures, and reflects the diversity policy implemented by the Board of Directors.

In addition, the Shareholders voted in favor of the resolution concerning the 2021 remuneration of Mr. Benoit Potier, as Chairman and CEO, and on the information concerning the compensation of all Corporate Officers for 2021. The Shareholders also approved the principles and criteria for determining the remuneration policy of the Corporate Officers related to :

Mr. Benoit Potier (as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from January 1, 2022, to May 31, 2022, and as Chairman of the Board starting June 1, 2022)

Mr. Francois Jackow (as Chief Executive Officer starting June 1, 2022)

The non-executive Directors of the Board

Lastly, on the recommendation of the Appointments and Governance Committee, the Board, during its meeting held today, at the end of the General Meeting, (i) renewed Mr. Benoit Potier as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until May 31, 2022, (ii) confirmed its decision to separate the functions of Chairman of the Board of Directors and of Chief Executive Officer beginning on June 1, 2022 and in this context, renewed Mr. Benoit Potier as Chairman of the Board of Directors and appointed Mr. Francois Jackow as Chief Executive Officer also from June 1, 2022.

During this meeting, the Board appointed Mr. Xavier Huillard, independent Director, as Lead Director and confirmed to maintain Mr. Xavier Huillard in its function in the context of the separation of the functions of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, as of June 1, 2022. Finally, the Board made required appointments and renewals within its Committees, which are now composed as follows :

Audit and Accounts Committee: Ms. Sian Herbert-Jones (Chairwoman), Ms. Anette Bronder, Mr. Aiman Ezzat

Appointments and Governance Committee: Mr. Xavier Huillard (Chairman), Ms. Annette Winkler, Mr. Bertrand Dumazy

Remuneration Committee: Mr. Xavier Huillard (Chairman), Ms. Kim Ann Mink, Ms. Fatima Tighlaline (Director representing the employees)

Environment and Society Committee: Ms. Annette Winkler (Chairwoman), Ms. Genevieve Berger, Mr. Philippe Dubrulle (Director representing the employees)

The entire Shareholders Meeting can be viewed as a webcast on https://www.airliquide.com/investors/2022-annual-general-meeting

Air Liquide share ownership (as at December 31, 2021)

33% of the capital held by individual shareholders

52% of the capital held by non-French institutional investors

15% of the capital held by French institutional investors

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 Liquides scientific territory and have been at the core of the companys activities since its creation in 1902.

Taking action today while preparing the future is at the heart of Air Liquides strategy. With ADVANCE, its strategic plan for 2025, Air Liquide is targeting a global performance, combining financial and extra-financial dimensions. Positioned on new markets, the Group benefits from major assets such as its business model combining resilience and strength, its ability to innovate and its technological expertise. The Group develops solutions contributing to climate and the energy transitionparticularly with hydrogenand takes action to progress in areas of healthcare, digital and high technologies.

Air Liquides 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/20220504006067/en/

Corporate Communications

[email protected]



Investor Relations

[email protected]

Source: Air Liquide
ST. CATHARINES, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Algoma Central Corporation (TSX: ALC), held its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the Meeting) on May 4, 2022. Each of the matters set out below were voted upon at the Meeting and are described in greater detail in the Companys Management Information Circular dated February 25, 2022, available online at www.algonet.com/investor-relations and on www.sedar.com.

1. Election of Directors

All nominees listed in the Management Information Circular were elected as directors until the next annual general meeting of shareholders with the support of 78.47% of shares voted.

Nominee Outcome Votes For Votes Withheld Total Richard B. Carty Elected 29,399,958 249,034 29,648,992 Paul Gurtler Elected 29,586,954 62,038 29,648,992 E.M. Blake Hutcheson Elected 29,583,491 65,501 29,648,992 Duncan N.R. Jackman Elected 29,532,566 116,426 29,648,992 Trinity O. Jackman Elected 29,563,738 85,254 29,648,992 Mark McQueen Elected 29,620,564 28,428 29,648,992 Clive P. Rowe Elected 29,576,851 72,141 29,648,992 Harold S. Stephen Elected 29,601,951 47,041 29,648,992 Eric Stevenson Elected 29,602,364 46,628 29,648,992

2. Appointment of Auditors

Professional accounting firm Deloitte LLP was appointed as independent auditors of the Company.

Outcome Votes For Votes Withheld Total Approved 29,628,355 35,705 29,664,060

Algoma owns and operates the largest fleet of dry and liquid bulk carriers operating on the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Waterway, including self-unloading dry-bulk carriers, gearless dry-bulk carriers and product tankers. Since 2010 we have introduced 10 new build vessels to our domestic dry-bulk fleet, with one under construction and expected to arrive in 2024, making us the youngest, most efficient and environmentally sustainable fleet on the Great Lakes. Each new vessel reduces carbon emissions on average by 40% versus the ship replaced. Algoma also owns ocean self-unloading dry-bulk vessels operating in international markets and a 50% interest in NovaAlgoma, which owns and operates a diversified portfolio of dry-bulk fleets serving customers internationally. Algoma truly is Your Marine Carrier of Choice. For more information about Algoma, visit the Company's website at www.algonet.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504006235/en/

Gregg A. Ruhl

President & CEO

905-687-7890

Peter D. Winkley

Chief Financial Officer

905-687-7897

Source: Algoma Central Corporation
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) today announced the settlement of the companys first Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Bond on Tuesday, May 3. The use of the net proceeds of the $1 billion bond may be allocated toward sustainable financing projects in the Green and Social categories as directed by the newly developed American Express Sustainable Financing Framework, which is aligned with the companys global ESG strategy.

Projects in the Green category include those related to green buildings, energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy, and the circular economy, which includes responsible production projects like the companys goal of having the vast majority of the cards it issues made of at least 70% recycled or reclaimed plastic by the end of 2024. Social projects are comprised of initiatives connected to socioeconomic advancement and empowerment, access to essential services, and affordable housing. All net proceeds from the sustainable financing are expected to be fully allocated to eligible projects within two years of the date of issuance.

The companys Sustainable Financing Framework will guide its Green, Social, and Sustainability financing transactions. Developed in alignment with the International Capital Markets Association (ICMA) Green Bond Principles 2021, the ICMA Social Bond Principles 2021, and the ICMA Sustainability Bond Guidelines 2021, the framework outlines the use of proceeds, process for project evaluation and selection, management of proceeds, and reporting in connection with Green, Social, and Sustainability financing transactions. The framework has been independently evaluated by Moodys ESG Solutions.

American Express ESG Strategy

American Express ESG strategy aims to mobilize its business to address pressing global challenges; help people and businesses thrive; and create equitable, resilient, and sustainable communities. The strategy comprises three pillars: Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I); Build Financial Confidence; and Advance Climate Solutions.

To guide the strategy, American Express set initial goals to include a $1 billion DE&I Action Plan, a commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2035, and to maintain strong support for small businesses, including by reaching $100 billion in spending by consumers at small, independently-owned retailers or restaurants on Small Business Saturday and during other Shop Small campaigns from 2021 to 2025. More information on American Express ESG strategy and goals can be found in its most recent ESG Report.

Learn more about American Express approach to corporate sustainability and ESG here.

ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS

American Express is a globally integrated payments company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, instagram.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/company/american-express, twitter.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress.

Key links to products, services and corporate responsibility information: personal cards, business cards, travel services, gift cards, prepaid cards, merchant services, Accertify, Kabbage, Resy, corporate card, business travel, diversity and inclusion, corporate responsibility and Environmental, Social, and Governance reports.

Source: American Express Company

Location: Global

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contain words such as expect, anticipate, intend, plan, aim, will, may, should, could, would, likely, commit, continue, or other similar expressions. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including those found in the companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, the companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 and the companys other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005816/en/

Media:

Andrew R. Johnson, [email protected], +1.212.640.8610

Azar Boehm, [email protected], +1.212.225.4052

Investors/Analysts:

Vivian Y. Zhou, [email protected], +1.212.640.5574

Michelle A. Scianni, [email protected], 212-640-5574

Source: American Express
From a simple yet innovative ocean trash skimmer to a global authority on ocean health; Seabin is a data-led clean-tech start up, with the ambitious goal of cleaning up 100 cities by 2050.

SYDNEY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Australian clean-tech startup, Seabin, has today announced their first official global expansion, opening operations in Los Angeles. As part of their 100 Smarter Cities For Cleaner Oceans campaign, Marina Del Rey in Los Angeles has been selected as the first of three planned locations in the LA region as the second city after Sydney, Australia.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005505/en/

A Seabin unit at work. (Photo: Business Wire)

About Seabin

The Seabin unit is a trash skimmer designed to be installed in the water of marinas, yacht clubs, ports and any water body with a calm environment and suitable services available. The unit moves up and down with the tide, collecting all floating rubbish and skimming the surface of the water by pumping water into the device. A single Seabin unit can intercept floating debris, macro and micro plastics and even micro fibers, and a single unit can catch 1.4 tons of floating debris per year. The Seabin was recognised as one of the best inventions of 2018 by Time Magazine.

Cleaning up 100 Cities by 2050

The expansion to LA is part of the startup's vision of having an engaged presence in 100 cities around the world. Local team members will proactively work with the community, researchers, and corporations to obtain data and then support policy making and new legislation at the local, state, federal, and international levels to directly address the problem both in the water and on the ground.

Im extremely excited to launch our second city in LA and to have Marina Del Rey as our first location, followed by Port of LA and Long Beach. We spent weeks meeting the community, interviewing for positions related to the city pilot and speaking with corporates who want to support the Seabin x LA program, and everyone is simply brimming with positivity and enthusiasm to see these simple yet practical solutions come to LA says Pete Ceglinski, CEO & Cofounder of Seabin.

The first city pilot in Sydney is now operating full time with 5 full time employees, 40 community volunteers and a broad portfolio of corporate sponsors building impact into their business models, marketing campaigns, and end of year reporting.

Our partners in Sydney now include brands like Discovery Channel, Ben & Jerrys, Yamaha, IBM and many more other corporates who are building enviro impact solutions into their operations, we are excited to do the same now in LA with local and multinational corporates continues Pete Ceglinski.

The Marina Del Rey  LA city pilot will create up to five full-time employment positions over the three year term, and clean-up expectations are set at an estimated 54 tons of microplastics, plastic fibers and other items captured over the three year period.

Our marina community has long advocated for cleaner water ways and would conduct clean-ups after each storm event we had using pool skimmer nets. When Seabin technology became available we were early adopters, installing three units in our marina in 2019. We have noticed a substantial difference in our water quality, generated community awareness and started great conversations about single use plastics. We are so excited to be the second city location in the world's first 100 cities by 2050 campaign says Bryan Plante, Marina Manager at Marina Harbor Anchorage.

Seabins work provides valuable insight on issues pertinent to a cleaner LA coastline. Braid Theory is excited to support the companys tech-forward monitoring and analysis approach, assisting in data-driven decision making in the region said Ann Carpenter, CEO of Braid Theory, an impact accelerator entity based in Port of LA who also supports ocean innovation and new technologies.

Rather than lobby and pitch for financial support from the city, Seabin is launching a GoFundMe page to take action and start cleaning now. Currently Seabin has an estimated $150,000 pledged from American and multinational corporations, which will be used to create and drive momentum in the GoFundMe campaign.

The Seabin LA GoFundMe campaign finishes on June 8th  World Oceans Day  and the official city launch will see operations starting in Marina Del Rey, in July 2022.

For more information visit Seabins GoFundMe or visti seabinproject.com/, and follow The Seabin Project on Instagram @seabin_project.

>>>Click here for high-resolution images

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005505/en/

For further information or interview requests:

Jonas Tobias, Senior Account Manager at Compass Studio, on +61 431 906 814 or [email protected]

Source: Seabin
ZUG, Switzerland & LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- aXedras Group AG (aXedras) announces it has concluded its Series B funding round, including a strategic investment from the World Gold Council (WGC) who will be represented on the Board of Directors by David Tait, CEO of WGC. The aXedras team is excited to have reached this latest milestone and will use this round of funding to move the business into a growth and global scaling phase.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005013/en/

aXedras uses blockchain- / distributed ledger technology to develop and implement a secure, confidential, digital supply chain solution for the precious metals industry, and to immutably document gold from the mine to the end-user.

Urs Roosli, Chief Executive Officer, aXedras commented:

We are excited to partner with WGC and look forward to expanding on the work we have already done. Our Bullion Integrity Ledger provides investors, consumers and all market participants with provenance, integrity and chain of custody credentials. This is a critical step forward for the gold market in its digital transformation; it will help to keep gold relevant for 21st century investors.

We are participating in the WGC and London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) Gold Bar Integrity Programme pilot to demonstrate how our proven technology ensures the integrity of gold by effectively digitalizing the global gold supply chain.

David Tait, Chief Executive Officer, World Gold Council commented:

The WGC recognises that initiatives like the Gold Bar Integrity Programme require industry-wide collaboration but also significant funding to ensure success. This project is essential to improve market infrastructure and that is why weve invested in aXedras. We have committed to return any and all commercial revenue earned from this investment, back into the industry, for the benefit and positive development of the global gold market.

The Gold Bar Integrity Programme, which is now underway, has brought together representatives from the entire gold supply chain. This transformative project is the first step towards a digital industry standard and a more aligned gold industry, enabling it to work together for a more accessible and transparent market. aXedras solution, the Bullion Integrity Ledger is already being used by major gold refiners and logistics companies, and as a part of the Gold Bar Integrity Programme, the company will now expand this work to pilot participants.

ENDS

Notes to editors

aXedras:

aXedras provides a secure digital supply chain solution serving the global precious metal ecosystem. As an independent Swiss IT solution provider, aXedras objective is to take the precious metal industry to the next level of digitalization. The DLT/blockchain-based Bullion Integrity Ledger enables transparency of provenance data (ESG*-proof) and chain of custody in real time. It is a member-based network for peer-to-peer interaction between stakeholders, thus grants trusted and immutable data. The integrity of the product is guaranteed from suppliers, refiners, transporters, vaults, banks, watch & jeweller manufacturers to the end consumer.

The Bullion Integrity Ledger ensures the unique combination of efficiency, integrity, traceability and confidentiality of data and business transactions.

aXedras was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland.

Learn more at www.axedras.com

Video: aXedras - Connecting and Digitalizing the Precious Metal Industry  YouTube

*Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) criteria

World Gold Council:

Were the global experts on gold.

Leveraging our broad knowledge and experience, we work to improve understanding of the gold market and underscore golds value to individuals, investors, and the world at large.

Collaboration is the cornerstone of our approach. Were an association whose members are the worlds most forward-thinking gold mining companies. Combining the insights of our members and other industry partners, we seek to unlock golds evolving role as a catalyst for advancements that meet societal needs.

We develop standards, expand access to gold, and tackle barriers to adoption to stimulate demand and support a vibrant and sustainable future for the gold market. From our offices in Beijing, London, Mumbai, New York, Shanghai, and Singapore, we deliver positive impact worldwide.

You can follow the World Gold Council on Twitter at @goldcouncil and like on Facebook.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005013/en/

Kathrin Wolff Schmandt / Philipp Stockinger, aXedras

T +41 5880 622 22

[email protected]



Stephanie Cadman, World Gold Council

T +44 7895 292 973

[email protected]

Source: World Gold Council
New strategic underwriting team is led by Christine Cook as Head of Portfolio Underwriting

PEMBROKE, Bermuda--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AXIS Capital Holdings Limited ("AXIS Capital") has launched a Portfolio underwriting unit, which targets multi-class portfolio business that is placed in the London specialty insurance market. The Portfolio team is now actively underwriting portfolios of multi-class risks on a follow-line basis, in conjunction with trusted and proven lead carriers.

The unit is led by Christine Cook who has joined AXIS in the newly created role of Head of Portfolio Underwriting in the companys International Insurance division. Christine brings more than 20 years of underwriting experience within the London market and joins AXIS from AXA XL where she most recently served as Head of Alternative Distribution for UK and Lloyds.

The Portfolio team will provide leadership and dedicated resource to target future growth through a portfolio underwriting approach, combining technology and analytics with the specialist underwriting capabilities within AXIS, to build an efficient, data-driven and relationship-led portfolio of multi-class specialty insurance risks. This will include both current and new classes of business that align with the AXIS risk appetite and performance targets.

Alistair Robson, Chief Underwriting Officer of AXIS Insurance International, said: The London specialty insurance market today is embracing a tiered underwriting model whereby traditional open market business is increasingly placed with proven, lead underwriters at one end of the spectrum, and low-touch, follow and portfolio-based capacity at the other end. The formation of the Portfolio underwriting unit reflects our keen knowledge of specialty risk and our support for the evolution of the London market. It also aligns with our desire to work with our strategic distribution partners to harness technology and smart underwriting to continue delivering the best solutions for our customers. Christine brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to AXIS that will be invaluable as we address this evolution in the London market, and Im delighted to welcome her to the team.

Christine Cook said: Specialist underwriting is at the core of AXIS and it is essential that we continue to underwrite and deliver solutions on the most effective platforms and through the most efficient channels to provide the best service for our distribution partners and customers.

The Portfolio unit represents the strength and expertise of AXIS underwriting and of the London markets ability to cover complex risks through collaborative and innovative approaches. Im pleased to join AXIS to support this exciting expansion of its specialist underwriting capabilities.

About AXIS Capital

AXIS Capital, through its operating subsidiaries, is a global provider of specialty lines insurance and treaty reinsurance with shareholders' equity of $5.1 billion at March 31, 2022, and locations in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore and Canada. Its operating subsidiaries have been assigned a rating of "A+" ("Strong") by Standard & Poor's and "A" ("Excellent") by A.M. Best. For more information about AXIS Capital, visit our website at www.axiscapital.com.

Follow AXIS Capital on LinkedIn and Twitter.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005744/en/

Investor Contact

Matt Rohrmann

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited

[email protected]

+1 212-940-3339

Media Contact

Mairi MacDonald

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited

[email protected]

+44 207-877-3809

Source: AXIS Capital Holdings Limited
First Study from the CANbridge UMass Chan Medical School Rare Disease Gene Therapy Research Collaboration

BEIJING & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- CANbridge Pharmaceuticals Inc., (CANbridge,1228.HK) a leading China-based global biopharmaceutical company committed to the research, development and commercialization of transformative rare disease and rare oncology therapies, announced that data from its gene therapy research agreement with the Horae Gene Therapy Center, at the UMass Chan Medical School, will be presented at the ASGCT 25th Annual Meeting, being held in Washington D.C. from May 16 - 19th. Researchers will present findings from an animal study exploring a novel second-generation gene therapy for the potential treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). This is the first data to come out of the CANbridge rare disease gene therapy research collaboration with the UMass Chan Medical School, which is focused on developing gene therapy treatments for neuromuscular conditions with unmet medical needs.

Presentation Details:

Title: Endogenous Human SMN1 Promoter-driven Gene Replacement Improves the Efficacy and Safety of AAV9-mediated Gene Therapy for Spinal Muscular Atrophy in Mice

Poster #:M-144

Category: Neurologic Diseases I

Session Date and Time: Monday, May 16, 5:30-6:30 PM

Authors: Qing Xie, Hong Ma, Xiupeng Chen, Yunxiang Zhu, Yijie Ma, Leila Jalinous, Qin Su, Phillip Tai, Guangping Gao, Jun Xie

Abstracts are available on the ASGCT website: https://annualmeeting.asgct.org

About the Horae Gene Therapy Center at UMass Chan Medical School

The faculty of the Horae Gene Therapy Center is dedicated to developing therapeutic approaches for rare inherited disease for which there is no cure. We utilize state of the art technologies to either genetically modulate mutated genes that produce disease-causing proteins or introduce a healthy copy of a gene if the mutation results in a non-functional protein.

The Horae Gene Therapy Center faculty is interdisciplinary, including members from the departments of Pediatrics, Microbiology & Physiological Systems, Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, Neurology, Medicine and Ophthalmology. Physicians and PhDs work together to address the medical needs of rare diseases, such as Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency, Canavan Disease, Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff diseases, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Cystic fibrosis, Lou Gehrig's disease, TNNT1 nemaline myopathy, Rett syndrome, N-Gly 1 deficiency, Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, Marple Syrup Urine Disease, Sialidosis, GM3 synthase deficiency, Huntington's disease, ALS and others. More common diseases such as cardiac arrhythmia and hypercholesterolemia are also investigated. The hope is to treat a wide spectrum of diseases by various gene therapeutic approaches. Additionally, the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School conducts clinical trials on site and some of these trials are conducted by the investigators at the Gene Therapy center.

About CANbridge Pharmaceuticals Inc.

CANbridge Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CANbridge, 1228.HK) is a China-based global rare disease-focused biopharmaceutical company committed to the research, development and commercialization of transformative rare disease and rare oncology therapies.

CANbridge has a comprehensive and differentiated pipeline of 13 drug assets with significant market potential, targeting some of the most prevalent rare diseases and rare oncology.

These include Hunter syndrome (MPS II) and other lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs), complement mediated disorders, hemophilia A, metabolic disorders, rare cholestatic liver diseases including Alagille syndrome (ALGS), progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) and biliary atresia (BA) as well as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

CANbridge strategically combines global collaborations and internal research to build and diversify its drug portfolio and invest in next-generation gene therapy technologies for rare disease treatments. CANbridge global partners include, but are not limited to, Apogenix, GC Pharma, Mirum, Wuxi Biologics, Privus, the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, the University of Washington School of Medicine, LogicBio and Scriptr.

For more on CANbridge Pharmaceuticals Inc., please go to: www.canbridgepharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

The forward-looking statements made in this article relate only to the events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this article. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the data on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this article completely and with the understanding that our actual future results or performance may be materially different from what we expect. In this article, statements of, or references to, our intentions or those of any of our Directors or our Company are made as of the date of this article. Any of these intentions may alter in light of future development.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220503005199/en/

U.S. Investor Relations:

Chris Brinzey

ICR Westwicke

[email protected]



China Investor Relations

CANbridge Pharmaceuticals Inc.

[email protected]



Media:

Deanne Eagle

Planet Communications

[email protected]

917.837.5866

Source: CANbridge Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Expansion provides access to a high-growth, emerging digital advertising industry with significant expansion opportunities across East Africa

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Entravision (NYSE: EVC or the Company), a leading global advertising, media and ad-tech solutions company, announced today its expansion into Kenya. This expansion provides Entravision, through its Africa-based digital business unit, Entravision 365 Digital, a presence in East Africa, as it looks to expand its breadth of digital solutions, media representations and creative services to new emerging markets.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005241/en/

With the expansion into Kenya, the Company also welcomes Maggie Ndirangu as its newly appointed Managing Director of Kenya Operations. Ms. Ndirangu has regional expertise and extensive knowledge of the digital landscape across Africa. This expansion aligns with Entravision's goal to position Entravision 365 Digital as a local digital marketing solutions powerhouse, serving African companies and local leaders with advanced branding, performance, and creative needs.

Were thrilled to launch Entravisions operations in Kenya, an exciting market for our African expansion, said Julian Jordaan, CEO of Entravision 365 Digital. With the third highest connected consumer base in Sub-Saharan Africa, and growing at a rapid rate, we believe that these numbers will only continue to climb and ultimately represent 17% of the digital advertising industry within the Sub-Saharan market by 2023. Kenya also has incredible talent and an advertising ecosystem primed with opportunity.

Jordaan continued, We are also pleased to welcome Maggie Ndirangu as Managing Director of our Kenyan operations. Maggie is an exceptional leader who brings with her years of knowledge in the marketing and advertising industries. She will be taking our partnerships, media representations and services to brands across the Kenya market.

"Kenya has become a technology powerhouse in Africa over the last few years, with many global companies setting up Sub-Saharan African headquarters here. I'm honored to be joining Entravision to lead the Companys expansion into East Africa and deliver marketing solutions that help businesses reach consumers, drive engagements and promote positive business impact across this region, said Maggie Ndirangu.

Sub-Saharan Africa is an attractive digital marketplace with nearly 500 million digitally connected consumers. Importantly, the Sub-Saharan African customer is young, tech-savvy and digitally connected. By combining the Companys platform and publisher partnerships with technology-driven design service, or 365 Studio, Entravisions evolution continues into a leading marketing technology service provider in the worlds highest growth economies.

About Entravision

Entravision is a leading global advertising, media and ad-tech solutions company connecting brands to consumers by representing top platforms and publishers. Its dynamic portfolio includes digital, television and audio offerings. Digital, the companys largest revenue segment, is comprised of four business units: a digital sales representation business; Smadex, a programmatic ad purchasing platform; a branding and mobile performance solutions business; and a digital audio business. Through the digital sales representation business, the company connects global media companies such as Meta, Twitter, TikTok and Spotify with advertisers in primarily emerging growth markets worldwide. Smadex is the companys mobile-first demand side platform, enabling advertisers to execute performance campaigns using machine learning. Entravision also offers a branding and mobile performance solutions business, which provides managed services to advertisers looking to connect with global consumers, primarily on mobile devices, and its digital audio business provides digital audio advertising solutions for advertisers in the Americas. In addition to digital, Entravision has 49 television stations and is the largest affiliate group of the Univision and UniMas television networks. Entravision also manages 46 primarily Spanish-language radio stations that feature nationally recognized, Emmy award-winning talent. Shares of Entravision Class A Common Stock trade on the NYSE under ticker: EVC. Learn more about the companys offerings at entravision.com or connect with the company on LinkedIn.

About Entravision 365 Digital

Entravision 365 Digital is an African online media and ad-technology business with a rich heritage in the African advertising industry. For 21 years the business has represented the largest publishers and platforms in Africa and have helped global brands reach connected consumers and drive business impact. With a mission to connect publishers to brands, and brands to consumers, Entravision 365 Digital helps brands reach audiences at scale through its exclusive partnership with leading platforms like TikTok, Anzu, Boomplay, Triton Digital and many more. Entravision 365 Digital is a business unit of Entravision, a leading global advertising, media and ad-tech solutions company connecting brands to consumers by representing top platforms and publishers. Learn more about all of our innovative media, marketing and technology offerings at entravision365digital.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which are included in accordance with the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Companys actual results and performance in future periods to be materially different from any future results or performance suggested by the forward-looking statements in this press release. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from these expectations, and the Company disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements made by the Company. From time to time, these risks, uncertainties and other factors are discussed in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005241/en/

For more information please contact:

Entravision

Investors:

Christopher T. Young

Chief Financial Officer

310-447-3870

Kimberly Esterkin

Addo Investor Relations

[email protected]

310-829-5400

Entravision 365 Digital South Africa

Julian Jordaan

Chief Executive Officer, Entravision 365 Digital

+27 21 555 1975

[email protected]

www.entravision365digital.com

Entravision 365 Digital Kenya

Maggie Ndirangu

Managing Director

[email protected]

Source: Entravision
Hong Kong: Tax deduction bill to be gazetted

The Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Deductions for Domestic Rents) Bill 2022 will be gazetted on May 6 and introduced into the Legislative Council on May 11.

The bill seeks to implement the tax deduction for domestic rent proposed in the 2022-23 Budget. The Government hopes to secure the passage of the bill before the councils summer recess so that the measure could be implemented from the 2022-23 year of assessment.

It is expected to benefit about 430,000 taxpayers. The government revenue forgone will amount to about $3.3 billion per year.

A taxpayer liable to salaries tax or tax under personal assessment may claim a deduction for the rent paid by them or their spouses as tenants or co-tenants in relation to the relevant year of assessment for renting eligible domestic premises. The maximum amount of allowable deduction is $100,000 for each assessment year.

The premises concerned must be the taxpayer's principal place of residence, and the relevant tenancy must be stamped.

Eligible taxpayers can provide information about the expected domestic rent paid in relation to 2022-23 in the tax returns for the 2021-22 year of assessment to be issued this June.

Upon passage of the bill, the Inland Revenue Department will take into account the deduction when assessing the provisional salaries tax for 2022-23.

This story has been published on: 2022-05-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
By Azernews





The Azerbaijani State Border Service seized over 186.6 kg of drugs and some 8,827 psychotropic pills in April, the service reported on its website on May 4.

The State Border Service maintained its efforts to ensure reliable border protection and combat smuggling, illegal migration, and drug trafficking.

In two separate cases, two border violators, who used firearms against border guards, were neutralized in compliance with the instructions.

During the month, an attempt by an Armenian provocative-sabotage group to cross Azerbaijan's state border was thwarted on the stretch of the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border that passes through Zangilan region.

In the said period, 22 people were detained for illegally crossing the state border (nine Iranian, two Georgian, one Turkish, one Uzbek, one Pakistani and one Chinese and seven Azerbaijani citizens).

In an effort to combat illegal migration, six people were detained in six separate cases after attempting to cross the state border with forged Schengen visas and stamps and two people with a document belonging to another.

In 53 cases, 97 people were detained for violating the rules of the border regime, and appropriate action was taken against them.

As a result of anti-crime initiatives, 187 people wanted by Azerbaijan's law-enforcement agencies were identified and handed over to the relevant agencies. Some 347 people who were barred from leaving Azerbaijan were unable to leave, and 23 people who were previously barred from entering the country were denied entry.

Anti-smuggling measures resulted in the seizure of contraband worth approximately AZN 4,584, 557 ($2,696,798).

As part of rescue operations in the Caspian Sea, one person was evacuated to shore in one case.

The report also stated that steps are being taken to organize reliable border protection for the country.
WASHINGTON  Just when New York's congressional redistricting process couldn't get any wackier, Democrats floated a last-ditch possibility for solving the state's district-line dilemma: just do away with congressional districts and hold an at-large election for all 26 House members from the state.

Under a law passed by Congress in the 1950s, "when a state loses a congressional seat in the apportionment process, but fails to redistrict in time for congressional elections, the state shall hold an at-large election for all congressional seats," according to the Democrats' redistricting lawsuit filed in Manhattan on Monday. "As the Supreme Court has explained, this provision functions as a 'last resort remedy to be applied when, on the eve of a congressional election, no constitutional redistricting plan exists and there is no time for either the states legislature or the courts to develop one.' "

Court of Appeals strikes down Democrats' district lines; June primary may be delayed New York's highest court today declared unconstitutional the congressional and State Senate maps drawn earlier this year by the State Legislature, voiding their use for the scheduled June 28 primary election, and ordered a new date  possibly as late as August.

The Democrats who filed that lawsuit  led by lawyers for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee  did not endorse that solution, and political sources from both parties said it is highly unlikely that the state will have to hold an at-large statewide congressional primary or election with dozens of candidates this year.

But still, it is a terrifying possibility to Republicans and upstate Democrats alike.

"Democrats would run the table" and likely win all 26 of the state's House seats in heavily Democratic New York, said James E. Campbell, a political science professor at the University at Buffalo and a Republican.

Democrats file federal lawsuit to try to reinstate their congressional map Democrats on Monday made a last-ditch effort to reinstate the New York congressional map that state courts ruled to be an unconstitutional gerrymander, filing a lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan that aims to remove the redistricting process from a state court judge and a court-appointed special master.

What's more, upstate Democrats would be at a grave disadvantage in a 26-seat statewide free-for-all, said Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat.

"A lot of people could jump in, and anybody with name recognition downstate could win," Higgins said. "Just think of what it will do relative to the interests of Western New York and, you know, the entire upstate region."

A statewide House election could be the byproduct of the legal morass developing over the State Legislature's fumbled attempt to trim the number of House seats in the state from 27 to 26, as mandated by population shifts revealed in the 2020 census.

The state's top court has ruled the legislature's plan was an unconstitutional gerrymander aimed at benefitting Democrats. In turn, State Supreme Court Justice Patrick F. McAllister hired a nonpartisan expert to draw new, nonpartisan district lines and also moved the congressional primary from June 28 to Aug. 23.

But in their federal court case filed in Manhattan, Democrats argue that the primary can't be moved. They cite a decade-old federal court order mandating that the state's congressional primary be on the fourth Tuesday of June.

Court decision throws New York congressional races into limbo At a time when candidates expected to be gearing up for a June 28 primary, instead they found themselves not knowing what to do next.

That being the case, Democrats said the federal court has only two options: reinstate the map the Democrats drew that the state courts rejected so the June 28 primary can go forward, or sit idly by as the clock ticks, forcing an at-large primary on that date and an at-large congressional election for the entire state in November.

"The window for this court to act to prevent such a scenario is swiftly closing," lawyers for the Democrats said in the federal lawsuit.

As Democrats see it, the federal court in Manhattan faces a dilemma because of the Democratic lawsuit.

"At the end of the day, Im skeptical that a federal court will order NY hold elections using a map state courts have declared unconstitutional," tweeted Michael Li, redistricting and voting counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University. "More likely the court will say, if you dont get relief from the 2012 order requiring a June primary, you will have at-large elections."

That means someone  either the State Board of Elections or the State Republican Party  will likely file yet another federal lawsuit to try to undo that 2012 federal court order mandating that the House primary be in June, Li added. That lawsuit will have to be filed in the Northern District of New York in Albany or Syracuse, since that court established the June congressional primary date as part of a lawsuit ensuring that military and overseas New Yorkers had adequate time to vote in primaries.

Judge moves New York congressional, State Senate primaries to Aug. 23 Those contests were originally scheduled for June 28, the same day that primaries for governor, State Assembly and other state offices have long been scheduled.

Despite the high stakes, the State Republican Party doesn't seem to be taking the Democratic lawsuit very seriously. In a statement, party spokeswoman Jessica Proud blamed the lawsuit on the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, a Democrat from the Hudson Valley.

"This is nothing more than Sean Patrick Maloney's desperate attempt to save face after a nationally embarrassing smackdown from the courts," Proud said. "They should accept that they got caught cheating and stop trying to infringe on New Yorkers' constitutional rights."

In any case, Maloney will get a chance for redemption  or another smackdown  in federal court in Manhattan, where U.S. District Court Judge Lewis A. Kaplan is scheduled to hold a hearing on the Democratic lawsuit at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

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TULSA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Gateway First Bank, one of the largest banking operations in Oklahoma, has announced that Kyle Hubbard has joined Gateways banking team as Division President of Retail Banking. Hubbard is based in Gateways Jenks Corporate banking office.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504006288/en/

Kyle Hubbard, Division President of Retail Banking for Gateway First Bank (Photo: Business Wire)

In this role, Hubbard will lead brand strategy for retail banking along with the digital bank strategy, including being the executive champion of the Q2 platform integration, rollout, and maintenance. He will be instrumental in the planning and development of the retail banking expansion in both physical location and product growth.

"Kyle brings over 20 years of banking experience, said Scott Gesell, CEO of Gateway. His past accomplishments and experiences make him the right person to help lead Gateways banking growth. He also has a strong history of community engagement which fits the Gateway culture of strengthening families and communities.

Hubbard entered banking in 2002 out of college and spent the majority of his career in various roles in the Bartlesville, Oklahoma area. He started as a teller while attending graduate school, has worked in both the retail and commercial banking areas, and was most recently President/CEO of the Springfield, MO, and Bartlesville, OK, markets for his previous Banking employer. His community engagement includes organizations such as Leadership Oklahoma, The Boys and Girls Club of Bartlesville, Oklahoma Wesleyan University Board, and Ozarks Food Harvest Board.

I am from Oklahoma, and it feels great to be coming back to my hometown area, said Hubbard. I am excited to be joining the Gateway team on the ground floor of expansion in current and new markets and products.

About Gateway First Bank

Gateway First Bank is a leading financial institution that provides banking and mortgage services for consumers and commercial customers. Headquartered in Jenks, Oklahoma, Gateway is a $1.9 billion asset-sized bank with a strong mortgage operation. Gateway is one of the largest banking operations in Oklahoma and mortgage operations in the United States, with six bank branches in Oklahoma, over 170 mortgage centers in 43 states, and over 1,600 employees. Learn more at www.GatewayFirst.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender (NMLS 7233)

Follow Gateway First on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/GatewayFirstBank/), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/gatewayfirst/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/Gateway1st).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504006288/en/

Melissa Bogle

918-291-4654

[email protected]

Megan McKinstry

(678) 781-7237

[email protected]

Source: Gateway First Bank
Procedures for obtaining preparatory documents for the General Meeting

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

GenSight Biologics (Euronext: SIGHT, ISIN: FR0013183985, PEA-PME eligible) (Paris: SIGHT), a biopharma company focused on developing and commercializing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders, announced that it will hold its Annual General Meeting on May 25, 2022, at 9:00 am CEST at the Companys headquarters, 74 rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, 75012 Paris, France (*).

(*) Warning :

Depending on health and/or legal requirements, the organizational arrangements of the Shareholders General Meeting of could change. Shareholders are therefore invited to regularly consult the Company's website (www.gensight-biologics.com) which could be updated to specify, where applicable, the final terms and conditions for participation in this General Meeting according to health and /or regulations.

The notice containing the agenda and draft resolutions was published in the French BALO on April 20, 2022 and supplemented by an addendum published in the French BALO on May 4, 2022. The notice confirming the time and place of the meeting will be published in the French BALO and in a legal gazette on May 9, 2022.

The preparatory documents for the General Meeting listed in Article R. 22-10-23 of the French Commercial Code are posted on the Companys website (www.gensight-biologics.com) in the Investors, Documentation section.

The preparatory documents for the General Meeting will also be made available to shareholders as of the convening of the meeting.

It is specified that the full text of the documents intended to be presented to the Meeting, in accordance in particular with Articles L. 225-115 and R. 225-83 of the Commercial Code, are made available at the Companys headquarters.

From the date of the convocation and until the fifth day inclusive before the meeting, any shareholder may ask the Company to send him the documents and information mentioned in Articles R. 225-81 and R. 225-83 of the Commercial Code, preferably by email to the following address: [email protected]. Bearer shareholders must justify this status by sending an account registration certificate.

About GenSight Biologics

GenSight Biologics S.A. is a clinical-stage biopharma company focused on developing and commercializing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders. GenSight Biologics pipeline leverages two core technology platforms, the Mitochondrial Targeting Sequence (MTS) and optogenetics, to help preserve or restore vision in patients suffering from blinding retinal diseases. GenSight Biologics lead product candidate, LUMEVOQ (GS010; lenadogene nolparvovec), has been submitted for marketing approval in Europe for the treatment of Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a rare mitochondrial disease affecting primarily teens and young adults that leads to irreversible blindness. Using its gene therapy-based approach, GenSight Biologics product candidates are designed to be administered in a single treatment to each eye by intravitreal injection to offer patients a sustainable functional visual recovery.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005959/en/

GenSight Biologics

Corporate Communications Director

Clothilde Caillet

[email protected]

RooneyPartners

Media Relations

Jeanene Timberlake

[email protected]

+1 646-770-8858

LifeSci Advisors

Investor Relations

Guillaume van Renterghem

[email protected]

+41 (0)76 735 01 31

Orpheon Finance

Retail Investors

James Palmer

[email protected]

+33 (0)7 60 92 77 74

Source: GenSight Biologics
ICMI Global Contact Center Awards Nominations Open Through May 27

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ICMIs Contact Center Expo, which brings call center industry professionals together to tackle the challenges and opportunities that will enable positive growth and change in the contact center industry, today announces the event keynotes. The event takes place October 24-27 at the Omni Orland Resort at Championsgate, in Orlando, Florida. Register here.

Tara Gibb, Senior Director, ICMIs Contact Center Expo said, With rapid change affecting contact centers more than ever before, theres one thing call center professionals can be sure of  the knowledge they gain at ICMI's Contact Center Expo will help them move their contact center forward. We have a terrific program planned for our event and we look forward to reuniting the contact center community.

Paul Long, Speaker, Author, Master of Shenanigans and Former Director of Call Center Operations at Farmers Insurance will present Connecting the Workplace and Life Through F.U.N. Through a concept Long developed called Fundamism, he will discuss how the best companies accelerate business results by engaging their employees, celebrating the good and creating a culture of experience that improves customer experience and employee engagement, reduces attrition and inspires growth across nearly every performance metric.

Sara Ross, Speaker and the Chief Vitality Officer at BrainAMPED, a research and strategy firm dedicated to redefining how we succeed at work and thrive in life, will present Building Emotional Vitality to Thrive Through Change. This session will combine emotional intelligence and energy management to provide leadership-focused, brain-based strategies to help make business decisions.

ICMI Global Contact Center Awards

ICMI's Global Contact Center Awards program honors and recognizes the companies, contact centers, and individuals that provide a platform for leadership, vision, innovation, and strategic accomplishments in the profession and their industries.

Categories include:

Best Contact Center Agent

Best Contact Center Supervisor

Best Contact Center Manager

Best Contact Center Trainer

Best Contact Center Workforce Manager

Customer Hero of the Year

Lifetime Achievement Award

Best Small, Medium, or Large Contact Center

Best Strategic Value to the Organization

Best Contact Center Culture

Best Digital Customer Experience

Best Learning and Development Program

Best Outsourcing Provider

Best New Technology Solution

For additional information or to make a nomination, click here. Nominations close on May 27.

The winners will be announced at the ICMI Global Contact Center Awards Party at the event.

Learn more about ICMIs Contact Center Expo here. Click here to register. Use code SIGNMEUP to get $200 off any paid live conference pass. Mega early bird pricing is available until May 27. Group registration is available. Buy 3, get 1 free.

Media interested in attending ICMI Contact Center Expo, email Meryl Franzman at [email protected].

For additional information on exhibition or sponsorship opportunities, contact us at [email protected].

Follow ICMIs Contact Center Expo on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook.

ABOUT ICMI

The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) is the leading global provider of comprehensive resources for customer management professionals -- from frontline agents to executives -- who wish to improve customer experiences and increase efficiencies at every level of the contact center. Since 1985, ICMI has helped more than 50,000 organizations in 167 countries through training, events, consulting, and informational resources. ICMI's experienced and dedicated team of industry insiders, trainers, and consultants are committed to helping you raise the strategic value of your contact center, optimize your operations and improve your customer service. ICMI is brought to you by Informa Tech.

About Informa Tech

Informa Tech is a market leading provider of integrated research, media, training and events to the global Technology community. We're an international business of more than 600 colleagues, operating in more than 20 markets. Our aim is to inspire the Technology community to design, build and run a better digital world through research, media, training and event brands that inform, educate and connect. Over 7,000 professionals subscribe to our research, with 225,000 delegates attending our events and over 18,000 students participating in our training programs each year, and nearly 4 million people visiting our digital communities each month. Learn more about Informa Tech.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005685/en/

Meryl Franzman

ICMIs Contact Center Expo

[email protected]

Source: International Customer Management Institute
Inaugural program garnered more than 250 submissions across categories from leading North American organizations

NEEDHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- International Data Corporation (IDC) today kicked off its second annual Future Enterprise North America Awards program as nominations open for both the Best in Future of Digital Innovation and Best in Future of Digital Infrastructure awards. The IDC Future Enterprise Awards continue to redefine digital transformation, aligning the categories and selection criteria to reflect how organizations can successfully bring their businesses into the future.

IDC's Future Enterprise Best in Future of Digital Innovation North America Awards

This award recognizes that the modern enterprise must transform itself from a software consumer into a large-scale software innovator. A winning organization shows that a project or initiative can source, augment, develop and/or distribute software IP (intellectual property) that delivers differentiation, disrupts the market through external products or services, or has significant positive impact on internal operations.

Specifically, IDC is looking for details on implemented initiatives (pilots or projects) as opposed to ideas or planned initiatives. To submit a nomination, visit HERE. Deadline for submissions is August 5, 2022.

IDCs Future Enterprise Best in Future of Digital Infrastructure North America Awards

Digital infrastructure provides the platform for agile business using private and public cloud compute, storage, network, edge, management, automation, and lifecycle services to help the business scale, adapt, and compete in a software and data intensive world. This award recognizes organizations that are leading in the use of digital infrastructure to transform their business, engage customers and employees, and accelerate business innovation. Awards recognize how cloud-native technology, autonomous operations, and/or ubiquitous deployment strategies are helping to transform digital business and deliver mission critical business outcomes.

To submit a nomination, visit HERE. Deadline for submission is July 29, 2022.

Primary requirements of all Future of Enterprise Award nominations are:

Must be a Future Enterprise initiative as defined by the IDC award category.

All nominations must be in production with existing customers/users.

Must be able to articulate and show key performance indicators to ascribe value to completed project.

Note: IT Vendors and Technology Consultants do not qualify for the IDC Future Enterprise Awards. Vendors may instead nominate completed projects on behalf of their clients. Please provide confirmation from the client that they wish to participate in the awards program.

For more information on the IDC Future Enterprise Awards Program, please contact Heather Ball at [email protected].

About IDC

International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,200 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology, IT benchmarking and sourcing, and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading tech media, data, and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005060/en/

Sarah Murray

Attune Communications

781-38-2674

[email protected]

Mary Conroy

IDC

508-935-6964

[email protected]

Source: International Data Corporation (IDC)
PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

Ikonisys SA (Euronext Growth Paris: ALIKO), a company specializing in the early and accurate detection of cancers with a unique fully-automated solution for medical analysis labs (the Issuer), announces it has secured a financing program that could reach an aggregate nominal amount of 6 million with Negma Group (the Investor), an institutional investment fund headquartered in Dubai, UAE, in the form of bonds convertible into new shares (OCA), with a par value of 2,500 each, with attached share subscription warrants (BSA, together referred to as OCABSA). This financing can be drawn down in several tranches for the next 2 years, without any obligation to do so.

The purpose of this funding program is to provide the Company with additional resources to accelerate its commercialization strategy in the United States and Europe, including additional marketing investments, new contacts with KOLs who will serve as reference laboratories, participation in conferences and the implementation of a distribution strategy with agreements for Spain, Portugal, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, and to continue the development of the Ikoniscope20.

Mario Crovetto, CEO of Ikonisys, comments: "This transaction is motivated by our desire to maintain financial flexibility, in addition to other available sources of financing, in order to pursue the company's future developments in an efficient and agile manner. These will primarily concern the acceleration of the commercial strategy in the United States and Europe, with additional marketing investments, as well as the continued development of the Ikoniscope20 platform, in particular for CTC testing and the integration of AI technologies.

"Negma is pleased to support Ikonisys, the most advanced cell based diagnostic company, which has designed and is now in the process of marketing the Ikoniscope, a medical device designed to deliver highly accurate and reliable detections of rare cells. We are confident that the Ikonisys team will successfully complete its next milestones of not only R&D but also commercialization in the very near future. The increasingly attractive European ecosystem has been a primary reason for the listing of Ikonisys, an originally American medtech, on Euronext Growth Paris. Ikonisys deserves much greater visibility than it currently receives, and we are certain the next few months of business development will change this." says Sophie Villedieu, Associate ECM of Negma Group.

Legal framework of the transaction

The Issuers board of directors approved the entry into this financing program in its meeting dated May 4, 2022.

The securities to be issued in the framework of this financing agreement will give access to the Issuers share capital with cancellation of the shareholders preferential subscription rights. Such securities will be issued on the basis of the 8th resolution of the general meeting of the shareholders of Ikonisys dated June 15, 2021.

This financing program will not require the approval of a prospectus by the AMF.

Main characteristics of the OCA

The OCA will be issued in several tranches of 300,000 of nominal amount each, being specified that the Issuer shall be allowed to issue up to three tranches of 500,000 of nominal amount each, at its sole discretion.

The tranches of OCABSA will be issued upon request of the Issuer, subject to standard conditions precedent described in Note 1 and no earlier than

the trading day following the conversion (whether in one time or several times) of all the OCA that had been issued in connection with a previous tranche; or the expiry of a period of 24 trading days from the drawdown of any tranche of an aggregate principal amount of EUR 300,000 or 40 trading days from the drawdown of any tranche of an aggregate principal amount of EUR 500,000.

The OCA will have a par value of 2,500. The subscription price of each OCA will be equal to their par value.

The OCA will be freely transferable to affiliates of the Investor. The OCA will not be listed or admitted to trading on a financial market.

The OCA will not bear interest and will have a 12 months maturity period from their date of issuance. Holders of OCA may request at any time to convert them until their maturity date. On their maturity date, and if the OCA have not been converted yet, the OCA will be automatically converted into new shares on the maturity date.

Upon occurrence of an event of default (as detailed in Note 2 below), unconverted OCA may be redeemed by the Issuer, upon request of the Investor, at their nominal amount.

The Issuer shall have the right to buy-back any OCA outstanding at their par value at any time.

The OCA may be converted in new shares at any time at the conversion ratio determined by the following formula:

N=Vn / (Pr),

Where:

N is the number of new shares to be issued to the OCA holder

Vn is the nominal amount of the OCA, i.e. 2,500

Pr is the conversion price, i.e., 85% of the lowest closing volume-weighted average price of the shares over the 15 trading days preceding the date on which a conversion is requested (the Pricing Period) for the first three tranches, and 90% of the lowest closing VWAP over the Pricing Period for all the other tranches being called (the Conversion Price). The Conversion Price will be determined (i) to two decimal places and rounded down to the nearest 100th if the Conversion Price is higher than or equal to EUR 0.10, (ii) to three decimal places and rounded down to the nearest 1000th if the Conversion Price is lower than EUR 0.10 and higher than or equal to EUR 0.01, and (iii) to four decimal places and rounded down to the nearest 10000th if the Conversion Price is lower than EUR 0.01.

Any trading day where the Investor has sold more than 30% of the daily volumes of the shares on Euronext Growth shall be excluded from the Pricing Period. Should trading days be excluded from the Pricing Period, the Pricing Period shall be extended backward to include an additional number of Trading Days equal to the number of excluded trading days, provided that such additional trading days (i) shall only be trading days where the Investor has not sold more than 30% of the daily volumes of the shares on Euronext Growth, and (ii) shall be taken among the twenty-four (24) trading days immediately preceding the issuance of the relevant conversion notice by the Investor.

If the applicable (theoretical) Conversion Price on the relevant conversion date is lower than the nominal value of the shares and if the early redemption of the OCA was not requested by the relevant holder or by the Issuer, the holder shall (i) receive a number of shares equal to the aggregate nominal amount of such OCA divided by the nominal amount of the shares and (ii) have a receivable of an amount equal to the closing price of the share on the trading day preceding the relevant conversion date multiplied by the difference between (x) the aggregate nominal amount of the converted OCA divided by the theoretical Conversion Price and (y) the aggregate nominal amount of such OCA divided by the nominal value of the shares. Such receivable may be paid in cash or in additional OCA (with no BSA attached), at the Issuers sole discretion, within 15 calendar days.

Main characteristics of the BSA

The total number of BSA issued within the framework of this financing will be calculated so that if all BSA are exercised, the total number of new shares to be issued by the Issuer to the holder of said BSA shall be equivalent to 20% of the total nominal amount of the OCA to be issued divided by the exercise price of such BSA.

The BSA shall be detached from the OCA immediately upon their issuance. They may be freely transferred to affiliates of the Investor.

The BSA will not be listed or admitted to trading on a financial market. They may be exercised within five years from their date of issuance.

Each BSA will give its holder a right to subscribe one (1) new share, subject to legal adjustments.

The exercise price of the BSA will be calculated using the following formula:

Pe = 125% x P,

Where:

Pe is the exercise price of the BSA, subject to contractual adjustments

P is the volume-weighted average price of the shares over the 15 trading days preceding the date on which the drawdown of the relevant tranche of OCA to which the BSA are attached is requested, determined (i) to two decimal places and rounded down to the nearest 100th if the Warrant Exercise Price is higher than or equal to EUR 0.10, (ii) to three decimal places and rounded down to the nearest 1000th if the Warrant Exercise Price is lower than EUR 0.10 and higher than or equal to EUR 0.01, and (iii) to four decimal places and rounded down to the nearest 10000th if the Warrant Exercise Price is lower than EUR 0.01. It is specified that, with respect to the BSA to be issued in the framework of the first tranche, P shall not be higher than  2.69.

Depending on the assumed volatility of the share price applied (2.90%) and on the basis of the Issuers closing share price on May 3, 2022 (i.e. 2.56), the theoretical value of a BSA is equal to 0.81.

Commitment fees

As compensation for the Investors commitment to subscribe to the OCABSA tranches issued within the framework of the financing agreement, the Issuer will pay the Investor commitment fees equal to 5% of the nominal amount of this financing, i.e. 300,000, through the issuance of 120 additional OCA (with no BSA attached) within 60 days from the date of the financing agreement.

Such additional OCA may not be converted by the Investor until the expiry of a 4-month period from the date of the entry into the financing agreement.

Impact of the transaction in terms of managing liquidity risk and financing horizon

As at December 31, 2021, the Companys consolidated cash and cash equivalents amounted to 1,516,526, as mentioned in the annual financial statements issued on April 29, 2022.

The financing program presented above, concerning a total nominal value of 6 million if made fully available to the Company, would enable the Company to meet its financing requirements for more than 24 months.

Main risks associated with the Issuer

The main risks associated with the Issuer are set out in the 2021 annual financial report for the financial year ended December 31, 2021, published on April 29, 2022, and available on the website of the Issuer (www.Ikonisys.com).

Theoretical impact of the issuance of the OCABSA (on the basis of the Issuers closing share price on May 3, 2022 (i.e. 2.56))

For illustration purposes, the impact of the issuance of OCABSA would be as follows:

Based on the 9,481,727 shares outstanding and the equity as at December 31, 2021 (i.e. 20,013,576), the theoretical impact on equity per share would be:

Impact on equity per share (1) Non-diluted basis Diluted basis Before issuance of OCABSA 2.11 2.02 After issuance of 98,654 new shares resulting from the conversion of the first tranche of OCA 2.12 2.03 After issuance of 98,654 new shares resulting from the conversion of the first tranche of OCA and the issuance of 17,818 shares resulting from the exercise of the first tranche of BSA 2.12 2.03 After issuance of 197,308 new shares resulting from the conversion of the OCA issued as payment of the commitment fees 2.10 2.01 After issuance of 2,526,773 new shares resulting from the conversion of all the OCA and BSA (including the OCA issued as payment of the commitment fees) 2.27 2.19

(1) Theoretical calculations made on the basis of the Issuers closing share price on May 3, 2022, i.e. 2.56, and an OCA conversion price corresponding to 85% of the lowest Closing VWAP of the Shares, i.e. 2.58, and an exercise price of BSA of 125% of the VWAP of the Shares over the fifteen (15) Trading Days preceding such date, i.e. 3.36. This dilution does not affect the final number of shares to be issued or their issue price, which shall be determined according to the share price, as described above. The diluted basis takes into account the exercise of all existing dilutive instruments that could result in the creation of an indicative maximum of 426,673 new shares.

Based on the 9,481,727 shares outstanding, the theoretical impact on a shareholder holding a 1% stake in the Issuers share capital prior to the transaction would be:

Impact on a shareholder holding a 1% stake in the Issuers share capital prior to the transaction (1) Non-diluted basis Diluted basis Before issuance of OCABSA 1.00% 0.96% After issuance of 98,654 new shares resulting from the conversion of the first tranche of OCA 0.99% 0.95% After issuance of 98,654 new shares resulting from the conversion of the first tranche of OCA and the issuance of 17,818 shares resulting from the exercise of the first tranche of BSA 0.99% 0.95% After issuance of 197,308 new shares resulting from the conversion of the OCA issued as payment of the commitment fees 0.98% 0.94% After issuance of 2,526,773 new shares resulting from the conversion of all the OCA and BSA (including the OCA issued as payment of the commitment fees) 0.79% 0.76%

(1) Theoretical calculations made on the basis of the Issuers closing share price on May 3, 2022, i.e. 2.56, and an OCA conversion price corresponding to 85% of the lowest Closing VWAP of the Shares, i.e. 2.58, and an exercise price of BSA of 125% of the VWAP of the Shares over the fifteen (15) Trading Days preceding such date, i.e. 3.36. This dilution does not affect the final number of shares to be issued or their issue price, which shall be determined according to the share price, as described above. The diluted basis takes into account the exercise of all existing dilutive instruments that could result in the creation of an indicative maximum of 426,673 new shares.

Note 1: main conditions to the subscription of OCABSA by the Investor:

No material adverse change has occurred;

No authority (including the AMF) has opposed or is opposed to the issuance of the OCA (or their conversion) or BSA (or their exercise);

The Issuers shares are still listed and the listing of the Issuers shares has not been suspended (and no risk of any such suspension has been identified);

The Issuer has enough authorised shares to allow for the conversion of OCA to be issued within the framework of the tranche to be drawn down (and, if applicable, OCA outstanding), i.e. at least a number of shares corresponding to the aggregate nominal amount of such OCA divided by the lowest closing volume weighted-average price of the shares on the date of the drawdown.

Note 2 : main events of default :

Include the delisting of the shares, a failure to deliver or late delivery of shares to the Investor, and the occurrence of a material adverse change

About Ikonisys

Ikonisys SA is a cell-based diagnostics company based in Paris (France), New Haven (Connecticut, USA) and Milan (Italy) specialized in the early and accurate detection of cancer. The company develops, produces and markets the proprietary Ikoniscope20 platform, a fully-automated solution designed to deliver accurate and reliable detection and analysis of rare cells. Ikonisys has received FDA clearance for several automated diagnostic applications, which are also marketed in Europe under CE certification. Through its breakthrough fluorescence microscopy platform, the company continues to develop a stream of new tests, including liquid biopsy tests based on Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC).

For further information, please go to www.Ikonisys.com

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements about the Issuer's prospects and development. These statements are sometimes identified by the use of the future tense, the conditional tense and forward-looking words such as "believe", "aim to", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "believe", "should", "could", "would" or "will" or, where appropriate, the negative of these terms or any other similar variants or expressions. This information is not historical data and should not be construed as a guarantee that the facts and data set forth will occur. This information is based on data, assumptions and estimates considered reasonable by the Issuer. It is subject to change or modification due to uncertainties relating to the economic, financial, competitive and regulatory environment. This information contains data relating to the Issuer's intentions, estimates and objectives concerning, in particular, the market, strategy, growth, results, financial situation and cash flow of the Issuer. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made only as of the date of this press release. The Issuer does not undertake to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release, except as required by applicable law or regulation. The Issuer operates in a competitive and rapidly changing environment and therefore cannot anticipate all of the risks, uncertainties or other factors that may affect its business, their potential impact on its business or the extent to which the materialization of any one risk or combination of risks could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking information, it being recalled that none of this forward-looking information constitutes a guarantee of actual result

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504006262/en/

Ikonisys

Alessandro Mauri

CFO

[email protected]

NewCap

Louis-Victor Delouvrier

Investor Relations

[email protected]

Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 92

NewCap

Nicolas Merigeau

Media Relations

[email protected]

Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 98

NegmaGroup

Anthony de Rauville CIO

Sophie Villedieu ECM Associate

[email protected]

Tel.: +33 (0)6 24 48 07 94

Source: Ikonisys SA
This new solution combines commercially proven technologies to create scalable, cost-effective energy and fueling as a service

PORTLAND, Ore., & HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kaizen Clean Energy (KCE), a leader in hydrogen and Energy as a Service solutions, and ZincFive, the world leader in nickel-zinc battery-based solutions for immediate power applications, announced today that they are developing an integrated distributed energy solution for electric vehicle (EV) charging, hydrogen fueling, and backup power for the grid and critical assets, including data centers.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220503005625/en/

Industry-first microgrid for EV charging, hydrogen fueling, and backup power. (Photo: Business Wire)

KCEs integrated solution comprises its commercially proven hydrogen generator, ZincFives immediate power nickel-zinc batteries, and fuel cells from PowerCell, a global supplier of fuel cell stacks and systems for stationary and mobile applications, to offer customers modular, scalable, sustainable, and economic fueling as a service.

KCE, ZincFive, and PowerCell will exhibit this industry-first solution at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Long Beach, California, on May 9-12, 2022.

This new solution provides:

The lowest delivered cost for hydrogen fueling and low fixed electricity cost, eliminating demand charge risk;

Up to 2,300 kg/day of hydrogen production (equivalent to 38 MWh of usable energy) in a 40-foot, movable containerized solution that can be islanded or grid-connected;

Increased safety with no risk of battery thermal runaway and small volume of hydrogen stored on site;

No capital cost with KCEs as a service contract agreement.

We are thrilled to work with ZincFive and PowerCell, whose values of safety, reliability, and environmental stewardship align with KCEs corporate values, said Robert Meaney, Co-CEO of KCE. Integrating ZincFives immediate power battery electrochemistry and PowerCells fuel cells with our hydrogen generators enables the optimal power and energy performance in the smallest, safest, most cost-effective footprint to meet a growing industry demand for distributed, safe, reliable, and affordable hydrogen and energy.

Pairing ZincFives sustainable and high-power nickel-zinc battery solutions with KCEs unique hydrogen generators will significantly reduce the cost of using hydrogen as an energy product, said Tim Hysell, Co-founder and CEO of ZincFive. With growing demand for distributed power, ZincFive is excited for the opportunities and market interest for an integrated power solution with KCE.

KCE has started accepting pre-orders and plans to deploy a 20-foot, 150 kW solution with pilot customers in Q4 of 2022.

About Kaizen Clean Energy

KCE, a leader in hydrogen and Energy as a Service solutions headquartered in Houston, TX, is developing an integrated distributed energy solution for electric vehicle (EV) charging, hydrogen fueling, and distribution and backup power for the grid and critical assets, including data centers. KCE will offer its mobile microgrid to customers through an Energy as a Service contract, which eliminates capital expense and provides customers with the flexibility to scale with energy needs over time. For more information, visit www.kaizencleanenergy.com.

About ZincFive, Inc.

ZincFive is the world leader in innovation and delivery of nickel-zinc batteries and power solutions. With more than 90 patents awarded, ZincFive technology harnesses the power of good chemistry to propel the world forward. ZincFive technology leverages the safety and sustainability of nickel-zinc chemistry to provide high power density and performance to mission critical applications. ZincFive is a privately held company based in Tualatin, Oregon. For more information, visit www.zincfive.com.

ZincFive is a registered trademark and the ZincFive logo is a trademark of ZincFive, Inc.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220503005625/en/

Media:

Carlos Villacis, Antenna for ZincFive, [email protected]

Eric Smith, Kaizen Clean Energy, [email protected]

Source: ZincFive
ITASCA, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Knowles Corporation (NYSE: KN), a market leader and global provider of advanced micro-acoustic microphones and balanced armature speakers, audio solutions, and high performance capacitors and radio frequency (RF) products, announced today that Jeffrey Niew, President and CEO, and John Anderson, Senior Vice President and CFO, will participate in a fireside chat at the 50th Annual J.P Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications Conference. The event will take place at the Westin Boston Seaport District in Boston, Massachusetts on May 25, 2022, beginning at 10:00am ET. Mr. Niew and Mr. Anderson will also be available for 1x1 and small group meetings on May 24 and the morning of May 25.

For more information about this event, including live webcast registration, please visit the Events & Presentations page of our Investor Relations website at https://investor.knowles.com/events-and-presentations/default.aspx

About Knowles

Knowles Corporation (NYSE: KN) is a market leader and global provider of advanced micro-acoustic microphones and balanced armature speakers, audio solutions, and high-performance capacitors and RF products, serving the consumer electronics, communications, medtech, defense, electric vehicle, and industrial markets. Knowles uses its leading position in SiSonic MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) microphones and strong capabilities in audio processing technologies to optimize audio systems and improve the user experience across consumer applications. Knowles is also a leader in hearing health acoustics, high performance capacitors and RF solutions for a diverse set of markets. Knowles focus on the customer, combined with unique technology, proprietary manufacturing techniques, and global operational expertise, enables it to deliver innovative solutions at scale across multiple applications. Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, Knowles is a global organization with employees in over a dozen countries. For more information, visit knowles.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504006056/en/

Investor Relations:

John Anderson

Chief Financial Officer

[email protected]

Source: Knowles Corporation
VIENNA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Navy Federal Credit Union is commemorating Military Appreciation Month by hosting celebratory activities and sharing appreciation messages on social media with the hashtag #MissionMilitaryThanks. The credit union is also sharing special deals available to members throughout the month of May.

Servicemembers and their families are at the core of our membership, said Vice President of Membership at Navy Federal, Carrie Foran Sepulveda. Our team has a passion for serving those military members and their families, as well as giving back to their community. Were excited to be hosting this celebration alongside Operation Gratitude to show our appreciation for the military.

To participate in the celebrations online, post a photo of yourself (or your favorite servicemember) holding a sign displaying years of military service. Twenty entries will earn $1,000, and in honor of those twenty entries Navy Federal will donate $20,000 to Operation Gratitude. Navy Federal proudly supports Operation Gratitude in their mission to provide opportunities for hands-on volunteerism to say 'thank you' to those who serve.

"At Operation Gratitude, were on a mission to ensure everyone who raises their hand in service and sacrifice for our nation knows the American people care. Through our hands-on volunteer opportunities, we encourage and empower Americans everywhere to express their appreciation for our service members, says James Johnson, CEO of Operation Gratitude. Partnering with great corporate sponsors like Navy Federal Credit Union allows Operation Gratitude to have an even greater impact. Tune in to hear more about Operation Gratitude's positive impact on our military and to see how you can get involved on Navy Federals MakingCents podcast.

Throughout the month of May, Navy Federal members can enjoy:

$200 Cashback for $2,000 spend on Navy Federals cashRewards card

$200 bonus if you refinance an auto loan from another lender over $5,000

$30 bonus for a Special EasyStart Certificate with 3 qualifying automatic transfers within 60 days of opening

Guidance from a Top VA Lender

Navy Federal has over 85 years of experience taking care of its members and providing excellent service along with better rates and lower fees. For more information on the value and benefits of membership, visit navyfederal.org.

Navy Federal Credit Union: Established in 1933 with only seven members, the credit union now has the distinct honor of serving over 11 million members globally and is the world's largest credit union. As a member-owned and not-for-profit organization, Navy Federal Credit Union always puts the financial needs of its members first. Membership is open to all Department of Defense and Coast Guard Active Duty, veterans, civilian and contractor personnel, and their families. The credit union employs a workforce of over 20,000 and has a global network of 350 branches. For more information visit navyfederal.org. Federally insured by NCUA. Equal Opportunity Employer.

Operation Gratitude: Operation Gratitude is a nation-wide nonprofit dedicated to providing grateful Americans across our country with opportunities for hands-on volunteerism in support of military, veterans and first responders. In March of 2003, Operation Gratitude sent its first four care packages to deployed service members in Iraq. Since its inception, the organization has encouraged Americans across the country to express their gratitude and lift the spirits of millions of deployed troops, recruit graduates, veterans, military families, and first responders. The volunteers of Operation Gratitude are a generous and spirited grassroots network of Americans joined in common cause to say Thank You to all who serve our great nation. For more information visit OperationGratitude.com, or follow us on Twitter at @OpGratitude.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005714/en/

Martin Miller

Corporate Communications

[email protected]

Source: Navy Federal Credit Union
HSINCHU, Taiwan--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- On March 30, NTHU held the opening ceremony for the Post-baccalaureate Program in Medicine, during which NTHU president Hocheng Hong said that the new program will train students to meet the challenges of tomorrow by focusing on the ABCs of the medical science of the future, viz., Artificial intelligence (AI), Big data, and the Cloud-based internet of things.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005503/en/

The opening ceremony for the Post-baccalaureate Program in Medicine. (Photo: National Tsing Hua University)

President Hocheng pointed out that the combination of medicine and new technology is the wave of the future. He further noted that NTHUs firm commitment to the ABCs of medicine, coupled with the NTHU Hospital to be built at the Taoyuan Aerotropolis, will provide students with a comprehensive education in primary medical care.

Hsinchu County magistrate Yang Wen-ke said that the Hsinchu Science Park was established 42 years ago, and that last year it had an output production value of NT$1.58 trillion. Pointing out that NTHU has played a vital role in the Parks success, he asserted that right now is the optimal time for launching a program focusing on precision medicine and AI medical care.

The Post-baccalaureate Program in Medicine belongs to the College of Life Science, the dean of which is Kao Ruey-ho. Dean Kao said that the first batch of students will include twenty-three publicly-funded students, sixteen of which will be based in the Natural Science Group, and seven in the Information Technology Group.

Dean Kao also mentioned that the Program has already appointed over 100 full-time and joint-appointment faculty members, and that all the required facilities will soon be ready for use, including a dissection room with nine dissection tables.

The Programs curriculum conforms to international standards. Dean Kao observed that departments of medicine in Taiwan traditionally divide the curriculum into independent subjects, such as physiology, pharmacology, pathology, cardiology, nephrology, and urology. By contrast, NTHUs Program takes more of a systems approach, in which basic and clinical courses are combined, as in the course on the cardiovascular system which integrates such related areas as pharmacology.

Formerly the director of the Tzu Chi Hospital in Hualian, Dean Kao said that by enrolling students with backgrounds in electrical engineering, computer science, materials science, and chemical engineering, the Program will increase the diversity of medical education in Taiwan, while also providing the nation with pioneering physicians to meet the needs of the future.

The director of the Program will be Chou Hung-hsueh, formerly the director of the Department of Medicine at Chang Gung University. Director Zhou said that he expects his students in the Program to have a strong sense of mission, and to be willing to work in areas of Taiwan which lack adequate medical facilities. He also pointed out that the curriculum includes coursework in the medical humanities, focusing on the role of public-funded physicians, so as to turn out doctors who know how to care for their patients in a holistic manner.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005503/en/

Holly Hsueh

NTHU

(886)3-5162006

[email protected]

Source: NTHU
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pryor Cashman is pleased to announce that Patricia G. Hambrecht has joined the firm as Of Counsel in the Art Law Group in New York. Throughout the course of her over four decades-long career, Hambrecht has established herself as a leader in the art world, and has previously served as president and general counsel of Christies North and South America, and deputy chairperson, chief business development officer, and general counsel of Phillips Auctioneers LLC.

An art and luxury goods transactional attorney with extraordinary market and deal-making experience, Hambrecht represents clients in high-profile  and often sensitive  art transactions and related disputes. In addition to her executive roles at Christies and Phillips, Hambrecht also served as worldwide president of Harry Winston, Inc., and is the founder of Jaspar LLC, an exclusive jewelry advisory service. She began her legal career at Hughes Hubbard & Reed.

With a combined background in private practice and in-house legal and business positions at auction houses and luxury jewelers, Patty is a distinguished addition to our Art Law Group, said Ronald H. Shechtman, managing partner of Pryor Cashman. She brings a tremendous depth of knowledge and a unique level of sophistication to her practice, and we are very fortunate to have her at our firm.

I am thrilled to join Pryor Cashmans renowned Art Law Group, said Hambrecht. The practice is well-respected throughout the art community, and is known as a leader in both high-level transactions and complex litigation disputes. I look forward to working with the team to provide the highest level of support for our art market clients.

Hambrecht earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School and received her B.A. from Yale University, summa cum laude.

About Pryor Cashman

Pryor Cashman is a premier, midsized law firm headquartered at 7 Times Square in New York with offices in Los Angeles and Miami. With broad and sophisticated transactional and litigation practices, Pryor Cashman provides a full range of services to meet the complex legal needs of institutions, mid-market businesses, bold emerging entities, entrepreneurs, and individuals.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504006125/en/

Media

Bianca Reyes

Pryor Cashman

[email protected]

Source: Pryor Cashman
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Comedian Dave Chappelle was tackled during a performance at the Hollywood Bowl Tuesday night and a man was later arrested.

Security guards chased and overpowered the attacker, and Chappelle was able to continue his performance while the man was taken away in an ambulance.

The assailant was carrying a replica handgun with a large blade that folded out of it similar to a pocket knife, according to a photo released by police.

Isaiah Lee, 23, was detained and arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, said Officer Alba Mendez, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson.

Lee was treated by medical staff for an unspecified injury and was booked into jail early Wednesday and held in lieu of $30,000 bail, Mendez said. It was not immediately known if he had retained a lawyer.

Mendez said a famous comedian was performing when Lee jumped onto the stage, tackled the celebrity and produced the replica handgun containing a knife blade. Mendez said the department did not name the celebrity because it does not confirm victim names.

Chappelle was performing his stand-up routine on the last of four nights at the amphitheater as part of the Netflix Is a Joke festival when the man rushed on stage and tackled him. Jamie Foxx was in the wings of the stage and Chappelle thanked him for responding to the attack. Chris Rock was there as well. He grabbed the mic and jokingly asked, Was that Will Smith?

The performances by Chappelle at the Hollywood Bowl were epic and record-breaking and he refuses to allow last nights incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment," Chapelle's publicist Carla Sims said in a statement. As unfortunate and unsettling as the incident was, Chappelle went on with the show."

Chappelle was attacked as he was wrapping up a routine in which he talked about how comedians have to worry more about their personal security in the wake of this year's Academy Awards ceremony where the Oscar-winning actor slapped Rock on live television in reaction to a joke about his wife.

The comedian had literally just said he now has more security because of all the uproar from his jokes about the Trans community, tweeted Buzzfeed News reporter Brianna Sacks, who attended the show.

After resuming, Chappelle joked that it was a trans man.

A midday police statement recounted the incident but gave no indication of whether investigators had determined the motive for the attack.

We care deeply about the safety of creators and we strongly defend the right of stand-up comedians to perform on stage without fear of violence, a Netflix statement said.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE: PM) held its 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders today. Andre Calantzopoulos, Executive Chairman of the Board, addressed shareholders and answered questions. Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer, gave the business presentation, which included an overview of PMIs:

efforts to support its employees, their families and others impacted by the war in Ukraine;

excellent performance in 2021 and strong start to 2022;

robust business fundamentals and rapid progress on its smoke-free transformation;

investments in wellness and healthcare to drive long-term growth;

continued progress on sustainability, with recognition by leading external stakeholders; and

commitment to returning cash to shareholders.

"The recent months have been an extremely challenging time for many in the PMI family given the war in Ukraine," said Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer. "Our primary concern is for our people and their families, and we are doing everything in our power to help them."

"Despite this tragic situation, and the related impacts on our operations in the region and more broadly, the outlook for our business excluding Russia and Ukraine remains strong and our smoke-free ambition remains intact. We are off to a strong start to the year, following an excellent performance in 2021, with robust underlying momentum and a reacceleration in IQOS user growth.

We continue to prioritize returns to shareholders and have increased the dividend for 14 consecutive years since the 2008 spin. In 2021, we raised the dividend by 4.2% to an annualized rate of $5.00 per common share. In addition, since July 2021, we have repurchased approximately $1 billion in shares as part of our current three-year program.

Approximately 81 percent of the shares entitled to vote were represented at the meeting in person or by proxy. The shareholders: elected 14 nominees for director; approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation of named executive officers; approved the 2022 Performance Incentive Plan; ratified the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers SA as independent auditors; and voted against the shareholder proposal. Final voting results will be included in a Form 8-K that PMI will file with the SEC in the coming days.

An archived copy of the webcast of the meeting will be available for approximately one year from the date of the meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/PMI2022. The presentation slides and script will be available at the same website address.

Philip Morris International: Delivering a Smoke-Free Future

Philip Morris International (PMI) is a leading international tobacco company working to deliver a smoke-free future and evolving its portfolio for the long term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The companys current product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor and oral nicotine products, which are sold in markets outside the U.S. Since 2008, PMI has invested more than USD 9 billion to develop, scientifically substantiate and commercialize innovative smoke-free products for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, with the goal of completely ending the sale of cigarettes. This includes the building of world-class scientific assessment capabilities, notably in the areas of pre-clinical systems toxicology, clinical and behavioral research, as well as post-market studies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the marketing of versions of PMIs IQOS Platform 1 devices and consumables as Modified Risk Tobacco Products (MRTPs), finding that exposure modification orders for these products are appropriate to promote the public health. As of March 31, 2022, PMI's smoke-free products are available for sale in 71 markets, and PMI estimates that approximately 12.7 million adults around the world excluding Russia and Ukraine, have already switched to IQOS and stopped smoking. With a strong foundation and significant expertise in life sciences, in February 2021 PMI announced its ambition to expand into wellness and healthcare areas and deliver innovative products and solutions that aim to address unmet consumer and patient needs. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220503006324/en/

Philip Morris International

Investor Relations:

New York: +1 (917) 663 2233

Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4666

[email protected]

Media: David Fraser

Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4500

[email protected]

Source: Philip Morris International
LYON, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- POXEL SA (Euronext: POXEL - FR0012432516), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative treatments for chronic serious diseases with metabolic pathophysiology, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and rare disorders, today announced that the Universal Registration Document (Document dEnregistrement Universel) for the year ended December 31, 2021 has been filed with the French market authority (Autorite des Marches Financiers, or AMF).

This document is available in English on the AMFs website and on Poxels website www.poxelpharma.com in the Investors / Shareholder Information / Regulatory Documentation section (in English and in French).

The 2021 Universal Registration Document includes:

the 2021 Annual Financial Report, including the Management Report; and

the Report on Corporate Governance

This year, the Companys URD includes a new version of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report. This document reflects the review and evaluation of Poxel existing CSR actions performed in 2021, and describes its CSR strategy. The report will be available on the Companys website, in the Investors / Corporate-governance section.

Printed copies of the universal registration document are also available to the public free of charge and upon request at the Companys headquarters located Immeuble Le Sunway, 259-261 Avenue Jean Jaures, 69007 Lyon, France.

About Poxel SA

Poxel is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative treatments for chronic serious diseases with metabolic pathophysiology, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and rare disorders. Poxel has clinical and earlier-stage programs from its adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator and deuterated TZD platforms targeting chronic and rare metabolic diseases. For the treatment of NASH, PXL065 (deuterium-stabilized R-pioglitazone) is in a streamlined Phase 2 trial (DESTINY-1). PXL770, a first-in-class direct AMPK activator, has successfully completed a Phase 2a proof-of-concept trial for the treatment of NASH, which met its objectives. For the rare inherited metabolic disorder, adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), the company intends to initiate Phase 2a proof of concept studies with PXL065 and PXL770 in patients with adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN). TWYMEEG (Imeglimin), Poxels first-in-class lead product that targets mitochondrial dysfunction, has been approved and launched for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in Japan. Poxel expects to receive royalties and sales-based payments from Sumitomo Pharma. Poxel has a strategic partnership with Sumitomo Pharma for Imeglimin in Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan and nine other Southeast Asian countries. The Company intends to generate further growth through strategic partnerships and pipeline development. Listed on Euronext Paris, Poxel is headquartered in Lyon, France, and has subsidiaries in Boston, MA, and Tokyo, Japan.

For more information, please visit: www.poxelpharma.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504006115/en/

Investor relations / Media

Aurelie Bozza

Investor Relations & Communication Senior Director

[email protected]

+33 6 99 81 08 36



Elizabeth Woo

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Communication

[email protected]



NewCap

Emmanuel Huynh or Arthur Rouille

[email protected]

+33 1 44 71 94 94

Source: POXEL SA
Global construction tech company reaffirms commitment to Sydney with plans to create 100+ new jobs

SYDNEY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Procore Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: PCOR), a leading global provider of construction management software, today announced the opening of its new Asia-Pacific headquarters in Sydney. The continued investment in the region follows significant local demand, with business nearly doubling across Asia Pacific from 2020 to 2021.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005369/en/

Procore opens its new Asia-Pacific headquarters in Sydney. (Photo: Business Wire)

Five years since opening its first office in Australia, the investment in a new, larger space demonstrates Procore's ongoing commitment to Sydney as its regional headquarters. The companys rapidly expanding local team continues to grow in response to sustained customer growth across APAC in 2021. To scale the business and meet the continued demand of the local construction industry, Procore has plans to create over 100 new jobs in ANZ.

Tom Karemacher, vice president APAC at Procore commented, As both the business and the team have rapidly expanded, we needed a flexible and collaborative new working environment that is built for true scale. Procore understands that most employees now prefer a hybrid working style, so we made a conscious decision to allow one desk for every two employees, and ensure all meeting and event spaces could provide a great experience both in person and virtually. We hope to attract and retain the brightest talent on Australian shores.

Procores new offices are set in SubStation No.164, two adjacent historic Sydney buildings that have been innovatively revitalised into a commercial and cultural space by Built. The world-class office facility in this iconic Sydney site spans 15,000 square feet over two floors, equipped with automated technology to support sustainability and the wellbeing of occupants. Completed by Belvia, the internal fitout has drawn inspiration from Procores flagship US offices in Carpinteria, California and Austin, Texas, while ensuring it is designed to meet the unique needs of the ANZ team.

The substation is a special, historical development that Procore was drawn to because it celebrates Sydneys heritage, at the same time as showcasing the vision, skill and innovation of the local construction industry, Karemacher continued. We have also acknowledged the traditional owners of the land, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, by choosing native language names for meeting rooms and commissioning indigenous artwork to decorate the spaces. We are excited to gather, collaborate and continue to grow in our dynamic new Asia-Pacific headquarters.

The team at Built was delighted to be able to deliver a first class fitout for Procore in our award-winning SubStation No.164 building. The synergy of working with the Procore team was evident from day one with our shared commitment to collaboration and forward thinking which made the journey from design of the space through to handover a rewarding experience for all stakeholders, said John de Smet, Director Small Works and ACT at Built.

In addition to investing in this new office space, Procore is doubling down on its commitment to innovating new solutions that address the specific challenges faced by the construction industry in Australia and New Zealand. The company has had global success with the solutions developed for the Australian market to date, including Correspondence, Action Plans, Quality Essentials, Document Control and Safety Essentials.

"PBS Building is thrilled to continue our longstanding partnership with Procore. Having worked with the team for 5 years, we value Procore's commitment to local innovation and they will continue to be our preferred construction technology partner, said Matthew Rayment, chief operations officer at PBS Building.

Key reference customers for Procore in ANZ include SHAPE, Meriton, Charter Hall and PBS Building. The ongoing demand for Procores solutions is supported by a growing partner ecosystem, with nearly 350 integrations now available on Procores App Marketplace.

Procore exists to improve the lives of everyone in construction. The enthusiasm of our local customers and partners over the past five years is a real testament to the Procore platform and our team's ability to innovate and solve for local challenges. The design of the new offices includes purpose-built spaces to entertain our customers and partners and showcase the solutions we have developed for them. We look forward to welcoming the Procore community to Clarence Street for years to come, Karemacher concluded.

Visit Procore.com/jobs to view and apply for open roles.

About Procore

Procore is a leading global provider of construction management software. Over 1 million projects and more than $1 trillion USD in construction volume have run on Procore's platform. Procores platform connects key project stakeholders to solutions Procore has built specifically for the construction industryfor the owner, the general contractor, and the specialty contractor. Procore's App Marketplace has a multitude of partner solutions that integrate seamlessly with Procores platform, giving construction professionals the freedom to connect with what works best for them. Headquartered in Carpinteria, California, Procore has offices around the globe. Learn more at Procore.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005369/en/

Media Contact

Evie Smith

Espresso Communications for Procore

[email protected]

Source: Procore Technologies, Inc.
Following the announcement of the law firms partner class of 2022, groups demand Skadden authenticate diversity declarations

WILMINGTON, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware (CPBD) is again urging Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP to pull back their boastful claims of diversity and inclusion through a full-page print ad in the Dover Post, as their most recent partner class mostly excludes historically marginalized communities.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005805/en/

CPBD full-page ad in the Dover Post (Photo: Business Wire)

While a glance at Skaddens partner class of 2022 may appear to be diverse, a closer look into the law firms diversity claims and numbers tells a grotesquely different story. Skadden has prominently displayed its admiration for diversity, claiming that diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental to their success and even promoting that they are among the firms with the highest representation of Black attorneys. Out of Skaddens 114 partners, just two are African American, and out of 11 partners in Skaddens Wilmington office, zero are African-American. Their partner class shows a comprehensive lack of representation among African Americans, American Indian and Alaska Natives, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanic persons. Civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton has demanded that Skadden ensure that judges and lawyers in our courts reflect the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of the communities they represent.

Said Reverend Al Sharpton, Skadden Arps claims that diversity and inclusion are fundamental to Skaddens success as a global law firm, but the firms stunningly low levels of diversity tell a different story. How can we achieve an equitable justice system if people of color arent afforded the opportunity to work at the most prestigious law firms? How can we expect the judges in our courts to reflect the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of the communities they represent if they do not gain the experience needed to rise to those positions?

When compared to other law firms demographic data, Skadden does not rank amongst the most diverse, as they claim. Skaddens numbers are unimpressive when placed next to firms like Morrison & Foerster, the leading firm for Black attorneys. A 2021 Law Firm Diversity Survey by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association states that the legal industry has long known that it lacks diverse racial and ethnic representation, particularly at the partner level. It is not enough for elite firms to talk the talk on diversity  they need to walk the walk and hire more diverse voices, and also be transparent about their retention efforts of said hires. Skadden has failed to do both. CPBD has published an ad campaign to urge reconsideration of Skadden's boastful claims of success in diverse representation.

Said Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware Campaign Manager Chris Coffey, Boasting about diverse hires does not award companies a gold medal. Diverse hires are not trophies. Diverse voices are people that exist beyond a companys goal to put themselves on a pedestal for change. Diverse voices deserve equity, truth, and justice. Companies and organizations cloak themselves with diversity messaging and marketing without considering their anti-racist actions, making the efforts disingenuous and further perpetuating racism and racial inequality.

Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware is a group made up of more than 5,000 members including employees of the global translation services company TransPerfect, as well as concerned Delaware residents, business executives and others. They formed in April of 2016 to focus on raising awareness with Delaware residents, elected officials, and other stakeholders about the unprecedented forced sale of TransPerfect. While their primary goal of saving the company has been accomplished, they continue their efforts to fight for more transparency in the Delaware Chancery Court. For more information on Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware or to join the cause, visit DelawareForBusiness.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005805/en/

Chris Coffey, [email protected]

Source: Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware
BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rimsys, the leading provider of Regulatory Information Management (RIM) software for the medtech industry, today announced the release of Rimsys 5 at the MedTech Forum in Barcelona, Spain. The three-year-old cloud-based regulatory software, already used by 10 of the 30 largest medical device manufacturers globally, helps medtech companies strengthen compliance and bring products to market more quickly. The new version of the software includes a comprehensive regulatory submissions module and provides integrated, global regulatory intelligence through a partnership with Clarivate Cortellis. Additional new features include an updated and highly-flexible product hierarchy and the ability to link product, performance, and safety data across the organization through standardized integrations with PLM, eQMS, and ERP systems.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005139/en/

Rimsys new regulatory submissions module with government templates, collaborative content authoring, and compliant PDF generation with auto-created table-of-contents and appendices (Graphic: Business Wire)

We took a really unique approach to regulatory submissions with Rimsys 5, said Brad Ryba, Rimsys Co-founder and CTO. With our solution, regulatory affairs teams can manage submission projects, collect documents and information, and directly author submission content in a single interface. Plus, customers have full access to their submissions archive without any additional costs. We believe this will really help regulatory teams improve their productivity and easily provide new functionality, strong integrations, and a great user experience.

RIM software systems are becoming increasingly necessary as more and more countries adopt specific market entrance requirements and the global regulatory landscape becomes increasingly complex. This leaves medtech regulatory professionals on the front lines, responsible for correctly deciphering entrance requirements and coordinating the assembly of complex submission documents. A medtech RIM system can largely automate the administrative tasks that most RA professionals are spending at least 30% of their time on.

Rimsys 5 builds on an already established platform of product-centric regulatory tools, including standards management, expiration monitoring, market-specific sales status tracking, and more. With Version 5, regulatory teams can now:

Access high-quality comprehensive regulatory information (powered by Clarivate Cortellis).

Build content plans based on government templates, utilizing fully customizable submission templates for common market applications.

Collaboratively author submission content.

Track correspondence with health authorities.

Manage submission projects.

Auto-generate completed regulatory submissions.

In addition, Rimsys 5 introduces a completely flexible product hierarchy that allows medtech companies to fully mirror their product catalogs in their RIM system.

"Rimsys enables our submissions to be created, stored, and made easily accessible to everyone who needs them, said a Regulatory Manager at a top 30 medical device company currently using the new features, What really sets Rimsys apart is its ability to link data throughout the system, making it a highly functional and intuitive solution. RIMSYS allows us to create more streamlined business processes, and transparency across the entire company organization, which means we are able to bring our products to market much more quickly than ever before.

All of these features combine to provide a full record of submission history directly linked to individual products, countries, and registrations - giving regulatory teams the tools they need to fully administer, track, and generate regulatory information for every product in every market.

About Rimsys

Rimsys is on a mission to bring regulatory order to the medtech industry. The Rimsys Regulatory Information Management (RIM) platform digitizes and automates regulatory activities, freeing teams from inefficient administrative work, and helping them confidently establish and secure global regulatory compliance. Unlike complex, color-coded spreadsheets, or expensive external consultants, Rimsys seamlessly centralizes all regulatory information, automates submission processes, and monitors relevant expirations, standards, and global regulations. Traditional approaches to regulatory affairs cant keep pace with the growing complexity of the global landscape, and overburdened teams face increasing compliance risks. Rimsys streamlines all regulatory activities including registrations, essential principles, UDI, standards management, and regulatory intelligence in a single, integrated platform. Leading global medtech companies including Johnson & Johnson, Siemens Healthineers, and Omron rely on Rimsys to get new products to market more quickly, and reduce revenue risk of non-compliance, product recalls, and unexpected expirations. For more information, visit www.rimsys.io.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005139/en/

Michael Peach, [email protected]

Source: Rimsys
WICHITA, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Spirit AeroSystems celebrated the Grand Opening of the Women in Aviation Exhibit inside the B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center in Wichita today.

Connie Palacioz, who is 97 years old, was inducted as the inaugural member of the Women in Aviation - Kansas Womens Hall of Fame by Tom Gentile, Spirit AeroSystems President & CEO.

She was one of the original Rosie the Riveters who worked at the Boeing Wichita plant building B-29 Superfortress bombers during World War II.

The contributions of Connie and women who worked in the defense industry during World War II were a vital piece of the victory realized by the United States and Allied Forces, Gentile said. Connie is not only a Wichita treasure, but a national one, too. We were so fortunate to honor her as the inaugural inductee into the Women in Aviation - Kansas Womens Hall of Fame as we continue to recognize and carry on the legacy of women in the aviation industry.

Palacioz started in the Boeing Wichita factory fresh out of high school at 17 years old and proved to be a trailblazer. Not only did she join the millions of women defending the United States and the world, she broke racial barriers as a Mexican-American who worked alongside a diverse group of women to produce more than four completed B-29 Superfortress aircraft per day at the height of production at the Wichita factory in 1945.

Im honored to be featured in this exhibit that tells the story of the women who went to work in the Boeing Wichita factory during World War II, Connie said. Our nation needed us during the war and I wanted to help. I know this exhibit will serve as a lasting monument to those who joined me in Wichita - and beyond - to answer the call to protect the freedom and country we so loved.

Jeff Turner, chairman of the board of directors of Docs Friends, Inc., said the Women in Aviation Exhibit honors the women in Kansas who were pioneers in aviation.

The addition of the Women in Aviation exhibit in the B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center, further tells the story of the heroes on the home front in Wichita and beyond, who answered the call during World War II to build the machines that helped protect freedom at home and abroad, Turner said. We are grateful to Spirit AeroSystems for sponsoring this exhibit that will inspire the next generation of women aviators and aviation industry leaders.

At 2,000 square feet, the Women in Aviation Exhibit honors the women who were on the front lines of the manufacturing and assembly lines, building wartime equipment and serving during a crucial time of need during World War II. The exhibit is in the B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center, which houses Doc, a fully restored B-29 and one of 1,644 B-29s that were built by Boeing in Wichita during World War II.

On the web: www.spiritaero.com

On Twitter: @SpiritAero

About Spirit AeroSystems Inc.

Spirit AeroSystems is one of the world's largest manufacturers of aerostructures for commercial airplanes, defense platforms, and business/regional jets. With expertise in aluminum and advanced composite manufacturing solutions, the company's core products include fuselages, integrated wings and wing components, pylons, and nacelles. We are leveraging decades of design and manufacturing expertise to be the most innovative and reliable supplier of military aerostructures, and specialty high-temperature materials, enabling warfighters to execute complex, critical missions. Spirit also serves the aftermarket for commercial and business/regional jets. Headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, Spirit has facilities in the U.S., U.K., France, Malaysia and Morocco. More information is available at www.spiritaero.com.

About the B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center

The B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center is a one-of-a-kind facility that allows for an up-close and personal experience of B-29 Doc, a fully restored B-29 and one of 1,644 B-29s that were built by Boeing in Wichita during World War II. The hangar is an active maintenance facility staffed fully by volunteers who maintain the aircraft, keeping it airworthy to enable it to fly across the United States to share the legacy of the Greatest Generation.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005299/en/

Media:

Forrest Gossett

(316) 803-2975

[email protected]

Investor Relations:

Aaron Hunt

(316) 523-7040

[email protected]

Source: Spirit AeroSystems
PropTech Leaders Work Together to Provide Real Estate Investors with the Financial Instruments They Need in Todays Competitive Marketplace.

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Trelly, the marketplace for residential investment properties, today announced a strategic alliance with Kiavi, a leading provider of financing to real estate investors (REIs) through its technology-powered platform. The alliance will help small business and individual real estate investors to be more competitive in todays tight real estate market, by providing exclusive access to investible deals, and the financial instruments needed to win those deals.

Todays real estate market is the tightest its ever been. Individual real estate investors are often at a disadvantage because they dont have the cash to move quickly. Kiavis products are specifically tailored to meet the needs of landlords, flippers and wholesalers, said Josh DeShong, Founder and CEO of Trelly Group. Were excited about the impact of this collaboration for real estate investors who want to scale their businesses. Trelly provides access to investable deals, and Kiavi provides access to capital.

To celebrate the launch of the relationship, until June 30, 2022, investors can get $500 off of their processing fees when they sign up through the partnership page. This is a great opportunity for investors to fund their next Trelly deal through Kiavi.

Our customers and real estate investors are helping revitalize Americas aging housing stock. I am excited to kick off this relationship with Trelly to help real estate investors find and fund properties as they compete in the current market, said Michael Bourque, CEO of Kiavi. Our mission at Kiavi is to help people live better through real estate and I am confident that with Kiavi, real estate investors will have timely access to capital needed to rehab communities across the country, added Bourque.

About Trelly

Trelly, a Trelly Group company, is a real estate investing platform that enables users to buy and sell off-market residential investment properties directly from their phones, tablets, and computers. Trelly works like a B2B version of an MLSa marketplace where sellers can list off-market properties for other investors to buy. Designed by investors for investors, Trelly has just what investors need to find, assess and buy investment property right from wherever theyre working. Since its launch last June, investors have published 1,596 properties on Trelly, delivering more than $200 million in GMV. With an exponentially-increasing number of investors and expansion into new markets, Trelly will help investors to scale their real estate investing businesses larger and more quickly.

For more information visit www.trelly.com.

Trelly can be accessed via the web at trelly.com, or through the Trelly app available on the App Store and Google Play

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504006239/en/

Emily Rupp: [email protected]

Source: Trelly
VALLEY FORGE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Board of Directors of UGI Corporation (NYSE: UGI) has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.36 per share of the companys common stock, representing a 4.3% increase. The dividend is payable July 1, 2022 to shareholders of record as of June 15, 2022.

Roger Perreault, President and Chief Executive Officer of UGI, said, We are pleased to increase our common stock quarterly dividend, marking the 35th consecutive year of increases. This increase is reflective of our strong balance sheet and ongoing confidence in UGIs cash generation capability. Over the past 10 years, UGIs dividend has provided a compound annual growth rate of 7.2%, well above our 4% commitment to shareholders.

UGIs Board of Directors also declared a quarterly dividend of 0.125% per annum, payable in cash, on the companys convertible preferred stock. The dividend is payable June 1, 2022.

About UGI

UGI Corporation is a distributor and marketer of energy products and services. Through subsidiaries, UGI operates natural gas and electric utilities in Pennsylvania, natural gas utilities in West Virginia, distributes LPG both domestically (through AmeriGas) and internationally (through UGI International), manages midstream energy assets in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia and electric generation assets in Pennsylvania, and engages in energy marketing, including renewable natural gas, in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and California, and internationally in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK.

Comprehensive information about UGI Corporation is available on the Internet at https://www.ugicorp.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504006180/en/

INVESTOR RELATIONS

610-337-1000

Tameka Morris, ext. 6297

Arnab Mukherjee, ext. 7498

Source: UGI Corporation
CHICAGO & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- William Blair, the premier global boutique with expertise in investment banking, investment management, and private wealth management, today announced the launch of its Private Capital Advisory practice. The practice expands William Blairs robust financial sponsor advisory platform to provide financial sponsor clients with highly relevant and differentiated strategic advice and offer them fund placement, direct equity capital-raising (directs and co-invests), and secondary solutions on a global basis.

Veteran secondaries adviser Mike Custar joins the firm as a managing director, head of Private Capital Advisory in New York to lead the practice. Custer will be joined by Quinn Kolberg and a team of secondaries experts who will be responsible for GP-led secondaries. The Private Capital Advisory team will work alongside William Blairs global team of 25 financial sponsor coverage and advisory professionals and more than 550 sector- and product-focused bankers.

William Blairs deep sector knowledge, execution excellence, buyer and investor relationships, and extensive global reach delivers a valuable platform to financial sponsors. The addition of Private Capital Advisory enables us to provide financial sponsors with holistic solutions tailored to their unique needs and address all stages of the private equity lifecycle, said Brandon Lower, head of Financial Sponsors Group at William Blair. Mike and Quinn share our vision of being the most trusted advisor and partner to private equity firms and the management teams at their portfolio companies. We are excited to have them join our world-class team.

Custar brings more than 26 years of industry experience to the firm. Most recently, he was a partner at M2O Private Fund Advisors in New York, where he was head of the secondary advisory business and responsible for secondary advisory, primary and secondary origination, and select distribution. Before M2O, he was a managing director in the Private Funds Group at Credit Suisse, where he was the global head of secondary advisory and a senior member of the origination committee and project management and due diligence teams. Before that, Custar was a director at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he assisted private equity GPs in evaluating acquisition targets. Custar received his B.S. from the University of Illinois.

Kolberg joins as a director in New York and brings over seven years of industry experience. He joins the firm from M2O Private Fund Advisors, where he most recently served as a principal focused on executing GP-led secondaries. In 2021, Kolberg was selected as a Next Gen Leader of Secondaries by Private Equity International. Kolberg received his B.A. in economics from Amherst College.

Im thrilled to join William Blair, said Custar. The opportunity to collaborate on and develop a full suite of private capital advisory solutions with a world-class firm like William Blair is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I look forward to fully integrating into the firm to develop solutions that address our clients private capital needs.

About William Blair Investment Banking

William Blairs investment banking group enables corporations, financial sponsors, and owner/entrepreneurs around the world to achieve their growth, liquidity, and financing objectives. Drawing on the collective intellectual capital and deep sector expertise of a global team that reaches over 20 cities on four continents, the investment banking group brings a rigorous and innovative approach to corporate board advisory projects, mergers and acquisitions, and equity and debt financing. From 2017 to 2021, the team advised on more than $680 billion in completed transaction volume.

About William Blair

William Blair is the premier global boutique with expertise in investment banking, investment management, and private wealth management. We provide advisory services, strategies, and solutions to meet our clients evolving needs. As an independent and employee-owned firm, together with our strategic partners, we operate in more than 20 offices worldwide.*

*Includes strategic partnerships with Allier Capital, BDA Partners, and Poalim Capital Markets.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504005760/en/

Tony Zimmer

[email protected]

Source: William Blair
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Windstream Wholesale, a leading provider of advanced optical solutions, today announced that it is extending its previously announced Tulsa-to-Little Rock high capacity 432-count fiber route to Memphis. The Tulsa-Little Rock link, dubbed the T-Rock Express, is on schedule to be ready for service in August. The Memphis extension is expected to come online by the second half of 2023.

Additional fiber construction projects underway are two dark fiber routes in high-demand corridors:

A 432-count fiber route from New York City to Montreal (CanAm2) is expected to be ready for service by the second half of 2023.

An 864-count fiber route from Raleigh, N.C., to cable landing stations in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Jacksonville, Fla., (the Beach Route) is expected to be ready for service by the first half of 2024.

Meanwhile, Windstream Wholesale has completed its Hillsboro fiber ring and is selling diverse, dark fiber extensions between EdgeConneX, Flexential, Stack, DRT and QTS data centers in Hillsboro and multiple data centers in Portland.

Taken together, these construction projects add approximately 1,600 miles of fiber to Windstreams network.

As we continue to lead the way in ultra-fast optical transmission, Windstream Wholesale is excited about these three major construction projects that will further our commitment to providing customers with high-capacity, diversity and redundancy, said Joe Scattareggia, executive vice president of Wholesale Sales at Windstream. The rapidly escalating demand for cloud services is only going to continue to grow, and Windstream Wholesale is positioned to provide both lit services and dark fiber to meet our customers needs for years to come.

Windstream Wholesale is a Silver Sponsor of International Telecoms Week, May 9-12, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center at the National Harbor, Maryland, near Washington D.C. Representatives will be available (and easy to find in purple attire) in Annapolis Meeting Rooms #1 & #2 and in area #419 in the exhibit area.

Windstream Wholesale recently announced a new brand identity to capitalize on its fast and flexible approach to technology leadership and service delivery. The new brand identity features a graphical element logo that symbolizes fluidity in motion and will proudly be presented at the upcoming ITW event.

To view the Windstream network map, visit https://www.windstreamenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/national-network-map.pdf

About Windstream

Windstream Holdings is a privately held Fortune 1000 communications and software company. Windstream Wholesale is an innovative optical technology leader that creates deep partnerships with carriers, content and media providers, and federal government agencies to deliver fast and flexible, customized wave and transport solutions. Additional information is available at windstream.com or windstreamwholesale.com. Follow us on Twitter at @Windstream.

From Fortune. 2021 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license. Fortune and Fortune 1000 are registered trademarks of Fortune Media IP Limited and are used under license. Fortune is not affiliated with, and does not endorse products or services of, Windstream.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220503006392/en/

Scott Morris, 501-748-5342

[email protected]

Source: Windstream Holdings
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Democratic U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown beat former state Sen. Nina Turner for the second time since last summer, easily prevailing in an Ohio primary billed nationally as a key showdown between the partys more moderate establishment and its activist progressive wing.

Brown, who had campaigned with South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the most senior Black member of Congress, and as a strong ally to President Joe Biden's domestic agenda, had topped Turner in July's special election primary  and did so again Tuesday. The president called Brown on Tuesday night to congratulate her on the victory and released a statement on Wednesday calling her win an important step forward."

Primaries in Ohio and the neighboring, Rust Belt state of Indiana helped kick into high gear a midterm season that will see Democrats attempt to defend their razor-thin congressional majorities this November.

A former Democratic Party county chair, Brown has only been in Congress a matter of months but came into the rematch with the power of incumbency. Turner, a leading surrogate for Bernie Sanders 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, was endorsed by the Vermont senator and top progressive groups, which had hoped for a second-try upset.

The Cleveland district where Brown and Turner squared off is heavily African American and solidly Democratic, making Brown heavily favored to retain her seat in Novembers general election. Our Revolution, the activist group that grew out of Sanders first presidential run, says it devoted 150 volunteers toward boosting Turner in the race, while the pro-Israeli Democratic political organization DMFI PAC announced spending more than $1 million for Brown.

During Rep. Browns five short months in Congress, she has proven to be a tenacious advocate for the people of her district and a fierce fighter for the Democratic agenda and our partys values," DMFI PAC President Mark Mellman said in a statement. Ohio Democrats sent a clear message that they want candidates who seek to unite the party.

Turner tweeted a video of her chanting loudly with supporters, We gon be alright. She told them that was her enduring message to the progressive movement.

Elsewhere, Republican Rep. Warren Davidson turned back a primary challenge from Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich, son of the famous doctor known for the anti-choking maneuver. Davidson had been endorsed by former President Donald Trump  whose backing helped author JD Vance win the much-watched GOP primary for Ohio's open Senate seat on Tuesday  while Heimlich had criticized the former president.

Trump's support proved valuable in other House primaries in Ohio as well.

Former Trump aide Max Miller locked up the Republican nomination in a new district in the northeastern part of the state despite being accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.

Meanwhile, the Akron-area district where another Trump pick, conservative commentator Madison Gilbert won the Republican nomination, should be one of the likely competitive House seats in November's general election. She'll face state Rep. Emilia Sykes, a former Ohio House Democratic leader and a daughter of a powerful political family in the area.

Conservative activist group FreedomWorks for America vowed that Gilbert would get Congress "out from under the thumb of radical Leftists.

Gilbert is the real deal, a fact that Ohioans have echoed with their votes tonight," Noah Wall, FreedomWorks for America executive director, said in a statement. "We are excited to continue mobilizing our grassroots army on Gilberts behalf as she heads into the general election.

Another tough congressional race could be coming to Cincinnati in November, when Republican Rep. Steve Chabot will face Democratic Cincinnati City Council member Greg Landsman.

Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in the House, has held her seat since 1983 and was unopposed in her primary on Tuesday. Four Republicans  including two sitting state lawmakers  competed to take her on in the fall, however, in a newly drawn district that hugs Lake Erie and could be a toss-up. The Republican primary there was still too early to call.

In Indiana, former state Sen. Erin Houchin topped eight other Republicans, including former U.S. Rep. Mike Sodrel, for the party's nomination in the state's only open House seat and will be heavily favored in November. GOP Rep. Trey Hollingsworth isnt seeking reelection in his southern Indiana district as he hints at running for governor in 2024.

Weissert reported from Washington.

Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Three additional (NYSE: CCL) (NYSE: CUK) Princess Cruises ships are returning to service welcoming guests back onboard  Crown Princess, Island Princess and Royal Princess. This milestone marks a total of 12 ships, 80 percent of the fleet, that will have resumed cruising since July 2021, for the world's leading international cruise line.

Island Princess departed Ft. Lauderdale on April 27 on a Panama Canal cruise; Royal Princess sailed from Vancouver on May 2 for the popular "Voyage of the Glaciers" Alaska season; and Crown Princess is scheduled to depart Seattle on May 7 for a summer program of Inside Passage Alaska cruises.

"We're so excited to have three more Princess MedallionClass ships return to service and our shipboard teams are ready to help our guests create a lifetime of vacation memories," said John Padgett, Princess Cruises president. "It's so gratifying to see tens of thousands of guests each week enjoying their vacations with us and the friendly and attentive service that is a Princess Cruises hallmark."

Island Princess  Panama Canal  Departed Ft. Lauderdale on April 27Celebrating the 55th anniversary of the cruise line sailing to the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal, Island Princess departed on a 14-day Ocean-to-Ocean Panama Canal voyage from Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles on April 27, and will return on a subsequent voyage from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale on May 11. Princess first sailed to the Panama Canal in 1967 aboard Princess Italia. Island Princess will then depart Ft. Lauderdale for Europe, sailing various British Isles, Northern Europe (including Iceland and the Arctic Circle) and Mediterranean voyages.

Royal Princess  Alaska  Departed Vancouver on May 2Sailing on the cruise line's top-rated "Voyage of the Glaciers" itinerary, Royal Princess departs on back-to-back northbound and southbound cruises from Vancouver and Whittier (Anchorage). Every sailing includes two days of glacier viewing featuring Glacier Bay National Park, plus Hubbard Glacier (southbound) or College Fjord (northbound). Port visits include Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway. These cruises can also be combined with one of the cruise line's 20 cruisetour options featuring an unforgettable land tour visiting the magnificent Denali National Park and Princess Wilderness Lodges.

Crown Princess  Alaska  Scheduled to Sail from Seattle on May 7Departing on Saturdays from Seattle, Crown Princess is scheduled to depart on 19, seven-day Inside Passage voyages to Alaska through September 10, 2022. She will then move to Los Angeles for a season of California Coast and Hawaii sailings.

Return to Service Schedule  All 15 Princess ShipsThe cruise line's fleet of 15 ships are currently sailing or are scheduled to return to service by September 2022, to worldwide destinations including Alaska, Australia, the California Coast, Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico and the Panama Canal. Cruise ships, return dates, 2022 itineraries in chronological order include:

Majestic Princess Sailing since July 25, 2021Alaska, California Coast, Mexico

Regal Princess Sailing since July 31, 2021Caribbean, Europe

Sky PrincessSailing since August 30, 2021Caribbean, Europe

Grand PrincessSailing since September 25, 2021California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico

Emerald PrincessSailing since October 15, 2021Panama Canal, Europe

Ruby PrincessSailing since October 31, 2021California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama Canal

Enchanted Princess  NEW SHIP Inaugural season began Nov. 10, 2021Caribbean, Europe

Caribbean PrincessSailing since November 28, 2021Caribbean, Panama Canal

Discovery Princess  NEW SHIP Inaugural season began March 27, 2022California Coast, Mexico, Alaska

Island PrincessSailing since April 27, 2022Panama Canal, Europe

Royal PrincessSailing since May 2, 2022Alaska

Crown PrincessReturning May 7, 2022Alaska

Coral PrincessReturning June 16, 2022Australia

Diamond PrincessReturning September 1, 2022California Coast, Mexico

Sapphire PrincessReturning September 24, 2022California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico

Princess MedallionClass VacationsPrincess delivers Princess MedallionClass Vacations which begins with the Medallion wearable, a quarter-sized, device that enables everything from expedited contactless boarding to locating loved ones anywhere on the ship, as well as enhanced service like having whatever guests need, delivered directly to them, wherever they are on the ship. In addition, guests can share their favorite cruise moments using MedallionNet, the best Wi-Fi at sea, as well as stay connected with friends and family back home, work remotely anywhere on the ship, quickly post content and stream favorite movies and shows.

For the latest Princess COVID-19 health protocols, please visit https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/covid-19-guest-protocols/.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel advisor, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237), or by visiting the company's website at http://www.princess.com/.
Rockley Photonics Holdings Limited (NYSE: RKLY) today announced it has shipped its VitalSpex Pro technology for the non-invasive measurement of alcohol, glucose, and lactate to an early-access, tier-1 consumer wearables customer. The shipment of this advanced biomarker-sensing technology marks an important milestone in the progress of next-generation digital healthcare.

Shipping the enhanced, higher-performance Pro version of our VitalSpex biosensing platform is an important step forward for the future of the digital health category, said Dr. Andrew Rickman, chairman and chief executive officer of Rockley. We believe that the ability to continuously monitor an expanded range of biomarkers will be a game-changer. Our customers ability to integrate our biosensing technology into smart wearables has the potential to transform health outcomes by enabling earlier detection of certain conditions and improving the management and treatment of illnesses such as hypertension, liver disease, or diabetes. With these advances, practitioners like Dr. David Klonoff, clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, increasingly understand that the important insights gained from continuously monitoring multiple biomarkers provide a holistic view of an individuals health.

Rockley intends to begin production of the Baseline version of its VitalSpex biosensing platform, which will measure biomarkers for blood oxygen, blood pressure, body hydration, core body temperature, heart rate, heart rate variation, and respiratory rate, in the second half of 2022. The Company plans to begin production of the Pro version of its VitalSpex biosensing platform in 2023, which will measure an extended range of biomarkers, including alcohol, glucose, and lactate.

More information about Rockleys digital health monitoring solution is available here: https://rockleyphotonics.com/biomarker-sensing
Stevanato Group S.p.A. (NYSE: STVN) has signed an exclusive agreement with leading medical device developer and manufacturer Owen Mumford Ltd. for its Aidaptus auto-injector.

The agreement makes Stevanato Group an exclusive manufacturing partner for the device, offering a full set of capabilities to its pharmaceutical customers. Stevanato Group will mould the components for Aidaptus and provide final and sub-assembly equipment, while also offering market-leading pre-filled syringes to enable pharmaceutical customers to create the final product for patient use. Assembly of the components will be undertaken by both Stevanato Group at its global manufacturing sites and by Owen Mumford at its automated assembly center of excellence in the UK.

The collaboration is intended to bring added value to customers, matching world-class device expertise with premium manufacturing capabilities. It is expected to streamline device production with the aim to and deliver the full value of the innovative Aidaptus platform to the market.

Aidaptus is a 2-step, single use auto-injector with a versatile design that accommodates both 1mL and 2.25 mL prefilled glass syringes in the same base device. It also features plunger sensing technology with a self-adjusting plunger rod that automatically adapts to the individual plunger positions and different fill volumes in each syringe, with no change parts required. The auto-injector is also able to accommodate a unique variety of drug viscosities.

With over 70 years of experience, Stevanato Group supports pharmaceutical companies with the right degree of flexibility to meet their quality and productivity goals. With an integrated offer of precision injection moulding capabilities and modular assembly platforms, the company offers the possibility to scale production and move from clinical trial to high-volume production with extreme flexibility.

Aidaptus will help patients to self-administer their individual therapies using a simple and easy to use device, said Adam Mumford, Director of Owen Mumford. At the same time, this auto-injector can help reduce complexity, minimize supply chain risk and simplify final assembly for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, thanks to its ability to adapt to different viscosity, syringe sizes and fill volumes. Often during development or life-cycle management of injectable drug products, changes in these parameters can occur. Now for the first time, the device does not have to be changed as well.

Mauro Stocchi, Chief Business Officer of Stevanato Group, commented: "We believe this agreement is an important step in enhancing and growing the opportunities in our drug delivery systems portfolio as we broaden our capabilities in this key market. As we are constantly working with our customers to satisfy their needs, we continue to experience an increase in demand for auto-injectors. With this agreement, we will exploit the full breadth of Stevanato Group integrated capabilities being able to offer device manufacturing, assembly equipment, together with pre-fillable syringes and inspection systems."

Stevanato Group is an established company with an excellent reputation in the pharmaceutical industry, said Michael Earl, Director of Pharmaceutical Services at Owen Mumford. It has deep expertise in complex moulding and assembly operations and will be a reliable source of quality components for our Aidaptus auto-injector. Forming a collaboration with Stevanato Group will provide additional reach to enable more customers to benefit from the advantages of this innovative new platform.

Steven Kaufman, VP for Drug Delivery Systems at Stevanato Group, added: "The Aidaptus auto-injector platform combines ease of use for patients with faster time-to-market access for pharma organizations. We aim to be the strategic partner with which to develop innovative combination products as we continue the expansion of our integrated capabilities in the drug delivery space, and for this reason we are very excited to work with Owen Mumford and provide access to its exciting new auto-injector platform."

The collaboration will be jointly launched at Pharmapack 2022. Stevanato Group will be pleased to present Aidaptus and its portfolio of integrated solutions on May 18 and 19 at Pharmapack Europe, Paris Expo, booths no. B56 and B58.
Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI), a leading provider of transportation and technical training programs, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Concorde Career Colleges, Inc. from Liberty Partners LLC. Terms of the transaction have been disclosed in Universal Technical Institute's Form 8-K and completion of the acquisition will occur pending customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The boards of directors of both companies have unanimously approved the agreement.

Concorde Career Colleges is a leading provider of healthcare education programs focused on preparing students for successful professions in the healthcare sector, which is expected to add about 2.6 million new jobs over the next decade due to attrition in the workforce along with an aging population that is expected to drive increased demand for healthcare services.1 The company offers diploma and degree programs across nursing, dental hygiene, and other direct patient care fields including physical therapy assistant and respiratory therapy, as well as allied health including medical and dental assisting and healthcare administration.

Concorde was founded in 1968 and currently serves approximately 7,400 students through its 17 campuses in 8 states. Concorde's revenue and adjusted EBITDA for calendar 2021 were approximately $180 million and $13 million, respectively. The schools operated by Concorde Career Colleges are accredited by either the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) or the Council on Occupational Education (COE).

"The acquisition of Concorde Career Colleges will be a significant next step in our previously announced growth and diversification strategy," said Universal Technical Institute CEO Jerome Grant. "We take the responsibility of becoming one of this country's leading workforce solutions providers seriously, and entering the healthcare space allows us to help even more students and support employers as they seek to solve some of their toughest workforce-related challenges. Concorde's programs, geographic footprint, solid leadership team, exemplary faculty and staff, diverse student body, tight industry alignment, and strong alumni network make this acquisition a great fit. I also look forward to welcoming Jami Frazier and her talented team to the company. Under Jami's leadership, UTI's first step into healthcare will serve as a solid cornerstone for some of our key future growth and diversification efforts."

With the addition of the Concorde brand and its portfolio of programs and campuses, Universal Technical Institute will significantly expand upon its already announced growth and diversification plans. In fiscal 2022, Universal Technical Institute completed the acquisition of MIAT College of Technology, which brought 2 campuses and 8 unique programs. Additionally, Universal Technical Institute is opening new campuses in Miramar, Florida., and Austin, Texas and is further expanding its welding programs to 2 additional locations during the fiscal year. Upon completion of the Concorde acquisition, the company will serve over 20,000 students across 14 states and 312 locations. Once completed, the acquisition will add Concorde Career Colleges to Universal Technical Institute, Inc.'s brand family, which currently includes Universal Technical Institute, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Marine Mechanics Institute, NASCAR Technical Institute, and MIAT College of Technology.

"Universal Technical Institute's brands have a great reputation with both employers and students in transportation and skilled trades. Concorde Career Colleges has a strong reputation in healthcare education, making this an excellent combination for addressing the nation's skills gap," said Concorde CEO Jami Frazier. "I am looking forward to the opportunity to join this organization and become one of the preeminent educational providers in the country."

"We are excited about the opportunity to add Concorde and their healthcare programs to the Universal Technical Institute portfolio," said Universal Technical Institute's CFO Troy Anderson. "The $50 million purchase price provides a compelling enterprise value to adjusted EBITDA multiple and an opportunity to significantly increase our shareholder value. With the addition of Concorde and the broadening of our program offerings, we will accelerate Universal Technical Institute's revenue, profitability, and cash flow growth over the next several years. We expect the transaction to close during the first half of fiscal 2023, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions."

Universal Technical Institute will post an updated presentation regarding its growth and diversification strategy on its investor relations website. The company will provide further commentary on the Concorde acquisition during the Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2022 Results conference call it will be hosting tomorrow at 4:30 pm Eastern Daylight Time.
FILE PHOTO: A sign at the approach road leads to Albemarle's lithium evaporation ponds at its facility in Silver Peak, Nevada, U.S., January 9, 2019. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder

(Reuters) -Albemarle Corp, one of the world's biggest producers of lithium, raised its full-year forecasts on Wednesday after surpassing quarterly profit expectations on robust demand and higher prices for the metal used in electric-vehicle batteries.

The improved outlook also came in above market estimates and helped send the company's shares 16% higher in extended trading.

Lithium's central role in the production of electric-vehicle batteries has made it a coveted commodity as global efforts to decarbonize automobiles gather pace. That has pushed up prices of the metal to record highs in a boost for producers.

Albemarle said it expected its average realized lithium price to jump two-fold this year as demand continues to rise and supply remains tight.

The remarks echo comments from Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk, who said last month that lithium supply was "a limiting factor" in the growth of EVs.

Albemarle said it now expected annual net sales between $5.2 billion and $5.6 billion, while analysts on average estimated a figure of $4.4 billion, according to Refinitiv IBES data.

The outlook is also underpinned by higher prices in the Charlotte, North Carolina-based company's bromine business.

Albemarle lifted its annual adjusted profit outlook to between $9.25 and $12.25 per share, from $5.65 to $6.65 per share. Analysts were expecting a figure of $6.22 per share.

In the three months ended March 31, the company earned an adjusted profit of $2.38 per share, smashing expectations of $1.63 per share.

Sales in Albemarle's lithium unit nearly doubled in the quarter to $550.3 million on the back of higher prices.

(Reporting by Arunima Kumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni)
CVS Health logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, May 3, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

By Mrinalika Roy

(Reuters) -CVS Health Corp beat estimates for first-quarter results on Wednesday, helped by strong performance in its retail store operations and insurance unit, encouraging the company to raise annual adjusted profit forecast.

Pharmacy chains like CVS have benefited from distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and tests during the pandemic. However, in February, the company said it expected a big decline in COVID-19 vaccination and testing administered at its stores this year.

The company administered over eight million COVID-19 vaccines at its stores in the quarter, and now expects to administer 18 million vaccines in total in 2022. This is in stark contrast to over 20 million vaccines it administered in the preceding quarter.

COVID-related contribution to retail business is expected to fall 60%-65% this year, Chief Financial Officer Shawn Guertin said during a post-earnings call.

The company also administered fewer COVID tests at its stores than the preceding quarter but said demand for over-the-counter COVID-19 tests was higher which added to its retail segment growth.

Retail segment performance was also driven by inflation of branded drugs and higher prescription volumes.

Same-store sales rose 10.7% in the quarter, as easing coronavirus curbs boosted footfalls.

Falling demand for COVID-19 related products was also offset by membership growth in its healthcare benefits segment, which offers various insurance products and services. The segment saw a 12.8% rise in revenue in the quarter and the company now expects membership increases between 24 million and 24.3 million for the full year.

Morningstar analyst Julie Utterback said CVS turned in a 'stellar' quarterly performance which allowed management to slightly increase its bottom-line outlook for the full year.

On an adjusted basis, CVS earned $2.22 per share, compared with estimates of $2.15.

The company now expects 2022 full-year adjusted profit to be between $8.20 and $8.40 per share, higher than its prior guidance of $8.10 and $8.30 per share.

(Reporting by Mrinalika Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Rashmi Aich)
Moderna logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, May 3, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

By Manas Mishra

(Reuters) -Moderna Inc on Wednesday forecast higher vaccine sales for the second half of the year than in the first six months, as it expects the virus that causes COVID-19 to follow a more seasonal pattern requiring booster shots in the fall.

The U.S. vaccine maker is developing a potential next generation booster targeted at both the Omicron variant as well as the original strain of the coronavirus in hopes of producing broader protection.

"The desired features for a northern hemisphere fall winter booster we think will be that it improves the durability of neutralizing antibodies against Omicron," said Moderna President Stephen Hoge.

Hoge expects annual boosters to be needed for people at high-risk of severe illness, which Moderna estimates consists of roughly 1.7 billion people worldwide.

Moderna forecast $21 billion in 2022 COVID-19 vaccine sales but cautioned that it could be lower if the COVAX international vaccine-sharing program is unable to confirm demand for the shots from low- to middle-income countries.

Chief Financial Officer David Meline, however, said sales could be higher if the United States and other countries decided to sign contracts for a fall booster dose.

Pfizer on Tuesday maintained its 2022 forecast of $32 billion for sales if its rival COVID vaccine developed with BioNTech after raising it every quarter last year, a sign that dizzying growth has slowed.

Sales of Moderna's vaccine - its lone commercial product - rose to $5.9 billion in the first quarter from $1.7 billion a year ago. Total sales of $6.1 billion beat estimates of $4.62 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

The results and forecast appeared to ease some worries about vaccine sales this year, as Moderna shares rose more than 6% in pre-market trading. But they turned negative and were down around 1% in line with the broader Nasdaq.

Moderna delivered an exceptionally strong first quarter, said Lee Brown at research firm Third Bridge.

But future vaccine sales remain uncertain as countries relax pandemic curbs, cases fluctuate, and the demand for annual boosters has yet to be determined.

"Of course, the focus is less on 2022," Brown said, "and remains on Modernas future, when revenue is expected to plummet."

(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru and Michael Erman in New Jersey; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Bill Berkrot)
TORONTO, May 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In order to protect the public interest and ensure Ontarios igaming market operates responsibly and with integrity, the Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), has served two AGCO-registered internet gaming operators with Notices of Monetary Penalty for alleged infractions of the Registrars Standards for Internet Gaming (the Standards), pertaining to advertising and inducements.

The Standards were put in place to protect Ontarians. They include clear restrictions on the advertising of inducements, bonuses or credits, except when they are on an operators site, or through direct advertising and marketing issued after receiving active player consent (Standard 2.05). Standards also require that all operator marketing, advertising and promotions must be truthful, not mislead players or misrepresent products. This includes requiring that materials not imply that chances of winning increase the more one spends (Standard 2.04).

BetMGM Canada has been served Notice of Monetary Penalties totalling $48,000 for their alleged failure to comply with Standards 2.04 and 2.05.

PointsBet Canada has been served Notice of Monetary Penalties totalling $30,000 for their alleged failure to comply with Standard 2.05.

Ontario is one of the only jurisdictions in the world to prohibit broad public advertising of bonuses and other gambling inducements.

A registered operator served with Notice of Monetary Penalty by the AGCO has the right to appeal the Registrars action to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), which is an adjudicative tribunal independent of the AGCO and part of Tribunals Ontario.

QUOTES

The AGCO holds all registered operators to high standards of responsible gambling, player protection and game integrity, and monitors their activities to ensure they are meeting their obligations under Ontarios Gaming Control Act and the Standards.

Tom Mungham, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar  AGCO

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Contrary to Standard 2.05, BetMGM Canada posted the following alleged gambling inducements:

a) A $250K Launch Party advertisement, including a contest offer where the first-place winner gets $100K in casino bonus. The post was initially tweeted on April 4, 2022, and later, tweeted again on April 11, 2022. b) A Bellagio advertisement, including an offer of a $10 casino bonus in return for a $25 bet. The post was initially tweeted on April 4, 2022, and later, tweeted again on April 6, 2022, and on April 8, 2022. c) A Jimi Hendrix Free Spin Friday, including a chance to win 100 free spins in return for following the registrants Twitter account. The post was initially tweeted on April 8, 2022, and later tweeted again on April 8, 2022. Contrary to Standard 2.04, BetMGM Canada posted the following: d) A tweet stating that the more money you put in per bet, the higher your chance is of winning, tweeted on April 10, 2022. Contrary to Standard 2.05, PointsBet Canada advertised the following alleged gambling inducements: a) During the period of April 4, 2022 to April 21, 2022, posters on GO trains and in multiple products with an inducement to play for free. b) During the period of April 4, 2022 to April 17, 2022, posters at two GO train stations with an inducement to play for free.

MEDIA CONTACT

AGCO Media[email protected]416-326-3202

ABOUT THE AGCO

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is an Ontario provincial regulatory agency reporting to the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG). It is a corporation under the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario Act, 2019.

The AGCO is responsible for regulating the alcohol, gaming, horse racing and private cannabis retail sectors in Ontario in accordance with the principles of honesty and integrity, and in the public interest.

Source: Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario
Las Vegas, NV , May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- All American Gold Corp. (OTC Pink: AAGC) is excited to update the public about recent and future advancements of Hollywood Star Cuts.

Hollywood Star Cuts, a full-service hair salon with a fun and exciting Hollywood and Southern California theme, owned and operated by All American God Corp., is delighted to update the public about the Companys enormous accomplishments thus far in 2022 and beyond.

Hollywood Star Cuts successfully opened the Companys third location April 1st, 2022, located at 150 Caldwell Blvd in Nampa, Idaho, offering the highest quality of service in the Hair Care Industry. This location will be the Corporate Model and design example of future locations Nationally. The stylish decor, combined with a fun Hollywood themed atmosphere, has been an instant success, providing an operational profit immediately.

Hollywood Star Cuts will be opening another location at 279 N Milwaukee Blvd, Boise, ID later in May 2022. A location on State St in Boise, ID is scheduled to open in August 2022.

April has been an outstanding month for Hollywood Star Cuts providing a blueprint of things to come. Along with new store openings, Hollywood Star Cuts is excited to announce that the Company has entered into agreements with two organizations with a lucrative history of operating franchises. Both organizations have agreed to develop and operate Hollywood Star Cuts locations in Western and Southern Florida. One concentrating in the Tampa, FL area and the other concentrating on the Naples, FL area. Both organizations have agreed to open a minimum of three (3) locations in late 2022 with a goal of ten (10) operating locations each by the end of 2023. These organizations have decades of experience owning and operating well-known National franchises in both the food industry as well as the personal care industry. Both organizations are attracted to the business model, the concept, the ease of entry and operation and the profitability of Hollywood Star Cuts. The Hair Care Industry has proven to be immune to supply chain issues due to the fact that it is a service-based industry and has also proven to be mostly recession proof.

The average Hollywood Star Cuts conducts 32 transactions a day at an average transaction of $27.00. This translates to a daily transaction average of roughly $865.00. Hollywood Star Cuts locations are typically open Monday through Saturday (closed Sunday) averaging $5,000.00 per week in total revenue. The typical Hollywood Star Cuts location will average $200,000 - $250,000 per year. With an operating profit of roughly 30%.

Hollywood Star Cuts is expecting to announce more agreements in other locations Nationally throughout 2022 and 2023.

All American Gold Corp. along with Hollywood Star Cuts feels confident that the company can raise guidance for 2023. It was initially expected that the Company would be operating 8-10 (both Corporate locations as well as Franchise) locations by the end of 2023. Due to the acceptance of the Hollywood Star Cuts Concept, the Company will be increasing its expectations to 20 to 25 locations (both Corporate and Franchise) by the end of 2023.

All American Gold Corp. invites the public to follow us on Twitter at HStarcuts as most updates and communication will be conducted there.

The public is also invited to follow us on Facebook and online at www.hollywoodstarcuts.com.

Forward-Looking Statement 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. The company disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement. This press release shall not be deemed a general solicitation.

Twitter: @HStarcuts

www.hollywoodstarcuts.com

(760) 525-7411

Source: All American Gold Corp.
LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Complaining that the West is "stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line targets across the country, as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war Wednesday by proposing a ban on oil imports.

Heavy fighting also raged at the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol that represented the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined southern port city, according to the mayor. A Russian official denied that Moscow's troops were storming the plant, but the commander of the main Ukrainian military unit inside said Russian troops had broken into the mill's territory.

The Russian military also said it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of resorting to the missile terrorism tactics in order to spread fear across Ukraine.

Air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country on Wednesday night, and attacks were reported near Kyiv, the capital; in Cherkasy and Dnipro in central Ukraine; and in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. In Dnipro, authorities said a rail facility was hit. Videos on social media suggested a bridge there was attacked.

There was no immediate word on casualties or the extent of the damage.

Responding to the strikes in his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: All of these crimes will be answered, legally and quite practically  on the battlefield.

The flurry of attacks comes as Russia prepares to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, marking the Soviet Unions defeat of Nazi Germany. The world is watching for whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will use the occasion to declare a victory in Ukraine or expand what he calls the special military operation.

A declaration of all-out war would allow Putin to introduce martial law and mobilize reservists to make up for significant troop losses.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the speculation as nonsense.

Meanwhile, Belarus, which Russia used as a staging ground for its invasion, announced the start of military exercises Wednesday. A top Ukrainian official said the country will be ready to act if Belarus joins the fighting.

The attacks on rail infrastructure were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons.

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagon's assessment, said that while the Russians have tried to hit critical infrastructure around the western city of Lviv, specifically targeting railroads, there has been no appreciable impact on Ukraines effort to resupply its forces. Lviv, close to the Polish border, has been a major gateway for NATO-supplied weapons.

Weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces thwart Russias initial drive to seize Kyiv and seems certain to play a central role in the growing battle for the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Moscow now says is its main objective.

Ukraine has urged the West to ramp up the supply of weapons ahead of that potentially decisive clash. Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which had been slow at first to help arm Ukraine, said his government is considering supplying howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment it has agreed to send.

The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which lies in the Donbas, said Russian attacks left 21 people dead on Tuesday, the highest number of known fatalities since April 8, when a missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk killed at least 59.

In addition to supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. have sought to punish Moscow with sanctions. The EU's top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to ban Russian oil imports, a crucial source of revenue.

We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The proposal needs unanimous approval from EU countries and is likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they won't take part in any oil sanctions. They could be granted an exemption.

The EU is also talking about a possible embargo on Russian natural gas. The bloc has already approved a cutoff of coal imports.

Russias economy is heavily dependent on oil and natural gas exports. Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, said European purchases of Russian energy produce billions in revenue and support the Kremlin's war machine.

Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russias largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.

In Mariupol, Mayor Vadym Boychenko said that Russian forces were targeting the already shattered Azovstal plant with heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft, warships and heavy bombs that pierce concrete 3 to 5 meters thick.

Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult, he said.

Ukrainian fighters said Tuesday that Russian forces had begun storming the plant. But the Kremlin said that was not true. There is no assault," Peskov said.

Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Ukrainian Azov regiment that's defending the plant, said Russian forces have broken into the plant's territory.

Prokopenko said in a video that the incursions continued for a second day, and there are heavy, bloody battles.

The situation is extremely difficult, but in spite of everything, we continue to carry out the order to hold the defense, he added.

His wife, Kateryna Prokopenko, told The Associated Press: We dont want them to die. They wont surrender. They are waiting for the bravest countries to evacuate them."

Meanwhile, the United Nations announced that more than 300 civilians were evacuated Wednesday from Mariupol and other nearby communities. The evacuees arrived in Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles (230 kilometers) to the northwest, where they were receiving humanitarian assistance.

Many came with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, and we will now support them during this difficult time, including with much-needed psychological support, said Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.

Over the weekend, more than 100 people  including women, the elderly and 17 children  were evacuated from the plant during a cease-fire in an operation overseen by the U.N. and the Red Cross. But the attacks on the plant soon resumed.

The Russian government said on the Telegram messaging app that it would open another evacuation corridor from the plant during certain hours on Thursday through Saturday. But there was no immediate confirmation of those arrangements from other parties, and many previous such assurances from the Kremlin have fallen through, with the Ukrainians blaming continued fighting by the Russians.

It was unclear how many Ukrainian fighters were still inside, but the Russians put the number at about 2,000 in recent weeks, and 500 were reported to be wounded. A few hundred civilians also remained there, the Ukrainian side said.

Mariupol, and the plant in particular, have come to symbolize the misery inflicted by the war. The Russians have pulverized most of the city in a two-month siege that has trapped civilians with little food, water, medicine or heat.

The city's fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops to fight elsewhere in the Donbas.

Anna reported from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yesica Fisch in Zaporizhzhia, Inna Varenytsia and David Keyton in Kyiv, Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington 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.
WASHINGTON, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) will be onsite at SOFIC 2022 showcasing its innovative solutions that meet the unique needs of Special Operations Forces. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience military augmented reality via ARC4 RECON and virtual reality via the Virtual Tactical Assault Kit (VTAK). Attendees can also receive a demonstration of ARAs combat-proven intrusion detection system, Pathfinder.

The SOF Vision and Strategy states the need to be mission-ready and to create strategic, asymmetric advantages for the Nation, said Division Manager and Vice President Matthew Fordham. Our mission-ready products are specifically designed to deliver that advantage. We look forward to engaging with everyone in person at SOFIC 22 and a continued partnership with the SOF community.

All SOF teams need their mission planning and rehearsal to match their operational approach, said Division Manager and Vice President Randy Brown. VTAK integrates with the entire TAK ecosystem (ATAK, WinTAK, TAK server) to support planning and operations. SOF operators can engage in fully immersive, interactive AOI synthetic environments, as well as leverage a virtual tactical operations center, in real-time.

SOFIC 2022 will be held at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida, May 16 -19. ARA will be in booth 1820.

About ARA

Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) was founded in 1979, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to offer science and engineering research to solve problems of national importance. ARA delivers leading-edge products and solutions for national defense, energy, homeland security, aerospace, healthcare, transportation, and manufacturing. With over 1,500 employee-owners at locations in the U.S. and Canada, ARA offers a broad range of technical expertise in defense technologies, civil engineering, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, biomedical engineering, environmental technologies, and blast testing and measurement.

Attachment

Tyler Gately Applied Research Associates, Inc. [email protected]

Source: Applied Research Associates, Inc.
Dallas, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Associa, the community management industrys largest company, is pleased to announce that three of its employees will present at the Community Associations Institute (CAI) 2022 Annual Conference and Exposition, which takes place in Orlando, FL on May 4-7. Debra Warren, CMCA, PCAM, vice president of education, Andrew Fortin, Esq., senior vice president of external affairs, and Armando Payton, LCAM, general manager, will present, Embracing and Advancing Diversity and Inclusion Efforts in Community Management, on Thursday, May 5, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. ET.

The session will provide an inside look at Associas journey in creating a workplace with greater diversity and inclusion (D&I) for employees of all backgrounds. It will start by building a common understanding of diversity and inclusion. Attendees will then hear how Associa and its employees work to create an environment of listening, visibility, and common understanding and how this contributes to a culture of routine acknowledgement, and internal promotions. The panelists will share their experiences with D&I matters in the workplace and discuss how Associa uses the power of story to promote employee growth.

Greater diversity and inclusion in todays management industry and the communities we serve is critically important, said Andrew Fortin, Esq., Associa senior vice president of external affairs. Creating a culture where everyone feels valued and heard lets us fully harness the talent and experience of our employees in order to better serve our customers.

About Associa

With more than 225 branch offices across North America, Associa is building the future of community for nearly five million residents worldwide. Our 11,000+ team members lead the industry with unrivaled education, expertise, and trailblazing innovation. For more than 43 years, Associa has brought positive impact and meaningful value to communities. To learn more, visit www.associaonline.com.

Stay Connected

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/associa

Subscribe to the Blog: https://hub.associaonline.com/

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/associa

Join us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/associa

Tom Womack Associa 214-272-4107 [email protected]

Source: Associa
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blue Rhino, the propane exchange brand of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (OTC: FGPR), and the International Rhino Foundation (IRF) are teaming up to Go Wild for Rhinos this week and support rhino conservation efforts around the world.

The annual event is held on May 5 of each year (5/5) in recognition of the peril faced by the five living rhino species (Black, White, Greater One-Horned, Sumatran, and Javan). This years Go Wild for Rhinos will be the first opportunity for Blue Rhino and IRF to work together to support these majestic animals. They first announced their broader partnership in February of this year.

Blue Rhino is supporting and raising awareness of much-needed rhino-conservation efforts through the release of limited-edition Blue Rhino propane tank sleeves and special recipes inspired by the regions where endangered rhinos live that are perfect for any grilling enthusiasts next Go Wild cookout. Go Wild for Rhinos T-shirts are available as well, with all proceeds going to support the IRFs conservation efforts. Blue Rhino is also helping promote the Go Wild for Rhinos Toolkit, which includes rhino-themed games the entire family can enjoy on this important day.

There would be no Blue Rhino if not for the inspiration these beautiful and majestic creatures have provided, Chief Operating Officer Tamria Zertuche said. It is so important to support the IRFs cause. Blue Rhino is proud to serve as the presenting sponsor of the IRFs Go Wild for Rhinos activities and to help support endangered rhinos.

These efforts are part of the broader Ferrellgas Century Project, through which the company has pledged its commitment to various Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) initiatives through the year 2039, which marks its 100th year in business.

About Ferrellgas: Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., through its operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P., and subsidiaries, serves propane customers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Its Blue Rhino exchange brand is sold at more than 60,000 retail stores nationwide. Ferrellgas employees indirectly own 1.1 million common units of the partnership, through an employee stock ownership plan. Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. filed a Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 15, 2021. Investors can request a hard copy of this filing free of charge and obtain more information about the partnership online at Ferrellgas.com. For more information about Blue Rhino, visit BlueRhino.com.

Contact: [email protected]

Source: Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than two years later, the country appears to finally have begun to emerge from the pandemic phase of COVID-19. However, the elderly continue to pay a heavy price. Despite being one of the most vaccinated groups, people aged 65 and older account for nearly 75 percent of U.S. COVID-related deaths according to a December 2021 New York Times article.

Older Americans continue to endure the isolation and fear associated with the pandemic, while millions of younger and middle-aged generations have gone back to school and work and have largely resumed somewhat normal lives. While the events of the last two years have certainly cast a light on the importance of being prepared, most still wait until it is far too late to begin planning.

May is National Elder Law/Older Americans Month which serves to raise awareness concerning elder abuse and neglect while also emphasizing the importance of being prepared. For seniors who have not done so, this is an ideal time to make sure they have committed their plans in a legally binding format.

Why Plan? To empower and protect the ones you love, says Foster Swift estate planning attorney Jonathan David. You dont want to leave behind a mess for your loved ones to sort through because of reasons such as thinking your assets are too small to warrant forming an estate plan or that it is simply too soon to talk about it. Like the title of my book says, you have to start planning before you can finish.

To help seniors and family caregivers with the planning process, Foster Swift created an Elder Law & Estate Planning Resources landing page. This page is updated with links to videos, articles and podcasts on topics such as spotting red flags of elder abuse, a glossary of common estate planning terms and how employers can support employees that are taking care of elderly family members (fosterswift.com/f-elder-law-month.html).

Also featured on the page is a link to the firms elder law blog (mielderlawblog.com), free downloadable tools created by Foster Swift to assist caregivers, and a copy of Davids free e-book Estate Planning: You Have to Start in Order to Finish. This book is presented in a Q&A format on estate planning topics such as Setting up a trust for children and What estate planning documents do you need.

Another tool included on the resource page in preparation should the worst happen, is a Survivors Checklist of important steps that need to be addressed when a friend or family member passes away which can be an overwhelming process for the survivors.

Some steps are time-sensitive and the list breaks up the tasks into steps that should be done immediately after death such as:

Notifying friends and family

Securing decedents vehicle, valuables and home

Determining if the deceased left any instructions regarding funeral or burial arrangements

And into things that should be done after the funeral (so long as it isnt delayed) such as:

Locating important papers including life insurance policies and legal documents such as a will and/or trust

Locating the names and contact information of the decedents professional advisors

###

Since 1902, Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC has provided comprehensive legal services to businesses, municipalities and individuals. The firm employs nearly 100 attorneys and over 100 support staff in six locations: Lansing, Detroit, Southfield, Grand Rapids, Holland and St. Joseph. For more information about the firm, its attorneys and to access recent publications, visit www.fosterswift.com.

Attachment

Kimberly P. Hafley Foster Swift Collins & Smith 517-371-8112 [email protected]

Source: Foster Swift Collins & Smith
NEW YORK, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Responders Childrens Foundation, the national nonprofit that was founded in the aftermath of 9/11 when over 800 children lost a first responder parent, has announced today that the organization will launch a program on May 16, 2022, which provides mental and behavioral support for children of first responders.

The First Responders Childrens Foundation Resiliency Program will protect and strengthen the mental resiliency of the children whose parents protect communities across the nation. These first responders often face challenges shielding their children from the stresses of their job.

First responders are facing unprecedented mental health concerns, including an all-time record of line-of-duty deaths and suicides, increased levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), pandemic-related family separation, economic hardship and the long-term impact of 9/11-related illnesses. When the Covid-19 pandemic swept the country, children of first responders felt first-hand the impact that daily life- threatening situations had on a parent, and line of duty deaths among law enforcement and fire services reached unprecedented highs. Consequently, family members of these first responders risk developing secondary trauma. The First Responders Childrens Foundation Resiliency Program addresses the secondary trauma effects on children. A child may exhibit subversive behavior, emotional outbursts, hypervigilance, or act out in other ways, and they may exhibit fear, anxiety, depression, and undeserved shameas their way of expressing their need for support.

The program provides expert therapyat no cost to familiesto help first responders children manage, process and deal with a range of emotional challenges specific to their unique needs.

The First Responders Childrens Foundation Resiliency Program will start accepting applications on May 16, 2022 and will initially provide support to first responders children in five states including California, Florida, New York, Tennessee and Texas.

The First Responders Childrens Foundation Resiliency Program has been developed to be:

Free

Confidential and anonymous

Provided by licensed mental health professionals

Accessible both virtually and in-person

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

There is a mental health crisis that has hit the children of first responders the hardest, said Jillian Crane, President and CEO of First Responders Childrens Foundation. These children are often suffering in silence when they experience first-hand the impact that the daily life-threatening situations have on their parent. First responders children carry the fear with them daily of their parent being injured or killed in the line of duty. They also have elevated stress and anxiety when their parent misses holidays and milestones in their lives.

The program has been funded by proceeds raised in The Parade of Trees Auction created by corporate partner Universal Music Group Nashville along with the labels top talent including Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Josh Turner, Keith Urban and Reba McEntire, along with Eric Church, George Strait, Luke Bryan and Mickey Guyton and Opry Gaylord Resorts. A portion of a donation made by philanthropist Mackenzie Scott will be allocated to the project as will a portion of proceed raised from streams and sales of the hit duet "Stuck With U" made possible through Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Scooter Braun and the team at SB Projects, including Def Jam Recordings, Republic Records, Amazon Music, Spotify, and Universal Music Group.

First Responders Childrens Foundation is actively raising additional funding to help expand the new program throughout the United States and Territories. The Foundation is appealing to companies and individual donors to donate and make a difference in a childs life.

About First Responders Children's FoundationFor 20 years, First Responders Children's Foundation has been providing college scholarships to the children of first responder parents who have been injured or lost in the line of duty. The Foundation also awards grants to families enduring significant financial hardship and supports educational activities and programs created by first responder organizations to benefit children or the communities in which they live. The First Responders Children's Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund was established in March 2020 to provide financial hardship grants, PPE, and hotel accommodations to first responders on the front lines of the pandemic. The Foundation also pays for funerals of first responders who have made the ultimate sacrifice. More information about First Responders Childrens Foundation is available at www.1stRCF.org. Follow First Responders Children's Foundation on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram @1stRCF

Press Contact:For First Responders Childrens Foundation:

Joanna Black

+1 (646) 912-2681

[email protected]

Source: First Responders Children's Foundation
PARIS, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kinetix, an AI-assisted 3D animation pioneer, announced it has secured $11 Million in seed funding. Kinetix is a no-code platform that allows users to convert video into 3D animated avatars. By uploading video clips into the Kinetix platform, everybody can generate fully featured 3D animations to share and integrate into virtual worlds, opening up new ways of self-expression in the Metaverse.

Kinetix's $11 Million seed round is led by Adam Ghobarah, founder of Top Harvest Capital and former longtime executive at Google and Google Ventures, with participation from multiple virtual worlds - The Sandbox & ZEPETO (NAVER Z). Kinetix also secured investment from top Web3 players like Sparkle Ventures, co-managed by Animoca Brands, Entrepreneur First, and successful entrepreneurs including Alexandre Yazdi (CEO of Voodoo), Xavier Niel (Founder of Station F), and William O'Farrell (Founder of Body Labs and After Effects).

"Kinetix immediately stood out for me, by the quality of the founders, the quality of the machine learning technology, and the scope of the opportunity for no-code AI in video and Web3, said Adam Ghobarah, Founder of Top Harvest Capital.

With the explosive growth of virtual worlds, there is a need for easy-to-use platforms for creating 3D content and for monetizing that content. That is where Kinetix comes in with its AI-powered technology. No longer is 3D creation a complex process, with Kinetix, creators simply upload snippets of video, integrate assets from the Kinetix library, which includes assets from Adobe Mixamo and Ready Player Me, choose their design and soon have a fully rendered 3D identity! In collaboration with The Sandbox and ZEPETO, Kinetix empowers user-generated Content in Web2 and Web3, allowing for new forms of expression in the existing and future metaverses that will boost engagement and lead to the emergence of new categories of user-generated content-based (UGC) games and experiences.

"Our collaboration with Kinetix is very exciting, the promise of their technology is to facilitate the creation of rich animations for avatars from any video capture, contributing to defining the future of digital expression and its monetization in Web3," said Sebastien Borget, Co-founder & COO of The Sandbox.

We are providing a platform to drive user generated content in the Metaverse, said Yassine Tahi, co-founder & CEO of Kinetix. By making creation fast and easy, we allow millions of users to design their own animated avatars and express their personalities in free and fun ways. This significant round of seed funding sets the stage for achieving our vision of humanizing the Metaverse and fostering partnerships with the most exciting virtual worlds out there such as The Sandbox and ZEPETO.

A full press kit, including logo, screenshots, and key art is available here: https://uberstrategist.link/kinetix-presskit.

More info about Kinetix can be found by following them on Twitter, Discord, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and the official website: https://kinetix.tech.

About Kinetix

Founded in 2020 by Yassine Tahi and Henri Mirande, Kinetix has created a no-code platform allowing Web3 and content creators to transform any video into 3D animated avatars. Kinetixs free AI-powered platform makes 3D creation accessible to millions of creators around the world.

With Kinetix, everyone can now easily produce films, concerts, group dances and video games for virtual worlds. Kinetixs team of 30 passionate deep learning engineers, 3D animation experts, developers and game scripters are on a mission to Humanize the Metaverse.

PRESS CONTACT

Ted Brockwood, Alex HandziukUberStrategist Inc. on behalf of Kinetix[email protected] 1-646-844-8983

Source: Kinetix
NASHVILLE, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Mid-South ACG Capital Connection, which facilitates dealmaking by bringing together professionals involved in pursuing middle market growth and M&A projects, has announced conference panels and topics to be examined.

Expert panelists will help dealmakers from investment banks, private equity firms, lenders, corporate executives and advisory firms navigate the 2022 M&A landscape through the following industry panels on the first day of the May 11-12 conference:

Panel 1: Supercharge Your Deals: RWI and Other Tools to Streamline the Deal Process

Panelists from Bass Berry & Sims, Bailey Southwell, Greenwich Capital Group, Lockton Companies and XLCS Partners will analyze whats hot, according to investment bankers and insurance brokers, and look at the value of playing offense rather than defense given current uncertainty in the deal-making world. (Session presented by Bass, Berry & Sims and Lockton Companies, moderated by Jon Stanley, Member, Bass Berry & Sims.)

Panel 2: Capital Markets Overview and M&A Trends and Tactics

Leaders from JP Morgan will discuss market trends, innovation and how to navigate volatile deal markets. Theyll look at the emergence of direct lending within auctions, and how sponsors are accessing the full spectrum of private and public capital to achieve success. (Session presented by JP Morgan, moderated by Frank McGrew, Managing Director, Regional Investment Banking, JP Morgan.)

Panel 3: Making Smarter Decisions Faster: Utilizing Technology to Maximize Return and Minimize Risk

Professionals from Elliott Davis and Felder Douglas will explore how customers are leveraging big data and analytics and improving their cybersecurity posture to improve performance, gain a competitive advantage and manage risk. (Session presented by Elliott Davis and moderated by Brett Lanzl, Shareholder and M&A Advisory Practice Leader, Elliott Davis.)

Panel 4: Dealmaking in Todays Lower Middle Market.

Leaders from Nashville-based Pinnacle Financial Partners and ACG affiliate GF Data discuss the latest data and insights on $10 million-$250 million private transactions, what resonates with middle-market sellers in the current environment, and the expanding role of middle-market banks in sponsored transactions. (Presented by Pinnacle Financial Partners and moderated by Tyler Morgan, Managing Director & Counsel, PNFP Capital Markets.)

"This is an enormous collection of expert talent that can help guide dealmakers and support professionals through the trends shaping the marketplace, said Tatjana Paterno, chair of the 2022 event and partner at Bass, Berry & Sims PLC. Its part of what makes Mid-South Capital Connection such a unique event for discovering trends, securing capital, evaluating investment ideas, networking with fellow professionals  and finding new avenues to enhance corporate growth and value.

In addition to its panel showcase, Mid-South provides a private equity marketplace, an investment banking connection hall and one-on-one deal meetings. The conference helps M&A dealmakers identify funding sources, as well as accounting, legal, valuation and other advisory professionals. The conference is staged jointly by the Tennessee and Kentucky chapters of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG).

Registration is open to all professionals, ACG member or not, at https://tinyurl.com/2022MSCC. The LinkedIn showcase page at https://www.linkedin.com/company/mid-south-cap-conn provides up-to-date programming and speaker announcements.

About ACG Tennessee and ACG Kentucky

ACG Tennessee holds monthly meetings in Nashville and Memphis, features topics of interest to professionals in middle market M&A and promotes networking opportunities. Special events include an annual sporting clays outing and the Roaring 20s Awards event that features Tennessee's fastest growing companies. ACG Kentucky connects corporate leaders, dealmakers and support professionals in Kentucky and Southern Indiana through networking and programs geared toward private equity, capital formation and corporate growth. Both are chapters of ACG (www.acg.org), whose global network comprises more than 100,000 middle market professionals who invest, own and advise growing companies, and 13,000 members who leverage dealmaking and networking benefits.

Media Contact:

Terry McWilliams, Chapter Executive, ACG Kentucky | [email protected] | 502-410-2113. Email for panelist information and headshots.

Contacts:

Tatjana Paterno, partner, Bass Berry & Sims, 2022 Chair, [email protected]

Josh OBryan, member, Frost Brown Todd, 2022 Co-Chair and 2023 Chair, [email protected]

Jane Ferrell, Chapter Executive, ACG Tennessee | [email protected] | 615-356-3761

Source: Mid South Cap Conn
Chief Scientist Presents at the 2022 American Oil Chemists Society Meeting

Novel Technology for MembraneBased Oil & Biodiesel Purification

Austin, Texas, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NEXT-ChemX Corporations (OTC: CHMX) Chief Scientist, Dr. Nikolai Kocherginsky and Chemical Engineer, Sumukh Metawala, made a presentation entitled Membrane-Based Oil & Biodiesel Washing during the 2022 American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) Annual Meeting, held May 1-4 in Atlanta, Georgia.

The presentation was based upon patented and proprietary technology assigned to Next-ChemX Corporation. Bio-oils and biodiesel require purification, also known as washing, which can be done with NEXT-ChemX technology in a continuous fast process that does not require mixing. For example, the purified diesel would have the following advantages:

No glycerol, potassium methoxide, metals, less color, etc.

No mixer/settler or centrifugation used.

No water is accumulated in oil.

No oil is lost in water.

No emulsion formation.

No bleaching earth is required.

No transmembrane pressure or voltage used.

Therefore energy-saving with a low footprint and much faster economical technology.

According to biodiesel magazine, the current biodiesel production in US is 2.63 billion gallons per year with an additional 2.18 billion gallons per year biodiesel production plants under construction.

The American Oil Chemists Society was founded in 1909 and is an international professional organization based in Urbana, Illinois, dedicated to providing the support network for those involved with the science and technology related to fats, oils, surfactants, and other related materials. Membership is near 4,000.

About NEXT-ChemX Corporation

NEXT-ChemX Corporation is an innovative technology company preparing to introduce its proprietary, patented novel Membrane-Based Ion Extraction Technology that is proven to extract very low concentrations of ions from liquid solutions rapidly and with significantly better economy while reducing the harmful impact to the environment using current processes. Our system uses a unique hollow fiber technology to extract lithium directly from brines, leach solutions, or recycled battery solutions. The extraction process is continuous, proven and can be used for a range of metal ions and radioactive ions. In addition, the system performs exceptionally well and more economically when purifying bio-oils and biodiesel. Our unique technology is easily scalable, and we are currently developing a modular extraction plant which would allow for the rapid deployment of an extraction facility and its onsite assembly even in remote and difficult environments.

NEXT-ChemX Corporation, is a Nevada company trading on OTC Markets as CHMX. Please visit the Companys website at www.next-chemx.com

On behalf of the Board of NEXT-ChemX CorporationBenton Wilcoxon, Chairman and CEO

Safe Harbor and Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Making such forward looking statements involves substantial risks and uncertainties. Our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. You can usually identify these statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as may, could, will, should, expect, likely, anticipate, project, estimate, potential, intend, continue or believe or the negatives thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us, are inherently uncertain. You should read statements that contain these words carefully because they discuss our plans, strategies, prospects and expectations concerning our business, operating results, financial condition and other similar matters. In spite of the difficulties associated with making forward looking statements, we believe that it is important to communicate our future expectations to our investors even though there may be events in the future that we are not able to predict accurately or control. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release speak only as of the date on which we make it. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, for a number of reasons including, without limitation, economic, political, access to capital, competition and other risks discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which filings are available from the SEC. It is not possible for us to predict all of these factors or events. We caution you, therefore, not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update, revise or modify publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of changes in assumptions, new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. If we do update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those same or other forward-looking statements in the future.

Contact: J. Michael Johnson, President, NEXT-ChemX CorporationPhone: +1 512 663 2690email: [email protected]

Source: NEXT-ChemX Corporation
Vancouver, BC, Canada, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Tellurium Corp. (CSE: FTEL) (the Company or First Tellurium), reports that recent geophysical survey results from Surge Coppers Ootsa Project, located 40 kilometers north of First Telluriums Deer Horn Property in west-central British Columbia, continue to reinforce the potential for this district to host significant multiple copper porphyry deposits. Leif Nilsson, Surge Coppers CEO, commented that, this district has significant untapped exploration potential and could one day be among the largest copper districts in Canada.

The Deer Horn Property, First Telluriums flagship polymetallic project, contains porphyry-type copper and tungsten along with one of the worlds only NI 43-101 resource of tellurium, gold and silver. The property was recognized by First Solar Inc. as one of the worlds top primary tellurium prospects.

Past exploration at Deer Horn, as reported in the Companys 2018 Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), encountered several copper porphyry-type showings in addition to the known Te-Au-Ag resource.

The PEA noted: The Pond and H-Spot showings are discoveries of bulk tonnage, porphyry-style copper+/-silver mineralization and associated alteration. Their broad distribution may be evidence of a largely hidden porphyry copper system. A second area of anomalous porphyry-related copper-gold mineralization occurs on a ridge crest 1.8 km northwest of Kenney Lake.

First Telluriums Tyrone Docherty stated, While the Deer Horn Property remains a premier tellurium project, the propertys copper porphyry potential could ultimately provide greater value. While we werent looking for copper originally, the significant showings have proved to be a very exciting and fortunate bonus for future exploration. Deer Horn covers over fifty-one square kilometers, and our copper porphyry exploration remains in the very preliminary stages.

Deer Horns copper porphyry potential will be explored further in upcoming work programs at the property.

In a 2021 report, Goldman Sachs declared copper as the new oil. Copper will drive, and will be essential to, the emerging green economy and development of electric vehicles. Within ten years, noted Goldman Sachs, copper demand for electric vehicles and battery metal products may increase by 900%.

Added Docherty, The exciting results from Surge Coppers work at Ootsa, located in the same district as Deer Horn and the Huckleberry Mine, support our premise that this region is emerging as one of Canadas top districts for copper porphyry exploration.

About First Tellurium Corp.First Tellurium Corp explores and develops tellurium projects in North America and Colorado. As the world pushes ahead to develop green technologies, tellurium will continue to experience increasing demand.

Our polymetallic (tellurium, gold, silver copper, tungsten) Deer Horn Project in British Columbia and Klondike tellurium-gold property in Colorado anchor a diversified search for metals, working in alliance with Indigenous peoples, NGOs, governments and leading metals buyers.

On behalf of the board of directors ofFirst Tellurium Corp.Tyrone Docherty Tyrone DochertyPresident and CEO For further information please contact:Tyrone Docherty604.789.5653 [email protected]

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulations services accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking informationAll statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Companys control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated event.

Source: First Tellurium Corp.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va., May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HII (NYSE: HII) hosted Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., Monday for a tour of The Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding. Funded by HII to train and develop the next generation of shipbuilders, The Apprentice School offers four- to eight-year, tuition-free apprenticeships in 19 trades and eight optional advanced programs.

The Apprentice School is a model program for workforce development, said Xavier Beale, vice president of Human Resources and Trades for Newport News Shipbuilding. Our apprentices complete a rigorous program of course work and shipbuilding training while working in the shipyard to ensure we deliver capable, reliable ships for the fleet.

Beale and The Apprentice School Director of Education Latitia McCane led the tour through training demonstrations and classrooms where Walsh and Scott were able to interact with trainers and apprentices, including first-day students.

The Apprentice School is a model of how successful partnerships, scaling up apprenticeships, and upskilling can create a stronger, more prepared workforce of the 21st century, Walsh said.

Photos accompanying this news release are available at: https://newsroom.hii.com/releases/the-apprentice-school-marty-walsh

Scott highlighted The Apprentice Schools role in equipping students with the skills they need to be successful in the workforce. The Apprentice School is not only delivering on that goal, but is a national example of how to prepare workers for high-demand jobs, Scott said. For more than a century, The Apprentice School has prepared students to work at Newport News Shipyard. As a result, thousands of workers have the tools they need to access a rewarding career.

Accredited by the Council for Occupational Education, The Apprentice School is certified to offer associates degrees of applied science in maritime technology in 26 educational programs. Through partnerships with Thomas Nelson Community College, Tidewater Community College and Old Dominion University, The Apprentice Schools academic program provides the opportunity to earn associate degrees in business administration, engineering and engineering technology and bachelors degrees in mechanical or electrical engineering. For more information, visit: www.as.edu.

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[email protected](202) 580-9086

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d5144442-0334-4d97-b401-ec7ccfc2c241

Secretary of Labor Visit Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh interacts with apprentices during a tour of the Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding.

Source: Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.
MUNICH, Germany, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Slalom, a global consulting firm focused on strategy, technology, and business transformation, today announced its country opening in Germany.

Slalom has strong experience in consulting and advisory services in, among other industries, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Media and Communications, Technology, Manufacturing, and Financial Services, making it an exceptional partner to help German companies reach for and realize their visions.

We approach our growth in a uniquely Slalom way, guided by our values and unwavering customer focus, says John Tobin, Slalom co-founder and Executive Vice President, EMEA & APAC. Our partners and clients have asked us to join them in the markets where theyre in around the world. Were excited to expand our global presence as we live our purpose to help people and organizations dream bigger, move faster, and build better tomorrows for all.

Slalom also brings to Germany its reputation as a best place to work; the culture has earned numerous awards informed from feedback of those who know the company bestits people. We aspire for each team member to love their work and lifeempowered to bring their authentic selves to our inclusive, flexible environment, adds interim Germany leader Heather Sneddon.

Already working with notable companies in Germany, Slalom expects to hire up to 75 employees by the end of the year to support customer transformation initiatives, including development of new digital products leveraging modern and agile ways of working. Slalom Germany will serve customers throughout the country, with the office opening today in Munich and quickly expanding to other locations including Frankfurt, Cologne, Dusseldorf, and Berlin.

Slalom has established strong partnerships with over 400 leading technology providers, including Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Tableau, along with regional innovation hubs. Slalom has been recognized as a best company to work for by Fortune Magazine, Glassdoor, Forbes Magazine, Human Rights Campaign, and more.

With its expansion into Germany, Slalom now has offices in six countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Learn more about Slalom.

About SlalomSlalom is a global consulting firm focused on strategy, technology, and business transformation. In 43 markets around the world, Slalom's teams have autonomy to move fast and do what's right. They are backed by regional innovation hubs, a global culture of collaboration, and partnerships with the world's top technology providers. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Seattle, Slalom has organically grown to over 12,500 employees. Slalom has been named one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For seven years running and is regularly recognized by employees as a best place to work.

Contact: [email protected]

Source: Slalom
Boston, MA, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mass General Brigham today revealed the annual Disruptive Dozen, 12 emerging gene and cell therapy (GCT) technologies with the greatest potential to impact health care in the next several years. The Disruptive Dozen results from interviews of 50 Mass General Brigham senior Harvard faculty followed by a rigorous selection process to identify the 12 most likely to have significant impact on patient care in the next few years. GCT is widely recognized as a transformational opportunity in medicine, with the potential to stop or slow the effects of disease by targeting it at the genetic level. The Disruptive Dozen were featured as part of this weeks World Medical Innovation Forum in Boston, where clinical experts, industry leaders and venture investors explored how to advance GCT technologies to benefit patients worldwide. The Forum is presented by Mass General Brigham and Bank of America, bringing together two leading organizations with extensive healthcare expertise to advance medical breakthroughs for patients and support Bostons continued growth as a global biotech and investment hub. The 2022 Mass General Brigham Disruptive Dozen are: 1. Restoring sight by mending broken genes 2. A gene editing solution to increase the supply of donor organs3. Cell therapies to conquer common forms of blindness 4. Harnessing the power of RNA to treat brain cancer5. Realizing the promise of gene therapy for brain disorders6. A flexible, programmable approach to fighting viruses7. On the move: Cell therapies to restore gut motility 8. CAR-T cell therapies take aim at autoimmune diseases9. Regrowing cells in the inner ear to treat hearing loss10. New technologies for delivering gene therapies 11. Engineering cancer-killing cells that target solid tumors12. Reawakening the X-chromosome: A therapeutic strategy for devastating neurodevelopmental diseasesThe culture of innovation at Mass General Brigham fosters continuous discussion and debate about emerging technologies and which ones will have the biggest impact for patients, said Ravi Thadhani, MD, Chief Academic Officer, Mass General Brigham. The Disruptive Dozen reflects this spirit of discovery and underpins our work to identify what has the potential to significantly improve health care. Mass General Brigham is the nations largest academic research enterprise. More than 150 life science and biotechnology companies have been established in Massachusetts as a result of the more than $2 billion in government funded and privately sponsored research that Mass General Brigham attracts every year. The groundbreaking research performed at Mass General Brigham is integral to developing and commercializing life-changing therapies which sustains Massachusetts competitive advantage in the innovation economy. Following are descriptions of the 2022 Disruptive Dozen: 1. Restoring sight by mending broken genesRoughly 200 genes are directly linked to vision disorders. In the last several years, groundbreaking new gene therapies have emerged that can compensate for faulty genes in the eye by adding new, healthy copies  a molecular fix that promises to restore sight to those who have lost it. The approach, known as CRISPR-Cas-9 gene editing, could open the door to treating genetic forms of vision loss that are not suited to conventional gene therapy, and a host of other medical conditions. A clinical trial is now underway to evaluate a CRISPR-Cas 9 gene-editing therapy for a severe form of childhood blindness, Leber congenital amaurosis type 10, for which there currently are no treatments. Although this treatment is still experimental, it is already historic  it is the first medicine based on CRISPR-Cas-9 to be delivered in vivo, or inside a patients body. Similar gene-editing therapies are also under development that correct genes within blood cells. 2. A gene editing solution to increase the supply of donor organsIn the U.S. alone, more than 100,000 people await a life-saving organ transplant. But an inadequate supply of donor organs leads to prolonged waiting times and many patients die before receiving a life-saving organ. The only foreseeable solution to this crisis is xenotransplantation  harvesting organs from animals and placing them into human patients. Advances in gene editing technology make it possible to remove, insert, or replace genes with relative ease and precision. This molecular engineering can sidestep the human immune system, which is highly adept at recognizing foreign tissues and triggering rejection. Over the last 20 years, scientists have been working to devise successful gene editing strategies that will render pig organs compatible with humans. The field has taken another major step forward in the past year: transplanting gene-edited pig organs, including the heart and kidney, into humans. While extensive clinical testing is needed before xenotransplantation becomes a reality, that future now seems within reach.3. Cell therapies to conquer common forms of blindness The eye has been a proving ground for pioneering gene therapies and is also fueling new cell-based therapies that can restore sight, offering a functional cure by replacing critical cells that have been lost or injured. One approach involves stem cells from the retina that can give rise to light-sensitive cells, called photoreceptors, which are required for healthy vision. Scientists are harnessing retinal stem cells to develop treatments for incurable eye diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa. Because the immune system doesnt patrol the eye as aggressively as other parts of the body, retinal stem cells from unrelated, healthy donors can be transplanted into patients with vision disorders. Other progress includes cell therapies that harness patients own cells, for example, from blood or skin, that can be converted into almost any cell type in the body, including retinal cells. Another novel treatment being tested utilizes stem cells from a patients healthy eye to repair the affected cornea of the other eye. 4. Harnessing the power of RNA to treat brain cancerRNA is widely known for its helper functions, carrying messages from one part of a cell to another to make proteins. But scientists now recognize that RNA plays a more central role in biology and are tapping its hidden potential to create potent new therapies for a range of diseases, including a devastating form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. This cancer is extremely challenging to treat and highly adaptable. New approaches that either target RNA or mimic its activity could hold promise, including an intriguing class of RNA molecules called microRNAs. One team identified a trio of microRNAs that plays important roles in healthy neurons but is lost when brain cancer develops. These microRNAs can be stitched together into a single unit and delivered into the brain using a virus. Initial studies in mice reveal that this therapeutic can render tumors more vulnerable to existing treatments, including chemotherapy. Another team is also exploring a microRNA called miR-10b. Blocking its activity causes tumor cells to die. Now, scientists are working to develop a targeted therapeutic against miR-10b that can be tested in clinical trials.5. Realizing the promise of gene therapy for brain disordersGene therapy holds enormous promise for serious and currently untreatable diseases, including those of the brain and spinal cord. But some big obstacles remain. For example, a commonly-used vehicle for gene therapy  a virus called AAV  cannot penetrate a major biological roadblock, the blood-brain barrier. Now, researchers are engineering new versions of AAV that can cross the blood-brain barrier. Using various molecular strategies, a handful of teams have modified the protein shell that surrounds the virus so it can gain entry and become broadly distributed within the brain. These modified viral vectors are now under development and could begin clinical testing within a few years. Scientists are also tinkering with the inner machinery of AAV to sidestep potential toxicities. With a safe, effective method for accessing the brain, researchers will be able to devise gene therapies for a range of neurological conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases, cancers, and devastating rare diseases that lack any treatment.6. A flexible, programmable approach to fighting virusesThe COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the tremendous need for rapidly deployable therapies to counteract emerging viruses. Scientists are now developing a novel form of anti-viral therapy that can be programmed to target a range of different viruses  from well-known human pathogens, such as hepatitis C, to those less familiar, such as the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. This new approach harnesses a popular family of gene editing tools, known as CRISPR-Cas. While CRISPR-based systems have gained attention for their capacity to modify human genes, their original purpose in nature was to defend bacteria from viral infections. As a throwback to these early roots, scientists are now adapting CRISPR tools to tackle a variety of viruses that infect humans. Researchers are studying the potential of these programmable anti-viral agents in the context of several different viruses, including ones that pose significant threats to global health, such as SARS-CoV-2, hepatitis C, and HIV. 7. On the move: Cell therapies to restore gut motility The human digestive tract  or gut  has its own nervous system. This second brain, known as the enteric nervous system, is comprised of neurons and support cells that carry out critical tasks, like moving food through the gut. When enteric neurons are missing or injured, gut motility can be impaired. Now, scientists are developing an innovative cell replacement therapy to treat diseases of gut motility. Donor cells can be isolated from a patients own gut or from a more readily available source, such as subcutaneous fat. These cells are then cultivated in the laboratory and coaxed to form the progenitors that give rise to enteric neurons. Researchers are also devising off-the-shelf approaches, which could create a supply of donor cells that are shielded from the immune system and can therefore be transplanted universally across different patients. Early research shows that transplanted enteric neurons can also take up residence in the brain. That means these forays in cell therapy for the gut could also help pave a path toward cell therapies for the brain and spinal cord.8. CAR-T cell therapies take aim at autoimmune diseasesCAR-T cells have emerged as powerful treatments for some forms of cancer, especially blood cancers. By harnessing the same underlying concept  rewiring patients own T cells to endow them with therapeutic properties  scientists are working to develop novel CAR-T therapies for a variety of autoimmune diseases. Several research teams are engineering CAR-T cells so they can seek out and destroy harmful immune cells, such as those that produce auto-antibodies  immune proteins that target and attack the bodys own tissues. For example, one team is using CAR-T cells to destroy certain immune cells, called B cells, as a potential treatment for lupus, a serious autoimmune disease that mainly affects women. Scientists are also developing CAR-T therapies that take aim at other rogue members of the immune system. These efforts could yield novel treatments for diseases with clear auto-immune mechanisms. 9. Regrowing cells in the inner ear to treat hearing lossIn the U.S. alone, some 37 million people suffer from a hearing deficit. Currently, there are no drugs that can halt, prevent, or even reverse hearing loss. Scientists are working on a novel regenerative approach that could restore the cells in the inner ear required for normal hearing, offering hope to millions of patients who grapple with hearing loss. Healthy hearing requires specialized cells in the inner ear called hair cells, which have fine, hair-like projections. If the cells are damaged or lost, which often happens with age or after repeated exposure to loud sounds, the body cannot repair them. But researchers have discovered a potential workaround that can stimulate existing cells in the ear to be converted and give rise to new hair cells. Scientists are now working to convert this molecular strategy, which is being studied in animal models, into a therapeutic that is safe and effective for hearing loss patients. 10. New technologies for delivering gene therapies A formidable challenge in the field of gene therapy is delivery  getting gene-based therapeutics into the body and into the right target cells. Researchers are exploring the potential of new delivery methods that could expand the reach of gene therapy, including microneedles. When applied to the skin, a microneedle patch can penetrate the outermost layer with minimal pain and discomfort. This novel delivery method can readily access the legion of immune cells that reside in the skin -- important targets for vaccines as well as for the treatment of various diseases, including cancer and autoimmune conditions. Another emerging technology involves an implantable device made of biodegradable materials. When placed inside the body, this device can provide localized, sustained release of therapeutics with few side effects. The approach is now being tested for the first time in cancer patients using standard chemotherapy drugs administered directly at tumor sites. In the future, this method could be customized for the delivery of gene therapy payloads, an advance that could revolutionize cancer treatment, particularly for difficult-to-treat tumors like pancreatic cancer.11. Engineering cancer-killing cells that target solid tumorsDespite great leaps in cancer treatment, solid tumors remain the most challenging tumors to treat, in part due to the hostile environment in which they grow, which suppresses the immune system. Now, scientists are devising innovative cell therapies that promise to open new therapeutic opportunities for solid tumors. One approach involves making CAR-T cells more like computers, relying on simple logic to decide which cells are cancer and which are not. By building several logic gates and combining them together, researchers are hoping to pave the way toward targeting new tumor types. Scientists are also devising other groundbreaking forms of cancer-killing cell therapy, including one that uses cancer cells themselves. This approach exploits a remarkable feature: once disseminated within the body, cancer cells can migrate back to the original tumor. Researchers are now harnessing this rehoming capability and, with the help of gene editing and other molecular engineering technologies, turning tumor cells into potent cancer killers. An early version of this technology uses patients own cells. Now, the scientists are developing an off-the-shelf version with dual properties  killing cancer cells and modulating the immune system  that can be universally applied to patients. 12. Reawakening the X-chromosome: a therapeutic strategy for devastating neurodevelopmental diseasesThe X chromosome is one of two sex-determining chromosomes in humans, and it carries hundreds of disease-causing genes. These diseases often affect males and females differently. In females, one X chromosome is naturally, and randomly, chosen and rendered inactive. Although X-inactivation was once thought to be permanent, scientists are uncovering ways to reverse it. Scientists are now exploiting this unusual biology to reawaken the dormant X chromosome  a strategy that could yield much-needed treatments for a group of rare, yet devastating neurodevelopmental disorders, which predominantly affect females. This new approach could hold promise for females with Rett syndrome, a severe X-linked disorder. A similar strategy could also hold promise for other serious X-linked disorders, including fragile X syndrome and CDKL5 syndrome.Click here for detailed information on each of the Disruptive Dozen technologies, including video updates. Click here for more information on gene and cell therapy at Mass General Brigham. About the World Medical Innovation ForumThe World Medical Innovation Forum was established in 2015 in response to the intensifying transformation of health care and its impact on innovation. The Forum is rooted in the belief that no matter the magnitude of change, the center of health care needs to be a shared, fundamental commitment to collaborative innovation  industry and academia working together to improve patient lives. In 2022, Bank of America joined with Mass General Brigham as presenting sponsor of the Forum, bringing together two leading organizations with extensive healthcare expertise and a shared commitment to support Bostons continued growth as a global biotech and investment hub. About Mass General BrighamMass General Brigham is an integrated academic healthcare system, uniting great minds in medicine to make life-changing impact for patients in our communities and people around the world. Mass General Brigham connects a full continuum of care across a system of academic medical centers, community and specialty hospitals, a health insurance plan, physician networks, community health centers, home care, and long-term care services. Mass General Brigham is a non-profit organization that is committed to patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community. In addition, Mass General Brigham is one of the nations leading biomedical research organizations and a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. For more information, please visit massgeneralbrigham.org.About Bank of AmericaBank of America is one of the worlds leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 66 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,300 retail financial centers, approximately 17,000 ATMs, and award-winning digital banking with approximately 41 million active users, including approximately 32 million mobile users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and approximately 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. www.bankofamerica.com

Attachment

Tracy M. Doyle Mass General Brigham 262-227-5514 [email protected]

Source: Mass General Brigham
Project NPV (5%) of $64.9 Million (Pre-Tax) and $46.2 Million (After-Tax) at $22.86/oz Silver Price

Robust After-Tax Payback of 0.60 Years with Pre-Production Toll Milling at $22.86/oz Silver Price

PEA Webinar to Be Held on Thursday, May 5th at 1:00PM ET (details below)

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 4, 2022) - Kuya Silver Corporation (CSE: KUYA) (OTCQB: KUYAF) (FSE: 6MR1) (the "Company" or "Kuya Silver") is pleased to announce the summary results of a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") on the Bethania Silver Project (the "Project"). All financial figures in this news release are stated in United States dollars unless otherwise noted.

PEA Highlights:

Base case ($25.40/oz silver price) Pre-Tax NPV (5%) of $77.8 Million and IRR of 227%

Base case ($25.40/oz silver price) After-Tax NPV (5%) of $54.7 Million and IRR of 188%

Pre-production toll milling option would generate gross margin of $9.5 Million during construction at base case, would accelerate after-tax payback period to 0.50 years

After-tax cash flow of $18.04 Million in first full year of production (base case)

Life of Mine ("LOM") after-tax free cash flow of $65.3 Million (base case)

Initial Capital Cost Estimated at $14.2 Million plus 25% contingency of $3.6 Million

All-In Sustaining Costs of $10.48/oz silver eq. in first year, $12.15/oz silver eq. over LOM

Silver production of 1.37 Million oz eq. in first year, 8.68 Million oz eq. over LOM

Production (head) grade of 13.8 oz/t (or 429 g/t) silver eq. in pre-production year, 10.1 oz/t (or 315 g/t) silver eq. over LOM

Kuya Silver to present the results of the PEA on Thursday, May 5th at 10:00AM PT / 1:00PM ET.

David Stein, Kuya's President and CEO stated, "We are extremely pleased with the results of the independent PEA, confirming our vision that the Bethania Silver Project can and should be a low-cost silver producer in the future. We are pleasantly surprised by the low production cost profile, manageable CapEx and quick payback of the Project. Although the PEA gives us an excellent roadmap to pursure development of the Project, Kuya already sees opportunities to further optimize the Project and will pursue these ideas as we continue to develop the Project."

Preparation of the Preliminary Economic Assessment

The PEA was prepared by Mining Plus ("MP"), with contributions from other consultants. The PEA was prepared in accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), and has an effective date of April 6, 2022. The PEA is based on the Mineral Resource estimate for the Project as set out in "National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report and Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate on the Bethania Silver Project, Department of Huancavelica, Province of Huancavelica, District of Acobambilla, Peru," a technical report prepared for the Company with an issue date of February 21, 2022, an effective date of January 6, 2022, and an effective date of December 10, 2021 for the Mineral Resource estimate (see the Company's February 22, 2022 news release). A technical report relating to the PEA, prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, will be filed on SEDAR and posted on the Company's website within 45 days of this news release.

The PEA is preliminary in nature, contains numerous assumptions, and includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as Mineral Reserves. There is no certainty that the results of the PEA will be realized. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no assurance that Inferred Mineral Resources will ever be upgraded to Mineral Reserves. No Mineral Reserves have been estimated for Bethania.

In this news release, the terms "Mineral Resource," "Inferred Mineral Resource," "Indicated Mineral Resource," and "Mineral Reserve" have the meanings given to them in NI 43-101 by reference to the "Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves" (2014) of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

For the PEA base case, the following metal price assumptions were used: Silver $25.40/oz, Gold $1850/oz, Zinc $1.21/lb, Lead $0.90/lb, and Copper $3.62/lb. The Company recognizes that silver prices have been especially volatile recently, and therefore readers should review the economic sensitivity to silver price shown in Table 7 of this news release.

Development Strategy

The PEA envisages a 350 tonne per day ("tpd") conventional cut and fill underground mine feeding a concentration plant that would process mineralized material at the same rate (126,000 tonnes per year) over a mine life of 6.5 years. The PEA recognizes the potential to toll-mill mineralized material during the final six months of the plant construction ("Toll-Milling Option") and modelled this as the base case in the PEA. While the Company needs to further investigate the logistics, benefits and risks of this potential strategy, in the analysis presented in the PEA, the Toll-Milling Option would greatly enhance the internal rate of return ("IRR") of the Project (188% after-tax IRR) and reduce the after-tax payback period to 0.5 years. The payback period is measured from the start of the first full year of production (Year 1).

Mineral Resources

Table 1: Mineral Resource Estimate used for the PEA.

Category Tonnage GRADE CONTAINED METAL Ag Pb Zn Au Cu AgEq Ag AgEq (oz/t) (%) (%) (g/t) (%) (oz/t) (oz) (oz) Indicated 404,000 10.7 2.63 1.95 0.26 0.16 14.5 4,317,540 5,858,521 Inferred 700,000 8.0 2.51 1.58 0.24 0.12 11.4 5,600,256 8,006,431

Note: Metal price assumptions used for the Mineral Resource estimate were different than those used for the PEA. Silver equivalent (AgEq) is calculated using metal prices of $1,849.78/oz gold, $25.44/oz silver, $1,981.79/t lead, $2,658.62/t zinc, and $7,971/t copper, and by applying recovery factors of 0.4439, 0.9324, 0.9449, 0.9265, and 0.8829, respectively.

Mining

The analysis of potential mining methods consisted of a qualitative analyses, including the University of British Columbia analysis method, geomechanical evaluation, and operational evaluation and a quantitative analysis (i.e. financial). It was determined that conventional cut and fill with waste back-fill was the preferred mining technique.

Total tonnes to be mined was estimated to be 857,078 tonnes over the life of mine (including the Toll-Milling Option)

Mining recovery of 95%, mine dilution varies between 3.3% and 16.4% depending on stope width.

70% of the stopes are between 0.6 - 1 meters of mining width, 10% of stopes are between 1.0 - 1.2 meters, 12% of are between 1.2 - 2 meters and 8% of stopes are between 2 - 5.1 meters.

Average production over the mine life from the three vein systems: 12 de Mayo at 100 tpd, Espaola at 153 tpd, and Victoria at 97 tpd.

Mine development over the mine life is planned to be 27,428 metres, including 2,154 metres prior to the plant start-up and 5,491 metres in the first full year.

To determine the mining cut-off, information was collected from similar projects in Peru to support the economic analysis and a break even cut-off of $98.95/t was determined.

Table 2: Production Schedule Summary.



Pre-production Year 1 Total LOM Mineralized material (t) 40,142 125,452 857 ,078 NSR (US$/t) 306 238 218 Ag (oz/t) 12.31 9.23 8.21 Au (g/t) 0.15 0.16 0.2 Cu (%) 0.14 0.11 0.12 Pb (%) 2.11 2.57 2.32 Zn (%) 1.93 1.27 1.54

Table 3: Production by Mineral Resource Category.

Category Tonnes (t) Ag (oz/t) Pb (%) Zn(%) Cu(%) Au (g/t) NSR (US$/t) % Distribution Indicated 310,710 9.34 2.24 1.7 0.14 0.23 243 36% Inferred 546,368 7.57 2.37 1.46 0.11 0.19 203 64% Total 857,078 8.21 2.32 1.54 0.12 0.2 218 100%



Recovery Methods (Processing)

A conventional flotation plant has been envisaged to be consistent with the Company's existing permits. The plant design includes:

Two-stage crushing

A single grinding and classification stage

One bulk flotation circuit

One Lead/Copper separation flotation circuit

One Zinc flotation circuit

One Zinc regrinding circuit

Thickening and filtration stages for lead and zinc concentrates

One tailings thickener for water recovery

Based on historical metallurgical testing and subsequent analysis, average recoveries for various metals are modelled to be:

Silver, 92%

Lead, 90%

Zinc, 81%

Copper, 64%

Gold, 34%

Additional Project Infrastructure

In addition to infrastructure that already exists at the Project, the PEA envisages the construction and development of:

Process plant

Tailings storage facility (" TSF ")

") Access road and connecting road network

Coarse mineralized rock stockpile

Overburden storage areas

Water management ponds

Water treatment facility

Power plant, process plant sub-station and general substation

Capital Costs

The capital cost estimate has been developed to provide an estimate suitable for the PEA, including costs to design, procure, construct, and commission the facilities.

Table 4: Summary of Capital Cost Estimates.

Description US$ CAPEX Initial Sustaining Total Mine $2.4M $2.7M $5.2M Process Plant $6.6M $0.0M $6.6M Tailings and Waste Rock Disposal $3.2M $0.8M $4.0M Surface Components $1.3M $0.0M $1.3M Owner's Costs $0.7M $0.0M $0.7M Mine Closure $0.0M $1.9M $1.9M Total Capital Cost Pre - Contingency $14.2M $5.4M $19.6M Contingency Costs (25%) $3.6M $1.4M $4.9M Total Capital Cost $17.8M $6.8M $24.5M



Operating Costs

Operating cost estimates have been developed to provide an estimate suitable for a PEA, including costs for mining and processing. The expected accuracy range of the operating cost estimate is +25%/-30%. For treatment and refining costs market rates provided by the Company from a November 2021 market study were used.

Table 5: Summary of Life-Of-Mine Operating Costs.

Operating Costs LOM (US$) US$/tonne milled Mining $31.4M 36.67 Processing $20.6M 25.72 Third party processing cost (*) $1.4M Tails and Waste Rock Placement $0.5M 0.59 Onsite G&A $14.1M 16.49 Total Operating Costs $68.1M 79.46 Treatment & Refining Charges $33.9M 39.54 Community Participation $0.9M 1.00 Total Cash Costs $102.8M 120.01 Sustaining Costs $3.4M 4.13 All-in Sustaining Costs ("AISC") $106.2M 124.14



Economic Analysis

The financial analysis was carried out using a discounted cash flow methodology, using a 5% discount rate for the base case. By including the Toll-Milling Option in the analysis preproduction (Year 0) income is generated prior to the completion of the processing facility. An assumption of $35/t for third party processing expenses was used for the Toll-Milling Option.

Table 6: Production and Cost Analysis.

Production and Cost Pre-Production (toll-milling) Year 1 Total LOM Profile Production (mt) 40 125 857 Silver, recovered (moz) 453 1,061 6,448 Silver, payable (moz) 428 1,004 6,101 Silver equivalent, payable (moz) 554 1,373 8,682 Silver revenue by % 77% 73% 70% Silver grade 12.3 oz/t (383 g/t) 9.23 oz/t (287 g/t) 8.21 oz/t (255 g/t) Silver equivalent grade 13.8 oz/t (429 g/t) 10.9 oz/t (340 g/t) 11.7 oz/t (315 g/t) All-in Sustaining Cost ("AISC") ($/oz equivalent) 8.27 10.48 12.15

Table 7: Project Economics Summary and Sensitivity to Silver Price.



Economics Summary 80% Price Ag 90% Price Ag Price Ag 110% Price Ag 120% Price Ag

20.32 $/oz 22.86 $/oz 25.4 $/oz 27.94 $/oz 30.48$/oz Pre-Tax NPV (5%) $51.9M $64.9M $77.8M $90.8M $103.7M IRR 130% 173% 227% 298% 392% Payback 0.68 0.53 0.41 0.32 0.24 After-Tax NPV (5%) $37.7M $46.2M $54.7M $63.2M $71.7M IRR 116% 148% 188% 237% 304% Payback 0.70 0.60 0.50 0.40 0.3



Note on Assumptions

The PEA results are based on important assumptions made by the Qualified Persons who prepared the PEA. These assumptions, including those mentioned above, and the justifications for them, will be described in the technical report relating to the PEA that the Company will file on SEDAR and post on the Company's website within 45 days of this news release.

Metal price assumptions are particularly important for an economic analysis of any mineral project. As noted above, the Qualified Persons used the following assumptions in the PEA: Silver $25.40/oz, Gold $1850/oz, Zinc $1.21/lb, Lead $0.90/lb, and Copper $3.62/lb. The price of silver has been highly volatile over the past two years, making it challenging to select an appropriate price for the purpose of the PEA, but the Company considers $25.40/oz to be a reasonable base case under the circumstances. Since the beginning of 2021, the closing daily price of silver has ranged between $21.49 and $29.42, and the price of silver exceeded $26.00/oz as recently as April 18, 2022. Further, the pricing assumptions used in the PEA for zinc and lead are conservative, which moderates or counterbalances the economic effect of the base case pricing assumption for silver. Finally, in Table 7 above, the economics of the Project are summarized using a range of pricing assumptions for silver, including assumptions equal to 80% and 90% of the base case.

In addition to the assumptions described throughout this news release, the Qualified Persons were required to make various assumptions on technical, economic, financial, regulatory, and operational matters, including but not limited to the following:

A financial model was completed based on the mine plan, which assumes the commencement of production in 2023 with a mine production at 350 tpd, in addition to other inputs such as mining inventory and rates, processing throughputs and metallurgical recoveries, capital and operating costs, royalties, and government royalty and taxation parameters.

Taxes that should be recoverable by the Company (e.g., IGV, or VAT) have not been included in the economic analysis.

The PEA assumes that all material permits and licenses have been received or will be received in a timely manner that will not affect the development schedule. For more information on the status of permits for the Bethania Project, see Kuya Silver's most recent Annual Information Form (April 20, 2022) which can be accessed from www.sedar.com.

The Company has developed and maintained good positive relationships with the Project's stakeholders, including a land usage agreement with the local Poroche community. The agreements include a royalty payment of $0.25/t + VAT on mined material from the Bethania concession and $0.75/t + VAT for every tonne treated at the Bethania plant.

Metallurgical recovery rates for both silver and gold consist of a combination of metals recovered from the lead and copper concentrates.

The following outlines the main taxation considerations applied in the financial model, according to the Peruvian tax regime for mining companies:

(i) A standard corporate tax rate of 29.5% is applied to taxable income;

(ii) A special mining tax is applied to operating profit resulting from the mining activity, the effective rate of which is calculated based on the operating margin and falls in the 3-4% range; and

(iii) workers' profit participation of 8% is applied to taxable income.

All-in sustaining costs ("AISC") consist of direct operating costs (mining, processing, tailings and waste rock disposal, site G&A) plus treatment and refining costs (including penalties), government royalties, community participation and sustain capital expenditures.

Although the Company believes that the assumptions underpinning the PEA are reasonable and appropriate, there can be no assurance that all of these assumptions will prove to be correct.

Qualified Persons

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Edgard Vilela, MAusIMM (CP), Principal Mining Consultant, Mining Plus, Scott Jobin-Bevans (Ph.D., PMP, P.Geo.), Principal Geoscientist, Caracle Creek International Consulting Inc., and Simon Mortimer (M.Sc., FAIG), each of whom is a Qualified Person as that term is defined by NI 43-101. Each of these Qualified Persons is independent of the Company.

About Kuya Silver Corporation

Kuya Silver (www.kuyasilver.com) is a Canadianbased mineral exploration and development company with a focus on acquiring, exploring, and advancing precious metals assets in Peru and Canada.

For further information, please contact the Company at:

Kuya Silver Corporation

Telephone: (604) 3984493

[email protected]

www.kuyasilver.com

PEA Webinar

The Company will be hosting a webinar to review the results of the PEA on Thursday, May 5th at 10:00AM PT / 1:00PM ET. To register for the event please click the link below.

Registration link: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/3/p512nh4

Reader Advisory

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs, and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may," "would," "could," "should," "will," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "must," "next," "potential," "progress," "investigate," "optimize," "opportunity," "future," "vision," "envisage," "option," "roadmap," "pursue," and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking information. Investors are cautioned that statements including forward-looking information are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking information as a result of various factors, including but not limited to fluctuations in the market price of silver and other commodities, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing, the Company's ability to obtain and renew required permits, licenses, consents, authorizations, and approvals, and general economic, market, and business conditions. There can be no assurances that such forward-looking information will prove accurate, and therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of the risks and uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada 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/122761
On-going analysis supports large-scale porphyry potential.

Detailed scientific work is aimed at refining drill targets.

Planning is underway for an early start to the field season.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 4, 2022) - Mountain Boy Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: MTB) (OTCQB: MBYMF) (FSE: M9UA) ("Mountain Boy" or the "Company") reports that on-going work, integrating recent sample results with historic data, is providing new insights into the geology and prospectivity of the Telegraph Project. Two leading geo-science research groups are also involved in the Telegraph program. The data indicates that multiple fertile mineralizing systems occur over the project area and provides a solid base upon which to plan for the 2022 field season.

The 252 square kilometre Telegraph Project is located in BC's Golden Triangle, in the vicinity of several large porphyry deposits including Galore Creek (Teck - Newmont), Schaft Creek (Teck - Copper Fox), Big Red (Libero Copper and Gold), Saddle and Saddle North (Newmont) and the operating Red Chris copper-gold mine (Newcrest - Imperial Metals). Access to the property is via helicopter or fixed wing plane to an airstrip on the eastern part of the claim block. The Stikine River, 3 km to the west of the property, is navigable from the ocean port of Wrangell, Alaska. The Barrington Road, from Telegraph Creek, comes to within 15 km of the northern part of the claims.

The Mountain Boy geological team has assembled the results of historic work from the numerous companies who have worked on various parts of the present property over the past several decades. Field work in 2021 added to that extensive data base and included the discovery of high-grade copper with gold mineralization midway between two identified porphyry targets from previous work.

Mountain Boy CEO Lawrence Roulston noted, "The geological team, working in conjunction with skilled researchers from the Mineral Deposit Research Unit (MDRU) and the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC), is doing a superb job of data-mining the wealth of information available on this project. The data has never been looked at comprehensively and modern technical science, not available to previous explorers, is now being applied. This work continues to confirm the prospectivity and potential of the project area and is contributing to identifying specific targets for further follow-up and drilling."

Dr. Christopher Lawley at the GSC and Dr. Farhad Bouzari from the MDRU have analyzed a suite of samples that include 80 drill core samples from the 2014 drilling and 40 surface samples from the 2021 program.

Christopher Lawley has been working as a gold metallogenist at the Geological Survey of Canada since 2012. His research interests range from analytical method development to the application of geochemistry as tracers and chronometers of mineral systems. His preliminary work at the Telegraph project has identified several lithologies, including numerous samples characterized as alkalic rock types using immobile element ratios. The data further demonstrates that potassium and sodium rich samples are associated with the highest gold values. This is consistent with observations at other gold-rich porphyry systems in the region, which have demonstrated an affinity for potassic- and sodic-altered rocks.

From a critical mineral perspective, nearly all the samples carried anomalous copper, gold, silver, antimony, rhenium, and tellurium concentrations relative to bulk continental crust, with several samples that were highly anomalous in these elements. High palladium to platinum (Pd/Pt) ratios were also observed, which are considered typical of Au-Cu porphyries in the Golden Triangle and elsewhere. Further analysis in the form of microscopy will be performed on the samples.

Dr. Farhad Bouzari joined MDRU as a research associate in 2006. His main research interests are anatomy and evolution of porphyry copper deposits particularly distal and deep features and their application in vectoring towards mineralization. Using short wave near infrared (SWIR) analysis, Dr Bouzari is able to identify the specific alteration minerals in hydrothermal systems. Initial results from the SWIR analysis confirm the presence of porphyry-style alteration minerals and suggest that multiple hydrothermal pulses have altered and mineralized the host rocks in both the Dok and Yeti targets on the property.

Dr. Lawley's and Dr. Bouzari's research is enhancing the Company's understanding of the origin and formation of the volcanic and intrusive rocks and the resulting hydrothermal systems that occur with the emplacement of these rocks. This understanding will help in vectoring toward the most highly mineralized parts of the system.

In the Dok and Dok-X areas, an additional gossanous, mineralized trend has been identified that is over 1 kilometre in length. This same trend continues a further kilometre to the Red Creek and Nirvana Bowl areas. These areas have received minimal exploration but contain highly anomalous soil and surface grab samples, including 17.95% copper in a grab sample from the Nirvana Bowl area.

For the upcoming 2022 field season, the following programs are planned for the Dok, Dok-X, Red Creek, and Nirvana Bowl areas.

A more comprehensive hyperspectral survey consisting of sampling outcrop along a systematic grid. The purpose of this survey is to map the hydrothermal alteration of the rocks.

A 3D-Induced Polarization (IP) and Magnetotelluric (MT) Survey which will help identify subsurface resistivity (structure, alteration, and lithology) and chargeability (mineralization) to depth. This geophysical data will be combined with the historic 2012 IP and MT surveys.

Further soil geochemistry, geologic mapping, and prospecting.

The interpretation of the generated data will be used to define drill targets for the latter part of the field season.

For the Yeti area, further mapping, sampling, and prospecting is planned as well as a hyperspectral survey.

In conjunction with the above programs, property wide scale mapping and prospecting will be conducted including visiting the numerous documented MINFILE mineral occurrences on the property.

Several overprinting hydrothermal systems are present on the property, possibly related to multiple mineralizing systems. Multiple phases of mineralization are often associated with large and high-grade deposits

The Mountain Boy team is excited to be working with the GSC and MDRU in applying recent research and sophisticated analytical techniques in concert with a boots-on-the-ground approach to exploration. For more information on the geology and our acquisition terms, please visit our May 10, 2021 news release here: https://mountainboyminerals.ca/news-releases/mountain-boys-new-telegraph-project-holds-potentia-3105/

Vice President, Exploration Lucia Theny commented: "The enormous amount of information already in hand, combined with our new data and interpretations, have been extremely helpful in generating targets for follow-up and drilling this season. We expect major advances toward discovery over the coming field season."

About Mountain Boy Minerals

Mountain Boy has six active projects spanning 604 square kilometres (60,398 hectares) in the prolific Golden Triangle of northern British Columbia.

The American Creek project is centered on the historic Mountain Boy silver mine and is just north of the past producing Red Cliff gold and copper mine (in which the Company holds an interest). The American Creek project is road accessible and 20 km from the deep-water port of Stewart. On the BA property, 182 drill holes have outlined a substantial zone of silver-lead-zinc mineralization located 4 km from the highway. Surprise Creek is interpreted to be hosted by the same prospective stratigraphy as the BA property and hosts multiple occurrences of silver, gold and base metals. On the Theia project, work by Mountain Boy and previous explorers has outlined a silver bearing mineralized trend 500 metres long, highlighted by a 2020 grab sample that returned 39 kg per tonne silver (1,100 ounces per ton). Southmore is located in the midst of some of the largest deposits in the Golden Triangle. It was explored in the 1980s through the early 1990s and was overlooked until Mountain Boy consolidated the property and confirmed the presence of multiple occurrences of gold, copper, lead and zinc. The Telegraph project has a similar geological setting to major gold and copper-gold deposits in the Golden Triangle. The MTB geological team assembled the results of work spanning several decades by more than 50 companies, each working on small target areas.

The technical disclosure in this release has been read and approved by Andrew Wilkins, B.Sc., P.Geo., a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101.

On behalf of the Board of Directors:

Lawrence Roulston

President & CEO

For further information, contact:

Kirsti Mattson

Corporate Communications/Media Relations

(778) 434-2241

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

This news release may contain certain "forward looking statements". Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions 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 statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, 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/122737
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 4, 2022) - Sixth Wave Innovations Inc. (CSE: SIXW) (OTCQB: SIXWF) (FSE: AHUH) ("Sixth Wave" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Ahmad Hussein and Ms. Patricia Steadman to its Advisory Board with an eye toward assisting in creation of strategic relationships, licensing, and possible subsidiaries to increase shareholder value. Over the course of the last year, significant advances in the Company's technology, markets, and commercialization efforts have taken place. With these advancements, the impetus for and ability to accelerate the Company's goals by expanding the advisory capacity and focus of the Advisory Board has grown. With his expertise in the medical field and in micro-biology, his academic and business connectivity within the Nova Scotia and Federal government, and his experience launching renewable biomass projects and developing a strategic metals complex project in the U.S., Dr. Hussein brings many key assets to the Company. Equally, Ms. Steadman brings extensive experience in capital markets, grants, information technology and systems, as well as connectivity to mining and pathogen detection. Ms. Steadman has decades experience as a serial entrepreneur bringing largescale, innovative and transformative platform technologies to new markets. Ms. Steadman has already been contributing significantly to the Company's efforts bringing green ESG solutions to gold and battery metal opportunities in the US and Canada and starting to develop its diagnostic technology for national surveillance in the agricultural space.

The Company further reports that it has granted a total of 1,050,000 options to directors, officers, advisory board members, employees and consultants of the Company. The options are exercisable at $0.15 per share and will expire on May 2, 2027. One third of the options will vest after six months, with an additional third vesting every six months thereafter until fully vested. In addition, the Company has granted a total of 760,000 common shares to directors and officers of the Company under the employee equity participation plan representing significant participation by management and key employees. The plan, which is voluntary, permits employees to receive compensation in the form of common shares of the company in lieu of a portion, or all, of the employee's cash compensation.

About Sixth Wave

Sixth Wave is a nanotechnology company with patented technologies that focus on extraction and detection of target substances at the molecular level using highly specialized molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). The Company is in the process of commercializing its AffinityTM cannabinoid purification system, AMIPS virus/bacteria detection, as well as, IXOS, a line of extraction polymers for the gold mining industry.

Sixth Wave can design, develop and commercialize MIP solutions across a broad spectrum of industries. The company is focused on nanotechnology architectures that are highly relevant for detection and separation of viruses, biogenic amines and other pathogens, for which the Company has products at various stages of development.

For more information about Sixth Wave, please visit: www.sixthwave.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Jon Gluckman"

Jonathan Gluckman, Ph.D., President & CEO

For information, please contact the Company:

Phone: (801) 582-0559

E-mail: [email protected]

Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-lookingstatements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, thataddress future events or developments that the Company expects, are forward-lookingstatements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are notguarantees of future performance, and actual events or developments may differmaterially from those in forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statementsnecessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause theCompany's actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materiallyfrom any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by suchforward-looking statements. In particular, successful development and commercializationof the company's technologies are subject to the risks that the technologies may not proveto be effective, the uncertainty of medical product development, the uncertainty of timingor availability of required regulatory approvals, lack of track record of developing productsfor medical applications and the need for additional capital to carry out productdevelopment activities. The value of any products ultimately developed could benegatively impacted if the patent is not granted. The Company has not yet completed thedevelopment of a prototype for the product that is subject to its patent application and hasnot yet applied for regulatory approval for the use of this product from any regulatoryagency.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122756
FILE PHOTO: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a joint news conference of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow, Russia February 18, 2022. Sputnik/Sergey Guneev/Kremlin via REUTERS

LONDON (Reuters) -The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed speculation that President Vladimir Putin planned to declare war against Ukraine and declare a national mobilisation on May 9 when Russia commemorates the Soviet Union's victory in World War Two.

Putin has so far characterised Russia's actions in Ukraine as a "special military operation", not a war. But Western politicians and some Russia watchers have speculated that he could be preparing for a major announcement next Monday with a range of possible scenarios ranging from an outright declaration of war to a declaration of victory.

Asked about speculation that Putin will declare war against Ukraine on May 9, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "There is no chance of that. It's nonsense."

Peskov also said that people should not listen to speculation that there could be a decision on a national mobilisation.

"It is not true. It is nonsense," Peskov told reporters.

The May 9 Victory Day is one of Russia's most important national events - a remembrance of the enormous Soviet sacrifice made in defeating Nazi Germany in what is known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War.

An estimated 27 million Soviet citizens were killed in the 1941-45 war which left the Soviet Union devastated and almost every Soviet family mourning.

Putin has used previous Victory Day speeches to needle the West and showcase the firepower of Russia's post-Soviet armed forces.

Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands of people, displaced millions more and raised fears of the most serious confrontation between Russia and the United States since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

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.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Mark Trevelyan)
VANCOUVER, BC, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - 1280673 B.C. Ltd. ("SAK1" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has filed its preliminary non-offering prospectus dated May 4, 2022 (the "Prospectus") with the British Columbia Securities Commission (the "BCSC") and the Alberta Securities Commission (the "ASC" and together with the BCSC, the "Commissions").

The Prospectus is filed in accordance with the provisions of the National Instrument 41-101 - General Prospectus Requirements to qualify the distribution of the Company's common shares (the "Common Shares") issuable upon the exercise or deemed exercise of the issued and outstanding special warrants of the Company, in Canada. No securities are being sold pursuant to the Prospectus and no proceeds are being raised concurrent with the filing.

The Prospectus is being filed in connection with the proposed acquisition (the "Acquisition") by the Company of GoGallop Studios Pty Ltd. ("GoGallop"), an Australian-based equestrian game developer. GoGallop will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company following the completion of the Acquisition (the "Resulting Issuer"). In consideration for the Acquisition, the Company will issue Common Shares to the shareholders of GoGallop at an exchange ratio of 1:1. A copy of the Prospectus is available under the Company's SEDAR profile.

For the past few months, GoGallop has been working closely with UpCapital Investment Corp. on a strategic go-public plan. From this collaboration, the Company was then purpose-built to allow GoGallop's continued operations with a high degree of focus on its business while the Company engages in bringing pre-public and post-public capital market support.

Upon the issuance of a receipt for the filing of the Prospectus, the Company intends to apply to list the common shares of the Resulting Issuer on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE" or the "Exchange").

The closing of the Acquisition and the listing is subject to a number of conditions precedent, including (i) completion of due diligence; (ii) the receipt of all requisite regulatory, stock exchange, or governmental authorizations, approvals and consents, including review and approval of the Commissions and the Exchange; and (iii) such other conditions and obligations that are customary for a transaction of this nature.

The anticipated closing date of the Acquisition is Q2 2022, or such other date as otherwise determined by GoGallop and the Company.

About 1280673 B.C. Ltd. (SAK1)

1280673 B.C. Ltd. is a private company incorporated in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Company does not own any assets, other than cash or cash equivalents and its rights under the Definitive Agreement. The Company was formed with the intention to identify and evaluate opportunities for the acquisition of an interest in a suitable business and, once identified and evaluated, to negotiate an acquisition subject to applicable corporate and securities laws, so as to complete a transaction.

About GoGallop Studios Pty Ltd.

GoGallop, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, is a leading game publisher, bringing e-Sports excellence to the global stage. GoGallop's premiere game, "FEI Equestriad World Tour" (FEWT) has garnered over 3.3 million downloads worldwide on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, featuring 15 of the world's top eventing riders and over 45 world-class horses to collect. The officially licensed FEI game is free-to-play. Players can select, care for, train and learn to manage their own stable of three-day eventing champion horses, as well as compete to become a world champion in 5-star licensed events in Badminton, Burghley, Kentucky, Maryland, and Adelaide. Having achieved tremendous download growth in the last year, GoGallop is expecting to continue the momentum with the release of future games. The GoGallop team has collective experience in the gaming industry, business development, international distribution management, programming, and publishing across USA, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions.

https://gogallop.com/

About UpCapital Investments Corp.

UpCapital is a business advisory firm that provides a clear path to the public markets for innovative startups, hypergrowth companies, and enterprises in sectors including cleantech, CPG, an AI. Founder focused and entrepreneur-friendly, UpCapital curates and supports on corporate structure, financial advisory, go-to-market, and exit strategies.

https://www.upcapital.ca

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as, "proposes", "anticipates", "expects", "is expected", "intends", "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements include those relating to the completion of the Acquisition, the listing of the common shares of the Resulting Issuer on the CSE, the final approval of the listing application and the Acquisition by the Commissions and the CSE, the anticipated closing date of the Acquisition, and the release of future games by GoGallop.

Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management in light of management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, including assumptions related to the ability of both companies to successfully complete all the conditions precedent under the share exchange agreement and receiving all necessary regulatory and shareholder approvals (as necessary). Actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from that expressed in, or implied by, any forward-looking statements in this press release, and, accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, and they are not guarantees of future results. Neither the Company nor GoGallop can give any assurances that its listing application will be successful or that, if it is successful, that any material increase in liquidity will result. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual future results or anticipated events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include: general market and economic risks, management of GoGallop executing its business strategy, the receipt of all necessary approvals, and no unexpected changes in the regulatory environment in which GoGallop operates in. Except as required by law, neither the Company nor GoGallop undertakes any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

No securities regulator or exchange has reviewed, approved, disapproved, or accepts responsibility for the content of this news release.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/1280673-bc-ltd-files-preliminary-non-offering-prospectus-and-anticipates-listing-on-the-canadian-securities-exchange-301539829.html

SOURCE UpCapital Investments Corp.
Nearly 500 Aspen Dental Offices to Open their Doors for 8th Annual Day of Service

CHICAGO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aspen Dental today announced its annual Day of Service event  which provides free care to military veterans across the country  will be held on Saturday, June 11. Now in its eighth year, nearly 500 Aspen Dental locations will open their doors on the company's annual Day of Service to provide much-needed dental care for United States military veterans at no cost to honor their service.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9047651-aspen-dental-day-of-service-free-care-veterans-june-11/

"At Aspen Dental, we're committed to breaking down barriers to care  especially when it comes to our nation's veterans, who have given so much to all of us," said Arwinder Judge, DDS, chief clinical officer at Aspen Dental. "Day of Service is a powerful opportunity for Aspen Dental care teams across the entire country to make a difference in the lives of veterans and connect them with the care they often desperately need."

Since 2014, doctors and their dental care teams from Aspen Dental offices across the country have donated more than $23 million in dentistry services to more than 30,000 United States military veterans and people in need through the company's Healthy Mouth Movement.

Millions of Americans struggle to access dental care every year, and military veterans are no exception  in fact, veterans are ineligible for dental benefits through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs unless they're 100% disabled, have a service-related mouth injury, or were a prisoner of war. Many Americans have experienced additional oral care challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as dentists report increasing amounts of teeth-grinding, cavities and gum disease, largely attributed to pandemic-related stress and changes in health habits.

How Veterans Can Schedule an AppointmentStarting today, veterans can call 1-844-277-3646 (1-844-ASPENHMM) to find a participating Aspen Dental office in their community and schedule an appointment. Advance appointments are required.

During the Day of Service, Aspen Dental doctors and their dental care teams focus on treating the most urgent dental needs to help get veterans out of pain, from fillings and extractions to hygiene and basic denture repairs.

For more information about Day of Service and the Healthy Mouth Movement, visit www.HealthyMouthMovement.com.

About Aspen Dental

Aspen Dental was founded in 1998 in New York by Bob Fontana with a simple goal in mind: to break down the barriers that doctors and patients face when it comes to dental care. Today, more than 20 years later, with nearly 1,000 Aspen Dental locations nationwide, the mission of the company remains the same  to bring better care to more people. Aspen Dental is the largest group of branded dental offices in the world. For more information, visit aspendental.com, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

About TAG - The Aspen Group

TAG  The Aspen Group was built on the simple idea of bringing better health care to more people. TAG and the independent health care practices it supports operate more than 1,100 locations in 45 states through its four health care support companies: Aspen Dental, ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers, WellNow Urgent Care and Chapter Aesthetic StudioSM. Combined, the companies serve more than 35,000 patients a day and more than 8 million patients each year. TAG is headquartered at 800 W. Fulton Market in Chicago. For more information, visit teamtag.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aspen-dental-to-provide-free-dental-care-to-military-veterans-nationwide-on-saturday-june-11-301540160.html

SOURCE Aspen Dental
CHICAGO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlas Tube, a division of Zekelman Industries, has opened their newest steel mill in Blytheville, Arkansas. Their second in Blytheville, the new facility will be dedicated to producing Jumbo Hollow Structural Sections (HSS) as large as 28" OD with walls up to 1" thick. The $150 million project is the largest private investment in the U.S. steel industry in the last decade.

"Thanks to companies like Atlas Tube, Mississippi County continues to lead the country as a premier steel producer," Governor Asa Hutchinson said. "Their $150 million will go a long way to improving the quality of life for Arkansans not only in Blytheville, but also the surrounding areas. We are thrilled to celebrate with Atlas Tube today and look forward to many great things ahead."

Atlas Tube recently hosted a grand opening event to celebrate the new mill alongside members of the community. Attendees at the event were given an opportunity to tour the facility and hear from Barry Zekelman, executive chairman and CEO of Zekelman Industries; Mike Preston, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Commerce; and Clif Chitwood, president of the Great River Economic Development Foundation. The new mill is expected to create over 75 new jobs in the community.

"It is a great day in Blytheville," Secretary Preston said. "Two years ago, we were excited to announce that Atlas Tube would build the world's largest continuous ERW tube mill in Blytheville. Today, we celebrate the fruition of our efforts as we celebrate the grand opening of the company's newest mill. We are ready to see what exciting things will come to Mississippi County as a result of this project."

"We're very happy over Atlas Tube's grand opening," Chitwood said. "They have been a good company for Mississippi County. The fact that two years ago, Mr. Zekelman decided to double the mill's capacity was a real win for Mississippi County, and we wish them all success as they continue forward."

About Zekelman IndustriesZekelman Industries includes the operating divisions of Atlas Tube, Picoma, Sharon Tube, Wheatland Tube, Western Tube and Z Modular. It is the largest independent manufacturer of hollow structural sections (HSS) and steel pipe, and the top producer of electrical conduit and elbows, couplings and nipples in North America. Zekelman Industries delivers a broad range of pipe and tube solutions that build its customers' success.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/atlas-tube-opens-the-doors-to-the-worlds-largest-erw-mill-in-blytheville-arkansas-301539862.html

SOURCE Zekelman Industries
The BioSystics-AP captures, analyzes, computationally models and shares data, while developing new knowledge from patient-derived experimental and in vitro model data as a major step to accelerate the path to Patient Digital Twins for precision medicine.

PITTSBURGH , May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BioSystics, Inc. , a recent spin-off from the University of Pittsburgh (UPitt), has been developing the Microphysiology Systems Database, the core of the BioSystics Analytics Platform (BioSystics-AP), with funding over the last ten years from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). BioSystics obtained an exclusive license from UPitt and is offering versions of the newly branded BioSystics-AP online to non-profits and on-site to for-profit customers. An early focus of the company is the workflow from early drug discovery and development through "preclinical trials" using data generated from a broad range of advanced in vitro models. In particular, BioSystics is using patient-derived human organoid microphysiology systems (MPS) and stem cell 3D layered/bioprinted MPS that recapitulate the heterogeneity of patient diseases in different organs. The human MPS organ models can be investigated separately, or as fluidically-coupled organ subsystems, to study mechanisms of disease progression and response to therapeutic treatments. Furthermore, the safety of various therapeutics can be tested in these patient-derived MPS models before being given to the patients. Data from the patient-specific MPS can be integrated with that patient's clinical data. The goal is to create Patient Digital Twins for precision medicine that can predict what therapeutic treatments would be best for each patient and can be used to optimally recruit the best clinical trial patient cohorts for a particular drug candidate.

BioSystics, Inc., whose mission is to accelerate the path to Patient Digital Twins, is planning a Series A financing round.

Mark E. Schurdak, President of BioSystics, stated "Animal models of disease and safety are often not concordant with humans. BioSystics believes that the use of data from patient-derived, in vitro physiological models and other patient-centric data will increase the success rate in getting drugs to market and selecting therapies by providing customers with patient-relevant knowledge for making decisions".

Digital Twins have been routinely used in aeronautics and other industrial applications for many years to decrease costs and bring safe products to market more efficiently. A Patient Digital Twin is simply a computational model, or set of models, that can be used to simulate the response of a patient, for example, to predict how a particular person's liver responds to a drug or to predict the outcome of an individual in a clinical trial.

BioSystics' founders have leveraged their expertise and experience in quantitative systems pharmacology, drug discovery and development, toxicology, and bioinformatics to create the BioSystics-AP. BioSystics-AP's aggregated data set includes public domain data, patient data, and data from patient-derived in vitro physiological systems and animal models. Users can augment these data with private data to use the existing BioSystics' models or port their own computational models to the platform to predict physiological responses to a drug, drug combinations and ultimately the response of a patient in a clinical trial. "We believe the BioSystics Analytics Platform will accelerate the path to Patient Digital Twins in the pharmaceutical and health care industries", stated Mark Schurdak.

About BioSystics:

BioSystics, Inc. (http://biosystics.com) is an analytics company whose mission is to transform the rapidly evolving field of human in vitro experimental models of disease and ADME/Tox by providing a comprehensive computational and systems biology analytics platform. The vision is to evolve the BioSystics-AP to accelerate the path to Patient Digital Twins. BioSystics, Inc. is presently planning a Series A financing round.

Contact: [email protected]

www.biosystics.com/

www.linkedin.com/company/biosystics/about/

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SOURCE BioSystics, Inc.
Even the most ardent supporters of the legalization of recreational marijuana must admit that New York States implementation of 2021s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) is full of red flags. There is perhaps no greater evidence of that than the states dramatically lowered revenue projections in this years budget.

When the MRTA passed last March, it was sold to New Yorkers as an economic engine that would generate north of $300 million per year in tax revenue. That number quietly dropped more than 80% to $56 million in this years budget.

This fiasco was predictable if New York had bothered to learn from other states experience with legal marijuana. In California, high marijuana taxes and ill-advised regulations created an illicit market that is twice the size of the legal market, threatening the collapse of the legal market.

The same scenario is playing out in New York. On day one, the law signed by then-governor Andrew Cuomo decriminalized the possession of marijuana two years before the start of legal sales. Almost overnight, retail pot operations sprang up across the state.

In New York City, there are storefront dispensaries and mobile pop-up shops. Marijuana-delivery services offer discounts to new customers. Sticker shops and other retail enterprises are gifting marijuana to patrons while dispensaries on sovereign Native American territories draw a steady stream of cars.

The New York Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), charged with creating a legal marijuana market, has been slow to act. OCMs leadership spends a lot of time on social justice posturing while the black market thrives. Stakeholders anxious to start legal operations are rightfully frustrated. Marijuana sales are booming, yet New Yorks coffers have not received a single dollar.

With a laser focus on claiming the title of most progressive, the drafters of New Yorks legal marijuana law turned a blind eye to public safety. New York is the only state that allows consumption virtually anywhere. The only restriction is marijuana cannot be smoked where tobacco smoking is banned. There are no restrictions on edibles. In New Jersey, you cannot use marijuana in any form in a car, even if youre a passenger. New York lacks such common sense, public-safety minded restrictions.

As weve seen with other flawed policies, the Democratic majorities in the Senate and Assembly relied heavily on radical-activist input to draft the MRTA and failed to fully capitalize on the lessons learned by other states. Much like with bail reform, pragmatic strategies aimed at building a responsible, workable and sustainable system are missing from this effort. Law-abiding New Yorkers will be the ones that pay the price.

Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, represents New Yorks 57th Senate District.
LIMA, Peru, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cementos Pacasmayo S.A.A. and subsidiaries (NYSE: CPAC; BVL: CPACASC1) ("the Company" or "Pacasmayo") a leading cement company serving the Peruvian construction industry, will host an Analyst and Investor Day ("Pacasmayo Day") on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at the NYSE in New York, NY.

This event will be held for equity analysts and institutional investors and will feature presentations by Humberto Nadal del Carpio, Chief Executive Officer, Manuel Ferreyros Pena, Chief Financial Officer, and other members of the Company's leadership team.

In-person registration and breakfast is scheduled to begin on June 29 at 9:00 a.m. ET and presentations will begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by a question and answer session. In-person attendance is by invitation only.

Pre-registration is required; to register please email your name, title and company affiliation to Cinthya Werner at [email protected]. Confirmation and additional event details will be provided to those who register.

About Cementos Pacasmayo S.A.A.

Cementos Pacasmayo S.A.A. is a cement company, located in the Northern region of Peru. In February 2012, the Company's shares were listed on The New York Stock Exchange - Euronext under the ticker symbol "CPAC". With more than 60 years of operating history, the Company produces, distributes and sells cement and cement-related materials, such ready-mix concrete and precast materials. Pacasmayo's products are primarily used in construction, which has been one of the fastest-growing segments of the Peruvian economy in recent years. The Company also produces and sells quicklime for use in mining operations.

For more information, please visit: http://www.cementospacasmayo.com.pe/

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cementos-pacasmayo-saa-to-host-investor-day-on-june-29-2022-in-new-york-301540063.html

SOURCE Cementos Pacasmayo S.A.A.
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- From Alaska to Wyoming, College Consensus, a unique college ratings website that aggregates publisher rankings and student reviews, has published its ranking of the Best Online & Traditional Colleges in Every State for 2022.

73% of college students at all education levels attend public institutions, typically in their home state.

73% of college students at all education levels attend public institutions, typically in their home state. For many, in-state public colleges mean lower costs and less travel, making them an enticing option for budget-conscious students who want to stay close to home.

"Location and proximity to home are traditionally some of the most important college decision factors for prospective students," says College Consensus founder Jeremy Alder. "Even online students prefer to go to in-state colleges."

To determine the Best Colleges in Every U.S. State, College Consensus began with a list of colleges in each state, then combined the results of the most respected college ranking systems with the averaged ratings of thousands of real student reviews from around the web to present a comprehensive picture of the American college landscapestate by state.

California and Texas are each home to over 1 million college studentsthe highest concentrations of college students in the U.S.and boast resident enrollment rates up to 93%.

The 5 Best Colleges in California are:

Stanford University Pomona College University of California-Los Angeles University of California-Berkeley California Institute of Technology

View the best online colleges in California here.

The 5 Best Colleges in Texas are:

Rice University University of Texas at Austin Texas A&M University-College Station Trinity University University of Dallas

View the best online colleges in Texas here.

Visit the directory to view the full ranking of traditional and online colleges for each state.

"Students looking to attend an in-state collegeand want the best of the bestshould start their research at this list," continues Jeremy Alder.

In addition to offering an innovative approach to college and graduate school rankings, College Consensus also offers expert advice and guidance on all aspects of college life, from finding the perfect college, to getting accepted, paying for it, applying to and attending graduate school, and finding a professional path after graduation.

For information on leveraging this award, winners may contact College Consensus' licensing partner, Wright's Media, at [email protected].

Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

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SOURCE College Consensus
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eileen Drake (the CEO of Aerojet Rocketdyne (NYSE: AJRD)) and Gen. Kevin Chilton (Ret.), Thomas Corcoran and Gen. Lance Lord (Ret.) (three of its Independent Directors) today issued the following statement:

"We are pleased that Executive Chairman Warren Lichtenstein has finally reversed course and conceded the need to release the results of the internal investigation into his misconduct and violations of company policy and Code of Conduct. It is unfortunate for stockholders that it took three months of lobbying on our part and a hearing before the Delaware Court of Chancery for him to accede to stockholders' demands for transparency. We look forward to this important information being made available to stockholders."

Shareholders with questions can contact our solicitor: D.F. King & Co., (212) 269-5550 (collect) or via e-mail at [email protected].

Important InformationThis communication is being sent in our individual capacity, and not on or behalf of Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc (the "Company"). No Company resources were used in connection with these materials. On June 3, 2022, Eileen P. Drake, General Kevin Chilton, USAF (Ret.), General Lance Lord, USAF (Ret.) and Thomas Corcoran (the "Incumbent Directors") filed a definitive solicitation statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") in connection with the solicitation of agent designations to call a special meeting of stockholders of the Company (the "Solicitation Statement").

STOCKHOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO READ THE SOLICITATION STATEMENT BECAUSE IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Stockholders may obtain a free copy of the Solicitation Statement, any amendments or supplements to the Solicitation Statement and other documents that the Incumbent Directors file with the SEC from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. The Incumbent Directors, together with Gail Baker, Marion Blakey, Charles Bolden and Deborah Lee James, may be deemed participants in the solicitation of agent designations from stockholders. Information about the participants is set forth in the Solicitation Statement, which is available for free at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

Contact:D.F. King & Co., Inc.Edward T. McCarthy / Tom Germinario[email protected]

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/committee-for-aerojet-rocketdyne-shareholders-and-value-maximization-welcomes-chairman-lichtensteins-about-face-and-belated-concession-to-publicly-release-results-of-internal-investigation-into-his-misconduct-301539991.html

SOURCE Committee for Aerojet Rocketdyne Shareholders and Value Maximization
TORONTO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison" or the "Company") (TSX: DML) (NYSE American: DNN) is pleased to report that the nominees listed in the management proxy circular dated March 23, 2022 (the "Circular") for the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held in Toronto today (the "Meeting ") were elected as directors of the Company. View PDF

The Company is also pleased to report that all other items of business presented to its shareholders at the Meeting, as more particularly described in the Circular, were approved.

Detailed results of the vote by proxy for the election of directors are set out below.

Nominee Votes For % For Votes Withheld % Withheld David D. Cates 287,858,710 98.33 4,902,488 1.67 Brian D. Edgar 285,402,715 97.49 7,358,483 2.51 Ron F. Hochstein 214,886,081 73.40 77,875,117 26.60 Yun Chang Jeong 289,706,277 98.96 3,054,921 1.04 David Neuburger 290,406,734 99.20 2,354,464 0.80 Laurie Sterritt 290,203,425 99.13 2,557,773 0.87 Jennifer Traub 289,467,949 98.88 3,293,249 1.12 Patricia M. Volker 290,167,763 99.11 2,593,435 0.89

The Board of Directors (the "Board"), on recommendation of the Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee (after detailed review), approved the individuals nominated to shareholders for election to serve as directors of the Board and is confident of their suitability to serve on the Board and its Committees. The Company was advised that proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS") recommended a "withhold" vote against Mr. Hochstein, which is believed to have impacted the voting results at the Meeting. According to their reporting, ISS has taken the position that Mr. Hochstein is not independent due to his prior role as CEO of the Company 7 years ago. Mr. Hochstein has served as President and CEO of Lundin Gold Inc. since 2014, resigning as CEO of the Company in March 2015. It is the position of the Board that Mr. Hochstein's prior executive positions with Denison do not interfere with his ability to exercise independent judgment as a member of Denison's Board and that Mr. Hochstein is a highly valued member of the Board, providing the Company with the benefit of his many years of experience in governance and mining (including uranium exploration and mining operations).

The Company has provided more details on the results of all matters considered at the Meeting in its Report of Voting Results which has been filed under its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and will be filed on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar.

About Denison

Denison is a uranium exploration and development company with interests focused in the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. The Company has an effective 95% interest in its flagship Wheeler River Uranium Project, which is the largest undeveloped uranium project in the infrastructure rich eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan. Denison's interests in Saskatchewan also include a 22.5% ownership interest in the McClean Lake joint venture, which includes several uranium deposits and the McClean Lake uranium mill that is contracted to process the ore from the Cigar Lake mine under a toll milling agreement, plus a 25.17% interest in the Midwest Main and Midwest A deposits, and a 66.90% interest in the Tthe Heldeth Tue ("THT," formerly J Zone) and Huskie deposits on the Waterbury Lake property. Each of Midwest Main, Midwest A, THT and Huskie are located within 20 kilometres of the McClean Lake mill.

Through its 50% ownership of JCU (Canada) Exploration Company, Limited ("JCU"), Denison holds additional interests in various uranium project joint ventures in Canada, including the Millennium project (JCU 30.099%), the Kiggavik project (JCU 33.8123%) and Christie Lake (JCU 34.4508%). Denison's exploration portfolio includes further interests in properties covering ~297,000 hectares in the Athabasca Basin region.

Denison is also engaged in post-closure mine care and maintenance services through its Closed Mines group (formerly Denison Environmental Services), which manages Denison's reclaimed mine sites in the Elliot Lake region and provides related services to certain third-party projects.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARDLOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain information contained in this news release constitutes 'forward-looking information', within the meaning of the applicable United States and Canadian legislation concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Denison. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'plans', 'expects', 'budget', 'scheduled', 'estimates', 'forecasts', 'intends', 'anticipates', or 'believes', or the negatives and/or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results 'may', 'could', 'would', 'might' or 'will be taken', 'occur', 'be achieved' or 'has the potential to'.

In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the following: the composition of the Denison Board; expectations regarding Denison's joint venture ownership interests and the continuity of its agreements with third parties.

Forward looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Denison to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Denison believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be accurate and results may differ materially from those anticipated in this forward looking information. For a discussion in respect of risks and other factors that could influence forward-looking events, please refer to the factors discussed in Denison's Annual Information Form dated March 25, 2022 under the heading 'Risk Factors'. These factors are not, and should not be construed as being, exhaustive.

Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking information and the assumptions made with respect thereto speaks only as of the date of this news release. Denison does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this news release to conform such information to actual results or to changes in Denison's expectations except as otherwise required by applicable legislation.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/denison-announces-results-of-shareholder-meeting-301539962.html

SOURCE Denison Mines Corp.
MELBOURNE, Australia and INDIANAPOLIS, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: TLX, Telix, the Company) today announces that a first patient has been dosed in the 'STARLITE 2' Phase II study of the Company's investigational renal cancer therapy, TLX250 (177Lu-DOTA-girentuximab), at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York.

STARLITE 2 (NCT05239533) will assess the efficacy of TLX250 targeted radiation in combination with immunotherapy for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common and aggressive form of kidney cancer. TLX250 targets carbonic anhydrase IX (CA9),[1] a protein that is highly expressed in patients that are likely to demonstrate a more limited response to cancer immunotherapy.[2] The concept is that low doses of targeted radiation can potentially overcome immune resistance  or "immune prime" a tumour and therefore make it more responsive to cancer immunotherapy.

This Phase II study, in patients who have progressed following prior immunotherapy, will evaluate TLX250-delivered radiation in combination with the anti-PD-1[3] immunotherapy Opdivo[4] (nivolumab). The primary endpoint is to determine the safety and efficacy of combination therapy with TLX250 as assessed by the tumours responding to the Telix therapy versus the current standard of care alone. Telix's investigational companion imaging agent TLX250-CDx (89Zr-DFO-girentuximab) will also be used in the study to image CA9 expression. The single-arm investigator-led study is expected to enrol approximately 30 patients.

Telix Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Colin Hayward noted, "The integration of precision nuclear medicine and medical oncology is underway and Telix is at the forefront of this movement to develop personalised products and patient-friendly regimens. We wish to express our gratitude to Dr. Darren Feldman and his clinical team, as well as the patients who will contribute to this ground-breaking study."

Disclosure: MSK has institutional financial interests related to Telix.

About TLX250

TLX250 (177Lu-DOTA-girentuximab) is an antibody-based therapeutic platform that targets carbonic anhydrase IX (CA9), a cell surface protein that is highly expressed in several human cancers including ccRCC. High CA9 tumour expression is generally correlated with poor prognosis. Telix's companion investigational diagnostic imaging agent TLX250-CDx (89Zr-DFO-girentuximab) is currently the subject of a global Phase III trial (ZIRCON trial, NCT03849118).

About Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited

Telix is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialisation of diagnostic and therapeutic products using Molecularly Targeted Radiation (MTR). Telix is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia with international operations in Belgium, Japan, Switzerland, and the United States. Telix is developing a portfolio of clinical-stage products that address significant unmet medical need in oncology and rare diseases. Telix is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: TLX). For more information visit www.telixpharma.com and follow Telix on Twitter (@TelixPharma) and LinkedIn.

Telix's lead product, gallium-68 (68Ga) gozetotide (also known as 68Ga PSMA-11) injection, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA),[5] and by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).[6] Telix is also progressing marketing authorisation applications for this investigational candidate in Europe[7] and Canada.[8]

Telix Investor Relations

Ms. Kyahn WilliamsonTelix Pharmaceuticals LimitedSVP Corporate Communications and Investor RelationsEmail: [email protected]

This announcement has been authorised for release by Dr. Christian Behrenbruch, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer.

Legal Notices

This announcement may include forward-looking statements that relate to anticipated future events, financial performance, plans, strategies or business developments. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as "may", "expect", "intend", "plan", "estimate", "anticipate", "outlook", "forecast" and "guidance", or other similar words. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company's good-faith assumptions as to the financial, market, regulatory and other considerations that exist and affect the Company's business and operations in the future and there can be no assurance that any of the assumptions will prove to be correct. In the context of Telix's business, forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about: the initiation, timing, progress and results of Telix's preclinical and clinical studies, and Telix's research and development programs; Telix's ability to advance product candidates into, enrol and successfully complete, clinical studies, including multi-national clinical trials; the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, manufacturing activities and product marketing activities; the commercialisation of Telix's product candidates, if or when they have been approved; estimates of Telix's expenses, future revenues and capital requirements; Telix's financial performance; developments relating to Telix's competitors and industry; and the pricing and reimbursement of Telix's product candidates, if and after they have been approved. Telix's actual results, performance or achievements may be materially different from those which may be expressed or implied by such statements, and the differences may be adverse. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Telix disclaims any obligation or undertaking to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or a change in expectations or assumptions.

The Telix Pharmaceuticals name and logo are trademarks of Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited and its affiliates (all rights reserved).

[1] Carbonic anhydrase IX. [2] Giatromanolaki et al. British Journal of Cancer. 2020. [3] Programmed cell death protein 1. [4] Opdivo is a registered trade mark of Bristol Myers Squibb. [5] ASX disclosure 20 December 2021. [6] ASX disclosure 2 November 2021. [7] ASX disclosure 10 December 2021. [8] ASX disclosure 16 December 2020.

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SOURCE Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited
NEW YORK and TORONTO, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc. ("iAnthus" or the "Company") (CSE: IAN) (OTCPK: ITHUF), which owns, operates and partners with regulated cannabis operations across the United States, announces that iAnthus co-founder Randy Maslow will resign from his executive positions with the Company, including all positions with the Company's subsidiaries and its affiliates, and from the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board") and committees, effective as of May 6, 2022, if not otherwise rescinded in accordance with applicable law (the "Resignation Date").

"Randy Maslow has been a pioneer in the development of the regulated cannabis industry in the United States for nearly a decade and was instrumental in building iAnthus into a publicly traded multi-state operator with more than 1000 employees and a platform across 10 U.S. states," said Chief Financial Officer Julius Kalcevich.

Mr. Maslow co-founded iAnthus in 2014 and served as its President and as a member of the Board, with primary responsibility for legal, regulatory and public policy affairs since the Company's inception. Mr. Maslow was additionally named the Company's Interim Chief Executive Officer on April 27, 2020 and served in that role for the past two years.

"Randy Maslow agreed to serve as the Company's Interim Chief Executive Officer at a difficult time in the Company's history and led iAnthus through a restructuring of the business. It has been a pleasure to serve with Mr. Maslow on the Board and we want to thank him for his leadership and contributions to iAnthus since its beginning," said independent directors Michael Muldowney and Diane Ellis.

Mr. Maslow will continue to serve the Company in a consulting role for a period of six months following the Resignation Date. All terms of Mr. Maslow's separation were considered and approved by the Board and the Board determined that such terms comply with applicable laws, including laws applicable to related party transactions, and details of Mr. Maslow's separation agreement will be disclosed in accordance with applicable law. iAnthus has initiated a search to identify a successor Chief Executive Officer and, on or before the Resignation Date, the Company intends to announce additional updates, including with respect to a replacement Interim Chief Executive Officer and a replacement director.

About iAnthus

iAnthus owns and operates licensed cannabis cultivation, processing and dispensary facilities throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.iAnthus.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this news release contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of management, are not guarantees of performance and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. These forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various important factors, including those set forth in Company's reports that it files from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and the Canadian securities regulators, which you should review including, but not limited to, the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. When used in this news release, words such as "will", "could", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "potential" "believe", "should" and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements relating to the Company's financial performance, business development and results of operations, and changes to the composition of the Company's Board and its management.

These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as predictions of future events, and the Company cannot assure you that the events or circumstances discussed or reflected in these statements will be achieved or will occur. If such forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. You should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by the Company or any other person that it will achieve its objectives and plans in any specified timeframe, or at all. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor The Securities Exchange Commission have reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ianthus-announces-resignation-of-co-founder-randy-maslow-301540140.html

SOURCE iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc.
The new offering provides companies security benefits and autonomy over data residency

SAN FRANCISCO , May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Intercom, the Engagement OS, has launched local data hosting in Australia to give businesses the ability to process customer data locally when using Intercom's platform. The launch meets industry needs for secure data residency and adheres to Australian Privacy Principles (APP).

Headquartered in San Francisco, Intercom enables businesses to communicate with customers more effectively through its customer communications platform. Businesses can use Intercom to deliver in-context and personalised experiences at any scale by powering customer engagement with live, first-party data throughout the entire customer journey.

Intercom has expanded its presence in Australia since 2019. The Sydney office now consists of more than 30 customer-facing sales, success, support and marketing team members, as well as partner and operations functions. Locally, the company counts Atlassian, Appliances Online and Sidekicker as customers, among others. As Intercom looks to further expand its APAC footprint to meet growing customer demand, local data hosting will also provide a faster experience for customers.

"We have many customers in Australia and know that regional data hosting is something that companies are now seeking," said Karen Peacock, CEO of Intercom. "We are dedicated to helping customers across the region and this launch is part of our commitment and ongoing investment to ensure our customers can engage with and connect to their customers safely and securely."

The launch follows the announcement of Intercom's European Data Hosting last year. The company now provides customers a global data residency offering that meets growing requirements for data processing across geographies. Intercom is also continuing to invest in its platform to meet the needs of growing businesses and enterprises, with world-class privacy and security compliance and industry certifications including HIPAA and SOC 2.

"We have very intentionally invested in a strong security and compliance posture, so companies all over the world and of all sizes can use the Intercom platform with confidence," said Darragh Curran, Chief Technology Officer at Intercom. "We're committed to making sure our customers can concentrate on what's most important to themleveraging Intercom to grow their business and build relationships with their customerswhile we ensure their most important data is hosted within a desired jurisdiction."

Intercom has more than 900 employees across its Sydney, San Francisco, Chicago, Dublin and London offices. Over 25,000 global customers use Intercom's Engagement OS to drive ongoing customer engagement and business growth at scale.

For more information, visit www.intercom.com.

About Intercom Intercom, the Engagement OS, enables businesses to build stronger customer relationships that drive growth and scale. With its all-in-one customer communications platform, Intercom offers next-generation solutions for sales, marketing and support teams to work together to convert prospects into paying customers, engage customers throughout their journey and provide world-class support.

Intercom is redefining the customer journey and unifying business silos to deliver ongoing, personalised engagement through in-context communications. More than 25,000 global organisations, including Atlassian, Amazon and Lyft Business, rely on Intercom to deliver unparalleled user experiences at any scale. Intercom's platform is used to send over 500 million messages per month and enables interactions with over 600 million monthly active end users.

Founded in 2011 and backed by leading venture capitalists, including Kleiner Perkins, Bessemer Venture Partners and Social Capital, Intercom is on a mission to make internet business personal.

Contacts Cameron Donovan, The Ink Bureau[email protected]

Christine Curtin, Intercom [email protected]

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SOURCE Intercom, Inc.
WASHINGTON, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will hold a media teleconference at 3:30 p.m. EDT Thursday, May 5, to discuss the status of the next wet dress rehearsal test of the agency's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The teleconference will stream live on the agency's website.

The agency plans to conduct another attempt of the wet dress rehearsal in early June to demonstrate the ability to load propellant into the tanks and conduct a full launch countdown ahead of the Artemis I launch this summer.

Teleconference participants include:

Jim Free, associate administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington

Cliff Lanham, senior vehicle operations manager, NASA Exploration Ground Systems Program, NASA Kennedy

To participate by telephone, media must RSVP no later than two hours prior to the start of the event to: [email protected].

NASA's SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft arrived back at Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building April 26 after a 10-hour journey from launch pad 39B. Since their arrival, teams have worked to replace a faulty upper stage check valve and repair a small leak within the tail service mast umbilical ground plate housing. The teams also have been performing additional checkouts while the spaceport's supplier of gaseous nitrogen makes upgrades to their pipeline configuration to support Artemis I activities.

Through Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone to send astronauts to Mars.

For updates, follow along on NASA's Artemis blog at:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis

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SOURCE NASA
53,000 schools worldwide to participate in Sora Sweet Reads reading program with free digital books to avoid the "summer slide"

CLEVELAND, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As schools seek innovative new strategies to increase reading and learning, teachers are using digital tools inside and outside the classroom. In response, OverDrive Education is offering the most expansive Sora Sweet Reads summer reading program yet, May 4August 17. In its ninth year, this free program is designed to help educators and students beat the "summer slide" with popular digital reading materials through the award-winning Sora student reading app. Currently, over 53,000 schools around the world are opting into the program.

Sora Sweet Reads provides free access to a variety of popular digital books during the next 100+ days to encourage student reading during the rest of the school year and summer break. From May 4 through August 17, students from participating schools worldwide can enjoy free, 24/7 access through the Sora reading app to 50 juvenile and young adult ebooks, audiobooks and Read-Alongs from their school, the largest amount ever offered through the program. The Sora Sweet Reads titles are provided by 21 publishers and divided into elementary, middle and high school sections. Ebook titles include 10 Blind Dates, Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, Ironheart, and Ark Angel. Audiobook titles include Flannery and Game Changer. See the full list.

"When our students began using Sora last spring, they were excited to check out ebooks and we wondered whether that excitement would carry over into the summer months," said Alexandra Brown, Educational Technology Specialist at National Heritage Academies in Michigan. "When we participated in Sora Sweet Reads our students were so enthusiastic about the selection of books that our checkouts surpassed all our expectations. Sora Sweet Reads gave our students access to 'always available' books ensuring there was no waiting list and students could read favorites at the same time as their friends."

Educators and students can also leverage valuable elementary, middle and high school resources for Sora Sweet Reads titles from TeachingBooks.net, the leading K-12 reading resources site. TeachingBooks, which features lessons, book guides and activities, was acquired by OverDrive in 2021.

If your school offers access to Sora, find your digital collection at https://soraapp.com. If not, schools can sign up before June 17 to gain access to the Sora Sweet Reads collection as well as a wide range of other no-cost books.

Since its creation in 2014, Sora Sweet Reads has proven to be a highly successful, global program in encouraging students to read. During the 2021 program, nearly 45,000 schools participated, a 59 percent increase from 2020's program. Student checkouts reached a record-high one million (+92 percent year-over-year) and the number of students that read at least one of the program's titles doubled from the previous year. Most importantly, Sora has provided ongoing access to additional reading materials from the school's digital collection. During 2021's program, students read more than six million titles from their school's collection beyond the Sora Sweet Reads digital books.

Students of schools that use Sora can download the app for free from any app store or use in web browsers at https://soraapp.com. Students can then borrow from the school's digital collection and read on all major eReading devices, computers, tablets and smartphones with a valid student ID.

For more information on the Sora Sweet Reads program, visit https://resources.overdrive.com/sora-sweet-reads/.

Educators can learn more about how Sora ensures each student has access to the right books at https://discoversora.com.

About OverDrive Education  a division of OverDriveOverDrive Education, a division of OverDrive, offers the industry's largest catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, digital magazines and other content for over 53,000 K-12 schools and millions of students worldwide. The company's student reading app, Sora, provides every student with access to the right books. Supporting the need to read required curriculum titles, class sets and pleasure reading digital books, Sora's powerful learning tools and insights help meet the needs of students and educators. Sora was named one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2019. Acquired in 2021, TeachingBooks.net complements Sora with one of the largest catalogs of original and curated literary resources. Founded in 1986, OverDrive  the leading digital reading platform for libraries  and OverDrive Education are based in Cleveland, Ohio USA. www.overdrive.com/schools

Contact:David BurleighDirector of Brand Marketing & Communications[email protected]

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SOURCE OverDrive Education
LAKE FOREST, Calif., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Quantum Fuel Systems (Quantum), a fully integrated alternative energy company, has been selected by Certarus Ltd. ("Certarus") to deliver industry leading virtual pipeline trailers for natural gas with a total value of approximately $22 million (USD). The trailers will be delivered in Q3 and Q4, 2022.

Quantum has been selected by Certarus to deliver industry leading virtual pipeline trailers for natural gas.

Certarus has again ordered Quantum's VPLite45/40' trailers, which have a gaseous capacity of approximately 472,000 standard cubic feet and weigh less than 59,000 pounds fully loaded. The VPLite45/40' is certified for use in the U.S. and Canada and is the industry-leading choice for customers who need a smaller, lighter trailer that can be more easily maneuvered in tight areas while still hauling the most gas in the industry in a 40-foot container.

"Quantum has been a partner with Certarus since 2017, and we are excited to continually expand this partnership, be an integral part of their growth and supply additional trailers in 2022 to Certarus to support their mobile, low carbon energy distribution fleet," said Mark Arold, President, Quantum Fuel Systems LLC.

"Certarus is growing rapidly to meet the increasing need for safe, reliable, and mobile energy solutions. Our ongoing partnership with Quantum has helped us to build the largest fleet in North America that can deliver compressed natural gas, renewable natural gas, and hydrogen directly where it is needed. These additional Quantum VPLite45/40' trailers will increase the capacity of our network to ensure that our industrial and utility customers receive a secure supply of low carbon energy they can count on," said Curtis Philippon, President & CEO of Certarus.

About Quantum Fuel Systems LLCQuantum Fuel Systems LLC is engineering the future of alternative fuel storage by designing, developing and bringing innovative transport trailers, and industry-leading Type 4 cylinders for hydrogen, CNG and RNG to market. Quantum is at the forefront of the industry with decades of experience in gaseous fuel storage and systems solutions. Learn more at www.qtww.com

About CERTARUS Certarus is the North American leader in providing on-road low carbon energy solutions through a fully integrated compressed natural gas (CNG), renewable natural gas (RNG), and hydrogen platform. Certarus safely delivers clean burning fuels to energy, utility, agricultural and industrial customers not connected to a pipeline. By displacing more carbon intensive fuels, Certarus is leading the energy transition and helping customers lower operating costs and improve environmental performance. With the largest fleet of mobile gas storage units in North America, Certarus is uniquely positioned to meet the growing demand for low and zero-emission energy distribution. For more information, visit www.certarus.com.

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SOURCE Quantum Fuel Systems
Look no further than 2 Forks Up as the place to be this Mothers Day for seafood that is sourced unlike any other restaurant in the area.

Now a year settled into its new location on Campbell Boulevard in Amherst, owner Al Green has big plans with some special additions to celebrate a special occasion.

With the popularity of Mothers Day, Green recommends making reservations as soon as possible. He adds that the restaurant is also offering the same specials the day before. Latest reservation times are 8:30 p.m. on Saturday and 8 p.m. on Mothers Day.

I think moms deserve to be treated to the finest seafood dinner in Western New York, Green says. And all weekend, mothers will receive a free glass of champagne.

In addition to a menu that has been refreshed within the last month, there will be specialty items to make you forget youre not in New England.

Scallop Provencal is a newer dish at 2 Forks Up. The entree is sauteed with shallots, garlic and parsley, finished in white wine and served with broccoli rice.

The seafood scampi combines scallops with lobster and shrimp, which is seared in a popular scampi sauce and tossed with linguine.

The price of seafood has been extremely high through the pandemic, Green says, but people are finding value and great taste with scallops.

Theres also fresh grouper, which is broiled and sauced with creamy Cajun and Sadies Relish, which is made by a hard-working mother from Buffalo.

Yearlong menu staples will of course be available as well. Those include crab cakes, raw oysters and clams, a dozen surf n turf options, whole Maine lobsters and Alaskan king crab.

Green says most local restaurants serve lobster tails that are frozen for some period of time. At 2 Forks Up, live whole lobsters are always cooked fresh because he feels that diners can taste the difference.

Were the only place that does traditional New England style meals that feature the whole Maine lobsters, Green says. We bring in thousands of pounds of fresh seafood every day. Our buying power allows us to lock into some pretty decent prices, which were able to then pass along to our customers.

Wash down the entrees with a shrimp or lobster tail Bloody Mary, or be among the first to try a drink off the new tropical summer menu.

Whether its lemon meringue or key lime pie, dont forget dessert, either.

2 Forks Up is open five days a week: Tuesday-Thursday from 4-9:30 p.m. (last reservation at 8 p.m.); Friday from noon-10 p.m. (last reservation at 8:30 p.m.); and Saturday from 4-10 p.m. (last reservation at 8:30 p.m.).

A cocktail flavor for everyone

The way Green views it, Mothers Day is the kickoff to patio season in Buffalo.

It ushers in the thoughts of warmer summer days with seafood, lobster, raw clams, raw oysters and delicious drinks," he says.

The new summer drink menu features a peach sangria, blueberry fizz, pineapple upside down cake martini, Als Summer Delight, spiked lemonade, watermelon cosmo and cucumber cooler.

Tough dessert decisions

Walk right up to a unique dessert case, browse the options and pick out the exact treat that catches your eye.
RIVERTON, Utah, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rach Parcell, Founder and Creative Director of lifestyle brand, Rachel Parcell, has launched her first-ever fine jewelry line in collaboration with world-renowned jeweler, J. Brooks. The J. Brooks x Rachel Parcell Collection consists of 15 pieces, including a variety of hoops, necklaces, stacking rings and bracelets, that are crafted from high-quality materials such as freshwater pearls, 14K gold and diamonds. In the curation process, Rach selected everyday pieces that also align with the Rachel Parcell brand, offering on-trend generational designs at an accessible pricepoint.

"J. Brooks has been my family jeweler for years so this was such a special collaboration! I loved creating this fashion-forward collection designed for everyday wearthe pieces look amazing dressed up or down." - Rachel Parcell

The collection arrives just in time for Mother's Day and offers personalized options for a sentimental touch, including one of Rach's favorite styles, The Roman Numeral Bands, that is customized with a sentimental date.

The collection, ranging from $160 to $5,900 is available exclusively on the J. Brooks website for purchase. You can view images of the collection here.

About Rachel Parcell:Rachel's journey to owning her own brand began with Rach + Drew, an online journal she made in 2010 to document her newlywed life with her husband. Rachel had intended this personal blog to be read only by friends and family, but her content soon proved appealing to her growing readership. Rachel formally changed Rach + Drew to Pink Peonies, focusing on her personal style. Rachel was able to leverage her success as an influencer by launching a capsule clothing line in her name all timeless, elegant, and feminine pieces, attainably priced for women all over the world. Rachel Parcell has grown into a lifestyle brand, offering not only highly crafted womenswear, but also mommy + me designs, home decor, and more.

For more information or interview requests for Rachel, please contact[email protected]

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SOURCE Rachel Parcell
The Coalition will host the Global Forum on Girls' Education III in Boston in June; Finalize and pursue partnerships and merger opportunities with other organizations throughout the year

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hundreds of educators, researchers, authors, and advocates for girls and young women from all over the world will gather at the ICGS Global Forum on Girls' Education III, which will convene virtually June 21-22 and in person in Boston, Mass., June 27-29, 2022.

The Global Forum on Girls' Education III will include a combination of virtual and in-person programming, hosted at Boston Park Plaza in Boston, Mass. The forum will feature keynote addresses from Leymah Gbowee, Shabana Basij-Rasikh, and Lisa Damour.

The Global Forum will celebrate the Coalition's formal repositioning as the International Coalition of Girls' Schools.

A Liberian peace activist, trained social worker, and women's rights advocate, Gbowee is a Nobel Peace Laureate who currently serves as Executive Director of the Women, Peace and Security Program at Columbia University's Earth Institute, and she is the founder and current President of Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa. Basij-Rasikh is president of the School of Leadership of Afghanistan (SOLA), which she founded as a teenager. She is also a contributor to the Global Opinions section of The Washington Post, and she has been named one of CNN International's Leading Women, and National Geographic's Emerging Explorers. Damour is a psychologist and expert on girls' development. She directs the Center for Research on Girls at Laurel School in Shaker Heights, Ohio. She is a best-selling author, New York Times columnist, podcaster, and regular contributor to CBS News.

The forum will also be a celebration of the Coalition's formal repositioning as the International Coalition of Girls' Schools (ICGS).

Established as NCGS in 1991 by the merger of the Coalition of Girls' Boarding Schools and the Coalition of Girls' Day Schools, the Coalition has vastly expanded its reach in the last 30 years. What began in 1991 as 56 American member schools has grown to include more than 330 girls' schools around the world in 2022. One-third of member institutions are located outside the U.S., in Afghanistan, Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Colombia, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Phillippines, the Republic of Korea, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

"Our organization's name no longer adequately captured who we are and what we do," says Executive Director Megan Murphy. "This exciting change allows us to be a more inclusive organization, as our name more accurately represents our programming and our membership."

The International Coalition of Girls' Schools (ICGS) will continue to be the leading advocate for girls' schools, connecting and collaborating globally with individuals, schools, and organizations dedicated to educating and empowering girls. As such, the conference centers around the ways girls' schools both shape and respond to the global conversation about girls' education and development.

The triennial Global Forum will bring together girls' school faculty, administrators, and other experts in girls' education. These thought leaders will share ideas about how best to prepare and empower girls to be ethical, globally minded changemakers who lead with courage, competence, and empathy.

Dynamic peer-led sessions, hands-on ideation sessions, and focused workshops will be geared toward girls as

Global Citizens

Entrepreneurs and Innovators

Social Activists

Political Leaders

Artists

Performers and Creators

Environmental Champions

Scientists

Inclusive Allies

Happy, Healthy Individuals

Registration for the Global Forum on Girls' Education III is now open at www.ncgs.org.

Contact: Kathleen Osborne, Director of Communications, International Coalition of Girls' Schools;[email protected]; (+1) 216.952.5035

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SOURCE The National Coalition of Girls' Schools
Crown Princess, Island Princess and Royal Princess Welcome Guests Onboard to Experience Cruise Vacations to Alaska and the Panama Canal

SANTA CLARITA, Calif., May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Three additional Princess Cruises ships are returning to service welcoming guests back onboard  Crown Princess, Island Princess and Royal Princess. This milestone marks a total of 12 ships, 80 percent of the fleet, that will have resumed cruising since July 2021, for the world's leading international cruise line.

Island Princess departed Ft. Lauderdale on April 27 on a Panama Canal cruise; Royal Princess sailed from Vancouver on May 2 for the popular "Voyage of the Glaciers" Alaska season; and Crown Princess is scheduled to depart Seattle on May 7 for a summer program of Inside Passage Alaska cruises.

"We're so excited to have three more Princess MedallionClass ships return to service and our shipboard teams are ready to help our guests create a lifetime of vacation memories," said John Padgett, Princess Cruises president. "It's so gratifying to see tens of thousands of guests each week enjoying their vacations with us and the friendly and attentive service that is a Princess Cruises hallmark."

Island Princess  Panama Canal  Departed Ft. Lauderdale on April 27Celebrating the 55th anniversary of the cruise line sailing to the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal, Island Princess departed on a 14-day Ocean-to-Ocean Panama Canal voyage from Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles on April 27, and will return on a subsequent voyage from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale on May 11. Princess first sailed to the Panama Canal in 1967 aboard Princess Italia. Island Princess will then depart Ft. Lauderdale for Europe, sailing various British Isles, Northern Europe (including Iceland and the Arctic Circle) and Mediterranean voyages.

Royal Princess  Alaska  Departed Vancouver on May 2Sailing on the cruise line's top-rated "Voyage of the Glaciers" itinerary, Royal Princess departs on back-to-back northbound and southbound cruises from Vancouver and Whittier (Anchorage). Every sailing includes two days of glacier viewing featuring Glacier Bay National Park, plus Hubbard Glacier (southbound) or College Fjord (northbound). Port visits include Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway. These cruises can also be combined with one of the cruise line's 20 cruisetour options featuring an unforgettable land tour visiting the magnificent Denali National Park and Princess Wilderness Lodges.

Crown Princess  Alaska  Scheduled to Sail from Seattle on May 7Departing on Saturdays from Seattle, Crown Princess is scheduled to depart on 19, seven-day Inside Passage voyages to Alaska through September 10, 2022. She will then move to Los Angeles for a season of California Coast and Hawaii sailings.

Return to Service Schedule  All 15 Princess ShipsThe cruise line's fleet of 15 ships are currently sailing or are scheduled to return to service by September 2022, to worldwide destinations including Alaska, Australia, the California Coast, Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico and the Panama Canal. Cruise ships, return dates, 2022 itineraries in chronological order include:

Majestic Princess Sailing since July 25, 2021Alaska, California Coast, Mexico

Regal Princess Sailing since July 31, 2021Caribbean, Europe

Sky PrincessSailing since August 30, 2021Caribbean, Europe

Grand PrincessSailing since September 25, 2021California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico

Emerald PrincessSailing since October 15, 2021Panama Canal, Europe

Ruby PrincessSailing since October 31, 2021California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama Canal

Enchanted Princess  NEW SHIP Inaugural season began Nov. 10, 2021Caribbean, Europe

Caribbean PrincessSailing since November 28, 2021Caribbean, Panama Canal

Discovery Princess  NEW SHIP Inaugural season began March 27, 2022California Coast, Mexico, Alaska

Island PrincessSailing since April 27, 2022Panama Canal, Europe

Royal PrincessSailing since May 2, 2022Alaska

Crown PrincessReturning May 7, 2022Alaska

Coral PrincessReturning June 16, 2022Australia

Diamond PrincessReturning September 1, 2022California Coast, Mexico

Sapphire PrincessReturning September 24, 2022California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico

Princess MedallionClass VacationsPrincess delivers Princess MedallionClass Vacations which begins with the Medallion wearable, a quarter-sized, device that enables everything from expedited contactless boarding to locating loved ones anywhere on the ship, as well as enhanced service like having whatever guests need, delivered directly to them, wherever they are on the ship. In addition, guests can share their favorite cruise moments using MedallionNet, the best Wi-Fi at sea, as well as stay connected with friends and family back home, work remotely anywhere on the ship, quickly post content and stream favorite movies and shows.

For the latest Princess COVID-19 health protocols, please visit https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/covid-19-guest-protocols/.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel advisor, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237), or by visiting the company's website at http://www.princess.com/.

About Princess Cruises: One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is the world's leading international premium cruise line and tour company operating a fleet of 15 modern cruise ships, carrying millions of guests each year to 330 destinations around the globe, including the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Europe, South America, Australia/New Zealand, the South Pacific, Hawaii, Asia, Canada/New England, Antarctica, and World Cruises. A team of professional destination experts have curated 170 itineraries, ranging in length from three to 111 days and Princess Cruises is continuously recognized as "Best Cruise Line for Itineraries." In 2017 Princess Cruises, with parent company Carnival Corporation, introduced MedallionClass Vacations enabled by the Medallion device, the vacation industry's most advanced wearable device, provided free to each guest sailing on a MedallionClass ship. The award-winning innovation offers the fastest way to an effortless personalized vacation, giving guests more time to do the things they love most. The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK).

In line with the latest advice from health officials about COVID-19, Princess Cruises is currently enhancing health and safety protocols with input from medical experts and government bodies and assessing how they may impact future itineraries. Actual offerings may vary from what is displayed in marketing materials. Click on the following links to stay updated on current Cruise Updates and Health & Safety protocols.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/three-additional-princess-cruises-ships-return-to-service-301539033.html

SOURCE Princess Cruises
Award recognizes four recipients in the categories of sustainability, energy management, community, and innovation

IRVING, Texas, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TXU Energy today announced its recognition of four innovative, Houston-area companies as category winners in the 2022 TXU Energy Leadership Award Program. This program highlights corporate and non-profit leaders who define energy responsibility. The awards were announced in conjunction with the TXU Energy Summit held today in Houston.

Gabe Castro, senior vice president of business markets for TXU Energy, stated, "We pride ourselves on being leaders in sustainability, energy management, community giving, and innovation. We are proud to recognize customers who share these values and live their commitment through best-in-class practices. By recognizing these success stories, we're confident energy leaders across Texas will follow suit."

The four South Texas-area winners include:

Leadership in Sustainability  City of Angleton, Texas

The City of Angleton is committed to serving its nearly 20,000 residents with sustainable energy solutions. The city recently upgraded 46 park lights, replacing traditional bulbs with solar LED lights. The improvement will save 45,000 kWh hours each year and lower electrical infrastructure costs. The city is also installing solar streetlights to save energy and increase public safety.

The city recently partnered with TXU Energy to plant 10 large trees for residents to enjoy.

Leadership in Innovation  Tubular Services

Houston-based Tubular Services put technology to work to power a pipe finishing plant. The company recently installed a real-time demand response system to monitor grid conditions and energy pricing. The system alerts Tubular when energy prices cross a pre-determined threshold. Adjusting energy use at peak times has saved the company money and enhanced grid reliability across the state.

Leadership in Energy Management  Landmark Industries

Landmark Industries is one of Texas' largest convenience store owners, with nearly 300 locations operating under the Timewise brand. The company recently made a major investment in clean energy solutions, retrofitting interior and exterior lighting at 246 stores with LED bulbs. The upgrade has reduced lighting energy usage by nearly 90%.

Leadership in Community  Katy Christian Ministries

Katy Christian Ministries is changing lives through a variety of programs, including its food pantry and family crisis center. The nonprofit is also a partner in TXU Energy Aid, which uses donations from the company, our employees, customers, and other Texans to help thousands of families pay their electric bills. Katy Christian Ministries has used the funding to assist clients in a moment of need and help them build a path to becoming self-sufficient.

TXU Energy is proud to share the accomplishments of the recipients of its awards program and will present additional Energy Leadership Awards this fall at its Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex summit. Learn more about what TXU Energy can do to help your business or organization achieve its energy and sustainability goals by visiting us on LinkedIn.

About TXU EnergyMore Texans trust TXU Energy to power their homes and businesses than any other electricity provider. We're passionate about creating experiences and solutions tailored to fit the needs of our customers, including electricity plans, online tools to help save, renewable energy options and more. TXU Energy is also committed to cultivating a dynamic and enjoyable workplace where all our people can succeed. Visit txu.com for more. TXU Energy is a subsidiary of Vistra (NYSE: VST). REP #10004

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View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/txu-energy-announces-recipients-of-2022-energy-leadership-awards-301540048.html

SOURCE TXU Energy
BETHESDA, Md. and NEW YORK, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- William M. "Bill" Sisson, executive director, North America, of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), has been elected to the board of directors of the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), it was announced today.

"We are very excited that Bill will be serving on our board," said Margaret O'Gorman, president, of Bethesda-based WHC. "Bill's mission with WBCSD to aggressively address the interconnected challenges of climate change, the loss of nature, and social inequality, pairs extremely well with the work we are doing to operationalize biodiversity to meet business challenges or opportunities."

As the only international conservation non-government organization focused exclusively on the private sector, WHC provides a framework for voluntary conservation action on a wide variety of corporate lands. WHC's corporate members represent some of the leading national and multinational corporations seeking to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them.

"I am glad to be joining WHC's board of directors at this critical time," Sisson said. "Over the next few decades, we're facing the threat of the extinction of millions of plants and animals due to global warming and climate change. It could severely alter biodiverse ecosystems and human societies around the globe.

"So, the work by WHC of helping the private sector in strategic approaches to land management is critically important in the quest to prevent the loss of nature throughout North America and around the world," Sisson added.

For 33 years, WHC has been promoting ecological stewardship action on corporate lands through partnerships and education. Since only 10%-15% of the world's land surface is protected, private lands provide an opportunity to restore and protect biodiversity. It consults with multinational and national corporations to develop strategies, frameworks and approaches that integrate action on nature into corporate ambitions and impact reporting.

It also recognizes corporate conservation efforts through its Conservation Certification program which has recognized over 1,000 nature-based programs in 47 states and 28 countries.

Geneva, Switzerland-based WBCSD is the leading global, CEO-led organization of more than 220 of the world's leading sustainable businesses working collectively and collaboratively to accelerate the system transformations needed for a net zero, nature positive, and more equitable future.

Sisson, who oversees all WBCSD activities throughout North America, is based in New York City.

Along with his team, Sisson engages corporate executives and sustainability leaders to share practical insights on the obstacles and opportunities they face in tackling the integrated climate, nature, and inequality sustainability challenge. The organization co-develops with members "how-to" CEO-guides, provide science-based target guidance, including standards and protocols, and help WBCSD members drive integrated actions to tackle climate, nature and inequality challenges across sectors and geographical regions.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/william-m-sisson-elected-to-board-of-wildlife-habitat-council-301539524.html

SOURCE World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

 QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended

 TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from ________________ to ________________.

Commission file number: 000-26113

NUONCOLOGY LABS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Florida 65-0019376 (State of other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) (IRS Employer Identification No.)

7339 E. Williams Drive

Unit 26496

Scottsdale , AZ 85255

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

602 . 793.8058

(Registrants telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None.

Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered N/A N/A N/A

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes  No 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes  No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, and emerging growth company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer  Accelerated filer  Non-accelerated filer  Smaller reporting company  Emerging growth company 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes  No 

As of March 31, 2022, there were 98,783,664 shares outstanding of the registrants Common Stock.

As of March 31, 2022, there were 500,000 shares outstanding of the registrants Convertible Series A Preferred Stock.

Item 1. Financial Statements.

NUONCOLOGY LABS, INC.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

2

NUONCOLOGY LABS, INC.

BALANCE SHEETS

March 31, December 31, 2022 2021 ASSETS (Unaudited) (Audited) Current Assets: Cash $  $  Total Assets $  $  LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT Current Liabilities: Loan payable  related party $ 12,281 $  Total Liabilities 12,281  Stockholders' Deficit: Series A Preferred stock, $ 0.001 par value; 10,000,000,000 shares authorized, 500,000 and shares issued and outstanding 500 500 Common stock, $ 0.0001 par value; 1,000,000,000 shares authorized, 98,783,664 shares issued and outstanding 9,878 9,878 Additional paid-in capital 10,837,376 10,837,376 Accumulated deficit ( 10,860,035 ) ( 10,847,754 ) Total Stockholders Deficit ( 12,281 )  Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Deficit $  $ 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited financial statements.

3

NUONCOLOGY LABS, INC.

STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited)

For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2022 2021 Operating Expenses: General & administrative expenses $ 12,281 $  Total operating expenses 12,281  Loss from operations ( 12,281 )  Loss before income taxes ( 12,281 )  Provision for income taxes   Net loss $ ( 12,281 ) $  Basic and diluted loss per share $ ( 0.00 ) $  Basic and diluted weighted average shares 98,783,664 98,283,664

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited financial statements.

4

NUONCOLOGY LABS, INC.

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS DEFICIT

THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2021 AND 2022

(Unaudited)

Series A

Preferred Stock Common Stock Additional

Paid in Accumulated Total

Stockholders Shares Amount Shares Amount Capital Deficit Deficit Balance at December 31, 2020  $  98,283,664 $ 9,828 $ 10,808,707 $ ( 10,818,535 ) $  Net loss        Balance at March 31, 2021  $  98,283,664 $ 9,828 $ 10,808,707 $ ( 10,818,535 ) $ 

Series A Preferred Stock Common Stock Additional

Paid in Accumulated Total

Stockholders Shares Amount Shares Amount Capital Deficit Deficit Balance at December 31, 2021 500,000 $ 500 98,783,664 $ 9,878 $ 10,837,376 $ ( 10,847,754 ) $  Net loss      ( 12,281 ) ( 12,281 ) Balance at March 31, 2022 500,000 $ 500 98,783,664 $ 9,878 $ 10,837,376 $ ( 10,860,035 ) $ ( 12,281 )

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited financial statements.

5

NUONCOLOGY LABS, INC.

STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2022 2021 Cash flows from operating activities: Net loss $ ( 12,281 ) $  Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: Changes in assets and liabilities: Net cash used in operating activities ( 12,281 )  Cash flows from investing activities:   Cash flows from financing activities: Cash advance - related party 12,281  Net cash provided by financing activities 12,281  Net change in cash   Cash, beginning of year   Cash, end of year $  $ 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited financial statements.

6

NUONCOLOGY LABS, INC.

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements

March 31, 2022

NOTE 1 - ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS NuOncology Labs, Inc. (the Company) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida on November 6, 1994 as Choice Book & Video, Inc. The company had no business operations at this time. On April 9, 1998, the Company filed an amendment to its Articles of Incorporation and changed its name to Littman Resources, Inc. with a mergers and acquisitions business model. In June 1998 the Company merged with NuOncology Labs, Inc. whereby NuOncology Labs, Inc. became the surviving company and on June 26, 1998, filed an amendment to its Articles of Incorporation and changed its name to NuOnclology Labs, Inc. NuOncology Labs, Inc. operated as commercial laboratory and provided predictive chemosensitivity and immunotherapy predictive tests on biopsy tissues and other oncological laboratory testing services and products. NLABs operations included development, identification, testing and licensing of cancer treatment compounds. Business operations for NuOncology Labs, Inc. were abandoned by former management and a custodianship action, as described in the subsequent paragraph, was commenced in 2021. On October 1, 2021, the Circuit Court of the Nineth Judicial Circuit in and for Orange County, Florida granted the Application for Appointment of Custodian as a result of the absence of a functioning board of directors and the revocation of the Companys charter. The order appointed Small Cap Compliance, LLC (the Custodian) custodian with the right to appoint officers and directors, negotiate and compromise debt, execute contracts, issue stock, and authorize new classes of stock. The court awarded custodianship to the Custodian based on the absence of a functioning board of directors, revocation of the companys charter, and abandonment of the business. At this time, the Custodian appointed Rhonda Keaveney as sole officer and director. The Custodian attempted to contact the Companys officers and directors through letters, emails, and phone calls, with no success. Small Cap Compliance, LLC (SCC) is a shareholder in the Company and applied to the Court for an Order appointing SCC as the Custodian. This application was for the purpose of reinstating NLABs corporate charter to do business and restoring value to the Company for the benefit of the stockholders.

NOTE 2 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Basis of Presentation The Companys unaudited financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP), and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) and reflect all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments, which management believes are necessary to fairly present the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of and for the three month period ending March 31, 2022 and not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2022. These unaudited financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes for the year ended December 31, 2021. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. 7 Cash and cash equivalents We consider all highly liquid securities with original maturities of three months or less when acquired to be cash equivalents. There were no cash equivalents as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021. Recent Accounting Pronouncements The Company has implemented all applicable accounting pronouncements that are in effect. These pronouncements did not have any material impact on the financial statements unless otherwise disclosed, and the Company does not believe that there are any other new accounting pronouncements that have been issued that might have a material impact on its financial position or results of operations.

NOTE 3 - GOING CONCERN The accompanying unaudited financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The Company has no revenue and has an accumulated a deficit as of March 31, 2022. The Company requires capital for its contemplated operational and marketing activities. The Companys ability to raise additional capital through the future issuances of common stock is unknown. The obtainment of additional financing, the successful development of the Companys contemplated plan of operations, and its transition, ultimately, to the attainment of profitable operations are necessary for the Company to continue operations. These conditions and the ability to successfully resolve these factors raise substantial doubt about the Companys ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements of the Company do not include any adjustments that may result from the outcome of these uncertainties.

NOTE 4  COMMON STOCK On October 10, 2021, the Company amended its Article of Incorporation, increasing its authorized common stock from 100,000,000 to 1,000,000,000 (1 billion), par value $0.0001.

NOTE 5  PREFERRED STOCK On October 10, 2021, the Company amended its Article of Incorporation, creating and designating 10,000,000 shares of Series A preferred stock, par value $ 0.001 . Each share of Convertible Series A Preferred Stock is convertible into 1,000 shares of common stock. In addition, the Convertible Series A Preferred Stock has voting privileges of 1,000 votes for each share held. Our sole officer and director holds 100% of the Convertible Series A Preferred Stock.

NOTE 6  RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS During the three months ended March 31, 2022, Rhonda Keaveney, CEO, advanced the Company $ 12,281 to pay for general operating expenses, The advance in non-interest bearing and due on demand.

NOTE 7 SUBSEQUENT EVENTS In accordance with SFAS 165 (ASC 855-10) management has performed an evaluation of subsequent events through the date that the financial statements were issued and has determined that it does not have any material subsequent events to disclose in these unaudited financial statements.

8

Item 2. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following managements discussion and analysis (MD&A) should be read in conjunction with financial statements of NuOncology Labs, Inc. for the three and nine months ended March 31, 20221 and 2021, and the notes thereto.

Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements included in this MD&A constitute forward-looking statements, including those identified by the expressions anticipate, believe, plan, estimate, expect, intend, and similar expressions to the extent they relate to NuOncology Labs, Inc. or its management. These forward-looking statements are not facts, promises, or guarantees; rather, they reflect current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, activities, performance, or events to differ materially from current expectations. These include risks related to revenue growth, operating results, industry, products, and litigation, as well as the matters discussed in NuOncology Labs, Inc.s MD&A. Readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. NuOncology Labs, Inc. disclaims any obligation to publicly update or to revise any such statements to reflect any change in the Companys expectations or in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

NuOncology Labs, Inc. is a blank check company and has no operations. Our business plan includes acquisitions of operating companies. In summary, NLAB is focused on raising capital for its business plan. As of this filing, we have not raised any capital and our business is not yet operational.

Results of Operations

The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and the related notes included in this report

Three Months Ended March 31, 2022 and 2021

Revenue

For the three and three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had not generated any revenues.

Operating Expenses

Operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2022 were $12,281 compared to $0 for the three months ended Marhc 31, 2021.

Operating expenses increased in 2022 due to other professional fee and other general and administrative fees incurred for this period.

For the three months ended March 31, 2022, professional fees were $12,281, an increase of $12,281, as compared to $0 for the three months ended of March 31, 2021.

The increase is related to accounting and audit fees, and SEC filing fees between the two periods.

Other Income and Expenses

For the three and three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2022, the Company did not have any other income or expenses.

9

Net Income (Loss)

For the three-month ended March 31, 2022, the Company had a net loss of $12,281 compared to the three-month period ended March 31, 2021 of a net loss of $0.

For the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company had a net loss of $12,281 compared to a net loss of $0 for the year ended December 31, 2022.

The net loss resulted from increase of operating expenses

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of March 31, 2022, we had no cash and a working capital deficit of $12,281.

Operating Activities

For three months ended March 31 ,2022 net operating loss increased $12,281 as compared to $0 for the three months ended March 31, 2021. Accounts payable and accrued expenses increased by $12,281 at compared to $0 for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The increase in accrued expenses is related to other professional fees.

Investing Activities

No investing activities occurred during the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021.

Financing Activities

During the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company received advances of $12,281 from a related party for working capital purposes. During the three months ended March 31, 2022 the Company issued $0 common stock for cash.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

There are no off-balance sheet arrangements with any party.

Critical Accounting Policies

Our discussion and analysis of results of operations and financial condition are based upon our condensed consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these condensed consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. We evaluate our estimates on an ongoing basis, including those related to provisions for uncollectible accounts receivable, inventories, valuation of intangible assets and contingencies and litigation. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

The accounting policies that we follow are set forth in Note 2 to our financial statements as included in the SEC report filed. These accounting policies conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and have been consistently applied in the preparation of the financial statements.

10

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

As a smaller reporting company, as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act, we are not required to provide the information in this Item.

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act), the Company carried out an evaluation, with the participation of the Companys management, including the Companys Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) (the Companys principal financial and accounting officer), of the effectiveness of the Companys disclosure controls and procedures (as defined under Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this report. The framework used by management in making that assessment was the criteria set forth in the document entitled Internal Control  Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework). Based upon that evaluation, the Companys CEO and CFO concluded that the Companys disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that the Company files or submits under the Exchange Act, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SECs rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Companys management, including the Companys CEO and CFO, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure for the reason described below.

Because of our limited operations, we have limited number of employees which prohibits a segregation of duties. In addition, we lack a formal audit committee with a financial expert. As we grow and expand our operations, we will engage additional employees and experts as needed. However, there can be no assurance that our operations will expand.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

11

PART II OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

We are not a party to any material or legal proceeding, and, to our knowledge, none is contemplated or threatened.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

We are a smaller reporting company and, as a result, are not required to provide the information under this item. Please review the risk factors identified in Item 1.A of our 2021 Form 10.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

During the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company did not sell any unregistered securities.

Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities

There have been no defaults upon senior securities.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

Item 5. Other Information

As a smaller reporting company, as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act, we are not required to provide the information in this Item.

Item 6. Exhibits

_______________________

* Filed Herewith.

12

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Date: May 4, 2022 NUONCOLOGY LABS, INC. By: /s/ Rhonda Keaveney Name Rhonda Keaveney Title Chief Executive Officer
1290 FUNDS

1290 DoubleLine Dynamic Allocation Fund

SUPPLEMENT DATED MAY 4, 2022 TO THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DATED MARCH 1, 2022

This Supplement updates certain information contained in the Statement of Additional Information (SAI) of 1290 Funds (Trust) dated March 1, 2022 regarding the 1290 DoubleLine Dynamic Allocation Fund (Fund). You can find the Funds Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information (SAI), reports to shareholders and other information about the Fund online at www.1290Funds.com/literature.php. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 1-888-310-0416 or by sending an e-mail request to [email protected]

The purpose of this Supplement is to provide you with information regarding the termination of the Sub-Adviser and the appointment of a new Sub-Adviser for the 1290 DoubleLine Dynamic Allocation Fund. This Supplement also provides information on a corresponding change to the name of the 1290 DoubleLine Dynamic Allocation Fund to 1290 Loomis Sayles Multi-Asset Income Fund.

*******

The following changes to the SAI are effective on or about August 19, 2022:

The name of the Fund will change to 1290 Loomis Sayles Multi-Asset Income Fund. As of that date, all references to the name 1290 DoubleLine Dynamic Allocation Fund are replaced with 1290 Loomis Sayles Multi-Asset Income Fund.

All references to DoubleLine Capital LP, DoubleLine Equity LP and DoubleLine in relation to the Fund are hereby deleted.

The first paragraph of the section of the SAI entitled Investment Management and Other Services  the Adviser is hereby amended to include the following:

Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. (Loomis Sayles)

The section of the SAI entitled Investment Management and Other Services  The Sub-Advisers is amended to include the following information:

Fund Name and Control Persons of the Sub-Adviser 1290 Loomis Sayles Multi-Asset Income Fund Loomis Sayles, located at One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111, is a Delaware limited partnership. Loomis Sayles sole general partner, Loomis, Sayles & Company, Inc. is directly owned by Natixis Investment Managers, LLC (Natixis LLC). Natixis LLC is an indirect subsidiary of Natixis Investment Managers, an international asset management group based in Paris, France, that is in turn owned by Natixis, a French investment banking and financial services firm. Natixis is wholly owned by BPCE, Frances second largest banking group. BPCE is owned by banks comprising two autonomous and complementary retail banking networks consisting of the Caisse dEpargne regional savings banks and the Banque Populaire regional cooperative banks. The registered address of Natixis is 30, avenue Pierre Mendes France, 75013 Paris, France. The registered address of BPCE is 50, avenue Pierre Mendes France, 75013 Paris, France.

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The section of the SAI entitled Investment Management and Other Services  The Distributor is amended to add the following information:

Class A shares are subject to a maximum sales charge imposed on purchases of 5.50% for 1290 GAMCO Small/Mid Cap Value Fund, 1290 SmartBeta Equity Fund, and 1290 Multi-Alternative Strategies Fund, and 4.50% for 1290 High Yield Bond Fund, 1290 Diversified Bond Fund and 1290 Loomis Sayles Multi-Asset Income Fund.

The section of the SAI entitled Appendix B  Portfolio Manager Information is amended to include the following information:

Ownership of Securities of the Fund as of March 31, 2022

Portfolio Manager None $1-

$10,000 $10,001-

$50,000 $50,001-

$100,000 $100,001-

$500,000 $500,001-

$1,000,000 over

$1,000,000 1290 Loomis Sayles Multi-Asset Income Fund Kevin P. Kearns X Elaine Kan, CFA X Vivek Garg, CFA X

Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. (Loomis Sayles or Sub-Adviser) Portfolio Manager Presented below for each portfolio manager is the number of

other accounts managed by the portfolio manager and the total

assets in the accounts managed within each category as of

March 31, 2022 Presented below for each of the categories is the number of

accounts and the total assets in the accounts with respect to

which the advisory fee is based on the performance of the

account Registered

Investment

Companies Other Pooled

Investment

Vehicles Other Accounts Registered

Investment

Companies Other Pooled

Investment

Vehicles Other Accounts Number

of

Accounts Total

Assets Number

of

Accounts Total

Assets Number

of

Accounts Total

Assets Number

of

Accounts Total

Assets Number

of

Accounts Total

Assets Number

of

Accounts Total

Assets 1290 Loomis Sayles Multi-Asset Income Fund Kevin P. Kearns 3 $782.3 M 14 $4.3 B 41 $5.3 B 0 $0 0 $0 4 $862.5 M Elaine Kan, CFA 1 $302.0 M 0 $0 7 $3.1 M 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 Vivek Garg, CFA 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0

Description of any Material Conflicts

Conflicts of interest may arise in the allocation of investment opportunities and the allocation of aggregated orders among the Funds and other accounts managed by the portfolio managers. A portfolio manager potentially could give favorable treatment to some accounts for a variety of reasons, including favoring larger accounts, accounts that pay higher fees, accounts that pay performance-based fees, accounts of affiliated companies and accounts in which the portfolio manager has an interest. Such favorable treatment could lead to more favorable investment opportunities or allocations for some accounts. Loomis Sayles makes investment decisions for all accounts (including institutional accounts, mutual funds, hedge funds and affiliated accounts) based on each accounts availability of other comparable investment opportunities and Loomis Sayles desire to treat all accounts fairly and equitably over time. Loomis Sayles maintains trade allocation and aggregation policies and procedures to address these potential conflicts. Conflicts of interest also arise to the extent a portfolio manager short sells a stock in one client account but holds that stock long in other accounts, including the Funds, or sells a stock for some accounts while buying the stock for others, and through the use of soft dollar arrangements, which are discussed in Loomis Sayles Brokerage Allocation Policies and Procedures and Loomis Sayles Trade Aggregation and Allocation Policies and Procedures.

Compensation as of March 31, 2022

Loomis Sayles believes that portfolio manager compensation should be driven primarily by the delivery of consistent and superior long-term performance for its clients. Portfolio manager compensation is made up primarily of three main components: a competitive base salary, variable compensation and a long-term incentive program. A portfolio managers base salary and/or

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variable compensation potential may reflect the amount of assets for which the manager is responsible relative to other portfolio managers. Loomis Sayles also offers a profit sharing plan, and a defined benefit plan to all employees hired before May 3, 2003. Base salary is a fixed amount based on a combination of factors, including industry experience, Firm experience, job performance and market considerations. Variable compensation is an incentive-based component and generally represents a significant multiple of base salary. Variable compensation is based on three factors: investment performance, profit growth of the Firm and personal conduct. Investment performance is the primary component of total variable compensation and generally represents at least 60% of the total for fixed-income managers. The other two factors are used to determine the remainder of variable compensation, subject to the discretion of the Firms Chief Investment Officer (CIO) and senior management. The Firms CIO and senior management evaluate these other factors annually.

While mutual fund performance and asset size do not directly contribute to the compensation calculation, investment performance for fixed-income managers is measured by comparing the performance of Loomis Sayles institutional composite (pre-tax and gross of fees) in the managers style to the performance of an external benchmark and a customized peer group.

The customized peer group is created by Loomis Sayles and is made up of institutional managers in the particular investment style. A managers relative performance for the past five years, or seven years for some products, is used to calculate the amount of variable compensation payable due to performance. To ensure consistency, Loomis Sayles analyzes the five or seven year performance on a rolling three year basis. If a manager is responsible for more than one product, the rankings of each product are weighted based on relative revenue size of accounts represented in each product.

Loomis Sayles uses both an external benchmark and a customized peer group as a point of comparison for fixed-income manager performance because it believes they represent an appropriate combination of the competitive fixed-income product universe and the investment styles offered by Loomis Sayles.

In addition to the compensation described above, portfolio managers may receive additional compensation based on the overall growth of their strategies.

General

Most mutual funds do not directly contribute to a portfolio managers overall compensation because Loomis Sayles uses the performance of the portfolio managers institutional accounts compared to an institutional peer group. However, each fund managed by Loomis Sayles employs strategies endorsed by Loomis Sayles and fits into the product category for the relevant investment style. Loomis Sayles may adjust compensation if there is significant dispersion among the returns of the composite and accounts not included in the composite.

Loomis Sayles has developed and implemented two distinct long-term incentive plans to attract and retain investment talent. The plans supplement existing compensation and apply to certain portfolio managers, certain other investment talent, and certain high-ranking officers.

The first plan has several important components distinguishing it from traditional equity ownership plans:

 the plan grants units that entitle participants to an annual payment based on a percentage of company earnings above an established threshold;

 upon retirement, a participant will receive a multi-year payout for his or her vested units; and

 participation is contingent upon signing an award agreement, which includes a non-compete covenant.

The second plan grants participants an annual participation in company earnings; the annual amount is deferred for two years from the time of award and is only payable if the portfolio manager remains at Loomis Sayles. In this plan, there are no post-retirement payments or non-compete covenants but there is a non-solicitation covenant.

Senior management expects that the variable compensation portion of overall compensation will continue to remain the largest source of income for those investment professionals included in the plan(s). The plan(s) was/were initially offered to portfolio managers and over time, the scope of eligibility widened to include other key investment professionals. Management has full discretion on what units are issued and to whom.

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Portfolio managers also participate in the Loomis Sayles profit sharing plan, in which Loomis Sayles makes a contribution to the retirement plan of each employee based on a percentage of base salary (up to a maximum amount). The portfolio managers may also participate in the Loomis Sayles defined benefit pension plan, which applies to all Loomis Sayles employees who joined the Firm prior to May 3, 2003. The defined benefit is based on years of service and base compensation (up to a maximum amount).

In addition, portfolio managers may also participate in the Loomis Sayles deferred compensation plan which requires all Loomis Sayles employees to defer 50% of their annual bonus if in excess of a certain dollar amount, except for those Loomis Sayles employees who will be age 61 or older on the date the bonus is awarded. These amounts are deferred over a two year period with 50% being paid out one year from the bonus anniversary date and the second 50% being paid out two years from the bonus anniversary date. These deferrals are deposited into an investment account on the Loomis Sayles employees behalf, but the employee must be with Loomis Sayles on the vesting dates in order to receive the deferred bonus.

The section of the SAI entitled Appendix C  Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures is amended to include the following information:

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1. GENERAL

A. Introduction.

Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. (Loomis Sayles) will vote proxies of the securities held in its clients portfolios on behalf of each client that has delegated proxy voting authority to Loomis Sayles as investment adviser. Loomis Sayles has adopted and implemented these policies and procedures (Proxy Voting Procedures) to ensure that, where it has voting authority, proxy matters are handled in the best interests of clients, in accordance with Loomis Sayles fiduciary duty, and all applicable law and regulations. The Proxy Voting Procedures, as implemented by the Loomis Sayles Proxy Committee (as described below), are intended to support good corporate governance, including those corporate practices that address environmental and social issues (ESG Matters), in all cases with the objective of protecting shareholder interests and maximizing shareholder value.

Loomis Sayles uses the services of third parties (each a Proxy Voting Service and collectively the Proxy Voting Services), to provide research, analysis and voting recommendations and to administer the process of voting proxies for those clients for which Loomis Sayles has voting authority. Any reference in these Proxy Voting Procedures to a Proxy Voting Service is a reference either to the Proxy Voting Service that provides research, analysis and voting recommendations to Loomis Sayles or to the Proxy Voting Service that administers the process of voting proxies for Loomis Sayles or to both, as the context may require. Loomis Sayles will generally follow its express policy with input from the Proxy Voting Service that provides research, analysis and voting recommendations to Loomis Sayles unless the Proxy Committee determines that the clients best interests are served by voting otherwise.

B. General Guidelines.

The following guidelines will apply when voting proxies on behalf of accounts for which Loomis Sayles has voting authority.

1. Clients Best Interests. The Proxy Voting Procedures are designed and implemented in a way that is reasonably expected to ensure that proxy matters are conducted in the best interests of clients. When considering the best interests of clients, Loomis Sayles has determined that this means the best investment interest of its clients as shareholders of the issuer. To protect its clients best interests, Loomis Sayles has integrated the consideration of ESG Matters into its investment process. The Proxy Voting Procedures are intended to reflect the impact of these factors in cases where they are material to the growth and sustainability of an issuer. Loomis Sayles has established its Proxy Voting Procedures to assist it in making its proxy voting decisions with a view toward enhancing the value of its clients interests in an issuer over the period during which it expects its clients to hold their investments. Loomis Sayles will vote against proposals that it believes could adversely impact the current or future market value of the issuers securities during the expected holding period. Loomis Sayles also believes that protecting the best interests of clients requires the consideration of potential material impacts of proxy proposals associated with ESG Matters.

For the avoidance of doubt, and notwithstanding any other provisions of these Proxy Voting Procedures, in all instances in which Loomis Sayles votes proxies on behalf of clients that are employee benefit plans subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), Loomis Sayles (a) will act solely in accordance with the economic interest of the plan and its participants and beneficiaries, and (b) will not subordinate the interests of the participants and beneficiaries in their retirement income or financial benefits under the plan to any other objective, or promote benefits or goals unrelated to those financial interests of the plans participants and beneficiaries.

2. Client Proxy Voting Policies. Rather than delegating proxy voting authority to Loomis Sayles, a client may (a) retain the authority to vote proxies on securities in its account; (b) delegate voting authority to another party; or (c) instruct Loomis Sayles to vote proxies according to a policy that differs from the Proxy Voting Procedures. Loomis Sayles will honor any of these instructions if the instruction is agreed to in writing by Loomis Sayles in its investment management agreement with the client. If Loomis Sayles incurs additional costs or expenses in following any such instruction, it may request payment for such additional costs or expenses from the client.

3. Stated Policies. In the interest of consistency in voting proxies on behalf of its clients where appropriate, Loomis Sayles has adopted policies that identify issues where Loomis Sayles will (a) generally vote in favor of a proposal; (b) generally

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vote against a proposal; (c) generally vote as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service; and (d) specifically consider its vote for or against a proposal. However, these policies are guidelines and each vote may be cast differently than the stated policy, taking into consideration all relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote. In certain cases where the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service and the recommendation of the issuers management are the same, the vote will generally be cast as recommended and will not be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Proxy Committee. In cases where the portfolio manager of an account that holds voting securities of an issuer or the analyst covering the issuer or its securities recommends a vote, the proposal(s) will be voted according to these recommendations after a review for any potential conflicts of interest is conducted and will not be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Proxy Committee. There may be situations where Loomis Sayles casts split votes despite the stated policies. For example, Loomis Sayles may cast a split vote when different clients may be invested in strategies with different investment objectives, or when different clients may have different economic interests in the outcome of a particular proposal. Loomis Sayles also may cast a split vote on a particular proposal when its investment teams have differing views regarding the impact of the proposal on their clients investment interests.

4. Abstentions and Other Exceptions. Loomis Sayles general policy is to vote rather than abstain from voting on issues presented, unless the Proxy Committee determines, pursuant to its best judgment, that the clients best interests require abstention. However, in the following circumstances Loomis Sayles may not vote a clients proxy:

 The Proxy Committee has concluded that voting would have no meaningful, identifiable economic benefit to the client as a shareholder, such as when the security is no longer held in the clients portfolio or when the value of the portfolio holding is insignificant.

 The Proxy Committee has concluded that the costs of or disadvantages resulting from voting outweigh the economic benefits of voting. For example, in some non-US jurisdictions, the sale of securities voted may be legally or practically prohibited or subject to some restrictions for some period of time, usually between the record and meeting dates (share blocking). Loomis Sayles believes that the loss of investment flexibility resulting from share blocking generally outweighs the benefit to be gained by voting. Information about share blocking is often incomplete or contradictory. Loomis Sayles relies on the clients custodian and on its Proxy Voting Service to identify share blocking jurisdictions. To the extent such information is wrong, Loomis Sayles could fail to vote shares that could have been voted without loss of investment flexibility, or could vote shares and then be prevented from engaging in a potentially beneficial portfolio transaction.

 Administrative requirements for voting proxies in certain foreign jurisdictions (which may be imposed a single time or may be periodic), such as providing a power of attorney to the clients local sub-custodian, cannot be fulfilled due to timing of the requirement, or the costs required to fulfill the administrative requirements appear to outweigh the benefits to the client of voting the proxy.

 The client, as of the record date, has loaned the securities to which the proxy relates and Loomis Sayles has concluded that it is not in the best interest of the client to recall the loan or is unable to recall the loan in order to vote the securities1.

 The client so directs Loomis Sayles.

The Proxy Committee will generally vote against, rather than abstain from voting on, ballot issues where the issuer does not provide sufficient information to make an informed decision. In addition, there may be instances where Loomis Sayles is not able to vote proxies on a clients behalf, such as when ballot delivery instructions have not been processed by a clients custodian, when the Proxy Voting Service has not received a ballot for a clients account (e.g., in cases where the clients shares have been loaned to a third party), when proxy materials are not available in English, and under other circumstances beyond Loomis Sayles control.

1 Loomis Sayles does not engage in securities lending. However, some clients do opt to lend securities, availing themselves of their custodians services.

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5. Oversight. All issues presented for shareholder vote are subject to the oversight of the Proxy Committee, either directly or by application of this policy. All non-routine issues will generally be considered directly by the Proxy Committee and, when necessary, the investment professionals responsible for an account holding the security, and will be voted in the best investment interests of the client. All routine for and against issues will be voted according to this policy unless special factors require that they be considered by the Proxy Committee and, when necessary, the investment professionals responsible for an account holding the security.

6. Availability of Procedures. Loomis Sayles publishes these Proxy Voting Procedures, as updated from time to time, on its public website, www.loomissayles.com, and includes a description of its Proxy Voting Procedures in Part 2A of its Form ADV. Upon request, Loomis Sayles also provides clients with a copy of its Proxy Voting Procedures.

7. Disclosure of Vote. Loomis Sayles makes certain disclosures regarding its voting of proxies in the aggregate (not specific as to clients) on its website, www.loomissayles.com. For mutual funds that it manages, Loomis Sayles is required by law to make certain disclosures regarding its voting of proxies annually. This information is also available on the Loomis Sayles website. Additionally, Loomis Sayles will, upon request by a client, provide information about how each proxy was voted with respect to the securities in that clients account. Loomis Sayles policy is not to disclose a clients proxy voting records to third parties except as required by applicable law and regulations.

C. Proxy Committee.

1. Proxy Committee. Loomis Sayles has established a Proxy Committee. The Proxy Committee is composed of senior representatives from firm investment teams and members of the Legal and Compliance Department, and other employees of Loomis Sayles as needed. In the event that any member is unable to participate in a meeting of the Proxy Committee, he or she may designate another individual to act on his or her behalf. A vacancy in the Proxy Committee is filled by the prior members successor in position at Loomis Sayles or a person of equivalent experience. Each portfolio manager of an account that holds voting securities of an issuer or the analyst covering the issuer or its securities may be an ad hoc member of the Proxy Committee in connection with voting proxies of that issuer. Voting determinations made by the Proxy Committee generally will be memorialized electronically (e.g., by email).

2. Duties. The Proxy Committees specific responsibilities include the following:

a. developing, authorizing, implementing and updating the Proxy Voting Procedures, including:

(i) annually reviewing the Proxy Voting Procedures to ensure consistency with internal policies and regulatory agency policies, including determining the continuing adequacy of the Proxy Voting Procedures to confirm that they have been formulated reasonably and implemented effectively, including whether they continue to be reasonably designed to ensure that proxy votes are cast in clients best interest,

(ii) annually reviewing existing voting guidelines and developing of additional voting guidelines to assist in the review of proxy proposals, and

(iii) annually reviewing the proxy voting process and addressing any general issues that relate to proxy voting;

b. overseeing the proxy voting process, including:

(i) overseeing the vote on proposals according to the predetermined policies in the voting guidelines,

(ii) directing the vote on proposals where there is reason not to vote according to the predetermined policies in the voting guidelines or where proposals require special consideration,

(iii) consulting with the portfolio managers and analysts for the accounts holding the security when necessary or appropriate, and

(iv) periodically sampling or engaging an outside party to sample proxy votes to ensure they comply with the Proxy Voting Procedures and are cast in accordance with the clients best interests;

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c. engaging and overseeing third-party vendors that materially assist Loomis Sayles with respect to proxy voting, such as the Proxy Voting Services, including:

(i) determining and periodically reassessing whether, as relevant, the Proxy Voting Service has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze proxy issues by considering:

(a) the adequacy and quality of the Proxy Voting Services staffing, personnel and technology,

(b) whether the Proxy Voting Service has adequately disclosed its methodologies in formulating voting recommendations, such that Loomis Sayles can understand the factors underlying the Proxy Voting Services voting recommendations,

(c) the robustness of the Proxy Voting Services policies and procedures regarding its ability to ensure that its recommendations are based on current, materially complete and accurate information, and

(d) the Proxy Voting Services policies and procedures regarding how it identifies and addresses conflicts of interest, including whether the Proxy Voting Services policies and procedures provide for adequate disclosure of its actual and potential conflicts of interest with respect to the services it provides to Loomis Sayles.

(ii) providing ongoing oversight of the Proxy Voting Services to ensure that proxies continue to be voted in the best interests of clients and in accordance with these Proxy Voting Procedures and the determinations and directions of the Proxy Committee,

(iii) receiving and reviewing updates from the Proxy Voting Services regarding relevant business changes or changes to the Proxy Voting Services conflict policies and procedures, and

(iv) in the event that the Proxy Committee becomes aware that a recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service was based on a material factual error (including materially inaccurate or incomplete information): investigating the error, considering the nature of the error and the related recommendation, and determining whether the Proxy Voting Service has taken reasonable steps to reduce the likelihood of similar errors in the future; and

d. further developing and/or modifying these Proxy Voting Procedures as otherwise appropriate or necessary.

3. Standards.

a. When determining the vote of any proposal for which it has responsibility, the Proxy Committee shall vote in the clients best interests as described in section 1(B)(1) above. In the event a client believes that its other interests require a different vote, Loomis Sayles shall vote as the client instructs if the instructions are provided as required in section 1(B)(2) above.

b. When determining the vote on any proposal, the Proxy Committee shall not consider any benefit to Loomis Sayles, any of its affiliates, any of its or their clients or service providers, other than benefits to the owner of the securities to be voted.

c. If Loomis Sayles becomes aware of additional information relevant to the voting of a shareholder meeting after a vote has been entered but before the applicable voting deadline has passed, it will consider whether or not such information impacts the vote determination entered, and if necessary, use reasonable efforts to change the vote instruction.

D. Conflicts of Interest.

Loomis Sayles has established policies and procedures to ensure that proxy votes are voted in its clients best interests and are not affected by any possible conflicts of interest. First, except in certain limited instances, Loomis Sayles votes in accordance with its pre-determined policies set forth in these Proxy Voting Procedures. Second, where these Proxy Voting Procedures allow for discretion, Loomis Sayles will generally consider the recommendations of the Proxy Voting Service in making its voting decisions. However, if the Proxy Committee determines that the Proxy Voting Services recommendation is not in the best interests of the firms clients, then the Proxy Committee may use its discretion to vote against the Proxy Voting Services

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recommendation, but only after taking the following steps: (1) conducting a review for any material conflict of interest Loomis Sayles may have, and (2) if any material conflict is found to exist, excluding anyone at Loomis Sayles who is subject to that conflict of interest from participating in the voting decision in any way. However, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Proxy Committee after full disclosure of any conflict, that person may provide information, opinions or recommendations on any proposal to the Proxy Committee. In such event, prior to directing any vote, the Proxy Committee will make reasonable efforts to obtain and consider information, opinions and recommendations from or about the opposing position.

E. Recordkeeping.

Loomis Sayles or the Proxy Voting Service will maintain records of proxies voted pursuant to Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act. The records include: (1) a copy of its Proxy Voting Procedures; (2) proxy statements received regarding client securities; (3) a record of each vote cast; (4) a copy of any document created by Loomis Sayles that is material to making a decision how to vote proxies on behalf of a client or that memorializes the basis for that decision; and (5) each written client request for proxy voting records and Loomis Sayles written response to any (written or oral) client request for such records.

Proxy voting books and records are maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of five years, the first two in an appropriate office of Loomis Sayles.

2. PROXY VOTING

A. Introduction

Loomis Sayles has established certain specific guidelines intended to achieve the objective of the Proxy Voting Procedures: to support good corporate governance, including ESG Matters, in all cases with the objective of protecting shareholder interests and maximizing shareholder value.

B. Board of Directors

Loomis Sayles believes that an issuers independent, qualified board of directors is the foundation of good corporate governance. Loomis Sayles supports proxy proposals that reflect the prudent exercise of the boards obligation to provide leadership and guidance to management in fulfilling its obligations to its shareholders. As an example, it may be prudent not to disqualify a director from serving on a board if they participated in affiliated transactions if all measures of independence and good corporate governance were met.

Annual Election of Directors: Vote for proposals to repeal classified boards and to elect all directors annually.

Chairman and CEO are Separate Positions: Vote for proposals that require the positions of chairman and CEO to be held by different persons.

Director and Officer Indemnification and Liability Protection:

A. Vote against proposals concerning director and officer indemnification and liability protection that limit or eliminate entirely director and officer liability for monetary damages for violating the duty of care, or that would expand coverage beyond legal expenses to acts such as gross negligence that are more serious violations of fiduciary obligations than mere carelessness.

B. Vote for only those proposals that provide such expanded coverage in cases when a directors or officers legal defense was unsuccessful if (i) the director or officer was found to have acted in good faith and in a manner that the director or officer reasonably believed was in the best interests of the company, and (ii) if the directors or officers legal expenses only would be covered.

Director Nominees in Contested Elections: Votes in a contested election of directors or a vote no campaign must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, considering the following factors: (1) long-term financial performance of the issuer relative to its industry; managements track record; (2) background to the proxy contest; qualifications of director nominees (both slates);

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(3) evaluation of what each side is offering shareholders as well as the likelihood that the proposed objectives and goals can be met; and (4) stock ownership positions.

Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections:

A. Vote for proposals involving routine matters such as election of directors, provided that at least two-thirds of the directors would be independent, as determined by the Proxy Voting Service, and affiliated or inside nominees do not serve on any key board committee, defined as the Audit, Compensation, Nominating and/or Governance Committees.

B. Vote against nominees that are CFOs of the subject company. Generally, vote against nominees that the Proxy Voting Service has identified as not acting in the best interests of shareholders (e.g., due to over-boarding, risk management failures, a lack of diversity, etc.). Vote against nominees that have attended less than 75% of board and committee meetings, unless a reasonable cause (e.g., health or family emergency) for the absence is noted and accepted by the Proxy Voting Service and the board. Vote against affiliated or inside nominees who serve on a key board committee (as defined above). Vote against affiliated and inside nominees if less than two-thirds of the board would be independent. Vote against Governance or Nominating Committee members if both the following are true: a) there is no independent lead or presiding director; and b) the position of CEO and chairman are not held by separate individuals. Generally, vote against Audit Committee members if auditor ratification is not proposed, except in cases involving: (i) investment company board members, who are not required to submit auditor ratification for shareholder approval pursuant to Investment Company Act of 1940 rules; or (ii) any other issuer that is not required by law or regulation to submit a proposal ratifying the auditor selection. Vote against Compensation Committee members when Loomis Sayles or the Proxy Voting Service recommends a vote against the issuers say on pay advisory vote.

C. Generally, vote against all members of a board committee and not just the chairman or a representative thereof in situations where the Proxy Voting Service finds that the board committee has not acted in the best interests of shareholders.

D. Vote as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service when directors are being elected as a slate and not individually.

E. When electing directors for any foreign-domiciled issuer to which the Proxy Voting Service believes it is reasonable to apply U.S. governance standards, we generally will vote in accordance with our policies set forth in (A) through (D) above. When electing directors for any other foreign-domiciled issuers, a recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed in lieu of the above stipulations.

Independent Audit, Compensation and Nominating and/or Governance Committees: Vote for proposals requesting that the board Audit, Compensation and/or Nominating and/or Governance Committees include independent directors exclusively.

Independent Board Chairman:

A. Vote for shareholder proposals that generally request the board to adopt a policy requiring its chairman to be independent (based on some reasonable definition of that term) with respect to any issuer whose enterprise value is, according to the Proxy Voting Service, greater than or equal to $10 billion.

B. Vote such proposals on a case-by-case basis when, according to the Proxy Voting Service, the issuers enterprise value is less than $10 billion.

Multiple Directorships: Generally vote against a director nominee who serves as an executive officer of any public company while serving on more than two total public company boards and any other director nominee who serves on more than five total public company boards, unless a convincing argument to vote for that nominee is made by the Proxy Voting Service, in which case, the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed.

Staggered Director Elections: Vote against proposals to classify or stagger the board.

Stock Ownership Requirements: Generally vote against shareholder proposals requiring directors to own a minimum amount of company stock in order to qualify as a director, or to remain on the board.

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Term of Office: Vote against shareholder proposals to limit the tenure of outside directors.

C. Ratification of Auditor

Loomis Sayles generally supports proposals for the selection or ratification of independent auditors, subject to consideration of various factors such as independence and reasonableness of fees.

A. Generally vote for proposals to ratify auditors.

B. Vote against ratification of auditors where an auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company, and is therefore not independent; or there is reason to believe that the independent auditor has rendered an opinion which is neither accurate nor indicative of the companys financial position.

C. In general, if non-audit fees amount to 35% or more of total fees paid to a companys auditor we will vote against ratification and against the members of the Audit Committee unless the Proxy Voting Service states that the fees were disclosed and determined to be reasonable. In such instances, the recommendation of the Proxy Voting service will generally be followed.

D. Vote against ratification of auditors and vote against members of the Audit Committee where it is known that an auditor has negotiated an alternative dispute resolution procedure.

E. Vote against ratification of auditors if the Proxy Voting Service indicates that a vote for the ratification of auditors it is not in the best long term interest of shareholders.

D. Remuneration and Benefits

Loomis Sayles believes that an issuers compensation and benefit plans must be designed to ensure the alignment of executives and employees interests with those of its shareholders.

401(k) Employee Benefit Plans: Vote for proposals to implement a 401(k) savings plan for employees.

Compensation Plans: Proposals with respect to compensation plans generally will be voted as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service.

Compensation in the Event of a Change in Control: Votes on proposals regarding executive compensation in the event of a change in control of the issuer will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Director Related Compensation: Vote proposals relating to director compensation, that are required by and comply with applicable laws (domestic or foreign) or listing requirements governing the issuer, as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service.

Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs): Vote for proposals that request shareholder approval in order to implement an ESOP or to increase authorized shares for existing ESOPs, except in cases when the number of shares allocated to the ESOP is excessive (i.e., generally greater than five percent of outstanding shares), in which case the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed.

Golden Coffins: Review on a case-by-case basis all proposals relating to the obligation of an issuer to provide remuneration or awards to survivors of executives payable upon such executives death.

Golden and Tin Parachutes:

A. Vote for shareholder proposals to have golden (top management) and tin (all employees) parachutes submitted for shareholder ratification.

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B. Review on a case-by-case basis all proposals to ratify or cancel golden or tin parachutes.

OBRA (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act)-Related Compensation Proposals:

A. Vote for proposals to amend shareholder-approved plans to include administrative features or place a cap on the annual grants any one participant may receive to comply with the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA.

B. Vote for amendments to add performance goals to existing compensation plans to comply with the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA.

C. Vote for cash or cash-and-stock bonus plans to exempt the compensation from taxes under the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA.

D. Votes on amendments to existing plans to increase shares reserved and to qualify the plan for favorable tax treatment under the provisions of Section 162(m) should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Shareholder Proposals to Limit Executive and Director Pay Including Executive Compensation Advisory Resolutions (Say on Pay):

A. Generally, vote for shareholder proposals that seek additional disclosure of executive and director pay information.

B. Review on a case-by-case basis (1) all shareholder proposals that seek to limit executive and director pay and (2) all advisory resolutions on executive pay other than shareholder resolutions to permit such advisory resolutions.

C. Vote against proposals to link all executive or director variable compensation to performance goals.

D. Vote for an annual review of executive compensation.

E. Non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation will be voted as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service.

F. For foreign domiciled issuers where a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation is proposed concurrently with a binding vote on executive compensation, and the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service is the same for each proposal, a vote will be entered as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service.

Share Retention by Executives: Generally vote against shareholder proposals requiring executives to retain shares of the issuer for fixed periods unless the board and the Proxy Voting Service recommend voting in favor of the proposal.

Stock Option Plans: A recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed using the following as a guide:

A. Vote against stock option plans which expressly permit repricing of underwater options.

B. Vote against proposals to make all stock options performance based.

C. Vote against stock option plans that could result in an earnings dilution above the company specific cap considered by the Proxy Voting Service.

D. Vote for proposals that request expensing of stock options.

E. Capital Structure Management Issues

Adjustments to Par Value of Common Stock: Vote for management proposals to reduce the par value of common stock.

Authority to Issue Shares: Vote for proposals by boards to authorize the issuance of shares (with or without preemptive rights) to the extent the size of the proposed issuance in proportion to the issuers issued ordinary share capital is consistent with industry standards and the recommendations of the issuers board and the Proxy Voting Service are in agreement. Proposals that do not meet the above criteria will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

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Blank Check Preferred Authorization:

A. Vote for proposals to create blank check preferred stock in cases when the company expressly states that the stock will not be used as a takeover defense or carry superior voting rights, and expressly states conversion, dividend, distribution and other rights.

B. Vote for shareholder proposals to have blank check preferred stock placements, other than those shares issued for the purpose of raising capital or making acquisitions in the normal course of business, submitted for shareholder ratification.

C. Review proposals to increase the number of authorized blank check preferred shares on a case-by-case basis.

Common Stock Authorization: Vote against proposed common stock authorizations that increase the existing authorization by more than 100% unless a clear need for the excess shares is presented by the company. A recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed.

Greenshoe Options (French issuers only): Vote for proposals by boards of French issuers in favor of greenshoe options that grant the issuer the flexibility to increase an over-subscribed securities issuance by up to 15% so long as such increase takes place on the same terms and within thirty days of the initial issuance, provided that the recommendation of the issuers board and the Proxy Voting Service are in agreement. Proposals that do not meet the above criteria will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Reverse Stock Splits: Vote for management proposals to reduce the number of outstanding shares available through a reverse stock split.

Share Cancellation Programs: Vote for management proposals to reduce share capital by means of cancelling outstanding shares held in the issuers treasury.

Share Repurchase Programs: Vote for management proposals to institute open-market share repurchase plans in which all shareholders may participate on equal terms.

Stock Distributions, Splits and Dividends: Generally vote for management proposals to increase common share authorization, provided that the increase in authorized shares following the split or dividend is not greater than 100 percent of existing authorized shares.

F. Mergers, Asset Sales and Other Special Transactions

Proposals for transactions that have the potential to affect the ownership interests and/or voting rights of the issuers shareholders, such as mergers, asset sales and corporate or debt restructuring, will be considered on a case-by-case basis, based on (1) whether the best economic result is being created for shareholders, (2) what changes in corporate governance will occur, (3) what impact they will have on shareholder rights, (4) whether the proposed transaction has strategic merit for the issuer, and (5) other factors as noted in each section below, if any.

Asset Sales: Votes on asset sales will be determined on a case-by-case basis after considering the impact on the balance sheet/working capital, value received for the asset, and potential elimination of inefficiencies.

Conversion of Debt Instruments: Votes on the conversion of debt instruments will be considered on a case-by-case basis after the recommendation of the relevant Loomis Sayles equity or fixed income analyst is obtained.

Corporate Restructuring: Votes on corporate restructuring proposals, including minority squeeze-outs, leveraged buyouts, spin-offs, liquidations, and asset sales will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

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Debt Restructurings: Review on a case-by-case basis proposals to increase common and/or preferred shares and to issue shares as part of a debt-restructuring plan. Consider the following issues:

A. Dilution  How much will ownership interest of existing shareholders be reduced, and how extreme will dilution to any future earnings be?

B. Change in Control  Will the transaction result in a change in control of the company?

C. Bankruptcy  Loomis Sayles Corporate Actions Department is responsible for consents related to bankruptcies and debt holder consents related to restructurings.

D. Potential Conflicts of Interest  For example, clients may own securities at different levels of the capital structure; in such cases, Loomis Sayles will exercise voting or consent rights for each such client based on that clients best interests, which may differ from the interests of other clients.

Delisting a Security: Proposals to delist a security from an exchange will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Fair Price Provisions:

A. Vote for fair price proposals, as long as the shareholder vote requirement embedded in the provision is no more than a majority of disinterested shares.

B. Vote for shareholder proposals to lower the shareholder vote requirement in existing fair price provisions.

Greenmail:

A. Vote for proposals to adopt anti-greenmail charter or bylaw amendments or otherwise restrict a companys ability to make greenmail payments.

B. Review anti-greenmail proposals on a case-by-case basis when they are bundled with other charter or bylaw amendments.

C. Vote for proposals to eliminate an anti-greenmail bylaw if the recommendations of management and the Proxy Voting Service are in agreement. If they are not in agreement, review and vote such proposals on a case-by-case basis.

Liquidations: Proposals on liquidations will be voted on a case-by-case basis after reviewing relevant factors including but not necessarily limited to managements efforts to pursue other alternatives, the appraisal value of assets, and the compensation plan for executives managing the liquidation.

Mergers and Acquisitions: Votes on mergers and acquisitions should be considered on a case-by-case basis, generally taking into account relevant factors including but not necessarily limited to: anticipated financial and operating benefits; offer price (cost vs. premium); prospects of the combined companies; how the deal was negotiated; golden parachutes; financial benefits to current management; and changes in corporate governance and their impact on shareholder rights.

Poison Pills:

A. Vote for shareholder proposals that ask a company to submit its poison pill for shareholder ratification.

B. Review on a case-by-case basis shareholder proposals to redeem a companys poison pill.

C. Review on a case-by-case basis management proposals to ratify a poison pill.

Reincorporation Provisions: Proposals to change a companys domicile will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Right to Adjourn: Vote for the right to adjourn in conjunction with a vote for a merger or acquisition or other proposal, and vote against the right to adjourn in conjunction with a vote against a merger or acquisition or other proposal.

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Spin-offs: Votes on spin-offs will be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on relevant factors including but not necessarily limited to the tax and regulatory advantages, planned use of sale proceeds, market focus, and managerial incentives.

Tender Offer Defenses: Proposals concerning tender offer defenses will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

G. Shareholder Rights

Loomis Sayles believes that issuers have a fundamental obligation to protect the rights of their shareholders. Pursuant to its fiduciary duty to vote shares in the best interests of its clients, Loomis Sayles considers proposals relating to shareholder rights based on whether and how they affect and protect those rights.

Appraisal Rights: Vote for proposals to restore, or provide shareholders with, rights of appraisal.

Bundled Proposals: Review on a case-by-case basis bundled or conditioned proxy proposals. In the case of items that are conditioned upon each other, examine the benefits and costs of the packaged items. In instances when the joint effect of the conditioned items is not in shareholders best interests, vote against the proposals. If the combined effect is positive, support such proposals.

Confidential Voting: Vote for shareholder proposals that request corporations to adopt confidential voting, use independent tabulators and use independent inspectors of election as long as the proposals include clauses for proxy contests as follows: in the case of a contested election, management should be permitted to request that the dissident group honor its confidential voting policy. If the dissidents agree, the policy remains in place. If the dissidents do not agree, the confidential voting policy is waived. Vote for management proposals to adopt confidential voting.

Counting Abstentions: Votes on proposals regarding counting abstentions when calculating vote proposal outcomes will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Cumulative Voting: Vote for proposals to permit cumulative voting, except where the issuer already has in place a policy of majority voting.

Equal Access: Vote for shareholder proposals that would allow significant company shareholders equal access to managements proxy material in order to evaluate and propose voting recommendations on proxy proposals and director nominees, and in order to nominate their own candidates to the board.

Exclusive Forum Provisions: Vote against proposals mandating an exclusive forum for any shareholder lawsuits. Vote against the members of the issuers Governance Committee in the event of a proposal mandating an exclusive forum without shareholder approval.

Independent Proxy: Vote for proposals to elect an independent proxy to serve as a voting proxy at shareholder meetings.

Majority Voting: Vote for proposals to permit majority rather than plurality or cumulative voting for the election of directors/trustees.

Preemptive Rights: Votes with respect to preemptive rights generally will be voted as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service subject to the Common Stock Authorization requirements above.

Proxy Access: A recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed with regard to proposals intended to grant shareholders the right to place nominees for director on the issuers proxy ballot (Proxy Access). Vote for such proposals when they require the nominating shareholder(s) to hold, in aggregate, at least 3% of the voting shares of the issuer for at least three years, and be allowed to nominate up to 25% of the nominees. All other proposals relating to Proxy Access will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

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Shareholder Ability to Alter the Size of the Board:

A. Vote for proposals that seek to fix the size of the board.

B. Vote against proposals that give management the ability to alter the size of the board without shareholder approval.

Shareholder Ability to Remove Directors:

A. Vote against proposals that provide that directors may be removed only for cause.

B. Vote against proposals that provide that only continuing directors may elect replacements to fill board vacancies.

C. Vote for proposals to restore shareholder ability to remove directors with or without cause and proposals that permit shareholders to elect directors to fill board vacancies.

Shareholder Advisory Committees: Proposals to establish a shareholder advisory committee will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Shareholder Rights Regarding Special Meetings:

A. Vote for proposals that set a threshold of 10% of the outstanding voting stock as a minimum percentage allowable to call a special meeting of shareholders. Vote against proposals that increase or decrease the threshold from 10%.

B. Vote against proposals to restrict or prohibit shareholder ability to call special meetings.

Supermajority Shareholder Voting Requirements: Vote for all proposals to replace supermajority shareholder voting requirements with simple majority shareholder voting requirements, subject to applicable laws and regulations. Vote against management proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote to approve charter and bylaw amendments.

Unequal Voting Rights:

A. Vote against dual class exchange offers and dual class recapitalizations.

B. Vote on a case-by-case basis on proposals to eliminate an existing dual class voting structure.

Written Consent: Vote for proposals regarding the right to act by written consent when the Proxy Voting Service recommends a vote for the proposal. Proposals regarding the right to act by written consent where the Proxy Voting Service recommends a vote against will be sent to the Proxy Committee for determination. Generally vote against proposals to restrict or prohibit shareholder ability to take action by written consent.

H. Environmental and Social Matters

Loomis Sayles has a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of its clients.

Loomis Sayles believes good corporate governance, including those practices that address ESG Matters, is essential to the effective management of a companys financial, litigation and reputation risk, the maximization of its long-term economic performance and sustainability, and the protection of its shareholders best interests, including the maximization of shareholder value.

Proposals on environmental and social matters cover a wide range of issues, including environmental and energy practices and their impacts, labor matters, diversity and human rights. These proposals may be voted as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service or may, in the determination of the Proxy Committee, be reviewed on a case-by-case basis if the Proxy Committee believes that a particular proposal (i) could have a material impact on an industry or the growth and sustainability of an issuer; (ii) is appropriate for the issuer and the cost to implement would not be excessive; (iii) is appropriate for the issuer in light of various factors such as reputational damage or litigation risk; or (iv) is otherwise appropriate for the issuer.

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Loomis Sayles will consider whether such proposals are likely to enhance the value of the clients investments after taking into account the costs involved, pursuant to its fiduciary duty to its clients.

Climate Reporting: Generally vote for proposals requesting the issuer produce a report, at reasonable expense, on the issuers climate policies. A recommendation against such proposals by the Proxy Voting Service will be considered by the Proxy Committee.

Workplace Diversity Reporting: Generally vote for proposals requesting the issuer produce a report, at reasonable expense, on the issuers workforce diversity or equity policies and/or performance. A recommendation against such proposals by the Proxy Voting Service will be considered by the Proxy Committee.

I. General Corporate Governance

Loomis Sayles has a fiduciary duty to its clients with regard to proxy voting matters, including routine proposals that do not present controversial issues. The impact of proxy proposals on its clients rights as shareholders must be evaluated along with their potential economic benefits.

Changing Corporate Name: Vote for management proposals to change the corporate name.

Charitable and Political Contributions and Lobbying Expenditures : Votes on proposals regarding charitable contributions, political contributions, and lobbying expenditures, should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Proposals of UK issuers concerning political contributions will be voted for if the issuer states that (a) it does not intend to make any political donations or incur any expenditures in respect to any political party in the EU; and (b) the proposal is submitted to ensure that the issuer does not inadvertently breach the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 and sections 366 and 367 of the Companies Act 2006.

Delivery of Electronic Proxy Materials: Vote for proposals to allow electronic delivery of proxy materials to shareholders.

Disclosure of Prior Government Service: Review on a case-by-case basis all proposals to disclose a list of employees previously employed in a governmental capacity.

Financial Statements: Generally, proposals to accept and/or approve the delivery of audited financial statements shall be voted as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service. In certain non-US jurisdictions where local regulations and/or market practices do not require the release of audited financial statements in advance of custodian vote deadlines (e.g., Korea), and the Proxy Voting Service has not identified any issues with the companys past financial statements or the audit procedures used, then Loomis Sayles shall vote for such proposals.

Non-Material Miscellaneous Bookkeeping Proposals: A recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed regarding miscellaneous bookkeeping proposals of a non-material nature.

Ratification of Board and/or Management Acts: Generally, proposals concerning the ratification or approval of the acts of the board of directors and/or management of the issuer for the past fiscal year shall be voted as recommended by the Proxy Voting Service.

Reimbursement of Proxy Contest Defenses: Generally, proposals concerning all proxy contest defense cost reimbursements should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Reimbursement of Proxy Solicitation Expenses: Proposals to provide reimbursement for dissidents waging a proxy contest should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

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State Takeover Statutes: Review on a case-by-case basis proposals to opt in or out of state takeover statutes (including control share acquisition statutes, control share cash-out statutes, freeze out provisions, fair price provisions, stakeholder laws, poison pill endorsements, severance pay and labor contract provisions, anti-greenmail provisions, and disgorgement provisions).

Technical Amendments to By-Laws: A recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service will generally be followed regarding technical or housekeeping amendments to by-laws or articles designed to bring the by-laws or articles into line with current regulations and/or laws.

Transaction of Other Business: Vote against proposals asking for authority to transact open-ended other business without any information provided by the issuer at the time of voting.

Transition Manager Ballots: Any ballot received by Loomis Sayles for a security that was held for a client by a Transition Manager prior to Loomis Sayles management of the clients holdings will be considered on a case-by case basis by the Proxy Committee (without the input of any Loomis Sayles analyst or portfolio manager) if such security is no longer held in the clients account with Loomis Sayles.

J. Investment Company Matters

Election of Investment Company Trustees: Vote for nominees who oversee fewer than 60 investment company portfolios. Vote against nominees who oversee 60 or more investment company portfolios that invest in substantially different asset classes (e.g., if the applicable portfolios include both fixed income funds and equity funds). Vote on a case-by-case basis for or against nominees who oversee 60 or more investment company portfolios that invest in substantially similar asset classes (e.g., if the applicable portfolios include only fixed income funds or only equity funds). These policies will be followed with respect to funds advised by Loomis Sayles and its affiliates, as well as funds for which Loomis Sayles acts as subadviser and other third parties.

Mutual Fund Distribution Agreements: Votes on mutual fund distribution agreements should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Investment Company Fundamental Investment Restrictions: Votes on amendments to an investment companys fundamental investment restrictions should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Investment Company Investment Advisory Agreements: Votes on investment company investment advisory agreements should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

(Rule 14a-101)

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securiites

Exchange Act OF 1934

Filed by the Registrant  Filed by a Party other than the Registrant 

Check the appropriate box:

BANKFINANCIAL CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

(NAME OF PERSON(S) FILING PROXY STATEMENT, IF OTHER THAN THE REGISTRANT)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box)

SUPPLEMENT TO PROXY STATEMENT

FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

To Be Held on May 27, 2022

May 3, 2022

This Supplement to our Proxy Statement dated April 14, 2022 (the 2022 Proxy Statement), is furnished on or about May 3, 2022 to stockholders of record of BankFinancial Corporation (the Company) in connection with the solicitation by our Board of Directors of proxies to be voted at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the Annual Meeting) to be held on May 27, 2022, at 11:00 A.M., Chicago, Illinois Time. The Board of Directors previously made available to you proxy materials in connection with the Annual Meeting, including the 2022 Proxy Statement containing important information about the items of business to be considered at the Annual Meeting.

On or about April 14, 2022, we mailed to our stockholders a notice containing instructions on how to access our Annual Meeting materials, how to request paper copies of these materials and how to vote online or by telephone. The purpose of this supplement is to provide additional information with respect to the 2022 Proxy Statement, as described below. The additional information provided in this supplement should be read in conjunction with our Annual Meeting materials, including the 2022 Proxy Statement. Except as described in this supplement, the information provided in the 2022 Proxy Statement continues to apply. However, the information contained in this supplement modifies or supersedes any inconsistent information contained in the 2022 Proxy Statement.

New Employment Agreements

On May 3, 2022, the Company and BankFinancial, NA (the Bank) entered into amended and restated employment agreements (the Amended Agreements) with F. Morgan Gasior, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Paul A. Cloutier, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. The Amended Agreements are effective as of May 3, 2022 and replace the prior employment agreements with the Company and the Bank, as amended (the Prior Agreements), as described in Executive CompensationCurrent Employment Agreements in the 2022 Proxy Statement. The expectation that the Company and the Bank would enter into the Amended Agreements was described in Executive CompensationProposed Employment Agreements in the 2022 Proxy Statement.

Term. The term of each Amended Agreement ends on May 3, 2025, and unless certain termination events occur, the term will generally extend for an additional twelve months on each anniversary date thereafter such that the term will be thirty-six months. Under the Amended Agreements, Messrs. Gasior and Cloutier will be paid an annual base salary and will be provided with certain benefits applicable to executive personnel.

Benefits. The Amended Agreements provide disability benefits, death benefits and severance in the event of a qualifying termination of employment. In the event the executives employment is terminated without cause or for good reason (as defined in the Amended Agreements), the executive would be paid an amount equal to three times the executives average annual compensation (as defined in the Amended Agreements), in a lump sum, and the executive would receive continued coverage under certain insurance plans for thirty-six months.

The Amended Agreements require the executive to execute a general release in consideration for any severance amounts, and provide for non-solicitation restrictions.

Definition of Good Reason  Double Trigger Required for Certain Payments. Under the Amended Agreements, the definition of good reason was substantially revised to generally include: (i) the relocation of executives principal place of employment to a place that is more than 15 miles from designated locations, (ii) a reduction in the executives base salary or a material reduction in the benefits; (iii) a material uncured breach of the employment agreement; and (iv) a material diminution in executives duties and responsibilities following the consummation of a change of control (as defined in the Amended Agreements, and referred to herein as a Double Trigger). Consequently, the Amended Agreements require a Double Trigger for payment to be made in connection with a change in control (and certain definitions of good reason under the Prior Agreements have been eliminated, such as a modified single trigger or failure to extend the term of the agreement).

The Human Resources Committees of the Company and the Bank concluded that the change from the modified single trigger provisions in the Prior Agreements first executed in 2008 to the Double Trigger provisions now in effect under the Amended Agreements were in accordance with current recommended practices from independent institutional shareholder advisory service firms.
STUTTGART, Germany  U.S. Army paratroopers in the days ahead will conduct airborne operations stretching from the Arctic to the Balkans while American special operators launch simultaneous large-scale drills, as allied forces maneuver across swaths of Europe.

U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Special Operations Command Europe this week began a series of exercises intended to showcase the ability of allies to mobilize for quick response missions, military officials said.

The exercises are set against a tense security backdrop in Europe given Russias war on Ukraine, which has prompted the U.S. to send more than 20,000 additional troops to Europe to shore up defenses and reassure allies along NATOs eastern flank.

For the Army, exercise Swift Response will involve sending Alaska-based paratroopers on a mission over the North Pole to Norway, where they will practice Arctic tactics with allies. At the same time, the Vicenza, Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade and 82nd Airborne Division will perform separate airborne missions with allies in Latvia, Lithuania and North Macedonia.

The effort will test the Armys ability to rapidly deploy with little to no warning across the globe, USAREUR-AF said in a statement.

The Swift Response exercise, which pulls together 9,000 allied troops, will last until May 20.

Meanwhile, service members with the Stuttgart-based U.S. Special Operations Command Europe are carrying out Trojan Footprint, a drill that involves missions across southeastern Europe, the Baltics and Black Sea Region.

With more than 3,300 participants, the exercise is double the size of last years training event of the same name, making it the largest SOCEUR exercise to date, the command said.

This joint, combined training in Europe will continue to build and strengthen those relationships with our allies and partners, establishing a common sight-picture for combat and peacekeeping missions abroad, SOCEUR commander Maj. Gen. David H. Tabor said in a statement.

The two-week drill will demonstrate transatlantic solidarity and the security commitments of the participating nations to defense along NATOs eastern flank, SOCEUR said.
Afghanistan is a bleeding wound in the heart of humanity. Afghan civilians, especially women and children, are victims of a protracted, bloody conflict that started some 40 years ago, when I was a fresh graduate of Kabul Law School. All these years later, it appears the misery in my native land still has little hope of improving any time soon. The peace treaty known as the Doha Agreement, negotiated and signed by the Taliban and the United States two years ago, has not led to any improvement in the lives of Afghans.

After the Taliban seized power from the U.S.-backed government of Ashraf Ghani last year, Afghans hoped the Taliban would cease their reign of violence. Afghans were mentally traumatized and physically exhausted after years of the Talibans relentless attacks on Afghan security forces and civil servants. They hoped the Taliban would relax the strict rules that marked their first reign in the 1990s  but that didnt happen. The Taliban were as vicious as ever. They imposed draconic rules for the personal conduct of men and women, prohibiting girls from attending school after sixth grade, forbidding men to wear ties, and more.

The economy ground to a complete halt as hundreds of thousands fled the country, seeking jobs and security in neighboring Iran and Pakistan.

Why should we care here in the United States?

First, its in the vital interests of the U.S. not to allow Afghanistan to become a den for international terrorists and drug traffickers, as it did following the withdrawal of the former Soviet Union in 1990s. That led to a civil war that resulted in a complete fragmentation of the country. History has taught us that insecurity in Afghanistan will bleed outside of its borders (e.g., the plot to carry out the 9/11 attacks on U.S. soil was planned in a chaotic Afghanistan).

Among our vital national security interests in Afghanistan is the need to prevent it from being used as a base from which terrorists can attack American allies. This is no time to stick our heads into the sand. Terrorists thrive in weak or failed states. Afghanistan is such a state.

The threat level rises when you have the Taliban in power, who share historic and ideological ties with al-Qaida. The U.S. left behind approximately $7 billion worth of military equipment in Afghanistan, and that cant help but embolden terrorists.

The Taliban promised in the Doha agreement that they would not allow foreign fighters in their country to conduct terrorist actions against the U.S. or its allies, but according to the BBC, al-Qaida remains bound to the Taliban by a pledge of allegiance  or bay'ah  which was first offered in the 1990s by Osama bin Laden to his Taliban counterpart Mullah Omar.

The pledge has been renewed several times since, although it has not always been publicly acknowledged by the Taliban.

Recent attacks in Kabul and northern Afghanistan resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties, killing students, worshipers and ordinary citizens in the cities of Mazar-e-Sharif and Kunduz. Al-Qaida took responsibility for the attacks, removing any doubt about whether al-Qaida is still active in Afghanistan. But even if the Taliban wanted to carry out their promise, they dont seem to even have the ability to eliminate al-Qaida from Afghanistan.

Also, the country has been the worlds leading illicit drug producer since 2001. In 2007, at least 93% of the nonpharmaceuticalgrade opiates on the world market were grown in Afghanistan. By 2019, the country still produced about 84% of the worlds opiates, and there is no sign that the Taliban intend to scale back the drug market.

But most importantly, we in the U.S. sense a moral obligation to help those in need, just as we are helping Ukraine fight Russian aggression, and just as we have collectively fought a worldwide war against COVID-19.

The Afghan people have been taken hostage by a group of religious zealots who want to impose their own harsh interpretation of Islam on people who have a moderate view of Islam. The U.S. has some questions it needs to seriously consider, such as:

Does the West want the Taliban to refrain from international terrorism or trying to expand their Islamic emirate beyond Afghanistans borders? Writes Sarah Chayes, the author of On Corruption in America  And What Is at Stake: Do we think an Afghan government that represents the spectrum of people who make up the nation would be more stable than one run by a narrow  and largely detested  authoritarian faction?

Do we want the half of the population that has two X-chromosomes to enjoy comparable human rights with their male counterparts, such as the right to learn, teach or practice medicine? Do we believe Afghans deserve freedom of motion and expression?

And if so, what are we to do?

If we learned anything from the past 20 years, its that sending troops or pouring money into Afghanistan are not effective solutions. Neither is arming an opposition group to topple the Taliban.

The U.S. and the international community should not recognize the Taliban as a legitimate government until they embrace freedom for their people.

Its time for the U.S. to use its soft power to entice the Taliban to agree on free elections, respect womens rights, and work together for the establishment of a long-lasting peace that is based on social justice, fair distribution of power and respect for individual rights.

Wahab Raofi is a graduate of Kabul Law School who worked as a culture adviser for the NATO forces in Afghanistan for 10 years. He lives in California.
Wednesdays damp start will give way to mere gloomy skies on the Niagara Frontier, while a bit of light rain and drizzle will linger longer over hilly terrain in the afternoon. You can view the slow southward progress of clearing over Ontario inching its way in our direction by later this evening in this GOES satellite link.

To add to Wednesdays dampness, most of us were re-soggified Tuesday night with moderate rain and a few pockets of heavy rain. With a muddy paws outbreak still in progress, this should get me out of steam-mopping the floors for a while longer. Whats the point?

The soil moisture anomaly is still not unusually high as of Tuesday in our vicinity. It continues to be more a matter of the absence of many good drying days allowing for more evaporation, leading to soft fields and soggy yards.

Thursday will return a spring to our step with more abundant sunshine, allowing seasonable temperatures ranging from 60 at the Lake Ontario and Chautauqua County shoreline to the mid 60s inland, on a light east-northeast breeze.

Compared with the forecast for Friday in my Monday article, there has been improvement as well. On Monday, it had appeared a low pressure system would be moving close enough to us to deliver widespread rain to the Southern Tier and showers to the Niagara Frontier. Newer guidance now has the low tracking farther south, keeping its rain farther south, as modeled here.

While a few showers cant be ruled out from reaching Jamestown or Wellsville, it appears more likely those showers will stay south of the state line. A brisk east-northeast breeze will keep temperatures from the upper 50s near Lake Ontario to the low-mid 60 inland, the breeze making it feel slightly cooler near Olcott, Wilson, Youngstown, Westfield and Dunkirk.

Saturday is a tougher call for areas south of Buffalo. Confidence is higher for dry, breezy conditions with some sunshine to the north. The track of low pressure waves along a front to our south may allow some showers to reach at least the southern tier, with the European/ECMWF model bringing rain close to Buffalo.

However, the American GFS model keeps all of Western New York rain free and, no, the ECMWF is not automatically assumed to be the better model.

High temps should reach the low 60s, though more cloud cover in the Southern Tier may keep readings in the 50s.

Sunday is an easier call. Strong high pressure will settle over Quebec, keeping us in a dry east-northeast flow with plenty of sunshine, getting highs into the mid 60s.

By early next week, the strong high pressure ridge will be drifting only slowly eastward, forming a block to storm systems to our west. Well be moving into the warmer return southerly flow behind the ridge, bringing us some of the best weather weve had since Sunday, April 24.

One difference this time around is the splendid weather will last more than one day. Temps will reach the low 70s Monday, mid 70s Tuesday, and around 80 by Wednesday.

It remains to be seen if well have enough of a breeze those days to aid in needed evaporation. We can at least count on no additional rainfall during this period.

Severe weather risk areas will continue over parts of the southern plains, drifting into parts of the south. You can track Storm Prediction Center Outlooks, including regions at greater risk for wildfires, on this link.

With good upper air ensemble agreement, Climate Prediction Center temperature probability outlooks are well supported for above average temperatures all the way out through the 8-14 day period, beginning on Monday.

Midwest crops most threatened by climate change

Running many sophisticated climate models, in a new study NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory predicts the U.S. Midwest will be the hardest hit part of the nation for slashes in crop productivity as this century progresses and the climate warms. Extreme rainfall events will multiply in close temporal proximity to interspersed droughts, both types of events becoming more likely as our warming climate continues to amplify. Corn in particular may be the hardest hit major crop. Such a drought did great damage during the 2012 growing season in Iowa and other parts of the Midwest.

In five key breadbasket regions around the globe, the second most vulnerable area is central Europe, currently suffering tremendous damage from the Ukraine war, apart from climate stress. The new NASA study also finds the probabilities of simultaneous breadbasket region crop failures will be on the increase, placing dangerous stresses on global food supplies more frequently.

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North Korea launched a ballistic missile Wednesday off its eastern coast, according to South Koreas military.

The missile, launched at 12:03 p.m., flew 292 miles toward the East Sea at an altitude of 485 miles, according to messages from the Joint Chiefs of Staff to reporters that afternoon. The East Sea is also known as the Sea of Japan.

The launch marks the 13th round of tests by North Korea this year and the first since April 16.

South Korea and the United States will continue to maintain a robust combined defense posture, U.S. Forces Korea commander Army Gen. Paul LaCamera told South Korean military leaders during a videoconference after the launch, according to the Joints Chiefs.

The chiefs said South Koreas troops are currently maintaining their readiness posture, tracking and monitoring movements related to it in preparation for an additional launch.

The Joint Chiefs described North Koreas missile launches as grave threats to harm peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the international community. They added that the launches violate U.N. Security Council resolutions.

We strongly urge North Korea to stop its ballistic missile launches immediately, the Joint Chiefs said.

The latest missile came down in the sea between Japan and the Korean Peninsula but outside Japans economic exclusion zone, an area that reaches 200 miles from its shores, Japanese broadcaster TBS reported Wednesday, citing government sources.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishidas office identified the projectile as a possible ballistic missile.

Kishida ordered related ministries to put their best effort into gathering and analyzing information, and to be fully prepared for any unexpected situation, according to a post on the leaders website.

North Korea on April 16 fired two missiles that it described as part of a new tactical guided weapon system. South Koreas military estimated the projectiles flew 68 miles at an altitude of 15.5 miles and reached a maximum speed of Mach 4.

Just over a week later, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at a parade to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the nations army in Pyongyang, said he would speed development of his nuclear forces and use them if provoked.

Among the weapons displayed that day was the Hwasong-17, an intercontinental ballistic missile believed to be able to reach the continental United States.

State-run media claimed North Korea tested the missile March 24, though South Korea military experts cast doubt on that claim. Regardless of whether North Korea tested the Hwasong-17 or a modified version of the Hwasong-15, both missiles are theoretically capable of reaching the U.S.

Wednesdays launch comes less than a week before South Koreas presidential inauguration. President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol, a member of the conservative People Power Party, is scheduled to take office Tuesday.

Yoon, a former chief prosecutor, campaigned on taking a firm stance against North Korea while reinforcing Seouls alliance with Washington.

Yoon, according to his presidential transition team, plans to address North Koreas threats before everything else and supports the development of a super gap in military technology between the North and South.

Yoons transition team condemned North Koreas latest launch and vowed to strongly respond to the provocations, in a statement Wednesday.

"Furthermore, the [Yoon] government will prepare more fundamental countermeasures against [North Korean] nuclear and missile threats," the statement said.

Stars and Stripes reporter Yoo Kyong Chang contributed to this report.
A Chinese aircraft carrier and its strike group sailed into the Philippine Sea on Monday for a planned training exercise, according to a report by the Chinese military.

The Liaoning and a strike group of seven warships held routine, open-sea combat drills in the Western Pacific south of Japan, Chinese navy spokesman Senior Capt. Gao Xiucheng told the state-run China Military website Tuesday.

The exercises are designed to improve the aircraft carrier battle groups ability to fulfill its missions, Gao was quoted as saying. The training complied with relevant international law and practice, not targeting any party.

The Liaoning strike group was spotted Monday passing south through the Miyako Strait, which separates Okinawa and Miyako, two islands in Okinawa prefecture, Japans Joint Staff said in a Monday news release. It was the first transit of the strait this year by Chinese naval vessels.

The strike group included a large guided-missile destroyer, four guided-missile destroyers, a guided-missile frigate and a supply ship, the Joint Staff said.

Submarines may have accompanied the surface group, according to a Tuesday report from the Chinese state-sponsored Global Times.

The Liaoning has led strike groups through the Miyako Strait multiple times in the past. It was last tracked in the area by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force on Dec. 25 alongside four other warships, according to the Joint Staffs website.

The Miyako Strait, the widest in the Ryukyu Island chain, is an international waterway and one of several important passages, or chokepoints, through the first island chain that separates the Pacific Ocean from the East and South China Seas.

While the Chinese navy passes through the strait on a regular basis, its presence remains a concern for Japan, according to James Brown, an international affairs expert at Temple Universitys Japan campus.

They are a demonstration of China's growing ability to conduct carrier-led exercises in the vicinity of Japan, he told Stars and Stripes by email Wednesday. This is also a show of force intended to discourage Japan from deeper involvement in the security situation around Taiwan.

China also deliberately chooses to pass through Miyako Strait because Beijing knows military activity in the area creates tremors within the security establishment in Tokyo, Brown said.

The U.S. 7th Fleet tracks the movement of all vessels in its operations area and was aware of the Liaonings activities, 7th Fleet spokeswoman Cmdr. Hayley Sims told Stars and Stripes by email Wednesday.

A spokesperson for the Maritime Self-Defense Force did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan  Navy pilots from Carrier Air Wing 5 will fly to Iwo Jima on Friday to sharpen their carrier landing skills before their next patrol aboard the USS Ronald Reagan, Naval Forces Japan announced Wednesday.

Pilots must be current on their carrier landing qualifications before heading to sea, and field carrier landing practice, or FCLP, as naval aviators know it, is a ritual.

At Iwo Jima, known as Iwo To in Japan, senior pilots will fly at least six sorties  three during the day and three at night  and complete seven to eight touch-and-goes during each one.

Junior pilots may complete 12 or more touch-and-goes per sortie.

Landing practice concludes May 16, according to the Navy news release Wednesday.

The pre-deployment training is the final step for aviators before the Ronald Reagan departs from Yokosuka Naval Base for its annual patrol. Landing practice takes place on the remote Japanese island where more than 25,000 U.S. and Japanese troops died in a grueling World War II battle in 1945.

The Navy has said Iwo Jima is not a suitable permanent location for touch-and-go training due to the difficulty of maintaining the remote facilities. If theres bad weather there, carrier landing trials move to other U.S. airfields in Japan.

We have had to use alternate FCLP sites three times in the last decade, Task Force 70 spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Joe Keiley told Stars and Stripes by email Wednesday. In the rare cases where we must use the backup sites, we modify our FCLP pattern over mainland Japan to higher altitudes.

The Japanese government has purchased a suitable replacement field on the island of Mageshima in Kagoshima prefecture; however, a local mayor came out last year against the plan to bring carrier landing practice there.

In February, ministry officials met with Nishinoomote city officials and have been discussing with local authorities the improvement work at the facility, a Ministry of Defense spokesman told Stars and Stripes by email April 21.

The ministry has allocated funds for the landing strip and tarmac in this fiscal years defense budget, according to the spokesman.

The ministry also publicized a preliminary environmental impact assessment on April 20 for the public to review at local city and prefecture offices.

The assessment surveys the impact construction work may have on the island as well as what impact the exercises will have on the surrounding area, according to Kagoshima Television.

Although it is hard to say the definite schedule of the assessment procedure now, we want to begin the work as soon as possible after the procedure is completed, the spokesman said.

Government spokespeople in Japan customarily speak to the media on condition of anonymity.

The spokesman said no schedule is set for moving carrier landing practice to the island, although the ministry is working to begin the operation as soon as possible.

Stars and Stripes reporter Hana Kusumoto contributed to this report.
The Belarusian military has launched large-scale drills to test the readiness of its armed forces to respond quickly to possible crises and counter threats from the air and ground, the Defense Ministry of Ukraines neighbor said early Wednesday.

Belarus said the training exercise would not pose any threat to the European community as a whole or to neighboring countries in particular. The country borders Ukraine to its south, Poland to its west, and Lithuania and Latvia to its north.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally to Russian President Vladimir Putin, allowed Russian troops to assemble and conduct military drills in the Eastern European country in the run-up to Moscows invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

The Belarusian military held joint training exercises with Russian forces just before the war, although Lukashenko has denied U.S. and Ukrainian accusations that he could send troops to fight alongside Russias forces and has said he has no plans for his military to directly join the war. Belarusians who oppose Lukashenkos 28-year rule have joined the battle against Russian troops in Ukraine.

After Wednesdays announcement on the drills, the spokesman for Ukraines state border guard service, Andriy Demchenko, said the frontier with Belarus was constantly being strengthened but added: It cannot be said that they are ready to attack.

We do not rule out that the territory of Belarus could be used at some point . . . against Ukraine, he said. So we are ready.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed as nonsense on Wednesday speculation that Moscow was planning to declare a formal war with Ukraine by May 9 - the Victory Day holiday in Russia commemorating the defeat of Nazis at the end of World War II. The Kremlin has so far cast the war as a special military operation. The May 9 occasion, also commemorated in Belarus, is marked with parades in Russia.

Lukashenkos backing of Russia in the conflict has made Belarus a target of additional sanctions from Western governments and prompted Washington to suspend U.S. Embassy operations in Minsk.

Before the war, the Belarusian leader was in a standoff with the European Union and faced sanctions over his crackdown on protests and political opponents, and the forced diversion of a Ryanair flight to arrest an opposition journalist.

- - -

The Washington Posts Amar Nadhir and Annabelle Chapman contributed to this report.
LVIV, Ukraine  Complaining that the West is "stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line targets across the country, as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war Wednesday by proposing a ban on oil imports.

Heavy fighting also raged at the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol that represented the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined southern port city, according to the mayor. A Russian official denied that Moscow's troops were storming the plant, but the commander of the main Ukrainian military unit inside said Russian troops had broken into the mill's territory.

The Russian military also said it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of resorting to the missile terrorism tactics in order to spread fear across Ukraine.

Air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country on Wednesday night, and attacks were reported near Kyiv, the capital; in Cherkasy and Dnipro in central Ukraine; and in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. In Dnipro, authorities said a rail facility was hit. Videos on social media suggested a bridge there was attacked.

There was no immediate word on casualties or the extent of the damage.

Responding to the strikes in his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: All of these crimes will be answered, legally and quite practically  on the battlefield.

The flurry of attacks comes as Russia prepares to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, marking the Soviet Unions defeat of Nazi Germany. The world is watching for whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will use the occasion to declare a victory in Ukraine or expand what he calls the special military operation.

A declaration of all-out war would allow Putin to introduce martial law and mobilize reservists to make up for significant troop losses.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the speculation as nonsense.

Meanwhile, Belarus, which Russia used as a staging ground for its invasion, announced the start of military exercises Wednesday. A top Ukrainian official said the country will be ready to act if Belarus joins the fighting.

The attacks on rail infrastructure were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons.

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagon's assessment, said that while the Russians have tried to hit critical infrastructure around the western city of Lviv, specifically targeting railroads, there has been no appreciable impact on Ukraines effort to resupply its forces. Lviv, close to the Polish border, has been a major gateway for NATO-supplied weapons.

Weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces thwart Russias initial drive to seize Kyiv and seems certain to play a central role in the growing battle for the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Moscow now says is its main objective.

Ukraine has urged the West to ramp up the supply of weapons ahead of that potentially decisive clash. Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which had been slow at first to help arm Ukraine, said his government is considering supplying howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment it has agreed to send.

The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which lies in the Donbas, said Russian attacks left 21 people dead on Tuesday, the highest number of known fatalities since April 8, when a missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk killed at least 59.

In addition to supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. have sought to punish Moscow with sanctions. The EU's top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to ban Russian oil imports, a crucial source of revenue.

We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The proposal needs unanimous approval from EU countries and is likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they won't take part in any oil sanctions. They could be granted an exemption.

The EU is also talking about a possible embargo on Russian natural gas. The bloc has already approved a cutoff of coal imports.

Russias economy is heavily dependent on oil and natural gas exports. Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, said European purchases of Russian energy produce billions in revenue and support the Kremlin's war machine.

Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russias largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.

In Mariupol, Mayor Vadym Boychenko said that Russian forces were targeting the already shattered Azovstal plant with heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft, warships and heavy bombs that pierce concrete 3 to 5 meters thick.

Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult, he said.

Ukrainian fighters said Tuesday that Russian forces had begun storming the plant. But the Kremlin said that was not true. There is no assault," Peskov said.

Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Ukrainian Azov regiment that's defending the plant, said Russian forces have broken into the plant's territory.

Prokopenko said in a video that the incursions continued for a second day, and there are heavy, bloody battles.

The situation is extremely difficult, but in spite of everything, we continue to carry out the order to hold the defense, he added.

His wife, Kateryna Prokopenko, told The Associated Press: We dont want them to die. They wont surrender. They are waiting for the bravest countries to evacuate them."

Meanwhile, the United Nations announced that more than 300 civilians were evacuated Wednesday from Mariupol and other nearby communities. The evacuees arrived in Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles (230 kilometers) to the northwest, where they were receiving humanitarian assistance.

Many came with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, and we will now support them during this difficult time, including with much-needed psychological support, said Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.

Over the weekend, more than 100 people  including women, the elderly and 17 children  were evacuated from the plant during a cease-fire in an operation overseen by the U.N. and the Red Cross. But the attacks on the plant soon resumed.

The Russian government said on the Telegram messaging app that it would open another evacuation corridor from the plant during certain hours on Thursday through Saturday. But there was no immediate confirmation of those arrangements from other parties, and many previous such assurances from the Kremlin have fallen through, with the Ukrainians blaming continued fighting by the Russians.

It was unclear how many Ukrainian fighters were still inside, but the Russians put the number at about 2,000 in recent weeks, and 500 were reported to be wounded. A few hundred civilians also remained there, the Ukrainian side said.

Mariupol, and the plant in particular, have come to symbolize the misery inflicted by the war. The Russians have pulverized most of the city in a two-month siege that has trapped civilians with little food, water, medicine or heat.

The city's fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops to fight elsewhere in the Donbas.

___

Anna reported from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yesica Fisch in Zaporizhzhia, Inna Varenytsia and David Keyton in Kyiv, Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and AP staff around the world contributed to this report.
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LVIV, Ukraine  Stanislav Shushkevich, who steered Belarus to independence, served as its first leader and is reported to have taught Russian to John F. Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald in the 1960s, has died. He was 87.

Shushkevich died early Wednesday, according to his wife, Irina, after hospitalization last month for COVID-19.

Shushkevich was a harsh critic of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who succeeded him as the nation's leader in 1994 and has ruled with an iron fist ever since, relentlessly crushing dissent.

When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, Shushkevich criticized Lukashenko for allowing Moscow to use Belarus as a staging ground for amassing troops and launching the war.

"When the occupation of Belarus ends, when peace, the law and sovereignty return to Belarus, streets and monuments to Stanislav Shushkevich will certainly appear in Belarussian cities," Belarus' exiled opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, said Wednesday.

Memorializing Shushkevich, she said his "journey toward a free, peaceful and independent Belarus we're continuing, day by day."

Shushkevich, a university professor, became a lawmaker in Belarus during Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's political reforms. Following a botched hardline Soviet coup in August 1991, he was elected to lead the then-republic as the speaker of the Belarusian legislature.

On Dec. 8, 1991, Shushkevich hosted the leaders of Russia and Ukraine at a secluded hunting lodge near Poland to sign an agreement that declared the Soviet Union defunct and formed a new alliance of the three Slavic republics called the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Two weeks later, eight other Soviet republics joined the alliance, effectively terminating the authority of Gorbachev, who stepped down on Dec. 25, 1991.

Shushkevich spoke about the signing of the agreement with pride in an interview last year with The Associated Press. He called the accord he signed with Boris Yeltsin of Russia and Leonid Kravchuk of Ukraine a "diplomatic masterpiece."

"A great empire, a nuclear superpower, split into independent countries that could cooperate with each other as closely as they wanted, and not a single drop of blood was shed," Shushkevich told the AP.

"We decided to shut the prison of nations," he said. "There was nothing to feel contrition for."

Shushkevich argued that he and the other leaders saw no point in Gorbachev's efforts to keep the remaining 12 Soviet republics together.

The Baltic republics of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia already had seceded, and the failed August coup against Gorbachev by hard-line Communist Party members had eroded his authority and encouraged other republics to seek independence.

"All versions of the union treaty boiled down to the restoration of the old ways or to Gorbachev's proposal of a new structure where he still would be the boss," Shushkevich said.

As Belarus' first post-Soviet leader, Shushkevich faced daunting challenges amid an economic meltdown and political turmoil that followed the breakup of the USSR. Shushkevich's popularity waned, and when the country held its first presidential election in 1994, populist Lukashenko won by a landslide after promising to shore up the crumbling economy, combat corruption and restore Soviet-era social benefits.

Before his prominent role in the breakup of the USSR, Shushkevich became a footnote in another historic event. He taught Russian to Lee Harvey Oswald when they worked at the same radio factory in Minsk in the early 1960s. Oswald went on to assassinate U.S. President John F. Kennedy.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte tweeted about the news of Shushkevich's death that "his signature on the declaration dissolving the Soviet Union will live in history, his memory  in our hearts."
The American war in Afghanistan may have ended, but the military still has paperwork to turn in.

The Pentagon is terminating contracts totaling billions of dollars meant to fund an Afghan security force that no longer exists. The process could prompt years of lawsuits, according to a report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction that was released Wednesday.

The contracts came from the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund, which provided some $81 billion for equipment, salaries and facilities maintenance since 2005, the report said.

Following the collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government on Aug. 15, 2021, the Defense Department began reallocating funds meant to pay soldiers and police and ending contracts to maintain their bases and equipment.

The U.S. stopped payments on those contracts in August 2021, Navy Lt. Josie Lynne Lenny, a spokeswoman for U.S. Central Command, said in an email Tuesday.

The military identified approximately 900 contracts that needed to be closed out, the U.S. Army said in a March statement. This involves figuring out how much the U.S. still needs to pay to the vendors.

We owe it to the American taxpayers to responsibly manage the deliberate [and] equitable cessation of those contracts that are no longer needed, Lenny said in an email Tuesday.

If the military does not settle amicably with the contractors, lawsuits are possible, said Molly Dunigan, a senior political scientist at Rand Corp, a nonprofit research institution.

The speed of closing out these contracts down to zero, and doing so quite suddenly, is unprecedented, said Dunigan, who has written extensively on U.S. military contracting over the past 20 years.

While most of the contracts have been settled, the military unit closing them out says the process takes years because of the possibility of future claims and litigation by contractors, the SIGAR report said.

This unit, the Defense Security Cooperation Management Office-Afghanistan, reflects how the suddenness of the collapse of the Afghan military affected the Pentagons plans.

The U.S. originally envisioned the unit providing over-the-horizon support to Afghan security forces via video conference meetings from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

But the unit, originally assigned a two-star general, shrank in scope and as of March consisted of just four service members and two DOD civilians, the report said.

Many of the local contractors the unit needed to contact were either nowhere to be found or in the process of fleeing the country, Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael Dawson, one member of the unit, wrote in a February Air Force financial management newsletter.

Dawson said he resisted pressure to remove some contracts from the books and accept the risk of a lawsuit later.

The military also had difficulties sending payment to Afghan companies because of U.S. sanctions on the Taliban government, the Army said in March.

The units task now is closing out contracts it oversaw, such as ones for a $19 million closed-circuit television surveillance system in Kabul or a barracks renovation in Kandahar. The unit is set to close June 1, the SIGAR report said.

How much money the military recouped from these contract closures is unclear, according to a January SIGAR report.

Other loose ends from the collapse of the Afghan government include an estimated $7.12 billion worth of military equipment provided by the U.S. that remain in Afghanistan, the most recent SIGAR report said.
Jon A. Reynolds, a retired Air Force brigadier general who spent more than seven years as a prisoner of war after the aircraft he was piloting was shot down over North Vietnam in 1965, died April 16 at his home in Bethesda, Md. He was 84.

The cause was lung cancer, said his wife, Emilee Reynolds.

Reynolds  then a captain  was based in Thailand and on his second tour of duty in Southeast Asia when his F-105 Thunderchief was struck by North Vietnamese antiaircraft fire on Nov. 28, 1965. After he ejected from the cockpit, his parachute became entangled in a tree.

He was captured and taken to the infamous Hanoi Hilton, the first of nine prison camps in which he was held. His injuries, which included a fractured jaw and two broken shoulders, were so severe that he could not feed or clean himself.

The prisoners were kept isolated from one another but could communicate by whispers and by tapping on walls. One asked Reynolds why guards entered his cell several times a day. Only then did he explain the extent of his injuries and that the guards were feeding him.

Not long afterward, Reynoldss captors tried to get him to write a letter denouncing the U.S. war effort in Vietnam. When he refused, he was denied food for eight days.

Through wall-tapping, he was told to wait in his cell until the guard fell asleep after lunch. A fellow POW, Robert Percy Purcell, would arrange to get him some food.

As the afternoon grew quiet, I heard scratching on the ceiling and dust and dirt were soon falling from around the single lightbulb in the ceiling of my room, Reynolds wrote in a 2013 remembrance of Purcell for the Air Force Association. Soon the bulb and wire dropped down a couple of feet, which was then followed by a series of long slender pieces of stale bread. My first food in eight days! Through the hole where the lightbulb had been, I saw the smiling face of Percy. He whispered a few words of encouragement, waved, and then he was gone, off to get back to his cell before his absence was discovered.

After a U.S. bombing raid on the North Vietnamese capital of Hanoi in 1966, Reynolds, Purcell and other prisoners were shackled together and marched through the streets, as people cursed at them and threw rocks.

Reynoldss parents, who lived near Philadelphia, had no word from their son for 16 months. He recovered from his injuries and began to write letters home, as he and the other POWs were moved from one prison camp to another. (Reynolds kept the tin cup he had as a prisoner and had a plaque attached to it, containing the nicknames of the nine camps in which he was kept, including Heartbreak Hotel, The Zoo, Dirty Bird, Little Vegas and Dogpatch.)

The signing of the Paris Peace Accords in January 1973 led to the release of almost 600 U.S. prisoners of war from North Vietnam. Reynolds was among the first POWs released, on Feb. 12, 1973.

When he spoke to his parents by telephone, his mother said, Jon, where in the world have you been all this time?

He came back to an America utterly different from the one he had last seen more than seven years earlier. While accompanying his family to a restaurant in Alexandria, Va., he could not get over the changes in clothing and hair styles.

I have always maintained that the antiwar movement in the United States lengthened our stay, Reynolds said soon after his return, in one of his few interviews about his POW experiences. I sincerely believe it was a source of strength to the North Vietnamese.

Reynolds remained in the Air Force and requalified as a pilot. He spent four years as a history professor at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs from 1975 to 1979, was on the faculty of the National War College, worked in planning, learned Chinese and served as an air and defense attache at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing from 1984 to 1988. He later ran the training program for air attaches at the Pentagon before retiring from the Air Force in 1990.

Jon Anzuena Reynolds was born Dec. 13, 1937, in Philadelphia and grew up in the suburb of Bala Cynwyd, Pa. His father was an insurance broker, and his mother was a nurse.

On a family vacation in Canada as a teenager, he flew in an airplane that could land on water and developed a lifelong interest in flying. He studied engineering at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., where he was in the Air Force ROTC. He joined the Air Force after graduation in 1959 and qualified as a pilot.

Reynolds received a masters degree in 1975 and a PhD in 1980, both in history from Duke University. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1986.

His military decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal, two awards of the Silver Star, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, two awards of the Bronze Star Medal, and the Purple Heart. In 1995, Reynolds returned to Vietnam and revisited some of the camps where he had been held.

After his military service, Reynolds joined Raytheon, a defense contractor, and managed the companys operations in China from 1993 to 1999. He also served for 20 years on the board of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

Reynolds lived in Greenville, Del., for many years before settling in Bethesda.

When he was shot down in 1965, Reynolds was engaged to Emilee McCarthy, and their wedding was weeks away. During his imprisonment, she went to graduate school, taught art and married another man.

After Reynoldss release, she called his family and spoke to her onetime fiance on the telephone.

He literally sounded like the same Jon I had known in 1965, she said in interview. His voice hadnt changed at all.

She obtained a divorce and married Reynolds in 1974. In addition to his wife, survivors include their two children, Elizabeth Peltz of Jackson Hole, Wyo., and Andrew Reynolds of McLean, Va.; a brother; and a granddaughter.
WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden on Wednesday hailed Team USA for bringing a bit of unity to a pandemic weary nation as he hosted a White House celebration with about 600 athletes from this year's Winter Olympics in Beijing and the coronavirus-delayed Summer Games held in 2021 in Tokyo.

Among the athletes at the South Lawn ceremony were swimmer and seven-time gold medalist Katie Ledecky, celebrated bobsledder Elena Meyers Taylor and ice dancer Zachary Donahue, as well as competitors from the past two Paralympic Games.

Biden noted the Team USA athletes won some 260 medals in Beijing and Tokyo. Equally impressive as their performances, Biden suggested, was the athletes' ability to unite Americans during a period marked by the unrelenting coronavirus pandemic and deepening partisanship after the 2020 election.

"You represent the very soul of America," Biden told the athletes. "It's been a very divided nation ... but you brought us together. No matter the divisions, when we see you compete, we feel a common pride in those three letters: USA."

The 2020 Tokyo Games were delayed one year due to COVID-19 and took place last summer, largely without spectators. First lady Jill Biden led the U.S. delegation to Japan. At the Beijing Olympics this past winter, also held largely without spectators, the United States staged a diplomatic boycott due to China's human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang.

Jill Biden, in her remarks Wednesday, hailed the athletes for persevering under challenging circumstances, saying Americans were "grateful for the gifts" they gave the country at a difficult time.

"Now I know that these Games may not have been exactly as you once imagined with stadiums packed with people and all of your loved ones screaming from the sidelines," she said. "Olympian or a Paralympian is a rare accomplishment in a normal time, but you did it during a global pandemic. You are forever one of the most elite, most celebrated athletes in this world."
WASHINGTON  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., that his countrys armed forces need sophisticated drones, rocket artillery and anti-ship missiles to drive back the Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine and unblock key seaports, the congressman said Wednesday.

Zelenskyy spoke to Crow, a former Army Ranger, at length Saturday during an unannounced congressional visit to Ukraines capital of Kyiv, outlining top priorities for future U.S. weapon deliveries. At the top of the wish list were multi-use drones, multiple rocket launchers and Harpoon missiles to break Russias dominance in the Black Sea, Crow told reporters.

[Zelenskyy] was very clear that the Ukrainian military would not be in the position that they are in right now and would not be able to face the Russian onslaught without  the weapons that we have provided, the congressman said. But he was also clear that this battle is changing  and thats going to require different types of support.

Ukrainian troops have been using Switchblade drones that detonate on impact to great effect, but Zelenskyy said he needed more advanced, longer-range drones that are armed with precision-strike munitions and capable of being reused, Crow said. The Phoenix Ghost drones that the U.S. is sending in its latest military aid package are also believed to be single use.

The fight for the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces are facing off against Russian forces across long distances, will also require increased shipments of artillery, particularly the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, Crow said. The launcher could prove decisive on the battlefield, he said.

It would really have a devastating impact on the Russian military and provide Ukrainians with a new tool to defend themselves and actually re-seize territory that was taken by the Russians, Crow said.

For front lines in the south, Zelenskyy is asking for anti-ship missile systems, specifically Harpoons, to repel Russian forces launching missiles from the sea and clear Ukrainian ports for agricultural exports, Crow said.

Ukraine formally closed four ports in the Black and Azov seas on Monday after they had been captured by the Russians. All Ukrainian seaports suspended operations after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighboring nation in February, with some ports either captured or obstructed by Russian forces.

The resulting blockade has strangled shipments of grain, wheat, sunflower oil and other food critical for the Ukrainian economy and feeding countries around the world. Ukraine is sitting on 12 million tons of supplies and will add to that stockpile during the summer harvest season, Crow said.

Russia does not let ships come in or go out, it is controlling the Black Sea," Zelenskyy said Monday in a television interview. Russia wants to completely block our countrys economy.

Harpoons would provide the Ukrainian military with enough defensive capability to allow for the removal of anti-ship mines from the port in Odesa, a key city on the Black Sea that Ukrainians mined to prevent Russian forces from conducting an amphibious assault, Crow said.

If we can get them the missiles, they can remove the mines and we can then negotiate and set up a humanitarian shipment corridor, start getting food and agricultural shipments out of Ukraine, which would help alleviate and prevent hunger in Africa and the Middle East, he said.

Zelenskyy is also seeking a new training regime for the Ukrainian military, Crow said. The president told Congress members that he could not afford to rotate out his senior leadership and most experienced soldiers from the front lines to train on new weapons systems outside the country.

Crow said the U.S. needs to set up mobile training teams and a more permanent and enduring training presence to rotate regularly smaller, more junior Ukrainian troops out of Ukraine. Florida National Guard members recently began training Ukrainians on artillery, radar systems and armored vehicles systems in Germany, the Pentagon announced last week.

Zelenskyy did not ask for a no-fly zone or anything that the U.S. is not capable or willing to provide during his four-hour meeting with lawmakers, Crow said. The Ukrainian leader was serious and somber, the congressman said, and had noticeably changed since Crow last visited Kyiv in December.

He has become what I think will be one of historys greatest wartime leaders, Crow said. Hes someone who understands weapons systems and tactics and strategy and wartime leadership and communication with the world and with his own people, in a very deep and impressive way.

Zelenskyys appeals for military aid have become more specific and targeted as Ukrainians repeatedly demonstrate their ability to organize and resist the Russian assault, Crow said. He echoed suggestions by several senators Tuesday that a measure of oversight, such as a special inspector general, should accompany future U.S. weapon shipments.

Keeping tabs on the vast amount of weapons and equipment pouring into Ukraine will be beneficial to both countries as Congress deliberates over a $33 billion supplemental aid package to the war-torn nation, Crow said.

It is certainly in Ukraines interest, they have no interest whatsoever in losing track of this stuff, he said. They are a very professional force, a very advanced force and theyre highly motivated to make sure theyre keeping control of these systems.
SAN DIEGO, May 04, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Taoglas, a leading provider of advanced technology for a smarter world, hosted Irelands Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and top members of Enterprise Ireland, the Irish State trade and innovation agency, as part of their visit to the U.S. West Coast. The event highlights Taoglas long history of growth and success in both the U.S. and Ireland, where the company was founded in 2004.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504006292/en/

Friday, we celebrated our Irish/American business success where we welcomed Irish Tanaiste Leo Varadkar T.D. (center), the deputy head of the Government of Ireland, soon to be Irelands Prime Minister. We were also joined by Marcella Smyth (far right), Consul General of Ireland, and other delegation members. In their company was Enterprise Irelands CEO Leo Clancy (far left). Also pictured - Taoglas Co-CEOs Dermot O'Shea (second from left) and Ronan Quinlan (second from right). (Photo: Business Wire)

Taoglas is among the Irish-headquartered companies that collectively employ 100,000 people in the U.S., which is the largest single investor in Ireland. Ireland is also the ninth-largest source of foreign direct investment in the United States.

As part of the weeklong mission, the Deputy Prime Minister, Enterprise Ireland CEO Leo Clancy, and other top officials met with Taoglas executives including Co-CEOs and Co-Founders Dermot OShea and Ronan Quinlan. The delegation toured Taoglas design and testing facility, engineering lab, US assembly area and corporate offices bringing Deputy Prime Minister Varadkar through the product line and allowing him to get hands-on experience with Taoglas product portfolio and learn about some customer implementation projects showcasing why Taoglas is best-in-class.

"It was my pleasure to meet with the Taoglas team in San Diego and see for myself the companys success. Im always so proud to see an Irish company going global and Taoglas impressive list of customers and impressive growth, spanning nearly 20 years is a testament to the entire team. I wish them every success in the future."

Story continues

"Over 12 years ago, Taoglas recognized that San Diego was emerging as one of the worlds leading wireless innovation hubs, which is why we established our U.S. headquarters here," said Dermot OShea, Co-CEO of Taoglas. "Today, our San Diego wireless lab is where we collaborate with tier-one device OEMs and partners to create custom solutions that enable wireless-powered digital transformation in transportation, autonomous applications, connected health, smart cities, smart homes and more."

Taoglas is a leading provider of advanced technology for a smarter World. Our solutions include advanced components and technologies and help OEMs, enterprises, and communities to resolve the complexities of bringing digital transformation solutions to market quickly and cost-effectively. Focused on best-in-class, high-performance antenna and RF design with advanced positioning, imaging, audio, and artificial intelligence technologies, Taoglas has unique expertise in integrating and commercializing highly complex technology solutions. We utilize this expertise for our home-grown connected smart services such as Taoglas Waste Insights as well as being a trusted advisor to OEMs and enterprises regardless of where they are on their digital transformation journey. With world-class design, consultancy, and engineering expertise, along with support and test centers globally, Taoglas has proven expertise across the transportation, waste management, connected healthcare, smart cities and smart building industries.

About Enterprise Ireland: Enterprise Ireland is the Irish State agency that works with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate, and win export sales in global markets. Enterprise Ireland partners with entrepreneurs, Irish businesses, and the research and investment community to develop Ireland's international trade, innovation, leadership, and competitiveness.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220504006292/en/

Contacts

Media Contacts

Cheryl Allen, MarCom Manager, Taoglas. E: mediarelations@taoglas.com, T: +1760.505.1785
A contingent of unhappy Katikati community members are taking their objections direct to a council meeting on Thursday.

A proposal by Western Bay of Plenty District Council to concrete 1.2 km of a grassed walkway in Katikati from the Bird Walk's new Yeoman Bridge around the estuary edge to the reserve at the end of Park Road looks set to go ahead, despite many in the local community not wanting it.

This extension of the bird walk is a trail through a beautiful, natural-feeling, open green space with large trees, grass, wetland vegetation and views across the water to hills, says Katikati resident Tessa Blackett.

The area supports a wide range of wildlife, including a number of threatened bird species. We're walkers and cyclists and we think a 2.5m wide concrete path for this entire section would be like putting a road through it. It would not be appropriate, not be an improvement, and there are better options."

Royal spoonbills beside the trail. Photo: Tessa Blackett.

The proposal to concrete the walkway is in the face of fierce opposition from 215 people who signed a petition when it was first proposed in 2017/18, says Nan Hoggard, another resident.

People who regularly use the walkway enjoy the grassed surface, its easier on feet, aesthetically pleasing, and is in keeping with the environment."

Nan says that there are walkers young and old, cyclists, mothers with pushchairs, family groups, many people with dogs and mobility scooters.

It is a beautiful place for people to walk safely and in peace.

Walkers on the trail beside the Uretara Estuary. Photo: Tessa Blackett.

A postcard-type flier was in our letter boxes some weeks ago asking for feedback before we pour the concrete, the only option  white or grey concrete, with 10 days to submit.

Nan was not impressed.

It was the first indication that it was once again on the agenda, says Nan.

Now we are again faced with the probability of a concrete path along the entire length, at huge cost, and the many people we have spoken to who use the walkway and in the community do not want it paved.

Tessa says the survey did ask the right questions to gauge community support for the proposal but the council feedback report presents results that don't match the questions asked.

A walker and cyclist herself, she supports the idea of a connected walkway and cycleway around the Katikati Peninsula and is appreciative of the efforts to achieve that, but she emphasises this is already a well-used walkway and cycleway.

So it does not need "developing" with concrete to make it one and this wouldn't make the network more continuous, says Tessa.

The trail beside the Uretara Estuary. Photo: Tessa Blackett.

She spoke at a recent Katikati Community Board meeting on behalf of others who also oppose the concrete path.

The proposal for concreting the 1.2km of grassed walkway is on the agenda for a Western Bay of Plenty District Council committee meeting tomorrow.

A report from council staff on the feedback from the consultation survey is being presented, and some members of the community will be speaking in the public forum in opposition to the proposal, with a contingent supporting them.

They are hoping to call a halt to the plan for a concrete path, and want the council to conduct meaningful, constructive consultation with the community on all the options, and take that feedback into account in deciding on any changes to this area.

Birds resting at a sandspit beside the trail. Photo: Tessa Blackett.

There has also been speculation about the wants and needs of people with mobility access requirements, and there are questions around the challenges of steeper areas of this trail for some of these people, says Tessa.

Mobility scooters are currently used regularly along this stretch and there are multiple access points along the trail for people to get to areas on the waterfront.

These could be enhanced with this in mind, including placing seats at viewing spots. Constructive community consultation would encourage ideas like this and enable those in the community with specific needs to have a voice too.

We think a long wide concrete path for this beautiful green space on the water's edge would be a huge and very permanent mistake and we want to reason with the council and improve the communication and consultation, says Tessa.

It is a very contentious issue, yet not many people know about it apart from those who use it regularly or live nearby, says Nan.

The council meeting is at Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Barkes Corner, Tauranga at 9.30am.

Royal spoonbills resting beside the trail. Photo: Tessa Blackett.
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A woman from Tauranga has hosted a Pink Ribbon Breakfast in celebration of life and the journey shes traversed since being diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2020.

Shes now encouraging others in the Bay of Plenty to host their own Pink Ribbon Breakfast in support of Breast Cancer Foundation NZ.

Michelle Manderson had just been through a separation and was facing life as a solo parent when she discovered a lump in her breast.

She had a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy before a breast cancer diagnosis was confirmed, then underwent a partial mastectomy.

The last four years have been crazy, going through a divorce and breast cancer, with two years of Covid-19 and lockdowns! I hosted a Pink Ribbon Breakfast to celebrate life, love and health while raising money to help others, says Michelle.

I am grateful to friends and family whove supported me emotionally, physically, financially and spiritually throughout this entire journey. Im also grateful for Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, who helped by providing funding for counselling, physiotherapy and lymphoedema treatments. I love having the opportunity to give back and support them.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer for New Zealand women, with around 190 women in the Bay of Plenty DHB area diagnosed with it annually.

Pink Ribbon Breakfast is Breast Cancer Foundation NZs biggest fundraising campaign, where each May, thousands of Kiwis get together to do good in their communities.

The money raised goes towards ground-breaking research, education and awareness programmes, and patient support services.

But the Foundation is facing a 50 per cent drop in Pink Ribbon Breakfast registrations on last year  a huge blow after two years of Covid-19 crushing their fundraising efforts.

The charity desperately needs to increase registrations to hit its $2 million fundraising target.

In this third year of the pandemic, we know people are facing really tough times, but every Pink Ribbon Breakfast  no matter how small or simple  will make a massive difference for Kiwi women with breast cancer, says Ah-Leen Rayner, chief executive of Breast Cancer Foundation NZ.

The funds raised will help us to restore and transform breast screening in New Zealand. We want women to get diagnosed more easily and quickly, which will greatly improve their survival chances.

Breast Cancer Foundation NZ receives no Government funding, so the support of the New Zealand public is vital for running all of the charitys life-saving programmes.

For more information and to register to host a Pink Ribbon Breakfast, visit www.pinkribbonbreakfast.co.nz
A Ukranian-born Tauranga woman is fundraising for her family to escape the war in Ukraine.

Asya Agarkovas family has been badly affected by the war, and she hopes to bring them to safety in New Zealand through the new Special Ukraine Policy visa.

Asya says she has applied for all seven of her family members to have a visa issued, but she is awaiting the documentation.

She has set up a GiveALittle page to bring her family, who lived in the south of Ukraine, to safety.

My parents village, Mala Tokmachka, has been completely destroyed. They had to leave their home behind.

The property was owned by my family for over 100 years. The house there was built by my grandfather and it is all gone. I feel so sad about this, since I havent been to Ukraine in over four years. I never had the opportunity to say goodbye to it.

Russian soldiers are now moving in where they are located now in Zaporizhzhia, so I will need to move them within the next month before they run out of food.

The location of Asya's family after moving from their hometown. Photo: Google Maps.

Asya is planning to bring both of her parents, her younger brother and sister who are twins, her nephew, and her older brother and his pregnant wife, who is due to give birth in three weeks.

My younger brother works in the worst part of Ukraine near the border, if I cannot get him out by May, he will have to cross the border to escape.

My brothers wife will have to go to Bulgaria, as they found a programme that helps pregnant women, as its not safe to give birth in Ukraine. She has a New Zealand visa already, but we are waiting for her to give birth as she cannot fly until two weeks after the baby is born.

Asya's sister-in-law with her nephew. Supplied Photo.

This is when my mother and sister will join her and they will fly to New Zealand together, as they will need to help her with the kids.

My younger brother is expecting his passport at any time now. He will be the first one I can fly in right away.

Asya's younger brother (left), older brother, and her younger sister. Supplied Photo.

Everything is already planned out. The issue now isnt with visas, the immigration officers have done their job, we are just waiting on the passports.

Asya also says her dad is a Russian citizen, meaning he cannot get travel documents easily.

He will be treated poorly if he goes back to Russia as he lives in Ukraine, I think theyre going to authorities to extend his foreign passport. Theyre trying to find solutions now.

Asya's mother, younger sister, and father. Supplied Photo.

Immigration New Zealand has said they would help everyone who is affected by the war, but my dad is a good example and we are struggling to find a solution.

My mum and sister are applying for their passports today, so they will be able to come in this month. The biggest issue is my dad and finding the money to bring everyone over.

The fundraiser is basically funding the tickets. The ticket prices are very high, at about $1700 each on average depending on when you buy.

Its also for basic needs. The government doesnt help them at all as they are not classed as refugees. I have some ideas on what jobs they can do once they get here, but this money will help us get by for the first month until they can all get wages.

Asya moved to New Zealand about four and a half years ago.

She has noticed a massive community response so far from Tauranga locals, and hopes to further raise money so her family can be brought to safety.

People I didnt expect to help, helped me so much. I had messages of people offering to help get my mum a job, or to use their car when theyre away. I also had help offered to set up the Givealittle page.

There has been so much help from the community. Some people have been offering help that isnt even financial, just by offering with things they have access to such as a car when they are away."

To find out more information about Asya and her family's situation, or to donate to her fundraiser, visit her GiveALittle page at https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/escaping-the-war-in-ukraine.

She can also be contacted on her Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/asia.agarkova.
The latest Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest reports from New Zealands ambulance services show that cardiac arrest survival rates are down for the second consecutive year since the Covid-19 pandemic began.

The reports, published by St John and Wellington Free Ambulance, cover all cardiac arrest incidents in the community attended by St John Ambulance and Wellington Free Ambulance from July 1 2020 to June 30 2021.

During this period more than 2,000 people were treated for a cardiac arrest in the community, or around five people a day, with only 25 per cent of those surviving to hospital arrival and 11 per cent of those surviving past 30 days post-hospital discharge.

St John Clinical Director, Dr Tony Smith says cardiac arrest from ischaemic heart disease remains one of the main causes of death in New Zealand and survival rates have declined slightly since 2020.

The ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, including periods of lockdown, have been challenging for everyone, with a lot of disruption to how healthcare is delivered. Hospitals, general practice, and ambulance services are having to adapt and adjust very quickly to an evolving situation, Tony says.

We suspect some of this may have contributed to the slight drop in survival from cardiac arrest in the community.

In the meantime, we need to continue to focus on increasing public awareness of the importance of bystander CPR and use of defibrillators.

Tony's comments were echoed by Wellington Free Ambulance Medical Director Dr Andy Swain who says data analysis confirms that the pandemic and lockdown had contributed to the decline in survival rates.

However, survival rates can more than double with community help. Bystanders can save lives by starting CPR and using an AED (automated external defibrillator). Both St John and Wellington Free Ambulance provide CPR and AED awareness programs free of charge to the public.

Wellington Free Ambulance runs the Lloyd Morrison Foundation Heartbeat Programme, which provides free CPR training to anyone in the Greater Wellington/Wairarapa region and provides free maintenance for community AEDs in the region.

We are committed to providing CPR training to as many people as possible, and despite the challenges of the ongoing COVID response, we trained over 2,000 people last year, Dr Swain says.

Our goal is for everyone to feel confident in their ability to administer CPR and for these lifesaving skills to remain with them for the rest of their lives.

St John runs free programmes in communities such as 3 Steps for Life, ASB St John in Schools, and facilitates donations of AEDs to at-risk communities.

St John Deputy Chief Executive of Community Health and Iwi Engagement, Sarah Manley, agrees communities play a pivotal role in helping improve cardiac arrest survival rates, particularly for Maori and Pasifika whanau who are more likely to have a cardiac arrest and less likely to survive.

New Zealands ambulance services want everyone to know the 3 Steps for Life  calling 111 for an ambulance, starting CPR, and using an AED, which can help save the life of a whanau member or someone in your community.

Anyone who is confident in CPR can join up to GoodSAM which is an app that alerts people when there is someone in cardiac arrest in the area, allowing them to possibly save a life.
A road trial closing one end of a popular Mount Maunganui through road has racked up $1.2 million in fines in just two weeks.

Tauranga City Council is trialling a cul-de-sac on Links Ave that closed the eastern end of the street to through traffic, except busses and authorised vehicles.

The cul-de-sac is formed by two bus lanes and anyone that drives through them will receive a $150 fine.

In the first two weeks of the trial, council sent out 8500 warning letters and have now issued 8000 fines totalling $1.2 million.

Links Ave is a travel corridor for three schools, Mount Maunganui College, Omanu School and Mount Maunganui intermediate. The schools have a combined roll of around 2500 students.

The street runs parallel to Maunganui Road and Oceanbeach Road and is used by drivers in peak times to avoid traffic queues on the other roads.

The increased vehicle volume raised safety concerns for the children using the road, which prompted council to implement two cul-de-sac trials.

The first ran for six weeks, late last year and the cul-de-sac was in the middle of Links Ave.

Data shows the trial successfully reduced traffic but the placement of the cul-de-sac was unpopular.

The current trial will last at least four months and has attracted just as much vitriol from the community.

Matt Nicholson started a petition after learning how many people had been fined for using Links Ave. Photo: Supplied.

The huge number of infringements prompted Matt Nicholson to start a petition calling for council to refund all fines incurred during the trial.

As of May 5, the petition has 3986 signatures.

Matt was fined when travelling east towards Concord Avenue.

He says the new roundabout at Solway place just before the bus lanes is confusing and the signage that the road is closed isnt clear.

To say it's confusing would be an understatement.

Over 16,000 people, not seeing a sign clearly indicates that there's not enough of that signage.

The new roundabout at Solway Place is confusing drivers. Photo: John Borren/SunLive.

Council transport director Brendan Bisley says drivers will pass between three to five signs before they get to the bus lanes depending on the direction of traffic.

When they get to the bus lane itself, there are large areas of road surfacing painted green with the words BUS LANE written.

Matt says council should just give out warnings rather than fines and he hopes they will do the right thing and refund people for the fines issued.

Making revenue off a trial doesn't really seem like the best thing to do for the residents in your area or anyone that visits, he says.

It's not really conducive to making your trial stick or be brought into by the public.

Jacqui, who did not want her last name published, lives on Links Avenue near the cul-de-sac, and she and two of her children have been fined.

She says finding $150 out of her budget isnt easy and the further travel caused by the closure is costing an extra $20 a week in petrol.

Jacquis family are reluctant to visit her now because of the extra travel, they live in Papamoa and have to double back to leave the street.

They avoid coming to my house now, thats really sad, she says through tears.

It's very inconvenient to say the least. Its inconvenient not just for the Links Ave residents, but for the whole community.

Her commute to work in Brookfield at midday also takes at least 15 minutes longer. Other trips that would normally take 10 mins are taking up to 35 minutes, she says.

Papamoa Residents and Ratepayers Association chairman Philip Brown says people cant see the point of having an important road permanently closed when the safety concerns are around a two hour period on weekday mornings.

Papamoa Residents and Ratepayers Association chairman Philip Brown. Photo: John Borren/SunLive.

It just seems ridiculous that you have to close it for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, says Philip.

It just does not make sense and it shows gross mismanagement of our transport assets.

Its like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Matt agrees.

To shut an entire road, both directions as a bus lane seems way over the top, which obviously is causing congestion issues with all of the surrounding streets.

Philip suggests closing Links Ave to through traffic during the morning weekday peak to help with the safety concerns.

He has received feedback from Oceanbeach Road residents that theyre unhappy with their road being blocked up by traffic for longer periods.

During the initial trial, Oceanbeach Road saw an increase of 3000 vehicles per day to a weekday average of 17,400, according to council data.

If the trial was to remain in longer term, changes would be made to Oceanbeach Road to look at improving traffic flows at key points, says Bisley.

The level of continued use of the cul-de-sac  in spite of the bus lane, shows just how many people use Links Avenue as a rat run through Arataki, he says.

The main purpose of the trial is to look at ways of getting the current levels of traffic down to a safer, more reasonable level for a residential street.

-Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.
By Azernews





The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has congratulated Israel on the latters National Day.

On the occasion of the National Day of the State of Israel, we express our best wishes and warm congratulations to the Government and the People of Israel. Happy National Day, Israel! the ministry tweeted.

Israel's National Day (Independence Day) commemorates the country's declaration of independence in 1948. Official and unofficial celebrations and observances honor the day.

It should be noted that Azerbaijani-Israeli cooperation is based not only on economic partnership but also on traditional historical and cultural roots, as well as mutual respect and trust. Furthermore, Israel was one of the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan's state independence and establish diplomatic relations with the country.

Furthermore, Israel was among the first countries to express support for Azerbaijan's just position and territorial integrity during the 44-day second Karabakh war. In January 2021, Azerbaijan expressed its willingness to involve Israel in the restoration of the country's newly liberated territories. As a result, Israel will build a buffalo farm in liberated Zangilan region of Azerbaijan.

Last year, Azerbaijan opened its first Trade and Tourism Representative Office in Israel.

The two countries' trade turnover totaled $818.3 million in the first 11 months of 2021.
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Re: The Indian Navy - Combat Fleet Quote: V.Narayan Originally Posted by INS Vikrant to be commissioned on 15th August 2022.

Tomorrow after I get home I'll write more on the history of this project. I'm not very good at mobile phone posting. INS Vikrant and its super ageing Hawker Seahawks started to be felt by the mid-1970s. INS Vikrant then was a ship in late middle age at 30+ years since launch and fitted with literally WW2 machinery especially her boilers, electricals and lifts. But there was nothing on the horizon. Only USA & France made real aircraft carriers and neither would build one for us nor could we afford them by a zillion miles. The British Invincible class was considered briefly but once again the $ came into play. Just to give you an idea in c.1980 when we placed our order for the Sea Harriers and took delivery of our first 5000 tonne Kashin class guided missile destroyer they both cost us Rs 60 crores a piece in that era's money - about US$ 60mm of then $. It shows how much the Soviets were subsidizing us.



Falklands War and the subsequent availability of HMS Hermes came to our rescue. The Sea Harriers were certainly very modern, though short ranged, aircraft and the Hermes was only slightly more modern than INS Vikrant and was expected to last only till circa 2000. So with great effort we kept the old girl steaming and kept the rare and valued skill of carrier operations alive. At this time c.1990 given the enormous cost of keeping a carrier & its aircraft in good state of repair and operational we gave thought to moving down to helicopter carriers and give up fixed wing fast jet operations altogether. The French offered us a through deck helicopter carrier design called PAH.xx {can't recall the numerals}. It was something like a diesel driven Hyuga of the Japanese Navy that could provide anti-submarine and anti-ship sea control over an area. With the 1990-1992 financial crises that too went over the stern. But fate intervened in the form of the availability of the Kiev class Admiral Gorshkov. We did a detailed inspection of Gorshkov as far back as 1993-94 when she was in good material condition and then took a decade to decide on buying her!



So basically for the third time we were only able to buy a second line carrier to keep naval aviation and force projection alive. Simultaneously we started work on IAC-1 {Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Nos 1}. Initially in a preliminary evaluative way and from 1999 in a definitive way. Designing a carrier, which other than being a very large warship has an unusual structure is not easy. And we had our share of difficulties to overcome. A carrier by definition has a giant hollow box running through about 2/3rds of the ship, across the width and 3 decks high and it cannot have structural pillar impediments! This also then means that those wide gas turbine air intakes and even larger off takes (exhausts) must run beneath the hangar deck and then twist their way to the starboard side. And of course all your deck items - bridge, self defense armaments, electronics must somehow be packed into an island on the right or on the fringes and corners of the flight deck. Marrying all this with survival requirements and stability with XX compartments flooded add to the design challenges. The uptakes and downtakes of gas turbines {unlike diesels or steam turbines} are so large - hollow & unobstructed - that they are a major stability risk factor in case flooding were to happen. The Americans I assume helped with the layout of the engine room. The ski jump was our own design. A ski jump unlike its simple looks is a mathematically complex design with a change in angle every so many centimeters. To maximize take-off weight a ski jump's angle, curvature and length must be customized for the weight, take-off speed & power loading of the aircraft planned.



We took 15 years to build the ship including 9 years since its launch in 2013. This sounds a lot to us and indeed it is a lot. But such endeavours of national strategic importance need time and persistence. Hopefully the next time around we'll be quicker on our feet. I hope we build a Vikrant Mark II and don't fritter away the learnings and skilled manpower. The present administration is more hawkish than any we've seen thus far and I hope good sense will prevail.



Stalwarts of Indian Naval aviation and shipbuilding who have sailed over the horizon like Admiral RH Tahiliani, Commodore YN Singh, Rear Admiral Prakash Gour, Vice Admiral SC Chopra and others who are still with us like Rear Admiral SK Gupta MVC, Admiral Arun Prakash must be beaming with pride.



When this mighty ship commissions on the landmark date of 15-8-22 it will be a proud day specifically for Indian aviation, Indian ship designers and builders and of course the Indian Navy itself. Jai Hind. The need to find a replacement for the oldand its super ageing Hawker Seahawks started to be felt by the mid-1970s.then was a ship in late middle age at 30+ years since launch and fitted with literally WW2 machinery especially her boilers, electricals and lifts. But there was nothing on the horizon. Only USA & France made real aircraft carriers and neither would build one for us nor could we afford them by a zillion miles. The British Invincible class was considered briefly but once again the $ came into play. Just to give you an idea in c.1980 when we placed our order for the Sea Harriers and took delivery of our first 5000 tonne Kashin class guided missile destroyer they both cost us Rs 60 crores a piece in that era's money - about US$ 60mm of then $. It shows how much the Soviets were subsidizing us.Falklands War and the subsequent availability ofcame to our rescue. The Sea Harriers were certainly very modern, though short ranged, aircraft and the Hermes was only slightly more modern thanand was expected to last only till circa 2000. So with great effort we kept the old girl steaming and kept the rare and valued skill of carrier operations alive. At this time c.1990 given the enormous cost of keeping a carrier & its aircraft in good state of repair and operational we gave thought to moving down to helicopter carriers and give up fixed wing fast jet operations altogether. The French offered us a through deck helicopter carrier design called PAH.xx {can't recall the numerals}. It was something like a diesel drivenof the Japanese Navy that could provide anti-submarine and anti-ship sea control over an area. With the 1990-1992 financial crises that too went over the stern. But fate intervened in the form of the availability of the Kiev class. We did a detailed inspection ofas far back as 1993-94 when she was in good material condition and then took a decade to decide on buying her!So basically for the third time we were only able to buy a second line carrier to keep naval aviation and force projection alive. Simultaneously we started work on IAC-1 {Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Nos 1}. Initially in a preliminary evaluative way and from 1999 in a definitive way. Designing a carrier, which other than being a very large warship has an unusual structure is not easy. And we had our share of difficulties to overcome. A carrier by definition has a giant hollow box running through about 2/3rds of the ship, across the width and 3 decks high and it cannot have structural pillar impediments! This also then means that those wide gas turbine air intakes and even larger off takes (exhausts) must run beneath the hangar deck and then twist their way to the starboard side. And of course all your deck items - bridge, self defense armaments, electronics must somehow be packed into an island on the right or on the fringes and corners of the flight deck. Marrying all this with survival requirements and stability with XX compartments flooded add to the design challenges. The uptakes and downtakes of gas turbines {unlike diesels or steam turbines} are so large - hollow & unobstructed - that they are a major stability risk factor in case flooding were to happen. The Americans I assume helped with the layout of the engine room. The ski jump was our own design. A ski jump unlike its simple looks is a mathematically complex design with a change in angle every so many centimeters. To maximize take-off weight a ski jump's angle, curvature and length must be customized for the weight, take-off speed & power loading of the aircraft planned.We took 15 years to build the ship including 9 years since its launch in 2013. This sounds a lot to us and indeed it is a lot. But such endeavours of national strategic importance need time and persistence. Hopefully the next time around we'll be quicker on our feet. I hope we build a Vikrant Mark II and don't fritter away the learnings and skilled manpower. The present administration is more hawkish than any we've seen thus far and I hope good sense will prevail.Stalwarts of Indian Naval aviation and shipbuilding who have sailed over the horizon like Admiral RH Tahiliani, Commodore YN Singh, Rear Admiral Prakash Gour, Vice Admiral SC Chopra and others who are still with us like Rear Admiral SK Gupta MVC, Admiral Arun Prakash must be beaming with pride.When this mighty ship commissions on the landmark date of 15-8-22 it will be a proud day specifically for Indian aviation, Indian ship designers and builders and of course the Indian Navy itself. Jai Hind. Attached Thumbnails











Last edited by V.Narayan : 2nd May 2022 at 20:06 .
Something to look forward to: AMD has updated its Zen 4 roadmap to show what will be replacing its current Ryzen 6000 (Rembrandt) series of mobile chips. The very D&D-sounding Dragon Range and Phoenix APUs will be part of the Ryzen 7000 line and, like their desktop siblings, will come with PCIe 5.0 support.

AMD, which this week posted record quarterly revenue, is pushing Dragon Range's gaming laptop credentials in the slide. In addition to the Zen 4 architecture, it will also have the highest ever core/thread count and cache for a mobile gaming CPU. No specifics on exactly how many Zen 4 cores it will boast, but there have been rumors that it could reach as high as 16.

Additionally, Dragon Range will support full DDR5 memory as opposed to being limited to LPDDR5, as is the case with the Phoenix APUs. It also has a TDP of 55W and higher, but there's no confirmation of its graphics specs or what manufacturing node it uses.

While Dragon Range is designed for the beefier gaming laptops, Phoenix APUs are set to power the thin and light modelsthinner than 20mm, according to AMD. These APUs have a TDP that lands in the 35W to 45W range and lack full-fat DDR5 support.

AMD's roadmap also shows that the Zen 4 Raphael Ryzen 7000 desktop chips will arrive in the second half of the year with PCIe 5.0 support and a TDP of 65W and higher. They also support DDR5, though a recent report suggests the processors might only support the latest memory modules and not offer an option to use DDR4, as Intel does with Alder Lake.
A Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources volunteer discovered a plant in Sauk County that has not been documented in the area for nearly a century.

The maidenhair spleenwort  a fern that grows on cliffs  is a rare plant species that has not officially been seen in the Baraboo Range area since the 1930s, according to Kevin Doyle, Wisconsin DNR Natural Heritage Conservation Botanist and Rare Plant Monitoring Program Coordinator. This changed when Ben Redding, who volunteers with the Rare Plant Monitoring Program, his sons, and their dog went hiking in the area and discovered the plant.

This plant, the maidenhair spleenwort, is listed as special concern in Wisconsin, Doyle said. Rare plants are listed as endangered, threatened or special concern. Its known from like three or four distinct, separated areas in Wisconsin. Ben Redding had done a number of rare plant surveys for us and had gotten familiar with some of the sites in the Baraboo Hills (Baraboo Range), but on this particular day, they were just kind of poking around and, sure enough, they got to one area and found this fern.

Two days after discovering the maidenhair spleenwort, which has the scientific name Asplenium trichomanes, Redding emailed Doyle regarding his finding. Doyle subsequently discovered that the plant had last been reported in the area roughly 90 years prior.

These discoveries are very exciting. They help increase our understanding of the number and locations of rare plant species to better monitor and protect them, said Doyle in a DNR release about the discovery. Volunteers also revisit known locations, another super important part of the conservation process. If we dont check up on these populations, we wont know when they are in trouble.

The DNR announced the discovery, which occurred last summer, in a release on Friday. Attempts to reach Redding for comment Monday were unsuccessful.

According to Doyle and the DNR website, the maidenhair spleenwort has also been identified near Wisconsin Dells. The plant is mainly found on cool, shaded cliffs in hardwood forests, but has also been seen on dolomite, sandstone, basalt and other related rocks, according to the website.

In the last five years, it has been seen in a handful of other spots, said Doyle. This particular population hadnt been seen in 90 years.

Doyle added that the DNR gauges its actions with rare species by tracking them over time after discovering them. The DNR gets updates from volunteers and others to monitor different factors, including invasive species, climate change and flooding.

Even though other populations have been seen, its important to get updates on other ones, said Doyle. To get a 90-year update on a population, its great. It basically brings that population back into the fold of our assessments. Were considering that a viable population now in a way that we werent doing before Bens survey. Its almost like a new population was found.

Doyle said the maidenhair spleenwort and other cliff/rock-residing species are unique because of their decreased susceptibility to invasive species as opposed to plants on the forest floor or in prairies. He said bigger threats to cliff plants are rock climbing and flooding and subsequent cliff erosion.

The site where the plants were found is already a state natural area, said Doyle. The site itself is preserved in terms of development, pressure, or mining or big logging operations and stuff like that.

Doyle added that the areas other than South Central Wisconsin where the fern has been spotted are the Door County area and the north central portion of the state (Iron and Ashland counties in particular).

Other plants on the DNRs list of 336 rare plants that reside in the Baraboo/Wisconsin Dells area include: Shorts rock cress (Boechera dentata), Rocky Mountain sedge (Carex backii), and rope dodder (Cuscuta glomerata). All of these fall under the special concern category, similar to the maidenhair spleenwort.

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Elon Musk is opening up investigations and his Direct Messages inbox for all the Twitter brands that collaborate with the company or use the social media for their content push.

The new owner shows many ways to push content to the platform, especially with Musk's campaign on social media that promotes free information for all and unbiased content.

Is this the start of the new age of Twitter?

Elon Musk Opens Investigations for Brands on Twitter

(Photo : Illustration by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Twitter is in a new age, and instead of privately communicating with influencers and brands on the platform, Musk wants to let everyone know that he is keeping tabs on them. The tech billionaire wants to open an investigation for the forum and have the public understand what is happening on the inside, even in the probes that he will push.

When a person suggested that he look into the Open Source Foundation, George Soros, and the like, he said he would call them and ask for information regarding this concern.

Musk wants to push his ideologies into Twitter, with free information access for the public being the primary concern. The lengths he goes to and shows it online are a massive thing for a platform, as its executives do not display much of it online.

Read Also: Twitter Bans MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell AGAIN

Who funds these organizations that want to control your access to information? Lets investigate https://t.co/dBFsGjOMC8  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 3, 2022

Asks George Soros to 'Slide into DMs'

After expressing his intent to talk with George Soros and the Open Source Foundation, Musk replied to a post on the Twitter page and is asking Soros to "slide into his DMs," as most Twitter users do. The CEO hopes that Soros will notice his DMs or get a message from him regarding this, especially as Twitter's brands and collaborations are at stake.

Heres hoping  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 3, 2022

Twitter's Free Information

Twitter and Elon Musk are working together on a platform that will push free information and free speech campaign on social media now that it is private. Musk's ownership will surely change on Twitter, especially with its new owner's movement pushing for the public and all its stakeholders.

The social media company reassures the public that Musk's campaign would not be toxic or harmful to them.

For a long time since Musk's induction as a stakeholder on Twitter, he has been pushing for freedom of information and a neutral stand on certain things on social media. The "New Age of Twitter" is among us, and there would be specific changes to the platform, but not so much on restrictions and censorship beyond the law.

Musk is not immediately branding these pages or accounts as rightist or leftist. Still, it gives them a chance to open investigations and clarify things to the new owner before saying something about them. Also, he wants the public to know free information from them, mainly as it uses the platform to spread their words and ideas to the public.

Related Article: Elon Musk's 'Authenticate All Humans' On Twitter Plan Is Not Good For Free Speech - Journalist

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Google brought the Pixel 6 last year, and it came with the first unified system-on-chip from the Mountain View giant called the Tensor for its release. Several months later, leaks are circulating around a Pixel 6a device, a new budget-friendly smartphone from Google that is making its way to the I/O 2022 event for release.

Google Pixel 6a Rumors for I/O 2022 Event

(Photo : ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/AFP via Getty Images)

The new Google Pixel 2 XL smartphone is seen at a product launch event, October 4, 2017, at the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco, California.

According to Android Central, there are many indications that the I/O 2022 will feature a showcase for the Google Pixel 6a, the next smartphone release of the tech company for the world. It will bring a budget smartphone to the Pixel 6 lineup, being a more affordable device that does not shy away from the specs as much.

The company also had a retail box leak of the budget device, primarily as it focuses on the finalized design and possible arrival on the I/O 2022.

However, the shipment of the Pixel 6a will arrive by June, and this may not occur due to chip shortages that Google is experiencing now, as per Jon Prosser.

Read Also: Google Launches 'Safety Check,' Earthquake Alert Warnings on 'At a Glance' on Pixel Devices

Google Pixel 6a: What to Expect?

The Google Pixel 6a will have different price ranges for its release, as there are no definite price points on the previous Pixel budget smartphone lineup from the company. The ceiling for its selling price is $499, says Android Central, and it is the expected highest rate for the Pixel 6a when it releases.

Additionally, it will have almost the same specs as the Pixel 6 but will have a different body and features for the budget device.

Google's Pixel Lineup

The Google Pixel lineup is one of the most famous smartphones in the world now, and it is because the Mountain View giant brings a lot of features and specs to the device. The last budget smartphone from Google came out last August 2021 with the Pixel 5a 5G, released later than its first release of the Pixel 5 series.

The Google Pixel 6 is one of the top smartphones from the company, especially with it being the first recipient of the Tensor chip. It is getting a significant new release to the lineup but will focus more on an affordable device like Google's last releases with the "a" suffix in the end.

Google I/O 2022 has a lot of offers for the public to bring, and there are many devices released for the event.

There are no confirmations of Google's Pixel 6a device yet, and all the information said above came from leaks and speculations regarding this new budget release from Google. However, it would be a significant release from Google, especially now that it will bring a new update to the lineup in preparation for the next Pixel 7 flagship.

Related Article: Google Pixel 7 Pro Camera Specs Could be at Par With its Predecessor [Leak]

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Moon missions in the future might have a new element to them: criminal prosecutions.

(Photo : Pixabay)

Only a handful of countries have successfully landed spacecrafts on the moon so far. India is getting ready for the July launch of Chandrayaan-2 in hopes of being the next nation to do so.

In a report by CNET, it was revealed that the Canadian government plans to amend their criminal code in order to punish the country's astronauts for potentially committing a crime off-world. There are a total of three covered scenarios here: crimes committed while traveling to the moon, traveling from the moon, and when the astronauts are on the lunar surface itself.

The proposed change was outlined in Bill C-19. It reads as follows:

"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."

In non-legalese, this means that any crime committed by a Canadian astronaut within the three off-Earth scenarios (going to and from the moon, and on the moon itself) would be considered by the government as a crime committed in Canada. Basically, Canucks will have to be on their absolute best behavior while on Lunar missions for the foreseeable future.

You can red about Bill C-19 via the Parliament of Canada website.

This is the first major legal amendment proposed when it comes to laws in outer space. It follows a 2019 incident involving US astronaut Anne McClain, who is alleged to have accessed her ex-spouse's bank account while on a mission on the ISS, as reported by ABC News Australia.

Considering how the upcoming Artemis moon mission by NASA has a Canadian astronaut on board, this proposed amendment to the Canadian criminal code applies to him/her (they haven't announced who it is yet). But that astronaut will be part of the Artemis 2 mission, which will be the actual one that will land humans on the lunar surface for the first time since 1972, writes the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).

Read Also: NASA Reveals They Are Facing Astronaut Shortage Ahead of Crewed Moon Mission

A Brief Look At How The Law Works In Space

A lot of people might think that if you commit a crime in space, you can get a way with it. They think it's a lawless frontier where the laws set by numerous nations on Earth don't hold any weight. But they would be wrong.

Prior to this decision from the Canadian government, there are already laws being enacted in space. These laws are part of a framework which was formed by the United Nations back in the 60s and 70s - aka the height of the first space race, according to the Centre for International Governance Innovation:

As explained in the video above, space law relies on the assumption that outer space is similar to international oceans. No country has claim to space itself or any planet, and every nation has the right to launch a spacecraft. However, the spacecraft and its crew must follow the laws of their origin state or country - much like a boat on the sea.

The proposed amendment to the Canadian criminal code with regards to moon missions works like that. It only applies to the Canadian astronaut committing it.

Related Article: NASA Artemis Moon Mission: 3 Reasons Why We Should Go Back To The Moon

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by RJ Pierce

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NASA is one with celebrating educators and teachers that work hard on a day-to-day basis to provide for children and all that wish to learn more. These teachers bring more than lessons and information to everyone, as they also offer life lessons, philosophies, and knowledge that instills itself in those seeking excellence.

NASA Celebrates Teachers' Week: Here's When

(Photo : MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images)

Children listen to their teacher as they sit in a classroom on the first day of the start of the school year, at the Chaptal elementary school in Paris, on September 2, 2019.

NASA celebrates teachers, and the agency announced that it is holding its own Teachers' Week from May 3 to May 2 to 6 to commemorate all the educators that give more of their capabilities to students. The space agency is one in celebrates the teachers, especially those in the STEM industry, for everything they do for the world.

One of NASA's programs is to provide STEM tools and kits to help boost education and information for all, widely accessible by the public, despite not being students or educators. The space agency gives a hand to these teachers and educators that go on their daily lives to provide knowledge for all and touch the lives of individuals.

Read Also: Moon Crimes Can Be Prosecuted By The Canadian Government Soon

NASA Recognizes Your Work as an Educator

Teachers are there to give knowledge and lessons at school, but they also extend their hands to provide the students with more of their work and efforts for a better future. NASA made it clear that it supports the educators for their work and recognizes their duties and labor to provide what students need, despite not having the fitting recognition they get.

NASA: Education is Important

NASA is all about education, and all the research it brings to the public regarding space and the Earth focus on giving knowledge and information to all. The national space agency aims to bring many satellites that will add more to the knowledge they bring for us, and it is not only with the orbiting space objects but also missions towards other planets.

Even the InSight Mars Lander and other spacecraft that are on a mission now are aiming to discover more and research a particular region, focusing on more information for all. Researchers and scientists fill their lives with work, and learning is also a part of the process.

Education is essential to the national space agency, and learning starts with the many educators instilling their views and knowledge to the learners.

The space agency is like a teacher to all, bringing its research and knowledge to the public as their students. However, it also commemorates those in a formal institution that works day and night to provide their lessons and lectures that bring much information for all.

Teachers and educators are an inspiration, especially for improving STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) that affect everyone's daily lives.

Related Article :NASA's Ingenuity Mars Captures Ridgeline Near Ancient River for Perseverance to Study

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Are you running a website on WordPress but can't afford a dedicated server to host it? You can still work it out through a WordPress VPS hosting site. While not entirely similar to dedicated hosting, VPS WordPress hosting platforms perform well enough for better reach. Regardless of the content of your website, these hosting services will meet their purpose.

Is VPS Hosting Good for WordPress?

Yes, VPS is suitable for WordPress hosting. In comparison with shared hosting, it offers better security and stability. And unlike dedicated servers, it's a lot cheaper. Plus, it is meant for small-scale websites that expect average traffic exceeding shared hosting's limitations.

What Is the Difference Between WordPress Hosting and VPS Hosting?

WordPress hosting simply refers to an environment configured specifically to suit the CMS of your WordPress websites. Meanwhile, VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting is a combination of shared and dedicated hosting. It takes advantage of virtualization to an extent to provide you with dedicated and private resources on a server inhabited by multiple users.

With WordPress VPS hosting, you have independence and better security than shared hosting. But compared to dedicated hosting, you can only access your server on a limited basis since you're not the only one in it.

Best VPS hosting for WordPress in 2022

After clearing things up, you may conclude that it's the right hosting platform for your WordPress website. To let you see what it can put forward, we consolidated the top 5 best WordPress VPS hosting services that belong in your list of choices.

#1 WPX

One of the most popular and trusted WordPress VPS hosting sites is WPX. Often dubbed as one of the best providers accompanied by customer service, many have entrusted their website to its offerings. If you plan to use it after hopping into another provider, WPX will welcome you with open arms. That's because you can shift your website to them in just a day with minimal intervention, all for free.

WPX is cloud-based, so you can easily manage your website without a fuss. The entirety of their plans has automated backups available for 28 days, with quick storage time, data centers scattered around the globe, and a one-click installment of WordPress. WPX also built its features independently to grow its performance, to be faster than its competitors, and to have stable delivery networks.

They have flexible plans you can choose from. But should you subscribe annually, you get a gift of a 2-month free trial. This comes with 10 GB of storage and 100 GB of bandwidth, where you can manage five websites at most.

Key Features and Benefits

Customer support that replies within 30 seconds

Maximum performance with a fast site loading speed

Independently built to support WordPress websites

Ditched cPanel and revised their own

Has a content delivery network to optimize all functionalities

#2 Siteground

As a beginner with no adequate expertise, looking for WordPress VPS hosting can mess with your head. To ease your worries away, Siteground crafted a solution to manage your WordPress website. What makes it one of the best managed VPS WordPress hosting is its simplicity, doubled by reliability and security. Small to medium businesses like yours should access just enough features to make your website work.

Siteground has features where you can host WordPress websites, build one if you haven't yet, or migrate an existing on to the site. Transferring is quick, so that beginners can wrap their heads around it easily. Another thing is their managed VPS server hosting alongside WordPress installation. The latter comes with advanced and automatic updates or migrations.

Since it's managed, you can access a long list of tools to oversee your website's operations. Built with a custom server setup, your time to the first byte loads 30% quicker than usual. Over the years, WordPress has seen a boost in performance with Sitegound. It's 5x times faster, optimized, reliable, and secure. You also get environmental control in the process.

Key Features and Benefits

Built on premium cloud infrastructure for faster network and more consistent storage

Customized implementation of PHP and MySQL for better site performance

Top speed for WordPress websites + features to boost the functionality

Integrated with the latest technology

Smart 24/7 customer support with 98% satisfaction

#3 Bluehost

Expert or not, those seeking reliable web hosts would find themselves in the vicinity of BlueHost. Dating back years ago, it proves expertise as it harnesses a swift interface and high performance, so your website goes fast and gets the traffic you aspire to have.

Besides VPS WordPress hosting, Bluehost also has WooCommerce and shared and dedicated hosting. To top it off, you can now build your website within the platform and craft an online store for your business. Access the all-in-one dashboard to gain a better view of your progress. You can also obtain a theme and plugin of your choice to match your style to your branding.

One of the many reasons it's a recommended WordPress VPS hosting by WordPress itself is its optimized solution. With this, you gain speed, top-tier performance, and relevant design through innovative features on hand. It differentiates itself from others with its 24/7 support, affordability, and security. But most importantly, it provides comprehensive tools, so you only get the best necessary resources.

Key Features and Benefits

24/7 customer support

Has a website builder and online store

You get your own domain

Has WooCommerce and WordPress hosting

Offers Shared, dedicated, and VPS hosting

Also offers a dashboard, themes, and migration features

Comprehensive tools for websites of all purposes and sizes

#4 Green Geeks

After its establishment in 2008, Green Greeks has been hosting more than 300,000 websites. Since then, users have reported 99.9% uptime, 100% customer satisfaction, and 24/7 availability. One of their offers includes unlimited bandwidth, databases, and 50GB of storage. Besides that, clients are turning to their services, thanks to their eco-friendly solutions.

Green Geeks simplifies the process that comes with WordPress VPS hosting. Yet, it utilizes its resources to an extent, so nothing comes to waste. It will be hosted on LiteSpeed WebServer accompanied by the LS Cache plugin. In return, it allows your website to load quickly. You can access various data centers globally and experience the latest version of PHP, HTTP/3.

Additionally, this VPS WordPress hosting takes pride in its paramount security. They guarantee effective mitigation against malware attacks through automated and manual efforts on your end. You also get DDoS protection, Immunify360, and a free SSL certificate to tighten up the security of your website.

Other than that, Green Geeks also has other services should you need more than a hosting provider. Plus, every hosting account equates to one tree planted because of its partnership with One Tree Planted.

Key Features and Benefits

Comprehensive support

Offers web, VPS, and reseller hosting

Has dedicated servers if you need one

All-out features for a website builder

Other flexible hosting options

#5 WP Bolt

Now-if you're on the lookout for a high-performing WordPress VPS hosting with managed VPS server, WP Bolt is the best option so far. Its VPS WordPress hosting service is built by a Singapore-based hosting company, Site Arrow. Compared to other hosting providers we reviewed, WP Bolt is the fittest alternative for WPX.

As mentioned, VPS hosting is not completely similar to dedicated servers. But WP Bolt does it differently. Your WordPress website has its own server, so there is no need to anticipate a slower load time. Most importantly, no neighbors can trim down the performance of your website on shared servers.

Key Features

Multiple Servers: Server locations are important in speeding up your website. Therefore, it is much better to choose a provider near your preferred audience. Fortunately, WP Bolt has over 22 global data center locations. You can easily track down a server location to accommodate your website's needs. Depending on the location, you can determine server infrastructure from Vultr to Linode.

Secure Servers: VPS WordPress hosting is safer than the shared one. So, it's no doubt that WP Bolt holds the same feature. You can have managed updates to your server and a firewall to maintain your security altogether. Not just that. All servers comprise automated free SSL certificates from Let's Encrypt for every site you choose to host.

Faster Sites: The hosting provider is supported by PHP 8.1 and 7.4, Nginx/Apache stack, MariaDB, HTTP/2, and CDN addon to load up your site swiftly. Therefore, besides a secured server, best believe that you'll gain an optimized and faster website with WP Bolt.

One-click WordPress: WordPress is one click away in WP Bolt, unlike other WordPress VPS hosting. Just select and add it to your server. Its system will automatically install the latest WordPress version, so you don't have to update it manually.

Comprehensive Dashboard: To view and manage options, WP Bolt offers a comprehensive dashboard generated by WHM. It comes with a customizable design layout and is easy to use. You can see the Dashboard, Services, Billing, Support, and Affiliates from the left side. Suppose you want to edit your site, change your plans, and whatnot. Everything from the left will guide you. Although WP Bolt is already secured, you can still deploy another security measure, the Two-factor authentication from Security settings.

24/7 Support: Like any best managed VPS WordPress hosting, you can take advantage of WP Bolt's 24/7 support via ticket and email with response time of less than 10 minutes. You can also take a look at their comprehensive guides, and other troubleshooting blogs should the need arise.

In general, WP Bolt has enough offerings to serve your WordPress website. A secured quality ties them all in a plethora of servers, so you won't have to worry about your site.

Speaking of your site, you can gain benefits from Vultr and Linode. These reputable hosting infrastructure have robust servers and can deliver accelerated load times and optimized performance.

Adding your WordPress site requires no effort. Then to handle everything, a dashboard is up and running to modify settings.

Pros

Deploy your own managed VPS server

Faster time to load

No server neighbors that can slow down your site, unlike traditional managed WordPress Hosting environments

Cheaper than most competitors, with plans starting at $12 per month

Reputable hosting infrastructure and integrated with advanced technology

One-click for adding WordPress

Offers free migration

All-in-one dashboard to oversee your sites

24/7 support via ticket and email with response time of less than 10 minutes

Cons

No backup by default, but you can add a few dollars to have one

In conclusion, if you want affordable yet reliable WordPress VPS hosting, WP Bolt has enough qualities that make it a worthy choice. There may be no built-in backup, but its core features remain embedded in its goal to set forth high-performing and optimized websites.

For just $12 per month, you can access WP Bolt's hosting platform to place your website in a good place. Check out the rest of their plans here to get started.

Final Verdict

No matter what type of website you have in mind, our top 5 best WordPress VPS hosting can live up to your expectations. You just don't get secured servers but also other features to look forward to. Overall, WPX and WP Bolt both fit the bill if you're looking for a VPS WordPress hosting provider for your site. Meanwhile, you may also refer to Siteground, Bluehost, and Green Geeks for other hallmarks necessary to power up your website.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NASA's Mars rock samples might contain space germs that could be brought back to Earth if astronauts are not careful enough.

The international space union now plans to conduct a space mission that will bring back Martian specimens inhabiting rock samples.

NASA said that the spacecraft is expected to land on the U.S. Air Force testing (located in Utah) around 2030. But, the space agency is still looking for feedback to see if the new plan is accepted.

NASA's Mars Rock Samples Contain Space Germs?

According to NPR's latest report, the plan of NASA to bring back space specimens from Mars should be examined thoroughly. Who knows what these microbes bring to Earth.

Also Read: NASA Celebrates Teacher's Week-Commemorates Educators and Their Influence towards Knowledge

On the other hand, a Louisiana State University geologist shared his excitement regarding the upcoming space mission.

"Maybe this is the most important environmental assessment that humans have ever done," said Peter Doran.

However, he said that the probability of germs living on the surface of the Red Planet is pretty low. This means that there's a low chance that space microbes can be brought back to Earth.

Although this is the case, he clarified that low probability doesn't mean impossible. Besides, many space studies claim that Mars is somehow similar to Earth years ago.

One of these researches is the new study titled "A nitrogen-rich atmosphere on ancient Mars consistent with isotopic evolution models," published by the Nature Geoscience journal.

If you want to see more details about the similarities between Earth and Mars that the new study discovered, you can visit this link.

Are Martian Rocks Risky?

Space experts said that it would be troublesome if NASA were really able to bring back space germs from Mars. They added that things would be more serious if the microbes escaped from the space agency's containers to keep them.

But, Brian Clement, a NASA planetary protection expert, claims that multiple panels agreed that the potential hazard of Mars rocks is pretty low.

Meanwhile, NASA James Webb Space Telescope recently aligned.

Recently, a new study claimed that longer NASA Mars missions are actually possible.

For more news updates about NASA and its upcoming space activities, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: NASA's Ingenuity Mars Captures Ridgeline Near Ancient River for Perseverance to Study

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : JIM WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Another day, another Tweet by the newfound bigwig who now owns Twitter - per regulatory approval. Tech billionaire Elon Musk weighs options aloud on potentially making Twitter a subscription-based service for larger organizations, like government bodies and businesses. The Tesla executive posted on May 3rd these thoughts, citing "a slight cost" to utilize Twitter for "commercial/government users."



Given the rather strained financial history behind the media site, expressed best in thriving media rivals like Instagram and YouTube, it's certainly an interesting move that has even been called into question by the likes of various Members of Parliament (MPs) to answer for these alterations.

Twitter will always be free for casual users, but maybe a slight cost for commercial/government users  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 3, 2022

Musk did clarify that "Twitter will always be free for casual users," but the site already has a subscription service titled Twitter Blue, which as of yet is only available in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US. The paid subscription service adds several new features to the user experience at a rather affordable monthly rate of $3. Still, as Arielle Pardes of Wired writes, "Twitter Blue feels a little overwhelming."

Musk himself has likewise been critical of Twitter Blue, citing a variety of alterations that should be made, like a less than $2 price per month, no advertisements, a blue checkmark for all who are subscribed, and "Maybe even an option to pay in Doge?" The executive has been quite vocal about his aspirations, ensuring that he wants nothing more than to "make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features."

Related Article: Elon Musk wants to Investigate Brands that Collaborate with Twitter--Asks George Soros to 'Slide into DMs'

It's not exactly clear just how much Musk would want to charge said organizations to use Twitter, but it does act as an incentive for reform. Although somewhat positive, Twitter revenue as reported for Q1 2022 shows a 15.92% increase year over year at a $1.201 billion price point. It's not bad, but it's not great, either. Twitter has struggled to find alternative ways of monetizing its platform beyond simply advertising, and maybe Musk's concept could work.

To several of the United Kingdom's MPs, it's a bold move that needs far more clarification. Chairman of the UK's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Julian Knight, sent Musk a letter of invitation to meet with the MPs to discuss his wide-sweeping plans for the media platform parliament. In Knight's letter, as cataloged via Telegraph, the MP reiterates several key proposals brought forth by Musk as important and necessary concepts needing amending on the platform.

"In particular, your intention to roll out verification for all users echoes our calls on the UK Government as part of proposed legislation, which we hope will restore the UK public's trust in digital platforms," Knight writes. "Our 2020 Report on Misinformation in the Covid 'Infodemic' called for greater transparency of bots and automated and spam accounts, whilst our recent Report on the UK's Online Safety Bill discussed ways to balance civil liberties like freedom of expression with the need to tackle pernicious, pervasive child sexual exploitation and abuse."

It wouldn't be a first for MPs to pull something like this, as evidenced by several previous pleas to Mark Zuckerberg for broadened evidence into Facebook's fake news concerns, which all went unanswered. Thus, Musk isn't necessarily obligated to meet with the MPs, but it may well help his case if, of course, parliament remains on his side.

Musk's post comes not hours following a letter sent via an advocacy group to various brands, like Disney and Coca-Cola, pressuring them to boycott the platform. The letter states explicitly that Musk's intentions with broadened free speech parameters on Twitter put brands at risk of "association with a platform amplifying hate, extremism, health misinformation, and conspiracy theorists."

Read Also: Elon Musk Says He Might Take Twitter Public Again In 3 Years

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
1Password 8 Mac version is finally available. AgileBits Inc., behind the password manager service, launched the Mac model six months after the 1Password 8 Windows version arrived.

(Photo : Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

In this photo illustration, a password log-in box is projected onto the face of a woman on August 09, 2017 in London, England. With so many areas of modern life requiring identity verification, online security remains a constant concern, especially following the recent spate of global hacks.

The version for Apple Mac devices offers some new changes to simplify security. For the past few years, 1Password has been one of the most reliable password managers in the market.

If you are an Apple Mac user, here are the changes in 1Password 8.7.0 that you can benefit from.

1Password 8 Mac Major Updates Make Security Simpler!

According to Beta News' latest report, the new 1Password 8 Mac version offers consistency in the whole Mac ecosystem. The changes can be used across desktop apps, such as the Safari browser plug-in.

Also Read: 1Password Now Valued at $6.8 Billion After Raising $620 Million During Series C Funding | Robert Downey Jr., Ryan Reynolds, Justin Timberlake Invest

However, there are some Apple users who are not satisfied with the password manager's enhancements since the upgrades don't follow the native Mac design for apps.

When it comes to the actual changes, the new Universal Autofill is the main highlight of the 1Password 8 Mac version, as reported by BGR.

It allows users to easily access their passwords using the shortcut " + \." Using this, Mac owners can easily fill any app or 2FA boxes.

Aside from the new Universal Autofill update, here are other enhancements you can take advantage of:

UI changes, such as a new vibrant sidebar and unified toolbar.

A new iconography and typography design also arrived.

The so-called Knox feature aligns the new 1Password 8 to the overall MacOS experience.

If you want to see more details about the new 1Password 8 for Mac, you can visit this link.

How To Install 1Password 8 Mac?

The new 1Password 8 is now available for any Mac device that has MacOS Catalina 10.15 and other newer system versions.

If you want to use the new model of the popular password manager, you need to have a 1Password subscription first. After that, you can easily install the 1Password app, access your subscription account, and download the latest version.

Meanwhile, a recent 1Password million-dollar funding was a success.

On the other hand, 1Password's web version previously received new features, such as Touch ID support and Windows Hello.

For more news updates about 1Password and other reliable password managers, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: 1Password 8 iOS Beta Access Now Available! iPad, iPhone Receives Watchtower Feature and Other Upgrades

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Per the firm's recently released Q2 fiscal results, Starbucks eyes the potential viability of using digital assets to compensate consumers and elevate the brand into the "third place," more widely known as the metaverse. The company voiced plans of leveraging NFTs specifically with its own minted collection of digital collectibles that will give customers a range of benefits, exclusive rewards, and additional content.

"Emerging technologies associated with Web3, and specifically NFTs, now enable this aspiration and allow us to extend who Starbucks has always been at our core. We are creating the digital third place," explains Brady Brewer, Starbucks' Chief Marketing Officer, amid the investors' call. "To achieve this, we will broaden our framework of what it means for people to be a member of the Starbucks community, adding new concepts such as ownership and community-based membership models that we see developing in the Web3 space."

Starbucks made no real specifications on how its NFT would take shape, alluding to potential designers, additional membership incentives, or even what specific blockchain it would exist under. The company did, however, note that its NFT would be "chain agnostic" and "multi-chain," as well as highlighting the building of a full NFT community that exists within an "environmentally sustainable" platform.

Related Article: Starbucks Joins Coca-Cola, Other Brands to Boycott Social Media Ads; #StopHateforProfit Campaign Will Go Global

It seems, in contrast to various other brands dipping their toes into the Web3 space, that Starbucks is certainly thinking far in advance before leaping headlong into the fray. Not only is the company in the throes of searching for a new, more blockchain savvy leader, according to its sitting CEO Howard Schultz, but it is likewise in the process of adding to its roster various talents of the same ilk.

Starbucks is sequestering the Starbucks app's Mobile Order & Pay mastermind, Adam Brotman, as among the faces for its forthcoming NFT project. The scheme has acquired $4 billion across its existence, raking in within the last year a 20% increase overall. Starbucks' Mobile Order & Pay system alone broadened the concept of utilizing one's phone as a form of payment. Thus Brotman's inclusion in the project proves it will be worthwhile.

To Schultz, the NFT realm is the perfect way to bridge the company to younger audiences while also enhancing its own internal business-related efforts. NFTs could serve a multi-functional facet, allotting both revenue and traffic increases for the Starbucks brand while providing unique marketing efforts on a widespread forum.

"I think the next CEO is going to be a creative person who's going to understand that the equity of the Starbucks brand has real legitimacy and relevance outside of our stores," says Schultz. "And the world we're living in today, our customer base is getting younger, they're digital natives, and they expect Starbucks to be as relevant outside of our stores as we are inside."

Starbucks elaborated only a bit further in a blog post released not long after its Q2 results, which goes over much of the same jargon in a more streamlined way. Of main importance to the brand is the potential for broadened growth in the space through additional collections and collaborations moving into the future. Starbucks did specify that its NFT would hinge on "coffee art and storytelling," while also allocating "a host of unique experiences and benefits."

Other realities surrounding Starbucks as a whole seemed to weigh more on investors' minds as opposed to the news of a full-on Starbucks NFT collection. The company is currently steeped in myriad issues, such as woes within China, worker unionization, and more. It did meet its financial expectations, taking home a little over its prospective $7.6 billion, even with increased lockdown efforts in China. Starbucks stock is up by about 7.88% as of writing, at $80.19 a share.

Read Also: Starbucks NFT Business Now Considered as Founder Returns! Seattle Coffee Giant To Enter Blockchain Before 2022 Ends

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
How public procurement will change in 2023

Government Commercial Function outlines how public procurement will be transformed to improve the way supplies, services and works are procured for the public sector

Further to the Governments consultation on procurement reform, a new public procurement regime will come into effect in 2023, once the new legislation has passed through both houses of parliament. The Transforming Public Procurement Programme aims to improve the ways that public procurement is regulated in order to save the taxpayer money, and to drive social, environmental and economic benefits across the UK.

Government has now published information to explain what exactly the new regime will mean, and how it will be introduced across its commercial community (via a learning and development programme).

Whats changing?

The 4 existing sets of public regulations (the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016 and the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011) will be replaced by a single new regulatory framework.

There will be one joined-up procurement system so that suppliers only have to give their core credentials once, in one place.

More flexibility for public sector procurement professionals will enable better-designed procurement processes and the freedom to talk to suppliers much earlier and throughout the process, to share problems and reimagine innovative solutions to deliver the best possible outcomes.

There will be at least six months to prepare before the legislation goes live; and information, guidance and training will be available to help everyone to understand it and embed the changes.

Why are the changes being made?

The aim of this move is to simplify procurement, reduce bureaucracy and create a fairer system that works better for buyers and suppliers alike.

By improving the way public procurement is regulated, government hopes to save the taxpayer money and boost productivity, spread opportunity, improve public services and empower communities.

A more simple, flexible procurement regime that takes greater account of social value will help communities recover from Covid-19 and support the transition to Net Zero.

How will the changes be rolled out?

Government is implementing a learning and development programme across the public sector to support those operating within the new regime, and this will be complemented by published guidance. The intention is to provide knowledge-drop webinars; self-guided e-learning; deep-dive webinars; and to set up communities of practice to support individuals by allowing them to reflect on their knowledge of the new regime and share best practice.

The key delivery arm of the Transforming Public Procurement Programme  and the primary channel for the learning and development for civil servants and the wider public sector on commercial and contract management issues  will be the Government Commercial College.

You can find out more about governments plans to transform procurement here.

To read techUKs response to the Transforming Public Procurement Consultation click here.
Jennifer Mnookin is a strong supporter of the Wisconsin Idea.

In fact, one of her family members is a direct beneficiary of the belief enshrined in state law that Wisconsins higher education system should provide benefits beyond the classroom.

Mnookin, who is one of five finalists vying to become the next UW-Madison chancellor, said she donated a kidney to her father in late 2020. The organ made its way from Los Angeles, where Mnookin leads the University of California Los Angeles law school, to her dad in Boston thanks to a solution developed at UW-Madison that extends the time that an organ can be safely stored outside of a body.

While UCLA also prioritizes service to its state, Mnookin said her university lacks an elegant and descriptive phrase to explain its mission  we dont have a California Idea, she said  in the way Wisconsin does.

I think UW-Madison has the chance to sell that vision for what a public university is and can be as a national and even global model, she said. I think this university already does that to a considerable degree but I think theres an opportunity to sell and celebrate that as a real national model for why public universities matter.

Mnookin made her pitch Tuesday during a public forum, which followed a slate of meetings with UW officials and members of the campus community earlier in the day. She spent the last 17 years teaching law at UCLA, including the last six years as dean of the law school. Before moving to California in 2005, she taught at the University of Virginia and Harvard.

The scale of the operation Mnookin currently leads  about 1,350 students, 130 full-time faculty and 150 staff  in comparison to UW-Madisons behemoth enterprise is one factor to consider for the committee of UW regents that will pare the list of five finalists down to one.

Mnookin highlighted a scholarship program she created for students who have faced significant life obstacles, efforts to work with Native American tribes and her collaborative leadership style. Her resume indicates she raised more than $170 million in her six years as dean, diversified the student body and converted budget deficits into modest surpluses.

To shore up money that would offset declining state funding, Mnookin suggested boosting philanthropy efforts, building on industry partnerships and creating new degree programs.

It would be a big mistake to just sit and wait for the state to be our answer, she said.

UW-Madisons emphasis on interdisciplinary research  where different academic fields work together to solve large-scale problems  will be a secret weapon in the years ahead and part of what drew her to apply, Mnookin said. Most peer schools are more siloed in their approach.

Mnookins own academic background is a blend of science and humanities. She earned a bachelors degree in social studies from Harvard, a law degree from Yale and a Ph.D. in science studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her husband is a political philosopher, her daughter who just graduated college gravitates toward the liberal arts, and her son who is still in college is a computer science major.

I live in this duality, she said.

She found UW-Madisons long history of shared governance not only with faculty, but also staff and students appealing. Its something she tried incorporating into her current role by establishing a student advisory committee.

Mnookins remarks made an impression on Timothy Yu, an English professor who leads the UW-Madison chapter of the American Association of University Professors and attended Tuesdays forum. It was clear to him that she had done her research but acknowledged she had more to learn.

She offered ideas but I liked that she said she didnt have all the answers, he said.

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Mandarin Yellow

Written by: Steven M. Roth

Available In: eBook|Paperback

Author Website: http://www.stevenmroth.com

Why would a burglar break into a Washington, DC art gallery and steal an historic fountain pen worth $2200, but leave behind other art and cultural objects worth tens of thousands of dollars each? And why would someone else later commit murder to protect the burglars secret?



These are some of the questions that confront Socrates Cheng  an American of Chinese and Greek heritage  in Steven M. Roths intricate murder mystery  Mandarin Yellow  as Socrates investigates the burglary and attempts to recover the pen, all in an effort to curry favor with his lovers estranged father who is the leader of a Washington and Shanghai based criminal Triad.



In a search that takes him from Georgetown to Chinatown and elsewhere in Washington, Socrates finds himself threatened, physically assaulted, suspected of having committed murder, jailed for a time, and constantly confronted by conflicts arising out of his three disparate cultures. Yet he is neither daunted nor deterred by these obstacles. Instead, Socrates draws upon his deep knowledge of vintage fountain pens, Chinese history, and the Mandarin language to puzzle out the complex motives behind the burglary and murders, until he finally uncovers the identities of the criminals and makes a discovery that forever changes his life and the lives of everyone else involved.



Mandarin Yellow involves ethnic and cultural conflict, forbidden love, friendships sustained and friendships lost, and the ever present and sometimes deadly immutable law of unintended consequences.



Mandarin Yellow is an intelligent mystery that sometimes is funny and sometimes sad, occasionally is irreverent, and always is suspenseful. Mandarin Yellow will appeal to readers of modern noir murder mysteries, to collectors of vintage fountain pens, and to people interested in the culture and history of 20th century China and in the Chinese experience in modern America.




Oneiro IV: Apotheosis

Written by: John Stuart Goldenberg

Available In: eBook|Paperback

Author Website:

This singular story describes the unfolding phylogenesis of Philip Carr, a strikingly gifted young lawyer in midtown Manhattanwhich took him from New York, to Oneiro, a hitherto nameless island in the Aegean Seas, to the icy, lightless deeps of Earths oceans, to the most remote regions of deepest space.

The first stop on his cosmic odyssey: Kosmas. The planetary home to the finest minds in the galaxy, acting as the institution of the most advanced learning in the cosmos for literally millions of years.

As was slowly, methodically and meticulously revealed to Phil, he had a destiny of immense cosmic importance: Verteror. A creature unique in all the universe. Gifted with the amazing ability to directly communicate with and command ultra-sub-atomic particulates known as SNA (Sub-Atomic Nucleic Apperception).

SNA, as must, are immortal, near omniscient, and capable of assembling and reassembling matter and energy into every conceivable form, at the most profoundly particulate level. Perhaps they are the consciousness of the universe? They are an ancient, seminal and fundamental element of the cosmos; and the key to Phils ascension to Verteror, and the Verterors approaching imperium of the universe.

But first, he must learn and master his calling. The Kosmin were quite pleased to provide Phil mentors, advisors and spacecraft to assist in pursuing this goal. With excellent result. But not without intermediate disasters. One of the great risks of Verteration was the inadvertent, near instantaneous propagation of a fundamental force know as Resumptive Reticulation. Reticulation defies the most powerful forces in the universe in terms of destruction and reach, and during his inculcation, millions of beings were destroyed along with hundreds of celestial bodies.

Complicating and compounding the severity of Phils labors is the raging onslaught of two living nebulae. One, harvests planet-by-planet, sentients who have achieved sufficient intellectual maturity. The other obliterates all remaining life on such planets, leaving them a totally sterile stage upon which to restart life. Phils challenges are therefore threefold and deadly.

Adding to Phils burdens, much of the populace of Kosmas begin to regard him as a deity, along with his own crew; and Phils burgeoning skills do little to dispel their idolatry. Soon his worshipers grow into the millions.

These many forces finally vortex into a colossal crisis and Phil remains largely alone in his universe, forcing him into a draconian solution with consequences for the universe itself. It also forces Phil into a climactic reckoning with who and what he really has become and what his ultimate roll in the cosmos might be.
Masks of the Lost Kings

Written by: Tom Bane

Available In: eBook|Paperback

Author Website: http://www.tombane.com/

Following the sudden disappearance of treasure hunter Ben Sanders in Mexico, beautiful archaeologist Suzy da Silva is snatched from the cloistered environs of Oxford University and thrust into a deadly maelstrom of intrigue and discovery.
Blue House into the arms of the people after 74 years... On the first day of opening, what is the site?
See which counties have the highest COVID-19 infection rates in Nebraska using data from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
North Park Elementary School first-graders Christina and Daisy were all smiles as they locked arms, learning how to cross a crosswalk made out of chalk at Vehicle Day.

The girls  along with the rest of their class  were at the State Farm station where the business was teaching kids road safety. The station was one of several visits first-grade students made May 3 at Ag Park, 822 15th St.

The kids and their teacher went to each vehicle station for a few minutes to learn more about the business' automobiles or equipment.

The vehicles ran the gamut -- there were construction equipment, police cruisers, a dump truck and a helicopter. There were also vehicles from the City of Columbus, Platte County and Loup Power District. Around 500 students attended the event, which was held by the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce and Nebraska Public Power District.

The students came from Columbus Public Schools, Lakeview Community Schools, Columbus Catholic Schools, Columbus Christian, Immanuel Lutheran and Christ Lutheran.

Chamber President Dawson Brunswick said the event allowed first graders to learn more about local vehicles.

So when they drive around with their parents, they can say, 'Mom, I know what that truck or what that vehicle does! Brunswick said. Thats the whole point of this event. Its to expose kids early on because more and more are finding out what they want to do earlier and earlier in life. If we can spark that passion and help them have that passion in Columbus, thats really what the chamber is interested in.

North Park first grade teacher Christina Jareske said her students were having a blast at the event. She noted they enjoyed the helicopter, medical transport and some of the construction equipment.

Theyre very curious about (the vehicles), Jareske said.

Brunswick said Vehicle Day has been made possible by the work of NPPD Careers Outreach Specialist Kim Liebig. She noted the event brings out the fun for the presenters as well as the kids.

As I was talking to some of them, one gentleman was going to his grandson, Liebig said. Some of the other presenters said their child was going to be here today.

Brunswick said he also appreciated the different entities presenting their vehicles to the students.

It really shows that these people took a day to invest in these kids, he said.  The hope is these businesses can volunteer their time and help spark the passions of some of these kids. With all the chamber programs, we ask for volunteers because ultimately the chamber is what our members are and getting our members to showcase what they do day in and day out.

Andrew Kiser is a reporter for The Columbus Telegram. Reach him via email at andrew.kiser@lee.net.

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Columbus Community Hospital recently welcomed Dr. Patrick Mulherin to its emergency department.

Mulherin will be working on a limited basis for some time, Columbus Community Hospital stated in a May 2 press release, in something like an onboarding process.

Mulherin has practiced in South Carolina, Texas and Omaha, where he worked as assistant medical director of the emergency department at CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center - Bergan Mercy. He and his wife, Megan, have a 2-year-old son, Emmett, and are expecting a second child.

The Columbus Telegram sat down to talk with Mulherin about his life, career, and aspirations here in Columbus.

Question: What is your story?

Answer: Im originally from Dallas, Texas, where I grew up. I went to college in Texas, and then I kind of went all over the map for training. I did a lot of my medical training up in New York City in the Brooklyn area before doing my residency training in South Carolina at the University of South Carolina (USC). While I was there I actually completed two separate residency training programs.

I graduated from OB-GYN residency and an emergency medicine residency. I was there for about seven years or so, and during that interval of time I met my now-wife who was a nurse at USC. She and I ended up moving to Texas for a little while, where I worked in the Austin area. My wife is from the Omaha area so she wanted to come home and be closer to family so we decided to move back to the Omaha area and I took a job here in Omaha.

Q: Where did you work before this?

A: I worked at a small community hospital in Texas, it was a little town called New Braunfels, the community hospital there. Prior to that I worked at a major medical institution, it was the big teaching hospital for USC. Those were the two jobs I had prior to Omaha.

Q: What made you pursue a medical career?

A: I think in general Ive always been drawn to medicine, ever since I can remember. I remember when I was in second grade, a girl I went to school with brought her father for bring your parent to work day and I remember he was a surgeon. He showed us a video of him doing surgery and I remember right then I decided Im going to be a doctor," in the second grade.

I cant explain the draw but it clicked in my head and I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a physician. As far as emergency medicine is concerned, its just the pace of it and the variety of care is very interesting to me. To go to work and never know what youre going to see and have every day be a little different is something thats very fun.

A lot of jobs can be redundant but emergency medicine is always exciting and different. I can tell you right now that no two days are ever the same. I think that kind of keeps you on your toes and keeps you motivated to stay sharp. I think thats been the main draw for emergency medicine for me.

Q: What made you pick Columbus?

A: I was looking for a little bit of a smaller community hospital, just to be able to maybe get my foot in the door. Like I said, I enjoy more of a community-type hospital. I think its a nice relief from some of the chaos of big city hospitals. I enjoy becoming sort of ingrained in the smaller community, getting to know the community, getting to know the people as opposed to dealing with just a bunch of anonymous faces all the time that you can get oftentimes at a big city hospital.

Q: What need do you hope to fill?

A: I think with medicine its constantly changing. Theres always something new; something new to be learned, a new way to do things. I find it to be beneficial when you have people who sort of come from different places, experiences and background who can introduce a fresh take on things in terms of how to practice medicine in general, maybe bring new ideas to the table that can improve things or shed new light on things. I think its always a good idea to bring in new faces to freshen things up sometimes.

Q: What is the best part of what you do?

A: The best part of this is when you genuinely get to make somebody feel better. Oftentimes with emergency medicine, people come in and theyre uncomfortable, theyre in pain, theres something very distressing going on with them. To take somebody whos having a very bad day and to either help the physically in terms of making them not hurt anymore or at least provide them with answers or relief from whats distressing them is pretty good. I think we all know the feeling of being concerned that something is wrong and being able to get answers in a very quick way is relieving to people. I think the pace of emergency medicine allows us to do that and I think thats pretty cool.

Q: What is a significant challenge you face in this line of work?

A: I think the answer to that varies on where you work. When you work in a sort of inner city big hospital where Ive worked, you face an entirely different set of challenges than you do in some sort of community setting. Some things are universal, I think, among any location where you work, and number one is access to healthcare.

Oftentimes people come to the emergency department not really because theyre having an emergency but because they dont have anywhere else to go, you know, they have a hard time navigating the health care system. One of the things we do is that our doors are always open and were happy to see anybody and help people navigate the health care system, kind of get them pointed in the right direction to get them the care that they need.

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Now that most people have their power restored  a lot faster than in the past  Louisiana can transition back to more divisive issues, like abortion.

A half-dozen states have passed laws banning abortions when heartbeats are detected in the fetus. Enforcement, however, differs depending on the state. Alabama, for instance, made it a crime for doctors to perform abortions. The courts suspended Alabamas law for the time being.

On Sept. 1, when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block it, the Texas fetal heartbeat law went into effect leading to the closure of most abortion clinics and sending women on long trips across state lines to terminate pregnancies.

Rather than having state government enforce the law, which would have quickly led to court challenges, Texas authorized private citizens to sue anyone they personally deem to have assisted in an abortion from the doctor to the person who drove her to the clinic. Winners can collect up to $10,000 plus their attorney fees.

Apparently, mutual social vigilance has become a new conservative value.

Columnist George Will, the dean of practical conservatives, points out that Texas feint toward totalitarianism undoubtedly will be sent off to historical footnotes like the Salem Witch trials when courts focus on the private enforcement of any laws.

Michael Sean Winters in his National Catholic Reporter column agrees, writing the new Texas law was introducing a kind of vigilante justice we had all thought consigned to old Western movies, but one that could backlash badly on the pro-life movement.

Texas also takes the eye off Mississippi, which has the case that could make abortions illegal.

The Texas law is different because of the civil enforcement mechanism, said Benjamin Clapper, executive director of Louisiana Right to Life, based in New Orleans. The most important thing Louisiana should be watching is the Supreme Court decision in (the Mississippi case) Dobbs.

Louisiana has laws similar to Mississippi, one forbidding abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy and another that bans the procedure after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which often happens at six weeks, before the woman knows she is with child. Louisiana wont enforce its laws until the courts decide the constitutionality of the Mississippi laws.

When their term begins in two weeks on Oct. 4, the U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Thomas E. Dobbs, in his official capacity as State Health Officer of the Mississippi Department of Health, et al., versus Jackson Womens Health Organization, on behalf of itself and its patients, et al. The question before the high court is whether all pre-viability prohibitions on elective abortion are unconstitutional.

Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision and its judicial progeny, eventually allowed abortions at different degrees of availability based on the chances of the baby's survival after birth. Abortion was easier to obtain in the first trimester, at 13 weeks, a little more difficult in the second trimester. After the third trimester, 26 weeks, the procedure was usually limited to protecting the mothers life and serious medical conditions.

At 15 weeks a fetus heart is beating, gender is identifiable, and they can move their fingers. But a fetus cant survive on its own outside the mothers womb until about 24 weeks into a usual 39-week pregnancy.

Alarm bells rang for Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights when the now 6-3 conservative-leaning high court, after a dozen or so requests, finally accepted Dobbs. She said in a statement: The Supreme Court just agreed to review an abortion ban that unquestionably violates nearly 50 years of Supreme Court precedent and is a test case to overturn Roe v. Wade.

In Louisiana, Clapper said pro-life forces are looking to ensure enforcement of the states laws regardless of whether the Supreme Court supports the Mississippi and hence the Louisiana law, or just modifies the Roe v. Wade standards. The group is studying the Texas enforcement provision, talking to legislators, and deciding what to do when lawmakers reconvene March 14 for the next regular session.

Clapper said he hasnt studied civilian enforcement enough to have formed an opinion, but he understands why.

Theres a lot of frustration that for nearly 50 years this is the law of America and so citizens are frustrated with the courts and theyre just trying to ask themselves What can we do thats peaceful?
A leaked draft of a U.S. Supreme Court opinion suggesting the high court is preparing to strike down Roe v. Wade left Nebraskans on both sides of the issue watching and planning for what comes next.

With no federal law protecting or prohibiting abortion, the leaked opinion, should it become final, would leave a patchwork of state laws to determine the access Americans have to abortion.

In Nebraska, state law allows abortions up to 20 weeks after conception. A measure that would have banned all abortions in Nebraska if the high court overturned the landmark 1973 ruling died in the Legislature this spring.

One thing Nebraska lawmakers are watching for is whether they will see a new version of LB933, a so-called "trigger" bill.

State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha said Tuesday that Nebraskans should be prepared for Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts to call a special legislative session to pass a law that would ban abortion in the state if the high court's final opinion remains unchanged from the draft.

"By blocking the passage of LB933, we just basically bought ourselves some time," said Hunt, who led the eight-hour filibuster against the measure. The bill died after it failed to gather the 33 votes needed for a filibuster-ending cloture motion. The final vote was 31-15, with three senators excused.

State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, who introduced the bill, said she hopes Ricketts calls a special session if the ruling comes out as drafted so the Legislature can debate abortion rights again.

Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers of Lincoln said Tuesday that he will work with Ricketts to schedule a special session if the high court overturns Roe v. Wade.

A spokeswoman for Ricketts said Tuesday that the Republican governor likely won't decide whether to call a special session focused on abortion until the Supreme Court releases its official opinion on the issue.

Ricketts has said Nebraska needs to be ready to outlaw abortion, and he strongly supported LB933.

"I don't anticipate we'll have a statement on whether we'll call a special session until the decision is final," said Alex Reuss, Ricketts' spokeswoman. "That might change, but I don't see it changing."

Albrecht said she hasnt yet committed to reintroducing the same version of LB933 as a new bill if a special session is called, but she doesnt imagine she would make any changes.

LB933 would have made it a felony for anyone to provide any medication or undertake any procedure with the intent of ending the life of an unborn child, starting at fertilization. The woman undergoing an abortion, however, could not be charged.

Opponents criticized the bill for putting the penalty on doctors or other professionals who administer an abortion. LB933 would not have provided exemptions, including for rape or incest, but would have allowed licensed physicians charged under the law to use as a defense that the abortion was necessary to prevent the womans death or serious, permanent impairment of a life-sustaining organ.

Albrecht said she is confident that the same bill could get passed in a special session; she thinks she has gathered two additional votes to support a cloture motion.

Even if the same bill fails again, Albrecht said she thinks the Legislature eventually will be able to pass an abortion-restricting law next year once new lawmakers are sworn in after the general election.

I think it could get done, she said.

Opponents of LB933, however, took to Twitter after the draft opinion leaked. State Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln criticized the decision as incredibly dangerous. Sen. Jen Day of Omaha, another LB933 opponent, confirmed on Twitter Monday night that she would continue to fight against abortion-restricting legislation.

We will never stop fighting, Day said. I'm sad tonight but tomorrow, we rise.

U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday confirmed the authenticity of the draft, which was leaked to Politico. A court statement stressed that the draft isn't an official ruling.

A final ruling in the case discussed in the draft is expected to come in June or July. The case, known as Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, challenges Mississippi's ban on abortion after 15 weeks.

The draft opinion, signed by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the court's conservative majority, calls the Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized abortion nationwide, "egregiously wrong from the start."

Sandy Danek, executive director of Nebraska Right to Life, said the unprecedented breach of the court's confidentiality is disturbing, no matter where people stand on the issue.

"We need to proceed with caution and wait for the Supreme Court to speak for itself, giving the official opinion when the final draft is complete," she said in a statement.

But Danek said a decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would return the abortion question to elected representatives in state legislatures. "Elections matter," she said. "It's why we work so hard to elect pro-life officials. Returning this decision back to the states allows for the people to decide, which is where it should have always been."

Fifty-three Democratic state parties pledged in a statement Tuesday to recruit and support candidates for state and federal offices who will fight for abortion rights. The statement called on federal legislators to immediately codify Roe in federal law.

Sarah Stoesz, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said in a news media call that the organization is prepared to fight and to continue providing abortion care as long as and wherever it is legal.

"Elections matter, they matter deeply  and now is the time to mobilize," she said.

Meanwhile, the organization is preparing to provide access to abortion for people living in states where it would become illegal if the high court rules as the opinion suggests.

Hunt said Nebraska could become a haven for people from surrounding states who are seeking abortion, just as states near Texas did after a law banned most abortions there.

Stoesz said the Planned Parenthood affiliate, which includes Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, is planning for that possibility.

North Dakota and South Dakota both have trigger bans on their books, she said, meaning abortion would immediately become illegal if the high court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Minnesota, however, has a state Supreme Court decision that protects such access. Iowa bans abortions after 20 weeks, but it has a constitutional measure that protects abortion before that cutoff, at least for now. Opponents have proposed placing a constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2024 to nullify it.

This report contains material from the Associated Press.

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Yet the story is instructive not only for what it says about a freewheeling executive confronting a safeguard-heavy system but for what happens when a niche corner of science has a light thrown on it by a social media celebrity. All that wattage has created a divide within the neuro community. Is Musk a strange bedfellow they can live with to save people? Or a distraction whose hype will undermine critical research? The simple truth is, whether academics or entrepreneurs want to accept this, a lot of people would not be talking about neurotech had Elon not made this his focus, said Marcus Gerhardt, chief executive and co-founder of the Utah-based Blackrock. The neurotech community is sceptical at Musks ambitious plans. Credit:Jessica Shaprio But, he added, the hype was also dangerous. If you send a sporadic message, on the spur of the moment, to patients and get their hopes up, its irresponsible no matter how you try to turn it. Ed Niedermeyer, the automotive analyst who wrote a book about Musk and Tesla, said that Neuralink is a perfect example of what Musk does - make claims that are so extravagant he hopes you wont spend much time thinking about them.

BMI tech works by recording brain signals via electrodes implanted in the brain. That recording then allows an algorithm to combine all the signals and transmit them to a computer - potentially allowing paralysed people to walk again via a robotic limb, or ALS patients who cant speak to type instructions for a computer-generated voice. While meaningful signals are generated by 100-200 electrodes (Blackrocks amount, via the Utah Array approach), Neuralink captures 1,024 electrodes per implant, via a breakthrough sewing technique. Licensed from University of California at San Francisco research, it involves the stitching together of many electrodes in a polymer thread. An implant is the diameter of a quarter, but five times thicker. If you send a sporadic message, on the spur of the moment, to patients and get their hopes up, its irresponsible no matter how you try to turn it. Marcus Gerhardt, chief executive and co-founder of neurotech company Blackrock Neurotech Neuralink was founded in 2016 but little publicised until a streaming event three years ago. Musks current boasts that he could make tetraplegics walk again are in fact a reining in of his promises then; at that presentation, he went far beyond medical uses to pledge that Neuralinks devices could achieve a sort of symbiosis with artificial intelligence and ultimately help secure humanitys future as a civilisation relative to AI. Musk has talked less about AI-melding recently (scientists say it is, at best, many decades away) but has kept the hype machine churning. Short-term: solve brain/spine injuries. Long-term: human/AI symbiosis, he tweeted in January 2021. Last April, Neuralink released a viral video that showed a monkey playing Pong with its mind. It set the internet ablaze with 6 million views and dozens of awed news articles.

But publicity coups have sometimes come with crisis. In February, Neuralink acknowledged that at least some of its 23 experiment monkeys died, after the animal rights-minded Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine sent a letter to USDA alleging apparent egregious violations of the Animal Welfare Act. The group said the monkeys had their brains mutilated in shoddy experiments and were left to suffer and die. Neuralink has denied the charges, saying it was absolutely committed to working with animals in the most humane and ethical way possible. The company has also faced staffing challenges. Neuralinks longtime executive Max Hodak left last year amid reports he was uncomfortable with Musks accelerated timelines for new products. Six of the eight original scientists - many from UCSF, including a highly touted researcher named Philip Sabes - have also left the firm. Sabes and Hodak did not reply to requests seeking comment. Requests for comment from both Neuralink and Musk were not returned.

FDA approval for implantable medical devices is a deliberate process, aimed at laying down every speed bump before doctors are allowed to surgically implant machines. Musks M.O., though, is to move fast and crack china. Musk initially said he would start human trials by the end of 2020, then postponed to 2021. In January, he said he was hiring a director of those trials to begin this year; no such director has yet been announced. PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel is another Neuralink investor. Credit:AP Meanwhile, neuroscientists question the companys prowess as a research centre, noting that the MindPong video was essentially executed by researchers nearly 20 years ago. They are a great engineering company, making smaller, slicker products that are wireless and use Bluetooth and so definitely a step forward, said one neuroscientist at a top university who spoke on the condition of anonymity so as not to jeopardise future relationships with Musk. But they are not a research company, and it is testament to how good a publicist he is that much of the country doesnt realise that. And while 1,024 electrodes implanted in the brain instead of a couple hundred is an advance, neuroscientists say, it offers no demonstrable edge in human-mobility applications; Blackrocks decade-old tech can basically do the same thing. That company already has FDA-approved devices implanted in 31 patients in trials around the world.

Blackrock also articulates more measured timelines - that a wide commercial rollout of implants for paralysis, say, could be at least five years away, and implants for stroke and Parkinsons patients a decade or more away. It feels like there are two companies basically doing the same thing. One is doing it the right way and Elon Musk is doing it the wrong way, said Laura Cabrera, an associate professor of engineering science and mechanics at Pennsylvania State University who follows neurotech companies. She particularly questioned human trials and how a company with few formal ties to medical institutions could convince people to let it insert devices in their brains. I really dont know where hell find subjects, Cabrera said. Maybe on Twitter? Another neuroscientist who spoke on the condition of anonymity worried that bold promises left unmet could also over time dampen public and investor interest, and even choke off lifesaving research.

Musk has undeniably propelled a wave of capital so far. Neuralink has raised at least $US363 million in venture investment, including $US100 million from Musk and an undisclosed sum from Google Ventures. Shortly after the MindPong video, Blackrock announced a $US10 million venture round, its first, including an infusion from the venture-capital provocateur Peter Thiel. Two months later, Musk, Thiels PayPal co-founder, announced Thiel had also invested in Neuralink. Loading This marks a sea change. After the collapse of a groundbreaking company called Cyberkinetics in the late-2000s (Blackrock acquired and is founded on its research), funding for neurotech essentially dried up until Musk came along. Companies, Neuralink and otherwise, that are playing in this space make me feel very grateful, said Paul Nuyujukian, director of Stanford Universitys Brain Interfacing Laboratory and one of the fields founding pioneers. Because it validates everything the academic community has been doing for so many years and paints a picture of the promise of this field for improving medical outcomes for people with significant brain disease. He said he was troubled, but only slightly, by the kind of far-off speculation offered by people like Musk. Vision is good. You need to have vision to be able to reach a goal. Its the making of promises that I think is dangerous because you can mislead the public.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size After bonding about the challenges of motherhood during school drop-offs and pick-ups, writers Ceridwen Dovey and Eliza Bell collaborated to publish a book, Mothertongues (Hamish Hamilton), about the experiences of being a mother. Here, they share the mothers in art and culture that struck a chord before - and after - they became parents themselves. I think of [her] often, more than one should perhaps think about an invented character by Ceridwen Dovey In 1997, when I was in Year 11 at high school, we studied the poetry of Gwen Harwood. I knew nothing about her as a person  only that she was Australian  and we studied her poems like objects unrelated to their human maker, parsing all the icy technicalities of syntax, rhythm, and structure. To rote-learn these poems so I could quote lines in exams, I read them into a cassette dictaphone and played them back often. What struck me was that the speaker in her poems, the I  often a daughter thinking about her mother, or a mother thinking about her child  felt so familiar to me. Raw, intimate, unsettlingly honest. Id want to cry while I was listening to them, or would experience her poems as an ache in my belly, or a tightness in my chest. I never mentioned this, of course, in any exam. Tasmanian poet Gwen Harwood who died in 1995. At the time, I was living alone in a rented flat across the road from North Sydney Girls High. I could hear the school bell chiming as I hurriedly ate breakfast in the flat and dashed across Pacific Highway still trying to do my hair or pull on my school jumper. My mother lived on the other side of the world, for reasons dictated by politics and work. I was aware that my childhood had ended more abruptly than either she or I had ever expected or wanted. In the evenings, I sat at home watching the winter light fade, boiling pre-made pasta, listening to my recordings of Harwoods The Violets, and wept. The poems speaker is an adult remembering a time when she was a small child, and her parents were young, and her mother  with long hair and gentle laughter  comforts her with spring violets after shes had her first intimation of how time gets stolen from all of us.

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I remember the image of the little family returning inside at dusk, lighting the lamp, getting supper ready, and the childs sense of the order of things being restored by these simple gestures of care and love. It moved me because that is how I was mothered  my mother always restored the order of things with gentleness and grace  and I remember solemnly hoping that it would one day be how I mothered my children. In a semi-poetic twist of fate that I feel Harwood herself would have appreciated, I now live with my children in an apartment on the very same street as that flat where I was living alone in Year 11. When the wind blows in a certain direction, I can hear the school bell of my old high school chime. When I dash across Pacific Highway, Im unsuccessfully trying to smooth out my kids tangled hair, or haranguing them into putting on their school jumpers. I still boil a lot of pre-made pasta, but not while listening to myself speaking poetry, watching the winter light fade and weepingI boil it while Im paying bills, supervising homework, chucking wet clothes in the dryer, packing the mornings dirty dishes into the dishwasher, and responding to work emails on my phone. I havent noticed flowers in years. I doubt Id even be able to recognise a violet. Gwen Harwood with her second son, Chris, in 1970. In this phase of motherhood, its a speaker from a different Harwood poem  Suburban Sonnet  who feels familiar to me, comforting in her ambivalence. Tellingly, I dont remember studying this poem as a 17-year-old. Back then, it would have scared me for expressing something about the gap between ideal and reality. In the poem, the speaker isnt channelling the memory of a childs idealised view of her mother but is making sense of the eternal present of mothering her children. Within only 14 lines, over the course of an unremarkable afternoon, the mother-speaker travels from high to low, now to then, life to death. With her kids playing  then bickering  at her feet, she tries to practice the piano, remembering how once, long ago, she played for a renowned pianist who was bored by her performance. She forgets that shes boiling something on the stove, and as she cleans up the mess Zest and love/drain out. The poem ends with the speaker comforting her children after they find a dead mouse  which she, as an unwilling saviour, takes out of sight wrapped in yesterdays newspaper. She does all this not with gentleness and grace but with other more complex emotions coursing through her: frustration, resignation, despair. But that same word and instinct from The Violets  to comfort  is repeated here. The context is radically different, and the comforting happens not in a golden, unreliable haze of memory but on her hands and knees as she touches with disgust the limp body of the mouse. Still, the repetition feels significant: the speaker is affirming the courage and stamina that constant caring for others requires, and recognising that her mother would have performed that care for her in moods both fair and foul. The ideal mother is truly a figment of her imagination, a trick of memory. In this realisation lies freedom. I think of this speaker created by Harwood often, more than one should perhaps think about an invented character. I thought of her just this evening, as I heroically got a huntsman spider into a glass in the kids bedroom and then freaked out and dropped it on the balcony. Shards of spider and glass everywhere. Did it survive? the boys called from their bunkbed. Yes, I said, crouching above the carnage with a brush and pan. Everything is going to be fine.

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As far as I could tell, Lucy was the ideal woman. She was wild, embarrassing and hilarious. by Eliza Bell I wasnt really allowed to watch TV as a kid  or anyway, my parents didnt approve; there were rules. Whenever I stayed home sick, my mum and dad paused to worry over me in the morning, wondering how sick I really was (I learned what malingering meant and worked on my evidence), then they rushed out the door to work, promising to call and check up on me. At ten to eight, they were gone, and I ran straight to the TV for the 8 and 830am double-header of I Love Lucy. As far as I could tell, Lucy was the ideal woman. She was wild, embarrassing and hilarious. She made a mess of everything. She was always doing her best. She didnt quite fit in her world and that was the fun of it. I was too young to take much notice of the husband, but he put up with her and that seemed like an excellent sort of man to have. Lucille Ball as Lucy Ricardo, holding one twin, Richard Lee Simmons as Little Ricky Jr. Credit:Getty Images Plus, her best friend was always nearby and helped her figure things out when she got stuck; sometimes literally, as in the masterpiece Lucy and the Loving Cup. In this episode, Lucys head is stuck in a sort of trophy and she urges Ethel to rush her downtown for help. Ethel Mertz calmly declares that she needs time to change: Lucy, I have never ridden on a subway in my blue jeans, and Im not gonna start now. Ethel taught me that in this black-and-white time, the rules for how to be a woman were strict and strange. Lucy Ricardo said you can always scrape through. Life is impossible and humiliating, but you can still win. Then, suddenly, Lucy had a big belly and quickly there was a baby! But Lucy and Ricky slept in different beds like toys in a dollhouse. I puzzled over this because I understood that real married people slept in a big bed together, and this was how you got a baby. I figured that in some ways Lucy was just a little girl pretending to be an adult; it was a relief to think that you didnt have to understand everything when you got to be a woman. Maybe you didnt even have to grow up all the way.

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Lucys belly swelled and so did the laughs. I knew there was a whole other story there, something much more intimate and deeply physical than this, about being a mother. Things got more complicated and fascinating when I learned that the actors who played these characters had a real baby (two actually), but that the one we saw on TV was not theirs and was played by different babies. It was all mixed up, but there were flashes of real-life inside these TV versions. You could play your part but sneak in being yourself. Ali Wong in her Netflix special Hard Knock Wife. In my 20s, I tried out being an adult woman in New York. I lived on the Lower East Side with housemates and my cat Lucy (yes, named for that Lucy), who was great company. I sometimes got stuck, but I learned to manage. My best friends were always nearby. We laughed a lot, and we all wore jeans on the subway. The 2021 film Being the Ricardos uncovers some of the complexity of Desi Arnaz and Lucille Balls family life. Their children Lucie and Desi (executive producers on the film) do not appear, except as that pregnancy I watched growing up all those years ago, the first on TV apparently  a major tension in the film. But the children themselves and their relationships with their parents do not figure: the couple, the marriage and their working lives are the story. What Ball was like as a mother remains largely private, except for the public example we know she set for her kids of a ballsy entertainer who was the face of the biggest show on television. These days, I still often look for my heroes in mother comedians. And because private lives are not so private anymore, its possible to explore the intersections between the public persona of mother and the real family life that called it into being. Ceridwen Dovey and Eliza Bell co-authored a book about the experience of motherhood. Ali Wong performed her stand-up special Baby Cobra while nine months pregnant, then created follow-up specials, a feature film, and a memoir addressed to her daughters, Dear Girls. Amy Schumer has shared her experience of hyperemesis, haemorrhoids, and IVF in her own stand-up specials, interviews and on Instagram. While some call it oversharing, I am grateful for the offering. Sharing is something women are often great at; and these stories and many others like them are opening up new ways of being a mother, a public person and an artist. The path from a young woman to mother in the world is brightly lit now, crowded and full of friendly faces. Im glad to be here, and not to be on that path alone.

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Chynas attorney Lynne Ciani said that based on her reading of the verdict, the jury found that Chyna had not physically abused Rob Kardashian, and the jury found that all four defendants had intentionally interfered with her contract with the E! Network. We will appeal on the remaining questions, she added. The jury was twice sent back to deliberate further when it was found that on some questions in the case against Kylie Jenner the vote had been 8-4 when at least 9-3 was required in the civil case, but they quickly returned with 9-3 votes and the result remained unchanged. Jurors were considering the defamation case against Kris Jenner, Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, after a judge threw out the part of the lawsuit against Kim Kardashian in the middle of deliberations. All four of the women testified during the nine-day trial.

In this courtroom artist sketch, Khloe Kardashian, from left, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Kris Jenner sit in court in Los Angeles. Credit:Bill Robles via AP The trial focused largely on allegations that Chyna violently attacked her then-fiance and reality TV co-star Rob Kardashian on a night and morning in December 2016. He testified that she twice held a gun to his head, wrapped a phone-charging cord around his neck and beat him with a metal rod. She testified that she had put the cord around his neck and held the gun playfully as the two celebrated the renewal of their reality show, and when the celebration turned into a dispute, she was never violent against him. But the legal questions the jury considered were all about the aftermath of that fight. Jurors had to decide whether each of the defendants knowingly lied about the abuse when they talked about it with the producers and executives overseeing Rob & Chyna, or spread word about it with reckless disregard for the truth. And they had to decide for each defendant whether those communications were an illegal interference with Chynas contract to appear on the show. Loading In her closing argument, Ciani argued that it was unreasonable for the four women to have believed that her client violently attacked her former fiance Rob Kardashian.

He didnt have a mark on him, Ciani told jurors. There was no call to the police, no trip to the hospital, not even a Band-Aid. Rhodes argued during his closing that the women had every reason to believe the accounts of the attack from Rob Kardashian and from Kris Jenners longtime boyfriend Corey Gamble, who arrived at the scene and broke up the dispute. Do you remember how Rob looked on the stand? His pain was real, Rhodes said. This is a real family. Yeah, theyre famous, but theyre real people. He got really badly hurt here. It appeared during the trial that Gamble would prove to be the key witness for the defence. But the television executives and producers whose testimony was often technical, and utterly without drama, would prove more important in the jurys findings, which rendered the womens stories of abuse largely irrelevant. Jurors were free to make it a split decision  finding against some of the Kardashians but not others.

They gave the family a clean sweep instead, and gave Chyna nothing. She had sought as much as $US108 million ($152 million) in the lawsuit. A punitive damages phase that would have been triggered by a plaintiff victory will not happen now. The five-year-old lawsuit overcame many obstacles  including motions to dismiss and settlement talks between the two sides  and was a longshot to even get to trial. But the final obstacle, convincing a jury, proved too much to overcome. The case isnt entirely over for Chyna, though. Separate allegations in the lawsuit against Rob Kardashian, with him as the lone defendant, were split into a separate trial that will likely begin in about a week.
I think you may be underestimating your impact on the world, considering how many peoples lives have been enriched by your work.

Yeah, definitely! I sometimes go home and Ive spent the day in the costume of a Catholic cardinal, and  I went to uni with the present minister of communications, the leader of the opposition, the shadow foreign minister, the shadow minister for the environment, the ex-defence minister  and you go home, having worn that and said a few stupid lines, and you go, what is my life? These are people doing important things and changing the course of the country and Im wearing a stupid wig and doing a Swedish accent. But I wouldnt change it for the world. Its about play. Its a job that is about being childish and mucking around. Theres not a better job in the world.

Well, thats kind. I think, in this job, you do something, its just so ephemeral. People come to see a show, you entertain them and thats great, everyone goes away happy. But then thats gone. And even on TV, Mad As Hell isnt something you can really watch ever again because its so topical. And even any sort of comedy: with the best will in the world, comedy is of its time. I used to think Aunty Jack was the funniest thing in the world when I was young. Now you look back on it and think, oh  OK.

Whats your process of creating a character on Mad As Hell? Is the character handed to you in a script and you go OK, Ill just read these lines, or do you build the character from the ground up?

Its very rapid, and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt. The script might have some help, but its a lot to do with Karchi and Gail. Karchi is the brilliant make-up guy and Gail is head of wardrobe, equally brilliant. It happens on the hop  youve got less than one day. You go in on the Tuesday and read through the script, and then you rehearse it but not in costume, and its only after that, when you put your costume on and go into makeup: its that period thats all youve got, really, when you go, ah, thats who I look like.

Youre known for your TV work, but you still work in the theatre, dont you? You were in a play recently.

We did a production at Theatre Works that got cancelled due to lockdowns: we got to opening night and the night after, and then got shut down. Thats coming back in February. I love doing theatre. I think its where it all comes from. Im going to annoy people, but you can always tell a theatre actor  not that theyre necessarily better than someone whos only a screen actor  but theres just something about them thats a little bit more versatile or flexible or grounded.
A third former Special Air Service soldier has supported Ben Roberts-Smith in his defamation case as the decorated former soldier rejects allegations he was involved in the unlawful execution of Afghan prisoners.

Person 29, a former comrade of Roberts-Smith and godfather to one of his children, backed his friends version of events about a key mission in Afghanistan as he gave evidence in Roberts-Smiths defamation case against The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times.

Ben Roberts-Smith at the Federal Court earlier this year. Credit:Nick Moir

Roberts-Smith alleges the newspapers defamed him in a series of articles in 2018 by suggesting he was a war criminal who was involved in the unlawful killing of unarmed Afghan prisoners. He denies all wrongdoing.

The media outlets are seeking to rely on a defence of truth and allege Roberts-Smith was involved in six such killings, including two at a compound dubbed Whiskey 108 in 2009. Person 29, whose identity cannot be revealed for national security reasons, was also present on that mission.
Economists have warned the remarkable $10 billion stamp duty windfall that bolstered Victorias budget position this year will not last and that some of the state Treasurys economic forecasts seem optimistic.

Analysts from UBS investment bank are sceptical of the projections of Victorias economic growth in the state budget handed down by Treasurer Tim Pallas on Tuesday and say the vital stamp duty revenue stream is likely to decline instead of increasing as the budget papers indicate.

The bank warns of downside risks to the property taxes  with land tax another big earner  that state governments have become heavily reliant on, as the nations real estate boom cools and interest rates rise.

Economists from ANZ bank also issued a briefing note about the budget on Wednesday, taking a more upbeat view than their UBS counterparts. The ANZ analysts predict the states employment performance would beat the governments projections.
A blood-soaked woman arrested on a tram near the scene of a double killing remains in hospital after a spate of violence on Melbourne streets left three people dead.

Police and emergency services responded to an incident at an apartment building at the corner of Breese and Hope streets, off Sydney Road in Brunswick, about 5.20am on Thursday and found the start of a 1.5-kilometre trail of blood  and two men with fatal knife wounds.

One, a 59-year-old Brunswick man, was dead inside the apartment complex, while the other, a 61-year-old from Coburg, died from his injuries on the way to hospital.

The stabbings came after Korey Kesici, 22, was shot dead outside his family home in Mickleham shortly after midnight on Thursday in what police said was a planned hit. Police believe Kesicis killing was not related to the two fatal stabbings.
A Perth teenager may never walk again after breaking his neck in a freak bicycle accident in Bindoon during the Easter school holidays.

Cody Mackie, 16, was completing a small jump he had done hundreds of times before when he landed on his head and broke his neck. Paralysed, the schoolboy was flown to Royal Perth Hospital where he has remained for the past two weeks.

Doctors believe it is unlikely he will walk again, and have given the teen a one per cent chance of being able to operate a wheelchair.

His father, Rob Mackie, said the family was reeling.
A Northern Kentucky suburb of Cincinnati is home to Earth to Kentucky, a unique toy store that celebrates the defunct Ohio toy company that helped put action figures on the map.

The toy store, just three miles south of the shuttered toy maker Kenners original headquarters, puts on a monthly-ish show in which dozens of artists create bootleg toys inspired by the 3-and-3/4-inch Star Wars action figures that transformed Kenner into a juggernaut in the late 1970s. The pieces are put up for sale to the public and have fetched upwards of $400.

That event isnt the only thing that makes Earth to Kentucky stand apart from your standard comic or hobby shops. There are some cheaper knickknacks intended for children and plenty of collector-level goods for purchase that youd find on shelves elsewhere, but far more noticeable are the things you wont see anywhere else.

Where else can you snap a selfie with a Jar Jar Binks mannequin in drag while the 1968 sci-fi film Gamera vs. Viras plays on a nearby television, for instance?

Obviously its a toy store and part art gallery, says co-owner Dustin Benzing, but were trying to roll into that sort of roadside attraction. Weve always loved the little weird spots in Kentucky that you can find, like in Cave City. We wont necessarily be something like that, but we want to carry that vibe and that tradition of showmanship.

Benzing and his wife, Polly, opened Earth to Kentucky in September 2020 to greater fanfare than anticipated, given the state of the world. What could have been horrid timing, he suspects, was fortuitous in part because COVID-19 restrictions were starting to ease and people were more willing to find any reason to get out and about. The opening of a bizarro toy store with Robert Ripley-like curated wares, it turns out, was just what people wanted.

Well, some people.

People either come in and they get really excited, and theyre just like, What is this? cause its like sensory overload sometimes, Benzing said. And then, its funny, theres people that will walk in the front door, do a loop and just go right back out without saying a word, because its not for them. And thats okay, I get it.

Colonel Sanders show

Earth to Kentuckys goal is to hold monthly rotating art galleries, consisting of themed group shows and shows supported by singular artists. The latest show centered around a Kentucky icon: Colonel Sanders. Artists were sent a blank mold of a 3 and 3/4-inch scale figure of the Kentucky Fried Chicken mascot (sculpted by Los Angeles-based artist Scott Cherry) and were encouraged to do whatever they saw fit with it.

Among the 33 pieces in the exhibit resulting from that exercise: Colonel Myers, a Michael Myers-inspired Sanders complete with a diorama of the Halloween slashers childhood home; Stretch Sanders, themed after another popular toy, Stretch Armstrong; Deep Fried Guy, which reimagines Food Network star Guy Fieri as the Colonel; KFC-3PO, which has a Droid-like Sanders riding aboard a Chewbacca-themed Grimace, a retired McDonalds mascot; and ColonelJuice, a Beetlejuice take on Sanders.

Most of the pieces have sold. The on-site show runs through May 8, but pieces will continue to be available for purchase through Earth to Kentuckys website.

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A 38-year-old woman sustained a serious leg injury on Monday after a 2.5 metre long freshwater crocodile attacked her while she was swimming in Lake Argyle, in Western Australias far north.

The attack occurred just one week before the annual Lake Argyle Swim, to be held on Saturday, which will attract hundreds of people to the popular holiday location.

Due to the popularity of the lake, staff from the Parks and Wildlife Service East Kimberley District conducted a patrol of Butler Cove, where the attack took place, the following day to try and locate the crocodile.

An animal of the same size approached and interacted with their vessel.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size In all honesty, says 23-year-old Melis Layik, Im completely disillusioned with Australian politics. I dont think that voting anyone in is going to radically alter my life in the way I want it to. Young voters have long been chastised for a perceived ambivalence to politics. But Layik is far from apathetic  she lost all three of her casual jobs in lockdown and struggled when the government started withdrawing payments in late 2020. She cares deeply about political issues such as the treatment of women and climate change. But her pessimism, expressed among a group of under-25s convened by The Age to discuss their vote, speaks to a truth borne out by the numbers. When the major political parties vying to win the May 21 election look out at the electorate, they see young people are vastly outnumbered. Voters aged 55 and over make up 40 per cent of those enrolled to vote in this election, compared with just 25 per cent for 18-to-34 year olds. An ageing population and a declining birthrate mean Australia has a lopsided electorate, in which older people have a disproportionate say over who will win government in three weeks time. Labors shock loss under Bill Shorten at the 2019 election was credited partly to its agenda to rein in negative gearing and franking credits. That was intended to help young people get a foot on the property ladder, but was painted by the government as perilous to property-owning older Australians, who are more likely to vote conservative. Labor has now dropped those policies. Australian National University political scientist Dr Jill Sheppard said Shortens electoral failure three years ago had set any effort towards listening to young people back a decade.

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Parties are now scared off talking about issues of housing affordability, let alone things like intergenerational or climate justice, she says. I think the parties are terrified of scaring Baby Boomers. Ironically, this feeling among politicians has coincided with the brutal experience of the pandemic, which hit Australias Generation COVID disproportionately hard. Mental health issues spiralled, house prices rocketed up 25 per cent, casual workers and artists were laid off and put on government payments, schools and university went online. Many missed crucial years of self-development in socialising and travel or at school and uni. At the same time, some young Australians were awakened to politics by the pandemic. Among the group The Age spoke to about the issues that moved them, several describe being recently politicised. The pandemic kind of brought politics to light for me, I think, and like made me more politically aware, says 24-year-old Octavia De Fazio, from the seat of Scullin. Shes decided her vote, but does not want to reveal her preference publicly. Before the pandemic, she says she had never really paid attention, finding politics too complicated. But during Melbournes lockdowns, she became a daily viewer of the press conferences by Premier Daniel Andrews. I was actually interested in it  as boring as they kind of can be  I was engaged.

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De Fazio now knows the difference between state and federal government, and what jurisdiction they have over her life. She knows who the state premiers are and has become a critical viewer of the actions and words of political leaders. Stefan, 19, a student and casual worker from the northern Melbourne seat of Cooper, is the same. He did not want his surname published due to fear for his career, but last year he found himself watching live streams of parliamentary debates for the first time. Loading During COVID lockdowns, thats when I actually figured out who our premier was, he says. Stefan, who plans to vote for the United Australia Party or the Liberal Democrats, says the biggest issue influencing his vote will be mandatory vaccination. I wish I didnt have to take as much of an interest in [politics]  I wish it could take a backburner, but after seeing what happened I feel like its important now, its important to actually pay attention focus and vote accordingly.

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Recent polling conducted on behalf of The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald showed that cost of living was the top concern for 18-to-34 year olds, followed by climate and environmental issues. This worry about personal finances was mirrored by the young people spoken to by The Age  from all sides of the political divide. De Fazio, who has a disability, says she has trouble affording the medical care she needs to get by. Not having resources and enough money to go to specialists or to physically get to those health services has been a big issue in the last few years, she says. Its been a hindrance to be able to complete my studies. Im quite lucky, says 23-year-old Campbell Rider from the inner north electorate of Wills, who intends to vote for Labor. I have a job that Im quite happy with and is reasonably well paid  but I cant see myself ever saving enough to buy a home or get a home loan at this point. In Higgins, Liberal voter Mimi Campbell, 23, also says she is seriously worried about how she will afford to live when she eventually moves out of home. Our household income has stayed the same for so long. And I just wonder how Ill even afford to buy a house once Im graduated. It just seems unachievable, she says.

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But even those who have managed to buy a property are worried. Jasmine Ryan, 23, who lives in the western suburbs electorate of Fraser, bought an apartment with her partner in 2020, but the cost of living, repairs and the mortgage make it hard to get by. Jasmine Ryan, 23, says the main issue at this upcoming election is the cost of living. Credit:Paul Jeffers Whilst Im so appreciative that I have a house at 23, its still a lot of pressure as a young person to be owning these things, she said. Theres times we have to cancel plans or cant have my family over for dinner or my partners family over for dinner because we cant afford the groceries to buy everyone dinner. Katherine Ellis, chief executive of Youth Affairs Council Victoria, said the rough hand dealt to young people in recent years had convinced many about how much elections matter. Instead of just smearing the opposition, propose your policies, propose why its a better option than the alternative. Thats what were after. Tom Saxton, 20. The pandemic, bushfires and floods have demonstrated starkly to young people the important role of government, with politicians and government officials becoming daily figures in their lives, she said. Bipartisan youth think tank Think Forward says political parties need to focus more on what young people need. It has been quietly lobbying all sides of politics for the establishment of an intergenerational fairness inquiry following a similar model to one set up in the UK in 2018. The proposal was recently endorsed by the influential Grattan Institute.

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Liberal senator Andrew Bragg has asked the charities regulator to urgently investigate whether the Simon Holmes a Court-linked Smart Energy Council should be deregistered for what he called clear, direct and repeated breaches of laws forbidding charities promoting political parties or candidates.

As part of the complaint, Bragg said the SEC had concerning links to political operatives who are active during the current federal election, noting Climate 200 founder Holmes a Court sits on its board. He also noted the councils government relations manager Wayne Smith once worked for Labor leader Anthony Albanese [as a climate change adviser before 2007].

Wayne Smith with Greens leader Adam Bandt and Ryan candidate Elizabeth Watson-Brown. Credit:Email

Bragg cited the appearance of the councils chief executive, John Grimes, at a function alongside independent candidate for Wentworth Allegra Spender on Tuesday, and Smiths presence at a Greens event in the Brisbane seat of Ryan last month.

Following the Greens policy announcement - grants for home and business owners to switch from gas to electricity - Grimes emailed supporters saying the SEC was pleased to have joined Greens leader Adam Bandt for the launch and backed the measures.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has refused to say whether he will visit the seat of Wentworth to campaign with Dave Sharma while facing questions about his presence in seats under threat from teal independents.

Morrison has been repeatedly asked whether he will visit the eastern Sydney seat during the six-week campaign and has so far not answered the question directly, saying instead he had been to the seat to visit his mother. He also refused to say whether he would campaign in inner-city Melbourne and Sydney seats where other moderate Liberals are under threat from the independents.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has refused to say whether he will campaign with Dave Sharma in Wentworth. Credit:James Brickwood

I will go where I believe its best for our campaign for me to go ... you know that we find out where we go each day, just as it works in the Labor campaign, the prime minister said in the marginal South Australian seat of Boothby with candidate Rachel Swift.

Im not going to be telecasting where were going each day. Thats not something we do on campaigns.
Earlier this week the former governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Ian Macfarlane, said that young Australians should be squealing louder about the level of intergenerational wealth inequality in this country, which he said was fuelled largely by skyrocketing house prices.

Macfarlanes thesis is that the original sin of the current housing boom  generous tax incentives including negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts  have made property investment an extremely attractive proposition for wealthier Australians, and that in turn has driven house prices through the roof. Housing has transformed from a basic human necessity into an asset class largely disconnected from the physical function it performs: providing shelter, and thats helped increase the wealth of those who already had some to begin with.

Generous incentives have made property investment an attractive proposition for wealthier Australians. Credit:Peter Rae

The main beneficiaries of this transformation have been older Australians who are more likely to own property, while those missing out tend to be younger. According to housing occupancy figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics based on data from its survey of income and housing conducted from July 2017 to June 2018, 37 per cent of 25 to 34-year-olds are home owners, compared to 78 per cent of 55 to 64-year-olds. Thats down from 50 per cent in 1971. Among 50 to 54-year-olds, on the other hand, the drop has been less dramatic and from a much higher base.

While the rise in house prices has impacted homeownership rates across the board, there is a significant demographic divergence that backs up the former RBA governors analysis. Where Macfarlane misses the mark, though, is his suggestion that young Australians should speak out more. The problem isnt a lack of agitation from those locked out of the system  there are few topics that spark more heated conversation among young people than the current combination of an increasingly precarious labour market and a property boom that has left them behind.
Anthony Albanese looked like he was playing with fire when he met apprentice chefs in Melbourne on Wednesday and watched them cook apple tarts with flames rising from the brandy they tossed into their frying pans.

But his visit to the kitchen of the Holmesglen TAFE was carefully planned to keep the Labor leader safe from any surprises while he matched the colour and movement of Scott Morrisons relentless visits to hair salons, bakeries and other locations during the election campaign.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese smells an apple tart that was just made, during a visit to a commercial cooking class at the Holmesglen Institute in the seat of Chisholm, in Melbourne, Victoria. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The bigger risk for Albanese came when he ventured into the stores at the nearby Mount Waverley shops in the marginal seat of Chisholm, a seat held by Liberal MP Gladys Liu by only 0.5 per cent and therefore a must-win target for Labor and its candidate, Carina Garland.

Albanese was greeted warmly at the Son Of Tucci cafe while trying without much luck to pretend the media pack who joined him  about a dozen journalists with television cameras, boom mics, iPhones and notepads  were just another group of customers.
None of the 10 community hospitals promised by Premier Daniel Andrews on the eve of the 2018 election campaign have been built or upgraded, despite the Victorian government unveiling billions of dollars in new health spending.

Labor committed to build or improve facilities in Whittlesea, Craigieburn, Cranbourne, Eltham, Fishermans Bend, Pakenham, Point Cook, Sunbury, Torquay and Phillip Island at its last campaign launch, but four years later, construction has started at only one of the facilities, in Cranbourne.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Health Minister Martin Foley at the site of the Melton Hospital. Credit:Scott McNaughton

In 2019, the government said construction for the $675 million program would start by 2022 and finish by 2024, but there is just $20 million set aside to spend in 2022-23.

In the lead-up to this years November election, Labor is promising $900 million to build a hospital at Melton in Melbournes booming outer west to treat tens of thousands of people a year, with a 24-hour emergency department, 100 medical and surgical beds, and intensive care unit.
London: A rising star of French President Emmanuel Macrons party has quit parliament after a review of her taxpayer-funded expenses found she spent more than $3500 a month from her allowance on lingerie and clothing.

Coralie Dubost, an MP and deputy vice president of La Republique En Marche!, has been accused of mismanaging her team and abusing her expense allowance in a confidential report submitted to parliament and published by French investigative media organisation Mediapart.

Resigned: Coralie Dubost, a Republique En Marche MP. Credit:Facebook

The 39-year-old former business school executive, one of the stylish figures recruited by Macron, was elected to a seat in Montpellier in 2017. Last year, she ended a two-year, high-profile relationship with Olivier Veran, the countrys health minister.

The confidential parliamentary ethics investigation also accused her of mismanaging her aides by asking them to spy on her household staff and take care of her dry-cleaning and shoe repairs.
A Newville man pleaded guilty Tuesday to two felony charges, including one for assaulting law enforcement officers, during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia announced.

Marshall Neefe, 25, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to charges of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, U.S. attorneys said in a news release.

Neefes actions, along with those of others, disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Jan. 6, 2021, convened to count and certify the electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election, where Joseph Biden defeated incumbent Donald Trump.

According to court documents, Neefe carried a wooden club and participated in hoisting and pushing a large metal Donald Trump sign frame  at least eight feet tall and 10 feet wide  into a line of officers attempting to hold back the crowd from further advancing on the west front plaza of the Capitol.

Neefe later entered the Capitol building, including the Rotunda, disregarding commands to leave, U.S. attorneys said in the news release.

U.S. Attorneys Office officials said Neefe was arrested on Sept. 13, 2021. He is to be sentenced Aug. 17 and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison on the conspiracy charge and an additional eight years in prison on the assault charge. Both charges also carry potential financial penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

According to court documents, Neefe and a co-defendant, Charles Bradford Smith of Shippensburg, communicated with each other and others on Facebook in the weeks preceding Jan. 6. For example, on Nov. 4, 2020, a day after Election Day, Neefe admitted he wrote to Smith, Im getting ready to storm D.C.

Smith and Neefe were the subject of a joint grand jury indictment that was issued in September, resulting in numerous charges related to civil disorder, weapons possession and violence on the Capitol grounds.

The two subsequently shared their intentions and plans to travel to Washington on Jan. 6. In one such communication, Neefe wrote, We goin? ...Cause hot damn son I really wanna crack some commie skulls. The two discussed bringing batons with them, and Neefe sent a photograph of a wooden club he had made to Smith and others, with a caption that called it The Commie Knocker.

Neefe and Smith traveled to Washington together. On Jan. 6, both illegally entered the Capitol grounds.

Smith, 25, has pleaded not guilty to charges.

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Divisions Counterterrorism Section. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

The case is being investigated by the FBIs Philadelphia Field Office and its Harrisburg Resident Agency. Assistance was provided by the FBIs Washington Field Office, the U.S. Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Harrisburg Police Department.

In the 15 months since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly 800 people have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 250 charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.

Email Jeff at jpratt@cumberlink.com or follow him on Twitter @SentinelPratt.

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Oscar winner Ariana DeBose will host this year's Tony Awards on Sunday, June 12.

DeBose is best known for her ground-breaking performance in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, for which she received Oscar, BAFTA, Critics Choice, and SAG Awards for her star-turning role as Anita. She received a Tony nomination for starring in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, and has also been seen in Hamilton, Schmigadoon!, Bring It On, and other shows.

Tony Award nominations will be announced by Adrienne Warren and Joshua Henry on Monday, May 9, at 9am ET on the Tony Awards YouTube channel.

The 75th Annual Tony Awards will air live from Radio City Music Hall, on Sunday, June 12, in a four-hour television and streaming event. The celebration will commence from 7pm to 8pm ET (4pm-5pm PT) with exclusive content streaming only on Paramount Plus, followed by the presentation of the American Theatre Wing's 75th Annual Tony Awards from 8pm to 11pm ET (5pm-8pm PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming live and on demand on Paramount Plus.
At the Polonsky Shakespeare Center in Brooklyn, in a Theatre for a New Audience production, New York City is getting an extremely rare revival of Alice Childress's 50-year-old play Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White. Set amid the 1918 flu pandemic, the drama addresses racial prejudices and ignorance as it follows the romance of an interracial couple in South Carolina.

Leading the cast of Awoye Timpo's revival are Brittany Bradford and Thomas Sadoski, who take on the central roles of Julia and Herman. Here, they tell us about putting the play together and its importance.

Thomas Sadoski and Brittany Bradford in the Theatre for a New Audience/Classix production of Alice Childress's Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White.

( Hollis King)

This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Brittany, tell me about Awoye Timpo's organization Classix, the company in residence at TFANA, of which you are a part.

Brittany Bradford: Classix is basically about exploding what we consider a classic and who gets to be included in that and who isn't. A lot of the time, it's at the detriment of Black plays and playwrights. We have a lot of initiatives: one is bringing Black plays and playwrights to the fore, people like Alice Childress or Kathleen Collins or Bill Gunn or Ed Bullins, and there's also a huge educational component to it. We are partnered with schools to talk about the curriculum and which plays are being taught and why, and how they can add in more of these Black playwrights. We have a podcast series that explores different moments of Black theater history, and we are also trying to make sure that we publish or find out where the rights are for a lot of these plays, because sometimes the big issue is who has controls of the scripts. It's all about branching out and trying to be expansive about how we're thinking of these creators.

Thomas Sadoski and Brittany Bradford in the Theatre for a New Audience/Classix production of Alice Childress's Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White.

( Henry Grossman)

Alice Childress is a playwright who is not part of the theatrical creative consciousness, and this play isn't either. What is it like to bring it to the forefront?

Thomas Sadoski: Look, I have to be honest. The fact that Alice Childress isn't taught more often, the fact that I went to a theater school, the fact that most people that I know who have gone, not only to undergrad, but to grad school, with very, very rare exceptions  there's very little that I can think of that is more shameful, in terms of our artistic community, than the fact that a playwright who is that exquisitely talented and who has written such important pieces of theater has gone largely unrecognized for as long as she has.

And I think it's even more shameful that across the street from where we are doing this play, which is an important piece of the American experience in the American theatrical canon, you can't even get a fucking ticket to see Cyrano with a British cast. That is shameful. The vast majority of people would be happier to retweet a Ta-Nehesi Coates quote but can't be bothered to walk across the street to see a Black playwright talk about the Black experience. I'm a little bit  I don't know that I'm necessarily afraid to say that sort of thing out loud to a journalist as much as I am pissed that it has to be said. It really pisses me off, and I apologize, Brittany, for running at the mouth about it.

Brittany: No, no, no. I think what it is for both of us is, I feel very protective of not only this play, but of Alice Childress, specifically. The more that we've learned about her, the more I can see her influences on so many other playwrights. You can see the genesis of Slave Play in this, you can see Jackie Sibblies Drury's work. You can see August Wilson's work. When you think about how long she wrote, of course she influenced a lot of these people. We talked about Sidney Poitier in rehearsal, and what a big influence she was on him, and yet her name isn't the one that's said. And that's the part that does feel shameful.

I've never promoted a show in my life as much as I have this, because I want people to come see it. Not because of our performances  even though I think Tommy is extraordinary in this and Veanne Cox and our whole entire cast is ridiculous  but you can't leave without wanting to go read every single one of Alice Childress's plays and get every single one of them produced.

Thomas: I've been in plenty of shows throughout my career where people are like, "Hey, I'm going to come check out this show," and I'm like, "Cool, cool," but this is one of those ones where I'm actively texting people on the daily to come see this. I'm immensely proud of this production.

There was a young man at the show last night, a theater student who said that he had discovered, on a recommendation, the last scene of our show as something to study in one of his scene-work classes. And he was saying, like, "I don't know that I'll necessarily need to study anything else in order to learn how to be an actor." In the course of the last scene of this play, it demands of you as an actor a level of egolessness and honesty, and a willingness to just put it all out there without trying to look good. She wrote without ego, she demands performances without ego, and it requires so much out of its audience in a beautiful way, but it's also gentle and loving and kind in a way that you just don't see at this level, and we missed it as a community. It's crazy to me.

Brittany: It's the same with the first scene. I'm kind of shocked by how many people are obsessed with the first scene between Herman and Julia. I mean, it's a beautiful scene, but so many people have said that they've never seen a writer write so well what a 10-year relationship would be. There is a lived-in quality to the writing of these people, and you don't realize until you get to the end of the play how much you need it. It's easy for writing now to feel like extra stuff is added in, but here, everything is so purposeful. The humor is there where you need it, it's wonderfully structured and it has incredible heart and emotionality to it.

Thomas Sadoski and Brittany Bradford in the Theatre for a New Audience/Classix production of Alice Childress's Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White.

( Henry Grossman)

What it is like to be doing a play that is about an interracial relationship, racism, and, of course, the 1918 flu pandemic, as actors in 2022, on this scale?



Brittany: It's twofold. Tom and I have talked about coming out of the pandemic and having different priorities. There's a different type of art that I want to make, and it's not even different  it's the exact art that I've always wanted to be part of, but I think I am more willing to put a stake in the ground, not going against my own code. The timeliness of the piece with the pandemic and everything is there too, but what I think about most is Alice Childress and all the factors that have always been against her, and her plays being produced. There's always something that made it so difficult for the work to be done, whether it's Trouble in Mind or Wedding Band, and more than anything, it should always be done, and I just want to be part of that process.

Thomas: I couldn't agree more. What is it like to be an artist given the opportunity to do this, given the relevancy of it? It's a challenge. Not a challenge in the sense that it demands of us extraordinary work, although it does, but because it throws down the gauntlet and says, "This is art of its time. What are you going to make of it?" That rarely comes along, and I feel humbled to participate and introduce Alice to a population that is relatively unaware of her.

It feels like the gauntlet is being thrown down by the artistic gods to the community as a whole and saying, "Do you really love this thing called theater? Cause if you do, here it is." We need asses in seats. We need people to put their time and support where their mouths are. This is the stuff that people need to be showing up for. Where are you?
"Being your best friend was my whole personality," says one young woman to another in Sanaz Toossi's gently perceptive new play Wish You Were Here. It's about the most comprehensive statement that can be made about female friendship  a global strain of love that tends to appear as inane as it is profound. Toossi's play (which debuted in 2020 as an audio play and now stands on its feet at Playwrights Horizons) follows the evolution of a friend group rooted in the industrial city of Karaj, Iran, between 1978 and 1991  a time of government violence, religious restriction, and mass emigration. But if you think revolution is the defining event of these women's lives, you aren't paying attention.

Revolution certainly is the backdrop of everything that unfolds over the 13 years through which we watch these women change and mature. But rather than serving up the low-hanging fruit of a wartime tragedy, Toossi uses this slice of history as a case study in the shifting politics of friendship. We can watch the news if we'd like to understand the seismic consequences of war. But what happens to the relationships that happen to fall on a fault line? As Toossi shows us with an admirably light hand, it all starts with a soft rumble.

In the opening scene, we see the playful hubbub of a wedding day  director Gaye Taylor Upchurch appropriately allots absolutely no personal space for anyone in her five-person ensemble (Sarah Laux costumes them in Western-influenced clothing, typical of pre-revolution times). The eager bride, Salme (Roxanna Hope Radja), is being petted and coiffed by Nazanin (Marjan Neshat) and Rana (Nazanin Nour), a triangle upstaged by the latter two who seem to see magic in each other's eyes and communicate primarily in crass jokes. Meanwhile, over on the couch, there's the impish Zari (Nikki Massoud), who grants the most sardonic of the group  an aspiring doctor named Shideh (Artemis Pebdani)  the blessed job of filing her toenails.

Marjan Neshat, Nazanin Nour, Nikki Massoud (behind couch), Roxanna Hope Radja (in white dress), and Artemis Pebdani in a scene from Wish You Were Here.

( Joan Marcus)

With all the pussy jokes, sex talk, and mutual smelling of body parts, it's like an R-rated Pink Ladies slumber party  and if you've ever attended such an event, you'll be taken by the familiar sounds of free-flowing and utterly unladylike cross talk (rapid-fire English serves as Farsi in the world of the play). You may also clock the fraught friendship dynamics that Toossi writes with almost imperceptible precision and Upchurch blocks with perfect subtlety. I won't reveal too much, but it's no accident who's removed themselves to the couch and who steals private moments with that one soulmate who stands above the rest.

There is undoubtedly a hierarchy at play, but everyone has a settled acceptance of their respective roles. In each ensuing scene, however, this finely tuned performance is repeatedly upended and recalibrated. Mounting tensions in Iran compel several of these women to leave the country, and as they fall away one by one over the passing years, roles have to be recast  and even in times of desperation, nobody wants to play understudy to the one who got away (Massoud does an excellent job as the piercing mouthpiece for this experience).

Marjan Neshat as Nazanin and Roxanna Hope Radja as Salme.

( Joan Marcus)

Nazanin, as the lone woman hell-bent on staying in Karaj, finds herself at the center of the story, watching friends come and go, and ebbing and flowing in intimacy with the ones who stay. Neshat does a wonderful job anchoring the play, balancing a mean girl's tendency toward ruthless territorialism with the open heart of someone aching for deep abiding love (and not necessarily through the traditional route of marriage). Everything is personal within the walls of scenic designer Arnulfo Maldonado's unit set  a cozy Persian living room that is never claimed by any one character but exemplifies a collective home. And political conversation is rarely allowed to penetrate this sacred space. National dynamics, in fact, only rear their head when gaps begin to appear and largely speak for themselves.

Rana, a Jewish woman, is the first to leave for reasons Toossi trusts her audience to understand without much exposition (Nour gives such a magnetic performance in her first scene that we too find ourselves missing her during her extended absence from the stage). Toossi continues to poke at Iran's complicated relationship with religion through the character of Salme  the most devoutly Muslim of the group, who maneuvers optimistically through a world that has weaponized her faith with sharia law. Salme's unique relationship with Islam is the only piece of the play that feels slightly unmined, but Radja gives a lovely performance, radiating the patience and kindness that quietly bind friendships together.

Wish You Were Here is not an official companion piece to Toossi's English  the play that kicked off her banner year with a now-award-winning off-Broadway debut  but in many ways, it is English's counterpoint: While English took a snapshot of the resentment-filled emigration process where success means becoming a fish out of water, Wish You Were Here fixes its gaze on the lone fish left in the tank. Should we envy her for holding on to home long after so many have waved the white flag of surrender? That depends on whether you think of home as the water or the other fish who appreciate your filthy sense of humor.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree on the appointment of Vilayat Guliyev as Azerbaijan's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

According to the decree, Guliyev has been appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
South Middleton School District has a new procedure to screen whether supplemental course material is age/grade appropriate.

Superintendent James Estep briefed the public Monday on a directive he issued to teachers following the posting April 22 of a video for a fifth-grade class unit on world mythology.

Teachers routinely post information on the Google Classroom platform so that students and parents can review materials ahead of upcoming assignments, Estep said. In this case, the 10-minute video detailed the origins of mythology.

It was put up on a Friday to be used the following week, Estep said. A parent reviewed it and emailed us to say this doesnt seem right for this grade level. We agreed, so it was taken down.

It was in how the material was presented, he said. The video selected was really meant to target a high school-aged student. It was age inappropriate.

Estep said he became aware of the situation on April 23. By that time, school administrators had already taken down the video either late on Friday or early on Saturday before it could be used in the classroom.

In doing my homework after the fact, I found that folks were trying to look for resources to address the content of that unit, Estep said. I view this as an error, simply through a lack of a detailed dive on what they were posting. Our staff is working under a tremendous amount of pressure. They dont always have every single resource that they need because it can be restricted by budget issues. I commend them for trying to go out and get other things to help enhance the teaching.

The error with the video prompted Estep to come up with a possible solution. I put out an email to staff to make sure errors like these dont happen in the future, he said. I advised the faculty that as they move forward, there is a relatively simple way to approach this.

Estep directed each teacher to thoroughly review supplemental material to determine if it is age/grade appropriate.

If theres anything within that content that puts a question in your mind, review it a second time with your building principal, Estep said. If, between the two of you, you deem that the content would indeed enhance the instruction or the topic, you can then come up with a plan for utilizing it to submit to the boards curriculum committee through a briefing form. It can then be added for discussion at a committee meeting.

Board member Shannon Snyder supported the new screening process. It is important for our students and our community to know that it is being monitored, she said.

On March 7, Letty McDonough, a local resident, asked school board members to look deeper into the use of the Generation Genius website as an online resource that provides educational videos to science teachers in the district.

The website includes information that the science videos are produced in partnership with the National Science Teaching Association, McDonough said. In reviewing the NSTA website, she said that one of the goals of the organizations strategic plan is an emphasis in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the classroom.

Following her request, the board cast two tie votes that effectively put Generation Genius in limbo until board members and district administrators could examine the videos more closely.

Two weeks later, on March 21, board members voted 8-0 to allow the use of Generation Genius after an analysis found that the ideology of the website backers has not filtered into the content of the videos.

Joseph Cress is a reporter for The Sentinel covering education and history. You can reach him at jcress@cumberlink.com or by calling 717-218-0022.

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With the redistricting of the Pennsylvania Senatorial districts, a local district opened up without an incumbent.

Current Republican state Sen. Mike Regan, who lives in York County, will stay in the 31st Senatorial District, which now includes fewer portions of Cumberland County: Lower Allen Township, Upper Allen Township, Lemoyne, Mechanicsburg, New Cumberland and Shiremanstown.

The new 34th Senatorial District covers the rest of the county from East Pennsboro Township to Shippensburg, as well as all of Perry County and parts of northern Dauphin County.

With no current incumbents home address falling in this coverage area, some newcomers are looking to take the seat.

East Pennsboro Township resident James Massey Jr. is the only Democrat on his partys ballot. Here are the two Republican candidates vying for their partys nomination:

Mike Gossert

Political Party: Republican

Age: 56

Residence: Hampden Township

Education: Bachelors in public policy from Pennsylvania State University; masters in public administration from Shippensburg University

Occupation: Township manager; small business owner

What do you think is the most important issue in your district, and what would you propose to address it?

We hear our politicians make promises to get elected and then they dont deliver on their promises. I have a record of public service and accomplishments, but I am not a career politician.

Understanding a state mandate and its financial impact on local taxpayers starts with the legislature. For example, Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) costs school districts hundreds of millions of dollars paid for by local taxes. When this act was passed, it was promised with funding. Unfortunately, the state continues to ignore funding this mandate in the manner it was supposed to, thus costing school districts and taxpayers millions annually while also having to balance an annual budget. I will work to fill these funding gaps by finding ineffective state-funded programs that arent meeting their desired objectives and reallocate those dollars to remove the burden from local taxpayers.

My record of public service as a U.S. Marine and volunteer firefighter and EMT to township manager and Cumberland Valley school board director; and leadership on the boards of state education organizations speaks for itself. I am the only candidate with a track record of accomplishments combined with effective servant leadership in our community.

Greg Rothman

Political Party: Republican

Age: 55

Residence: Silver Spring Township

Education: Cumberland Valley High School; bachelors degree from University of Massachusetts/Amherst; masters in real estate from Johns Hopkins University

Occupation: U.S Marine Corps veteran; real estate broker and appraiser; legislator

Endorsements: Cumberland County Republican Committee; Cumberland County Sheriff Jody Smith; Cumberland County District Attorney Sean McCormick; Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation; Dauphin County Republican Committee

What do you think is the most important issue in your district, and what would you propose to address it?

The most important issue in the 34th Senate District is the recovery of our economy and educational system after the COVID pandemic The region needs to welcome job-creators and support the small businesses who have suffered during the last two years from government overreach. We need to ensure our children have the resources to receive the highest quality education, and parents should have a greater role. This includes curriculum transparency.

Thousands of regulations were suspended during the pandemic, and they should be reviewed and permanently ended if they only serve to hinder innovation and prevent businesses and health care operations from providing high quality customer/patient service.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania should return to its roots of a place where its citizens are free to live their lives as they see fit and pursue happiness and prosperity.

Email Naomi Creason at ncreason@cumberlink.com or follow her on Twitter @SentinelCreason.

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Three years ago, I wrote an article about religious intolerance. My premise was that America had actually never been that religiously tolerant, that today's religion, Christianity in particular, was the one area where intolerance was still acceptable, and that those who often cried for the most tolerance could be the most intolerant.

I used the fact that The Book of Mormon won a Tony Award as evidence, as well as how Hollywood continues to criticize Christians while attacking any who dares say anything negative about Muslims or Jews, let alone anyone of a different race or sexual orientation. Upon seeing a preview of FXs latest crime thriller Under the Banner of Heaven, I thought it was time to maybe reexamine religion in America amongst this new culture of political correctness. What I found is that history has not changed and that Hollywood has once again used a similar scapegoat to attack those who believe in a God.

Let me start by saying I am a fan of Jon Krakauer. Into the Wild and Into Thin Air, the two books he wrote before Under the Banner, are both amazing reads. Its his fourth book where he turns from his themes of exploring and often losing to nature towards religion and violence that seems unfamiliar. The premise of Under the Banner of Heaven is that religious people are irrational and, as irrational and fanatical people, they commit irrational violent acts.

As with the musical, The Book of Mormon, FX is targeting an easy sect of Christianity, one that even other Christians are OK seeing attacked. While this particular story deals with a polygamous splinter group of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), Krakauers premise is for all believers of God, as he wrote in Chapter Six of Under the Banner of Heaven, All religious belief is a function of non-rational faith. And faith, by its very definition, tends to be impervious to intellectual argument or academic criticism.

The TV adaptation has not been released and so I do not know how closely it stays true to the book, but the book looks at the 1984 murders committed by two brothers belonging to the FLDS. Krakauer believes it was their fanatical devotion to God that allowed them to justify their cruel actions. As part of his evidence, he examines the history of the Mormon Church, which he links with violence and extremism. As a historian, I am clearly not going to argue that religion has not played a part in violence. Examples would take up all the space in this article and then some, so instead, I want to focus on one quote Krakauer used to title his work, Under the Banner of Heaven.

This quote was taken from a speech given in 1880 by the third president or prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ, John Taylor, in which he said, God is greater than the United States, and when the Government conflicts with heaven, we will be ranged under the banner of heaven against the Government. The United States says we cannot marry more than one wife. God says different.

While polygamy is appalling to the vast majority of Americans, historically speaking, the concept of standing up to authority for a higher cause has been common and even celebrated. In 1846 when America declared war on our neighbors to the south, not all Americans agreed with the invasion. One such man was the author Henry David Thoreau. He so disagreed with Americas actions that he was imprisoned for his refusal to pay taxes to support what he believed was an unjust war.

The year after the war he published his thoughts in an essay called "Civil Disobedience." Thoreau wrote, I cannot for an instant recognize that political organization as my government which is the slave's government also. All men recognize the right of revolution; that is, the right to refuse allegiance to and to resist the government when its tyranny or its inefficiency are great and unendurable. He even went as far as to say about his own imprisonment, In an unjust society the only place for a just man is prison.

Starting in the 1920s, another man took up the cry for civil disobedience as he struggled for freedom against the British Empire. Mahatma Gandhi once said, Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the state becomes lawless or corrupt. He believed people needed to resist the civil government when that government hurt the people. Unlike Thoreau, Gandhi actually pushed out his oppressors in the name of justice.

Finally, a few years after Gandhi, another man made a similar statement about resisting the government for higher laws. In 1963 while in prison in Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. Martin Luther King gave his justifications for breaking the law that landed him in jail. King wrote, One has not only a legal, but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.

Also, like Thoreau, King spoke to those in prison when he said, An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is, in reality, expressing the highest respect for the law.

I am not saying that John Taylor standing up for polygamy is the same as these men, but they were all standing up for something they believed in. They also had another thing in common: all their protests were nonviolent. As militant as Taylors speech may seem, there was nothing violent associated with him during his almost seven years as leader of the Church or any other church leader after him.

If Taylors words condemn him as violent, then Thoreau, Gandhi and King must also be condemned as violent. If Krakauers thesis is correct and Mormon splinter groups, Latter-Day Saints, and all religious people are inherently violent, then so must be all civil rights workers, Indians, and, I guess, students of American literature. If only some of those first groups are inherently violent, then his logic must agree that all Muslims are terrorists because some are.

While I am not calling for any sort of cancellation, Hollywood has the right to air any kinds of programs they want. Yet it reminds me of the saying that people who live in glass houses should not throw stones. Also, historically speaking, America has had an interesting relationship with religion. While we still praise our concept of freedom of religion, we also have reserved religion as the one concept which is still politically correct to attack.

Dr. James Finck is an associate professor of history at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma and chair of the Oklahoma Civil War Symposium. Follow Historically Speaking at www.Historicallyspeaking.blog or Facebook at @jamesWfinck.

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A Missouri man who killed a couple during a robbery at their rural home more than a quarter of a century ago was put to death Tuesday, becoming just the fifth person executed in the United States this year.

Carman Deck, 56, died by injection at the state prison in Bonne Terre. He was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. His fate was sealed a day earlier when neither the U.S. Supreme Court nor Republican Gov. Mike Parson stepped in to halt the execution. Decks death sentence was overturned three times before for procedural issues.

Just four other people have been executed in the U.S. in 2022  Donald Anthony Grant and Gilbert Ray Postelle in Oklahoma, Matthew Reeves in Alabama and Carl Wayne Buntion last month in Texas. Eleven people were executed in the U.S. last year, the fewest since 1988.

Court records show that Deck, of the St. Louis area, was a friend of the grandson of James and Zelma Long in De Soto, about 45 miles southwest of St. Louis. He knew the couple, in their late 60s, kept a safe in their home.

In July 1996, Deck and his sister stopped at the home under the guise of asking for directions. Deck told a detective that he wasn't surprised to be invited inside by the couple, who were in their late 60s.

Theyre country folks, Deck said, according to court records. They always do.

Once inside, Deck pulled a gun from his waistband. At Decks command, Zelma Long opened the safe and removed jewelry, then got $200 from her purse and more money hidden in a canister.

Deck ordered the couple to lie on their stomachs on their bed. Court records said Deck stood there for 10 minutes deciding what to do, then shot James Long twice in the head before doing the same thing to Zelma Long.

A tip alerted police to Deck, and he was arrested that night outside his sisters apartment building in St. Louis County. The decorative tin canister from the Long home was in his car.

Prosecutors said Deck later gave a full account of the killings. He was sentenced to death in 1998, but the Missouri Supreme Court tossed the sentence due to errors by Decks trial lawyer.

The U.S. Supreme Court threw out his second death sentence in 2005, citing the prejudice caused by Deck being shackled in front of the jury.

He was sentenced to death for a third time in 2008, but U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry overturned that sentence nine years later after she determined that substantial evidence arguing against the death penalty during Decks first two penalty phases was unavailable for the third because witnesses had died, couldnt be found or declined to cooperate.

In October 2020, a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals restored the death penalty, ruling that Deck should have raised his concern first in state court, not federal court. Appeals of that ruling were unsuccessful.

Deck's clemency petition said he suffered sexual abuse and beatings as a child, and that he and his siblings were often left alone without food.

Parson wasn't swayed, explaining his rationale for rejecting the petition in a news release: Mr. Deck has received due process, and three separate juries of his peers have recommended sentences of death for the brutal murders he committed."

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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A Bonne Terre woman lost her son, future daughter-in-law and an infant grandson to a drunk drivers accident last April and is now caring for their remaining children.

On Wednesday morning, she testified on behalf of her initiative, Bentleys Law, before a Missouri Senate committee. The Missouri House of Representatives passed it through on March 30, sponsored by State Rep Mike Henderson, R-Desloge. The law is named after her surviving grandson.

If Bentleys Law successfully passes Senate approval and is signed by the governor, children who lose a parent or parents to drunk drivers could be entitled to financial redress from those same drunk drivers. Once the drunk driver leaves incarceration, they have up to a year to begin restitution payments to help support the children until theyre 18, or 21 if the children enroll in post-secondary education.

The mother, Cecilia Williams said she felt her testimony before the Senate went well.

Im not one to prepare a speech, because I prefer to speak from what's in my heart. This is my second time I've testified on it. I get nervous, but once I start talking, I'm OK. The hard part is having to explain why the bill was created. And that's hard to do. It's hard to keep going back to that day (of the accident), she said.

Im hoping they vote on it today and it passes. It would be nice to get this put away before the legislative session ends next week.

The effort she started last spring has gained national traction. Williams said 24 states are now looking at similar legislation that enacts financial consequences on drunk drivers who kill parents of young children. Tennessee recently passed legislation in the House and Senate, and Williams said she hopes she can make it to the state capitol in Nashville to watch the governor sign it, which is anticipated next month.

Im hoping I can get there, I have a GoFundMe on my Facebook page, although theres not a lot in there, right now, she chuckled. But the (Tennessee) representative, Mark Hall, talked about me being down there for that. I hope to see it.

Williams is still caring for her two grandchildren affected by the loss of their parents and baby brother, and she said even if she doesnt collect a dime of restitution from the drunk driver who killed them  the law will not be retroactive once it passes  all of her efforts will be worth it if financial challenges are eased for future guardians and surviving parents.

Because I think other families deserve it. There's too many people out there who are raising children because of the actions of a drunk driver killing their parents or parent, she said. You have a husband and wife thats been together for years and one of them gets killed by a drunk driver, or both parents get killed by a drunk driver. The kids deserve to have that compensation.

Williams said last fall, she is aware many might say she could have obtained a lawyer to sue for restitution, but, she said, the legal costs would probably have gobbled up any settlement or wage garnishment that might have been determined.

A lot of people find themselves in the position where the person who killed or injured their family, they dont have insurance, they dont have assets, they have nothing, she said last fall. And yet, they somehow have enough to buy other things  In Bentleys Law, it would be a part of victim services and will prevent people from having to go through an attorney to get restitution.

Williams has received a lot of moral support from other people who have lost family members to drunk drivers.

And I can tell you, they are grateful for this. Because they feel the same way that I do about it. They and I hope people will think twice before they go out and drink and drive, she said. So they're pretty happy about it. You know, they're happy to see that somebody's taking a stand against it, to try and make things better.

Henderson said on Tuesday that hes pleased the bill seems to have progressed well so far.

Ive been very fortunate with this bill. For one, Cecilia Williams has an important story to tell. Second, were fighting for a just cause here, were fighting for the right thing on behalf of these kids, he said.

And the third thing is, the Missouri Prosecutors Association actually helped me on the language because that's what the tough part is on any bill, you don't want to do any harm. We want to make sure we do it right, Henderson continued. And I'm not a lawyer (he is a retired school administrator). So the legalese on this has been kind of difficult, but Missouri Prosecutors Association were kind enough to help me on it. And I think we have most of the language worked out now. So that's really helped us.

Henderson said he has hopes the bill might pass before the legislative session ends next week, but hes satisfied that even if it doesnt make it this year, it has more than a fighting chance to be passed in the next session.

I dont know anybody whos against it. I don't think I have anybody. We got Mothers Against Drunk Driving, everybody's testified in favor of the bill. I don't know if anybody's ever testified against  the only negative comment they said was, we got to make sure we do this language right, in how we do these child maintenance payments, he said. And I think we have that worked out. And so no one actually opposes what we're trying to do, that I have heard so far. So thats usually a good sign that we'll move forward.

Sarah Haas is the assistant editor for the Daily Journal. She can be reached at 573-518-3617 or shaas@dailyjournalonline.com.

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1 Officer Injured as Pro-Abortion Protesters Throw Rocks and Bottles at LA Police: Chief

Injuries were reported on Tuesday in Los Angeles during clashes with pro-abortion protesters and rioters, according to officials.

At least one Los Angeles Police Department officer was injured, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore said Tuesday.

We attempted to communicate, clear, and provide dispersal order to the group, he noted, but added that the crowd began to throw rocks and bottles at officers.

Video footage and photos of the incident suggest that the crowd was comprised of mostly pro-abortion protesterswith some holding coat hangerswho were demonstrating and later clashing with police after a report published Monday suggested that the U.S. Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark abortion law. They had gathered in front of the Los Angeles federal courthouse near 1st and Broadway streets, according to a Los Angeles Times reporter.

People were chanting pro-abortion slogans, including: No more shame, no more silence. Forced motherhood is fascist violence. Some also chanted, Pro-woman, pro-child, pro-choice, according to the LA Times.

We are facilitating a group of 250 walking from federal building (broadway/1st)to Pershing square. Route will be sb broadway to e/b 5th street to Pershing square. Motors and central units facilitating. Expect traffic delays. pic.twitter.com/I65jYtBe3G  Chief Michel Moore (@LAPDChiefMoore) May 4, 2022

Footage also showed the protesters trying to hit police cars that arrived to disperse the crowd that took over an intersection, while a glass door at a Planet Fitness was smashed. Authorities declared it an unlawful assembly at around 9:30 p.m. local time, reported the LA Times.

There were also protests that occurred in New York City, Washington, D.C, and other major cities. But in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said that he would propose a state constitutional amendment for abortion.

Receiving update on protest @ Pershing Square. A segment of the group began to take the intersection. We attempted to communicate, clear and provide dispersal order to the group. Crowd began to throw rocks and bottles at ofcrs . We have one ofcr injured( Unk extent). https://t.co/nYMbwTUsxj  Chief Michel Moore (@LAPDChiefMoore) May 4, 2022

We are proposing an amendment to enshrine the right to choose in the California constitution. We cant trust SCOTUS to protect the right to abortion, so well do it ourselves. Women will remain protected here, he wrote in a Twitter post on May 3.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court issued a statement confirming the authenticity of the draft ruling, while Chief Justice John Roberts promised an investigation into how it was leaked to the media.

To the extent this betrayal of the confidences of the Court was intended to undermine the integrity of our operations, Roberts wrote in a statement, it will not succeed, while he added that the work of the Court will not be affected in any way.
10 More States Report Mysterious Hepatitis Outbreaks in Children

At least 10 more states across the United States are reporting similar pediatric cases of severe acute hepatitisliver disease of unknown originafter the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a national health alert regarding a mysterious cluster of the virus on April 21.

The cases involve previously healthy children up to the age of 16, many of whom are suddenly developing hepatitis and displaying gastrointestinal symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting, as well as jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes.

Doug Schultz, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Health, told local TV station KSTP-TV on April 30 that its investigating several cases of unexplained hepatitis in children.

Two of those children, one of whom is an infant and the other who is 2, have required liver transplants, he said. One of them is still waiting.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services on April 27 also issued a health alert after four cases were reported among children, including two who had severe outcomes, one who required a liver transplant, and one that resulted in death.

Similar cases have also been reported in Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, New York, North Carolina, and Tennessee, according to the New York Post.

Nine cases have also been reported in Alabama since November 2021, the states Department of Public Health announced on April 15.

Meanwhile, California is also investigating seven cases, the first of which was reported in October 2021, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Researchers believe the outbreak of severe acute hepatitis may be linked to adenovirus, a viral infection that usually causes the common cold.

We do not know yet if adenovirus played a role in these rare illnesses or if these cases are connected, Ali Bay, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Public Health, told the Chronicle.

While only a few cases of this rare illness have been reported, we urge parents and guardians to take common-sense general measures to prevent infection and illness, such as good hand hygiene, covering coughs and sneezes, and keeping children home from school or childcare while they are ill.

In its health alert last month, the CDC urged physicians to be on the lookout for symptoms and to report any suspected cases of unknown origin to their local and state health departments.

The health agency said its also working with state health departments to see if there are additional U.S. cases, and what may be the cause.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has reported at least 169 cases in 12 countries as of April 21, including in the United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, France, Romania, Belgium, and the United States.

Seventeen children have required liver transplantation and at least one death has been reported, the WHO stated.

Adenovirus has been detected in at least 74 cases, officials added.

While adenovirus is a possible hypothesis, investigations are ongoing for the causative agent, the health body stated, noting that this hypothesis does not fully explain the severity of the clinical picture and that the implicated adenovirus type, has not previously been linked to such a clinical presentation.

The agency noted that certain factors such as increased susceptibility among young children following a lower level of circulation of adenovirus during the COVID-19 pandemic, the potential emergence of a novel adenovirus, and COVID-19 infection still need to be investigated.

However, it ruled out any potential links to COVID-19 vaccines, saying that the vast majority of the affected children with acute hepatitis werent vaccinated.
$11.4 Million to Go to California TurboTax Customers Following Settlement

LOS ANGELESHundreds of thousands of California taxpayers will receive a total of $11.4 million through a $141 million nationwide settlement with Intuit, which was accused in a lawsuit of deceptively advertising its free online TurboTax products, it was announced on May 4 by the plaintiffs.

The lawsuit was filed by a coalition of 51 attorneys general, including California Attorney General Rob Bonta, as well as Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer.

Every year, millions of hardworking Californians put their trust in online tax filing services like TurboTax, following their step-by-step guides that promise to find taxpayers the best deals for little-to-no cost, Bonta said. Our investigation found that Intuit repeatedly and deliberately broke that promise.

For more than a decade, Intuit used underhanded tricks and deceptive tactics to steer low-income and military taxpayers into paid products despite knowing that they qualified for free help. Todays settlement is a critical step toward accountability, providing direct restitution for millions of taxpayers and preventing Intuit from lying and misleading their customers in the future, Bonta added.

Intuit had no immediate comment on the settlement.

TurboTax offered two competing products labeled as free through TurboTax, which Bontas office said created confusion that helped it gain profits. One of the free products was through a partnership with the Internal Revenue Service and the other was a commercial product.

Intuits Freedom Edition product through the IRS Free File Program allows eligible filers to file for free, but in 2007 Intuit launched Free Edition that was only free for simple returns.

Less than 3 percent of taxpayers used the IRS Free File Program operated by Intuit and other companies in 2020, even though 70 percent of taxpayers qualified for it.

Meanwhile, Bontas office said that a large portion of taxpayers began the filing process using Free Edition and was later informed after spending hours filling out their information that they owed $59.99, and sometimes more than $200, to TurboTax because their returns were not considered simple.

We stood up for taxpayers who should never have been misled into paying for tax services they were entitled to get for free. But thats what we allege happened here, Feuer said. Hundreds of thousands of customers now will get money backand the practices we alleged at Intuit wont be able to continue.

The settlement includes $11.4 million for about 370,000 Californians and $141 million for nationwide customers.

The settlement also prohibits Intuit from lying to taxpayers about the necessity of upgrading from its free product; requires Intuit to clearly and conspicuously disclose in advertisements any limitations of its free product; requires Intuit to disclose to taxpayers at the earliest possible point in using a free product that they will not qualify for that product; and prohibits Intuit from requiring users to re-enter data when they upgrade from a free product and then return to the free product.
Children are seen walking, on the first day of lifting the indoor mask mandate for DOE schools between K through 12, in Manhattan, New York City, New York, on March 7, 2022. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

7 Democrat Senators Join Republicans in Vote to Overturn Biden Admins Toddler Mask Mandate

The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that could overturn the Biden administrations mask mandate for small children in Head Start facilities, in a 5541 vote.

Even though most Americans stopped wearing masks in almost every setting, children are still required to wear masks all day long in Head Start locations. Current HHS guidance demands that kids wear a mask even if they are outside, and even if they are as young as two years old. After two years, the last thing we need is to continue these outdated pandemic policies that are hurting kids educations, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said, describing the vote Tuesday night as bipartisan.

All Republican senators who were present voted yes on the measure, while Democrat Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), Mark Kelly (Ariz.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Jon Ossoff (Ga.), Jacky Rosen (Nev.), Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.), and Jon Tester (Mont.) joined them.

The bill will next head to the House of Representatives.

Head Start is a federal program that targets children from birth to age 5. According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), masks were required for children aged 2 and older who are involved in the program as of November 2021.

Sen. John Thune (R-S.C.), the No. 2 Senate Republican, said in an opinion article that the mandate is outdated and has angered parents.

During the past year, parents have risen up across the country to have their voices heard at the local, state, and federal levels. This groundswell of organization and involvement from parents has become too large for Democrat politicians to ignore any longer, and it has begun to turn the tide against these oppressive mandates, Thune, who sponsored the bill, wrote for Fox News this week.

Studies and data have shown that COVID-19, caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, poses an exceptionally low threat to children and namely small children, who have the lowest hospitalization and death rates among all age groups. Elderly people and individuals with compromised immune systems are at the greatest risk of developing severe disease.

There is plenty of data, however, demonstrating the harm that has been done to the children of America during this pandemic, Thune added. Students have fallen behind important benchmarks and had their behavioral development hindered. Young children are struggling with speech development and social skills. Parents dont need to see the data, though. Many of them have been experiencing this reality firsthand.

Tuesday nights vote was the latest blow to the Biden administrations COVID-19 masking rules and mandates. Last month, a federal judge in Florida issued an order striking down the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions order that required masks on planes, trains, and public transportation, although the Justice Department later indicated it would appeal the ruling and the CDC restated its mask recommendation on Tuesday.
Construction workers on the site of the Reseau Express Metropolitain (REM), a major public transit project, in Brossard, Quebec, on May 11, 2020. The REM is a major infrastructure project partly funded by the Canada Infrastructure Bank. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press)

Abolish the Canada Infrastructure Bank, House Committee Tells Government

A House of Commons committee studying the work of the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) issued a single recommendation to the government in its report tabled on May 2: abolish it.

To justify the recommendation, the report quotes witnesses that testified over the course of five meetings held by the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities during the previous Parliament.

Much of the discussion throughout this study turned on the question of the CIBs efficiency, with several witnesses expressing concern that projects were not flowing as quickly as expected, says the report, citing testimony from Mary Van Buren, President of the Canadian Construction Association and others.

[Van Buren] considered the state of [infrastructure] progress to be pretty dismal right now, the report said.

A review of Van Burens testimony appears to show she was addressing federally-supported infrastructure projects in general and not necessarily only those linked to the CIB.

The report also quotes University of Waterloo political science professor Heather Whiteside, who said in March 2021 the CIB hasnt done much with a majority of projects still at the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) stage.

The CIB was officially established in 2017 to fund revenue-generating infrastructure projects with $35 billion in taxpayer funds and to attract private investments. The CIBs progressive agenda includes a focus on sustainable growth, Indigenous infrastructure, and green projects.

CIB spokesperson Felix Corriveau responded to the report by saying the crown corporation currently has great momentum.

Corriveau told The Epoch Times the total capital value of CIB partnerships stands at $20.9 billion across 28 projects, with the CIBs share amounting to $7.2 billion. The CIB attracted $7.6 billion in private-sector money and $6.1 billion from public partners in these projects.

Yves Giroux, the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO), testified before the committee in March 2021 and at the time his office reviewed the CIB which had 13 projects, most of which had no financial commitment.

Of the projects that had contracts signed, the PBO reported that they were exclusively funded by taxpayers, despite the CIBs goal to attract private investments.

Canadian pension funds are partnering with the CIB, but Giroux told the committee these are not considered private entities based on Statistics Canadas definition of a government entity.

The Epoch Times sent a request to CIB for a breakdown of the private sector money invested in its projects but didnt immediately hear back.

In its Spring Market Update 2022, the CIB provides the amount it has invested in its various projects but not the amount invested by its partners.

The CIBs largest investment is $1.28 billion in the Reseau express metropolitain (REM), a new automated light metro network in Montreal and its suburbs. Its partners are the province and Quebecs pension plan manager, Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec.

REMs construction has neared completion in some areas and a section is planned to become operational later this year.

The second largest investment is $665 million to provide broadband internet in Ontario, with the federal department Innovation Canada as a partner.

Parties Weigh In

A May 4 statement from Conservative MP Andrew Scheers office commented on the report, saying that it proves the CIB has been an absolute failure due to its attracting few private sector investments and not completing projects.

Scheer called it a complete waste of money despite having been touted by the Liberals as a marquee infrastructure project.

The other major parties previously submitted supplementary opinions to the committee report.

We believe strongly, the CIB is an important tool in the Governments toolkit when it comes to generating smart investments in Canadian infrastructure, says the Liberal Party submission, suggesting it will not heed the committees recommendation to abolish the CIB.

These investments are critical as we build back better; they will create good jobs, grow our economy, create inclusive communities, and tackle climate change.

The Bloc Quebecois wrote, There are plenty of valid reasons for wanting to close this useless structure.

The Bloc says infrastructure is overwhelmingly a provincial and municipal issue, and hence It makes no sense for a government that does not own the infrastructure to come and dictate the conditions under which work may be carried out in this area.

The NDP supported the reports recommendation to abolish the crown corporation with a main concern being the revenue-generating mission of the CIB, which it says could go against public interests.

The selection of projects to attract private investment and the inherently profit-driven operation of completed projects are integral to the banks privatization agenda and severely limit its ability to serve the public interest.
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South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster walks off the stage during a rally with former President Donald Trump at the Florence Regional Airport in Florence, S.C., on March 12, 2022. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Analysis: Abortion Could Be Severely Limited in 23 States If Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade

Abortion would be banned or severely limited in 23 states if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, an analysis by the Guttmacher Institute indicates.

Changes to the makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 raise the possibility that Roe v. Wade could be severely underminedor even overturnedessentially leaving the legality of abortion to individual states, the Guttmacher Institute states in an analysis of state abortion laws. A reversal of Roe could establish a legal path for states pre-1973 abortion bans, as well as currently unenforced post-1973 bans, to take effect.

If a reported Supreme Court draft ruling on a Mississippi case leaked by Politico is true, the court would reportedly overturn two landmark abortion cases, Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, leaving the legality of abortion up to the states.

The draft ruling, if true, relates to Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization. In it, Justice Samuel Alito reportedly argues, The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion. Roe and Casey arrogated that authority. We now overrule those decisions and return that authority to the people and their elected representatives.

In 1973, the Supreme Court struck down Texass ban on abortion, ruling abortion was a fundamental right. In 1991, it granted review of a challenge to several Pennsylvania abortion restrictions in Casey, which included a question on the court overturning or reaffirming Roe. The majority reaffirmed Roe.

Since Casey, legislatures in mostly red states began passing incrementally restrictive abortion laws; legislatures in blue states began passing incrementally extensive abortion on demand laws.

As a result, if Roe were overturned, abortion would be banned or severely limited in 23 states and legally protected in 16 states and the District of Columbia.

Prior to Roe, 10 states banned abortion: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Some of these laws were enjoined by a court order and arent in effect. Texas ban, prompting Roe, was permanently enjoined. But courts would likely order the enjoined laws back into effect if Roe were overturned.

After Roe, Texas and 12 other states enacted trigger laws intended to take effect once Roe is overturned. They include Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Wyoming.

The trigger laws ban all or nearly all abortions once Roe is overturned; some include exceptions. Those laws enacted after Roe are designed to be triggered and take effect automatically or by swift state action if Roe is overturned, Guttmacher explains.

Citizens and legislatures in four states also passed constitutional amendments explicitly stating that abortion is not a right and public funds cant be used for abortions: Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee and West Virginia.

Texas also passed the Heartbeat Act prohibiting abortions from being performed once a heartbeat of the preborn baby is detected. The case was challenged and ultimately defeated after the Supreme Court rejected requests to halt it and the Fifth Circuit effectively ended all challenges last month.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) speaks to pro-abortion demonstrators outside of the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, on May 3, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

By contrast, 16 states legalized abortion on demand: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

Most of their laws prohibit the state from interfering with the right to obtain an abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant person, Guttmacher states.

Four states and the District of Columbia legalized abortion throughout an entire pregnancy: Colorado, New Jersey, Oregon and Vermont.

In a 2019 report, the Center for Reproductive Rights estimated that if Roe were overturned, 34 states and five territories wouldnt have abortion protections. The report was conducted before newer laws were enacted, like New Jerseys for example, which recently codified abortion rights as state law.

If Roe were overturned, it argues, states would be divided into abortion deserts where it would be illegal to access care, and abortion havens, where care would continue to be available. Millions of people living in abortion deserts, mainly in the South and Midwest, would be forced to travel to receive legal care, which would result in many more people being unable to access abortion for a variety of financial and logistical reasons.

An official opinion on Dobbs is expected to be released in June or July. If Roe were to be overturned, state trigger laws and other court actions would likely go into effect this summer.

By Bethany Blankley
British researchers are warning of one more rising health danger: a drug-resistant mold found in the environment that infects certain peoples lungs.

Aspergillus fumigatus can cause a fungal lung infection called aspergillosis in people with lung conditions or weakened immune systems. Aspergillosis, which affects 10 to 20 million people worldwide, is usually treated with antifungal drugs, but theres evidence of emerging resistance to these drugs.

This resistance is due to the widespread agricultural use of azole fungicides, which are similar to azole drugs used to treat aspergillosis, according to the study authors.

Understanding the environmental hotspots and genetic basis of evolving fungal drug resistance needs urgent attention, because resistance is compromising our ability to prevent and treat this disease, said study co-author Matthew Fisher, a professor in the School of Public Health at Imperial College London.

The researchers analyzed the DNA of 218 samples of A. fumigatus from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland between 2005 and 2017. Around seven in 10 samples were from infected people, and the other samples were from the environment, including from soil, compost, plant bulbs, the air and other sources.

The researchers found six strains of A. fumigatus that spread from the environment and infected six patients, according to the study. The results were published April 25 in the journal Nature Microbiology.

Of the 218 samples, almost half were resistant to at least one first-line azole drug. Specifically, 48% were resistant to itraconazole, 29% to voriconazole and 21% to posaconazole.

More than 10% of samples (including 23 environmental samples and three from patients) were resistant to two or more azole drugs.

In the 218 samples, the researchers found 50 new genes associated with drug resistance, and five new combinations of DNA changes associated with drug resistance, including one resistant to multiple drugs.

The prevalence of drug-resistant aspergillosis has grown from negligible levels before 1999 to up to 3%-40% of cases now across Europe, Fisher explained in a college news release.

At the same time, more and more people might be susceptible to Aspergillus fumigatus infection because of growing numbers of people receiving stem cell or solid organ transplants, being on immunosuppressive therapy, or having lung conditions or severe viral respiratory infections, he said.

The findings show the need for greater monitoring of A. fumigatus in the environment and patients to help understand the risk it poses, according to the researchers.

More Information

Theres more on aspergillosis at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCE: Imperial College London, news release, April 25, 2022

Robert Preidt is an award-winning journalist and photographer who began his career 40 years ago. The first 15 years were spent as a newspaper reporter, followed by freelancing for various publications, including the Toronto Star, Family Practice and the Medical Post. Hes been writing for HealthDay since 1999.

This story was originally published on the HealthDay site.
An Apple logo hangs above the entrance to the Apple store on 5th Avenue in the Manhattan borough of New York City on July 21, 2015. (Mike Segar/Reuters)

Apple Workers at Maryland Store Become the Third Attempt to Unionize

Workers at an Apple store in Maryland have announced their first steps to unionize, becoming the third store to start such an effort, setting up a potential labor battle with Apple, according to a report from The Washington Post.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) confirmed on May 3 that they have been coordinating with organizers at the Towson Mall location, near Baltimore, to help them form a union and claim that they have a majority of the employee signatures to assist in scheduling an election.

The union and the employee activists call their new union the Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (AppleCORE) and sent Apple CEO Tim Cook a letter, informing him of their decision to organize a union, claiming they have a solid majority of support from their coworkers.

The organizers said that they have the backing of more than 65 percent of the employees who are eligible to vote, giving them a supermajority that would be difficult for the tech retailer to override.

The pro-union workers said that they are not trying to go against or create conflict with Apple management and note access to rights we do not currently have as a primary reason for their attempt.

Last month, the Apple store at the Cumberland Mall in Atlanta, Georgia, became the first to file for a union election and workers at Apples Grand Central Terminal retail store in New York City announced steps to unionize.

The Washington Post reported that the employees express similar demands from other Apple stores attempting to unionize, such as having bargaining power when it comes to determining their pay, hours, and safety conditions regarding the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

However, workers at the different stores have varying but similar demands, with those in New York asking for a $30 minimum wage, while demands by employees in Atlanta revolve around transparency around pay inequality, cost of living adjustments, and real living wages.

Organizers have said that while Apples revenue has grown rapidly with $97.3 billion in revenue in its fiscal second quarter, the company has been slow to increase worker pay, according to the Post.

There has been a wave of retail worker activism across the country since the pandemic hit in early 2020, leading to a strained labor market.

Store employees at several major service and retail companies, like Starbucks, Amazon, and Apple have seized the opportunity to demand higher wages and more benefits.

The activists have requested that Apple and its CEO voluntarily recognize their union and said that they intend to file paperwork with the National Labor Relations Board (NRLB) in the coming days to hold an election, if the company refuses to do so.

Today we are asking you to do the same and to pledge not to use your resources to engage in an anti-union campaign to dissuade us. We ask that you voluntarily recognize our union so we can begin working together as equals in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration, said a joint statement from IAM and the organizers.

If the NRLB agrees that there is enough support for a union, Apple and the organizers will have to determine who would be eligible to join the union and vote, before a date is decided for the election.

On May 3, Apple finally acceded to demands by agreeing to schedule a union vote on June 2 with the workers in Atlanta.

We are fortunate to have incredible retail team members and we deeply value everything they bring to Apple. We are pleased to offer very strong compensation and benefits for full time and part time employees, including health care, tuition reimbursement, new parental leave, paid family leave, annual stock grants and many other benefits, said Apple in response to the petitions in Atlanta.

Meanwhile, a group of Apple corporate office employees have formed an organization known as Apple Together.

The group recently protested the companys new return to office plan for corporate employees, which includes a hybrid schedule of three days in the office and two flexible days where employees can work remotely.

Apple Together published a letter criticizing several of Apples new rules for office employees doing remote work, requesting that management allow for more worker flexibility off-site.

They claim that the highly segmented structure of Apples corporate offices makes it hard to interact with colleagues, that keeping employees at offices hurts diversity, and that commuter times cut into their productivity.

The letter writers also complain that Apples employees working remotely are not able to make products that will satisfy customers, especially if they lack the experience of enjoying the product themselves while away from the office.

Unionization efforts at Apple so far are the work of several independent groups, rather than being driven by one of the national labor unions, like at Starbucks.

The three Apple stores have partnered with different established unions, with Atlanta and the Communications Workers of America, New York with Workers United, and the workers in Maryland with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
Protestors outside the Parliament House building during the Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's press conference in Honiara, Solomons Islands, on April 24, 2019. (Robert Taupongi/AFP via Getty Images)

Beijing to Help Expand Solomon Islands Biggest Hospital Amid Influence Battle in South Pacific

In a sign of strong ongoing ties between Beijing and the Solomon Islands governments, officials from both countries have signed off on the construction of a new medical centre at the National Referral Hospital in the capital Honiara.

The hospital is the largest in the Pacific nation, with 300 beds and 50 doctors, while the new centre will focus on diagnosing heart problems before expanding into specialised renal services and other noncommunicable diseases.

A big thank you to the government and people of China, Pauline McNeil, health permanent secretary, said in a statement released by the Solomons government.

McNeil signed the minutes of an on-site feasibility study with the deputy head of the Chinese Embassy to the Solomon Islands, Yao Ming.

Meanwhile, Japanese delegates on May 3 also signed off on initial studies for the construction of Kiluufi Hospital in the neighbouring province of Malaita.

The actions of Tokyo and Beijing reflect an ongoing battle for influence in the Pacific between democratic nations and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Concerns have been heightened significantly in recent weeks following the signing of a security pact between the CCP and Solomon Islands national government that could open the door to the militarisation of the South Pacific region similar to the South China Sea.

According to a leaked draft of the Security Cooperation between the Solomon Islands and the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), Beijing would be able to dispatch police, troops, weapons, and even naval ships with the consent of the Solomon Islands, to protect the safety of Chinese personnel and major projects in the Solomon Islands.

The Solomon Islands was the site of extensive fighting during World War IIresulting in more than 7,000 casualties to the Allied forcesbecause of its critical position and influence over vital sea lanes.

Despite appeals from Australian, Japanese, and U.S. authorities, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has stood by the deal.

Sogavare is deeply unpopular in the countrywhich has a history of civil strifeand there are concerns he could attempt to prevent the 2023 national election from going ahead by engineering a false-flag event.

South Pacific expert Cleo Paskal has called for democratic nations to stop engaging with the prime minister in the hopes of changing his mind, and to instead hold him to account for the implementation of the 2000 Townsville Peace Agreement, which ushered in an era of stability and national government for the country.

Retired U.S. Marine Col. Grant Newsham, meanwhile, has called on democratic allies to shine a spotlight on allegations of bribery perpetrated by the CCP.

Every deal signed with a Chinese or other foreign company in the Solomons should be exposed to public scrutiny, the senior fellow at the Yorktown Institute wrote in The Epoch Times. Besides undercutting Beijings subversion efforts, transparency and revealing corrupt activities bolster local politicians and groups that want honest and consensual government and oppose CCP domination.
President Jeffersons administration set precedents for peacefully expanding the nation with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803

One of Thomas Jeffersons greatest achievements was the Louisiana Purchase, in which the United States acquired 828,800 square miles of the French territory La Louisiane in 1803. Encompassing all or part of 14 current U.S. states, the land included all of present-day Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska; parts of Minnesota that were west of the Mississippi River; most of North Dakota; nearly all of South Dakota; northeastern New Mexico; portions of Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado east of the Continental Divide; and Louisiana west of the Mississippi River. Today, the land included in the purchase makes up approximately 23 percent of the territory of the United States.

French and Spanish Ownership

At the end of the French and Indian War in 1763, France lost all of its possessions in North America, dashing hopes of a colonial empire. This empire was centered on the Caribbean island of Santo Domingo and its lucrative cash crop of sugar. (Santo Domingo is an old name for the island of Hispaniola, where the modern countries Dominican Republic and Haiti are located.)

The French territory called La Louisiane, extending from New Orleans up the Missouri River to modern-day Montana, was intended as a granary for this empire and produced flour, salt, lumber, and food for the sugar islands. By the terms of the 1763 Treaty of Fontainebleau, however, Louisiana west of the Mississippi River was ceded to Spain, while the victorious British received the eastern portion of the huge colony.

When the United States won its independence from Great Britain in 1783, one of its major concerns was having a European power on its western boundary, as well as the need for unrestricted access to the Mississippi River. As American settlers pushed west, they found that the Appalachian Mountains provided a barrier to shipping goods eastward. The easiest way to ship produce was to build a flatboat and float down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to the port of New Orleans, from which goods could be put on ocean-going vessels. The problem with this route was that the Spanish owned both sides of the Mississippi below Natchez.

Flag raising in the Place dArmes of New Orleans, marking the transfer of sovereignty of French Louisiana to the United States, December 20, 1803, as depicted by Thure de Thulstrup. (Public Domain)

In 1795, the United States negotiated the Pinckney Treaty with Spain, which provided the right of navigation on the river and the right of deposit of U.S. goods at the port of New Orleans. The treaty was to remain in effect for three years, with the possibility of renewal. By 1802, U.S. farmers, businessmen, trappers, and lumbermen were bringing over $1 million worth of products through New Orleans each year. Spanish officials were becoming concerned as U.S. settlement moved closer to their territory. Spain was eager to divest itself of Louisiana, which was a drain on its financial resources. On October 1, 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of France, concluded the Treaty of San Ildefonso with Spain, which returned Louisiana to French ownership in exchange for a Spanish kingdom in Italy.

Napoleons ambitions in Louisiana involved the creation of a new empire centered on the Caribbean sugar trade. By terms of the Treaty of Amiens of 1800, Great Britain returned ownership of the islands of Martinique and Guadaloupe to the French. Napoleon looked upon Louisiana as a depot for these sugar islands, and as a buffer to U.S. settlement. In October of 1801, he sent a large military force to retake the important island of Santo Domingo, lost in a slave revolt in the 1790s.

Jeffersons Plans

Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, was disturbed by Napoleons plans to re-establish French colonies in America. With the possession of New Orleans, Napoleon could close the Mississippi River to U.S. commerce at any time.

Jefferson authorized Robert R. Livingston, U.S. Minister to France, to negotiate for the purchase for up to $2 million of the City of New Orleans, portions of the east bank of the Mississippi River, and free navigation of the river for U.S. commerce.

President Thomas Jefferson, by Henry R. Robinson. (Public Domain)

An official transfer of Louisiana to French ownership had not yet taken place, and Napoleons deal with the Spanish was a poorly kept secret on the frontier. On October 18, 1802, however, a strange thing happened. Juan Ventura Moralis, Acting Intendant of Louisiana, made public the intention of Spain to revoke the right of deposit at New Orleans for all cargo from the United States.

The closure of this vital port to the United States caused anger and consternation, and commerce in the west was virtually blockaded. Historians believe that the revocation of the right of deposit was prompted by abuses of the Americans, particularly smuggling, and not by French intrigues, as was believed at the time.

President Jefferson ignored public pressure for war with France, and he appointed James Monroe special envoy to Napoleon to assist in obtaining New Orleans for the United States. Jefferson boosted the authorized expenditure of funds to $10 million.

Meanwhile, Napoleons plans in the Caribbean were being frustrated by Toussaint LOuverture, his army of former slaves, and yellow fever. During 10 months of fierce fighting on Santo Domingo, France lost over 40,000 soldiers. Without Santo Domingo, Napoleons colonial ambitions for a French empire were foiled in North America. Louisiana would be useless as a granary without sugar islanders to feed. Napoleon also considered the temper of the United States, where sentiment was growing against France and stronger ties with Great Britain were being considered. Spains refusal to sell Florida was the last straw, and Napoleon turned his attention once more to Europe; the sale of the now-useless Louisiana would supply needed funds to wage war there. Napoleon directed his ministers, Talleyrand and Barbe-Marbois, to offer the entire Louisiana territory to the United Statesand quickly.

Unexpected Opportunity

On April 11, 1803, Talleyrand asked Robert Livingston how much the United States was prepared to pay for Louisiana. Livingston was confused, as his instructions only covered the purchase of New Orleans and the immediate area, not the entire Louisiana territory. James Monroe agreed with Livingston that Napoleon might withdraw this offer at any time.

Meriwether Lewis, leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

(Public Domain)

To wait for approval from President Jefferson might take months, so Livingston and Monroe decided to open negotiations immediately. By April 30, they closed a deal for the purchase of the entire 828,000-square-mile Louisiana territory for 60 million Francs (approximately $15 million). Part of this sum was used to forgive debts owed by France to the United States. The payment was made in United States bonds, which Napoleon sold at a discount. As a result, Napoleon received only $8,831,250 in cash for Louisiana.

When news of the purchase reached the United States, President Jefferson was surprised. He had authorized the expenditure of $10 million for a port city, and instead, he received treaties committing the government to spend $15 million on a land package which would double the size of the country.

Jeffersons political opponents in the Federalist Party argued that the Louisiana purchase was a worthless desert, and that the Constitution did not provide for the acquisition of new land or negotiating treaties without the consent of the Senate. What really worried the opposition was the new states which would inevitably be carved from the Louisiana territory, strengthening Western and Southern interests in Congress and further reducing the influence of New England Federalists in national affairs. President Jefferson was an enthusiastic supporter of westward expansion and held firm in his support for the treaty. Despite Federalist objections, the U.S. Senate ratified the Louisiana treaty on October 20, 1803.

Goodbye France and Spain, Hello United States

A transfer ceremony was held in New Orleans on November 29, 1803. Since the Louisiana territory had never officially been turned over to the French, the Spanish took down their flag, and the French raised theirs. The following day, General James Wilkinson accepted possession of New Orleans for the United States. A similar ceremony was held in St. Louis on March 9, 1804, when a French tricolor was raised near the river, replacing the Spanish national flag. The following day, Captain Amos Stoddard of the First U.S. Artillery marched his troops into town and ran the stars and stripes up the forts flagpole. The Louisiana territory was officially transferred to the United States government, represented by Meriwether Lewis.

Treaty between the United States of America and the French Republic ceding the province of Louisiana to the United States, April 30, 1803. (Public Domain)

The Louisiana Territory, purchased for less than 5 cents an acre, was one of Thomas Jeffersons greatest contributions to his country. Louisiana doubled the size of the United States literally overnight, without a war or the loss of a single American life, and set a precedent for the purchase of territory. It opened the way for the eventual expansion of the United States across the continent to the Pacific and its consequent rise to the status of world power. International affairs in the Caribbean, and Napoleons hunger for cash to support his war efforts, were the background for a glorious achievement of Thomas Jeffersons presidency: new lands and new opportunities for the nation.

This article originally appeared on LegendsOfAmerica.com.
President Joe Biden gives remarks before meeting with small business owners in the South Court Auditorium of the White House in Washington on April 28, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Biden: Leaked Supreme Court Opinion a Fundamental Shift in American Jurisprudence

President Joe Biden says that if the Supreme Court moves to overturn Roe v. Wade, it would represent a fundamental shift in American jurisprudence.

A draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alitoleaked to the press and published by Politico May 2suggests the Supreme Court has decided to strike down the 1973 decision that made abortion legal throughout the United States.

The authenticity of the document was later confirmed by Chief Justice John Roberts, who issued a statement calling the leak a betrayal of the confidences of the Supreme Court.

Were Roe v. Wade to be overturned, it would return the regulation of abortion to the statesabout half of which have indicated an intent of banning or limiting abortions.

If the rationale of the decision as released were to be sustained, a whole range of rights are in question, Biden told reporters before boarding Air Force One. And the idea were letting the states make those decisions, localities make those decisions would be a fundamental shift in what weve done.

Biden points to the Ninth Amendment and the right to privacy when arguing in favor of Roe. He had issued a statement earlier in the day reaffirming his administrations support for a womans right to choose and calling on Congress to codify the ruling into law.

I mean, there are so many fundamental rights that are affected by that, Biden said. Im not prepared to leave that to the whims  of the public at the moment in local areas.

The Womens Health Protection Act (WHPA) was introduced in the Senate last year seeking to codify Roe but did not have the votes to move forward.

Biden seemed to indicate his aspirations of codifying Roe fall short of making changes to the filibuster law when he said Im not prepared to make those judgments now about it.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki later pointed out that even if the filibuster law had been overturned there wouldnt have been enough votes to push the WHPA through.

The Senate will vote during the week of May 9 on a bill that would codify access to abortion into law if passed, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday.

Also at issue is the unprecedented leak from the Supreme Court. Republican members of Congress have called it a violation of the law and a breach of the high courts process, demanding to know the identity of the individual who leaked the document.

John Malcolm, Vice President of the Heritage Foundations Institute for Constitutional Government, told The Epoch Times that while there have been some leaks at the Supreme Court in the past, there has never been the case of a draft opinion circulated in public. He says the intent of the leak is clearly to invoke a reaction and intimidate Supreme Court justices to try to get them to change their positions before the opinion is issued.

That is unheard of and about as horrible as it can get, and there needs to be an investigation and the leaker needs to be uncovered and there need to be consequences as a result of that leak, Malcolm said.

He said it is not completely clear whether the leak itself constitutes a crime as Supreme Court opinions are sensitive and confidential, but they are not classified and there are no national security concerns with them being leaked.

However, he added there are some federal laws that could apply, depending on who the leaker is.

When asked aboard Air Force One Tuesday about the leak, Psaki seemed to indicate that the issue of protecting Roe takes priority over the leak for the president.

Theres no question that [the leak] raises eyebrows for many in the country, including those of us in the White House, said Psaki. But what our focus is on right now beyond the leak is how were going to protect a womans right to make choices about her health care with her doctor.
L: Microsoft principle founder Bill Gates participates in a discussion during a luncheon of the Economic Club of Washington on June 24, 2019. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) R: Jeffrey Epstein appears in a photograph taken for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services' sex offender registry in a 2017 file photograph. (New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services/Handout via Reuters)

Bill Gates Says He Should Have Heeded Melindas Sound Advice on Jeffrey Epstein Sooner

Billionaire Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has said he should have heeded the advice of his ex-wife Melinda Gates, once again saying that it was a huge mistake to meet several times with Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier accused of sex trafficking and child abuse.

In an interview with NBC, Gates said he certainly made a huge mistake to meet with Epstein, not just the first time, but a number of times.

Epstein, who was found dead in a New York jail cell in 2019, at the age of 66, was already a convicted sex offender who had been sentenced with soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008, and had served 13 months in custody in Florida, before he and Gates first met.

At the time of his death, which was ruled a suicide by hanging, Epstein was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges for abusing women and girls in Manhattan and Florida from 2002 to 2005. He had pleaded not guilty.

In explaining his decision to pursue a relationship with Epstein, Gates said: I had a goal of raising money for global health. I didnt realize that a meeting with him almost downplayed the incredibly awful things he did.

I learned more about that over time, he added.

Gates, who is one of the wealthiest people in the world, previously said that he had several dinners with Epstein in a bid to garner billions of dollars in philanthropy via his network, but he said their relationship ended when it looked like that wasnt a real thing.

He has repeatedly stated that it was a mistake to spend time with the late financier.

Melinda Gates has cited her ex-husbands relationship and meetings with Epstein, among other things, as playing a part in her decision to divorce Gates after 27 years of marriage. The pair announced their billion-dollar divorce in May 2021.

In an interview with CBS in March, Melinda Gates described how she felt Epstein was evil personified from the moment she met him. She said she made her dislike of the convicted sex offender clear to her ex-husband.

I also met Jeffrey Epstein exactly one time. Because I wanted to see who this man was. And I regretted it from the second I stepped in the door. He was abhorrent. He was evil personified, she said, adding that she had nightmares about it afterward.

Gates said Epstein was a bad person and in addition to meeting with him, it was a mistake not to heed Melindas advice.

Id add that to the list of big mistakes, including, you know, where Melindas advice was sound and I, I should have followed it sooner than I did, Gates said.

He added, I had a reason that I thought those meetings would lead to something good, but I shouldnt have done them.
A test tube in front of displayed Biogen logo in this illustration taken, on Dec. 1, 2021. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

Biogen CEO to Step Down, Drugmaker Pulls Back on Alzheimers Drug Aduhelm

Biogen Inc said on Tuesday that Chief Executive Michel Vounatsos will step down and that the company is pulling back on selling its Alzheimers drug Aduhelm after the U.S. governments Medicare program restricted coverage of the controversial treatment to patients in clinical trials.

Vounatsos, who was named as the CEO in 2016, will continue in his role until a successor is appointed, the company said. Under his leadership, the U.S. biotech developed and launched several important growth drivers including spinal muscular atrophy drug Spinraza and multiple sclerosis drug Vumerity.

Aduhelm was expected to be the companys next big blockbuster treatment, but controversy over its approval without clear evidence of patient benefit and the U.S. decision to severely limit access appears to have doomed its prospects.

Biogen said on Tuesday it was looking at substantially eliminating commercial infrastructure related to Aduhelm and plans for more cost cuts, in addition to the current program to save $500 million annually.

Biogen last month decided to withdraw its marketing application for Aduhelm in Europe after failing to convince the European regulator of the treatments benefits.

The company said it will retain minimal resources to make Aduhelm available to patients currently taking the drug in the United States.

Mizuho Securities analyst Salim Syed said the move will slow the companys cash burn and that the CEO transition will be received positively by the market, as many investors had been calling for it.

Biogen shares were up 2.5 percent at $212.49 in early trading.

The company was betting on Aduhelm, the first new treatment for the memory-robbing disease in nearly 20 years, to act as a buffer as its main established revenue drivers face rising competition.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the treatment last June despite a lack of clear evidence that it slowed cognitive decline and over objections of the agencys panel of outside expert advisers.

Legislators and federal agencies have since launched investigations into the FDAs approval, and doctors and hospitals have held back on prescribing the drug.

Jefferies analyst Michael Yee said he believes Wall Street will view the actions announced on Tuesday as a move in the right direction.

Biogen is still counting on a second Alzheimers drug, lecanemab, which like Aduhelm was developed with Japanese company Eisai Co. Ltd.

Biogen plans to complete a rolling submission of data for lecanemab under the U.S. accelerated approval pathway in the current quarter before submitting it for full approval in 2023.

By Mrinalika Roy and Leroy Leo
Californias Response to Shift on Abortion Insane: Republican Senator

California Democrats have denounced rumored plans of the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and have vowed to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution and provide out-of-state abortion seekers with free services.

When news that a leaked draft of a Supreme Court majority opinion surfaced May 2, California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on Twitter, Our daughters, sisters, mothers, and grandmothers will not be silenced. The world is about to hear their fury. California will not sit back. We are going to fight like hell.

Meanwhile, Sen. Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore) told The Epoch Times on Tuesday that Democrats push to pay for abortions for out-of-state residents is insane.

What theyre doing is really over the top. Paying for the abortions for women from all across the country? Thats just insane, Melendez said.

A Planned Parenthood facility in Anaheim, Calif., on Sept. 10, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, the ruling wouldnt ban abortion nationwide, but instead, let each state legislature decide.

Its par for the course for Sacramento Democrats, Melendez said. Theyre all outraged and they think other states are going to take away a womans right to abortion.

Melendez contends that amending the state constitution would be pointless.

Its idiotic, she said. Because if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade, it doesnt change anything in California. They already have the right to abortion in California, and that is not going to change. So, them saying theyre going to amend the constitution to make it really, really legal in California is all political bluster. It changes nothing. Its just them making a statement.

What other states do has nothing to do with California, but, of course, they always want to make sure theyre out in front and taking a stand, she said of the state Democrats.

Her opposition to amending the constitution to include abortion rights is separate and aside from the fact that I dont think California should be paying for abortions for anybody, let alone people from clear across the country, Melendez said.

Newsom said yesterday that his administration plans to work with the state senate and assembly to put an initiative on the ballot proposing to amend the state constitution to enshrine abortion rights.

The governor, State Senate Leader Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) issued a joint statement in response to the leaked preliminary U.S. Supreme Court majority draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade.

California will not stand idly by as women across America are stripped of their rights and the progress so many have fought for gets erased. We will fight. California is proposing an amendment to enshrine the right to choose in our state constitution so that there is no doubt as to the right to abortion in this state, the trio said in the statement. We know we cant trust the Supreme Court to protect reproductive rights, so California will build a firewall around this right in our state constitution. Women will remain protected here.

Details of the proposed amendment have not been released to the public.

The Democratic Partys plan to use Roe v. Wade to portray themselves as champions of womens rights in an election year might not work as well as theyve planned, Melendez said.

The rate of abortions has been declining over the years, so it might not be the lightning rod issue that they think it is with the majority of the population. So, if they do put this on the ballot in California, Im going to be very curious as to how voters express their opinion on that, she said.

Its a political thing, of course. Its a wedge issue, and theyre certainly going to try to seize upon that, but I dont see how thats going to help them. Frankly, I still think that Democrats are going to get shellacked in November, she said.

In recent months, the Democratic lawmakers have anticipated the possibility that Roe v. Wade could be overturned and have introduced a slate of pro-abortion bills. Sen. Atkins said in a prelude to Newsoms State of the State address on March 8 that California state is working to expand abortion services.

While we watch state legislatures and courts across the nation roll back the progress weve made on reproductive rights, California is strengthening and expanding access to health and abortion care, Atkins said.

One of the bills, Senate Bill 1142 by Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) and Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), would set up a state-controlled fund to pay for abortions for women with low incomes, including out-of-state residents.

Its a fund that theyre going to create which is going to help pay for the abortion, pay for their airfare, their gas, their lodging, meals, childcare, translators, doulas if they want. I mean, you name it, Melendez said.

She criticized the authors of the bill whove suggested the money for expanded abortion services would be both privately and taxpayer-funded.

They havent figured out yet how theyre going to separate those monies and how theyre going to dole them out, she said. Isnt that kind of an important part of the bill?

Another bill, Assembly Bill 2134, by Assemblywoman Akilah Weber (D-San Diego), would provide grants to health care providers who offer abortion services to low-income women whose health insurance doesnt cover abortion or contraception. It passed the Assembly Health Committee by a 103 vote on April 26.

And, last month, hundreds of protesters converged on the state Capitol Building in Sacramento to protests another abortion bill introduced by Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland). Assembly Bill (AB) 2223 on reproductive health, is known as the infanticide bill among opponents.

Melendez, who is vice-chair of the Senate Health Committee, said she expects to see AB 2223 cross her desk in June.
A worker in a protective suit keeps watch on a street in Shanghai on April 1, 2022. (Aly Song/Reuters)

China COVID Hard Line Eats Into Everything From Teslas to Tacos

SHANGHAIWhen Teslas Shanghai plant and other auto factories were shut over the last two months by emergency measures to control Chinas biggest COVID-19 outbreak, the burning question was how quickly they could restart to meet surging demand.

But with the Shanghai lockdown grinding into its fourth week, and similar measures imposed in dozens of smaller cities, the worlds largest boom market for electric cars has gone bust.

Other companies from luxury goods makers to fast-food restaurants have also offered a first read on the lost sales and shaken confidence of recent weeks, even as Beijing rolls out measures to help COVID-hit industries and stimulate demand.

Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China, which owns KFC and Taco Bell, said in a letter to investors that April sales had been significantly impacted by COVID controls. In response, the company simplified its menu, streamlined staffing, and promoted bulk orders for locked-down communities, she said.

The pressing question now is: how and when will Chinese consumers start buying everything from Teslas to tacos again?

In Chinas once-hot EV market, the recent turmoil is a stark example of a one-two economic punch, first to supply and then to demand, from Beijings hard-line implementation of COVID controls across the worlds second-largest economy.

Before Shanghai was locked down in early April to contain a COVID-19 outbreak, sales of electric vehicles (EVs) had been booming. Teslas sales in China had jumped 56 percent in the first quarter, while sales for EVs from its larger rival in China, BYD, had quintupled. Then came the lockdowns.

Showrooms, stores, and malls in Shanghai were shut and its 25 million residents were unable to shop online for much beyond food and daily necessities due to delivery bottlenecks. Analysts at Nomura estimated in mid-April that 45 cities in China, representing 40 percent of its GDP, were under full or partial lockdowns, with the economy at a growing risk of recession.

The China Passenger Car Association estimated retail deliveries of passenger cars in China were 39 percent lower in the first three weeks of April from a year earlier.

COVID control measures cut into shipments, car dealers held back from promoting new models, and sales tumbled in Chinas richest markets of Shanghai and Guangdong, the association said.

Downward Spiral

Much will depend on how fast these restrictions can be lifted but the coming weeks may be difficult, Helen de Tissot, chief financial officer at French spirits maker Pernod Ricard, told Reuters on Thursday.

Kering, which owns luxury brands including Gucci and Saint Laurent, said a significant chunk of its stores had been shuttered in April.

Its very difficult to predict what will happen after the lockdown, said Jean-Marc Duplaix, Kerings chief financial officer.

Apple also warned at its latest results over COVID-hit demand in China.

City authorities from Beijing to Shenzhen are trying to stimulate some demand by giving out millions of dollars worth of shopping vouchers to encourage residents to spend.

On Friday, Guangdong, a manufacturing powerhouse with an economy larger than South Koreas, rolled out its own incentives to try to restart sales of EVs and plug-in hybrids.

These include subsidies of up to 8,000 yuan ($1,200) for a select range of what China classes as new energy vehicles, including from Volkswagen and BYD. Tesla, second in EV sales in China, was excluded from the subsidy program.

The U.S. automaker did not respond to a request for comment.

Chongqing, another major auto manufacturing hub, in March said it would offer cash of up to 2,000 yuan ($300) for shoppers who exchange old cars for new models and set aside another $3 million for other measures to spur sales.

While noting such measures, Credit Suisse analysts still said they believe COVID-19 control measures have put both online and offline consumption on a downward spiral.

We see the consumer sector as being at major risk if the prolonged pandemic and further tightening continue across China, they said in an April 19 research note.
GASTONIA, N.C.  The African American Quilt Guild of Gaston County takes pride in maintaining Black history in quilting and supporting the community with their work.

Barbara Hart, 80, started the quilt guild in April 2005 as a Christian organization with the intent to foster the love of quilting within the local African American community.

I wanted to carry on the legacy of what our ancestors did, said Hart.

She began sewing when she was about 7 or 8 years old. She later learned how to quilt from her grandmother and started seriously quilting in her 40s.

The initial meeting in 2005 started with five women, and over the past 17 years, the group has grown to 22 members of various talents through word of mouth and Facebook.

Members are mainly from North Carolina, with some traveling more than 400 miles round-trip from Nashville, North Carolina, for the groups monthly meetings.

The group has not met within the past two years due to COVID, but members still take safety precautions if pursuing a project together.

Hart said that the group values keeping a small size to maintain the close-knit fellowship and comradery among each other.

The guild has supported the local community with its work through donations to the Salvation Army in downtown Gastonia, providing more than $5,000 in scholarships to students.

We really love having such a close relationship with each other, said Hart.

The groups most recent project included creating a Black history quilt for the African American museum at Loray Mill that highlights the legacy of Black entrepreneurs in Gaston County.

Many quilt members have more than 10 years of quilting experience and are self-taught.

Its amazing the work that these phenomenal women do, said Dot Guthrie, the African American museum founder.

Quilt Guild member Melissa Reeves, 74, says that the key to making a nice quilt is jumping on any creative idea that you have.

It takes a lot of patience, said Reeves. Its like woodworking, but we are cutting up the fabric and sewing it back together.

Another member, Antonia Slaybaugh, 73, started quilting three years ago and joined the guild around the same time she started quilting.

I enjoy putting different colors together, said Slaybaugh. I take a stack of fabric and pick out what I think will go nice together.

Slaybaugh says the organization gets lots of fabric donations, and members teach one another how to quilt different blocks.

Theres so many patterns out there, said Slaybaugh. You can take a pattern, change it out and make something completely different in one quilt.

Hart hopes to encourage younger generations to learn the art of quilting.

We love having such a close relationship with one another in this group, she said.

The guild hopes to display its work at an upcoming festival hosted by the African American Museum.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the FY2023 budget request for the State Department in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on April 28, 2022. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

China Using US Media to Spread Propaganda, Misinformation: Blinken

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is using the United States free and open media platforms to spread state propaganda and misinformation, according to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Blinken said U.S. leadership is deeply concerned about the CCPs efforts to quash press freedoms in mainland China while simultaneously exploiting free media in other nations to spread pro-Beijing messaging.

We have a total imbalance, because these leaders in Beijing are using the free and open media that we ensure and are protected in democratic systems to spread propaganda, to spread misinformation, he said.

Ultimately, thats an unsustainable proposition.

Blinken made the comments as part of a speech recognizing World Press Freedom Day on May 3, during which he also highlighted the CCP regimes efforts to leverage its financial ties with foreign corporations to either direct the content of foreign news companies or otherwise silence news that portrayed the regime in a negative manner.

The CCP released a document early in leader Xi Jinpings tenure that listed the idea of a free press as a threat to communist rule in China, and directed Party leaders to combat the idea that the state shouldnt control the media. Blinken noted that Beijing is now pressuring the press in Taiwan by leveraging China-based connections with the parent companies of news organizations.

Taiwan is quite literally on the front lines of the PRCs hybrid warfare, including misinformation, including cyberattacks, Blinken said, using an acronym for the regimes official name, the Peoples Republic of China. These are designed basically to distort the information environment and democratic processes.

Blinken added that the United States is partnering with authorities in Taiwan and elsewhere to increase support for independent journalism and build societal resilience to misinformation and attacks on the free press.

His comments on the CCPs efforts to exploit free media and otherwise stalk, harass, and surveil critics of the regime follow the announcement of several high profile criminal cases by the U.S. Justice Department that allege plots by Chinese agents to silence or even forcibly repatriate ethnic Chinese to mainland China.

In one such case, an alleged Chinese intelligence agent plotted to physically attack a U.S. Army veteran running for Congress. In another, agents hired private investigators in the United States to stalk and illegally surveil a U.S. Olympian who posted remarks online that were critical of the CCPs continuing repression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

Blinken said, Weve been deeply concerned about what were seeing from the PRC in terms of its misuse of its technology to try to do things like increase surveillance, harassment, intimidation, [and] censorship of PRC citizens, of journalists, of activists, and others, and that includes abroad.
The Royal Canadian Navy's newest Arctic and offshore patrol ship, HMCS Harry DeWolf, approaches port in Victoria, B.C., after arriving from Vancouver on Oct. 3, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)

Chinas Domestic Woes, Faltering Arctic Goals Pose Growing Challenge to Canada, Senators Told

Canada urged to up its game in the Arctic, rely less on Arctic Council

With geopolitical competition intensifying in the Arctic, particularly with China now facing more obstacles in its multipronged efforts to secure resources and to gain further influence in the region, it compels Canada to comprehensively step up its Arctic engagement, according to expert testimony.

Guy Saint-Jacques, Canadian ambassador to China from 2012 to 2016, said China is acutely interested in the Arctic as a source of minerals and seafood.

I would like to underline how systematic China has been in acquiring supplies of critical minerals. This is one of the main objectives of the Polar Silk Road Initiative, which has been tagged with the Belt and Road Initiative, Saint-Jacques said.

And Beijings concerns are growing over environmental changerising sea levels and heat waveswith its impact on food production and infrastructure, he noted. The former ambassador pointed to a region in the centre of the Arctic thats not under any states jurisdiction and said he expects to see Chinese fishing vessels there very soon.

Saint-Jacques and other China and Arctic specialists were testifying before the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence on May 2 to provide senators with a better understanding of geopolitical competition in the Arctic, with a specific focus on the non-Arctic statesnamely China.

China is on the side of China, said Marc Lanteigne, associate professor of political science at the University of Troms in Norway, regarding Chinas neutrality stance regarding the conflict in Ukraine.

China is interested in any outcome which benefits its own situation economically, politically, strategically.

Lanteigne explained that China is facing serious economic and societal headwinds domestically with its zero-COVID policy and with many of its imports having been disrupted due to the Ukraine crisis.

Saint-Jacques also recounted that when he became ambassador to China in 2012, Beijing was keen on getting Canadas support to secure observer status at the Arctic Council (AC)the eight-member leading intergovernmental body promoting cooperation in the regionand then to attend Canadian military exercises in the north as part of a military exchange.

I always urged National Defence to be very cautious about this. The strategic value of such a participation on the part of China would allow China to better understand the extent of our activities in the north, he said.

China secured observer status at the AC in 2013.

Chinas Changing Calculus

China is still a newcomer in the Arctic and is dependent on other governments for their goodwill and know-how, Lanteigne said.

Many of its [Beijings] Arctic policies are dependent on an open region, one where trade and economic cooperation, as well as science, diplomacy are very much in place. And at the moment, we do not seem to be heading in that direction, Lanteigne said.

The AC, on hiatus following Russias invasion of Ukraine, now faces an uncertain future.

Lanteigne added that a long-term pause in AC activities is not in Chinas interest, as much of its work as an observer runs through working groups and task forces.

That avenue is currently closed and we dont know for how long. This means that China will be much more dependent on bilateral diplomacy with Arctic states, Lanteigne said.

Lanteigne pointed to signs that China is starting to pull back from deeper ties with Russia in the arenas of scientific research, as a form of mitigating reputational risk.

Quoting a Chinese expression that translates as Dont look for trouble and it wont find you, he said thats how China is currently managing its relationship with Russia.

There is a concern that China has expressed that by getting too close to Russia economicallyby beginning new projects in the Arctic or elsewhere, bilateral cooperationthat China would run the risk of being subjected to the same sanctions that Russia is currently experiencing, Lanteigne said.

NATO and the Arctic

In addition, there now exists the possibility of Sweden and Finland joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which would give the multilateral military alliance a greater presence in the Arctic.

If you were to ask them [Beijing] what they think about Finland and Sweden joining NATO, they would say that this is not conducive to world peace, and that NATO should refrain to expand further. In fact, this is their mantra, Saint-Jacques said.

It does not work in Chinas favour that NATO had taken a stronger interest in the Arctic even before the issue of Sweden and Finland joining, Lanteigne said.

Arctic geopolitics are increasingly getting tied to NATO geopolitics, said Jessica Shadian, Arctic 360 president and CEO. Arctic 360 works to attract investment in the North American Arctic.

It has been argued that bringing NATOs activities into the Arctic realm would jeopardize the achieved peaceful cooperation that the Arctic Council has created for the region, she said, adding that Canada has become increasingly out of step with changing Arctic geopolitics.

Some of this trend is due to Canada putting most of its foreign policy focus on the AC, she added. The AC does not have a military component to its mandate and primarily focuses on environmental issues.

Canadas Arctic diplomacyagain, it cannot only be about the Arctic Council around the Arctic and even beyond. Diplomatic cooperation exists outside the Arctic Council, Shadian said.

Two Birds With One Stone

Theres no better way to assert sovereignty and economic control than by demonstrating that youre active in a search and rescue capacity, Ron Wallace, Canadian Global Affairs Institute fellow, said.

Canada also needs to develop ice-breaking capacity and port facilities, he added. Canadas got to step up [its] diplomatic and its foreign affairs game in the Arctic in a big way.

Canadas military spending is falling far short of the NATO target of 2 percent of gross domestic product, and experts have said that investing in NORAD modernization would make notable strides toward attaining the goal.

We could kill two birds with one stone in this case, because also, it would satisfy our need to invest more in the military. And that could be our contribution to NATO as well, Saint-Jacques said.

Shadian recommends Canada form closer diplomatic ties with Greenland, which also has a plethora of critical minerals that China wants. In addition, she advises the government to put greater emphasis on the Arctic in its nascent critical minerals strategy, and to create a policy-focused Arctic think tank.

Canadas 2022 federal budget put forth the countrys first critical minerals strategy, with up to $3.8 billion in support over eight years.
Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning (C) is participating in a military drills in the South China Sea on Jan. 2, 2017. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinese Carrier Sails Through Waters Near Okinawa, Japan Says

TOKYOEight Chinese naval vessels, including an aircraft carrier, passed between islands in Japans southern Okinawa chain on Monday, Japans defense ministry said in a news release.

The ships, which included several destroyers, sailed between the main Okinawa island and Miyakojima, according to the ministry. Although there was no incursion into Japans territorial waters, helicopters on board the Liaoning carrier took off and landed, the ministry said.

Chinas Defense Ministry did not answer calls seeking comment.

The U.S. 7th Fleet, part of the Navys Pacific force, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Taiwans Defense Ministry said it would monitor the movements of the carrier group, and described the situation as normal.

It was the first time that a Chinese aircraft carrier was confirmed to have passed through the area since December last year, according to Japanese national broadcaster NHK.

By Kevin Buckland
Dave Chappelle speaks onstage in Cleveland, Ohio on Oct. 30, 2021. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame )

Comedian Dave Chappelle Attacked on Stage in LA

Comedian Dave Chappelle was attacked while performing on stage at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on May 3, according to police and footage shared on social media.

A man armed with a replica gun that could eject a knife blade rushed the stage at around 10:45 p.m. and lunged at Chappelle while the comedian was in the middle of his set, according to law enforcement sources cited by local outlets.

A spokesperson from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) told NBC Los Angeles that the assailant was detained by security staffers and was taken to the hospital with superficial injuries.

The LAPD said it was unclear if the attacker tried to use the weapon.

Video shared on social media showed a person climbing onto the stage and attempting to tackle Chappelle, while another appeared to show the aftermath of the incident with people surrounding the perpetrator.

Another video showed a man being loaded onto a stretcher with what appeared to be a dislocated or a broken arm.

Police cited by NBC Los Angeles said Chappelle was uninjured in the incident.

Actor Jamie Foxx, who was watching the show, ran on stage to help restrain the assailant, according to reports.

Chappelle later thanked Foxx, with footage following the incident showing Chappelle saying,Make some noise for Foxx. Whenever youre in trouble, Jamie Foxx will show up in a sheriffs hat.

Foxx, who came on stage, joked, I thought that was part of the show.

Comedian Chris Rock, who also attended the event, also came on stage and joked, Was that Will Smith? in apparent reference to Smith slapping Rock during an Oscar awards ceremony over a joke about Smiths wife.

Following the attack, British comedian Jimmy Carr shared a selfie taken with Chappelle with the caption: The Hollywood Bowl show with the legendary Dave Chappelle was crazy. Just happy everyones ok.

Chappelle was performing at the Netflix is a Joke comedy festival, which runs until Sunday.

The Epoch Times has reached out to Chappelles publicist with a request for comment on the incident.
Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference at The Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 26, 2022. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Court Denies Trumps Appeal to Halt Daily $10,000 Contempt of Court Fine

Former President Donald Trumps appeal to suspend a $10,000-a-day fine levied against him for contempt of court was denied on Tuesday by a New York appellate court.

The decision by Judge Tanya Kennedy of the appellate division of the states trial court means that Trump will have to continue paying the daily penalty while he challenges a lower-court ruling that he failed to turn over documents to the state in response to a subpoena.

New York state court Judge Arthur Engoron initially ruled in April that the Republican businessman violated a court order by missing a March 31 deadline to respond to New York Attorney General Letitia Jamess subpoena demanding he turn over any records relating to the business practices of his family company, the Trump Organization.

James says that her office has uncovered significant evidence indicating that the Trump Organization used fraudulent and misleading asset valuations on multiple properties to obtain economic benefits, including loans, insurance coverage, and tax deductions for years.

Trump has already handed over millions of records as part of the investigation.

Lawyers for Trump filed the latest appeal on Monday, shortly after Engoron denied a request to reverse the daily fine which was also issued by him.

Trump took aim at James and her investigation in a statement following Tuesdays decision by the New York appellate court, branding it biased, unyielding, and totally unfair.

After handing over millions of pages of documents, perhaps more than any person or entity has ever given before, there is nothing that can be done to satisfy the racist Attorney General of New York State, failed Gubernatorial candidate Letitia James, or the New York State Courts which are biased, unyielding, and totally unfair, Trump said.

With rampant and record-setting crime, a 42.8% increase over last year was just announced, and every other unimaginable problem, no wonder everyone is leaving the State, including businesses left and right.

His attorney Alina Habba on Monday called the fine patently improper and impermissible by law.

Habba previously insisted that her client was not in possession of any personal records relating to the subpoena, which include all electronic devices issued by the Trump Organization to Trumps executive assistants and his own mobile phone records, among others.

The attorney has told Engoron in additional documents that Trump and his representatives had performed a diligent, thorough, and comprehensive search for everything being sought in the subpoena.

She also said that she had met with Trump personally to make sure that he had no records that were being summoned in the subpoena and was satisfied that there were not. Trump in an affidavit also said he was not in possession of such documents.

Given these circumstances, it is unconscionable and indefensible for Appellant to be held in contempt in any manner, must less at the inordinate expense of $10,000 per day, she said.

But Engoron criticized the affidavit as lacking in detail.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Dave Chappelle looks on during UFC 264: Poirier v McGregor 3 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., on July 10, 2021. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Dave Chappelle Fully Cooperating With Police After Being Attacked on Stage

A spokesperson for Dave Chappelle said the comedian will not let Tuesday nights physical attack in Hollywood deter him from future performances as officials said the suspect was charged in connection to the incident.

Dave Chappelle celebrated four nights of comedy and music, setting record-breaking sales for a comedian at the Hollywood Bowl, his representative, Carla Sims, told local media. This run ties Chappelle with Monty Python for the most headlined shows by any comedian at the Hollywood Bowl, reaching 70k fans of diverse backgrounds during the first Netflix Is A Joke: The Festival, and he refuses to allow last nights incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment.

The spokesperson added that Chappelle is cooperating with authorities in the case.

Isaiah Lee, 23, was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department after he allegedly stormed the stage during Chappelles Hollywood Bowl show, according to police. He was described as a black male with black hair and brown and who is 511 and weighs 140 pounds.

Video footage of the incident appears to show Lee attacking Chappelle during the event. Lee, who appeared to be carrying a weapon, was injured and taken away in an ambulance. Chappelle wasnt injured in the attack.

The Los Angeles Police Department told local media that Lee was armed with a replica gun that could eject a knife blade. The motivation for the attack is not yet clear.

We care deeply about the safety of creators and we strongly defend the right of stand-up comedians to perform on stage without fear of violence, a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement to news outlets. Chappelle was performing for the Netflix special, Netflix is a Joke.

Ahmed Ali, who attended the show, told USA Today that there was a lot of confusion, adding: I think we all thought, at first, that it was part of the show.

The guy tried to tackle Dave, and Dave sidestepped, Ali told the outlet, adding that he was corralled by security guards.

After the incident, Chappelle joked that his attacker was a trans man, in reference to social media-driven outrage over jokes he made about so-called transgender individuals during his The Closer performance.

Following the attack, UK comedian Jimmy Carr shared a photo taken with Chappelle with the caption: The Hollywood Bowl show with the legendary Dave Chappelle was crazy. Just happy everyones ok.

The Epoch Times has contacted Chappelles publicist with a request for comment on the incident.
Doctor With Contrarian Views on Pandemic Policy Approach Gets Licence Suspended

Ontarios regulatory college for medical doctors has temporarily suspended the licence of Dr. Patrick Phillips, a family physician who is known for speaking out against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) previously referred Phillips to its physicians and surgeons disciplinary tribunal, alleging that he had engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional conduct in relation to his communications on issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including posts on social media and other digital platforms.

In a hearing notice issued by the CPSO to the tribunal, it alleged that between August 2020 and September 2021, Phillips posted information on social media that made misleading, incorrect or inflammatory statements about vaccinations, treatments and public health measures for COVID-19.

The hearing notice provided a list of Philips conduct related to COVID-19 that the CPSO said would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional, including:

Interference with the testing of an infant, who was not his patient, for COVID-19;

Inappropriate reporting of adverse events following immunization;

Inappropriate management of patients/other individuals in relation to COVID-19 vaccines and in relation to COVID-19 treatment and prophylaxis, including inappropriate prescribing; Inappropriate provision of medical exemptions in relation to COVID-19;

Inappropriate communication with patients/other individuals in relation to COVID-19 vaccines, treatment and prophylaxis;

Unprofessional conduct and communications at his hospital workplace, including failure to follow hospital protocols.

In September 2021, the CPSO also imposed interim restrictions on Phillips, saying he refused to co-operate with its investigation into his alleged spreading of misinformation, while prohibiting him from prescribing ivermectinan antiparasitic agent that Health Canada says should not be used to treat COVID-19or Fluvoxamine and Atorvastatin, in connection with the virus.

The CPSO suspended Phillips licence effective May 3.

Phillips, whose primary location of practice is the Englehart and District Hospital, has called for protecting patients from COVID-19 vaccine injuries and protecting them from medical coercion.

In a Twitter post last September, Phillip said COVID-19 testing is not a harm-free procedure, citing the example of a young girl who received a nasal swab test required for a return to school and subsequently began bleeding from her nose and one of her eyes.

His Twitter account, which had close to 40,000 followers, has since been suspended.

In a closure letter shared with The Epoch Times, Patrick said the suspension came without notice, and with it, he is barred from issuing prescription repeats, completing medical workups, and interpreting test results, while all outstanding prescription repeats, medical tests, and possibly referrals for his patients will likely be cancelled.

Phillips said he remains grateful to have served his community and will find a way to serve others.

I sincerely believe that all that happens in our lives is for our highest spiritual growth and evolution. Through deep and sincere forgiveness of both self and others, every hardship we face is in fact a blessing of immense value, he wrote.

I [am] grateful to have learned and to continue learning that we are something so much more than our story, our careers, our failures and our reputations. Were souls on a journey of finding ourselves and our true nature.

I hold sincere gratitude in my heart for the opportunity to be a part of your journey in life. I intend to remain a part of this beautiful community and to find a way to serve others in a different capacity.
Dominican Diplomat Apparently Kidnapped in Haiti

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican RepublicA diplomat from the Dominican Republic apparently has been kidnapped in neighboring Haiti, prompting Dominican authorities to call for his safe release.

The local newspaper El Dia reported Tuesday that the government also had beefed up its military presence on the border, though officials did not immediately have any comment on that.

The Dominican government said in a weekend statement that Carlos Guillen Tatis, the agriculture counselor at its embassy in Port-au-Prince, apparently was kidnapped on Friday while travelling toward a border crossing.

Ambassador Faruk Miguel Castillo said Guillen Tatis apparently was kidnapped in the Croix-des-Bouquets district of the Haitian capital. That area is a stronghold of the 400 Mawozo gang that kidnapped 17 people from a U.S. missionary group in October and held most of them until December.

Dominican authorities said they had given Haitian police evidence from the diplomats mobile telephone that indicated hed been kidnapped.

In what may have been an unrelated development, Haitis National Police announced that one of the top leaders of the 400 Mawozo gang, Germine Joly, was extradited to the United States on Tuesday aboard an FBI plane.

It said he faces U.S. charges involving smuggling, import of weapons of war, and kidnapping.

Joly, known as Yonyon, had been in a Haitian prison for several years.

The police statement noted that his gang was involved in bloody gang clashes that broke out late last month in the Croix-des-Bouquets area. At least 20 people were killed and thousands fled their homes.
A view of one of six Michigan theaters that hosted the premier of D'Souza's 2000 Mules. Sterling Heights, Mich. May 2, 2022. (Steven Kovac/Epoch Times)

DSouza Film Takes Proof of 2020 Election Fraud to Mass Audience

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich.A new movie by conservative activist Dinesh DSouza exposing illegal vote trafficking in battleground states in the 2020 election opened in more than 250 theaters on May 2.

A capacity crowd of about 200 people filled a theater in Macomb County, Michigan, to view DSouzas documentary motion picture 2000 Mules.

The film can be viewed online starting on May 7.

The documentary used cellphone signal tracking, digital geo-fencing, and video surveillance tapes of absentee ballot drop boxes to show that paid intermediaries called mules unlawfully gathered and delivered hundreds of thousands of absentee ballots in Democrat strongholds across much of the nation in the 2020 election.

Part of the crowd exiting the debut of 2000 Mules in Sterling Heights, Mich., on May 2, 2022. (Steven Kovac/The Epoch Times)

On his way into the Macomb County showing, a retired IT manager, who asked not to be identified, told The Epoch Times that he had heard much about alleged fraud in the 2020 election, but had seen very little evidence.

Im open-minded going in, he said. I have not yet seen enough proof.

On his way out of the movie the same man told The Epoch Times: I am 95 percent convinced. I think law enforcement needs to go after these mules and prove a case against them in court.

Will this ever happen? Im not sure because too many people dont want this to come out. Too many people have too much to lose if it does.

Jacob Ries, 13, came to see the movie with his parents and grandparents.

This movie is the compass that will steer and influence the younger generation. It influenced me in the right direction, he told The Epoch Times after watching the film.

Union workers Jason Mueller (L), Anthony Stella (2L), Phillip Sinta (2R), and Gary Vallance (R) attend the premiere of 2000 Mules in Michigan on May 2, 2022. (Steven Kovac/The Epoch Times)

I know the truth now. Its the truth the government is trying to hide.

Jacobs father, Scott, said he found the film to be eye-opening and feared that our American constitutional republic may collapse from the inside.

I would never have thought we would ever live in a country that would do something like this, Scott said.

Jacobs grandmother, Sue Vandeberghe said: This is not about Democrats and Republicans anymore. Its about right and wrong. Its about saving our country.

Yes, saving our country for all people, even those with closed minds and that disagree with us.

Many Union Members Attend Showing

Retired public utility union member and Republican precinct delegate Gary Vallance said he was 100 percent for DSouza and what hes doing.

Looking at the present condition of the country, he said, I cant understand why the union is always promoting Democrats.

Jason Mueller, a UAW member from Wales Township, said, Im here tonight to see how and what they were able to steal in the 2020 election.

UAW member Anthony Stella of Macomb Township said, Weve known for a long time that the 2020 election was stolen. Im here tonight because I want to see exactly how they did it.

Phillip Sinta, a UAW member from Ferndale and a strong Trump backer since 2016, said of DSouza, Hes a straight shooter. I trust him to tell the truth. I have seen all of his previous movies.

Movie-goers discuss the film 2000 Mules in Sterling Heights, Mich. on May 2, 2022. (Steven Kovac/The Epoch Times)

Kim Turcott told The Epoch Times, Im glad they showed the geo-tracking. We know more now, having seen the movie. I thank God for the people that continue to do these investigations every day.

Drop boxes are bad and have to go. Weve got to keep a closer eye on our relatives in nursing homes around election time.

Jill Rebar admired the use of technology in providing the details of the investigation and wondered what she could do to help.

I found the movie awesome, interesting, and sad, Rebar said.

Colleen Kendro said, Everybody should see this movie no matter who you voted for.

Paula Badalamente said, People who dont know about this stuff need to know.

A handful of volunteers were in front of the theater circulating a petition demanding the decertification of the 2020 election in Michigan, where the illegal activities of 500 mules were uncovered in Wayne County.

Among them was Vietnam veteran Dan Landon of Saline.

Standing outside the theater that showed DSouzas film, retired teacher Dan Landon circulates a petition to decertify the results of the 2020 election. (Steven Kovac/The Epoch Times)

Landon, a retired 34-year veteran special education teacher and a member of Michigans largest teachers union, said he wasnt there to see the movie, but to work for change.

In the 2020 election, I received three applications for absentee ballots mailed to my house with the names of three different people on themall supposedly living at my address, he said. As a Republican poll watcher, I was kicked out on election night, and it took a lawyer to get me readmitted.

Weve got to save our country and bring it back the way God intended it to be.

Movie Premiers in New York

2000 Mules also debuted at a Times Square multiplex theater in Manhattan, where the audience erupted into applause as the final credits rolled.

I think its wonderful, fitness trainer and copy editor Linda Minarik told The Epoch Times.

Minarik sees the documentary as another avenue to approach the issue of the integrity of the 2020 election.

Before seeing the movie, she said she had misgivings about the election, caused by evidence of misconduct that she had seen previously.

Minarik said she came to the movie expecting it to make a strong case.

I was hoping for some proof, she said.

According to Minarik, the film delivered it.

Asher Schwartz, who declined to share anything about himself other than his name, called the movie thought-provoking.

Schwartz said that before he had seen the film, he had leaned toward the conclusion that the election result was illicitly affected.

If I had to bet my life on it, Id say it was stolen, he said.

Schwartz said the evidence presented was convincing, but he still reserved his final judgment on it, noting that it would need to be picked up by law enforcement.

Kelly M. said she was impressed by the movie, although she wished more of the evidence would have been directly shown on screen in order to fortify it against criticism.

One woman, who asked not to be identified for fear of losing business, hoped more people would see the movie.

She said she was convinced the election results were illegitimate even before seeing the film.

It was ripe for fraud, she said, because of the unprecedented widespread use of absentee ballot drop boxes.

Unable to reconcile how Trump could perform significantly better in 2020 than in 2016 and still lose, she said it just didnt make sense.

Peter Svab contributed to this story.
Elon Musk arrives for the 2022 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York, on May 2, 2022. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

Elon Musk Invited to Give Evidence to UK Parliament on Twitter Takeover

Elon Musk has been invited to give evidence to a UK parliamentary committee about his takeover of social media platform Twitter.

Julian Knight, a Conservative MP who chairs the Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) Committee, has written to the Tesla and SpaceX CEO inviting him to discuss the future of Twitter in the UK Parliament.

Twitters board of directors accepted Musks proposal of $54.20 per share in cash last week, after previously resisting the offer, paving the way for the businessman to embrace his vision for freedom of speech and expression within the law on the social media platform.

Musk, who is buying Twitter for $44 billion and taking it private, has said that he would like to rid the platform of bots and scams and make Twitter software available for public review.

In a letter dated April 29 but only released on Twitter on May 4, Knight said his committee was interested in the developments Musk has proposed.

He welcomed Musks plan to verify all users, saying it echoes our calls on the UK government as part of proposed legislation, which we hope will restore the UK publics trust in digital platforms.

But he said the committee wants to know how Musk intends to fulfil the legal obligation to crack down on so-called online harms.

In another statement, Knight said the committee was keen to learn more about how Mr. Musk will balance his clear commitment to free speech with new obligations to protect Twitters users from online harms.

Appearing before the committee will give Mr. Musk an ideal opportunity to set out his proposals for Twitter in more depth and we would look forward to welcoming him, he said.

Musk has been outspoken about promoting free speech on Twitter. He has criticised the company for engaging in censorship and said online censorship shouldnt go beyond the law.

But his stance could face problems should the UK enact the proposed Online Safety Bill.

The legislationwhich was given an unopposed second reading by British MPs last monthwould force Google, Twitter, Meta (formerly Facebook), and others, to abide by a code of conduct, overseen by media regulator Ofcom, and remove still-to-be-defined legal, but harmful content.

Firms that breach these proposed rules could face large fines or access blocking.

Conservative MP Damian Collins, chairman of the joint committee on the draft Online Safety Bill, has urged Musk to clean up Twitter and remove the coordinated armies of bot accounts spreading disinformation and division.

Will Geddes, security expert and co-author of Parent Alert: How to Keep Your Kids Safe Online, told The Epoch Times in April that Twitter had become a toxic environment, but he predicted that Musk would find a way to remove the trolls and bots without impinging on free speech.

What Elon Musk does next with Twitter is going to be really interesting, Geddes said. Where does free speech end and abuse begin?

Chris Summers and PA Media contributed to this report.
Models of oil barrels in front of the displayed sign "stop", EU and Russia flag colors in this illustration taken on March 8, 2022. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

EU Aims for Russian Oil Ban as Ukraine Says Battlefield Assault Intensifies

KYIV/BRUSSELSThe European Union proposed its toughest sanctions yet against Russia on May 4, including a phased oil embargo, as Kyiv said Moscow was intensifying an offensive in eastern Ukraine and close Russian ally Belarus announced large-scale army drills.

Russia was intensifying its assault, Ukraines defense ministry said, with almost 50 airstrikes carried out on May 3 alone.

Russia also stepped up strikes on targets in western Ukraine, saying it was disrupting Western arms deliveries.

A new convoy of buses began evacuating more civilians from the ravaged southeastern port city of Mariupol, which has seen the heaviest fighting of the war so far and where Moscow said remaining Ukrainian forces remained tightly blockaded.

The European Commission proposed phasing out imports of Russian crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year, sending the price of Brent crude up by as much as 4 percent.

(President Vladimir) Putin must pay a price, a high price, for his brutal aggression, Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France.

The plan, if agreed by all 27 EU governments, would echo steps taken by the United States and Britain and be a watershed for the worlds largest trading bloc, which remains dependent on Russian energy and must find alternative supplies.

U.S. President Joe Biden said he would speak to other leaders of the Group of Seven advanced economies this week about possible additional sanctions against Moscow.

Were always open to additional sanctions, he told reporters in Washington.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba welcomed the news from Brussels, but renewed Kyivs plea for more aggressive steps to starve Russias war machine.

Dont get me wrong, we welcome that, but for six more months the EU countries will pay Russia billions of euros that will be invested in the Russian war machine, he told Austrian TV channel Puls 4 in an interview.

My position is simple: every euro paid to Russia for gas, oil, or other goods ends up as rounds of ammunition in Ukraine to kill my compatriots, he said, while calling for modern tanks and multiple launch rocket systems to protect territory.

The EU plan, which also targets Russias top bank, its broadcasters, and hundreds more individuals, is not a done deal, with the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Slovakia all seeking time to adapt. EU envoys were expected to move closer to agreement when they meet again on May 5.

The EU has yet to target Russian natural gas, used to heat homes and generate electricity across the bloc, and harder to replace than Russian crude.

The Kremlin said Russia was weighing various responses to the EU plans, adding that the sanctions would increase costs for European citizens.

We Are Ready

On the war front, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu renewed a warning that Moscow would seek to hit shipments of weapons into Ukraine by the United States and its NATO allies.

The Russian defense ministry said its forces disabled six railway stations used to supply Western arms to Ukraines soldiers in the east. It said they also hit 40 military targets including four depots storing ammunition and artillery.

Ukraines defense ministry said Russian strategic bombers fired 18 rockets with the aim of damaging our countrys transport infrastructure.

Russia published what it said was video footage of two Kalibr cruise missiles being launched from the Black Sea and said they hit unspecified ground targets in Ukraine.

Announcing surprise military drills, Belaruss defense ministry said they posed no threat to neighbors, but Ukraines border service said it couldnt rule out that Belarusian forces might join Russias assault.

Therefore, we are ready, spokesman Andriy Demchenko said.

Some Russian forces entered Ukraine via Belarus when the invasion began on Feb. 24 but so far no Belarusian troops have been involved in what Moscow calls a special military operation to disarm Ukraine and defend its Russian-speaking population from fascists.

Kyiv and its Western supporters say Moscows fascism claim is an absurd pretext for an unprovoked war of aggression that has driven more than five million Ukrainians to flee abroad.

The Kremlin on May 4 dismissed speculation that Putin would formally declare war on Ukraine and decree a national mobilization on May 9, when Russia commemorates the Soviet Unions victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Putin is due to deliver a speech and oversee a military parade in Moscows Red Square.

We Are Not Afraid

The convoy leaving Mariupol, organized by the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, was heading for the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

He didnt say whether any more civilians had been evacuated from the Azovstal steelworks, where the citys last defenders are holding out against Russian forces that have seized Mariupol.

The first evacuees from Azovstal arrived by bus in Zaporizhzhia on May 3 after cowering for weeks in bunkers beneath the sprawling Soviet-era complex.

Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boichenko reported heavy fighting at Azovstal on May 4 and said contact with Ukrainian fighters there had been lost. More than 30 children were among trapped civilians awaiting evacuation, he added.

Russia now claims control of Mariupol, once a city of 400,000 but largely reduced to smoking rubble after weeks of siege and shelling. It is key to Moscows efforts to cut Ukraine off from the Black Seavital for grain and metals exportsand link Russian-controlled territory in the south and east.

The southern coastline is, alongside the eastern Donbas region, Moscows key target after its troops failed to take Kyiv, the capital, in the weeks after it invaded.

By Natalia Zinets and Francesco Guarascio
A Pfizer technician handles the company's COVID-19 pill, known as Paxlovid, in a file photograph. (Pfizer via AP)

FDA Investigating Reports of COVID Relapses Following Use of Pfizers Pill

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating reports of relapses among people who took Pfizers COVID-19 pill.

The FDA is evaluating the reports of viral load rebound after completing paxlovid treatment and will share recommendations if appropriate, an agency spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email.

In a recent preprint case report, Veterans Affairs researchers reported that a 71-year-old male who took the pill, also known as nirmatrelvir, experienced a rapid and progressive reduction in the viral load of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

But four days after completing the treatment course, there was a surprising rebound of viral load and symptoms, they reported.

The report highlights the potential for recurrent, symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 replication after successful early treatment with the pill, the researchers said.

A number of others have said they saw renewed symptoms after taking paxlovid.

In the FDAs evaluation (pdf) of data on paxlovid, which the agency cleared on an emergency basis in 2021, the agency reported that in an ongoing phase 2/3 trial run by Pfizer, several participants appeared to have a rebound in viral load five to nine days after completing their treatment courses.

In light of the new reports, additional analyses of the paxlovid trial data were performed and showed that 1 to 2 percent of the patients had one or more positive COVID-19 tests after testing negative, or an increase in the amount of viral load, after completing the treatment, Dr. John Farley of the FDA said in an interview the agency published on May 4.

This finding was observed in patients treated with the drug as well as patients who received placebo, so it is unclear at this point that this is related to drug treatment, he said, adding that, at this time, the reports do not change the conclusions from the paxlovid clinical trial which demonstrated a marked reduction in hospitalization and death.

As part of the authorization agreement, the FDA said Pfizer must later submit information regarding prolonged virologic shedding or rebound in clinical trials.

Pfizer did not respond to a request for comment.

The company told Bloomberg that the rate of rebound in its trial was not higher among people who took paxlovid than in people who took a placebo.

This suggests the observed increase in viral load is unlikely to be related to paxlovid, the company said.

Dr. Clifford Lane, deputy director for clinical research at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told the outlet that the agency will study the issue, calling it a priority.

Lane and the agency did not return queries.

The FDA authorized paxlovid for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in Americans 12 years or older. To get the pill, a person must test positive for COVID-19 and be deemed at high risk of progressing to severe disease.
When it comes to the Chinese Communist Party cracking down on dissent, you can always count on history repeating itself, over and over again. Older Hongkongers learned that lesson by watching the mainland from afar, whereas the younger generation learned it firsthand during the 2019 Extradition Law protests.

The Umbrella generation of activists come together with their elder dissenters for dialogue and to re-create defining incidents from the latters lives in Chan Tze-woons hybrid documentary Blue Island.

The film first introduces us to Chan Hak-chi, who is like a Hong Kong Jack Lalanne. The septuagenarian has the physique of a man one quarter of his age, partly due to his daily habit of swimming in Victoria Harbor. In addition to exercise, the practice has personal meaning, since he twice tried to flee the Cultural Revolution by swimming.

More than 200,000 Mainlanders escaped the Gang of Fours madness, mostly via water. Regrettably, 20-something activists Anson Sham and the Mainland-born Siu Ying are starting to understand the motivation behind their desperate flight, which helps them relate to the eternally-fit Chan and his wife (almost like method actors) when recreating scenes from their escape.

Fleeing Mainlands Madness

More than 200,000 mainlanders escaped the Gang of Fours madness, mostly via water. Regrettably, 20-something activists Anson Sham and the mainland-born Siu Ying are starting to understand the motivation behind their desperate flight, which helps them relate (almost like method actors) to Chan and his wife when re-creating scenes from their escape.

Ironically, Kenneth Lam made the opposite journey to mainland China and back again. Inspired by the student protesters, he traveled to Beijing in 1989 to join them. Although he survived the Tiananmen Square massacre, the experience left him deeply scarred and disillusioned. Keith Fong Chung-yin understands, since he is facing potential jail time for a bogus weapons charge.

He is not the only one. So many of the activists, young and old, featured in Blue Island are currently facing pending indictments, serving sentences, or living in exile.

Yet, of all director Chans participants, Raymond Young is perhaps the most conflicted. He is also the exception among the older activists, whose experiences still bear out the truth of Hong Kongs subservient position, with respects to the CCP. During his idealistic youth, Young was imprisoned by the British for his anti-colonialist, communist-allied activism.

He still honors his old comrades, but he is bitterly aware that they have received no recognition from the CCP or those who do its bidding in Hong Kong.

However, Young can offer counsel and consolation to Kelvin Tam Kwan-long, a 21-year-old social worker facing a prison sentence of his own. Fittingly, the film also visits with Long Hair Leung Kwak-hung, whose distinctive look always livens up HK documentaries. A former Marxist who transitioned to the democracy movement, Leung was elected to the Legislative Council as a reformer, but he was subsequently convicted of multiple dubious charges, along with many of his colleagues.

Dramatized Sequences

Blue Island is a radical departure from Chans Yellowing, which documented the 2014 Umbrella protests, as they happened, from the streets and amid the tear gas. However, the dramatized sequences in his latest film help both generations of activists express the truth of Hong Kong and China, as they know it.

Still, both documentaries very definitely personalize the young Hong Kong protesters, giving them names and faces. Hopefully, that will help protect them. On the other hand, it is understandable why 2,645 of the films crowd-funders donated anonymously.

Those dramatic interludes are better described as evocative or impressionistic than melodramatic. They are more about creating a mood, usually of fear, than developing character or narrative. Chan and company definitely convey a sense of life in Hong Kong today and the Peoples Republic, during the Cultural Revolution and the ill-fated Beijing Spring. He and cinematographer Szeto Yat-lui create many images that would be absolutely beautiful if they werent so sad.

Given the recurring motif of water, Blue Island pairs up well, both thematically and aesthetically, with Olivia Martin-McGuires partly animated short documentary, Freedom Swimmer.

Promotional ad for Blue Island. (Blue Island Productions)

Both films vividly illustrate the point that Hong Kong was once literally and figuratively a safe harbor but can no longer be considered so, after Beijing imposed the Orwellian National Security Law. Consequently, each film serves as a meditative elegy to the freedoms and way of life that Hongkongers have lost as a result.

Many of the young activists openly question whether they must eventually follow Chan Hak-chois example and flee Hong Kong if they wish to continue to identify as Hongkongers, or risk following Youngs footsteps into prison. It is a remarkably empathic film and an unusually artistically composed documentary.

Very highly recommended, Blue Island had its U.S. premiere during this years New Directors/New Films and next screens as part of CAAMfest in San Francisco.

Blue Island

Director: Chan Tze-woon

Running Time: 1 hour, 37 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Release Date: April 30, 2022

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Whether sweet or savory, Ukrainian nalysnyky are a beloved comfort food

Our story ends in front of a pile of Ukrainian crepes. Some are flavored with savory herbs and cottage cheese, and others are filled with strawberries, vanilla, and sweet cheese. These crepes, called nalysnyky (gnaw-lees-nike), make the perfect Mothers Day meal. But first, some thoughts on the true meaning of Mothers Day.

We have this little black hen who recently became obsessed with sitting on eggs. Any time she or another hen laid an egg, she would roll it into the pile she had going and gently settle herself on top. All day long, she would sit in the nesting box atop her pile. When I collected the eggs, shed peck at my hand.

We dont have a rooster in the flock, so the eggs our hens lay arent fertilized and wont hatch. So I called a farmer friend with roosters and she brought me a dozen freshly laid eggs to market. We put them in the layer box, marked with Sharpie, and little Blackie sat down and got to work. Twenty-two days later, six of them hatched, and our little heroine realized that the work had only begun.

Mothers Day as we know it began as a memorial to the peace activist Ann Jarvis. During the Civil War, Ann Jarvis had run Mothers Work Camps in West Virginia, where she and other women worked to improve sanitary conditions for children. They declared these camps neutral and treated both Union and Confederate soldiers. When the war ended, Jarvis organized a reconciliation event with soldiers from both sides. At that time, she and fellow activist mother Julia Ward Howe had proposed a Mothers Peace Day to empower a mothers sacred right to protect the lives of her boys, aka the soldiers.

The first Mothers Day celebration came two years after Jarvis death, on the second Sunday of May, 1905. It was organized by her daughter Anna, who made sure it was a celebration for all mothers, not just hers. The younger Jarvis filled a church with white carnations and led a day of mother appreciation, the likes of which nobody had ever seen. The event was such a hit that it kept going, and growing, year after year until President Wilson declared it a national holiday in 1914.

Nobody understands the cost of war like a mother does, and no conflict is more gutting than a Civil War. The Ukraine War feels like a Civil War, given the close historical ties between the two nations, with years of intermarriage and interactions between the people of both nations.

After little Blackie the hen hatched her eggs, she fussed over them tirelessly, following and herding the little puffballs around the chicken yard, teaching them how to scratch and peck. Or she would sit in a sunny spot and let the chicks burrow into her feathers, from where theyd continue cheep-cheeping, invisibly. The other hens were inspired. One ran at me when I entered the yard, presumably to protect the baby chicks. Another took a stab at sitting on eggs. The mothering impulse is contagious.

My moms parents came over from Ukraine, where the baked Ukrainian crepes called nalysnyky are a comfort food. They are traditionally filled with cottage cheese and dill, which happens to be my moms favorite herb, so to her, these dilly crepes deliver a delicious dose of nostalgia. But she is cool with strawberries and chocolate, too. Ive made them with ham and cheese, which my kids like, and even tried a version filled with fake crab and asparagus. Its a very forgiving dish.

If only life were so forgiving, and peace as easy to make as crepes.

Nalysnyky (Ukrainian Crepes)

If Mom isnt a dill-lover with a Ukrainian mother, Ive come up with a sweet nalysnyky thats more in line with what weve come to expect from Mothers Day. Its filled with a blend of mascarpone and ricotta cheeses, mixed with chopped strawberries, flavored with vanilla, and drizzled with chocolate sauce.

Whichever filling you use, the rest of the technique wont change. My son likes chopped ham in his dill nalysnyky, and his brother prefers them filled with imitation crab, asparagus, and brie. Just be careful of watery ingredients, as they will make for a soupy filling.

Serves 2

For the Crepes

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 stick butter

For a Savory Filling

1 cup full fat cottage cheese, preferably large curd

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons dill, chopped (or more, if youre cooking for my mom)

1/2 teaspoon salt

For a Sweet Filling

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup mascarpone cheese

2 yolks

1 cup chopped strawberries

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

If your filling of choice contains cottage cheese, the first step will be to place the cheese in a colander and let any water drain. Then proceed to making the crepes.

Add the eggs, salt, and milk to a mixing bowl. Mix furiously, with a whisk or electric mixer, until the eggs are thoroughly beaten. Add the flour 1/4 cup at a time, mixing as you add it to avoid lumps, which a real crepe maker would never tolerate.

When the batter is completely smooth and homogenized, heat an omelet pan over medium heat. Add about a teaspoon of butter and tilt the pan around to spread it evenly. Add 1/4 cup batter to the buttered pan, quickly making a spiral from the center. Immediately tilt the pan around to fill the gaps and completely cover the bottom of the pan. The window for doing this is very short as the crepes will quickly cook. It is an art to fill the pan bottom with a perfect circle. Imperfect circles are fine, too, because when they are filled and rolled, nobody will notice.

Shake the pan to keep the crepe from stickingif youve used enough batter and its a decent pan it wont. After about 2 minutes the crepe will shrink a little, and moisture will start to bubble from the top. Its about done at that point. Do not flip it. Slide it off the pan and onto a plate. Repeat until the batter is gone and you have 10 crepes.

Mix together the ingredients for your filling of choice. Place a tablespoon of filling near the edge of a crepe. Roll that edge over the filling. Fold and tuck the two ends as you roll the crepe across the plate.

Stack the rolled crepes in a lightly buttered pan, and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Let them cool to a safe temperature and serve warm.
Former theatre-maker Liz Schneidwin (L) and Sharla Sgrake (R) attend Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba, Australia, on May 4, 2022. (Rebecca Zhu/The Epoch Times)

TOOWOOMBA, AustraliaAs Shen Yun Performing Arts concluded its second and final production in Toowoomba for 2022, audience member Liz Schneidwin, a former theatre maker and playwright, said she felt enlivened and energised.

New York-based Shen Yun has been touring the world each year since 2006 to revive authentic Chinese culture. This year, Shen Yun declares it is presenting China before communism.

It was Ms. Schneidwins third time seeing Shen Yun. She described her overall experience as absolutely fabulous and a spectacular blend of dance and storytelling using traditional and modern techniques.

Shen Yun prides itself on providing the audience with the most traditional artistic experience, whether in lighting, sound, or stage design while incorporating some of the most advanced technologies.

Ms. Schneidwin said Shen Yuns stage presentation was spectacular and effective in the storytelling. Its very, very realistic, she said of Shen Yuns digitally projected backdrop, which is animated.

Shen Yun says its backdrop seamlessly interacts with the performers on stage such that performers can effectively travel back and forth between the physical and digital, with the animated images appearing to be lifelike extensions of the performers. The effect has its own patent, issued in 2016.

Its just seamless, the integration of the background, the animation [with the dancers on stage], Ms. Schneidwin said, adding, Its extremely effectively done and beautifully shaped, just really beautifully used.

Shen Yun has grown into seven equally large companies that simultaneously tour each year with an all-new performance, reviving Chinas rich, spiritually-rooted cultural heritage.

Shen Yun artists today follow in the noble tradition of ancient Chinese artists, who would practice meditation and self-refinement in the pursuit of creating art from a pure mental space.

As a former theatre-maker [playwright], Ms. Schneidwin said she was grateful for the hard work the artists have put in.

What if somebody hadnt gone to the trouble of preserving this work? What if the one company never started or the two people that started the company never did it? Then we would be lacking all of this beauty, knowledge and inspiration and skill, she reflected.

If it wasnt for all that trouble being taken, youd have robbed the world of its diversity and its beauty and its colour.

Mother Praises Shen Yuns Educational Qualities

Janine Stark attends Shen Yun Performing Arts with her daughter Sienna at the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba, Australia, on May 4, 2022. (Mary Yuan/The Epoch Times)

Janine Stark was gifted Shen Yun tickets from her mother as a birthday present. Ms. Stark attended the performance on May 4 and brought her daughter, Sienna, along.

Very glad we got her out of school for it. And I wish I brought her brother, Ms. Stark remarked of her first time seeing Shen Yun, saying the experience was educational.

Ms. Stark, who owns a business as a face painter, said she absolutely loved the colours in the performance.

Sienna sitting beside me was going oh look at that peach and look at that pea-green. It was just beautiful, she remarked.

Ms. Stark also praised the storytelling quality of the dances: Its amazing how much of each story you could pick out from just the movement without having to have someone explain it all, you could just understand everything is happening.

Shen Yuns hallmark is classical Chinese dance, one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world. The deeply expressive movements of classical Chinese dance allow dancers to portray characters from any period of history or legend in an incredibly vivid way, the company explains.

This element of the art, however, is not based solely on movement, Shen Yun says on its website. Its based on an understanding of the art, and on the artist being able to connect with and emulate the nature of a character.

Ms. Stark said the Shen Yun experience has her walk out feeling lighter, feeling happier, feeling more confident in the world.

Were convinced were definitely coming every time. I want to come back again today, she added.

Toowoombas Empire Theatre, on May 3, 2022. (Steven Wang/NTD)

Reporting by Mary Yuan, Rebecca Zhu and Gabrielle Stephenson.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
Former Tesla Engineer Aims to Build Next Generation Electric Battery Material Plant in the US by 2024

Sila Nanotechnologies, a battery startup founded in 2011 by a former Tesla engineer, announced on May 3 plans for a new plant based in the United States that will mass-produce material for low-cost next-generation batteries with a longer range and is not dependent on manufacturing in China.

In a commitment to ensure America retains global leadership in the worlds transition to the new energy storage era, Sila, a next-generation battery materials company, today announced the purchase of a facility with more than 600,000 square feet of space located in Moses Lake, WA to be used to manufacture Silas breakthrough lithium-ion anode materials at automotive volumes and quality, announced the company in a May 3 press release.

Powered with hydropower, the facility is located on 160-acres of land close to rail lines for convenient and efficient shipping, said Sila.

Silas CEO Gene Berdichevsky told Reuters that the company will invest a few hundred million dollars to build the new factory in Washington state, which is set to open in the second half of 2024, with full production beginning in early 2025.

The cost of electric car batteries has yet to fall to a more affordable price as was earlier anticipated, when Tesla jump-started the demand for batteries after its founding in 2003, due to material situations, explained the CEO to Reuters.

Berdichevsky said that his materials could be used to build up to 500,000 chips, which would help lower the cost to consumers, making electric vehicles less expensive.

The battery company had raised an additional $590 million in 2021, raising its valuation to an estimated $3.3 billion.

The U.S. has always excelled at innovation. Now we must also excel at manufacturing that innovation, said Berdichevsky, who said that his company is delivering proven next-generation anode materials today.

Our new Washington state plant builds on that momentum offering the manufacturing capacity to meet the needs of our auto partners on their way to a fully electric future. Weve been working towards automotive quality standards and scale since our start to ensure longer range, faster charge times, and lower battery cost.

With this scale-up, we have a pivotal piece to realize the full potential of next-generation materials at the volumes required to make a global impact, Berdichevsky concluded.

The battery CEO said that Silas new plant in Moses Lake would make silicon-based anode materials, which he claims can store 20 percent more energy than anodes that typically use graphite, of which 70 percent comes from an increasingly unreliable China.

Graphite is considered by the U.S. government to be a strategic mineral, but not silicon, which can be found largely domestically.

The Biden administration has said it aims to reduce American reliance on China in the battery supply chain.

Sila claims that its silicon anode allows more lithium ions to be stored in batteries, thus increasing energy density and creating a battery that is cheaper and contains more energy in the same space.

Teslas CEO Elon Musk announced a plan in 2020 to use silicon-based anodes in its new batteries, but it is not certain whether it has taken advantage of the new technology.

Sila is currently operating a test production facility at its headquarters in Alameda, California, that can produce battery materials for about 1,000 cars a year, but it is currently limited to making materials used in fitness watches.

Berdichevsky said the companys new facility aims to deliver annual silicon-based anode production sufficient to power 10 gigawatt hours of batteries in 100,000 electric vehicles, with a goal to increase the capacity of 150 GWh of cells when used as a full graphite replacement or 750 GWh as a partial replacementenough to power two to ten million electric vehicles per year.

He said that Sila will address the immediate issue of rapidly expanding production to meet the needs of automakers.

German automaker Daimler AG, meanwhile, has put a minority equity stake in Sila, which also has a contract to produce electric battery materials with its rival, BMW.

Reuters has contributed to this report.
A woman reads the signboards placed by Freedom Convoy protesters outside Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Feb. 17, 2022. (Jonathan Ren/The Epoch Times)

Freezing of Convoy Protesters Accounts Was Not Verified by Finance Department, Official Says

The Department of Finance relied on the financial institutions good faith in the freezing of accounts of individuals participating or supporting the Freedom Convoy this winter and did not verify if the measure was being applied properly.

Isabelle Jacques, assistant deputy minister of finance, made the statement in testimony before the Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency (DEDC) on May 3.

Who was monitoring the financial institutions to know if the seizures were justified or not? Bloc Quebecois MP Rheal Fortin asked Jacques.

There is no verification that was done. Financial institutions acted in good faith, said Jacques.

Why are you sure of that? replied Fortin, You didnt think it was important?

Jacques clarified that she didnt say it wasnt important, and Fortin retorted that her department nevertheless didnt do a verification.

Jacques also said her department was not conducting an internal review of the application of the measures.

Do you not find it strange that given the rarity of this invocation that this isnt something thats already been put into play by the minister? It just seems to me to be an abrogation of leadership, given the seriousness of this, said NDP MP Matthew Green, while noting that he supported invoking the Emergencies Act.

The government invoked the act on Feb. 14 to deal with cross-country protests and blockades demanding the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions.

As part of the measures to clamp down on protesters, the government told financial institutions and services to freeze without a court order the accounts of individuals supporting the movement in order to cut its funding and deter people from participating.

Around 280 financial products were frozen in line with the measure, Jacques told the committee, and all of them were unfrozen by Feb. 24, a day after the government revoked the public order emergency.

The Charter of Rights and Freedoms article 8 protects Canadians against unreasonable search and seizure, and the government has claimed that the measure was charter compliant.

Minister of Justice David Lametti has defended the measure by saying the accounts were frozen and not seized.

This argument was brought forth by Jacques as well, but challenged by Conservative Sen. Claude Carignan, who cited a 2002 decision from the Supreme Court that said a restraint order may be characterized as a seizure within the meaning of article 8.

Carignan harshly criticized the decision to freeze a range of financial products, from bank accounts to mortgages.

Have you seen offences where banks are used to encourage people not to commit a crime? he asked Jacques.

Well, it was the Emergency Measures Act. It was an extraordinary situation, Jacques said.

Carignan alluded to the issue of social credit in a country like China, where the state can punish individuals based on their political views by denying them access to services.

What inspired the creation of this article? Its pretty imaginative to order that no dealings should be conducted with an individual on all economic aspects of his life to deter them from committing an act. Where does that source of law come from? You got the inspiration from which country, China? Russia?

Jacques said the inspiration wasnt drawn from any country and the measures were put in place to deal with an exceptional situation.
MIT Professor Matt Shoulders was homeschooled as a child. Now, he offers internship opportunities for homeschooled teens in his lab.

Matthew Shoulders grew up in the Appalachian Mountains on a small Virginia farm where he and his five siblings were homeschooled. His father was an accounting professor at Virginia Tech, and his grandfather was a chemistry professor, inspiring Matts interest in the subject to which he would dedicate his career.

Matt attended Virginia Tech as an undergraduate, then earned a PhD at the University of Wisconsin, and got a job offer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2012, where he is now a tenured professor of chemistry studying cellular protein folding.

I first became connected with Matt several years ago when he was building up his lab at MIT. Coming from a rural, religious homeschooling background, he reached out to me because he was curious about urban, secular homeschooling here in Cambridge.

Matt spoke fondly of his homeschooling experience and how it fostered in him a love of books and pursuit of knowledge. He wanted to give back in some way. So he decided to launch a summer internship program in his lab specifically geared toward homeschooled students who were interested in chemistry and scientific research.

Each year, he invites talented homeschooled students from across the country, ages 16 and over, to apply for the paid, 8-week internship in his MIT lab. He asked me to share details of the internship with the homeschooling community. If you know of a homeschooled student who might be interested in this opportunity, here is the link to the application process.

Stories like Matts can help more families consider and commit to a non-traditional learning path for their children. In my LiberatED podcast conversation last week with Kennesaw State Professor Eric Wearne, he explained that one of the reasons why hybrid homeschools are becoming increasingly popular is because they have built up a solid reputation and have developed a track record of success. In short, they have moved from the marginal to the mainstream.

This is a characteristic of disruptive innovations more broadly. They begin on the margins and dont penetrate the mainstream until their quality is proven to be as good, if not better, than more established models.

This is particularly true for homeschooling, which has grown and diversified in the 21st century and has exploded in popularity since 2020. Its no longer the fringe movement that it was in the early days of its modern rise, initially attracting families from both the far left and far right of the ideological spectrum. Now, its an everyday education option that is attracting all kinds of different families for all kinds of different reasons.

Homeschooling and its many iterations, including hybrid homeschools, have demonstrated the capacity to nurture curious, well-educated students who become successful, fulfilled adults. Theyve proven their quality, and todays homeschooling-based models are catching on like wildfire. Its great to see homeschooling alumni like Matt Shoulders finding ways to support homeschoolers by offering exciting learning opportunities.

This weeks LiberatED podcast episode features Jack Lloyd who runs the popular Honest Teacher Facebook page. He is an attorney who worked as a public school teacher and became committed to the values of unschooling and self-directed learning. Jack is also the author of a new book on libertarianism. We talk about education, consent over coercion, and a whole host of other topics in this weeks wide-ranging conversation.

Listen to the LiberatED Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, and Stitcher, and sign up here for Kerrys weekly LiberatED email newsletter.



Kerry McDonald is a Senior Education Fellow at FEE and host of the weekly LiberatED podcast. She is also the author of Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom (Chicago Review Press, 2019), an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, and a regular Forbes contributor. Kerry has a B.A. in economics from Bowdoin College and an M.Ed. in education policy from Harvard University. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts with her husband and four children. You can sign up for her weekly newsletter on parenting and education here.

This article was originally published on FEE.org. Read the original article.
Henry Thoreau has inspired many Americans with his writings, more of which have surfaced recently

Henry David Thoreau accomplished a great deal in his short but busy life as a philosopher, activist, and naturalist. His profound influence as the grandfather of environmentalism and nonviolent resistance movements is difficult to overstate. As if this were not enough, he even improved the quality of pencils by innovating a method of binding graphite with clay.

His own century largely ignored him, though. The reigning opinion about Thoreau in his dayat least according to his fellow citizens of Concord, Massachusettswas that he was an idle good-for-nothing: a man who, with hardly a penny to his name, spent his time scribbling in notebooks and decrying perceived injustices instead of making a living.

With our hindsight, it is easy to blame Thoreaus contemporaries for tunnel vision. But to look at the outward events of his unorthodox life, one would not think him a likely candidate for future greatness. At the age of 27, he was something akin to the modern-day college graduate who, unable to find suitable employment, still lives with his parents. It was at this age, though, in 1845, when he embarked on the experiment for which he would become world famous: moving to Walden Pond to live in solitude.

Portrait photograph from a daguerreotype of Henry David Thoreau. (Public Domain)

The book that resulted from this experience, Walden: Or, Life in the Woods, has been called the bible of American nature writing, and for good reason: it is a fount of timeless wisdom. Proverbial observations and advice on living flow forth and almost seem to have been written by some bearded seer of ancient Israel or Athens. A brief sampling of these may allow one to get a sense of Thoreaus worldview:

Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth. If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them. Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify, simplify! If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. Walden

Pond at the Walden Woods near Concord, Mass. (Alizada Studios/Shutterstock)

Thoreau did more than simply write such principleshe lived them. A disciple of Ralph Waldo Emerson, he was intent on practicing the Transcendentalist ideals his mentor wrote about: nonconformity, self-reliance, and seeing God in the workings of nature. The first of these doctrines, nonconformity, got him into trouble when he was jailed for refusing to pay his taxes, unwilling to pay a government that supported slavery and the war with Mexico. The ordeal would prompt him to write an essay, Civil Disobedience, that advocated peaceful resistance to immoral government policiesa treatise that would be read by both Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. While Thoreaus dissenting disposition earned him the ire of his fellow citizens, this did not seem to bother him a bit. As he wrote in the essay, Any man more right than his neighbors constitutes a majority of one already.

The Walden Years

He was living at Walden Pond when he was jailed for tax evasion, having journeyed to town on errands. Other than this, his two-year residence in nature was without public incident. Walden chronicles Thoreaus time spent building a cabin, farming, fishing, and observing flora and fauna in great detail. In a book full of so many recognizable quotes, one sentence is perhaps more famous than the restindeed, one of the most famous sentences in all of American literature. In the second chapter, he provides the reader with his mission statement: I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

Simple living is, above all, inexpensive. In the books first chapter, Economy, he catalogs the cost of the resources used to build his cabin ($28.12, or slightly less than $1,000 today) and grow crops ($14.73a little more than $500 now). Though he used hired labor to plough his two-and-a-half-acre field, his own shovel did the rest. He earned back $23.44 of his expenses in his first year of bean farming (about $800). Though his net profits were modest, he concluded that, considering the importance of a mans soul today,  I believe I was doing better than any farmer did that year. While he remarks that his income was better the second year, he does not put a number to this success. In addition to farming, he also took odd jobs as a carpenter, surveyor, and mason. In all, Waldens balance sheet showed that a spare and rustic lifestyle was not as impractical as his neighbors thought.

Original title page of Walden, with an illustration by Thoreaus sister Sophia. (Public Domain)

It is still possible to visit Walden Pond today. Thanks to conservation efforts by rock star Don Henley (founding member of The Eagles), its 335 acres of preserved land sits nestled around a community that is far more urbanized than it was two centuries ago. It is not difficult to imagine what Thoreau would have thought of the two busy highway routes that intersect the reserve. Once in the park, though, it is as if stepping into the past: one can walk a network of nature trails to visit Thoreaus cabin, bean field, and swimming cove, or boat on the waters where he fished under moonlight. His cabin has been precisely reconstructed based on his own descriptions of its materials and interior design. Thoreau did not hesitate to note the moral effects of his specific furniture: I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.

A Posthumous Legacy

After leaving Walden Pond, he would continue to document his thoughts in his journal, publishing two books and numerous essays before dying of tuberculosis at the age of 44. His writings, many of them posthumously published, languished in relative obscurity for decades, and even those who knew Thoreau best thought that he had squandered his talent. In his eulogy of his former pupil, Emerson lamented, I cannot help counting it a fault in him that he had no ambition. Wanting this, instead of engineering for all America, he was the captain of a huckleberry-party. It was not until the 20th century that Thoreaus important legacy would be acknowledged, a reappraisal that Emerson alluded to when, in the same eulogy, he prophesied, The country knows not yet, or in the least part, how great a son it has lost.

A geodetic Marker at Thoreaus gravesite. (Wikimench100 at en.wikipedia)

It is a legacy that continues to bear fruit in unexpected ways as, recently, a new book was unearthed. While Thoreau always described the natural world with precision, his later writings took a more overtly scientific turn. He collected plant specimens in his hat during long walks and kept a detailed botanical catalog of hundreds of species. Planning to turn these observations into a book-length study, he was still working on this project when he died. For nearly 150 years, this final chapter of his story ended there. But then, an amazing thing happened: A determined scholar, Bradley Dean, recovered these widely dispersed charts and notes, painstakingly organized them, and deciphered their nearly illegible handwriting. In 2000, Dean published this last, unfinished manuscript under the title Wild Fruits, which helped revive Thoreaus reputation as a serious naturalist.

Originality and influence often arise in surprising places, and in his lifetime the recluse of Concord embodied his own well-known observation: To be great is to be misunderstood. But time brings all things to light, and thanks to his compulsive journaling habits, we are now in a position to understand Thoreau better than almost any of his contemporaries did. Millions of people continue to look to him as a source of wisdom for navigating the complexities of the modern world, inspired to simplify their lives. And since the world is not becoming any less complex, this interest shows no sign of abating.

This article was originally published in American Essence magazine.
What Orange County Needs to Know About June Elections

Orange County residents chance to elect their leaders is just around the corner, with many impactful races in the mix, including Congress, the Orange County District Attorney, County Supervisors, judges, propositions, and more.

The first major date coming up is May 9, when all registered voters in Orange County will receive their ballots by mail and will be able to cast them for the June 7 primary election.

Ballots can be cast through the mail with no postage required or through 120 ballot drop-boxes opening across the county the same day.

May 23 is the next important day to remember, as it is the last day to register to vote in order to be able to cast a ballot for the June 7 primary.

Five days later on May 28, 43 in-person voting centers will be opening across the county, which officials are hoping will help disperse the usual election day lines, with all 180 full-service centers to open June 4.

Vote Center locations and ballot drop boxes will be available in nearly every Orange County city, as well as some unincorporated communities.

Because of the vote centers, registrar officials now explain in booklets mailed out to residents that election day lasts 11 days, combined with almost a full month of being able to submit ballots through the mail system up until election day (the ballot needs to be postmarked by June 7).

Residents interested in finding their nearest vote center can visit this ocvote.gov to find the best one for them between May 28 and June 4. They can either fill out a ballot at the vote center or drop off a ballot they were mailed or printed out on a computer.

Californias primary system works differently than some other states and is known as a Top-Two Primary, as residents can vote for any candidate regardless of what their party preference is.

For voter nominated offices, the two candidates with the highest votes will then move onto the General Election in November. This includes races of U.S. representatives, U.S. senators, State senators, assemblymembers, and State constitutional offices, where party preference is shown.

For state, county, or local offices in the nonpartisan primary, the candidates party preference is not shown on their ballot. In this case, if a candidate receives 50 percent plus one vote in the primary, they are automatically elected; while if that is not achieved, the top two vote-getters move onto the general election. These offices include county supervisor, county offices, superior court judges, and others.
Charlottesvilles clinics that provide abortions wont be immediately affected if the Supreme Court does in fact overturn Roe v. Wade, the historic court decision that legalized the medical procedure.

However, community members and elected officials are worried about what the courts decision, outlined in a draft published Monday by Politico, would mean for abortion services in Virginia and for other rights.

Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement Tuesday that the draft was authentic but not the courts final decision in a case about whether a Mississippi law that prohibited nearly all abortions after 15 weeks was constitutional.

That has local legislators concerned.

Del. Sally Hudson, D-Charlottesville, said Tuesday that state law protects a persons ability to have an abortion.

No matter what the Supreme Court does, abortion will stay legal in Virginia for now, Hudson said.

But Hudson said she is concerned that parts of the draft opinion target the courts 1992 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey that prohibited states placing significant obstacles in the path of a pregnant person seeking an abortion.

Hudson said that if the court strikes down that decision, the states executive branch could add more steps or regulations. In recent years, Virginia Democrats have worked to expand access to abortion, including allowing a woman to consult with a provider online and receive medication in the mail.

Theres no law protecting that, Hudson said. The General Assembly on its own cant continue to protect that kind of access, which makes a huge deal for a lot of patients to get abortion care at the time when it is safest and most convenient and most private.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin did not say what steps the executive branch, which he leads, would take. He said theres guarantee on how the court will ultimately rule.

Its premature to speculate on what the Supreme Courts decision will be, however, we learned from listening to Virginians over the last year that we have much common ground on this issue, he said in a statement. I am pro-life, and I have been very clear about that since the day I launched my campaign.

Charlottesville has two clinics that provide abortions, among other services. Amy Hagstrom Miller, president of Whole Womans Health, said in statement that two in-person clinics in Virginia, including one in Charlottesville, were open Tuesday.

Our patients are always at the center of everything we do, Miller said. Thats why were also working every day to come up with innovative and strategic ways to prepare for the final ruling the justices hand down.

Planned Parenthood operates the other clinic, which also was open Tuesday. The national organizations CEO Alexis McGill Johnson said in a statement that the draft opinion is horrifying and unprecedented.

Understand that Planned Parenthood and our partners have been preparing for every possible outcome in this case and are built for the fight, Johnson said. Planned Parenthood health centers remain open, abortion is currently still legal, and we will continue to fight like hell to protect the right to access safe, legal abortion.

In the draft opinion that ruled in favor of Mississippi, Justice Samuel Alito argued that Roe was egregiously wrong from the start and that power to regulate or ban abortions should be returned to the states.

The draft struck a sour chord among area supporters of reproductive rights, including abortion. More than 50 people rallied in front of the Charlottesville federal courthouse.

I came here today because I was really disappointed when I read the news last night, said Emily Hatton, a University of Virginia student and one of dozens of protestors at the courthouse Tuesday evening.

I believe abortion is healthcare and everyone who is pregnant has the right to determine what they do with their bodies, Hatton said. And I dont believe that we can trust that states will protect that right.

Hudson said Virginia could become a safe haven for patients throughout the region who are seeking an abortion.

There are a lot of other people who are counting on us because we should expect most of our neighbors in the south to pass aggressive abortion bans as soon as Roe is overturned, Hudson said.

The same is true of neighbors to the west. Kentucky and Tennessee both have so-called trigger laws on the books, which would immediately outlaw abortions if the Supreme Court strikes down Roe. West Virginia has a law that predates Roe and bans abortion, which could be enforced.

For Amy Laufer, the implications of the draft opinion are bigger than abortion. The chairwoman of the Albemarle County Democratic Party founded Virginias List, an organization that works to elect more women to state office.

She said the draft opinion showed why electing more women who support abortion rights is important.

If we have women elected, these things wont be on the table, Laufer said. I actually feel even more passionate about this issue.

Kobby Hoffman, a member of the Charlottesville National Organization of Womens board of directors, agreed.

I would tell people to pay attention, talk to people, get comfortable articulating what this is all about for yourself and then put the elbow grease in and elect the people that you think are important to be in office because they matter. The laws they pass matter, Hoffman said.

Its our responsibility, every one of us, if we want to continue to have the liberties and freedoms that we have, she said.

Providers and abortion-rights supporters have been preparing for the end of Roe after former President Donald Trump was able to cement a 6-3 conservative majority on the court.

Kathryn Laughon, a nurse at the University of Virginia Medical Center, protested the nomination hearings for two of the newly seated justices  Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett  in part because of the threat they posed to abortion rights in America.

Abortion is healthcare, she said. It should not be regulated in any way that other healthcare is not regulated. Its safer than pregnancy.

Laughon added that restricting access to abortions will disproportionately impact poor people who are pregnant as communities of color.

The burden will not be felt equally across individuals, she said.

Daily Progress Reporter Ginny Bixby contributed to this story.

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Hunter Biden, left, travels with President Joe Biden to board Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on March 26, 2021. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)

Hunter Biden Laptop Repairman Sues Schiff, CNN, Politico, Daily Beast for Defamation

The Delaware computer repairman who received a damaged laptop computer from President Joe Bidens son has sued Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), CNN, The Daily Beast, and Politico for alleged defamation.

John Paul Mac Isaac, the 45-year-old former computer shop owner, filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit in Montgomery County, Maryland, on May 3, claiming that he suffered financial and reputational damage after he was falsely accused of peddling Russian disinformation.

After fighting to reveal the truth, all I want now is for the rest of the country to know that there was a collective and orchestrated effort by social and mainstream media to block a real story, with real consequences for the nation, Mac Isaac told the New York Post.

It has been a year and a half since Mac Isaac closed his business after receiving death threats for providing hard drive data from the laptop abandoned by Hunter Biden to Rudy Giuliani, a lawyer at the time for President Donald Trump.

The story about emails found on the laptop was broken by the NY Post in October 2020, three weeks before the presidential election, indicating the involvement of then-presidential candidate Joe Biden, his brother James, and son Hunter in various overseas business ventures in countries such as Ukraine, Russia, and China.

However, the story was censored on social media platforms and discredited by Democrats and mainstream media as Russian disinformation.

This was collusion led by 51 former pillars in the intelligence community and backed by words and actions of a politically motivated DOJ and FBI, Mac Isaac added, according to the NY Post. I want this lawsuit to reveal that collusion and more importantly, who gave the marching orders.

Two days after revelations from the laptop surfaced among media outlets, Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and a top Democrat, suggested that materials allegedly found on the device were a smear from the Kremlin.

Thats been clear for well over a year now that theyve been pushing this false narrative about the Vice President and his son, he said during an interview with CNN.

Without any intel, the head of the intel committee decided to share with CNN and its viewers a complete and utter lie, Mac Isaac told the Post. A lie issued in the protection of a preferred presidential candidate.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) stands during a news conference held by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in Washington on Oct. 2, 2019. (Tom Brenner/Getty Images)

The former business owner now claims in his lawsuit that CNN knowingly broadcast the false and defamatory story that was allegedly designed to influence the 2020 election.

The Daily Beast also allegedly pressed Mac Isaac with leading questions during a hostile interview, in addition to later referring to the laptop as stolen in two articles published in October and December.

He also accused Politico of writing an article that knowingly falsely stated [speculation] as fact by citing more than 50 former intelligence officials.

The 50 former senior intelligence officials did not state that the Hunter Biden story is Russian disinformationthat was Politico, the lawsuit reads.

Mac Isaac is now seeking at least $1 million in compensatory damages [and] punitive damages, which will be the bigger number and will be determined at trial, his attorney, Brian Della Rocca, told the Post.

Schiff, CNN, the Daily Beast, and Politico didnt respond by press time to a request for comment.

Last year, Mac Isaac initially tried to sue Twitter for defamation, claiming he was unfairly branded a hacker by the social media platforms content moderation policies.

Despite being financially backed by nonprofit The America Project founded by Trump loyalists, including retired Army Gen. Michael Flynn, brother Joe Flynn, and businessman Pat Byrne, according to the Post, the repairmans livelihood has largely been disrupted since he turned in the laptop.

Mac Isaac said he had no choice but to close his computer repair store near the Biden family homes in Greenville, Delaware, as he was targeted by people who threw vegetables, eggs, and dog excrement at his store.

The fight to get to the bottom of who told everyone this was Russian disinformation is far more important for the nation than me clearing my name, he said.
A small patch of water at Lake Wetherell in the Darling River area in Menindee, Australia on Aug.14, 2019. (Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Hydroponic Australian Native Plants Found to Pull Indestructible Chemical Contaminants From Water

Research led by the University of South Australia (UniSA) has found that the indestructible per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may actually be removed from water by native hydroponic plants and may serve as a strategy to remediate PFAS water.

PFASs are often referred to as forever chemicals because they dont break down, instead of accumulating in the environment and in our bodies where they can cause adverse health effects, said Dr John Awad, a researcher for UniSA and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)

PFAS is a large and expanding group of manufactured chemicals widely used in everyday products.

It is found in Teflon for non-stick cookware and also found in firefighting foam to improve its effectiveness.

The problem with PFAS is that it cannot be broken down in the environment or in our bodies, and higher concentrations of PFAS in bodies have been linked with adverse health effects including increased risk of increased cholesterol, weaker immune system, changes to the liver, increased blood pressure, decreased infant birth weights as well as an elevated risk of kidney or testicular cancer.

In Australia, PFAS concerns often relate to the use of firefighting foamespecially legacy firefighting foamwhich accumulates in the surface water of our waterways, said Awad.

The collaboration between UniSA, CSIRO and the University of Western Australia (UWA) therefore looked into possibilities of removal from the environment.

The team tested native wetland plants for their effectiveness at removing PFAS from the water and constructed floating wetlands (CFWs) for the plants to grow.

Earlier studies have shown that plants can absorb PFAS chemicals from water, with studies in the U.S. showing certain indigenous tribes use of hemp to remove the chemical.

Overall, the team observed, that Phragmites australis was the most effective at absorbing chemicals through its roots and shoots.

The plant, also known as the common reed native to Australia, removed legacy PFAS [once used but now banned] contaminants by 42-53 percent from contaminated surface water.

After plantation, PFAS chemicals gradually accumulated in the roots or shoots of the plants, with accumulation increasing with exposure time. However, the efficiency of the plants decreased as concentration increased, indicating a possible need for replantation.

Awad says that the wetlands they constructed can be used for remedial purposes by installing it into existing urban environments, such as holding reservoirs and retention basins.

He said CFWs as a remedial water treatment system is cost-effective as it does not require pumping or ongoing addition of chemicals, and along with the use of native plants, the system is a truly clean, green and environmentally-friendly method for removing toxic PFAS chemicals.

However, the study highlighted the possibility that CFWs have the potential to be used to reduce PFAS contaminants in surface waters, giving the potential of its remedial uses in urban planning.

Though the findings of the research seem promising, the authors noted that the research was all conducted in laboratory settings and still needs real-world testing for the scientists to be certain the plants will help in a real-world setting.
Lori Vallow Daybell glances at the camera during her hearing in Rexburg, Idaho, on March 6, 2020. (John Roark/The Idaho Post-Register via AP)

Idaho to Seek Death Penalty for Lori Vallow If Found Guilty of Killing 2 Children

Lori Vallow could face the death penalty if shes found guilty of killing her two youngest children, Tylee Ryan and Joshua JJ Vallow, according to new court documents.

Fremont and Madison County prosecuting attorneys indicated in a notice filed in the case on Monday that they plan to seek capital punishment against Vallow if she is convicted at her trial later this year because the slayings were exceptionally depraved and were done for financial gain.

The prosecutors said Vallow showed utter disregard for human life and has exhibited a propensity to commit murder which will probably constitute a continuing threat to society.

Vallow, 48, and her husband, Chad Daybell, have both been charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder as well as conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and grand theft by deception in connection to the deaths of 7-year-old JJ, 17-year-old Ryan, and Daybells first wife Tammy Daybell.

Joshua JJ Vallow (L) and Tylee Ryan. (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children via AP)

Investigators search for human remains at Chad Daybells residence in the 200 block of 1900 East, in Salem, Idaho on June 9, 2020. (John Roark/The Idaho Post-Register via AP)

The children were found buried in Daybells backyard in Fremont County, Idaho, in June 2020. The children were missing for several months, during which police say the couple lied about their whereabouts.

Tammy died in October 2019 and her obituary said the death was from natural causes. Vallow and Daybell married two weeks after she died and investigators had her body exhumed after growing suspicious when Daybell married Vallow so quickly after his wifes death.

The results of the autopsy were never released as it is evidence in an open and ongoing investigation, officials said last year, though Tammys son has told news outlets he was told his mother died of asphyxiation. Her death was reclassified as suspicious following the autopsy.

Idaho prosecutors already announced last August that Daybellwho is also charged with first-degree murder in the death of Tammyis also facing capital punishment. He is scheduled for trial in January 2023 while Vallow is scheduled to stand trial in October.

Chad Daybell during a court hearing in St. Anthony, Idaho, on Aug. 4, 2020. (John Roark/The Idaho Post-Register via AP)

Vallow is also charged with conspiracy to commit murder in Arizona in connection with the death of her previous husband. Charles Vallow was shot and killed by Vallows brother, Alex Cox, who claimed it was self-defense. Cox later died of what police said were natural causes.

Daybell has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and a judge entered a not guilty plea on Vallows behalf after she stood silent when asked for a plea earlier this year.

Idaho law allows prosecutors to seek the death penalty if they can show certain aggravating factors for crimes like murder or conspiracy to commit murder.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News
InsanityUS Foreign Policy in Africa

Commentary

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Why is U.S. policy in Africa insane? Because we repeat doing things, thinking that Africans will be pro-West, pro-democracy, pro-America, anti-authoritarian, and anti-Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Well, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) is wrong.

Insanity

In a recent discussion on Africa, Carla Jones, an African expert and a professor at Sam Houston State University, made the following observation:

The sentiment of some African citizens is that they favor democratic government ideals, yet they really appreciate the advancement that non-democratic governments have provided that facilitate growth and trade. The approach for building stronger partnerships with African countries can no longer be looked at as though both parties play by the same rules. China competes like theyre competing in a zero-sum game so the US should not continue in the future the same way it has in the past.

The current administration appears to be on autopilot in Africa, thoughtlessly maintaining a preset heading. Below are some of the actions the U.S. government has been doing:

The U.S. Information Agency conducted cultural diplomacy for decades and was disbanded after America won the Cold War. The remaining U.S. cultural diplomacy programs are the International Visitors Program, Fulbright Program, African Leaders Initiative program, American Centers and American Corners.

The U.S. Agency for International Development provided $9.6 billion in aid to sub-Saharan Africa out of $31.7 billion in 2021. Of the total global aid, $23.3 billion was focused on health and humanitarian aid. This is great for people living on the edge, but it is more of the same assistance we have provided for years.

On the economic front, one statistic for 2021 highlights another problem:

China-Africa trade totaled about $254 billion in 2021, an increase of $67 billion from 2020, and U.S.Africa trade was $64 billion. China holds about 62.1 percent of Africas debt, which could lead to debt-trap diplomacy.

Paul Nantulya, an African expert at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, said that the CCPs political investment in Africa is quite substantial: Over the last 10 years  the Chinese leaderships have visited Africa 85 times.

In his eight years in office, Barack Obama, whose father was Kenyan, visited Africa four times (traveling to seven countries). Donald Trump did not visit Africa during his four-year term.

A quayside bridge loads cargo for the China-Africa liner Shengli Grace in Yantai Port, East Chinas Shandong Province, on Dec. 21, 2021. The annual cargo volume of Chinas liner ships to Africa from Yantai Port has surpassed the 1 million ton mark for the first time, up 89.6% year on year. (Tang Ke/Costfoto/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

It Is the Ideology

In Africa, the CCPs efforts center on ideological indoctrination. The CCP has Belt and Road Initiative (BRI, also known as One Belt, One Road) projects all over Africa to transport Chinese goods to Africa and raw materials from Africa to China. The CCP has shifted attention to political indoctrination and assisting Africans in political organization.

Nantulya observed that through the Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation (FOCAC) mechanism, China is currently training and providing professional political training, ideological training to African entities and political parties more than any other industrialized country  between 80,000 and 100,000 training opportunities once every three to four years.

He added that its not just Chinese delegations going to Africa, but African delegations going to China and China also establishing institutions on the ground on the African continent to train and reach a larger number of elites, and these elites are not just political elites but also media  China is offering a 14-month media fellowship for African journalists. They go and intern in different Chinese media organizations.

CCP Educational Warfare

U.S. domestic pressure to investigate the CCP-funded Confucius Institutes (CIs) agenda has contributed to the closure of many CIs. In 2017, 103 CIs were in the United States; today, the number has declined to 18, and more CIs will close. This is good news. Overseas, the trend is different.

In 2000, there were no CIs in Africa. Today, there are almost as many CIs in Africa as Frances Alliance Francaise (active in 34 African countries with 116 locations). The following statistics show the growing CCP ideological influence as of November 2021:

61 CIs and 48 Confucius Classrooms are in Africa.

More than 30 African universities have established Chinese language departments or Chinese language majors, and 16 African countries have incorporated Mandarin language courses into their national education systems.

Since 2004, China has sent 5,500 Chinese language teachers and volunteers to 48 African nations.

A Chinese language teacher talks to students at the Confucius Institute at the University of Lagos in Nigeria on April 6, 2016. (Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via Getty Images)

CCP Ideological School Opens in Tanzania

Nantulya noted that the Mwalimu Nyerere Ideological School in Tanzania was built and funded by Beijing for $40 million and by the CCP-funded revolutionary African movements of CCM (Tanzania), ANC (South Africa), SWAPO (Namibia), MPLA (Angola), Zanu-PF (Zimbabwe), and Frelimo (Mozambique).

Political leaders from Tanzania and those six CCP-funded movements were present for the opening of the school on Feb. 23, which is to train political party officials in southern Africa  as part of Beijings efforts to export its model of governance and to serve political parties in the region and be a platform for China to enhance exchanges with them as a form of party-to-party diplomacy, according to the South China Morning Post. Initially, the six countries will be sending their youth and leaders for training.

Yun Sun, director of the Stimson Centers China program, observed that the CCP had trained African leaders and officials for decades. In her 2020 Congressional testimony, Yun noted that the new CCP school will train around 400 military and civilian cadres from the former Liberation movements of southern Africa each year. Already, over 2,000 party and military cadres from Africa train in Chinese political schools each year.

Wait, There Is More!

Not only will the ideological school help Africans move closer ideologically to the CCP, according to Yun, but the CCP has also promised to provide 50,000 training opportunities to African countries, including government officials, opinion leaders, scholars, journalists, and technical experts. These are essentially the African political, economic, and social elites as well as opinion leaders that will shape the future of the continent and its relations with China.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping poses with African leaders, including Malawis President Arthur Peter Mutharika (2nd row, 2nd R), during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing, China, on Sept. 3, 2018. (How Hwee Young/AFP/Getty Images)

In addition to providing education to Africans, Yun warns that Beijing is contributing to the growth of digitally enabled authoritarianism in Africa through the sale of advanced surveillance technologies and is making a concerted effort to shape African media to promote pro-China narratives.

Shooting Ourselves

The U.S. government also encourages U.S. citizens to study in China under DOS-endorsed Fulbright and Gilman Scholarship programs and other U.S. government programs such as Boren Scholarship and Project Go for ROTC students.

Fulbright Program

Since 1999, Washington sent (taxpayer-funded) up to 200 American students, professors, teachers, and mid-career professionals per year to China and up to 100 Chinese citizens to the United States under the Fulbright Program. The U.S. Congress has allocated $105.5 million for fiscal years 20222026 for the global Fulbright Program.

While the Trump administration canceled U.S. government-funded exchange programs with China and Hong Kong in July 2020, including Fulbright and Peace Corps, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in February 2022 to restart the Fulbright program in China. Reps. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) and Don Beyer (D-Va.) amended H.R. 4521America COMPETES Act of 2022which would restore the Fulbright exchange programs with China. The U.S. Senate and the House are now in conference, deciding the wording of the final bill to present to President Joe Biden.

A privately-funded program is the Schwarzman Scholars program, which started in 2015. Stephen A. Schwarzman is the CEO of Blackstone Group, a private equity company with $731 billion in assets under management (as of Sept. 30, 2021) with heavy investments in China. He is listed in Bloombergs Billionaires Index as the 35th richest person in the world with $33.7 billion in assets. The Schwarzman Scholars program sends 200 graduate students (Americans40 percent, Chinese20 percent, and others from around the world40 percent) for a one-year fully funded masters degree in global affairs at Beijings Tsinghua University.

Tsinghua University graduates have been CCP elites, and alumni include current Chairman Xi Jinping, former Chairman Hu Jintao, former Chairman of the National Peoples Congress Wu Bangguo, former Premier Zhu Rongji, and former Vice Premier Huang Ju. Why did Schwarzman choose Tsinghua University?

China annually hosts more than 490,000 students from around the world. These students present what military planners might call a target-rich environmentan opportunity to indoctrinate students with CCP propaganda and build long-term alignment with the CCP. Luckily, some universities in the United States are shifting their Chinese language programs from China to Taiwan.

Yun Sun noted that the purpose of the ideology push in Africa was to demonstrate that China uses its own development model, which combines political authoritarianism and economic capitalism, to show to African countries that economic development and political stability can coexist without a democratic system.

This may be the message underlying the studies of nearly half a million students each year studying in China and the over 1 million Chinese students studying abroad (300,000 in the United States).

The famous quote attributed to Vladimir Lenin comes to mind: The capitalists will sell us the rope with which to hang them.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (R) and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting in Tehran, Iran. A portrait of the late Iranian revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini hangs on the wall. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)

Iran Gets Opportunity to Sell Auto Parts to Russian Carmaker

TEHRAN, IranA member of Irans syndicate of car parts manufacturers says Iranian producers have an opportunity to export their wares to a Russian carmaker, state media reported.

The late Monday report quoted Hossein Bahrainian as saying a prominent Russian car maker requested parts from Iran. He did not name the manufacturer. He said it requested brake parts, airbags, air-conditioner parts, and other components.

Both Iran and Russia are under U.S. sanctions but the export of Iranian cars and car parts is not subject to sanctions.

The import of automobiles to Iran is also not subject to sanctions. However, Tehran has not imported cars since 2018, after the U.S. withdrew from a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and imposed oil and banking sanctions on Iran.

Western nations stopped exporting to Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.

Iran in recent years has exported car radiators and suspension systems to Russia. In the past, it exported cars to Iraq, Syria, and Venezuela.

Tehran and Moscow have had close relations in recent years, especially after Irans sole nuclear power plant went online in 2011 with help from Russia.

Separately on Tuesday, Iran said it has played a mediatory role in the war in Ukraine.

So far twice I have conveyed messages the foreign minister of Ukraine to my Russian counterpart, said Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian in a phone conversation with his Irish counterpart. He said Iran supports diplomatic solutions for restoring peace and stability.

Abdollahian did not elaborate but said Iran opposes war and displacement of human beings in Ukraine, and other paces like Yemen, the Palestinian lands, and Afghanistan.
China's sole operational aircraft carrier, the Liaoning (front), sailing with other ships during a drill at sea in April 2018. (AFP via Getty Images)

Japan and Taiwan Claim China Sent 8-Vessel Flotilla to Pacific

Japan and Taiwan have said that the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Navy dispatched the Liaoning aircraft carrier group, consisting of eight vessels, into the West Pacific.

Japans Defense Ministry said in a May 3 statement (pdf) that eight Chinese naval vessels, including an aircraft carrier, passed between islands in Japans southern Okinawa chain on May 2.

The Liaoning and its five-ship strike group were first spotted approximately 350 kilometers (217 miles) southwest of Nagasaki prefectures Danjo islands on May 1, according to the statement. Another destroyer and a frigate joined the flotilla late on May 1 and early on May 2.

Among the Chinese warships spotted by Japans military were the Type 055 large-guided missile destroyer Nanchang, the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer Chengdu, and the Type 901 fast combat supply ship.

While there was no incursion into Japanese territorial waters, the ministry claimed that at least one warship landed within 160 kilometers (99 miles) of Taisho Island near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, which China also claims and calls the Diaoyu Islands, The Japan Times reported.

The ministry stated that Japan deployed the Izumo light aircraft carrier, P-1 maritime patrol aircraft, and P-3C anti-submarine aircraft to monitor the activities of the Chinese vessels.

Meanwhile, Taiwans Defense Ministry said it issued radio warnings and deployed air defense missile systems to monitor the movements of the Chinese naval vessels.

According to Chinas state-run news agency Global Times, the Liaoning carrier group, consisting of eight warships, was the largest to head out to far sea among recent voyages.

Gao Xiucheng, a spokesperson of the PLA Navy, said on May 3 that the warships were on a routine combat training exercise in the West Pacific. Gao said the deployment was in line with international law and wasnt targeted at any party.

Tensions between self-ruled Taiwan and the regime in Beijing have been escalating, as China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to conquer the island by force if necessary.
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin listens to verdicts at his trial for the 2020 death of George Floyd at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis on April 20, 2021. (Court TV via AP, Pool)

Judge Accepts Chauvin Plea Deal, Will Sentence Him to 20 to 25 Years

ST. PAUL, Minn.The judge overseeing the federal civil rights cases of four former Minneapolis police officers in the killing of George Floyd said Wednesday that he has accepted the terms of Derek Chauvins plea agreement and will sentence him to 20 to 25 years in prison.

Chauvin pleaded guilty Dec. 15 to violating Floyds civil rights, admitting for the first time that he kept his knee on Floyds neckeven after he became unresponsiveresulting in Floyds death on May 25, 2020. The former officer admitted he willfully deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure, including unreasonable force by a police officer.

Under the plea agreement, which Chauvin signed, both sides agreed Chauvin should face a sentence ranging from 20 to 25 years, with prosecutors saying they would seek 25. He could have faced life in prison on the federal count. With credit for good time in the federal system, he would serve from 17 years to 21 years and three months behind bars.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson deferred accepting the agreement pending the completion of a presentence investigation. He said in a one-page order Wednesday that the report had been issued, so it was now appropriate to accept the deal. He has not set a sentencing date for Chauvin.

Chauvin is already serving a 22.5-year sentence for his murder conviction in state court last year, though he is appealing that conviction. He would serve the federal sentence concurrently with the state sentence.

The federal plea deal means Chauvin will probably spend more time in prison than he faced under his state sentence. State prisoners in Minnesota typically serve one-third of their sentence on parole, which for him would mean 15 years in prison.

Chauvin waived his right to contest his federal conviction if Magnuson accepted the plea agreement.

(LR) Former Minneapolis police officers Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao. (Hennepin County Sheriffs Office via AP)

Magnuson also has not set sentencing dates for three other ex-officers who were convicted of related federal civil rights charges in February. The presentence investigations for Tou Thao, Thomas Lane, and J. Alexander Kueng are still underway. Theyre scheduled to go on trial next month in state court on charges of aiding and abetting Chauvin in Floyds murder.

Prosecutors revealed at a pretrial hearing last month that the three had rejected plea agreements on the state charges. Terms were not disclosed. Lanes attorney, Earl Gray, said it was hard for the defense to negotiate when the three still didnt know what their federal sentences would be.

By Steve Karnowski
Former Clinton campaign attorney Michael Sussmann is scheduled to go on trial May 16 in the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse in Washington D.C. on May 16. (Greg Kahn/Getty Images)

Judge Open to Compelling Fusion GPS Tech Expert to Testify in Clinton Attorneys Trial

Federal prosecutors may get to question a Fusion GPS employee with unique insight into how her company, Hillary Clintons 2016 presidential campaign, and its law firm orchestrated opposition research into the Trump campaign that spurred the debunked Russiagate investigation, in the trial of former Clinton attorney Michael Sussmann.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper on May 3 granted special counsel John Durhams motion to unseal his petition to compel Fusion GPS tech maven Laura Seago to testify when Sussmanns trial begins on May 16 at the E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse in Washington.

Federal prosecutors led by Durham have charged Sussmann with one count of making a false statement to the FBI.

Durham maintains that in August 2016, Sussmann and Clinton campaign lead counsel Marc Elias met with Neustar executive Rodney Joffewhose company was contracted to monitor DNS traffic for the Executive Officeand encouraged Joffe to concoct a narrative tying the Trump Organization to Alfa-Bank, the largest private bank in Russia.

Prosecutors say Sussmann on Sept. 19, 2016, gave FBI General Counsel James Baker documents collected by Fusion GPS, Joffe, and researchers to promote the TrumpRussia narrative, claiming he was doing so as a concerned citizen and not representing a client.

Prosecutors say Sussmann failed to inform Baker that he had represented Joffe in the past, had recently represented the Democratic National Committee (DNC), and that the Perkins Coie law firm, where he and Elias both worked, was general counsel for the 2016 Hillary for America campaign.

A federal grand jury handed up the indictment against Sussmann on Sept. 16, 2021. Sussmann has pleaded not guilty.

Durhams April 6 motion to compel the Clinton campaign, the DNC, Perkins Coie, Joffe, and Fusion GPS to provide withheld and/or redacted documents and communications has generated the most intrigue because it raises questions about the nature of attorney-client privilege.

Because the documents and communications are related to an attorney work product or fact product, the entities claim they qualify for attorney-client privilege and should remain shielded from public disclosure.

According to Sussmanns attorneys and lawyers representing the five parties, the attorney work product includes opposition research on Trump by Fusion GPS for Perkins Coie on behalf of the Clinton campaign.

Durham insists the 1,455 requested documents arent covered under attorney-client privilege because few18include a lawyer.

Their argument is based on an apparent theory that political opposition research and/or public relations work  falls within the legitimate scope of attorney-client privilege and work-product protections, Durham says in the motion.

Cooper hasnt ruled on most of the questions within Durhams motion, although he has heard arguments regarding what can and cant be heard in trial in two evidentiary hearings.

Because some of the material could be classified, Cooper is issuing rulings on Durhams Motion 64 after in-camera or private reviews. His May 3 order unsealing the governments motion to compel Seago to testify was after an in-camera review and was issued without comment.

In the motion, prosecutors say that because Joffe has refused to testify, invoking his Fifth Amendment rights unless immunized from prosecutionwhich they support but Sussmanns attorneys opposethe government determined it would need to call an employee of Fusion GPS as a trial witness.

Seago was the only Fusion GPS employee who exchanged emails with [Joffe] concerning [Alfa-Bank] allegations, the motion reads, noting that Seago acted as the firms primary technical expert; worked for an extended time period on issues relating to the [Alfa] allegations; was a part of the team that handled work under Fusions contract with HFA and the DNC; and (met in 2016 with various parties  including [Perkins Coie], [Joffe], and the mediaabout the [Alfa] allegations.

As such, the motion continues, Seago undoubtedly possesses unique insight to the core issue to be decided by the jurywhether [Sussmann] was acting on behalf of one or more clients when he worked on the [Trump-Alfa Bank] allegations.

On May 2, federal prosecutors filed a supplement to their motion to compel that includes an eight-page conciliation agreement signed in February by the Clinton campaign and DNC acknowledging to the Federal Election Committee that they improperly reported payments to Perkins Coie for Fusion GPSs opposition research as legal and compliance consulting.

Correction: A previous version of this article mischaracterized the substance of the judges order. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
Julia Childs ability to integrate a deeply American nature with the elements of French cookery helps explain her dazzling and enduring legacy

After spending more than five years in Paris, Julia Child went to the south of France in 1953, where her husband, Paul, was assigned duty as a cultural officer at the sleepy American consulate in Marseille. The port city was a labyrinth, a city of hot noise, Child reflected years later. A short, hard-to-endure interval at a hotel yielded to their taking an apartment in the Old Port area. I was so relieved to have a kitchen, albeit one the size of a sailboats galley, that I whipped up a wizard soupe de poisson [strained fish soup] for lunch on our first day in residence.

Child and her co-authors were already deep into their cookbook, a work designed to make French cuisine accessible (living in Marseille would increase her culinary range with soups and fish). The books ideal reader [was] the servantless American cook who enjoyed producing something wonderful to eat, she stated in My Life in France, a memoir written with her grand-nephew Alex Prudhomme. She considered the meticulously developed recipes to be her intellectual property and was upset when an editor shared one from the work-in-progress, leading to her taking countermeasures by writing Eyes Alone and Top Secret when sending out future sections for evaluation. This glimpse of hard-nosed Julia should come as no surprise. After all, during World War II, she handled espionage materials while serving in the U.S. Office of Strategic Services.

Although Child died in 2004 at the age of 91, her legend endures and even grows. For example, her TV kitchen and copper pans are on view at the Smithsonians National Museum of American History. And besides being the subject of biographies and memoirs, the gourmand has proven a compelling cinematic subject. Meryl Streeps Oscar-nominated portrayal in Julie and Julia is indelible. The 2009 film is based on Julie Powells account of cooking 524 of Childs recipes in a small New York apartment. Co-star Amy Adams portrayal of Powell is capped by a scene in which she visits Childs kitchen at the museum and, in touching tribute, leaves a stick of butter.

Before Thanksgiving of 2021, the documentary Julia was released, with co-directors Julie Cohen and Betsy West giving a straightforward account of Childs life. When the filmmakers first considered the story, they asked, Well, why is it that in the 70s and 80s, people really started cooking? It was largely Childs influence, West told the Los Angeles Times. She sparked something that so changed the culture. Filming has begun for the forthcoming HBO Max series, also titled Julia, which stars Sarah Lancashire in the eponymous role.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Childs 1961 landmark work written with Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck, spent years atop bestseller lists. Until then, Americans had regarded fresh fish and produce with suspicion; supermarket aisles of the era were loaded with canned fruits and vegetables, powdered drink mixes, and frozen dinners. The savors of herbs were little known; part of Childs lesson was about shopping for yourself and choosing the best ingredients.

The recent documentary goes to lengths to illustrate how different Child was from other women on television when The French Chef debuted two years after the books publication. Paul and Julia had settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Bostons public television affiliate WGBH filmed her maneuvers in extended takes, resulting in the opportunity to improvise not only with the cookingshe advised the viewer never to apologize for mistakesbut also with her ad-libs. Of course, we crave the nuances of Childs recipe for an authentic bouillabaisse or her best technique for slicing up a chicken, but she couldnt have facilitated the transition from master chef to celebrity chef without her singular verbal ability. (The French Chef now streams on the service Pluto TV.)

Growing up in Pasadena, California, Julia McWilliams wanted to be a writer, and her private school education and history degree from Smith College left her well-equipped even if, as she is quoted in the documentary as saying, she was a butterfly. She went on to prove herself formidable, blunt, and of a sound critical intelligence. She managed to score with naturalness. As to the reason, My Life in France offers a cluenamely, her way with words. Becoming fluent in French, she prowled the marketplaces inner stalls and listened to every fishwifes formula for a hearty soup stock. Even at the end of the Childs diplomatic career, when Paul was posted to Oslo, she learned enough Norwegian to read the newspaper and handle the shopping.

On the one hand, Julia Child could adopt a professorial tone. An example is found in this assertion: I devoted myself to piscatory research, as we tried to systematize the nomenclature and cookability of French-English-American fish for our readers. On the other hand, she sprinkles in obscure but whimsical words like collywobbles for bellyache, delivers contemporary slang like dullsville, and drops fanciful nouns like balderdash, nincompoop and the Real McCoy. Additionally, she displayed a knack for alliteration and poetic free association, as in the account of a trip from Nice: We drove back to Marseille through the arriere-pays [hinterland] of scraggle-topped cragstheir tops powder-sugared with snowand forests of pine and cork oak. Besides Emmy and Peabody plaudits for her cooking show, she also won a National Book Award in 1980, for her cookbook Julia Child and More Company.

Still, for all of her sophistication and accomplishments, Child was the prankster who, in the early 1920s, had whizzed around Pasadena on her bike. She smoked her fathers cigarettes and cigars, threw mud-balls at cars, and dropped rocks from an overpass onto passing trains. Once, while prowling around a house construction site with a friend, she got stuck in the chimney.

She had started out conventional enough, and that would account for her desire, upon returning to America from France in 1954, to eat an honest-to-goodness American steak! she recounted in My Life in France. Unfussy and unassuming, Child always had something of the Stars and Stripes about her even when she recalled the pleasures of the table, and of life in her memoir, before signing off, Toujours bon appetit!

This article was originally published in American Essence magazine.
Hedley lead singer Jacob Hoggard performs during the band's final concert of their current tour in Kelowna, B.C. on March 23, 2018. (The Canadian Press/Jeff Bassett)

Jury Selection Underway at Sex Assault Trial for Hedley Frontman Jacob Hoggard

Jury selection has begun this morning at the sex assault trial of Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard.

Hoggard, the frontman for the rock band Hedley, was charged in 2018 with sexual assault causing bodily harm and sexual interference in connection with alleged incidents involving a woman and a teenager.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges this morning in a downtown Toronto courtroom.

The trial was initially set to begin in January 2021 but it was delayed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is now expected to run until early June.

Neither of the complainants can be identified due to a publication ban, nor can several witnesses who are expected to testify during trial.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received in a video format Vahid Hajiyev due to his appointment as Special Representative of the President in Zangilan district, which is included in East Zangazur economic region.

The head of state made a speech at the video meeting.

Speech by President Ilham Aliyev

- You are being appointed as Special Representative of the President in Zangilan district. I congratulate you and wish you success. A lot of confidence is being placed in you, and you have to live up to this confidence with your work.

Zangilan district, like other liberated districts, has suffered great destruction. Armenian occupying forces have practically razed Zangilan district to the ground. There is only one or two buildings left in Zangilan, and these were used by Armenian occupiers, the military. There is not a single surviving village, all villages of Zangilan district have been destroyed. This once again shows the ugly face of Armenian vandalism to the whole world. It shows yet again that the Azerbaijani people and the Azerbaijani Army have saved our region from a great scourge  Armenian fascism.

At the same time, all our historical and religious sites in Zangilan district were destroyed by Armenians. We have already started the restoration of our historical and religious sites. With the financial support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Zangilan city mosque is now being overhauled. As a matter of fact, it is being reconstructed because there was only one wall left of this mosque. The bitter landscape of Zangilan is observed in all other liberated lands.

We will restore all the liberated lands, and Zangilan is the first district in this respect where the former IDPs will return to in the near future. As you know, the first pilot project is being implemented in the village of Aghali of Zangilan district. Aghali village is actually being reconstructed, it will be a large and comfortable village. Every citizen of Azerbaijan and, in general, every person can see our plans in the example of Aghali village. How do we want to see our liberated lands? What conditions do we want to create for the people who will return there? Everyone will see that we will do our work in a planned and systematic manner. All factors will be taken into account  security, comfort, well-being, employment and future development.

At the same time, major infrastructure projects are being implemented in Zangilan district now. Among them, I would like to mention the transport infrastructure, which is part of the Zangazur corridor. Zangilan International Airport will be commissioned this year. I am sure that this airport will have extensive functionality. Because we envisage Zangilan as an international transport and logistical center in the future. The location of the district, its proximity to international markets and other factors will contribute to that. The establishment in Zangilan of the second airport in the liberated lands after Fuzuli, of course, is based on the geographical situation, and it will be an important tool in addressing our economic, transport and security issues. As for the Zangazur corridor, it is already a reality. Both the railway and the highway passing through the territory of Zangilan district will not only connect the main part of Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, but will also be a new road for international cargo transportation, an international road. At the same time, for the convenience of former IDPs, we are rapidly building a four- and six-lane highway. The stage-by-stage commissioning of this road will begin next year.

Azerbaijani citizens are well aware that during the occupation, the Armenian leaders wanted to build a road from Armenia to Jabrayil. This road, of course, was supposed to pass through Zangilan. These hopes and, in general, all their hopes remained in their own minds. As far as I know, they were planning to build a one-lane village road. We are building a four- and six-lane highway from Horadiz to Zangilan. At the same time, the existing road, the road left over from the Soviet era, which we are using now, will be overhauled. In other words, the new road will follow a completely new and more convenient route, and the road infrastructure along the road will be more convenient in terms of distance. Of course, citizens will be able to travel along this road and international freight issues will be resolved.

At the same time, a multi-lane road is being built from Zangilan to Gubadli and from Gubadli to Lachin. This will provide a connection between districts of the East Zangazur economic region. As for the railway, our station in this direction, which is currently the last link of the railway infrastructure, is Horadiz. The construction of the railway from Horadiz to Aghband is already underway, and I am confident that it will be fully operational next year. This will be a very convenient infrastructure for both citizens and international shippers.

We will also connect the main part of Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through the Zangazur corridor. A completely new transport corridor will be opened. Considering that Azerbaijan has recently received a number of requests from the eastern part of the Caspian Sea, as well as the fact that both the number of those interested in sending cargo across the territory of Azerbaijan and the volume of cargo are growing, the Zangazur corridor will create additional opportunities for us and neighboring countries, of course.

I can say that we have attached great importance to the transport sector in recent years, for about 10-15 years. This is exactly why we are capable of accepting and transiting any cargo now. we are doing that and our capabilities will further increase.

Another important issue is related to employment. This issue is envisaged in Aghali village. New enterprises are to be established there this year. I have ordered that when the former IDPs return to the village of Aghali, they should have the opportunity to work there. There will be jobs in agriculture, as well as in enterprises established by public and private companies. We have very ambitious plans for agricultural development in liberated lands. Everyone can see and knows perfectly well that food security is coming to the fore. A lot has been done in this direction in recent years. However, we are still not able to fully provide ourselves with wheat and grains as a whole. I am confident that as a result of the additional measures, dependence on imports will be significantly reduced. The main issue here is both productivity and proper use of water, as well as the correct selection of arable land in the liberated lands and provision of agro-technical services there.

The natural climate and geography of the liberated areas are such that it is possible to engage in large-scale livestock breeding, especially in Lachin, Kalbajar, Gubadli and Zangilan districts. Agriculture can be developed in Aghdam, Fuzuli, Khojavand, Jabrayil, as well as Zangilan and Gubadli districts. The first agro-park in the liberated areas is being established in Zangilan district. Last year, together with my brother, President of the Republic of Turkey, we laid the foundation of an agro-park called DOST Agro-park. I was recently updated about the agro-park. I am very delighted that everything is going according to plan. This will be the first and exemplary agro-park. I am sure that there will be a large number of agro-parks in liberated lands  just as industrial estates are being established in both Jabrayil and Aghdam districts.

I think that agriculture should be one of the contributors to employment and key sectors of economy in Zangilan district. Because the natural climate is very favorable, and again, in the example of DOST Agro-park, we must see the future of all liberated lands.

At the same time, work has already begun on the restoration of villages in each of the liberated districts. The public was recently informed about this. We will also restore the villages in a planned manner. We have divided this process into stages  what villages will be built at the first, second and further stages. Of course, the construction of villages should be carried out in a planned manner, i.e. not spontaneously, but systematically. Therefore, every new village to be created and restored must have a master plan, and master plans are currently being prepared. The master plans of cities, including the master plans of Zangilan and the villages, will be prepared. The work to be done on all liberated lands should be based only on master plans. Not a single structure should be placed beyond the master plan, not a single building should be constructed. In other words, we are creating an exemplary living space. We will create an exemplary experience for both Azerbaijan and the world. Therefore, everything will be transparent, based on tenders and master plans. Preparations are currently underway in all liberated districts, including Zangilan.

Armenia also caused tremendous damage to the ecology of the occupied territories during the years occupation, and I have voiced those figures. Fifty to sixty thousand hectares of forest have been completely destroyed. We observed this via satellite. A process of deliberate deforestation was underway, especially in Kalbajar, Lachin, Zangilan and Gubadli districts. This, in fact, is savagery and looting. To describe the ugly deeds of Armenia during the occupation, I think these two expressions should come to the fore  savagery and looting. These heinous acts were also committed in Zangilan, and great damage was done to nature as a result.

Everyone knows that the second largest sycamore forest in Europe was in Zangilan district  the Basitchay Nature Reserve. Most of that Basitchay nature reserve has been destroyed, and when I was in Zangilan, I saw the stumps of those trees. At the same time, I saw the burned trees. They committed the same ugly deeds in Kalbajar and Lachin districts immediately after the war. They were given 20 days to leave, but they used even those days to commit their ugly deeds. They destroyed, burned, cut down and burned houses that did not belong to them. They were built by Azerbaijanis and they lived in them illegally. All the items were either destroyed or dismantled. These disgraceful pictures were also shown on foreign channels, and everyone could see what items they valued the most and salvaged in a hurry. At the same time, the trees were cut down and burned.

We have started the restoration of the Basitchay Nature Reserve. When I first visited Zangilan after the historic Victory, I planted trees there. This instruction has been issued, of course, and we will restore the Basitchay Nature Reserve. Of course, it will take a long time.

At the same time, Armenia has savagely exploited gold and other precious metal deposits in Zangilan and other districts. In Zangilan, the Vejnali gold deposit was brutally exploited. They have also turned the area into an ecological disaster zone. The illegally mined gold was then smuggled abroad.

We have now started all the legal procedures. I have informed the Azerbaijani public about it. Not a single crime will go unanswered. First, we are calculating all the damage, the process of passportization of all our cities and villages is underway. Video and photos of each building or the ruins of that building are being taken. This is proof, and we intend to appeal to international courts. Preparations are underway. Also, the illegal exploitation of the Vejnali gold deposit by foreigners, including foreigners of Armenian origin, will cost them dearly. We know the names of those people. We will expose them to the world and they will compensate us. They will definitely pay compensation for the damage.

At the same time, unfortunately, it is with a pain at heart that we observe the fate of the Okhchuchay River, which passes through the territory of Zangilan and is also a zone of natural disaster. The Okhchuchay was also subjected to environmental terror by Armenia. Unfortunately, a foreign company was also the author of this environmental terror together with the Armenians. The yellow waters of the Okhchuchay have been repeatedly published in the media. There are both photos and videos. So all effluents from the copper plant operating in Armenia were discharged into the Okhchuchay without prior treatment. This is a crime, this is environmental terror. Who did this? The former Armenian leadership! Because the shareholders of that copper plant are close to the former Armenian leadership, are close and related to the former leadership. We know that the development of this copper plant was based on corruption schemes. Unfortunately, a foreign company, which is the subject of international audit, also participated in these acts of corruption.

As for the Armenian leadership, every step and action they took was a disgrace, but if an internationally audited company commits such ugly acts, then it should be dealt with by the law enforcement agencies of the country the company is located in. We have mentioned that company several times, and I can name it again today  Cronimet. Why is there no reaction so far? Why don't German law enforcement agencies investigate the company's actions? After all, we have made an official appeal. We also appealed to this company, to Cronimet: come and clean up the consequences of this environmental terror. No reply. There is no response from law enforcement agencies. After all, we know how much attention is being paid to the environment in Europe. We know that the warming by a half degree is now considered a major problem for the whole world, for Europe. The problem of climate change is very much on the global agenda now. It is obvious here that the river originating from pure springs turns yellow. So the samples taken from there, as well as those taken during the occupation, show this. First, this issue was raised by Armenian ecologists. They noted that a natural disaster was unfolding there. Of course, they werent friends of Azerbaijan and they believed that those lands would be in the hands of Armenia forever. Therefore, they raised the issue and accused the previous leadership, the criminal junta of Serzhik Sarkisyan and his relatives. They also have evidence. But has a single step been taken? No!

Therefore, this issue has now been raised and is being dealt with by our central executive bodies. Of course, as my representative, you need to analyze all these issues in more depth and contribute to the compensation of damages, litigation and legal action. Of course, these are the main issues, these are the things that will be done at the initial stage, including demining. Our relevant agencies are engaged in this work now. Of course, my representatives in the field must also take an active part in this and provide their assistance.

The other tasks ahead, of course, are, first and foremost, the speedy return of former IDPs to the liberated lands. Here, too, the state is doing everything possible. All the resources have been mobilized. Funds have been mobilized. Last year and this year, 2.2 billion manats were allocated for these purposes, making up a total of 4.4 billion manats. This year, our economic growth is faster, and in the first quarter of the year, the economy grew by about 7 percent. Our revenues have increased. Therefore, I think that we need to allocate additional funds for urgent work. We must allocate additional funds for the restoration of liberated lands. The government has been instructed on this issue. Probably in the near future, we will officially confirm this so that we can do more this year. Four months of the year have now passed and there is a lot to be done. Therefore, the first project on the return of former IDPs, as I said, will be implemented soon. It is necessary to start other projects.

The initial version of the master plan of Zangilan has been submitted to me. In principle, it is acceptable. But, of course, I have ordered that extensive discussions be held. Naturally, you should join in immediately. The master plan of Zangilan will be based on all modern architectural norms. The appearance must be beautiful, there must be comfort, and all environmental standards must be met and applied. Since the city of Zangilan and Zangilan district in general are beautiful from the point of view of nature, the new city to be created should also embody this beauty. Therefore, the adoption and approval of the master plan and the subsequent work will, of course, be accelerated.

There are great opportunities for agricultural development in Zangilan. I have already expressed some of my views. However, the entire agricultural potential of the district must be thoroughly analyzed and recommendations must be made for former IDPs returning there. Of course, you, as my representative, should work together with central executive bodies  the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. Recommendations should be given to make the best use of the agricultural potential of Zangilan district  what should be done and where. Of course, the work done in the agricultural sector during the Soviet era should be analyzed. But, of course, this cannot be the basis for us now because there were completely different agro-technical opportunities and completely different technologies at the time. We must bring the most advanced technologies to agriculture in Zangilan district, and I have set this task for central executive bodies  whatever the most advanced technology in the world is, we must have it too, especially in liberated lands. Because people have been longing for land for about 30 years. Armenia has stolen most of their lives. Thousands, tens of thousands of them did not live to see their homeland and died. Therefore, special conditions must be created for the people returning there. Agriculture means employment, food security and exports.

Zangilan is a border region, very close to Iran, Armenia and Nakhchivan. As a result of the launch of the Zangazur corridor, at the same time, given the roads stretching from Zangilan district to the Islamic Republic of Iran, the produce cultivated in Zangilan will have great access to export markets, and we must make the most of that. Because the railway and the highway from Zangilan to Ordubad pass through the territory of Iran as well  a relevant memorandum was signed in March. At the same time, it must pass through the territory of Armenia, and I am sure it will. Therefore, the proximity to export markets, of course, creates additional opportunities for both exports and imports. In order to expand local production, of course, we need to export goods and apply the latest technologies.

The protection of nature, of course, must be in the foreground. Zangilan district has a beautiful nature, it has a charming nature, and from a natural point of view, I think it is one of the most beautiful districts of our country. Of course, Zangilan district has great tourism potential. Because beautiful forests, mountains, springs, rivers, as well as the international airport, railways and highways  all this will be a great wealth. The tourism potential of Zangilan district, of course, must be aligned with the tourism opportunities that will be created in other districts. Now the distance to Shusha via Zangilan, Gubadli and Lachin will be very short and very comfortable. In other words, the tourism potential of Zangilan district must be thoroughly analyzed, and we must start work immediately. New hotels and recreation areas should be created, rural tourism should be developed. It will also be a source of employment and income for those returning there. In other words, the most progressive principles that exist in the world, especially in Europe, must be applied in all areas here. I have simply mentioned the main areas. But the most advanced experience in all areas, the most transparent mechanisms and comfort for people must be provided. If this is the case, we will achieve what we want. What we want is for former IDPs to return to their ancestral lands as soon as possible, to live there comfortably  as many people as possible should return and live there. We must create conditions for them to be enthusiastic. We conducted a survey among former IDPs after the second Karabakh war to find out how many people would want to return, because the work to be done and the buildings to be constructed there should be aligned with this. I am glad that the vast majority of the IDPs have expressed a desire to return. But, of course, they have lived in Baku, Sumgayit and other places for about 30 years, they are used to this life, they have jobs, they have schools for their children, they have schools for their grandchildren. We understand all this, and moving from one place to another is not easy. But I am sure that the love of the Motherland will take them there. We need to make them feel comfortable when they go there.

I once again congratulate you on your appointment to this high post and wish you success.

X X X

Special Representative of President in Zangilan district Vahid Hajiyev said: Thank you, dear Mr. President.

Thank you very much. First of all, I would like to thank you for your confidence. It is a great honor for me to receive an assessment of my work from you.

The work to be done in these areas, in East Zangazur, will be very honorable for all of us. Under your leadership and based on the principles you have outlined, we will do our best for the development of our beloved Karabakh. As a native of Karabakh, I will use all my experience and potential to do my best for the development of those territories.

Mr. President, it is a great honor for me to work under the leadership of such a wise political leader as you. I would like to thank you again for your confidence. Thank you very much.

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you.








A group of unidentified delegates have a discussion during a break at the official opening of the 28th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in Kigali, Rwanda, on Oct. 13, 2016. (AP Photo)

Pact to Phase Down Hydrofluorocarbons Advanced by US Senate Panel

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted on May 4 to advance the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, moving the United States closer to formalizing the phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) already included in the 2020 American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM).

The AIM Act was passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and signed into law by President Trump on Dec. 28, 2020. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has already moved ahead with the reduction in HFC consumption and production, with EPA Administrator Michael Regan issuing a rule based on AIM in September 2021.

HFCs were developed to supplant chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and other ozone-depleting substances used in refrigerators. The phasedown of ozone-depleting substances started with the Montreal Protocol, which was signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 and adopted by every United Nations member state.

While CFC manufacturing has been outlawed since 2010 under that agreement, CFCs have been produced illegally at times after the ban, with investigators tracing some rogue CFC manufacturing to China.

While HFCs dont damage the ozone layer, they, too, are a danger to the environment; some scientists have estimated their global warming potential to be hundreds of times greater than that of carbon dioxide.

Some research has estimated that an HFC phasedown could avoid up to half a degree Celsius of warming by 2100.

However, skeptics such as Patrick J. Michaels and Benjamin Zycher have said that the 0.5-degree claim is based on faulty assumptions and motivated by monied interests, as the pair argued in a Washington Examiner op-ed.

While DuPont, the inventor of CFCs, pushed back against CFC restrictions during the years leading to the Montreal Protocols passage, Michaels and Zycher claimed that the companys current support for the elimination of HFCs is related to its own production of costly HFC alternatives.

DuPont officials didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

In all, 170 countries have agreed to the 2016 Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. As with the AIM Act, that amendment obligates parties to slowly curb the production and use of HFCs by 85 percent over 15 years.

However, the Kigali Amendment would restrict trade between signatories and non-signatories by 2033, leading Democratic and Republican lawmakers to push for its passage.

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Sen. Tom Carper (R-Del.), co-authors of 2020s AIM Act, made that argument in a joint op-ed for The Washington Times.

The AIM Act is already bringing the U.S. into alignment with the Kigali Amendments plan to phase down HFCs. It only makes economic sense that the Senate now ratify this agreement to ensure that the U.S. can capitalize on the success of the AIM Act instead of unnecessarily limiting our trade partners and giving our competitorsor even adversaries like Chinaa leg up at the expense of hardworking Americans, Carper and Kennedy wrote in that April article.

In November 2021, Carper praised Biden when he first transmitted the amendment to the Senate.

Its long past time that we join the rest of the international community in addressing HFCs and taking the kind of bold, transformational climate action that this moment demands, he said.

Kennedy has argued that passage of the amendment could spur the production of next-generation coolants in his home state of Louisiana, currently a hub for HFC manufacturing.

Ratifying the Kigali Amendment will expand the global market for American-made technologies and safeguard U.S. investments, Kennedy said in a statement accompanying his Washington Times op-ed.

A Kennedy aide told The Epoch Times that alternative coolant production in Louisiana includes OxyChems manufacturing of the refrigerant constituent 4CPe as well as Honeywells production of Solstice ze (1234ze).

Louisiana is not only home to the chemical manufacturers producing these HFC alternatives, but the state is home to HVAC companies that will begin manufacturing next-generation air conditioning and heating systems, the spokesperson said.

The committees vote moves the Kigali Amendment closer to being ratified by the full Senate.

The only senator on the Foreign Relations Committee who voted nay on the amendment was Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).

The Epoch Times has reached out to Barrasso for comment.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin (front) and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attend a session of the Council of Heads of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Sochi, Russia, on Oct. 11, 2017. (Maxim Shemetov/AFP/Getty Images)

Kremlin Dismisses Claim Putin to Formally Declare War on Ukraine on May 9

The Kremlin on May 4 dismissed claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin would issue an official declaration of war against Ukraine on May 9, following reports making the claim.

Since the start of the conflict in February, Putin and other Russian officials have described the conflict as a special military operation. However, reports this week speculated that a formal war decreewhich could entail a greater mobilization of Russian forcescould be announced on May 9, which is Victory Day, the day that Russia celebrates the surrender of Nazi forces at the end of World War II.

This is nonsense, chief Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. He said people shouldnt listen to speculation that there could be a decision on a national mobilization.

Putin has used previous Victory Day speeches to needle the West and showcase the firepower of Russias post-Soviet armed forces.

Meanwhile, the European Union on May 4 proposed its harshest sanctions yet against Russia, including a phased oil embargo. The European Commission announced that it would be phasing out supplies of Russian crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year.

A resident whose apartment was destroyed by a missile strike on a residential building looks at the work of a rescue team in Odesa, Ukraine, on April 25, 2022. (Anastasia Vlasova/Getty Images)

If the plan is agreed upon by European Union governments, it may be the most devastating economic blow to Moscow, which relies heavily on oil and gas exports.

In a series of Twitter posts, Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen wrote: Finally, we now propose a ban on Russian oil. Lets be clear: it will not be easy. But we simply have to work on it. We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion. To maximize pressure on Russia, while minimizing the impact on our economies.

We want Ukraine to win this war. Yet so much has to be rebuilt. That is why I am proposing to start working on an ambitious recovery package for our Ukrainian friends. This package should bring massive investment to meet the needs and the necessary reforms.

Putin has said that its special military operation in Ukraine is necessary because the United States was using Ukraine to threaten Russia. Hes also said the operation is needed to stop the persecution of Russian-speaking people in Ukraine. But Ukraine has said that its fighting against Russian imperialism and that Putins claims about genocide are untrue.

Reuters contributed to this report.
LA City Council Lets Public Into Meeting for First Time Since March 2020

LOS ANGELESWith COVID-19 restrictions now lifted, the public was allowed into the Los Angeles City Council chambers during the bodys meeting Wednesday for the first time since March 2020but with people no longer able to comment remotely, most of those who spoke urged councilors to reverse that decision.

Adam Smith of West L.A. was the first to speak at the meeting Wednesday, and told councilors that its good to be back in the room.

But he added, I do think its really troubling that, accessibility-wise, people cant call in and give public comment anymore.  Accessibility has always been an issue at these meetings, and folks that are disparately impacted by the policies coming out of this room have trouble coming in to give public comment on a weekday morning.

On Wednesday morning, several members of Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment Action, a self-described Democratic nonprofit, gathered outside city hall before the meeting to urge the council to allow remote public commentsaying that ending that policy would eliminate the voice of Black and Brown communities who have borne the brunt of the highest positivity rates.

The calm return to in-person City Council meetings, with just about 35 members of the public present, took a turn when Ricci Sergienko and Jason Reedy, activists with the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition and the Peoples City Council, gave their public comment and yelled at the councilors.

Sergienko was escorted out of the meeting following his public comment period after he continued to yell taunts directed toward Councilman Joe Buscaino for his low polling numbers in his mayoral campaign.

Buscaino requested Deputy City Attorney Strefan Fauble tell the public the rules regarding a member of the publics removal from the meeting.

People who are kicked out of the meetings are not allowed to come back the same day, and if theyre kicked out twice over three business days, the person is not allowed to come back during the next meeting either, Fauble said.

It escalates from that with more consequences if you disrupt more, he added.

The City Council had virtual meetings via teleconference for the first year of the pandemic, with in-person meetings continuing for councilors in June 2021 before briefly returning to a remote format in January due to the Omicron variants rapid spread.

When we closed these chambers doors in March of 2020, the world looked very different, Martinez said to begin the meeting. The last time we held public comment in person was on March 6 of 2020. A week later we announced that our city chambers were closed to the public, hours before the first death of COVID-19. Since then, weve had almost 32,000 deaths related to the virus in L.A. County alone.

While saying she was so happy that the city is able to resume public meetings, she warned anyone who might disrupt the meetings that the yelling, the calling names, the derogatory language and causing disruption will not be tolerated.

People who attended the meeting Wednesday were required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test within the last 72 hours before entering city hall. Masks were also required regardless of a persons vaccination status.

Wednesdays meeting had a relatively brief agenda. Councilors repealed three COVID-19-related laws that gave exclusive shopping hours for senior citizens and people with disabilities at grocery stores, allowed occupants of self-service storage facilities to defer payment due to loss of income related to the pandemic, and made it unlawful to litter personal protective equipment.

Councilors also confirmed Coro Southern California CEO and President Natalie Samarjians appointment to the Civil and Human Rights Commission, and passed motions to install speed tables in Elysian Valley and Glassell Park, as well as a motion aimed at deterring the theft of copper wire and power in Council District 7.
Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore speaks to media about fallen LAPD officer Fernando Arroyos in Los Angeles, Calif., on Feb.2, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

LAPD Chief: Spasm of Violence Caused More Homicides, Shootings in 2022

LOS ANGELESLos Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officials reported a spasm of violence in the city that led to more homicide and shooting cases this yearlargely related to robberies, gang activity, and homeless encampmentsduring an LA Police Commission meeting on May 3.

LAPD Chief Michel Moore reported 36 homicides in April 2022the highest April number in four yearsand 122 homicides so far this year, up from 116 a year ago.

The total number of violent incidents so far this year increased by 7.5 percent versus last year, and 15.5 percent from 2020.

Total crime is up in the city by 11.1 percent compared to the same time last year, with an 8.7 percent increase over a two-year period.

A man is arrested by a Los Angeles Police Department officer in Venice Beach, Calif., on June 2, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

LAPD Chief Michel Moore said the city saw an increase in shootings in Aprilparticularly in the 77th Division in South LA, which had 11 homicides last month that led to the overall increase in violent crimes.

We saw a significant number of shooting violence in the 77th area, Moore said. Some of those did result in homicides, and some did not.

Moore said the key for the LAPD to lower crime rates is to examine pockets of violence and search for crime trends in those areas since violence is not uniform around the entire city.

Police officers search for a suspect in Los Angeles on May 7, 2018. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Robberies, gang activity, and homeless encampments were the three main driving forces behind shooting violence in Los Angeles, according to Moore.

Shooting cases were up 33 percent in April 2022 from last April with 32 additional victims, marking an even larger increase of 61 percent compared to April 2020, with 49 additional victims.

Moore said the LAPD is currently investigating several violent cases from Aprilincluding a warehouse fire and a double homicide where robbery is a likely motive.

Los Angeles Police Department K9 officers prepare for an operation in Los Angeles on Dec. 13, 2018. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

To address gang violence, the LAPD is working with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department and the citys Gang Reduction Youth Development program run by the mayors office to do outreach in areas with high levels of gang activity, according to the chief.

I am encouraged that [the programs] are making contact with a number of individuals that represent various street gangs in efforts to dispel rumors and myths, as well as to dispel tensions resulting many times from social media posts and other low-level nonsense, if you will, that spurs violence and spurs people who resort to this type of violence, Moore said.

Men walk near a homeless encampment in downtown Los Angeles on Jan. 6, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

The homeless population is also affected by high rates of violence, Moore said, with 20 percent of the citys homicide victims this year being homeless.

Moore said that homeless encampments often have significantly high levels of violenceincluding shooting violence, aggravated assaults, sexual assaults, as well as robberies.

The chief said he believes the solution to homeless encampments is not so much as [law] enforcement but shelters, cleanup services, and outreach engagement.

[Our] hope is that the outreach engagement and  [encampment] cleanup services will allow for [housing] placement [of homeless individuals], as well as to resolve a number of these [encampment] locations, Moore said.

A spokesperson for the LAPD was not immediately available for comment.
Legal Organization Challenges BC Regional Government Over Vaccine Mandate for Volunteer Firefighters

A constitutional rights group says it is prepared to take legal action against a regional government in B.C. if it does not accommodate a local volunteer firefighter who asked to be exempt from its mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy on the basis of religious grounds and natural immunity.

On April 28, the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms sent a legal warning letter to the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD), demanding reasonable accommodation to Crag Nygard for exemption from its vaccine mandate for all staff, including paid on-call volunteer firefighters.

Mr. Nygards work as a firefighter is extremely important to him. Providing such an essential service to the community fulfills his wish to contribute to society and to be of service to mankind, says the letter.

The document notes Nygard is seeking an exemption to the mandate on the basis of sincerely held religious beliefs as well as having natural immunity to the SARS-CoV-2 virus after contracting COVID-19 last summer.

To date, about 30 volunteer firefighters in CSRD have been terminated from their positions for not receiving COVID-19 shots, according to Nygard, the letter added.

Charlene Le Beau, the Justice Centre lawyer representing Nygard, noted that the CSRD is now facing a shortage of volunteer firefighters needed to keep the district safe.

CSRD is doing a disservice to the community by denying volunteer firefighters and losing their volunteer services, Le Beau said in a press release on May 3.

Case-By-Case Basis

The CSRD implemented its vaccination policy on Nov. 18, 2021, following a unanimous vote by its board of directors.

On Dec. 3, 2021, the district said its fire protection services were not disrupted even though some of its firefighters opt for a leave of absence rather than provide proof of vaccination.

The districts vaccine policy states that individuals who do not provide proof that they are fully vaccinated, have not requested or are not entitled to accommodation under the policy by Jan. 3, will be placed on unpaid administrative leave of absence, requiring the Personnel to complete a mandatory public health training, and/or meeting with a CSRD appointed medical professional.

In an emailed statement to The Epoch Times on May 4, the CSRD said accommodations for legitimate medical reasons, as well as protected grounds under the B.C. Human Rights Codewhich includes religious groundsis recognized in the policy.

We are happy to work through the process with any of our firefighters who are seeking an exemption under these provisions. As stated in the policy, requests for accommodations will be considered on a case-by-case basis, said spokeswoman Tracy Hughes.

In the legal letter addressed to Derek Sutherland, team leader of CSRDs Protective Services, Le Beau said Nygards request for exemption was denied.

He advises that he has submitted a request for religious exemption to you, but that his request was denied. He also advises that you do not accept natural immunity as a reason for exemption from the vaccine, the lawyer said.

Le Beau added that Nygard has researched the risks and benefits of receiving the COVID-19 shots.

He has learned that the Covid-19 vaccines available at this time carry substantial risks including severe allergic reactions and death, and they have warning labels from Health Canada for the conditions of myocarditis, pericarditis, blood clots, and Bells Palsy, she wrote.

Sutherland said in a press release last December that the districts decision to implement the vaccine mandate was for the safety of the staff and the public.

This policy was put in place by the Board because vaccines are among the best methods of protecting the health and safety of you, and those around you, from the risks of COVID-19, he said.

Do Not Own or Control Peoples Bodies

The letter by Le Beau argued that Nygard is unable to consent to receive any COVID-19 shots against his conscience and religious convictions. Among Nygards concerns include the use of abortion-derived fetal cells as part of the development or testing for certain vaccines.

His sincerely held beliefs prohibit him from participating or benefiting from an abortion, no matter how remote in time that abortion occurred, the letter said.

In addition, Le Beau said Nygard is protected under section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights of Freedoms, which guarantees an individuals rights to bodily autonomy.

Ownership and autonomy over the body and the ability to freely choose what does or does not enter ones body is a critical aspect of individual and religious liberty, she wrote.

Government agencies do not own or control peoples bodies and must never be permitted to act as if they do by coercing anyone to take Covid-19 vaccines without their consent, and by penalizing them if they refuse.

Le Beau said the evolving science does not support a vaccine mandate.

It is clear now that the Covid-19 vaccines do not prevent transmission or infection of the virus, and there are numerous studies to prove that assertion, she said, citing a study published by the Lancet in January, arguing vaccines that permit transmission do not confer sterilising immunity.

Furthermore, the BC Covid Therapeutics Committee, which reviews and critically appraises evidence on the use of therapies in the management of COVID-19, has stated that [p]revious infection alone is equivalent to 2-dose vaccination without a booster.
Leak of Supreme Court Opinion on Abortion Law Is Judicial Insurrection: DeSantis

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has characterized the recent leak of a U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade as a judicial insurrection.

To have that leak out the way it did was really unprecedented, DeSantis said during a May 3 press conference. And I think it was really an attack on a lot of the justices. I think it was an intentional thing to try to whip up a lot of the public, to try to make it very political, potentially try to bully them into changing one of their positions. And that is not something thats appropriate for the judicial branch.

According to the leaked draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito, the court voted to strike down the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that classified abortion as an unenumerated constitutional right, which prohibited state governments from passing laws restricting the procedure. The court also decided to overrule the 1992 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey that upheld Roe v. Wade.

In the draft opinion, Alito writes that Roe was egregiously wrong from the start and that both Roe and Casey must be overruled. Roes reasoning was exceptionally weak and the decision has had damaging consequences. It was time to heed the constitution and return the issue of abortion to the representatives elected by the people, Alito wrote.

The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly relythe Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, the court opinion (pdf) states.

That provision has been held to guarantee some rights that are not mentioned in the Constitution, but any such right must be deeply rooted in the Nations history and tradition and implicit in the concept of ordered liberty.'

Chief Justice John Roberts has called on the Supreme Court marshal to investigate the leak. In his press conference, DeSantis insisted that the person who revealed the court document must be held accountable as the incident is a real, significant breach of trust.

DeSantis said leaking the document was possibly an attempt to kneecap a potential majority through extra-constitutional means, he added.

DeSantis stressed that he believes in pro-life protections and that such protections are based on science and who we are as a society. DeSantis recently signed a bill that bans most abortions in Florida after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Over 20 states are poised to ban abortions once the Supreme Court overturns Roe, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion research group.

If the courts draft opinion is finalized and Roe is overturned, states that continue to allow abortion could see a large influx of women seeking the procedure.

For instance, Planned Parenthood has stated that in the last four months of 2021, after Texas instituted a ban on abortions beyond six weeks of pregnancy, abortion clinics in nearby states saw an almost 800 percent rise in patients from Texas compared to the same period in 2020.
A newly built suburb in the Russian city of Belgorod, some 700 km south of Moscow, on April 11, 2019. (Vasily Maximov/AFP via Getty Images)

RussiaUkraine War (May 4): Russian Governor Reassures Residents After New Explosions in Area Near Ukraine

The latest on the RussiaUkraine crisis, May 4. Click here for updates from May 3.

Russian Governor Reassures Residents After New Explosions in Area Near Ukraine

Two explosions took place in the early hours on Monday in Belgorod, a Russian region bordering Ukraine, but there was no damage or security threat, the top official in the area said.

Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said he wanted to dispel apprehensions among inhabitants of the region that someone or something flew in from the territory of Ukraine.

That is not the case. Our military aviation was performing combat tasks as part of the special military operation, he added, using the official term by which Russia refers to the war in Ukraine.

The fact that he felt the need to reassure residents suggested a degree of nervousness among the population after a spate of fires and explosions in recent weeks at ammunition stores and fuel depots in Belgorod and other southern regions.

Ukraine has not directly accepted responsibility but has described the incidents as payback and karma for Russias invasion.

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UN: More Than 300 Evacuated From Mariupol

The United Nations says more than 300 civilians from the besieged southeastern city of Mariupol and four other towns have been evacuated to Ukrainian-held Zaporizhzhia in a second successful operation to get civilians out of areas subject to Russian shelling and attacks.

Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian chief in Ukraine, said in a statement that many of the civilians from Mariupol, Manhush, Berdiansk, Tokmak and Vasylivka came Wednesday with nothing but the clothes they were wearing and are now getting humanitarian assistance. She said theyll also receive much- needed psychological support.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the 344 evacuated Wednesday are in addition to the more than 150 people who were evacuated earlier this week from the bunkers under the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol, which is surrounded by Russian troops and reportedly came under renewed fire on Wednesday.

No civilians were reported evacuated from the plant on Wednesday. Zelenskyy said they are trying to reach an agreement to save those remaining at Azovstal, including women and children.

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Air Raid Sirens, Missile Fire in Ukraine

Air raid sirens sounded in cities across Ukraine on Wednesday night and missile fire followed shortly after in the cities of Cherkasy, Dnipro, and Zaporizhzhia.

In Dnipro, Mayor Borys Filatov said one strike hit the center of the city. The strikes in Dnipro also hit a railroad facility, authorities initially said, without elaborating. Ukrainian Railways said none of its staff were injured in the Dnipro attack.

Complaining that the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line points across the country. Meanwhile, the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war by proposing a ban on oil imports, a crucial source of revenue for Russia.

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Olaf Scholz Says Sanctions Against Moscow Will Set Back Russias Economic Development by Decades

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says the sanctions imposed by his country and others against Moscow over its war in Ukraine will set back Russias economic development by decades if they remain in place.

Scholz told reporters in Berlin on Wednesday that Russia cannot hope to win a peace with Ukraine unless Kyiv supports it.

A peace by diktat will not work, he said.

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Netherlands Assessing Whether to Supply More Heavy Weapons to Ukraine: PM

Dutch PM Mark Rutte said on Wednesday that the Netherlands is assessing whether it can join Germany, Belgium, and the UK in supplying more heavy weapons to Ukraine.

Rutte said this after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenskyy during which he praised Ukraines steadfastness in the battle against Russia for the Donbas region. The Netherlands will continue to support Ukraines fight to defend democracy and sovereignty, in the short and long term, he wrote on Twitter.

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Russias Gazprom Continues Gas Exports to Europe via Ukraine

Russian gas producer Gazprom said it was supplying natural gas to Europe via Ukraine on Wednesday in line with requests from European consumers.

Requests stood at 98.4 million cubic meters (mcm) for Wednesday compared with 98.96 mcm on Tuesday.

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Biden Says Talking With G7 Leaders This Week About Further Potential Sanctions on Russia

President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he would speak with other leaders from the Group of Seven advanced economies this week about potential additional sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.

Were always open to additional sanctions, Biden told reporters when asked about U.S. plans after the European Union proposed its toughest sanctions yet against Russia on Wednesday, including a phased oil embargo.

Ill be speaking with the members of the G7 this week about what were going to do or not do, Biden added.

Russia has intensified its offensive in eastern Ukraine, Ukraines defense ministry said on Wednesday, nearly 10 weeks into a war that has killed thousands of people, uprooted millions, and flattened Ukrainian cities.

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Ukraine Welcomes EUs Proposed Oil Embargo

In a video message posted on Twitter, Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba welcomed the European Unions decision to propose an embargo on Russian oil. He said Ukraine isnt happy it will be delayed for several months, but its better than nothing.

Kuleba said it should be clear now that times for half-sanctions or half-measures when it comes to sanctions is gone. He says the EU can no longer support Ukraine on one hand by imposing sanctions while continuing to pay Russia for oil and gas and support their war machine.

He also said if any country continues to oppose the embargo on Russian oil, it will be a reason to say the country is complicit in the crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine.

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Russia Bars Entry to 63 Japanese, Including PM

Russias foreign ministry on Wednesday announced sanctions against 63 Japanese officials, journalists, and professors for engaging in what it called unacceptable rhetoric against Moscow.

The list includes Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, and Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi, among other officials.

The sanctions bar the targeted individuals from entering Russia indefinitely, the ministry said.

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Hungary Wont Support Banning Russian Oil

Hungarys foreign minister says the country wont support a European Union proposal for banning oil imports from Russia in a move that could derail the blocs efforts to apply united pressure against Moscow over its war in Ukraine.

In a video on social media, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Wednesday that Hungarys energy supply would be completely destroyed by an EU embargo of Russian oil, which he said would make it impossible for Hungary to obtain the oil necessary for the functioning of the Hungarian economy.

Szijjartos statement came as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed that EU member nations phase out imports of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year as part of a sixth package of sanctions against Russia.

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy Says No Deal With Moscow When Russian Troops Still Remain in Occupied Territory

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country could not accept a deal with Moscow that would allow Russian troops to remain in occupied territory.

Speaking to participants in the Wall Street Journal CEO Council Summit, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had halted the Russian offensive in what he described as the first stage of the conflict.

In the second stage, he said, Ukraine would expel Russian troops from its territory and in the third, would move to fully restore its territorial integrity.

Zelenskyy said he would not accept a cease-fire deal that would allow Russian forces to remain in their current positions. We will not accept a frozen conflict, the president said without giving further details.

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Mariupol Mayor Says Heavy Fighting Under Way at Azovstal Steel Plant

The mayor of Mariupol said there was heavy fighting on Wednesday at the Azovstal steelworks where the citys last defenders and some civilians are holding out.

Mayor Vadym Boichenko said on national television that contact had been lost with the Ukrainian fighters still in the sprawling steelworks and that more than 30 children were among those awaiting evacuation from the plant.

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Ukraine Says It Is Ready If Belarus Joins Russian War Effort

Kyiv will be ready if Belaruss armed forces join Russias war effort in Ukraine, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian State Border Service said on Wednesday.

Belarus, a close ally of Russia, said its military had begun large-scale drills on Wednesday to test their combat readiness and that they posed no threat to its neighbors.

We do not rule out that the Russian Federation could at some point use the territory of Belarus, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, against Ukraine, said Andriy Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraines State Border Service.

Therefore, we are ready, he said, adding that the border with Belarus had been strengthened since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Russia launched the invasion after holding joint drills with Belarus which had allowed it to move more forces closer to the border with Ukraine.

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Russia Says It Fires Cruise Missiles From Submarine, Warns Again on NATO Arms Shipments

Russia said on Wednesday it had fired two Kalibr cruise missiles at Ukrainian targets from a submarine in the Black Sea and reiterated a warning that it would seek to hit shipments of NATO weapons to Ukraine.

The defense ministry published video footage of the cruise missiles being launched from the Black Sea, and said they had hit unspecified ground targets in Ukraine.

Russia previously said it had mounted similar strikes from a submarine on April 29.

Earlier on Wednesday, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu reiterated a warning that Russia would seek to destroy convoys of arms shipments to Ukraine from Western countries, which in recent weeks have stepped up these supplies.

The United States and its NATO allies are continuing to pump weapons into Ukraine, Shoigu told a conference of defense ministry officials on day 70 of what Russia calls its special military operation in Ukraine.

We view any transport of the North Atlantic Alliance arriving on the territory of the country with weapons or materials destined to the Ukrainian army as a target to be destroyed.

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EU Takes Major Step Toward Russian Oil Ban, New Sanctions

The European Unions top official on Wednesday called on the 27-nation bloc to ban oil imports from Russia and target the countrys biggest bank and major broadcasters in a sixth package of sanctions over the war in Ukraine.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, proposed having EU member nations phase out imports of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year.

We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets, von der Leyen said.

The proposals must be unanimously approved to take effect and are likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Von der Leyen conceded that getting all 27 member countriessome of them landlocked and highly dependent on Russia for energy suppliesto agree on oil sanctions will not be easy.

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Kremlin Dismisses Speculation Putin to Declare War on Ukraine on May 9

The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed speculation that President Vladimir Putin planned to declare war against Ukraine and declare a national mobilization on May 9 when Russia commemorates the Soviet Unions victory in World War II.

Putin has so far characterized Russias actions in Ukraine as a special military operation, not a war. But Western politicians and some Russia watchers have speculated that he could be preparing for a major announcement next Monday with a range of possible scenarios ranging from an outright declaration of war to a declaration of victory.

Asked about speculation that Putin will declare war against Ukraine on May 9, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: There is no chance of that. Its nonsense.

Peskov also said that people should not listen to speculation that there could be a decision on a national mobilization.

It is not true. It is nonsense, Peskov told reporters.

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Ukrainians Wait in Mexico City for US Entry

Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees are camping out in Mexico City and waiting for the U.S. government to allow them into the country.

About 500 evacuees were waiting Tuesday in large tents under a searing sun on a dusty field on the east side of Mexicos sprawling capital. The camp has been open only a week and 50 to 100 people are arriving every day.

Some refugees have already been to the U.S. border in Tijuana where they were told they would no longer be admitted. Others arrived at airports in Mexico City or Cancun.

The U.S. government announced in late March that it would accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. Hundreds entered Mexico daily as tourists in Mexico City or Cancun and flew to Tijuana to wait for a few days to be admitted to the United States at a San Diego border crossing on humanitarian parole.

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Fiji Says US Can Seize Russian Superyacht But Not Right Away

A judge in Fiji has ruled that U.S. authorities can seize a Russian-owned superyacht but has put a hold on his order until at least Friday while defense lawyers mount a challenge.

The yacht Amadeaworth $325 millionhad earlier been stopped from leaving the South Pacific nation because of its links to Russia. That order will stand for now, preventing U.S. authorities from taking the yacht to Hawaii or elsewhere.

A question remains over which of two Russian oligarchs really owns the Amadea, with only one of them facing sanctions. There are also questions about how far U.S. jurisdiction extends into Fiji.

Suva High Court Justice Deepthi Amaratunga on Tuesday granted an order allowing the U.S. to seize the superyacht after the U.S. had earlier filed a warrant. But the judge has also allowed for a pause while defense lawyers put together their challenge.

The judges next decision in the case will come on Friday, when he will decide whether to continue to put a hold on the yachts seizure pending a formal appeal by the defense.

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Ukraine: Russia Hit Railroads Across Country

Ukrainian officials say the Russian military has struck railroad infrastructure across the country.

Oleksandr Kamyshin, head of the Ukrainian railways, said the Russian strikes on Tuesday hit six railway stations in the countrys central and western regions, inflicting heavy damage.

Kamyshin said at least 14 trains were delayed because of the attacks.

Dnipro region Gov. Valentyn Reznichenko said Russian missiles struck railway infrastructure in the area, leaving one person wounded and disrupting train movement.

The Ukrainian military also reported strikes on railways in the Kirovohrad region, saying there were unspecified casualties.

Ukraines railroads have played an important role in moving people, goods, and military supplies during the war as roads and bridges have been damaged.

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Zelenskyy: 156 People Evacuated From Azovstal Steel Plant

Some 156 evacuees from the ruins of Mariupols Azovstal steelworks reached the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday after cowering in underground bunkers from Russian shelling for weeks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

In his address to the nation, Zelenskyy accused Russia of breaching agreements to pause fighting long enough to allow vulnerable civilians to be moved to safety.

Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the economic stakes for Kyivs Western backers on Tuesday by announcing plans to block the export of vital Russian raw materials.

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Slovakia, Hungary Wont Back EU Sanctions on Russian Energy

Slovakia and Hungary said Tuesday that they will not support sanctions against Russian energy that the European Union is preparing over the war in Ukraine, saying they are too reliant on those supplies and there are no immediate alternatives.

EU commissioners are debating new proposals for sanctions, which could include a phased-in embargo on Russian oil. The 27 member countries are likely to start discussing them Wednesday, but it could be several days before the measures take effect and its not clear if oil would be among them or Slovakia and Hungary would receive exemptions.

Slovak Economy Minister Richard Sulik said the countrys sole refiner, Slovnaft, cannot immediately switch from Russian crude to another kind of oil. Changing the technology would take several years, Sulik said.

So, we will insist on the exemption, for sure, Sulik told reporters.

Slovakia is almost fully dependent on Russian oil it receives through the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline. Hungary is also heavily reliant, though other major energy importers like Germany said it could cope if the EU banned Russian oil, with officials still noting it is a heavy load to bear.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said the country will not vote for any sanctions that will make the transport of natural gas or oil from Russia to Hungary impossible.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Many Parents Wont Let Young Children Get COVID-19 Vaccines: Survey

If a COVID-19 vaccine is cleared for young children, most parents wont get their children vaccinated, at least right away, according to a new survey.

Just 18 percent of parents with children under 5 years old said they would get the child vaccinated right away if one or more vaccines were authorized for the age group.

In contrast, 27 percent said they will definitely not get their children vaccinated. Another 11 percent said they would only if vaccination were required, presumably by schools and/or daycares.

The remaining respondents said they will wait and see before deciding.

The survey was conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation between April 13 and April 26. The results of a sample of 1,889 adults were released on May 4. The margin of error was plus/minus 3 percentage points.

Americans under 5 are the only age group that cannot get a COVID-19 vaccine. While young children are at little risk from COVID-19, particularly if they are healthy, some parents and healthcare providers have pressured U.S. regulators to clear one or more vaccines for the age group.

Both Moderna and Pfizer are angling for emergency clearance for their vaccines for children as young as 6 months.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to consult with its expert advisory panel in June on the prospect of granting one or both of the requests.

Moderna says its vaccine will be ready in June, provided it gets clearance. Pfizer is now planning to submit data on the youngest age group in June.

Moderna recently announced clinical trial results it said showed the vaccine was safe and effective in young children, though some experts questioned the portrayal of the results. In late April, Moderna officially filed for emergency authorization, and on Wednesday said its submission with be completed in approximately two weeks.

Were very confident, Dr. Paul Burton, Modernas chief medical officer, said on CBSs Face the Nation in a recent interview.

Pfizer initially hoped to submit data in 2021 but had to expand its two-dose trial to a three-dose one after the primary regimen failed to elicit an adequate immune response in all the young children.

The companies vaccines have proven much less effective than originally advertised in adults, providing little to no protection against the spread of the Omicron variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes COVID-19.

Though the shots have held up better against severe disease, health authorities now recommend one or two boosters for most age groups.

Early studies on the effect of boosters show their effect also wanes over time, particularly against infection.
Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Paul Antonio saw Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba, Australia, on May 3, 2022. (NTD)

TOOWOOMBA, AustraliaToowoomba Regional Council Mayor Paul Antonio congratulated Shen Yun Performing Arts after seeing it for the first time.

It was an absolutely amazing night, he said after attending the performance on May 3. I congratulate [Shen Yun] on the standard. And of course our beautiful Empire Theatre here in Toowoomba has great value to us historically  and we are so proud to have you here.

Mr. Antonio, who has been mayor of the Toowoomba region since 2012, praised Shen Yuns calibre: The standard tonight was so high and it was so entertaining  thats the very reason the Empire Theatre tonight was packed.

He described the Shen Yun experience as surprising, adding, I could recommend it to anybody.

New York-based Shen Yun now has seven equally large companies that simultaneously tour the world. This year, Shen Yun declares it is showcasing China before communism.

Divinely-inspired, traditional culture flourished in China for 5,000 years, throughout which people transmitted timeless values such as loyalty, honesty, courage, and compassion, and upheld faith in the divine.

But since 1949, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has systematically destroyed and distorted Chinas rich culture, cutting the country off from its deeply spiritual roots.

Mr. Antonio said that traditional Chinese culture is well worth preserving.

Shen Yuns Beauty Resonates With Audience

Angela Jacob (L) and Sunny Jacob (R) attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba, Australia, on May 3, 2022. (NTD)

Floral designer Ms. Angela Jacob, who was in attendance on the same night, called the Shen Yun experience a visual feast.

Ms. Jacob has owned the Brassall Florist shop in Ipswich, Queensland, for over 30 years. She commented that one of the Shen Yun dances that features the plum blossom flower made her cry.

I just love the colour. It was just beautiful, she said. The beauty of it just brought me to tears.

Gypsy-Leigh Clark (L) and Jay Stevenson (R) attend Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba, Australia, on May 3, 2022. (Yuying Xiao/The Epoch Times)

Meanwhile, professional dance videographer Ms. Gypsy-Leigh Clark had three words to describe her impression of Shen Yun: Magic on stage.

I think the colours and the fabrics are beautiful to the eye. The dance style as well is pretty special to watch; the elegance on stage is nice, she said.

Sitting in the audience I can definitely feel goosebumps and tingles running through me, and I think that in itself was part of the magic that you see, and what theyre creating on stage and how it translates to the audience, Ms. Clark added. Im feeling the spirituality through that energy in the air, and what theyre giving off as well.

Albert Vermeulen (L) and his wife (R) attend Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba, Australia, on May 3, 2022. (NTD)

Mr. Albert Vermeulen, who also found himself in the Shen Yun audience thanks to his wife who organized the trip, said he was impressed by the entire visual experience. Mr. Vermeulen is a doctor who specialises in the treatment of skin cancer.

The choreography, the way its put together, the movements, the colour, the music, the way it flows, has been quite impressive, he said.

Sarah Waters attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba, Australia, on May 3, 2022. (NTD)

Another audience member, Ms. Sarah Waters, repeatedly called Shen Yun amazing and expressed how all the elements of the performance worked together seamlessly.

I just love how everything is in unison together, and the colour  you just cant fault anything, she expressed. Its beautiful.

Ms. Waters is the manager of Oak Tree Retirement Village Baker Street.

She said it wasnt just the surface beauty of Shen Yun that she appreciatedshe also expressed that she gained a deeper understanding of Chinas traditional culture from watching the performance.

The kindness and the caring that are being portrayed through it are lovely, she said.

Ken Green attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba, Australia, on May 3, 2022. (NTD)

Mr. Ken Green, principal of Harristown State High School, a public school in Toowoomba, said he loved Shen Yuns performance from start to finish.

There are aspects of this show that Ive never seen, ever, in a stage show, he commented. Im particularly impressed with the backdrop and how the backdrop becomes part of the action, where someone, who is not a real character, suddenly appears out of the stage and becomes real. I find that fabulous to watch.

Shen Yuns patented digital backdrop-stage performance interaction enables characters depicted in the dance pieces to effectively travel back and forth between the stage and the animated backdrop, the company says on its website.

The newly patented effect limitlessly expands the stage, with the animated images appearing to be lifelike extensions of the performers, it added.

Mr. Green applauded Shen Yuns perfection and precision. He encouraged everyone to come experience Shen Yun.

You must see this show, he said, directing his message at anyone who has not yet seen Shen Yun.

Any words that I use, or any expressions that I use, or any advertisement that I see on television cannot do justice to what is happening before me.

Reporting by NTD, Yuying Xiao, and Gabrielle Stephenson.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
She carried herself like the Spanish aristocrat I fashioned her to be, with a grace all her own

That summer day in Portland, the parish priest was in the old neighborhood and visited the house as a matter of courtesy since he knew that my mother was old and ill. According to my sister, his appearance standing at the bedroom door signaled to her that she must be dying and he was there to administer extreme unction and perhaps anoint her with oil. He stayed a brief time and gave her holy communion. Comforted, the next day she died.

My mothers name was Aurora. Her funeral was held on what would have been her 94th birthday in the month of July some two decades ago. The service was small. I was fine until the notes of Malaguena wafted through the air.

When my sister phoned to say that she had died, my sadness was overshadowed by my relief. Her last years had been difficult and without dignity for her.

A series of strokes had left her unable to walk and her entire left side was paralyzed. Her vision, which was already bad, worsened and she wasnt able to hear.

Yet, her mind was intact, and even though she tended to wander down paths of the past, she was aware of her deteriorating condition and frustrated by her inability to do the things she loved.

She could only read for small periods; the letters appeared jumbled when she was able to make them out, and her fingers had long ceased to be able to crochet or hold a pencil long enough to fill in the blanks of the daily crossword puzzle.

But there was a time when mother was strong and her fingers were nimble.

Early Euphoria

Aurora Vigil Marquez, as a young woman. She was born in Magdalena, N.M., in 1906. (Courtesy of Anita L. Sherman)

When I was very small, some of my earliest memories were of my mother carefully fingering brilliant white gloves on my hands. They were the final touch to my new navy-blue coat. I also had a white beret that she stylishly pushed to one side.

My greatest pleasures were found in the shopping trips that we took together.

Wed get on a faded red bus that wound its way through our northeast neighborhood nearly on the hour and head to downtown Portland, Oregon, some 30 minutes away.

Once there, she rarely released my hand. We would go to our favorite department store haunts.

On one trip, she bought me a pale green sweater that didnt ride up my arms. I remember the polished buttons.

She also bought me a new lunch box for school. She liked the one with a Scottish plaid design but let me buy the one plastered with Superman comics. I was a hit with the boys during lunchtime. They would gather around, not noticing me in particular, but the lure of a flying superhero. I was so happy.

Then she let me choose a new doll. She loved dolls, especially the ones with porcelain heads and fancy dresses. She had a penchant for Madame Alexander dolls and I believe she considered acquiring them a must-have for a young girl. Their features were kind, gentle, and caringall attributes that Im sure my mother hoped would be instilled in me.

When our shopping was done, wed usually go to the basement cafeteria of Meier and Frank and have clam chowder and egg salad sandwiches. When I was older, wed frequent the Georgian Tea room and have a glass of wine with our meal.

I had my first cup of coffee when I was about 12. It was heavily sedated with cream and sugar. Later I drank it black, like my mother did.

One of my mothers particularities was that she absolutely would not drink coffee from anything other than a cup and saucer. She rarely would use a mug, and under no circumstances would she touch Styrofoam.

Mother had a collection of china teacups and saucers that graced the dining room cabinet. I have many fond memories of choosing a favorite set and savoring the aroma of a freshly poured cup usually accompanied by a sweet thing. To this day, it is hard for me to drink a cup of coffee without a cracker and piece of cheese, a croissant, or better yet, a slice of pie or cake.

She loathed the sight of a ketchup bottle on the table. And it was only on picnics that paper napkins were ever used.

The author, Anita Louise Marquez (Sherman), as a toddler. (Courtesy of Anita L. Sherman)

Comfort Food Coziness

One wintry day as I was walking home from St. Rose Catholic School, I caught a glimpse out of my left eye of a chubby classmate abreast a hill crafting a snowball. I should have followed my instincts and crossed the street but I did not. Once his snowball was done, he let it loose, and it hit me hard on the forehead.

I still wasnt too big to sit on my mothers lap. As she wiped away the tears, she told me not to be offended by the uncivilized acts of uncouth and naughty boys, and then she offered me a Cadbury bar.

That was another of her favoriteschocolate, and the richer the better.

Mother loved the taste of butter and explained to me one day that she was saving my father money. She told me that since she didnt frequent beauty parlors, in her mind, butter was a much better bargain.

I remember her combing her long black hair and then deftly creating two braids that she would wrap about her head and secure with tortoiseshell chignon hairpins. As she aged, she kept her hair long. While it thinned and became streaked with soft silver strands, I admired that she didnt chop it off or have a perm but then, in her mind, that probably would have meant sacrificing butter, which she wasnt about to do.

I spent my elementary and high school years in Catholic schools taught by different orders of nuns. Mother was raised Roman Catholic and there was never any question about how I was to be educated.

My mother was faithful throughout all those years, following my studies, reading my school papers, and encouraging me to be all that I chose to be. When it came time for college, even though I know she was skeptical and sad, she bid me farewell with a warm hug as I left for a large university in Seattle.

Composing My Life

My first piano lessons were with a bitter little nun who had bad breath and scared me to death. Shed place her bony hands atop mine and scream at me when I didnt get a note right.

My mother wanted me to learn to play and found a different teacher who lived near us. I loved Mrs. Booth and her two furry dogs and flourished under her direction.

I would sit and play the piano while my mother would read or knit. Her favorite composer was Chopin, and even though she couldnt read music, she knew when Id made a mistake.

She was a consummate reader and loved poetry, particularly Wordsworth. She discovered the American writer Carlos Castaneda before I did when I was in college and introduced me to another novelist, Wallace Stegner.

My mother kept copious journals. Perhaps it was watching her write, seeing the sense of peace to pen your thoughts, observing the careful cursive strokes of her pen or pencil, or smiling over the assortment of colorfully bound blank journals that she so easily filled that prompted my own penchant for journal keeping.

My mother relished trips to the Oregon coast. Those endless stretches of beach would have my mother walking, sometimes singing, and always smiling whether the sun was beating down or a soft drizzle of rain was falling. Shed search for small rocks and shells, feed bread to the seagulls, and stay up late to sit by evening fires where the smell of sand and sea was heady and heavenly.

Years later when I would visit from Virginia with my small children, shed spend time helping them build sandcastles or test the chilly Pacific Ocean with their tiny toes. My mother so loved the sea as I do now.

Everything about my mother was a class act. She wasnt flashy or dramatic. She carried herself like the Spanish aristocrat I fashioned her to besimple, elegant, and with a grace all her own.

Our bathroom always had a different scent because my mother loved soaps. But she refused to use grocery-store brands. She told me that they were harsh and would burn my skin. Instead, whenever we went on our shopping trips, she would buy a box of special soaps. I liked them because the bars were always larger and sculpted, and I never got burned or had red skin with them.

There were a lot of things about my mother that bothered me, and as I was growing up, I knew that I would be different from her.

She never drove a car and never worked outside the home, even though she had been a teacher before she married my father. Her gradual loss of hearing was annoying, and she was always nagging me about standing up straight and wondering if I was happy.

She had no financial sense and no understanding of the business world. She had no interest in politics and couldnt understand why I wouldnt wear my skirts longer.

But my appreciation for her catapulted upon the birth of my own daughter. Now, as a mother myself, I could comprehend the awesome responsibility of raising a child and wanting to do it with heart.

Im a big girl now and have three grown children of my own and four grandbabies. I certainly learned to drive a car and have jobs and, on occasion, balance a checkbook. I understand dying and death and loss.

But whenever I am cuddled up with a freshly sharpened pencil and a crossword puzzle, or hear a prelude by Chopin, or reach to take the ketchup bottle off the table, or add butter to a recipe, or bathe with lavender soap, I remember Mama and wish that she and I could share a cup of coffee together again.
A group of Mexicans walk back into Mexico after being returned halfway along the international bridge from the United States under Title 42, in Piedras Negras, Mexico, on April 21, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Migrants Planning to Illegally Cross US Border Use Private Chat Groups to Discuss Title 42, Best Strategies

PIEDRAS NEGRAS, MexicoAs the Biden administration prepares to revoke Title 42, the migrant chat rooms on WhatsApp are full of chatter about how it might affect their illegal entry into the United States.

Title 42, the public health order, allows for the quick expulsion of non-essential travelers, including illegal aliens.

Id like to know if after Title 42 is lifted, we still need to cross through the Rio Bravo, a Cuban asks in the WhatsApp chat room. He uses the alternative name for the river that divides Mexico and TexasAmericans call it the Rio Grande.

Through the river will be fine. Do it at dawn, 5 or 6 a.m., the river is lower and is less dangerous, says a member with a Venezuelan number.

If youre a migrant heading for the U.S. border, chances are youre in a WhatsApp chat group. Group members on the Facebook-owned messaging app share a wealth of information about current U.S. border policies, where to cross, what time to cross, and even what to say to Border Patrol agents.

Title 42 is suspended in some states. You can read about it, says someone with an Ecuadorian number. The Cubans are passing through, in my group they made it.

Another Venezuelan advised that once Title 42 is lifted, it will be the ICE or USA Migration that will decide if you stay or not, after an interview about the credible fear. And if they accept it, you get in, if not, they send you to Mexico to wait for your audience. Thats it.

A chat room member with a Mexican number said: Its not a secret that many lie about the credible fear to claim asylum.

Only those whose lives are really at risk in their country of origin will pass. Those who will concoct it will have to make up the credible fear very well, the person wrote.

The phone numbers of one chat group come from countries including Mexico, El Salvador, Colombia, Ecuador, Cuba, Venezuela, Honduras, and Costa Rica.

More than half of illegal immigrants arent currently subject to Title 42 removal, as the Biden administration exempted large categories starting in February 2021. Title 42 is mostly (98 percent) being used to expel Mexicans and some Central Americans.

About 70 percent of the illegal immigrants returned under Title 42 during March were Mexican and a further 28 percent were Central American, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.

March and April both had more than 210,000 illegal immigrant encounters at the border and about 49 percent of them were expelled under Title 42.

The remainder were processed, and likely released into the interior, under Title 8 immigration law, including more than 86,000 from countries other than Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, or El Salvador.

The Department of Homeland Security, which already dealt with a record level of illegal immigration during President Joe Bidens first year in office, has stated that ways to remove illegal immigrants will be limited once Title 42 is revoked.

Hiring a Coyote

In Piedras Negras, the Mexican gateway city to Eagle Pass, Texas, a stream of migrants illegally cross the river daily, while others wait to learn more about Title 42 changes before trying again.

A Mexican man waits at the end of a walkway for his friends to emerge. He was processed by Border Patrol a day earlier in Uvalde, Texas, and released halfway along the international bridge in Eagle Pass.

Today, his friends will be returned the same way, under Title 42.

The man, Hector, (not his real name), said he paid a smuggler, or coyote, 35,000 pesos ($1,700) to get to San Antonio from San Luis, Mexico. From there, he planned to go to Atlanta and get a construction job thats paid under the table.

The coyote had gathered 50 people for the 600-mile trip to San Antonio, netting him $87,000 whether he succeeds or not. One trip per month would allow him to collect $1 million in a year.

The group had crossed near Laredo and had been walking for about a week on ranchland, Hector said.

We were waiting on the side of the road to get picked up and thats when we got caught, he said.

The coyote had coordinated drivers to pick up the group at the roadside and take them to San Antonio. The plan was to circumvent the Border Patrol highway checkpoints by foot, then travel by car to San Antonio and everyone disperses from there.

While the coyote was scooped up in the group, everyone knows not to identify him; hell be processed and returned to Mexico just the same as the others who were caught.

A group of about 10 southern Mexicans in head-to-toe camouflage walked out from the international bridge walkway. Hector recognized them as part of his group from the Uvalde processing station. He said the coyote encouraged them to buy camouflage clothing before the trip.

Hector wouldnt say whether he intended to cross again.

On the Mexican Side

Jorge Jimenez from Chiapas in southern Mexico had already been returned from the United States four times under Title 42.

Twice, hed been caught on the train in Uvalde, where Border Patrol agents and their K-9s find hundreds of illegal aliens, often locked in grain hoppers.

The other two times, he was caught not long after crossing the Rio Grande. Each time, he was returned to Mexico the same day.

Its been 11 days since I last tried, Jimenez said. The river is too high, too dangerous. I can swim, but even then, its been hot and I have to walk a long way to evade Border Patrol.

He said hes going to keep trying. His goal is to get to San Antonio.

My dream is to make it and bring my wife, so my son or child can be born in the USA, Jimenez said. His wife is four months pregnant and is still in Chiapas. He said his family-run apparel business is struggling because of increased cartel activity along the MexicoGuatemala border.

Jimenez was outside a migrant shelter in Piedras Negras that provides a meal to migrants once a day at 10 a.m. Another shelter down the road does the same.

Franklin Novio Sosa was just finishing his meal outside the shelter. Hes from Nicaragua and said hes been in Mexico for eight months, but just arrived in the border city of Piedras Negras two nights ago.

I will cross as soon as possible. Right now, theres lots of security, he said. Im diabetic and have heart problems, so I want to make sure rescue is there, in case I need it crossing the river.

Extra military patrols and state police presence were evident in Piedras Negras after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a border security deal with Coahuila Gov. Miguel Riquelme Solis on April 14.

Over several days, however, The Epoch Times didnt see anyone being stopped from crossing the river into the United States, and a steady stream of illegal border crossings into Eagle Pass continued.

Sosa said he has a friend in Indianapolis who has a place for him to stay and a job plowing snow.

I left my sons behind, so I will try to bring them eventually, he said.

He said Nicaragua has problems, but now is a good time to come to the United States, because theres more opportunity with this president, referring to Biden.

Guatemalan Santos Ramirez said he plans to wait a few more days before crossing the river because hes not sure about the laws right now. He said he wants to confirm he can get political asylum.

Under Biden, it seems theres more opportunities, especially with these changes coming up, he said, referring to the end of Title 42.

He spent six months traveling and working through Mexico, first to San Luis, then Monterrey, where he eventually caught a train to Piedras Negras.

His plan is to get to Spring Valley, New York, where his wife and cousins live. Ramirezs wife crossed illegally two years ago and has been working in a restaurant illegally since.

She hasnt done any legal process, he said. Their three children, aged 15, 13, and 6, are living with his sister in Guatemala.

Hopefully, one day I can bring them in legally, he said.

Down on the bank of the Rio Grande in Piedras Negras, a group of Hondurans start wading across the 250 feet of river toward Eagle Pass. The group of two women, one man, and four young children had been returned via Title 42 about a week prior and were ready to try again. While the river is swift and deep and the children are scared, they make it across and are met by Texas National Guard members, who escort them to Border Patrol agents.

Another group approaches the river. A man holds an 8-week-old baby and prepares to cross with two women and three young girls. Theyre all from Honduras, and its their first time crossing.

A Guatemalan woman wades in to go with the group, but her sandal breaks and she quickly retreats to the riverbank. She said shell probably try again the next day. Her son crossed two years ago, and she wants to join him in Washington.

Another Honduran family sits on the riverbank and watches. They said theyve been in Piedras Negras for three days and theyre waiting to cross. They plan to go to Covington, Louisiana.

The number of drownings in this section of the river has increased recently, including that of a Texas National Guardsman who jumped in to save two people who were later revealed to be involved in drug smuggling.

Preliminary CBP data document 10 deaths in the Del Rio Border Patrol Sector for the month of April.
Missing Prison Officer Willingly Participated in Murder Suspects Escape: Sheriff

Officials now suspect that an Alabama corrections officer willingly helped a murder suspect escape last week, according to a sheriff in comments published Wednesday morning.

The pieces of the puzzle just came together, Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton told ABC News in an interview.

Law enforcement officials said that Casey Cole White, 38, disappeared last week with prison official Vicky White, who officials said are not related. Casey White was currently serving a prison term for a number of charges, but he was still facing trial for capital murder and could face the death penalty.

Casey White was charged with two counts of murder in the slaying of 58-year-old Connie Ridgeway, while the U.S. Marshals Service said that he was facing a 75-year sentence for a separate crime spree that included a police chase, a home invasion, and a carjacking.

I think all of our employees and myself included were really hoping that she did not participate in this willingly. But all indications are that she absolutely did, Singleton said. Were very disappointed in that because we had the utmost trust in her as an employee and as an assistant director of corrections.

The sheriff added: We know that they maintained contact while he was in the department of corrections up to and including until he was returned here Feb. 25 of this year.

Earlier this week, officials said that the pair had a special relationship, without elaborating. Meanwhile, Singleton told news outlets that other prisoners told officials that the two were romantically involved.

The U.S. Marshals Service also said Casey White had previously made threats against his ex-girlfriend and her sister, warning that if he ever got out, he would kill them and that he wanted police to kill him, ABC reported.

Several days ago, a warrant was issued for Vicki White, charing her with permitting or facilitating escape. Family members and colleagues told The Associated Press they are bewildered by the involvement of Vicky White, who had worked for the sheriffs office for 16 years, with the inmate who was already serving a 75-year prison sentence for attempted murder and other crimes.

Speaking to ABC, Singleton said officials are still not sure where the two may be located as of Wednesday. On Tuesday, he told reporters that its unlikely the pair are still in Alabama.

We were making some good progress on that. We may be hindered now that some of that information has gotten out, he said. But, you know, were still working around the clock to locate them and try to get them back in custody.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Office workers are reflected in a glass railing as they cross a street during lunch hour in Tokyo on June 1, 2015. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

More Japanese Firms Adopt 4-Day Workweek to Improve WorkLife Balance

More Japanese firms have shortened the working week to four days, instead of the typical five days, following the governments annual economic policy guidelines that aim to improve the nations worklife balance.

Panasonic Holdings Corporation ADR was the latest company to adopt the four-day workweek, joining global bank Mizuho and Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing Co., local media Kyodo News reported May 3.

Panasonic CEO Yuki Kusumi said the company strives to achieve an optimum worklife balance for its diverse workforce. Employees will be able to work side jobs on their days off under the new working rules.

Japan is known for its rigid work structure, where long hours at the office symbolize a strong work ethic. However, in recent years, cases of so-called overwork, in which employees have committed suicide or suffered health issues, have forced the country to reckon with its work culture.

The government first introduced an optional four-day workweek in its 2021 economic policy guidelines, encouraging firms to allow employees to work four days a week to improve worklife balance, particularly for those with family care duties.

Japanese multinational conglomerate Hitachi Ltd. is one of the organizations that has adopted the optional four-day workweek, allowing its employees to arrange their own work schedule as long as they meet the required monthly working hours.

Pharmaceutical firm Shionogi & Company Ltd. has also allowed its workers to take an extra day off to acquire new skills or build networks through education or a second job. Workers on a four-day workweek will receive 80 percent of their regular salaries.

Companies see the four-day workweek as a way to hold onto skilled employees as it takes time to hire someone new and raise them to the same level, Hiromi Murata, a senior researcher at Japan-based Recruit Works Institute, told Kyodo News.

Japans third-largest lender Mizuho Financial Group Inc. offered some 45,000 staff members three- or four-day options, while Microsoft Corp. said in 2021 that its productivity increased 40 percent after giving its 2,300 Japan-based employees Fridays off.

But there are concerns over how the four-day workweek will work in Japan. Hisashi Yamada of the Japan Research Institute told Kyodo News that the four-day workweek could complicate personnel management and evaluation.

Lets say, if employees take second jobs, it would be difficult for managers to know how long they work in total and to evaluate equally those who take two days off a week and those who take three. From the employees standpoint, they would not want to see their income from their main jobs decrease, Yamada said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
The greatest gift we can offer our mothers, besides gratitude, is passing along their lessons to our children

For me, Mothers Day often brings to mind an old poem by Rudyard Kipling:

If I were hanged on the highest hill,

Mother o mine, O mother o mine!

I know whose love would follow me still,

Mother o mine, O mother o mine!

If I were drowned in the deepest sea,

Mother o mine, O mother o mine!

I know whose tears would come down to me,

Mother o mine, O mother o mine!

If I were damned of body and soul,

I know whose prayers would make me whole,

Mother o mine, O mother o mine!

Given the violent potential fates of this poor soul, I suspect these lines are aimed more at men than women. Whatever the case, they always make me think of my mom. I knew without a doubt that no matter what happened, her love would follow me still. She was my mom, yes, but while she lived she was also a best friend.

As Mothers Day approached this spring, for no discernible reason my thoughts drifted to women and their mothers, specifically to daughters who were now themselves mothers. I knew what gifts my mom had bestowed on me, but what treasures, I wondered, had mothers passed along to their daughters, maternal gems of example and advice that they in turn would endeavor to hand on to their own children?

I had no idea.

So I decided to find out.

But before I share what I discovered, a note is in order. To all those readers who have loved and lost a child, no matter how young or old, or who have lost a mother, whether by death or by bitter division, Mothers Day can be a purgatory of suffering. For you, I have no words of consolation, no easy aphorisms or balms except to say, Im sorry for your loss.

Compassion and Courage

Katharine Miller of Pennsylvania is a 30-something wife and mother of seven. On the eve of her college graduation, her mother suffered a brain aneurysm. She died five days later.

A tender look crept into Millers eyes as she revisited her memories. I guess Moms first gift was kindness, she said. She was a stellar example of how to treat people, to be smiling and gracious and engaging. When I was young and going off to camp, she told me to make it a point to find the loneliest person in the room and talk to that person.

Miller thought a moment, then added, She was always telling me to stand up for what was right and for my beliefs, and to be brave.  She told me I would always face some sort of fear and needed to stand up to it.

Faith

Annie, a wife and mother of four children who also lives in Pennsylvania, is a native of Benin in West Africa, and traveled around Africa as a girl because of her fathers work as a diplomat. We spoke by phone, and I could hear the affection for her mother in her gentle voice.

She said: Many Africans have the support of relativesaunts and uncles and cousinsbut because we were away so much, my mom was often on her own. She and my father were educatedmy mother had done graduate studies in French literatureand the world we lived in worshipped money and power, but my mom got us through that with the gift of her religious faith. She was tireless in her defense of that faith, seeing that we went to adoration and confession. But it was more than the sacraments. She lived her faith so that you could see it was real.

Today, Annie does her best to pass her mothers gift to her own children.

Service

The youngest mom I spoke with was in her late 20s, Donna Lagle of North Carolina, wife of a firefighter and mother of two young sons. A former schoolteacher, shes now a full-time mom who also works from home as a sales rep.

Lagle credits her mother for instilling in her a sense of service to others: She has a love for people and a passion for helping them: family, friends, people at church. Its sometimes a blessing and a curse because she doesnt always leave time enough for herself. Her example has helped me be a better mom, a better wife, and a better friend. A high school acquaintance called me the other day to ask about the products I sell and then opened up to me about her problems. Shes struggling with some things, and we shared. Taking time to serve people was the best thing my mom taught me.

Home Life

Anne of Western North Carolina is a wife, a mother of four, and a grandmother who also worked as a veterinarian. Her mom is 103 years old, suffers from dementia, and lives in an assisted living home 45 minutes away, where Anne visits her at least once a week.

She set the tone in our household, and not in a dictatorial way at all, Anne said. I didnt recognize the beauty of it until I was older. It was a calm household with sensible boundaries, and there was a good healthy support system. She was loyal to her children, and she would stand up for us if she needed to. She was kind and never raised her voice. In hindsight, I really valued all of that so much. Theres an art to maintaining a calm, connected household. I think I tried for that as a parent.

Speaking with Anne, I could hear the echoes of her mothers kindness in her voice.

Sacrifice

Rebecca McMahon of Virginia, wife and mother of three with another on the way, praised her mother as selfless. I have very few memories of her buying anything for herself, she said, adding with a laugh, When she was 52 and my sister was getting married, a group of us went to get a manicure. Im not sure how to behave, her mother told us as we entered the shop. Ive never had anyone do my nails.

McMahon valued her mothers example as a homemaker. Heres a woman who homeschooled six kids, cooked and baked so much that the house was always filled with wonderful smells, and who kept her home immaculate. Ive tried to do the same.

Like some of the others I interviewed, McMahon credited her mom for passing on her religious faith. She and Dad often took us to daily Mass, and she was dedicated to the rosary, saying it every night no matter how tired she was.

Lessons Learned

On this special day, we can bring our mothers flowers and fancy cards, treat them to lunch, and even buy them extravagant gifts. All of these gestures express our love for them and for what they did. But after speaking with these women, I believe the greatest gifts we can offer our mothers are words of gratitude from the heart and passing along their lessons to our children.

And for those whose mothers are gone, I encourage you to tell stories of them to the younger set, your children and grandchildren. Share their love and wisdom with the next generation.

Finally, for you moms with infants and toddlers, you have some big shoes to fill. As William Makepeace Thackery wrote in Vanity Fair, Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children.

Those children need you. We all need you.
Elon Musk arrives for the 2022 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York, on May 2, 2022. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

Musk Not Worried About Twitter Employees Quitting: Its a Free Country

Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk said that hes not worried by a potential exodus of Twitter employees if his takeover bid becomes reality, with his remarks coming amid reports that some staff are unsettled by his buyout proposal.

Its a free country, Musk told reporters on the red carpet at the annual Met Gala in New York on May 2 when asked about Twitter staff potentially quitting.

Certainly if anyone doesnt feel comfortable with that, they will on their own accord go somewhere else. Thats fine, he added, referring to the prospect that his offer to buy Twitter for some $44 billion will ultimately come to fruition.

Musk has said his aim in seeking to buy Twitter is to take the company private and transform it into an inclusive arena for free speech.

The takeover attempt is not about making money, Musk has insisted, but to effect a number of changes to the platform and reduce the civilizational risk to freedom and democracy from what Musk has described as Twitters excessive and opaque restrictions on expression.

Some of the changes Musk has teased include cracking down on spam bots, making the algorithm open source to bolster transparency, and generally shifting the content moderation policies towards erring on the side of more free speech.

Many Employees Will Not Have Jobs

Some Twitter staff members have reportedly expressed concern about Musks moves to take over the platform, with audio of an all-hands meeting last week reported on by Business Insider detailing some of their fears, including around staff attrition.

Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal was asked by an employee to share his honest thoughts about the very high likelihood that many employees will not have jobs after this deal closes.

Agrawal did not deny that there might be layoffs and said the corporate culture under Musks leadership would be likely to change.

Different organizations have different cultures, but theyve excelled, Agrawal said. It will be different here than what it is today, but for the people who are here, it will be worth it to be here.

I believe the future Twitter organization will continue to care about its impact on the world and its customers, Agrawal added.

Another change Musk has set his sights on is a Twitter management shakeup. Musk has said that if his takeover attempt is successful, the companys Board of Directors will go from being paid millions per year to zero.

Board salary will be $0 if my bid succeeds, so thats ~$3 [million]/year saved right there, Musk said in a tweet that was part of a thread that claimed the interests of Twitters board members are not in line with those of the companys shareholders.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Elon Musk's twitter account is seen on a smartphone in front of the Twitter logo, on April 15, 2022. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

Musk Says Commercial, Government Twitter Users May Be Charged Slight Fee to Use Platform

Elon Musk said on May 3 that commercial and government users of Twitter may have to pay a small fee to continue using the social media platform in the future as part of his takeover of the company.

However, the Tesla CEO noted that the platform will always be free for casual users.

Twitter will always be free for casual users, but maybe a slight cost for commercial/government users, the businessman wrote on Twitter late Tuesday, just over a week after the companys board agreed to his $44bn takeover.

Musk, who is the worlds richest man, did not elaborate on how much the small fee would be.

The Epoch Times has contacted a Twitter spokesperson for comment.

The billionaires announcement came shortly after he shared a cryptic message earlier in the day stating that the downfall of the Freemasons was giving away their stonecutting services for nothing.

If Musks new pay-to-use policy is to be implemented, it would mark the first time a major social media platform has charged users to use its platform.

The Space X founder has previously explained his vision for the freedom of speech and expression within the law on the social media platform, stating that 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.

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 spambots, and authenticating all humans, he said while touting the platforms tremendous potential.

In now-deleted posts on Twitter, Musk also suggested slashing the price of Twitters Blue premium subscription service, banning advertising, and giving an option to pay in the cryptocurrency dogecoin, which he has championed on multiple occasions in the past, Reuters reports.

Elon Musk arrives at the In America: An Anthology of Fashion themed Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York on May 2, 2022. (Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters)

At the annual Met Gala in New York on May 2, Musk said he wants to expand Twitter from a niche platform to one that is used by most Americans.

The goal I have  with Twitter is to have a service that is as broadly inclusive as possible, where ideally most of America is on it and talking, he told reporters on the red carpet.

According to Twitters most recent earnings report, the platform has about 40 million daily active users in the United States.

Musks latest plans regarding fees for commercial and government users come after Democratic lawmaker Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) took aim at an unnamed billionaire with an ego problem in a lengthy social media post on Monday.

Ocasio-Cortez, without mentioning Musk by name, wrote on Twitter that she was tired of having to collectively stress about what explosion of hate crimes is happening bc [sic] some billionaire with an ego problem unilaterally controls a massive communication platform and skews it.

In response, billionaire Musk wrote: Stop hitting on me, Im really shy, alongside a smiley face.

The Democrat later retweeted the conversation with Musk alongside the caption: like I said, ego problems.
You would think that the scientific community, public officials, and every media outlet in the world would be discussing a new peer-reviewed article entitled, Increased emergency cardiovascular events among under 40 population in Israel during vaccine rollout and third COVID19 wave. Why? Because the results of this study are nothing short of astounding.

This data analysis was published on April 28, 2022 in the multidisciplinary British scientific journal Nature. Nature is one of the most prestigious scientific journals in the world.

The research was co-authored by Drs. Christopher Sun, Ph.D, a postdoctoral fellow with Healthcare System Engineering at Massachusetts Generation Hospital and with the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Sloan School of Management; Eli Jaffe, Ph.D., who is affiliated with Israels National Emergency Medical Services, and one of Israels leading authority in the field of emergency medicine and medical management; and Retsef Levi, Ph.D., the J. Spencer Standish (1945) Professor of Operations Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Their team analyzed data collected by Israels National Emergency Medical Services between 2019 and 2021. They found that there was an over 25 percent increase in emergency calls about cardiac arrest and acute coronary syndromean umbrella term used for coronary problems associated with sudden-onset reduced blood flow to the heart, according to the Mayo Clinic for young adults, ages 16 to 39 years old, compared to the same time period in both 2019 and 2020.

Furthermore, the researchers discovered that this increase in emergency heart issues was associated with COVID-19 vaccination but not with COVID-19 infections.

They explain:

An increase of over 25% was detected compared with the years 20192020. [T]he weekly emergency call counts were significantly associated with the rates of 1st and 2nd vaccine doses administered to this age group [16 to 39] but were not with COVID19 infection rates. While not establishing causal relationships, the findings raise concerns regarding vaccineinduced undetected severe cardiovascular sideeffects and underscore the already established causal relationship between vaccines and myocarditis, a frequent cause of unexpected cardiac arrest in young individuals.

More Cause for Concern



As the three scientists themselves point out, this new peer-reviewed science dovetails with a growing body of scientific and clinical evidence that shows myriad side effectssome of which are extremely severefrom COVID-19 vaccines themselves.

The scientific community has started to document the side effects. For instance, in June of 2021 an international team of sixteen scientists published a research letter noting the temporal relationship between the onset of acute myocarditis in eight adult men, between the ages of 21 and 56.

These scientists, writing in the journal Circulation, underscored that the real incidence of acute myocarditis after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination  appears to be extremely rare, given the millions of people who had been vaccinated seemingly without incident. Still, they wrote, providers should be vigilant for myocarditis after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination, and further research is required to understand the long-term cardiovascular risks.



The link between inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) and inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart (pericarditis) was further explored in a detailed article published in the British Medical Journal that same month: Covid-19: Should we be worried about reports of myocarditis and pericarditis after mRNA vaccines?

That article quoted Dr. Vinay Prasad, a hematologist-oncologist and associate professor in the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California San Francisco, who expressed deep reservations about giving COVID-19 vaccines to young people, given the early reports of heart damage.

There is a clear and large safety signal in young men and a clear but small signal in young women as well, Prasad said. Given the risk of cardiac damage, Prasad said, the safest way forward would be to suspend all vaccination in children under eighteen and give only one vaccine dose to men under 25.

More recently, in February 2022, three scientists (a researcher based in Germany, a physicist also based in Germany, and an independent data and pattern scientist based in the Netherlands) published a letter to the editor in the journal Clinical and Translational Discovery, The risk-benefit ration of Covid-19 vaccines: Publication policy by reattraction does nothing to improve it.

This letter also analyzed data from Israel. The data is disturbing. These scientists concluded that as we vaccinate 100 000 persons, we might save five lives but risk two to four deaths.

Among other things, they pointed out that the CDCs own passive reporting system, VAERS, which is now showing several very concerning signalsas of April 22, 2022, 27,532 deaths post-vaccination have been reported, as well as 14,096 heart attacks, and 39,639 cases of myocarditis/pericarditisis known for underestimating both deaths and adverse effects from vaccines.

Who are the people behind these numbers? The young people who were eager to get vaccinated so they could theoretically be protected against COVID-19 and also theoretically protect others but instead lost their lives or had their health severely compromised as a result of vaccine-induced myocarditis?

Benjamin Goodman, 32, Dies 14 Hours After J&J Vaccine

One of those people is Benjamin Gordon Goodman, a successful and enterprising young man who was working in the television industry but had decided to go back to school to get an MBA. About a week after Goodman turned 32, he went to a Walgreens in Chelsea for his COVID-19 vaccine. He chose to get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine so he would only need one shot.

According to Goodmans stepmother, Pamela Everett Goodman, a little after 4:00 p.m. that day Goodman texted them a photograph of his vaccination card. He also texted he had a horrible headache, which had come on almost instantly. He went back to his apartment, thinking he could sleep off the side effects. But that night, around 1:00 a.m., he spiked a very high fever. At 3:00 a.m. his fiance woke up to him having a seizure. She called 911.

Emergency Medical Technicians tried to restart his heart. They brought Goodman to Mount Sinai Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 6:05 a.m. on March 14, 2021. Goodman had been eager to buy a plane ticket to visit Vanderbilt, one of several prestigious graduate MBA programs that accepted him. His family thought they would soon be planning a wedding. Instead, they found themselves planning their sons funeral.

The immediate cause of death listed on his death certificate: Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Other significant conditions contributing to death: Febrile Reaction Following Covid-19 Vaccination.

CDC Stays Silent, Provides Inaccurate Information to the Public

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the nations health protection agency. According to their website, the CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats. To accomplish that mission, the CDC conducts critical science and provides health information that protects our nation against expensive and dangerous health threats, and responds when these arise.

However, when it comes to severe adverse events following the COVID-19 vaccines, however, the CDC has greatly downplayed the risks.

When accessed by The Epoch Times, the public material on their website about vaccine-induced myocarditis had not been updated since November 12, 2021. That information, already six months out of date, mentions that cases of myocarditis reported to VAERS have occurred, especially in adolescent men and young adults. The CDC details that myocarditis has been seen more often with the second dose, and usually within a week of vaccination.

At the same time, according to the CDC, Most patients with myocarditis or pericarditis who received care responded well to medicine and rest and felt better quickly.

Perhaps even more misleading, there is no mention of any kind of heart attacks, acute coronary syndrome, myocarditis or pericarditis by the CDC in their web article, Possible Side Effects After Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine. This article, too, is grossly out of date.

Last updated on January 12, 2022, the side effects that the CDC mention include only pain, redness, and swelling on the arm where you got the shot, and tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea throughout the rest of your body. Handouts available in PDF form that are shared with people considering the vaccine also make no mention of heart damage.

While the cardiac safety signals are worrisome, especially for adolescents and young adults, it is heartening that more and more scientists have started to carefully analyze the data, publish their findings, and voice concerns about possible side effects of these COVID-19 vaccines. It is only when people are armed with accurate medical informationboth positive and negativethat trust in public health authorities and the vaccine schedules they recommend can be restored.

Jennifer Margulis, Ph.D., is an award-winning science journalist and frequent contributor to The Epoch Times.

Joe Wang, Ph.D., was a lead scientist for Sanofi Pasteurs SARS vaccine project in 2003. Hes now the president of New Tang Dynasty TV (Canada), a media partner of The Epoch Times.

References

[1] Sun, C.L.F., Jaffe, E. & Levi, R. Increased emergency cardiovascular events among under-40 population in Israel during vaccine rollout and third COVID-19 wave. Sci Rep12, 6978 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-10928-z

[2] Acute coronary syndrome, Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/acute-coronary-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20352136. Accessed 5/4/2022.

[3] Larson KF, Ammirati E, Adler ED, Cooper LT Jr, Hong KN, Saponara G, Couri D, Cereda A, Procopio A, Cavalotti C, Oliva F, Sanna T, Ciconte VA, Onyango G, Holmes DR, Borgeson DD. Myocarditis After BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 Vaccination. Circulation. 2021 Aug 10;144(6):506-508. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATION AHA.121.055913. Epub 2021 Jun 16. PMID: 34133884; PMCID: PMC8340725.

[4] Covid-19: Should we be worried about reports of myocarditis and pericarditis after mRNA vaccines? BMJ 2021; 373: n1635 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n1635 (Published 24 June 2021).

[5] The risk-benefit ratio of Covid-19 vaccines: Publication policy by retraction does nothing to improve it, Harald Walach, Rainer J. Klement, Wouter Aukema, 25 February 2022. https://doi.org/10.1002/ctd2.35

[6] VAERS COVID Vaccine Adverse Event Reports, OpenVaers.com, https://openvaers.com/covid-data. Accessed on 5/4/2022.

[7] Lazarus, R., Klompas, M., Campion, F. X., McNabb, S. J., Hou, X., Daniel, J., Haney, G., DeMaria, A., Lenert, L., & Platt, R. (2009). Electronic Support for Public Health: validated case finding and reporting for notifiable diseases using electronic medical data. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association: JAMIA, 16(1), 1824. https://doi.org/10.1197/jamia.M2848.

[8] https://www.cdc.gov/about/organization/mission.htm. Accessed 5/4/2022.

[9] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/myocarditis.html. Accessed 5/4/2022.

[10] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expect/after.html. Accessed 5/4/2022.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Newsom Vows to Make California a Sanctuary State for Abortions

LOS ANGELESGov. Gavin Newsom vowed May 4 to make California a safe haven for women from other states seeking abortions, following a potential overturn of the federal abortion law under Roe v. Wade.

This never [has] happened in our lifetime, Newsom said during a press conference at a Planned Parenthood office in Los Angeles. Were taking away rights that have been affirmed over and over again and well established  wake up America.

Newsom met alongside Planned Parenthood advocates holding signs with the words ban off our bodies, following the leak of a draft decision written by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, which is being investigated, of the possible overturning of Roe v. Wadethe 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

The governor became emotional while warning residents that the government was coming after them and their right to privacy, while highlighting the extremist Republican Party that, he said, is denying abortions to those in rape and incest pregnancy dilemmas.

I think folks should be really pissed off at this moment, Newsom said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore) called the push to pay for abortions for out-of-state residents insane.

What theyre doing is really over the top. Paying for the abortions for women from all across the country? Thats just insane, Melendez told The Epoch Times in a previous interview.

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, the ruling wouldnt ban abortion nationwide, but instead, let each state legislature decide.

Since the leak on Monday, California has sought to propose an amendment in the state constitution to ensure the right to an abortion without a doubt.

Newsom said the proposed amendment will be presented to voters in the November general election.

State Senate Leader Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) voiced their support for the effort.

California is proposing an amendment to enshrine the right to choose in our state constitution so that there is no doubt as to the right to abortion in this state, the governor, Atkins, and Rendon said in a joint statement.

We know we cant trust the Supreme Court to protect reproductive rights, so California will build a firewall around this right in our state constitution. Women will remain protected here.

Vanessa Serna Follow Vanessa Serna is a California-based daily news reporter for The Epoch Times.
People watch a TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea's missile with file footage, at a train station in Seoul, South Korea, on May 4, 2022. (Lee Jin-man/AP Photo)

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Amid Rising Animosities

SEOUL, South KoreaNorth Korea launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to speed up the development of his nuclear weapons at the fastest possible pace and threatened to use them against rivals.

The launch, the Norths 14th round of weapons firing this year, also came six days before a new conservative South Korean president takes office for a single five-year term.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired from the Norths capital region and flew to the waters off its eastern coast. It called North Koreas repeated ballistic missile launches a grave threat that would undermine international peace and security and a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions banning any ballistic launch by the North.

The statement said that Won In-Choul, the South Korean JCS chief, held a video conference about the launch with Gen. Paul LaCamera, an American general who heads the South Korea-U.S. combined forces command in Seoul, and they agreed to maintain a solid joint defense posture.

Japan also detected the North Korean launch and quickly condemned it.

North Koreas series of actions that threatens the peace, safety, and stability of the international community are impermissible, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters during his visit to Rome.

Kishida said hell discuss the launch when he meets Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi later Wednesday. Naturally, we will exchange views on the regional situation in the Indo-Pacific and East Asia, and I will thoroughly explain the reality of the region including the North Korean missile launch today, to gain understanding about the pressing situation in the East Asia, he said.

Japans Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (C) speaks to reporters after North Korea fired a ballistic missile amid rising animosities, during his visit to Rome, on May 4, 2022 . (Sadayuki Goto/Kyodo News via AP)

Japanese Vice Defense Minister Makoto Oniki said that the missile was believed to have landed in waters outside of the Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone. There has been no report of damage or injury reported from vessels and aircraft in the area.

It wasnt immediately known what missile North Korea launched. South Koreas military said the missile flew about 470 kilometers (290 miles) at the apogee of 780 kilometers (485 miles), while Oniki of Japan said it traveled about 500 kilometers (310 miles) at the maximum altitude of 800 kilometers (500 miles).

Observers say North Koreas unusually fast pace in weapons testing this year underscores its dual goal of advancing its missile programs and applying pressure on Washington over a deepening freeze in nuclear negotiations. They say Kim eventually aims to use his expanded arsenal to win an international recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state that he believes would help force the United States to relax international economic sanctions on the North.

One of the North Korean missiles tested recently was an intercontinental ballistic missile potentially capable of reaching the entirety of the American homeland. That missiles launch broke Kims self-imposed 2018 moratorium on big weapons tests.

There are signs that the North is also preparing for a nuclear test at its remote northeastern testing facility. If made, the nuclear bomb test explosion by North Korea would be the seventh of its kind and the first since 2017.

Last week, Kim Jong Un showcased his most powerful nuclear-capable missiles targeting both the United States and its allies during a military parade in capital, Pyongyang. During a speech at the parade, Kim said he would develop his arsenal at the fastest possible pace and warned that the North would preemptively use its nuclear weapons if its national interests are threatened.

North Korea has previously unleased harsh rhetoric threatening to attack its rivals with its nuclear weapons. But the fact that Kim made the threat himself and in a detailed manner have caused security jitters among some South Koreans. Taken together with North Koreas recent tests of short-range nuclear-capable missiles, some experts speculate North Koreas possibly escalatory nuclear doctrine would allow it to launch preemptive nuclear strikes on South Korea in some cases.

Wednesdays launch came before the May 10 inauguration of South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol, who has vowed to boost Seouls missile capability and solidify its military alliance with Washington to better cope with increasing North Korean nuclear threats.

North Korea has a history of raising animosities with weapons tests when Seoul and Washington inaugurate new governments in an apparent bid to boost its leverage in future negotiations.

Yoons power transition office called the latest North Korean launch a grave provocation and urged Pyongyang to stop acts that raise tensions and threaten international peace. It said in a statement that the Yoon government will strongly respond to North Korean provocations in close cooperation with the international community.

Some experts say the Biden administrations passive handling of North Korea as it focuses on Russias invasion of Ukraine and an intensifying rivalry with China is allowing more room for the North to expand its military capabilities.

The Biden administrations actions on North Korea have so far been limited to largely symbolic sanctions and offers of open-ended talks. North Korea has rejected the administrations offer for talks, saying it must first abandon its hostile policy, in an apparent reference to U.S.-led international sanctions and U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises.

By Hyung-Jin Kim, Kim Tong-Hyung, and Mari Yamaguchi
What does it mean to obey God regarding health? Is an ethic for living a balanced life detailed in the holy book of each religious tradition? Or does following Gods law require a reinterpretation to guide modern-day adherents to be faithful servants of soil and spirit to empower human health?

Although the answers to these questions apply equally to those following or rejecting a faith traditionsimply because natural law affects all lifeI will focus on those of a Western religious background, where I see the greatest disconnect in clinical practice.

Creation, by Gods design, implies a natural law of rhythms and observances. Just as the sun sets and the moon rises, the wise wind down and prepare for a long night of rest and recovery. Subsisting on a few hours of sleep breaks natural law. You cant burn the candle at both ends night after night without expecting something to go awry in human physiology.

Now take something less extreme, such as getting seven hours of sleep when your body does best with eight. We can feel righteous about our effort to sleep better, but that one-hour deficit will still accrue a breakdown of resilience over time. If you need coffee to get going every morning, the deficit has already set in.

Gods law also dictates that all creation be nourished from the earth, not a factory. You cant eat heavily processed, highly toxic, nutrient-devoid food day after day without expecting a breakdown in optimal health. Nor is there anything written in a holy book about water tainted with pesticide runoff or small-particulate air pollution as being the breath of God. These are artificial ecological challenges that defy natural and thus Gods law. Free will is a double-edged sword, and with it comes the ability to accept or reject natural law.

The principles of natural law are theoretically supposed to be codified within the discipline of medicine, but the modern allopathic application of medicine has a decidedly pharmacological preference that more often suppresses symptoms than fosters good health. Think of it this way: If drugs made people healthy, those taking multiple prescriptions should be superhuman.

Instead, polypharmacy is championed as the solution to many diseases that are, in actuality, imbalances in natural rhythm. The most commonly prescribed drugs treat insomnia; depression; anxiety; and elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar. The corresponding disease states are allwithout exceptiondisorders of lifestyle brought on from breaking natural law.

During my many years of clinical practice, I have observed the beautiful soul of a devout believer shrouded by the shadow of illness wrought from breaking Gods law by not appreciating and following natural law. Ive cared for hungover evangelical Christians and provided nutritional counsel to anemic Buddhists who refuse to consume animal foods. As an example of how institutionalized the disregard of natural law has become, Ive witnessed an obese Catholic monk smuggling candy to an altar boy during Mass.

This blog is not written to criticize any religious group. Though Christians make up most of my patient base, I have found a similar trend of neglecting natural law in followers of nature-based pagan religions. This is surprising, considering Western paganism is rooted in natural rhythms that are ritually honored through seasonal rites and a strong emphasis on environmentalism. Wiccan and druid faiths worship both god and goddess energies (and revere the Earth as the divine mother) but something gets lost in translation between being ecologically focused and biologically wise.

Whether you identify with being an atheist primate or a cherished creation of God, it is imperative to own the role as steward of this planet and caretaker of your health by following natural law. Rally that prefrontal cortex or prayerful heart and ask yourself this: How can I live in better balance with natural rhythms?

Atheists and agnostics must wrestle with how scientism distorts living in accordance with natural rhythms. Faith communities must also engage in thoughtful discussion on what constitutes natural law as ordained by God. All life reflects the health and integrity of the environment. Whatever your beliefs, an empowered, unpolluted body is best suited for the highest expression of human potential.
Thank you for reading!

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Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-Okla.) speaks during a roundtable at the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, on June 18, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Oklahoma Governor Signs Heartbeat Abortion Ban Into Law, Effective Immediately

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt on Tuesday signed into law a bill banning abortion after cardiac activity is detected, which is usually at six weeks of pregnancy.

The measure, S.B. 1503 or the Oklahoma Heartbeat Act, comes into effect immediately. Exceptions apply in cases of a medical emergency, but do not apply for pregnancies due to incest or rape.

I want Oklahoma to be the most pro-life state in the country because I represent all 4 million Oklahomans who overwhelmingly want to protect the unborn, Stitt, a Republican, said on Twitter.

The Oklahoma Heartbeat Act was passed by the Republican-led Oklahoma legislature before its signing. The Oklahoma Supreme Court earlier in the day declined to block the laws enforcement pending the outcome of litigation challenging it.

The law is modeled after a similar Texas law in its enforcement mechanism, requiring private citizens to mount civil lawsuits against providers or any person who aids or abets an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Those filing the lawsuits have up to six years since the alleged abortion to do so. They can win up to $10,000 in civil damages for each abortion case. The mother involved in the abortion is not subject to any civil actions.

Oklahoma is now the second U.S. state with a law in effect similar to that of the Texas Heartbeat Act, also known as Senate Bill 8 (SB 8), which has withstood legal challenges since it took effect in September 2021.

Because no state officials are involved in enforcing the law, abortion providers have found it difficult to bring legal challenges against particular individuals. On March 11, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that state officials do not have the authority to enforce the abortion ban, which effectively ends the abortion clinics federal legal challenge to the law.

Oklahoma had become a frequent destination for those who were previously seeking to have an abortion from Texas. Planned Parenthood abortion providers in Oklahoma saw a nearly 2,500 percent increase in Texas patients in the months after the Texas law took effect compared to the same period in 2020, the organization said. The latest Oklahoma abortion ban means people will have to go elsewhere if they want an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected.

Its just one of several pro-life measures the Oklahoma legislature passed this session in hopes that at least one will withstand legal challenges. Earlier in April, Stitt enacted SB 612, a ban on nearly all abortions that threatens prison time for abortion providers. The measure is due to take effect in August.

The U.S. Supreme Court now appears ready to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, per a leaked draft of the high courts majority opinion published by Politico on Monday. Roe v. Wade has for decades prohibited states from banning abortions prior to when the fetus is considered viable, deemed to be at about 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Activists gather outside the U.S. Courthouse to demonstrate in support of abortion, in downtown Los Angeles, Calif., on May 3, 2022. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

Overturning Roe Unlikely to Change Much in California

Commentary

One always ought to be careful about rumors from the U.S. Supreme Court. But it seems the court soon may reverse the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that threw out the abortion laws in all 50 states, including those that had legalized it. California passed a legalization bill in 1967 under President Reagan, although he soon regretted it. Roe threw out that law along with the 49 others, effectively replacing democracy with kritarchy, or rule by judges.

The hollering currently is exceedingly loud. Overturning Roe only would return the matter to the states, as it was before 1973. Some states would keep abortion legal, others would ban it to one degree or another.

For California, the key is Senate Bill 1301, by state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, a Democrat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. The Reproductive Privacy Act was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Gray Davis in 2002. It was intended to codify Roe v. Wade in state law, in the event Roe was overturned.

At the time, President Bush was pro-life and it was expected he would appoint pro-life justices. In 2005, he appointed Chief Justice John Roberts, who reportedly only wants a narrow decision on Roe concerning only the law at issue from Mississippi, which bans abortions after 15 weeks of gestation. In 2006, Bush appointed Justice Samuel Alito, who reportedly is crafting the ruling overturning Roe v. Wade entirely. Again, we cant know exactly what might be in a decision until its officially handed down, perhaps in June.

No matter what happens with the case before the court from Mississippi, Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, SB 1301 will remain in effect.

According to AP, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Senate President Toni Atkins of San Diego and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon of Lakewood, all Democrats, are pledging to amend the California Constitution to further codify abortion legalization in the state.

We know we cant trust the Supreme Court to protect reproductive rights, so California will build a firewall around this right in our state constitution, the three said in a joint statement.

It takes 2/3 majorities in both houses of the Legislature to pass a constitutional amendment, which Democrats currently have without any Republican votes needed. So if they want to, and all Democrats are on board for the amendment, it could happen quickly.

Then theres the problem of whats macabrely is called abortion tourism. In 2019, Newsom signed a proclamation with neighboring West Coast Govs. Jay Inslee of Washington and Kate Brown of Oregon, both also Democrats, to affirm their support for legalized abortion. They wrote, In the absence of federal leadership on this issue, states must step up and put in place their own protectionsboth in statute and in their state constitutions, and through the expansion of family planning and educationto defend every Americans right to reproductive freedom.

Newsom at the same time signed a Proclamation on Reproductive Freedom, which read in the part guaranteeing free abortions, The right to choose should not depend on the ability to pay. California recognizes this important principle by requiring that all state-regulated private health plans, including Covered California [Obamacare] plans, provide equal access to maternity and abortion services. Further, California uses state funds to ensure that abortion services are available to low-income women.

In March this year, Newsom signed a law ending some fees for abortions through private insurance plans, making them cheaper. But that just means health companies will charge others more for different medical services to make up for the loss. He said, As states across the country attempt to move us backwards by restricting fundamental reproductive rights, California continues to protect and advance reproductive freedom for all.

On May 3, as the news story on Roe possibly being overturned unfolded, the San Francisco Chronicle headlined, How Roe v. Wades fall would create a public health crisis in California. It reported how an influx of abortion tourism could overwhelm the state health system. Well, what did they expect? The state already gives ID cards and free health care to anyone from any country or state who comes here, legally or illegally. Is it surprising free abortions for anyone would attract customers?

Finally, as I have noted before, Newsom seems to be prepping himself for a run in the Democratic Partys presidential primary in 2024, or perhaps in 2028. The problem is stances such as that on abortion would harm him in the general election in the swing states, where abortion is less popular than in California.

Thats especially true of working-class Democrats in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Florida, who more than Republicans for five decades actually have formed the backbone of the pro-life movement. The coming weeks and the drama around the potential Roe reversal could reveal just how far out of touch Newsom is from the majority of American voters.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Farmer Terry Davidson walks through his soy fields in Harvard, Ill., on July 6, 2018. (NOVA SAFO/AFP/Getty Images)

Perfect Storm Hitting US Crop Planting Amid Talk of Shortages

When farmers in the United States returned to their fields in April, officially kicking off the 2022 growing season, they implemented significant changes in their crop plantings.

Due to soaring fertilizer costs and chemical shortages, and protracted drought conditions, farmers are now planting different and smaller quantities of certain crops.

Some experts believe forecasts for the 2022 growing season may outstrip existing production resources and may be overly ambitious.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducted a survey of producers across the country, which showed intentions to plant a record-high 91 million acres of soybeans in 2022. This would be an increase of 4 percent from last year.

However, corn growers surveyed across 11 states revealed a planting forecast of only 89.5 million acres this year. This represents a production drop of 4 percent.

Record low corn production is expected for 2022 in three statesConnecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

Additionally, wheat planting is at its fifth-lowest level since 1919.

A combine drives over stalks of soft red winter wheat during the harvest on a farm in Dixon, Ill., on July 16, 2013. (Jim Young/Reuters)

Despite the challenges, U.S. farmers are soldiering on with strategic moves in an effort to make do with whats available in terms of resources, both artificial and natural.

For lack of a better pun, its the perfect storm. We are having fertilizer shortages and also general chemicals related to agriculture, Reb Wayne at the Texas Department of Agriculture told The Epoch Times.

Wayne explained smaller yields are a possibility from supply scarcity combined with the devastating effects of drought.

It is already having an impact from what we have seen, he said. People are talking about planting less, and farmers are concerned the yields will be lower regardless, which often happens as a function of drought.

Its hard to measure at this stage what that full impact will be [but] as far as the buzz in the industry is certain, this is going to have a smaller yield across the board. Its not just one crop.

On March 11, the USDA announced a plan to invest $250 million in American-based fertilizer production. The new grant program aims to ease inflated costs and shortages.

Fertilizer supplies in the United States have suffered a series of setbacks that began with pandemic related supply chain issues, creating a noticeable scarcity in 2021.

Then Russias President Vladimir Putin launched a military invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, pushing inflated fertilizer prices even higher.

The price hike resulting from Moscows conflict in neighboring Ukraine is because Russia is the worlds largest exporter of fertilizers, accounting for 23 percent of ammonia exports, 14 percent of urea, 10 percent of processed phosphate, and 21 percent of potash exports.

As part of their crisis response, the USDA intends to launch a public inquiry seeking information about seeds and agricultural inputs, fertilizer, and retail markets to address growing concerns on the logistics side.

Fertilizer levels are a fine balance. (Chafer Machinery, CC BY 2.0)

Recent supply chain disruptionsfrom the global pandemic to Putins unprovoked war against Ukrainehave shown just how important it is to invest in this crucial link in the agricultural supply chain here at home, said agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack.

In Missouri, which is home to 95,000 farms, the inflated price tag of production materials has hit growers hard.

High input costs are certainly a concern. Fertilizer costs are double and triple in many instances what they were last year, Christi Miller at the Missouri Department of Agriculture told The Epoch Times.

Miller said projections indicated Missouri farmers would also be planting less corn, with an estimated 3.5 million acres in 2022. If realized, this would be 100,000 acres less than the previous year.

Because of corns versatile use in food products, experts predict planting shortages will continue to generate higher prices for maize, the cost of which has already risen 5.5 percent this year. This would affect multiple consumer goods, from cornflour, to starch, and high fructose corn syrup.

Cereal and grain product prices will also likely rise by 7 percent on store shelves this year.

All food prices are now predicted to increase, the USDAs Economic Research Service said in a March report.

Though Missouri corn growers are following an established reduction trend, she says consumers can expect more soybeans from the state.

While Miller admits the high cost of fertilizer may be a factor in the conscious decision to plant less corn, the price of soybeans may also play a part. She added farmers planned to use an estimated 6.1 million acres for soybean production.

That would top the previous record of 5.95 million acres in 2017 and is an increase of 400,000 [acres] from 2021, Miller added.

Market prices for soybeans were at their highest since 2012 in March this year, which hit over $17 per bushel thanks to production changes in Brazil and increased demand from China.

Soybeans grow in a field in Dwight, Illinois, on June 13, 2018. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Though profits and shortages aside, drought remains a significant factor in some of the planting changes U.S. farmers are making this year.

Were hearing some of those concerns from the south, and the Rio Grande valley, and in south Texas, where a lot of our vegetable crops come from. The lack of rain even affects our rice farmers, Wayne explained.

Drought conditions will hit the 2022 growing season in at least 20 states, many of which are suffering historic water shortages.

The U.S. Drought Monitor says its critical farmers grow more with less water this season and say the outlook through June anticipates enduring dry spells for nearly half of the country.

Cover crops play an important role in improving soil quality and reducing water loss through evaporation.

Remarkable ground coverage is offered by grass-like products such as rye, wheat, and a sorghum-sudangrass hybrid. Water efficient legumes like medic and Indianhead lentils also fall under the heading of cover crops.

In February, the USDA announced its plan for the 2022 pandemic cover crop program, which offers farmers whove planted a qualifying cover crop this year a premium benefit of $5 per acre on top of their existing insurance.

Our concern with what were seeing here is not just one thing, its across the board, Wayne said.
Pfizer Stock Flies Higher Following Q1 Earnings Print: Heres What to Watch for Next

Pfizer, Inc shot up over 3 percent on Tuesday after printing its first-quarter earnings before the market open.

The pharmaceutical giant reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.62, which beat the consensus estimate of $1.50. Pfizer reported sales of $25.70 billion, beating the $23.95 billion estimate. $13.2 billion of Pfizers sales came from its COVID-19 vaccine.

For the full-year 2022, Pfizer lowered its EPS guidance slightly from $6.35-$6.55 to $6.25-$6.45 and reaffirmed it expects sales of $98 billion-$102 billion, which comes in below the $107.94 billion estimate.

The reaction to Pfizers earnings print was initially bearish, with the stock trading down slightly in the premarket but once the market opened, bulls came in and bought the dip, which confirmed the stock is now trading in an uptrend.

An uptrend occurs when a stock consistently makes a series of higher highs and higher lows on the chart. The higher highs indicate the bulls are in control while the intermittent higher lows indicate consolidation periods.

Traders can use moving averages to help identify an uptrend with rising lower timeframe moving averages (such as the eight-day or 21-day exponential moving averages) indicating the stock is in a steep shorter-term uptrend and rising longer-term moving averages (such as the 200-day simple moving average) indicating a long-term uptrend.

A stock often signals when the higher high is in by printing a reversal candlestick such as a doji, bearish engulfing or hanging man candlestick. Likewise, the higher low could be signaled when a doji, morning star or hammer candlestick is printed. Moreover, the higher highs and higher lows often take place at resistance and support levels.

In an uptrend the trend is your friend until its not and in an uptrend there are ways for both bullish and bearish traders to participate in the stock:

Bullish traders who are already holding a position in a stock can feel confident the uptrend will continue unless the stock makes a lower low. Traders looking to take a position in a stock trading in an uptrend can usually find the safest entry on the higher low.

Bearish traders can enter the trade on the higher high and exit on the pullback. These traders can also enter when the uptrend breaks and the stock makes a lower low indicating a reversal into a downtrend may be in the cards.

The Pfizer Chart

On Tuesday, Pfizer confirmed its new uptrend by rising up above Mondays low-of-day at the $47.46 mark, which makes that level the most recent higher low. Pfizer will need to print a higher high above the April 28 high of $50.77 over the coming trading days for the uptrend to remain intact.

The rise higher on Tuesday has allowed Pfizer to regain support at the 200-day simple moving average (SMA). The 200-day SMA is a bellwether indicator for technical traders because it acts as the boundary between whats considered a bull versus a bear cycle for a security.

Pfizer is also trading in a large triangle formation on the daily chart because on larger timeframes, such as the weekly chart, the stock has been making a fairly consistent series of lower highs and higher lows. Pfizer is not set to meet the apex of the triangle until Aug. 8, making it likely the stock may trade within the pattern for a long period of time, which gives both bulls and bears clear targets for where the stock is likely to reverse course.

If Pfizer closes the trading day near its high-of-day price, it will print a hammer candlestick, which could indicate higher prices will come again on Wednesday. The second most likely scenario is that Pfizer prints an inside bar pattern in consolidation, which would lean bullish for Thursdays price action.

Pfizer has resistance above at $51.86 and $55.70 and support below at $48.89 and $46.55.

By Melanie Schaffer

 2022 The Epoch Times. The Epoch Times does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
A pro-life activist holds a sign outside the U.S. Supreme Court during the 48th annual March for Life in Washington on Jan. 29, 2021. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Pro-Life Organizations Cautiously Optimistic at Prospect of Overturning Abortion Ruling

Pro-life organizations are curbing their enthusiasm at the leaked initial draft majority opinion reportedly written by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, which indicates the court would overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. It would put abortion laws back fully in the hands of states and give voters more local control over the issue.

That is how it used to be, but if Roe is overturned, society will not return to 1973 values and resources, with pro-life advocates saying pregnant women have more options today. In the 49 years since the decision, attitudes about unplanned pregnancies have changed and resources for mothers have increased.

Advocates are not celebrating yet. It is unclear if the leaked opinion is authentic, and decisions are not final until the justices officially rule.

This is encouraging but it is not the final opinion. That final opinion will be coming down sometime between today and the last day of the Supreme Court session, Joe Pojman, executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life, told The Epoch Times. He predicts the session will end in June or early July. This gives us reason to hope, but it is not definitive and were not counting this as the chickens hatched by any means.

Maria Gallagher, legislative director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, said society has suffered much pain through legal abortion.

We are cautiously optimistic that Roe v. Wade will be overturned. It was a horribly tragic decision that resulted in the deaths of more than 62 million precious preborn babies and has caused suffering for countless women who are left to grieve the loss of children to abortion, Gallagher told The Epoch Times. This would mean the issue of abortion would return to the individual states so the people, through their duly elected representatives, can pass laws protecting preborn children and their mothers from harm.

Laura Bogley, director of legislation for Maryland Right to Life, said the ruling would return to the state legislatures their constitutional authority to regulate abortion.

The American people were sold a lie that the federalization of abortion was necessary to make it safe, legal, and rare, but it has become clear that the multibillion-dollar abortion industry cares only that abortion is legal and lucrative, Bogley told The Epoch Times. It is the job of the states to ensure that abortion is safe, and with this pending ruling it seems the states may finally have the opportunity to do their job.

Pro-life activists participate in the 48th annual March for Life outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C. on Jan. 29, 2021. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Better Landscape for Unplanned Pregnancies

Gallagher said our culture has changed its views on pregnancy through the years.

Times have changed and as a nation, we are more accepting of pregnant women in trying circumstances, as we should be. There is a culture of caring that reaches out to pregnant women and extends a welcome to them and their babies, Gallagher said. In the decades since Roe v. Wade, a tremendous network of aid and support has grown for pregnant women facing challenging circumstances.

There is a safety net for everyone, she said.

Pojman said that while the scientific community knew in 1973 that life begins at conception, it was not widely known among the public. But today with ultrasound, it is common knowledge.

Everyone understands now that the unborn child is a baby. It is hard to find anyone who is pregnant who doesnt happily show you the ultrasound picture of the little boy or the little girl, Pojman said. At the same time, society has become much more understanding of women with unplanned pregnancies, including women out of wedlock, and that makes it much more accessible for a woman to continue her pregnancy, even if shes not married.

Lauren Enriquez, spokesperson at Students For Life, found on college and high school campuses, said millennials and Generation Z together make up one-third of the electorate, and they want to have a voice in the conversation about abortion.

We care about how abortion is legislated and how the judicial system rules on abortion. People who were around during Roe v. Wade tend to say abortion is a settled, issue we need to stop talking about it, we need to accept that its the law of the land. And yet it is anything but settled, Enriquez told The Epoch Times. We come from a generation where 62 million of us were lost to abortion, so it really matters to us. The culture has changed, and the resources that are available have changed.

Enriquez lives in Texas, where Roe began, and yet the city of Lubbock has declared itself a sanctuary city for life and outlawed abortion, she said. Theres been no upheaval. People are not freaking out. Life goes on without abortion, and it goes on better.

A pro-life activist holds a model of an unborn baby in a file photo. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

State Laws Differ

An overturn of Roe would add a layer of urgency to state governors races. Governors and state legislators would again drive local abortion policy.

The governors race is obviously critically important to the future of preborn children and their mothers in Pennsylvania, Gallagher said. We need to elect a strong pro-life governor who is going to sign pro-life legislation into law. The stakes are incredibly high.

Roe v. Wade called state laws that fully ban abortion unconstitutional. Current state laws vary widely but none fully ban abortion. That could change.

Even if a state does pass a law that says unborn children are going to be protected, it is not going to send people back to the pre-Roe era, where the numbers were highly inflated as to how many women actually died from illegal abortions. Weve got a completely different world today, Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life, told The Epoch Times. She indicated that medical care has advanced since then. Were going to have some states that protect unborn children almost immediately and others are going to go the other direction and will protect absolutely no child before birth, and they want taxpayers to pay for it. And then were going to have some states kind of in the middle. We are going to work to protect as many babies as we can as soon as we can, but its going to be a long battle in some places.

Texas heartbeat bill went into effect Sept. 1, 2021, banning abortions once a heartbeat is detected. Its decreasing reported abortions at abortion facilities in Texas by about 40 percent, Pojman said.

Texas also passed an Alternative to Abortion Program in 2021, dedicating $100 million to serve 150,000 women for three years after the birth of the child. Texas has more than 300 pro-life pregnancy centers, maternity homes, and adoption centers that provide resources for women with unplanned pregnancies. The legislature also passed the Texas human Life Protection Act. It is a trigger law that goes into effect if the Supreme Court overturns Roe vs. Wade. Under the act, Texas would fully ban most abortions. Other states with similar trigger laws already in place are Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi.

Other states vow to keep abortion accessible.

New York legislators passed the Reproductive Health Act in 2019, allowing abortion up to 24 weeks [6 months] and longer if the mothers health is at risk.

Pro-abortion demonstrators stand outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on May 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

California Governor Gavin Newsom said in December that he aims to make the state a sanctuary for those seeking an abortion. In California, abortions are available up to 24 weeks of pregnancy and the state insurance for low-income individuals will cover the cost of an abortion.

Oregon allows third-trimester abortions, after 27 weeks, with no restrictions, and requires health insurance to cover the procedure.

I am expecting the abortion industry, abortion advocates and their allies in the media to be talking about how, now that the court has overturned Roe v. Wade, abortion is illegal, and I just want the reporting to be honest: that 50 states will get to decide what their laws are going to be. Overturning Roe does not make abortion illegal, Tobias said.

Mallory Carroll, vice president of communications for Susan B. Anthony List, a political arm of the pro-life movement that advocates for policies, took a moment Tuesday to express gratitude for those who started the pro-life movement after the Roe v. Wade decision.

I think that most people knew it was going to take years, Carroll told The Epoch Times. The fact that Americans show up so faithfully every year outside the Supreme Court for the March for Life, the dedicated growth of the pregnancy center movementthe hands and feet of the pro-life movement; our movement hasnt given up over the last 50 years and hopefully, finally, we will see a change and we can move on to the next phase, because this is certainly not the end of the movement, but just marks a step forward.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate J.D. Vance arrives onstage after winning the primary, at an election night event at Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, on May 3, 2022. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Propelled By Trump, J.D. Vance Wins Ohio GOP Senate Primary

CINCINNATI, OhioJ.D. Vance, the Hillbilly Elegy author and venture capitalist who secured the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, defeated Josh Mandel and five other opponents in the contentious Ohio GOP U.S. Senate primary on May 3.

The Ohio primary represented the first test of Trumps influence in the 2022 midterm election cycle, and Vance held the lead from the moment initial results were released.

He will now face Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), who handily defeated Morgan Harper and Traci Johnson in the Democratic Party primary.

U.S. Senate candidate J.D. Vance speaks with prospective voters on the campaign trail in Troy, Ohio, on April 11, 2022. (Gaelen Morse/Getty Images)

Ive got to thank the 45th, the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, Vance said at his victory party at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati, 45 minutes south of where he grew up in Middletown. The fake news wanted to write a story that this campaign would be the death of the America First agenda. Ladies and gentlemen, it aint the death of the America First agenda.

The race is already the most expensive in state history with more than $66 million in TV and radio spending, Columbus-based Medium Buying firm reported.

Vance praised opponents Mandel, Mike Gibbons, Matt Dolan, and Jane Timken for the campaigns they ran, though he did call out Club for Growth, the pro-Mandel Washington D.C.- based PAC that spent millions of dollars on attack ads directed at Vance.

Do we want a Republican party with donors who write checks for the Club for Growth, or Club for Chinese Growth, or a Republican party that fights for the people of Ohio? Vance said.

At the end of his victory party speech, Vance called for unity in a divided Ohio Republican party.

Lets be honest, Tim Ryan is running as a Trump Democrat, Vance said. He consistently votes with Joe Biden.

Vance said that he will celebrate with his family and his supporters, and then launch his general election campaign on May 4.

Ohio is a beautiful state. I got to meet people from all over during this campaign, he said. When Ive traveled around the state, people have looked me in the eye and told me, Please dont forget about me.

I promise you that I will remember where I came from, I will remember who made me who I am, and I will not forget about Ohioans when I win in November and go to the U.S. Senate.
Republicans Urge Attorney General to Order Probe Into Supreme Court Leak

Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) and 18 other Republicans on May 3 urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to order an investigation into the leak of a Supreme Court draft opinionbelieved to be the first leak of its kind in history.

The leak appears to be aimed at foment[ing] discord and upheaval, potentially pressuring justices to reconsider their votes through threats or intimidation, the Republicans wrote to Garland.

This flagrant attack on the Supreme Court, the pinnacle of the judicial branch, threatens to delegitimize and undermine our nations entire judicial system, they added.

The groupall the GOP members on the House Oversight Committeeasked for all documents regarding any investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ), which Garland heads, or its law enforcement partners into the leak and a description of all potential laws that were violated by the person or persons who leaked the opinion.

They also want a description of all the actions the department is taking to ensure the integrity of Supreme Court deliberations, prevent violence, and pursue the individual or individuals responsible for leaking the draft opinion and a briefing by May 10 on the status of any investigations and whether criminal charges are being considered.

This leak is a blatant violation of the confidentiality of all nine justices, and is a breach of trust that they can deliberate any case based on the merits rather than the inflamed fears of the woke mob, Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio), one of the members, said in a statement, adding that the DOJ must work with the Supreme Court to investigate the leak.

The DOJ and the FBI declined to comment. The Supreme Court did not respond to a query.

A spokesperson from the Oversight Committee told The Epoch Times in an email that it was telling that Republicans in their letter did not ever mention what the draft opinion would dooverturn Roe v. Wadeif it were finalized.

Republicans are desperate to talk about anything other than the fact that, if finalized, this opinion would represent the culmination of the Republican Partys sustained assault on the right to abortiona right that is supported by a strong majority of Americans, the spokesperson said.

Surveys show that most Americans support legalized abortion in the first trimester, but majorities across many polls oppose abortion in later terms.

Earlier Tuesday, the court confirmed the leaked opinion was authentic. Chief Justice John Roberts called the leak a betrayal and directed the courts marshal to launch a probe into the source of the leak.

Politico published the draft opinion in question on May 2. Authored by Justice Samuel Alito and described as a majority opinion, it would overturn Roe v. Wade if it is finalized and remains the opinion of the majority.

The opinion was dated Feb. 10 and the court says it does not represent a final decision or the final position of any member on the issues in the case, which is Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization.

Politico described its source as a person familiar with the courts proceedings. Approximately 63 people are considered suspects.

Josh Gerstein, one of the Politico writers who wrote the story, said on MSNBC that neither he nor Politico had spoken to the marshal.

When we published this story, we did what we could to preserve the sources anonymity as they requested, and will continue to try to do that, Gerstein said.

Hans Von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told The Epoch Times that Roberts should ask the FBI to assist in the investigation.

Roberts, as part of his investigation to find out who did this, needs to get recommendations from the marshal of the court and the FBI on anything that can be done to strengthen the security protocols of the court, he added.

Mark Tapscott contributed to this report.
Russian Retailers in Talks to Import Goods via Kazakhstan: Report

ALMATYRussian retailers Magnit and Lenta are in talks with their suppliers and other parties about importing goods via Kazakhstan, Russias southern neighbor and close partner, a Kazakh official was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

Rouble volatility and supply chain disruptions have hit the Russian market since President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24 in what Moscow says is a special military operation to degrade Kiev military capabilities and root out what it calls dangerous nationalists.

The West has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia in an effort to force it to withdraw its forces, while many foreign companies have ceased or suspended their Russian operations.

Working through intermediary companies in Kazakhstan could in theory allow Russian retailers to resolve some issues caused by sanctions, such as making payments in foreign currency.

Yerkebulan Orazalin, head of the entrepreneurship and investment department at the mayors office of Almaty, Kazakhstans largest city, said Magnit and Lenta were looking in particular at goods whose supply directly to Russia has been restricted, Kazakh news website Tengrinews.kz reported.
Ryanair planes are seen at Dublin Airport, following the COVID-19 outbreak, on May 1, 2020. (Jason Cairnduff/Reuters)

Ryanair Load Factor Tops 90 Percent for First Time Since COVID-19 Began

DUBLINRyanairs load factora measure of how well an airline is filling available seatsrose above 90 percent for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic as traffic rose sharply during the key Easter holiday period.

Ryanair flew 14.2 million people in April compared to just 1 million during lockdown a year ago and 13.5 million in April 2019, the second month in a row it has carried more passengers than in the corresponding pre-pandemic period.

The Irish airline, Europes largest by pasenger numbers, said it operated over 82,600 flights in April with a 91 percent load factor.

Chief Executive Michael OLeary said earlier this year that he expected Ryanairs aircraft to be almost 90 percent full by April and above that level in the summer. The airline has said it is profitable when occupancy reaches 80 percent.

Its load factor regularly reached at least 96 percent a month before the pandemic.

The low cost carrier expects to fly 14 percent more capacity this summer than in the same season of 2019, and will carry a record 165 million passengers in the year to March 2023 up from just under 100 million in the previous year and a pre-COVID record of 149 million.

By Padraic Halpin
Families protest any potential mask mandates before the Hillsborough County Schools Board meeting held at the district office in Tampa, Fla., on July 27, 2021. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)

Sarasota School Board Shuts Down Meeting Over Restless Crowd

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.A Sarasota School Board meeting was cut short on May 3 when audience members grew loud and restless and demanded to be heard.

Topics covered at the meeting included textbook content, with a number of people making claims that the school board was pushing Critical Race Theory and social-emotional learning. They also referenced the parental rights bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis banning sexual orientation and gender identity instruction in kindergarten through third grade that others have dubbed the Dont Say Gay Bill. One parent carried a sign calling for the removal of school board chair Jane Goodwin.

The situation escalated as more people became agitated and demanded the opportunity to speak, claiming they had been passed over.

Vice-Chair of the Sarasota School Board, Tom Edwards, who had already moved the meeting into board business, gave two verbal warnings.

This is the business of the School Board, Edwards loudly warned the crowd. If its disrupted one more time, I will clear the room, and well finish our business, the business of the School Board, and I will re-invite you all back in for general comments. So, its up to you how we proceed.

Then, two five-minute recesses later, he cleared the meeting of all spectators.

We are done, Edwards said in a booming voice. Clear the room.

Sarasota County School Board members Karen Rose, Bridget Ziegler, Shirley Brown, Jane Goodwin, Board Chair, and Tom Edwards, Vice-Chair. (Courtesy Sarasota County Board of Education)

However, a number of people elected to stay in their seats.

One parent who refused to leave because she was on the list to speak was Michelle Pozzie. She told reporters that the board intentionally moved her speaking slot from the line.

Were not on the same level as them, Pozzie said. Theyve forgotten that they work for us. Theyve forgotten that we elect them to represent us. Theyve forgotten where the power lies.

Pozzie, a regular attendee of board meetings, said she would be back.

Were not going anywhere, she said. Were going to be heard, and were going to be the change we want to see on the board.

The meeting adjourned 20 minutes later after the official business of the board was completed.

Edwards told reporters that the room-clearing was not to restrict free speech but was about maintaining order.

He said the board moved some agenda-based public comment tickets into the general comment section as some of them were filled out incorrectly or were not clear.

Board member Bridget Ziegler said the board needs to hear the peoples concerns.

I want to get the important work of the board done, Ziegler told reporters after the meeting. Part of that is certainly hearing from the public, all of our stakeholders, whether it be parents or students or staff or just taxpayers in general. I think its very important that we give them the opportunity to speak.

The crowds frustrations stem from some on the board not taking their concerns seriously, interrupting speakers, and creating a toxic environment, she said.

Another parent, John Wilson, said the speaking cards were shuffled and that the board had no one to blame but themselves for the crowds disruption.

Edwards didnt like the reaction from his actions, Wilson said. And this is where were at. Everybody was already irritated.

This incident comes on the heels of the previous school board meeting on April 19 (at the 2:02:27 mark) and shows a member of Moms for Libertys Sarasota Chapter, Melissa Bakondy, being removed by the school district police at Goodwins directive.

This incident incited the community, causing Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman to respond in a YouTube video. He said he does not condone taxpaying citizens being silenced.

I want to be crystal clear to my constituents, the sheriff says in the video. The Sarasota County Sheriffs Office would never participate in preventing a citizen from expressing their First Amendment rights during public comment.
A bus leaves a closed border facility as migrants subject to a Trump-era asylum restriction program were expected to begin entry into the United States at the San Ysidro border crossing with Mexico, in San Diego, Calif., on Feb. 19, 2021. (Mike Blake/Reuters)

SCOTUS Queries Lawyers in Remain in Mexico Case About What Powers the Court Has

A week after oral arguments, the high court wants submissions on its remedial authority

A week after hearing oral arguments in two states challenge to President Joe Bidens push to dissolve the Trump-era Remain in Mexico program that requires non-Mexican asylum-seekers arriving at the southern border to wait in Mexico for processing, the Supreme Court asked both sides to provide more briefing on its remedial powers.

Texas and Missouri argue that Biden is breaking the law by ending the program.

The case is Biden v. Texas, court file 21-954, an appeal from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. The Supreme Courts hearing on the case was on April 26.

Upon assuming office, Biden halted enrollments in the program, part of the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) created by Congress when Bill Clinton was president to discourage individuals from making fraudulent asylum claims. The Trump administration announced in December 2018 that it would enforce the dormant program in order to curtail the practice known as catch-and-release, in which individuals would make fraudulent asylum claims knowing they would be let into the United States and be able to stay for years before their court appearance.

But when Biden assumed office, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a memorandum providing that it would suspend new enrollments in the MPP pending further review of the program. The memo said: Aliens who arent already enrolled in MPP should be processed under other existing legal authorities. Days later, Biden signed three new executive orders related to Trump-era immigration policies. One of the documents, Biden said, orders a full review of the previous administrations harmful and counterproductive immigration policies, basically across the board.

But in August last year, at the request of Texas and Missouri, the respondents in the Supreme Court case, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of the Northern District of Texas ordered the government to continue enforcing the MPP policy until lawfully rescinded. The Biden administration had failed to properly justify ending the policy and failed to uphold a 1996 law requiring the detention of certain migrants, Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee, found. The 5th Circuit affirmed.

The Biden administration told the Supreme Court on April 26 that it shouldnt have to continue the Remain in Mexico program, as The Epoch Times reported.

U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas exercised his statutory discretion to make a policy judgment and found that the benefits of MPP were outweighed by its domestic, humanitarian, and foreign policy costs.

Texas Solicitor General Judd E. Stone II countered that the law generally requires that the United States detain migrants or send them back to Mexico. If it lacks the resources to detain them, it should return them to Mexico so they can wait there for asylum processing, he said.

But on May 2, the Supreme Court took the unusual step of asking the attorneys involved in the case to provide additional information to the court after hearing oral arguments. The unsigned order (pdf) directs the parties to file supplemental briefs addressing the following questions: (1) Whether 8 U. S. C. 1252(f)(1) imposes any jurisdictional or remedial limitations on the entry of injunctive relief, declaratory relief, or relief under 5 U. S. C. 706. (2) Whether such limitations are subject to forfeiture. (3) Whether this Court has jurisdiction to consider the merits of the questions presented in this case.

The briefs are due May 9, and reply briefs are due May 13.

Christopher Hajec, director of litigation at the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI), a nonprofit public interest law firm that filed a friend-of-the-court brief (pdf) in the case on April 14, said the Supreme Court is requesting the extra briefing because its concerned about the ramifications of any actions it might take in the case.

The district court here ordered MPP restored until the border was secure and all illegal aliens detained as required by statute, Hajec told The Epoch Times by email. That is within the remedial power of a district court, as the Supreme Court should recognize.

But the Court is concerned whether a certain statute removes the lower courts jurisdiction. It doesnt remove itcertainly not all of it. But if the Court were to find a complete lack of jurisdiction, it would have to vacate the district courts order restoring MPP.

The stakes are high; the administration has abdicated its duty to enforce the law, and the border crisis grows continually worse as a result. Courts should not be prevented from dealing with that lawlessness appropriately.
Protests erupt in Shanghai. Residents there say theyve had enough of the citys restrictive lockdown rules.

Experts explain how vaccine passports and a cashless society could change the West for good. We look at how the Chinese Communist Party is connected.

Could China strike the United States without firing a single shot? We hear from a retired U.S. general about how it could happen, through unrestricted warfare.

We zoom in on Chinas economy for a look at real estate, supply chains, and predictions from a prominent Chinese economist recently silenced on social media.

Topics in this episode:

Shanghai Blames Offshore Forces for Local Protests

Disinformation Board and Vaccine Passports

Poll: Taiwanese Willing to Fight CCP Even Without US Help

Expert: Inside the CCPs Strategy to Dominate the World Without Firing a Single Shot

Sales Plunge 42 Percent for Chinas Top 3 Housing Companies

Outspoken Market Analyst Silenced on Social Media

Chinese Ports Locked Down, Supply Chains Hit

Have other topics you want us to cover? Drop us a line: chinainfocus@ntdtv.org

And if youd like to buy us a coffee: https://donorbox.org/china-in-focus

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If youre having family over for dinner, it isnt always easy to know what to make. The pull between making something special and making something easy so you can spend time with your guests is a struggle. But one dish always comes to the rescue in cases like this: lasagna. This Italian staple will yield enough food to feed a crowd and can largely be prepped ahead of time. Make it once, and youll see why this spinach and sausage lasagna will become your new favorite go-to dinner idea.

This recipe calls for you to first brown some sweet Italian sausage in a large pot or Dutch oven. Then let it simmer in red wine before creating a delicious homemade sauce made out of tomatoes and basil. If you like your food to have more of a kick, you can use hot Italian sausage. If you want to be able to control the spices in the lasanga, replace a pound of sausage with a pound of ground beef, pork or turkey. Season as desited while the meat cooks, but spices like garlic powder, oregano, dried basil, onion powder and fennel are a good place to start. Dont forget to add salt and pepper  not doing so is a major home cooking mistake.

While the sauce simmers, cook the lasagna noodles until al dente in salted water. Now its time to make the mixture for the creamy layer of this pasta dish. Typically people like to use ricotta cheese for a lasagna recipe, but you can substitute it with cottage cheese, which is similar to ricotta in flavor and texture but lighter. Take ricotta cheese and mix it with mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic powder and eggs.

Now you can start layering your masterpiece. In a casserole dish, spread the tomato sauce on the bottom, then layer with lasagna noodles and cover with more sauce. Add your ricotta mixture with some spinach. If you desire, toss in some bell peppers and mushrooms for extra color and flavor to this dish. Continue layering everything until you run out of ingredients. If youre making your lasagna ahead of time, stop here and refrigerate or freeze until youre ready to bake.

Then, top it off with mozzarella and Parmesan before placing the pan in the oven to bake. If you plan on bringing this dish to a party, make sure to let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Of course, this lasagna takes some advance time and planning. If making this pleasing pasta dish takes too much time for you to make, you can always try making one of these pasta recipes that are ready in about half an hour.

Spinach and Sausage Lasagna

Ingredients:

4 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound sweet Italian sausage

1/2 cup red wine

1 can (56 ounces) ground peeled tomatoes

1 cup water

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 pound lasagna noodles

3 pounds ricotta

1 1/2 cup mozzarella, grated

1 cup Parmesan, grated

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3 eggs

5 ounces spinach, raw

Directions:

Step 1: In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute 4 garlic cloves in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Saute until it starts to brown. Add 1 pound sausage (out of the casing) to the pot. Brown the sausage and break it up with your spoon.

Step 2: Add  cup wine to the pot, then scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for 2 minutes

Step 3: Add 56 ounces tomatoes, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon basil, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Stir until everything is combined. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 4: While the sauce is simmering, fill another large pot with water. Salt the water and bring to a boil. Cook 1 1/2 pound lasagna noodles in the salted water until al dente, about 6-8 minutes. Drain the noodles and set aside.

Step 5: Preheat the oven to 375F.

Step 6: Mix together 3 pounds ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 3 eggs in a large bowl. Salt and pepper to taste.

Step 7: In the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, ladle 1/2 cup of the sauce and spread it out. Arrange a layer of lasagna noodles covering the sauce. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then layer a cup of the spinach.

Step 8: Repeat these layers until you run out of ingredients. The top layer should be a layer of noodles covered with sauce and topped with 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of Parmesan.

Step 9: Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

By Diamond Bridges

 2021 Tribune Publishing; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
A Starbucks sign hangs above the entrance of one of the chain's coffee shops in the Loop in Chicago, Ill., on Jan. 4, 2022. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Starbucks Announces Wage Increases Across US Stores but Wont Apply to Unionized Employees

Starbucks is raising pay for employees across its stores in the United States but the wage increase wont apply to unionized stores, the company said.

CEO Howard Schultz announced the move during an earnings call on Tuesday and noted that the company will also be investing in modernized training and collaboration as well as store innovation, among other things, in an effort to boost customer experience.

What you will see is the transformation of the Starbucks customer and partner experiences, Schultz said. The transformation will accelerate already record demand in our stores. But the investments will enable us to handle the increased demandand deliver increased profitabilitywhile also delivering an elevated experience to our customers and reducing strain on our partners. And we will reintroduce joy and connection back into the partner experience.

The pay increase will apply to more than 240,000 Starbucks partners and roughly 8,800 Starbucks stores across the country, according to the company.

However, it will not apply to the recently unionized stores or to stores that are in the process of unionizing, as Starbucks does not have the right to do so under federal law, Schultz said.

New pay and benefits changes will apply to stores where Starbucks has the right to unilaterally make these changes, Schultz explained. Where Starbucks lacks the right to unilaterally make these changes (for example, stores where there is a union or union organizing) Starbucks will provide wage increases that were announced in October 2021 and will otherwise comply with all applicable legal requirements. 

The new investments will bring the total investments in employees and improving customer experience to nearly $1 billion in this fiscal year alone, Starbucks said.

Starbucks previously announced that it would raise the companys minimum hourly wage to between $15 and $23 this summer, beginning in August, and will also be adding incremental increases that will apply to all U.S. store partners, while also recognizing and rewarding tenured partners.

Employees who have been with the company for two to five years will receive a minimum 5 percent increase in wages or an increase to 5 percent above the starting wage rate in their market, whichever is greater.

Those with more than five years of service will receive at least a 7 percent increase or move to 10 percent above the market start rate, whichever is higher.

All partners hired on or before May 2 will get either a 3 percent raise or $15/hour, whichever is higher.

Starbucks said that pay changes in unionized stores would need to be bargained but that partners in those unionized stores or those in the process of unionizing will receive the wage increases that were announced on Oct. 21.

Where Starbucks is required to engage in collective bargaining, we will negotiate in good faith. Starbucks will not favor or discriminate against any partner based on union issues, Schultz said.

However, the union, Starbucks Workers United, said in a statement on social media that it has filed charges against Schultzs threats that union stores wont receive these benefits adding Thats not how labor law works and Starbucks knows it.

A Starbucks spokesperson referred The Epoch Times to Schultzs announcement.

More than 50 Starbucks stores across the United States have voted to unionize in recent months since the first corporate store voted to do so in Buffalo, New York, in December 2021.

Overall, 237 company-owned stores have filed petitions with the National Labor Relations Board to date.
A policeman (C) wearing protective clothing reacts in an area where barriers are being placed to close off streets around a locked-down neighborhood in Shanghai, China, on March 15, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

Tension Grows Between the CCP and the Chinese People

Commentary

During the era of Chinas economic reform and opening up to the world under Deng Xiaoping, the Chinese people accepted the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) rule. The principal reason was that the Chinese leadership secured its legitimacy through economic growth.

Peoples living standards improved substantially, and they expected further improvements ahead. Hence they did not challenge the regime, as they understood that the price of doing so was high.

Under the Hu JintaoWen Jiabao administration, Beijing introduced a social security net, providing a basic living standard to the people, in an attempt to reduce the dissatisfaction with the widening gap between the rich and the poor. Authorities at the grassroots level also tried to quell public unrest. Meanwhile, the CCP leaders appealed for nationalism, enhancing their legitimacy by strengthening Chinas international status and influence.

The Chinese leaders know the importance of maintaining stability; the expenditure for this purpose exceeds that spent on national defense, demonstrating their awareness of the serious causes of instability and dissatisfaction. The rich and powerful, as well as the affluent middle class, all send their families and assets to Western countries; historically, there has been no other country with such a high proportion of its elites sending their families and wealth abroad.

Some years ago, an academic article published by the China Journal exposed this phenomenon. It highlighted a group of middle-class mothers in Shanghai quietly exchanging information on safe food products to protect their childrens health better. They lacked confidence in the authorities but still showed no intention to challenge the regime, preferring to hold onto their existing vested interests.

Shanghais recent humanitarian tragedy may have disrupted the apparent stability. The authorities unreasonable COVID measures have triggered resistance from the community as the CCP cadres have violated the red line of the people. An ordinary mother would not normally criticize and challenge the regime. Still, when the authorities took away her COVID-infected child, she reacted fiercely.

A six-minute video clip called The Voice of April, released on April 22, is now widely circulated on the internet. It shows the difficulties encountered by the Shanghai residents during the lockdown. The inconveniences suffered by people amid pandemic lockdowns were seen worldwide, and many countries have been slow to ease their restrictions. But the severity of the measures in China is unprecedented. Why does China continue to implement harsh measures rather than loosen them like other countries? Is Beijings zero-COVID approach reasonable and based on science? Do they align with the peoples interests?

Shanghai residents increasingly believe that their problems are caused by the stubbornness of their leaders, who are mainly concerned about their authority and prestige and neglect the peoples interests. Hence the public protested.

On April 21, students in Fudan University gathered to protest; the authorities entered the campus and cut off internet communications. Political rumors indicate that Beijing saw this as the largest student-led protest since the Tiananmen Square massacre and demanded strict handling of the incident.

In fact, all types of protest activities took place. The municipal government imposed lockdowns on buildings and surrounded them with wire fences guarded by security personnel, leading to conflicts with the residents. Anti-lockdown posters appeared everywhere. When the Shanghai Party Secretary Li Qiang patrolled the streets, he was met with strong condemnation. Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan, who arrived in Shanghai to oversee the zero-COVID campaign, avoided the crowd and filmed her publicity materials on a rooftop. Grassroots cadres could not handle the peoples complaints and lost their credibility.

The panic recently spread to Hangzhou city and the Chaoyang district in Beijing. People rushed to supermarkets to stock up on food and daily necessities, emptying the shelves. Local officials assurances had no impact. Local COVID measures also generated chaos, with truck drivers being the first to be adversely affected. This means that supplies would be short, and consumer prices would go up, exacerbating peoples worries.

Yet Chinese leaders have not adjusted their policies. Liang Wannian, head of the COVID response expert team of the National Health Commission, publicly stated on April 22 that China does not have the necessary conditions to ease its COVID restrictions. A new plan will be implemented in Shanghai to increase its COVID isolation facilities as residents are transferred to neighboring provinces. The food shortage problem has yet to be resolved.

Pandemics are natural disasters. But the subsequent humanitarian tragedies have led to resistance from the people. Tension runs high between the CCP and the people, and maintaining stability will be increasingly difficult. People do not easily forget.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Former President Donald Trump speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2022. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The GOP Establishment Versus America First Republicans: Part 2

The political battle for control of the Republican Party

Commentary

There is an ongoing struggle for control of the Republican Party that is being played out during the 2022 election cycle. The political battle pits the establishment wing represented by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) against former President Donald Trumps America First coalition. The outcome is just as important for America as to whether Republicans or Democrats control Congress in 2023.

Let us examine the topic in detail.

Part one of this series focused on the GOP establishment (GOPe), of which McConnell is the most prominent member. This part covers the America First faction of the Republican Party, which supports Trump, and analyzes the competition between the two factions in 2022.

America First Republicans

The major Republican faction that is endangering the political hegemony of the GOP establishment consists of supporters of the conservative-populist Trump, including average Americans, small business owners, disaffected Democrats, independents, and others drawn to the America First populism that is at the core of Trumps political appeal.

The essence of America First nationalism involves Trumps successful pursuit of economic security policies during his presidency that were beneficial first and foremost to the American people: border security, energy independence, trade resets with multiple countries, tax cuts, reduced regulations, Middle East peace deal (no foreign wars), U.S. military superiority, and furtherance of American exceptionalism.

During the Trump presidency, other topics were added to those core principles: defending constitutionally-guaranteed rights and liberties (especially free speech and gun rights), reining in the federal bureaucracy, promoting election integrity, confronting cultural Marxism in Americas schools and other institutions, restoring the principle of equal justice under the law, and delivering on promises made.

The latter is one of Trumps greatest strengths. His list of accomplishments brought him millions of new supporters since he declared for the presidency in 2015 and provided Americans with a stark contrast between career politicians and himself in terms of keeping promises.

The GOP establishment has daunting advantages, as noted in part one of this series, including control of GOP national, state, and county organizations; large corporate donations; and the power of incumbency.

Here are some of the assets that America First Republicans are employing in their confrontation with the GOPe.

Then-U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell make their way to a Senate Republican policy lunch at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on May 15, 2018. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

Resonance on the Issues

America First issues are the bread-and-butter issues that average Americans support. Polls continuously reflect support for border security, election integrity, energy security, and traditional values. These issues are anathema to the GOP establishment.

Enthusiasm

After living through the ongoing debacle of the Biden presidency, Republicans have an enormous political enthusiasm advantage over the Democrat Party. There are dozens of grassroots organizations that sprang up during and after the Trump presidency to promote America First values and displace leftist Democrats and GOPe/RINOs at all levels of government. Some are focused on regaining control of school boards (for example, the 1776 Project Political Action Committee), while others are focused on electing constitutional conservatives at all levels of government (for example, Restore Liberty).

Ground Game

Enthusiasm in the Republican rank-and-file translates to an improved ground game this year. The increasing evidence of election fraud in key states in 2020 has motivated local Republicans to volunteer as get-out-the-vote staffers, election officials, precinct committee members, and election monitors to improve election integrity going into the 2022 elections.

Trump Popularity

While GOP figures such as former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie have claimed that Trumps grip on the GOP is diminishing, there is no denying that average Republicans overwhelmingly support Trump, who continues to draw massive audiences at his rallies in 2022.

In contrast with the economic security Trump delivered, the stark reality of the failed Biden presidency is not lost on Americans in general, too, as a recent poll reflected that Trump would defeat Biden by six points and Vice President Kamala Harris by 11 points if the election were held in late March.

Contrast Trumps popularity with the fact that McConnell is the most unpopular senator among all voters, according to a Morning Consult poll. But what is most important for the midterm primary and general elections is that Trump continues to poll well among Republicans in battleground states.

Roughly four in five Republican voters in the early primary states of Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania hold favorable opinions about Trump, Morning Consult reported on April 11.

Trumps War Chest

Trumps popularity translates to massive contributions to his political organization. According to Fox News, the first to report the latest fundraising figures on April 19, Trumps Save America PAC, Save America JFC, and MAGA PAC raised over $19 million between January and March with a massive $124 million in cash on hand.

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a Save America rally at the Banks County Dragway in Commerce, Ga., on March 26, 2022. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

And in a direct reflection of Trumps continuing grassroots support among rank-and-file Republicans, his committees average donation during the first quarter was $28.04. Trumps team also reports a total of 679,445 contributions [over] the past three months, with 98.4% of those donations under $200, Fox News reported.

Also in the Trump donor orbit are conservative-leaning billionaires such as Peter Thiel and Andy Beal, who selectively support Trump-endorsed candidates in 2022.

Trump Endorsements

Trumps political endorsement is arguably the gold standard in the Republican Party. As of March 30, Trump has endorsed 130 candidates. One example of his strength was that 33 of his Texas endorsements either won or are strongly positioned to win runoff elections.

Trumps endorsement of Glenn Youngkin and Winsome Earle Sears for Virginia governor and lieutenant governor, respectively, last year is already paying off since Virginia is on the way to turning red in 2022.

Meanwhile, McConnell warns Republicans about selecting unelectable candidatesa dig aimed at some of Trumps more controversial endorsements. Who will Republican primary voters listen to? McConnell or Trump? Its an easy answer.

Bellwether Campaigns in 2022

The following are a few of the races to watch that will help determine whether or not the America First faction can displace some of the GOP establishment candidates this year.

Alaska

Trump has endorsed Kelly Tshibaka, who is challenging Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Murkowskis latest exhibition of her RINO fealty was her vote to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. What does that say about McConnell directing his leadership PAC to spend $7 million in advertising on behalf of Murkowski?

Can Tshibakas grassroots campaign overcome McConnells (and other out-of-state GOPe) funding and the Murkowski machine that has dominated Alaska Republican politics for decades?

Trump has also endorsed Sarah Palin to fill the remainder of recently-deceased Rep. Don Youngs seat in Congress.

Arizona

It is unlikely that Trump will endorse Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich in the Republican primary race for U.S. senator. Trump continues to bash Brnovich for not aggressively prosecuting election fraud associated with the 2020 election. Has Brnovich signed his own death warrant by dragging his feet on Arizona election fraud?

One of these candidates will likely receive Trumps endorsement: businessman Jim Lamon, venture capitalist Blake Masters, former Arizona National Guard adjutant general Michael McGuire, and former state representative Justin Olson.

Trump also endorsed Kari Lake for governor in the primary over state Treasurer Kimberly Yee, developer Karrin Taylor Robson, former Congressman Matt Salmon, and businessman Steve Gaynor.

Georgia

Trump has endorsed Herschel Walker in Georgias U.S. Senate race against three lesser-known Republicans: Georgia agriculture commissioner Gary Black, construction firm owner Kelvin King, and banking executive and Navy veteran Latham Saddler. The winner will face Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock, who won a runoff election in 2021 under questionable circumstances.

Trumps Save America PAC has also contributed $500,000 in support of former Sen. David Perdues primary challenge of incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp, who has been dragging his feet in investigating massive 2020 election fraud that has been uncovered by True the Vote and other organizations. Will the use of Georgia drop boxes once again carry the day for Democrats in Georgia?

Michigan

Two Trump-endorsed candidates were selected at the recent Michigan Republican Party convention to challenge incumbent Democrats this year. As previously reported by The Epoch Times, Matt DePerno faces Democrat Attorney General Dana Nessel, while Kristina Karamo will challenge Democrat Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. Both Nessel and Benson have refused to investigate allegations of election fraud in Michigan in 2020, while DePerno and Karamo have expressed considerable doubts about the election results.

North Carolina

Trump has endorsed Rep. Ted Budd in the primary race for U.S. Senator against former GOP Gov. Pat McCrory. Will Trumps endorsement overcome McCrorys greater name recognition? That looks probable as Budd has been surging ahead, according to a survey by the Raleigh News & Observer on April 24.

Ohio

Trumps endorsement of J.D. Vance in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, as well as the other candidates across the state, has paid off handsomely as all Trump-endorsed candidates won in Ohio. It would appear that Trump retains considerable influence among Republican primary voters in Ohio despite GOP establishment wishes and hopes! Note: Trump ally Peter Thiel had donated $3.5 million to Vance, which certainly helped Vances campaign.

J.D. Vance, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Ohio, and his wife Usha Vance wave to supporters after winning the Ohio Republican Senate primary election at an election night event at Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, on May 3, 2022. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Some Final Thoughts

All politics is local is an old American adage. The GOP establishment and America First factions of the Republican Party are trying to shake up the Republican primary and midterm elections with out-of-state endorsements, money, and other support. Which faction has more money, who is more popular, who wins on the issues that matter, who is the better endorsement, who has better name recognition, and who has the better grassroots organization? These are the questions that will ultimately decide each raceand the direction of the Republican Party in 2023.

A final thought: McConnell has already said that he will absolutely support Trump if he is the partys presidential nominee in 2024. In the meantime, the battle between the two continues this year.

Read part 1 here.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Max Miller arrives at a rally with former President Donald Trump at the Lorain County Fairgrounds in Wellington, Ohio, on June 26, 2021. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Trump-Endorsed Max Miller Wins Ohio Republican US House Primary

Max Miller, a former aide to former President Donald Trump, won the Ohio Republican primary on May 3, according to multiple projections.

Miller drew 71.5 percent of the vote as of 10:27 p.m. with 62 percent of the districts reporting.

Trump had endorsed Miller when he was running against Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio), who was one of a small group of Republicans who had voted to impeach Trump. Gonzales later quit the race and announced his retirement from Congress.

A redistricting in Ohio threw a late twist into Millers bid, eliminating the district he was running in. Miller instead challenged Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio). Gibbs subsequently announced his retirement from Congress.

Miller held a significant lead over the rest of the field in fundraising and polling. His campaign received nearly $2 million in donations as of April 13, according to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC). Gibbs raised $353,000, according to the FEC.

Last year, Miller face allegations of domestic violence from former girlfriend and former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham. Miller later sued Grisham for defamation, alleging that Grishams accusation was a malign attempt to promote a book she was about to release about her time at the White House.

Ohios 7th District is reliably Republican. Trump and Gibbs drew 65 percent of the vote there in the 2020 general election.

In the two contested Republican primaries in Ohio, J.D. Vance, who was also endorsed by Trump, won the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate. Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, won the nomination as part of his reelection bid.
Two Truisms About the US and Russia, Ukraine and China

Commentary

Russia is not as strong as the United States, except for nuclear weapons.

Russia is not the main threat to the United Statesthat threat is China.

Back in 1985, during his visit to Paris, Mikhail Gorbachev told French President Francois Mitterrand that the Soviet Union was not strong. In fact, said Gorbachev to his French counterpart, Russia was a banana republic with nuclear weapons.

No doubt this came as something of a surprise to Mitterand. The French had just kicked out more than 100 Soviet spies, mostly for technology espionage. On top of that, France had enlisted the help of a secret agent in Moscow, Vladimir Vetrov (known in security circles as Farewell), who turned over reams of information on the Soviet shopping list for Western, especially American, technology. If Russia needed Americas technology, the clear conclusion was that Russias military buildup was vulnerable because the Soviet Union had a weak, low-tech industrial base.

The American response, already underway, was to tighten the screws even more on Soviet industrial espionage. That allowed the United States to exploit its qualitative edge, essentially a force multiplier, against the mass of armor and guns Russia had assembled.

The only sector where Soviet industry was successful, largely because sufficient investment was made, was rocketry, and especially long-range ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. In this space, the Russians excelled, and they still are excellent nearly 40 years later.

It is quite telling that Russia, even today, faces severe technology shortcomings in its military. Consider the fact that Russian tanks have been decimated in Ukraine mainly by man-portable anti-tank weapons. Why? Because the Russians have not equipped their tanks with active protection systems. One can only guess why this is so: either the Russian active protection system, called Arena M, actually doesnt work, or the Russians need to import technology for the system, which means they cant afford to do so.

One needs to remember it was the Soviet Union that pioneered wire-guided anti-tank weapons. In 1973 Israels tanks and armored vehicles were decimated by AT-3 Sagger missiles at the hands of Egyptian soldiers. In the Sinai battle, Israel lost between 50 and 150 tanks (mostly US M-48s, M-60s, British Centurions, and Russian T-55 tanks Israel captured in 1967 and upgraded). In recent years Russia has improved its anti-tank weapons; the newest, the 9K135 Kornet, is a longer range weapon with a tandem warhead. Tandem warheads were designed to defeat modern tanks that are equipped with an applique of reactive armor. A tandem warhead blasts the reactive armor, and the second stage of the warhead penetrates the tanks armor. We know, from a few examples in Iraq, that the Kornet can destroy Americas best tank, the M1 Abrams.

If Russia was the leading developer of anti-tank wire-guided missiles, using them successfully with their Egyptian and Syrian proxies, and has since developed more advanced versions of these rocket-powered tank killers, it follows that tactically the Russian army should have been prepared to deal with such weapons. Yet clearly, Russia was not ready.

The same holds true for Russias aircraft, at least the older models, which have predominated in the Ukraine conflict. These aircraft lack targeting pods and their defense against infrared and radar missiles is badly outdated. That is why Russias aircraft losses, especially the Su-25, have been so high in the Ukraine war. It is surprising that Russian systems have not kept pace. The anticipated scenarioknock out your adversaries aircraft and air defenses and then use your fighter bombers to attack your enemys forcessomething Russian military operators surely know, never materialized in Ukraine. The Russians have had some success against Ukraines mobile air defenses and against Ukrainian aircraft (all of which are also Russian), but not nearly enough considering Russias losses. Again it seems that Russias equipment falls short; lack of suitable self-defense systems for Russian aircraft and lack of enough accurate long-range guided weapons to attack enemy forces.

What this means for the United States and its NATO allies is that Russias conventional forces are much less fearsome insofar as defeating NATOs forces than anticipated. It does not mean that, should the war expand beyond Ukraine, that Russia is helpless against NATO or will lose a war. Russia may not be able to win, in the conventional sense of the term, but it is quite capable of inflicting very heavy damage on European cities. Unlike mobile military operations, cities, depots, rail lines, communications hubs, and airports are sitting ducks. The destruction in Ukraine is grim testimony to the devastation Russia can cause.

The U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, says that the U.S. and NATO goal is to weaken Russia. But the weakening he is promoting in the Ukraine war will not touch Russias long-range missile capability, nor will it change at all Russian nuclear capabilities. Worse still, if Russian forces will lose in the conventional sense of the term, the introduction of unconventional weapons cant be ruled out. In fact, U.S. intelligence has been telling the White House about this danger, but neither the White House nor the Pentagon is listening or, for that matter, wants to listen.

Worst of all is that a war in Europe is in no ones interest, especially NATO. NATO may fight, but if the end result is massive destruction, NATO will lose its credibility because it cant defend Europes civilian population or save Europes industrial infrastructure. All of this is another way of saying that NATOs strength is deterrence, not war.

One of the completely strange attitudes in the U.S. administration has been to fob off negotiations with Russia and seek to cut Russia off diplomatically and politically, even though neither the United States nor NATO are parties in the Ukraine conflict. But that veil is beginning to disintegrate in Russias eyes and even among the NATO members. Thus Washington and its European allies are about to cross a Rubicon to face an expanded war and considerable devastation.

NATO is an alliance to protect NATO members from attack; it was never conceived to protect others from attack. Its expansion into Ukraine, a non-member, is innovative and highly risky. Beyond Europe, NATO plays no role in Asia. Here the United States is the main guarantor of regional stability, but the U.S. role is now challenged by China, a country that appears more technologically advanced than Russia. Unlike Russia, China has a significant high-tech industrial infrastructure, put there initially by the United States, Japan, Korea and even Taiwan. Thus, unlike Russia, which lacks the technology and probably does not have investment dollars, China has both, and China is increasingly aggressive and expansionist.

If U.S. policy was sensible, it would seek a diplomatic resolution of the crisis in Ukraine and with Russia and find ways, as the Russians asked even before the Russian army invaded Ukraine, for a solution to at least part of the Ukraine problem (eastern Ukraines Donbas area), and for new security measures (surely including nuclear forces) in eastern Europe.

The fact that Washington is incorrigibly after some sort of victory against Russia can well turn out to be a pyrrhic victory, at best.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss speaking at the Easter Banquet at Mansion House in the City of London on April 27, 2022. (Victoria Jones/PA Media)

UK Bans Services Exports to Russia to Help Ensure Putin Fails in Ukraine

The UK government has announced a ban on exports of management services to Russia, as it further ratchets up economic pressure on the Kremlin following its invasion of Ukraine.

Russias access to the UKs management consulting, accounting, and public relations services will be cut off, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on May 4.

Russia is heavily reliant on Western services companies for the production and export of manufactured goods, and the UK accounts for 10 percent of Russian imports in these sectors, according to the UK Foreign Office.

Truss said in a statement: Doing business with [Russian President Vladimir] Putins regime is morally bankrupt and helps fund a war machine that is causing untold suffering across Ukraine. Cutting Russias access to British services will put more pressure on the Kremlin and ultimately help ensure Putin fails in Ukraine.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said the UKs professional services exports are extraordinarily valuable to many countries.

By restricting Russias access to our world-class management consultants, accountants, and PR firms, were ratcheting up economic pressure on the Kremlin to change course, he said.

But according to industry bodies, many British accountancy and consultancy firms have already taken steps to cut their business links with Russia since the invasion began on Feb. 24.

Iain Wright, managing director of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAEW), said: Many of our individual members and member firms have already taken proactive steps to disengage as appropriate with Russia.

He said his organisation is confident that British accountants will be ready and willing to play the fullest possible role in making these further measures effective.

Likewise, the Management Consultancies Association (MCA) said: UK consultancy firms already ceased services to Russia at the outset of hostilities in Ukraine and have made rapid changes to their operations in the country, strictly abiding to sanction rules and complying with all new regulations & laws.

MCA chief executive Tamzen Isacsson added: The amount of services exported previously to the country was very small and it was not a major foreign market for UK management consultancy services.

Meanwhile, the government also announced 63 new sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes for individuals linked to Russian broadcasters and newspapers.

Those sanctioned include significant individuals at Channel One, a major state-owned outlet in Russia, as well as war correspondents who are embedded with Russian forces in Ukraine.

New legislation will, meanwhile, require social media companies to take action to block content from two Russian media outletsRT and Sputnik.

PA Media contributed to this report.
Caroline Henry, Nottinghamshire police and crime commissioner, is confronted by journalists outside Nottingham Crown Court in England on May 3, 2022. (PA Media)

UK Crime Commissioner Caught Speeding 5 Times in 12 Weeks

A police and crime commissioner (PCC) who was elected last year promising to crack down on speeding drivers, has admitted breaking a 30-miles-per-hour speed limit 5 times in 12 weeks.

Caroline Henry, the Conservative PCC for Nottinghamshire, refused to say if she would resign from the position after she appeared before magistrates on May 3.

For administrative reasons the hearing was adjourned until July 19, when Henry will argue two of the offences were because of emergencies, one of which stemmed from her being very concerned for one of her children.

In May last year Henry, a businesswoman with no prior experience of policing, beat the incumbent, Labours Paddy Tipping, by 7,000 votes.

On her official PCC website she said an effective and efficient police response to speeding was one of her priorities.

Henry, 52, who campaigned with the slogan Make Notts Safe and promised to reduce crime with action, not words, admitted to the speeding offences at a hearing in February.

She was caught speeding at between 35 and 40 miles per hour in either a blue Mercedes or a silver Lexus in 30-miles-per-hour zones at four locations in Nottingham in March, May, and June last year.

Two of the offences occurred near a primary school in the citys Daybrook suburb.

Henry, who is the wife of Nottinghamshire Conservative MP Darren Henry, wrote a letter to magistrates saying she was very sorry, embarrassed, and ashamed, and her solicitor Noel Philo said the letter was written on advice I did not give.

In a written statement issued after the hearing, Henry said: For technical legal reasons, the court has constituted that they cannot deal with the case today. I cannot comment on the ongoing case. I will be explaining the context of this matter in due course.

The post of police and crime commissioner was created by David Camerons coalition government, under the 2011 Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act.

They replaced police authorities and have the power to hire and fire chief constables, but critics at the time said they just introduced an expensive extra layer of bureaucracy.

In May last year Jonathon Seed, 63, was elected as Wiltshires police and crime commissioner but was unable to take up the office after he was accused of failing to disclose a drink driving conviction from the 1980s.

The election had to be run again, in August, at a cost of 1 million ($1.25 million), and Philip Wilkinson was elected as Wiltshires new PCC.

Seed, who denies making a false statement on election papers, is due to face trial this summer.

PA Media contributed to this report.
Three of four top Republican candidates for governor say they would welcome an impending decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overrule a 50-year federal recognition of abortion rights under the U.S. Constitution.

But during the online forum by the City Club of Portland on Tuesday  two weeks before the primary election in which Republican voters will choose from among 19 candidates  all four said it would take action by the Oregon Legislature to undo a 2017 law that guarantees access to reproductive health services.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights, Oregon is just one of four states that have written that guarantee into law  and one of 16 that would protect such rights if the high court reverses its 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade. The Oregon Legislature removed penalties for abortion four years earlier, back in 1969.

Oregon voters in 2014 approved a constitutional ban on discrimination based on sex, though it does not specify abortion.

KGW anchor Laural Porter, the forum co-moderator, asked where the candidates stood on a leaked draft of a court opinion in a pending case from Mississippi, where a law would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Bridget Barton of West Linn, Bud Pierce of Salem and Mayor Stan Pulliam of Sandy all opposed abortion rights, which took up 11 minutes of the 90-minute forum. Former Rep. Christine Drazan of Canby, who had been scheduled to take part, dropped out two hours beforehand; Porter said her campaign did not state a reason.

Gomez: A differing view

Jessica Gomez, a businesswoman from Medford, took the opposite view from the others.

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"I really urge the Supreme Court to uphold that. That being said, it's codified in Oregon state law. For me, you would not see changes to that piece of Oregon law," Gomez said.

"I think we need to support women's health. It's really an important part. Oregon is pro-choice; I am pro-choice."

But like the others, Gomez said she would oppose state funds to expand the capacity for abortions for women who cannot obtain them elsewhere and come to Oregon.

The most recent Republican to win as governor was Vic Atiyeh, who won a second term in 1982. Republicans believe this is their best chance to win since Chris Dudley came close in 2010.

Pierce, a specialist in oncology and hematology, said he does not consider abortion a medical procedure and says it is not a right under the U.S. Constitution.

But he also said he would abide by the 2017 state law, which requires private insurance to cover abortions and provides state funding for those who do not otherwise qualify for state-supported health insurance because of their immigration status.

The state budget already covers abortions for low-income women in Oregon; voters rejected a 2018 ballot initiative to ban public funding.

"I believe the states should decide, and Oregon has strong laws that currently protect their rights," Pierce said.

"My effort would be to better support pregnant women in their pregnancies and after the children are born  to support child care and education efforts  so no one feels the pressure to have an abortion because they feel it's too much, too overwhelming to bring a child into the world."

Asked by Porter whether he was shifting his stance from 2016, when he was the Republican nominee for governor, Pierce said his religious convictions have deepened since the 2020 death of his wife, Selma, after a sport utility vehicle struck her while she was walking near home.

Barton: 'Long way to go'

Barton, a political strategist who ran for the Legislature twice in the 1990s, said that stance was not strong enough for her. She said she opposes public funding of abortions and legislative expansion of abortion capacity. She also said she would seek to ban abortions after the second trimester; Oregon is among the few states with no limits on the procedure.

"We have a long way to go to push back from where we are," she said.

Asked what she would do if she is elected governor, Barton said: "Without legislative approval, clearly nothing. As the governor, I would need to have the Legislature act first. As you know, we have super-minorities at this moment. We will see what we get coming forward with a red wave."

When Republicans held majorities in both chambers, a 1995 bill requiring parental notification before someone under 18 could obtain an abortion passed the Senate but failed in the House.

A similar bill passed both chambers four years later, but then-Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber vetoed it. Kitzhaber also vetoed a Department of Human Services budget that omitted money for abortions; lawmakers then passed another budget that contained the money.

Barton and Pierce won endorsements from Oregon Right to Life, along with Drazan and former Rep. Bob Tiernan, who was not on the panel.

Pulliam: 'I deserve it'

Pulliam said he should have been endorsed as well.

"These answers are a complete embarrassment to anyone who has received the Oregon Right to Life endorsement," he said.

"This is the moment we've been waiting for. This is what all the hard work, the donations and the activism have been all about, the overturning of Roe v. Wade. When I say life begins at conception, I have not changed from the day before this announcement (sic) was revealed to what it is today. I will sign any piece of pro-life legislation that comes across my desk.

"I certainly deserve the endorsement, and I think they should look at it again."

KGW's Porter referred to news disclosures about Pulliam and his wife having explored relationships with other couples outside of marriage.

Porter: "They didn't endorse you because other parts of your life didn't square with what they feel are their conservative "

Pulliam: "With their mission?"

Porter: " values."

Pulliam: "I apologize, but I don't see any of those things in their mission statement."

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Lucas Strange, 22, continues to study for his degree in physics via online learning sessions from his room in Gonville and Caius College at the University of Cambridge, England, on Jan. 29, 2021. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

UK Demands Return to In-Person Teaching as Complaints Against Universities Soar to Record High

The British government has demanded that all universities return to pre-pandemic levels of face-to-face teaching, as it emerged that complaints about university courses soared to the highest level on record last year.

The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA) said it received 2,763 complaints from students in 2021, an increase of 6 percent on 2020 levels and once again the highest ever number.

In a new report, the OIA said some students found that they werent getting the learning experiences that they reasonably expected and that they had been affected by the cumulative impact of the pandemic and industrial action.

It also found that some students had struggled with technology, especially in online timed exams, with some finding it difficult to make the technology work at all, while for others poor typing skills had affected their performance.

Complaints that related partly to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic accounted for 37 percent of complaints received, compared with 12 percent in 2020.

Michelle Donelan, UK minister for higher and further education, addresses delegates during the Conservative Party Spring Conference, in Blackpool, northwest England, on March 18, 2022. (Paul Ellis /AFP via Getty Images)

Writing for The Telegraph, Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, said, Saving money, bonkers zero-COVID strategies, or sheer convenience are not valid reasons to cut face-to-face teaching.

She said she had been personally calling university leaders on the lack of face-to-face teaching despite the relaxation and subsequent removal of COVID-19 restrictions.

While the majority of students are now receiving a comparable amount of face-to-face teaching to before the pandemic, she said, a stubborn minority of universities have put themselves on an entirely different track to the rest of us.

Some universities have been producing increasingly vague explanations on why they will not return to the full in-person teaching experience their students deserve, she said.

Donelan said she had written to universities to make clear that they need to be honest about how courses will be taught and whether or not the teaching is face-to-face.

She said she will not hesitate to ask the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate any universities that are failing in their duty to be clear.

She said she had also told the Office for Students to put boots on the ground and investigate universities where there are concerns over the face-to-face provision being given.

Vice chancellors should be in no doubt that if investigated, their universities could face severe consequences, including fines, she wrote.

PA Media contributed to this report.
Labour leader Keir Starmer during a visit to a pensioners drop-in session in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, on May 4, 2022. (Danny Lawson/PA Media)

UK Police Considering Requests to Re-examine Beergate Allegations Against Labour Leader

Durham Police on Wednesday said its considering recent requests to re-examine allegations that Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer broke CCP virus lockdown rules in April 2021.

Amid the partygate allegations that a number of rule-breaking gatherings occurred in the centre of the Conservative government during the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus lockdowns, it emerged in January that Starmer was pictured having a beer in the office of Mary Foy, Labour MP for the City of Durham, on the night of April 30, 2021, when indoor mixing between households was banned under CCP virus rules.

The rules at the timeintroduced by the Conservative government and passed Parliament with the support of Labour and other partiesstipulated that colleagues can gather in larger groups or meet indoors where it is necessary for your work, adding, This does not include social gatherings with work colleagues.

Starmer said the team was working late on an election campaign and had to order takeaway before resuming work as restaurants were closed.

Durham police said on Feb. 7 that they did not believe Starmer and his colleagues broke any rules, but following recent requests for the force to re-examine the case, a spokesman on Wednesday said: We have received a number of recent communications on this subject, which we are considering and will respond in due course.

Earlier on Wednesday, Starmer said he had not been contacted by Durham police. The opposition leader also accused the ruling Conservative Party of mud-slinging ahead of the local elections on Thursday.

It was revealed last week that Conservative MP Richard Holden had written to Durham police on April 22 asking it to re-examine the beergate allegation.

It came after the Metropolitan Police issued fines to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, his wife Carrie Johnson, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, and others earlier in April over a surprise birthday get-together for Johnson ahead of a Cabinet meeting on June 19, 2020.

Britains Prime Minister Boris Johnson and partner Carrie Symonds leave Methodist Hall after casting their votes in local elections in central London, on May 6, 2021. (AFP via Getty Images)

The Met is also investigating 11 other gatherings in Downing Street and the Cabinet Office. Theres also an internal investigation into the gatherings led by senior civil servant Sue Gray, and Johnson will be investigated by Parliaments Committee of Privileges over alleged contempt of the Parliament after the House of Commons voted to note that Johnsons previous denial of rule-breaking appear[s] to amount to misleading the House.

All opposition party leaders, including Starmer, called on Johnson to resign as the prime minister. The demand also came from a number of Conservative MPs, most of whom changed their stance in light of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Labour previously said Deputy Leader Angela Rayner was not present at the event in Durham, but Starmer confirmed on Sunday that Rayner was present, saying his party made a genuine mistake.

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner on Nov. 29, 2021. (Dominic Lipinski/PA Media)

Labours shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said theres a world of difference between the partygate and the beergate affairs.

The prime minister and the chancellor have been fined by the Metropolitan Police whereas Durham policewhere this alleged incident took placesaid theres no case to answer, Reeves told BBC Breakfast on Wednesday.

The police have been very clear that in 10 Downing Street rule-breaking did happen and in Durham, Keir Starmer did not break the rules, she added.

Boris Johnson has lied and lied again, and then covered up the lies to Parliament about what happened at number 10. There is a world of difference between the rule-breaking and the fines that the Prime Minister and his office have receivedcompared to what Keir didwhich is basically working all day in an office and stopping to have some food and a drink.

Speaking on a visit to Yorkshire on Wednesday before Durham Police issued its latest statement, Starmer told reporters that he had not had contact from the force.

We know theres elections coming, we know what the Conservatives are up to. What we need to do, I think, is focus on the issue in hand, which is the cost of living, he said.

Asked what he was doing at 11 p.m. in Durham on the night in question, he said: We were working, we stopped, we ate. No breach of the rules. No party. And I think thats enough for the mudslinging from the Tories on this.

Pedestrians walk the streets of the City of London, on April 13, 2021. (Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images)

Sir Peter Fahy, former chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, said the Durham constabulary should reconsider a beergate probe, but warned of police being drawn into party politics.

I think they should probably just look at the new information and reconsider their situation, he told BBC Radio 4s World at One programme.

I think, once again, it highlights that a lot of the legislation around coronavirus was confused [sic], so I think the police have been struggling with this.

Fahy suggested that what was almost a deciding factor in the Mets decision to investigate the partygate allegations was the repeated breach of the regulations.

The Met previously said it would not look into the partygate allegations, citing its policy of not retroactively investigating CCP virus rule-breachers.

So, I think Durham do need to probably reconsider it, but on the other hand I also think this is really quite dangerous times when policing is sort of being drawn into party politics, and I think thats starting to happen, Fahy warned.
UK to Overhaul Home Energy Rating System to Decarbonise Housing Stock

The UK governments domestic energy performance assessment tool will be updated in a bid to decarbonise UK homes, it was announced on Tuesday.

Building consultancy Building Research Establishment (BRE) said it has been tasked with developing the new Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), dubbed SAP 11, which the BRE said will be more suited to technologies designed to decarbonise homes, such as heat pumps, renewables, storage technologies, and smart control devices.

The new method, which will be developed in the next three years, will be used to create the information on Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and to show compliance with the energy conservation requirements of building regulations in the UK, BRE said.

An EPC, which contains information about a propertys energy use and typical energy costs, is required in the UK when a property is being built, sold, or rented. The EPC rating ranges from A to G, with A being the most energy-efficient, and D being the current average EPC rating in England and Wales.

SAP 11 is also expected to be ready for use as part of the Future Homes Standardnew regulations to be introduced to ensure home homes built from 2025 are fitted with low-carbon heating.

BRE Project Director John Henderson said: As the UK begins to escalate its net-zero initiatives, SAP 11 will be instrumental in the effort to decarbonise the nations existing housing stock and ensure the use of low-carbon heating in new homes. As the new methodology will improve EPC accuracy, energy efficiency measurements will be more reliable than ever. Effective assessment of energy performance is going to be absolutely central to our progress towards net zero.

According to the price comparison website MoneySuperMarket, average property prices in England suggested there was a correlation between a stronger energy efficiency rating and a higher house price, meaning homeowners without low-carbon heating could see their properties devalued compared to those who have them.

Figures suggested that property prices went up when the EPC rating is improved from a D to A/B, across each region of England apart from London and South East England, the website illustrated.

The biggest difference was seen in Southwest England, where 19,576 ($24,528) was added to the median house price.

New legislation in the pipeline could also mean it will be harder to buy, sell, or rent properties with a lower EPC rating.

The Minimum Energy Performance of Buildings (No. 2) Bill, introduced by Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale, is designed to require all new tenancies to have a minimum EPC rating of C from Dec. 31, 2025, and all existing tenancies to catch up in the three years after that. It also requires mortgage lenders to ensure that the average energy performance level of their domestic portfolios is at least EPC Band C by the end of 2030.

The bill was introduced in July last year and is due to have its second reading on Friday.

Britain in 2019 became the first G-7 country to set in law a net-zero emission target by 2050, which will require wholesale changes in the way Britons travel, use energy, and eat.
A tank moves along a field during joint exercises of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus near Minsk on Feb. 17, 2022. (Maxim Guchek/BELTA/AFP via Getty Images)

Ukraine Prepares Defense as Russian Ally Makes Sudden Announcement

Ukrainian officials on Wednesday indicated they are prepared if Russian ally Belarus joins the conflict as the country suddenly announced it would conduct combat exercises.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry said Wednesday that the exercises would allow its military to operate on unknown terrain in a rapidly changing situation, reported state-run media. Before Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, thousands of Russian troops massed on the Belarus-Ukraine border and used the country as a staging area to enter Ukraine.

The training exercise will not pose any threat to the European community as a whole or to neighboring countries in particular, the ministry added, according to state media reports. Belarus and Ukraine share a lengthy border, while Belarus also borders Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Russia.

We do not rule out that the Russian Federation could at some point use the territory of Belarus, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, against Ukraine, Andriy Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraines State Border Service, told Reuters.

Its not clear if any Belarusian soldiers have taken part in the conflict. Belarus is an ally of Russia, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has repeatedly praised Moscows decision to invade Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at the Kremlin in Moscow on Sept. 9, 2021. (Mikhail Voskresenskiy/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images)

Previously, Lukashenko has denied U.S. and European claims that he would authorize sending troops into Ukraine to assist Russia. There have been reports of Belarusian dissidents attacking Russian supply lines in Belarus as well as Belarusians joining Ukraines defense forces.

The conflict has also made Belarus a target of Western sanctions and also prompted Washington to suspend its embassy operations in Minsk, the capital. On Tuesday, Lukashenko spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin via phone, with the conflict in Ukraine one of the topics that were discussed, Russian state-run media reported.

Demchenko told Reuters that Ukraine had also reinforced the countrys border with the Russia-backed region of Transnistria, which is located in Moldova and where tensions have been rising in recent days.

Also Wednesday, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line targets across Ukraine. Heavy fighting also raged at the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol that represented the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined southern port city, according to the mayor. But a Russian official denied Moscows troops were storming the plant, as Ukrainian commanders claimed a day earlier.

The Russian military said it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
U.S. Marines and Sailors with Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3d Marine Logistics Group, board a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Dec. 6, 2021. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Hailey D. Clay)

US Military Logistics Capabilities Inadequate in Asia, Pentagon Warns

The U.S. Department of Defense said the logistics capabilities of the U.S. military are inadequate to counter possible hostilities in Asia, according to its April 2022 comptroller document.

The document details the Pentagons proposed funding allocation of $6.1 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) through 2023, with a continued focus on China as the pacing challenge.

It stated that the funding will be used to strengthen the U.S. military presence in Asia, improve logistics, conduct exercises, build infrastructure, and help allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region build defense capabilities.

Current theater logistics posture and capability to sustain the force are inadequate to support operations specifically in a contested environment, the Pentagon stated.

U.S. Marines take part in a joint amphibious assault exercise as part of the annual Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) U.S.-Philippines war exercises, off the waters of South China Sea on March 31, 2022, in Claveria, Cagayan province, Philippines. (Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

Additional jet fuel storage is needed at the U.S. Marine Corps air station at Iwakuni, Japan, to support strategic en route refueling operations and force projection in the region, according to the paper.

The Pentagon noted that the Yokota Air Base in Japan lacks sufficient on-site fuel storage capacity to sustain extended operational requirements.

Bulk tanks will store the war reserve jet fuel required to sustain contingency operations pending resupply by tanker ships, it stated. This system also permits more economical fuel resupply and reduces the number of resupply cycles to support the air stations requirements.

The Biden administrations budget request for fiscal 2023 includes an investment proposal of $773 billion for the Department of Defense, which implies a 4.1 percent increase from fiscal 2022s enacted amount.

General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington D.C. on April 7, 2022. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Mark Milley, said Tuesday that the potential for significant international conflict between great powers is increasing, not decreasing.

We are now facing two global powers, China and Russia, each with significant military capabilities, both who intended to fundamentally change the current rules-based order, he told the Senate.

Milley described the Russian invasion of Ukraine as the greatest threat to peace and security of Europe and perhaps the world in his 42 years serving in the U.S. military. But China remains Americas pacing threat.

With the allocation of $6.1 billion in the PDI, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that Washington intends to improve its force posture, infrastructure, and readiness in the Indo-Pacific region, including the missile defense of Guam.

We must be prepared for threats that pay no heed to borders, from pandemics to climate change, Austin said. And we must tackle the persistent threats posed by North Korea, Iran, and global terrorist groups.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III testifies during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, on April 7, 2022. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

In December last year, the Pentagons global defense review called for the reinforcement of deploying new rotational fighter and bomber aircraft in Australia, indicating that new B2 stealth bombers and F-22 and F-35 fighter jets could be deployed in the near future.

According to the review, the changes are necessary to deter potential Chinese military aggression and threats from North Korea.

More broadly across the IndoPacific, youll see a range of infrastructure improvements in Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Australia, Mara Karlin, deputy undersecretary for policy at the Department of Defense, said.
After winning the Ohio Republican Senate primary on May 3, J.D. Vance addressed his supporters at a victory party in Cincinnati. (Courtesy of Melissa Townsend)

Vances Win Validates Trump as GOP Kingmaker

When Donald Trump talks, America First Republicans still listen.

Thats what J.D. Vances victory in the Ohio Republican U.S. Senate primary on May 3 showed in the first test of Trumps influence in the 2022 midterm election cycle, Defending Democracy Together Director Bill Kristol says.

Anybody who dismisses Donald Trump as not a major factor in the party is crazy, said Dave Carney, a Republican consultant.

In the general election, Vance will face Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), who handily defeated Morgan Harper and Traci Johnson in the Ohio Democratic U.S. Senate primary.

Vance topped former Ohio State Treasurer and state Rep. Josh Mandel, Ohio state Sen. Matt Dolan, Cleveland investment banker Mike Gibbons, former Ohio Republican Party Chairwoman Jane Timken, central Ohio entrepreneur Mark Pukita, and Columbus businessman Neil Patel.

J.D. Vance celebrates on stage with his wife, Usha, during his victory speech after winning the Ohio Republican U.S. Senate primary on May 3. (Courtesy of Melissa Townsend)

When the race was called in Vances favor, the Hillbilly Elegy author and venture capitalist stepped on stage at a victory party in Cincinnati, 45 minutes south of where he grew up in working-class Middletown.

They wanted to write a story that this campaign would be the death of Donald Trumps America First agenda, Vance said. Ladies and gentlemen, it aint the death of the America First agenda.

Donald Trump Jr.., who publicly supported Vance weeks before his father announced his endorsement of the first-time political candidate on April 15, agreed.

MAGA is alive and well, and the GOP best take notice and finally understand where the people are, Trump Jr. wrote on Twitter after Vances victory.

Kristol noted that Vance was polling at about 10 percent with Mandel and Gibbons leading at 21 percent on April 15. Vance surged in subsequent independent polls before winning by a comfortable margin on May 3.

Without Trumps endorsement, Vance almost certainly stalls out at 10 percent and finishes fourth, Kristol said.

Vances victory increases the likelihood that Trump will ramp up his public support for candidates in upcoming primaries, according to one source close to Trump.

Vances win proves the concept that he can take someone from third or fourth place and pull them into the lead in a crowded primary, another Trump associate said.

Since he entered the race last July, Vance has faced scrutiny about disparaging remarks he made about Trump in 2016. Club for Growth, a pro-Mandel PAC, poured millions of dollars into attack ads directed at Vance.

When Trump announced his endorsement on April 15, about three dozen Republican Party county leaders in Ohioand Ohio Value Voters, a conservative group that backed Mandelwrote a letter urging the former president to rescind his endorsement. In his victory speech, Vance said he would work hard to earn the support of his detractors.

People are caught between the corrupt political class of the left and right, he said. They need a representative, and I am that person.

Timken, who was endorsed by retiring Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), sought Trumps stamp of approval. She finished in the distance behind Vance, Mandel, Dolan, and Gibbons.

While tonights results are disappointing, I am incredibly proud of the race weve run, Timken said after the race was called for Vance. From day one, Ive focused on a campaign for Ohio, in Ohio, fueled by Ohioans, and that grassroots support was evident throughout.

I am passionate about the future of this state and country, which is why Republicans must retake the Senate and House in November to right the ship and put a check on Joe Bidens disastrous policies.

I congratulate J.D. Vance and fully support him in November.

Ryan, a longtime Democratic Ohio congressman in Youngstown, called for unity before lambasting his general election opponent.

Vance is an out-of-touch millionaire whos made a career of bashing the working class and is the worst possible choice to represent Ohio, Ryan said after his own victory on May 3.

The Senate is equally split at 5050; Vice President Kamala Harris has the tie-breaking vote, which gives Democrats the majority.

Republicans can regain control of the Senate by picking up one seat, which enhances the importance of Ohio Republicans holding Portmans spot.

Ive studied this race closely and I think J.D. is the most likely to take out the weak, but dangerous, Democrat opponentdangerous because they will have so much money to spend, Trump said in a statement after backing Vance on April 15. However, J.D. will destroy him in the debates and will fight for the MAGA Movement in the Senate.

J.D. Vance supporter Margot Athon waves a sign after the race was called for Vance on May 3. (Courtesy of Melissa Townsend)

Margot Athon enthusiastically waved a Vance sign at his May 3 victory speech and believes that hell win over Ohio Republican voters who doubt that hes a conservative.

I appreciate his upbringing and his life story, said Athon, who is from Columbus, Ohio, but now lives in Washington.

Hes someone who has not been handed anything. He worked for it. He earned it. And those are the elected officials we need in Washington.
A nurse is seen inside the Royal Exhibition Building Vaccination Centre in Carlton in Melbourne, Australia, on Aug. 25, 2021. (Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Victorian Government to Spend $12 Billion on Health System in 2022-2023

The Australian state of Victoria will invest $12 billion (US$8.5 billion) to improve its health system as part of the 2022-2023 state budget.

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas made the announcement as part of the state governments eighth budget titled Putting Patients First on May 3. He said it would provide extra help to the states healthcare employees, with hundreds of millions of dollars to be spent on nurses, paramedics, emergency call-takers and elective surgery.

This pandemic repair plan means more staff, better hospitals and first-class care, Pallas told parliament.

Under the new budget, the Victorian government will train and hire 7,000 healthcare staff, including 5,000 nurses.

More specifically, it will spend $80 million to recruit 400 new surgery-related nurses, upgrade the skills of 1,000 nurses and theatre technicians, and hire up to 2,000 expatriate and international health workers.

Another $2.3 billion will go toward upgrading and building new hospitals, including the previously announced Melton Hospital, with an estimated construction cost of $900 million.

The state government will also invest $698 million to expand the Better at Home nursing program, which delivers health care to patients in their homes, and $124 million to recruit 90 more paramedics.

Additionally, $218 million has been set aside to relieve the pressure on Victorias triple zero emergency call service after several people died while waiting for an ambulance.

With this funding, the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority will be able to hire an extra 280 call-takers in addition to the 120 announced in March.

However, Shadow Minister of Health Georgie Crozier criticised the Victorian government for the late response, saying it should have fixed the problems of the states emergency call service earlier.

Andrews Govt warned in 2016 of triple zero shortcomings2 years of successive lockdowns to prepare our health system,' she said in a statement.

Yet the Andrews Govt failed to act. As a result, tragically too many Victorians have lost their lives.

Agreeing with Crozier, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said what Victorians needed was real solutions, not government PR and spin.

Meanwhile, the Victorian government said the pandemic repair plan would include the previously announced $1.5 billion COVID catch-up plan and aim to provide 240,000 surgeries each year by 2024.

It also plans to spend $521.7 million in the next two years to support hospitals treating patients who contract the coronavirus and a further $110 million to maintain the states COVID-19 pathways program.

Treasurer of Victoria Tim Pallas during a press conference in Melbourne, Australia, on Sep. 21, 2021. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)

Pallas emphasised that the state government had spent $44 billion to deal with the pandemic and would not stop the spending yet.

Meanwhile, the Victorian government anticipated that the states expenditure would drop by 9.7 percent in the 2022-2023 financial year as it reduced short-term pandemic support initiatives.

The treasurer forecasted the state would achieve a $652 million surplus by 2025-2026 and said that a future fund would be established to pay the rising debts.

It is projected that Victoria will incur a $7.9 billion deficit in the 2022-2023 financial year, and net debt will surge to $167.5 billion in the next four years.

In the meantime, Guy condemned the Victorian Labor government for its handling of the health system, saying the healthcare crisis had occurred before the pandemic broke out, and Labors rule had caused the damage.

How can you trust the government that got us into this mess to be the ones to get us out of it? he said.
Court artist sketch of Lord Justice Fulford sentencing former police officer Wayne Couzens at the Old Bailey in London. on Sept. 30, 2021. ((Elizabeth Cook/PA)

Wayne Couzens Lawyer Appeals for Release After Decades in UK Jail

A lawyer representing the police officer-turned-sex killer Wayne Couzens has told the Court of Appeal his client should spend decades in jail for the rape and murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021 but should not have been given a whole-life prison sentence.

Under English law the mandatory sentence for murder is life but the minimum sentence is set by the trial judge and only 76 people in British prisons are serving whole-life sentences, meaning they will never be released.

In the Court of Appeal on May 4 senior judges heard challenges or appeals to the prison sentences of five convicted murderers, including Couzens, who watched the proceedings on a video link from Frankland prison in County Durham.

Jim Sturman QC, for Couzens, said: The combination of his remorse and his guilty pleas  should balance out that aggravating factor which clearly exists, of him being a police officer, albeit off-duty in half uniform.

Sturman said the trial judges sentence was based on his view that Couzens had shown no remorse, which he said was an untenable finding.

Couzens barrister pointed out he pleaded guilty before any real evidence was presented.

Tom Little QC, representing the Attorney Generals office and the Crown Prosecution Service, responded: His criminality was, as found by the judge, a fundamental attack in reality on our democratic way of life. A police officer is in a uniquely powerful position.

While lawyers for Couzens, and Ian Stewartgiven a whole-life sentence in February this year for murdering his wife Diane in 2010, six years before he killed his girlfriend Helen Baileywere arguing for shorter sentences, the Attorney Generals office was demanding whole-life terms in three other cases.

One of those was Emma Tustin, who was given a minimum term of 29 years for the murder of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes in June 2020.

Little said Tustins sentence was unduly lenient and she merited at the very least consideration of a whole-life order.

He said Arthur had been subjected to the most unimaginable suffering and added: This was an extremely serious example of child murder against the background of that cruelty.

Mary Prior QC, for Tustin, said the trial judge had taken a fair and proper approach in this very difficult case.

The Attorney Generals office is also seeking a whole-life sentence for Jordan Monaghan who was given a 40-year minimum term for murdering two of his children and his girlfriend.

Little said the crimes were of exceptionally high seriousness.

Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and four other judges reserved judgement, which will be announced later in the year.

PA Media contributed to this report
Activists protest in response to the leaked Supreme Court draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, May 3, 2022. (Louis Chen/The Epoch Times)

What Happens If Roe v. Wade Is Overturned?

An overturning of Roe v. Wade will not come close to ending legal abortion in the United States, but rather, a flurry of legal wrangling at the state level is all but certain to follow the rulings expected rollback, said longtime observers of the battles over abortion in the United States. This will lead the way to numerous contrasting and opposing laws and regulations in different states, they said.

The leak of a draft opinion on the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization by Politico on Monday night caught many people off guard, caused censure from both sides of the political spectrum, and kicked off a flurry of statements by federal and state politicians looking to get ahead of an expected overturning of the seminal 1973 precedent that wrested the regulation of abortion from the states and made the procedure lawful throughout the entire United States.

In the 67-page leaked majority opinion, its author Justice Samuel Alito calls Roe v. Wade egregiously wrong from the start and says, It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the peoples elected representatives.

In addition to Roe, the justice calls for overturning Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a 1992 ruling upholding the earlier one. That case held that states cant impose significant restrictions on abortion before a fetus becomes viable for life outside the womb, somewhere around the 24-week gestation mark.

For all the shock engendered by the leak of the Dobbs opinion, it is consistent with the pro-states rights position articulated in recent hearings on the issues at the heart of this case. The case concerns the validity of a Mississippi law that greatly restricts abortions at 15 weeks.

If you listened to the oral arguments and read the briefings, it would not surprise you that this is the kind of opinion that would come out of it. It was aligned with the case that the state of Mississippi made, when they asked for Roe v. Wade to be overturned, said Katie Glenn, government affairs counsel at Americans United for Life.

The Autonomy of States

Glenn offered a number of thoughts on the likely consequences of the Dobbs decision passing into law in its current form or something quite close. In Glenns view, the final ruling is likely to acknowledge the validity of Mississippis contention that Roe and Casey were wrongly decided and that nothing in the Constitution or the 14th Amendment, which has been used to uphold legal abortion, mentions or alludes to abortion.

What Mississippi argued is that abortion is not in the Constitution, and if its not, then it is a state issue and it should be regulated, like other health and safety issues, at the state level, said Glenn.

Some states have already laid the legal groundwork for a shift that turns decisions about whether and how to regulate or restrict abortion back over to them, Glenn noted. They have held ballot initiatives leading to the implementation of a trigger law providing that an overturn of Roe will cause that law to kick in, forbidding abortion. One example is Wyoming, where Glenn expects to see officials outlaw abortion as soon as the Dobbs ruling frees their hand to do so.

In other states, attorneys general will quickly head to court at the state and federal levels to seek to have laws applied relating to parental consent, prenatal nondiscrimination, and the banning of abortion on the grounds of prenatal diagnoses, Glenn predicted.

We will see attorneys general arguing to let those laws take effect, and so I think there will be waves of different laws being reevaluated in the federal courts, she said.

The legal actions and challenges will play out in highly dissimilar ways given the differing laws on the books in different states. In Florida, where Glenn resides, a law on the books since the 1980s says that abortion is legal in the state, Glenn noted. She expects to see that law challenged in the state supreme court.

According to figures from the Family Research Council, 18 states are set to protect life at conception, in accordance with their own laws, once Roe is overturned. An additional four states will protect life when a heartbeat is detected. California, New York, and 18 other states will not protect unborn life.

Evolving Jurisprudence

While some have long considered abortion law to be essentially settled since Roe, Glenn, on the contrary, views the jurisprudence around this issue as having been in flux for many years, and the likely outcome of Dobbs is the latest stage in a long process.

The standard has shifted over the years. Even in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the court changed its stance substantially from Roe when they talked about autonomy, she said.

Matt Forys, chief of staff at the Leesburg, Virginia-based Landmark Legal Foundation, sees both external factors and the evolution of the Supreme Courts reasoning as decisive here.

What has changed since Roe? First, as technology has progressed, the viability of the fetus or child, a focus of Roe and Casey, is earlier and earlier, he said. Secondly, in practice, the court has found the Casey framework unwieldy to apply over time.

A third and no less critical factor is the change in the composition of the court, as the number of Republican appointees sympathetic to pro-choice arguments has dwindled, he observed.

Concurring with Glenn, Forys said that an overturn of Roe will not mean that abortion is automatically banned across all 50 states. Rather, states will use their own discretion in regulating abortion. Bans already on the books, and trigger laws, will come into play.

Well see a flurry of activity in state legislatures for the rest of the year, whether in special session or regular session, as they address this issue anew, he said.

Expect Battles

The road will not be easy for either side in the continuing controversy. Pro-choice states are not in holding patterns. Rather, they have already taken action to become abortion sanctuaries, Forys said, noting that California is already considering amending its state constitution to guarantee legal abortion.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is also on record having vowed to make California a safe haven for any women who cannot legally get abortions in other states in the aftermath of the coming ruling. At a news conference on May 4 at Planned Parenthoods Los Angeles office, Newsom sharply criticized the rollback as a repressive measure of a kind that had never happened before in our lifetimes.

In an America with so many contrasting and conflicting state laws, frequent and protracted litigation look hard to avoid.

The next important chapter in the legal story of abortion is going to involve how the state laws interact with each other. A pro-life state allowing private parties to sue abortion providers could be thwarted by a pro-choice state that allows those private parties to countersue. And the pro-choice states could block out-of-state attempts to investigate or extradite their abortion providers, Forys said.

Glenn said she expects the well-funded abortion industry to be highly creative in developing legal challenges to restrictions on abortion. She acknowledged that California is likely to fight for legal abortion and noted that Connecticut, which has vocally pro-abortion representatives in its state legislature, recently passed a law that will make it hard if not impossible to subpoena records when suing a health provider.

A doctor could block you from getting your own medical records, Glenn noted.

Planned Parenthood and the National Abortion Rights League did not respond to requests for comment from The Epoch Times.
A Delta Airlines plane (L) and a JetBlue Airlines plane wait to take off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va., on April 2, 2022. (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images)

Why Airplane Ticket Prices Are Flying High, While Your Wallet Might Be Grounded

If you think filling your cars gas tank is expensive, how about filling the tanks for a Boeing Co. 737-800?

A 737-800 has a fuel capacity of 6,875 gallons and as of April 25, according to the U.S. Gulf Coast Jet Fuel Spot price, jet fuel costs $4.27 a gallon, holding steady between this price and $3.04 since March 1. So, to totally refuel the plane would cost $29,356.25, allowing the jet to fly 3,159 miles without refueling.

As a comparison, to fly from New York City to Los Angeles, California is 2,446 miles.

Hedging a Bet

The rising cost of jet fuelin part a result of Russias invasion of Ukraineis just one of the pieces of the puzzle for why airplane tickets are more expensive than in previous years.

After labor costs, jet fuel is the next biggest cost, generally accounting for 30 percent of an airlines operating expenses. While jet fuel prices are going up, it takes some time for that increase to be passed along to the customer, with one of the mitigating factors being airlines hedging programs.

Hedging is agreeing to purchase fuel for the future at a predetermined price.

Who does it? Southwest Airlines Co., which according to Axios Atlanta, has approximately 64 percent hedged for the rest of 2022.

On the other hand, American Airlines Group Inc. stopped hedging fuel in 2014. Other non-hedgers? United Airlines Holdings Inc. and Delta Air Lines, Inc., though Delta owns the Trainer Refinery, located outside of Philadelphia, through its Monroe Energy subsidiary. Delta bought the refinery in 2012, so it wasnt too dependent on spot fuel prices and could have a steady supply.

Flying Like Its 2019

According to a Hopper Media studyand what is apparent when trying to book an airplane ticket nowprices are rising, though some are about even with pre-pandemic prices.

In the study, as of April 2022, At $330/round-trip, domestic airfare is trending 7 percent above 2019 pricesit is also the highest average domestic airfare weve seen since we started collecting this data. International airfare is matching 2019 prices at $810/round-trip.

In the studys six-month outlook, domestic airfares are expected to rise 10 percent through May to $360/round-trip. Following June, airfare should seasonally decline into the fall shoulder season.

If planning a trip overseas, the study forecasted that airfare is going to match 2019 prices through May before rising toward $940/round-trip in June, amounting to a 15 percent increase from current prices and reaching about 5 percent above 2019 prices in June, before declining seasonally into the fall.

In addition to jet fuel, other factors contributing to airplane ticket costs going up or down include seasonality, seat capacity, and carrier competition.

But for now, most eyes are on jet fuel costs.

By Sue Strachan

 2022 The Epoch Times. The Epoch Times does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
The Albany Fire Department responded to a fire at Broadway Appliance at around 8:25 p.m. Monday night, May 2, according to Deputy Fire Marshal Sandy Roberts.

The business owner was on site at the time of the fire and tried to reduce the fire spread, according to a news release from the Fire Department. He was uninjured.

Firefighters extinguished the flames, but there is extensive smoke and physical damage to the building, according to AFD. The fire was fully controlled after about 15 minutes, according to Roberts.

At this time, the investigation into what caused the fire is still open. Roberts said the agency has a general idea of what may have caused it, but wasnt ready to definitively make that determination yet.

Queen Avenue was closed for about 1 hours during the fire. Roberts said this resulted in some frustrated drivers. She suggests community members sign up for emergency alerts from the city with Everbridge so that they are always aware of road closures, when to avoid certain areas or when to take action.

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A protester carries a sign during a "Defund the Police" march from King County Youth Jail to City Hall in Seattle, Wash., on Aug. 5, 2020. (Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images)

Why Are Many Police Officers Being Murdered?

Commentary

An increasing number of Democrats are busy distancing themselves from calls to defund the police. But, some would argue, the damage has already been done.

For years, those on the left have vilified police officers, painting them in an unfair, even malicious, light. With such crude generalizations fueled by mainstream media outlets, millions of Americans have lost faith in the police force.

The boys (and girls) in blue have found themselves defunded and derided. More worryingly, they have found themselves targeted by criminals. Across the country, the murder of police officers has become frighteningly common.

On a recent episode of 60 Minutes, FBI Director Christopher Wray discussed the state of policing in the United States. More specifically, he discussed how police officers are targeted explicitly by violent criminals. Last year, according to Wray, 73 officers were killed; that averages one death every five days. Compared to 2020, this represented a 59 percent increase in police murders.

When asked why there was such a worrying spike, Wray gave three reasons. First, there are more and more juveniles committing violent crime. Second, the country is seeing a certain amount of gun trafficking, interstate gun trafficking. Thats part of it. Finally, were seeing an alarming frequency of some of the worst of the worst getting back out on the streets, he said.

Officers on patrol find themselves being shot in the streets; others are being ambushed, he warned. Wearing the badge shouldnt make you a target, added Wray.

Sadly, though, it does. How did we get here?

Because criminals have been given license to act with impunity.

In Chicago, the final weekend of April saw 37 shootings; seven people lost their lives. Although this was Chicagos most violent weekend of the year, violent weekends in the Windy City are very much the norm. The citys mayor, Lori Lightfoot, once a staunch supporter of defunding the police, is now looking to fund officers. Again, though, the damage has already been done. Now, police officers find themselves the victims of coordinated attacks; two officers were recently gunned down while they ate lunch.

A row of police cyclists is seen during a rally in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on May 31, 2020. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/AFP via Getty Images)

According to a recent Gallup poll, 53 percent of Americans say they worry a great deal about the increase in violent crime. Their worries are completely justified. As rates of violent crime continue to rise and shootings in the countrys large cities continue to become more common, expect more Americans to become concernedespecially those who find themselves living in Democratic-run big cities. Politicians on the left stand accused of being soft on crime. Considering the 10 most dangerous cities in the United States are run by Democrats, its hard to disagree.

St. Louis is the countrys most dangerous city, according to a study by personal finance tech firm MoneyGeek. City officials plan to cut more than $4 million from the police budget. The plan, which the Washington Examiner first reported, also sought to remove close to 100 vacant officer jobs.

According to Mayor Tishaura Jones, the plan sought to address the root causes of crime and support the victims of crime as well as those who have been underserved and underrepresented.

How does the removal of funding for officers make anyoneexcept criminalssafer?

Calls to defund the police are ludicrous; nevertheless, some prominent authors insist that its the only way to ensure community safety.

Thankfully, Katie Britt thinks otherwise. Currently campaigning to become Alabamas next U.S. Senator, Britt promises to represent and defend the heroic law enforcement officers who keep Alabama families, neighborhoods and communities safe.

Britt is not the only one who sees the value in defendingrather than defundingthe police. As I have noted elsewhere, a big part of the problem facing officersbesides lack of support from politicians and the mainstream mediais the workload. Many officers are overworked; 12-hour shifts are the norm. A grueling, largely thankless job, officers are burned out. And this problem looks likely to get worse before it gets better.

What can be done? How about hiring more police officers to help current recruits deal with the workload?

On April 25, the Minnesota Senate pledged to do just that and also voted in favor of harsher penalties for violent offenders. The new plan will pump at least $200 million into the funding of local law enforcement agencies.

The bills sponsor, Sen. Warren Limmer, said: This is not the time to build huge bureaucracies. This is a time to react to the criminal threat thats endangering our innocent citizens.

Indeed. Perhaps more politicians should take heed. The American people are fed up with the state of the country, the fact that agents of lawlessness get preferential treatment over law enforcement agents.

To make America safer again, we must first allow officers to breathe again; we must allow them to do the jobs they were hired to do.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Children 12 years old and younger whose guardians meet the qualifying income limit will be eligible for Medicaid coverage regardless of their immigration status beginning Jan 1.

Included in the state budget that was adopted by the House and Senate Tuesday was an expansion of the Medicaid program, known as HUSKY in Connecticut. Last year, lawmakers opened the program to children 8 and younger  regardless of immigration status  who come from households earning up to 201% of the federal poverty level (for a family of four, thats $55,778). Kids from households earning between 201% and 325% of the federal poverty level also qualify but are subject to an asset test.

This year, legislators expanded the pool to children 12 and younger and are allowing any child in that age group who signs up for coverage to keep the insurance through age 19. Children older than 12 on Jan. 1 would not be eligible.

Lawmakers have set aside $400,000 for this years expansion.

The fact that this was able to be included in the budget shows the power our community has, said Carolina Bortolleto, a volunteer with the HUSKY for Immigrants Coalition and a co-founder of Connecticut Students for a Dream. And it shows that our legislators know this was the right thing to do.

Bortolleto helped organize days of rallies outside the state Capitol this spring, bringing together undocumented residents, health care workers, high school students, advocates and others to call for an expansion of the Medicaid program.

Proponents had hoped the legislature would broaden the program this year to children 18 and younger, regardless of their immigration status, but the bill that would have done that did not advance beyond the Human Services Committee. It was defeated by a 10-10 tie vote, with every Republican and three of the committees 13 Democrats voting against it, including co-chair Rep. Cathy Abercrombie, D-Meriden.

Some legislators voiced concerns that the expansion was premature because of a lack of information on the number of residents who would qualify for the program and what the cost would be to the state.

After the bill died, lawmakers crafted a more modest expansion of HUSKY in the state budget. Despite a smaller financial commitment, the move angered some representatives who debated the budget in the House.

That bill, in Human Services, failed. It failed with votes on both sides of the aisle, and were moving it forward, said Rep. Jay Case, R-Winsted, during the House debate. Is that the right process when something fails in committee? OK, well just put it in the budget. Thats where I have a problem.

Language from failed bills or other proposals can sometimes end up in the budget implementer, even if the proposals have only a nominal connection to the budget.

Bortolleto said she and others will continue to advocate in future years for another broadening of Medicaid. She hopes all residents, regardless of age and of immigration status, will eventually be eligible.

Were recommitting to the fight, because health care is a human right. No one should be denied health care  a chance at survival  because of their immigration status, no matter their age, she said.

Hundreds of people testified on the proposal or wrote to lawmakers this spring, many in support of expanding the Medicaid program.

My son is a U.S. citizen, but my husband and I do not have HUSKY or any other health insurance because we are immigrants, resident Sandra Aguilar wrote to legislators. Having health insurance would be a huge help for us because we both need dental care  I had to spend $300 to get a tooth fixed at a private dentist. It took me a long time to get the tooth fixed because for my family, $300 is too much and we cannot afford it.

My husband is prediabetic and has not been able to get the medical care he needs because every medical appointment comes with a cost that affects our finances.

Karina Flores, a new Britain resident and student at Capital Community College, said her parents are uninsured and struggle to access health care.

Coming from a Hispanic household, I firsthand witnessed the struggles my parents would have to go through just to be able to receive medical assistance, she testified. At times they wouldnt even go to the doctors office for any checkups due to being low income and not having health insurance.

My mother was first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes when I was 18 years old, a senior in high school. Unfortunately, she didnt have health insurance, which was super hard to pay for medications and doctor visits  which made me have to work extra hours to help her out, Flores said. We will never know when and why we are going to get sick.  We all deserve to have a source of medical help. Immigration status does not determine how much of a human we are.

Jay Sicklick, deputy director of the Center for Childrens Advocacy, called this years expansion progress. Analysts project that opening HUSKY to kids 12 and younger would add 1,020 children to the program next fiscal year and 2,750 by 2024.

You have to start somewhere. And if the starting point is [children] 12 and under, I think weve made some progress, Sicklick said. In a perfect world, one would think that insuring the entire cohort of individuals up to age 19 would be the primary focus  but at the end of the day, some progress is better than none. Well have to work diligently next year and in other future years to ensure  no one gets left behind.
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NAUGATUCK  The dozens of dogs seized from a suspended New Canaan police officer accused of shooting, killing and abusing canines in his canine training business will not be available for fostering or adoption any time soon, according to the Naugatuck Police Department.

Naugatuck police seized 31 dogs from the facility, Black Rock Canines, and placed them in a shelter. The dogs are being held at an undisclosed location and are receiving proper care, including evaluations from a veterinarian. They will not be available for adoption or fostering in the near future as they are considered evidence in an investigation.

We ask that you please refrain from calling or emailing our Naugatuck Animal Control Division, The Mayor's Office or the Police Department with questions in regards to adoption or fostering of these dogs, police continued. Our animal control officers are being overwhelmed with phone calls, which is taking away from their primary goal of caring for these dogs.

Though police are thankful for such support and concern over these dogs, the Naugatuck Animal Control division has six other unrelated dogs ready to be adopted. Some of these dogs have been with the department since 2019, police said.

While they are not involved in this case, they each deserve a good home too, so we ask you to consider adopting or fostering one of these available dogs, police said.

To find these dogs, visit the Naugatuck Animal Control Facebook Page at Facebook.com/NaugatuckAnimalControl. The shelter also posts some dogs on Adopt A Pet.

David Rivera Jr., a suspended New Canaan K-9 officer, and Daniel Luna, a former Texas law enforcement officer, were recently charged with animal cruelty and other violations related to their business of training and selling dogs to police departments, other law enforcement agencies and citizens.

An arrest warrant detailed that Luna, the general manager of Black Rock Canines, would shoot dogs in the head while serving them dinner and Rivera, whose own police K-9 was revoked by his department, used heavy equipment to bury the animals.

The two were accused of shooting and killing at least 10 dogs they believed were not able to be trained or sold, according to court records.

Police found the 31 dogs isolated and confined to their cages 24 hours a day. One employee called the dogs useless, the warrant stated.

Rivera was suspended from the New Canaan Police Department last week after he was charged by Stratford police for illegally possessing and storing explosives in his home. The explosives were allegedly part of the dog training business, records show.

Rivera was later charged by Naugatuck police with conspiracy to commit animal cruelty, first-degree reckless endangerment and conspiracy to commit euthanization of a canine.

Riveras police K-9, a German shepherd named Apollo, is with the department. New Canaan Police Chief Leon Krolikowski said the dog is healthy, happy and looking forward to continuing his career with our department.

Luna was charged with four counts of animal cruelty, four counts of conspiracy to commit animal cruelty, one count of first-degree reckless endangerment, four counts of conspiracy to commit euthanization of a canine and third-degree identity theft.
STOCKHOLM (AP)  Iran is planning to execute an Iranian-Swedish researcher imprisoned since 2016, Iranian media reported Wednesday, as major court cases further strain tense relations between the two countries.

The report by the semiofficial ISNA news agency quoted informed Iranian officials as saying that Iran will implement the death penalty against Ahmad Reza Jalali by May 21 at the latest.

Jalali is a Swedish-Iranian physician who specializes in disaster relief and has taught at European universities. Rights groups have condemned his detention, saying it follows a pattern of Iran detaining dual nationals and expatriates indefinitely without due process.

He was sentenced to death on widely condemned espionage charges in 2017, as Iranian state TV aired what appeared to be a forced confession with Jalali saying he relayed information to foreign intelligence services about Iranian nuclear scientists.

The announcement of his imminent execution came after Iran summoned its Swedish envoy over a landmark trial in Sweden of an Iranian national charged with grave war crimes committed during the final phase of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

Swedish prosecutors are seeking life imprisonment for Hamid Nouri, who has been held in custody in Sweden since his arrest in Stockholm in November 2019. The Stockholm District Court on Wednesday said that a verdict was expected July 14 and that Nouri will remain in custody until the verdict is announced or otherwise is decided.

On Twitter, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde wrote that the reports that Iran may carry out the death penalty were very worrying, and Sweden and the European Union condemn the death penalty and demand the release of Djalali.

We have said this several times to representatives of Iran, she wrote, adding Sweden was in contact with Tehran.

Maja Aberg of Amnesty International Sweden said Iran's announcement of Jalali's execution date just after Swedish prosecutors moved on Nouri's case was not a coincidence.

It indicates that (Iran) sees him as a kind of piece in the jigsaw puzzle, which is very worrying, she told Sweden's TT news agency.
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JOHANNESBURG (AP)  Shouted down by angry mineworkers, defied within his party over his anti-corruption drive, derided as ineffective by the opposition  South African President Cyril Ramaphosa faces daunting political challenges.

Ramaphosa, 69, has responded with a calm demeanor and a serious, dogged determination that may see him prevail, say some analysts.

Characteristic of Ramaphosa's measured leadership style is his diplomatic response to the strikers who forced him to abandon a speech to mark the Workers Day public holiday on May 1. Ramaphosa has said their anger is justified.

While the main grievance appeared to be about wage negotiations at nearby mines, the workers actions demonstrated a broader level of discontent," Ramaphosa wrote in his weekly letter to the nation. It reflects a weakening of trust in their union and federation as well as political leadership, including public institutions.

He said the workers wanted their union leaders and government to appreciate their concerns and understand the challenges they face.

Political economist Miyelani Mkhabela said he was not surprised that Ramaphosa received a hostile reception from workers as many of their conditions had worsened since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago.

The plight of the workers has become worse, especially the mineworkers because mining houses have been reporting good profits, but it has not filtered down to the workers, said Mkhabela.

The heckling and booing of Ramaphosa has highlighted the challenges confronting his goal to be re-elected president of the ruling party, the African National Congress, at its national conference, scheduled for December.

Ramaphosa is expected to face stiff competition from a powerful faction within the ANC aligned to former President Jacob Zuma.

The race for the party leadership is crucial because if he loses, Ramaphosa may be forced to resign as the country's president, a precedent set by the removal of the two previous presidents  Jacob Zuma and Thabo Mbeki  after they lost the party leadership.

The recent release of a report by a judicial commission investigating corruption during Zumas tenure from 2009 to 2018 has also put pressure on Ramaphosa. The damning findings of the report, after years of interviews and investigations, name Zuma and other top ANC officials as directing widespread corruption worth billions of dollars that seriously damaged South Africa's economy.

Ramaphosa has pledged to root out corruption and many of his supporters want to see criminal charges pressed against Zuma and others. However, the issue is very divisive as Zuma has vocal and influential supporters.

South Africa's high rate of unemployment, which has now reached record levels of more than 35% in the last quarter of 2021, has made things more difficult for Ramaphosa. South Africa's stagnant economy is struggling to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

An estimated 2 million jobs were lost in South Africa as a result of the pandemic as the country implemented one of the world's toughest lockdown restrictions, including a ban on the sales of alcohol and cigarettes.

But Ramaphosa should not be counted out just yet in his quest to continue as the ANC's leader, Mkhabela said.

He still maintains a lot of influence and support, even within COSATU (the Congress of South African Trade Unions) itself despite the incident that happened on Sunday," Mkhabela said. He still maintains a lot of support in the alliance.
STAMFORD  Bridgeport resident Hakeem Atkinson returned to Stamford Superior Court on Tuesday to face murder accusations following a weeklong layoff after one of the jurors in his case caught COVID-19 and another was dismissed.

Atkinson, 26, sat and watched as Hoover Gallo, 28, told a half-filled court room on Tuesday that he and a group of friends were hanging out and smoking weed on the pathway behind the Avalon Norwalk apartment buildings, now known as The Confluence at Norwalk, on Feb. 3, 2012, when they met 20-year-old Joseph Jabs Bateman of Norwalk.

Gallo told Senior Assistant States Attorney David Applegate that he, his two brothers, his then-girlfriend, and other friends had just finished smoking when Bateman walked by them on the path.

Bateman allegedly approached the group to see if they wanted to buy any marijuana, Gallo testified. After speaking for a minute or two, Gallo said he and Bateman exchanged numbers then went their separate ways  Gallo and his friends walked north toward Cross Street, while Bateman headed in the opposite direction on the path toward Burnell Boulevard and the nearby bus station.

Seconds later, Gallo said he heard the gunshots.

I just heard shots and then a guy in a black hoodie ran by, he said.

Gallo said the hooded man, who he claims he hadnt seen on the path earlier, ran by like a blur. The man fled into Cross Street, Gallo said, where he narrowly avoided being struck by a car before disappearing.

On Tuesday, Gallo described the runner as a Black man around 6 feet tall with a black sweatshirt scrunched up around his face. He also recalled the man having his hands in his pockets.

But, Gallo admitted, he had only gotten a glimpse of the man for less than a second.

During cross-examination, Attorney John Gulash, who represents Atkinson, pressed Gallo for more details about what he saw that day. In particular, Gulash homed in on a comment Gallo had made in earlier testimony about having a low marijuana tolerance back in 2012, when he was 18 years old.

I was really intoxicated, Gallo said after Gulash asked about his state of mind at the time of the shooting.

Danny Pratt, a 33-year-old Norwalk man and friend of Bateman, was called to testify after Gallo left the stand on Tuesday.

Pratt said he and Bateman had been together on the afternoon before his friend was shot and killed.

The two were hanging out at Pratts former apartment on School Street around dusk that night when Bateman said he had to go out and would be right back.

About 30 minutes later, Pratt said, he received a call from a friend saying that Bateman had been shot.

Applegate asked Pratt if Bateman was acting normally on the day he was killed, to which Pratt replied that nothing jumped out at him as unusual that day.

During cross-examination, Gulash asked Pratt if he was aware of Bateman selling marijuana around the time of his death. Pratt said he did but added that he was young and dumb at the time.

At least as far as youre young and dumb back then, but at least you werent too young and dumb to realize that people who sell drugs could well get ripped when selling drugs, is that correct? Gulash said. Drug dealers get killed.

The trial is set to resume Wednesday with more witness testimony.

According to his arrest affidavit, Atkinson was 16 years old when Bateman was shot to death in what police said they believed was a retaliation killing during ongoing violence among rival gangs.

If convicted of murder, Atkinson faces a minimum of 25 years in prison, plus an extra five years for a firearms sentence enhancement, which the state is seeking in the case.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Susan De Long, Colorado State University and Carol Wilusz, Colorado State University

(THE CONVERSATION) A communitys sewage holds clues about its COVID-19 burden. Over the course of the pandemic, wastewater surveillance has become an increasingly popular way to try to understand local infection trends.

Microbiologists Susan De Long and Carol Wilusz met and became wastewater aficionados in April 2020 when a grassroots group of wastewater treatment plant operators asked them to develop and deploy a test to detect SARS-CoV-2 in samples from the sewers of Colorado. De Long is an environmental engineer who studies useful bacteria. Wiluszs expertise is in RNA biology. Here they describe how wastewater surveillance works and what it could do in a post-pandemic future.

How is wastewater monitored for SARS-CoV-2?

Wastewater surveillance takes advantage of the fact that many human pathogens and products of human drug metabolism end up in urine, feces or both. The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 shows up in surprisingly large quantities in feces of infected people, even though this is not a major route of disease transmission.

To figure out whether any pathogens are present, we first need to collect a representative sample of wastewater, either directly from the sewer or at the point where what engineers call influent enters a treatment plant. We can also use solids that have settled out of the wastewater.

Technicians then need to remove large particles of fecal matter and concentrate any microbes or viruses. The next step is extracting their nucleic acids  the DNA or RNA that holds the pathogens genetic information.

The sequences contained in the DNA or RNA act as unique bar codes for the pathogens present. For instance, if we detect genes that are unique to SARS-CoV-2, we know that the coronavirus is in our sample. We use PCR-based approaches, similar to those used in clinical diagnostic tests, to detect and quantify SARS-CoV-2 sequences.

Characterizing the nucleic acid sequence in more detail can provide information about viral strains  for instance, it can identify variants like omicron BA.2.

Currently, the vast majority of wastewater surveillance efforts are focused on SARS-CoV-2, but the same techniques work with other pathogens, including poliovirus, influenza and noroviruses.

Before the pandemic, one application was monitoring for rare poliovirus outbreaks in areas where polio vaccination is ongoing. Wastewater can also be monitored for signs of various drugs to give insights into the level and type of drug use in a population.

Where does the data go?

During the pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the National Wastewater Surveillance System specifically to track SARS-CoV-2 across the country. Over 800 sites report data to this NWSS system, but not all states and counties are currently represented.

Many state agencies, like the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and cities, like Tempe, Arizona, have their own dashboards for reporting data. Some companies performing wastewater analysis report data on their own dashboards, too.

In our opinion, the NWSS represents an exciting first step in monitoring population health through wastewater. Similar systems are being established in other countries, including Australia and New Zealand.

What does wastewater data really show?

SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater from large populations are an excellent indicator of the infection level in a community. The system automatically monitors everyone who lives in the sewershed, so its anonymous, unbiased and equitable. Importantly, it is also impossible to track the infection back to a particular person, household or neighborhood without taking additional samples.

Wastewater surveillance doesnt rely on the availability of clinical tests or people reporting their test results. It also picks up asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic cases of COVID-19; this is critical because people who are infected but dont feel sick can still spread COVID-19.

In our opinion, wastewater testing is increasingly important as more COVID-19 tests are done at home. And because vaccination has also led to more mild and asymptomatic cases of COVID-19, people may be infected without getting tested at all. These factors mean that clinical case data are less informative than earlier in the pandemic, while wastewater data remains a consistent indicator of community infection level.

So far, you cant accurately predict the number of infected individuals in a community based on the level of virus in its wastewater. The stage of someones infection, how their body responds to the virus, the viral variant, how far a person was from where the wastewater sample was taken, even the weather can all affect the amounts of SARS-CoV-2 measured in sewage.

But scientists can infer relative changes in infection rates. Watching viral levels go up and down in sewage provides a glimpse of whether cases are rising or falling in the community as a whole.

Because SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in wastewater days or even weeks before outbreaks occur, wastewater monitoring can provide an early warning that public health measures may be warranted. And trends in the signal are important  if you know levels are rising, it may be a good time to reinstitute a mask mandate or recommend working from home. At present, public health officials use wastewater monitoring data along with other information like test positivity rates and the number of clinical cases and hospitalizations in the community to make these kinds of decisions.

Data from sequencing can also help detect new variants and monitor their levels, allowing health responses to take into account the characteristics of the variant present.

In smaller populations, such as in college dormitories and nursing homes, wastewater monitoring can detect a small number of infected people. That can sound the alarm that targeted clinical testing is in order to identify infected people for isolation. Early detection, targeted testing and quarantining are effective at preventing outbreaks. Rather than using clinical testing for routine monitoring, administrators can reserve disruptive clinical tests for times when SARS-CoV-2 is detected in the wastewater.

What will monitoring look like in the future?

Widespread and routine use of wastewater monitoring would give public health officials access to information about the levels of a range of potential infections in U.S. communities. This data could guide decisions about where to provide additional resources to communities, like holding testing or vaccination clinics in places where infection is on the rise. It could also help determine when interventions like masking or school closures are necessary.

In the best case, wastewater monitoring might catch a new virus when it first arrives in a new area; an early shutdown in the very localized area could potentially prevent a future pandemic. Interestingly, researchers have detected SARS-CoV-2 in archived wastewater samples collected before anyone had been diagnosed with COVID-19. If wastewater monitoring had been part of the established public health infrastructure back in late 2019, it could have provided an earlier warning that SARS-CoV-2 was becoming a global threat.

For now, though, establishing and operating a national wastewater surveillance system, particularly one that includes building-level monitoring at key locations, is still too costly and labor-intensive.

Ongoing research and development efforts are trying to simplify and automate wastewater sampling. On the analysis side, adaptation of PCR and sequencing technologies to detect other pathogens, including novel ones, will be vital to take full advantage of such a system. Ultimately, wastewater surveillance could help support a future in which pandemics are far less deadly and have less social and economic impact.

[Research into coronavirus and other news from science Subscribe to The Conversations new science newsletter.]

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/wastewater-monitoring-took-off-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-and-heres-how-it-could-help-head-off-future-outbreaks-180775.
Jody Cortes/Getty Images

May the 4th, also known as "Star Wars Day," is the day where fans of the franchise annually celebrate the galaxy far, far away. This year in Connecticut several bars and libraries are hosting events to let fans dress up and test their knowledge of the universe.

Even Governor Ned Lamont shared a message celebrating the day on Twitter.
The leaked Supreme Court document Tuesday, spelling out a potential ruling that would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, drew some pro-choice activists to downtown Edwardsville.

The Supreme Court confirmed Tuesday that the draft opinion, leaked to Politico, was an authentic document but said it does not represent a decision by the court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case.
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Buff City Soap  a rapidly growing retail franchise known for its handmade plant-based soap and body products made in-store daily  opens Thursday in Edwardsville. The new maker will be located at 2328 Troy Road by Target.

The first 50 people who visit the new store each day, Thursday  Sunday, will receive free soap for a year. Customers can also enjoy in-store specials all weekend such as 20 percent off an entire purchase or buy one Laundry Soap, get a second container 50 percent off.
That release could not be found.
President Muhammadu Buhari has met behind closed door with former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the Presidents Personal Photographers, Mr Sunday Aghaeze, confirmed this in pictorial reports on Tuesday night in Abuja.

NAN reports that the agenda of the meeting between the president and the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report.

NAN reports that Tinubu had on Friday picked the ruling APC presidential nomination and expression of interest forms at the its national secretariat in Abuja.

James Faleke, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, picked the forms for APC national leader, who had since informed the president of his presidential ambition in 2023.

Folake was accompanied by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and hundreds of members of the Tinubu Support Groups (TSG) to the partys secretariat.

NAN reports that Tinubu had recently returned from Saudi Arabia, where he performed the lesser hajj alongside some of his political associates and family members. (NAN)
The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, on a visit to Nigeria on Tuesday in Maiduguri, visited a rehabilitation centre for victims of Boko-Haram and an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp.

During the visits Gutteres, who showed concern over the plight of the affected persons, expressed UN commitment to continue to support measures to ameliorate their sufferings.

Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno who briefed the secretary on the situation in Borno, lauded UN for its support to the state and urged for more.

Governor Zulum noted that many of the IDPs had stayed for several years in camps and were eager to return to their recovered homes but the destroyed structures were yet to be reconstructed.

He urged for more UN support in the ongoing rehabilitation, reconstruction and resettlement of the IDPs.

At the rehabilitation home, the Borno Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo, said from 2016 to date, the centre had rehabilitated 7039 women and children affected by the insurgency.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UN secretary, who was scheduled to address the press in Maiduguri, could not visit the border town of Banki as earlier scheduled because of time factor. (NAN)
Students of the University of Benin, Edo State, have trooped out in their hundreds to kick against the ongoing strike action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The students, who protested around the universitys gate and its environs, had declared what they called UNISTREET, meaning that Nigerian students would now be taking lectures on the streets with some of them acting as lecturers, due to the current closure of schools.

It would be recalled that, on Tuesday, University of Ibadan's students equally protested across the school gate, calling for immediate reopening of public universities across Nigeria.

Similarly, at the University of Lagos, on Tuesday, heavy security operatives, including the men of the Nigeria Police Force, were stationed at the gate of the school, following the planned protest by students.

The strike action of University lecturers which is entering its fourth month has left public universities shut and students helpless.

ASUU had accused the federal government of poor commitment to the payment of academic earned allowances; the continued use of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System and refusal to adopt the Universities Transparency and Accountability Solution, among others.
The European Union in collaboration with the Borno State Government and British Council have trained a total of 250 community leaders and women who were affected by the conflicts on reconciliation and peacebuilding on the need to accept the repentance of Boko Haram members.

The Project Manager of the British Council, Mr Emmanuel Iyaji, stated this during the closing of a 3-day Trauma, Counselling and Psychology Support training for Leaders and Stakeholders in Maiduguri.

He disclosed that the project aims to support Nigerians with conflict resolution at both the state and community levels.

He noted that the peacebuilding process required consultation, counselling and trauma programs for the stakeholders who had suffered burns from the crisis.

"We have trained 200 traditional rulers including District, Ward and village heads on mediation and reintegration, as you can see how we are training additional 50 women and other stakeholders on peacebuilding which comprises counselling, trauma and others.

"The community leaders are resistant to the idea because they were largely not consulted in the design and delivery of the deradicalization programme. This lack of consultation has created a knowledge gap for the leaders on the content of the deradicalization programme, particularly the extent to which the programme has addressed the ideological underpinnings of the insurgency.

"The expected result of the intervention is that the traditional and religious as strategic leaders and gatekeepers will understand the deradicalization programme and the need for successful reintegration for sustainable peace.

"The enhanced understanding will influence them to become advocates of reintegration and to take measures to promote community acceptance in their domains," Emmanuel explained.

One of the participants, Aisha Kyari stressed that her perceptions have changed toward repentance fighters after the peacebuilding program.

She reiterated that it is important for the community to accept and allow them to live with ex-combatants because peace is sacrosanct.

"We just need to forgive them, without peace there would not be any development so it is high time we let the past be forgotten," Aisha said.

The programme was funded by the European Union and implemented by the British Council and Managing Conflict in Nigeria (MCN) Programme.
A group, the Concerned Parents and Educators Network (CPEN), led by Yinka Ogunde, has handed over a house to a teacher who is living with disability in Niger State.

Ogunde who revealed that the CPEN was founded four years ago, said the gesture to the teacher who is identified as Audu Jiya was made because of his exploits in his community.

Jiya who is a rural area educator and girl child education advocate in his community, Ekpan-mawo Kataeregi, in the Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State, said the group recognised his contribution to his community and decided to reward him with a house of his own, built from the ground up.

In his words: After my four years of activities in group and my community, the founder of the group Mrs. Yinka Ogunde, came up with a suggestion to build me a personal house, solicited for funds from group members both home and abroad. The house is now truly completed.

I am grateful and appreciate the impact Mrs. Ogunde is making in my life, only God can repay her and the donors, from the depth of my heart.

I am very happy right now because its my first property achievement of my life. I will not longer beg for where to sleep.

Similarly, Mrs. Ogunde, in her Facebook post, urged people to do good even if no one was watching.

The educationist appreciated members of the group who put money together to make Jiyas dream a reality.

She wrote: Always believe. Great things still happen, always believe that God still works in the affairs of men. I am truly delighted that we have been able to provide this diligent teacher on a wheelchair a house.
The Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State has said Governor Kayode Fayemis presidential declaration in Abuja today is a declaration of failure.

The party accused the governor of lavishing millions of naira belonging to Ekiti State on his presidential ambition, leaving entitlements of pensioners, salaries and deductions unsettled.

PDP therefore asked the Governor to tell Nigerians how well he has governed the state to qualify him as the president of Nigeria.

PDP, in a statement by its State Publicity Secretary, Raphael Adeyanju, issued following the presidential declaration of Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State on Wednesday, stated that the governor is not qualified for presidency.

The statement titled, Fayemi wasted millions of naira, Ekiti money to declare failure in Abuja  PDP

It reads: It is unfortunate that 95 per cent of those who attended the declaration were transported from Ekiti to Abuja on the bill of the state government. A presidential declaration that is 95 percent attendance from Ekiti should have been held in Ado Ekiti.

From information available to us, over N300 million Ekiti State money was spent on that declaration while more than N1 billion was spent on the governors consultation across the country, the PDP stated.

The party who also faulted the governors claim that he would tackle security in Nigeria if elected president, said, Ekiti State residents can no longer sleep with their eyes closed, most of the roads have been taken over by bandits who are kidnapping people at will and collecting cigarettes, noodles, can beer, sachet water and so on as ransom.

If Ekiti is not secured under Fayemi as the governor, how can Nigeria be secured under him as the president? Can the country afford to replace a tyrannical emperor like Buhari with Fayemi his alter ego? What will be the fate of the Nigerian workers under president Fayemi who takes pleasure in sacking workers as a state governor?

The PDP also alleged that Ekiti State workers employed by the PDP governments were sacked by Fayemis All Progressives Congress government, claiming that when court ruled that the sacked workers be reinstated, Fayemi refused.

Is that what he is coming to replicate as president of Nigeria? PDP queried.
Bribe plot rumours swirl

BANGKOK: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday (May 3) brushed aside a claim by former deputy prime minister Trairong Suwannakhiri that some MPs were each offered between B5-30 million to vote against him in an upcoming no-confidence debate.

politicscorruption

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 4 May 2022, 09:48AM

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha walks back to his office after a cabinet meeting at Government House yesterday (May 3). Photo: Arnun Chonmahatrakool

Asked about a move to spend the money to buy votes from MPs to unseat him, Gen Prayut said: Show me evidence. Anyone can say whatever they want ... I dont know I never did this.

Asked if he would launch a probe to find out who spread the rumour, the prime minister said: Where did it come from?.

Mr Trairong said via Facebook yesterday that he had learned that some B5-30mn had been offered to some MPs from small coalition parties to topple the government in the next few months when parliament reconvenes, and a no-confidence debate is expected to take place or during a vote on the budget bill for 2023.

A group of 16 MPs from small coalition parties have said they will vote in support for anything that will be in the countrys best interests even if it goes against the coalition governments line, reports the Bangkok Post.

The group recently met for talks with Cholnan Srikaew, leader of the main opposition Pheu Thai Party, and they will also meet today with deputy Pheu Thai leader Yutthapong Charasathian, who will be a key speaker in the no-confidence debate.

Dr Cholnan previously said Pheu Thai plans to table a no-confidence motion against the government after the amendments to two organic laws for a new, dual-ballot election are submitted to parliament for second and third readings.

The censure debate is likely to be held in late June or early July, he said.

A parliamentary committee examining the amendments is expected to submit them to parliament on May 24.

Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who is leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, also dismissed as groundless the rumour about MPs being bought to oust the prime minister.

The money figures and the plot [to unseat the PM] are questionable. If MPs act like that, their parties must take action. But such things do not happen in Bhumjaithai, Anutin said.

He added that coalition parties must work together and take collective responsibility and if cabinet ministers can explain themselves during the no-confidence debate, MPs from the coalition parties are obliged to vote in support.

No leaders of the coalition parties have been worried about a vote in parliament... Everyone supports the government to carry on working smoothly, he said.

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin, executive board member of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), noted that it was not surprising that small coalition parties were trying to jockey for position as the governments tenure is nearing an end.

He also downplayed the rumour that up to B30mn was offered to MPs to vote against the prime minister.

Thats too much money to be spent on ousting the government considering that the government has not much time left in office. Thats impossible to believe, Mr Somsak said.
Jimi Sandhu killer killed in plane crash

PHUKET: Gene Lahrkamp, wanted for slaying Indian gangster Jimi Sandhu in Phuket in February, has died in a small plane crash in Canada, reports the Vancouver Sun.

crimepolicetransportaccidents

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 4 May 2022, 09:32AM

Photo: Handout via Vancouver Sun

Lahrkamp, 36, was among four people who died in the crash in northwestern Ontario last week, the Vancouver Sun reported.

Lahrkamp along with fellow Canadian national Matthew Dupre were wanted for shooting dead Sandhu in an assassination carried out in Rawai on Feb 4.

The two men, both ex-Canadian military, were soon identified as the killers and Interpol Red Notices for their arrest were issued.

Dupre was arrested in Edmonton, Alberta, on Feb 20, and is being held in detention by the Alberta Court, pending a request for extradition to Thailand, while Larhkamp remained at large.

Larhkamps body was recovered from the crash site near Sioux Lookout, Ontario, on Apr 30. He was one of two British Columbia men facing murder and conspiracy charges in gang-linked violence killed in the plane crash, the Vancouver Sun noted.

Duncan Bailey, 37, linked to the Independent Soldiers gang, also died in the crash. He had been out on bail on a conspiracy to commit murder charge related to a Vancouver shooting on Oct 6, 2020, the Vancouver Sun reported.

The four were travelling in a four-seater Piper PA 28-140.

Ontario Police are conducting a criminal investigation into the flight, while the Transportation Safety Board also has a probe into why the plane went down, the Vancouver Sun reported.
Kamala Beach empty as officials ramp up fish safety patrols

PHUKET: Kamala Beach was nigh empty of swimmers yesterday (May 3) as officials and lifeguards patrolled the beach to warn beach-goers of an aquatic animal in the waters that had bitten an 8-year-old boy on Sunday.

tourismmarineSafetyanimals

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 4 May 2022, 12:27PM

The boy, Naphat Chaiyarak Khrystenko, which Thai media are highlighting has aThai mother and a Ukrainian father and all who live in Phuket, suffered deep lacerations to his lower right leg requiring more than 30 stitches to close.

At Kamala Beach yesterday were Kathu District Chief Siwat Rawangkul along with officers from the Kamala Subdistrict Administrative Organisation (OrBorTor) and the Kamala Police.

Mr Siwat downplayed the impact the news has had, saying tourists were at the beach as usual, while photos of him at the beach showed nearly no people at the beach at all.

Mr Siwat explained that the patrol was to warn tourists of what had happened and had posted warning signs urging tourists to emphasise safety and to be careful of aquatic animals when playing in the water.

The incident may be just an accident that happened, but we have put in place measures for people to be careful of all kinds of aquatic animals, Mr Siwat said.

At the same time, we have lifeguards patrolling the beach on foot to monitor the area, along with advising tourists [of the situation] during the day and evening of every day, he said.

Kamala OrBorTor has a patrol boat to take care of safety on the other side of the swimming area, he added.

Mr Siwat said that audio warnings in Thai and English were being played in the area, and local residents and business operators have been asked to help monitor the situation.

Dr Kongkiat Kittiwattanawong, Director of the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) and the leading marine biologist on the island, yesterday said that he was adamant that the bites were inflicted by a small shark.

Its very unlikely to have been a blacktip shark due to the nature of the attack being very violent. The injuries are believed to be caused by a bull shark, Dr Kongkiat said.

However, we cannot confirm exactly which species it is, but the wounds were definitely caused by a shark, because the scene of the incident is not known for barracuda, he added.

Its very rare that something like this happens, Dr Kongkiat noted.

However, long-term local lifeguard Rattaphon Phromprung disagrees. He remains confident that the animal that bit young Naphat was a barracuda, not a shark.

Although this has rarely happened, there have been incidents like this before, Mr Rattaphon said.

Mr Rattaphon pointed out that the most recent similar incident was in 2017, when a Japanese tourist was bitten at the beach.

In that incident, Dr Kongkiat also was confident that the culprit was a shark, but was overruled by another expert who found favour with the Phuket Governor at the time in declaring that the fish that bit the Japanese tourist was a barracuda.

As for the impact on the tourism image of Kamala Beach, if a barracuda bites someone there is absolutely no effect, but if the news goes out that it was a shark, there will be some impact for sure, Mr Rattaphon said.

Among the few people at Kamala Beach yesterday was tourist Paichayon Donlao, on holiday from Chiang Rai. Mr Paichayon arrived in Phuket on Monday and was unaware that a young boy had been bitten at the beach.

I arrived yesterday [Monday] and I havent been following this news at all. I just came to know this. I understand that people are afraid that something might happen to them, but I think it probably doesnt happen regularly, just rarely, he said.

Just now, I saw a school of fish coming to swim in the shallow water. I thought that small sharks would come here to eat small fish as well. Weve all heard of incidents abroad where tourists who go into the water have been bitten and injured, but for this people should not be afraid, he said.

Additional reporting by Eakkapop Thongtub


Supreme Court leak ignites US abortion firestorm

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden urged voters yesterday (May 3) to defend fundamental rights after a leaked Supreme Court draft ruling indicated the imminent end to nationwide legal abortion, long viewed as a basic freedom by tens of millions of Americans.

politicssex

By AFP

Wednesday 4 May 2022, 10:37AM

A protester outside the federal building in San Francisco yesterday (May 3). Photo: Nick Otto / AFP

If the draft ruling is confirmed by the court, it would overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which enshrined abortion rights across the country. Instantly, abortion laws would be left up to individual state legislatures, with as many as half expected to enact bans or new restrictions.

For many women, the potential loss of abortion rights across swaths of the United States raises the prospect of being forced to travel hundreds of miles for the procedure or giving birth in traumatic circumstances.

Outside the Supreme Court building in the heart of Washington, more than a thousand protesters on both sides of the hotly-debated issue gathered yesterday.

Its an obscene invasion of womens privacy and their abilities to decide what to do with their own bodies, Adriane Busby, a 40-year-old political analyst, told AFP.

I didnt think that we would have to be here in 2022, debating, protesting this. Its a regression, the Washington resident said.

Republicans have pushed hard for years to overturn Roe, and it became only a matter of time after three conservative justices were appointed under former president Donald Trump, shifting the Supreme Courts political balance sharply to the right.

The leaked rulings publication late Monday by the US news site Politico thrust the intensely divisive issue to the center of the November congressional midterms elections, potentially opening a path for beleaguered Democrats to stem expected losses.

Biden, whose Democrats have been forecast to lose their already narrow control of Congress, issued a rallying cry to the left, warning that restricting abortion rights will be only the beginning.

I believe that a womans right to choose is fundamental... and basic fairness and the stability of our law demand that it not be overturned, Biden said in a written statement.

It will fall on voters to elect officials who back abortion rights, he said, vowing to work to pass legislation in Congress that codifies Roe v. Wade - a goal impossible to achieve unless far more Democrats win seats.

Speaking later to reporters, Biden went further, calling the draft ruling radical and warning of a fundamental shift in American jurisprudence that could put into question the future of gay marriage and how you raise your child.

In New York, a liberal bastion, thousands of protesters rallied outside a federal courthouse in Manhattan chanting Abortion is a human right, fight fight fight.

You can only ban safe abortion. You cannot prevent women from taking their own reproductive choices out of their own hands. Thats a fantasy, said Kaytlin Bailey, 35.

Roe v. Wade is going to go!

The leak of the draft ruling was unprecedented, knocking another hole in the once hallowed reputation of the top court as the one apolitical branch in the US government.

Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed that the document released by Politico was authentic, although he cautioned that this did not necessarily represent the courts final decision. Roberts ordered a probe into the leak.

Earlier yesterday, crowds of protesters from both camps descended on the Supreme Court building, with anti-abortion rights activists chanting abortion is violence. Abortion is oppression as well as Hey Hey Ho Ho Roe v. Wade is going to go!

But by the evening, it was mostly pro-abortion rights activists.

Women will die, they already do, warned Victoria Lord, a 61-year-old historian, grimly.

People with less economic means will be the most impacted by this decision, said Michaela Palmer, 29, who held a sign that said My uterus not yours.

People who are privileged will find others means to have an abortion, they will travel to other states, the energy consultant told AFP.

In Roe v. Wade, the court ruled that access to abortion is a constitutional right. In a subsequent 1992 ruling, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the court guaranteed a womans right to an abortion until the fetus is viable outside the womb, which is typically around 22 to 24 weeks of gestation.

Most developed countries allow abortions on request up to a gestational limit, most often 12 weeks.

Roe v. Wade makes the United States one of a handful of nations to allow the procedure without restriction beyond 20 weeks of pregnancy - although many others allow it past that point for specific reasons.

The court had been expected to decide this June on challenges to Roe v. Wade.

The Republican National Committee said it was time for abortion decisions to revert to state governments.

The far left wants unelected judges to impose a radical, one-size fits all abortion policy, leaving Americans without a voice, it said.

The governor of Oklahoma marked the day by signing a highly restrictive law banning abortions after approximately six weeks of pregnancy - with no exceptions for cases of rape or incest - matching a Texas law enacted last year.

The laws are being challenged in court.

Wrong from the start

The draft Supreme Court opinion was written by Justice Samuel Alito and, according to Politico, has been circulating since February inside the court - now dominated 6-3 by conservatives.

It calls the Roe v. Wade decision egregiously wrong from the start.

We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled, Alito writes in the document, labeled the Opinion of the Court.

It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the peoples elected representatives.

The Guttmacher Institute, which backs abortion rights, has said 26 states are certain or likely to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
Wild chase after man sneaks onto Suvarnabhumi airport apron

SAMUT PRAKAN: A motorcyclist believed to be flying high on drugs sneaked through a gate and onto the aircraft apron at Suvarnabhumi airport, a highly restricted area, causing 10 minutes of havoc on Tuesday (May 3).

Safetytransportpolice

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 4 May 2022, 03:24PM

The steel axe and a toy handgun taken from Vachara Khambut during his arrest. Photo: Sutthiwit Chaiyutworakan / Bangkok Post

Vachara Khambut is arrested at the walking bridge of Gate 3A at Suvarnabhumi airport on Tuesday. Photo: Sutthiwit Chaiyutworakan / Bangkok Post

He was chased down and arrested by security guards, and is facing serious charges, reports the Bangkok Post.

Details were released on Wednesday by Suvarnabhumi general manager Kittipong Kittikachorn.

He said that at 11.53am on Tuesday a man was spotted riding on a motorcycle in the restricted apron area. He had slipped through a gate for officials working at the airport as a pickup truck was entering.

The man, later identified as Vachara Khambut, 34, from Loei province, pointed a handgun and ordered the guards to step back while driving towards the airport apron, he said.

The airports security centre was alerted and monitored the mans movements with closed-circuit security cameras. They showed the man running wildly around near aircraft parking bay No 101, carrying a steel axe.

Airport security guards were sent to catch him.

They were able to arrest the intruder at 12.03pm as he was trying to enter a passenger building after climbing up a ladder onto the walking bridge of Gate 3A and smashing a glass door.

Guards took from him a steel axe about 50 centimetres long, a replica handgun, a pair of scissors and a methamphetamine pill in a plastic box.

The man was slightly injured by broken glasses while smashing a door to enter the passenger building. Some security guards also sustained minor injuries.

Asked why security authorities did not use weapons to stop the intruder, Mr Kittipong said: Using arms during an operation is a last resort, for the safety of air travellers. An arrest is a priority for security authorities.

He said everything went in accordance with international practice at airports.

Mr Kittipong said the incident did not disrupt airport services or flights.

The incident was captured on video and the clip went viral on social media on Tuesday. Mr Kittipong later confirmed it and the airport posted a statement on its Facebook account around 10pm.

Asked why the airport and police were so late in releasing details after the incident, Mr Kittpong said on Wednesday that Mr Vachara was apparently high on drugs and was initially unable to give a coherent statement or answer questions.

The man was detained at Suvarnabhumi police station.

Suvarnabhumi police chief Pol Col Jirawat Piempinsreth said at the same press conference that police had pressed eight charges against Mr Vachara.

The charges included trespassing on the airports restricted area and violating Section 19 of the Aviation Act of 2015 in carrying a weapon in a way that might affect the safety of the airport. The second charge carries maximum penalties of death or life imprisonment, a prison term of 15-20 years and a fine of B600,000-800,000.

Other charges were damaging airport property by breaking two glass door panes at the passenger building, possessing weapons in a public place, possessing methamphetamine, taking an illicit drug and threatening people with weapons.
By Azernews





By Fuad Muxtar-Aqbabali

Azerbaijan's top presidential aide Hikmat Hajiyev and Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan have met in Brussels for the second time to weigh the pros and cons ahead of the expected launch of the activities on drafting a peace deal and the border delimitation process.

EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Toivo Klaar again hosted the meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian officials in a bid to demonstrate the EU's determination to press ahead with the plan the leaders hammered out at the April 6 meeting in Brussels.

In the meantime, Klaar fell short of divulging topics the two men had discussed and if any agreements were accomplished. Before visiting the May 2 meeting with Azerbaijan's top presidential aide, Armen Grigoryan said on 29 April that the Brussels meeting would focus on a future peace deal, the unblocking of regional communications, and the border delimitation.

As part of Baku and Ankara's joint efforts to bring Yerevan to the regional cooperation track, on May 3, the special envoys of Armenia and Turkey, Ruben Rubinyan and Serdar Kilic held their third meeting in Vienna.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry said Rubinyan and Kilic had held a "sincere and effective exchange of specific views and mulled steps that can be taken for tangible progress" towards the normalization of relations.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, for his part, added earlier that the envoys would discuss "various steps", including the prospect of re-determining borders and establishing a "joint commission".

Armenian opposition efforts to derail peace process

For all that the April 6 Brussels meeting agreed to unveil the compositions of the two commissions by late April, Armenia has not done so and the ongoing protests in Yerevan are designed to derail the whole process, experts believe.

At the April 29 international conference on "South Caucasus: Development and Cooperation", President Ilham Aliyev reaffirmed Baku's readiness to turn a new page in South Caucasus interstate relations.

"We have got a positive response from Armenia just recently, and their government has accepted five basic principles, which Azerbaijan put forward, the principles which should be a foundation for a peace agreement with Armenia", the Azerbaijani president told the international think tank forum.

The lasting and durable peace in the region is pivotal for the two arch-enemies to start from scratch.

"If a peace agreement is signed and those basic principles are known, then, the peace in the Caucasus will be long-lasting and sustainable. This is what we want, and I think that what we demonstrate and what we announce is a clear example of our will to contribute to the peace in the Caucasus," the president added.

What is behind opposition protests in Armenia?

The Armenian opposition protests have been ongoing since May 1 and are set to go ahead in a bid to compel the prime minister to quit and prevent him from normalizing the relations with two powerful neighbors - Turkey and Azerbaijan.

On May 4, the protesters are planning to block streets in Yerevan and then picket the parliament building, where Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is expected to attend a Q&A session.

Addressing the protest on May 3 in Yerevan, opposition MP and deputy speaker Ishkhan Saghatelyan, who is one of the leaders of the street protests, called on the opposition supporters to gather outside parliament on May 4 to demand Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's resignation.

He also urged protesters to follow the suit and replicate the 2018 version of Pashinyan's protest that ousted then prime minister Serzh Sargsyan. It should be noted that the political alliance I Have Honor led by Sargsyan also joined the protests.

The Armenian opposition's civil disobedience campaign is aimed at toppling Pashinyan and the protests are orchestrated by the resistance movement made up of major opposition alliances Armenia and I Have the Honor led by former presidents Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, both from Azerbaijan's separatist Karabakh region.

Following the ongoing protests in Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan responded to accusations by the opposition that he had derailed the negotiations on the Karabakh settlement.

In response, the prime minister accused ex-President Serzh Sargsyan of derailing the negotiations with Azerbaijan.

"The third president said that one should not pin hopes on a peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict," the prime minister recalled.

As for the accusations that he could have stopped the war, Pashinyan recalled that on September 27, 2020, when the hostilities started, he voiced the condition under which the war would be stopped was the fact that Nagorno-Karabakh remained part of Azerbaijan.

For his part, Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan, an associate of the prime minister, lambasted the street protests that paralyzed the normal functioning of the public traffic, blaming the opposition for the lack of any proposals.

The opposition accuses the prime minister of plotting concessions to Azerbaijan over Karabakh. Protests are blocking streets in Yerevan and the provinces, and over 400 protesters were reportedly detained on May 2-3.

To recap, Simonyan ruled out any political crisis in the country.

"The opposition has not formulated clearly what they want to say, and in fact, they have nothing to propose to the people of Armenia. If they have any political messages, it should be done in parliament," Simonyan believes.

Pashinyan came under fire from the opposition after his remarks that Yerevan had to reduce its expectations around Karabakh's future status. His comments triggered fears that his government is preparing to compromise on the de facto independence of the part of the region under the preliminary control of the Russian peacekeepers to conclude a long-awaited peace treaty with Azerbaijan.
An old yarn from 2019 about a man who checked his sick wife out of a nursing home to throw her a 'death party' has gone viral again - and for good reason.

The resurfaced tweet from KRIS 6 News in the states read: "Police have arrested a Minnesota man who checked his sick wife out of a nursing home to throw her a 'death party'. Her final hours included meth, listening to metal and having sex, authorities said."

Streuth guess that's one way to go out?
LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  She stood in just her bathrobe in the freezing basement of the Mariupol theater, coated in white plaster dust shaken loose by the explosion. Her husband tugged at her to leave and begged her to cover her eyes.

But she couldnt help it  Oksana Syomina looked. And to this day, she wishes she hadnt. Bodies were strewn everywhere, including those of children. Syomina had to step on the dead to escape the building that had served as the Ukrainian citys main bomb shelter for more than a week.

Syomina, her husband and about 30 others ran blindly toward the sea and up the shore for almost five miles (eight kilometers) without stopping, the theater in ruins behind them.

All the people are still under the rubble, because the rubble is still there, Syomina said, weeping at the memory. This is one big mass grave.

Amid all the horrors that have unfolded in the war on Ukraine, the Russian bombing of the Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theater in Mariupol on March 16 stands out as the single deadliest known attack against civilians to date. An Associated Press investigation has found evidence that the attack was in fact far deadlier than estimated, killing closer to 600 people inside and outside the building. Thats almost double the death toll cited so far.

The AP investigation recreated what happened inside the theater on that day from the accounts of 23 survivors, rescuers, and people intimately familiar with its new life as a bomb shelter. The AP also reconstructed a 3D model of the building based on witness accounts, two sets of floor plans of the theater, photos and video taken inside and feedback from experts who reviewed the methodology. With communications severed, people coming and going constantly, and memories blurred by trauma, an exact toll is impossible to determine.

The AP investigation refutes Russian claims that the theater was demolished by Ukrainian forces or served as a Ukrainian military base. None of the witnesses saw Ukrainian soldiers operating inside the building. And not one person doubted that the theater was destroyed in a Russian air attack aimed with precision at a civilian target with children in it.

The Russian siege of Mariupol started in the first days of March. The city soon ordered the entire theater opened as a bomb shelter, given its size, its unusually sturdy walls and its large basement.

About a week before the bombing, the theaters set designer used white paint to inscribe the word CHILDREN in Cyrillic letters on the pavement outside, in the hope of staving off an attack from above. The signs, painted in both the front and back entrances, were large enough to be read even from satellites.

On March 9, a Russian airstrike hit a maternity hospital just a few blocks away, and two or three pregnant women moved to the theater for safety, according to two theater employees. The women, along with families with small children, were given the most comfortable dressing rooms on the second floor. It would turn out to be their doom.

By March 15, around 1,200 people crammed into the building, sleeping in offices, corridors, balconies, the basement. The theater became a place where anyone could get food and water supplied by the Red Cross or news about possible evacuations.

Among those who showed up in the hope of evacuating on the morning of March 16 were the Kutnyakov family and their neighbors.

We were immediately offered and poured tea, said Galina Kutnyakova, the 56-year-old matriarch. You have to imagine, we had hardly eaten or drunk for six days. Everyone was so happy because of the hot tea.

The basement was full already. So were the first and second floors. They saw a spot on the third floor, near enormous windows that everyone knew would surely shatter into knives of flying glass if the building was hit. It was the only place available, so they took it. It was around 10 a.m.

Maria Kutnyakova, Galinas 30-year-old daughter, walked outside and heard a warplane. Then came the explosion.

She saw smoke rising from the enormous park with the theater at the center. The theater stood bare, with a huge chunk of its red roof on the ground. The meter (three-foot) thick walls by the field kitchen had disintegrated to dust.

As people fled the opposite way, Maria Kutnyakova ran into the hall looking for her mother and sister. Hoarse shouts for family members filled the air. At first she too shouted Mom, but she quickly realized that everyone around her was shouting the same word. So she screamed the family name instead.

Someone answered, Masha Kutnyakova! It sounded like it came from somewhere in the ground, but only the dead lay there.

She went to the stairs down to the basement and bomb shelter. There, at the bottom, stood her sister, covered in plaster dust, with a cat.

Their mother escaped out of a side exit. They made their way with a crowd of about 50 people to Mariupols Philharmonic, a nearby auditorium that also came under shelling at sunset.

God, this is my cultural program for the day, Maria Kutnyakova told herself bitterly.

The theater now lies in ruins, with its side and center blackened by fire. Russian forces control the neighborhood around it, and AP video shows heavy equipment swarming the rubble to further dismantle it. But the questions remain: How many bodies are there, and what happened to them?

Video taken by Russian state media shows no bodies inside. Some witnesses speculate that the bodies were either pulverized into the dust or removed by the Russians. With the site off-limits to investigators and the rubble itself taken away, witness testimony and photos and video of the theater before and after it was bombed will be crucial, said Clint Williamson, who served as U.S. ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues from 2006 to 2009.

The survivors from the theater attack remain haunted by their memories of what the Russians did.

They came not to capture the city  they came to destroy it, said Maria Kutnyakova, sitting in another auditorium in the city of Lviv. They are trying to hide how many people actually died in Mariupol, hide their crimes.

___

Beatrice Dupuy and Marshall Ritzel in New York, and Cara Anna in Lviv, contributed to the report.
ALTON  The Sierra Club will host "Coyotes: Friend or Foe?" May 10 at The Old Beer Bakery Company, 400 Landmarks Blvd., Alton.

Local wildlife expert Kerry Lennartz will speak at the event on the behavior and habits of coyotes, their role in ecosystems, management strategies and ways to foster peaceful coexistence. Lennartz works at the TreeHouse Wildlife Center in rural Dow as a wildlife rehabilitator. She plans to bring a special TreeHouse resident or two.
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SPRINGFIELD  The General Assembly has given Illinois agritourism businesses some relief on liability insurance costs.

Lawmakers during the recent session passed legislation providing agribusinesses a $1,000 state income tax credit for liability insurance premiums and forwarded the provisions along with other tax measures to Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

For years, Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Specialty Growers Association have worked to address agritourism liability issues against opposition from the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA). After years of inaction due to ITLA opposition, Sen. Rachelle Aud Crowe, D-Glen Carbon, and Senate President Don Harmons office, with help from state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, actively partnered with IFB and lobbied each chamber to deliver aid for agritourism.

Stuart worked to pass relief for Liberty Apple Orchard in Edwardsville and other agritourism businesses.

Its really important to support these small businesses, Stuart said. The owners (of Liberty Orchard) and I have had numerous conversations. I understand their point of view about being outdoors (at the orchard) is the same risk as you being outdoors in your yard.

Farmers in Illinois lead the nation in soybean, corn and swine production. But some also contribute to the states economy by offering immersive, recreational experiences to visitors through pumpkin patches, hayrides, tree farms, petting zoos and more, Crowe said.

As small business owners, agritourism operators truly make our state unique by attracting visitors to our communities to participate in authentic farm experiences, Crowe said. By offering state relief to agritourism operators for liability insurance premiums, Illinois is supporting the local businesses who promote economic growth statewide and play an important role in teaching our children and families the significance of agriculture in our daily lives.

This is huge for agritourism and local food, said Mark Raney, IFB associate director of state legislation. A lot of people want to enjoy these activities, but liability insurance is a huge barrier into this niche market given how expensive it is.

Raney noted a recent USDA report showed 85% of agritourism businesses earn less than $25,000. These are small businesses, he added. The state Trial Lawyers Association has fought efforts to provide agritourism businesses limited liability protection rather than go to court, Raney said.

Specialty growers are unique in that we grow fruits, vegetables and herbs for direct use by Illinois families, while also inviting our guests to enjoy a fun, educational experience on our farms, said Randy Graham, president of the Illinois Specialty Growers Association (ISGA). Because specialty growers work in agriculture and tourism, they incur a higher liability risk than most, he noted.

Graham thanked Crowe and Stuart for understanding specialty growers needs and their work to ensure passage of the liability insurance tax credit. He also pointed to the partnership success of IFB and ISGA.

The legislation defines agritourism businesses that would be eligible for the liability insurance tax credit and specifies services that would not meet the laws criteria. Raney explained qualified agritourism businesses would need certification from the Illinois Department of Agriculture after it adopts new rules.

Eligible agritourism businesses include those providing historic, cultural and on-site educational programs, tours, animal exhibitions and petting zoos, crop mazes, U-pick harvesting, horse rides, hayrides and sleighrides.

Under the law, ineligible businesses solely offer hunting, fishing, rodeos, amusement rides, off-road biking or motorized activities, outdoor recreation and serve as wedding and concert venues.

For agritourism businesses, the liability insurance is very expensive.

We hope the income tax credit will alleviate that burden, said Raghela Scavuzzo, IFB associate director of food systems development and ISGA executive director. We hope this credit will incentivize them to continue doing business and will stimulate new agribusinesses.
Reaction came fast and furious from one extreme to another over a leaked draft opinion by the Supreme Court turning decisions on abortion services over to state jurisdictions.

Late Monday Politico leaked a draft opinion concerning Roe v. Wade over abortion services. That could lead to different laws in Illinois and Missouri regarding abortions.

Small Victories, a pro-life ministry in Highland, released a statement that the ruling could make Illinois the nation's "abortion travel agency hub."

"Overturning Roe V. Wade will not help Illinois; only bring more shame to our state," said Daniel Michael of the organization. He said the ministry had witnessed rising clientele numbers at Hope Clinic in Granite City, along with more ambulance calls.

Neither Hope Clinic For Women, an abortion provider in Granite City, nor Thrive Metro East Womens Healthcare, a pro-life organization based in Godfrey, returned requests for comments on Tuesday.

In January, a regional logistics center operated by Hope Clinic for Women and Planned Parenthood opened in a Planned Parenthood clinic in Fairview Heights to make abortion care more accessible. Private funds are used to pay for travel and lodging arrangements and connect patients with existing resources. There is no income or distance requirement to access services.

Planned Parenthood projected that an additional 14,000 women from Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee would likely travel to southern Illinois for abortion care if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Yamelsie Rodriguez, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri, noted in a statement that abortion is currently legal in Missouri and patients should still show up for their appointments.

No matter what, with our partners, we will fight for what little is left of abortion access in Missouri and push forward to expand in Illinois where abortion access is protected beyond Roe, Rodriguez said.

The Supreme Court confirmed Tuesday that the draft opinion, leaked to Politico, was an authentic document but said it does not represent a decision by the court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case. The final ruling may not come from the Supreme Court for the next two months.

The leaked draft, published late Monday by Politico, is a 98-page opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which challenged the constitutionality of the Mississippi bill that banned abortion after 15 weeks. If the decision stands as written, it would also overturn Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a 1992 decision that protected abortion services even though it allowed states to add some limitations.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, issued a prepared statement about the leaked draft opinion saying that, "no matter what atrocity of an opinion the Supreme Court officially rolls out this summer in regards to Roe versus Wade, abortion will always be safe and legal here in Illinois.

In 2019 Illinois lawmakers passed the Reproductive Health Care Act establishing a fundamental right to reproductive healthcare, including abortion and maternity care. The law ensures regulations reflect current medical standards and requires private health insurance plans in Illinois to cover abortion like they do other pregnancy-related care.

In 2021 Illinois lawmakers also repealed the Parental Notification Act allowing pregnant minors the option to involve a family member or legal guardian in their decision to have or not have an abortion. The repeal protected minors from being compelled to notify their abusers.

Illinois is and will remain a beacon of hope in an increasingly dark world, Pritzkers statement continued. I will fight like hell not just for the women who call Illinois home, but every person in every corner of this country who deserves to live a life of their own design.

Across the river, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, a Republican, on Tuesday said he will take immediate action to allow an abortion ban to take effect if the landmark ruling is overturned.

Missouri's GOP-led Legislature passed the abortion ban in in 2019 in hopes that the 1973 ruling would later be tossed out. Abortions would only be allowed to save the life of the mother. Anyone who performs an unlawful abortion would face 5 to 15 years in prison.

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, said he is a pro-life lawmaker who has long advocated for an end to the Roe v. Wade decision.

"It was wrong from the beginning, and I hope the courts pending decision empowers states to enact pro-life laws and protect the unborn, he said.

He added he was disturbed by the leak of the draft.



This is nothing more than an attempt to intimidate the justices on this case and sway their opinion, he said. A leak of this magnitude must be condemned and, if warranted, investigated and prosecuted. Those on the left who are cheering this lawless type of behavior are contributing to the undermining of our nations institutions and civic processes.



U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-IL, also was upset by the document.

"I dont condone the leaking of internal Supreme Court documents," Durbin said. "I dont know who leaked the opinion, or why. But I know that today, (Americans) across this country are grappling with the very real concern, and yes, the fear, that they may lose a critical constitutional right in just a matter of weeks.

"Millions of Americans woke up to the realization that a constitutional right many have known their whole lives is on the verge of being extinguished," he said. "Regardless of the Courts final decision, we must enshrine into law the right to make one's own reproductive health care choices."

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-IL, said Roe v. Wade should be codified into law "so that every American has equal access to basic, necessary healthcare  regardless of which state they live in, the color of their skin or the size of their income.

"If this draft opinion becomes reality, a small group far-right Justices would be stripping away protected constitutional rights that millions of American families  including my own  have relied on for 50 years and that 70% of Americans believe should be legal," she said.

U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, said he is pro-life and believes the Supreme Court draft opinion is "a necessary step forward in protecting innocent unborn lives."

"It empowers the American people to determine for themselves at the state level how to regulate abortion services, free from federal mandates," he said.

But he also was unhappy with the leaked document.

"I dont see how it can be interpreted as anything but an attempt to subvert the will of the court and intimidate justices into changing their decision," he said.

U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Oakland, called for prayers for the Supreme Court justices "to stand up to the radical abortion industry and defend life."

"The unborn have no voice to speak for themselves," she said. "We march for them and tonight we must pray for them."

Amy Gehrke, executive director of Illinois Right to Life, said in a news release Tuesday that the organization will focus on restoring protection to the most vulnerable and ensuring that mothers have the resources they need to choose life as well as parent confidently.

Jennifer Welch, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois, released a statement saying that, while this decision comes as no surprise, the organization will continue to fight so everyone can access the fundamental reproductive health care they need.






EAST ALTON  Betsy Papin and Jacob Futrell are two local college students currently interning with the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC).

Betsy Papin is currently studying criminal justice at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. She previously attended Lewis and Clark Community College, where she studied criminal justice.

Papin is working with Danelle Haake, NGRRECs RiverWatch director and stream ecologist to test local water samples to monitor fecal bacteria found in the Prairie Du Pont watershed. Heartlands Conservancy is a partner organization on this project.

Living locally, I have seen work done by NGRREC and Ive always had great respect for their work, Papin said. I felt this would be a great fit for me because not only do I learn about the local ecosystem and work on projects, I am able to apply those lessons into teaching the community the findings of the internship.

Jacob Futrell is attending Lewis and Clark Community College for his Associate in Engineering Sciences (AES). He plans to pursue an environmental engineering degree after graduation.

Futrell is working with Justin Shew, NGRRECs conservation project manager, to test the use of acoustic monitors in detecting Eastern Whip-poor-wills by sound at two local sites in Southwestern Illinois. The goal of this project is to determine their habitat use, leading to a better understanding of this species needs and guiding land management policy.

This internship is an opportunity to work in a field I enjoy and work towards my future career goals, Futrell said. I hope to gain experience in the field and learn real life applications for my field of study.

Futrell will be continuing his internship experience with NGRREC this summer.

For more information on NGRREC internships visit http://www.ngrrec.org/Internship/ or contact Sarah Fisher, Director of Environmental Education at (618) 468-2783 or saafisher@lc.edu.
CLINTON, N.C. (AP)  A North Carolina man has been arrested in connection with a murder case dating back to 2012, authorities said.

News outlets reported the Sampson County Sheriffs Office said in a statement on Wednesday that Glen Allen Stewart, Jr. was identified as a person of interest during the initial investigation into the death of Kim Douglas Mckoy Jr., whose body was discovered on a road on July 19, 2012. But authorities said there was not enough evidence to proceed with charges.
Passover, Ramadan and Lent all came to an end during the past few weeks and Ive found myself thinking of the oddest thing: a cow.



When I was about 5, a life-size statue of a cow appeared in our neighbors front yard. The Hereford stood a silent sentinel on Academy Street in Galesburg and left many perplexed.



Where did it come from? Why was it there? And what was its meaning?



It was the subject of neighborhood discussions. Adults found the need to weigh in among themselves about the inappropriateness of the bovine edifice.



When Id walk to school, Id pass right by the creature and stop with friends to look at it. Our tiny hands would stroke its plastic side.



One day after school I asked my mother, Why is there a cow in front of Daveys house?



My mother was silent and contemplative for a moment. She said, Daveys family is a different religion than us. They are Jewish. The cow must be part of their religion. But dont mention it to Davey.



Of course, I did.



Davey, do you have a cow in your front yard because youre Jewish?



He gave me a perplexed look and said, No, my dad belongs to the Jaycees and his friends in the club thought it would be funny to stick a cow in our yard.



My 5-year-old curiosity was quenched, and I went about my day with an answer to my question. I would no longer be confused by the misguided notion that livestock statuary had something to do with modern Judaism.



How did my mother come up with the goofy idea that the cow was some sort of theological statement? It beats me. But her mistake is an all too common one in our society. Too often we make assumptions about those who in some way identify differently than ourselves.



Its a tiresome but all too common exercise.



For example, when I was a college student, my roommate was African American. We both had pictures of our nieces on our desks. Inevitably, when a white person would drop by our room, they would see the picture on his desk and they would say, Oh my, hes got a kid.



Strangely, no one ever asked my roommate the identity of the person in the photo or assumed that the image on my desk was anyone other than my niece.



They made a judgement about him based on a difference  in this case race  rather than facts. The false narrative didnt serve anyone particularly well  particularly if we are interested in mending divides -- rather than broadening them.



Wouldnt it have been better for someone to just ask my roommate, Hey, Danny, who is in that photo?



Im a 57-year-old. I have never tasted alcohol. And for decades Ive put up with people making assumptions about why that is. The most common thought expressed: Scott doesnt drink because its against his religion.



Nope. Im a Christian who recognizes that Jesus drank wine to celebrate, hydrate and commemorate. I dont drink because I had an alcoholic grandparent and have never seen much appealing about the custom. But to each their own.



Last year, my wife and I took a vacation in a nation where the state religion is Islam. A well-meaning friend, who watches a lot of Fox News, took me aside and begged us not to go. She said Muslims hate Americans and our lives would be in danger.



Despite her desperate pleadings we took the trip and found ourselves treated with kindness and hospitality. When we saw customs different than our own, we didnt make assumptions. Id make conversation and just ask.



I learned a lot not only by asking questions but by observing. For example, I saw a couple who appeared to be Iranian and on their honeymoon. The woman was wearing a black chador, a cloak that extends from head to toe.



For a person of my generation, the garb inevitably conjures memories of thousands of angry demonstrators outside the U.S. embassy in Tehran shouting Death to America. But I saw no anger or hatred.



In fact, it was fun to watch her flirt with her groom like honeymooners the world over. And when a wind came off the ocean she would stretch out and let the cool breeze fill her chador as a child might.



It would be easy to focus on the differences between our two cultures. But that small act served as a reminder of our shared humanity.



To quote that great American television philosopher Ted Lasso, Be curious, not judgmental.
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The phones inside an Alabama abortion clinic were ringing off the hook: the callers wanted to know if abortion remains legal. And, if so, for how long?

A leaked Supreme Court draft opinion was ricocheting around the world.

As Dalton Johnson, the clinics owner, read it Monday night, he was struck by the bluntness of the language that would end the constitutional right to an abortion, closing clinics in about half of American states, including his.

Im still in shock, Johnson said Tuesday as he scrambled to reassure his staff and patients they would continue providing abortions as long as theyre allowed in Alabama.

People on both sides of the abortion divide have been expecting the Supreme Court this summer to reverse the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade cas e that legalized abortion nationwide. But many said the draft opinion was nevertheless stunning, forcing them to reckon with the reality the nation is likely to enter soon.

I cant stop crying, said an elated Mississippi state Rep. Becky Currie, who sponsored the 2018 law that is the basis for the Supreme Court case. I am not quite sure I have the words to express how I feel right now, but God has had his hands on that bill since the beginning.

The leaked draft, published late Monday by Politico, is a 98-page opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which challenged the constitutionality of the Mississippi bill that banned abortion after 15 weeks. If the decision stands as written, it would also overturn Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a 1992 decision that protected abortion services even though it allowed states to add some limitations.

Roe was egregiously wrong from the start, the draft opinion states. It was signed by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the courts 6-3 conservative majority. According to Politico, four other justices  Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett  have agreed with the opinion.

The draft opinion was written in February, and the language could change before the court issues its final ruling. As written, it would give states the power to decide the legality of abortion. Roughly half, largely in the South and Midwest, are likely to quickly ban abortion.

Abortion clinics in those states opened Tuesday morning, still seeing patients but uncertain about the future.

The daily rituals unfolded as they always do: some protesters screamed at people walking inside while other abortion opponents prayed, clinic escorts tried to shield patients and hustle them in the doors.

Please overturn Roe v. Wade, said Barbara Beavers, who stood outside the clinic in Jackson, Mississippi, on Tuesday, gently trying to persuade people against going inside. Have mercy on our unborn children. Were destroying our future, killing our babies.

Inside clinics, the news prompted frantic phone calls, and abortion providers across America rushed to tell their patients that the clinics remained open.

I immediately felt sick to my stomach, said Tammi Kromenaker, who owns a clinic in Fargo, North Dakota. And 20 million thoughts started going through my head about what can we do? What does my staff need to hear? What do our patients need to hear?

She posted a notice on their website: If you have an appointment at Red River Womens Clinic, your appointment is safe.

In Charleston, West Virginia, Katie Quinonez had barely slept the night before; she was having nightmares about the Supreme Court. She rushed into the clinic Tuesday morning, terrified that her patients would misunderstand the news and think that abortion was immediately outlawed. They posted on social media that abortion remains legal and the clinic is open, but they dont know for how much longer.

She had been bracing for this news.

But there was still this visceral reaction, this very devastating feeling, Quinonez said. This is a red alert moment. This is beyond a red alert moment. The building is on fire.

At Johnsons clinic in Huntsville, women called to ask whether they can still get an abortion. Johnson said his first call of the morning was from a woman who had an abortion scheduled for Friday and wanted to come in Tuesday instead.

The staff held a meeting, and Johnson says he asked them to focus on those still coming for abortions who need their help. The opinion was just a draft, he told them, and cautioned that it wasnt the final decision.

Dr. Cheryl Hamlin, an OB-GYN from Boston, travels South about once a month to do abortions at Mississippis only abortion clinic. She said a lot of her patients won't be able to afford the costs of going out of state to have an abortion, including paying for hotels and taking time off work.

Meanwhile, states that continue to allow abortions are going to be overflowing with patients, she said.

Some anti-abortion activists were skeptical that the draft would become reality, fixating instead on the fact that it was leaked the press and whether that implied political posturing.

Im hopeful, said Dennis Westover, a 72-year-old retired electrical engineer, a regular protester outside the clinic in Charleston, West Virginia. But he was suspicious that someone leaked it as ammunition in the countrys intractable culture wars.

When our Supreme Court stuff starts to be leaked, its egregious, he said. One side or the other did it for a political motive to stir up some kind of stink.

In Louisville, Kentucky, protester Angela Minter said she prayed the draft opinion will be the final one.

Im excited today, Minter said. I believe its an indication of whats to come.

Minter thinks thats God answering her prayers: Shes been coming to the clinic most mornings since 2004. Patients tried to dodge her and the other protesters screaming outside. Dont murder your baby, one man shouted at a young woman. Clinic escorts in orange vests helped her into the building.

The Louisville clinic was closed for a week last month after the legislature banned abortion, until a court intervened. But if Roe falls, it will likely be shuttered again.

I do anticipate a day with no abortion clinics in Kentucky, said Meg Stern, who runs the Kentucky Health Justice Network and escorts at the clinic. Abortion access will now be an issue of privilege: People with the means to travel will be able to end their pregnancies.

Its the family that only has one vehicle and is already struggling to make ends meet. Maybe theyre in the city, maybe theyre in the rural parts of the state. But if they dont have access to travel, lodging, gas money, food money, babysitters while theyre gone, time off work, she said. Do you have the car that will make it?

For months now, the nation has had a glimpse of what that looks like. Texas banned abortion after six weeks in September. Planned Parenthood clinics in the surrounding states saw a 2,500% increase in patients, said Dr. Iman Alsaden, medical director for Planned Parenthood Great Plains.

Some Texans have arrived in Jackson, Mississippi, where Derenda Hancock volunteers as an escort.

Its only the people who can afford to get here that were seeing. It makes you think about all the people left behind at home that cant afford to get here, that cant make the trip. How are they faring? she wondered. Theyre going to be forced to be mothers.

Some groups are working to try to circumvent the law the best they can: mobile abortion units, fundraising for travel assistance, mail-order medications. One online womens health provider reported a significant spike in requests for emergency contraception Tuesday. Democrat-leaning states like New York, California and Illinois are rushing to pass laws to protect abortion access, both for their residents and people coming from out of state.

If abortion is outlawed in North Dakota, Kromenaker is planning to open a clinic just across the river in Minnesota. She hopes the leaked draft shakes people enough to take action, right away.

She texted her husband Tuesday: Weve got to move forward very quickly now, she wrote. The urgency is there.

___

Santana reported from New Orleans, Wagster Pettus from Jackson and Galofaro from Louisville. Leah Willingham contributed from Charleston, West Virginia, and Dylan Lovan from Louisville.

___

Follow more of APs coverage on abortion: https://apnews.com/hub/abortion
A pilot program in Illinois reflects strong, well-intended legislation demonstrating a commitment from the state to try bold action to fight crime.

But their very existence also is a demonstration of their greatest risk, and that observation needs to be a consistent refrain as this test program proceeds.

The measures were supported by the Illinois State Police and the state attorney general, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker set aside $20 million in next years budget to help fund them.

They add 21 counties (including Madison and St. Clair) to a program introduced in 2020 to use license-plate reading cameras in response to growing cases of highway shootings. They also add several violent felonies to the list of crimes to which the cameras can be applied, and they push the end of the evaluation period to June 2025.

Again, all reasonable adjustments to a commendable goal -- reducing highway violence.

An online tool created by the state police shows expressway shootings increasing from 51 in 2019 to nearly triple that number in 2020 and more than double that number -- 310 -- in 2021. So far, 73 cases have occurred this year, down by four compared to this time last year but still an alarming figure. Obviously, the issue deserves attention.

But Sen. Jason Barickman, a Bloomington Republican, described the lurking danger.

Although these tools can provide some public benefit, Barickman said, the risk is that theyre susceptible to abuse and have a chilling effect on public life.

To recognize the senators concern, one need look no further than the shenanigans that have sometimes occurred involving traffic cameras in local communities, a subject we discussed earlier this week.

Chicago Democratic Rep. Ann Williams, a sponsor of one of the bills expanding the pilot program, said she too is concerned about that risk.

But targeted use of cameras that are limited in use and narrow in scope ,,, its about violent crimes that concern people every day, and the way to hopefully address those, she said.

So far, the plan is narrow in scope. And so far, it seems potentially beneficial.

But good ideas have a way of creeping beyond their original intent. The actions approved this spring by overwhelmingly bipartisan majorities in both chambers obviously expand the scope and the targets of the original legislation. And, they seem consistent with constraints placed on the technology.

Assuring that continues, though, will require detailed data collection and broad analysis.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991, every U.S. president has entered office seeking to improve Washingtons relationship with Russia  and every single one of them has left that office years later having failed to accomplish the objective.

Bill Clinton was once chummy with Boris Yeltsin until NATO expansion, U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and the wars in Bosnia and Kosovo grated on their personal chemistry. George W. Bush was doe-eyed when he looked at Vladimir Putin, only to learn after Russias invasion of Georgia that the ex-KGB agent wasnt the genuine, democratic reformer he first thought.

Barack Obama was set to turn the page with Dmitry Medvedev and even managed to sign a new arms control agreement with the Russian president. The bilateral relationship, however, soured over a litany of disputes, from Syria and Ukraine to Russias interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Pending a miracle, President Joe Biden is bound to follow the same path as his predecessors.

In April 2021, Biden spoke of his desire to establish a stable, predictable relationship with Russia. The word stable was instructive, exhibiting a dose of realpolitik. While Washington and Moscow were never going to see eye to eye on every issue, they could at least try to limit their disagreements and respect one anothers core interests. Bidens June 2021 summit with Putin, where the two leaders promised to work on strategic stability, was a tangible sign that the worlds biggest nuclear weapons powers were interested in moving forward.

The war in Ukraine has totally upended whatever hope the U.S. and Russia had toward a normal relationship. By virtue of Russias despicable conduct over the last nine weeks, relations between Washington and Moscow are now at their lowest point since the early 1980s, when Ronald Reagan blasted the Soviet Union as an evil empire.

The very notion of U.S. and Russian officials speaking to one another directly is now anathema, with the politics in both capitals calling for a more confrontational approach. The Kremlin views the U.S. as the brains and muscle behind an anti-Russia coalition that seeks to use Ukraine to create a quagmire for Russian forces. The U.S. and its allies, meanwhile, consider Russia under Putin to be a highly destructive, revisionist power living in a dystopian fantasy.

The last several weeks have done nothing to lower the temperature. Despite highly publicized defeats in the field, casualties in the thousands and the prospect of the worst economic recession in Russia in more than a quarter century, Putin is as committed to grinding down the Ukrainian military today as he was when the war started over two months ago. The Russian armys indiscriminate use of artillery, airstrikes and other heavy weaponry inside and outside of the Donbas are illustrative of Putins urgency after repeated slip-ups.

The U.S. and its NATO allies have shown just as much commitment to supporting the Ukrainians as the Russians have to defeating them. If Putin believed attacking Ukraine would turn NATO into a squabbling, dysfunctional family, he severely miscalculated.

Washington and Europe at large are gambling that a combination of military assistance to Kyiv and ever-stronger sanctions against the Russian economy will compel Putin to either give up on his venture or sue for a settlement. Bidens $33 billion funding request on behalf of Ukraine (including $20 billion earmarked for security assistance), Polands delivery of Soviet-era tanks to buttress Ukrainian ground forces and Germanys evolution away from Russian energy will further increase the cost to Moscow, economically and militarily.

The stable, predictable relationship envisioned by Biden a year ago is simply off the table as long as the war in Ukraine continues. Even when the war does eventually end, U.S.-Russia relations could remain in a period of intense antagonism. Given the total disregard with which Moscow has prosecuted the war, its hard to imagine Biden sitting down with Putin ever again.

The problem, however, is that Russia is here to stay regardless. It cant be wished away or ignored any more than it can be transformed into a liberal democratic utopia. Even if Putin were to somehow wake up and decide to transfer his authority to a successor, Russia is likely to remain a formidable enough power with its own distinct set of national interests, geopolitical ambitions and sense of self  much of which conflicts with the U.S. position. The U.S. can vehemently disagree with Russian foreign policy and organize effective pushback when necessary. What Washington cant do is be naive and think it can pressure Russia into behaving the way the U.S. wants it to behave.

During a conversation with NPR, former NATO Deputy Secretary-General Rose Gottemoeller offered an astute observation: I do think, at some point, we are going to have to reopen  some discussions with Russia, at least about constraining and controlling nuclear weapons, adding that its not in Americas interest to have a great big pariah state with nuclear weapons.

Successfully balancing the desire to assist Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression while maintaining open lines of communication with the Kremlin will go a long way in determining whether the U.S. can still practice good statecraft.
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP)  The mother of a man who was killed in December when a tornado slammed into an Amazon facility in Illinois said on Tuesday that her son was only in the building because he was called into work on his day off.

It breaks my heart that DeAndre was scheduled to take his day off but was called from dispatch to work an extra shift, said Deon January, the mother of DeAndre Morrow.

January, whose son was one of six people killed Dec. 10 when the tornado obliterated nearly half of the sprawling facility in the southwestern Illinois community of Edwardsville, appeared with attorney Ben Crump, who has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on her behalf.

We believe (the tragedy) was completely preventable if Amazon lived up to its words, said Crump, a prominent civil rights and personal injury attorney whose clients have included the families of George Floyd and, more recently, the family of Patrick Lyoya, who was fatally shot last month by a Grand Rapids, Michigan, police officer. And those words were We aim to be Earths safest place to work. We are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all Amazon employees every day. 

Crump and January were joined by several other people, including four people who survived the tornado at the facility, and said they now suffer from PTSD, according to a report by KSDK TV in St. Louis.

The press briefing comes after January's lawsuit and at least two others have been filed. The lawsuits have alleged that Amazon required people to stay at work until moments before the tornado hit and that the employees who died were improperly directed to shelter in a rest room that the company knew or should have known was not safe.

Because of Amazons apathy and greed, I had to do what no mother should. Bury my child, January said.

Amazon has defended its response to the Dec. 10 tornado, saying after one of the lawsuits that it believes acted properly.

And just last week, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration sent a "Hazard Alert Letter to the Seattle-based e-commerce giant saying that it had met minimal federal safety guidelines for storm sheltering and would not face any fines or penalties.

OSHA did, however, say that a number of employees couldn't recall ever participating in a severe weather drill or knew the location of the facilitys shelter and had little time to prepare for the tornado when it was bearing down on the facility.
IVY GOODMAN, Stonington, Girls, Lacrosse, Senior; Goodman scored 12 goals and had 13 assists in three games. Her seven assists in the Bears win over Waterford established a school record. She surpassed the 50-goal mark for the season in Stoningtons victory over Ledyard.

DEAN PONS JR., Westerly, Baseball, Senior; Pons, a senior, struck out 14 batters in the Bulldogs five-inning win against Wheeler School/Rocky Hill. Pons had an assist on the remaining out, throwing out a runner on a groundout. Pons allowed just one hit and walked only two.

KATIE PIERCE, Wheeler, Girls, Lacrosse, Sophomore; Pierce scored five goals and the Lions beat Griswold to earn their first victory of the season. Wheeler avenged an earlier loss to the Wolverines this season with the 15-4 victory.

WEEKO THOMPSON, Chariho, Girls, Track Sophomore; Thompson, a sophomore, bettered her school record in the discus at the Classical Classic meet. She finished first in the event and also won the shot put.

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My colleague Alex Brummer and I were recently at a City dinner when a very senior banker, who is acquainted with Elon Musk, was asked what he thought motivated the Tesla founder.

The banker opined that, preposterous though it might sound, Musk was not driven by money but by a desire to change the world.

Musk himself said as much about his takeover of Twitter, which has galvanised investors around the world. I dont care about the economics at all, he declared.

The controversial entrepreneur, a prolific user of Twitter himself, has framed his 35billion bid in terms of his belief in free speech.

In a letter to the social media platforms chairman, Bret Taylor, he wrote that Twitter needed to be transformed into a private company and boasted that he would unlock its extraordinary potential.

This raises two very big questions.

Is Musk, the mercurial multi-billionaire, really the best steward and guardian of free speech through private ownership of Twitter, as he believes?

And can he make it a financial success, while also running his other ventures, including electric car company Tesla and his SpaceX rocket business?

As an index of investors concerns, almost 100billion was wiped off the value of Tesla after Musk struck a deal to buy Twitter.

Worries about him having too much on his plate sent shares in the electric car maker down by 12 per cent. There are qualms about him selling more of his own Tesla holdings to plough investment into Twitter.

Musk also founded and is heavily involved in a brain-chip start-up called Neuralink and a tunnelling venture, The Boring Company. Even a genius can be spread too thin.

If he succeeds in taking Twitter private, he has a battery of societal, regulatory and financial challenges.

Twitter is hugely popular, but since it was founded in 2006 it has only made an annual profit twice, in 2018 and 2019.

It has 217million daily users, which is a lot, but it is behind other social networks, including FaceBook.

Bold ambition: Elon Musk has pledged to defend free speech with his leveraged buyout of social media platform Twitter

Musk is buying at a point when tech and social media stocks are under intense pressure, with a plan for the company that looks fairly vague.

What he has said so far suggests it would probably involve a crackdown on top pay, and finding ways to make money out of tweets.

That might include working out how to cash in on tweets that go viral, or charging third parties when they want to quote or embed a tweet. It could also involve charging users to tweet, though such a move would obviously risk a dramatic fall in traffic.

The deal involves taking on high levels of debt. And the arrival of Musk might, some observers fear, drive away talented Twitter staff.

Love him or loathe him, Musk is a titan: one of the great personalities of the modern business world.

In swooping on Twitter, he has made a daring but very risky move. He has defied his critics in the past, but we will find out soon enough if he has flown too close to the sun this time.
The Scott County Board of Supervisors is considering ways to help provide first responder agencies in the county with funds for payroll. Officials say layoffs could happen within the next couple weeks if funds do not roll in.
This sculpture at the Virginia Military Institute, titled Virginia Mourning her Dead, honors the ten cadets from the school who fought and died after being wounded on the battlefield near New Market on May 15, 1864. Dedicated in 1903 and moved to its current location in 1912, the bronze sculpture was created by the artist Moses Jacob Ezekiel. The Richmond-born Ezekiel was the first Jewish cadet to attend the school and served as a corporal in the color guard during the Battle of New Market. He graduated in 1866.
The armed forces of Belarus began sudden large-scale drills on Wednesday to test their combat readiness, the defence ministry of Ukraines neighbour said.

Belarus is a close ally of Russia, which invaded Ukraine in late February immediately after holding joint drills with Minsk which had allowed it to move more forces closer to the Ukrainian border. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a special military operation.

It is planned that the (combat readiness) test will involve the movement of significant numbers of military vehicles, which can slow down traffic on public roads, the Belarusian ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said the exercise posed no threat to its neighbours or the European community in general.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko spoke to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and the two discussed the Russian operation in Ukraine, among other issues, according to official statements.

Areas of Ukraine adjacent to Belarus, including its capital Kyiv, came under Russian assault in the initial stage of the invasion, but now Russia has focused its attacks on Ukraines eastern and southeastern regions.

SOURCE: REUTERS
KINGSTON  Two Hudson Valley elected officials suggested they are considering running for Congress after U.S. Rep Antonio Delgado announced he would be stepping down to serve as lieutenant governor.

Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan and first-term state Senator Michelle Hinchey both say they are evaluating campaigns for the seat Delgado won twice. Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro is the Republican candidate for the seat.

Ryan tweeted about potentially entering the contest, while a Hinchey's spokeswoman confirmed she too is thinking about running for the seat.

Ryan congratulated Delgado on his appointment by Gov. Kathy Hochul to fill a position left vacant by Brian Benjamin, who resigned after being indicted on charges of bribery and other offenses related to an alleged scheme to trade a state grant for campaign contributions.

"He will also leave very big shoes to fill, and Im humbled and honored that members of this community are calling on me to run," the tweet continued. "My entire life has been oriented around service, and so Im now seriously considering how best to continue serving my community and constituent."

Referencing the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, Ryan said it is "clear that now more than ever we need champions in Congress wholl protect fundamental rights and freedom and fight back against Washington extremism."

"So, stay tuned," the tweet concluded.

Assistant Deputy Ulster County Executive Dan Torres declined to say if Ryan was running, stating for the moment that the tweet would speak for itself.

Hinchey is currently assessing "how she could be best serving her community right now," according to spokeswoman Bianca Coppola, who added the senator was "considering all options."

Hinchey is currently serving the 46th District, a rural swath of territory stretching from Kingston in Ulster County to Canajoharie in Montgomery County, after defeating Republican Richard Amedure in 2020 for the open seat.

A native of Saugerties, Hinchey went on to attend the Industrial and Labor Relations School at Cornell University, after which she worked as a communications executive. She is the daughter of the late Maurice Hinchey, who represented the Hudson Valley for 10 terms in Congress.

Voters could select their next member of Congress in a special election held sometime this summer.

According to state law, when a member of Congress leaves office prior to July 1 in the last year of their term, the governor can call a special election to fill the seat.

Hochul would issue a proclamation setting a date for a special election within 10 days of Delgado officially leaving office, with the election to be held between 70 and 80 days after the proclamation.

There would be no primary before the special election. Instead, the parties would nominate a candidate.

The Congressional seat would again be up for grabs a few months later during November's general election. Molinaro would run in the special election.

"If there's a special election, I intend to run in it," Molinaro said Wednesday. "Voters have seen district maps change, they've seen the opposition change, but what doesn't change is my commitment to earning their votes, and running a campaign, and ultimately serving as a member of Congress to be their voice."

If Hinchey was elected in the special election, her seat in the state Senate would most likely remain vacant until November's general election.

There is also the question of what the 46th Senate District would look like going into the election. The state Court of Appeals threw out redistricting maps created by Democrats in the state Senate last week after it ruled the maps had been gerrymandered to favor Senate and Congressional Democrats.

Downtime is the best time Make the most of your Hudson Valley weekend, every week with our newsletter.

The court, with the help of an outside expert, must now draw politically neutral maps.

The ruling has upended the political calendar, with the state Board of Elections announcing that primaries for Congress and the state Senate will be held on Aug. 23. Other primaries will still be held June 28.

It will impact the Congressional primaries for the general election, but not the special election, since the parties nominate their candidate.

This could create a situation where one candidate is elected over the summer in the special election, only to be unseated by the opposing party in the general election months later.

This would be Ryan's second run for Congress. In 2018, he ran for the same seat to represent the 19th district in a wild seven-way Democratic primary. Ryan placed second to Delgado, who went on to defeat incumbent Republican John Faso.

The next year, Ryan ran for Ulster County executive in a special election after County Executive Mike Hein left for a position with the Cuomo administration, easily defeating the GOP nominee.

Ryan, an Army veteran, was deployed twice to Iraq. He achieved the rank of captain and was twice awarded the Bronze Star.

After coming home in 2009, Ryan started a series of data analytic companies, hiring mostly fellow veterans.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article misstated the nature of the election to replace Delgado. It will be a special election.
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The following excerpt is from Jill: A Biography of the First Lady, by Associated Press journalists Julie Pace and Darlene Superville. The book details the life of Jill Biden. Superville covers the White House for the AP; Pace, a former White House correspondent and Washington bureau chief, is now APs executive editor.

___

Joes first Senate reelection campaign demanded Jills participation.

It was a little overwhelming, she said, the first time that Joe took her to a campaign event. A picnic at Archmere Academy, Joes high school alma mater, was one of Jills first political appearances as Joes wife. She was unprepared for the throngs of people. I felt like I was being pulled and tugged every which way, literally. Everyone wanted to talk to her:

Oh, meet my sister.

Do you know soandso?

Oh, did you meet this person?

Im from Sussex!

I can remember going home, going up into the bedroom and just shutting the door, Jill said. I mean I just had to breathe. It was just so overwhelming for me.

But then she started to travel the state and campaign in earnest. I would go to every senior center and have lunch with seniors, she said. I would go to coffees. Id go to the state fair.

Joes sister and campaign manager, Val, became Jills mentor, helping her practice her public remarks and patiently explaining various political organizations and key people she needed to get to know.

Jill was more at ease in smaller settings, where she felt like she could relate better to people.

She slowly started to get to know Joes colleagues in the Senate and their spouses. They loved Joe and they wanted him to be happy, she recalled. I was just welcomed into the Senate.

Three or four times a year, the sitting senators and their spouses would get together for dinner. The tables were a mix of Democrats and Republicans. These were done to foster good relationships between the senators regardless of party, Marcelle Leahy recalled. Jill began to forge friendships that would last for decades.

___

Joes electoral chances in the upcoming Senate race were bolstered by a guest appearance by President Jimmy Carter at a pair of Wilmington fundraisers in February 1978.

The first, a dinner in the glittering Gold Ballroom at the Hotel Du Pont, was formal but at Carters request did not require black-tie dress. Racks of lamb, seafood, and American wines were served beneath ceiling bas-reliefs of Helen of Troy, Cleopatra and other famous women. Guests paid upward of $1,000 to take photos with Joe and the president, and Jill helped work the crowds as they navigated the ballroom.

Following the dinner, Joe and President Carter attended an additional stop at the Padua Academy, a more accessible event. A thousand or so attendees, many of whom had been supporters of Joes since his initial run for the Senate, paid $35 to support his reelection bid, have a drink, and dance with fellow Delaware Democrats.

The evening was a necessary exercise in party unity. Although Joe had been the first senator to support Carters 1976 run for president, he had recently been critical of the administration. They got to Washington and didnt know how Washington worked, hed said. The president is learning, but not fast enough. Carter, for his part, paid Joe the backhanded compliment that he was independent almost to a fault.

Carter spent only 64 minutes with the Bidens that evening, but his visit helped Joes campaign bring in more than $60,000.

As the campaign year wore on, and political tensions across Delaware began to heighten, demands on Jill began to shift away from hostess duties. Joes rivalry with James H. Baxter, the Republican challenger, started to push her closer to the public arena.

Baxter attacked Biden as a no-show senator, running an ad claiming, Biden misses 502 Senate votes. Baxters main message to the public was that Joe, instead of representing Delawareans in Washington, was out wasting taxpayer dollars traveling on frivolous business trips. In truth, Joe had a typical attendance record for a senator.

Joe played into his opponents hands by missing an event sponsored by the Hadassah Womens Zionist Organization that Baxter and other Delaware officials attended. Jill, Beau, and Hunter attended.

Baxter once again returned to his mockeries of no-show Joe. Ironically, Joes absence was due to a 10 p.m. vote in DC on a bill that he had co-sponsored. This time Baxter was criticizing him for not missing a vote.

Jill stood in as his protector.

I just cannot let this go by, she told the gathering. I just cant let you go out that door thinking that Joe just sloughs off down in Washington! Joe is a smart man and he knows which votes are important . . . If he misses a vote because its an amendment to an amendment, hes made a good decision on that!

Jill increasingly found herself in the local spotlight in the usual ways for a Senate spouse. She headed up Operation Reindeer, an event put on by the Mental Health Association that provided small gifts for the thousands of patients throughout the Delaware state mental health treatment system. And she signed autographs for people who bought copies of a cookbook that included a recipe for Jill Bidens Chocolate Cake that benefited the Wilmington Hadassah.

After being married to Joe for more than a year, Jill was still registered as a Republican. Once the local papers found out, she told them that she planned on changing her party registration to Democrat. But she missed the deadline, meaning that if she wanted to vote in the Senate primary, it would have to be in the Republican contest, where her choice would be to help Joes main rival, James Baxter, or Baxters primary challenger, James Veneman. She voted, but would not tell Joe, the kids, or the press who she voted for.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

On Election Day, Joe secured his Senate seat for a second time. He won with more than 93,000 votes to Baxters 66,479.

___

In the spring of 1978, Joe met a young lawyer, Mark Gitenstein, at a Senate hearing on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978. Gitenstein detailed the work on intelligence overreaches by US government agencies that he had done for Minnesota Sen. Walter Mondale as counsel to the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Joe was impressed with Gitensteins command of the issue and invited him to speak privately.

Gitenstein thought Biden wanted to talk about the FISA issues at hand and concentrated on convincing Biden about what should go in the FISA statute. Following a period of civil rights abuses, and the classifying of citizens such as Martin Luther King Jr. as potential threats against the state, FISA and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court were meant to be positive steps toward institutionalizing channels through which intelligence could be collected.

But Joe talked more broadly, asking questions and running Gitenstein through his paces. Eventually Gitenstein realized Joe was interviewing him for a job. Biden invited Gitenstein to dinner in the Senate dining room with his chief of staff, Ted Kaufman, Jill, and the boys. Gitenstein found the Bidens  particularly Jill  delightful.

It was out of that evening that I came away saying, You know what? I like this guy, and I like the way he treats his kids, Gitenstein said.

In those early years, sometimes Gitenstein would travel with Joe and Jill on official trips, and while Joe certainly wielded his own charisma in the right settings, it was Jill who brought the jokes and could cut a rug.

John McCain, the Arizona Republican who would later be elected to the US Senate and run for president in 2000 and 2008, was still in the Navy as a captain and acted as Bidens Navy liaison on a trip to the Mediterranean. Joe would later tell a story about returning from dinner with the prime minister of Greece and finding Jill and McCain dancing on a concrete table in a taverna on an Athens beach. McCain danced with a red bandanna clenched in his teeth, wrote author Robert Timberg.

Jill eventually returned to teaching part-time. They needed reading specialists in the state of Delaware, because Delaware was going through deseg, Jill recalled.

School segregation had deep roots in Delaware. A local court case known as Gebhart v. Belton had been folded into the collection of cases that made up Brown v. Board of Education, ultimately leading to the 1954 Supreme Court decision that determined separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.

Delaware public schools were forced to desegregate, with varying degrees of success. Schools in Wilmington became predominantly Black, while the surrounding suburban schools remained de facto white. Eventually, in 1978, Evans v. Buchanan  a case centered around Wilmingtons eleven school districts  mandated a plan for Black students in the city to be bused to white suburban schools, while white suburban students would be bused into the city.

Busing was opposed by whites who supported de facto segregation, and by some Black residents who saw it as changing the fabric of their communities and adding unnecessary logistical hurdles to their childrens education. In response to his constituents, Joe began voicing his opposition to busing in 1974, arguing in part that housing integration was a better area of focus to address inequality. Over the next four years, he put forward numerous proposals to limit federal and judicial authority on busing mandates.

They wanted reading specialists in a lot of the schools, Jill recalled. After a short time at Concord High School, she began working at Claymont High School as a reading specialist even though she would not finish her masters degree until 1981. Ironically, Claymont had been the first school in the state to integrate, but the school board would later permanently close it in 1990 because of the schools racial imbalance.

Through her role in the public school system, Jill saw firsthand the rapidly shifting situation. They were desperate for specialists, she said, to assist the new Black students who had come from underfunded schools and were behind in their reading skills.

Jill taught in the mornings, which let her keep many of the familys life rhythms the same. She was still there to pick the boys up from school, waiting in the carpool line with the other parents each afternoon.

But Joes presence in the Senate kept her in the public eye. Although Jill registered for her graduate courses under Jacobs, her maiden name, people recognized her.

The country didnt know her, Joes chief of staff, Ted Kaufman, later said, but obviously every single person in Delaware knew her.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP)  A mother and grandmother have been charged with murder and felony child abuse after a 3-year-old child was found dead in a North Carolina motel, police said.

Asheville police said in a news release that Chantarica Nasha Matthews, 29, and Inga Torrence Matthews, 50, also are charged with concealment of death. They're being held in the Buncombe County jail without bond on the murder charge. Each woman was assigned to the public defender's office, but a specific attorney hadn't been named on Tuesday.
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COHOES  The citys proposed 8,000-panel floating solar array on the city reservoir to generate electricity to power city buildings received another financial boost Tuesday when National Grid donated $750,000 toward funding the $5.9 million first of its kind in the nation demonstration project.

The National Grid grant supplements the $3 million in federal funds obtained by U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, to set the project sailing toward completion. Engineering work is expected to start on the 3.2 megawatt grid of panels in a month, according to city officials.

This will become a model for other working-class cities like Cohoes that have man-made reservoirs, Mayor Bill Keeler said, standing on the bank of the reservoir off Vliet Boulevard adjacent to the city water treatment plant.

Tonko said Cohoes has regenerated the pioneer spirit that marked the mill towns in the Capital Region and the Erie Canal corridor in the 19th century when industrial innovations were part of the regional fabric.

I cant wait for the day, mayor, when you are the demonstration site that others will come to and visit to understand that its doable, its achievable and its awesome with the ripple effects that come with this program, said Tonko taking advantage of the opportunity for a pun.

The city pumps its drinking water supplies from the Mohawk River into the 10-acre reservoir. The waters surface is the largest undeveloped open space in the city, making it a prime site to erect the floating solar array without worries of the panels taking up productive farmland or other land.

There are only about 14 floating solar arrays in the country, all privately owned, according to Jason Wert of RETTEW, the firm Cohoes is prepared to hire to perform the engineering work. There are 492 reservoirs in New York and about 24,000 nationwide that could be sites for floating arrays. Its estimated that 10 percent of the nations electrical needs could be met through floating arrays.

Cohoes solar array initiative will be the first one to be permitted by the state, Wert said. The city will be working with the firm to secure the state permits.

Laurie Poltynski, National Grid executive director for Eastern New York, said the $750,000 grant, which includes a $50,000 education component to explain the use of the panels and green energy to students, is largest that the utility gives. Polytynski said the grant will assist Cohoes and its residents and aid National Grid in its transition to green energy supplies.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

The grant includes support for the mapping and visualization project developed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute by James A. Hendler, director of the Rensselaer Institute for Data Exploration and Application, and John Erickson, the director of operations, for showing the reservoir sites across the state and supporting information. They said the maps and information will be available online at idca.rpi.edu.

The city has raised about 70 percent of the funding for the project and continues to solicit additional donations, Keeler said.

The floating panels are expected to improve the water quality of the reservoir by preventing algae blooms and save water by preventing evaporation.
ALBANY  A Queensbury doctor recently sued by a nurse practitioner for alleged unwanted sexual advances and assault pleaded guilty Wednesday to unrelated federal tax crimes.

Ehab Kodsi, 56, of Colonie, who runs Total Care & Rehabilitation Medicine, admitted before Senior U.S. District Judge Lawrence Kahn to filing a false tax return and deliberately underreporting his income by $822,069 between 2015 and 2018, according to federal prosecutors in Albany.

Kodsi, who has been licensed to practice medicine since 2006, failed to pay $245,212 in taxes, prosecutors said.

In addition, Kodsi did not report income from third parties reimbursing services provided by Total Care, deducted personal expenses as business expenses, deducted the same business expense multiple times and overstated business expenses related to his and his familys use of vehicles, prosecutors said.

Kodsi's criminal case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett, followed an investigation by staff with the New York field office of the Internal Revenue Service.

Last month, a 35-year-old nurse practitioner filed a lawsuit against Kodsi and Total Care alleging unlawful discrimination, a hostile work environment, sexual assault, sexual harassment, retaliation and battery based upon the plaintiff's sex and gender in violation of federal civil rights law.

The woman alleged that in October 2021, Kodsi manipulated her into staying in the same hotel room as him when they attended a seminar held by the New York State Pain Society at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. She said the doctor used his display of a medical technique "as a pretext to sexually assault me," according to a news release issued by the firm of Conway, Donovan & Manley in Albany.

The woman contends she initially was offered a pay raise and an Apple Watch in exchange for dropping the complaint and was ultimately fired in retaliation, according to court papers filed by her Albany attorney, Michael Conway.

Kevin Luibrand, who represents Kodsi in the civil case, said Kodsi denies the allegations.

In a statement, Kodsis defense attorney, Paul DerOhannesian, told the Times Union: .Dr. Kodsi has cooperated over the past three years to correct the mistakes that were made. Dr. Kodsi will have paid the tax amounts due in the plea agreement by the end of today.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

A 2009 state comptroller's audit found Total Care overcharged the state $248,202 for 4,633 claims. At the time, Kodsi told the Times Union he had just purchased the business that March from a chiropractor in Saratoga Springs. Kodsi said he had worked at the business since 2007.

The woman who used to work for Kodsi who alleges the assault also filed a complaint against him with the state Office of Professional Medical Conduct, as well as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
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ALBANY  The Sidney Albert Albany Jewish Community Center was evacuated Wednesday morning after the facility received a bomb threat - a scene that has played out at the facility multiple times in the last five years.

Staff urged people to leave at about 6:45 a.m., telling them the JCC had received an unspecified threat. Police later confirmed it was a bomb threat.

Albany police spokesman Officer Steve Smith said, an "employee came into work and had an email in their inbox."

"No specific details but weve evacuated the building and are on scene investigating and clearing the building."

It is at least the fifth time since 2017 that a threat has been made against the 340 Whitehall Road center.

Previous incidents have been unfounded but the evacuations unnerved members of the center.

In October, police investigated an email that said "bombs have been planted" at the center but determined it was a hoax.

On Feb. 23, 2020, the JCC was one of nearly 20 Jewish community centers to receive a threat warning that bombs were placed in the building. The building was evacuated but again authorities found no actual bombs or other dangerous devices.

The facility was one of 14 Jewish community centers targeted by a bomb scare on Jan. 17, 2017, a threat that was made about two weeks after the Albany JCC was targeted by another bomb threat.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

In all the previous incidents, police determined the threats were hoaxes.
May 5 is the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP). While the topic has only recently made major headlines, it has been a crisis across North America since Anglo-European settlers arrived unwelcomed in the late 16th century.

In the greater Hudson Valley region, Forge Project is working against cultural and institutional barriers caused by centuries of forced removal. Native women are so fully erased from public life that there is little to no knowledge of the crisis here.. There are several factors why the MMIP crisis still persists, and ways we can change it:

Inadequate media coverage: A 2018 report by the Urban Indian Health Institute found that in 506 cases of murdered Indigenous women and two-spirit people  a Native term covering a range of gender and sexual identities  95 percent were not covered by national or international media. Contrast this with missing white woman syndrome, a phrase used to describe the disparity in attention given to missing-person cases involving white women and girls. In Wyoming, where the body of Gabby Petito was found last fall, 710 Indigenous people went missing with little or no media attention.

Laws in tribal jurisdictions: Colonialism produces violence and genocide. According to the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women, four out of five Native women have experienced some form of violence in their lifetime. There are eight federally recognized tribal nations in New York. Until recently, most tribal governance had little to no jurisdiction over non-Native perpetrators of violence against Native women on tribal lands. These loopholes not only put Native women at greater threat to gendered violence, but also undermined tribal sovereignty.

Lack of quality data: American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women are murdered at a rate 10 times higher than the national American average, according to figures from the U.S. Department of Justice. While the rates of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people are already high, the true numbers are likely higher. Many reports are plagued by insufficient data or data-collection methods. To combat this, Urban Indigenous Collective has recently initiated the MMIWGT2S NYC+ Project, a database to capture the scope of violence committed against Native and Indigenous People in Lenapehoking, or the New York tri-state area.

Sign up for the Observation Deck newsletter Read the latest Times Union opinion, perspective and letters to the editor on Mondays by signing up for our Observation Deck newsletter.

Cause and effect of extractive industries near tribal lands: The epidemic of gender-based violence against Native women and fossil-fuel extraction are inseparably linked. Petroleum and natural gas pipelines cut across miles of rural land and through tribal nations. Man camps, or temporary settlements built at the construction sites, are often sites of racist and sexist violence, and are also isolated from police or other intervention. In New York, there are currently seven major pipelines and 40 proposed or approved gas infrastructure projects across the state.

How do we change this? One way to start is simply to build greater awareness. Forge Project, a Native-led art, culture, and decolonial education initiative has partnered with the city of Hudson to enact a citywide MMIP Day of Awareness on May 5 in an effort initiated by Forges former director of education, Heather Bruegl. We hope this designation will serve as a model for other municipalities to adopt similar declarations as well as larger projects that aid Native survivance and build awareness.

Without knowing the scale of this epidemic, New Yorkers cannot work to keep Native women safe from gendered violence. Building awareness is a small but crucial first step.

Candice Hopkins of Red Hook is Forge Projects executive director and chief curator. Frances Cathryn of Kingston is Forge Projects editorial projects manager. The group is leading an MMIP Awareness March in Hudson on May 6. For details: forgeproject.com/news/mmip-march.
ALBANY  Gov. Kathy Hochul was scheduled to attend a campaign fundraiser in Massachusetts on Wednesday hosted by a Boston construction magnate, John Fish, who won a lucrative contract under the governor's predecessor that raised questions for a rival bidder, according to people with knowledge of the event.

The governor's public schedule indicated that she was traveling to Boston, but did not list the reason.

Fish is chairman and CEO of Boston-based Suffolk Construction Company. Fish already gave the maximum donation to Hochul of $69,700 in December, but according to her campaign, was simply "hosting (Wednesday's) event and inviting others in his network," not donating more.

After this story's initial publication online Wednesday, Hochul released an updated public schedule at 6:29 p.m. stating she was in New York City "and will no longer travel to Boston." A campaign spokesman said Wednesday the reason was "scheduling complications." The travel plans changed due to bad weather, the campaign added on Thursday.

The fundraiser in Boston did not go ahead without Hochul, according to Hochul's campaign; whether it will occur in the future is "to be determined."

Fish was also a major donor to former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo  giving nearly $135,000 to Cuomo's political fund between 2017 and 2019  and in 2020, Suffolk Construction won a significant contract from the Cuomo administration to modernize and expand the Jamaica Armory in Queens, despite being the third lowest bidder.

Like Hochul, Cuomo long maintained that campaign donations did not impact his administrations policy decisions.

"Contracts were always awarded on an agency level and state business or issues were not discussed at fundraisers, something that  according to what I read  appears to have changed," said Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi, apparently referring to a recent Times Union story about Hochul's fundraising practices.

During Cuomo's tenure, when competitive bidding was conducted for the project by the Office of General Services in 2020, Suffolk Constructions $81.3 million bid was $7.6 million greater than the lowest bid, which came from a New Jersey-based firm, DMD Contracting.

DMD Contracting  as well as the second lowest bidder, Brooklyn-based AWL Industries  were disqualified by the Office of General Services, which determined that their bids were "non-responsive."

DMD did not contest the determination. But according to documents obtained by the Times Union last year through a Freedom of Information Law request, AWL strongly protested the Cuomo administrations determination in a 74-page submission.

AWLs president, Robert Pavlovich, said on Wednesday that hed thought about suing the Cuomo administration  but was dissuaded by business associates, who relayed that Suffolk Construction was "politically connected and gives money to Democrats."

"And I just decided to give it up," Pavlovich said.

In an initial protest letter to the Cuomo administration, the company noted that an in-person, pre-award meeting had been held between the company and the agency. Afterwards, OGS had sent the company an email on Sept. 3, 2020 asking for certain additional documents.

But in that email, OGS did not identify any of the alleged deficiencies that the agency would cite six days later in rejecting AWLs bid submission.

On Sept. 9, 2020, OGS alleged that in submitting a bid, AWL had not demonstrated that it had previously performed a project of the scope of its $79.8 million proposal for the Jamaica Armory redevelopment.

AWL argued, however, that it had shown a history of completing $75 million worth of simultaneous projects related to Superstorm Sandy recovery  and that at the pre-award meeting, OGS had expressed no concerns about whether AWL had performed a project of a similar size.

In rejecting the companys bid, OGS also cited "deficiencies" in AWLs work plan for the project, an analysis that AWL stated was "blatantly inaccurate" and failed to properly review its submission.

OGS stated in a response later that month that AWL had provided "no substantive information to change the OGS position that AWL does not sufficiently understand the proposed project."

"OGS is thorough in its evaluation of bid responses in order to ensure that we are awarding contracts that combine quality of work with cost-effective pricing," OGS spokeswoman Heather Groll said on Wednesday. "AWL was the second-lowest bidder from a cost standpoint, but did not meet the bid requirements."

Suffolk Construction did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday. According to records maintained by the state comptroller's office, the value of Suffolk's contract has now grown to $86.7 million after amendments made during Hochul's governorship.

Early Wednesday afternoon, before the Hochul event was set to take place, three construction workers were injured in Boston when a catwalk collapsed, including one who sustained life-threatening injuries. The general contractor for the project is Suffolk Construction.

Boston magazine has twice named Fish the citys most powerful person, according to his Wikipedia page, and according to Suffolks LinkedIn page, the company generates $4.5 billion in annual revenue. The company has offices across the country, including New York City. He was also a major fundraiser for President Barack Obama.

Cuomo was a prolific campaign fundraiser, but never raised as much money as quickly as Hochul, who during her first five months in the governor's office last year raised nearly $22 million. Like Cuomo, much of her fundraising has come from people with business interests before New Yorks government.
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ALBANY  The state Office of General Services announced Wednesday that Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo will headline the July 13 performance of the 2022 Summer at the Plazas Capital Concert Series Presented by Miller Lite and DeCrescente Distributing Company.

The announcement came the same day the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced that Benatar is being inducted this year.



The festivals and concerts for the 2022 Summer at the Plaza season  an annual series that had been sidelined for two years by the pandemic  will kick off on Independence Day with states Fourth of July Celebration Presented by Price Chopper/Market 32.



The Capital Concert Series Presented by Miller Lite and DeCrescente Distributing Company will feature free concerts starting at 5:30 p.m. each Wednesday in July at the Empire State Plaza, beginning on July 6 with a performance by moe, according to OGS.



Benatar and Giraldo, whose hits include We Belong, Invincible, Love Is A Battlefield, Promises In The Dark, We Live For Love, Heartbreaker, and Hell Is For Children, have created two multi-platinum, five platinum, and three gold albums, as well as 19 Top 40 hits. They have sold over 30 million records worldwide and have won four consecutive Grammy awards, according to an OGS release.
Irish language campaigners in Northern Ireland have set out five commitments which they have asked political parties to support ahead of tomorrow's (Thursday May 5) Assembly elections.

Conradh na Gaeilge, a social and cultural organisation which promotes the Irish language, said it had received support for its commitments from Sinn Fein, SDLP, Alliance Party, Green Party NI, People Before Profit, Aontu and a number of independent candidates.

It said that it had yet to receive replies from the DUP, UUP, TUV or any independent unionist candidates.

The organisations commitments include the implementation of Irish language legislation and the adoption by Stormont of a 20-year strategy for the language.

It also includes the development of an Irish-medium education bill at the Assembly, new support for languages to be a core GCSE subject in secondary school and a call for parties to prioritise the education and communities' portfolios when selecting ministries after the election.

There had been an expectation that the Westminster Government would introduce cultural legislation for Northern Ireland before the elections this week.

It fell to the Northern Ireland Office after the Stormont parties were unable to agree to introduce cultural and language legislation in the Northern Ireland Assembly which was part of the 'New Decade, New Approach' (NDNA) deal.

The plans include an Office of Identity and Cultural Expression to promote respect for diversity as well as an Irish Language Commissioner and a commissioner to develop language, arts and literature associated with the Ulster Scots/Ulster British tradition.

However, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Brandon Lewis announced in March that the legislation would not be introduced ahead of the Assembly election.

Michaeline Donnelly, from Conradh na Gaeilge, said: As we have seen since the incredible community campaign for language rights kickstarted in 2017, there is strong broad party support for the Irish language, Irish language rights and for Irish-medium education.

In the 2017 Assembly elections, that support translated into five parties and 50 out of the 90 MLAs who actively supported the introduction of an Irish language Act.

That cross-party coalition in favour of language rights has stayed the course and remains steadfast and strong in the run-up to the 2022 Assembly elections.
Micheal Martin has defended his Governments plan to continue with the relocation of the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) to land owned by the Sisters of Charity religious order, saying the agreement effectively amounts to public ownership.

The planned relocation of the hospital from Dublins Holles Street to a site at Elm Park alongside St Vincents Hospital, as well as its governance and ownership, has been the subject of controversy for some time.

The issue came before Cabinet this week, but has been postponed for two weeks to allow for documents about the ownership structure to be published and for Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly to appear before a committee.



St Vincents Hospital

Acknowledging there had been legitimate concerns about whether women would have access to healthcare services like abortion, gender-affirming surgery and tubal ligation at the new site, Mr Martin told TDs on Wednesday that the issues have now comprehensively guaranteed in the constitution of the new hospital.

Addressing the Taoiseach at Leaders Questions, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the state should own the hospital grounds outright.

We will own the building and not the land, which will remain in private ownership and that makes absolutely no sense when the state is footing the bill, Ms McDonald said.

Mr Martin accepted that legitimate concerns have been raised about governance, but added that they had been comprehensively addressed.

Not via rhetoric, but with legal guarantees and documents which have been published. I implore you to read them.

He said the debate has moved on from clinical governance and operational independence to ownership of the hospital.

Its now 300-year lease at a tenner a year. Thats what the agreement says. And to me, that is public ownership.

Labour Leader Ivana Bacik raised concerns about the labyrinthine legal arrangements underpinning the ownership structure of the new building.

We know that this state has an unfortunate and tragic, terrible legacy of failing women in our access to reproductive healthcare, Ms Bacik said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Donnelly said he would appear before the Health Committee next week to address any concerns about the hospital before the matter comes before Cabinet again in two weeks.



Labour leader Ivana Bacik

Asked whether an abortion in any circumstances was allowed under Irish law, and whether tubal ligation would be carried out according to a womans choice rather than clinical need at the new hospital site, Mr Donnelly told RTE Radio on Wednesday morning: Yes absolutely, 100%.

Every service that is provided for under law will be available in the National Maternity Hospital. And not only is the independence fully protected, but the hospital will be obliged to provide these services, its in the constitution and itll be in their operating licence.

Ms Bacik said earlier on Wednesday that there were still very serious and very valid concerns remaining around the ownership, control and governance of the new National Maternity Hospital.

She said Mr Donnelly had not answered why we cant have a publicly owned hospital on public land instead of the byzantine legal arrangements outlined by the minister.

The 299-year lease will give the Irish state a proprietary interest in the land, with the HSE leasing the site for the hospital from St Vincents and owning the hospital itself.



Stephen Donnelly at a press conference at the Department of Health

Under the constitution of the new hospital, the Health Minister will not have day-to-day involvement but will have a so-called golden share in the company, allowing intervention to direct the board to ensure all maternity, gynaecological or neonatal care is provided if it proves necessary.

But Ms Bacik told RTE Radio the question of land ownership is not a red herring, as Mr Donnelly had claimed earlier on Wednesday.

She said: I think there are serious questions around control and governance.

If the lease is to be so long, why not hand the land over to the state?

If one looks at the documents that have been published, they still raise questions over the governance issue.
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Muskegon man who died in police shootout took own life

Prosecutors say a western Michigan man who died in an exchange of gunfire with state police last month took his own life
A power play offers incentives for workers who don't support unionizing.

And so we ask . . .

WILL THE BARISTA WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE??? OR TAKE THE FAST CASH?!?!

Here's a peek at the sitch . . .



The coffee giant will not offer the enhanced benefits to workers at the roughly 50 company-owned cafes that have voted to unionize. Such changes at unionized stores would have to come through bargaining, Starbucks said.



So, partners will receive these pay, benefits and store-improvement investments at all U.S. company-operated stores where Starbucks has the right to unilaterally make these changes, the company said in a statement. However, at stores where workers have union representation, federal law requires good faith bargaining over wages, benefits and working conditions which prohibits Starbucks from making or announcing unilateral changes.



In total, Starbucks plans to spend $1 billion on wage hikes, improved training and store innovation during fiscal 2022, which ends in the fall.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Starbucks to hike wages, double training for workers as CEO Schultz tries to head off union push Starbucks said it will hike wages for tenured workers and double training for new employees as the company and its CEO, Howard Schultz, seek to beat back the union push from its baristas. However, the coffee giant will not offer the enhanced benefits to workers at the roughly 50 company-owned cafes that have voted to unionize.

Starbucks will raise wages again - but not for union workers Starbucks interim CEO Howard Schultz has a message for workers interested in unionizing: If you do, you could miss out on higher wages.

'Pure propaganda': inside Starbucks' anti-union tactics hen Starbucks management came for Sean Andrews, it didn't surprise him, exactly. Tensions were already running high in the Denver coffee shop where he worked. A few days prior, Andrews' fellow baristas had walked off the job in a six-hour strike.

Starbucks counters unions with $1 billion investment in workers Interim Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, facing growing union efforts nationwide, promised Tuesday to up his investment in employees. Schultz, who has been traveling around the country to better understand and address employee complaints, is allocating $1 billion throughout the fiscal year to enhance pay, modernized training, and collaboration as well as store innovation, according to the company.

Developing . . .
It's apropos that we finish posting tonight with a passing reference to an iconic sci-fi movie given that today's political arguments are surreal.

Also, more importantly, . . .

FACT CHECK . . . TODAY'S KANSAS CITY ABORTION RALLY ONLY HOSTED ABOUT 78 PROTESTERS NOT 'HUNDREDS' REPORTED BY LOCAL NEWS!!!

Ironically, we've seen bigger turnout for sales of distressed property on the courthouse steps.

But I digress . . .



Again, our consideration of the topic merely considers political machinations that work to manipulate a populace far too emotionally wired into a destructive feedback loop to pause and consider the bigger picture or merely attempt to think for themselves.

Accordingly, we share more news links to argumentation and rhetoric which mostly serve to distract from an eternal crusade to rule over every life on Earth; unborn and otherwise . . .



'I'm scared': Kansas City women fear erosion of civil rights after Roe is overturned A crowd of around 200 people in front of the Jackson County Courthouse joined thousands of others around the country Tuesday protesting a leaked draft opinion by the U.S. Supreme Court indicating the landmark decision will be overturned. Kansas native Ashanti Spears addressed the protesters, who alternated between chanting slogans and listening to different speakers.

Hundreds protest outside of Jackson Co. Courthouse after Supreme Court Roe v. Wade draft leak Hundreds of protesters reacted to the leak outside the Jackson County Courthouse in Downtown Kansas City Tuesday. It was one of many nationwide protests organized by Women's March. "I feel sick, and I'm terrified," said Misha Smith, a supporter of Roe v. Wade.

Video: Hundreds gather in Kansas City for abortion-rights rally KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Hundreds of abortion-rights advocates gathered on Tuesday in Kansas City, Missouri, to make their voices heard. A rally was held outside of the Jackson County Courthouse. The move came after Politico leaked a draft opinion on Monday which implied the U.S. Supreme Court would overturn Roe v.

What would overturning Roe v. Wade mean for Missouri, Kansas? TOPEKA, Kan. - A leaked draft authored by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito suggests the majority of the court has voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, according to a Politico report published Monday. The Midwest will likely have very restrictive abortion laws if Roe v.

KC-area abortion advocates, opponents weigh in on U.S. Supreme Court opinion leak KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The leak of a U.S. Supreme Court opinion draft, that could overrule Roe v. Wade, is sparking a lot of debate for those on both sides of the aisle of abortion.

August vote could change Kansas Constitution to restrict abortion access In Kansas, abortions are protected by the state's constitution but there's an effort to change that.As it stands now, Kansas is very different than many of its neighbors. Any ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court will have no effect on abortions, but a vote on Aug.

Kansas City business woman reflects on impact of Roe v. Wade KANSAS CITY, Mo. - When Roe v. Wade became a landmark decision in 1973, it protected a woman's right to choose and a Kansas City area businesswoman says it helped her succeed. At 19- years-old, Lauren Conaway exercised her "right to choose."

Roe v Wade: US supreme court preliminary vote overturns abortion ruling, leaked draft shows - live updates Voices on both sides of the political divide in the US have reacted with shock to the leak of the US supreme court's draft decision on Roe v Wade.

Ocasio-Cortez: Supreme Court 'isn't just coming for abortion' Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Monday warned progressives that the Supreme Court "isn't just coming for abortion" after a leak of a Supreme Court draft ruling that would overturn Roe v. Wade. "As we've warned, SCOTUS isn't just coming for abortion - they're coming for the right to privacy Roe rests on which includes gay...

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A legendary local leader and a favorite of this blog recently earned a great deal of admiration from friends & colleagues.



Here's a glimpse at the well wishes that are part of our local history . . .



Mr. Brooks doesnt necessarily like what he sees now. Throughout the pandemic and social justice movement hes been leading a weekly zoom meeting with people of color across America.

Kansas City is just a microcosm of whats happening in America, Brooks said.

Though he says he wishes hed seen more progress toward unity in his life, hes thankful for everyone who recognizes his efforts.

Its overwhelming Gods been good to me for 90 years, Brooks said.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Kansas City celebrates civil rights leader's 90th birthday KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Alvin Brooks has served the Kansas City community for nearly 70 years. Tuesday Kansas City turned out to celebrate the former Mayor Pro-Tem and civil rights leader on his 90th birthday. The party came a day after Jackson County Executive Frank White honored Brooks with a proclamation.
We compile quite a few local crime stories for readers looking for a quick glimpse at recent police action, court cases and other news on rising local crime as the warm weather starts.

Check TKC news gathering . . .

Suspect in custody after KCMO shooting on Manchester Ave. KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department responded to a shooting on Manchester Avenue off East 63rd Street early Wednesday morning. According to officers on the scene, one person was shot around 12:30 a.m. The victim is in critical condition. Officers said one person is in custody for the shooting.

Court documents detail rape case against former Lawrence officer LAWRENCE, Kan. - Newly released court documents shed more light on charges against a former Lawrence police officer accused of rape while on duty. Jonathan Gardner, 41, was charged in March with one count of rape, 12 counts of unlawful acts concerning computers and 12 counts of official misconduct.

Execution of Missouri man marks 5th in US this year A Missouri man who killed a couple during a robbery at their rural home more than a quarter of a century ago was put to death Tuesday, becoming just the fifth person executed in the United States this year.Carman Deck, 56, died by injection at the state prison in Bonne Terre.

Brothers allegedly targeted at KCK bar in weekend deadly shooting KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Two brothers and a family friend were shot inside a Kansas City, Kansas bar Saturday. One brother died, and the other two are still in the hospital. However, the person who shot them is free. FOX4's Sherae Honeycutt spoke exclusively with the family and one of the victims from the hospital.

Public defenders in Kansas got more pay, but still have the same crushing workloads TOPEKA, Kansas - In the best times, public defenders deal with high stress and long hours. The pandemic did not help. Maban Wright, the chief public defender in Topeka, said case backlogs from when courts closed have piled up, and a few employees left during the Great Resignation.

Missouri Man Killed Expectant Wife Who Googled 'What to Do if Your Husband Is Upset You Are Pregnant' A Missouri jury has found a St. Louis man guilty of first-degree murder after he admitted on the stand that he killed his pregnant wife in a rage. Beau Rothwell, 31, has been found guilty of first-degree murder, tampering with physical evidence and abandonment of a corpse.

Kansas City remembers 'Precious Doe' 21 years later KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A little girl is gone, but decades after her death, she isn't forgotten. Community members gathered at Hibbs Park near 59th Street and Kensington Avenue Thursday morning to remember Erica Green. Kansas City knew the little girl as Precious Doe.

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Smarter people than TKC can better explain the dialectic as a discourse between two or more people holding different points of view about a subject but wishing to establish the truth through reasoned argumentation.



Here's how it happens on local streets . . .



Officers deployed stop-sticks to disable tires on the vehicle after the pursuit crossed into Missouri. Authorities said the driver bailed out of the vehicle and ran off into a wooded area near Northwest 132nd Street and Running Horse Road.



Police and the highway patrol surrounded the area and attempted to get the man, who was armed with a weapon, to surrender.



Owen said multiple officers from KCPD and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.



The 26-year-old man was hit and killed. There were no injuries to law enforcement.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

KC police and MSHP troopers kill homicide suspect after high-speed pursuit ends in Platte County Kansas City police officers and troopers with the Missouri Highway Patrol fatally shot a 26-year-old man after a high-speed pursuit ended in Platte County late Tuesday night.The pursuit started around 9:15 p.m. Platte County Sheriff Mark Owen said the man was driving a vehicle that was being sought in connection with a homicide in Kansas City, Kansas.

Authorities shoot, kill homicide suspect after 2-state chase ends in Platte County KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City, Missouri, police and Missouri Highway Patrol troopers shot and killed a suspect connected to a homicide in a Kansas City, Kansas. The incident happened late Tuesday evening in Platte County. According to the Platte County Sheriff Mark Owen, before the shooting, the man led police on a chase that stretched into parts of Kansas and Missouri.

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You dont need to sit in traffic: your weekly roundup of Ontario highway closures for new and ongoing construction in Toronto, including North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke.
Sunnybrook hospital has received a $5-million grant from the province for the planning of a new critical care tower. - Toronto Star file photo
Youve noticed. The cost to feed yourself and your family is going up  and not just a little.
Heather ONeill, Jael Richardson, contemplate motherhood and creativity in new book Good Mom On Paper

Twenty Canadian writers explore the relationship between motherhood and creativity in anthology edited by Stacey May Fowles and Jen Sookfong Lee
By Azernews





The number of foreigners and stateless persons visiting Azerbaijan from January through March 2022 has surpassed the amount from the same period last year by 2.1 times, the State Statistics Committee has reported.

According to the committee, some 246,200 foreigners and stateless persons came to Azerbaijan from 149 countries in the above-mentioned period.

The committee noted that 27.4 percent of the visitors came from Russia, 24.7 percent - from Turkey, 14.4 percent - from Iran, 5.8 percent - from Georgia, 3.4 percent - from Ukraine, 3.1 percent - from UAE and Saudi Arabia, 2 percent - from Pakistan, 1.6 percent  from Kuwait, and 1.3 percent - from Kazakhstan.

Some 1.2 percent of the visitors accounted for the UK and India each, 0.7 percent  for Germany, Oman, Belarus, and the U.S. each, 0.6 percent  for Uzbekistan and Israel each, and 6.6 percent - for other countries.

Furthermore, 54 percent of foreigners and stateless persons entered the country by air, 44.2 percent by rail and road, and 1.8 percent by sea.

Meanwhile, 58.4 percent of Azerbaijani citizens traveling abroad in the mentioned period used air, 39.2 percent rail and road, and 2.4 percent sea transport.

The committee noted that the number of the visitors from Oman increased by 649 times, Saudi Arabia  by 168.5 times, Kuwait  by 167.1 times, UAE  by 47.7 times, Bahrain  by 50.4 times, Israel  by 6.3 times, Pakistan  by 29.5 times, India - by 11 times, the U.S.  5.6 times, France - 3.5 times, and Kazakhstan - 3.6 times year on year.

At the same time, the number of visitors from Russia grew by 1.7 times, the UK  by 2.2 times, Ukraine - by three times, Iran and Turkey - by 1.9 times, and Georgia - by 14.9 percent compared to 1Q2021.

Local news sources earlier reported that U.S. Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had included Azerbaijan on the list of the best countries to travel to during a pandemic.

CDC has grouped countries into four risk groups. Thus, against the backdrop of reduced numbers of COVID-19 cases, Azerbaijan has been included in the list with the lowest risk of infection.

Azerbaijan has seen a significant decline in coronavirus infections in recent days. In this regard, according to the latest information, country has registered 13 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours.

Azerbaijan is an example of a country that contributes to the fight against COVID-19 at the national, regional, and global levels. Since the first day of the pandemic, Azerbaijan's top political leadership has demonstrated a flexible policy in preventing the virus's spread and in the process of obtaining vaccines.

The WHO Office with the financial support of the EU has launched a three-year project "Support for COVID-19 vaccination" in order to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in Azerbaijan and strengthen immunization programs, since June 2021.

On February 28, 2020, the country confirmed its first COVID-19 case. On March 25, Azerbaijan implemented a special quarantine regime and implemented a number of measures to combat COVID-19 in the country.

The nationwide vaccination is free and voluntary, and it is in accordance with the "Vaccination Strategy Against COVID-19 in Azerbaijan for 2021-2022."

The country began vaccinating citizens with China's Sinovac on January 18, AstraZeneca's Vaxzevria vaccine on May 3, Russia's Sputnik V on May 18, and Pfizer from the United States on June 7. From May 10, the country began offering COVID-19 vaccination to citizens over the age of 18.

Simultaneously, on August 9, Azerbaijan began issuing vaccination exemption certificates to citizens who have contraindications to coronavirus vaccines approved for use in the country.
MONTGOMERY, Ala.  Alabama officials have signed a $623 million contract to build a new 4,000-inmate prison in Elmore County, part of a sweeping construction plan that will be partly funded by pandemic relief dollars.

A spokeswoman for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey this week confirmed the state signed a contract with Caddell Construction Co., effective April 15 for construction of a specialized mens prison facility in Elmore County.

The Alabama Department of Corrections on Friday released a redacted copy of the contract. The document indicated the initial guaranteed maximum price for the contract is $623 million, an amount that two key lawmakers said matched initial cost projections.

We are anxious to get this going. We need these facilities pretty badly. Im excited that we are going forward with it, Republican Sen. Greg Albritton said.

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 the new prison in Elmore County with at least 4,000 beds and enhanced space for medical and mental health care needs.

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 prison systems underlying problems, such as low staffing, and was not a proper use of pandemic relief funds.

The approved legislation 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.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Mayor William E. Cooper will read a proclamation declaring the observance of the 2022 National Day of Prayer as he joins local pastors and church leaders in front of City Hall Thursday at noon.

Cooper, a man of faith and believer in the power of prayer, said he welcomes the Enterprise Ministerial Alliance to the courtyard at City Hall and thanked the ministers for sponsoring the gathering for many years.

The ceremony connects people of faith here with tens of thousands of others all over the United States who will be praying in their own communities for blessings upon the Nation, its people, its first responders, church leaders, military, farmers, etc.

Prayer, praise and music will be the order of the day at the ceremony, where Cooper will present the proclamation. Prayers will be led by pastors and others including Leon Adams, Jim Endrihs, Ben Bowden, John McCrummen, Col. Brad Smith and Enterprise Police Chief Michael Moore.

Everyone is invited to gather in the courtyard in front of city hall for the hour-long ceremony.

The theme of this years national observance is Exalt the Lord Who Has Established Us, which is inspired by Colossians 2:6-7, according to the NDP Task Force website. At 7 p.m. CST, a National Day of Prayer service will be broadcast from the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. It will air on Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), GodTV, Daystar, as well as on social media platforms sand websites. Faith Radio in Montgomery is also reported to air the program.
Following a number of serious accidents at the Macoya Intersection on the Priority Bus Route
Ukrainian defenders have destroyed an enemy command operations center, three ammunition depots and several groups of Russian troops and military equipment in southern Ukraine.

The relevant statement was made by the South Operational Command on Facebook, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Our rocker and artillery units have completed more than 40 fire missions. Along the administrative border of Mykolaiv Region and Kherson Region, we destroyed an enemy command operations center, three ammunition depots, one fuel and oils depot and several groups of enemy troops and military equipment. The total losses are yet to be reported, the report states.

Last night Ukrainian forces continued to defend the captured frontiers in Kherson Region and Mykolaiv Region. The enemy attempted to conduct air reconnaissance using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The Armed Forces of Ukraine shot down two enemy UAVs over Mykolaiv Region.

In the morning, Russian troops again shelled the city of Mykolaiv with the Smerch multiple rocket launcher systems, having damaged critical infrastructure facilities. No casualties were reported.

In addition, the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense units destroyed an enemy Forpost UAV over Odesa Region.

Photo: illustrative, General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

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The UN Secretary-General's annual report will focus on the crimes of sexual violence following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

This is pointed out in the statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

It is noted that First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzheppar met with UN Under-Secretary-General  Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten during her visit to Kyiv.

The parties condemned the atrocities of Russian troops in the temporarily occupied territories, especially the crimes of sexual violence committed by the Russian military in Bucha, Irpin and other towns and villages of Ukraine.

"Ukraine's leadership calls on the international community to continue to work actively to jointly counter Russian propaganda and to conduct a proper investigation into Russia's war crimes," Dzheppar said.

As the MFA informs, the Special Representative said she would address the UN Security Council on identified cases of sexual violence by Russian aggressors. Patten also informed about the preparation of the UN Secretary-Generals annual report which will focus on crimes of sexual violence committed in Ukraine.

The first deputy minister thanked Patten for her clear position in support of Ukraine in the fight against the Russian aggressor and her solidarity with the Ukrainians.

Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have opened proceedings over more than 9,000 war crimes committed by servicemen of Russian armed forces and other military formations in Ukraine since February 24, 2022. Russia has already claimed the lives of more than 3,800 civilians in Ukraine and injured more than 4,000. The facts of torture and sexual violence have been established, Dzheppar said.

The deputy minister welcomed the signing of the framework document on cooperation with the Government of Ukraine to prevent and respond to sexual violence in conflict. The document aims to counteract the consequences of Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

Patten stressed that she could not stay away from the suffering of the Ukrainian people and hoped for fruitful and active cooperation within the framework of agreements to provide effective support to Ukraine.

On Tuesday, May 3, the Government of Ukraine and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General Pramila Patten signed a memorandum of cooperation to prevent and combat sexual violence in wartime.

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Aiming to destroy Ukraines transport infrastructure, the enemy fired missiles at facilities in Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Lviv, Vinnytsia, Kyiv, Zakarpattia, Odesa, and Donetsk regions.

As of 06:00 on May 4, Russian troops do not stop conducting offensive operations in the Eastern Operational Zone in order to establish full control over the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and keep the land corridor with the temporarily occupied Crimea, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine posted on Facebook.

In Slobozhansky direction, the enemy fired artillery and mortars on Kharkiv and Protopopivka, and conducted air reconnaissance in the area of Kutuzivka and Oleksandrivka in Barvinkove district of Kharkiv region.

Russian troops tried to conduct offensive operations in the direction of Dovhenke village but failed.

In Donetsk and Tavriysky directions, invaders fire on the units of Ukrainian troops to restrain their actions.

In Lyman direction, the enemy advances towards the village of Shandryholove, fighting continues. The enemy strengthens the group of troops and intensified air reconnaissance.

The invaders assault the area of Popasna, fighting continues.

In Mariupol, Russian troops continue to launch air strikes and fire on the Ukrainian positions in the area of Azovstal steelworks.

Read also: Video of assault on Azovstal plant released

In Zaporizhzhia direction, the enemy carried out assault operations in the direction of Orikhiv but failed.

According to the General Staff, more than 100 bodies of mobilized servicemen of the 1st Army Corps eliminated in Zaporizhzhia region were taken to the central morgue in Horlivka, Donetsk region.

In the Southern Buh direction, the enemy used artillery, MLRS, and tanks along the entire line of contact in order to destroy the fortifications of Ukrainian positions. The invaders intensified hostilities near the village of Tomyna Balka.

In Besarabsky direction, the situation remains tense and controlled.

In Volynsky and Polisky directions, the enemy did not take active action, no signs of the formation of offensive groups were detected.

Certain units of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus continue to shield the section of the Ukrainian-Belarusian border in Brest and Gomel regions.

In Siversky direction, no signs of a Russian offensive group being formed were detected.

Over the past day, the air defense units of the Air Force and the Land Forces of Ukraine downed seven enemy drones and eight enemy cruise missiles. The data are specified.

In Donetsk and Luhansk regions, 12 enemy attacks were repulsed over the past 24 hours. Six tanks, five artillery systems (including three MLRS), 15 armored combat vehicles, and nine enemy vehicles were destroyed. The enemy suffered losses in other directions as well.

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Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio has said in a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba that his country is ready to help rebuild Ukraine after the war.

That's according to ANSA, Ukrinform reports.

"Premier (Mario) Draghi yesterday clearly illustrated Italy's line in the European Parliament: we want Ukraine to join the EU, we won't look the other way, and we will continue to support you. We are ready to take part in the reconstruction of Ukraine, destroyed by the insane Russian war," Di Maio said.

He also added that Italy supports EU sanctions against Russia and works for peace in Ukraine.

According to him, the Italian government is also helping the Ukrainian people defend themselves against Russian aggression.

Ukrinform reported earlier that the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Italy had discussed cooperation between the two countries and security guarantees for Ukraine.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops have been shelling and destroying critical infrastructure and residential areas of Ukrainian cities, towns and villages using artillery, multiple launch rocket systems, and ballistic missiles.

Martial law has been imposed in Ukraine. The EU, U.S. and other countries have imposed strong sanctions against the aggressor country.
Australia has so far granted USD173 million in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

This was stated by the Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia Vasyl Miroshnychenko, who spoke at the national telethon, Ukrinform reports.

To date, the total amount that Australia has provided to Ukraine is USD173 million. More than 40 million tonnes of humanitarian aid have been provided, as well as 70,000 tonnes of coal have been donated by Australia," said Vasyl Miroshnychenko.

He also recalled that last week the Australian Ministry of Defense approved an additional package of military assistance to Ukraine, which includes six towed 155mm howitzers and ammunition for these artillery systems.

They are already in Ukraine and are helping to defend our state, the ambassador said.

Ambassador Miroshnychenko assured that Ukrainian diplomats have been working to expand this support.

As reported, on April 4, in response to Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the Australian government imposed financial sanctions and bans on 110 individuals, including Russian MPs and 34 leaders of the so-called "LPR" and "DPR" self-proclaimed republics in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraines Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
Over the years I have met some strange and unusual people, excluding some of my relatives.

I once knew a man who would lie at the drop of a hat. He told lies just for the sake of lying. To this day Im not sure that he ever told the truth about anything.

He once told me that he flew a Lear jet into Denver, Colorado, on a snowy winter day. As if that were not a big enough lie, he added a caveat to it. It seems that someone needed to be rushed to a special hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and of course the weather had gotten much worse than when he landed.

Supposedly he stepped up to the plate and offered to take the person to the hospital in his rented Lear Jet. That was just the start of the bigger lie, because the Denver airport it turns out had been closed because of the snow.

That in turn required the governor to give this guy special permission to fly out on this terribly bad winter night. So, the governor had the airport ground crew clear just enough runway for him to take the plane off.

Since he was not a millionaire, nor to my knowledge did he have a pilots license, Im sure it was a lie, but he told it as the truth.

I met Frank O. Hill years ago, who was a pilot and often flew into a little airport not far from Wingates lodge on Lake Seminole. He was certainly one of a kind.

His claim to fame was making jewelry out of quail droppings. He became famous from being on the Johnny Carson show talking about his jewelry. He actually operated a quail hunting operation in North Carolina.

He told me that one day he was cleaning out the quail cages and noticed their unusual droppings (true story). He decided hed try to see if he could make jewelry out of the droppings in polyurethane. It worked and back in the day, when Johnny Carson liked to interview strange and unusual people, he ended up on his show.

That is not the end of his story, however. It just so happened that Burt Reynolds was watching the night that Frank was on the Carson show. He contacted Frank and asked him to be in the movie Stroker Ace.

Frank agreed and had one line. He was a fireworks salesman.

I have more strange folks Ive met by the way, including O.J. Simpson, but that is for a future column.

Byron Spires is a retired newspaper editor. He has written dozens of short stories and serials in the Havana Herald. He recently published The Curious Life of Marci Bell in a series of three books. You can email him at byronspires51@gmail.com.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who recently made a number of anti-Semitic statements, reportedly admires certain actions of Nazi Germany.

Thats according to a tape handed over to Guildhall by a source with the Ukrainian intelligence.

In the recording made during Sergei Lavrov's informal talks with CIS diplomats, Lavrov purportedly admires the successes of East and West Germany at the Olympic Games, emphasizing that they were the result of a correct doping system based on Nazi research conducted in concentration camps.

Back then, someone even calculated that if you add up (medals - ed.) gained by the FRG and the GDR, they would be almost on top. A smart doping system was based on Nazi developments from concentration camps, says the voice on the tape, purportedly that of Sergei Lavrov.

It should be recalled that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov publicly stated that the Jews were allegedly "the most bitter anti-Semites." The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry compared Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leader of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, saying that the latter also supposedly had Jewish roots.

Read also: Kuleba responds to remarks by Lavrov who compared Zelensky to Hitler

The Israeli Foreign Ministry reacted to such statements by Sergei Lavrov, saying that Foreign Minister Lavrovs remarks are both an unforgivable and outrageous statement as well as a terrible historical error.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal has discussed military and financial assistance, Ukraines European integration, and sanctions against Russia with Prime Minister of Portugal Antonio Costa.

"I underscored that the supply of modern weapons to Ukraine should be accompanied by increased sanctions pressure on Russia. I thanked Portugal for supporting all EU sanctions and expressed hope that the 6th package of sanctions would be adopted as soon as possible," Shmyhal posted on Facebook.

In turn, Prime Minister of Portugal Antonio Costa said that Portugal stood in solidarity with Ukraine and was ready to provide all necessary assistance, including to the affected people. According to Shmyhal, Ukraine can also rely on Portugal in terms of financial assistance and support for its European aspirations.

On February 24, Russian president Putin announced the beginning of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops shell and destroy key infrastructure facilities, massively fire on residential areas of Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages using artillery, MLRS, and ballistic missiles, terrorize civilians in the temporarily occupied territories.

The European Union, the United States, and other countries have imposed sanctions on the aggressor country.

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The delegations of Ukraine and its partners made a demarche on Wednesday and left the hall due to the beginning of Belarus' chairpersonship in the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation, one of the Organization's two main decision-making bodies.

Belarus assumed the four-month chairpersonship in OSCE FSC at the end of April. However, before that, Ukraine and many other OSCE participating States signaled that in the current context, when Belarus is a co-aggressor in Russia's war against Ukraine, Minsk's chairpersonship in OSCE FSC is deemed impossible.

The Delegation of Ukraine stated that it did not consider it possible to embrace the fact that such discussions would be chaired and their agenda would be determined by a participating State that supports the ongoing full-scale war in the OSCE area on the side of the aggressor, an Ukrinform correspondent reports from Austria.

The Republic of Belarus provided the Russian Federation with the territory for the ground invasion of Ukraine. At least three Ukrainian regions Kyiv, Zhytomyr and Chernihiv regions  were attacked from the territory of Belarus. Belarus provided Russia with airfields for airstrikes and launching grounds for missile attacks, including those targeting the civilian population. Such acts unequivocally fall under the definition of acts of aggression provided by the UN General Assembly Resolution 3314 (XXIX) Definition of Aggression, the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to OSCE stated.

In view of that, it is emphasized that Ukraine deems it unacceptable and even damaging to letter and spirit of existing commitments in the politico-military dimension that the state that is actively involved in a flagrant violation of the OSCE principles and commitments by the Russian Federation will chair the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation.

We regret that Belarus did not waive its turn to chair the FSC. The very fact of its Chairpersonship is an affront to the principles on which our Organisation is based, the Delegation of Ukraine stressed.

Ukraines Representative underlined that such state of affairs made it impossible for the Delegation of Ukraine to continue its usual participation and engagement in the FSC meetings under the Chairpersonship of Belarus and left the hall, followed by representatives of partner countries.

The hairpersonship in the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation, which deals with military and political issues (primarily arms control and confidence- and security-building), rotates every four months.

On February 24, Russian president Putin announced the beginning of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops shell and destroy key infrastructure facilities, massively fire on residential areas of Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages using artillery, MLRS, and ballistic missiles.

Part of the Russian military invaded Ukraine from the territory of Belarus. Moreover, Russians launch missile strikes on Ukrainian cities and make sorties to bomb Ukraine from the territory of Belarus.

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In a phone conversation with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky asked for his assistance with the evacuation of the wounded from the Mariupol-based Azovstal plant.

The relevant statement was made by the Office of the President of Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Zelensky and Guterres discussed the first stage of the evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal plant and further evacuation efforts.

Zelensky informed Guterres about the successful completion of the first stage, during which 121 civilians were evacuated from the Azovstal plant, and expressed hope for a successful continuation of evacuation efforts.

The President of Ukraine personally thanked the UN Secretary-General for his efforts to evacuate Ukrainian civilians from the Azovstal plant. Zelensky also appealed to Guterres to assist in the evacuation of all the wounded from the Azovstal plant.

The lives of the people who are remaining there are in danger. Everyone is important to us. We ask for your help in saving them, Zelensky stressed.

In addition, Zelensky expressed gratitude to the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which demonstrated the possibility of making progress amid the most difficult humanitarian crises.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

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Over the past two months, more than 300,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid have arrived in Ukraine from abroad.

"From the first days of March to May, Ukraine received more than 304,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid. About 24,000 tonnes arrived last week," Darya Zarivna, adviser to the Head of the Presidents Office, said at a briefing, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

As noted, the international community continues to raise funds to help Ukraine. According to Zarivna, money comes from foreign state institutions and individuals through the structures of the United Nations and international charitable foundations and is mostly used to help Ukrainian refugees in different countries.

In addition, these funds are spent on humanitarian aid which arrives in Ukraine and is distributed by regional humanitarian hubs.

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The Government of Austria has allocated almost 42 million euros to overcome the humanitarian consequences of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.

Austrias Council of Ministers made the relevant decision on Wednesday, Ukrinform reports.

We consider it our humanitarian duty to help alleviate the suffering of people in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, Austria has provided a range of emergency assistance, including 17.5 million from the Foreign Disaster Fund, as well as civilian ambulances, helmets, protective vests, and fuel. With today's decision of the Council of Ministers, the federal government fulfills its promise made in March and doubles all donations for Ukraine received before Easter Monday as part of the ORF's Neighbor in Need campaign, said Chancellor Karl Nehammer.

Thus, the government of Austria doubled the private donations raised for Ukraine within the framework of the Neighbor in Need campaign and allocated 41.96 million euros.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Austria, at least 15 million euros of the funds allocated on Wednesday will be used to finance projects aimed at alleviating the humanitarian suffering of Ukrainians, especially women and children. At least 5 million euros will be transferred to organizations working in Moldova which has been particularly hard hit by the inflow of refugees from Ukraine.

In total, Austrian aid, "provided to Ukraine and other particularly affected countries since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression" has risen to more than 80 million euros.

As reported, the Ministry of Finance announced on May 2 that Ukraine had received 495 million euros from the World Bank's Donor Trust Fund under the Second Economic Recovery Development Policy Loan for Ukraine. In particular, the state budget received funds from the United States (about 463 million euros), Norway (about 20.5 million euros), and Austria (about 10 million euros).

During the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, Ukraine has received 4.5 billion euros in financial assistance from international partners.

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The number of refugees from Ukraine who have been forced to flee their homes and go abroad due to the Russian invasion exceeded 5.6 million people.

Such data are provided by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Ukrinform reports.

It is noted that 5,657,185 people left the territory of Ukraine as of May 3.

Most of them went to Poland  more than 3 million people. More than 846,000 people left for Romania, more than 703,000  Russia, more than 539,000  Hungary, more than 449,000  Moldova, more than 385,000  Slovakia, and more than 25,000  Belarus.

At the same time, 1,410,500 Ukrainians have returned home from abroad since February 28.

According to the latest estimates by UN International Organization for Migration (IOM), another 7.7 million Ukrainians are considered internally displaced persons.

On February 24, Russian president Putin announced the beginning of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops shell and destroy key infrastructure facilities, massively fire on residential areas of Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages using artillery, MLRS, and ballistic missiles, terrorize civilians in the temporarily occupied territories.

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 UNHCR

London - UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and TikTok have joined hands today to launch a music campaign promoting solidarity with refugees globally. The campaign begins with #TheWorldNeeds, a UNHCR-initiated global hashtag challenge, to be followed by a series of TikTok LIVE concerts from May 4 to May 7. #TheWorldNeeds calls on creators, artists, and communities to spread a message of global support for refugees calling for safe and legal access to asylum for all.

With the support of Warner Recorded Music, Warner Chappell Music and BMG, Dionne Warwicks iconic track "What The World Needs Now (Is Love) is the centrepiece of the #TheWorldNeeds global hashtag challenge. UNHCR invites the TikTok community to join the challenge and bring their creativity to life to show their support and solidarity for those forced to flee.

Building on a historic connection, Dionne Warwick was originally part of UNHCR's World Stars Festival in 1968, donating a track to raise funds for UNHCR. Warwick said, When I supported the World Stars Festival over 50 years ago for UNHCR, there were fewer than 4 million refugees. Now, there are well over 85 million displaced globally. There has never been a more important time to stand in solidarity and show support for people around the world who have been forced to flee from their homes.

Over half a century later, #TheWorldNeeds challenge and live concerts are a virtual equivalent of World Stars for the 21st century, harnessing the power of artists and creators around the world.

Mary Maker, a refugee and UNHCR high profile supporter, opens the challenge on TikTok with her own rendition of the song, and welcomes other creators and artists to join her in expressing support and solidarity for displaced people worldwide.

She said: Im so excited to be part of such an amazing challenge! It gives me great hope to see the TikTok community come together in solidarity for refugees around the world. I fled conflict in South Sudan as a child and through all of the challenges I have faced since, music has always been a companion and comfort. Music truly has the power to bring people together and break down boundaries, and I hope that through all of the creators contributions, we are able to achieve just that!

Starting today, a dedicated information page will be available on TikTok in selected markets where users can learn and discover ways they can support and donate to UNHCR and show their solidarity with refugees in Ukraine and beyond. Donations will help fund UNHCR's critical programmes, from emergency response to sustaining support for refugees, in the form of shelter, healthcare and nutrition, income generation, education, legal assistance and protection.

UNHCRs Director of External Relations Dominique Hyde: Across the globe, more people have been forced to flee their homes than ever before. From Ukraine to Afghanistan, Syria to Mali, Venezuela and South Sudan, the needs of refugees are growing day by day, and so too is the need for public support and solidarity. UNHCR needs more partners like TikTok to bring awareness to those who need it most. #TheWorldNeeds initiative offers a creative way to engage and unite communities to build solidarity for all the people displaced by conflict around the world, whoever they are and wherever they may be.

#TheWorldNeeds will be followed by a series of TikTok LIVE concerts, from 4th to 7th May, featuring renowned stars and artists. The full list, and the concert schedule, will be available and updated on the project's landing page.

Join the #TheWorldNeeds challenge now with UNHCR and TikTok to show your support and tune in to this musical moment of unity and solidarity for refugees around the world.

UNHCR

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights, and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We deliver life-saving assistance such as shelter, food and water, help safeguard fundamental human rights, and develop solutions that ensure people have a safe place to call home. We work in over 130 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions of people.

TikTok

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo. www.tiktok.com.
Three local business owners are finalists for the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerces 2022 Small Business Person of the Year award.

The chamber announced the finalists as: Anita Dawkins, Community 1st Real Estate; Katie Eubanks, Barberitos  A Southwestern Grille & Cantina and Cheeburger Cheeburger; and Josh Steltenpohl, Marketing Services LLC.

The Dothan chamber has been presenting the Small Business Person of the Year award since 1987. Agnes Simpson of WOOF Radio was the Chambers first Small Business Person of the Year award recipient.

Each year in May, the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce honors its small business members with a week of activities, which includes its Small Business Person of the Year Award luncheon where the Chamber makes the announcement of the award winner. The 2022 celebrations will take place this year the week of May 9-13.

We have a great week planned where our members can get together, have some fun and create new business connections and partnerships. We have several exciting events planned for this year including a Kick-Off Ribbon Cutting Spectacular starting at the Chamber office, an Entrepreneur Pop-Up Workshop being presented by Auburn University, a Womens Night Out at The Untrained Edit, and a Small Business Roundtable and Coffee Spotlight, said Hayden Camp, director of membership.

The Kick-Off Ribbon Cutting Spectacular will be Monday at 9 a.m. in the chamber lobby, and the Small Business Person of the Year Award luncheon will be Tuesday at noon at Windmill Station with University of South Alabama President Jo Bonner speaking. Other event dates include: Surprise Patrol Visits to various member businesses from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 11; the entrepreneur workshop on Thursday, May 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the chamber; Womens Night Out, 5:30-7:30 p.m., on May 12 at The Untrained Edit; and the Small Business Roundtable, 7:30-9 a.m., on Friday, May 13, at the chamber.

The Small Business Person of the Year recognition is awarded annually to an individual owner of a local small business that has one to 25 employees. The candidate must show growth or sustainability of their business, have strong employee relations, show commitment to social responsibility and exemplify strong community involvement. Although the candidates will be judged in all of these areas, they do not have to excel in every area to win, according to the chambers news release.

For more information about all the activities planned for the week, visit the Dothan Area Chambers Facebook page or its website calendar at www.dothan.com.
Donations for an upcoming Homeless Connect event are low, and organizers are in emergency mode with a little more than a week before the event is to be held.

Donations just really tapered off, Kody Kirchhoff of the Southeast Alabama Coalition for the Homeless (SEACH) said. Were a week and a half out; we really need donations.

SEACH will sponsor the Homeless Connect event in Dothan on Saturday, May 14. On that day, a meal and much needed supplies will be delivered to homeless areas, camps, and individuals.

Kirchhoff said members of SEACH have been out identifying homeless people and determining their specific needs. Most of the homeless people helped through the event are trying to end their homeless situations but still need help to get by until they do, he said.

Our hope is we have enough provisions to meet at least a bulk of those needs; we can never meet all the needs that everybody has, Kirchhoff said.

Items like tents, sleeping bags and Coleman stoves are some of the more important items needed and dont have to be new items, Kirchhoff said.

Why donations are down is unclear, but it could be because this is the first in-person Homeless Connect held in two years due to the pandemic or that people are choosing to give to other causes. Also, Kirchhoff said, people are struggling with higher prices and may not have as much to give right now.

And while homeless people have gotten some bad publicity lately, especially with a string of fires of vacant buildings and arrests, Kirchhoff said he hopes those instances havent kept people from giving.

I want to believe its not that, he said. Just because there are some negative, terrible, awful things that have happened, that does not represent the larger group.

Living items needed include hats and caps, bandanas, sunglasses, umbrellas, rain coats, purses, wallets, blankets, sheets, tents, bikes, air mattresses or cots, camp chairs, Colman stoves, mini propane tanks, large propane tanks, flash lights, belts, backpacks, bug spray, batteries, sunscreen and can openers.

Food items needed include bottled water as well as pop-top/quick eat non-perishable food items such as Vienna sausages, Beanie Weenies, Ramen Noodles, fruit cups, granola bars, ravioli, tuna, peanut butter crackers, cheese crackers, small bag chips, small bag crackers, Spam or potted meat, canned soup, SpaghettiOs, cookie packs, apple sauce, small bag of nuts, beef jerky, boxed raisins, fruit snacks, trail mix, and small canned pop-top veggies.

Needed toiletry items include shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, shave cream, body lotion, bath soap, shower gel, comb, toilet paper, and feminine pads.

Baby items such as diapers and wipes are also needed.

Donations of clothing are not needed as there are local organizations that provide clothing on a daily basis year-round. However, jeans as well as new underwear and socks for men, women and children will be accepted.

Donations can be dropped off Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Wiregrass 2-1-1, located at 545 W. Main St., Suite 313, in downtown Dothan.

Volunteers are needed from 7-10 a.m. on May 14 to help sort and pack the food and supplies and deliver the supplies. To volunteer, simply go to the Covan trailer in the back parking lot at Wiregrass 2-1-1. Volunteers will be fed.

For more information, dial 2-1-1.

Peggy Ussery is a Dothan Eagle staff writer and can be reached at aussery@dothaneagle.com or 334-712-7963. Support her work and that of other Eagle journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at dothaneagle.com.

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Southeast Health in Dothan slightly restricted visitations effective Tuesday due to an increase in the community transmission rate for COVID-19 in Houston County.

The hospital is moving a substantial/moderate level due to the increases in transmission risk, according to a news release.

The Alabama Department of Public Healths COVID-19 dashboard shows Houston County is currently at a moderate, or yellow, community transmission risk as is Coffee, Barbour and Geneva counties. Dale County is considered at a substantial risk, or orange, while Henry, Pike, and Covington counties are considered to have low transmission risks.

The Centers for Disease Control has Wiregrass counties listed as having low community levels of COVID-19, which is based on the number of hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area.

There are currently 64 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, and Southeast Health had five COVID patients as of Monday.

The change to the Southeast Health visitation policy will be in place until there is another change in COVID-19 transmission that threatens patients, staff, and the community, the hospitals release stated.

According to the news release, hospitalized patients, in most cases, can now have one support person and up to two visitors daily who may rotate. If you plan to visit a patient, you are encouraged to review the unit specific guidelines in advance.

Support persons and visitors must register at Entrance 3 on the upper level of Southeast Healths east parking deck. Visitors who are not remaining with the patient overnight can enter and exit the building during visiting hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Visitors and support persons, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, are still required to wear a facemask inside the hospital.

The hospital encourages patients and families to consider technology, like smart phones and tablets, to connect with loved ones, the news release stated.

To view the complete Visitor and Support Person Guidelines, visit https://www.southeasthealth.org/visiting-a-patient/.

Peggy Ussery is a Dothan Eagle staff writer and can be reached at aussery@dothaneagle.com or 334-712-7963. Support her work and that of other Eagle journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at dothaneagle.com.

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The Lauderdale County corrections officer charged with assisting an inmate who has been charged with capital murder has been fired from her job, Sheriff Rick Singleton said Wednesday.

While Vicky White had planned to retire, her termination will cost her state-funded contributions to her pension, Singleton said.

Meanwhile, the manhunt for Vicky White and the inmate, Casey White, moves into its sixth day and the sheriff said law enforcement officials dont really have a clue where the two are located.

He said its unknown if they are still in north Alabama or have fled for the border in an effort to leave the country.

We dont really have a clue, Singleton said. We were hoping that vehicle would help us where we need to focus on search.

The search has suffered a setback, the sheriff said, because information about the vehicle Vicky White and Casey White  who are not related  were believed to be driving was released to the public prematurely.

That vehicle is a 2007 rust-colored Ford Edge with an unknown license plate.

It is unknown what license plate is on the vehicle, or if it even has a license plate. There is minor damage to the rear left bumper, the U.S. Marshals Service said Wednesday.

The sheriff said he assumed that with the vehicle identified, Vicky White and Casey White will find another vehicle to continue their escape.

That flier that was released was law enforcement-sensitive and was not supposed to be put out to the public, Singleton said.

And one of the agencies advertently, I guess, didnt realize that and thought they were helping by getting that information out there. We had worked all weekend trying to get a vehicle identified and we finally got solid confirmation Monday morning.

And so we were trying to take advantage of the other technology available to us and see if we could find the vehicle. We put the information out to law enforcement so they could be helping us look for it. And at one department put it on social media, and of course its spread like wildfire.

Singleton acknowledged a level of frustration with the premature release of the vehicle information.

It sort of set us back on the investigation, Singleton said. But well just keep going forward and well eventually find them.

The sheriff said he expected the identified vehicle will be found soon.

That will help us because it will give us some idea of what area they are in, Singleton said. Are they still around here or are they down in Texas trying to get into Mexico? It will give us an idea where we need to focus our search maybe.

The Marshals Service said the release of the vehicle information led some internet sleuths to the Florence car dealer who sold the vehicle to Vicky White.

Some Facebook users have leveled accusations of wrongdoing against the owners of that dealership. The U.S. Marshals would like to assure everyone that the owners have been very helpful in this investigation, and that no one at the dealership is suspected of helping the pair avoid law enforcement, a statement read.

Vicky White recently bought the AR-15 and shotgun they are thought be armed with, authorities said. However, their relationship has likely been going on for up to two years.
Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, has announced today that Carol Kirchner, MBA, CPA, will serve as UNOs next Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance effective Monday, May 16, pending approval by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents at their June meeting.

As Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance, Kirchner returns to UNO after previously serving as Associate Vice Chancellor of Business and Finance from 2016 to 2018 and Assistant Vice Chancellor from 2014 to 2016.

Most recently, Kirchner had served as Associate Vice President for Business and Finance at the University of Nebraska System.

We are excited to welcome Carol back to the Maverick family, Chancellor Li said. With nearly three decades of service to the University of Nebraska system at UNMC, UNO, and within the Office of the President, Carol is a fierce advocate for the role of higher education and the right person at the right time to lead our business operations.

As vice chancellor, Kirchner will oversee all budget, finance, operational and administrative services in support of the chancellor. She will oversee financial strategies to enhance UNOs goals in enhancing student outcomes and workforce development. She will also work closely with members of the community in developing a financial policy that fosters UNOs growth as an urban university educating the city and the states next generation of leaders.

Organizational units housed under Business and Finance include Accounting Services; Auxiliary Services; Budget; Business Systems Technology; Cashiering and Student Accounts; Facilities Management and Planning; Grants Accounting; Human Resources; UNO Public Safety; and the Office of Risk Management.

Holding a Master of Business Administration from UNO, Kirchners career accomplishments include bringing a new designated travel agency to the University of Nebraska system, redeveloping the University of Nebraska systems procurement services, helping to identify key budget savings during back-to-back years of significant budget reductions from the state, and leading financial administration for OneIT.

It is so rewarding to be coming home to UNO and an honor to be serving in this vital position that I know is key to the universitys continued success and growth, Kirchner said. Even in my role at the system level, I continued to return to the UNO campus as much as possible because of how much I love UNOs people, mission, and commitment to access and affordability for our students.

Kirchner will succeed Doug Ewald, who stepped down as UNOs Vice Chancellor for Business, Finance, and Business Development in 2021. He had served in the role since 2018. Following Ewalds departure, Jim Kamm, MBA, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance, had been leading the office in an interim capacity.

I want to thank Jim for his incredible stewardship over these past months, helping us navigate the uncertainties of returning to more robust on-campus operations through innovative approaches to meeting the needs of our students, faculty, and staff, Chancellor Li said. And I want to thank College of Business Administration Dean Michelle Trawick for leading an impeccable search process to help us identify the right person to lead our campus in the years to come.

In addition to her roles at UNO, Kirchner served a variety of roles at the University of Nebraska Medical Center including Controller; Director of Accounting and Business Systems; Director of Business Systems Development, and Internal Audit Manager.

Kirchner is accredited as a Certified Public Accountant. She is also a member of the American Heart Association Omaha Board of Directors, Nebraska Society of CPAs Accounting Careers Committee, and Women Investing in Nebraska. She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and an MBA from UNO.
Chisinau, May 4 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th May, 2022 ) :European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday pledged to increase EU military aid to Moldova, Ukraine's neighbour that has seen a series of attacks in a pro-Moscow separatist region.

"This year we plan to significantly increase our support to Moldova by providing its armed forces with additional military equipment," Michel told a press conference with Moldova's President Maia Sandu during a visit to the country.

Michel said the EU will up support in the "field of logistics, of cyberdefence" and will seek to provide "more military-building capacities" to Moldova, without going into more detail.

"The EU stands in full solidarity with you, with Moldova, it is our European duty to help and to support your country," Michel said, adding that the bloc will help Moldova "cope with the consequences of the spillover from the Russian aggression in Ukraine".

"We will continue to deepen our partnership with you to bring your country closer to the EU," Michel said.

Speaking at the press conference, Sandu said that while Moldova has plans in place for "pessimistic scenarios.

.. we see no imminent risk right now".

She added that the incidents in Transnistria were "generated by the pro-war forces" there and "we try to discourage such incidents".

Last week, Moldova's separatist region of Transnistria 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, which Moscow called "acts of terrorism".

The self-proclaimed republic of Transnistria bordering Ukraine seceded from Moldova in 1992 after a brief war with Chisinau. Around 1,500 Russian soldiers have been based there ever since.

Fears of a spillover from the Ukraine conflict grew after a Russian general said the Kremlin's military campaign -- launched on February 24 -- aimed to create a land corridor through southern Ukraine to Transnistria.

Kyiv has accused Russia of wanting to destabilise the region to create a pretext for a military intervention.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th May, 2022) Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, discussed Russia's military operation in Donbas, integration in the Eurasian space and Moscow-Minsk relations during a phone conversation on Tuesday, the Kremlin said.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko...

Certain aspects of interaction within the framework of integration associations in the Eurasian space were discussed, including in connection with the preparation of the upcoming meeting of the leaders of the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization," the Kremlin said in a statement.

According to the statement, "the ongoing special military operation to protect Donbas" was also discussed during the conversation.

The presidents also talked about some issues related to bilateral relations and the Union State, the Kremlin added.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th May, 2022) US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman discussed climate and regional and global security issues during a meeting with South African ministers in Pretoria on Wednesday, the State Department said.

"Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman had warm and productive meetings with South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor and Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Alvin Botes today in Pretoria," the press release said. "Sherman and Minister Pandor discussed the importance of the U.

S.-South Africa partnership and shared priorities including health, climate, and regional and global peace and security."

Sherman also met and conferred with Trudi Makhaya, economic advisor to President Cyril Ramaphosa. They discussed the burgeoning partnership between the two countries, including investment, trade and infrastructure, according to the department.

Sherman also expressed condolences for the lives lost and considerable destruction caused by heavy rains, severe flooding and landslides which killed 435 people in KwaZulu-Natal in April.
(@FahadShabbir)

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd May, 2022) The UN Security Council on May 19 will hold a debate on the link between conflict and food insecurity around the world as part of the United States' presidency of this body during the month of May, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield to the United Nations said on Tuesday.

"Once again, we will bring a spotlight to conflict as a driver of food insecurity. To address this growing crisis, the United States will convene a Security Council open debate on May 19 to examine the nexus between conflict and food security," Thomas-Greenfield said during a press briefing.

The ambassador said that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been invited to New York to chair the debate.

The UN Security Council will consider the necessary steps to be taken to ensure food supplies do not cause conflict or instability in fragile states, Thomas-Greenfield added.

The meeting was scheduled amid increased discussions of the impact of Western sanctions against Russia on global food supplies, particularly in Africa and the middle East.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th May, 2022) The United States denounces North Korea's recent missile launch and is maintaining close contact with Japan and South Korea, the Indo-Pacific Command said on Wednesday.

"We are aware of the DPRK's ballistic missile launch today and are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan, as well as other regional allies and partners. The United States condemns these actions and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further destabilizing acts," the statement said.

The US remains committed to the defense of South Korea and Japan, the military said.

"While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.

S. personnel, territory, or that of our allies, we will continue to monitor the situation," it concluded.

Earlier in the day, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said that North Korea fired an unidentified projectile - likely an intercontinental ballistic missile - toward the Sea of Japan at about 3:10 GMT. The Japanese Defense Ministry estimated its maximum altitude at 800 kilometers (497 miles) and range at 500 kilometers, noting that it fell outside the exclusive economic zone of Japan.

It was the 14th missile launch conducted by North Korea in 2022. Tokyo has lodged a protest with Pyongyang via diplomatic channels in Beijing.
This month, the University of South Florida is proud to celebrate Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month, a nationally recognized observance that honors the history, heritage and contributions of Asians, Southeast Asians and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the U.S. on May 7, 1843 and to recognize the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869 by Chinese immigrants who laid most of the track.

APIDA represents a vast pan-ethnic global community that includes people from all of Asia  the worlds largest and most populous continent  including India and the Pacific islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.

Across USF, 13% of employees (across all job categories) and 7% of students self-identify as Asian and/or Pacific Islander/Hawaiian. USFs student organizations representing the APIDA community are becoming increasingly active. These include Vietnamese, Korean American and Pakistani student associations, Asian Students in America, Chinese Culture Club, Japanese Club, American Cultured Desi and the Association of Filipino Students. In addition, several Greek organizations provide opportunities for cultural affinity and networking for USFs APIDA student community.

Several of these organizations worked with the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) to host a series of APIDA events in April  allowing students to participate before the end of the spring semester. The events were an opportunity to increase the visibility of the APIDA culture and population to the broader USF community.

Christian Fajardo, a past member of the Association of Filipino Students, helped kick off the APIDA heritage events at the Bull Market, located outside the Marshall Student Center. Fajardo is executive director of Journey to the East, a weeklong student-led event held each fall to celebrate Asian culture. Fajardo and his Journey to the East peers have been among the student leaders looking to USF for support and solidarity in the wake of last years increase in bias incidents and hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.

As an Asian American, it feels great to know that we have resources like the Office of Multicultural Affairs for support and to provide a safe space for us, said Fajardo, who moved to the U.S. from the Philippines in 2016. By working with student organizations at USF, Ive realized how important my culture is to me  and I want to help preserve it for future generations.

USF employees representing the APIDA community also have been moved to increase synergies and networking opportunities. Kevin Lee, academic advisor in the Judy Genshaft Honors College and an active voice in USFs APIDA community, is pleased to see the increased momentum by students, faculty and staff across USF. Lee has been working with colleagues and the administration on ways to support and celebrate the APIDA community university wide. Currently a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Issues of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Lee also has been working over the last two years to identify and meet regularly with members of the APIDA community.

Theres definitely a need and a desire among faculty, staff and students in the APIDA community across all three campuses and USF Health, Lee said, adding that he has seen interest and participation in meeting as an APIDA community steadily increase. This year, Lee hopes to formalize with university leadership the formation of an APIDA faculty and staff advisory group.

Meanwhile, APIDA Heritage Month is a wonderful time to celebrate with pride the many accomplishments of USFs APIDA community.

Select faculty who represent the APIDA community across One USF

Chuanmin Hu, professor of optical oceanography in the College of Marine Science, who also directs the Optical Oceanography Lab, was recently named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The award recognizes his distinguished contributions to the field of marine science, particularly for the discovery of the worlds largest seaweed bloom and pioneering research in remote sensing algorithms, data products and applications. Hus discovery of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt  a biomass of brown seaweed that extends from the west coast of Africa to the Gulf of Mexico  made the Guinness World Records and was selected by Discover magazine as one of the top 50 discoveries in 2019. The Virtual Buoy System, Integrated Redtide Information System and Sargassum Watch System, developed by the Hu lab, have served more than 60 countries. Fawn Ngo, associate professor in the Department of Criminology, is among the researchers at USFs Trafficking in Persons  Risk to Resilience Research Lab, helping sex-trafficking victims through a court program that offers housing, job training, counseling and other services. The labs work could become a model for similar programming around the country. Related to her work, Ngo says being Asian American offers a distinctive racial, ethnic and cultural identity. While we face many challenges in our current society, especially in the face of the pandemic and surges of discrimination, we must also use APIDA Heritage Month to remember that living in a society filled with different backgrounds makes our world richer, Ngo said.

Quynh Nhu Le, associate professor of English literature, received the Asian American Studies Association Book Award in Humanities and Cultural Studies for her book, Unsettled Solidarities: Asian and Indigenous Cross-Representations in the Americas. The award recognizes works in Asian American studies that seek to challenge norms. Les book examines contemporary Asian and Indigenous crossings within different settler states in the Americas. Le specializes in critical ethnic studies, settler colonial studies, critical refugee studies, Asian American literature and film, Native American/Indigenous literature and film and theories of affect and embodiment.

Sudeep Sarkar is professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. He has more than 25 years of experience conducting and directing fundamental research in computer vision, predictive learning, biometrics and artificial intelligence. He is a member of the Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine of Florida, and Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, National Academy of Inventors, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, International Association for Pattern Recognition and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Most recently, he was named a Fellow of the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association.

Growing up in India, Sarkar says a verse from the Bhagavad Gita continues to influence him today. Roughly translated, the Hindu verse says, You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, nor be attached to inaction.

I try to live this out, Sarkar said. All the accomplishments that you see are a result of the excellent students who have crossed paths with me.

Ying (Sarah) Zhong, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, was one of this years Excellence in Innovation Award recipients for the technology she developed to safely reuse disposable face masks, made ubiquitous by COVID-19. Zhongs NSF-funded and patent-pending technique addresses mask shortages and environmental waste and has drawn significant attention from the media and society. Also this year, Zhong received the CAREER Award, the National Science Foundations most prestigious awards in support of early career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.

Accomplished USF alumni and donors represent APIDA heritage with pride

Drs. Anila and Mona Jain epitomize what it means to be ardent supporters of USF. Together, the USF alumnae will chair the 2022 Brunch on the Bay scholarship fundraiser at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus. A physician and medical consultant, Dr. Anila Jain is vice chair of the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus board and holds numerous honors and distinctions recognizing her service and support of USF. Anilas mother, Dr. Mona Jain, is a Fulbright scholar, winner of USFs Distinguished Alumna Award and 2020 recipient of the College of Educations Deans Lifetime Achievement Award. She has dedicated her career to the field of education and worked as a tireless advocate for her students.

Both are members of USFs Women in Leadership & Philanthropy program where they provide mentorship and support to current USF students. The opportunity gives Mona the ability to continue her work in motivating people of all ages to continue their pursuit of knowledge, something instilled in her early in life in India.

Daughter Anila was born in India and moved with her family to the Sarasota-Manatee area when she was five years old. Shes proud to say that honoring her dual heritage  Indian and American  gives her the best of both worlds.

I was fortunate  we had a Christmas tree and also celebrated Diwali, Indias festival of light, Anila said. My parents made sure that East and West cultures were intermingled, and it was perfect.

As a student at USF, Anila said there were few other students from India, which inspires her today to reach out to international students, especially those from India, knowing that USF can feel like a long way from home.

It can be hard for students, Anila said, adding that while Indias culture prioritizes education, students and families often make significant sacrifices to attend a university in the U.S.

I always make a point of talking to students to make sure they know that USF has lots of opportunities and resources, Anila said. They usually do very well.

Born and raised in India, alumna Lynette Menezes began volunteering at a leprosy hospital as a high school student, witnessing firsthand the damaging effects of the disease, setting her course for a career in public health. After receiving her undergraduate and masters degree from the University of Mumbai, she moved to the U.S. to join her husband and eagerly pursued her doctorate at the USF College of Public Health (COPH). Coming from Mumbais competitive environment, she credits peers and mentors at COPH for providing vital support. Menezes has been with the college ever since.

In 2021, her alma mater awarded Menezes the College of Public Health Outstanding Alumni Award, recognizing her exemplary service to the field of public health. Menezes serves as the assistant vice president and assistant dean for international affairs at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. In her roles, shes been building and supporting international programs, faculty and student exchange in 38 countries. She also founded the international medicine scholarly concentration for medical students where she teaches global public health principles and pioneered a robust medical student exchange program between USF and 25 academic institutions in 14 countries.

Jugal and Manju Taneja are known as the regions game changers with a passion for education, improving health care and giving back to their communities. Their $10 million gift in 2019 from the Taneja Family Foundation to name the USF Health Taneja College of Pharmacy set a record as the largest philanthropic donation to a pharmacy school in the state of Florida.

Their own pharmaceutical company in Largo focuses on the innovative development of generic medications and antibiotics that are difficult to manufacture. Jugal Taneja has founded numerous successful companies in Florida, Ohio, New York and Great Britain. Manju Taneja also serves as a managing partner for several real estate companies. But their generosity in the Tampa Bay region will help USF transform and revolutionize health programs and the educational experience of USF pharmacy students.
Membership Directory

advisory council membership, 2022-2025

Sueli Bonaparte

Executive Director

Brazil-Florida Business Council

suelibonaparte@brazilfloridabusiness.com

813-390-8364

Ms. Sueli Bonaparte is the Founder and President of the Brazil-Florida Business Council. Prior to that, she was Executive Director of The Brazilian-American of Commerce, Inc. in New York City for almost seventeen years. Bonaparte was also the Founding President of The Brazilian Institute of Arizona, Inc. For almost four decades, she has played a critical role in the forging of closer ties between the business communities of Brazil and the U.S.

Bonaparte has been awarded the prestigious Foreign Policy Association Meritorious Honor Award (New York) and the Rio Branco Commendation, an honorific order of Brazil intended to persons and institutions that by their services or exceptional merits, have become deserving of this distinction. She also received the Order of Merit of Ecumenical Fraternity Decoration bestowed by The Legion of Good Will.

She earned a B.A. degree in History from the University of Sao Paulo, an M.S. in Bicultural Education from St. John's University, and was also bestowed the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from St. Thomas Aquinas College.

Marlene Cambronero

Realtor and Council Member

Greater Tampa Realtor Association

marlene.cambronero@suncoastrs.com

813-205-6922

Ms. Marlene Cambronero was born in San Jose, Costa Rica, and has been a resident of Tampa, Florida, since 1987. She began her career in real estate as a mortgage broker, transitioned to the position of marketing director for Stewart Title of Tampa, and in 2009 earned her Florida Real Estate license. Marlene is currently a Real Estate Agent at Suncoast Realty Solutions, LLC.

Marlene graduated with a degree in International Business from The University of Tampa in 1996 where she earned lifetime induction into the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society. She has earned the Certified Residential Specialist designation, Graduate Realtors Institute designation, International Properties Specialist Certification and Resort and Second Home Property Specialist Certification, and the Dubai International Property Consultant (DIPC) Certification granted by the Dubai Land Department.

Marlene specializes in residential, waterfront, resort- second home, investment, and business properties. Her business travels include visits to Panama, Honduras, Mexico, Canada, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Brazil, England, Spain, Greece, Italy, France, United Arabic Emirates, Qatar, and Puerto Rico. Marlene conducted two Real Estate and Business Investment Trade Missions to Costa Rica in 2010 and 2011 with Coastal Strategies Inc.

Marlene is an active member of the National Associations of Realtors and the Canadian Real Estate Association as well as co-founder of the Tampa Chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. She is also an active member of the Tampa Bay Real Estate Global Council at the Greater Tampa Realtors, Tampa Bay Organization of Women in International Trade, Women Council of Realtors, Hispanic Professional Women Association, and the West Tampa Chamber of Commerce. In recognition of her professionalism, Marlene was selected to be the Greater Tampa Realtors Director to the Florida Realtors Board for the 2020-2022 period.

Sandra Campbell

Director

U.S. Commercial Service

Sandra.Campbell@trade.gov

727-893-3738

Sandra Campbell is the Director of the U.S. Commercial Service Tampa Bay, the local office for the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce located in Clearwater, Florida. Since 1998, Sandra has counseled and developed export strategies for small and medium-sized companies with U.S. products and services throughout the Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida regions. International projects and missions have included Brazil, China, Germany, Italy, Panama, Poland, and Spain, as well as brief assignments at the U.S. Embassy in Prague, Czech Republic and the U.S. Consulates in Vancouver, Canada and Milan, Italy.

Sandra completed a rotation in 2016 at the U.S. Department of State's Office of Commercial and Business Affairs (CBA) in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs in Washington, D.C. She is also a member of the U.S. Commercial Service's Global Healthcare Technology and Global Education Teams.

Sandra is a cum laude, honors program graduate from the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Marketing and International Business, with a minor in Italian. She has also attended Oxford Brookes University in Oxford, England and the Universita per Stranieri di Perugia in Perugia, Italy. Sandra is a member of the Tampa Bay Area Committee on Foreign Relations and alumna of the FBI Tampa Citizens Academy.

Vickie Chachere

Executive Editor

Florida Trend

vchachere@floridatrend.com

813-787-2990

Vickie Chachere was recently named the Executive Editor of Florida Trend, an award-winning magazine that is one of the nations largest regional business publications.

Vickie had spent the previous 13 years as a member of the University of South Florida communications team, serving as a speechwriter in the Office of the President and later as the director of strategic communications for USF Research & Innovation.

A veteran Florida journalist, over two decades Vickie worked as a reporter and editorial writer for The Tampa Tribune and served as the supervisory correspondent for the Associated Press in Tampa. She is a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and is a native of southern Oregon.

Ashley Gairing

Educational Consultant

Ashleygairing@gmail.com

727-430-0397

Ashley Gairing started volunteering at age eight, accompanying her grandmother to help at the Red Cross Blood Bank. Later, when her three children were small, she served on the boards of the Suncoast Dream Fund, Center Against Spouse Abuse (CASA), Brookwood, and Community Preschool, and chaired fundraising events for a variety of local non-profits.

Ashley served at Shorecrest Preparatory School as Assistant Director of Advancement, Assistant Director of Admissions, and Director of Communications, Marketing and Alumni Affairs. Simultaneously, she earned a masters degree in Educational Leadership from National Louis University, where she was chosen to be the student commencement speaker.

She moved to Independent Day School as a doctoral intern while she attended Nova Southeastern Universitys doctoral program in Educational Leadership. After finishing with an Outstanding Dissertation Award, Ashley worked at Canterbury School of Florida as Director of Advancement and Admissions.

Her volunteer activities included two terms as Junior League Sustainer President and Centre College Parent Committee Chair plus several years on the Centre College Career Services Advisory Board. Most recently, she was Executive Vice President of Suncoasters. Today she is retired and focuses on her second year as president of USF St. Petersburgs Town and Gown. Ashley also serves on a drug task force in Boyle County, Kentucky, and helps develop workshops with Greenwood Associates that focus on people 50+ who are planning their next chapter.

Alex Heiter

Director, Research and Air Service Development

Tampa International Airport

AHeiter@TampaAirport.com

813-676-4309

Alex Heiter, a 25-year veteran of the aviation industry, joined Tampa International Airport as Director of Research and Air Service Development in August of 2021. In this role, Alex leads TPA's efforts to attract new air service in addition to providing insightful analysis of passenger research.

Prior to joining TPA, Alex worked at Boeing Commercial Airplanes for 15 years, half of which as an executive in the Marketing organization. Most recently Alex served as Managing Director of Marketing for Europe, overseeing the market strategies and analysis in support of sales and product strategy for airlines in the region.

Previously, as Director of Network & Fleet Planning, Alex led a team of consultants responsible for analyzing and planning route networks and developing fleet plans. Alexs first Boeing role was as a long-range product forecasting focal for the Commercial Market Outlook (CMO), a 20-year view of the worldwide demand for commercial airplanes. Alexs ongoing duties also included providing consultative services to senior management on various issues regarding the global airline marketplace.

Prior to joining Boeing, Alex worked at Continental Airlines, serving as Senior Manager of Network Planning. Other positions held at Continental included Strategic Planning, International Route Planning, Pricing and Revenue Management. Alex has also worked for Sabre Airline Solutions as a principal in their airline consulting practice. Alex holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. He resides in Pasco County with his wife and two school-aged children.

Richard A. Jacobson

Shareholder and Director

Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney - Law Firm (Shareholder, International Tax) and

Tampa Bay Area Committee on Foreign Relations

Richard.Jacobson@bipc.com

813-300-1582

Richard Jacobson is a shareholder in the Tax Section of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney. He is a Certified Public Accountant and Board Certified by The Florida Bar in International Law. Richard is the firm's lead representative to the TerraLex global legal network of 150 firms located in 100 countries. In this capacity, he has developed relationships with his counterparts throughout the TerraLex network, providing clients and attorneys immediate access to cross-border expertise. With his immigration team, he offers unique and coordinated one-stop immigration and international tax services.

Richards practice includes:

Assisting foreign clients with pre-residency tax planning

Coordinating U.S. tax and immigration planning

Helping foreign investors in U.S. real estate (FIRPTA) and other business ventures

Representing U.S. companies exporting products or services or conducting business internationally

Assisting U.S. clients with their foreign manufacturing activities

Helping U.S. business executives plan extended tours of duty overseas

Managing IRS Voluntary Disclosure, Streamline, FATCA and FBAR/FinCen reporting

Handling inquiries from foreign attorneys, trust companies, and accountants

Providing international estate planning services

Lucie Lapovsky, Ph.D.

Principal

Lapovsky Consulting

lucie@lapovsky.com

917-690-1958

Dr. Lucie Lapovsky, principal of Lapovsky Consulting, is an economist who consults, writes, and speaks widely on issues related to higher education finance, pricing, strategy, governance, and enrollment management. She also specializes in searches for chief financial officers. Her clients include private schools, colleges and universities throughout the United States, and various companies and organizations throughout the world. Recent clients include the Japanese Educational Foundation, The National Association of Independent Schools, The Endeavor Foundation, Nomura Securities, Pitzer College, York College of PA, Roanoke College, Illinois Wesleyan University, The Kiski School and Cheshire Academy.

Dr. Lapovsky served as President of Mercy College (1999-2004), a multi  campus institution of 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students with campuses in New York City, Westchester, and on-line. Prior to joining Mercy College, she served as Vice President for Finance at Goucher College, and worked at the University of Maryland at College Park. She is the co-editor of three books: Strategic Financial Challenges for Higher Education: How to Achieve Quality, Accountability, and Innovation; Roles and Responsibilities of Chief Financial Officers both published by Jossey-Bass and The White House Project Report: Benchmarking Womens Leadership. She is a frequent contributor to Forbes and is the author of more than 200 chapters and articles as well as a frequent speaker at major higher education conferences.

Dr. Lapovsky chairs the board of the Suncoast International Womens Forum and serves on the boards of the American Public University System (chair of Student Affairs Committee), the Education Foundation of Sarasota, the Asolo Theatre, and the Tuition Exchange. She received her B.A. degree from Goucher College, and her M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Economics from the University of Maryland at College Park. She also attended the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard and the Directors Institute at Duke. In 2016 she received the Donna Shavlik award from the American Council on Education for Advancing Womens Leadership in Higher Education in 2016.

Madison Lawson

Regional Manager of International Trade and Development

Enterprise Florida

mlawson@enterpriseflorida.com

813-276-9430

Joining Enterprise Florida in August of 2021, Madison Lawson is the international trade and development manager for the Tampa Bay region. In her role at Enterprise Florida, Lawson provides export counseling to companies in 10 Florida counties. Her responsibilities include managing trade grants, promoting international trade shows and missions, and coordinating educational programs and events for Florida businesses interested or engaged in international trade.

Lawsons background in international economic development began at the Tampa Bay EDC as the international business manager for the local organization as well as the manager for the regional trade and investment promotion partnership known as Global Tampa Bay. In this role she executed several trade missions to Latin America and foreign investment missions to France and the Netherlands. She was also responsible for marketing and social media for the partnership as well as managing international project leads.

With a masters degree in International Development and Emerging Economies from Kings College London and a bachelors degree from the University of Tampa, Lawson has a depth of knowledge in international business and a personal connection to the Gulf Coast of Florida. While receiving her graduate degree, Lawson worked at Catholic Relief Services to promote the use of innovative technology in international development projects. At the University of Tampa, Lawson spent time conducting research on the informal economy in Cusco, Peru in addition to founding a social enterprise project in northern Ghana.

Lawrence M. Martin

Major General

U.S. Air Force (Ret.)

martinherky@gmail.com

501-352-8365

Major General (retired) Lawrence M. Martin, Jr served his country on active duty for over 32 years before returning to Tampa with his wife, Julia, in 2017. His family first came to Tampa in 2008 when he served as the wing commander at MacDill Air Force Base. He is a command pilot with over 3,700 hours in several aircraft, served in Southwest Asia, taught history at the United States Air Force Academy, and held leadership assignments at Air Mobility Command, U.S. Pacific Command, U.S. Transportation Command and Headquarters, United States Air Force, Washington, D.C. Prior to his military retirement, he served as the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, where he oversaw 226 Washington, DC based employees managing Air Force international matters with U.S. government, industry partners and over 100 worldwide air forces.

General Martin is a Senior Consultant for Two Blue Aces Consulting, specializing in assisting organizations with strategic planning, process improvement, leadership development, building alliances, international relations, and crisis management. General Martin serves as a Tampa Bay Defense Alliance board member and as an Advisory Council member for Mission UnitedUnited Way Suncoast and was the volunteer President and Chief Executive Officer, Medal of Honor Convention Tampa Bay 2019.

A native of Minnesota, General Martin was a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, the U.S. Air Force Squadron Officer School, the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College, graduated from the U.S. Air War College with highest academic distinction and earned a Master of Arts from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Manish Mohan

Chief Global Talent Officer

Kforce

MMohan@kforce.com

813-552-3623

Manish Mohan joined Kforce in 2000 and serves as its Chief Global Talent Solutions Officer. He is also a member of the Firms Executive Committee.

Mr. Mohan has over 25 years of experience in strategy, sales, and operations at Kforce, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Bank of America. Since joining Kforce, he has led many initiatives including the inception of the Global Talent Solutions team in 2009. While at Kforce, his team has been recognized multiple times with Team of the Year awards.

A graduate of BITS Pilani with a bachelors and masters degrees in Engineering, he received an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He is also an adjunct faculty at University of South Floridas Muma College of Business and teaches People Analytics to graduating seniors.

Lynne Platt

Senior U.S. Foreign Service Officer (Retired)

U.S. Department of State

plattlynne@gmail.com

202-538-0503

A senior Foreign Service Officer retired in 2018 with the rank of Minister-Counselor, Lynne Platts career spans 31 years and three U.S. Government agencies. She entered public service as an auditor in the General Accounting Office and became a policy analyst in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Lynne joined the State Department Foreign Service in 1994 and was assigned to U.S. Embassy Cairo (1995-1997) and U.S. Consulate Casablanca (1995-1997). Lynne worked as Press Officer/Spokesperson at the U.S. NATO Mission (2001-2004), and U.S. Embassies in Paris (2004-2008), and London (2011-2014). She managed large foreign assistance programs  as Deputy Director of the Iraq Office of Provincial Affairs at Embassy Baghdad (2008-2009), and as head of the Office of Law Enforcement and Narcotics Affairs at Embassy Port-au-Prince (2009-2011). Lynne served as U.S. Consul General in Vancouver, British Columbia (2014-2017). Domestically, she worked in the State Departments Near East Asia Bureau and as a 2017-2018 Fellow at the non-partisan Woodrow Wilson Centers Canada Institute.

Lynne and her husband relocated to Saint Petersburg, Florida in 2020. A Board Member of the St. Petersburg Conference on World Affairs, she helped organize the February 2022 Conference. She is an elected Governor and Trustee of DACOR, a DC-based organization of foreign affairs professionals. She also serves on the Board of the Foreign Service Retirees Association of Florida. Lynne received a B.A. (Phi Beta Kappa), M.A., and ABD in Political Science from the University of Washington in Seattle.

Jennifer G. Roeper

Shareholder

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.

jennifer.roeper@ogletreedeakins.com

813-221-7233

Jennifer G. Roeper is a shareholder in the Tampa office of Ogletree Deakins. She is board certified by The Florida Bar in Immigration and National Law and practices in the firms immigration practice group.

Jennifer represents companies throughout the world in all aspects of immigration law including the full range of employment and family based temporary visa processing, applications for permanent residence and naturalization. She assists corporate clients in developing global mobility policies and maintaining compliance with U.S. immigration laws and represents companies in government audits and investigations.

Brett Simons

International Business Manager

Tampa Bay Economic Development Council

bsimons@tampabayedc.com

813-518-2668

In January 2022, Brett Simons joined the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council as International Business Manager. In this role, he works to increase foreign direct investment, new business recruitment, and increase exports for companies in Tampa Bay.

A graduate of Carroll College in Helena, Montana with a bachelors degree in International Relations, Brett brings to the team four years of Federal and State government experience. Brett recently moved to Florida having served in the Montana Governors Office of Economic Development where he handled foreign direct investment inquiries and acted as the Governors International Affairs Advisor. Brett resides in Bradenton with his fiance and their cat Clementine. He enjoys experiencing all the new and exciting opportunities that Florida has to offer.

Bethany Valente, Ph.D.

Founder and Managing Partner

Tempo 7, LLC

bethany.valente@tempo7llc.com

757-354-3034

Dr. Bethany Valente is the Founder and Managing Partner of Tempo7, LLC. Dr. Valente works with business leaders and professionals to assist them in uncovering growth opportunities and developing strategic initiatives in today's dynamic marketplace. Dr. Valente developed her Open Innovation Opportunity framework from her global academic research in Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States within a $484M Japanese biopharmaceutical firm. Her Open Innovation Opportunity Program framework has been featured in Forbes.

Dr. Valente has been recognized as top 30 global sales professional and top 85 global sales professional in two Fortune 100 firms. Dr. Valente has been a featured speaker at the Small Business Development Center in Tampa, Florida, and the Small Business Development Conference in Orlando, Florida, for her international business expertise. Dr. Valente is a guest contributor in CEOWorld Magazine, Pharmaceutical Executive, PharmaLive and Innovation Management.

Dr. Valente holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from Capella University, a masters degree in Global Business Administration from the University of Houston-Victoria, and her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Ohio Northern University.

Her research interests include open innovation, dynamic capabilities, national innovation systems, and national culture. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, friends, her four pets, and traveling.

Deborah Wilkinson

Executive Director

Tampa Bay Trade and Protocol Council

deborah@wilkinsonglobalconnections.com

954-205-9130

Deborah Wilkinson is the Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Trade and Protocol Council. The Council was created to work closely with the Consular Corps and business community to promote and develop the Tampa Bay area as an international hub. Ms. Wilkinson coordinates with other international organizations to leverage the strength of Tampa in cultivating education, business, and culture.

Ms. Wilkinson also is the Founder/President of Wilkinson Global Connections, LLC that houses Tampa Bay Trade & Protocol. WGCs purpose is to strengthen Diplomatic Corps globally; collaborate with American Chambers of Commerce; execute strategic plans with regions and states going global; and conduct inbound and unbound missions. Clients range from private firms, city governments and other international organizations.

Prior to joining the Council, Ms. Wilkinson was the Chief Development Officer for Broward Countys Office of Economic and Small Business Development. Ms. Wilkinson is also an international trade specialist and has an extensive international trade policy background. Ms. Wilkinson coordinated and developed an international trade strategy for Broward County that resulted in the first International Trade/Protocol Desk in the county. Ms. Wilkinson has served on numerous International Trade Advisory Boards and was the Chair of Florida Economic Development Council for FY 2010-2011.

Prior to her move to Florida, Ms. Wilkinson was the Deputy Trade Representative for the State of Washington where she successfully created a coalition of 40 State Governors in support of granting China Most Favored Nation status and coordinated and facilitated the historic Gore-Chernomyrdin, US West Coast/Russian Far East Conference in 1995.

In 2021 she was recognized among Influential Women in Tampa Bay Edge Magazine and is the 2012 recipient of the United National Womens Day Award by the World Trade Center of Miami. She obtained her masters Certification in International Management through the Executive Program at Thunderbird.

usf world directory

Dr. Kiki Caruson

Interim Vice President

kcaruson@usf.edu

Amanda Maurer

Director, Education Abroad & Global Learning on Campus

amaurer@usf.edu

Marcia Taylor

Director, International Student and Scholar Immigration Services

taylorm@usf.edu

Sean Gilmore

Director, International Pathway Programs and Global Academic Partnerships

Gilmore@usf.edu

Wendy Baker

Director, USF World St. Petersburg Campus

wbaker@usf.edu

Brandon McLeod

Director, USF World, Sarasota-Manatee Campus

brandonmcleod@usf.edu

Vanessa Martinez

Assistant Director, International Community Relations, and Global Alumni Outreach

martine4@usf.edu

Kathy Weber

Executive Administrative Specialist to the Vice President

kweber08@usf.edu
This year is likely to be the most food insecure year on record globally, according to the United Nations. Much of the suffering is caused by conflict, said U.S. Representative to the UN Economic and Social Council Lisa Carty.



More and more, belligerents are intentionally destroying farms or blocking trade routes with the express purpose of causing people to starve.



Russia is using these tactics as part of its war on Ukraine, and the repercussions are already being felt by the worlds most vulnerable, said Ambassador Carty.

Ukraine is the worlds fifth largest exporter of wheat and the second largest exporter of sunflower oil. Russia has disrupted these staple crops by bombing civilian infrastructure, placing landmines in Ukrainian soil, and even deliberately and repeatedly damaging Ukrainian grain storage facilities  six by our latest count. And Russias blockade of Ukrainian ports is stopping what food Ukraine has left could still export from being exported to other countries in dire need.



It is not surprising that Russias war of choice is having a devastating impact on food systems at every level, from global to local. And the consequences will be dire. Regions that are already food-insecure are now more likely to tip into catastrophic famine, starvation and death as food prices rise.



In Yemen, the number of people facing famine is projected to increase five-fold by June  and that was a projection before Russias war of choice began to affect food prices. 



In Ethiopia, as many as nine million people face severe food insecurity. In Tigray specifically, more than 90 percent of people need aid.



In South Sudan, conflict has driven two famines in the last five years and analysts are warning another one could occur in 2022.



And in Syria, about 12 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity.



Still, These crises are not inevitable. In fact, we have seen how taking early and anticipatory action has helped prevent famine, said Ambassador Carty.



For our part, the United States will continue to deliver lifesaving assistance through USAID and Feed the Future. We will continue to be the single largest country donor to the World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization, she said.



We can save lives if we act early, before the worst crisis impacts are felt.  There can be no excuse for famine today.
2022 Mississippis Aspirations in Computing Award Winners

Wed, 05/04/2022 - 16:41pm | By: Ivonne Kawas

Pictured left to right: Kristi Jernigan (Educator), Kristin Jernigan, Willie Jones (Guest Speaker), Micah Hill, Jillian LaRosa, and Jenna Kasselman

The University of Southern Mississippi's (USM) School of Computing Sciences and Computer Engineering and the National Center for Women and Information (NCWIT) - Mississippi Affiliate, recognized an Outstanding Computing State Educator and 9th-12th grade students at the Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Award Luncheon held at the Hattiesburg campus this month.

As part of an effort to encourage a diverse range of students to choose careers in technology, the awards recognize those who self-identify as women, genderqueer, or non-binary for their computing-related achievements and interests. The Educator Award identifies exemplary formal and informal educators who play a pivotal role in encouraging these students.

The event consisted of a luncheon and celebration of the accomplishments of the awardees who have demonstrated outstanding aptitude and aspirations in technology and computing. The category recipients included: 12 Winners, 2 Honorable Mentions, and a Rising Star.

Pictured left to right: Dr. Anna Wan and Kristi Jernigan, Mississippis AiC 2022 Educator Award Winner

Mississippis AiC 2022 Educator Award Winner, Kristi Jernigan from Winston-Louisville Career & Technology Center, was honored for playing a role in encouraging students to explore their interest in computing and cybersecurity.

USM is honored to partner with the National Center for Women and Information Technology to recognize these rising stars in Mississippi. Kudos to our state educator winner, Mrs. Jernigan, for all of her work to bring computing and cybersecurity learning to her school district, said Dr. Sarah Lee, Director of the School of Computing Sciences and Computer Engineering. Teachers are so important to the future of our state and we appreciate the work they do to inspire the next generation of technical talent.

Jernigan, as a technology discovery and STEM instructor at Louisville High School, taught the Project Lead the Way (PLTW)-Intro to Engineering course for 9th and 10th grade students. She has mentored students who have received recognition for the national congressional app challenge where They applied their computing and technology skills to create a unique app. She is also the advisor for Technology Student Association (TSA). As the TSA advisor, her students compete on the district, state, and national level in several events such as Music Production, Technology Bowl, and Fashion Design. Her students have placed and won several scholarships as TSA members.

Jernigan has hosted computer programming, robotics, and cybersecurity summer camps for the Louisville Municipal School District targeting K-5th grade students. She also helps with the 4-H robotics team for Winston County.

These educators' support goes a long way in motivating students to apply their creativity and unique perspectives as they learn computational skills. Students are often more likely to pursue computing education when they are encouraged by their educators and other adult influencers, said NCWIT CEO and Co-founder Lucy Sanders.

A respected leader in the transportation industry, Willie Jones, served as the keynote speaker for the award celebration. Jones is the President and CEO of Dependable Source Corp., a Center for Community and Workforce Development that was founded in 2014 to deliver workforce solutions to the transportation industry.

The recipients for the 2022 NCWIT-Mississippi AiC Awards are:

Micah Hill | Laurel High School

Hometown: Laurel, Miss.

Dania Zein | Northwest Rankin High School

Hometown: Brandon, Miss.

Danielle Ryans | Mississippi School for Math and Science

Hometown: Rose Hill, Miss.

April Guo-Yue | Starkville High School

Hometown: Starkville, Miss.

Amanda Zhou | Mississippi School for Math and Science

Hometown: Memphis, Tenn.

Jenna Kasselman | Enterprise High School

Hometown: Enterprise, Miss.

Charity Doster | Louisville High School

Hometown: Louisville, Miss.

Jillian LaRosa | Long Beach Senior High School

Hometown: Long Beach, Miss.

Kristin Jernigan | Louisville High School

Hometown: Louisville, Miss.

Monique Reed | Pearblossom Academy

Hometown: Mechanicsville, Md.

Sophia Hines | Mississippi School for Math and Science

Hometown: Meridian, Miss.

Rachel Guynes | Greenville High

Hometown: Greenville, Miss.

Honorable Mentions

Katelyn Coleman | Clinton High School

Hometown: Clinton, Miss.

Amiah White | Laurel High School

Hometown: Laurel, Miss.

Rising Star

Ariya White-Graham | Forest High School

Hometown: Forest, Miss.

About NCWIT Aspirations in Computing

NCWIT is the farthest-reaching network of change leaders focused on advancing innovation by correcting underrepresentation in computing. NCWIT convenes, equips, and unites nearly 1,500 change leader organizations nationwide to increase the influential and meaningful participation of girls and women  at the intersections of race/ethnicity, class, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, and other historically marginalized identities  in the field of computing, particularly in terms of innovation and development. Find out more at ncwit.org.
ELKO  One person was killed Tuesday evening in a crash on Lamoille Highway that closed the busy commuter route for more than two hours.

The crash occurred at about 7:15 p.m. on a curved portion of the road between the summit and Jiggs Highway intersection, according to Nevada State Police.

Thousands of vehicles cross the summit between Elko and Spring Creek each day, and workers returning home were blocked until traffic began flowing again shortly after 9:30 p.m. The highway was not fully cleared until around midnight.

Deadly year for highway crashes in Nevada ELKO  Last year was the deadliest on Nevada roads in 14 years, with more than one traffic fatality per day across the state and more than one

The last fatal crash on Lamoille Highway was in November 2018, according to Elko Daily Free Press files. That collision occurred when a speeding motorist in a Honda Civic was pursued by an Elko County Sheriffs deputy and the Honda veered into oncoming traffic near the Errecart Boulevard intersection. The driver of the Honda was killed.

The Nevada Department of Transportation initiated a traffic study in 2014 following a four-person fatal crash at the intersection with Palace Parkway.

Tragically, many crashes in the area are caused by speeding, NDOT reported at the time.

More details on Tuesdays crash will be posted as soon as they are available.

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Women in Nevada would still have a right to get an abortion under state law if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade as expected. But the issue could have a major impact on this years election, with Nevada Republicans facing a majority of pro-choice voters as they campaign to win back seats lost to Democrats in recent years.

The Nevada Republican Partys platform opposes taxpayer funded abortions. In conservative Elko County, the party calls for a return of each states right to manage right to life issues, which the pending Roe v. Wade decision would do.

Local clinics say no abortion services are available in the Elko area, where many people travel to larger cities in Utah and Idaho for medical procedures. But those states have trigger laws that would further restrict abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned. That could send more women seeking abortions to Nevada, where the procedure is legal for up to 24 weeks  and later if the pregnancy could be fatal.

More than 63% of Nevadans voted for a referendum in 1990 affirming the states abortion law, and a Nevada Independent poll from 2019 found that more than 80% of the states residents believe abortion should be legal.

Not long after a draft of the Supreme Courts decision was leaked to the press, pundits began seeing it as a lifeline for Democrats facing tight races in states like Nevada.

Do not underestimate what this decision would mean for women in Nevada and across the country, U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., said in an Associated Press interview. If this court issues a ruling to overturn Roe vs. Wade, it will enrage women across the country who have lived for the last almost 50 years the right to choose.

Cortez Masto is considered one of the most vulnerable senators up for re-election this fall. GOP frontrunner Adam Laxalt welcomed the potential court decision, calling it an historic victory, but also noted it would not change Nevadas standing.

The people of Nevada have already voted to make abortion rights legal in our state and so, no matter the courts ultimate decision on Roe, it is currently settled law in our state, he said.

The issue could become a factor in the governors race, where incumbent Steve Sisolak is also considered highly vulnerable.

Sisolak said Tuesday that the right to an abortion is widely popular among Nevadans.

While I hope this isnt the Supreme Courts final decision, recent reports suggesting it plans to limit reproductive rights for millions of women across the nation are alarming, he said. In Nevada, weve made sure the government stays out of the personal decision of if, when, and how to start a family  just as it should be. As long as I am governor, Nevada will continue to champion reproductive freedom.

Sisolak said since taking office in 2019 he has secured $6 million in family planning funding and signed legislation allowing women to receive birth control directly through their neighborhood pharmacy. His reelection has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood Votes Nevada and NARAL Pro-Choice Nevada.

Republican candidate for governor Dean Heller applauded the development. He has said repeatedly during his campaign that he is pro-life and proud of it.

I am the only proven conservative in this race and the only one who has consistently supported and voted to confirm conservative, pro-life judges, Heller said. We cannot trust liberals masquerading as pro-life advocates. This issue is too important. I am committed to supporting pro-life judges and continuing to fight for the sanctity of life and unborn children in Nevada.

Other Republican candidates have taken similar positions, except frontrunner Joe Lombardo. The Clark County sheriff told Renos KRNV News in March that hes pro-life except for cases of rape, incest and when the mothers life is in danger. But he also said he supports existing Nevada laws.

As the Supreme Court looks at striking down Roe v. Wade, the Republican field for governor is already committed to limiting Nevadans right to choose any way they can, Nevada Democratic Victory spokesperson Mallory Payne said Tuesday. Most concerning is Joe Lombardo, who has taken both sides on the issue. Now is the time for Lombardo to stop playing politics and lay out exactly what his anti-choice stance entails.

"Im Catholic and pro-life, Lombardo responded. What Nevada voters need to keep in mind is, regardless of what the U.S. Supreme Court does or doesnt do, abortion policy is already addressed in Nevada law. The governor and legislature cannot make changes to it. The voters put it into law and only they can change it."

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Bishop Paolo Martinelli, the newly appointed Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, speaks to Vatican News about his new mission in the Arabian Peninsula.

By Antonella Palermo and Lisa Zengarini

On 1 May, Pope Francis appointed Italian Bishop Paolo Martinelli, O.F.M Cap, as the new Apostolic Vicar of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, after accepting the resignation presented by his Capucin confrere, Bishop Paul Hinder.

The Vicariate covers Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and war-torn Yemen. Catholics in these majority Muslim countries are a small community of some one million people, composed almost exclusively of foreign immigrant workers and expatriates from different nations. Since 1916, the Arabic Peninsula has been entrusted to members of the Franciscan family.

Ahead of his canonical installation, Bishop Martinelli, presently Auxiliary Bishop in Milan, Italy, spoke to Vatican News' Antonella Palermo about the challeges of his new mission among peoples of different cultures and religions in a majority Muslim context.

'Fratelli tutti' a point of reference

In this regard, he said the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together signed in Abu Dhabi on February 4 2019 by Pope Francis and the Grand Iman Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb of Al-Azhar, and the subsequent Encyclical Letter Fratelli tutti, will both be a great source of inspiration in his pastoral work in Southern Arabia.

He said that the two documents are particularly meaningful to him, a Capucin, as they are inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, who prophetically showed that fraternal dialogue and sharing between peoples of different cultures and religions are a viable prospect.

Read also 02/05/2022 Bishop Martinelli named Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia Pope Francis appoints Bishop Paolo Martinelli, O.F.M. Cap, as the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, succeeding his Swiss confrere, Bishop Paul Hinder.

Putting relationships at the center

However, Bishop Martinelli acknowledges that, as the war in Ukraine and the many other conflicts going on in the world show, promoting fraternal relations is not by any means an easy task.

Indeed, he says, to make fraternity possible a conversion of the hearts from a self-centered perspective to a relationship perspective is needed.

Fraternity means not being at the center of the world, but putting relationships at the center. For Christians, every fraternal relationship starts from the recognition that we are all creatures of God, willed by one Father. It is not a generic brotherhood, in which I recognize the other person only as a mirror, a photocopy of my own image, but acknowledging the good in each person. It is an ongoing effort to build a good shared life.

Religion and politics

Asked about the controversial issue of the relationship between religion and political power, in light of the current international situation, Bishop Martinelli recalled Pope Francis words in Fratelli tutti saying that religions have the duty of promoting a good life and condemning any attempt to exploit religion for political ends.

Religion must be understood as a way of goodness and reconciliation, always keeping in mind that I cannot bend others to my ideas. This central feature of religion must be preserved.

War in Yemen

Bishop Martinelli also spoke about the ongoing war in Yemen, which Pope Francis mentioned again in his interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera earlier this week. In this regard, the prelate highligted the need to work not only on the diplomatic level, but also at grassroot level by building a culture of encounter from below.

[ We need to break the mould and self-nurturing interests, but there is also a need to encourage meaningful encounters at grassroot level; to make people understand how different cultures can confront each other despite tensions, precisely by focusing on the common good. ] 
Vietnam has an abundance of high-quality nickel reserves that, in recent years, have become increasingly attractive to international mining companies. The electric vehicle explosion has engendered soaring demand for raw materials, such as nickel, which is a key component in the lithium-ion batteries that power electric motors. Now, with the combined plans of Australian mining outfit, Blackstone Minerals, and local conglomerate Vingroup, Vietnam is set to become a hub for lithium-ion battery manufacture and even EV production.

From automobiles to mobile electronic devices, lithium-ion batteries have become the energy storage solution of choice for many manufacturers. Compared to other battery technology, lithium-ion battery cells are lightweight and have a higher energy density than typical lead-acid or nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries. As a result, most plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles use lithium-ion batteries.

But from humble beginnings, demand for electric vehicles (EVs) is now soaring, driven by increasingly climate-conscious customers, global green agendas, and sky-high fuel prices. EVs have become increasingly competitive on cost too, with brands, such as MG, selling their electric offerings for little more than the petrol version.

Battery production unable to meet supply

As demand for EVs soar, manufacturers are confronting a deficit in battery-production capacity. The majority of the worlds nickel is currently used in the stainless-steel industry, but that is projected to change in the coming decades, especially as EV producers turn to more energy-dense batteries that typically contain more nickel.

Last year, the Germany-based Center for Automotive Research (CAR) released a report suggesting that battery cell production would not be able to meet demand until 2030. In turn, this will result in an estimated shortage of over 18.7 million electric cars between 2022 and 2029.

This also means that demand for metals used in the production of batteries, including nickel, has soared. Global demand for nickel has risen steeply over the past five years and is expected to increase to 3.02 million tons in 2022, up from 2.78 million tons in 2021, according to the International Nickel Study Group (INSG).

With prices going sky-high, miners are stepping up their operations to extract more nickel, but thats not proving easy. Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has even made public pleas for mining companies to source more nickel and has promised sizable, long-term contracts for those that do.

Battery makers require Class 1 nickel to produce nickel sulfate  this is a key ingredient used in the production of lithium-ion battery cathodes. Class 1 resources primarily come from nickel sulfide deposits that are quickly becoming depleted. New discoveries are also few and far between. Some producers have looked to nickel laterite, which is mined heavily in Indonesia and the Philippines, as an alternative to the Class 1 material.

While it is more widely available, the process of upgrading the low-grade nickel laterite for battery production requires extremely energy-intensive processes. As such, its CO2 footprint is many times higher.

The sensitivity of the nickel market was highlighted earlier this year when the metals spot price shot up 250 percent in a day after Russia  which is one of the largest nickel producers  invaded Ukraine.

Nickel mining in Vietnam

So where does Vietnam fit in? Vietnam is among a number of Southeast Asian nations that is touted as a future battery supply chain hub.

Vietnam has a relative abundance of nickel and the surge in demand for batteries has led to the reopening of nickel mines that were not previously considered profitable. While Indonesia and the Philippines are the two top producers of nickel in the world, Vietnam is set to ramp up production, following the entry of Australian company Blackstone Minerals into the market.

The ASX-listed firm took over the Ta Khoa Nickel Project (TKNP) in the countrys northern Son La province and has earmarked first production for 2025. The mine is rich in nickel, copper, cobalt, and platinum group elements.

The exploration is a part of Blackstones strategy to enhance its battery-focused asset base that also includes cobalt and manganese. When fully operational, the TKNP project will have a steady-state production rate of 18,000 tons per year (t/y) of nickel recovered from 225,000 t/y of concentrate.

As part of its fully integrated Vietnam business, Blackstones mining operations will be complemented by the Ta Khoa refinery project (TKR). The firm is expected to make a final investment decision on the Ta Khoa project, which would require a total capital investment of US$854 million, by early 2023.

The mines contain high-grade nickel sulfide mineralization, which is in demand by the lithium-ion battery industry. Blackstone hopes the project will make it a globally significant producer of high purity NCM811 nickel-based precursor products for lithium-ion battery production. NCM811 refers to the 8:1:1 ratio of nickel, cobalt, and manganese used to create the cathodes in EV batteries.

For investors, Northern Vietnam is ripe for investment and consists of well-equipped infrastructure, such as power, roads, and ports. Major EV battery manufacturers that are already in the region include LG Chem and Samsung SDI. These businesses have invested and established electronic supply chains allowing investors to tap into these networks.

Lithium-ion battery production in Vietnam

In December 2021, Vingroup, Vietnams largest private conglomerate, said that it had started building a US$174 million battery cell plant in Ha Tinh provinces Vung Ang Economic Zone for its VinFast electric vehicle project.

The company said it is looking to produce 100,000 battery packs per year in the first phase and then upgrade its capacity to one million. Documents suggest the plant is unlikely to be fully operational until 2025. The firm already operates state-of-the-art factories for its vehicle production in Vietnam.

VinFast, which may be new to many, became Vietnams first fully-fledged domestic car manufacturer when it released its gasoline-powered models in 2019. The firm has since entered into a partnership with Kreisel Electric to make batteries for electric cars and buses and is looking to take its business beyond Southeast Asia.

VinFast recently announced it was investing US$2 billion in a factory in North Carolina that will enable the firm to build cars in the US too. In November, VinFast unveiled its two electric SUVs  the VF e35 and VF e36  at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

VinFast has also committed to installing as many as 2,000 charging stations as part of its electronification plan in Vietnams 63 cities and provinces. The move is one of a number of actions being taken by the conglomerate, which intends to bring low-cost Made-in-Vietnam green vehicles to the wider world.

Takeaways

While theres a dearth of supply for nickel currently, its worth noting that Vietnam isnt the only country with its sights on being a global hub in the EV industry supply chain.

Indonesia, a huge producer of nickel, banned exports of nickel ore in 2020 to see more resources processed indigenously and to aid the creation of a complete EV battery supply chain. Not only does Indonesia have sizable nickel reserves, but it also has direct trade routes to China and Japan  both powerful players and consumers in the battery and EV industry. Despite being a nickel powerhouse, the country isnt rich in battery-grade nickel.

As demand for EVs continues to rise, they are likely to become a mainstay in Vietnam and beyond. Vietnam, along with its regional peers, have realized the need for EVs to replace gasoline-powered vehicles. As Vietnam looks to become a hi-tech manufacturer, the latest foray into lithium battery production will further help the government meet its goals of spurring the economy and transitioning from a basic manufacturer to a hi-grade one.
WASHINGTON  Prime Minister Hun Sen can expect an angry crowd to greet him outside the White House for the US-ASEAN Summit next week, but once inside critics worry the conversations will focus on geopolitics over human rights and democracy, giving the premier a much-desired dose of international legitimacy despite his ongoing crackdown at home.

Inside the U.S.-ASEAN Summit, the criticism of Cambodia would be limited, Harish Mehta, author of the book Hun Sen: Strongman of Cambodia, told VOA Khmer by email. But outside the Summit, we can expect US media, Senators, Congress and civil society to come down heavily on the Hun Sen government.

Mehta, editor-in-chief of the Rising Asia Journal, added that President Biden would raise the issue of democracy as part of his global push against authoritarianism, and likely call out Myanmars junta.

But beyond that, theres really not much that the United States can ever do because many ASEAN member states are under authoritarian rule, or are states where free elections are not held, Harish Mehta said.

A draft schedule of events for the May 12-13 summit obtained by VOA Khmer says that Biden will be joined by Vice President Kamala Harris and congressional leaders in welcoming Hun Sen and fellow ASEAN leaders to Washington, for the first summit of its kind since the Obama administration.

Hun Sen, as the current chair of ASEAN  a rotating position passed between members  will officially co-chair the summit with Biden. The gathering is part of a wider U.S. effort to counter Chinas influence in the Indo-Pacific, a foreign policy priority for the president and congressional lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle.

The administration adopted an Indo-Pacific Strategy in February that prioritizes investments in democratic institutions, a free press, and vibrant civil society, noted Joanne Lin Weiling, a lead researcher at the ASEAN Studies Center at ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

However, the US is also aware of the diverse governance and political systems across Southeast Asia and it is unlikely to preach at length about the values of democracy or human rights when there are other more critical agendas to discuss such as regional and international issues like the South China Sea, the crisis in Ukraine and the situation in Myanmar among many others, she said in an email to VOA Khmer.

The US has also on its plate a request for a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership status with ASEAN. Therefore, it is important for the US not to make any ASEAN countries upset otherwise it may risk not getting it this year, Joanne Lin Weiling added, noting the event also could be a good opportunity for Cambodia and the US to repair strained relations.

The U.S. has repeatedly called for Cambodias government to restore the opposition CNRP and warned that the legitimacy of its elections could be at risk if it doesnt. It has also sanctioned top officials involved in Chinas development of the Ream naval base, which has become a flashpoint in the regional US-China rivalry, sparking Cambodian claims of interference in its affairs.

Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch in Asia, told VOA Khmer that the US should use the summit to speak out publicly and privately about how countries like Cambodia, Thailand, and others are falling well short of their commitments on human rights.

Cozying up to Southeast Asian dictators is not the correct way for the US to combat Chinas influence in the region, Robertson said. The US needs to offer a clear alternative, holding out the model of good governance where rights are respected, and democratic principles are upheld.

Robertson criticized Kurt Campbell, the White Houses Indo-Pacific coordinator, for apparently thinking an invite to the White House could win over ASEAN leaders seeking to balance their relations with the West and China  adding that the long-term American focus should be on the regions people, not its leaders.

Even though many of the ASEAN member state governments are dictatorships, the hopes of the people for reform and rights should be where the US places its bets for a better tomorrow, Robertson said.

The ASEAN bloc includes 10 countries with a combined population around 650 million people. It represents the fourth-largest export market for the U.S., with trade almost doubling in the past decade to $352 billion in 2021, according to the US-ASEAN Business Council.

Ear Sophal, associate dean for Undergraduate Programs and Global Development at Arizona State University, said there will be room for agreements and disagreements at the summit, but that it could also be an opportunity for Hun Sen to relieve some of the diplomatic pressure that has been building since the ruling party began its crackdown on dissent in 2017.

This is inevitable, when elevated to the same stage as President Biden, said Ear Sophal, author of the book Aid Dependency in Cambodia: How Foreign Assistance Undermine Democracy.

The Selfie with Biden will be done. The money shot in front of the White House will be taken. This is about photo ops when it comes to the PM, but let's hope he brings Biden a real gift: opposition leader whose case is dropped; political prisoners who are set free, said Ear Sophal.

Of course, you don't want to upset your host (the U.S.) or your guests (ASEAN members). But some truth will be spoken: Myanmar has made no progress; the Foreign Minister of Malaysia is talking to the shadow government. Thailand used to be pro-US. Now it's neutral leaning even a bit towards China. And it certainly suffers from problems of legitimacy when it comes to democracy, Ear Sophal added.

Some dozen human rights groups from countries including Cambodia and Myanmar sent a joint letter on April 24 pressing Biden to take a firm stance against their ruling regimes.

Mr. President, we have confidence that under your administration's leadership, the world community and ASEAN will come to the aid of the people to stop the dictators' reign of impunity, and find lasting freedom, justice, democracy, and the rule of law for Cambodia, the letter read.

Cambodian dissidents will deliver a similar message at a demonstration against Hun Sen in Washington, D.C on May 12, said Rithy Ung, chief of CNRP in the U.S., who lives in Lowell, Mass. Many Cambodian immigrants and former refugees are expected to travel to Washington from multiple states to publicly share their views.

Given the summit is on a weekday, Rithy Ung said he does not know how many people will turn out, but he expected a mixed group of protesters representing communities from Cambodia, Myanmar and others advocating for democracy and human rights in Asia.

Sok Eysan, a ruling Cambodian Peoples Party senator in Phnom Penh and spokesman, said it's normal that opponents demonstrate in a free country like the U.S.. He said that prime minister would also have supporters waiting for him in Washington D.C. He also called the summit historic and highly prestigious for Cambodia, noting that Cambodias political situation was not on the agenda.

Stephanie Arzate, a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia, said the Biden administration was focused on both ASEAN centrality and encouraging democracy and respect for human rights.

The U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit will commemorate 45 years of U.S.-ASEAN relations and demonstrate the United States enduring commitment to ASEAN centrality in delivering sustainable solutions to the regions most pressing challenges, she said in an email to VOA Khmer. Encouraging democracy and respect for human rights is central to U.S. foreign policy around the world, including with ASEAN.

Chheang Vannarith, executive president of Asian Vision Institute in Cambodia, said this months summit would focus largely on US-ASEAN cooperation in rebuilding economies following the damage done during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The most important matter is to jointly build a social economy after Covid-19 pandemic, to strengthen architecture of security and an open regional economy, he said. While democracy and human rights would continue to be pillars of U.S. foreign policy, he pointed to deepening ties with Vietnam, despite political differences, as evidence of a broader U.S. strategy.

So we can say that geopolitics and economic interests are leading interests in U.S. foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific region, Chheang Vannarith said.
President Joe Biden will invite the leaders of Pacific nations to visit the White House later this year, a senior official said Monday, and the United States will escalate efforts to increase ties with the region, sending more diplomats to engage directly with governments across the South Pacific and dedicating staff to work with the troubled Pacific Islands Forum.

The comments from Kurt Campbell, Indo-Pacific coordinator for the National Security Council, came as part of the United States Business Summit, held in New Zealand by the Auckland Business Chamber, and were reported by the Reuters news agency.

Appearing virtually, Campbell said, "For the United States to be effective in the Pacific, we must do more, and we must do more on areas that matter and are of significance to the Pacific Islanders."

Campbell told attendees that the U.S. was planning to send ambassadors to a number of Pacific island nations that have only a minimal U.S. diplomatic presence.

The remarks came just weeks after the Solomon Islands signed a secretive security agreement with China, raising concerns among the U.S. and its allies about Beijing's ability to project military power far east into the Pacific Ocean.

Though the terms of the security pact remain undisclosed, the draft deal allows Chinese warships to dock on the islands, if both sides are in agreement, and for Beijing to send forces to help maintain social order.

Solomon Islands as catalyst

The Biden administration has, in recent months, been working hard to engage more closely with governments in the South Pacific in an effort to counter what the U.S. sees as widening Chinese influence in the region.

In December 2021, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered extensive remarks on the administration's plans to expand its outreach to the region, which was characterized as promoting a "free and open Indo-Pacific." Blinken returned to the region in February for another round of talks with senior leaders.

But the Solomon Islands agreement seems to have accelerated U.S. efforts to reconnect with the region, both diplomatically and through legislative action. Multiple bills meant to strengthen the U.S. presence in the Pacific are now pending in Congress.

"This is a complete turnaround from the status quo," said Patricia O'Brien, an adjunct fellow in the Asia Program and Pacific Partners Initiative of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "For the past 20 years, the United States has been very absent in the Pacific. This has allowed an entree into the Pacific for China, and they've taken that up with alacrity," she told VOA.

"It's taken the wake-up call of China's Solomon Islands deal to get people thinking, 'OK, we can't wait any longer. This is just too, too urgent,'" she said.

"It's not a secret that strategic competition is a driver of an awful lot of U.S. foreign policy these days," said Alan Tidwell, director of the Center for Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Studies at the Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service.

"And that's exactly where this comes from," he told VOA. "You know, oftentimes, the administration  both the preceding administration and the Biden administration  are at pains to say, 'It's not about China. We're really just doing this to engage.' But absolutely, this is very much about China's increased visibility across East Asia and the Pacific."

U.S. warnings

After the deal between China and the Solomon Islands was announced, Campbell led a high-ranking U.S. delegation to the Pacific island nation to discuss an expansion of diplomatic ties and U.S. aid programs.

According to a readout of the meeting provided by the White House, however, the delegation also warned Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare about his agreement with China  specifically about allowing Beijing to establish military facilities there.

"If steps are taken to establish a de facto permanent military presence, power-projection capabilities, or a military installation, the delegation noted that the United States would then have significant concerns and respond accordingly," the White House said.

Significant step

Tidwell said that the offer to host South Pacific leaders at the White House is a major step in the Biden administration's ongoing efforts to increase diplomatic ties with the region.

"This is very significant if, in fact, we do see Pacific island leaders coming to the White House," he said.

The last time any heads of state from the region came to the White House was in 2019, when the leaders of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau made the journey.

"The idea that we would expand that group to include South Pacific leaders is a big deal," said Tidwell.

Pacific Islands Forum addressed

In his remarks Monday, Campbell also addressed the status of the Pacific Islands Forum, an intragovernmental group promoting cooperation and security in the region.

Until recently, the forum was made up of 18 states: Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

After a dispute over the leadership of the forum erupted in February 2021, five members  Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru and Palau  announced that they would be leaving the organization. However, last month they announced that their departure has been "paused" indefinitely.

According to Reuters, Campbell told his audience in Auckland that the United States was "optimistic" about the future of the Pacific Islands Forum, and would increase the number of U.S. diplomats assigned to work with it.
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Billboards along the highway in Zaporizhzhia city say, Russian warship go F*#@ yourself! and Put your Molotov cocktail here, with drawings of red arrows pointing to sensitive spots on Russian tanks.

In the Zaporizhzhia countryside, wheat fields are nestled along the front lines and farmers wear body armor issued by the Ukrainian military as they work. The remnants of missiles are often found in these fields, farmers say, with recent attacks as close as next door.

If the soldiers are the front line of this war, farmers are the second line, said Vitaliy Lupynos, the owner of some 20 square kilometers of local farmland, where peas, barley, rapeseed and wheat grow. We are feeding the country and the army.

More than eight weeks into the war, Lupynos says, even a greatly reduced crop is not certain, with fewer than two months to harvest. In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, 85% of the farmland is now occupied by Russia and many farm workers remaining in Ukrainian-controlled lands have left the fields to join the army.

The region, one of Ukraines key food producers, usually generates an estimated 2.7 million tons of wheat. This year, farmers anticipate roughly 260,000 tons, if nothing else goes wrong.

But attacks in the city of Zaporizhzhia have become more frequent since Russia announced it would focus its efforts on eastern Ukraine after failing to take the capital, Kyiv. Farmers say they fear they could lose the entire oblast any day.

We cant tell what will happen tomorrow, Lupynos said.

"Its high stakes: like playing Russian roulette, said Lupynos, referring to the deadly game of chance. "If Russian occupiers come here, they could take our lands. They could ruin the fields."

Hungry world

In recent months, food shortages resulting from the war in Ukraine have circled the globe, with price hikes of 20% to 50% for ordinary bread reported from Brazil to Pakistan and Egypt.

Ukraine and Russia are among the worlds most important food exporters, providing more than a quarter of the worlds wheat supply, along with other important crops such as corn, sunflower seed oil and barley.

The United Nations said the ongoing global food crisis is growing rapidly as a result of the war, with no sign it will slow down any time soon. The poor in many places are becoming destitute, and the hungry are starving. In vulnerable and war-torn countries like Yemen, Ethiopia and Afghanistan, the war in Ukraine has set off a chain of events that could lead to widescale famine as more than half the World Food Programs (WFPs) wheat supply comes from Ukraine alone.

The bullets and bombs in Ukraine could take the global hunger crisis to levels beyond anything weve seen before, said WFP Executive Director David Beasley in a statement last month.

Beyond hunger, the world now faces shortages of fuel, fertilizer and other farming necessities because of the war, and the U.N. has warned the growing scarcity could lead to civil unrest and increased global insecurity.

These warnings have done little to slow what appears to be pending disaster, according to Ukrainian officials. There is wheat in Ukraine waiting to be exported, but major ports are all closed due to attacks and most land routes are either unavailable or unsuitable.

We are ready to sell, said Olexandr Iasynytskyi, head of Zaporizhzhias regional agricultural department. But we dont have transportation. We are trying to figure it out.

After the harvest

Even if they find a way to mitigate the crisis by getting this years harvest to market, Iasynytskyi said, next years harvest is already in greater danger.

While Ukraines exports are stuck in place, its limited expected crops should be enough to feed civilians and soldiers for the present, according to farmers and officials. Without export sales, they say, its not clear how they will be able to plant next season.

Farmers do not have enough capital right now to invest in future crops, said Iasynytskyi, the regional agriculture chief. They have grain but they cannot sell it. How can they operate without money?

Banks are offering limited loans, he added, but martial law has made lenders cautious and potential investors scatter.

Farms controlled by Russia within territorial Ukraine are expected to operate this year, but its not clear where the food will go, or how much there will be, Iasynytskyi said. It is believed the occupied farms are short of supplies and cash but information is limited as many areas under Russian control are without access to mobile networks or internet.

On the Ukrainian side of the war zone, farmers said if their plots are taken, they are not sure they will continue to work, for fear their crops will feed Russias war machine.

I will never work for Russia, said Roman Umarov, 30, an agricultural engineer overseeing the spread of insecticide on a Zaporizhzhia farm last week. But I imagine its not always a choice. What if they put a gun to your head?
Miguel Angel Lopez Solana remembers June 20, 2011, as though it were yesterday. It was the day he found his father, Veracruz journalist Miguel Angel Lopez Velasco, mother and brother dead at their home.



The first thing I found was the door destroyed, all shattered, the Mexican photojournalist told VOA.



But as he walked up the stairs of his parents home in Veracruz, he didn't realize the worst was yet to come.



He found his mothers body outside the bedroom, and his dad's inside, his face beaten.

I ran to my brothers bedroom, Lopez said. And I see his body, and face down in his room as well. All of them were killed with a gunshot to the back of their heads.



The killing of Lopez Velasco and his family made headline news. Crime scene investigators came to their home, but 10 years on, they still dont have answers or justice.



This is not an isolated murder; this is part of a desire to control and silence the work of professionals who are exposing realities that, of course, are uncomfortable to politicians and the corrupt, said Almudena Bernabeu, prosecutor at the Peoples Tribunal on the Murder of Journalists.

Founding of the tribunal

In November 2021, three press freedom organizations  Free Press Unlimited, Committee to Protect Journalists, and Reporters Without Borders  met at The Hague, responding to the crisis of crimes committed with impunity against journalists. There, they inaugurated the Peoples Tribunal on the Murder of Journalists. During the past six months, the governments of Sri Lanka, Mexico and Syria have been the focal point of a series of hearings that evaluated their role in cases of impunity, violence and state action.

The Peoples Tribunal has been trying to raise awareness of and bring accountability in the Lopez Velasco case and others.

Mexico ranks as one of the most dangerous places in the world to practice journalism outside of an active war zone. Press freedom activists and other journalists cite impunity, crime and harassment as among the challenges those in the industry face.

During the April 26-27 hearing in Mexico City, journalists, activists and family members of the victims, including the two surviving children of reporter Lopez Velazco, shared their cases with the tribunal.

The Mexican government didnt respond directly to VOAs request for comment on the tribunal, but the press relations office of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told VOA that progress is being made in the eradication of impunity in crimes against journalists. Action is being taken against suspects in at least six of this years cases, the statement says.



Lopez remembers his dads love of journalism and working alongside him.



Velasco was a daily coverage reporter who was in charge of editing the security story. My brother and I worked with him  I took the photos. My dad used to call me to go the location of the story, and he did this for more than 20 years, Lopez told VOA.



But covering crime and security issues comes with great risk.



The existence of organized crime in the vast majority in the regions and states in Mexico, their collusion with public officials, is extremely important because it means that journalists are not only vulnerable through this, but they also constantly have to deal with extreme power players who are willing to use deadly force against them, said Jan-Albert Hootsen, Committee to Protect Journalists representative in Mexico.



Investigative journalist Anabel Hernandez has weathered attacks and threats to her life for digging into corruption.

I have lived in involuntary exile since 2014 because the Mexican government has not had the capacity of the state to protect me, she told VOA on the opening day of the hearing.

For Zeta news magazine General Director Adela Navarro Bello, challenges and risks in Mexico are rising, and protection for journalists in the country is limited and inadequate.

What it means is that we do not have rule of law in Mexico, she said. If we had rule of law, the killers of journalists would be in prison, but in 98% of cases, it is not like that.



Call to action

Even though the tribunal doesnt have the power to prosecute anyone, it works instead to highlight the circumstances of killings and raise awareness. The hope is that by keeping these cases alive, the tribunal can begin to build an environment where journalists can feel a bit safer doing their jobs.

It has been a while since I have talked about my fathers case, Lopez said. I was always afraid, but recently I was granted asylum in the United States, and through that process I found peace. This year, I came back to Mexico to talk about his case. It is time to look ahead.



Lopez thanked the members of the tribunal during his testimony by saying: I hope this tribunal can be a spearhead to the end the impunity that prevails in Mexico.



For Lopez and his sister, who still lives in Veracruz, the hope is the tribunal will serve as a call to action for the Mexican government.

Closing arguments and a hearing will take place in The Hague on June 20, 2022, when a panel of judges will deliver a preliminary judgment and states named in the indictment can choose their right to defense.
By Trend

Hotline of Ministry of Emergency Situations received information about the discovery of a grenade on the territory of Sabail district in Azerbaijans Baku, the Ministry told Trend.

The Special Rescue Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations immediately arrived at location and an F-1 grenade was located.

The grenade was re-located for neutralization, the ministry said.
Federal investigators confirmed that the buildup of ice on the wings and other parts of the plane was a key factor in a 2019 crash that killed nine of 12 members of an Idaho family on board an overloaded small plane. The National Transportation Safety Board said in its report on the November 30, 2019 crash near Chamberlain, South Dakota, that the single-engine plane didnt even have enough seats for all the passengers aboard, and two people were likely seated in the aisles when it crashed shortly after takeoff. The report said the plane was about 100 pounds overweight. The crash killed nine members of the Hansen family from Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission President called upon the 27-member European Union to ban oil imports from Russia, and to do so within 6 months. Plus, inside Ukraine, Russia intensified its shelling in the eastern and southern parts of the country, actions that Zelenskyy characterized as Russian forces reacting with great anger to our successes.
On this edition of Straight Talk Africa, guest host Peter Clottey brings you more from his exclusive interview with President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda. Plus, we reached out to Ugandans who disagree with how the president has ruled the country since coming to power in 1986.
This was the first Eid al-Fitr in the United States for most of the more than 70,000 Afghan refugees who came to the country following the Taliban takeover last August. For VOA, Genia Dulot met with some of those refugees in California to see how they are marking the end of Ramadan. Camera: Genia Dulot
For several months Pashtana kept rejecting marriage proposals made for her 14-year-old daughter, Zarghona, until she had to make a final decision.

"I had to choose between the survival of my four little children and giving Zarghona to marriage," Pashtana told VOA over the phone from the southern Afghan province of Kandahar, where last year her husband, an army soldier, was killed in clashes with then Taliban insurgents.

The young widow made every effort to provide for her children, but there was no job for her under a Taliban regime that has banned work for women.

Pashtana's family disowned her 15 years ago when she married her former husband against their will, and she only has an elderly mother in-law from her husband's family.

"I gave Zarghona to this man who was wooing her for several monthswhat else could I do? How else could I feed my little children?" said the bereaved mother adding the man paid 200,000 Afghanis or about $2,300 in dowry.

Zarghona's story is not an exception.

As hunger grows deeper in war-ravaged Afghanistan, which has the world's highest number of people in need of emergency food assistance, an increasing number of Afghan families are offering their underage girls in exchange for dowry, debt relief and other social and economic incentives.

In the eight months since the Taiban took control of the country, more than 120,000 children are feared to have been bartered for some sort of financial incentive, according to an analysis made by several aid agencies.

"UNICEF is hearing more and more reports of destitute parents being forced to take desperate measures to keep their families alive," Joe English, a spokesman for the U.N. Children's Agency (UNICEF), told VOA.

Legal confusion

As is common in Afghanistan, Zarghona's husband, twice her age, was not lawfully required to register the marriage at a public office. The wedding was officiated only in the privacy of the family.

While a civil law by the previous Afghan government allowed girls' marriage only at age 16, the new de facto Taliban Islamist regime has a different policy.

"The Sharia is clear about this," said Sadiq Akif, a spokesman for the Taliban's Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, referring to the Islamic jurisprudence.

"When a girl reaches puberty, she can be given to marriage," Akif told VOA.

Most girls reach puberty between the ages of 11 and 13, according to Nadia Akseer, a scientist at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University.

Under the Taliban's interpretation of Islamic law, the marriage of an 11-year-old girl, considered middle childhood in most countries, is allowed. Medical professionals strongly disagree.

"Girls bodies are changing and growing their whole life but especially once they hit puberty. That pubertal growth spurt continues from initiation of puberty (say age 12 years) until their early 20s. During these years, girls have a heightened need for good nutrition and healthy behaviors to grow to her fullest potential," Akseer told VOA.

One critical consequence of the prevalence of child marriage in Afghanistan, estimated at 28% nationwide, is maternal mortality. Afghanistan has the worst maternal and infant mortality rates in Asia. For every 100,000 live births 700 to 1,600 mothers die.

"From a medical standpoint for the girl to attain her full health and development, she should not get pregnant at least until her early 20s," said Akseer.

Other risks

"Girls who are forced into early marriage have their childhoods ripped away from them. They are often denied access to education and face a future they are not physically, emotionally and psychologically ready for, which has a devastating impact on their health and mental wellbeing," said Sacha Myers, a spokeswoman for Save the Children in Afghanistan.

While poverty pushes vulnerable parents to extreme remedies such as giving their teenage daughters for dowry, the Taliban's ban on secondary education and work for women appears to have facilitated the rise in child marriages in Afghanistan.

"When girls are banned from school and from work outside, what options are left for parents other than giving their daughters into early marriage?" said Tamana Bahar, an engineering specialist who was sacked from a government job by the Taliban last year because of her gender.

After seizing power last August, the Taliban fired all female government employees except for medical professionals and some teachers.

Pashtana, who is now able to feed her four young children with the dowry she took for Zarghona's marriage, could not see a better future for her teenage daughter. "This is how life is for women in this country," she said.

Hunger and severe malnutrition threaten the lives of more than 1 million Afghan children, UNICEF has warned.

To save these children, their parents will likely continue to opt for the type of extreme solutions that led to Pashtana's fate.
At least 30 Burundian soldiers were killed and 20 others injured in Tuesday's attack by al-Shabab militants on an African Union base in southern Somalia, according to a Burundian official.

The official, who requested anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to media, told VOA Somali that 10 soldiers died on the spot, and the rest of the soldiers succumbed to their wounds. He confirmed that other soldiers are still missing.

Al-Shabab said it killed 173 soldiers in the attack on the AU base in the village of El-Baraf, about 150 kilometers north of Mogadishu. The casualty figure has not been independently verified. A separate source told VOA Somali that 161 soldiers were at the camp at the time of attack. The Burundian official confirmed that number.

The Burundian official told VOA Somali that the soldiers had intelligence al-Shabab was gathering in a nearby village about 48 hours prior to the attack. He said the soldiers prepared to defend themselves and dug trenches.

He said what caught the soldiers by surprise was the enormity of al-Shabab explosives detonated at the camp. He said the militants used three truck bombs, one of which fell into a ditch. He estimated the militants detonated about 20 kilograms of explosives, and that 450 militants overran the camp.

The official said the suicide truck bombs caused most of the casualties.

Earlier, the government of Burundi reported 10 of their soldiers were killed, with five others missing and 25 injured. Burundi also said 20 al-Shabab militants were killed in the attack.

On Twitter, Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye said there are no words strong enough to condemn the terrorist attack against the Burundian contingent. He wrote, "I join with all of Africa which has just lost sons and daughters  to console the hard-hit families."

The African Union, the Somali government and the embassy of the United States in Mogadishu have all strongly condemned the al-Shabab attack.

AU chief Moussa Faki Mahamat paid tribute to the Burundian soldiers killed, and said the "heinous" attack will not lessen support of AU forces to Somalia.

The Somali ministry of foreign affairs called on the international community to increase and provide higher-end capability to Somali security forces and AU forces so they can effectively combat terrorism in Somalia.

The U.S. embassy in Mogadishu said the U.S. extends condolences to the families of the troops killed and wished a quick recovery to those injured.

The Mayor of El-Baraf, Abdullahi Haji Muhumed, told VOA that Tuesday's fighting at the camp was the heaviest the area has seen.

"Fighting like this never happened in this area," he said, explaining that the violence also killed two civilians and injured 10 others. "It was heavy fighting."

The incident marked the first major al-Shabab attack on AU forces since the mission changed its name and operational structures last month.

The U.N. Security Council, which authorized the new mission called the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, gave it a mandate to reduce the threat posed by al-Shabab, support the capacity building of Somali security forces, and conduct a phased handover of security responsibilities to the Somali government. The mission's mandate runs through the end of 2024.

This story comes from VOA's Somali and Central African services.


President Joe Biden on Tuesday visited an Alabama facility that manufactures weapons he said were key to fending off Russias invasion of Ukraine. He also pushed his request for $33 billion in supplemental aid for Ukraine. This report from VOA White House correspondent Anita Powell.
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken marked World Press Freedom Day Tuesday, calling out Russia and China and the Taliban government in Afghanistan for attacks on journalists and freedom of the press. VOAs Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports. Produced by: Barry Unger
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, the U.S. State Department said, adding that he was experiencing mild symptoms.

The top U.S. diplomat, who is fully vaccinated and boosted, has not seen President Joe Biden in person for several days and therefore Biden is not considered a close contact, the department said in a statement.

"The Secretary will isolate at home and maintain a virtual work schedule. He looks forward to returning to the Department and resuming his full duties and travels as soon as possible," the statement said.

It added that Blinken had tested negative on Tuesday and earlier on Wednesday before testing positive.

Blinken attended the White House Correspondents' Dinner (WHCD) in Washington, D.C., over the weekend, a black-tie gathering of several thousand people including prominent figures in the media and politics.

In a briefing, department spokesperson Ned Price said the agency was working to inform those who were in close contact with Blinken over the past days.

Blinken met with Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde earlier on Wednesday and his Mexican counterpart Marcelo Ebrard on Tuesday. Ebrard said in a tweet that he had taken a PCR test after meeting with Blinken.

Price, who routinely sees Blinken, said he tested negative about an hour before the briefing.

Blinken's much-anticipated speech on the administration's China policy on Thursday is being rescheduled.
U.S. comedian Dave Chappelle was attacked on stage on Tuesday night at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles by an assailant who rugby-tackled him before being apprehended and arrested, video footage verified by Reuters showed.

The attack came just over a month after actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars, an unprecedented incident at the globally televised event that prompted concerns that performers might be subject to copycat assaults.

Smith, who won the best actor award, was subsequently banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years.

It was not immediately clear if Chappelle was injured in Tuesday's attack, or what motivated it.

An agent and public relations representative for Chappelle were not immediately available for comment. A representative for the Hollywood Bowl told Reuters the incident was under investigation, declining to comment further.

According to an ABC report, Rock, who had performed earlier in the evening, joined Chappelle on stage moments after it took place and joked: "Was that Will Smith?"

Chappelle and Rock were giving shows as part of an 11-day comedy festival called "Netflix is a Joke."

Los Angeles police took a male suspect into custody who NBC Los Angeles said was armed with a replica gun capable of ejecting a knife blade.

Video footage obtained by Reuters showed the suspect on a stretcher being placed into an ambulance. He was taken to hospital with minor injuries, NBC Los Angeles cited police as saying.

Los Angeles Police Department officials did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Chappelle's Netflix comedy special "The Closer" was criticized last year by some who saw it as ridiculing transgender people. Supporters of the comedian viewed it as a cry against cancel culture.

Brianna Sacks, a journalist for BuzzFeed News who attended the event, said the altercation took place as Chappelle ended his performance.
Former President Donald Trump's businesses and inaugural committee have reached a deal to pay Washington, D.C., $750,000 to resolve a lawsuit that alleged the committee overpaid for events at his hotel and enriched the former president's family in the process, according to the District of Columbia's attorney general.

Attorney General Karl Racine announced the settlement agreement in the case against the Presidential Inaugural Committee, the Trump Organization and the Trump International Hotel in Washington in a tweet on Tuesday. The document had not yet been signed by a judge.

The agreement says the case is being resolved "to avoid the cost, burden, and risks of further litigation" and that the organizations "dispute these allegations on numerous grounds and deny having engaged in any wrongdoing or unlawful conduct."

As part of the agreement, the defendants will pay the District of Columbia a total of $750,000, which will be used to benefit three nonprofit organizations, the settlement paperwork says.

"We're resolving our lawsuit and sending the message that if you violate DC nonprofit lawno matter how powerful you areyou'll pay," Racine said in a tweet.

In a statement, Trump blasted Racine and noted that the settlement includes no admission of guilt or liability.

"As crime rates are soaring in our Nation's Capital, it is necessary that the Attorney General focus on those issues rather than a further leg of the greatest Witch-Hunt in political history," Trump said. "This was yet another example of weaponizing Law Enforcement against the Republican Party and, in particular, the former President of the United States."

Racine has said the committee misused nonprofit funds and coordinated with the hotel's management and members of the Trump family to arrange the events. He said one of the event's planners raised concerns about pricing with Trump, the president's daughter Ivanka Trump and Rick Gates, a top campaign official at the time.

The committee has maintained that its finances were independently audited, and that all money was spent in accordance with the law. The committee raised an unprecedented $107 million to host events celebrating Trump's inauguration in January 2017. But the committee's spending has drawn mounting scrutiny.

Gates, a former Trump campaign aide who cooperated in the special counsel's Russia investigation, personally managed discussions with the hotel about using the space, including ballrooms and meeting rooms, the attorney general's office has said. In one instance, Gates contacted Ivanka Trump and told her that he was "a bit worried about the optics" of the committee paying such a high fee, Racine said.

Prosecutors say the committee could have hosted inaugural events at other venues either for free or for reduced costs but didn't consider those options.
EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah  Two young boys playing with toy trucks and front-end loaders in a corral at the Cedar Valley Stables died instantly when a man with a history of drug use, who was on parole after being previously convicted of stealing a police car, was traveling up to 100 mph and drifting before crashing through several fences and hitting the boys, according to police.

Kent Cody Barlow, 25, of Eagle Mountain was booked into the Utah County Jail early Tuesday for investigation of two counts of automobile homicide, two counts of driving under the influence and causing injury, DUI causing serious injury, drug possession, reckless driving, speeding and two traffic infractions.

On Tuesday, Cedar Valley Stables identified the two boys in a tweet and on Facebook, as Odin and Hunter. Social media posts by friends and family members, and a GoFundMe campaign, later identified the boys as Odin Jeffrey Ratliff and Hunter Charlies Jackson, both 3 years old.

This is by far the most difficult thing that I will ever have to write, Theresa Ratliff, Odins mother, wrote on Facebook. We are still processing and in shock of what has happened in the past 24 hours. We know how much Odin was loved in this community and have already received an outpouring of love and support. We ask that during this time you are respectful of our space to grieve, we know how much we are loved and just trying to navigate through the unthinkable.

Sarah Parsons, an aunt of Hunters, also posted on Facebook, Hug your littles a little tighter tonight and cherish every moment. Last night my 3-year-old nephew was killed in a terrible accident in Eagle Mountain, Utah. Innocently playing with tractor trucks in a corral, a drug-impaired driver sped off the road into the corral and killed him and his friend instantly. Words cannot describe what his family is going through right now.

In a GoFundMe page set up to help raise money for the families, the two boys were described as best friends.

Playing, innocently in the sand with their toy trucks, these boys have been best friends from the start, loving to play in the dirt while at Cedar Valley Stables. The stables have always been a second home to these boys. Due to reckless and under-the-influence driving, the families of these boys are now mourning the loss of their little ones. Please help to raise awareness of this situation so we can help these two families with funeral costs, the online fundraiser states.

Cedar Valley Stables also paid tribute to the boys on Twitter.

It is with the heaviest of hearts that we are dealing with this horrendous nightmare. Last night two sweet innocent little boys that was a huge part of our barn family lost their lives due to the recklessness and choices made by another. Please keep these 2 families in your prayers and hearts.

Odin and Hunter you will forever be the bestest of friends, tractor/truck lovin buddies and your families little angels RIP sweet babies, the post continued.

The Utah County Sheriffs Office called the deaths of the boys a senseless tragedy and offered their sincerest condolences to the family and friends of these two sweet boys.

We can only imagine the depth of the grief now being carried by their families, the sheriffs office said in a prepared statement.

On Monday about 7:20 p.m., Barlow was driving with three other people in his car near 2300 North and 16000 West, when he lost control of the vehicle, crashed through several fences, two horse stables and two corrals, causing a path of destruction of at least 345 feet, according to Utah County Sheriffs Sgt. Spencer Cannon.

Both boys were run over and ended up 75 feet from where they were playing. Both of them died instantly, the sheriffs office said in a prepared statement.

Barlows vehicle came to rest on its hood. Barlow was transported by medical helicopter to Utah Valley Hospital. Three others were also treated at local hospitals for various injuries including a broken finger, according to a police booking affidavit. At least one person required stitches, according to a police booking affidavit.

All of the passengers told investigators that Barlow was driving very fast just prior to the crash.

One occupant stated that Kent was drifting his vehicle and going 80 to 100 mph when they hit a bump and lost control causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and enter into the horse property where the children were playing. All accounts of the incident by witnesses at the property and witnesses in the vehicle state that Kent was drifting in and out of his lane, at a speed far beyond the posted speed limit and Kent also ran the stop sign near the residence, according to the affidavit.

Barlow was interviewed by detectives at the hospital.

Kent stated that he did not remember what had happened, although Kent did recall that he had been out near the fairgrounds racing his car with friends. Kent also remembers drifting his car and showing his friends, the affidavit states.

Barlow also admitted to using meth on Sunday and tested positive for methamphetamine and amphetamines while at the hospital, police said. Barlow suffered cuts and bruises but no broken bones. After he was released from the hospital, he was booked into the Utah County Jail.

Barlow was on parole at the time of the crash. In January 2021, he was convicted of theft, theft by receiving stolen property, and two counts of failing to stop for police after leading police on a chase on a motorcycle and then stealing a Draper police car, which led to a second chase with Barlow reaching a speed of 107 mph in the stolen police vehicle, according to charging documents. He was sentenced to one to 15 years in the Utah State Prison for the incident. Barlow was granted parole in October.

Barlow was also a parole fugitive at the time he stole the police car, according to court records. He has had several drug-related and speeding-related convictions dating back to 2014, according to court records.

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The European Union considered new sanctions against Russia on Wednesday, including measures targeting Russias oil and banking industries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pushed for more extensive European actions to cut off imports of Russian energy, and said earlier this week that a new EU package should include clear steps to block Russias revenues from energy resources.

Inside Ukraine, Russia intensified its shelling in the eastern and southern parts of the country, actions that Zelenskyy characterized as Russian forces reacting with great anger to our successes.

The sheer scale of todays shelling clearly does not indicate that Russia has any special sort of specific military aim, he said in a Tuesday evening address.

Russias targets included the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, where the last remaining Ukrainian troops have been holed up in the Azovstal steel plant along with several hundred civilians.

The United Nations said Tuesday that 101 people had been safely evacuated from the site and taken, along with other civilians from the town of Manhush, to the Ukrainian-held city of Zaporizhzhia, about 230 kilometers northwest of Mariupol where they are receiving humanitarian assistance and health care.

Osnat Lubrani, the U.N.s humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, said she was pleased and relieved that the civilians, including older men and women and children, had been evacuated from Azovstal plant.

Over the past days, traveling with the evacuees, I have heard mothers, children and frail grandparents speak about the trauma of living day after day under unrelenting heavy shelling and the fear of death, and with extreme lack of water, food, and sanitation, Lubrani said.

They spoke of the hell they have experienced since this war started, seeking refuge in the Azovstal plant, many being separated from family members whose fate they still dont know, she said. I saw the tears of joy as family members trapped in different parts of the plant for two months were reunited.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss discussed support for Ukraine in a telephone call. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the diplomats talked about additional security and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and continued transatlantic unity, as well as economic consequences for those who continue to provide financial or material support that aids the Kremlins war against Ukraine.

Some information came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Press and Reuters.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled new punitive actions against Russia on Wednesday, announcing plans to cut off European purchases of Russian crude oil within six months and end imports of refined energy products by the end of 2022.

The package must be unanimously approved by EU members to take effect.

"Let's be clear, it will not be easy because some member states are strongly dependent on Russian oil, but we simply have to do it," von der Leyen told the European Parliament.

She said the phased approach would allow for EU members to find alternatives to Russian imports and blunt negative effects on the global energy markets, helping to maximize pressure on Russia while minimizing collateral economic damage.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pushed for more extensive European actions to cut off imports of Russian energy, saying earlier this week that a new EU package "should include clear steps to block Russia's revenues from energy resources."

The proposed EU sanctions also include removing Russia's biggest bank, Sberbank, from the international SWIFT transaction and messaging system, and listing high-ranking military officers "who committed war crimes in Bucha and those responsible for the inhuman siege of Mariupol."

"This sends another important signal to all perpetrators of the Kremlin: We know who you are, we will hold you accountable, you are not getting away with this," von der Leyen said.

She added that Russian President Vladimir Putin "must pay a high price for his brutal aggression."

"Putin wanted to wipe out Ukraine from the map and he will clearly not succeed," she said. "On the contrary. Ukraine has risen in bravery and in unity, and it is his own country, Russia, that Putin is sinking."

In Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden said he would be speaking with other leaders from the Group of Seven advanced economies about potential new sanctions against Russia.

"We're always open to additional sanctions," Biden told reporters. "I'll be speaking with the members of the G7 this week about what we're going to do or not do."

A senior U.S. defense official said that Russian military progress in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region is "stalled... very slow and uneven."

Russia has been launching about 40 to 50 missile strikes a day but was "still wary" of flying inside Ukraine. Russian forces have been meeting stiff resistance from Ukrainian forces as they attempt to advance toward Kramatorsk and Severodonetsk in eastern Ukraine, the official said.

Russian troops also appear to be targeting critical infrastructure in western Ukraine but that the attacks have had "no appreciable impact," the official said.

President Zelenskyy said Russia intensified its shelling in the eastern and southern parts of the country, actions that he characterized as Russian forces reacting "with great anger to our successes."

"The sheer scale of today's shelling clearly does not indicate that Russia has any special sort of specific military aim," he said in a Tuesday evening address.

Russia's targets included the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, where the last remaining Ukrainian troops have been holed up in the Azovstal steel plant along with several hundred civilians.

The United Nations said Tuesday that 101 people had been safely evacuated from the site and taken, along with other civilians from the town of Manhush, to the Ukrainian-held city of Zaporizhzhia, about 230 kilometers northwest of Mariupol, where they are receiving initial humanitarian assistance and health care.

Osnat Lubrani, the U.N.'s humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, said she was "pleased and relieved" that the civilians, including older men and women and children, had been evacuated from Azovstal plant.

"Over the past days, traveling with the evacuees, I have heard mothers, children and frail grandparents speak about the trauma of living day after day under unrelenting heavy shelling and the fear of death, and with extreme lack of water, food, and sanitation," Lubrani said.

"They spoke of the hell they have experienced since this war started, seeking refuge in the Azovstal plant, many being separated from family members whose fate they still don't know," she said. "I saw the tears of joy as family members trapped in different parts of the plant for two months were reunited."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss discussed support for Ukraine in a telephone call.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the diplomats talked about "additional security and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and continued transatlantic unity," as well as "economic consequences for those who continue to provide financial or material support that aids the Kremlin's war against Ukraine."

Some information came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Press and Reuters.
Experts say Hong Kongs only endorsed candidate for upcoming leadership elections is likely to take a harder-line approach on the citys freedoms than outgoing Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

John Lee, Hong Kongs former second-highest ranking official, issued a 44-page manifesto Friday in which he vowed to enact a long-shelved draft law supported by Beijing that aims to protect against security threats, increase the citys competitiveness and build an inclusive society focused on upward mobility.

The former security chiefs candidacy received backing from more than half the 1,454-member election committee, consisting mostly of pro-Beijing politicians or members of Chinas national committee with Hong Kong residency. This committee  comprising about 0.02% of the citys 7.5 million population  is the only body that elects the next leader for the embattled international hub.

Lee has also been favored by Beijing for his heavy-handed approach to dissent, according to Samuel Chu, president of U.S.-based Campaign for Hong Kong.

Beijing has a history of valuing those who can exercise a heavy hand to suppress protests and dissent, Chu told VOA in an email.

Lee resigned as chief secretary for administration earlier in April to run in the upcoming elections. Before becoming a government official, Lee spent most of his career in the police force and is known for his tough stance against protesters, especially during the 2019 anti-government demonstrations.

As a former police and security chief, Lee is the logical head to a structure that is fully and totally governed under the national security law and Beijing, said Chu. The chief executive role is no longer one that in any way represents or speaks for Hong Kongers interests and well-being. It makes perfect sense to put a [former] police [officer] in charge of a police state.

Who is Lee?

John Lee Ka-chiu, 64, began his career as a police officer in 1977, before becoming the citys top security official from 2017 to 2021. In the lead-up to the largest pro-democracy protests in the city in 2019, Lee helped the government push through the contentious extradition bill that could send Hong Kongers back to China for trial by reassuring the proposed law would not extradite for crimes linked to political opinions.

After waves of protest, Lam and Lee in 2019 both issued public apologies before withdrawing the extradition bill. Lee vowed to take into account views and opinions for the benefit of the whole of Hong Kong.

Earlier this year, however, he described protests as attacks on government rule resulting from foreign interference. Under his leadership as the citys No. 2 official, Hong Kong police generated increasing support from Beijing as their crackdown on protesters became more severe, largely alienating members of the public.

Avoiding political unrest and social instability is all the more important to Beijing in the ... run-up to the 20th Party Congress and Xis anointment for a third term, according to Jacques deLisle, director of the University of Pennsylvanias Center for the Study of Contemporary China. DeLisle described it as imperative that Xi not have a Hong Kong-centered embarrassment on his hands.

Also on the horizon is the 25th anniversary of Hong Kongs handover by Britain, whose July 1 festivities will mark the halfway point of the one country, two systems arrangement.

As anticipation for the so-called second handover ramps up, so too does the PRCs paranoia about foreign interference ... with Hong Kong as a focal point and with criticism of China over its alignment with Russia over Ukraine, said deLisle.

Lee voiced full support for Beijings implementation of the national security law in June 2020, and two months after, allegedly made the decision to force the shuttering of the citys largest pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily.

In the same month, along with 10 other top officials in Hong Kong, Lee was sanctioned by Washington for being involved in coercing, arresting, detaining, or imprisoning individuals under the authority of the National Security Law, as well as being involved in its development, adoption, or implementation.

Stauncher stance on dissent

Faced with possible risk of crossing red lines in its coverage of the upcoming elections, Hong Kongs Foreign Correspondents Club suspended its Human Rights Press Awards in late April, citing significant areas of uncertainty.

Maya Wang, senior China researcher for the U.S.-based Human Rights Watch, told VOA that she anticipates freedoms in Hong Kong will continue their sharp decline under Lees leadership.

Its clear that Beijing wants Lee to punish Hong Kong people for their perceived disobedience to Beijing, she said via email. "Lees tenure [as Hong Kongs second-highest political official] was marked by police brutality and a lack of accountability for the police officers who used excessive force during the 2019 protests.

On Friday, Lee vowed to fulfill the constitutional responsibility of legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law, which stipulates that the city shall enact its own laws to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the Central Peoples Government, as well as theft of state secrets.

Both deLisle and Chu expect Lee to adopt a hardline approach once in office.

A principal reason Carrie Lam was not in a position to run for a second term was the sense that she handled the crises that have beset Hong Kong poorly, deLisle told VOA.

Chu painted a more detailed picture.

When the police can operate on the streets with impunity, and the courts are no longer independent, Lee will be emboldened to act and speak in ways that Lam was never able to, said Chu.

Lee will become the next chief executive if he receives a majority of the votes during the election.

The new Hong Kong leader will take office July 1.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press
Late Monday, the American news website Politico dropped a bombshell: A draft of a Supreme Court majority opinion it had obtained revealed that the court was set to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that legalized abortion in the United States in 1973.

The leak of a highly anticipated court opinion, unprecedented in modern history, set off a political firestorm in Washington and protests across the country. Democrats denounced the leaked draft decision as "the greatest restriction of rights in over 50 years" and vowed to pass legislation to protect abortion rights. Republicans cheered the reported opinion written by conservative Justice Samuel Alito while accusing the radical left of "bullying Supreme Court justices.

In a city where the executive and legislative branches of government routinely leak information to the press, the Supreme Court has long enjoyed a reputation as one of a handful of relatively leak-free institutions.

And while some recent internal high court deliberations have been released to the press, never before has a draft opinion been leaked in its entirety prior to its announcement.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who, according to Politico, had yet to endorse the majority opinion by Alito and four other conservative justices, issued a stark condemnation of the leak.

"This was a singular and egregious breach of that trust that is an affront to the Court and the community of public servants who work here," he said in a statement.

At the heart of the Supreme Court case is a Mississippi law that prohibits performing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. During oral arguments in December, the court's conservative justices appeared willing to uphold the law without signaling they were united in overturning the 1973 decision.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the Supreme Court leak:

How rare are leaks of Supreme Court decisions?

Extremely rare. The court keeps its internal deliberations and proceedings confidential to shield the justices from public pressure.

However, while court opinions have not been leaked in modern times, unauthorized releases of court decisions and deliberations date back to the mid-19th century, according to University of Georgia media law professor Jonathan Peters.

In 1852, the New-York Tribune reported the outcome of a court decision 10 days before its official announcement, Peters tweeted late Monday.

In 1972, The Washington Post reported details of the court's internal deliberations in the Roe v. Wade case before the justices announced their decision.

And in 2012, CBS News reported how Roberts initially sided with the court's conservative wing before voting to uphold key provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

But those leaks pale in comparison to what was given to Politico, experts say.

"There's been leaks in the past of how a case might turn out for some internal deliberations of the court. But in terms of a fully baked 98-page majority opinion with citations, with all the notations of how a Supreme Court opinion looks and the outcome, this has never happened before," said Gabe Roth, executive director of the nonpartisan Fix the Court.

Who might have leaked the document?

In a statement, Roberts ordered the Marshal of the U.S. Supreme Court  the court's internal police force that protects the justices and the building  to investigate the leak. Colonel Gail A. Curley is the current marshal.

Sarah Parshall Perry, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, told VOA the Supreme Court's internal police has "all the authority to enforce both federal and District of Columbia laws that may have been broken with this leak of an opinion."

But Roth is skeptical that the culprit could be exposed.

About 50 to 100 people could have had access to the leaked document, including the nine justices, 37 clerks, administrative employees, building staff and security guards, he said.

"I don't know if we'll ever get to the bottom of who might have leaked the copy to Politico," Roth told VOA.

Were any crimes committed?

It's not clear whether the leak involved any criminal violations. If an authorized person accessed and leaked the court document, charges could potentially involve theft of government property, but there are no indications that a person authorized to access the document shared the draft with Politico.

However, Supreme Court opinions, unlike many other government documents, are not classified, but the court's deliberations and draft decisions are understood to be confidential, Perry said.

Moreover, leaking a draft opinion for the purpose of swaying justices could be a "serious offense," said Richard Painter, a former White House ethics czar who is now a law professor at the University of Minnesota.

If a Supreme Court justice was involved in leaking the document, he or she could face impeachment by Congress.

Only one justice  Samuel Chase in the early 19th century  has ever been impeached, but none has been convicted and removed from the bench, according to Roth.

How will the leak impact the court's reputation?

The leak comes at a time when public trust in the Supreme Court and the broader judiciary, long viewed as an impartial branch of government, has fallen to historically low levels. A Gallup poll released last September showed that just 40 percent of Americans approved of the job the Supreme Court was doing, the lowest level since organization started tracking the trend in 2000.

Recent partisan fights over Supreme Court nominations as well as a string of decisions along ideological lines have contributed to the public's low regard for the high court, with many Americans viewing the justices as "politicians in robes," experts say.

In recent months, liberal groups have accused conservative justice Clarence Thomas of ethical violations and called for a Congressional investigation following disclosures that his wife, a Republican activist, had urged the White House to challenge former President Donald Trump's loss in the 2020 election.

"This is not the first problem this court has in the ethics arena," Painter said of the leak.

Still, he said it could further damage the court's reputation.

"I believe it's very, very damaging to the reputation of the Supreme Court that the environment has become so politicized that people somebody is willing to leak a draft of an opinion," Painter said.



Will the public outcry change the final decision?

Highly unlikely. In a statement, Roberts said the leaked document "does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case."

While justices sometimes change how they vote in a case, some experts say the leak has made it more unlikely that the five conservatives on the court will walk back their apparent support for overturning Roe v. Wade, along with a 1992 case, Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

Supreme Court justices, Painter noted, "never want to be perceived as bowing to public pressure."

In recent months, Roberts was believed to be seeking a middle ground that would endorse the law without overturning Roe v. Wade. But after the leak, he may join the other conservatives on the court in overturning the decision, Perry said.

"He did try to seek a middle ground," she said. "We might, for example, see a 5-3-1. But based on his very strenuous statement that this is not going to have an effect on how they are ruling, I am inclined to believe that we might have actually gained Chief Justice Roberts, when before this leak, we might not have had him.
Islamic extremist rebels have killed at least seven people in an attack in northeast Borno state in Nigeria, witnesses told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The rebels attacked Kautukari village in the Chibok area of Borno on Tuesday evening, said residents. The attack happened at the same time that U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was in the state to meet with survivors of jihadi violence.

The Chibok area is 115 kilometers (71 miles) away from Maiduguri, the state capital, where Guterres met with former militants being reintegrated into society and thousands of people displaced by the insurgency.

"They came in large number with superior firepower (and) took over the community," said Hassan Chibok, a community leader. Troops from a nearby military base were deployed to repel the attack but "the damage had been done," Chibok said, adding that "casualties are up to 10."

Another resident Yana Galang said at least seven people were killed in the latest violence before the Nigerian military intervened.

Nigerian police did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of the attack.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country with 206 million people, continues to grapple with a 10-year-old insurgency in the northeast by Islamic extremist rebels of Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province. The extremists are fighting to establish Shariah law and to stop Western education.

More than 35,000 people have died and millions have been displaced by the extremist violence, according to the U.N. Development Program.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said earlier this week that the war against the extremists is "approaching its conclusion," citing continued military airstrikes and the mass defection of thousands of the fighters, some of whom analysts say are laying down their arms because of infighting within the jihadi group.

The violence, however, continues in border communities and areas closer to the Lake Chad region, the stronghold of the Islamic State-linked group, ISWAP.

"Things are getting worse" in Kautukari village in Chibok and adjourning areas closer to the forest, said community leader Chibok, saying the extremists' presence near the forest is a contributing factor.


Stanislav Shushkevich, the first leader of an independent Belarus and one of the signatories of the accords that formally dissolved the Soviet Union, has died at the age of 87.

His wife Irina told Agence France-Presse that Shushkevich passed away Tuesday in the capital Minsk. He had been hospitalized in intensive care last month after contracting COVID-19.

The former electrical engineer was serving as interim chairman of the Supreme Soviet, or parliament, of what was then known as Byelorussia when the country voted to secede from the Soviet Union in September 1991, one month after the failed coup to remove then-Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev from power. Shushkevich was elected permanent chairman of the Supreme Soviet on September 18.

Nearly three months later, on December 8, Shushkevich met then-Russian President Boris Yeltsin and then-President Leonid Kravchuk at a resort in western Belarus and co-signed the Belavezha Accords, which ended the Soviet Unions existence after nearly 70 years while creating the Commonwealth of Independent States. Gorbachev subsequently resigned as the final leader of the USSR more than two weeks later on Christmas Day.

In an interview with VOA in 2016, Shushkevich dismissed Gorbachevs accusation that the men signed the accord because they were power hungry as complete rubbish.

Shushkevich served as head of state until January 1994, when he was removed by a vote of confidence after he was accused of corruption by Alexander Lukashenko, then chairman of a parliamentary anti-corruption committee. Several months later, Shushkevich came in a distant fourth place in Belarus first presidential election behind Lukashenko, who won the second round in a landslide.

Shushkevich became a strident critic of Lukashenko and his autocratic regime, which has remained in power since 1994.

In an interview with VOA in 2016, Shushkevich said the Belavezha Accords averted a civil war in the Soviet Union similar to the one that led to the demise of Yugoslavia. He also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to restore the old Russian Empire, instead of the Soviet Empire.

He wants to make Russia dominate those lands and those countries that it used to dominate, Shushkevich said.

Some information for this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Frances Socialist Party and the hard-left La France Insoumise (LFI) party reached an agreement in principle on Wednesday to form an alliance for Junes parliamentary election.

The coalition pact, which the Greens and Communists agreed to earlier this week, is an attempt to deprive Macron of a majority in parliament in the June 12-19 vote and block his pro-business agenda, after he was re-elected president in April.

We can and will beat Emmanuel Macron and we can do it with a majority to govern for a radical program, LFI lawmaker Adrien Quatennens told Franceinfo radio.

If the agreement between the LFI and the Socialists is confirmed, the French left will be united for the first time in 20 years.

The deal was shaped under the leadership of LFIs firebrand chief Jean-Luc Melenchon, who broke from the Socialist Party in 2008 after failing to dilute its pro-European Union stance. He wants to disobey the blocs rules on budget and competition issues and challenge its free-market principles.

A source in the Socialist Party (PS) said that there was agreement on who would run in what constituency and on overall strategy, but that negotiators still needed to finalize details of the joint program itself.

In particular, the wording on what the platform for the new alliance, which will run under the banner of the Social and Ecological Peoples Union, would say on Europe was still being debated, sources said.

The deal would then need to be approved by the PSs national committee.

Complicated

Policies of the new alliance include plans to lower the retirement age to 60, raise the minimum wage and cap prices on essential products.

If confirmed Melenchons success in striking a deal with the Socialists, so far, the dominant force on the left, would mark a turning point for a party that gave the country two presidents since World War Two and has been a driving force for European integration.

PS veterans, including former party leader Jean-Christophe Cambadelis, have already called on fellow members to block the deal, saying it could mark the end of a pro-EU force on the left.

It will be complicated to get it approved in the national committee, Corinne Narassiguin, a former PS lawmaker, told Reuters.

But the Socialists had little leeway in the talks. Their candidate, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, garnered a meager 1.75% of votes cast in last months presidential ballot. However, they still control many local authorities.

In a sign of the Socialist Partys collapse, a source close to the talks said the deal  which sees only one lawmaker from each party that joins the alliance run in any constituency  foresees that the PS would only have 70 candidates in mainland France, and possibly a few more in overseas territories.

The French lower house has 577 lawmakers.

A recent Harris Interactive poll showed a united left and an alliance between Macrons party and the conservatives neck and neck, with each garnering 33% of the legislative vote. However, in Frances two round election system, projections show this could still translate into a majority of seats for Macron.
The literary writer's organization PEN America is expanding its support of writers around the world who face imprisonment for their work by hiring human rights advocate Liesl Gerntholtz to head the new PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center.

The new center will build on PEN America's work advocating for imprisoned writers like the Ukrainian freelance journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko, who was first arrested in 2021 in Crimea and remains imprisoned.

PEN America awarded him the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write award in 2022 to draw attention to his case in hopes that he will be freed, like many of the prize's prior recipients, thanks to the award's profile and the advocacy of other major international writers.

Yesypenko's wife will accept the award in his stead later this month in New York and PEN America highlighted his case at a demonstration outside the Russian embassy last year and through press releases following his arrest and sentencing to six years in prison in February.

Under Gerntholtzs leadership, the new center will help PEN America monitor more cases of imprisoned writers in real time and try to help them leave their country or otherwise protect themselves. This work is often done out of the public eye because of the hostile environment the writers face from countries like Egypt, China and Myanmar.

Gerntholtz, who formerly led the women's rights division at Human Rights Watch among other roles, said the center already has a database of some 700 "writers, intellectuals, visual artists, journalists under threat," adding that list will be updated and expanded.

Men are disproportionately represented among imprisoned writers, "which means that we are obviously missing the ways that women are silenced," said Gerntholtz, a native of South Africa.

In another measure of the state of free expression around the world, the Committee for the Protection of Journalists documented the imprisonment of 293 journalists as of Dec. 1, the sixth year in a row that it has documented more than 250 detained reporters.

Within the U.S., CPJ found that 59 journalists were arrested in 2021, usually while they were covering protests.
Kenyan authorities are training domestic workers who accept jobs in the Middle East about their rights after years of reported abuses there, including beatings, rapes and deaths.

It's been a year since Bernard Njenga learned his wife, Esther Thuku, had died in Saudi Arabia, where she had been a domestic worker for three years.

Saudi authorities reported that his wife had committed suicide at her employer's home, Njenga said, but he believes the mother of four was murdered.

Njenga said his wife's body did not have any marks that would show that she had hanged herself. It appeared the body had been buried because it was very dirty and looked like she had been stabbed on the left side, he added.

Kenyan authorities say that since November, at least 23 domestic workers have died while working in the Middle East. Most of those deaths occurred in Saudi Arabia, according to labor officials.

Saudi authorities have reported that all 23 of those deaths resulted from cardiac arrest.

In April of 2020, rights advocacy group Amnesty International reported that Kenyans who have jobs as domestic workers in the Middle East often complain of lack of payment, forced labor, physical abuse, rape and dangerous working conditions.

Now, Kenya is offering safety training for domestic workers who take jobs abroad.

"When you don't train them, basically, you are exposing them to a lot of exploitation and abuse," said Edith Murogo, director at East Africa Institute of Homecare Management in Nairobi. "Part of the training also includes labor rights awareness. They have to know how to bargain and talk to employees about decent terms and conditions of employment."

An estimated 30,000 Kenyans migrate to the Middle East to find work each year.

Kenya's cabinet secretary for labor, Simon Chelugui, said his department is working with Saudi officials on labor law reforms.

"We would want them also to upscale their law to protect workers and employers equally, not to discriminate and have the attitude of the employer is right always," Chelugui said. "Number two is the pay is reasonable and commensurate to the work."

VOA reached out to the Saudi embassy in Nairobi for comment on alleged mistreatment and deaths of Kenyan workers. In an email response, the embassy said the kingdom does not condone illegal and ill treatment of anyone and said Riyadh is working with Nairobi to protect citizens from any offense.

Meanwhile, officials say with an estimated 2 million young people graduating each year, according to national figures, and only about 800,000 new jobs, many Kenyans will continue to go abroad to find work.


For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine.

Recap of May 4

FIGHTING

* Air raid sirens sounded in cities across Ukraine and missile fire followed shortly after in the cities of Cherkasy, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia.

* Russia said it had fired two Kalibr cruise missiles at Ukrainian targets from a submarine in the Black Sea and reiterated a warning that it would seek to hit shipments of NATO weapons to Ukraine.

HUMANITARIAN

* Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vershchuk said the government planned four humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia if safety conditions were met.

ECONOMY

* Oil prices jumped as the European Union, the world's largest trading bloc, spelled out plans to phase out imports of Russian oil.

* Russian oil exports, excluding those to ex-Soviet states, rose on average to 4.88 million barrels per day in first four weeks of April, up more than 2% compared to March.

* Conflict, extreme weather and economic shocks increased the number of people facing a severe lack of food by a fifth to 193 million last year and the Ukraine war means the outlook will worsen without urgent action, a U.N. agency said.

DIPLOMACY

* Chancellor Olaf Scholz said there was a "problem" in Germany's relations with Ukraine after the German president was stopped from visiting Kyiv last month, adding that it was up to Ukraine to help resolve the row.

* The Kremlin said that no agreement had been reached on a possible meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Pope Francis for talks about Ukraine.

SANCTIONS

* European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a new package of sanctions that includes a ban on all Russian oil, with crude oil imports stopping within six months and imports of refined products by the end of the year.

* Hungary and Slovakia will be able to continue buying Russian crude oil until the end of 2023 under existing contracts, an EU source told Reuters.

* U.S. President Joe Biden said he would speak with other leaders from the Group of Seven advanced economies this week about potential additional sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.

NUCLEAR

* Pope Francis and the prime minister of Japan, the only country to be hit by atomic bombs, met and discussed their common hope for a world free of nuclear weapons.

MEDIA

* Russian authorities have added one of the country's most well-known TV journalists and Kremlin critics to their wanted list amid an ongoing crackdown on dissent that has intensified since Moscow launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

The latest developments in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. All times EDT:

9:02 p.m.: In his nightly video address, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed the death of a Ukraine journalist Alexander Makhov near Izium in the Kharkiv region. "He was 36 years old. My sincere condolences to relatives and friends. Let his son Vladyslav know: Russia will bear responsibility for this death. We will definitely gain victory for Ukraine."

8:08 p.m.: Senior American officials told The New York Times that the U.S. has been providing intelligence to Ukraine that has helped Kyivs forces target and kill many of the Russian generals who have died in action in the war. Ukraine said they have killed about 12 generals on the front lines, the Times reported. The targeting help is part of a classified effort by the Biden administration to provide real-time battlefield intelligence to Ukraine, according to the newspaper.

7:16 p.m.: Sweden has received assurances from the United States that it would receive support during the period a potential application to join NATO is processed by the 30 nations in the alliance, Foreign Minister Ann Linde said in Washington on Wednesday, according to Reuters. Sweden and neighbor Finland stayed out of NATO during the Cold War, but Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its invasion of Ukraine have led the countries to rethink their security policies, with NATO membership looking increasingly likely, Reuters reported.

Both countries are concerned they would be vulnerable during an application process, which could take up to a year to be approved by all NATO's members, according to the Reuters report.

6:20 p.m.: Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Mike Repass, the former commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command in Europe, told CNN that the international community has to greatly increase its support for Ukraine if it is to drive out Russian forces. Repass, who has advised the Ukraine military for the past six years on a U.S. government contract, told CNN the Ukrainian supply chain for military equipment is inefficient and that additional military forces are required to drive the Russians out of Ukraine.

5:05 p.m.: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on Wednesday published a photo gallery of images taken during the war in Ukraine earlier this week.

4:59 p.m.: Osnat Lubrani, the United Nation's Ukraine resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator, posted on Twitter:

Lubrani said, "Over 300 civilians from Mariupol, Manhush, Berdiansk, Tokmak and Vasylivka are now receiving humanitarian assistance in Zaporizhzhia. Many came with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, and we will now support them during this difficult time, including with much-needed psychological support."

4:17 p.m.: Oksana Balandina, a nurse, lost both her legs and four fingers on one hand in a mine explosion in March. She also lost her will to live, but her family has restored her spirits. At the hospital where she is being treated, they held a wedding ceremony for her and her partner Victor Vasylyev. Current Time, a co-production of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and VOA, has this story.

3:52 p.m.: "We still assess that in the maritime domain, there's, there are still blockades. They're (Russians are) still restricting the ability of Ukraine to trade economically," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said during the Pentagon daily briefing, VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb reports. Kirby said the Pentagon also believes Russian progress in the Donbas, and even in the South, "has been uneven and it has been slower than we believe they anticipated" in general because they still haven't fixed logistics and sustainment issues, and also because of Ukrainian resistance.

2:58 p.m.: Journalist Alexander Makhov was killed" in Russian shelling, the news site Ukraine24 posted on its Facebook page Wednesday. Several media reported that Makhov died near Izium, about 120 kilometers southeast of Kharkiv. Alexander worked for many years on the channels Ukraine and Ukraine24 and covered the events on the forefront. Alexander served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the post read.

2:30 p.m.: A senior U.S. defense official briefed reporters on the latest developments in Ukraine. He said Russian progress in the eastern Donbas region is stalled. Russian airstrikes in the western town of Lviv appear to be targeting critical infrastructure, specifically electricity, he said, but added that it had no appreciable impact so far. Russia has not impacted the delivery of U.S. and other Western aid to Ukraine, he noted. He said that about 2,000 Russian troops remain around the southern port city of Mariupol, but the rest of the battalion tactical groups have left and were trying to move north. VOAs National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin monitored the briefing and shared details on Twitter.

2:16 p.m.: Air raid sirens sounded in cities across Ukraine on Wednesday night and missile fire followed shortly after in the cities of Cherkasy, Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia, The Associated Press reported. In Dnipro, Mayor Borys Filatov said one strike hit the center of the city. The strikes in Dnipro also hit a railroad facility, authorities initially said, without elaborating. Ukrainian Railways said none of its staff were injured in the Dnipro attack. Complaining that the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line points across the country.



2:09 p.m.: Ukraines deputy speaker of parliament hosted the chairman of Moldovas parliament on a visit to Ukraine Wednesday. They traveled together to the towns of Bucha and Irpin, once occupied by Russia.

2:01 p.m.: After two months in a bunker, Mariupol evacuee Tetyana Trotsak is feeling the sun on her face and staring up at the bright blue sky on her first day of freedom. But she can't forget the 42 people she believes are still stuck in a shelter they shared under Ukraine's besieged Azovstal steel works. The 25-year-old, her husband and parents were among the dozens of civilians who reached the Ukraine-controlled town of Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday after being evacuated from the plant in Russian-occupied Mariupol where other civilians and the city's last defenders remain under siege, Reuters reported.

1:56 p.m.: Dozens of people evacuated from the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol finally reached the safety of Zaporizhzhia, a city controlled by Ukrainian government forces, on Tuesday. Many of the evacuees had been living for weeks underground in bunkers in the Avovstal steel plant. VOAs Yan Boechat, who is in Zaporizhzhia, filed this report about their arrival.

1:27 p.m.: Earlier in the war, Russian forces pressing south toward Kyiv occupied numerous towns and villages while pounding parts of the capital and the city of Chernihiv with bombs, rockets, and artillery. In many towns and villages, Russian forces abducted male residents, sometimes accusing them of passing information about their location to Ukrainian forces or being members of local defense units. After they withdrew, Russian forces left behind thousands of victims, and now the accounts of bereaved survivors are part of a growing body of evidence and allegations of war crimes that are being examined by Ukrainian authorities and international organizations. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty spoke to family members of victims and has this story.

1:04 p.m.:

12:32 p.m.: In Ukraine, where according to U.N. estimates over five million people have already left their homes to flee the war, there are other refugees who have been evacuated too  horses. VOAs Yaroslava Movchan has this story.

12:07 p.m.: U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he would speak with other leaders from the Group of Seven advanced economies this week about potential additional sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine, according to Reuters. "We're always open to additional sanctions," Biden told reporters, when asked about U.S. plans after the European Union proposed its toughest sanctions yet against Russia on Wednesday, including a phased oil embargo. "I'll be speaking with the members of the G7 this week about what we're going to do or not do," Biden added.

11:58 a.m.: Bulgarias parliament voted on Wednesday to allow repairs of Ukrainian heavy military equipment and seek ways to help Ukrainian exports of grains and electricity, sidestepping proposals to provide direct military aid to Kyiv, Reuters reported. European Union and NATO member state Bulgaria has condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, supported sanctions against Moscow, refused to pay for Russian gas with rubles and hosted over 90,000 Ukrainian refugees.

11:46 a.m.: Amid all the horrors that have unfolded in the war on Ukraine, the Russian bombing of the Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theater in Mariupol on March 16 stands out as the single deadliest known attack against civilians to date. An Associated Press investigation has found evidence that the attack was in fact far deadlier than estimated, killing closer to 600 people inside and outside the building. The AP investigation recreated what happened inside the theater on that day from the accounts of 23 survivors, rescuers, and people intimately familiar with its new life as a bomb shelter. The AP investigation also refutes Russian claims that the theater was demolished by Ukrainian forces or served as a Ukrainian military base.

11:27 a.m.:

11:03 a.m.: The European Commission has proposed freezing the assets of Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, a diplomat said on Wednesday. The Patriarch has been added to a draft blacklist that already includes hundreds of military officers and businessmen close to the Kremlin whom the EU accuses of supporting the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported. The sanction, which would entail an asset freeze and a travel ban, needs the backing of EU states to be adopted. EU diplomats are set to meet this week to discuss this and other proposed sanctions, which are part of a wider package proposed by the European Commission earlier on Wednesday including an oil embargo and restrictions on Russian banks.

10:45 a.m.: Ukraine's defense ministry said on Wednesday that Russia was attempting to increase the tempo of its offensive in the east of the country, Reuters reported. Defence Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said Moscow had conducted nearly 50 air strikes on Tuesday alone. He also said Russian artillery fire and air strikes were continuing periodically on the Azovstal steel works in Mariupol, where Mayor Vadym Boichenko reported ongoing fighting Wednesday. Motuzyanyk also said that Russian strategic bombers had fired 18 rockets from airspace above the Caspian Sea at targets in Ukraine "with the aim of damaging our country's transport infrastructure."



10:23 a.m.: The Kyiv Independent on Wednesday published an in-depth report on the continuing tensions between Ukraines government and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

10:04 a.m.: The Russian Orthodox Church scolded Pope Francis on Wednesday for using the wrong tone after he urged Patriarch Kirill not to become the Kremlin's "altar boy", cautioning the Vatican that such remarks would hurt dialogue between the churches, Reuters reported. Francis told Italy's Corriere Della Sera newspaper that Kirill, who has given Russias invasion of Ukraine his backing, "cannot become [President Vladimir] Putin's altar boy." The Russian Orthodox Church said it was regrettable that a month and a half after Francis and Kirill, the patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, had spoken directly, the pope had adopted such a tone.



9:57 a.m.:

9:51 a.m.: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday his administration will not impose sanctions on Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reported. "We want to remain neutral," Lopez Obrador said, calling for dialogue.



9:46 a.m.: Russian authorities have added one of the country's most well-known TV journalists and Kremlin critics to their wanted list amid an ongoing crackdown on dissent that has intensified since Moscow launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine more than two months ago. Aleksandr Nevzorov's name appeared on the Interior Ministry's registry of wanted persons on Wednesday. According to the ministry, the former lawmaker, who is currently out of Russia in an unspecified country, is suspected of the "distributing false information about the Russian armed forces." Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has this report.



9:27 a.m.: Pope Francis and the prime minister of Japan, the only country to be hit by atomic bombs, met on Wednesday and discussed their common hope for a world free of nuclear weapons, Reuters reported. "They talked of nuclear weapons and how their use and possession is inconceivable," Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said. A separate Vatican statement said that in discussions afterwards with top Vatican diplomats, particular attention was given to the war in Ukraine, "stressing the urgency of dialogue and peace and expressing the hope, to this end, for a world free of nuclear weapons." Since Russia invaded its neighbor on Feb. 24, Francis has several times spoken of a possible nuclear conflict resulting from the war.

9:13 a.m.:

9:07 a.m.: Russian oil exports, excluding those to ex-Soviet states, rose on average to 4.88 million barrels per day in first four weeks of April, up more than 2% compared to March, a source familiar with the data told Reuters on Wednesday. The increase in exports is an indicator of how Russia's commodity exports, a key source of its budget revenues, is resilient in the face of sweeping Western sanctions over what Moscow calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine. However, traders have warned about new forthcoming challenges to the Russian oil exports as major global trading houses plan to reduce purchases from Russia's state-controlled oil companies as early as May 15 to avoid being in breach of European Union sanctions on Russia.

8:54 a.m.:

8:46 a.m.: Oil prices jumped on Wednesday as the European Union, the world's largest trading bloc, spelled out plans to phase out imports of Russian oil, Reuters reported. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday proposed a phased oil embargo on Russia over its war in Ukraine, as well as sanctioning Russia's top bank, in a bid to deepen Moscow's isolation. The Commission's measures include phasing out supplies of Russian crude within six months and refined products by end-2022, von der Leyen said. She also pledged to minimize the impact on European economies.

8:37 a.m.: Mikhail Nesvat, a Russian activist from the southwestern city of Novocherkassk, has fled Russia fearing for his safety amid an ongoing crackdown by the state on anyone questioning Russia's ongoing unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Nesvat told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on Wednesday that he is currently in the United States, where he has applied for political asylum. He said he reached the United States via Serbia, Turkey, and Mexico. The last time police detained Nesvat was on March 10 after he assisted activists in the city of Rostov-on-Don where he had been detained at unsanctioned rallies against the war in Ukraine.

8:23 a.m.: Hungary and Slovakia will be able to continue buying Russian crude oil until the end of 2023 under existing contracts, an EU source told Reuters on Wednesday, benefitting from exemptions from an oil embargo proposed by the European Commission. The EU executive on Wednesday proposed a ban on EU imports of Russian crude oil within six months, and on refined oil products by the end of the year. In a bid to convince reluctant countries not to veto the proposal, Brussels has proposed a longer period to implement the embargo for Hungary and Slovakia, the source said, declining to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter. The exception would concern existing contracts for crude oil signed by Hungary and Slovakia with Russia.

8:17 a.m.: Conflict, extreme weather and economic shocks increased the number of people facing a severe lack of food by a fifth to 193 million last year and the Ukraine war means the outlook will worsen without urgent action, a U.N. agency said on Tuesday. The Global Network Against Food Crises, set up by the United Nations and the European Union, said in its annual report that the number of people facing acute food insecurity and requiring urgent, life-saving food assistance had nearly doubled in the six years since 2016 when it began tracking it. Looking ahead, the report said Russia's invasion of Ukraine - both countries are major food producers - poses serious risks to global food security.

8:11 a.m.: Europe will continue buying Russian oil via third countries once it introduces an embargo, RIA news agency cited Vladimir Dzhabarov, first deputy head of Russian upper house's international affairs committee, as saying on Wednesday. The European Union's chief executive on Wednesday proposed a phased oil embargo on Russia, as well as sanctioning Russia's top bank and banning Russian broadcasters from European airwaves, Reuters reported.

8:08 a.m.: Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday there was a "problem" in Germany's relations with Ukraine after the German president was stopped from visiting Kyiv last month, adding that it was up to Ukraine to help resolve the row, Reuters reported. "It is a problem for the German government and for the German people that the president was asked not to come," Scholz told reporters following talks with his cabinet. "Ukraine must also play its part," Scholz said when asked how the tensions could be defused, but he did not give concrete examples on what Kiev could do to improve the situation.



7:57 a.m.: Russian forces pounded targets across Ukraine, taking aim at supply lines for foreign weapons in the west and intensifying an offensive in the east, The Associated Press reported. The Russian military said Wednesday it used sea- and air-launched precision guided missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots. The defense minister repeated that Russian forces have blocked off a steel mill in Mariupol  the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in that city. Another official denied they were storming the plant, as its defenders said a day earlier. Ukrainian authorities, meanwhile, said attacks in the eastern Donbas region left 21 civilians dead.



7:36 a.m.: Lyman, a town in the north of Ukraine's Donetsk region, has been under intense Russian shelling, with some areas reduced to rubble. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty correspondent Levko Stek accompanied Ukrainian police officers, who evacuated civilians from the Ukrainian town in the path of Russia's offensive.

7:13 a.m.: The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed speculation that President Vladimir Putin planned to declare war against Ukraine and declare a national mobilization on May 9 when Russia commemorates the Soviet Union's victory in World War Two, Reuters reported. Putin has so far characterized Russia's actions in Ukraine as a "special military operation", not a war. But Western politicians and some Russia watchers have speculated that he could be preparing for a major announcement next Monday with a range of possible scenarios ranging from an outright declaration of war to a declaration of victory. Asked about speculation that Putin will declare war against Ukraine on May 9, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "There is no chance of that. It's nonsense."



7:02 a.m.: When U.S. President Joe Biden visited an Alabama facility that manufactures anti-tank Javelin missiles on Tuesday, he put the spotlight on a weapon produced there that has helped Ukraine fight Russias invasion. He also pushed his request for $33 billion in supplemental aid for Ukraine, which includes substantial military assistance. VOAs White House correspondent Anita Powell has this report on U.S. defense assistance and weapons production capacity.

6:46 a.m.: The Kremlin said on Wednesday that no agreement had been reached on a possible meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Pope Francis for talks about Ukraine. Pope Francis said in an interview published on Tuesday that he had asked for a meeting in Moscow with Putin to try to stop the war in Ukraine but had not received a reply, Reuters reported.



6:37 a.m.:

6:31 a.m.: Kyiv will be ready if Belarus's armed forces join Russia's war effort in Ukraine, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian State Border Service said on Wednesday, according to Reuters. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, said its military had begun large-scale drills on Wednesday to test their combat readiness and that they posed no threat to its neighbors. "We do not rule out that the Russian Federation could at some point use the territory of Belarus, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, against Ukraine," said Andriy Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine's State Border Service. "Therefore, we are ready," he said, adding that the border with Belarus had been strengthened since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.



6:24 a.m.: European Council President Charles Michel has promised to boost military aid to Moldova, whose Moscow-backed separatist region of Transdniester has reported several incidents that led to accusations Russia is seeking to destabilize the former Soviet republic and possibly involve it in its war against Ukraine. "This year we plan to significantly increase our support to Moldova by providing its armed forces with additional military equipment," Michel told a press conference with Moldova's President Maia Sandu during a visit to Chisinau on May 4. Michel also pledged support for Moldova against cyberattacks and disinformation, adding that avoiding escalation in Transdniester is of critical importance. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has this story.



6:18 a.m.: Moldova sees no imminent threat of unrest spilling over from the war in Ukraine despite provocations by pro-Russian separatists in recent days, but has been making contingency plans for pessimistic scenarios, President Maia Sandu said on Wednesday, according to Reuters. Fears have grown in the past week that Moldova could be drawn into the conflict in neighboring Ukraine, after pro-Russian separatists in a breakaway region reported a number of attacks and explosions there, which they blamed on Kyiv. Sandu and her pro-Western government have blamed incidents in the breakaway region on pro-war separatist factions. She has also denounced comments by a Russian general that one of Moscows war aims was to seize Ukrainian territory to link up with the separatists in Moldova.



6:14 a.m.:

6:09 a.m.: After suffering significant setbacks in the earliest weeks of the invasion of Ukraine, failing to seize Kyiv or other major cities, and incurring major casualties, Russian commanders and political leaders have recalibrated, shifting nearly all military units eastward for an offensive in the Donbas. So how is it going? By all accounts, slower than anticipated. Why? Thats a more complicated question. Mike Eckel with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has this analysis.



5:53 a.m.: Reporter Borys Sachalko comes under shellfire as he accompanies a Red Cross team attempting to evacuate a village that lies between Russian-occupied Kherson and Ukrainian-held Mikolayiv in southern Ukraine. Current Time, a co-production of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and VOA, has this report.

5:41 a.m.: Russia said on Wednesday it had fired two Kalibr cruise missiles at Ukrainian targets from a submarine in the Black Sea and reiterated a warning that it would seek to hit shipments of NATO weapons to Ukraine, Reuters reported. The defense ministry published video footage of the cruise missiles being launched from the Black Sea, and said they had hit unspecified ground targets in Ukraine. Russia previously said it had mounted similar strikes from a submarine on April 29.

5:35 a.m.:

5:28 a.m.: Russia says it has barred entry to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kisida and more than 60 others, including cabinet ministers, media members and intellectuals, for the government's sanctions against Moscow over its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The Foreign Ministry in Moscow said in a statement on Wednesday that the ban is permanent. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has this report.



5:23 a.m.: The Popes Ukraine diplomacy has become a political and spiritual tightrope walk, The Associated Press reported Wednesday. His appeals for an Orthodox Easter truce in Ukraine went unheeded. His planned meeting with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church was cancelled. A proposed visit to Moscow? Nyet. Even his attempt to showcase Russian-Ukrainian friendship fell flat. Pope Francis hasnt made much of a diplomatic mark in Russias war in Ukraine, seemingly unable to capitalize on his moral authority, soft power or direct line to Moscow to nudge an end to the bloodshed or at least a cease-fire. While the long list of dead ends would indicate a certain ineffectiveness, it is par for the course for the Vaticans unique brand of diplomacy that straddles geopolitical realities with spiritual priorities, even when they conflict.



5:20 a.m.: Photos from before and during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine highlight the devastating toll suffered by the southeastern Ukrainian port of Mariupol, which was a relatively prosperous industrial city before the war. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has compiled this photo gallery of Mariupol, as it was, and as it is now.

5:17 a.m.: Ukraines Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vershchuk said the government planned four humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia on Wednesday if safety conditions were met, according to the Kyiv Independent.



5:12 a.m.: In the Ukrainian countryside near Zaporizhzhia, wheat fields are nestled along the front lines and farmers wear body armor issued by the Ukrainian military as they work. The remnants of missiles are often found in these fields, farmers say, with recent attacks as close as next door. The region, one of Ukraines key food producers, usually generates an estimated 2.7 million tons of wheat. This year, farmers anticipate roughly 260,000 tons, if nothing else goes wrong. VOAs Heather Murdock reports that farming has become the next front in Russias war on Ukraine.

5:06 a.m.:

5:00 a.m.: Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Wednesday the Russian military would consider NATO transport carrying weapons in Ukraine as targets to be destroyed, RIA news agency quoted him as saying according to a Reuters report.

Shoigu also said that the Ukrainian fighters holed up in the sprawling Azovstal plant in Mariupol were kept under secure blockade after President Vladimir Putin ordered that they be hermetically sealed off, Reuters added.

4:15 a.m.: Stanislav Shushkevich, the first leader of the independent state of Belarus and one of the signatories of the decree dissolving the Soviet Union, died Wednesday at the age of 87, according to his wife, Iryna.

In 2016, Shushkevich spoke about Putins territorial ambitions during an interview with VOA. It is not the Soviet Empire that he [Putin] wants to restore, but the Russian one, he said. He wants to make Russia dominate those lands and those countries that it used to dominate. VOAs Daniel Schearf has the story.

3:30 a.m.: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a new package of sanctions that includes a ban on all Russian oil, with crude oil imports stopping within six months and imports of refined products by the end of the year. The package must be unanimously approved by EU members.

Lets be clear, it will not be easy because some member states are strongly dependent on Russian oil, but we simply have to do it, von der Leyen told the European Parliament.

The sanctions also include removing Russia's biggest bank Sberbank from the international SWIFT transaction and messaging system, and listing high-ranking military officers who committed war crimes in Bucha and those responsible for the inhuman siege of Mariupol.

3:00 a.m.: The European Union considered new sanctions against Russia on Wednesday, including measures targeting Russias oil and banking industries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pushed for more extensive European actions to cut off imports of Russian energy, and said earlier this week that a new EU package should include clear steps to block Russias revenues from energy resources.

Inside Ukraine, Russia intensified its shelling in the eastern and southern parts of the country, actions that Zelenskyy characterized as Russian forces reacting with great anger to our successes.

The sheer scale of todays shelling clearly does not indicate that Russia has any special sort of specific military aim, he said in a Tuesday evening address.

Russias targets included the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, where the last remaining Ukrainian troops have been holed up in the Azovstal steel plant along with several hundred civilians.

2:30 a.m.: Reuters reported that the armed forces of Belarus began sudden large-scale drills on Wednesday to test their combat readiness, the defense ministry of Ukraines neighbor said.

Belarus is a close ally of Russia, which invaded Ukraine in late February immediately after holding joint drills with Minsk which had allowed it to move more forces closer to the Ukrainian border. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a special military operation.

It is planned that the (combat readiness) test will involve the movement of significant numbers of military vehicles, which can slow down traffic on public roads, the Belarusian ministry said in a statement. The ministry said the exercise posed no threat to its neighbors or the European community in general, Reuters report said.

2:00 a.m.: A judge in Fiji has ruled that U.S. authorities can seize a Russian-owned superyacht  but has put a hold on his order until at least Friday while defense lawyers mount a challenge. The Associated Press has the story.

1:30 a.m.: Smoke rises above the Ukrainian city of Lviv after multiple Russian strikes in this video report from Agence France-Presse.

12:02 a.m.: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss discussed support for Ukraine in a telephone call. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the diplomats talked about additional security and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and continued transatlantic unity, as well as economic consequences for those who continue to provide financial or material support that aids the Kremlins war against Ukraine.

After intensified Russian shelling Tuesday in eastern and southern Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces were reacting with great anger to our successes.

The sheer scale of todays shelling clearly does not indicate that Russia has any special sort of specific military aim, he said in an evening address.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  Prosecutors in Idaho say they will seek the death penalty against a woman charged with killing her two youngest children and her new husband's previous wife.

The prosecuting attorneys from Fremont and Madison counties made the announcement in court documents filed Monday, saying Lori Vallow Daybell Vallow will qualify for capital punishment if she is convicted at her trial later this year because the slayings were exceptionally depraved and carried out for financial gain.

The prosecutors also said Vallow Daybell showed utter disregard for human life and has exhibited a propensity to commit murder which will probably constitute a continuing threat to society. Her attorney, Jim Archibald, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Her co-defendant and husband, Chad Daybell, is also facing a potential death penalty if convicted. The pair are charged with murder, conspiracy and grand theft in connection with the deaths of 7-year-old Joshua JJ Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan.

Prosecutors announced their intent to seek capital punishment in Chad Daybells case last August, but Lori Vallow Daybell's case was on hold at the time because she was undergoing treatment at a mental health facility. Lori Vallow Daybell is scheduled to stand trial in October, and Chad Daybell is scheduled for trial next January.

Idaho law enforcement began investigating the Daybells in November 2019 after extended family members reported the children were missing. The children were missing for several months, during which time police said the couple lied about the children's whereabouts, before their bodies were found buried on Chad Daybell's property in rural Idaho.

Chad and Lori Daybell married just two weeks after his previous wife, Tammy Daybell, died unexpectedly. Tammy Daybell's death was initially reported as natural causes, but investigators had her body exhumed after growing suspicious when Chad Daybell quickly remarried.

Lori Vallow Daybell is also charged with conspiracy to commit murder in Arizona in connection with the death of her previous husband. Charles Vallow was shot and killed by Lori Daybell's brother, Alex Cox, who claimed it was self-defense. Cox later died of what police said was natural causes.

Chad Daybell has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and a judge entered a not guilty plea on Lori Vallow Daybell's behalf after she stood silent when asked for a plea earlier this year.

Idaho law allows prosecutors to seek the death penalty if they can show certain aggravating factors for crimes like murder or conspiracy to commit murder.

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As the Philippines prepares for national elections, victims of torture and abuse during the reign of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. are trying to derail the presidential candidacy of his son, Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr., seen as the frontrunner in the May 9 vote.

We are torture victims, Danilo dela Fuente, 73, said as he walked with Santiago Matela, 66.

Both say they suffered brutal treatment during the Marcos regime. Marcos ruled the nation for two decades, almost half of that time under martial law.

I experienced the mental torture of Russian roulette a .38-caliber revolver with one bullet was spun three times and pointed at me, dela Fuente said.

Live wires were connected to my middle fingers and my toes while I was standing on a wet surface. I could feel the surge through my arms, he said.

Matela said he suffered electric shocks to his private part, adding that members of the countrys security forces beat him up and threw him into a dark cell.

When Marcos ruled from 1965 to 1986, thousands, including political opponents and activists, were tortured, killed, or disappeared, according to statistics compiled by local and international human rights groups, including Amnesty International. The family is accused of stealing $5 billion to $10 billion from the Philippine government while Marcos was in power.

The younger Marcos now holds a wide lead in the polls for the presidential election. He refuses to address the atrocities committed when his father was in power and has repeatedly dismissed questions from local reporters about the billions of dollars in unpaid estate taxes that the family owes the government.

His candidacy is bringing victims of his fathers era onto the streets.

Im trying to educate other people, Matela said. Get them to read about the atrocities during his fathers term, he added.

Dela Fuente, a labor organizer when he was arrested and jailed for four years, said this is about setting the record straight and getting the Marcos family to answer for their past.

Our main motive of going house-to-house to campaign [against Marcos] is to hold them accountable for their ill-gotten wealth, their attempt to tell historical lies in favor of their family and their record of stealing public funds. dela Fuente said.

Dela Fuente and Matela do not always get a warm reception from people on the streets.

One person shouted from a distance that they could get hurt for telling their stories. Many people accept their leaflets with stone-cold faces.

Nerissa Roa Azana, a 54-year-old grandmother who runs a small stand selling snacks and cigarettes, played down dela Fuentes and Matelas talk about torture.

For me it was fake news because I didnt know anything about it. Azana told VOA. If I experienced it myself I would say that its true. But I didnt so for me its fake news.

Carlos Conde, a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch said this opinion is not uncommon for many older Filipinos because the atrocity crimes did not necessarily happen in their communities and they werent informed about it by the press, which was under the control of the state at the time.

They can look you in the eye and say we didnt witness it, Conde said.. But thats not to say nothing happened, thats to say that it happened elsewhere, he said.

Conde also pointed to the impact of massive social media disinformation campaigns in recent years on Facebook, TikTok and YouTube to change the narrative on what happened when the elder Marcos was in power. Conde said this has shaped the view of many younger voters born after the Marcos era.

Much of the disinformation is flipping the story about the human rights violations, flipping the story about the corruption, Conde said. People are saying that the Marcos era was the golden years of the Philippines which is the opposite of what actually happened in those two decades that he was president and dictator.
Mexican authorities said Tuesday they have relocated a migrant camp that sprung up in a park in the border city of Reynosa, moving about 2,000 people from Central America and Haiti to a shelter in the city, across the border from McAllen, Texas.

The camp of migrants mainly from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Haiti sprung up after U.S. officials, citing the pandemic, invoked a health rule that denies migrants a chance to seek asylum.

Mexico's National Immigration Institute said the migrants were taken around midnight Monday to the shelter, which it said will have better hygiene and food services.

But on Monday, people in another border city, Nuevo Laredo, said hundreds of migrants, mainly Haitians, have streamed into that city, which is across the border from Laredo, Texas

The rush apparently started after the U.S. began processing some asylum-seekers there.

The Catholic bishop of Nuevo Laredo said Monday that migrant shelters there are overcrowded, with some migrants sleeping outside in tents.

Bishop Enrique Sanchez Martinez said migrants started streaming into Nuevo Laredo in late April, though the city isn't usually popular among migrants, in part because it is dominated by the violent Northeast drug cartel.

"It is new for us because this is the last place they come, due to the conditions of our border, of our city, which are sometimes adverse for migrants," the bishop said. "But since they opened the door in the United States to asylum requests, a lot of them came in large groups."

Marvin Ajic, the director of the Casa Nazareth shelter, said that around April 16, Mexican authorities notified the shelters that the United States would resume processing asylum claims for humanitarian reasons.

The U.S. had begun allowing more people in, especially Central American adults, to prepare for lifting Title 42  a pandemic-era health rule that denies migrants a chance to enter the U.S. seek asylum  on May 23. But a federal judge in Louisiana ruled last week that the government could not unwind the rule before the end date.

"The (Mexican) immigration officials organized things with the shelters, and the plan was to send people who had been waiting a long time, without any checks, basically anyone," Ajic said.

That apparently drew the attention of other migrants, including Haitians.

In September, similar rumors sparked a rush by about 15,000 mostly Haitian refugees to the Texas border, where they camped under a bridge. U.S. officials began large scale deportations of Haitians while also allowing thousands to remain in the U.S.

Ajic warned migrants against coming to the border, noting the risks. On Monday, Mexico's National Immigration Institute said that so far this year, it has pulled the bodies of 19 immigrants from the Rio Grande, also known as the Rio Bravo.
An appeal of a five-year jail sentence against ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi was rejected Wednesday by the country's supreme court.

The decision reportedly came as soon as the claim for an appeal was lodged, and the court didn't entertain arguments from either side in the case.

Suu Kyi, 76, was sentenced last week after being found guilty of 11 counts of corruption, including taking a bribe of cash and gold bars worth $600,000.

Her lawyer called the charge absurd.

Suu Kyi had already been sentenced to six years for actions against the military, breaking COVID-19 rules and breaking a telecommunications law.

She faces many more charges, and if found guilty could be sentenced to more than 150 years in jail.

Suu Kyi has been under house arrest since a military coup took over the country last year.

Since the coup, on Feb. 1, 2021, there have been widespread protests against the military regime. The regime cracked down violently in many cases, leaving more than 1,800 civilians dead and more than 10,000 arrested, charged or sentenced, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma).

Some information in this report comes from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.


North Korea launched a ballistic missile Wednesday, Japan and South Korea reported, the latest in a series of tests that have upset the Norths neighbors and drawn firm condemnation from the United States.

South Koreas military said North Korea fired the ballistic missile from the Sunan area near Pyongyang. That is the location of North Koreas main international airport, from where several recent launches have originated.

The missile flew for about 470 kilometers, reaching a maximum altitude of about 780 kilometers, according to a statement from South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff. Japan provided similar numbers.

Those figures suggest it was not a long-range launch. No further details were available. North Korea typically does not announce its launches until the following day in state media.

The test comes days before a new South Korean president takes office. Yoon Suk-yeol, a conservative former chief prosecutor, has vowed a tougher approach to Pyongyang.

In its statement, the South Korean military called the launch a serious threat to the peace and stability of the international community, as well as the Korean Peninsula.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the launch absolutely cannot be condoned, according to Japans Kyodo news agency.

North Korea has ramped up missile tests this year, making significant progress on a weapons development wishlist laid out in 2021 by leader Kim Jong Un.

In March, North Korea launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile since 2017. It has warned it could soon launch a satellite into space. South Korean and U.S. officials warn the North could soon conduct its seventh nuclear test.

Although the United States and its allies have condemned the tests, China and Russia  two of North Koreas biggest backers  have largely looked the other way. Instead, China and Russia have pressured the United States to do more to restart nuclear talks that have not been held since 2019.

The United States has repeatedly said it is willing to re-enter negotiations without preconditions, but the North has either rejected or ignored those invitations.

Instead, North Korea has escalated its threats. Last week, Kim said North Korea should develop overwhelming military muscle that no force in the world can provoke. He also warned he could preemptively use his nuclear weapons to counter hostile forces, if necessary.

North Korea conducted a missile launch Wednesday, reported Japan and South Korea, the latest in a series of tests that have upset its neighbors and drawn firm condemnation from the United States.

The North fired a possible ballistic missile, according to Japans Coast Guard, which reported less than a half hour later that the missile had likely already fallen. Shorter flight times suggest a shorter-range launch.

In an alert to reporters, South Koreas military said the unidentified projectile was launched toward the sea off North Koreas east coast.

No other details were immediately available.

North Korea has ramped up missile tests this year, making significant progress on a weapons development wishlist laid out in 2021 by leader Kim Jong Un.

In March, North Korea launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile since 2017. It has warned it could soon launch a satellite into space. South Korean and U.S. officials warn the North could soon conduct its seventh nuclear test.

Although the United States and its allies have condemned the tests, China and Russia  two of North Koreas biggest backers  have largely looked the other way. Instead, China and Russia have pressured the United States to do more to restart nuclear talks that have not been held since 2019.

The United States has repeatedly said it is willing to re-enter negotiations without preconditions, but the North has either rejected or ignored those invitations.

Instead, North Korea has escalated its threats. Last week, Kim said North Korea should develop overwhelming military muscle that no force in the world can provoke. He also warned he could preemptively use his nuclear weapons to counter hostile forces, if necessary.
A group of U.S. House lawmakers introduced a resolution on Tuesday, World Press Freedom Day, which named countries including China, Russia and Belarus as nations that committed repressive and brutal actions against journalists.

China is one of the worst media environments in the world and seeks to curtail political speech inside and outside the country..., stated the resolution, citing the Committee to Protect Journalists 2021 findings.

Bahram Sintash, a Uyghur American, said his father is one of the journalists detained in China.

The U.S. government should speak up for many Uyghur journalists like my father who are arbitrarily detained and imprisoned by the Chinese authorities, Sintash, who lives in Virginia, told VOA.

Sintash lost contact with his father, Qurban Mamut, who was the former chief editor of the China-controlled Uyghur journal Xinjiang Civilization, more than four years ago.

Then earlier this year, Sintash learned that his father was taken by Chinese authorities from his residence in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang in northwest China.

In February, I received an indirect message from my sister in Urumqi that our father, Qurban Mamut, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, Sintash said.

Fifty journalists are imprisoned in China, according to CPJs 2021 report released last December.

Twenty-two of them are Uyghur journalists from Xinjiang, who make up 44% of the incarcerated journalists in China and 7.5% of the 293 jailed journalists worldwide in 2021.

Peter Irwin, the senior program officer for advocacy and communications at the Washington-based Uyghur Human Rights Project, told VOA that China has for many years targeted Uyghur journalists.

"In many ways, (Uyghur) journalists were among the earliest targets for suppression and imprisonment by the Chinese government," Irwin said.

Rights groups and some countries, including the U.S., have accused China of mistreating Uyghurs, including subjecting more than 1 million Uyghurs to mass internment for "reeducation," forced sterilization and labor or those either in and out of detention since late 2016.

The U.S. government officially designated China's treatment of Uyghurs as genocide in January 2021.

Beijing calls the accusations "lies," saying that "the local people are living a safe and happy life" in Xinjiang.

CPJ's list of China's jailed journalists show that half of the 22 Uyghur journalists were arrested after 2016, and the rest were jailed from 2009 to 2014.

According to Irwin, before 2015, Uyghur journalists who wrote independently or moderated blogs or other publications were targeted for their work.

"After 2015 or so, you see a heightened attention to Uyghur journalists who tried their best to follow the arbitrary rules set out by the government and still couldn't avoid imprisonment," Irwin said.

Nine of the 22 imprisoned Uyghur journalists worked for an independent website called Uyghurbiz, which was co-founded by Ilham Tohti, a former Uyghur economics professor at Minzu University of China in Beijing.

According to CPJ's report, Tohti was sentenced to life in prison on charges of "separatism" in September 2014.

Jewher Ilham, a Washington-based Uyghur rights activist and Tohti's daughter, told VOA that some of the Uyghur journalists who used to work for her father's website had not been released from prison after they had finished their sentence.

"Even though some of them should have been released by 2019 or 2020, they still remain in prison," she said.

According to Jewher Ilham, Chinese authorities repressed not only Uyghur journalists but also any Uyghur who tried to save or circulate uncensored news content.

"My cousin was sentenced for 10 years in prison for refusing to hand in her phone at a checkpoint and saving a picture of my father and the text of his article," Jewher Ilham told VOA.

'Tip of the iceberg'

Abduweli Ayup, founder of Uyghur Hjelp, a Norway-based organization that documents China's Uyghur rights violations, said the CPJs findings are just the tip of the iceberg. His organization found 40 Uyghur journalists who were jailed in China in recent years.

"In our data, there are at least 40 imprisoned Uyghur journalists among over 400 Uyghur intellectuals incarcerated by Chinese authorities," Ayup told VOA. "If we include Uyghur website bloggers and government radio and TV hosts to our list, the number of jailed Uyghur journalists is at least over a hundred."

Ayup said that the 22 imprisoned Uyghur journalists in CPJ's report are only the ones confirmed by media.

"(There are) still many more imprisoned Uyghur journalists yet to be confirmed by media and added to the CPJ's list of imprisoned journalists," Ayup said adding that the CPJs number of imprisoned Uyghur journalists will be 23 if Qurban Mamut is included.
Iran will later this month execute a Swedish-Iranian national whom it has imprisoned since 2016 and convicted of spying for Israel, media reported.

Irans semiofficial ISNA news agency on Wednesday released a report in which Iranian officials stated that Tehran will implement the death penalty against Ahmad Reza Jalali by May 21.

Jalali, a researcher and physician who specializes in disaster relief, was arrested during a visit to Iran in April 2016. In 2017, Jalali was sentenced to death in Iran after he had been found guilty of passing information about two Iranian nuclear scientists to Israel to help it assassinate several nuclear scientists.

Rights groups have condemned Jalalis detention, citing Irans pattern of detaining dual nationals and expatriates without due process.

Iran does not recognize dual nationals.

The announcement came as authorities in Stockholm wrapped up the trial of Hamid Nouri, a former Iranian prosecution official whom Swedish officials arrested in November 2019.

Authorities say Nouri played a role in the deaths of political prisoners executed on Iranian government orders at Irans Gohardasht prison during the final phase of the Iran-Iraq war in 1988. Nouri has been held in custody in Sweden since his arrest.

On Wednesday, the final day of Nouri's trial, a Stockholm district court judge set the date of the verdict for July 14.

Amnesty International put the number of those executed at the prison at 5,000 but said in a 2018 report that the number could be higher.

Human Rights Watch, in a recent report, said, Iran continues to be one of the worlds leading implementers of the death penalty.

If Nouri is convicted, he will face a maximum life sentence on charges of international war crimes and human rights abuses. Iran recently summoned the Swedish envoy in protest over Nouris case.

Maja Aberg, senior policy adviser with Amnesty International Sweden, says it is no coincidence that Iran announced Jalalis pending execution just after Swedish prosecutors moved on Nouris trial.

It indicates that (Iran) sees him as a kind of piece in the jigsaw puzzle, which is very worrying, Aberg told Sweden's TT news agency.

Swedish law allows for the prosecution of Swedish citizens and other nationals for crimes against international law committed abroad.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
On the 12th anniversary of the death of Kurdish journalist Sardasht Osman, an investigation by three press advocacy groups claims Iraqi Kurdish authorities were likely directly involved and that Osman was assassinated because of a satirical blog post.

The investigations results were published in a 43-page report Wednesday by A Safer World For The Truth, a collaborative initiative of Free Press Unlimited (FPU), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and Reporters without Borders (RSF).

The groups said they interviewed dozens of witnesses, analyzed case files and reviewed satellite photos in concluding that Osman, a citizen journalist, was targeted for an article written a year earlier criticizing the family of then-Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani.

Osman's body was found on May 6, 2010, in Mosul, two days after hed been abducted outside his college campus in the Iraqi Kurdish capital, Irbil. He had been shot in the head.

This report reveals serious flaws in the official investigation into the kidnap and assassination of Sardasht and finds credible allegations that Kurdish authorities were directly involved in the murder, the groups report states.

VOA reached out to the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) for comment on the report but has not received a response. The KRG had accused the now-defunct terror group Ansar al-Islam of carrying out the killing. Barzani has previously denied any involvement in Osman's death.

Osman was 23 when he died and a student at the University of Salahaddin in Irbil. The offending blog post, titled "I am in love with Barzanis daughter, lampooned Barzani's family for nepotism and corruption.

After publishing his article, Osman wrote that he had received death threats and was interrogated by the security forces.

There are always people who dont want to listen when you start telling the truth, who get furious at the slightest whisper. To stay alive though, we must tell the truth. I will continue to write until the last minute of my life, he wrote.

Numerous reports have documented how the Barzani and Talabani families have dominated Kurdistan for decades and allegedly amassed vast hidden wealth using their control of the regional government, security forces and oil resources.

A Safer World For The Truth describes itself as a people's tribunal in a world where impunity for crimes against journalists is common. The initiative so far has investigated impunity in the killings of five journalists.

In Osmans case, the KRG created a special committee to investigate the matter. But the journalist groups found numerous problems in the committees work, making the explanation that terrorists were to blame implausible.

First, we found that after the assassination, Kurdish authorities consistently harassed and threatened Sardashts family and friends, and threatened journalists who wrote about the case. Additionally, Kurdish authorities banned various publications about Sardashts life, work and assassination, the report states.

The location where Sardasht was kidnapped was constantly monitored by CCTV cameras and armed guards, yet the armed guards did not prevent the kidnapping; nor did the committee analyze CCTV footage of the kidnapping, the investigation found.

An original autopsy report disappeared, the group said, as did its author. An official autopsy report was inconsistent with other physical evidence, and the KRG committee never interviewed Osmans family and friends or investigated the threats hed received.

Jules Swinkels, lead researcher for the groups report said in a statement: The case of Sardasht is emblematic of what can happen when journalists push the boundaries of their confined freedom of expression.

"[Osman] wrote satirically about Kurdistans most powerful individuals and was kidnapped and assassinated because of it. Tragically, his case demonstrates that a complete lack of political will to investigate and solve murders of journalists domestically is one of the main reasons for impunity," Swinkels added.

In the years since Osman's death, at least 22 other journalists have been killed in Iraq, including several who died in KRG-controlled areas, according to the CPJ.

The report called on the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom, which have all aided the KRG financially and militarily, to press Kurdish authorities to investigate threats against, attacks on and murders of journalists according to international standards, including a re-investigation of the case of Sardasht Osman.
Journalists in both Sudan and South Sudan say threats, intimidation and arbitrary arrests are part of everyday life, limiting their ability to inform the public.

South Sudan ranks 128th and Sudan ranks 151st out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders annual World Press Freedom Index, released Tuesday to coincide with the United Nations annual recognition of World Press Freedom Day. The bigger the number, the worse the environment for news media.

Irene Ayaa of the Association for Media Development in South Sudan says government censorship in her country is widespread.

"Last month, we registered four articles removed from newspapers," she said.

Between January and March alone, security personnel removed dozens of articles from the Juba Monitor, Anna Namiriano, editor-in-chief of an English-language daily, told South Sudan in Focus. "They removed stories and we left the space blank. They say why we are not listening to them, so on 17th of March, they suspended the newspaper."

In February, a handful of journalists were briefly detained for covering a press conference by opposition lawmakers in parliament. A Juba Monitor newspaper article about the incident was removed by security agents at the printing plant.

"We dont have freedom of the press in the country," Namiriano said. "The solution is let us do our work as media houses. We have the code of conduct, we have the media law to guide us, and removal of stories is really very bad."

South Sudans information minister, Michael Makuei, insists press freedom is alive and well in his country.

"South Sudan is the only place where journalists are free, where they enjoy absolute freedom according to the law. I say, 'according to the law,' because there is nothing absolute in this world," Makuei told South Sudan in Focus.

The United Nations Commission on Human Rights refutes that assertion. In a report issued last October, it said the government is harassing activists, journalists and their families, limiting their activities and targeting their work and finances. South Sudan is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist, according to the commission.

"South Sudan has a lot of work to do to establish and solidify the institutions that are critical to a well-functioning democratic state," David Renz, charge daffaires for the U.S. Embassy in South Sudan, said in a statement Tuesday, adding that the U.S. remains deeply concerned about the state of press freedom in South Sudan.

"We have seen some of the local radio stations shut down over very trivial matters," Renz said. "And we also are aware that journalists of radio and television and even social media are self-censored" and wary of local and national governments actions "to penalize journalists who say things the government would prefer that they not say."

Further complications from coup

In Sudan, journalists in the capital city of Khartoum say harassment and threats have increased since the October 25 military takeover.

Shoggi Abdulazeem, an investigative journalist in Sudan, said he received a death threat in November and was warned not to speak to international media.

"I was hosting live on Al Jazeera and after leaving their office, eight armed security men followed me in a pickup. They surrounded my car," Abdulazeem said. He told South Sudan in Focus he was blindfolded and moved around "for more than two hours" and was ordered "not to criticize the military again."

Covering pro-democracy protests in Sudan continues to be a dangerous endeavor, Abdulazeem said.

"Many newspapers, TV channels and radio stations received directives not to host or conduct interviews with some named individuals who criticize military leaders, Abdulazeem said. He added, There are intelligence officers who are assigned to monitor this situation."

Aisha Assamani, an executive member of the independent Sudanese Media Network, told South Sudan in Focus he has recorded more than 10 attacks on journalists and media houses since last year's coup.

"They are targeting freedom of speech with so much excessive force," Assamani said. "The majority of our journalists now are fearful and their lives are in danger. Most of them remain anonymous due to the danger of the situation."

On December 30, Sudanese security forces stormed the offices of three television stations  al-Arabiya, al-Hadath and al-Sharq  firing tear gas, assaulting staff and destroying broadcast equipment, according to local news media. That same day, security forces detained al-Sharq correspondents Maha Al-Talb and Sally Othman for hours before releasing them.

On January 16, Sudanese authorities withdrew the broadcast license of Al Jazeera Live and closed its office in Khartoum. A letter from the Information Ministry to the director of Al Jazeera television in Sudan attributed the closing to an "unprofessional approach" and media content that "harmed the countrys higher interests and national security." The Doha-based network condemned the closure.

In February, Sudanese authorities arrested a group of BBC reporters in Khartoum and questioned them for several hours before releasing them.

VOA repeatedly called Sudans government for comment, but those calls  to Brigadier General Attahir Abu Haja, press advisor to military leader Abdul Fattah al-Burhan  went unanswered.

Michael Atit reported from Khartoum, Sudan; Deng Ghai Deng and Manyang David Mayar reported from Juba, South Sudan.
South African health officials are urging COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer Aspen to keep its plant in the Eastern Cape province open. This follows a Reuters article quoting Aspens senior director saying they may have to shut down as there have been no orders for their rebranded COVID vaccine.

A South African-owned subsidiary of pharmaceutical giant Aspen struck a deal with American company Johnson & Johnson in March to package, price, sell and distribute its vaccine in Africa.

This vaccine was rebranded as Aspenovax.

The move was hailed by many as there had been much concern about Africas reliance on imported vaccines which were often costly and at times in short supply.

But there have been no orders for Aspenovax. South Africas National Health Department Spokesperson Foster Mohale said the lack of orders is due to low vaccination rates not only at home, but globally.

Vaccine hesitancy is one of the factors which contribute to these low vaccination rates or demand for more vaccines which also affect the production. Because obviously we understand that they are in a business, they cant keep on producing vaccines when they know that the demand for vaccines is very low. So, we understand the situation where they are, and we sympathize with them, he said.

Mohale said for now, South Africa has enough vaccines. He adds that in March, 100,000 vaccines expired. And more are due to expire in June and July.

However, he said that Aspens vaccine plant is important because no one knows what the future holds.

We will try to engage them not to rush their decision precisely because we anticipate especially our scientists, our epidemiologists, we anticipate that the fifth wave might hit the country, South Africa, during the winter season which is a few weeks away from now. As you can see the number of daily COVID-19 patients has been rising for the past seven days, he said.

Professor Petro Terblanche, who is the managing director of South African company, Afrigen, which in a continent-first made an mRNA COVID vaccine using Modernas data  said the situation at Aspen is a tragedy for the industry.

This is just indicating again how important it is that this continent looks at policy reform. This is about how are we going to make sure that we give preferential procurement to local companies. How are we going to make sure that we create a marketplace and eco-system that will absorb local capacity? Otherwise, we will not have capacity locally in a sustainable manner and were going to get the next pandemic and we will be unprepared, and we will not have health security, said Terblanche.

She believes money should also be put into educating people on the importance of vaccines.

We need to ensure that we also put effort into advocacy for vaccination. Because we now have 17% of the continent that is vaccinated. We need to get them to at least 40% to ensure that we fully arrest this pandemic, she said.

Mohale was unable to say when the Health Department would be meeting with Aspens executives.
The United States is giving Ukraine 16 Mi-17 helicopters that Washington had procured for Afghanistan, a U.S. government agency charged with monitoring Afghan events said Wednesday.



The Department of Defense (DOD) notified Congress in January that it intended to give the Ukrainian government five of the Russian-built helicopters, which had been undergoing maintenance at a Ukrainian facility.



"Ukraine accepted these excess defense articles on March 11," the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) noted in its quarterly report submitted to U.S. lawmakers this week.



The report added: "In mid-April, President (Joe) Biden announced a military assistance package to Ukraine that included an additional 11 Mi-17 helicopters that had been scheduled for Afghanistan."

Mi-17s are mostly used to carry troops and military equipment. Ukraine is one of the former Soviet Union republics which hosts production and repair facilities for the helicopters.

US equipment left in Afghanistan

In its report this week, the

SIGAR also confirmed reports that the fall of the Western-backed Afghan government last August gave the country's new Taliban rulers access to more than $7 billion worth of U.S. Department of Defense equipment.

"DOD estimates that $7.12 billion worth of ANDSF equipment remained in Afghanistan in varying states of repair when U.S. forces withdrew in August 2021," the report said in reference to the U.S.-trained and funded former Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.

The SIGAR also clarified, citing the Pentagon data, that $18.6 billion worth of ANDSF equipment was procured through the U.S. Afghan Security Forces Fund (ASFF) since 2005  not the $80 billion reported by some media. Much of that equipment was destroyed during combat operation, it added.



The equipment includes aircraft, vehicles, munitions, guns and communication equipment, as well as other gear, "in varying states of repair," according to Pentagon spokesperson Army Major Rob Lodewick.



"Nearly all equipment used by U.S. military forces in Afghanistan was either retrograded or destroyed prior to our withdrawal," Lodewick said in a statement last week.



Pentagon officials also told VOA that only a sliver of U.S.-owned and operated equipment was left behind when the last U.S. troops departed Afghanistan, estimating its value at just more than $150 million before it was destroyed or otherwise rendered inoperable.



The Taliban seized power from the now-defunct Afghan government in mid-August 2021. U.S.-led foreign troops finished withdrawing from Afghanistan on August 30 after nearly two decades of war with Taliban insurgents.



Afghan air force personnel also flew almost 50 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft to neighboring Uzbekistan as the Taliban took control of the country in a lightning 11-day military offensive. Several more aircraft and Black Hawk helicopters were taken to neighboring Tajikistan to prevent them from falling into Taliban hands.



The SIGAR report quoted the Taliban air force commander and former Afghan Air Force (AAF) personnel as saying that about 4,300 members, half of the former AAF, have joined the Taliban's air force, including 33 pilots.



"Only a fraction of the 81 aircraft at the Kabul military airport are functional, including six repaired UH-60 Blackhawks," the report said.

Humanitarian assistance



Meanwhile, the SIGAR report said that the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) had paused the majority of development assistance programs in Afghanistan during August and September 2021. Since then, more than a dozen programs have restarted to address critical needs of the Afghan people.

"Efforts in these areas are being implemented through NGOs, international organizations, and other third parties, minimizing benefit to the Taliban to the extent possible," the report noted.



The United Nations estimates that nearly 23 million people in Afghanistan, ravaged by years of war and the worst drought in three decades, are in need of humanitarian assistance. An estimated nearly 9 million of them remain at risk of famine-like conditions.



The U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimates that 3.2 million children in Afghanistan will suffer from acute malnutrition in 2022, with one million severely malnourished children at risk of death if immediate action is not taken.



The Biden administration on March 31 pledged more than $204 million in humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan, according to the SIGAR. This is in addition to $308 million announced on January 11. The U.S. humanitarian aid in Afghanistan and for Afghan refugees in the region since October 2020 now totals nearly $986 million.

VOA's Jeff Seldin contributed to this report.
MOUNT QOMOLANGMA BASE CAMP, Tibet, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientific researchers on Wednesday established an automatic meteorological monitoring station at an altitude of over 8,800 meters, the world's highest of its kind, on Mount Qomolangma on the China-Nepal border.

It has replaced the station sitting at an altitude of 8,430 meters on the south side of the mountain, set up by British and U.S. scientists in 2019, to become the world's highest, according to the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (ITP), Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Including the new station, eight elevation gradient meteorological stations have been set up on Mount Qomolangma, one of the main tasks in China's new comprehensive scientific expedition on the world's highest peak.

Zhao Huabiao, a researcher with the ITP, said the monitored meteorological data will support scientific research and mountaineering activities.

The new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma is part of China's second scientific research survey on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres met with Nigerian leaders Wednesday at the end of a two-day visit to Nigeria and three-nation trip to Africa. On Tuesday, he visited internally displaced people (IDPs) in northeast Nigeria and called for them to be safely returned to their homes. Nigerian authorities plan to close all IDP camps in the next few years despite security concerns.



Antonio Guterres arrived the United Nations house in Abuja around 9 a.m. Wednesday and met with U.N. local coordinators before holding talks with Nigerian womens representatives.

The delegates, led by Nigeria's minister for womens affairs, Pauline Kedem Tallen, discussed gender equality and the inclusion of women in politics with the U.N. secretary-general.

"His coming to Nigeria today has given us hope, because we know that he will lend his voice to all the issues affecting women, gender-based violence, early marriage, lack of implementation of some of our laws," said Tallen.

Guterres afterwards met with Nigeria's religious leaders and later attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the U.N. house to remember the 23 people killed during the 2011 bombing of the building.

He began his three-nation Africa visit Sunday in Senegal as part of his Ramadan solidarity tour, and later went to Niger.

On Tuesday, he visited northeastern Borno state and met with the state governor as well as IDPs and families impacted by the Boko Haram conflict.

Guterres also visited repentant Boko Haram fighters and praised authorities' reintegration program for more than 1,000 former fighters.

He also commended authorities efforts to resettle displaced people back to their communities and called for more support to rebuild the region.



"The Borno that I found today is the Borno of hope, the Borno with future and I was very impressed to see the policy that is being deployed here, recognizing that you don't fight terrorism just by military means, you fight terrorism addressing the root causes of terrorism," he said. "The people that I met today in the IDP camps want to go back home in safety and dignity. The way to address terrorism effectively is to provide not only hope but a future of reality."

Nigerian authorities have been closing IDP camps since late last year and want to close all camps by 2026. More than 2 million people have been displaced from their homes since the start of the Boko Haram insurgency in 2009.

But aid groups have been warning some communities may still be attacked.

"There are multiple solutions when it comes to resettlement. We need to get people stabilized," said Adenike Oladosu, a climate justice activist, met with the U.N. secretary-general. "Climate change is leading to the rise of armed conflicts affecting people in the region and around and the need for us to see that we have more climate action and not always military action."

The U.N. secretary-general ended his visit at the Abuja presidential village, where he met with President Muhammadu Buhari and his top Cabinet members.
The Biden administration has begun expelling Cubans and Nicaraguans to Mexico under pandemic-related powers to deny migrants a chance to seek asylum, expanding use of the rule even as it publicly says it has been trying to unwind it, officials said Wednesday.

The U.S. struck agreement with Mexico to expel up to 100 Cubans and 20 Nicaraguans a day from three locations: San Diego; El Paso, Texas; and Rio Grande Valley, Texas, according to a U.S. official with direct knowledge of the effort.

The expulsions began April 27 and will end May 22, the official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement has not been made public. They are carried out under Title 42 authority, a public health law that has been used to expel migrants on grounds of preventing spread of COVID-19. Title 42 is due to expire May 23, unless a judge intervenes.

The U.S. and Mexico agreed April 26 to a very limited number of expulsions of Cubans and Nicaraguans, according to a high-level Mexican official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. It was prompted by higher numbers of migrants from those two countries coming to the U.S. border.

Mexico also took into account that the U.S. government had started processing visas in Cuba again, the official said. Mexico had also begun processing visas for Cubans.

Another Mexican official, also not authorized to comment publicly, confirmed that up to 100 Cubans and 20 Nicaraguans were being expelled from San Diego under Title 42.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Until last week, Mexico only agreed to take Guatemalans, Hondurans and El Salvadorans  in addition to Mexicans  under Title 42 authority. Other nationalities are subject to Title 42 but costs, strained diplomatic ties and other considerations often make it difficult to send them back to their home countries.

It's next to impossible for the U.S. to expel migrants to Cuba or Nicaragua because of poor relations with those governments. That has posed a challenge for the Biden administration as more people from those countries seek haven in the United States.

Cubans were stopped by U.S. authorities more than 32,000 times on the Mexican border in March, double the number in February and more than five times October's count, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Nicaragua eased travel restrictions from Cuba in November, making it easier for Cubans to continue by land to the U.S. border. Most enter the U.S. in or near Yuma, Arizona, and Del Rio, Texas.

Nicaraguans were stopped more than 16,000 times in March, more than double September's level. The vast majority enter in South Texas.

Lifting Title 42 has proved controversial as midterm elections near, even for Biden's Democratic Party, amid concerns that the U.S. is unprepared for an anticipated increase in migrants seeking asylum. Authorities stopped migrants more than 221,000 times in March, the highest mark in 22 years.

The White House and Homeland Security Department have publicly stood behind the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's decision to end the measure because it could no longer be justified on grounds of protecting public health.

But the practice of expelling Cubans and Nicaraguans runs counter to the administration's public statements that it was phasing out use of the pandemic powers to prepare for May 23.

The U.S. has expelled migrants more than 1.8 million times under Title 42 authority since March 2020, effectively overriding rights to seek asylum under U.S. law and international treaty. In doing so, migrants are not subject to immigration law, which include rights to seek protection from persecution at home.

The administration said in court filings that it began processing more Central American adults under immigration laws after the CDC's announcement on April 1. But a federal judge in Louisiana ruled last week that it couldn't start unwinding Title 42 while it was still in effect.

U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays strongly criticized the CDC's decision, suggesting he would try to keep Title 42 in effect after May 23. A hearing is scheduled May 13 for oral arguments.

Marisa Limon, senior director of advocacy and planning at the Hope Border Institute, said advocates began learning about expulsions of Cubans and Nicaraguans from El Paso on Monday and later confirmed the new practice with U.S. officials.

Limon said the administration is "trying to get every last bit out of Title 42" before it expires. She called it "sobering" but consistent with the administration's efforts to have other countries in the Western hemisphere take more responsibility for hosting people fleeing their homes.
Uzbekistan has emerged as a key interlocutor with the Taliban, engaging with its southern neighbor across a range of issues while insisting that it will not formally recognize the interim government in Afghanistan before the world community.

That nuanced position has allowed it to begin exploring opportunities for economic cooperation with Kabul without alienating the United States and other Western powers that have sought to isolate Afghanistan with asset seizures and other sanctions.

Ismatulla Irgashev, special representative to Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, said during an interview in Tashkent that his government is "working closely" with the Taliban. "We have long established solid contacts, talk regularly, [and] discuss cooperation."

Uzbekistan sees the Taliban "as a reality that must be accepted," he explained. Seeking a peaceful and stable neighbor, he added, "We see no other option. We share a border, deep history and culture."

"Imagine what happens if we don't engage.  More conflict, another civil war, more blood, poverty, suffering, threats to the neighbors and the international community."

Reflecting on President Mirziyoyev's description of Afghanistan as an integral part of Central Asia, Irgashev said, "We see a common future with immense common interests, no matter who is in power there."

In the short term, Uzbekistan has become a key hub for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, earning it the appreciation of donor nations.

"We  very much welcome the strong humanitarian support that you've been providing to the Afghans," said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during talks in March.

Mirziyoyev recently dispatched a delegation to Washington, urging more assistance to Afghanistan. Irgashev claimed Tashkent has persuaded the European Union to return diplomats to Kabul and hopes the U.S. will ultimately take similar steps.

"The Taliban don't want to be isolated," Irgashev said. "They want international recognition."

While urging greater engagement with the Taliban, Irgashev said Tashkent is committed to moving ahead with formal recognition only in concert with the international community.

"We will not recognize them alone," he said. "When it happens, we want a collective voice and stand."

Most world governments cite three conditions for recognition of the Taliban  the formation of an "inclusive" government, protection of the rights of women, and steps to ensure that Afghan territory will not become a base for international terrorists.

The concern about terrorism is one that Uzbekistan and the United States "share very deeply," said U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Daniel Rosenblum. "Terrorist groups operate there. There's some evidence that they've been growing in number and ability to operate since the change of government last summer," he told VOA.

But, he said, Uzbekistan "has been extremely collaborative and communicative about its Afghanistan policy."

Irgashev said he believes it will be difficult for the Taliban to quickly meet the other conditions for recognition.

"For 20 years at least, the Taliban fought the West and its mission. They promised a government based on Taliban principles. How can we expect them to revise their agenda so fast?" he asked.

"But they realize they need to make changes to be accepted internationally. They need time to adjust step-by-step. We've discussed these complexities with Americans and Europeans."

Irgashev pointed out that most members of the interim government in Kabul "have very little, if any, experience with governance or management." In his view, he added, "they also need time to work out internal disagreements."

Arguing for greater engagement with the Taliban in the meantime, Irgashev noted that they are in firm control of Afghanistan, their rule challenged only by minor resistance movements based mainly in the Panjshir Valley.

"The Taliban is an independent military and political force that controls the entire country," Irgashev said, stressing that they are the first government in Kabul in 40 years to rule without direct foreign backing.

Tashkent's thinking is also colored by practical economic concerns, not least the prospect of securing a trade route from landlocked Uzbekistan through Afghanistan to Pakistani seaports on the Indian Ocean.

"We believe the Taliban shares these goals and is committed to work with us on these endeavors," Irgashev said. "There will surely be problems and challenges but we're working on trade, transportation, communication, and other sectors."

He said Taliban leaders understand they must also develop a "workable relationship" with the West in order to improve the living conditions of their people. "Therefore, they are eager to collaborate on infrastructure projects and we are urging our Western partners to seize the moment and help guide them."

This story originated in VOA's Uzbek Service.
The Global Network, an alliance of humanitarian and developmental agencies, says around 193 million people globally experienced extreme hunger last year, with more than half a million on the brink of famine in Ethiopia, southern Madagascar, South Sudan, and Yemen.

The network, which includes the European Union, U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, and World Food Program, is calling for action to tackle the life-threatening crisis.

Authors of the report warn the crisis is set to worsen this year. They say the key drivers of food insecurity  conflict, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic  are pushing increasing numbers of people into poverty.

The executive director of the World Food Program, David Beasley, calls it a perfect storm. He says whatever progress has been made in feeding the destitute is being lost because of Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and now Ukraine.

"As we look around the world, 276 million people marching towards starvation," he said. "And now we have got the breadbasket of the world being turned into breadlines. Who would have ever thought that we would see this in our time, our lifetime. Mass migration taking place out of Ukraine. And it is going to devastate the food security situation around the world."

He notes Ukraine and Russia together produce 30 percent of the world's wheat, 20 percent of the world's maize, and up to 80 percent of sunflower seed oil. He says those supplies are not moving out of Ukraine because Russia has blockaded Black Sea ports.

"If we do not get ahead of this thing, we will have not just famine in multiple countries around the world because, you know, we got additional droughts and all types of issues. But you will have destabilization of some nations and you will have mass migration by necessity. And no one wants that," Beasley said.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell warns the global food crisis threatens child survival and development.

"By stark contrast, inadequate nutrition is the leading cause of child mortality," she said. "In fact, nearly half of all deaths of children under five are attributable to undernutrition.  We now estimate that by the end of 2021, 50 million children were suffering from wasting, the most life-threatening form of malnutrition. We expect this number is now higher."

The Global Network is calling for coordinated, collective action to address the food and nutrition crisis. It says emergency funding is needed now to pull starving people back from the brink, and longer-term action is crucial to create more sustainable agri-food systems.


GENEVA 

The United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross accompanied 127 people Tuesday from the outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine, to the town of Zaporizhzhia, about 230 kilometers northwest of the besieged city.

The evacuation is the latest success of the safe passage operation coordinated by the U.N. and ICRC, which began April 29. That operation liberated 101 women, men, children and elderly people who had been living in bunkers below the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol for more than two months, while their city was being bombed by Russian forces.

Dorit Nizan, a World Health Organization incident manager for Ukraine, said preparations have been made to care for the physical and psychological needs of the new arrivals. She said the hospitals are well-equipped with medical supplies, and are being supported by volunteers and health workers.

"As you know, many people left this region because they are close to the contact line, and they were under fights and shelling," she said from a reception center in Zaporizhzhia. "But many of the health workers stayed to deliver, to help. And those that left are replaced by other health care workers that came from the other areas that were occupied."

Nizan said a steady stream of people has been coming to Zaporizhzhia from Mariupol and the vicinity. She added that some people stuck at the contact line in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, where intense fighting has been taking place, have arrived in cars driven by volunteers.

While Nizan said she does not know the condition of the people who arrived by bus from Mariupol, there are health workers on hand to help.

"We are ready for all what you just mentioned  burns, fractures and wounds, as well as infections, diarrhea, respiratory infections," she said. "And we are also ready to see the pregnant women, children, malnutrition. We are all here, and the health system is well prepared."

Nizan said no major injuries have been found among the people who have arrived, but that mental health is a big concern.

Before Russia began its attack on Mariupol, around half a million people lived in the bustling port city. Today's population is believed to be around 100,000.
Sharon Njobo, former senior business reporter of the state-controlled Zimbabwe Inter-Africa News Agency (ZIANA), was forced to leave her job in the troubled southern African nation when she wrote a report on President Robert Mugabes failure to secure a multi-million-dollar fuel supply deal with the government of Kuwait.

Njobo travelled to Kuwait in 2000 as part of a presidential news crew. Mugabe was expected to seal the proposed deal at a time Zimbabwe was facing serious fuel shortages. Details of the botched deal penned by Njobo took the government by surprise, resulting in the state withholding funding for ZIANA.

Njobo, who was harassed by state security agents, left the country for USA where she stayed for a few years before leaving for Canada. She now works as a manager of a development agency and uses social media to highlight issues affecting women, especially Zimbabweans living in different countries.

Njobo says there is no press freedom in Zimbabwe and therefore local journalists should be innovative in order to highlight issues affecting citizens. She also believes that government should work well with journalists in order to create a conductive media environment. She speaks with VOA Zimbabwes Gibbs Dube about this and other issues.

Gibbs Dube (GD): Describe your experience as a journalist in Zimbabwe. What difficulties did your face?

Sharon Njobo (SN): One of my most vivid memories of working as a journalist in Zimbabwe is what ultimately led to my leaving the organization that I was working for. I remember that I worked as a senior business reporter and part of my responsibilities included travelling on state visits with His Excellency at the time Robert Mugabe and I had traveled with him on a trip to Kuwait where Zimbabwe was going to negotiate for a credit facility to procure fuel. That was unsuccessful. So, I wrote about that and obviously the government was not pleased about it and they made life difficult for the entire organization of ZIANA and it became uncomfortable for me and my colleagues at that time and I took it upon myself to leave the organization so that the government could release funding because they were actually holding onto funding for ZIANA because ZIANA was writing stories that did not align with the government mandate.

GD: What other difficulties did you face as a ZIANA reporter?

SN: There is that harassment that you experience as a woman in a field that is predominantly perceived to be for men and also some of the challenges that we experienced at ZIANA was inadequate funding, which now when I reflect was not just because there were challenges with the budget or fiscus but it was probably intentional on governments part to keep us underfunded and as well while we did not have any specific instruction from our editorial leadership to report in a particular way you would from time to time especially when you were working closely with the presidents office you would get the reminders from time to time that you needed to be careful about how you reported about government.

GD: Whats the current state of press freedom in Zimbabwe?

SN: Im in a number of groups, journalism groups, with colleagues who are still back home in Zimbabwe and I would say the space has shrunk even further for journalists in Zimbabwe. In 2017 with the new regime that came in there was this expectation that there would be press freedom but we dont see that and one of the factors that I observed to particularly challenging for journalists in Zimbabwe is the economic situation where there is so much poverty and this is compromising as well how journalists can report on some issues and it makes them vulnerable. Their intergrity is compromised because sometimes they have to choose between bread and butter, literally and journalism ethics. So, I find that shrinks the space even further for journalists in Zimbabwe.

GD: Are you working as a journalist? What are you doing to ensure fair coverage in your country?

SN: Im not working as a journalist currently but with the growth that we are seeing in social media, journalism is different now and I/m very big on social media. I have a Facebook group where I share a lot of information about Zimbabwe with women who live in Canada. Part of the mission with this Facebook group is to get women engaged in economic, social and political issues not only in Zimbabwe, just to create space in which women are comfortable and they are also appreciative of the diversity of views trying to cultivate a democratic space. So, you can call that Facebook page a newspaper.

GD: Whats your advice to journalists in Zimbabwe? Whats your advice as well to the government?

SN: My advice to journalists is to be tactful, to be smart, to also see how they utilize social media and not to entirely depend on the mainstream newspapers, radio and outlets like that. So, being creative on how they utilize social media because at the end of the day is what you want to get out there it information. What we have seen with social media is that you cannot suppress the voice of the people. What will be helpful to the government will be as truthful and as accurate and as quick as possible because over and over again we are finding that people will eventually get to know the truth and government as well can use social media effectively, can work effectively with journalists to communicate their agenda.
An independent lawmaker and the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee says President Emmerson Mnangagwa should be appear before it to face questions on lack of action on corruption allegations and other issues raised by Zimbabwes Auditor General.

In an interview, Norton Member of Parliament, Temba Mliswa, said Mnangagwa should give details about his governments failure to reign in some state officials, including ministers, linked to corruption.

We expect the president to be called to come face questions on what is happening in his government. His soldiers are busy stuffing their pockets with public funds, said Mliswa, adding that, some parliamentarians are scared about summoning the president over issues raised by the Auditor General.

Mliswa is the chairperson of the African Parliamentarians Against Corruption, an anti-corruption group, which wants the Zimbabwean government to be probed over unaccounted funds amounting to billons of dollars as per the AG Mildred Chiris latest report.

Brian Dube, chairperson of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee, said Mnangagwa should inform Zimbabweans why he was not taking action against alleged rampant corruption in his government.

The president is expected to tell citizens what is going on in his government. I fully support Mliswas suggestions.

In her report, Chiri said some ministries are failing to account for millions of dollars and indications are that they are not willing to do so in the near future.

Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba, was unavailable for comment.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled new punitive actions against Russia on Wednesday, announcing plans to cut off European purchases of Russian crude oil within six months and end imports of refined energy products by the end of 2022.

The package must be unanimously approved by EU members to take effect.

"Let's be clear, it will not be easy because some member states are strongly dependent on Russian oil, but we simply have to do it," von der Leyen told the European Parliament.

She said the phased approach would allow for EU members to find alternatives to Russian imports and blunt negative effects on the global energy markets, helping to maximize pressure on Russia while minimizing collateral economic damage.

SEE ALSO:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pushed for more extensive European actions to cut off imports of Russian energy, saying earlier this week that a new EU package "should include clear steps to block Russia's revenues from energy resources."

The proposed EU sanctions also include removing Russia's biggest bank, Sberbank, from the international SWIFT transaction and messaging system, and listing high-ranking military officers "who committed war crimes in Bucha and those responsible for the inhuman siege of Mariupol."

"This sends another important signal to all perpetrators of the Kremlin: We know who you are, we will hold you accountable, you are not getting away with this," von der Leyen said.

She added that Russian President Vladimir Putin "must pay a high price for his brutal aggression."

"Putin wanted to wipe out Ukraine from the map and he will clearly not succeed," she said. "On the contrary. Ukraine has risen in bravery and in unity, and it is his own country, Russia, that Putin is sinking."

In Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden said he would be speaking with other leaders from the Group of Seven advanced economies about potential new sanctions against Russia.

"We're always open to additional sanctions," Biden told reporters. "I'll be speaking with the members of the G7 this week about what we're going to do or not do."

A senior U.S. defense official said that Russian military progress in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region is "stalled... very slow and uneven."

Russia has been launching about 40 to 50 missile strikes a day but was "still wary" of flying inside Ukraine. Russian forces have been meeting stiff resistance from Ukrainian forces as they attempt to advance toward Kramatorsk and Severodonetsk in eastern Ukraine, the official said.

Russian troops also appear to be targeting critical infrastructure in western Ukraine but that the attacks have had "no appreciable impact," the official said.

President Zelenskyy said Russia intensified its shelling in the eastern and southern parts of the country, actions that he characterized as Russian forces reacting "with great anger to our successes."

"The sheer scale of today's shelling clearly does not indicate that Russia has any special sort of specific military aim," he said in a Tuesday evening address.

Russia's targets included the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, where the last remaining Ukrainian troops have been holed up in the Azovstal steel plant along with several hundred civilians.

The United Nations said Tuesday that 101 people had been safely evacuated from the site and taken, along with other civilians from the town of Manhush, to the Ukrainian-held city of Zaporizhzhia, about 230 kilometers northwest of Mariupol, where they are receiving initial humanitarian assistance and health care.

Osnat Lubrani, the U.N.'s humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, said she was "pleased and relieved" that the civilians, including older men and women and children, had been evacuated from Azovstal plant.

"Over the past days, traveling with the evacuees, I have heard mothers, children and frail grandparents speak about the trauma of living day after day under unrelenting heavy shelling and the fear of death, and with extreme lack of water, food, and sanitation," Lubrani said.

"They spoke of the hell they have experienced since this war started, seeking refuge in the Azovstal plant, many being separated from family members whose fate they still don't know," she said. "I saw the tears of joy as family members trapped in different parts of the plant for two months were reunited."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss discussed support for Ukraine in a telephone call.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the diplomats talked about "additional security and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and continued transatlantic unity," as well as "economic consequences for those who continue to provide financial or material support that aids the Kremlin's war against Ukraine."

Some information came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Press and Reuters.
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Children experienced at the museum (Source: dangcongsan.vn)

To kick off the summer of 2022, right in the last days of April, Vietnam Women's Museum organized an experience tour for more than 500 students of grades 1 and 2 of a primary school in Hanoi city.

With the topic of learning about the "Trip of a drop of water", museum staff not only linked the display content with the main program at school, but also applied STEM methods for students to experience and remember information more intuitively. From the story of a drop of water in the elementary school curriculum, activities at the museum connect more scientific knowledge about clouds and how rain is formed in association with creating artificial rain, realizing the experience of water cycle.

In addition to the water movement games, the museum also helped visitors understand more about transportation during the war against the French, and provided more scientific knowledge of the cloud and rain establishment./.
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Florence,Italy (13.2 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / 10-15 s : Sitting on the ground floor of my house. It must Have been a stronger one for me to feel it on the ground floor of our house. This is was one of the first anti-earth houses built in Florence ???? you usually only feel them on the top floor | 2 users found this interesting.

Via Faenza, Florence, Italy / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Felt the apartment shaking, with some deep ratting noises. Looked out the window in confusion and people in the apartment building across the street two floors above us also confirmed the shaking. | 2 users found this interesting.

Florence, Italy (13.1 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) : Heard a boom or a rumble and felt our building shake for a couple seconds. Definitely felt it and we are on the first floor of an apartment building (2nd story in US). | One user found this interesting.

Florence on the toilet / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Horny | 3 users found this interesting.

Westin Excelsior, Florence Italy (13.4 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : A quick first movement. Like being pushed. Then a swinging back and forth as it slowed. I thought I heard a boom at the beginning. I thought something had hit the building.

Florence, ital (13.1 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 20-30 s : I was on the 4th floor of my hotel when I felt shuddering. It felt like an elevated train going right by my room at high speed but this doesnt exist in Florence.

Florence, Italy (12.6 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) : I am on the 3rd floor. I was sitting on bed and I felt it wiggle like someone shaking it back and forth a few times. Then I heard a rumble outside. Everything went still and quiet afterwards.

Florence, Italy (13 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 2-5 s : It wasn't a particularly violent quake, but it definitely got my attention. I've been in rolling earthquakes before. This one was "almost fun". There was a two second intial rumble and then I felt the floor begin to rise and fall. It took me about a secon

Grassina Italy (8.9 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) : Was afraid and suprised. Collected other people in yhe same building and went outside with a mobile phone.

Firenze (15.1 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) : Sitting on a chair, when the earth "moved". It felt like a heavy truck paased by very fasr The glass doors made some noise.

Via fiesolana florence (13.6 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) : Like the building was shaking left and right for some time. I was sitting at a table and chairs and the table was rattling.

florence, italy (13 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : Sitting at my desk, felt a small vibration, then felt the building sway. Dogs started barking. | One user found this interesting.

Firenze,Italy (13.5 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : The things hanging in my room , swing from left to right | One user found this interesting.

Florence Italy (13.3 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : Sitting on first floor of building,felt shaking and window opened. | One user found this interesting.

florence italy (16.9 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) : third floor of a hostel, felt bed shaking vigorously | One user found this interesting.

Florence (13.1 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s : Laying in bed on a 4th floor. Felt the shaking and heard the door moving. | One user found this interesting.

Fl (13.3 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) : Shaking building | One user found this interesting.

Florence, Italy / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Felt an after shock around 22:18pm. On 2nd floor of hotel, the bed started shaking and windows rattled.

Florence / not felt : Didnt even realise an earthquake had taken place until someone in my hotel on a higher floor said their bed was shaking

In bed in florence / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s : I donno how to describe it but it was alarming. I felt the bed shaking. No not only the bed, the whole building was shaking! But thank God only for a few seconds. I didnt know what it was at the beginning then I linked it with the early evening similar fe

In Florence hotel / not felt : On the sixth floor of hotel by the Ponte Vecchio. The room shook at about 5:50 pm and again at about 10:20. Both about 2-3 seconds with some noise like a bang. Scary.

Florence, Italy / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Things in the room were shaking, like TV, lamps, mirrors, our bed and windows, literally everything. It wasn't something really intense, just seconds of shaking and then it stopped

Vacciano, Bagno A Ripoli / Light shaking (MMI IV) / complex motion difficult to describe / 5-10 s : It was like feeling a strong wind/force blow from one end of the house to the other. The first time you feel it, it's very unsettling.

Im Badezimmer / Weak shaking (MMI III) / complex motion difficult to describe / 15-20 s : Ein leichtes beben aber klar spurbar der Boden wackelt und die Fenster vibrieren ein kurzer Moment.....

Florence / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : I Felt the whole apartment building shake.I am via Romana in Florence. No aftershocks. Nothing in the apartment fell or was disturbed.

Greve / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : I was laying on the sofa and the house and the sofa were swinging more than lightly. Its been my first earthquake and so its hard for me to describe

Sesto Fiorentino / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Horizontal to and fro movement for about 3 seconds. Just felt as though the table moved two inches forward and back.

Florence / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Shaking bed like sleeping next to traintrack | One user found this interesting. Was more like 2-5 seconds / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Florence / Weak shaking (MMI III) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 1-2 s : Felt like someone was moving furniture in the next room | One user found this interesting.

Florence via d'elle giovinne italia / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s : Une secousse puis une certaine inquietude une fois la secousse passee | One user found this interesting.

San Casciano in Val di Pesa, Florence, Tuscany (7.6 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s
The resurrection of the Cold Warriors

In two months, the Russian special military operation against the Banderites has turned into a real war between the Russians and the Donbass Peoples Republics on the one hand and the Nato-backed Ukrainians on the other.

A Ukrainian victory would be a blow against Russia and a Russian victory would mark the death of NATO. Neither of the two protagonists can back down. So all moves are allowed.

First, the Banderites saw their former allies from the Anti-Bolshevik Bloc of Nations (ABN) and the World Anti-Communist League (WACL) [1], such as 3,000 militiamen from the Turkish Grey Wolves, flocking to Ukraine.

While the ABN and the WACL, without having completely disappeared, have been replaced by the secret Centuria Order, the anti-Russian ideological links and the fraternity developed during the secret operations of the Cold War are still there. During the war against Syria, the links established between jihadists of several nationalities during their successive battles under the command of the CIA in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Chechnya and Kosovo were also noted.

It appears today that this war is bound to last and to grow. These networks are therefore continuing their mobilization. For example, for the time being, no Asian combatants have been reported, even though Chiang Kai-shek had offered very significant assistance to the WACL, even going so far as to set up the Political Warfare Cadres Academy of the Ukrainian Banderite Yaroslav Stetsko in Taiwan. This school was the equivalent of the Psychological Warfare Center of Fort Bragg (USA) and the School of Americas in Panama, including torture courses. The governor of Mykolayev of Koryo-Saram origin, Vitaly Kim, could make the connection with the successors of the South Korean dictator Park Chung-hee.

The League was thoroughly transformed in 1983 on the advice of the Straussian Edward Luttwak [2]. It changed its name to the World League for Freedom and Democracy (WLFD) when the USSR was dissolved. It held its last congress on January 23 and 24, 2022 in Taiwan, under the presidency of Yao Eng-chi, a senior Kuomintang official. It has a consultative status at the UN and an office in the Organizations premises. It continues to receive nearly $1 million in annual funding from Taipei. The Taiwanese governments secrecy law covers its activities.

Why die when you can exploit the distress of others?

While the CIA-supported continuators of fascist militias from around the world have joined the Banderites, Nato is keeping its distance from the Ukrainian army. This is to avoid a direct conflict between the United States and Russia, two nuclear powers.

The Pentagon therefore convened a meeting on April 26, 2022 at its German base in Ramstein to force 43 of its allies to give weapons to the Ukrainians. Knowing that before the war, the Zelensky government considered that a third of the armed forces were composed of Banderites militias, these weapons will go to the neo-Nazis. All states with competent intelligence services know this. But they are so tetanized by Uncle Sam that only Israel dared to boycott this meeting [3]. However, Washingtons influence is not what it used to be: it was able to mobilize the participation of 66 states to support the jihadists militarily against Syria. These states represent a third of the members of the UN, but only a tenth of the worlds population. We can see how much the position of the United States has weakened.

Moreover, this influx of arms no longer makes it necessary for the Ukrainian army to attack the Moldavian Republic of Dniester (Transnistria), which houses the largest stockpile of weapons on the European continent.

On April 29, the White House obtained from Congress $33 billion in additional funds to arm Ukraine. This raises Ukraines military budget to the 11th largest in the world.

After two months of fighting, the US political forces have rallied to the Straussian war and imagined what they can get out of it. To become the hyper-power it once was, the United States had to replay the score from the beginning of the Second World War. In 1939, it had still not recovered from the economic crisis of 1929. New York was far behind its rival, Buenos Aires. The brilliant idea had been to let the Europeans tear each other apart by selling them mass-produced weapons in exchange for their family jewels. Washington did not commit itself until 1942, and then only with its fingertips. The war resulted in 55 million casualties, of which only 200,000 were American. The trick was to have leased weapons. After Victory came the time of reckoning. The British were forced to give up their empire, while the Soviet debts were spread over 60 years. They were only cleared by Vladimir Putin.

Congress should therefore quickly pass the "Ukraine Democracy Defense Lease Act of 2022", which has already passed the Senate (S. 3522). Economically, too, the Second World War continues [4].

This is an application of the "Wolfowitz Doctrine" of 1990: to prevent by all means a rival of the United States developing, with priority to weaken the European Union.

If this measure is a logistical rationalization and an excellent economic investment, it is also a military waste: the handling of most of these weapons requires long training which the Ukrainian fighters lack. They will therefore not be able to use them in the short term. Moreover, these weapons can only be used on the front line, but cannot be transported there because the electrical stations are already destroyed and the European diesel locomotives are not adaptable to the gauge of the Ukrainian and Russian railroads. In addition, the railroads have already been heavily bombed.

Given the corruption of President Volodymyr Zelensky, it is foreseeable that, unable to use these weapons, he will sell them on the black market. They will resurface on other battlefields, this time in the hands of non-state actors. In two months, this joker has already managed to embezzle hundreds of millions of dollars. Meanwhile, his People are suffering.

The US strategy to become the center of the world again will only work if the war spreads to the West. I am not talking about the inevitable military operations against Transnistria [5], but about the economic involvement of the members of the European Union.

To date, only the Poles and Bulgarians have refused to pay for Russian gas in rubles and are therefore deprived of supplies. All other EU members have already agreed to pay in rubles, but not directly to Gazprom, through bank intermediaries. Polish rantings that the country is about to switch suppliers do not help: Warsaw will import Russian gas from other European countries, which will pay in rubles. The only difference is that it will have to pay an additional intermediary.

By following their American overlord, Europeans must therefore expect both a sharp drop in their standard of living and the loss of their family jewels. No one seems to care.

Towards the dismantling of Ukraine

For the moment, Russian military operations are strictly limited to the destruction of the huge Ukrainian defense infrastructure, which the West has no idea about. The mobile phase of the war has not yet begun. After months of shelling, it is expected to take place only during the summer and should be quick. The Russian army will then offer to move the population convinced by the Banderites to the remaining part of Ukraine.

The war has aroused irredentist appetites. Poland, which considered annexing the Kaliningrad enclave last month, is now considering occupying western Ukraine. It had already occupied this region, Galicia, during the interwar period, when the Austro-Hungarian Empire was dismembered. The idea would be to deploy "peacekeepers" and stay there. However, the Polish-Ukrainian war left bad memories between the two peoples and it is precisely in this context that the Banderites were formed. Incidentally, Stepan Bandera had the Polish Minister of the Interior, Bronisaw Pieracki, assassinated. The Banderites claim to have avenged the repression of their party, but the reality is that Bandera was already a member of the Nazi Gestapo and was preparing the invasion of Poland by the Third Reich.

Romania said nothing for the moment, but positioned its troops. When the war extends to Transnistria, it will not hesitate to question the existence of both Transnistria and Moldavia, both Romanian in the 20th century. Hungary covets Ukrainian Transcarpathia, which it lost when the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell. Ukrainian governments discriminated against its predominantly Hungarian population after the "Revolution of Dignity" (the 2014 coup). Like Russian, its language was banned. Today, Transcarpathia is at peace. Russian troops have not attacked it. It serves as a refuge for Ukrainians from the internal opposition. Slovakia only has its eye on a few villages.

Russia, on the other hand, which only wanted to recognize the independence of Crimea (already part of the Russian Federation) and the Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics, announced on March 24 that it intended to annex all of southern Ukraine in order to link Transnistria, Crimea and the Donbass.

As a result of this Polish-Romanian-Magyar-Russian carve-up, Ukraine is expected to lose half of its territory and be reduced to its bare bones.

Rare positive attempt

On April 26, UN Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez went to the Kremlin with two proposals.

Create a joint UN-Russia-Ukraine commission to coordinate humanitarian efforts;

To create with UN and International Red Cross personnel an exit corridor from the Azovstal factory in Marioupol for civilians who wish to leave.

So far, the Ukrainians have proposed humanitarian corridors to Moldova and Poland, while the Russians have proposed corridors to Belarus and Russia (knowing that the Banderites will be arrested and tried there). No agreement was reached.

As for the Azovstal factory in Marioupol, it is not known whether any civilians have taken refuge there. The Russian army created an exit corridor that 1,300 soldiers used to surrender, but no civilians went through. Ukrainian POWs have claimed that there are civilians being used as human shields by the Banderites, which Kiev denies. A Turkish personality, who favours an alliance with China and Russia rather than the United States, Dogu Perincek, claimed that 50 French officers were trapped inside, without this imputation being verifiable [6]. Russia asked the UN to come and verify the conditions of detention of these 1,300 prisoners, which they did not do. It was a question of Moscow raising its humanitarian demands in order to obtain them for the Russian prisoners of the Ukrainians. Many videos are circulating attesting to the ill-treatment and torture they are undergoing.

Before the opening of the talks, Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly reiterated his countrys position: Russia rejects the rules laid down by the West and demands respect for the UN Charter (which was the subject of the proposal for a bilateral US-Russia peace treaty on December 17, 2021 [7].

The UN Secretary General then explained that, according to general opinion, the UN Charter condemns the invasion of a sovereign country. The Russian president replied that this is a special case: Ukraine has publicly declared that it will not implement the Minsk agreements registered by the Security Council and has attacked its own population of Donbass with heavy weapons. After eight years of resistance, these populations voted for independence and their governments called on Russia for help, which it did under Article 51 of the Charter.

Vladimir Putin then referred to the decision of the International Court of Justice on the independence of Kosovo. The Court declared that the right of peoples to self-determination could be applied without the consent of the central authority to which they were previously subject. This was not disputed. In Kosovo, however, it was the National Assembly that proclaimed independence, while in Donbass, it was the people who proclaimed it directly in a referendum.

At the end of the discussion, the United Nations and the International Red Cross agreed with Russia to establish a procedure for the evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal plant in Marioupol.

War propaganda

In the meantime, the war propaganda continues. It is striking to note that the two sides are addressing different targets and using different methods.

London and Washington seek to convince Westerners of their narrative. They do not address the Ukrainians, let alone the Russians. They impose their point of view through repetition, then move on. They concentrate on undermining Ukrainian neo-Nazis, on staging beautiful images [8] and on denouncing crimes attributed to the Russians.

For example, they claimed that the Russian army had committed a massacre of civilians in Butcha. Their leaders spoke of a possible "genocide", the most serious crime that can be judged. The experts explained that the victims had been shot with automatic weapons. But when forensic scientists invalidated this version [9], Kiev suppressed the news by charging ten Russian soldiers, whose identity is unknown.

The Ukrainian propaganda focuses on two issues: the invention of military victories praised by the Western press, but quickly denied, and the attribution of abominable crimes to the Russian army, also quickly denied.

For its part, Moscow considers the West as people who do not want to accept reality and therefore cannot change their minds until they have lost. It therefore addresses only the Russians and Ukrainians, whom it considers to have been deceived in good faith by the Banderites. Rather than communicating about current events, Russia opens its military archives [10] to show that the Banderites never had any qualms about murdering or even torturing other Ukrainians. Above all, it attests that never, absolutely never, did the Banderites fight the Nazis. In this way, it overturns the official history of Ukraine according to Wikipedia and the OUN(B) for whom the Banderites fought against both the Nazis and the Soviets. The Western press does not relay these revelations because they would force them to position themselves against the Banderites. Moreover, German documents, also revealed by Moscow, show that the Nazi regime and the Banderites, together, conceived a plan to annihilate the populations of the Donbass. This plan, if it was not executed during the Second World War, has known a beginning of execution by the Kiev Banderites after 2014.
I want to be in awards season! Okay by me in awards season! Photo: Kevin Mazur/MG22/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

The Tony Awards, the yearly celebration of the best of Broadway and apparently, specifically, Bring It On: The Musical (hey, Adrienne Warren won last year), finally have a host. Ariana DeBose, a recent Oscar winner for her role as Anita in West Side Story, a Tony nominee for playing Disco Donna in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, an original cast member of Hamilton, and yes, Nautica in Bring It On, will host the ceremony on CBS on June 12 this year. The show starts at 8 p.m. (hopefully with some sort of elaborate dance number, use her talents!), though there will be an hour of exclusive content streaming only on Paramount+ starting at 7 p.m. with its own hosts to be announced. Because of delays caused by COVID-19 cases, the Tonys previously extended their eligibility period and will announce this years nominees on May 9. They have also instituted a strict no violence policy, which means that any WSS fans who really wanted to witness a rumble between Tracy Letts and Tony Kushner live from Radio City will be sorely disappointed.
Mr. Renato Darsie, Chairman of the Italy-Vietnam Friendship Branch in Veneto region, granted the right to use of the Vietnamese Cultural House in Venice to representative of Vietnamese students in Italy (Photo:VNA)

Ambassador Duong Hai Hung affirmed that the launch of the Vietnamese Cultural House contributes to enhancing cultural understanding between Vietnam and Italy.

Mr. Renato Darsie, Chairman of the Italy-Vietnam Friendship Branch in Veneto region, affirmed the important significance of opening the Vietnamese Cultural House in Venice.

Along with teaching Vietnamese language at Ca' Foscari University, the Vietnamese Cultural House in Venice will contribute to promoting cooperation and cultural exchange between Italy and Vietnam.

Mr. Renato hoped that through the Vietnamese Cultural House in Venice, cultural exchange and cooperation between Vietnam and Italy, or with the Veneto region, would see concrete steps toward stronger implementation in the near future.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Duong Hai Hung thanked Mr. Renato and the Italy-Vietnam Friendship Branch for their efforts to coordinate with regional and city authorities to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese students to have the Vietnamese Cultural House.

The launch of the Vietnamese Cultural House is a very important event in the Vietnam  Italy friendship and cooperation, contributing to enhancing cultural understanding between the two countries and building a bridge for the future of bilateral relations.

Congratulating Vietnamese students in Italy for having a separate place to organize learning and cultural activities of Vietnam, Ambassador Duong Hai Hung hoped that in the near future there will be cultural events to introduce Vietnam to Italian friends and build friendship with the Italian people, as well as encourage young Vietnamese to study in Italy.

The Ambassador affirmed that Vietnamese students in Italy are cultural ambassadors of Vietnam, cultural bridges between Vietnamese people and Italian people.

Venice has about 50 Vietnamese students but they have no specific basis to study and exchange with international friends.

According to Mr. Pham Hung Vuong, a Vietnamese student studying in Venice, the Vietnamese Cultural House will be a good place for Vietnamese students in Italy to study, exchange and promote Vietnamese culture to Italian friends and international friends./.
EU set to de-SWIFT Sberbank, another 2 Russian banks as part of additional sanctions  European Commission president

The sixth package of EU sanctions against Russia will include disconnection of three Russian banks, including Sberbank, from the SWIFT international payment system, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

"We de-SWIFT Sberbank - by far Russia's largest bank, and two other major banks," von der Leyen said in the European Parliament.

She added that the European Commission had proposed a ban on airing three major Russian state-run television channels in the EU.

"They will not be allowed to distribute their content anymore in the EU, in whatever shape or form, be it on cable, via satellite, on the internet or via smartphone apps," she said.

The EU is going to prohibit certain European specialists from providing services to Russian companies, von der Leyen said.

"Moreover, the Kremlin relies on accountants, consultants and spin-doctors from Europe. And this will now stop. We are banning those services from being provided to Russian companies," she said.

A number of servicemen will be placed under restrictions when the new package takes effect, von der Leyen said.
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MEXICO CITY  The Mexican government is snubbing Texas and moving a proposed border rail link to New Mexico after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott backed up border crossings with state inspections in April. Mexican diplomats met Tuesday with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and touted a rail line linking Mexican seaports on the Pacific with the San Jeronimo-Santa Teresa crossing in New Mexico, about 20 miles (36 kilometers) west of El Paso, Texas.

Mexico had considered a route through Texas, but in recent days officials have said they can no longer rely on that state. Abbott had required all commercial trucks from Mexico to undergo extra inspections, tying up traffic and causing millions in losses.

Roberto Velasco Alvarez, Mexicos director for North American affairs, wrote in his Twitter account about the meeting in Washington.

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There is a regional vision and management of migration, legal pathways and more development options, as well as advances in infrastructure with New Mexico that will allow us to develop immediate alternatives to commercial traffic that currently passes through Texas, Velasco Alvarez wrote.

Mexicos Economy Secretary Tatiana Clouthier was more forceful last week on the fate of a proposed rail line linking the Pacific coast port of Mazatlan in Mexicos Sinaloa state with the U.S. and Canada.

There is a very important project that will hopefully be finished soon that will connect Sinaloa and, we used to say Texas, but I dont think were going to use Texas anymore because we cannot put all our eggs in one basket and be held hostage to those who want to use trade as a political issue, Clouthier told a business conference.

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So we are going to look for another connection point because we cannot go through again what we went through a few weeks ago, she said.

Some truckers reported waiting more than 30 hours to cross during the state inspections. Others blocked one of the worlds busiest trade bridges in protest.

Abbott, who is up for reelection in November and has made the border his top issue, fully lifted the inspections after reaching agreements with neighboring Mexican states that outline new commitments to border security.

But those Mexican states have little authority or manpower to intercept drugs or migrant smuggling  the two issues Abbott cited in implementing the inspections, though state officials found little of either  so the agreements were seen as a way of pressuring Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to act.

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Lopez Obrador, has described Abbotts actions as vile. But Abbott hasnt backed down, and has said he is considering invoking defense powers by declaring that Texas is being invaded.

On Monday, Lopez Obrador brushed it off, saying, Now that there are elections, some politicians in the United States are making accusations.

But how are they going to talk about an invasion? Lopz Obrador said, referring to the fact that Texas  like much of the rest of the U.S. Southwest  once belonged to Mexico.

Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said Mayorkas had expressed concerns regarding the scheduled May 23 lifting of Title 42, the pandemic-era health rule that denies migrants a chance to seek asylum.

His perspective is just that there could be a problem with increased (migrant) flows, and for that reason we are going to work regionally on the issue, Ebrard said.

Ebrard also said Mexico continued to argue for Cuba and Venezuela to attend the upcoming Summit of the Americas in June in Los Angeles. The Biden administration has suggested that Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua are unlikely to be invited.

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Its starting to look like President Xi Jinping has dusted off a 30-year old phrase to exhort his government into pump-priming the economy and easing off harsh regulatory measures. Thats good news for the tech sector, but it may not last. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Its the economy, stupid, was one of U.S. presidential candidate Bill Clintons most famous quips in 1992. Now Xi is asking his government to heed the same call, though in more polite terms than the man who went on to become POTUS 42.

Over the past few years, political ideology focused on redistributing wealth and driving China toward a grand vision of technology and resource independence has taken precedence over almost everything else. The countrys battle against the pandemic, including adherence to a strict Covid-19 policy, has complicated this task and seen economics take a back seat to the governments desire to stop the spread at all costs.

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Technology companies such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., Tencent Holdings Ltd., DiDi Global Inc. and Meituan have been caught up as a disparate group of regulators imposed new rules, more forcefully applied old ones, and decreed that social stability mattered more than corporate profits. And the companies have complied.

Alibaba and Tencent, once bitter rivals, are exploring more ways of working together, including sharing access to each others platforms, while Tencent has continued to tighten usage of its games by minors. Alibaba, and its fintech affiliate Ant Group Co., have renovated their business models to leverage client data less while giving back more money to consumers and merchants. Education providers had to throw out their old playbooks and start afresh following new rules that severely curtailed what classes they could offer.

These various measures, generally lumped together under the term crackdown, hit shares hard. Alibabas U.S. depositary receipts fell more than 50% over the past year and Tencents Hong Kong shares are off more than 35%.

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They got a boost last week when the Politburo, the central decision making body of the Chinese Communist Party, pledged to deliver on economic targets while also supporting healthy growth of technology companies. Among the measures is a raft of infrastructure spending, a classic move used by governments around the world to stimulate growth by pumping money into the economy. But it was the comments about platform operators  those offering multiple services in one app, such as payments, shopping and deliveries  that gave investors reason for optimism.

Rectifications for the platform economy will be completed, regular supervision will be initiated and specific measures to support its standardized and sound growth will be unveiled, officials said in a statement cited by local media.

Theres a lot to unpack in that one sentence. The big takeaway is that Beijing is likely to offer more clarity over what is, and is not, forbidden  for example which data can be collected and used  while encouraging them to prosper.

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It wouldnt be fair to say that Beijing has been un-transparent in its rules and actions over the past few years, but executives have had to do a lot of tea-leaf reading across multiple agencies to discern exactly which regulations apply and how. One example: Last years record $2.8 billion fine handed out by the State Administration for Market Regulation against Alibaba was for using its dominance to force merchants to choose them over rivals. Yet that practice had been in place for at least six years. Meituan copped a $530 million penalty by the same agency for similar conduct.

Coming from the Politburo, these missives about letting platform operators grow are seen as a tacit acknowledgement that the crackdown is over. But that doesnt mean companies are off the hook.

Xis broader goal of redistributing wealth and more equally sharing the spoils of economic growth, encapsulated by the the term common prosperity, means that every new product or initiative internet companies offer must be developed with Beijings chief aim in mind.

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Greater transparency is good, but it also eliminates the grey areas  the gaps in the rules within which entrepreneurs innovated and drove the entire sector through a decade of growth. Using an app to pay for groceries, gathering car owners to offer taxi services, and turning electronic wallets into the gateway for loans and wealth-management products wasnt expressly allowed, but neither were these practices clearly forbidden.

Going forward, executives of established companies, as well as founders of the next wave of startups, will have no choice but to ensure they color well within the lines. Thats likely to lead to less uncertainty and fewer fines, yet the wings of Chinas innovative internet sector have been clipped. We shouldnt expect them to soar too high again.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

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 This Stimulus Is the Last Thing China Needs: David Fickling

 Technology Companies Have Found a Road Out of China: Tim Culpan

 Chinas Xi May Soon Learn You Cant Eat Statistics: Shuli Ren

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Tim Culpan is a technology columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. Based in Taipei, he writes about Asian and global businesses and trends. He previously covered the beat at Bloomberg News.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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Insurers of Ukraine from May 10 intend to cancel 50% discounts on short-term Green Card policies for passenger cars

Full members of the Motor (Transport) Insurance Bureau of Ukraine (insurance companies entitled to issue the Green Card international policies) decided to cancel the 50% discount on Green Card policies with a validity period of 15 days and one month.

This was announced on his page on the Facebook social network by Board Chairman of TAS Insurance Group Pavlo Tsaruk.

"Today, colleagues in the Green Card market were very upset and surprised. At a meeting of the MTIBU, nine out of 11 companies voted to cancel the 50% discount on Green Cpolicies, which we introduced in the first days of the war to support Ukrainians who were forced to leave In this regard, from May 10, 2022, the price of short-term policies will double and we will actually return to pre-war prices," he wrote.

According to Tsaruk, such a decision was initiated and supported by the insurance companies ARX, USG, Kniazha, Guardian, INGO, UTICO, ASKA (VUSO), PZU, and Oranta. TAS Insurance Group and Persha insurance company voted against.

As reported, from March 2, 2022, the MTIBU introduced new tariffs for Green Card policies for cars traveling abroad for 15 days and 1 month, reducing them by 50% from the previously established cost as of January 25, 2022. At the same time, the cost of the Green Card for other vehicles did not change.

Earlier, the National Bank of Ukraine reported that on April 28, 2022, it received information from foreign partners that citizens of Ukraine must have a Green Card policy when crossing the Polish border, this practice, apparently, will be extended to borders with other countries.

In this regard, the regulator recommends that Ukrainian citizens traveling abroad in their own car purchase a Green Card policy.

As reported, since the beginning of the war, Ukrainians had the right to cross the borders of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Moldova in their own cars without a Green Card policy.
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Last week, the administration of President Joe Biden announced regulations that will make it all but impossible to sell old-fashioned incandescent lightbulbs. LED bulbs  far more energy efficient and able to last 50 times longer  will take their place. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Cheer if you like, but history provides a cautionary tale. Nearly a century ago, a group of manufacturers known as the Phoebus Cartel colluded to manufacture inferior, short-lived bulbs. This sorry episode helps explain why todays well-intentioned regulations may backfire.

A history of the lightbulb begins in 1802, when British chemist Humphrey Davy ran electricity through a carbon filament to produce a crude form of illumination. In subsequent decades, different inventors enclosed filaments in glass bulbs to produce light. But none proved practical or commercially viable.

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In 1878, Thomas Edison patented a lightbulb that used a carbonized bamboo filament. This helped launch the lighting industry, though tungsten filaments soon proved far superior, becoming commonplace by the early 20th century.

By that time, lighting had become a competitive global business crowded with manufacturers. In response, companies began colluding to set prices and carve up markets. Then along came the cartel to rule them all: Phoebus.

The first meeting of this shadowy organization took place on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland on Christmas Eve in 1924. The attendees called themselves the Convention for the Development and Progress of the International Incandescent Electric Lamp Industry. But Phoebus  from Latin and Greek for bright  sounded way cooler. The name stuck.

Big players dominated much of the market at the time: Germanys Osram, for example, along with the Dutch firm Philips, Compagnie des Lampes in France and Tokyo Electric in Japan. All had a hand in the making of Phoebus, as did General Electric, which worked through overseas subsidiaries to dodge antitrust scrutiny.

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The governing document of the cartel claimed that it had been formed to increase the effectiveness of electric lighting and increasing light use to the advantage of the consumer. This wasnt entirely untrue: the cartel corralled member firms to adopt the now-standard E24 bulb socket, for example.

But looking out for the consumer wasnt the cartels main concern. In the 1920s, bulb manufacturers had a difficult time making money because of intense competition. They solved this problem through a series of market manipulations, defining geographic markets and imposing sales quotas.

There was also a bigger problem that plagued their business. Years of tinkering had yielded bulbs that could last for thousands of hours. In fact, a few from this era are still working today. It was a terrible business model.

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The cartel decided to take action. Having spent years lengthening the lifespan of bulbs, the companies of the cartel now worked to shorten it. They formed a working group known as the 1,000 Hours Life Committee tasked with building an inferior bulb. The real-life story of Phoebus, first uncovered by historian Markus Krajewski, was stranger than fiction.

The cartel poured resources into the project, developing the technical expertise necessary to manufacture lower-quality bulbs in a predictable, consistent fashion. These efforts went hand in hand with an audit system designed to force manufacturers to conform to the 1,000-hour goal.

The centerpiece of this system was an agreement signed in the late 1920s that required factories working for the cartel to send sample bulbs to a Swiss laboratory. Technicians there would subject the samples to a perverse form of quality control, testing them for abbreviated lifespans.

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If the samples lasted between 800 and 1,750 hours, the factory could sell the rest of the lot without penalty. But if bulbs lasted between 1,750 and 2,000 hours, the guilty company would pay a fine of 20 Swiss francs per 1,000 bulbs sold. Fines increased the longer bulbs burned: samples that lasted over 3,000 hours would be fined at the rate of 200 francs per 1,000 bulbs sold.

The system worked. Bulbs had lasted an average of 2,500 hours before the cartels formation. A decade later, Phoebus had driven that number down to 1,200.

Some members tried to cheat, selling long-life bulbs in defiance of Phoebus. This didnt sit well with the cartels masterminds. Anton Philips, who ran the company of the same name, assailed what he called bulb enhancements designed to evade cartel restrictions.

In an angry letter to an executive at General Electric, Philips described the sale of such bulbs as a very dangerous practice [that] is having a most detrimental influence, undermining the very strenuous efforts we made to emerge from a period of long-life lamps Philips warned that one day the cartel would be forced to supply lamps that will have a very prolonged life. The horror!

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Though the cartel would eventually unravel by 1940, its bizarre legacy remains alive and well: the average lifespan of an incandescent bulb remains stuck at around 1,000 to 1,200 hours. More generally, the strategy of planned obsolescence that Phoebus pioneered became the norm throughout the consumer economy.

At first glance, the degraded performance of incandescent bulbs only underscores the argument for switching to LEDs. But that ignores the larger implications of this strange bit of corporate malfeasance.

Consider, for example, that todays LED lighting industry resembles the incandescent business a century ago: a hyper-competitive market dealing in a product thats touted as lasting forever. The modern-day incarnation of Philips, for example, claims their product lasts 50,000 hours.

That may be correct, for now at least. But as the firms behind Phoebus understood, selling bulbs that never burn out isnt a viable business model. As a consequence, LED manufacturers will soon face an unpleasant choice: go out of business or shorten bulb life, dramatically undercutting the technologys earth-friendly claims.

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If that happens, pushing LEDs may not turn out to be such a bright idea after all.

More From Other Writers at Bloomberg Opinion:

 The Economy-Changing Power of the LED Bulb: Justin Fox

 Saving the Planet One Light Bulb at a Time: Mark Gilbert

 Need a Light Bulb? Uncle Sam Gets to Choose: Virginia Postrel

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Stephen Mihm, a professor of history at the University of Georgia, is a contributor to Bloomberg Opinion.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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Critics from Ukraine to NATO have of late been chastising Germany for reacting too slowly and timidly against Russian aggression. Fair enough. Germany, as the largest economy in the European Union, bears disproportionate responsibility in helping to coordinate the Western response against the Kremlins atrocities and lies. But the attention given to Berlin obscures the not-so-helpful role played by several smaller European countries.

Most reprehensible among those is, of course, Hungary. Its prime minister, Viktor Orban, is an authoritarian right-wing populist whos long been buddies with Russian President Vladimir Putin. While Orban has gone along with the EU sanctions passed so far, hes blocked arms deliveries to Ukraine via Hungary and threatened to veto any European embargo of Russian oil and gas. Orbans Hungary is the Wests weakest link.

For the title of second-weakest, theres competition, but a strong contender is Austria. It shares not only a language, culture and history with its larger northern neighbor, Germany, but also a legacy of pro-Russian sentiment and cozy relations with Moscow. If Washington, Brussels and Berlin want to keep the West united against Putin, theyd do well to start by leaning on Vienna to choose a side and make it known.

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Austria was part of the Third Reich that brought so much suffering and death to Europe, including Russia and Ukraine. Nonetheless, Austrian politics were not primarily shaped by post-war atonement as Germanys were. Germans joke that their southern neighbors greatest achievement has been to convince the world that Beethoven was Austrian and Hitler German. Toward Moscow, in particular, Austrians always had fewer complexes.

Nonetheless, Austria and Germany after World War II were initially in similar situations. Both were occupied by the four Allied victors. But whereas the Iron Curtain ran through Germany, it always ran around Austria, because the Soviets didnt impose socialism in their zone. The country became sovereign again in 1955 on the condition  imposed by Moscow  that it remain neutral in perpetuity. To this day, Austria is not a member of NATO, a status it shares with only five other EU members.

Just after independence, Vienna took over Austrias energy infrastructure from the Russians. The Soviet Mineral Oil Administration became what is today OMV AG, the countrys oil and gas behemoth. In 1968, Austria became the first country in front of the Iron Curtain to sign a contract to get natural gas from the Soviet Union. It became the hub for Russian hydrocarbons flowing to western Europe.

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At the same time, Vienna attracted probably the worlds greatest concentration of spies, and Soviet ones in particular. After the Cold War, it remained just as popular with Russian snoops. Its still a preferred venue for spy exchanges.

Russian oligarchs also took to Austria  its companies, picturesque mountains and accommodating bureaucracy. As of 2020, Russian investment in the country was second only to German money. Ski resorts such as Lech became Russian haunts.

Retired Austrian politicians went on to soaring careers in Russian companies. Germanys ex-chancellor Gerhard Schroeder deservedly hogs notoriety for his board memberships in Russian energy giants. But former Austrian chancellors such as Wolfgang Schuessel and Christian Kern have held similar positions  though unlike Schroeder, theyve handed in their resignations since Feb. 24.

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In brazenness, the closest analog to Schroeder in Austrian politics is Karin Kneissl. While she was foreign minister, in 2018, she invited Putin to her wedding. He showed up with a Cossack choir in tow, gave a pitch-perfect toast in German, and danced with the bride. Kneissl then curtsied before him all the way to the floor. The visuals said it all. To this day, she blogs for Russia Today, an arm of Putins propaganda machine, and sits on the board (chaired by Schroeder) of Rosneft, Russias oil leviathan.

There had been another excruciating moment, even by Austrian standards, in 2014, just a few months after Putins annexation of Crimea. While the rest of Europe was struggling to coordinate sanctions, Putin dropped by in Austria for another visit.

In his welcome address, the then-president of Austrias main business lobby joked about how many times hed already greeted the Russian president over the years, because both had been in office so long. Dictatorship, quipped Putin, bringing the house down, before adding: But good dictatorship. The hilarity grew from there. The speaker also reminded Putin that, a century earlier, part of Ukraine had been Austrian. What are you offering?, Putin deadpanned to the howls of Austrian industrialists.

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All the while, Austria was making itself utterly dependent on Putins energy. Wherever a Siberian hydrocarbon molecule embarked on a trip to Europe, Austrian money, lobbying and cheering werent far. For example, Nord Stream 2, a geopolitically disastrous Russian pipeline under the Baltic, has been blamed mostly on German governments, but OMV was also a big investor (though it is writing down its Russian assets). Even today, about 80% of Austrias gas comes from Russia.

That said, the brutality of Putins current war has shaken even Austria out of its long Russophile romance. In that sense, at least, it differs from Hungary. Last month, Chancellor Karl Nehammer became the first Western leader since Feb. 24 to meet Putin in Moscow. His access to the hermit despot was a legacy of their countries special relationship. But Nehammer made clear that this is not a friendly visit.

And yet, the rest of the West will be forgiven for wondering how much it can rely on Austria as the conflict drags on or escalates. Will Vienna support a boycott of Russian oil and gas? Will it bid adieu to its neutrality  as Sweden and Finland are about to do  to side with the West? Orban may be too far gone for Western appeals to reason. But in Vienna, theres still a chance.

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More From This Writer and Others at Bloomberg Opinion:



Only One Thing Will Help Ukraine Now. Weapons: Therese Raphael



Putin Is Losing So Heres How Hell Make the War Worse: Andreas Kluth



Why NATO Should Welcome Finland and Sweden: The Editors

(In 12th paragraph, corrects the identity of the Austrian speaker greeting Putin in 2014. In 13th paragraph, clarifies OMVs moves in Russia.)

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Andreas Kluth is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. He was previously editor in chief of Handelsblatt Global and a writer for the Economist. Hes the author of Hannibal and Me.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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In the United States, Indias neutral stance over the Ukraine invasion has led some to question how deeply to invest in the U.S.-India relationship. In Europe, which is more directly threatened by Russia, the opposite has happened. Rather than drifting apart as a consequence of the war, India and Europe seem instead to be growing closer.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Europe this week, visiting Germany, France and Denmark, where he will meet the leaders of the five Nordic countries. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has invited India to attend a G-7 summit in the Bavarian Alps next month. In New Delhi last week, European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen announced a new trade and technology council designed to deepen cooperation between the European Union and India.

Why have Americas European allies reacted so differently to Indias position on Ukraine? Partly, its because Europe thinks about its relationship with India the way the U.S. once did  as a partnership that goes beyond the transactional, in which each partner does not always have to agree. Partly, it is because Brussels has succeeded Washington as the location where consequential decisions affecting countries such as India are made. The U.S. has unquestionably turned inward under successive presidents. Meanwhile, the EU has taken the lead in setting regulations for big tech and for climate finance, and has developed its own strategy for engaging the Indo-Pacific region.

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Europes and Indias very different reactions to the Ukraine invasion have, if anything, enhanced this dynamic rather than weakened it. Indian leaders see a new solidarity between European countries and a determination to enhance their capacity to project power. As Portuguese Foreign Minister Joao Gomes Cravinho said at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi last week, the invasion powerfully stimulated Europes need to think and act strategically, and this makes the European Union a more interesting partner for India.

At the same time, given their own reliance on Russia for energy, Europeans have a more nuanced understanding of how mutual dependence can constrain national action than the U.S. does. That awareness has encouraged the EU to identify those partners whom it can trust not to abuse the international system and their ties with Europe.

Not only is India one of those countries, it also clearly shares Europes deep antipathy to the idea of being caught in a bipolar world defined solely by U.S.-China competition. Both Europe and India aspire to strategic autonomy  to be free of the constraints of economic dependence on China but also capable of action without U.S. support or leadership.

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Most importantly, perhaps, this is a new Europe. A crisis on its eastern edge has reminded us that the EU is now as much a Central and Eastern European project as it is a Western European one.

While the countries of Eastern Europe are as determined to pick a side on the Ukraine invasion as India is to avoid one, they share Indias aversion to lectures from the West. They also speak a language thats easier for Indians to understand and sympathize with  the language of the formerly colonized, not the colonizer. Zbigniew Rau, Polands foreign minister, said in New Delhi last week that the 20th century was a very difficult period for empires, and lets do everything possible to make the 21st century even more difficult for them.

Framing matters. When the invasion of Ukraine is framed as a contest between two spheres of influence, India is likely to shrug and emphasize its non-aligned status. When the U.S. describes it as a unilateral violation of sovereignty and international law, those here who remember the Iraq War are unpersuaded.

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But when the invasion is thought of  accurately, in my opinion  as the act of an imperial power imposing its will on territory and people it formerly controlled, then Indias official and public neutrality will begin to weaken. The U.S. has always struggled to find the right language to speak to India about shared values; Europe seems to have discovered it.

India has always thought of itself as the leader of the postcolonial world and anti-imperialism was long central to its foreign policy. A Europe that speaks the language of power is attractive. But a Europe that can also speak the language of the oppressed with authority is one that India, and much of the emerging world, might heed with even more care.

More From Other Writers at Bloomberg Opinion:

 Some Countries Belong on the Sidelines of Cold War 2: Hal Brands

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 How Putin Ended Modis Natural Gas Dream: Andy Mukherjee

 U.S. Should Show India Its a Better Partner Than Putin: Editorial

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Mihir Sharma is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is a senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi and head of its Economy and Growth Programme. He is the author of Restart: The Last Chance for the Indian Economy, and co-editor of What the Economy Needs Now.

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Rooted in its campaign for a united Ireland, Sinn Fein was long an outsider in politics due to its links with the Irish Republican Army. With the conflict in Northern Ireland largely over following a 1998 peace deal, the movement has reinvented itself to appeal to a new generation of voters. It now stands a chance of becoming the biggest party in both the north and south of the island, making its demand for a referendum on unification harder to ignore.

1. What is Sinn Fein?

The party, whose name means Ourselves Alone, was created amid the campaign for Irish home rule at the start of the 20th century. After the Catholic south won its independence from Britain in 1921, Sinn Fein continued to oppose Britains hold on the mostly Protestant north. It only began to seriously contest elections south of the border in the 1980s under a strategy known as the Armalite and the Ballot Box. (The former is a gun manufacturer). Today, its a broadly center-left party that campaigns for higher government spending, better housing and increased taxes on the rich.

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2. What role did it play in the north?

During the conflict known as the Troubles, Sinn Fein was seen widely as the political wing of the republican movement that also included the Provisional IRA, though it never formally confirmed the association. The fighting was triggered by street protests in 1968 and claimed about 3,500 lives through to the Good Friday agreement. Sinn Feins leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness helped to negotiate the peace deal and moved into government in Northern Ireland.

3. How popular is Sinn Fein today?

Its been the biggest nationalist group in the norths power-sharing assembly since 2003, and opinion polls suggest it will overtake the Democratic Unionists as the largest party in an election on May 5. If it does, Sinn Fein could get to choose the regions first minister for the first time since the Good Friday accord, a seismic shift in a region historically dominated by parties loyal to Britain. South of the border in the Republic of Ireland, Sinn Fein has moved from fringe to mainstream after doubling its vote between 2007 and 2016. In 2020, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail -- the two parties that have largely dominated Irish politics since the states foundation -- had to form a coalition to keep Sinn Fein out of power.

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4. Why the surge in support?

Wrangling over how to keep trade flowing with EU-member Ireland after Britains departure from the European Union has made Northern Irelands position within the U.K. a major issue once more, playing into the partys key message. Brexit has also sown discord within Sinn Feins arch-rival the DUP, which has lost voters to other unionist parties and centrists. The May 5 election could help to determine the regions final post-Brexit arrangements as the assembly gets to vote on the issue in 2024 and has the power to scrap the status quo altogether. In the south, Fianna Fail and Fine Gaels support for each other since 2016 has allowed Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald to present herself as the only true agent of change. The party is especially popular among younger voters who were hit hardest by a housing shortage and have little memory of the Troubles.

5. What are Sinn Feins key policies?

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Sinn Fein wants planning to begin for a referendum on reunifying the island. In Northern Ireland, its also campaigning on a promise to help voters deal with the soaring cost of living. In the republic, it wants to freeze residential rents and increase government spending on new homes. It plans to abolish property levies, close corporate tax loopholes, ensure the rich contribute more in tax and cut the official age of retirement.

6. What does it mean for a united Ireland?

Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, only the British government is supposed to call a vote on unification if its seen as likely to pass in the north. There would then need to be a vote in the Republic as well. Its not clear that growing support for Sinn Fein reflects increased enthusiasm for a united Ireland: Only 32% of people backed the idea in an April poll for The Irish News, with 48% opposed. Significantly, more than half of those polled would be against unification if it meant paying higher taxes.

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Rooted in its campaign for a united Ireland, Sinn Fein was long an outsider in politics due to its links with the Irish Republican Army. With the conflict in Northern Ireland largely over following a 1998 peace deal, the movement has reinvented itself to appeal to a new generation of voters. It now stands a chance of becoming the biggest party in both the north and south of the island, making its demand for a referendum on unification harder to ignore.

1. What is Sinn Fein?

The party, whose name means Ourselves Alone, was created amid the campaign for Irish home rule at the start of the 20th century. After the Catholic south won its independence from Britain in 1921, Sinn Fein continued to oppose Britains hold on the mostly Protestant north. It only began to seriously contest elections south of the border in the 1980s under a strategy known as the Armalite and the Ballot Box. (The former is a gun manufacturer). Today, its a broadly center-left party that campaigns for higher government spending, better housing and increased taxes on the rich.

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2. What role did it play in the north?

During the conflict known as the Troubles, Sinn Fein was seen widely as the political wing of the republican movement that also included the Provisional IRA. The fighting was triggered by street protests in 1968 and claimed about 3,500 lives through to the Good Friday agreement. Sinn Feins leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness helped to negotiate the peace deal and moved into government in Northern Ireland.

3. How popular is Sinn Fein today?

Its been the biggest nationalist group in the norths power-sharing assembly since 2003, and opinion polls suggest it will overtake the Democratic Unionists as the largest party in an election on May 5. If it does, Sinn Fein could get to choose the regions first minister for the first time since the Good Friday accord, a seismic shift in a region historically dominated by parties loyal to Britain. South of the border in the Republic of Ireland, Sinn Fein has moved from fringe to mainstream after doubling its vote between 2007 and 2016. In 2020, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail -- the two parties that have largely dominated Irish politics since the states foundation -- had to form a coalition to keep Sinn Fein out of power.

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4. Why the surge in support?

Wrangling over how to keep trade flowing with EU-member Ireland after Britains departure from the European Union has made Northern Irelands position within the U.K. a major issue once more, playing into the partys key message. Brexit has also sown discord within Sinn Feins arch-rival the DUP, which has lost voters to other unionist parties and centrists. The May 5 election could help to determine the regions final post-Brexit arrangements as the assembly gets to vote on the issue in 2024 and has the power to scrap the status quo altogether. In the south, Fianna Fail and Fine Gaels support for each other since 2016 has allowed Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald to present herself as the only true agent of change. The party is especially popular among younger voters who were hit hardest by a housing shortage and have little memory of the Troubles.

5. What are Sinn Feins main policies?

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Sinn Fein wants planning to begin for a referendum on reunifying the island. In Northern Ireland, its also campaigning on a promise to help voters deal with the soaring cost of living. In the republic, it wants to freeze residential rents and increase government spending on new homes. It plans to abolish property levies, close corporate tax loopholes, ensure the rich contribute more in tax and cut the official age of retirement.

6. What does it mean for a united Ireland?

Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, only the British government is supposed to call a vote on unification if its seen as likely to pass in the north. There would then need to be a vote in the Republic as well. Its not clear that growing support for Sinn Fein reflects increased enthusiasm for a united Ireland: Only 32% of people backed the idea in an April poll for The Irish News, with 48% opposed. Significantly, more than half of those polled would be against unification if it meant paying higher taxes.

(Adds links to latest opinion polls and to news feature in Reference Shelf section)

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About 10 years ago, a story about Target Corp.s uncanny ability to detect a customers pregnancy made waves. An angry man had gone into a Target store in Minneapolis, demanding to speak to a manager and flashing coupons that his teenage daughter had received in the mail for baby clothes and cribs. Are you trying to encourage her to get pregnant? he asked.

It turned out his daughter was already pregnant, and Target had figured this out before he had.

Data mining by companies has only improved since then, but fortunately so have our tools for protecting privacy. A leaked draft ruling reported by Politico suggests the U.S. Supreme Court is in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1974 decision that gave women the right to abortion. This would make online privacy more critical than ever for women and health-care providers, as secrecy around abortion would become integral not just for personal reasons but to avoid potential legal ramifications or blowback from vigilantes.

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Its unclear who would be legally liable for an abortion in close to a dozen or more U.S. states that would like to ban it.(2)But many women will want to hide their online activity out of caution. Democratic Senator Ron Wyden warned on Tuesday that every digital record  from web searches, to phone records and app data  will be weaponized in Republican states as a way to control womens bodies.

One of the first things many women do when they find themselves needing an abortion is seek advice online. That wont change no matter what the Court rules. But if they happen to live in one of 22 states that would probably outlaw abortion in the absence of Roe vs. Wade, theyd be wise to hide their browsing history and use encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal to talk to others about their plans. Should abortion pills also be outlawed, women may turn to the Dark Web to procure them  something they already do, according to this study from the University of Texas.

Women may also turn to VPNs to stop mobile network providers and search engines from seeing their browsing habits. Theyll clear their web histories, use incognito windows or download more privacy-focused browsers like Firefox.

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Such tools, normally associated with political dissidents in autocratic regimes, could become far more important for American women in a post-Roe vs. Wade world. Tech news site Motherboard reported on Monday that a location-data firm has already been selling information related to peoples visits to abortion clinics, including where visitors had come from and how long they stayed, by tracking apps on groups of phones.

The Internet presents risk, but also help, such as telemedicine services that offer abortion medication. Many women in the U.S. have flocked to services like Aid Access to acquire such medication; the website Women on Web offers services to women around the world. Depending on the location, pills can cost approximately $90, versus $600 or more to get the procedure done in a clinic, prohibitively expensive for many of the women who need abortions (most of whom live on or below the poverty line).

Online collectives like the Auntie Networks of Facebook will also become increasingly important. These are pages run by people offering a spare room in U.S. states where abortion is legal, for women who need the procedure. A 2019 report in the Washington Post described how some Auntie Network pages suggested taking selfies at local landmarks as proof that the trip was just a vacation. One host in Iowa said theyd be happy to mail you a birthday card, which contained birth control, a Plan B pill or a pregnancy test.

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Well-meaning as these initiatives are, this is sensitive information being hosted by a social-media company thats already being used by third parties, in this case advertisers.

In the meantime, a forthcoming law in the European Union that reins in the power of large technology companies may have the unintended consequence of making peoples data in the U.S. more vulnerable to surveillance.

The EUs Digital Markets Act, which will come into effect in the next few years, forces the worlds biggest digital companies to make their products compatible with those of competitors. That means messaging apps like WhatsApp will need to co-exist with less-secure services like SMS. But some cryptography experts say that making these tools interoperable will break their encryption standards, which could put women seeking an abortion at greater risk.

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Social-media and search platforms have for years been exploited by the surveillance advertising industry. How much will they resist future government efforts to enforce abortion bans? What happens if state prosecutors order Facebook or Google to identify women who are breaking the rules?

Given the libertarian ethos of many Silicon Valley billionaire founders and the legal fallout from whistleblower Edward Snowden, its hard to see such firms giving in to government demands to break their encryption and hand over such details. But put enough financial pressure on a business and anything can happen.

For now, encryption and online privacy tools are a sacred right for women seeking an abortion. They mustnt turn into a luxury.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 No Abortion Means Poor States Will Get Poorer: Allison Schrager

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 Abortion Case Leak Shows That the Supreme Court Is Broken: Noah Feldman

 What Would Life Be Like Without Roe v. Wade?: Jessica Karl

(1) In Oklahoma medical providers face to up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000 for performing the procedure.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Parmy Olson is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering technology. She previously reported for the Wall Street Journal and Forbes and is the author of We Are Anonymous.

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State-owned Life Insurance Corp. of India, with its distinctive blue and yellow logo, is ubiquitous across the country of 1.4 billion people. LIC controls nearly two-thirds of the Indian market, with about 282 million policies and more than 1.3 million agents, 100,000 employees, 2,000 branches and 1,500 satellite offices. Prime Minister Narendra Modis administration kicked off an initial public offering of LIC in May in whats set to be Indias biggest-ever listing and the worlds fourth-largest this year so far. Its sheer scale presents a unique challenge for the nations underdeveloped capital markets, and a big test of Modis plan to make the economy more efficient.

1. Why is the government selling a stake?

The IPO is the biggest chunk of a $10.4-billion asset-sale program designed to plug Indias budget deficit. The government plans to push borrowing to a record as it tries to spend its way out of a Covid-19-induced downturn, and as rising fuel prices force it to spend more on subsidies. It also paves the way for future sales when cash is needed -- although the government said at the launch it wouldnt sell another stake for at least a year after the debut. In addition, by forcing the 65-year-old insurer to open its books and making it accountable to public shareholders, the government hopes LIC will be better able to compete with more agile and nimble private insurers.

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2. When is the IPO?

The government began taking orders from retail investors on May 4 and the shares are due to begin trading on May 17. The IPO was supposed to happen in the fiscal year to March 2021 but was delayed, first by the pandemic, then by Russias invasion of Ukraine in February, which sent markets into a tailspin. The government decided to press ahead after cutting the price and the number of shares on offer. It was set to raise as much as 210 billion rupees ($2.7 billion), well below its earlier target of 500 billion rupees. That would still surpass the biggest Indian IPO to date -- digital payments provider Paytms 183 billion rupee-listing last November.

3. How is the sale being structured?

The government is selling 3.5% of LIC stock. Retail investors will be alloted 35% of those shares in the offer and given a discount of 45 rupees from the IPO price; another 10% was earmarked for LICs policyholders, who will receive a bigger discount. The sale already drew in anchor investors including Norways sovereign wealth fund and the Singaporean government.

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4. Why is valuing the company so difficult?

LICs size and its special status make for a unique challenge. It holds almost $500 billion of assets, more than the total size of the countrys mutual fund industry. Milliman and Ernst & Young, the firms appointed to work on the valuation, have been sifting through millions of policies to account for parameters including mortalities, morbidities, lapses in premium payments and policy cancellations. They also had to weigh the value of LICs fixed property across its 2,000 branches. LIC releases its balance sheet only once a year, and peer-to-peer comparisons are tricky.

4. Why does this IPO matter?

Firstly, because of its size. The company would be worth 6 trillion rupees if the shares are sold at the top of the IPO range. Sales of stakes in companies so deeply entrenched in the history of their nations arent an everyday occurrence. LIC has exerted a towering presence over Indias financial landscape since Jawaharlal Nehrus government combined the countrys 245 insurance companies and provident fund societies in 1956 with a mandate to offer life insurance to all sections of society. For many Indians, insurance is still synonymous with the company, even after the industry opened up to private firms two decades ago.

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5. Are there parallels in other nations?

Some bankers are describing the sale as Indias Aramco moment. Oil giant Saudi Aramco, which staged the worlds biggest IPO in 2019, was likewise a symbol of Saudi Arabias economic might, generating almost 90% of the Saudi governments income. Japan Post, whose privatization started in 2015, was the countrys biggest holder of bank deposits and its largest insurer while it ran the national postal service. Like LIC, it was highly visible, with the biggest chain of storefronts in Japan and a fleet of 86,000 motorbikes for mail delivery.

6. Will investors go for it?

The success of the IPO will depend on demand from local investors, as foreigners contributed only about 20% of the anchor book. LIC benefits from a 1956 parliamentary act that gives it a special status in the industry, distinct from the law governing its newer rivals. It enjoys a sovereign guarantee of its policies, allowing it to operate with a thinner capital base than competitors. Yet some investors are still skeptical that the business can compete against privately owned insurers. Over the years, its been deployed as the investor of last resort by governments to support markets and bail out other state-run companies, as in 2019 with IDBI Bank Ltd. Some bankers say global investors worry LIC could be forced to rescue other floundering state assets even after it becomes a publicly listed company.

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Paxlovid, Pfizers antiviral treatment for Covid-19, is turning out to be one of the most successful new drugs in pharma history. Prescriptions have increased tenfold since February, and the five-day pill pack accounts for nearly 90% of the Covid oral-antiviral market. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Based on committed contracts from governments around the world, sales of the drug will reach $22 billion this year, Pfizer affirmed on Tuesday.

The Joe Biden administration has made Paxlovid a pillar in its plan to return the U.S. to normal life. The governments test-to-treat program is intended to put the pills into the hands of every American who tests positive for Covid.

Yet somehow, there seems to be no unified plan for carefully tracking who exactly benefits from the drug and who doesnt. Such monitoring is urgently needed.

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Paxlovid is extraordinarily effective, and was discovered, developed and launched in time to make a difference in this pandemic. The Food and Drug Administration authorized the regimen for emergency use based on a large clinical study that clearly showed it helped keep high-risk, unvaccinated people alive and out of the hospital.

But the operative word here is unvaccinated. In practice today, Paxlovid is probably being taken more often by the many vaccinated people who are contracting Covid-19, as Omicron and its even more infectious siblings circulate. Among the many still-unanswered questions about Paxlovid is whether vaccinated people  and especially those who have no other health risk factors  benefit from the drug.

So far, studies of the drug that have included unvaccinated, high-risk patients have provided no strong evidence that it helps people feel better faster. Early data from a Pfizer-led trial of Paxlovid in unvaccinated people who are not at high risk for serious infection and in vaccinated adults with at least one risk factor for severe illness did not reach statistical significance on the primary goal of alleviating symptoms for four consecutive days. Pfizer said last month that taking the drug prophylactically does not prevent more infections in a household where one person has tested positive for Covid.

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Also unknown is whether Paxlovid can help prevent long Covid.

Most recently, a question has arisen about whether the drug might actually prolong infection in some patients. Certain people who take Paxlovid have found that they experience a rebound of their symptoms, and again test positive, when the pills are used up. One possible explanation is that the drug can in some cases suppress the infection enough to make the patient feel better, but not do away with it altogether.

Some infectious disease doctors wonder whether a longer course of therapy  10 days instead of 5, perhaps  might fully shut down the virus. Albert Bourla, Pfizers chief executive officer, has suggested that any patient experiencing a rebound should simply take a second course of the drug. That prompted the FDA to put out a statement on Wednesday noting that there is no evidence of benefit at this time for extending or repeating treatment with Paxlovid.

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The National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reportedly mapping out studies to investigate the rebound infections. It is a priority, Clifford Lane, deputy director for clinical research at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Bloomberg News.

But given the slow pace of NIH Covid studies, it seems unlikely that answers will arrive in time to guide the best use of Paxlovid in whatever variant wave arrives next.

As test-to-treat ramps up, it becomes more urgent to understand the rebound risks. Some people at low risk of Covid complications might be using the drug merely to feel better faster rather than to stay out of the hospital, says Walid Gellad, associate professor of medicine and health policy at the University of Pittsburgh. If the drug isnt fully clearing their infection and their symptoms return, Gellad wonders if the drug could actually be prolonging illness.

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Doctors have other questions, too: Do new variants diminish the Paxlovids efficacy? (Pfizers trials were run before the emergence of Omicron.) Are these rebound infections cause to worry that the coronavirus might be developing resistance to the pills? And would the drug be more effective if it were combined with other antivirals, whether Mercks molnupiravir or one of the newer drugs in development.

When test-to-treat was launched, an opportunity was missed to follow the progress of patients who were prescribed the pill pack. That would have provided at least some observational data on how the drug works in vaccinated people and perhaps given a signal of whether it can prevent long Covid.

In its first-quarter earnings call, Bourla noted that Paxlovid has been added to the U.K.s nationwide Panoramic study to see how well it works in that highly vaccinated population.

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It looks as if, once again, the U.S. will need to look to other countries for the data it needs to understand Covid-19.

More from Bloomberg Opinion:

 How to Avoid Covid in a Mostly Mask-Free World: Lisa Jarvis

 We Need Better Booster Shots Than Pfizer and Moderna: Faye Flam

 Summer Camp 2022 Is Going to Cost You Dearly: Alexis Leondis

(Updates 10th paragraph with the FDAs statement about taking two courses of Paxlovid in the event of a rebound infection.)

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Lisa Jarvis, the former executive editor of Chemical & Engineering News, writes about biotech, drug discovery and the pharmaceutical industry for Bloomberg Opinion.

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Score one for former President Donald Trump: The candidate he endorsed, author and investor J.D. Vance, won the Republican primary for a vacant Ohio Senate seat on Tuesday. Trumps late choice probably did make the difference; Vance wound up winning by eight percentage points after being just one of the pack in polls taken before Trumps announcement. The candidate Trump opposed, State Senator Matt Dolan, wound up finishing third behind another Trump-friendly candidate, former State Treasurer Josh Mandel.

Lets not overstate the Trump effect. This was the kind of election where a high-profile endorsement is most likely to have some impact: a large field of well-funded candidates with none of them an obvious choice for voters looking for the real conservative. In that kind of contest, a great ad, a debate gaffe, clever attacks or endorsements that drive press coverage can move lots of voters quickly.

What matters most isnt what actually happened; its what Republican party actors, including politicians, believe happened. And theres little question that it will be Trumps endorsement, and not (say) the heavy funding on Vances behalf from the billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel or any of Vances personal qualities or performances that will get the heaviest coverage.

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Ohio isnt quite a safe Republican seat, and Vance isnt likely to be as strong a general election candidate in November as Dolan or former state Republican Party leader Jane Timken, who was endorsed by retiring Republican Senator Rob Portman, would have been. The Democrats have a likely solid candidate in U.S. Representative Tim Ryan, a congressional veteran with a moderate reputation who won the nomination easily.

However, Republicans are united behind Vance, and Ohio is a solid Republican state; Trump won it by about eight percentage points in both 2016 and 2020. So even if President Joe Bidens approval ratings improve, its a tough state for Democrats, and with a national tide running for Republicans it could easily be a blowout. That said, Vance is a first-time political candidates whose entire nomination campaign consisted of appeals to Trump, the Fox News provocateur Tucker Carlson and other radicals. Theres no particular reason to believe hell be a failure at campaigning to the rest of the electorate, or that hell otherwise have large problems in the fall campaign, but hell have to do it.

Ryan briefly ran for president in 2020. Well, for 2020; he dropped out in October 2019 after failing to make much of an impact as one of a handful of candidates pushing for a more moderate party. Ryan thus becomes one of two presidential candidates (along with former U.S. Representative Beto ORourke in Texas) to win a statewide nomination after a go-nowhere presidential campaign. ORourke, now the Democratic nominee for Texas governor, had already run statewide for Senate, but like Ryan he had won nothing bigger than a House district.

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Both the 2016 Republican presidential nomination battle and the Democrats version in 2020 had enormous candidate fields. So far, the only one seemingly helped by running and losing was Vice President Kamala Harris; none of the hopeless candidates appeared to get much of anything out of it. So Ryan, and to some extent ORourke, are a bit of evidence in the other direction  and again, what matters is what future potential candidates think of as the pros and cons of entering without much chance of winning.

Meanwhile, if anyone is looking for further evidence of the difference between the parties, a pair of Ohio House primaries is as good an example as any. On the Democratic side, incumbent Shontel Brown faced a rematch against Bernie Sanders supporter Nina Turner, who most party politicians considered ill-suited for office. Brown had defeated Turner narrowly in a special election in November 2021 to win the seat; this time, she crushed Turner by over 30 percentage points.

Over on the Republican side? In a district encompassing parts of Cleveland and Akron, a candidate whose main claim to fame seems to have been that he painted his lawn for Trump upset two better-known state legislators. Both parties attract radicals at times, but Democrats work pretty hard to marginalize theirs, while Republicans not only nominate them, but  as the one-time never-Trumper Vance did  reinvent themselves to emulate party extremists.

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Democrats nominate plenty of candidates who are very liberal in their policy positions. Theres nothing wrong with having some very liberal (or very conservative) members of Congress, as long as theyre willing and able to cut deals with those who are more moderate. What is a problem are election officials who have no interest in governing, oppose compromise in principle and see elected office mainly as a stepping stone to fame they can cash in on quickly. And too many Republican nominees, unfortunately, fit into one or more of those categories.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Jonathan Bernstein is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics and policy. He taught political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio and DePauw University and wrote A Plain Blog About Politics.

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Replacing Hong Kongs leader is a complicated, closed-door affair that epitomizes the central problem facing the Asian financial hub: How to balance the publics desire for autonomy with Chinas demands for control? The citys Basic Law, which came into effect the day the British left, contains the promise of a popular vote some day, but electoral reforms imposed from Beijing in 2021 made that goal even more distant. In the end, an elite group of just 1,500 people who represent business, interest groups and, above all, Chinas Communist Party will choose the successor to Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Sunday, May 8. An ex-cop and the citys former No. 2 official, John Lee, is the only nominee -- the first time in two decades Hong Kong has presented a single candidate.

1. What did China agree to before the handover?

The Basic Law, or mini-constitution, codified the joint declaration signed by the governments of China and Britain in 1984 in Beijing. It enshrined the one country, two systems principle, which promised to give the city for 50 years a high degree of autonomy and protected its unique rights, such as to free speech and assembly -- rights not found on the mainland. It also had the ultimate aim of electing Hong Kongs leader by popular vote, after a candidate had been agreed on by a broadly representative nominating committee.

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2. How did Hong Kong used to pick its leader?

While the campaigning looked a lot like any mayoral election, with stump speeches, rallies and policy platforms, the voting was done by just 1,200 people on an Election Committee. That body was composed of representatives from sectors covering business and industry, white-collar professions, grassroots organizations and legislators. Several of Hong Kongs billionaires also made the cut. The system was designed so Chinas favored candidate prevailed, but it was sometimes close. Former Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying was famously elected in 2012 with a slim victory of just 689 votes, a number that became a derisive nickname for his lack of popular support in the city of 7.5 million people. Lam got 777 votes in 2017 to defeat John Tsang, who held a wide lead in public opinion polls and was largely backed by the pro-democracy camp. Still, the system was the closest thing to a public vote for an executive post in China.

3. Whats different now?

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The Election Committee was expanded last year and given new vetting powers to ensure only patriots who respect Communist Party rule can run for office.

 More than one-third of the now-1,500 members will be handpicked by pro-Beijing groups. Directly elected district councilors have been dropped entirely, and in the professional sectors there will be more corporate voting, slashing the number of individuals who cast a ballot. (Critics say law firms are far more likely than individual lawyers, for example, to vote in line with China, where companies have business interests.)

 Steps also were taken to curb the influence of the citys property tycoons, according to the South China Morning Post newspaper.

 The citys Legislative Council, or LegCo, was expanded to 90 members from 70, while the number who are directly elected was reduced to 20 from 35. The Election Committee itself selects 40.

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4. Why did Beijing make the changes?

Violent anti-government protests rocked Hong Kong in 2019, with Lams government seemingly losing control at times. In November that year, pro-democracy politicians won a landslide victory in district council elections -- a surprising outcome that delivered a clear message about public sentiment. The opposition was expected to build on that result in the LegCo elections, with the stated aim of using the Basic Law to unseat Lam. National Peoples Congress spokesman Zhang Yesui said all that showed that the electoral system needs to be improved to ensure only patriots govern.

5. Did anyone protest?

Coronavirus restrictions and a national security law that bans subversion and secession have effectively put a halt to public marches and protests. With most of the citys formal opposition in jail, in self-imposed exile or out of office, there are few public figures left to challenge the government or China. The LegCo elections, initially set for Sept. 6, 2020, were postponed until Dec. 19, 2021, ostensibly due to the pandemic. The remaining pro-democracy camp boycotted or was banned from the race; voter turnout was only 30%, the lowest ever. The U.S., U.K. and European Union have accused China of betraying the handover agreement and sanctioned some individuals.

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6. Who is John Lee?

The citys former Chief Secretary, the second-highest ranked government official. He was Beijings sole choice to run, local media including the South China Morning Post have reported. A staunch supporter of the China-extradition bill that sparked the protests in Hong Kong, he was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2020 for his previous role as Security Secretary in curtailing political freedoms in the city. (YouTube shut down his campaign channel in April, citing the sanctions.) He said he joined the chief executive race out of loyalty to China, love for the city and a sense of responsibility to its people. The post has been seen as a poisoned chalice: with its occupant forced to balance the desires of the public with demands from Beijing -- leaving neither side pleased. Thats likely to remain so. In outlining his policy plans, he vowed to repair Hong Kongs standing as a global financial hub, while still meeting Chinas demands on security and a cautious approach toward Covid-19.

7. Did Hong Kong ever have democracy?

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No, and thats the way China wanted it. When the U.K. toyed with introducing democracy to its colony in the 1950s, then-Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai warned that doing so would be considered an unfriendly act. For 40 years, the colonial government held off, but in the 1990s, they steam-rolled through some democratic reforms before handing the city back to China on July 1, 1997. Chiefly, they implemented direct elections for half the then-60 seats in the LegCo. Even that incensed China. Lu Ping, a senior Chinese official then in charge of Hong Kong affairs, called outgoing governor Chris Patten a man to be condemned through the history of Hong Kong over the matter.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on international business to provide direct aid to Ukraine through the instrument of war bonds or accounts in the National Bank.

"Many of your board member companies have made contributions to UNICEF, the Red Cross and other international organizations," he said, speaking at the Wall Street Journal CEO Council Summit Tuesday night.

"I am grateful for this, but unfortunately, most of these funds have not reached Ukrainian citizens and our state. We need direct aid through the instrument of war bonds or to an account in our Central Bank, through which we help our citizens," he said, adding, "By helping us, you are helping yourself, because this aid is provided for the sake of stability and freedom."

Zelensky also urged businesses to open representative offices, subdivisions, production facilities, companies, offices, and branches in Ukraine. "In our country you will get access not only to our market, but also to the market of the European Union," the head of state said. He reminded that Ukraine had already received a decision from the EU that all duties for Ukrainian exports to the EU would be removed.
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Tulsa massacre lawsuit can proceed Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight A judge ruled Monday that a lawsuit demanding reparations for survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and their descendants can move forward. The ruling comes more than 100 years after the massacre killed as many as 300 Black people, injured 800 and left more than 10,000 without homes in one of the worst incidents of racist terror violence in U.S. history.

In a standing-only courtroom, Tulsa County District Judge Caroline Wall ruled, in part, against a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which calls for the city to redress the ongoing harm and damage caused by the massacre in the all-Black Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa.

This is absolutely amazing, said civil rights attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons, the lead attorney in the lawsuit. We all stood on the shoulders of ancestors who started fighting for Greenwood in 1921.

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The lead plaintiffs in the case are three of the known living survivors of the massacre: Lessie Benningfield Randle, 107; Viola Fletcher, 107; and Hughes Van Ellis, 101. They attended the hearing Monday afternoon.

The lawsuit, which was filed in September 2020, claims the city, the county, the Oklahoma National Guard and other officials caused public nuisances in 1921 when they did not defend the Black community from a White mob that descended on Greenwood, a community so prosperous that it was called Black Wall Street.

City officials have declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Survivors have sought reparations through the courts before. In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a reparations case appeal after federal courts ruled that the statute of limitations had expired.

The Tulsa Race Massacre began on May 31, 1921. Amid the violence, witnesses recounted seeing airplanes above Greenwood dropping turpentine bombs and bodies being tossed into the muddy Arkansas River or loaded onto trucks or trains.

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The city has reopened the investigation into whether there are mass graves from the massacre, digging earlier this summer in Oaklawn Cemetery. A mass grave containing as many as 35 coffins was found there in October 2020. Scientists are in the process of examining remains that were exhumed.

No White person was ever arrested or charged in the massacre.

 DeNeen L. Brown

Woman guilty in shooting that killed 2

A Florida woman was convicted Tuesday for her part in a 2016 Florida nightclub shooting that left two teenagers dead and 14 other people injured.

A Lee County jury found Kierra Kashayla Russ, 24, guilty of two counts of second-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit crime, according to court records. She faces a possible life sentence at a hearing scheduled for June 6.

Russ is the first convicted of five people charged in the July 25, 2016, shooting during an underage swimsuit-themed party at Club Blu in Fort Myers. The deadly shooting followed a year-long gang war that began at a local high school, police said. Investigators said there was no indication that either of the teens who were killed  14-year-old Sean Archilles and 18-year-old Stefan Strawder  were part of either gang.

Still awaiting trial are Demetrius ONeal, 25; Derrick Leon Church, 25; Tajze Akiir Battle, 27; and Dontrill Loggins, 29.

 Associated Press

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NICE, France  Russias military has launched a string of attacks on Ukraines railway network, which has been vital for moving Western arms to Ukrainian forces, evacuating refugees and exporting food. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight A Russian official said the aim was to disrupt Western weapons deliveries. Experts say Ukraines railways appeared to be largely spared at the start of the invasion because Russian planners wanted them to move their own troops and arms across captured territory. The latest strikes still seem to seek more to damage than to destroy the system.

Heres a look at the attacks, and their significance.

WHY ARE RAILWAYS SO IMPORTANT FOR UKRAINE?

The largely flat country has a vast railway network, which has proved invaluable from a military viewpoint for supplying key Western arms shipments  and has also helped in the exodus of refugees from Russian air assaults and land advances.

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Western weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces blunt Russias initial offensive. It also seems certain to play a central role in the battle for the Donbas in the east, which Moscow now says is its focus following its failure to take the capital, Kyiv.

The U.S. and other Western allies have increased weapons shipments at the urging of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu warned that Moscow will see any Western transport carrying weapons into Ukraine as a legitimate target.

The rail attacks were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Wednesday.

WHAT WERE THE LATEST TARGETS?

Russian forces used sea- and air-launched precision guided missiles to destroy power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine over the past day.

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Some attacks were concentrated in and around the western city of Lviv, close to the border with Poland that has been a gateway for the NATO-supplied weapons. Lvivs mayor said the strikes damaged three power substations, knocking out electricity in parts of the city that has seen only sporadic attacks during the war and has become a haven for civilians fleeing the fighting.

HAS THE RAILWAY SYSTEM BEEN STRUCK BEFORE?

A Russian missile hit a crowded train station in eastern Ukraine last month, killing at least 52 people and wounding dozens more.

Thousands of civilians, mostly women and children fleeing the Donbas region, had gathered at the station in the town of Kramatorsk on April 8 when a missile hit.

Zelenskyy accused Russias military of deliberately attacking the station. Russia blamed Ukraine, saying its own forces dont use the kind of missile that hit the station.

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In late April, Russian targeted several railway junctions in the west of the country to disrupt weapons deliveries.

WHAT IS RUSSIAS PLAN?

Russia seems to have largely spared Ukraines rail system at the outset of the invasion because it had planned to use it to move its own troops and arms across the country, which it had hoped to overrun quickly, military experts say.

Now that they know they wont be able to use it, they are striking the rail system that is likely carrying armor and reinforcements to the Ukrainians, said retired French General Dominique Trinquand.

While Russians have been conducting precision attacks on the rail network and firing expensive missiles into its power supply lines in the past week, their goal still appears to be damaging rather than destroying the network.

It wont stop the Ukrainians, but it will disrupt them, said Frank Ledwidge, a former British military intelligence officer. He said the Russians also aim to undermine Ukraines morale.

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Its like saying, Nowhere is safe, Your army cant protect you, We reign over your country at will.

WHAT DOES THE US SAY?

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagons assessment, said that while the Russians have tried to hit critical infrastructure around Lviv, specifically targeting railroads, there has been no appreciable impact on Ukraines effort to resupply its forces.

The official said it is not clear that the Russian strikes have been very accurate, and they also have not impeded efforts to get weapons into Ukraine.

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Jon Gambrell in Lviv, Cara Anna in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and John Leicester in Le Pecq, France contributed to this report.

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Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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JERUSALEM  Hecklers interrupted Israels prime minister for several minutes during a Memorial Day address on Wednesday in which he called for unity, laying bare the countrys internal divisions even as it mourns its dead. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight At least two people shouted swindler and shame as Naftali Bennett cast ongoing friction among Jews as an existential threat to the country. At one point, Bennett, whose family has received death threats in recent weeks, put his hand over his heart as he looked out over the crowd at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem.

Bereaved families are holy. You are allowed to shout, you are allowed to mourn, he said as the yelling and screaming continued. I hear the pain.

Bennett has faced vicious criticism from erstwhile allies on Israels nationalist right for forming a coalition government with left-wing parties and an Arab faction last year following a series of gridlocked elections.

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Israeli media identified one of the hecklers as Herzl Hajaj, whose daughter was killed in an attack in Jerusalem in 2017 and who became an outspoken critic of Bennett last year.

It was a sharp display of bitterness on a day and in a setting that are among Israels most solemn. A few hours earlier, sirens wailing for two minutes called the country to a halt. People stopped and stood, heads bowed, in honor of more than 24,000 people lost in the nations conflicts. In addition to the soldiers killed, Memorial Day honors more than 3,000 people killed in militant attacks.

Bereaved families visit cemeteries and attend memorial ceremonies, as television and radio shift programming to somber music, broadcasts of memorial services and documentaries about slain soldiers. At sundown, the occasion turns festive, and on the following day Israelis celebrate Independence Day with military flyovers and barbecues.

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Bennetts unity theme was familiar, and personal.

Last week, as Israel remembered the 6 million Jews killed during the Holocaust, Bennett pleaded for Israelis to refrain from fighting one another even at a time of great division in the fragile government he leads.

Bennett said national unity is Israels duty to the fallen.

Brothers and sisters, if we are not together, we will not be at all. We have no existence as conflicting tribes, rather, only as a varied and united nation, Bennett said.

Israel has fought several wars with neighboring Arab countries, battled two Palestinian uprisings and endured scores of deadly militant attacks since its establishment in 1948.

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MEXICO CITY  Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador plans to begin a lightning, five-day tour Thursday to four Central American countries and Cuba to discuss his governments approach to development and ways it might help alleviate the pressure to migrate. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight It will only be the third overseas trip in more than three years for a president fond of saying that the best foreign policy is good domestic policy. The tour is an opportunity for Mexico to reassert itself as a leader in Latin America and will be welcomed by some leaders under pressure from the U.S. government and others for their alleged anti-democratic tendencies.

Both geographically and metaphorically, Mexico finds itself wedged between the United States and the rest of Latin America. Lopez Obrador has deflected criticism dating to the Trump administration that his government is doing Washingtons dirty work in trying to stop migrants before they reach the U.S. border.

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Lopez Obrador will be received in Central America, in part, as an emissary of the United States when it comes to migration policy. He and President Joe Biden spoke by phone Friday and their foreign secretaries met in Washington Tuesday.

The U.S. government has been trying to build consensus ahead of the June Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles. It hopes to cement a regional approach to managing migration flows, which in recent years have involved large numbers of Central Americans, but also more recently Haitians, Cubans, Venezuelans, Colombians and migrants arriving from other continents who make their way up through the Americas.

Were working together closely to deal with what is an unprecedented migration challenge throughout our hemisphere, and for that matter around the world, and the collaboration with Mexico is absolutely vital, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday.

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There is agreement between Lopez Obrador and Biden that root causes of migration like a lack of economic opportunity, crime and corruption must be addressed. Lopez Obrador has repeatedly urged Biden to fund an expansion of some of the Mexican leaders signature social programs to Central America.

One pays farmers to plant trees that eventually would generate income through fruit or timber and incentivizes staying put, a program praised by White House climate envoy John Kerry during a visit last year. Another apprentices young people to companies. Critics say both programs lack accountability.

The foreign ministry in Guatemala, where Lopez Obrador will make his first stop Thursday, said it expected to discuss immigration and the tree planting program.

Ana Vanessa Cardenas, coordinator of the international relations program at Anahuac Mayab University in Merida, said the link between Mexico and U.S. is important to Central American governments under pressure to address the root causes of migration because Mexico is the facilitator of this help and also a motivator of that aid.

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Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei has been under pressure from the U.S. government for backsliding on the countrys fight against corruption  a campaign central to Lopez Obradors image in Mexico.

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has faced international condemnation since imposing a state of emergency after a surge in gang killings at the end of March, so a visit from Lopez Obrador, who prefers a hugs not bullets approach to security, is good opportunity to show hes not being isolated. El Salvadors security forces have arrested more than 22,000 suspected gang members in just over a month and human rights organizations say there have been many arbitrary arrests.

Mexican Sen. Emilio Alvarez Icaza, a former president of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, called for Lopez Obrador to suspend the visit to El Salvador last week. It would set a very serious precedent that the first time a Mexican president is in El Salvador its right in the setting of a state of emergency, he said.

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It speaks badly of Mexican democracy, but for the other country (El Salvador), it has the opposite effect, Cardenas said. It endorses that things are being done within a framework of international recognition that Nayib Bukele would be hard pressed to get from another country.

In Honduras, new President Xiomara Castro has forged a close relationship with the Biden administration. Last month, Honduras extradited former President Juan Orlando Hernandez to face drug and weapons charges in the U.S. and Castro campaigned on cracking down on corruption. She is desperate to activate the economy and create jobs, so could be open to Lopez Obradors proposals if there is money behind it.

The presidents agenda in Belize is less clear. The tiny country does not have a significant migration problem, but Lopez Obrador did hint at one topic for discussion earlier this week. One of his favorite projects is the construction of a tourist train around the Yucatan Peninsula that neighbord Belize. The Maya Train has been criticized for its environmental impact and lack of feasibility studies, but Lopez Obrador insists it will bring development to impoverished regions.

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On Tuesday, Lopez Obrador said the train would benefit Belize and Guatemala by spurring economic activity along Mexicos southern border.

The presidents final stop in Cuba will be the most symbolic.

Cuba President Miguel Diaz-Canel visited Mexico for its independence celebrations last year. Lopez Obrador has largely governed as a nationalist and populist, but he has positioned himself politically as a a devoted leftist.

All Mexican presidents in post-revolutionary Cuban history have made a trip to Cuba and obviously (Andres) Manuel Lopez Obrador, leftist president, could not be the exception, said Jorge Guajardo, a former Mexican diplomat and senior director at McLarty Associates in Washington.

The visit also is an opportunity to push back against the idea that Lopez Obrador has been too aligned with the United States in helping hold back migration, he said. Lopez Obrador has criticized the U.S. economic blockade of Cuba and he said that he told U.S. officials that no country should be excluded from the Summit of the Americas. The Biden administration has signaled that Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua would not be invited.

I believe that his trip to Cuba is a message to the most leftist wing of his group, Guajardo said.

__

AP writers Maria Verza in Mexico City and Sonia Perez D. in Guatemala City contributed to this report.

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From The Post

Scaife Series: database and related stories

Page Two

Hundreds of Millions Flow to Congenial Groups

Continued from preceding page

Scaife's money was probably most important to the cause in the '70s and '80s, when conservatives enjoyed the exhilarating reversal of what they had seen as their traditional, inconsequential status in American life. Scaife gave about $200 million to conservative causes from 1974 (his first gift to the Heritage Foundation) through the end of the Bush administration in 1992. As soul mates in what they considered a war over American values, the groups to which he gave shared a core set of conservative beliefs evident in the way they described their missions. For example, the Foundation for Economic Education promotes "individual freedom, private property, limited government, free trade." The Pacific Legal Foundation works "for less government and the preservation of free enterprise, private property rights and individual liberties." The Reason Foundation advocates "public policies based upon individual liberty and responsibility and a free-market approach." Lower taxes and fewer regulations are also part of the broadly shared program. In the realm of national security, Scaife-supported groups have a similarly shared view of the need for a bristling national defense and vigilance against communism and terrorism. There are disagreements, of course, particularly on emotional issues such as abortion, free trade and immigration. Scaife has long favored abortion rights, to the chagrin of many of those he has supported. In the first years of his philanthropy he stuck to a pattern set by his mother and sister and gave millions to Planned Parenthood and other population control groups, though most such giving stopped in the 1970s. He also has favored stricter controls on immigration and trade, though many Scaife-supported groups do not. By concentrating his philanthropy on a relatively small number of beneficiaries, Scaife maximized his impact. Over four decades he has nurtured enduring institutions, not just short-lived crusades. Nineteen percent of his conservative giving went to Heritage, the Hoover Institution, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), four of the biggest think tanks in America. This list is revealing for its political coloration. Heritage is the most aggressively conservative of the four, but it is hardly extremist. Hoover and AEI are plainly conservative institutions also, but CSIS, now run by former senator Sam Nunn and Robert Zoellick, a protege of former secretary of state James A. Baker III, is more centrist. Much of Scaife's philanthropy has gone to recipients that made no lasting mark; many have gone out of business. For example, the Capital Legal Foundation, which represented Gen. William C. Westmoreland in his unsuccessful 1984 libel suit against CBS, was granted at least $1.7 million from Scaife sources between 1977 and 1987, then folded. On some occasions Scaife has given money to an individual project just because it struck his fancy. One was a book project proposed in the early '90s by Elliott Abrams, a Reagan State Department official at the time of the Iran-contra affair and a foreign policy specialist for the Hudson Institute when he decided he wanted to write a book about American Jews. Leslie Lenkowsky, then the president of Hudson, suggested they ask Scaife to help fund the project. He and Abrams went to Pittsburgh, where they had lunch at the Duquesne Club with Scaife, his son David and Richard Larry. Abrams said he found Scaife fascinated by his subject. "He couldn't figure out the American Jewish community. He wondered why it seemed to be so liberal politically," Abrams recalled. Scaife gave a $175,000 grant for the project, with one string attached: that it be funded also by some Jewish donor or group. It was. "Faith or Fear" was published in 1997. It argued that "liberal politics" had become for many Jews "the heart of their Jewish identity," often replacing the Jewish religion, and gravely jeopardizing the future of Judaism in America. It sold 6,190 copies. From Quiet Benefactor to 'the Arkansas Project'

Today it is difficult to find an important organization that depends on Scaife's money. The pattern of his giving hasn't changed much, but more and more individuals, corporations and foundations have become contributors to Scaife's causes. The Olin Foundation (assets of $103 million at the beginning of 1998) and the Bradley Foundation (assets of $545 million) have become particularly important. The success of the conservative movement has made Scaife a less significant player. In many Scaife-supported organizations, the founders have been supplanted by successors unfamiliar with his role. Robert K. Best, president of the Pacific Legal Foundation, oldest and perhaps most influential of the conservative public interest law firms, was surprised to learn that Scaife contributions had constituted at least half the group's budget in its early years. It is tempting to speculate that the routinization of Scaife's role might have prompted him  or his key aide, Larry  to get involved in more adventuresome anti-Clinton activities. Their involvement in what became known as "the Arkansas Project"  an aggressive and ultimately fruitless attempt to discredit a sitting president  marked a clear departure from years of relatively anonymous philanthropy, and Scaife could not have foreseen the consequences: He became a celebrity. The full realization of the trouble he had made for himself probably came one day last September when he appeared, under subpoena, before a federal grand jury in Fort Smith, Ark., that was investigating possible tampering with a federal witness. On that day, Scaife could have felt he was being treated like a suspect  not the status a Mellon from Pittsburgh worth perhaps a billion dollars expects. According to several associates, Scaife was furious. The Arkansas Project was apparently cooked up largely by Larry, 63, who has worked for Scaife for 30 years. A former Marine with a deeply ideological view of the world, Larry had developed a powerful dislike for Clinton. "I noticed a change in Dick Larry  at the mention of Clinton he became almost hyperthyroid," said one prominent figure in the conservative world who knows Larry well. A second prominent conservative close to him said: "I never saw Dick Larry do anything like this before. The only thing I can figure is that Larry dislikes Clinton intensely." As the chief administrative officer of Scaife's philanthropies for many years and the main contact for anyone seeking a grant, Larry has long been a controversial figure among conservatives. They discuss him with the same reluctance to go on the record that many demonstrate when Scaife is the subject. "Sometimes [Larry] makes you wonder if it is the Richard Scaife foundations, or the Richard Larry foundations," said one source who worked with both men. In his written answers to questions from The Post, Scaife attributed his support for the project to his doubts that "The Washington Post and other major newspapers would fully investigate the disturbing scandals of the Clinton White House." He explained those doubts: "I am not alone in feeling that the press has a bias in favor of Democratic administrations." That is why, he continued, "I provided some money to independent journalists investigating these scandals." The Arkansas Project itself relied on several private detectives, a former Arkansas state police officer and other unlikely schemers, including a bait shop owner in Hot Springs, Ark. The two men running the project were a lawyer and a public relations man. Scaife's role became the subject of a special federal investigation because of accusations that the money he donated ended up in the pocket of David Hale, a former Clinton associate and convicted defrauder of the Small Business Administration who had become a witness for Starr's investigation of the president. Sources at the American Spectator say it was Larry who played an instrumental role in the project. But there is no doubt that Clinton had gotten under Scaife's skin. Scaife's penchant for conspiracy theories  a bent of mind he has been drawn to for years, according to many associates  was stimulated by the death of Vincent W. Foster Jr., Hillary Clinton's former law partner and a deputy White House counsel. He has repeatedly called Foster's death "the Rosetta stone to the Clinton administration" (a reference to the stone found in Egypt that allowed scholars to decipher ancient hieroglyphics). Last fall Scaife told John F. Kennedy Jr. of George magazine, "Once you solve that one mystery, you'll know everything that's going on or went on  I think there's been a massive coverup about what Bill Clinton's administration has been doing, and what he was doing when he was governor of Arkansas." And he had ominous specifics in mind: "Listen, [Clinton] can order people done away with at his will. He's got the entire federal government behind him." And: "God, there must be 60 people [associated with Bill Clinton]  who have died mysteriously." Even before the Arkansas Project had gotten underway, Scaife personally hired a former New York Post reporter named Christopher Ruddy to write about Foster's death for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the daily newspaper Scaife has owned since 1969. Ruddy's stories about Foster's death  most of them challenging the suicide theory, without offering an alternative explanation  began to appear in January 1995. Scaife has funded other Clinton efforts as well: Two zealous and resourceful (and rival) public interest law firms that have pursued Clinton and his administration relentlessly, the Landmark Legal Foundation and Judicial Watch, have received more than $4 million from Scaife. Judicial Watch, which is aggressively suing several branches of the government and has questioned numerous White House officials under oath, has received $1.35 million from Scaife sources in the last two years, a large fraction of its budget. The Fund for Living American Government (FLAG), a one-man philanthropy run by William Lehrfeld, a Washington tax lawyer who has represented Scaife in the past, gave $59,000 to Paula Jones's sexual harassment suit against Clinton. FLAG has received at least $160,000 in Scaife donations. And lawyers who belong to the conservative Federalist Society, which has enjoyed Scaife support for 15 years (at least $1.5 million), were members of a secretive group who provided important legal advice to Paula Jones and who may have pulled off the key legal maneuver in the Clinton case by connecting the Jones suit and the Starr investigation. Officers of the Scaife-supported Independent Women's Forum have appeared on many television programs as Clinton critics. William J. Bennett, author of "Death of Outrage: Bill Clinton and the Assault on American Ideals," is on the board of the Sarah Scaife Foundation, and has received Scaife support as a fellow of the Heritage Foundation and other enterprises. One of the most publicized allegations of a tie between Scaife and Clinton's enemies was the suggestion that Scaife was trying to set up independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr in a posh deanship at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif. Starr briefly toyed with accepting the job early in 1997. Scaife has been a generous supporter of Pepperdine, donating more than $13 million since 1962 (in personal gifts as well as foundation grants), according to the school. But Scaife and the current president of Pepperdine, David Davenport, both have said that Scaife played no role whatsoever in the offer to Starr. Scaife and Starr have said they don't know each other, and have never met. Only the Arkansas Project has caused Scaife serious trouble. The possibility that money from the project had tainted Hale, a federal witness, led to the appointment of Michael J. Shaheen, a former senior Justice Department official, as a special investigator. It was Shaheen who summoned Scaife to the Fort Smith grand jury. Shaheen's investigation apparently is complete. Lawyers involved said they don't expect any indictments. One result of the enterprise was to strain Scaife's relationship with Larry almost to the breaking point. "He almost fired Larry," said one friend. The other result has been the emergence of Scaife as a public figure and punching bag for liberals. "I'm a very private person  I think I'm essentially shy," Scaife told Kennedy last fall. But now, he acknowledged, he is recognized by passersby on the street  "thanks to CNN." Monday: Burdens of wealth

 Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company Back to the top


The Metinvest Mining and Metallurgical Group is mothballing the Avdiyivka Coke and Chemical Plant, which is part of the group, to protect the lives and health of its employees and their safety due to enemy shelling.

According to a press release of the group issued on Wednesday, the company has minimized the number of personnel working at the plant's industrial sites.

"Everyone who can work remotely was transferred to a remote mode early March. However, specialists continue to work to ensure the safety of the industrial facilities of the Avdiyivka Coke Plant during the period of hostilities. Most of them, unfortunately, ended up under enemy fire on May 3 after a work shift. The invaders' attack was fast and targeted. The company's specialists did not even have time to return to the plant's bomb shelters, which today have become a shelter for employees and residents of Avdiyivka," the company said.

At the same time, currently there are seven shelters at the plant that can accommodate 2,500 people. The shelters are supplied with generators, medicines, drinking water and food in a volume sufficient for a long stay.

In addition, the administration of the Avdiyivka Coke Plant systematically conducts information and explanatory work for employees. It reminds of the timely response to danger and the rules that will help save lives, in particular, use shelters on the territory of an enterprise or city during shelling.

"Despite the difficult logistics and enemy shelling, the Metinvest group is ready to evacuate all employees and members of their families who wish to leave the dangerous place," the company said.

Heavy shelling of Avdiyivka continues for several weeks. There is no water in the city, electricity and gas disappear from time to time due to hostilities.

As reported, due to a direct hit in passenger transport, 10 employees of the plant were killed, about 20 were seriously injured. Currently, the wounded are being provided with all the necessary assistance in the Avdiyivka city hospital.

The Metinvest group condemns the actions of the occupiers and emphasizes that the shelling took place after the end of the shift, when the civilians of the city were gathering at the bus stop to go home.

"These are cynically planned actions and corrected targeted shelling of civilians who have families, children who did not surrender their city in 2014 and continue to support Ukraine together with the defenders," the company said earlier in a statement.

At the same time, it was emphasized that the shelling of peaceful cities, enterprises and ordinary residents is the genocide of Ukrainians by the Russian Federation. The whole world sees this in many Ukrainian cities, in particular in Mariupol, where fierce battles have been going on since February 24, infrastructure is being destroyed, women, the elderly and children are dying.
An elected member of a Perth council is facing a state government standards panel after an extraordinary outburst last week but the man himself is unworried, saying he has faced this ghastly arrangement before and keeps winning votes.

It has also been revealed he is running in the federal election in the battleground seat of Swan which is being vacated by departing Liberal MP Steve Irons. Bradley is a WA Party candidate.

In a now-viral Zoom meeting clip, Cr Rod Bradley threw a tantrum, repeatedly thumping his desk with his iPad and flicking a lamp on and off in protest after Town of Cambridge Mayor Keri Shannon told him he was behaving like a child.

It has also since emerged that Bradley also took his iPad and microphone into the toilet during the meeting.
Independent candidate Despi OConnors push for retiring Liberal MP Greg Hunts seat of Flinders in the south of Melbourne has suffered a major blow, as she suspended her campaign over eligibility concerns.

In a statement, OConnor said she had become aware of an eligibility problem under Section 44(vi) of the Australian Constitution, which states that any person who holds any office of profit under the Crown  shall be incapable of being chosen or of sitting as a member of the House of Representatives.

Despi OConnor has suspended her campaign for Flinders.

In practical terms, this means that because I am technically employed in the Victorian public school system, I am considered to be profiting from the Crown and could be ineligible to be chosen or sit as a federal parliamentarian, she said.

OConnor is employed by the Victorian Department of Education, a state body, and has been on leave without pay for more than 18 months.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has opened a new front in the debate over a national integrity commission, declaring Australia could become an unrecognisable public autocracy if such a body is given too much influence over government decision-making.

With Labor, the Greens and the teal independents campaigning hard on the need for a new integrity body, Morrison emphasised the risks of handing sweeping powers to unelected officials in an interview with the Herald and The Age.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Melbourne on Tuesday. Credit:James Brickwood

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet hit back at Morrisons repeated attacks on the states anti-corruption commission on Tuesday, warning debate should not damage public trust in the agency.

Perrottets intervention came after Independent Commission Against Corruption commissioner Stephen Rushton blasted buffoons who had labelled the commission a kangaroo court  a term the prime minister has used multiple times.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has distanced himself from the prime ministers attack on the Independent Commission Against Corruption as a kangaroo court, saying he would not have used that language.

Scott Morrison has repeatedly denounced the NSW ICAC as a kangaroo court as Liberal moderates, including Frydenberg, fight to hold their seats against teal independent candidates campaigning on a platform of establishing a strong federal integrity commission.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has distanced himself from Prime Minister Scott Morrisons criticism of the NSW ICAC as a kangaroo court, saying he would use different words. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Frydenberg declined to back in Morrisons comments when asked if he agreed with the prime ministers characterisation of the NSW body, saying I would use different words.

I would put it to you like this ... I think the ICAC has produced results where good people have left office without convictions being made and without huge amounts of evidence, he told ABC TV.
Washington: The United States has provided intelligence that has helped Ukrainian forces kill many of the Russian generals who have died in the Ukraine war.

Washington has provided Ukraine with details on Russias expected troop movements and the location of Russias mobile military headquarters, The New York Times reported, citing senior US officials.

Ukraine then combined US tip-offs with its own intelligence to conduct artillery strikes and other attacks that have killed Russian officers, the newspaper said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, right, and Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov, left, walk to attend the joint strategic Belarus exercise in the Nizhny Novgorod region of Russia. Credit:AP

Ukrainian officials said they have killed about 12 Russian generals on the battlefield.
Washington: President Joe Biden has warned that overturning a landmark Supreme Court decision legalising abortion in the US would be a radical move that could threaten same-sex marriage and the entire notion of privacy in American life.

Hours after a leaked draft decision revealed that the Supreme Court was set to overturn Roe v Wade  the 1973 case guaranteeing that women have a constitutional right to abortion in the US  tensions erupted throughout the country over the fate of the 50-year-old precedent.

US President Joe Biden wants to codify protections for the right to an abortion. Credit:AP

In Congress, Democrats vowed to make abortion a central plank of Novembers midterm elections, while Republicans focused on the extraordinary leaking of Justice Samuel Alitos draft opinion  a security breach that is almost unheard of for an institution where decisions are highly guarded until they are handed down.

A few hundreds metres away, on the steps of the Supreme Court, protesters gathered throughout the day carrying placards with slogans such as hands off my rights and regulate corporations not our bodies while inside, Chief Justice John Roberts ordered an investigation into the source of the leak.
By Trend

New schools will be opened in Azerbaijans Jabrayil, Sugovushan and Zangilan in the near future, Azerbaijani Minister of Education Emin Amrullayev said at the awarding ceremony for the winners of the "Best Presentation" contest, Trend reports.

The contest was devoted to 99th anniversary of Azerbaijan's late national leader Heydar Aliyev.

"Today, the education sector faces number of important issues. Schools are being built in Azerbaijans Shusha and Aghdam, also, new schools in Jabrayil, Sugovushan and Zangilan will be put into operation in the near future," Amrullayev said.
Zelensky: You think you're doing business with Russia, and then missile hits your house

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the West not to have illusions about the stability of relations with Russia.

"They will go further. And those who say today that we have a great relationship and say it's just an economic relationship ... no one has a sense of reality," he said, speaking at the Wall Street Journal CEO Council Summit Tuesday night.

"You feel like you have business with this or that Russian company. It seems to you that they pay money on time. It seems to you that it is a profitable business. You think, until one day you wake up because a missile hits your house. And then all values change. And things are starting to fall apart," he said.

He cited the example of Hungary, which, he said, "shows warm relations with Russia." "Warm relations will turn into very hot relations and will be burned," Zelensky said.
Andriy Yermak, head of the Presidents Office of Ukraine, believes that the Russian missile strikes are aimed at stopping the supply of Western weapons to the country.

"Russia really wants missiles to stop Western aid, our new and powerful weapons. But it won't stop it," he wrote on his Telegram channel Tuesday night.
As a result of an accident in Rivne region on the Kyiv-Chop highway, 26 people were killed, 12 people were injured, the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.

"A total of 26 people were killed in the accident: 24 passengers and two drivers (of a minibus and a bus); 12 people were injured: 11 bus passengers and a gasoline truck driver; all passengers were between the ages of 17 and 69. The youngest would have turned 18 years old on May 12," according to a report published on the Telegram channel on Wednesday morning.

It is known "that there were 34 passengers and one driver in the Setra bus heading to Poland at the time of the accident.

The identity of the deceased minibus driver has not been established yet.

The accident occurred because of the driver of the car Mercedes-Benz Vito, which "was maneuvering to overtake another vehicle, drove into the oncoming lane, where he collided with a gas tanker.

All participants in the accident were from Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Khmelnytsky regions.

On May 3, at about 19:50, a gasoline truck collided with a bus on the Kyiv-Chop highway in the village of Sytne, Dubno district, and then caught fire.
Ukrainian defenders have secured control over four settlements near the administrative border of Mykolaiv and Kherson regions, the Operational Command Pivden (South) has reported.

"In the meantime, the actions of our mobile anti-tank groups ensured control of the territory of four settlements near the administrative border of Mykolaiv and Kherson regions," reads the message posted on Facebook.

During the day, the aggressor continued engineering improvements to its positions in Kherson and Mykolaiv directions and did not conduct active offensive operations, but shelled artillery and armored vehicles of Ukrainian units.

"Since yesterday in the town of Tokmak, in Zaporizhia, the occupiers began mass tailoring and disguise their soldiers in the uniform of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The implementation of provocative actions by such units in order to compromise the Ukrainian military in the occupied territories and attacks by hit squads on the line of contact is not ruled out," the Command reports.
Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian defenders hit 16 enemy air targets, the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.

"According to preliminary data, the Air Force and Ground Forces shot down at least eight cruise missiles during the day on May 3, the data is being verified. There is also information about the destruction of seven drones and one aerial missile," reads the message published on Facebook.

During the evening of May 3, the aggressor tentatively fired 18 missiles, which hit "the infrastructure facilities of Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Lviv, Vinnytsia, Kyiv and Zakarpattia regions. Also from other means there were missile strikes on Odesa and Donetsk regions.
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Russian army has already lost about 24,500 soldiers since start of full-scale invasion of Ukraine

Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian army has already lost about 24,500 soldiers, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

"Total enemy combat losses from February 24 to May 4 were estimated at: personnel - about 24,500 (plus 300) eliminated, tanks - 1,077 (plus 15) units, armored combat vehicles - 2,610 (plus 43) units, artillery systems - 491 (plus 16) units, MLRS - 163 (plus one) units, air defense assets - 81 (plus one) units, aircraft - 194 units, helicopters - 155 units, vehicles and tankers - 1867 (plus 24) units, ships/boats - 10 units, UAVs of operational-tactical level - 303 (plus 12), special equipment - 38 units, cruise missiles - 87 (plus three)," a message of the General Staff posted on Facebook reads.

It specifies that the enemy suffered the heaviest losses during the past day in Izium and Novopavlovsk directions.
Head of the Presidents Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak has held a meeting in the form of a video conference with the advisers of the leaders of the United States, Britain, France and Germany, during which they discussed security issues and the strengthening of sanctions policy against Russia, the press service of the Presidents Office reported.

"Yermak briefed the interlocutors on the course of events on the front, noting that the most difficult situation remains in southeastern Ukraine, where Russia has concentrated significant forces. He also spoke about the evacuation mission from the Russian-blockaded city of Mariupol, Donetsk region," the report says.

According to the head of the Presidents Office, 156 Ukrainian citizens who were sheltering from Russian bombing in the basements of the Azovstal plant finally reached Zaporizhzia on Tuesday and are safe.

At the same time, Yermak noted that Russian troops continue to shell Azovstal, where there are still civilians and wounded military personnel in need of emergency medical care, and stressed the need to make every effort to unblock the people who are at the plant.

"As part of the ongoing dialogue, the sides extended the discussion of future security guarantees for Ukraine. Our state, faced with Russian aggression, is interested in receiving clear and specific guarantees," the Presidents Office clarified.

They add that the sides discussed the preparation of the next sanctions package against Russia. The action plan for tougher sanctions, which was worked out by the international expert group Yermak-McFaul, was handed over to Ukraine's partners.

"The interlocutors agreed that the sanctions pressure on Russia should intensify until it stops its aggressive war and seeks peace," the report stresses.

It is specified that the video conference was attended by Jake Sullivan, national security adviser to the U.S. President, Stephen Lovegrove, national security adviser to the British Prime Minister, Jens Plotner, foreign policy adviser to the German Chancellor, and Isabelle Dumont, the French Ambassador to Ukraine, along with other representatives of the French side.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky outspeaks against the freezing of the conflict with Russia.

Speaking at the Wall Street Journal CEO Council Summit Tuesday night, he said, referring to a possible cease-fire, that "it doesn't mean Russian troops will stand where they are now. It's a frozen conflict. We're not going to agree to a frozen conflict."

He called the Minsk agreements the kind that led to the frozen conflict. "I am against it, there will be no such document. We did not withdraw from Minsk, Russia withdrew from it on February 24. They did, and Ukraine will definitely not go into such a swamp again."

At the same time, according to Zelensky, he does not see the desire of the Russian Federation to achieve a cease-fire. "If we have a meeting with President Putin, then maybe we can agree with him personally. He should commit to a ceasefire, preferably public, then we can believe in it," the president said.

He also said that "we must first take the appropriate steps to stop the war, and then diplomacy will come into play." "It is desirable to do the first stage and we have done that - to stop Russia in its advance. The second stage is to do as much as possible so that Russia withdraws from our territory. Now we are in the second stage. The third stage is to restore as much territorial integrity as possible," he said.

In his opinion, "where it is possible to restore territorial integrity, to find some compromises through dialogue in words, not through dialogue of weapons, Ukraine will do it, but showing its position as an equal partner in any dialogue".

Zelensky noted that "our groups are communicating at the level of negotiators," but "I do not really believe in such agreements." "It's important to talk, but until the president of the Russian Federation personally says it officially, and I don't see the weight in such agreements," Zelensky said.
Graphic Design and Presentation Assistant, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Organization: FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Country: Saudi Arabia

City: Riyadh

Office: FAO Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Closing date: Wednesday, 8 June 2022

2103390

Graphic Design and Presentation Assistant - KSA Nationals only

Job Posting: 16/Mar/2022

Closure Date: 08/Jun/2022, 9:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit : RNE

Job Type: Non-staff opportunities

Type of Requisition : PSA (Personal Services Agreement)

Grade Level : N/A

Primary Location: Saudi Arabia-Riyadh

Duration : 11 months

Post Number : N/A

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture

Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply

Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAOs values

FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination

All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

Organizational Setting

The incumbent will be part of the Programme Management Unit (PMU) of the FAO-Saudi Technical Cooperation Programme in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The PMU of the FAO-Saudi Technical Cooperation Programme (2019-2025) facilitates, coordinates and manages all technical and advisory services to be provided by FAO to the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MoEWA). The project "UTF/SAU/051/SAU Strengthening MoEWAs Capacity to Implement the Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development Programme" is the first project that has been approved within the framework of FAO-Saudi Technical Cooperation Programme (2019-2025). The project will provide technical and advisory assistance to the MoEWA in implementing its flagship sustainable rural agricultural development programme that has recently been approved within the context of the National Transformation Programme of the Saudi Vision 2030. The project expected results will be achieved through implementation of nine project components: 1) Development of coffee Arabica production, processing and marketing; 2) Development of beekeeping and honey production; 3) Development of rose production and trade; 4) Development of sub-tropical fruits production, processing and marketing; 5) Strengthening capacity of small-scale fishermen and fish farmers; 6) Strengthening capacity of small-scale livestock herders; 7) Development of rain-fed cereals production; 8) Enhancing value addition from smallholdings and rural activities; and 9) Strengthening MoEWAs capacity in sustainable management of rangelands, forests and natural resources to support rural livelihoods.

Reporting Lines

The Graphic Design and Presentation Assistant reports to the Administrative Officer in the FAO Saudi Arabia.

Technical Focus

The Graphic Design and Presentation Assistant develops and produces creative concepts for communication materials, publications, presentations, web/social media, and social marketing ensuring coherence with FAOs corporate communication policy and operational guidelines for all communication and information outputs.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Collect, review, and ensure full understanding and documents FAO policies and guidelines related to communication materials, their design and publication.

Undertake graphic designing, editing and customization using design and 3D applications and software.

Develop branding and visual identity concepts of communication products/campaigns, according to FAO rules and guidelines, reflecting successfully the Organizations mission, key themes and core strategies, while appealing to a variety of audiences.

Illustrate concept by designing layout of art regarding arrangement, size, style, and related aesthetics.

Review final designs eliminate errors and ensure quality, especially prior to printing or other final deliverable production steps.

Research, compile and organize information and reference materials from various sources for reports;

Create spreadsheets and presentations; manage and update databases for mailing lists and other information; and maintain electronic and paper files.

Support the production of publications to develop graphic identities coherent with the FAO Corporate Publications Policy.

Collaborate with programme professional officers regarding editing, proofreading and printing of publications and, where required, sources appropriate external suppliers.

Manage documents, catalogue and archive design products, safeguard and ensure production of all communication products (brochures, web banners, poster, gadgets, info-graphics, PowerPoint templates and other materials) in line with corporate branding, logo and other relevant guidelines.

Support conceptualization, design, production and publication of technical presentations prepared by the programme professional officers.

Deliver creative graphic and technical solutions (including info graphics if required) for print, electronic, web-based and animated presentations.

Perform other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

University degree /specialized diploma in Graphic Design, Service Design, Communication, Marketing or a related subject.

Three years of relevant experience in graphic design for copy, print and online media, web and motion design and Power Point Presentation.

Working knowledge level C of English and Arabic.

National of Saudi Arabia.

FAO Core Competencies

Results Focus

Teamwork

Communication

Building Effective Relationships

Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

Work experience in more than one location or area of work

Expertise in using industry-standard professional video and photo software and production tools, ensuring workflow, images and video output meet international media standards and comply with FAO OCC technical guidelines.

Knowledge of current video trends.

Excellent interdepartmental communication skills.

Good knowledge of the organizational structure.

Good knowledge of FAOs administrative policies and procedures.

Very good knowledge and experience in developing high-quality communication/multimedia materials for a wide variety of audiences.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).

Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org

Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.

Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications.

For other issues, visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/

HOW TO APPLY To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. Only applications received through the recruitment portal will be considered. Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile. If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org

Link to the organizations job posting: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1651338637121
Laboratory Technician (Mutation), Seibersdorf, Austria

Organization: IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency

Country: Austria

Field location: Seibersdorf

Office: IAEA in Seibersdorf

Grade: G-4

Closing date: Sunday, 29 May 2022

Laboratory Technician (Mutation) (G4)

( 2022/0285 (080410) )

Organization: NAFA-Plant Breeding and Genetics Laboratory

Primary Location: Austria-Lower Austria-Seibersdorf-IAEA Laboratories in Seibersdorf

Job Posting: 2022-04-28, 10:30:05 AM

Contract Type : Fixed Term

Extrabudgetary

Probation Period : 1 Year

Organizational Setting

The Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications implements the IAEAs Major Programme 2, "Nuclear Techniques for Development and Environmental Protection". This Major Programme comprises individual programmes on food and agriculture, human health, water resources, environment and radiation technologies. These programmes are supported by laboratories in Seibersdorf, Monaco and Vienna. The Major Programmes objective is to enhance the capacity of Member States to meet basic human needs and to assess and manage the marine and terrestrial environments through the use of nuclear and isotopic techniques in sustainable development programmes.

The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture assists Member States of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the IAEA in using nuclear techniques and related technologies to improve food security, alleviate poverty and promote sustainable agriculture. The Joint Centre consists of five Sections, each with an associated laboratory (located in Seibersdorf, 45 km south-east of Vienna), in the areas of: animal production and health; plant breeding and genetics; insect pest control; soil and water management and crop nutrition; and food and environmental protection.

The Plant Breeding and Genetics Section and Laboratory assist Member States with the development of mutation induction methodologies and integrated applications of mutation breeding techniques for crop improvement and biodiversity, contributing to the sustainable intensification of crop production systems.

Main Purpose

Under the overall supervision of the Head, PBGL the Laboratory Technician provides technical support for the activities of the PBGL by conducting experiments in the area of in vitro plant tissue culture and/or molecular genetics. He/she is responsible for maintaining laboratory inventories and provides hands-on training to fellows and other trainees.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Within established procedures and standards the incumbent will:

Perform laboratory experiments in the area of in vitro plant cell and tissue culture and/or molecular genetics

Provide hands-on training in experimental procedures in the area of in vitro tissue culture and/or molecular genetics to fellows and other trainees

Be responsible for inventory of laboratory chemicals, supplies and equipment and placing orders

Document experimental results in laboratory notebooks and summarize experimental results for reports

Collect phenotypic data (such as morphological or agronomical descriptors) from plants growing under laboratory, greenhouse or field conditions

Assist in diverse experiments by taking part in planting, harvesting and other routine greenhouse and field operations

Conduct international travel to FAO/IAEA Member States for hands-on training and related field work as required

Serve as back up for plant irradiation services and media preparation room and perform other related duties as required

Competencies and Expertise

Core Competencies

Name Definition

Planning and Organizing

Plans and organizes his/her own work in support of achieving the team or Sections priorities. Takes into account potential changes and proposes contingency plans.

Communication

Communicates orally and in writing in a clear, concise and impartial manner. Takes time to listen to and understand the perspectives of others and proposes solutions.

Achieving Results

Takes initiative in defining realistic outputs and clarifying roles, responsibilities and expected results in the context of the Department/Divisions programme. Evaluates his/her results realistically, drawing conclusions from lessons learned.

Teamwork

Actively contributes to achieving team results. Supports team decisions.

Functional Competencies

Name Definition

Analytical thinking

Gathers and analyses information, identifying critical relationships and patterns among data and proposes workable solutions.

Client orientation

Establishes effective relationships with clients to understand and meet or exceed their needs. Finds ways to ensure client satisfaction.

Knowledge sharing and learning

Actively seeks opportunities to learn by formal and informal means; learns from others, adopting and sharing best practice.

Asset Expertise

Function Name

Expertise Description

Administrative Support

MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)

Proficiency in MS Office, in particular MS Word and MS Excel

Plant Science

Plant Biotechnology

Specialized training in plant mutation breeding

Qualifications, Experience and Language skills

Completed secondary education

Minimum of four years of relevant working experience

Excellent oral and written command of English. Knowledge of other official IAEA languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is an asset.

English language test (level 1) to IAEA Standards.

Remuneration

The IAEA offers an attractive remuneration package including a tax-free annual net base salary starting at EUR 41605 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance), 6 weeks annual vacation, pension plan and health insurance

Appointment is subject to a satisfactory medical report. Recruitment will be on a LOCAL BASIS only. Outside applicants are required to supply to the IAEA or to authorize it to seek all information relevant to their suitability for employment by the IAEA. Testing may be part of the recruitment process.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Applicants should be aware that IAEA staff members are international civil servants and may not accept instructions from any other authority. The IAEA is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. As part of the United Nations common system, the IAEA subscribes to the following core ethical standards (or values): Integrity, Professionalism and Respect for diversity. Staff members may be assigned to any location. The IAEA retains the discretion not to make any appointment to this vacancy, to make an appointment at a lower grade or with a different contract type, or to make an appointment with a modified job description or for shorter duration than indicated above.

Link to the organizations job posting: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1651166381385
First Deputy Head of the Russian presidential administration Sergey Kiriyenko, who has become the new Kremlin supervisor for issues related to the ORDLO, arrived in Mariupol to prepare "celebrations" in the city destroyed by the Russian occupiers on May 9, the Main Intelligence Office of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said.

"Sergey Kiriyenko, first deputy head of the Russian presidential administration in charge of domestic policy issues, arrived in ruined Mariupol. It is known that it was he who recently became the new Kremlin supervisor of issues in the ORDLO. The main task of Putin's official is the preparation of 'celebrations' on May 9," the report says.

According to the Intelligence Office, the occupiers refuse to hold a holiday in occupied Donetsk, including a simulated military parade, so there are currently no preparations for these issues in ORDLO.

"Mariupol, according to the plans of the Rushists, should become the center of 'celebrations.' To this end, the central streets of the city are being urgently cleaned of rubble, bodies of dead and unexploded Russian ammunition," the Ukrainian spies specify. At the same time, a large-scale propaganda campaign continues, which will show the Russians stories about the joy of local residents at seeing the occupiers. The Rushist propagandist Vladimir Solovyov and head of the occupation administration in Donetsk, Denis Pushylin, visited Mariupol to prepare materials accordingly.
Three power stations damaged, two pumping stations blacked out due to missile attack in Lviv  mayor

As a result of the enemy missile attack on Lviv, three power stations were damaged and two pumping stations were de-energized, said Mayor Andriy Sadovy.

"Three power stations have been damaged. Two pumping stations are left without current. We are resuming water supply through alternative sources of electricity," the mayor wrote on his Telegram channel on Tuesday.
The upcoming Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) in Saudi Arabia will gather more than government leaders, hotel investors, owners, developers and operators to discuss and network under the theme Reimagined Horizons.



The event takes place on May 24 and 25 at the Riyadh Airport Marriott Hotel.



Co-organisers The Bench and MEED, along with Saudi-based organiser Semark, have designed the programme around the key themes of the future of hotel development, destination impact, aviation, sustainability, restaurant investment and human capital.



Were thrilled to bring three investment communities under one roof at FHS Saudi Arabia this year; Saudi Hospitality Investment Conference (SHIC), Global Restaurant Investment Forum (GRIF) and AVIADEV, which are all represented in our action-packed programme in Riyadh later this month, said Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of The Bench.



Our focus will be on the future of our industry and delegates will have over 40 opportunities to deliberate, learn and network over two exciting days. With a range of different formats from main stage presentations, workshops and panel discussions to interviews, break-out sessions and networking opportunities, we look forward to facilitating ground-breaking conversations on whats next for the hospitality industry, he added.



Hosted by Dur Hospitality, FHS Saudi Arabia will kick off with a Moroccan-themed opening reception showcasing the groups unique hospitality concepts.



Durs CEO Sultan bin Badr Al Otaibi stated: Its a great pleasure to host such a grand event debuting the new era of hospitality and redefining the future of this vibrant industry while creating numerous opportunities to drive collaboration and joint leadership action from across the global hospitality sector.



The GRIF community will be the first to take the stage at FHS with a series of sessions dedicated to the Kingdoms F&B investment scene, including a focus on dining trends, new brands and concepts, levering restaurant technology and food sustainability and security.



Hassan Ahdab, President of Hotels Operation at Dur Hospitality commented: The last few years have brought radical transformation that, despite being tough, has inspired us to navigate our strategies toward a hospitality market that is more resilient to major shifts and open to change.



Saudi Vision 2030 sets the stage for an incredible future for sustainable tourism in the Kingdom. Across nine brands, Hilton is growing its portfolio to more than 75 hotels in the coming years  creating opportunities for our guests to experience Hiltons Saudi hospitality in many new destinations. Whether its a locally flavoured welcome, remarkable culinary experiences, diversity of our teams or sustainable innovations in our hotel operations  we are excited about the Saudi opportunity and see a bright future ahead, added Jochem-Jan Sleiffer, President, Middle East, Africa and Turkey at Hilton.



With staffing shortages being a pressing issue for the industry globally - accelerated by the global pandemic - FHS will feature a session on How leaders are addressing the challenge of innovation and human capital in a rapidly changing environment.



FHS will also feature a series of breakouts covering a range of topics, including the Future of hotel asset management led by the Hospitality Asset Managers Association (HAMA); the Future of loyalty schemes, transparency and brand loyalty with Scott Antel from Scotts FZ LLE in conversation with Aleph Hospitalitys Founder & Managing Director, Bani Haddad; Why sustainability is key for the future of the hospitality industry led by ENVI Lodges Co-Founder Noelle Homsy and Richard Williamson from the Considerate Group; and a breakout on Hybrid lives and the vision of future spaces featuring Hamza Khan Co-Founder at Letswork and QUOs Chief Branding Officer Catherine Monthienvichienchai.  TradeArabia News Service
The UN Security Council (UNSC) will hold a meeting on the situation in Ukraine this week, according to the UNSC schedules.

According to the schedule, on Thursday, May 5, the UN Security Council will be briefed on Ukrainian issues.

In May, the USA presides over the Council.
Liberal lawmakers on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border are vowing to defend access to legal abortions, but the issue's divergent and divisive history in each country guarantees they'll go about it in very different ways.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with the media as he make his way to caucus on Parliament Hill, Wednesday, May 4, 2022 in Ottawa.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government is looking at using legislation to ensure a woman's right to a safe and legal abortion will be permanently protected in Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Liberal lawmakers on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border are vowing to defend access to legal abortions, but the issue's divergent and divisive history in each country guarantees they'll go about it in very different ways.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, long a self-proclaimed defender of progressive values, promised Wednesday to protect the ability of Canadians to safely and legally obtain an abortion, though he wasn't clear how he'll go about it.

The right to an abortion doesn't exist in Canada in the same way it is enshrined in Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that has served as a rock-ribbed legal scaffold for reproductive rights champions around the world for nearly half a century.

Abortion is decriminalized in Canada because of a 1988 Supreme Court decision, but no bill has ever been passed to enshrine access into law and it's also not considered a constitutionally protected right under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Americans' constitutional right appears on the verge of collapse: a draft Supreme Court decision, first reported Monday by Politico, suggests the court is poised to overturn the 1973 ruling and restore the ability of states to establish their own abortion laws.

"The freedom of a woman to choose belongs to her and her alone," Trudeau said Wednesday when asked if the government would codify abortion rights through legislation.

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos and Status of Women Minister Marci Ien, he continued, are examining the "legal framework" to ensure "the rights of women are properly protected" under both the current and any future government.

On the campaign trail last year, the Liberals promised to introduce regulations under the Canada Health Act to ensure abortion services were both clearly medically necessary and publicly funded.

That promise grew from a disagreement between Ottawa and New Brunswick about whether the province had to fund abortions at Clinic 554, a private clinic in Fredericton. Health Canada has already clawed back nearly $270,000 in transfer funds as a result of that dispute since 2020.

Liberal House leader Mark Holland said "it's too early to hypothesize" what the government may do to protect access to abortions in Canada, including going further than regulations and using legislation to do it.

"I think we need to take a step back and make sure we do it right and that it's not reactionary," he said, adding, "This government is prepared to do everything to ensure those rights are protected."

In Washington, however, Democrats  seized for months by the fear of a looming electoral reckoning in November, now energized by the perfect issue to galvanize their base  aren't mincing their words.

"This is no longer an abstract exercise. This is real as it gets," Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor Wednesday, promising to hold a vote next week on just such a bill.

It's doomed to fail. Two key swing Democrats  West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema  say they will protect the filibuster, a procedural tool that effectively raises the win-lose threshold in the evenly split Senate from 50 to 60 votes.

But with the midterms on the horizon, the point is winning the election, not the vote.

"Every single American is going to see where every single senator stands on protecting a woman's right to choose," Schumer said. "And rest assured, Americans will be watching."

While reproductive rights are clearly in danger in the U.S., access to abortion services in Canada is relatively good, said Kelly Gordon, a political science professor and abortion expert at McGill University in Montreal.

Many advocates fear that any effort to codify that access into law in Canada would risk triggering an erosion of those services, Gordon said.

Limits on how late in a pregnancy an abortion can be performed are determined at the provincial or territorial level in Canada, and enforced by the medical community, not the courts, she added.

"There's no criminal law around that, and that works well for the abortion provision community," Gordon said. "It's doctors that are deciding these term limits, which I think a lot of folks think is where that decision-making power should be."

Despite the differences, abortion remains a politically volatile issue for both countries  one that just detonated in the U.S. on the cusp of a compelling election season.

In Canada, Conservative MPs, warned off by their party leadership from commenting on the U.S. situation, went out of their way to avoid the discussion on Wednesday.

The NDP leader, meanwhile, held a news conference to assert that the Liberals need to do more than talk about protecting a right to choose, and ensure women can access abortions everywhere.

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"Rural communities, Indigenous communities, it is impossible to find anything locally so  women are driving hundreds of kilometres," said Jagmeet Singh.

"And while the Liberals are caught up in fighting the Conservatives over the right, neither of them have done anything to meaningfully expand access."

Trudeau defended the government's record on abortion, pointing to a three-year $45-million fund for community organizations to improve access to sexual and reproductive health care information and services for vulnerable populations. And he said the government is investigating barriers to abortion access across the country with a view to fixing it.

But promises made in the last election have thus far gone untouched. The government has promised a $10-million information portal on reproductive health and rights, but there was no mention of it in the federal budget last month.

A promised $10 million for youth organizations to "respond to the unique sexual and reproductive health needs of young people" has also yet to materialize.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4, 2022.
CALGARY - ATCO Group says it has reached a deal with Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. to build two hydrogen production and refuelling stations in Alberta.

Canadian Pacific Railway trains sit idle on the train tracks at the main CP Rail train yard in Toronto on Monday, March 21, 2022. ATCO Group says it has reached a deal with Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. to build two hydrogen production and refuelling stations in Alberta.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

CALGARY - ATCO Group says it has reached a deal with Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. to build two hydrogen production and refuelling stations in Alberta.

The Calgary-based structures and logistics company says the stations will be built at CP Rail's Calgary and Edmonton rail yards. They will be used to supply CP's hydrogen powered locomotive program.

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The railway announced in December 2020 its plans to design and build North America's hydrogen-powered locomotive using fuel cells and batteries to power the locomotive's electric traction motors.

The hydrogen infrastructure at each CP site will include a one megawattelectrolyzer, compression, storage and dispensing infrastructure for locomotive refuelling.

In Calgary, the electrolyzer will be powered in part by renewable electricity from CPs existing five megawatt solar power facility.

ATCO says construction of facilities is expected to begin later this year with production and supply of hydrogen being provided to locomotives in 2023.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4, 2022.

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BEIJING (AP)  China's capital on Wednesday closed 60 subway stations, more than 10% of its vast system, as an additional measure against the spread of the coronavirus.

Residents line up for mass COVID-19 testing on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, in Beijing. China has stuck to its strict "zero-COVID" approach that restricts travel, mass tests entire cities and sets up sprawling temporary facilities to try to isolate every infected person. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

BEIJING (AP)  China's capital on Wednesday closed 60 subway stations, more than 10% of its vast system, as an additional measure against the spread of the coronavirus.

Forty stations were closed from the morning, and 20 more were added in the afternoon. The Beijing subway authority in a brief message said only that the mostly downtown stations were being shut as part of epidemic control measures. No date for the resumption of service was given.

Beijing has been on high alert for the spread of COVID-19, with restaurants and bars limited to takeout, gyms closed and classes suspended indefinitely. Major tourist sites in the city, including the Forbidden City and the Beijing Zoo, have closed their indoor exhibition halls and are operating at only partial capacity.

A few communities where cases were discovered have been isolated. People residing in controlled" areas have been told to stay within city limits, including 12 areas deemed high-risk and another 35 considered medium-risk.

City residents are required to undergo three virus tests throughout the week as authorities seek to detect and isolate cases without imposing the sort of sweeping lockdowns seen in Shanghai and elsewhere. A negative test result obtained within the previous 48 hours is required to enter most public spaces.

Beijing on Wednesday recorded just 51 new cases, five of them asymptomatic.

A worker wearing a protective suit swabs a man's throat for a COVID-19 test at a testing site during the second consecutive day of mass testing in Beijing, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. Beijing on Wednesday closed around 10% of the stations in its vast subway system as an additional measure against the spread of coronavirus. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

The subway closings should have relatively little impact on city life, with China observing the Labor Day holiday this week and many commuters in the capital of 21 million already working from home.

In one downtown neighborhood categorized as high-risk on Wednesday, the streets were practically deserted apart from a few delivery drivers on scooters and an occasional pedestrian or car.

All businesses were shut except for supermarkets and fruit and vegetable stores. Outsiders generally stay away from high-risk areas to avoid the possibility of their presence registering on the tracing apps installed on virtually all mobile phones, creating potential problems for future access to public areas.

While taking a lighter touch in Beijing, China has stuck overall to its strict zero-COVID approach that restricts travel, tests entire cities and sets up sprawling facilities to try to isolate every infected person. Lockdowns start with buildings and neighborhoods but become citywide if the virus spreads widely.

That has caused the most disruption in Shanghai, where authorities are slowly easing restrictions that have confined most of the citys 26 million people to their apartments, housing compounds or immediate neighborhoods for close to a month, and in some cases longer.

Shanghai reported another 4,982 cases Wednesday, all but 260 of them asymptomatic, along with an additional 16 deaths. That continues a steady decline in Chinas largest city, which recorded a daily peak of 27,605 new cases on April 13.

The surprisingly low death toll amid an outbreak of more than 400,000 cases in the city that is home to China's main stock market and biggest port has sparked questions about how such deaths are tallied.

The rigid and widely derided restrictions have led to shortages of food and medical aid along with a wider  though likely temporary  impact on the national economy. Desperate, outraged citizens have confronted authorities at barricades and online, screamed out of their windows and banged pots and pans in a sign of frustration and anger.

Communist authorities who tolerate no dissent have sought to scrub criticism from the internet and blamed the protests, including the banging of cooking implements, on agitation by unidentified foreign anti-China forces."

As part of reopening, Shanghai this week began requiring health institutions to fully resume services wherever possible.

Patients filled the waiting area at downtown Huashan Hospital with lines forming outside some departments, according to a Shanghai Media Group report. While patient numbers are down by about two-thirds from before the most recent wave, their conditions tend to be more serious.

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Huashan's deputy director of dermatology, Wu Wenyu, told the Shanghai Media Group he was seeing patients who had delayed treatment because of the outbreak, some from cities outside Shanghai.

For example, a patient suffering from (skin disease) shingles will hurt very much. He or she might have felt very bad at home, but he or she couldnt go to the hospital due to COVID," Wu said. But now many patients are coming to see the doctor.

Hospital administrators said the hospital was staggering appointments to avoid crowding.

In some residential communities, a single family member was permitted to venture out twice a week to shop, sometimes also picking up items for neighbors.

Ling Jiazhao, manager of a supermarket in the eastern Pudong district, told the Shanghai Media Group that the store was limiting customers to 50 every half hour.

I'm hoping it won't cause congestion. Each community has two to four hours to go out for shopping, so most members will complete that within one hour, Ling said.
VAUGHAN, Ont. - Beleaguered cannabis company CannTrust Equity Inc. has been renamed Phoena Holdings Inc.

VAUGHAN, Ont. - Beleaguered cannabis company CannTrust Equity Inc. has been renamed Phoena Holdings Inc.

The company says the new name is derived from the word phenotype, which describes traits within a plants genetic code that are used to produce cannabis.

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Phoena will be 90 per cent owned by investors led by a subsidiary of KenzollB.V., a Netherlands -based private equity investment company, and 10 per cent owned by CannTrust Holdings Inc.

The renaming is meant to usher in a new era for the company, which exited creditor protection in March, after receiving $17 million in financing from the Kenzoll subsidiary, Marshall Fields International B.V.

The creditor protection came after the Vaughan, Ont.- based company behind the Liiv, SYNR.G, Xscape and Estora brands was found growing thousands of kilograms of cannabis in unlicensed rooms between 2018 and 2019.

Later, the Ontario Securities Commission and investors began pursuing lawsuits against three of the company's former executives, who they accused of making misrepresentations about CannTrust having necessary licences for growing cannabis.

Phoena, which was delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange in 2020, says it will continue to review alternatives to obtaining a stock exchange listing for its common shares.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 3, 2022.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Federal regulators recommended Tuesday that the Army Corps of Engineers decline to reissue a key permit for the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine, saying the project could raise levels of mercury and other pollutants downstream from the site in northeastern Minnesota.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Federal regulators recommended Tuesday that the Army Corps of Engineers decline to reissue a key permit for the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine, saying the project could raise levels of mercury and other pollutants downstream from the site in northeastern Minnesota.

It's just a recommendation, but it could deal a severe blow to the $1 billion mine if the Army Corps accepts the advice from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Minnesota Public Radio reported.

The EPA announced its position at the start of a three-day hearing in Carlton, where the Corps is taking testimony on whether PolyMet would violate the water quality standards of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, whose reservation lies down the St. Louis River from the site.

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The Corps is considering whether to reinstate the project's wetlands permit, one of several key approvals PolyMet needs to begin construction. It's one of three critical PolyMet permits that have been suspended as the project remains tied up in court and regulatory proceedings.

The EPA determined that there were no conditions that the Corps could place on the wetlands permit that would ensure compliance with the tribe's water quality regulations, which are stricter than the state's. Tribal members rely on fish from the St. Louis River, which flows through the reservation, but consumption advisories limit the number of fish that can be safely eaten from it.

Environmental groups that oppose PolyMet said they expect the EPAs position to carry significant weight with the Corps when it decides whether to reinstate or revoke the wetlands permit, and that if the Corps doesn't follow the EPAs advice, a court would likely reject the Corps' decision.

But PolyMet said in a statement that the agency disregarded the science-based conclusions" reached in the project's environmental review and permitting process. The company said its confident the Corps will affirm the permit after it considers all the evidence.

PolyMet contends the project will actually reduce mercury and sulfate discharges into the St. Louis River watershed because it will clean up an old iron mining waste pond at the processing plant site. The company pointed out that the site is more than 100 river miles upstream from the reservation.

The permit in question would allow PolyMet to fill around 1,000 acres of wetlands at its proposed mine site. The Corps approved the permit in 2019, but a federal judge ruled last year that the government failed to notify the downstream tribe about the potential impacts. So the Corps suspended the permit, leading to the current hearing.
NEW YORK (AP)  The literary writers organization PEN America is expanding its support of writers around the world who face imprisonment for their work by hiring human rights advocate Liesl Gerntholtz to head the new PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center.

NEW YORK (AP)  The literary writers organization PEN America is expanding its support of writers around the world who face imprisonment for their work by hiring human rights advocate Liesl Gerntholtz to head the new PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center.

The new center will build on PEN America's work advocating for imprisoned writers like the Ukrainian freelance journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko, who was first arrested in 2021 in Crimea and remains imprisoned. PEN America awarded him the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write award in 2022 to draw attention to his case in hopes that he will be freed, like many of the prize's prior recipients, thanks to the award's profile and the advocacy of other major international writers.

This photo provided by Suzanne Trimel shows Liesl Gerntholtz, Inaugural Director, PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center. The literary writers organization PEN America has hired the human rights advocate, Liesl Gerntholtz, to expand its support of writers around the world who face imprisonment for their work. Gerntholtz formerly led the womens rights division at Human Rights Watch among other roles. She will direct a new center created by a $10 million gift to the organization in October from the Edwin Barbey Charitable Trust. (Suzanne Trimel via AP)

Yesypenko's wife will accept the award in his stead later this month in New York and PEN America highlighted his case at a demonstration outside the Russian embassy last year and through press releases following his arrest and sentencing to six years in prison in February.

Under Gerntholtz leadership, the new center will help PEN America monitor more cases of imprisoned writers in real time and try to help them leave their country or otherwise protect themselves. This work is often done out of the public eye because of the hostile environment the writers from countries like Egypt, China and Myanmar face.

Gerntholtz, who formerly led the womens rights division at Human Rights Watch among other roles, said the center already has a database of some 700 "writers, intellectuals, visual artists, journalists under threat, adding that list will be updated and expanded.

Men are disproportionately represented among imprisoned writers, which means that we are obviously missing the ways that women are silenced, said Gerntholtz, who is a native of South Africa.

The PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center was created with a $10 million gift in October and represents the first donation in a fundraising campaign marking PEN Americas 100th year. It builds on the organizations relationship with retired media executive Peter Barbey and his family, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said.

Weve raised our budget anew every year, and so its a big step forward for us to be raising more multiyear support, Nossel said. PEN was not built to last but weve nevertheless survived for 100 years and were trying to put that right and undergird the organization with the foundation it deserves.

She called the gift a catalytic contribution as PEN America looks to start an endowment for more financial stability, as well as support for its programming.

Since 2016, donations from the Edwin Barbey Charitable Trust have supported the PEN America award for imprisoned writers. Barbey, his wife, Pamela, and son, Matt, advise the fund, which is managed by the Arizona Community Foundation.

Barbey joined PEN Americas board in 2021, and as the organization was planning for its second century, Nossel said she reached out to the Barbeys.

I felt comfortable enough to put forward what I felt we really needed to make a transformational change in our work and I was very moved, I think I was moved to tears when they said they would be willing to consider participating at that level, Nossel said.

The Barbey gift represents a large portion of what PEN America has raised annually through donations in recent years. In 2019, it reported $11.4 million in donations and $14.3 million in 2020, PEN America said.

Barbey served as president for several years of a media company in eastern Pennsylvania, Reading Eagle Company, that his family members have operated for generations until it was sold in 2019. He also purchased the weekly left-leaning chronicle of New York life, the Village Voice, in 2015 but couldnt rescue it. The paper shuttered in 2018 but has since resumed publication under new management.

What I think is unique about publishing is you become an advocate for free expression just by the nature of the business, said Barbey, adding he has carried that over into his philanthropy supporting PEN America and other journalism organizations.

The charitable trust, which is a donor advised fund, has also given $1 million to The Markup, a nonprofit investigative digital news organization, Barbey said.

Barbey's father, Edwin Barbey, established the fund before he died in 2015.

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The familys wealth also comes from a textile business, now known as VF Corp, that was founded in Pennsylvania in 1899. The company, which is now publicly owned, owns clothing brands like Timberland, Vans, Jansport and Supreme.

In another measure of the state of free expression around the world, the Committee for the Protection of Journalists documented the imprisonment of 293 journalists as of Dec. 1, the sixth year in a row that its documented more than 250 detained reporters. Within the U.S., CPJ found that 59 journalists were arrested in 2021, usually while they were covering protests.

Barbey said he thinks PEN America's advocacy for imprisoned writers reaffirms to the American public and press that its important."

"PEN America representing our country really is a stalwart activist defender of the freedom to write and freedom of speech, he said.

___

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NEW YORK (AP)  The CEO of Macmillan Publishers, Don Weisberg, will step down at the end of the year. Jon Yaged, currently the company's president, will succeed him.

NEW YORK (AP)  The CEO of Macmillan Publishers, Don Weisberg, will step down at the end of the year. Jon Yaged, currently the company's president, will succeed him.

"I can, without hesitation, say that there could be no better time for me to step aside," Weisberg, 67, said in a statement Tuesday. We are coming off two record-breaking years of unprecedented growth and profit; we have improved every facet of our operation at a time when the world has faced an existential crisis, and we have done it with grace, intelligence, and dedication.

Weisberg has been in publishing for more than 40 years, starting at Bantam in 1980. He joined Macmillan as president in 2016 and has been CEO since early 2021, presiding the entire time during the pandemic. Macmillan authors range from the prize-winning novelists Hilary Mantel and Jonathan Franzen to Oprah Winfrey and Fire and Fury author Michael Wolff. Imprints at Macmillan, owned by the German media company Holtzbrinck, include Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Flatiron Books and St. Martin's Press.

Yaged, 52, joined Macmillan in 2011 as president of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and was promoted to president of the overall trade division a decade later.

We will retain the individual identities among our publishers that unquestionably distinguish us from our competitors, Yaged said in a statement. We will continue to build upon our progress to make our staff, the books we publish, and the authors we work with more reflective of our society. We will explore new tactics and use new technology to increase discoverability of the books we publish.
MONTREAL - Molson Coors Beverage Co. says its profits soared in the first quarter for its largest quarterly sales growth in more than a decade.

Molson Coors products Molson Canadian beer, left, and Coors Light beer in Walpole, Mass., on Nov. 28, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Steven Senne

MONTREAL - Molson Coors Beverage Co. says its profits soared in the first quarter for its largest quarterly sales growth in more than a decade.

The Colorado and Montreal-based company, which reports in U.S. dollars, says it earned US$151.5 million or 70 cents per diluted share, up from US$84.1 million or 39 cents per share a year earlier.

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Underlying net income excluding one-time items was US$63.8 million or 29 cents per share, compared with US$1.6 million or one cent per share in the first quarter of fiscal 2021.

Revenues for the three months ended March 31 were US$2.2 billion, up nearly 17 per cent from US$1.9 billion, primarily as a result of strong growth outside of North America amid fewer on-premise restrictions in Europe.

Net sales in the Americas increased 8.5 per cent due to higher net pricing and sales mix even as brand volumes declined 4.5 per cent in Canada and 4.3 per cent in the U.S. Net sales in other global markets were up 84.2 per cent as brand volumes were up nearly 20 per cent.

Molson Coors was expected to post US$2.1 billion in revenues, according to financial data firm Refinitiv.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 3, 2022.

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LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Complaining that the West is "stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line targets across the country, as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war Wednesday by proposing a ban on oil imports.

Smoke rises after a Russian missile strike in Lviv, Ukraine, late Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Russian missile strikes targeted the city in western Ukraine on Tuesday, hitting electrical substations and disrupting power. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

LVIV, Ukraine (AP)  Complaining that the West is "stuffing Ukraine with weapons, Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line targets across the country, as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war Wednesday by proposing a ban on oil imports.

Heavy fighting also raged at the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol that represented the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined southern port city, according to the mayor. A Russian official denied that Moscow's troops were storming the plant, but the commander of the main Ukrainian military unit inside said Russian troops had broken into the mill's territory.

The Russian military also said it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of resorting to the missile terrorism tactics in order to spread fear across Ukraine.

Air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country on Wednesday night, and attacks were reported near Kyiv, the capital; in Cherkasy and Dnipro in central Ukraine; and in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. In Dnipro, authorities said a rail facility was hit. Videos on social media suggested a bridge there was attacked.

Anna Shevchenko, 35, reacts next to her home in Irpin, near Kyiv, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. The house, built by Shevchenko's grandparents, was nearly completely destroyed by bombing in late March during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In her beloved flowerbed, some roses, lilies, peonies and daffodils survived. "It is new life. So I tried to save my flowers," she said. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

There was no immediate word on casualties or the extent of the damage.

Responding to the strikes in his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: All of these crimes will be answered, legally and quite practically  on the battlefield.

The flurry of attacks comes as Russia prepares to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, marking the Soviet Unions defeat of Nazi Germany. The world is watching for whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will use the occasion to declare a victory in Ukraine or expand what he calls the special military operation.

Orlyanske, left, hugs his wife Kolya next to their car as they arrive from Vasylivka to a reception center for displaced people in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Thousands of Ukrainian continue to leave Russian occupied areas. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

A declaration of all-out war would allow Putin to introduce martial law and mobilize reservists to make up for significant troop losses.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the speculation as nonsense.

Meanwhile, Belarus, which Russia used as a staging ground for its invasion, announced the start of military exercises Wednesday. A top Ukrainian official said the country will be ready to act if Belarus joins the fighting.

Ukrainian pregnant woman Alyona, 20, holds her son Sergei, 1, as they wait for boarding during an evacuation of civilians in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, Saturday, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)

The attacks on rail infrastructure were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the West is stuffing Ukraine with weapons.

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagon's assessment, said that while the Russians have tried to hit critical infrastructure around the western city of Lviv, specifically targeting railroads, there has been no appreciable impact on Ukraines effort to resupply its forces. Lviv, close to the Polish border, has been a major gateway for NATO-supplied weapons.

Weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces thwart Russias initial drive to seize Kyiv and seems certain to play a central role in the growing battle for the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Moscow now says is its main objective.

Violetta walks to take a bus after her arrival from Mariupol to a reception center for displaced people in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Thousands of Ukrainian continue to leave Russian occupied areas. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Ukraine has urged the West to ramp up the supply of weapons ahead of that potentially decisive clash. Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which had been slow at first to help arm Ukraine, said his government is considering supplying howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment it has agreed to send.

The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which lies in the Donbas, said Russian attacks left 21 people dead on Tuesday, the highest number of known fatalities since April 8, when a missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk killed at least 59.

In addition to supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. have sought to punish Moscow with sanctions. The EU's top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to ban Russian oil imports, a crucial source of revenue.

Relatives hug each other after arriving from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol at a center for displaced people in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The proposal needs unanimous approval from EU countries and is likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they won't take part in any oil sanctions. They could be granted an exemption.

The EU is also talking about a possible embargo on Russian natural gas. The bloc has already approved a cutoff of coal imports.

Relatives react after arriving from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol at a center for displaced people in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Russias economy is heavily dependent on oil and natural gas exports. Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, said European purchases of Russian energy produce billions in revenue and support the Kremlin's war machine.

Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russias largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.

In Mariupol, Mayor Vadym Boychenko said that Russian forces were targeting the already shattered Azovstal plant with heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft, warships and heavy bombs that pierce concrete 3 to 5 meters thick.

Vehicles are on fire at an oil depot after missiles struck the facility in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces in Makiivka, 15 km (94 miles) east of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. (AP Photo)

Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult, he said.

Ukrainian fighters said Tuesday that Russian forces had begun storming the plant. But the Kremlin said that was not true. There is no assault," Peskov said.

Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Ukrainian Azov regiment that's defending the plant, said Russian forces have broken into the plant's territory.

People have a meal after arriving from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol at a center for displaced people in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Prokopenko said in a video that the incursions continued for a second day, and there are heavy, bloody battles.

The situation is extremely difficult, but in spite of everything, we continue to carry out the order to hold the defense, he added.

His wife, Kateryna Prokopenko, told The Associated Press: We dont want them to die. They wont surrender. They are waiting for the bravest countries to evacuate them."

This satellite image taken by Planet Labs PBC shows damage at the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. Russian forces began storming the bombed-out steel mill in Mariupol on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. The renewed push to take the mill came after scores of civilians were evacuated from the plant's underground tunnels after enduring weeks of shelling. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

Meanwhile, the United Nations announced that more than 300 civilians were evacuated Wednesday from Mariupol and other nearby communities. The evacuees arrived in Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles (230 kilometers) to the northwest, where they were receiving humanitarian assistance.

Many came with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, and we will now support them during this difficult time, including with much-needed psychological support, said Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine.

Over the weekend, more than 100 people  including women, the elderly and 17 children  were evacuated from the plant during a cease-fire in an operation overseen by the U.N. and the Red Cross. But the attacks on the plant soon resumed.

This satellite image taken by Planet Labs PBC shows a key bridge damaged by Russian missile attacks near Odesa, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Russia has repeatedly targeted the bridge in recent days. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

The Russian government said on the Telegram messaging app that it would open another evacuation corridor from the plant during certain hours on Thursday through Saturday. But there was no immediate confirmation of those arrangements from other parties, and many previous such assurances from the Kremlin have fallen through, with the Ukrainians blaming continued fighting by the Russians.

It was unclear how many Ukrainian fighters were still inside, but the Russians put the number at about 2,000 in recent weeks, and 500 were reported to be wounded. A few hundred civilians also remained there, the Ukrainian side said.

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Mariupol, and the plant in particular, have come to symbolize the misery inflicted by the war. The Russians have pulverized most of the city in a two-month siege that has trapped civilians with little food, water, medicine or heat.

People pay their respect during the funeral ceremony for Ukrainian serviceman Ruslan Borovyk killed by the Russian troops in a battle in St Michael cathedral in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

The city's fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops to fight elsewhere in the Donbas.

___

Anna reported from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yesica Fisch in Zaporizhzhia, Inna Varenytsia and David Keyton in Kyiv, Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and AP staff around the world contributed to this report.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  U.S. officials announced what they called extraordinary steps on Tuesday to keep hundreds of billions of gallons of water stored in a reservoir on the Utah-Arizona line to prevent it from shrinking more amid prolonged drought and climate change.

FILE - Bill Schneider stands near Antelope Point's public launch ramp on Lake Powell on July 31, 2021, near Page, Ariz., after water levels hit a historic low amid a climate change-fueled megadrought engulfing the U.S. West. Federal water officials have announced that they will keep hundreds of billions of gallons of Colorado River water inside Lake Powell instead of letting it flow downstream to southwestern states and Mexico. U.S. Assistant Secretary of Water and Science Tanya Trujillo said Tuesday, May 3, 2022, that the move would allow the Glen Canyon Dam to continue producing hydropower while officials strategize how to operate the dam with a lower water elevation. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  U.S. officials announced what they called extraordinary steps on Tuesday to keep hundreds of billions of gallons of water stored in a reservoir on the Utah-Arizona line to prevent it from shrinking more amid prolonged drought and climate change.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation plans to hold back about 480,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Powell to maintain Glen Canyon Dam's ability to produce hydropower for millions of homes and businesses in the region. That's roughly enough water to serve 1 million to 1.5 million average households annually.

Tanya Trujillo, the bureau's assistant secretary of water and science, said keeping the water stored in the reservoir would stave off hydropower concerns for at least 12 months, giving officials time to strategize for how to operate the dam at a lower water elevation. The lake currently holds less than one-fourth of its full capacity and the dam produces electricity for about 5 million customers in seven U.S. states.

We have never taken this step before in the Colorado River basin, but conditions we see today and the potential risks we see on the horizon demand that we take prompt action, Trujillo said.

The decision will not have any immediate impacts on the amount of water allocated for the region's cities. And it won't affect farms that rely on the Colorado River, which already face mandatory cuts in central Arizona.

But it illustrates the compounding challenges facing Mexico and the seven U.S. states that rely on the Colorado River, which supplies water to about 40 million people and a $5 billion-a-year agricultural sector.

There is less water flowing through the river than is consumed by cities and farms throughout the region. And the water levels in the river's two primary storage reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, have plummeted substantially over the past two decades  to such an extent that boaters found a decades-old dead body in a barrel exposed on Sunday.

The action announced Tuesday is one of several that have been taken to shore up Lake Powell. The Bureau of Reclamation has also ordered releases from other reservoirs upstream from Lake Powell, including 500,000 acre-feet of water from the Flaming Gorge Reservoir on the Utah-Wyoming border announced last month. Releases from Flaming Gorge as well as Blue Mesa reservoir in Colorado and the Navajo reservoir in New Mexico were ordered last year.

Shoring up Lake Powell may allow water to continue flowing through the turbines at Glen Canyon Dam and keep its hydropower-generating capacity intact, but that's only one of several interests that officials are juggling in managing reservoir levels.

The decision injects uncertainty into the boating and recreation industries that rely on consistent reservoir levels to operate infrastructure like docks. And it forces officials to confront that without drastic conservation measures, demand for water in growing regions will likely come up against supply constraints in a hotter, drier future.

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The Bureau of Reclamation announcement followed months of talks between upper basin states  Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming  and their lower basin counterparts in Arizona, California, Nevada and Mexico, which are already taking mandatory and voluntary cuts.

Federal officials first floated the proposal last month in a letter to the seven states, which responded with a joint letter in support of the move in which they asked the bureau to adjust water accounting and how it reports lake levels when deciding on future cuts.

The request centered on the fact that keeping water stored in Lake Powell will decrease the amount of water flowing downstream to Lake Mead, the Colorado Rivers other main storage reservoir.

In response to concerns that less for Lake Mead would require lower basin states to take additional cuts, the bureau agreed to act as if the water had flowed downstream in calculating Lake Meads elevation. That compromise alters the implementation of agreements reached over the past 15 years triggering cuts to water users in the lower basin once Lake Mead falls to certain thresholds.

It means moving forward, U.S. officials will credit Lake Mead and act as if the water kept to preserve Lake Powell had been delivered downstream when deciding how to enforce agreements  effectively splintering the lakes actual levels from the levels used to determine cuts.

We are going to account for the water as if it had been released. And we will do it in a way so that it will not trigger additional releases from the upper basin or additional layers of shortage in the lower basin, Trujillo said.
Israeli authorities are discussing a possible increase in aid supplies to Ukraine, including defense systems, the Haaretz newspaper reported on Tuesday.

"During discussions on this issue, most officials support the option in which Israel increases the volume of military and civilian cargo for Ukraine. Additional discussions are expected in the coming days, during which they will consider a list of things that can be sent to Ukraine," the newspaper writes.

At the same time, as one of the sources said on condition of anonymity, one of the reasons for supporting Ukraine, voiced at the government meeting, is "understanding that the U.S. and various European countries expect a clear position from Israel on which side it is on" in the situation around Ukraine.

The newspaper notes that Israel's support for Ukraine "will be, in fact, more declarative and will not include a significant amount of cargo, in part because the U.S. and European countries are already supplying Ukraine with more than Israel is capable of."

Also, "there is a consensus among the relevant Israeli officials that, at least at this stage, the Ukrainian army will not receive anti-aircraft systems, modern weapons, offensive weapons." Instead, for the time being, it is about the supply of "defensive systems that will protect troops on the ground, personal combat equipment and warning systems that could be sent without causing a crisis with Russia," Haaretz writes.

Earlier, the newspaper recalls, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz approved the shipment of body armor and helmets for the Ukrainian army. In addition, Israel delivered 100 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, including water purification systems, medical equipment, and blankets.
The archbishop of Canterbury asked himself one question after hearing stories of abuse from Indigenous survivors of Anglican Church-run residential schools: How could they have done that?

The archbishop of Canterbury asked himself one question after hearing stories of abuse from Indigenous survivors of Anglican Church-run residential schools: How could they have done that?

Justin Welby, the spiritual leader of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion, spoke to the Free Press after meeting Indigenous residential school survivors in Prince Albert, Sask. on the weekend.

I have a huge sense of anger and profound grief about (the abuse), he said.

After hearing stories from 15 Indigenous people from the nearby James Smith Cree Nation who had experienced abuse at Anglican-run schools, Welby said he lamented their intolerable suffering as children.

For building hell and putting children into it and staffing it, I am more sorry than I could ever, ever begin to express, he said in his apology.

Im ashamed. I asked myself where does that come from? That evil? It has nothing to do with Christ. It is the rawest, wickedest, most terrible thing to molest a child while you read them the Bible, he said.

Welby was in Saskatchewan from April 28 to May 1 to attend the synod of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ruperts Land, which brought together clergy and others form 10 Anglican dioceses in Manitoba, northwestern Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

He was especially moved by hearing from a survivor who cried herself to sleep each night, along with other sobbing children.

Ones instinctive reaction with a crying five-year-old is to comfort and reassure them, to tell they are valuable and beloved. What possessed them (residential school staff) to behave in the way they did? he said.

Welby said he doesnt have an answer; maybe it was racism or an abuse of power, or perhaps the idea that Indigenous people were subhuman, a belief that grew out of the Doctrine of Discovery.

Im going to wrestle with that more, he said, noting the subject of the church and Indigenous people is a key theme at this summers Lambeth Conference in England, which brings together Anglican bishops from 165 countries.

In response to a request from survivors for the release of records about residential schools held in England, the archbishop said he will do everything in my power to make sure it happens.

He is open to exploring a request for funding from the Church of England to help restore Indigenous languages although, he noted, he doesnt have control over church finances.

In making the apology, Welby said he wants Indigenous people to know the church stands with them, will be with them in solidarity, adding we want to do much more than that.

Anglican Church of Canada Primate Linda Nicholls echoed Welbys feelings.

I was profoundly moved, she said. I could hear the pain and grief in their voices, see it in their bodies.

Murray Still, priest at St. Stephen and St. Bede and a member of Peguis First Nation, attended the Synod.

He called Welbys apology quite moving, as was his commitment to stand alongside Indigenous people in Canada.

Still, who is also a member of the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, was glad to hear Welby say he intends to back up his words with actions.

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It was very important to get that message from him, he said, adding his apology felt genuine and from his heart.

Theo Robinson, an Anglican priest who is the minister for the Interlake Regional Shared Ministry, also attended the Synod.

He called Welbys apology very sincere and said it communicated the message the church has harmed Indigenous people, and we need to do better.

The Synod included a conversation about changing the name of the ecclesiastical province. It is Ruperts Land  the name given to the territory granted to the Hudson Bay Co. by King Charles II in 1670, which was named after his cousin Prince Rupert, first governor of the company.

We want to move away from that colonial past, said Robinson, adding there is also discussion in Manitoba about changing the name of the local Diocese of Ruperts Land to promote reconciliation with Indigenous people.

faith@freepress.mb.ca
Western Canadas oldest newspaper was the setting Mayor Brian Bowman used to mark World Press Freedom Day, which highlights the importance of a free and independent press.

Western Canadas oldest newspaper was the setting Mayor Brian Bowman used to mark World Press Freedom Day, which highlights the importance of a free and independent press.

May 3 serves not just to support journalists but for governments and communities to reflect on the importance of press freedom, Bowman said in the atrium of the Free Press building Tuesday.

"On this World Press Freedom Day, in a world shadowed by war and persecution and disinformation, I believe its deeply important for the City of Winnipeg to honour the professionals who dedicate their lives to reporting the news and offering thoughtful commentary on the news," he said.

The Free Press was recognized with the citys community service award for 150 years of upholding those values Tuesday. The news organization faces an uphill battle, as freedom of expression and access to information are challenged around the world, Bowman said.

Mayor Brian Bowman presents Free Press co-owner Bob Silver with the citys community service award on Tuesday, World Press Freedom Day. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

"Freedom of the press is under attack whenever (Russian President) Vladimir Putin or (Syrian President) Bashar al-Assad sets out on a path of tyranny, the first deadly step is always the persecution of professional journalists  censorship, harassment, imprisonment, even murder."

Bowman also announced the city will rededicate the press room at city hall, first opened by mayor Stephen Juba in 1964, Bowman said.

Free Press co-owner Bob Silver, who accepted the award Tuesday, said he had never been prouder to oversee the operation of the largest independent newspaper in Canada.

"Through all of the issues around the pandemic, every single morning, the paper was delivered to the citizens of Winnipeg. Every single day, the citizens of Winnipeg were given information. Every single day, the citizens of Winnipeg had an act of normalcy in a time where nothing seemed normal," he said.

"Post-truth" was the Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year in 2016, and that adjective has only become more ingrained in public consciousness in the years since.

Free Press Publisher, Bob Cox (from left), co-owner Bob Silver, Mayor Brian Bowman and editor Paul Samyn. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Fee Press)

The U.S. presidential election that same year brought in a new world leader quick to shut down accredited journalists as "fake news," while simultaneously, manipulated or fabricated content designed to mislead became easier to spread as social media became more advanced.

More recently, news stories coming out of Russia on the war in Ukraine were flagged as disinformation campaigns by Canadas Communications Security Establishment, in an effort to help weed out purposefully misleading content for Canadians.

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A statement Tuesday from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called out Russia and called on Canadians to advocate for journalists in the line of fire.

"As Russia continues its illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine, we thank the reporters on the front lines who are risking their lives to deliver accurate information to the world," he said. "In the age of disinformation and misinformation, independent, fact-based reporting is vital."

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh referenced a new bill introduced last month that will require tech companies to compensate Canadian media outlets for using their news content as a chance for Canada to catch up to other areas in the world in improving access to news content.

"For the seven years that the Liberals have been in power, they have been outspoken about protecting our news media, but instead of taking action, they have chosen to protect the profits of the web giants  buying more advertising for their personal benefit," Singh said.

The World Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders, ranked Canada 19th in the world in the ability for its citizens to access accurate unbiased news coverage in 2022. Just the year prior, Canada had been ranked 14th.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca
Wait times for hip and knee surgery jumped 21 per cent in March, according to new data released this week by Manitoba Health. Its further evidence the province still has a long way to go before it can claim its clearing up surgical backlogs compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wait times for hip and knee surgery jumped 21 per cent in March, according to new data released this week by Manitoba Health. Its further evidence the province still has a long way to go before it can claim its clearing up surgical backlogs compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The median wait time for hip and knee surgeries in Manitoba was 34 weeks in March, up from 28 weeks in February. The provincewide wait time, which includes data from three regional health authorities (including Winnipeg) peaked in November at 40 weeks.

As usual, wait times vary by hospital and region. Hip and knee wait times increased at Concordia Hospital, but fell at Grace Hospital and Brandon Regional Health Centre.

When broken down by procedure, the wait time for total hip replacement surgery in Winnipeg fell to 24 weeks. However, the wait for knee replacement surgery shot up to 40 weeks from 34 weeks in Winnipeg. (Manitoba Health doesnt provide provincial averages for hip and knee surgeries separately.)

The Stefanson governments diagnostic and surgical recovery task force has not published any wait time data since it was struck in December.

Task force officials have said they are waiting for the launch of a central wait time management system later this year to publish such information. In the meantime, the only source of wait time data for surgeries and diagnostic procedures is the limited amount posted online by Manitoba Health.

What it shows is wait times for some procedures are rising, while others are falling.

The wait time for cataract surgery at Western Surgery Centre in Winnipeg, for example, was nine weeks in March, up from eight weeks the previous month. At Misericordia Health Centre, it has remained steady at 16 weeks.

The wait time for non-urgent bypass heart surgery has dropped to 63 days from a peak of 209 days in February. However, the wait time for all cardiac surgery has increased to 70 days from 38.

What the data do not reveal is what the longest wait times are for these procedures. Median wait times represent the halfway point between shortest and longest.

What the data do not reveal is what the longest wait times are for these procedures. Median wait times represent the halfway point between shortest and longest.

The 90th percentile wait times (the longest for nine out of 10 patients) provide a more realistic picture of how long some people are waiting. However, Manitoba Health doesnt publish those.

While the Manitoba Health data provides the public with some useful information, its not current. Most Manitobans probably want to know what wait times are today, not what they were more than a month ago.

One of the reasons wait times may be on the rise again is because of the pent-up demand for surgeries during the pandemic.

Thousands of surgeries were cancelled over the past two years to accommodate the influx of COVID-19 patients in hospital. Now that most redeployed staff are returning to their surgical wards, surgeons are able to book more procedures again, which could cause wait times to rise.

Its unclear how much capacity the system has to reduce those backlogs or how long it will take to bring down wait times. The provinces task force has not provided any projections.

Still, its unclear how much capacity the system has to reduce those backlogs or how long it will take to bring down wait times. The provinces task force has not provided any projections.

A plan announced in March to add orthopedic surgery capacity at Concordia Hospital is not expected to be in operation until the end of the year. No projections have been released to show what impact that additional capacity may have on wait times.

Meanwhile, the wait time for an MRI in March increased to 24 weeks provincewide, up from 23 weeks the previous month. Its the highest its been since May 2021.

Like surgeries, MRI wait times differ by hospital. The largest increase was at Selkirk & District General Hospital, jumping to 23 weeks in March from 17 the previous month. It fell at Dauphin Regional Health Centre to 27 weeks from 32.

Appointing a task force to reduce wait times is useless if theyre not providing the public with detailed updates and longterm targets.

The wait time for CT scans provincewide was 17 weeks in March, down from 18 the previous month.

The longer it takes to access diagnostic tests such as MRIs or CT scans, the more time it takes for doctors to recommend treatment plans for their patients.

Appointing a task force to reduce wait times is useless if theyre not providing the public with detailed updates and long-term targets.

All we know at this point is wait times are rising in many areas and the province doesnt seem to have a plan to address the issue.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca
Christopher Sinclair and Arlene Spence had about a half-hour to pack what they could in the back of the car as the waters rose around their Peguis First Nation home.

Christopher Sinclair and Arlene Spence had about a half-hour to pack what they could in the back of the car as the waters rose around their Peguis First Nation home.

Describing it as the worst flooding theyve seen, the husband and wife drove the highway out of their community Saturday, with the bulging Fisher Rivers water reaching about 1 1/2 feet up Spences silver sedan.

JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Peguis First Nation evacuees Matthew Cook and daughter Millie, 11 months, are staying at the Hilton Hotel.

On Tuesday, Sinclair pointed out the mud still caked to the vehicles sides, while visiting family members who had fled to a hotel near the Winnipeg airport.

Officials in the First Nation community of about 4,800, about 170 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, declared an evacuation order Sunday, as the water flooded roads, washed out dikes and backed-up sewers. More than 1,374 people had already left, Chief Glenn Hudson said Tuesday, with the First Nation renting buses and using one of its own to get people out.

About 700 homes have been surrounded or submerged in the flood so far, Hudson said. Many of the evacuees are staying in hotels in Winnipeg, while others are staying in hotels in Selkirk, or like Sinclair and Spence, in Gimli.

Fisher River, Kinonjeoshtegon and Long Plain First Nations have also evacuated vulnerable residents, an Indigenous Services Canada spokeswoman said in an email. However, no further evacuation orders were expected as of Tuesday.

Canadian Red Cross Manitoba spokesman Jason Small said the relief organization is supporting about 1,100 people whove had to flee the rising water with lodging, meals, registration and personal support.

"If it wasnt for my husband  he brought me a decent jacket and shoes. They only give you 25, 30 minutes to grab what you can (when fleeing the community) and were on meds, so we have to grab our meds  what do we grab?" said Spence, 49, outside the Best Western on Wellington Avenue.

"We just grabbed what we could grab."

The couple had to leave some of their dogs recently-born puppies inside their trailer, which emergency officials told them would be rescued and given shelter.

"I didnt want to do that, but I couldnt bring all those pups, we had seven, eight pups," Spence said.

Sinclair, 57, was wearing moccasins as the couple visited a niece and her family staying in Winnipeg, because the plumber only thought to bring his work clothes when fleeing to Gimli.

He was working on the water pumps operating to protect the community  Hudson said leadership has ordered 100 more on top of the 100 already running  but Sinclair said they couldnt keep up.

"I had pumps going, three pumps (at one house) and two pumps over at the other house, and as fast as it was going down, its coming  I said, You know what? Im out of here," Sinclair said, adding he hopes to get back to the community to help as soon as he can.

After the 2011 flood event, Spence had to stay with family in a Winnipeg hotel for two years: "Its so stressful, very stressful."

The 2022 flood "is the worst ever," Hudson said.

"I was just a child when the 1974 flood was in and they had to helicopter people out, but now that we have trucks and we have road access, were able to get out. But the main highways been breached in five different areas, so its quite scary."

The First Nations leadership is working to accommodate evacuees with additional food, incidental needs and wellness checks, Hudson said. In Peguis, security is monitoring the homes of the evacuees.

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"We have gone through this many, many times," the chief said. "With respect to what is happening, we need long-term flood mitigation efforts just like southern Manitoba, when they had the flood of 97."

Hudson has been working with Indigenous Services Canada and NDP MP Niki Ashton on a request for military aid, but said in a text message Tuesday afternoon the community has made unspecified alternative manpower arrangements to deal with the deluge of water.

Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu said, as of midday Tuesday, Peguis had not formally requested military help from her department but noted Ottawa was in regular contact with the band and province about assistance.

 with files from Dylan Robertson

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @erik_pindera
A violin bought for a Winnipegger when he was a teen will soon be in the hands of a refugee who had to leave her instrument behind when she fled from Ukraine.

A violin bought for a Winnipegger when he was a teen will soon be in the hands of a refugee who had to leave her instrument behind when she fled from Ukraine.

The almost 70-year-old violin owned by Jim Rogers was selected by a local luthier as the best to refurbish. It was among several donated to a Winnipegger who had taken a detour during her vacation in France last month to help Ukrainian refugees in Poland.

In a Free Press story on Saturday, Susanne Martin said she wanted to help a mother of two children whom she had met  and had driven her to family in Vienna, Austria  get a replacement violin.

"I played it when I was just a young child," the 78-year-old Rogers said on Tuesday. "I started to play the violin when I was 10 years old or so when I had a smaller version. Then my parents bought me the one that I gave to Susanne.

"I havent played it in years and years."

In fact, Rogers has been trying to find a home for it for more than 30 years.

"The last time I played it was prior to 1986. I was in my basement office and I took it out and the cat reached up and grabbed the bow," he said.

Rogers said hes just glad the violin his parents bought him will no longer gather dust.

"Im very pleased that somebody who really will appreciate it is getting it."

The luthier is giving her a discount so it will cost about $200 to refurbish the instrument and the bow, Martin said. She hopes to mail it to the woman once it is ready.

"She will be able to open it and play it right then," she said. "I didnt want her to get an instrument that she had to fix it. She cant afford that."

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Martin, who detoured to Poland with her partner Peter Palaschuk to deliver donated clothes, bedding and medical supplies, met the woman and her two young children, aged eight and five, when she offered a lift to anyone who needed one to any place they were driving through between Poland and France.

During the drive, when the woman hummed to classical music on the radio, she told the couple she had played classical violin in Ukraine but had to leave her instrument behind. Thats when Martin decided to see if someone wanted to donate a violin after she returned to Winnipeg.

Rogers violin wasnt the only one gifted to her by generous Winnipeggers who had read the story; she got five in total, Martin said.

A Canadian diplomat working in the Canadian Embassy in Vienna also says she is willing to donate the student violin her daughter used when she was younger.

Martin said she hopes all of the violins will get into the hands of refugees.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Exactly where Eduardo Balaquits body is or how he died remains a mystery, but there is no doubt it was Kyle Pietz who killed him, the Crown told jurors Tuesday in a Winnipeg courtroom.

Exactly where Eduardo Balaquits body is or how he died remains a mystery, but there is no doubt it was Kyle Pietz who killed him, the Crown told jurors Tuesday in a Winnipeg courtroom.

Balaquit, 59, disappeared June 4, 2018, after leaving home for Westcon Equipment and Rentals on Keewatin Street, where he had a contract as a cleaner.

Kyle Pietz, 36, a former employee at Westcon, is on trial for manslaughter.

Winnipeg Police Service Eduardo Balaquit disappeared June 4, 2018, after leaving home for Westcon Equipment and Rentals on Keewatin Street, where he had a contract as a cleaner.

Prosecutors allege Pietz killed Balaquit during a robbery after forcing him to disclose his bank card numbers.

"There is no doubt that the only reasonable explanation for (Balaquits) disappearance is that he is dead and there is no doubt that Kyle Pietz is responsible for his death," Crown attorney Brent Davidson told jurors in a lengthy closing argument.

Prosecutors allege at the time Balaquit disappeared, Pietz was in desperate financial straits and creditors were closing in. Prosecutors allege he broke into Westcon in late April and stole $1,700 from a petty cash box; he returned June 4 after closing, thinking it was an "easy mark."

"This is a case of desperation that literally drove Mr. Pietz to Westcon and from there he left a trail of death and of debits," Davidson said. "That trail ends right here in this courtroom."

Jurors have heard testimony from several witnesses who reported seeing Pietzs car circling Westcon before closing June 4, or in the parking lot at the same time as Balaquits vehicle.

"Eduardo Balaquit was targeted, either personally or as a means to get into Westcon," Davidson said.

Eduardo Balaquit was targeted, either personally or as a means to get into Westcon.  Crown attorney Brent Davidson

Pietz later told police he had gone to Westcon to pick up some packing boxes and had asked Balaquit to retrieve them for him.

Davidson told court that was a lie and Pietz used Westcon boxes found in his home to cover up Balaquits body in the trunk of his car.

Cell tower records for that evening tracked Pietzs cellphone from Westcon to a nearby Safeway and Liquor Mart, back to Pietzs Toronto Street home and then to the Arborg area  all the while with Balaquits body in the trunk of Pietzs car, Davidson alleged.

An intensive ground search in the Arborg area failed to uncover Balaquits body.

The human remains are somewhere between Winnipeg and Arborg, roughly 100 kilometres north, but with no point of reference pinpointing a precise location it "is like finding a needle in a haystack," the Crown said.

Court exhibit photo of Kyle Pietz leaving the Liquor Mart.

"I imagine everyone wishes they could bring Eduardo home, but only heaven knows if that will ever happen."

Jurors have been shown security video of a man prosecutors allege is Pietz using Balaquits bank card to withdraw $700 from an ATM at an Ellice Avenue 7-Eleven store, shortly after midnight June 5, 2018.

During a subsequent search of Pietzs home, city police found a sticky note stuck to the bottom of a 7-Eleven food bag in the fridge  on which was written two sets of numbers and the names of two banks. It wasnt until January that Balaquits wife confirmed they were her husbands bank numbers.

"These 12 numbers and where they were found tell you everything the truth (Pietz) cannot dispose of and that note stuck to him," Davidson said.

The defence called no evidence and Pietz did not testify.

Jurors have been shown security video of a man prosecutors allege is Pietz using Balaquits bank card to withdraw $700 from an ATM at an Ellice Avenue 7-Eleven store, shortly after midnight June 5, 2018.

Defence lawyer Amanda Sansregret said the store video is of "such poor quality" it is impossible to positively identify Pietz  but if jurors decide it is the accused, they must consider the possibility Pietz "came across" Balaquits wallet, bank cards and PIN numbers in the missing mans car.

"That is evidence of theft, not of the criminal offence of manslaughter," Sansregret said.

"If you find he used the card, might you be suspicious of Mr. Pietz? Of course but suspicion is not proof beyond a reasonable doubt. There are other inferences available to you in this case."

Court has heard someone drove Balaquits vehicle to a neighbouring parking lot the night he disappeared, where two men broke into the van and stole a wallet and credit cards.

One of the men, Leslie Walker, testified he tried to use the cards at two convenience stores, but was unsuccessful.

If you find he used the card, might you be suspicious of Mr. Pietz? Of course but suspicion is not proof beyond a reasonable doubt. There are other inferences available to you in this case.  Defence lawyer Amanda Sansregret

Sansregret said no one saw Pietz and Balaquit together at Westcon and there is no way of knowing if someone else was there the evening in question.

Police found no blood, DNA or other evidence of a killing at the Winnipeg business, Sansregret said.

"Even if you are suspicious of Mr. Pietzs involvement, that is not enough," the defence lawyer said. "In this case, the only available and just verdict is one of not guilty."

Jurors are expected to begin deliberating Wednesday.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca
MANITOBA has for months required immunocompromised people to get a prescription for their third or fourth dose of a COVID-19 shot, even as it urges vulnerable populations to get boosted.

MANITOBA has for months required immunocompromised people to get a prescription for their third or fourth dose of a COVID-19 shot, even as it urges vulnerable populations to get boosted.

"I was shocked. Like, why did they make it harder overnight to get this," said Erin Dunsmore, who takes a medication that suppresses her immune system.

"They should be increasing access to the fourth dose, and encouraging people by making it easier."

Adults who are immunocompromised are exempt from age restrictions that limit access to a third or fourth shot, because they require more doses to mount an adequate immune response to a COVID-19 infection.

While most people are considered fully vaccinated with two shots, immunocompromised people generally require three, before moving on to a booster.

Dunsmore thus got her third shot last October, earlier than when the general public qualified, taking along proof that she was on an immunosuppressant drug, which nobody asked to see.

But when she tried to get her fourth shot last week, she hit a roadblock.

A pharmacist told her she would need a doctor to prescribe her that COVID-19 shot  and that proof she takes a certain medication would not suffice.

Indeed, Manitobas clinical guidelines for COVID-19 vaccines, last updated April 19, state that "individuals who are immunocompromised must have a prescription, if receiving a third or fourth dose outside of their physician or pharmacists office."

That requirement has been part of Manitobas manual for clinicians since at least Oct. 6.

Dunsmore said getting the prescription wasnt a huge deal. Shes in regular contact with her specialists clinic, which sent her a prescription via its online platform.

But she wonders how others would do, including people unfamiliar with computers, people who hold down multiple jobs, or those with weak immune systems who are anxious about visiting a doctors office during a pandemic.

"If theyve made the decision that certain categories of people like myself are eligible for it early  because of the health conditions we have, or the medications we take  then why are they suddenly making it harder for us to get it," she asked.

"Theyre saying from the other side of their mouth that they want everyone to get their fourth dose. It seems like theres a disconnect."

On Tuesday, Manitoba Health appeared to backtrack. A spokesman could not explain what had prompted the policy. He said the rules require higher-risk people to get their third dose with authorization from a clinician, but afterwards they should be fine to get a fourth dose without special permission.

"The province is updating guidance: certain immunocompromised individuals (moderately to severely immunocompromised) are eligible to receive a three-dose primary series. This requires an assessment by a physician or pharmacist," the spokesman wrote.

"Those eligible for a three-dose primary series do not require a prescription or further assessment, and can receive a fourth dose at the recommended interval."

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization, which advises provinces on how to prioritize and schedule vaccine doses, doesnt mention requiring a prescription for shots.

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Meanwhile, the provinces online vaccine portal lists pharmacies that give out doses. But phoning them or using a chain stores booking system reveals that many require an appointment, often at least 10 days in advance.

"Until recently, the messaging was to go to any pharmacy, and get your shot. Like, do it now; do it yesterday," Dunsmore said.

In Manitoba, 43 per cent of the population has received three shots of a COVID-19 vaccine; just 13 per cent of the small group that qualifies for a fourth shot have done so.

"I find it hard to believe that the reason for the lack of availability is that too many people are clamouring for it," said Dunsmore.

Officials in other provinces have said they are trying to schedule appointments in blocks, because one vial includes as many as 14 doses and must be used within hours of being opened.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
The Womens Health Clinic in Winnipeg received a spike in calls after the release of a draft U.S. Supreme Court decision that would reverse abortion rights south of the border.

The Womens Health Clinic in Winnipeg received a spike in calls after the release of a draft U.S. Supreme Court decision that would reverse abortion rights south of the border.

"That is scary for Canadians. Its scary because people feel like someone will attack their fundamental right to choose what is right for them," said Blandine Tona, director of medical programs for the clinic. Political and legal decisions in the U.S. tend to affect local abortion care  more people contact the clinic to access an abortion when access to it is threatened elsewhere, Tona said.

The clinic is one of two centres in Winnipeg that offers both medication (pill) abortions and aspiration abortion procedures, which are only performed in Winnipeg and Brandon. The Winnipeg facility issued a response denouncing Tuesdays leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft that would overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

"Since yesterday (when) we learned about this, we had to staff the clinic additionally because of the callers. So the calls are increasing from Manitobans, because again, they are scared of what is happening there. Thats why we are feeling concerned," she said.

"When people see that happening or just entertained as an idea, then they start feeling like it can happen to us, it can happen to them here."

The clinic wants to assure the public it will continue to offer abortions, and is doing "everything we can" to increase abortion access across Manitoba, Tona said. This week, the clinic launched a new online intake form for Manitoba women  a coincidence made timely by the leak of the Supreme Court draft.

Previously, women had to call and leave a voicemail message with the clinic to book an abortion. Their calls would be returned in a few days  if their message was clear and staff was available.

"Sometimes we cannot understand a person well, sometimes we can miss a number, making it difficult and some people would have to call back after a few days to get the service, because we didnt get the information in the first place," Tona said.

Now, women can provide their information securely online and clinic staff will call to book the appointment. Its something thats been in the works for months, since the clinic dealt with pandemic declines in staff and an increase in requests for abortion care.

Kemlin Nembhard, executive director of the Womens Health Clinic (Jessica Lee / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Abortion was decriminalized in Canada in 1988. Unlike in the U.S. as a result of Roe v. Wade, it is not a constitutionally protected right.

The local clinic is not releasing statistics that would reveal how many Manitobans seek abortions or access to the abortion pill Mifegymiso, which is covered by Manitoba Health.

Tona said demand for abortions has always exceeded the clinics estimates.

"Even during the pandemic, when we had thought that maybe services would be reduced, it was probably one of the services that actually has increased."

Although its considered an essential health service, abortion access is still a challenge in rural Manitoba. Some physicians do not want to perform them and some pharmacists do not want to carry the abortion pill.

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The clinic is working to set up an online interactive map of Manitoba that shows where to get the medication; its also working to build a network of abortion providers.

As staff called around to pharmacies as part of the mapping, they encountered resistance in some areas, Tona said.

"Sometimes it was a difficult conversation for my staff," with pharmacists saying "I will never have that here," she said.

Mifegymiso became available under universal health coverage in Manitoba on Sept. 3, 2019. But many physicians do want to learn how to properly offer the drug in their practice. About 20 health professionals participated in training offered by the clinic last year, and an additional training session is planned for later this year, Tona said.

"Our services are available and they will remain available as long as (we all) are standing together in saying its our body, its our choice."

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca
More than 500 nursery-to-Grade 9 students in Weston will be headed to class at Keewatin Prairie Community School in the fall after Winnipeg School Division trustees officially gave the boot Wednesday to a colonial white supremacist and apartheid advocate.

More than 500 nursery-to-Grade 9 students in Weston will be headed to class at Keewatin Prairie Community School in the fall after Winnipeg School Division trustees officially gave the boot Wednesday to a colonial white supremacist and apartheid advocate.

Cecil Rhodes School will cease to exist, effective Sept. 1.

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"Were very pleased to have a name that was chosen based on careful consideration and acknowledgement of the Truth and Reconciliation process," said board chairwoman Betty Edel. "We took the time necessary to ensure that changing the name of Cecil Rhodes was a community decision, and that the appropriate stakeholders were consulted and included in the choice of the new name."

The new name is meant to honour the Cree and Ojibwe languages (Keewatin means "the land of the northwest wind" in both languages) while including the word "prairie" was a popular suggestion in the community.

A petition to change the name began in 2020 and received more than 1,700 signatures. The school, which has a student population of 520, put together a naming committee that received over 100 suggestions from students and people living in the community.

Rhodes was a British imperialist and politician who annexed swaths of land in South Africa and advocated for white supremacy. His policies influenced the racist segregation of white and Black South Africans.

Calls to remove monuments to Rhodes have rung out worldwide in recent years. Oriel College in Oxford, England, faced criticism last year after refusing to remove a statue of Rhodes on campus grounds.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca
Saturday at the Assiniboine Park Zoo, there will be blue and yellow toys in the animal enclosures and Ukrainian sausage and perogies at the restaurants.

Saturday at the Assiniboine Park Zoo, there will be blue and yellow toys in the animal enclosures and Ukrainian sausage and perogies at the restaurants.

Its all a part of a "Day of Solidarity with Ukraine" fundraiser; on May 7, 30 per cent of each ticket and any other sales will go to war relief efforts in the Eastern European country.

"I think like a lot of people within our park and zoo family here, were all impacted by what were witnessing unfolding in Ukraine," Assiniboine Park Conservancy communications manager Laura Cabak said Wednesday.

"Just like a lot of people in Manitoba, many of us have Ukrainian roots in our families, and I think there was a desire to do something to help."

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The donations will be split between the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, an organization the Assiniboine Zoo has connected with in the past, Cabak said.

"We were aware of how zoos in Ukraine were also being impacted by this and, ultimately, we just looked at is there an opportunity for us to give back to support both our colleagues at the zoos in Ukraine and the humanitarian relief efforts," she said.

Visitors will be offered lapel ribbons as a symbol of solidarity with Ukraine and the Park Cafe and Tundra Grill will have perogies and sausage on the menu. Some enrichment items  food, toys or other items introduced to habitats to stimulate the animals living there  will also match the theme.

"I would go out on a limb and say that the wonderful weather and the forecast for this weekend, for Saturday, may be just as much influence as anything, so it could turn out to be a really great day at the park and zoo which is wonderful," Cabak said. "Had we planned this day for two weeks ago, on one of those Colorado low weekends, it would have been a very different story."

In September, the zoo raised funds over one day for several Indigenous-led organizations on the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca
Ukraine needs to unite the position of the Europeans today, because this will achieve greater success and victory in the battle with Russia, boxer Volodymyr Klitschko, brother of Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, said.

"Leader of Germany's largest opposition party, the Christian Democratic Union, Friedrich Merz, was in Kyiv today. He met with the top leadership of Ukraine, met with the mayor of the capital. He expressed support and assured of further assistance to our state. And we are grateful for this. I am convinced that Ukraine today critically needs reliable and powerful partners, with whom it is necessary to talk, develop cooperation, be grateful for something, convince of something," Klitschko wrote on Facebook.

He noted that Germany was concerned that Ukraine refused to accept German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

"The non-diplomatic statements of Ukrainian ambassador to the German chancellor are also adding fuel to the fire. Now is not the time for emotions and excessive eloquence! I am sure that President Zelensky should nevertheless take a politically balanced step and invite the President of Germany, Ukraine's strategic partner state, to Kyiv. We need to unite the position of the Europeans today - this is how we will achieve greater success for our country and victory in the battle against the Russian aggressor," Klitschko said.

In April, the German publication Bild, citing its own sources, reported that German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier planned to come to Kyiv along with government delegations from other EU countries, but Zelensky allegedly did not want to meet him because of the close ties of the German leader with Russia.

Later, Steinmeier himself said that Kyiv considered his possible visit to Ukraine undesirable, adding that Polish President Andrzej Duda had proposed a joint trip to Ukraine in recent days in order to "give a strong signal of European solidarity with Ukraine."

Against this background, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, according to the German edition Der Tagesspiegel, criticized Ukraine's refusal to receive the German president on a visit, calling it "somewhat confusing" and urged not to underestimate the fact that Germany supplies Ukraine with anti-aircraft missiles and many other military goods.

On April 13, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Office of the President of Ukraine had not received a request from the Office of the President of Germany regarding the visit of German leader Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Ukraine.

At the same time, he stressed that in the conditions of war and the daily death of people in Ukraine, it has the right to afford "to receive and be in the circle of those leaders of countries who really support it."
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  North Korea has launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to bolster his nuclear arsenal at the fastest possible pace and threatened to use them against rivals.

FILE - In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a photo session with the officers and soldiers who took part in a celebration the 90th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army, in North Korea Wednesday, April 27, 2022. North Korea launched a suspected ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, May 4, South Korean and Japanese officials said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to bolster his nuclear arsenal at the fastest possible pace and threatened to use them against rivals. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  North Korea has launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to bolster his nuclear arsenal at the fastest possible pace and threatened to use them against rivals.

The launch, the Norths 14th round of weapons firing this year, also came six days before a new conservative South Korean president takes office for a single five-year term.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile was fired from the Norths capital region and flew to the waters off its eastern coast. It called North Koreas repeated ballistic missile launches an act of grave threat to undermine international peace and security and a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions banning any ballistic launch by the North.

The statement said that Won In-Choul, the South Korean JCS chief, held a video conference about the launch with Gen. Paul LaCamera, an American general who heads the South Korea-U.S. combined forces command in Seoul, and they agreed to maintain a solid joint defense posture.

A TV screen showing a news program reporting on North Korea's missile launch with file footage of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a train station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. North Korea has launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to bolster his nuclear arsenal "at the fastest possible pace" and threatened to use them against rivals. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Japan also detected the North Korean launch and quickly condemned it.

North Koreas series of actions that threatens the peace, safety and stability of the international community are impermissible, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters during his visit to Rome.

Kishida said hell discuss the launch when he meets Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi later Wednesday. Naturally, we will exchange views on the regional situation in the Indo-Pacific and East Asia, and I will thoroughly explain the reality of the region including the North Korean missile launch today, to gain understanding about the pressing situation in the East Asia, he said.

Japanese Vice Defense Minister Makoto Oniki said that the missile was believed to have landed in waters outside of the Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone. There has been no report of damage or injury reported from vessels and aircraft in the area.

It wasnt immediately known what missile North Korea launched. South Koreas military said the missile flew about 470 kilometers (290 miles) at the apogee of 780 kilometers (485 miles), while Oniki of Japan said it traveled about 500 kilometers (310 miles) at the maximum altitude of 800 kilometers (500 miles).

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, center, speaks to reporters after North Korea fired a ballistic missile amid rising animosities, during his visit to Rome, Italy, Wednesday, May 4, 2022 . North Koreas series of actions that threatens the peace, safety and stability of the international community are impermissible, Kishida told reporters during his visit to Rome. (Sadayuki Goto/Kyodo News via AP)

Observers say North Koreas unusually fast pace in weapons testing this year underscores its dual goal of advancing its missile programs and applying pressure on Washington over a deepening freeze in nuclear negotiations. They say Kim eventually aims to use his expanded arsenal to win an international recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state that he believes would help force the United States to relax international economic sanctions on the North.

One of the North Korean missiles tested recently was an intercontinental ballistic missile potentially capable of reaching the entirety of the American homeland. That missile's launch broke Kim's self-imposed 2018 moratorium on big weapons tests.

There are signs that the North is also preparing for a nuclear test at its remote northeastern testing facility. If made, the nuclear bomb test explosion by North Korea would be the seventh of its kind and the first since 2017.

Last week, Kim Jong Un showcased his most powerful nuclear-capable missiles targeting both the United States and its allies during a massive military parade in capital, Pyongyang. During a speech at the parade, Kim said he would develop his arsenal at the fastest possible pace and warned that the North would preemptively use its nuclear weapons if its national interests are threatened.

North Korea has previously unleased harsh rhetoric threatening to attack its rivals with its nuclear weapons. But the fact that Kim made the threat himself and in a detailed manner have caused security jitters among some South Koreans. Taken together with North Koreas recent tests of short-range nuclear-capable missiles, some experts speculate North Koreas possibly escalatory nuclear doctrine would allow it to launch preemptive nuclear strikes on South Korea in some cases.

Wednesdays launch came before the May 10 inauguration of South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol, who has vowed to boost Seouls missile capability and solidify its military alliance with Washington to better cope with increasing North Korean nuclear threats.

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North Korea has a history of raising animosities with weapons tests when Seoul and Washington inaugurate new governments in an apparent bid to boost its leverage in future negotiations.

Yoons power transition office called the latest North Korean launch a grave provocation and urged Pyongyang to stop acts that raise tensions and threaten international peace. It said in a statement that the Yoon government will strongly respond to North Korean provocations in close cooperation with the international community.

Some experts say the Biden administrations passive handling of North Korea as it focuses on Russias invasion of Ukraine and an intensifying rivalry with China is allowing more room for the North to expand its military capabilities.

The Biden administrations actions on North Korea have so far been limited to largely symbolic sanctions and offers of open-ended talks. North Korea has rejected the administrations offer for talks, saying it must first abandon its hostile policy, in an apparent reference to U.S.-led international sanctions and U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises.

___

Mari Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo.
Dolly Parton is joining the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame whether she wants to or not.

The country-music legend, who made global headlines recently when she asked that her nomination be withdrawn because she felt she hadn't earned the right to become a member, will nevertheless be inducted later this year, organizers announced Wednesday, as part of a varied group of acts that includes Pat Benatar, Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Lionel Richie and Carly Simon.

Last week, Parton clarified in an NPR interview that, were she to be voted in, she'd "accept gracefully" even though she "felt like I would be taking away from someone that maybe deserved it, certainly more than me, 'cause I never considered myself a rock artist."

Now all eyes will be waiting to see whether Parton shows up to the Rock Hall's 37th annual induction ceremony, set to take place Nov. 5 at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

As Parton's selection illustrates, the hall has broadened its membership in recent years along race, gender and style lines; for decades, the group  whose voters include more than 1,000 musicians, executives, historians and journalists  was widely criticized for overvaluing the work of older white men.

Story continues after gallery:

When rapper Jay-Z entered the hall last year, he said, "Growing up, we didn't think we could be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame," and added that he hoped he was showing the "next generation that anything is possible."

Beyond country music, the 2022 class represents hip-hop, new wave, soft rock and R&B; it also features more women than any previous class, as the hall pointed out in a statement.

Said John Sykes, the organization's chairman: "This diverse group of inductees each had a profound impact on the sound of youth culture and helped change the course of rock and roll. Their music moved generations and influenced so many artists that followed."

Photos: Dolly Parton through the years Happy 76th birthday, Dolly Parton. Here's a look back at the country music icon's career in photos.

Parton, a 10-time Grammy Award winner, has released more than 50 studio albums; she wrote oft-covered standards such as "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You." Richie found success with the Commodores in the late 1970s before becoming one of the biggest solo stars of the '80s. Duran Duran and Eurythmics helped bring new wave from the U.K. to the United States, while Benatar made space for women in the male-dominated '80s rock scene. And Simon brought a writerly flair to smoothly rendered songs about romance among the well-heeled.

Acts become eligible for consideration 25 years after the release of their first commercial recording. For Eminem, the Oscar-winning rapper as responsible as any for centering hip-hop in the pop mainstream, that means he's being inducted in his first year of eligibility; Parton, Richie, Simon and Duran Duran also were on the ballot for the first time, while Benatar and Eurythmics had been nominated previously without being voted in.

Nominated acts that didn't make the cut for the 2022 class include Beck, A Tribe Called Quest, Kate Bush, Devo, Fela Kuti, the MC5, the New York Dolls, Rage Against the Machine and Dionne Warwick.

Judas Priest, the groundbreaking British heavy-metal band, won't be inducted as a performer but will receive the hall's Musical Excellence Award, which is decided by a committee of insiders (as opposed to the voting membership). The hall says the award is "given to artists, musicians, songwriters and producers whose originality and influence creating music have had a dramatic impact on music."

Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, the innovative production duo behind hits by Janet Jackson, New Edition, George Michael and Usher, also will receive the Musical Excellence Award. The Early Influence Award will be given to 95-year-old Harry Belafonte and the late Elizabeth Cotten.

Three veteran record executives  Interscope co-founder Jimmy Iovine, Sugar Hill co-founder Sylvia Robinson and lawyer Allen Grubman  will receive the Ahmet Ertegun Award, a commendation named after the late Atlantic Records co-founder who started the Rock Hall with Rolling Stone's Jann Wenner in the mid-1980s.

November's induction ceremony will be broadcast on SiriusXM satellite radio and will be taped for a special to be shown later on HBO and HBO Max. Beyond Jay-Z, last year's performer inductees were Tina Turner, Foo Fighters, the Go-Go's, Carole King and Todd Rundgren.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

***

Here were the 17 nominees considered for induction into the Hall of Fame:

2022 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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On Saturday, May 7, Saint Marys University will celebrate nearly 250 graduates during its Spring 2022 Commencement on its Winona Campus.

The celebration will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a Baccalaureate Mass in Saint Thomas More Chapel. The commencement ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. in the university gymnasium, followed by a reception in the plaza.

This years outstanding seniors, Jordan Keeley and Trevor Paradise, will offer their reflections, the Saint Marys University Concert Band and Commencement Choir will perform, and the Very Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., president of the university, will share his remarks.

Ryan Pajak, B04, M10, president of the Alumni Board, and Terrance Russell B76, chair of the Board of Trustees, will also offer their congratulations.

View the live ceremony: https://www.smumn.edu/about/commencement.

Congratulations, Class of 2022! Saint Marys University is proud of you and cant wait to hear of your next big accomplishments.

About Saint Marys University of Minnesota

Saint Marys University of Minnesota awakens, nurtures, and empowers learners to ethical lives of service and leadership. At Saint Marys, students find in every classroom  whether in person or online  a relationship-driven, person-centered education. Through intense inquiry, students discover the truths in the world and the character within. Founded in 1912 and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Saint Marys University of Minnesota enrolls 4,700 students at its residential undergraduate college in Winona and its Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs, based in Minneapolis with programs offered in Rochester, other locations in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and fully online. As a Lasallian Catholic university welcoming all students, Saint Marys offers respected and affordable programs in a variety of areas leading to bachelors, bachelors completion, masters, certificate, specialist, and doctoral degrees. Learn more at smumn.edu.

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A 17-year-old North Freedom man faces 25 years in prison and 15 years of extended supervision after being charged Monday with repeated sexual assault of a child in Sauk County Circuit Court.

According to the criminal complaint, Mark Lee Taholski Jr. began his assaults against a 10-year-old in 2017. The assaults continued periodically until 2021, the child told an interviewer while talking about the details of what happened March 7 at Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center in Madison, the complaint said.

The felony count alleges at least three acts of first- or second-degree sexual assault of a child.

The child said there were at least 10 assaults over the years and that Taholski also touched the childs genitals during at least one of the sexual assaults, according to the complaint. The child told the interviewer that Taholski said, You better not tell anyone, which led to the child staying silent out of fear of physical harm from Taholski, the complaint said.

During an interview with police, Taholski cried when faced with the allegations and allegedly admitted to sexually assaulting the child multiple times over the course of four years. He said he didnt know why he committed the assaults, but had stopped because he knew it was wrong, the complaint said.

Taholski said he could not recall how many times he assaulted the child, but knew he had stopped a little over a year ago. He confirmed the childs description of where each assault took place in Sauk County, according to the complaint.

Taholski is scheduled to make an initial appearance May 18 in Sauk County court.

Follow Bridget on Twitter @cookebridget or contact her at 608-745-3513.

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As a result of missile fire by the invaders of Volovets community of Zakarpattia, an infrastructure facility was on fire, buildings within a radius of 500 meters and a gas transmission pipeline were damaged, the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has said.

"On the evening of May 3, 2022, the Russian armed forces launched a missile attack on Volovets territorial community. The impact caused an infrastructure facility to catch fire. Buildings within a 500-meter radius were damaged by debris, windows were broken in the premises and other material damage was caused," the prosecutor's office said in a statement posted on Wednesday in the Telegram channel.

According to the prosecutor's office, the gas transmission pipeline was also damaged by the shock wave, due to which over 50 houses in the village were temporarily left without gas supply.

Under the procedural leadership of Zakarpattia Regional Prosecutor's Office, a pretrial investigation was launched into the violation of the laws and customs of war (part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

Pretrial investigation in criminal proceedings is carried out by the SBU Department in Zakarpattia region.
WAUPUN  Trophies and other honors are pouring in for a downtown Waupun coffee shop.

The Entrepreneur of the Year Award was recently presented to Wind & Unwined Coffee & Wine House by Envision Greater Fond du Lac (the unified organization of the former Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce and former Fond du Lac County Economic Development organizations).

The business at 310 E. Main St. has been named the Waupun Area Chamber of Commerce New Business of the Year in 2020 and as the Business of the Year in 2022.

According to Tracy Qualmann, Envision Greater Fond du Lacs senior director of marketing and communication, The award was instituted as a way of recognizing small business owners who made a difference in their community through investment. These entrepreneurs are creative, work to fill a need, add value to their respective community, and work for the overall betterment of the people and place they serve.

Wind & Unwined is owned and operated by Jeff and Lisa Collien and their daughter and son-in-law, Brooke and Derrick Straks. The shop was a dream of Lisas many years ago.

We tossed around different ideas of names if this dream were ever to come true, Lisa Collien said. I came up with the name Wind & Unwined (wind up with coffee & unwind with wine) and wrote it on a napkin at a restaurant in Door County 10 years ago.

The Colliens purchased the building on Main Street in Waupun, right next to their other business, Club Fitness, and had planned to expand the fitness center. After much consideration and debate, the pair chose to open the new property as a coffee shop.

In 2018, Jeff Collien and Derrick Straks began renovations to restore the building which included repairing the wood floors and tin ceiling. The majority of the build-out was done by using mostly repurposed wood and other items and signage found in the basements of the buildings. Brooke Straks creative talent designed the kitchen and barista area, and also created the drink and food menu. Lisa Collien added her decorative touch, while going to different antique shops throughout Wisconsin.

As a team we brought it all together, said Jeff Collien. The coffee shop has now turned into a destination. Many come from out of town just to check it out, grab their favorite drink or food or to have a glass of wine or craft beer, relax and stay awhile.

The owners recently purchased the building next door and are restoring that space to provide more seating and to bring in more retail items. It will open sometime this summer.

At a presentation on April 26, Lisa and Jeff Collien accepted the honor from award sponsor Tony Goebel, president and CEO of 5G Benefits.

Its always nice to be recognized for all the hard work you put in to get something like this going, said Jeff. When we opened it was three months and we faced COVID. That was a tough, tough challenge, but we made it through. Were very happy to be honored this way, but in fact everything we do is because we love people. We truly believe that downtowns are important to bring the community together and were proud to be part of it.

At the February Waupunies Award Night, Waupun Chamber President Craig Much said: Since opening two years ago, Wind & Unwined has proven to be a success for Waupuns downtown and the community as a whole. Other downtown businesses have commented on the increased traffic that Wind & Unwined has garnered, which contributes to the overall atmosphere of Waupuns downtown.

Whats more, the Collien Family contributes generously to a variety of activities in the community, which further advances Waupun. With their upcoming expansion into the adjacent storefront, Waupuns 2022 Business of the Year is showing no signs of stopping in their efforts to make Waupun a better place to live, work, and play.

A new kitchen opened April 1, and in addition to Colectivo coffee, smoothies, protein shakes, teas and alcoholic beverages, there is also a selection of breakfast items, paninis, sandwiches, flatbreads, soups, salads and baked goods.

We take traditional cafe food and elevate it a notch, said Brooke Straks. We want it simple enough so it doesnt scare people away but delicious  something outside the norm.

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Similar to other Vietnam War veterans in Wisconsin and across the country, Post 110 members who fought in Vietnam did not have a warm welcome when coming home.

I was in during that time and Vietnam veterans didnt have much of a welcome back because of all the conflicts in the U.S., said Neil Ulrich, a member of New Lisbons American Legion Post 110. I was spit on in Chicago once.

Ron Lauden, another member of American Legion Post 110, said the completion of the New Lisbon Veterans Memorial  a newly-built monument honoring veterans in the city and the surrounding area of various wars  is meaningful because many of the surrounding communities have veterans memorials.

The project consists of six groups of stone pillars. The pillars honor community veterans from the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, other wars, and peacetime service members. A monument that displays Honoring All Veterans of the New Lisbon Area stands in front of the other pillars. American flags are the only elements of the memorial yet to be installed.

It means a lot to us because we didnt get it when we came back from Vietnam, Roy Granger, another New Lisbon Vietnam veteran, said of the memorial. Now, when we go in stores and wear a hat like this (referring to the Vietnam veterans hat he was wearing), theyll say, Thank you for your service. Its unbelievably heartwarming.

New Lisbon Veterans Memorial is located just west of the American Legion Post 110 on Wisconsin Highway 80 adjacent to the Lemonweir River.

Im so happy to have it here, said Ulrich.

Stonework for the project in New Lisbon has now been completed and there will soon be an opening celebration. The Legion will host a dedication ceremony on Memorial Day (May 30) at 11 a.m. at the site.

Were going to dedicate it to the veterans of the New Lisbon area, said Granger.

Chicken dinners will be served an hour later at Post 110, which doubles as the New Lisbon Community Center. Granger said state Rep. Tony Kurtz, R-Wonewoc, a veteran himself, will be the guest speaker.

On April 27, Post 110 announced the completion of the monument. The pillars have names of living and deceased veterans engraved on them, with each name carved into a stone that also indicates the war in which he or she fought.

Lauden stated, 2020 was when we started the project. We thought it was going to be like a five-year project. We ended up, in 11 months, raising $120,000, enough to finish this project.

All funds for the project came from community individuals, organizations and businesses, according to Lauden. He added that individual donations ranged from $1 to $15,000. Granger said there were 294 donors to the project. The funds raised far exceeded the initial projected cost of the memorial, which was just over $70,000.

We got around the community, the community stepped up and were just happy to be able to do this for the community and the veterans, said Granger. Businesses stepped up along with a lot of local people.

Lauden said that ideas for the project began circulating in October 2020 and that initial plans were to have it in front of Post 110. However, issues with underground lines in the initial location caused the site to be moved to its current location, which is the former site of a creamery, according to Lauden.

Two items at the initial location  a helicopter and military tank display  could be relocated in the future.
Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday appointed three new members to the UW System Board of Regents, further strengthening the Democratic governors majority of appointees on the 18-member board that passes policies and rules for the University of Wisconsin System campuses.

Evers appointments include Eau Claire lawyer and former Democratic state Rep. Dana Wachs, UW-Parkside student Jennifer Staton and Angela Adams, the chief communications and diversity officer of Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago. Both Wachs and Adams have been appointed to seven-year terms for seats previously held by Regents appointed by former Republican Gov. Scott Walker, while Staton replaces a different Evers-appointed student on the board for a two-year term.

From serving in the Legislature and our communities to serving in our armed forces, the wide-ranging experiences that these folks hold will be invaluable to the overall governance of the UW System, and Im honored to be appointing them to the Board of Regents, Evers said in a statement.

The appointees fill the seats of three former appointees, whose terms expired earlier this month: Michael M. Grebe, the chief legal counsel for Aurora Health Care; Andrew Petersen, senior vice president of corporate affairs for TDS Telecom; and Corey Saffold, the director of school safety and security for the Verona School District.

Petersen joined the board in 2013 as the Technical College System representative. Both he and Grebe were appointed by Walker in 2015. Evers appointed Staton to fill the nontraditional student member representation previously held by Saffold, whom Evers appointed in 2020.

The appointments are effective immediately but still subject to Senate confirmation  an action the Republican-controlled chamber has chosen not to do for seven of Evers nine other appointees serving as Regents. The lack of confirmation sets up a scenario where, if the GOP wins the governors race this fall, the new governor could replace all of Evers appointees with their own and seize control of the board more quickly.

Some of Evers appointees for two other state boards, the Natural Resources Board and the Technical College System Board, have been unable to serve because Walker appointees refuse to vacate their seats despite their terms expiring last May. The Walker appointees have said state law allows them to serve until the Senate confirms their successors.

But that wont happen on the UW Board of Regents.

Petersen confirmed he plans to step down from the board and allow his successor to serve.

Nine years is an awfully long time to work and volunteer, he said in a Wednesday phone call. Its been an honor.

Petersens tenure included two years as the boards vice president and two years as president. He was involved in making significant changes to tenure policy and the search committee process, as well as leading the board during the pandemic. He was also instrumental in recruiting former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson to lead the System after a presidential search that he led failed in 2020.

Grebe said in an email that his term ended May 1 and he wished the incoming Regents well in leading the System forward.

Evers now has 11 appointees on the board, while another five were appointed by Walker.

Wachs has practiced law since 1985 and is currently a partner at Gingras, Thomsen & Wachs, where he focuses on personal injury, medical malpractice and product liability cases. He served in the state Assembly from 2013-19 and briefly ran for governor in 2018 before dropping out and backing Evers.

Staton is pursuing a major in applied health sciences with a pre-physician assistant concentration, a minor in biology, and a certificate in community-based learning. She served in the U.S. Army in various roles from 2007-14, including as a combat medic while deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Before her work with Goodwill, Adams spent time in various nonprofit and corporate leadership roles, including with Ascension Wisconsin, Johnson Controls and Pfizer. She received her bachelors degree in business administration from Florida A&M University and a masters in strategic communication and leadership from Seton Hall University.

State Journal reporter Kelly Meyerhofer contributed to this report.
Finance major follows his own path via RBC to W&M degree

Making his way: Solomon Asare 22 came to William & Mary in fall 2020 as part of the first group of Promise Scholars, having completed two years of courses at Richard Bland College. He will graduate in May with a finance degree and start a job with Genworth Financial. Photo by Stephen Salpukas Photo - of - Hide Caption

Solomon Asare 22 has continued to be surprised by his William & Mary experience, which he characterizes as unlikely and curious to contemplate.

Asare will graduate in May with a finance degree from the Raymond A. Mason School of Business and start a job in his field. He came to W&M in fall 2020 as part of the first group of Promise Scholars, having completed two years of courses at Richard Bland College.

One thing I always say is I honestly dont know how I got here since it seems like a struggle sometimes, Asare said.

His parents immigrated from Ghana more than 20 years ago, and Asare was born in Ohio. Right around the time he graduated from high school in Midlothian, Virginia, in 2018, his parents moved back to Ghana.

That was decision-making time as far as whether Asare would stay in the U.S. and attend college or move back with his family. His two older sisters stayed while the youngest returned with the family.

He decided to stay and attend college, living with a sister in Virginia Beach during the summers.

If you had told me senior (high school) year when everything thing seemed bleak  that Id be finishing my degree at William & Mary, Id say yeah, youre joking, Asare said. So I always try to give back. Im really appreciative of RBC for making me a Promise Scholar, and then for William & Mary.

I have learned so, so much since Ive been at this school. The amount of growth Ive made as a person and academically is insane just in the two years Ive been here. So I would love to be involved in any way I can with William & Mary and RBC.

While at Richard Bland, Asare was in the Honors Program, president of the colleges a cappella group Musical Statesmen, worked as a tutor, served as public relations officer for the Student Assembly and had a campus job in Residence Life. He also served as RBCs representative to the W&M Board of Visitors for 2019-20, which he said was a valuable learning experience and bridge between the two.

Honestly being the Board of Visitors representative was such an illuminating experience, he said. I got to rub elbows with a lot of the Board of Visitors and got a lot of perspective in different industries that they worked in.

I also got to see how the decision process was made for both RBC and William & Mary. So I got to see how both schools went about getting things done financially and socially.

Asares first year at W&M was limited by COVID-19, so the current academic year has been his only full on-campus experience. He has made the most of it, detailing how rigorous academics have defined his progression as well as many other things he has learned and enjoyed.

Transferring from high school to Richard Bland, I feel as if the academic process of change was difficult, Asare said. But it wasnt as difficult as the one from Richard Bland to William & Mary. It was like going up a ladder, each step helped me build up.

Taking Advanced Placement and dual enrollment courses in high school helped, but coming into W&M taking high level core finance classes was challenging.

I had to really re-evaluate my study ethics and grind really hard, especially the first semester here, because it was a COVID semester and was a shortened semester as well, Asare said. So that semester was really tough on me. But once I found my footing, all the other semesters have gone really well, and Im doing really well academically.

Asare is a member of the African American Male Coalition and a junior analyst in the Mason Investment Club. He served as a mentor in the Finance Academy for two semesters and works in Masons M.B.A. program office.

He chose finance as his major partially to go against family pressure to become a doctor, he said.

But I was looking for something that I felt like could combine my interests in human interactions and the economy, Asare said. And I wanted to learn more about business.

It wasnt until he got into his core finance class at the W&M business school that he did just that.

I realized that although it was very hard, I did enjoy learning the content, and I wanted to know more about it, Asare said. So thats how I ultimately decided to go the finance route.

After Commencement, he will start a rotation program position with Genworth Financial, working one year in their investments accounting office in Richmond followed by one year with the portfolio management team in Connecticut.

Asare said the best thing about W&M is the academic atmosphere.

Just the attitude here and the professors are very supportive, Asare said. Students also take their academics very seriously, so it was a very nice and healthy space for you to make progress in your academic career. I also really enjoyed the social life. Theres a lot of scenery on campus. I like green space, and theres a lot of green space on campus.

There are a lot of really nice people here who are really pushing for you to be the best version of yourself, which Im sure any college student would appreciate. Theres a lot of niche things about William & Mary that you wouldnt even realize. Theres a lot of activities and groups that you wouldnt think there would be. Youve just got to go looking for it to find it.
BEIJING, May 3 (Xinhua)  Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday sent a congratulatory message to Jose Ramos-Horta on his election as Timor-Leste's president.

In his message, Xi pointed out that over the past 20 years since China and Timor-Leste established diplomatic ties, the two countries have been continuously deepening their practical cooperation, greatly developed bilateral relations, and brought tangible benefits to their people, which is a vivid reflection of countries, big and small, treating each other as equals and engaging in win-win cooperation.

Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Timor-Leste relations, and stands ready to work with President Ramos-Horta to bring the comprehensive cooperative partnership of good-neighborliness, friendship, mutual trust and mutual benefit between the two countries to a new level.

(Source: Xinhua)
Russia inflicts almost 50 airstrikes on targets in Ukraine, including with use of guided aircraft missiles

Russia carried out almost 50 air strikes on targets in Ukraine, including the use of guided aircraft missiles, Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzianyk has said.

"The enemy involved operational-tactical and strategic aviation in delivering air strikes on targets in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kirovograd, Odesa, Lviv and Zakarpattia regions. Almost fifty air strikes were carried out, including with the use of guided air missiles," Motuzianyk said at a briefing at the Ukraine media center in Kyiv on Wednesday.

According to him, Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers carried out 18 launches of air-launched cruise missiles from the airspace over the Caspian Sea at facilities in Ukraine in order to damage the transport infrastructure of the state.

Motuzianyk said the command of the Russian troops is trying to increase the pace of the offensive operation in eastern Ukraine.

"The command of the Russian troops is trying to increase the pace of the offensive operation in eastern Ukraine in order to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as to develop an offensive in certain areas of Zaporizhia and Kryvy Rih directions. To this end, the enemy is regrouping and strengthening his troops, increasing the system of fire damage and logistics," he said.
Cottonwood Falls is the biggest city in Chase County in Kansas. It is also the county seat. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers an area of 0.60 square miles, of which 0.59 square miles is land and 0.01 square miles is water. Cottonwood Falls provides a range of activities and services while retaining its small-town charm.

History Of Cottonwood Falls

The Cottonwood Falls area had its first settlement in 1854 when an Indian trader named Seth Hayes established a cattle ranch on the Cottonwood River at the mouth of the Diamond Spring Creek. Cottonwood Falls was named the interim county seat when Chase County was formed in 1859.

The Cottonwood Falls bridge and dam are located north of Cottonwood Falls. The first dam on this location, built of cottonwood logs in 1860, supplied water power for a saw and grist mill. The dam was extended and utilized to generate energy in 1906. The current dam is made of cut limestone that has been covered with concrete.

The city's French Renaissance-style Chase County Courthouse, located at the head of Broadway, was erected in 1872, around the same time the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway arrived in Cottonwood Falls. The area around the city was largely divided into farms and cattle ranches in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Climate In Cottonwood Falls

Summers in this region are hot and humid, with mild to cool winters. In Cottonwood Falls, the warmest month is July, with highs of 92F and lows of 71F on average. January is the coldest month, with highs of 41F and lows of 23F.

Population And Economy Of Cottonwood Falls

According to the most recent US Census estimates, the current population of Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, is 901. Whites make up the majority of Cottonwood Falls' racial/ethnic groups (90.1 percent), followed by Hispanics (3.9 percent) and Black people (3.7 percent).

Cottonwood Falls' economy employs 274 people. The biggest industries are Manufacturing, Educational Services, and Health Care & Social Assistance, with the best paying industries being Health Care & Social Assistance ($44,167), Manufacturing ($41,000), Educational Services, and Health Care & Social Assistance ($39,375).

Attractions In Cottonwood Falls

The banks of the Cottonwood River, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas.

1. Chase County Historical Society Museum & Library

The two-story, native stone edifice was built in 1882 and was home to the Chase County National Bank, which functioned until 1928. In the years that followed, the building was home to several businesses. In 1976, the Chase County Historical Society purchased the building and converted it into a museum, library, and office.

2. Cottonwood River Dam & Bridge

The Cottonwood Dam area, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, is a popular spot for viewing catfish fishing from the bridge. Visitors can take a break and listen to the soothing sound of the falls. Bates Grove Park, located north of the river, has picnic areas.

3. Chase County Historical Society Museum

Educative events and artifact and memorabilia displays at the Chase County Historical Society Museum help visitors learn about the local area. Researchers can also access newspaper and genealogical information on the spot.

4. Roniger Memorial Museum

The Roniger Memorial Museum is a one-story edifice created in memory of Mrs. Elizabeth Roniger. It holds a collection of Native American artifacts and historical materials from Chase County.

5. Jones Park

Jones Park, a city park in Emporia, offers a variety of activities and events for the community's youngsters. Fishing, baseball, disc golf, shuffleboard, and a playground for younger children are all available.
Anyone who wants to get a pizza midweek at the Marine Bar or a steak or burger at the Elks Lodge knows that worker shortages have forced employers to reduce their days and cut back on offerings.

This worker shortage is real, and its not going away anytime soon, Dan Robinson, research chief at the Alaska Department of Labor, told legislators last month.

For nine years in a row, more people have left the state than have come here, he told the Senate Finance Committee.

The population has been stable as births have outpaced deaths, but the years of net migration loss of several t...
There are heavy battles for Azovstal in Mariupol, Ukrainian servicemen is fired from artillery, tanks, aircraft, ships; no communication with them  mayor

In Mariupol, besieged by Russian occupiers, heavy fighting for the territory of Azovstal metallurgical plant started again on Wednesday, Russian occupiers are shelling the positions of the Ukrainian army from artillery mounts, aircraft, tanks and ships, city Mayor Vadym Boichenko said.

"Today there are heavy battles on the territory of our fortress  Azovstal. Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult, because they are working on this fortress from heavy artillery, working with tanks, aircraft, the ships have approached and are also extinguishing this fortress," Boichenko said on the air of the national telethon on Wednesday.

At the same time, according to Boichenko, hundreds of civilians still remain on the territory of the plant, of which over 30 are children who have been hiding in the shelters of the plant since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

"Unfortunately, communication with the guys [Ukrainian soldiers at Azovstal plant] was lost today. There is no communication in order to understand what is happening, whether they are safe or not. Yesterday there was still communication, today I cannot comment on anything," the mayor said.

"We pray for our heroic guys. And we thank them for the feat that they have already accomplished for our entire country today. They held back the enemy. They gave us more time to prepare. They are real courageous and very heroic Defenders of Mariupol. Many thanks to them for this," Boichenko said.
Armed police arrest man in Brymbo after reports he was in possession of a handgun

A man has been arrested on suspicion of firearms offences in Brymbo this afternoon.

Armed police were called to an address at Wilkinson Court Brymbo, shortly before midday following reports that a male was in possession of a handgun.

One reader has been in touch with Wrexham.com to say that that nearby roads had been blocked off and that several police cars were at the scene.

A spokesperson for North Wales Police have confirmed that armed response officers attended the location and subsequently arrested a 57-year-old male on suspicion of firearms offences.

This male remains in custody and our enquiries remain ongoing.

Inspector Gavin Gilmore said: I would like to reassure the public that this was an isolated incident, which was swiftly dealt with by attending officers.

Nobody was harmed and no further suspects are being sought.

Top image via a local resident.
Fines to return in Wales for parents of children who repeatedly miss school

Fines for parents of children who repeatedly miss school will once again be issued, Wales education minister has confirmed.

It comes amid growing concern about the number of pupil absences since the return to school after the pandemic.

Over the last two years while covid measures were in place the Welsh Government advised against the use of fixed-penalty notices by local authorities.

However speaking in the Senedd yesterday (Tuesday 3 May) Education Minister Jeremy Miles said Wales was now at a stage where we can revert back to the previous policy, where they can be used as a last resort.

He added that fines will only be used in the most extreme cases after efforts to engage with the family have been tried.

Currently persistent absence from school is classed as more than 20 per cent, however this will be reviewed to cover a lower threshold.

Mr Miles said: The last two years have been incredibly difficult for many families, and its understandable why this has caused so many of them a degree of anxiety. We have remained mindful of these anxieties, but the balance of harms is now clear.

Young people need to be attending school. They need to be seeing their friends and they need to be learning in the classroom. This is vital for their well-being and for their education.

We will therefore be increasing communication with parents and carers to address any concerns that they still have, and emphasise the importance of going to school.

Our emphasis on community focused schools will play a key role in responding to this challenge. Family engagement officers are vital in ensuring that positive partnerships are created and that bespoke support is offered.

Weve recently provided 3.84 million for family engagement officers, who will establish positive relationships with parents and provide clear guidance and information on good attendance.

We remain clear that fines are to be used in only the most extreme cases, as part of a range of options and when all efforts to engage with the family have been tried and failed, and where it is evident that there are no underlying reasons that are impacting upon attendance at school.

Effective immediately, therefore, all local authorities should revert to guidance on the use of fixed-penalty notices contained within the 2013 guidance on penalty notices for regular non-attendance at school.

Conservative MS Laura Anne Jones called for a multi-pronged approach in tackling school absences by strengthening fixed-penalty notices or ensuring the educational offering is up to a certain standard and enticing for the learner, and that that supportmainly that supportis in place.

She said: How are you going to better closely monitor long-term absences, and will you change the related trigger points for interventions to ensure absences arent missed?

Its also known from the attendance review that deteriorating absence can be a precursor to and predictor of a range of behavioural and emotional problems for learners that, if not addressed, may lead to the exclusion of these learners from school.

It is clear that this is now a good chance to tackle truancy and our chance to make sure that students are in the classroom.

So, will you undertake further research into the use of fixed-penalty notices and their impact on learner attendance patterns, improving learner experiences, now that fines are returning, to see if they are actually working or not.

However there was scepticism over the effectiveness of fining parents, with Plaid Cymru MS Heledd Fychan saying it can be pointless and damaging.

She added that a Prosecuting Parents report found that many children who refused to go to school did so because of behavioural, neurological or, as has been referred to, mental health problems, and that they had had problems in getting CAMHS appointments.

Ms Fychan said: I do think that its extremely important that we do get this right as you encourage local authorities to give fixed-penalty notices once again.

We cant be punishing parents and carers in this situation when there is grave need for more services to support these children and young people.

We also know that the cost-of-living crisis is having a grave impact in terms of school attendance at times.

We have to therefore ensure that any strategy and any communication is handled sensitively in terms of those where there are good reasons for lack of attendance, and where attendance of any kind, for example, a child with a number of medical appointments, is something to be celebrated.

The education minister said the Welsh Government would not be encouraging the use of fines, but that the opportunity was now available for local authorities to use them when all other methods had been tried.

Mr Miles added: It is, of course, important that we tailor the way that we respond to these challenges according to the circumstances of individual pupils and the situations of the different families, and she gave many examples and there are several other valid examples that describe the complex relationship, perhaps, in various contexts between presence and absence and the different factors that she talked about.

We have taken several steps to support those families who have greatest difficulty in affording some of those main cost elements with regard to the school day, and we have also provided further guidance in collaboration with the third sector to ensure that schools do have specific guidance in terms of how to decrease the important risk that she talked about, and that that happens.

Every part of the education system, I believe, has a role to play in this, and as she said in her questions, Estyn has an important role to play in ensuring that the relationship with schools is there to understand what the patterns are, to understand what the data are, but also to understand why this happensthat is part of the analysis and the response.
North Wales fire engine joins convoy of UK aid heading for Ukrainian firefighters

A fire appliance from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service left for eastern Europe to support firefighters working on the frontline in Ukraine.

It has been donated to Ukrainian firefighters after a call to support the war effort came from the Home Office and the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC).

A team of three firefighters from the service departed on their six-day journey from Rhyl yesterday and will reach their destination in Poland next Monday.

They will join a convoy of other fire vehicles from across the UK heading to eastern Europe.

The equipment will be used to support firefighters, emergency services and volunteers who are battling together on the front line in Ukraine, often using old or worn equipment.

They have been dealing daily with fires and other emergencies to save lives, people and property since the war started in February.

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) has donated two more appliances having already donated vehicles earlier.

They are being taken by a team of five firefighters and a mechanic who have volunteered to make the trip.

More than 75 Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service members of staff volunteered to deliver the vehicles, along with hundreds of pieces of surplus firefighting equipment, including hose reels, helmets and other personal, protective equipment (PPE) to the Polish State Fire Service, whose staff will then transfer the convoy on to Ukraine.

The fire engine doors bear the CFRS logo with the words Supporting Ukraine. Inside the drivers cabs are stickers which read: In solidarity and support of the people of Ukraine, from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

UK charity Fire Aid and International Development (Fire Aid) and the NFCC have already coordinated and delivered donations of more that 5,000 items of fire and rescue equipment and PPE.

In March around 22 vehicles, related kit and equipment were delivered in convoy to Ukraine and in April a further 21 vehicles and kit were successfully delivered.

Stuart Millington, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, said: We are pleased to be able to offer this fire appliance to support firefighters in the Ukraine.

Many fire stations and fire appliances have already been destroyed in the war.

This vehicle was about to be replaced here in North Wales, and we are pleased to be able to support in this way and donate a fully functional fire appliance to the firefighters of Ukraine.

Our staff will join a convoy of vehicles from other fire and rescue services from across the UK to support this worthwhile effort that is coordinated by the Fire Aid charity and the NFCC.

This vehicle was no longer in operational use and we were pleased to be able to deliver it to the firefighters of Ukraine.

I am immensely proud of and would like to thank our staff who are working hard behind the scenes to prepare the vehicle and equipment for departure, but also of the crew who will be driving through Europe to Poland to deliver the vehicle.

I look forwards to hearing regular updates from their journey.
Welsh Government to explain why we took the decisions that we did as part of UK wide pandemic inquiry

The First Minister has said his government will explain why we took the decisions that we did during the pandemic and leave it for the inquiry to decide whether those decisions were defensible, but again rejected calls for a Wales specific inquiry.

Last week saw renewed calls for a Wales specific pandemic inquiry after the High Court found the policy of discharging untested asymptomatic patients from hospital to care homes in England was unlawful  a practice that also took place in Wales.

The issue was raised again yesterday during Questions to the First Minister, with the Conservative Leader Andrew Davies MS asking, First Minister, what view has the Welsh Government formed in light of the recent court judgment about discharging patients from hospitals into care homes?

First Minister Mark Drakeford replied, The High Court case was a case that did not concern the Welsh Government; it was a case brought against authorities in England. We will nevertheless study the judgment carefully and respond to it in the evidence that we will submit to the independent public inquiry into the experience of coronavirus across the United Kingdom.

Mr Davies detailed the background to the issue, asking It took a whole two weeks from the policy change in other parts of the United Kingdom for the Welsh Government to catch up. Why did the delay in testing happen here in Wales, which the court has now found illegal?

The First Minister said, To be clear, the court has found nothing illegal as far as Wales is concerned, because Wales was not a participant in that High Court case. It took no evidence from Wales, it looked at no documents according to Wales, so, lets be clear for the record: when the Member says that the policy was illegal, what the court discovered was that it was illegal in England, where his party was in charge. It made no observations at all about what happened here in Wales.

Im simply not going to pretend that in an answer on the floor of the Senedd we can explore an issue that took 75 pages of a High Court judgment to explore. And as I think the Member has just conceded, in order to make sense of what happened here in Wales you need to make sense of that wider UK context. We will respond, of course, to those issues, those very important issues that were at the heart of the High Court case, but we will do so in our evidence to the inquiry, which I am very confident will explore this issue along with a wide range of other issues that are there in its terms of reference when it begins its work later this year.

The debate moved to the topic of an injury with Mr Davies stating his unhappiness at answers given, I listened very carefully to your response to my second question. I asked you why the Welsh Government policy position took a further two weeks to change to the testing of patients being transferred to care homes. I also pointed out that at the time you saidyou saidthat there was no value in this testing taking place and that your health Ministeragain, his wordssaid that if there was a trebling in the amount of testing capacity, he still couldnt see the reason to test patients being transferred from hospitals into care homes.

Thats what I asked you, First Minister. You didnt offer any defence whatsoever to my question to you. That is why we need an independent inquiry here in Wales that looks at the Welsh policy position.

Mr Davies went on, We know for a fact, as Ive outlined here, that theres a distinct difference in the policy that youve pursued here in Wales on this issue and many other issues. It is a fact that, regrettably, we have the highest death rate of any part of the United Kingdom; it is a fact that many people who were shielding were sent incorrect letters; and it is a fact that your policy position put more patients at risk because you didnt introduce testing that has been found to have been a necessity at the time. Is it the case, First Minister, that you are blocking this inquiry happening here in Wales because you have a fear of scrutiny, or just arrogance that your position is right and it shouldnt be scrutinised by an independent inquiry here in Wales? Because I fail to see why you are still steadfastly objecting to an independent inquiry here in Wales that would look at these policy positions that your Government took, and ultimately exposed patients here in Wales to greater risks.

The First Minister rejected the call again, detailing how Welsh Government are taking part in the UK wide inquiry: The Member could not be more mistaken. He answered his own question in his very first set of remarks: an independent inquiry focused only on Wales would never be able to make sense of exactly the sorts of decisions to which he has pointed.

Had he been actually following what the High Court said, he would have seen that the High Court referred to the advice that was available to the UK Government, which was the same advice available to the Government here in Wales. You cannot understand the decisions that were made in Wales by divorcing those decisions from the UK context, the UK advice, the UK level of understanding at the time, and the way in which that was available here in Wales.

Thats why I have always argued that the best way in which people can get answers to the questions that they absolutely rightly want to see explored, and the Welsh Government will take part in the independent inquiry led by Judge Hallett in the most open way that we can. We will provide all the documents that we have; we will provide all the evidence that was available to us, and we will do so in a way that is not designed to defend the position that the Welsh Government took on any issue.

Ive already instructed those people who are helping to prepare the Welsh Governments evidence that the approach I want us to take is one in which we will explain why we took the decisions that we did and then leave it for the inquiry to decide whether those decisions were defensible. I am not going to go into an inquiry seeking to justify or defendthose were terms that the Member used; theyre not the terms that I will use.

We will go there to explain and we will provide all the evidence we can as to why we came to the decisions that we did, and its then for the inquiry, not for the Welsh Government, and if I can say so, not for the leader of the opposition either, to decide whether or not those decisions were defensible in the context of the time in which they were made.
Waterloo Region, Ontario  The Waterloo Regional Police Service has recently launched an improved intimate partner violence (IPV) webpage in an effort to deliver critical information to those who need it as quickly as possible.

In 2021, the Police Service received 6,145 intimate partner violence calls for service and laid 3,597 charges. That is nearly 17 calls per day or one every 1.4 hours.

The new webpage provides information on:

how to seek shelter

tips for staying safe and creating a safety plan

the dangers of strangulation

how to make a police report

how to get assistance if you do not want to make a police report

and more!

The new webpage can be found by visiting www.wrps.on.ca/ipv.

Intimate partner violence continues to be a significant issue in Waterloo Region and is one of the top 10 calls for service.

Knowing how to protect yourself and your family from intimate partner violence is essential. We hope our new webpage will provide victims with critical information that will enhance their safety and their ability to seek help and support, said Jamie Brosseau, Staff Sergeant of the Intimate Partner Violence Unit at WRPS.

If you, or someone you know, is experiencing intimate partner violence, please seek help. You could save a life.

Need help now? Contact the Waterloo Regional Police Service or Womens Crisis Services of Waterloo Region, or 911 in an emergency.

Waterloo Regional Police

519-570-9777 (non-emergency line)

www.wrps.on.ca

Womens Crisis Services of Waterloo Region

519-742-5894 or 519-653-2422

www.wcswr.org

Media Inquiries:

Waterloo Regional Police Service

Public Information Unit

519-570-9777 (WRPS) ext. 8188

publicinfo@wrps.on.ca
Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna said that 24 mobile teams of social and psychological assistance to victims of violence are working in 12 cities of Ukraine.

"Some 24 mobile teams of social and psychological assistance are working in Ukraine. Mobile brigades of Zaporizhia, Dnipro, Poltava, Odesa, Vinnytsia, Uzhgorod, Ternopil, Chernivtsi, Khmelnytsky, Lviv, Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk provide assistance to victims of violence, in particular, internally displaced persons who were forced to leave the war zones," the deputy prime minister said in the statement.

It is noted that in each city there are two teams, each of which includes two specialists (a psychologist, a social worker), as well as a driver with a car.

"The uniqueness of the provision of services lies in their mobility  the specialists of the teams can respond to calls to the most inaccessible places, provide services to residents of local communities and internally displaced persons who are on their territory and do not have access to specialized institutions or have limited movement," the deputy prime minister said.

These teams provide psychological assistance to the victims; respond to reports of incidents of violence, in particular through crisis and emergency interventions; inform victims of the medical, legal and other services that can be obtained to overcome the consequences of violence, as well as the provision of such services, in particular about general or specialized victim support services (shelters, crisis rooms, day centers and others); explain to the affected persons their rights and possibilities of receiving assistance; conduct information and educational activities.

According to the announcement, the services of mobile teams are provided thanks to the financial support of the governments of UK, Canada and CERF (Central Emergency Response Fund) and in partnership with local authorities and executive partners NGO Faith-Hope-Love Charitable Foundation and the Butterfly Charitable Foundation.
This is the report delivered by Tomas Castanheira to the 2022 International May Day Online Rally held on May 1. Castanheira is a leading member of the Socialist Equality Group in Brazil. To view all speeches, visit wsws.org/mayday.

Tomas Castanheira, Leading member of the Socialist Equality Group in Brazil



On this historic May Day, the International Committee of the Fourth International calls upon the working class in all countries to join in an internationally unified struggle against imperialist war, the endless COVID-19 pandemic, and the real cause of them both: the capitalist system in putrefaction.

On behalf of the Socialist Equality Group in Brazil, I urge Brazilian and Latin American workers and youth to join this struggle. Only the collaboration between the working class in both the oppressed and imperialist countries, based upon the perspective of international socialism, can overthrow imperialism all over the world and guarantee the development of all humanity.

In recent years, in every country, the capitalist class has been exposed as totally incapable of continuing its rule over society. In Latin America, a region of extreme social inequality, the billionaires have multiplied amidst the pandemic while the masses have been thrown back decades in their living standards.

While it is estimated that the impact of the war in Ukraine on fuel and food prices will be responsible for keeping more than 10 million Latin Americans in poverty, the financial elite speculate on the profit opportunities opened up by the war. There are several countries that import the same products from Russia and Ukraine as from Latin America and the Caribbean. Lets take advantage of it, declared the president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The illusions fostered by the representatives of the Latin American bourgeoisie and their media, that they are able to play from a distance with the fire of imperialist war, signal that the working class urgently needs to take the reins of the situation.

A new world war, on a scale incomparable with the two previous wars, will necessarily put Latin America on the map of conflict. The United States sees the proxy war it is waging with Russia in Ukraine as the first phase of a military escalation against China. And Chinas dependence on the raw materials produced by countries like Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Argentina, as well as its investments in Latin Americas markets, are strategic points in the war calculations of the imperialist powers.

The last great world war brought the eruption of US imperialism on the global arena. In the Manifesto of the Fourth International on the Imperialist War and Proletarian Revolution, written in 1940, Trotsky pointed out that the monstrous armament of the United States prepared a violent resolution of the complex contradictions in the Western Hemisphere. The US good neighbor policy in Latin America would quickly be replaced by iron fist domination.

These predictions were tragically confirmed in the postwar period. By promoting interventions, coups and brutal military dictatorshipsthe coup in Brazil in 1964; in Chile in 1973; in Argentina in 1976; the Contra war in Nicaragua in the 1980s and many othersUS imperialism drowned in blood the revolutionary spirit of the young Latin American proletariat.

The new imperialist war being fomented by the US is an expression not of American capitalisms strength, but of its historic decline. In its period of crisis, the military power of the United States imposes itself more savagely and unscrupulously in the quest for world domination.

But, to paraphrase Marx, the imperialist bourgeoisie resembles the sorcerer unable to control the infernal powers it has summoned. Each military action it takes in its desperation to hold on to power generates a new and more uncontrollable explosion of domestic and international class struggle.

The destruction of the living standards of the masses under capitalism is leading the working class in Latin America and throughout the world to a confrontation with the ruling bourgeois power.

As an immediate consequence of the war in Ukraine, mass protests broke out in Peru against rising fuel prices. The same conditions are fueling a wave of strikes in Brazil in dozens of economic sectors. Significantly, a wildcat strike was launched by CSN workers at the continents largest steel plant. The workers are confronting losses systematically imposed by the unions since the last major strike at CSN in 1988.

These struggles are just the first signs of the class battles that are on the agenda. They follow the largest wave of demonstrations in decades, which swept through countries such as Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil immediately before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With a social time bomb on its hands, the Latin American bourgeoisie goes from one government in crisis to another. A new wave of the Pink Tide in the region was born already showing its most reactionary face to the world. Only months after his election, the union leader Pedro Castillo, president of Peru, already has the blood of demonstrators murdered by the army on his hands. In Chile, the pseudo-left Boric is following the same path, calling on the hated carabineros to bring order to the streets.

A new government led by Lula of the Workers Party in Brazil would be no different. Challenging the fascistic Jair Bolsonaro, who is actively preparing an electoral putsch along the lines of Trumps January 6 coup in the United States, Lula has declared his obsession, along with the unions, guaranteeing the profits of the transnational corporations to keep them in the country.

The interests of the workers will not be realized by any of these false bourgeois alternatives. It is necessary to fight for the complete political independence of the working class!

The objective conditions have never been so favorable for the international socialist revolution. In Latin America and the other former colonies, the working class is now the overwhelming majority of society. It lives in large metropolises and is connected by the process of capitalist production and the internet to the working class all over the world.

The great task we face this May Day is to transform these powerful objective conditions into a conscious movement of the international working class against war, the pandemic, and social inequalityand for international socialism. The essential element of this process is the building of the world party of socialist revolution, the International Committee of the Fourth International. Join this struggle for the future!
[Part One] [Part Two]

The second volume of Yarotskys memoirs, Golden Kolyma (Zolotaya Kolyma), covers his experiences in Kolyma, a region in northern Siberia, which arguably had the worst of all Stalinist labor camps. Dozens of prison camps were arrayed along the Kolyma River. Prisoners labored in gold mines and cut timber, often under freezing temperatures, with insufficient clothing or nutrition. Prisoners perished by the thousands.

Book cover of "Zolotaya Kolyma" [Photo by Publishing house Nestor-Istoriia]

As a young engineer at the Transport Ministry (NKPS), Yarotsky became the victim of the 1935 campaign against engineers at this ministry. The head of the ministry, Kaganovich, whom Yarotsky had admired for his efficiency and competence, was in charge of putting together the ludicrous case against his workers. This came just months after the assassination of Kirov on December 1, 1934, which became the pretext for Stalins launching of the Great Terror.

The basis for Yarotskys arrest gives a sense of the atmosphere at the time: together with other engineers, Yarotsky had co-written an article calling for greater investment in repair works of the Soviet railroad. They had calculated that the capital of the railroad was being used up far more rapidly than anticipated, and that investing in repairs had become a matter of urgency by the end of the second five-year plan. In particular, they noted that trains were being damaged through excessive use. Dozens of highly qualified engineers were arrested based on this article, and virtually all of them were either killed or disappeared in the camps for decades.

In the following months and years, the NKPS, which was of strategic significance to the Soviet Unions efforts to develop an advanced economy, became, after the Red Army, the Soviet institution with the single highest number of victims during the Great Terror.

Yarotsky was arrested on November 10, 1935 and imprisoned as a counter-revolutionary at the Butyrki prison in Moscow, which was by then already filled with former and active oppositionists who had been arrested en masse after Kirovs assassination. In April 1936, Yarotsky was deported to Kolyma in Siberia.

Workers at a gold mine in Kolyma in 1934.

Here, he and thousands of other prisoners were deployed to mine the regions gold deposits. He went through the horrific experiences of hunger, forced hard labor under extreme weather conditions, and the constant terrorization and degradation of the political prisoners by the real criminals, murderers and rapists who were allowed by the bureaucracy to de facto run the camps.

He describes the different stages of the targeted suppression and execution of the Old Bolsheviks and the socialist opponents of Stalinism, the Left Opposition.

Upon his arrival in the Kolyma, he witnessed a protest by Trotskyist oppositionists.

In the first days of June [1936] some five thousand prisoners were to be brought to the Kolyma with another ship. The group [etap] came out of the camp in columns of four and was moving toward the Zolotoi rog bay, where they had to board the ship. When the column passed the city center, a large group of Leninists, about 200 of them, began singing the Varshavianka [a famous Polish-Russian revolutionary song]. The guards shot in the air, and forced the column to sit down, but even while sitting they continued to sing The enemy whirlwinds are flying over our heads, Dark forces are oppressing us, and then, You have fallen as victims in the fateful struggle. You can imagine what impression the lyrics of this great revolutionary song made; they were so apt for the current moment: You have given all you can for it [the struggle] and you walked, shackles rattling. They wanted to show to the people that it was the revolutionaries who were being sent to Kolyma, those who made the revolution, and who did not fear to die for the people and for the just cause. (pp. 153-154)

Yarotsky was keenly aware that what was involved in the Great Terror was the destruction and silencing of the entire tradition and party of revolution:

The Leninist party was a union of co-thinkers, the Stalinist party is an apparatus for the realization of the will of the leader. By this time, it had been become necessary to replace the entire party, Soviet, military and economic apparatus with other people. Those who had been accustomed to thinking, arguing and expressing their thoughts at Party Congresses, and to defend their views, were not only no longer needed, they had become harmful and had to be destroyed. (p. 357)

The year 1937 was the high point of the terror. Beyond those who were arrested, tried without due process and shot in Moscow and other cities, this year and the following year, 1938, saw mass executions of political prisonersmany of them Old Bolsheviks or Left Oppositionistsin the camps.

Foreigners now also became a special target of the terror. Yarotsky recalls that he shared his cell (he was briefly sent back to prison in 1937/1938 and then again back to Kolyma) with a pilot, Yavno, a Polish Jew by origin who had fled to the Soviet Union in the early 1920s and was trained as a pilot by the Red Army.

He was arrested as a defector. There was a directive at the time: send everyone to the camps who comes from abroad They also took foreign communists, and unemployed people who had fled from the Great Depression of the early 1930s, people who believed that the USSR was the fatherland of all working people. All of this was done in the name of the party that was created by Lenin under the banner of the internationalism and brotherhood of all peoples. If Stalin could, he would have even arrested John Reed as a defector. If you think about the destruction of the Polish and German communist parties before the war, which was achieved not by the fascists, but by Stalin, you cannot help but wonder whether it would have been possible to do more to discredit the ideas of the October Revolution than was done. (p. 271)

What clearly troubled Yarotsky the most, however, was the fate of the Old Bolsheviks whom he had admired so much in his youth. Toward the end of his memoirs, he raises the question:

Why did these people die such a pathetic death, why were protests that no one heard of, and hunger strikes that no one learned about, the most extreme measure they ever took? .  The overwhelming majority, and above all former party members, were people who in fascist camps would have immediately organized an underground movement of resistance, and if they had died, they would have died as revolutionaries. How then can you explain such a pathetic death ? It was the ultimate, final point of a path which began with the fear of arrests, the public denunciation of friends from yesterday, beatings during the interrogation, base and false testimonies against oneself and against comrades, the effort to show there, already after having crossed the horrible line to the other side of Soviet life, to show that Im still in control of myself, that I am imprisoned because of a misunderstanding, and this was their attitude until the last cry and the last beating. There were exceptions, there were people who understood the course of history and were meeting their end with their head held high, but even they were not able to cross the line and go over to an armed uprising against a government that they still considered theirs. (pp. 315-317)

While Yarotskys observation is very thoughtful, it falls short of a genuine explanation.

The fact that no effective resistance was leveled against the terror of the bureaucracy was, above all, bound up with the development of the world revolution. It was this delay of the revolution, combined with the backward development of Russias predominantly agricultural economy, that led, in the early years of the revolution, to the emergence of the bureaucracy. The program of socialism in one country, which stood in direct opposition to the foundations of the 1917 revolution, provided the platform for the defense of the interests of the bureaucracy.

The defeats of the revolution in Germany, England, China, and then Spain in the 1920s and 1930s were to a significant extent produced by the opportunist and nationalist policies of the Stalinized leadership of the Communist International.

The resulting demoralization not only of the international but also of the Soviet proletariat was a major factor in all the developments in the Soviet Union of the 1930s. Trotsky noted at the time that a resurgence of the class struggle internationally would have had a powerful impact on the consciousness of the Soviet masses. The prospect of the victory of the revolution in Germany or another country would have broken the sense of isolation and encirclement and it would have emboldened the Soviet working class to wage a struggle against the hated Soviet bureaucracy.

Leon Trotsky at his desk in Prinkipo

Indeed, while made possible by the temporary triumph of capitalist reaction, the Great Terror was, ultimately, rooted in the profound weakness of the Soviet bureaucracy. It found itself constantly threatened by the Soviet working class, the potential extension of the revolution, and the revolutionary traditions of 1917.

This also explains why Yarotsky was among those who were targeted in the terror. While not a leading Bolshevik, not a Trotskyist or even a member of the Communist Party, Yarotsky was part of a generation that had gone through the experience of the revolution. The traditions of Bolshevism and Marxism had left a profound imprint on this layer.

The primary target of the terror was the Trotskyist-socialist vanguard of the opposition to Stalinism. They were, with very few exceptions, murdered. It was, as Soviet historian Vadim Rogovin aptly called it, a political genocide. But this process of political counter-revolution and annihilation meant not only that the Trotskyists and thousands of socialists from the Soviet Union and abroad had to be murdered. Everyone who had borne witness to the revolutionary culture and traditions that had given rise to the 1917 revolution and Trotskys Left Opposition had to be killed and silenced. The terror, as Varlam Shalamov, put it, targeted all those who had remembered the wrong part of Russian History.

Yarotskys memoirs are a powerful demonstration of the fact that, despite this ferocious Stalinist reaction against the 1917 revolution, the influence of the October Revolution and the struggle of the Left Opposition on the Soviet working class and intelligentsia, however distorted and poorly understood, remained immense and profound. The historical consciousness of these monumental struggles, though severely damaged, could not be entirely wiped out by Stalinism. This is clearly shown by the circumstances under which Yarotsky came to write his memoirs, in the last two decades of the Soviet Union.

In the late 1940s in Kolyma, Yarotsky met with a series of figures who were connected to the leading literary critic of the Left Opposition, Alexander Voronsky. These included Varlam Shalamov, who is now widely recognized as one of Russias greatest writers. In 1926-27, Shalamov, though not a party member, was a supporter of the Left Opposition, and was arrested for handing out leaflets of the Opposition. Shalamovs literary conceptions had been influenced strongly by Voronsky and he later described his Tales of Kolyma a slap in the face of Stalinism.

Varlam Shalamov in 1937

Yarotsky also met Voronskys daughter, Galina Voronskaya, and her husband, Ivan Isaev, in Kolyma. All of them would remain friends in the coming decades, maintain correspondence and write their memoirs about their experiences.

As the literary scholar Nina Malygina notes in her introduction to Yarotskys memoirs, a significant role model for all of them was Voronskys semi-fictionalized autobiography Za zhivoi i mertvoi vodoi, which Galina Voronskaya was able to publish in the Soviet Union in the 1970s. Written in the 1920s, the book inspired young Left Oppositionists at the time and acquainted them not only with the history of the Bolshevik Party but also with the methods of conspiratorial work that, previously employed under Tsarism, had again become a matter of necessity for the revolutionary tendency under Stalinism.

Aleksandr Voronsky in 1929

Yarotsky wrote his memoirs from 1967 through the 1970s, at a time when the Brezhnev regime had rehabilitated Stalin. Significant sections of the intelligentsia, above all those known as the dissidents, moved sharply to the right during this period, after the Warsaw Pact invasion and crushing of the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia in 1968. Many now completely dissociated themselves from socialism and the heritage of the October Revolution.

Yarotskys memoirs are further evidence that, while the increasingly anti-Communist sections of the dissident movement dominated the perceptions of intellectual currents in the Soviet Union, genuinely left-wing tendencies continued to exist, but were driven underground and repressed with the greatest ferocity by the bureaucracy. They were often unable to publish their works and memoirs until just before or even after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Yarotsky himself was rehabilitated in September 1956, but met the limited revelations of Stalins crimes by Nikita Khrushchev in his secret speech in February 1956 with great skepticism. Like many workers and socialist intellectuals during the Thaw, Yarotsky felt that a return to the real Lenin was needed, but, cut off from the Fourth International that Trotsky had founded in 1938, he did not understand how that could be accomplished. In a letter to Shalamov from December 1961, he wrote

Im not convinced that the cult of personality will not be limited to the transfer of ashes and the removal of Kaganovich and a few others. If they would reconstruct the state as [Vladimir] Ilyich [Lenin] called for in his State and Revolution, then I would say that the cult of personality has been eliminated. (quoted pp. 38-39)

At the end of his memoirs, he noted,

As all aspects of Khrushchevs policies in this question [the revelation of the crimes of Stalinism], everything was half-baked, contradictory, there were half-truths, without conclusions and generalizations. Khrushchev did not even publish his report to the XXth Congress, he subverted the idol of Stalinism but immediately erected his own. He did nothing to change the foundations of society, and limited himself to very superficial reforms, before he fell victim of a palace intrigue that would have been unthinkable in a democratic country. (p. 359)

These comments are a remarkable testimony to the fact that a left-wing opposition to the Stalinist bureaucracy did exist in the post-war Soviet Union, although it remained without program and without organization. Indeed, it is the great tragedy of Yarotsky and his generation that despite their firm commitment to the October Revolution and their hatred of Stalinism, they remained cut off from the program of Trotskyism and the Fourth International.

Alexei Yarotsky in 1967 [Photo by Published in Zolotaya Kolyma]

This historical crime was a result not just of Stalinism but also of Pabloite revisionism, a tendency that had emerged within the Fourth International. Rejecting Trotskys analysis of the counter-revolutionary role of Stalinism, the Pabloites worked to promote illusions in a supposedly left wing of the bureaucracyincluding Khrushchevand to liquidate Trotskyism into it. This orientation aided the efforts of Stalinism in cutting off the cadre of the Fourth International from figures like Yarotsky and many others in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union who were clearly seeking a socialist basis upon which to defend October and fight the bureaucracy.

This enforced isolation of socialists in the USSR was only broken in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Having expelled the Pabloites from the Fourth International in the split with the WRP in 1985-86, the International Committee of the Fourth International was able to directly intervene in the crisis of Stalinism. Its leaders travelled to the Soviet Union and established direct contact with youth and workers. Most important among these relationships was that between the ICFI and Vadim Rogovin, who had worked for many years, in isolation, on establishing the historical record of the struggle of the Left Opposition against Stalinism, and was now able to write a seven-volume history of that struggle.

By then, unfortunately, Yarotskywho died in 1983was no longer alive. Well aware that his memoirs would not see the light of day in the Soviet Union while he was alive, he nevertheless refused to have them published in the West, fearing that they would be abused by anti-Communists. However, he remained convinced that eventually they would find their audience in Russia, even if it would take many years.

He was not mistaken. The publication of his memoirs in Russia many decades later is an indication that, despite the monumental crimes of Stalinism, leading to the restoration of capitalism and all the resulting confusion, there is significant and serious interest within broad layers of the population in the great historical questions of the 20th century.

Tatiana Isaeva, the grand-daughter of Alexander Voronsky. (c) WSWS media

Voronskys granddaughter, Tatiana Isaevawho has worked for many years to recover his manuscripts and first published them on her ownas well as Nina Malygina, deserve great credit for the service that they have done for workers, intellectuals and young people in Russia but internationally. The 2021 edition of the second volume of Yarotskys memoirs is beautifully edited, and includes careful footnotes as well as an introduction by Malygina that places the work in its broader literary and historical context.

Under conditions of the NATO proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, and a relentless, reactionary and ignorant vilification of the Russian people, Russian history and Russian culture, the translation of Yarotskys memoirs for a wider international audience is an urgent question. They can play a significant role in re-connecting new generations of socialists with the great historical traditions of the socialist movement and intelligentsia in Russia, as they fight for the completion of the world socialist revolution in the 21st century.
Case IH combines are transported on a Union Pacific train in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Tuesday, March 11, 2008. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

On the second day of a strike by over 1,000 CNH Industrial workers in Wisconsin and Iowa, the global farm and construction equipment manufacturer released its first quarter financial results, which exceeded Wall Street analysts expectations. The strong earnings for the first three months come on the heels of record profits for the conglomerate in 2021.

In our first quarter as a pure play agricultural and construction equipment business, the CNH Industrial team delivered a solid performance that demonstrates the potential of a focused, customer-centric company, CEO Scott Wine said in a company press release. At the beginning of this year, CNH spun off its commercial truck operations, Iveco, into a separate company. Italys Agnelli family, the billionaire dynasty which made its fortune at Fiat, owns a controlling stake in both CNH and Iveco, as well as being the largest shareholder of auto giant Stellantis and luxury carmaker Ferrari.

Despite ongoing chaos in supply chains triggered by the coronavirus pandemic and the US-NATO proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, CNH increased its revenue and earnings before interest and taxes compared to the same period in 2021.

While touting the companys strong financial results and estimating sales growth for 2022 overall during Tuesdays earnings call, CNHs CEO adopted a harsh and arrogant tone towards the strike launched by workers Monday. The companys executives made clear they were determined to minimize the impact of the walkout and sought to reassure shareholders that they would continue to amply enrich them at workers expense.

CNH reported that sales for industrial operations were up 13 percent for the first three months of the year, rising to $4.2 billion, buoyed by price hikes to the companys equipment. Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT, a key measure of profitability) grew to $429 million for the quarter, up 9 percent compared to 2021, and exceeding the $391 million analysts surveyed by Reuters had forecasted.

CNHs net income was down roughly $27 million from the year prior, meanwhile, driven by the companys suspension of operations in Russia and writedown of its assets in the country by $71 million.

For the quarter, ag pricing was up 12 percent, again, more than offsetting rising costs, Wine said during the investor call. Order books remain exceptionally strong, up almost 40 percent in agriculture and 80 percent in construction, as demand remained healthy. And this number will certainly will improve in the coming more weeks when we open up our order books for model year 23.

CNH estimated that net sales for the full year would rise between 10 to 14 percent.

Wine stated that although farmers faced higher costs, with fertilizer prices spiking due to the conflict in Ukraine, CNH nevertheless anticipated continued strong demand for its agricultural equipment. High food commodity prices combined with elevated costs would drive their customers to adopt more efficient agricultural technology, in the companys view. High input costs are a challenge but do prompt upgrades to more efficient and sustainable methods of farming and working, which is reflected in our technology adoption rates, Wine said. Elevated commodity prices will continue to bolster farm incomes and encourage those who can expand real crop planning.

The companys construction segment, which accounts for a smaller portion of the CNHs business, also reported its most profitable quarter in more than a decade.

CNH Chief Financial Officer Oddone Incisa emphasized the large sums being handed out to investors during the earnings call. The company is set to pay out its largest ever dividend to shareholders Wednesday, at 380 million euros (approximately $400 million). CNH has also authorized $100 million in share buybacks, which drive up the companys stock value, primarily benefiting its largest investors.

It is our intent to continue operations

Despiteor more precisely, because ofthe immense amount of wealth being sucked up by CNHs corporate owners, the companys CEO made clear they were determined to offset the impact of the strike and beat back workers demands for higher wages and benefits.

Wine dubbed the strike disappointing, saying, We had several weeks of constructive dialogue [with United Auto Workers officials], but when the contract expired, we remain very far apart on some important issues. The very nature and purpose of a strike is to disrupt our business and create concern amongst our customers. Despite that intent, CNH Industrial is committed to reaching an agreement with United Auto Workers.

The CEO signaled that the company would be implementing strike-breaking plans. It is our intent to continue operations. And to that end, we are prepared with the contingency plan that should minimize the impact to our operations. Later, he added, Weve got so many other factories where we can produce, and weve got the ability to bring in what we do not have. We have our salaried workforce and contingent labor helping us to serve our customers, which is our primary goal.

The haughty refusal of CNHs CEO to countenance any significant let-up in the exploitation of workers is emblematic of the attitude of the ruling class more broadly. For more than four decades, the corporations and the super-rich have engineered a staggering rise in their fortunes by driving down wages and benefits, lengthening the working day and eviscerating workplace safety protections. At the same time, large swaths of underperforming factories have been obliterated, destroying jobs for thousands of workers at CNHs predecessors, including J.I. Case, International Harvester and New Holland, since the 1980s.

As in the auto industry, this decades-long assault would not have been possible if it were not for the loyal support of the UAW, which has worked with CNH, Deere, Caterpillar, GM, Ford and others to shutter factories, tear up pensions and retirees health care, lower wages, drive a wedge between workers via the tier system, end the eight-hour day and impose other concessions. In the process, the UAW bureaucracy fattened on bloated incomes and perksfunneled to them by the corporations through legal, illegal and semi-legal meansplacing it in opposition to the interests of the workers they claim to represent.

This bitter reality of union collusion in workers exploitation was inadvertently alluded to by the president of UAW Local 807, Nick Guernsey, at CNHs factory in Burlington, Iowa. Guernsey said that starting pay at some of CNHs non-union facilities is now far higher, at $5.50 above, the wages for new hires at the Burlington plant.

Workers must take the threats made by Wine and CNHs executives against their strike with the utmost seriousness. At stake is not just the wealth of CNHs shareholders but the whole regime of low wages which has produced such astronomical fortunes on Wall Street. At the same time, the UAW, following its playbook from the John Deere and Volvo strikes last year, will seek to isolate the strike, keeping workers at both CNH and elsewhere in the dark on its talks with the company.

To break the isolation of the strike, new organizations of struggle are needed: rank-and-file factory committees in Racine and Burlington, independent of the UAW. CNH workers have potentially powerful allies: the millions of workers throughout the US and internationally who are also looking to fight back against ever eroding incomes and a surging cost of living.

Rank-and-file committees will provide the means to connect with these workers, including at CNHs non-union US plants and its factories overseas, to combat the companys strikebreaking operation and to mobilize a broader counteroffensive by workers to secure their needs.

Work at CNH? We want to hear from you: Tell us about the conditions at your plant and what workers are striking for. Workers identities will be kept confidential.
The Time of the Fireflies, co-directed by Matteo Robert Morales and Mattis Appelqvist Dalton, about a young Mexican immigrant in the US, was one of the more socially concrete and intriguing films at the San Francisco International Film Festival this year. Others must have thought so too, because the film received the festivals Golden Gate Award as the best mid-length film (52 minutes, in this case).

At the center of the film, as we explained in a review April 26, is Miguel, who has been living in New York City for more than a decade, having left the extreme poverty of his hometown in Oaxaca, Mexico. His parents, who also spent years working in the US, have had difficult, toilsome lives. Miguel has made great sacrifices, working long hours and experiencing isolation and loneliness, to support both himself and his sister Rafaela, who also appears prominently in the film.

Morales, as he explains in the interview below, grew up in the same village as Miguel and Rafaela, and went to school with them. The filmmakers have commented that we felt that people like Miguel and his family were being deprived of their human qualities by hate speech and targeted policies. This is when the intention to create a documentary that would rehumanize the Mexican migrant community in the USA, became more urgent. We wanted to provide Miguel with a platform to tell his story, to let his words confront the common paradigm of migration within and outside the United States.

The WSWS spoke recently to the two young filmmakers on a video call.

***

David Walsh: Matteo, I understand you have some connection to Miguel, the central figure in the film. Can you tell us about your life history and your connection to him?

Mattis Appelqvist Dalton and Matteo Robert Morales (Photos courtesy of SFFILMphoto by Tommy Lau)

Matteo Robert Morales: I grew up in the same village as Miguel in rural Mexico, in Oaxaca. So we are actually childhood friends. We went to school together, I was very close friends with him and his sister Rafaela, we were also next door neighbors. At some point, I moved to Mexico City. And then he went to the US. So we lost track of each other. It was not until we started working on this film that we got in contact again.

DW: Can you tell me something about the village where you grew up?

MRM: It is a very, very small town. It is lost in the middle of a rural area where there are no cities nearby. It is a place where, when I was going to school, like Miguel and his sister, many children grow up without their parents, because they are away working. At that time, it was not something that seemed unusual. Then later, I realized that family separation strongly shaped this town and the way people live.

DW: And what was the immediate source or spark for this film?

MRM: Growing up there, being close to this family, sharing their stories as a child, really shaped who I am. The subjects of the film were very close to me. Knowing Miguel, having this very close relationship with him, was an opportunity to talk about these subjects, in a very intimate and humane way.

Mattis Appelqvist Dalton: I think there was also the political climate, the context of the time. We started filming in 2017. When Matteo approached me, it was a period where there was horrible, demeaning rhetoric in regard to Mexican immigrants.

It felt increasingly urgent to create a platform for Miguel and his familys voice to be heard. We saw it as a form of resistance. Devoting our craft to something in which we believed would bear witness to the everyday ties that bind the United States and Mexico, as well as to the political discord and violence that keep them apart.

We were also very inspired not only by the sacrifices Miguel made, but also his strong philosophy and vision. As you see in the film, he is always reading, on the subway, everywhere he can.

MRM: I was 10 years old when Miguel left the town. I met him again in 2017, when I invited Mattis to work on the film and we traveled to New York City. We had a certain idea of what the film could become, because I knew Miguels story, through what his parents had told us. But then when we met him and we realized what person he had become, then we understood what the story would really be about. To understand his struggle, everything he went through, at that moment, it was really inspiring.

The Time of the Fireflies (2021)

DW: What is your own background, Mattis?

MAD: I am Danish, but I grew up in France. In 2016, just before we began the film, I received a scholarship to go and study at Brown, where I was studying the cognitive neuroscience of music. I was conducting research on how our perception of time in cinema is shaped and how music influences and distorts our perception of time. I have always been fascinated by music. So when I was invited to work on this film, we wanted to collaborate in a way that would enable a strong relationship between the sound and the visual media.

DW: Can either one of you, or both of you, describe the conditions that force people in Mexico to leave?

MRM: The condition, as Miguel says in the film, is extreme poverty. Really, no services. The house where he grew up had no electricity, no running water. So it is a really strong necessity that pushes them to do this.

MAD: Migration is not an individual economic choice. There is a family history as well. Grandparents and parents create ties that are then reproduced and followed up on by their sons and daughters.

MRM: What is also interesting is that, depending on the region in Mexico, people migrate to specific cities or areas in the US. So, for instance, from the village where I grew up, and where we shot the film, people mostly go to New York City. That is something that we also wanted to represent in the film, the strong, specific connection between New York and this town in the middle of rural Mexico.

DW: What are your own views about the immigration issue? In our opinion, whether it is Trump or Biden makes no difference. It is the same reactionary anti-immigrant policy.

MAD: We have strong views about the political situation and the way in which the system fails again and again, but we wanted to make a film that lacks a political agenda.

We feel that various stories become very politicized, stigmatized, which kind of limits our possibilities to empathize with the subjects. It is not to say that this is an apolitical film, because their lives are very much shaped by politics. I think the very possibility of people empathizing with Miguel suggests political possibilities, and it is Miguel himself who embodies crucial possibilities for change and reform by emphasizing the importance of migrants rights and in particular access to education for all.

DW: The film is unusual in that there is a great deal of attention paid to the psychological, emotional consequences of immigration. You see the impact of fear, isolation, separation, loneliness. The film is very strong in bringing out these aspects.

MRM: When we see films about migration, often the film ends when the person arrives in the US. For us, I think, that was only half of the filmwhat comes after, and what do people go through once they arrive here?

DW: There is obviously great resilience in Miguel, but there is also a great sadness, because he has lost part of his life and continues to lose part of his life. He cannot go home, he has not seen his family for 13 years or more. It is a brutal situation.

MAD: Yes, he lost a big part of his youth, because he had to become an adult at the age of 16. To take on the responsibility of paying off the people who helped him cross the border, to help his family, his mother, later on his sister, he took on enormous responsibilities and had to become an adult extremely abruptly.

We wanted to focus on his childhood memories, because they gave us an insight into his longing for what he left behind. It is perhaps his relationship to his childhood memories that fuels his altruism and his resilience. But they are also something that kept him trapped in the past, because he misses his home.

The Time of the Fireflies

MRM: Miguel has a lot of nostalgia about rural Mexico, about the countryside. That is something that we wanted to show in the more fictional parts of the film. At the same time, he is very conscious about why he left, what pushes people to leave this life behind. He talks about the opportunities that New York has offered him. He is very conscious about why hes there.

MAD: As well, his relationship to that place changed quite a bit during the filming process itself. We filmed with him for a period of three years. We also wanted, through the visual and the sound, to represent some of that evolution. In the beginning, New York was unbearably chaotic and hectic, and he felt lost a lot of the time. But with time, he also found a degree of peace and his home in this new place.

DW: Yes, to a degree, he has conquered New York, which overwhelmed him to begin with. Imagine arriving at 16 in New York with nothing and almost no one! But you used the word nostalgia, which has a certain pejorative connotation. Do you think there is something romanticized about his vision of Mexico?

MRM: To a certain extent. As an immigrant myself, I can relate to that. I think when we leave a place behind, we tend to romanticize certain things. To a certain degree, this is inevitable. It has been 13, 14 years for Miguel. The only thing that remains from his home are his memories, and we know that memories change over time. Even though he has found a home in New York, he continues to miss the things he left behind and that New York cannot offer.

DW: In the film, you have included the fictional childhood scenes, which are more associated with memory, dream, nature, poetry. And then there is New York, which is harsher, but which has its own poetry. How did you see the relationship between the images of New York and the images of Mexico?

MRM: That was an important goal for us, to work on those contrasts. For instance, the idea was to film New York with long focal length lenses, to try to capture the emotion of Miguel when he arrived in the city, this very overwhelming feeling. So by using long focal length, we could compress the sense of space and perspective. But then these feelings changed over time, he really conquered the city, he found his place in it. Now he feels more at home, so in the film we switched to normal focal length.

In Mexico, on the contrary, we tried to film more with wide angle lenses, to give this feeling of the immensity of the landscape. The nature of both places allows it. New York is a place where you cannot look in any direction and see the horizon. In the village, no matter where you look, you see fields, hills and mountains and the sky.

MAD: It also helps people get an insight into his reality. A phrase that resonates a lot for both of us is the moment when he says, in the countryside, you are trapped. It is very paradoxical. There is this immense place with all the physical freedom and space, and yet Miguel felt trapped.

DW: Socially and economically trapped. In New York, physically trapped, but in some way, the opportunities are greater. It is a painful situation, obviously, because both realities have their serious limitations. What does Miguel long for? What would he like his life to be like?

MRM: We talked about his strong passion for books, it is where he finds solace. Also, helping other people to study, passing on his knowledge of math was one way of finding peace with himself as well. So education is such a central aspect of his life. It is also the reason why he left to begin with. Miguel still has his dreams of being able to continue to study. He wants to study music, he wants to study economics, he has so many things he would like to know more about. So, no matter what his life looks like, as long as there is some element of education and this ability to nurture his intellect, I think he will continue to stay connected with himself.

DW: His parents as well are remarkable, as well as his sister certainly. The scenes with her, when she is telling him on the phone how much he meant to her, are very moving. She is generous in acknowledging him, but it is somewhat painful for him probably, how much he sacrificed for her. It is a very dramatic, emotional moment.

MAD: When she first talked about how much he had helped her situation, we were filming in New York. Then we went to his mothers home in Mexico. We saw on the wall the diploma, which is dedicated To my brother, for his unconditional support. It was an emblem of all of his sacrifices, the love he has for her. Knowing how important education is to him, this diploma was particularly powerful because he sacrificed his own dream to study in order to help her pursue hers.

DW: It is not a film with a political agenda. But we know what Trump and others were saying about the rapists and criminals and murderers from Mexicoand then you meet Miguel, who is the epitome of sensitivity, intelligence, conscientiousness and self-sacrifice. It is such an obscene contrast. So the film makes a strong argument.

MRM: We certainly hope so.
New Zealands COVID-19 death toll has increased more than tenfold over the past two months, as a result of the Labour Party-led governments decision to keep schools and non-essential businesses open and to remove most public health restrictions.

Medical staff test shoppers who volunteered at a pop-up community COVID-19 testing station at a supermarket carpark in Christchurch, New Zealand. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

The countrys total COVID death toll stood at 68 at the beginning of March, when the highly-infectious Omicron wave had just begun to take off. This relatively low number was due to New Zealands adoption of a zero COVID policy two years ago.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the end of this policy last October, as the government succumbed to pressure from big business, which views lockdowns and all public health measures as an intolerable impediment to profits.

Because of this criminal decision to allow the mass infection of the population, by May 3 the number of COVID deaths had increased to 777. More than half of these occurred in April. Hundreds of people have lost loved ones due to a virus that could have been prevented had the elimination policy been maintained.

According to the Ministry of Health, more than 950,000 people have had COVID, which is almost one in five. Nearly all of these cases were recorded in the last two months. The real total is undoubtedly much higher as the official figures are based on unreliable, self-administered and self-reported rapid antigen tests (RATs). Thousands of those listed as recovered will likely be suffering from Long COVID, a set of conditions that can include severe damage to the heart, lungs and brain.

The government is seeking to normalise COVID deaths and behaving as though the pandemic is coming to an end. On Monday, Ardern told a press conference that the tourism industry was recovering, with our COVID-19 control now a matter of record. None of the reporters present challenged the false claim that the virus is under control.

Mandatory isolation requirements for international arrivals have been dropped. Airports NZ, Air New Zealand and the Tourism Export Council are now demanding that pre-departure COVID testing requirements also be scrapped. This follows the ending of vaccine mandates, contact tracing systems and masking requirements in schools.

The healthcare system, which was already facing a crisis of understaffing and unmet needs before the pandemic, has been overwhelmed by the Omicron wave. Thousands of nurses and doctors have been infected, and hospitals have been forced to postpone tens of thousands of vital operations.

Nationwide, there were 481 people with COVID in hospital yesterday. Royal NZ College of General Practitioners medical director Dr Bryan Betty told the Rotorua Daily Post there were reports of emergency departments all over the country being filled to capacity due to a combination of the pressures that weve been under with COVID, the pressures that weve been under in general practice, as well as an increase in other viral illnesses.

On Monday morning, Christchurch Hospital reported that it was at 109 percent capacity and 180 staff were either sick with COVID or isolating because a household member had the virus. District Health Board chief executive Peter Bramley said COVID case numbers are not dropping away as quickly as we originally predicted, and we envisage this situation will continue for some time.

Wellington emergency surgeon Dr Kelvin Ward started a petition last month calling for the government to urgently adopt a vaccines plus approach to COVIDthat is, to introduce public health measures in addition to a stepped-up vaccination campaign. The open letter was co-written by nine other scientists and public health experts, including epidemiologists Professor Michael Baker and Dr Amanda Kvalsvig. It has been signed by more than 150 doctors and scientists.

In late March 2020, during the initial wave of the pandemic, Dr Ward initiated a healthcare workers petition calling for a nationwide lockdown. It quickly gained support from over 150,000 people, despite opposition from the New Zealand Nurses Organisation and the teacher unions, which falsely claimed that schools could safely stay open.

The Ardern government, fearing that a movement of the working class could emerge outside the control of the trade unions, decided to act and imposed one of the worlds strictest lockdowns, which succeeded in reducing case numbers to zero.

The new petition does not call for a lockdown, but for the reinstatement of mandatory masking in schools, as well as carbon dioxide monitors and air filtration systems, and clear ventilation standards for indoor public spaces.

The experts demand better public education about the nature of the airborne transmission of the virus and how to prevent it and government funding to ensure a good supply of N95 and similar high-quality masks, rather than the inadequate surgical masks widely in use.

They also call for a stronger effort to boost vaccination rates, particularly for children. At present, just over 2.6 million peoplehalf the populationhave received the three doses of the Pfizer vaccine required to give significant protection from Omicron.

The experts state that COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease, but transmission is preventable. They warn: Relying on personal responsibility, without effective public health measures, will result in repeated waves of infection, an overloaded and dysfunctional healthcare system, and ongoing disruption to daily life. This scenario is currently playing out around the world. Instead, a collective approach is required that focuses on minimising transmission by means of public health policies.

The WSWS supports the public health measures advocated in the Vaccines Plus petition, but insists that they must be part of a comprehensive, fully resourced elimination strategy. This includes the immediate closure of schools and non-essential businesses, with support provided to workers and small business owners, until case numbers are reduced to zero. The mitigationist approach, which accepts the transmission of COVID-19 in the community, will not stop ongoing deaths and severe illnesses or the emergence of new and more dangerous variants.

China has demonstrated that Omicron can be stamped out in the worlds most populous country, saving millions of lives. But the continual reintroduction of COVID into China shows that elimination must be adopted as a global strategy.

How is this to be achieved? It is no use appealing to capitalist governments, including the Ardern government in New Zealand, which have allowed the virus to spread out of control. Internationally, governments have presided over more than 20 million deaths from COVID-19, proving their sole concern is to satisfy the demands of the banks and big business.

The working class needs to take up a political fight for a scientific, public health response aimed at saving lives regardless of the cost to the corporate and financial elite.

In its statement on March 14, the Socialist Equality Group called on workers to build rank-and-file safety committees in schools, hospitals and every other workplaceindependent of the unions, which have collaborated with the pro-business reopening agenda. The task of these committees will be to unite workers in New Zealand, as well as internationally, against the agenda of mass infection, and to bring an end to the pandemic.
The following statement by the Rank-and-File Committee of Ford Workers in Saarlouis was published in German ahead of the works meeting at the Saarlouis plant on Wednesday. Send a WhatsApp message to the following number to contact us: +491633378340

Dear Colleagues,

On Wednesday there is a works meeting in Saarlouis and one day later there is another in Cologne. Saarlouis works council member Holger Michel announced to us that we are to be informed about the current status of negotiations in the bidding competition.

Shift change at Ford Saarlouis (Photo: WSWS)

But we already know that the works councils are only stalling with lies and half-truths while they have long been in discussion about how to shutter our plant. They intend to stall until it is almost impossible to fight to defend our jobs.

Now and for this reason we must strip the works council of its mandate to negotiate for us and expand our rank-and-file committee. We must join forces with workers from Valencia, Cologne and all other sites to defend every job and prevent any cuts in our wages.

Everything made public so far indicates that the works council and the unions have already sacrificed our plant. In Valencia, the UGT union signed a collective agreement running until 2026 that contains severe wage cuts and an extension of working hours.

On April 26, state Minister President Anke Rehlinger (Social Democratic Party, SPD) spoke on Saarland Radio about possibly selling off the plant to an investor. She said she knows that this site can be an attractive location for other producers. ... We are prepared for anything, Rehlinger said.

The works council wants to use our jobs, our wages and our working conditions as a single bargaining chip. Masses of jobs are being destroyed and wages decimated in order to lure investors who will gut the plant in the end. The IG Metall union is only negotiating how it can best capitalize on the restructuring through transfer companies and retraining.

Particularly vicious is how they try to use the threat of job losses at our plant as a lever to push down the wages and working conditions in Cologne. The workforces at the German sites will stick together, declared Jurgen Kerner, head treasurer of IG Metall, at the May Day rally in the state capital, Saarbrucken.

Our colleagues in Cologne will find out on Thursday what the IG Metall means by solidarity: A delegation of IGM works councils from Saarlouis will travel to Cologne and explain that cuts in Cologne are necessary to save Saarlouis.

But this is false. In the end, wages will be cut in Cologne and Valencia and our plant will be shuttered anyway, because that is the logic of the entire bidding war that the works council and IG Metall are organizing against us on behalf of the corporate management.

The only way to defend our jobs is to have real solidarity with our colleagues in Cologne, Valencia and all the other sites, to fight together both against the theft of our wages and against the closure of our plant.

The first step is to join and build our rank-and-file committee to oppose the works council. Ford's strategy is to use IG Metall and its works councils to get these attacks past us and close the plant.

We now need our own strategy to successfully fight back. The Ford Rank-and-File Committee proposes that the following demands must be part of a successful struggle to defend our plant and protect our compensation at all sites:

Unite the workforces in all European sites and beyond. We have contact with colleagues in Valencia and Cologne; this contact must be extended in order to coordinate and expand a joint struggle. Together we are strong.

No more secret negotiations between the works council and corporate management! Immediate disclosure of all agreements and discussions between the works council and corporate management!

We will not retreat a single step! Defense of all jobs at all locations! Not one cent in wage cuts; no extension of working hours!

We know that the struggle will not be easy and that IG Metall and the works council will do everything in their power to sabotage it. But we also have powerful allies. All over the world, workers resistance is growing against rising prices and layoffs, which are rapidly intensifying due to the policies of economic war against Russia and horrendous rearmament.

In Sri Lanka, workers have paralyzed nearly the entire country to force the resignation of the government and prevent the IMFs looting of the country. Mass protests have also occurred in Greece, Spain and France.

These struggles must be united and directed against capitalism, which has nothing more to offer us than wage theft, unemployment and war. Instead of spending billions on rearmament and starting a third world war, billions must be invested in good jobs, health care and education.

We say this: this far and no further. We are not the next Ford Genk. We must really fight. Strikes and labor struggles have been victorious in the past and can still be won today. But to do so, we need to create an organization in the plants that is not afraid to carry the fight through. Ford and IG Metall should fear us, not the other way around.

Send a WhatsApp message to the following number to contact us: +491633378340
Physicians at the University of California at San Diego released a study last week in the journal JAMA Surgery documenting the number of immigrants who have died or been injured attempting to scale sections of the new US-Mexico border wall. The study is the first to record the casualties along the structure Donald Trump boasted cant be climbed. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), an agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), says it does not tally such deaths or injuries.

A U.S. Border Patrol vehicle drives along the border fence at the U.S.-Mexico border wall, on Dec. 15, 2020, in Douglas, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin,File)

According to the report, the number of patients arriving at the UC San Diego Medical Centers trauma ward after falling off the structure has increased five-fold since 2019, when the border walls height was raised to 30 feet. Since then, the number of deaths has gone from zero to 16, according to records from the San Diego County medical examiner. Wounded patients are now arriving every day in the regions hospitals.

The report comes at a time when President Biden has continued the anti-immigrant policies of his Republican and Democratic predecessors and set all-time high records for immigration arrests along the southern border. Title 42, which denies migrants the right to asylum and mandates that they be summarily expelled, using the pandemic as a pretext for denying any form of due process, has been used first by the Trump and now the Biden administration to compound a humanitarian catastrophe for immigrants fleeing from poverty and violence in their home countries.

Hector Almeida, a 33-year-old dentist from Cuba, fractured his leg in a fall on April 25 and wound up being treated at UC San Diego Health. He told The Washington Post he saw a woman fall and break both legs, as well as an older man who fell and suffered a severe head injury.

Jay Doucet, chief of the trauma division at UC San Diego Health, said that before the height of the wall was increased, there were injuries but no deaths. The older wall ranged in height from nine to 17 feet, but the new sections range from 20 to 30 feet, resulting in higher rates of death and injury.

Doucet said, Were seeing injuries we didnt see before: pelvic fractures, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries and a lot of open fractures when the bone comes through the skin.

Scripps Mercy Hospital, another major trauma center in San Diego, said border wall victims accounted for 16 percent of the 230 patients treated last month, more than gunshot and stabbing wounds. In an interview with the Washington Post, Vishal Bansal, director of trauma at Scripps, said his ward treated 139 border wall patients last year, compared to 41 in 2020.

The wounded migrants, often uninsured, require long and costly surgeries and intensive care and have to remain longer in hospitals, which have to absorb millions in costs.

UC San Diego Health was inundated with so many wounded immigrants that a postpartum wing was converted into a makeshift recovery ward for them. At least $13 million in costs have been incurred from the patients, and the number of fall victims is now straining the entire trauma system of San Diego.

The Trump administration developed a series of wall prototypes in 2017, with Trump himself preferring the more intimidating spiky designs. Officials decided to raise the new barriers to 30 feet, balancing cost concerns with the need of Border Patrol agents to respond in time to those attempting to scale the wall.

Despite the 30-foot barrier, which covers only a portion of the border, crossings have increased sharply. Border Patrol agents in San Diego, where 30-foot wall sections are concentrated, arrested 16,660 people in March, almost four times the monthly average of arrests before 2019.

Some border crossers use ropes and harnesses to descend the wall, but this has proven to be deadly as well. In April, a Mexican woman died from asphyxiation after her harness got stuck on the wall near Douglas, Arizona, leaving her hanging upside down for several hours.

Last year, an 18-year old girl suffered five broken vertebrae and a leg fracture after falling from the wall. She had to be airlifted to a hospital in Northern California but she survived and is now able to walk again. Her attorney, Pricilla Higuera, told the Post, You couple this bigger, taller wall with Title 42 and Remain in Mexico, and its a recipe for disaster.

The previous administration built 450 miles of new fencing along the border, costing $11 billion, mostly replacing older and smaller barriers. While the Biden administration stopped construction after taking office, plans have been developed to close open gaps, mainly in Arizona.

On April 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that it would lift Title 42 on May 23, on the grounds that the COVID-19 pandemic, which was rapidly spreading when Title 42 was invoked by Trumps CDC in March 2020, was essentially over. In fact, the pandemic is not over and cases are once again surging as the more infectious BA.2 subvariant of Omicron washes across the US and the rest of the world. But maintaining the blanket and illegal ban on migrants from Central and Latin America at the southern border has become politically inconvenient under conditions where Biden is openly pursuing the herd immunity policy of his predecessor and telling the public it must learn to live with the virus.

Trump and the Republicans have seized on the announced lifting of Title 42 to ramp up their fascistic attacks on immigrants and accuse Biden and the Democrats of deliberately creating an immigrant invasion to flood the US with drugs, crime and gang violence. In response, large numbers of Democratic lawmakers have demanded that Biden delay the lifting of Title 42 at least until after the November midterm elections, and the administration has indicated it may cave in to these demands.

In the meantime, Bidens secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, has released plans to increase the number of border cops and step up the use of expedited removal to maintain and even intensify the crackdown against migrants if and when Title 42 is lifted. Part of his plan is to ratchet up pressure on Mexico and Central American governments to increase their own border security so as to block migrants from reaching the US-Mexico border.

Mayorkas twenty-page, six-point plan notes that close to $2 billion in additional funding for militarizing the border was allocated in the 2022 fiscal year budget.

At a House Judiciary Committee hearing last Thursday, Republican Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado told Mayorkas, My constituents want you impeached because they believe youve committed treason. They compare you to Benedict Arnold.

Ranking Republican Jim Jordan of Ohio, who participated in White House meetings that plotted the overturn of the 2020 presidential election, said at the hearing: We have a secretary of homeland security who is intentionally, deliberately, in a premeditated fashion executing a plan to overwhelm our country with millions and millions of illegal migrants.

Rep. Chip Roy of Texas held up pictures from border communities showing dead migrants, dead livestock and a little girl branded on her arm. He then accused illegal migrants of poisoning the country with fentanyl. Hundredstens of thousands of Americans dying from fentanylAmericans across this country die because of fentanyl pouring into our country.

On the Sunday morning talk shows, Mayorkas repeatedly praised the 23,000 CBP officers and agents patrolling the border and told would-be immigrants, My message is the same as last year: Do not come. The border is not open.

During a brief question-and-answer period after Biden announced his request for another $33 billion in aide to Ukraine last Thursday, the president was asked whether he supported the lifting of Title 42.

He responded, We had proposed to eliminate that policy by the end of May. The court [federal district court in Louisiana] has said we cant so far. And what the court says, were going to do. The court could come along and say we cannot do that, and thats it. (Emphasis added.)

The Trump-appointed judge in Louisiana issued a temporary restraining order last Wednesday against lifting Title 42. The order extends to May 13, when the judge will issue a permanent ruling.

Whether or not the Biden administration extends Title 42, the brutal crackdown on immigrants and refugees from neighboring countries will intensify, especially against those from the regions of Central and South America historically ravaged by US imperialism.
Christian Smalls, right, president of the Amazon Labor Union, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), left, at a rally outside an Amazon facility on Staten Island in New York, Sunday, April 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Workers at Amazons LDJ5 sorting facility in the New York City borough of Staten Island voted to reject the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), according to vote totals released Monday afternoon. The final tally was 380 to 610, out of a workforce of approximately 1,600.

The vote is a rapid reversal of fortunes for the new union. It takes place barely a month after its successful and highly publicized unionization drive at JFK8, a much larger facility located across from LDJ5. ALU President Chris Smalls and other ALU officials attempted damage control after the vote, saying the fight at LDJ5 was not over and indicating they would challenge the result because Amazon had intimidated workers.

The result clearly took not only the ALU but the corporate media and the Democratic Party by surprise. After the JFK8 result, top Democrats, pseudo-left groups such as the Democratic Socialists of America and even corporate newspapers, including the Jeff Bezos-owned Washington Post, hailed Smalls, a former JFK8 supervisor fired in 2020 for organizing protests over the lack of COVID-19 protections, as the leader of a new upsurge of the labor movement.

The motivation behind this wall-to-wall support, however, was not innocent. The corrupt AFL-CIO bureaucracy had hoped to use the ALU as a means of shoring up its own tattered credibility. As for the Democrats, including President Biden, support for ALU flows from their strategy of using the services of the pro-capitalist and pro-war unions in a bid to corral explosive opposition in the working class into harmless, officially sanctioned channels.

The embrace of ALU came as this strategy began to encounter serious difficulties. The successful vote at JFK8 was announced alongside the disaster suffered by the more established Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), which failed in its second attempt to unionize Amazons warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama.

The overwhelming rejection of the RWDSU in the first vote last year, despite a nationwide mobilization by the Democratic Party and a personal endorsement by Biden himself, clearly came as a shock. It demonstrated the degree to which the unions, after decades of sellouts alongside unrestrained self-enrichment through their control of corporate stocks, bribes and misappropriation of workers dues money, are isolated from and despised by the working class.

At the same time, the endorsement of the union by the Democratsa capitalist party that long ago abandoned any program of social reform and functions today as a party uniting Wall Street with the military and sections of the privileged upper middle classnot only had no effect but may well have further discredited the union in the eyes of workers.

At JFK8, the ALU was able to attract a certain layer of support by presenting itself as different from the established unions. In contrast to the RWDSUs pointed refusal to raise any demands, the ALU claimed it would fight for a $30 per hour starting wage, better working conditions and free shuttle service to work. Meanwhile, the ALU received relatively little open support from the Democratic Party. This occasionally prompted criticisms by Smalls, including of Democratic left politicians like Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, further burnishing his anti-establishment credentials.

However, immediately after the result at JFK8, the ALU moved with record speed into the arms of the Democrats and the union bureaucracy. Smalls made a trip to Washington D.C., where he met and shook hands with Teamsters President Sean OBrien and Association of Flight Attendants President Sara Nelson. The photo of Smalls with OBrien, a notorious gangster who was disciplined in 2014 for threatening violence against his opponents in the union, was widely circulated and criticized, prompting Smalls to defend his trip on social media.

The trade union officialdom also flooded the ALU with promises of financial and institutional support. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, who spearheaded an offensive against the opposition of her own members to reopen schools in the middle of the pandemic, pledged hundreds of thousands of dollars to help the ALU purchase office space. The big unions are going to support us, and thats all were asking forresources, office space, money, whatever it takes, manpower, strike funds, lawyers, negotiators, Smalls declared.

Smalls also made the rounds on cable television, giving interviews everywhere from the right-wing Tucker Carlson to Trevor Noah of the Daily Show. At the same time, the ALU moved rapidly to abandon those demands which it had made in the course of its campaign at JFK8, which, at any rate, they never indicated how they intended to win.

The LDJ5 campaign was far more oriented towards this growing institutional support. A pair of rallies held the Sunday before the start of balloting was attended by Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez, Weingarten and other top union officials but virtually no workers. LDJ5 workers were reportedly not even informed of the event, which at any rate took place outside of regular shift changes. The rally resembled those which the RWDSU had held in its unsuccessful unionization drive at Bessemer.

The attempt to use the ALU as a willing cover for the bureaucracy and the Democrats appears to now have backfired spectacularly. Instead, the exact opposite happened: The ALU managed to discredit itself within a few short weeks by its association with these layers. Every step towards the bureaucracy and the Democratic Party represented a step away from the workers.

The ALU and its backers appear to have vastly overestimated its support among Amazon workers which, to the extent that it still exists, remains highly conditional and tenuous. The union won the vote at JFK8 on a 55-45 margin, on a turnout of somewhat more than 50 percent. Only 2,654 workers out of an estimated workforce of 8,300, or 32 percent of eligible voters, turned out to vote for ALU. Its support among JFK8 workers is far more subdued compared to the rapturous response in Jacobin magazine and other pseudo-left outlets, and is conditioned on waiting to see whether the ALUs actions will match its words during the unionization campaign.

Already, attempts are being made to attribute the outcome to a stepped-up anti-union campaign by Amazon at LDJ5, including the use of company agents on the shop floor spreading slanders about Smalls and the ALU. Similar claims were made in the aftermath of the 2021 result at Bessemer, blaming the overwhelming margin of defeat on a mailbox located on Amazons property used to collect ballots. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled that this had tainted the laboratory conditions of the vote and ordered a re-vote. But this only resulted in a second defeat this year, by a somewhat smaller margin but with significantly lower turnout.

Assuming the claims of underhanded tactics by Amazon is true, and there is no reason to doubt them, it is a matter of fact that the unions were built in America in the 19th and early 20th centuries in the face of violent opposition from the capitalist bosses who employed industrial spies and gun thugs to arrest and murder union organizers. They were backed by the capitalist state, which issued court injunctions, carried out mass arrests and mobilized military forces to crush strikes and smash unions. But today, the ALU and the unions as a whole have the support of powerful sections of the political establishment, including the White House and the NLRB. Indeed, Amazon is challenging the result at JFK8 on the grounds that a local NLRB official interfered on ALUs behalf.

The unions in the opening decades of the 20th century were established through semi-insurrectionary struggles of the working class against exploitation and the violence of the capitalist state. The unions of today, totally integrated with both management and the state, jointly enforce exploitation and direct all their efforts at suppressing and disrupting the class struggle. They are incapable and even fearful of making any sort of appeal for workers.

The vote is a debacle not only for the ALU itself but for this entire state-controlled labor framework. Although it has been used successfully for decades by the ruling class to prevent any challenge from below, the rejection of the ALU demonstrates the alienation of the working class from the bureaucracy and its desire to find a genuinely independent outlet. This is now at a very advanced stage.

Workers will not find this through the ALU or a similar democratic union formation. New types of organizations are needed, rank-and-file factory and warehouse committees, which are capable of uniting workers both inside and outside of the unions and provide them with the means to fight not only attacks from management but the betrayals of the union bureaucracy.
UK hands over another batch of mobile power generators to Ukraine

The UK is handing over another batch of mobile power generators to Ukraine, Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko and British Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said on their Twitter pages on Wednesday.

"Thanks to mobile generators we will ensure a stable power supply to important facilities, despite yet more damages caused by Russian shellings," Haluschenko wrote.

"More mobile generators heading to Ukraine. The UK is donating 570 generators to ensure hospitals, phone masts, shelters and water pumping stations can continue to operate in the face of continued Russian attack," Kwasi Kwarteng said on Twitter.

The UK handed over the first part of the 570 generators - almost 200 - to Ukraine in April. They already serve as backup power sources for reliable power supply to various social and infrastructure facilities in case of damage to electrical equipment and networks.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern used what was publicly-billed as a trade mission to Singapore and Tokyo last month to sign a significant new security pact with Japans Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Ardern was on her first overseas trip in over two years due to the COVID pandemic.

Japan-New Zealand Summit Meeting, 21 April 2022 [Image: Japan Cabinet Public Affairs Office]

The NZ-Japan agreement, announced on April 21 after months of preparation, signifies a further strengthening of strategic alliances and partnerships, centred on the US, to confront China and prepare for major conflict. Tokyo and Wellington are both looking to extend their reach further into the Pacific.

The pact enables the two countries to negotiate a legal framework for an intelligence-sharing arrangement to enable more seamless sharing of classified material. Ardern confirmed the arrangement could see information classified as top secret being exchanged.

Ardern and Kishida committed to holding regular dialogues between leaders, foreign ministers and defence ministers, with a view to promoting closer bilateral ties and deepening our coordination on regional and global challenges. This will include working closely together on cyber security and matters of economic security.

A joint statement promised stepped-up miliary co-operation between Japans so-called Self-Defense Forces (SDF) and the NZ Defence Force. It noted the close partnership achieved during recent deployments of NZ Air Force aircraft to Japan and foreshadowed further Japan-New Zealand bilateral military exercises.

The preparations for intelligence sharing are particularly significant. While NZ has a relatively small military, it is a partner in the top-level Five Eyes intelligence network with the US, Britain, Canada and Australia. New Zealands Waihopai spy base, partly funded by the US, intercepts electronic communications on a vast scale throughout the Asia Pacific, including in China.

The agreement will strengthen Tokyos case to eventually join the Five Eyes partnership. Japan has previously negotiated intelligence-sharing agreements with the US, Britain and Australia, and the pact with New Zealand will give it access to more sensitive Five Eyes material.

In 2020, then Japanese Defence Minister Taro Kono proposed Japanese membership in a revamped Six Eyes. Last year, Shingo Yamagami, Japans ambassador to Australia, said that he would like to see this idea become reality in the near future. A major overhaul of Japans intelligence apparatus, including the passage of a state secrets law in 2013 against broad public opposition, was in part to further this ambition.

The central thrust of the new agreement was against China and also Russia. The joint statement tied the pact to declarations about protecting peace and security in the Indo-Pacific. Kishida declared in his opening remarks: Russias aggression against Ukraine has shaken the very foundation of the international order, and I want to work closely with New Zealand to take resolute responses.

Like New Zealand, Japan has backed the US-NATO proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. In early March, Kishida, from the right-wing Liberal Democratic Party, formally announced a series of powerful sanctions on Moscow following an online meeting with US President Joe Biden and allied leaders.

The sanctions are part of Tokyos alignment with Washingtons war drive against Russia and China. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced in March that the alliance had agreed to step up cooperation with our partners in the Asia-Pacific. NATO will provide Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea with practical and political cooperation in cyber surveillance, new technology, and countering disinformation.

Ardern emphasised that Japan and New Zealand were aligned on the major issues amid a volatile strategic environment. The two would commit to an Indo-Pacific region that is open, inclusive, stable, prosperous, and underpinned by a rules-based order free from coercion, she declared. Ardern said any threat to another nation's sovereignty would not be tolerated and there will be a swift response should that occur in any other region or country.

The references to the rules-based order and security of the Indo-Pacific reprise Washingtons self-serving assertions that the rules US imperialism imposed after World War II give it the unfettered right to enforce its global hegemony. What is being prepared is an aggressive US-led war against China, into which every country in the Asia-Pacific region is being drawn.

Arderns expressions of concern about threats to national sovereigntya thinly veiled swipe at China over Taiwanare utterly hypocritical. New Zealands agreement with Japan was announced just two days after the Solomon Islands signed a security agreement with China. The US, Australia and New Zealand immediately lashed out, claiming, despite denials from Honiara, that it would allow Beijing to establish a Chinese military base in the South Pacific.

A US delegation led by Kurt Campbell, the White House Indo-Pacific coordinator, visited Honiara to lay down the law to Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. When Sogavare refused to back down, the White House declared that if Chinese established a de-facto military presence in the Solomons the US would respond accordinglya thinly-veiled threat of a US military intervention or regime-change operation.

Ardern, of course, made not the slightest protest against the US threat to the national sovereignty of the Solomons. Japan sent its own top official to intervene. Parliamentary Vice Foreign Minister Kentaro Uesugi directly conveyed Japans apprehension over Chinas military activities in the South Pacific, according to the Japan Times.

The anti-China thrust of the NZ-Japan pact was highlighted by the joint statement, which reeled off serious concerns about Chinas purported human rights violations in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, and strong opposition to any unilateral actions by China to alter the status quo in the South China Sea.

In reality, it is the US that has deliberately raised tension with China throughout the region, including its naval provocations in the South China Sea and the narrow Taiwan Strait between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland. The US has repeatedly used the banner of human rights to justify the raining of death and destruction on the targeted country,while ignoring the human rights abuses of its strategic allies and partners.

By sticking to Washingtons anti-China propaganda script, the New Zealand and Japanese prime ministers demonstrate that their governments are fully on board the reckless drive by US imperialism to reassert its hegemony in Europe and Asia against China and Russia.
The Socialist Equality Party denounces the US Supreme Courts imminent decision to reverse the 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade and overturn the right to an abortion.

The opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, will have an immediate and devastating impact on millions of workers, particularly working-class women who do not have the ability to travel from states that ban abortion to states that allow it. The decision exposes the lie that the US government is intervening in Ukraine to defend democracy and human rights. In reality, the American ruling class is engaged in massive attacks on the democratic rights of the population of its own country.

Demonstrators protest outside of the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday, May 3, 2022 in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

The Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 was the last gasp of a brief 20-year period of Supreme Court rulings made under the pressure of the growth of working-class struggle, the mass civil rights movement and the general leftward swing of politics produced by the opposition to the Vietnam War. The decision itself was a belated acknowledgement that the right to an abortion is an essential democratic right, connected both to the right to privacy and the separation of church and state.

The attack on the decision came to be a hallmark for the reactionary trajectory of American politics over the past half century. Through a series of state and federal legislative actions and court decisions, particularly over the past two decades, the right to an abortion has been vastly undermined. The official overturning of the decision in Roe is seen as the final nail in the coffin.

Without legal access to abortion, working-class women, without the resources or ability to take off work to travel across state lines, will be forced to resort to the unsafe and potentially deadly methods of the past. Encouraged by the Supreme Court, fascistic state legislators and governors will go on the offensive, encouraging, as in Texas, vigilante action against abortion providers and even prosecuting individuals for going to other states to have an abortion.

Beyond the right to an abortion, a Supreme Court decision overturning Roe will open the door for a frontal assault on a whole series of established democratic rights known as unenumerated rights because they were not explicitly mentioned in the text of the Constitution, which was ratified in 1788. Alitos position, that there is no right to an abortion because it was not in the original Bill of Rights, can be applied just as well to every other right established over the course of the development of modern society, including the right to a public defender, the abolition of anti-miscegenation laws, bans on mandatory prayer in schools, and the right to gay marriage.

The right-wing cabal pushing the decision is now denouncing the fact that the draft decision was leaked. Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell declared Tuesday that the person responsible should be prosecuted. Chief Justice John Roberts called the leak a betrayal of the confidences of the court. What a contemptible fraud! What upsets McConnell and Roberts is that the conspiracy behind closed doors against the democratic rights of the American people has been exposed.

The extreme-right faction of the political establishment is well aware that a decision to overturn the right to an abortion is massively unpopular. A CNN report in January found that 69 percent of the population is opposed to overturning Roe. The decision is openly contemptuous of the democratic aspirations of the masses of people. It states, We cannot allow our decisions to be affected by any extraneous influences such as concern about the publics reaction to our work.

For their part, the Democrats have responded to Alitos draft ruling by calling for voters to elect more Democrats. At the federal level, we need more pro-choice senators and a pro-choice majority in the House to adopt legislation that codifies Roe, President Biden declared Tuesday, which I will work to pass and sign into law. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that he would hold a vote in the Senate on abortion rights legislation.

This is absurd and empty posturing. The Democratic Party controls two of the three branches of government and just won 80 million votes in the last presidential election, but it is proposing legislation that it knows will never pass and which they have refused to pass for half a century since Roe was decided. Schumer himself acknowledged that a vote in the Senate on abortion rights would fail.

In other words, the Democrats will do nothing, even though every election year for the past half-century the Democratic Party has proclaimed that workers and youth had to support them in order to prevent the Supreme Court from overturning Roe.

The Democratic Party, as the Socialist Equality Party has often noted, is the graveyard of social protest. It is, moreover, a party of Wall Street and the military-intelligence apparatus, deeply hostile to the working class and its democratic rights, opposed to anything that threatens to cut across its effort to forge a national unity behind the war drive against Russia.

As for the privileged layers of the upper-middle class that the Democratic Party mobilizes on the basis of racial and gender politics, the more the question of abortion became a class issue, the more indifferent they were to its defense.



The move to overturn Roe v. Wade is driven by a right-wing cabal of justices that now dominates the court, including Clarence Thomas, whose wife, Virginia, was in continuous contact with the Trump administration in the run-up to the attempted coup of January 6, 2021. Three of the justicesNeil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrettwere appointed by Trump, with the Democrats offering no serious resistance.

The very fact that this group of right-wing conspirators has come to dominate the court is an expression of the undemocratic character of the entire political system. In the history of notorious Supreme Court rulings, the move to overturn Roe can be compared to the Dred Scott decision of 1857, which confirmed in the minds of abolitionists that the government had come under the control of the Slave Power; the decision in Plessy v. Ferguson of 1896, which upheld racial segregation laws; and, more recently, the decision in Bush v. Gore to halt the recounting of ballots in the 2000 election and hand the election to George W. Bush.

The Bush v. Gore decision was a milestone in the disintegration of bourgeois democracy in the United States. In the course of the ruling, the Supreme Court proclaimed that the population has no right to vote for the president. The theft of an election, and the refusal of the Democratic Party to mount any opposition to it, demonstrated that there exists no significant constituency in the ruling class for the defense of the most basic democratic rights.

There is a profound connection between the assault on democratic rights and the massive growth of social inequality, unrestrained militarism, and the destruction for all practical purposes of a labor movement. The abolition of the right to an abortion epitomizes the protracted disintegration of bourgeois democracy in the United States, which has become nothing more than a hollow shell.

The defense of the democratic right to an abortion is fundamentally a class question. It can be defended only as part of a movement for the social and political mobilization of the working class as an independent force. To believe that opposition will be mounted through the Democratic Party is the height of absurdity.

The Socialist Equality Party supports and encourages mass protests and demonstrations against the Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade. However, the defense of the democratic right to an abortion, as with all democratic rights, must be connected to the growing struggles of workers against exploitation, the soaring costs of goods, social inequality, imperialist war and the capitalist profit system.
In extraordinary scenes, striking gold miners booed and barracked South Africas President Cyril Ramaphosa, overwhelmed the police and stormed the stage, forcing him to abandon his speech at a Workers Day rally on Sunday and flee the stadium in his limousine.

Having completely underestimated the miners hatred of Ramaphosa and the African National Congress (ANC) government, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) had invited the president to address their flagship rally in the northwestern city of Rustenburg, the centre of the countrys mining region. Their other guest speaker, general secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP) Blade Nzimande, was likewise unable to take the floor.

President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses nation on South Africa's response to Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic (Credit: GCIS/Flickr)

Workers at Sibanye-Stillwaters mines have been on strike since February in support of their demand for a wage increase of 1,000 rands ($63) per month in a labour contract set to last three years, having rejected the companys offer of 850 rands ($54).

Ramaphosa started his address with a call for the striking workers and other members of COSATU to calm down and listen to what he had to say, telling them, We have heard that you want your 1,000 rands. We will deal with that matter. The miners would have none of it and forced him to quit.

They were furious when they found out that Neal Froneman, the companys CEO, had an eye-watering R300 million-plus pay package in 2021, including a R12.42 million salary, R7.8 million bonus and R246 million share scheme. It comes courtesy of a year with record-high prices for gold, platinum and other base metals, even as the company refused a paltry increase for the workers who generated its profits.

The companys super-exploitative practices have led to such terrible fatality rates (20 of the countrys 45 mining deaths in 2018 took place in Sibanye-Stillwaters mines) that rival unions the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Solidarity and UASA The Union all called for its closure until safety compliances were met. This demand was rejected by Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, who derided the unions as populists and praised Sibanye-Stillwater for making a great contribution to South Africas economy.

Ramaphosa is a particularly hated figure in Rustenburg, where his demand for a police clampdown precipitated the Marikana massacre of 34 striking miners, shot dead in 2012 at a mine owned by the Lonmin group. Having headed South Africas largest trade union, the National Union of Mineworkers, during the struggle against Apartheid, Ramaphosa had in the following years become a multimillionaire through exploiting the structures of Black Economic Empowerment established by the ANCs leadership to feather their own nests at the direct expense of the workers. He was a non-executive director of Lonmin in his role as its BEE partner.

It was in the aftermath of this murderous action, carried out with the full backing of the COSATU-affiliated NUM, that the butcher of Marikana was elected as the ANCs general secretary. In June 2019, Sibanye-Stillwater took over Lonmin, making it the worlds largest primary producer of platinum and rhodium.

No less significant than Ramaphosa being booted off the May Day Rally was COSATUs desperate warning to the ANC, with which it has for decades formed a triple alliance along with the Stalinist South African Communist Party (SACP). Together, they suppressed workers struggles and prevented them taking a revolutionary approach to ending Apartheid, thereby ensuring the survival of South African capitalism.

Official COSATU spokesperson Sizwe Pamla said in a statement issued Monday that while Ramaphosa being howled off the stage by workers on May Day was regrettable and unacceptable, it was an understandable expression of workers frustration with the ANC government. The ANC, he wrote, was threatening the coherence and the legitimacy of the Alliance [with the SACP and COSATU] in the eyes of the working class.

This was followed by the extraordinary statement, Historically Workers Day is a day where workers reflect on their struggles and push for change. This is a message that the ANC cannot claim to misunderstand and that cannot be ignored anymore. The Marxist revolutionary and political theorist Leon Trotsky once said: The party that leans upon the workers but serves the bourgeoisie, in the period of the greatest sharpening of the class struggle, cannot but sense the smells wafted from the waiting grave.

To cite such a passage from Trotsky in a milieu schooled for decades in the counter-revolutionary politics of Stalinism by the SACP is the equivalent to a slap in the face for the ANC leadership.

But it was done on behalf of the bureaucrats responsible for policing the working class as a warning to their ANC partners, who move in the more rarified circles of corporate boardrooms and government officialdom, that they have massively underestimated the anger building among miners and the entire working class.

The COSATU statement continues, The fact that we are the most unequal country in the world is a sign that South Africa is slowly sinking in the abyss. A 46 percent real unemployment rate, stagnant wages, and budget cuts have all exhausted the patience of South African workers. Pamla added that workers have reason to be livid when 2.2 million people have lost their jobs in the last two years, a reference to the governments inadequate response to the pandemic that has led to more than 100,000 people losing their lives and millions being driven into poverty.

Pamla was forced to admit that COSATU had in 2017 backed Ramaphosa as the successor to Jacob Zuma, who was forced to resign amid mounting allegations of corruption. And whatever belated measures are taken by the union bureaucracy to distance themselves from the ANC, no one is likely to forget this record. As Pamla himself stated, We are in no position to predict what will happen at future labour gatherings

Leading analyst and former head of the South African Institute of Race Relations, Professor Sipho Seepe, told Cape News, Cosatu failed to see this coming, which suggests its disconnect with its own constituency. At the same time, workers are saying they are gatvol [totally fed up] with Ramaphosa, his administration and the ANC. They see him as a stooge of white capital and anti-worker In him they see a person who has sold his soul.

A day of political reckoning is approaching for the ANC, COSATU, the SACP and the South African bourgeoisie. But the way forward proceeds through the working class basing its struggles on the revolutionary socialist and internationalist perspective fought for against Stalinism, bourgeois nationalism and imperialism by Trotsky and represented today by the International Committee of the Fourth International.
Former Philadelphia police officer Edsaul Mendoza has been charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of 12-year-old Thomas Siderio Jr. Mendoza shot Siderio in the back on March 1, killing the boy where he lay.

Edsaul Mendoza (Credit: Philadelphia Police)

Philadelphias Democratic District Attorney, Larry Krasner, announced the charges at a press conference on Monday. In his remarks, Krasner made clear that the grand jury decided to press charges on the basis of a video showing the brutal murder. This video has yet to be publicly released, however the presentment issued by the grand jury details the video evidence shown to them.

It states that the four police officers involved were driving in an unmarked car and circled the block before deciding to pull over Siderio and his 17-year-old companion, referred to as NK in the presentment. The police did not turn on the vehicles lights until roughly the moment when a shot is fired into their vehicle and they exit it wearing plain clothes. In all likelihood Siderio and NK, living in a neighborhood wracked by violence, thought they were about to be mugged.

The presentment then details that Mendoza chased Siderio down most of a city block before shooting him in the back from 10 feet away while he lay prone. It shows that Mendoza approached Siderio incautiously, suggesting he did not believe the 12-year-old, 5-foot-tall child to be armed or a threat to himself. After shooting, Mendoza indicated to a fellow officer that Siderio had dropped his gun midway down the block, almost 40 feet behind where he was killed.

In his statements to the press Krasner was at pains to emphasize how egregious the act was and how there was essentially no room for doubt that Mendoza murdered Siderio, having no reason to fear for his or anothers life.

He emphasized that, in most police shootings, an argument can be made that the police officer genuinely feared for their life before shooting a civilian. Mendozas conduct, Krasner explained, was completely inconsistent with Mendoza believing Siderio was armed. The murder was conducted execution-style, while the boy was essentially facedown on the sidewalk.

The argument that an officer was fearful for their life at the moment of shooting is commonly used to exonerate them after killing someone. Investigators will often enumerate the chain of escalations and poor decisions that led a police officer to kill, but conclude that, nonetheless, the officer was justified in fearing for their life during the split second that they opened fire.

Thomas Siderio (family photo)

A day after the shooting, Deputy Commissioner Benjamin Naish, told reporters that the fact that Siderio was fleeing doesnt mean that he wasnt continuing to be a threat to the officers, laying the groundwork for an eventual ruling that Mendoza was justified. No doubt it is the presence of damning video evidence that forced authorities to press for charges against Mendoza.

Krasner was enthusiastically supported by the pseudo-left Democratic Socialists of America and Socialist Alternative when he initially ran for DA in 2017. However he soon showed his subservience to the class interests that rule Philadelphia. When internationally known political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal was granted a new opportunity to appeal his conviction by Justice Leon Tucker, Krasner appealed this decision in order to block Abu-Jamal from re-arguing his case.

There can be no doubt that Philadelphia authorities are concerned about an explosion of protests if the video showing Siderio being executed by Mendoza is publicly released, and are doing what they can to stay in front of the situation. The charges against Mendoza follow mass protests in Grand Rapids, Michigan against another execution-style police murder against an unarmed person.

The victim, Patrick Lyoya, was a refugee and auto parts worker who had fled to the US with his family from violence in the Congo in 2014. He was stopped for allegedly driving with unregistered plates, and after a brief scuffle with officer Christopher Schurr, Lyoya was shot in the back of the head. While the whole incident was caught on multiple videos, leaving no ambiguity as to the brutality of the officers actions, the prosecutor has so far refused to charge Schurr with any crime.

Philadelphians took to the street after the murder of George Floyd sparked global outrage at police violence in 2020 and again when Philadelphia police shot Walter Wallace to death while he was having a mental health crisis later that same year.

Far from Krasners claim that the murder of Siderio is an exceptional case, different from most police shootings, the reality is that police regularly terrorize working class neighborhoods across the city and the country.

The police unit that Mendoza was part of, the South Task Force, is notorious for its aggressive actions that routinely put people in danger. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the task force routinely harasses residents. Task force members  wearing jeans and hoodies and driving unmarked cars, the report states, had gained a reputation as cowboys or jump-out boys, creating unsafe or chaotic situations in pursuit of arrests.

Their unmarked black Chevrolet Cruze is a fixture in many poor neighborhoods where it has chased drivers without using lights or a siren, leading in at least one case to a traffic accident. Anyone you meet from South Philly, you can ask about that black Chevy Cruze. Everyone will say Yeah, I know them. Theyre crazy, a Philadelphia resident told the Inquirer.

It is reasonable to believe that Siderio would have heard stories or witnessed these events first hand, leading him to fear for his safety when he saw the unmarked black car come around the block a second time and pull up next to him and his friend.

The actions of the South Task Force bear striking resemblance to the now defunct Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF) in nearby Baltimore, Maryland. Like the Philadelphia task force, the GTTF was set up ostensibly to crack down on illegal gun possession. However, the members of the task force acted as virtual gangsters and in 2018, six of the nine officers involved pleaded guilty to racketeering.

The Democrats, when not outright promoting the police as upholders of law and order, claim that police violence is to be explained as the product of white racism against blacks. However, the killing of Siderio, an unarmed white youth, demonstrates that police violence is primarily directed at the working class and poor of all races.

The reality is that the police function to protect capitalist property rights and repress social unrest, something the Democrats view as essential. The growing social crisisexacerbated by the pandemic and the ruling class drive to warhas hit Philadelphia as hard as any city. One quarter of the city lives in poverty, as do nearly one-third of its children.

The only way to end police violence is through united action by the international working class against the capitalist system and the reorganization of society to eliminate private property and with it poverty and social inequality.
Over the past week, the online payments company PayPal has launched a censorship campaign against independent and left-wing publishers who have been critical of the official narrative about the US and NATO war against Russia in Ukraine by arbitrarily shutting down their accounts.

On Sunday, Consortium News (CN) reported that PayPal had canceled its account without warning or explanation. Editor-in-Chief Joe Lauria reported that CNs PayPal account was permanently limited just as the publication was launching its Spring Fund Drive.

Lauria wrote that CN had lost one of the most important ways for its viewers and readers to show their support through donations. Meanwhile, PayPal told Lauria that the CN balance the payments company was holding might never be returned to the publication.

Upon the shutdown of the account, PayPal sent CN an email that stated, You cant use PayPal anymore.  We noticed activity in your account thats inconsistent with our User Agreement and we no longer offer you PayPal services.  Because of potential risk exposure, weve permanently limited your account. Youll no longer be able to use the account for any transactions.

PayPal Headquarters at St. San Jose, California in July, 2013 (Photo by Sagar Savla)

In a phone conversation with a PayPal customer service agent, CN was told that there was no reason recorded in their system as why the account had been shut down. The agent said that the account was under investigation and review and that CNs history found some potential risk associated with this account.

Regarding the remaining balance in CNs Pay Pal account, the agent said the money would be held for 180 days while an investigation was completed before a decision would be made about whether or not the funds would be returned. The agent said, If there was a violation, it is possible that the money would be kept by PayPal for damages.

CN reported that, among the violations listed under Restricted Activities of the User Agreement are false, inaccurate or misleading information to PayPal, other PayPal customers or third parties.

CNs Lauria then wrote, Given the current political climate it is more than conceivable that PayPal is reacting to Consortium News coverage of the war in Ukraine, which is not in line with the dominant narrative that is being increasingly enforced.

Consortium News is an independent investigative news website founded in 1995 by the journalist Robert Parry, who had worked for the Associated Press and Newsweek. Parry was instrumental in reporting on the Iran-Contra crisis of the Reagan administration in 1985, including exposing the activities of Oliver North in the White House.

On Friday afternoon, Mnar Adley, founder and editor of MintPress, reported via Twitter that her own personal account, that of MintPress and of senior staff writer Alan MacLeod had been shut down by PayPal. She tweeted, Paypal banning myself and MintPress is blatant censorship of dissenting journalists & outlets. For the past decade MintPress has been unapologetically working as a watchdog journalism outlet to expose the profiteers of the permanent war state.

In a series of subsequent tweets, Mnar wrote that it is outrageous that tech giants, which are run by those who directly profit from the New Cold war, including the crisis in Ukraine, could limit any journalists ability to fund their work. She pointed out that if such measure were taken in Russia, China or Iran, our media would be screaming about free speech and first amendment rights. She said that the censorship was being endorsed under the guise of fighting Russian propaganda.

A recent article by Alan MacLeod on MintPress points out that among the purported independent Ukrainian journalists are individuals who previously worked for NATO think tank The Atlantic Council, the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, or for the Council on Foreign Relations.

On Thursday, the account of journalist and political analyst Caleb T. Maupin was shut down by PayPal with no explanation. Maupin published a screen shot of the notice he received that said, You can no longer use PayPal and tweeted, I am banned from PayPal.

Maupin, who identifies himself as a socialist, has written for RT America and is the publisher of the Center for Political Innovation, an organization that says it is for building socialism in America. Due to his prior affiliation with RT (Russia Today), Maupins Twitter account has been labeled with the message, Russia state-affiliated media.

A recent article written by Maupin, entitled The Danger of Washingtons Shallow Human Rights Rhetoric, exposes the hypocrisy behind US imperialist wars and regime change interventions being justified in the name of human rights, while simultaneously they often involve the United States arming and assisting human rights violating entities.

The censorship drive by PayPal against publishers exposing imperialist lies about the instigation by the US and NATO of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is an extension of the policy used by the payment processing company against WikiLeaks and its editor Julian Assange in 2010.

At that time, during the height of Assanges exposure of imperialist war crimes in the Middle Eastincluding the posting of the infamous Collateral Murder video in June of that yearPayPal intervened to shut off donations to WikiLeaks, saying that the website was engaged in illegal activity. This decision was followed by similar actions against WikiLeaks by Visa Europe, Mastercard, Amazon and the Swiss bank PostFinance.

According to a report by the BBC on December 8, 2010, PayPal Vice President Osama Bedier said the firm received a letter from the US State Department on November 27 that said the activities of WikiLeaks were illegal. PayPal later said that what Bedier meant to say was that the State Department letter was sent to WikiLeaks.

PayPal is a Silicon Valley multinational financial technology company based in San Jose, California. Founded in 1998 as Confinity by the German-American billionaire and right-wing venture capitalist and Donald Trump supporter Peter Thiel and others, it went public in 2002 and currently has a Wall Street value of $105 billion.

The shutdown by PayPal of the accounts of Consortium News, MintPress and Caleb T. Maupin are part of the ongoing efforts by the US ruling establishment and tech monopolies to silence those who do not support the narrative promoted by Democrats and Republicans and corporate media about the origins and reasons for the war in Ukraine.

It follows by two months the shutdown of the television channel RT America and the removal of the video archives from YouTube of commentators Chris Hedges and Lee Camp, among others, who also exposed the background to the imperialist provocation against Russia in Ukraine.

Workers and young people must demand the restoration of the PayPal accounts of those who have been suspended on the grounds that this is an attack on fundamental democratic and free speech rights. All factions of the ruling class are in agreement about silencing left, socialist and working class opposition to imperialist war and exposing the danger of World War III.
Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament Igor Grosu, during his visit to Ukraine, visited Bucha, called for stopping the war, as well as investigating war crimes and punishing those who committed them.

"The official visit to Ukraine started with the town of Bucha, one of the settlements in the suburbs of Kyiv, subjected to unimaginable atrocities by the Russian army. This war must be stopped and war crimes investigated and punished," Grosu said on Facebook on Wednesday.

Together with Grosu, Bucha was visited by Chairman of the parliament's commission on security, defense and public order Lilian Carp.
Darnitsa pharmaceutical company (Kyiv) has produced more than 6.7 million doses of the anti-radiation drug Potassium Iodide-125-Darnitsa this year, and plans to produce another 1.5 million doses in May.

The company told the Interfax-Ukraine agency the amount already produced will allow more than 6 million people to be given iodine prophylaxis if necessary.

It is also reported that to date, Darnitsa has donated 5.25 million doses of the drug for the amount of UAH 69 million to the public health center of the Ministry of Health. At the same time, the company did not specify how much it will be supplied to pharmacies.

The Potassium Iodide-125-Darnitsa preparation was created in accordance with the regulations for iodine prophylaxis in the event of a radiation accident (Health Ministry order No. 408 of March 9, 2021) and was registered on April 26, 2022.

Potassium iodide is used to protect the thyroid from radiation buildup. The risk of radiation damage to the thyroid gland can be reduced or even leveled with the timely appointment of iodine prophylaxis. The optimal effect of iodine prophylaxis is achieved with preventive intake of potassium iodide for 6 hours or less, as well as simultaneously with the intake of radioactive isotopes of iodine or entering the contaminated zone.

The intake of potassium iodide six hours after entering the contaminated area with radioactive isotopes of iodine leads to a two-fold decrease in the radiation dose, and if it is taken after 24 hours, then the protective effect is practically absent.

A single dose of potassium iodide provides protection for approximately 24 hours. A prophylactic dose of potassium iodide should be taken only after official notification of the threat by the state and, if necessary, for iodine prophylaxis.
On March 20, 2022, Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs Liberata Mulamula paid a visit to China via video link, during which, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held video talks with her.

Wang Yi said that China-Tanzania friendship is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and is unbreakable. When referring to Tanzania, the Chinese people will think of Tanzania-Zambia Railway (Tazara). We should carry forward the Tazara Spirit and firmly support and help each other no matter what difficulties or disturbances we encounter, so that the China-Tanzania and China-Africa friendship will always be full of vitality. China is willing to view its relations with Tanzania from a strategic and long-term perspective, guided by the important consensus reached between the two heads of state, continuously deepen the comprehensive cooperative partnership between the two countries and make greater contributions to the independent development of the African continent.

Mulamula congratulated China on the success of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. She said that Tanzania-China relations are at their best in history with fruitful results in practical cooperation in various fields. Tanzania is committed to making Tanzania-China relations a benchmark for Africa-China ties. Tanzania will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China principle, firmly support China's legitimate position, support China in safeguarding its core interests, and oppose external interference in China's internal affairs. Tanzania is ready to enhance bilateral friendly cooperation between the two countries and continuously push bilateral relations to new heights.

The two sides agreed to further align the Belt and Road Initiative with Tanzania's Development Vision 2025 and expand bilateral cooperation in agriculture, trade, investment, infrastructure and other fields.

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in fighting COVID-19 and medical and health care. Mulamula thanked China for its strong support for Tanzania's fight against the pandemic and medical and health care. Wang Yi said, as the pandemic is still spreading around the world, China will provide more vaccines and send a new group of medical teams to Zanzibar as soon as possible if Tanzania needs them. The two sides agreed to continue exploring the mobilization of the Tazara railway, so that this landmark project of China-Africa friendship will make new contributions to the economic and social development of the African continent.

The two sides agreed to take the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-Tanzania diplomatic ties in 2024 as an opportunity to summarize the valuable experience of bilateral exchanges and cooperation, enhance the design of celebration activities and inject strong impetus into the development of bilateral relations in the next 60 years.

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, push for the implementation of the nine programs in Tanzania, and produce more concrete results. Mulamula thanked China for its contribution to Africa's economic recovery and sustainable development, and spoke highly of China's establishment of green lanes for African agricultural exports to China and zero-tariff treatment for African products. Wang Yi stressed that China will be always a reliable partner for Africa's development and revitalization.

The two sides also had an in-depth exchange of views on international issues and agreed that under the current complex and turbulent international situation, developing countries should strengthen solidarity and coordination, uphold multilateralism, and jointly resist the tide of unilateralism, to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries and uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
Priority in providing compensation for damaged or destroyed housing will be given to families with many children and the military, as well as people with disabilities, Olena Shuliak, head of the Servant of the People party, deputy head of the Verkhovna Rada committee on the organization of state power, local self-government, regional development and urban planning, has said.

"First of all, compensation will be provided to large families, the military and people with disabilities. Each locality will have its own turn," she said during a meeting with representatives of the European Business Association (EBA) on Wednesday.

Shuliak clarified that minor damage to housing will be restored faster than the law on such compensation, bill No. 7198, is passed.

She added that by the second reading of bill No. 7198 on compensation for damage or destruction of certain categories of real estate due to hostilities, the possibility of expanding such compensation is being discussed. In particular, along with compensation for the cost of a maximum area of 150 square meters, the possibility of introducing compensation for a maximum of 250 square meters for the private sector will also be considered.

"Now more statistics has been collected, and we see that the condition for compensation of a maximum of 150 square meters does not cover the private sector. For the private sector, a maximum of 250 square meters should be set. Some ministries and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal have proposed to reimburse every square meter in general. By the second reading we will discuss it. We had to start from something: we looked at the statistics, took 150 square meters. Now we will revise this norm," Shuliak said.

According to her, the government and parliament are working on various possible mechanisms for compensating housing for those who have lost it due to hostilities, including the option of using long-term construction.

"We are working on various mechanisms, one of them is to buy at the best price and complete long-term construction. At the same time, close the queues for housing for the military," she said.
The Bulgarian Parliament approved the decision to repair Ukrainian military equipment at Bulgarian enterprises, the BGNES news agency said.

"Parliament gives a mandate to the Council of Ministers to discuss and implement measures related to the war in Ukraine, including the repair of military equipment for Ukraine," BGNES said on its website on Wednesday.

Some 200 MPs voted in favor, while 16 voted against and one abstained.

The package includes measures to overcome the consequences of economic sanctions, humanitarian, financial and military assistance to Ukraine, continued support for Ukraine's accession to the EU, assistance to Ukrainian refugees, enabling the import of Ukrainian grain to Varna, as well as strengthening energy cooperation, repairing Ukrainian military equipment, continuing the supply of humanitarian aid.
Russian troops shell two villages in Dnipropetrovsk region using Hailstones, no casualties

On Wednesday, May 4, Russian troops fired using Hailstones on Velykomykhailivska community in Synelnykivsky district, Head of Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration Valentyn Reznichenko has said.

"Two villages were hit. Several dozen residential buildings were damaged there, windows were broken in a store, a school and a kindergarten. People were not hurt," Reznichenko said on his Telegram channel.

He said that most of the local residents left the dangerous territory.
The United States is always open to the introduction of new sanctions against Russia and will discuss this with partners in the G7, U.S. President Joe Biden has said.

During a speech at the White House Biden said the United States is always open to the introduction of additional sanctions.

The president said that this week he will consult with members of the G7 on this issue.

Earlier on Wednesday, Head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said that among the sanctions proposed by the European Commission for the sixth package are the disconnection of three Russian banks, including Sberbank, from the SWIFT international payment system, a ban on broadcasting in the EU of three major state-owned Russian television channels, as well as a ban on providing Russian companies with the services of a number of European specialists. In addition, the EC is proposing a phase-out of Russian oil imports, which von der Leyen said should take six months and be completed by the end of 2022. However, the EU countries have not yet agreed on a list of sanctions, the discussion will continue this week.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has tested positive for Covid and is experiencing only mild symptoms, the State Department announced.

Blinken is the latest figure who attended last weekends White House Correspondents Association dinner to test positive.

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The State Department said that Blinken has not seen Joe Biden in person for several days, and that the president was not considered a close contact, per CDC guidance.

Blinken, who is fully vaccinated and boosted, tested positive on Wednesday afternoon after a negative test earlier in the day and on Tuesday. The State Department said that Blinken would isolate at home and maintain a virtual work schedule.

ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl also tested positive, and there have been other reports of attendees from the dinner also showing that they had contracted Covid.

The dinner drew about 2,600 people to the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton. Attendees were largely maskless, but had to show proof of a same-day negative test as well as vaccination.

After attending the Gridiron dinner in early April. a number of administration officials and lawmakers tested positive for Covid, including Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

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The Virgin Galactic Spaceflight System is shown in front of Spaceport America. As the anchor tenant at Spaceport America, Virgin Galactic has two locations in Las Cruces. Many New Mexico State University graduates work for the company.

LAS CRUCES  Spaceport America has confirmed a lease with a new tenant, but is providing no details yet about the company, its operations or lease terms; nor would it confirm a report last week that British aerospace company Prismatic may be establishing operations there.

"We work in a very secretive industry," spaceport spokesperson Alice Carruth wrote in an email, "not just because of the proprietary nature of the customers we serve, but because all space vehicles fall under ITAR regulations."

ITAR refers to the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which covers military hardware and gear, including spacecraft.

The apparent arrival of Prismatic among the spaceport's tenants was uncovered by Albuquerque Business First in an April 26 report based on building permits and interviews with the contractor building a new hangar at the facility.

A sign is posted on a fence at Spaceport America on Thursday, July 8, 2021.

Per its website, the British company specializes in UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly referred to as drones), including the Persistent High Altitude Solar Aircraft (PHASA-35) it developed in collaboration with UK defense corporation BAE Systems. BAE Systems, which also operates in the U.S., acquired Prismatic in 2019.

One of the building permits associated with the new hangar describes the project as "Spaceport America PHASA 35 Flight Trial 2022." Another permit names "Prismatic" as a property owner in the project.

The craft is designed to fly at high altitudes and stay above ground up to a year at a time. In 2021, BAE announced plans to begin flight tests of the vehicle in the United States, where there are potential markets among federal agencies and commercial firms. The company says the vehicles can serve as part of a cellular network as well as intelligence and surveillance, disaster relief and border enforcement operations.

An American spokesperson for BAE would only state, "The building permits on file with the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department are valid."

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The main hangar at Spaceport America in Sierra County, N.M., nicknamed "the Gateway to Space," is pictured on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021.

Spaceport director Scott McLaughlin told the governing board at its March 11 meeting that a lease had been executed earlier in the year with a non-disclosed tenant.

More: Leading the spaceport: Here's how Scott McLaughlin is approaching the task

Spaceport America is a commercial spaceport constructed with $220 million in taxpayer money currently deriving approximately 60 percent of its revenue from customer leases and fees with additional support from state appropriations and local taxes. The spaceport is governed by the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, a public agency.

Spaceflight company Virgin Galactic is the spaceport's anchor tenant, with other tenants including UP Aerospace, SpinLaunch and HAPSMobile/Aerovironment. The facility also serves a number of other private aerospace companies and hosts an annual rocketry competition, the Spaceport America Cup, taking place in June.

The spaceport is in Sierra County on state land near White Sands Missile Range, with administrative offices in Las Cruces.

Algernon D'Ammassa can be reached at 575-541-5451, adammassa@lcsun-news.com or @AlgernonWrites on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Spaceport America confirms new tenant without further information
bstirton

A member of the Oath Keepers says the founder of the far-right militia group was on the phone with an intermediary of former president Donald Trump on the day of the Capitol riots and made an extraordinary request.

William Todd Wilson, 44, pleaded guilty Wednesday in D.C. federal court to seditious conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding over the Jan. 6 attack, NBC News reported.

Court documents state that, sometime after 5 p.m. on Jan. 6, Wilson and some of his fellow Oath Keepers were in a private suite at the Phoenix Hotel when the groups founder, Stewart Rhodes, called an unidentified Trump intermediary and put the person on speaker phone.

Wilson heard Rhodes repeatedly implore the individual to tell President Trump to call upon groups like the Oath Keepers to forcibly oppose the transfer of power, the Justice Department said.

Oath Keepers Founder Secretly Backed Lawsuit for Government Based on Lord of the Rings

The intermediary declined to let Rhodes speak with Trump, the document says, but it didnt appear to deter him. Thousands of ticked off patriots spontaneously marched on the Capitol... You aint seen nothing yet, he texted the group via encrypted chat at 7:30 p.m.

In his guilty plea, Wilson, a military and law enforcement veteran, admitted that he agreed with others to take part in the Capitol riots.

The documents state that Wilson joined the Oath Keepers in 2016 and on Jan. 6 last year was under the instruction of Rhodes, who was arrested in January for his alleged part in the riot.

They coordinated travel across the country to enter Washington, D.C., equipped themselves with a variety of weapons, donned combat and tactical gear, and were prepared to answer Rhodess call to take up arms at Rhodess direction, prosecutors said. William Todd Wilson, attempted to, and did, corruptly obstruct, influence, and impede an official proceeding, that is, the Certification of the Electoral College vote.

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A Roger Stone Bodyguard Just Became a Federal Witness to the Capitol Riots

Shortly after 2 p.m. on the day of the insurrection, Wilson and others in his group bypassed barricades and he was the first of the Oath Keepers to breach the Capitol through the upper west terrace doors. Wilson was armed with a pocketknife and wore a neck gaiter and beanie hat to mask his appearance, prosecutors said. He left the Capitol at 2:55 p.m.

Prosecutors alleged that Wilson and his co-defendants were continuing to plot, after January 6, 2021, to oppose the lawful transfer of presidential power by force.

In late Jan. 2021, Wilson threw his cell phone into the Atlantic Ocean to prevent law enforcement from discovering incriminating evidence about his participation in this conspiracy, prosecutors said.

He faces up to 20 years in prison for seditious conspiracy and up to 20 years for obstruction of an official proceeding. No sentencing date has been set.

Wilson is the third Oath Keeper to plead guilty over the Jan. 6 attack following former Roger Stone bodyguard Joshua James, and Brian Ulrich, 44. As part of their plea deals, both men agreed to cooperate with the feds.

Almost 800 people have been arrested in relation to the Capitol riot with more than 250 having already pleaded guilty.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, arrives for a weekly policy luncheon, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 8, 2022. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Democrats blasted supporters with fundraising messages about the Supreme Court's draft abortion ruling.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer are leading the fundraising effort.

Many other Democrats, such as Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, are also soliciting supporters.

Democrats jumped at the opportunity to fundraise for the 2022 midterm elections after a leak from the Supreme Court revealed the majority's willingness to overturn Roe v. Wade, the decision that gives women a constitutional right to an abortion.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was among the Democrats soliciting donations.

"The only way to protect reproductive rights is to build on our Democratic majorities in the House and Senate and DEFEAT every last anti-choice Republican who made this happen," her campaign wrote in an email. "I need a ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME response -- 50,000 gifts in the next 24 hours -- to put us in a position to win this fight and protect our fundamental rights. Are you with me? >>"

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also stumped for cash on Tuesday, asking for donations to help "vulnerable Democratic Senators" who are up for reelection. "We knew this day would come, but it still hurts," his campaign wrote.

A request for donations from Sen. Chuck Schumer. Madison Hall/Insider

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee joined the fray as well, calling on "grassroots Democrats" to "rise up and fight back against Republican attacks on reproductive rights" by filling out their petition.

Incumbent Democratic Sens. Mark Warner of Virginia, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, and Mark Kelly of Arizona also used leak as a chance to fundraise.

"Today, Roe v. Wade is the law of the land and I'll do everything I can to protect that right," Kelly said in a campaign email. "But I cannot continue that fight if we lose this November. So I need to ask for your help."

Sen. Alex Padilla of California explained in an email to his supporters that the draft was not currently binding, and asked his supporters to forego donating to him, and instead donate to Planned Parenthood of California and NARAL Pro-Choice California, two reproductive health nonprofits that lobby for abortion rights.

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"Every penny will go directly toward fighting to protect the right to choose, not a cent to my campaign," Padilla wrote in the campaign email.

"This is bullshit," Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota wrote in a message that promised to steer donations to the National Network Of Abortion Funds, which advocates removing "financial and logistical barriers to abortion access."

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, followed Padilla and used the leak as an opportunity to ask for donations to the National Network of Abortion Funds.

"As we wait for a decision to be finalized, their work to support people seeking reproductive care will be more important than ever before," Jeffries wrote.

A variety of yet-to-be-elected state- and federal-level Democratic candidates also asked their supporters Tuesday to donate to their campaigns.

Republicans slow to fundraise off abortion

Politico published the leaked drafted opinion of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Monday night.

"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled," Alito wrote in February in a draft opinion for a ruling that the high court has not yet been released.

Democrats currently maintain control of both the House and Senate with small margins. But the party stands to lose its majorities in the 2022 midterm elections.

In addition to direct email solicitations, the DNC and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, a political advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood, were among liberal organizations to purchase ads on Facebook that asked for money, according to Facebook's library of political and issue advertisements.

"By this summer, the court could overturn Roe v Wade, ending nearly 50 years of precedent and with it, the constitutional right to abortion," Planned Parenthood Action Fund wrote above a large, pink "DONATE NOW" button.

On the Republican side, Supreme Court-themed fundraising was comparatively muted, although several conservative candidates and committees did ask for cash.

The National Republican Congressional Committee on Tuesday asked supporters to "stand right now and make an emergency pledge to fight for pro-life values." After providing one's contact information, the NRCC asks: "Will you chip in just $5 or more to DEFEND LIFE, PROTECT CONSERVATIVE JUDGES, and STOP THE FAR LEFT?"

A National Republican Congressional Committee fundraising message NRCC

The re-election campaign of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California on Tuesday asked supporters for contributions via email, saying, "THE DEEP STATE IS COLLUDING TO STOP THE COURT FROM OVERTURNING ROE V. WADE!"

Former President Donald J. Trump, a Republican who former Vice President Mike Pence vice president dubbed "the most pro-life president in American history" also fundraised online following the leak.

But when asking Tuesday for $45 donations to unlock a "SECRET video message," Trump never mentioned the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion or the issue of abortion, in general.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Jill Biden is traveling to Romania and Slovakia Thursday to visit with displaced Ukrainians, a consequential trip for the first lady that mirrors President Bidens visit with Ukrainian refugees in Poland, a pinnacle moment that fueled his outrage at Vladimir Putin.

Her visit to Eastern Europe over Mothers Day weekend will include meetings with U.S. troops, and government officials. She will also see Ukrainian mothers and children who have left their homes, adding to a long history of first ladies meeting with those forced to flee during times of war and international crises.

Dr. Biden very much has a public image as a concerned mother herself and a mother whos known tragedy herself, said Katherine Jellison, a professor of U.S. womens and gender history at Ohio University. This may be a very important moment for her in her career as first lady to be, as her husband is often times called, the consoler-in-chief.

In March, the president got a firsthand look at the humanitarian crisis caused by the Russia-Ukraine war, meeting with scores of Ukrainian men, women and children in Poland who fled violence from Russia as it destroyed cities and targeted civilian shelters. Biden told reporters at the time he was struck by the depth and strength of the human spirit.

Vice President Harris first met with refugees displaced by the war during her own trip to Warsaw weeks before the presidents visit. The U.S. has pledged to accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and will provide $1 billion in support for European nations handling an influx of individuals fleeing the Russian invasion.

[Jill Bidens] role there will have political impact, said Katherine Sibley, director of American Studies Program at St. Josephs University. Its not just the support and nurturing aspect of the first lady, but also the soft power, the enhancement of a power of the presidency that is being seen here.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki noted the significance of the first lady conducting the visit over Mothers Day.

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The president is grateful for her willingness to do this and for the important role shell play in representing the United States during her visit to Europe and through these meetings, Psaki said on Monday.

Jill Bidens position as stepmother to the late Beau Biden will also mean the classifications that come with that  military mother and one who lost a child  will be on display.

She will be a very consoling figure, someone who they will see immediately has sympathy and empathy with their situation. And shes very good in that kind of role, Jellison said.

Bidens first stop will be for a meeting with U.S. military service members on Friday at Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase in Romania. She then will travel to Bucharest and on Saturday will meet with members of the government of Romania, U.S. Embassy staff, humanitarian aid workers and educators who are helping teach displaced Ukrainian children.

Biden is a longtime educator and has made her mark as the only first lady to hold a job outside the White House as a teacher at Northern Virginia Community College.

Jellison said that professional background likely means Biden will lend sympathy and empathy because she recognizes that kids will have their education disrupted and how disorienting that would be as well as other disruptions.

Biden will mark Mothers Day on Sunday with travel to Kosice and Vysne Nemecke, Slovakia to meet with refugees, humanitarian aid workers, and local Slovakians who are supporting displaced families. On Monday, she will meet with members of the government of Slovakia before returning home to Washington.

A first ladys meetings with refugees are steeped in history and rooted in the human response to decades of international conflicts.

In 1979, former first lady Rosalynn Carter famously called a trip to the Thai-Camodian border emotionally overwhelming after she met with malnourished women and newly orphaned children following the Vietnam War.

Other former first ladies who have made significant trips include Eleanor Roosevelt, who met with displaced Jews in 1946 after U.S. troops liberated Nazi concentration camps, Laura Bush, who visited with Burmese refugees in Thailand in 2008, and Michelle Obama, who visited with school girls, many of whom were children of refugees, in London in 2009.

While the foreign policy impacts of Bidens visit remain to be seen, Sibley said its a reflection of the soft power that first ladies have in looking out for women and children escaping conflict.

It has international impacts, it has obviously a broad humanitarian impact, Sibley said. We really see here that she is carrying out some of her own interests and shes also promoting the interests of the administration, but we can see they are all complementary, which is quite striking.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Marion County Democratic Party Chair Kate Sweeney Bell won the Democratic nomination for Marion County clerk Tuesday night, defeating former state senator and Marion County auditor Billie Breaux by just over a 10-ponit margin..

Her win came despite pushback against her from other local Democrats who claimed that she at times abused the power she has as county party chair. The race was one of several in which both seasoned and newcomer Democrats bucked the party endorsement process and sought to compete against the party's chosen candidate.

Sweeney Bell had roughly 56% of the 42,984 votes counted while Billie Breaux had 44%, with 99% of voting centers reporting as of Wednesday.

Sweeney Bell did not return a request for comment.

The primary battle for Marion County clerk between the two Democrats was a high-profile one that symbolized broad tensions within the local party.

Breaux, who also previously served as Marion County auditor, came out of retirement to enter the race amid conflict-of-interest concerns some Democrats had with Sweeney Bell.

Indiana primary Election Day live blog: Polls close after rainy day in Indianapolis

Beyond the alleged conflicts, however, lies longstanding inner-party frustration  particularly with the power that chair Sweeney Bell holds over vacant precinct committee positions, hyper-local roles known commonly as "PCs" that decide which candidates to award the party's coveted and powerful endorsement in the party's pre-primary convention.

The concerns echo accusations that some Democrats have leveled at Sweeney Bell and Mayor Joe Hogsett, accusing them of stacking the deck by appointing PCs who will vote to endorse or fill vacant positions with chosen candidates. These Democrats have also argued that the system makes it harder for candidates of color to get into politics at the local level.

But Sweeney Bell's signal that inner-party tensions growing over the past few years are not strong enough to split the party. In the race for Senate District 46, however, candidate Andrea Hunley defeated the party-backed candidate Kristin Jones.

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Breaux entered the race just before filing deadline, but quickly amassed over $40,000 for her campaign. Sweeney Bell, however, had over $95,000.

Since February, some Black elected officials have joined clergy groups to very publicly voice concern over the power that Sweeney Bell would hold as both clerk and chair of the local party. As party chair, Sweeney Bell can appoint people to vacant PC positions who award party endorsements and vote to fill vacant local offices.

Some Democrats cried foul over Sweeney Bell's role as a chair and a candidate, noting that she could appoint the PCs that would end up choosing whether to endorse her in this year's convention. Sweeney Bell won the party's endorsement as the only clerk candidate to seek it this year.

In the past, Sweeney Bell has pointed to the Democratic Party's diverse ticket selected this year. She also said in a statement that she herself ran against the party's endorsed candidate in a primary election and can understand the frustration of those who have felt intimidated by the longstanding traditions within the party.

Opponents also voice other concerns over her power: If elected as clerk, Sweeney Bell will sit on the Marion County Election Board. As party chair, she will also have the authority to appoint the Democratic representative to the board  unless she resigns her chair position.

Sweeney Bell faces Republican Andrew Harrison in the general election.

Call IndyStar reporter Amelia Pak-Harvey at 317-444-6175 or email her at apakharvey@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmeliaPakHarvey.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana primary 2022: Marion County Clerk race latest results
An assortment of mochi donuts is shown in this promotional photo from Mochinut dessert restaurant chain. An Athens, Ga. location at 1860 Barnett Shoals Rd. is expected to open in July 2022.

While the Prince Ave. Dunkin' Donuts shop remains temporarily closed, Athens can look forward to a unique pastry alternative as Mochinut rolls into town. The California-based artisan doughnut franchise is set to open in July at 1860 Barnett Shoals Rd. in the space previously occupied by Menchie's frozen yogurt.

Described as a fusion of Japanese mochi, a dessert made of sweet glutinous rice flour, and American doughnuts, Mochinuts are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. The recipe originated in Hawaii, and the unique shape is made up of eight dough balls connected in a circle.

More: Unique cookie franchise Crumbl Cookies scheduled to open Athens location

More: Excited about the new movie theater opening in Athens? Take a look at what's inside

Though the menu of each Mochinut location is customized to the area, some of the flavors listed on the companys website range from standards like chocolate, blueberry and red velvet to churro, macha, taro and yuzu. The menu also includes Korean hot dogs coated in rice flour batter and bubble tea drinks.

Georgias first Mochinut location opened in Atlanta in Sept. 2021, and the Athens shop is one of six more locations that the company lists in the coming soon section of its website. Most of the existing 40 Mochinut franchises are in California, but they plan to expand to Florida, Texas, South Korea and Thailand in the future.

To read the full menu, visit mochinut.com.

A churro mochi donut is shown in this promotional photo from Mochinut dessert restaurant chain. An Athens, Ga. location at 1860 Barnett Shoals Rd. is expected to open in July 2022.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Mochinut, selling mochi-doughnut creations, o open Athens location
LONDON  Saul Nash is on a winning streak. The British Guyanan designer was named the recipient of this years Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design on Wednesday afternoon, 10 days after taking home the 2022 International Woolmark Prize.

Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, presented the award to Nash on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II during a ceremony, which showcased all the talent support initiatives of the BFC Foundation, held at Londons Design Museum.

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A Central Saint Martins and Royal College of Art alumni, Nash was recognized for his innovative take on design, and developing new materials while actively pioneering a new frontier within the industry  imbuing sportswear design with an exploration of heritage, performance and technical innovation, which was well demonstrated with his Woolmark Prize capsule collection.

The designer collaborated with Knitwear Lab from the Netherlands on high-tech compression pieces made from merino wool with high tenacity for the capsule. It was shown as a part of the designers fall 2022 collection during London Fashion Week in February.

This week has felt like a dream, Nash said. To be recognized in this way is an incredible vote of confidence  it would be for any designer, but I feel especially proud as this is a moment of validation for sportswear. The focus of my work has always been to push and open up new possibilities, from tackling preconceived notions of sportswear to attempting to challenge perceptions of gender norms in menswear.

Its important to weave my own story into my work, keeping it personal and true to myself.That remains the ambition  to stay focused on innovation, community and building a conscious practice, he added.

He is the fifth recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. Previous winners were Richard Quinn, Bethany Williams, Rosh Mahtani of Alighieri and Priya Ahluwalia.

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Since 2018, a designer is selected by the BFC, in collaboration with the Royal Household, each year for the award. The trophy is inspired by the Queen Elizabeth rose and hand-produced by Lucy Price at Bauhinia Studios and in Birminghams Jewellery Quarter.

The British Fashion Council revealed that Nash, who is also a professional choreographer, was also chosen for his role as a cultural innovator whose work opens conversations around identity, masculinity and class.

Caroline Rush, chief executive officer at the British Fashion Council, said: Nash has a unique way of combining function, tech and tailoring in his design practice, which has resulted in a new take on luxe sportswear. His work explores the relationship between performance and menswear and is often showcased through beautiful and showstopping choreography. We are incredibly proud to recognize Saul and look forward to seeing his brand grow.

His namesake label, launched in 2018, made its London Fashion Week debut with Lulu Kennedys emerging talent support scheme fashion week in 2020 for three seasons. Under BFC Newgens support, Nash began to show solo last October.

The designs, which fall somewhere between luxury, activewear and streetwear, are rooted in his Caribbean heritage and Northeast London upbringing. He often showcases his designs in self or co-choreographed performances, which best demonstrate how they are intended to move.

Runway at Saul Nash fall 2022 on Feb. 18, 2022, in London. - Credit: Courtesy

Courtesy

His fall 2022 collection was presented alongside a video, which was set in one of Londons first West Indies barbershops in Kensal Rise, where Nash felt he truly connects with his heritage.

Creating sportswear, its always about bringing it to this place in between where I come from and where Im going to. For me, the most time I kind of had interaction with my culture was in the barbershop, he told WWD at the time.

Elements that stood out included a motif of a mermaid, which is considered a benevolent deity in Caribbean culture; a print made from a Guyana flag waving across a projector, which Nash thinks reflects the landscape of the lush country and embodies the mood of carnival-style celebration, and sneakers Nike especially made for the show with soles made from components of deadstock.

Nash has also been short listed as a semifinalist for the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers last year, and was granted funds from this years BFC Newgen scheme, alongside 21 other designers.

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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte discussed issues of diplomacy and bringing war criminals to justice.

"I maintain a constant dialogue with Prime Minister of Netherlands Mark Rutte. Told him about the course of hostilities, discussed ways to prosecute war criminals and diplomatic issues of common interest," Zelensky said on Twitter on Wednesday.

In turn, the head of the Dutch government said the Netherlands intends to "continue to support Ukraine's fight to defend democracy and sovereignty, in the short and long term."

"The Netherlands is assessing whether it can join with a.o. Germany, Belgium and the UK to supply more heavy weapons. And we are sending a forensic investigation team to Ukraine to gather evidence for war crime investigations and criminal proceedings," Rutte said on Twitter.
A natural and associated petroleum gas processing plant in the Yarakta Oil Field, owned by Irkutsk Oil Company, in Russia's Irkutsk Region on March 11, 2019. Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters

The EU plans to turn to Africa as it weans itself off Russian gas, Bloomberg reported.

The EU also aims to import more natural gas from the US and Canada, per the report.

Europe gets about 40% of its natural gas from Russia but is trying to reduce its reliance.

The European Union is planning to turn to Africa to help wean itself off Russian natural gas, Bloomberg reported, citing a draft document detailing the trade bloc's energy strategy.

Countries in western Africa, like Nigeria, Senegal, and Angola, in particular have largely untapped potential for liquefied natural gas, the European Commission said in the document, per Bloomberg.

A number of gas pipeline projects linking Africa to Europe have been studied in recent years, and feasibility studies are ongoing to build the world's longest offshore pipeline, carrying natural gas from Nigeria to Morocco and Europe, according to a Nigerian presidential adviser.

Europe gets about 40% of its natural gas from Russia, but the country's invasion of Ukraine has accelerated the EU's efforts to reduce reliance on Russian supplies.

The European Commission has proposed cutting EU demand for Russian natural gas by two-thirds before the end of the year under a plan to diversify supplies and speed up the rollout of renewable gases. The EU has agreed to stop imports of Russian coal starting later this year, but hasn't announced an embargo on natural gas or oil.

In the draft strategy document, the European Commission said it planned to boost imports of liquefied natural gas by 50 billion cubic meters and pipeline gas from countries other than Russia by 10 billion cubic meters, per Bloomberg.

This includes increasing liquefied natural gas imports from the US by 15 billion cubic meters in 2022, with total US imports to Europe of around 50 billion cubic meters each year until 2030.

In addition, the commission said in the document that it planned to support efforts to double the current capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor  which transports natural gas from the Caspian Sea to Europe  to 20 billion cubic meters a year. The bloc also plans to boost liquefied natural gas supplies through a trilateral memorandum of understanding with Egypt and Israel, per Bloomberg.

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A European Commission spokesperson told Insider that it was standard policy not to comment on leaked documents, but added: "I can tell you simply that the Commission is working on the development of an International Energy Strategy, and that this is tentatively scheduled for adoption on 18 May."

Japan and South Korea have already redirected some liquefied natural gas to Europe while the Commission is in discussions with Canada to potentially increase gas exports to Europe in the future, Bloomberg reported, citing the draft document.

In 2019, around 16% of the EU's natural gas imports came from Norway, 8% from Algeria, and 5% from Qatar, per the European Commission. These countries and Russia collectively supplied 70% of the EU's natural gas imports.

"In terms of pipeline gas, Norway has already increased its deliveries to Europe and both Algeria and Azerbaijan have indicated their willingness to do so," the commission said in the draft document, per Bloomberg. It added that Qatar "stands ready to facilitate swaps with Asian countries."

The commission also plans to import 10 million tons of renewable hydrogen by 2030, Bloomberg reported, citing the draft document.

The International Energy Agency said on April 13 that Russia exports about $400 million worth of natural gas to the EU every day.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously spoken out against European countries continuing to use Russian energy supplies, telling the BBC that they were making money "out of blood." But German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said a Western embargo on Russian gas imports probably wouldn't stop the war, telling Der Spiegel that Putin would never have started the war if he were open to economic arguments.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov just made Israels precarious balancing act on the war in Ukraine harder.

In an interview with Italian television, Lavrov was asked how Russia could claim it invaded Ukraine to denazify the country when its democratically elected president, Volodymyr Zelensky, was Jewish. Lavrov defended the grotesque denazify lie with an even more grotesque lie. So what if Zelensky is Jewish? he said. That fact does not negate the Nazi elements in Ukraine. I believe that Hitler also had Jewish blood . . . some of the worst anti-Semites are Jewish.

The Israeli government was outraged. As Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett put it, Lavrov had blamed the Jews themselves for the most terrible crimes in history that were committed against them. To demonstrate its anger, and send an unmistakable message that such remarks, especially coming from Russias top diplomat, crossed a red line, Israel increased military aid and other assistance to Ukraine.

Actually, nothing like that happened. Despite its outrage, all that the Israel government did was to summon the Russian ambassador to the Israel foreign ministry for a scolding and demand an apology, as though this was just an unfortunate diplomatic gaffe. Thus far no Russian apology has been forthcoming.

Lavrovs comment is one for the ages  that is, the ages of damaging, anti-Semitic blood libels against the Jewish people such as the fabricated Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which originated in Russia and claimed that Jews used the blood of Christian children for the Feast of Passover.

Asking Russia to apologize for Lavrovs statement, which came just after Israels Holocaust Remembrance Week and in the midst of rising anti-Semitism around the world, implies a let bygones be bygones forgiveness, even though Lavrovs remark was, as Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid put it, unforgivable.

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A Russian apology, in any event, is worthless. Russia is the Lies Are Us of nations whose government lies even when there is no need to lie. If you believe that a Russian apology for Lavrovs lie would reflect even the slightest regret, or that the Russian government as a whole does not share his view, then you must believe that Germany poisoned Alexei Navalny, that Russian Olympic athletes have never used banned substances and that U.S. military contractors are deploying chemical weapons to the Donbas, among the many lies told by Russia. An apology would be just another lie.

Israel has given Ukraine diplomatic support at the United Nations. But it has provided no weapons to Ukraine other than helmets and flak jackets. Israel argues that its relative neutrality allows it to act as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine and that its ties to Russia are important to Israels security in the Middle East, especially as it mounts an aerial campaign against Iranian operations and proxies, which Russia could, but thus far has not, interfered with. But its obvious that there is nothing to mediate between Ukraine and Russia, and military analysts like Max Boot point out that, given the Russian military performance in Ukraine, Israel should have nothing to fear from Russian jets in Syria.

Israel exists to ensure the security of the Jewish people, not just in Israel but everywhere. It cant fulfill that role by staying largely on the sidelines while a brutal totalitarian regime led by war criminals, using a false denazification pretext bolstered by a blood libel against the Jewish people, invades a democracy that elected a Jewish leader.

In his recent address to the Ukrainian parliament, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the war Ukraines finest hour, evoking Winston Churchill in World War II. Unless Israel starts providing meaningful military assistance to Ukraine, as dozens of other countries are doing, it certainly wont be Israels finest hour.

Gregory J. Wallance, a writer in New York City, was a federal prosecutor in the Carter and Reagan administrations, where he was a member of the ABSCAM prosecution team that convicted a U.S. senator and six U.S. representatives of bribery. He is working on a book about a 19th century American journalist who investigated the Siberian exile system. Follow him on Twitter at @gregorywallance.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Data from the United Nations refugee agency shows that 5.6 million people have fled Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion, demonstrating the massive humanitarian crisis the conflict has sparked.

The majority of those refugees  more than 3.3 million  fled Ukraine in March, while roughly 1.5 million left in April, according to the U.N. agency. The opening days of May have already seen more than 120,000 people depart the country.

The U.N.s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said Tuesday that it has recorded more than 3,000 civilian deaths in Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict, adding that it believes the actual figures are considerably higher.

Those numbers come as Russia has launched a renewed offensive in Ukraines eastern Donbas region. The U.K. Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that Russia highly likely intends to proceed beyond Izium to capture the cities of Kramatorsk and Severodonetsk thought it has struggled to break through Ukrainian defences and build momentum.

Capturing these locations could consolidate Russian military control of the north-eastern Donbas and provide a staging point for their efforts to cut-off Ukrainian forces in the region, the U.K. Defense Ministry added.

In response to the Russian invasion, now into its third month, a number of officials have accused Russian forces of committing war crimes in Ukraine, including targeting civilians and civilian structures, and the international community has implemented aggressive measures to rebuke Russia.

The European Commission took another serious step toward economically isolating Moscow on Wednesday, with its president proposing a complete ban on all Russian oil imports.

Though the U.S. and U.K. have already moved forward with such moves, the European bloc had not previously committed to such a ban.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged in a speech to the European Parliament on Wednesday that some member-states are strongly dependent on Russian oil and that the action would not be easy, but she added we simply have to do it.

All members of the European bloc still have to vote on the measure, but if passed it would end Russian oil imports by the end of the year.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
This story will be updated as the rally begins. Check back for the latest. (The original story is below.)

7:14 p.m.: 'It is right to rebel'

6:58 p.m.: A 'primal scream'

Protesters let out a primal scream in support of fellow protesters across the country during a pause in front of the Lane County jail. pic.twitter.com/4ohXqCa0A1  Ben Lonergan (@LonerganPhoto) May 4, 2022

6:44 p.m.: A shoutout to male supporters

I was absolutely honored to see how many male supporters there were to support the women in their lives. pic.twitter.com/YbZCr9nnRA  Louis Krauss (@louiskraussnews) May 4, 2022

6:36 p.m.: An aerial view of the march

6:34 p.m.: 'They don't care if women die'

Current chance is Pro choice is a lie, they dont care if women die. pic.twitter.com/5XIUf5HpmP  Louis Krauss (@louiskraussnews) May 4, 2022

6:19 p.m.: Marching toward the Park Blocks

Protesters have started marching towards the Park Blocks. pic.twitter.com/xOGigmRdaa  Louis Krauss (@louiskraussnews) May 4, 2022

Protesters are now on the march toward downtown. pic.twitter.com/f5QloCppUq  Ben Lonergan (@LonerganPhoto) May 4, 2022

5:53 p.m.: Honking in support

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5:41 p.m.: Workers' rights

5:24 p.m.: More protest signs

Protestors gather in front of the federal courthouse in Eugene in opposition to the Supreme Court plan to overturn Roe v. Wade. A couple hundred in attendance so far. pic.twitter.com/ny0mOsaufM  Ben Lonergan (@LonerganPhoto) May 4, 2022

5:20 p.m.: Abortion-rights signs galore

5 p.m.: Hundreds gather for protest

At least a couple hundred are here to protest so far. pic.twitter.com/p1gRKeM4ZF  Louis Krauss (@louiskraussnews) May 3, 2022

Original story: Eugene protesters rally against possible end of Roe v. Wade

Lane County residents plan to rally Tuesday afternoon in response to leaks revealing the U.S. Supreme Court's intention to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision protecting abortion rights in the U.S.

The rally is set for 5 p.m. outside the federal courthouse in Eugene at 405 E. Eighth Ave., and is listed on Facebook as "Rally for Womb Rights: We Will Never go Back."

Gwendolyn Iris, who created the Facebook Event and lives outside of Eugene, said she couldn't sleep and felt "numb" after hearing the leaked news Monday that the Supreme Court was planning to strike down the landmark decision in a draft opinion by Associate Justice Samuel Alito. The leaked document was first reported by Politico. A mother of two, Iris said she had an abortion at a time when she was too poor to provide for another child.

"I was numb last night. The idea that could be taken away from anyone, anywhere in this country, its just very scary and upsetting and shocking," Iris, 40, told The Register-Guard.

Oregon's Planned Parenthood leaders said there was a "flood" of of emails with people concerned and offers of assistance to the organization in a Zoom news conference Tuesday.

"A lot of patients coming in today have been uncomfortable, and we've made a point of reassuring our staff to make sure they have talking points," said Lisa Gardner, the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon. "Everyone is feeling this, and the shockwaves are going to continue for a while."

While Oregon has state-level protection for the procedure, a reversal of Roe v. Wade could lead to a significant increase in abortions in the state, considering that nearby states such as Idaho have trigger laws that would ban abortions following that decision.

The Guttmacher Institute, an abortion-rights research organization, estimated there could be a 234% increase in abortions in Oregon and southwest Washington if Roe v. Wade were overturned, said An Do, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon. The decision also could impact residents in Eastern Oregon who rely on Idaho cities for health care, since they would have to drive much further to reach a facility offering abortions.

"This leak makes it very clear that our deepest fears are coming true, we are at a crisis moment for abortion access," Gardner said.

A total of 287 Lane County residents had induced abortions in 2021, and 632 out-of-state residents came to Oregon for their abortion last year, according to preliminary data from the Oregon Health Authority.

Read more about the case and what comes next

Louis Krauss covers breaking news for The Register-Guard. Contact him at lkrauss@registerguard.com, and follow him on Twitter @LouisKraussNews.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Updates: Eugene activists protest SCOTUS plan to overturn Roe v. Wade
May 4LA GRANDE  The Eastern Oregon Beer Festival is set to return to its regular scheduling following impacts from COVID-19 over the last two years.

The festival will be held at the Union County Fairgrounds on Saturday, June 25, from 1-7 p.m. The event, which is in its eighth rendition, aims to serve as the premier beer festival in Eastern Oregon for local beer enthusiasts and tourists alike.

"We're definitely hoping to see our attendance grow back to pre-COVID levels," said Taylor Scroggins, executive director at La Grande Main Street Downtown. "We're hoping for that to include a really healthy mix of locals who have grown to love the festival every year, while also drawing in tourists from out of the area to bring in those tourist dollars to support the community."

La Grande Main Street Downtown is organizing the event after moving the festival to August last year and canceling it as a whole in 2020. With lowered COVID-19 restrictions since the last festival, attendees will have the choice of wearing a mask or not in the beer house this year.

Scroggins expects dozens of beers to be available at this year's festival, including breweries from Oregon, Idaho, Washington and California. Last year's event included 10 brewery representatives and beer and cider from more than 30 breweries. According to Scroggins, last year's rendition drew a crowd of roughly 450 attendees after the festival was canceled in the previous year.

"For that first year back, it was really excellent," he said. "We're looking to once again have a pretty good selection of beer from a bunch of different brewers, with many brewers in attendance serving their beer."

The beer tasting will primarily revolve around the beer house at the Union County Fairgrounds, but the entire venue will serve as part of the larger event. Local food and craft vendors are set to be positioned throughout the fairgrounds, while La Grande Main Street Downtown is in the process of finalizing local bands to play live music during the festival.

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Scroggins noted that the event serves as a great opportunity for the city to bring in tourist dollars, which benefits future local event planning through La Grande Main Street Downtown. The stream of out-of-town attendees also adds a monetary boost and increased exposure for vendors, sponsors and bands at the event.

This year's festival is back to its regular time frame, ending at 7 p.m.  last year's festival experimented with a later end time, but Scroggins noted that the primary attendance of the event was earlier in the afternoon and evening.

In its eighth year, the Eastern Oregon Beer Festival continues to grow as a local favorite in La Grande. Scroggins noted that the organizers are fond of the event's growth and hope to see it continue to evolve as the go-to beer festival in this region.

"It has really grown and developed," Scroggins said. "It's hard to put into numbers since COVID kind of threw things off, but I do think we're on track to see the festival grow and to have it become a tourist-destination event while still being very welcoming to the locals. It is already, but it can grow even more into being the premier beer festival in Eastern Oregon."
May 4With the evacuation of more than 6,000 households in Northern New Mexico and hundreds of homes likely destroyed by the still spreading Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fire, the governor Tuesday requested a presidential declaration of an emergency in the state.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said at a news conference the declaration would prompt the federal government to send funds to help fight that wildfire and others burning throughout New Mexico and to aid residents who have been affected.

Lujan Grisham said she was confident the state will get that declaration "forthwith."

Officials estimate 277 structures, including at least 166 homes, were destroyed earlier in the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fire. But updated numbers of burned homes have not been made public.

San Miguel County Manager Joy Ansley said the blaze has been too hot for a team to go in and assess further damage since high winds late last week began pushing the fire into new communities. It now stretches between Cleveland and Mora to the northwest and Las Vegas, N.M., to the southeast.

Lujan Grisham also said it remains unclear how many structures have burned. The fire almost certainly will lead to "additional losses of houses," she added in Tuesday's news conference. "One house lost for one New Mexico family is too many."

She said the federal government must be held accountable for the wildfire  a complex blaze of more than 147,000 acres created when two separate fires merged  because it was caused in part by a prescribed burn by U.S. forest officials that spread out of control when unexpected gusts kicked up.

"This is not the first situation where the federal government has put us in harm" in terms of fires, Lujan Grisham said, referring to the 2000 Cerro Grande Fire, which also was caused by a prescribed burn ignited by federal crews. That blaze destroyed 235 homes in Los Alamos.

"This cannot occur again," the governor said of prescribed burns raging out of control.

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Milder-than-expected winds Monday enabled crews to make progress in building containment lines to curtail the Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak Fire ahead of fierce winds forecast for the third weekend in a row, with gusts of 50 mph or more.

Combating the wildfire grew more challenging Tuesday as winds increased to as much as 35 mph during the afternoon, with gusts up to 45 mph.

There are now 1,085 personnel involved in fighting the sprawling fire. Crews focused on removing flammable debris and vegetation and building control lines in areas where the fire could threaten structures.

The fire was especially active south of Mora. Strengthening winds later in the day increased the risk of embers blowing into dry areas and igniting spot fires closer to residential areas.

Teams are receiving help from two newly arrived air tankers that are dropping retardant on the flames or on areas near the fire to curb the spread.

One tanker unloaded some retardant on a ridgeline west of Las Vegas as a backup defense in case the winds drive the fire across containment lines, said Todd Abel, an operations section chief for the incident management team at the site.

"So, if this does want to make a hard push and actually try to get over our line ... we wanted to be able to make a stand on that retardant line to catch that fire from moving into Las Vegas," Abel said during a Tuesday briefing.

On Wednesday, 25 mph winds are forecast to blow from the west, gusting up to 35 mph, which again will push the fire east toward Las Vegas, according to National Weather Service says. The winds are predicted to let up Thursday and be more in the 20 mph range, helping firefighting efforts.

The U.S. Forest Service has barred public access to the area within the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District. The agency also has increased fire restrictions within the Santa Fe National Forest.

Meanwhile, the Cerro Pelado Fire, which had burned about 25,000 acres east of Jemez Springs by Tuesday, has destroyed three homes and was still only 10 percent contained.

Personnel on scene swelled to 566 in an effort to keep the fire away from residential areas. Crews worked to improve containment lines along N.M. 4 and to protect structures in the Sierra de los Pinos community and on the northeast side of the fire.

Evacuations remain in place for the Cochiti Mesa and the Peralta Canyon areas as well as for four homes near Cox Ranch.

Farther north of Las Vegas, crews were getting a handle on the Cooks Peak Fire, which has burned 59,359 acres and is 72 percent contained.

Colfax County's evacuations were lifted, with some affected areas remaining on standby.

The governor said state officials are working to find satisfactory shelters for those who are displaced by the fires. She said shelters have been set up in Las Vegas, Penasco and Taos.

The state is planning another shelter in Santa Rosa, one that also will provide medical resources, accommodate seniors and offer more privacy, she said.

She said she is aware there are families caught up in fire zones "who don't know what the next day will be like. This must feel to them like they are out there on their own."

But, Lujan Grisham said, they are not. Still, she said it's clear many people may be forced to seek refuge with friends or family members far "away from their home community. ... It's hard on them."

Lujan Grisham said the public can help by respecting bans on fireworks and open fires. "I need people to be extremely cautious," she said. "I need folks to be clear about the risks."

Brig. Gen. Miguel Aguilar of the New Mexico National Guard said during the news conference there are 111 Guard members working in support roles at fire sites, delivering food and water and participating in water drops on the Cerro Pelado Fire, among other duties.

U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, who represents Northern New Mexico, said a presidential declaration of emergency requires a certain threshold of damage, which the Federal Emergency Management Agency determines in the aftermath.

But she said she was assured by the White House bureaucracy wouldn't stand in the way.

"They have already put FEMA people on the ground to help start calculating that damage, start calculating those assessments so that we can hit that threshold, and we can send it in to the president," Leger Fernandez said.

Once President Joe Biden signs the emergency declaration, it will unleash additional resources, she said.

"What we were told today is that the president wants the full force of the federal resources available to New Mexico," Leger Fernandez said. "Right now, the fires in New Mexico are the number one priority of the federal government in terms of putting resources in here."

Reporter Daniel J. Chacon contributed to this story.
Defendant Justin Belanger enters Strafford County Superior Court in Dover Monday, Sept. 27, 2021 during his second-degree murder trial.

DOVER  Justin Belanger, a 22-year-old Rochester man, was sentenced Tuesday to 30 years to life in prison for the murder of a 24-year-old Rochester woman in 2018.

Belanger was sentenced in Strafford County Superior Court for the death of Billy Jolene Ahearn, who died of a gunshot wound.

Around midnight on June 5, 2018, Rochester police responded to 911 calls in the area of 77 Main St. Upon arrival, they discovered Billy Ahearn laying on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound to her hip. She was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. An autopsy later showed Ahearn died as a result of the single gunshot wound.

Billy Jolene Ahearn was shot and killed in Rochester in June 2018.

Belanger was arrested and indicted for alternative counts of second-degree murder (knowing and reckless) for causing Ahearns death. He was convicted by a jury following trial on October 1, 2021.

Previous story: Justin Belanger guilty in shooting death of Billy Jolene Ahearn in Rochester

Belanger's sentence of 30 years to life in prision could be reduced if he attains behavior and educational goals.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant Attorney General Peter Hinckley and Assistant Attorney General Adam L. Woods of the Criminal Justice Bureau, and it was investigated by the Rochester Police Department.

What happened the night Billy Ahearn was killed

Belanger was 19 and living at 50 Lafayette St. at the time of Ahearn's death.

Belanger was represented by public defenders Brett Newkirk and Philip Dreher.

In 2019, authorities issued an arrest warrant for Belanger for two alternative counts of second-degree murder in connection with Ahearns death, according to a statement from then New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald and then Rochester Police Chief Paul Toussaint.

In Rochester: City Councilor Chris Rice accused of sexual harassment of peers, could face removal

In the affidavit for the warrant, then Rochester police detective Geoff Moore said video surveillance from the area of Lafayette Street, where Belanger lived at the time, showed him and several others leaving his home on the night of the shooting at 11:15 p.m., and heading in the direction of South Main Street. He returned at 12:15 a.m. and it was determined by police to be a 15-minute walk to the crime scene.

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The affidavit also indicated a Walmart store video for May 24 2018, shows a woman purchasing .380 caliber ammunition, allegedly for Belanger.

A .380 caliber bullet casing was found in the area where Ahearn was shot. Belanger was found to have an older Russian Makarov semiautomatic gun in his possession.

More: Here's how Rochester's Drug Take Back Day effort aims to keep community safe

At the time the warrant was issued, Belanger was incarcerated in Maine on a felony theft conviction.

A witness told police that words were exchanged between Belanger and a man with Ahearn, a person he had an altercation the day before in the area of Lafayette Street and Waldron Avenue just before the shooting.

At the time, MacDonald and Toussaint said one of the alternative second-degree murder counts is for knowingly causing the death of Ahearn by shooting her with a pistol, while the other is for recklessly causing her death under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to the value of human life.

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Justin Belanger gets 30 years to life for murder of woman in Rochester
Oklahoma has banned abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, a prohibition that went into effect immediately on Tuesday after Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the Texas-style bill into law.

Abortion providers and advocates tried immediately to stop the law from going into effect, filing suit and asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to stop the law from being implemented until the suit was resolved. The same tactic had stopped another anti-abortion bill from becoming law in April. This time, hours after Stitt signed the bill into law, the state's Supreme Court denied the motion, putting the law into place.

The ban comes the day after a draft opinion from Justice Samuel Alito was obtained by Politico, showing that a conservative majority on the US Supreme Court appears poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 49-year-old decision that recognized a constitutional right to abortion.

Introduced in January of this year, SB 1503 is one in a series of bills being weighed and approved in conservative-leaning legislatures across the country, making significant restrictions on the access and legality of abortions. Emboldened by President Donald Trump's 2016 election and the appointment of conservative justices to the Supreme Court, anti-abortion activists have increased efforts across the country to restrict abortions and successfully brought the question of their constitutionality back before the US Supreme Court.

Though courts have blocked a number of restrictive laws pending a Supreme Court ruling on abortion rights, the 6-week ban in Texas was allowed to go into effect because it left enforcement in the hands of private citizens, who could file potentially lucrative lawsuits against anyone performing or assisting in an abortion after fetal cardiac activity is detected. Idaho has since passed a six-week ban with a similar enforcement mechanism, which was temporarily blocked by the Idaho Supreme Court pending a lawsuit. Oklahoma on Tuesday joined them, and as of Tuesday evening, the Oklahoma Supreme Court hadn't taken action on legal challenges to it.

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"I want Oklahoma to be the most pro-life state in the country because I represent all four million Oklahomans who overwhelmingly want to protect the unborn," Gov. Kevin Stitt wrote on Twitter, announcing his decision to sign the bill.

I am proud to sign SB 1503, the Oklahoma Heartbeat Act into law.I want Oklahoma to be the most pro-life state in the country because I represent all four million Oklahomans who overwhelmingly want to protect the unborn. 09:42 PM - 03 May 2022

The signing of the law in Oklahoma on Tuesday came as people protested outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, following the leak of the draft opinion, with barricades separating anti-abortion activists and abortion rights supporters.

Protesters were joined by Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar, who decried the possibility of the court overturning the landmark decision.

"Never in our lifetime have we seen a right that was in place for 50 years suddenly, with a court that's been stacked with conservatives, that is not consistent with the American people are, we suddenly seen them basically flip it on its head, change 50 years of precedent, after they themselves in their confirmation hearing said that it was the 'law of the land,'" Klobuchar said outside the court.

Thousands of supporters of abortion rights and opponents of abortion rights peacefully protest outside the US Supreme Court. The crowd is growing.@thenewsoncnbc 7pm (EST) 10:31 PM - 03 May 2022

Even before Stitt signed the Oklahoma bill into law Tuesday, abortion providers and advocates had filed legal challenges hoping to stop it from going into effect.

"The Oklahoma Supreme Court has repeatedly found that the state legislature's extreme attempts to restrict abortion are unconstitutional, and these bans are some of the most extreme yet," Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproduction Rights, said in a statement. "We are asking the state courts to uphold the State Constitution and apply Oklahoma precedent to block these insidious abortion bans."

A six-week ban in Oklahoma would have particularly devastating effects since the state has become a destination for Texas residents needing abortion after six weeks, Northup said. That's before many people even realize they're pregnant.

"For seven months, Oklahoma abortion providers have taken in patients forced to leave Texas for essential care," Alex McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a written statement announcing challenges to the Oklahoma law. "The governor may joke about stopping people from crossing the Oklahoma border for abortion, but this is no laughing matter. Unless these bans are blocked, patients will be turned away, people seeking abortion will be unable to access essential care in their own communities."

Another recently passed Oklahoma law will make performing an abortion a felony punishable by prison and up to a $100,000 fine. That law is set to take effect this summer if it's not blocked by the courts.

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Two years ago, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) signed a series of bills to expand abortion access and eliminate decades-old restrictions on the practice that had made the commonwealth a difficult place to obtain such a procedure.

The new laws were possible because Democrats had successfully flipped both chambers of the Virginia state legislature in 2019 and regained majority control of the bodies for the first time in more than two decades.

Two years later, Virginia may be on the brink of a dramatic reversal. Last fall, Republicans won back the governors mansion, retook control of the state House of Delegates, and trimmed Democrats majority in the state Senate to a single seat.

Now, with the Supreme Court apparently on the brink of a decision that would fully overturn Roe v. Wade, according to a leaked draft obtained by Politico on Monday night, the newly empowered Virginia GOP may be ready to join the bevy of states ready to severely limit or perhaps totally ban the practice.

While midterm elections usually turn on who controls Congress, the looming Supreme Court decision might mean that the most meaningful races will be often-overlooked campaigns for state legislative districts.

For all the attention on Washington, it is unlikely that Senate Democrats will manage to pass the Womens Health Protection Act, a bill that would codify Roe and legal abortion into federal law, any time soon. It will be in state capitals like Richmond, Lansing and Phoenix that the future of abortion rights in America is most immediately and directly decided.

Already, California is moving to codify abortion rights, as New Jersey did earlier this year. Republican-controlled legislatures, meanwhile, are racing in the opposite direction.

With the Supreme Court on the precipice of overturning Roe v. Wade, state legislatures will become the main battleground for protecting abortion rights in America, Vicky Hausman, the co-founder of Forward Majority, which has sought to flip GOP-controlled legislatures in recent cycles, said in a statement Tuesday. We can no longer count on the federal government or the courts. If you care about reproductive rights, you need to care about state legislative power.

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The law Texas Republicans passed to effectively outlaw abortion set off protests in other states amid fears they would follow its blueprint. The Supreme Court's apparently likely decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will only intensify the focus on state legislatures as the GOP seeks to further restrict abortion rights. (Photo: Megan Varner via Getty Images)

The law Texas Republicans passed to effectively outlaw abortion set off protests in other states amid fears they would follow its blueprint. The Supreme Court's apparently likely decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will only intensify the focus on state legislatures as the GOP seeks to further restrict abortion rights. (Photo: Megan Varner via Getty Images)

Outside the courts, state legislatures have served as the focal point of the anti-abortion movement, as Republicans have used their majorities to push ever more aggressive restrictions in the states they control. Heavily gerrymandered state legislative districts that reduce two-party competitiveness have helped fuel a spiral in which the easiest way for a Republican candidate or lawmaker to curry favor with the partys base is to put forth increasingly radical ideas on abortion, democracy or any other right-wing pet cause.

Republican legislatures have already made 2022 one of the worst years on record for abortion rights, passing a litany of restrictive laws that have followed the blueprint of Texas S.B. 8, which effectively outlawed abortion last year. Some of those new laws dont include exceptions for rape or incest.

Twenty-two states currently have laws or constitutional provisions that would likely make abortion illegal immediately if the Supreme Court overturns Roe, and four more with GOP-controlled legislatures  in Florida, Indiana, Montana and Nebraska  seem likely to join them after the ruling.

Democrats, on the other hand, have raced to expand abortion rights ahead of the Supreme Court ruling. Colorado Democrats approved a law to explicitly protect abortion rights in March, and Vermont Democrats are pushing a measure that would make Vermont the first state to enshrine the right to an abortion in its constitution if California doesnt do so first.

Overall, Democratic legislatures have protected the right to abortion in 16 states and Washington D.C., according to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the partys state legislative arm, all while Democrats have never managed to codify Roe into federal law.

This should be a tough lesson for Democrats  our policymaking power in Washington is limited and the fight to protect abortion rights will now lie in state legislatures, DLCC President Jessica Post said in a statement Monday night. State legislatures are Democrats best chance to protect abortion rights across the country when the court strikes down Roe.

Whether Virginia might pursue an all-out ban or other restrictions remains an open question, one GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin largely dodged in an interview with Virginia Political Newsletters Brandon Jarvis on Tuesday. Instead, he reiterated that he is pro-life, expressed dismay about the leak, and said he would wait until an official ruling in the case to see what he and the legislature might want to do on abortion issues.

We have to wait until the Supreme Court ruling is final before we in fact can really define where were going to go, Youngkin said. If this is actually the final ruling, this will be a decision the states should have.

Democrats still control the Virginia state Senate by a single vote, but one member of the Democratic caucus opposes abortion. That has generated fears since last Novembers election that the Virginia GOP may be able to successfully implement new abortion restrictions if Republicans can craft a proposal that the lone anti-abortion Democrat will support.

While we are all doing all that we can at this moment in time, I think that it should feel real that this is actually something that could transpire, and Virginia should be on alert and on notice, Virginia state Delegate Briana Sewell (D) told HuffPost on Tuesday.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) wouldn't say whether he plans to pursue aggressive abortion restrictions in the wake of a leaked opinion that suggests the Supreme Court will soon overturn Roe v. Wade. (Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) wouldn't say whether he plans to pursue aggressive abortion restrictions in the wake of a leaked opinion that suggests the Supreme Court will soon overturn Roe v. Wade. (Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Battles over the future of abortion rights also seem likely to dominate legislative campaigns and statewide elections in major swing states.

Arizona is among the states in which existing laws will likely make abortion illegal immediately. Michigan, meanwhile, has an existing law on the books but may need to pass another to fully outlaw abortion, especially amid lawsuits from Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and reproductive rights groups arguing that newer laws and constitutional provisions preempt the old statute.

Both states will serve as major battlegrounds in November. Whitmer and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, who has pledged not to enforce anti-abortion laws, are in the midst of tough reelection fights against Republicans who oppose reproductive rights. And President Joe Bidens 2020 victory in Arizona has bolstered Democratic hopes that Secretary of State Katie Hobbs or another of the partys candidates can win the governors mansion for the first time since 2006.

Republicans hold tenuous control of the Michigan and Arizona state legislatures. Their 16-14 majority in the Arizona Senate and 31-29 advantage in the state House mean Democrats would need to flip a single seat in each to break the GOP majority. Republicans hold a 58-52 advantage in the Michigan state House and a 20-16 majority in the Senate, where there are two vacancies.

Democrats are also seeking to win the state House majority in New Hampshire, which does not currently have a law that would ban abortion if the Supreme Court overturns Roe. Neither does Pennsylvania, where Democrats have their sights set on a longer-shot effort to flip the state legislature and at least hope to prevent the GOP from winning the governorship and assuming total control of the state.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, is up for reelection this year and vowed Monday night that there will never be an abortion ban on my watch. Democrats also hope they can stave off Republican gains in the state House, where they hold the majority, and potentially pick up seats in the Senate, where the GOP narrowly holds control, to ensure no such ban materializes in the near future.

In North Carolina, meanwhile, the party wants to avoid allowing the GOP to reassemble a state Senate supermajority that would allow Republicans to override Gov. Roy Coopers (D) promised vetoes of anti-abortion legislation.

State legislative success has eluded Democrats in recent cycles: They didnt win a single new legislative body in 2020 despite pouring record resources into such campaigns and have already lost control of two of the chambers they flipped during the Trump presidency. But party leaders believe that backlash to abortion bans  and an all-out overturning of Roe  could hurt Republicans, even in a midterm cycle that should naturally favor the out-party.

Last September, Democrat Catherine Rombeau flipped a New Hampshire state House seat immediately after the Supreme Court declined to block the new Texas anti-abortion law, prevailing in a race in which abortion rights were the number one issue, Post tweeted at the time.

Groups like Forward Majority and the States Project, another progressive organization that focuses on state legislatures, had already begun urging voters to focus on flipping legislative chambers to combat Republican efforts to subvert elections and basic democracy. The Supreme Courts apparent move to overturn Roe and dismantle abortion rights has only further heightened the stakes.

The draft decision is clear: abortion access will be decided state-by-state, solely along the lines of state legislative control, said Simone Leiro, a spokesperson for the States Project. Make no mistake, gutting abortion access and dismantling our democracy are both about ending individual choice. Do you really think that bounties for turning in your neighbor, being punished for what you do in another state, and going to prison for doing your job will end at the womb?

Amanda Terkel contributed reporting.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

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STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - The leadership of Sweden's ruling Social Democrats will hold an extra meeting on May 15 where they could decide if the party will switch policy and support an application to join NATO, party secretary Tobias Baudin said on Wednesday.

With a majority in parliament backing joining the alliance, the Social Democrats, the biggest party in every election for the past 100 years, are seen as the major obstacle to an application.

"The party leadership could choose to make a decision then," Baudin told news agency TT.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which it calls a "special operation", has forced a rethink of the security policy in Sweden and Finland, both of which stayed out of NATO during the Cold War.

Both countries are expected to make a decision about whether to apply to the 30-nation alliance in the coming weeks.

Sweden's parliamentary parties are conducting a joint review of security policy which is expected to report on May 13.

The Social Democrats are conducting a separate policy review.

Previously, the party has said it would announce a decision at the latest by May 24, when the leadership is due to hold a meeting.

However, Sweden is coordinating with Finland - its neighbour and closest defence partner - on the question of NATO membership and Helsinki is seen as moving more quickly than Stockholm.

Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has said the two countries will make separate decisions, but that what Finland decides will have a big impact on Sweden.

(Reporting by Simon Johnson and Johan Ahlander; Editing by Sandra Maler)
If there are those among the EU countries that continue to oppose the embargo on Russian oil, there will be every good reason to say that they are accomplices in the crimes committed by Russia in the territory of Ukraine, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said.

"I want to say one thing clear: if there is any country in Europe who will continue to oppose the embargo on Russian oil, there will be all good reason to say that this country is complicit in the crimes committed by Russia in the territory of Ukraine. We have to call a spade a spade and to say the truth. Whatever their arguments are, if they oppose oil embargo, it means one thing - they play on the Russian side, they share responsibility for everything that Russia does in Ukraine. Full stop," Kuleba said live on his Twitter page in Wednesday.

The Minister noted that Ukraine welcomes the future decision of the EU to impose an embargo on Russian oil.

"We welcome the upcoming decision to impose oil embargo. We are not happy that it is delayed for 6 or 8 months, but it is better than nothing," Kuleba said.

He stressed that as long as the Russian Federation continues to receive billions of euros from the EU for Russian gas and oil, one cannot speak of a victory over Russia.

"We currently have an absurd situation where, for example, the EU supports Ukraine with one hand, by providing financial assistance, by imposing different kind of sanctions, by mobilizing resources to provide Ukraine with military equipment, and at the same time they continue to pay Russia for gas and oil and to support their war machine. As long as Russia continues to receive revenues in billions, literally billions of euros from the EU for Russian gas and oil, we cannot speak of defeating Russia, Russian war machine," the Ukrainian Foreign Minister said.
Anna Anderson and Zane Wales, students with Down Syndrome crowned prom king and queen

Bedford Co. Public Schools

Two students with Down syndrome were recently selected as their high school's prom king and queen!

Jefferson Forest High School in Virginia gave students Anna Anderson and Zane Wales the honor last month, according to WSET.

Anderson and Wales' classmates wanted to show them how important they are to their community, teacher Heather Hevener told the news station.

Anna Anderson and Zane Wales, students with Down Syndrome crowned prom king and queen

Bedford Co. Public Schools Anna Anderson and Zane Wales

RELATED: Photographer Shines Spotlight on Kids and Adults with Down Syndrome in 'Believe With Me' Series

"They see these kids every day," Hevener said. "They walk the same halls with these same kids, and they just feel like they're part of them, so they wanted to make sure that they also really felt part of them."

Hevener told the outlet a plan to pick the duo as king and queen began as far back as February.

Anna Anderson and Zane Wales, students with Down Syndrome crowned prom king and queen

Bedford Co. Public Schools

RELATED: Cookie Company CEO with Down Syndrome Creates Sweet Opportunities for People with Disabilities

"Probably in February or March, I had a few students like, 'You know what? This year, Zane Wales for prom king  let's do it!'" she recalled to the news station.

"So, they started the campaign on their own, and then, when we asked for nominations, Zane's name came through," Hevener explained.

Anna Anderson and Zane Wales, students with Down Syndrome crowned prom king and queen

Bedford Co. Public Schools

Local companies from the area even pitched in to make prom night even more special for Anderson and Wales.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Emerald Limousine provided a limo and Celebration Bridal donating attire for the night, WSET reported.

RELATED: Boy with Down Syndrome Shares Motivational Morning Routine

The night was a special one for Anderson and Wales  and it also brought a smile to many others.

"Love these kids it's so awesome to see the love that the whole school [gives]," one resident said in a comment on a video of Anderson and Wales, "we need this more showing love and care."
Head of the President's Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak called on Israel to take the side of Ukraine, he said on his Telegram channel in the evening.

"Russia poses an existential threat not only to Ukraine," Yermak wrote in an interview with The Times of Israel, commenting on anti-Semitic statements by the Russian Foreign Ministry and personally by Sergei Lavrov.

"His statement about the 'Jewish blood' of Hitler is more than bad manners. This is not just Holocaust denial and blaming its victims. This is the same revisionism in history that Moscow seems to be fighting against," he said.

In his opinion, "his denial of the right to the existence of the Ukrainian state and the Ukrainian people, the extreme cruelty with which Russian troops torture and execute our civilians, the systematic destruction of our cultural heritage  these actions are too much reminiscent of the views and practices of the Nazis."

"In the rich common history of Jews and Ukrainians, pages have now been added. Therefore, I called on Israel to respond harshly and decisively to the dismissive and criminal Russian policy, called on to take the side of Ukraine. Since all people who support goodness, democracy, freedom must believe that Ukraine will definitely win," Yermak also said.
As the newly elected national assembly meets for the first time, commentators ponder what role remains for an opposition which fills less than one-third of the seats.

In Nepszava, Zoltan Batka cautions opposition MPs against being relegated to the role of biological decor in a Parliament where they cannot prevent any laws from being passed by the governing party.



The left-wing commentator suggests that opposition MPs should only attend sessions on rare occasions, while during the general debates on Mondays, they should only send their faction leaders  just as Fidesz often did when it was in opposition before 2010.



Otherwise, he warns, when the regime collapses, they will be buried under its ruins.



Magyar Nemzets David Megyeri, by contrast, welcomes the decision of the overwhelming majority of opposition MPs not to boycott the solemn opening session, although he attributes this to a threat by Fidesz floor leader Mate Kocsis, who said those absent from the first session will not be elected to posts in Parliamentary committees.



(Akos Hadhazy MP has left the Momentum group after the latter decided not to boycott the opening session.)



The pro-government columnist thinks the opposition should realise that voters do not appreciate theatrical gestures and scandalous behaviour.



This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of XpatLoop.com or the publisher.

Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible publication online.



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YORK  A number of deadlines came and went this past week regarding the Primary Election and in-person early voting will soon end.

On Monday, May 2, the York County Clerks office stayed open until 6 p.m., to accommodate those who still wanted to register to vote in person, who sent in applications for early voting ballots to be mailed out and for write-in candidates to file notarized affidavits and filing fees.

May 9 will be the last day for early in-person voting at the election office in the courthouse.

Then the actual Primary Election Day will arrive on Tuesday, May 10. The polls will open at 8 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

All ballots must be cast and received by 8 p.m., Tuesday, May 10, in order to be counted.

All York residents voting on Election Day will do so at the city auditorium as they historically have. In 2020, York voters cast ballots at the Holthus Convention Center as the city auditorium was under construction at the time.

Voters in the Stewart and Thayer precincts will cast their ballots at the Gresham Fire Hall.

Those in Morton, Arborville, Bradshaw and Lockridge precincts will vote at the 4-H building on the York County Fairgrounds.

The Waco Community Building will be the polling location for voters living in the New York, Waco, Beaver and West Blue precincts.

Residents in the Leroy and Baker precincts will vote in the basement of the York County Courthouse.

Voters from the Brown and Henderson precincts will cast their ballots at the Henderson City Hall.

People from the Hays and McFadden precincts will vote at the McCool Community Hall.

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The passengers at domestic terminal of Nepal's Tribhuvan International Airport were evacuated from the airport after the authorities received a phone call claiming a 'suspicious object' has been planted at the terminal.

Nepal airport authorities on May 4 said they evacuated passengers and staff members after receiving the call. Meanwhile, a search for the suspicious object is underway. The authorities are also trying to identify the source of the phone call.

It is a developing story, more details awaited.

(With inputs from ANI)

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Another Durgapur-bound SpiceJet flight has faced a snag, forcing the pilot to return to Chennai, its starting location. The flight SG-331 had to return to base after facing engine issues late Tuesday night. Spicejet was operating a Boeing B737-8 Max aircraft VT-MXA on the Chennai-Durgapur route when it faced a technical glitch and had to return to base.

This is the second issue with Durgapur-bound SpiceJet flight in a week's time. Last week, a Boeing 737 operated by Spicejet on Mumbai-Durgapur route faced severe turbulence leaving multiple passengers injured, two of who are in the ICU.

Also read: Trouble brewing for SpiceJet? After pilot ban, turbulence highlights lapses in airline

India's aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced that it is inspecting the entire SpiceJet aircraft fleet to avoid any further incidents. The DGCA also took off the roster the flight's crew, aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) and in-charge of SpiceJet's maintenance control centre, pending a probe.

At present, the aircraft that was involved in the incident on May 1 is grounded in Kolkata, the DGCA said. The rest of the SpiceJet aircraft fleet are in operation. SpiceJet has 91 aircraft in its fleet, according to its website.

Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said, The turbulence encountered by a flight while landing in Durgapur, and the damage caused to the passengers is unfortunate. The DGCA has deputed a team to investigate the incident.

The matter is being dealt with utmost seriousness and deftness, he said. "More details on the cause(s) will be shared once the investigation is completed," Scindia noted. There were 195 people, including two pilots and four cabin crew members, on board the Mumbai-Durgapur flight, the DGCA mentioned. The plane took off from the Mumbai airport at approximately 5:13 pm on Sunday (May 1), it said.
New Delhi: A man allegedly barged into the classroom of a civic body-run school in east Delhi and sexually assaulted two eight-year-old girls before undressing himself and urinating in front of the students, according to PTI.

Taking cognizance of the matter, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) issued a notice to the police and EDMC. According to reports, when the students informed the principal and class teacher about the shocking incident, they were told to keep quiet and forget it.

DCW Chief @SwatiJaiHind issues Summons to East MCD and notice to Delhi Police in the matter of sexual assault with girl students inside an MCD School. pic.twitter.com/A2aEakL3By  Delhi Commission for Women - DCW (@DCWDelhi) May 4, 2022

Police said no CCTV camera was installed at the entrance of the school and on the premises. The Delhi Police has registered a case in connection with the sexual assault of the girls at the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) school in Bhajanpura but did not divulge details of the incident.

The civic body-run schools have students up to class 5. In its notice, the DCW said on April 30, after the school assembly, students were waiting for their teacher inside the class when an unknown man entered the classroom.

He allegedly removed the clothes of a girl and muttered obscenities at her. Then he walked over to another girl and removed her clothes and his clothes as well. Thereafter, the accused closed the door of the classroom and urinated in front of the students, the DCW said in its notice.

This is a serious matter and warrants immediate action, it said. According to police, cognizance was taken immediately, and a case has been registered under the POCSO Act and an investigation has been taken up.

A special team has been formed to investigate the matter. Also, special wings of the force have been roped in to assist the police station team in the probe, a senior police officer said.

"It was an MCD school and no CCTV was found installed at the entrance or inside the school. However, a number of CCTVs have been examined in the vicinity to trail the suspect," he said.

"Based on the description given by the girls, a portrait of the suspect has been prepared and two people have been zeroed-in. The police team is working in close coordination with school officials," the police officer added.

East Delhi Mayor Shyam Sunder Aggarwal said that a "lapse" has happened, and a probe has been ordered.

"We are getting the incident probed and strict action will be taken against those found guilty," he said. According to the mayor, the incident occurred on Saturday morning and the EDMC has received the DCW notice in the matter.

Asked if a security guard was on duty when the man allegedly entered the premises of the school, Aggarwal said, "A guard is on night duty. During the day, the school gates are latched from the inside and sanitation or other staff only let people in with due authorisation, he said. The municipal corporation is cash-strapped. So, "it is difficult to post guards throughout the day", the mayor said.

DCW chief Swati Maliwal said, "It is totally unacceptable that such a grievous crime happened in broad daylight in the school and instead of reporting it, the authorities tried to hush up the matter.

"MCD must explain as to how was this allowed to happen. Delhi Police must immediately arrest the accused and initiate action under the POCSO Act against those responsible for trying to conceal the matter," she said.

The commission has sought from the police a copy of the FIR, details of the accused, whether the victims have been produced before a child welfare committee, and details of action taken against the class teacher and principal under the POCSO Act.

The panel has sought the information by May 6. It has also summoned the east MCD commissioner, asking him to appear before it within 48 hours. The DCW has sought a detailed report on the incident from the civic body along with reasons for the security lapse and action taken against those responsible.

It has also asked the East Delhi civic body to provide CCTV footage of the school along with details of provisions in place for keeping a check on visitors. In case the school does not have CCTV cameras, the East MCD Commissioner has been asked to inform the reasons for the same and whether any proposal for installation of CCTV cameras is pending before the civic body, the panel said.
Gurugram: A 24-year-old woman was allegedly raped and stabbed by two men in the DLF Phase 3 area here, police said on Tuesday, adding one of the accused was arrested.

The incident took place on Monday night at Nathupur in DLF Phase 3, police said.

The condition of the victim, who is admitted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, is critical, they said.

The victim's husband, an autorickshaw driver, filed a complaint at DLF Phase 3 police station.

"On Monday, I got a desperate call from my wife. She told me she had been stabbed. I asked her about location but she could not tell me a specific area. Then she asked me to reach home. When I reached home, she told me she was raped by two and one of them stabbed her," said the complaint.

The victim is not fit for giving statement, police said, adding that on the basis of her husband's complaint, an FIR was registered against two persons under IPC sections 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation), 324 (grievously hurt), and 34 (common intention) on Tuesday.

Police said they have nabbed one of the accused, Anil Thakur, a native of Bihar, and the probe is underway.

"We have arrested one of the accused and are interrogating him," Gurugram Police Commissioner Kala Ramachandran told PTI.
Copenhagen (Denmark): During his visit to Denmark on Tuesday (May 3), Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the country's Queen, Margrethe II. The queen extended a warm reception to Modi in Copenhagen. Prime Minister Modi felicitated the Queen on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of her reign, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Twitter.

Watch the video here:

#WATCH | Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark, Margrethe II hosted an official dinner for Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark. pic.twitter.com/HaU9vYre0y  ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2022

The 82-year-old Queen has been Denmark's reigning monarch since 1972. The Danish monarchy is one of the oldest in the world. "Her Majesty, the Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark, Margrethe II extended a warm reception to PM @narendramodi. Prime Minister felicitated Her Majesty on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of her reign," Bagchi said in a tweet.

The Royal House Kongehuset, in a statement issued on April 27, said that after the Queen receives Prime Minister Modi in the audience, "Her Majesty will host an official dinner afterwards in Christian VII's Palace at Amalienborg. The Crown Prince Couple will be present at both the reception and the dinner."

Check out the pictures:

Met Her Majesty, the Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark, Margrethe II in Copenhagen. pic.twitter.com/YZkS1BJbIH  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 3, 2022

Prime Minister Modi's visit took place in connection with Prime Minister Frederiksen's official visit to India in October 2021. "It will be the first time in 20 years that an Indian prime minister has made an official visit to Denmark," the Royal House had said.

Modi also met his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen in the Danish capital and the two leaders held extensive discussions on the full range of bilateral cooperation as well as matters of regional and global interests. Modi, who arrived here from Germany on the second leg of his three-nation Europe trip, was welcomed by Frederiksen upon his arrival at Marienborg - the official residence of the Prime Minister of Denmark - for talks. As a special gesture, Frederiksen earlier received Modi at the airport. "Conversations in Copenhagen aimed at boosting friendship," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.

The two leaders held talks in a one-on-one format, followed by delegation-level talks, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: As Delhi reels under severe heatwave conditions, the water level in the Yamuna river has gone down. According to media reports, the level of water in the capital's Yamuna at the Wazirabad pond has depleted to 672.6 ft as against a normal level of 674.5 ft.

Following a drop of around two feet of water, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has reportedly written to Haryana and requested to release more water. This was a second SOS sent by DJB to the Haryana Irrigation department in a week, reports claimed.

Earlier last month, the Delhi government had said that it will supply around 1,000 million gallons of drinking water every day during the summer season as against 935 MGD earlier to meet the rising demand.

Sharing its Summer Action Plan, the DJB had said on April 28 that a total of 1,198 water tankers will be deployed across the city during the peak summer season (April-July) to prevent water scarcity.

ALSO READ | Delhi weather witnesses weird trend - Temperature is changing every 5 kms

"To meet the water requirement of the city residents, especially considering the rising heat this year, the Delhi government is targeting to supply about 1,000 MGD of potable water during the summer of 2022 by optimising all the resources," a statement quoted Delhi Minister Irrigation and Water Satyendar Jain as saying.

"The system has been made efficient and robust so that there is no water scarcity in the summer season. The water minister is personally monitoring the situation," the statement said.

It is notable that with scanty rains owing to feeble western disturbances, Delhi had seen its second hottest April this year since 1951 with a monthly average maximum temperature of 40.2 degrees Celsius. The capital's normal monthly average temperature in April is 36.30 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert, warning of a dust storm or thunderstorm with winds gusting up to 50 kilometres per hour in the national capital on Wednesday (May 4).

The maximum temperature at the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station, is likely to settle around 38 degrees Celsius. The mercury is set to rise by four to five notches over the next six days. However, no heat wave is predicted.

(With agency inputs)
The BJP has slammed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin over his government's decision to ban a palanquin procession for Dharmapuram mutt Adheenam (Chief Seer). State BJP chief K Annamalai, criticising the decision, has said that he will openly defy the government if the same is not reversed soon.

"If government opposes Dharmapuram Adheenam's 'Pattina Pravesam', we will break the government rule and will carry the 'Adheenam' in palanquin ourselves. Government should take back their order," Annamalai was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI.

"Ban on Dharmapura Adheenams centuries-old Pattina Pravesham is an affront to Tamil Nadu's civilisational culture. Ill be personally there to carry the Adhinam on Palanquin on my shoulders. We will request the Adhinam to allow us to conduct the event by overturning this illegal order," the BJP chief tweeted earlier.

Meanwhile, Madurai Adheenam Chief Sri Harihara Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Swamigal too criticised the decision.

"For past 500 years this (Pattina Pravesam) was going on. But this year, suddenly it's not happening, I'm pained. Even the British had permitted Pattina Pravesam," Madurai Adheenam Chief Sri Harihara Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Swamigal said today.

"It is reprehensible to ban the event claiming it affects the dignity of human beings. Interfering with the religious practices is condemnable. I appeal to the Chief Minister M K Stalin to shoulder the responsibility to conduct the Pattina Pravesam," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI earlier.

Enforcing a prohibitory order, the revenue authorities in Mayiladuthurai district invoked the provisions of Article 23 of the Constitution of India and said the event could not take place as people are made to carry the palanquin. They took into account the staunch opposition from certain groups and opined the outbreak of law and order will be imminent if the event was conducted.

During the Pattina Pravesam procession, the pontiff of the Dharmapuram Aadheenam, founded in 16th century, is carried on a decorated palanquin and he is greeted by his devotees.

Dharmapuram is situated close to the Mayuranatha temple on the southern bank of the river Cauvery. The math was established by Sri Gurugnanasambandar for propagating Shaivism. He and his successors were great scholars in Tamil and are known for their rich contribution to Tamil language, devotional literature and Shaiva Siddhanta.

"I have been a pupil of Dharmapuram Aadheenam. Even if it endangers my life, I will myself go over there and carry him on my shoulders, if the officials don't lift the ban," Sri Gnanasambanda Desika Swamigal said when asked about his stance.

Questioning the rationale behind the ban, he wondered if the event had disturbed the peace and tranquility in the past.
Arakhamia: There is communication with Ukrainian units in Mariupol, Russian troops enter territory of Azovstal

As of the evening of May 4, the Ukrainian authorities have a connection with the units that defend Mariupol, Head of the Ukrainian delegation at the talks with Russia, head of the Servant of the People faction David Arakhamia told Radio Liberty.

"For the second day, attempts to storm the plant continue. Russian troops are already on the territory of Azovstal," Arakhamia said, referring to the commander of the Azov regiment.

According to the publication, he did not provide more detailed information.

As reported, on the afternoon of May 4, Mayor of Mariupol Vadym Boichenko said there was no connection with the Ukrainian military at Azovstal plant. He said that tanks, aviation and naval artillery are firing at the plant.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday received a big boost with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah asking him to continue without heeding to the speculations about leadership change, sources close to Bommai said.

Shah also assured Bommai that the next Assembly elections, due next year under his leadership and there was no question of any change of guard in Karnataka, the sources added.

"Amit Shah has given a clear direction to the Chief Minister not to bother about the leadership change, which people are talking about. He told him to go ahead and focus on development. We will contest elections on development, due to which we are successful," sources told PTI.

According to them, Shah also asked Bommai to provide good administration and concentrate on youth-oriented programmes. The Union Home Minister also told him that former chief minister B S Yediyurappa will also join him to win the poll battle.

Regarding the cabinet reshuffle, which has been on cards for a long time with five posts out of 34 sanctioned ministerial berths still lying vacant, Shah said he would send the list before May 10, as per the sources.

"The reshuffle will be a minor one and seven new faces may be expected," the sources added.

The union Home Minister left for Delhi at around 8.30 PM after completing his engagements in the city.

Shah was in Bengaluru on Tuesday to attend in a host of events including the inauguration of Nrupathunga University, BJP state unit's event, a luncheon organised by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

He also inaugurated the National Intelligence Grid and took part in the valedictory of the Khelo India University Games-2021.

Shah's visit came after a minister resigned following the alleged suicide of a civil contractor accusing the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa that he demanded a 40 per cent cut in the public works worth Rs four crore in Belagavi district in 2021.

His visit also came when the state saw the police sub-inspector recruitment scam coming to fore with the opposition Congress alleging the involvement of two ministers.

Speculations also got wings when two days ahead of Shah's arrival in Bengaluru, BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh said in Mysuru at a party event that the party leadership has the willpower and strength to execute leadership change as was done in Gujarat when the incumbent chief minister Bhupendra Patel replaced Vijay Rupani.
Thiruvananthapuram: The CBI team which has been probing the sexual harassment case against five Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, on Tuesday conducted an inspection at the Cliff House, the official residence of the Kerala chief minister, in search of evidence.

State Congress leaders, including Chandy, are accused of sexually abusing the prime woman accused in the solar panel scam.

The team reached the Cliff House after taking special permission from the state government, sources said.

Television channels aired visuals of the CBI team inspecting Cliff House where the survivor had alleged that she was abused by the senior Congress leader when he was the Chief Minister.

Last month, the team had conducted an inspection at the MLA hostel, where some former Congress legislators had allegedly abused the survivor.

Sources said the complainant woman was also with the CBI team which conducted the inspection.

The Left government had last year recommended a CBI probe into the sexual harassment case filed by a woman accused in the solar scam against five Congress leaders - Chandy, party MPs -- KC Venugopal, Hibi Eden, Adoor Prakash, former minister A P Anil Kumar and A P Abdulla Kutty, who was earlier in the Congress and is now in the BJP camp.

Chandy has maintained that he has not done any wrong and was prepared to face any probe.

The cases against the six, including Chandy, were registered over the past several years and investigated by the Crime Branch police on a complaint by the woman accused in the multi-crore solar panel scam during the previous UDF government that she was sexually exploited by them in 2012.

In the solar scam, two main accused, a man and a woman, allegedly duped investors of lakhs of rupees after promising to install solar panels for them. The two primary suspects were arrested in October 2013, and sentenced to three years in jail on December 16, 2016.

Chandy and other Congress leaders were later accused of demanding money and sexual favours as part of the scam.
Jerusalem: The Omicron subvariants may burn themselves out in the next couple of months and there could be another outbreak of Delta or a different coronavirus strain this summer, according to a new modelling study conducted in Israel.

The finding, published last week in the journal Science of The Total Environment, suggests that while Delta wiped out the variants that preceded it, Omicron has not eliminated the deadly variant which could re-emerge.

Researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Israel developed sensitive arrays that can differentiate variants from each other in wastewater which continues to give indications of where the coronavirus is active, even when PCR and rapid testing of people declines.

They monitored sewage in Beer-Sheva city of Israel from December 2021 to January 2022 and noticed a "disturbing interaction" between the Omicron and Delta variants.

The researchers also built a model which predicts that Omicron is burning itself out while Delta is just biding its time. "Of course, there are a lot of factors involved, but our model indicates there could be another outbreak of Delta or another coronavirus variant this summer," said Professor Ariel Kushmaro from BGU in a statement.

Until now, the researchers said, whenever a new, dominant, variant appeared, it overpowered its predecessor after a short parallel period. However, in contrast to the expected dynamics whereupon the Delta variant diminishes as Omicron variant increases, results received from wastewater detection indicated a cryptic circulation of Delta even with the increased levels of Omicron, they said.

"According to the developed model, it can be expected that the Omicron levels will decrease until eliminated, while Delta variant will maintain its cryptic circulation," the authors of the study noted.

"If this comes to pass, the mentioned cryptic circulation may result in the reemergence of a Delta morbidity wave or in the possible generation of a new threatening variant," they added.

According to the researchers, including Karin Yaniv from BGU, Omicron is spreading swiftly around the world with record morbidity reports. Unlike the Delta variant, previously considered to be the main variant of concern in most countries, the dynamics of the Omicron variant have shown different characteristics, they said.

The researchers noted that the deployment of wastewater-based epidemiology is recommended as a convenient and representative tool for pandemic containment.
PM Narendra Modi arrived in France in the last leg of his 3-day visit to European nations. The Prime Minister is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in France. The crucial meeting is scheduled to take place at 10.30 am in the morning. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister met the leaders of Nordic Nations in Denmark.

In today's DNA, Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary makes an analysis of PM Narendra Modi's participation in the Nordic nations summit and his bilateral meetings with the leaders of these countries.

PM Narendra Modi's programmes today can be categorised into two parts:

1) India's bilateral summit with four Nordic group nations - Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland.

2) India-Nordic nations summit

India discussed several crucial issues during the summit, they are as follows:

1) Climate Change

2) Green Energy

3) Blue Economy

4) Health

5) Global growth and support

6) Growing bilateral business

7) And, developing Education, Research and Development Programme.

PM Narendra Modi meets Norway PM Jonas Gahr Store

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store and the two leaders took stock of the full range of bilateral relations, discussed ways to deepen developmental cooperation and exchanged views on regional and global developments.

PM Narendra Modi meets Sweden PM Magdalena Andersson

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Sweden Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and discussed possibilities of deepening cooperation in areas like innovation, climate technology, climate action, and green hydrogen. Their meeting, on the sidelines of the second India-Nordic Summit in Copenhagen, was the first between the two leaders.

PM Modi meets Iceland PM Katrin Jakobsdottir

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Iceland counterpart Katrin Jakobsdottir ahead of the 2nd India-Nordic Summit in Copenhagen. Both leaders discussed boosting ties in areas like trade, energy, fisheries and more.

PM Modi meets Finland PM Sanna Marin

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Finnish counterpart Sanna Marin here and discussed ways to further cement bilateral ties in trade, investment, technology and other sectors. Modi, who arrived here on Tuesday from Berlin on the second leg of his visit to three European nations, met Marin on the sidelines of the second India-Nordic Summit in the Danish capital.

Watch DNA with Sudhir Chaudhary to understand in detail the PM Narendra Modi's visit to Nordic nations and meeting with various world leaders.
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday gave precious items reflecting India's rich and diverse heritage and showcasing its distinctive traditions as gifts to the prime ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden on the sidelines of the first India-Nordic summit.

According to Zee Media reports, the PM gifted a Rogan painting, an art of cloth printing practiced in Gujarat's Kutch, to Danish Queen Margrethe, a silver Meenakari bird figure from Benaras to Crown Princess Mary and a brass Tree of Life from Rajasthan to his Finland counterpart among various other items to other dignitaries from the Nordic states.

PM Modi gifts Dokra boat from Chhattisgarh to Crown Prince Fredrik of Denmark

PM Narendra Modi gifted a Dokra boat from Chhattisgarh to HRH Crown Prince Fredrik of Denmark. Dhokra, also spelt as Dokra, is nonferrous metal casting using the lost-wax casting technique. This sort of metal casting has been used in India for over 4,000 years and is still used.

There are two main processes of lost wax casting: solid casting and hollow casting. The product of artisans who are mainly from Central and Eastern India are in great demand in domestic and foreign markets because of their primitive simplicity, enchanting folk motifs and forceful form.

PM gifts a Rogan painting from Gujarat to Queen Margrethe

The PM also gifted a Rogan painting from Gujarat to the HM Queen Margrethe. A Rogan painting is an art of cloth printing practiced in the Kutch District of Gujarat.

In this craft, paint made from boiled oil and vegetable dyes is laid down on fabric using either a metal block (printing) or a stylus (painting). The craft nearly died out in the late 20th century, with Rogan painting being practiced by only one family. The word Rogan comes from Persian, meaning varnish or oil. The process of applying this oil-based paint to fabric began among the Khatris, a community in Kutch, Gujarat.

The process of making a Rogan painting is very laborious and skilful. Artists place a small amount of this paint paste into their palms. At room temperature, the paint is carefully twisted into motifs and images using a metal rod that never comes in contact with the fabric. Next, the artisan folds his designs into a blank fabric, thereby printing its mirror image.

PM gifts a Silver Meenakari Bird figure from Benaras to Crown Princess Mary

The Prime Minister gifted a Silver Meenakari Bird figure from Banaras to Crown Princess Mary. The art of silver enamelling practised in Benaras (Varanasi) is almost 500 years old. The art has its roots in the Persian art of Meenakari (Meena is the Persian word for glass).

The most distinguishing element of Banaras meenakari is the use of pink colour in various shades on various products. The base is a silver sheet, which is fixed on a metallic base. The sheet fixed on the base mould is beaten lightly to get a fitting form of the mould. The preliminary product is taken off in spliced form the mould and is deftly joined. On this, a design is worked on with a metallic pen.

The Meena is ground to a fine powder and mixed with pomegranate seeds in water. Thereafter, it is fixed on various parts of the product with a flat metallic tool called qalam. The finished product is decorated with semi-precious stones and pearls.

PM gifts Brass Tree of Life from Rajasthan to PM of Finland

PM Modi continued by gifting the Tree of Life to his Finland counterpart. The Tree of Life symbolizes the development and growth of life. The branches of a tree grow and develop upwards and contain various life forms representing inclusiveness.

This hand-crafted wall decorative art piece depicting the 'Tree of Life' is made of brass, and is an example of the excellent craftsmanship and rich tradition of India. The roots of the tree represents connection with the earth, leaves & birds represent life and the candle stand represents light.

PM gifts Dhaal with Koftgiri art from Rajasthan to PM of Norway

The Prime Minister gifted Dhaal with Koftgiri art from Rajasthan to PM of Norway. Tarkashi (Koftgiri) on metal is a traditional art of Rajasthan in India as a means of decorating Arms and Armour. Today it has been diverted to the decoration of objects such as picture frames, boxes, walking sticks and decorative swords, daggers and war accessories like shields. Koftgiri is the inlay work with silver and gold wires.

Koftgiri craft is intended to enrich the surface of the metal of which the article is made. The base metal is a mixture of three types of Iron (soft, hard and high). The layers of these three types of iron are hammered till they are completely mixed and one base metal is made then blades in different shapes are made out of it and this blade is dipped into a solution of three herbs which brings out the design engraved on the blade. Finally, the blade is rubbed and polished with very fine paper.

PM gifts a wall hanging with Kutch embroidery to PM of Denmark

The Prime Minister of Denmark received a precious wall hanging with Kutch embroidery from Narendra Modi. The Kutch Embroidery is a handicraft and textile signature art tradition of the tribal community of Kutch District in Gujarat, India. This embroidery with its rich designs has made a notable contribution to the Indian embroidery traditions.

The embroidery, practiced normally by women is generally done on cotton fabric, in the form of a net using silk or cotton threads of myriad hues. Certain patterns are also crafted over silk and satin. The types of stitches adopted are "square chain, double buttonhole, pattern darning, running stitch, satin and straight stitches". The signature effect of the colourful embroidery sparkles when small mirrors called abhla are sewn over the geometrically shaped designs.

A Pashmina stole in a Papier Mache box from J&K for PM of Sweden

The PM also presented a Pashmina stole in a Papier Mache box from J&K to PM of Sweden. A symbol of luxury and elegance, Kashmiri Pashmina Stoles have been treasured for their rare material, exquisite craftsmanship and reminiscent designs since time immemorial. The warmth and softness that these stoles offer are simply beyond comparison.



Pashmina is an exclusive art of the Union Territory of Kashmir, India which is known for producing one of the finest Pashmina stoles.



The wool used for making Pashmina stoles comes from a special breed of Kashmiri goat found in the high altitude regions of the Himalayas. A good Pashmina stole requires an expert hand for spinning, weaving and creating embroidery. The art of weaving Pashmina and hand-embroidery on Pashminas has been passed on as a legacy from generation to generation in the Union Territory of Kashmir.

The Pashmina stole is packed in a Kashmir Papier Mache box which is handcrafted and coloured. The piece is hand-painted in a floral design depicting the flora and fauna of the Kashmir valley. The design used in this piece is an intricate pattern drawn with a fine thin brush. Water based colours and natural pigments have been used in this piece. Pure gold foil and paint have been used in the design which imparts a royal look to the piece. Finally, the piece is coated with lacquer which protects it from water and gives extra durability.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday attended the second India-Nordic summit in Denmark that primarily focused on cooperation in post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change and renewable energy. PM Modi said that there is much that India and the Nordic countries can achieve and contribute to global prosperity and sustainable development.

"The India-Nordic Summit will go a long way in boosting India's ties with the region. Together, there is much that our nations can achieve and contribute to global prosperity and sustainable development," PM Modi tweeted.

The India-Nordic Summit will go a long way in boosting Indias ties with the region. Together, there is much that our nations can achieve and contribute to global prosperity and sustainable development. pic.twitter.com/zNyiqrJFe3  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 4, 2022

The summit saw the participation of the prime ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The first India-Nordic summit was held in Stockholm in 2018.

(With Agency Inputs)
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday landed in Paris on the third and final leg of his visit to three European nations. He will be meeting President Emmanuel Macron during his brief stay and after that, he will fly back to India.

Landed in Paris. France is one of Indias strongest partners, with our nations cooperating in diverse areas. pic.twitter.com/NCxsFFOgjX  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 4, 2022

Upon his arrival in Paris, PM Modi was given a warm welcome by the Indian diaspora.

Indian diaspora welcomes Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Paris (Source: DD) pic.twitter.com/4Ny1IDRSQ4  ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had left for France after concluding his "productive" visit to Denmark during which he held a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Nordic countries and attended the second India-Nordic summit. He also addressed the Indian community and interacted with Denmark's Royal Family.

The Prime Minister also attended the second India-Nordic summit along with his counterparts Mette Frederiksen (Denmark), Katrin Jakobsdottir (Iceland), Jonas Gahr Store (Norway), Magdalena Andersson (Sweden) and Sanna Marin (Finland). The summit primarily focused on post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change, renewable energy and the evolving global security scenario.

The Summit provided an opportunity to review the progress of the India-Nordic relations since the 1st India-Nordic Summit, which was held in 2018 in Stockholm.

During his brief stay in France, PM Modi will meet Emmanuel Macron. He will be the first world leader to have a face-to-face meeting with Macron following the French President's re-election in April.

PM Modi's France visit comes during the French presidency of the European Union. It also coincides with the 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and France.

This is PM Modi's fifth visit to France after August 2019, June 2017, November 2015 and April 2015.
Copenhagen: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday left for France after concluding his "productive" visit to Denmark during which he held a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Nordic countries and attended the second India-Nordic summit.

"After a productive Denmark visit, PM @narendramodi emplanes for Paris," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.

After a productive Denmark visit, PM @narendramodi emplanes for Paris. pic.twitter.com/qgIhNOsWL7  PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 4, 2022

"Strengthened bilateral ties with Denmark. Enhanced collaborations with the Nordic countries and the region. PM @narendramodi's visit to Copenhagen concludes. PM Modi now leaves for Paris to hold talks with the French President @EmmanuelMacron," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

Strengthened bilateral ties with Denmark.

Enhanced collaborations with the Nordic countries and the region. PM @narendramodis visit to Copenhagen concludes. PM Modi now leaves for Paris to hold talks with the French President @EmmanuelMacron. pic.twitter.com/gI9Kkal3tW  Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) May 4, 2022

PM Modi, who arrived here on Tuesday from Berlin on the second leg of his visit to three European nations, held productive talks with his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen on Tuesday and also attended a business summit to discuss economic linkages.

He also addressed the Indian community and interacted with Denmark's Royal Family. Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday attended the second India-Nordic summit that primarily focused on post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change, renewable energy and the evolving global security scenario.

On the sidelines of the summit, Prime Minister Modi held separate bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland during which he discussed with them ways to further deepen bilateral ties and also exchanged views on regional and global developments.

PM Modi also gave expensive gifts to the PMs of Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland.

"My Denmark visit has been excellently productive. The programmes covered different spheres ranging from diplomatic meetings, boosting cultural and commercial linkages and engagement with the Indian community. I thank PM Frederiksen, the Government and the people of Denmark," Modi tweeted after wrapping up his Denmark trip.

My Denmark visit has been excellently productive. The programmes covered different spheres ranging from diplomatic meetings, boosting cultural and commercial linkages and engagement with the Indian community. I thank PM Frederiksen, the Government and people of Denmark. @Statsmin  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 4, 2022

"The India-Nordic Summit gave a great platform to discuss ways to boost ties with the Nordic nations. The bilateral meetings with Nordic leaders were also productive. I look forward to working with them in various sectors aimed at furthering prosperity," PM Modi tweeted.

The India-Nordic Summit gave a great platform to discuss ways to boost ties with the Nordic nations. The bilateral meetings with Nordic leaders were also productive. I look forward to working with them in various sectors aimed at furthering prosperity.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 4, 2022

During a short halt at Paris while en route to India, PM Modi will meet Emmanuel Macron. He will be the first world leader to have a face-to-face meeting with Macron following the French President's re-election in April.

PM Modi had congratulated Macron after his re-election. Congratulations to my friend @EmmanuelMacron on being re-elected. I look forward to continue working together to deepen the India-French Strategic Partnership," PM Modi had tweeted.

In a statement before leaving for Europe, PM Modi said, "President Macron has very recently been re-elected, and my visit just ten days after the result will not only allow me to convey my personal congratulations in-person, but also reaffirm the close friendship between the two countries. This will also give us the opportunity to set the tone of the next phase of the India-France Strategic Partnership."

"President Macron and I will share assessments on various regional and global issues and will take stock of ongoing bilateral cooperation. It is my firm belief that two countries that share such similar vision and values for the global order, must work in close cooperation with each other," he had said.

(With Agency Inputs)
New Delhi: A special court in Mumbai on Wednesday (May 4, 2022) granted bail to MP Navneet Rana and her MLA-husband Ravi Rana, who were arrested following a row over the recitation of Hanuman Chalisa in front of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's residence.

The couple, who were arrested on April 23 by the Mumbai police, was booked under various provisions of the IPC, including charges of sedition and promoting enmity.

Special judge allowed Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana's bail plea on six conditions

The Mumbai Sessions Court granted bail to Navneet Rana and her husband Ravi Rana on a surety of Rs 50,000.

The court said that the applicants shall not commit a similar offence while on bail.

Maharashtra's MP-MLA couple can not address the press on any subject related to the case.

Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana will have to cooperate with the officials in the investigation.

The Rana couple can not in any way influence any witness or tamper with the evidence related to the case.

They also have to appear before the police for questioning, whenever called. The police, however, has to give them a 24-hour notice period.

It is noteworthy that the couple had in their bail plea claimed that the call to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside 'Matoshree', the Maharashtra CM's private residence, cannot be said to be an act to promote feelings of enmity or hatred and the charge under IPC section 153(A) cannot be sustained.

They also submitted that by no stretch of imagination, can the acts of the applicants be stated to constitute the offence of sedition.

The police, however, had opposed the bail plea, saying while on the face of it the couple's plan looked innocent, but it was, in fact, a big plot to challenge the ruling government. The police claimed that the opposition BJP in the state and political opponents of Uddhav Thackeray were trying to create an atmosphere to show that the chief minister was against Hindus and not sponsoring the cause of Hinduism.

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi: India has reached 150th position in the World Press Freedom Index, dropping further from its last year's 142nd rank out of 180 countries, a report by a global media watchdog released on Tuesday (May 3) said.

According to the report released by Reporters Without Borders, besides India, its neighbours except Nepal have also slid down in the World Press Freedom Index. While Pakistan is at 157th position, Sri Lanka ranks at 146th, Bangladesh at 162nd and Maynmar at 176th position, news agency PTI cited the report as saying.

Best performing countries

Norway 1st

Denmark 2nd

Sweden 3rd

Estonia 4th

Finland 5th

Among the worst-performing countries in the index, North Korea remained at the bottom of the list, while Russia was placed at 155th position, slipping from 150th last year. As per the global media watchdog, China climbed up by two positions ranking at 175th position, as compared to 177th position last year.

The international non-profit organisation said in a statement on its website, "On the World Press Freedom Day, Reporters Without Borders and nine other human rights organisations ask Indian authorities to stop targeting journalists and online critics for their work."

"More specifically, they should stop prosecuting them under counterterrorism and sedition laws," it added.

Referring to the scenario worldwide, the Reporters sans frontieres (RSF) said the 20th World Press Freedom Index reveals a two-fold increase in polarisation amplified by information chaos, that is, media polarisation fuelling divisions within countries, as well as polarisation between countries at the international level.

Commenting on the RSF 2022 World Press Freedom Index, three Indian journalists bodies-- Indian Women's Press Corps, Press Club of India and Press Association-- said in a joint statement, "While the job insecurities have grown so have the attacks on press freedoms seen an exponential rise. India does not fare too well in this regard, ranking 150 out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index compiled by RSF."

"Journalists have been incarcerated under draconian laws for flimsy reasons and on some occasions faced threat to their lives as well from self-styled custodians of law in the social media space," they added.

Further, they mentioned that the media has to come together "to reclaim its role towards realisation of this objective" as freedom of the press is integral to the functioning of a vibrant democracy.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani, who was recently released on bail by an Assam court, on Tuesday (May 4) warned to give a call for 'Gujarat bandh' on June 1 if cases against Dalits in Una tehsil filed over protests after assault on some Dalits in July 2016  and other protestors were not withdrawn.

Speaking at a gathering in Ahmedabad, Dalit leader Mevani called the BJP-led Gujarat government useless for doing nothing when a legislator from the state was "kidnapped" and taken away, PTI reported. The gathering was also attended by Gujarat Congress president Jagdish Thakor, and senior party leaders including Arjun Modhwadia and Amit Chavda.

"I would like to tell the Gujarat government that you are so 'nikamma' (useless), that you could do nothing when the Assam police came to Gujarat to trample upon its pride. You should be ashamed of it," he said.

"The Assam police kidnapping an MLA from Gujarat and taking him to Assam is an insult to 6.5 crore people of Gujarat," the independent MLA added.

Mevani also made the people assembled for the event take an oath to "never vote for the BJP or attend an RSS shakha". Moreover, he hit out at the BJP-led Assam government for not saying "sorry" over a lower court's critical observation regarding his re-arrest in another case. "Instead of feeling ashamed over the observation made by the court, questioning its conscience and reviewing its character, it (Assam government) came out with a stay order (from Gauhati High Court) so as not to publish that review order (of lower court). But it is not yet ready to say sorry," the Gujarat leader said.

On April 20, Mevani was arrested by an Assam police team from Palanpur town in Gujarat. Soon after his bail in the tweet case, he was rearrested on April 25 on different charges, including "outraging the modesty of a lady police officer".

(With agency inputs)
Exclusive interview of President of the European Council Charles Michel to the Interfax-Ukraine agency, which he gave by phone from Warsaw, where on Thursday, May 5, a donor conference initiated by Poland and Sweden will be held to raise funds for Ukraine.

Text: Iryna Somer

Can you give us more details about upcoming conference?

First of all, it is important to mentioned that this idea of a trust fund was expressed directly by president Zelensky and myself a few weeks ago. Because I understood that its extremely important for us, as the EU, to be concrete that we are operational and to identify the priorities but also to mobilize the means that are needed. That is one first element. Second element  I made a proposal to the European Council to support politically the launch of this conference. It means that we are supported by the 27 heads of states and heads of government, and we decided when we have the debate in the European Council and also in the frame work of the contact we had with president Zelensky that we want to involve an international community in this conference to make possible for many donors coming from other part of the world to show our solidarity with Ukraine. This is one first element. And that is why Im so pleased that Poland together with Sweden took a decision to launch in Warsaw this conference with a full support of the European Commission and full support of myself. This is one first element.

Second element. In closed cooperation with Ukrainian friends I see three priorities in this conference and three goals. The first is humanitarian support. We want to make sure that Ukrainian authorities are supported as much as we can in order to provide humanitarian support that is needed. Because of all that atrocity and all this suffering, difficulties for the people in Ukraine, the internally displaced people for instance and many others concerns that we have. That is the first goal  humanitarian support.

Second goal is the liquidity. It is important to support as much as we can Ukraine with budgetary support, with grants and loans in order to support at the economical level as much as possible the country. And that is why we think that this trust fund can be useful in order to give a strong signal of confidence, of trust and to make possible for the government, for the authorities to run the country. In the short term and also in the midterm.

And third point. It is extremely important and this is rebuilding of the country. When I went to Kyiv last time, especially when I went to Borodianka about ten days ago, I understood very well how its important to deal immediately without waiting, immediate signal that we start working for the rebuilding of the country. This is extremely important. That are three goals: we want to mobilize money, we want to convince all the friends of Ukraine across the world to demonstrate their solidarity and we want strong tool, strong instruments which is a trust fund in order to facilitate as much as possible the possibility for the friends of Ukraine to mobilize money, to mobilize financial means for Ukraine.

In my opinion, this conference tomorrow should be, must be, in my opinion, the starting point for kind of European Marshall Plan for Ukraine. This exactly what we must do, we must sent very strong signal that we will support Ukraine as mush as possible. And I see a comparison with last century when visionary people took a decision to invest in order to rebuild European continent after the World War II, and here for this century we are facing tragedy, this war against Ukraine is a human tragedy and means that visionary leaders today have to stand up and to give a signal that we will be courageous, we will be extremely firm in order to support Ukraine not only with word, not only with speeches  this is not enough  we need decisions, we need money, we need strong coordination, we need political will and this is tomorrow, in my opinion, must be tomorrow the starting point for kind of European Marshall Plan for Ukraine.

You mentioned that this trust fund also can goes for budgetary support. So, when this trust found can be activated, and when this, for example, midterm financial support for state budget can go to Ukraine?

In my opinion, as soon as possible. Its means that this decision tomorrow must be the starting point. And you know, that we already started to support Ukraine by providing macro financial assistance. Not only the EU, but also partners and friends. But here we try to marge our efforts more coordinated, more massive. It must be the goal. And this important, in my opinion, to make sure that Ukraines authorities will be able in the following days and weeks to have the money they need in order to meet the three goals that I mentioned: humanitarian support, liquidity and to start rebuild the country.

If I may, another extremely important element and show that we really want to listen to Ukraines authorities, to understand very clearly how we can be operational, how we can be concrete. When I went to Kyiv, I had a very long meeting with president Zelensky and his team and he also mentioned this idea to build, what he called twinning between regions in Europe, municipalities in Europe and regions and municipalities in Ukraine. And this is important because it would mean that we would strengthen people to people approach which is in line with EU application, that being expressed by Ukrainian authorities in order to make sure that the people in Ukraine and the people in the European Union they have the occasion to work closely together, to know better each other in order to take decisions and to put in place mechanism which will make sure that we will connect Ukraine to the EU as much as possible.

I would like to understand little bit more about how exactly this money will go to Ukraine  will be somebody in charge, will it be on bases of trust to Ukrainian side? How exactly it will work?

The exact technicalities are prepared by the European Commission. Commission will clarify what are the exact technicalities that they will proposed. But its mean indeed is there is a trust fund that there is a governance for this trust fund its needed. And let me share with you my opinion on that. I think, that basic point is very simple  we trust the Ukrainian authorities, and governance must show that we trust Ukrainian authorities. And with is what we have done with budgetary support and with macro financial assistance. We trust them. Of course, we will maintain all interactions regarding the reforms that are needed. But also taking into account the fact that today there is war launched by Russia and it means that reforms are more difficult. We understand it very well. But when it comes to rebuilding its important also to support the goals expressed by president Zelensky. We understood very well that the goal is not to rebuild Ukraine of the past. The goal is to build a modern prosperous, forward looking Ukraine. Its means that, for instance, it will be rebuilding of infrastructure and important to build infrastructure that are modern in line with the needs of the future, taking into account climate change, the digital transformation of the world and those challenging we are facing across the EU and everywhere in the world. Its must be also a preparation in order to support this political will, this political choice, this free political choice expressed by the Ukrainian authorities with the support of the Ukrainian people to choose for this European Union destiny.

Right now we are talking about international and the EU money, but the cause of what is going on in Ukraine is Russia. They also have to pay. How realistic is the idea to use frozen Russian finance for this purpose?

Personally, Im absolutely convinced that this is extremely important not only to freeze assets but also to make possible to confiscate it, to make it available for the rebuilding country. Im personally convinced. I recognized, because by a profession I use to be a lawyer, I recognized that legal level is not so simple. There are 27 legal systems across the EU and in many EU members states this needed decision taking by a court in order to make it possible. Its takes time, its a difficult and long process. But I instructed the legal service of the Council to prepared some possible ideas in order to find legal solution in line with the principals of rule of law, that would facilitate and make possible the confiscation of the assets of the people who are sanctioned by the EU or by other countries in the world. In my opinion, this is question of fairness, not only idea to freeze the assets, but the confiscation to make this money available for Ukrainian authorities for trust found and for the all this goals that I mentioned, especially for the rebuilding of the country, is a question of fairness, question of justice.

I have a very specific question. Do you support the idea of transferring 10% of the Special Drawing Rights of the member states to Ukraine and how this can be done?

This is also a topic I discussed directly with President and I mentioned the support of this idea. This is probably a topic which will be discussed tomorrow in the framework of this conference. We are in closed contact with the IMF and also with a different countries across the world and also across the EU. I think in deed this option is an interesting option, and we must look at that in order to see if its possible and for which member states it will be possible to take such a decision. I dont see that we have already taken a definite legal decision on this because it is a decision of the member states on the national level, but in my capacity as Chair of the European Council, and Ukrainian friends know that they can count on me in order to support this. Is it immediately 10% or we will start with 5% and will try to raise more  the exact modality, we should see what is possible, what is realistic, of course. But you understand Im supporter of this idea.

I would like to touch the question regarding sixth package of sanctions. After President of the European Commission announce in details what it can be, Hungarian government already said that they are not happy with this. Do you really believe that in such circumstance Budapest will support this package?

Look, we see, systematically in the past there were some concerns that we would not be able to be united. We were systematically able to adopt united position. And, of course, it required some negotiations, talks, decision. We need the support of the 27 governments. A few weeks ago I said publicly in the European Parliament that sooner or later oil and gas would be part of the sanctions. This is an important stap. With proposal putted at the table by the Commission and we are, Im working with my colleagues because this is Commission which make a proposal but these are the governments, this is Council which takes a decision. I can assure you that Im working very hard with my team and with my colleagues in order to make sure that we will be able in very short term to take united position on the proposal putted on the table by the Commission.

Exactly to avoid situation like this, prime minister of Italy Draghi said that its time for the EU to abolish unanimity vote. What is your opinion on this?

I think, its good that political leaders are active on the questioning, on this debate of the future of the EU. In a few days in Strasbourg next Monday will be the report of the Conference of the future of Europe. And this is good, even if its not visible in the press. In recent month we asks public opinion, citizens across Europe to think together with European institutions about the future we want for this political project. And one big topic is related to the decision making process. From my side in my capacity I would like first to listen to different opinions, different views before we will have a debate at the level of the Council or at the level of the European Council. Im confident that we can be innovative and we can use also tools that are existing in the current treaties. I give you one example. The European Peace facility. After three day of the war we decided to provide lethal military equipment to Ukraine. It was also direct request to me by Zelensky. When we took this decision, we used what we call the constructive abstention. It shows that there are tools. In one hand it showed that we are united and have a broad support when we took a decision because when we are united we are able to take a decision by unanimity then we have a strong position. If we are not united we have weaker position. Its mean that this debate is legitimate and will take a place. We have many legal tools in our hands in order to find systematically the balance between the unite which make us stronger on the one hand but also possibility to taking into account some sensitivities, some different opinions across the table of the European Council.

About Ukrainian application for the EU membership. In June you will have, I mean, Council will have conclusions from the European Commission. What will happened then? Can Ukraine wait for the Council decision immediately or it will be some kind of discussion?

Im always absolutely transparent with Ukrainian people and Ukrainian authorities. First, in fact, we took a quick decision, in a few days after the application by Ukraine  we decided immediately to task the European Commission to issue the opinion. Usually its takes 8-9 month. De-facto, here we took a decision in a few days and give a mandate to prepare the opinion. Point one. Point two. Commission already announced that the goal of the Commission is to published this opinion in June. In Council it will be my responsibility in my capacity to assess when we will be ready to put a topic on the agenda of the European Council. Time will depend on the content which will depend on the preparation together with the member states. Ill consult with all actors in order to assess when this is the best moment when we will be prepared to hold this debate at the level of the European Council and last important element  you know that already in Versai I took a decision immediately to put this debate for first change of views. We want to support the free choice of Ukraine. This is the basic principal. There are the treaties, there are conditions, there are a prosses, we need to bring objectivity in this process and we will see. Next step is very clear  next will be the European Commission and based on that it will be my responsibility to see when we can put topic on the agenda of the European Council  is it a June or is it later  Im not able to define answer today.

Will reforms of the country be a necessary condition for membership or it can be granted without it?

This is very clear that this is a process which based on reforms because the question about membership is related to the common approach on fundamental elements  the rule of law, the independence of justice, the fight against corruption, the single market, the economic reforms. Its means that we have a clear vision. Its a lot of efforts. I want to add something. This is very clear in opinion that the enlargements topic is a complex debate across the EU. But it also very clear because of the war in Ukraine the European Council will have a responsibility to clarify how we will manage this topic of enlargement because this is geopolitical question for the future of the Europe, for the future of the security, the prosperity, the stability across this European continent. And you can count on me in order to make sure that we will not escape this debate and we will have in the following month at the level of European Council the political debate about the future orientations for the engagement policy of the EU. Its also our duty to clarify for those who want to join to us, how we see the way we will cooperate and coordinate in order to take formal legal positions sooner or later on this question.

One last words. This is not only a question of geopolitics, this is not only a question of economical consequences of the crisis, this is really question about being human being. I do not react only as the President of the European Council, I react also as father of children. Last year I have an occasion to discover this great country. Last year I went three times in Ukraine and I sincerely convinced that what is happening in Ukraine is disaster, a tragedy, and this is our responsibility to take right decision to be courage today because this is the condition for the future of our children in Ukraine but across Europe and may be in the world.
Udaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday (May 4) said that culprits involved in riots will not be spared while the government will ensure that no incidents of violence take place in the state. Speaking to the media, Gehlot said, "To ensure no violence takes place in the state, action will be taken against the culprit. No one has the right to take law and order in their hands."

He also slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for "bulldozing" houses of the poor and alleged that it is the "homework" from the party`s high command to defame the Congress-led state government.

"They (BJP) bulldoze the houses of the poor. Their high command has instructed them to defame our government and to create instability. Those who have become Chief Minister candidate...there`s competition (among them), and have been given homework, which is why they are stretching everything."

                 ,          ,   ,   ,   ,     ,      pic.twitter.com/pQqyMuMjKi  Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) May 4, 2022

Notably, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked for a detailed report from the Rajasthan government over communal tension in the state`s Jodhpur region, sources said on Wednesday.

As per the sources, the Ministry is also "watching the situation closely" and getting inputs from the state`s administrative and police authorities. Tension gripped Gehlot`s hometown Jodhpur hours before Eid on Tuesday, prompting the authorities to suspend mobile internet services and impose a curfew in 10 police station areas of the city.

There was agitation over putting up religious flags on the Jalori gate circle in Jodhpur, which led to stone-pelting in which five policemen were injured. The state Chief Minister has appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony.

Following the incident, Jodhpur Police issued orders imposing a curfew till May 4 midnight besides suspending mobile internet services to check the spread of rumours.

The situation was brought under control in the early hours of Tuesday with heavy deployment of police but tension escalated again in the morning after prayers at an Eidgah. Shops, vehicles and houses were pelted with stones near the Jalori gate area.

Members of the minority community were installing Eid flags and they put up a flag on a roundabout alongside the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa. This led to a confrontation as members of the other community alleged that a saffron flag, which they had put up there ahead of Parshuram Jayanti, had gone missing.

The issue snowballed into stone-pelting and clashes, officials said. The police rushed to the spot to control the situation during which five policemen were injured, the police said.

The police had to lob tear gas shells to disperse the mob. Mobile internet services were suspended in the area to check the spread of rumours, the officials said.

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Jaipur: At least 97 people have been arrested in connection with the clashes that broke out between two groups in Rajasthan`s Jodhpur on Monday night and continued on Tuesday following which Internet services were suspended while curfew was clamped in 10 police station areas.

The Divisional Commissioner on Tuesday suspended Internet services in the entire Jodhpur district (including Jodhpur Commissionerate) with an aim to maintain peace and cordial atmosphere and curb rumours.

According to the order issued by the Divisional Commissioner Himanshu Gupta: "2G/3G/4G/data (mobile Internet), Bulk SMS, MMS/WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and other social media (Voice calls, Broadband Internet, Lease through Internet Service Provider) Internet services, except lines, have been suspended. This restriction will continue till further orders."

The clashes had first erupted late Monday night.

The violence began after some people were raising flags at the Jalori Gate intersection around 11.30 p.m. on Monday. A person making a video of this was beaten up by some youth. When some people came to his rescue, they beat them also. After this, the other group started throwing stones. Deputy Commissioner of Police East and Udaymandir SHO were injured in the stone pelting.

The violence erupted again on Tuesday morning at the Jalori Gate over the unfurling of a flag. The police cane-charged the miscreants, fired tear gas shells and dispersed the mob.

In view of the tense situation, curfew was imposed in 10 police station areas.

Meanwhile, the Police Commissionerate has issued a partially amended order which says that students appearing in various school examinations, competitive examinations, teachers and staff engaged in examination work will be allowed to move during the curfew.

Medical emergency services, medical staff, bank employees, officials related to judicial services, employees, journalists and media persons would require to show identity cards or documents.

If necessary in special circumstances, the concerned Assistant Commissioner of Police would be able to grant permission to go out in the curfew.

Rest of the orders will remain the same.

ADG Law and Order Hawa Singh Ghumaria told that strict adherence to curfew in Jodhpur is being maintained.

Around 1,000 police personnel have been deployed in the district and every incident -- small or big -- is being closely monitored, he added.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot directed the police and the administration to identify the anti-social elements responsible for the incidents that disturb communal harmony and brotherhood, and take stern action against them. He termed the incident in Jodhpur unfortunate.

Addressing a high-level meeting at the Chief Minister`s Office on Tuesday, he said that a criminal, irrespective of religion, caste or class, must not be spared if found to be involved in criminal activities and appealed to the general public to maintain peace.

He directed Home Minister Rajendra Singh Yadav, Minister in-charge of Jodhpur Subhash Garg, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Abhay Kumar and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Hawa Singh Ghumaria to immediately rush to Jodhpur.

ALSO READ: Jodhpur clashes: Congress accuses BJP of spreading hatred in poll-bound states
The multimedia group Kojiki has kicked off 2022 with its grand expansion plans. As part of these overarching plans, the company recently opened its first office in Gujarat, India. To increase the audience and team growth, the office marks the beginning of Kojiki's expansion in different geographies. It also marks, as the CEO of Kojiki, Sohel Moldharia puts it, the beginning of the company's efforts to increase and grow its footprint in the ever-growing market that is the country.

The office comes in a series of major moves that Kojiki has made of late, including acquiring some major websites to venture out into different niches and media domains. All under its expansion plans, the company has acquired Analyzing Market, Weather News Point, and Today's Ecommerce, along with several other websites. "The new opportunities that we have been able to tap into following these acquisitions have produced some significant results. We have witnessed a sharp rise in the monthly unique visitor influx to the sites while the returning visitors have increased exponentially as well", said Moldharia about the acquisitions.

The CEO also went on to add that the company's first-ever office is the next step in its expansion plans as it allows the company to cater to the audience and the staff with increased efficacy. "Opening an office in the market that's one of our most prominent targets was an easy decision. Plus, it also allows us to foster a more tangible working environment that not only caters to our employee staff but also helps us cater to our Indian audiences more effectively," added Moldharia.

Shubham Sharma, the marketing lead executive of Kojiki, also shed some light on what the expansion plans for the company entail. "Kojiki's expansion into India is a continuation of the tremendous growth we have been able to achieve in recent times. The monthly visitor influx and engagement for the numerous websites under our umbrella have seen some staggering increase," said Sharma, while also adding that the Gujarat office is only the first of many offices that Kojiki plans to open in the country.

Kojiki is set to acquire several other websites as a part of its expansion plans for 2022 while opening up offices in the major cosmopolitans in the country. Furthermore, the company is already on its way to cutting the ribbons on its offices in the Philippines. According to Sohel Moldharia, the company aims to match its current digital expansion with its offline growth in multiple territories around the world.

(Sponsored Feature)
New Delhi: After Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackerays May 3 deadline, Hanuman Chalisa was played by the party workers during the wee hours of Wednesday (May 4) morning in Mumbais Charkop during the morning azaan.

Thackeray had demanded that the loudspeakers used in mosques be removed by May 3, failing which Hanuman Chalisa would be played at high volume to drown out azaan. Reiterating his remark, the MNS chief said on Tuesday, "I appeal to all Hindus that tomorrow, the 4th of May, if you hear the loudspeakers blaring the azan; in those very places, play the Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers! That's when they will realise, the hindrance of these loudspeakers!"

Following his mega rally in Aurangabad on Sunday, the police registered an offence against him over his "provocative" speech on the use of loudspeakers in mosques. The 53-year-old politician was booked under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 116 (abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment if offence be not committed) and 117 (abetting commission of offence by the public or by more than 10 persons) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act, PTI cited an official as saying.

While the Mumbai police on Tuesday evening served a notice to Raj Thackeray under CrPC section 149 related to preventing cognizable offences.

MNS leaders have threatened to hit the streets in case of further action against their party head.

Moreover, a court in Maharashtra's Sangli district has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Raj Thackeray in connection with a 14-year-old case.

Commenting on the loudspeaker row, Shiv Sena MP and party's chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said suitable action will be taken if someone gives inflammatory speeches. "The government does not run on an ultimatum. There is rule of law in the state," the Rajya Sabha MP said.

(With inputs from Vaidehi Kanekar)
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government in its latest developments in the liquor policies has decided to upgrade the liquor shops. Several market associations including the International Spirits and Wines Association of India (ISWAI) in Mumbai, which is the apex body of the premium alcoholic beverage industry have welcomed the decision.

The Maharashtra government has categorised liquor stores into two- super-premium and elite outlets. According to reports, the liquor shops under the super-premium category will have an area of around 601 sqm while the area of elite shops is expected to be between 71 sqm and 600 sqm.

The customers will soon be able to taste premium liquor brands from super premium liquor shops or markets apart from walk-in and self-service facilities. But the condition for this is that the area of the shop should be 601 square meters and above.

Maharashtra has around 45 operational wineries. Of these, between 15 and 20 units directly sell its products, while the rest are bulk manufacturers.

The wine industry boasts of a turnover of around Rs 1,000 crore annually and Maharashtra contributes 65% of these revenues. Most wineries are located in Nashik, which produce around 80% of Indias wine, followed by Sangli, Pune, Solapur, Buldhana and Ahmednagar.

The current sale of 70 lakh litres per year in the state is expected to go up to 1 crore litres under the new policy for retail sale, industry officials said.

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PATNA: Priyanka Gupta, an Economics graduate from Patna University in Bihar, who recently grabbed the limelight for opening a tea stall after failing to get a job, is in news again.

Yes, you got it right! The Bihar girl is now closing her tea stall since someone has promised to help her further expand her already flourishing business.

According to media reports, some unidentified person has offered her a mini food truck for selling tea and snacks. The chaiwali has reportedly accepted the offer and decided to expand her business by selling tea and snacks using the mini food truck.

(Image Credit: ANI)

Isnt it cool? The girl has agreed only on the condition that she will repay the entire cost of the food truck from the profit she will earn from her tea business in some time. Not only this, but Priyanka has also decided to hire professional tea makers on the food truck so that her customers can get their favourite tea.

Priyanka used to manage everything alone earlier, but she has now decided to hire more people to expand her business. Taking inspiration from Prafull Billore (an MBA Chaiwala), Priyanka had recently opened a tea stall near a women's college in Bihar's Patna after she failed to land a good job.

The 24-year-old girl appeared in many competitive exams and tried her luck in finding a job. But when she failed, she decided to go the "Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India)" way.

Priyanka, who is from the Purnia district and has two younger brothers, used to sell - masala, chocolate and paan chai for Rs 20 each, kulhad chai for Rs 15 and cookies for Rs 10.

A picture shared by news agency ANI showed a large poster at her tea stall which read: "An initiative towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat... Chaiwali welcomes you, be infused - tea, love and happiness."

Bihar: Priyanka Gupta, an economics graduate sets up a tea stall near Women's College in Patna I did my UG in 2019 but was unable to get a job in the last 2 yrs. I took inspiration from Prafull Billore. There are many chaiwallas, why can't there be a chaiwali?, she says pic.twitter.com/8jfgwX4vSK  ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2022

Aatmanirbhar Bharat is a policy concept that is actively encouraged by PM Narendra Modi, who himself used to help his father sell tea when he was a child at a railway station in Gujarat's Vadnagar.
New Delhi: In Jordan, which is one of the worlds driest countries, Sadhguru will meet and address leaders and citizens to raise further momentum for the movement On Day 44 of the 100 day Journey for Soil, Sadhguru reached the middle-east, entering the beautiful country of Jordan.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Sadhguru will be stopping in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Muscat, addressing citizens, leaders and decision-makers about the pressing need to address our degrading land.

As Sadhguru entered Jordan through Aqaba, he received a warm welcome by the Indian Ambassador to Jordan, H.E. Anwar Haleem and the Indian Embassy.

Today, on the auspicious occasion of #Eid in Jordan, @SadhguruJV arrived at Aqaba on a mission to #SaveSoil. He was warmly welcomed by Ambassador H.E. Anwar Haleem. Sadhguru is on a global Mission to create awareness about saving soil & #environment. @ishafoundation @cpsavesoil. (sic)

Today, on the auspicious occasion of #Eid in Jordan, @SadhguruJV arrived at Aqaba on a mission to #SaveSoil. He was warmly welcomed by Ambassador H.E. Anwar Haleem. Sadhguru is on a global Mission to create awareness about saving soil & #environment.@ishafoundation @cpsavesoil pic.twitter.com/foofcQcmet  India in Jordan (@IndiainJordan) May 2, 2022

Jordan, one of the world's driest countries, is already grappling with the effects of large-scale soil degradation.

The UN's desertification agency, in its latest Global Land Outlook 2 report has warned that more food supply disruptions, forced migration, water scarcity and greater pressure on species survival are expected as climate change intensifies and poor land management practices continue. By 2030, it warns that 700 million people could be displaced by drought.



This truly highlights the alarming nature of the issue and the will required from citizens and governments alike to reverse this, especially in a country like Jordan. In Amman, the capital city of Jordan, Sadhguru will be meeting leaders and citizens to address this, and raise further momentum for the Save Soil movement.

While the Europe leg of the journey saw Sadhguru riding through hail, strong winds, snow, rain and sub-zero temperatures, the Middle-east, however, offered a very different terrain with its own challenges. As Sadhguru rode to the spectacular "Rose Red City of Petra, even a sandstorm could not stop Sadhguru from ensuing on his relentless effort to Save Soil.

Sliding through the sand dunes into the stunning desert of Wadi Rum, Sadhguru was warmly welcomed with a traditional Jordanian Shemagh by the locals.

The day was rife with events, meeting with the Indian Diaspora and key influencers, while today, Sadhguru will be addressing a massive audience in Amman at the popular Landmark Hotel.

Save Soil: All You need to know about the movement

Save Soil, is a global movement to inspire a conscious approach to saving our soil and planet. This is, first and foremost, a peoples movement.

Soil extinction is not just another ecological challenge. It is an existential threat. If we do the right things now, we can significantly turn this situation around and regenerate the soil in the next 15-25 years.Sg #SaveSoil #ConsciousPlanet @UNCCD@FAO @WFP @UNEP @cpsavesoil pic.twitter.com/o0pgUMpiR5  Sadhguru (@SadhguruJV) February 10, 2022

The aim is to demonstrate the support of over 3.5 billion people (more than 60% of the worlds voting population) around the world and empower governments to initiate policy-driven action to revitalize soil and halt further degradation World leaders, influencers, artists, experts, farmers, spiritual leaders, NGOs and citizens are vocally supporting the movement to re-establish Humanitys relationship with Soil.

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New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was in Uttarakhand, visited his native village Panchur in the Pauri district on Tuesday (May 3) and sought the blessings of his mother. This was the UP CMs first visit to his ancestral village to meet his mother and other relatives after being elected to power.

Adityanath took to Twitter to share a picture with his mother where he can be seen touching her feet. The post has gained over 151 thousand likes. Captioning the image in Hindi, he wrote, Maa (mother).

Take a look at the picture here:

As per PTI, the UP CM spent Tuesday night in his village and will attend the hair tonsure ceremony of his nephew on Wednesday. Even though Yogi has been visiting Uttarakhand to attend political programmes and address public gatherings, this was for the first time that he visited his ancestral village.

"Adityanath, in fact, visited his village for the first time in several years to attend any family function there," an official was quoted as saying by the news agency. Earlier, he had not been able to attend the funeral of his father Anand Bisht on April 21, 2020 in Haridwar amid the nationwide Covid-19 outbreak.

Earlier on Tuesday, Yogi Adityanath unveiled a statue of his spiritual guru Mahant Avaidyanath at the Guru Gorakhanath Mahavidyalaya in Pauri district's Bithyani.

Addressing a function organised at the college in Yamkeshwar, Yogi said emotionally that he felt blessed to unveil the statue of Mahant Avaidyanath who despite being born there was not able to visit it after 1940.

The UP CM, who said he was born in Panchur village in Pauri, and had attended a school in Chamkotkhal near Yamkeshwar from class 1 to 9, also said he was grateful to get the opportunity to honour six of his school teachers.

(With agency inputs)
Kathmandu: Amid an ongoing war of words between the BJP and the Congress over a viral video involving Rahul Gandhi, a nightclub in Nepals Kathmandu has now confirmed to news agency ANI that the latter indeed attended a party here.

He (Rahul Gandhi) was there after the marriage party at LOD (Lords of the Drinks), a source told news agency ANI. Rahul Gandhi was there to attend the wedding of former Nepali ambassador to Myanmar Bhim Udass daughter, the source was quoted as saying by ANI.

It may be noted that the viral video of the former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi at a Kathmandu nightclub had triggered a political slugfest that is refusing to die down with leaders from all corners jumping in.

This video surfaced at a time when Congress is seen to be facing a leadership crisis and this episode has refuelled accusations that Rahul is a part-time politician.

On Tuesday, media reports had said Rahul Gandhi reportedly attended the wedding of a friend in the capital city of Nepal. The video which went viral on various social media platforms showed the Congress leader attending the party.

While the BJP leaders grabbed the opportunity to hit out at Rahul Gandhi, Congress sharply reacted and said it has still not become a crime in this country to attend a marriage celebration.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT department head Amit Malviya on Wednesday questioned, why he has ties only with those who are challenging Indias territorial integrity.

Rahul Gandhi was supposedly at the wedding of Sumnima Udas, a Nepali diplomats daughter, who actively supports Nepals claims over regions of Indias Uttarakhand. From China to Nepal, why does Rahul Gandhi have ties only with those who are challenging Indias territorial integrity? Malviya tweeted.

Malviyas tweet came in response to Congress counter-attack on the BJP after the slugfest over Rahul Gandhis viral video. Congress sharply reacted and said, it has still not become a crime in this country to attend a marriage celebration.

Rahul Gandhi went to a friendly country, Nepal, to participate in a marriage function of a friend who also happens to be a journalist. It has still not become a crime in this country to attend a marriage. Maybe after today, the BJP may decide (if) it is illegal to attend a marriage and a crime to have friends, said Randeep Singh Surjewala, the Congress media department head.
New Delhi: The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) is likely to release the RRB NTPC admit card 2022 soon.

As per media reports, the admit cards for RRB NTPC CBT 2 exam 2022 for pay levels 4 and 6 is expected to be out on May 5. Once released, candidates can download the admit card on rrbcdg.gov.in.

Candidates can access their admit cards by using their registration number and date of birth to login and download the RRB NTPC CBT 2 admit cards.

Steps to download RRB NTPC admit card 2022

1. Visit the RRB website at rrbcdg.gov.in.

2. On the homepage, click on the admit card link.

3. Login using registration number and date of birth.

4. Your RRB NTPC admit card 2022 will appear on the screen.

5. Download and take a printout for future reference.

Recently, the Railway Recruitment Board released the RRB NTPC CBT 2 2022 exam city slip for pay levels 4 and 6, following which some candidates took to the social media urging the board to change their exam centres. They claimed that they were allotted centres quite far from their home state.

Please change the examination center for RRB NTPC CBT 2. This is a humble request to shift the exam center at everyone's home state, a user wrote on Twitter.

#ChangeNtpcExamCity@AshwiniVaishnaw

@PMOIndia

@RRBKOLKATA Please change the examination center for RRB NTPC CBT 2

This is a humble request to shift the exam center at everyone's home state  Soubhik Biswas (@biswas_soubhik) May 1, 2022

Another user tweeted, I Applied for Kolkata RRB For NTPC Exam but they allotted my level 4, cbt 2 exam seat on 10 th may in Muzaffarpur Bihar which is 590 km away from home in a different state. Which is injustice for Aspirants. respect the Students labour (sic).

I Applied for Kolkata RRB For NTPC Exam but they allotted my level 4, cbt 2 exam seat on 10 th may in Muzaffarpur Bihar which is 590 km away from home in a different state. Which is injustice for Aspirants.respect the Students labour.  Tapas (@Tapas26026760) May 1, 2022

The RRB NTPC exam will be conducted on May 9 and 10.

ALSO READ: Govt exam calendar for May 2022 out! Check dates of SSC CHSL, RRB NTPC, RBI Grade B/Assistant, BPSC, DSSSB exam
Ihor Zhdanov, Information Defence Project , Open Policy Foundation

Informational Defence of Ukraine provides a daily review of the military-political situation in Ukraine[1] as of the past day of May 3rd, based on an analysis of open sources.

1. The Armed Forces of Ukraine heroically restrain the enemy's attacks in the decisive battle for the Donbas.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the groups of the 6th Military Army of the Western Military District, the 41st Military Army of the Central Military District, and the coastal troops of the Baltic and Northern Fleets operate in the Slobozhanskyi direction.

In the Izium direction, the enemys forces of separate units of the 1st Panzer Army, the 20th Military Army of the Western Military District; The 29th, 35th, and 36th Military Armies and the 68th Army Corps of the Eastern Military District and Airborne Troops are conducting offensive operations in the direction of Izium-Barvinkove. They sustain losses.

To support their actions, the occupiers moved a battery of 240-mm Tulpan (Tulip) heavy self-propelled mortars and a unit armed with Smerch (Tornado) rocket-propelled grenade launchers from the Belgorod region to the Izium area.

In the Donetsk and Tavriia directions, the groups of enemy troops, forces of separate units of the 1st and 2nd Army Corps, the 8th and 58th all-military armies of the Southern Military District; 5th Military Army and Pacific Fleet of the Eastern Military District; The 2nd and 41st Military Armies and the 90th Panzer Division of the Central Military District and Airborne Forces are conducting offensive operations on a certain section of the contact line of the frontline.

russian troops continue to move in the direction of the Lyman, Sloviansk and Siversk and try to seize full control of Rubizhne and Popasna. At some borders, russians began equipping the second line of defence.

In the Pivdennyi Buh direction, the enemy is fighting with the forces of the 8th and 49th Armies, the 22nd Army Corps, the Coastal Forces of the Black Sea Fleet of the Southern Military District and the Airborne Troops to improve the tactical situation.

As predicted by Information Defence experts, the enemy's offensive attacks were exhausted and choked. The enemy took an operational pause, accompanied by heavy positional battles and constant heavy artillery shelling of our positions, to regroup its troops and resume offensive operations soon.

The total combat losses of the enemy from February 24 to May 3 were: combatants - approximately 24,200 (+400) people were eliminated, tanks - 1062 (+14) units, armoured combat vehicles - 2567 (+48) units, artillery systems - 475 +16) units, MLRS - 162 (+10) units, air defence means - 80 (+0) units, aircraft - 194 (+0) units, helicopters - 155 (+0) units, motor vehicles and tank trucks - 1843 (+ 19) units, ships / boats - 10 (+2) units, UAVs of operational and tactical level - 291 (+20), special equipment - 38 (+0), cruise missiles - 84 (+0).

The greatest losses of the enemy yesterday were observed in the Izium direction.

Separately, the General Staff noted that as a result of effective attacks and coordinated actions of the Armed Forces, russian units of the 38th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade lost 60% of their personnel.

2. Information summaries, reviews and assessments of foreign, Ukrainian intelligence and think tanks.

The Chief of the General Staff of the russian armed forces, General Valery Gerasimov, recently visited Ukraine. This was stated by a senior official of the US Department of Defense on CNN .

The official declined to say why the United States was unsure of the russian general's whereabouts or who had intelligence that led to the conclusion. Earlier, there were reports that Gerasimov was wounded in Ukraine, but the United States has no information that he was wounded, the source said.

US intelligence reports that russia will try to "join" Donetsk and Luhansk regions by "mid-May", then the occupiers plan to annex the Kherson region and proclaim a Kherson People's Republic. This was reported by CNN .

According to the UK intelligence review, as a result of the invasion of Ukraine, the russian army is now much weaker, both physically and in spirit.

It is noted that between 2005 and 2018, russia's defence budget has almost doubled, due to investments in several high-quality air, ground and sea vehicles. Since 2008, this has been at the heart of a large-scale military modernisation program.

However, the modernisation of its physical equipment did not allow russia to dominate Ukraine. Failures in both strategic planning and operational implementation did not allow it to turn numerical power into a decisive advantage.

The russian army is now much weaker, both physically and in spirit, as a result of its invasion of Ukraine. Recovery from this will be hampered by sanctions. This will have a lasting effect on russia's ability to deploy regular military force, the review said.

The Central Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine states that information is being spread in the russian army that hostilities in Ukraine may continue until September this year.

Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, believes that russia's war against Ukraine could end in two ways - the disintegration of russia into three or more parts or a change in russian leadership.

3. The russian occupiers are violating international humanitarian law and committing genocide against Ukrainians.

International and national investigation into the genocide of the russian occupiers against Ukrainians. The Office of the Prosecutor General stated that of the 290 bodies of Irpin civilians were exhumed for examination and reburial, 105 remain unidentified.

During the investigation in the village of Kalynivka, Makarivska territorial community, another unauthorised burial of two men with traces of torture was discovered.

The russian aggressors kill Ukrainian children. As of May 3rd, more than 626 children were injured in the result of the armed aggression of the russian federation in Ukraine: according to official and incomplete data, 220 children died and more than 406 were injured.

During 68 days of the war, the children were mostly injured: 139 in the Donetsk region, 115 in the Kyiv region, 95 in the Kharkiv region, 68 in the Chernihiv region, 45 in the Kherson region, 43 in the Mykolaiiv region, 37 in the Luhansk region, 27 in the Zaporizhzhia region, 17 in the Sumy region, 16 in Kyiv City, 15 in the Zhytomyr region.

The russian occupiers kill and abduct civilians, hold them hostage and torture them. russia 's Defence Ministry says the invaders deported 1.1 million people from Ukraine, including approximately 200,000 children.

russians are taking away phones from the residents of the russian-occupied Kreminna, the Luhansk region, food is running out, and there is no light or gas there.

The russian invaders are launching missile and bomb strikes on civilians, towns and villages. On the night of May 3rd, the russian occupiers fired on Kharkiv, Luhansk, Kherson, and Mykolaiiv. Odesa is recovering from a missile strike that killed a child.

In Odessa, the night was quiet. On the evening of May 2nd, the enemy fired a rocket: one of the religious buildings was damaged, one hit a city infrastructure facility in Odesa and a residential building, one 15-year-old child was killed and one girl was injured.

The Kharkiv region: over the past 24 hours, two people were injured during the shelling of Kharkiv, another person was injured in the Chuhuiiv district of the region, a 46-year-old worker in a factory that caught fire from shelling died in the Kharkiv district.

In the afternoon of May 3rd, the russian occupiers fired on the central part of Kharkiv, causing fires in the central part of the city.

The Luhansk region: in the evening on Monday, there was a heavy shelling of Rubizhne, in the morning on Tuesday, there was a heavy shelling of Novodruzhesk. Details about the victims and the consequences of the shelling are being clarified. 20 people were evacuated.

The Donetsk region: from 5 am, there was a shelling of Vuhedar by artillery. Lyman, Avdiivka - under constant fire. At least nine people were killed by the russian invaders on May 3rd in the Donetsk region.

In the afternoon of May 3rd, at least 10 civilians were killed and 15 were wounded as a result of the shelling of the Avdiivka Coke Plant by the russian occupiers.

In Mariupol, as a result of airstrikes on the territory of the Azovstal plant by the russian occupiers, about ten people were injured and two women were killed.

The Kherson region: there were explosions and shelling in the region. The occupiers continue fighting and looting in the Kherson region.

The Mykolaiiv region: in the evening, there was shelling of the area, the blow was struck on the water supply area in Ochakiv. Also shelling across the city of Mykolaiiv was carried out. As of this morning, no one was injured.

Two people died as a result of shelling by the russian occupiers of the village of Zaliznychne, the Huliaipilskyi district, in the Zaporizhzhia region.

4. Evacuation of civilians, exchange of prisoners.

Of the 14 buses that took residents of Mariupol on May 2nd, only 3 arrived in the territory controlled by Ukraine on the morning of May 3rd, the fate of the people from the 11 buses is still unknown; more than a thousand city residents are still awaiting evacuation.

In the afternoon of May 3rd, 156 people arrived in Zaporizhzhia on five evacuation buses.

The evacuees from Mariupol told reporters that on May 2nd, the buses were awaiting inspections by the occupiers in Manhush near Mariupol. At about 8 am on May 3rd, the column moved in the direction of Zaporizhzhia.

5. Political and socio-economic situation in Ukraine, economic losses due to russian aggression.

The government and society demonstrate unity, patriotism and faith in victory. For the first time since the beginning of the war, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and called on them to be united, not to waste time on secondary laws and to remember that they were the parliamentarians of the greatest country now.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine banned the activities of pro-russian parties in Ukraine. 330 deputies voted for it.

Fourteen of the wealthiest Ukrainians together donated about $120 million to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine and for humanitarian purposes. Such data were collected by the Ukrainian Forbes .

Economic losses due to russian aggression. In January-April 2022, the country budget expenditures amounted to 558.1 billion, including the general fund of the country budget - 523.3 billion or 77.7% of the plan.

For the first 4 months of 2022, the country budget was executed with a deficit of 146.6 billion, including the general fund - with a deficit of 157.2 billion with a plan of 317.1 billion.

Signs of recovery of the Ukrainian economy. Approximately 1.1 million tons of grain, oil and meal were exported from Ukraine in April, which is much more than in March, when there were less than 200,000.

On April 27th, approximately 1,000 legal entities and individuals received UAH 3.3 billion from the redemption of the first issue of military bonds.

Restoration of infrastructure in the occupied territories. Two residential complexes with an area of 50,000 square meters will be built in the Kyiv region for people who were left homeless due to the military aggression of the russian federation.

6. International support and assistance to Ukraine.

Political support for Ukraine. In his address to the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson expressed his belief in Ukraine's victory over russia and announced a new package of military support.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz believes that the terms of peace should be determined by Ukraine, according to Reuters . He is convinced that the sanctions imposed on russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine will not be lifted until Moscow reaches a peace agreement with Ukraine.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Tuesday supported the appeal to the House of Representatives and the US Senate to recognise russia as a sponsor of terrorism.

Military assistance to Ukraine. On Monday, the United Kingdom said it would provide Ukraine with additional military aid of 300 million pounds ($375 million).

This assistance will include, inter alia, electronic warfare equipment and a counter -battery radar system. In addition, the UK will offer Ukraine night vision devices, tools to block satellite navigation, heavy drones and armoured vehicles for civilian officials.

According to a senior US Department of Defense official on CNN , more than 70 M777 howitzers arrived in Ukraine, which is about 80% of the total of 90 guns that the United States has pledged to provide.

According to a Pentagon spokesman, more than 200 Ukrainian gunners have so far been trained in the use of M777 howitzers, including a group of 50 Ukrainians who are due to complete their training today.

The German federal government has decided to deliver 7 Panzerhaubitzen 2000 howitzers from the Bundeswehr to Ukraine.

According to the Haaretz newspaper , political and military officials in Israel are inclined to supply defence military assistance to Ukraine. It is noted that the amount of evidence of russia's atrocities against the Ukrainian people makes Israel's shaky neutrality in the war less reliable.

Humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The United Kingdom will transfer 13 units of armoured vehicles to evacuate civilians from besieged areas in eastern Ukraine.

7. Political and socio-economic situation in russia, the impact of international sanctions on it.

New sanctions and restrictions against russia. The European Union hopes to approve the sixth package of sanctions against russia at the next meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on May 10th.

Head of the European Diplomacy Joseph Borrell said the sixth package of sanctions against Moscow would exclude more russian banks from SWIFT, a network that allows millions of international transactions a day.

The EU plans to step up cooperation with African countries to reduce dependence on russian gas by two-thirds by the end of 2022. This was reported by Bloomberg with reference to the draft EU external energy strategy, which was reviewed by the agency.

Slovakia will insist on lifting the embargo on russian oil if it becomes the subject of the new EU sanctions against russia.

The negative impact of sanctions on the russian economy. russia's dollar payments on two bond issues, the default of which would mark russia's first foreign default since the early 20th century, eventually reached debt holders. Bloomberg reported this.

The European oil refineries in the UK BP company no longer buy russian oil.

***

The Open Policy Foundation (hereinafter - the Foundation, http://openpolicy.org.ua ) is a well-known public organisation that conducts analytical research and information campaigns, in particular on Ukrainian and foreign policy, protection of the rights of young people from the temporarily occupied territories to receive higher education in Ukraine.

With the beginning of the russian aggression, the Foundation's experts, together with other leading Ukrainian analysts, have joined a team to implement the Information Defence of Ukraine project. Experts of the project prepare daily reviews of the military-political situation in Ukraine in Ukrainian, English, and Russian, the first review was released on February 26th, moderate the telegram channel Information Defence of Ukraine, https://t.me/info_defense_ua .

For three months now, we have been working on a volunteer basis, free of charge in the conditions of hostilities, sometimes under the sounds of air attack sirens.

If you like our reviews and want to continue to receive a quality analytical product that describes the objective picture of the Ukrainian-russian war, we ask you to provide charitable assistance to our team.

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MUMBAI: Maharashtras ruling party Shiv Sena on Wednesday alleged that BJP is behind the ongoing loudspeaker row across the state and accused the saffron party of using Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray for creating a divide among people in the state.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said, BJP is behind the loudspeaker row in Maharashtra. They're using Raj Thackeray to create fissures among Hindus in the state.

BJP is behind the loudspeaker row in Maharashtra. They're using Raj Thackeray to create fissures among Hindus in the state: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut pic.twitter.com/EJJqCFqmVy  ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2022

The senior Maharashtra politician further said, It's just not about loudspeakers in mosques, in Maharashtra, 'Aartis' are being conducted early morning and people often hear them through loudspeakers as not all of them can enter temple premises, but that can't happen today, which's unfortunate.

Raut went on to add that the Supreme Court order on the use of loudspeakers is the same for all. Now our temples also have to bear the brunt of it. It's a black day for us Hindus that people couldn't hear Aartis because of BJP's politics in cahoots with Raj Thackeray, Raut said.

Amid prevailing tensions over the loudspeaker row in Maharashtra, Raut added that there were no illegal loudspeakers in the state. He alleged that MNS chief Raj Thackeray was creating a nautanki (drama) over the issue. "There are no illegal loudspeakers in Maharashtra. There is complete peace in the state... it was a one-day nautanki, Raut said adding Raat gayi, baat gayi.

Earlier today, Raj Thackeray shared a video of Bal Thackeray in which the latter can be heard speaking against the use of loudspeakers. In the video, shared by Raj Thackeray, Bal Thackeray is heard saying that the Shiv Sena will not rest until it is successful in preventing people from offering namaz on roads when it comes to power in the state.

Meanwhile, Raut also hit back at senior BJP leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Amar Shankar Sable`s recent remarks that Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was sitting in the lap of Congress and disrespecting Bal Thackeray.

"Bal Thackeray is revered for us, be it yesterday, today and in the future. The entire country knows the relationship between Balasaheb Thackeray and the BJP. So, there is no explanation needed to tell us about this. Uddhav Thackeray is sitting in the lap of Congress and disrespecting Balasaheb. Do not try to teach Hindutva to BJP. Hinduism is our way of life, it is not our political subject," Sable had said.

Responding to this, Raut said, "Bal Thackeray and Veer Savarkar are the ones who taught Hindutva to the country. Shiv Sena`s school of Hindutva is original."

Earlier on Sunday, Uddhav Thackeray said that the BJP had often cheated Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray in the past on the pretext of an alliance for Hindutva and added that he is not so "gullible" like his father.

The loudspeakers row started when the MNS chief Raj Thackeray on April 12 gave an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, failing which, he warned, MNS workers will play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers.
New Delhi: Comedienne Bharti Singh and her writer husband Haarsh Limbachiyaa are currently busy hosting The Khatra Khatra Show. The duo was blessed with a baby boy and yet Bharti cut short her maternity break to get back to work commitment.

Recently, the newborn baby boy turned a month old and to celebrate this, Bharti shared Instagram stories. She teased pictures of her and hubby cradling the baby boy in their arms but at the same time hid his face with an emoticon.

Bharti Singh and her husband Haarsh Limbachiyaa welcomed their first child together on April 3, 2022. The couple was spotted outside Breach Candy hospital and cradled their newborn while getting papped soon after the delivery. They even posed for a photo-op and happily accepted all the greetings of the photographers.

Bharti Singh married her longtime beau Haarsh Limbachiyaa on December 3, 2017, in Goa. The couple had announced that they were expecting their first child in December last year.

Together, the couple has hosted many shows together including- 'Khatra Khatra Khatra', 'Hum Tum Aur Quarantine' and 'India's Best Dancer' among others.

Currently, Bharti and Haarsh host two shows together, Hunarbaaz: Desh Ki Shaan and The Khatra Khatra Show.
NEW DELHI: Arpita Khan and Aayush Sharma hosted the Khan family's traditional Eid party this year, to which were invited many stars. Every year, the party is hosted by Salman Khan at Galaxy Apartments. But this time, Arpita and Aayush decided to host the big night. Amongst several celebrities, B-Town couple Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh were also seen attending the Eid bash at Arpita's house.

Ranveer and Deepika attended Aprita Khan's Eid party last night and wore diametrically opposed outfits for the night. Deepika Padukone took the ethnic route and picked out a black velvet salwar kameez suit. The kurta featured a slouchy silhouette with quarter sleeves and had elaborate white embroidery over the yoke. It was paired with dhoti-style pants. She complemented the outfit with an elegant pair of black pumps and glimmering dangler earrings.

On the other hand, Ranveer Singh took a completely different approach for the night. He donned a multicoloured short sleeve collared shirt worn open in front along with a pair of blue trousers. For accessories, he added even more colour with pink sneakers and a matching hat with tinted sunglasses and a necklace.

Take a look at their pictures below:

As soon as thei look was dropped on social media, netizens started trolling Ranveer for his outfit choices. He was earlier seen promoting his upcoming film 'Jayeshbhai Jordaar' at Kapil Sharma's show in the same outift.

One of the users wrote, "She's going to an EID party and hes heading for a Maldives vacation." Another user commented, "Your song choices are really going bad".

Another comment read, "Pagal wagal hai kya ye...... pogo dekhte ho kya RANVEER sir." "Koi ranveer ko samaje eid party thi naa ki beach party," wrote one.

"Bhai kam se kam Eid pr to kuch dhag ka pehen leta.. har baar atrangi joker banna jruri h kya," wrote another.

On the work front, Ranveer will be seen in 'Jayeshbhai Jordaar', 'Cirkus' and 'Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani'. While Deepika has 'Pathaan', 'Fighter', 'Project K', and 'The Intern' remake.

Live TV
New Delhi: Turned away by the Foreign Correspondents Club and the Press Club of India, 'The Kashmir Files' director Vivek Agnihotri says he has been banned 'undemocratically' and will go ahead with a press conference at a five-star hotel on Thursday.

Agnihotri had posted a video on Tuesday alleging his free speech was banned by "the watchdogs of free speech" with FCC cancelling his event and announced he would hold his media interaction at the Press Club instead. When PCI also appeared to backtrack, he followed it up with a tweet on Wednesday slamming the organisation.

"Wow! @PCITweets also cancelled me. The watchdogs of democracy and messiah of free speech not only banned me undemocratically but are also lying through their teeth," Agnihotri tweeted, sharing screenshots of messages of an agency directed to book PCI for the event.

The director then said he will have an 'open house press conference' and will answer the "toughest questions".

"Inviting all democratic and free speech pro-Truth believers, media people, correspondents, reporters, media activists and those with empathy for Kashmir Genocide victims tomm at 3.30 PM at Le MERIDIEN, New Delhi,? the director said in a WhatsApp message to PTI.

The controversy began with Agnihotri's video on Tuesday, attacking the FCC and alleging that he was "a victim of a hate campaign". He went on to say he would hold an "open house press conference" on the same day at an alternate venue, the PCI.

However, the PCI said on Twitter it is 'not facilitating any event on May 5 by any individual or organisation'.

"The Club allows press conferences only with advanced booking. There is a due process, and bookings have to be done through a member of the Club," the club said.

In his video, Agnihotri also said the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora had told him the FCC was 'very keen' to host him.

"Few days back, Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora informed me that the Foreign Correspondents Club in New Delhi was very keen to host me for a press conference as many foreign media wanted to talk to me about 'The Kashmir Files' and the truth of the Kashmiri Hindu genocide," he said.

Accordingly, the press conference was scheduled for 7 pm on May 5 at the FCC. An executive for Zee Studios, the banner behind "The Kashmir Files", also flew to Delhi and made all the arrangements including "the unusual demand to hold cocktails and dinner", Agnihotri said.

"but to my shock yesterday I received a call from their president saying that event has to be cancelled as some very powerful media has taken strong objection to this conference and have threatened to resign en masse if it is allowed," the filmmaker said.

Agnihotri said he has since received calls from many "democratic" Indian and foreign correspondents who wanted the press conference to be held but the club management refused to listen to their demands.

He alleged that "some powerful agenda driven" foreign media is part of an anti-India, anti-truth and anti-free speech conspiracy.

"I'm a victim of a hate campaign by the same media which has been falsely blaming India for spreading hate," he added.

"The FCC South Asia decided to cancel a promotional event and has no further comment," said FCC South Asia president Munish Gupta.

On Tuesday, Agnihotri put out a separate tweet tagging Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and asked for their intervention.

"Dear @AmitShah ji and @HardeepSPuri ji, I'd like to know what is the purpose of giving prime property to such anti-India, anti-free speech Foreign Correspondents Club. I am requesting you as a citizen to review their activities, purpose and agenda," the director wrote.

Based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley in 1990, "The Kashmir Files" was released in March and has grossed over Rs 300 crore worldwide.
MUMBAI: Actor Vijay's latest movie 'Beast' will start streaming on Netflix from May 11, the streamer announced on Wednesday.

The Tamil-language film, which released theatrically on April 13, will also be available in Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi on the digital platform.

"Can you feel the power, terror, fire because 'Beast' arrives on Netflix on May 11 in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi," a post on Netflix India's official Twitter handle read.

Directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, 'Beast' features Vijay as a former RAW agent who tries to rescue people held hostage in a shopping mall by terrorists.

Pooja Hegde starred opposite Vijay in the movie, which was produced by Sun Pictures.

Selvaraghavan, Shine Tom Chacko, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley, VTV Ganesh, Shaji Chen and Aparna Das are also part of the film's cast.

Live TV
San Francisco: A group of Apple employees have, in an open letter, slammed the company's new policy that only allows for two days of working from home.

Writing to the company's executive team, the group wrote that three fixed days in the office and the two days work from home "broken apart by an office day, is almost no flexibility at all".

Forcing everyone to work from office is "a huge waste of time as well as both mental and physical resources", "does not recognise flexible work", and will create a "younger, whiter, more male-dominated, more neuro-normative, more able-bodied" workforce.

While in-person offices had closed world over in the wake of Covid-19 spread, in March this year, Apple announced that corporate employees would be returning to the office, and need to be there two days a week at minimum by May 2.

Starting May 23, the company will shift to a hybrid model with mandatory office days on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. CEO Tim Cook called in-person collaboration benefits "irreplaceable", the Engadget reported.

The employees wrote that the hybrid working pilot "is only driven by fear. Fear of the future of work, fear of worker autonomy, fear of losing control".

The letter also stated that Apple's siloed office structure makes it difficult to bump into colleagues, adding that remote tools like Slack are better for collaboration. Further, Apple's open-plan offices limit the concentration "required for creativity and... deep thought", they said.

The employees said that the hybrid model is one of the most inefficient ways to enable everyone to be in one room. On the other hand, with everyone working "remotely", it was much easier to reach out to colleagues in other offices.

"This enabled a kind of international collaboration that we didn't see before, where especially colleagues from 'far away' locations could finally contribute as well as people in our major offices and no longer felt like second-class participants in meetings".

At the same time, the employees argued that they are not asking for everyone to be forced to work from home. Rather, they want employees to decide best arrangement for themselves.

"Stop treating us like school kids who need to be told when to be where and what homework to do."
New Delhi: Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday said that business and government users on Twitter may need to pay a slight fee to stay on the micro-blogging platform.

In a tweet, the soon-to-be Twitter boss revealed what is coming next for the users.

"Twitter will always be free for casual users, but maybe a slight cost for commercial/government users," he posted.

"Ultimately, the downfall of the Freemasons was giving away their stone cutting services for nothing," Musk added.

Musk had said that he wishes to "make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features".

"Some revenue is better than none," Musk further said.

At the annual Met Gala in New York earlier this week, Musk said he would make Twitter transparent about how tweets are promoted or demoted.

Musk had long been advocating free speech on the platform, creating apprehensions for many as they fear the site will be left without regulations.

The billionaire earlier said that Twitter must remain politically neutral if it wants to keep enjoying public trust.

"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," said Musk.

"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 had said.
Lucknow: A police officer, who had allegedly raped a 13-year-old gang-rape survivor in Uttar Pradeshs Lalitpur, has been arrested, the state police said on Wednesday evening.

The accused police officer, Station House Officer Tilakdhari Saroj, has been arrested in Prayagraj. All cops posted at the police station, where the alleged incident took place, have been removed from duty, ADG Prayagraj Prem Prakash told ANI.

Lalitpur rape case | Accused SHO arrested in Prayagraj: ADG Prayagraj Prem Prakash  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) May 4, 2022

A DIG-level officer will investigate the case and file a report within 24 hours, he added.

Meanwhile, NHRC today issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police, Uttar Pradesh and sought a report within 4-weeks in connection with the minor rape case.

NHRC issues notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police, Uttar Pradesh and sought a report within 4-weeks pertaining to media report of a rape of 13 years old girl by the in-charge of police station in Lalitpur district pic.twitter.com/80Jao2GQXT  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) May 4, 2022

The arrest was made shortly after a 13-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped by four people, alleged that she was raped again by the Station House Officer (SHO) of a police station in Lalitpur where she had gone to file a case.

The police arrested three of the accused after an FIR was registered against five people, including the SHO, who was absconding after committing the heinous crime. He was immediately suspended by the UP police and all the policemen of the Pali police station were sent to the police lines.

Additional Director General of Police, Kanpur Zone, Bhanu Bhaskar said DIG, Jhansi Jogendra Kumar has been asked to probe the matter and submit the report within 24 hours. Senior police officials said the FIR was lodged based on the complaint of the victim.

"While the SHO has been suspended, all policemen of Pali police station in Lalitpur have been sent to police lines," Bhaskar said, adding that strict action will be taken against the guilty policemen.

The police also issued a statement, saying, "The FIR was lodged under various sections of the IPC, including 363 (kidnapping), 376 (rape), 376 B (intercourse by public servant with woman in his custody), 120 B (conspiracy), POCSO Act and SC/ST Act.".

In Lucknow, ADG (Law and Order), Prasant Kumar said the DIG entrusted with the task to probe the incident has been told to stay in Lalitpur till the case is resolved.

The victim's mother alleged that her daughter was taken to Bhopal on April 22 by four men and was raped there for three days. The accused left the girl at the Pali police station, where she was allegedly raped by the SHO, she alleged.

The girl reached a childline NGO later and narrated the whole incident during counselling. The NGO approached the Superintendent of Police, after whose intervention, an FIR was registered on Tuesday.

"The police have arrested three accused, while attempts are on to nab others, including the SHO," Superintendent of Police, Lalitpur Nikhil Pathak said.

Uttar Pradesh | A minor has alleged being raped by four boys on April 22. When she was brought to the police station, the SHO raped her as well. Case has been registered against six accused including SHO. One accused caught, SHO suspended: Nikhil Pathak, SP, Lalitpur (2.05) pic.twitter.com/ZkySIlI2nT  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) May 3, 2022

The Samajwadi Party, meanwhile, attacked the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government over the incident, asking where should "daughters go" and "whom to trust" in this government. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is expected to visit Lalitpur to meet the rape survivor's family.
Lalitpur: A 13-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped by four people, was raped again by the Station House Officer (SHO) of a police station in Lalitpur where she had gone to file a case, news agency PTI said on Wednesday.

The police have arrested three of the accused after an FIR was registered against five people, including the SHO, who has been suspended and is presently absconding, the officials said. All the policemen of the Pali police station have also been sent to the police lines, officials said.

Additional Director General of Police, Kanpur Zone, Bhanu Bhaskar said DIG, Jhansi Jogendra Kumar has been asked to probe the matter and submit the report within 24 hours. Senior police officials said the FIR was lodged based on the complaint of the victim.

"While the SHO has been suspended, all policemen of Pali police station in Lalitpur have been sent to police lines," Bhaskar said, adding that strict action will be taken against the guilty policemen.

The police also issued a statement, saying, "The FIR was lodged under various sections of the IPC, including 363 (kidnapping), 376 (rape), 376 B (intercourse by public servant with woman in his custody), 120 B (conspiracy), POCSO Act and SC/ST Act.".

In Lucknow, ADG (Law and Order), Prasant Kumar said the DIG entrusted with the task to probe the incident has been told to stay in Lalitpur till the case is resolved. The victim's mother alleged that her daughter was taken to Bhopal on April 22 by four men and was raped there for three days.

The accused left the girl at the Pali police station, where she was allegedly raped by the SHO, she alleged. The girl reached a childline NGO later and narrated the whole incident during counselling.

The NGO approached the Superintendent of Police, after whose intervention, an FIR was registered on Tuesday. "The police have arrested three accused, while attempts are on to nab others, including the SHO," Superintendent of Police Nikhil Pathak said.

The Samajwadi Party attacked the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government over the incident, asking where should "daughters go" and "whom to trust" in this government.

"The biggest question in the BJP government is whom to trust and whom to not. A minor, who reached the police station to file a rape complaint was raped by the SHO himself. "Now the CM should say, where should the victim daughters go? Security of the victim should be ensured and strict action should be taken against those found guilty," the party said in a tweet in Hindi.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is expected to visit Lalitpur to meet the rape survivor's family, the party said in a tweet.

         10:30         .              Samajwadi Party (@samajwadiparty) May 4, 2022

Attacking the state government in a series of tweets, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "The incident of gangrape with a 13-year-old girl in Lalitpur and then rape by a police officer after taking a complaint shows how the real reforms of law and order are being suppressed under the noise of "bulldozer". If police station are not safe for women, where will they go with their complaints."

"Has the UP government seriously thought about increasing the deployment of women in police stations, making them safer for women? The Congress party had in its women's manifesto made many important points for women security..Today its Lalitpur...", she said.

To prevent such incidents, serious steps should be taken for women's safety and a women-friendly law system, she added.
New Delhi: After successful trips to Germany and Denmark, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today (May 4, 2022) conclude his three-day Europe visit with France and hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.

In Paris, Modi and Macron will share assessments on various regional and global issues and will take stock of ongoing bilateral cooperation.

"It is my firm belief that two countries that share such similar vision and values for the global order, must work in close cooperation with each other," the Prime Minister had said in a departure statement ahead of his visit to Paris.

ALSO READ | Day ahead of PM Narendra Modi's visit, France backs out of key submarine project

"President Macron has very recently been re-elected, and my visit just ten days after the result will not only allow me to convey my personal congratulations in person, but also reaffirm the close friendship between the two countries," PM Modi had said.

"This will also give us the opportunity to set the tone of the next phase of the India-France Strategic Partnership," Prime Minister Modi had stated.

As per reports, discussions will also focus on how France can continue to be India's "partner of choice" in its quest for becoming self-reliant in the field of defence manufacturing. The talks will also explore ways to boost cooperation in areas of technology, space, and energy, the reports said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi travelled to Copenhagen from Berlin and held a bilateral meeting with Danish PM Mette Frederiksen.

Landed in Copenhagen. I am very grateful to PM Frederiksen for the warm welcome. This visit will go a long way in further cementing India-Denmark ties. @Statsmin pic.twitter.com/0NOQG6X30I  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 3, 2022

Marienborg provided the perfect setting for productive discussions with PM Frederiksen. We had extensive deliberations on how to enhance India-Denmark relations. @Statsmin pic.twitter.com/g7XnhBZLcp  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 3, 2022

During the meeting, Modi reviewed the progress in India's unique Green Strategic Partnership with Denmark.

He also participated in the India-Denmark Business Roundtable and interacted with the Indian community in Denmark.

Amid the Russia-Ukraine war, the prime minister began his three-day visit to Europe on May 2 from Berlin at the invitation of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
South Africa: Multiple factors contribute to load shedding  Eskom

Eskom says stage two load shedding was implemented due to depleted capacity caused by generator breakdowns, power station trips, the slow return to service of units, as well as higher demand for electricity as the colder weather starts to settle in.

As a result of these factors, the power utility was unable to feed the entire demand for electricity on Tuesday.

Eskom Chief Executive Andre de Ruyter told a media briefing on Wednesday that the electricity supplier is working to ensure that load shedding is suspended as soon as it is possible to do so.

He explained that the power utilitys capacity to deliver electricity currently falls short of the countrys demands.

We have a deficit between our demand and our available generating capacity, hence the reason for us to implement stage two load shedding. Obviously also bearing in mind that we do not wish to deplete all of our reserves in continuously meeting excess demand because then we will run out of diesel to fire up our open cycle gas turbines... and we will also run out of capacity at our pump storage systems. These are very important back-up systems in order to prevent the far worse scenario of a total system blackout.

We are working very hard to return units to service. We are doing our level best to accelerate [suspending load shedding] but unfortunately where we are right now, we have no alternative based on our anticipated return to service of major units which will alleviate the generation capacity constraint, De Ruyter said.

The power utilitys Chief Operating Officer, Jan Oberholzer, explained that the power stations ran into major problems during and after the long weekend.

These challenges include:

Trips at Arnot and Duvha power stations which were returned to service.

The tripping of some four units at Matla, Kusile, Matimba and Duvha power stations, which were returned to service by Monday midday.

On Monday, at least eight units tripped at Lethabo, Tutuka, Hendrina, Ingula and Matla power stations  removing at least 3 300MW of capacity from the grid.

So [because] Monday was a public holiday and the demand for electricity was low, we managed to supply electricity demandbut we still needed 16 open cycle gas turbines to take us through the evening peak.

Unfortunately this trend continued into Tuesday morning with a further four generators tripping or being shut down due to breakdowns. An additional 2000MW. So within 36 hours, the total net loss generating capacity to the system was about 4 200MW, Oberholzer said.

The COO added that the power utility is now making use of emergency reserves due to higher winter demand.

Despite the implementation of stage two load shedding, we are still using extensive emergency reserves to go through the morning peaks as well as the evening peaks, Oberholzer said.

Eskom is also facing challenges with at risk generating units described by Acting Generation managing director, Rhulani Mathebula, as limping units.

Currently, we still have around 4 500MW that is at risk. These are units that we have kept on load that are limping with various defects. Our main concern remains over the past weekend We experienced various breakdowns and many of them we have returned.

The situation remains that we are still running a very constrained system where every challenge that we experience actually results in severe constraints. So the 4 500MW is something that we want to address. Currently, we have a unit at Kriel and Majuba that have got tube leaks but we resolved to keep those units on load because we cannot afford to take them off. The unfortunate thing is when those units then take themselves off as the defect deteriorates, he said.

Mathebula added, however, that there are a number of generating units expected back in service over the next few days which will relieve pressure on the system.

The forecast currently is returning the units that are downwe have three machines that are coming [back today]. We have eight machines, to the tune of 3 700MW that we will be bringing [back] between today and over the weekend. That should enable us to deal with [loadshedding], Mathebula said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-05-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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Egypts prosecution ordered the detention of three teenagers pending investigation and placed 10 others in a probation hostel on charges of harassing two foreign girls at the Giza Pyramids during Eid El-Fitr holiday.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (May 3, 2022) addressed the Indian diaspora in Denmark and urged them to encourage at least five non-Indian friends to visit India.

While speaking to over 1,000 members of the Indian community in Denmark comprising students, researchers, professionals and business persons, Modi described the diaspora as India's ambassadors in their respective adopted homelands.

"We have to rejuvenate our tourism sector. With your efforts, when you will help five of your non-Indian friends to visit and explore our country, in a few years, there will be only one destination, that is 'Chalo India'," he said.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also attended Modi's interaction with the Indian diaspora and introduced him as a 'friend', before inviting him to address the packed gathering at the Bella Centre in Copenhagen.

Todays programme in Copenhagen was made even more special by the participation of PM Frederiksen. I am grateful to her for her kind words on India and the Indian community in Denmark. @Statsmin pic.twitter.com/W85JTBwYiU  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 3, 2022

The Prime Minister spoke extensively about the steps taken by the government to promote the use of renewable energy, and the commitments made by India at the COP-26 climate summit in Glasgow.

"India has been able to fulfill its climate actions because, unlike others who put all the responsibility of saving the planet on multilateral organisations, we see it as a responsibility of each citizen to do their bit to save the world," he said.

On climate action, Modi said India has set a target to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2070 and has been among the few countries that have been able to deliver on their climate goals.

"India had committed to source 40 per cent of its energy needs from non-fossil fuels by 2030. We have achieved that goal nine years early," the Prime Minister said.

ALSO READ | Germany, Denmark done; PM Modi to now meet French President in Paris today

He said India has been producing cheap solar power at Rs 2.5 per unit and was making efforts to further reduce the cost.

Modi said the world should come to India to find answers and solutions to save the planet.

"I want to tell our Danish friends to come to India to jointly find answers to the problems of the planet," he said.

The Prime Minister urged the world to get out of the consumption-oriented approach which was harmful to the planet.

"The biggest demand of the time is to promote L.I.F.E - Lifestyle For Environment. It is very important to get out of a consumption-oriented approach. 'Use and throw' mindset is negative for the planet," Modi said.

 Climate Action                ,            LIFE  Lifestyle for Environment        pic.twitter.com/KGm8hQ7gy9  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 3, 2022

Amid chants of 'Modi, Modi' and 'Modi hai to mumkin hai', in the auditorium, the prime minister also said that an Indian, wherever he goes in the world, contributes sincerely for 'karmabhoomi' (land of work), for that country.

"Many times when I meet world leaders, they proudly tell me about the achievements of the Indian community settled in their countries," the prime minister added, while noting that the number of Indians settled abroad was higher than the entire population of some countries.

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday (May 3, 2022) discussed the situation in Ukraine with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and told him that the West should stop sending arms to Kyiv.

During the telephone conversation, Putin pointed out that the EU member countries ignore the "crimes committed by the Ukrainian forces", and the massive shelling of cities and communities in the Donbass region resulting in civilian casualties.

"The West could help stop these atrocities by influencing the Kyiv government, as well as stopping arms deliveries to Ukraine," the Kremlin quoted the Russian president as saying.

ALSO READ | Putin set for cancer surgery, to hand over temporary power to ex-KGB chief: Report

Putin also told Macron that Russia "remains open to dialogue" despite all the "inconsistencies in Kyivs position" and its "unwillingness" to take this process seriously, the Kremlin said in a statement.

The two presidents agreed to maintain contact at various levels.

Russia, notably, denies alleged war crimes by its own forces in Ukraine and has blamed the deaths of civilians on what it calls nationalists and "neo-Nazis", a claim dismissed by Kyiv and the West.

Meanwhile, Russian forces pounded targets in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday and unleashed rockets on a steel plant that is Ukraine`s last redoubt in the port city of Mariupol. Russian attacks in Ukraine`s eastern Donetsk region killed 21 civilians and injured 27 on Tuesday.
Egypt recorded a daily average of eight coronavirus infections over the past week, the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population announced on Saturday, with the countrys daily infections dropping to their lowest levels since the start of the pandemic.
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said Mali could collapse if a UN peacekeeping mission withdrew, but suggested an option could be to replace it with an African Union force backed by a tougher operating mandate.
Jordan's King Abdullah II will visit Washington on Friday for talks with US President Joe Biden.
Ukraine's vital Black Sea port of Odesa came under repeated missile attacks, including from some hypersonic missiles, after Russia marked its biggest patriotic holiday without giving new information about the war. Also, a Ukrainian official said the bodies of 44 civilians were found in the rubble of a building destroyed by Russia in March.
North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un reiterated his support for Russia's efforts to defend its "dignity'' against "hostile forces'' in a congratulatory message sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin over an anniversary marking the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany.
Rattled by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Finland will kickstart a debate Wednesday that could lead to seeking NATO membership, a move that would infuriate Moscow.

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.

Attempting to join NATO would almost certainly be seen as a provocation by Moscow, for whom the alliance's expansion on its borders has been a prime security grievance.

A government-commissioned report released Wednesday will examine the "fundamentally changed" security environment, according to Finland's foreign ministry, and will make its way through parliament.

An opening debate is planned for a week later.

It is expected to analyse different security options for Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) border with Russia.

Former prime minister and long-time NATO advocate Alexander Stubb believes Finland making a membership application is "a foregone conclusion".

Finland has a long history with Russia. In 1917 it declared independence after 150 years of Russian rule.

During World War II, its vastly outnumbered army fought off a Soviet invasion, before a peace deal saw it cede several border areas to the Soviet Union.

During the Cold War, Finland remained neutral in exchange for guarantees from Moscow that it would not invade.

Change of heart

So the turnaround in sentiment on NATO would have been unthinkable just a few months ago.

As recently as January, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said membership was "very unlikely" during her term.

But after two decades of public support for membership remaining steady at 20-30 percent, the war caused a surge in those in favour to over 60 percent, multiple polls showed.

Public statements gathered by newspaper Helsingin Sanomat suggest half of Finland's 200 MPs now support membership while only 12 oppose.

Others say they will announce a position after detailed discussions.

The government said it hopes to build a parliamentary consensus over the coming weeks, with MPs due to hear from a number of security experts.

Marin expects a decision "before midsummer", with many analysts predicting Finland could submit a bid in time for a NATO summit in June.

Any membership bid must be accepted by all 30 NATO states, a process that could take four months to a year.

Finland has so far received public assurances from secretary general Jens Stoltenberg that NATO's door remains open, and several members' support.

'Like changing religion'

Unlike Finland, Sweden shares no land border with Russia and the two countries have not been at war for two centuries.

Nonetheless, pro-NATO sentiment is also rising among Swedes who "are realising that they might find themselves in the same position as Ukraine, a lot of sympathy but no military help," said Robert Dalsjo, research director at the Swedish Defence Research Agency.

Many commentators expect Sweden and Finland will act in tandem on whether to join, but their leaders stressed they may reach differing decisions.

Sweden's ruling party this week announced a review of its long-held opposition to joining NATO.

"For the Social Democrats in Sweden to change opinion (on NATO) is like changing religion," former Finnish PM Alexander Stubb told AFP.

"And I'm not talking Protestant to Catholic, I'm talking Christian to Muslim."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned Russia would take measures to "rebalance the situation" in the event of Finland joining.

Finland's President Sauli Niinisto said Russia's response could include airspace, territorial violations and hybrid attacks, which Finnish NATO proponents believe the country is well prepared to withstand.

"Russia will most certainly huff and puff," Dalsjo said, but added: "I don't think they will do anything violent.

"However, in the mood that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is right now, I wouldn't rule it out entirely."

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Germany's conservative opposition leader traveled to Kyiv on Tuesday for meetings with Ukrainian officials including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz made clear that he wouldn't be visiting Ukraine any time soon.

Scholz has traded barbs with Ukrainian officials in recent weeks because of Kyiv's refusal to invite Germany's head of state, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whom Ukraine accuses of cozying up to Russia during his time as foreign minister.

``It can't work that a country that provides so much military aid, so much financial aid ... you then say that the president can't come,'' Scholz told public broadcaster ZDF late Monday.

Ukraine's ambassador in Berlin, Andrij Melnyk, responded Tuesday by calling Scholz's refusal to visit ``not very statesmanlike.''

``This is about the most brutal war of extermination since the Nazi invasion of Ukraine, it's not kindergarten,'' he said.

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, who heads former Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right Union bloc, visited the town of Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, to see the destruction caused by the Russian army.

Speaking to reporters against a backdrop of shelled buildings, Merz expressed his ``full admiration'' to the Ukrainian military for having halted the Russian advance at Irpin, and pledged to help the town rebuild.

German daily Bild reported that Merz later met for an hour with Zelenskyy at his presidential office. Merz's visit to Kyiv comes days before two German state elections in which his Christian Democratic Union is hoping to retain power.

The Union bloc joined Germany's three governing parties in a non-binding vote backing the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine last week.

German media report that the government is planning to approve further armaments for Ukraine soon, including large self-propelled howitzers.

Critics, particularly on the far-left and right, have argued against providing weapons to Ukraine, saying Germany risks being drawn into a conflict with Russia.

German authorities say they have recorded the arrival of some 400,000 refugees from Ukraine since the start of the war.

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Ukrainian civilians fleeing Russian-occupied parts of the country allege violence, extortion, and theft at the hands of Russian troops, not to mention daily humiliation at checkpoints.

"We suffered and suffered and suffered," said Igor Kydryavtsev, one of 10 Ukrainians who spoke to AFP about living under Russian control in southern Ukraine's Kherson region for around two months.

"If you say a single word in Ukrainian and someone hears you and tells them, they come to your house and take you away," he said.

"Some come back, others don't. You can't live like that."

Kydryavtsev, 35, is with his wife and daughter in Zaporizhzhia, a major southern industrial city still in Ukrainian hands and a gateway for those fleeing the war.

With the frontline only a few dozen kilometers away and Russian troops advancing, hundreds of people arrive in Zaporizhzhia every day from Russian-occupied territory, some just passing through, but others to stay.

Among them is Natacha Borch who, with her two children, two and six, fled the Orikhiv region, south of Zaporizhzhia.

"They were constantly drunk," she said, referring to Russian troops.

'Shot Them In The Legs'

"They went down the streets shining their torches at windows and sometimes opening fire."

She said she knew some people were taken prisoner in their own cellars, bound hand, and foot.

The mother of one of her friends was abducted. "Nobody knows what happened to her."

She accused the Russians of wanting "money and cars. And if someone wasn't ready to give their car, they shot them in the legs."

Several of the people who talked to AFP did so only on the condition of anonymity.

None of them referenced anything like the atrocities being investigated in the commuter town of Bucha near Kyiv, where the discovery of bodies in civilian clothes, on the street, or buried in shallow graves shocked the world and prompted accusations of war crimes.

"We had a quiet life," said Kydryavtsev. "Then they arrived and destroyed everything."

"They take your stuff. They take your cars. They take the crops from the farmworkers."

'A Great Many Collaborate'

The question of land is particularly sensitive in Ukraine, which before the war was an agricultural giant exporting its crops around the world.

In late April, the prosecutor's office in Zaporizhzhia accused Russian soldiers of stealing 61 tonnes of corn from the region.

For many of the refugees, checkpoints were the most ubiquitous of the humiliations inflicted by the Russians.

One farmer, speaking on condition of anonymity told AFP that on three occasions he was forced to strip to his underpants after Russian soldiers insisted on checking that he had no pro-Ukraine tattoos.

That was almost standard procedure, said Sergui Pochinok, who with his wife and four children fled Tokmak, a town south of Zaporizhzhia, after it fell to the Russians at the beginning of the invasion.

"We saw people in their underwear at every checkpoint," he recalled.

Not every Ukrainian got the same treatment, however. For while some endured and some resisted, others simply collaborated with the invaders.

Tokmak had 30,000 inhabitants before the war. "A great many people collaborate with the Russians," said Olesya Pochinok.

'Watch Out'

She was particularly outraged at one Ukrainian officer, whose job it was to find new recruits. It took him barely two days before he defected to the Russian side, she said.

"The criminals are now working with the Russians," she said.

"The city is under their protection, they hand out the humanitarian aid", she said, just leaving it in a heap so people had to fight for their food.

Russia has justified its invasion of Ukraine as a means of stopping Russian-speaking people from being oppressed, particularly in the southern and eastern parts of the country where their offensive is now concentrated.

Borch remembers an armored car parked at the corner of her street.

"People were bringing fruits to the soldiers," she said, outraged. "There were girls who were giving themselves to them."

All those who spoke to AFP described empty shops and pharmacies in Russian-controlled territories, as daily goods became unaffordable for anyone on a tight budget.

Sugar tripled in price, said the farmer accusing collaborators of looking to turn a profit.

Of Polohy's 20,000 inhabitants, around 500 were actively collaborating with the occupiers, he claimed.

"We have a group on Viber," he said. "Sometimes there is a message with a surname, which says: 'We know who you are. Watch out.'."

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Deputy chairperson of Egypt's National Council for Human Rights (NCHR), Mohamed Anwar Esmat El-Sadat issued a statement on Tuesday indicating that the issue of political prisoners in Egypt will be closed in the near future.





"The release of prisoners who were in custody pending trial  which began one week ago  will continue until we close this file," said Sadat, expressing hope that "presidential pardon decrees will include all those who were convicted for activities related to their political, civilian, opinion and protest rights."

El-Sadat  who is also a former MP and the chairperson of the liberal Reform and Development Party  said Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's invitation for a political dialogue with all national civilian forces comes amid international and regional economic and social challenges.

El-Sadat also said the invitation is a response to the call by the nation's political forces for greater participation in drawing up policies related to the countrys future and achieving the people's aspirations and hopes.

El-Sadat, said President El-Sisi's call for a national political dialogue last week coincided with a number of steps.

"It began with eliminating the state of emergency, kicking off the national strategy for human rights. And then came the Presidential Pardon Committee's decision to release a number of those who were convicted for exercising activities related to their political, civilian, free speech and protest rights," said El-Sadat.

"The reason why the file of political prisoners did not get priority in the last period was due to the fact that the state was heavily involved in fighting terrorism and violence, restoring internal stability, achieving a number of economic, financial and development reforms, and recovering Egypt's influential role in the Arab world and Africa."

El-Sadat concluded by revealing that since it was reconstituted last December, the NCHR has placed the issue of releasing political prisoners at the top of its agenda.

"Here in Egypt and in our visits abroad, we stressed that we will adopt this agenda and achieve success in this file in order to preserve the honour of all Egyptians and gain the confidence and respect of the world community and our international partners," said El-Sadat.

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Egypt has condemned "in extreme terms" a terrorist attack targeting a base belonging to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) on Tuesday, which killed at least 10 people from Burundi, the Egyptian foreign ministry said.

Twenty-five people have been injured in the attack, which took place in the Middle Shabele region, southwest of Mogadishu, according to a Burundian army statement.

The terrorist group Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Egyptian foreign ministry said that Egypt as a government and people sends its sincere condolence to the government and people of Burundi and the families of the victims.

The ministry added that Egypt asserts its full solidarity with ATMIS in Somalia in facing all sorts of violence and terrorism, and completely supports the missions efforts to achieve stability in Somalia.

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Three-time Grammy Award-winning US band Maroon 5 visited on Wednesday the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir square, downtown Cairo, hours after they performed their first concert in the North African country at the great historical sight of the Giza pyramids.

The iconic pop rock superstars also visited the pyramids at the Giza Plateau on Tuesday

The band members expressed their fascination with the treasures and holdings displayed at the museum, especially those of the Golden King Tutankhamun, and those of Tanis, Yuya and Tuba, the ancestors of King Akhenaten, said a statement released by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

They also were keen to record these moments in a group photo taken at the museum and in short video clips that are expected to be published on their social media account to promote Egyptian tourism, the statement added.

Maroon 5's visit is part of a tour in the region that also includes performances in Abu Dhabi (6 May) and Tel Aviv (9 May).

Currently consisting of lead vocalist Adam Levine, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Jesse Carmichael, lead guitarist James Valentine, drummer Matt Flynn, keyboardist PJ Morton and multi-instrumentalist and bassist Sam Farrar, Maroon 5, also known as Kara's Flowers, was formed in the 1990s in Los Angeles, California.

The multi-awarded band who topped the charts globally many times are most known for songs like Sugar, Girl Like You, One More Night, Animals, Moves Like Jagger, Dont Wanna Know, Maps, What Lovers Do, and most recently Lost and Nobodys Love.

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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with Pope Francis and top Vatican officials in talks about the need for ``a world free of nuclear weapons,'' the Vatican said Wednesday.

The meeting came as nuclear-armed Russia pressed its war in Ukraine and after North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters and vowed to speed up the development of its own nuclear arsenal.

Kishida and Francis spoke privately for about 25 minutes in a Vatican reception room. Kishida then met with the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the Vatican foreign minister.

In a statement, the Vatican said the talks touched on bilateral and international relations ``with particular attention to the war in Ukraine, stressing the urgency of dialogue and peace and expressing the hope, to this end, for a world free of nuclear weapons.''

Francis has changed church teaching on nuclear weapons, saying their mere possession was ``immoral.'' He made the comments during a 2019 visit to Japan, where he paid tribute to survivors of the atomic bombs in Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently vowed to speed up the development of his nuclear weapons ``at the fastest possible pace'' and threatened to use them against rivals.

Speaking to reporters in Rome, Kishida said the North's actions that ``threaten the peace, safety and stability of the international community are impermissible.''

South Korean and Japanese officials reported Wednesday that North Korea had test-fired a ballistic missile.

Kishida said he planned to discuss the missile launch when he meets with Italian Premier Mario Draghi later Wednesday.

Francis was seen limping heavily during the Vatican meeting, the effect of strained ligaments in his right knee. The pope recently revealed he had undergone some injections to relieve the pain, though it wasn't clear what the procedure entailed.

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Spokesman Ned Price said Blinken would no longer deliver a long-awaited speech on China policy scheduled for Thursday.

"He looks forward to returning to the department and resuming his full duties and travels as soon as possible," the statement said.

Blinken has not seen President Joe Biden in person for several days and Biden is not considered a close contact, the State Department and White House said.

But Blinken earlier Wednesday met with Swedish Prime Minister Ann Linde at the State Department.

Blinken, who had tested negative a day before, took another test as he felt symptoms after meeting Linde, the State Department said.

Price said that all close contacts were being notified. Blinken also met Tuesday with Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard and delivered a speech at the State Department on Latin America policy.

Blinken was among guests who packed into a Washington hotel on Saturday evening for the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

Trevor Noah, the comedian who introduced Biden, joked about the gala dinner being a "super-spreader" event.
Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea and a delegation from Mercedes-Benz Egypt discussed in Cairo on Tuesday boosting the companys projects in the country.

In a meeting with the delegation, which was headed by Mercedes-Benz Egypt CEO Gerd Bitterlich, Gamea asserted that her ministry is keen on encouraging foreign investors operating in Egypt to expand their businesses, especially given the suitable investment environment in the country.

Egypt announced in January of this year that the country is set to manufacture its first electric vehicle in 2023.

Gamea asserted that the Egyptian market possesses all the potential for becoming a hub for car manufacturing in the Middle East and Africa.

She added that the government is keen on easing all obstacles facing investors.

For his part, Bitterlich asserted that Mercedes-Benz supports the goals of the Egyptian government in localising the car industry, adding that Egypt is a promising and pivotal market in the Middle East for manufacturing Mercedes-Benz cars.

Bitterlich said that Mercedes-Benz saw great growth in the Egyptian market during the past few years, citing as an example the companys logistics centre being built in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) on an area of 20,000 square metres.

Mercedes-Benz Egypt signed an agreement with the SCZone to establish this logistics centre in July 2021. The centre will include a warehouse for cars and spare parts as well as maintenance workshops.

The company has also increased the number of its agents in the Egyptian market to five authorised distributors, including 12 showrooms for sales and after-sale services.

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The Russian military said it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of ``resorting to the missile terrorism tactics in order to spread fear across Ukraine.''

Air raid sirens sounded in cities across the country on Wednesday night, and attacks were reported near Kyiv, the capital; in Cherkasy and Dnipro in central Ukraine; and in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. In Dnipro, authorities said a rail facility was hit. Videos on social media suggested a bridge there was attacked.

There was no immediate word on casualties or the extent of the damage.

The flurry of attacks comes as Russia prepares to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, marking the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany. The world is watching for whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will use the occasion to declare a victory in Ukraine or expand what he calls the ``special military operation.''

A declaration of all-out war would allow Putin to introduce martial law and mobilize reservists to make up for significant troop losses.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the speculation as ``nonsense.''

Meanwhile, Belarus, which Russia used as a staging ground for its invasion, announced the start of military exercises Wednesday. A top Ukrainian official said the country will be ready to act if Belarus joins the fighting.

The attacks on rail infrastructure were meant to disrupt the delivery of Western weapons, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the West is ``stuffing Ukraine with weapons.''

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagon's assessment, said that while the Russians have tried to hit critical infrastructure around the western city of Lviv, specifically targeting railroads, there has been ``no appreciable impact'' on Ukraine's effort to resupply its forces. Lviv, close to the Polish border, has been a major gateway for NATO-supplied weapons.

Weaponry pouring into Ukraine helped its forces thwart Russia's initial drive to seize Kyiv and seems certain to play a central role in the growing battle for the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Moscow now says is its main objective.

Ukraine has urged the West to ramp up the supply of weapons ahead of that potentially decisive clash. Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which had been slow at first to help arm Ukraine, said his government is considering supplying howitzers, in addition to Gepard anti-aircraft guns and other equipment it has agreed to send.

The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, which lies in the Donbas, said Russian attacks left 21 people dead on Tuesday, the highest number of known fatalities since April 8, when a missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk killed at least 59.

In addition to supplying weapons to Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. have sought to punish Moscow with sanctions. The EU's top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to ban Russian oil imports, a crucial source of revenue.

``We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets,'' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The proposal needs unanimous approval from EU countries and is likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they won't take part in any oil sanctions. They could be granted an exemption.

The EU is also talking about a possible embargo on Russian natural gas. The bloc has already approved a cutoff of coal imports.

Russia's economy is heavily dependent on oil and natural gas exports. Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, said European purchases of Russian energy produce billions in revenue and support the Kremlin's ``war machine.''

Von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.

In Mariupol, Mayor Vadym Boychenko said that Russian forces were targeting the already shattered Azovstal plant with heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft, warships and ``heavy bombs that pierce concrete 3 to 5 meters thick.''

``Our brave guys are defending this fortress, but it is very difficult,'' he said.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian fighters said Russian forces began storming the plant. But the Kremlin said that was not true.

``There is no assault. We see that there are cases of escalation due to the fact that the militants take up the firing positions. These attempts are being suppressed very quickly,'' Peskov said.

Over the weekend, more than 100 people _ including women, the elderly and 17 children _ were evacuated from the plant during a cease-fire in an operation overseen by the U.N. and the Red Cross. But the attacks on the plant soon resumed.

The Russian government said on the Telegram messaging app that it would open another evacuation corridor from the plant during certain hours on Thursday through Saturday. But there was no immediate confirmation of those arrangements from other parties, and many previous such assurances from the Kremlin have fallen through, with the Ukrainians blaming continued fighting by the Russians.

It was unclear how many Ukrainian fighters were still inside, but the Russians put the number at about 2,000 in recent weeks, and 500 were reported to be wounded. A few hundred civilians also remained there, the Ukrainian side said.

Mariupol, and the plant in particular, have come to symbolize the misery inflicted by the war. The Russians have pulverized most of the city in a two-month siege that has trapped civilians with little food, water, medicine or heat.

The city's fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops to fight elsewhere in the Donbas.
A Russian army helicopter violated Finland's airspace Wednesday, the defence ministry said, as the country mulls a potential NATO membership bid, which it hopes would be speedy.

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said Wednesday that should Helsinki apply, alone or together with neighbouring Sweden, she hoped the application process would be completed as quickly as possible.

Helsinki is holding talks with key members of the alliance to obtain security guarantees during the application period, which could last several months, Marin told a joint press conference with Nordic leaders in Copenhagen.

Meanwhile, UK defence minister Ben Wallace, who was visiting Finland Wednesday pledged the UK's support in the event of an attack on the Nordic country.

"I cannot conceive a time that we wouldn't come to support Finland and Sweden, no matter where they were with the NATO debate or where they are with the agreements and I think that is what really binds us," Wallace told journalists.

"We would do whatever we need to, to support Finland," the minister said during the trip to Kankaanpaa in the southwest of the country. He was in Finland to attend a military exercise dubbed "Arrow 2022".

According to Finnish media reports, the government's decision could be made in the next few days.

The latest polls suggest a large majority of Finnish MPs and the public are in favour of joining the Atlantic Alliance, a change in opinion that has come about since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto is to announce his personal stance on the issue on May 12.

Finland was ruled by Russia for 108 years before declaring independence in 1917.

It fought off a Soviet invasion during World War II before a peace deal saw it cede several border areas to Moscow.

The Nordic nation remained neutral during the Cold War in exchange for Soviet guarantees not to invade.

On the Swedish side, the government and parliament are due to present a security policy review including viewpoints on NATO membership on May 13.

Stockholm is also currently holding consultations with NATO countries, with its foreign minister travelling to the US and Canada this week.

Experts have warned that Finland and Sweden would likely be subjected to Russian acts of interference as they consider whether to join NATO as a deterrent against aggression from their eastern neighbour.

Hostile acts such as cyberattacks are also considered likely, according to analysts, who have however said that the risk of a military attack is low.

The Russian airspace incursion on Wednesday morning was a "Mi-17 helicopter" which flew about four to five kilometres into Finnish airspace, a ministry spokesman told AFP.

It was the second such airspace violation this year, following an incursion by a civilian transport plane belonging to the Russian army, which briefly entered Finnish airspace on April 8.

Four Russian fighter jets violated Swedish airspace in early March near Sweden's strategically located island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea.

And on Friday, a Russian spy plane crossed the Swedish border near a naval base in the south of the country.

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Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:

'Heavy fighting' at Azovstal

The mayor of the destroyed Ukrainian city of Mariupol says contact has been lost with Ukrainian forces holed up in the Azovstal steel plant amid "heavy fighting" with Russian troops.

City officials have no way of knowing "what's going on, whether they are safe or not", Vadym Boichenko tells Ukrainian television.

The Kremlin denied Russia was storming the plant after Ukraine accused Moscow of launching a "powerful" assault on the industrial zone, the last redoubt of Ukrainian forces.

20 bodies found in Kyiv region

The bodies of another 20 civilians were found in the past 24 hours in the Kyiv region, police say, raising the total number found there so far to 1,235.

Kyiv regional police chief Andriy Nebytov says the latest discoveries were found in Borodianka and the surrounding villages, some 25 kilometres (15 miles) from Bucha, the town near Kyiv now synonymous with allegations of Russian war crimes.

Biden 'open' to more sanctions

US President Joe Biden says he is "open" to imposing more sanctions on Russia and will discuss measures with allies from the G7 in the next few days.

"We're always open to additional sanctions," Biden says shortly after the European Union announced plans for banning Russian oil imports and other new measures punishing Moscow for its bloody invasion of Ukraine.

EU states opposing embargo 'complicit': Kyiv

Ukraine says EU countries blocking an embargo on imports of Russian oil would be complicit in crimes committed by Russian troops on Ukrainian territory by funding Moscow's military.

"If there is any country in Europe who will continue to oppose the embargo on Russian oil, there will be good reason to say, this country is complicit in the crimes committed by Russia in the territory of Ukraine," Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says in a briefing on social media.

Mariupol military parade planned: Kyiv

Ukraine accuses Russia of planning to hold a military parade in the destroyed city of Mariupol on May 9 to celebrate victory over the Nazis in World War II.

Kyiv says an official from Russia's presidential administration has arrived in the strategic southern port city, to oversee plans for the Victory Day parade.

New EU sanctions, oil ban take shape

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen says the bloc will impose a gradual Russian oil ban, as part of new sanctions to punish Russia for invading Ukraine.

"We will phase out Russian supply of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year," she tells the European Parliament.

Eastern assault continues

Russian forces continue to pound sites to the east of the country, Ukraine's general staff says, as Moscow seeks to establish "full control" of the regions of Lugansk and Donetsk, and to maintain a land corridor to occupied Crimea.

In Lugansk, governor Sergiy Gaiday says two people have died in the last 24 hours, and "the whole region is under fire completely, there is no safe place".

Evacuees reach Zaporizhzhia

Further evacuations from Mariupol are expected Wednesday, a day after 156 people arrived in the Ukrainian-held city of Zaporizhzhia.

Belarus launches manoeuvres

Belarus, a Moscow ally that shares a border with Ukraine, launches "surprise" military manoeuvres, to test the reactive capacity of its army, its defence ministry says.

Belarus military units were testing their capacity to "go on the alert, move to predetermined zones and undertake combat training," it says.

EU to support Moldova

European Council President Charles Michel pledges to increase EU military aid to Moldova, Ukraine's neighbour that has seen a series of attacks in a pro-Moscow separatist region.

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French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Paris for talks and a "working dinner" on Wednesday evening, hoping to prise New Delhi away from Russia over the invasion of Ukraine.

The two men embraced and posed for press photos as Modi arrived in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace, where he was also greeted by Macron's wife Brigitte.

Macron would "emphasise the consequences of the war for the international order well beyond the European Union, including in Asia," his office said ahead of the talks.

France wants to "help the Indians diversify their supply" away from Russian arms and energy, officials added.

The aim "is not to leave the Indians with no way out, but to offer solutions," they said.

After meeting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Monday as part of a European tour, Modi told reporters that "there won't be any winners in this war and everyone will lose".

India has so far avoided condemning the Russian invasion or voting to censure Moscow at the United Nations.

The Elysee said Macron has an "extremely warm relationship" with Modi, who has visited France three times since 2017, while the French leader went to India in 2018.

France has a "trusting relationship with India," officials added, and hopes to build up the two countries' "strategic partnership" in the Indo-Pacific.

Securing France's place in the region is especially important after Britain, the United States and Australia last year sealed their AUKUS security pact -- dumping a lucrative French contract to supply Canberra's next generation of submarines along the way.

India has bought dozens of French Rafale fighter jets and six submarines, and cooperates with Paris on civil nuclear projects.

French state-owned energy giant EDF wants to build six next-generation EPR reactors in Jaitapur on India's west coast.

The Elysee said it was pushing hard to get that deal signed, fitting in with Macron's vow ahead of his re-election last month to renew France's nuclear industry and replace its fleet of ageing power plants.

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Russia said its forces would cease fire at the Azovstal steel plant in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol and open a humanitarian corridor for civilians for three days beginning Thursday.

"The Russian armed forces will from 8 am to 6 pm (Moscow time, 0500 GMT to 1500 GMT) on May 5, 6 and 7 open a humanitarian corridor from the territory of the Azovstal metallurgical plant to evacuate civilians," the defence ministry said on Wednesday.

"During this period, the Russian armed forces and formations of the Donetsk People's Republic will unilaterally cease any hostilities," the ministry said in a statement.

Civilians that have been sheltering at the plant will be allowed to travel to Russia or Kyiv-controlled territory, the statement added.

Mariupol is one of the most battered cities in Ukraine. A group of Ukrainian forces are still holding out at the plant.

Ukraine has accused Moscow of launching a "powerful" assault on the industrial zone, the last redoubt of Ukrainian forces in the city.

The mayor of Mariupol said that contact had been lost with Ukrainian forces holed up in the plant amid "heavy fighting" with Russian troops.

The Russian army said Tuesday its forces were using artillery and planes to target Azovstal, accusing Ukrainian troops of using a pause in fighting to once again take up their combat positions at the plant.

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The European Union's top official on Wednesday called on the 27-nation bloc to ban oil imports from Russia in the sixth package of sanctions targeting Moscow for its war in Ukraine.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also proposed that Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, and two other major banks be disconnected from the SWIFT international banking payment system.

Von der Leyen, addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, called on the EU's member nations to phase out imports of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year.

"We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets,'' von der Leyen said.

The proposals need to be unanimously approved to take effect and are likely to be the subject of fierce debate. Von der Leyen conceded that getting all 27 member countries, some of them landlocked and highly dependent on Russia for energy supplies, to agree on oil sanctions "will not be easy.''

If approved, the ban on oil imports will be the second package of EU sanctions targeting Russia's lucrative energy industry over its war in Ukraine that President Vladimir Putin started on Feb. 24. In addition to sanctions on various entities and individuals, including Putin himself and members of his family, the bloc previously approved an embargo on coal imports.

The EU has started discussions on a possible natural gas embargo, but the consensus among member countries on targeting the fuel used to generate electricity and heat homes is more difficult to secure.

Hungary and Slovakia have already said they wouldn't take part in any oil sanctions, but von der Leyen didn't elaborate on whether they would receive an exemption from the sanctions, although this appears likely.

Von der Leyen also said that the EU should target high-ranking military officers and others "who committed war crimes in Bucha,'' a suburb of the capital Kyiv. Ukrainian officials have alleged that retreating Russian troops carried out mass killings of civilians in Bucha.

"This sends another important signal to all perpetrators of the Kremlin's war: We know who you are. We will hold you accountable. You're not getting away with this,'' von der Leyen told the lawmakers.

Banks are also in the EU executive arm's sights, and notably Sberbank. Von der Leyen said the aim is that ``we de-SWIFT Sberbank." SWIFT is the major global system for financial transfers.

Von der Leyen said Sberbank holds around 37% of the Russian banking sector.

"And we will also de-SWIFT two other major banks in Russia. By that, we hit banks that are systemically critical to the Russian financial system and Putin's ability to wage destruction," she said.

Von der Leyen added that those alleged to be spreading disinformation about the war in Ukraine would be targeted.

"We are banning three big Russian state-owned broadcasters from our airwaves. They will not be allowed to distribute their content anymore in the EU, in whatever shape or form be it on cable, via satellite, on the internet or via smartphone apps.''

She didn't name the broadcasters directly but branded the television channels "as mouthpieces that amplify Putins lies and propaganda aggressively. We should not give them a stage anymore to spread these lies.''

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Businesses have gotten used to reduced overheads thanks to telecommuting, and some employees like working from home instead of spending hours on public transportation. Others, however, have grown to hate working from home.

Most employees have been fully vaccinated and lockdown restrictions are being eased as Korea plans a phased return to normal next month. But many employers and workers alike are reluctant to resume the old office routines.

Businesses whose staff have been working from home since the coronavirus pandemic started are preparing for a return to the office.

Then what will the new normal look like? Early this month, Amazon scrapped plans to return to normal office work and told managers to draw up tailored schedules for employees. Global accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers went even further and told its 40,000 full-time staff to continue telecommuting, while reporting to the office only three days a month.

U.S. big tech companies are also postponing the return to the office. Microsoft, Facebook and Google told workers to continue telecommuting if their jobs permit it. Global investment bank Morgan Stanley studied 61 major listed U.S. companies and found that 69 percent want to let staff work from home.

The situation is similar in major Korean companies. Big conglomerates have had only 30 to 50 percent of their staff in the office since the pandemic started and are gradually increasing the proportion who telecommute.

Hyundai Mobis officially adopted telecommuting late last year, while LG Electronics and SK Telecom are testing a partial system. The Korea Employers Federation recently polled the top 100 businesses in the country, and 43.6 percent said they are likely to keep letting staff work from home even after the pandemic ends.

For employers, telecommuting has its downsides because staff cannot be closely supervised and home computers may be exposed to security risks. But the savings are enormous, and productivity has actually increased. It costs money to rent, power and heat or air-condition offices in busy commercial districts. And Oh Kye-taik at the Korea Labor Institute said, "Commuting takes a lot of energy, and conserving it for work could boost productivity significantly."

Some workers agree. The World Economic Forum surveyed 12,500 workers in 29 countries and found that 66 percent want to keep telecommuting, while 30 percent said they are considering quitting if their employer forces them to return to the office.

But many others question the benefits of working from home. They say a lack of face-to-face communication could hinder creativity and cause problems in training new staff. Job Korea polled 910 salaried workers who telecommute, and 32.1 percent said they have problems doing their jobs from home. They complained that blurred lines separating work and personal lives ended up forcing them to remain on alert for much longer than they would at the office.

As a result, experts forecast a hybrid format that lets employees telecommute and work at the office depending on the type of job. They say partial telecommuting will become the new normal in the post-pandemic era.
Pope Francis said in an interview published on Tuesday that he has asked for a meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin to try to stop the war in Ukraine but had not received a reply.

The pontiff also told the Italian daily Corriere Della Sera that Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church, who has given the war his backing, "cannot become Putin's altar boy."

Francis told the newspaper that about three weeks into the war, he asked the Vatican's top diplomat to send a message to Putin about setting up a meeting. "We have not yet received a response and we are still insisting," the pope said.

He added: "I fear that Putin cannot, and does not, want to have this meeting at this time. But how can you not stop so much brutality?"


Some of India's biggest technology companies have seen attrition rates of more than 20 percent in recent months.

India's economic rebound means different things to different people. For some people, these are boom times. A 39-year-old employee at a consultancy firm who did not want to be named due to company policy is switching jobs. "Twenty-five to 30 percent hikes are easy in the job market today. There is no dearth of opportunities," she said. "If a company does not meet the expectation of an employee, people are quickly moving on. It is happening all around me."

"The evidence is reasonably clear that some sectors of the economy are growing much faster than others," says Ravi Srivastava, director of the Center for Employment Studies at the Institute for Human Development in New Delhi. "This obviously has consequences -- employment and earnings have still not recovered. It is only a small segment that is benefiting."

Another challenge faced by India is that growth is uneven -- while jobs and incomes have come roaring back in some sectors, such as information technology, millions who lost livelihoods during the pandemic are still struggling.

Economists, however, warn that the uncertainties created by the Ukraine crisis pose a huge challenge in maintaining the momentum as India too grapples with the runaway fuel prices and high food inflation that are hurting countries around the globe.

Putting pandemic woes behind it, India is set to become the world's fastest growing major economy for a second straight year, growing at nearly double the rate forecast for China. India's economy is projected to expand 8.2 percent this year in comparison to 4.4 percent pegged for China, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The formal sector, however, accounts for only about 10 percent of jobs. Most livelihoods are created in the country's vast informal sector, which was hit hard during the pandemic. Here too there are signs of revival as cities lift all restrictions -- small shop owners to taxi drivers say work is picking up.

Dhan Singh Negi, who rents his car to a company, says in recent months about 80 percent of his pre-pandemic business has revived. "I mostly pick up my company's clients from the airport and take them around the city. In the last two months, work has been good."

Negi had returned to his village after nearly a year, along with his brother -- part of a mass exodus of about 100 million migrant workers who returned to their villages as work in cities dried up two years ago when the pandemic began.

Now, all segments of the Indian economy are open, most offices have begun recalling employees and flights, trains and buses are packed as travel, both business and personal, resumes in full swing. That has made it possible for Negi to find work after returning.

His brother was not so lucky. He is still in the village, mostly working under a jobs program that offers poor households in rural areas up to 100 days of unskilled labor per year on public projects such as building roads and canals. Launched 15 years ago to offer a livelihood to people in rural India, the program emerged as a huge safety net for migrants who returned to their villages in the wake of the pandemic. Wages at about $3 a day are meager -- much less than workers can earn in cities.

Despite the economic recovery, the numbers seeking employment under the pro-poor jobs program continue to be high, which economists say is a sign of continuing distress. More than 253 million households enrolled last year, according to government figures -- much higher than 186 million in 2019 before the pandemic.

The number of workers in the agriculture sector has also surged as migrants who worked in cities returned to their small farms. It was termed "reverse migration."

"Data shows that a larger percentage of the workforce has slipped off the grid away from regular employment into some form of informal self-employment," says economist Srivastava. "So the quality of employment is poorer today than two years ago and there is a bulge in rural self-employment."

Economists say what has happened is essentially a reversal of modern development that sees people leave the agriculture industry to work in more modern sectors. The government, however, hopes that the overall recovery will trickle down to poor people and is optimistic that the economy will maintain its fast trajectory through this decade.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a visit to Germany, said Monday, "We are confident that India will be an important pillar of global recovery." But he also said that the impact of "skyrocketing" oil prices and a shortage of food grains and fertilizers due to the Ukraine crisis "on developing and poor countries will be even more serious."

Already growth estimates of 9 percent that had been made before the war erupted have been pared down -- the current estimate is 8.2 per cent. Still, the rebound in Asia's third biggest economy is significant. "Healthy for India, but also positive in a world where growth slowdown is creating a major problem," Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the IMF, said two weeks ago.
The U.S. embassy in Cuba began issuing visas on Tuesday for the first time since alleged sonic attacks against diplomatic staff more than four years ago.

Washington closed its consular services in the Cuban capital in 2017 after US personnel and their families suffered from mystery illnesses subsequently known as "Havana Syndrome."

The closure was a huge blow to many Cubans hoping to emigrate to the United States and escape the economic woes of their island nation. "Welcome to the embassy after so much time," said a Cuban employee to a small group of people waiting for their appointments in the consular section.

The United States announced two months ago it would begin a "limited" and "gradual" reopening of its embassy and consular services. It was closed in September 2017 after then-U.S. president Donald Trump hit out at the alleged sonic attacks.

A U.S. government report in 2020 said the illnesses suffered by staff and their families were most likely caused by "directed, pulsed radio frequency (RF) energy."

"We're hoping that everything goes well. I've been waiting three years for this to rejoin my daughter" who is in the United States, said one man who spoke on condition of anonymity. "I haven't seen her for seven years."


Samsung has won an order worth more than W1 trillion to supply 5G communication equipment to Dish Network, the fourth-largest mobile carrier in the U.S., it said Tuesday (US$1=W1,267).

This is the second biggest deal Samsung has won in the U.S. since securing a W7.9 trillion order from Verizon two years ago.

Samsung is to supply 5G equipment including base stations to Dish.

After starting off as a satellite TV provider in 1980, Dish began offering telecom services in 2020. It plans to set up a 5G network throughout the U.S. by next year covering 70 percent of the American population.


Korea's duty-free industry is expanding overseas after a two-year lull triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Lotte Duty Free will open a new store in downtown Sydney on Thursday. The last new shop it opened was in Singapore's Changi International Airport in June 2020.

Australia finally opened its doors to tourists in February after a prolonged border lockdown, and according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number of tourists flying into the country last month surged 10-fold compared to the same period of 2021.

The downtown Sydney store has three floors of 3,000 sq.m in all selling around 150 products. Lotte hopes it will generate W1 trillion in sales over the next 10 years (US$1=W1,267).
Bestselling Korean-American writer Min Jin Lee has found a new local publisher for her novel "Pachinko" after a spat with the old one led to all sales of the Korean translation being stopped last week.

The new publisher, Influential, said Tuesday it will produce a new translation that will hit stores in about three months. The rights to the first translation are held by the old publisher, Literature and Thought.

"Pachinko" became a bestseller immediately after publication here, but Literature and Thought failed to extend the unusual four-year publishing contract Lee had imposed on it, which expired on April 21.

Around 10 major publishers bid for it, and it sold to Influential for a rumored W2.5 billion (US$1=W1,267).

Influential also acquired Lee's 2008 novel, "Free Food for Millionaires," as well as her upcoming novel due to hit stores next spring.

Lee told the Chosun Ilbo in an interview earlier that her new book will be about a private crammer run by a Korean in metropolises around the world.

"Pachinko" tells the story of a Korean family in Japan over four generations from 1910 to 1989. A TV adaptation starring Oscar winner Youn Yuh-jung, Kim Min-ha and Lee Min-ho streamed on Apple TV+ to rave reviews.


By Miya Tanaka, KYODO NEWS - May 5, 2022 - 11:00 | All, Japan

The defense chiefs of Japan and the United States on Wednesday agreed to align the two countries' security strategies and strengthen cooperation to deter any attempt to change the status quo by force in the Indo-Pacific amid China's growing assertiveness.

The meeting in the Pentagon took place as Japan plans to update its National Security Strategy by the end of this year, with Russia's war against Ukraine generating a fresh drive in Tokyo toward beefing up its defense and deterrence capabilities.

At the outset of the talks, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said Russia's attack on its neighbor is "a serious challenge to the international order" and that "such unilateral change to the status quo by force is a concern in the Indo-Pacific region as well."

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Russia's aggression has implications "far beyond Europe" because of the challenge it represents to the rules-based order.

China's behavior, meanwhile, threatens to undermine the "common norms, values and institutions that underpin that order," he said, in a possible warning over its assertive territorial claims in neighboring waters and pressuring of Taiwan.

Austin also reaffirmed U.S. commitment to the defense of Japan, including extended deterrence backed by the "full range" of U.S. nuclear and conventional defense capabilities, apparently with China's military buildup and Russia's nuclear saber-rattling following its invasion of Ukraine in mind.

According to the Japanese Defense Ministry, Kishi conveyed Japan's "strong resolve" to fundamentally boost its defense capabilities, and Austin welcomed the move.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has recently proposed a substantial increase in defense spending, possibly to an amount on a par with 2 percent of gross domestic product, up from the current 1 percent, and the development of an ability to attack missile-launching sites in an enemy's territory.

Such proposals, if included in the Japanese government policy, would mark a major shift in the country's exclusively defense-oriented policy under the post-World War II pacifist Constitution, and also affect the shape of the decades-old Japan-U.S. security alliance.

"The two ministers confirmed they would align the two countries' strategies through close consultations," the Japanese ministry said in a press release.

During the talks, Kishi and Austin underscored the importance of peace and stability over the situation surrounding Taiwan, which Beijing views as a renegade province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Russia's invasion of its neighbor has prompted concern over whether Taiwan could be the "next Ukraine," with the island seen as a potential military flashpoint that could draw the United States into conflict with China.

A Taiwan contingency could also pose serious security challenges for Japan, a key U.S. ally that is geographically in close proximity to the self-ruled democratic island. Japan has also seen repeated incursions into territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands, a group of East China Sea islets controlled by Tokyo but claimed by Beijing.

Austin reaffirmed that the Senkakus, called Diaoyu by China, fall within the scope of the Japan-U.S. security treaty, meaning Washington would come to Tokyo's aid in the event of an armed attack against the uninhabited islets.

On North Korea, which has been repeating ballistic missile tests, the defense chiefs agreed that such provocative acts are unacceptable and that they will closely cooperate bilaterally, as well as trilaterally with South Korea, to address the threats.

In March, North Korea test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, raising concerns over its ongoing development of nuclear-capable ICBMs that could potentially reach the U.S. mainland. It also fired a missile on Wednesday, as Seoul prepares to inaugurate its first conservative government in five years next week.

Kishi's visit to the United States is his first since assuming the defense portfolio in September 2020. The last time he met Austin in person was in March 2021, when the U.S. defense and foreign secretaries traveled to Japan for bilateral security talks.

In a virtual meeting of the Japanese and U.S. foreign and defense chiefs in January this year, they shared their concerns about China's moves to undermine the rules-based international order and vowed to "deter and if necessary, respond" to what they view as destabilizing activities in the region.

Kishi and Austin agreed to "swiftly" flesh out ways to beef up the alliance's deterrence and response capabilities, as agreed in January, the Japanese Defense Ministry said.
KYODO NEWS - May 5, 2022 - 00:43 | All, World

North Korea fired a ballistic missile eastward into the Sea of Japan on Wednesday, the Japanese government said, as neighboring South Korea prepares to inaugurate the first conservative government in five years next week.

The missile, fired at around 12:02 p.m. from near North Korea's western coast, is believed to have fallen into waters outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, senior vice defense minister Makoto Oniki told reporters.

Japan estimates the missile traveled to an altitude of around 800 kilometers and covered a distance of around 500 km, while the South Korean military said the missile flew 470 km at speeds of Mach 11 after reaching 780 km in altitude.

The military, which said the missile was fired from around the Sunan area of the capital Pyongyang, is analyzing the launch, including the possibility it was an intermediate-range ballistic missile or a longer-range intercontinental ballistic missile.

There is a strong likelihood that the missile, believed to have been launched in a very steep angle on Wednesday, could have had the range of an intermediate-range ballistic missile if it had taken a normal trajectory.

The latest launch "absolutely cannot be condoned as it threatens the peace and safety of the international community," Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters in Italy, where he is currently visiting.

Japan lodged a protest with North Korea via its embassy in the Chinese capital Beijing, and the premier instructed relevant government agencies to confirm the safety of ships and aircraft as well as provide information to the public in a timely manner, according to the government.

Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, who is in the United States for talks with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, condemned the North Korean launch as one made while the world is dealing with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He instructed Oniki to make the utmost effort at dealing with the situation.

The U.S. government also criticized North Korea, calling the latest launch, similar to previous recent missile tests, "a clear violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions" and saying it demonstrates the threat Pyongyang's weapons programs pose to its neighbors and the region as a whole.

"We stand with the international community to call on the DPRK to refrain from further provocations and engage in sustained and substantive dialogue," a State Department spokesperson said, referring to the acronym of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.

The U.S. commitment to the defense of its two Asian allies -- Japan and South Korea -- remains "ironclad," the official said.

Pyongyang conducted two projectile launches toward the Sea of Japan on April 16, the last known missile firings by the North, and the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported they were test-firings of a "new-type tactical guided weapon."

The new weapon system is "of great significance" in "enhancing the efficiency in the operation of tactical nukes," the agency said then.

North Korea fired a new type of ICBM in late March, its biggest launch in terms of flight duration and altitude, at a time when international attention was focused on Ukraine.

The latest launch comes just days before South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol is set to take office on Tuesday.

The government of outgoing President Moon Jae In convened an emergency meeting of its National Security Council after the launch, with his office saying Seoul is ready to respond to "any threat" on the basis of its "ironclad" alliance with the United States.

Yoon's presidential transition team condemned the launch and said his next government will undertake "more fundamental deterrence measures against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats."

North Korea has been accelerating efforts to develop missiles under leader Kim Jong Un. At a congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea in January 2021, the country unveiled the policy of acquiring a variety of means to launch nuclear attacks.

It proceeded to test-fire a new type of long-range cruise missile, what was claimed to be a hypersonic missile and a submarine-launched ballistic missile, between September and October.

Since January the country has also tested a barrage of missiles, including short-range ballistic missiles and an intermediate-range ballistic missile.

On March 24, North Korea test-fired an ICBM that the Japanese government assessed to be a new type, marking an end to its self-imposed moratorium on ICBM firings that stretched back to April 2018. KCNA said the missile was the Hwasong-17, which is believed to be capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to anywhere in the continental United States.

Meanwhile, a missile tested by the North on March 16 that could have been a new type of ICBM is assessed to have exploded in midair immediately after launch.

North Korea held a military parade in Pyongyang on April 25 where Hwasong-17 and numerous other weapons were displayed. Kim has signaled he would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons, even preemptively, if his country is threatened.

Related coverage:

North Korea's Kim vows pre-emptive use of nuclear weapons if threatened

North Korea holds military parade in Pyongyang to mark key anniversary

North Korea test-fired "new-type tactical guided weapon": KCNA
By Ko Hirano, KYODO NEWS - May 4, 2022 - 13:55 | World, All, Japan

Myanmar's shadow civilian leadership, the National Unity Government, has established a presence in Japan as part of efforts to restore the democratically-elected administration of Aung San Suu Kyi which was overthrown in a February 2021 military coup.

Some Japanese lawmakers are rallying behind the NUG, though Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government has yet to recognize it for fear that antagonizing the junta would push it into the embrace of Beijing at a time when the rivalry between China and the United States in the Indo-Pacific is intensifying.

The NUG appointed Saw Ba Hla Thein, an ethnic Karen who has long been assisting Myanmar refugees in Japan, as representative to Japan on Feb. 1 to provide an alternative to the junta-controlled Myanmar Embassy in Tokyo.

The NUG was launched in April last year by deposed pro-democracy parliamentarians, anti-coup protesters and ethnic minority leaders who united in opposition to military rule. The organization holds no territory and conducts activities primarily online to avoid being targeted by the military.

Speaking at an event held April 17 in Tokyo to mark the first anniversary of the NUG's founding, Saw Ba Hla Thein said he will urge the Japanese government to recognize the NUG as the legitimate governing body of Myanmar to undermine the junta's control.

Saw Ba Hla Thein declined to say where in Japan the NUG is based, but said its office is staffed by 10 to 20 volunteers and the same number of advisers.

Besides Japan, the NUG has set up representative offices in Australia, Britain, the Czech Republic, France, Norway and South Korea.

The group also has a non-resident ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and plans to open an office in the United States, according to the NUG Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"We will step up political and diplomatic activities to promote the NUG in Japan," Saw Ba Hla Thein said, expressing hope that he can meet with Kishida and Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi soon.

"We will make our best efforts until we win the fight to rebuild a democratic state," said the 52-year-old, who came to Japan three decades ago and was recognized as a refugee by the Japanese government in 2006. "Democracy and justice will prevail."

Responding to his call, Michihiro Ishibashi, a lawmaker from the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, requested the Kishida government, in coordination with the United States, Europe and ASEAN, step up pressure on the Myanmar military to immediately halt violence, free Suu Kyi and other detainees, and restore democracy.

The request by Ishibashi, who serves as executive director of the Japanese Parliamentary Group Supporting Democratization in Myanmar, mirrors the cause of the NUG.

Since the Feb. 1, 2021, coup, Myanmar's military, led by army chief Min Aung Hlaing, has killed over 1,800 peaceful demonstrators and other citizens and left some 560,000 people displaced, according to U.N. and other data.

Suu Kyi has been convicted on several charges, including incitement, a move her supporters and independent analysts say has been used by the junta as a pretext to legitimize the military takeover of the government and prevent the Nobel Peace Prize laureate from returning to politics.

"We will continue to push the Japanese government to recognize the NUG as the government representing the people of Myanmar and establish diplomatic relations with it," Ishibashi told the April 17 event.

Together with Ishibashi and Ichiro Aisawa, a ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker and chairman of the Japan-Myanmar Parliamentary Friendship Association, Myanmar residents in Japan and Japanese supporters have set up a nonprofit organization to provide food and medical aid to impoverished and displaced people in Myanmar.

The NPO, to be fully operational on June 1, will also lobby the Japanese government and companies to back the NUG.

Japanese companies Eneos Holdings Inc. and Kirin Holdings Co. have already announced their withdrawal from natural gas and beer brewing projects, respectively, in Myanmar so revenues would not be diverted to the military.

Despite the NUG's call for recognition, China's engagement with the junta is making it difficult for Japan to leverage pressure on senior Myanmar generals, or even sever ties with them. Japanese officials and diplomats have, however, attempted to persuade the military to reverse course.

In a meeting with the junta's foreign minister Wunna Maung Lwin on April 1, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing, a major arms supplier, aid donor and trading partner, will "strengthen coordination with Myanmar to help overcome difficulties," an apparent signal of support for the junta.

The meeting in China's Anhui Province came five days after Min Aung Hlaing said he would not negotiate with "terrorist" forces, in reference to the NUG and the anti-junta People's Defense Force, and vowed to "annihilate" them.

Zin Mar Aung, the NUG's foreign minister, grasps Japan's dilemma in conducting diplomacy regarding Myanmar, saying, "Japan is concerned China might fill a vacuum if it refuses to engage with the regime. It is a balancing act."

"Asian countries accept the principle" of rejecting the military regime, Zin Mar Aung was quoted as saying in an interview with the independent Myanmar media outlet The Irrawaddy.

"But in reality, they do not take a tough stance and maintain ties with both the regime and us," she said in the interview posted April 1. "We have to monitor their moves and engage with them."

Related coverage:

Japan chief of Myanmar's shadow gov't calls for solidarity

Myanmar's military chief vows to "annihilate" anti-coup forces

Never forget tragedy in Myanmar amid Ukraine crisis, expats say
KYODO NEWS - May 4, 2022 - 23:31 | All, World, Japan

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Pope Francis agreed Wednesday to aim for a world free of nuclear weapons as Russia's war against Ukraine poses a serious threat to global security.

Kishida also separately met with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, during which they agreed to keep strong sanctions on Russia and boost support for Ukraine.

The visit to the Vatican by the leader of the only country to suffer the devastation of atomic bombings came as Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised fears he may use nuclear weapons as the war drags on.

Kishida and Francis condemned the killing of civilians in Ukraine and agreed to step up efforts to bring back peace in the war-torn country, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

Francis was quoted by the Vatican as telling Kishida the use and possession of nuclear weapons is "inconceivable." The meeting was the first since 2014 between a Japanese prime minister and the pope at the Vatican.

Francis has continued to be vocal about eliminating nuclear weapons, including through his 2019 addresses in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the two Japanese cities over which the United States detonated atomic bombs in World War II.

Following his first meeting with Draghi in Rome, Kishida said, "Japan and Italy will implement unprecedented, tough sanctions on Russia and strengthen our support for Ukraine."

"The international community is at a key juncture," Kishida said. "We are facing a critical moment in ending Russia's invasion and protecting peace and order."

In addition to sharing concern over another North Korea ballistic missile test on Wednesday, Kishida said he and Draghi also agreed to strengthen cooperation toward a "free and open Indo-Pacific" region, amid China's maritime assertiveness.

Since Friday, Kishida has been on an eight-day tour of five countries in Southeast Asia and Europe. He is scheduled to hold talks with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday.

During his meeting with Johnson, Kishida is also likely to discuss their response to the war, including humanitarian aid for Ukraine and punitive measures against Russia.

Kishida's trip, which has also taken him to Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, comes in advance of the summit of the Group of Seven major developed countries to be held in Germany in June.

Related coverage:

Japan, Thailand ink agreement on defense transfer amid China's rise

Japan, Vietnam affirm respect for sovereignty amid Ukraine war

Japan, Indonesia confirm cooperation toward free, open Indo-Pacific
Technician Zhao Dong works on the massive Chinese-made tunnel boring machine (TBM) at the construction site of the Genting tunnel of the East Coast Rail Link near Bentong in Pahang state, Malaysia on April 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

By Xinhua writers Mao Pengfei, Leong Huey Mun, Zhu Wei

KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 (Xinhua) -- 22-year-old Wang Hengyang has once imagined many ways of his future life before graduation from university. However, His current role as an operator of a 1,600-ton gigantic tunnel boring machine (TBM) to build an flagship project of the "Belt and Road Initiative" in Malaysia, is among the most incredible ones.

Measuring 266 meters in length, the super machine, reputed to be the biggest of its kind in Southeast Asia, is one of the two TBMs to spearhead the excavation works for the East Coast Rail Link's (ECRL) twin-bore Genting tunnel.

As a fan of Transformers, heroes of serial U.S. science fiction movies, becoming an operator of this machine dragon is a dream coming true for Wang, which also transformed him from a big boy, a greenhand graduate into a man and a disciplined engineer.

Installation of the arch frame, confirmed; accurate installation of the inverted arch block, confirmed; installation and extension of the TBM tunneling track, confirmed ... "My top priority is to keep the TBM running efficiently," Wang said.

"The first thing to do every day is to take over from the previous group of colleagues. These conditions must be met at the same time for smooth excavation," he explained.

The excavation work of the 16.39 km twin-bore Genting tunnel is crucial to the construction of ECRL, jointly constructed by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which runs from Malaysia's largest transport hub Port Klang and travels across the peninsula to Kelantan state in the country's northeastern part.

Located in the mountainous area in Pahang State, the surrounding rocks of the Genting tunnel site are mainly granite, schist, phyllite and argillaceous slate. The TBM is tailored for the unique geological conditions of genting tunnel by the CCCC, and at the maximum excavation capacity of 700m per month, it will be performing three main tasks underground: excavating the tunnel, removing excavated waste to the surface, and installing concrete walls in the tunnel.

After complicated installation and testing for several months, the TBM and the Chinese engineers are ready.

Deep inside the tunnel, it is a real challenge for engineers to work there in uniform and helmet with the extreme heat and moisture. With machines roaring and air stagnating, walking in the TBM is like in a submarine.

However, 32-year-old Zhao Dong and his colleagues of the maintenance team have to bustle around in it everyday.

To ensure the TBM's smooth operation, they have to check all the operating machinery in every shift, including abrasion status of blazes, maintenance of drilling rigs, and installation of protective devices, among others, so that problems could be solved as soon as they are found, said Zhao.

"We have to check around 280 items, and going through the whole procedure takes around three hours," Zhao said. "It's like screening a pile of rice for grains of sands. It's very hard to find the sand, but easier to clean."

"As the maintenance team, we must be very careful and work very hard to try to find the problems and nip them in the buds to ensure the good operation of the TBM," Zhao said, adding that being a part of this project is a proud experience.

After the excavation officially starts, it will take three years for the tunnel work to be fully completed, Malaysian Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said when visiting the construction site earlier this year.

Professionalism and close cooperation of the CCCC and its Malaysian partners in the ECRL bodes well for the mega project, Wee said, adding that the Chinese side honors whatever they promise.

The ECRL is expected to greatly enhance connectivity and bring more balanced growth to the country, by linking its less-developed region on the East Coast to the economic heartland on the West Coast upon its completion in 2026. 

A technician checks the massive Chinese-made tunnel boring machine (TBM) at the construction site of the Genting tunnel of the East Coast Rail Link near Bentong in Pahang state, Malaysia on April 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

Technician Zhao Dong (R) and operator Wang Hengyang check the massive Chinese-made tunnel boring machine (TBM) at the construction site of the Genting tunnel of the East Coast Rail Link near Bentong in Pahang state, Malaysia on April 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

Technician Dong Yuanxin works on the massive Chinese-made tunnel boring machine (TBM) at the construction site of the Genting tunnel of the East Coast Rail Link near Bentong in Pahang state, Malaysia on April 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

Technicians work on the massive Chinese-made tunnel boring machine (TBM) at the construction site of the Genting tunnel of the East Coast Rail Link near Bentong in Pahang state, Malaysia on April 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

Operator Wang Hengyang works on the massive Chinese-made tunnel boring machine (TBM) at the construction site of the Genting tunnel of the East Coast Rail Link near Bentong in Pahang state, Malaysia on April 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

A technician walks on the massive Chinese-made tunnel boring machine (TBM) at the construction site of the Genting tunnel of the East Coast Rail Link near Bentong in Pahang state, Malaysia on April 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

Photo taken on April 29, 2022 shows the entrance of the construction site of the Genting tunnel of the East Coast Rail Link near Bentong in Pahang state, Malaysia. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

Technician Zhao Dong (R) and operator Wang Hengyang check the massive Chinese-made tunnel boring machine (TBM) at the construction site of the Genting tunnel of the East Coast Rail Link near Bentong in Pahang state, Malaysia on April 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

Technicians work on the massive Chinese-made tunnel boring machine (TBM) at the construction site of the Genting tunnel of the East Coast Rail Link near Bentong in Pahang state, Malaysia on April 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

Sun Guangbing (2nd R) checks the production of the prefabricated invert arch blocks at the construction site of the Genting tunnel of the East Coast Rail Link near Bentong in Pahang state, Malaysia on April 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)
Photo provided by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) on May 3, 2022 shows the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope in Australia. Researchers on Tuesday revealed that by using a new observation technique akin to astronomical version of "sunglasses" with the ASKAP radio telescope, they found a new pulsar 10 times brighter than any other detected outside of our Milky Way Galaxy. (CSIRO/Handout via Xinhua)

CANBERRA, May 3 (Xinhua) -- An international research team using the Australian telescope with a new method has discovered the brightest known extragalactic pulsar.

Researchers on Tuesday revealed that by using a new observation technique akin to astronomical version of "sunglasses" with the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope, they found a new pulsar 10 times brighter than any other detected outside of our Milky Way Galaxy.

Discovered in 1967, pulsars are remnants of massive stars that emit flickering beams of electromagnetic radiation, which can be useful for guiding spacecraft.

The new pulsar was discovered by researchers from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), which owns and operates the ASKAP radio telescope, who used a new technique that captures polarized light.

"This was an amazing surprise. I didn't expect to find a new pulsar, let alone the brightest. But with the new telescopes we now have access to, like ASKAP and its sunglasses, it really is possible," Wang Yuanming, a CSIRO researcher and lead author of the research, said in a media release.

After seeing hints of the pulsar on ASKAP data, the team then confirmed its existence with the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory's MeerKAT radio telescope.

Previously pulsars could only be discovered by identifying their flickering light in telescope data, an unreliable method that could miss those that flicker too fast or too slow.

By instead looking for polarized light, pulsars with a wide range of flickering timing can be found.

Elaine Sadler, chief scientist of CSIRO's Australia Telescope National Facility, described the discovery as incredible.

"This speaks to all the great things we can expect from our telescopes and researchers as they constantly find new ways to answer some of our biggest questions," she said.

"From the Australia Telescope Compact Array to ASKAP, the Australia National Telescope Facility continues to provide wonderful access to our Universe," she said. 

Photo provided by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) on May 3, 2022 shows the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory's MeerKAT radio telescope in Karoo, South Africa. Researchers on Tuesday revealed that by using a new observation technique akin to astronomical version of "sunglasses" with the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope, they found a new pulsar 10 times brighter than any other detected outside of our Milky Way Galaxy. (CSIRO/Handout via Xinhua)

Photo provided by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) on May 3, 2022 shows the MeerKAT radio telescope's field of view with "sunglasses" on, featuring the newly discovered pulsar. Researchers on Tuesday revealed that by using a new observation technique akin to astronomical version of "sunglasses" with the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope, they found a new pulsar 10 times brighter than any other detected outside of our Milky Way Galaxy. (CSIRO/Handout via Xinhua)
SHANGHAI, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The administrative committee of Lingang new area of the Shanghai free trade zone (FTZ) has announced that United Overseas Bank (UOB) China is expected to open in the third quarter of this year.

The landing of the first foreign bank shows that foreign investors are full of confidence in the development prospects of Lingang and China's financial market, according to the administrative committee.

UOB China said it will continue to provide one-stop financial services for Chinese and foreign enterprises with its business network strength in ASEAN, while focusing on creating cross-border financial innovation solutions with the policy advantages in Lingang. 
Saudi Arabian King Salman received Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on April 28, 2022. (Saudi Press Agency via Xinhua)

For Ankara, it might be the economic motivation for pushing for detente; for Riyadh, security concerns, such as terrorism, conflict, instability and refugee issues, dominate, Turkish experts say.

ANKARA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Last week's visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Saudi Arabia, during which the two regional heavyweights vowed to reset their frayed ties, will create a win-win opportunity for both nations, experts said.

This was Erdogan's first visit to the Gulf Arab kingdom since the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 that marred the relations between the two Sunni states.

The Turkish leader was seen embracing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discussed with him regional issues and business opportunities.

After the meetings, Erdogan said Turkey hopes to enhance all kinds of political, military and economic relations to start a "new era" with Saudi Arabia.

Turkey's current diplomatic drive comes amid the country's economic woes which have been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, seeking to attract investments, especially those from energy-rich Gulf states.

The United Arab Emirates, with which Turkey has also taken steps to improve relations, has outlined a plan for a 10 billion U.S. dollar fund to support investments in Turkey.

"There is a general easing of tensions in the Gulf region and the Turkish-Saudi reconciliation should be seen as a part of this drive, and also as a piece of the puzzle in which Ankara is striving to reconcile itself with former regional adversaries," Serkan Demirtas, a Turkish foreign policy analyst, told Xinhua.

Demirats pointed to Ankara's economic motivation for pushing for a detente with Riyadh which also needs a chance to rebuild its international image after the murder of Khashoggi.

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on April 28, 2022. (Saudi Press Agency via Xinhua)

"So, putting relations back on track is beneficial for both nations and may have positive consequences for conflicts in the Middle East where they are rivals, notably in Syria," he said.

Ahead of Erdogan's visit, Turkey already made overtures to Saudi Arabia by first toning down its criticism over the Khashoggi case and then in April transferring the trial against 26 Saudi suspects in connection to the case from Turkey to the Gulf kingdom.

"The (Turkish) president's visit to Saudi Arabia is a consecration of improving ties as the two countries are in sync toward a general detente in the region," a Turkish diplomatic source told Xinhua.

"Both nations are aware of economic and political security interests involved behind their efforts for normalization," the source said on condition of anonymity.

For Saudi Arabia, Necmettin Acar, a scholar and expert on Gulf states from Mardin Artuklu University, said security concerns dominate its efforts toward rapprochement with Turkey.

"Currently ... terrorism, conflict, instability and refugee issues are a security threat ... Saudis cannot handle all those issues by themselves," he told semi-official Anadolu Agency.

"Saudi Arabia is seeking the active support of Turkey to cope with instabilities affecting the Arab world, especially the war in Yemen where Riyadh is engaged (against Iran-backed Houthi rebels), and to act as a balancing force regarding Iran," he said.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in early 2016 in protest against the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran following the Saudi execution of a Shiite cleric.

The tensions between the two rivals have shown signs of improvement since they resumed direct talks on normalizing diplomatic relations in April 2021. 
TEHRAN, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Iran will execute an Iranian national soon for spying for Israel's intelligence agency Mossad, the Iranian Students' News Agency reported Wednesday.

"The death sentence of Ahmad Reza Jalali is on the agenda and this sentence will be carried out by the end of (the Iranian month of) Ordibehesht," or by May 21, the report quoted informed sources as saying.

Jalali, a medicine doctor who also holds Swedish citizenship, was jailed in Iran in 2016 for spying for Israel and later was sentenced to death.

The verdict has been upheld by the Iranian Supreme Court, according to the report.

The information Jalali fed the Mossad regarding Iran's nuclear program resulted in the assassination of two Iranian nuclear scientists, according to the report.

Over the past days, a Swedish court started trying Hamid Nouri, a former Iranian judiciary official who was arrested upon arrival at Stockholm Airport in 2019 for alleged human rights abuse. 
Israeli President Isaac Herzog speaks during a ceremony marking Israel's Memorial Day of fallen soldiers and terror victims at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, on May 3, 2022. The official Memorial Day pays tribute to soldiers killed during their military service and wars, as well as the civilian victims of attacks. (JINI via Xinhua)

JERUSALEM, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Israel came to a standstill to the sound of sirens on Tuesday evening, commemorating its annual Memorial Day of fallen soldiers and terror victims.

The official Memorial Day pays tribute to soldiers killed during their military service and wars, as well as the civilian victims of attacks.

During a memorial service earlier in the day, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called for unity amid growing political polarization and internal divisions in the Israeli society.

"Young men of just 19 or 20, who won't be coming back. I cannot speak in their names, but I believe that this is what they would want to ask of us: Continue to live together. Don't let arguments divide our people from within," he said.

After the sirens, the main ceremony held at the Western Wall in Jerusalem was attended by President Isaac Herzog, Chief of Forces Aviv Kochavi, senior military and police officers, and bereaved families.

Multiple other ceremonies and memorials will be held across the country in the upcoming 24 hours, from late Tuesday to Wednesday evening.

According to figures issued on Tuesday by the Foreign Ministry, 24,068 soldiers, police officers, police wardens, Shin Bet security service workers, and Mossad agents have died while in duty since 1860. In addition, 4,216 civilians have died in attacks. 

Photo taken on May 3, 2022 shows a ceremony marking Israel's Memorial Day of fallen soldiers and terror victims at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The official Memorial Day pays tribute to soldiers killed during their military service and wars, as well as the civilian victims of attacks. (JINI via Xinhua)

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks during a ceremony marking Israel's Memorial Day of fallen soldiers and terror victims in Jerusalem, on May 3, 2022. The official Memorial Day pays tribute to soldiers killed during their military service and wars, as well as the civilian victims of attacks. (Marc Israel Sellem/JINI via Xinhua)

Photo taken on May 3, 2022 shows a ceremony marking Israel's Memorial Day of fallen soldiers and terror victims at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The official Memorial Day pays tribute to soldiers killed during their military service and wars, as well as the civilian victims of attacks. (JINI via Xinhua)

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett (C) attends a ceremony marking Israel's Memorial Day of fallen soldiers and terror victims in Jerusalem, on May 3, 2022. The official Memorial Day pays tribute to soldiers killed during their military service and wars, as well as the civilian victims of attacks. (Marc Israel Sellem/JINI via Xinhua)

Photo taken on May 3, 2022 shows a ceremony marking Israel's Memorial Day of fallen soldiers and terror victims at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The official Memorial Day pays tribute to soldiers killed during their military service and wars, as well as the civilian victims of attacks. (JINI via Xinhua)




XI'AN, May 4 (Xinhua) --As the 46th WorldSkills Competition is to be held in Shanghai in mid-October this year, a number of Gen Z technicians in a vocational college in northwest China's Shaanxi Province are busy practicing their skills to prepare for the competition.



The WorldSkills Competition, known as the "Olympics" for vocational skills, is held every two years.

China has attached great importance to the development of vocational education in recent years.

The country's newly revised Vocational Education Law stipulates that vocational education enjoys the same importance as general education and issues measures to promote the high-quality development of vocational education.

Statistics show that the 143 technical colleges in Shaanxi Province have trained 250,000 skilled workers since 2016, with an employment rate of more than 97 percent.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service




MADRID, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Celta Vigo striker, Santi Mina, was on Wednesday condemned to four years in prison for the crime of sexual abuse for events which happened in Mojacar (southern Spain) in the summer of 2017.

The player's legal team has said they will appeal against the verdict.

The player, who was at Valencia at the time of the incident, was also fined 50,000 euros and ordered to remain at least 500 meters away from his victim for a period of 12 years. He was however, cleared of a further charge of sexual abuse.

On the confirmation of the news, Celta informed that it had "decided to open a disciplinary file on the player Santiago Mina," who will "temporarily be removed from first team training."

The club explains that although it "respects the player's right to defense," it is "obliged to take measures against those events that notoriously undermine the image of the club and directly attack its values, once again showing its most absolute rejection of the offense established in the judicial resolution." 
MOSCOW, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that 63 Japanese citizens, including top officials like Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, have been "permanently" barred from entering Russia.

"The administration of Kishida has launched an unprecedented anti-Russian campaign, allowing unacceptable rhetoric against the Russian Federation, including slander and direct threats," the ministry said in a statement.

"It is echoed by public figures, experts and media representatives of Japan, who are completely biased towards the attitudes of the West regarding our country," it added.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi are also blacklisted, among other government officials and lawmakers.

In addition, the entry ban applies to some media executives and university professors. 
UNITED NATIONS, May 3 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday condemned "in the strongest terms" the continued heinous terrorist attacks targeting civilians in Afghanistan.

The council issued a press statement to condemn the terrorist attacks, including the attack against the Mawlawi Sekander mosque in Kunduz on April 22 which killed more than 25 people, and the attack against the Khalifa Sahib mosque in Kabul on April 29 which early reports said at least 30 people were killed and many others were injured.

The attacks followed several other recent attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including in religious minority communities, across Afghanistan during the month of Ramadan.

"The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security," said the statement.

They reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.

They reaffirmed the need for all states to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. 
* Chinese scientific researchers established the world's highest automatic meteorological monitoring station on Mount Qomolangma on the China-Nepal border.



* An expedition team reached the summit of Mount Qomolangma and measured the thickness of the ice and snow using high-accuracy radar for the first time.

* The new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma is the country's first scientific research above an altitude of 8,000 meters on the peak.

Photo taken on May 4, 2022 shows a view of Mount Qomolangma. Chinese scientific researchers reached the summit of Mount Qomolangma Wednesday and established an automatic meteorological monitoring station on it. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

MOUNT QOMOLANGMA BASE CAMP, Tibet, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientific researchers on Wednesday established an automatic meteorological monitoring station at an altitude of over 8,800 meters, making it the world's highest of its kind, on Mount Qomolangma on the China-Nepal border.

It has replaced the station sitting at an altitude of 8,430 meters on the south side of the mountain, set up by British and U.S. scientists in 2019, to become the world's highest, according to the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (ITP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Including the new weather station, eight elevation gradient meteorological stations have been set up on Mount Qomolangma -- one of the main tasks in China's new comprehensive scientific expedition on the world's highest peak at a height of 8,848.86 meters.

Zhao Huabiao, a researcher with the ITP, said the monitored meteorological data will support scientific research and mountaineering activities.

Also on Wednesday, 13 members of the expedition team reached the summit of Mount Qomolangma. At the summit, the squad measured the thickness of the ice and snow using high-accuracy radar for the first time, and collected samples for further research.

Members of a Chinese scientific expedition team establish an automatic meteorological monitoring station on Mount Qomolangma May 4, 2022. Chinese scientific researchers reached the summit of Mount Qomolangma Wednesday and established an automatic meteorological monitoring station on it. (Xinhua/Sonam Dorje)

TAKING RESEARCH TO NEW HEIGHTS

The new comprehensive scientific expedition on Mount Qomolangma, as part of China's second scientific research survey of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is the country's first scientific research above an altitude of 8,000 meters on the peak.

More than 270 scientific research members from five teams are participating in the expedition.

The glacier and pollutant research team led by Kang Shichang, a researcher with the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources under CAS, will spend a month monitoring pollutants, the Rongbuk glacier and ice lake changes, as well as the greenhouse gas emissions from rivers and lakes covering the high-altitude area from the Mount Qomolangma base camp to the East Rongbuk glacier.

Kang said studying the changes to the glacier aims to clarify the impact of global warming, which is beneficial to mounting a global response to climate change.

"Through the study of glacier changes and glacier air pollutants, we can see the impact of global and regional human activities in the Qomolangma area," Kang said.



Kang Shichang, a researcher with the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, checks supplies at the Mount Qomolangma base camp on May 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)

FEAT OF HUMANITY

Zhu Tong, head of the College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering of Peking University, led his team to explore the impact of an ultra-high altitude environment on human health.

The team of 27 scientific researchers is monitoring the health condition of 50 volunteers positioned at varying altitudes: 5,200 meters, 5,800 meters, 6,350 meters and 8,848 meters.

"As you rise in altitude, your body will change accordingly, which makes this intuitive data valuable," said Zhu, 59, who is also an academician at CAS.

The team will collect blood, urine, saliva, feces and other samples, measure blood pressure, and monitor the pulse wave velocity of the volunteers, including Zhu himself, to provide samples for follow-up research.



Members of a Chinese scientific expedition team conduct scientific research on Mount Qomolangma on May 4, 2022. Chinese scientific researchers reached the summit of Mount Qomolangma Wednesday and established an automatic meteorological monitoring station on it. (Xinhua/Sonam Dorje)

With the most disciplines covered, the highest number of scientific research participants, and the most advanced equipment utilized, the expedition is the largest since surveys of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau started in 2017.

"The ultra-high altitude comprehensive scientific expedition in the Qomolangma area is a feat of humanity," said Yao Tandong, an academician at CAS and team leader of the second scientific research survey of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Following the team's summit on Wednesday, scientists and researchers cheered and clapped inside the expedition's headquarters at the Mount Qomolangma base camp. Outside the camp, Tibetan snowcocks that often visit the camp crowed, reverberating across the valley.

People celebrate at the Mount Qomolangma base camp on May 4, 2022. Chinese scientific researchers reached the summit of Mount Qomolangma Wednesday and established an automatic meteorological monitoring station on it. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)

(Video reporters: Tenzin Nyima Chodru, Sonam Dekyi, Lin Jianyang and Lyu Qiuping; Video editors: Liu Ruoshi, Zhou Sa'ang and Zhu Jianhui) 
SEOUL/TOKYO, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters, the Japanese government said on Wednesday.

Earlier South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) confirmed that the DPRK fired an unidentified projectile in a short statement without further details. 




* On April 21, China released its first white paper centered on its youth, "Youth of China in the New Era." This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC).

* Nowadays, young Chinese identify more and more with the splendors of Chinese civilization. They are deeply proud of the Chinese nation, and are more active in promoting traditional Chinese culture and boosting cultural confidence across society.

* China has pledged to go all out to preserve and develop its excellent traditional culture, eyeing a "marked boost" in the international influence of Chinese culture by 2025.

by Xinhua writers Shen Feng, Wang Xuetao, Chen Zhihao

TAIYUAN/LHASA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Sitting in a self-designed, ancient-style courtyard, Liu Kai, 30, draws Chongfu Temple, a cultural structure steeped in history and now under state protection in north China's Shanxi Province.

Hailing from a farming family in Zhuge Village, Shanxi's Linfen City, Liu has a passion for ancient China's awe-inspiring architecture, especially the buildings in the culture-rich province.

Over the past eight years, he has recorded over 50 historic structures on paper, depicting himself in front of each old building. "It is me, like countless others who have looked up to the heritage through the ages," Liu said.

On April 21, China released its first white paper centered on its youth, "Youth of China in the New Era." This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC).

China's youth draw nutrients from the best of China's traditional culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture, and gain strength from the time-honored Chinese civilization, said the document.

Young Chinese identify more and more with the splendors of Chinese civilization. They are deeply proud of the Chinese nation, and are more active in promoting traditional Chinese culture and boosting cultural confidence across society, according to the white paper.

File photo provided by Liu Kai shows a painting of his depicting a view of the Tayuan Temple on Mount Wutai in north China's Shanxi Province. (Xinhua)

Over the years, China has placed great emphasis on the passing on and promotion of its culture, with a raft of guidelines and proposals launched to fuel the nationwide protection, innovation and spread of its invaluable culture.

Liu is not alone in his passion for China's past. After posting his paintings online, his artworks have wowed netizens and attracted collectors across the country.

China has pledged to go all out to preserve and develop its excellent traditional culture, eyeing a "marked boost" in the international influence of Chinese culture by 2025.

According to the guidelines issued by the central government in 2017, major achievements are expected to be registered in traditional culture-related research, education, protection, inheritance, innovation and exchanges by 2025.

China's top design to rejuvenate its fine culture has received an enthusiastic echo from the public.

At a Virtual Reality (VR) exhibition hall in Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, an eight-minute video introduces visitors to the history and development of Zhentang Sherpa dance, a form of national intangible cultural heritage.

The videography and translation involved the efforts of 23-year-old Sidar, who is of Sherpa descent. His hometown Zhentang, deep in the Himalayas and bordering Nepal, is home to more than 2,600 Sherpa people.

The young man's mother is a practitioner of Zhentang Sherpa dance. When Sidar was a child, he used to watch his mother teach locals of all ages the ancient steps of the dance.

File photo taken by Sidar shows Sherpa villagers enjoying liquor made from Eleusine Coracana in Zhentang of Xigaze, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on July 16, 2019. (Photo by Sidar/Xinhua)

Scholars have frequently visited the sleepy town to conduct studies of the unique local culture. "The Sherpa culture is diverse and rich. Scholars make academic achievements, but the responsibility of real cultural inheritance falls on the shoulders of local youths like Sidar," said Tarring Namgel, an associate professor at the College of Art of Tibet University. He traveled to the region to research Mani Drama, another time-honored form of Sherpa cultural heritage.

Increasing participation in such trips inspired Sidar to record local culture through his lens. Old gadgets of the Sherpa people, dancing and vibrant festival celebrations have since become the subjects of his videos.

"Our culture is like an ancient river that flows inside us from history to today," Sidar said. It is his dream to make a documentary and establish a museum of Sherpa folk culture.

More and more young Chinese people have joined efforts to preserve cultural heritage thanks to China's blockbuster documentaries and television shows such as "Masters in the Forbidden City" and "National Treasure."

When Zhu Xiaocong, now an ancient calligraphy and painting conservator, landed his job at Shanxi Museum seven years ago, he only had three or four colleagues. But now, the team has expanded to about 30 people, with its members mostly born after 1990.

Zhu's studio may seem like a kitchen to the untrained eye, as a variety of brushes hang on the walls, knives rest in drawers and pots of different sizes litter the counter. Lying on his workbench is a piece of calligraphy dating back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), spoiled by faint stains and cracks.

Zhu Xiaocong, a restorer for painting and calligraphy, works on an artwork at the Shanxi Museum in Taiyuan, north China's Shanxi Province, April 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Xuetao)

Zhu is "performing surgery" on the delicate artwork. He scrapes off the stains with a knife and sticks thin white strips to the back of the paper on damaged areas.

"It can take days to merely open the frames of articrafts using tweezers, as ancient Chinese people used to write and draw on fragile materials," Zhu explained.

"Young people are energetic, but they can lack experience when it comes to artifact restoration," said Guo Zhiyong, deputy director of the museum's cultural artifact conservation and research department. "However, their techniques can be greatly improved through training, teaching guides from their seniors, and field trips."

Over the past seven years, Zhu has single-handedly restored over 100 ancient paintings and calligraphy works. "All my efforts are worthwhile when I see the artifacts restored to their former glory and appreciated by museum visitors," he said.

(Video reporters: Chen Zhihao, Lyu Qiuping, Wang Xuetao, Shen Feng, Liu Ying; video editors: Liu Yuting, Mu Xuyao) 
BRUSSELS, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) will phase out Russian crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday, announcing the sixth package of sanctions against Russia.

"We now propose a ban on Russian oil. This will be a complete import ban on all Russian oil, seaborne and pipeline, crude and refined," von der Leyen told lawmakers in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The package also includes a new list of sanctioned Russian military officers and other individuals, the "de-SWIFTing" of Russia's biggest bank Sberbank and two other major banks, the cutting-off of three Russian state-owned broadcasters from European airwaves and a ban on services of EU-based accountants and consultants to Russian companies.

The sixth sanction package aims to deprive the Russian economy of "its ability to diversify and modernize," von der Leyen said.

The European Commission president also pledged financial support to address Ukraine's immediate needs but gave no further detail about its amount. 
CHENGDU, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Fuel assemblies are the core of nuclear reactor. Engineers and researchers of Nuclear Power Institute of China in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, have worked for years to develop China's own fuel assembly of commercial nuclear power plants.

On Oct. 27, 2019, the first batch of 20 groups of CF3 fuel assemblies with independent intellectual property rights were loaded into nuclear power plant. The achievement marked that China has mastered the technology of high-performance nuclear fuel assembly.

It is worth mentioning that over 70 percent members of the R&D team are young people. The young generation of the R&D team will continue to engage themselves in Chinese nuclear power plant development.

Photo taken on April 26, 2022 shows members of a R&D team in Nuclear Power Institute of China in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Xinhua/Liu Kun)

Members of a R&D team work in a laboratory of Nuclear Power Institute of China in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, April 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Kun)

Members of a R&D team work in a laboratory of Nuclear Power Institute of China in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, April 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Kun)

Members of a R&D team work in a laboratory of Nuclear Power Institute of China in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, April 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Kun)

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
KIEV, May 3 (Xinhua) -- At least 16 people were killed and six others were injured on Tuesday in a collision between a passenger bus and a fuel truck in Ukraine's western Rivne region, the National Police of Ukraine said.

The two vehicles collided at about 7:20 p.m. local time on the Kiev-Chop highway near the village of Sytne and caught fire, the police said on Facebook.

Traffic on the Kiev-Chop highway in this section was completely closed following the accident, and a team of investigators was working on the site, the police said. 
LOS ANGELES, May 3 (Xinhua) -- People are being killed in Los Angeles, the second largest U.S. city, so far this year at a slightly faster pace than 2021, when homicides hit a 15-year high, local media reported on Tuesday, citing police data.

Through April 30, there had been 122 homicides in Los Angeles, six more than were recorded during the same time period in 2021, reported the Los Angeles Times, one of the largest newspapers in the country.

According to an annual crime statistics release by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in January, last year recorded 397 homicides, up by 42 from 2020 and second only to 480 killings in 2006.

The bloodshed remains far below that of the early 1990s, when the city had more than 1,000 homicides per year. But it nonetheless marks another uptick, however slight, in the troubling surge of gun violence that erupted in 2020 and has become a top concern among residents as well as a key issue in the race for the city's next mayor, said the Los Angeles Times.

While the rest of the year could see a significant decrease in the rate of killings, the numbers so far likely scuttle any hope that the city would find a way to return to pre-pandemic levels of gun violence, the newspaper noted, citing experts.

"We certainly see instances of street violence that we tie into gangs, with a lot of ready and easy access to handguns and rifles," Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore told the newspaper in an interview, adding that "it's resulting in this loss of life and this high frequency of shootings." 




Sculptors from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second-largest city, who mostly depend on foreign tourists for income, say they are bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic since the number of tourists visiting Zimbabwe for safari purposes has fallen drastically over the past two years.

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, May 4 (Xinhua) -- One small piece at a time, Chamunorwa Shuramatongo is in his own way fighting a noncombat battle against animals poaching with his exquisite artwork of wood-carved animal figures.

The talented artist from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second-largest city, uses wood from dried-out trees to make hand-carved pieces of art that portray Zimbabwe's wildlife diversity.

A carver makes a sculpture of a lion in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, on April 25, 2022. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)

"What I am saying is let's conserve our wildlife so that when tourists come and see them, they will leave foreign currency for the government and support us by buying so that we can eke out a living," Shuramatongo told Xinhua at his workshop.

To him, art is not just a passion, or a way to earn a living -- he believes that it can be employed as a medium to spread awareness about burning issues in society.

He said each of his carvings, which are made from ironwood, speaks of endangered species in the country's vast wilderness.

Zimbabwe, a top safari destination, is home to some of Africa's most iconic animals, but rampant poaching is threatening their survival.

Shuramatongo and many other artists from Bulawayo depend on tourist revenues, and the destruction of wildlife and the environment has a direct impact on their livelihoods.

Photo shows wooden sculptures of a lion and an elephant in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, on April 25, 2022. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)

To play their own small part, they are using art to raise awareness about the scourge of the illegal animal trade. Their art pieces made of ironwood, in different sizes, cover all animals, ranging from the big five animals, namely elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo and leopard, to other species including giraffes and warthogs.

Ironwood, which is abundant in the Matabeleland region, whose capital is Bulawayo, is exceptionally hard and dense, which makes it ideal for sculpting.

The sculptors, who mostly depend on foreign tourists for income, say they are bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic since the number of tourists visiting Zimbabwe for safari purposes has fallen drastically over the past two years.

"Lack of tourists is affecting our work because there is a third person who is not an artist who is now actively buying products. I no longer have access to tourists, they are now dealing with the third person and we remain behind the scenes," Shuramatongo said.

Bulawayo is rich in cultural history and is one of the oldest and historically important cities in Zimbabwe.

A carver shows a sculpture of a buffalo in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, on April 25, 2022. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)

In contrast to artists from Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, who predominantly use stones to make expressive sculptures, artists in Bulawayo mostly use ironwood which is found in abundance in surrounding areas.

This year, curio sellers in Bulawayo are banking on the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) to market their products.

The ZITF, which ended on April 30, is the leading international exhibition in Zimbabwe, and thousands of exhibitors showcase their products and services every year.

Nigel Mhlanga, a curio seller, said he expected to make more sales this year due to increased traffic to the city as a result of the trade fair.

"As people who are in the arts industry, we want to grab this opportunity with both hands so that people visiting the trade fair will support us," he said.

This year's trade fair is anchored on the theme: "Rethink, Reimagine, Reinvent Value Chains for Economic Development." 
BUENOS AIRES, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Argentine Health Minister Carla Vizzotti on Tuesday praised the role of Chinese vaccines in combating COVID-19 in the South American country.

Vizzotti thanked representatives of China's CanSino Biologics pharmaceutical firm at a meeting held in Buenos Aires to assess the work carried out during the pandemic and address cooperation strategies for technology transfer, the Health Ministry said.

"Thank you very much for being here. For us it is very important to value all the work that has been done so far and thank you for CanSino's role in our country's response to the pandemic," said Vizzotti.

"The pandemic transformed crisis into an opportunity and this table is a sign that we are taking advantage of that opportunity," she added.

According to Vizzotti, "this meeting is also to think about many strategies beyond COVID-19," and the importance of working together with CanSino on technology transfer.

In June 2021, Argentina approved the emergency use of CanSino's Convidecia vaccine, due to the vaccine's compliance with the standards required by the regulatory authority of manufacturing plants, the development and manufacture of products, their certification in the country of origin and compliance with quality standards.

The vaccine is easy to store because it can be transported at a temperature of between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, and requires just a single dose. It has been used in Argentina to immunize remote communities.

Argentina began its vaccination campaign against COVID-19 in December 2020 and has received 119,379,405 doses of vaccines from different pharmaceutical companies, including Chinese companies CanSino and Sinopharm, both of which contributed significantly to the fight against the pandemic.

The South American country has registered 9,083,673 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 128,653 deaths from the disease since the viral outbreak, and has applied some 98,887,551 doses of vaccines so far. 
UNITED NATIONS, May 3 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday welcomed the safe evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol of Ukraine.

"I am pleased that more than 100 civilians have successfully been evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, in an operation successfully coordinated by the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross," the top UN official said in a statement.

"I hope the continued coordination with Kiev and Moscow will lead to more humanitarian pauses that will allow civilians safe passage away from the fighting and aid to reach people where the needs are greatest," Guterres said.

Both the Russian and Ukrainian militaries said on Monday that more than 100 people had been evacuated from the besieged city of Mariupol of Ukraine, news reports said. 
A customer walks past a Sam's Club warehouse store at Beicai Town in Pudong New Area, east China's Shanghai, May 2, 2022. Large retail companies in Shanghai have started to reopen their supermarkets amid the recent COVID-19 resurgence. (Xinhua/Chen Jianli)

SHANGHAI, May 4 (Xinhua) -- China's Shanghai reported 260 confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 4,722 local asymptomatic cases on Tuesday, the municipal health commission said Wednesday.

From May 1 to 3, a total of 192 cases were identified among people outside the closed-off management areas, accounting for 1.07 percent of the total infections, the commission said.

The city has seen a declining number of residents living under closed-off management, with 2.39 million in closed-off management areas, 5.19 million in restrictive control areas, and 15.78 million in prevention areas as of Tuesday. 
SANAA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi rebels said on Wednesday that they shot down a "spy drone" of the Saudi-led coalition backing the Yemeni government, accusing the coalition of violating the truce.

"Our air defense shot down with a surface-to-air missile the drone that was hovering over Haradh city in the province of Hajjah in violation of the truce," Houthi-run al-Masirah TV quoted the Houthi military spokesman Yehya Sarea as saying in a statement.

There was no comment yet from the coalition or the Yemeni government.

A two-month cease-fire agreement, brokered by the United Nations between the Houthi militia and the coalition-backed Yemeni government, entered into force on April 2.

The truce includes allowing the entry of 18 fuel ships into the Houthi-held port of Hodeidah and two commercial flights a week to and from the Houthi-controlled Sanaa airport, and allowing humanitarian aid access to the government-held city of Taiz.

So far the cease-fire in Yemen has been largely held despite occasional accusations of breaches traded between the warring sides.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa.

The war has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 4 million and pushed the population to the brink of starvation. 
RAMALLAH, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Tuesday called on the United Nations Security Council to stop Israel from escalating tensions against Palestinians after Jewish activists reportedly decided to break into a holy mosque in East Jerusalem.

On Tuesday, Israeli media reported that activists of some Jewish organizations called for an "incursion into Al-Aqsa Mosque's compound," which will be launched on Thursday morning until the afternoon.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the activists' plans to raise Israeli flags and sing the Israeli national anthem at the mosque, saying in a statement that "these violations reflect the official Israeli insistence to escalate the situation and implement its plans to perpetuate the occupation."

The ministry called on the Security Council "to take the necessary measures to pressure Israel to stop its escalation against the Palestinian people."

Hussein Al-Sheikh, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, called the extremists' plans "an outrageous disregard of the feelings of Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims" and "a continuation of extremist racist campaigns."

The Israeli government did not comment on the Israeli extremists' calls.

Since the start of the the Muslims' fasting month of Ramadan early April, tension between Israelis and Palestinians has been running high.

The compound of Al-Aqsa Mosque, known as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City, has long been a focal point of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. 
Two boys hug each other after Eid al-Fitr prayers at a masjid in Dhaka, Bangladesh on May 3, 2022. (Xinhua)

In Bangladesh and Pakistan, people are celebrating Eid al-Fitr which marks the ending of the month-long fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. After two years of pandemic, celebrations are back to normal, with many prayers coming to masjids for worship and bazaars bustling with consumers.

by Naim-Ul-Karim, Raheela Nazir

DHAKA/ISLAMABAD, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Eid al-Fitr, the largest Muslim festival that marks the ending of the month-long fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, is a time for immense joy and happiness for Muslims in Bangladesh and across the world.

After a two-year COVID-19 hiatus, the largest festival is back in full swing in Bangladesh with Muslims shaking hands and hugging each other thrice as usual after Eid prayers this time.

With the infection rate subsiding largely and new deaths dropping, Bangladesh is celebrating this Eid like the regular year and the air is filled with festivities.

Muslims across the country flocked to open places and masjids for offering special Eid prayers on Tuesday morning.

Long lines of worshippers were seen since Eid day morning in front of Dhaka's many masjids, including the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.

Two boys hugging each other after Eid al-Fitr prayers at Baitul Mukarram National Masjid in Dhaka, Bangladesh on May 3, 2022. (Xinhua)



Also, the main Eid congregation in the capital was held at the national Eidgah (an open ground for Eid prayers) after two years.

"Eid this year is quite normal. It's entirely different to those Eids in the last two years," said Abdur Rahim on the way back from the national Eid congregation venue with his family members including children, holding colorful balloons.

"This time we're again going to visit houses of relatives and friends waiting for us with special dishes," he said while seeking his car parked far away from the congregation way.

Businesses elsewhere in the city said they were feeling the usual Eid boom this year.

"We did business as usual this season. We feel that this is truly Eid time," said Ahsan Miah, a shopkeeper who kept his outlet open even on Eid day in Eastern Dhaka's Banasree area.

On the street in front of the shop near the main masjid of Banasree area, hawkers are seen roaming as usual. Children with family members attended the Eid prayers and gathered around the hawkers to buy balloons, toys and candies.

Photo taken on May 3, 2022 shows people performing Eid al-Fitr prayers at a masjid in Dhaka, Bangladesh. (Xinhua)

"There is an excellent atmosphere of joy and happiness of Eid this time. We don't feel like we're in an adverse situation like past years," Masud Ahmad said while buying balloons for his kids.

He said many of his kith and kin have gone home to join the Eid festival celebration with their families in villages after the annual exodus had been stalled for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a post on his Facebook page, Bangladeshi Posts and Telecommunication Minister Mustafa Jabbar on Saturday said the number of mobile SIM card users that left Dhaka in five days till May 1 has crossed the 10-million mark.

While millions of people were on the move at bus terminals, train stations and river ports, traveler Tumpa Moni said "being able to go home in this crowd is a great joy for me."

Many were unable to go home in the last two years due to the pandemic, Moni said.

TV channels telecasting special programs showed gorgeous Eid celebrations in places outside the capital city.

The country's largest Eid congregation was reportedly held widely at Sholakia in Kishoreganj district, some 117 km northeast of Dhaka, with hundreds of thousands of participants offering prayers. Worshippers there are seen shaking hands and doing the customary hugging after the prayers.

A man holds balloons for children on the first day of Eid al-Fitr in Karachi, southern Pakistan, on May 3, 2022. (Str/Xinhua)

With a significant decline in the number of COVID-19 cases and restrictions being relaxed in Pakistan recently, there is a sense of optimism and normalcy in the country as Muslims gear up to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr festival, which is marked by mass social gatherings, binge shopping, and splendid feasts.

In Islamic countries, Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan every year. The festival falls on Tuesday this year in Pakistan, with the government having announced four-day holidays for its celebration.

On Tuesday, people gathered in mosques and open-air places across the South Asian country to kick off their celebrations with special congregational prayers in the morning, which were followed by feasts and fun-filled activities.

A girl has her hand decorated with traditional henna designs on the first day of Eid al-Fitr in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, on May 3, 2022.(Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

Muhammad Ali was on top of the world as he awaited the arrival of his train at a bustling railway station in eastern Rawalpindi district. He was paying the first visit to his hometown in more than two years to celebrate Eid with his loved ones.

"I am so ecstatic. I can't express how happy I am to be able to see my parents after such a long time because the government recently lifted all COVID-19 related restrictions after successfully containing the deadly virus, and vaccinating more than 80 percent of the eligible population," Ali, a government employee, told Xinhua.

He said his family will fully enjoy the joyous occasion of Eid.

"The hard time seems to be over, at least for now. The traditional ways of celebrating the big festivals in the country are coming back ... so I am looking forward to spending my Eid holidays with my family and friends, rather than worrying much about the health issues that have arisen as a result of COVID-19," Ali said.

Hina Pervaiz, a resident of the federal capital Islamabad, told Xinhua that the Eid occasion has become even more joyous this year as social activities resumed after being interrupted due to the pandemic.

Pervaiz said that she was unable to go outside and enjoy the ultimate delight of shopping and roaming around the decorated markets and streets on the special day because of the COVID-19 curbs in place previously.

People buy traditional sweets during the Eid al-Fitr holiday in northwest Pakistan's Peshawar on May 2, 2022. (Photo by Saeed Ahmad/Xinhua)

"I remember I was not so satisfied when I ordered a new dress online for Eid last year since it was not precisely what I wanted. For me, the celebration isn't complete until I go to malls with my children and choose and try things on my own," she said while browsing dresses and shoes in a well-known brand store in Islamabad.

"It's a joyous occasion ... It's a blessing that we're able to enjoy the event in a safe environment ensured by our government," she added.

Apart from celebrating the festival and splurging, people in Pakistan maintain a philanthropic spirit on Eid al-Fitr, with many organizations and individuals participating in humanitarian activities.

Hassan Shahid, an Islamabad-based philanthropist who runs a charity organization, said that it is the responsibility of the people, especially affluent ones to take care of weaker sections of the society.

"On this Eid, our organization has distributed over 10,000 Eid special packages containing essential food items and gifts to the people in need ... Charity is a noble cause and the genuine spirit of Eid rests in empathy and sense of sharing with the unprivileged," Shahid told Xinhua. 
KIEV, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Tuesday that Ukraine has received 4.5 billion euros (about 4.73 billion U.S. dollars) in financial international aid since the start of the conflict with Russia, the government press service said.

Over the past week, Ukraine received 500 million dollars in grant funds from the World Bank, Shmyhal said.

"We are especially grateful for such support. This helps us to maintain all social benefits in full, as well as to open new assistance programs," Shmyhal said.

He informed that the government had launched a platform which would help raise funds for the country's post-conflict recovery. 
VIENTIANE, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The China-Laos railway has carried more than 440,000 tons of freight as of April 25 following the opening of seven freight stations between Lao capital Vientiane and Luang Namtha province.

Local daily Vientiane Times on Wednesday quoted Deputy Chief Engineer at the China-Laos Railway Company, Vongthong Souphanthong, as saying that freight traffic had increased significantly in recent weeks.

Initially, freight stations were operational only in Lao capital Vientiane, Luang Namtha province, Luang Prabang province and Vangvieng in Vientiane province, but more recently stations have opened in Oudomxay province and in Kasy district, Vientiane province, followed by the opening of Phonhong station last week.

The Phonhong station in Vientiane province is set to become a major freight hub on the railway in addition to South Vientiane and Vangvieng stations, with these facilities being used for the export of goods from central Laos.

Most of the goods transported by rail are iron ore, rubber and other commodities. Agricultural products are scheduled for transport starting in July.

The rail operator is also planning to sell tickets for passenger travel online and at stations in the near future.

The China-Laos Railway is a docking project between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Laos' strategy to convert itself from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub.

The electrified passenger and cargo railway is built with the full application of Chinese management and technical standards. 
The video screenshot taken on May 7, 2021 shows World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attending a press briefing in Geneva, Switzerland. (Xinhua)

According to Maria van Kerkhove from the WHO's Health Emergencies Program, BA.4 and BA.5 have been detected in a number of countries. The WHO is still evaluating the severity of the two new variants.

GENEVA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized on Wednesday that vaccines are still highly effective against COVID-19, even new variants of the disease emerging in South Africa and the United States.

WHO data shows that global cases of COVID-19 are continually declining, with reported weekly deaths at their lowest level since March 2020. However, the Organization's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned at a press briefing on Wednesday that these trends don't tell the full story.

"Driven by Omicron sub-variants, we are seeing an increase in reported cases in the Americas and Africa. The South African scientists who identified Omicron late last year have now reported two more Omicron sub-variants, BA.4 and BA.5, as the reason for a spike in cases in South Africa," he said.

"It's too soon to know whether these new sub-variants can cause more severe disease than other Omicron sub-variants, but early data suggests vaccination remains protective against severe disease and death," he added.

Technical lead for the WHO's Health Emergencies Program Maria van Kerkhove (R) speaks during a daily briefing in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Chen Junxia)

According to Maria van Kerkhove from the WHO's Health Emergencies Program, BA.4 and BA.5 have been detected in a number of countries. The WHO is still evaluating the severity of the two new variants.

However, van Kerkhove said it is not yet possible to confirm whether BA.4 and BA.5 have resulted in increased hospitalizations, as any rise in numbers could be due to a general spike in case numbers in South Africa. Nevertheless, she emphasized: "Vaccines still work incredibly well against preventing severe disease and death."

A health worker displays the COVID-19 vaccine at Sotiria Hospital in Athens, Greece, Dec. 27, 2020. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

She also called for monitoring of, and testing for COVID-19 to continue in order for the WHO to be able to provide the public with the most accurate information and advice possible. 
TEHRAN, May 4 (Xinhua) -- An Iranian lawmaker reiterated on Wednesday the importance of seeking a reliable guarantee from the United States in the talks to salvage the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Zohreh Elahian, a member of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy committee, told the semi-official Mehr news agency that Iran must get a "reliable guarantee" from the U.S. to prevent Washington from scrapping the agreement again and reimposing sanctions on Tehran.

"There is currently no reliable guarantee," Elahian said, adding that the guarantee should ensure "if the other side reinstates the sanctions or imposes new sanctions on our country, and the sanctions on Iran are intensified, we will also suspend our commitments and start enrichment and take other steps to revive the nuclear industry."

In 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers including the United States. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement in May 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran, including freezing some of Iran's assets abroad, prompting the latter to drop some of its nuclear commitments.

Since April 2021, several rounds of talks have been held in the Austrian capital between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties, namely Britain, China, France, Russia and Germany, to revive the deal.

The latest round of talks continued until mid-March when the parties involved announced a pause.

Iran demands guarantees from the U.S. over the verifiable and permanent lift of all sanctions, and the removal of terror designation on Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

Washington has said that if Tehran accepts some "extra-JCPOA" concessions on its regional influence, the U.S. would consider delisting the IRGC from "terrorist organizations", which Iran rejected.

"The only way I could see it (IRGC designation) being lifted is if Iran takes steps necessary to justify the lifting of that designation," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week.

In a fresh diplomatic attempt to save the 2015 nuclear deal, the European Union (EU) coordinator for the Iran nuclear talks Enrique Mora may visit Tehran. Mora has asked Iran for renewed talks with the EU to open a pathway through the impasse and is still waiting for Iran's reply, according to media reports on Sunday.

Mora visited Tehran in late March when he held talks with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian over the thorny remaining political issues, although no progress was reported.

On Tuesday, Amir-Abdollahian confirmed that negotiations over reviving the 2015 nuclear deal are underway through the exchanges of written messages.

Making the remarks in an interview with Yemen's Arabic-language Al-Masirah television network, the Iranian minister said the talks in Vienna have not stopped.

They are going on in a process to lift the unilateral sanctions imposed on Iran, through the exchange of written messages with the Americans via the European Union's representative, he noted.

The top Iranian diplomat said his country seeks to reach a "strong" and "lasting" agreement through the talks, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. 
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen makes a statement on the Ukraine issue in Brussels, Belgium, on Feb. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Javier Noriega, a senior economist with Hildebrandt and Ferrar in Milan, agreed: "The main value of this move is symbolic," he told Xinhua.

ROME, May 4 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that the European Union (EU) will phase out Russian supply of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year. However, Italy-based analysts said the move -- if adopted -- would likely have limited impacts in Europe and Russia.

Von der Leyen's proposal did not address natural gas imports. The EU is the largest market for Russian natural gas exports, on which two of its largest economies -- Germany and Italy -- are highly dependent. France, the EU's second largest economy, derives most of its electricity from nuclear power.

"Replacing petroleum imports will be much easier than replacing natural gas imports," Eugenio Pinto, a professor of business administration at the Department of Economics of Rome's LUISS University, told Xinhua. "Petroleum shipments are much more mobile than gas shipments and there are more sources for supply."

Javier Noriega, a senior economist with Hildebrandt and Ferrar in Milan, agreed: "The main value of this move is symbolic," he told Xinhua.

Diesel and gasoline prices are seen on a board at a gas station in Brussels, Belgium, March 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

However symbolic, von der Leyen's proposal is already creating divisions among the EU member states. Hungary and Slovakia have already said they would not comply and, according to media reports, they will be given an extra year to follow the other 25 member states' suit.

The EU member states have independently established timetables for reducing imports of Russian gas, something Pinto said would have to be calculated carefully.

In March, the Union committed to reducing gas imports by two-thirds by the end of this year, and ending its dependence on Russian fossil energy entirely by 2030, though those plans did not include commitments for individual nations.

"Countries have to be careful to balance what they want to do with what they realistically can do," Pinto said. "If countries reliant on Russian gas were forced to suspend their imports on the same timetable as the one suggested for oil imports, we'd see gas rationing for businesses and families, and economic recovery would grind to a halt."

A classic car takes part in a rally in Moscow, Russia, April 17, 2022. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

Pinto also noted that markets for its petroleum will be easier for Russia to replace than markets for its gas would be.

"Petroleum is pumped onto a cargo ship that can be sent anywhere," he said. "But for gas, you need infrastructure, which means pipeline networks. That is much more limiting."

Still, despite that, crude oil futures with a June delivery date surged on Wednesday, rising by more than 5 percent on what Noriega said was "speculation that supply issues would worsen."

According to media reports, the EU has imported around 22 billion euros (23.2 billion U.S. dollars) worth of Russian fuel per month since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

A man fills the tank of a car at a gas station in Brussels, Belgium, March 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Even though quantities have been reduced, rising oil and gas prices mean that the figure is nearly double the 12 billion euros worth of Russian fuel the bloc imported each month in 2021. 
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrives for the meeting of European Union (EU) leaders in Brussels, Belgium, March 24, 2022. (European Union/Handout via Xinhua)

Hungary's energy supply is currently secure and stable, but this package of sanctions would "completely destroy" it, making it impossible for the country to procure the amount of oil needed to keep the economy running, he said.

BUDAPEST, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Hungary's government cannot responsibly support the European Commission's new package of sanctions against Russia in its current form as it would "destroy" the country's security of energy supply, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said on Wednesday.

The European Union (EU) will phase out Russian crude oil imports within six months and refined products by the end of the year, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday, announcing the sixth package of sanctions against Russia.

The new restrictions would involve a ban on crude oil shipments from Russia to Europe with a rather short notice, which in Hungary's case would apply from the end of next year," Szijjarto said in a video message posted on his Facebook page.

MOL service station is seen in Budapest, Hungary, on Jan. 12, 2022. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

Hungary's energy supply is currently secure and stable, but this package of sanctions would "completely destroy" it, making it impossible for the country to procure the amount of oil needed to keep the economy running, he said.

"This is not a question of a lack of political will, not a matter of intent, not a question of timeframe, but quite simply a physical, geographical and infrastructural reality," Szijjarto said.

He recalled that Hungary was a landlocked country without access to the sea and to large tankers transporting crude oil from places other than Russia.

Furthermore, Hungary's refineries can only process Russian Urals crude but not other products such as Brent. The only way oil gets to Hungary is through pipelines.

Gas prices are seen at a fuel station in Budapest, Hungary, on March 4, 2022. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

"The government cannot responsibly vote for the latest sanctions package in its current form," Szijjarto said, adding that in order for the Hungarian government to support the measures, oil shipments via pipeline would have to be exempted from the embargo. 
GENEVA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized on Wednesday that vaccines are still highly effective against COVID-19, even new variants of the disease emerging in South Africa and the United States.

WHO data shows that global cases of COVID-19 are continually declining, with reported weekly deaths at their lowest level since March 2020. However, the Organization's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned at a press briefing on Wednesday that these trends don't tell the full story.

"Driven by Omicron sub-variants, we are seeing an increase in reported cases in the Americas and Africa. The South African scientists who identified Omicron late last year have now reported two more Omicron sub-variants, BA.4 and BA.5, as the reason for a spike in cases in South Africa," he said.

"It's too soon to know whether these new sub-variants can cause more severe disease than other Omicron sub-variants, but early data suggests vaccination remains protective against severe disease and death," he added.

According to Maria van Kerkhove from the WHO's Health Emergencies Program, BA.4 and BA.5 have been detected in a number of countries. The WHO is still evaluating the severity of the two new variants.

However, van Kerkhove said it is not yet possible to confirm whether BA.4 and BA.5 have resulted in increased hospitalizations, as any rise in numbers could be due to a general spike in case numbers in South Africa. Nevertheless, she emphasized: "Vaccines still work incredibly well against preventing severe disease and death."

She also called for monitoring of, and testing for COVID-19 to continue in order for the WHO to be able to provide the public with the most accurate information and advice possible. 
HARARE, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe on Tuesday reopened schools for the second term, in hopes of restoring a normal school calendar in which pupils will be attending classes five days a week as COVID-19 infections and related deaths have kept declining in the country over the past few months.

After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, pupils were attending classes for up to three days a week as authorities sought to decongest classrooms and curb the spread of the virus. The COVID-19 infections and related deaths have been declining over the past few months, prompting the government to allow the schools to return to normal teaching schedules.

Pupils had a three-week break after the first term which ended in early April instead of the usual four-week holiday because the government wants them to catch up on lost time during national lockdowns.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Taungana Ndoro told the media that schools would adhere to standard operating procedures to ensure a safe environment for pupils.

"We now have a five-day school week as we are no longer alternating classes, but we will still be adhering to the standard operating procedures to make sure that we have a safe environment for our learners," he said.

He urged parents with children aged 12 years and above to allow them to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

"The second vaccination blitz has started and we urge all parents whose children did not get vaccinated the last term to give their consent for their children to get the shot," he said. "This will help us to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in schools particularly as we are going into the winter season." 
KAMPALA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Twenty people were killed in a road accident Wednesday in western Uganda when a passenger bus they were traveling in veered off the road, local police confirmed.

The police in a statement issued here said the accident occurred in Kabarole District. The bodies have been taken to Buhinga Hospital mortuary.

"So far 20 people have been confirmed dead, out of whom 13 are adults while seven are juveniles. Out of the 20, 11 are male and nine are female," the police said in a statement. "The injured have been rushed to Buhinga hospital for first aid."

The police are yet to establish the cause of the accident.

According to police statistics, some 20,000 road accidents occur nationwide each year, causing more than 2,000 deaths and thus making Uganda among the countries with the highest traffic fatality rates. 
BUJUMBURA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Burundi said Wednesday that 10 of its peacekeepers were killed and five others missing in an attack early Tuesday by al-Shabab on a post of Burundian soldiers at Ceel Baraf, Shabelle region, Somalia.

Twenty-five Burundian soldiers were also injured in the attack, Army spokesman Col. Floribert Biyereke said in the statement.

"Around 5:00 a.m. (03:00 GMT), heavily armed al Shabaab terrorists attacked a post held by Burundian peacekeepers of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS)," he said. "Violent fighting caused casualties on both sides."

Biyereke said 20 Shabab militants were killed in the encounter.

"It is clear that al Shabaab's objective is to disrupt efforts of the ATMIS to restore peace on the whole territory of Somalia," he said.

"Despite the terrorist group's plan to sabotage deployed efforts, the Burundian contingent is determined to bring its contribution for the restoration of sustainable peace and stability in Somalia." Biyereke said.

He extended condolences to the families of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for international peace and stability.

Burundi is among the largest contributors of peacekeepers to Somalia to help the war-torn country battle al Shabab as part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which changed its name to ATMIS in April. 
ADDIS ABABA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) Commission on late Tuesday evening issued a statement condemning the attack on an African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) forces base in Somalia.

In a press statement, the AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said he strongly condemns the terrorist attack perpetrated by al-Shabab militants against the ATMIS base in the Middle Shabelle region.

"The chairperson pays tribute to the Burundian peacekeepers who lost their lives helping to bring peace and stability to Somalia," said Mahamat.

The chairperson also said the latest attack on the ATMIS base will only help to reaffirm a continued and unwavering commitment of the AU to support the Somalia government and people in their pursuit to achieve sustainable peace and security.

Mahamat further called on the international community to increase support to the Somalia security services and the ATMIS mission commensurate with the security challenges at hand.

On Tuesday, local security officials told Radio Mogadishu that two loud explosions hit the ATMIS base manned by the Burundian troops followed by an exchange of gunfire between the troops and the militants.

Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack. The insurgent group has carried out many deadly attacks targeting AU camps across Somalia. 
HANOI, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The fifth plenary session of the 13th Communist Party of the Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) opened in Hanoi Wednesday, with a number of major issues to be discussed, reported the Vietnam News Agency.

Chaired by CPVCC General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the session was scheduled to discuss land policies and laws, agriculture and rural development, the development of a collective economy, and anti-corruption work, among other issues.

In his remarks at the opening meeting, regarding the reform of land-related policies and laws, Trong stressed the significance of harmony in terms of the interests of the state, the people and investors, which he said can help generate new resources and motivation for national development in the future.

Trong underlined the need to work out new guidelines to continue to improve land-related institutions and policies, with a focus on the settlement of urgent issues that are drawing public attention, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

As for the work concerning agriculture, farmers and rural areas, Trong called for efforts to learn from the success in the past as well as draw lessons, and asked the session's attendees to focus on how to realize a "high-level unity" among the CPV and the people to make the country's collective economy stronger and healthier.

The CPV session is scheduled to conclude on May 10. 
by Nurul Ramadhan

JAKARTA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Last Sunday could be the busiest day in two years for Kartika Widjaja, 29, as she and her mom spent the whole day cooking various dishes for her family and relatives who would visit them the day after.

Kartika was among millions of Indonesian Muslims who celebrated Eid al-Fitr, locally known as lebaran, that fell on May 2, and finally could manage to gather with family in her hometown in Yogyakarta after two years of lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ketupat, opor ayam, rendang, sambal goreng hati and soto ayam are must-haves on the table of the Eid day.

"We made no less than 50 ketupats to welcome all family members and friends who came from other cities," Kartika told Xinhua.

Ketupat is a special and ubiquitous rice cake served during the Eid celebration. It is the compressed rice packed inside a palm leaf woven into a diamond shape. It has a very bland taste and can be eaten with other authentic Eid dishes such as rendang and opor ayam.

Rendang is dried beef curry, a signature dish that originated from Indonesia's West Sumatra Province. It normally takes seven to eight hours to cook the meat until the coconut liquids evaporate and the meat turns dark brown and tender.

When the meat has been infused with rich flavors of various spices -- lemongrass, galangal, garlic, turmeric, ginger, and chili -- and coconut milk, rendang is ready to serve.

Rendang is a world-famous food known for its delicacy. According to CNN International's survey for the World's 50 Delicious Foods in 2021, rendang ranks 11.

"For the past two years, I could not go home. I spent Eid day in Jakarta alone, eating ketupat I received from my Jakartan friends," said Kartika, who works in Jakarta as a private employee.

Lebaran, or Eid al-Fitr, the biggest Muslim celebration in Indonesia, marks the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

Going homewards, locally called mudik, is an annual tradition for Indonesian Muslims, where people go to their hometowns to celebrate Eid with families. This year, the Indonesian Transportation Ministry estimated that there were no less than 85 million people who went homewards, as the Indonesian government has waived social restrictions.

In 2021, there were 1.5 million people going homewards, and in 2020, when the pandemic first struck and the government imposed a very strict lockdown, there were only 297,000 people who could manage to go to their hometown, according to the data from the ministry.

"Now, I am happy to be able to cook ketupat and opor ayam again with my mother," Kartika said. Opor ayam is a chicken stew with coconut broth.

Another Eid specialty is sambal goreng hati, chicken or beef liver cooked with diced potatoes, spices and coconut milk.

Just like Kartika, 32-year-old Lina finally could go homewards in Cirebon, West Java, after not meeting with her big family for three years.

"I woke up very early in the morning to go to the traditional market to buy six kg of chicken to cook opor ayam and four kg of beef to cook sambal goreng hati and bakso (meatballs)," Lina said.

She also prepared some authentic lebaran snacks, including bika ambon, a Medan specialty treat made from tapioca flour, eggs, sugar, pandan leaves, lime leaves, lemongrass, turmeric, salt and coconut milk mixed with palm wine or other fermented liquids.

"I spent 12 hours to cook it until the texture was strong and I am happy to do that as I haven't been doing this for almost three years," Lina said.

She hoped that the pandemic could be over soon to let her and millions of Muslims across Indonesia celebrate the annual Eid with families as usual. 
MAIMANA, Afghanistan, May 4 (Xinhua) -- At least two persons were confirmed dead and scores left homeless as some 500 houses have been badly damaged or washed away in Afghanistan's northern Faryab province, a villager Azizullah said Wednesday.

Heavy rain and flooding late Tuesday claimed the lives of two children and badly damaged or washed away some 500 houses in and around the provincial capital Maimana city, the eyewitness asserted.

In the meantime, Asadulah Waqas, the director of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs of Faryab province, has confirmed the natural disaster, saying the downpour and flooding have caused property damages in the province.

Without providing details, the official said that the authorities would provide necessary assistance to the affected families.

Mullah Khan Haqyar, the district chief of Shinwari district in the eastern Parwan province, also confirmed that heavy rains and flooding had killed two children in the district on Tuesday night.

Similarly, heavy rains and flooding have also damaged some houses and farmlands in Baghlan province on Tuesday night, provincial director for Information and Culture Mawlawi Mustafa Hashimi confirmed Wednesday.

Parts of war-torn Afghanistan including the capital city Kabul experienced downpour and flooding on Tuesday night. 
BEIJING, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments regarding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine:

Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Western countries to stop supplying Ukraine with weapons during a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday.

Putin told Macron about Russia's efforts in the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol, the Kremlin said in a statement.

The Russian president urged Western countries to stop arming Kiev, saying Russia is open to dialogue.

- - - -

Putin signed a decree on Tuesday on retaliatory sanctions against individuals and entities in response to their "unfriendly actions" over the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The measures will be taken in retaliation to "the unfriendly actions of the United States, foreign states and international organizations ... which aimed at illegally depriving Russia, Russian citizens and Russian legal entities of property rights or restricting their property rights," and with the aim of "protecting the national interests of Russia," according to the decree.

- - - -

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his country may put the issue of neutral status on a nationwide referendum, the Ukrinform news agency reported Tuesday.

If Russia's desire for Ukraine's neutral status is one of the provisions of the agreements on ending the conflict, "we are ready to consider this neutral status for Ukraine," Zelensky said.

However, the referendum would be possible only after Ukraine receives security guarantees from "specific countries," he added.

- - - -

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Tuesday that Ukraine has received 4.5 billion euros (about 4.73 billion U.S. dollars) in financial international aid since the start of the conflict with Russia, the government press service said.

Over the past week, Ukraine received 500 million dollars in grant funds from the World Bank, Shmyhal said. 
UNITED NATIONS, May 3 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Security Council will discuss food security and the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in May, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, also council president for the month, said on Tuesday.

The council's program for May features an open debate on "the nexus between armed conflict and food insecurity," as well as a briefing on the risks and benefits of using technology in the maintenance of peace and security, Thomas-Greenfield told reporters at a press conference.

Recalling that the link between conflict and food security was discussed during her previous council presidency in March 2021, Thomas-Greenfield said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will chair an open debate on May 19.

On May 23, the 15-member organ will hold a briefing on technology and security. "This is a new and important focus of the council," she said, noting that it is long past time for it to fully grapple with the impact of digital technology on the maintenance of international peace and security.

In addition to these two major events, the council will continue to be concerned about Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, with a briefing scheduled on Thursday and potentially more to follow, she said.

On May 20, 27 and 31, the council will hold meetings on Syria's humanitarian, chemical weapons and political files respectively, Thomas-Greenfield said, adding that an annual debate on the protection of civilians will be held on May 25.

On May 18, on the eve of the council's open debate, the United States will convene a ministerial-level global food security call to action event at the UN Headquarters in New York, she said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will speak at the open debate on conflict and food security, she added. 
MOSCOW/KIEV, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Russian forces have been attacking the firing positions of the Ukrainian armed forces at the Azovstal steel plant in the southern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

The fighters of the Azov Battalion and Ukrainian troops took advantage of the ceasefire at the steel plant to move into their firing positions, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Vadim Astafyev.

Artillery and aircraft were being used to destroy the firing positions, Astafyev added.

Russian troops were trying to break into the Azovstal plant from several places, the Ukrinform news agency reported Tuesday, citing Mariupol Patrol Police Chief Mykhailo Vershinin.

"There was artillery and aviation training for almost a day ... now they stormed the plant in several places. We are defending. We are fighting back," Vershinin was quoted as saying.

Both the Russian and Ukrainian militaries said on Monday that more than 100 people were evacuated from Mariupol, local media reported. 
MOSCOW, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Any vehicle of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that arrives in Ukraine with weapons or material for the needs of the Ukrainian armed forces is considered by Russia as "a legitimate target for destruction," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.

Shoigu made the remarks at a meeting with Russia's top defense officials, noting the United States and its NATO allies are continuing to supply weapons to Ukraine.

Russian troops together with the forces of Lugansk and Donetsk are controlling more areas of Donbass, and they will continue to fulfill their tasks, according to the minister.

For the safe evacuation of civilians from combat zones, humanitarian corridors are opened daily, he said, adding that the Russian armed forces are actively providing humanitarian assistance to residents living in cities controlled by the forces. 
by Xinhua writers Deng Xianlai, Xu Yuan

WASHINGTON, May 4 (Xinhua) -- At least 240,000 children in the United States have lost a parent or caregiver due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a Imperial College London's orphanhood calculator showed. However, the American political elite is showing little interest in confronting the issue more than two years into the pandemic.

Referred to as "pandemic orphans," these children are at increased risk of alcohol and substance abuse, dropping out of school, descending into poverty and committing suicide, according to studies.

Inflicting a secondary pain on these pandemic orphans is the lack of attention to their immense suffering and the lack of urgency by government officials at all levels to do something about it.

For a government that boasts of defending human rights, turning a blind eye to vulnerable children in its own country throws its credibility into doubt.

A memorandum issued in early April by U.S. President Joe Biden only vaguely promised to lend federal support to pandemic orphans, who appear to be included as "individuals and families experiencing a loss due to COVID-19."

Throughout the memorandum, which vows support for individuals and families suffering long-term effects of COVID-19, a clear and purposeful federal-level strategy to address COVID-19 orphanhood is nowhere to be found.

Reading through the lines of the presidential memorandum, one may also easily and regretfully discover that the White House has failed to present a plan to address the psychological challenges faced by the pandemic orphans. It is undeniable that psychological intervention is among the most vital kinds of help that orphans now need.

"Deprived of parental care, (orphans) can endure physical, psychological, emotional and social harm, with consequences that last a lifetime. These children are also more likely to experience violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation," read a July 2021 statement by Henrietta Fore, then the executive director of UNICEF.

"To prevent and respond to this crisis for children in the immediate and long-term, it is vital that governments provide families with the emotional, practical and financial support they need," Fore said.

It may already be too late. Mary Wall, a senior policy adviser on the White House's COVID-19 Response Team who will serve as the "bereavement lead," told the Atlantic magazine that the program would not have a dedicated team.

Wall said additional funding might be needed at a certain point for the program to fulfill its aim. But in reality, Congress is so divided on approving additional COVID-related spending packages that lawmakers cannot even reach consensus on providing funding to ensure a continued supply of treatments, tests and vaccines -- all basic resources needed in the fight against COVID-19.

A presidential strategy to combat the HIV epidemic, in which a big chunk of congressional appropriation is pledged for kids orphaned by AIDS, has been in place since 2003. But missing with COVID-19 orphans is a sense of responsibility and the will to help those hardest hit by the pandemic.

"If we wanted to focus on children at home, we could absolutely do that," said Rachel Kidman, a social epidemiologist at Stony Brook University. "The expertise is there if the will is there."

With another pandemic resurgence now pending, Congress has been preoccupied with funneling weapons and funds into Ukraine to help the country in the fighting that is half a globe away from the United States.

The situation is dire, and government inaction will needlessly prolong the immeasurable suffering of innocent children.

Unlike COVID cases that may rise and fall, orphanhood cannot come and go. Once orphaned, any sense of normalcy is likely gone forever. 
Abortion advocates and protesters gather outside the U.S. Supreme Court following the leak of a draft opinion on abortion rights in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. The U.S. Supreme Court will launch a probe into the leak of a draft opinion on abortion rights, a statement said on Tuesday. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, May 3 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Supreme Court will launch a probe into the leak of a draft opinion on abortion rights, a statement said on Tuesday.

Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the authenticity of the document indicating that a majority of justices were poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide.

Roberts reiterated the draft "does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case."

"To the extent this betrayal of the confidences of the Court was intended to undermine the integrity of our operations, it will not succeed," he continued. "The work of the Court will not be affected in any way."

The leaked paper, published by Politico on Monday night, would effectively eliminate abortion protections at the federal level and hand authority over abortion access to the states.

U.S. President Joe Biden weighed in on the bombshell on Tuesday, saying he believes that "a woman's right to choose is fundamental."

"Roe has been the law of the land for almost fifty years, and basic fairness and the stability of our law demand that it not be overturned," the Democrat argued.

Top congressional Republicans condemned the leak, describing it as a "clearly coordinated campaign to intimidate and obstruct the Justices of the United States Supreme Court."

The majority opinion was authored by Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote that "Roe was egregiously wrong from the start."

"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled," Alito stated. "It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives."

According to the Politico scoop, Alito and four other conservative justices are part of the majority opinion, with Chief Justice Roberts' position to be determined.

Three liberal justices are reportedly working on one or more dissents.

Protesters of opposing sides gathered outside the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, holding posters while chanting slogans.

Capitol Police tweeted at noon that they temporarily closed roads around the area "out of an abundance of caution, in order to keep the public safe."

The draft opinion under scrutiny was in response to a case stemming from a 2018 Mississippi law banning abortions after 15 weeks.

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case before its term ends in late June or early July.

Without Roe, abortion would immediately become illegal in at least 13 states across the United States, while Republican-led states are already moving to pass and enact restrictive laws. 

Abortion advocates and protesters gather outside the U.S. Supreme Court following the leak of a draft opinion on abortion rights in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. The U.S. Supreme Court will launch a probe into the leak of a draft opinion on abortion rights, a statement said on Tuesday. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

Abortion advocates and protesters gather outside the U.S. Supreme Court following the leak of a draft opinion on abortion rights in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. The U.S. Supreme Court will launch a probe into the leak of a draft opinion on abortion rights, a statement said on Tuesday. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

Abortion advocates and protesters gather outside the U.S. Supreme Court following the leak of a draft opinion on abortion rights in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. The U.S. Supreme Court will launch a probe into the leak of a draft opinion on abortion rights, a statement said on Tuesday. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

Abortion advocates and protesters gather outside the U.S. Supreme Court following the leak of a draft opinion on abortion rights in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. The U.S. Supreme Court will launch a probe into the leak of a draft opinion on abortion rights, a statement said on Tuesday. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (Front) attends a subcommittee hearing of U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee titled "A review of the President's Fiscal Year 2023 funding request and budget justification for the Department of Defense" on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. (Win McNamee/Pool via Xinhua)

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin attends a subcommittee hearing of U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee titled "A review of the President's Fiscal Year 2023 funding request and budget justification for the Department of Defense" on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. (Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/Pool via Xinhua)

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin attends a subcommittee hearing of U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee titled "A review of the President's Fiscal Year 2023 funding request and budget justification for the Department of Defense" on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. (Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/Pool via Xinhua)

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson attends a subcommittee hearing of U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee titled "A Review of the President's Fiscal Year 2023 Funding Request for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation" on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin attends a subcommittee hearing of U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee titled "A review of the President's Fiscal Year 2023 funding request and budget justification for the Department of Defense" on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. (Win McNamee/Pool via Xinhua)

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin attends a subcommittee hearing of U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee titled "A review of the President's Fiscal Year 2023 funding request and budget justification for the Department of Defense" on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. (Win McNamee/Pool via Xinhua)

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson attends a subcommittee hearing of U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee titled "A Review of the President's Fiscal Year 2023 Funding Request for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation" on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson attends a subcommittee hearing of U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee titled "A Review of the President's Fiscal Year 2023 Funding Request for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation" on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson attends a subcommittee hearing of U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee titled "A Review of the President's Fiscal Year 2023 Funding Request for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation" on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson attends a subcommittee hearing of U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee titled "A Review of the President's Fiscal Year 2023 Funding Request for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation" on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson (3rd R) attends a subcommittee hearing of U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee titled "A Review of the President's Fiscal Year 2023 Funding Request for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation" on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 3, 2022. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)
New Delhi: The statement of senior party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has come to the fore on the questions being raised on the video of former Congress national president Rahul Gandhi's visit to Nepal. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has attacked PM Narendra Modi for surrounding those who raised questions on Rahul. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has claimed that there is a swimming pool in PM Modi's new plane, in which he goes abroad while taking a bath.

Chaudhary said that BJP is afraid of Rahul Gandhi, that is why it attacks him. Chowdhary said these things while addressing a press conference in Murshidabad, Bengal. Adhir said that PM Modi has bought two planes worth Rs 13000 crore, in which there is a swimming pool and Modi goes abroad for a bath in the same and returns after giving speeches there. Chaudhary further said that Rahul Gandhi had gone to his friend's wedding in Nepal and for this he had given money from his own pocket. He said that 'Nepal is not any other country where there is any restriction on going, but it is a neighboring country. The way BJP has targeted Rahul Gandhi in this matter, it shows that BJP is afraid of him.

Adhir further said that BJP has no answer to any question of Rahul Gandhi and PM Modi has not answered any of Rahul Gandhi's questions so far. Let us tell you that Rahul Gandhi had gone to Nepal for the wedding of his friend Sumanima Udas. When Rahul was in a pub in Kathmandu for the wedding ceremony, his video had surfaced during which the BJP attacked him. Let us tell you that the stand of Sumanima, a friend of Rahul Gandhi, has been anti-India from the beginning. In such a situation, BJP is asking the Congress why Rahul has relations with anti-India people?

Azam Khan will remain in jail for now, hearing on bail again in High Court tomorrow

Why does Rahul Gandhi have close relations with people who are anti-India?

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WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly warned that restrictions on freedom of expression harm Pakistan's image and capacity to prosper.

Blinken said the US government was aware of the restrictions put on media outlets and civil society in Pakistan and raised the issue with his Pakistani counterpart during a press briefing at the US State Department on World Press Freedom Day. He was apparently responding to a query from a Pakistani journalist regarding Pakistan's status as one of the world's most dangerous countries for journalists.

Many Pakistani journalists were killed kidnapped, and tortured last year for exposing crime and corruption as well as criticising government policy. "Has the State Department ever brought this up in bilateral conversations with Pakistani officials?" the journalist inquired. "The simple answer is yes, we do bring it up in our engagements with Pakistani counterparts." Of course, this is an element of our yearly Human Rights Reports, and we're well aware of major restrictions on media outlets and civil society in Pakistan in general "he said.

Blinken's comments came after a survey by Reporters Without Borders, a global media watchdog, revealed that Pakistan had dropped from 145th place last year to 157th this year on the World Press Freedom Index.

"A thriving free press, an informed populace is vital for every nation and its future, including Pakistan," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken of the necessity of free media. "...and I believe that the tactics we are seeing are undermining freedom of expression," he said.

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Varanasi: Direct flight from Kashi, the city of Baba Vishwanath to Nepal's capital Kathmandu, is going to start this month. This will make it easier for the pilgrims to visit Baba Vishwanath and Pashupatinath for worship. Till now one had to go to Varanasi and Kathmandu via Delhi. Buddha Airlines will start flight service from May 23. With the introduction of direct flights, not only the people of Kashi and Purvanchal will get relief, but people of Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh will also be able to come here and go to Nepal by direct flight.

Buddha Airlines has announced to start flight service from Kashi to Kathmandu on Wednesday. The schedule of the airline has also been released. Buddha Airlines flight will take off from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu at 7:15 PM and land at Babatpur Airport in Varanasi at 7:55 PM. The same aircraft will leave from Varanasi at 8:45 pm and reach Kathmandu airport at 9:25 pm. Airlines officials have informed that flight ticket booking has been started. Its starting fare will be Rs 6000. Due to the flexible fare, the fare can increase or decrease.

Till now, about 12 thousand fare had to be paid on commuting via Delhi. With the introduction of direct flights, about half the fare will be saved. Currently, flights will be operated twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. Airport Director Aryama Sanyal has told that after getting permission from the Civil Aviation Port Authority, the schedule of the aircraft has been issued.

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New Delhi: The National Medical Commission and Dental Council of India has issued an important notice for the Indian Medical Students. In the notice, the students have been told not to go to Pakistan to study or else you will not be eligible for a job or higher education in India. Earlier, UGC and AICTE had issued notices to Indian students, instructing them not to study in Pakistan.

National Medical Commission (NMC) and Dental Council of India (DCI) have issued new advisory regarding Indian medical students. Which states that, 'All students are advised not to travel to Pakistan for pursuing medical/dental education. Any Indian citizen/foreign national of India who is desirous of taking admission in MBBS/BDS or its equivalent medical/dental course in any Medical Dental College in Pakistan will not be eligible for job or higher education in India.

In the notice, it has been further told to the students that those who joined Pakistan Degree College Institutions before December 2018 will be given concession in this. In the notice, security reasons have been cited by the Ministry of Home Affairs. However, migrants and their children who have obtained a medical degree or higher education in Pakistan and have acquired citizenship by the Government of India. They will be eligible to take admission in National Exit Test or get employment in India after getting security clearance.

PM Modi meets Iceland PM ; discusses boosting ties in trade, energy, fisheries

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Katrin Jakobsdottir of Iceland on Wednesday ahead of the 2nd India-Nordic Summit in Copenhagen.

"Prime Minister @narendramodi met with Icelandic Prime Minister @katrinjak. They talked about strengthening cooperation in areas like commerce, energy, and fisheries, among other things "India's Prime Minister's Office sent out a tweet. Both leaders talked about ways to boost economic cooperation, particularly in the areas of geothermal energy, the Blue Economy, the Arctic, renewable energy, fishing, food processing, education, digital universities, and culture.

Both sides emphasised collaboration between universities in both countries in this sector, according to a press release from the Ministry of External Affairs. Geothermal energy, in particular, is an area where Iceland has special expertise, and both sides emphasised collaboration between universities in both countries in this sector. Prime Minister Narinder Jakobsdottir's personal efforts to promote gender equality were complimented, and she was updated on India's progress in this area.

The acceleration of India-EFTA trade negotiations, as well as regional and global trends, were also discussed, according to the announcement. PM Modi had earlier met with his Swedish colleague, Magdalena Andersson, to discuss the bilateral partnership's progress.

This was the first time the two leaders met. Both presidents also addressed ways to strengthen collaboration in sectors such as innovation, climate technology, climate action, green hydrogen, space, defence, civil aviation, the Arctic, polar research, sustainable mining, and trade and economic relations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on the final part of his three-day European tour, holds bilateral meetings with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store before the India-Nordic Summit on Wednesday.

Following the bilateral discussions, PM Modi will attend the India-Nordic Summit in Denmark before flying to Paris on Wednesday to meet newly re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron as part of his three-day European tour. The Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway will attend the second India-Nordic summit and will follow up on the first summit held in Stockholm, Sweden in 2018.

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet with the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway on Wednesday for the second India-Nordic Summit.

Modi will meet with Nordic leaders at the summit to discuss climate change, renewable energy, and innovation and technology. He will also meet with the Prime Ministers of Iceland on a bilateral basis. Jonas Gahr Store, Finland Katrin Jacobsdottir, Norway Sanna Marin and Magdalena Andersson of Sweden.

On the second day of his European tour, he arrived in Copenhagen on Tuesday. Modi met with Denmark's Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, in a bilateral discussion to discuss a wide variety of problems, including regional and global issues. The two leaders met one-on-one before holding talks at the delegation-level.

Both Prime Ministers discussed the Green Strategic Partnership between India and Denmark. Cooperation in renewable energy, particularly offshore wind and green hydrogen, skill development, health, shipping, water, and the Arctic, were among the topics discussed.

Modi then addressed both the corporate delegation and the Indian community. Later that day, the Indian Prime Minister visited with Denmark's Queen Margrethe II in Copenhagen's Amalienborg Palace.

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EU confirms plans to impose ban on Russian oil 4 May, 14:28 Ursula von der Leyen (Photo:John Thys/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo)

The European Union plans to impose a ban on Russian oil and remove Russia's largest bank Sberbank from the SWIFT global financial payment system under a sixth package of sanctions, imposed against the country for its unprovoked war against Ukraine, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, tweeted on May 4.

Read also: Serhiy Fursa Why Putin is blackmailing Europe with gas

Von der Leyen also announced sanctions against Russia's largest bank and two other major banks.

"Second, we de-swift Sberbank  by far Russia's largest bank  and two other major banks," the EC President tweeted, adding that the EU was also moving to ban three Russian state-owned broadcasters from operating in the Union.

 

Von der Leyen also said that the EU had begun to list high-ranking Russian military officers, and other individuals, who had committed war crimes in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha  where the residents had been systematically tortured, executed, and left to rot in the streets.

"We know who you are. And you will be held accountable, she wrote.

Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that the centerpiece of the package is a proposal that the bloc's member states stop importing Russian crude oil within six months, and end the purchase of Russian refined oil products by the end of the year.

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(Adds Japan comment on altitude, latitude)

By Soo-hyang Choi

SEOUL, May 4 (Reuters) - North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the sea off its east coast on Wednesday, South Korea and Japan said, about a week after Pyongyang vowed to develop its nuclear forces "at the fastest possible speed".

The launch, which marks the North's 14th known weapons test this year, comes days before South Korea's newly elected President Yoon Suk-yeol takes office on May 10. Its last test was on April 16 and involved a new tactical guided weapon aimed at boosting the country's nuclear capabilities.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it had detected the launch about noon in Sunan area of Pyongyang, where an international airport is located and from which North Korea said it fired its largest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong-17, on March 24.

The missile flew for about 470km (292 miles) to a maximum altitude of 780km (485 miles), the JCS said.

"A recent series of North Korea's ballistic missile launches poses a grave threat to peace and stability of not only the Korean peninsula but also the international community," the JCS said in a statement, urging the North to immediately stop such actions.

Japan's Coast Guard also reported a suspected ballistic missile launch by North Korea. Tokyo's deputy defence minister Makoto Oniki put the missile's range at 500km (311 miles) and its maximum altitude at 800km (497 miles). He said the ministry was still analysing the data to determine what type of missile it was.

"North Koreas recent action, including frequent missile launches, cannot be tolerated, as it poses a threat to security and safety of the region and international community," Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters, adding that his country had logged a protest against North Korea.

Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged to speed up the development of his country's nuclear arsenal while overseeing a huge military parade as denuclearisation talks with the United States remain stalled.

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Officials and experts say it is too early to determine whether the latest test involved an ICBM.

In its March 24 test, the North's first full-capability launch since 2017, a missile flew 1,080km to an altitude of 6,200km, with a flight time of 71 minutes, the JCS said.

"It might be an ICBM or something with a shorter range," Lee Jong-sup, the incoming president Yoon's nominee for defence minister, said at his confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

The latest launch came as Yoon is mapping out his foreign policy agenda after signalling a tough line against Pyongyang.

Lee, a retired military commander who served as deputy JCS chairman, told the hearing that he would beef up South Korea's deterrent capability to "sternly" respond to the North's nuclear and missile threats.

Pyongyang has recently stepped up weapons tests, resuming long-range missile launches for first time since 2017 in March. Officials in Seoul and Washington say it may also be preparing for a new round of nuclear tests.

(Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi and Hyonhee Shin; Additional reporting by Makiko Yamazaki in Tokyo; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Gerry Doyle)
Alan Cressler

In the darkness of the 19th Unnamed Cave, you have to crawl. While the chamber is wide, it is vertically quite smalltheres enough space for a squat. You must lay on your back to look at the ceiling. What you can see in a single moment is incredibly limited by these natural restrictions. Yet, the extreme nature of the 19th Unnamed Cave makes the massive ancient artwork etched there all the more amazing.

In a study published Wednesday in the journal Antiquity, researchers detail five figures incised onto the mud veneer of the cave ceiling, located in an undisclosed place in Alabama. The art was created during whats known as the Woodland Period by Indigenous Americans some time between 600 and 1,000 A.D. Their descendants belong to the Chickasaw Nation, the Cherokee Nation, the Choctaw Nation, and the Muscogee Creek Nation, among possibly others.

These figures, described as mud glyphs, are thought to be the largest known cave art images identified yet in North America. The largest is an 11-foot-long serpent resembling an eastern diamondback rattlesnakea creature sacred to Southeast Indigenous people. Slightly smaller yet more mysterious are three anthropomorphic figures which do not resemble known characters from Southeast Native American stories. The final figure is six feet of swirling loops; it is not known what it represents.

What is known is that these caves are regarded as sacred places by Native Americans in the American Southeastconsidered pathways to the underworld. This is why researchers theorize that the anthropomorphic figures may have been spiritually important.

These massive figures are also described in the study as invisible. The cave is so cramped, and etchings so faint, that the artwork was overlooked when researchers entered the chamber more than 20 years ago. To solve this, the study team used a technique known as high-resolution 3D photogrammetry to digitally manipulate the chamber space and reveal the artwork.

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Anthropomorphic figure in regalia from 19th Unnamed Cave, Alabama. via Antiquity Publications Ltd; photograph by S. Alvarez; illustration by J. Simek

Photogrammetry involves taking many overlapping photographs from many angles and using these to create a 3D model through software. Its a method developed in the 19th century as a way to turn aerial photographs into topographical maps. But subsequent breakthroughs in computer science and digital photography allowed the process to turn into what it is todaya technique for producing photorealistic models that can be digitally manipulated in a virtual space.

This new study marks the first time this team has used 3D photogrammetry to analyze an ancient cave like this. They argue this technology offers untapped potential for documenting and identifying further archeological phenomena.

These massive figures have long challenged the human eye; the size of the cave also suggests the artists could not see their work in its entirety while they created it. Instead, they must have gone into the cave with a composition already in their minds eye, Jan Simek, first author of the study, told The Daily Beast. The lines are too well-defined and purposefully placed to simply be doodles.

Simek is a cave archaeologist and a professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Hes been aware of the 19th Unnamed Cave since co-author Alan Cressler, a caver and independent researcher, came across the site in 1998 and saw hundreds of much smaller mud glyphs also on the ceilingcarvings of geometric shapes, wasps, and birds. What Cressler could not see, however, were these much larger figuresthat is, until the team utilized 3D photogrammetry years later.

We have been doing this work for 35 years and weve seen lots of very impressive things, Simek said. But we didnt anticipate seeing figures of this size, especially the human-like figures. When we did it was a remarkable experience because all of a sudden we became aware that this cave was much more complicated than we realized.

Technology is advancing archeology at a rapid clip, Simek said. Tools like lidar, a remote-sensing method, and satellites are allowing teams around the world to view the previously hidden. Photogrammetry as a field has also advanced over the last decadeso much so that co-author Stephen Alvarez, a National Geographic photographer and founder of the Ancient Art Archive, made a case to Simke and Cressler for returning to the cave in 2017.

Over the course of two months, the study team took 16,000 photographseach shot overlapping the other by 60 to 80 percent. These were used to create three 3D models: two of the engraved ceiling, and one of another chamber without art. (The 19th Unnamed Cave is just one part of three miles of underground passageways.) Digital manipulation of the models, in turn, allowed for an unencumbered view of the ceiling.

You can move the floor and you can move the ceiling in a way that you cant in reality, Simek said. It gives us a much broader field of vision. This process, and the viewpoint it allows, revealed the ceilings faint lines were actually incisions corresponding to intricate pieces of art.

The sheer number of images collected from the 19th Unnamed Cave and the overlays created enables us to see the big picture, so to speak, and to see it in richer detail than previously possible, Julie Reed, an associate professor at Penn State who wasnt a part of the study team, told The Daily Beast.

Reed is also a historian with an emphasis on Southeastern Indians and Cherokee History, and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. While she wasnt involved with this project, she has visited other caves with members of the study team. So far, Simek and colleagues have visited around 2,000 caves across Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, and Alabama. Theyve seen art within 100 of those caves.

Reed observes that artist-laborers during the Woodland Period also created the Serpent Mound, a 1,000-foot-long effigy and burial site, in present-day Ohio. The artistic imagination and thematic choices observed both there and in the 19th Unnamed Cave remind us of the ways our Indigenous forebears spoke similar creative and spiritual languages to each other across time and space, Reed said.

Enigmatic figure of swirling lines, with a round head at one end and a possible rattlesnake tail at the other from 19th Unnamed Cave, Alabama via Antiquity Publications Ltd; photograph by S. Alvarez; illustration by J. Simek

The study team was also eager to use 3D photogrammetry because you can, with little effort, turn the data into a VR experience, Simek said. In the paper, the team discusses the potential of bringing these virtual experiences to descendant communities. Theyve already presented the initial results to the Eastern Band of Cherokeesthough the 19th Unnamed Cave project did not directly involve Native people.

(The study team is working on another paper on a different Alabama cave with members of the Louisiana Coushatta tribe. Theyve also partnered with the Chickasaw Nation to document rock art in their homeland.)

The access provided by 3D photogrammetry without physically entering the cave cant be overstated, Reed said.

As someone who has been into caves containing early Cherokee syllabary, I regularly think about how we can bring the documents and physical space to Cherokee elders who are the expert speakers and readers of the language, she added.

Access, in regards to the Unnamed 19th Cave, is complicated on a number of levels. It is referred to as such to keep its location anonymous: It is unprotected and located on private land. Security is a real concern, said Simek, who fears damage and looting.

Arizona Duo Charged With Climbing Sacred Native American Site

It is also not on land legally possessed by a tribe. Around 1813, a settler movement led by Andrew Jackson resulted in illegal land sales and squatter claims on Native-owned property in Alabama. The subsequent passage of the devastating Indian Removal Act of 1830 forcibly removed approximately 125,000 members of Southeastern tribes from their land.

Today, about two-thirds of the 100 cave sites identified by Simek and colleagues are located on private landand they are very difficult to access, both because of their legal status and the simple fact that they are hard to physically get to. Universal access, however, isnt necessarily the ultimate goal for these sites. Instead, we should consult with descendant communities today in order to avoid the extractive nature of relationships that has long been associated with non-Native interest in Indigenous lands, cultures, and histories, Reed said.

While the question of access remains unresolved, Simek plans to continue searching for more cave art. There are an estimated 25,000 caves in the American Southeast, and only 2,000 have been examined for cave art. Hes also eager to reexamine sites with 3D photogrammetry; he thinks its very likely there might be art theyve missed.

Im about to retire from my faculty position, but Im not going to stop doing this, Simek said. Theres so much work to do.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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African Gold Group, Inc.

TORONTO, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- African Gold Group, Inc. (TSX-V: AGG, OTC: AGGFF, FRA: 3A61) (AGG or the Company) is pleased to announce that it intends to seek a dual listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).



ASX Listing

The Company intends to seek to list on ASX in the coming months and has received in-principle advice from ASX indicating that subject to satisfaction of certain conditions, the Company would be suitable for listing on ASX. Whilst the final approval of the listing is subject to the Company meeting certain customary requirements of the ASX, the receipt of the in-principle advice allows the Company to move forward with its plans for and preparation of a prospectus for the ASX listing.

Danny Callow, CEO of AGG, commented:

We are very excited to receive the in-principle approval from the ASX, the first step in the process to securing an ASX listing. Our decision to seek a dual listing on the ASX is a result of significant support from Australian investors into our Kobada Project in South-Western Mali. We believe that a dual listing will unlock further opportunities through access to a broader pool of informed capital, and for AGG to unlock its full value for shareholders. Following our ASX listing, AGG will focus on expanding our total 3.2-million-ounce mineral resource along multiple highly prospective drill targets, and further enhancing our current definitive feasibility study which shows attractive economics for a 100,000oz per annum gold project over the first 10 years of production.

Board Update

The Company has also decided to strengthen its board of directors (the Board) with the addition of an Australian domiciled, independent director well known in the investment community and very experienced in guiding companies through the process from developer to producer. The Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Tim Kestell to the Board.

Mr. Kestell is an accomplished executive with over 25 years of experience in the capital markets, including working for HSBC, Patersons Securities and Euroz Securities Limited. Mr. Kestell played an instrumental role as a director and an investor in a number of companies in the mining sector, including Capricorn Metals and Emerald Resources NL, enabling the transition from explorer to producer stage.

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After serving for almost two years and guiding the Company through a critical stage of its strategic process, Mr. Scott Eldridge, Non-Executive Chairman of the Company has made the decision to step down from the Board to pursue other interests. Scott will continue as a consultant on an as-required basis and will maintain existing options awards to expiry. Mr. Jan-Erik Back, Deputy Chairman of the Board will step up to the Chairman role.

The Company has granted a total of 1,446,666 stock options to certain directors of the Company pursuant to the Company`s stock option plan. The stock options vest immediately and may be exercised at a price of $0.10 per option for a period of five years from the date of grant. This grant of options is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange

Danny Callow, CEO of AGG, commented:

Over the past two and a half years we have spent a significant amount of time in restructuring the Company. This has involved spending a significant amount of time in delivering an economically attractive definitive feasibility study on our flagship Kobada Project, as well as growing the mineral resource by 40% and the ore reserves by more than 140%. At the same time, the Company has streamlined the Board, significantly reduced corporate and overhead costs and positioned the company for the next stage of its growth strategy. The decision to appoint Tim to the Board, who is well known and respected in the Australian investor community will set the Company on its trajectory to achieve its strategic goals. I would personally like to welcome Tim to the Company and wish him well as he transitions into the new role. Finally, on behalf of the Company, I would like to thank our outgoing Chairman, Mr. Scott Eldridge for his unwavering support over the past two years guiding the structural corporate changes and wish him all the very best in his future endeavours.

About African Gold Group

African Gold Group is a TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V: AGG) listed exploration and development company with a focus on building Africas next mid-tier gold producer. The Company has a highly experienced board and management team with a proven track record in the African mining sector operating mines from development through to production. AGGs principal asset is the Kobada Project in southern Mali, which is in an advanced stage of development having completed the 2021 definitive feasibility study and is targeting gold production of 100,000 oz per annum. As well as the initial Kobada Gold Project, other exploration locations have been identified on the Kobada, Farada and Kobada Est concessions, offering potential for an increase in resource. For more information regarding African Gold Group visit our website at www.africangoldgroup.com.

For more information:

Danny Callow

President and Chief Executive Officer

+ (27) 76 411 3803

Danny.Callow@africangoldgroup.com Daniyal Baizak

Vice President, Corporate Development

+1 (647) 835 9617

Daniyal.Baizak@africangoldgroup.com Jan-Erik Back

Non-Executive Chairman of the Board

Jan-Erik.Back@africangoldgroup.com Camarco (Financial PR)

Gordon Poole / Charlotte Hollinshead

+44 (0) 20 3757 4997

AfricanGoldGroup@camarco.co.uk

Cautionary statements

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding, the dual-listing of the Company on the ASX, filing of a prospectus in Australia, appointment of directors of the Company, grant of incentive stock options, expansion of mineral resources and reserves, upside potential of the Project, drilling and exploration plans of the Company, and development timetable with respect the Project. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of AGG to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: receipt of necessary approvals from the ASX and Australian regulatory authorities; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; future prices of mineral prices; accidents, labour disputes and shortages; available infrastructure and supplies; the COVID-19 pandemic and other risks of the mining industry. Although AGG has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such 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. AGG does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.




Fans wearing their favorite Star Wars clothing today enjoy early boarding on their flights

SEATTLE, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines joined forces with Disneyland Resort today, May the Fourth, to unveil a new, one-of-its-kind Star Wars-themed aircraft that even Chewbacca would be proud of. The plane, painted space black with the iconic Millennium Falcon emblazoned on the tail chased by TIE fighters, celebrates Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, the newest land of adventure inside Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif. The plane is now flying on routes across Alaska's network for the universe to enjoy.

Alaska Airlines launches new Star Wars-themed aircraft to celebrate adventures to Star Wars: Galaxys Edge at Disneyland Resort.

In celebration of the themed aircraft, Alaska guests wearing Star Wars-branded clothing enjoy early boarding today on their flights. So grab your classic Princess Leia T-shirt or Darth Vader sweatshirt and we'll see you at the gate.

Watch how we transformed one of Alaska's jets into the new Star Wars-themed plane at the Alaska Airlines Newsroom.

"As part of our strong collaboration, Alaska is proud to combine forces with Disneyland Resort for another magical, special-edition aircraft," said Natalie Bowman, managing director of marketing and advertising for Alaska Airlines. "The detailed artwork and intricately painted design is out of this world, and our guests, especially lifelong Star Wars fans, will feel instantly transported and eager to land at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge the moment they see it."

For this latest collaboration  Alaska's seventh painted plane for the Disneyland Resort  no Jedi mind tricks were needed: the force was strong for a Star Wars livery to finally enter Alaska's fleet. The aircraft's official name is "Star Wars Transport to the Disneyland Resort" with a tail number of N538AS.

"Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is one of the most popular destinations at Disneyland Resort," said Lynn Clark, Disneyland Resort, vice president of sales and services. "Now, thanks to our great friends at Alaska Airlines, our guests can begin their Star Wars experience even before they arrive at Disneyland Park."

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The unique design of the Star Wars-inspired plane is a collaboration among teams at Alaska, Disneyland Resort and Lucasfilm. Familiar spacecraft span each side of the plane with hand painted, detailed imagery: the Millennium Falcon and four TIE fighters. Designers at Disneyland Resort focused on the incredibly identifiable, widely recognized Millennium Falcon for the spotlight, in addition to the well-traveled spaceship being the focal point at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge  a 14-acre land in Disneyland.

The Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and Disneyland Resort logos are featured in the center of the fuselage. For a lighthearted touch, porgs (the cute avian creatures that lived on Luke Skywalker's remote island) look back at passengers from both winglets, as another porg greets guests at the boarding door.

To bring the imagery to life, the plane's exterior required 228 gallons of paint applied during 540 work hours over 27 days. For the painting, 23 base colors were used with numerous custom colors mixed onsite for the detailed airbrushing of the Millennium Falcon and the TIE fighters.

"Star Wars Transport to the Disneyland Resort" is scheduled to fly in the Alaska fleet and throughout Alaska's network for at least eight years. You can also spot "Friendship and Beyond at Disneyland Resort" at airports and in the skies with a whimsical tribute to Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure Park  our last Disneyland Resort-themed aircraft that began service in October 2019.

Guests can always book their next trips to Southern California (or hundreds of other destinations) at alaskaair.com. And once there, it's always a perfect time to visit Disneyland Resort and all it has to offer.

About the Disneyland Resort

The Disneyland Resort features two spectacular theme parks  Disneyland (the original Disney theme park) and Disney California Adventure Park  plus three hotels and the Downtown Disney District, comprising unique dining, entertainment and shopping experiences. The Resort's hotels are the luxurious, 948-room Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, which also features 50 two-bedroom equivalent Disney Vacation Club units; the magical, 973-room Disneyland Hotel  both AAA Four Diamond properties  and the 481-room Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel with its "day-at-the-beach" theme. For information on attractions and vacations at the Disneyland Resort, visit Disneyland.com, call (866) 43-DISNEY or contact local travel agents. Located in Anaheim, Calif., the Disneyland Resort opened July 17, 1955. Open daily, year-round.

About Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines and our regional partners serve more than 120 destinations across the United States, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico. We emphasize providing low fares for our guests, award-winning customer service and sustainability efforts. Alaska is a member of the oneworld global alliance. With the alliance and our additional airline partners, guests can travel to more than 1,000 destinations on more than 20 airlines while earning and redeeming miles on flights to locations around the world. Learn more about Alaska at news.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

Alaska Airlines launches new Star Wars-themed aircraft to celebrate adventures to Star Wars: Galaxys Edge at Disneyland Resort.

Alaska Airlines launches new Star Wars-themed aircraft to celebrate adventures to Star Wars: Galaxys Edge at Disneyland Resort.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alaska-airlines-launches-new-star-wars-themed-aircraft-to-celebrate-adventures-to-star-wars-galaxys-edge-at-disneyland-resort-301539432.html

SOURCE Alaska Airlines
The Insight Partners

The asthma drugs market size is projected to reach $34.13 billion in 2028 from $24.23 billion in 2021; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.0% during 20212028.

New York, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Insight Partners published latest research study on  Asthma Drugs Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Medications (Quick Relief Medications and Long-Term Control Medications), Route of Administration (Inhaled, Prefilled Syringes/Vials, and Others), and Distribution Channels (Online Pharmacies, Hospital Pharmacies, and Retail Pharmacies), the global asthma drugs market growth is driven by the growing environmental implications & genetic implications of air pollution, more vulnerability in specific ethnic groups, growing exposure to coarse particulate matters, and the growing prevalence of physiological disorders harboring asthma. The unmet medical needs and the lack of treatment adherence are the leading restraints that will hinder the market growth.





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Report Coverage Details Market Size Value in US$ 24.23 Billion in 2021 Market Size Value by US$ 34.13 Billion in 2028 Growth rate CAGR of 5.0 % from 2021 to 2028 Forecast Period 2021-2028 Base Year 2021 No. of Pages 191 No. Tables 88 No. of Charts & Figures 81 Historical data available Yes Segments covered Medications, Route of Administration, and Distribution Channels Regional scope North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; MEA Country scope US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Argentina Report coverage Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends





Asthma Drugs Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments

AstraZeneca, TEVA PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES LTD, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Merck & Co., Inc, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Sanofi, Pfizer Inc. (Arena Pharmaceutical GmbH), Novartis AG, and Abbott, implemented various organic strategies, such as partnerships and collaborations, which bought dynamic improvements in the asthma drugs market share. Various companies are also adopting organic strategies, such as product launches and expansions, to expand their business and enhance their geographic presence. Additionally, product launch and expansion help market players strengthen their customer base and expand the product portfolio.

In February 2022, The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) provided a positive opinion recommending approval for Sanofis Dupixent (dupilumab) as an add-on maintenance therapy to treat children of the age of 6 to 11 years with severe asthma with type 2 inflammation.

Story continues





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In January 2022, GlaxoSmithKline plc got product approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a 40 mg prefilled syringe of Nucala (mepolizumab) for children aged 6 to 11 years old having severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA). Nucala can now be given by a childs health care provider or administered at home by a caregiver once trained by a health care professional. Nucala is an add-on, prescription maintenance treatment for patients six years and older with severe eosinophilic asthma.

In December 2021, AstraZeneca and Amgens Tezspire (tezepelumab-ekko) got approval in the US for the add-on maintenance treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with severe asthma. Tezspire is a first-in-class biologic for severe asthma that acts at the top of the inflammatory cascade by targeting thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), an epithelial cytokine. It is the first and only biologic to consistently and significantly reduce asthma exacerbations across Phase II and III clinical trials, which included a broad population of severe asthma patients irrespective of key biomarkers, including blood eosinophil counts and allergic status and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO).

In November 2021, AstraZeneca agreed to transfer its global rights to Eklira (aclidinium bromide), known as Tudorza in the US, and Duaklir (aclidinium bromide/formoterol) to Covis Pharma Group (Covis Pharma). The agreement ensured continued patient access to these established medicines. Covis Pharma previously acquired the rights to the respiratory medicines Alvesco, Omnaris, and Zetonna from AstraZeneca in 2018.

In July 2021, AstraZenecas Biologics License Application (BLA) for tezepelumab was accepted and granted Priority Review for the treatment of asthma by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). AstraZeneca is developing Tezepelumab in collaboration with Amgen.





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In June 2021, Teva Pharmaceuticals, the US affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., announced its US launch of the first generic version of twice daily PERFOROMIST, formoterol fumarate inhalation solution, 20 mcg/2 ML, indicated to treat bronchoconstriction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

In March 2021, The US Food and Drug Administration approved three new ADCs to treat various cancers. The three ADCs approved included Genentechs Polivy, Astellas Pharma, and Seattle Genetics Padcev, using the payload-linker combo from one of the early ADC successes. All three drugs featured a linker containing valine and citrulline's amino acid combination.

Global Asthma Drugs Market: Key Insights  Future Trends

The treatment and management therapies for asthma continued to develop with various drugs in the pipeline. Tezepelumab is a recently FDA-approved injection as an add-on maintenance treatment to improve severe asthma symptoms and is also used in patients current asthma medicines. Tezepelumab targets and blocks thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a key epithelial cytokine (cell-signaling proteins). Similarly, Masitinib, developed by AB Science, is an orally administered tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets mast cells through inhibition of tyrosine kinases c-Kit, LYN, and FYN; it has recently been granted authorization by the French Medicine Agency to initiate a Phase III study to evaluate the drug in patients with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS) or non-active Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (nSPMS).





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Astegolimab is another promising monoclonal antibody showing promising efficacy in reducing asthma exacerbation rates. The emphasis on precision medicine for asthma control through the development of new asthma guidelines is also expected to create a positive change toward asthma drugs and individualized care. Moreover, in 2020, the FDA approved the triple therapy of fluticasone furoate, umeclidinium, and vilanterol (Trelegy Ellipta, GSK) to treat asthma in patients aged 18 years and older. The approval was based on the clinical study of asthma patients receiving triple therapy through a single inhaler (CAPTAIN) study, which showed significant improvements in lung function after using the triple therapy compared to fluticasone furoate and vilanterol in a single daily dose and an easy-to-use inhaler.

Asthma Drugs Market: Segmental Overview

Based on medications, the asthma drugs market is divided into quick relief medications and long-term control medications. The long-term control medications segment held a larger share in 2021. However, the quick relief medications segment is anticipated to register a higher CAGR over the forecast period. Quick-relief inhalers, also known as rescue inhalers, are short-term drugs used to treat acute asthma symptoms such as wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. A quick-relief inhaler can be carried by everyone who is suffering from asthma. It could be the only treatment for asthma attacks that are not severe. Moreover, intermittent asthma refers to asthma attacks that occur twice a week or fewer, with overnight symptoms occurring no more than twice a month.





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Browse Adjoining Reports:

Anti Asthma Drugs Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type of Asthma (Allergic, Non- allergic); Asthma trigger type (Child-Onset Asthma, Adult-Onset Asthma, Exercise-Induced Asthma, Cough-Induced Asthma, Occupational Asthma, Nocturnal Asthma, Steroid-Resistant Asthma); Drug Class (Bronchodilators, Leukotriene Antagonists, Mast Cell Stabilizers, Corticosteroids, Monoclonal Antibody); Route of Administration (Oral, Inhaled, Intravenous, Subcutaneous) and Geography

Asthma Inhaler Device Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - by Type (Metered Dose inhaler, MDI with a spacer, Dry Powder inhaler, Others.); Technology (Manually operated inhaler, Digitally operated inhaler); End User (Hospitals, Clinics, Research Institutes, Others.)

Pediatric Asthma Treatment Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product type (Dry powder inhalers, Metered dose inhalers, Mist inhalers, Nebulizer); Drug class (Anti-inflammatory drugs, Bronchodilators, Combination therapy); Route of administration (Oral, Inhaled, Intravenous, Subcutaneous) and Geography

Asthma Therapeutics Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product Type (Dry powder inhalers, Metered dose inhalers, Mist inhalers, Nebulizer); Drug Class (Anti-inflammatory drugs, Bronchodilators, Combination therapy); Route of administration (Oral, Inhaled, Intravenous, Subcutaneous) and Geography

Asthma Devices Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Inhalers, Nebulizers, Dry Powder Inhalers, Metered-Dose Inhalers, Mesh Nebulizers); Technology (Manually Operated, Digitally Operated); End Users (Hospital, Retail Pharmacies) and Geography

Asthma And COPD Drugs Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - by Disease (COPD, Asthma); Medication Class (Combination Products, LTA, ICS, Anti cholinergic, SABA, LABA, Others.)

Nebulizers, Inhalers and Respirators for Asthma Treatment Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Nebulizers, Inhalers, Respirators); Application (Hospitals and Clinics, Home Care, Others), and geography

Adult Manual Resuscitator Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type ( Self inflating Resuscitator, Flow inflating Resuscitator, T piece ); Modality ( Disposable, Reusable ); Material ( Silicon, PVC, Rubber ); Technology ( Pop off valve, PEEP Valve, Others ); Patient Type ( Adult, Pediatric ); Applications ( Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Cardiopulmonary arrest, Anesthesia, Asthma ), Impact of covid-19 pandemic.

Pulmonary Drugs Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Drug Class (Inhaled Corticosteroids, Long Acting Beta-2 Agonists, Antihistamines, Vasodilators, Short Acting Beta-2 Agonists, Others); Application (Asthma and COPD, Allergic Rhinitis, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Cystic Fibrosis, Others); Distribution Channel (Hospital Pharmacies, Retail Pharmacies, Online Pharmacies) and Geography

Pediatric Healthcare Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - By Type Of Disease (Chronic Diseases, Acute Diseases) ; Indication (Asthma and allergies, Diabetes, Obesity, Cardiac Disorders, Genetic Disorders, Others) ; Treatment (Immunotherapy, Medications, Surgeries, Others) and Geography

















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FILE PHOTO: Carl Icahn gives an interview on FOX Business Network's Neil Cavuto show in New York

(Reuters) - Billionaire Carl Icahn is in talks with Southwest Gas Holdings Inc to reach a truce that could see the activist investor take as many as four seats on the board, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Talks are ongoing and the deal could still fall apart ahead of the company's annual general meeting on May 12, the report said.

Southwest Gas and representatives for Icahn did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

In October, Icahn tried to gain control of the Southwest Gas board after the company adopted a shareholder rights plan aimed at stopping his push make the utility abandon a $2 billion takeover of Questar Pipelines.

(Reporting by Manya Saini and Arunima Kumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni)
Headquarters of the PBOC, the central bank, is pictured in Beijing

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China's central bank on Wednesday pledged monetary policy support to ensure ample liquidity, help businesses badly hit by the latest COVID-19 outbreak in the country and support a recovery in consumption.

The remarks came after a top decision-making body of the ruling Communist Party last week also vowed to support the economy.

"(We shall) waste no time planning incremental policy tools to support steady economic growth, stabilise employment and prices ... to provide a fair monetary and financial environment," the People's Bank of China said in a statement on Wednesday.

It did not detail what measures it could take.

Financing institutions should aim to meet the needs of the real economy, the PBOC said, such as boosting financing for small firms with lower costs, helping import and export firms, as well as the service sector and aviation companies which have been badly hit by the pandemic.

The bank also called for "stable and orderly" growth in financing the real estate sector, which has experienced a prolonged slowdown in recent months.

Economists say Beijing's target for economic growth of about 5.5% this year will be hard to achieve without significant stimulus, as lockdowns and other tough curbs to battle the pandemic cause havoc in supply chains.

In a separate statement, the PBOC said it had allocated an additional 100 billion yuan ($15.13 billion) worth of loans dedicated to coal production and storage, part of Beijing's efforts to boost energy security and stabilise supply chains.

The funding is on top of a 200 billion yuan loan the government allotted in late 2021 for the coal industry including projects such as smart coal mining.

($1 = 6.6080 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Chen Aizhu; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis delivers remarks at the 2022 CPAC conference at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando. Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis scoffed at efforts to bring Twitter to the state.

DeSantis stated that a Twitter HQ in Florida would drive up the cost of living.

Twitter's headquarters are in San Francisco but it has received calls from other states to move.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis discouraged Twitter from bringing its headquarters to the state following Elon Musk's privatization of the platform, Jacksonville outlet News4JAX reported.

At a press conference Monday, DeSantis said the company will bring between $15 and $20 million in profit to the state when Musk is officially the owner of the platform due to the state's investment in Twitter. But he said actually welcoming the company into the state would result in a higher cost of living for residents of the Sunshine State.

"In Florida, I think we've done very well, particularly over the last few years, attracting businesses that are producing things," DeSantis said. "Importing some tech company from San Francisco has not been high on our list. I think that what happens is they'll tend to come in, they drive up the cost of living for everybody else. Yeah, they enjoy our lower taxes but you know, what is what are they really providing?"

Twitter approved Musk's offer to buy the company for $43 billion outright on April 25. Musk has received calls from lawmakers and constituents of different states to move the Twitter headquarters from San Francisco.

Opposite DeSantis, some Florida lawmakers and residents have encouraged Musk to relocate to Florida.

"Join me in inviting @elonmusk to move @Twitter to the freest state in the nation! Florida would benefit the company as a whole  we have no state income tax and the perfect business climate. It's time to book a one way (SIC) ticket," Florida's Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said in a tweet.

Patronis has created a website where residents can sign their names in approval of the relocation.

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In Texas, congressman Tan Parker said that he would "roll out the red carpet" for Musk if he moved the company's headquarters there. Texas is home to many of Musk's companies including Tesla, SpaceX, and the Boring Company.

Musk has stated that he does not own a home and frequently stays at friends' houses.

"This is a guy that has succeeded in almost every enterprise he's ever done. And so he will, our state will benefit, we will get, I think $15, $20 million profit from our pension fund. But then he will make that company more valuable, I have no doubt about it," DeSantis said at the news conference.

DeSantis did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Bloomberg) -- Didi Global Inc. led a drop in U.S.-listed Chinese internet stocks after news of a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into the ride-hailing companys 2021 debut in New York added to investor concerns around the sector.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Didi shares dropped as much as 6% on Wednesday, extending a decline of more than 60% this year with $59 billion market value wiped out since its initial public offering last summer. Among other large-cap Chinese tech stocks, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. fell 2.2% and JD.com slid 3.2%. The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China index is down as much as 3.1%, ending a recent rally fueled by Beijings pledge to boost economic growth and support tech firms.

Read more: Didi Faces SEC Probe Into Turbulent $4.4 Billion U.S. IPO (1)

A May 2 filing showed that Didi is facing a SEC probe into its controversial IPO, which has already been under scrutiny by Beijing regulators. Didis future is in limbo, as senior Chinese officials are said to regard a proposed cybersecurity penalty as too lenient, leading the company to suspend its plan for a Hong Kong listing when it prepares to depart New York bourses.

The news dealt a fresh blow to Chinese tech, a sector that investors are increasingly avoiding amid delisting risks and concern over an economic slowdown.

(Updates with share moves at open and adds Golden Dragon China Index)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2022 Bloomberg L.P.
Company Logo

Global Smart Parking Market

Global Smart Parking Market

Dublin, May 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Smart Parking Market, Size, Forecast 2022-2027, Industry Trends, Growth, Outlook, Impact of COVID-19, Opportunity Company Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Global Smart Parking Market will reach US$ 11.2 Billion by 2027 from US$ 4.1 Billion in 2021, growing at a CAGR of 18.2%

According to ITS America's Market Analysis, fishing for parking is routine. It is estimated that drivers cruising for parking space create nearly 30% of urban congestion. Also resulting in oil wastage, almost 1 million barrels of world's oil every day.

This ever-growing traffic congestion and uncertainty in parking availability and payment have thus enforced the need for Smart Parking systems. An intelligent parking technology enables optimized parking space use, enhances the efficiency of the parking operations, and helps smoother traffic flow. It is an intelligent parking system that allows drivers in safe parking.



Further, the increase in parking problems across the globe, growth in demand for (IoT) Internet of Things based technology, and high adoption rate in several vehicles drive the demand for the global smart parking market.

Moreover, the system is highly convenient for the users as it reduces unnecessary paper consumption by replacing cash payments for parking with digital invoices sent directly on the user's Smartphone.



COVID-19 Impact on Worldwide Smart Parking Industry

Regardless, the COVID-19 outbreak has considerably slowed down the market due to the varying levels of lockdowns implemented across several countries globally.

The impact of this slowdown is to be experienced in the short term. As industry re-opens, smart parking systems are predicted to regain demand due to the potential rise in the usage of private transportation and its result on the demand for smart parking space management.



Off Street Segment dominates the Market

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In terms of type, the off street segment dominates the market due to the increasing need for single slots to park maximum cars. The growing adoption of off-street parking can be ascribed to the increasing demand to utilize accommodate and space many cars in a single slot.

Smart city initiatives demand better parking space utilization using smart, sensor-based vehicle detection technology to manage parking issues. The increased number of industries requiring adequate parking and smart detection facilities further contributes to the segment growth.



Transport Facilities Segment is Experiencing the Fastest Growth

On the basis of end-users, the smart parking market is segmented into Transport Facilities, Governments, Municipalities, Commercial Institutions, Corporate institutions.

Transport Facilities segment is witnessing the fastest growth, due to increased travel by airplanes. Airport authorities globally offer the facility to book or reserve parking spaces through its mobile apps and website. Online airport ticket vendors such as Ryanair deliver the facility to reserve parking spaces at the airport while booking airline tickets. Thus, is anticipated to drive the transport transit segment growth over the forecast period.



Geographically North America & Europe has Significant Market Share

North America holds the significant market due to the rising number of vehicles in the region. Civic authorities in U.S. and Canada are driving efforts to reduce traffic congestions, which has been gaining more and more severe with the growth in vehicle ownership. The expanded adoption of smart parking systems is part of the steps which help deliver safe and legal parking for private and commercial vehicles.



The Asia Pacific is also gaining its market share year on year. This growth is primarily due to the rise in vehicles' manufacturing in countries like China and India. Another factor, such as the growing demand for advanced technologies to reduce the effect on the environment in this region, is likely to give rise in demand of smart parking in this region.

Competitive Landscape

This smart parking industry has several companies working in this field for market share.

The key industry participants include

Continental AG

Cubic Corp

TKH Group

Cisco Systems Inc

3M Corporation

Deutsche Telekom AG

Vodafone Group Plc

Mindteck

Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction



2. Research & Methodology



3. Executive Summary



4. Market Dynamic

4.1 Growth Drivers

4.2 Challenges



5. Global Smart Parking Market



6. Market Share - Global Smart Parking Market

6.1 By Type

6.2 By Application

6.3 By End User

6.4 By Regions



7. Type - Global Smart Parking Market

7.1 Off - Street

7.2 On - Street



8. Application - Global Smart Parking Market

8.1 Security & Surveillance

8.2 Smart Payment System

8.3 License Plate Recognition

8.4 Other Application



9. End Users - Global Smart Parking Market

9.1 Transport Facilities

9.2 Governments and Municipalities

9.3 Commercial Institutions

9.4 Corporate Institution



10. Regions - Global Smart Parking Market

10.1 North America

10.2 Europe

10.3 Asia - Pacific

10.4 Middle East & Africa

10.5 Latin America



11. Porters Five Forces

11.1 Overview

11.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers

11.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

11.4 Degree of Competition

11.5 Threat of New Entrants

11.6 Threat of Substitutes



12. Company Analysis

12.1 Overview

12.2 Recent Development & Strategies

12.3 Financial Insights

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8vb25n





Attachment

CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900




Saint-Ambroise business receives $200,000 in financial assistance from CED.

SAINT-AMBROISE, QC, May 4, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)

Supporting manufacturing businesses contributes to economic development in Quebec's regions. That is why the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for CED, today announced a repayable contribution of $200,000 for Les Ateliers de fabrication du Saguenay. This CED support will enable the business to increase both its productivity and production capacity.

Les Ateliers de fabrication du Saguenay specialize in designing and manufacturing steel and aluminum products for the agriculture, railway, and industrial sectors. Founded nearly 30 years ago, the innovative manufacturing business excels in the production of agricultural equipment for conditioning and packaging garden produce. The project supported by CED involves acquiring a state-of-the-art digital-command plasma cutting table and peripheral production equipment such as a horizontal folding machine and a milling machine.

The Government of Canada recognizes and supports businesses and organizations that are a source of pride in their communities. Quebec's economic recovery relies on organizations with strong roots in the regional economy. They are major contributors to growth, as well as key assets in rebuilding a stronger, more resilient, greener, and more just economy for all.

Quotes

"SMEs are at the core of innovation and economic growth in our communities and supporting them is a priority in our government's economic recovery plan. We are helping them grow by bolstering their efforts to make the digital shift. I am therefore delighted that our government is supporting Les Ateliers de fabrication du Saguenay's project aimed at acquiring state-of-the-art machinery. This contribution will surely enable the business to enhance its performance and give a major boost to SaintAmbroise's economic vitality. Without a doubt, our entire economy will benefit from the success and spinoffs of its project."

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The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Member of Parliament for BromeMissisquoi, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for CED

"Acquiring this new equipment is enabling us to continue with the technological and digital shift we began a few years ago and thus ensure our business will grow sustainably by increasing both our productivity and our efficiency. In the current economic situation, CED's financial assistance represents a considerable boost that will enable the business to continue to expand its presence in the community."

Caroline Morrier, Secretary-Treasurer, Les Ateliers de fabrication du Saguenay

Quick facts

The funds have been granted under CED's Regional Economic Growth through Innovation program. This program targets entrepreneurs leveraging innovation to grow their businesses and enhance their competitiveness, as well as regional economic stakeholders helping to create an entrepreneurial environment conducive to innovation and growth for all, across all regions.

SMEs represent 99.7% of Quebec businesses and contribute to 50% of the province's GDP.

CED is a key federal partner in Quebec's regional economic development. With its 12 regional business offices, CED accompanies businesses, supporting organizations and all regions across Quebec into tomorrow's economy.

Associated links

Stay connected

Follow CED on social media

Consult CED's news

SOURCE Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

Cision

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2022/04/c1431.html
MONTREAL, May 4, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Les Industries Bernard & Fils Ltee ("Bernard"), the world's leading independent bottler and processor of maple syrup is sold to Valeo Foods Group ("Valeo" or the "Group") a leading pan European food business.

Phoenix Partners (CNW Group/Phoenix Partners)

Valeo, which was acquired by Bain Capital Private Equity in September 2021, is a Dublin-based producer and innovator of high quality, category-defining branded and private-label food products. Valeo's portfolio of iconic brands includes Jacobs, Rowse, Kettle, Odlums, Barratt, and Balconi, many of which have histories that stretch back as far as 150 years. Rowse has been importing and distributing Bernard maple syrup across the UK for over 12 years under the Buckwud brand.

Valeo will look to leverage the Group's existing global supply chain and major food retailer relationships to accelerate Bernard's international growth. The operations and workforce will remain in Quebec and Bernard becomes a first and critical North American platform for Valeo.

Yves Bernard, President of Bernard, said: "Bernard and Phoenix Partners ("Phoenix") had an excellent relationship since 2017 during which time we doubled our revenue. We thank Phoenix for their assistance in helping us bring Bernard to this level. We are very excited about joining the Valeo group of companies since we already have a cultural fit after many years of working together".

Francois Fauteux, Managing Partner at Phoenix, said: "The Bernard team performed exceptionally well in growing and professionalizing the company over the last 5 years. Bernard is clearly the best company in the maple syrup segment, and we thank the Bernard family for having chosen us as their partner five years ago. The Phoenix team is also very proud to report a 10.7x MOIC on the Bernard investment and I would also like to thank my Phoenix colleagues for their involvement in supporting Bernard's significant growth".

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Fauteux continued, "Bernard is now poised to accelerate its growth overseas and globally. That's why we firmly believe that Valeo Foods Group is the perfect acquirer for Bernard. We wish them all the best for this exciting next phase of development".

Commenting on the acquisition, Seamus Kearney, CEO, Valeo Foods, said: "Bernard is a great business, led by a very experienced and passionate team and its acquisition further enhances our growing portfolio of family-favourite food brands. We are delighted that the Bernard family will continue to retain very strong involvement in the running of the business. Valeo Foods Group is on a journey to becoming a leading global food business and we remain focused on growing our operations organically and through further acquisitions."

TD Securities acted as financial advisor to Bernard and Phoenix on the transaction and the Montreal office of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP acted as legal advisor to the Company.

About Phoenix Partners

Established in 2012, Phoenix Partners is a private equity group focused on acquiring controlling interests in traditional and mid-market businesses. Relying on an experienced and complementary team of professionals with extensive experience in the acquisition and management of private and public businesses, financing and capital markets, Phoenix Partners allows its partner companies to reach new heights.

SOURCE Phoenix Partners

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2022/04/c9351.html
SEOUL, South Korea, May 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pearl Abyss announced that the new "Co-op Rush" content has been added to Black Desert Mobile. Adventurers can also look forward to Black Desert's plan to release jazz arrangements of its official soundtracks in celebration of International Jazz Day.

Pearl Abyss Reveals Black Desert Mobiles New Co-op Rush Content and Black Desert OST X Jazz

Co-op Rush is the first boss raid content in Black Desert Mobile where up to 10 Adventurers form a party and enter the Temple of Greed to confront the World Boss "Offin." Each of the devastating boss' four legs is capable of using a unique skill.

The leader can set a target lock by using an in-game widget to order party members to prioritize a specific leg. Each leg will continue attacking until it is destroyed. Adventurers will be encouraged to strategically defeat Offin according to its attack patterns while trying to clear the stage as quickly as possible.

The eighth season of the popular PvE content Path of Glory also begins today in Black Desert Mobile. Rift 17 is now available in the new season, featuring brand-new terrain that offers different potential party formations.

Tus' Nest has also arrived alongside the new season, which can be accessed using "Tus' Nest Map Pieces" collected from Path of Glory. Adventurers are guaranteed to obtain at least an Abyssal Emblem, with a higher chance to obtain a Primal Emblem than within Path of Glory.

In the meantime, the Pearl Abyss Audio Division will be releasing jazz versions of four Black Desert songs in celebration of International Jazz Day. This special project was designed to create a gameplay environment where Adventurers across the world can enjoy Black Desert while listening to these songs reborn as jazz.

Talented jazz musicians that represent Korea, including pianist Mi Jung Lim, have provided their expertise to the project to further enhance the quality of these pieces. The behind-the-scenes video of the production has also been uploaded on the Pearl Abyss Music YouTube channel.

Black Desert OST X Jazz Behind The Scenes: https://youtu.be/3_9aYlzNuTs

Black Desert SEA Official Website: https://sea.playblackdesert.com

Black Desert Mobile Official Website: http://www.world.blackdesertm.com

SOURCE Pearl Abyss
Nuclear war is a tail risk.

The financiers and policymakers who gather for the Milken Institute's Global Conference in Beverly Hills each year normally debate on monetary policy, political trends and investment opportunities. This year, theyre gauging the likelihood of Armageddon.

The Russia-Ukraine war is an obvious headline issue for financial markets, with Russian forces committing alleged atrocities reminiscent of the Holocaust and many western nations now providing billions of dollars of weapons to the underdog Ukrainians. The war has driven oil prices above $100 per barrel and disrupted Ukrainian grain shipments to many nations, which could soon cause food shortages. With no end to the war in sight, the human and economic toll could go much higher.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has hinted he could use nuclear weapons from Russias vast arsenal to regain battlefield momentum in Ukraine. Would he really do it?

I dont think its the most likely outcome, Michele Flournoy, a senior Pentagon official in the Obama administration, said at the conference. But if he really feels hes going to suffer a catastrophic loss, the most likely nuclear use would be a demonstration shot, not actually using it on the battlefield in Ukraine but exploding a nuclear weapon somewhere, to shock everybody, surprise everybody and create fear, and say, Ive just broken a 70-year taboo and we have to negotiate on my terms. Thats one of the things the U.S. and NATO have to think through  how would they respond to that?

Former Defense Undersecretary for Policy Michele Flournoy, CEO of the Center for a New American Security, participates in a panel discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, June 2, 2014. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS)

If he did that, there would be no good options, Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, said in response to Flournoy. If he does it, obviously we have to come in and fight.

But Smith emphasizes the best way to approach Putins nuclear impulses is to make sure he never feels so threatened hed resort to nukes: We need to make very clear this is not an existential threat to Putin and give him that off-ramp. Putin does not want NATO engaged in the fight in Ukraine. If you know NATOs military capability, the U.S. military capability, if we actually got engaged, Russia would be done in a week. He doesnt want that so we can play on that.

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[Follow Rick Newman on Twitter, sign up for his newsletter or send in your thoughts.]

Smith is referring to bellicose comments from people like Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who has called for somebody in Russia to take this guy out. Even President Biden has said Putin cant remain in power. While both politicians may have been calling for Putins opponents in Russia to depose him, Putin could interpret it as a U.S. offer to help end his reign, fueling the type of desperation that might lead to Putin using nukes.

Is Putin deluded or mentally ill?

One of the biggest questions hanging over Putins invasion of Ukraine, which is obviously going badly, is whether Putin is deluded or sick. A healthy person wouldnt start a war like that, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a Putin foe who was once the richest businessman in Russia, said through an interpreter at the Milken conference. But he thinks Putin likes to keep foes on edge, similar to the way President Richard Nixon famously employed the madman theory.

He wants to show that hes almost crazy, and that the Russian people are almost crazy, Khodorkovsky said. But thats not the case at all. People want to live. Putin wants to live. Nobody wants suicide."

Putin's personal calculus probably depends on the cost he thinks he would pay for setting off a nuke. Biden has vowed NATO and the United States will respond in kind if Putin uses a nuke, which would be exactly the sort of Western involvement Putin dreads.

A person walks next to a mural of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which has been vandalised with red spray paint and the word "War" written instead of the original text reading: "Brother", following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Belgrade, Serbia, April 29, 2022. REUTERS/Marko Djurica TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Biden saying there would be a corresponding response was a very serious braking mechanism on Vladimir Putin, Khodorkovsky said. Could Putin use tactical nukes in Ukraine on principle? Of course he could. If you ask me whether he would if he knows he would be met with appropriate response, I dont believe he would.

Sanctions on Russia may get tighter, meanwhile, while Congress seems poised to grant a Biden request for a massive increase in U.S. weapons shipments to China. At the Milken conference, former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin called for Europe to impose an immediate embargo on Russia oil, to slash the energy revenue Putin uses to build and sustain Russias military. Europe is debating such a move and seems likely to phase in an embargo, to limit the immediate damage to a European economy that is slowing and may be tilting toward a recession.

Khodorkovsky suggests Putin himself could be phased out in a way that is less threatening than the specter of a coup. If after this war ends, youre going to facilitate his ability to rearm himself, youre only going to get the same thing once again," Khodorkovsky said. "An exit strategy is actually very simple. The exit strategy should be we dont want to see you in power, but we dont necessarily need to see you leave power right now. This is an adequate enough exit strategy for him.

Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman.

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance

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Geneva, Switzerland--(Newsfile Corp. - May 4, 2022) - TRON has announced its intentions to explore investment opportunities and promote blockchain technology in Suriname. Delegates from the TRON network visited President Chandrikapersad Santokhi on Thursday, April 28, to introduce its blockchain ecosystem.





TRON X Suriname

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8506/122734_0db638057481c9b5_001full.jpg

TRON is one of the leading global blockchains with over 90 million users and hosts the largest USDT stablecoin circulation with nearly $42 billion. According to CDS, DNA members Wang Chuanrui, Asiskumar Gajadien, and Latin America General Manager Zyanya Bejarano joined the TRON delegation.

President Santokhi has assigned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business, and International Cooperation (BIBIS) the responsibility of establishing structures for cooperation with TRON.

The Surinamese government will collaborate with the TRON network on blockchain technology and potential use cases in Suriname. The TRON-sponsored mission will proceed throughout the Caricom region to raise awareness of blockchain technology and explore investment possibilities.

"Blockchain is a decentralized technology for efficiently capturing transactional information in a way that makes it difficult or impossible to modify, hack or tamper with the system. As technology changes, we as a country should not sleep," said Parliament Member Asiskumar Gajadien referring to the rapidly developing blockchain technology.

As the delegation departed Suriname on Friday, April 29, the Ministry of BIBIS will be maintaining the collaborative efforts. TRON is committed to working with Suriname to establish a productive strategic partnership.

About TRON

TRON is dedicated to accelerating the decentralization of the internet via blockchain technology and decentralized applications (dApps). Founded in September 2017 by H.E. Justin Sun, the TRON network has continued to deliver impressive achievements since MainNet launch in May 2018. July 2018 also marked the ecosystem integration of BitTorrent, a pioneer in decentralized Web3 services boasting over 100 million monthly active users. The TRON network has gained incredible traction in recent years. As of April 2022, it has over 90 million total user accounts on the blockchain, more than 3.1 billion total transactions, and over $8 billion in total value locked (TVL). In addition, TRON hosts the largest circulating supply of USD Tether stablecoin across the globe, overtaking USDT on Ethereum since April 2021. The TRON network completed full decentralization in December 2021 and is now a community-governed DAO. Most recently, the algorithmic stablecoin USDD was announced on the TRON blockchain, backed by the first-ever crypto reserve for the blockchain industry - TRON DAO Reserve, marking TRON's official entry into decentralized stablecoins.

Story continues

Website | Telegram | Medium | Twitter | You Tube | Reddit | GitHub | Forum

Media Contact

Yuliana Bravo

press@tron.network

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122734
GAINESVILLE, Fla.  Florida softball second basemanwas selected Wednesday afternoon in the 2022 Athletes Unlimited College Draft which was held during the espnW Summit in New York City.Adams, a fifth-year graduate, has racked up the accolades over her career as she was named a 2021 USA Softball Player of the Year Top 25 Finalist, a 2021 NFCA All-American, an All-SEC First Team selection, 2021 and 2018 SEC All-Defensive Team selection, 2019 SEC All-Tournament Team and 2018 SEC All-Freshman Team.The Hoschton, Ga. native holds a career .323 batting average with 250 hits, 42 doubles, 3 triple and 23 home runs with 188 runs scored and 141 RBI. Adams has been a mainstay at second base for the Gators as she has started 259 career games for the Orange & Blue.However, Adams is most notably known for her defensive prowess as she holds a career .986 fielding percentage. The talented middle infielder has produced highlight worthy plays throughout her career, while also making the difficult look simple and routine.Over her career, Adams has only committed 11 errors with 316 putouts and 438 assists. During her freshman campaign, she became the first second baseman in Southeastern Conference history to post a 1.000 fielding percentage with 58 putouts and 93 assists. Now as a fifth-year graduate, Adams has replicated her freshman year as she has registered 61 putouts and 73 assists so far on the year.In the Florida record book, Adams ranks seventh in runs scored, seventh in hits, 10in doubles, 10in total bases, ninth in walks, fourth in sacrifice flies, fifth in assists and second in double plays turned.

Adams joins former Gators Kelsey Stewart, Jordan Roberts, Amanda Lorenz and 2021 Athletes Unlimited Champion Aleshia Ocasio.

About Athletes Unlimited

Athletes Unlimited is a new model of pro sports where athletes are decision-makers and individual players are champions of team sports. Athletes Unlimited literally changes the game with faster play and new team rosters every week, delivering next-level competition and engagement in which every moment counts. The first season of women's softball took place in 2020, with the inaugural seasons of women's indoor volleyball and women's lacrosse being completed in 2021, along with season two of softball. We completed our inaugural Basketball league in February 2022, and season two of volleyball and are slated to host our inaugural AUX Softball league in June followed by second lacrosse and third Championship Softball season in late July. For more information, visit AUProSports.com.
RTHK: Comedian Dave Chappelle attacked during show

US comedian Dave Chappelle was attacked on stage on Tuesday night at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles by an assailant who rugby-tackled him before being apprehended and arrested, video footage verified by Reuters showed.

The attack came just over a month after actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars, an unprecedented incident at the globally televised event that prompted concerns that performers might be subject to copycat assaults.

Smith, who won the best actor award, was subsequently banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years.

It was not immediately clear if Chappelle was injured in Tuesday's attack, or what motivated it.

An agent and public relations representative for Chappelle were not immediately available for comment. A representative for the Hollywood Bowl told Reuters the incident was under investigation, declining to comment further.

According to an ABC report, Rock, who had performed earlier in the evening, joined Chappelle on stage moments after it took place and joked: "Was that Will Smith?"

Chappelle and Rock were giving shows as part of an 11-day comedy festival called "Netflix is a Joke".

Los Angeles police took a male suspect into custody who NBC Los Angeles said was armed with a replica gun capable of ejecting a knife blade.

Video footage obtained by Reuters showed the suspect on a stretcher being placed into an ambulance. He was taken to hospital with minor injuries, NBC Los Angeles cited police as saying.

Los Angeles Police Department officials did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Chappelle's Netflix comedy special "The Closer" was criticised last year by some who saw it as ridiculing transgender people. Supporters of the comedian viewed it as a cry against cancel culture.

Brianna Sacks, a journalist for BuzzFeed News who attended the event, said the altercation took place as Chappelle ended his performance. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2022-05-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Red carpets and gilded mirrors set the stage for entry into the glamorous movie world presented in Ike Ude: Nollywood Portraits at the Smithsonians National Museum of African Art.

Based in the United States, multimedia artist Ike Ude returned to Lagos, Nigeria, in 2014 to photograph these celebrities now presented in this exhibit that celebrates Nigerian film.

The first portrait of the 30-some movie stars featured in this exhibit is of Genevieve Nnaji. The glamorous actress who has appeared in over 100 films, poses in a full-length black evening dress glittering with gold filigree. Within the gallery, a mannequin in that dress invites comparison to the photograph. The addition of more sparkling gold in the photograph is a clue as to how objects might be enhanced when presented in another media.

Looming large over all the portraits in the gallery is The School of Nollywood (2014-16). With a nod to the Renaissance master Raphael for his fresco The School of Athens (1509-11), this composite photograph features many of the greatest movie stars, producers and directors of Nigerias $3 billion film industry, while also making a statement that African notions of beauty are as valid as those presented in Eurocentric art.

That vibrant painterly photographs blur the line between portraiture and performance art is most clearly presented by two portrayals of director Sadiq Daba. One is his portrait hanging among the movie stars on the wall. The other, placed in the center of the gallery where he is surrounded by that impressive array of stars, is a life-size model that is a replica of the portrait.

Dressed in traditional hat and robe, the director sits amid a variety of props like tables, vases and objects he might use for a scene. While attire and objects have long been included as symbols in art, here visitors are invited to engage their imagination as part of the art experience in choices of prop placement.

Visitors are invited to come in their best outfits to take their photographs in a Ude-style set. The museums website not only features videos and interviews with the stars along with the portraits in the exhibit, but it includes a link to a portrait gallery where some of the photos taken by visitors have been posted.

If this exhibit sounds like too much fun, it is.
A former college alumni relations director in Iowa was indicted this week by a Stafford grand jury on charges alleging that he used the internet to acquire sexually explicit pictures and videos from a 14-year-old Stafford girl.

Shiran Brian Nathaniel, 48, of Sioux City, Iowa, is charged with two counts of using a computer to solicit a minor, producing child pornography, enticing a minor to perform in pornography and taking indecent liberties with a child.

Stafford Detective T.S. Martin headed an investigation that began in May 2021 after the girls father contacted the Sheriffs Office. The father reported that the girl was befriended and groomed by a man through social media and was convinced to send pictures and videos.

The investigation led to Nathaniel, who at the time was the alumni relations director at Morningside University in Sioux City. Court records allege that Nathaniel met the girl online in fall 2020 and later got her to move their conversations to an online platform that allowed the sharing of photos and videos.

Nathaniel, who court records said referred to himself as Jmack, got the girl to send sexually explicit images of herself and got her to convince other girls to provide similar pictures and videos, authorities said.

A detective took over the girls social media apps and was able to get information confirming the girls allegations, court records state. The suspect contacted the girl from his home and from the university, police said.

Child pornography was recovered from Nathaniels home during a raid at his Iowa home. He was extradited to Virginia in November and is being held in the Rappahannock Regional Jail.

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After two years of sharing information with the public about COVID-19, Mary Chamberlin assumed she knew the various ins and outs of the virusuntil she tested positive herself.

Im actually really surprised that I felt as badly as I have because Ive been fully vaccinated and boosted and Im up to date on everything, she said. I am surprised its lasted as long as it has, too. Every day, I wake up thinking, maybe today Ill turn the corner.

Chamberlin, 53, is the public information officer with the Rappahannock Area Health District. Throughout the pandemic, shes disseminated ever-evolving recommendations about COVID from local, state and federal health officials to Facebook readers and community partners.

Even with her background, shes been surprised by her weird assortment of symptoms and the diseases progression. Her case has been a reminder that even public health officials sometimes forget to follow recommendationsor their own instinctswhen theyre dealing with fever, vice-like headaches and coughing fits so bad, she said the seal-like sound scared her cats.

In public health, we tell people, if you test negative but youre still having symptoms, you want to retest within 24 to 48 hours. I did not do that. I didnt retest for four days, Chamberlin said. Thats something Im kicking myself about. I want to be transparent about that, I really should have followed my own instincts, I know better. I should have retested.

Chamberlin agreed to share her story with the hopes that someone else will learn from her experienceespecially as local cases are climbing again. Fridays report showed a 45% rise in new COVID cases over the previous week in the health district, which includes Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford.

However, hospitalizations remain low. There were 12 patients being treated for COVID symptoms in the areas three hospitals on Friday compared to 14 people the previous Friday.

The positivity rate, which measures the rate of positive tests among all those taken, topped 10% on Friday for the first time since late February. But the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions metric on transmission rates, which mainly looks at hospital patterns, remains low.

In addition, the University of Virginia is projecting a possible summer surge fueled by the omicron strain and its subvariants as well as behavioral changes among a public ready to get rid of masks and return to pre-pandemic norms.

The U.Va. COVID Model, presented by the Virginia Department of Health, suggest peaks in cases and hospitalizations somewhere between levels seen with the delta variant in fall 2021 and the omicron peak in winter 2022.

However, the model points out that deaths are projected to be much lower than previous waves as Virginias immunity profile continues to improve due to vaccinations, boosters and previous infections, and as treatments become available.

But as Mary Chamberlin can attest, a person doesnt have to be part of the statistics to suffer from COVID.

I wasnt affected to the point I taxed the health care system and Im not a COVID death statistic, obviously, but COVID has affected me, you know? she said during an interview at her Stafford County home. I dont know how its going to continue to affect me and thats my biggest concern.

COVID AND LUPUS

Chamberlin also has lupus, an autoimmune disease that occurs when a persons immune system attacks its own tissues and organs. Shes quick to point out that shes not taking medicinenamely steroidsto treat her lupus; therefore, her immune system isnt suppressed. She said shes not at higher risk of developing a severe COVID case than anyone else.

But the virus can kick her immune system into overdrive, triggering a flareup of her lupus, and thats what she believes happened on April 21, the first day she had symptoms. All of a sudden, her head felt like it was in a vice, her fever climbed to 102 degrees and she ached all over.

She and her husband, Mark, immediately took home COVID tests and both were negative. As the day wore on, her symptoms worried him, and he suggested they visit an urgent care before it closed. There, she again tested negative for COVID as well as the flu.

Overnight, her headache, fever and aches disappeared and were replaced with symptoms of a bad cold. Chamberlin believes her lupus reaction had abated and the COVID virus was taking hold.

By day three, she still had cold symptoms but was feeling enough energy to do a few things around the house. She and her husband had planned to visit their grandchildren, outside, and Chamberlin said she felt well enough that she could have gone.

But the couple decided not to go, just in case.

Then, the next day dawnedand Chamberlin felt so awful, she didnt get out of bed. That was a Sunday, when she and her husband normally volunteer at a horse rescue, which she loves, but he had to go alone.

The following morning, when he brought her breakfast of pumpkin bread and strawberries, she couldnt taste a thing. She reached into her nightstand drawer and pulled out the strongest-smelling lotion she had, and nothing.

Her taste and smell were gone. She took another home test, noticing that the second line on the test stick appeared almost immediately, indicating a positive result.

She couldnt get an appointment with her doctor so she called Mary Washington Hospitals nurse triage line. Chamberlin wasnt aware that it offered help to anyone, not just patients associated with the health-care system. Its available seven days a week from 7 a.m. to midnight at 540/741-1000.

They were amazing, she said. They dont ask anything about insurance, they didnt know who I was.

JUST WEAR A MASK

Chamberlin wanted treatment options for herself and her husband, who had mild cold symptoms, and the nurse line told her which urgent cares could offer them. She was too late in the course of the virus progression to qualify for an infusion of monoclonal antibodies.

There are two antiviral pills available, but the Chamberlins couldnt get the newer onePaxlovidwhich the federal government touts for its 90% success rate at reducing the chances of severe infection. The pill also interferes with about 20 common prescription medicines, including his high blood pressure medicine and her treatment for a thyroid issue.

They were prescribed Molnupiravir, an older antiviral pill, which has about 30% success rate in reducing the length of COVID, according to reports.

I thought, its not gonna hurt to try, she said.

Twelve days after her symptoms first appeared, Mary Chamberlin continued to have coughs, congestion and overall reduced energy. She cleared her throat often during an hour-long interview. She admitted that she planned to nap as soon as the reporter and photographer left her home because her job hours are flexible, and she can work varying hours as needed.

She wishes she had taken a second COVID test within two days of the first one so she could have gotten treatment earlier and would know for certain if she was contagious.

But she was thrown off by her seeming improvement on day three.

I thought, I wouldnt be getting better if I had COVID, she said. Well, I guess I would.

Shes also realized that people need to follow their own instincts. CDC recommendations said that after 10 days, she and her husband could go out in public again, maskless. But neither planned to do that because both still had cold symptoms.

Likewise, shes still touting the need for masks whether a person has a cold, COVID or who knows what.

If you dont feel well, just wear a mask, she said. If youre coughing and sneezing a little bit, you have a runny nose, why would you want to spread whatever that is, now that we know that we can prevent that kind of stuff? Its the right thing to do and its no big deal.

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As sure as the sun comes up every morning, solar energy is going to be with us.

In 2015, there were zero large-scale solar farms in Virginia. Now, there are 51. According to a survey done by the Weldon Cooper Center at the University of Virginia, 279 applications for large-scale facilities have been, or are being, reviewed. And thats just the number from the 109 localities (out of 133) that responded to the survey.

Because fossil fuels are a finite commodity, more groups are moving ahead on harnessing the sun. And great strides have been made. There is at present enough solar power in the United States to power more than 23 million homes.

The question is, how are localities, and the commonwealth of Virginia itself, going to handle this solar boom? Its pretty much going on a case-by-case basis right now. Some localities havent come up with comprehensive land plans that weigh solars positives and negatives. In the Weldon Cooper survey, 70 percent of responding localities said their plans did not prioritize types of lands preferred for utility-scale solar.

Culpeper County, where solar developers are looking to build, is wrestling with the issue now. Its planning commission has recommended that solar plants be limited to land zoned for industrial use. A solar farm in Spotsylvania went online last year that eventually will include more than 1.5 million solar panels on about 3,500 acres (about 5  square miles).

In the Southside, Charlotte County is wrestling with a proposed solar project that would require 21,000 acres, or about 33 square miles, with 3,100 acres dedicated for the solar panels themselves. For comparisons sake, 33 square miles is more than three times the size of Fredericksburg.

Anyone who has burned his name into a summer camp badge using only the sun and a magnifying glass understands the potential here, but it isnt that simple.

Storage is a big issue, and so is the amount of land required. The rule of thumb with present technology is that 10 acres are required to create one megawatt of power. One megawatt, according to Solar Energy Industries Association, would meet the needs of 164 homes. There are about 140 million homes in the U.S., so home usage alone would require about 8.5 million acres, or more than 13,000 square miles.

In addition, if the land that is cleared for solar previously was forested, how green is it to cut down thousands of acres of trees in order to install solar collectors? In more arid climates in the West, this isnt as much of an issue, but Virginias pretty green right now, tree-wise. Also, how smart is it to turn farmland into solar farms?

There are many issues that need to be addressed, and we encourage localities to get a handle on solar energy that goes beyond large corporations desire to make money vs. landowners and homeowners concerns. What is an appropriate place to clear a town-sized space for solar? How close should the panels be to existing housing? Is the land already cleared, or is it forested? Is it now farmland? How big is too big? Some localities are dealing with this issue; many are not.

State-wide guidelines might not be appropriate. What works for Arlington County may not work for Accomack. In lieu of that, we encourage the states counties and cities to get a grip on the solar surge, and to do it quickly. Many entities are scrambling to get in on the boom, to make hay while the sun shines, so to speak.

Energy-wise, solar is the future, or at least a large part of it. Like all big projects where big money is involved, it needs some oversight.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin told reporters Tuesday he hopes the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, but he noted that a decision is not final and didnt want to speculate on how hed proceed in Virginia if the court overturns the 1973 decision which declared a constitutional right to abortion.

I believe that the states should be able to take on this responsibility, and I do believe just like in determining what our education budget should be, in determining what our funding for law enforcement should be, how we handle our taxes at the state levelthose are state decisions, he said. And I do support the fact that this should be a state decision.

Youngkin said that if Roe is overturned, hed work with the legislature to determine how Virginia would handle abortion law. And he criticized the leak to Politico of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alitos draft opinion reportedly overturning Roe v. Wade.

The news boosts the importance of abortion to Virginias legislative elections next year.

Democrats said theyre committed to protecting legal abortion in Virginia if federal law changes.

This report showing the Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade is beyond concerning and will set womens rights back decades, party Chairwoman Susan Swecker said in a statement.

Speaking to reporters after an event at his office building, Youngkin said of the leak:

This leak that came from the Supreme Court is just an unbelievable breach of confidence and it was done in order to create chaos and to put pressure on elected officials, and its just fundamentally wrong that this happened.

Politico reported Monday night that the Supreme Court, which will soon rule on a Mississippi law that would halt most abortions after 15 weeks, had voted in chambers to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Youngkin said during his campaign that he would support banning abortion at the point when a fetus can feel painwhich states with similar bans have defined as 20 weeks. Youngkin supports exceptions in cases of rape, incest or when the womans life is in jeopardy.

Overturning Roe v. Wade would send abortion laws back to the states. That means abortion likely also will play a central role in the next legislative elections, now set for 2023.

Democrats hold a 2119 edge in the state Senate while Republicans hold a 5248 edge in the House of Delegates. In the General Assembly session that ended March 12, Senate Democrats in a committee blocked a number of House GOP bills to further restrict abortion.

Reaction in Virginia

State Sen. Louise Lucas, DPortsmouth, tweeted Monday night: When Glenn Youngkin comes to take away our abortion rightshe is going to run into a BRICK WALL.

In contrast, Del. Wren Williams, RPatrick, said of the Politico report: This could be the biggest win for life, liberty and limited government that we may see in a lifetime. For the past 49 years, under the Supreme Courts unilateral orders, the murder of 62 million unborn children was legalized and sanctionedagainst the will of the American people.

Tarina Keene, executive director of Pro-Choice Virginia said in a statement Monday night that the news is: a clarion call to Virginians. We must pursue proactive protections. We must pass a constitutional amendment that will forever enshrine our right to bodily autonomy.

Victoria Cobb, president of The Family Foundation of Virginia, issued a statement early Tuesday, saying the organization is cautiously optimistic about the early reports.

If this is in fact the final vote of the justices, it is an incredible ruling, she said in the statement. Roe v. Wade had no Constitutional basis and was wrongly decided, and this is our chance to undo bad precedent that has permitted the destruction of life for decades.

The Politico report came days after Youngkin joined hundreds of marchers at the fourth annual Virginia March for Life and Lt. Gov. Winsome EarleSears addressed abortion opponents gathered at the Bell Tower on Capitol grounds.

In January, Virginias new Republican Attorney General, Jason Miyares, took steps to remove Virginia from a legal brief his Democratic predecessor endorsed that terms the Mississippi abortion law unconstitutional.

Virginia Solicitor General Andrew N. Ferguson wrote to the clerk of the U.S. Supreme Court at the time that Virginia is now of the view that Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided, that the Constitution is silent on the question of abortion, and that it is therefore up to the people in the several States to determine the legal status and regulatory treatment of abortion.

Youngkin did not stress abortion in his agenda for this years regular General Assembly session, which focused on issues such as tax cuts and school choice.

If abortion becomes the marquee issue, it would not be the first time it transformed a state election.

In 1989, after the Supreme Court upheld Missouri abortion restrictions in Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, Democrat Doug Wilders defense of abortion rights helped him defeat Republican Marshall Coleman and become the nations first elected Black governor.

Sean McGoey, Holly Prestidge, Lyndon German and Eric Kolenich contributed to this report.
Nebraskans have long been strong supporters of the right to keep and bear arms. Nearly 85 years after it was enshrined in the Second Amendment at the federal level, Nebraskas leaders chose to make our stance on gun rights crystal clear. Article I of the Nebraska Constitution proclaims that the right to keep and bear arms for security or defense of self, family, home, and others, and for lawful common defense, hunting, recreational use, and all other lawful purposes...shall not be denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof. This should serve as the exclamation point on where Nebraska stands in its commitment to constitutional gun rights.

But we can do better for Nebraskans. Right now, law-abiding citizens must jump through burdensome hoops to carry a concealed firearm. Our Nebraska State Patrol has done a phenomenal job streamlining the permitting process. But statutory hurdles remain. Existing state law requires individuals wishing to carry their legally owned firearm to first complete a handgun training and safety course; fill out a concealed handgun permit application; and then travel to the nearest Nebraska State Patrol Troop Headquarters to submit the application and undergo fingerprinting and a background check. Then, they must wait until the application is processed and the permit is issued. At best, these steps are a nuisance to law-abiding citizens looking to exercise their Second Amendment rights. At worst, they are a barrier to those looking to protect themselves, such as victims of stalking or harassment. Under constitutional carry, law-abiding Nebraskans who have already undergone the background check needed to purchase a handgun would not have to wait for a permit to carry concealed.

Nebraska can join the growing number of states whove taken action to get rid of these restrictions. Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, and Indiana all enacted constitutional or permitless carry legislation in 2022. Nebraskas neighboring states of Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota, and Wyoming are also among the 25 states with constitutional or permitless carry laws. Over 120 million Americans live under these laws, with more states looking to enact them. Just last week, Governor Ron DeSantis held a press conference to call on Floridas legislature to pass constitutional carry legislation.

This year, Senator Tom Brewer of Gordon introduced and prioritized LB 773 in an effort to bring constitutional carry to Nebraska. A solid majority of senators supported the bill, but it fell just two votes short of the 33 needed to overcome a filibuster. The final vote that failed to advance the bill was 31-9. All nine opponents were Democrats.

The typical arguments against constitutional carry simply dont hold water. For example, concealed carry laws dont decrease safety. The U.S. News and World Report has published public safety rankings for each state based on the FBIs latest available data. The top three states for public safety are Maine, New Hampshire, and Idaho. All three are constitutional carry states.

Furthermore, constitutional carry legislation doesnt mean abandoning common sense restrictions that prevent dangerous criminals from carrying guns. The legislation only seeks to eliminate regulations that require a law-abiding citizen to carry a permit while carrying their concealed firearm.

At the end of the day, constitutional carry is about rights. A citizen authorized by law to possess a firearm shouldnt have to pay a fee and ask permission from the government to exercise their Second Amendment rights.

Im confident its only a matter of time before constitutional carry comes to Nebraska. But it wont happen without the determined activism of Second Amendment advocates in our state. I encourage Nebraskans to see how their senator voted on LB 773 by clicking here.

The National Rifle Association also grades political candidates based on their support for Second Amendment rights. You can view those grades by clicking here.

While we work on constitutional carry legislation in Nebraska, we also need to be forward thinking. To preserve our right to bear arms, we must individually pass on our love for and understanding of the Second Amendment to the next generation. The Take em Hunting program offered by Nebraska Game and Parks is a great way to do this. The program encourages veteran hunters to take a beginner with them and pass their knowledge on. Hunters can submit a picture and story of their experience online to be entered in a drawing for prizes (outdoornebraska.gov/takeemhunting). This program has been hugely successful. In just its third year, its already introduced more than 2,000 Nebraskans to hunting. This year, Take em Hunting will run through the end of the spring turkey season on May 31, 2022. So, when you go out to hunt this month, I encourage you to share your passion by taking someone with you.

Our freedom to keep and bear arms is rooted in the recognition that our rights are given to us by God, not by the government. These rights, declared in both our federal and state constitutions, shouldnt be costly and time-consuming to exercise. Together, lets work to end the lengthy delay and cost in order to conceal carry in Nebraska.

If you have questions about my support for Second Amendment rights, please email pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov or call 402-471-2244.

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Colorado Springs is responsible for identifying a site for a passenger rail station that would serve Amtrak and intercity commuter trains, and the staff has narrowed the options down to four sites in the downtown area.

You voted:
This combination of photos provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office in April 2022 shows Casey Cole White, left, and Assistant Director of Corrections Vicky White. On Saturday, April 30, 2022, the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office said that Vicky White disappeared while escorting inmate Casey Cole White, being held on capital murder charges, in Florence, Ala.. The inmate is also missing.
Children's Hospital Colorado last week became the latest major employer to add tuition-free education as an employee benefit, joining a growing list ranging from Walmart to The Walt Disney Co.

Nearly a fourth of Children's 7,500 employees have created user accounts to find out more about the benefit through Denver-based Guild Education, said Greg Raymond, president of the pediatric health care nonprofit's southern Colorado operations.

The benefit pays for classes, books and other education materials in more than 75 programs at 25 colleges, online programs and other education providers and up to $5,250 a year in costs for more than 200 other education programs.

"This is a benefit team members asked for in surveys  to be able to grow and develop their careers  and has been several years in the making, since before the (COVID-19) pandemic," Raymond said.

"We recruit nationally and are the first pediatric hospital to offer this benefit. We anticipate it will be a differentiator when competing with other pediatric hospitals for talent."

Unlike traditional tuition reimbursement programs many employers offer, the Guild program skips the step of employees having to pay for tuition and books and then get reimbursed, Raymond said.

"It is tough for front-line employees to (pay) afford tuition on the front end, so instead of reimbursement we pay upfront. That opens the door to a whole new group of individuals," Raymond said.

"Our goal is to grow our own workforce and retain individuals who have professional aspirations. It will allow those in entry-level roles to become nurses, respiratory therapists or other clinical roles."

Other employers offering the program include UCHealth, Bon Secours Mercy Health in Cincinnati, Chipotle, Discover Financial Services, Kohl's, Macy's, PepsiCo, Taco Bell, Target, Tyson Foods and Waste Management.

Guild's programs through providers such as Cornell Unversity's eCornell program, Colorado State University's business school, Oregon State University, University of Central Florida and University of Denver offer high school completion, college preparation, professional certificates, learning English and undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Children's employs 1,200 in the Colorado Springs area to operate a 115-bed hospital on the UCHealth Memorial North North campus in Briargate as well as two outpatient and specialty clinics in Briargate and east of downtown Colorado Springs. A third outpatient and specialty clinic, which will offer pediatric behavioral health and other services, is under construction near Chapel Hills Mall and is expected to open this year.

The new Children's program began a week before online sales giant Amazon announced it will offer free tuition to degree and certificate programs starting in the summer semester at Pikes Peak Community College through the company's Career Choice program. Amazon operates a fulfillment center, sorting center, three delivery stations and a Whole Foods Market in Colorado Springs, together employing more than 3,000 people.

Amazon plans to spend $1.2 billion to train more than 300,000 employees worldwide by 2025 so they can move to higher-paying jobs. Pikes Peak Community offers nearly 200 degree and certificate programs, including bachelor's degrees in nursing and emergency service administration.
The company behind the TurboTax tax-filing program will pay $141 million to customers across the United States who were deceived by misleading promises of free tax-filing services, New York's attorney general announced Wednesday.

Under the terms of a settlement signed by the attorneys general of all 50 states, Mountain View, California-based Intuit Inc. will suspend TurboTaxs free, free, free ad campaign and pay restitution to nearly 4.4 million taxpayers, New York Attorney General Letitia James said.

In Colorado, Attorney General Phil Weiser announced $2,574,985.89 of that settlement will go to tens of thousands of low-income Coloradans and military members, according to a news release.

Free tax filing services are offered for a reason  to ensure lower-income Coloradans can file their taxes with as little impact to their daily lives and pocketbooks as possible, Weiser said in the release. Through todays settlement, we are returning some of the money that was wrongfully taken from our states hardworking residents. We will continue standing up for vulnerable consumers taken advantage of by irresponsible companies.

James said her investigation into Intuit was sparked by a 2019 ProPublica report that found the company was using deceptive tactics to steer low-income tax filers away from the federally supported free services for which they qualified  and toward its own commercial products.

"For years, Intuit misled the most vulnerable among us to make a profit. Today, every state in the nation is holding Intuit accountable for scamming millions of taxpayers, and were putting millions of dollars back into the pockets of impacted Americans," James said in a statement. "This agreement should serve as a reminder to companies large and small that engaging in these deceptive marketing ploys is illegal."

As part of the agreement, Intuit admitted no wrongdoing, agreed to pay $141 million to put this matter behind it, and made certain commitments regarding its advertising practices," representatives for Intuit said in a blog post Wednesday. Intuit already adheres to most of these advertising practices and expects minimal impact to its business from implementing the remaining changes going forward."

Until last year, Intuit offered two free versions of TurboTax. One was through its participation in the Internal Revenue Service's Free File Program, geared toward taxpayers earning roughly $34,000 and members of the military. Intuit withdrew from the program in July 2021, saying in a blog post that the company could provide more benefits without the program's limitations.

The company also offers a commercial product called TurboTax Free Edition that is only for taxpayers with simple returns, as defined by Intuit.

According to documents obtained by ProPublica, Intuit executives knew they were deceiving customers by advertising free services that were not in fact free to everyone.

The website lists Free, Free, Free and the customers are assuming their return will be free, an internal company PowerPoint presentation said. Customers are getting upset.

Consumers are expected to receive a direct payment of about $30 for each year that they were deceived into paying for filing services, James said. They will automatically receive notices and checks by mail.

We empower our customers to take control of their financial lives, which includes being in charge of their own tax preparation, an Intuit spokesperson told ProPublica in a statement in 2019.

The spokesperson added that a government-run pre-filled tax preparation system that makes the tax collector (who is also the investigator, auditor and enforcer) the tax preparer is fraught with conflicts of interest.
Tuesday nights protest in favor of abortion rights on the steps of City Hall came together suddenly, just like the massive news that preceded it nearly 24 hours prior.

The Supreme Court is poised to strike down the Roe v. Wade decision made in January of 1973, according to a report from Politico, citing a draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito obtained by the publication.

I was like that cant be real, Sienna Johnson said of their initial reaction to the news. They described initially being angry and disheartened overall.

Thats how I reacted. I was so saddened by that, they said. Makes me sad thats where were at in our society in the 21st century.

According to those in attendance, the protest began around 5 p.m. and was down to a handful of people just before 7 p.m. Those remaining still received support from several drivers who honked in approval of the signs they held in favor of abortion rights.

For the time being, however, little will change regarding abortion in the state of Colorado. In early April, Governor Jared Polis signed House Bill 1279, also known as the Reproductive Health Equity Act, into law, guaranteeing the right to abortion in the state.

Even so, some of those in attendance decried the impact a decision like overturning Roe v. Wade will have on women in general, even if they remain unaffected.

Johnson said that the decision will have a disproportionate impact on women who are in poverty and lambasted the idea of persecuting women who have abortions as archaic. They said that abortions would still occur regardless of any bans.

For Andrea Fox, its about standing with all women in solidarity. Fox worries about trigger bans which are laws that would take effect in the event Roe was overturned. According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, 13 states have these bans ready, including Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Texas and Oklahoma, Mississippi and Tennessee.

She said that with measures like the Texas Heartbeat Act that enables people to be prosecuted if they seek an abortion or aid someone attempting to get one, people may be locked in the confines of their state.

It forces and locks part of our county into a position of being uneducated, unable to provide for themselves and unable to support themselves, she said.

Johnson echoed that sentiment, saying they view abortion access as healthcare.

It feels like a false reality that were living in especially when it comes to that being criminalized for going elsewhere to seek help, to seek healthcare. Its healthcare at the end of the dayWe should never be policing or criminalizing anybodys action when it comes to their own health.
FILE PHOTO: A North Korean flag flutters on top of a 160-metre tower in North Korea's propaganda village of Gijungdong, in this picture taken from the Tae Sung freedom village near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), inside the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas, in Paju, South Korea, April 24, 2018. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo
Activists on both sides of the abortion debate are gearing up for a prolonged fight they expect to wage if the U.S. Supreme Court, indeed, strikes down Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that legalized abortion in the United States.

A leaked draft opinion, first reported by Politico, indicated a majority of justices on the nations highest court are poised to overturn the 1973 law, a decision that would shift the battle over the contours of abortion access away from the federal government and toward the states.

Its not a done deal  justices could change their minds and a first draft often evolves before the opinion's final publication  but anti-abortion supporters have been hoping and working for precisely that decision for nearly 50 years, said Julie Bailey, vice president of Pikes Peak Citizens for Life and director of the Respect Life Apostolate for the Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs.

And even then, the outcome ultimately hinges on Americans' view of abortion, Bailey said.

We know the battle does not end in states like Colorado, California, New York and New Jersey, and well still be fighting for life, she said. Weve always believed our battle is not one that is going to necessarily be solved in the courts, the legislatures or even the White House, but in the hearts and minds of Americans, whom we hope to convince of the dignity of every human life, born and unborn.

The states largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, sees the expected decision, assuming the draft truly reflects the court's final opinion, as devastating.

If this becomes the final ruling, it is just going to have an absolutely horrific impact on our patients, on our communities and our country, said Kristina Tocce, vice president and medical director. I dont even know how to express with enough weight that this will harm patients. Some will be unable to obtain abortion care and that is going to lead to poor health outcomes.

The Supreme Court's decision, which is expected this summer, will not immediately change the status quo in Colorado  or in many other states, particularly those that have adopted permissive statutes.

Josh Dunn, a political science professor at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, said abortions would still be available in most states, particularly early in pregnancy, even if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

But Dunn said it's possible the leak, which he calls a huge violation of trust of the Supreme Court, will prompt the justices to rule on the issue earlier than expected.

If they find someone has done this to manipulate them, they could say well just announce the decision now, he said.

The nine justices are originally expected to rule on a case challenging Mississippis ban on abortion after 15 weeks of gestation before the current court session ends in late June or early July.

In any case, both camps have been preparing for the eventual court decision since last year, and many expect the battle lines to only get sharper.

"We have ceded the Colorado abortion conversation to proabortion proponents for too long," Dr. Tom Perille, president of Democrats for Life of Colorado, said. "That is about to change."

Indeed, even as progressives denounced the draft opinion, they, too, hinted of some sense of acceptance that, absent federal protection for abortion, the debate is moving to the states.

In Colorado, progressives hold the upper hand.

Colorado, one of seven states with no legal restrictions on late-term abortions, further expanded abortion rights throughout pregnancy this legislative session via the Reproductive Health Equity Act, which Gov. Jared Polis signed into law last month.

Polis on Tuesday took at aim at Republicans, even as he, too, hinted of the contours of the upcoming fight.

Republicans have been obsessed with taking away freedoms. First, Texas passes a law encouraging dangerous vigilante attacks on women. Then Florida used big government to infringe upon the freedom of speech banning the word gay and now the Trump appointed Supreme Court has threatened the reproductive freedoms of all Americans," Polis said via a spokesperson.

The governor had reiterated his backing for abortion rights on Monday, when news of the leaked draft broke: While this is extremely disappointing news, representing a radical shift in American life away from individual freedom, in Colorado we will continue to fight for and respect the right to make decisions about your own body and medical health."

Recent attempts to persuade Colorado voters to approve abortion restrictions, such as banning late-term abortions, have failed, but Bailey, the anti-abortion activist, is not giving up.

Theres always hope for Colorado, and there will always be challenges in Colorado to current law, she said.

Bailey indicated the fight in Colorado will likely focus on banning late-term abortion.

So, there are a significant number of Coloradans who do support limitation, particularly on late-term abortion, she said.

A ballot proposition in 2020 to ban abortions after a fetus reached 22 weeks of gestation in Colorado failed by a 41% to 59% margin.

Anti-abortion advocates also view the overturning of Roe, if it happens, as another window for another kind of a fight  change Coloradans' hearts and minds.

Data from the Pew Research Center show that public support for legal abortion has remained relatively stable over the past five years: 59% support abortion in all or most cases and 39% believe it should be illegal in all or most cases.

Perille said he believes there will be a concerted effort to educate Coloradans about the reality of abortion and compassionate alternatives before another ballot measure is pursued.

A reversal of Roe v. Wade would be just the beginning of long effort to make abortion unthinkable, he said, adding that, over the coming months, anti-abortion activists statewide will underscore how women and families facing an unplanned pregnancy can find assistance through a variety of programs accessible via web and apps.

They will highlight the literally hundreds of resources in Colorado that will make it easier to choose life  since most abortions are performed for social and economic reasons, the doctor said.

Research from Focus on the Family, a Colorado Springs-based Christian organization that produces radio broadcasts, videos, books and other communication for adults and children, shows women have abortions because they dont feel supported, theyre scared or they dont think theyre qualified to have a baby, according to spokesman Paul Batura.

Were trying to allay those fears, he said, adding his organization also promotes adoption as a viable option for pregnant women.

Organizing from both camps will likely ramp up in the coming months.

Democratic legislators Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, Rep. Meg Froelich and Sen. Julie Gonzales, who authored legislation to guarantee the right to an abortion in Colorado, said the state will "not go back to a time when patients were forced to seek out unsafe abortions, putting their health and lives at risk."

"We will continue fighting to keep abortion legal for all Coloradans and the countless individuals who will be forced to travel to our state for care, or carry unsafe pregnancies to term," they said in a joint statement.

Lauren Lo Castillo, director of mission advancement for Students for Life of America and Students for Life Action, both based in Fredericksburg, Va., said a priority now is for groups to band together to build that infrastructure needed for a post-Roe America, where no woman stands alone.

The pro-life movement has an unprecedented momentum and we are pursuing various strategies, she said. The movement, as a whole, has been willing to challenge the notion of what is possible in our mission to end abortion.

Reporter Seth Klamann also contributed to this article.

Watch: Abortion rights supporters gather at Colorado State Capitol
Tom Walton dreamed of Altia growing into a company where he and others could spend their entire careers before retiring.

That dream became a reality for Walton, one of four founders of the Colorado Springs-based software company. He retired this week after 31 years as Altia's chief technology officer (his title was fellow software engineer). Walton, 61, will remain a Altia board member and largest stockholder; he and remaining founder and CEO Mike Juran own a majority of Altia.

"Even when we started, Tom had in mind that the company would last forever. He said we had to worry about succession for when we retire. I thought 'retire?' I was only 29 years old,'" Juran said.

"Tom set the example  we have an environment where people come and go, but we set the example  be calm; this will pass. Loyalty and longevity will pay off. Tom has proven that can happen."

Before Altia, Walton, Juran and two other engineers worked with Hewlett Packard in Colorado Springs developing software that helped manufacturers build prototypes. Software, however, wasn't HP's primary product  the technology giant at that time built everything from personal computers and printers to test and measurement equipment and other technology gear. The software product eventually got shelved.

Walton, Juran, Tom Batcha and Kip Fulghum thought the software had a bright future, though, and went to the manager of their division to turn over the technology to them in exchange for a small percentage of royalties from future sales for five years. They formed Altia in late 1991 and landed their first customer nine months later to develop a prototype for its test and measurement equipment.

"Mike had some experience in marketing with his previous job at AT&T and he was a great salesman (for the company) from the beginning," Walton said. "I stuck with the engineering side  what made me get up in the morning was solving customers' problems and help them be successful."

Ford became the first of Altia's many major automaker customers after Altia was featured in the EE Times, then the Bible of the technology industry. That story caught the attention of an executive in the research and development operation of Ford that was developing new displays for vehicle radios and climate control systems.

Altia would quickly land automakers General Motors and Chrysler, test and measurement giant Fluke, construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar and medical device manufacturers Siemens and Philips. The company's software has been used to design displays in more than 100 million vehicles, including the bestselling Ford F-150 pickup and top-selling models from BMW, Mercedes Benz, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Renault and Toyota.

"I remember going on a press tour on the East and West coasts  well before the internet or social media  and dragging around a Sun (Microsystems) workstation to demonstrate our product," Juran said.

"We would keep the computer in our carry-on bag, but had to check the monitor, which was in bubble wrap in a cardboard box, because we couldn't afford a carrying case."

But making it to retirement was no sure bet for Walton, or anyone else. The company's cash flow was so tight it was down to a single month of expenses in cash at least a half dozen times. The company also faced struggles when several of its major customers, including General Motors and Chrysler, ended up in bankruptcy during the Great Recession.

The company survived those challenges and COVID-19 pandemic and is now fighting supply chain issues that have slowed manufacturing for many of its customers.

The company benefited from each of its founders having complementary skills  Juran focused on marketing and sales, Walton's strong suit was testing software, Batcha could write software and Fulghum had financial expertise and was an expert in using a key software development tool. Batcha and Fulghum left the company in 2011 to semiretire; Batcha died in 2019.

The company stayed small for much of its early existence  Altia didn't hire an engineer to supplement its four founders until 1998 and that engineer, Jason Williamson, is now the company's vice president of marketing.

The company has since focused on attracting top talent, who have helped it develop more than 40 releases of its flagship user interface design software. Altia now employs about 100 people in Colorado Springs, Detroit, Germany, Japan, South Korea and remote locations worldwide.

Walton knew he could retire once he had shared his knowledge about the company and its products with those who will continue to design and sell its software. He said he "gets enjoyment about giving employees and customers knowledge about how to use Altia. You set expectations low and watch them hit it out of the park. That's what got me up every morning to go to work."

Juran said his partnership with Walton was built to last, based on "warmth, competency and high integrity. Tom is all of that. I could do another 30 years with him."

Juran said he has no plans to retire and could easily work another 10 years as Altia's CEO furthering its mission of "making technology work for people, not the other way around."
Justine Sandoval has been fighting for abortion rights for more than 10 years.

Throughout her time as an activist, she has spoken at and organized hundreds of abortion rights rallies. But she knew a battle would ensue if the U.S. Supreme Court took a second look at Roe v. Wade.

On Monday night, she learned about the high court's draft ruling that would overturn the landmark decision.

"I've known this was coming," Sandoval said. "I have gone to rallies for over a decade warning against the possible situation that we're in right now."

Sandoval was among roughly 100 people who gathered at the state Capitol on Tuesday to voice their support for abortion rights. Demonstrators held signs saying "My body, my choice," "Healthcare is a human right" and "We Will Not Go Backwards."

Many at the rally said they were appalled when they learned of the leaked draft.

"I became sick to my stomach," said Rebecca Brumbeloe of Denver.

"It honestly felt like there was a pit in my stomach," said Tezcatli Diaz, a community organizer from Denver.

"It felt like a surprise, but at the same time, there was this feeling of sadness and deceit. Like why are we moving backwards?" said Alyssa Nilemo of Douglas County.

State Rep. Leslie Herod told the crowd that banning the procedure "will not stop abortions from happening, but they will decrease the number of safe abortions that happen and push people into the shadows."

Herod, who is Black, added: "They will harm people who look like me and look like you disproportionately than those judges who vote to ban abortion."

The Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that aims to promote a "high-performing health care system," released a study in September that found abortion bans impact mothers of color more than white mothers when looking at the impact Texas' abortion ban would have.

"Black women in Texas have been more likely to experience unintended pregnancies. The result is that abortion is accessed more commonly among Black women," the study read. "Unplanned pregnancies are associated with higher rates of maternal mortality, prematurity, and infant mortality. S.B. 8 will therefore compound the long-term damage of racism in the Texas health care system, disproportionately injuring Black mothers and their children."

Sandoval said the draft opinion might be the reality check people need to get out and protest.

"I think this is the kind of thing that pushes people to come out and do this," she said. "There has always been this idea that our rights were safe, but now this has shown the true reality of the situation and hopefully will light a fire under other people."
A federal judge rejected the narrative from a man accused of murdering his wife on an African safari that U.S. prosecutors improperly charged the defendant in Colorado as part of a scheme to evade a 232-year-old law.

The trial of Lawrence Rudolph, set to begin on July 11, will remain in Colorado despite the defense's attempt to transfer or dismiss the foreign murder charge against him. A grand jury recently indicted Rudolph for allegedly killing his wife, Bianca Rudolph, around Oct. 11, 2016 while the two were on safari in Zambia. He also faces a charge of mail fraud for reportedly misrepresenting the cause of Bianca's death in order to obtain $4.9 million in life insurance claims.

The fraud charge stemmed from insurance documents mailed to an address in Englewood. Authorities in Mexico, where Rudolph was on vacation, detained and deported Rudolph in late December 2021, and law enforcement arrested him at Denver International Airport.

Rudolph challenged the authority of the federal government to charge him with foreign murder in Colorado, pointing to a law originally enacted in 1790 that requires trials for crimes committed outside the country or on the "high seas" to take place wherever a defendant was arrested or "first brought." Because "a commercial airline that landed in Atlanta, Georgia" first brought Rudolph to the United States after his alleged overseas murder, the Northern District of Georgia was the proper venue for his trial, he argued.

U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martinez rejected that line of thinking.

"To the extent Congress wanted to clarify that the phrase 'first brought' means the location that an offender first arrives of his own volition after allegedly completing his crime, it could have done so. It did not," Martinez wrote in an April 26 order.

The defense had accused prosecutors of "cherry-picking" Colorado as the location to charge Rudolph for foreign murder. His lawyers noted that authorities could have arrested Rudolph in Arizona, where he lived, but waited until he was out of the country to seek his extradition to Colorado. Those tactics allegedly ran contrary to the 1790 law that permitted trials only where a defendant was arrested, "first brought" or, as the law now reads, last resided.

The law "reflects the Founding Fathers firm belief that giving prosecutors their choice of venue is inherently unfair," Rudolph's lawyers wrote.

In arguing their case for a change of venue, the defense referenced an 1832 appellate decision from Massachusetts involving a revolt on the high seas. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story noted that the 1790 law providing for alternative trial locations was intended for "general convenience." A ship may have to seek refuge away from its home port due to weather or the defendant may escape into another jurisdiction, making some degree of flexibility necessary when trying crimes that occur outside of the United States, Story wrote.

Because Rudolph was arrested in Mexico, the defense argued, his trial location had to be where he was first brought after committing his crime: Georgia.

The government found fault with that reading of the law and attempted to justify Colorado as the trial venue. First, Mexico only deported Rudolph, meaning he was arrested in Denver. Second, the 1790 law requiring defendants to be tried where they are first brought only applies when there are criminal charges against them.

"His flight to Atlanta right after he murdered his wife is irrelevant because no authorities brought him to Atlanta under restraint in connection with the murder," wrote the U.S. Attorney's Office for Colorado.

Martinez agreed with the government that Colorado was where Rudolph was first brought in connection with the criminal charges. The 1790 law and its subsequent modifications gave prosecutors options for trying crimes occurring outside of the United States, and, with Rudolph's case, "the government merely exercised that choice," the judge wrote.

He also refused to dismiss the foreign murder charge because, Rudolph claimed, it did not allege sufficient facts to establish Colorado was the correct place for trial. Martinez instead found that the charge correctly listed the key elements of the offense and sufficiently put Rudolph on notice of the allegations.

Martinez previously rebuffed Rudolph's request to be detained in, effectively, a private home-based jail pending trial.

The case is United States v. Rudolph et al.
The survival of Colorado's paid family and medical leave program, which nearly 58% of voters supported two years ago at the ballot box, may come down to a single sentence in the most controversial part of the state's constitution: the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

On Tuesday, the Colorado Supreme Court considered the arguments of a Grand Junction-based construction company, which is challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 118, also known as the Colorado Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Act. The ballot initiative created a right of up to 12 weeks of paid leave for most workers beginning in 2024 and job protections for those who choose to take it. Starting next year, premiums on employers' payrolls will take effect to fund the benefits.

In the view of Chronos Builders, LLC, those premiums run afoul of Section 8(a) of TABOR, a 1992 state constitutional amendment, which requires that incomes be taxed at a flat rate "with no added tax or surcharge."

"This fee is trying to get around the flat tax," Daniel E. Burrows of the conservative advocacy group Advance Colorado argued on behalf of Chronos Builders.

The attorney general's office maintained that the premium on wages, which varies based on the size and nature of the employer, is neither a tax nor a surcharge, but a fee. In exchange for paying the fee, there is a specific service provided: 12 weeks of annual leave.

Moreover, said Assistant Solicitor General Noah C. Patterson, Section 8(a) of TABOR applies solely when there is an "income tax law change."

"The premium here is not an income tax law change. We think that is all the court needs to decide to resolve this case," he explained.

The case before the Supreme Court implicated the complexities of TABOR, which has been the subject of numerous legislative and legal efforts to repeal or work around its constraints. Among its most well-known provisions, TABOR caps state spending according to a formula and requires a popular vote to raise taxes or implement new taxes  but not fees.

TABOR also took the state's flat income tax, which the legislature created in 1986 after a half-century of progressive taxation, and enshrined it in the constitution.

Multiple organizations and individuals weighed in to the Supreme Court asking the justices to uphold the FAMLI Act, arguing that paid leave will benefit new parents, sexual assault survivors and military families experiencing deployments, among other groups.

"Prior to passage of Proposition 118, Coloradans lacked the legal right to any paid leave when welcoming a new child or facing a personal or family members serious illness. The only law covering such absences was the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 which provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave and only covers a portion of the workforce," wrote a collection of progressive organizations including the AFL-CIO and the Bell Policy Center.

Another supporting brief from Good Business Colorado, the Small Business Majority and eight individual business owners argued that the FAMLI Act is critical for workers suffering from "long COVID" or other chronic conditions who could relapse on the job.

Chronos Builders originally filed suit in Denver District Court seeking to block the new government-run enterprise overseeing the $1.2 billion paid leave program from collecting payroll premiums in 2023. In December, Chief Judge Michael A. Martinez dismissed the lawsuit, finding that the premiums were not an income tax law change and, therefore, did not fall under TABOR's restrictions.

Both sides agreed to ask the Supreme Court to take up the appeal directly, and the justices granted the request.

During oral arguments, members of the court repeatedly returned to Section 8(a)'s application to any "income tax law change," and pointed out that Chronos Builders had already acknowledged that the premium was not a tax, but a fee.

"This applies to income tax laws, and the law we're talking about here isnt an income tax law," said Justice Melissa Hart.

"What is the tax law change to which this surcharge is appended?" asked Justice Richard L. Gabriel.

Burrows responded that the premium on wages "operates on top of the existing tax. Thats what makes it a surcharge on income."

The arguments also turned to the distinction TABOR makes between taxes for general government operations and fees that fund enterprises, or government-run businesses that provide a specific services. Chief Justice Brian D. Boatright wondered whether the government could increasingly choose to fund itself through fees and enterprises as a way of working around TABOR's constraints on taxation.

"Hypothetically, with your model, would the government be able to say that were gonna add a 5% surcharge on any income over $1 million and were gonna fund the department of homelessness or unhoused? And because its going to a specific purpose, does that get around" TABOR, he asked the government.

No, responded Patterson, because the fees a person pays have to relate to the services they receive.

"The reason why this free is calculated based on income is because the service thats being provided is wage replacement, which is an income-related service," Patterson said of the FAMLI Act's wage premiums.

The attorney general's office warned that if Chronos Builders prevailed and the premium were deemed unconstitutional, that would call into question the existence of the state's unemployment insurance program, which also operates through premiums on employee wages.

Burrows attempted to distance paid family and medical leave from unemployment insurance, saying the fate of the two programs was not tied together. He said that the unemployment insurance system existed before TABOR's enactment, and even though the General Assembly converted the program to an enterprise in 2009, the change was "solely an accounting maneuver."

In contrast, Patterson insisted to the justices that Chronos Builders' argument that any income-based fees violate TABOR could ensnare the unemployment insurance program. The plaintiff's interpretation of Section 8(a) "would foreclose an entire category of government services, and that is income-related services," he said of paid leave.

Patterson conceded, however, that the unemployment insurance and FAMLI Act programs were likely the only services the court's ruling would affect. Burrows seized on that concession as an indication that the government's rhetoric was overblown.

"I think its interesting that they say this would cripple government services and yet we have almost no examples of government services it would cripple, except this one program that hasnt existed for 146 years and is only available in eight states at this point," he said.

Oral arguments did not touch on other issues raised by the parties and their outside supporters, including the standard for striking down the FAMLI Act's premiums. The government believed the Supreme Court needed to decide whether the premiums were unconstitutional beyond a reasonable doubt, the lens courts use in Colorado when examining legislation.

Chronos Builders did not believe that standard applies to citizen-initiated changes in the law. The libertarian Independence Institute, while not writing in support of either party, agreed that beyond a reasonable doubt was not the correct principle because TABOR uniquely directs courts to interpret its provisions in the way that "shall reasonably restrain most the growth of government."

If, as the district court found, TABOR does not apply to the case, there will be no need to use that interpretation. (Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute, is an opinion contributor to Colorado Politics.)

The case is Chronos Builders, LLC v. Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Family and Medical Leave Insurance.
CEDAR FALLS  Carter Guse slipped into the chair, arranged his headphones and grabbed a Taylor six-string acoustic-electric guitar, settled the instrument into his lap and ran through a few chords.

Im flatpicking, but I can change if you want me to, Guse said, speaking into a microphone. On the other side of the control booth glass, Catamount Studios recording engineer and producer Travis Huisman shook his head, No, youre good. Ready? He flicked on a metronome sitting on the mixing console to mark time and signaled Guse.

Guse leaned forward and began playing the chords to his original song, Alexis. Within minutes, the 16-year-old Cedar Falls High School musician had laid down the first track on his first single.

It was the first of many tracks Guse recorded that evening at Catamount. He contacted us and said he wanted to do something better than other recordings hed made. That got the ball rolling pretty quickly. Hes very talented and played all the instruments, said Huisman, including guitars, bass, keyboards, drums and piano and sang the vocals.

Throughout the hours-long recording session, Guse was focused and professional, completely in his element. It was very cool. I played nine instruments and 11 tracks and two different parts on the guitar and two vocal tracks singing melody and harmony, enthused Guse.

Honestly, walking into Catamount reminded me of Paisley Park, Princes recording studio. Stepping into the studio, I got that experience and vibe, something Id love to have every day. It was phenomenal  everything sounded so fantastic, and everything went amazing.

Theyre real professionals at Catamount and took my ideas and helped me create the sound I wanted for this song. I think we were very successful in what we wanted to accomplish, he said.

Alexis will be released May 26 to coincide with Guses performance at the wcfsymphonys pre-concert festivities. Guse will be joined by his manager and fellow musician, a member of the Midwest Music Hall of Fame, and violinist Cara Lockhard in the lobby at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center in Cedar Falls.

Carter not only wrote the lyrics and music for Alexis, but was able to record 11 total tracks and nine different instruments with most tracks completed within two takes. He did all this in under three hours. It is pretty rare to have only one or two takes per vocal or instrument, Miller explained.

While Guse was immersed in recording, Emmy award-winning videographer Jerimiah Junkers, a friend of the family, moved around the studio with lights and camera, shooting scenes for a Guse video.

Guse is considered one of the bright rising stars on the Cedar Valley music scene. He performed a song for Jay Leno at the comedians March concert at GBPAC, as well as performing at Maddie Poppes New Years Eve Concert with the wcfsymphony. This spring, he already has more than a dozen gigs lined up across Iowa and Minnesota.

Music has always been a part of my life. I was the toddler banging on my moms pots and pans. I got into music when I was 2 years old, playing guitar  not well, Guse said, laughing.

Guse started piano lessons at age 5. He wasnt thrilled because he really wanted to learn to play drums, But now Im glad I learned to play piano. Things just took off from there. I love it, and playing piano helps with writing music.

By second grade, he was playing guitar. I really started gigging in the fifth and sixth grade and played my first professional gig in the sixth grade. I mean, I was paid for that one, Guse recalled.

Guse has always known he doesnt want to sit in the audience. I want to be front of stage and said music has always helped him through any difficulties or problems growing up has thrown in his path.

Even at his age, Carter has such stage presence. Thats what I think sets him apart from other entertainers his age, and even older performers. Hes an entertainer, Miller said.

The performer won at Bill Rileys Talent Show and performed a song medley at Buddy Hollys 60th Anniversary Tribute. After that I started singing far and wide. Music is something in my life that I cant explain. Its never been a question of when but how, said Guse. He describes his sound as more acoustic, retro 1970s and 1980s.

During the pandemic, Guse turned to YouTube and played live online.

In recent months, Guse performed at The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville for hundreds of patrons. The club is recognized as a songwriters acoustic venue where heroes behind the hits share their stories and perform original songs. Garth Brooks, Faith Hill and Taylor Swift are just a few of the stars who have had career-defining moments at the club.

Plans are to release the single for radio play, Miller said, as well as downloading. He can be found at his new website, carterguse.com, on social media @CarterGuse.

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DES MOINES  The possibility that the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn Roe v. Wade and send abortion regulation back to the individual states, raises questions about those laws in Iowa. Here are answers to some of those questions.

Q: What are Iowas current abortion regulations?

A: Abortion is legal in Iowa except after 20 weeks of pregnancy, after which abortion is legal only in cases of a threat to life or health.

Q:What happens in Iowa if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade?

A: Nothing, immediately. The states current abortion regulations would remain because the Iowa Supreme Court has ruled abortion is a protected fundamental right under the state constitution. Iowa Republicans are attempting to nullify that ruling with a proposed amendment to the Iowa Constitution.

Q:What is the status of abortion cases in front of the Iowa Supreme Court?

A: The Iowa Supreme Court has struck down two recent Republican-written abortion restrictions. In 2018, the court struck down a three-day waiting period before a woman could have an abortion, and in 2019 the court struck down a ban on abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, often before a woman knows she is pregnant. The court has not yet ruled on a third case, on which it heard oral arguments in February, that would require a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion.

Q: How many abortions are performed in Iowa?

A: There were 4,058 abortions performed in the state in 2020, a 14% increase from the previous year, according to the most recent data from the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Q:How many abortion providers are there in Iowa?

A: According to multiple sources that track abortion-related data, there appears to be six abortion providers in Iowa. That does not include hospitals that may perform late-term abortions.

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DURANT  A Durant firefighter remained hospitalized Wednesday after authorities say an intoxicated man crashed a commercial field sprayer into a firetruck responding to a 9-1-1 call.

Firefighters were heading to a call Monday evening when Kent Reimers, 31, of rural Walcott, crashed into one of two Durant firetrucks at or near Vail Avenue and 120th Street, according to a report from the Muscatine County Sheriff's Office. Reimers was driving a Terragator, a farming vehicle used for spraying fields, according to the sheriff's office.

All five firefighters riding in the firetruck were injured, with the driver needing to be extracted from the mangled fire engine by fellow first responders using hydraulic equipment to cut and pry open the wrecked vehicle. Four were treated at the scene and returned home with relatively minor injuries, while a fifth  firefighter Matt Fisher, who had been sitting behind the driver  had to be taken by ambulance to Genesis Medical Center in Davenport and was later airlifted to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Deb Hogan Lorenz, Fishers aunt, said her nephew recently underwent the first of what is expected to be a series of surgeries. This first surgery was to repair his left leg, which required the placing of a large pin.

Lt. Mike Schmidt of the Muscatine County Sheriffs Office said the firetruck was totaled with the entire left side of it damaged. The damage was partially due to the crash and partially due to the driver of the firetruck needing to be extracted from the vehicle by mechanical means.

After the crash, Reimers allegedly fled the scene while the crew of the second Durant firetruck stopped in order to tend to their fellow firefighters' injuries. The Wilton Fire Department gave its assistance with both the crash and the call that Durants crew had been heading to. The Durant Police Department, Durant Ambulance, Walcott Police Department, the Scott County Sheriffs Office, the Muscatine County Sheriffs Office and the Iowa State Patrol also offered their assistance at the scene.

The accident was still under investigation as of press time.

Later that evening, Reimers was arrested in Walcott. The arrest report says Reimers admitted to consuming whiskey prior to driving his vehicle, he was then charged with operating while intoxicated after failing two out of three field sobriety tests. Reimers was also charged with leaving the scene of an injury accident  failure to provide aid and/or information.

Reimers is free on a $1,300 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on May 10.

Lorenz, Fisher's aunt, declined to provide additional information about her nephew, stating both she and Fishers mother are asking for privacy at this time. She then added that they both appreciate the outpouring of prayers and support from the community.

The Wilton Fire Department posted on its Facebook page Wednesday that it will host a boot drive to collect donations to help Fisher pay for his medical bills. Wilton residents will be able to find boot drive locations at several locations throughout the city. Residents can also contribute via Venmo @Wilton-Fire or PayPal at @wiltonfire.

"Matt is expected to recover, but not without a hard road ahead of him that could span several months," the Wilton Fire Department posted on Facebook. "Wilton Fire asks that our community keep Matt and the rest of Durant Fire in its thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. The accident is still under investigation and we are unable to provide any further details."

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May 2If you would have asked Fatima Belhak eight years ago about having children, she would have said she wanted three or four, hoping to raise at least one daughter along with her soon-to-be-born son.

Now, after living for years with debilitating pain, decreased mobility and other health issues because of a botched episiotomy, the Bettendorf mother is thankful for the blessing of her two sons and resigned to the fact that she cannot have another child  not without considerable risk.

Belhak was awarded $3.25 million by a Scott County jury March 30 after a lawsuit claiming she suffered a botched episiotomy when giving birth in January of 2014. She sees the verdict as an acknowledgment of the suffering she will deal with for the rest of her life and an injury that could have been avoided.

"To be honest numbers don't matter to me that much because no matter what the number is, it wasn't going to give me back my health or what I lost," Belhak said. "What I really cared about was that people heard me and they knew my story and they knew whose fault it was."

Belhak, who moved with her husband to the U.S. from Morocco, spoke with The Quad-City Times with the assistance of an Arabic translator.

When Belhak gave birth to her now-8-year-old son Zayd in January 2014, Dr. Denice Smith, then working for Women's Care Specialists, performed a fourth-degree episiotomy to assist in the birth.

According to the suit, the episiotomy wasn't necessary, and Smith failed to diagnose Belhak's condition after the procedure and failed to provide proper post-operative care for it. This caused Belhak to be in pain and caused other medical costs.

While the suit was filed in 2016, because of court procedures, an earlier procedural mistrial, scheduling difficulties with Arabic translators and the COVID-19 shutdown of the courts, the case went to trial in March.

The attorneys for Women's Care Specialists and Dr. Smith, Lane & Waterman, have until May 13 to file any post-trial motions, according to a ruling by District Judge Jeffrey Bert.

Bert also ruled that the execution of any judgment is stayed pending the outcome of post-trial motions.

"It is important to note, this case is far from concluded as the judge did not enter judgment on the verdict," said Ian Russell with Lane & Waterman. "Our legal team is preparing to present a series of post-trial motions including our motion for a mistrial. Women's Care Specialists provides exceptional care to all its patients and is a trusted partner to patients throughout our region."

Belhak said when she told medical staff something felt wrong after the birth and demonstrated an issue she was having, she was told everything was normal. After being discharged, her feelings of pain, discomfort and wrongness solidified, and after calling the doctor again, they advised her to come in for an appointment a few days later.

She and her husband decided to head to a Genesis Health System emergency room, where the extent of the problem became evident. They were advised to go to University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City immediately. After receiving care there, Belhak had reconstructive surgery six months later to try to repair damage.

Davenport attorneys Anthony and Bill Bribriesco, who represented the couple, said they were proud of the jury's "fair and reasonable" result, Anthony Bribriesco said, and their understanding of Fatima's story and struggles.

"Her doctor didn't listen to her, dismissed her and the jury, they heard Fatima," Anthony Bribriesco said. "That makes it all worth it  all the years, all the work, all the time waiting."

Belhak says every aspect of her life has been altered by pain. She used to go out often to see friends, run errands and experience nature with her children. Now friends stop by her house so she doesn't have to move too much. She leaves the house only when absolutely necessary, for funerals or other important gatherings, and stays just a short while.

"You can think of this pain that I'm experiencing as a rock or a chain that's keeping me inside the house," Belhak said.

Even conducting her prayers has become an arduous process.

Her younger son, 4-year-old Emraan, came as a surprise, as Belhak didn't plan to have another child unless her pain lessened  which wasn't happening.

As the pregnancy progressed Belhak experienced even greater pain and gave birth via c-section. If she had delivered vaginally, she said, she would have been right back at Square One. She sees Emraan as an unexpected gift and blessing, and she doesn't plan to have another child.

Belhak has learned to adapt to her situation, focusing on watching her children grow up and ensuring they have a quality education. She used to teach, and once Emraan is in school, she'd like to pursue learning in special education.

"This is the source of my happiness right now," Belhak said. "This is where I put all my satisfaction."

While the couple has reached a long-awaited milestone in the suit, the award will not assuage the suffering Belhak has experienced since her son was born, and it will not prevent the pain and worsening symptoms she will carry with her forever. It's an inevitability that the symptoms she deals with will worsen over time.

She's never heard of anyone going through what she has and hopes having her story vindicated with the suit will serve as a lesson to others to trust their bodies and stand up for their rights.

"I was always saying that I should tell my story so that I could be heard and understood, and that no other person or lady would have the same thing happen to her," Belhak said.

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yuvrajpratap wrote:

United Energy recently invested in a series of large windmills which are able to produce renewable energy with minimal negative effect to the environment. The company has not drilled oil wells in the same area, even though greater revenues and profits could be generated from oil wells . Because any drilling would disrupt the native habitat of certain marine species in the area, some environmentalists assert that, by foregoing this drilling, United Energy has established that it places environmental impact over financial returns . However, United Energy may be acting in a manner consistent with its financial goals. Recent patterns of increasing annual hurricane activity have some experts questioning the long-term viability and profitability of oil wells in the area.



The two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?



(A) The first supports the conclusion of the argument; the second calls that conclusion into question.

(B) The first states the conclusion of the argument; the second supports that conclusion.

(C) The first supports the environmentalists conclusion; the second states that conclusion.

(D) The first states the environmentalists conclusion; the second provides a consideration in support of that conclusion.

(E) The first supports the conclusion of the argument; the second also supports the conclusion of the argument.

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

(C) CORRECT.

The argument concludes that United Energy may be acting in a manner consistent with reaching its financial goals. However, this conclusion must be distinguished from the assertion of the environmentalists described in the question - that the actions taken by United Energy indicate that the company is putting environmental concerns ahead of financial returns. The answer choices may consider either the author's conclusion (which is considered the overall conclusion) or the conclusion asserted by the environmentalists (which is considered the opposing opinion). This is an Analyze the Argument Structure question. The best approach is to consider each boldface in turn.(A) The first boldface does not support the author's conclusion that United Energy may be acting in a manner consistent with its financial goals; the second does not call the conclusion into question as much as state its opposite.(B) The first boldface does not state the conclusion of the argument; the second boldface does not support the conclusion of the main argument, which is that United Energy may be acting in a manner consistent with its financial goals.The first boldface supports the environmentalists conclusion that United Energy is acting in a manner that places environmental impact ahead of financial returns. The second boldface states this conclusion.(D) The first boldface is a relationship that does support the environmentalists' conclusion; however, the second states this conclusion, and does not undermine it.(E) The first boldface does not support the author's conclusion, which is that United Energy may be acting in its financial interest; the second boldface also does not support this conclusion._________________
RICHMOND  A state appeals court on Tuesday overturned the conviction of a Virginia mother who was found guilty of assault and battery for striking her 12-year-old twins with a belt to discipline them.

WTOP-FM reports that a three-judge Court of Appeals panel said the trial judge overstepped her authority when she suggested in her ruling that the mother should have found a different way to punish her children.

Virginia, like every other state, permits parents to discipline their children with corporal punishment, the panel wrote in its ruling.

To fall within the parental privilege justification, discipline must be reasonable and not excessive, the ruling said.

The mother was convicted last year in Hanover County after using a belt to discipline her children for using a cellphone outside the hours established by their parents. Each child had a minor bruise or mark afterward, but neither was seriously injured.

Later that day, the son told a school resource officer he didnt feel safe going home. Her daughter expressed similar fear.

Judge Jan Brodie found the mother guilty, saying the testimony of the son and daughter was very credible.

The Appeals Court said parents have the privilege to discipline their children "within the bounds of moderation and reason.
WENTWORTH  For the fourth time since February 2021, an inmate at the Rockingham County Detention Facility has died after attempting suicide, officials reported Tuesday.

While performing routine inmate checks at around 12:50 a.m. Tuesday, detention officers found that an inmate had made an attempt to end his life, according to a sheriffs office news release.

Detention officers and emergency medical workers rendered medical aid, but the inmate died as a result of an apparent self-inflicted injury, the release said.

The inmate, who was booked into the jail early Monday morning, was in his cell alone, the release said.

Sheriff Sam Page has requested that the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation spearhead the probe into the death, a standard protocol. The sheriffs office will also conduct an internal investigation to determine whether any agency policies or procedures were violated.

While the sheriffs office said the inmates next of kin had been notified, the office did not release the inmates name, age, charges or manner in which he harmed himself.

April jail death

Another unnamed prisoner died at the jail from a medical emergency on the morning of April 22 while being booked into the detention center, sheriffs officials said in April.

A sheriffs spokesman said in April that the prisoner was going through the pre-booking process at the jail with a North Carolina probation/parole officer at about 11:30 a.m. that day when the prisoner became ill. No details about the prisoners symptoms or prior health history were available.

The probation/parole agent, as well as other staff from the detention center, rendered first aid, but the prisoner died, officials said. The sheriffs office referred all questions about the incident to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, which is handling the case as a matter of standard protocol.

Three inmates under 30 died in February 2021

Three other inmates, all under age 30, died at the jail during February 2021 after attempting suicide, prompting Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page to pledge to step up suicide-risk training and possibly increase detention center staff.

The deaths of one woman and two men, all known heroin users at the time of their arrests, marked the first suicides at the 232-bed facility in more than a decade, officials said.

Rockingham County Sheriffs Office cited in Mecklenburg suicide lawsuit

Also in late April, Adrianna Blackwell of Rockingham County filed a federal complaint in Mecklenburg County alleging state correctional officials, as well as members of the sheriffs offices in Mecklenburg and Rockingham counties, failed to ensure the safety of her 17-year-old son.

He was found hanging by a bedsheet in his Mecklenburg juvenile cell on Nov. 21, 2020.

Ten days earlier, the youth, referred to at the time of his death by the N.C. Department of Public Safety as Desmond W., had been charged with first-degree murder in Rockingham County, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit refers to the late teen by the initials D.W.

Within the complaint are multiple allegations that the two sheriffs offices and officials within the N.C. Department of Public Safety violated the inmates constitutional rights.

Further, the complaint charges that the state, along with the Rockingham and Mecklenburg sheriffs offices, failed to adequately share the accumulating signs that Desmond W. was a suicide risk. If officials had done so, the youth would have been kept under a more restrictive suicide watch in the Mecklenburg jail, the lawsuit claims.

The Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office declined comment Monday, citing a pending legal matter.

The lawsuit was filed by attorneys Micheal Littlejohn of Charlotte and Abraham Rubert-Schewel of Durham.

Desmond W. left a suicide note, which he had written with a pencil he should not have been allowed to have, according to the lawsuit.

It read: tell my family Im sorry.

It was followed by an acronym: IICSARNKM, short for If I commit suicide at least a real n had killed me, a rap lyric the youth had been heard repeating two weeks before when he was first jailed in Rockingham County, the lawsuit claims.

The SBI had not responded to requests for comment at press time.

Contact Susie C. Spear at sspear@rockinghamnow.com, (336) 349-4331, ext. 6140 and follow @SpearSusie_RCN on Twitter. The Charlotte Observer contributed to this report.

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GREENSBORO  The Guilford County Board of Elections on Tuesday forwarded a complaint about how local officials are advertising the May 17 school bond and sales tax referendums up to the state.

I dont believe that this is something that falls within the purview of a Guilford County Board of Elections investigation, said Chairman Horace Jim Kimel Jr., who attended the meeting by telephone.

The five-member board voted unanimously to refer the complaint to the State Board of Elections.

At issue is a complaint filed by Jerry Alan Branson, a candidate for the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, that alleges the countys promotion of the $1.7 billion school bond package and the quarter-cent sales tax referendums is illegal.

A letter sent from Bransons attorney last week to the local elections board accuses Guilford County of spending taxpayer money to get the measures passed. According to the complaint, also using the countys website to inform residents about the referenda presents an entirely unbalanced discussion.

Bransons complaint notes a postcard paid for and mailed to Guilford County residents as touting the benefits of the school bond.

The complaint also claims Guilford County Schools principals have been told to hold mandatory meetings with teachers and staff to encourage or direct them to work for the passage of these two referenda regardless of their personal opinion on the merits of the bonds.

Interim County Attorney Matt Mason said last week that it is fully appropriate and legal for the county to educate and inform Guilford County residents on any and all public initiatives such as a bond referendum.

According to the complaint, however, state law limits counties from using public money to endorse or oppose a referendum.

Kathryn Lindley, an elections board member, said she wasnt sure the local body could act on the complaint.

Its not a vote. Its not a protest of a voter or of anything along those lines that we would normally investigate. It is bonds, she said. Im not saying that theres not irregularity because Ive seen the information. Its just that Im not sure that our board has the ability to investigate regarding a bond and our Guilford County Board of Commissioners.

The State Board of Elections said in an email to the News & Record last week that part of whats mentioned in the complaint  limitations on the authority of county governments  would not fall under its jurisdiction.

As for allegations of campaign finance violations, the state elections board said Branson or his attorney, Chuck Winfree, would have to submit the complaint.

After Tuesdays meeting, Winfree said Branson is weighing his options.

Branson said he hopes to make a decision within a few days. He served as a Guilford County commissioner from 2012 to 2020 before narrowly losing his seat to Democratic challenger Mary Beth Murphy. He is running for an at-large seat on the board this year.

Melvin Skip Alston, who chairs the Board of Commissioners, said last week the complaint is just a way for Branson to get his name in the media prior to the May 17 election.

Bob Joyce, a professor at the UNC School of Government, said a 2002 N.C. Court of Appeals decision cited in Bransons complaint  Dollar v. Town of Cary  dealt with a similar question.

Citing his own memo on the subject written in 2007, Joyce said: A jurisdiction may use public funds to educate citizens, but it may not use public funds to try to persuade them to vote one way or another.

The appeals court in its 2002 decision explained that it is not necessary for the advertisement to urge voters to vote yes or no or for or against a particular issue or candidate in order for the advertising to be promotional.

Contact Kenwyn Caranna at 336-373-7082 and follow @kcaranna on Twitter.
GREENSBORO  State health officials are seeing increases in four key metrics they use to determine how COVID-19 is spreading and affecting health systems.

And North Carolina isnt alone in seeing a resurgence of the coronavirus.

Nationwide, cases have been gradually rising for the past month. New York City this week raised its COVID-19 threat level and encouraged residents to voluntarily wear masks. Also, coronavirus cases are continuing to increase in California, prompting one health official to warn that the state is heading into the next wave of the pandemic.

Health officials say the latest uptick is being fueled by a rapidly emerging lineup of omicron subvariants  each apparently more contagious than the last.

While few are calling for mask mandates and other extreme measures  yet  health experts wonder if its just a matter of time before the country struggles with how to handle another new wave of infections.

At the moment, locally and across the nation, the number of new cases hasnt reached a concerning level.

In fact, Guilford Countys COVID-19 community level spread remains low, according to metrics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Statewide, its the same story. While the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals across the state increased, the number was manageable  373 for the week ending April 30. Thats compared to 256 the previous week, according to data released Wednesday by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

Newly-reported cases also increased with 12,509 confirmed in the state through last Saturday  up from 9,800 the previous week.

In Guilford County, public health officials reported 271 new cases on Wednesday  2,169 total  and no deaths.

Locally, 32 coronavirus patients were being treated on Wednesday in Cone Health hospitals, according to the Greensboro-based health system. Of those patients, 26 are unvaccinated and six are fully vaccinated.

The percentage of all emergency room visits statewide for patients with COVID-19 symptoms slightly increased for the first time since the beginning of March. It was 3% for the week ending April 30, compared to 2% the previous week, according to the DHHS report.

Another metric that health experts are watching closely is the number of COVID-19 virus particles found in wastewater, which has been shown to be an early indicator of how quickly the virus may spread without relying on individual test results.

In the states latest report, 12.2 million coronavirus particles were found in wastewater samples last week  up from 11.3 million the week prior.

To put that into context, 100 million COVID-19 particles were found in wastewater samples in late January during the peak of the omicron surge.

Throughout the pandemic, health officials have been touting vaccines and boosters to reduce the risk of infection as well as curtailing severe illness and death. To that end, at least 53% of North Carolinas vaccinated population have received at least one booster shot or additional dose of vaccine, the DHHS report showed. Also, 76% of adults have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, and 38% of children ages 5 through 17 have been given at least a dose.

The Tribune News Service contributed to this report.
RALEIGH  A federal appeals court on Tuesday questioned whether a lower court got it right when it blocked a challenge of U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorns candidacy by voters who cited a section of the Constitution addressing insurrection as disqualifying him.

Three judges on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Virginia heard arguments in a lawsuit that the first-term Republican congressman filed to derail the formal challenge sent to the State Board of Elections from going forward.

U.S. District Judge Richard Myers ruled for Cawthorn in March and prevented the board from formally examining whether he should remain on ballots  and the voters appealed. Cawthorn is one of eight candidates on the May 17 primary ballot for the 11th Congressional District.

Theres no timetable on when the judicial panel will rule, but the court did accelerate the appeal process.

The tangled case began in January, when candidate challenges were initially brought against Cawthorn by voters in a district that he initially decided to run in this fall. The challenge focused on Cawthorns involvement in the rally that preceded the U.S. Capitol riot in January 2021 at which the presidential election outcome was questioned. The voters cite Section 3 of the 14th Amendment ratified in 1868 that is designed to prevent congressmen who had fought on the Confederate side during the Civil War from returning to Congress.

Similar challenges have been filed against members of Congress in other states who have been strong supporters of former President Donald Trump, including Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. A Georgia state judge recently heard testimony from Greene but has yet to issue a finding.

Some circuit judges Tuesday raised doubts about Myers logic and those of Cawthorns attorney, who said an 1872 law that removed office-holding disqualifications from most ex-Confederates also exempt current members of Congress like Cawthorn today.

Why would Congress do this anyway? asked U.S. Circuit Judge Jim Wynn, a nominee of then-President Barack Obama, during oral arguments. Why would you rather take away a disability of an individual whos going against the United States?

The amendment says no one can serve in Congress who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress ... to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same. The amendment does allow Congress to pass laws that can remove such restrictions.

But any such law cant for all time prevent prohibitions against future insurrectionists, said Press Millen, a Raleigh attorney representing voters who filed formal challenges of Cawthorn. You cannot simply amend the Constitution through a vote in Congress, Millen said.

A federal judge in Georgia last month said she disagreed with Myers and ruled the 1872 Amnesty Act didnt apply to Greene.

James Bopp, Cawthorns lawyer, said his client vigorously denies that he ever engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States, the country he loves. But this is not about the facts. This is about the law. This is about whether there are valid claims that are being made under Section 3 against him.

Bopp, who also represents Greene in her case, told the judges that the Constitution leaves the decision on whether someone is disqualified to serve in the U.S. House with the elected body itself, not the states. In the meantime, Bopp suggested, elections will work out potential conflict.

In a democracy ... where we have the right to vote and we have the First Amendment, we leave a lot of things to the voters, Bopp said.

But Millen countered by saying the Constitution makes clear that insurrectionists cant be members of Congress.
March 16, 2022 Abortion rights advocates say the impacts of an Idaho bill limiting abortion will be felt by residents in the Magic Valley.

The legislation would ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy by allowing potential family members to sue a doctor who performs one.

If signed, the law would effectively ban abortion in Idaho. The bill passed both the House and Senate and is awaiting a signature or veto from Gov. Brad Little.

Idaho already has so many restrictions on the books that this six-week ban really does put abortion out of reach for most Idahoans, said Mistie DelliCarpini-Tolman, the Idaho state director of Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates. When I think about the rural communities that we serve in Twin Falls, people who already have barriers to accessing health care, this bill is going to affect them way more.

Idaho has five facilities that offer abortion services. Planned Parenthoods Twin Falls Health Clinic provides abortion services to residents across southern, central and eastern Idaho.

A House panel of Idaho lawmakers on Wednesday approved a bill that would ban abortions after cardiac activity is detected in an embryo  at about six weeks of pregnancy  by allowing extended family members of the patient to sue a doctor who performs one.

Nationwide, Planned Parenthood said abortion services make up 3 percent of services performed. The vast majority of people using Planned Parenthoods health services have low incomes and use services such birth control and emergency contraception, HIV testing, LGBTQ services, mens health care, pregnancy testing and services, and STD testing and treatment.

Anti-abortion advocates say the bill is necessary to protect unborn children.

Although life begins at conception, a detectable heartbeat is a key indicator of the existence of life, Rep. Steven Harris (R-Meridian), the bills sponsor, said in a statement. This bill makes sure that the people of Idaho can stand up for our values and do everything in our power to prevent the wanton destruction of innocent human life.

It isnt just abortion rights advocates who have raised concerns about the bill.

The bills provision that allows any family member to sue a physician for providing an abortion has some people seeing potential for frivolous lawsuits and other ways for the legislation to be abused.

That vigilante aspect is definitely a form of government overreach, and starts a slippery slope of surveillance of my members patients and their practices that we think is really concerning, Idaho Academy of Family Physicians Executive Director Liz Woodruff told the Times-News.

The academy represents more than 800 family physicians and said the bill is an intrusion by the government into the confidential relationship between a patient and their physician.

Its always problematic when theres a level of government overreach that comes in to the clinicians room and makes a current and accepted medical practice illegal, Woodruff said.

"I think Idahoans generally want to uphold the rights of private citizens to make decisions about their own health care and well being," Woodruff said. "The people of Idaho respect that important and confidential relationship between a physician and patient."

Idaho already has stringent requirements on abortion, including prohibiting public and private insurance from covering the cost, requiring the procedure to be covered out of pocket. The state also mandates a 24-hour waiting period and requires patients to review informed consent materials.

All of those restrictions put together, and then having to have it happen before six weeks makes it nearly impossible for anybody to get an abortion in Idaho, DelliCarpini-Tolman said.

Idahos bill to block most abortions in the state was modeled after a ban in Texas, which took effect in September. In the first month that the Texas ban was in effect, it eliminated 60 percent of in-state abortions. Clinics in neighboring states reported a 600% increase in services provided to Texas residents, and in some places created backlogs of up to three weeks.

DelliCarpini-Tolman expects similar exodus to some of Idahos neighboring states for abortion services.

Were going to have a similar drop, and were going to have folks needing to seek care outside of Idaho in bordering states, she said.

Republicans in the Idaho Senate on Thursday passed a bill on party lines that would allow family members of a pregnant woman to file civil lawsuits against medical providers who perform an abortion after cardiac activity is detected in the embryo or fetus.

DelliCarpini-Tolman said her organization and others are planning legal responses if the governor signs the bill and are having further conversations with organizations like Northwest Abortion Access Fund about how to help patients access care.

Our focus is to figure out how we can continue to care for patients as best we can or help them access the care they need in neighboring states, DelliCarpini-Tolman said.

Little has so far signed every abortion bill thats come across his desk, but opponents are hopeful that aspects of this bill change that.

I really hope that Gov. Little thinks about his constituents and thinks about whats right for Idaho, and whats right for Idahoans, DelliCarpini-Tolman said. Because this isnt it.

Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates will host a rally against the bill 10 a.m. Saturday on the steps of the Capitol in Boise.

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Montanas congressional Republicans praised the likely end of abortion rights under the 14th Amendment on Tuesday following a leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion.

The state's only statewide elected Democrat, Sen. Jon Tester, said the ruling would have devastating consequences for women.

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, the Montana Republican who founded the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, said the draft ruling indicates the end of an historic injustice. He issued a call to capture the person who leaked the ruling, saying the leak was an attempt to intimidate the court. Rep. Matt Rosendale echoed the sentiment.

With that said, if the draft opinion stands, the Court will have righted an historic injustice and returned the power to the American people and their elected officials to enact laws to protect unborn children and mothers, Daines said in a press release. He later discussed how Congress was likely to respond should the opinion bear out.

The opinion, authored by Justice Samuel Alito Jr., was published Monday night by Politico, which indicated five out of nine justices supported overturning the 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, which recognized the 14th Amendment as securing a womans privacy right to choose an abortion.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, issued a morning press release about the leaked opinion, but declined to discuss the issue further. For nearly 50 years, women have been able to make their own private healthcare decisions without interference from the federal government. If reports are accurate and this draft decision stands, the removal of that fundamental right will have devastating consequences for millions of women across this country.

Montanas at-large representative, Republican Matt Rosendale, called the opinion, if confirmed, a monumental victory for the sanctity of life, ending a half-century guarantee of federal constitutional protection of abortion.

Daines said he expects Senate Democrats will try to codify the abortion rights the Supreme Court previously determined in deciding Roe v. Wade in 1973. Its highly unlikely Democrats could persuade 10 Republicans to go along with such a vote, which they would need in order to hit the 60-vote threshold required to avoid a filibuster.

Without a doubt, Leader Schumer, Sen. Tester and the Democrats will try once again to pass their extreme abortion bill that allows abortion on demand up until birth, Daines said.

Theres already a bill to codify the rights recognized by the Supreme Court in Roe. The Womens Health Protection Act passed the U.S. House 218 to 211 on Sept. 24, 2021, without any Republican votes in favor. However, the House passes bills by simple majority and without the threshold of a filibuster.

It is possible that Democrats would try to pass a law under the guise of womens healthcare, but I dont see it passing in the Senate, Rosendale said in a texted response.

Tester indicated he supports the Womens Health Protection Act, which Senate Democrats attempted to bring to a vote on Feb. 28. That vote failed 46-48, with Tester voting to proceed with the vote and Daines voting against. Also voting with Republicans was Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat.

It would take all 50 Senate Democrats voting to end the filibuster to pass the Womens Health Protection Act by simple majority. Several legislative priorities for Democrats, including voting rights protections, have ended in stalemate because Senate Democrats did not vote in unison to end the filibuster.

As recently as April 3, Manchin in a livestreamed speech on the Senate floor, characterized changing the filibuster as a gimmick that allows the majority party to truly steal the power of debate and the power of the filibuster from individual senators.

I do not support blowing up the filibuster to further the lefts radical agenda and pass their extreme abortion bill that allows abortion on demand up until birth, Daines said.

If the Supreme Court moves ahead with overturning the rights previously recognized in the Roe decision, state legislatures will be empowered to set their own abortion laws, though in Montana that would involve amending privacy rights out of the state constitution.

The law of Montana should follow the will of the people which I believe is to protect unborn babies and their moms, Daines said.

The Guttmacher Institute, a global watchdog of reproductive rights, lists Montana among 26 states likely to ban abortion if the Supreme Court rules those rights are no longer secured by the 14th Amendment. Idaho, the Dakotas and Wyoming are also on the list. The states closest to Montana to continue providing abortions are Washington, Oregon and Nevada.

Because Montanas Legislature meets every other year, it is unlikely there will be any action on abortion before 2023.

Rosendale, a former state legislator, said he expects Montanas Republican leadership will act if given the chance.

I trust Gov. (Greg) Gianforte and the Legislature will do everything they can to protect and defend the sanctity of life, Rosendale said in a texted response.

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Nearly 300 people gathered at Montana's Capitol Tuesday to protest the ongoing dismantling of reproductive rights in the state and across the country, following a leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion indicating that the historic Roe v. Wade ruling will likely be overturned.

"It's very frightening," Helena resident Beth Cottingham said in an interview following the protest. "This has been a right for 49 years, and its only the beginning."

The Supreme Court Justices are expected in June to overturn the 50-year-old landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that guarantees the federal right to abortion, and a possible Republican supermajority in the state Legislature will likely push stricter state laws on abortion.

Three laws passed in 2021 altering access to abortion in Montana are now in limbo while a Planned Parenthood of Montana lawsuit challenging them is settled.

Helena resident Mary Beth Garding, who also attended Tuesday's rally, lamented the partisan nature of the issue.

"This shouldn't be a partisan issue," Garding said, citing Republicans' historical support of abortion access during previous challenges to the ruling. "This is about human rights."

Helena resident Shani Henry attended the protest in judge's robes and a Ruth Bader Ginsburg bun. Henry said the large crowd that assembled on short notice is indicative of the level of frustration among some Americans and Montanans.

"People were fearful this was going to come and they're ready to stand up and fight for their rights," she said, adding that like them, she is "nauseated about a potential reversal."

Still, Garding said she managed to find the positive.

"This is a positive situation in that we're standing here with all these people," she said.

Henry said she hoped those in attendance Tuesday, or even just passersby, would walk away with "motivation to stand up, speak up. Motivation to vote appropriately for candidates who support women's reproductive rights."

Cottingham said the only way forward is together.

"We just have to be talking," she said. "We have to come together. It isn't the impossible dream."

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This Friday's weekday COVID-19 case update from the state health department will be the last daily report, as the state moves to a weekly schedule starting next week.

Citing lower caseloads and transmission levels, the state Department of Public Heath and Human Services made the announcement Wednesday, following indications in March that it would make the change.

After this Friday, the state will move to post updated data on new cumulative cases, hospitalizations, deaths and vaccination progress each Friday, with the first weekly report May 13. The change applies to the emails sent out by the health department as well.

In a March interview, Gov. Greg Gianforte said the state was considering a change to how it responds to the pandemic, citing lower caseloads and hospitalization rates. In a follow-up email, his administration said the one way the state's management might change would be following a recommendation from the administration's public health team to report new infections on a weekly basis, rather than the every-weekday updates Montanans have seen for the last two years.

A press release Wednesday from the heath department said community-level data on transmission will also appear on the state's COVID-19 dashboard.

In addition to the change in the reporting schedule, the state health department also said it will no longer publish weekly reports on active COVID-19 cases in schools and long-term care and assisted living facilities. Information on long-term care and assisted living facilities will be added to weekly surveillance reports, which will continue to be published.

The health department will also now update tables with demographic information about cases on a weekly schedule, not daily. The department will also publish county-level vaccination updates every week.

"These changes do not mean that public health officials have scaled back COVID-19 surveillance efforts. DPHHS will continue to closely monitor COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in Montana," the department said in a release. "Local public health officials will continue to investigate COVID-19 outbreaks and cases in settings which may expose individuals at high risk for severe outcomes. Health officials request that the public follow COVID-19 precautions recommended by the CDC given their communitys COVID-19 transmission and hospitalization levels, including being current on COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters."

It was not immediately clear if cases were to rise again what sort of metrics the state would use to determine if it would return to a more frequent reporting schedule.

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In 2020 my husband and I made the decision to return to our home state of Montana. Last summer I attended a gathering where Penny spoke about human trafficking in Montana. I was amazed at her depth of knowledge and ability to speak to a group in an open, honest manner. Later I became aware that Penny would be running for Montana's new second district congressional seat. I wanted to learn more about her as a candidate. I attended a meet and greet for Penny and stayed late as the crowd thinned out. Then a small group of us sat around a table and I listened to Penny. She talked about her family, her values, experience as a councilwoman, participation in civic groups such as CASA and her involvement as co-founder of the Yellowstone County Human Trafficking Task Force. But the clincher for me was her openness to reaching across the political aisle to gain understanding and her willingness to partner on issues that are unique to Montanans. I believe Penny Ronning is the "even keel" candidate who will do an outstanding job representing the people of this great state.
State and local politicians and stakeholders for abortion rights reacted quickly late Monday to news that a draft opinion reportedly had been circulated among justices on the U.S. Supreme Court that would overturn abortion rights secured in the landmark Roe v. Wade case.

Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker immediately took to Twitter, writing, Hell no! In Illinois, we trust women. We cannot let their most profound and personal rights be violated.

Later, Pritzker said, Let me be clear: this has always been the GOPs ultimate goal. For a party that claims to be about freedom, Republicans cant wait to deprive millions of women the right to choose. As long as Im governor, Illinois will stay a beacon for reproductive freedom. We wont go back.

The draft opinion, obtained and published by Politico, reportedly showed a majority of justices supported reversing the 1973 case earlier this year. The leak of such a document itself would be a rarest of occurrences at the level of the nations highest court.

Colleen Connell, the ACLU of Illinois executive director called it extremely rare and extraordinary for a draft Supreme Court decision to be leaked. If this decision is supported by five justices, the Court will permit limits on the ability of millions of Americans to make the most fundamental decisions about their lives  including whether or when to have a child, who to love and who to marry.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat, said on Twitter that this is not final and the far-right Supreme Court majority will not have the last word. The American people will.

Tonight, its important we get loud, organize and demand action from the Senate, Duckworth wrote. Retweet if you agree its time to protect Roe v. Wade NOW.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot also took to social media to voice her displeasure.

What were seeing tonight on Roe v. Wade is a horrendous attack on our fundamental right to choose, and we will fight against it with everything weve got, Lightfoot tweeted. You have my word: I will do everything I can to guarantee your right to an abortion.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle also posted a statement on Twitter, emphasizing how this is especially devastating ... for the low income Black and Brown women who will be disproportionately impacted.

Amy Gehrke, the executive director of Illinois Right to Life, said she had just learned of the Politico report minutes before receiving a call from a Tribune reporter.

My initial reaction is that this is absolutely despicable and shows that abortion activists will stop at absolutely nothing to protect Roe v. Wade, Gehrke said.

A decision that has been incredibly harmful to women and has led to deaths of 10s of millions of pre-born babies since 1973, she said. I saw it on the news and instantly my phone started blowing up.

Gehrke also noted the preliminary nature of such a document, wondering how the situation would ultimately play out.

Democratic members of Congress from Chicago and the nearby suburbs blasted a decision as being shortsighted and ignoring womens rights.

Lets be clear  Republicans stole two Supreme Court seats to make this happen. The party of small government wants to control womens bodies, Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley of Chicago wrote on Twitter. This is utterly shameful but we can stop it. The Senate MUST end the filibuster and codify Roe.

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Matteson, who is also head of the Illinois Democratic Party, said on Twitter that the leaked SCOTUS opinion on Roe v Wade will set womens rights back generations.

Black women & those living in rural areas will be worst impacted. We must codify the right to safe abortions, Kelly added.

U.S. Rep Sean Casten of Downers Grove said voters need to put pro-choice majorities in the House and Senate this November and we fix this, permanently.

Scream tonight. Cry tonight. Get angry tonight, he wrote on Twitter. And tomorrow, get to work.

Castens opponent in the Democratic primary, U.S. Rep. Marie Newman, said on Twitter: This is heartbreaking but it sure as hell is not going to stop me from fighting for womens rights everywhere. We will march. We will vote. We will never stop fighting.

But first-term Republican U.S. Rep. Mary Miller of Oakland, however, praised a ruling knocking down Roe.

Our Justices need your prayers to stand up to the radical abortion industry and Defend Life! she wrote on Twitter. The unborn have no voice to speak for themselves, we march for them and tonight we must pray for them!

It is believed such a Supreme Court decision would essentially revert the footing of abortion law in the country back to the state level. Many Republican-controlled states already have passed trigger laws that would outlaw abortion in the wake of any such high court choice.

In Illinois, state lawmakers in recent years have acted to make abortions more accessible.

In December, Pritkzer signed a measure to repeal a requirement that abortion providers notify the parents of minors seeking the procedure. In 2019, Pritzker signed into law legislation that established the fundamental right of women to have an abortion, and stated that a fertilized egg, embryo or fetus does not have independent rights.

In signing the 2019 bill, Pritzker said it is a preventive measure that ensures that womens rights do not hinge on the fate of Roe v. Wade, or the whims of an increasingly conservative supreme court in Washington.

Tribune reporter Rick Pearson contributed.

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New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Near record high temperatures. High 96F. Winds SE at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 72F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. Near record high temperatures. High near 95F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Low 71F. SSE winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph.
State Del. Israel OQuinn, R-Bristol, on Tuesday was named House Legislator of the Year by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

The Virginia Chamber recognized Sen. George Barker, D-Fairfax County, as 2022 Senate Legislator of the Year and OQuinn as 2022 House Legislator of the Year during a ceremony in Richmond, according to a written statement. The awards recognize legislators for their support for the principles and initiatives outlined in the chambers long-term economic development plan, Blueprint Virginia 2030.

The Virginia Chamber of Commerce recognizes the vital role that Virginia state legislators play in the implementation of initiatives that foster economic development and job growth, Barry DuVal, president and CEO of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, said. Today, we recognize a few of the legislators that have played an integral role in supporting the goals of Blueprint 2030 and look forward to recognizing other legislators at future conferences and events this year.

The chambers statewide strategic economic development plan was released last December and intended to ensure Virginia remains at the top of national business climate rankings, according to the statement.

Virginias business community is the backbone of our economy playing a vital role in the commonwealths ability to serve its citizens. I am grateful to the Virginia Chamber of Commerce for selecting me as the Legislator of the Year, OQuinn said in the statement.

As a proud supporter of the business community and the chambers advocacy efforts, I am honored by this recognition. I look forward to continuing to work alongside the chamber to drive economic growth in the commonwealth, OQuinn said.

OQuinn serves as Deputy Majority Leader in the Virginia House of Delegates. He is in his sixth term representing the Fifth House District, which includes the cities of Bristol and Galax, Grayson County and parts of Smyth and Washington counties.

Del. Anne Ferrell Tata, R-Virginia Beach, was named the 2022 Freshman Legislator of the Year.

The Virginia Chamber also recognized Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax; Del. Lee Ware, R-Powhatan County; and Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield, with the Free Enterprise Award.

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DAMASCUS, Va.  Sitting on a park bench in downtown Damascus, Virginia, Brian Stanley reflects on how his three-month journey hiking the Appalachian Trail has gone so far.

"It's a completely different world. The people are amazing. It gives you a whole new perspective on society," Stanley said. "At some point in everybody's life, they need to go and at least do half the trail or at least a couple 100 miles. Just to see what it's like to get out of society and just be out there."

Stanley, a Shriner born with a disabled left arm, began his journey on the AT March 5 with a mission. His original goal was to raise $5,000 for the Shriner's Hospitals for Children. However, after raising $3,000 in the past couple of months and despite his own financial concerns, he has raised his goal to $15,000.

"I'm at a point in my life, you know, it's time for me to get back to them, to give those kids something. I may never meet them, probably will never ever meet one. But, if I can change the life of one child, you know what, all of its worth it," Stanley said. "Money comes and goes, the material stuff comes and goes, it's all replaceable."

On the trail, Stanley, who is known to other hikers as Fes, after the hat Shriners wear, has found a caring, tight-knit community whose members are constantly looking out for each other.

"We're all out there doing the same thing. So it's very tight-knit. The trail talks. It's worse than having a telephone. If something happens, you'll hear about it 100 miles up the trail and down the trail," Stanley said. "If somebody needs something, there's always somebody there to help you. If you run out of food for some reason, there's somebody there. If you have something you need to fix, there is usually somebody there that can help you out."

Currently, Stanley is traveling with two companions, whose trail names are Cowboy and Cream and a goat named Titos, after the brand of American vodka. So far, they have stopped in eight towns to refuel, have a decent meal, and rest. For Stanley, arriving in Damascus has been a homecoming of sorts because he was able to spend time with his parents, who live in Honaker.

"When I hit Watauga, I was so thrilled," Stanley said. "It was so nice just to be home and be able to go see mom and dad, get some real food. Actual food is wonderful!"

Stanley's stop in Damascus, has also allowed him to drop off his winter gear, which brought down the number of pounds he has been carrying from 37 lbs. to around 28. Stanley only became aware of the importance of weight while on the trail and has been focusing on keeping to the essentials, the main ones being food and water.

"The first 50 miles, I probably sent seven pounds of stuff home, and then just a couple of days ago, I sent another seven pounds worth of stuff home, and then I probably dropped a couple pounds here just over the last couple of days," Stanley said. "Biggest challenge out here is trying to figure out how much food you need and how much food I need to carry."

Back in February, before he began the journey, Stanley's advice to individuals who were preparing or thinking of taking on the Appalachian Trail or any trail was for them to take a camera with them to take pictures of the scenery, now Stanley says the focus of the lens should be on the people you meet along the way.

"I thought it was more about the scenery at first, but it's about the people. It's about the people you meet out here," Stanley said. "The people you meet out here. The people you hike with, you'll be lifelong friends."

The next stop for Stanley, Cowboy, Cream, and Titos is Grayson Highlands State Park, where they will spend some time with the wild ponies before continuing on their journey that will conclude in Maine.

For those interested in following Brian Stanley's journey on the AT and who want to give to his mission, they can do so by going to his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Olympic1926 or https://donate.lovetotherescue.org/fundraiser/3673623.

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Deputy City Manager Rodney Miller told the Hickory City Council the city has some concerns about the economy.

We are worried at whats going to happen next, Miller said during his quarterly financial presentation on Tuesday. He pointed to the talk among some economists about an impending recession.

If a recession were to happen soon, Miller said there is hope the city would be able to better weather the impact than in the past.

We are more diversified than ever now, so hopefully any recessionary impact would be modest at best, we hope.

Miller said the city is still struggling in the face of rising prices and difficulty recruiting and retaining workers.

He said 27 people working for the city have retired or plan to retire by the end of the fiscal year on June 30, which equates to roughly 4.5% of the citys workforce. Open positions at the city have been averaging more than 10% of the citys overall workforce per month, he said.

Miller pointed to higher wages being offered by private employers and other local governments, the accelerating retirement of older workers and a lack of interest in government work among younger people as some key challenges the city faces when it comes to hiring.

He said the citys efforts to bring people in have included pay adjustments and attempts to make starting pay more competitive. Miller said the city has had limited success with signing and referral bonuses.

The city also used funds received from the American Rescue Plan, a federal COVID-19 relief bill, to give premium pay to employees. The city is also considering a cost of living adjustment for next year.

The city has seen strong growth in the value of residential and commercial projects, with the combined value of those types of development exceeding $186 million during the first nine months of the fiscal year.

For perspective: Miller said $100 million in value for a full fiscal year has been considered strong performance.

Kevin Griffin is the City of Hickory reporter at the Hickory Daily Record.

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Is the University of North Carolina in trouble?

Yes. It always is.

That answer is accurate and not necessarily a bad one, because universities should raise, discuss, and feature ideas  including controversial ones.

A university is a place where controversy and the conflict of ideas are necessary parts of the search for truth and the discovery and critique of new ideas.

But a university can find itself involved in too much trouble.

The headline of a Friday, April 29, New York Times article by Stephanie Saul stated, G.O.P. Leaders subverted University of North Carolina, Professors Group Says. The articles opening paragraph is as follows:

A prestigious national academic group charged on Thursday that North Carolinas legislature had politically interfered with the operations of the University of North Carolina for more than a decade, creating a hostile academic and racial climate at its campuses, including the flagship in Chapel Hill.

In its lengthy report the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) set out a long list of recent troubling events on the campuses of UNC-Chapel Hill and other universities of the UNC System.

For instance, the handling of the removal of the Silent Sam statue; the botched attempted hiring of Nikole Hannah-Jones, primary author of The Times 1619 Report; the closure of the UNC Law Schools Poverty Center; the appointment of Darrell Allison as chancellor at Fayetteville State University although he had no leadership experience in higher education; the failure of the UNC-Chapel Hill board to reappoint Eric Muller, a renowned law professor, to the governing board of the UNC Press, although the board had reelected him unanimously to chair the board; and many other actions.

The report asserts that racism is embedded in the system. In a state that is about 20 percent Black, 5 percent of UNC faculty members are Black.

The report asserts detailed patterns of political interference by the North Carolina legislature into the administration of the UNC system, overreach by the board of governors and boards of trustees into specific campus operations, outright disregard for principles of academic governance by campus and system leadership, institutional racism, and a hostile climate for academic freedom across the system. Some of these patterns reflect national trends.

The controversies, coupled with constant mismanagement on the part of the system and campus boards for a situation is unique to UNC. The cumulative effect of these tumultuous events, especially since 2010, leaves the UNC system in a precarious position.

In responding to the report, UNC System Senior Vice President Kimberly van Noort said that it contains no empirical data about the true health of the university system and was a relentlessly grim portrayal of one of the nations strongest, most vibrant, and most productive university systems. According to the Times article, she cited lowered tuition, improved graduation rates among low-income and minority students, and investments in six historically minority-serving institutions.

Chris Clemens, professor of physics and astronomy, became UNC-Chapel Hills executive vice chancellor and provost on Feb. 1. He acknowledges his conservative views and believes the university can do a better job explaining to the legislature its value to the people of North Carolina. He talks about how research creates jobs and wealth for the state and how college and graduate education provide a bank of talented people.

If legislators are worried about the universities indoctrinating students to be liberals, Clemens asks them, Have you ever tried to indoctrinate an 18-year-old?

With people like Clemens trying to bridge the gap between the legislature and faculty, some of the worries outlined in the AAUP report can be minimized.

D.G. Martin is a retired lawyer who worked a number of years in the UNC system.
While planting season is well underway in the southern half of the U.S., a cold and wet spring has many farmers in more northern states playing a waiting game. In the USDAs Crop Progress report released Monday, April 25, 7% of the nations corn crop and 3% of the soybeans were in the ground. These numbers indicate a slower start to planting, as the five-year average for planting progress at this same time point is 15% for corn and 5% for soybeans.

Now that the calendar page has turned to May, more farmers may be itching to get into the fields. Trends from the past few decades show that more early planting is taking place, but Michigan State University (MSU) Extensions Manni Singh recommends that farmers pay closer attention to field conditions rather than the calendar date.

When determining the time to plant, Singh said the number one factor to consider is soil moisture. That is very critical, the cropping systems agronomist noted during a MSU Field Crops Virtual Breakfast webinar. You do not want to be working the ground when it is wet.

Planting into wet ground can have both short-term and long-term consequences. For the current growing season, it can cause non-ideal seed placement and poor seed to soil contact, which affects the plants ability to take up nutrients. There is also the potential loss of yield.

Down the road, this field activity can cause compaction. Singh shared that the risk of compaction is greater when the soil moisture is closer to the fields maximum capacity. Soil texture also plays a role.

To see if a field is at the right moisture for planting, Singh said to grab a handful of soil at planting depth, about 1 to 2 inches deep. If a ball forms, the soil is too wet. If it crumbles, that means planting can proceed.

Singh said the second equally important factor is soil temperature. He recommended waiting for soil temperatures to be 45F to 50F and rising, along with a favorable forecast, before planting. New seed genetics provide more options and lower temperature thresholds for planting, but he said to still proceed with caution.

A risk to seeds planted into cold soil is called imbibitional chilling injury. Singh said this happens when a seed takes its first sip of water and its too cold, which can cause disruption in cell growth and development. This may lead to slow emergence and uneven plant stands. Other dangers of early planting are freeze damage to emerged plants and insurance coverage limitations.

He said that planting time does impact yield, especially in states such as Michigan that have a shorter growing season. However, the yield decline from delayed planting is not consistent. In Michigan, research indicates that optimal soybean planting begins at the end of April, but Singh noted that soybeans seeded in mid to late May can still result in high yield when planted in the right soil conditions.

If planting early, Singh said to target feeds that have good drainage. There may be some management factors, such as seeding rate and row spacing, that can also help improve yield if planting time is delayed. The overall goal is to minimize risks and maximize the potential rewards by planting when the fields are ready.

Plant in good conditions, because planting in marginal soil conditions can limit yield now and have longer term implications, Singh reminded.

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May 2, 2022
Tight supply and increasing demand have pushed prices for IT contractors skyward, new figures have confirmed  yet while Sydney may be Australias largest city, its not the place where contractors can make the most money.



That prestigious honour goes to Canberra  where, the newly released Hays Technology Contractor Rates Guide 2022 found, contractors across most of the 65 studied IT specialties were routinely charging more than their colleagues in Sydney, Melbourne, or anywhere else in Australia.

Network architects, for example, are charging an average of $1,200 per day in Canberra, compared with $1,060 in Sydney, $1,000 in Hobart, and $900 in Perth.

Service delivery managers are commanding an average $1,040 per day in Canberra versus $950 in Sydney, while ERP/CRM developers are averaging $1,095 per day compared with $980 in Sydney and $910 in Melbourne.

Unsurprisingly given ongoing discussions about the cyber security skills gap, cyber specialists were the best-paid consultants overall.

Cyber security architects took the mantle as Australias best-paid consultants  charging $1,600 per day in Canberra and $1,350 in Sydney and Melbourne  while cyber security engineers are billing an average of $1,200 per day in Canberra, $1,000 per day in Sydney and Melbourne, and $840 per day in Adelaide and Perth.

Even less-expensive contractors are charging appreciably more in Canberra, with Level 2 desktop support consultants charging $410 per day in Canberra versus $350 per day in Sydney  a surplus of 17 per cent in the government-focused ACT market.

Critical to sustain transformation

Despite the premium prices, digital transformation-minded organisations have little recourse but to pay up.

The South Australian Government, for example, made a pre-pandemic commitment to overhaul South Australias data-centre architecture and ran into challenges from surging demand during the pandemic.

To ensure they could continue the transformation despite the pandemics disruption, IT strategists doubled down on their use of contractors to access hard-to-find skills.

Theres a lot of work for my team and across the government, and we require more people with very specific technical expertise to help expedite this move, explained SA Government chief information officer Eva Balan-Vnuk.

These projects, when compounded by an extremely hot tech contractor market and current migration limitations in Australia, mean were finding it hard to source all of the skills and talent that we need.

Other organisations are tapping contractors to deal with the natural ebb and flow of project work.

The ICT sector in this country is fundamentally a contractor-based industry, David Fredericks, Secretary of the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER), told a recent Parliamentary Economics Legislation Committee hearing, and in many ways our intersection with that industry impels us to rely on contractors in the ICT sector.

Contractors are invaluable for providing surge capacity [due to] the management of a lot of grants that tend to ebb and flow, Fredericks said. We frequently find ourselves using contractors in order to be able to deal with a wave of work that is coming through the grants process.

Show me more than the money

Yet while money may get contractors in the door, experts warn that the contractor-employer relationship needs to be about much more than money to work for everyone involved.

All organisations have a limit to how high rates can go while still remaining viable and sustainable, notes Hays Technology regional director Robert Beckley, and so are exploring levers beyond dollars to attract skilled technology professionals.

Contractors are, for example, increasingly interested in the details of projects they are working on  and choose their projects based at least in part on what skills they can potentially learn while there.

Companies should consider how to keep contractors engaged and interested in the projects theyre working on  the broader value exchange on offer, as Beckley puts it  so they dont walk once their 6-month or 12-month term expires.

It helps to communicate the companys purpose and employee value proposition throughout the hiring process, he adds, noting that more and more contractors are just as interested in what they will be working on, as they are with who they will be working with.

Ultimately, Beckley advises, contractors need to be careful to remember that theyre in it for the long haul  and to avoid gouging clients or burning bridges.

How long can this last?

While I make contingencies around searching for the absolute best (for example in leadership positions), in many cases I prefer speed and agility coupled with the right attitude, said Alberto Simognini, head of enterprise services with financial-service firm Latitude Financial Services, who notes that 70 per cent of his 250-strong extended workforce is comprised of contractors.

Extended border closures have choked off a supply of overseas talent and this has driven a considerable increase in salaries and daily rates, Simognini said, warning that the money on hand is further driving less loyalty and employment has become even more transactional.

Its natural that some contractors are trying to take advantage of the short supply market but there is a threshold. At some stage the market will slow down and possibly even turn back because this isnt sustainable for businesses  and I wonder how sustainable it will be for the Australian economy.
New research from MIT Technology Review Insights and Infosys has examined how technology, regulations and talent have promoted the availability of cloud services across 76 countries, with Singapore, Australia and New Zealand emerging as APAC cloud leaders.

At a global level the research sees Singapore holding the number one spot, with Australia coming in 12th and New Zealand 14th  both ahead of the United States.

Across APAC, Australia and New Zealand follow world-leader Singapore in 2nd and 3rd place respectively.

The resulting The Global Cloud Ecosystem Index reflects how leading nations have marshalled cloud infrastructure, tools, and applications to accelerate and transform economic productivity.

The report acknowledges world leader Singapores relentless cloud-first strategy that has benefited from a central government commitment and an ability to cultivate collaboration and cooperation across a nationwide digital transformation project.

Meanwhile Australia and New Zealand are described as digitally-centric economies referencing the Infosys Cloud Radar 2021 report, which noted cloud adoption is rising the fastest in these countries.

Australia sits in line with its overall global ranking when it comes to Infrastructure, Ecosystem Adoption, and Security and Assurance - however Australias talent and human affinity ranking is relatively low in comparison. This aspect measures how well-prepared a population is to contribute to a cloud-based digital economy  looking at everything from productivity, to engineering and maths skills, as well as overall digital literacy.

Report authors made note of Australias central bank having joined counterparts from Malaysia, Singapore, and South Africa in Project Dunbar, a trial of a shared Central Bank Digital Currency platform designed to reduce cross-border transaction costs by allowing commercial banks to pay each other directly in another countrys virtual currency.

New Zealand holds up on infrastructure and talent but has work to do on both security and assurance and ecosystem adoption the rankings revealed.

Security and Assurance measures the maturity of a nations regulatory environment and how it enables trust in digital resources. Ecosystem Adoption measures everything from digital services adoption to the availability of digital government services, innovation, SaaS revenues, and even the price of broadband relative to GDP.

Report authors made note of New Zealand's digital government efforts, which include promoting the use of domestically developed cloud services. They cited the Department of Internal Affairs having entered into a three-year cloud framework agreement with local provider Catalyst Cloud for government agencies looking to use IaaS, PaaS, and other public cloud services.

Australia:

The efforts of the Digital Transformation Agency, to cement Australia as a leading digital economy by 2025, are paying off. Local infrastructure is in a good spot and sits within a regulatory framework that builds trust. This is working to build engagement given Australian participation in cloud-based digital economies is globally competitive.

A shortage of talent and lack of digital skills persists but is hearteningly present on the political agenda.. The Federal Budget earmarked $43.8m to back cyber security skills and $24.7m for an AI graduates program, among a raft of initiatives that total over $100m in investment into digital skills.

At Infosys we see collaboration between government, academia and the private sector as being crucial to addressing the skills gap. In Australia & New Zealand we run our internship program InStep in collaboration with universities that include University of Auckland, UNSW, The University of Sydney, UTS, ANU, Monash University and The University of Melbourne. We are also part of the Victorian Governments Digital Jobs program. also In addition we offer Springboard locally, our digital learning ecosystem, designed to help enable pathways to learn and education among under-represented communities.

New Zealand:

The New Zealand government recently unveiled a million-dollar NZ Tech Story campaign designed to attract overseas investors, workers and customers to its thriving digital economy  credentials that are backed up by its overall ranking, and notable performance from an infrastructure and talent perspective.

Meanwhile the government is in consultation with industry on a draft plan to further develop the local digital technologies sector. This will build on its current digital work program that focus on connectivity, safety and security, creating a digital government and supporting trust in data, as well as improving inclusion and adoption of digital technologies. Work in this area should help bolster the frameworks and security required to maintain and grow New Zealands world-class digital credentials.

An interactive page that visualises the research results can be accessed here, and the full report can be accessed here.
One of the biggest surprises resulting from the Ukrainian conflict was the Biden Administrations proposal for the commodity program element in the 2023 Farm Bill.

The $33 billion White House request for aid to Ukraine included proposals to raise marketing loan prices for wheat and soybeans, as well as to raise a subsidy level for crop insurance.

The concepts apparently are not USDAs proposal for the Farm Bill debate, but a patch to change current agricultural economics, U.S. consumer prices, and the cost of global food aid programs.

The plan would only impact wheat and soybeans, with higher crop loan rates, and an encouragement to double crop soybeans next summer after the wheat crop is harvested. Eligible farmers could qualify for a $10 additional subsidy on their crop insurance premium based on that production practice.

It would be difficult to find any farmer to raise the flag on that plan.

Even though the current loan rate on wheat is $3.38 per bushel, and the proposal calls for a significant increase to $5.52 per bushel, the current price of wheat being traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange is $10.10 for July 2023 harvest delivery.

For soybeans, the current loan rate is $6.20 per bushel, the proposal calls for an increase to $8.68 per bushel, and currently the November 2023 harvest delivery price is $14.04.

With current grain prices in rare air, there are cobwebs forming where farmers apply for crop marketing loans at local Farm Service Agency offices. Granted the loan rates were established in 2018 when the current Farm Bill was approved by Congress, and current grain market dynamics were never on anyones radar.

But with those current grain market dynamics, would the USDA proposal encourage any additional acreage of wheat and soybeans, if that is the idea, or reduce the market price of wheat and soybeans to reduce consumer or food aid program cost?

The overall trend in U.S. planted crop acreage is steady to lower. Soybeans are projected by current USDA data to overtake corn acreage this year for only the third time ever. But with high prices for nearly all other crops, total planted acreage is not expected to increase even with current prices. Conservation programs, such as the Conservation reserve, Sodbuster, and Swampbuster have limited cropland expansion. And environmental and climate forces in Congress will not agree to tapping those programs for acreage.

Where will crop prices be in the foreseeable future? Economist Steve Nicholson of RaboResearch, the economic forecasting arm of global lender RaboBank, says, The fundamentals were in place indicating the next few years could be a boom time for grain. And now, weve thrown fuel on the fire with world events, he notes. Any economist predicting lower prices for grain in the foreseeable future is not talking very loudly, if at all.

If the White House proposal is designed lower prices of wheat and soybeans to benefit food aid programs, that is a non-starter to get the farm vote in 2024. There are alternatives that would have a lesser impact on Rural Route 4 farm family budgets.

Stu Ellis is an observer of the Central Illinois agriculture scene.

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CASEY  Cinco de Mayo, typically a time of celebration at Mexican restaurants, is particularly significant this year for Cilantros Grill & Cantina in Casey.

The restaurant and its 16-foot-long, 8-foot-tall metal taco are marking their first Cinco de Mayo in this Clark County community, where they both debuted last fall at 25 N.W. First St. on the south edge of downtown.

Owner Hector Mendoza of Terre Haute, Indiana, who has two other Cilantros locations, said when he decided to open a Casey location, it seemed fitting to place a giant decoration out front.

"Everything is a 'Big Thing' in Casey, so we wanted to fit in town," Mendoza said, referencing the world's largest and just-for-fun giant objects that Bolin Enterprises, Inc. of Casey has built in recent years as a tourism draw for this community as part of the "Big Things, Small Town" program. He added that his favorite "Big Thing" is the World's Largest Rocking Chair. The rocking chair was the center of attention Saturday when motorcyclist Brett Cue jumped his bike form the seat of the chair to a ramp constructed near it

After considering different design options for his decoration, Mendoza said he chose a taco because it is an iconic image and would tie in well with Cilantros offering a wide variety of tacos. He commissioned Jalcraft artisan Alejandro Martinez of Tonala, Mexico, to create the giant taco, as well as two palm trees, tables, and chairs for the dining room at the restaurant.

The 800-pound metal taco filled one-fourth of the semi-trailer that delivered it last fall to Cilantros, Mendoza said. A small tractor with a lift and 10 people were needed to move the taco into place, work that attracted the attention of a lot of curious onlookers. Mendoza said he was immediately impressed by the colorful metal slices of lettuce, tomato, radishes, peppers, onions and cilantro that fill the taco. He said they are vivid up close and at a distance.

"You can see all the little details," Mendoza said.

Curiosity in the giant taco has continued beyond the installation day. Mendoza said he has seen area residents and "Big Things" tourists take photos of this decoration, with several of them pretending to try to lift or eat the giant taco. Mendoza said he has been pleased to see many of them stop to eat at Cilantros.

"You see a lot of people out there taking photos with the taco," said Casey City Clerk Jeremy Mumford, adding that lunch is usually a busy time for photos.

Mumford said there had not been a Mexican restaurant in Casey for a few years, so he and other local Cilantros customers have appreciated being able to dine on tacos and other Mexican food in their small town again instead of having to drive to restaurants many miles away.

Mendoza said he was drawn to Casey by many residents from this community traveling to dine at his restaurant in Terre Haute. He said he has been honored that Casey area customers have taken the time to get to know his staff members by name. Mendoza said he looks forward to Cilantros being able to celebrate its first Cinco de Mayo, which marks the Mexican army's May 5, 1862 victory over France, with his customers.

"We've been happy to be here in Casey. The most friendly people you can find are in Casey," Mendoza said, adding that residents there have had a lot of practice at hospitality recent years while hosting visitors to the "Big Things." "They always welcome them."

Contact Rob Stroud at (217) 238-6861. Follow him on Twitter: @TheRobStroud

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Pharrell Williams is taking his Something in the Water festival away from Virginia Beach and headed north to Washington, D.C. on Juneteenth weekend. The Foundation Board of Directors at James Madison's Montpelier reverse and edit a previous decision to admit descendants of the enslaved from the property onto the board.

A small redemption of some of the broken promises is the approach St. Paul's Church in downtown Richmond is taking. The church was once the home of worship for the Confederacy and known as "the church of the Confederacy." This year, however, the church commissioned an artist to install 14 pieces across the church, similar to a church's stations of the cross, that depict the evolution of the church from that history to its present place in the community. Kelli and Michael Paul offer insight and background on all of these in this week's episode.
North Carolina will receive more than $4 million from a $141 million national settlement involving Intuit Inc., the owner of TurboTax, the state Attorney Generals Office said Wednesday.

Attorneys general from all 50 states had alleged that TurboTax had deceived millions of customers, including about 139,000 in North Carolina, into paying for tax services that should have been free.

Intuit has been ordered to suspend TurboTaxs free, free, free ad campaign, which lured people with promises of free tax preparation services only to deceive them into paying for services.

Those 139,000 North Carolinians who filed their federal taxes through TurboTax in 2016 to 2018 are eligible for restitution and are expected to receive a direct payment of $30 they were deceived into paying for filing services. Thats about 60% of the average annual fees they paid to Intuit.

North Carolinians who are eligible for restitution will automatically receive notices and a payment.

The TurboTax freemium product was only free for one-third of U.S. taxpayers, while the IRS Free File product was free for 70 percent of taxpayers.

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ORANGE COUNTY, Calif.  Melissa Talmadge Cox knew Grandpa Buster had made a bunch of silent movies long before she was born, but it wasnt until after Buster Keaton died and Cox was in college that she saw one.

I was absolutely speechless when it ended, Talmadge says of the movie, Steamboat Bill Jr., that she watched at a silent film fest in the late 60s. Here was this person I had never known my grandfather to be.

Similarly, Bobbie Shaw Chance was a 19-year-old actress when she appeared in Pajama Party with Keaton in 1964. He became like an uncle, she says, as they also teamed up for Beach Blanket Bingo and How to Stuff a Wild Bikini.

She, too, never realized the importance of Keaton, who was a silent film comedian as famous as Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd in his day, until years after his death.

To me, he was just a kindly, sweet old man who was really funny, Chance says. I didnt know he was the brilliant Buster Keaton. Who knew? I didnt know.

Author James Curtis talked with Cox and Chance as he worked on Buster Keaton: A Filmmakers Life, a new biography that explores Keatons life and work over 700 pages.

The book arrives as interest in Keaton surges. Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century, a cultural history by Slate film critic Dana Stevens arrived in January. Director James Mangold also was recently announced as the director of a Buster Keaton biopic project.

Like Chance and Cox, Curtis says he grew up knowing Keaton mostly for the TV roles he took in the 50s and 60s.

He was still alive, says Curtis, whose previous film biographies include books on Spencer Tracy and W.C. Fields. But I had no idea really who he was.

Years later, he saw a screening of Keatons silent movie Seven Chances at UCLA and was stunned.

I was just astonished, Curtis says. I had never seen anything like it. So I slowly began to learn over a little bit of time just how involved he was in the making of his films.

And I knew I wanted to explore that.

Excavating the past

Curtis knew, of course, that Keaton had been the subject of previous biographies and didnt want to invest the years of work on his own if a great one already existed.

I talked to a few people, like (film writers and historians) Leonard Maltin and Kevin Brownlow, and his granddaughter Melissa, Curtis says. All of them told him there was room for a new Keaton biography, and urged him to do it, he says

Research, to me, is the fun part, Curtis says. I know people who do this sort of work who happily hire a researcher, and they sit at home and compose it.

Im just the opposite, he says. I love doing the library work. I love handling those materials. If I could hire someone to actually write the damn book, I think I might. But I cant do that.

Having spent 40 years or so as a film biographer, Curtis knew from experience where many of the archives and libraries of early Hollywood history are kept. And so he dug in for four-and-a-half years of research.

Its pretty much a hunting expedition, he says. A lot of times you come away empty-handed. But Ive always believed in the old adage, the harder I work, the luckier I get.

In the MGM archives in the Cinematic Arts Library at the University of Southern California, he dug out daily production reports on the first four movies Keaton made for the studio.

Those files reflected exactly what happened on an hour by hour basis, and kept the brass in the front office informed, Curtis says. If theres a problem or stopping of some sort, thats noted. If the star actor is ill, maybe had a little too much at lunchtime, thats noted in there.

Thats wonderful material, and its not easily available, he says. And nobody had found it up to that point.

Other documents revealed new details of Keatons move from his own studio to MGM and revealed the truth about why that happened.

Thats how you do it, he says. You just know where things are through experience, you go looking, and sometimes you find things. So there are a lot of eureka moments that occur.

Proud to be related

Melissa Talmadge Cox fondly remembers frequent visits with Grandpa Buster and step-grandmother Eleanor at their then-remote home in Woodland Hills. There was a pool to swim in and a barn in which she and her brothers played on the ropes used to lift hay bales to a loft.

He had a little red schoolhouse that he kept chickens in, and I got to go collect eggs, says Cox, 72, from her home in Sonoma County. It was just a fun place.

She saw him on TV from time to time, shows such as The Twilight Zone and Candid Camera, but mostly her time with Buster, who died when she was about 17, revolved around Sunday dinners, summer vacations and Christmas gatherings.

Then, as a student at the University of California, Davis, she went to Berkeley one night and saw Keaton as the innovative actor and director of the silent screen, and gained a whole new appreciation for her grandfathers work.

He could do the most remarkable things, she says. He did far more physical tricks than the other actors did at the time. He was always moving and doing fabulous gymnastics.

When her own children were in elementary school, Cox says shed often take the Keaton silent film One Week into the classroom to share with their classmates.

Here are kids, 80 years later, whatever it was, falling off their chairs laughing, she says. Its timeless.

I dont know, Im just so proud to be related, Cox says. I think its wonderful.

Keaton and Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin remains iconic today  the image of the Little Tramp is indelible. Harold Lloyd, with his glasses and hat, was a huge star of the silent screen, his films often earning bigger profits than Keatons.

But Curtis says neither of them could do what Keaton did.

I think Buster had the greatest natural gift as a filmmaker, he says. In the sense that he could see the entire screen in his head, and he knew how to fill the frame in a way that advanced the story and made the comedy as good as it could be.

Chaplin was a good director of Chaplin, Curtis says. As far as Chaplin was concerned, the only interesting element in the frame was Chaplin.

A lot of these comics, they rarely do things that they couldnt do in the vaudeville stage, he says. Buster used whole trains and did things with them. You cant do that on stage.

He was a brilliant guy on screen but he was also a brilliant behind the camera.

So why is Chaplin still revered and Keaton less remembered?

The basic difference is that Chaplin laid it out for you, so you really didnt have to participate, Curtis says. Youre just reacting to what hes showing you, what hes telling you.

Theres an element of ambiguity in Busters work that I think is stronger than say, Chaplin or Lloyd, he says. Now, Chaplin can do a great closeup and tear your heart out.

Keaton, in contrast, was famous for his deadpan blank face on film, which didnt give audiences as much to work with.

He said, If the audience is going to feel sorry for me, well, Ill them do it. But Im not going to them for it. That was the basic difference. They were going to have to come to him.

It was magical

Bobbie Shaw Chance says she knew shed been hired for the beach party movies because she looked good in a bikini. But Keaton recognized more than that, she says.

Buster saw something in me that I didnt even know I had, which was comedy timing, says Chance, 78, who for three decades taught actors at her Hollywood Actors Showcase in Sherman Oaks, before handing the business off to her son as a virtual studio at RichieChance.com.

He taught me how to do double-takes and how to give certain looks, she says. When to hit the joke and all that.

Most days on set, Chance and Keaton had lunch together in his dressing room. Keaton would play his ukulele or the two would play cards.

Even though she hadnt seen his classic silent films at the time, Chance says she knew Keaton was someone special by the way the directors treated him.

The directors did not direct the scenes that Buster and I were in, she says. Thats when I knew he was pretty savvy and smart.

In Pajama Party, Chance remembers director Don Weis calling Keaton over before a scene.

He said, Buster, how do you see the scene going? she says. Thats when I knew Buster was special, really special.

There was a lot of respect around him. It wasnt just fun, it was magical.

A legacy lasts

In the years after Keatons death, young filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Stephen Spielberg, and Peter Bogdanovich began to seek out and celebrate his early films, which for decades were seldom seen.

Museum screenings, revival house showings and European festivals started to book retrospectives as silent film gained new attention from cinephiles. At the end of his life, Keaton was briefly able to enjoy the acclaim that hed lost for much of his later life, Curtis says.

Keaton and his wife traveled to Europe to promote Film, a movie hed made with playwright Samuel Beckett, at the Venice Film Festival, where a year or two earlier thered been a celebration of Keatons best films.

He and his wife were put on the mezzanine level, in the box of honor, I guess youd call it, Curtis says. As they came down, and they sat, you could hear the clapping starting.

Buster wasnt sure what was happening, he says. He said to his wife, What are they clapping for? She said, Thats for you.

He stood to look, and below him in the theater, everyone was standing, some on their seats, to applaud the great screen comedian.

It just went on and on and on, Curtis says. Someone snapped a picture right at that moment, and you can see hes just bewildered at this reception.

It did not stop, and that was within months of his death, but he got to experience it.
Q: For the past few months there have been Pike electrical trucks/workers on Peace Haven and Robinhood roads that have affected traffic patterns. Is there any information as to what they are working on and how long the work will take?

S.N.

Answer: Jimmy Flythe, the central region director for government and community relations for Duke Energy, explained whats going on and how much longer it will last at that location.

These electrical line crews are working on one of the many Duke Energy grid improvement projects going on across Winston-Salem and the state. The work in the immediate area of Robinhood and Peacehaven roads is scheduled to continue for about 3 more weeks before theyll move to other work locations in the general vicinity.

The crews are installing larger, stronger poles, and upgrading power lines to help keep power reliable as the area grows. They are also installing smart, self-healing technology that can detect power outages, isolate the problem area and automatically re-route power from another source preventing longer outages for the majority of customers.

This technology is in place in many locations and helped avoid more than 3,000 extended customer outages so far this year, saving customers more than 500,000 total minutes of lost outage time.

Duke Energy has a plan to serve around 80% of all N.C. customers with self-healing and automated restoration technology on its main power lines over the next five years.

The grid improvement work will also increase capacity for renewable energy such as rooftop solar as well as support the growth of electric vehicle charging.

Q: While entering Gods Acre during this years Sunrise Service, I noticed a sign listing rules for the cemetery: no bikes, no pets, etc. One of the rules seems to stipulate No photography. Why cant we take pictures there?

D.D.

Answer: Photography is not allowed in the sacred area, said David Bergstone, the facilities director for the Salem Congregation, which owns the graveyard.

The congregations photography rules and regulations make it clear, Under no circumstances is photography allowed in Salem Moravian Graveyard.

Shepherds Center to hold annual book saleThe Shepherds Center of Greater Winston-Salem will hold its 35th annual used book sale from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Education Building at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds. The entrance for parking is through Gate 5 on Deacon Boulevard. Admission is free.

Proceeds of the sale benefit the ministrys programs and services for older adults in the local community.

For more information, call the Shepherds Center at 336-748-0217 or go to www.shepherdscenter.org.

Shredding eventFairview Moravian Church, 6550 Silas Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem, will have a drive-thru shredding event from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. A donation of $5 per bag or file box is requested. Proceeds will benefit the projects of the Womens Fellowship.

Email: AskSAM@wsjournal.com Write: Ask SAM, 418 N. Marshall St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101

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A group of 33 abortion rights supporters demonstrated Tuesday in downtown Winston-Salem in response to a leaked draft opinion that suggests the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to overturn the 1973 Roe vs Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

The demonstrators gathered in front of the Ward Federal Building and then walked to the sidewalk along Main Street. The protesters displayed their signs toward drivers on Main Street.

Some of the signs said, Abortion is Healthcare, My Body, My Choice, Access to Abortion is a Basic Right, 80% of Americans Want Legal Abortion. Dont Move Backward, Womens Rights Are Human Rights, We Are Not Going Back, Men 4 Women and Protect Women.

If the Supreme Court overturns Roe, that decision would likely lead to abortion bans in nearly half of the states and could affect the outcome of the November elections. The court cautioned Tuesday that the draft does not represent its final word on the landmark 49-year-old case.

The draft opinion states there is no constitutional right to abortion services, and it would allow individual states to more heavily regulate or outright ban the procedure. Associate Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the courts 6-3 conservative majority, signed the opinion.

In Winston-Salem, the abortion rights demonstrators moved to the intersection of Main and Second streets and displayed their signs to drivers on both streets.

Many drivers honked their horns and yelled in support of the protesters.

Wayne Stroller of Kernersville, a demonstrator, said he wasnt surprised by the draft opinion.

Alitos reasoning is disingenuous because the court has sustained womens rights to an abortion in previous rulings, Stroller said.

State Sen. Paul Lowe Jr., D-Forsyth, and State Rep. Evelyn Terry, D-Forsyth, criticized the courts draft opinion.

The news of this decision is alarming but not surprising, Lowe said. The right to choose should be protected, and I thoroughly disagree with the statements in the leaked opinion draft.

Lowe said he has always supported a womans right to choose what she does with her body.

I hope that the Supreme Court redirects its decision in a direction that reflects that sentiment, Lowe said.

Terry described the draft opinion as an assault on freedom, she said.

The U.S. Supreme Court granted women this right 49 years ago, Terry said. Privilege obviously has no boundaries.

State Rep. Lee Zachary, R-Forysth, said that it was unfortunate that the courts draft opinion was publicly leaked.

The employees take an oath of confidentiality, and disclosing court documents is forbidden, Zachary said. This appears to be a draft. Whether its a majority draft or a draft by one justice is what is unknown. It certainly chips away at the publics confidence in the court.

At a Raleigh news conference, Bobbie Richardson, the chairwoman of the N.C. Democratic Party, said that voters must elect Democrats to protect womens abortion rights.

To be clear, this is a draft opinion, Richardson said. It is not the final word yet. Abortion is still safe and legal in North Carolina.

However, Richardson said, if the Supreme Court overturns Roe vs. Wade, that decision would be devastating for the millions of people across North Carolina, whose abortion access and control over their bodies now hang in the balance.

The draft opinion reflects anti-abortion groups plant to ban abortions across the United States, Richardson said.

Make no mistake, North Carolina Democrats will continue to fight like hell to protect the rights to access safe, legal abortion, Richardson said.

Jeanne Mancini, the president of March for Life, an anti-group, tweeted Tuesday that she was saddened by the leak of the draft opinion, and how toxic and damaging such an action is to our judiciary.

Mancini said that she was blown away by the breadth, clarity and truth of the draft opinion after she read it.

If the Supreme Court overturns Roe vs. Wade, then the chaos of an erroneously decided decision 50 years ago that has had such a profoundly negative impact on our culture and all women and men would finally be set right, Mancini said.

At the protest, Reina Hendren of Winston-Salem, a demonstrator, said she attended the rally because I dont think politics belong in womens rights.

Tonya Haizlip, a protester, agreed with Hendren.

I feel like the whole Supreme Court decision, and what they are trying to do is an assault on womens rights, Haizlip said. Countless young women and children are raped and assaulted, and a pregnancy results, adding to their trauma.

Young girls cant be out here, Haizlip said. We can be out here and fight for them.

Rebecca Silberman of Winston-Salem, another demonstrator, said that Supreme Courts official ruling on Roe vs. Wade will not stop abortions.

Abortions will happen no matter if they legal are not, Silberman said. Roe protects a womans right to choose and for the safety of their body.

So repealing Roe will mean that poor and single women will be forced to have their children, Silberman said. It keeps people without access in bad situations. Rich women will always be to get an abortion no matter the law.

336-727-7299 @jhintonWSJ The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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BOGOTA, Colombia (AP)  As women in the United States find themselves on the verge of possibly losing the constitutional right to abortion, courts in many other parts of the world have been moving in the opposite direction.

That includes in a number of traditionally conservative societies  such as recently in Colombia, where the Constitutional Court in February legalized the procedure until the 24th week of pregnancy, part of a broader trend seen in parts of heavily Catholic Latin America.

It's not yet clear what impact there will be outside the United States from the leaked draft opinion suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

But for women's activists who for years have led grinding campaigns demanding open access to abortion, often looking to the United States as a model, it's a discouraging sign and a reminder that hard-won gains can be impermanent.

It is an awful precedent for the coming years for the region and the world, said Colombian Catalina Martinez Coral, Latin America and Caribbean director for the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights, which was among the groups that litigated the abortion case in Colombias high court.

The February ruling there established a broad right for women to have abortions within the 24-week period, whereas previously they could do so only in specific cases such as if a fetus presented malformations or a pregnancy resulted from rape. Abortion is still allowed after that period under those special circumstances.

The decision fell short of advocates' hopes for a complete decriminalization, but Martinez Coral said it still left Colombia with the most progressive legal framework in Latin America.

Similarly, Mexico's Supreme Court held last year that it was unconstitutional to punish abortion. As the countrys highest court, its ruling bars all jurisdictions from charging a woman with a crime for terminating a pregnancy.

Statutes outlawing abortion are still on the books in most of Mexico's 32 states, however, and nongovernmental organizations that have long pushed for decriminalization are pressing state legislatures to reform them. Abortion was already readily available in Mexico City and some states.

To the south in Argentina, lawmakers in late 2020 passed a bill legalizing abortion until the 14th week and after that for circumstances similar to those described in the Colombia ruling.

It's also widely available in Cuba and Uruguay.

But expansion of abortion access has not extended to all of Latin America, with many countries restricting it to certain circumstances  such as Brazil, the region's most populous nation, where it's permissible only in cases of rape, risk to the woman's life and certified cases of the birth defect anencephaly. Former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking a new term in October, recently said he sees legalizing abortion as a public health issue, eliciting criticism in a country where few approve of the procedure.

Other places have total bans with no exceptions, such as Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. Courts in the latter have given women long prison sentences for aggravated homicide even in cases where prosecutors suspect a miscarriage was actually an abortion.

Many African nations also maintain complete bans, but in October 2021, Benin legalized abortion in most circumstances up to 12 weeks. That significantly increased safe access to the procedure after the health minister reported that nearly 200 women were dying each year of complications from clandestine abortions. Previously abortion was permitted in cases of rape or incest; risk to the woman's life; or severe fetal malformation.

Most European countries have legalized abortion, including predominantly Catholic ones. Ireland did so in 2018, followed by tiny San Marino in a voter referendum last fall. It remains illegal in Andorra, Malta and Vatican City, while Poland last year tightened its abortion laws.

It's also been widely available in Israel since 1978 and relatively uncontroversial, allowed by law before the 24th week with the approval of hospital termination committees that consist of medical professionals including at least one woman.

Laws and interpretations vary across the Muslim world.

Abortion has been legal up to 12 weeks in Tunisia for decades, but in Iran it's been forbidden since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Last year the leader of Cairos top institution of Islamic clerics, Al-Azhar, said abortion is not the solution even in cases where a child is likely to be seriously ill or disabled.

In Japan, abortion is allowed only for economic and health reasons, and requires partners consent, making Japan one of a handful of countries in the world to do so. Victims of sexual violence are excluded from the requirement.

While there is a growing call for women to have the right to make their own decision, Japans government, led by the ultra-conservative Liberal Democratic Party, has long focused on traditional gender roles of women to give birth and raise children.

Japan has not approved abortion pills, though an application for one by a British company is pending at the health ministry.

Abortion has been legal in India since 1971. Women can terminate pregnancy up to 20 weeks, but only on a doctor's advice. Under changes in 2021, a woman can also seek an abortion up to 24 weeks under certain circumstances such as rape or incest, though it requires approval from two doctors.

China is moving to limit abortions, but thats because it has one of the highest rates of abortions in the world.

Last September, the Chinese cabinet, known as the State Council, published new national guidelines that require hospitals to reduce non-medically necessary abortions. In February, Chinas family planning association announced it would launch a campaign to reduce teenage abortions.

When the U.S. Supreme Court's final decision is handed down, expected in late June or early July, the world will be watching.

While moves to decriminalize and legalize abortion in places like Argentina, Ireland, Mexico and Colombia in the last few years have been a huge win for the global community, Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of the human rights group Amnesty International, said in a statement, there are grim signs that the United States is out of step with the progress that the rest of the world is making in protecting sexual and reproductive rights.

Sherman reported from Mexico City. Associated Press writers Karl Ritter in Stockholm, Sweden; Almudena Calatrava in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Mauricio Savarese in Rio de Janeiro; Carley Petesch in Dakar, Senegal; Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem; Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo; Krutika Pathi in New Delhi; and Huizhong Wu in Taipei, Taiwan contributed to this report.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird announced Wednesday that she has tested positive for COVID-19.

After developing symptoms yesterday afternoon, I tested positive for COVID-19," Gaylor Baird said in a news release.

"Thanks to the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines and booster, my symptoms are mild, and I expect to work from home while completing the recommended quarantine period, she said.

The mayor's positive test comes as COVID-19 case numbers have risen sharply in Lancaster County recently, although officials say they don't know yet whether that indicates another surge is beginning.

Lancaster County recorded 197 cases last week, nearly double the previous week. Case numbers have now tripled over the past three weeks, due largely to the prevalence of the BA.2 variant of the omicron strain of the virus.

The most recent genetic testing numbers showed that 80% of COVID-19 cases in Nebraska were caused by BA.2.

The good news is that the rise in cases has not, at least as of yet, led to a rise in hospitalizations.

As of Wednesday, there were 16 COVID-19 patients in local hospitals, the lowest number since April 23. Over the past six weeks, the number of local patients has not exceeded 24.

Were seeing an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission due to the BA.2 variant, but as of now, that has not yet led to more hospitalizations, said Health Director Pat Lopez.

Lancaster County's numbers are similar to those statewide. COVID-19 cases have risen 85% over the past two weeks in Nebraska, but hospitalizations have actually declined slightly. In fact, there were only 42 COVID-19 patients in Nebraska hospitals on April 29, the lowest number in 10 months. As of Sunday, that number had risen to 50.

Nationally, hospitalizations were up 15% in the week that ended Sunday compared with the previous week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Another good sign is that those who are getting sick enough to be hospitalized for COVID-19 are getting better and going home. Lancaster County has recorded only one COVID-related death since the beginning of April and only four since the beginning of March. That compares with 70 in January and February.

Locally, the Health Department kept its COVID-19 risk dial in the green, or low-risk, range this week, despite the sharp rise in case numbers.

Lopez said officials are "monitoring the situation closely.

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

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SAN DIEGO  Sometime around 14,000 years ago, the first humans crossed the Bering Strait to North America with canines, domesticated dogs they used for hunting, by their side.

But long before the canines arrived here, there were predatory doglike canid species who hunted the grasslands and forests of the Americas. A rare and nearly complete fossilized skeleton of one of these long-extinct species was recently discovered by paleontologists at the San Diego Natural History Museum.

This fossil belongs to a group of animals called Archeocyons, which means "ancient dog." It was embedded in two large chunks of sandstone and mudstone unearthed in 2019 from a construction project in San Diego County. The fossil dates to the late Oligocene epoch and is believed to be 24 million to 28 million years old.

While the fossilized remains are still awaiting further examination and identification by a canid researcher, its discovery has been a boon for the museum's scientists, including the curator of paleontology Tom Demere, post-doctoral researcher Ashley Poust and curatorial assistant Amanda Linn.

Because the existing fossils in the museum's collection are incomplete and limited in number, the Archeocyons fossil will help the paleo team fill in the blanks on what they know about the ancient dog mammals that lived tens of millions of years ago.

Did they walk on their toes like today's dogs? Did they burrow in the ground or live in trees? What food did they prey on and what animals preyed upon them? How did they relate to extinct doglike species that came before them? And, potentially, is this an entirely new undiscovered species? This new fossil is providing scientists with a few more pieces of an incomplete evolutionary puzzle.

Archeocyons fossils have been found in the Pacific Northwest and Great Plains states, but almost never in Southern California, where glaciers and plate tectonics have scattered, destroyed and buried deep underground many fossils from that period of history. The chief reason this Archeocyons fossil was found and made its way to the museum is a California law that requires paleontologists be onsite at major construction projects to spot and protect potential fossils for later study.

Pat Sena, the San Diego Natural History Museum's paleo monitor, was observing during the construction project in San Diego County nearly three years ago when he saw what looked like tiny white fragments of bone protruding from some excavated rock. He marked the rocks with a black Sharpie marker and had them moved to the museum, where scientific work soon ground to a halt for nearly two years because of the pandemic.

On Dec. 2, Linn started work on the two large rocks, using small carving and cutting tools and brushes to gradually pare away the layers of stone.

"Every time I uncovered a new bone, the picture got clearer," Linn said. "I'd say, 'Oh look, here's where this part matches up with this bone, here's where the spine extends to the legs, here's where the rest of the ribs are.'"

Poust said that once the fossil's cheekbone and teeth emerged from the rock, it became clear that it was an ancient canid species. In March, Poust was one of three international paleontologists who announced their discovery of a new saber-toothed catlike predator, Diegoaelurus, from the Eocene epoch. But where ancient cats had only flesh-tearing teeth, omnivorous canids had both cutting teeth in front to kill and eat small mammals and flatter molar-like teeth in the back of their mouths used to crush plants, seeds and berries. This mix of teeth and the shape of its skull helped Demere identify the fossil as an Archeocyons.

The new fossil is fully intact except for a portion of its long tail. Some of its bones have been jumbled about, possibly as the result of earth movements after the animal died, but its skull, teeth, spine, legs, ankles and toes are complete, providing a wealth of information on the Archeocyons' evolutionary changes.

Poust said the length of the fossil's ankle bones where they would have connected to the Achilles tendons suggests the Archeocyons had adapted to chase its prey long distances across open grasslands. It's also believed that its strong, muscular tail may have been used for balance while running and making sharp turns. There are also indications from its feet that it possibly could have lived or climbed in trees.

Physically, the Archeocyons was the size of today's gray fox, with long legs and a small head. It walked on its toes and had nonretractable claws. Its more foxlike body shape was quite different from an extinct species known as Hesperocyons, which were smaller, longer, had shorter legs and resembled modern-day weasels.

While the Archeocyons fossil is still being studied and not on public display, the museum does have a large exhibit on its first floor that features fossils and a large mural of animals that lived in San Diego's coastal region during ancient times. Poust said one the animals in the mural painted by artist William Stout, a foxlike creature standing over a freshly killed rabbit, is close to what the Archeocyons may have looked like.

Once the Archeocyons fossil was partially identified in February, Demere had Linn stop work on the fossil, leaving it partially embedded in the rock. He didn't want to risk any damage to the intact skull until it can be further studied by a world-renowned carnivore researcher.

"Nothing makes a curator happier than having visiting researchers to the collection," Demere said. "Hopefully, someone comes along. A nearly complete skeleton like this can answer all sorts of questions, depending on who's interested."

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Maggie and David Convy remember their stays at Camp Foster on Lake Okoboji in Iowa as summertime bliss.

For 10 straight years, they attended with the same group of friends from all over the Midwest. They would spend the week singing songs and playing games and pranks.

Life was so good, the then-Maggie Rudersdorf said.

The pair stayed friends, and even though David lived in Kansas City, Missouri, and Maggie in Omaha, she summoned up the courage to ask him to Marian High Schools senior prom.

David drove up after taking the ACT and stayed in one of my brothers bedrooms, she said. My dad made his famous waffles in the morning before David went back to KC the next day.

They stayed in touch when David went to Kansas State and Maggie to Marquette, and then reconnected in 2018 when Maggie attended a nursing conference in Denver, where David was living.

Sparks flew. It was like we had never left each other, they say.

David then visited Maggie in Chicago shortly after, and Maggie then made the move from Chicago to Denver.

They met back at Camp Foster again for another big moment. The proposal.

They were visiting Davids grandparents and after a long day of swimming and boating, they made the all-to-familiar drive to camp.

They walked around reminiscing and even found both their names written in paint on the mess hall walls. Davids name is engraved on a canoe paddle in the dining hall for winning the foster fling two years in a row.

Then they stopped at the chapel, the heart of the camp. Its where every morning started with announcements and evening talent shows were held on the center stage.

David and I sat in the back row talking about how we always used to eye one another from across the aisle, hoping to catch a sudden peek or laugh about the time we danced in the talent show, Maggie said. We stood up to walk out and David took my hand, got down on one knee, and pulled out a beautiful ring he had made with a family heirloom diamond, asking me to be his wife. It was a surreal moment.

They drove back to Davids grandparents house to find all of Davids family and Maggies parents ready to surprise them and celebrate. A banner read It was always you. Champagne toasts followed, with tears of happiness and lots of laughter.

We ended the night watching fireworks over Lake Okoboji, she said. It was beyond magical.

Magical ride

They knew they wanted to get married in the mountains  its where their love story really started to flourish. They often took weekend trips to Vail, Breckenridge and Keystone to explore everything the mountains had to offer.

David always says, you just feel different in the mountains, Maggie said. Its a dreamy, magical and romantic place  thats exactly what our vision was for our wedding. Lots of candles, greenery, elegant, and mountain rustic feels. We both love to ski the back bowls of Vail, walk the village of Vail sipping warm cocktails and dancing at The Red Lion. We wanted to share this love with our friends and family in the same place we rekindled our love. Its been a magical ride to fall in love at 8,150 feet.

The couple married in November, because they wanted a wedding during ski season so everyone could celebrate and then hit the slopes. They invited 200 and about 140 were able to attend.

Winter wonderland

Waking up to some gently falling snow the day of the wedding was just one of several special moments. There was also their first look at the creek next to the chapel, the tears in Davids eyes as Maggie walked down the aisle with her dad and a special Irish hand blessing by both their mothers.

Their favorite came after the ceremony, when the newly married couple went back to their room and took a moment to take it all in. This was really special sitting by the fireplace sipping champagne looking at our wedding rings, Maggie said. It was a once in a lifetime moment, with butterflies of excitement in our stomachs and so much love in our hearts.

Then came their first dance to At Last by Etta James, one of their favorites and 20 years after their first meeting a camp. David said in his final speech to everyone, the only way you could describe this day is as a fairytale.

Masking up

COVID-19 didnt make things easy. Maggie says she can laugh now about wearing N95 masks to go to her final bridal dress fittings, nail appointments, flower meetings, etc. They had to change a few plans, with last-minute cancelations or family members who were ill.

Overall we cant help but think it really helped us appreciate the celebration together even more with a new perspective, they say. This whole situation together has really made us enjoy this time in our lives where we can focus on everything were truly thankful for.

Keeping organized

To stay organized, they got a large binder to keep all their wedding contracts, emails and contacts. Binder separators kept each element separate.

If marrying later in the day, consider a first look. The day goes so fast, and that gives you lots of photos, videos and memories as a couple. David says make it easier by surrounding yourself with easy-going people.

They participated in a Pre-Cana retreat in Denver, giving them uninterrupted time to sit with each other and talk about their goals and dreams. The reception location in Vail offered a full-service coordinator to help with planning.

That was incredibly helpful to pass off all vendor information and not have to stress about coordinating, Maggie said. She helped so much with planning. She was incredible.

Etsy was also a great source for ideas.

The trip said it all

Their favorite gift was having both sides of their immediate families in Vail as well as so many of their friends make the trip. Davids four grandparents were all in attendance. Their maid of honor, Katie Williams Huerter, also attended Camp Foster with them.

Maggie wrapped her wedding bouquet with pearls from her late grandmother that have been passed down. Maggies cousin Kay, who passed away from cancer two years ago, also wore them at her wedding. So these pearls are incredibly special, she said. Maggie also wore a wedding diamond from her other grandmother.

Together at last

During their planning, they would step back to remember the why. Navigating the planning process in such unprecedented times was stressful, but it constantly kept them in check about what the wedding day is truly about  spending the rest of your life with your best friend.

I specifically remember looking up at David and getting butterflies in my stomach, thinking to myself, Its David Convy. I cannot believe I am marrying my Camp Foster crush, Maggie said. David always says, the hard part of finding each other was over and now we get to spend forever together (even if he had to wait 15 years to finally kiss me).

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WAHOO  A jury worked into the night here Tuesday before finding a Malmo man guilty of first-degree murder for killing his 27-year-old fiancee at their home as her two children slept.

Kolton Barnes said what happened early July 15, 2020, was self-defense. That Kayla Matulka attacked him with a knife when he returned home from the bar.

The state said the killing was first-degree murder. That Barnes kicked his way into the house, just as he'd threatened to do in texts later deleted, after she told him their relationship was over and not to come home.

"She wanted out and he refused to accept that, and because of that Kayla Matulka is dead," Assistant Nebraska Attorney General Sandra Allen told the jury in closing arguments earlier Tuesday.

She said Matulka, who was found naked on the floor with a restraint system attached to one of her wrists, a black eye and purple, finger-shaped bruises on an elbow, was fighting for her life.

"He beat her, he strangled her and he stabbed her," Allen said.

Not once or twice, but 27 times.

"You cannot tell me you aren't thinking about what you are doing," she said. "That is premeditation."

Addressing the jury, Matt McDonald of the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy said the state had to prove to them without hesitation that Barnes wasn't acting in self-defense.

"They have not done that. They haven't even come close," he said. "Based on the evidence there's a lot more than hesitation about what happened that night."

McDonald said Barnes admitted he tampered with evidence, one of the seven felony charges he faced, but argued the state overcharged the case, throwing the book at Barnes to see what would stick with the jury.

* Two counts of child abuse for leaving Matulka dead with her 6- and 11-year-old children alone to find her.

* A count of animal cruelty and use of a deadly weapon for stabbing his dog to death. (On the stand, Barnes said Matulka had done it.)

* And by alleging the murder was either premeditated or done in the perpetration of a sexual assault or attempted sex assault despite the pathologist saying there was no evidence of sexual assault.

McDonald said there was no evidence Barnes had been jealous or abusive to Matulka, he said. The state was trying to paint a picture of him "that doesn't exist."

He pointed to testimony of one of Barnes' ex-boyfriends who said Barnes, who had been diagnosed with mental illness, once tried to stab him and his dog.

"They're just hoping that you will say well she's dead, he must have done this and it had to happen this way that they're speculating about," the defense attorney said. "Isn't it much more likely that what Kolton said is the truth?"

Barnes said he went in the bedroom and saw his dog, Diesel, on the floor. Then, in the light of the TV, he saw Matulka coming at him with a knife in her hand. He said he put his hand up to block her and punched her three times and they struggled, falling to the floor with him on top of her, the knife in her chest.

"We're never going to know exactly what happened ... because Kolton told you he can't remember everything," McDonald said.

That doesn't mean he's lying, he said.

Allen said Barnes' story continued to evolve. First he said he had no idea what happened, that someone was setting him up. Then, for months, he said Matulka had killed herself, until it was clear two of the stab wounds came after she was dead.

Finally, at trial, he said for the first time that Matulka attacked him.

"What's happening is Mr. Barnes is receiving bits and pieces of information from the evidence, and what he's doing is he's taking that evidence and he's trying to conform a story to match that evidence. To try to get away with the murder of Kayla Matulka," she said. "That's what he's doing."

The jury of 11 men and one woman got the case for deliberations at 2:46 p.m. Tuesday and returned with guilty verdicts on all counts shortly after 7:30 p.m.

Sentencing is set for July.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSpilger

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Lincoln residents looking to get rid of unwanted firearms will have the opportunity to do so safely on Saturday as the city's police department holds its annual gun amnesty event, collecting unwanted guns with no questions asked.

Police will collect guns and ammunition in drive-thru fashion in a parking lot at 5201 R St. from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Officer Melissa Ripley said.

The police department will also partner with HopeLNK, a local nonprofit, to hand out free trigger locks and handgun lock boxes at the event for residents who don't want to part ways with their weapons but are seeking a safer way to store their firearms.

Ripley asked that residents who do intend to turn in guns or ammo keep the items in their backseat or trunk as they approach the drive-thru event, allowing officers to retrieve the weapons themselves to ensure safe handling.

Police annually collect 60 guns through the amnesty event, which is entering its eighth year. She said the department will also take plastic guns and has even accepted a hand grenade in recent years.

"There's a lot of people that just want to get rid of guns and don't know how to do that," Ripley said. "They don't necessarily want to sell them, and so this is a way for them to get rid of them, get them out of their house."

After collecting the weapons, Ripley said the department returns any stolen guns recovered to their original owners and destroys the rest. She said the department has fielded three stolen guns in seven previous amnesty events.

The event comes as shootings in Lincoln have risen in recent years. Local police corroborated reports of 93 shootings in 2021, a figure that included 16 non-fatal assaults and seven homicides, according to department data. The other 70 incidents did not yield gunshot victims.

Last year's total represented a slight downtick from 2020, when Lincoln Police responded to 100 shootings, including 20 non-fatal assaults and seven fatal shootings.

From 2017 to 2019, the city averaged 78 total shootings per year, and police investigated only nine fatal shootings in the three years preceding 2020.

Reports of stolen firearms also increased last year, when Lincoln Police investigated reported thefts of 135 guns, an increase of 23 over 2020, according to department data. Police have recovered about 21% of the firearms reported stolen last year.

The rise in both shootings and stolen guns has come as the number of guns in Lincoln altogether has skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic and the civil unrest of 2020. After city residents registered 4,304 guns in 2019, residents registered more than 8,000 guns in both 2020 and 2021.

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

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Officials at Johnson County Central Public Schools are floating a $43 million bond issue to pay for new pre-K-12 facilities in Tecumseh that would consolidate district schools spread across two towns.

Voters will decide on whether to approve the bond to pay for the 125,700-square-foot facility as part of the statewide primary election on Tuesday.

Johnson County Central contracted with the Lincoln-based design firm Clark & Enersen to draft plans for the building, which would be built on 52 acres of land along U.S. 136 just north of the district's existing high school. The facility would include community and activities space, including a new gym that would meet the qualifications to host events like district wrestling and a mixed-used auditorium.

Johnson County Central  which serves roughly 500 students from Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee and Otoe counties  operates three school sites: A pre-K-3 building and high school in Tecumseh and a preschool and middle school 15 minutes north in Cook.

Those facilities, officials say, are both inconvenient  the majority of students live in Tecumseh  and outdated. The high school is 55 years old and the elementary school was built in 1931. The Cook site was built in 1958 as the former home to Nemaha Valley Public Schools before the district merged with Tecumseh Public Schools in 2007. An addition was completed in 1999.

The district considered renovating the existing buildings to bring them up to code, but challenges  like the awkward location of the high school  led officials to putting a new building on the ballot.

One building for all grades also made sense because the district shuttles students to and from Cook, which is both a financial and instructional burden, Superintendent Jon Rother said.

"The majority said that we needed ... to get everyone to one site," he said.

If the bond issue is approved, the district plans to demolish the elementary school and sell the Cook building. The existing high school would still be used for industrial arts space, a wrestling room, a business office and storage, Rother said. The district is also considering using some of the space for a child care center or leasing it out.

The bond program, expected to last 25 years, would put into place a 42-cent tax levy for district patrons. That equates to about $390 annually for the owner of an average $92,659 home in Johnson County.

The district has already hired the Omaha-based construction firm Boyd Jones as the construction manager at-risk for the school, which Rother said would create a sense of unity in the community and serve as a recruiting and enrollment tool for staff and students.

"For those within the district  the parents, the constituents  I think it would be a great source of pride for them to know they have this facility that their kids are proud of and also want to be in," he said.

Just to the north in Otoe County, Palmyra-Bennet District OR-1 is in the early stages of rolling out their own bond issue to fund renovations at Bennet Elementary School and the junior-senior high in Palmyra. The district may float a $15 million to $20 million bond to voters as early as August.

Contact the writer at zhammack@journalstar.com or 402-473-7225. On Twitter @HammackLJS

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The name of Brad Ashford, a prominent figure in Nebraska politics who died last month after battling brain cancer, has appeared in efforts to malign GOP gubernatorial candidate state Sen. Brett Lindstrom.

The two-term state senator from Omaha has increasingly become the target of attack ads, some funded by third-party groups, as the increasingly bitter and tightly contested Republican primary contest inches closer to election day May 10.

Ann Ashford isnt offended or surprised that her late husbands name has been invoked as part of the melee  but shes disheartened by what it symbolizes about politics today.

Brad Ashford was elected to the Nebraska Legislature and U.S. Congress. He changed party affiliation four times, was elected to office as both a Republican and a Democrat, and won the respect of leading figures in each party.

Ashford had endorsed both Lindstrom and Sen. Carol Blood, a Democrat, in Nebraskas gubernatorial primary races.

"He felt very comfortable in endorsing either one of those two as being a good steward and a good governor for Nebraska, and that they would represent Nebraska's interests and represent all individuals in Nebraska rather than just those within their party," Ann Ashford said.

She said her husband was a registered Democrat and cast his primary ballot before he died. Only registered Republicans can vote in Nebraskas Republican primary.

Since Ashfords death April 19, his name has appeared on mailers funded by the political action committee Conservative Nebraska and text messages from another PAC, Say No To RINOs (an acronym for Republicans in Name Only).

The consistent theme of attack ads that target Lindstrom: Hes not conservative enough. Theyve ramped up in recent weeks and usually cite, as evidence, specific votes he has taken as a lawmaker, and, sometimes, a few endorsements.

Some voters received mailers mentioning Ashford's endorsement just a few days after his death, some received text messages April 28.

Democrats are supporting RINO Brett Lindstrom for Governor! a text message read, following an emoji of a rainbow flag, which traditionally symbolizes LGBTQ pride.

The mailer and text messages listed Lindstroms endorsements from Ashford and former Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha. Krist served in the Legislature as a Republican and changed his party registration to Democratic when he challenged Gov. Pete Ricketts in his 2018 reelection race.

The text message also included Lindstroms endorsement from the leftist Teachers Union, a reference to the Nebraska State Education Association. And the mailer included that state Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb had given shoutouts to his running mate, Dave Rippe, on Twitter in the past. Rippe, who lives in Hastings, previously served as Ricketts' state director of economic development.

Lindstrom campaign spokesperson Pat Trueman said in a statement that Ashford was a "good man, committed to bridging the partisan divide and strengthening our community."

"Disparaging the dead is always wrong but it's particularly heinous to use Brad Ashford's good nature and bipartisanship to score cheap political points," he said.

But Ann Ashford sees the use of his name differently.

It saddens me that PACs, especially these dark money PACs, use these  and its characterized, always, as dog whistles  that somehow the other party, or any support from individuals outside of your party, is somehow demonic and should disqualify you, she said.

Ashford is no stranger to politics herself, having run as a Democrat to represent Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District in 2020. She lost in the primary.

Brad Ashford angered some Democrats when he went on to endorse Republican Rep. Don Bacon that year, Ashford said. But she doesn't recall his endorsement being used in this manner  to say that Bacon shouldnt be the Republican candidate because he had Ashfords backing.

My husband's legacy is that you represent everyone," Ashford said. "The voters who vote for you are not just in your party, and that you better darn well be willing to work with everyone where there's a good idea, to get it across the finish line, or you're still going to be sitting there in a futile endeavor.

Conservative Nebraska, the group behind the mailers and other anti-Lindstrom ads, originally targeted Conklin Co. CEO Charles W. Herbster, but has more recently shifted to target Lindstrom.

Public filings show that the group is primarily funded by Ricketts and his father, Joe Ricketts. Gov. Ricketts has endorsed Jim Pillen, a hog producer and University of Nebraska regent, in the race and has personally echoed similar criticisms of Lindstrom.

The governor gave $500,000 to the PAC March 14 and the elder Ricketts gave $100,000 March 8. Since then, the governor has donated another $775,000 and Joe Ricketts has donated another $50,000.

A handful of other donors gave between $500 and $2,500. A nonprofit that previously targeted Lindstrom, Restore the Good Life, gave $100,000. In all, the PAC has reported spending nearly $562,000 opposing Lindstrom (all after April 5) and nearly $570,000 opposing Herbster (largely before April 6).

Restore the Good Life is the only funding source reported by Say No To RINOs, the group behind the text message and other anti-Lindstrom efforts. Andrew La Grone, a former state senator, is listed as Say No To RINOs treasurer and property at the groups listed address is owned by La Grone and Sen. Julie Slama, who are married.

Ricketts appointed La Grone and Slama to the Legislature following the 2018 election. Slama went on to win a contentious election to keep her seat in 2020, while La Grone lost to Sen. Jen Day.

A public filing for the group includes two donations worth a combined $150,000 from Restore the Good Life for the reporting period Jan. 1 to April 25 and about $149,000 spent to oppose Lindstrom.

With a week left until election day, Ricketts' candidate of choice announced an endorsement from a prominent political figure who has also switched political parties: Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine.

Kleine was one of the states highest-profile Democrats until he switched parties in October 2020. Hes held office since 2007 and left the Democratic Party after its state central committee passed a resolution criticizing him. He said he was supporting Pillen because he understands that public safety and the safety of the citizens of the state of Nebraska is the most important thing in the role of government.

Hell be a law and order governor, Kleine said, protect Nebraskans and support law enforcement. Pillen's running mate is former U.S. Attorney Joe Kelly.

Trueman, with Lindstrom's campaign, called attention to Kleine's past in a statement after the endorsement: "Just as Pete Ricketts welcomed Don Kleine into the Republican Party, Brett welcomes his new supporters," he said.

Pillen did not offer a straight answer when asked how this endorsement from someone who has switched parties in the past is different from the endorsement of an opponent who has been criticized for the same.

Im just 100% focused on today and the next seven days, and focused on meeting Republicans, earning their vote, eyeball-to-eyeball, handshake-to-handshake, and I focus on today not last year, he said.

But Kleine pointed to the value of a governor who represents more than the party line.

I dont have any doubt that Jim Pillen and Joe Kelly are gonna be (in) the governors office for all Nebraskans, OK? No matter who they are or what party theyre in or what part of the state they live in," he said.

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Voter registration figures compiled on Tuesday show 6,440 more Nebraskans were registered as Republicans in May than there were in April along with a corresponding decline of 3,838 registered Democrats.

Those new figures provided an inexact indication that thousands of Democrats may have changed their registration to participate in the hotly contested Republican gubernatorial primary election.

Early voting The Lancaster County Election Commissioners Office, 601 N. 46th St., is open for in-person early voting ahead of Tuesdays primary election. The office opens weekdays at 8 a.m. and closes at 4:30 p.m. On Saturday it will be open from 9-11 a.m. and on Monday it will open at 7 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. Questions? Call the office at 402-441-7311.

The numbers were compiled by the secretary of state's office and marked the completion of voter registration to participate in the May 10 primary election.

"It is difficult to give exact numbers of where the voters are going or changing their party affiliation to and from," Assistant Secretary of State Cindi Allen said in providing the new figures.

"But you will be able to tell which party affiliation is growing prior to the primary election," she said.

Motivation is not measured in the voter registration process, but it does appear clear that thousands of Nebraska Democrats may have changed their voter registration to cast votes in the GOP gubernatorial race and there is plenty of evidence on Facebook, Twitter and in other online traffic to support that assumption.

Democratic State Chairwoman Jane Kleeb of Hastings said she recognizes it.

"Unlike when Republicans left their party after the (2020 presidential vote) insurrection and never came back, some Democrats temporarily have left the party in hopes to stop the worst of the radical Republicans running for governor," Kleeb said.

"We are confident they will be back as Democrats the day after the primary," she said.

Voter registration figures show an overwhelming Republican majority in the state: 602,410 Republicans; 346,526 Democrats; 268,136 nonpartisans.

With 18,267 Libertarians and 2,333 members of the Legal Marijuana NOW Party included, total voter registration is 1,237,672.

Republicans hold a majority over Democrats in 90 of 93 counties, all but Dakota, Douglas and Thurston counties.

In Lancaster County, the number of Democrats registered in April as compared to May dropped by 548 voters while the number of Republicans increased by 1,201.

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

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RTHK: Ukraine says Russia planning WWII parade in Mariupol

Ukraine on Wednesday accused Russia of planning to hold a military parade in the captured city of Mariupol on May 9 to celebrate victory over the Nazis in World War II.

Kyiv said an official from Russia's presidential administration had arrived in the strategic southern port city, which has been largely destroyed in Russia's more than two-month assault on Ukraine, to oversee plans for the Victory Day parade.

"Mariupol will become a centre of 'celebration'," Ukraine's military intelligence said in a statement on social media.

"The central streets of the city are urgently being cleaned of debris, bodies and unexploded ordnance."

Mariupol is one of the most battered cities in Ukraine. A group of Ukrainian forces are still holding out in its Azovstal steel plant.

"A large-scale propaganda campaign is under way. Russians will be shown stories about the 'joy' of locals on meeting the occupiers," it said.

Mariupol mayor Vadym Boichenko later told Ukrainian television there were ongoing "works" in the city, as if the Russians were preparing for something.

"They are removing signs of the crimes they have committed," he said.

The Ukrainian military on Tuesday said Russian troops had launched an offensive to rout troops inside Azovstal shortly after the United Nations and Red Cross confirmed the evacuation of more than 100 civilians from the site.

The Kremlin denied Russia was storming the plant on Wednesday, but Boichenko said there was "heavy fighting" there and that city officials had "lost contact" with the troops inside with no way of knowing "what's going on, whether they are safe or not".

In a briefing on the army's plan for May 9, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu made no mention of a celebratory march in Mariupol.

He said parades would take place in 28 cities, involving some 65,000 people, 2,400 pieces of military hardware and more than 400 aircraft.

Russians celebrate Victory Day every year on May 9 with military parades and public events commemorating the anniversary of the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

Moscow has said the aim of its massive offensive was to "de-militarise" and "de-Nazify" Ukraine. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-05-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
He majored in organic chemistry at Nebraska Wesleyan University, but the chemistry hes handling now has more to do with bringing people together to deal with a host of challenges and opportunities.

While his early career involved jobs at Li-Cor, Bio Nebraska and Rieke Metals, dealing with the chemistry he studied in college, Nebraska native Jason Ball spent nearly a decade outside the state in the graduate school of applied experiential learning with Chambers of Commerce in Kansas, South Dakota and Texas.

And, in 2022, he has boomeranged back to the city he says he calls home to be president of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.

Ball grew up in Sidney, Nebraska, the son of an attorney dad and first grade teacher mom. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Wesleyan, he held three jobs dealing with chemistry. Then, as he sought his Masters in Business Administration at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, he discovered a talent for developing and growing startups and supporting business.

After a period working with the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development, a public-private collaboration working to ensure Lincolns continued success as a place of business startups, business expansion and business recruitment, Ball headed to Hutchison, Kansas, where he worked with the Chamber of Commerce.

After several years there, he moved north again, this time to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he headed the chamber. And then, it was off to Round Rock, Texas, just on the northern edge of Austin and home of Dell Computer Company.

I learned a lot from these experiences outside of Lincoln, and Im thrilled to return home where I can apply some of what Ive learned, said Ball.

His wife, Sandy Ball, is a boomeranger, too, and is thrilled to return home as well. She hails from Omaha and has a degree in architecture from UNL. The Balls have two children: Bennett, 9, and Sadie, 6.

When asked why he and Sandy wanted to return to Lincoln, the very first word out of Jasons mouth was family. The two of them are happy to be back home near family. Then he added, The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce is an incredible organization, and Im excited to have the opportunity to return to provide leadership for the chamber. One of the real benefits we have in Lincoln that makes us the envy of so many other chambers is that our economic development, convention and tourism, and chamber operation are all under one umbrella. Our leadership is unified, we work together well, and we see loads of great opportunities ahead. Our chamber leadership is headed in the same direction. Were marching together for a brighter future for Lincoln.

Ball went on to note how Lincoln is a community with a history of cooperatively doing big things. The 2015 group, which resulted in the Pinnacle Bank Arena and significant Haymarket development, are recent examples.

One thing about Lincoln, noted Ball, is how the business community provides a lot of leadership, and the chamber is part of the leadership team.

What did he miss about Lincoln while living away?

I think Lincoln underestimates itself when it comes to restaurants and the food they serve, Ball quickly responded, listing a number of local restaurants. And, I was surprised at some of the growth that had happened while Sandy and I were away. The Haymarket, Telegraph District, south beltway are all fantastic developments.

Even while hes reacclimating to the city and whats happening here, Ball has a number of things he wants to work on. First on his list is the effort to handle our future storm water and consumable water needs.

We need a second source of water for the future, he said.

Next on the list is development along the South Beltway. Theres a lot of opportunity for business and housing with the new beltway nearing completion.

The list also includes a long-term plan for the Lincoln airport.

The air transportation industry has changed, and we need to work as a team to forge a strong future for our airport, Ball said.

He added that an innovation/convention center is necessary for Lincoln to be competitive in the future.

Ball possesses an obvious passion for the startup community. His early years were spent with three startups that began and grew in Lincoln. The time he spent with the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development was when NU Tech Ventures was established to pioneer partnerships for innovation. He sees very positive connections with the banking world, our higher education institutions and the Chamber.

Responding to a suggestion that he is like a chemical catalyst, Ball quickly noted, Im more like the mortar between the bricks, helping hold things together as we build a great future for Lincoln.

I have so much respect for Wendy Birdsall and how shes helped Lincoln grow, he said about his predecessor. It is humbling and an honor to get to come back to Lincoln. Ive already connected with a lot of people in our community, I am excited to be part of the tradition Lincoln has, and Im looking forward to working with the Chamber board to plan the next phases.

Jason Ball may be an organic chemist by training, but his experience clearly shows he is good at the chemistry of working with people to accomplish good things.

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A Minnesota man allegedly nearly struck multiple cars during a police chase on Interstate 94 before telling an officer he thought about running because No cop can catch me, but still allowed himself to be arrested.

Leonardo Garcia, 27, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, was charged with three felony counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety and a felony count of attempting to flee or elude an officer.

According to a criminal complaint:

On Friday, a deputy with the Racine County Sheriffs Office attempted a traffic stop of a vehicle that was speeding on Interstate 94 near Highway 11. The vehicle then accelerated away, reaching speeds around 100 mph, and nearly struck two or three other vehicles. The pursuit was terminated after 5.9 miles.

The deputy was then advised that the vehicle was found by officers from the Oak Creek Police Department and all of the occupants were arrested. One of the occupants said she was the front passenger and that Garcia was driving. She said they pulled off of the interstate and attempted to steal a tire from another vehicle to replace their damaged one. The back passenger said that she was yelling at Garcia to stop but he refused. She also said Garcia debated trying to run from the scene, but everyone told him to stop.

The deputy spoke with Garcia, who admitted to being the driver and said that when he saw the police lights he did not know why he was being pulled over. He said he did not stop because he was tired and wanted to get home to Minneapolis. He said he thought about running because No cop can catch me.

Garcia was given a $1,000 cash bond in Racine County Circuit Court on Monday. A preliminary hearing is on May 11 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave., online court records show.

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RACINE  Racine Lutheran High School is expanding its footprint. Literally.

The parochial schools $8.2 million expansion is underway as the school year nears its end.

According to Racine Lutheran, the school is bursting at the seams with its enrollment and thus is expanding onto land it already owns. Enrollment is currently around 300 students.

Our three Lutheran feeder schools  St. Johns (510 Kewaunee St.), Trinity (2065 Geneva St.) and Concordia (3350 Lathrop Ave.)  are full, Dave Burgess, RLHSs executive director-principal, said in a Tuesday morning phone interview.

Our building is full of history. But unfortunately, over the past few years, we have not been able to accept almost 20% of our incoming students, due to a lack of space, states a fundraising video from the school.

Located at 251 Luedtke Ave., the school building is expanding north toward Spring Street. Burgess said construction is expected to be complete by February or March 2023.

Groundbreaking was on March 7.

Within the project, 37,800 square feet are being added, and 11,660 square feet are being renovated.

The Racine Parental Choice Program has increased by 30% over the past six years, and projections indicate that this growth trend will continue, Burgess said. We are now faced with both a challenge and opportunity to expand the school to accommodate growth in enrollment, and to prepare for future students, all while providing some of the best educational opportunities possible.

Burgess said Tuesday that plans for the expansion began about seven years ago, prior to local Foxconn hype about a surge in new residents that never materialized.

This has been on the table for some time within my office, working on plans, Burgess said.

The expansion is to include seven new classrooms, a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) laboratory, gymnasium, locker room, fitness center and resource center.

Burgess added that the school building, built in the 1940s, is in dire need of improvements, in part because of handicap accessibility issues.

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Almost all abortions could soon become illegal in Wisconsin after a leaked majority opinion draft, published by Politico, showed the U.S. Supreme Court conservative majoritys plan to overturn the landmark 1973 case Roe v. Wade.

Wisconsins abortion ban, made unenforceable by Roe, was originally put in place in 1849. It would not take hold until the majority opinion is published, so long as the court does not change course. That could happen by this summer.

For the time being, abortion remains mostly legal nationwide. In Wisconsin, abortions are legal before the 21st week of pregnancy.

There are no clinics that provide legal abortions in Racine County. According to Planned Parenthood, there are only four such clinics in Wisconsin: two in Milwaukee, one in Madison and another in Sheboygan. Additionally, some hospitals perform abortions if the fetus has a lethal condition or the mothers life is at risk.

The Wisconsin ban that could be re-legalized has almost no exceptions. Abortions in the cases of rape or incest would still be a felony, as would abortions where a mothers life is in danger unless that danger has been verified by two physicians, according to Lisa Boyce, communications advisor for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.

If Roe is overturned, Wisconsins existing law dictates that destroying the life of an unborn child would constitute a Class H felony, punishable by up to six years of combined prison time and extended supervision and a fine of up to $10,000, or both. The willful killing of an unborn quick child, or a fetus that has developed to the stage that it moves within the womb of the mother, would be a Class E felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and five years of extended supervision.

Should abortions be made illegal in Wisconsin, Boyce said it would still be legal for those seeking abortions to cross state lines to get an abortion. For local residents, that would likely include a trip to Illinois.

Boyce said, in a Tuesday afternoon phone interview, that should abortion be made illegal in Wisconsin, The volume of patients going to states besides their own to access abortion care could be overwhelming.

Dr. Douglas Laube said he and other providers have talked about starting a new clinic in South Beloit or elsewhere in northern Illinois.

The move would be a form of mild civil disobedience, said Laube, who performs abortions at Planned Parenthood in Madison, and is a former chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Some doctors might also continue providing medical abortions with pills in Wisconsin, especially in Dane and Milwaukee counties, where district attorneys are not likely to enforce the 1849 ban, as state Attorney General Josh Kaul has said he will not.

When asked on if she would enforce Wisconsins abortion ban, Racine County District Attorney Tricia Hanson said in an email It would be premature for me to comment before there is a final decision from the Court.

La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke said he doesnt support the decision to overturn the federal protection of abortion rights, but that he would still need to enforce a state ban on abortions that would come.

Kaul, who is seeking reelection this fall, said Tuesday that, because of the importance of the freedom at stake, but also because of the need to use our resources as efficiently as possible, the Wisconsin Department of Justice will not be using its resources to investigate or prosecute alleged violations of the states 19th-century abortion ban, which could take hold if Roe is overturned this summer.

Fond du Lac County district attorney and Republican candidate for attorney general Eric Toney said in a Tuesday statement that abortion laws always should have been a state issue.

I am pro-life and I will enforce and defend the laws as passed by the legislature and signed into law, Toney said. Josh Kaul has demonstrated he is nothing more than a politician seeking to defend the laws he agrees with and virtually ignore laws he disagrees with.

Fellow GOP attorney general candidate Adam Jarchow, a former state representative from Balsam Lake, said in an email that Kaul's "unwillingness to enforce the laws of Wisconsin should disqualify him from the job of Attorney General...

"As a pro-life father of two, I will always support the right to life," Jarchow said.

Toney and Jarchow will meet in the Aug. 9 primary. The winner will go on to face Kaul in the Nov. 8 election.

Adam Rogan of The Journal Times, and Olivia Herken and David Wahlberg of Lee Newspapers contributed to this report.

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RACINE  Gloria Schumacher has seen firsthand the evolution of Belle City Square, on the 2100 block of Northwestern Avenue.

The development, formerly the site of Horlicks Malted Milk Co., stood vacant for decades and was a magnet for crime. With recent renovations, though, Schumacher, principal at the nearby John Paul II Academy, believes the development is helping the community.

Belle City Square is turning the city around in a very positive way, said Schumacher.

The second stage of the multimillion-dollar renovations at Belle City Square, a partnership between J. Jeffers & Co. and the City of Racine, was unveiled Tuesday when The William apartment building opened. It is named after William Horlick.

The former Horlick Manufacturing bell announced the opening of the new building, tolling as several dozen people toured the apartments. The bell, crafted in 1911, was restored and will now ring every day at noon and 3:41 p.m., the same time as a bell at neighboring Gilmore Fine Arts school. It previously served as the lunch bell for Horlick workers.

Alderman Marcus West represents the citys 8th District, where The William is located. He hopes the apartments can attract new people to Racine and keep residents in the area.

The 8th District has been through a lot, obviously, with the crime, with some of the poverty issues that we had in this specific area, West said. I think something like this gives families hope.

Brenda White, president of Siena Catholic Schools of Racine which includes John Paul II Academy, attended the opening and said the building represents growth in so many ways.

That includes providing local jobs. According to a news release, work on The William had 29% disadvantaged business participation and 35% minority participation, including 16 people through the Racine Works Program. J. Jeffers reported its partners included AG Architecture, Heritage Consulting, CG Schmidt and Founders3.

West said those jobs were crucial, noting that skilled workers in minority communities are often overlooked.

For me personally, being a person of color, I thought it was very important because we are underrepresented and we are underutilized, and I think that we have a lot of minority businesses that can do great work, West said. Building up your community is impactful, not only for the individuals that are being impacted, but potentially for generations to come.

West added that the apartment building can accommodate working class people that dont want to buy a home.

The William includes 86 market-rate apartments ranging from studio to three bedrooms. At the top of the building sits the restored clock tower and bell.

Scott Schwebel, J. Jeffers chief marketing officer, said the company wanted to restore that once iconic experience back to the city.

West said the city wanted to continue the buildings tradition while adding modern amenities.

Schumacher appreciated that mix.

Its brand new, but its got history to it, she said.

West aims for the building to provide apartments for people new to Racine and a living space for area residents to strive toward.

I think if we place facilities like this in that environment, these families say, Hey, I would like to live in a facility like this, West said. Theyre in a safe, clean environment that may give them more inspiration to do better  Although this is not one of the richest sectors in Racine, were getting it to where it looks as if it would be a phenomenal area.

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Sauk County Circuit Court Judge Michael Screnock set a $1 million cash bond Friday for two Baraboo men accused of sexually assaulting a child over more than year and making videos of the assaults.

Keith A. D. Whiting, 28, and Samuel R. Walter, 27, appeared in court Friday, each facing felony counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child and child exploitation. Walter was charged with exploitation as a party to a crime.

Screnock ordered the bond for each man separately with the conditions that they have no contact with anyone under the age of 18. A condition of Walters bail is that he also have no contact with Whiting.

Whiting, who also has a connection to a Merrimac address, turned himself into the courthouse April 21, according to the criminal complaint, after a warrant was issued April 14 for his arrest in connection to possession of child sexual abuse imagery. Walter was arrested on a warrant in the following days.

According to the criminal complaint against both Whiting and Walter:

A person in a personal craft along the Baraboo River called police after finding a duffel bag in the water near a bridge along State Highway 113, slightly north of the Little Iowa public boat launch. The person opened the bag to find three laptops, roughly eight cell phones, external hard drives and other electronic storage devices, which prompted the call to the Baraboo Police Department.

Chief Mark Schauf met with the person, who said the bag was weighed down with brick or concrete and that it had to be dragged onto land.

Det. Erik Oakeson noted in the complaint that the bag did not seem to have much wear or any build up of sediment from the river, indicating it had been placed in the water recently. Police found there was also a smart watch in the bag. The watch was working, as well as a cell phone. Detectives found the passcodes for the devices were Walters birthday and that information on the watch showed it belonged to Whiting.

Officers were able to access data on SD cards pulled from a computer, which contained video files of Whiting and Walter engaging in various acts of sexual assault and grooming of a prepubescent child, beginning when the child was 12 years old, the complaint said.

Video files had dates spanning from February 2019 to January 2020. The men in the video were identified as Whiting and Walter while the child, who would have been 12 and 13 years old at the time the videos were taken, was also eventually identified.

Whiting had been charged in early April with four counts of child pornography possession after police received a cybertip that Whiting had used Snapchat, an app used to share videos and photos which disappear after seen, to share images of naked, prepubescent children. There were also files found of children being assaulted, which were connected to Whitings Discord account, an instant messaging service which uses individual servers for subscribers to share messages, according to the complaint.

Walter told police when questioned that he knew the childs age and that the videos were only for personal use and he never posted or shared them with anyone else, the complaint said. Walter said Whiting never shared any Discord channels with him or any content of other nude children or children being sexually assaulted, according to the complaint.

Both Walter and Whiting are scheduled to return to court June 20 for a preliminary hearing.

Follow Bridget on Twitter @cookebridget or contact her at 608-745-3513.

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As COVID-19 hospitalizations inch up again in Wisconsin and virus levels rise in Madison wastewater, health officials are urging people at high risk for severe complications from coronavirus infections to take antiviral drugs that were initially scarce but are now plentiful.

These are available throughout the state, Dr. Jon Meiman, a chief medical officer with the state Department of Health Services, said Tuesday of the drugs Paxlovid and Lagevrio, noting Paxlovid has been shown to reduce hospitalizations and deaths by up to 88%. Theres a lot of potential benefit there.

Supply of the oral antivirals, authorized in December to treat COVID-19 patients, initially was low. But with a recent boost, the state has now received 12,740 patient courses of Paxlovid and 2,888 courses of Lagevrio. However, as of Friday, only 23% of Paxlovid and 6% of Lagevrio courses had been dispensed to patients.

Patients at high risk for complications  such as those who are older or have compromised immune systems  should get tested for COVID-19 promptly if they develop symptoms, Meiman said. If they test positive, he said, they should talk with their doctors about whether to take the antivirals, which must be started within five days after symptoms begin.

Nearly 350 pharmacies in the state have one or both drugs. Sixteen pharmacies with adjoining clinics are involved in a related federal test-to-treat program.

As of Tuesday, 242 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the state, down from 245 on Monday but up from 202 a week earlier and a recent low of 136 on April 19. Dane County had 24 COVID-19 hospitalizations, down from 33 a week earlier.

The Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District had a major increase in coronavirus levels from April 24 to April 28, a departure from most recent reports in which the district had steady virus levels. As fewer people get tested for COVID-19 and more turn to home testing, for which results typically are not included in reported cases, health officials nationwide are increasingly looking at wastewater to gauge coronavirus trends.

Dane County has had a recent uptick in reported cases of COVID-19, joining four other counties in having medium COVID-19 community levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Barron and Rusk counties have high levels and the rest of the state is considered low.
On paper, Wisconsins statute banning abortions  which has never been repealed but has been unenforceable for nearly 50 years after the U.S. Supreme Courts landmark ruling in Roe v. Wade  would once again become the law of the land if the court repeals Roe this summer as expected.

In practice, the future of abortion in Wisconsin could play out in the courts for years to come.

Attorneys and other legal experts on both sides of the question were still processing Justice Samuel Alitos leaked majority opinion and formulating strategies Wednesday. But a few legal avenues were emerging.

Abortion-rights groups, for example, could argue that the Wisconsin Constitution guarantees the right to privacy, the same basis upon which the high court found the U.S. Constitution protected a womans right to abortion. Groups could also argue that the state Constitutions recognition of a right of liberty also protects a womans right to choose an abortion.

On the other hand, a group opposed to abortion could bring a lawsuit in the opposite direction to declare that unborn children are persons entitled to protection under the Wisconsin Constitutions right to life, said Dan Lennington, deputy counsel at the conservative legal group Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty.

Wisconsins suspended abortion ban isnt the only state law that would be in play. A related statute prohibits abortions after the fetus has reached viability  the same standard established by Roe  but carves out an exemption for women whose health could be endangered by continuing the pregnancy. Abortion-rights groups could argue the health exemption extends to a womans emotional and mental health.

Another avenue abortion-rights proponents could argue is that a Wisconsin law that has lain dormant for so long, like the 1849 statute that bans abortions in all cases except for when the mothers life is in danger, not for rape or incest, is unenforceable. A legal theory known as the desuetude doctrine allows statutes that havent been enforced over a period of time to lapse.

Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul has cited that doctrine as a way to challenge the states long-suspended ban. Kaul stopped short of saying whether the Department of Justice would challenge the ban, saying agency attorneys are examining all options. Still, he predicted very significant litigation.

This is a hugely important issue, UW-Madison law professor David Schwartz said. I would expect a preemptive lawsuit seeking a declaration clarifying the ban is still valid and enforceable. I think it will be a big mess.

The venue for resolving those arguments, the state Supreme Court, is currently dominated by conservative justices. But in 2023, with conservative Justice Patience Roggensacks upcoming retirement, liberals have a chance to gain a court majority.

Conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley once called abortion a holocaust of our children, though she made those comments in the 1990s and later apologized for them. Fellow conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn, who has sometimes served as a swing vote, once wrote Planned Parenthood was a wicked organization more committed to killing babies than to helping women and said Roe should be overturned.

For now, Lennington said, The only thing preventing a district attorney and the police from investigating and prosecuting a crime under the abortion statute is Roe v. Wade.

Up in the air

Wisconsins three district attorneys in counties with abortion clinics havent said whether they would enforce the ban, though Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm told multiple media outlets he doesnt believe prosecutors and law enforcement will want to get involved in abortion enforcement. Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne did not respond to a request for comment.

Kaul told the Wisconsin State Journal on Tuesday he has no plans to enforce a ban.

In any case, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin said it would stop providing abortions in the state if Roe is overturned unless courts have determined the states ban cannot be enforced, spokesperson Mike Murray said.

But if nothing is done, emergency room doctors faced with a pregnant woman in distress would have to call their hospitals attorneys to see if they can legally perform an abortion, he said.

Youre going to have attorneys probably playing a pretty significant role in whether or not incredibly sick pregnant women can get the health care they need in Wisconsin, Murray said. We certainly do not think the abortion ban should spring back to life.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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MADISON  A second Dane County judge has ordered Republicans who launched former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gablemans ongoing review of the 2020 election to halt the destruction of public records.

Dane County Circuit Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihn issued the order Wednesday, noting that she is astounded that such a decision was necessary, given that Gableman, who was hired by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, to lead the review last year at a cost of $676,000 to taxpayers, should be well aware of Wisconsins public records law. Attorneys for Gableman have said the former justice is exempt from retaining records and his office regularly destroys records deemed irrelevant or useless.

Im just astounded because the Office of Special Counsel is composed of somebody who apparently should know better, Bailey-Rihn said to attorney Ronald Stadler, who is representing Vos in the case.

Christa Westerberg, an attorney for American Oversight, said there is evidence that Gableman deleted records between June 1 and August 30 of last year. She added that the organization has received just 27 pages of documents from Gableman in response to the request.

Stadler, who has said all available records have been provided, said he, the Assembly, Vos and Assembly Clerk Ted Blazel, who is also named in the case, have no ability to prevent Gableman from deleting records.

Im just struggling with the idea that somebody is above the law and why should I not tell you to tell him what the law is? He should know it, Bailey-Rihn said.

It sounds like its necessary for me to order you to tell him to not delete records, which frankly astounds me because there is some evidence that these records have been deleted, Bailey-Rihn added. Now I dont know when. Is that continuing? I dont know. Whats the explanation for that, other than your clients cant control their contractors?

Stadler pushed back against comments that the Assembly or Vos has no control over Gableman, adding that the former justices interpretation of the law will be vetted in a separate case. In that case, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Frank Remington ordered Gableman to not delete or destroy any records that may be responsive to American Oversights original request.

I dont think its necessarily accurate to say that anyone is thumbing their nose at the law or thumbing their nose at either court, Stadler said. I think theres a dispute as to what the law provides and what it covers.

An analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Council back in October found that deleting such records, even by a state contractor like Gableman, violates state law.

Speaker Voss ever-expanding list of excuses  they dont exist, theyve been deleted, we cant control our contractors  for failing to produce records to which Wisconsin citizens are legally entitled dont ring true, American Oversight senior adviser Melanie Sloan said in a statement. Next, hell claim the dog ate them. This deliberate effort to deprive the public of information undermines our democracy and the rule of law.

American Oversight has filed three cases against Gableman, Vos and the Assembly seeking public records related to Gablemans review of the 2020 election.

Vos, who had previously indicated plans to begin wrapping up Gablemans review by the time his contract expired at the end of April, said last week Gablemans office will remain open as we guarantee the legal power of our legislative subpoenas and get through the other lawsuits that have gridlocked this investigation. Vos extension of Gablemans contract came one day after former President Donald Trump, who has continued to make unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud in states like Wisconsin in the 2020 election, issued a statement pressuring state Republicans to keep Gablemans review open.

A recount, court decisions and multiple reviews have affirmed that President Joe Biden defeated Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes. Only 24 people out of nearly 3.3 million who cast ballots have been charged with election fraud in Wisconsin.

Gableman has issued subpoenas to local and state election officials, the mayors of the states five largest cities and two companies that make vote-counting systems, Election Systems & Software and Dominion Voting Systems. Many of the subpoenaed parties have rejected Gablemans requests for in-person meetings or documents, while the former state Supreme Court justice has also withdrawn some requests, including one filed with immigrant rights group Voces de la Frontera Action.

Gablemans subpoenas have been met with a slew of legal challenges, with Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul filing a lawsuit in October challenging Gablemans authority to demand in-person interviews. Kaul has argued demanding private interviews outside a public setting is illegal.

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BUFFALO, Minn. (AP)  The Minnesota Court of Appeals has sided with a man who said he shouldn't have been fined for flying a huge Donald Trump flag atop a crane over his business, calling it a protected expression of free speech.

The Buffalo City Council had found the 30- by 50-foot (9- by 15-meter) flag that Jay Johnson flew over his construction business in 2020 violated a local sign ordinance because of its size and because Johnson did not have a permit. The flag read: TRUMP 2020 Keep America Great.

The council fined Johnson $600.

In its ruling Monday, the appeals court reversed the council's decision.

It said the city ordinance does not apply to noncommercial speech and that it impermissibly creates a content-based regulation of speech.

It was unclear if the city planned to appeal to the state Supreme Court. A city attorney did not respond the the newspaper's request for comment.

We believe one of the bedrock foundations in this country is you cant publicly punish someone for their political speech," said Johnson's attorney Aaron Dean.

Johnson, 55, said he displayed the flag before the 2020 presidential campaign. After Democrat Joe Biden was declared the winner, police stopped by and told Johnson he had 10 days to take it down. Johnson removed the flag, but reconsidered and briefly put it back up in April 2021.

Johnson said he plans to hoist the Trump flag anew and will hold an event to herald its return.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Star Tribune.

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Support for stationing police officers in schools was about the same among white and non-white Wisconsin residents surveyed this year by the states police union, even as there continue to be sharp differences by race in perceptions of police violence.

The 10th annual Wisconsin Professional Police Association survey found that 63% of respondents believed school-based officers  often referred to as school resource officers, or SROs  increase school safety. Researchers found no statistically significant difference in that level of support by race. Five percent believed the positions decrease school safety, and 25% said they did neither. The rest were not sure.

WPPA executive director Jim Palmer said the group asked about SROs for the first time this year because they continue to be a contentious issue and because the union wanted to test assertions made by activists about how non-white people feel about SROs.

Frankly, we were surprised to see that a majority of both whites and minorities appear to believe that school resource officers increase school safety, he said. That certainly contradicts the representations of those that have advocated for removing school resource officers in communities such as Madison.

The Madison School Board removed SROs from the districts four main high schools in June 2020 in the wake of protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 and after years of anti-SRO lobbying led by local social justice group Freedom Inc.

Those opposed to having police in schools point to disproportionately high arrest and school discipline rates for Black students and say the presence of officers fosters the school-to-prison pipeline.

District spokesperson Tim LeMonds said the district has not surveyed district residents about SROs, but that in the 2019-20 school year, the district did engage students and staff in discussions to gather their feedback on a proposed pilot program which would have removed an SRO from one of our four high schools. An April 23, 2020, memo from then-interim superintendent Jane Belmore said the data gathered from the high schools can be summarized as supportive of keeping SROs in schools, and no principal was interested in participating in the pilot.

In the one School Board race in April for which two people were on the ballot, the candidate in favor of returning officers to the high schools beat the candidate opposed to it.

Police violence

Cross-racial agreement on police in schools didnt extend to issues of police violence. Seventy-eight percent of non-white respondents agreed that police violence against Blacks or African Americans in Wisconsin is an extremely or moderately serious problem, while only 51% percent of whites felt the same. Similarly, white respondents were more than twice as likely (50%) as non-white respondents (21%) to see the killings of minorities by police as isolated incidents.

However, similar percentages of whites and non-whites rated racism in society as a major or somewhat of a problem, although non-white respondents were more likely to say it was a major problem.

Response to such race-related questions wasnt much different from last years survey, which asked the same questions.

Palmer said the differences between white and non-white respondents may suggest areas where law enforcement may have re-evaluate its minority outreach efforts or reconsider the ways by which it communicates with communities of color.

Police shootings

The WPPA again this year includes a perceptions-versus-reality section in which it sought to dispel myths about police shootings. Both the 2021 and 2022 surveys asked if the majority of people fatally shot by police last year were armed and whether the majority of people shot by police were Black or members of another minority group, and in both years respondents answers didnt match reality.

Sixty percent of respondents, including 40% of non-white respondents, believed the majority of people fatally shot last year were armed. In reality, 100% of them were, according to WPPA.

Fifty percent of white respondents and 69% of non-white respondents also believed that the majority of people shot by police last year were non-white. In reality, six of the 27 people shot by police last year were non-white, according to WPPA.

The figures tend to line up with other data on police shootings. Since 2015, 111 people have been shot and killed by police in Wisconsin, according to the Washington Post database of fatal police shootings. Sixty-five were white, 24 were Black, and all but five or six of them were armed.

Black people account for about 7% of the population in Wisconsin, according to U.S. Census data. But the rate at which Black people are shot by police roughly corresponds with the rate at which they are arrested for violent crimes. About 45% of those arrested for aggravated assault last year in Wisconsin, for example, were Black, according to state Department of Justice statistics. Nationally, 209,848 white people and 129,346 Black people were arrested for violent crimes in 2019, according to FBI statistics.

The unions online survey of 1,119 Wisconsin residents was conducted by the St. Norbert College Strategic Research Institute from Feb. 11 to Feb. 21 and was weighted to reflect the states demographic profile. Its margin of error is plus or minus 5 percentage points.

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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.

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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 early will become overcast later during the night. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.
KEARNEY  The two Republicans campaigning to replace Buffalo Countys retiring assessor have never held public office, but both have experience in public service and property valuation.

One of the GOP candidates, Nora Borer, is the current assessors second in command, while the other Republican candidate, Roy Meusch, is a commercial field assistant in the assessors office.

No Democrat filed in the assessor race. That means that one of the two Republican candidates will win that partys nomination in Tuesdays primary election and be a shoo-in for the county assessors office  barring a write-in candidate in the Nov. 8 general election.

When Borer and Meusch filed for election, both filled out a candidate questionnaire for the Hub.

Candidates were asked to keep their comments to 50 words. Here are their responses:

NORA BORER

Town: Kearney

Office Sought: Buffalo County Assessor

Current Elective Office: None

Years in That Office: N/A

Prior Elective Offices: None

Occupation: Deputy Buffalo County Assessor

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

To use my experience to develop fair values. Strengths: My knowledge of statutes, legal descriptions, MIPS computer system, state reports, budgeting, claims and many other duties gained in my 14 years with the Assessors Office. A good working relationship with Nebraska Department of Revenue and our computer software programmers.

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

Property values.

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

I would ask for a countywide reappraisal to get uniformity and consistency in the valuations. I would assign each field appraisal assistant their own area of the county to be responsible for so they become familiar with it and notice changes, know how things sell and possible unique situation.

ROY MEUSCH

Town: Kearney

Office Sought: Buffalo County Assessor

Current Elective Office: None

Years in That Office: None

Prior Elective Offices: None

Occupation: Commercial Field Assistant  Assessors Office

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

I am seeking the office of Buffalo County Assessor because I believe my 30 years of experience in the real estate market will be beneficial in setting fair and reputable market values in Buffalo County. My background and experience are a great fit to lead the Assessors Office

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

Buffalo County residents tell me that there seems to be no rhyme or reason for their property value. With my extensive knowledge of the real estate market, the Assessors Office will set accurate values that taxpayers trust, while also educating residents on how those values were created.

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

Communication and building trust will be a priority for me. I will work diligently to gain the confidence of taxpayers by creating an office that provides quality customer service to the public and ensures their concerns are heard. I will strive to lead this office with integrity and excellence.
GIBBON  Gibbon Public Schools aims to provide opportunities for their students that help them thrive in real-world settings.

During the past year, the school has been updating much of its technology and bringing in new equipment for elementary through high school students.

When the ESSER or the American Rescue Funds came through, part of those funds we could allocate resources for career and technical education. As a result of that funding, we have focused on ratcheting up our current technical programs and introducing an agricultural program, said Gibbon Superintendent Dr. Vern Fisher.

The school has dedicated $154,000 to fund the agricultural program, $48,500 to industrial technology, $39,000 to program development and $24,000 to art. Providing students with career technical education gives them a chance to see what they may experience after they finish high school.

It gives our kids an opportunity to engage. We want to move beyond the simple notion of an academic standard and acquiring skills to be successful on a standardized test. We want to take those standards and take those skills, take those behaviors and apply them in real world settings, Fisher explained.

As part of the agricultural program, the school is building a greenhouse. They are currently seeking an agricultural teacher  a highly sought-after position  to head up the program. Until then, they plan to use the greenhouse for science classes.

We want kids pre-K-12 involved with our greenhouse. So although there was an agricultural intent with it, there was also a second goal of building science into that, said Fisher. Growing plants, getting involved with plants soil, plant science or agribusiness kind of concepts, connecting them to real world experiences that may pique the interest of some kids to consider, I may want to get into an agricultural business later on in life.

GPS has focused on upgrading equipment for the industrials arts with all new welding equipment that would be equivalent to what professionals use in the field as well as updating safety features. The shop will have a CNC router machine, a desktop plasma cutter and equipment to do digital drafting. The art department received new computers for students to learn digital design. The school also has career and technical education labs in the elementary and high school.

Students will be able to explore a variety of skills in the labs. The high school lab will feature sewing and embroidery machines to give the students a chance to learn about textile careers and marketing, said Technology Integration Specialist Deanna Stall. The space will feature 3D printers, a laser cutter machine called a Glowforge, virtual reality goggles and a video production space. They will be able to work with smart home technology, such as Amazon Alexa or doorbell cameras, to learn how to set up the equipment.

Elementary students will have their own equipment to experiment and learn with in their lab. Along with a space to build with blocks, Magna-Tiles and Lincoln Logs, kids can use their iPads to create designs and have them printed on the 3D printer. Student can practice digital storytelling space with lights, microphones, tripods and a goPro. There will be a coding space with different technology for students as young as kindergarten.

Its very exciting, Stall said about the new equipment and opportunities at the school.

The federal funding has allowed Gibbon Public Schools to plan for the future and put more focus on CTE that is relevant for kids and equips them with skills that will make them employable, Fisher said.

Honestly on the academic side, we want to do well on any kind of indicator that were judged in terms of quality, and were working hard in that regard as well. But kids need to apply the skills that they learn in ways that will reinforce that depth of knowledge but also create either a love for that field or a better understanding of whats required should they consider moving into that field, he said.
KEARNEY  Heroes.

Thats what Gov. Pete Ricketts called the entire staff of the Two Rivers Public Health Department as it celebrated its national accreditation by the Public Health Accreditation Board Tuesday afternoon.

Two Rivers did phenomenal work during the pandemic, Ricketts, dressed in a sport jacket, blue jeans and cowboy boots, said. Local public health departments were the first line of defense against COVID. Two Rivers was the first health department in Nebraska to get one-third of people over age 65 vaccinated against COVID. The best work is done on the local level.

The PHAB accreditation, held by just 44% of the health departments across the state, is a feather in the Two Rivers cap, especially since COVID invaded during the intricate seven-year accreditation process.

Jeremy Eschliman, health director at Two Rivers, said, We hope meeting national standards will reassure our community, our partner organizations, our funders and our elected officials that our services are as responsive as possible to the needs of our community,

During the ceremony, Pat Lopez, health director of the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department, called accreditation a long, arduous process that began in 2015. I cant say enough about Jeremy and his team here, she added.

Brady Beecham, a Lexington physician who is medical director at Two Rivers, joked that Eschliman had assured me this would be a small position when he knocked on her door and asked her to serve on the board.

That first year, we had a bat with rabies and blue algae on a lake, she said. Then along came the pandemic.

During COVID-19, Two Rivers played a critical role in this region documenting cases, doing contact tracing, storing vaccines when they were introduced, and setting up vaccination clinics throughout its seven counties. Since January 2021, Two Rivers has provided over 21,000 COVID-19 vaccinations.

But all that work during COVID increased Two Rivers public visibility, Beecham added.

Eschliman credited dozens of local people and institutions, including both Kearney hospitals, for their assistance during the pandemic. Without their help, its impossible to do what we do, he said. By continuing to improve our services and performance, we can effectively meet the public health needs of those we serve.

The ceremonies took place under a tent in the Two Rivers parking lot on a chilly May day. Two Rivers moved into that site in June 2020 when it consolidated its three-person Holdrege office and its six-person Kearney office on Sixth Avenue.

Just 16 months later, in October 2121, Two Rivers expanded, adding added five offices and a second conference room. It now has 17 offices, two conference rooms, a small kitchen, a waiting room, a vaccine room, a procedural room and two storage areas.

Two Rivers had 45 employees during the height of the pandemic. It now has 33, including 23 full-time.

Along with its diminishing COVID-19 work, Two Rivers is working on:

- Outbreaks of influenza and gastrointestinal illnesses.

- A West Nile Virus Program to monitor the number of mosquitoes in its seven-county area, test mosquitoes for diseases and prevent the spread of those diseases.

- Implementing disease surveillance of sexually transmitted infections throughout its counties, which include Buffalo, Dawson, Franklin, Gosper, Harlan, Kearney and Phelps.

- Its LifeSmiles Dental Program has delivered over 1,300 dental screenings to elementary school children.

- Partnering with the state Department of Health and Human Services to monitor lead levels in water in schools and daycare centers.

Two Rivers is one of 23 health departments in the state created by the state Legislature in 2001. It includes Buffalo, Dawson, Franklin, Gosper, Harlan, Kearney and Phelps counties.
Vernon County meetings

General Government Committee meets at 9:30 a.m. May 4th, 2022 at Vernon County Boardroom and Zoom. Personnel, IT, Buildings & Facilities, Grants, Legal / Policy updates; Voucher Approval; Administrator Report; any other business

Infrastructure Committee meets 9:30 a.m. May 10, 2022 County Board Room and Zoom. Review of Infrastructure Bills; Department Head Reports/ Project Updates; any other business.

The Board of Health will meet on Tuesday May 10th , 2022 at 12:30 pm from the 2nd Floor Health Department Conference Room of the Erlandson Office Building. Meeting collaboration via Zoom for members to attend. Due to COVID-19 case count activity, zoom attendance is encouraged. Masking encouraged during times of moderate to high transmission rates of COVID-19. If you wish to listen to or participate in this meeting you can do so by clicking on this link: https://vernoncounty-org.zoom.us/j/87626911588?pwd=YkNrTTRyWG84K2s2VmRmODR4cGlpdz09 Or join by phone: Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago), +1 929 205 6099 US (New York), +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) Meeting ID: 876 2691 1588 Passcode: 440441

Coroners Report; Public Health Preparedness; WIC Program; Environmental Health Activities and Programs; meeting date

Public Safety Committee meets on Thursday, May 12, 2022, at 9:30 a.m., Conference Room of the Sheriffs Office and via ZOOM Conference Call. Review minutes, Review and vote on invoices  Sheriff and Emergency Management, Sheriffs Activity Report, Emergency Management Directors Report, Annual Facility Walk Through (Sheriffs Office), Emergency Management Presentation, Item Consideration for Next Meeting, Confirm Next Meeting Date, and Adjournment.

Land and Water Conservation Committee meets Thursday, May 12th at 10:30 am Zoom Meeting: https://vernoncounty-org.zoom.us/j/8801801336?pwd=VkRvSlVqZXljQTc5bEpMVUlETmk2Zz09 Meeting ID: 880 180 1336 Passcode: W5hU6k Phone: 1-312-626-6799 Election of Board Chairman, Election of Board Vice Chairman, Selection of Farm Representative, Introduction of Conservation Specialist, Appointing LCD Representatives to the Western Area Board, Parks Update, Approval to Bid Out Dam Inspections, Non Metallic Mining Clockmaker Quarry Reclamation Plan Update, Avalanche Restoration Project, Vehicle Lease Program, Watershed Planning Update, Accounts Manager Report. Educator Reports, Area Extension Director Report, Approval to Hire a New Senior Administrative Assistant.

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La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke said he doesn't support the decision to overturn the federal protection on abortion rights, but that he would still need to enforce a state ban on abortions that would come.

This could be a reality if a draft opinion from the Supreme Court of the United States that was leaked to and reported by Politico late Monday evening is officially issued, ultimately striking down the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade which guarantees lawful abortions nationwide.

Undoing the country's federal protection of abortion rights would leave it up to states to decide, and in Wisconsin, it would mean a looming, 19th century ban on most abortions would again be in place  a law that would ultimately be enforced by local district attorneys.

"I don't agree with the outcome," Gruenke, a Democrat, told the Tribune in an email Tuesday.

"But unless the Legislature acts, I would have to enforce the law the same as any other law," he said.

The Wisconsin law, which was established in 1849 but has been unenforceable since the Roe decision in 1973, bans all abortions in the state except in an instance to save the life of the pregnant person. There are no exceptions in cases of rape or incest, a detail Gruenke said he especially disagrees with.

An amendment to the law that was made in 1985, after the Roe decision, specified that it was illegal to perform an abortion, not to necessarily have one in Wisconsin. This means medical professionals or others who perform an abortion would be the ones being charged, not the individuals receiving the abortion.

They would face penalties of up to six years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both, under the law as it currently stands.

Wisconsin's 173-year-old law also defines an "unborn child" as a "human being from the time of conception until it is born alive."

This law is likely to be automatically triggered if Roe v. Wade is overturned, not needing any other action to again become valid in the state.

Gruenke said his office would still be able to use some discretion on a case-by-case basis to not charge someone when there are extenuating circumstances or use options such as offering plea agreements.

"But I don't think a blanket refusal to charge would be consistent with my oath to uphold the law or the executive branch function," Gruenke said.

He called on the state Legislature to "clarify" the law.

"I hope the Legislature would act to clarify if they want a total ban, a time period like it is under Roe now, or other exceptions," he said. "Because I think most people believe there should not be this complete ban on all abortions in every circumstance."

Wisconsin's Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul said on Tuesday that his office doesn't plan to enforce the law, saying the Wisconsin Department of Justice in-part doesn't have the resources to pursue the cases, but also because of the "importance of freedom at stake."

Kaul told the Wisconsin State Journal that he doesn't believe the ban should be enforced by any DA or law enforcement agency, and that the DOJ could provide legal guidance to local district attorneys and training information to law enforcement agencies.

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Halaynna Macharia of White-hall has been selected as the 2022-23 Western Technical Student Ambassador, an official spokesperson for Western and the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS).

As student ambassador, Macharia will have opportunities to speak to potential students, community leaders, community groups, and others, and will spotlight the important role of technical and occupational education to the economy and society.

In addition, she will represent Western at the state level by working with other student ambassadors throughout the WTCS.

Macharia is a respiratory therapy student in her first year of the program. She chose Western because of the program selection and the strong support students receive from instructors and staff. She believes Western puts student success first.

Instructors and staff want to see you succeed at Western, said Macharia. We have so many resources at Western, including counseling, the Learning Commons, and tutoring, and everyone is willing to do their part to help you be successful.

While attending college, Macharia has played an active role in student affairs. She has been a member of Student Government, serving as campus events coordinator, since last year. In addition, she serves as a work-study in Westerns Student Life office and as a peer tutor to other students in the Respiratory Therapy program.

Halaynna approaches learning with humility and enthusiasm. She is always seeking the highest level of understanding and freely shared her efforts with her peers to ensure their success right alongside her, said Emily Erickson, Respiratory therapy instructor at Western who nominated Macharia for this honor. Unique in her kindness and dedication, she is a true representative for Western.

Macharia plans to use this opportunity to further develop her leadership and speaking skills, while expressing the importance of career and technical education with key stakeholders. She hopes to use this position as a chance to highlight the affordability and accessibility of technical college education throughout the state. Macharia was recently honored with all 16 student ambassadors of the WTCS at a ceremony in Wisconsin Dells.

Macharia hopes to enter the work force in the medical field following graduation, including working as a traveling respiratory therapist. She hopes to eventually earn a four-year degree after working in the field for some time.

To learn more information on Westerns programs or services, call 608.785.9200 or visit www.westerntc.edu.

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Princeton University says allegations that one of its professors  Sam Wang, who heads the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, which touted Gov. Tony Evers maps that were initially approved by the Supreme Court of Wisconsin before being rejected in March  skewed data to benefit Democrats are unfounded.

The Journal Times initially reported on the allegations Sunday, after the New Jersey Globe, a political news site founded by a Republican Party politician, David Wildstein, initially published a story about allegations Thursday.

It quoted a whistleblower as saying Hed fudge the numbers to get his way. He had an agenda. He was good at hiding it when he had to, but it was clear Sam wanted Democrats to win and he was willing to cheat to make that happen.

On Monday, Princetons director of media relations, Michael Hotchkiss, said in an email to The Journal Times: Members of the University community are always free to bring forward any concerns they may have regarding their educational or working environment. When concerns are brought to its attention, the University investigates them in accordance with its policies and takes action to address them, if and as appropriate. While a review is pending, the University may implement interim measures if it deems them necessary to ensure that the investigation is thorough, unbiased and fair, and that the affected working or educational environment is appropriately managed. In general, the University avoids commenting on pending investigations out of fairness to those involved.

Based on an initial review conducted after the Congressional Redistricting Commission completed its work, the University knows of no credible allegations of data manipulation pertaining to the work product delivered to the commission.

Wang is also under investigation for fostering a toxic workplace within the Gerrymandering Project, which gave Evers maps an A grade while giving the Republican Legislatures maps an F, despite the differences between the maps only affecting a few districts and still giving Republicans almost guaranteed majorities in both houses of the Legislature despite statewide elections perennially being toss-ups.

Evers and his supporters repeatedly cited the Princeton Gerrymandering Project in aim of building support for his maps.

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Democrats are dedicated to supporting working families. One key focus area for Democrats is working to increase opportunities for good jobs in the manufacturing sector. To help do that, the Biden administration issued new guidance that projects that are funded by last years infrastructure package must use materials that are produced in the United States. Projects like bridges, highways, and broadband internet will be made with domestic materials.

The federal government spends more than $600 billion each year buying goods and services, according to a fact-sheet from the White House. President Biden believes that when taxpayers foot the bill, that spending should invest in American workers, manufacturers, and small businesses.

Democrats have always been strong supporters of unions and these rules continue their focus on developing good jobs in the United States. Lonnie Stephenson, international president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, said the Biden administrations Made in America efforts support good-paying, union jobs across the country.

Democrats are also working with private business to create more good jobs. Biden and Barbara Humpton, president and CEO of Siemens USA, announced that the technology company is investing $54 million to expand domestic production and will create 300 jobs manufacturing electric vehicle infrastructure.

Democrats, in Wisconsin and across the country, care about working families and put their efforts into improving the quality of life for everyone.

Nancy Way

Onalaska

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There are 21 towns that make up Vernon County. In the past we have presented the history of these towns, in alphabetical order. After a long absence, we will feature the town of Wheatland and later, Whitestown.

The town of Wheatland was organized in 1857. In 1858, officers were selected and they were as follows: Adam Carlyle, chairman; Joel Shaw and Hiram Ferguson, supervisors; George G. Van Wagner, clerk; C.B Stevens, treasurer and J.C. Kurtz, town school superintendent.

Before the town was established however, settlers made their way to this part of Vernon County due to its accessibility to the Mississippi River on its western shore. The area was heavily wooded and featured lush valleys. Ira Stevens was the first white man to claim land here in January, 1849 at what is now known as Victory. (Ira Stevens married Eliza Decker in 1848. Her father Moses was the first person to claim land in 1846 in what is now Viroqua.) First called Stevens Landing, its name changed in 1852 when the village was laid out by Stevens, William F. Terhune, Henry McAuley and Hiram Rice. These 54 acres, claimed by Stevens, were occupied by French traders who came here to trade with the Indians. Hiram Rice erected the first building, a warehouse. The next structure was a hotel, built and operated by John Cavinee. The first store was opened by Henry W. McAuley. John C. Berry operated the second store, selling general merchandise. Berry was also the first postmaster, appointed in 1854. Victory was an important shipping location for the buying and shipment of grain. A stone warehouse for grain, built by local farmers, was named the Farmers Stock Warehouse. Other early settlers at Victory were: John Bartholomew, wheelwright; Clark Smith, sawyer and John C. Berry, merchant.

Aaron Cooley settled on section 18 in 1854. Cooley mustered into Company C of the 18th Wisconsin on March 1, 1862 at age 59. He was mustered out due to disability on May 29, 1862. He suffered from a severe case of diarrhea and was so weak, he collapsed and died at age 60 less than a mile from his home.

Other early settlers were Lester P. Miller and wife Orpha, Samuel Huntington and wife Hannah and Willard Fosdick and wife Hannah.

In 1884, when the book History of Vernon County, Wisconsin was published, there were six schools in Wheatland. The first teacher was Nancy Berry who taught near Victory. De Soto Union School was located in De Soto. This two-story frame building was erected in 1872.

The Central Methodist Episcopal Church was established in section 31 in 1857 near what is now the community of Red Mound. Original members where Jacob and Sarah Chase and Moses and June Sanderson. Later the Central, De Soto and Retreat Methodist churches comprised a circuit, served by Rev. Newton Lane and Rev. Clendenning. Layne, from Brookville, town of Franklin, became a captain of Company C of the 18th Wisconsin during the Civil War. After returning from the war, he died of disease on February 28, 1864. He was only about a month shy of turning 25.

In February, 1856, the Congregational Society was formed. Charter members included: Charles and Fannie Houghton, Mrs. Mary (Houghton) Roach, Mrs. Abbie (Houghton) Tobey, Daniel and Mercy P. Fuller and Alexander Young and wife. This congregation may have been located near De Soto.

Be sure to watch for a future column about De Soto, first called Winneshieks Landing.

Just a reminder that a special exhibit on loan from the Wisconsin State Historical Society entitled Great Lakes, Small StreamsHow Water Shapes Wisconsin will be on display in our first-floor handicapped accessible meeting room through May 27. The museum is currently open Monday-Friday noon to 4 p.m. or call 608-637-7396 if you want to make a special appointment. We will do our best to accommodate you.

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Man Attacks Dave Chappelle on Stage at Hollywood Bowl

A man who police say was armed with a replica handgun when he tackled comedian Dave Chappelle on stage at the Hollywood Bowl was behind bars today on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

Isaiah Lee, 23, of Los Angeles, was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail following his arrest Tuesday night. Authorities said Lee rushed the stage at the Bowl around 10:45 p.m. Tuesday while Chappelle was performing as part of the Netflix Is A Joke Festival.

Online video showed Chappelle being thrown to the ground while the venues security staff rushed on stage to subdue his assailant. Among those running to protect Chappelle was actor/comedian Jamie Foxx. According to the LAPD, the suspect was in possession of a replica handgun equipped with a retractable knife blade.

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Social media reports from witnesses indicated that the suspect tried to scramble backstage after the attack, but he was forcefully subdued by security. Subsequent aerial footage showed the bloodied assailant being placed on a gurney and taken away in an ambulance.

Chappelle appeared to recover his composure in video footage after the attack. He joked, It was a trans man, a reference to controversy surrounding some of Chappelles jokes in a previous Netflix special that some condemned as transphobic. He also thanked Foxx for helping to subdue the suspect.

The attack was eerily reminiscent of actor Will Smiths assault of comedian Chris Rock during this years Oscar ceremony. Smith walked on stage at the Dolby Theatre and smacked Rock in the face after Rock made a joke about Smiths wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Chris Rock, who performed earlier in the show Tuesday night, came on the Hollywood Bowl stage after the assault on Chappelle and joked, Was that Will Smith? Stephanie Wash, a journalist with ABC, tweeted.

It was unclear how the suspect was able to carry a weapon into the venue. On Instagram, Lee goes by the moniker Noname_Trapper, which is the name of a rapper whose work includes a 2020 song titled Dave Chappelle.

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Lee posted a short video on Instagram Tuesday, saying nothing but showing him wearing the same hooded sweatshirt in which he is pictured wearing while handcuffed to the paramedics gurney Tuesday night after the attack. Lee says nothing on the short video, but he used a video filter showing himself with devil-like horns on his head and blood trickling from his nose  also similar to the blood seen on his face following his detainment at the Bowl.
Many chicken farmers in the United States are keeping their birds inside during a spread of bird flu.

The series of outbreaks has led to the killings of 35 million farm birds in the U.S. The United States Department of Agriculture has advised farmers to keep their birds inside to avoid infection.

Specialty chicken farmers who raise free-range chickens are no exception to the policy. Free-range means the chickens move without restrictions inside and out.

So, egg sellers need to update the buying public about the new farming conditions, industry observers say.

Buyers usually pay more for eggs from these chickens than those produced on large, corporate farms. Reasons differ --- some people think organic eggs are a healthier choice while others might favor the taste. Still others might say organic eggs are a better choice for the environment or come from a more humane process.

American officials say keeping farm birds inside is the safest policy for now. They note that the entire chicken population on a single farm must be killed even if one member gets bird flu.

The virus can also infect humans, though experts say the risk is low.

In France, the flu is doing similar damage. The nations government has required farmers to keep chickens indoors since November.

Reuters news agency reported, however, that some stores and other businesses are still identifying the chicken products as free-range.

I didn't know that they had to stay inside, said Josephine Barit. The 34-year-old was looking at eggs for sale at a small store in Paris.

She said, "So it's not really 'free range' anymore?" And she added, "I suppose there is no other choice because of bird flu, but they could say so."

Animal doctors say birds that can go outside are at a much higher risk of getting bird flu because birds that travel can spread the disease.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests farmers keep birds produced for food indoors as long as the bird flu outbreak is ongoing, but has not required it.

Buyers unhappy

The U.S. outbreak is the second-worst in history, with more than 35 million birds killed this year. Farmers in France have killed nearly 16 million birds to stop the spread in its worst outbreak. Infections have also hit nations including Britain, Italy and Spain.

European requirements to keep chickens indoors have left some buyers unhappy even when sellers post signs telling buyers of the change.

"At the end of the day you still pay the price of 'free-range' eggs or organic eggs when the fowls have actually never seen the sky," said Marc Dossem, a 52-year-old shopper in a large store in the French capital.

The European Union and British marketing standards permit for free-range egg-laying chickens to be kept inside for up to 16 weeks before companies must inform buyers.

U.S. officials do not require organic egg producers to inform buyers on food containers when unexpected events like bird flu change production practices, the agriculture department said.

Im Gregory Stachel.

Tom Polansek and Sybille de La Hamaide reported this story for Reuters. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English.

____________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

free-range  adj. allowed to move around freely: not kept in cages

organic  n. grown or made without the use of artificial chemicals

fowl  n. a bird (such as a chicken) that is raised for food

shop  v. to visit places where goods are sold in order to look at and buy things

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Scientists have identified some remains, or fossils, of huge ancient reptiles found on mountain tops in Switzerland years ago. The researchers finding is a little surprising. The fossils are from ichthyosaurs, a very large animal that lived in water. But the remains were discovered many hundreds of meters above sea level.

The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology published the study on Thursday. It describes some rib bone and backbone fossils from two ichthyosaur individuals. One bone was about 21 meters long, the other measured around 15 meters.

A tooth from a third ichthyosaur is also an important finding, says expert Martin Sander of the University of Bonn. He is the lead writer of the study.

"The tooth is particularly interesting because it could possibly - but unlikely - represent the largest animal to ever inhabit Earth," he said.

The tooth is about 6 centimeters at the base and about 15 centimeters long, the study says.

The fossils are around 205 million years old, the study found, dating them to the late Triassic Period.

The tooth came from a mountain near the Swiss city, Davos. It suggests the animal was a good hunter that could kill other large animals for food.

The ichthyosaur was the largest-ever reptile that lived in the seas. They had long bodies and small heads.

The fossils were found at three sites in the Swiss Alps during the 1970s and 80s, said Heinz Furrer, another study writer. Furrer is a retired scientist from the University of Zurichs Paleontological Institute and Museum. He was one of several students that discovered the fossils years ago.

The remains are incomplete, making it impossible to confirm the exact kind of ichthyosaur made the fossils. Most likely the animals belonged to an ichthyosaur family called Shastasauridae. It includes the biggest-known ichthyosaur called Shastasaurus. It was found in Canada and believed to be 21 meters long.

Some researchers have proposed longer ichthyosaur lengths based on incomplete fossils.

Until now, huge ichthyosaurs had not been known to have lived at the end of the Triassic Period. Scientists had thought the group disappeared from Earth a few million years earlier.

The blue whale has long been considered the largest animal to have lived on Earth. It can grow to 30 meters long and weigh close to 200 metric tons.

But study writer Sander said more research on the Triassic ichthyosaur may renew questions about the planets largest creatures.

Im Jill Robbins.

Will Dunham reported this story for Reuters. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

fossil  n. something (such as a leaf, skeleton, or footprint) that is from a plant or animal which lived in ancient times and that you can see in some rocks

inhabit  v. to live in (a place)

plate  n. one of the very large sections of the Earth's surface that are believed to move and cause earthquakes where they touch each other

species  n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants

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A study of meteorites has found more evidence that space rocks may have brought chemicals to Earth that helped start life on the planet.

The meteorites studied had landed in Australia, Canada and the United States.

Earlier research on the objects showed they contained three of the five chemical components necessary to form DNA and RNA. DNA is the molecule that carries genetic instructions in living things. RNA is the molecule important to the operation of genes.

Researchers said recently they have now identified the final two chemicals.

That information comes from Yasuhiro Oba of Hokkaido University's Institute of Low Temperature Science in Japan. Oba was the lead writer of the study that was published in Nature Communications.

The research findings support the idea that meteorites could have been an important source of organic compounds necessary for the emergence of Earth's first organisms, said study co-writer Danny Glavin of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.

Scientists have been seeking to better understand how chemical compounds came together to form a living thing able to reproduce itself. The formation of DNA and RNA would be an important event as these molecules contain the instructions to build and operate organisms.

"There is still much to learn about the chemical steps that led to the origin of life on Earth," Glavin said. He added, "This research certainly adds to the list of chemical compounds that would have been present on Earth before the emergence of life.

The researchers examined material from three meteorites. One fell in 1950 near the town of Murray in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Another fell in 1969 near the town of Murchison in Australia's Victoria state. The final meteorite fell in 2000 near Tagish Lake in the Canadian province British Columbia .

All three are made of rocky material thought to have formed early in the solar system's history. They are carbon-rich, with the Murchison and Murray meteorites containing about two percent organic carbon by weight and the Tagish Lake meteorite containing about four percent organic carbon. Carbon is a primary ingredient of organisms on Earth.

"All three meteorites contain a very complex mixture of organic molecules, most of which have not yet been identified," Glavin said.

Earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago. In its early days, it was hit by meteorites, comets and other material from space. The planet's first organisms were simple microbes in the seas. The earliest-known fossils are of marine microbial life dating to around 3.5 billion years ago.

The two chemical components discovered in the latest study are called cytosine and thymine.

The five would not have been the only chemical compounds necessary for life. Among other things needed were sugars, fatty acids, and amino acids, which are components of proteins and enzymes.

Oba said, "The present results may not directly explain the beginning of life on the Earth." But, it does help to understand what organic molecules were on the early Earth before life formed, he said.

Im Caty Weaver.

Will Dunham reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

meteorite  n. a piece of rock or metal that has fallen to the ground from outer space

component n. one of the parts of something (such as a system or mixture) : an important piece of something

organic  adj. of, relating to, or obtained from living things

emerge  v. to rise or appear from a hidden or unknown place or condition : to come out into view

microbe  n. an extremely small living thing that can only be seen with a microscope

fossil n. something (such as a leaf, skeleton, or footprint) that is from a plant or animal which lived in ancient times and that you can see in some rocks
Google says it has added ways for people to request that some personal information not be included in online search results.

In a recent announcement, the company said it would now let people request that some of their personal details be removed from Google searches. Such details could include information like phone numbers, email and physical addresses.

The new policy also permits the removal of information that could aid criminals aiming to steal peoples identities. This could include log-in information used to visit websites.

Google said in a statement it believes that open access to information is important. But, it added, privacy and online safety go hand in hand. The new policy is empowering people with the tools they need to protect themselves and keep their sensitive, personal, identifiable information private, the statement said.

Google had earlier permitted people to request that highly personal details that could cause direct harm be removed. That included information made public through a method called doxxing. To dox someone means to publicly identify or publish private information about the person in a malicious way.

In addition, Google has long permitted the removal of sensitive financial information that could be used for fraudulent activities.

But in its latest announcement, the company said it decided to expand its earlier policy. It did this because personal information is increasingly being used in new ways online.

The new policy recognizes that even having basic personal contact information openly available online can present risks. The company said it had received numerous requests for new ways to remove that kind of material as well.

Google said when examining individual requests, it will study all information on a website to avoid limiting the availability of useful details. This could include information appearing on government or other official websites.

In its latest announcement, Google noted another recent policy change that also aims to protect personal privacy. That policy permits people under age 18 to request the removal of their images from Google search results.

But the company statement warns that information blocked from search results does not mean it cannot be found on the internet.

Its important to remember that removing content from Google Search wont remove it from the internet, the company said. If removing material from the internet is desired, people are advised to make a request with the organization that hosts the information, Google added.

Im Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

Quiz - New Google Policy Removes Personal Details from Online Searches Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

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Words in This Story

access  n. the right or chance to use or look at something

malicious  adj. intended to harm or upset someone

fraudulent  adj. dishonest and illegal

host v. the activity of a computer that controls a database
A leaked document suggests that the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn the 1973 decision that legalized abortion in the country.

An abortion is a medical procedure that ends a pregnancy. The 1973 high court ruling is known as Roe v. Wade. It created a constitutional right for women to choose to have an abortion.

Politico, a Washington, D.C.-based news organization, reported that it received an early version of the majority written opinion. The leaked document was written by Justice Samuel Alito.

In the document, Alito stated that Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. He wrote, Roe and Casey must be overruled, adding that the U.S. Constitution does not make note of abortion or protect the right to abortion. Planned Parenthood v. Casey is a 1992 court decision that confirmed abortion rights in the country.

The leaked document is said to be a first draft of the majority opinion for a case on Mississippis ban on abortions after the 15th week of a pregnancy. The draft stated, It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the peoples elected representatives.

A leak of the high courts documents is extremely rare. A former court officer compared it to the leak of the secret history of the Vietnam War, known as the Pentagon Papers.

Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed on Tuesday that the document is authentic, or real. But he added that it does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case. Roberts also ordered an investigation into the leak.

Senator Susan Collins of Maine is one of a small number of Republican lawmakers in support of abortion rights. She voted in 2017 and 2018 to confirm Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. She said, If this leaked draft opinion is the final decision and this reporting is accurate, it would be completely inconsistent with what Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh said in their hearings and in our meetings at my office. Collins has said that both men told her during the confirmation process that they would not act to overturn Roe v. Wade.

On Tuesday morning, American President Joe Biden told reporters that he hoped there would not be enough votes to overturn Roe. The president earlier said in a statement, if the Court does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nations elected officials at all levels of government to protect a womans right to choose. And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November. The United States will hold mid-term elections in November.

The abortion debate in America

Shortly after reports on the possible overturn of Roe v. Wade came out, hundreds of pro-choice supporters gathered in front of the Supreme Court. A small group of anti-abortion activists also gathered.

A 2021 opinion study from Pew Research Center found that 59 percent of American adults say abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Thirty-nine percent think it should be illegal.

State leaders reacted to the possible ruling on social media. Republican Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota promised to pass a law banning abortions in her state. She wrote on Twitter, I will immediately call for a special session to save lives and guarantee that every unborn child has a right to life in South Dakota.

Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul of New York said, "For anyone who needs access to care, our state will welcome you with open arms. New York will always be a place where abortion rights are protected and where abortion is safe

The pro-choice research organization Guttmacher Institute says that anti-abortion policymakers have been waiting for the courts anti-abortion majority to weaken or overturn Roe v. Wade.

The organization reported that laws banning abortions have been introduced in 31 American states. Some of the laws are designed to start immediately if Roe is overturned.

I'm Ashley Thompson.

Hai Do wrote this story for Learning English with information from Politico.

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Words in This Story

egregious - adj. very bad and easily noticed

draft - n. a version of a document that you make before the final version

accurate - adj. free from mistakes or errors

inconsistent - adj. not in agreement with something
Child migrants often miss months or even years of schooling. This hurts their chances of escaping poverty and having safer futures.

Ciudad Juarez is a large city in Mexico, along the countrys border with the United States. For thousands of migrants and their children, it is the last stop before they enter the U.S.

In Juarez, they wait for that chance to cross the border. U.S. policies make some people wait in Mexico for their court hearings to seek asylum.

A number of Christian-based shelters in Juarez work to serve the urgent needs of this population, including education of school-aged children. The shelters have partnered with local schools in the effort.

The curriculum is not religious. But a strong belief in the good of education drives the programs. Teachers believe education will help the children socialize and find jobs wherever they find a permanent home.

Teresa Almada runs Casa Kolping through an organization supported by the Catholic Church. She said the migrant students get included in the educational system so they can keep gaining confidence. She added: Its also important  that the families feel theyre not in hostile territory.

Victor Rodas is a 12-year-old student. His 22-year-old sister and guardian, Katherine, led him and two other siblings out of Honduras. The family fled after receiving death threats from organized crime groups. In Juarez, Katherine and her husband will not leave the safety of the shelter. But, she praised its educational program, which provides bus transportation so her siblings can attend Casa Kolping.

They say the teacher always takes good care of them, plays with them, Rodas said. They feel safe there.

Many housed in their shelter fled from Central America. Growing numbers of Mexican families fleeing illegal drug trafficking groups are arriving too.

For a while after the school program started in October, teachers asked parents to join their children in their classrooms to build trust. Among them was Lucia, a single mother of three children. She fled the Mexican state of Michoacan after drug traffickers took over the harvest and everything in their home. She asked to be identified by just her first name for safety.

Education is important so that they can develop as people and theyll be able to defend themselves from whatever life will put before them, Lucia said. She and her family have been living there for nine months.

More than 30 children from the Christian-based shelters around Ciudad Juarez attend Casa Kolping. First to third graders gather in one classroom. Fourth to sixth graders meet in another.

In the U.S. Victor hopes schools will be big, well-cared for," and will help him reach his goal of becoming a building designer.

If you ask the kids, their biggest dream is to cross to the United States, said teacher Yolanda Garcia.

Many parents do not want to send their children to school in Mexico, where they do not plan to stay. Also, many public educators do not want to bring in migrant students. There is a fear of losing teachers if class sizes decrease when students leave suddenly, said Dora Espinoza. She is a school official in Ciudad Juarez.

In addition to uncertainty, poverty and discrimination keep nearly half of refugee children from school worldwide, says the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR.

But the biggest barrier is insecurity. Threatened with violence by gangs both in their hometowns and along the trip to the U.S., many parents are afraid to leave their children alone. The shelters address that by providing secure transportation for the children.

The migrant children have experienced a lot of trauma, educators say.

Samuel Jimenez is a teacher at one of the schools. He said students will tell him they are there because they murdered my parents.  They tell it in detail, children dont cover anything up. But, Jimenez said, the moment theyre here, we can take them out of that reality. They forget it.

Other students arrive unable to read or write.

We are faced with all kinds of falling behind, said Garcia at Casa Kolping. But most of all, with a lot of desire to learn. They missed school. When you give them their notebooks, the emotion on their face  some even tell you, How lovely it feels to learn.

Im Dan Novak. And I'm Ashley Thompson.

Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press.

Quiz - Shelters Find Schools for Migrant Children in Mexico Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

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Words in This Story

curriculum  n. the courses that are taught by a school, college, etc.

confidence  n. a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something

address  v. to give attention to ; to deal with

trauma  n. a very difficult or unpleasant experience that causes someone to have mental or emotional problems usually for a long time
Scientists have studied the full genetic information of more than 18,000 cancer samples. They found new information about the patterns of mutations, or changes, that could help doctors provide better treatment.

Their study, which appeared recently in the publication Science, is not the first to do such a complete genetic study of cancer samples. But no one has ever used such a large sample size.

Serena Nik-Zainal of the University of Cambridge was part of the team that did the research. She said this was the largest cohort in the world. It is extraordinary."

Over 12,000 samples in the study came from patients recruited by Britains National Health Service. They were part of a project to study whole genomes from people with common cancers and rare diseases. The rest of the data came from existing cancer data sets.

Researchers were able to study such a large number because of the same improvements in technology that recently permitted scientists to complete the map of the entire human genome.

Andrew Futreal, a genomic expert at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, was not involved in the study. He said the study gives scientists some knowledge of the destructive forces that cause cancer.

Cancer is a disease of the genome or full set of instructions for running cells. It happens when changes in a persons DNA cause cells to grow and divide uncontrollably. DNA is a substance that carries the genetic information in the cells of living things, like a human. In 2020, there were about 19 million new cancer cases worldwide.

For the study, researchers looked at 19 different kinds of cancer in the human body. It identified 58 new mutational signatures, or pieces of evidence leading to the causes of cancer. Nik-Zainal said researchers also confirmed 51 of more than 70 previously reported mutation patterns. Some arise because of problems within a persons cells; others are caused by ultraviolet radiation, tobacco smoke, or chemicals.

Knowing more of them helps us to understand each persons cancer more precisely, which can help guide treatment, Nik-Zainal said.

Genetic sequencing, the process used to study the makeup of a cell, is already being included in cancer care. It is part of the growing move toward personalized medicine, or care based on a patients genes and specific disease. Now doctors will have much more information to draw from when they look at individual cancers.

To help doctors use this information, researchers developed a computer program that will let them find common mutation patterns and seek out rare ones. Nik-Zainal said doctors could suggest a treatment based on a special pattern.

Futreal said the data can also show doctors what tends to happen over time when a patient develops a cancer with a certain mutation pattern. This will help doctors give earlier treatment and hopefully stop the developing disease.

Im John Russell.

Laura Ungar reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

sample  n. a group of people or things that are taken from a larger group and studied, tested, or questioned to get information

pattern  n. the regular and repeated way in which something happens

mutation  n. a change in hereditary material

cohort  n. a group of individuals having something (usually a statistical factor) in common in a study

genome  n. the complete set of genes in a cell or organism

DNA  n. a substance that carries genetic information in the cells of plants and animals
An abortion case now being considered by the U.S. Supreme Court raises questions about how it could influence other countries.

On Monday an early version, or draft, of a Supreme Court opinion was released without permission. The opinion suggested that the high court could overturn the legal case from 1973 that legalized abortion across the country.

It is not clear what the effects of the decision could be outside the U.S. But courts in many parts of the world have been legalizing abortion.

For example, in February, Colombias Constitutional Court legalized the operation until the 24th week of pregnancy.

Womens activists around the world say they are very concerned with the U.S. Supreme Courts draft ruling. They say it shows how their gains can be taken back.

It is an awful precedent for the coming years for the region and the world, said Colombian Catalina Martinez Coral. She is with the Center for Reproductive Rights based in New York City. Her group was among the parties that brought the abortion case to Colombias high court.

The ruling in February permitted women to have abortions within the 24-week period. Before the case, Colombian women could only legally get an abortion in certain cases. These included if a fetus presented malformations or if a pregnancy resulted from rape. Abortion is still permitted after that period in special cases.

The decision fell short of advocates' hopes for a complete decriminalization. But Martinez Coral said it still left Colombia with the most progressive legal framework in Latin America.

Last year, Mexico's high court ruled that it was unconstitutional to punish abortion. The ruling bars charging a woman with a crime for ending a pregnancy.

In Argentina, lawmakers in late 2020 passed a bill legalizing abortion until the 14th week. Abortions are legal after that for certain cases. Abortion is also widely available in Cuba and Uruguay.

But expansion of abortion has not extended to all of Latin America. In Brazil, abortion is only permissible in cases of rape, risk to the woman's life and proven cases of a kind of birth defect.

Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador have total bans with no exceptions.

Many African nations also maintain complete bans. But in October 2021, Benin legalized abortion in most cases for up to 12 weeks. Before it was legalized, 200 women were dying each year of complications from secret abortions.

Most European countries have legalized abortion. Ireland legalized abortion in 2018. So did the small country of San Marino. Abortion remains illegal in Andorra, Malta and Vatican City. Poland last year tightened its abortion laws.

Laws are different across the Muslim world.

Abortion has been legal up to 12 weeks in Tunisia for many years. But in Iran it has been banned since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Last year, one of Islams top religious leaders in Cairo said abortion is not the answer even in cases where a child is likely to be seriously ill or disabled.

Agnes Callamard is the secretary-general of the human rights group Amnesty International. She said in a statement: there are grim signs that the United States is out of step with the progress that the rest of the world is making in protecting sexual and reproductive rights.

The U.S. Supreme Court's final decision is expected to come in late June or July.

Im Dan Novak.

Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press.

____________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

precedent  n. something done or said that can be used as an example or rule to be followed in the future

malformation  n. a condition in which part of the body does not have the normal or expected shape

advocate  n. a person who works for a cause or group

framework n. a set of ideas or facts that provide support for something

grim  adj. causing feelings of sadness or worry
The U.S. is experiencing a labor shortage that's partly fueled by a drop-off in immigration, which ground to a halt during the coronavirus pandemic. By some estimates, the U.S. now has an 2 million fewer immigrants than it would have if the pace had stayed the same. That's helped lead to a desperate scramble for workers in many sectors, from meatpacking to homebuilding. It's also contributing to supply shortages and price increases. Just 10 miles from the Rio Grande, Mike Helle's farm in Texas is so short of immigrants that he's replaced hundreds of acres of labor-intensive leafy greens with crops that can be harvested by machinery. He's also increased pay for his workers, who are almost exclusively immigrants.
DAKOTA CITY -- Tyson Foods will spend $60 million to offer free education for all 120,000 of its employees.

Starting this summer, the nation's largest U.S. meat company will cover the cost of undergraduate, master's and associate degrees or career certificates for employees.

Tyson, metro Sioux City's largest employer, is partnering with social impact company Guild to expand its existing Upward Academy program to include access to more than 175 programs from over 35 of the nation's top universities and learning providers.

The four-year, $60 million investment will cover 100% of all tuition, books, and fees.

This commitment to our team members reinforces our belief that they are the lifeblood of our current and future success," said John R. Tyson, the company's executive vice president and chief sustainability officer. "Providing equity and opportunity to every single member of our team is part of our goal to make Tyson the most sought-after place to work."

Since 2016, Upward Academy, an onsite adult education program has provided free ESL, GED, citizenship, financial and digital literacy classes to frontline employees.

Upward Academy is currently offered at 46 Tyson locations, including its turkey plant in Storm Lake, Iowa.

With the addition of the online curriculum, all workers will now have access to nearly 200 learning programs provided by dozens of institutions of higher learning.

In metro Sioux City, Tyson employs over 4,500 people at its flagship beef plant in Dakota City, its fresh meats division headquarters in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota and its cold storage site in Sioux City, Iowa.

We are thrilled to partner with Tyson to further empower their team members to pursue career pathways that will help them open the doors to their dreams, Guild CEO Rachel Romer Carlson said. Tysons free education and upskilling program is enhancing its commitment to creating a top work environment and a workplace of growth.

An online portal will provide Tyson employees with access to curriculum and courses covering foundational skills, career certificates and academic degrees.

Tyson said free education is the latest example of the company's investment in its workforces. The company has spent more than $500 million in wage increases and bonuses for its hourly workforce last year. In addition, it is piloting subsidized and onsite childcare, as well as seven free, near-site health centers.

A growing number of Tyson production facilities also are offering more flexible work schedules.

Additionally, the company noted it recently committed more than $1 million to support its many immigrant team members. The Tyson Immigration Partnership, which serves 40 facilities in 14 states, helps provide team members with legal services needed to acquire U.S. citizenship.

Tyson's U.S.-based workforce is comprised of team members from more than 160 countries who collectively speak more than 50 languages.
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Judge finds for Pilgrim's Pride Corporation in lawsuit regarding county's first COVID-19 death

JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News A medical technician tests a sample swab for COVID-19 at Pilgrims Pride in this May 15, 2020, file photo. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Vehicles pass the Pilgrims Pride processing plant at 1800 W. Frank Ave. in this 2020 file photo.

U.S. Magistrate Zack Hawthorn issued a judgment in favor of Pilgrims Pride in the lawsuit filed by the family of Maria Hernandez, the first Angelina County resident to die of COVID-19.

Hernandez was a Pilgrims Pride employee who died in May 2020 after contracting the virus just a few days prior. Her sons, Jose Manuel and Oscar Requena, filed a lawsuit on June 9, 2020, seeking $1 million in damages for her death.

While American citizens and businesses across the country were taking extraordinary steps to limit the spread and impact of COVID-19, Pilgrims sent an employee who had worked for the company for over 30 years into the heart of an outbreak at its Lufkin, Texas, processing plant, the original lawsuit read.

The fact that Maria Hernandez, then 63 years old, was at higher risk of succumbing to the effects of COVID-19 did not stop Pilgrims from sending her to a known hot spot for the virus.

Hawthorne concluded that while there was sufficient evidence that Pilgrims knowingly failed to warn Hernandez of the threat, there is not reliable scientific evidence showing the plants failure was what caused Hernandez to contract the virus.

A 20-page document outlines the facts of the events pulling evidence provided in depositions throughout the case.

Hernandezs work

The court determined that Pilgrims told Hernandez to report to the 28 cooler area; Hernandezs co-worker testified Hernandez objected to working in the cooler but agreed to do so because she was worried she would be disciplined if she didnt.

The cooler was one of three areas in third processing and named the 28 cooler because it was kept at a temperature of 28 degrees. The cooler is where workers retrieved packed chicken from second processing and stored it on racks before it was sent to the labeling department.

The cooler, labeling department and shipping department are considered third processing and employees refer to the three as shipping and labeling, according to the judgment.

On the day Hernandez was sent to the cooler, there were no confirmed cases, but there were two employees being monitored. There also was an employee who tested positive and was sent home before she tested positive and six more tested who worked there at the same time; two returned negative results and the court did not have the results for the others.

The court determined the third processing area accounted for 44% of Pilgrims positive cases between April 20 and May 5.

Pilgrims safety

Pilgrims enacted several protocols before Hernandez tested positive; the company permitted vulnerable employees to stay home and receive short-term disability benefits and did not discipline workers who stayed home because of concerns, the court concluded.

Employees temperatures were checked when they entered the plant, and the plant required workers returning for a leave of absence to answer screening questionnaires before they could resume work. Workers sprayed disinfectant and kept doors propped open to avoid surface-to-surface contamination, the court determined.

Pilgrims added outdoor tables for additional break space and erected physical barriers between work stations and break room tables. The company also tracked the potential spread of the virus.

However, the companys tracking measures were an internal document only.

Other measures were enacted to combat the virus but the court was not clear whether this happened before or after Hernandez tested positive, documents state.

The company: staggered start and break times, placed traffic-flow markers in the facility, marked 6 feet of separation, removed chairs in the break room, created more break space and constructed plastic dividers between work stations. Employees were sent text updates when an employee tested positive.

Symptomatic workers were sent home and kept away from the plant until test results were known. The plastic barriers were updated to stainless steel structures and the National Guard helped to conduct on-site testing before the company assumed random surveillance testing measures.

The company provided a Spanish-language COVID-19 training course and finally hired a full time COVID-19 superintendent, the court stated.

However, the plant did not require masks until months after April 20, 2020, the court stated.

And some protocols were either ineffective or unenforced. The barriers kept falling down when Hernandez worked there, and the plant did not follow the staggered schedule, enforce distancing at lunch or ensure workers wore masks properly. On-site thermometers did not work as of April 29, 2020.

Hernandezs illness

Hernandez attended a drive-thru wedding shower two days after she was sent to the 28 cooler, and the person she went with tested positive for COVID-19. The two were close and greeted each other with hugs, the court stated.

Hernandez also had many people at her house around the same time she tested positive, the court stated.

Hernandez became sick eight days after working in the cooler and six days after the wedding shower. She went to work on May 4 but reported to the nurse after an hour or so and took a COVID-19 test that day. She received a positive result two days later. She died on May 8  her 64th birthday  two days after her test results.

The facts

The court determined Hernandez died because of complications of COVID-19.

On June 14, 2021, the Texas Legislature passed the Pandemic Liability Protection Act, which applied retroactively for actions on or after March 13, 2020. Hernandezs sons needed to prove: one, Pilgrims either knowingly failed to remediate or warn Hernandez of a condition the company knew would expose her to COVID-19 or knowingly flouted government guidance; two, the plants conduct caused Hernandezs death.

Court documents say Hernandezs family proved Pilgrims knowingly failed to warn Hernandez about the concentration of COVID-19 in the third processing area. The company chose not to inform employees in third processing of the positive tests, and employees instead learned by word of mouth.

The company also was proven to not have controlled the situation in the cooler when it could have.

The family also proved the company failed to implement or comply with government standards meant to lower the likelihood of COVID-19 exposure. There were areas the company did succeed in doing so, which suggested to the court the company had the ability to follow mandates and did not.

However, despite the courts findings regarding Pilgrims operations during the pandemic, there was not a more than 51% chance these findings are what led to Hernandezs subsequent infection, the court stated.

There were many people in Hernandezs position who avoided the virus while others, who followed proper procedures, fully became ill. The plants implementation of stricter policies may have reduced her chance of becoming ill but it might not have been zero, according to court documents.
TUESDAY, May 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- A serious liver disease that has struck hundreds of young children worldwide has caused the deaths of three children in Indonesia, bringing the global death toll to at least four.

Nearly 170 children in 11 countries have been diagnosed with acute hepatitis in recent months, and the World Health Organization has expressed concerns about its "unknown origin." Most of the ill children have been under the age of 10 and had no underlying health conditions. Symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain appear before affected children's livers show signs of inflammation.

The three children in Indonesia died in hospitals in Jakarta last month after displaying some of these symptoms, along with fever, jaundice, convulsions, and loss of consciousness, the country's health ministry said in a statement Monday, CBS News reported. "At the moment, the Health Ministry is investigating the cause of the acute hepatitis by running a full panel of virus tests," said the ministry, which told parents to take their children to the hospital immediately if they showed any of the symptoms.

Britain has also experienced an "unexpected significant increase" in acute hepatitis cases among young, previously healthy children, according to the WHO. Other countries reporting cases include Israel, Spain, Denmark, and Ireland. And last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a study on a cluster of cases in Alabama, where some of the nine children had also tested positive for a common pathogen called adenovirus 41, which can cause gastroenteritis in children, but "it is not usually known as a cause of hepatitis in otherwise healthy children," the CDC said.

None of the affected children in Alabama died. However, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported last week that four pediatric cases of acute hepatitis had occurred in that state. Tragically, they included "two children who had severe outcomes, one liver transplant and one fatality."

Meanwhile, the CDC has issued a nationwide health alert telling parents and health care providers to watch for symptoms and report any potential hepatitis cases without a known cause to local and state health departments.

Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden on Wednesday hailed Team USA for bringing a bit of unity to a pandemic weary nation as he hosted a White House celebration with about 600 athletes from this year's Winter Olympics in Beijing and the coronavirus-delayed Summer Games held in 2021 in Tokyo.

Among the athletes at the South Lawn ceremony were swimmer and seven-time gold medalist Katie Ledecky, celebrated bobsledder Elena Meyers Taylor and ice dancer Zachary Donohue, as well as competitors from the past two Paralympic Games.

Biden noted the Team USA athletes won some 260 medals in Beijing and Tokyo. Equally impressive as their performances, Biden suggested, was the athletes' ability to unite Americans during a period marked by the unrelenting coronavirus pandemic and deepening partisanship after the 2020 election.

You represent the very soul of America, Biden told the athletes. It's been a very divided nation ... but you brought us together. No matter the divisions, when we see you compete, we feel a common pride in those three letters: USA."

The Tokyo Games were delayed one year due to COVID-19 and took place last summer, largely without spectators. First lady Jill Biden led the U.S. delegation to Japan. At the Beijing Olympics this past winter, also held largely without spectators, the United States staged a diplomatic boycott due to China's human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang.

Jill Biden, in her remarks Wednesday, hailed the athletes for persevering under challenging circumstances, saying Americans were grateful for the gifts they gave the country at a difficult time.

Now I know that these Games may not have been exactly as you once imagined with stadiums packed with people and all of your loved ones screaming from the sidelines, she said. Olympian or a Paralympian is a rare accomplishment in a normal time, but you did it during a global pandemic. You are forever one of the most elite, most celebrated athletes in this world.

The president also recognized that the unusual and largely fan-free games were a hardship for the athletes.

Im sorry you had to wait that year.  I mean, youve been through so damn  darn much, Biden said.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Exact Sciences has purchased a German biotechnology startup to build on the capabilities of its advanced cancer screenings  including a blood-based, multi-cancer diagnostic test thats undergoing clinical trials.

OmicEra Diagnostics creates tech that helps its clients research and more reliably discover biomarkers that signal the presence of cancer in the human body. OmicEra works in proteomics, or the large-scale analysis of proteins.

The deal closed last Monday for approximately $15 million, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing. OmicEras skilled teams are expected to deepen the Madison biomedical giants proteomics profiling abilities, said Exact associate director of corporate affairs Scott Larrivee in an email Tuesday.

In September 2020, Exact CEO Kevin Conroy unveiled preliminary data showing the effectiveness of its blood-based test, also known as a liquid biopsy screening. Exact, with the help of the Mayo Clinic, has researched biomarkers for various cancers in blood for nearly a decade.

The early study found that the screening could identify between 83% and 87% of liver, lung, ovarian, pancreatic or stomach cancer cases  with a false positive rate of 5%.

About 300,000 care providers and 200 large U.S. health systems additionally rely on Exact Sciences for its Cologuard and Oncotype DX tests. Cologuard screens for colon cancer, and Oncotype helps physicians determine whether cancer patients require chemotherapy.

The OmicEra purchase comes after Exact Sciences partnered with Pennsylvania-based hospital Jefferson Health late last year  as part of a larger research effort to determine the safety and efficacy of the blood-based screening  to simulate the multi-cancer test in a real-world setting. The medical institution serves more than 125,000 adults who are eligible to receive a diagnostic cancer screening.

Both Exact Sciences and Jefferson Health plan to subsequently participate in a Food and Drug Administration study that determines how well the blood-based test works. Thats expected to happen in the second half of 2022, with both parties slated to publish study results soon after.

The buy also comes after Exact Sciences announced in January it was adding a 266,000-square-foot research and development facility to its Madison campus, as well as expanding existing lab and warehouse space to accommodate the companys rapid growth. The investment totals $350 million and is expected to create 1,300 new jobs within Exact.

The biomedical giant also announced at the beginning of this year its acquisition of Marshfield-based genetics lab PreventionGenetics for $190 million. The move represented Exacts entry into the hereditary cancer research market.

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Rule No. One Hospitality Group, which manages Merchant and Lucille off the Capitol Square, is opening a third restaurant, in August at Hilldale in the former Pasquals spot.

Amara will serve contemporary coastal Italian cuisine with sharable small plates, homemade pastas and seasonal entrees made with local ingredients, said Joshua Berkson, the groups founder and president.

Rule No. One is made up of designers and program directors who all have ownership in the new project: Berkson, Jon Nodler, James Juedes, Caity Nicholson, Tim Williams and Tara Goldberg.

This is a very big team effort led by really talented members of RNO, Berkson said. We are all putting immense passion, intention, and thoughtfulness into the project.

The restaurant will serve dinner and lunch daily. Brunch specials will use ingredients from the Hilldale Farmers Market, he said.

Amara will be 5,100 square feet and will seat 110 indoors and 50 on its patio.

We are very excited at this opportunity to show our guests and our future employees what we are all about, and contribute in a meaningful way to the industry and the greater Madison community, Berkson said.

Juedes, a former co-owner of Casetta Kitchen and Counter, and once a sommelier at LEtoile, joined Rule No. One a year ago as wine director and director of hospitality.

Before we had a name picked, I think we had an idea of where Amara was heading as a concept, Juedes said. There are a lot of flavors to explore at Amara, and the menus are designed to allow guests to dine at their own pace, from snacks at the bar where guests can sample a variety of dishes and drinks, to a more celebratory night out.

The wines will be Italian and Mediterranean, he said, and while there are plenty of classics on the list, I hope the selection encourages guests to discover new flavors and grapes that become standards in their repertoire.

The name Amara in Greek means everlasting one or eternal. Berkson said the group took it from the ancient Greek Amaranthos, meaning everlasting flower.

Berkson said the restaurant will have an open-air environment designed by Distillery design studio and OPN Architects. He described the decor as light, beautiful, clean, relaxed, simple, energetic and revitalizing.

Juedes said that unique design elements will be found throughout the space. Its vibrant, bright, and inviting and the goal of our hospitality is to draw on the conviviality of Italian dining that makes you feel like youre amongst family and friends.

Last year, Nodler, who became a James Beard Award semifinalist while working in Philadelphia, took a job as Rule No. Ones culinary director after moving back to the Madison area, where he got his start in the industry.

The menu he designed for Amara features seared tuna with veal lardons, fingerling potatoes, capers and herbed tonnato, a sauce often made with tuna, anchovies, lemon juice, olive oil and mayonnaise; eggplant caponata with blistered peppers, basil, chili crunch and grilled sourdough; mafaldine, a ribbon-shaped pasta, with lemon confit, peppercorns and pecorino; and slow-roasted porchetta with roasted cabbage, pickled peppers and charcuterie sauce.

Desserts will include an olive oil and cocoa torte with raspberries and cocoa nib streusel.

Nodler, a UW-Madison graduate who grew up in the Minneapolis area, worked under Heritage Taverns Chef Dan Fox at The Madison Club for a year. He became a line cook at Merchant when it opened, and then its executive chef in 2012.

Later that year, Nodler moved to Philadelphia with his wife, Samantha Kincaid, and joined Fork restaurant, one of that citys most acclaimed. Within two years, he was named one of Zagats 30 Under 30 Philadelphia culinary talents.

While he was there, Fork was a Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant in 2014 and 2015.

It was at a.kitchen, a sister restaurant of Fork, in 2015, that Nodler became a James Beard Rising Star Chef of the Year semifinalist.

As culinary director for High Street Hospitality Restaurants, which runs Fork and a.kitchen + bar, he oversaw the opening of High Street on Hudson in New York.

When it opened in December 2016, The New York Times named its seaweed bucatini with lobster bottarga one of the top 10 restaurant dishes of the year.

Kincaid, who got some pastry experience at the former Nostrano in Madison, worked alongside Nodler in Philadelphia as a pastry chef for High Street Hospitality. In 2018, the couple left the group, teamed with another chef, and opened their own restaurant called Cadence, which they closed in August.

Before the pandemic, Cadence earned Food & Wine Magazines No. 1 Best New Restaurant in 2019, beating out restaurants across the country.

Simple pleasures and serious food  for once, you dont have to choose between them, Food & Wine wrote.

Kincaids family is in Madison, and Nodler said that was a driving force in their return.

Nicholson, the companys beverage director since 2020, has worked as a bartender at Lucille and Merchant since 2014. Berkson said shes created cocktails for Amara that include classic Italian spritzes, negronis and martinis.

Merchant off the Capitol Square opened in late 2010, with Lucille following in 2016. Merchant closed in September for renovations, and is set to reopen June 1, Berkson said.

Read more restaurant news at: go.madison.com/restaurants

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WEDNESDAY, May 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- There is no cure for lupus yet, but new genetic research may at least point to new treatments for the chronic disease.

An international team of researchers has identified a gene mutation linked with lupus. An autoimmune disease, lupus causes organ and joint inflammation, fatigue and a number of other problems. In severe cases, symptoms can be debilitating and complications can be fatal.

Current treatments focus on suppressing the immune system to ease symptoms.

"It has been a huge challenge to find effective treatments for lupus, and the immune-suppressors currently being used can have serious side effects and leave patients more susceptible to infection. There has only been a single new treatment approved by the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] in about the last 60 years," said study co-author Carola Vinuesa, co-director of the China Australia Centre for Personalised Immunology (CACPI) and group leader at the Francis Crick Institute in England.

This is the first time a TLR7 mutation has been shown to cause lupus, providing clear evidence of one way this disease can arise," Vinuesa added in an institute news release.

In this study, scientists conducted whole genome sequencing on the DNA of a Spanish girl who was diagnosed with severe lupus when she was 7 years old. Such a severe case with early onset of symptoms is rare and indicates a single genetic cause, they explained.

The researchers found that the girl had a single-point mutation in the TLR7 gene, which senses viral RNA. They then identified other cases of severe lupus where this gene was mutated.

To confirm that the mutation causes lupus, the scientists said they introduced it into mice. The rodents then developed the disease, according to the study.

"While it may only be a small number of people with lupus who have variants in TLR7 itself, we do know that many patients have signs of overactivity in the TLR7 pathway. By confirming a causal link between the gene mutation and the disease, we can start to search for more effective treatments," said study co-author Nan Shen, co-director of CACPI.

The findings were published April 27 in the journal Nature.

More information

For more on lupus, see the Lupus Foundation of America.

SOURCE: Francis Crick Institute, news release, April 27, 2022

Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.
RACINE  There is no law in the State of Wisconsin that makes gay marriage legal.

Marriage between two people of the same sex in Wisconsin is only legal because of a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. A smattering of other states, including Minnesota since 2013, allow it in their state laws, something Wisconsin has never done.

A leaked draft of a potential new Supreme Court ruling that could lead to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, published by Politico on Monday, indicates that gay marriage could again become illegal in Wisconsin if the current nine justices on the Supreme Court are asked to rule again on gay marriage.

Narrow When gay marriage was legalized by the nation's highest court seven years ago in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges, it was by a vote of 5-4.

Regarding gay marriage being legal in Wisconsin, Theres no statutory component to any of this," said Staci Duros, a senior legislative analyst with the nonpartisan Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau.

Duros said that if the Supreme Court was to overturn gay marriage in the same way it appears ready to rule on abortion rights, then same-sex marriage likewise would become illegal in Wisconsin. It is not clear what kind of effect such a ruling would have on same-sex marriages that have occurred since 2015 in Wisconsin.

Likewise, if Roe v. Wade is overturned, performing an abortion or having an abortion performed would be a felony in Wisconsin, with no exceptions for rape or incest, and only a limited exception if the mother's life is in danger.

The leaked draft, penned by Associate Justice Samuel Alito and confirmed to be genuine by Chief Justice John Roberts, states the decision in Roe v. Wade was "egregiously wrong." In effect, by Alito's reading of the law, since abortion is not explicitly legalized in the U.S. Constitution or in an amendment, then the 1973 court that legalized abortion via Roe v. Wade should have its decision overturned.

Speaking about the leaked draft, Lauren MacIvor Thompson, an assistant professor of history and interdisciplinary studies at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, who is an expert in legal history, told the Macon (Georgia) Telegraph, "If this is the final outcome, this is the first domino in a series of challenges that will take place to other human rights, and those will be under attack and vulnerable.

If Alito's reading of the Constitution is held consistently, other landmark court cases that provided other rights nationwide could be at risk of being overturned. Other rights guaranteed by the court but not explicitly allowed in laws nationwide include the rights to marry someone of a different race (Loving v. Virginia, 1967) and access to contraceptives (Griswold v. Connecticut, 1965).

Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, a Racine Democrat who is a member of the state LGBTQ Legislative Caucus, said it is not clear if the Wisconsin Legislature will act to codify the right to marriage for same-sex couples.

In terms of next session, its hard for me to say what actions could be taken," Neubauer said in a Wednesday telephone interview.

Regarding LGBTQ-related legislation, "We havent seen support or action (from Republicans) in the past," Neubauer said.

For now, however, Neubauer said this is not a priority, as she focuses on generating support for keeping abortion legal. The draft is still a draft  Were taking things one step at a time. Neubauer plans to speak at a rally on the issue at 10 a.m. Saturday on Monument Square in Downtown Racine.

She tweeted later Wednesday, "I grew up hearing about my grandma volunteering at womens health clinics before Roe. She later taught high school sex ed and served as Chair of PP MN (Planned Parenthood Minnesota). She experienced bomb threats at the clinic where she volunteered, but despite everything, she continued the work. Today we face the most significant threat to reproductive rights in fifty years. I will not let my grandmothers work  and the work of generations who have fought for the right to control their own destiny  be in vain."

Laws legalizing abortion or gay marriage in Wisconsin could not be passed without at least partial Republican support and OKs from the current GOP leaders of each house of the Wisconsin Legislature, including Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, whose office did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The Legislature is not scheduled to meet in general session until next year.
More than 1,000 people gathered outside of the Wisconsin Capitol on Tuesday evening to protest the potential overturn of Roe v. Wade after a leaked majority opinion draft showed the U.S. Supreme Courts plan to strike down the landmark 1973 case.

A crowd that started as a few hundred around 7 p.m. swelled to more than 1,000 within the first hour, easily filling two city blocks as they marched from the top of State Street to the UW-Madison Library Mall. Some protesters held coat hangers while others hoisted up signs that read never again, we wont go back and keep abortion safe and legal.

Take to the streets and fight as one, this is how Roe was won, they chanted throughout Downtown.

Susan and David Mockert, who have a 17-year-old daughter and a 19-year-old daughter, said theyre afraid the overturn of Roe v. Wade would strip people of their bodily autonomy.

Im pissed, Susan Mockert said as she fought back tears. I knew it was coming, the way things are right now in politics but, Im just angry, pissed off.

Temi Blagogee, Lousia Keenan and Laurie Lapp, members of UW-Medical Students for Choice, a student interest group at the medical school, joined the rally to express their anger with the Supreme Courts draft decision.

It was extremely frustrating for me, Blagogee said. As a future medical professional we understand that abortion is a fundamental human right, without it women die from unsafe abortions.

Keenan said she was disappointed and scared for her future patients.

We know that a lot of legislators dont understand a lot that goes into abortion, she said.

Allison Webber, a Madison resident who remembered rallying for abortion rights roughly 40 years ago, said she was shocked, disappointed and frightened by the leaked draft opinion.

Im worried that people are going to die because theyre always going to seek abortion somewhere, she said.

Ned Keitt and his 12-year-old, Lee Keitt-Pride, who uses they/them pronouns, both said they werent surprised but very frustrated by the leaked draft opinion.

I dont understand what would be going through (the justices) minds to make them think this would be a good thing to do, Keitt-Pride said.

The pending Supreme Court decision could soon make all abortions illegal in Wisconsin under a 19th-century ban of the medical procedure, which was made unenforceable by Roe.

If the Supreme Court publishes its 5-4 opinion without changes, Wisconsins existing law dictates that destroying the life of an unborn child would constitute a Class H felony, punishable by up to six years of combined prison and extended supervision and a fine of up to $10,000. The willful killing of an unborn quick child, which is generally described as a fetus that has developed to the stage that it moves within the womb, would be a Class E felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and five years of extended supervision. The law, passed in 1849, includes an exception for when a mothers life is in danger but not for rape or incest.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito called the courts 1973 Roe decision an egregious one in a majority opinion draft leaked to Politico, which published its story late Monday. An unnamed source told Politico that four other justices already voted to overturn Roe. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the authenticity of the leaked draft opinion Tuesday.

Will Fitzgerald, a member of Madison Socialist Alternative said his organization, along with the Young Democratic Socialists of America UW-Madison chapter, sprang into action to put the rally together late Monday evening when they heard of the leaked opinion.

We werent surprised when we saw that Supreme Court (draft) decision, he said. We corralled some other organizations and took to the streets to build for it, we passed out 900 flyers today alone.

The high court is expected to publish its opinion this summer.

Democrats decried the Supreme Courts draft opinion while Republicans celebrated and in Wisconsin, the pending decision has transformed the debate over whats at stake in the upcoming senatorial and gubernatorial elections.

Candidates on both sides issued urgent pleas for support, noting the courts decision would resurrect Wisconsins long-dormant ban on abortions before voters head to the polls in November.

Regardless of the Supreme Courts pending decision, six in 10 Wisconsinites say abortion should be legal in most or all casesa margin that has remained consistent across a decade of the Marquette Law School Poll.

Polls conducted between September 2012 and last October found that, on average, 25% of respondents said abortion should be legal in all cases and almost 35% said it should be legal in most cases, while 23% said it should be illegal in most cases and 12% said it should be illegal in all cases. An average of 4% of respondents over the 11 polls said they did not know enough to have an opinion.

Marquette Law Schools most recent poll on the matter, conducted in October, found that 61% of Wisconsinites say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 34% say it should be illegal in all or most cases.

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A former vice president of marketing at Janesvilles Mercyhealth who reaped millions of dollars in a kickback scheme engineered with the hospitals marketing contractor was sentenced Wednesday to 3 years in federal prison for wire fraud and tax evasion.

U.S. District Judge William Conley told Barbara Bortner, 57, of Milton, that the sentence she received wasnt a reflection of the person she is, but instead was a response to what she did and for how long.

Were it not for the severity of the crime, I would not have imposed the sentence I did, Conley said, after sentencing Bortner to 42 months for a five-year scheme that reaped more than $3.1 million from Mercyhealth and cheated the Internal Revenue Service out of nearly $778,000 in unpaid taxes.

In 2015, Bortner and her co-defendant, Ryan Weckerly, conceived a plan in which Weckerly submitted inflated invoices to Mercyhealth for services provided by his marketing firm, then kicked back the excess money he received to Bortner, who had agreed to continue using Weckerlys firm as Mercyhealths primary marketing agency.

Weckerly, 47, of Sycamore, Illinois, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 17.

The volume of support Bortner received from family, friends and colleagues, Conley said, was among the most he has seen for a criminal defendant. But he said in sentencing Bortner, I have to consider the severity of the crime and the length of time you committed it.

Bortner said she was sorry for her behavior and said she is ashamed and embarrassed of myself. She said she was trying to be someone Im not, a super successful person people admired, which led her down the path of trying to please people and live beyond her means. But in doing so, she said, she hurt her family and her community.

I will live with this shame for the rest of my life, Bortner said.

Conley sparred at times with Bortners attorney, Thomas Brown, who said at one point he believed Conley has a very negative view of my client, a charge Conley denied. Instead, Conley said the driving force behind the sentence he gave Bortner was deterrence  specifically of Bortner and of others like her who might consider similar schemes.

Deterrence may not function well in fashioning sentences for some crimes, Conley said, but in some white-collar crimes, when the rewards versus the risks of being caught are calculated, it can be effective.

If there is any benefit to deterrence its in a setting like this one, Conley said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner argued in a sentencing memorandum for a 54-month prison sentence. Though not stated specifically in court, Brown argued for something less. His sentencing memorandum was filed under seal.

But Conley said Browns memorandum argued that Bortner only faced a lengthy sentence because of the money she took, an idea Conley said could hardly be more tone-deaf.

Bortner was audited in 2019 by the IRS and at that point told the agency that a company she created to disguise the kickbacks was a legitimate company that performed marketing work.

But the kickback scheme continued for another year after the IRS contact, Conley noted, before Bortner admitted committing the crime.

Bortner will have to pay back what she took, but the exact division of restitution between Bortner and Weckerly will not be set until a hearing in August. Brown said Bortner has pulled together more than $1.8 million to put toward the eventual restitution figure.

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Support for stationing police officers in schools was about the same among white and non-white Wisconsin residents surveyed this year by the states police union, even as there continue to be sharp differences by race in perceptions of police violence.

The 10th annual Wisconsin Professional Police Association survey found that 63% of respondents believed school-based officers  often referred to as school resource officers, or SROs  increase school safety. Researchers found no statistically significant difference in that level of support by race. Five percent believed the positions decrease school safety, and 25% said they did neither. The rest were not sure.

WPPA executive director Jim Palmer said the group asked about SROs for the first time this year because they continue to be a contentious issue and because the union wanted to test assertions made by activists about how non-white people feel about SROs.

Frankly, we were surprised to see that a majority of both whites and minorities appear to believe that school resource officers increase school safety, he said. That certainly contradicts the representations of those that have advocated for removing school resource officers in communities such as Madison.

The Madison School Board removed SROs from the districts four main high schools in June 2020 in the wake of protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 and after years of anti-SRO lobbying led by local social justice group Freedom Inc.

Those opposed to having police in schools point to disproportionately high arrest and school discipline rates for Black students and say the presence of officers fosters the school-to-prison pipeline.

District spokesperson Tim LeMonds said the district has not surveyed district residents about SROs, but that in the 2019-20 school year, the district did engage students and staff in discussions to gather their feedback on a proposed pilot program which would have removed an SRO from one of our four high schools. An April 23, 2020, memo from then-interim superintendent Jane Belmore said the data gathered from the high schools can be summarized as supportive of keeping SROs in schools, and no principal was interested in participating in the pilot.

In the one School Board race in April for which two people were on the ballot, the candidate in favor of returning officers to the high schools beat the candidate opposed to it.

Police violence

Cross-racial agreement on police in schools didnt extend to issues of police violence. Seventy-eight percent of non-white respondents agreed that police violence against Blacks or African Americans in Wisconsin is an extremely or moderately serious problem, while only 51% percent of whites felt the same. Similarly, white respondents were more than twice as likely (50%) as non-white respondents (21%) to see the killings of minorities by police as isolated incidents.

However, similar percentages of whites and non-whites rated racism in society as a major or somewhat of a problem, although non-white respondents were more likely to say it was a major problem.

Response to such race-related questions wasnt much different from last years survey, which asked the same questions.

Palmer said the differences between white and non-white respondents may suggest areas where law enforcement may have re-evaluate its minority outreach efforts or reconsider the ways by which it communicates with communities of color.

Police shootings

The WPPA again this year includes a perceptions-versus-reality section in which it sought to dispel myths about police shootings. Both the 2021 and 2022 surveys asked if the majority of people fatally shot by police last year were armed and whether the majority of people shot by police were Black or members of another minority group, and in both years respondents answers didnt match reality.

Sixty percent of respondents, including 40% of non-white respondents, believed the majority of people fatally shot last year were armed. In reality, 100% of them were, according to WPPA.

Fifty percent of white respondents and 69% of non-white respondents also believed that the majority of people shot by police last year were non-white. In reality, six of the 27 people shot by police last year were non-white, according to WPPA.

The figures tend to line up with other data on police shootings. Since 2015, 111 people have been shot and killed by police in Wisconsin, according to the Washington Post database of fatal police shootings. Sixty-five were white, 24 were Black, and all but five or six of them were armed.

Black people account for about 7% of the population in Wisconsin, according to U.S. Census data. But the rate at which Black people are shot by police roughly corresponds with the rate at which they are arrested for violent crimes. About 45% of those arrested for aggravated assault last year in Wisconsin, for example, were Black, according to state Department of Justice statistics. Nationally, 209,848 white people and 129,346 Black people were arrested for violent crimes in 2019, according to FBI statistics.

The unions online survey of 1,119 Wisconsin residents was conducted by the St. Norbert College Strategic Research Institute from Feb. 11 to Feb. 21 and was weighted to reflect the states demographic profile. Its margin of error is plus or minus 5 percentage points.

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Jennifer Mnookin is a strong supporter of the Wisconsin Idea.

In fact, one of her family members is a direct beneficiary of the belief enshrined in state law that Wisconsins higher education system should provide benefits beyond the classroom.

Mnookin, who is one of five finalists vying to become the next UW-Madison chancellor, said she donated a kidney to her father in late 2020. The organ made its way from Los Angeles, where Mnookin leads the University of California Los Angeles law school, to her dad in Boston thanks to a solution developed at UW-Madison that extends the time that an organ can be safely stored outside of a body.

While UCLA also prioritizes service to its state, Mnookin said her university lacks an elegant and descriptive phrase to explain its mission  we dont have a California Idea, she said  in the way Wisconsin does.

I think UW-Madison has the chance to sell that vision for what a public university is and can be as a national and even global model, she said. I think this university already does that to a considerable degree but I think theres an opportunity to sell and celebrate that as a real national model for why public universities matter.

Mnookin made her pitch Tuesday during a public forum, which followed a slate of meetings with UW officials and members of the campus community earlier in the day. She spent the last 17 years teaching law at UCLA, including the last six years as dean of the law school. Before moving to California in 2005, she taught at the University of Virginia and Harvard.

The scale of the operation Mnookin currently leads  about 1,350 students, 130 full-time faculty and 150 staff  in comparison to UW-Madisons behemoth enterprise is one factor to consider for the committee of UW regents that will pare the list of five finalists down to one.

Mnookin highlighted a scholarship program she created for students who have faced significant life obstacles, efforts to work with Native American tribes and her collaborative leadership style. Her resume indicates she raised more than $170 million in her six years as dean, diversified the student body and converted budget deficits into modest surpluses.

To shore up money that would offset declining state funding, Mnookin suggested boosting philanthropy efforts, building on industry partnerships and creating new degree programs.

It would be a big mistake to just sit and wait for the state to be our answer, she said.

UW-Madisons emphasis on interdisciplinary research  where different academic fields work together to solve large-scale problems  will be a secret weapon in the years ahead and part of what drew her to apply, Mnookin said. Most peer schools are more siloed in their approach.

Mnookins own academic background is a blend of science and humanities. She earned a bachelors degree in social studies from Harvard, a law degree from Yale and a Ph.D. in science studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her husband is a political philosopher, her daughter who just graduated college gravitates toward the liberal arts, and her son who is still in college is a computer science major.

I live in this duality, she said.

She found UW-Madisons long history of shared governance not only with faculty, but also staff and students appealing. Its something she tried incorporating into her current role by establishing a student advisory committee.

Mnookins remarks made an impression on Timothy Yu, an English professor who leads the UW-Madison chapter of the American Association of University Professors and attended Tuesdays forum. It was clear to him that she had done her research but acknowledged she had more to learn.

She offered ideas but I liked that she said she didnt have all the answers, he said.
More than 1,000 people gathered outside of the Wisconsin Capitol on Tuesday evening to protest the potential overturn of Roe v. Wade after a leaked majority opinion draft showed the U.S. Supreme Courts plan to strike down the landmark 1973 case.

A crowd that started as a few hundred around 7 p.m. swelled to more than 1,000 within the first hour, easily filling two city blocks as they marched from the top of State Street to the UW-Madison Library Mall. Some protesters held coat hangers while others hoisted up signs that read never again, we wont go back and keep abortion safe and legal.

Take to the streets and fight as one, this is how Roe was won, they chanted throughout Downtown.

Susan and David Mockert, who have a 17-year-old daughter and a 19-year-old daughter, said theyre afraid the overturn of Roe v. Wade would strip people of their bodily autonomy.

Im pissed, Susan Mockert said as she fought back tears. I knew it was coming, the way things are right now in politics but, Im just angry, pissed off.

Temi Blagogee, Lousia Keenan and Laurie Lapp, members of UW-Medical Students for Choice, a student interest group at the medical school, joined the rally to express their anger with the Supreme Courts draft decision.

It was extremely frustrating for me, Blagogee said. As a future medical professional we understand that abortion is a fundamental human right, without it women die from unsafe abortions.

Keenan said she was disappointed and scared for her future patients.

We know that a lot of legislators dont understand a lot that goes into abortion, she said.

Allison Webber, a Madison resident who remembered rallying for abortion rights roughly 40 years ago, said she was shocked, disappointed and frightened by the leaked draft opinion.

Im worried that people are going to die because theyre always going to seek abortion somewhere, she said.

Ned Keitt and his 12-year-old, Lee Keitt-Pride, who uses they/them pronouns, both said they werent surprised but very frustrated by the leaked draft opinion.

I dont understand what would be going through (the justices) minds to make them think this would be a good thing to do, Keitt-Pride said.

The pending Supreme Court decision could soon make all abortions illegal in Wisconsin under a 19th-century ban of the medical procedure, which was made unenforceable by Roe.

If the Supreme Court publishes its 5-4 opinion without changes, Wisconsins existing law dictates that destroying the life of an unborn child would constitute a Class H felony, punishable by up to six years of combined prison and extended supervision and a fine of up to $10,000. The willful killing of an unborn quick child, which is generally described as a fetus that has developed to the stage that it moves within the womb, would be a Class E felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and five years of extended supervision. The law, passed in 1849, includes an exception for when a mothers life is in danger but not for rape or incest.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito called the courts 1973 Roe decision an egregious one in a majority opinion draft leaked to Politico, which published its story late Monday. An unnamed source told Politico that four other justices already voted to overturn Roe. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the authenticity of the leaked draft opinion Tuesday.

Will Fitzgerald, a member of Madison Socialist Alternative said his organization, along with the Young Democratic Socialists of America UW-Madison chapter, sprang into action to put the rally together late Monday evening when they heard of the leaked opinion.

We werent surprised when we saw that Supreme Court (draft) decision, he said. We corralled some other organizations and took to the streets to build for it, we passed out 900 flyers today alone.

The high court is expected to publish its opinion this summer.

Democrats decried the Supreme Courts draft opinion while Republicans celebrated and in Wisconsin, the pending decision has transformed the debate over whats at stake in the upcoming senatorial and gubernatorial elections.

Candidates on both sides issued urgent pleas for support, noting the courts decision would resurrect Wisconsins long-dormant ban on abortions before voters head to the polls in November.

Regardless of the Supreme Courts pending decision, six in 10 Wisconsinites say abortion should be legal in most or all casesa margin that has remained consistent across a decade of the Marquette Law School Poll.

Polls conducted between September 2012 and last October found that, on average, 25% of respondents said abortion should be legal in all cases and almost 35% said it should be legal in most cases, while 23% said it should be illegal in most cases and 12% said it should be illegal in all cases. An average of 4% of respondents over the 11 polls said they did not know enough to have an opinion.

Marquette Law Schools most recent poll on the matter, conducted in October, found that 61% of Wisconsinites say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 34% say it should be illegal in all or most cases.

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A second Dane County judge has ordered Republicans who launched former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gablemans ongoing review of the 2020 election to halt the destruction of public records.

Dane County Circuit Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihn issued the order Wednesday, noting that she is astounded that such a decision was necessary, given that Gableman, who was hired by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, to lead the review last year at a cost of $676,000 to taxpayers, should be well aware of Wisconsins public records law. Attorneys for Gableman have said the former justice is exempt from retaining records and his office regularly destroys records deemed irrelevant or useless.

Im just astounded because the Office of Special Counsel is composed of somebody who apparently should know better, Bailey-Rihn said to attorney Ronald Stadler, who is representing Vos in the case.

Christa Westerberg, an attorney for American Oversight, said there is evidence that Gableman deleted records between June 1 and August 30 of last year. She added that the organization has received just 27 pages of documents from Gableman in response to the request.

Stadler, who has said all available records have been provided, said he, the Assembly, Vos and Assembly Clerk Ted Blazel, who is also named in the case, have no ability to prevent Gableman from deleting records.

Im just struggling with the idea that somebody is above the law and why should I not tell you to tell him what the law is? He should know it, Bailey-Rihn said.

It sounds like its necessary for me to order you to tell him to not delete records, which frankly astounds me because there is some evidence that these records have been deleted, Bailey-Rihn added. Now I dont know when. Is that continuing? I dont know. Whats the explanation for that, other than your clients cant control their contractors?

Stadler pushed back against comments that the Assembly or Vos has no control over Gableman, adding that the former justices interpretation of the law will be vetted in a separate case. In that case, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Frank Remington ordered Gableman to not delete or destroy any records that may be responsive to American Oversights original request.

I dont think its necessarily accurate to say that anyone is thumbing their nose at the law or thumbing their nose at either court, Stadler said. I think theres a dispute as to what the law provides and what it covers.

An analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Council back in October found that deleting such records, even by a state contractor like Gableman, violates state law.

Speaker Voss ever-expanding list of excuses  they dont exist, theyve been deleted, we cant control our contractors  for failing to produce records to which Wisconsin citizens are legally entitled dont ring true, American Oversight senior adviser Melanie Sloan said in a statement. Next, hell claim the dog ate them. This deliberate effort to deprive the public of information undermines our democracy and the rule of law.

American Oversight has filed three cases against Gableman, Vos and the Assembly seeking public records related to Gablemans review of the 2020 election.

Vos, who had previously indicated plans to begin wrapping up Gablemans review by the time his contract expired at the end of April, said last week Gablemans office will remain open as we guarantee the legal power of our legislative subpoenas and get through the other lawsuits that have gridlocked this investigation.

Vos extension of Gablemans contract came one day after former President Donald Trump, who has continued to make unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud in states like Wisconsin in the 2020 election, issued a statement pressuring state Republicans to keep Gablemans review open.

A recount, court decisions and multiple reviews have affirmed that President Joe Biden defeated Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes. Only 24 people out of nearly 3.3 million who cast ballots have been charged with election fraud in Wisconsin.

Gableman has issued subpoenas to local and state election officials, the mayors of the states five largest cities and two companies that make vote-counting systems, Election Systems & Software and Dominion Voting Systems. Many of the subpoenaed parties have rejected Gablemans requests for in-person meetings or documents, while the former state Supreme Court justice has also withdrawn some requests, including one filed with immigrant rights group Voces de la Frontera Action.

Gablemans subpoenas have been met with a slew of legal challenges, with Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul filing a lawsuit in October challenging Gablemans authority to demand in-person interviews. Kaul has argued demanding private interviews outside a public setting is illegal.

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The number of Wisconsin state lawmakers hanging it up this year is near a modern-day high, and could even exceed the record set during World War II.

The mass exodus comes amid uncertainty over legislative boundaries due to a redistricting fight, an ever-more partisan political environment and years of animosity between majority Republicans and minority Democrats.

Thirty incumbents have announced they will retire, wont seek reelection or are running for another office. Thats a quarter of the 118 lawmakers up for reelection. Thirteen Republicans and 10 Democrats in the Assembly are leaving; four Republicans and three Democrats in the Senate are out.

The 30 departures ties with 2014 for the third-highest number of incumbent retirements since at least 1940, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau. Agency data shows 31 incumbents left in 1954 and 32 left in 1942 during the middle of World War II. The LRBs legislative turnover records date back only to 1940.

UW-Madison political scientist Barry Burden said legislative departures are often higher in redistricting years, when the Legislature redraws lawmakers district lines to reflect population changes. This years maps were delayed as Democrats and Republicans fought over them in court. The state Supreme Court didnt finalize the maps until last month on the day candidates could pull nomination papers. The districts remained largely unchanged but Burden said the delay likely made it difficult for incumbents to plan.

Burden speculated that Republicans also might be leaving because of internal dissension over election integrity. A vocal faction of the party believes Joe Biden stole the 2020 presidential election from Donald Trump, even though recounts, court decisions and audits have confirmed that Biden defeated Trump by nearly 21,000 votes in Wisconsin.

Stepping away

Sen. Kathy Bernier, R-Chippewa Falls, a former Chippewa County clerk and chair of the Senate elections committee, is retiring after 12 years in the Legislature. She took intense criticism for defending local clerks elections performance and questioning Assembly Speaker Robin Vos decision to hire former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman to investigate the election. Gableman called on her to resign.

She said she was ready to quit anyway, but the attacks made her decision easy. She said many Republicans believe as she does but are too afraid to stand up.

It just seemed to me something had to be said and something had to be done, she said. After getting the slings and arrows from people in my own caucus  they came to realize there was nothing they could say or do or no bill that they could write that would make the Trumpians happy. They just decided to keep quiet. They want to move on. I dont know if they can.

Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, announced in January that he would not seek reelection. He ran afoul this winter of a faction of Assembly Republicans who demanded the body decertify the 2020 election results. Vos and the rest of the GOP leadership refused, saying it couldnt be done.

Steineke called his decision just good timing after 12 years in Madison, but also said he has been dealing with criticism over his election stance that has at times been irrational.

Somebody called (from) my district frustrated with the 2020 election, Steineke recalled. As we walked through all the issues he believed were wrong in the election, I explained every single one of them and what the reality was. He still couldnt accept that and then inferred elected officials are agents of foreign governments.  Theres a segment of our citizenry that is incredibly frustrated and looking for an outlet and often times elected officials become an outlet for that frustration.

Partisan climate

Hanging over all of the departures is a partisan atmosphere that has grown more bitter, personal and sometimes abusive in recent years.

This generation of lawmakers was on the front lines for the divisive battle over then-Gov. Scott Walkers public union restrictions, a fight that grew so intense that Democratic senators fled to Illinois in a futile effort to prevent passage. The night the Assembly passed the bill Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, shouted Youre dead! at a Republican colleague.

Hintz is not seeking reelection. That leaves Christine Sinicki as the only Assembly Democrat who was present for the floor debate on the bill running again this fall. Senate Democrats never voted on the measure because they had left the state.

The divide deepened after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers defeated Walker in 2018 but Republicans retained control of both legislative houses, leading to gridlock. The rancor has continued in the last two years as Republicans work to tighten voting laws, drawing protests from Democrats who say the GOP is trying to suppress their supporters votes.

I certainly understand the frustration some legislators on both sides of the aisle have, with the make-up of the Legislature and the tone of the debate, said Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-West Point, who is retiring after 23 years. Were not talking about issues that affect districts. Why is Robin Vos spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on something thats not real? I got tired of trying to answer that when theres no answer. Or that the answer is theyre trying to keep the Trump people on board in the Republican Party and thats the only way to do it.
A look at some of the key legislative races in the May 10 primary election in West Virginia. Half of the 34-member Senate and the entire 100-member House of Delegates is up for election.

Republicans outnumber Democrats 78-22 in the House, 23-11 in the state Senate and are looking to add to their supermajority this fall. There are no Democratic candidates in six of the 17 state Senate primaries and 27 of the 100 House of Delegates races. Overall, Democrats have contested races in just two Senate primaries and 16 House primaries.

Four senators, including three Democrats, did not seek reelection and eight others are unopposed in the primary. More than half of the House is running unopposed while 15 incumbents, including 10 Republicans, did not seek reelection. All delegates will be chosen from single-member districts because of a 2018 restructuring. Previously, some districts had multiple delegates. Because of redistricting, some incumbent lawmakers will face each other in their new districts.

SENATE

District 1

Democrat Owens Brown, who was appointed by Republican Gov. Jim Justice last October and is the first Black man to serve in the Senate, goes up against former Delegate Randy Swartzmiller in the primary, where two Republicans also are running.

District 3

Republican incumbent Mike Azinger takes on GOP Delegate John Kelly in the new four-county Ohio Valley district.

District 7

Former U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart opposes Republican Chad McCormick in the five-county southern district where Dr. Ron Stollings, an incumbent Democrat, has no primary opposition.

District 8

Sen. Richard Lindsay is unopposed in the Democrat primary. On the Republican side, a Kanawha County judge on Wednesday issued a ruling in a voter's petition that candidate Andrea Garrett Kiessling is ineligible to run in the primary because she has not been a resident of the state for the required five years. Others in the GOP primary are former Delegate Joshua Higginbotham, ex-Democratic Delegate Mark Hunt and Mark Mitchem.

District 9

Incumbent Republican Rollan Roberts faces GOP challenger Mick Bates in a southern district where no Democrat is running in the primary. Bates is a delegate and former Democrat.

District 12

Republican Delegate Ben Queen is running unopposed. No Democrat is on the primary ballot.

District 13

Former Senate Democrat Mike Oliverio is seeking a seat again, this time as a Republican. He faces former FBI officer and analyst Carly Braun. Barbara Evans Fleischauer, a longtime House Democrat, takes on Monongalia County assessor's office employee Rich Jacobs.

District 16

Delegate Jason Barrett is up against paralegal Renee Wibly in the GOP primary. No Democrat has filed to run.

HOUSE OF DELEGATES

District 15

Republican incumbent Riley Keaton takes on former GOP Delegate Rick Atkinson in the district representing Roane and portions of Wirt counties.

District 26

Republican Larry Pack and Democrat Kayla Young, incumbents whose previous district in Kanawha County had four delegates, will face primary opposition from Richard Boggess and Devin Casey, respectively.

District 27

In a new district spanning portions of Cabell and Wayne counties, Democratic incumbents Ric Griffith of Kenova and Chad Lovejoy of Huntington will meet.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP)  Tens of thousands of protesters blocked streets and gathered around government buildings in Armenia's capital on Wednesday to demand the prime minister's resignation over his calls for a formal peace agreement with neighboring Azerbaijan.

The demonstrators used cement mixers and trucks to close off roads and bridges leading to the center of Yerevan. They marched, chanting Armenia without Nikol, referring to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Clashes broke out with police and several arrests were reported.

Anti-government demonstrations have taken place almost daily since April 17. The prime minister became a renewed target of rancor after he spoke in parliament about the need to sign a peace deal with Azerbaijan.

The two countries have clashed for decades over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is part of Azerbaijan but has been under Armenian control since early 1990s. During a six-week war in 2020, Azerbaijan reclaimed control over some of the region before signing a Russia-brokered truce with Armenia.

We can speak with the authorities about only one thing  their immediate departure, said opposition politician Ishkhan Saghatelyan, vice president of the country's parliament. He called on all Armenians to join the civil disobedience and for protests to continue daily.

Police arrested some of the protesters, and security officials warned them against trying to storm the parliament building, but they massed outside, as well as near the Interior Ministry and elsewhere in the capital. Inside parliament, opposition politicians demanded Pashinyan's resignation in his presence. He said he would address the grievances but opponents walked out before he could do so.

This story has been corrected to show that the protesters were blocking roads and bridges, not Armenian authorities.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP)  New Mexico's governor on Tuesday asked President Joe Biden to declare a disaster as firefighters scrambled to clear brush, build fire lines and spray water to keep the largest blaze burning in the U.S. from destroying more homes in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

During a briefing on the fire burning across the state's northeast, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a request for a presidential disaster declaration that will be sent to the White House in hopes of freeing up financial assistance for recovery efforts. She said it was important that the declaration be made on the front end rather than waiting until the fire is out.

Im unwilling to wait, said Lujan Grisham, a first-term Democrat who is running for reelection. I have families who dont know what the next day looks like, I have families who are trying to navigate their children and health care resources, figure out their livelihoods and theyre in every single little community and it must feel to them like they are out there on their own.

In the small northeastern New Mexico city of Las Vegas, residents were already voicing concerns about grocery stores being closed as some people chose to leave ahead of the flames even though evacuations had not been ordered.

Fire managers told an evening briefing at the local community college that the spread slowed a bit on Tuesday, and put the amount of newly charred land up slightly, to about 231 square miles (598 square kilometers) of mountainsides, towering ponderosa pines and meadows.

Officials have reported about 170 homes destroyed, about 15,500 homes under mandatory evacuation and said the states psychiatric hospital in Las Vegas remained evacuated. Schools in the community canceled classes at least through Wednesday.

Dan Pearson, a U.S. Forest Service fire behavior analyst, called Tuesday a brief reprieve from the extreme conditions we have been experiencing," but warned that winds are expected to increase and shift on Wednesday, pushing fire and smoke toward Las Vegas.

Tomorrow, we're back to red-flag criteria, Pearson said, adding that forecasts called for better firefighting conditions on Thursday and Friday before winds increase and gusts whip to 50 mph (80 kph) or more during the weekend.

A battery of fire engines and their crews were busy Tuesday working to protect homes and other structures on the edge of Las Vegas while bulldozers cleared more fire lines on the outskirts. Air tanker and helicopter pilots took advantage of a break in the thick smoke and falling ash to drop fire retardant and water.

New Mexico was in the bull's eye for the nation's latest wave of hot, dry and windy weather. Forecasters also issued warnings for parts of Arizona and Colorado, and authorities in Texas urged people there to be careful after crews in that state had to respond to several new fires Monday.

Authorities in northeastern New Mexico said the flames were a couple of miles from Las Vegas, which serves as an economic hub for most of northeastern New Mexico and the ranching and farming families who have called the rural region home for generations. It's home to the United World College and New Mexico Highlands University.

The governor said during her briefing that the number of homes destroyed would likely go much higher given the ground that the fire has covered and the villages that it moved through over the past week.

San Miguel County officials said Tuesday they have been unable to get back into burned areas to continue assessments since conditions were too dangerous.

Wildfires have become a year-round threat in the drought-stricken West and they are moving faster and burning hotter than ever due to climate change, scientists and fire experts say. Fire officials also have said that many forested areas have become overgrown and unhealthy and that the buildup of vegetation can worsen wildfire conditions.

Nationally, the National Interagency Fire Center reported Tuesday that a dozen uncontained large fires have burned about 400 square miles (1,000 square kilometers) in five states, including New Mexico. Nearly 3,500 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to fires burning across the country.

On the northern flank of the big New Mexico fire, crews were trying to keep the flames from reaching the town of Mora as the winds shifted. Bulldozed fire lines were holding, but state officials urged those residents who have refused to leave the area to reconsider, saying it's a dangerous situation.

Northeast of Las Vegas, on the other side of an interstate, is the Zamora Ranch. Owner Kenny Zamora has opened up his corrals and stables for livestock refugees, including 160 cattle, 50 horses, 70 sheep, 10 goats and a couple of pigs.

Jose Griego and wife Casey Taylor brought 10 horses and a small donkey to the ranch. Each has its own story: One was a wedding gift to the couple. Another is Griegos go-to horse for rounding up cattle.

Everything thats breathing is out, and thats what matters, said Taylor, who teaches science in a nearby community.

State livestock inspectors said green flags are flying at the entrances of ranches where livestock are left behind during evacuations so that responders know later.

The fire merged last week with another blaze that was sparked in early April when a prescribed fire set by land managers escaped containment. The cause of the other fire remains under investigation.

Lujan Grisham said Tuesday that the federal government bears some responsibility.

Another New Mexico wildfire burning through forested areas to the northeast has forced the evacuations of about 800 homes while charring 92 square miles (238 square kilometers).

A separate fire burning in the mountains near Los Alamos National Laboratory prompted the evacuation of about 200 homes. It has charred more than 39 square miles (101 square kilometers) and destroyed at least three homes.

Associated Press writers Paul Davenport in Phoenix and Ken Ritter in Las Vegas, Nevada, contributed to this report. Montoya Bryan reported from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Attanasio is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. Follow Attanasio on Twitter.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Gracie Skogman was a high schooler when a pregnant friend faced the decision of whether or not to get an abortion, a memory that put Skogman on a yearslong path of anti-abortion activism.

Watching her navigate that process and courageously choose life for her son, who is now 10, was a very impactful process for me, Skogman said.

Skogman has carried that experience into her career as a legislative lobbyist for Wisconsin Right to Life, a top anti-abortion group in the state that has played a key role in pushing for the legislation that has made Wisconsins abortion laws what they are.

Now Skogman, 24, finds herself on the cusp of witnessing the greatest victory in the history of the anti-abortion movement. On Monday, Politico reported that the U.S. Supreme Court has drafted an opinion striking down the landmark 1973 abortion case Roe v. Wade, with the actual ruling expected sometime this summer.

We are cautiously optimistic, Skogman said. Of course this is not a final decision from the court. We hope and pray that the justices have the courage to stand by their decision and do overturn Roe.

Because of the decades of activism by Wisconsins anti-abortion groups, the state is in a unique position to have abortion banned should Roe v. Wade get overturned.

An 1849 law that makes performing an abortion a felony would take effect. Wisconsin is one of nine states that had abortion bans prior to Roe, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a think tank that studies reproductive health policies.

Skogman named efforts to keep the 1849 law on the books the biggest accomplishment in recent years of the states anti-abortion groups.

Many other states have removed their pre-Roe bans, she remarked. But here in Wisconsin, the pro-life movement has said this is something worth defending and protecting.

Winning public opinion

Like elsewhere in the country, Wisconsins anti-abortion movement began to take shape in the 1960s, only to swell in response to Roe. Within years, groups like Wisconsin Right to Life scored major victories in the state Legislature, lobbying for laws that disclosed abortion data and required doctors to explain the age of a fetus and any medical risks to patients before an abortion.

Those statehouse wins have only piled up in recent years. One 2013 law requires a patient seeking an abortion to be shown an ultrasound of the fetus. Another 2016 law prohibits abortion past 22 weeks of gestation.

Isobel Ashby, a UW student who is researching anti-abortion groups in the Midwest for her Ph.D., noted that the ultrasound law shows how groups have synthesized abortion into a political, religious and moral issue.

At this stage theres no medical reason why thats necessary, but its about making the fetus into a child through that imagery, Ashby said. Anti-abortion groups understand the power that such images have.

The activism of anti-abortion groups extends beyond the state Capitol.

Pro-Life Wisconsin, a more conservative anti-abortion group, sees education as another prong in the groups work just as much as legislation. The group goes into both private and public schools to share with young people the science thats really undeniable at this point that life begins at conception, said Anna DeMeuse, a spokesperson for Pro-Life Wisconsin.

DeMeuses own opposition to abortion began as a child praying outside an abortion clinic with her mother.

I just wanted to understand why women and men would choose to abort their children, and what I could offer them to allow them to make a life-affirming choice, she said.

Ashby said she has seen school outreach campaigns grow in importance recently as one part of anti-abortion groups strategic toolkit.

They have the legal strategy down, but its also about converting hearts and minds to the cause, she said. I think they would still view a lot of the work to be done on winning public opinion.

What comes next?

Though the end of Roe v. Wade is the culmination of decades of work, the activism of anti-abortion groups would really only intensify in a post-Roe landscape, DeMeuse said.

Pro-Life Wisconsin plans to push for a state constitutional amendment banning abortion without exception, including in cases of rape or incest. Amending the states constitution requires a vote in both houses of the Legislature in two successive sessions before being put to voters in a referendum.

As it stands in Wisconsin, the constitution says you must be born to be free and enjoy fundamental rights, she said. So really its just a continuation of what were doing now but on a more intense level.

For Skogman and Wisconsin Right to Life, their work post-Roe will pivot to expanding pregnancy resource centers and services like emergency housing grants for pregnant women.

We also know the majority of women when surveyed will say they felt pressured or had external issues in their lives that led them to abortion, Skogman said. We want to do all we can to avoid that.

I think our movement will be more important than ever before, Skogman said. It will be so much more exciting to focus on supporting women and empowering them and to know unborn life is protected legally.

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A 28-year-old Somers woman is accused of taking part in an elaborate money laundering scheme involving stolen vehicles from numerous states.

Casha T. Griffin was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering of more than $100,000 on Wednesday in Kenosha County Circuit Court.

On March 15, a Kenosha County Sheriff's deputy responded to Neumiller Woods Park, 8100 12th St., for a report of license plates found in the area. Upon arrival, the deputy found plates belonging to a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk that had been reported stolen out of Milwaukee County, according to the criminal complaint.

A Kenosha County Sheriff's detective later spoke with his counterpart in Milwaukee County, who told him that in the past year, 20 vehicles have been stolen from General Mitchell Airport. The vehicles being targeted were reportedly high-end Dodge Hellcats, Dodge Ram TRX and Jeep Trackhawks, some of which had onboard GPS that showed they were in the area of 12th Street and Green Bay Road in Somers near Neumiller Woods Park, according to the complaint.

About a week later, a sheriff's deputy responded to Hawthorn Apartments, 5802 10th Place, for a report of a Dodge Ram TRX that had been parked for several days with a broken window. The complex is located in the area where the stolen vehicles were located by GPS.

When the deputy arrived, the Ram TRX was gone, but while canvasing the area he located a parked white Ford Transit van with an Alabama plate. The deputy conducted a traffic stop of the van, and the driver, Diaunte D. Shields, said he was visiting Griffin, his girlfriend, and denied knowing anything about a Ram TRX, according to the complaint.

A vehicle registration check on the van's plate reportedly was associated with Prospect Motors LLC in Adamsville, Ala. When a Kenosha detective made contact with Prospect Motors, the company reportedly stated that the plate was issued to Griffin, who was going to work as a wholesaler buyer of vehicles for Prospect Motors out of the Chicago area. Prospect Motors reportedly stated Griffin stopped all communication with them after receiving the dealer plate and has not gone to any vehicle auctions or done any wholesaler buying for the company.

While conducting surveillance on the apartment complex, a detective copied the white van's identification number and located a BMW next to the van with temporary Georgia plates registered through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to Griffin and a car rental company owned by her boyfriend, according to the complaint.

When the detective spoke with an agent of the National Insurance Crime Bureau about the VIN on the white van, it was reportedly revealed that the VIN was never created by Ford Motor Company and is fraudulent, suggesting it is an stolen vehicle.

A Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) report on Griffin showed that her account was flagged in August 2021 for suspicious cash payments "where the source is unknown and the activity is out of pattern given employment and her history," according to the complaint. Griffins FinCEN reportedly showed that from Nov. 27, 2021, to Dec. 21, 2021, Griffin had $81,370 of suspicious account activity in that one month alone.

On April 6, a U.S. Postal inspector informed the detective that a priority U.S. passport addressed to Shields was delivered on April 4 at a Pleasant Prairie address, where both Shields and Griffin receive mail.

The Sheriff's Department continued to investigate the situation and obtained a warrant for the Hawthorn Apartments unit that was executed April 26. Griffin was arrested in her unit.

Money, items found

Inside the unit, hundreds of thousands of dollars of designer clothing, shoes, jewelry and items far beyond her means were recovered, according to the complaint. Numerous electronic devices used to steal vehicles by programing blank key fobs, vehicle scan tools, cash, 4.5 grams of marijuana and a receipt for a Barth Storage unit were also found. The white van with the fake VIN was also found at the residence.

Investigators also obtained a search warrant for the storage unit. Found inside the unit were a pistol that had been reported stolen, a modified rifle, tool boxes, a lock pick set and signal jammer devices, according to the criminal complaint. Another warrant for a residence in the 8500 block of 90th Avenue in Kenosha was issued, and a credit card-making machine, license plates and a firearm were located inside, according to the complaint.

Griffin is also facing felonies of operating a vehicle without an owner's consent, altering or removing a vehicle's identification number as party to a crime, counterfeiting vehicle titles as party to a crime and theft of moveable property valued over $10,000 as party to a crime.

Court Commissioner Loren Keating set Griffin's bond at $100,000 on Wednesday afternoon at intake court. A preliminary hearing is set for May 12.
SEATTLE (AP)  Months into a complex trial over their role in flooding Washington with highly addictive painkillers, the nation's three largest opioid distributors agreed Tuesday to pay the state $518 million, with the vast majority being directed toward easing the addiction epidemic.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced the deal, noting that it's worth tens of millions of dollars more than Washington would have received from the companies if it had signed onto a national settlement reached last summer involving the distributors and Johnson & Johnson.

The agreement still requires approval from a judge and from dozens of Washington cities that pursued their own cases against the distributors  McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health Inc. and AmerisourceBergen Corp.

Under the settlement, the state would have to spend $476 million of the total to address the opioid crisis, including on substance abuse treatment; expanding access to overdose-reversal drugs; and providing housing, job placement and other services for those struggling with addiction. The rest of the money would go toward litigation costs.

We could have joined the overwhelming majority of states and settled with the the largest opioid distributors, but we chose to fight them in court instead, Ferguson said. That decision to take them to court will result in significant additional resources for Washington to combat the opioid epidemic."

The three companies announced earlier this year that 46 states had signed onto the national settlement, under which they will pay nearly $20 billion over 18 years.

Ferguson, a Democrat, declined to join, calling what would have been the state's $418 million share from the distributors insufficient. Instead, he decided to go to trial against the three distributors and separately against Johnson & Johnson.

The case against the distributors went to trial last November in King County Superior Court in Seattle, alleging violations of consumer protection and public nuisance laws, while the lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson is scheduled to go to trial in September.

The attorney general argued that the three companies shipped such a vast amount of drugs to Washington that it was obvious they were fueling addiction: Opioid sales in the state rose more than 500% between 1997 and 2011. In 2011, more than 112 million daily doses of all prescription opioids were dispensed in the state  enough for a 16-day supply for every resident. In 2015, eight of Washingtons 39 counties had more prescriptions than residents.

The companies rejected the accusations. They said they merely supplied opioids that had been prescribed by doctors, and it wasnt their role to second-guess the prescriptions or interfere in the doctor-patient relationship.

Further, the companies argued, Washington state itself played a large role in the epidemic. In the 1990s, concerned that people in chronic pain were being undertreated, lawmakers passed the Intractable Pain Act, which made it easier to prescribe opioids.

In a written statement Tuesday, the distributors said the settlement will further the companies goal of achieving broad resolution of governmental opioid claims while delivering meaningful relief to communities across the United States that have been impacted by the opioid epidemic.

Over the last two decades, the deaths of more than 500,000 Americans have been linked to overdoses of opioids, including both prescription pain kills and illicit drugs such as heroin and illegally produced fentanyl.

Across the U.S., many lawsuits filed by governments over the toll of the drugs have been resolved in recent years  most with settlements, and some with judgments or verdicts in trials. So far, drug makers, distributors and pharmacies have agreed to settlements totaling well over $40 billion, according to an Associated Press tally.

The new Washington state settlement stands as the largest between a single state and a company or group of companies, topping a $484 million deal announced in March between CVS and Florida.

Trials are underway in courts in West Virginia, Florida and California. A decision has not yet been issued after another trial last year in West Virginia.

AP reporter Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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BOISE  Prosecutors in Idaho say they will seek the death penalty against a woman charged with killing her two youngest children and her new husbands previous wife.

The prosecuting attorneys from Fremont and Madison counties made the announcement in court documents filed Monday, saying Lori Daybell Vallow will qualify for capital punishment if she is convicted at her trial later this year because the slayings were exceptionally depraved and carried out for financial gain.

The prosecutors also said Lori Vallow Daybell showed utter disregard for human life and has exhibited a propensity to commit murder which will probably constitute a continuing threat to society. Her attorney, Jim Archibald, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lori Daybells co-defendant and husband, Chad Daybell, is also facing a potential death penalty if convicted. The pair are charged with murder, conspiracy and grand theft in connection with the deaths of 7-year-old Joshua JJ Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan.

Prosecutors announced their intent to seek capital punishment in Chad Daybells case last August, but Lori Vallow Daybells case was on hold at the time because she was undergoing treatment at a mental health facility. Lori Vallow Daybell is scheduled to stand trial in October, and Chad Daybell is scheduled for trial next January.

Idaho law enforcement began investigating the Daybells in November 2019 after extended family members reported the children were missing. The children were missing for several months, during which time police said the couple lied about the childrens whereabouts, before their bodies were found buried on Chad Daybells property in rural Idaho.

Chad and Lori Daybell married just two weeks after his previous wife, Tammy Daybell, died unexpectedly. Tammy Daybells death was initially reported as natural causes, but investigators had her body exhumed after growing suspicious when Chad Daybell quickly remarried.

Lori Vallow Daybell is also charged with conspiracy to commit murder in Arizona in connection with the death of her previous husband. Charles Vallow was shot and killed by Lori Daybells brother, Alex Cox, who claimed it was self-defense. Cox later died of what police said was natural causes.

Chad Daybell has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and a judge entered a not guilty plea on Lori Vallow Daybells behalf after she stood silent when asked for a plea earlier this year.

Idaho law allows prosecutors to seek the death penalty if they can show certain aggravating factors for crimes like murder or conspiracy to commit murder.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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BURLEY  The lowest-paid Cassia County official, who has worked without county office space for nearly 12 years, may soon share space in a coroners office in Minidoka County.

Cassia County Coroner Craig Rinehart, who is again running unopposed for the office in November, said hes on call for the job 24-hours a day, seven days a week, and is paid $17,300 a year.

Im not asking for a lot, Rinehart said. I just want to have the equipment and an office to do my job in a professional manner.

His office has been the top of his dining room table at home  and he has been using his own computer and printer for more than a decade.

Ive never taken a true vacation or gone anywhere without my phone with me, Rinehart said.

When he first took office, he said, he had no equipment, no gloves and no budget.

He now has adequate supplies like body bags and gloves, which he pays to store out-of-pocket.

Rinehart, the vice president of the Idaho State Association of County Coroners, said the issue came to a head a few weeks ago when a man came into his care who had been deceased for about two weeks and none of the four local funeral homes had room to store the body.

Rinehart said if the family of a deceased person does not have a funeral home preference, he rotates through them.

He has to pay the $95 per day funeral home storage fee out of the budget that also pays for autopsies and lab and toxicology fees.

I will be over budget tomorrow after my next autopsy, Rinehart said last week. Autopsies, which the county contracts with Ada County, costs on average $2,700 to $3,000 each.

Cassia County Commissioner Kent Searle said he immediately went to work requesting a new desktop computer for Rinehart and got him set up with a surplus laptop when he learned Rinehart had been using his own equipment.

Searle said the county is working with the Minidoka County Commissioners on a one-year contract that will allow Rinehart to share office space with Minidoka County Coroner C.V. Lucky Bourn.

Searle said the county will continue to look for a building for the coroner in Cassia County.

Yes, it has taken us longer than I would have liked, but were all in agreement that it will be great for the families, for Craig and the funeral homes, Searle said.

Hopefully, he said, in two months Rinehart will be set up in a professional office.

If the county is able to eventually find a coroners building in the county, Rinehart said, it ideally would be fitted with a storage area for the cooler, office space to work in and store records along with a shower and space for a washer and dryer.

The shower and the washer and dryer are nice to have when handling cases involving decomposition, where the odor clings to skin and clothing, he said.

Previously Rinehart had to use his own vehicle on calls and was reimbursed for mileage by the county. Two years ago, the county provided the coroner with a vehicle, Searle said.

The county also purchased for the coroners office an $9,800, 8-by-10 body cooler which had been held in storage for the past 17 months, Rinehart said. The cooler was purchased with Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act funds.

Searle said when the cooler is set up it will save the county money on funeral home storage costs.

Searle said having the cooler will also give families who lost a loved one time to think about which funeral home they want to use instead of having to make an immediate decision.

Bourn, who has been a coroner since 2009, said he worked out of his house for 10 years before Minidoka County provided him with office space.

The change came after he made the commissioners aware that he had to meet people at Ridley Market and D.L. Evans parking lots to give them paperwork.

Bourns office is in the Duane Smith Annex but the county has purchased the old Minidoka County Highway District building at 208 H. St. in Rupert and is replacing a roof on the building that will house the coolers and the office space is being renovated.

The Minidoka and Cassia county offices will share office space but they will not be a combined office, Bourn said.

If the negotiations are approved, Cassia County will lease space in the cooler room and a portion of the office for $1,000 a month for a year.

Minidoka County is providing the office furnishings for both.

Bourn said both buildings will be properly secured and have 24-hour access.

Bourn said although he likes his current office, he is excited for the move.

Were here to help each other out, he said.

Bourn, who is the president of the Idaho State Association of County Coroners, said The American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators started six years ago to work toward standardized death investigations across the nation.

Both Bourn and Rinehart hold the organizations medical death investigator designation.

It shows we are trying to be professional, Rinehart said.

Both of their deputy coroners also hold the credential.

Under Idaho law, anyone over age 21, who is a U.S. resident and resident of the county for a year can run for the office and then they must complete an ISACC endorsed coroners school within one year of taking office.

Idaho law also requires continuing education hours that coroners must complete.

Bourn said the problem with the law is that it has no teeth and there are Idaho coroners who do not meet the standards.

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December 4, 1962April 29, 2022

Laura Jean Drake, age 59, of Filer, Idaho passed away at her home surrounded by family on April 29, 2022, following a courageous battle with cancer.

Laura was born on December 4, 1962 in Orange, California to Louis and Gwendolyn Krepcik. She was the third of their four daughters. In 1970, the family moved to Filer, Idaho to farm. Laura attended the Filer schools where she met the love of her life, Randy Drake. She had a great love of horses and became active in rodeo queening, winning the title of Miss High School Rodeo Idaho.

On July 10, 1982, Laura and Randy were married at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Buhl. This July would have been their 40th Anniversary. Their marriage was blessed with two children, Caleb and Loretta.

Laura had two passions: her family and her horses. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, teaching them to ride and spoiling them like a good grandmother should. She enjoyed a litany of equine sports, including rodeo, queening, showing, English and Western pleasure, and cutting. She spent several years running a HIPPO therapy program for the handicapped. She was a lover of Christmas, and from November to February, every corner of the Drake home was lovingly decorated with Santas and Nativity scenes. She was known for her unfailing strength and fortitude, and with these qualities, she built her own business, Laura Drake Insurance, from the ground up.

Laura will be remembered as a bold spirit with a sparkling wit, a beautiful cowgirl, and a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She will be greatly missed.

Laura is preceded in death by both of her parents. She is survived by her husband, Randy, her children Caleb (Danielle) Drake of Filer and Loretta (Luke) Quick of Nampa, and her eight grandchildren: Cash, Annette, Rhett, and Caroline Drake and Taylor, Hayden, Mason, and Lorelai Quick. She is also survived by her three sisters, Kathy (Tim) Griffin, Nancy (Kevin) Chapin, and Marcia (Tony) Garey.

Randy and the kids would like to extend their gratitude to the family, friends, and nurses who have reached out with food, visits, prayers, and kindness over the past few months.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on Monday, May 9 at 10:30 a.m. 1701 Poplar Avenue, Buhl, Idaho.

All services and arrangements are under the direction of Parkes Magic Valley Funeral Home & Crematory of Twin Falls, Idaho. Those wishing to share memories and condolences may do so on Lauras memorial webpage at www.magicvalleyfuneralhome.com.

To View Lauras Video Memories: https://youtu.be/L1ptVsbEIkY
Its that time of the year again. Its time to celebrate Moms everywhere. Places all over the Magic Valley have got you covered if youre still trying to figure out what to do for your special lady.

Here is a list of events happening this Mothers Day week:

Moms & Mimosas

Holesinsky Winery will be holding a Moms and Mimosas event to celebrate Mothers Day from 1 to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

They will be accompanied by Cedar Draw Cidery, Collective Studios, Evans Farmstead Cheeses, Sawtooth Floral Boutique, Sweet Ts Cupcakes, a food truck and mobile ax throwing.

Aaron Golay and Ellie Mae will be singing for everyone in attendance from 2 to 6 p.m, so be sure to bring a blanket or lawn chairs to enjoy the music.

Bringing kids? Well, youre in luck because they will offer a bounce house, crafts and games for the kids.

Tickets are $20 per person, with kids being free.

Mothers day open house at Stricker Ranch

Want a nice place to relax with your mother for Mothers Day?

Stricker Ranch will be holding their free Mothers Day Open House from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday. Bring your family to relax and enjoy the day on the historic ranch, where refreshments will be served and live music will entertain.

El Sombrero event at Twin Falls City P

ark

Jeromes popular El Sombrero restaurant will be holding an event at the Twin Falls City Park to help celebrate Mothers Day. Come prepared for lots of fun, as they will have food, live music, dancing, games and cold beer.

Porked Out! Mothers Day week with Moss Greenhouses

Moss Greenhouses will be having an all-week event for Mothers Day week.

All week they will offer food from Porked Out from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and a chance to get your mom a gift. Wednesday they will have 20% off a secret item as well as their May the 4th be with you sale.

SCI FI Jazz

Not up for a traditional Mothers Day event? The College of Southern Idahos newest ensemble, Sci-Fi Jazz, will be performing ARC, an original sci-fi story with visuals and live music.

Written by faculty member Ben Britton, the story follows Danilo, a brash and overconfident 18-year-old, who has been abducted by the future and finds himself in the middle of a universe-altering disaster.

The show will start at 7:30 p.m. May 7 at the CSI Fine Arts Auditorium.

Cost of tickets is TBA.

Learn more at csi.edu/calendar/2022/04/arc-a-sci-fi-musical-adventure-2.aspx and ben-britton.com/arc-a-sci-fi-musical-experience.

Local flower shops

One way you cant go wrong this Mothers Day is getting flowers. Here are some local shops that offer great deals for Mothers Day:

Canyon Floral, 208-733-9292

Absolutely Flowers, 208-734-2800

Fox Floral, 208-733-2674

Idaho Flower Company, 208-644-1140

Moss Greenhouses, 208-

324-1000

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  Advocates for legalizing recreational marijuana in South Dakota on Tuesday submitted petition signatures to the secretary of state, saying they were confident they had collected enough to place the initiative on the November ballot.

South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws, the organization that launched the campaign, has scrambled in recent days to gather the nearly 17,000 signatures of registered South Dakota voters required to get a proposed law on the ballot. Campaign director, Matt Schweich, said the organization has evaluated the petitions and estimates it has at least 19,250 valid signatures.

We are confident that we are going to qualify for the ballot, he told the Associated Press, as he made his way to Pierre to submit the signed petitions.

The proposed law would allow people 21 years old and over to use and grow pot for personal use. It would place a 1 ounce (28 gram) limit on the amount that people could use or share.

Secretary of State Steve Barnett will take a random sample of the petition signatures to evaluate whether the campaign collected enough. If the measure is certified, its signature count can still be challenged within 30 days.

Marijuana legalization has spurred political fights among South Dakota's dominant Republican party in recent years and tested faith in a form of direct democracy  the ballot measure. A citizen-proposed constitutional amendment  known as Amendment A  to legalize cannabis passed by 54% in 2020, but Gov. Kristi Noem sponsored a lawsuit to challenge it and the state Supreme Court ruled last year that it violated the state Constitution.

Noem has continually decried recreational pot legalization, but Schweich argued that Noem's actions have only given the campaign energy.

I think what happened to Amendment A has angered many voters in this state, even those who are not passionate about cannabis reform, he said.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP)  Sri Lankas main opposition party on Tuesday issued a no-confidence declaration aiming at ousting Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Cabinet and blaming them of failing in their constitutional duty to provide a decent living standards amid the island nation's worst economic crisis in memory.

A group from United People's Force party, led by leader Sajith Premadasa, delivered the motion demanding the no-confident parliamentary vote to Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

The move came amid countrywide protests demanding the resignation of Rajapaksa and his younger brother, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who the demonstrators hold responsible for the economic crisis.

A majority vote in the 225-member Parliament would be needed to remove Rajapaksa and the Cabinet from power. The United Peoples Force can only count on 54 votes but hopes to win votes from smaller opposition parties and defections from the ruling Sri Lanka Peoples Front party. The ruling party had nearly 150 votes but that strength has declined amid the economic crisis and defections in a no-confidence vote are possible.

A decision on when to hold the no-confidence vote is expected to happen after members of Parliament start meeting on Wednesday.

The United Peoples Force also delivered a no-confidence motion targeting the president but it would not force him to leave office even a majority of lawmakers vote against him.

Sri Lanka is on the brink of bankruptcy after the country's recent announcement to suspend payments on its foreign loans. The country faces repayments of $7 billion of foreign loans this year of the $ 25 billion it is scheduled to pay by 2026. Sri Lanka has less than than $ 1 billion in foreign reserves.

The foreign currency crisis has limited imports and caused severe shortages of essential goods like fuel, cooking gas, medicine and food. People stand in long lines for hours to buy what they can and many return home with little, if any, of what they were seeking.

The United Peoples Force's motion also accuses top government officials of excessively printing money, hurting agricultral production by banning chemical fertilizer to make the production fully organic, failing to order COVID-19 vaccines in a timely manner and buying them later at higher prices.

Protesters on Tuesday were in their 25th day of their occupation of the entrance to the president's office, demanding the resignations of Rajapaksa family members who have ruled Sri Lanka for the last two decades.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 100 years, but will spend less than nine in prison for his sexual involvement with an underage girl in Martinsville almost a decade ago.

Danny Keith Jackson, 33, of 157340 Hickory Drive, Fort Loudon, Penn., pleaded no contest to an amended charge of sodomy by force and three charges of aggravated sexual battery of a victim less than 13 with an offense date of Aug. 15, 2012, and in Martinsville Circuit Court on Friday Jackson was sentenced to 100 years with all but 8 years and 6 months suspended.

Four other charges including an additional sodomy of a victim less than 13 and aggravated sexual battery of a victim less than 13, as well as sodomy with force of a helpless victim and attempted forcible sodomy, were dismissed.

In a criminal complaint on file in the Martinsville Circuit Court Clerks Office, Martinsville Police Sgt. C.L. Bennett said he was assigned to a case involving a girl who was 14 at the time of the complaint and had told her guardian about several incidents of alleged sexual abuse by Jackson that started when she was five years old and ended when when she was 12.

The Martinsville Bulletin does not name minors in criminal proceedings and does not name victims in cases involving sexual assault or similar elements.

I arranged a forensic interview to obtain further details, Bennett wrote.

The details included three separate incidents of forced oral sex and at least five incidents of sexual battery, where Jackson allegedly touched the girl underneath her clothes.

Bennett also described an incident where the girl said Jackson told her there was a toy in his pants.

The girl said she put her hands in his pants looking for the toy, but instead was made to satisfy him with her hands, Bennett wrote in his complaint.

There was one other incident that Bennett described where he said the girl described Jackson as approaching her from behind as she was kneeling, and rubbed himself against her for a period of time while she was looking at something outside.

Bennett said the girl gave him a specific address in the city where the alleged incidents occurred and said that they happened between 2011 and 2018.

Bennett filed his report on March 26, 2021, at 10:36 a.m. and on May 3, 2021, Martinsville Sheriffs Deputy Doug Hardy drove to Pennsylvania, picked up Jackson and brought him back to Martinsville where he was arrested on outstanding charges by Officer D.J. Koger and jailed in the Martinsville City Jail without bond.

Jackson was indicted by a Martinsville grand jury on July 26.

At his bond hearing it was noted in the bond documents that Jackson had lived in Martinsville for seven to nine years, in Pennsylvania for six months, Martinsville again for eight months and then Pennsylvania for the past two years.

At his commitment to Martinsville City Jail, Jacksons residence was listed as homeless.

In addition to the active prison sentence, Jackson was ordered to pay $2,059.41 in court costs and be on five years supervised probation to begin upon his release.

Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-638-8801, Ext. 2360. Follow him @billdwyatt.

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A dead alligator got the better of two hapless poachers in Georgia when it somehow managed to break out the rear window of their pickup, according to the Law Enforcement Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

It happened Saturday, April 30, at New Savannah Bluff Lock & Dam Park in Richmond County, and investigators theorized the window shattered when the suspects tried hastily cramming a 10-foot, 8-inch alligator into a truck bed that was about half that size.

A photo shared by the division shows the reptile fit only after the tail had been folded  and the snout was precariously propped up against the busted window.

Investigators say they were tipped off to an illegal kill when someone reported subjects were attempting to load a large alligator into a truck near the park entrance.

Alligator hunting season in Georgia runs from sunset Aug. 20 to sunrise Oct. 4, so any dead alligator found in May needs an explanation.

A Richmond County sheriffs deputy and a wildlife officer converged on the scene, and the wildlife officer was able to gather enough info to charge two subjects with hunting alligator out of season. (Only one suspect was found with the truck, officials said.)

The identities of the suspects and details of how they encountered the alligator were not released.

Poaching is misdemeanor in Georgia, carrying a maximum of one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine, the state says.

The fate of the carcass was not provided, but fresh alligators seldom go to waste, according to Mark McKinnon, public affairs officer for Georgia DNRs Law Enforcement Division.

If the animal is fresh enough to be processed for food, it is taken to a local processor and the meat is donated to a needy family or childrens home in the area. If it cant be processed for consumption, it is disposed of properly, he told McClatchy News.

It is alligator mating season in the southeast, a time when males are prone to show up in roads as they search for females, experts say.

Males can reach 16 feet and weigh 800 pounds in Georgia, the state says. However, the average is 13 to 14.7 feet, with their tail accounting for half their length, according to the Georgia Aquarium.
The Nigerian government has confirmed once again that the accomplishment of the gas connection with Morocco is a serious undertaking to which the Nigerian government is committed, just like Morocco.

Speaking to the media, Timipre Sylva, Nigerias minister of state for petroleum resources, said his country is interested in raising funds for this project, which was sealed in an agreement signed by King Mohammed VI and President Buhari in 2016.

This is a pipeline that is going to take our gas all through a lot of countries in Africa and also, all the way to the edge of the African continent where we can have access to the European market as well, he said.

The Nigerian officials said Russians are interested in funding the project. But analysts think it is unlikely that Russians under the current conditions would invest in a project that would bring competing gas to Europe.

The project is still under the studies phase and it is expected to channel gas to 13 countries, contributing to regional integration and West African energy security.

The confirmation at the highest level of Nigerias commitment to the Moroccan pipeline deals a blow to Algeria which has for decades failed to build a similar pipeline to channel Nigerian gas to the Mediterranean for security and also as a tactic to prevent competitive Nigerian gas from undermining its and Moscows market share.

The pipeline, to be built off-shore and onshore, is also conducive to enabling not only Nigerian gas to reach Europe, but also Mauritania and Senegal.

Both Senegal and Mauritania are poised to join the list of gas exporters, thanks to their significant offshore gas.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has endorsed the pipeline.

This project will give Africa new impetus at the economic, political and strategic levels and will elevate Morocco and Nigeria as leaders of south-south cooperation in the continent, Moroccos authority for oil and mines (ONHYM) and Nigerias National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said in a joint declaration on occasion of Nigerian Presidents visit to Rabat in 2018.
Malis ruling junta announced Monday night that it was breaking off defense agreements with France and its European partners, a further sign of deteriorating relations between Bamako and its former allies in the fight against jihadists.

Making good on a threat that has been waived for months, the military-dominated authorities who came to power by force in August 2020 announced that they were denouncing the Status of Force Agreements (Sofa) that set the legal framework for the presence in Mali of the French Barkhane and European Takuba forces, as well as the defense cooperation treaty signed in 2014 between Mali and France.

In a statement read on national television, government spokesman Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga cited flagrant violations of national sovereignty by France, which has been militarily engaged in the country since 2013.

He cited Frances unilateral attitude when it suspended joint operations between French and Malian forces in June 2021, the announcement in February 2022, again without any consultation with the Malian side, of the withdrawal of Barkhane and Takuba forces, and the multiple violations of airspace by French aircraft despite the establishment by the authorities of a no-fly zone over a large part of the territory.

In view of these serious shortcomings as well as the flagrant attacks on Malis national sovereignty, the government of the Republic of Mali decides to denounce the defense cooperation treaty of July 16, 2014, he said.

The Malian authorities notified the French authorities of this denunciation on Monday afternoon and it will take effect six months after this notification, he said.

On the other hand, it is with immediate effect that the Malian authorities denounce the Sofa of March 2013 framing the engagement of the French force Serval, then Barkhane, as well as the additional protocol of March 2020 applying to the European detachments of Takuba, the grouping of European special units initiated by France, he said.

No official reaction was initially obtained in Paris. Will the denunciation of the Sofa have repercussions on the ongoing withdrawal of Barkhane, announced in February as the culmination of months of escalating tensions? The question arises as this withdrawal, a large and dangerous operation, is supposed to take four to six months.
Heavily armed radical Islamist Shebab militants attacked a military base of the African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia on Tuesday, causing casualties, a local military commander and witnesses said.

The attack, conducted before dawn, targeted a base housing Burundian Atmis soldiers near the village of Ceel Baraf, 160 km northeast of Mogadishu, the sources said.

The terrorists attacked the Burundian army base near Ceel Baraf early this morning, there was heavy fighting and casualties on both sides but we dont have more details so far, local military commander Mohamed Ali declared. They launched the attack with a car explosion before a heavy exchange of fire, he added.

Shebab gunmen attacked the base early in the morning, there were loud explosions and exchanges of automatic weapons. The Burundians left the base and entered the village of Ceel Baraf before helicopters came to provide air support, said local resident Weliyow Maalim.

The helicopters fired missiles and machine gun fire, we saw smoke rising over the base but we dont know anything about the exact situation, said another witness Ahmed Adan.

The al-Qaeda-linked Shebab, who have been waging an insurgency against the Somali state for more than a decade, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement. No comment was immediately available from the African Transitional Mission in Somalia (Atmis).

The force, which has nearly 20,000 military, police and civilian personnel from African countries, formally replaced the African peacekeeping force in Somalia (AMISOM) with a mandate extended in late March by the UN Security Council until the end of 2024 to stabilize the country against the Islamist Shebab insurgency.
The former Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, currently a senator, Augustin Matata Ponyo, announced on Tuesday that he will be a candidate in the presidential election scheduled for 2023 in his country.

He made the announcement at the end of a congress of his party LDG, Leadership for Development and Governance, created after splitting from his former political formation, the PPRD (Peoples Party for Reconstruction and Democracy) of Joseph Kabila, the former Congolese president.

I inform you that I have decided to accept your choice of me as the candidate of our party for the presidential election, said Matata Ponyo, 57, to applause from the audience.

The former Prime Minister revealed that he has a dream like that of Patrice Emery Lumumba to see, at the center of the continent, an economic power at the service of the Congolese, the Africans and the world.

To make his dream come true, the senator will first have to get out of trouble with the Congolese justice system. Indeed, Mr. Matata Ponyo is accused of having embezzled more than 280 million dollars planned for the construction of the Bukanga Lonzo agro-industrial park under President Kabila, accusations which he rejects. The DRCs Constitutional Court has ruled twice in his favour, but he remains banned from travelling abroad and stripped of his immunity.

For the time being, the Independent National Electoral Commission is not yet accepting applications.
The U.N. Security Council held an informal closed-door meeting on Mali on Tuesday at Russias request, a day after the country announced it was breaking off its defense agreements with France, diplomats said.

Mali has recently expressed its concerns () about violations of airspace by foreign forces and we think it is important to discuss this in the Security Council, Anna Evstigneeva, Russias deputy ambassador to the UN, said before the meeting.

This meeting is a good opportunity to discuss the situation there. Mali has contracted private mercenaries and they are already violating human rights. We hope that there will be some degree of accountability on this issue, said French Ambassador to the UN Nicolas de Riviere, also before the session.

He added that French forces will continue to withdraw from Mali and said this process would be completed in the next six months.

Asked if this withdrawal could be accelerated, he replied: I dont think so, we are doing it in a very orderly manner and in very good coordination with the Malian armed forces.

In a letter sent to the UN at the end of April, Mali had denounced repeated and deliberate violations of national airspace by foreign aircraft, notably by French forces, for purposes of espionage, intimidation and subversion.

The letter also recalls that the government of Mali has been calling since February 18 for the immediate departure of French forces from Malian territory.
Nigeria and Morocco are still looking for funds to finance a mega pipeline project to bring Nigerian gas to North Africa and Europe, the Nigerian Oil minister said.

Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, Africas gas reserves have come under increasing scrutiny, with the European Union in particular looking for alternatives to its gas supplies from Russia.

Four years ago, Moroccos King Mohammed VI and Nigerias President Muhammadu Buhari agreed on a mega-project to transport gas along the Atlantic coast for more than 3,000 km. An agreement between the two countries was first signed in 2016.

Nigerian Oil Minister Timipre Sylva said the pipeline would be an extension of a pipeline that has been carrying gas from southern Nigeria to Benin, Ghana and Togo since 2010. We want to continue this same pipeline to Morocco along the coast. Today, (the project) is still under study, Sylva said Monday.

For now, Sylva said, no agreement on financing has been reached. There is a lot of international interest but we have not yet identified the investors we want to work with.

There has long been interest in bringing Nigerian gas to North Africa, with Algeria having led discussions in 2002 for a similar pipeline project through the Sahel region, but the project never materialized.

Nigeria, an OPEC member, has huge gas reserves, the first in Africa and the seventh largest in the world.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

It is well established that older adults are more susceptible to infection and their immune systems less capable of generating a strong immune response. Now, a new University of Arizona Health Sciences-led paper explains why, which could lead to potential interventions.

The findings, led by Janko Nikolich-Zugich, MD, Ph.D., head of the UArizona College of MedicineTucson's Department of Immunobiology and co-director of the Arizona Center on Aging suggest that lymph nodes, which are critical for maintaining and revving up the immune response during infection, age at different rates. Lymph nodes closer to the skin deteriorate two to three times more quickly than those deeper in the body.

The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, helps explain the immune system's response to skin infections and even skin cancers. This also is likely the reason for a weaker immune response to vaccinations delivered through the skin in older adults.

The immune system's army

White blood cells, specifically T cells, are the soldiers of the immune system. T cells are made by the thymus, a gland that sits below the chest bone and above the heart. The thymus quickly reduces T cell production over the human lifespan. By puberty, T cell production is 10% of what it was at birth. By the age of 40 or 50, it drops to only 1%.

"That's not strong enough to generate enough new T cells," said Dr. Nikolich-Zugich, a member of the university's BIO5 Institute. "If your body is not generating something, then it better be maintaining very well."

T cell maintenance takes place predominantly in the lymph nodes, which serve two main functions. The first is to keep T cells healthy and alive for as long as possibleoften decades in humans. The second is to trigger an immune response during infection.

"Humans have about 450 lymph nodes," Dr. Nikolich-Zugich said. "These are like the barracks were little T cell soldiers go for shelter, sustenance and recovery."

It is in the lymph nodes that the immune system first sizes up its enemy. This is important because humans don't have a large enough standing army that can deal with all infections.

"Instead, we have relatively few soldiers that are well trained to deal with specific infections," he said. "The unit that deals with influenza is different than the unit that deals with coronavirus. "

During infection, the white blood cells specialized to fight divide rapidly in lymph nodes. One cell can generate a million others. They travel to the infection site quickly by using lymph nodes as a superhighway of sorts. This network of lymph nodes is what deteriorates at different rates, the research team discovered.

Broken barracks

Dr. Nikolich-Zugich and the team were able to tag and track T cells produced in the thymus of both old and young mice and compare the paths T cells took throughout the body. They found that while production was low in older animals, the thymus was still producing some T cells. The problem was those cells weren't getting to the lymph nodes.

Next, they tried to help the thymus generate additional white blood cells to boost the immune response. Even when that succeeded, they observed the same behaviortoo few T cells were getting into the lymph nodes.

"These cells did not land where their supposed to go, and that's why we started investigating lymph nodes as a potential reason for the immune deficiency we find in older people," he said. "We found that this whole infrastructure that makes up the barracksthe lymph nodeswas destroyed."

In fact, the cells that landed in the lymph nodes closer to the skin in older animals moved as if they had to get out quickly. Dr. Nikolich-Zugich thinks this might be because the lymph nodes weren't providing the nutrients and maintenance needed.

They also found that the connections between the cells that maintain T cells and make up the lymph node superhighways were severely reduced.

"It was as if the lymph node cells themselves were unwell, so they were no longer contacting one another," he said. "This finding is consistent with what other people have described beforethat T cells migrate with a certain speed and move around in a directional manner. But in older lymph nodes specifically, they look quite disorganized and move much slower."

Implications for vaccination and intervention

The findings move researchers a step closer to being able to understand the weakened immune response to vaccination in older adults.

Whenever a vaccine is given, a lymph node is going to be involved, Dr. Nikolich-Zugich says. Yet most vaccines can't jump start older immune systems as effectively as younger ones, which is a problem for developing protection.

But there is hope. Dr. Nikolich-Zugich stressed that the immune system, similarly to a muscle, can be restrengthened and treatments can intervene.

"We're finding that for the immune system, there are a number of things you can do, even late in life, and some you may need to do at midlife that can restore these things," he said. "That gives us great hope. If we can restore thymus function, even for a short time late in life, that could lead to very viable treatments."

It could also pave the way for new treatments for cancer.

"85% of cancer occurs in people over 50 years old," Dr. Nikolich-Zugich said. "The principles of the immune system are the same, so if we can help the lymph nodes get better at combating infection, then we will also benefit immunotherapy for cancer."

Explore further Researchers discover how cancer cells that spread to lymph nodes avoid immune destruction

More information: Sandip Ashok Sonar et al, Early agerelated atrophy of cutaneous lymph nodes precipitates an early functional decline in skin immunity in mice with aging, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Sandip Ashok Sonar et al, Early agerelated atrophy of cutaneous lymph nodes precipitates an early functional decline in skin immunity in mice with aging,(2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2121028119
South Africa: State-of-the-art factory a concrete public-private partnership

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the public sector and private business can come together to form productive partnerships which can accelerate South Africas economy and create jobs.

The President was speaking at the opening of the Corobrik Kwastina Brick Manufacturing factory at Driefontein, in Gauteng, on Tuesday.

The factory is a manifestation of an initial R800 million investment pledge made by the company during the 2019 South African Investment Conference.

That pledge has now grown to R1 billion with the company pledging a further R200 million to expand its KwaZulu-Natal based concrete facility.

At the 4th South Africa Investment Conference in March this year, I said that we want to see investment commitments fast being turned into projects. We want to see foundations being sunk, to hear the sound of bricks being laid and seeing cranes dotting the skyline. We want to see factories being built and production lines being expanded. We want to see people being employed and skills being developed.

And here today at Kwastina we are seeing the fulfilment of such investment commitments. Here today, we are seeing the results of the R800 million investment pledged by Corobrik at the 2019 South Africa Investment Conference. This investment is an example of the productive partnerships that have been forged between business and government to grow our economy and create jobs, the President said.

The President highlighted that the fact that the company is a local one supports government efforts to empower and support local enterprises.

[Corobrik] has made a significant contribution to our efforts to extract greater value from our natural resources, by making its bricks from raw materials extracted from South African soil. This is an important part of governments efforts to support localisation, supplier and enterprise development, as well as empowerment.

As we proceed with the implementation of our infrastructure plan, the demand for building materials will grow substantially. It is our intention that as much of these materials as is possible should be sourced locally, he said.

President Ramaphosa hailed the local company for doing well despite the devastating and detrimental impact COVID-19 has had on the South African economy.

We are an economy that was devastated by COVID-19. Much as we sought to manage COVID-19 and navigate our way around its dangerous paths, we still lost two million jobs. For an economy like ours which was precariously positioned over a number of years to lose two million jobs in just a twelve month period is quite a devastation.

And we are very pleased that as we begin to recover, we have companies like Corobrik who are living up to the commitments they made and are creating jobs and making sure that our economy moves forward. Corobrik is making a vital contribution  in a very literal sense  to rebuilding South Africas economy, President Ramaphosa said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-05-04. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

In a study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center researchers have devised a new metric, the "Health-Adjusted Dependency Ratio" (HADR) as an alternative to the most commonly used aging metric, the old-age dependency ratio (OADR).

The research suggests that age-related health burden is distinct from a ratio based exclusively on age and is the first to incorporate dependency associated with ill-health to generate a new metric that represents a more holistic measure of dependency for 188 countries. The results are published in Lancet Healthy Longevity.

"Rather than using some arbitrary age limit such as the age of 65, we used absolute health," said principal investigator Vegard Skirbekk , Ph.D., Ph.D., professor of population and family health at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. "In some countries, a given poor health level occurs in the 40s and in the 70s in others. Thousands of studies have been written using the old age dependencybut they are likely to be invalid," notes Skirbekk.

In the current study, Skirbekk proposes building a dependency metric using the information from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 Study as an alternative to the OADR. This Health-Adjusted Dependency Ratio was generated for the adult population aged 20+ for each country, where the numerator consists of those in relatively ill health (the "dependent" population") and the denominator includes those in relatively good health, who potentially could "support" the dependent population. OADR, on the other hand, is more associated with health spending growth.

The study in Lancet Healthy Longevity shows that African countries, and certain countries in Central Asia, Southern Asia, and Eastern Europe are older than what their demography would suggest. Nations in Oceania, Eastern Asia, Europe, North America, Central and South America are younger.

As examples, Japan had the highest OADR at 0.49 in 2017, followed by countries in Western Europe (with OADR>0.32). The U.S., Canada, Eastern Europe, Uruguay, China, South Korea, and Thailand follow with an OADR>0.24. This implies that several demographically older populations could have relatively lower HADR burden if health levels are good while demographically younger populations could have a higher HADR if health levels are poor.

Health-wise, the share of older individuals is about the same for richer and poorer countries. "This is important, as it means the world is similarly oldor youngand similar types of health challenges apply. This also means that providing healthcare must be reoriented towards dealing with life-course related diseases," observed Skirbekk. "And finally, being demographically young is no guarantee from being young as a nation; in many cases the opposite is true."

Earlier assessments were composed of measurements that tended to be based on data for only one countrymainly from European ancestry populations. "In sum, earlier aging measures tend to lack global coverage, global demographic information or global health data," noted Skirbekk, who is also with Columbia Butler Aging Center.

"In fact, while the old-age dependency ratio or OADR was often used as a proxy for population aging, it did not account for variation in health and may therefore represent an incomplete assessment of aging and aging-related dependency," said Skirbekk. "Traditional indices used on population-level aging variation tended to focus on only demographic indicators. Our method allowed us to generate a new metric for measuring aging, allowing us to assess variation in both demographic aging and age-specific health across countries."

Skirbekk further makes the point that previous research showed that in 2017 the chronological age when this occurs differs by up to thirty years, ranging from 45.6 years of age in Papua New Guinea to 76.1 in Japan.

"Moving forward, it may be more valuable to more holistically assess dependency and policies associated with age-related dependency by using a metric that includes the impacts of ill health, such as the HADR," said Skirbekk. "The findings of our work have specific policy implications that will help countries to plan, develop, and implement aging policy programs and healthcare reforms in order to address effectively ongoing rapid demographic change."

Explore further Global aid for health leaves older adults out in the cold
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A new study being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Maastricht, the Netherlands, and published simultaneously in Obesity Research & Clinical Practice, has revealed that changes in blood fats and other markers of heart health and diabetes are detectable from the age of six in children who have overweight.

The study of almost 1,000 Danish children also established that routine dental check-ups provide a good opportunity to measure BMI.

"The prevalence of childhood obesity is high and the short-term and long-term complications of childhood obesity are numerous," says the study's first author, Dr. Christine Frithioff-Bjse, of the Children's Obesity Clinic, European Center for Obesity Management, Copenhagen University Hospital Holbaek, Holbaek, Denmark.

"Overweight in early childhood often tracks into adolescence and adulthood and is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, liver disease, type 2 diabetes and other metabolic conditions in later life. As a result, the early identification and treatment of overweight provides a crucial opportunity to improve a child's health for years to come."

The study which was led by Dr. Frithioff-Bjse, Prof Jens-Christian Holm and colleagues at the Children's Obesity Clinic, set out to discover if it is practical to use existing contacts in primary healthcare sector to detect overweight from an early age.

Dental assistants and public health nurses were trained in measuring weight and height and carried out BMI assessments during routine appointments in dental clinics (children in Denmark are entitled to regular dental appointments from as early as the age of one) and in health visits in schools.

The dental assistants recruited 335 pre-school children (age 2.5 and 5 years old) into the study. A further 657 school-age children (6-8 years old) were recruited by public health nurses, taking the total number of participants to 992 (494 boys).

All the children had their BMI assessed at the start of the study. A sub-group of 392 children had their blood pressure measured and gave a blood sample, which was tested for a range of cardiometabolic risk markers.

The BMI assessments and other tests were repeated approximately a year later.

At the start of the study, the proportion of children with overweight was 13.7% in both groups (pre-school children and schoolchildren).

Differences in cardiometabolic risk markers between children with and without overweight were minor in the pre-schoolers.

In the schoolchildren, however, there were clear differences in the blood test results between those with overweight and those in the normal weight range.

Schoolchildren with overweight had significantly higher levels fasting glucose, insulin, triglycerides and alanine aminotransferase, which can indicate a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and liver disease.

Levels of overweight hadn't changed in the pre-school children when they were measured again around a year later but had risen to 17% in the schoolchildren.

The study's authors say that their research shows that it is practical to use existing health services, including dental clinics, to evaluate the degree of overweight in a general paediatric population.

Dr. Frithioff-Bjse adds: "We also overcame barriers identified in other studies which include concerns about a lack of adequate training, offending patients and caregivers and stigmatization of the child."

The researchers say that even though the risk marker levels measured in the study were still in normal range, the increases are still a concern, particularly at such a young age.

Dr. Frithioff-Bjse explains: "By the age of 11, 15-20% will exhibit overweight and a large group will subsequently exhibit high blood cholesterol levels, fatty liver disease or prediabetes, as well as a severely affected quality of life. So, detecting these changes early would be a major advance in preventing the development of disease."

The authors conclude: "We found rises in risk markers for heart and liver disease and diabetes in schoolchildren with overweight. These changes were not detectable just a few years earlier in pre-schoolers with overweight and suggests that pre-schoolas early as 2.5 years of agecould provide a critical window to detect and manage overweight.

"This would, in turn, allow weight loss interventions to start early, and reduce the risk of a child with overweight becoming an adult, or even an adolescent, with overweight and other conditions such as type 2 diabetes."

Explore further Remaining increase in cancer risk after high childhood BMI

Provided by European Association for the Study of Obesity
A blood clot forming in the carotid artery. Credit: copyright American Heart Association

Stroke experts have identified how radiomics, an emerging image-quantifying technology, can be used to extract biomarkers from clinical brain MRI scans in stroke patients and estimate a patient's relative "brain age." The technique demonstrates that using relative brain age, rather than chronological age, can enhance stroke surveillance and improve predictions on post-stroke recovery.

The study, presented today at the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC 2022) analyzed 4,163 ischemic stroke patients across the US and Europe. It showed how stroke patients with "older-appearing" brains, characterized by a higher predicted brain age than chronological age, were more likely to suffer from hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or have a history of smoking or prior stroke.

Patients with older-appearing brains were also less likely to achieve favorable post-stroke outcomes in comparison with their younger-appearing-brain counterparts.

Led by Dr. Martin Bretzner from Harvard Medical School (Boston, U.S.), the research team considered that while chronological age measures the amount of time a person has lived, it is less likely to precisely capture how well a patient has aged. By estimating the age of a patient's brain, this novel biomarker provides insight into the resilience of a brain to time and cardiovascular risk factors, and how well patients recover from stroke.

The techniqueradiomicsleverages advanced mathematical analysis to explore neuroimaging data available to clinicians, allowing experts to predict patients' relative brain age compared to other stroke survivors, and analyze their overall brain health.

"Age is one of the most influential determinants of post-stroke outcomes, but little is known about the impact of neuroimaging-derived biological 'brain age,'" commented Dr. Martin Bretzner. "Our results show that quantifying relative brain age in stroke patients can be beneficial in assessing a patient's brain health globally, and useful in predicting how well the patient will recover from a stroke. It would also be very easy to communicate on this biomarker with clinicians and patients, as everyone instinctively understand[s] the negative implications of an accelerated brain aging process."

The study found that relative brain age impacted stroke outcomes independently from chronological age and stroke severity. Having previously suffered from a stroke was the most influential clinical factor that impacted relative brain age, followed by diabetes.

According to research, one in four stroke survivors will have another stroke, and yet up to 80% might be prevented with the right treatments and lifestyle changes. The number of people living with stroke is estimated to rise by 27% between 2017 and 2047 in the European Union, mainly due to an increase in the number of people over 70.

"These findings stress the importance of minimizing cardiovascular risk factors, and also highlight how cardiovascular health and brain health are tightly intertwined," added Dr. Bretzner. "Identifying potentially modifiable risk factors that impact brain health by using radiomics and relative brain age as a biomarker could lead to the development of stroke prevention interventions and aid recovery.

"We hope that this research will serve as a support to identify fragile stroke patients that require more intensive prevention techniques, treatments and surveillance in the future."

Explore further New study links gut microbiota strains with more severe strokes and poorer post-stroke recovery

More information: Radiomics derived brain age predicts functional outcome after acute ischemic stroke, presented at the European Stroke Organisation Conference, 5 May 2022.

Provided by European Stroke Organisation
Figures showing changes in sleep (top left), walking (top right), phone usage (bottom left) and distance travelled (bottom right) in the year before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The vertical red line that indicates the date when a national emergency was declared in the U.S. (March 13, 2020). Credit: Figure from ACM CHI'22 Subigya, et al. https://doi.org/10.1145/3491102.3502043

COVID-19 is revealing a deep divide in the mental health of college students, with some having much more difficulty with their emotional well-being during the pandemic than others, according to a new Dartmouth study.

The multiyear study comparing the first full year of COVD-19 against the year immediately prior shows how the mental health and behavior of college students has changed in response to the public health crisis.

The study is the first to use mobile technology to compare mental health for the same study group for complete 12-month periods before and during the pandemic, and it demonstrates how smartphone technology and artificial intelligence can be used as an "early detection system" for mental health.

"The pandemic has put students on a literal mental health roller coaster, mostly heading downward," said Andrew Campbell, the Albert Bradley 1915 Third Century Professor of computer science at Dartmouth. "It's become clear, however, that certain people are much worse off and affected than their counterparts as indicated by behaviors that can be continuously assessed through the application of mobile sensing technology."

The longitudinal study used a smartphone app and digital questionnaires to assess depression, anxiety and stress in a volunteer group of 180 college students from one year prior to the pandemic (3/19-2/20) through the first full year of the pandemic (3/20-2/21). By monitoring phone usage, sleep, physical activity and mobility in the same group, researchers were able to detect patterns of behavior and infer details of individual emotional well-being.

The study identified two groups that experience the pandemic very differently. One group had significantly poorer mental health and higher COVID concernsthey slept less, were more sedentary, and used their phones considerably more than the other group. The students with elevated mental health challenges were generally found to have higher depression, anxiety, and stress coupled with lower self-esteem.

In general, heightened COVID-19 concern was found to be strongly linked to increased depression, anxiety and stress. One-third of the study participants reported a heightened COVID-19 concern throughout the entire first year of the pandemic.

"The behavioral changes that we see in the student population concur with the experiences of the general population and are concerning," said Subigya Nepal, a Ph.D. candidate at Dartmouth and first author of the study. "What is truly surprising is the finding that there are subgroups of students who have had differing changes in mental health and behavior."

On average, the study found that student behaviors have shifted and time spent engaging in multiple activities has substantially declined during the pandemic. Students are significantly less active and sleep more, but overall phone usage has increased.

The specific findings on the behavioral impact of the first year of COVID-19 include:

The amount of time spent at home, sleeping, and sedentary all increased.

The distances traveled and unique locations visited by college students decreased.

Phone usage duration in the study group increased, as did social media use.

The amount of time students spent walking, biking and driving was reduced.

The research is part of the "StudentLife" computer science research program that is assessing the efficacy of using smartphones to identify and predict anxiety, depression and stress in college students. The National Institutes of Health study is following 220 undergraduates across their four years of college.

This is the third research paper from the ongoing study since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It's the only study to be based on full years of data from before and during COVD-19.

"Such a large amount of continuous data spanning two years in total allows us to draw important insights and robust conclusions associated with behavioral change of these students as a result of COVID-19," said Campbell, the lead researcher and co-author of the study.

Given the connection between COVID-19 concern and overall mental health identified in the study, the researchers used machine learning techniques to see if artificial intelligence could predict COVID-19 concerns as an indicator of emotional well-being.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, reports a 75% level of precision and concludes that deep learning models can be helpful in classifying COVID-19 concerns. The team suggests that it would be possible to build a machine learning model to predict concern over the pandemic and people who are prone to mental health challenges.

"The technical results are promising," said Nepal. "It appears that we will have to live with the pandemic or some variant of it for some time to come, so the insights from our work will be relevant for identifying and managing the mental health aspects of COVID-19 going forward."

The research team highlights that the study is confined to a limited group of undergraduate students with a demographic attending a selective university. The team urges caution in interpreting the results, as they do not know exactly how well the findings generalize to other populations.

While recognizing the potential of mobile sensing, the team also identifies issues that make use of the technology challenging, including concerns over transparency, validity, and privacy.

Future work will include determining if the technology can be used as an early detection system that could also provide individualized suggestions to help people navigate difficult times or notify a provider with their consent so they can reach out to the individual to provide assistance.

More information: Subigya Nepal et al, COVID Student Study: A Year in the Life of College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic Through the Lens of Mobile Phone Sensing, CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (2022). Subigya Nepal et al, COVID Student Study: A Year in the Life of College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic Through the Lens of Mobile Phone Sensing,(2022). DOI: 10.1145/3491102.3502043
The rate of hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs) to gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) is 0.4 percent, and premedication can reduce the risk for HSRs in patients with a history of acute or delayed HSRs, according to a study published in the May issue of Radiology.

Yoon Hae Ahn, M.D., from Seoul National University College of Medicine in South Korea, and colleagues examined the incidence of acute and delayed reactions to GBCAs in a retrospective analysis including all cases of HSRs to contrast media that occurred at a single center from July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2020.

The researchers found that 1,304 cases of HSRs (0.4 percent) were reported among the 331,070 magnetic resonance imaging examinations with GBCA exposure in 154,539 patients. Of the HSR cases, 1,178 were acute and 126 were delayed HSRs. In patients with a history of acute HSRs, premedication and changing the type of GBCA showed preventative effects (odds ratios, 0.7 and 0.2, respectively), while for patients with a history of delayed HSRs, only premedication significantly reduced the incidence of HSRs (odds ratio, 0.2). Those with a history of an HSR to iodinated contrast media had an increased risk for an HSR to GBCA (odds ratio, 4.6).

"As the most important preventive measure is avoidance of the culprit agent, a precise record of previously used GBCA should be kept for all patients," a coauthor said in a statement. "Physicians should discuss appropriate premedication strategies with their patients prior to magnetic resonance imaging procedures."

Explore further Allergic-like CT contrast reaction raises MRI contrast risk

Copyright  2022 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Immunohistochemistry for alpha-synuclein showing positive staining (brown) of an intraneural Lewy-body in the Substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease. Credit: Wikipedia

Parkinson's disease is perhaps best known for its movement-related symptoms, particularly tremors and stiffness.

But the disease is also known to hinder vocal production, giving those with Parkinson's a soft monotonous voice. Those symptoms, research has suggested, often appear much earlier in the disease's developmentsometimes decades before movement-related symptoms.

New research by University of Arizona neuroscientists suggests that a specific gene commonly associated with Parkinson's may be behind those vocal-related issuesa finding that could help lead to earlier diagnoses and treatments for Parkinson's patients.

The research was conducted in the lab of Julie E. Miller, an assistant professor of neuroscience and of speech, language, and hearing sciences in the College of Science.

"We have this big gap herewe don't know how this disease impacts the brain regions for vocal production, and this is really an opportunity to intervene early and come up with better treatments," said Miller, who also has joint appointments in the Department of Neurology and the Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, and is a member of the UArizona BIO5 Institute.

The study was published Wednesday in the scientific journal PLOS ONE. Cesar A. Medina, a former Ph.D. student in Miller's lab who is now a postdoctoral scholar at Johns Hopkins University, is the paper's lead author. Also involved in the research were Eddie Vargas, a former UArizona undergraduate student who will soon attend the College of MedicineTucson, and Stephanie Munger, a research professional in the Department of Neuroscience.

A unique, ideal model for studying human speech

To investigate any correlation between vocal changes and the Parkinson's-related geneknown as alpha-synucleinthe researchers turned to the zebra finch, a songbird native to Australia.

The birds are an ideal model for human speech and voice pathways for several reasons, Medina said. Young finches learn their songs from older, father-like male birds, much in the same way babies learn to speak by listening to their parents. The part of a finch's brain that deals with speech and language is also organized very similarly to its counterpart in the human brain.

"These similarities across behavior, anatomy and genetics allow us to use the zebra finches as a model for human speech and voice," Medina said.

To see how alpha-synuclein might affect vocal production in the birds, researchers first took baseline recordings of their songs. They then introduced a copy of the gene into some of the birds; other birds were not given the gene so researchers could compare the results. All the birds' songs were recorded again immediately after introducing the gene, and then one, two and three months later.

The researchers used computer software to analyze and compare the acoustic features of the songs over time, studying pitch, amplitude and duration of the songs to determine whether and when the birds' vocal production changed.

Initial findings showed that alpha-synuclein did affect song production. The birds with the gene sang less after two months, and they sang less at the start of a song session three months after receiving the gene. The vocalizations were also softer and shorter, findings similar to what is seen in the human disease.

Another step toward earlier diagnoses and treatments

To determine whether the effects on speech were connected to changes in the brain, the researchers zeroed in on a section of the brain called Area X. They found that there were higher levels of the alpha-synuclein protein in Area X, helping them establish that the gene did, in fact, cause the changes in the brain that led to changes in vocal production, Medina said.

This connection, he added, had been predicted in previous Parkinson's research, but it was not conclusive.

The next step, Miller said, is figuring out how to apply these findings to human data, which could provide more answers that lead to better Parkinson's diagnoses and treatmentsones that come long before movement-related symptoms tell a patient to visit a neurologist.

The long-term goal of the Miller Lab, she said, is to partner with other researchers and private companies to develop drugs that target alpha-synuclein and other genes associated with Parkinson's.

Doing so, Medina said, would mean "we could stop the progression of Parkinson's disease before it becomes a detrimental impediment to the quality of life for the patient."

Explore further Forming sound memories: Autism gene plays key aspect in birdsong

More information: Vocal changes in a zebra finch model of Parkinson's disease characterized by alpha-synuclein overexpression in the song-dedicated anterior forebrain pathway, PLoS ONE (2022). Journal information: PLoS ONE Vocal changes in a zebra finch model of Parkinson's disease characterized by alpha-synuclein overexpression in the song-dedicated anterior forebrain pathway,(2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265604
Diagnostic distribution of hematological malignancies and precursor conditions classified by ICD-O-3, Hematological Malignancy Research Network, 20042016. Credit: International Journal of Epidemiology (2022). DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyab275

Researchers at the University of York have expanded a unique regional cancer database, which will help clinicians understand more about conditions such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.

The expanded database will allow researchers at York's Hematological Malignancy Research Network (HMRN) to compare the health of patients with blood cancer to similar people in the general population who are cancer-free.

With 180,000 new cancer-free cases now added to the database, the researchers say these comparisons will help them discover more about how blood cancers relate to other conditions and illnesses, as well as the impact of treatment.

The people in the database live in the Yorkshire & Humberside region covered by HRMN.

Served by 14 hospitals, HMRN's population of 4 million people is broadly representative of the U.K. as a whole (in terms of sex, age, socio-economic indicators and healthcare).

Researchers say that although the database is regional, the results are applicable across the nation. Their study appears in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

Important connections

Each year in the U.K. around 45,000 new patients are diagnosed with blood cancer. By looking at the cancer cohort and a non-cancer cohort side-by-side, researchers and clinicians can track patterns of severe medical conditions and healthcare activity, allowing them to uncover important connections and areas where extra monitoring and care may be needed.

Around 2,500 patients are diagnosed with a blood cancer each year in the HMRN region, and all of these are included in the database, regardless of their age, sex, or treatment. This vital information is shared with researchers, clinicians, patients and commissioners to give them the best picture of these diseases across the population.

Fantastic resource

Professor Eve Roman, Director of HMRN and of the Epidemiology and Cancer Statistics Group at the University of York said: "This expanded database is a fantastic resource, allowing us to compare the health of those who have blood cancer to those who do notboth in the years before cancer is diagnosed and the years after. It provides an unparalleled opportunity to address real questions of concern to clinicians, patients and researchers.

"So far, many of the findings have been striking and unexpected. We are currently examining longer-term health looking, for example, to see whether the health of patients successfully treated for cancer ever returns to the level it would have been, had they not had cancer."

Long-term impacts

Professor Russell Patmore, lead clinician at HMRN, and consultant in hematology and Medical Director for Clinical Support Services at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "The HMRN database is already recognized as one of the best sources of information on people with blood cancer in the world. This expansion takes things to a whole new level, opening up many avenues for research that will ultimately benefit patients.

"Modern therapy is dramatically improving outcomes but little is known about the long-term impacts of treatment on health. This is especially important as many treatments are now being given on a continuous basis and often to older patients who may be especially vulnerable to toxicities that impact on their quality of life. Our cancer-free cohort will allow us to explore this and provide answers that would never be available from clinical trials."

Explore further New drugs are improving survival times for patients with aggressive type of blood cancer, study finds

More information: Eve Roman et al, Cohort Profile Update: The Haematological Malignancy Research Network (HMRN)'s UK population-based cohorts, International Journal of Epidemiology (2022). Journal information: International Journal of Epidemiology Eve Roman et al, Cohort Profile Update: The Haematological Malignancy Research Network (HMRN)'s UK population-based cohorts,(2022). DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyab275
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Patients diagnosed with cancer more than one year ago and those not receiving active treatment were no more vulnerable to worse COVID-19 outcomes than patients without cancer, according to a new study led by UTHealth Houston.

Youngran Kim, Ph.D., and Liang Zhu, Ph.D., researchers in the Department of Neurology with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, were co-leading authors of the study, which was published today in PLOS ONE. Kim, a postdoctoral research fellow in the department, is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Management, Policy, and Community Health with UTHealth School of Public Health, and Zhu, a former associate professor of neurology, has since left UTHealth Houston.

Using electronic health records from more than 700 hospitals and 700 clinics in the U.S., a team of researchers with UTHealth Houston, Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Kentucky, and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center collaborated to assess the association between COVID-19 outcomes and existing cancer-specific characteristics.

Many studies have shown that people with cancer have higher risks for death and hospitalization after being diagnosed with COVID-19 compared to patients without cancer, but Kim said the revelation about the timing of the patients' past cancer diagnosis and ongoing treatment state is critical.

"We found that recent cancer diagnoses were associated with a 17% increased risk for death and 10% increased risk for hospitalization," Kim said. "However, a history of cancer more than one year before COVID-19 diagnosis was not significantly associated with increased mortality or hospitalization. Our study also confirmed other risk factors and racial disparities in COVID-19 outcomes among COVID-19 patients with cancer."

The researchers analyzed 271,639 adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between June 1, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2020. Of those patients, 18,460 also had at least one cancer diagnosis, including 10,426 patients diagnosed with cancer within one year before their COVID-19 infection.

Multiple outcomes were assessed, including all-cause 30-day mortality, hospitalization, admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), and ventilator use, which were compared using relative risks according to cancer status and treatments. Among the research team's key discoveries:

While cancer patients had higher risks for 30-day mortality and hospitalization, there were no significant differences in ICU admission and ventilator use compared to patients without cancer.

Recent cancer diagnoses were associated with higher risks for worse COVID-19 outcomes, particularly among recent metastatic (stage 4), hematological, liver, and lung cancers, compared to the non-cancer group.

Among COVID-19 patients with a recent cancer diagnosis, a higher chance of mortality was linked to chemotherapy or radiation treatments within three months before SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Patients who were older, Black, received Medicare, and/or lived in the Southern U.S. were significantly more likely to die after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Diabetes and cardiovascular, liver, and renal diseases were also linked to an increased risk of death after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Study investigators hope these findings will offer health care providers more refined risk information about the ways cancer patients may be impacted by COVID-19.

UTHealth Houston co-authors with the Department of Neurology at McGovern Medical School included Xiaojin Li, Ph.D.; Yan Huang, Ph.D.; and Chunhui Gu, MS. Guo-Qiang "GQ" Zhang, Ph.D., professor in the department with secondary appointments at UTHealth Houston School of Biomedical Informatics and UTHealth School of Public Health, was the study team lead and corresponding author on the publication.

"Most scientific literature publishes affirmative results," Zhang said. "In this particular study, we not only confirmed general findings about worse COVID-19 outcomes for cancer patients, but elaborated on subgroups of cancer patients that were not overly impacted. This is an important finding for the health care system as they intervene based on the appropriate risk assessment and for cancer survivors to understand their specific risks associated with COVID-19. As the pandemic evolves, however, we may need to revisit this topic at a future time."

Other co-authors included Huili Zhu, MD, with Baylor College of Medicine; Heather Bush, Ph.D., with the University of Kentucky in Lexington; and Caroline Chung, MD, with MD Anderson.

Explore further Hospitalized individuals with active cancer more likely to die from COVID-19
CN neurons fire aberrantly and seizure-modulated in quirky and purky mice. A Experimental design: Extracellular recordings of CN (magenta) neurons were performed in awake head-restrained mice with simultaneous ECoG recordings. B Example of CN neuron activity in control (black), quirky (cyan) and purky (red) mice. Examples are expressed as filled circles in (C to F). C Mean firing rate, (D) interspike interval coefficient of variation and (E) mean interspike interval coefficient of variation 2 and (F) burst index of CN neurons in control (n = 53 recorded from eight mice), quirky (n = 31 recorded from eight mice) and purky (n = 23 recorded from three mice) mice. C to F bars represent mean  SEM and individual cells are represented as circles (KruskalWallis test with pairwise Dunns test). G and H Example of (G) quirky and (H) purky CN neurons that are phase-locked to the ictal activity. I and J Raster plot of non-modulated and seizure-modulated CN neuron with corresponding mean spike-and-wave complex. Scale bar represents 0.1 mV. Single cell examples are expressed as filled circles in K. I Quirky mice show a decrease in action potential firing during the spike of the spike-and-wave complex while (J) purky mice show an increase in action potential firing. Thick lines represent mean spike-and-wave complex activity and shadowed areas represent  SEM. K Proportion of CN neurons in quirky (n = 23 recorded from seven mice) and purky (n = 22 recorded from three mice) mice that fire phase-locked with the ictal activity (quirky 33% and purky 54%). The horizontal dotted line represents  1.96 (corresponding to p Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (2022). DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04221-5

Stimulation of certain cerebellar areas could help combat absence seizures. However, what happens at the cellular and molecular level in the brain in this form of epilepsy and how exactly stimulation has an effect is not yet understood in detail. Researchers at Ruhr-Universitat Bochum (RUB) have gained new insights by conducting experiments with mice. The team led by Dr. Jan Claudius Schwitalla and Professor Melanie Mark from the RUB Behavioral Neuroscience research group describes the results in the journal Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences from 19 March 2022. They cooperated with the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam and Utrecht as well as with colleagues from Bonn, Munster and Munchen.

Abrupt loss of consciousness

More than 1.5 million people worldwide suffer from absence seizures, also known as petit mal seizures. Patients experience an abrupt loss of consciousness and lapse into a paralysis of behavior that lasts for a few seconds. Absence seizures often occur in children between the ages of four and twelve and are often mistaken for daydreaming. They are linked to altered brain activity, which is visible in brain activity recordings as so-called spike-and-wave discharges (SWDs). The characteristic activity pattern originates from the rhythmic and synchronized activity of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex and thalamus.

Since the nuclei located deep in the cerebellum have a widespread connectivity to various regions of the brain, researchers proposed that it might be possible to treat seizures by stimulating the cerebellar nuclei. Experiments with rodents by other research groups showed that such stimulation can indeed stop absence seizures. However, it is unclear what underlies this effect at the cellular and molecular level.

Cerebellar stimulation against abnormal brain activity

The Bochum-based researchers worked with mice that develop absence seizures due to a lack of the P/Q-type calcium channel in nerve cells of the cerebellum. They found that cells of the cerebellar nuclei were firing abnormally, and that stimulation of these cells could prevent further SWDs. Therefore, they stimulated the cerebellar nuclei by administering a pharmacological substance or via chemogenetic stimulation. For chemogenetic stimulation, a genetically modified receptor is introduced into cells so that they can be activated by a specifically designed molecule normally not present in the brain. This allowed the researchers to slowly increase the activity of the cerebellar nuclei cells and thus prevent the occurrence of further SWDs in mice.

Furthermore, the team used optogenetic stimulation to briefly increase the activity of cells in the cerebellar nuclei and to stop on-going SWDs after they have started. This technique uses proteins from algae that can be turned on by light to increase the activity of nerve cells. Overall, the study confirmed that targeted stimulation of the cerebellar nuclei could become a therapeutic approach for people suffering from absence seizures.

Explore further Trigger region found for absence epileptic seizures

More information: Jan Claudius Schwitalla et al, Controlling absence seizures from the cerebellar nuclei via activation of the Gq signaling pathway, Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (2022). Journal information: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences Jan Claudius Schwitalla et al, Controlling absence seizures from the cerebellar nuclei via activation of the Gq signaling pathway,(2022). DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04221-5
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a proposal last week to ban menthol cigarettes, which account for over a third of cigarette consumption. They say the move to eliminate menthola minty flavor that reduces irritation and makes cigarettes more addictivefrom the market will cause a 15% reduction in smoking and could save over half a million lives over the next 40 years.

If implemented, the ban would disproportionately impact Black smokers, 85% of whom prefer menthol cigarettes as a result of years of targeted marketing from the tobacco industry, according to a national survey on drug use and health from 2018.

Still, some Black leaders have spoken out against the ban, arguing that it will cause criminalization that will target Black populations. But two experts from Northeastern say it is an overdue measure that will save lives, and that invoking suggestions of possible police brutality in today's social climate is another tactic for Big Tobacco to continue selling products to that targeted audience.

Menthol has been marketed directly to Black Americans for over half a century, says Susan Mello, associate professor of communication studies at Northeastern. The flavor was added to cigarettes in the 1920s, she says, though it only became popular in the 1960s, when filters were also added to cigarettes. Around that time, tobacco companies started marketing the flavor to Black populations, with great success. "As one company did well, other companies caught onto that, and started adding menthol to their product lines," she says.

Their marketing tactics were pointed, targeting segregated colleges and universities, Black periodicals, and Black radio shows. The tactics have continued to this day, Mello says, as companies place ads in Black communities, use Black models, and associate cigarettes with hip-hop culture. "They just completely infiltrated the culture and the community," she says.

The tobacco industry has even managed to convince tobacco users that menthol is a safer option than regular cigarettes. On top of very specific color choices and using the now-banned words like "lite," "slim," (a term used to target women) or "mild," tobacco companies have marketed menthol as healthier, with great success. "They've built on cultural perceptions among African-Americans of menthol as being medicinal," Mello says, noting the association between menthol and other products like lozenges and ointments, which also contain the ingredient. Some menthol cigarettes have even been marketed as "plant-based" in order to associate them with eco-friendly and wellness culture.

The truth, Mello says, is that menthol cigarettes are actually more dangerous than regular ones. "Menthol makes it easier to start smoking," she says, especially for young adults who are trying cigarettes for the first time. "It feels easier to smoke more frequently, which expedites your dependence on nicotine, and also can mask early signs of respiratory illness."

Other cigarette flavors have also been linked to higher usage among young adults, leading to the FDA's 2009 decision to ban them from cigarettes. But menthol remained on the market, a decision that Richard Daynard, Northeastern University Distinguished Professor of Law, says was in part due to opposition from some Black leadership, including the NAACP. The tobacco industry's argument, Mello says, was that the decision would discriminate against Black Americans who were disproportionately addicted to menthol cigarettes.

This new proposal, then, is "long past due," Daynard says. "The idea that the FDA has had the power since 2009 to ban menthol cigarettes and is only acting now in 2022 means that they've let 13 years slip, but better late than never."

For their part, the NAACP now "applauds" the ban, but some other Black leaders still oppose it, stating that it will lead to increased criminalization of Black communities. While the FDA statement specifies that the new rules "do not include a prohibition on individual consumer possession or use," leaders such as the Rev. Al Sharpton and U.S. Rep. Donald McEachin of Virginia have warned of potential "serious economic and criminal-justice implications" for Black Americans. The ACLU also warned that the ban "will lead to criminalization."

Mello acknowledges these potential challenges. "They're not wrong," she says. "These are all real problems that also need to be taken into consideration, but just because it's going to be a hard transition, doesn't mean it's not the right path to take." She emphasizes that putting cessation programs into place needs to become a priority to help people, especially African-Americans, quit smoking.

Meanwhile, Daynard disagrees that the ban could have criminal-justice consequences for Black Americans. "It's wrong," he says. "There's no ban on individual possession of the cigarettes. The whole thing is a smoke screen, as it were." He points out that Sharpton is "on the payroll of the tobacco industry," specifically RJ Reynolds, a principal tobacco manufacturer. In addition, McEachin represents Richmond, Virginia, the site of Marlboro's biggest factory. "He's probably the rare case where a substantial proportion of his constituents actually work for the tobacco industry," Daynard says. A recent Los Angeles Times report shows that tobacco companies support lobbyists, consultants, and protesters in an effort to fan fears that a ban would lead to increased police brutality.

Rather than cause violence, Daynard says, the ban will certainly lead to fewer people smoking, and will save lives. The FDA's estimates for how many lives will be saved "sound very reasonable, possibly even conservative," he says.

The changes won't happen overnight, though, as the tobacco industry will likely fight the ban in court before it can be implemented.

But it is likely to be put into place, and once it is, Mello says, the ban, combined with programs to help people quit and campaigns that educate the public, will signal progress in public health. "We're moving in the right direction," she says.

Explore further More than a million smokers likely to quit after US bans menthol cigarettes
AFTER THE controversial flyover issue, now the rice purchase made by the local government for Zamboanguenos at the height of the Covid-19 pa...
To be a mother or a daughter (or both) in the movies these days is to find oneself locked in a bitter cycle of generational angst, one so laced with resentment and adversarial feeling that only a supernatural crisis, apparently, can bring forth the possibility of reconciliation. What does it take for the two of them to see eye-to-eye  to regard each other not as clueless authoritarians or ungrateful dependents, but as unique and vulnerable individuals, deserving of sympathy rather than scorn? In the recent animated comedy "Turning Red," it requires some ancient shape-shifting sorcery. In the live-action multiverse fantasia "Everything Everywhere All at Once," it's an apocalyptic attack on human life, a threat that can only be neutralized through a bold declaration of mother-daughter love.

'PETITE MAMAN' In French with English subtitles MPAA rating: PG (for some thematic elements and brief smoking) Running time: 1:12 How to watch: Opens at the Roxy Theater

"Petite Maman," the quietly spellbinding new film from the French writer-director Celine Sciamma, proposes a gentler but no less radical alternative. The encounter at the heart of this movie, which runs just 72 minutes and will haunt you for long afterward, is magical precisely because of how seemingly unmagical it is. Notably, it arrives as a bittersweet balm for a relationship that, far from being combative, is suffused with warmth and tenderness. A heart-crushing early scene of 31-year-old Marion (Nina Meurisse), driving home while her 8-year-old, Nelly (Josephine Sanz), passes her munchies from the backseat, tells you everything you need to know about their mutual adoration.

Which is not to say that there's nothing left for Marion and Nelly to discover about themselves or each other  quite the contrary. Marion has just lost her own mother after a long illness, and in the days that follow, she and her husband (Stephane Varupenne) go about the solemn task of cleaning out the house in which she grew up. Nelly, who was close to her grandmother but frets about not having wished her a proper goodbye, distracts herself by poring over her mom's old homework assignments and playing in the surrounding woods. That's where she meets another 8-year-old who looks just like her, with the same long brown hair and sharp, far-reaching gaze. She's played by Gabrielle Sanz (Josephine's identical twin sister), and her name is Marion.

From this simple, suggestive conceit  and also from the warm, autumnal hues of Claire Mathon's exquisite images  Sciamma weaves an enchanted reverie, a mystery in miniature that hums with resonance and implication. "Petite Maman," recently named the best non-English-language film of 2021 by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, surveys the landscape of childhood with a clear-eyed wonderment worthy of Victor Erice and Hayao Miyazaki. Is the younger Marion an imaginary friend, an invention of Nelly's active mind? Or is she truly the child version of Nelly's mother, which might account for the adult Marion's sudden disappearance from the premises? Has the weight of this family's grief temporarily ruptured the fabric of time and space, allowing past and present members to walk side-by-side?

Sciamma has little interest in explanations, and she slyly passes along that disinterest to her characters. Nelly, though as naturally inquisitive as any child, doesn't bother questioning the strangeness of her circumstances, possibly because they don't feel particularly strange. Neither does young Marion, who soon leads Nelly back through the woods to her house, which is, of course, an earlier version of the house Nelly herself is visiting. You spend a lot of time in both homes, following the girls back and forth between near-identical planes of reality. A world of unadorned walls and sparse furnishings, of giggly pancake breakfasts and hushed nighttime whispers, drifts in and out of focus.

The girls are not entirely alone during these visits. Nelly meets a younger version of her grandmother (Margot Abascal), also named Nelly, whose stern but kindly presence heightens the intimacy and gravity of the situation. (It also gives her younger namesake the chance to say goodbye as she intended.) Young Marion in turn meets young Nelly's friendly, easily distracted dad, aka her own future husband  a potentially mind-bending twist that barely pierces the gossamer membrane of Sciamma's conceit. "Petite Maman" generates continual surprise and delight, paradoxically, by treating even the strangest circumstances with a wry matter-of-factness.

It also instinctively grasps  and draws inspiration from  the creative logic of children at play. Nelly and Marion spend much of their time together devising games, whether they're working on the large conical hut that Marion built in the woods or acting out a hilariously elaborate murder mystery. "Petite Maman" itself plays a kind of game with the viewer, and for all its aversion to exposition, it's deft enough to lay down a few ground rules. You learn to tell the girls apart through sartorial cues  Nelly favors ponytails and blue tones, while Marion wears headbands and shades of red  but also, increasingly, through nuances of dialogue and mercurial flickers of facial expression. At times you stop trying to tell them apart at all, so serenely perfect is the sight of them simply inhabiting the same space and enjoying each other's company.

The casting of the Sanz sisters is a bold formal coup that initiates a curious line of inquiry. Their characters are distinct people with distinct childhood experiences: The 8-year-old Marion, we learn, is about to undergo a medical procedure, and her father, unlike Nelly's, doesn't appear to be in the picture. But what binds them seems no less significant: not just the same face, voice and gestures, but a common curiosity about the world, a shared capacity for exuberance and melancholy. To be able to appreciate and understand a parent for the individual she once was  and to recognize a glimmer of yourself in that lost history  is a gift granted to few people, and it's one that Sciamma manages to unlock here through her singular mix of discipline and imagination.

Her rigor is undeniable (as is the spareness and precision of Julien Lacheray's editing), but her approach never feels deterministic. Apart from her knack for finding perfectly gorgeous images  the vibrancy of crisp autumn leaves in a forest clearing, the play of shadows at the edge of a child's bed  Sciamma's great hallmark as a filmmaker is that she gives her characters the space to figure out who they are and what they might become. This was true of the young protagonists of "Tomboy" and "Girlhood," and also of the romantic leads of "Portrait of a Lady on Fire," two women granted a passionate, life-changing respite from the prying eyes of the outside world.

While the central relationship here is a friendship  and a blood bond  rather than a romance, "Petite Maman" presents its characters with a similar kind of freedom. And that freedom is no less meaningful for being so fleeting. No less than the condition of childhood itself, the movie opens up a world of possibilities, all of them beautiful and beguiling  and over all too soon.

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WEDNESDAY, May 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- State bans on affirmative action have prompted a precipitous decline in the number of U.S. medical students from racial/ethnic minority groups, a new study finds.

"We know that a more diverse physician workforce leads to better care for racial- and ethnic-minority patients," said lead researcher Dr. Dan Ly, an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research at the University of California, Los Angeles. "But we have made such poor progress in diversifying our physician workforce."

The study shows that bans on affirmative action "have had a devastating impact on the diversity of our medical student body and physician pipeline," Ly said in a UCLA news release.

The researchers analyzed enrollment data from 1985 through 2019 for 53 U.S. medical schools at public universities, which would be affected by bans on affirmative action that apply to post-secondary schools.

Thirty-two of the medical schools were in 24 states without affirmative action bans, and 21 were in eight states that banned affirmative action from 1997 to 2013: Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington. Texas' ban was reversed in 2003.

In the year before the bans were implemented, minority students accounted for an average of 14.8% of the total enrollment of those states public medical schools. Five years after the bans were implemented, minority student enrollment fell by 37% at those schools.

The study was published May 3 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

"As our country has spent the last two years weaving through the twin pandemics of racial health disparities amplified by COVID-19 and structural racism at large, our findings are critically important," said study co-author Dr. Utibe Essien, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.

As we observed, affirmative action bans have resulted in a loss of underrepresented physicians, who could have been at the front lines of caring for vulnerable populations throughout the pandemic and helping to alleviate disparities in care," Essien said in the release. "My hope is that our findings will help provide policymakers with the tools to push back against affirmative action bans, not just for the diversity of the physician workforce, but for the equal and just health of our society."

More information

The Association of Medical Colleges has more on minority applicants in medicine.

SOURCE: University of California, Los Angeles, news release, May 2, 2022

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WEDNESDAY, May 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Despite what you may have heard, rats and other city wildlife aren't likely to trigger future pandemics in people, according to a new study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has scientists trying to determine where future outbreaks are most likely to start. It's long been suspected that critters in cities might act as reservoirs for viruses that could cause outbreaks in humans.

An international team of scientists decided to find out if that's true.

To start, the investigators examined studies on viruses and other pathogens hosted by nearly 3,000 species of mammals. They found that city-dwelling mammals can carry about 10 times more diseases than mammals outside of cities, but don't pose a greater threat to people.

"There are plenty of reasons to expect urban animals to host more diseases, ranging from their food to their immune systems to their close proximity to humans," said study leader Greg Albery, a postdoctoral fellow in biology at Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C.

"We found that urban species do indeed host more diseases than non-urban species, but the reasons for this appear to be largely associated with the way we study the ecology of disease. We've looked more at animals in our cities, so we've found more of their parasites  and we've started to hit diminishing returns," he explained in a university news release.

"Stunningly, although urban-adapted species have 10 times as many parasites, more than 100 times as many studies have been published on them. When you correct for this bias, they don't have more human pathogens than expected  meaning that our perception of their novel disease risk has been overinflated by our sampling process," Albery said.

The study was published May 2 in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.

While the study suggests that urban animals are not "hyper-reservoirs" of infectious disease, they still pose risks.

The findings likely mean "that urban animals aren't hiding as many important novel pathogens as we might think  those pathogens that might cause the next 'Disease X,'" Albery said.

"But they are still incredibly important carriers of many pathogens that we do know about. Rats, raccoons, and rabbits are still good at co-existing alongside us, and they still spread a lot of diseases to humans living in urban areas," he added.

Raccoons, for instance, can spread roundworm and a disease called leptospirosis, experts say.

What the study "really accentuates is that we need to design more evenly distributed, more equitable sampling regimes if we want to find novel pathogens of humans; sampling needs to be more focused in wild areas of the world, but also in urban areas in less well-studied places," according to Albery.

He explained this will not only help find the new ones, "but will improve surveillance of the old ones, and will ultimately help to address ages-old geographic biases in ecology."

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on animal diseases and your health.

SOURCE: Georgetown University, news release, May 2, 2022

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NEW YORK (AP)  For veteran anti-abortion activists, the leaked Supreme Court document read like a detailed dream come true, spelling out a potential ruling that would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision and allow U.S. states to ban abortion.

Yet even amid their celebrations, there were hard-nosed assessments from some about the political battles that lie ahead if the national map officially becomes a patchwork of conflicting abortion laws.

The end of Roe is only the beginning of saving unborn lives, Daniel Darling, a Southern Baptist author and pastor, wrote in a column Tuesday for Baptist Press.

The fight for their dignity goes from state to state and likely, into the halls of Congress, he added, After fifty years, we cannot grow weary.

The Supreme Court confirmed Tuesday that the draft opinion, leaked to Politico, was an authentic document but said it does not represent a decision by the court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case.

Nonetheless, Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, embraced as a historic moment the news that five of the courts nine justices potentially endorse an opinion that would undo the 1973 ruling.

She found herself crying tears of elation as she listened to her husband explain to their children that such a decision will result in millions of children being allowed to be born.

Weve been preparing for this for years  but we know we have so much more to do, said Hawkins, who has been an activist for 22 years since she volunteered at a crisis pregnancy center in Steubenville, Ohio, at age 15.

Assuming Roe is overturned, Hawkins said she and her allies would press Republican-governed states to swiftly outlaw abortion while also stepping up lobbying in Democratic strongholds where the procedure is protected, such as California and New York.

Another project, Hawkins said, is to trade ideas with Republican state officials about how to prevent women in states with bans from accessing mail-order pills to self-induce an abortion. And she welcomes discussion about a potential federal abortion ban were Republicans to retake both Congress and the presidency.

But some, like Mike Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right to Life for the past 14 years, disagree with the idea of seeking a national ban.

Its a bad idea to run anything through our federal government, given Congresss lack of ability to get things done, he said. This debate should be decided in our statehouses, not in the halls of D.C.

Regarding mail-order pills, Gonidakis said it's inevitable that some women in states with bans would be able to obtain them via the internet.

You cant eliminate it completely, he said. We cant go around knocking on everyones doors and checking their internet. Weve got to change the culture, win hearts and minds.

Regardless, he said of the leaked document: Weve been praying for this for a long, long time.

On Tuesday, Barbara Beavers of Jackson, Mississippi, stood outside the states only abortion clinic next to two signs that read: Ask me about free pregnancy tests & ultrasounds and You dont have to do this today. She prayed and tried to talk to people as they got out of cars to go inside.

Asked about the Supreme Court developments, Beavers replied, Roe v. Wades bad law.

We need to be defending our children, unborn or born, she added. We dont need to be killing.

Michael New, an abortion opponent who teaches social research at The Catholic University of America, said a reversal of Roe would be a very important victory for the movement but not the end of its challenges.

Women in states with legal protections for preborn children could still obtain abortions in other states where the laws are more permissive, he said via email. Crafting policies to discourage women from seeking abortions in other states will likely engage pro-life analysts and strategists for years to come.

Long-time anti-abortion activist Julaine Appling, president of Wisconsin Family Action, noted that her state stands to be a battleground for abortion issues in this year's midterm elections. There is a pre-Roe criminal statute that could take effect, but Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul has said he would not enforce it.

If the Court does overturn Roe, Wisconsins pro-life movement must be ready to serve women facing unplanned pregnancies and their babies, Appling said. We must be ready for this election season to stand together for babies and their mothers.

In his Baptist Press column, Darling spoke of vindication for a relentless pro-life movement that has often been maligned, misunderstood, and mocked and yet refused to go away.

Patient pro-life activists, often led by women, have marched in rain, snow and sleet year after year, he wrote, "demanding justice for the unborn.

Associated Press reporter Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed to this report.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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WEDNESDAY, May 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight kids don't have it easy, and a new study warns they may also at increased risk for type 1 diabetes later in life.

"A critical window exists in childhood to mitigate the influence of adiposity [being severely overweight, or obese] on the escalating numbers of type 1 diabetes diagnoses," said the study's lead author, Tom Richardson, a research fellow at the University of Bristol in England.

Being overweight for many years in childhood also boosts the risk of other diseases like asthma, the researchers found.

It's well-established that obese children are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, and that losing weight can reduce that risk.

But the link between childhood obesity and type 1 diabetes has been less clear, so Richardson's team decided to examine the association by analyzing genetic data from more than 400,000 people in the United Kingdom.

The researchers concluded that greater obesity in early life increases the risk of type 1 diabetes later in life. They said it's likely that rising rates of childhood obesity are a factor in the sharp increase in the number of type 1 diabetes diagnoses over the last 20 years.

The U.K. researchers also found that long-term childhood obesity increases the risk of other diseases with an immune component, including asthma, eczema and hypothyroidism.

The study was published online April 28 in the journal Nature Communications.

"The effect of childhood obesity directly increases type 1 diabetes risk, emphasizing the importance of implementing preventative policies to lower the prevalence of childhood obesity and its subsequent influence on the rising numbers of cases for this lifelong disease," Richardson said in a university news release.

More information

For more on type 1 diabetes, go to the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

SOURCE: University of Bristol, news release, April 28, 2022

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The phones inside an Alabama abortion clinic were ringing off the hook: the callers wanted to know if abortion remains legal. And, if so, for how long?

A leaked Supreme Court draft opinion was ricocheting around the world.

As Dalton Johnson, the clinics owner, read it Monday night, he was struck by the bluntness of the language that would end the constitutional right to an abortion, closing clinics in about half of American states, including his.

Im still in shock, Johnson said Tuesday as he scrambled to reassure his staff and patients they would continue providing abortions as long as theyre allowed in Alabama.

People on both sides of the abortion divide have been expecting the Supreme Court this summer to reverse the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade cas e that legalized abortion nationwide. But many said the draft opinion was nevertheless stunning, forcing them to reckon with the reality the nation is likely to enter soon.

I cant stop crying, said an elated Mississippi state Rep. Becky Currie, who sponsored the 2018 law that is the basis for the Supreme Court case. I am not quite sure I have the words to express how I feel right now, but God has had his hands on that bill since the beginning.

The leaked draft, published late Monday by Politico, is a 98-page opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which challenged the constitutionality of the Mississippi bill that banned abortion after 15 weeks. If the decision stands as written, it would also overturn Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a 1992 decision that protected abortion services even though it allowed states to add some limitations.

Roe was egregiously wrong from the start, the draft opinion states. It was signed by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the courts 6-3 conservative majority. According to Politico, four other justices  Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett  have agreed with the opinion.

The draft opinion was written in February and the language could change before the court issues its final ruling. As written, it would give states the power to decide the legality of abortion. Roughly half, largely in the South and Midwest, are likely to quickly ban abortion.

Abortion clinics in those states opened Tuesday morning, still seeing patients but uncertain about the future.

The daily rituals unfolded as they always do: some protesters screamed at people walking inside while other abortion opponents prayed, clinic escorts tried to shield patients and hustle them in the doors.

Please overturn Roe v. Wade, said Barbara Beavers, who stood outside the clinic in Jackson, Mississippi, on Tuesday, gently trying to persuade people against going inside. Have mercy on our unborn children. Were destroying our future, killing our babies.

Inside clinics, the news prompted frantic phone calls and abortion providers across America rushed to tell their patients that the clinics remained open.

I immediately felt sick to my stomach, said Tammi Kromenaker, who owns a clinic in Fargo, North Dakota. And 20 million thoughts started going through my head about what can we do? What does my staff need to hear? What do our patients need to hear?

She posted a notice on their website: If you have an appointment at Red River Womens Clinic, your appointment is safe.

In Charleston, West Virginia, Katie Quinonez had barely slept the night before; she was having nightmares about the Supreme Court. She rushed into the clinic Tuesday morning, terrified that her patients would misunderstand the news and think that abortion was immediately outlawed. They posted on social media that abortion remains legal and the clinic is open, but they dont know for how much longer.

She had been bracing for this news.

But there was still this visceral reaction, this very devastating feeling, Quinonez said. This is a red alert moment. This is beyond a red alert moment. The building is on fire.

At Johnsons clinic in Huntsville, women called to ask whether they can still get an abortion. Johnson said his first call of the morning was from a woman who had an abortion scheduled for Friday and wanted to come in Tuesday instead.

The staff held a meeting, and Johnson says he asked them to focus on those still coming for abortions who need their help. The opinion was just a draft, he told them, and cautioned that it wasnt the final decision.

Some anti-abortion activists were skeptical that the draft would become reality, fixating instead on the fact that it was leaked the press and whether that implied political posturing.

Im hopeful, said Dennis Westover, a 72-year-old retired electrical engineer, a regular protester outside the clinic in Charleston, West Virginia. But he was suspicious that someone leaked it as ammunition in the countrys intractable culture wars.

When our Supreme Court stuff starts to be leaked, its egregious, he said. One side or the other did it for a political motive to stir up some kind of stink.

In Louisville, Kentucky, protester Angela Minter said she prayed the draft opinion will be the final one.

Im excited today, Minter said. I believe its an indication of whats to come.

Minter thinks thats God answering her prayers: shes been coming to the clinic most mornings since 2004. Patients tried to dodge her and the other protesters screaming outside. Dont murder your baby, one man shouted at a young woman. Clinic escorts in orange vests helped her into the building.

The Louisville clinic was closed for a week last month after the legislature banned abortion, until a court intervened. But if Roe falls, it will likely be shuttered again.

I do anticipate a day with no abortion clinics in Kentucky, said Meg Stern, who runs the Kentucky Health Justice Network and escorts at the clinic. Abortion access will now be an issue of privilege: people with the means to travel will be able to end their pregnancies.

Its the family that only has one vehicle and is already struggling to make ends meet. Maybe theyre in the city, maybe theyre in the rural parts of the state. But if they dont have access to travel, lodging, gas money, food money, babysitters while theyre gone, time off work, she said. Do you have the car that will make it?

For months now, the nation has had a glimpse of what that looks like. Texas banned abortion after six weeks in September. Planned Parenthood clinics in the surrounding states saw a 2,500% increase in patients, said Dr. Iman Alsaden, medical director for Planned Parenthood Great Plains.

Some Texans have arrived in Jackson, Mississippi, where Derenda Hancock volunteers as an escort.

Its only the people who can afford to get here that were seeing. It makes you think about all the people left behind at home that cant afford to get here, that cant make the trip. How are they faring? she wondered. Theyre going to be forced to be mothers.

Some groups are working to try to circumvent the law the best they can: mobile abortion units, fundraising for travel assistance, mail-order medications. One online womens health provider reported a significant spike in requests for emergency contraception Tuesday. Democrat-leaning states like New York, California and Illinois are rushing to pass laws to protect abortion access, both for their residents and people coming from out of state.

If abortion is outlawed in North Dakota, Kromenaker is planning to open a clinic just across the river in Minnesota. She hopes the leaked draft shakes people enough to take action, right away.

She texted her husband Tuesday: Weve got to move forward very quickly now, she wrote. The urgency is there.

___

Santana reported from New Orleans, Wagster Pettus from Jackson and Galofaro from Louisville. Leah Willingham contributed from Charleston, West Virginia, and Dylan Lovan from Louisville.

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Montanas congressional Republicans praised the likely end of abortion rights under the 14th Amendment on Tuesday following a leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion.

The state's only statewide elected Democrat, Sen. Jon Tester, said the ruling would have devastating consequences for women.

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, the Montana Republican who founded the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, said the draft ruling indicates the end of an historic injustice. He issued a call to capture the person who leaked the ruling, saying the leak was an attempt to intimidate the court. Rep. Matt Rosendale echoed the sentiment.

With that said, if the draft opinion stands, the Court will have righted an historic injustice and returned the power to the American people and their elected officials to enact laws to protect unborn children and mothers, Daines said in a press release. He later discussed how Congress was likely to respond should the opinion bear out.

The opinion, authored by Justice Samuel Alito Jr., was published Monday night by Politico, which indicated five out of nine justices supported overturning the 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, which recognized the 14th Amendment as securing a womans privacy right to choose an abortion.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, issued a morning press release about the leaked opinion, but declined to discuss the issue further. For nearly 50 years, women have been able to make their own private healthcare decisions without interference from the federal government. If reports are accurate and this draft decision stands, the removal of that fundamental right will have devastating consequences for millions of women across this country.

Montanas at-large representative, Republican Matt Rosendale, called the opinion, if confirmed, a monumental victory for the sanctity of life, ending a half-century guarantee of federal constitutional protection of abortion.

Daines said he expects Senate Democrats will try to codify the abortion rights the Supreme Court previously determined in deciding Roe v. Wade in 1973. Its highly unlikely Democrats could persuade 10 Republicans to go along with such a vote, which they would need in order to hit the 60-vote threshold required to avoid a filibuster.

Without a doubt, Leader Schumer, Sen. Tester and the Democrats will try once again to pass their extreme abortion bill that allows abortion on demand up until birth, Daines said.

Theres already a bill to codify the rights recognized by the Supreme Court in Roe. The Womens Health Protection Act passed the U.S. House 218 to 211 on Sept. 24, 2021, without any Republican votes in favor. However, the House passes bills by simple majority and without the threshold of a filibuster.

It is possible that Democrats would try to pass a law under the guise of womens healthcare, but I dont see it passing in the Senate, Rosendale said in a texted response.

Tester indicated he supports the Womens Health Protection Act, which Senate Democrats attempted to bring to a vote on Feb. 28. That vote failed 46-48, with Tester voting to proceed with the vote and Daines voting against. Also voting with Republicans was Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat.

It would take all 50 Senate Democrats voting to end the filibuster to pass the Womens Health Protection Act by simple majority. Several legislative priorities for Democrats, including voting rights protections, have ended in stalemate because Senate Democrats did not vote in unison to end the filibuster.

As recently as April 3, Manchin in a livestreamed speech on the Senate floor, characterized changing the filibuster as a gimmick that allows the majority party to truly steal the power of debate and the power of the filibuster from individual senators.

I do not support blowing up the filibuster to further the lefts radical agenda and pass their extreme abortion bill that allows abortion on demand up until birth, Daines said.

If the Supreme Court moves ahead with overturning the rights previously recognized in the Roe decision, state legislatures will be empowered to set their own abortion laws, though in Montana that would involve amending privacy rights out of the state constitution.

The law of Montana should follow the will of the people which I believe is to protect unborn babies and their moms, Daines said.

The Guttmacher Institute, a global watchdog of reproductive rights, lists Montana among 26 states likely to ban abortion if the Supreme Court rules those rights are no longer secured by the 14th Amendment. Idaho, the Dakotas and Wyoming are also on the list. The states closest to Montana to continue providing abortions are Washington, Oregon and Nevada.

Because Montanas Legislature meets every other year, it is unlikely there will be any action on abortion before 2023.

Rosendale, a former state legislator, said he expects Montanas Republican leadership will act if given the chance.

I trust Gov. (Greg) Gianforte and the Legislature will do everything they can to protect and defend the sanctity of life, Rosendale said in a texted response.

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DETROIT (AP)  The Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday that could wipe out charges against former Gov. Rick Snyder and eight others in the Flint water scandal, as lawyers challenged a rarely used, century-old method to investigate crimes and file indictments.

It's the most significant attack by the defense in the 16 months since Snyder and others were indicted by Judge David Newblatt, who served as a one-person grand jury in Genesee County with evidence offered in private by the attorney general's office.

People charged with felonies in Michigan typically have a right to a hearing to argue there's not enough evidence to send a case to trial. But the one-person grand jury process doesn't allow it: If a judge decides to indict, the case moves directly to the trial court.

John Bursch, a lawyer for former state health director Nick Lyon, said the constitution's separation of powers is violated when a member of the judiciary decides who gets charged.

Because a judicial indictment is not only an oxymoron but a structural error, the only proper remedy is dismissal. ... Judges are umpires who call balls and strikes, Bursch said, quoting U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts. They are not in the business of throwing the ball or swinging the bat, because to do so changes their role.

Chief Justice Bridget McCormack seemed most troubled by the one-person grand jury, which was created in 1917 but has rarely been used in recent years, mostly only in Genesee and Wayne counties. She described Bursch's arguments as compelling.

If the judge is just investigating, I dont hear Mr. Lyon to be complaining about that, McCormack said. It's when the judge also gets to make a charging decision, which is an executive branch decision, that the constitutional problems arise, right?

Nine people, including Snyder, are charged with various crimes tied to the disastrous decision in 2014 to switch Flint's water supply to the Flint River without treating the water to reduce corrosion. As a result, lead contaminated the system for more than a year.

Snyder is facing misdemeanors, not felonies, but the indictment came from Newblatt.

Justice Richard Bernstein wondered if the attorney general's office in such high-profile cases should be doing everything to prevent any perception that the government is cutting corners.

Assistant Attorney General Chris Kessel said people charged with crimes don't have a right to choose the process. He said the one-person grand jury was raised by Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy as the route to take.

The method compels witnesses to testify in secret or face consequences.

This was handled correctly. ... If the Legislature wants to create a limiting principle or they want to try to do away with the one-person grand jury, that's an issue for the Legislature, Kessel said.

Genesee County prosecutor David Leyton has used it in some violent crimes in the Flint area. He said it protects witnesses who fear retaliation if they had to testify in court at a probable cause hearing.

We can at least get the information we need for charging purposes, Leyton said.

Justice Elizabeth Clement will not participate because she worked as Snyder's counsel before joining the court.

Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwritez

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TROY, Ala. (AP)  President Joe Biden on Tuesday credited the assembly line workers at a Javelin missile plant for doing lifesaving work in building the antitank weapons that are being sent to Ukraine to stifle Russia's invasion as he made a pitch for Congress to approve $33 billion so the U.S. can continue to hustle aid to the front lines.

Youre allowing the Ukrainians to defend themselves," Biden told the workers, his podium flanked by Javelin missile launchers and shipping containers. "And, quite frankly, theyre making fools of the Russian military in many instances.

The president toured the Lockheed Martin factory in Alabama and said Ukrainian parents are naming their children Javelin or Javelina" because of the weapons' successes.

Every worker in this facility and every American taxpayer is directly contributing to the case for freedom," Biden said.

The president's visit also drew attention to a growing concern as the war drags on: Can the U.S. sustain the cadence in shipping vast amounts of arms to Ukraine while maintaining a healthy stockpile it may need if conflict erupts with North Korea, Iran or elsewhere?

The U.S. has provided at least 7,000 Javelins, including some transferred during the Trump administration, or about one-third of its stockpile, to Ukraine in recent years, according to an analysis by Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies international security program. The Biden administration says it has committed to sending 5,500 Javelins to Ukraine since the Feb. 24 invasion.

Analysts also estimate that the United States has sent about one-quarter of its stockpile of shoulder-fired Stinger missiles to Ukraine. Raytheon Technologies CEO Greg Hayes told investors last week during a quarterly call that his company, which makes the weapons system, wouldnt be able to ramp up production until next year, due to parts shortages.

Could this be a problem? The short answer is, Probably, yes, said Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and former Office of Management and Budget specialist on Pentagon budget strategy, war funding and procurement programs.

He added that Stingers and Javelins were where "were seeing the most significant inventory issues" and that production of both weapons systems has been limited in recent years.

The Russian invasion offers the U.S. and European defense industry a big opportunity to bolster profits as lawmakers from Washington to Warsaw are primed to increase defense spending in response to Russian aggression. Defense contractors, however, face the same supply chain and labor shortage challenges that other manufacturers are facing, along with some others that are specific to the industry.

Biden noted that each Javelin produced requires 200 computer chips, but semiconductors are in short supply and limiting the availability of everything from autos to kitchen appliances. Biden is urging that legislation be approved to fund the manufacturing of computer chips in the U.S., though that is a longer-term fix to immediate pressures that militaries, businesses and consumers face now.

The war will mean increased sales for some defense contractors, including Raytheon, which makes the Stinger missiles that Ukrainian troops have used to knock out Russian aircraft. The company is also part of a joint venture with Lockheed Martin that makes the Javelins.

Lockheed Martin's facility in Troy, Alabama has the capacity to manufacture about 2,100 Javelins per year. Biden's trip overlapped with his push for an additional $33 billion in security and economic assistance for Kyiv. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Monday he hoped quick bipartisan agreement on the security package could be reached so the Senate could begin considering it as early as next week.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Monday that Americas military readiness is not dependent on one system. He said that every time the Pentagon develops a package of weapons and systems to send to Ukraine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the department do an assessment on what the impact will be on readiness.

Its not about counting, say, Javelins and being able to say that when you reach a certain level then all your readiness is gone, Kirby said. The Javelin is an anti-armor capability, so we judge it all as a conglomerate of whats our ability to meet this particular mission set, realizing that a Javelin isnt the only capability you have against armor.

The lightweight but lethal Javelin has helped the Ukrainians inflict major damage on Russia's larger and better-equipped military. As a result, the weapon has gained almost mythic regard, celebrated with a Javelin song and images of Mary Magdalene carrying a Javelin becoming a meme in Ukraine.

Lockheed Martin CEO James Taiclet said in a recent CNBC interview that demand for the Javelin and other weapon systems would increase broadly over time because of the Russian invasion. He said the company was working to get our supply chain ramped up.

We have the ability to meet current production demands, are investing in increased capacity and are exploring ways to further increase production as needed," Lockheed Martin, which is based in Bethesda, Maryland, said in a statement.

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ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP)  Russian forces Tuesday began storming the steel mill containing the last pocket of resistance in Mariupol, Ukrainian defenders said, just as scores of civilians evacuated from the bombed-out plant reached relative safety and told of days and nights filled with dread and despair from constant shelling.

Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, said that thanks to the evacuation effort over the weekend, 101 people  including women, the elderly, and 17 children, the youngest 6 months old  were able to emerge from the bunkers under the Azovstal steelworks and see the daylight after two months.

One evacuee said she went to sleep at the plant every night afraid she wouldnt wake up.

You cant imagine how scary it is when you sit in the bomb shelter, in a damp and wet basement, and it is bouncing and shaking, 54-year-old Elina Tsybulchenko said upon arriving in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles (230 kilometers) northwest of Mariupol, in a convoy of buses and ambulances.

She said if the shelter were hit by a bomb like the ones that left the huge craters she saw on the two occasions she ventured outside, all of us would be done.

Evacuees, a few of whom were in tears, made their way from the buses into a tent offering some of the comforts long denied them during their weeks underground, including hot food, diapers and connections to the outside world. Mothers fed small children. Some of the evacuees browsed racks of donated clothing, including new underwear.

The news for those left behind was more grim. Ukrainian commanders said Russian forces backed by tanks began storming the sprawling plant, which includes a maze of tunnels and bunkers spread out over 11 square kilometers (4 square miles).

How many Ukrainian fighters were holed up inside was unclear, but the Russians put the number at about 2,000 in recent weeks, and 500 were reported to be wounded. A few hundred civilians also remained there, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.

Well do everything thats possible to repel the assault, but were calling for urgent measures to evacuate the civilians that remain inside the plant and to bring them out safely, Sviatoslav Palamar, deputy commander of Ukraines Azov Regiment, said on the messaging app Telegram.

He added that throughout the night, the plant was hit with naval artillery fire and airstrikes. Two civilian women were killed and 10 civilians wounded, he said.

The U.N.s Lubrani expressed hope for further evacuations but said none had been worked out.

In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that by storming the steel mill, Russian forces violated agreements for safe evacuations. He said the prior evacuations are not a victory yet, but its already a result. I believe theres still a chance to save other people."

In other battlefield developments, Russian troops shelled a chemical plant in the eastern city of Avdiivka, killing at least 10 people, Donetsk regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

The Russians knew exactly where to aim  the workers just finished their shift and were waiting for a bus at a bus stop to take them home, Kyrylenko wrote in a Telegram post. Another cynical crime by Russians on our land.

Explosions were also heard in Lviv, in western Ukraine, near the Polish border. The strikes damaged three power substations, knocking out electricity in parts of the city and disrupting the water supply, and wounded two people, the mayor said. Lviv has been a gateway for NATO-supplied weapons and a haven for those fleeing the fighting in the east.

A rocket also struck an infrastructure facility in a mountainous area in Transcarpathia, a region in far western Ukraine that borders Poland, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, authorities said. There was no immediate word of any casualties.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Russian aircraft and artillery hit hundreds of targets in the past day, including troop strongholds, command posts, artillery positions, fuel and ammunition depots and radar equipment.

Ukrainian authorities said the Russians also attacked at least a half-dozen railroad stations around the country.

The assault on the Azovstal steelworks began almost two weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military not to storm the plant to finish off the defenders but to seal it off. The first  and so far only  civilians to be evacuated from the shattered plant got out during a brief cease-fire in an operation overseen by the U.N. and the Red Cross.

At a reception center in Zaporizhzhia, stretchers and wheelchairs were lined up, and children's shoes and toys awaited the convoy. Medical and psychological teams were on standby.

Some of the elderly evacuees appeared exhausted as they arrived. Some of the younger people, especially mothers comforting babies and other young children, appeared relieved.

Im very glad to be on Ukrainian soil, said a woman who gave only her first name, Anna, and arrived with two children, ages 1 and 9. We thought we wouldnt get out of there, frankly speaking.

A small group of women held up signs in English asking that fighters also be evacuated from the steel plant.

The arrival of the evacuees was a rare piece of good news in the nearly 10-week conflict that has killed thousands, forced millions to flee the country, laid waste to towns and cities, and shifted the post-Cold War balance of power in Eastern Europe.

Over the past days, traveling with the evacuees, I have heard mothers, children and frail grandparents speak about the trauma of living day after day under unrelenting heavy shelling and the fear of death, and with extreme lack of water, food and sanitation, Lubrani said. They spoke of the hell they have experienced."

In addition to the 101 people evacuated from the steelworks, 58 joined the convoy in a town on the outskirts of Mariupol, Lubrani said. About 30 people who left the plant decided to stay behind in Mariupol to try to find out whether their loved ones were alive, Lubrani said. A total of 127 evacuees arrived in Zaporizhzhia, she said.

The Russian military said earlier that some of the evacuees chose to stay in areas held by pro-Moscow separatists.

Tsybulchenko rejected Russian allegations that the Ukrainian fighters wouldnt allow civilians to leave the plant. She said the Ukrainian military told civilians that they were free to go but would be risking their lives if they did so.

We understood clearly that under these murder weapons, we wouldnt survive, we wouldnt manage to go anywhere, she said.

Mariupol has come to symbolize the human misery inflicted by the war. The Russians two-month siege of the strategic southern port has trapped civilians with little or no food, water, medicine or heat, as Moscows forces pounded the city into rubble. The plant in particular has transfixed the outside world.

After failing to take Kyiv in the early weeks of the war, Russia withdrew from around the capital and announced that its chief objective was the capture of Ukraines eastern industrial heartland, known as the Donbas.

Mariupol lies in the region, and its fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops for fighting elsewhere in the Donbas.

But so far, Russias troops and their allied separatist forces appear to have made only minor gains in the eastern offensive.

Ukraines resistance has been significantly bolstered by Western arms, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced 300 million pounds ($375 million) in new military aid, including radar, drones and armored vehicles.

In a speech delivered remotely to Ukraines parliament, he pronounced the battle Ukraines finest hour, echoing the words of Winston Churchill during World War II.

Your children and grandchildren will say that Ukrainians taught the world that the brute force of an aggressor counts for nothing against the moral force of a people determined to be free, Johnson said.

Associated Press journalists Inna Varenytsia and David Keyton in Kyiv, Jon Gambrell and Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, and AP staff around the world contributed to this report.

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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This April 26, 1989 file photo shows Norma McCorvey (L), known as

The US Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling in a Mississippi case challenging a state law banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, presenting a major challenge to the landmark precedent established in the 1973 ruling in Roe v Wade, which enshrined consititutional protections for the procedure.

Dobbs v Jackson Womens Health Organization marks the first major abortion rights challenge in front of the new conservative majority on the court with its three newest justices, all conservatives appointed by former president Donald Trump. The court heard oral arguments in the case on 1 December.

The Roe ruling effectively repealed laws that banned the procedure outright and sparked decades of religious and moral conflict over womens bodies.

The precedent established by Roe and reaffirmed by Planned Parenthood v Casey, if rejected by the Supreme Court, could eliminate abortion access across more than half the US and force many pregnant women to carry their pregnancies to term unless they can travel to a handful of states with abortion protections in place.

In 2022, a wave of anti-abortion legislation in Republican-led states, emboldened by the Supreme Courts forthcoming decision, has proposed eliminating abortion access in most cases and criminalising abortion care.

What is Roe v Wade?

The case revolved around Norma McCorvey  known for the purposes of the proceedings as Jane Roe  who became pregnant with her third child in Texas in 1969 but was unable to access abortion care after it was banned in her state in all cases but to save a womans life.

She was supported by lawyers Sarah Weddington and Linda Coffee, who filed a lawsuit on her behalf in federal court against her local district attorney, Henry Wade, alleging that the states abortion laws were unconstitutional.

The US District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled in her favour, which was kicked up to the Supreme Court following an appeal from Texas.

Story continues

The Supreme Courts 7-2 decision in Ms McCorveys favour was based partly on the 14th Amendments right to privacy that protects a womans right to access abortion.

Ms McCorvey, who was unable to access a legal abortion, gave birth before the case was heard and the baby was put up for adoption.

She said at the time that she did it on behalf of herself and all other women in the same situation.

The decision also set a legal precedent that affected more than 30 subsequent Supreme Court cases involving restrictions on access to abortion.

The American rights has committed for decades to overturning Roe. The most recent addition to the Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett, brought the high courts conservative balance to six against three. Mr Trump appointed two other conservative judges, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

Is Roe v Wade constitutional?

The ruling determines that the US Constitution protects a womans right to an abortion without excessive government intervention. A 1992 Supreme Court ruling in Planned Parenthood v Casey upheld the essential holding in the Roe ruling and prohibited legal constrictions that constitute an undue burden on abortion access.

On 20 January, the high court declined abortion providers request to intervene in an ongoing legal challenge to a Texas law banning most abortions at six weeks or pregnancy, before most women know they are prenant.

Abortion rights advocates hoped that the Supreme Court would direct the case to federal district court, where a previous ruling had blocked the law.

Abortion rights proponents fear that the Supreme Courts refusal to intervene indicates a willingness to consider a full repeal of the law in a future challenge.

What did Roe v Wade establish?

The ruling from Roe v Wade established federal protections for women who wish to have an abortion.

The decision ultimately gave women total autonomy to terminate a pregnancy during the first trimester, and allowed some state influence over abortions in the second and third trimesters, though a series of restrictions imposed on the state level  many of which have been challenged in courts  have sought to undermine abortion care.

The courts opinion in Roe v Wade established that choosing to have an abortion is ultimately an issue of Americans right to privacy, which they ruled was an element of the liberty guaranteed by the 14 Amendment of the US Constitution.

That right to privacy is not absolute; the court established the differences in abortion rights based on trimesters to assure states could maintain medical standards and safeguard health.

Then as now, advocates opposing abortion attempted to argue that life begins at conception. The court disagrees, ultimately saying that the US Constitutions use of person in establishing inalienable rights did not represent fetuses.

Was Roe v Wade overturned?

An unprecedented leaked draft opinion from conservative Justice Samuel Alito  first reported by Politico  indicates that the courts conservative majority will vote to overturn Roe and Casey.

We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled, he wrote in a draft of an opinion dated 10 February. It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the peoples elected representatives.

However, until the high court reaches that decision, Roe v Wade is still the law of the land.

There are at least 12 states with so-called trigger laws that would ban abortion should Roe be overturned, and at least 26 states that are likely to ban abortion quickly should that power return to states.

Oklahoma legislators have a Texas-style ban on abortions at six weeks of pregnancy, which will take effect immediately once it is signed into law by Republican Governor Kevin Stitt, who has pledged to outlaw abortion in the state.

In Idaho, the first state to approve an abortion ban mirroring the Texas law, the states Supreme Court temporarily blocked the law following a legal challenge from Planned Parenthood. Both Idahos governor and the states attorney general have suggested that the ban is unconstitutional.

A federal judge in Kentucky also has temporarily blocked a sweeping anti-abortion law with myriad restrictions that effectively forced the states remaining clinics to close.

Additional reporting by Alex Woodward
Bart Mauceri, a pro freelance photographer, whose work will be featured in an exhibit at the Mooresville Public Library, shared that his journey in photography first began back in the 1990s when he was just completing high school, and then I solidified my pursuit at age 21.

While he noted that initially photography was not in the cards for me and was actually pursuing a career in studio art, Mauceri said with a grin, that somehow, Id been bitten by the shutterbug. And since that time, his photography has taken him on a journey, which he has aptly called his brand that he built over time, A Journey in Images.

Beginning May 7 at the local library on North Main Street, some of Mauceris work, both photographs of local places as well as places around his native New England area, will be on display at a photo exhibit entitled 20 Years and Beyond. The kickoff to the exhibit will be a meet and greet Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the library. Mauceri will be on hand for this free event, which is open to the public. The photographs will remain on display through Aug. 31 and can be seen at any time during regular library hours.

The year 2020 was a milestone for Mauceri, the year he would have celebrated his 20th anniversary as a professional photographer and the start of his A Journey in Images along with a planned exhibit. However, because of the pandemic, it had to be canceled. Even though he was disappointed by this turn of events, Mauceri chose another avenue to display his work in another setting, as he participated in Yard Art Day, a national event held in September.

I was the only one representing Mooresville, and it was fun. I had my photography literally outside in my front yard, and it was the perfect environment, he said. It was outdoors. You didnt need to wear a mask and it was around the time when some of the restrictions were lifted for a time.

In early 2021, plans were in the works once again for Mauceri to have an exhibit, but he shared that in February 2021, he was in a personal health crisis. By the grace of God, I started to heal partly, he said.

In September 2021, he shared that he once again participated in Yard Art Day and thought, its time to bring back my annual exhibit and it would be titled 20 Years and Beyond looking back over 20 years where I started, where I am now, and going forward to what I have in store.

Mauceri shared that he first became a professional photographer back in 2000 while working as a photographer for a number of local newspapers in his native Ridgefield, Connecticut, and also during this time building his brand, A Journey in Images.

It started with lighthouses, he noted, and then over time my other five specialties were in the works. It wasnt until I moved down from Ridgefield to Mooresville that I had three, which were lighthouses, nautical themes and I started on landscapes and then over time it was architecture  the more rustic and run down, the better  heavenscapes or photos of the skies and still-life subjects. It wasnt until 2010 that my brand officially become A Journey in Images.

When he started his adventure with photography, Mauceri shared that he was borrowing his late fathers old Nikon camera. After being encouraged to enroll in additional photography classes by his now late grandfather with the promise of his Pentax camera as a Christmas present, Mauceri did just that, and as promised, he received his grandfathers camera.

Taking multiple courses in Connecticut, he shared that in 1995, he continued his training by attending the New York Institute of Photography in New York City. That was when I became a freelance professional photographer. I took photos of just about everything, he said.

In time, he tried out an autofocus camera, which he noted was so efficient and decided, this is the next thing Im gonna do, and he purchased three new autofocus cameras. When 2013 rolled around and digital photography had become the norm, and film developing was changing over to digital, Mauceri shared, I was reevaluating my career. I was like OK, what am I going to do? Do I have to spend more money on film developing or am I going to swallow my pride and buy myself a digital camera?

Given his first digital camera as a Christmas present in 2014, Mauceri said that after decades of being a traditional film photographer, I went digital. He would later get other cameras, one he noted with interchangeable lenses, and with which he could test its creative capabilities.

Mauceri has used these cameras to take literally thousands of photographs on his journey, but there is one that he pointed to as being particularly proud of. That was the picture he took from the lantern room in the Boston lighthouse, located on Little Brewster Island.

Visiting the lighthouse during a day trip, he shared that he was given the opportunity to climb the steps all the way up to the lantern room, and I got the best view. From that vantage point, he noted you can look out over the horizon of the Boston skyline.

Several years later, in 2002, Mauceri noted that a friend suggested he enter this lighthouse photograph in a Ridgefield Guild of Artists event, and two weeks later was notified that he won.

With a big smile, he said, that the outside of me was like nice, thank you, but inside I was just screaming and yelling with excitement.

While that photo is one of his favorites, Mauceri shared that he enjoys taking photos of all the specialties equally, and that each has its own personal story.

For example, one photo of a huge American flag in front of Ridgefield Town Hall was taken on the first anniversary of 9/11. Another photo was of his three favorite seashells, which he brought back with him from a trip to to the Florida coast, and a third showed a sunrise taken from an upstairs room at his home showing the sun making its way upward in a brilliant red sky.

His photographs range from places in New England to the shores of the Outer Banks or right here at Lake Norman, as well as the Blue Ridge Parkway in the fall. When asked why he would encourage the community to come and see them, he said, because it is something that people dont see every day. Its not every day they would see photos of seashells or lighthouses that are not along North Carolinas Outer Banks, as some of the lighthouses are in his native New England. Or, he shared, perhaps people havent really taken the time to see a sunrise or spend quiet time along Lake Norman.

For more information about the exhibit, contact Mauceri at 704-657-4315 or the Mooresville Public Librarys Special Collection Room at 704-664-4315. More of his photography can be seen on his Facebook fanpage at www.facebook.com/BartsJourneyInImages and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/ajourneyinimages.

Additional photographs or the opportunity to purchase some can be found by scanning the QR code provided and visiting to his various links. This code will also be available at the exhibit.

For others who are interested in photography either as a hobby or perhaps pursuing it as a career, Mauceri shared two words, Be patient.

He repeated that as he said, be patient and dont pressure yourself. You really dont get it right the first time. He noted that it will take a number of shots before you look at what youve taken, and then its there, and you go, ahhh, this is the one.
Western Piedmont Community College has been awarded a grant to expand its existing construction and heavy machinery programs.

The $760,000 provided by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) will provide Skilled Trades training for underemployed workers, high school students, recent graduates and individuals who have dropped out of the workforce. The project will service Alexander, Burke, and Caldwell counties.

This award is part of a recently announced $21 million package supporting 21 projects serving 211 coal-impacted counties through ARCs POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative. POWER directs federal resources to communities affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations and coal-related supply chain industries.

I commend Western Piedmont Community College for innovating and collaborating to grow opportunities for people in their own community and neighboring communities, ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin said. Partners like WPCC are integral to making our POWER projects come to life, and I look forward to seeing the ways our Appalachian Region continues to grow, thanks to the impact of their work.

Since POWER launched in 2015, ARC has invested nearly $316.6 million in 393 projects across 358 coal-impacted counties. The nearly $73 million awarded in 2021 is projected to create/retain more than 10,383 jobs and attract nearly $527.3 million in leveraged private investments.

WPCC will partner with the Burke County Public Schools to design a critical training curriculum to align industry needs for a pipeline of trained skilled trades workers. Other key partners include Burke County, Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute, Catawba Valley Community College and local construction and building companies, who will serve on advisory committees and interview qualified program graduates for employment opportunities.

The critical funds provided by the ARC POWER award will allow us to hire needed faculty and staff to address the regional trades personnel shortages, WPCCs Dean of Applied Technologies Michael Daniels said. One limiting factor when developing major programs like our Skilled Trades Growth Project is access to people. To hire these new faculty and staff to support our growing Skilled Trades program is a game-changer.

Additional support for WPPCs Skilled Trades Program Growth Project is provided by the Golden LEAF Foundation, which announced in April 2021 that Western Piedmont Community College will receive $1.5 million to build a Skilled Trades Solution Center. The Skilled Trades Solution Center will house the new carpentry, masonry, electrical technologies, HVAC, plumbing and green construction programs funded by the ARC POWER award.

The ARC POWER award will allow us to develop innovative programs within our Skilled Trades program that will have a major impact across our region, WPCC President Dr. Joel Welch said. It empowers us to expand the scope and quality of the training required to prepare new students and existing workers for these critically in-demand positions.

WPCC is the only institution in North Carolina to receive the highly competitive POWER award. Other award recipients include the University of Pittsburgh and Mississippi State University.
BUTTE  Voters decided to pass an elementary levy for $97,377.25 and elected Kathy Milodragovich and Kelly J. Lee to two elementary school trustee positions.

The election was conducted through mail, with ballots mailed out April 18 and due back Tuesday at 8 p.m. Voters could also drop a completed ballot at the school district office.

Voters approved the levy, which is roughly 1.51 mills, by a margin of 4,123 for and 2,320 against. The levy will go toward the elementary school general fund to be used for things like the salaries and benefits for teachers, school utilities and maintenance of the building, supplies and operation costs, said Kevin Patrick, the business manager for the district last month.

Patrick also said last month the levy is needed so the district can use 100% of the maximum budget allowed by the state. If we didnt run the levy, wed be at less than the maximum the state would allow, he said.

Because the levy passed, Butte residents will see a $2.04 tax increase on a home with a market value of $100,000 and a $4.08 tax increase on a home with a $200,000 market value.

Last year, Butte voters approved a levy for $228,450.77, which added approximately $5.09 in taxes to a house with a market value of $100,000 and $10.18 in taxes to as house with a market value of $200,000.

Seven people ran for two open elementary school board trustee positions. The candidates were Milodragovich, Lee, Karen M. Bartle, Rose Griner, Shane Martin, Matt Moore, and Conrad Dane Peeples.

Bartle received 702 votes, Griner received 1,206 votes, incumbent Lee received 3,598 votes, Martin received 889 votes, Milodragovich received 3,902 votes, Moore received 1,222 votes and Peeples received 413 votes. Thus, Lee and Milodragovich won the positions. Both will serve three-year terms.

Lee, assistant fire chief and fire marshal for the Butte Fire Department, has served on the school board the last three years and has two sons enrolled in the Butte School District. Milodragovich is a retired school teacher who taught in the Butte School District for 25 years and has had kids and grandkids who've gone through the Montana public school system.

The elementary school trustee elections in Ramsay, Divide and Melrose school districts scheduled for May 3 are canceled because the trustees ran uncontested and won automatically.

In Ramsay School District 3, Kristin Chiamulera will serve a three-year term as trustee and Linda Musick Rosin will serve a one-year term. In Divide School District 4, Stephen B. Salusso will serve a three year term. In Melrose School District 5, Holly Carpenter will serve a three-year term and Loreal Tabita will serve a one-year term. The next school trustee election will be in May 2023.

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Montanas congressional Republicans praised the likely end of reproductive rights under the 14th Amendment on Tuesday following a leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion.

The state's only statewide elected Democrat, Sen. Jon Tester, said the ruling would have devastating consequences for women.

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, the Montana Republican who founded the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, said the draft ruling indicates the end of an historic injustice. He issued a call to capture the person who leaked the ruling, saying the leak was an attempt to intimidate the court. Rep. Matt Rosendale echoed the sentiment.

With that said, if the draft opinion stands, the Court will have righted an historic injustice and returned the power to the American people and their elected officials to enact laws to protect unborn children and mothers, Daines said in a press release. He later discussed how Congress was likely to respond should the opinion bear out.

The opinion, authored by Justice Samuel Alito Jr., was published Monday night by Politico, which indicated five out of nine justices supported overturning the 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, which recognized the 14th Amendment as securing a womans privacy right to choose an abortion.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, issued a morning press release about the leaked opinion, but declined to discuss the issue further. For nearly 50 years, women have been able to make their own private healthcare decisions without interference from the federal government. If reports are accurate and this draft decision stands, the removal of that fundamental right will have devastating consequences for millions of women across this country.

Montanas at-large representative, Republican Matt Rosendale, called the opinion, if confirmed, a monumental victory for the sanctity of life, ending a half-century guarantee of federal constitutional protection of abortion.

Daines said he expects Senate Democrats will try to codify the abortion rights the Supreme Court previously determined in deciding Roe v. Wade in 1973. Its highly unlikely Democrats could persuade 10 Republicans to go along with such a vote, which they would need in order to hit the 60-vote threshold required to avoid a filibuster.

Without a doubt, Leader Schumer, Sen. Tester and the Democrats will try once again to pass their extreme abortion bill that allows abortion on demand up until birth, Daines said.

Theres already a bill to codify the rights recognized by the Supreme Court in Roe. The Womens Health Protection Act passed the U.S. House 218 to 211 on Sept. 24, 2021, without any Republican votes in favor. However, the House passes bills by simple majority and without the threshold of a filibuster.

It is possible that Democrats would try to pass a law under the guise of womens healthcare, but I dont see it passing in the Senate, Rosendale said in a texted response.

Tester indicated he supports the Womens Health Protection Act, which Senate Democrats attempted to bring to a vote on Feb. 28. That vote failed 46-48, with Tester voting to proceed with the vote and Daines voting against. Also voting with Republicans was Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat.

It would take all 50 Senate Democrats voting to end the filibuster to pass the Womens Health Protection Act by simple majority. Several legislative priorities for Democrats, including voting rights protections, have ended in stalemate because Senate Democrats did not vote in unison to end the filibuster.

As recently as April 3, Manchin in a livestreamed speech on the Senate floor, characterized changing the filibuster as a gimmick that allows the majority party to truly steal the power of debate and the power of the filibuster from individual senators.

I do not support blowing up the filibuster to further the lefts radical agenda and pass their extreme abortion bill that allows abortion on demand up until birth, Daines said.

If the Supreme Court moves ahead with overturning the rights previously recognized in the Roe decision, state legislatures will be empowered to set their own abortion laws, though in Montana that would involve amending privacy rights out of the state constitution.

The law of Montana should follow the will of the people which I believe is to protect unborn babies and their moms, Daines said.

The Guttmacher Institute, a global watchdog of reproductive rights, lists Montana among 26 states likely to ban abortion if the Supreme Court rules those rights are no longer secured by the 14th Amendment. Idaho, the Dakotas and Wyoming are also on the list. The states closest to Montana to continue providing abortions are Washington, Oregon and Nevada.

Because Montanas Legislature meets every other year, it is unlikely there will be any action on abortion before 2023.

Rosendale, a former state legislator, said he expects Montanas Republican leadership will act if given the chance.

I trust Gov. (Greg) Gianforte and the Legislature will do everything they can to protect and defend the sanctity of life, Rosendale said in a texted response.

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Butte will be losing its daily commercial flights to and from Denver in late June  at least temporarily.

SkyWest Airlines notified officials at Bert Mooney Airport in Butte that its daily United Express flights to and from Denver will be temporarily suspended after June 30 due to an ongoing pilot shortage. The move comes only six months after the flights began.

Bert Mooney Airport Manager Pam Chamberlin told The Montana Standard on Wednesday airport officials feel confident the flights will resume at some point but could not say when that might occur.

The daily SkyWest flights from Butte to Salt Lake City operated through Delta Airlines are not affected, she said.

SkyWest had already cut its Saturday and Sunday flights to Denver through United Airlines in early March due to the pilot shortage, but now flights on other days of the week will be suspended.

The reduction is a result of the ongoing pilot shortage that has affected regional airlines across the United States, which has been worsened by COVID, Bert Mooney Airport said in a statement also released Wednesday.

We have enjoyed a long-term relationship with SkyWest Airlines and believe that providing our support for them to adjust their schedules to help passengers maintain access to the National Air Transportation System, the statement said.

While we are disappointed the United Service to Denver will be temporarily suspended and we regret any inconvenience this may cause and hope the community continues supporting our airport for air travel.

SkyWest and United Airlines have announced numerous flight and route reductions this year due to the pilot shortage.

Its affecting the smaller communities the hardest, Chamberlin said.

For more than 30 years, Delta had daily non-stop flights from Butte to Salt Lake City through SkyWest branded the Delta Connection, but Butte had sought a second destination city for years.

It got its wish last summer when it was announced SkyWest would start providing Butte flights to and from Salt Lake City and Denver starting in January 2022.

The U.S. Department Transportation sealed the three-year deal by choosing that proposal for federal subsidies over one by Boutique Air that would have provided flights to Seattle and either Bozeman or Billings.

Under the deal, SkyWest would provide a combination of 13 weekly round trips to Denver International Airport and Salt Lake City International Airport and receive an annual federal subsidy $997,186. The flights started in January and the arrangement was to run through December 2024.

United announced in March that it was cutting routes to 29 cities this summer because its partner, SkyWest, did not have enough pilots to fly them.

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One of us is a Republican legislator representing rural Gallatin County. The other is a Democratic legislator representing the city of Missoula. Despite our political differences, we are committed to taking action to end the crisis at the Montana State Hospital at Warm Springs. The State Hospitals problems are not new. For more than a decade, federal investigators and disability rights advocates have sounded the alarm about persistent human rights violations against the Hospitals residents. Avoidable falls, preventable deaths, untreated illnesses and broken bones, over-reliance on restraints both physical and chemical, chronic understaffing  this has long been the reality for the facilitys residents. As legislators tasked with oversight of Warm Springs, we frequently hear from families who are understandably terrified for the well-being of loved ones who end up there.

The first step is to stop warehousing people with neurocognitive disorders, like dementia and traumatic brain injuries, at the State Hospital. The most common source of violations is the wing being used to house people with neurocognitive disorders like Alzheimer's disease and traumatic brain injuries. Although these residents often do not have a psychiatric diagnosis, under Montana law they can still be involuntarily committed to the state psychiatric hospital if a judge finds they are "unable to care for their basic needs. This standard is low enough that virtually anyone living with dementia is at risk of being involuntarily committed. National experts who have testified before our legislative committee have expressed shock at how Montanas outdated treatment model compares to other states. In legal filings, the State itself has referred to the placement of people with dementia at the State Hospital as "unfortunate."

Its time to stop kicking the can down the road. With input from medical professionals, disability advocates, families of residents, the Department, and community care providers, we are introducing bipartisan legislation to (1) end this misuse of the State Hospital and (2) fund medically-appropriate places for Montanans with neurocognitive disorders to receive quality, dignified care instead. Of course, quality care costs money. DPHHS is currently studying increases to Medicaid reimbursement rates. With these updated rates, long term care facilities will no longer be forced to reject these Montanans for financial reasons. Furthermore, a major, soon-to-be-completed renovation of the Montana Mental Health Nursing Care Center in Lewistown will allow more people living with Alzheimers and related dementias to receive specialized care in a facility that's designed to meet their unique needs.

We may be from opposing parties, but we are totally unwilling to engage in the usual political blame game. This is a problem that affects our entire state. Montanans deserve solutions, not partisan attacks. Once signed into law, our legislation will provide a dignified, medically-appropriate safety net for Montanans living with dementia and traumatic brain injuries.

Danny Tenenbaum (D-Missoula) represents House District 95, Jennifer Carlson (R-Churchill) represents House District 69.

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While we initially organized political communities to provide protection and order, the states ultimate goal evolved to promoting justice. Justice means rendering to each person their due. As human beings with dignity, all people are equally due the right to a clean and healthy natural environment.

Frequently, the enjoyment of this right to a clean environment is denied on the basis of race, ethnicity or income. To achieve this right to a clean environment, extra help and consideration is needed for minority and low-income communities who have had to bear a disproportionately high toxics burden. For too long communities of color or low-income communities have borne an inequitable and unjust toxics burden. The environmental justice movement calls attention to governments particular obligation to give special consideration to the unique environmental health needs of low-income citizens as well as citizens of color and ethnic minorities.

The EPA defines environmental justice as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

Butte has a higher poverty rate overall than the rest of the state and the nation as a whole. Low-income citizens are most prevalent in the areas of uptown Butte that correspond to Superfund cleanup areas. Butte definitely has an environmental justice community.

Environmental justice, because it addresses this environmental imbalance in society, is clearly rooted in the fundamental principal of equal protection of the laws and on the concept of equity, which is necessary for equality for all. While equality means that everyone is treated the same without regard to need or special circumstances, equity means that people are treated differently based on need. Equity means giving people what they need or giving proportionate to their need or their own circumstances. Equity means leveling the playing field. Without equity this is no true equality.

Equity is a recognized principal under English common law. Equity is emphasized in U.S. social policy in education, health care, civil rights, criminal law, aid to the poor and many other areas. For example, disability accommodations are an instance of equity provisions in action.

In order to enjoy a right guaranteed to all, equity considerations mandate that if the guaranteed right is to be more than an abstract right, equitable adjustments are necessary. For example, if all are afforded an equal opportunity to good vision, reading glasses may be necessary for the far sighted. Because of poverty, race, ethnic identity or gender, some citizens have a disparate toxic burden placed upon them that precludes them from the equal enjoyment of their right to a clean environment. Firm corrective action is needed.

But for too long promoting environmental justice has been a pious sentiment, a lofty goal, an unfulfilled promise. It is time to make environmental justice a part of environmental policy actions on a national and state level. It is time to elevate environmental justice concerns to the level of environmental decision-making criteria.

Significant environmental justice progress has been made in Butte. A robust environmental justice action plan has been developed by EPA for uptown Butte and is being developed for the Westside Priority Soils Superfund area. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has created a Montana Pole Plant environmental justice action plan. Environmental justice is being considered in terms of air quality in the Greeley neighborhood. The Health Departments recently developed Wildfire Readiness Plan has major sections addressing Buttes environmental justice communities. Special outreach programs for Buttes environmental justice community are being implemented.

But we need to go further. In implementing environmental justice criteria, there is a need for environmental justice performance and accountability standards which should specifically be part of all permitting and regulatory criteria used by EPA and MDEQ.

EPA and MDEQ should conclude a memorandum of understanding similar to the ones in other states on advancing environmental justice through enforcement and compliance. Montana should create an office/commission to promote environmental justice as other states have done. Montana should have an environmental justice promotion and protection statute.

The time is now to move from pious sentiment to concrete action. Now is the time. The first duty of society is justice. Alexander Hamilton

Dr. John W. Ray is a professor of political science and political philosophy at Montana Tech. He has given presentations to two EPA national public involvement conferences on promoting environmental justice as well as presenting several papers on environmental justice at international conferences at venues such as Oxford University, England and the Sorbonne University in Paris. The views expressed are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Montana Tech.

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DURANT  A Durant firefighter remained hospitalized Wednesday after authorities say an intoxicated man crashed a commercial field sprayer into a firetruck responding to a call for service.

Firefighters were heading to a call when Kent Reimers, 31, of rural Walcott, crashed into one of two Durant firetrucks shortly before 8 p.m. Monday in the 1200 block of Vail Avenue south of Durant, according to the Muscatine County Sheriff's Office. Reimers was driving a Terra Gator, a farming vehicle used for spraying fields, according to the sheriff's office.

All five firefighters riding in the firetruck were injured, with the driver needing to be extracted from the mangled fire engine by fellow first responders using hydraulic equipment to cut and pry open the wrecked vehicle. Four were treated and released with relatively minor injuries, while a fifth  firefighter Matt Fisher, who had been sitting behind the driver  was taken by ambulance to Genesis Medical Center in Davenport and was later airlifted to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Deb Hogan Lorenz, Fishers aunt, said her nephew recently underwent the first of what is expected to be a series of surgeries. This first surgery was to repair his left leg, which required the placing of a large pin.

Lt. Mike Schmidt of the Muscatine County Sheriffs Office said the firetruck was totaled with the entire left side of it damaged. The damage was partially due to the crash and partially due to the driver of the firetruck needing to be extracted from the vehicle by mechanical means.

After the crash, Reimers allegedly fled the scene while the crew of the second Durant firetruck stopped in order to tend to their fellow firefighters' injuries. The Wilton Fire Department gave its assistance with both the crash and the call that Durants crew had been heading to. The Durant Police Department, Durant Ambulance, Walcott Police Department, the Scott County Sheriffs Office, the Muscatine County Sheriffs Office and the Iowa State Patrol also offered their assistance at the scene.

The accident remains under investigation and additional charges may be filed, according to a sheriff's office news release.

Reimers was arrested early the following morning in Walcott. The arrest report says Reimers admitted to consuming whiskey prior to driving his vehicle and was charged with first-offense driving while intoxicated after failing two out of three field sobriety tests. Reimers was also charged with leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.

Reimers is free on a $1,300 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on May 10.

Lorenz, Fisher's aunt, declined to provide additional information about her nephew, stating both she and Fishers mother are asking for privacy at this time. She then added that they both appreciate the outpouring of prayers and support from the community.

The Wilton Fire Department posted on its Facebook page Wednesday that it will host a boot drive to collect donations to help Fisher pay for his medical bills. Wilton residents will be able to find boot drive locations at several locations throughout the city. Residents can also contribute via Venmo @Wilton-Fire or PayPal at @wiltonfire.

"Matt is expected to recover, but not without a hard road ahead of him that could span several months," the Wilton Fire Department posted on Facebook. "Wilton Fire asks that our community keep Matt and the rest of Durant Fire in its thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. The accident is still under investigation and we are unable to provide any further details."

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WEST LIBERTY  With less than a month to begin working in earnest toward a new 28E agreement with West Liberty firefighters, the West Liberty City Council came to a consensus Tuesday to adopt a timeline and to move forward with negotiations.

A work session was also scheduled for the entire council at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 12, in the Wiele building, to go over a memorandum of understanding the firefighters submitted to the city last week. The citys public safety committee, which is working with the fire department to try and prevent the volunteer department from no longer serving the city, is expected to meet Tuesday, May 10.

With the advice of our attorney, Mayor McCullough sent out the MOU to all city administrative staff and all council members separately to start collecting individual feedback on what questions they have, what thoughts they have on the MOU we received, committee chair Dana Dominguez said.

On April 15, the fire department sent a letter to the city, expressing its intent to break with the city on May 1, citing several issues with the council. It would still provide fire service for the rural areas of its fire district.

Fire chief Kirt Sickels said that there have been several firefighters who have left the department due to a rift between the rural fire district and the city, to the point he is concerned if something isnt done, the department would lose all its volunteers.

In an effort to mediate with the city, the department sent an offer to form a new 28E intergovernmental agreement that would give equal control the department, the rural area and the city.

The department has also given the city an extension to June 3 to be working on the agreement in good faith or it would cease services inside the city. The city says Wilton, Atalyssa, Nichols, Muscatine and West Branch will fight fires if the deadline passes, but council members are concerned response times could be much longer than normal.

Dominguez said the council work session on May 12 would discuss the findings and reach out to the fire department with questions and concerns, as well as positive responses from the MOU. From there the council will respond to the MOU. She said that if the city is still in litigation, some of the citys response may have to be redacted.

During the safety committee meeting last week, many issues were unable to be addressed because the city is currently being sued by the rural fire district. Some of the information the committee wished to discuss with the fire department had previously been discussed in a closed session and is confidential information.

If we are not in litigation, that may mean reaching out to all parties and saying, Hey, lets all get together and do this, she said.

Dominguez promised the city would do what it needs to do to keep the process moving forward. She also hopes the process can move forward beyond June 3 with respect to rural residents who are planting crops. The proposed timeline goes to June 30 if needed, although saying she wanted to get the work done by June 3.

During the public comment section earlier in the meeting, attorney William Tharp, who is representing the fire department, said that there is a June 3 deadline if there is a good-faith discussion.

This is the time, he said. "The deadline has been extended to June 3,but that is it unless there is good faith.

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The Biden administration has determined that WNBA star Brittney Griner is being wrongfully detained in Russia, meaning the United States will more aggressively work to secure her release.
Rapper Kidd Creole has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for stabbing a homeless man to death on a New York City. The 62-year-old rapper's real name is Nathaniel Glover. He was was a founding member of Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five. He was found guilty of manslaughter last month for fatally stabbing John Jolly with a steak knife in midtown Manhattan in August 2017. Prosecutors accused Glover of stabbing Jolly after becoming enraged because he thought Jolly was gay and was hitting on him. Glover's lawyer said he would appeal the conviction.
South African residents are at a high risk of having their personal details exploited by malicious actors, according to research from Surfshark.

The study ranked South Africa sixth in the world when it comes to the nations most threatened by cybercrime, but its numbers are relatively low compared to the UK and the US.

The methodology behind the study included assigning figures for cyber threats, financial losses, and probability points to determine how likely residents of a country are to have their exposed data accessed and used maliciously.

South Africas figure of 52 victims per one million Internet users is around 92 times lower than that of the UK, which has 4,783 victims per one million internet users, and about 29 times lower than that of the US.

Surfshark said it used FBI data to develop its index.

It lists South Africa seventh in terms of the number of cybercrime victims  behind France. (The FBI also ranks the Netherlands lower than Surfshark.)

South Africans details have been exposed on numerous occasions in recent years.

TransUnion breach

The South African division of US-based consumer credit bureau TransUnion suffered an attack that exposed customer details, including telephone numbers, email addresses, identity numbers, and physical addresses.

The company revealed that the breach impacted approximately three million consumers and 600,000 businesses.

It stated that a criminal third party had gained access to its servers by misusing an authorised customers credentials.

TransUnion confirmed that the data included ID numbers, date of birth, gender, telephone number, email address, physical address, marital status, employer, duration of employment, vehicle finance contract number, and vehicle identification number.

N4ughtySecTU  the group that claimed responsibility for the attack  alleged it had acquired 4TB of data that included a database of 54 million South Africans. TransUnion received a ransom demand of $15 million (R237 million), which it refused to pay.

Although TransUnion claims the attacker exfiltrated 3.6 million records from its systems, N4ughtySecTU said it obtained several databases.

These include an ANC member database, a Cell C customer database, and TransUnions own customer database for its identity protection product.

Department of Justice ransomware attack

The Department of Justice (DoJ) suffered a ransomware attack in September 2021 that resulted in its systems being encrypted and going offline, and the exposure of at least 1,200 files.

Director-general advocate for the DoJ, Doctor Mashabane, said the compromised files could include the names, banking details and contact details of the departments clients.

MyBroadband was told by a source close to the issue that the attackers had demanded a ransom of 50 Bitcoin (R31 million) to remove the encryption. The DoJ denied that it had received ransom demands.

The attack disrupted the departments electronic services, including the Masters office. It affected bail services, letters of authority, email, and the DoJ website. Its systems only began returning to service a month after the breach occurred.

Transnet ransomware attack

Transnet was the victim of a cyberattack that forced the company to declare force majeure at container terminals and adjust to the manual processing of cargo.

South Africas port and rail company appeared to have been hit by a similar strain of ransomware linked to a chain of high-profile data breaches likely carried out by cybercriminals from Eastern Europe and Russia.

A ransom note left by the attackers claimed they had encrypted Transnets files, including a terabyte of personal data, financial reports and other documents.

As with many ransomware attacks, it also directed Transnet to a dark web chat portal to negotiate with the hackers. Public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan later revealed that no ransom had been paid during a media update in August 2021.

Experian leak

In August 2020, the South African Banking Risk Centre (Sabric) revealed that Experian had suffered a data leak.

Several of South Africas prominent banks are Experian clients. As a result of the leak, the personal banking-related information of 24 million South Africans and 793,749 businesses were exposed.

It was not long before the exposed data was posted online, and re-leaked on Telegram.
On May 8, 13:00, Ukrainians will organize a demonstration in New York, dedicated to the parallels of the current war with World War II.

On September 1, 1939, Hitler invaded Poland from the west; two days later, France and Britain declared war on Germany, starting World War II. World War II proved to be the deadliest interethnic conflict in history, killing 60 to 80 million people.

The Nazi regime brought devastation and death to Europe. On May 8, 1945, the total and unconditional surrender of the Nazis in Europe was signed and entered into force.

Although the lessons of history seemed to have been learned, 77 years later another war broke out in the heart of Europe. The Russian army attacked Ukraine, killing thousands of people and creating the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II.

Join us on Sunday, May 8, 2022. 01:00. (Rally), at Bowling Green Park (Bull from Wall Street) with a march (2:00 p.m.) to the World War II Memorial in Batateri Park.

According to American and Ukrainian officials, we plan to march to the World War II Memorial in Battery Park and pay tribute to those men and women who gave their lives and defended the freedom of peace.

By learning from the mistakes of the past, we give a chance to the future.

The event was organized by Razom for Ukraine, Ukrainian Jersey City, together with The Bowling Green Association and with the support of the Consulate General of Ukraine in New York.

Read also: Is Belarus preparing for war? The army began a sudden test of response forces

The author of the words about the Russian ship after captivity: They did not know who said it. I would not return home
Bookmark Napa Valley returned Sunday after a one-year COVID-related hiatus as readers and writers mingled to support the St. Helena Public Library.

One hundred sixty guests attended the event, which benefits the nonprofit Friends & Foundation, St. Helena Public Library. Fundraising totals hadnt been announced by Tuesday afternoon.

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Held at Tre Posti, the event featured authors Alka Joshi, Sheldon Siegel and Lisa Napoli. After a book signing and dinner, each author was interviewed by Ted Habte-Gabr of Live Talks Los Angeles.

The authors discussed their inspirations, the craft of writing and, in Napolis case, the challenges of researching famous subjects like Ray and Joan Kroc of McDonalds fame, CNN founder Ted Turner, and the protagonists of Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie: The Extraordinary Story of The Founding Mothers of NPR.

Lisa Napoli

The lone journalist of the bunch, Napoli talked about the archival research and interviewing necessary to write a thorough treatment of anything, whether its the kingdom of Bhutan or Ted Turner.

One of her most remarkable subjects was Joan Kroc, the widow of McDonald's founder Ray Kroc, who spent her later years donating her fortune to a vast variety of charities and individuals. When she died, she left a $1.5 billion bequest to the Salvation Army.

Napolis research revealed that Ray had abused Joan, who tried to divorce him before deciding to stay with him. Napoli said she wishes she could ask Joan whether she really loved Ray or whether she just stayed with him because of his money.

Napoli said she was also fascinated by Turner, an arch-conservative who started a news channel even though he hated the news and distrusted the media. She said she wishes she could ask Turner how he feels about the modern 24-hour news media he created.

Napoli traced her own career as a writer back to reading Louise Fitzhughs Harriet the Spy as a child.

Im sure that that implanted in me a desire to be a reporter, Napoli said.

Alka Joshi

Alka Joshi was born in India and moved to Iowa with her parents when she was 9. Under great pressure to assimilate, Joshi was bombarded with negative perceptions about India as a poor, dirty, underdeveloped country  ideas that clashed with her own memories of a comfortable middle-class upbringing.

This happens to a lot of immigrants. We spend a lot of time trying to assimilate very badly because we dont want to be different, and yet the color of our skin marks us as different, Joshi said.

When she started traveling to India with her mother decades later, she came to appreciate its vibrant culture, thriving markets, colorful textiles and peaceful people.

All this time Id been disavowing my birth culture, an ancient civilization that has so much to recommend it, she said.

Joshis debut novel, The Henna Artist, is about a woman growing up in 1950s Jaipur. Published in March 2020 when Joshi was 62, it became a best-seller and is being adapted by Netflix.

Joshi said she wrote a sequel, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, and a still-unpublished third volume because the characters would not stop talking to me.

After a while, when you know characters really well, they are living in your imagination, she said. You go to sleep with them, you ride bikes with them, you take showers with them. Theyre always there.

Sheldon Siegel

Sheldon Siegel was inspired by authors like Scott Turow and John Grisham who were lawyers like him. But unlike the happily divorced legal duo at the center of his courtroom dramas, Siegel practiced corporate and securities law and has never handled a criminal case.

Like Joshi, Seigel said his characters talk to him, although not in the shower. He noted that some of his characters  especially the dastardly ones, which are the most fun to write about  are named after people he knows.

Siegel's publisher dropped him when his sales plateaued, so he turned to self-publishing with crucial help from his wife, Linda. The move turned out to be unexpectedly lucrative.

I am now selling more books and making more in royalties than I did when my books were on the New York Times (bestseller) list, he said.

Siegel cautioned that self-publishing is not an excuse to slack off in quality.

If you write a clunker, the audience is going to stop reading, said Siegel, whos written 13 novels. My books are carefully edited and put together well. Linda does the covers and the formatting. Its a real business.

We even have a 401k plan, he added with a grin.

You can reach Jesse Duarte at (707) 967-6803 or jduarte@sthelenastar.com.

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The St. Helena Historical Society kicked off its new exhibit, "The History of Firefighting," on Sunday at the Heritage Center at 1255 Oak Ave.

The featured presenter, longtime volunteer fireman Art Carr, shared stories of how a small town develops a fire department that can respond to the needs of its community. It took equipment, access to water and the dedication of generations of men  and finally women.

Carrs collection of firefighting memorabilia is the focus of the new exhibit. There are storyboards, old newspaper clippings and photographs, leather fire helmets that date back to the late 1980s, fire hydrants, etc.

Carr discussed the way in which earlier generations managed open flames  they needed candles to see and fires to cook and stay warm. But it was easy for those open flames to get out of control. A fire department was an important part of a communitys infrastructure.

Efforts to create a formal fire defense in St. Helena date back to the 1800s. After the new water reservoir on Spring Mountain was put in service, water first flowed to the new water hydrants on Aug. 20, 1878. On Aug. 28 W.T. Simmons (a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient for bravery in the Civil War) called a meeting with the hope of forming a fire company. From this meeting and future sessions, Hose Company No. 1 was formed.

The first bell in the Spring Street tower was installed with great anticipation. This bell would call the volunteer firemen to respond to fires. This bell, however, wasnt going to summon anyone with its weak ping. It was replaced with another bell that rang loud and clear enough to mobilize the towns volunteer force.

"The History of Firefighting" will be on display during the month of May at the Heritage Center, open every Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at 1255 Oak Avenue, St. Helena.
The City of St. Helena has scheduled the following public workshops on Measure H, a General Obligation bond measure on the June 7 ballot that would benefit St. Helena's water and wastewater systems and other related infrastructure:

 Thursday, May 5: 9 a.m. via Zoom

 Wednesday, May 11: 5 p.m. at Carnegie Building

 Saturday, May 21: 11 a.m. at Carnegie Building

The city can't advocate for ballot measures, but it can provide factual information. An FAQ and other instructional material are posted at cityofsthelena.org/administration/page/measure-h-go-bond.

The Yes on St. Helena Measure H 2022 Committee, which operates independently of the city, is also available to answer questions and provide information. The committee can be reached via email at chrisjwarner52@gmail.com.
Measure G boils down to this: We shouldnt be spending vast sums of money and tearing our community apart every two years just to elect a mayor.

St. Helena residents are voting June 7 on Measure G, which would simply require the five-member St. Helena City Council to select one of its own members as mayor.

How exactly would the new selection process work? We dont know, and nothing the current council says should affect your vote, since future councils could change the rules as they see fit. The Brown Act, the states open meetings law, will ensure that the selection process plays out in full public view.

But that new process isnt the point. The point is that the current process is failing us.

St. Helena mayors were council-appointed until 1976, so Measure G isnt a bold step into an unknown future. It would merely end a 46-year experiment in direct mayoral elections that worked fine until the last decade or so, when mayoral elections started to become vastly expensive, divisive, and frankly a waste of time and resources.

Measure G isnt a referendum on our current mayor. The fact that Geoff Ellsworth loaned more than $90,000 to his own campaign in 2020 is merely a symptom that somethings wrong. So was the aborted recall attempt against former Mayor Alan Galbraith in 2017.

Concerns about mayoral elections predate those situations and are founded on process, not personalities.

Think about the resources  time, money and emotions  expended on mayoral debates, fundraising, campaigning and divisive rhetoric. We've heard stories of friends who no longer meet for dinner after finding themselves on opposite sides of a mayoral race. That shouldn't be happening.

Why not instead spend a fraction of that time, money and emotional energy on electing a fifth regular councilmember, and use whats left over to create robust community debates about substantive issues like water, housing and city finances?

Measure G would also encourage more collaboration on the council. Peer-appointed mayors would be guaranteed to have the support of a majority of the council, preventing awkward and unproductive scenarios where the mayors agenda is at odds with the rest of the councils.

Measure G would also add political stability and make it harder for an underqualified or divisive candidate to become mayor.

There's also a certain logic to having the council select the mayor. Much of the mayors work is managing the business of the council, and his relationship with his peers is critical.

If you want cheaper, more amicable elections and more functional city councils, please vote yes on Measure G.

The Star editorial board consists of Napa Valley Publishing president Jay Scott, Napa Valley Register editor Dan Evans and community volunteers Norma Ferriz, Shannon Kuleto, Bonnie Long, Peter McCrea, Chuck Meibeyer, Gail Showley and Dave Yewell.
St. Helena is in dire need of money to fund its infrastructure, and Measure H is the best way to get it.

Measure H would fund $19.15 million in water, sewer and storm drain projects by levying an ad valorem property tax on city residents of approximately $14.82 per $100,000 of assessed value, averaged out over about 36 years.

The projects funded by Measure H are absolutely essential to support our long-neglected infrastructure, much of which was built in the 1940s. In the decades since, we operated under the illusion that those pipes, pumps, valves, culverts and intake towers would serve us in perpetuity with little or no maintenance.

Now, as those systems have inevitably deteriorated and state regulations become more and more stringent, the fallacy of our see no evil, hear no evil approach has been laid bare.

Measure H is an opportunity to make up for lost time. Its not big enough to rectify the mistakes of the past and fund all of the projects that need to be done, but it will buy us some time and enable us to address the most urgent, mandatory needs.

The increasing and interrelated threats of prolonged drought and wildfires highlight how crucial it is for St. Helena to deliver clean water to customers, improve our drought resiliency, distribute recycled water, and give firefighters as much water as they might need in an emergency.

Measure H will be the first step in the direction of a more stable water future.

The next step will be another round of water and sewer rate hikes. Expect rates to go up whether regardless of Measure Hs fate, but expect those increases to be more painful if H fails. The city will have to get those infrastructure dollars from somewhere.

Measure H isnt perfect. It doesnt raise money from property owners outside the city limits who would nevertheless benefit from the water improvements funded by the bonds.

Well have to live with that reality, bearing in mind that our fates are tied together whether we live inside or outside of the city limits. If our water system continues to fail, we will all suffer the consequences.

Mayor Geoff Ellsworth  who endorses the bond along with the rest of the council  assures the Star that informational meetings about Measure H are in the offing. With ballots set to be mailed starting Monday, that public outreach cant come soon enough.

Measure H requires a two-thirds majority, so we urge the entire council to push this bond measure hard. Knock on doors. Set up tables in the parks. Lobby service clubs. The stakes are too high for elected city officials to take a passive role.

The Yes on Measure H ballot argument is signed by Tom McBroom, who chaired the Financing Civic Infrastructure Task Force; Rosaura Segura, former Napa Valley College trustee and current city planning commissioner; Jeff Farmer of the local Firewise Council; and Joel Gott and Jake Scheideman, two of St. Helenas savviest and most respected businessmen.

They understand how essential Measure H is to St. Helenas future. So do we.

Please vote yes on Measure H.

The Star editorial board consists of Napa Valley Publishing president Jay Scott, Napa Valley Register editor Dan Evans and community volunteers Norma Ferriz, Shannon Kuleto, Bonnie Long, Peter McCrea, Chuck Meibeyer, Gail Showley and Dave Yewell.
As a professor, Paul Wagner teaches about the wine industry, its history and sales and has written books on the subject. But wine marketing wasnt on his mind the day his daughter contacted him from Argentina complaining she had nothing to read. Since he enjoyed reading mysteries, he thought hed try writing one.

Id been telling her stories all her life, said Wagner, who has lived in Napa since the late 1970s. So, I wrote a book for her and set it in a place I love, the Sierra.

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His fictional hero, Dan Courtright, is a park ranger. The first book evolved into a series.

When I wrote one for my daughter, her older sister wanted one. Now its become a holiday tradition that I write one for someone each year.

Dan isnt a go-in-guns-a-blazing type of hero. Wagner said hes uncomfortable when he reads stories where the detective races into danger.

Hes not a rule-breaking renegade, said Wagner. When he senses trouble, Dan calls his friend Cal Healey, the local sheriff,

Wagner doesnt remember a summer growing up when he wasnt camping in state parks, tromping through muddy streams and forest glades. His father was state park ranger in the Sierra for a couple of summers at Donner Lake and D.L. Bliss State parks, and it was simply a part of life. During college and after he met his wife, backpacking became the norm and never stopped. He has a website devoted to it (www.backpackthesierra.com).

Is Paul Wagner like his fictional hero?

Dan is much more interesting than me. I like him. When I sit and write, I wonder What are Dan and Cal going to do today? Its fun.

Wagners first Dan Courtright novel, Danger: Falling Rocks (2021, Val de Grace Books, Inc.) introduced Dan as a mild-mannered park ranger going about his duties, until he stumbles upon a deadly accident. But was it an accident?

In the second novel, Bones of the Earth (2022, Albicaulis Books), hikers show him photos of bones they've found that may be human. That leads him to a mystery from decades ago.

Tony Hillerman and Donna Leon are his favorite mystery writers.

They write series set in their favorite places. Hillerman writes about (Navaho Tribal Police) detectives in the Southwest and Leon about (Commissario Guido Brunetti) Venice, Italy. Not only are their plots interesting, fun and involving but set in places they love dearly.

Although he claims to be retired, Wagner still teaches wine marketing part-time at Napa Valley College.

But Im cutting back; only teaching in the fall, and I plan to do even less. My business card says I am retired. Ask someone else. I love traveling to Europe to lecture and have an unpaid Expedia job on wine cruises to talk about wine. Wine tourism is a booming business.

In his meager spare time, Wagner plays classical guitar. Hes also learning watercolor painting.

I paint Sierra scenes of mountains.

When he hikes, he doesnt take notes for his books.

I dont think about the books when Im hiking. Hiking is rhythmic and I think about musical rhythms, especially when Im having trouble with a piece Im working on.

As fluid and effortless as his writing appears, he does have one concern.

Im afraid I dont do well enough describing the beauty of the Sierra. The blue sky, the gray rock; I never tire of it.

Has he had close calls on any of his hikes?

No, but there has been the potential for close calls. Once, my wife and I were hiking in a remote area and climbing over talus (a sloping mass of rock debris at the base of a cliff) and she said if one of us slips and breaks a leg, its going to be hard to get help and get out of there. Weve never had encounters with wild animals except in crowded campgrounds where theyve become accustomed to humans.

My pet peeve about hiking is trash on the trails. Its the worst to go into an isolated place and find previous hikers didnt clean up after themselves.

Getting older hasnt dimmed his hiking enthusiasm.

I like hiking the north side of Yosemite and hikes where you emerge onto a meadow and the mountain peaks seem to jump out in front of you. We dont focus on the big trails now, just find smaller ones where its not hard to get to good fishing, its beautiful and theres no one else.

The one thing about hiking to which hes acquiesced as hes gotten older is an air mattress.

Sleeping pads are a big deal. My wifes one complaint was that she didnt sleep well enough on our camping trips. She got a NeoAir mattress and one afternoon I took a nap on it. The difference is night and day. Its a bit expensive, but worth it.

Id like people to know that the older they get, they should find something they love and enjoy and do it.

The third book in his series, Holes in the Ground, will be published this June. Two more are scheduled for 2023 and hes working on the next one. The books are available at Napa Bookmine, which he says has been very supportive, Copperfields stocks his first book, and the usual websites also have them available.
A teenage boy who jumped the fence at the Napa County juvenile hall Tuesday morning was recaptured after less than half an hour, but the escape triggered a brief shelter-in-place notice in the facilitys south Napa neighborhood, according to the Napa County Sheriffs Office.

The 15-year-old, who was being held at the juvenile hall on suspicion of a nonviolent offense, jumped over a fence at about 11:43 a.m., according to sheriffs spokesperson Henry Wofford. He was detained again 20 minutes later on Hickory Street a quarter mile away and was rebooked at 12:40 p.m. into the detention center on 212 Walnut St., Wofford said.

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The sheriffs office issued a Nixle alert asking people to stay away from Old Sonoma Road and South Seymour Street, and instructing area residents to shelter in place. Authorities lifted the alert at 12:50 p.m., less than 40 minutes later.

Members of the sheriffs office, juvenile probation department, and Napa Police were called to the area, along with a California Highway Patrol air search unit.

The boy was not armed and did not commit any additional crimes during his brief escape, and no injuries were reported during the incident, according to Wofford.

You can reach Howard Yune at 530-763-2266 or hyune@napanews.com

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The leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion that would throw out the courts Roe v. Wade decision gave rise to nationwide protests  including a gathering of abortion rights supporters in downtown Napa.

Holding aloft signs emblazoned with messages like A WOMANS RIGHT and HELL NO, I WONT GO BACK!, some 60 people gathered outside the historic Napa County Courthouse early Tuesday evening to protest the potential rollback of abortion access in much of the country. The rally was one of the numerous gatherings in response to a draft opinion  published by the Politico website Monday night  from the Supreme Court overturning its 1973 decision legalizing abortion nationwide.

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Between rounds of chants like They say no choice! We say pro-choice! in front of the courthouse steps on Brown Street, a succession of speakers  from teenagers to gray-haired women who came of age before Roe v. Wade  urged allies to vote for candidates supporting abortion rights and resist politicians seeking the end of legal abortion.

They dont win if you dont quit, said Lisa Seran, a speaker at the Napa rally, which local residents organized and promoted on social media and text messages within hours. If you dont think abortion wont be an issue at the polls in November, wait and see.

California leaders vow to protect abortion in constitution California's governor and top legislative leaders want to add abortion protections to the state's constitution. Their comments came just hours after Politico published a draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court. The opinion indicated a majority of justices support overturning the decision that stops states from banning abortions. If that happens, abortion rights groups say at least 26 states are likely to restrict or ban the procedure. Gov. Gavin Newsom has pledged to make California a sanctuary for people from other states seeking abortions. Adding abortion protections to the state's constitution would make it much harder for future lawmakers to repeal them.

Small rallies also were held in Los Angeles, San Francisco and other California cities. In Los Angeles, about 30 people gathered outside a federal courthouse to chant: No more shame, no more silence. Forced motherhood is fascist violence.

In Washington, D.C., around 1,000 people gathered in front of the Supreme Court on Tuesday, the vast majority calling for continued federal protections for abortion rights.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

You can reach Howard Yune at 530-763-2266 or hyune@napanews.com

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Nashville is one of the best cities to live in the United States, but during the last decade, it has also emerged as a prime spot for business communities with banking, technology, health care and transportation all thriving in the area. As local enterprises and larger corporations flock to the capital of Tennessee, so do talented workers looking to secure well-paid roles.

While Nashville may have gone under the radar in the past, most people are now fully aware of its potential, especially for being a place where a new business can flourish. A new report by real estate data company Clever named Nashville as one of the top 15 destinations in the whole country to launch a startup.

Nashville is a natural fit for new businesses due to its favorable tax laws, experienced and highly-qualified talent pool and funding access. One area that Nashville excels in is networking, which is vital for entrepreneurs who want to meet the right people and get their fledgling startups off the ground quickly.

Network with CEOs

The Clever study found Nashville is actually the number one city in the US for networking with chief executives as 4.14 in 1,000 people have the title of CEO. When you first venture to the Music City, you are more likely to be rubbing shoulders with a successful businessman than anywhere else in the country. Thats the sort of leg up for budding entrepreneurs that can make or break a new startup.

Michael Frazier is among a number of business owners who ventured to Nashville to turn a dream idea into a successful enterprise. Nashville has a great network of entrepreneurs, a great network of minority-owned businesses on that level, Frazier noted. I feel like why not jump here in Nashville and like everyone is going to help me expand and grow.

Major center for business

Fraziers journey is not uncommon and there are likely to be thousands of similar stories from residents who have moved to Nashville for a better life. The 2020 Census shows that Davidson Countys population has risen by 15% during the last decade. The metropolitan area around Nashville has also been incredibly popular for those migrating from east and west with many buying homes in Rutherford County and Williamson County.

Entrepreneurial companies are a key part of Nashvilles economy and they made up around a quarter of its value last year. The business climate in the capital is very unique as a major center for so many different industries, which is not something that can be easily replicated elsewhere. This has been highlighted in the annual Business Facilities state rankings report which named Tennessee as the best state in the US in 2019 and it regularly ranks it in the top five each year.

Attract investment

More importantly, after launching a business, Nashvilles startups attract huge levels of investment from venture capitalists and other sources. A report by MoneyTree found that companies in Nashville recently raised a record $733m collectively from funding rounds within a single year. During a particularly busy period in 2019, electronic cigarette company Juul managed to attract the most, while now-popular food delivery services Door Dash and Uber Eats also raised significant funds.

New startups showcasing excellent growth potential could also attract the attention of highly regarded executive Joel Werner of Solitude Capital, an absolute return investment firm based in Asia. You will be surprised at how much assistance you can get from experts in respective fields when creating a new startup in Nashville. The Nashville Entrepreneur Center is just one of the organizations that provides mentoring and training to people to help them not only create businesses but make them a success in the long term.

Smart and hard-working locals

The booming economy and quality of life in Nashville means there will always be a large, addressable audience in the area, which is great for local businesses. New startup owners know there will be demand for products and services and a supply of new workers if and when they need them. Outsiders often comment on the friendly, smart and hard-working nature of Nashvillians who are always ready and willing to help each other out. Tennessee is known as one of the states that gives most generously to charities too.

Favorable climate

Nashville also gets another tick in the box for a better work and life balance thanks to its temperate climate. Summers are not too hot or humid while winters are mild and never too cold. If you want to start an outdoor business, you will have to come to the right place, as restaurants, bars and coffee shops are busy year-round. The favorable climate is also beneficial for business owners who want to save on office-based amenities such as heating and air conditioning. It is no surprise that Nashville ranks well in terms of quality of life. With so many attributes that are perfect for businesses, Nashville is truly one of the best places to create a startup.
According to a tweet published by the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force on May 4, 2022, Japan has deployed the Murasame-class destroyer JS Samidare to combat piracy.

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Murasame-class destroyer JS Samidare (Picture source: JMSDF)

JS Samidare (DD-106) is the sixth ship of the Murasame-class destroyer of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). She was commissioned on 21 March 2000.

The Murasame-class guided-missile destroyers are third-generation multi-purpose ships of the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF). The ship is designed to conduct anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) missions.

The Murasame class destroyer is armed with an Mk48 VLS (vertical launching system) firing Sea Sparrow and Evolved Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles. The Mk41 VLS installed below the deck can fire RUM-139 VL ASROC (anti-submarine rockets). The ship is also armed with one OTO Melara 76 mm naval gun, two 20 mm Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapon Systems), and two triple 324mm torpedo tubes.

The Murasame class is powered by a combined gas turbine and gas turbine (COGAG) propulsion system. Two General Electric LM2500 boost gas turbines and two Rolls-Royce Sprey SM1C cruise gas turbines deliver a total power output of 60,000ps. The propulsion system provides a maximum speed of 30 knots and a range of 8,350 km at a cruising speed of 18 knots.
Armenia PM arrives in Netherlands

Resistance Movement organizes march through central streets of Yerevan

Georgia submits second part of questionnaire for EU accession talks

Resistance Movement holds another rally on France Square in Yerevan

Shanghai subway shut down amid COVID-19 outbreak in city

Consultations on Armenia-Greece-Cyprus trilateral cooperation planning held in Yerevan

Emir of Kuwait accepts PM and government's resignation

Macron urges Hungarian PM to agree to embargo on Russian oil imports

Borrell hopes for conclusion of agreement on EU oil embargo against Russia

Turkish Defense Minister urges Greece to solve bilateral problems through dialogue

Armenia has new head of mission to NATO

Iran considers Turkey's construction of dams unacceptable

Dollar, euro fall in Armenia

France ambassador: We support Armenia government efforts to establish peace in region

EU Delegation head urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to refrain from 'conspiratorial thoughts and plans'

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrives in Turkey

Ruben Rubinyan, several envoys discuss Armenia-Turkey normalization process

Ambassador-at-large: Armenia 6-point document transferred to Azerbaijan includes Artsakh status, security issues

35 people apprehended so far during Tuesdays civil disobedience actions in Yerevan

Japan imposes sanctions on 71 Russian companies

Turkey plans to open consulate in occupied Armenian Shushi city of Artsakh

Police apprehend opposition marchers near Lake Yerevan

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Azerbaijan establishes new border protection organization

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Actions of civil disobedience have resumed in Yerevan Wednesday morning, and a number of streets have been blocked by protesters in the Armenian capital.

The Great Bridge of Hrazdanwhich is more commonly known as Kievian Bridgeis closed of by trucks. Shortly afterwards, special police forces arrived at the scene and began apprehending the demonstrators.

The participants of this action of civil disobedience, however, used a minibus as a platform and started chanting, "Armenia without [PM] Nikol [Pashinyan]!"

Protesting citizens have again paralyzed a number of Yerevan streets since early morning. And the police are using force to apprehend them.

Several roads were closed in the provinces as well Tuesday.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier, peaceful acts of civil disobedience began in the Armenian capital on Monday, and a number of streets were closed. In addition, opposition rallies are being held at Yerevan's France Square since Monday.

At Tuesday's rally, Resistance Movement coordinator Ishkhan Saghatelyanthe National Assembly deputy speaker from the opposition "Armenia" Faction and a representative of the Supreme Body of the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun Party of Armeniaannounced that the protest actions will resume early Wednesday morning and continue until 2pm. Then at 3:30pm another rally is planned at France Square.
The sides have issued a joint statement on the occasion of the Capstone session of the Armenia-US Strategic Dialogue held on Monday and Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia informed. The statement reads as follows:

U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken hosted Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Washington, D.C., to launch the U.S.-Armenia Strategic Dialogue (USASD) on May 2, 2022. During the Dialogue, the United States and Armenia reiterated their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties across the breadth of the bilateral relationship.

This round of USASD discussions coincided with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of U.S.-Armenian diplomatic relations. The delegations positively assessed the status of bilateral ties and reviewed the potential for expanding our partnership. The Armenian delegation included Deputy Minister of Justice Grigor Minasyan, Deputy Central Bank Governor Nerses Yeritsyan, and Ministry of Defense officials. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Dr. Karen Donfried and several leaders from throughout the Departments of State and Defense also participated in the USASD session.

U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy was in Washington as well, joined by Armenian Ambassador to the United States Lilit Makunts.

Further Democratic Reforms and Promote Mutual Prosperity

Assistant Secretary Donfried reaffirmed the United States would continue its robust assistance and cooperation to the Armenian government in building responsive democratic and economic institutions that both reflect our common values and deliver better governance and prosperity.

The delegations had a robust dialogue on U.S. assistance to support Armenias positive democratic trajectory. This includes programs to support human rights, media literacy, social protection, justice sector reforms, and the new Patrol Police Service. The delegations also discussed advancing judicial impartiality and strengthening freedom of expression. Mechanisms to promote mutual prosperity in the economic sphere were also a key topic of discussion, including energy cooperation and workforce development to promote and deepen bilateral trade and investment.

Towards Security, Peace, and Regional Conflict Resolution

The two delegations discussed issues related to border security, and partnership in the defense and security sector through disaster management, defense reform, medical support, and peacekeeping. The delegations exchanged views on security matters and noted the United States role as a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, which has a mandate to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh [(Artsakh)] conflict.

Looking To Tangible Results

Minister Mirzoyan and the Armenian delegation also had constructive meetings with USAID Administrator Samantha Power, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, and many others. During their time in Washington, delegation members signed a number of documents, including a Nuclear Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding that will serve as a mechanism through which our governments can develop stronger ties between our nuclear experts, industries, and researchers. The United States and Armenia also signed two joint action plans on anti-corruption and law enforcement reforms.
There are two directions in the "March 1" criminal case which are of public interest. Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan stated this at Wednesdays of the National Assembly of Armeniaand answering the questions of the MPs from the ruling "Civil Contract" Faction.

One of them, as the Prosecutor General noted, is the criminal case currently in court against those who are accused of violating the constitutional order. The other is the other circumstancesincluding the solving of the murdersof the criminal case under investigation,.

"We have talked a lot about the criminal case which is now in court. At present, I can only say that the Court of Cassation has recently granted my appeal which had pointed to the decision of the court of first instance to terminate the criminal prosecution of second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan and other persons involved in the case. We had applied to the Court of Cassation to getthrough the mediation of the Constitutional Courtan explanation that would comply with Article 309 of the Criminal Code. It, in turn, must comply with the Constitution. It will allow us to change the accusation and continue the trial," Davtyan said.

To note, at first, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had announced the solving of the "March 1" case, but then he had claimed only the "background of the solving" of the case. The circumstances of the death of none of the eight protesters and two servicemen of the internal troopsduring the tragedy in Yerevan on March 1, 2008have been clarified so far.
Armenias second President Robert Kocharyans son Levon Kocharyan, who is an active participant in the Resistance Movement, posted a video on his Facebook page where he is carrying out an act of protest in the capital Yerevan with a group of citizens, blocking the Masiv district road.

"The road is closed here for about half an hour already. As it was announced, the action will continue until 2 o'clock [in the afternoon]. And at 15.30 [you] have to come and take part in the assembly to be held at France Square," said Levon Kocharyan.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier, protesting citizens have again paralyzed a number of Yerevan streets since early morning. And the police are using force to apprehend them.

Several roads were closed off Tuesday in the provinces as well.

Peaceful acts of civil disobedience began in the Armenian capital on Monday, and a number of streets were closed. In addition, opposition rallies are being held at downtown Yerevan's France Square since Monday.

At Tuesday's rally, Resistance Movement coordinator Ishkhan Saghatelyanthe National Assembly deputy speaker from the opposition "Armenia" Faction and a representative of the Supreme Body of the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun Party of Armeniaannounced that the protest actions will resume early Wednesday morning and continue until 2pm. Then at 3:30pm another rally is planned at France Square.
We have an apparent case of violence by the police, whereby materials are being prepared; in the other cases, there was no violence by the police. Deputy Chief of Police Ara Fidanyan on Wednesday told reporters this at the National Assembly of Armeniaand referring to the police actions taken against the protesters.

"Even the apprehension of a person under criminal procedure presupposes the use of certain force against that person. If a person does not obey the lawful demands of the police and commits an offense, he should be apprehended," Fidanyan added.

He informed that at the moment they have nine cases of police internal investigation, and in one case they have non-police materials that are prepared.

As for the legality of detaining opposition MPs Aram Vardevanyan and Ashot Simonyan for blocking a road in the capital Yerevan, the deputy police chief said: "Yes, they were detained for closing off a street; that is, there was an apparent offense. [Parliamentary] immunity refers to the criminal prosecution of respective persons. The police have the right to detain the respective persons until they are identified. Violation of traffic rules is an administrative offense; it does not mean that persons enjoying [parliamentary] immunity should also be exempt from administrative offenses."
Ishkhan Saghatelyan, vice-speaker of the National Assembly and representative of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun supreme body, read out a public demand for Nikol Pashinyan's resignation on France Square.

"The PM of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, by failing to defend Armenian interests in the Karabakh negotiation process, led to war and defeat.

He admitted that he could have prevented the war and avoided thousands of casualties, but he did not.

In 2021 June he promised to return the prisoners in 1-2 months, but so far the prisoners have not been returned.

In his election program he promised that he would carry out a policy of clarification of the final status of Artsakh through the full realization of the right to self-determination, he insisted that the people of Artsakh can not exist in subordination to Azerbaijan, but he lied again, now he goes the other way.

He promised economic growth, but the state debt, poverty, prices and the number of deaths are growing.

He has not fulfilled many promises, the last of which had a tragic end. His motorcade ran a red light and hit a pregnant Armenian woman crossing the street in daylight, then fled as usual.

Based on all this, Nikol Pashinyan is illegitimate, he has no mandate for new concessions and must resign.

Ishkhan Saghatelyan then said that deputies from two opposition factions were in the National Assembly to voice this public demand to Pashinyan.
Deliveries of crude oil from the US to Europe in April reached the highest level since Congress lifted the ban on oil exports six years ago.

Last month, the US shipped 48.8 million barrels of oil to Europe from large terminals in Texas and Louisiana, according to data provided by Bloomberg. That's almost half of what the US shipped from the Gulf Coast, the country's main oil export hub.

The surge in supplies from the US to Europe comes as buyers in the EU continue to refuse to do business with Moscow.

Meanwhile, the EU is expected to announce plans for a phased embargo on Russian oil as part of yet another round of sanctions this week.

The EU moved closer to the embargo after Germany said last week it no longer objected to such a massive move. However, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said the embargo would hurt the European economy.

Hungary, for its part, has also acknowledged the financial strain that could befall Europe and remains openly opposed to the oil embargo.
Bulgaria will seek an exemption from the European Union's proposed oil embargo against Russia if such delays are allowed, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Assen Vassilev said in an interview with the financial newspaper Capital.

The EU has proposed a phased embargo on Russian oil imports as part of a new round of sanctions against Moscow.

EU officials did not reach an agreement on the embargo on Wednesday, but they may move closer to an agreement at a meeting on Thursday, an official familiar with the talks told Reuters.

Bulgaria's only oil refinery, Neftochim Burgas, owned by Russia's Lukoil, is the main fuel supplier in the Balkan country, the poorest in the EM.

Assen Vassilev has previously stated that the refinery already processes 50% of Russian oil and 50% of non-Russian oil and will eventually be able to completely phase out Russian oil if required.

"Bulgaria, technologically, can do without Russian crude oil, but that would push up fuel prices significantly," he told financial newspaper Capital in an interview, published on Wednesday.

"So, if the European Commission considers exemptions, we would like to take advantage of such exemptions as it will be in the best interest of the Bulgarian consumers, of the Bulgarian hauliers and the Bulgarian people as a whole," he said.

The measures proposed by the European Commission include a phase-out of supplies of Russian crude oil for six months and oil products by the end of 2022.

Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic are already seeking such exemptions. An EU source told Reuters on Wednesday that Slovakia and Hungary will be able to continue buying Russian crude until the end of 2023 under existing contracts.

Last week, Russia cut off gas supplies to Bulgaria, which supplied more than 90% of its needs by importing gas from Gazprom, due to its refusal to pay for gas in rubles.
Some held signs that read bans off our bodies, abortion is health care, and we wont go back.

Others carried placards that read I am the pro-life generation and divest from big abortion now.

In the wake of the leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion that would overturn the right to an abortion established in the landmark Roe v. Wade decision of 1973, protesters on both sides of the issue squared off in front of the nations highest court this week, some shouting through megaphones to get their points across.

Written by Justice Samuel Alito and published online Monday night by the political news outlet Politico, the draft reveals that a majority of the Supreme Court justices privately voted to strike down Roe v. Wade.

The 98-page draft was leaked ahead of an upcoming court ruling on a Mississippi law that would ban almost all abortions after 15 weeks.

While the document has ignited debate across the nation on the abortion issue, it is important to understand that draft is not yet the final decision, said Caroline Mala Corbin, professor of law and Deans Distinguished Scholar at the University of Miami School of Law.

People should not think that abortion has become illegal yet. This is just a draft of the opinion, she explained. Having said that, if this opinion does become the law of the land, it essentially eliminates constitutional protection for abortion. That is, it explicitly overrules Roe v. Wade, which said the right to abortion was protected by the U.S. Constitution. And the consequence is not that abortion immediately becomes illegal across the land. The consequence is that each state gets to decide for itself whether it wants to protect or outlaw abortion health care.

This year, a number of states have introduced legislation aimed at restricting abortions, with some bans being enacted in at least six states.

Should Roe v. Wade be overturned, about half the states in the U.S. would make abortion illegal, doing so in a variety of ways, according to Corbin. They may have laws on the books from before Roe that become good law again, she said. They may have passed so-called trigger laws that go into effect and make abortions illegal as soon as Roe v. Wade is overruled. Or they may be among the states that have recently been passing abortion limitations such as Florida, which recently passed a law banning abortions after 15 weeks.

The reversal would have disastrous consequences for women, said Mary Anne Franks, professor of law and the Michael R. Klein Distinguished Scholar Chair at the University of Miami School of Law. All women, and ultimately men as well, will be negatively impacted by this denial of womens basic right. But poor, nonwhite women and women who live in conservative states will suffer disproportionately.

While reliable long-term and emergency contraceptives and the means for self-administering abortions safely have greatly increased since Roe v. Wade, women with inadequate socioeconomic resources who live in states with restrictive abortion laws still struggle to access those benefits, Franks noted.

Nearly half of U.S. states have abortion restrictions likely to go into effect in the wake of a Roe reversal, she explained, Whereas only 16 states, plus Washington, D.C., currently have measures in place to protect the rightand only four of those plus D.C. protect it fully. What is more, the leaked majority opinion indicates that the courts hostility is not limited to abortion but will likely extend soon to contraceptives.

Paul Russell Shockley, a lecturer in the department of religious studies, noted that for many of those who possess a Judeo-Christian worldview, legalized abortion is a condemnation against the inherent value of all life. Though this Judeo-Christian value was not perfectly applied for a variety of reasons, 1973 Roe v. Wade is perceived as a legal sign, a historical marker, a shift of core values in the West, said Shockley. Abortion not only mirrors a decisive turning point from Judeo-Christian values to a humanistic one, but one that also claims man is the measure of all things.

Shockley, who specializes in aesthetics, the history of ideas, ethics, and the philosophy of religion, noted that religious arguments against abortion vary depending upon ones interpretation of the Scriptures, their views of the origin of humanity, and the transmission of the human soul to the next generation. He pointed to several common traits shared within evangelical Protestantismthe countrys largest faith traditionand said, this belief system integrates together what is public and private, sacred and secular, mundane and fantastic, creative and logical. Thus, legalized abortion is not interpreted as a medical procedure. Abortion is ultimately a spiritual problem.

Professor David Kling, chair of the department of religious studies, said recent legislation and the conservative Christian viewpoint have moved the point of viable human life to nearly the moment of conception. But at the same time, he noted, anti-abortion or prolife Christians have a different perspective on the termination of a pregnancy that resulted from rape, incest, or complications endangering the life of a woman.

Whats clear is that the worldview of conservative Christians, both Catholic and Protestant, challenges the notion of my body, my choice, for it is not the case that a woman is answerable to herself alone, Kling said.

The varied reactions that followed Mondays leaked draft demonstrated just why abortion is such an extremely contentious issue fundamental to the values and lives of so many people. It has emboldened activists on both sides of the debate. Pro-life groups, for example, viewing the contents of the draft as a victory for their cause, gathered in front of the Supreme Court beginning Monday night.

Many people have faced the risk of unwanted pregnancy and want a full range of choices in the event it happens. On the other hand, there are people with profound moral convictions that the practice of abortion is immoral, said Gregory Koger, professor and chair of political science in the College of Arts and Sciences.

As a political issue, he continued, abortion has been a mobilizing factor, especially for the conservative Christian right dating back to the 80s. It has been one of the foremost issues that drives the Christian right, Catholics, and evangelicals to the polls. And to a lesser extent, it has been a mobilizing issue for some Democrats on the other side as well.

As for the draft itself, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed its authenticity on Tuesday, saying in a statement that he has directed the courts marshal to launch an investigation into the source of the leak.

To the extent this betrayal of the confidences of the court was intended to undermine the integrity of our operations, it will not succeed. The work of the court will not be affected in any way, his statement reads.

But whether this investigation ever determines who did this and why is by no means certain, said Frances R. Hill, professor of law and Deans Distinguished Scholar for the Profession at the School of Law.

Speculation about the motives of the various people who work at the courtjustices, clerks, employeesand the various people related in some way to them, such as spouses, confidants, supporters, could become a very long list of potential suspects, Hill explained. This investigation may well be less consequential than tracking the impact of the leak on public confidence in the court, which is already viewed with something short of confidence and admiration by the highest share of the American public in the history of polling on this question.

Hill added that the consequences of a decision that denies women protection from dangerous pregnancies without any exceptions in the case of rape or incest is not likely to lead to broad public acceptance of this opinion or the processes that produced it.

She asserted that an inquiry into the source of the leaked draft will not restore the damage to the Supreme Court and to the nation arising from the controversy. This is not a matter of the routine identification of political winners and losers. This is not about politics as usual, she said. It is about the deaths of women who lack the economic resources and the personal connections required to save their lives when this opinion takes aim at them.

University Communications writer Janette Neuwahl Tannen also contributed to this article.
With the spring semester coming to a close, students at the University of Miami are heading all over the globe for the summer, whether to work, travel, relax, or play. Heres what some students will be doing while they are away from campus.

Lithuania native Paulis Andersson, a student in the artist diploma in keyboard performance at the Frost School of Music, will be spending his summer playing gigs all over the world.

My plans are to go back home and get a work visa to travel between Europe and North America to play a bunch of solo shows, said Andersson, who is a classically trained pianist.

Julia Nevins, a first-year student from New Jersey who is majoring in psychology and criminology, will be spending her summer working as a day-camp counselor.

I will be in charge of a group of 11-year-old girls for the whole summer, said Nevins. Ill be taking them around the camp to their different activities and teaching them different sports.

Before she heads home to begin working, shell be taking an international trip to usher in the summer.

Im going on a two-and-a-half-week trip to Israel, she exclaimed.

Anna Cohen, a political science major from Connecticut, will be spending her summer working and gaining first-hand experience.

Im planning to work as a server and also intern with a local politician, John-Michael Parker, a state representative. This will be my second time interning for him, and Ive learned so much, said Cohen. I like to contribute to politics, but I don't think Ill be a politicianbut maybe Ill be a campaign manager one day.

Johnny Brown, a Chicago native, is a junior and an audio engineer major. This summer, he has plans to intern at Texas Instruments.

Ill be interning in their audio department, and Ill be working with systems. Ill also get to bounce around to different departments to gain experience among professional engineers, said Brown.

Hawaii native Mia Alexander is a first-year student studying psychology. She said she was led to apply and ultimately attend the University because it's the closest thing to Hawaii in terms of weather and vibes. This summer, she plans to visit family up north on the mainland before heading back home to Oahu to visit more family and take care of her new puppy.

I just got a French bulldog. So, Im planning to take him to training classes, and Ill be spending time with family doing things we love like going to the beach and farmers markets, she said.

This summer, Franco Terrero will be swapping his sweatpants for scrubs. The senior, who lives in Miami, is studying neuroscience and public health and plans on using his summer to prepare for the next steps of his medical career by studying for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and working several jobs.

Ill be working as a medical assistant at a clinic, a research assistant at a neuroscience laboratory, and as a public health assistant for a nonprofit, Terrero said. Besides studying and working, he plans on using his weekends to take some quick trips to Chicago, Denver, and California.
Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz, has been selected to hold the Julio Cortazar Latin American Chair at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico, for 2022.

Established in 1994 by the eminent writers Carlos Fuentes and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the Julio Cortazar Latin American Chair is one of the most prestigious recognitions for artists and intellectuals in Latin America. The activities of the chair include a free public lecture and a multi-day conference for specialists and students.

I am honored to be one of a handful of Latin American scientists to be recognized by this prestigious chair, said Ramirez-Ruiz, a theoretical astrophysicist who holds the Vera Rubin Presidential Chair for Diversity in Astronomy at UCSC.

Ramirez-Ruiz will give the public Master Conference on May 4 at the University of Guadalajara. His talk is titled, On the galactic bestiary and the origin of the elements. A leading authority on some of the most dramatic events in the universe, Ramirez-Ruiz studies violent astrophysical phenomena such as collisions, mergers, and disruptions of starsespecially those involving compact objects like black holes, neutron stars, and white dwarfs.

Ramirez-Ruiz has received many awards and honors, both for his scientific achievements and for his leadership in supporting and mentoring students from underrepresented groups in the sciences. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Mexican Academy of Sciences, he was honored by the White House in February with a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.

Fuentes and Garcia Marquez founded the Julio Cortazar Latin American Chair with funds from a scholarship program established by the Mexican government. They wanted to pay tribute to Cortazar, one of the greatest Latin American writers of the 20th century, and provide a forum for dialogue and reflection on Latin American society and culture. Previous holders of the chair include Toni Morrison, Jose Saramago, Noam Chomsky, Elena Poniatowska, Jared Diamond, and Ernesto Cardenal.
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 4 (ANI/NewsVoir): EKA, an electric vehicles & technology company, and a subsidiary of Pinnacle Industries Limited, is once again leading the way as they enter a partnership with NuPort Robotics to introduce Level 2 autonomy, advanced driver assistance systems, to their electric bus models. This is a first-of-its-kind-in-the-country initiative towards the utilization and incorporation of progressive Level 2 autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Electric buses on Indian roads. EKA begins testing on a range of autonomous features developed by NuPort, an advanced technology that promises to contribute to notable improvements in safety, reducing environmental footprint, and increasing operational efficiency. Following a period of rigorous testing, the technology will be deployed with over 5000 buses, representing a minimum investment of nearly INR 150 Crores in innovation and contributing to the future of transportation and sustainability. More importantly, when such technologies are deployed in commercial vehicles, they have been associated with reducing crash rates by nearly 50 per cent. NuPort Robotics, a Canadian company announced its plans earlier this month to set up operations in India and fully develop and deploy its technology in India for commercial vehicle manufacturers, beginning with electric vehicle manufacturers. NuPort will be following a "Made in India" approach thereby contributing to the advancement of economic development and innovation ecosystem within the country. NuPort's technology provides level 2 autonomy features specifically targeted for Indian roads, considering the complex nature of Indian traffic, and understanding the Indian driving mindset. NuPort's partnership with EKA is strategic, as it allows both NuPort and EKA to offer Indian customers cutting-edge innovative vehicles that can be continuously updated to retain that innovative advantage. NuPort is using proprietary AI technology which will progressively enable autonomous features thereby increasing safety, operational efficiency, and reduced carbon footprint. Speaking on the partnership, Dr. Sudhir Mehta, Chairman, EKA & Pinnacle Industries Limited, highlighted, "Our partnership with NuPort ensures that our electric buses are not only environmentally friendly but also futuristic through incorporation of Artificial Intelligence thereby making our buses efficient and safer to operate on Indian roads. This collaboration strengthens our goal of positioning EKA as the leader in the electric vehicle industry in India. I am confident that both EKA & NuPort will provide a safer, greener, and much more efficient transportation for Indian roads." Speaking on the collaboration, Raghavender Sahdev, CEO of NuPort Robotics said, "The current project with EKA allows us to set the first precedent in India for a Level 2 AI-enabled smart Electric bus. Partnering with EKA on this initiative allows us to work with a leading national manufacturer and learn and develop technology solutions specifically for Indian driving conditions. NuPort's focus on innovation, sustainability, automation, and artificial intelligence is aligned perfectly with EKA's principles and vision leading to this strategic partnership between the two companies." Through this strategic partnership, NuPort will provide AI-enabled autonomous solutions and EKA will provide the electric vehicle platform. NuPort being an expert in offering artificial intelligence technology and EKA having expertise in the manufacturing of electric vehicles will work together towards the commercialization of the next generation of AI-enabled electric buses in India. EKA, a subsidiary of Pinnacle Industries Limited, is one of the only commercial vehicle manufacturers approved under the Champion OEM Scheme & EV component manufacturing scheme of the Government of India's Auto PLI policy. This partnership with NuPort is yet another milestone demonstrating EKA's intent to be a leader in the automotive industry. EKA is an automotive & technology company creating a new paradigm in global CV electric mobility. With an industry-leading team, cutting-edge technology, modular designs, and lean manufacturing processes, EKA visions to bring reliable and efficient mobility solutions to the masses. EKA's sharable technologies and low investment production processes will enable the lowest TCO and democratize electric vehicles for mass adaptation. Started in 1996, Pinnacle Industries Ltd. is India's leading automotive seating, interiors and special application vehicles company. Pinnacle Industries has continuously expanded its product range through investing in its employees, clientele, and technology partners, with the group today employing over 3000 people in India, Spain & USA. NuPort Robotics Inc., Canada's first autonomous trucking company, was founded in 2019 by leading robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) professionals. Its mission is to improve transportation safety, increase efficiency and reduce costs for clients in retail, logistics and manufacturing. NuPort's proprietary AI technology enables existing heavy commercial vehicles to drive optimally and safely on high-frequency, repetitive routes. NuPort has established extensive partnerships with industry-leading sensor suppliers, OEMs, technology providers, as well as research and academic institutions, giving it an edge in the industry. For more information, please visit www.nuport.ai. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 4 (ANI/PNN): BSE listed R & B Denims Ltd (BSE: 538119), one of the most influential textile houses with largest vertically integrated textile manufacturing facilities of over 30 million meters capacity of denim has announced excellent results for quarter and year ended 31 March 2022. Amidst a challenging environment, R & B Denim Ltd. continues to grow, backed by a robust business model and its strategic ability to navigate through troubled times. To retain its competitive advantage and consistently deliver value to all stakeholders, it continues to focus on investments for Research and Development, technological enhancement and quality improvement through its state of art, ultra-modern, fully equipped R& D Laboratory, to sustain profit margins and increase operational efficiency. In FY 21-22, company has Produced 17.5 Million Meters of Denim Fabric that is equivalent to 11 Million pair of Jeans. The company has achieved a consolidated turnover of Rs 2,844 million with Profit before tax of Rs 280 Million representing a Jump of 97 per cent Y-O-Y. The yearly PAT rose 108 per cent YoY, to Rs 217 Million. In FY 21-22, company participated in GARTEX Denim Show at Delhi as well as in CAIRO, EGYPT which gave promising results in getting new customer base and helped to increase demand of Products in Overseas as well as domestic Markets. Exports have increased from 220 Million in FY 20-21 to 720 Million in FY 21-22. Representing growth of 225 per cent in a year. As on March'22 our exports for represents 25 per cent of our total sales which we are further expecting to Increase based on the Strong demand from overseas market. Even in domestic market average Selling price has increased from Rs. 140 in FY 2020-21 to Rs. 165 mainly due to selling premium Quality Denim and increase in Profitability as it remains eagle-eyed with inventory management policies. The efficient inventory management helped increase sales, maintain prudent working capital and increased productivity. The company increased proportion of premium products thereby strengthening margins. The Coactions of our techniques shall help to create enhanced value for stakeholders. One of the few denim manufacturers capable of producing high width denim up to 76 inches. Company's clients include major brands like Arvind, Killer, Lifestyle, Reliance Retail, etc. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)
New Delhi [India], May 4 (ANI/PNN): When it comes to 'Women Entrepreneurship' we can very well examine the impending participation of women in diverse sectors of the economy. In this process of examination, we came across the names of some of the inspiring women entrepreneurs who've made a mark in society with their impactful and inventive visionary attitudes. No matter what field they chose, their potency to embark on the fire of independence and reformation is applaudable in every sense. One such champion known for redefining the chapters of women's potential for emendatory work in the affiliate is Parul Tarang Bhargava. She is a charismatic leader and one of the most refined women entrepreneurs in the field of digital and performance marketing in the country. Parul Tarang is an Angel Investor, Speaker, Leader, and the Co-Founder of vCommission Media Private Limited. She was recently privileged with the prestigious title: "Promising Women CEO of the Year - 2022, Global Affiliate Network Category". She bagged this award for giving a remarkable performance in the world of affiliate marketing. It is all result of 10 years of hard work, commitment, and dedication. She is having diverse skill sets ranging from Digital Marketing to Performance Marketing and Sales. The astute services offered by the company are E-Commerce, Travel, Finance, Insurance, iGaming, Nutra, and hosting. The company has made remarkable collaborations with esteemed firms like Walmart, Amazon, Alibaba, Myntra, Agoda, Shopee, Qatar Airways, etc. According to her, firstly a woman entrepreneur needs to keep a clear vision amidst the haziness of uncertainties and keep faith in her capabilities. She must be having a sound understanding of their target audience and know well how to maintain overall consistency and trust in the competency of her decisions. Career Background Parul Tarang Bhargava has been brought up in a modest, gender-neutral environment at home. She doesn't hail from an established business family; she has started everything from the scratch. She has completed her B. Tech (IT) from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and started her journey from a content writer to the CEO of the Company. Her journey started way back in the year 2006 when she was trying out new ideas to get fresh perspectives about the business world to make good efforts to bring impact vCommission Success Journey starting from 2006- till present Parul's company, vCommission is a pioneering face in India's leading global affiliate marketing network with an exemplary vision to bring something distinct. The company is a subsidiary of Adways VC India Pvt. Ltd. It is a joint venture with Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed company Adways Inc. (Japan), the No. 1 Affiliate Marketing company in Asia. In 2013, the brand did a merger with Adways which is regarded as a mentor in mobile marketing in the entire Asian continent. In 2015, the company made it to the list of top 50 Alexa rankings. In the next year, the company went ahead to invest in ten start-ups. Within a span of a decade, the brand has vigorously reached the gigantic numbers of working with 100k+ affiliates, harboring 80 million in monthly traffic, 2.5 million conversions, and 2-billion-dollar worth monthly GMV. In 2018 vCommission became a top-notch partner for global brands. Taking the legacy of proficiency into the foreground, the company won the award for 'Best E-Commerce Company' in 2019 at the Indian Affiliate Awards. In 2022, the brand stands as India's pioneer global affiliate and is considered as value compulsive brand. It has also been recognized as 'Brand of the Year 2021' and 'top 30 Most Trusted Brands to Watch in 2021'. Parul has successfully steered the company to great achievements ever since its inception. Being a triumphant women entrepreneur herself, she gives credence to learning and implementing some major tips and tricks that have contributed to her journey of entrepreneurship. Here are those tips and tricks... She believes that ups and downs are an inevitable part of anyone's journey. She also proudly admits that they have been a part of her life too, but these failures have only taught and helped her to come out victorious in all the challenges. For her, everything narrows down to two things. The first is highly aspirational and the second you must always remain open to learning new things. These two factors have played an instrumental role in chasing bigger goals in life. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)
Views of the upcoming food hall named From Here On located in the ground level of the Old Post Office in Chicago on May 3, 2022. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

After pandemic delays, an expansive food hall will open on the ground floor of the Old Post Office building in the South Loop this June, and the team behind the project hopes it will help breathe life back into Chicagos downtown.

The food hall, called From Here On, is the project of Chicago-based hospitality group 16 On Center, the team behind music venues such as The Empty Bottle and Thalia Hall and a bevy of Chicago food and drink spots including Good Ambler and Duseks Tavern. 16 On Center also operates the Revival Food Hall on the ground floor of The National high-rise in the Loop; the Old Post Office food hall will be the groups third, after Revival and a project slated to open in New York later this month.

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Roughly a dozen vendors, all Chicago based, will set up shop in the food hall. They include projects such as Familiar Bakery, a partnership between 16 On Center and former Duseks pastry chef Ashley Robinson, who will serve globally inspired pastries, and Phobox, a hybrid venture from the owners of Vietnamese food truck Lunchbox and the Asian American noodle shop Phodega. Other vendors include a 16 On Center bar, Snorkelbox, and Tempesta Market, a father-and-son run Italian eatery with a location in West Town.

The opening of the food hall, first announced in 2020, was delayed several times because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the hospitality group hopes the project will play a role in revitalizing Chicagos downtown.

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This is a really optimistic time, said 16 On Center co-founder Bruce Finkelman. The food hall, he said, epitomizes the optimism that we feel coming out of a pandemic.

The 18,000-square-foot food hall will be on the buildings ground floor and spill out onto a riverfront patio accessible via the Riverwalk, where the hospitality group hopes to host warm-weather happy hours, live music and other events.

For now, the buildings massive 3.5-acre rooftop will be closed to the public. The hall will host the only food options in the post office building, according to Amy Donkel, a spokesperson for 16 On Center. There is a second-floor bar in the building that is available only to tenants and is bookable for private events, she said.

The food hall vendors include a mix of ones that already operate their own bricks-and-mortar shops elsewhere in the Chicago area and those that do not. Tim Wickes, director of food hall operations for 16 On Center, hopes the food hall model will make it easier for local culinary talent to focus on their work by removing the logistical challenges of running their own bricks-and-mortar shops and restaurants.

The building at 433 W. Van Buren St. was once the worlds largest post office. Designed by Chicago architects Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, who also designed the Merchandise Mart, the building was vacant for about two decades before an $800 million-plus redevelopment by New York-based owner 601W Companies.

Cailin Rogers, a spokesperson for the Old Post Office, said 98% of the office space in the building has been leased. Tenants include Uber, Walgreens, PepsiCo, Ferrara Candy and Cisco, among others.

Most companies have moved into their office space in the building, although many are allowing employees to work on hybrid schedules. A spokesperson for Uber said more than 2,000 employees will eventually be based in the office, and the company will move to a 50% in-person schedule in the coming months.

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Ferrara, which has about 500 people based in its Old Post Office headquarters, reopened its offices in March and said employees were working on a hybrid schedule. The Walgreens office in the building reopened last month, and most employees based there are also working on a hybrid basis,spokesperson Kris Lathan said.

Rogers said the building is eventually expected to host about 12,000 people.

The goal of the food hall, Wickes said, is to take care of the people upstairs.

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In recent weeks, Loop restaurants have said theyre still feeling a pandemic pinch. Though office workers continue to return to Chicagos downtown, theyre not coming back in numbers matching pre-pandemic levels.

Wickes and Finkelman said they were optimistic people would continue to return downtown.

Were seeing more and more people flood down to the Loop every day, Wickes said. Im noticing not having a seat on the train as I come down these days, which is, to others, probably a negative, but to me it feels really great.

When it opens in June, the food hall will operate Monday through Friday and will close about 7 p.m. 16 On Center may eventually expand those hours and host events on the weekends, Wickes and Finkelman said.

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tasoglin@chicagotribune.com
Hong Kong, May 4 (ANI/PNN): Dr Ashleys Limited, the Hong Kong based pharmaceutical Company today announced the induction of noted & eminent global researchers as advisors to the board of directors. Europes's most renowned Economist Prof Dr Nina Linde, Director of Department of Economics at The Latvian Acadamy of Sciences and AS Lights Director Gerhald Hopstedter will be guiding & advising the Dr Ashleys Limited's Board of Directors in building the company as a strong international pharmaceutical company in its pursuit to its mission to widen its academic excellence. Announcing the appointment of two seasoned academic researchers as Advisors, {Prof} Dr Kannan Vishwanatth, Managing Director of Dr Ashleys Limited said "We are pleased to announce Dr Nina Linde and Gerhald Hopstedter on our Board. We can't wait to see how our highly experienced board members will enlighten us to develop the vision and purpose of building Dr Ashleys in the market by advising on matters of strategic importance, leverage decades of top-tier industry experience, broaden and deepen our relationships, and ensure continued growth and success. Dr Nina Linde has broad leadership experience in corporate management and academia. She is an international speaker recognized by peers, executives, and students with numerous awards for her innovative leadership and passion for teaching. She inspires students from both business and engineering disciplines in his courses for open innovation, business models, smart cities, scalable smart villages, and business models for emerging economies... Before joining the academy of Sciences Latvia Dr Linde has been the Advisor to Ministry of education in Latvia, Gerhald Hopstedter is a noted author & research analyst. Dr Satya is the founder chairman of AS Lights and Balticsmagazine, Baltics states most acclaimed research firm engaged in timely, in-depth analysis of companies, industries, markets, and world economies. Gerhald Hopstedter is also the author of many top books Gerhald is most respected & distinguished entrepreneur & known for championing the cause of Citizen's rights & free speech. Dr Ashleys Limited is a research-focused vertically integrated pharmaceutical Company, which Contract manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients and is in contract research and manufacturing services (CRAMS). The Company is a market leader in the Antimalarial API segment and is the world's third-largest contract manufacturer of Quinine salts. It also exports its products to more than 60 emerging countries in Africa, Central and South America, and Asia. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 4 (ANI/PNN): Mitsu Chem Plast Limited (Mitsu) (BSE: 540078), One of the largest manufactures of Blow Moulding, Injection Moulding and Customized Moulding, announced its audited Financial Results for the 12 Month & Q4 FY22. Key Highlights for the FY22: For the FY22 Long-term Borrowings reduced by 10.67 per cent YoY to Rs 28.55 Crore For the FY22 Finance cost reduced by 6.4 per cent YoY to Rs 5.59 crore For the FY22 Operating Cash Flow stood at Rs 8.18 crore For the FY22 Working Capital Cycle Stood at 84 days against 90 days in FY21 For the FY22 Debt Equity Ratio stood at 1.32 times against 1.61 times in FY21 For the FY22 ROE & ROCE stood at 22.60 per cent & 21.01 per cent respectively For the FY22 EBITDA & PAT margin stood at 10.36 per cent & 4.45 per cent respectively Key Highlights for the Q4 FY22: For the Q4 FY22 EBITDA & PAT margin stood at 11.19 per cent & 4.43 per cent respectively Commenting on the performance, Jagdish Dedhia, Chairman of Mitsu Chem Plast Limited said, "FY22 was the landmark year for us we have achieved revenue of Rs 258.86 crore and PAT of Rs 11.51 crore which is a big milestone for us. We remain on our growth path despite various economic and geopolitical headwinds in the FY22 we have seen good growth in our Revenue and Profitability. This shows our inherent strength and resilience as organization. In Q4 FY22 prices of our primary raw materials were all-time high due to some geopolitical factors despite that we have seen decent growth in our Revenue and Profitability. Despite current challenging times, we are very optimistic about the Indian consumption story and FY23 for the Mitsu Chem Plast." Mitsu Chem Plast Limited (BSE - 540078) is a certified polymer based moulded products manufacturing company, engaged in the business of manufacturing and marketing of technically driven innovative products catering to growing industry sections like, Industrial Packaging Solutions, Automotive Components, Healthcare Products, Infrastructure related products & Emergency Handling Solutions with an in-house testing and quality control systems and machines. The key products of the company are Moulded Industrial Plastic Packaging products such as Drums, Jerry Cans, Bottles, Jars and its accessories; Infrastructural furniture parts such as chair shells; Hospital Furniture Parts such as Panels, Railings, Planks, Trolley Parts; Rescue & Safety Equipment such as Spine Board; Automotive Components such as Washer Tanks, Rainhood. The company majorly supply's to OEMs of various industries such as chemical, pharmaceutical, dyes, agro-chemical, disinfectants, diagnostic, hospital & infrastructure furniture, automotive manufacturers. The Journey of the Company started 30 years back with a plant situated at Boisar, Tarapur and have enlarged its wings up to three manufacturing units situated in Maharashtra i.e. Two (2) units situated at Boisar, Tarapur and one (1) unit in Khalapur. Safe harbor statement: Statements in this document relating to future status, events, or circumstances, including but not limited to statements about plans and objectives, the progress and results of research and development, potential project characteristics, project potential and target dates for project related issues are forward-looking statements based on estimates and the anticipated effects of future events on current and developing circumstances. Such statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties and are not necessarily predictive of future results. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. The company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results changed assumptions or other factors. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)
New Delhi/ Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 4 (ANI/NewsVoir): Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas advised and assisted Adani Wilmar Limited (Adani Wilmar), a listed company, in its acquisition of the renowned Basmati rice brand 'Kohinoor' from McCormick Switzerland GMBH. The transaction will give Adani Wilmar Limited, exclusive rights over the brand 'Kohinoor' in the Basmati rice category including 'Ready to Cook', 'Ready to Eat' curries and meals portfolio under the Kohinoor Brand umbrella in India. The General Corporate (M&A) Practice of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas advised on the transaction. The scope of work included structuring of the transaction, review, finalization, negotiation and execution of transaction documents (including the IP Assignment Agreement). The Transaction team was led by Smruti Shah, Partner; with support from Aviral Chauhan, Principal Associate; and Devanshi Dalal, Senior Associate. Adani Wilmar is a joint venture incorporated in 1999 between the Adani Group, which is a multinational diversified business group with significant interests across transport and logistics, and energy and utility sectors, and the Wilmar Group, one of Asia's leading agribusiness groups which was ranked as the seventh largest listed companies by market capitalization on the Singapore Exchange as of September 30, 2021. Adani Wilmar is one of the few large FMCG food companies in India to offer most of the primary kitchen commodities for Indian consumers, including edible oil, wheat flour, rice, pulses and sugar. The Transaction was signed on 2nd May, 2022; and closed on 3rd May, 2022. Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM) is India's leading law firm with a global reputation of being trusted advisers to its clients. The Firm advises a large and diverse set of clients, including domestic and foreign commercial enterprises, financial institutions, private equity and venture capital funds, start-ups, government and regulatory bodies. The Firm's generalists, specialists and senior ex-regulators expertly guide clients across a spectrum of transactions, sectors and regulations. With over 850 lawyers and 150 Partners, the Firm is the largest full-service law firm in India with offices in key business centres at Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, GIFT City, and also in Singapore. Recently, the Firm received "National Law Firm of the Year: India" award at the IFLR Asia Pacific 2022 awards ceremony. In 2021, Firm received "India Deal Firm of the Year" at the ALB India Awards and "Firm of the Year" at the IFLR1000 India Awards. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 4 (ANI/Hunk golden and media): Tynimo, Bengaluru-based lifestyle retail brand bagged 'Emerging Retailer of the Year Award' by RAI (Retail Association of India). Retailers Association of India (RAI), A not-for-profit organisation is the unified voice of retailers in India. Tynimo received the award under not-for-profit organisation. The organization received the award for its innovative idea of STORE ON WHEELS and giving new dimension to customer service. The store on wheels operates out of a vibrantly designed truck retailing array of products and traveling across the city. Tynimo Store on Wheels has been extremely well received by the loyal customer base with an overwhelming response and has already visited over a dozen large housing complexes in Bengaluru. Vaibhav Jain, Founder, Tynimo expressed his feelings and said that "This award is given to organisation for Innovation and Disruption and we proud to share that we are the 1st retailer in country to have launched a full fledged "Store on Wheels", a moving store to serve our customers at their doorsteps. This is an extension of our detailed focus on above and beyond customer service." He further added that, "We always had a dream to start our own brand in the retail industry which have something to offer to people from different walks of life. Our vision is to make Tynimo the world's most favourite consumer retail brand. Our main objective is to make our customers happy and build trust in them." Tynimo symbolises a tiny shopping plex that has a large variety to offer for an unplanned shopper. The brand is focused on providing high quality daily lifestyle products at affordable prices, hence providing a better lifestyle. Every product at tynimo is designed on the philosophy of creative design, cost efficiency and better lifestyle. The brand is focused on looking beyond price and functionality to connect with a back story and ethics that appeals to the consumer's sense of self. Tynimo, a part of Hansum India group was started as a response to other international lifestyle brands from Japan and China. Founded by Vaibhav Jain, Tynimo offers over 15 categories of products ranging from home decor to Indian handicrafts that are sourced globally and locally. With a brand philosophy of 'tiny store, more products, high-quality products at affordable prices', each Tynimo store has an eclectic collection of products ranging from Rs.60 to Rs.10,000 catering to value-conscious consumers. Apart from lifestyle products, Tynimo has a curated range of Indian Handicrafts directly sourced from Indian Artisans. Tynimo has over 8 stores spread across Bengaluru and Mumbai, including an exclusive store at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, and an international presence in Bhutan. Over the next one year, Tynimo plans to launch 20-30 stores across India. As a part of their expansion plan, Tynimo is inviting applications for the Franchise model. For further information, please visit: www.tynimo.com Instagram - @tynimostore Facebook - @Tynimoindia This story is provided by Hunk Golden and Media. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/Hunk Golden and Media)
Recent crackdown on Chinese firms by the Income Tax Department and enforcement agencies is linked to the arrest of Chinese national Luo Sang alias Charlie Peng, who was running the Hawala network, government sources said. However, the companies have denied the allegations. The Income Tax Department caught Charlie Peng in raids related to a Rs 1,000 crore Hawala network in August 2020. After the search, while examining the Hawala transaction and the evidence gathered from the premises of Peng, a government source told ANI that the department got to know that he was running the hawala network for top Chinese mobile and fintech companies. As the investigation progressed, IT officials got to know through the evidence that Charlie Peng was doing hawala transactions for Chinese mobile companies and some fintech firms. Top officials in the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the parent body of the Income Tax Department, were informed about the Charlie Peng hawala network. Peng was doing the hawala transaction through his web of sham companies and laundered funds to and from China. After looking at the evidence, the department gave a go-ahead to officials and the Delhi investigation wing of the Income Tax Department was tasked to curb the hawala nexus of Charlie Peng. Another source said that after the income tax search at Charlie Peng in August 2020, searches at ZTE Corp were conducted at five premises in August 2021. Later, the finance ministry issued a statement without naming ZTE said, "The examination of import bills vis-a-vis sale bills shows that there was a gross profit of approximately 30 per cent on the trading of the equipment, though the company has been booking huge losses over the years". The statement further reads, "It is thus evident that losses are being booked by the company through bogus expenses in respect of services provided by it. Few such recipients have been identified in whose case, substantial expenses have been booked over the years. These entities have been found to be non-existent at their addresses." "Moreover, the said entities also do not file their Income Tax Returns (ITRs). More such dubious entities are being examined. It is expected that bogus expenses would run into hundreds of crores over the years," the finance ministry said. After ZTE Corp, the Income Tax Department conducted raids on more than two dozen premises of Xiaomi, OPPO, Oneplus and some fintech companies in December 2021. CBDT's statement said that the two major companies have made remittances in nature of royalty, to and on behalf of its group companies located abroad, which aggregates to more than Rs 5500 crore. "The claim of such expenses does not seem to be appropriate in light of the facts and evidence gathered during the search action, it said. Such lapses make them liable for penal action under income tax act, 1961, the quantum of which could be in the range of more than Rs 1000 crore," the CBDT statement added. A search at Huawei Technologies at its New Delhi, Gurugram and Bengaluru premises in February 2022 was the last one in this connection. In a statement without naming the company, CBDT said a major telecom group did not account for the income of Rs 4 billion in its book and showed expenses of Rs 4.8 billion that the firm failed to justify. Sources told ANI that the search at Charlie Peng led to more than a dozen searches by the central investigation agencies like the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate at Chinese mobile and fintech companies. Peng is currently on bail after he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) last year. Peng is facing cases from ED, Special Cell, Delhi Police. He is accused of spying for China also. Peng was earlier arrested by Delhi Police in 2018 and later granted bail for allegedly living in India under a false identity. A Huawei spokesperson said that the company categorically denies any connection with Charlie Peng. According to the statement, "Company categorically denies such baseless and false rumours and reserve its legal rights to protect its reputation against any such misleading information. We emphasise again that Huawei in India has been carrying its operations in manner compliant with all applicable laws of the land." Xiaomi spokesperson said, "We completely deny any knowledge of, or linkage with, the person you have noted in your email. We neither know of this individual nor have indulged in any sort of transaction with the said individual. We are committed to our group policy of best ethical practices and deny any dealings or transactions that falls foul of Indian laws and regulations. In short, we emphatically deny any association with the individual mentioned in your email." "We reserve our rights in all respects and will take steps as we may be advised to safeguard our reputation," Xiaomi spokesperson said. Mobile company OPPO denied to comment on the story while OnePlus has not reverted with their version till the filing of this story. (ANI)
New Delhi [India], May 4 (ANI/NewsVoir): Wakeup Innovation, A leading furniture and home products startup, is set to breach the INR 300 Cr. Mark in the financial year 22-23. The D2C startup has established itself as a prominent player in the industry within a few years of its inception and currently sells its products through e-commerce platforms. Started by two brothers, Nitesh Goyal and Nikhil Goyal, the company has clocked a turnover of INR 36 Cr. last year and plans to grow 10x in the coming year. Nitesh Goyal, CEO and Founder, Wakeup Innovation Pvt. Ltd., said, all of us who live in this beautiful world aspire to be successful. It makes no difference whether the individual in question is a child, a youngster, or an older person; At every point of our long lives, we have an innate drive to be successful and progress steadily toward greater achievement. Similarly, my brother Nikhil Goyal and I started the business journey in 2017, intending to embrace success as a player rather than a spectator. The success of our organisation can be attributed to our dedication, sincerity, customer-first approach and clear vision to serve the best for the customers. We are all set to cross INR 300 crores and expand aggressively across India. Goyal brothers founded the Wakeup innovation, their desire to achieve greatness led them to work on internet platforms. They established a wakeup mattress manufacturing facility in Bhiwani (Haryana) and started achieving many milestones. Goyal brothers became the bestseller on India's leading e-commerce platforms. They said dedication and hard work are the foundation of their achievement. Nitesh was not alone in his battle; his brother Nikhil was his only supporter and stood with him in every tough row to hoe situation. Then they decided to move their head office to Gurgaon and keep their production unit in Bhiwani mainly because of their efforts and undivided focus on growing their outreach to PAN India. The transformation of a self-funded company's average profit is nearly five times what it started with is a trip to be hailed heartily. They're now planning to cover the whole market, from raw resources to items and services. They're currently working around the clock to provide a comprehensive house solution. Nitesh is also working on the vision to make every Indian sleep peacefully without any sleeping disorder. They're preparing everything from the smallest to the largest object to cover the entire house decor. Also, a production unit was established in Jodhpur (Rajasthan) after the success of the Bhiwani (Haryana) production unit. Wakeup innovations Pvt. Ltd. accomplished another milestone in December 2021. The millennium brilliance award for the most trusted brand in India was presented to Nitesh Goyal in December 2021 by the prominent Arab beauty Nora Fatehi. Receiving the most trusted award was a big moment for the company since it's one of the outstanding achievements for a brand. Nitesh Goyal, CEO and Founder of Wakeup Innovations Pvt. Ltd., said, "This is just the beginning, and there are many milestones to be achieved." The company's net turnover is 36 crores per annum, with a forecast of 300 crores for the coming financial year. This year Wakeup has introduced an initiative to plant a tree with every order. Buy one, Plant one. For every order you place, Wakeup will plant a tree. By doing this, Wakeup can help protect and regenerate the planet. Furthermore, Wakeup will provide you with a tree geographical location tracker. You can track your tree with an authentic certification and tree identification number. Wakeup's digital team also commented on the latest campaign, "Wakeup is committed to planting as many trees as possible and expanding the furniture and home products market across the country by providing great products at a great value to consumers. Wakeup will plant a tree for every order." This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
New Delhi [India], May 4 (ANI/SRV): To create a platform for students in digital learning, Chubb Business Services India Pvt Ltd (CBSI), in association with the Telangana government and NGO partner Nirmaan Organization, installed Disruptive Digital Intervention (DDI) labs at three government schools in Hyderabad last year. Chubb fully sponsored well-trained faculty for the labs, along with annual maintenance covering power backup, a high-speed broadband internet connectivity projector, LED TV and audio facility. A group of CBSI employees and Chubb leaders, including Shekar Pannala, Vice President, Chubb Group and Global CIO; Gellert Eduard Fabian, CIO for Chubb's Asia Pacific region; Mohan Narayanaswamy, SVP, CEO, and MD of CBSI; and Duggirala Sathya Prakash, AVP Risk and Compliance, visited ZPHS Medipally. Students enthusiastically welcomed Chubb senior leadership and expressed how the computer lab installations have benefitted them by giving new hope for their future. During the visit, Pannala and Fabian interacted with the students, faculty and Headmasters of three schools to understand the students' progress in digital learning through these labs. Emphasizing the importance of education, Pannala urged students to be goal-oriented, focused and utilize the resources to maximize their future growth opportunities. He stated, "Education is the most precious asset one can have, and being literate in technology leads to more career choices."He also assured Chubb's active participation in supporting students' overall advancement and career opportunities. Narayanaswamy said, "We should dream big and give our best efforts to reach great heights. With a strong will, we can achieve success irrespective of our origins." He reiterated Chubb's commitment and support in creating smart classrooms for students' learning. Mayur Patnala, Founder and CEO, Nirmaan Organization, and L. Satya Prasad, Headmaster, ZPHS Medipally, expressed their gratitude to Chubb for extending tremendous support by inspiring students with their presence. Chubb Business Services India is a fast-growing Global Competency Center that supports Chubb's insurance operations, information technology, and digital and analytics functions. Effective April 8, 2022, Chubb Business Services India LLP is converted to Chubb Business Services India Private Limited. Since its inception in Oct 2019, CBSI has expanded its foothold in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Bhubaneswar, providing support with a diversified talent pool of 900+ employees in Intelligent Process Automation, Digital technology, data analytics, and catastrophe modelling and risk management. Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company and the largest commercial insurer in the United States. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance, and life insurance to diverse clients. We assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline as an underwriting company. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength, and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, Paris, London, and other locations and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Visit chubb.com Vast Reach PR: +91 9542976567 This story is provided by SRV. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/SRV)
New Delhi [India], May 4 (ANI/NewsVoir): Spatial thinking is fast becoming extremely relevant in today's world, and young students in India are increasingly using the geographic approach to solve real-life problems. Esri India, a leader in Geographic Information System (GIS) technology has been promoting GIS adoption not only in governments and businesses but also in academia. As the number of students wanting to pursue courses in geospatial grows, Esri India has been providing various platforms for students to apply their GIS skills. Esri India Young Scholar Contest is one of the platforms for students to not just strengthen their skills and be industry ready, but also an opportunity to showcase their work at India and International levels. This year again in April 2022, the Indian GIS student community presented phenomenal solutions for some of India's most pressing problems such as air pollution, healthcare, land degradation, deforestation, and more as part of the Esri India Young Scholar Contest 2022. Close to 200 students from across the country participated in the contest and showcased interesting projects right from the application of GIS in reducing health inequity among the underserved, analyzing social media data to improve citizen services, assessment of groundwater level variation and more. Agendra Kumar, Managing Director, Esri India shared on the occasion, "As the Indian Economy leaps from one pillar of strength to the other, geospatial technology is becoming more prominent. Geospatial literacy is key to solving the challenges the country is facing today and thus the need to develop the right talent is paramount. The Esri India Young Scholar contest is one among many of Esri India's efforts to encourage and acknowledge the out-of-the-box innovations by young scholars. Our aim is to provide this platform for students to develop geographic & spatial thinking approach and apply GIS technology to solve real-life problems." Based on a thorough review of Esri India's expert technical team, the following projects were selected as the top three winners of the Esri India Young Scholar Contest 2022: Project 1: Using Twitter Data to Assess Commuters Perception of the Delhi Metro by Apoorv Agarwal from IIT Madras Project 2: Analyzing the Access to Educational Facilities in Dahod District by Yash Doshi from CEPT University Project 3: Automatic Ridge Line Detection using Digital Elevation Modelling by Kalyan Nath Somavarapu from National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Apart from becoming a proud recipient of the 'Esri India Scholar of the Year' trophy, the top winner will get the opportunity to showcase his/her work at the global level at the Esri International User Conference, to be held in San Diego in July 2022. This will be a unique opportunity for the winner to network and learn from like-minded scholars from around the world. Established in 1996, Esri India Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (Esri India) is an end-to-end Geographic Information Systems (GIS) solutions provider. As a market leader, it has successfully delivered cutting-edge GIS solutions, powered by ArcGIS, to more than 5000 customers for applications in Land management, Utilities, Water, Infrastructure, Disaster Management, Telecommunications, Urban Development, Smart Cities, Forestry, Natural Resources Management and more. For Indian customers, it has engineered a unique product called Indo ArcGIS. Headquartered in Noida (Delhi-NCR), the company not only enjoys association with more than 4.5 lakh users across the country but has also got Great Place to Work[?] Certified twice. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
New Delhi [India], May 4 (ANI/GPRC): Paris Keswani, a philanthropist and human rights activist based in the United States, has partnered with the New York-based non-profit organisation Great Giving Charitable Foundation Inc to help impoverished children, displaced orphans, battered mothers, and people displaced by natural disasters worldwide. Born in India, Paris Keswani relocated to the U.S long ago where she attained an Honors degree in Public Administration while preserving her ardent love for gemology. She worked as a jewellery designer and sales associate in a prominent jewellery company in the U.S. "I dedicated my entire professional life to the service of humanity, eradication of poverty, and strived to provide housing accommodation for all," said Paris. "Following the partnership with the New York-based non-profit organization, I want to expand my social and humanitarian service at the global scale to preserve human rights and provide equality to all in the eyes of the law." A mother of an 11-year-old son, Paris has been volunteering at UNICEF and New York Cars and is honored to be a vital part of the United Nations Environmental Progress. Every Tuesday, she and her son feed over 200 homeless people in Secaucus in New Jersey, visit houses of senior people every weekend, organise an annual book fair and toy and blanket drives, and tree plantation drives to protect the environment. Paris a.k.a Poonam Keswani has received recognition from the Mayor of Secaucus in New Jersey, Michael Gonnelli for taking up special environmental projects to replenish withering trees by planting new ones and helping children with special needs. This story is provided by GPRC. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/GPRC)
New Delhi [India], May 4 (ANI/SRV): St Pauls Institute of Communication Education (SPICE), one of India's fast-growing media institutes situated in Mumbai, has begun its admission process for its new batch of students. The registration process began on 15th April 2022 and will continue through 25th June 2022. Admissions at SPICE are done on the basis of the candidate's merit and an entrance exam which is followed by a personal interview. The institution offers comprehensive postgraduate programmes in Journalism, Advertising and Integrated Marketing Communication; and Public Relations& Corp. Comm. The institute is also known for offering certificate courses and workshops in Graphic Design, Digital Photography, Filmmaking and Video Editing. Every year top-notch media companies and well-known media corporations contact the campus for placement and internship drives. The institute has successfully placed its journalist students with the Times of India, Mirror Now, Aajtak and NDTV; while our Ad and PR students have been recruited by leading media agencies like Adfactors, MSL, Ogilvy, Watconsult, Schbang, etc. The curriculum is tweaked each year to suit the changing industry needs. SPICE firmly believes in practical learning. Case studies, workshops, group sessions and projects are delivered under the guidance and expertise of the faculty members. The students also get exposure to real-life learning, interviews with media professionals, creating an advertising or PR strategy and an opportunity to make an ad film or corporate film, as the case may be, at the end of the year. The institution has always believed in offering a 360-degree learning experience to students by inviting eminent media professionals from the media and communication industry for guest lectures and to share the industry-know how. At SPICE, we look for a solid grasp of language. The medium of instruction is English, but if a student is familiar with at least one of the major languages it is considered an advantage. This is because, the institution lays great emphasis, not just on writing well, but also on skills and, most importantly, on processes of communication. The firms are so impressed with the quality of students that they have recruited, that they approach us each year. Due to this, the demand has been more than the availability. This year for our PR students, an agency like Ad Factors, one of the biggest PR agencies in India, interviewed four students and offered jobs to all four. Similar responses have been received from MSL and other agencies. We explore the pull of technology and how mastering it in software and skills enhances and empowers every media aspirant. To this end, SPICE is widely acclaimed for its media-friendly infrastructure, air-conditioned classrooms, broadcast studio, audio recording studio, a podcast station, a library, two multimedia labs for graphics and animation, and video conference facilities. Carol Andrade, Dean, St Pauls Institute of Communication Education said, "We explain why writing like a journalist is a skill that should be prescribed for everyone, because it is, quite frankly, a great way to tell a story. Through regular Labs for writing, and continuous mentorship, we bring together text, audio, video and visuals to help our students create a foundation for a career meant to last a lifetime. Because learning by doing - that's the motto we live by". Margaret Da Costa, Programme Director, Advertising and Public Relations at SPICE said, "This is not just a course where one learns to be a media professional but where one develops holistically." True to the vision of the founding members, St Pauls Institute of Communication Education's vision is to emerge among the world's leading Media Schools that produce the finest media professionals worldwide. The institution resiliently holds onto its core values which are nobility, fraternity, integrity, and solidarity. We clarify not just what the 5Ws and 1H method is, but why, after over200 years of writing, story-telling is a skill that should be prescribed for everyone, because it is, quite frankly, a great way to tell story. Added to holistic training, we conduct fun activities too. An overnight trip to the YMCA Lakeside campsite, Traditional Day, Christmas Carols night, are just some of the fun activities that are a part of our course. We also have CommFest a media conclave, that invites luminaries from all the fields of media and in the process of putting it together, spurs the students on to the path of entrepreneurship. In this way, at the end of ten months we do not just have students who are graduating but young minds ready to hit the ground running. For further information visit: https://www.stpaulsice.com This story is provided by SRV. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/SRV)